//------------------------------// // Visiting Twily // Story: From man to mare: Time to tell // by The Psychopath //------------------------------// I was still shocked by the blood in my mouth, but that could only be a coincidence, right? I had to think of something to say in case this happens again. I can't let Jewel see me like this. I washed myself up and went straight to the living room. Cyclon had made some breakfast, but I wasn't hungry. Jewel and I both adored irritating Cyclon without him noticing. Luna's tricks have been helping quite alot with allowing her to maintain her control and to let her voluntarily call her magic. "Jewel." I whispered as Cyclon wa putting his bowl in the silvery sink. "Yeah?" she responded with a wide smile and big eyes. "Try and activate the faucet." "Ehee." she giggled. As we minded our own business, Jewel's horn began to glow. Suddenly, we heard metal rattling, and the sound of water gushing all over Cyclon filled our ears. The water died down, but Opal turned to look at us with confusion as his fur dripped with water. He looked like a wet dog. "Pahahahaha!" Jewel and I exploded in laughter. "Oh, so you think this is funny?" he scolded. "Yes. Quite so." I answered with an air of superiority. He stared at me for awhile, then laughed whole heartedly. I...don't know why. "Mom." I shivered. "What?" "Are we going to get a special carriage to go to Twi...I mean, Princess Twilight's palace?" "No. We're going to use the train." I sighed in irritation "I hate trains." "Too bad." Cyclon shouted as he hoisted several heavy bags onto his back. That idiot had donned his silvery armor again. I didn't see the point as we were just going to Twilight's place for the week...I think. I wasn't too sure about the terms of our visit. Cyclon was only vague about them. Either way, Jewel seemed happy because she was going to be closer to Luna that way. Watching her gallop about happily made a micro-smile form on the edge of my mouth. That bright light illuminated her. Her...innocence was getting to me. What was I going to do? Perhaps die in vain and take your secret with you? I felt my heart scrape against something again, and I slammed a hoof to my mouth. Jewel's horn sparked and she looked at me with worry, taking Cyclon's gaze with her. "Mommy?" "I'll be alright! Just get to the station. I'll be there in a few. I...*blurgh*...Forgot something." I ran back to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Holding myself over the sink, I felt like the world was spinning as I remained in the center. I barfed up some more blood with the same black substance as before. It was clinging to my blood this time, and in the mirror, it was...that thing again. It was smiling and leaning against the counter with its left foreleg. The goop coming from its body just splattered onto the sink and slithered down the drain. "Tick Tock, Derry. One day has passed." "What? But it has only been a few hours!" "I know, but time is not relative for me. It starts at eight. We are thursday. Next thursday, you better have told them, or your life is as good as mine." it finished with a clenched fist. "Where's Silver?!" I snapped back, coughing up more blood in the process. "What do you mean? I'm looking at her." "No. I mean the REAL Silver." "Ohhhh! You mean the Giga Sparkle? I am Silver." it narrowed its inexistant eyes. "Cut the bullshit. I know that she wasn't affected by some sort of astral anomaly. If that were the case, all sparkles would have been eliminated long ago." Its laughter echoed several times throughout the bathroom, taking along different tones of voices with it. "That is true. What, then, rendered her insane? Did she really go insane? Perhaps, perhaps not." "I--" "You best hurry." it looked at the door with a blank attitude "You might miss the train. Don't worry. You don't need to look at me like that. I won't cause your heart to lash out while you gallop into the meadows...for now. Remember: Each passing day, your heart will get worse and worse. You best hurry before I am able to start the next verse. Now unlock the door and be off, I have other things to ponder about besides your blood cough. Unlock the door and you will know, about your future that I hold in tow." I just stared at it with disgust. This was all a game and it held the strings. I did as suggested and did indeed find that I was nearly late for the train. They were both waiting for me, and I was about to jump on the moving vehicle when a coach proceeded to stop me...or so he wished. Everypony around here had learned not to get between me and Jewel. Despite that, this guy seemed to come from somewhere else. He first told me to stop, but started to panic as I inched closer and closer to him, finally tossing him into the air and jumping onto the moving train into Cyclon's forelegs, toppling him over and giving a strange appearance of twisted pony. Jewel just laughed while we shook our heads and moaned in pain. "You took your time. What were you doing?" "Some...urgent necessities before we left." "Yes. Necessities." he growled. It took awhile, but we unbundled ourselves. I looked the other way in embarassment. "Let's not talk about this." "Not talk about what? Everypony saw that!" "Can you not fight, please?" Jewel asked with big watery eyes. We tried to resist, but we both broke under the pressure. "HNNNRGH! Fine! Where do we sit?!" I yelled from stress due to the cute wittle eyes. "Over here." Cyclon gestured through the passageway. This was just like the trains I was used to. A small hallway with entrances to individual cabins. We finally chose to stop in one. An empty one, at that. Two leather