Sins of the Ancients

by Tundara

Chapter Three: Of Breakfast and Magic

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter 3: Of Breakfast and Magic

"Magic shackled and distant,
She will be vulnerable for a time."

-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

Twilight woke with a start. She blinked twice looking up at a simple wooden roof and weathered beam. Turning her head she looked around.

She was in a small bed in a small room. A few steps from the bottom of her bed sat a simple green door. To her right a dresser painted a garish green with a small vase of flowers on top. Between the dresser and the door was a body length mirror while on the other side was a single window with its shutters drawn. Through the shutter’s rungs streamed several thin beams of sunlight onto Twilight. All in all the room was small and sparse but with a certain homey charm Twilight would have attributed to Applejack's farmhouse.

Her first coherent thought after taking in her surrounding was that she wasn't in her own bedroom.

Her second thought was of the final moments before she had fallen unconscious.

Her third thought was that she really, really, really didn't want to think about the final moments before falling unconscious.

It was too late however. Unwanted the image of an arrow thrusting itself out of her belly appeared in her mind's eye. Twilight could hear the rocks and stone settling from the avalanche and the smell of dirt and sap filled her nostrils. Groaning she reached up and pressed her palms into her eyes. A louder groan came with the realisation that it all hadn't been some terrible nightmare brought on by eating spicy food before bed.

"How in Celestia's name did I get here?" Twilight asked tossing aside the blankets covering her and rolling to her feet.

Standing she pressed a hand to her stomach where the arrow had been. There was a minor flair of tenderness but otherwise she felt rather alright. Better than alright in fact. Twilight felt refreshed and energised as if she’d spent the day at the spa with Rarity or Fluttershy. Wondering how long she had been in bed Twilight stretched her alien body to a chorus of joints popping. As she turned and twisted out the last stiffness from her muscles Twilight caught sight of herself in the tall mirror. Pausing Twilight wondered what to examine more: her surroundings or herself.

Who ever had brought her to the room couldn’t be dangerous. It’d probably been one of the humans she’d met when she first woke up. It was an assumption Twilight knew and she as a rule didn’t care to assume things. But with an absence of a way to prove or disprove the idea it was a suitable working point to continue from for the time being. Nothing about the room said anything other than ‘rustic’ and ‘humble’.

Decision made Twilight stepped forward finally getting a good look at her borrowed body.

Gazing at herself Twilight noticed that she was almost naked wearing only some sort of very tiny white pants around her hips and a band of cloth on her upper torso. More evidence of human’s penchant for clothing. She was also... curvy.

Running her hands over her body felt a little strange. Twilight still wasn’t certain how to think of herself. It wasn’t her body. Shaking her head to clear the unsettling ideas Twilight adopted a scientific attitude. She was like a biologist studying a new never before encountered species. The idea that it was herself that she was studying continued to niggle at the back of Twilight’s mind.

“Right, okay, ‘curvy’, that’s ... uh... yeah. So, let’s see, everything, uh, feels normalish, except my chest. I appear to have... Eh, yeah, ha-ha-ha! If the hair wasn’t indication then that makes it obvious Humans are mammals. Already knew I was in a female. Ha-ha-ha, wouldn’t that have been something if I was in a male? Erk, don’t think about that, Twilight. Although, does this mean that whoever I’m in has a foal?”

Twilight really didn’t want to ponder that thought. By pony standards Twilight was young, an adult sure, but still rather young. She had only reached adulthood shortly before moving to Ponyville. By her own standards Twilight thought of herself more as a student than a grown mare somewhere in that awkward stage between. It didn’t help that she was the youngest out of her friends. The last thing Twilight wanted was to be responsible for a foal. Sure, she had partially raised Spike, but even she admitted that the Palace staff had done more than Twilight. Spike was more like her little brother.

“Maybe she doesn’t have a child and this is normal for the species, Twilight. Yeah, better not jump to conclusions. Yeah, ha-ha-ha...” Scrunching her eyes Twilight pushed down the rising anxiety. “Okay, focus. Treat this like any other experiment. We need to take observations. Right, what am I doing? I am talking to myself while in a strange body and wearing hardly any clothes.”

