//------------------------------// // Chapter XXVII // Story: Journey to the center of Equestria // by Rarity Belle //------------------------------// Years ago was when it all happened. Everything that went wrong already began on the first day of the new school year. There was a much, much younger Twilight Sparkle who stood in the door opening. One that was leading to the room which she would be sharing with another anthrony for at least the coming year. Her violet rimmed eyes gently looked over towards the other mare, who was busy unpacking her own things and preparing her side of the room. Twilight then cleared her throat in a loud manner to get the attention of the other unicorn. A unicorn with a light brilliant amber skin and hair that seemed to be on fire. At least it was colored in that way. The ears of the mare perked themselves up in response to the sound. She turned herself around towards Twilight with calm. Then the young mare noticed the moderate cyan colored rims that the other unicorn carried. And for just a moment had the silence set in. That awkward silence as the two began to check each other out. Twilight carried a couple of her books before her while the other mare was dressed rather casually. She couldn’t have been there for more than an hour. That, or it was going to be the type of anthrony who wasn’t looking after the rules at one. Twilight really hoped it was the first. “So,” the other mare started in a rather stern tone, “you’re going to be my roommate for this year? Hmhm, should be fun. You look like you’re able to handle yourself,” the mare replied before she crossed her arms over each other. Twilight gained a small blush across both her cheeks. She hadn’t expected the compliment. At least she took it as a compliment. Though it also may have come due to the fact that she was already wearing three quarters of the school’s uniform. “You look rather, nice yourself as well,” replied Twilight with a little giggle to her tone. That was what did it for the other mare. The little twinkle that she suddenly got within her eyes showed that they would be able to work together quite well. “Hey, name’s Sunset Shimmer by the way.” Sunset had introduced herself before she stuck out her hand to shake Twilight’s. The other unicorn struggled a little bit to get her own hand out but with the help of her magic she levitated the books into the air. “Name’s Twilight Sparkle. Pleasure meeting you, Sunset,” replied Twilight in a genuine happy tone. A smile could be found going across her lips. Yet before the unicorn even knew it, was she pulled into a hug by Sunset. The mulberry unicorn was surprised to say the least. Though the hug itself didn’t felt all too uncomfortable either. The only logical thing that could be done was to return it just as tight. Thus went the arms of Twilight around the body of Sunset to settle their debt right away. Something which resulted in the both of them actually laughing before they finally broke the hug again. “Yeah, it’s going to be awesome to be your roommate. Hey, you try to become a soothsayer as well?” asked Sunset before she dropped down on her bed. “I hope you don’t mind that I choose this bed already, I can’t stand the morning sunlight. More of a, sunset person, if you catch my drift,” the amber mare chuckled up in a well-meant manner. The room itself was a rather large one with two desks, two chairs and a table. Not to forget two massive bookcases for anything that they would be studying that semester. And then there were the two beds. One of them stood almost right below the window while the other –on which Sunset already laid– stood at the far side of the room. It was a bit of a strange request, but also one about which Twilight had to let out a giggle of her own. She caught the little joke that was told. Whether it was intentional remained to be up for asking. So the unicorn dropped her books on the one available bed as her body then followed suit. The legs were crossed over each other before the palm of both of her hands got a hold of her knee. The unicorn nodded before she would be speaking her reply to Sunset. “Yes, I’m also trying to become a soothsayer. Got passed by the initiation test with flying colors and now, now I’m just waiting for the first lessons to begin.” The initiate response of Sunset was almost a huge groan of literal annoyance. “You don’t know how to party, do you? Hey, you want to go to the party tonight? You know, the one to open the coming year?” asked the mare to her. A strand of hair was removed out of her eye. So that was perhaps the reason of why she was dressed in such a manner, thought Twilight. Twilight didn’t even knew there was a party going on, or would be happening. She never had been the mare to party like others of her age. Instead she would just delve right into a good book and read about the complex world the characters had their adventures in. Though if that would be the only character treats that would be clashing, Twilight was willing to pay the toll. Though she shook her head calmly from side to side. “As much