//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Familiar Faces // Story: The Black Heart // by Astral Star and Company //------------------------------// Twilight glumly looked up from the hospital balcony to the ever present grey sky above, a mug of warm tea in one hoof and a somewhat dejected muffin in the other. She didn’t know what to think, she didn’t know what to expect. Doctor Walker said she would be here so of course Twi was expecting her to show up. Yet at the same time, no one has ever gotten more than a glimpse of her since this whole thing started. Some say she had abandoned them and withdrew safely inside her castle. Some say she had died and was little more than an angered ghost, skulking her hallowed halls. Neither was true, as the long familiar shape of her alabaster wings carried a slender white alicorn gracefully through the air towards the bored doctor. Princess Celestia of Equestria landed with a soft clop of gold adorned hooves and wordlessly took her seat opposite the purple unicorn. Twilight studied the solar princess through a façade of blank boredom. The princess looked tardy, not because she was late, she look tired. Missing a few night’s sleep wasn’t an uncommon thing these days, but whereas Twilight’s overall colour dulled a few tones, Celestia’s looked stone grey. Her eyes were tired and spoke of of many held tears. With a shuddering breath, the princess began to speak. “Twilight I…” “Why?” Celestia didn’t look surprised by the interruption, but met Twilight’s stern glare with an even one. “Why are you here?” Celestia smiled faintly “To see you of course,” “Where were you?” Twilight seethed “In my castle,” Celestia replied evenly “There is nowhere else I’d rather be,” “Damn right,” she snarled “What with all this death around us? Did you just, decide, to sit up there, while the rest of us wandered around like sheep, dropping like flies and trying desperately to not give up hope? And where the hell were you?” Celestia remained silent “That’s right, in your Tartarus damned castle,” Slience reigned for minutes, but between the pair, it could’ve lasted years. Princess Celestia had not been seen since Twilight’s own fateful day. The day she failed, as a friend, mentor, student… As a daughter. The princess cleared her throat loudly, putting Twilight out of her daze. “I’m terribly sorry to ask you of this Twilight, but…” “Oh, the great Princess Celestia has finally returned to talk to me and she’s already asking for something?” said Twilight sarcastically “Typical,” “Please,” Celestia asked “It is of great…” “Importance? Sure, let me go check my box of care. Oh wait, it’s empty! Tell me why would I give my left hoof about what’s important to you anymore?” “Twilight…” “Don’t you ‘Twilight’ me!” she yelled “I hate you! You left me there! With her! And I failed ALL OF THEM!” She stood quickly from her chair, knocking over and shocking everything but the pony she was so angry at. “Things have changed Celestia,” Twilight murmured sadly “Ponies are dying. They are my patients, my responsibility. You’ve failed yours Celestia, go home, you’re probably better off there,” Without another word, turned and left the table. Princess Celestia merely sat there, staring at her empty plate. “Oh Luna,” she murmured “What can I do?” Then, she began to cry. Somewhere out there, in the wilderness, a blue star-spangled mare wondered the same thing. <-(\|/)-> Twilight took the long way to her office this time. There’s no rush, besides, she needed the time to think. Despite her pure and utter hatred for her former mentor, she couldn’t help but be curious. What did she want? If it could possibly help cure the epidemic then she has every responsibility to investigate, and yet… She stopped No, if there’s a cure, she’ll find it by herself. No pony was going to tell her what to do anymore. She has a new responsibility now. Nothing will change until the cure is found. “Ah, Dr Sparkle, there you are!” Dr Walker greeted warmly, walking alongside her “I trust the meeting went well?” Twilight remained silent. “… or not. Anyway, I just received a letter for you,” he said, pulling a sheet of paper “A letter?” Twilight asked dryly “Yes, the mail mare assured me it was of the utmost importance,” She nodded glumly and took the letter off his hooves “Well then, I best be off. Good luck to you, Doctor,” With that, he departed for an adjoining hall and left her at the crossroads. Twilight studied the paper. It was folded three times lengthways and had the dry, grainy texture of parchment. This obviously did not come from the hospital, but it only made her curious. With moderate trepidation she opened the letter and read it in silence. The answers you seek are here. Go to your old house in Canterlot tonight, the door will be unlocked. Meet you there, L She knitted her brow in confusion. Who is this ‘L’ and how did she get into her house, for that matter, how did he get in. Despite that, the letter was indeed intriguing. If it held information on the cure it could definitely be worth the risk. But still, it could be a trap… She shook her head It can’t be, no pony would have the time and patience to find out where she lived and break the