She wasn't too worried about not wearing clothes. Most ponies hardly ever wore any outside the large cities and some of the frontier towns. To ponies they were entirely extraneous accessories used most often for parties and other social gatherings. Even in the cities most ponies didn’t wear clothes for day-to-day activities. Humans it'd be a different matter Twilight reasoned staring at her almost hairless new body. Almost hairless because there were some very fine hairs on her lower arms and legs. Not enough to protect her from the elements. It certainly explained why the humans she had been with had all been wearing clothes. As Twilight watched them the hairs seemed to rise up as a little chill crawled up her back. Rubbing her arms Twilight was surprised to find the friction caused the hairs to lay flat again.

Twilight turned her attention to her actual shape. She was very lightly built with little muscle and shaped a bit like an hourglass where her waist came in between her hips and chest. Not as petite as Sun, but not far off either Twilight suspected. Her skin was a smooth cream colour showing sharp contrasting lines where it turned dark at her neck and wrists where clothes didn't normally cover her. Exposure to the Sun darkened the skin Twilight guessed. Then there were the scars. The most prominent wasn't the angry red puckered spot on her stomach where the arrow had been but a series of deep wide marks across the left side of her chest. At some point some large predator had attacked her. There were others, so many Twilight didn't want to count them all. Strait lines, jagged lines, parallel lines, all making her new body into a kind of living map for an alien town.

"Jasmine sure seems to live a rough life," Twilight grumbled, tracing some of the scars. “Maybe Vernon was lying about their activities? Or is this much scarring normal for a human wizard?”

Oddly there wasn't a single scar on her face. Twilight recalled what Vernon had said when she had first woken up in this borrowed body.

'Don't worry, the arrow missed your face,' he had said.

"And she must be a bit vain about her face," Twilight added rolling her eyes, her soft steel-grey eyes.
Twilight felt a pang of sadness. She missed her own lavender eyes that matched the colour of her fur. She reached up and grabbed a lock of hair and examined it. It was a rich dark brown, very coarse, and a tangle of knots and split ends. Twilight wasn't the most particular pony about her looks, but even she liked to keep her mane combed and neat. Jasmine apparently didn't extend the vanity of her face to her hair.

On the dresser Twilight spotted a comb and without thinking about it reached over, picked it up, and started to absently comb her hair. It was slow going at first. From how it caught on a snarl every stroke Twilight had to wonder when, if ever, Jasmine had last combed. After several minutes work it began to move through the thick hair with, if not ease, then at least with less interruptions. As she continued to brush Twilight turned her attention to her face.

Like the other humans it was very different but eerily similar to a pony’s. It was expressive, especially the eyes, with a slender nose turned ever so slightly up. The lips were a bit different being fuller and a few shades darker than the rest of her skin. Between hair and eyes was a broad flat forehead. Her cheekbones were high and prominent with a tapered jaw and almost no chin. Twilight recalled the strong jutting chins of the three males she had met yesterday. Perhaps it was a feature of the males like how stallions had larger longer faces. Lyra might have known.

Twilight paused, frowning, watching her reflection’s lips curl downwards and her large broad hornless brow pinch together. That was the second time she had thought about the sea-foam green unicorn. They had never really spoken much not sharing any interests. Twilight could only ever recall having had one conversation with her. Lyra had come to the library and asked about books on Humans. Twilight recalled she had given the other mare a blank stare before humouring her. There hadn't been any books about the mythological creatures of course. The Ponyville library was too small to carry books on such obscure creatures.

And now, she was one, Twilight thought with a wry smile that quickly became a frown again.

She didn't want to be one. She wanted to be home in her library with her number one assistant and a big pot of chamomile tea.

A knock on the door snapped Twilight from her thoughts before she could begin to pine for her research and dear friends.

"Excuse me, Miss, but be you awake?" asked a female voice.

The voice had a musical quality to its accent that in only a few words managed to conjure up an image of a mist shrouded pond on the edge of some woods in Twilight’s mind.

Twilight gave an affirmative, turning to inspect her back in the mirror. More scars and her hair falling to the nape of her neck greeted her eyes.

"Oh, begging your pardon," the woman said as the door swung open. She covered her eyes and looked away from Twilight adding, “I didn’ be expectin’ you to bein’ up so soon, Miss.”