as the offer is nice, Sunset, I’m not really one for parties. Though, if you go, and this goes for all other parties as well.” “Yes, I’m listening,” replied Sunset with a small yet devious grin that went across her lips. It was a thing that made Twilight rethink her words a little bit more. For everything that she said could of course be used against her. Which was about one of the last things she wanted. “Could you just, come here quietly and for the sake of everything, no stallions.” Finally was the high word out of Twilight and it just felt good for her to finally have said it. Sunset Shimmer tucked her legs up on the mattress before she assumed a cross legged position. Though once again couldn’t the fire haired anthrony not keep her giggles together. “Oh Twilight,” she began in a tone that was both sarcastic and serious at the same time. Therefore setting the other unicorn on a different track. “Do you honestly think I’m the kind of mare who goes to a party and flirt with every single stallion she sees? I’m well aware this is a tough semester for the both of us. So, I think it’s a requirement that I follow up those rules, don’t you agree?” It almost seemed like a dream that had come true for Twilight. Sunset Shimmer was one of those few anthronies that understood Twilight almost as a whole. It was a massive weight that fell off of her shoulders that went accompanied with a light exhale. “I’m glad you understand, Sunset,” replied Twilight before they both stood back up. What then followed was that the two of them gave each other another massive hug. “You sure you don’t want to go, just this once?” Sunset then whispered in the mare her ears. The only reaction she got out of Twilight was a slight shake of the head. Which was more than enough for her. “Alright then, then I best be off now. See you tomorrow again, Twilight,” the mare added just before she broke the hug and left the room with a gentle pace. Twilight only followed her to the doorway where she would lean against one of the sides and wave her roommate out before the arms went cross over each other. A chuckle left through the nostrils of the mare as she began to shake her head once more. Though the reason of why she did it that was for a different one than previous times. “I think I’m going to like her perhaps a little bit too well. Still, she doesn’t seem to be too wrong about everything.” Twilight said to herself as she walked back into the room and realized she still had to unpack all of her gear. ~~~~                       The following day were both Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer sitting in one of the many classrooms where the soothsayers would be trained. It was their very first lesson and the teacher had already given them a tough assignment. To actually prepare themselves for a trip towards the planes of the goddesses. It didn’t mean all too much to the teacher, for he just needed to know who was where exactly. The time to study the basics of the trip was given to each of the anthronies present. Both Twilight and Sunset were sitting next to each other. They both opened their books and began to read through the content that it carried. Of course it was all hocus pocus when they read through it the first time. Neither could make something out of the words straight away. Yet the more times they went across the things, the more they slowly began to realize just what was being asked of them. Slow and steady had they all managed to understand the concept of traveling towards the planes. The real question there was who actually possessed the magical abilities to make it on the first go. After almost an hour of intense studying said the teacher that the books needed to be closed. The very fact was there that they had to try it. Of course were they scared about the whole ordeal. Simply because it literally seemed to have been a literal baptism by fire. Which naturally resulted in the little fact that there were absolutely no volunteers for the matter to begin with. A little something that the teacher had already predicted. Yet he still asked the question through the classroom. Only one hand went into the air oddly enough. The eyes of the teacher looked down at the hand and noticed the mulberry skin. He then followed the arm down with his eyes until the face of Twilight Sparkle was clearly visible within his eyes. It actually surprised him that she was the first one who wanted to go. For not even Sunset Shimmer had stuck up her hand. Twilight was then called down to the front of the class where the teacher had already made the preparations. Though just before the anthrony would leave her seat, her arm was taken by Sunset. “Hey, you know what you’re going to be doing, right?” she asked in a genuine nervous tone. Yet the other unicorn nodded in calm towards her new friend. Without a word was the arm set loose again as Sunset and the rest of the class began to watch. They would all watch just how Twilight would be making her ascent towards the planes of the goddesses. After a massive show of light it became apparent that