Chapter 22: Awful Alliteration.
Everything's dark and disorientating. My head rings with a familiar sound as I clutch at it and fall to my knees. Something's wrong, horribly, horribly wrong. My senses begin flooding in, and it feels like I'm crouched in the middle of an oven.
"I was wondering when we'd end up here." My eyes shoot open at the sound of that voice, the ringing disappearing in an instant. It's the same one I heard while fighting the cloak, except this time the malevolence is supplemented with a dark, humored tone.
I look up from the ground and see why everything feels so unbearably hot. I'm in what was clearly once a small, rustic town. 'Was' being correct as it's left in ruins, the buildings ablaze with fires that look like they rise past the nearby treeline with ease. Buildings creek, houses warp and fall. Nothing appears to be spared from the inferno. On the ground lay bodies I dare not count, with faces that seem... blurry. Behind me is an old, wooden water tower, encased in the same unyielding flames as everything else.
In front of me, however, is what rapts my attention. A man stands in the flames, his back to me, silver hair and black coat billowing in the wind and the flame. In his left hand is the long blade that was held by the cloak that shared his voice, held loosely by his side. My fists clench against the dirt as I look up at him, hatred building without need for explanation or cause, but at the same time, his form is imposing without effort, and it feels like he's casting his shadows back at me through the light of the flame. A shadow that leaves me feeling insignificantly small in comparison.
"Nothing to say?" He asks after several more moments where only the cackle of fire breaks the silence between us.
I rise from my knees, slowly, my footing uncertain. Something has my body feeling weak, drained. Eventually, however, I stand, and focus my eyes on the figure before me. "What do you want?" I finally ask, anger masking the weakness I'm feeling.
"Don't be in such a rush, Cloud." The man replies, turning his head up to look at the sky. "We're here all night, after all." Of course we are. As I stare daggers into the man's back, I take notice of what's past him, through the flames: a giant, looming mansion, whose exterior is doing as well as everything else around me. After another tense moment, accented by cackling fire, he speaks yet again. "Though, I suppose I should stop calling you 'Cloud'. You have a name of your own now, don't you?"
A name of my own? Does he mean...? I clench my fists, wishing I had my sword - either the one from my other dreams or my one in the waking world - and take a step forward. "You... whoever you are, you control those monsters that keep attacking us at night, don't you?"
"Me?" He gives a small, cruel chuckle. "Maybe. Or maybe... I'm just a voice in your head, helping you find your true self."
"I doubt that." I dig my feet in, taking a defensive posture if the silver-haired intruder to my dreams decides to get hostile.
"Too bad that girl isn't here to show you the truth again." He raises a hand up to the sky, motioning it above him as if cradling a person's face tenderly. "What was her name again? Tifa, was it?"
That name is... I can pull up the owner of that name clearly in my mind's eye. I fall back to one knee, gripping my chest. I can see her, her long, black hair left to flow free and only bound near its end. Her eyes, amber and kind. The playful confidence she always held, ready to tackle anything. Someone I always wanted to impress, someone I always wanted to be able to rely on me, yet instead, it always felt like it was me relying on her. My chest knots at the memory and I squint my eyes shut, trying to use the moment to dig. Dig deeper. Find all the memories I have of that person, memories my heart tells me are good, but all I get for my effort is another splitting ringing in my head.
"Don't get too greedy, now." The man admonishes, and I can feel the smirk on his face just from the tone in his voice. I turn my head up to scowl at him, but instead I recoil slightly, part of the scene before me being changed. In front of the man is what appears to be a woman looking down at him, only her black silhouette visible through the flames. Her body looks bound, and she appears to somehow be suspended a couple feet above the man. The cradling hand I questioned earlier is stroking the woman's face. "If you choose to be good, Mother can show you more."
"Mother?" I mean to think it, but quickly realize I've said the question out loud.
The man chuckles. "Though, it might be better to forget that woman. She has 'Cloud Strife', so she doesn't need you."
"That doesn't even make sense!" I yell as I punch the ground. "None of this does!"
