• Published 12th Jan 2014
  • 805 Views, 6 Comments

When Friends are Said and Dun - xenos29



A tale aboutTwilight coming into her own as a Princess, learning one of the hardest lessons about friendship. Safe for readers big and small as they explore Equestria. Reccommended, but not necessary, to be familiar with the show and comics

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Chapter 4

It was very quiet in the chamber. Nothing moved until, with an abrupt change of demeanor, the vines and flowers slithered peacefully into the now open box, feeding into it like strands to the center of a web. Everypony stood frozen, their eyes locked on the shrouded opening the lid had uncovered.

“Princess, what do we do?” Twilight asked, fighting the urge to panic.

The Princess looked shocked, but she quickly snapped out her trance and shouted, “We have to go, now! Grab him!” she commanded, pointing to the statue, which had disappeared when the box opened. In its place was a pony who had fallen from the pedestal. He laid flat on floor, surrounded by scrolls from his ripped saddlebag.

The box now oozed deep red from inside. The dark tips of more vines slowly rose from the opening.

“You guys go! We got him!” yelled Rainbow as she waved Applejack forward.

The princesses ran out of the chamber, followed by Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity. As Applejack and Rainbow approached the pony, they looked at each other, uncertain of what to do next. The stallion was big, and with his armor, most certainly heavy. It didn’t help they were both exhausted, either.

Twilight appeared alongside them and lifted the pony with her magic. She took no more than three steps before her fatigue returned at a gallop. Her grip on the pony slipped, but not before Applejack and Rainbow could place themselves under him. With a grateful smile, Twilight carefully balanced him across their backs, and the three quickly made their exit.

Everypony had made it across the bridge when the cave began to shake, throwing them all off balance. Rock and dirt rained from the ceiling, and one house-sized boulder crashed into the middle of the bridge. The struts underneath the walkway held for a split second before collapsing, taking the entire structure with it into the abyss.

Twilight turned and saw everypony standing next to the guards, who were trying to keep a cluster of smaller vines from growing over their escape route.

“A few more grew while we were in there. We just need a few more seconds, your Highness,” said Smoke Jumper.

“As quickly as you can,” replied Luna as she and Princess Celestia attended to Fluttershy, who looked as if she had taken a bad fall. Her coat was covered in grime and the feathers on her wings were ruffled.

“Fluttershy, are you ok?” asked Twilight as she looked her friend over.

“I’m fine, Twilight. I just tripped when we were running away.” Fluttershy smiled. “We’re all ok.”

With those words, Twilight glanced over all of them quickly, and a look of horror overtook her face. “Where’s Spike?!”

Everypony looked around frantically, searching for him, when they heard his voice in the distance. “Twilight, somepony, help!”

Spike was still at the other end of the bridge, the stallion's saddlebag clutched tightly between his claws. Unknown to him, and to the horror of everypony, a ghostly mass of vines was dragging itself towards the little dragon, and in the middle of it sat a pair of sickly, yellow eyes.

“Spike!” Twilight screamed. She desperately tried to gather the strength in her horn, but stopped when Luna placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“I will get him,” said Luna, spreading her wings.

“No, I will,” said a new voice.

In an instant, the pony that Applejack and Rainbow were carrying rolled off their backs and galloped towards the collapsed bridge. With a single jump, he leapt halfway across the gap. For a moment, it looked like he was going to fall, until he unfolded his wings and flew the rest of the way. He landed hard next to Spike, who quickly climbed onto his back and held on tight. The vines and the eyes drew closer and closer.

The pony took off again, barreling straight for Twilight and the rest of the group. As he and Spike flew away, a vine reached out and grabbed one of the pony’s hind legs. In a single movement, almost too fast to follow, he spun around, unsheathing a large sword as he did, and cut the vine just as it went taut.

More chunks of rock showered the ponies, and in quicker succession, and suddenly Twilight felt herself spun around until she faced Rainbow.

“Come on Twilight, we gotta go!”

Everypony who could fly carried somepony who couldn’t. They all flew straight up through the narrow tunnel, dodging the vines which still gripped the walls. With a speed exclusive to terror and desperation, the ponies fled from the castle, across the bridge, and back into the heart of the forest.

They all ran as far as they could, but eventually their breath forced them to stop at the bank of a wide river, the same one where the ponies had met the sea serpent once upon a time. They were still far from the end of the forest, but they had put enough distance between themselves and the castle, at least for the moment.

Everypony collapsed. The stressful night had finally taken its toll, forcing them to lay on the grass as they panted and wheezed. Even the princesses and their guards wearily eased themselves onto the ground. The only ones who didn’t seem exhausted were Spike, who was busy checking on everypony, and the new stallion, who was watching the path they had taken from the castle.

Twilight struggled onto her hooves and slowly walked to Princess Celestia, who was also gazing back at the castle. “Princess,” she said quietly, “that was Blight we saw, wasn’t it?”

The princess nodded. “Yes, Twilight, that was him. We were very lucky to escape when we did. It seems his imprisonment has weakened him a great deal, but we cannot rely on that advantage to last. We need to leave the forest. Once we do, Luna and I will cast a spell sealing him within it.”

“Will that be enough?” asked Twilight.

The princess shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Our magic is strong, but the source of Blight’s power is ancient, as old as the Elements of Harmony. That will make it difficult for us to defeat him.”

“How can we?”

