//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Twilight's Transmutation // by Epicburst //------------------------------// Twilight's Transmutation Chapter 1 Study day! Twilight Sparkle beamed as she raced down the stairs. The best way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Twilight skidded to a stop on the hardwood floor of the Ponyville Library. She looked up the stairs to see her number one assistant Spike walk down the stairs holding her brush in his claws. "Twilight," Spike grumbled wearily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Must you always get so excited when you get ready to study? You always forget to brush your mane!" Spike jumped on Twilight's back and began brushing her mane as she began to pace across the library. Twilight always loved the feeling of her mane being brushed, as it always helped her think clearly. Spike didn't understand why she was so excited. Today wasn't just some regular old study session, today she was waiting for a note from Princess Celestia! Just thinking about it made Twilight shake with excitement! She stopped pacing as she felt Spike hop off of her back. "Thanks Spike, you have been such a big help lately with all of my studying." Spike looked up at Twilight and shrugged. "No problem Twilight. I've gotten used to your study habits by now anyway, so it's not that hard to keep up." Spike began walking over toward the kitchen to get breakfast ready. "Just what have you been studying anyway? You have been reading every book about magic that we have, don't you already know everything about magic?" Twilight rolled her eyes. "Of course I don't Spike! There are thousands upon thousands of subjects on the study of magic! In order for me to learn all of them I would have to be at least three times the age of Princess Celestia herself!" Twilight sat down at the table as Spike set the table and brought carried their breakfast. Twilight smiled as a big plate of eggs, oatmeal, and prench toast filled the table. "Wow Spike, this looks amazing! Where did you learn to cook all of this?" Spike smiled as he spooned some scrambled eggs onto his plate. "Pinkie Pie taught me how to make the prench toast, and Fluttershy helped with the eggs!" He passed a plate of eggs, oatmeal, and prench toast to Twilight and gave her a curious look. "So what have you been studying so much anyway? You have been up all night for the last week!" "I'll explain it to you later Spike, right now we just need to wait for the letter from Princess Celestia." Twilight looked down and began eating the hot breakfast. All of the older books from the archives mentioned a time before the Princesses, even before Discord ruled the land . . . what if- BLARCH "Spike!" Twilight yelled as she looked up. "That's impo-" Twilight stopped and stared in wonder as she saw what she has been waiting for for what seemed like years. "Princess Celestia! YES! She finally wrote me back!" Twilight jumped from her chair and grabbed the letter in her magic. She unfolded the letter quickly and began to read it out loud. "Ahem, Dear Twilight Sparkle, I am pleased to hear that your magic studies are going well." Twilight's voice became eager and she began to pace the room. "I am surprised that you have even the slightest knowledge about the art of ancient alchemy . . . wait what?" Spike looked up from his breakfast as she stopped reading looking quizzically at him. "Well of course I know about alchemy! It's the-" "Twilight!" Spike interrupted,"You're getting your thoughts in a bunch again, just read what she wrote and then panic over it later." Twilight let out a frustrated sigh and continued reading. "A-alchemy is not magic in any sense of the word. It was practiced by ancient beings who drove themselves to extinction fighting over its key power. I will not allow you to study this subject any further, and because of the importance of this subject I . . . I will send royal guards to confiscate all books that give reference to this subject . . ." Twilight fell back on her rump, horn glowing in frustration. "Spike, I don't understand . . . why would she do this?" Spike walked over to Twilight and gave her a well needed hug. "T-thanks Spike." she muttered as she took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I need you to do me a favor. . ." Fluttershy smiled happily as she sniffed the afternoon air, trotting lightly through the meadow. Today was just perfect, the breeze carried the sweet scent of honeycomb, daffodils, and the light scent of sweets from Sugarcube Corner. Fluttershy giggled as butterflies landed on her snout and cutie marks. Why can't I feel this way all the time? The thought passed through her quickly, as she adored the vastly different colors of their wings. She rolled on her back as the butterflies swarmed and tickled her stomach. How long have I even been here? Fluttershy giggled softly as the butterfly wings tickled her nose and made her sneeze softly. The butterflies suddenly parted and left Fluttershy feeling alone, but as she looked up she saw Celestia's royal guard pulling a chariot with a white unicorn inside. Fluttershy squinted her eyes as she tried to get a better look at the unicorn. The unicorn had a medium sized horn partialy covered by a blue mane with lighter blue highlights. The unicorn also wore a red vest, and he wore a blue crested cutie mark, a symbol of the royal guard. Shining Armor! What's he doing here? Fluttershy took to the air and flapped her wings as hard