//------------------------------// // The Castle // Story: Subject 64-B // by Necrogen Lord //------------------------------// Twilight hummed merrily as she sort out the newest batch of books from Canterlot. Almost all of the arrivals were replacements for the ones she lost in Golden Oaks, but those, she noticed, were few and far between. Each time she found one, however, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for her old home. Before she could think too much about it, however, the doors to her castle opened again, and revealed another load of books. "Mornin' Princess!" the delivery pony greeted. Twilight smiled. "Good morning, Stamp," she replied. "Got an interestin' load 'ere for ya this time," he said, nodding back to the cart behind him. "What's so interesting?" she asked, getting up from her throne. The Princess got up from her throne and walked towards the cart that Stamp was pulling. As usual, there were around a hundred or so books, all piled on haphazardly. However, behind the cart of books, was another cart, holding a dusty box of slightly rotted oak, large enough to fit a pony in. Across the rotting surface were runes, glowing with a small amount of power as they changed colors every few seconds. "What's in there?" "Got no idea, Princess," Stamp answered. "They just told me to bring it 'ere." Twilight nodded as she absentmindedly signed the forms for the delivery, and mumbled her goodbye as Stamp left. She circled the box a few times, trying to find some kind of opening for it, but couldn't find one. With a flick of her magic, she raised the box out of the cart, and began to carry it to the back of the castle. "Time to find out, then." \\\\\\////// More change. More voices. More differences. Everything there is changing. The memories... They're trying to come back. I can't stop them all. A few are breaking few. Language. Colors. Purple. I've only been able to document what these memories are telling me. To record what they say is there. The voices. They're like the words. The words without the thought. Sound. Hear. I can hear. To hear in here. I'm still here. They're all there. Change. Change is happening again. Out there. ... I need... ... I... ... think... Think. \\\\\\////// Entry: 6 Date: 2-2- Celestial Era, Year 1 The Griffons have executed the hostages. They let their bodies fall to the ground beneath the city of clouds. Blood rained today. We have no choice, now. The Generals have left to fight, taking almost 3,000 troops with them. Our enemies number at 20,000. Even if we win, what will be left? How much fight can any of those that left bring? How much can those that left take? The Council is furious about this. We've lost almost all of the guards for the city, and now we're open to any attack. My brother is still yet to be seen. I can't help but feel responsible, somehow. I've got to help. I'm going to open the gates for the refugees. We have the food, water, and space for them. The Council agrees, but only because they think they could use them as shields. Despicable cretins. Time to open the gates. Let's hope we don't keep them closed for long, though. \\\\\\////// Entry: 7 Date: 2-5- Celestial Era, Year 1 The refugees are numbered smaller than we expected. Apparently, a few hundred joined the Generals in the fight. I can't be sure how I feel about their choice, but it's not mine to make. A mare almost drowned in the moat outside the gate, after being pushed off. I jumped in to save her, and dragged her back into the castle myself. Her name was Professor Juniper. She's quite well informed on several fields of medicine, so she's volunteered to look after the sick. I'm glad that I jumped for her. She could save some lives. \\\\\\////// Entry: 8 Date: 2-8- Celestial Era, Year 1 Canterlot's hollowed out, now. All of the citizens had fled to the castle while the gates were open, and now all that's left is a husk. The castle itself isn't that crowded, however. I've done the math, and if we ration properly, the crop we have now could last a year and a half, so long as we don't forget to enchant the storage. I saw Juniper again, today. She managed to save somepony that was having a heart attack. We discussed the medicines we have available, as well as what we can grow now. Apparently, she knows how to grow certain herbs that could be used for treatments. I had the staff check for seed samples, and we've begun to seed the inner-wall fields. I thought I felt a little sick, when I was talking to her, though. I felt my face warm up, and I could feel my heartbeat steadily increase. I'm going to ask her to check me for anything, to make sure I'm not too sick to aid the Council. \\\\\\////// Entry: 9 Date: 2-15- Celestial Era, Year 1 The Generals have sent a letter back to the Council. They were ambushed by Diamond Dogs from below and encountered heavy Griffon forces. The battle apparently lasted three hours, and they lost 400 ponies. They're calling it a victory, though, because they killed 837 of the enemy's troops. I'd say that at this rate, we'd still loose horribly. No matter. I'm to check on the medicinal crop with Juniper later. After she checked me for sickness, however, she was different. When I told her the symptoms, her face started to redden as well, and she had a weird smile. I think there might be some kind of disease going around, but I've only seen us as the victims thus far. It could be the exposure to the medicinal crop. She told me that there were unique side effects from the plants, and so they were illegal if used a certain way. \\\\\\////// Entry: 10 Date: 2-15- Celestial Era, Year 1 I was wrong to write that in my journal before. I don't think I'm sick. When Juniper walked out into the fields to check the plants... Something happened. I heard her yelp in pain, and found that she had cut her hoof when she tried to examine one of the thorn-stemmed plants. When I held her there... When I looked to her face... When I gazed into those eyes... I forgot about everything else. The scent of her coat, mixed with the aroma of the plants around us... The way the plants curved in tone with her form... The way her eyes seemed to caress my very soul... I thought I was having a heart attack then and there. It seemed as though she thought the same, too. We tried to keep our distance for a bit, and left the air tense with awkwardness. I looked back one more time before going to write this. When we locked eyes again, she smiled at me, and... I've never felt so alive... I think I'm in love.