//------------------------------// // Interlude: Something wants out. // Story: Three to Five // by TwilightsmyMare //------------------------------// Thrummm... Her eyes opened immediately feeling the force and power of the pulse, but from where...? She remained still barely breathing waiting to see if it would happen again so she could pinpoint the source. With a snort and grunt John rolled back over facing her again, he tossed and turned so much she often wondered how he stayed asleep at all. She'd grown used to it and though it often woke her up she didn't mind, her sleep requirements were quite minor and hour or two refreshed her nicely, but this... She sighed soothing back his unruly mop of hair gently, having someone to fall asleep with, wake up with... Fall in love wi... No... She still couldn't bring herself to admit it, not fully. The past still had a grip on her heart and even though it had been so long she still remembered the pain she didn't want it again; she did want it again... Not the pain but the feeling, sometimes the pain was part of that feeling... She smiled her mind clearer, she leaned over to kiss John's forehead softly. "I do..." She whispered. "I'm just not ready to say it out loud yet..." She sighed drawing him closer letting her eyes close, still on guard but mayhap it had just been a dream, a one-time occurrence or a mishap at the laboratories at the university. Although such mishaps were far less common since Twilight's move to Ponyville... She smiled to herself in memory of that little filly crackling with magic but no clue how to control it, baby Spike... There was a bit of tension between Spike and John both vying for her attention, them and the dozens if not hundreds of others... Still she made all the time she could for her two special men, and even though they might deny it she could see the bond between them growing too. Thinking of Twilight, Rick and their family, Spike, John... Reminded her just how long it had been since she had let herself connect with anyone... A thousand years... Easy to say but the sheer weight of it staggered even her, for so long after realizing her sister wasn't coming back for a very long time she had been nothing but numb. Simply going through the motions day after day, years and years... Ponies born, passed away and more born again. Even when she had recovered somewhat there was still so much to do, far more important things then relationships... Friendships... She smiled softly, we are more alike than you might think Twilight my faithful student... No, student no more her ascendance and transference... She still had no idea how she had managed it! Old magic in that transference spell to be sure but it shouldn't have been able to affect a spell of that magnitude... Well you always did manage to surprise me Twilight, from the first moment we met... Your bond with your bother and the spell binding you to Rick was likely the case, strange though... To give up so much for love, would I...? even with so many that depend on me? She smiled nuzzling the top of Johns head softly. Maybe... No... But still... All this conjecture and no real answers, she would weather her worries as she always did and now with Luna, John, Spike and even Discord she had to reluctantly admit things looked bright but still... She yearned for something more, something she'd never had but witnessed thousands of times, a foal... She loved Spike with all her heart but a foal of her own... She'd have to talk to Luna about that spell, John was not ready she was sure but someday mayhap... Even some facets of regular everyday Equestria life still freaked him out, or maybe just finding himself here... Though to her he'd adjusted quite quickly it seemed, all their time talking while she had him a 'captive' audience helped but even after that they'd talked at length many times. He never treated her differently, in public he showed proper deference as expected by society but she was just Celestia or Tia when they were alone, he tried to avoid being in public whenever possible mind you but she dragged him out by her side occasionally and be damned to the nay-sayers! She'd found herself more and more attracted to him the more they were together and was surprised when he reciprocated despite the 'differences' between them. One thing led to another and... Well, nature took its course. It had been so long she’d worried she'd be... Unable, unsuitable, unwanted... But again she'd been surprised by him and herself, his passion rose to meet hers feeding on each other growing and growing... She shuddered slightly a longing building in her, it wasn't too long until dawn... Perhaps a little early morning glory? She shifted over slightly to wake him... Thrummm... She couldn't have been more surprised if the tower itself shook distracted as she was she slipped right out of bed pulling the sheets and John along to fall on top of her. "Whoa! What...? Oh..." He