//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: The Last Agate // by Bluetree650 //------------------------------//         1 A week passed since Octavia was reunited with Lyra, and, despite how much she hated her back in high school, she was glad for it. Lyra had really grown, she was still an idiot, but she had a set of values now. Goof off, but only to the point where others are amused was one of her favorites, but what she was most thankful for was Bon Bon.         Bon Bon was an earth pony that seemed to have gotten a noose around Lyra tighter than a C string. She kneaded her into the mare she is today, like taffy. At first Octavia thought that it was a one sided relationship, Bon Bon controlling what Lyra did and when, but again, she was surprised. Lyra, in turn, ate away at the hard shell Bon Bon grew over years of abusive parents, making her smile with antics only she could think up. Bon Bon brought control into Lyra’s life while Lyra brought light into Bon Bon’s. They were a match made in heaven.         The two couples had gone out for drinks three times that week, Bon Bon stemming Vinyl’s lust for the demon’s drink, something Octavia begged to learn, and Lyra bringing some delicious brownies that really livened the party. They had a great time.         Now, a full week later, Octavia had a little talk with Vinyl about one of her dreams. One she hoped to live with the white mare by her side, but now that Lyra was in the picture, it seemed another dream seemed possible.         The two decided to bring her over for some afternoon tea.         “So,” Octavia said, sitting at her small table. Vinyl to the left and Lyra to the right, “Since you’re a string player, do you think you can try?”         “Sure,” Lyra said, sipping her lemon tea, “I’ve always wanted to expand my weapon selection.”         Vinyl chuckled, “Tavi’s been trying to get me to play that thing for years now,” she took a swig of her own tea, grimacing at the taste of dirty water, “strings just aren’t my thing, but now I can play the drums and back you two up. It’ll be a whole lotta fun.”         “Celestia said, Crystal’s special talent was in music, so if she get’s her mark at the concert, we can use the occasion to pull this. You in?” Octavia put her hoof into the middle of the table. “Didn’t I already agree?” Lyra said, putting her hoof on top of Octavia’s. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Vinyl added hers. “On the count of three we split, Lyra, you’re with me, Vinyl, you know what to do.” “One” “Two” “THREE” 2 Walking out of the room, Twilight paused to listen to Celestia crawl into bed. She sighed, the thought of those gnat clouds swarming over Crystal buzzing around. Opening the second door, she gave Blade a kiss on the cheek, Sword receiving the same treatment. “Celestia’s just stressed, she doesn’t hate you two.” she said before heading downstairs. If there was a reaction, she didn’t know. She didn’t care. There was a lot to think about. Twilight passed three ponies along her way, all three telling her about the crying filly outside Layer B. She knew what had happened, but didn’t pick up her pace. In truth she wanted to turn around and head in the exact opposite direction. She pushed on. She saw a white figure passed out on the stone floor. A guard that happened to pass by stood vidual, spear in hoof. He followed Celestia’s word, to protect any lost filly or colt that either couldn’t speak or refused to speak, to a tee. He was to wait until either someone relieved him or a parent or guardian came. “You may go,” Twilight said, nodding to the pegasus, “I am her guardian until her mother returns.” Yes it was a lie, but for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to say ‘I’m her sister.’ The guard eyed Twilight, following the second part of Celestia’s law. Grill any who try to claim the child. If they answer three questions right, what is his or her name, when was he or she born and what his or her favorite food was, he will obey. But the guard knew Twilight as Celestia’s student, and he also knew Twilight wouldn’t care about a filly without reason. “Very well, I bid you good day ma lady.”   Twilight crouched down, looking at the fallen filly. Her blue curls fell limp against her face, a white hoof inserted into her mouth. Suckling. She remembered the morning after Crystal came, the image of those black highlanders attacking. She’s normal. Quietly, she lifted Crystal onto her back and headed to her room, there she’d tuck the filly in and take a shower. She seemed to think best there. If she wasn’t so foggy in the mind, she’d have heard the faint chanting coming from below. I did it…  I did it… I did it. 3 Hendricks dream was to run the Canterlot Hospital, but after Phil, he did some thinking. He never got an answer, but something did shift in him. Why exactly was he shooting to be the hospital’s Head Surgeon? To break the seemingly impenetrable pattern of Agate’s? He thought it was fame, but as time moved on he became less and less sure. Right after picking some things from his room, Hendricks headed home, there his thoughts persisted. Hendricks, if he was good at anything, it was learning and applying what he learned. Ponies say his cutie mark is a prescription note, but he disagrees, saying it’s a page from a textbook. His talent, learning, could be brought across any field, yet he chose medicine. Why? He pondered this while learning the intricacies of Old English, and came up with an answer. He went into medicine because he liked helping ponies, nothing more, nothing less. This