//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: Rune Cascade // by Valtyra //------------------------------// This time, Frederick didn’t feel as sick as the other time he teleported. Maybe it was his body getting used to it, or it could be the fact that Twilight was most likely an emotion wreck at that very moment and needed his help. He looked around. He had ended up just beside a set of stone stairs inside a spacious tower. Looking up, he noticed that it didn’t seem that high. Rushing up the stairs, his breathing steadily increased as the pain in his hand did. Soon he had to stop; he gripped his hand and breathed in and out heavily. Doing the only thing he could, he closed his eyes and focused on the pain, willing it away. After a few tries with the pain refusing to budge, he lashed out, punching the stone wall and nearly passing out from the pain. Out of nowhere, he heard sobbing. “Twilight...” Frederick said, forcing himself to take step after step up the stairs. By the time he had made it to the top, his body had been pushed to the limit. His vision was beginning to fail, blackening around the edges and pushing his chances low. The pain in his hand had become excruciating, and he had begun lose feeling in it. He let his hand fall to his side, only supporting himself with his good hand. His body had sweat through his clothes, causing him to remove his suit top and shoes, letting them fall back down. He fell to the wall beside the door and heard Twilight sobbing on the other side; it was breaking his heart. “Twilight!” Frederick forced out, coughing afterwards. The sobbing stopped, “Why are you here!” She shouted back through the door. “I’m,” he paused, “here for you!” “Why, didn’t you talk to my parents?” She said maliciously, “I’m sure they told you I’m a horrible pony!” “What, no I didn’t!” The pain in his hand had vanished, leaving an empty feeling where anything should be; despite that, it didn’t worry him, he was going to be there for Twilight, as long as she needed. “I came straight here, Luna teleported me!” “She did... are you okay?” She asked, concern apparent in her voice. Frederick looked to his hand, it was giving off white a large amount of light and didn’t seem to be stopping, “Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit nauseous. Nothing to worry about.” “Good...” he could hear Twilight move towards the door. She turned the lock and opened it. Frederick watched as Twilight opened the door. His expression dropped at what he saw. Her mane was in complete disarray, her eyes were puffy and tears were streaming down her face. The worst part was her horn, it was slightly cracked down the middle and looked extremely painful. “Oh Twilight!” Frederick said, forcing himself up and rushing over. He levitated her from the floor, ignoring the pain and rushed in. He located a sofa and laid her on it. “Why didn’t you let me help?” He asked, looking her over for any other signs of injury “My mother, she’s disowned me...” Twilight mumbled, turning towards the back of the sofa. She sniffled and let out a few sobs. Frederick place a hand on her shoulder. He didn’t have any experience with this sort of thing, but he was determined to be here for her. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it,” he whispered, stroking her mane back into place. It was slowly becoming harder and harder to focus. “You didn’t see her face, it was one of denial.” Twilight started shaking, “she called me, she called me a, cross breeder,” she whispered, curling up and grabbing a hold of her tail, stroking it slowly. Frederick didn’t know what to say, so instead he used the last of his willpower to pull himself up onto the sofa and wrap an arm around Twilight, before losing consciousness. Twilight pulled his arm across and held onto it. She opened her eyes and gasped at the sight of Frederick’s hand. She turned over, “Frederick?” No response, “Frederick!” She shouted. Twilight rose and pulled him to the centre of the sofa. She tried looking for a pulse, but couldn’t find one. Panicking she tried using her horn, but nearly passed out from the pain. Vision blurry, she stepped off the couch and breathed deep, screaming in pain, she summoned a scroll and pencil. She scribbled down her location and with another scream she sent it away to Celestia, just before dropping to the ground. ___ Celestia sat in the waiting room of the police station and sighed. It had been a couple of hours and no pony had come to talk to her. Normally, she would demand somepony, but this was a delicate matter that involved the noble class and if she needed to be patient, she would be. She looked around for what seemed the millionth time and stood up. She was going to ask where somepony is before she gets angry. She opened the door and walked out. No pony was in the station; they had forgotten her. Celestia’s eye twitched and she felt her mane grow warmer, but calmed herself, she knew it wasn’t