Twilight had some sort of special powers. Even the teacher had never seen such a thing in his life. Twilight Sparkle had actually managed to not just make the leap out of her body, but as well rise up towards the home of the goddesses. It was only the landing that was a little bit on the rough side. That was a little something they hadn’t really read about yet. So when Twilight came back, she wanted to stand back up again. But almost immediately she fell back down again. The teacher rushed in and before she could hit the ground had he caught her. He then laid her carefully upon the ground and said to the class it would take about five minutes for her to become the old one again. He didn’t lie. For within five minutes sat Twilight straight up again. She even rubbed her head a little bit. The good news was told to her and she just couldn’t believe it. She even thought that the teacher had been making a mistake of some sort. It seemed to have been just impossible for her to get it right on the first time. Yet that was the matter of the situation. She had it right, on the first try. Almost all of the class began to clap before the unicorn as they had found the greatest and deepest of respect for her. Something that nopony would have ever denied from her. Even Sunset Shimmer had a flabbergasted expression on her face as she continued clapping. Once Twilight had returned to her place, she and Sunset began to talk to each for a little bit. Other students began to try the same thing. Having seen just how easy Twilight it actually made look to make the ascend. They all thought they would have been having the same abilities. The only problem was that they actually didn’t possess it. For many failed to even get into the trance that was required. Of course it wasn’t a big issue as it meant that they needed to be trained even more. Then it was finally the turn for Sunset Shimmer to try it. “Hey, good luck,” said Twilight to her with a smile. The same smile was returned by the other mare as well as a powerful nod. She would succeed, one way or the other and perhaps no matter what. Silence had once again come to the classroom as all eyes were preying upon Sunset Shimmer herself. Would the unicorn with the fiery hair be able to make the ascend and witness the beauty that was the realm of their beloved goddesses? Time was the only thing that held the answer. Seconds ticked away as the mare tried to get herself into the trance required. The light of her horn and hands was given off before the spirit was sent upwards. Nopony even dared to breathe as that was about the most dangerous part of the whole trip next to coming back. The shifting from one realm to the next was the most dangerous part of all. Twilight’s eyes were constantly looking over the body of Sunset to see if anything had gone wrong with it, but she never noticed anything. “Could it be?” she spoke with only moving her lips. Not a single sound came out of it before the other unicorn came almost crashing down back to their realm. The results were pretty much the same as Twilight’s. Out of the entire class were there just two anthronies that were capable to get to the plane and back right there and then. Something that surprised the teacher even more was that it were the two anthronies that shared a room together. He knew exactly what needed to be done with them. The class was over had both Sunset and Twilight to wait a little bit longer as their teacher had some words he wanted to tell them. Both just shrugged it off and as everypony else left, they remained seated. The teacher walked up to them and leaned against a table while his hands were used as support. The words that followed were some of the most unexpected they had ever heard in their lives. For they were too advanced for the classes that were given to them. They were already two truly powerful unicorns who knew how to deal with their abilities and gifts. That was going to be the very reason of why he would be sending them to something special. Something that hadn’t been done in quite the bit of time. He was going to send them to two truly experienced soothsayers in order to be trained both individually and personally. For having the both of them under the supervision of just one experienced soothsayer was a danger in and of itself. Neither of the mares could believe the words that were being told to them as they both squealed in delight and hugged each other once more. Too much annoyance of their teacher. Yet when the sounds finally stopped, they thanked their teacher and made themselves ready to head to the next class for the day. The final words that the teacher told both of the mares was that they could expect their new teacher knocking at their doors the following morning. ~~~~                       So said, so done. With the day behind them and their homework done, both Twilight and Sunset simply lay in their beds in peace. The both of them were deeply lost within their dreams as the night crawled by at its normal pacing. The following morning would the both of them wake up and do their morning