Chapter 8
“Do you even know where we are going and what we are supposed to do?” Twilight whined.
“It’s simple. We find the spirit and force it back into Rarity.” Fluttershy snorted.
Twilight facehoofed. “But... where and how will we find the spirit?”
Fluttershy smiled and pointed at Twilight’s horn.
“Oooh...” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I get it!” Once, when Twilight studied in Canterlot, she was taught a spell that could track ghosts and other phantasmal creatures, but she had never gotten it right. “Stand back Fluttershy…this might not work out well…”
Twilight waved her horn, and a small green spark appeared. “I did it!” Twilight squealed in delight. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…YES!” She jumped and cheered.
“So... where is the spirit?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight paused. “I kind of forgot to clarify what kind of spirit…so… the horn will be showing all of them…” She uncomfortably muttered, shuffling her hooves.
Fluttershy moaned. “Oh no, this is going to take forever!” She stomped her hooves on the ground.
“Sheesh Fluttershy, you're acting like Rarity…” Moments after saying the words, Twilight's eyes widened and she brough her front hoof to her mouth. “Oh, Fluttershy... I'm so sorry…” She came closer to the almost-in-tears pegasus. “I was just…” She sighed.
Fluttershy looked up at Twilight. “It’s okay. All we need to worry about is making sure Rarity'll be okay…”
Twilight sighed gazing into the stars. “Oh, Celestia." She sighed. "What should we do?”
~*~*~
Opalescence was on a thick branch. “Why am I doing this again?” She sighed, looking up to the highest bough. Opal gulped and leaped to the second highest, claws digging through the thick bark. As Opal struggled onto the highest branch, the spirit appeared.
“Hello again, young warrior!” The spirit meowed. “Look down. Now, what do you see?”
Opal gave a glance down and gasped. “W-Wha- Serenity? Oh… oh my god!” Opal jumped down through the branches.
The spirit followed, slower. “NO! Don’t go!” The spirit shouted. “It’s not…”
Opalescence was quickly out of hearing range. She ran off to Serenity, hoping it was really her. This shock dug deep into Opal's eyes.
*~*~*
“Rarity! N-no - hrnk - please come back!” Fluttershy yelled.
“We were too late…” Twilight's voice echoed sadly. “We can’t get her back…”
“No!” Fluttershy cried. “Please, no!”
Twilight tried to hug Fluttershy.
"Urk! No!" The pegasus shoved her away in a surprising fit of strength. “DON’T DIE! RARITY, PLEASE!"
A crack grew between 'Shy and Rarity, causing a massive chunk of earth to fall in between them. Fluttershy screamed. Fire licked up the edges of the new hole.
Twilight ran to Fluttershy. “Are you ok?!”
Fluttershy did not respond. The tears in her eyes were salty and the pain in her heart was too strong to bear.
A massive flash of white blinded Twilight and Fluttershy.
“Princess Celestia?” Twilight gasped, hope scattering defeat.
“You lost her...” A voice echoed out of the white. It was not the princess. Out of the light appeared a cat. “My name is Bluestar.” The cat meowed softly. “I came here to tell you…”
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO RARITY???” Fluttershy shouted.
Twilight patted Fluttershy’s back, calming her down. “Let her speak.”
Bluestar nodded to Twilight in respect and continued. “I came here to tell you that there is no need in finding the spirit.”
“What???” Twilight gasped. “But Bluestar…”
“He is needed more somewhere else.” The blue-gray cat added. “We cannot sacrifice another warrior right now. The spirit is helping recover her.”
“What do you mean by that? Who are the warriors? What is going on!?” Twilight asked, strands of hair beginnign to pop out of her mane.
“You Hooflegs don’t know? There are four Clans in our forest - Thunderclan, Shadowclan, Riverclan and Windclan. The warriors I spoke of are cats of thise Clans. We fight for our food and survival. I used to be the leader of Thunderclan... but I sacrificed myself to save my Clan. Because of my restored honor, I went to Starclan, the place were true warriors go when they die. Your feline friend Opalescence was a warrior of Thunderclan with his sister, but bad days had come. Their parents had died, and the leader was no longer feeding the Clan. Opal and Serenity wanted to find a place to live, where they would be safe. They were seperated, and now Opal needs to save his sister, and his Clan. He needs the help of the spirit of the diamond. The time of sadness and darkness has come to Thunderclan, it needs their help. Opal is the only cat who can save us, but he needs help from his new friends. That includes you, Fluttershy.” Bluestar purred, pleased with her explaination to a non-warrior.
“So... the Opal I was taking care of... was a warrior?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yes, kind Fluttershy.” Bluestar replied.
Twilight was in shock. “All this time…we never knew about the forest. We treated cats like pets since forever… it’s hard to believe.”
Bluestar smiled. “Angel is here too.”
“Angel?” The two confused ponies said in unison.
Angel through the door. “I'm going to help my buddy.” He announced, one paw over his heart.
“You speak?!” Fluttershy exclaimed.
“Ahaha... yes…I do…” Angel replied, blushing.
Bluestar looked at Fluttershy. “When you wake up next sunrise, you will be a cat. Angel will be one as well, and you will have to aid Opalescence.”
Twilight looked at Bluestar. “If Fluttershy is going, I'm not letting her go alone.”
“I did not wish to pester you for more help. Thank you for volunteering.” Bluestar smiled, waved her paw. and disappeared.
~~*~~
Opalescence was disappointed. It was just a tom that looked like Serenity. He sighed.
“Can I help you?” the tom growled.
Opalescence’s ears went up straight. “Luna!?”
~Newly edited by IceOfWaterflock~