good to get so worked up over petty stuff. “I guess I’ll show myself out,” she mumbled as she charged up a teleport to her chambers for a bottle or three of wine. Just before she could, a scroll materialised in front of her, blackened and singed. Celestia opened it and gasped, instantly changing her destination to Twilight’s old tower. Celestia teleported away with a crack that shattered the stone under hoof, instantly teleporting to the tower. She shook her head to find Twilight on the floor, bleeding out of her horn and Frederick on the sofa. Celestia rushed over and checked on Twilight, who tried pushing her away, “Twilight stop!” Celestia begged, holding her legs down with magic. “No pulse!” Twilight mumbled, looking over to Frederick; she was starting to become delirious from the blood loss. Hearing this, Celestia looked over to Frederick and saw his chest unmoving. Fearing the worst, she levitated him over and next to Twilight, who took a hold of his hand. “Alright, I have to Teleport us all to the hospital, are you ready!?” Celestia shouted. Instantly, she charged up the spell, not waiting for an answer. The three of them landed inside the hospital, on the third floor. The amount to magic displacing the air and blowing out a wall. Ponies around the area ran and screamed, leaving the floor. The only ones left were a few doctors and nurses. The smoke cleared and they saw Celestia in a small crater, covering Frederick and Twilight. Small pieces of debris falling on top of her. She looked up and screamed, “Help us!” The doctors rushed forwards and helped the Princess up and out of the crater. She pushed them off and growled at them, “Help them, not me!” She walked over to an empty room and ripped two beds out, levitating them over. The doctors moved them onto the beds and started CPR for Frederick and an examination for Twilight. Celestia could only stand and watch as the ponies worked, on her student and her colt friend. Celestia felt something well up inside her. She felt scared for the first time in centuries, deep to her stomach; she didn’t like it at all. Staring at the doctors, she summoned a scroll and started writing: "I need you sister." She sent the scroll directly to Luna and waited. The crack of a teleport told her that Luna had received it. ”Dear sister, what happened!” Luna shouted as she raced over. Celestia turned and embraced Luna, gripping her tighter than expected. Celestia pushed her face into her sister’s fur and sobbed; releasing untold amounts of pain and misery. “Shh...” Luna whispered, stroking Celestia’s mane. She looked over to the doctors and her eyes widened as she saw Frederick unconscious and being worked on by a full team. Twilight didn’t look as bad, but the crack in her horn caused Luna to shiver; she didn’t want to imagine the pain. “Sister, dear sister.” She whispered, “You need to get checked out, you are injured.” “No, not until they are okay...” Celestia refused, gripping tighter as her tears stained her sister’s coat. Luna sighed, “They will be alright, and I will personally oversee their treatment plans.” “You will?” Celestia asked, moving her tear soaked face away. She looked into her sisters eyes, “thank you.” She cried. “Shh, let’s find you a room.” Luna helped her sister up and let her lean on her as they walked down the hallway. They found an empty room and walked in. Luna helped Celestia into bed and wrapped her up, taking care not to hurt her further. “Now, I expect you to sleep, while I help.” Celestia nodded, too mentally fatigued to do anything else. “Good.” Luna sighed and rushed out of the room, leaving Celestia to fall asleep. Luna ran up to the doctors and used her magic to check the pulse of Frederick: nothing. “How long?” She asked, panicking slightly. “Hard to say, possibly too long,” one of the doctors replied, scanning Frederick’s body, “his entire body is contaminated with magic. It’s stopping our healing spells from working.” Luna went over all the possible ways he could have been contaminated and came out to one explanation, she did it. Guilt filled her, she shook her head and felt sick; she shouldn’t have teleported him, she knew it would turn out bad. She focused her determination and begun funnelling the magic from his body, she knew there was only one shot at this. She focused her Alicorn magic, her mane lighting up with images of supernovae and galaxies. Her wings expanded behind her, brushing up against the doctors, moving them out of the way gently. Her horn’s light grew darker and darker, until it looked like pure obsidian, small specks of gold flowing around it. At its peak, small tendrils of light started flowing from Frederick’s hand; up and away, straight into Luna’s horn. She grimaced, not used to the human magic that was mixed in with her own and her sisters. It felt colder than a ponies, almost unnatural in form. “Start your spells!” She screamed as the flow neared its climax and cut off. The