"Then let Mother help you make sense of it." The man's calm reply only makes my anger boil over more. "Unless, you prefer the help of small, purple unicorns?" That chuckle again. That twisted, grating chuckle. What I wouldn't give to punch it and the smirk I know goes with it clear off his face.
I shoot back up to my feet, sick of this charade. "I don't need any help from you or your 'Mother', so get lost!"
"Is that so?" His voice sounds like he's simply musing a curiosity. "Turn around."
I hesitate a moment, not wanting to take my eyes off him, but I can feel the heat behind me intensifying. I finally turn, and what I see isn't the water tower. It's a giant, proud oak tree, balconies and windows interwoven between its massive branches. It twists as flames consume the length of its trunk, the branches slowly snapping and collapsing to the ground. The buildings around the town also seem altered, from what details can still be discerned between their charred and twisted forms.
I round back on the man and the 'woman' with him. "Why are you doing this?"
The man chuckles one final time and after a powerful gust, he appears to simply disintegrate, like dust in the wind. The form of the woman is all that's left, and two red slits of eyes appear on its otherwise indiscernable face. And that's when I hear the other voice I'm beginning to recognize, the twisted, female voice from my previous dream.
"This, my child, my imperfect vessel, is a glimpse into the nightmare of your future."
CRASH!
My eyes shoot open. What the hell just happened?
The library. Twilight returned last night and told us to make ourselves welcome another night. then immediately stumbled up the stairs to bed. I remember that. The library is filled with the glow of morning light, and I see Trixie's head poking up from her fort of pillows and blankets. I trail her vision along the library wall and to the staircase leading to Twilight's room, where at the bottom, said unicorn is a heep of hooves, shaking her head off and groaning.
"Are you okay, Sparkle?" A bleary-eyed Trixie asks, her mask of disdain weak this morning and a surprising amount of care for another living being seeping through.
"Yeah, I'm fine..." Twilight shakes her head slowly to clear it as she gets to her feet, then yawns. "Just... not enough sleep last night..." Her eyes droop, but land on a roll of parchment on the floor. "Oh, that's right, that's why I came down so quickly! Princess Celestia wants us to bring Cloud to Canterlot. She said it's urgent so I came down here as soon as I finished reading the letter and then... heh, heh..." She trails off, laughing nervously.
"Why do the Princesses speak so casually with you, Sparkle?" Uh-oh.
"Well, um," Twilight Sparkle stammers, likely thinking the same thing I am, "you see, remember how I said yesterday that I hatched Spike as part of my entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns?"
"Mhmm." Trixie nods. "Trixie also enrolled there for a time, yet she is not heralded by Princesses as if they were her drinking buddies."
"Well..." Twilight looks anywhere besides Trixie, the incoming nuclear unicorn meltdown palpable in the air, "after I hatched Spike, Princess Celestia became so impressed with my magical potential as a foal that... she... maybe... might have made me her personal student!" Twilight drops and throws her hooves over her face, expecting a blow up that... never comes.
Instead, Trixie merely narrows her eyes at the lavender unicorn and sighs. "Little about you surprises Trixie anymore, Sparkle." Now I'm getting worried. This isn't the bolsterous blue ball of ego I met back in the Everfree Forest. Trixie shakes off her blankets and gets to her hooves. "Will young Spike make us those delicious pancakes again before we set out?"
"You bet I will!" Spike makes his way down the stairs, having heard the tail end of their conversation. "Compliments will get you everywhere with Spike the Dragon... as long as you keep remembering his name." The small dragon darts from the stairwell to the kitchen, off to perform the same routine as yesterday morning sans one plate worth of pancakes.
Twilight looks from Spike, to the Trixie, to the kitchen, then back to Trixie, a question forming on her lips, but clearly not sure she wants to ask it with how 'good' this morning is going.
Trixie, however, picks up on the unaired question, and answers it for her. "Trixie cannot allow her assistant to go to Canterlot untended, your presence is required, and Trixie assumes you would not leave young Spike alone in this library of yours, would you not?"
Twilight goes to reply, but decides against it, going with a short nod instead. "Yeah, that's right."
