//------------------------------// // The World Unravels // Story: MLPU: Twilight Sparkle: Princess of Thunder // by TheInvincibleIronBrony //------------------------------// Twilight woke up early the next morning feeling better somehow. She would have thought her failure to lift Mjolnir would have kept her depressed for awhile longer. Twilight pushed herself into a seated position on her bed, the covers falling away from her. She took a moment to look around the room that Minuette had set her up in. It was a guest room so the unicorn hadn't done much decorating. The thought of her host brought a smile to Twilight's face. She came to get me at the risk of her own freedom. Even Steam Bolt helped to free me, Twilight thought as an idea started to form on her mind. "I need to repay the favor somehow," Twilight told herself as she climbed out of bed and got dressed for the day. ///////////////////// Twilight walked into the kitchen with a pleased smile on her face. She had checked in on her hosts and had found them still asleep. I suppose all of the excitement last night was too much for them, Twilight thought, planning to use the time alone to prepare breakfast for Minuette and Steam Bolt. The former alicorn looked around the kitchen and frowned. "I don't know what to make," she told herself as she started looking around the kitchen. She had been hoping there would be books with recipes in them like the cooks in Equinsgard had. Twilight started opening up cabinets, searching for some kind of instructions. After almost a few minutes of frustrated searching Twilight opened the last cabinet and finally found the food. However, she still couldn't find anything that looked easy enough for her to make. She didn't even see anything familiar. Twilight picked up a yellow box with a picture of waffles on it, like the ones Steam Bolt had at the diner the day before. "These mortals have strange customs indeed," Twilight said as she looked at the back of the box and smiled. On the back of the box she found a list of ingredients and instructions on how to make the pastries. "How convenient," Twilight cheered as she read the instructions, her elation quickly turning to confusion. "Half a cup of flour?" she questioned. "What an odd ingredient. And spelled incorrectly as well," she said as she looked around, her attention drawn to a coffee mug on the dining room table. "This will be a challenge, but I accept it," she said as she grabbed the coffee mug and started walking towards the front door. ////////////////////////// Minuette awoke to the scent of something burning. She leaped out of her bed in panic and almost crashed into her door as she left the room. Steam Bolt came charging out of his room just as Minuette reached the stairs. "Get the extinguisher!" the unicorn shouted as the pair hurried downstairs, Bolt grabbing a fire extinguisher from the hall closet as they went. Minuette arrived in the kitchen to find Twilight in a panic as a pot of something burned on the stove. "I got it!" Steam Bolt shouted as he doused the burning concoction with white foam from the extinguisher. With the danger over Minuette turned to Twilight. "What was that?!" she shouted, still trying to calm down. Twilight looked away and nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "I was attempting to repay you both for your help last night and I thought breakfast would be easy enough to make," she explained. Minuette and Steam Bolt looked at the pot, now covered in a generous layer of foam and then turned back to Twilight. "What were you making?" Steam Bolt asked, confused. "It was supposed to be waffles," Twilight answered an embarrassed blush on her face. Minuette tried her best not to laugh while Bolt flew to the cabinet in a panic. "No! Not my waffle mix!" the Pegasus cried out in a defeated tone. Twilight's ears flattened as she got up and started walking to the door. "Where are you going?" Minuette asked, concern in her voice. Twilight turned to her a sad look in her eyes. "I have burdened you again. I think it would be best if I left," she said as she turned away. "It's not that big of a deal," Minuette said. Twilight froze for a second before turning back to her host. "I have burdened you," Twilight argued, her eyes wide at Minuette's dismissive attitude, like nothing had happened at all. "No, you just messed up breakfast. Bolt messes up all the time and I haven't fired him yet," Minuette countered. "I resent that," Bolt said as he turned to Twilight. "Anyway, no this isn't a big deal, but you still owe me a box of waffle mix. We'll get it later. For now, I'm making omelets," the