'Yes, clothes are definitely more than just for fashion and a statement,' Twilight thought to herself, saying out loud, "I'm sorry, but I seem to be missing my clothes."

The woman gave a small laugh, "That'n bein' as I had ‘em to clean all the blood outta 'em, miss."

Blinking it took Twilight a moment to decipher what the woman had said. The mental image of the pond and mist still hung about the lilting quality of the voice, but the words seemed to tumble and flow into each other. Noticing the clothes in the woman’s arms the words meaning clicked into place.

“Oh, thank you. That was very kind of you.”

“Be thinkin’ nothin’ of it, Miss. You be doin’ the same fer any o’ me or me own.”

Twilight took the folded clothes and placed them on the bed wondering how to put them on. She remembered that yesterday she’d been wearing what she had believed to be a dress or something. Rarity or perhaps Fluttershy with her obsession with Prance fashion might have been able to tell Twilight. All she knew was there was a lot of cloth and she didn’t know how it all fitted together. Deciding perhaps the other woman might have some idea Twilight turned to her asking for help.

“Oh, certainly, Miss. I be supposin’ you noble ladies don’ be knowin’ how to be dressin’ your selves like.”

The woman gave a laugh closing the door and un-shielding her eyes.

The next several minutes were filled with Twilight turning in circles, pulling on loose underclothes and skirts, belts belted and buckles buckled to the other woman’s instructions. Twilight wanted to ask why the other woman thought she was a noble. There certainly didn’t seem to be anything to indicate she was noble, Twilight thought. Quality of the cloth perhaps played a role. Or maybe it was the style. There could have been dozens of social queues Twilight had missed she realised. It wasn’t like she was the most attentive or observant of even pony society. She was always so consumed with her studies. At last it came to an end and Twilight was again standing in front of the mirror.

Robes, she was wearing robes Twilight realised. Tawny brown and well travelled with pockets practically everywhere. A belt of soft white leather had several pouches dangling down Twilight’s hips. Down the side of her right shoulder was a corded link of knots of white, gold, and dark blue. The robes seemed designed to smother and hide her figure Twilight wryly realised.

“Your boots be down by the door miss,” the woman said behind Twilight, drawing Twilight’s eyes to her reflection in the mirror. “We don’t be wearin’ our boots in-doors in this house.”

Now she wasn’t being commanded on how to dress herself Twilight finally got a good look at the other woman. The first thing she noticed was this woman had a long pointed chin. So much for the theory about only males having long chins Twilight thought to herself. She was a little more weathered looking with brown eyes, hazel hair, and a prominent nose. The woman’s figure was hard to deduce with the plain tan dress she wore but she was a bit taller than Twilight. She had a matriarchal air about her and a sort of gruff tenderness that reminded Twilight of her friend Applejack.

“Thank you for your help,” Twilight said, straightening out her hair.

Maybe she could find a way to put a pink highlight in it Twilight thought. Then again maybe she should leave it be, this wasn’t her body after all.

The other woman gave a soft smile and opened the door. “Well, will you be joinin’ us for breakfast?” she asked when Twilight continued to stare at her own reflection in the mirror.

Snapping out of her stupor Twilight gave a nervous laugh following the woman into the hall and down a very narrow flight of stairs. At the mention of breakfast Twilight’s stomach gave an imploring lurch. She hadn’t realised how hungry she had become which wasn’t unusual when Twilight was deep in research or an experiment.

“Breakfast sounds great. Thank you so much,” Twilight gave a genuine laugh adding, “Um, I was wondering, I was travelling with four friends. They aren’t here are they? Actually, how did I get here at all? How long was I out? I have so many questions...”

Stopping half way down the stairs the woman sighed and looked at her own feet.

“As to that, Miss, I be lettin’ me Jasper do the tellin’. But I can be tellin’ you that you only slept one night while you’re wound be tended.”

Twilight felt a heavy sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. From the way the other woman avoided looking her in the eyes Twilight got the feeling that the news about her friends wasn’t good. It was a small shock to realise that even though she had known them only for an afternoon she had started to think of the four humans as something more than just acquaintances. Twilight didn’t quite feel the same pull of friendship she had with the friends left behind in Ponyville, she could feel the bonds forming and to have them missing left a sudden emptiness. The previous day hadn’t been so different from the first journey through the Everfree Forest. That had only been little more than a day in length and she had come out if it with five of the closest friends she would ever have. Thinking about Vernon and Eric probably killed in the avalanche and not knowing what happened to Sun and Kodiak brought small tears to Twilight’s eyes.

