Interrogation
The library’s blinds were still closed, but a sign on the door promised everypony that the Golden Oaks Library would be open again tomorrow. Twilight just needed to make sure some things were in order before she let ponies inside again. To that end, she and Spike were sitting in the basement together, staring at each other.
“Okay, Spike.” She repeated, much more relaxed than before. “One last time. What will you say when somepony comes in?”
Spike smiled brightly. “Hello! Welcome to the Golden Oaks Library. Feel free to browse.”
“Okay.” Twilight nodded. “Now, when a pony leaves with one book I’ve marked as an acceptable loan for 2 weeks, what do you say?”
“Thanks for coming by. Enjoy that book! Just remember to return it in 2 weeks.”
“Perfect. Now, 2 books I’ve marked as acceptable.”
“Thanks for coming by. Enjoy those books! Just remember to return them in 2 weeks.”
Twilight let herself smile. “That’s my number 1 assistant. Okay, and what should you do every 5 hours and 15 minutes?”
“Take one black opal.”
“And when should you take your next black opal?”
Spike had to look at a clock, but it only took him a second to do the needed calculations. “In 3 hours and 45 minutes.”
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay…what else do we have to cover…”
It had been a rather tedious exercise, getting Spike to act normally despite the effects of the black opals. But despite his…delayed reactions, she was making progress. The contacts on his eyes made him look as alert as ever, and with a few rehearsals she managed to turn Spike’s slumping gait into an acceptable walk. And she’d worked out a schedule of Spike taking his…calming opals. Now all that was needed was going through all possible permutations that a conversation might entail. A long list, to be certain. But Rainbow wouldn’t be here for at least another…
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG
Twilight jolted to her hooves, cursing under her breath. Why was Rainbow only early when it was completely inconvenient? There were still over a dozen conversation possibilities she had to cover…but she shouldn’t keep Rainbow waiting, either.
“Okay, Spike. I just need to talk to Rainbow for a minute. Stay here. Get some sleep.”
“Yes…Twilight.” Spike obeyed, walking to his bed and tucking himself in. He’d finally stopped calling her ‘fake Twilight’ or ‘real Twilight’.
Brushing her mane back (a few stray hairs had gotten loose during the frustrating part of Spike’s lessons) Twilight smiled and trotted up to the front door. She opened the door to see Rainbow Dash, her element around her neck. Perfect, Twilight thought to herself.
“Hey, Twi!” Rainbow trotted in. “I was gonna give you one of my spectacular Rainbow Dash entrances, but I remembered that you don’t like patching that hole in your roof over and over. And besides, I already gave you my epic return.”
“Yeah, you did.” Twilight agreed, carefully shutting the door behind Rainbow. “And it was pretty spectacular.”
“Pretty spectacular?” Rainbow dramatically demanded, swooning in a way she’d clearly learned from Rarity. “My entrances have to be the most awesome and cool presentations of my spectacularness! 20 times as much, now that I’m gonna be in the Wonderbolts! They can’t be just ‘pretty spectacular!’”
“MmHmm.” Twilight nodded. She wasn’t sure if Rainbow was joking or not, and she didn’t care. “So, how is the Academy?”
Rainbow snapped back to normal. “It’s sweet! I’m acing all the flight classes, doing great in everything else, and I met this stallion…well, not like that, aheheh, but he’s the son of one of the Wonderbolt’s original members! I’ve met his family…it’s seriously not what you’re thinking, but anyway I’ve got word from one of the first Wonderbolts that I’m a shoo-in! I’ve so close to my dream, I can taste it!”
“Yeah…” Twilight’s smile vanished. “Your dream.”
Rainbow blinked. “Um…is something wrong, Twilight?”
Twilight stepped towards Rainbow, her frown deepening. “Oh, something’s wrong, all right. You really haven’t changed. It’s all about your dreams. YOUR aspirations. What YOU want. After everything that’s happened, you are still as self-centered as ever!”
Rainbow backed away, holding her hooves up defensively. “Woah-woah-woah-woah! Where did this come from?”
“Have you EVER considered what might’ve happened while you were away?! Discord is running around loose, and we need all the elements to stop him. What if he went crazy again? While YOU were off, chasing YOUR dream?!”
“Buh-whah? We…we talked about it…” Rainbow tried to remember the conversation they had before she left, but for some reason it was difficult to think…and her element was glowing brighter…
Twilight kept getting closer, her expression getting angrier and angrier. “You call yourself the element of loyalty, but the truth is, you’re only loyal to yourself. Oh sure, you’re loyal when it’s convenient, when it’s expected, when everypony’s gonna praise you for it.” Twilight shook her head harshly.