pegasus said as he walked to fridge and retrieved a carton of eggs. "You ladies just wait at the table," he told the mares. Twilight sat at the table, a smile on her face. "You owe me some answers by the way," Minuette said as she sat down next to the former alicorn. Twilight's eyes widened in shock. "I apologize I had forgotten our deal. What do you wish to know?" Twilight asked. Minuette grinned. "What was that storm we found you in? There was way too much fluctuating energy for it to just be a normal storm," she inquired, scooching closer to Twilight. "That was the Bifrost or Rainbow Bridge," Twilight began as she launched into an explanation. ///////////////////////// Owlowicious sat in the center of the Bifrost, his attention focused on the dragon and pegasi as they approached. "Twilight Sparkle has been exiled from this realm," he stated turning his gaze to the trio. They stared in awe at the great owl, this being the first time they had been able to look in his eyes. The black orbs seemed to reflect the cosmos the guardian watched at all times. "To seek her out for any reason would be an act of treason against Celestia's last command," Owlowicious warned. Spike swallowed his fear before he spoke. "I believe Shining Armor may have already betrayed us, but we need to speak with Twilight to be sure," he stated, trying his best to look confident before the guardian. Blossomforth and Raindrops stepped up next to the dragon as support. "Then we are in agreement," the bird of prey stated much to the warriors' surprise. "Once you have arrived on Midgard you will locate Twilight quickly. If Shining Armor has turned his back on us, he will send someone after you. Most likely Windigos," Owlowicious told them as he sank his talons into the slots on his pedestal, activating the bridge. "If he is not a traitor, than I'm sure your punishment won't be too severe," he finished. Raindrops was about to reply, but the group was pulled into the tunnel of light. Owlowicious closed the portal as soon as he was sure the warriors were through. The sound of footsteps alerted the owl. He turned on his pedestal, his glare meeting only the empty bridge that lead back to the palace. We may have less time than I thought. And possibly more enemies in our ranks, the guardian thought as he prepared himself for a visit from the king. ///////////////////////////////// "Shining Armor, you have no idea how difficult it has been to keep the peace in this realm. If word got out that the All-Father has been sneaking out without an escort," Luna lectured as she glared at her nephew. A knock at the door interrupted her speech much to Shining's relief. He'd been trying to think of a reason to leave for almost an hour. "Enter," the king commanded, annoying Luna. A guard opened the door and gave Shining Armor a scroll before leaving. Shining Armor opened and quickly read the scroll. "What does it say?" Luna asked, feeling ignored. "I apologize Aunt Luna, but I must attend to something. I'll return as soon as I can and you can finish berating me," the stallion said smiling. "And you can finish ignoring me?" Luna asked, clearly unhappy. Shining's smile only grew. "You know me so well. Now, I'm sorry but I really must be going," he replied, leaving Luna alone in the room. ////////////////////////// Hoity Toity walked into the command room annoyed. "Are we getting another surge from the hammer?" he asked the stallion that had reported the incedent. "No sir. The hammer has stabilized since last night," the agent replied. "The signature we're getting now seems to be originating from another part of the desert. About fifty miles south east," the agent explained. Hoity took a breath as he planned the next move. "Let's get a team together to investigate this new sight. Anyone not working on or guarding the hammer comes with me," he commanded, everyone in the room mobilizing to carry out the order. Hoity turned to the communications officer on the other side of the room. "Get in touch with Agent Pie. Tell her to be ready and keep Sparkle on surveillance. We can't afford to mess this up," he said as he left the room. //////////////////////////// Spike landed on his feet and looked around as Blossomforth and Raindrops landed behind him. "Why in all the realms would Celestia banish Twilight here?" he asked, shocked at the sight of the desert before him. "It does seem a bit harsh," Blossomforth agreed scanning the horizon. The sound of footsteps behind her caught her attention and Blossomforth and Spike turned to see Raindrops walking away from them. "Where are you going?" Spike asked, confused. "That