Sins of the Ancients

by Tundara

Chapter Eight: Reunions

Sins of the Ancients

Chapter Eight: Reunions

"In the Graveyard of Dreams, The Purple Wizard reconnects with her heritage,
Magic and Wishes, the heart of the Stars rekindled, danger lurking in the mists."
-From the Prophecy of the Purple Wizard

The ferry, more of floating slab of logs lashed together with old rotting ropes, bucked and rocked under Twilight and her friends as it was tugged across the lake by a thick rope tied to the ferry’s side. On the far bank of lake an ox turned a winch in a slow languid trot pulling the ferry ever closer to its destination. Until they reached the far side of the lake Twilight wouldn’t let herself relax.

April stood at one side of the ferry, staring off towards where her family’s farm stood, and the stage where her family had been left. Closing her eyes Twilight tried to fight back the images of the rest of the Conrad family lying dead in spreading pools of crimson on the tithing stage. Her breath hitched, a panic attack beginning to force its way up Twilight’s chest and throat towards her brain. Slapping herself across the face Twilight forced herself to look at April and remind herself she had to remain strong for her. There was no one else in the world who would look after and protect the girl now, only Twilight, and if she forced them too, Kodiak and Sun.

In the distance the Lady in the Lake circled above the town, a long tongue of blue fire rippling through the afternoon sky. Twice the dragon had swooped down already, each time rising again with something gripped in a talon. Climbing to a height equal to the clouds starting to peak over the rims of distant mountains she released the objects she had picked up. Twilight swore she saw little arms and legs flailing in the air as the objects fell.

“Dragons,” Kodiak muttered, watching the blue-bronze dragon dive again, and then start climbing for the third time. “No honour in what she is doing.”

With a start Twilight realised just what the dragon was doing, that she was picking up people and dropping them to their deaths. One long second slipped away, followed by another, and then several more, as Twilight’s feelings on the realisation tried to align. Warm fury beating in her heart, it was impossible to find a rational conclusion. A snort laugh interrupted Twilight before she could dig deeper into her emotions. Sun looked up from where she had been resting against the post the horses had been tied to, a wheat stalk rolling around her tongue.

“She’s doing them and us a kindness, Ko’. How do you think the villagers will re-act to those they catch? No, don’t answer, I’ll tell you. I grew up in the domain of the Lord above the Forest, and there, for committing a murder at a tithe, and one so brazen and disrespectful, we’d have hung the blighters by their genitals from a tree, cut off their hands, and let the blood attract the bears, wolves, or whatever else was hungry.”

The Lady in the Lake had reached an appropriate height it seemed, releasing her cargo with a flick so that it spun and tumbled towards the earth. Twilight swore she could hear a panicked scream. She looked away, conflicting emotions battling inside her head.

“They need to be punished, and everyone needs to know what that punishment was,” Sun continued, watching the black form plummet with narrowed eyes. When it vanished behind a patch of trees she continued, “But the people of that town don’t need on their consciences the kind of things they would do to those... those...” Words seemed to fail the little woman as her face turned red with anger. “They just don’t,” she added quietly after a moment to collect herself.

Kodiak seemed to contemplate his partner’s words for a moment before shrugging and turning away to brood in silence. Twilight wasn’t sure she fully agreed with Sun. A large part of her wanted to be the one picking up and dropping the men that had murdered April’s family. It was a small return for the pain inflicted on April. But she knew it was wrong, and wouldn’t bring the girl her family back. Standing up Twilight joined Kodiak at the barges flimsy railing. Such violent thoughts were new and uncomfortable to Twilight, but they felt so right.

“I’m confused, Kodiak,” Twilight admitted breaking the quiet between her and the large man. He turned his head to look down on her, waiting for Twilight to continue. “I want to just, argh, I don’t know. Make those men pay, more than just the few moments of terror before hitting the ground. They should suffer,” Twilight let her voice drop so April wouldn’t hear what she said next, “Like April is going to suffer for the rest of her life.”

To Twilight’s surprise a little chuckle came from the large normally stoic man.

“What you feel is normal, Sparkle,” Kodiak said. Tapping a thumb to his chest he continued, “My people have a saying, ‘only the dead walk between the mother bear and her cub’.”

A little frown and sigh twitched Twilight’s lips. “So, this is just normal maternal instincts in your species is what you’re saying,” Twilight said, extending the sigh into a groan. Her mind was already going down the road of reviewing everything she knew about extended polymorph spells and their effects on the psyche. While not exactly the same, being trapped in another body rather than having her own altered, it was so similar Twilight figured it may as well be the same.