“But loyalty…REAL loyalty…is staying by your friends no matter what. When it’s hard, when everypony else is against you, when it’s safer to just run. It’s being loyal ALL the time, not just when it’s convenient.”
Rainbow was babbling, trying to reassure her friend that she was completely loyal. She was completely loyal! She was the element of loyalty! “I…I can do that! I’ll do that!”
“Oh, really?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “From what I’ve seen, you won’t. As soon as it gets hard, or even just BORING, you’ll fly off chasing your selfish dream and leaving us all behind. Leaving ME behind.”
“No! I won’t do that! I swear!” Rainbow desperately insisted. The idea that she’d come across as disloyal made her feel sick to the stomach. Even sicker than usual.
“Talk is cheap, Dash. You’re gonna have to prove you’re the element of loyalty.” Twilight tapped the necklace around Dash’s neck, which was glowing fiercely now. “You have to put what your friends need over what you want. Loyalty is more important than the Wonderbolts.”
“Yeah…yeah.” Rainbow Dash nodded wholeheartedly. “A lot more important. 20 times more important. I’ll never leave you guys hanging again.”
“And the Academy?” Twilight pointedly asked.
Rainbow thought for a minute. Another delayed reaction. “I…I’ll drop out! Stay here! I’ll always be around, I won’t let you down again!”
Twilight finally let herself smile. “No. You won’t. I know you won’t.”
Rainbow nodded, glad that she’d reassured Twilight of her loyalty. Now she had to prove it. “So…is there anything I can do for you?”
“Not right now.” Twilight remarked. “You can go now. I’ll call you if I need you.”
“Okay…so when should I tell everypony that I’m going to be sticking around longer?”
“Wait a bit.” Twilight insisted. “We’ll tell everypony later. Right now, we’ve got other things to worry about. Spike?” she called out.
The baby dragon slowly walked up the stairs and stepped up to Rainbow. “Hello! Welcome to the Golden Oaks Library! Feel free to browse.”
Twilight just facehoofed.
Rainbow blinked, more than a little confused. “Um…Spike? You okay? It’s…me, remember?”
Twilight interjected before Spike could give another automatic answer. “Aheheheh…it’s nothing. Spike’s a little airheaded after a cold he had…anyway. Spike, where’s that book on the Crystal Empire? We need to come up with ideas for impressing the Games Inspector…”
--------------------------
Elsewhere
-------------------------
It went without saying that the Changeling Prison Hive was an unpleasant place. Black corridors lit by sickly green lights, the occasional waterspout dripping down the walls and ceiling, the glowing eyes of the glowering Changeling guards…it was not a place anypony or anyling wished to stay for long. The stale air and cold wind made it even more uncomfortable for anypony unfortunate enough to have to walk through it.
Shining Armor was already on edge. The thought of facing Twilight after everything that had happened was bad enough. Even though the Changeling Ruler could cut himself off from the rest of the hivemind (and had done so to stay focused), he could feel his subjects baying for her blood. But she was still his sister, and condemning her wasn’t something he could do easily. He knew she blamed him for what happened to Celestia and Cadence, and even after all this time, he wasn’t sure if he didn’t deserve the blame.
But then Fluttershy came and messed up his already fragile composure. Fluttershy with her doubts, her questions, and her pictures…for some reason, Shining Armor had brought the mysterious picture book with him. Whether he liked it or not, Fluttershy had raised a lot of questions in his mind, and he wanted answers.
He came up to what looked like a dead end. Two guards, a Changeling and a unicorn, were standing in front of a smooth rock in the wall. They both saluted when Shining Armor walked up.
“Sir! Everything is in order. The prisoner is conscious, but the restraints are still on. I’ve set up the necessary unicorn magic and sound blocking spells.”
“Good.” Shining Armor nodded. “I don’t want anypony or anyling to hear this. That includes you two.”
“Understood, sir!”
“Has she said anything.”
“No sir. She’s offered no resistance or even spoken since we moved her. It’s…unusual, if I may say so, sir.”
“Huh.” Shining Armor thought for a moment. Seemingly on a whim, he cast an illusion spell that transformed him into a perfect image of the stallion he had been before he had been converted. Neither of the guards commented. “Very well. Open the door.”