in turn answered why he wanted to head Canterlot Hospital, because he wanted to help common ponies, not for the fame and not for the money either. Now he questioned his reasoning for wanting to send Sterile over the edge? Probably because she was living his dream, then again, he gets stabbed in the heart every time he remembers what he wanted to do to Crystal. That really bugged him, and he’d cry about it later, possibly find the filly some kind of toy just to make himself feel better. Something no one’s ever given her. Heck, maybe it’d help him to make friends with her. Late that night, about seven hours after he left work, he learned the entirety of Old English, wasn’t much different from his regular language, but as he started to delve into Tarmogoyf, he felt a tingle go up his spine. The wording itself was dark, words like ‘death’ and ‘catastrophe’ as common as the word ‘the’ or ‘or’ and the more he read the more his bones froze. Finally he got to the mind meld spell. “To cast mind meld, an injection is needed,” Hendricks said, writing down the word injection, “It could be as simple as a kiss or as devastating as a punch, but it must be done within the first two days of life or death will soon follow.” Hendricks wrote down any and all that sounded relevant, the injection, manipulation, how to warp the mind into doing what you want, but what caught him off guard were the side effects. “It is easy for one under the mind meld to lose control over themselves, when that happens, the spell will take control,” his eyes widened, “and lead to their death.” He read on, horror striking him like lightning. After death the magic takes over. “Black magic is very volatile,” his voice shook, “it will kill everything it sees, only being sated after three to four hundred murders.” He closed the book. Something struck him off, like the misfire of a lighter. Sparks flew but there was no lightbulb moment. Pushing the book aside, Hendricks grabbed another named Medical Marvels of History and opened it to the section on Pac Agate. There was work to be done.   4 Steam billowed in Twilight’s bathroom. She’d tucked Crystal in, leaving her a note just incase she woke before hand. Her breathing took a soft, controlled rhythm and she closed her eyes as tiny streams of hot water assaulted her backside. She’d plugged the drain and put some bath salts. After five minutes, the smell of lavender and lilac washed over her, clearing her mind. Inside though, war was being waged. Crystal, kill her or love her. So far she’s been nothing but a mature filly that is shy and under constant assault by forces of dark magic way beyond either her control or understanding. She’s easily scared, and loves affection, both giving and receiving. Yes, she’s cut into her study time, one event Twilight treasured, but something told her that Crystal would enjoy studying with her. So many questions danced around her brain. The biggest one, was what happened after Crystal died. It didn’t matter if the dark magic took over or not, Twilight didn’t want the filly to die. Who would? “Okay,” Twilight said, applying shampoo to her coat. Thoughts of watching the filly grow came up. Teaching her how to brush her own fur, reading her stories, sitting by the fireplace in winter time, a piping hot cup of Spike’s coco in their lap, Crystal’s with a couple of marshmallows. “I’d like that…” More images showed themselves, Crystal cuddling close after a nightmare, petty fights, broken bones. She was a sister. One to grow up with, one to teach… do everything with. It didn’t matter where the filly came from, she was here, and she loved her, depended on her, so who was she to deny her the attention she deserved. “Okay, It’s decided…. AHH!” Twilight shouted as the water turned from a comforting warm to a scalding boil. She stopped the water and yanked the curtains, body half covered in suds. Crystal sat on the toilet, looking at Twilight. “What?” She said with a scowl. Twilight wasn’t surprised she’d gotten in and used the toilet. She could really get lost in her thoughts sometimes,  but she didn’t have to flush the toilet. She obviously knew who was in the shower. “What did you want me to do?” Crystal said, standing, leaning towards Twilight, “pee the bed again?” “That’s not the problem,” Twilight leaned back, washing her back in the tub. “Why did you flush?” “Or how about the floor? I’m sure you’d like cleaning up that.” Crystal took a step forward, left eye twitching a little. Twilight wondered what could have made Crystal so agitated? Did she do something wrong? “Crystal calm down.” She got up, eyes widening when Crystal retreated, revealing the tears streaking down her cheeks. “Are you alright?” “I’m fine” she hissed, furiously wiping her eyes, “Just something in my eye.” Why would she cry? She had to leave her mother yes, but she already cried over that before she fell asleep, suddenly it clicked. Crystal was taken away from her home, to be told that her sister is dead… Twilight took a second to remind herself to smack Celestia next time she saw her… then she spent three days away from that home, in a place she’s unfamiliar with with ponies that scared her. She’s homesick. “Oh you poor filly,” she said, moving out of the tub and giving Crystal a big, soapy hug. “Let go of me!” Crystal shouted, but there was a giggle mixed somewhere in there, “you’re all wet!” Twilight didn’t let go, she tightened her hug, “don’t worry, Crystal, I’ll dry off and we’ll head to your house. There you can grab anything that’ll make you feel more comfortable here. A stuffed animal, a blanket, anything!” Crystal tensed, “I… Okay, I think that would help, but” she paused, resting her chin on Twilight’s shoulder, “I’d like to go to the library and study… could you go?” “Of course I can, little sister, just give me a list and consider it done.” “Thank you,” Crystal said, nuzzling Twilight before pushing her away. She walked the short distance and stepped in the bathtub. “What are you doing?” Twilight said. Crystal turned back, forehead creased and cheeks red, “I-It smells nice… and I want you to” she closed her eyes, “g...give me a bath… What of it?” Twilight just smiled and grabbed the shampoo. 