town," Raindrops replied, indicating several buildings in the distance. "It would be faster if we flew though," she reasoned as the others caught up with her. Raindrops and Blossomforth grabbed Spike's arms and took off. ///////////////////////// After driving for nearly an hour, the convoy of S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles ground to a halt about twenty yards from where the energy signature had erupted. Hoity hopped out if the SUV and stopped as he looked at the ground. "What on earth is this?" he asked as the other agents joined him, no one seeming to have any answers. "Get as many pictures of this as you can. Send them to the linguistics department at the Hub. Make sure they know how urgent this is," Hoity said as he took his phone out of his jacket and hit a few buttons. The stallion heard a click and started speaking. "The situation near Appleloosa is getting more complicated. I need another mobile outpost brought to my coordinates immediately," Hoity said as he looked over the markings adorning the desert sand. ///////////////////////// Spike and the two pegasi had begun asking the locals about Twilight as soon as they had arrived at the town. It had taken all morning, but they had been told a mare matching her description had been seen digging in a garden on the other side of town. "Why would she be digging through somepony's garden?" Blossomforth questioned as they walked in the middle of the street. That and their armor and weapons were earning them stares of confusion from the ponies around them. "Perhaps living with mortals has cost Twilight her sanity," Raindrops suggested as the rounded another corner. Raindrops peered at the house at the end of the street. "Is that it?" she asked, surprised Twilight would stay in a building so small. It didn't even look like anyone lived in it. "I think so," Spike replied, tasting the air to see if he could pick up Twilight's scent. "She's definitely been here," he said distractedly as a strange, but familiar scent caught his attention. The dragon looked to the rooftops and frowned. "You two go ahead. I'll catch up," he told his companions as he started walking towards a nearby alley. "Be careful," Blossomforth called after her friend. Spike entered the alley and used his claws to scale a building, peeking over the top. It didn't take long to spot the two ponies standing on the roof of the next building over, watching the house he believed Twilight was in. /////////////////////////// Pinkie groaned in boredom as she and Sweetie sat on the roof watching Minuette's house. "Something better happen soon. All we've seen is Twilight picking flowers," the pink pony complained as she set her bow on the roof, getting tired of holding it. "What about them?" Sweetie Belle asked staring down at the street below them in shock. Pinkie leaned over the edge of the roof in interest. Two pegasi mares wearing old fashioned armor walked by, attracting the attention of the other ponies on the street. "Did I miss a costume party?" Pinkie asked, frowning at the thought. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes as she watched the mares. "They're headed for Minuette's house. Could be friends of Twilight's," she suggested. Pinkie thought for a second. "Call it in. They wanted weird, well here it is," she replied. Sweetie Belle reached for the radio on her belt when a clawed hand, covered in purple scales grabbed her wrist. The agent slowly turned her head and came face to face with an angry dragon. "Sweetie Call it- Whoa!" Pinkie shouted in surprise as she jumped for her bow only for the dragon to grab her ankle and hoist her into the air. The reptile glared at the agents for a few more minutes. "I hate spies," he growled, earning an audible gulp from his captives. /////////////////////////////// Shining Armor walked along the prismatic bridge leading to the Bifrost. As he drew closer to the domed building he spotted Owlowicious sitting outside the entrance. "How did you get the Windigos into the vault?" Owlowicous asked bluntly, all pretense and formality gone. Shining Armor smirked. "Unfortunately I can't take credit for that. It would appear I am not the only pony in this realm with the means to blind you," the alicorn replied smugly. Shining Armor's smile faded after a few seconds. "I'll have you know that if you had simply minded your own business, I could have allowed my sister to live out her life in exile," the king stated solemnly. "The protection of this realm is my business," the guardian replied stoically. "Not anymore," Shining said glaring. "For your crime of disobeying my mother's