doctors scrambled and filled him up with the required spells. Frederick’s body shook on the bed as the colour returned to his face. One doctor felt his pulse return and inserted an IV into his arm. Another doctor scanned him, “his magic is returning, how he is holding it in?” Luna started and absorbed the magic again. This went on for the next hour; the doctors would slowly heal him, then Luna would absorb the excess magic, again and again. “He will not die...” she promised herself, a tear dripping from her face as pain enveloped her body; she was nearing her limit for magic. Thankfully, the doctors decided that he could be called stable and slowed their spells. “Princess, I think we’ve done all we can do, “One doctor said, moving to her side. Luna’s horn died down and she slumped to the floor in exhaustion, “Will he live?” She asked, leaning on the bed. She placed a hoof over Frederick’s hand, gripping it tightly. “We believe so,” he replied. He looked the Princess over, “now, please go to a bed and get some rest!” He ordered. “I want to be in the same room,” Luna asked, receiving a nod in return, she smiled. She got up slowly and received help from some nurses and was moved into a nearby room. She was helped into bed and almost instantly fell to sleep; for the first time in eons, a dreamless sleep. ___ Twilight opened her eyes and immediately regretted it. “What did I drink last night...” she slurred as her head rolled back and forth. “Whoa there, take it easy. You’re pretty drugged up.” A rough voice laughed beside her bed, “Here,” it said, placing a straw into her mouth. Twilight sucked, feeling instantly better from the cool water flowing down her throat. She tried focusing on the location of the voice, but everything looked like big blobs and she only felt frustrated. “The nurse said you’d be pretty out of it for a while.” A different voice said this time. More refined. “Oh, I hope she gets better...” A soft voice this time. Twilight felt like she knew them, but couldn’t focus enough to really figure it out; either way she didn’t care and closed her eyes and went back to sleep. She opened her eyes again, this time she could see a bit better and figured out it was night time. No pony was in the room, but she could hear a commotion from outside her room and turned her head slowly to check it out. She could just about make out a large amount of ponies like up, looking into room next to hers. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it didn’t sound nice. The opened and in walked, what looked to be a nurse. She trotted up to the bed and checked her chart, “Ah Twilight Sparkle. I’ve got you down for hourly doses. This might feel weird.” She used her magic to turn a dial, releasing some liquid into an IV that was connected to Twilights leg, knocking her out. ___ Celestia was woke up by her door being pushed open quite rudely. She turned over, rubbing her fur to remove her dried tears; she found Prince Blueblood standing in the doorway with a small selection of nobles frowning behind him. “I thought we made ourselves clear aunty.” Blueblood whined, “We didn’t want that thing in our city.” Celestia winced at his grating voice and found her stress returning at an accelerated rate. “Blueblood, now is no-” “Prince Blueblood, aunty.” He interrupted. She clenched her teeth, “Now is not the time, come back sometime in the week.” “No, we want that abomination killed or banished. We don’t mind, as long as it isn’t near us.” He demanded, stomping his manicured hoof to add emphasis to his point. “That’s enough!” Celestia screamed, using her royal Canterlot voice. Blueblood was thrown backwards and into the wall. He looked up in a daze and saw Celestia lower herself out of bed, the sheets smoking as her mane and tail touched them. “We have had enough of you and your kind,” she shouted, abandoning her Canterlot voice. “You are nothing to us, mortal!” “Aunt-” “Silence!” She shouted, “You do not have the privilege to talk in my presence anymore.” She moves forwards, mane and tail igniting. “You are no longer a prince; I have served your ancestors, I have no more debt to them.” Blueblood’s eyes widened, “You can’t be serious. I’m looking out for this city from filth like that!” He retorted, snorting. “I am deadly serious, you have shown no respect for your Princess, insulted a dear friend of mine and made a mockery of your ancestors; I hope they have more pity on you than me.” She frowned and leaned in to whisper, “get out now, or you will see me angry.” Blueblood whimpered and rushed out of the room, “You will regret this!” He shouted from down the hall. Celestia rolled her eyes and turned to the other nobles who stood there with their mouths open, “Leave, or be banished from my country!” They stumbled over each other to get away, hurting each other in the process. Celestia slumped down and let her wings fall to her sides. She sighed and let out a small giggle, the full blown