5 Twilight stood at the door, saddlebags packed with everything for the teleport spell. In the center of the room lay a pentagram drawn in chalk, candles at each point. It would act as a kind of way point, letting Twilight keep from using extra magic. She planned to grab all of Crystal’s stuff, or at least three hundred pounds of it. “I… you don’t have to do this,” Crystal said, shuffling nervously next to Twilight. Her fur was matless and she smelled of lilac. “I… I could deal with my homesickness, and you could study with me.” Twilight turned, quickly moving an out of place candle, and put a hoof on her sister’s back. Crystal took the hoof, holding tight. “No, you’re not feeling comfortable, and as your big sister it’s my job to fix that.” she took her hoof back and kneeled down, looking Crystal directly in the eye. Those eyes glimmered like the open ocean, “Downstairs, there are two guards, Sword and Blade. Celestia’s personal guards,” she added a lilt to the word personal, “that means Celestia trusts them to get any job done for her.” “S-So I’m safe from, the thief that took her book?” Crystal sounded worried. Twilight rested her forehead on Crystal’s, “from that and more. I know, Sword personally. He was my personal guard during my first year here. Wherever I went, he went.” “Did he ever need to protect you?” Those eyes shimmered with childlike curiosity, something Twilight had never seen before. “Three times actually, twice from falling debris. Both times he broke his leg and I still feel bad about it,” she took a second to collect herself, “the last time was actually from Prince Blueblood’s mother. She came at me with a sword and, well, he cut her arm off.” Crystal gasped. “He was punished greatly for bringing unnecessary harm to another… well… the point I’m trying to make is I trust him with my life, and I can trust him with yours too.” “Do you want him to be my personal guard?” “You catch on quick.” Twilight chuckled, “Yes, but I want him to be more than that to you. I want him to be your ally. Someone like me whom you can run to during stressful times.” Crystal pushed closer to Twilight, as hiding herself underneath the big purple chest. Twilight lowered her own head to wrap around the filly. “I… don’t know if I can.” “I do,” Twilight licked Crystal’s right eye, getting a startled chuckle from her, “three days ago you were a broken building. Now, you’ve rebuilt yourself into a strong filly, one that could easily make friends with an adult.” Underneath, Crystal squirmed before popping her head. She looked at Twilight, frowning, then nodded slightly. “That’s my brave sister! Now I’ll take Blade with me, it’ll be a couple of hours. When you’re ready, just tell Sword to lead you to Library 4, that’s the one with the most medical stuff, okay.” “Alright,” Twilight got up and grabbed her saddlebags, “Well, I’ll be off, remember, only leave when you feel comfortable. Sword is a very patient pony, and he loves kids. Don’t be surprised if he buys you ice cream the next time you see him.” Crystal nodded, smiling. Twilight got down and hugged her before heading down the stairs. Leaving her alone for the first time in three days. 6  After Twilight left, Crystal headed to her bed, pulling a book from the shelf,  Royal Guards and I, A Guide on How to React to the Royal Guard, by Clean Whistle. She took twenty minutes to read through, briefly wondering if Twilight had a book to help with any problem. Maybe even one called Slumber 101 for the perfect slumber party. Afterwards she headed down the stairs, jumping when a unicorn stallion clad in gold armor turn and smile at her. “Ma lady,” he said, his voice deep. Twilight said he likes kids… Crystal thought, feeling her heart thump like a prisoner trying to escape. Celestia trusts him, and Twilight says I can trust him. But why do I feel the indescribable urge to run away? Sword extended a brown coated hoof, kneeling down and looking smaller, more approachable. Suddenly Celestia came to mind, or how she walked up the driveway without her garbs. She looked just like Sword did now, kind and gentle, but underneath that soft exterior, a poisoned blade waiting to strike. Immediately her hooves darkened and she jumped the last couple of steps, shoving Sword’s head into the stone floor and landing behind him. “You won’t take me again!” she shouted, body shaking. “What are you talking about?” Sword said, picking himself up and turning towards the filly. A trickle of blood trailed down his snout. Crystal gasped, barely keeping herself from running. “Oh, this?” He wiped his nose before smiling brightly, “Twilight’s done worse.” Why am I scared? Twilight said he’s safe, that he’s my ally. Still she shook, her hooves darkening with each passing second. Why… Why… Why? Crystal, her vision going black, felt the world pushing down on her. Why… Why? She barely heard Sword’s words, but even so, she could do nothing about it. There was a thump. Her fur went starch white. Everything went black… Peace. 