//------------------------------// // 5 - In Good Time // Story: Time for Twilight // by sunnypack //------------------------------// Chapter 5: In Good Time Twilight stumbled into the kitchen with a yawn. The bombastic unicorn had busied himself with reheating the stew in the kitchen and Twilight cast around, trying to see what she could do. Twice, she tried approaching Star Swirl. Apart from a muttered 'I've got it, worry not, have a seat.’, Twilight didn't receive a definitive set of instructions to follow. She could help with something, surely. After the rather surly rebuff, Twilight noticed a chair set ajar from the table, as if beckoning, and supposed that she was to sit there. Belatedly, she did. Within minutes, the unicorn came back, smelling faintly of stew and smoking pine needles. “Sorry about that, the fire died down overnight. I left the dampener on.” The unicorn deposited the two bowls of stew he was levitating onto the table. The aroma of vegetable broth made its way across and made Twilight very acutely aware that she hadn’t had anything to eat since leaving her own time. Time… Time was the problem here. Without the singularity, Twilight was effectively trapped in the past, with consequences growing by the second. Various thoughts flittered through her mind. Paradoxes, conundrums, the exponential effect of her actions changing the future… Her experience with time travel had been limited and not the most pleasant, considering. Now the effect on the past could be catastrophic and if the unicorn was who he said he was… There was no question, she had to get back to the mud puddle and find her saddlebags. If she didn’t, then there was no telling how history could be changed! “Are you going to eat that, or just stare at the wall the whole day?” With a start, Twilight’s eyes twitched down at the delectable broth and back to the unicorn. She’d successfully distracted herself from her baser needs by contemplating problems with time, space and magic. Her body however, now having gotten her attention, was not letting go so easily. A light growl filled the room. “You better listen to it,” Star Swirl commented shrewdly, an impish smirk flittering around the corners of his mouth. Cheeks flaming, Twilight gave in to the two-pronged attack and greedily spooned in the meal. Pleasantly surprised, Twilight realised that the vegetable broth was simply amazing. Salts and spices, herbs and fresh vegetables combined in a heavenly mix of mouth-pleasuring sensations that seemed improbable in its existence. The carrots were firm but yielding, the cabbage was sweet and soft, the potatoes were… well she couldn’t really think of anymore adjectives, but the soup was mind numbingly good! “H-How?” was all Twilight could say between mouthfuls as she all but breathed in the soup. Star Swirl cocked his head and and gave her a wry smile. “I cooked it,” he said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Twilight merely blinked at him and then chuckled. She glanced down at the bowl and felt her ears wilt at the sight of an empty dish. “Uhm…” she started. Star Swirl raised a hoof, his expression growing grave. “I want to talk about those,” he said, gesturing behind her. Twilight twisted around. “The wall?” she queried. Star Swirl shook his head and rolled his eyes. “No I meant those,” he said, making flapping motions with his hooves. Comprehension dawned on the alicorn. Reflexively, her wings spread out. Star Swirl gasped. “You can move them?” he babbled. “Can you fly with them?” Twilight paused briefly and could only nod numbly. This was really starting to complicate matters. “That’s amazing! You’re like a pegasus and a unicorn mashed together. How does that work?!” “Uhh…” “Never mind,” he said hastily. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. It’s not my business to pry into yours.” Twilight stroked a nervous hoof along Star Swirl’s table. “Sorry,” she said. “I just– It’s complicated.” Star Swirl nodded. “It’s fine, really!” There was a pause. “So, what are you going to do today?” Twilight twitched, her ears stiffening with worry. “I have to go back and find my saddlebags!” she exclaimed, bounding away from the table almost explosively. “Hold on, wait!” But Twilight was beyond hearing Star Swirl. She was vaguely aware of him stumbling over a chair to get to the door and Twilight was gratified to see her magic had mostly been restored. “Hey Twilight, stop!” Telekinesis was definitely coming back. The door opened. Twilight trotted out. There was a beautiful, clear sky. The sky was framed by blossoming flowers nestled between emerald leaves and rustic brown of tangled branches interweaving the natural tapestry around her… That was probably not the most defining feature of the woods. What really caught Twilight’s attention were two unicorns in heavy plated armour with spears levelled at her face. Dimly, Twilight was aware of Star Swirl stumbling out of the cottage behind her. “Star Swirl…” “Hrm, yes?” Twilight could see the stallion at the edge of her periphery. She didn’t want to make any sudden moves. “We have company,” she said. Star Swirl coughed apologetically. “Yes,” he said. “They appear to be pointing something at us.” “I’d wager they would be spears.” “It appears so.” They both lapsed into silence. Twilight’s mouth twisted into a pout. “So, are they going to tell us to do something, or are they going to keep pointing spears at us?” She glared at the two guards. Star Swirl leaned in closer to Twilight. “I don’t think you should antagonise them, they look… very professional.” His statement was emphasised by a nonchalant wave of one of the spears from the guard on the left. The stallion smirked, his eyes challenging either of them to do something brash. Twilight subsided, conceding that although she could probably teleport them both out of there in a few seconds, she