“Now now, Miss, don’t be cryin’ yet. There be hope that some of your friends be out there still.”

Sniffling back the tears Twilight gave a hasty nod. She didn’t want to think about the horrific end to the previous day. Changing subjects as she wiped the last tear from her eye with the sleeve of her robe Twilight said, “I’m sorry, I just realised I haven’t asked for your name.”

“Maggie, Maggie Conrad. Wife of Jasper Conrad,” the woman called over her shoulder as she stepped off the stairs and into a large brightly lit room.

Twilight was again reminded of her friend Applejack, this time for how similar the house was to her friend’s in Ponyville. The paint was as bright on the walls, and the windows were a touch smaller, but it had the same rustic feel and charm. Across from the stairs landing was a large door held open by a wedge shoved under it letting in a stream of light and fresh air. Windows had been opened on the walls letting in a pleasant cross breeze. The walls were covered in paintings of humans. Some were of just the face while others had humans standing in poses or grouped together. There were only paintings, no photograph. Maybe humans hadn’t discovered photography yet. It was still relatively new to ponies.

“What a lovely home,” Twilight breathed filling up with warmth at the homey setting as the sad thoughts were pushed farther back in her mind. “Oh, and my name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“Twilight Sparkle, that be an odd name, but I ain’t one to be judge,” Maggie said causing a blush to creep up on Twilight’s face. “I be having one of me brother’s callin’ himself Moon Lord the Great these last few years. Poor fool went and got his mind addled in the last war.”

Twilight wasn’t sure Maggie was joking to make her feel better or telling the truth. Still she gave out a soft uncertain laugh.

“So, you are awake at last,” said a man from a long table stretching down the middle of the kitchen when Maggie and Twilight entered. “I hope I did a good enough job on your wound. I am a few years out of practice so I couldn’t do much for the scar sadly. Though I noticed it wasn’t going to be without company, if’n you understand.”

Maggie gave out a curt snort, “Jasper, be minding your manners!”

“Oh hush, Maggie, it’s all in good fun.”

Jasper laughed getting out of his seat and pulling out a chair for his wife before sitting down again. Twilight blinked sitting herself to Maggie’s right. Across from them sat three children. All brown haired like their mother. At least Twilight assumed that Maggie was their mother. Her suspicions were confirmed a moment later.

“Miss Sparkle, these be our children. Tom is the oldest. April is the middle one. And that be little Laurence. And Laurence, be getting your hand out of your food!” The final statement was accompanied by Maggie reaching across the table to slap her sons hand out of his plate of what appeared to be bread, cheese, cut apples, and something brown and wet looking.

Twilight glanced at each child in turn as he or she was introduced.

Tom was, Twilight guessed, a youth nearing adulthood. He had that stretched out look some ponies got during their final growth spurts. Sitting at his father’s left Tom was about half a head taller but somewhat scrawnier than the head of the house. Sharing his mother’s long nose, small brown eyes, and chin further enhanced the stretched out look. He was giving Twilight a look of mixed distrust and anger that puzzled her. Not knowing why he was giving her such a look Twilight was just happy that she was starting to understand human facial expressions better.

Despite being the middle child, April was the smallest of the Conrad children. Her dark hair was pulled into a pair of bouncing tails each held by red ribbons that danced and bobbed over her shoulders with each frantic motion of her head. Large bright blue eyes drilled into Twilight as a large beaming smile made her round cherubic face shine. She was a picture of exuberant childhood that reminded Twilight of Apple Bloom and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“But mama, it is easier!” the final child, Laurence, said around a mouthful of food as Twilight turned her attention to him.

He was only an inch or so taller than his sister with a similarly round face and blue eyes. The similarities ended there. Like his brother he had a large nose that seemed almost out of place on the young face. His hair was cut short and had a dusty sheen to it like the boy had been rolling around in the dirt. He was all energy and quick sharp movements, hands flying food to his mouth with such speed Twilight was wondering when he was breathing.