She was saved trying to remember all the notes she’d ever read written by Star Swirl the Bearded, the most recognised master of polymorph magic, by Kodiak. After everything that had happened Twilight could feel the edges of her sanity fraying. It was only a matter of time before she fell into one of her classic nervous breakdowns. Anything that kept her calm or distracted was a lifeline she would frantically grab.

“I gather such instincts are not so strong in your people.”

“Um, well, yes and no. I mean, our motherly instincts are pretty strong, but, there isn’t this residual need for... I don’t know,”

“Revenge,” Kodiak stated. Both watched as the Lady in the Lake began to climb into the sky for the fifth time. Kodiak gave a harsh laugh when the dragon released her squirming victim. “I know little about you, Sparkle, only what Sun told me she overheard, and that is that you were not born human. From the way you speak, your people sound weak.”

“Hey, we are not weak!”

Kodiak raised his eyes in a look that plainly stated disbelief.

Twilight paused considering Kodiak’s point, thinking about the long history of Equestria. In ancient times the Pegasus nation had been peerless warriors, securing the borders of the first nations and patrolling for anything that would harm the farmers or prevent the unicorn wizards from bringing day and night. It had been a symbiotic relationship fraught with bitter resentment, pettiness and arrogance culminating in attracting the Windigos and the formation of Equestria.

“The Pegasus, they used to be warriors and soldiers,” Twilight triumphantly said, a victorious grin plucking at her face.

Kodiak shrugged. “’Used to be’, you said. What are they now?”

Deflating a little, Twilight ran a flustered hand through her hair, “Well, many things. Whatever their talents tell them they are best at, like music, or weather management, or lots of things.”

“But they are not a society of warriors anymore?” Kodiak pressed.

“Well, no. Some join the royal guards, which is mostly just ceremonial now, or police force,” Twilight grumbled, earning a dull look of incomprehension from Kodiak. “Um, the police are like, uh, city guards I guess. They keep other ponies safe and investigate crimes, that sort of thing.”

“An honourable calling,” Kodiak admitted. “But your people sound soft, Sparkle. When was the last time your people were at war? Or do you even know what true war is like?”

Bristling at the insinuation Twilight admitted truthfully that Equestria had not seen war in many centuries. The candid admission elicited a deep chuckle. Realisation struck Twilight that she was angry at the insinuation that ponies were weak and helpless, angry in the same way that she was angry at the men who had killed April’s family. There was a burning need buzzing through her brain to find a point to counter Kodiak’s assertion that ponies were prey. She didn’t want to seem weak and had to prove herself and her past to him. Before she could launch into a lecture about how Equestria could fight and protect itself, the conversation was interrupted.

“Come on you two, were about to dock. I want to be out of this valley before nightfall,” Sun said, untying the horse’s leads as the barge bumped up against the short dock.

Releasing one of his customary grunts Kodiak left the railing and Twilight, grabbing two of the horses and heading towards the rough gravel road a few feet away.

“We’ll finish this later,” Twilight said as she went to help April stand, the girl still sitting, staring blankly out across the lake towards Great Bear. Kodiak rolled his shoulders in a non-committal shrug.

April didn’t move or acknowledge Twilight, but continued to stare and watch, no emotion on her face as the Lady in the Lake swooped low. A dense knot of pity and anger churned in Twilight’s stomach like a mass of hissing snakes. How she wished it was her plucking those murderers and flinging them to their deaths.

“We need to get going, April,” Twilight said softly when the dragon had completed its task.

April just continued to watch the Lady circling in the sky. “No,” she whispered, “No, I need to go home. Mamma, Papa, and my brothers will be worried about me. I –I need to go home.”

The knot in Twilight’s stomach grew tighter, tears creasing her eyes as she kneeled down beside April. In that moment Twilight hated herself almost as much as the men who had killed April’s family. She’d give anything to spare the sweet, gentle, and once happy girl the pain she felt, the pain Twilight had inadvertently brought down on her. But Twilight knew she couldn’t wait for April to come to grips with what had happened. They needed to get moving before any more enemies of Jasmine’s came out of the woodworks.

“Please, April, you’re parents are... We need to get moving bef-.”

“No! NO! They are okay. The Lady in the Lake will have healed them. She can do that, she can do anything! They are not dead, they’re not!” April screamed jumping to her feet, pounding her fists on the barge’s rail. She was about to launch into a longer tirade when Kodiak came over. The large man scooped up the screaming and crying girl without a word and went back to leading the two horses.

Twilight followed, a numb sensation freezing the normally over active workings of her mind.

* * *

As it had been since Twilight’s arrival in the strange land, night came in a slow languid pace. Which was helpful as Sun seemed intent on putting as much distance between them and the ferry dock as possible. The small woman lead the way on her chestnut mare, setting a determined pace. Hoof beats echoed off bare parched earth as the four travellers turned away from the lake and up a long incline between two of the short stubby mountains that helped form the valley. Twilight was a little grateful that the equines of this land seemed incapable of speech. She was certain that they’d be giving out some choice words by now as they continued to plod up the shadowed hill.

