Chapter 30 – Beginning
The purple coloring of the world around you comes undone as you blink your eyes to the outside world that's shaded from the tall fall trees above you. Around your head the bright sparkles of magic from the strenuous spell slowly starts to fade, but before the pop noise that follows every teleportation spell could even leave your ears your voice has come up, "Twilight!"
Your eyes lay to the heavy lavender mare that pants a little as she holds a slightly pained expression as she bends her right hoof just a little from the ground to her stomach. You have to strong feelings and thoughts running into your mind, the first is an overwhelming joy of getting out of the castle but the other that has held your happiness at bay is the mare's face.
As you start to the mare you move your hoof to her as you bend your head closer to her with a very low voice, "Twilight...Are you ok?"
No answer comes from Twilight as a stallion's voice from behind you speaks up, "Well, that's one way to arrive on time for a train..."
You slightly turn your head as you notice that Twilight's spell didn't just teleport you two out of the castle, but it has teleported you across town and you now only stand a few hooves from your escape of this horrific place...But as your mind picks up on the steam rendering still train your apprehension too Twilight’s magic use and how it might affect the foal starts to run through your mind.
Despite all of your thoughts and her own weakness turns around towards the train as she speaks up almost completely devoid of what you two just went through, "We need to get on this train."
The older chocolate stallion slightly loses his smile as he looks you two over, "No tickets I guess?" You and Twilight both shake your head as you start to grow more aware of the fact that you both are still in the city, and every moment you two sit here is a moment more that the hive of changelings at the castle could find you.
Twilight's voice comes up as she turns her cutie mark a little towards the stallion, "I am Twilight Sparkle, air to the Crystal Empire..." She stumbles a little on the next part but she pushes through it all the same, "...And keeper of the element's of harmony, I am telling you to let us on the train."
The stallion waves his hoof to Twilight's rushed voice as he steps aside, "I know who you are ma'am...Now please get on board, we are already about a minute behind."
An almost tear comes over Twilight’s eyes as she nods her head and steps inside, "Thank you..." You immediately trot beside her as you turn one last watchful eye to the area behind you.
As you and Twilight come on board the chocolate stallion closes the door. The sound of the train's door sends a chill over your spine as you close your eyes for a moment just trying to push the thoughts of what could have happened out of your mind.
Around the train car there's only maybe one or two other ponies, but they don't even pay you and Twilight any mind as you two trot back towards the back of the train. You both take a seat away from the window's facing the train station as the sound of the wheels under your hooves start to pull.
A sigh comes over you as you look over Twilight's now tightly closed eyes, your voice comes up as you rub your hoof to her side, "Are you ok?"
Her eyes open a little as she holds her red and slightly puffy eyed gaze to you, theres no way you could possibly know how she feels. You still can't even believe what you've just been zapped from, and the slight shaking around your body shows that. Without a word you both just lean your heads together as a slight whimper escapes her mouth.
However your closed eyes don't stay closed for long as a voice brings them open, "Um...excuse me, but my I ask how long you two will be riding?"
Your voice comes up with a slight sniffle as you try to answer the chocolate stallion who looks between you two, however Twilight's voice comes up before you can stutter out an answer, "We need to get to the Crystal Empire."
The stallion nods his head as he brings his hoof up to the pocket on his vest, "Very well." He takes out two tickets as he speaks up, "Here are your tickets."
You take the two slips of paper from his hoof as you nod your head, "Thank you."
He nods to your words as he trots away.
As you turn back to Twilight you speak up in a hushed but rushed voice, "We need to get to Canterlot, we have to get Violet-..."
Twilight cuts you off as she nods and speaks up, "I told Violet to go to the Crystal Empire, she will be safe with shinning until we get there...Spike went with her, we can send a letter to Celestia when we get there-..." Her voice fades a little as she turns her head to the ground with a low cry, "I-if Discord didn't already get to Canterlot."
You bring your hoof to Twilight's side as you speak up, "Twilight...It's alright."
She shakes her head as she rest her hoof to her midsection, Twilight's eyes close hard as her mind starts to battle with the choices she's made; she doesn't regret them...But You know Twilight has always done everything for everypony, and you also know that she threw all of that aside just to save you...The weight of what might happen starts to bare down to the mare's shoulders and all you can do is sit there and comfort her.
You wrap your hooves around the mare as you move your head over hers, to the motion she turns her head more towards your chest as she sobs a little. A sigh comes from you as you look a little to the world running outside of the moving train, "It's alright Twilight..."
Her hoof gets a little more tighter around her stomach as an almost pained tone comes from her, but the words still hold a low tone as she speaks up, "I love you."
You kiss her head as you repeat her,words but as you hold your head to her you notice that she's starting to tremble a little.
Twilight's breath comes back with a stronger pant as she trembles a little more.
"Twilight?" You loosen your hold a little more as you look over her slightly pained expression.
Her soft purple eyes squint a little to you as she speak up, "I-I think i'm going into the early stages of l-labor..."
Your eyes widen to her words as your heart starts to race, "What!? H-how long do we have?"
Twilight shakes her head as she answers you, "I-I don't know, labor under stress is unpredictable."
To the words you spark your voice up to the seated stallion near to the door, "How close are we to Ponyville?"
You're rushed voice flicks the stallion's ear as the older chocolate stallion turns his head to you, "Um, I would say about twenty minutes?"
You rub your hoof to your mane as you just shake your head with a slight chuckle not knowing what to do, your eyes come back to Twilight. Your mind races and your body still shivers from the stone prison you were only freed from a little while ago as you feel a heated sweat coming over your body.
- - -
(Across Equestria)
Violet's stare over the world outside has brought a wide child like smile to her face as she looks over the bright and colorful world of the Crystal Empire that approaches. The young mare's mind is completely oblivious to the agony her parents have gone through and also blissfully unaware of the mind tormented stallion whose head also holds out the window.
However unlike Violet's stare Sparky's is forced as the light green glow of his eyes stays to the world outside, unblinking like they have for the last few moments.
(My time nears stallion, soon I will have what I want and you...And you may get your freedom.)
As the echo ends Sombra's hold over Sparky's eyes runs it's course as the young stallion starts to rapidly blink his eyes as he tries to refocus them to the bright world.
The train begins to slow down as Sparky's eyes come back open. It only takes a few more moments for the train to come to a halt as the train stallion speaks his tired voice up for the room, "We have arrived at the Crystal Empire."
Violet's horn sparks up as the bag comes around her as she stands up, Spike brings his own single bag up as he cracks his claws and speaks up, "I know the way to the castle...I would guess that's where Celestia would be." A slight laugh comes over the small dragon as he shrugs to Violet, "If the classes are not being held in the castle at least she will tell us where to go."
Spike and Violet both start to walk towards the door like the other few ponies that now start to stand, but they stop for a moment as they turn back to the light orange pegasus that just now stands.
His coat has taken on a slight feverous heat as he starts to trot towards where Violet and Spike stand, but he doesn't allow his uneasiness to show as he puts on a weak smile and speaks up, "T-the Crystal Empire looks really different huh?"
"OH! You don't even know! Wait until we get more into the city." Spike's voice holds his excitement as he takes lead out of the train as the two young ponies follow after him.
End of chapter 30