routines as per usual. Though the eternal debate stayed whether or not they should stay in their room and wait for their new mentors to show up, or go to class like everypony else. Neither of the two seemed to be certain on what to do as each argument given was countered almost immediately. Which was a little something that caused the both of them to be highly annoyed. Then there finally was a knock on the door. Both of the mares looked at each other and got the same idea. They both charged up their horns and opened the door at the same time. Which allowed their mysterious visitors to enter their room. What followed was something neither Twilight nor Sunset had expected to happen. For in the door opening stood an aged stallion. His eyes were irradiating wisdom as well as a strict discipline. The gray skin he carried combined his white hair told the both of them enough. Though behind him was another anthrony. One that Twilight knew all too well in fact. “C-Cadence?” she stuttered out as she couldn’t believe it. The pinkish skinned unicorn nodded towards the mare as she closed the door behind her. “I, I can’t, I can’t believe it. Why, why are you here?” Cadence on the other end allowed a little giggle to leave her throat. Sunset hadn’t even the faintest of clues of what was going on between them. Yet it was the stallion who with one gesture of his hand got both of the students to sit down upon Twilight’s nicely made-up bed. On the opposing side took Cadence and the mysterious stallion their places. The four of them gazed into each other’s eyes for a solid minute. The silence spoke more than enough words to fill up a book in the eyes of Twilight. Until finally the stallion would be speaking the words that were on his mind. “My colleague and I heard some, interesting, news about the pair of you,” he began with his low toned voice. One that reeked of age yet was still crystal clear for some reason. “The two of you have ascended up to the planes of our beloved goddesses and gotten back, on your first day here. For which they asked us two to take you under our astral dusted wing. Something we are willing to do, but at a cost. We require undetermined attention from you. I know you’re young and in your prime, that you want to party, but I’m afraid that can’t be done anymore after you say yes.” “Could, could you tell us your name, sir?” Sunset Shimmer asked. They were spoken in the moment she noticed a small gap in between his words. It was a question that caused the stallion to crack a gentle smile before he shook his head. “Oh, where are my manners. I’m sorry, miss Shimmer, but allow me to properly introduce myself. The name, is professor Latsyrc,” the stallion said to her. He made a polite little bow on his place. “But what do you say, are you willing to proceed with your training?” The answer to that very question was written within stone itself. ~~~~                       Months turned into years. Both Twilight and Sunset were working under the wings of their new teachers. Twilight’s mentor was nopony else then Cadence whereas Sunset had gotten the stallion named Latsyrc. The both of them saw a drastic change in their lives as their whole social life was pretty much busted. Not that either of the two cared that much about it really. For they were getting lessons in their art of soothsaying from perhaps two of the best. Though where Cadence went on a little easy on Twilight, Latsyrc almost spared no mercy on Sunset. Though he wasn’t reforming her into his own image, far from it even. But the strain he allowed the mare to work under was something almost unheard of. Something that perhaps contributed to one of the most dangerous assents that Sunset had. Which happened to be her genuine love for the magic that the unicorns carried. There wasn’t anything within the world that she seemed to be loving more than magic in general. Always was she on the move or on the lookout for a new spell book or a new spell or even a new ability. It was a little bit funny for Twilight to see another anthrony working as vividly as she would be doing. Yet there was one thing that almost bugged the mulberry unicorn at a constant rate. While Sunset’s studies on the light forms of magic were always wonderful and ones she even liked to help on, it were the ones on dark magic she didn’t wanted to have anything to do with. Though on one day would the explosion of Twilight’s mind happen. Something that would result in perhaps the greatest tie in their history and possibly the birth of her greatest nemesis. “No Sunset! I’m not going to help you with this madness. It’s not what we’re supposed to be doing and you know it. I don’t even want to hear another word out of your mouth, understood?” Twilight exclaimed as she had turned herself around to face Sunset from her desk. The questions that had been asked previously, all had become too much for her in the moment. “But Twilight, listen to me here for change. I do not want to live in the dark magic. I don’t want to become a Dark Witch. But what I try to be doing here, is to gain knowledge