“No back talk at this table mister,” Jasper said in a stern voice that made Twilight’s toes curl. She could only imagine how the child managed to stare back at his father. “Apologise to your mother then either eat properly or get started on your chores. The pigs still need slopping from what I saw coming back from the orchard.”

“Yes, Papa,” Laurence muttered picking up a fork in a manner similar to how Spike would hold a quill. Twilight watched the movements for a moment before mimicking them.

She couldn’t tell exactly what was on her plate beside the sliced apples and bread. Experimentally she poked it with the fork. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Jasper spear his own piece with his fork and then cut off a slice with a small knife. It seemed to be the choice serving of the breakfast for the entire family. Picking up her own knife she found when she applied the same technique the substance practically disintegrated on her plate.

Lifting up the small portion Twilight asked, “What is this?” before popping it into her mouth. Warm juices exploded in her mouth making her eyes shoot open. Flavours she had never encountered rolled over her tongue in a delightfully playful dance. The texture was like melting string. Twilight didn’t even have to hardly chew.

“It be Morning Delight,” Maggie said nibbling on an apple. “Beef slow cooked overnight in its own juices with some choice herbs from the garden.”

“Beef?” Twilight asked swallowing.

“Surely you be knowing what beef is?”

Twilight shook her head spearing a second piece of the ‘Morning Delight’. She had to admit the name was apt.

“Why, it be cow, miss.”

The fork and meat were moments away from Twilight’s mouth when the word hit her brain. Beef, cow, meat; she had just eaten another creature. At once her gorge raised itself demanding the single content of her stomach be expelled. Dropping the fork and suddenly disgusting thing on its tines Twilight leapt from her seat and dashed for the door. Shocked silence fell on the table as Twilight’s dry heaving could be heard through the open door. After a minute Maggie got up and went to the door.

“You bein’ alright, Miss Sparkle?” she asked Twilight from the doorway.

Twilight stood up slowly her stomach still a tight ball of churning nausea.

“Yes, I just wasn’t expecting... that.”

As the two women entered the kitchen again Jasper said, “I gather from your reaction you’ve never had meat before.”

His look was critical and appraising, like he was expecting a lie.

“No, I’ve never eaten meat before.” Twilight couldn’t look at the brown lump on her plate afraid the sight would cause her stomach to convulse again. When she finally built up enough courage to look she noticed that it had been removed. With a relieved sigh and aware of the unpleasant pinch of hunger in her belly Twilight turned her attention to the cheese, bread, and apples.

“But everyone eats meat!” little April said, her eyes suspicious daggers. “Even Mama who cries when Papa kills the chickens or the pigs or the-“

“Hush now, April,” Maggie said, mercifully ending her daughter’s glare with one of her own.

“It is more than a bit strange, Mama,” Tom said, his voice deeper than his fathers.

Twilight stayed fixated on her bread not wanting to look the family in the face. She could feel her cheeks burning and was intently aware of her error. She should have realised humans were omnivorous from her teeth. Dietary habits just hadn’t entered her mind for a moment. Berating herself for her foolishness Twilight missed the rest of the conversation until she was brought out by a question from Laurence.

“Papa, what do her Knots mean?”

Blinking away her self-recriminations Twilight looked over to Jasper, interested in the answer. She wasn’t sure what was being asked only that it might have something to do with Jasmine’s identity. Jasper seemed to consider the question carefully while looking at the ceiling. Coming to a decision he nodded to his daughter.

“April, you’ve been studying the Knots in class. Why don’t you tell us what they mean?”

The girls face lit up like the sun and she jumped from her chair racing around the table to Twilight’s side. Peering up at the cord dangling from Twilight’s shoulder the girl seemed to lose herself in thought for a moment. Then she took a deep breath that was followed by a stream of words that would have made Pinkie Pie proud.

“She has three cords, White, Gold, and Royal Blue in six Knots. Wow! She has six Knots, Papa! The first cord is for where you are from, white meaning that you have no home and are a traveler. The second cord is for your profession usually, but since she has three it shows her position in the court in the palace. Gold means that, oh wow, she’s related to the King and on the List of Succession! But since she has a white first cord she must be low on the List as everyone closely related to the King has their own lands that they govern. The third cord is for her profession then and it is royal blue, meaning that she is a wizard. She’s a wizard! And there are six Knots meaning... um... what do six Knots mean, Papa? I’ve never heard of anyone having more than three.”