7 Throughout the walk, Blade and Twilight kept a rather comfortable silence between them. Most ponies passing gave a courteous nod, while others shied away. All wondered why Twilight had a guard with her, yet, only one asked the question everyone wanted to hear. “Why is there a guard walking with you?” It was a filly from yesterday, one of Abra’s friends, Twilight thought. She had an orange coat and a pair of wings poking from the wing holes of her green vest. “No reason, I just wanted to get to know him a little better,” Twilight turned, wrapping a hoof around Blade’s neck, “he’s the companion of the guard I had six years ago.” The filly nodded then bounded off in the direction of the park. Twilight removed her hoof, and headed off towards Crystal’s house. No one asked again. Heading up the half mile driveway was almost surreal, like entering a mental hospital for the first time. You think it’ll be riddled with used needles, just a misstep away from Syphilis, or AIDS. The yard was freshly cut with no mines whatsoever. You think the house was painted plain white, glaring, hiding the dark secrets of tortured ponies that lie inside, but it was a cheery blue with a few darker shutters. Twilight had made this mental image of Crystal’s house that of an insane asylum, yet that was not true.  She looked up the single apple tree, Blade patiently waiting at the front door. Crystal had mentioned a tree, one she climbed frequently, even slept in. Her fur stood on edge as the thought of her little sister three stories in the air, one broken branch away from snapping her neck. She shook her head, if Cross wasn’t afraid, why should she be? “Ma lady, I found the spare key,” Blade said, extending a brown hoof, “It was right where Young Crystal said it’d be.” “Well of course it would, she’s lived here all her life,” Twilight took the key with a smile. She could feel her nerves start to get the better of her, a weight like clothing dragging her limbs down.  “And drop the act, Blade, we’re friends here. Just call me Twilight. ” “Sorry, Ma lady, but I swore to Princess Celestia that,” he pressed a hoof to his chest, proudly, “as long as I wear this golden armor, I am to serve the pony folk,” he removed his hoof, “and one of the ways I serve is by calling ponies either Sir or Ma lady. Celestia’s rule.” Twilight glared at Blade, got surprised to see him flinch, then sighed and took his armor off. “Well, Blade, I’m delving into a house no one other than Celestia has seen,” she set the armor on the ground, “I’m going to need a friend more than a body guard, alright. Just call me Twilight.” For a second, Blade didn’t know how to react. Would this mean he might break his vow to Celestia? Would his title as personal guard to the princess disappear because he let this mare take control? He looked into Twilight’s eyes again and knew, even if he said something, she’d have none of it. Sighing, he agreed.   Twilight opened the door. The insides of the Agate home couldn’t be defined as clean, it was, pun intended, sterile. White on every wall and every ceiling, no pictures or decorations in any sense of the word, just white. Walking inside, that feeling of entering an insane asylum came back in spades. The smell of rubbing alcohol reminded her of those terrifying vaccines she had to get. Chicken pox, Tetanus, HPV, Celestia made her get all of them. The setup was nerve rackingly similar to her own house, stairs on the left, living room on the right, a hallway leading straight to the kitchen. As she walked through, the thought of Crystal in the bath tub came up. Her fur matted, she smelled of worry, but that went away the moment she dunked her head underneath. It was like she was an entirely different pony in that bathtub, just a normal filly getting washed by her older sister. She’d sink under and sigh, before coming up and splashing Twilight; she even played with the few bath toys in the room, but what was most satisfying was how she took to the brush. Twilight taught her to brush her own fur, and she practiced in the tub, flinching every now and again as the mats pulled at her skin, but she smiled. Twilight loved that smile, and she could feel their connection growing. It had only been three days, yet she could tell the little twitches she made when she was hungry and the groans she’d make when she got nervous. Smiling, Twilight went upstairs, a little unnerved by the absolute lack of color in the walls. “First door on the right,” she mumbled to herself. She reached the landing and noticed four doors, three of them having their owners names scrawled out in plain lettering. Opening the one marked Crystal, she was shocked at what lay within. Nothing. Just a bed with bland sheets and a pale pillow. There was a single window filtering dirty light into the sterile room, shining on a single bookshelf filled with five inch thick textbooks. Twilight pulled a few and groaned. They were college level medical books, no JK Rowling, no Daring Do or anything, just medical textbooks. The room, like the rest of the house had that damn rubbing alcohol smell and walls bare as the bald patch on Blade's head. Twilight looked at Cross’s room, same thing. She looked at Sterile’s room. Same thing. It was a mental hospital. No personalization, this was not a home. It was a flipping mental hospital. “Ma Lady, should you be going into the rooms of Young Crystal’s siblings?” Blade had come up and put a bare hoof on her shoulder. “I said to stop calling me Ma lady, Blade,” Twilight hissed, only getting angrier when he