lock, especially in times like these. Looks like she’s got her plans for tonight. <-(\|/)-> Twilight’s shift ended a good half hour ago. It was 6:00pm and the cloud darkened grey skies receded to the deep blue hue of night. Yet where was the moon? Like the sun, it was hidden by the clouds. Only a faint glimmer from each can be felt through the cloud, making night time more dangerous than usual. Her old tower stood tall and proud, a worn ivory building particularly covered in moss and vines. It’s been a while since she lived here, and dreaded the day she’d have to again. Waving away some cobwebs and vines, the door was unlocked as described by the letter and held slightly ajar. Twilight gingerly opened it to find the room in complete darkness. Conjuring a light, she found the place cluttered with bizarre scientific instruments and sheet covered furniture. It resembled more like an abandoned laboratory than her old house. Broken vials lay on the floor and a whole myriad of smells assaulted her nose. Taking careful steps inside, she could see that the nightstands were missing their candles and the curtains haphazardly nailed to the windowsill, blocking the windows. What really bothered he was that despite the mess, all the equipment looked fresh. “YOU CAME!” “Gah!” Twilight yelled, taking large steps backward In front of her was the sickest looking pony she had ever laid eyes upon. He was untidy, brown fur overgrown in some areas and missing in others. He wore a tattered and scorched lab coat and the expression of a mad pony, twitching eyes and all. “Mistress said you’d come!” he cheered, giggling madly “Yes, mistress is always right you know! Always right! Always…” As he rambled on, Twilight couldn’t help but see that he looked familiar too. Trying to imagine the strange stallion in a healthier state, she could swear he looked like… “Professor Lucid?” Twilight asked unsurely “Is that you?” The mad pony stopped. “She remembers,” he whispered “She remembers! SHE REMEMBERS! HAHAHAHA!” He then resumed his crazy laughter and prancing, much to Twilight’s dismay. Professor Lucid used to be Canterlot’s leading experts in mental health, but it was no secret he was interested in the mechanics of dreaming. In fact, roughly six months after the Crystal Empire incident, he was never heard from since. Some say he was responsible for the plague, but evidence later proved otherwise. “Did you send me that letter?” Twilight asked He replied hurriedly “No no no, mistress sent letter. Yes, mistress knows yes, she knows everypony,” “Who is your ‘mistress’?” “No no, not for me to say, no, cannot say,” he murmured “You must meet mistress, yes. Mistress knows you, mistress knows everypony,” “So you’ve said…” “Mistress must meet you yes, she wants to meet you, and mistress is mistress, must not say no to mistress, no,” Twilight rolled her eyes. This guy’s going to give her a headache. “Fine, how do I meet your mistress?” “Mistress sees you yes. She sees you now, and me too! You must sleep yes, sleep and you see her too!” “Okay, how do I do that?” “Like this!” And he brought a hard wooden bat right cross her head. <-(\|/)-> When Twilight finally awoke, she found herself in a place so incredibly wrong, yet so horrifyingly similar. The sands of bone, the blood red sky, the mountains of skulls… She was dreaming. Chained to the top of the tallest of the dunes was a tall, monotoned mare. Fur bleached white and luxuriant mane a plethora of blacks and greys. Her skin stretched taught against her bones. She regarded her with blank eyes, devoid of emotion. “You have come, Twilight Sparkle,” Her whisper carried itself across the plain, ringing bells in Twilight’s ears despite the distance. “You know me?” she asked “As well as you knew me,” she responded cryptically “What do you want?” “I want you to seek me out,” “But where? I don’t even know this place,” The mare shook her head “Not here, there. Seek me at Canterlot castle look for the one called Luna,” “Luna?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow “Luna’s been dead for years,” “Far from dead, I am afraid,” she replied mournfully “Seek her out, and you will have your answer,” Without a final word the hellish world around began to vanish, leaving behind a blank, white world as Twilight awaited consciousness. <-(\|/)-> It had been a while since she vanished. A while long enough for the spectre to return. A gruesome ghost held form by shadow, flesh and metal, approached the captive mare. A voice like ringing metal, whispers in the darkness, permeated the space. “You shouldn’t have intervened,” “Do what you will to me, monster,” she retorted “She will succeed where I have failed,” “Oh, I doubt that. As entertaining as skinning you alive might be, there are some things you are good for alive than dead,” “And what might they be?” “Expanding my influence across your world,” he announced with sadistic glee “Spreading my beautiful corruption,” “You are sick if you think subjecting my people to your madness is anything akin to beauty,” “I am not the one who’s ill, my little pet. It is her. Don’t look at me like that. You didn’t really think your plan of yours would go unnoticed…” With that, he vanished.