The two unicorns make their way over to the table, Twilight levitating out some form of morning reading along with her, and sit across from each other. I take the seat to Trixie's left and lean in, whispering to her.
"You okay?" I ask once I'm sure Twilight is sufficiently engrossing herself in her reading.
"Trixie is... fine, Dusk." She replies in an equally hushed tone.
"People who pause before saying fine usually aren't fine."
"It's nothing." She insists. "Please, Dusk." Her eyes are turned down to the table, distantly looking at her hooves.
"...Fine." There's no point pressing it. at least not with Twilight and Spike present. I look to Twilight, wondering why she hasn't picked up on this herself, and see her droopingly half-conscious despite her nose being buried in her book. Explains that, I suppose.
We sit in relative silence after that and I mull over what I can remember from the dream earlier. I push my thoughts towards the things I saw - the man, the town - as well as my new memories of that girl, Tifa. My inability to push through whatever wall caused my head to ring during the dream makes my eyes travel to Twilight.
Am I being too stubborn about this? It's not like I resist the memories when they return on their own. What's the difference between remembering normally and letting a small, magical horse just give them back? Did I really block out everything, just to avoid a single memory? There's also whatever appears to be controlling the creatures. This thing the man called 'Mother'. Can it also manipulate my memory, like Twilight Sparkle? Is it why I'm like this now? If only I could confront it or the man outside of a dream and get some answers...
"Aaaand breakfast is served!" Spike calls, pulling me out of my thoughts as he juggles the four plates of pancakes - this time one in each hand, one on his head, and one on his tail. His balance is impressive. He sets three of the sets down and turns to Twilight, seeing her nearly passed out in her book. "Twilight? Are you okay?" He asks, shaking her gently with one claw as she snaps out of her half-lidded trance.
"I-I'm fine, Spike. Just tired." She pushes the book to the side and grips the last plate in her magic, pulling the pancakes in front of her and shifting her magic over to the utensils.
"I'll, uh, get you some tea, Twilight." Spike begins walking back into the kitchen, but can't help but give up a loud yawn and scratch at his back, finally betraying his own exhaustion. "Man, I'd kill for some coffee instead of this tea junk."
You and me both, brother.
As Twilight begins eating, she levitates a paper to her left side, and begins writing on it as she chews. "So... on Cloud's Canterlot Checklist, we have..." That name makes me cringe internally. She clearly has a fascination with cheesy alliteration if she's willing to call it that.
"Do we really need a checklist?" I ask. I don't know quite what goes into visiting these Princesses on what I assume is their home turf but we... wait, this is Twilight Sparkle.
"Well... I suppose not... unless you guys want to tour the city afterward..." Twilight trails off, apparently exhaustion curbing her need to listify existence. "Though, on the train, I do need to talk to you about what Princess Luna and I learned from those diamond dogs that saved Rarity!" She turns down, scribbling the single point onto her list. "I'll also need to talk to Princess Celestia about it, but it'll give us something to talk about on the train ride."
"Here's your tea, Twilight." Spike returns, slipping the small cup next to the unicorn.
"Thanks, Spike, I really need it." Twilight gives him a smile and grasps the cup in her magic, taking a small sip.
"Here, I got you guys some too." He sets another pair of cups down in front of Trixie and myself, then finally takes his own seat, a fourth cup held in his claws. He sips at it then wrinkles his snout, clearly not a fan of the drink, but needing it about as badly as everybody else.
I turn down to my own and slip a finger under the handle, pulling it up to me and taking a small sip. Completely dark, and with copious amounts of sugar. Not how I think anyone sitting at this table normally takes it, but clearly meant as a wake-up drink and not a pleasure drink.
As the drink starts working its magic, though, I begin feeling a dull throbbing in my left arm, near the bite mark that Fluttershy went to the trouble of re-wrapping. It didn't bother me at all yesterday, but taking my best attempt at an inconspicuous look at it, I can see the blackness from the bite wound is slowly making its way up my arm. It's not a lot, and if this wound hadn't been my own, I might not have noticed the small difference. Maybe I do have crazy-cthulu-chupacabra-kitten-rabies, after all. It'll be great when I can get the poncho back on and avoid the equine inquisition over it. I could go with the harlequin costume instead but... yeah, no. I like looking like a sword-wielding cowboy, anyway.