flinched, “and these aren’t children’s rooms, they’re hospital stays, bleak, sterile, plain, boring!” Blade straightened suddenly, “That is not for you to decide, Ma Lady, because what is a hospital stay to you might just be home to…” he was cut off by a slap to the face. “This is home to no one but ponies with Cracker Jacks for brains.” Twilight stomped her hoof against the ground, absolutely loathing the way Blade shook, “and you should grow a pair. If my brother was here he’d lock you in the dungeon for treason. A royal guard scared of a teenage mare. Blasphemous ” “For your information I…” again he was cut off, this time by magic turning his lips into a zipper. “I could care less about your excuses, Blade, just shape up.” Twilight groaned, wishing Sword were here. “It’s just so stupid. Any filly would lose her mind after ten minutes in this place. How could Crystal take six years here? I mean, where’s the personality? A filly’s room is supposed to reflect who she is. Smell like she smells. Where are the posters, the indistinguishable stains of the past? It’s all bland and white!” She thought of Layer C, with its leaky ceilings and blood stained walls, “this is not a place for a filly.” Twilight set to go buy Crystal a new bed, but got pulled to the ground by a hoof. She hit her head and groaned. “Twilight, think about our mission here,” Blade said, his voice stern, “we are here to claim something that’ll end Crystal’s homesickness, not complain about frivolous pursuits.” Twilight moaned, and stared into Blade’s eyes. Deep green, they showed no sign of fear. The green orbs pressed into Twilight’s mind, pushing her back and making her think properly again. “I… you’re right.” She got up and helped Blade. “This is what Crystal finds comforting. We grew up in completely different worlds. I...I should be a little more understanding.” “Shall we prepare the teleport spell?” “Yes.” Twilight and Blade piled about half the books from the bookshelf onto the bed, then Twilight lit her horn. Immediately a pentagram drew itself underneath, then, with a massive groan and a second layer of magical aura, disappeared. She’d take herself and Blade with it, but feared fusing with the atomic structure of the bed itself.   “That should be enough,” Twilight said, “Shall we head out?” “Look at this, Ma Lady,” Blade replied, moving to the spot where the pentagram had been. Underneath Crystal’s bed had been a small, framed, picture of who must be Cross. She smiled at the camera, blue mane getting caught in her mouth, green eyes gleaming. It was a mugshot, but a happy one. “Should we take it?” “Duh,” Twilight said, levitating the picture into her saddlebags. The two made their way back. 8 The two made their way back to the castle, Blade wearing his golden armor once more. “You’re scared easily, Blade,” Twilight said, ignoring the groan coming from her companion, “what made Celestia choose you for her personal guard?” “Fear is only a logical reaction to a dangerous situation, Ma Lady. If we didn’t have it, ponies would have mindlessly attacked a dragon and gotten themselves killed ages ago. And to answer your rather rude question, Celestia chose me as Sword’s partner because I know how to rein him in. You’re aware of the situation with Mrs Blueblood I assume?” Twilight passed Pennywise’s corner, thought for a second, then walked in. Crystal won’t care about her being fifteen minutes late, especially when it meant ice cream. “Yes, I was there ya know.” She greeted Penny herself and asked for three single scoop ice creams, one mint, one banana and a third cherry. Blade got a bubble gum. “Then you know I could have stopped him,” Blade got out some bits, but Pennywise stopped him. “Celestia left five hundred bits, so I’ve decided that until that money is gone, your purchases are free.” Twilight laughed, and Blade bowed, “don’t thank me, thank Celestia.” “I will,” Twilight said heading to the table. She put a freeze spell on the banana and Cherry ice cream before starting on her own. “How could you have stopped a stallion with a sword?” Twilight levitated a spoon and took a bit of her minty treat. Blade’s horn lit, a bright orange glow radiated over the small shack. Twilight’s horn turned orange, her spoon dropped with a clank. “Ma Lady, my special talent is counter magic. Sword might have an edge in confidence and bravado with his sword, but I can take him down with a flick on my horn.” He took a bite of his own treat, laughing at the sheer sugar and buttermilk. Almost godly. “Oh, you’re strategy and Sword’s muscle. Quite the dangerous duo I must say,” Twilight passed Penny the dirty spoon and got another, “that makes sense.” The two finished their ice creams, thanked Pennywise and headed back. They didn’t hold anymore conversation, but Twilight had a different kind of respect for Blade now and she hoped to pull him aside more often now. Twilight gave Celestia her banana ice cream, getting a kiss on the cheek as reward, and headed to her room. There she would read Crystal, Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone. She gave Sword a kiss on the cheek before heading up the stairs. There was a scream. Twilight ran up the stairs, dropping Crystal’s ice cream when she reached the top. Spike, the purple baby dragon with green spines that she hatched six years ago, was backed against the kitchen cabinets clutching his arm. He wore a black eye with tears streaming down his cheeks. “You killed my sister,” Twilight turned to see Crystal, hunched over in a predatory position, she slowly crawled closer to Spike. “I’ll kill