//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Fresh restart // Story: Equestrian scrolls II: Return To Nirn // by Sanguine Eyes //------------------------------// An empty bottle of spice wine rolled gently across the floor as a wide eyed Celestia stared at the dancing fire atronach before her. Playfully twirling and dancing about leaving a small trail of fire as it explored the small room. She had never before seen this sort of magic before. And the fire type elemental creature summoned had such a specific bipedal form, it just screamed of alien origin. “And that is just the beginning. Master level conjuration and above can actually open whole portals into other realms, which is what Starswirl the bearded was doing before he locked up the mirror, I am certain of it.” Twilight smiled brightly leaving out how aside from the Daedra, this very magic was likely the reason Starswirl the bearded abandoned the research and labeled it too dangerous to research. Tamriel’s history was full of foolish young mages who summoned things that eventually killed them or found their way into places that lead to great tragedy and severe consequences. It was very likely that even with Shalidor as a guide, Starswirl the bearded did not have to travel very far or for very long to find something that would be a dire threat to the safety of old Equestria or for that matter, the naive soft ponies of present Equestria. But Twilight knew that with some careful introduction, it would work. Equestria just had to understand Nirn and it's magic, then safety would be a lot easier to come across. “Twilight…" Celestia paused, the disbelief was just a little too easy to come across. "Well… this is amazing, but seriously? 200 years?” Celestia stared almost blankly, of course she believed Twilight with all her new power, her new magic and the overall new Twilight, she was even an inch or two taller. It worried her a little to see Twilight so different. She seemed a little more hardened. She was the same pony, but Celestia could easily see she had changed so much. The look in her eyes was one of somepony who had seen much death and perhaps, even somepony who was forced to kill. Her smile was still real, but Celestia could feel the hardened emotions in her heart, and seeing her down half the spiced wine without flinching. She could see that her favorite student developed something of an iron liver as well. “A bit over that, but yes. Well, to be fair, most of that was spent sealed away in a stone coffin. In Skyrim it’s a bit of a sink or swim world, so a lot happened in the short time I was not sealed away.” She broke a sweat noticing that Celestia had seemed to have noticed more than just one or two things different. She was still the same twilight and she wanted Celestia to know that. She wanted everypony to know that. “Better yet with these I can open the portal again, I’ll need an anchor though, and some of the time spells. No telling how much fun we will have when we open that puppy back up” “Twilight… calm down. You were sent to the past remember? She might not even be born yet!” Celestia's mind churned on this, it was not exactly a false statement but what she wanted to say was more along the lines of: 'You just fought a war and saved a half dead Equestria then time traveled back at the cost of the literal life and soul of a close friend. Slow down a tad will you?' Twilight blinked slowly then smiled. “I was thinking about that actually. The faster we get on this the better. On Nirn there is not much time magic, and the stuff they Do have is locked up in outright sacred, heavily guarded locations like in their elder scrolls. But I have seen the past, visited the past and all sorts of stuff with Equestrian magic. There is a way, I know it! We just have to try and open that portal again and I will open it to their time!” She hopped up happily on her hooves, wings spread wide. “Twilight! Please, calm down. I’ll need a lot more than what you just have given me from your trip before I let anypony near that mirror ever again. So please, do me a favor and go see your friends. I will look into some things and we will all decide together whether this is an idea worth going through with." Celestia paused remembering the less than ideal additional events which Twilight regaled her with. "That and set up some preparations for those new foals you are going to be an aunt to. Let’s keep an eye on Melody to make sure she does not fall into the same role she did while you were gone.” Celestia clenched her teeth remembering that part of Twilight’s tale. She did not so much mind dying for her people. But to die deceived. And not only failing to protect her people, but to further arm her murderer with what was needed to destroy Equestria. She shook her head to push out the thoughts, before looking back at Twilight for a confirmation. She wanted to take more control and get things in order on her terms, Celestia had not protected Equestria for a thousand years by rushing in without a plan. But she could see it in Twilight's eyes. She was utterly ecstatic to be back. And the friends she left behind meant a whole lot to her. She would let the young princess go and settle in before she did any real in depth poking around. She had heard the tale and Twilight even wrote a full report which herself and Luna would later go over to make some decisions, but not without very careful consideration. Twilight nodded. She was simply overjoyed but still quite shaken. She knew she would never be the same again. But at least coming back she could sleep soundly and see all her old friends. Who were alive and not dead, or enslaved under Melody’s rule of terror. She made her way out of the palace, ventured down and quickly took flight. With her new, more battle hardened body, she was much faster. She could make it to ponyville in about the same time as a casual Rainbow Dash. On her way out she looked back with a smile. She did not like the feel of deceiving Celestia in anyway. And though she did not lie to her directly, Twilight's written report, and the story she retold was missing a lot of details of the danger and problems on Nirn. One thing she had learned by watching Taara, was the art of speech. Having some finesse with your words could get people to agree with you even if they knew you are dead wrong. The old Twilight would NEVER even consider misleading Celestia. But the New Twilight did not see it as misleading. But instead, as nudging her in the right direction. Deep down it bothered her, but again. Deep down she owed Taara, Baldir, and Ra'Shala her life, and all of Equestria ten times over again. She watched Taara die just to make good on her own promise. Spending her own soul to set things right. It was a friendship she owed her all to. And she will find her way back or die trying. The big red form quickly rolled over and nearly took out an apple tree as three fillies and an astonished Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared. Spike casually rubbed his claws upon