as she could, desperately trying to close the distance, but failing miserably. By the time Fluttershy made it to the Ponyville library, she was panting hard. Fluttershy jumped and curled up in a tight ball trying to make herself as small of a target as possible as soon as she heard the yelling. Her ears perked up as she listened to the confrontation. "Twiley please understand that I'm under orders!" She jumped as she heard a loud thump against the ground. When Fluttershy looked up she saw her friends over by the door. "What's going on Sugarcube?" Applejack asked as she petted her yellow friend on the back for comfort. "Ah was picking up a snack for Applebloom when Ah heard yellin' from inside." Fluttershy looked at Applejack nervously and sent her a silent plea that she didn't feel comfortable in this situation. "We can go in together Sugarcube, Ah think that Twilight may be in some trouble." Rainbow Dash stretched her hooves preparing for a good fight. "Finally some action!" Rainbow Dash flapped her wings powerfully as she charged at the door only to stop in mid flight, feeling a tug on her flank. "Hold on there Sugarcube" Applejack mumbled as she spat out Rainbow Dashes prismatic colored tail. "Ah don't think fightin' is gonna make this problem better . . ." She walked towards the source of all the yelling and knocked three times, waiting for someone to answer. A moment later the door slowly opened to show a beady eyed, purple dragon at the door. "A-Applejack! W-what are you doing here!" The dragon yelled over the noise from inside. Spike opened the door wider to show Twilight arguing with her brother Shining Armor. "We're here to help ya Sugarcube. What in tarnation is goin' on? They're bein' noisier than Sweetie Belle singin' her lulliby!" Applejack yelled as she stepped inside. She was followed by Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. The former being pushed inside by the latter. They watched as Twilight's horn glowed and shot a bolt of magic towards Shining Armor which was harmlessly deflected by his famous barrier spell. "I already told you Shining that I don't have any of the books in here!" Twilight yelled as she took a step towards her brother. "After Celestia scolded me for researching the subject, I had Spike burn them!" Her older brother frowned and turned towards the to pegasi guards. "Search the area!" Shining grumbled. "We all know that you would neverlet Spike burn a book, and I am under orders to return the books to the Princess! What would Princess Celestia say if she saw you disobeying her Twiley. . . please . . . just give me the books." Twilight's eyes fell towards the ground. What am I doing? How could I ever disobey Celestia . . .even my own brother . . . She began to slump towards the floor ashamed, tears began to stream from her eyes. "I-i'm so sorry!" Twilight cried between sobs. Shining Armor wrapped her in his hooves in a warm embrace. Twilight's horn glowed and three books materialized in the air, and floated down next to Shining Armor. "Thank you Twiley." He said as he hugged her one last time, before grabbing the books in a blue hue and leaving with his men. Twilight looked up and gave him a tired smile before trudging upstairs, exhausted and defeated. Rarity stepped next to Spike and looked down at him. "Now what was that all about darling?" She asked Spike could hardly believe his eyes. His heart was thundering in his chest as he lost himself into Rarity's eyes. Wow . . . she looks amazing . . . He was overwhelmed by her scent, basking in the warmth of expensive shampoos and perfumes. Spike snapped out of his thoughts when he realized that she was looking at him quizzically. Did he have food on his face? Was he drooling? He quickly snapped his mouth shut and rubbed the back of his head. "Um ... what did you say?" Rarity rolled her eyes patiently. She should have expected this. The baby dragon has been smitten for her ever since they first arrived in Ponyville. "I asked you what happened, darling." she said, smiling down at them. "OOH I KNOW! Twilight was studying some ancient form of magic or something and she asked Princess Celestia if she could grant her permission to further her research, and Princess Celestia said no and that what she was studying was really dangerous so she sent over shining armor and a team of pegasi to take the books back but Twilight didn't want to give them back but Shining Armor had to get them back and that she should be ashamed of herself for disobeying him and Princess Celestia and that she should be ashamed of herself and then Twilight cried and went upstairs!" Everypony stared at Spike stunned at the sudden onslaught of words. Spike just stared back at them just as confused. "W-wasn't me . . ." he shrugged. Everypony turned around and gasped to see none other than Pinkie Pie staring back at them. "SUPRISE!!" Pinkie Pie yelled. Everypony just stared blankly back at her. "Well don't just stand there silly willies! Let's go comfort Twilight!" Pinkie Pie smiled and bounced right past them and up the stairs. "Pinkie you are so random!" Rainbow Dash laughed. "When did you even get here?" Pinkie turned and smiled at them from atop the staircase. "About a minute ago silly! I came in after Shining left!" With the questions answered Pinkie Pie opened the door to Twilight's room and walked inside. Shrugging, Spike, Applejack, and Rarity walked up the stairs after her. Rainbow Dash turned toward Fluttershy and sighed. "We should talk 'Shy."