April remained silent in front of Twilight on their large black stallion. The girl hadn’t said anything since leaving the ferry dock. A few of the humans working on the dock had given them odd stares, and a couple had asked about the Lady in the Lake’s actions, but had backed down at the marble glare Kodiak gave them. No one wanted to confront the large man it seemed.

It was only a matter of time before any accomplices of the men in Great Bear picked up their trail Twilight knew. They were a distinctive group. She felt certain that there would be more after them. If an avalanche and attacking in front of a dragon hadn’t deterred the people after her, Twilight didn’t know what would.

Worse she felt utterly helpless and vulnerable. It had been over a week and her magic was still a frustrating memory. Except for the momentary shield she had managed to conjure on the stage. Twilight wondered how she had managed the spell. It wasn’t exactly complex, but she had thought she was cut off entirely from her old magic. Closing her eyes and letting the stallion follow Sun’s mare Twilight tried to see if she could feel the old comforting spark again. There was nothing. Not even a flicker of the old magic.

Frowning as the stallion rounded a large outcropping of stones Twilight resolved that she was going to have to just try to figure out her new magic for herself without a teacher, or books, or any idea what she was doing exactly. Jasper’s lessons on the fundamental principles would be helpful, but they weren’t much to go on, and she felt like she was missing something important that he had purposefully withheld. Twilight knew she should have been able to do something by now if her connection to magic was as strong as Jasper seemed to have believed. No, there was a crucial key to the puzzle she was missing. There had to be.

She was going to have to figure it out, and soon, Twilight knew. She refused to be useless and rely on Sun and Kodiak for protection a third time. It was wrong to ask them to shoulder all the danger that was being brought down on them because of her.

“We’ll make camp here,” Sun said, knocking Twilight out of her thoughts.

The woman brought her mare to a halt next to a wall created by several trees growing so close together that their branches seemed to grow into each other. To the east the blue of the lake peaked through trees visible through the gully they’d spent the last few hours climbing. To the far side of a clear space of flat ground a little brook trickled down towards the lake.

Rolling off the stallion’s broad back Twilight was hit by a wave of soreness that seemed to permeate every muscle in her body. She hadn’t realised just how much it took out of her riding. Again Twilight imagined the things the horses probably would have been saying to the humans, all of it pointed and dripping with sarcasm, if they could talk.

Setting up camp took little time. Blankets were unrolled to make beds with saddle bags for pillows. The woods were too dry for a fire. One errant spark and entire forest would have gone up like a tinderbox. Instead bread purchased from the festival that morning was handed out along with a piece of brittle orange cheese and a brown strip of smoked meat.

April accepted her food in silence, taking slow precise bites of each. Twilight greedily ate the bread and cheese, but faltered at the smoked meat. They were travelling now, she’d have to keep her strength up, and as her stomach informed her, she was still hungry. But not hungry enough to eat meat Twilight knew. She handed the smoked meat back to Sun, who accepted it without a question and put it back in the saddle-bag with the rest of their provisions.

“Ko’ and I will share watches, you and the kid get some sleep, Twilight,” Sun said when everyone had finished eating.

Twilight followed Kodiak’s lead as the large man grabbed the edge of a blanket, rolling on his side, and after a couple seconds, started to snore, loudly. Sleep wasn’t easy to come, Twilight soon realised. Her brain was buzzing with thoughts and memories. Every time she closed her eyes Twilight was again on that stage, April wrapped in her arms while the rest of the Conrad family lay in pools of sharp crimson blood. Even the metallic tang wouldn’t leave her nose. Twilight couldn’t even remember smelling blood at the time, yet now, she couldn’t get rid of the scent. If it was her mind playing tricks with her senses Twilight wished it’d stop.

At last, as the moon began to peak above the tops of the distant mountains Twilight managed to drift into a restless slumber. For another hour she tossed and turned, kicking her blanket off her several times. Each time Sun would get up from her perch in the shadows beneath the trees and gently cover Twilight back up. Thin clouds curved around the half moon like skeletal fingers as Twilight at long last drifted into a deep true sleep.

“At last, I thought you’d never get here,” an imperious voice snapped jolting Twilight like a slap across the face.

Blinking Twilight found herself standing again in the endless greasy grey of the Winterlands. Several feet away, one foot tapping with impatience and arms crossed over a suit of ornate breastplate, was a woman Twilight didn’t recognize. Rich blue hair fell over the same coloured armour, looking a bit like a beetle that had learned to walk on two legs. Irritation further flashed behind silver eyes that seemed to glow from among the bronze skin of her pointed face. The unknown woman seemed very familiar for some reason.