didn’t want to pit her ability to calculate, concentrate and cast before a spear punctured her lung. She decided to wait and observe. Looking at Star Swirl and his more relaxed posture, it seemed like he thought the same. They didn’t have to wait too long. Within moments, the bushes in front of them rustled and two more unicorn soldiers appeared and a unicorn mare with a deep sapphire coloured mane and a stark white coat appeared. The mare stepped forward, daintily placing her hooves on the ground before her and wearing a drawn expression, as if she had a kingdom to run and this was the last place she wanted to be. “As always, young Star Swirl, your cottage is an inconvenience to get to,” she spoke icily, glaring at him. Judging from Star Swirl’s widening eyes and hasty bow, Twilight could see that Star Swirl knew this mare, and that she was evidently a very important pony. Belatedly, Twilight bowed and the unicorn’s eyes flickered over to Twilight, as if she just noticed that Twilight was there. She took in Twilight’s horn and her wings, then turned back to Star Swirl, ignoring Twilight. Twilight’s mouth twitched in annoyance, but she clamped down on it. “Star Swirl, I need your services immediately,” she commanded imperiously. “There’s something happening at the castle.” Star Swirl dipped his head softly, but his eyes came up hard. His demeanour changed immediately. Instead of being cautious and warily respectful, Star Swirl stiffened and shifted his posture to be more on guard. It was clear that he viewed the mare with suspicion bordering upon open hostility. “May I ask, under what circumstances, Lady Lily?” Lady Lily raised an eyebrow. Twilight could tell that she wasn’t used to explaining herself. “It is none of your concern,” she said dismissively. Star Swirl snorted. “Then it is none of mine.” He started back to his cottage, waving at Twilight to follow along. He didn’t get far however, they were both blocked by two guards dashing forward and levelling their spears. Slowly, they both turned around. “This is not a request,” Lady Lily stated with a flick of her mane. Star Swirl shook his head. “Lady Lily, you are new to this, so I’m going to give you one chance to trot away from this.” The mare inspected her hoof and then cocked her head. “Or what?” she said. Star Swirl sighed. “Or I’m going to forget to tie a ribbon on a pigeon.” Lady Lily looked just as confused as Twilight. “And what, pray tell, will that do?” Star Swirl hummed to himself. “Oh I guess it would make the pigeon handler worried.” “Pigeon handler?” “Hmm, oh and I suppose the messenger as well. She would be expecting it too.” “Messenger?” “Yes the messenger. For the King.” Lady Lily straightened almost imperceptibly. “You’re bluffing,” she stammered. “You’re not close with the King.” Star Swirl was expressionless. “You’re right,” he said. Lady Lily grabbed onto the lifeline with iron-shod hooves. “Ha! I kne—“ “I’m closer to his daughter, Princess Platinum.” Lady Lily cut herself off abruptly, her hesitancy returning with a vengeance. Star Swirl took his time to inspect his own hooves. “So you see,” he muttered. “You’ll need a lot more clout than your personal guards to ask me for anything.” He glared at her. “I bid you a good morning.” With that, he turned tail, pushing past the guards roughly. Twilight followed after a moment’s hesitation, casting one last look at Lady Lily’s stricken face. Twilight was somewhere between shock and awe, it was like Star Swirl was a completely different pony. Still, a thought niggled in her mind. The alicorn whispered in Star Swirl’s ear as they slowly crossed the threshold into his cottage, “Is it alright to just leave her like that? I don’t really like her attitude but it seems like she needs help.” Star Swirl looked like he bit a lemon. “No,” he growled. “Everypony from the castle needs some help, and none of it is for a good reason.” He slammed the door. “It’s always about them, them, them!” He weaved his way to the table, rearranging his bowl of vegetable broth. Twilight glanced back at the door. A muffled voice filtered through. “Please,” Lady Lily cried. “Just for a few days!” “Ignore it,” he muttered, picking up Twilight’s bowl and heading to the kitchen. Twilight stood frozen at the door. On one hoof she really wanted to reclaim her saddlebags. On the other hoof, she found it hard to turn anypony away when they were begging for her help. She made a decision. “I’m going to help her,” she said firmly, ignoring Star Swirl’s surprised expression. She dipped her head. “Thank you for helping me,” she continued, heading to the door once more. “I would still be stuck in the mud if it weren’t for you.” Twilight reached for the door knob. “Wait.” Twilight paused. “Alright, alright, you win. I’ll help. I swear to the Stars if this is some petty court manoeuvre…” Twilight turned her head away to hide her grin. “I didn’t expect you to come,” she replied mildly. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. Wait, before you head out again, you’ll need this.” Twilight could hear the clatter of hooves and a quick rummaging around the house. Curious, Twilight turned just in time to get a face full of… some sort of cloth. “Wh– Wha?!” Twilight whipped the material out of her face to reveal a deep emerald cloak. “What’s this?” Star Swirl looked at Twilight as if she were daft. “To hide your…” He gestured to her wings as he trailed off. “Oh,” she replied sheepishly. Twilight hastily flung the coat over her flank. Instantly she felt the tingle of magic work its way through her body. “It’s a Cloak of Disguise?!” Twilight exclaimed. Star Swirl nodded, pleased with himself. “I received it as a gift from the Princess. Now, let’s be off.” Twilight followed the unicorn, wondering what other kinds of secrets the mage held. Ah well, she thought. I’ll find out sooner or later.