you.” Twilight was stunned, and she watched, near helpless as Crystal stalked her younger brother, possibly son, with murder in her eyes. Crystal pounced and Twilight snapped out of the fog, plucking the filly from the air with her magic. Spike blinked, groaning as pain coursed through him, then turned to see Twilight. He quickly ran behind her, clutching her back leg with shaky claws. “Crystal,” Twilight hissed, glaring daggers at her sister, “care to explain why Spike has a bruised arm and black eye?” Crystal stopped flailing and turned towards the voice. She froze, eyes turning to pinpricks when she noticed a pissed off Twilight glaring at her. “I-I…” “Stealing a cookie from the cookie jar is one thing, Crystal,” Twilight turned and nuzzled Spike’s forehead, “but hurting somepony else is another thing entirely, and I will not stand for it.” She glared at Crystal, enjoying how she squirmed under her gaze. “Care to explain your actions? Or should I get your mother in on this?” Crystal made a kind of squeak. She looked at Spike, who flinched and hid behind Twilight. then back to Twilight, unable to make eye contact. “I… he killed my sister…” “Spike is a baby dragon, Crystal,” Twilight screamed, “why don’t you think for a Celestia damned second and realize that a baby couldn’t kill a full grown mare. Seriously, how dense are you?” Crystal sniffed, tears falling freely down her cheeks.         “Now I have to take him to the hospital and get him treated, because of you! Now I want you to crawl under your bland bed and think about what you did. NOW!” she dropped Crystal, enjoying the pained look she gave after impact. She turned, magicking Spike onto her back and heading down the stairs, not caring if Crystal did as she said or not.         She gave Sword the order to check every ten minutes to make sure Crystal was still in the room, if not send a search team to find her and drag her back. 9 The hallways were deadly silent, no one around to hear you scream and all that. The doctor’s office wasn’t much different, only one receptionist and one doctor. This night it was Nurse Redheart behind the desk and Doctor Needle working the rounds. Twilight took a second to note that Doctor Needle, the head physician, hadn't leftafter three like he usually did. Suddenly she remembered how Crystal’s mother never left work. She wondered if she had been too hard on the filly.  Shaking the thought from her mind she approached the desk. “Nurse, is the doctor available?” The white mare turned the page of her copy of Canterlot Daily, either ignoring her or not hearing. “Nurse Redheart, I need the doctor to look at Spike, he…” she couldn’t just tell her that a filly beat the living daylights out of him. They’ll be questioning, “fell down the stairs.” “Oh!” Redheart closed the Canterlot Daily. exposing her lush pink mane and blue eyes, “sorry, I got distracted about the article on the Canterlot Hospital’s Head Surgeon’s sudden disappearance. Some say she vanished, others say she was killed. I personally like to believe she’s finally taking a vacation. Darn if the mare didn’t deserve it. Good for her, now how can I help you?” Twilight gulped, steadying herself before speaking again, “I need the doctor to take a look at Spike.” “Come this way then,” the nurse got out of her chair and motioned for them to come behind the white curtain. “Doctor Needle, there’s a Miss Sparkle waiting for you.” There was a pause and Twilight started to think Nurse Redheart chose the wrong room, but a shuffling soon came from the other side. “Bring her in,” The two passed the curtain to an open room with two chairs and a bench. Twilight set Spike on the bench and took a seat next to him. “What seems to be the problem, MIss Sparkle?” Hendricks Needle had been working at the Castle infirmary for over twenty years and quickly became Twilight’s friend during her early years. Normally he didn’t wear anything beyond the mandatory stethoscope and tie (his was always green and pink) but tonight he wore a full lab suit. There looked to be bags under his eyes as if he couldn’t sleep. Twilight didn’t think too much on it. “Spike fell down the stairs and got a black eye, I was wondering what I should do.” Hendricks moved closer to the dragon, “wow, you must have hit the railing square on. It’s not easy to give a dragon, even a baby dragon, a black eye.” he gently touched Spike’s eye, noting how he flinched. “What were you doing before hoof?” “I was… er, stacking books,” Both Twilight and Spike flinched when Hendricks looked up, giving him an almost accusing glare. “I… kind of slipped and fell down the stairs. A book smacked me in the face, well, I think I twisted my arm too.” Doctor Needle tapped Spike’s left arm with his pencil, making a hmmm sound when the dragon cringed. “I’ll need to grab a few things first. Would you give me a minute?” “Of, course, Doctor,” Twilight watched him step out, the flicker of the curtain revealing Nurse Redheart going back to the Canterlot Daily. She turned to Spike, eyeing him warily. “Okay, from beginning to end, what the heck happened up there. I know Crystal, and she’s not the kind of pony to attack someone without reason.” “Well, I had gotten back to Celestia’s room after…” “I don’t care about that, you’re here now, get to the important part,” Twilight interrupted Spike, her hooves shaking as that one thought bounced around her head. Was I too hard on her? “But you just said from beginning to end, I…” “Spike, don’t screw around with me. You have no idea the forces you’ve tempered with,” Twilight was hyperventilating, sudden