With a nod, the unicorn cast a spell. The smooth black rock was…moved, for lack of a better word to describe it, revealing a small interrogation room. There was very little inside but a Changeling lantern, a rock table, and two chairs. One of them was occupied.
Twilight was still bound in chains, the magic suppressor around her horn. There was no way she was going to free herself, and judging by her resigned demeanor, she knew it. When she looked up to see Shining Armor walking into the room, for a split second her eyes brightened and her mouth smiled. But it was quickly gone, and she looked down at the ground.
No screaming, no ranting, not even a glare? This is unusual. Shining admitted to himself. But it could still just be a manipulation.
The rock door closed behind him, leaving the two of them alone in the room. Twilight didn’t even bother to look up when Shining took the seat opposite of her. For the longest time, there was an unbearable silence.
Finally, Shining spoke up. “Twilight. Why did you go to Fluttershy’s cottage?”
Twilight gulped. “I…I…I thought it’d be safe…”
“Why would you think that?” Shining demanded. “After what you did, why did you think you would be safe there?”
Twilight glanced up. “I…what did I…I didn’t do anything…”
“Didn’t do anything?” Shining asked incredulously. “You attacked her cottage, killed one of the caretakers, and took out Fluttershy’s eye!”
Twilight’s head shot up, her eyes wide with disbelief. “What?! No! I would never…I would NEVER do anything like that! I swear!”
She’s genuinely shocked at the notion. I can taste her disgust. But how can she not remember? Is this amnesia? Or has she found a way to simulate emotions that can trick a Changeling’s senses?
Shaking his head clear, Shining continued interrogating her. “I find that difficult to believe.”
“I didn’t hurt her. I didn’t hurt her…whatever you think I did, it wasn’t me…”
Shining cocked an eyebrow. “Who else could it be? The only unicorn in Equestria with enough magical skill to use the blades spell that took out her eye, use the anti-healing spell on Applejack, and teleport all the way from the Golden Oaks Library to the cottage is Twilight Sparkle. And you are Twilight Sparkle, correct?”
“A-Applejack too?” The stunned Twilight looked to the side. “Y-yeah, I’m Twilight but…I’m not…the one you’re talking about…”
Shining decided to change the subject. This was taking too long, and none of his real questions were getting answered. Taking the book off his back, he set it down on the table. “What is this?”
Twilight blinked in surprise. “My photo book? I…I must have left it at the cottage…”
Shining Armor flipped the book open to the shot of the wedding party. “What did you think you could accomplish with this?!” he demanded, slamming his hoof down on the image.
Twilight shook her head. “I- I didn’t think to accomplish anything, it’s just a picture I took, if you just let me explain…”
“Explain what?” Shining growled with frustration. He couldn’t even look at the picture. The spectre of what could’ve been still hurt his eyes. “What are you trying to tell me? Are you trying to hurt me by reminding me what might’ve gone differently?! How happy I could’ve been? Is this another attack? What could you POSSIBLY TELL ME?”
“I’M NOT YOUR TWILIGHT!” the unicorn finally snapped.
Shining just blinked. “What?”
“I’m not…look, this is gonna sound insane, but it’s the truth. I swear.” Twilight took a deep breath. “I…I’m not the Twilight who did all that to you. I’m from…a different…uh, reality? Dimension? Alternate Timeline?”
“Alternate Dimension.” Shining said flatly.
“Yeah…it sounds crazy, I know, and I can’t explain it very well myself, but…look, all I know is that two days ago, I was in the library in Ponyville. I was getting ready for bed, and then this…other me appeared in the room. I thought it was my future self, like that Tuesday loop I had once…”
“Mm hmm.” Shining groaned inwardly. This sounded like something out of a comic strip. But, he might as well listen to the whole story.
“She was raving about the wedding, yelling about how a Changeling was going to impersonate Princess Cadence, but I told her that I’d already been through the wedding. That everything had gone well. I showed her the book…” Twilight tried to tap the book on the table, but the chains stopped her. “And then she got really quiet…muttered something about…Lateses’ hypothesis, I think? I didn’t quite hear her…I turned around and she’d…changed.”
“Changed how?” Shining asked. Despite his skepticism, something about her story made his ears prick up.
“She looked…like me. More like me, I mean. Well, she looked different before. Taller, more muscles, a couple scars…and this weird look in her eye. But yeah, she changed and then…she started screaming about ‘taking the life that should’ve been hers’…and then I woke up in the middle of YOUR library. And that’s…all I know.”