“You’re... the Lady in the Lake?” Twilight asked, taking a stab at the woman’s identity, intuition guided by the familiar set of colours.

“Yes and my name is Ogopologos,” the woman said without a hint of amusement or kindness that the familiarity implied. “However, while you are my apprentice, you will refer to me as ‘Master’. We have a lot of work to accomplish, and little time. Now, show me what you know about manipulating the great weave.”

“Wait, but you said that you couldn’t teach me...” Twilight felt her voice drift off as she came under a withering stare from the dragoness turned human.

“I am aware of what I said, Twilight Sparkle. I will say this once, it was impossible for me to openly admit to training you. The reasons will become plain soon. Now, again, show me what you know.”

Gulping under the cold haughty glare Twilight launched into a long description of everything Jasper had taught her about magic. After only a few minutes Ogopologos gave a weary sigh gesturing for Twilight to stop.

Pinching the bridge of her nose the dragon said, “It seems poor Jasper gave you only the most basic understanding. At least it is some ground-work we won’t have to cover. I suppose if I enquired as to your focus you’d just stare blankly at me? I see I am right.” The dragon growled, and despite her human form, the noise reverberated across the Winterlands like the rumble of a growing storm.

“If we had the time I’d instruct you on how to find the materials and construct your focus. As it is we’ll have to make do with Jasmine’s focus. She, clearly, doesn’t use a staff, which is good. Even I shudder to think of you practicing with the amplifying power of a staff given your inherent connection to the great weave. A rod or wand would probably be hanging from her belt, which means Jasmine is a ring user,” Ogopologos mused to herself more than to Twilight, one steel clad finger tapping the vambrace of the other arm as she spoke. “Good, rings are more about finesse and study than power. Suits our needs just fine, you’d probably make a ring even if we took the time to bother getting you to make your own focus. Check your pockets, Twilight Sparkle.”

Again Twilight did as she was instructed. Most of her pockets were empty Twilight realised. Even her journal was missing from its strap on her belt. It took only a minute to check all her pockets and come up with a simple band of platinum. In the false light of the Winterlands the metal gave off a dull glow of delicate light. Ogopologos gave a little nod of approval. The first sign of emotion other than haughty disdain Twilight had seen.

“Good. Put the ring on the index finger of your casting hand.”

Twilight did as she was instructed.

“Okay, I am a believer in jumping into the deep end of the lake when it comes to learning, so brace yourself, and copy my movements exactly.”

Gulping again, Twilight tried to copy the dragon turned human.

* * *

Twilight groaned from the ‘ground’ of the Winterlands. It felt like she had been in the timeless grey wastes for days, or even weeks. For all she knew, Twilight had been there longer, there was no way to tell time without the sun. She wasn’t even hungry, or really tired, just exhausted physically from Ogopologos’ grueling training regime. The dragon had not been exaggerating when she said that Twilight was about to enter the deep end of training.

The first spell Twilight had been taught was a basic shield spell matrix that could be used as a template for adding elemental weaves to further customise and specialise the spell. For a basic spell, or so Ogopologos claimed, the spell was still rather complex, in its base form acting much like Twilight’s own force field. After she had finally managed to successfully cast the base spell, Ogopologos had made her repeat and practice until Twilight felt she could perform the motions in her sleep. Laying in the addition of the element had increased the difficulty by several degrees. If she had been trying to figure the magic out on her own Twilight may have assumed the task to be impossible.

Since she could, in theory, use any elemental weave Twilight was asked which element she wanted to focus on. In time she could learn the rest of the weaves, but for now it would be best to perfect one of the elemental forms. At Ogopologos’ suggestion Twilight decided to select water as the initial element, even though the dragon admitted that it was one of the harder to master.

Water, Twilight learned quickly, was all about balance and neutrality of emotion and mind. The weaves for water flowed and rolled around obstacles and were very hard to control. A water weave didn’t want to move, except to flow from a high point to a lower one, much like a stream trickling down a mountain. The trick to water, Twilight learned, was to guide the weave rather than push or force it. Patience and calm were the watch-words Twilight repeated to herself over and over as she tried to get the elemental weave to mesh with the shield spell’s matrix. This took much longer to accomplish, and when she finally managed to create the bubbling blue shell of water around herself Twilight had almost collapsed in exhaustion. But her Master hadn’t let Twilight rest, forcing the tired unicorn trapped as a human to practice the shield spell with the water weave tied to it, just as she had forced Twilight to practice the basic spell.