laughter, “Wow...” she thought to herself as she calmed down. Eventually, she rose from the floor and shook herself off. She turned to the bed and grimaced at the state of the burnt sheets. “Nurse!” She called. A few seconds later, a shaking mare walked into the room. She looked over at the Princess and gulped “Yes ma’am?” Celestia could see she was nervous of her recent outburst, “It’s alright, what’s your name?” The nurse bowed low and said, “Helping Hoof, ma’am.” “Helping Hoof, pretty name. There’s no need to bow, please.” The princess held a hoof under Helping’s chin and lifted her out of the bow. “No need to be so nervous, I promise I won’t shout at you. That pony wouldn’t stop being a foal.” Celestia smiled softly at Helping Hoof and receive a small smile back. “I’ll try, ma’am.” “Great!” Celestia turned to her bed, “I’m afraid I made a mess of the bed, sorry.” “It’s alright, ma’am. It happens,” Helping said, walking over to the bed. She began to remove the sheets, trying to avoid any parts that would flake off onto the floor. “I’ll check up on Frederick and Twilight, is that alright?” Celestia asked. “It should be, ask the desk outside and they will take you to them.” Helping Hoof replied, turning to the Princess. “Thank you,” Celestia said, walking out of the room. She saw the desk and trotted over. A number of nurses were working behind it and went wide eyes as soon as they saw her. “Hi, can you direct me to Twilight Sparkle’s room?” Celestia asked as nicely as possible. “I-it’s over t-there.” One of the nurses stuttered, pointing to the room next to Celestia’s. “Thank you!” Celestia said, walking over to the room. She looked through the window and felt scared. She saw Twilight hooked up to various wires and machine; none of which Celestia knew anything about. She opened the door and rushed over to Twilight’s side gripping her hoof. “Please be alright...” Celestia chanted as quietly as possible, trying not to wake her up. She waited there for a good chunk of time before Twilight groaned and turned her head. Celestia sat up in the chair she was in and leaned forwards. Twilight opened her eyes and smiled, “Princess, you’re here, how wonderful.” Twilight laughed and rolled her head about, seeming almost drunk. She stopped and faced the princess, “Is that idiot alright?” Twilight asked, confusing the princess. “Idiot, whom do you mean?” “Freddy, he’s stupid,” she laughed, “he came after me. Stupid, stupid, stupid.” She stopped laughing shook her head and started crying, “I’m a cross breeder!” Shad shouted, covering her face with her hooves. The princess looked at Twilight in shock, “Why would you say that!” “Because it’s true!” Twilight cried harder, “mother said so and she disowned me!” She choked out, tears dripping down her face. “That little hor-” Celestia coughed, “listen to me, Twilight.” She turned to Celestia, still crying, “don’t ever call yourself that again, you are degrading yourself.” Celestia stared into Twilights eyes, “your mother isn’t the epitome of cleanliness, she’s had her fair share of species,” Celestia whispered. The door to the room opened and the same nurse from before walked in, “Oh Princess, I didn’t expect you in here...” “I was just talking with my student, go ahead and start.” “Alright, but I have to sedate her for now.” “Why?” Celestia asked, turning to the nurse. “She’s been deemed a threat to herself. She keeps trying to use magic and break her horn.” The nurse said, looking down. “But she...” Celestia started, but was interrupted by alarm sirens coming from the machines behind her. They were lit up with warning signs indicating that Twilight was charging her magic. In bed, Twilight was trying to pull the wires out of her body; her horn lit up with blood red magic. “Move!” The nurse ordered. Celestia moved out of the way and watched as a couple of orderlies rushed in and held Twilight down. The nurse moved over to the side and used her magic to turn the dial and sedate Twilight. The nurse turned to the Princess, who stood there in shock, “We have to do it every hour, I’m sorry.” She said and walked out. Twilight’s body went limp and the orderlies released her and left the room. Celestia stood there, not fully understanding the whole situation. She slowly turned and walked out of the room in a daze. She looked down the hall and wandered in that direction, not focusing on anything in particular. She came across the room where Frederick was being monitored and walked in. He was linked up to a much higher amount of machines than Twilight and had various fluids entering his body. Celestia turned and saw her sister sleeping in a bed on the other side of the room. She lazily walked over and poked her awake. “Sister how art thou?” Luna asked. Seeing the faraway look on Celestia’s face, Luna scooted over and let her sister into bed. Celestia got into bed and was wrapped in Luna’s embrace. She slowly fell asleep as Luna helped her have pleasant dreams.