//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: A Crisis in the Making // Story: My Little Pony Equestria Girls 3: Twilight's Shadow // by Revan //------------------------------// Spike was very keyed up and tense. The life of his best friend, Twilight Sparkle, was potentially hanging in the balance, and what was he doing? Sitting on a couch inside Canterlot and watching Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity worry about Twilight's health. Not the most productive use of his time - but what else could he do? He'd gotten Twilight to Princess Celestia, as Twilight had told him to - and as he had promised himself he would do - but now he had to wait as Celestia, after magically teleporting Twilight's closest friends into Canterlot and explaining the situation to them, cryptically told them to wait here as she "analyzed the condition" of Twilight. Now he waited, looking on as Pinkie Pie was literally bouncing of the walls - and then winced as Pinkie Pie accidentally landed on top of Rainbow Dash. "AARRRRGGHHH!!!! PINKIE!!!" Rainbow Dash screamed in pain and irritation. "What? It was an accident!" Pinkie Pie responded, temporarily coming to a halt - of a sort, as she was still bouncing up and down - on the aquamarine carpet. "You just mussed up my wing feathers! Do you realize exactly how long it takes to arrange those so that drag is reduced!?" "Hey, would you pipe down? We've got bigger problems than an accident to deal with", Applejack interjected. "Yes, poor Twilight is facing a potentially life-threatening malady", Rarity chipped in from the red velvet chair in the corner, as she continued to sow an aquamarine dress made out of crystal silk - a material that was only made in the Crystal Empire, which was now availiable for the first time in a near-millenium. Normally, Spike would be incredibly happy to see her, but under these circumstances, he was so worried about Twilight that he had to concentrate - hard - in order to think coherently. "Especially since even Celestia has to go research through her private library in order to find out precisely what it is", Fluttershy joined in quietly from the maroon sofa, where she was fluffing Angel's tail. "Well, still-" Rainbow Dash began. "Enough", a voice rang out commandingly. Spike - and everypony else in the room - turned their heads. Princess Celestia had returned from her reseach and observations. And, judging from her body language, the news she was bearing wasn't particularly good. "My worst fears have been confirmed", Celestia said heavily. "Twilight Sparkle has been attacked by a Corrupter." Pinkie reacted first. "Not a Corrupter! Anything but that!" She then leaned towards Rainbow Dash and whispered, "Do you know what that is?" "Beggin' your pardon, Princess Celestia, but I don't have any idea what a 'Corrupter' is", Applejack stated. Celestia briefly closed her eyes, as she answered, "An ancient creation of evil - one I'd hoped had finally been ended forever." She opened her eyes and began to speak once more. "A long, long time ago - long before Equestria was founded - a terrible war swept the land. This war was not waged just with mere weapons, but with magic - deep and powerful magic, magic that could instantly heal or kill, magic that was able to level mountains and raze forests, even magic capable of freezing oceans and triggering volcanos. On one side were the forces of Light, and on the other were the forces of Darkness. The forces of light were fighting to preserve the land that would become Equestria, while the forces of darkness wanted to destroy it, and then rebuild it according to their designs." "Victory for the forces of light was assured, for they outnumbered their enemies two to one. But that victory did not come quickly. For hundereds of years, the war raged on. The original form of the landscape was obliberated, as conflicting spells intertwined and armies clashed." "Many terrible creations were made by the darkness during the war. The Corrupter was one of them, and it survived the war's end and the forces of darkness's defeat and banishment. They were all eventually hunted down and destroyed - or so it has been thought." Fluttershy shivered. "I don't like the sound of that." "So, you are saying that Twilight has been attacked by one of those... things?" Rarity queried. "It is much worse than just an attack", Celestia replied. "It has managed to find Twilight's alternate personality, and has unleashed it." Spike, already on the edge of an emotional prepice, asked "Can't you do anything for her?" "No, I cannot. It has already progressed to the point that any attempt I might make to reimprision her alternate personality, which identifies itself as 'Dark Twilight', would simply make the situation worse. The only reason that it has not already taken her over is because Twilight is unconcious, and therefore able to devote all her energies to fighting it", Celestia answered. "Hang on a second. Isn't being unconcious supposed to make people less focused?" Rainbow Dash interjected. "Correct, Rainbow Dash." Celestia nodded in Rainbow Dash's direction. "However, Twilight knows how to harness magic inside her own mind, and therefore, she is more focused, not less, when she is in a trance state." "A trance state? And how do we get our Twilight back?" Applejack demanded. "Although I cannot do anything, you can - if you are prepared for the potential consequences", Celestia told them. "Are you kidding me? Of course I am!", Pinkie Pie (who had stopped bouncing when Celestia entered the room,) responded. "If it means Twilight gets to come back to us, then I'm in!" Rainbow Dash declared. "Well, I, for one, am perfectly willing to do so", Rarity stated with her usual eloquence. "Well, I'm joinin' in this one, for certain", Applejack answered. "Well, this sounds...dangerous, but if Twilight's life is at stake, then I'll come", Futtershy asserted. Spike looked at everypony and spoke. "Twilight's my oldest friend. I will do anything to save her." Celestia nodded. "I would expect no less from Twilight Sparkle's closest friends." She then surprised everypony by adding, "But not the only close friends of Twilight." Everypony was startled by this statement. Spike wasn't, however. He knew exactly what - or, to be more precise, whom, Princess Celestia was referring to. "You mean Twilight's friends from Canterlot High, on the other side of the magic mirror." Celestia nodded. "Precisely. Even Twilight may not realize exactly how deep an emotional attachment she has to them. In order for this to work, her close friends from both worlds must be represented. We will need all of them - and one other, if she exists." "Now, this is what we're going to do..."