It had been absolutely fascinating the way movement corresponded to mental bridges needed to guide or force the magic, as necessary, into the matrixes. It wasn’t so different from how unicorn’s performed magic after all. Except that the energy was externalised and that the focus acted as a connector to those energies. Just thinking about the layers of preparation and study needed in the new system of magic made Twilight giddy with anticipation.

Without the focus magic was still possible, but it worked on an entirely uncontrollable principle. Effects would vary wildly, and as Ogopologos stressed, should not be attempted, ever, by Twilight. That she hadn’t accidently set a barn on fire or turned a tree into a goat had more to do with Twilight trying to use an internal source of magic. It was like trying to fly by digging a hole.

After the shield spell Ogopologos had decided the next thing Twilight needed to learn was a way to go on the offense. Twilight was more leery of learning a spell designed to hurt or harm. Her feelings were still muddy with a deep loathing of the men who had attacked the festival. She was unsure she wanted that kind of spell given the temptations the human mind seemed prone towards. Only the assurances that the spell was very minor, hardly enough to kill unless used excessively, calmed Twilight enough to start following Ogopologos’ movements as the dragon conjured the necessary matrix.

This spell was far easier than the shield spell, almost pitifully simple in comparison. It didn’t take Twilight long to be casually sending swarms of stinging bee-like magic at Ogopologos, the dragon deflecting the attack aside as casual as brushing hair from her eyes. Unlike the shield spell, the attack spell, which Ogopologos called Magic Nettles, was too basic to carry the additional elemental weave.

The next spell would however be able to carry the additional weave. Twilight had just finished practicing the basic matrix, one that sent a strong pulse of power not unlike a battering ram towards the target, when she had been granted a few moments to recuperate before the lessons on adding the elemental weave to the matrix would start.

“Come, get up, time is not on our side,” Ogopologos said, repeating the words for what Twilight felt was the hundredth time since the training had started.

“I thought the Winterlands were timeless,” Twilight groaned, for the tenth time, slowly getting to her feet.

“I told you already, apprentice, it is complicated,” came the expected snappish answer.

Twilight was really beginning to miss Princess Celestia’s calm and gentle method of teaching. She knew how to make teaching fun as well as educational and challenging.

With a little sigh Twilight began to mimic Ogopologos’ stance, one leg in front of the other, left arm curved overhead, right down low.

“No, no, hold your hands up like THIS. You have to flow and bend like water if you want to connect to it.”

As much as she wanted to roll her eyes at Ogopologos, Twilight refrained. The tongue lashing she received the other times had not been worth the sarcastic action. Instead she altered the positions of her writs, bringing the hand up a little and trying to relax a bit.

“Like this?” Twilight asked, eagerness for the dragons approval stealing into her voice.

“Better, but your wrist is still too rigid, as is your mind,” Ogopologos admonished keeping her voice level.

Wanting to groan and complain about how they had been practicing for Twilight didn’t know how long, she started to comply, relaxing her wrist some more and trying to relax her tired and frayed mind. As she was about to ask if she had finally got the start of the stance correct Twilight noticed movement in the swirling grey clouds of the Winterlands. Hesitating Twilight recalled the last thing that had come out of the Winterlands, the way the Wraith had looked at her with such scorn as its chains rattled like the tempo of death.

Relief flooded Twilight as not one of the black cloaked apparitions came out of the clouds, but the red and gold robes of the older April Conrad. The dead April Conrad, Twilight reminded herself returning the spirit’s wave. She wasn’t sure just how that worked with April still alive back in the waking world. Twilight just chalked it up to the supposed ‘timeless’ nature of the Winterlands.

“I brought a friend you remembered with me,” the spirit of April said, moving to one side to reveal a slightly shorter figuring trailing in her wake.

Twilight felt her breath and heart both hitch at the sight of the dark blue alicorn and goddess of the night and moon. Suppressed emotions cascaded forth as Twilight called out the alicorn’s name, the most prominent thought erupting in her brain being that perhaps she was about to be taken home, that this long nightmare was about to end. Luna stiffened as Twilight rushed forward, the later wrapping the former in a strong hug. Tears came freely to Twilight’s eyes as she cried into Luna’s soft lush coat, “I had started to wonder if I’d ever see any pony from Equestria again.”

The smell of wet dew in the morning and the blossom of midnight roses filled Twilight’s senses as she continued to hug the alicorn in spite of the gross breaking of royal protocol that, when she was less emotional, would make Twilight blush like a miniature sun. A hoof came up and gently pushed Twilight back, that was expected, but the confused look wasn’t. It took another moment for Twilight to realise her mistake.

“You don’t recognise me, of course, how stupid of me,” Twilight said, brushing a tear from one eye. After a moment she added, “It’s me, Twilight Sparkle.”

Luna’s mouth fell open as the alicorn looked from Twilight, to Ogopologos, to April, and finally back to Twilight.

