//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Crappy Reunion // Story: Equestrian scrolls II: Return To Nirn // by Sanguine Eyes //------------------------------// "No..." Celestia stared down at Shining Armor with more concern than anything else. "I honestly don't know or much care why you 'need' to run off alone... but I am not letting even a single pony go anywhere without at least a hoof full of guards... and I wont even ask why you need to find a volcano...but just... no." Gritting his teeth Shining Armor grumbled in what nearly seemed like pain. Ever since the entity had brought them all back and sent the citadel to Nirn he simply felt a nagging painful urge to go and do the task the entity called the architect told him he must complete. Images of a lump of flesh inside an ash covered haze of heat and pain was clear to him. What was not clear was this ungodly painful urge to go and find the lump of flesh. It did not even seem odd to him that he needed to find quite literally a lump of flesh. Shining was about to try and reason with Celestia when the guards shouted an alert. The tone and call was simply letting them know that somepony who had left was now returning. He rushed up hoping he could possibly confine in Twilight and get some answers and perhaps somepony to actually support him. His heart sank however when he noticed that Twilight was not among the group. "Princess Luna? Where is Twilight?" She looked up calmly which was very reassuring, had her eyes had pain or despair in them he would be confident Twilight had met trouble maybe even death. "Twilight met up with an old friend from her time before... She took Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack to find the Arch Mage....I am sure it will be fine. She is competent and powerful. Though please let my sister know there is something I must tell her. A message from Twilight of something that may become a slight problem to all the planning." Shining's face betrayed his troubled mind, though Luna seemed to mistake it for further concern about Twilight. With a warm smile she patted his back firmly. "Do not worry... go and get my sister... Twilight is far more than capable... Ill bet she could not possibly be more in control of whatever situation she could possibly be in... I'd stake my life on it..." --------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight woke and instantly noticed that her eyes were badly bruised and swollen as well as her nose, it was most likely broken and she hated mending broken bones, especially her own. The lightest struggle told her she was bound, and very thoroughly as well. Her body position as it was suggested it was someone who was quite used to doing this, however she was not gagged or blindfolded nor was she in any way more than just searched for weapons which clearly suggested that whoever knocked her out was both A: a professional, and B: not a bandit. This calmed her a little as her eyes danced about the dark room only just barely making out Applejack, Rainbow, and Pinkie out cold tied up just like her. The center of the room had a fire burning and their weapons laying out. Quickly Twilight focused and listened calmly refusing to panic or worry. She could hear hushed words and finally something she recognized. "Shh... shes awake... come.." The voice was obviously Khajiit, female, and very confident, even a shade or two aggressive. Twilight's ears twitched when the footfalls of the Khajiit stopped and started again on the opposite side of her. Slowly glancing the other way she was determined to show the Khajiit that she too was skilled and not intimidated by the excessive level of skill this individual appeared to possess. "you are quick... yes... This one sees it...you notice skill... and you desire to prove you can match skill..." Twilight let out a chuckle hoping to intrigue the Khajiit. "You are impressive that is certain.. but I have seen more impressive...Much more impressive..." The challenge in her voice was met with curiosity as the figure was just barely seen in the dark. "Oh?...yes... you have caught this one's attention.. speak human... what name have you to say to show more skill than my own? Do not think you can hide behind names of others... This one knows all... and when the word all is used... the word ALL is meant..." The figure stepped forward into the light and Twilight smirked speaking the name of her long time friend. Most who heard it would either not believe her or have a panic attack. However, her eyes shot wide halfway through the pronunciation. "...Ra'Shala?" The Khatiit laughed "Try again that is my name.... not a friend of yours...." Twilight coughed and sputtered. "Ra'Shala?.... n... no way... " The Khajiit's eyes narrowed in confusion. Their little game had been upset by something she did not quite understand yet. Twilight took notice of her long time friend's confusion remembering that despite how well Twilight knew Ra'Shala, THIS Ra'Shala knew nothing about her. Though the realization of exactly what kind of situation she was in hit her like a meteor. Ra'Shala had always been very reclusive and only in the last days that Twilight knew her did she find out about all the far darker things in her life. Now she was in the old cat's very paws as an unknown and possible threat. She was just realizing just how much of a danger it was to be before the dragonborn as a possible enemy combatant. Panic set in and she did the only thing she could think of that could possibly begin convince Ra'Shala of the quite unbelievable truth. Do' Rasik 10th of Rain's Hand, Szrezi 5th of Rain's Hand, Rosie 2nd of Frostfall!" The Khajiit's eyes widened with somewhat shock before a clawed hand grasped Twilight's hair pulling it tight as a knife was produced and held very firmly against her throat. "Who are you?....How do you know of my children?....No one knows of my children... NO ONE KNOWS...." This was not quite the reaction that Twilight wanted but it was a reaction that would get her out of this. "You told me.... somewhere around 15 years from now...You know just as well as I do .... No one and I mean NO ONE can spy on you or learn your secrets without you at least suspecting something... you are the best there is at that game..." The