//------------------------------// // Hate // Story: Homecoming // by seeker9709 //------------------------------// Moon's day 15, Aprillis 1265 It's everywhere now. It's following me. At school. At home. At the doctors. In the market place. It just won't go away. I still have the dream. It feels like something is just outside my sight all the time. I'm panicking. I can't sleep. I'm seeing things I know aren't there. I was talking to Shining, then all of a sudden, he was lying on the floor. He was covered in blood. The light in his eyes was gone. I could tell he was truly dead. I didn't even have time to cry though. I blinked and he was standing, looking at me confusedly. He was back on his feet, perfectly fine. I still can't tell anyone. It's still stopping me. I just wish I knew what IT was. Luna was reading the journal again. She had spent the rest of the previous night with Sweetie and would resume her progress on understanding Twilight the next day, her thirst for knowledge on the lost unicorn driving her. Odin's day 17, Aprillis 1265 I...I don't know what to do anymore. I can't... I want it to stop. I want to sleep again. I want them to stop calling me names. I want them to leave me alone. I want the voices to stop. I want the pain to go away. I want to be happy. I want Shiny to be happy. I want Mommy and Daddy to be happy. Everyone is sad. Everyone's looking at me sadly. I don't want them to look at me like that. I just want to be normal. I only want to be normal. Thor’s day 18, Aprillis 1265 The voice finally stopped. I answered the voice, and it stopped. It called out to me, and I asked “Who's there?” and it stopped. I...I finally got to sleep. The hallucinations stopped. At least, that's what I think they were. Maybe I'm not crazy. Maybe I'll be okay. = The pair stared at each other in silence. One wore a look of horror on her face while the other stood, confused, her head cocked to the side. The silence that lingered was almost earsplitting. “Journal? What journal?” Chrysalis asked, breaking the deafening silence. “There was no journal when you came here” Twilight gritted her teeth and eventually found her voice. “I'll repeat myself one last time, Chrysalis. You are one of extremely few I consider to be a friend. If you are lying-” “I AM NOT!” she shouted in response. “Don't you dare say that! I would not lie to you. I was present when you were found, and there was no journal in your bag. Or even anywhere close.” = Freya's day 19, Aprillis 1265 The voice still hasn't called me again. I feel much better since I decided to call back. I wonder if it will call again. I hope it does. I hope it leaves me alone. = “Are you absolutely sure?” “Yes. Like I said, I was there. Why is it so important?” Twilight huffed. “You'd be surprised what somepony can do once they get a look into your mind.” = Sun's day 21, Aprillis 1265 “Last night it called me again. I answered back again as well. It came out of the fog and talked to me. It wasn't a pony though. It was a lion. He was really big and super nice. He said he could help me with my magic. I asked him how since even the princesses hadn't been able to help yet. He said not to worry and that he had a gift for me, but it wasn't ready yet. Hopefully soon. = Twilight thought back, trying to find when she could have lost her journal. Chrysalis watched as Twilight racked her thoughts trying to find a foothold in her memories. Twilight's face was a mask of confusion as she sped through her memories, trying to uncover when it happened. The realization hit her like a brick. = Thor's day 25, Aprillis 1265 He talked to me again. He said his gift is ready, and he finally gave it to me, but I didn't see it. He said he gave it to me, but he never showed it to me. I asked about it, and he said I would see it soon. But I want to see it now. = Chrysalis covered her ears to block out the shrill sound. Moments later, Twilight's screams stopped. Chrysalis watched the unicorn as she gasped for air. “The pegasus...” Twilight whispered to herself. “The what? What is it, Twilight?” Twilight's horror turned to anger. “The pegasus,” she said through clenched teeth. Once again, she dove into her pack before withdrawing the scrap of paper. She stared at it before mumbling to herself, “An eye for an eye.” = Moon's day 29, Aprillis 1265 I still haven't seen his gift yet, but something is happening. I keep losing pieces of my memory for a second at a time. I was talking to my brother outside of my room, then I was in my room with my doll Smarty Pants. I asked Shining how I got there and he got confused and said I finished talking to him and went there by