Breakfast itself is unusually silent, Twilight scribbling things down and then scratching things off her checklist indecisively. Every so often, she casts a glance at me, but pulls them away the second I notice, leaving them difficult to read. Or rather, they would be difficult to read, if I couldn't hazard a guess at exactly what she's concerned about. Despite what Princess Luna said, I imagine what I did last night is more than enough to leave your average pony more than a little uncomfortable, even if they're like Twilight and try to mask it. I catch her sending Trixie a few worry-filled glances as well, but the latter mare is too busy staring down at her slowly-disappearing pancakes to care. Twilight moves to speak a few times, but never does.
Once we've finished eating, Spike disappears with the plates back into the kitchen. Once the dragon leaves, Trixie gets up wordlessly and turns to the coat rack near the library's door, levitating her signature cape and hat over and spending a moment to set herself into them just right. She takes a few steps away from the table and turns to us, giving her cape a flourish.
"After a delicious meal from the claws of Twilight Sparkle's excellent draconic assistant, The Great and Powerful Trixie now feels ready to face this new day, filled with exciting appointments to meet the Royal Pony Sisters!"
"Um, it's only one 'appointment', Trixie, " Twilight Sparkle make the mistake of correcting her, "and technically it's not for you..."
"Any appointment for Trixie's assistant is an appointment for Trixie! That's how this works!" Her eyes turn to me. "Dusk! Tell Sparkle that's how this works!"
A sarcastic "Right..." is the only reply I can muster. Twilight and I share a look and I shrug. At least Trixie seems a bit back to normal, for now.
Twilight levitates a set of saddlebags emblazoned with her cutie mark over and stuffs it with the book she was reading before breakfast, her checklist, quills and ink, several spare pieces of paper, and finally a second book. She turns her attention to Trixie. "So Trixie, do you like reading at all? I could pack you a spare book for the trip to Canterlot, if you want."
"Trixie... would not mind a small novella to help maintain her interest during the less exciting parts of our trip, Sparkle." Trixie's voice contains some of her usual guarded superiority at last, as she turns to look at the questioning lavender mare. "Do choose something you'd personally recommend, Sparkle."
"Alright then!" Twilight gives a small smile as her horn glows again, wriggling a small book off one of the library's shelves and floating it toward us and into the bag. "What about you, Cloud?"
I begin forming an answer, but quickly remember the incident with the menu in Dodge Junction. "I'm good, thanks." Her smile falls a bit but she nods, levitating some comic books into one of the bags to fill the remaining space before closing them.
Thoughts of Dodge Junction pull me back to the incident last night, finally having a chance to dissent the events a bit. How had Beethoven's group even been there? Shouldn't he still be locked up in Appleloosa with Sheriff Silverstar? Hopefully Silverstar is alright, at least. He wasn't that bad of a guy.
"We going now, Twi?" Spike asks as the two unicorns begin grouping near the door and I take the moment to find my poncho and hat to readorn them. The harlequin outfit as well as Trixie's stage outfit from the night before are folded in a corner of the room, needing a good cleaning and a few repairs after that... incident.
"Yeah, Spike. You ready?" Twilight shoots a smile down to her 'number one' assistant. "I even packed you some comic books in case you get bored."
"Thanks, Twilight." He replies. "You think we'll be able to hang out with Cadance and Shining Armor while we're there, Twilight?"
"I'm sure our B.B.B.F.F. will find some time for us between duties, Spike, as will Cadance." Twilight assures him, while both Trixie and I look at her with raised eyebrows at that acronym. "But only after we've taken care of the letter we got from Princess Celestia."
"Right, shall we go then, Sparkle?" Trixie asks as I finally make my way over.
