As we walked back to my house, Brett looked guilty. It was as if he thought it was his fault Twilight got hurt.
I touched the mark on one arm and thought, "You do know it wasn't your fault. Right?"
I think it was. I could have told her not to bring back my card. I could have waited for you to duel her. His thoughts even sounded sad.
"It still wasn't your fault. She just couldn't control the power. Only you can."
"What if I don't want this power!" Brett was yelling now, "I don't want to posess a power that could hurt my friends if I can't control it!"
Brett moved with inhuman speed towards my house. I saw him leave on his duel runner.
I was about to use the telepathy thing when I heard Aqua Serpent The path of those who control fire is a hard one. But your friend is strong. He will succeed in controling it.
"Do you really think so?" I thought.
I know so.
My thought conversation was interrupted when Rainbow Dash yelled, "Where are you going Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy flew off in the direction of Brett. She didn't speak or look back but I knew she would try to comfort him.
"When you were yellin' at yer card you said something about it saying Twi could control fire," Applejack said, trying to change the subject, "What did you mean by that?"
The rest of the way home Twilight and I explained the conversation with Aqua Serpent. The only interruption is when Pinkie exclaimed something about seaponies being real. Whe we were done I said, "Is there anyone that is a pegasus or griffon that would want revenge against you?"
"Pick me! Pick me!" Pinkie said with a hoof held high. I nodded to her and she said, "There was that mean old griffon named Gilda. She made Flutttershy cry."
"And there's Lightning Dust," Rainbow Dash added, "I sorta got her kicked out of the Wonderbolt Academy after
her tornado idea nearly killed my friends."
"What 'bout Changelings?" Applejack asked, "They could turn into a pegasus."
"Changelings?" Evan asked.
"Shapeshifters who drain love from their victims," Twilight explained, "They led an attack on Canterlot a few
months ago."
"Could a Changeling have it?" I thought.
It is quite possible. And Darkness created the Changelings so they hold a certain level of loyalty.
I relayed this to the others.
"So we have Gilda, Lightning Dust, and the Changeling hive," Twilight listed, "What do we do now?"
"We wait until one or more of them come to us," I said, maybe a bit coldly, "Unless they show themselves to the
whole world, we aren't going to find them."
The others agreed and we entered my house. My parents were putting groceries up, but my usually hover around the kitchen until she can get food sister was nowhere to be found.
"Where's Addy?" I asked.
"She's at her friend's house because it's your turn to host movie night," Mom replied.
I totally forgot about movie night with everything happening today. Every Saturday we watch a movie trilogy.
"Thanks Mom," I said, "I forgot with how busy we've been."
"What all happened?"
I explained everything that happened today. When I mentioned Twilight getting burned, Mom's eyes widened, "Is she alright?"
"I'm fine," Twilight assured, "The burns healed with my magic."
"Where's Brett at?" Dad asked, "And the yellow pegasus too."
"Brett drove off and Fluttershy went to comfort him," I replied, "He felt guilty because his card hurt Twilight."
"He'll be okay as long as no one else tries to duel him. And I have a feeling that no one will try.
I shrugged, "For their sakes I hope they don't." I was starting to feel uncomfortable from the sweat from the duel. "I'm going to take a shower."
I went upstairs and started up the shower. Besides washing off the sweat, warm water helps me think.
You have a question burning in your mind. What is it?
"I was wondering, how did you get imprisoned?"
The marks on my arms began to glow brightly and I could hear thunder outside Let me show you.
--------------------------------------------------
I was floating above a forest under a red sky.
"Where am I?" I thought.
You are in my memory of that day. Just observe.
I stared on until I heard a great roar. I looked up and saw Hyperion Dragon come through the clouds.
"We will defeat you in the name of Discord," it roared.
I looked in the direction it was looking and saw Celestia and Luna. They had six orbs of light floating around them.
"No Fire," Celestia said, "We will defeat you."
Fire flew at the princesses and was blocked by an energy field. While they were distracted Aqua Serpent wrapped around Luna's wings and a griffon materialized out of thin air and latched onto Celestia's.
"Why do you fight for Discord?" Luna asked as she fell, "He is hurting innocent ponies."
"I wish to protect the ones under my care," Aqua Serpent replied.
"Then fight with us. We will protect the sea ponies."
"No."
Luna shot a bolt of energy at the water on her wings and she pulled up right before she hit the ground. Celestia wasn't as lucky.
"Are you okay sister?" Luna yelled.
Celestia's wing was bent in an awkward direction, "I'll be fine."
Luna landed and rock grew around her wings and legs. The same was happening to Celestia.
"Discord will reward us greatly for this," the ground rumbled as it took shape.
"At last," Fire said, flying down from the sky, "this war is over and our lands are safe."
As the stone reached Celestia's neck she called out, "We are not finished yet!"
The Elements of Harmony began to glow and created a perimeter around the elementals. The stone around the princesses broke and they were levitated out of the glowing ring. A mountain grew as the princesses said in unison, "We seal you where four become one. You will remain there until those able to control your strength exist."
When they were done the elementals were sucked into the same island that I saw in Twilight's memories. Then there was another bright glow.
-----------------------------------------------
I was back in the shower, my hands gripping the sides of the tub for support. My head felt like I got up from laying down to fast.
"Whoa," I muttered, "That explains why Darkness was able to free you."
Yes, now go downstairs. I sense something.
I dried off and got dressed before going downstairs. When I entered the living room, Fluttershy and Brett were down there.
"Brett!" I exclaimed, "You came back!"
"Yeah," Brett replied, petting Fluttershy's mane, "Fluttershy convinced me to come back."
"I'm glad she did," then I looked at the table in the room. Rarity and my dad were having an oldschool duel. Rarity was at 3400 lifepoints while my dad had all his, plus his Five Headed Dragon was on the field.
"It's my turn," Rarity said as she drew, "I summon Gem-Knight Tourmaline (ATK1600). I now activate Creature Swap to swap my Gem-Knight for your dragon. Now I equip Five-Headed Dragon with Element of Harmony-Generosity."
"Wait. Is that card even legal?" Dad asked.
"Just roll with it," I replied.
"I now give up 3000 lifepoints to increase my monster's attack by the same amount (ATK8000). I activate Fissure to destroy Tourmaline and I attack you directly."
Erik's dad Lp: 0
"Best two out of three?" Dad asked and I laughed.
Until about 7:00 we dueled and then my parents went upstairs so we could watch our movies.
"How about we watch the Star Trek trilogy?" Tyler asked and we all just stared, "Or not."
"What about Star Wars?" Brett asked.
"Original Trilogy, prequels, or New Trilogy?" Evan replied.
I thought for a moment. The ponies were most likely unacustomed to realistic looking violence so I had to think of a trilogy that I had that wasn't so violent.
"What about Toy Story?" I asked. When I was about three the third one came out and all three were favorites of mine.
"That sounds nice," Fluttershy replied. She was hiding behind the couch at the mention of war.
The others eventually agreed and I went to pop some popcorn and get sleeping bags while the others were unfolding the sofa bed. When all the refreshments were ready we popped in the first movie and relaxed.
-----------------------------------
Seven and a half hours, five bags of popcorn, and six liters of pop later Twilight and I were the last ones awake.
"Did you like the movies?" I whispered to the unicorn whose head was on my chest.
"Yeah," Twilight replied, "Could you do me a favor?"
"What kind of favor?"
"Could you rub my stomache? It helps when I can't sleep."
"Sure thing."
I rubbed Twilight's soft stomach until she fell asleep. I fell asleep to the sounds of television static and Rainbow Dash's snoring.