in how to protect ourselves from their dark magic. The king of chaos is always lurking in the library. Danger from the Frozen North hungers for power and then, you have the devil herself,” explained Sunset to the best of her abilities. Though she knew it was pretty much a losing battle that was waged. Twilight wouldn’t listen. Though there might have been just one little something what she could be doing in order to make her come to her senses. It was to play the philosophical harp. “No, no, no, no and again no!” Twilight exclaimed to her friend. She had turned herself around again. Little did either of the mares knew that the corruption of the dark magic had already taken a hold onto Sunset. Countless and illegal experiments which were done even without Twilight knowing had opened up the mind. It was ready for influences that weren’t as pleasant as originally expected. A deep exhale was being released through the nostrils of Sunset, it was then or never that she would be speaking her words. “When the wrong deed is done for the right cause, who is actually to blame?” “Sorry b-but, what did you just say?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow from behind her desk. Slowly but surely she turned around from her chair and gazed into the eyes of Sunset Shimmer perhaps deeper than ever before. “Repeat that, please.” ~~~~                       Once again could Twilight be found hovering into the realm of the goddesses as she was under the guidance of Cadence. The two had managed to build up an even stronger bond together because of the single fact that they had known each other since Twilight’s youth. They knew exactly what the other could be doing and never dared to speak against the other for they might have been right. Twilight was a smart filly whereas Cadence had more experience. Two little things that combined the best of both worlds together. Yet the words of Sunset Shimmer were never faded from her mind. Even when she was just wandering through the grass in the fields they echoed through her. She hadn’t told Cadence or Latsyrc about them for reasons she couldn’t even explain to herself. Perhaps she didn’t found it really necessary that they needed to know it? Or maybe was she waiting for the right time to tell the pair about the troubles. Whichever the case, it wouldn’t really have been helping her in any form or matter. The body of Twilight lowered itself within the grass in order to take a long and deep sniff from a flower. The scents that entered her nostrils had a rather harmonious effect on her as they managed to calm her mind for just the shortest of time. A thing that was nice suddenly rushed back into her nose and it managed to give her a massive smile. To her it felt like she would have been in the actual heaven. She didn’t wanted to return though, but more than a few minutes just wasn’t granted to her. Just a few minutes she could be staying in the realm of the goddesses and wander around. Even under the guidance of Cadence was she improving with every single ascend that she made. Though that never stopped Twilight from doing her own little experiments. Experiments that were in fact legal. They used the same tactics Cadence had given to her. Unlike the mare she once dared to call a friend. The unicorn dropped herself into the grass before a tear began to roll from her eyes. A tear which held the reflection of the moment in which their friendship was broken. It was after a massive argument that Twilight and Sunset couldn’t find it together anymore. They began to differ just too much from each other up to the point they didn’t even recognize the other. It was perhaps a good thing that Sunset never began wearing black robes, because that would have set off more than enough alarm bells. Though the longer Twilight laid in the grass, the more she thought back to times gone by and memories she cherished. Yet something else was about to happen. Something that would come back years from that moment to haunt her in the flanks. The birth of perhaps the most powerful witch the land had seen next to the devil herself. All of the sudden was the whole realm shaking upon its very foundation. Strikes of lightning came crashing down at speeds unseen but they never touched the ground in any way or form. Something was wrong, that much was certain. Though what and who was the question that remained to be seen. Twilight Sparkle managed to get back upon her hooves quick. She wiped the tears away from her eyes and looked around. Though all that she saw was a darkness surrounding her. The whole area she was in seemed to have turned darker and there was only one thing that left her mouth. “Oh no, this can’t be happening.” The spirit of Twilight Sparkle –the one who was traveling over the planes of the goddesses– took off into the skies in an attempt to find something. Twilight wasn’t stupid in the least. She knew exactly where to look for. Even though she didn’t had any interest in partaking in Sunset’s research, she still learned a thing or two about the darker arts of the magic. Combined with just