“Wizards are a bit different, April. Their Knots show the level of mastery of the Circles. Six Knots means Miss Sparkle is proficient in some of the highest levels of magic.”

“Oh,” April said pausing to consider the implications before finishing her explanation. “So, from your Knots we can see you are a relative of the king who travels and is a powerful wizard.”

She gave a proud nod before scampering back to her chair. Her father gave April an approving smile.

“Very good, April, I am glad to see you taking so well to your studies.”

April’s face shone with uncontained pride and joy at her father’s words. Her younger sibling gave her a scowl that April either didn’t notice or care about. Tom seemed disinterested. Picking up his plate, the older boy stood saying he had to get to his chores before stomping out of the house. Jasper sighed as the door swung shut. Laurence left the table a moment later his sister on his heels as the two younger children raced out the door.

“Poor Tom, he still blames himself for not getting any of my talents.” Jasper pulled a pipe from a pocket shaking his head. “I’ve told the fool boy enough times it ain’t his fault, but he doesn’t listen.”

Maggie laid a hand on her husband’s arm saying, “He’s afraid he disappointed you, Jasper.”

Feeling uncomfortable Twilight cleared her throat. She wasn’t sure about the family dynamic involved, but she was all too keenly familiar with the sense of crushing failure one got when they believed they had disappointed someone they held in high esteem. The incident with Miss Sparty-pants painfully made its way into Twilight’s mind. The look on Celestia’s face when she had taken her student to the library had almost destroyed Twilight. Feeling the subject needed changing Twilight asked a question that had been off and on bouncing through her mind since she had woken.

“How did you heal my wound? Unless I’ve been sleeping for weeks or more I don’t see how it could be nothing more than a scar.”

“Oh, that,” Jasper said lighting his pipe and giving Twilight a knowing grin. “I know I am not wearing my Knots, but if I were you’d see I got up to four before moving out here and settling down.”

“You can use magic?” Twilight felt her mouth fall open. For some reason imagining the unassuming farmer as a wizard just seemed wrong.

“A bit, mostly along the lines of plants or dealing with physical things. The more esoteric stuff always eluded me.”

“I’m sorry, but you just seem so different from all the scholars and wizards I’ve met.”

“Ha, I am sure I am. Not many give up the craft to grow an orchard, run a farm, and start a family.” Jasper gave his wife’s hand a tender pat. “But I did and I don’t look back for a moment. Keep your libraries and scrolls Miss Sparkle, I want none of it.”

Libraries and scrolls were exactly what Twilight wanted. A pang of longing for her own library and tree-house filled her for a moment. She wondered how Spike was doing. Did her friends know she was gone?

“Except for April. She has the gift Miss Sparkle. If you would permit me to be so bold, but I would ask if you could put in a good word for her at the Academy? I’m afraid my own voice doesn’t carry much weight as you can imagine. Some Fourth Knot way out in the fringes who gave up his studies to farm. Ha, hardly a recommendation at all. They’d decline, politely, of course. Which would be a shame as my April is truly gifted. Not like her Pa.” He puffed on his pipe sending up a ring of smoke to the ceiling while his wife and Twilight remained silent.

“She knew you be coming,” Maggie said after a moment. “April be dreamin’ about it for the last week. ‘The purple wizard comes, mama. She needs us and we need her.’”

A chill crept up Twilight’s back. She hated prophecies and predictions, mostly as they tended to involve a lot of hassle for her and her friends. Nightmare Moon was the first followed by Discord. Though Twilight hadn’t found that prophecy until after the spirit of chaos had been defeated. That had been an uncomfortable find. Afterwards Twilight had sworn off looking through books of prophecy. She’d rather not know what was coming, especially if it involved her being in some capacity the savior of Equestria. All Twilight wanted was to study, enjoy her friends company and perhaps in a few years teach at the School for Gifted Unicorns, write some books, and settle down with a nice stallion. She had had her fill of adventure and danger.

“It was April who found you and saved your life,” Maggie continued going over to the fireplace where a kettle had been put to boil. “We were working in the north fields when she took off like a rabbit. Tom followed her and came back a half hour later with you in his arms and covered in blood.”

