//------------------------------// // Back in the City // Story: That Which was Lost // by LadyRFC //------------------------------// It was her stomach's rude growling that woke up Twilight. She tried to ignore the feeling, still sleepy eyed from the long night. But after being awoken she couldn't help but hear the sounds around her. It seemed many of her friends were already awake and chattering softly with changings and one another. After a few more moments of resistance, she finally opened her eyes. As she had thought, many ponies and changlings were now awake, some standing together, other still laying on the floor or sitting, talking to those around them amidst an occasional yawn. Even Discord was up and about, his back towards Twilight as he listened attentively some something Fluttershy was telling him across the room. Letting out a large yawn of her own, Twilight stretched out her hooves in front of her and slowly stood up. A small weight to her side rolled over as she did so. She looked back down to see that Spike had curled up next to her. She smiled as his eyes blinked rapidly as he awoke. “Sorry to wake you, Spike,” she said, her voice a tad cracked from her rest and dry mouth. The small dragon yawned and began his own stretching, looking around lazily. “This is so...” his eyes grazed over the changlings scattered about before looking up at Twilight, “weird.” Twilight chuckled softly. “Yes, I guess it'll feel weird for quite some time.” Her eyes lingered on some hatchlings running around Disocrd with Fluttershy scooping one up for a hug. “But we can't just push away what we don't understand just because it's easier.” “So,” he tilted his head, “what's gonna happen now?” Twilight stretched out her back legs one at a time. “Well,” she began, “we need to go to the city and the palace and deal with the emperor.” She frowned. “He should see our point of view now, with his weapons taken from him.” “What about his army though?” the dragon asked, clutching his claws together in worry. Twilight shook her head. “They should be right were they were last night.” She watched as Discord snapped and various tables full of food appeared, many of the awake ponies trotting over to them happily. “If they were smart, they slept too. Though probably not as comfortably as we did.” “A rock floor is comfortable?” Spike asked as he put one claw on his back and straightened it until it cracked lightly. She gave him a giggle and headed for the tables herself, her stomach unable to stay quite any longer. “Better than a field of goo or being stuck in a shield bubble.” “Did princess Lily but all the army back there in bubbles?” Spike asked, amazed. Twilight paused, looking back at him with a thoughtful frown. “Come to think of it...” Spotting Princess Lily near Rarity at one table, she trotted over quickly. “Good morning, Twilight,” Rarity greeted her happily. “Yes, good morning, Princess Twilight,” Lily echoed. “Good morning,” she greeted them back in a rush. “Princess Lily? What happened to the bulk of those soldiers you went up against last night? Are they still there?” The alicorn shook her head lightly. “Oh no. I sent them home.” “Sent them... home?” Twilight repeated, feeling a bit uneasy. The princess smiled at her, oblivious. “Why, yes. I told them to run on home and go to bed.” “Then they've reported to the emperor and are probably waiting for us,” Twilight concluded, her shoulders sagging. “They might have also let some bad rumors fly about us to the rest of the town.” Lily didn't seem overly concerned. She even shrugged. “But we did nothing wrong. We didn't hurt anypony, after all. And they,” she looked down, her eyes growing sad, “had orders to destroy us.” She looked up again, smiling once more. “I'm sure they will understand we are peaceful when they know that.” “It's that 'when they know' that bothers me,” Twilight sighed, giving the changling that kindly pushed a plate full of fresh fruit in front of her on the table a grateful smile. Frowning over at her friends once again she continued, “The longer we rest here, the more ugly those rumors can become.” She took a bite of fruit salad, her stomach finally silencing. Swallowing she asked, “Has anypony been outside to see the dragons?” Everypony shook their heads. Rarity gave a small laugh, “Why, I don't think we can. Your shields still cover all the doorways, Twilight.” “Oh!” Twilight blushed and concentrated on her spell, allowing it to dissipate into the air. “There,” she opened her eyes and resumed eating, picking up her pace as she was eager to see to their newest friends. –------- Pinkie Pie hopped up and down in front of them, joyfully leading the way towards the city. Although Sally and Fluttershy had stayed behind to care for some of the other ponies and changlings that still felt ill after the day before, most of Twilight's friends were with her. Even Discord was tagging alone. “I've never seen the city, but I keep hearing about it,” he had pouted. "Why do you ponies get to have all the fun?" After a few more complaints, and Fluttershy's insistence that he get some calming outside air into his lungs anyway, Twilight permitted him to join them. But she couldn't help wondering how much longer his good behavior was going to last. He was well overdue for trouble making. The dragons had stayed behind as well, finding they rather liked the green grass they were laying on. And so they had left the large lizards happily sunning themselves in the field. It had been quite a sight to see the giant Timber rolled on his back, legs curled against his belly, a huge smile on his face. It made Twilight wonder about all her own misconception on dragons. It seems they enjoyed other sunning places besides just volcanoes and rocky mountains. After a few more minutes of a walk, the east side of the city revealed itself, right in the late morning sunlight. Twilihgt half expected forces from the palace to be waiting for them. But there were no armored ponies there, only civilians that let out a cheer upon their arrival. “Welcome home, Princess Lily!” She smiled at them and lead the way, Pinkie bouncing around her and nearly everypony else, delighting the townsfolk who seemed fond of the inviter and good nighter of the previous evening's events. Once more Twilight and her friends walked down the main street towards the palace, only this time Twilight had to keep her eye on Discord. “Twilight! Look at this!” Discord had coiled himself around a decorative pillar, pointing eagerly towards the detail along the top which looked oddly like himself. “My reputation proceeds me!” Twilight gave him a smile, but doubted he was right. She found it more believable that he was simply part of some old fairy tale and any truth about draconiquus had been lost hundreds of years ago. She felt Spike's claws softly grab ahold of her mane as she took a turn and realized that Spike and Discord had quite a bit in common. Both of them were mysteries towards pony-kind. She wondered if Discord, like Spike, felt lonely from time to time. She smiled to herself when she remembered how he treated Fluttershy. He probably was lonely. Lonely enough to know he never wanted to be friendless again. All the way down the street Twilight expected some kind of resistance to them. But there was none. Nopony stopped them. Only cheers and happy greetings were heard. By the time they reached the palace gates, the alicorn princess knew something was wrong. An earth pony cloacked in the robe of a servant was waiting there. As soon as she saw Princess Lily she ran up to her and bowed down, her head between her front hooves. “What's happened?” Princess lily asked, now concerned herself. “It's your father, highness,” the pony answered, looking up with terrified eyes, “he's raving throughout the palace and nopony can stop him!”