“Twilight Sparkle, bearer of the Element of Magic, personal student to my sister? But, how can you be...? No, that is impossible, I spoke to Twilight just the other night. If something else had happened to... What is going on?”

In desperation for an explanation Luna narrowed her eyes with a steel to them that said, ‘Tell me everything and exactly what is going on, and don’t lie.’ Twilight recognised the look. She had seen Celestia give it a few times during her time in Canterlot.

“How is it you all know me when I’ve never even heard of a realm like this?” Luna continued, raising a hoof to point at April, “You know a song I taught no pony.” The hoof moved to Twilight, “And I know for a fact that Twilight Sparkle is safe, relatively, back in Ponyville. Just a few hours ago she saved Rarity from something calling itself the Fifth. You simply cannot be Twilight Sparkle. Why you would try to claim to be her, when you clearly are not even a unicorn, is beyond me. And you...” Luna turned to Ogopologos, her voice faltering.

For her part the dragon masquerading as a human shrugged and turned to Twilight.

“It seems that it will be impossible to continue your studies for the time being. I will return next week when you can again dream-walk. I expect you will have improved and perfected the spells you’ve learned.”

Without acknowledging Luna or April, Ogopologos faded away, returning Twilight assumed to the waking world.

Twilight smiled not caring for the first time since she was a filly about studying or listening to a teacher. Luna was here, and that meant she could go home. Home, Ponyville, where everything made sense. Where the meals at worst had eggs or butter in them, but never meat. Where the weather was managed, not left wild and untamed. Where ponies didn’t murder other ponies for no reason. Home, Twilight was about to go home.

“So... When do we go?” Twilight asked after a couple minutes silence as Luna continued to shift her stare from Twilight’s beaming face, to the calm neutrality of April.

“When,” April asked with a hint of confusion in the spirit’s voice. “Oh, I remembered, you thought you were going home now because the Goddess of the Moon was here.” April laughed at the confused looks Luna gave her, but sobered looking at Twilight’s downcast face. “I was sorry, Twilight, but you couldn’t go home with Luna now, not unless you died.”

“Excuse me,” Luna snorted, her eyes darkening with the hint of magic, “But we, I mean, I, would appreciate my questions being answered. We, I, have no idea what is happening!”

“Still having trouble with the ‘royal we’, huh Princess,” Twilight said stifling a sad laugh. She had been so sure for a moment that she was about to go home. A part of her wanted to reject the spirit of April’s words, but a part also knew to listen to the spirit. “Okay, let’s get this over with. What do you want to know, princess?” Twilight tried to keep the growing melancholy out of her voice, to little success.

Luna seemed to note the change in Twilight’s attitude, but didn’t mention it as she repeated her earlier questions. Twilight had little idea the answers to a few of the questions, having no idea what song Luna was referring, or who was this ‘Fifth’. Placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder, April indicated she’d handle Luna’s stream of questions. Twilight was more than thankful, too concerned with controlling the bitter disappointment of not being able to return home.

“I know of you as we met many years ago, from my point of view. I know the song as you taught it to me one Nightmare Night. That wasn’t Twilight that saved Rarity. Twilight didn’t appear like her old self as she was dream walking in Jasmine’s body when you encountered her in the Winterlands.”

April ticked each answer off a finger as Luna’s face grew more and more incredulous. Sighing Twilight decided to interject before April’s way of speaking only in the past tense caused Luna and Twilight to go crazy.

“April, maybe you should let me talk after-all. I think Luna is about to have an aneurism.”

“Yes, I only added a little to conversation at the end after the awkward beginning,” April said with a happy smile, folding her hands into the sleeves of her robes.

“Okay, so, Princess Luna, this is April,” Twilight gave a little gesture to the spirit, “And as you’ve noticed, she only talks in the past tense. It has something to do with her being dead and a spirit. I’m not really sure actually, we’ve only talked once before and that was even more confusing than this conversation. Now, I know you don’t believe I am Twilight, but, just listen to what I have to say and make your mind up after, please?”

Letting the power behind her eyes fade a little Luna gave Twilight a terse nod waiting for Twilight to continue. Taking a deep breath Twilight launched into the story of everything she could remember since blacking out at the cafe. Luna’s face was mostly unreadable during the story. Only during the avalanche and when Twilight reached the events of that afternoon. It was hard keeping her voice level and detached reciting the deaths of the Conrad family. At this point in the story April looked away, a gentle sigh of longing whispering through the air like a gossamer wind. Forcing herself onward so she didn’t dwell on the unsettled raw emotions herself Twilight concluded with the lessons she had been receiving when Luna arrived.