smiled sleepily then leaned down to kiss her shyly. "Morning Tia, what happened?" He asked yawning looking around confused. Before she could reply she felt her sister teleporting in as well as the now all too familiar feeling of Discords unique magic. "Sister did you feel..." Luna and Discord appeared she looking around franticly her gaze finally falling on the two of them sprawled on the floor intimately her face going a bit red. "I think perhaps this is not the best time for that sister." She slyly smiled at Celestia with a wink pulling the sheets up with her telekinesis to cover Johns bare butt eliciting an amused snort from Discord before she turned her gaze to John. "And you John, dallying about in my sisters bed without a care! I doth see no ring upon her horn yet." She teased with a smile. "What?! But I... We... Wait a sec, Discord still hasn’t given you a..." "Irrelevant! As a Princess of Equestria I am entitled to my perks..." She giggled giving Discord a hip bump though he looked a bit uncomfortable. "But Tia is a princess as we..." "Irrelevant...!" Thrummm...! This time the windows really did rattle everyone froze each trying to gauge where it came from. "As much as I love watching you tease Celestia’s pet human my sweet, and I do..." He grinned. "But perhaps something else needs our attention?" Luna rolled her eyes slightly at her beloveds continued hostility... Well perhaps just considerable dislike of humankind, he'd never tried to hurt John thankfully she really didn't want to deal with the can of worms that would open should that happen. Her sister’s wrath was not to be taken lightly, but through herself and more so perhaps her precious little godchild Star he seemed to accept Rick now at least though the fact he lived in Ponyville might have something to do with it. Still other than then occasional snarky comment he left John alone and for now she supposed that was the best she could hope for. "I guess your right Dissy..." She teased making him blush again. "But where is it coming from?" "Is Canterlot under attack?" John asked concerned. "Anyone would be exceedingly foolish to attack here boy." Discord sneered. "Chrysalis attacked." He shot back unimpressed. "Humph, I wasn't here then, if I had..." "Shush you two, Tia...?" Luna leaned down to her sister noticing her eyes closed and look of concentration on her face. "Got it." Suddenly her horn lit up filling the room with light teleporting them all before a large sturdy door decorated with Celestia's star and Luna's moon before it two frantic guard ponies who spun around freezing finding their two Princess’s, Discord and a naked human with a pile of clothes beside him. "Sorry John." She apologized as he frantically covered himself and tried to get dressed at the same time. "Report." "Princess!" They snapped to attention facing her and bowing turning awkwardly to Luna. "Princess!" And Discord. "Milord!" And even half-dressed John. "Sir!" "About fifteen minutes ago someone? Something? Tried to get out of the vault... I think, it was a strange pulse of energy, no damage to the door but the wave passed through effortless..." "No, not effortlessly..." Celestia whispered looking past the door to the many wards she and Luna had placed on the room within, cracked, badly damaged. "Sister..." "I see, what could have done this?" "I'm not sure... we will have to keep a close eye on it, but first..." "Together?" "Together." They stood side by side eyes closed and horns aglow power passing between them growing and growing... The guards fur and Johns hair began to stand on end Discord ushering all three of them behind him surprisingly enough. "I think that will quite do ladies, wouldn't want the whole castle falling down on us now would we?" He chuckled. Finally, their horns touched setting off their spell replacing the damaged ward with another a hundredfold stronger and a little something else... As they finished Discord sent a bit of his own power into it, practically unnoticeable to anyone, almost anyone... "Discord!" "Relax Celestia, simply a bit of extra insurance." "How did you even manage to lace that into our spell... Luna!" "Sister it's fine, trust me..." "I do; I do..." She shook her head and forced a smile. "Guards?" "Yes Princess?" They rushed up front and center. "Keep a close watch and let us know if anything changes, let your replacements know as well." "Of course Princess! Um... What exactly are we watching for?" "Cracks..." She spun gesturing Luna, Discord and John close. "There may be some concern today, we must downplay what we can." "What did happen though Tia?" John asked. "I'm not sure, if something broke in and couldn't escape... But this is where we keep the Elements..." "Oh..." "We understand sister, should we contact Twilight and..." "Not yet... I hate to bother them should it turn out to be nothing..." "Nothing? Very well, tonight when we have more information..." "Tonight..."