Twilight swallowed a lump in her throat. She had her answer to how she was brought to the farm. Twilight had still hoped maybe Eric or Vernon had carried her, but with them being missing she had started to dismiss that idea. Were they even still alive, and did she dare ask? Unbidden the memory of the avalanche and dusty aftermath filled her sight.

“Tom said he found you and a couple of dead bodies. He didn’t stay to look around seeing you so close to death yourself and worried for April. She refused to leave you behind. Bit Tom’s hand when he tried to pick her up instead of you.”
Closing her eyes she felt a tear begin to form. She had the final answer. Vernon and Eric were dead.

“Your daughter sounds like a hoof-full,” Twilight said with a soft sad voice. “So, your daughter has premonitions? I’ve never studied or put much stock in them myself until I met my good friend Pinkie Pie. She has a way of knowing things just before they happen. I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality and saving my life. I’m sorry I threw up the...”

Snapping her eyes shut Twilight tried to think of things other than the meat and how good it tasted. She really didn’t want to admit that there was a very small craving in the back of her mind that wanted more. But then her rational mind reminded itself that it had once been a living creature and her stomach almost decided to once again eject its contents. But wouldn’t eating meat be required as a dietary necessity she wondered. Frustrated at the conflicting thoughts and emotions Twilight tried to return to the conversation.

Waving a hand Jasper said, “Think nothing of it. I’d do the same for anyone and I am sure you would too. You seem a decent enough woman.”

Twilight nodded steeling herself for her next question. It had only just occurred to her and would perhaps leave her rather vulnerable.

“Do you think you could teach me magic?”

Jasper’s eyes widened while Maggie’s jaw dropped.

“You- you don’t be knowin’ how to use magic? But you have six knots!” Maggie stuttered for a moment setting the kettle on matt in the middle of the table. “Surely you be jestin’. Have a good laugh at the common folk.”

“Let her finish Maggie. There is more to this I sense.”

Nodding Twilight continued explaining that she wasn’t from anywhere near or that she was even in her own body. That statement drew a sharp exclamation from Maggie. The other woman had to excuse herself for a moment to get some fresh air while Twilight finished her tale. She told Jasper about how she had been having a normal day sharing news and gossip with a friend when everything had gone black. The portion of the story about waking in the cave and the trek down the mountain was met with silence. She was careful to avoid mentioning that where she came from humans were barely remembered myths. Jasper finally reacted when Twilight recounted being shot by the arrow after the avalanche.

He had maintained silence throughout the tale. With it finished he stood and went to a cupboard retrieving three large mugs and a bottle of a dark amber coloured liquid. Sitting back down Jasper poured the bottle’s contents into two mugs passing one to Twilight. Gazing at the mug Twilight carefully lifted it and smelled the liquid. It was some strong alcoholic drink that burned Twilight’s nose. Whatever it was put Applejack’s Hard Cider to shame.

“What’s this,” she asked carefully before taking a sip not forgetting her lesson from breakfast.

“Rye whiskey,” Jasper said replacing the whiskey with whatever was in the kettle after he downed his drink in one gulp. “After that story I figured we could all use something stronger than weak watery tea.”

After considering Twilight decided it was better to not drink the whiskey. Jasper seemed to notice but not mind. When Maggie returned she just gave the drink a roll of her eyes before sitting back down and pouring herself some tea.

“So, what be you doing to get things right?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean to get back to my own body? Well, first I’d have to figure out several things. Am I still somewhere on Equestria? How was I transferred to this body? Can I still use magic? I’ve already determined that my old spell weaves don’t work.” Twilight shook her head grunting in exasperation as the problems to overcome kept mounting.

“Hmm, I have an easy way to test if you can use magic still,” Jasper said leaning his chair back on two legs. Twilight watched him for a couple moments marvelling at the balance he displayed despite having no tail. He grinned turning to shout over his shoulder, “April, come in here. I know you’re listening in at the door.”

There was a muffled yelp and the girl trudged into the house hanging her head.

“Yes, papa?”

“Go get the little red box for me, sweetie, if you could.”