seats, and a window to show the prairie outside. It was a relief to finally sit down. "So, dad, how long until we reach Twilight's house?" "I don't know. Considering the distance, perhaps three hours without interruption?" "Three hours?! Ooooh!" she complained as she melted onto the couch. A few minutes passed that I tried to fall asleep, but Cyclon and the light effects caused by the tree branches prevented me from doing so. "What's going on, Silver? You aren't looking very well. I think...you look paler." "...I'm covered in silver-colored fur. How can you see if I'm looking sicker?" "I have my ways." "Can we just relax while I try to sleep? I'm feeling awfully exhausted, lately." He decided to nod slowly while looking at me with eyes full of suspicion. We hadn't payed attention, but Jewel was actually meditating next to her father. She was even smiling as she was gradually surrounded by a faint covering of light. I don't how we didn't notice. Perhaps because of my fatigue and Cyclon's suspicions being solely centered on me. Either way, I finally fell asleep. I even had a great dream! I dreamt I was beating up Cycon and slamming his head a gainst a cinder block several times. Heheheh. After the three hours were up, we were finally at the train station. It was relatively new. It seemed to have the same style of the one back in Ponyville, except that the roof covering the landing for the passengers was slanted upwards like a piano's lid. We were also the only ones to get out of here. One would think that after this grand ceremony, Twilight would have more visitors. After all three of us got out, the train belched out more steam and started to chug along to Canterlot. Cyclon was the first to look around. "Nopony is here. I wonder why? Maybe they're--" Cyclon was tackled by a random guard and tossed onto the floor. This guard had lavender colored fur, along with purple armor that covered his body. It had a very similar style to Celestia and Luna's royal guards, but he had Twilight's butt tatoo as a crest on his chest plate. Another guard tried to tackle me as well, but I moved out of the way, allowing him to slam into one of the solid pillars holding the roof up. "Nopony is allowed here! Princess Twilight has been busy studying the necessities of her rule. You dare to disobey Princess Celestia?!" the bulky purple stallion yelled. I huffed and walked forward while Jewel stayed cramped to my leg. She looked so cute being scared. "Oh. If it's just an order from Celestia." I snarked. The guard didn't like that and growled at me. He completely forgot about Cyclon, whom he pinned down earlier. The idiot didn't even notice his armor. We're all noticing a great many details today. "How dare you brush aside an order fromm--" the guard got kicked through the train station's wall. "Hmph." Cyclon harumphed as he dusted himself off."You speak of loyalties, yet you still attack your captain?" "C-captain?" the guard growled. "What's going on down here? I just wanted to study a bit, and then i here a bunch of crashing and destruction. *gasp* Silver and Cyclon! You're here!" Twilight had flown down from her palace a bit further away. She was still getting used to them, judging by her wobbling before she landed. "Twilight!" Jewel yelled as she ran and jumped at Twilight for a hug. "Aha! I'm glad to see you too. How are your studies?" "I'm doing pretty good. Princess Luna says I might become like you if I study hard." "Really now?" Twilight smiled and cocked an eyebrow. "Princess twilight." Cyclon bowed. "You don't need to be like that, Cyclon. I'm just a pony." "Your status still demands respect." he spoke firmly. "Oh, well if you base your judgement solely on status, then you won't go far." I mocked with an eye rolling. "I have so many things to talk to you about, Silver. How the ceremony went, what everything was like." she started to recite everything passing by her mind. "Yeah. I heard that Empress Celestia decided to wear a bigger crown and that Luna's dress was considered as an awful wear. Personally, judging by the pictures I've seen and the words I've heard, everything went a bit fast for you." I walked in front of her then just stared at her face with a hidden frown-smile. "Empress? Because of her crown?" "We'll talk about that later. Let's go to the castle! I'm pretty sure Jewel here wants to see everything she can in the week we're staying here." "Really? is this true, Amber?" Twilight turned my little pew. "Yes! Where's Spike? Do you have a treasure room? Do you have cooks all for you? I heard Discord comes by here often. Will I get to see him?" "Let's see...In his new room, getting aquainted with everything...No...Not yet...and yes. He does. Unfortunately." My eye twitched and anger boiled up in me. "Dis...cord?" I gritted my teeth. "He's a changed...draconequus now! I'm sure he can make up for what he did." "I DOUBT IT! LET'S GO!" I shouted as I tore the doors of the station down to get onthe other side. Amber seemed confused. "Why doesn't mommy like Discord?" "It's something you don't need to know about yet." "But--" "No buts, Amber." Cyclon interjected. "Shall we go, princess?" "Go on ahead. I'll meet up with you. I have to fix everything here and get explanations from the guards." "Okay then. Come on. Let's go meet up with Mumra." (narrator transition) Twilight stared at Silver with worry, but also with a narrow eye. There was something wrong with her, and she could sense it. It also didn't help to hear her awfully loud coughing. It sounded like she was barfing up a cat. The new princess would have to get an answer out of her friend by any means necessary...just not draconian means..