//------------------------------// // Memories // Story: Running away // by AlphaRidley //------------------------------// It had been two days since Twilight had returned to Ponyville, and already she missed Chrysalis to the point that she was becoming antisocial again.  "Hey Twilight?" Twilight jerked her head away from the floor. Spike stood in front of her, twiddling his hands nervously and looking at her with concern. She gave her assistant a warm smile, hoping to alleviate his fears. "Yes?" She asked him. "Well... Ever since you came back you've been acting strange. I'm worried for you, we all are." "I'm just thinking of what happened while I was trapped out there. It'll take more than a few days before I start feeling well again. But don't you worry, I'll be right as rain soon enough." Her words seemed to soothe Spike, who nodded and walked off without another word. Twilight had used that same excuse several times over the past two days, and she did feel terribly guilty about it. Twilight hated to lie to Spike, she really did, but she couldn't just tell him that she was thinking about Chrysalis. That would almost surely cause him to start asking questions, which would spell bad news for her if he asked Princess Celestia or Luna. Twilight sighed and looked down at her hooves, willing herself to get re-lost within the memories of her and Chrysalis trapped in the tunnel. ~Flashback~ "Oh Twiiiiiiiilight?" Twilight grumbled in her sleep. She wished whoever was bothering her would go away and leave her to sleep in peace; she was absolutely exhausted. "Go away." She mumbled, pressing her hooves against the chest of her assailant in a silent message to leave her alone. "Waaaake up Twilight, I've got a brand new mint condition book for you..." Twilight's shot open instantly, at first she thought it was too dark to see anything, but then everything began to come into focus. There was a pair of green eyes staring down at her. Twilight's pupils dilated in fear and she let loose a loud scream. Pushing herself away from the pony that had been laying over top of her, she scrambled to her hooves, her chest heaved with every breath she took. Twilight was not used to waking up like that, and she didn't want to become used to it. The pony had been Chrysalis, who was now rolling on the floor laughing her flank off. Her hooves clutched her stomach as she struggled to breath. Twilight's eyes narrowed and her lips curled up into a smirk as an idea came to her. Walking over to the Changeling she loomed over her, waiting for Chrysalis to notice her. When Chrysalis finally stopped laughing and opened her eyes, her face shifted into an expression of confusion. "Huh? W-wha?"  "Payback time!" Twilight grinned mischievously as she lowered her muzzle down onto Chrysalis' bare stomach and began tickling her.   "Ooohh... Ah-hahah-ohahaha!" Chrysalis resumed laughing, her hooves flailing around in the air as she desperately tried to get away from Twilight. "S-s-STOP!" Twilight lifted her head from Chrysalis' stomach. "What was that?" She asked, quickly shoving her muzzle back down and blowing a raspberry into the chitin of Chrysalis' chest when she opened her mouth to respond. Tears fell from Chrysalis' eyes as Twilight's hooves pressed against her sides. It was an odd sight for sure, to see the Queen of the Changelings, who had defeated Celestia single handedly, rendered helpless by the simple action of tickling. Twilight stopped torturing Chrysalis for the moment, allowing her to catch her breath.  Chrysalis sighed in relief, her eyes closing as she took in huge gulps of air. Her hooves fell back down to her sides and her lips twitched up into a blissful smile. She hadn't had this much fun in a long time.  Twilight couldn't help but grin as she stared down at the Changeling beneath her. The look on her face was certainly unbecoming of the queen of the Changelings, who came off as proud and arrogant.  It was absolutely adorable. "Daaaaaaaaww." Twilight couldn't prevent the sound from escaping; it was a natural reflex whenever a mare saw something adorable to let out that sound, and Twilight Sparkle was definitely no exception. After pushing Twilight off of her Chrysalis got back onto her hooves. "That was a lot of fun." She said, her eyes looking at Twilight with not anger, but adoration. "We should do that again sometime." ~End of Flashback~ Twilight let out a wistful sigh as the flashback ended. But that soon turned into a shriek as she felt somepony breathing behind her. Spike was at Rarity's for a sleepover with Sweetie Belle, so she was at a loss as to who could be behind her. That's when it hit her. Twilight's nose scrunched up as the abhorrent smell filled her nostrils painfully. It was by far the worst thing she had ever smelt before in her life. It was the smell of blood. Twilight slowly turned around to face the pony. It was a mare, and around a foot taller then her, that's all Twilight could see at the moment due to the almost complete lack of light in her room. But whoever it was, they were severely hurt, her nose could vouch for that. The pony took a single step forward, the intricate details of her hoof were revealed as she stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. Twilight fought the urge to cry as she recognized who's hoof it was. This couldn't be happening, it wasn't fair! What did she do to deserve this? Using her magic Twilight dragged Chrysalis out of the shadows, and almost fainted when she saw how badly injured she was. "Twilight..."