April looked up a wide smile flashing onto her round face. In a flurry of swishing skirts and feet slapping the floor she rushed into the main room and up the stairs re-emerging a few minutes later with a small red box in her hands. Putting the box on the table she took a step back, folding her hands behind her back and looking at her parents expectantly.
Leaning forward Twilight looked the box over. It was a couple of hands widths across, one deep, and half again as tall. On its surface were etched intricate designs of flowers and archaic symbols that looked similar to spell weaves used before the classical era of Equestria. Such weaves had fallen out of favour before the time of Star Swirl the Bearded and the founding of Equestria. A small brass lock kept prying eyes away from the boxes contents.

Undoing the lock with a small key in his pocket, Jasper handed the box to Twilight. April gave an excited squeak.

“Open it.”

Twilight looked from Jasper, who sat with an unreadable expression, to April with her barely contained excitement. The girl was practically leaning across the table to watch Twilight. Maggie seemed more interested in the bottom of her tea cup. Turning her attention to the box Twilight tried to open the box, but found it was still locked by some unknown mechanism or was simply stuck. Probably the former Twilight decided. This had ‘test’ written all over it. Setting the box down she spun it around three times to get a good look at every single detail. Nothing in particular stood out.

Deciding to simply try to use magic to open the box she put her hands on either side and pointed her forehead at the box as if she still had her horn. Eyes closed she tried to reach for the small twinge she had felt the previous day. It took her a moment to find the twinge and give it a little poke. Nothing happened. Sighing Twilight opened one eye. This reminded her too much of her test to enter Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.

When she had tried that test Twilight had over thought the problem of hatching Spike’s egg and her magic had entirely failed to manifest. Only later had she learned that hatching the egg was supposed to be impossible as it was a fake. The point had been to see what magic she used in the attempt and how she handled failure. If it hadn’t been for the sonic rainboom triggering dormant magic potential, Twilight never would have gotten into the school, Spike wouldn’t have been born, and who knew what would have happened when Nightmare Moon and Discord returned.

Leaning back Twilight glared at the box entering a kind of staring contest with the eyeless inanimate object. The tension in the room grew thick as April began to slowly loose her exited edge. She looked between Twilight, still glaring at the box, and her father who had poured himself some more tea. On the verge of admitting defeat to herself Twilight did the only thing that came to mind. Dipping a finger into the whiskey she traced on the top of the box the spell weave for ‘Open’. Again nothing happened.

“Where is a Sonic Rainboom when a mare needs one?” Twilight huffed flicking the box with her index finger.

The box popped open.

Twilight’s jaw dropped as she stared at the little red box.

“Well, that was interesting,” Jasper laughed as April gave out a whoop leaping in circles chanting.

“She opened it! She opened it! She opened it!”

“So, what now?” Twilight asked over the still leaping and chanting April.

“Now we see if you can control your magic.”

Jasper stood and motioned Twilight to follow him outside. Twilight had a feeling that she was going to have a very long day.

Comments

[Necrovore]

Heh, start making friends in a new strange land that you can rely on for support as you get your bearings only for them to die and to have to start anew. I have the sudden image of this being a reoccuring tradgedy for Twilight, ending up the only survivor again and again while she slowly pieces together how this new world works enough to figure out how to get back. Hmm...and to take it further...the constant tradgedies can weigh on her mind till her quest to return to Equestria starts to take on a life of its own long after her spirit is broken from the constant loss only to find that when she finally returns she is almost unrecognizable as the Twilight that left while Jasmine has had the time and support to allow her to reconstruct Twilights life, probably greatly helped by Twilights numerous notes and checklists giving good insight into her personality. Add in enough time to allow the others to adapt to what inconsistancies are still there and the Mane cast wont believe Twilight is who she says she is...and wow this just dropped straight into Grimdark...

[Tundara]

343875

Well, the story certainly isn't going to get -that- grimdark. I can promise not everyone Twilight meets will survive, but that is about it. Jasmine does have a leg-up on Twilight, you're right. She's safe, has support, and Twilight is the kind of pony I imagine to have detailed journals not only of her experiments but also of her personal life. But Jasmine is not Twilight. Their differences in personalities will become more evident as the story progresses. I hope at least.

Thank you for your comment Necrovore. I appreciate it greatly.

[khatre]

Twilight almost instantly trusts the people she meets.
I hope that belief in Love and Tolerance does not get her in trouble.