Shining Armor wanted to scoff. To dismiss this tale as a fabrication, either as an attempted manipulation or just the imagination of an unstable unicorn, creating a scenario where SHE was the victim.
But something kept stopping him. Something he couldn’t put his hoof on.
It took him a minute to notice, but he realized that the Twilight before him was…smaller than the one he’d confronted a few nights ago. She looked younger, a few years younger. An illusion spell? No, that magic would have been suppressed. What he saw was the truth.
He glanced down at the book on the table. The image that couldn’t be, but was. The photo that had to have been faked or manipulated, but wasn’t. Was it possible that it was real? Just…taken somewhere else? Another dimension? A timeline where things had gone right. It seemed ludicrous…
But then again, he’d thought that an imposter masquerading as the mare he loved was ridiculous.
The last time he’d been deceived, it had cost him everything he cared about. Whatever was going on, he would NOT be tricked AGAIN…but who was really tricking him?
A flash of inspiration struck him. There was one thing he had now that he didn’t have back then. The one thing that no amount of trickery, spells or delusions could mask. Something a Changeling could use but a unicorn could not.
“Stay still.” He commanded, leaning over the table. “I’m going to see how true your story is…”
Twilight, not seeing any other alternative, obeyed. When Shining’s horn touched hers, she instinctively closed her eyes…
The second she shut her eyes, images and words flashed before her.
I told her she wouldn’t just be gaining a husband, she’d be getting a pretty great sister, too!
Love you too, BBBFF!
We’re going to the Crystal Empire!
Princess Celestia obviously thinks I can, or she would never have assigned them to me. And I’m not planning on letting her down.
Friendship is Magic!
Ok, your bro…your…b…your…Shining Armor! Shining Armor’s going to get married, but the bride is actually an evil monster called a Changeling!
…What?
Don’t say anything! That monster is going to destroy everything you love! You have to stop her!
Um…aren’t you a little late for that?
What?!
You’re talking about that Changeling invasion? That happened a long time ago, and we dealt with it just fine. Shining Armor and Cadence are ruling the Crystal Empire now.
But that’s…that’s not possible!
Here, I took pictures!
…
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?
Taking my life back! The life I should’ve had! The life that monster stole from me!
Shining Armor reared back in shock, and Twilight nearly fell off her chair. Both of them gasped for breath, with Shining Armor clutching his head in his hooves.
“You’re telling the truth.” Shining moaned.
Twilight whooped with relief. Maybe things were finally looking up. “You believe me? Thank Celestia!” Twilight blinked. “Hang on…you saw those? I thought unicorns couldn’t see memories like that…”
“They can’t. Changelings can.”
Shining lifted his head up to reveal his segmented eyes and white carapace. Twilight just gaped at the Changeling version of her brother, her mouth too dry to say anything.
Shining Armor, The Changeling Ruler, sighed deeply. “I’m sorry. I owe you an explanation…”
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Don't stop there! Why are you stopping there?
My one comment is this:
MOAR!
I command thee to make more!!!!!
Dun dun dun! Know how is Shining going to send her back? Also, aren't the time frames different? Twilight is in dark Twi's present but dark Twi is in the relative past.
A droplet of water splashed, and the realization was right in front of his face. The water spread out like pieces of a shattered window, and the bells rang. Unfortunately, the problem now is, how can the king bring the familiar gold back to the stone where it belongs, and take the rusted silver that replaced it, without denting the rock?
Wow. I had no clue on how the proof thing was going to be handled.... but you handled it beautifully. great job.
I had been wondering how you would get Shiny from "pfft, she's probably just trying to manipulate us into sympathy" to "Wow... so this really is the Twilight Sparkle I knew and loved, not the one I know and hate?"
You answered that pretty well... though I have to ask: where does the idea that a changeling can read memories come from? I don't remember it being introduced properly in this story... or Changing Times either?
Luna (Royal Canterlot Voice):THOU SHALT WRITE MORE OF THIS WONDROUS WORK OF FICTION!
3343834 Changeling can share memories (which is how Hissy forced Rainbow to experience Twilight's actions) and Unicorns can...enhance? Enforce? Remind? Whatever Twilight was doing in part 2 of Return of Harmony. I figured that it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for a unicorn-turned-Changeling to merge these spells to check a unicorn's story.
You are certainly making alternate twilight VERY dislikable. I even had a small rant after reading that loyalty part.
WHAT NO, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE
I didn't think I could possibly wish even more pain and suffering on this Twilight until now
Oh good at least ONE reality is going right.