For a few minutes Luna was silent, her mind processing Twilight’s story and contrasting it to what she knew about the Twilight she remembered and what had transpired in Ponyville the last few days.

“You say you have been on this world for the last week?” Luna asked, finally settling on a conclusion.

“Yeah, a little over actually. This is the ninth night I’ve been here, wherever here is.”

“But the incident in the cafe was only a couple days ago. This discrepancy makes no sense.”

“Time here is... wonky,” Twilight muttered. She hated having little to no understanding of how the Winterlands worked. It was like Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense however, just because she couldn’t explain it didn’t make it any less real.

Repeating the word ‘wonky’, Luna shook her head. “I had hoped to find answers and a way to defeat this creature calling itself the Fifth. Instead there are more questions. I am not saying I fully believe you are in fact Twilight, but it would explain why the Twilight in Equestria is having memory issues and is acting different, according to the other Elements of Harmony, and how she knew magic to drive the Fifth away. So, what do we do now? You’re friend seems adamant that you can’t, or don’t, or didn’t return to Equestria with me.”

“All three, probably,” Twilight groused.

“I... go with you... to Equestria,” April said, her voice halting as she contemplated each word. In the distance a chain rattled. Turning to Twilight, April ignored the sound of the chain, saying, “we won’t speak again... until the end... of things. You need... to uncover the sins... of the Ancients. Look for... he who is lost... under the black mountain. He can... set you on the path... home.” The rattle of chains grew closer, shapes beginning to move behind the grey clouds. “Luna... we need to go... to Equestria... and find the Fifth before... it causes more... harm. I will explain more... when we arrive.”

Twisting her head to look at the dozen or so shapes taking form in the clouds, the rat-tat-tinkle of chains growing in intensity, Twilight decided to risk a question. Her curiosity would burn at her if she didn’t take this opportunity if it was going to be the last one for a while. It was possible April didn’t know the answer, but it was unlikely given the spirits position of having already lived through these events.

“How did Jasmine and I switch places, and why can’t we do it again? Just why can’t I go home now?”

Standing beside Luna and resting a hand on the princess’s withers, April gave Twilight a grin that would have made a dragon proud. “Check Jasmine’s... spell-book.”

“Spell-book? I have Jasmine’s spell-book?” Twilight felt her mouth fall open and wanted to slap herself in forehead.

Of course, why wouldn’t Jasmine have a book on magic and spells among her possessions? Cursing herself for refusing to go through Jasmine’s things earlier Twilight resolved that as soon as she woke up, and it was day time, she’d be going through everything she’d inherited from Jasmine.

“We go now,” April said giving Twilight a little wave as chains snaked back and forth across the invisible ground of the Winterlands between their feet. “Follow the thread home, please, Princess Luna.”

Luna nodded, gave Twilight a sad look that conveyed in one brief glance the regret that she couldn’t bring Twilight with her, and then vanished along with April. Twilight sighed, closing her own eyes in an effort to wake up before the wraiths found her.

“Come on Twilight, wake up, wake up, wake up!”

Snapping her eyes open Twilight was relieved to see, instead of the bleak uniform grey of the Winterlands and the grotesque forms of wraiths, stars hanging in the sky above, the half moon casting a gentle ghostly light on the trees and camp. Rolling over she saw Kodiak had been replaced by Sun under the third blanket. Twilight wondered how long she’d been asleep. It felt like days with all the training. Judging from the position of the moon Twilight suspected it had only been a little over four hours. She was about to drift off back to sleep when the crunch of boots on gravel banished the last vestiges of tiredness and any hope of getting any real rest that night.

“Kodiak, that you?”

Rubbing her eyes Twilight sat up waiting for a reply. After several moments of silence Twilight repeated herself a little louder. Again boots scrunched on gravel, but this time Twilight could tell there was more than one set of boots, a lot more. Tossing aside her blanket Twilight scrambled to her feet, hands darting towards the pouch that in the Winterlands had held Jasmine’s ring. The warm metal slid easily onto Twilight’s finger. Biting her lower lip Twilight thrust a foot behind herself, hands raised in the opening positions for the shield spell.

“Who’s out there?” Twilight shouted, a quiver of fear in her voice.

Silence.

“I said, ‘who’s out there’?” Twilight shouted again.

Sun was moving beneath her blankets and April sat up grumbling. There was no sign of Kodiak. Still biting her lower lip Twilight tried to peer through the moon’s half light. She thought she saw movement on the other side of the brook, but wasn’t certain. Inwardly grumbling about not having a way to create light Twilight waited. The sounds of the boots ended just before the brook.

“Jasmine Blackcloak, it has been a long time,” called a haughty woman’s voice from the middle of the cluster of, Twilight assumed, people. Twilight tensed as the familiar click of a crossbow being cocked flitted across the short space between her and the voice. “No! I told you that I wanted Jasmine for myself.”