some of the dangers that were housed in the realm of the goddesses. With a near lightning speed was Twilight flying through the air in search for that one little spot. That one spot where both ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ were the closest to one another. The small line that actually separated both the realm of the goddesses with the realm of the demon named Nightmare Moon. There must have been one spot where it was so thin for a soothsayer to travel from one to the other. Why the doorway wasn’t used by any other demon was a question that was perhaps best left unasked for the time being. “Come on, come on, where are you?!” she muttered to herself. Her horn had coated itself within the raspberry color. Her hands weren’t coated in the magic as she wasn’t preparing any spell. Instead she was doing some readings about just where the weakest point might have been. Though the answer would actually have been a lot more obvious than it was originally thought. ~~~~ When she was soaring through the realm, there was a dark doorway on the ground. A doorway that was in fact steaming shadows into the planes itself. Instantly knew Twilight that that was the place where she needed to be and soared down. Once on the ground, she approached the doorway and peeked through it without ever even daring to go through it herself. It was a distortion into the reality of the goddesses, it could be closed at any moment. Or worse, it would have widened. Twilight didn’t wanted to get stuck in that darkness either though what she saw was something that broke her heart even further. The laughter of the dark mistress herself could be heard echoing from all sides while Sunset Shimmer stood on the other side. She was engulfed in the streams of shadow while she screamed it out in pain. A true and terrible pain was going through her body as it began to change, distort time and reality itself. Twilight couldn’t look anymore at the scene. The levels of her comfort zone had been surpassed for the longest of times. She wanted to forget what she saw and just get her friend back. Something which was perhaps impossible to do. Though she would be setting everything on everything just to do it. The eyes of the real Twilight opened themselves again and she gasped for air. The unicorn then quickly got up on her hooves in order to make the run for Sunset’s room. They didn’t share the same room anymore as a direct result of their broken friendship. Yet even with them hating the guts of each other, Twilight was still prepared to do everything in her power to help the other mare. Through hallway and corridor she ran without looking back. Only to a couple other students she said that both Cadence and Latsyrc had to be called to Sunset’s room as soon as possible. Before the group could even react had she darted off again. Tears began to fill the eyes of Twilight when she came closer to the room. What horrors would she be witnessing when it was opened? What dangers would be faced? All fears and thoughts just vanished as she set her hand upon the door handle. Instantly she pulled it down and threw the door open. There it then stood. The very sight she had hoped to not see. Both of her hands are brought to her mouth as she begins to shake her head. For the spot where Sunset usually sat to meditate for her ascend, then stood the demoness. A demoness that was hovering over the floor and had turned herself around the second Twilight had opened the door. “No, this isn’t happening. This isn’t how your legacy ends,” managed Twilight to speak through her hands as the tears only became stronger. “You can’t do this to me!” “Hmhmhm, oh but I can, Sparkle,” the demoness spoke in return. She raised her hand and formed a claw with her talons. It resulted in Twilight being levitated off the ground by the throat. “You soothsayers always kept this information to yourself, she offers you power greater than anything you can imagine. I don’t want to rule the world, silly. I want it to be like me.” “But then, she’ll rule, in eternal, d-darkness!” Twilight struggled to say. She tried to get the magical force off of her throat. “Y-You want that?!” Any attempt she did was futile. There was nothing that could be done against the demoness. Twilight was just not powerful enough to beat her. “If that’s going to be the price, this world has to pay... I’m willing to settle the debt. But you, won’t even live to tell that,” the demon of Sunset spoke. Then came a laughter that could be classified as satanic. “Not on our watch, vile monster!” the voice of Latsyrc all of the sudden bellowed from behind Twilight. The next thing she knew there was a massive zap of magic that ran past her followed by her following to the ground. Her body dropped itself down to her bum, before her head finally hit the stone hard floor. Fading in and out of her consciousness, Twilight could hear Latsyrc giving the order to Cadence to get her out of there. Only to have it fade into darkness again and felt that force applied on her throat. A force that was becoming more and more realistic.