Khajiit's wide eye stared into the soft purple iris as if judging Twilight's soul itself. "That.... is very ... very odd... You speak such utterly ridiculous things... but you are not lying... you have eyes of one who speaks the truth..." The dagger gently left her throat as Ra'Shala stepped back and looked into the shadows as if waiting for something. "So what if she speaks the truth. If THAT is the truth then shes even more dangerous than what we originally thought..." Twilight cringed at the new voice which spoke up. She recognized it instantly and was both very upset that it was present and very thankful that she was not dead. The heavy set Nord strode up hefting the skyforge steel battleaxe that had hit her in the face. She could almost still feel the intricate designs on her face and broken nose. "Baldir.... I should have figured...I do hope you wont be killing first and asking questions later...." The Nord looked younger, his hair was not white yet and his face not as weathered. As well there was a clear lack of scars that Twilight remembered so well. "Ok then lass... answer me this... h-" "Im not a Daedra nor do I have anything to do with Daedra or oblivion, yes I know you too. You hate Daedra, you beat the crap out of people who annoy you, don't worry, you already got me so you can skip that. You hate fancy things, you love tradition, you enjoy... the night life" She spoke that last part with a confident grin, and the way his eyes flinched told her she was spot on. At this point in his life he was already a werewolf. She took a quick breath and continued. "you have a daughter named Norja who wont stop rolling her eyes whenever you lecture her and who lectures you constantly on your drinking and bathing habits... you keep your skyforged dagger in your left boot, your mead in your right, and finally the secret ingredient to your special mead is refined Spriggin sap..." The Nord was both amazed and terrified. Though the important part was succeeded. Regardless as to what Baldir thought now, Twilight could see it in Ra'Shala's eyes. She had won over the Khajiit, and Ra'Shala would at this point not allow harm to fall to her. "I do not know who you are or how you know these things... but before I let you go..." Her eyes sharpened and Twilight remembered vividly the look on her face. It was her lie detecting face. The Khajiit rarely displayed emotion when Twilight had known her other than the soft mildly happy exterior she always put on, this face was one of those happenings that showed a little of her true nature. "Why did you come here?" "I came looking for Taara, I owe her and you both a great deal.... you saved my entire nation and went to the ends of the earth just to keep me safe.... I owe you all my life ten times over again." Baldir stepped forward. "No!....this is all some sort of Daedric trickery... She is implying that she came through time, how stupid does she think we are?" "Well then friend... you can do whatever your smelly heart desires, I am letting her go... and if you try to harm her I will stand in your way...." She turned her eyes back to Twilight cutting her bindings. " Taara is not here, we came searching the moment that we heard the rumor that I believe you came here to follow as well. Those others that came with you were not as easy to trap... they are still in the ruin. Lost but doing very well...even better than us when first we arrived." Twilight stood and looked back at her friends still tied up and out cold. "I dont suppose you could find it inside your heart to untie my friends?" Twilight's hand lit up with gold light as she healed her nose. "That is easy enough... but you don't need my help with that..." Twilight nodded and took up her things from the ground and moved to her friends. It was easy to cut them loose, though they had not even woken yet. Looking them over it was clear they were not really roughed up. Just quickly subdued and tied. Standing up firmly and double checking everything Twilight turned back hoping to speak with Ra'Shala again when the young Khajiit from earlier popped up playfully. "Ah!.. Rosie.... you were quite quick with that dart..." The young Khajiit smiled happily, her ears perked up and her tail whisked from side to side. "Thank you, are you really from the future?..." Twilight did not quite know how to explain it without confusing everyone including herself. "Yes and no... just try not to think about it" She put on her best smile magically wiping away the last of the bruising as she moved to wake up her friends. "W...wassit?" Pinkie sat up with a drowsy yawn. "Oh thank goodness, Ra'Shala you just used an alchemical knockout drug right?" She looked back at the Khajiit who nodded gingerly and Twilight turned back hoping to inform Pinkie of the situation without her blurting out any of the truth that might make the present company even more confused. "Ok.. that is everpon... everyone..." The others had just started to stir. "Alright We need a plan. Ra'Shala, those other three people caught up in this... whatever this place is might be useful, one of them was actually very important and is supposed to get involved in the college in the future. The other two I'm not sure about but Id like to see them again and at least thank them for getting us this far. Then Id like to introduce you to everyone else... and kinda explain this weirdness all in one go so you don't freak out when you discover it on your own. Then we can find Taara together." Ra'Shala's eyes sharpened listening to her speak. She seemed to be on edge with all the oddities surrounding this young woman but she was 100% confident that Twilight was not a threat and was telling the truth. Baldir grumbled and spoke in a slightly raised voice. "Hold on... what else are you hiding?... how could this get any weirder?" "Trust me here fluffy, it will blow your mind... best to do this somewhere a little more... um.. comfortable..." Baldir grumbled angrily at her comment. The more Twilight spoke the more it reminded him of Taara. "Come then friend, this one does not wish to spend all day in a dwemmer labyrinth. Let us find these friends of yours and be gone, I do not know what troubles you knew when you were here last. But we face dangers and troubles of our own."