"Of course, Trixie, let's get going!" Twilight swings the door open with her magic and we make our way outside, first Twilight and Spike, then myself, and Trixie taking up the rear. As we exit, though, Trixie stands inside the doorway.
"Sparkle, may Trixie speak to you for a moment?" Since when does she ask for speaking permission?
"Uh... sure, Trixie?" Twilight replies, equally perplexed.
"In the library, away from our assistants, please." Trixie insists.
"Alright..." Twilight turns to Spike. "We shouldn't be long Spike, so wait with Cloud, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah..." Spike waves them off and takes a seat next to the door as the two unicorns head back inside. I sit down and lean back against the doorframe, looking up to the morning sky. It's clear, but now the faint glow of green is clearly visible during the day as well, the sunlight no longer able to completely overpower it. Looks like whatever's causing the sky to do that is still getting worse.
Spike and I sit outside for at least ten minutes in a bored silence, watching the different ponies walk back and forth as they carry on their morning rituals.
"What's taking them so long?" Spike complains as he stands up and motions at the door. "What could Trixie possibly want to talk about with Twilight that could take this long?"
"Maybe they're making out after resolving their differences and confessing their undying love for each other." Yeah, when pigs fly. I shouldn't say that, I bet pigs can fly here, somewhere...
"What? Ew! No thanks!" Spike emphasizes his point with a wretching sound. "I love Twilight, but could you imagine me living with two crazy unicorns? I can barely handle one!"
I can't help but let out a small chuckle at that thought. "Yeah, that would be a bit much." Being with Trixie is enough of an... experience, and Twilight Sparkle seems much the same in her own ways, so I can't fault the little dragon there.
"They're not... actually doing that, are they?" Spike turns to me after a moment, a look of horror on his face.
"You could look through one of the windows and find out, if you want." I remind him, pointing to the nearest window.
"But... what if they are doing that, and I see Twilight-"
"See Twilight making out with an egotistical blue unicorn who'd likely prefer Twilight licking her hooves?" I finish for him.
"Yeah, uh, that."
"Then we both know to make a run for the Everfree and learn to survive off the land." I point out with a shrug.
Spike gulps. "I suppose it could be worse..." His sentence trails off as he moves up to the nearest window and grabs the ledge with his claws, hoisting himself up. As he begins to peer through the window, there's a bright flash of light which eminates out all the bottom-floor windows and succeeds in making Spike lose his grip, sending him floundering back to the ground.
After a moment, the door bursts open, and the aforementioned egotistical blue unicorn walks out with a swagger in her step. Behind her trails her lavender companion, sporting a sheepish grin. ...I wasn't right, was I?
"Assistant! We must make way with Twilight Sparkle and her youngling for Canterlot, post-haste!" Trixie points her hoof forward, apparently back to normal.
"Trixie..." Twilight Sparkle starts, "the train station is the other way."
Trixie merely rotates to point her hoof down the opposite street, not allowing her pride to go down. "As Trixie said, to the train station!"
"You first, Supreme Excellence." I can't help but use the title she mentioned to Rainbow Dash last night, after that showing just now.
"Of course, The Great and Powerful Trrrrixie will lead you, Dusk." She begins moving forward, prompting the rest of us to follow. "She can't expect you to know your way around a pony town so soon!"
I fold my arms and peer down at her. "I'm pretty sure we've both only been here twice."
"Details, details." She says, waving me off with a hoof.
"So, Twi," Spike starts, looking up to Twilight, "what was so important between you and Trixie, anyway?"
"Important... unicorn stuff, youngling." Trixie replies as Twilight barely begins opening her mouth. "Sparkle is sworn to the secrecy that comes along with unicorn stuff, are you not, Sparkle?"
"Uhh." Twilight stammers a moment, then strokes the back of her head with one hoof. "Yeah, sorry Spike. It's not something I can talk about without Trixie's permission."
"Really, 'unicorn stuff'?" I mutter. "And I thought my family heirloom lie was pretty bad..."
Apparently Trixie overhears me, and after a moment I can feel the tug of her magic pulling my cowboy hat down and covering my eyes, followed by her distinct 'hmph'.