//------------------------------// // The Glowing Throat // Story: Twilight's Ultimate Enemy // by Star Blazer //------------------------------// Present Day Ponyville, Sweet Apple Acres, Morning On Saturdays at eight AM, things were usually up and running at the local farm of Ponyville. This Saturday was no different, as the Cutie Mark Crusaders were devising a new scheme to receive their cutie marks, and Applejack was cooking breakfast for her and her friends. Usually, Big Macintosh would be doing his chores and Granny Smith would be working on the house, but both of them were in Appleloosa helping out with a mold tree infestation. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash touched down at the farmhouse and knocked on the door. "Come on in! Glad y'all girls could make it," Applejack called from the oven. "You kidding? I wouldn't miss out on pancakes and cider for the world!" Rainbow said, hovering over to the kitchen and joining Rarity and Pinkie Pie at the table. Pinkie, to absolutely nopony's surprise, had a huge mountain of pancakes on her plate topped with a even bigger pile of whipped cream. "Where's Twilight and Spike?" Fluttershy asked Applejack as she started to gather food onto her plate. "They ain't comin'; Twilight's at the doctor's office getting her throat checked out, and Spike tagged 'long. You know how worried the little fella gets 'bout Twi when she's sick." "I hope the poor darling's alright..." "Me too; her gullet's been acting weirder than snakes wearin' boots." "You guys talking about that glowing throat thing that Twi's had for a week now?" Rainbow questioned after a swig from one of the three mugs of cider she had. "Yeah, about how Twilight's throat has been glowing and hurting really badly whether she does magic for too long?" Pinkie said through her whipped cream beard. "Yep," Applejack replied. "Uh, Pinkie Pie? You have a little whipped cream..." Rarity telekinetically lifted the entire box of napkins towards Pinkie. "...On your face." "Thanks!" Pinkie ignored the napkins and began licking her covered face with her long tongue, much to her joy and much to the designer's disgust and frustration. ----------------------------------------- Ponyville Doctor's Office Same Time The doctor stared down the Princess's throat, both a flashlight and a tongue depressor held in his green-colored magic. "Throat looks a little red, but I don't see that much of a problem so far. Lift up that chair with your telekinesis, please." Twilight obeyed, lifting up one of the chairs from her place on the examination table. Spike sat in the only other chair in the room, wringing his tail in nervousness. In about thirty seconds, her throat glowed magenta, just like her horn. Twilight began coughing heavily from the strain on her throat, and the chair quickly fell back to the floor. "See what I mean?" She managed to hack out. Some bursts of magical energy came out of her mouth in time with her coughing fit. The Doctor waited until the coughing subsided to look into Twilight's throat again. It was even redder than before she performed magic. "Hmm. Let me do a throat swab to see if it's an infection, and we'll follow it up in a couple days. In the meantime, try to refrain from talking and magic. I also suggest seeing Zecora for a potion to soothe that throat of yours." "So you don't know what this is?" Spike asked nervously. "Well, I've heard about some unicorns-- or in Twilight's case, alicorns-- developing something similar to this, but it usually goes away in about three weeks at a minimum and never crops up again. So I think you'll be alright in the long run." He picked up the depressor and a cotton swab. "Open wide, then you can go, Princess." -------------------------- The Library of Time (Home of the Bookkeeper) Present Time "You actually think Dark Spark can be defeated without having to kill Twilight Sparkle?" The Grandfather Clock asked the Bookkeeper miraculously. Both were over by the scurrying bowl, which was currently clear. "Yes," was the blunt reply. "You see the obvious answer, Grandfather; just get rid of the problem. But if I kill Twilight Sparkle, it'll cause new problems. Her friends and family will greatly grieve her sudden death, especially Spike, and you and I both know grief was how Dark Spark was born! I bet if you had the ability, you'd have her die of a heart attack at this very minute!" "I am just a seer; even if I had the ability, I have sworn an oath not to interfere with time, which is why I come to you!" "What if you had the ability and you didn't swear the oath?" The Grandfather hesitated. "Perhaps," he finally admitted with a frustrated sigh. "So you agree with my plan?" "Yes. And you're sure it will succeed?" "If Twilight Sparkle makes the right choices, it