“Who said I was aiming for her?” chuckled a man from the left. “You wanted us to make sure her guards didn’t interfere, that’s what I am doing.”

“You’ll excuse me for not being so optimistic of your intentions given how you’ve tried three times now to kill her without me.”

While the brief exchange was being shared, Sun slid up next to Twilight, sword in hand, while April shrank back against the wall of tree limbs. Mind working furiously Twilight tried to think of a way to escape. But they were snared against the natural wall, with loaded crossbows only a dozen feet away. Where was Kodiak, Twilight pondered, he was supposed to have been on watch. Twilight prayed that the large man was still alive, somewhere out there in the dark, just waiting for the opportunity to strike, and not dead.

“So, this is how it is going to work, Jasmine. We are going to duel, just like in the Academy. If you win your friends get to live, you loose and all of you die.”

“W-what?” Twilight stuttered, her eyes growing wide while her heart decided this was a good time to perform a dance like one of DJ-Pon3’s songs was playing in her chest.

“It’s rather simple, Jasmine. Except, I suppose it won’t be just like in the Academy. Old Razel isn’t here to keep things civil or enforce any of those ‘rules’. I’m finally going to have my revenge for all the years of humiliation and torment you put me through.”

“Huh? ‘Years of humiliation and torment’? I have no idea who you are or what you are talking about.”

There was a moment of silence from the other side of the brook, followed by a deep shrieking growl.

“Of course! Why would the perfect and blessed Jasmine Blackcloak remember me?” the woman snarled. “Well, that’ll make this all the sweeter! You’re going to die tonight!”

The voice let out a peel of high manic laughter. A laugh that echoed through the gully sending a chill down Twilight’s back.

“Come, Jasmine, face the Great and Powerful Tracey!”

Comments

[Tundara]

If this chapter seems a bit rougher around the edges, especially in regards to grammar, it's because I have found myself editor-less this week. I've tried going over it several times, but I know I'll have missed commas, used the wrong word, or something. It's also another slow-ish chapter that's mostly character development. Sorry about that. I promise to make it up to anyone still reading this soon-ish. I hope.

[Gyvon]

dat ending

[Zero Moment]

"Great and Powerful Tracey"

Well "Twilight" having a "Great and Powerful" rival seems to be a universal constant.

[Tundara]

503554

Yeah, I just couldn't help it. It just seemed like such a perfect way to end the chapter and set up for the middle act.

504477

Death, taxes, and Trixie being Twilight's rival in all dimensions of reality.

[Tundara]

505068

On Cadence in Sins, or rather my version of her; The chapter with her was posted before the season finale last Saturday. This wasn't done by accident as I wanted to establish my take on the character before Cadence became canonised. Things like her relationship with Luna and Celestia. Her personality, history and all that. I also found it interesting as I was writing that chapter how it altered Luna as a character. Having a living legacy of her actions as Nightmare Moon isn't something I've personally seen done in other fics, but there are a -ton- out there of not read, so I wont discount it as a possibility.

The Cadence of the show I have a neutral opinion on. To me she came across as just another Deus Ex Machina to defeat the villain, a walking talking Elements of Harmony, but otherwise indistinguishable. She wasn't terrible as a character, but she didn't have any growth and had so little screen time or importance until the end as nothing more than Damsel in Distress that she struck me as being a canonised Mary Sue. Which she kinda is actually. She's based on the daughter of one of Hasbro's executives, and it was Hasbro who gave the order to make her an Alicorn rather than a Unicorn. Willing to be corrected on both those points if I am wrong. I'm 99% certain though, and that I read them in articles either on or linked to from Equestria Daily.

Cadence wont have a big role in this story. In fact, this one chapter will be the biggest 'screen time' she'll ever have. She also, probably, wont be a PoV character again. I don't like how I handled the transition of PoV in that chapter as it shifted from her to Luna. Ultimately I feel the insights into Luna and the relationships are worthwhile as groundwork for something, that while I admit wont be happening for a long time in the story, will hopefully have more impact emotionally when they do occur.

Thank you for your comment Zobeid. I'm sorry for the story having such a jarring effect.

[Necrovore]

Hmm, I see an initial incredulous reaction at the similarities followed by near homicidal rage at the loss of life due to a schoolyard grudge.

[Zobeid]

505347

Thanks for explaining. I'm feeling more calmed down now.

[Tundara]

505721

It's certainly going to be... interesting. I hope at least.

[Tundara]

505783

No problem. I've been mulling over how to revise that chapter without erasing all the important information since reading your comment. I can't promise any revisions or major edits happening as I'm pretty bad when it comes to finding the will to do editing. I tend to move on and not look back.