his hardened scales and with a pucker of his lips, flame cleaned them, before giving them a casual look over. His eyes then moved back up at the other ponies. “You ok down there Big mac?” A low and almost pained ‘eeeeyup’ sounded back slowly as everypony spoke up at once. “How in the hay did you do that spike?” Applebloom's open mouth was a clear sign she was very impressed. Applejack on the other hoof was impressed but a tad less inquiring. “Goodness gracious I ain't seen nopony able to beat Big mac in hoof wrestling. And I never thought that if anypony could it would be you!” Spike’s eyes rolled. “Gee… thanks…” His new demeanor was still friendly, but he grew quite a backbone. And a bit of an ego hanging out with the dragons. And not to mention the hardy warriors in Jorrvaskr, he had even grown a few inches in height, which nopony seemed to notice. Applejack cleared her throat, and gave a nervous ‘sorry’ laugh. “I mean, well how did you get so strong?” “Well, my little pony…” He spoke with less of a mocking tone and more of a playful payback tone. “This is what happens when you train with elite soldiers and dragons for seven years.” Rainbow gave a skeptical raise of her eyebrow. “Seven years?.... Spike you were gone not even 4 days” He smiled and opened his mouth just before a blur of purple washed by and smooshed the oh so mighty Zeikkinzukjoor into the dirt. Skidding to a stop Twilight turned quickly with bright and happy eyes. “Oh thank the nine you girls are back to normal!! Where is everyone else?” "Everyone?" Applebloom squinted in thought of that phrase. She had heard it before many times but it was just not a very common thing to hear coming from another pony. "Back to normal?" Applejack raised her head to look down and see if Twilight had been struck over the head. “The Nine?” Rainbow Dash glancing over at all the strange newness that was the once normal Spike and Twilight. “Oops. sorry... everypony… Still a little um... off. Where everypony else? “ Applejack looked back towards ponyville and cleared her throat. “Everypony else is still in Ponyville. One of the royal guards stopped by and told everypony that there was an incident that occurred, and you were involved. Everypony was in a bit of a panic. Even though he told us that you two were ok. Me and Rainbow here just about to head out to Canterlot to meet up and see if you were ok. But we saw spike here on the road with these three… who WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE THE FARM!” She glared daggers at Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle who just hours previously caused a bit of havoc on the farm and were being punished with repairs. Spike stood up brushing the dust off his scales and clearing his throat with an aggravated glare at Twilight. He stopped. Catching himself about to growl under his breath when he figured perhaps he had been spending too much time with the dragons. But, quickly shifting he too stared at the fillies. “We already finished and we were just out playing around when we were attacked by a timber wolf. But out of nowhere Spike showed up. And just tore it apart with his bare claws… it was amazing!!” Sweetie Belle's waving hooves did little to illustrate just how brutally Spike reduced the creature into a pile of timbers and ash. "Well.. I am pretty amazing." Spike flexed the still small but far more toned arm. He didn't have some sort of exponential growth spurt over the seven years. But he did get noticeably bigger and far stronger. Twilight could see where everything went from spike's reaction. And the still groaning Big mac brushing the dust out of his mane and rubbing the bump on his head. Raising her hoof she smiled. “Well… let’s get the other girls. You won’t believe what me and Spike just went through. A good few hours later and her tale was retold. Leaving a lot of blank stares. Save for a certain pink pony who, yet again, to no pony’s great surprise, was completely accepting of the story. And rather unamazed. If not very entertained. Twilight was careful to leave out some of the more grim details, betrayals and fates of those who apposed Equestria's potential future tyrant. Even she wanted to forget those. “Wow… really I mean, if you did not have such a serious look on your face and go into so much detail I would think you were just pulling my wing. But… hey if this ain't a joke then, Holy Sweet Celestia! Don’t leave me out next time you go on one of your egghead trips!” Rainbow dash gave a soft playful nudge. Everypony laughed, and half a smile talking over one another, Rarity was still a little skeptical and suspicious about the levels of detail Twilight went into details about her within the story, in one moment she would describe everything from the faintest smell, to the color behind colors in a room, but when it came to the dark final days of the Tyrant, she seemed to only recall vague details. But unlike the mildly suspicious dress maker, Pinkie just happily squealed and quickly pulled everypony in for a hug. “Well Twilight, if you were gone for all those years. Then I will have to make up for all those Birthdays and hearth’s warming, and heck every celebration you missed!!! 250 YEARS WORTH OF PARTY!!!!!” Still smiling, despite how much Twilight’s ears were still ringing from an, as usual far too loud Pinkie Pie, when most everypony gave an odd look at her. “Um… Twilight dear? Are you ok?” She flinched and looked over at Rarity in confusion. “Y..Yes… um.. why?” “Dear you are crying….are you sure you are fine?” Rarity pointed gracefully with growing concern. Twilight reached up and felt her eyes. She was a little more accustomed to doing so in her human form. Seeing as how much more sensitive fingers were then hooves. But nevertheless, when she wiped under her eyes and pulled back. She could see the wet marks. “Oh! sorry girls, it's… it's just been so long. You have no idea what it means to be back. I missed you all so much Her eyes spent extra time on Rarity and Rainbow Dash. The other five ponies did not bother asking for clarification. She had already told them that she’d met up with them again in their future. But of course, did not go into many details. Which to the quicker thinkers of the group, they could tell she was holding bad details back. “Well, LETS PARTY!!!!” Nopony could make ears ringing like Pinkie Pie could. And once more, she smiled and agreed. “Yes, let's, then I can get back to work on that portal." “Um… Twilight?” The incredibly soft tones of Fluttershy’s voice were easy to pick up, though odd seeing it lacked that more wise kind tone she had developed when a princess. “Won't you have to wait forty years like Taara said?” “I might have to yes… but honestly, I don’t want to. And really, with all the time magic here I don’t think I will have to.” She smiled, looking back at Canterlot with a keen and almost devious smile, and she spoke words she had not heard since the long distant cold nights in the college with Taara. "There is much we can do, we just don't know it yet.