will." "And if she doesn't?" "Then her horrible fate is sealed and I have no choice but to make her die in the two weeks between the Summit and when she becomes Dark Spark." "Delightful." Grandfather muttered. Bookkeeper summoned a book on magical beasts. "Now, what monster will I use for the calling card?" -------------------------- Ponyville Doctor Office Two Days Later Twilight trudged out of the doctor's office with a frustrated sigh and Spike on her back. "Cheer up, Twi," Spike said encouragingly. "At least your throat's not infected! You just can't do any magic for the next three days unless it's an emergency." "Whoopee," was the sarcastic response. "Maybe we should get home to the castle and make sure it's ready for the Princess Summit." "Sure," Twilight grumbled. She was upset not just for not being banned from using magic by a doctor, but also for Celestia's response to Twilight telling her about her throat. Her mentor wanted to check it out at the summit held at the castle, and had also advised Twilight against using magic until then. "Uh, Twi?" "WHAT?!" She shouted, turning her head. Spike flinched and covered his head. "I know you have a lot going on, but you don't have to lash out." Twilight sighed. She knew he was talking about; she's been snapping at her friends at random moments during the past two days. "I know, Spike; I'm sorry," She whispered while pulling Spike into a one-armed hug. The dragon hugged back. "It's alright, Twilight. But I think you should talk to your friends." "Yeah, I know. Let's make sure the throne room's clean first." She took off, with Spike holding onto her hair. ------------------------------ Friendship Castle Throne Room Ten Minutes Later It turns out that there was no need to summon Twilight's friends; they were already there, sitting on their thrones and waiting for her expectantly, probably to hear how the doctor's went. As soon as Twilight and Spike sat down, the winged unicorn shifted nervously and started talking. "Look, guys, I'm sorry that I've been sort of grumpy these past few--" "Twilight, we understand the stress yer under," Applejack inturuptted. "No 'xcuse to yell at us, but you have to handle a weird throat thing and yer makin' a decision bigger than a ten-story barn in three days." "I'm just so nervous; at the third Princess Summit for every new Alicorn Princess, they have to choose whether or not they'll become immortal. This is going to be my third one! And it's only a one-time offer! I can't choose it again, even if I want to! And even if I choose immorality, if I decide to give it up at anytime, I'll die instantly!" "Didn't you already decide you weren't going to choose to live forever?" Rarity asked. "Yeah, and there's been several alicorns that have chosen to remain mortal in the past, but it still doesn't make it any less stressful." "But even if you decide to accept ever-lasting life, it ain't like you become a god, right, sugarcube?" Applejack said. "I mean, Celestia 'n Luna are ageless, but they can still die if somepony kills them, right?" "Right." "And Cadence chose to stay mortal," Rainbow added. "So it's not like you're going to be the only current Princess making the choice not to." "True." "And I have a pretty long lifespan, so I'll still be around for a while," Spike offered. "I still don't want to do it, though," Twilight asserted. "The idea of immorality has always kind of creeped me out, even when I was a little filly. I mean, it's not like I want to die or anything, but also seeing everyone I care about pass on, watching the rest of the world age and grow while you stay young forever..." Twilight suddenly found herself in the forelegs of Pinkie. "Whatever you choose, we'll be here for you, Twilight. We're not going away anytime soon." The alicorn smiled gratefully and returned the hug. "Thanks, Pinkie. Don't worry, I'm sure all the stress will be gone after--" "ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR" "What in tarnation?!" Applejack exclaimed. Pinkie lost her grip on the alicorn and fell to the floor. Rainbow flew out to the balcony and peered into the telescope. About a minute later, her magenta eyes went wide. "Uh, Twi? What creature looks like a centaur with a dragon bottom, has snakes for a mane, is five stories tall with beast heads all over her body, and has a spiky tail that can shoot poison?" Twilight's eyes became huge as well. "A kampe?! But those only live in the Hayseed Swamps of Southern Equestria!" Another roar ripped through the air. Screams from the civilians of Ponyville soon followed as they began to flee. "I don't think anypony told it that," Fluttershy stated nervously. The six ponies rushed out to defeat the creature while Spike rushed to help Mayor Mare with evacuating the small town.