myself. I asked HIM, and he said the gift is just getting used to me. WHAT GIFT????? I haven't seen it yet and it's driving me crazy. That’s good. Let it grow. = “Damn it damn it damn it DAMN IT TO TARTARUS!” Twilight shouted as she stomped her hooves over and over again. It hurt, but pain was just a distraction. A few moments later, she calmed down. “Chrysalis,” she called out, breathing heavily. “Can you do a magic transfusion?” = Thor's day 1, Maius 1265 He said it would help me. He said it would help me use my magic. He said it would make me better. He said he would teach me. = “Quickly. We don't have much time. How far are we from Canterlot?” “About 70 miles. Why?” Determined, Twilight asked, “Can you do a magic transfusion, and can you get me outside the hive?” Chrysalis sighed heavily. “Yes, and follow me. We're near the surface anyways.” Chrysalis sprinted through the caves and tunnels to the surface, Twilight closely following. = Sun's day 4, Maius 1265 It won't stop. I'm blacking out. I'm losing time. Seconds... minutes... even hours. It happened yesterday. I lost 2 hours of time and didn't even notice. Neither did Mommy or Daddy or Shiny. I still can't tell them though. = Minutes later, Twilight and Chrysalis burst through an opening of the hive and into the snowy wasteland. Twilight's head snapped side to side. “Which way is Canterlot​?” “There, just south,” Chrysalis beckoned with one hoof. Twilight rummaged through her bag quickly before pulling out a hexagonal rune. She threw it to the ground and shot a beam of magic at it. It glowed a soft violet color. She quickly turned to Chrysalis. “Pour our magic into this when I say. Be careful not to transfer ownership.” She quickly walked in front of Chrysalis and motioned at her to lean down. Chrysalis complied, and Twilight tapped her horn against the queen's. “Stand behind it, opposite to me.” Chrysalis obeyed, not worrying to question Twilight's motives. She had learned from experience that it wouldn't matter. Twilight kept her eyes on the rune as she instructed Chrysalis. “Our magic frequencies have to be the same. ” Chrysalis nodded quickly, her horn glowing brighter as Twilight's did the same. “Ready...NOW!” = Odin's day 7, Maius 1265 He told me that I'll see my gift soon. Very soon. I can't wait. I really want to see this gift. It'll help me a me control it. Even the princesses couldn't do it. I really want to see this... = As she yelled, Twilight released her magic, and Chrysalis followed suit. The beams struck in the air as the casters closed their eyes in concentration. As the magic collided, two dissonant high-pitched tones rang. The magic, instead of dissipating, formed a pool above the rune and grew larger by the second. “Twilight, you need to focus. Let it flow,” Chrysalis instructed. The beams changed shape and contrast as the casters attuned their magic. The sounds changed and grew closer to one another in volume and pitch. ”Almost there...Almost...” As the frequencies matched, Twilight shouted, “RELEASE!” The pool of magic launched into the rune, which hovered and glowed with violet and emerald energy. Twilight quickly snatched it from the air. “Step two...” She closed her eyes again, holding the rune in her hooves. Her horn glowed even brighter than before, her head tilting toward the sky. = Freya's day 9, Maius 1265 She looks just like me. Her coat is the same. Her mane and tail are the same. Her voice is the same. She's just as tall as me. She is exactly like me except for two things. Her smile. It's wide. So wide it looks like it hurts. It scares me. The other thing is her eyes. They're pitch black. Not like the color black, but it's as if they absorbs all of the colors and light. They are cold and dark. She said she is me, at least a part of me. She scares me. How could somepony like her help me? = “Twilight, what are you doing?” Twilight ignored the changeling queen's calls and focused on her task. This was the delicate part. The rune floated out of Twilight's hooves and began spinning faster and faster as it became a tunnel of colorful energy. Twilight's horn charged for a moment before firing a blast at the rune, sending it flying off to the distance. “Twilight?” Chrysalis called again. “Was that what I think it was?” Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Twilight's eyes. They were no longer their normal solid lavender color; instead, they shifted. She was guiding the spell. = Saturn's Day 10, Maius 1265 He told me she was the reason I keep losing time. He says she's just getting used to my body and my mind and not to worry. = Twilight focused on the light in her eyes. To any common eye, her eyes were just glowing, but it would be wrong. She was guiding the magical missile she had sent, and her target was in Canterlot. With a small part of her focus she activated a tiny rune inside the journal. Consequently, a small purple haze appeared far off in the distance. Twilight grinned evilly. The haze was over the palace. “Two birds with one stone.” = Luna's head perked up. She could feel it. Very strong magic, approaching quickly. Something was coming. She ran to the her window to see a brightly colored magic stream coming towards her room. 'I wonder who that could be?' she thought to herself sarcastically. She flew out the window, her horn blazing with power. She was moments away from meeting the magic head on when it split. The beam split in half, moving around her before rejoining behind her. 'Oh no you don't!' She quickly flew back around to meet the beam, this time striking it. Her horn fired off massive amounts of energy, but much to her surprise, the magic didn't dissipate. Instead, it held its ground and began pushing her back. She clenched her teeth and pushed harder, expelling even more magic into the missile. “What's wrong, princess? Feeling weak?” a voice shouted from within. Luna focused inside the twisting energy and saw a pair of floating orbs... No, eyes. The missile was being guided. As Luna stared into those eyes, she felt a slight chill crawl up her spine. Eyes are the windows to the soul, and these eyes were screaming volumes. “Cease this fight. You cannot win,” Luna yelled to the floating eyes. “No. You cannot hope to beat your own sister's sun.” “What!?” Luna gasped as she was pushed back even more. She braced herself and pushed as hard as she could, her wings flapping in the wind. “Solar multiplier, which means you lose.” Luna held her magic for a few more seconds before she was thrown away. The beam traveled through her window, creating an explosion within her room. Luna watched helplessly as the one piece of information they had on Twilight was destroyed in front of her. Soon, a white blur flew next to her. “Luna, what happened? Are you okay?” Celestia called. She received no response from her sister, who simply stared at the remnants of her tower, her face showing her defeat. “Luna?” Luna grimly stared at the remnants of her tower. Celestia barely heard her next line. “Damn you, Twilight Sparkle.” = Chrysalis watched as the golden light faded from Twilight's eyes. As it did, Twilight's body began swooning and Chrysalis quickly placed a hoof on Twilight's back to steady her. Twilight's body shuddered. She tried to step forward, buy only succeeded in collapsing into the snow. “Twilight.” Chrysalis's voice took on a soothing tone. “Slow down. Don't hurt yourself.” Twilight shook her head in protest. “Have to... get inside,” she choked out in between heaving breaths. Seeing she was too weak to walk, Chrysalis levitated Twilight onto her back and carried her into the hive. They descended into the hive, neither making a sound, until Chrysalis finally broke the silence. “So what now? If they weren't ready for you, you're damn sure they will be now. How are you going to get in? Do you think they are aware of your goal?” “No. I never put what the mission is or why in the journal. There was no critical information inside. I'm safe. Partially, at least.” “Yes, but what is your next step?” Twilight was silent for a moment as she considered the question. “I won't be leaving tonight. Our little magic trick took it out of me, and I already weak as it is. I'll be staying the night, if you would allow it.” “You needn’t ask. You're always welcome in my room.” “Thank you. Tomorrow, I will depart. You said you invaded Canterlot. How?” “It's very little known, but there is a large crystal cavern directly underneath the palace, and even we don't know how far it goes. You might not want to use that, though. After our failed attempt, you can bet that they have greatly boosted security.” Twilight was silent again. “I'm not worried. I'm good at distractions. After that, I have a... contact... in Canterlot. I'll lay low and prepare while I get my energy up.” Chrysalis stopped in front of a slime covered wall. Her horn glowed, and the wall dissolved, allowing entry. Chrysalis placed Twilight down on a large slab of stone, where she sat up slowly and faced her friend. “Is there anything else you need?” Chrysalis inquired. Twilight gave a thankful smile to the changeling queen. “No, but thank you. I have my own supplies, and yours are limited. All I need is privacy.” Twilight turned and opened her pack, pulling out a paper scroll. “And I have a letter to send.”