thoughts of Crystal with a knife pressed against her neck assaulting her mind. I shouldn’t have yelled. Spike hurts himself all the time. He’s a dragon. He can take the punishment well enough. Spike knew the signs of a panic attack. The hyperventilating, the shaking, how she interrupts others. He put his one good claw on her shoulder and shook, “Twilight, pull yourself together.” He blinked when Twilight put her own hooves on his shoulders, “Spike, what did you do?” Spike fell back against the paper lined bench, eyes going buggy. “What aren’t you telling me?” Spike sat there for a second, eyes forlorn as he looked anywhere but at Twilight. “I might have told her that I did kill her sister.” “You what!” I thought she was playing a game. I found her under the new bed, and when she saw me… really Twilight! I had no idea she was being serious! I thought she was some lost foal playing some kind of extreme game of hide and seek. You know, the one where you pretend to kill the pony that found you.” Spike put up his claws, winching at the bad one. “Spike… you thought she was play hide and seek!” Twilight got up and slapped the dragon. “She’s my sister.” She ran out of the room, panicked beyond panicking. She didn’t even see Doctor Needle closely listening to their conversation. The last thing she saw before bursting into a full sprint was Nurse Redheart asleep at her desk. Lightly snoring. 10 “S-She’s going to kill me.” Crystal hid under her bland bed like Twilight asked, but the usual comfort she got had been replaced with the cold darkness of dread. Her blanket, the one that usually brought warmth, left her shaking uncontrollably. “I… thought the dragon…” He’s just a baby! Twilight’s voice rung out, piercing her like lightning. “How was I supposed to know!” Her hooves flickered black, and twice she passed out only to wake minutes later. She’s going to kill you No, Twilight would never kill me. She loves me. It’s always the one you least expect. Celestia probably put her up to it. These thoughts had pestered her ever since Twilight left, what felt like an hour ago, and slowly she was beginning to believe them. “Why didn’t she even ask for my side of the event? She just believed that Spike before talking to me,” Crystal spoke with the urgent need similar to that of a druggie searching for the next high. “She’s supposed to protect me! Why does the dragon get all the attention? Does she love him more? He doesn’t even deserve to be in the same room as my big sister let alone be loved by her.” She doesn’t love you anymore. She’s going to kill you for hurting her precious baby dragon. “Why? Why when she let me sleep next to her three days in a row? When she taught me how to brush myself? She even gave me a bath! Why on earth would she want to kill me?” The response came in three simple words. Words that if Twilight were next to her, holding her tightly, would pass through her like wind, but here, in the dark room, alone and scared, made all too much sense. You’ve been replaced. “I…” her words got caught on something. You need to kill her before she kills you. MIndlessly, she got out of the bed. She'd watched Twilight put the silverware back after the second day and knew just where to find the big chef’s knife. Slowly she slipped back underneath the covers. It was kill or be killed.   11 Twilight passed Sword and Blade without a word, and raced upstairs. There was a pounding in her head and she wanted to smash it against the cinderblock walls. “How could I be so stupid!” She couldn’t get upstairs fast enough. When she reached the landing she called out. “Crystal! LIttle sister, where are you?” She looked around in the darkness, shapes and shadows dominated the room, and she couldn't make sense of anything, “I think some lights would help, don’t you sis?” Twilight chuckled nervously, hitting the switch. Light poured over the room, illuminating everything, and she quickly located Crystal’s bed. The shaking lump on top was evidence enough and she made her way, completely unaware the knife drawer hanging wide open. “Crystal, are you under there?” she tried to sound as non threatening as possible, even lowered herself to look as harmless as possible. “I know you are. You’re a good girl that listens to her big sister’s instructions.” Slowly she pulled back the bland white blanket, and revealed a white filly holding a nine inch knife. If she hadn’t stood up at that second, the knife would have gone straight through her neck, but she had and it went through her left forearm. Cleanly and swiftly, in and out in half a second, with precision enough to slice between her radius and ulna. The pain didn’t hit her at first, but blood poured out immediately, and she looked at Crystal holding a blade coated in her sister’s life juice, shaking and hyperventilating. Then it hit and she staggered back, screaming. Crystal fell backwards onto the ground, knife barely missing her skull and digging itself into the floor two inches next to her. Twilight screamed again, falling to the ground. She landed on her bad arm, pain splintering up her spine like hot coals. Down below, the sound of thundering hooves as Sword and Blade responded to the scream. “Assassin!” Sword shouted as he came in, his namesake drawn and ready for action. The next few seconds happened in slow motion. Sword eyed his injured charge then turned to the other side of the room to see Crystal sitting with her back against the wall, bloody blade in her grasp, pointy end facing him. “Assassin!” he shouted before charging the six year old. Blade came in next, his namesake