last creed, I strip you of your position as guardian of this realm," he continued, standing tall. "Than your safety is no longer my concern," Owlowisious replied before launching himself at his former ruler. Shining Armor smirked as his horn began to glow. The Casket of Ancient Winters appeared before him, suspended by the king's magic, the lid opening and unleashing a torrential blizzard onto the owl. Shining Armor's coat shifted to a frosty blue and his eyes became white as snow as the bird slowed before his eyes. Seconds later. Owlowiscious was suspended in a column of ice that extended several yards behind him. With the threat neutralized, Shining Armor shut the box and teleported it back to the weapons vault. He then walked around the frozen bird and into the Bifrost. His horn lit up and several tendrils of light extended from his horn and into the sockets that normally held the guardian's talons. Once the Bifrost was active the air behind the alicorn shimmered and the Destroyer materialized as the cloaking spell was lifted. The armor stepped around its master and approached the tunnel of light. "Destroy everything," Shining Armor commanded as his weapon was transported to Midgard. ///////////////////////// Minuette and Twilight had been deep in conversation over breakfast when a knocking at the door interrupted them. "I'll get it," Steam Bolt said as he got up, eager to escape the mares' discussion. "Thanks," Minuette replied as the pegasus left. "So, this world tree, does it cover all worlds?" Minuette asked. Twilight smiled as she thought. "Not quite. There are hundreds of thousands of worlds filled with life. Yggdrasil only represents the nine realms. The worlds protected by my home, Equinsgard," she explained as Bolt returned to the room, a shocked look on his face. "It's for you," he said looking at Twilight in disbelief. Twilight and Minuette gave the pegasus confused looks. "Who is it?" Minuette asked as she followed Twilight to the front door. The unicorn was worried the agents from last night had returned with knowledge Twilight wasn't from Hoofington. Bolt didn't reply as he silently followed the mares. Once at the door, Twilight opened it and her jaw dropped. "Blossomforth? Raindrops?" she asked confused and a little shocked. "It is good to see you too," greeted Blossomforth with a smile. Raindrops didn't seem as happy to be on Midgard. "What are you doing here?" Twilight asked, her surprise fading a little. "Ahem," Bolt cleared his throat clearly annoyed he and a surprised Minuette had been ignored. "You wanna introduce us?" he asked sarcastically. Twilight smiled sheepishly at her lack of manners. "My apologies, Bolt. This is Blossomforth and Raindrops. Two of Equinsgards finest warriors and my former comrades," Twilight said gesturing to the pegasi warriors. "And this is Minuette and Steam Bolt," Twilight informed the armored mares. "They took me in upon my arrival," she explained. "You can call me Bolt," the stallion added hesitantly, unsure how to speak to the warriors. "And my name is Spike," a voice called from the street several yards away. Twilight's eyes widened and Minuette and Bolt's jaws dropped as they watched the dragon approach carrying two mares, one of which Twilight recognized from their fight last night. "I...," Twilight had no idea what to say so she simply repeated her previous question. "What are you all doing here?" she asked again. Spike frowned, unsure how to answer. He set down the two agents. "Stay here," he told them, earning nods from the pair. "We need to speak with you. It's about Shining Armor," he said, turning back to Twilight. Twilight's heart stopped. "I see. Than I am the only survivor of my family," she reasoned, assuming they had come to tell her of her brother's death. Spike took a step back in shock. "What!? No. Why would you think that?" he asked confused. "Shining visited me last night and informed me of mother's passing," Twilight told them. The three warriors exchanged shocked expressions. "Than our suspicions are confirmed," Raindrops said solemnly. "Twilight," Blossomforth called, stepping towards the purple mare. "Your mother still lives." These words hit Twilight like a brick. The realization that Shining Armor had lied to her, destroyed her self worth, was a heavy blow. "Why?" Twilight asked, tears forming in her eyes. Before anyone could respond a loud boom could be heard from far away. The group turned their attention to the desert to see a cloud of dust and light spinning from the heavens. "Was somepony else coming?" Bolt asked confused as the cloud connected with the desert sand.