sheathed, but horn lit. He eyed the same thing Sword had, Twilight lying in a growing pool of blood, then Crystal shaking helplessly in the corner, knife drawn in a defensive stance. Unlike Sword, he knew what had really happened and charged after his companion. His horn shined bright and Sword’s levitation spell was countered. The sword fell to the ground, but the pony kept charging. Blade tackled him to the ground before punching him in the face. Crystal blinked and it was done. Now another entered the room, one of small stature and purple scales. Spike eyed Twilight’s state and screamed, but he didn’t look at the far end of the room. He quickly took his bad arm and black eye to the kitchen and grabbed the roll of magical medical tape from the top cabinet. He returned and started to wrap Twilight’s injured arm when something interesting happened. Twilight had been thinking of reasons Crystal might attack her, none came up, only a feeling of fear and sorrow, but that was enough. She thought to herself, what would Celestia do? Everything she’d done so far had been mere copies of what Celestia had done six years ago, all her words were Celestia’s, her actions’ Celestia’s, and this time was no different. As Spike wrapped her injured arm, she got up and hobbled over to her sister. Spike protested but she ignored him. Sword, her trusted friend, screamed at her, but she ignored him. Crystal pointed the knife at her, but she flicked it away with her magic. “I don’t want to die!” Crystal shouted, covering her head with her hooves, looking like a filly caught in the middle of some devastating battle. Silently, Twilight sat down, just noticing the trail of blood she left. Forcing the urge to vomit down, she put a hoof on Crystal’s shoulder. Crystal screamed, but she ignored that as well. Leaning in she licked Crystal’s right eye. She would have chuckled at the startle gasp Crystal made but the pain pulsed, coursing through her. Slowly, deliberately, Crystal looked up. When she saw Twilight smile, she broke down into tears. Twilight pulled her against her chest, rubbing her back with her good arm. Crystal begun sputtering apologies, begging for forgiveness, expecting none. “Twilight!” Sword shouted, only to get slapped in the face again. “Sword, if that filly was an assassin, why would she cower in fear at the sight of blood?” Blade said, glaring at his partner, “and another thing. Why would she cry at the touch of her supposed target? Assassins never show emotion you freaking idiot!” “Would you two stop bickering like a married couple and get Doctor Needle?” Twilight shouted, clutching Crystal tighter when she felt her tense, “I don’t feel like passing out in front of my little sister. That’s her job.” “Of course Ma Lady,” Blade said. Standing at attention he pulled Sword out of the room, countering his every attempt to grab his sword. When the duo left, Spike clambered up and tried to wrap Twilight’s arm again, this time he met no resistance. “Why did you do that, Twilight?” he asked ignoring his own pain. “It’s what Celestia would have done for me. Even if I was the one to stab her, she’d come to my side if she saw how scared I was.” Twilight said, nuzzling Crystal’s forehead. “I never knew you to be the one to ignore pain, Twilight.” Spike looked underneath Twilight’s arm at the filly. Her white fur had been splattered with blood and she wouldn’t shut up. He’d never say that out loud though. Twilight would kill her. “Oh, this hurts like hell, Spike, now can you please shut up and bandage me.” Ten agonizing minutes later, Crystal begging for forgiveness, ignoring Twilight’s words, Doctor Needle came in. He eyed the bloody room, counting how much blood was lost before moving over to Twilight. He wordlessly removed the bandages, eyeing Crystal with what could only be described as fear. Normally he’d explain exactly what he was doing and why it needed to be done, but this time he said nothing. Just lit his horn and sped up Twilight’s natural healing process, reducing the time needed to all of ten seconds. Afterwards, he stood up and glared down at Crystal, saying the first thing he had since entering the room. “What happened, Twilight?” What would Celestia do? Twilight thought, she’d protect the innocent, came the reply. She tightened her grip on Crystal, adding her newly healed arm to the mix. “What do you want me to say? I screwed up. I fell and landed on my stomach. The knife just went through me.” “Sure,” Needle said, “then I take it the knife just walked over there? Oh and do you want me to believe that, you, Twilight, the most precise and careful pony to ever be under my care, just fell on a nine inch knife?” “Yes, I do want you to believe that,” Twilight shook, tightening her grip yet again, the presence of another helping calm her nerves, “because that’s exactly what happened.” “No it’s not,” If looks could kill, Spike would be six feet under, “I’m sorry Twilight, but that filly attacked you. She drew blood. You taught me that it’s alright to make a mistake and hurt someone as long as you take your punishment. Why should she be an exception?” “Crystal stabbed you?” Needle said, astonished, “well, you’re fine now, but, I have to tell Celestia about this. Assault is a serious offense here in the castle.” Needle left, not bothering to help clean up the blood or give any comforting words. Twilight let a single tear slide down her cheek. She hated herself for acting so irrationally, blaming a filly before hearing her thoughts first. Now she had to deal with the consequences. Crystal might have jail time.