“There may be a way,” the Princess responded, looking past Twilight. “Alpenglow, could you come here please?”

The new pony gave the path one last glance and joined them. As he came to a stop, the Princess told him, “When we reach the town on the edge of the forest, I want you to talk to the rulers of the Crystal Empire. I’ll be placing the prince in charge of keeping Blight in the forest, but I need you to tell him and his guards everything you can.”

“I understand,” the stallion replied flatly. As he scanned the forest he said, “We can’t stay here; he’ll be here as soon as he has the strength to spread out.”

Princess Celestia looked to Twilight, her friends, and the guards. “They could use a little longer to rest. They’ve been up all night.”

“It doesn’t matter how tired they are. We need to keep moving.”

Luna stepped forward, “I am sorry, Sister, but I am inclined to agree with him. We simply cannot afford to stop right now.”

Princess Celestia sighed. “I’m sorry, everypony, but we must reach the end of the forest as quickly as possible.” They all slowly rose and began their trek across the river.

The ponies forded the frigid water and continued their walk out of the forest, walking in single file behind the princesses, their heads held low. Smoke Jumper and the pegasus guard followed sluggishly, trying their best to stay in formation. With a furtive glance backwards, Twilight watched the new pony, Alpenglow, who was far behind all of them. He kept stopping every few seconds to watch the path behind them, then would turn around and continue walking.

Twilight slowly put together everything that had happened in her mind. She still felt completely lost. Princess Celestia said there may be a way to defeat Blight’s old magic, so was this pony part of her plan to stop him? He had to be. He and the princesses obviously knew each other, and he clearly knows who and what Blight is. Twilight shook her head, trying to put together a plan for the coming hours.

As the sky began to lighten, Twilight let out a sigh of relief. The ponies were almost out of the forest. Maybe once they were out, she could track down Zecora and ask her if she knew anything about Blight or his magic. She certainly knew a lot about strange and ancient-

Zecora…

Twilight stopped dead in her tracks, causing Rarity to walk into her. “Twilight, what’s wrong?” she asked.

Twilight looked around frantically. “Which way to Zecora’s?!” she cried.

The ponies expressions switched from fatigue to panic as they realized their zebra friend lived about five minutes away…back the way they came.

“Alpenglow, go with her,” Luna ordered. “The rest of us will be waiting at the edge of the forest.”

“Whoa, there’s no way I’m leaving Zecora behind! I’m coming too!” said Rainbow.

“We’ll be right back!” shouted Twilight as she, Rainbow Dash, and Alpenglow took off down the path.

In a few short minutes, they reached Zecora’s hut, which was sitting quietly in its grove. Twilight ran to the door and gave it three frantic knocks. “Zecora, are you there? Zecora, it’s Twilight! You have to get up!”

Ten agonizing seconds passed. Twilight knocked for five of them, and was about to force the door open when she heard a rustling from inside. Finally the door opened, and behind it stood Zecora, her eyes barely open.

Zecora yawned and rubbed her eyes, “Ah, my favorite princess is here, but not for a friendly visit, I fear. Who is this, might I ask? How strange to see a pony with an iron mask.”

“I’m sorry Zecora, there’s no time to explain,” said Twilight. “We need to leave the forest right now, before it’s too late.”

Zecora frowned, and leaned behind her door. She pulled out a saddlebag and placed it on her back. “I am ready to go, but your words worry me so.”

“We’re not alone,” said Alpenglow, drawing his sword.

Twilight looked out into the forest; something was moving among the trees. Her eyes widened when she saw the outline of vines, silently creeping along the forest floor.

“Ponies, we are leaving!” Rainbow Dash yelled.

The four ran from Zecora’s hut and back to the path. Twilight looked back and saw the vines were closer now, growing even faster.

Twilight ran as fast as her drained legs would carry her. Zecora was at her side, keeping up, while Rainbow Dash and Alpenglow flew just ahead of them. Soon, they saw the end of the forest, where everypony was waiting, shouting and waving like mad. Twilight wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying, but she saw the princesses’ horns glowing, and didn't dare look back to find out why.

She wouldn't have a choice. A wide shadow stretched over Twilight and onto the path in front of her. Without expressly meaning to, she turned around and gasped. The vines, no longer individual strands, had fused into a huge wall and was tumbling towards the ponies like a tidal wave. With the very last of her strength, Twilight ran even faster, past the edge of the forest, past her shouting friends, and slid onto the grass. Panting heavily, she turned around and saw the wave of vines, trapped behind another magic barrier, this one stretching clear across the forest. The vines came together in a huge column and threw themselves against the magical wall, trying to break it, but thankfully to no avail.

Twilight’s friends rushed to her. “You made it!” Pinkie cried, hugging her tight.

“Twilight, are you all alright? You’re not hurt, are you?” asked Fluttershy.

“Thanks, girls. I’m fine. We all are,” panted Twilight as she returned Pinkie's hug.

Applejack wiped her forehead, “I reckon that was a little too close. At least we got to you before it was too late, Zecora.”

Zecora smiled and nodded appreciatively. “I shall thank you in due time; right now I have no breath to rhyme.”

“Indeed,” agreed Rarity. “We’re safe. That is all that matters right now.”

The ponies walked over to the princesses, who were sitting in the grass facing the barrier. Alpenglow was standing next to them. Through the shield, they could see the vines still hammering away fruitlessly.

“Princess, what do we do now? Is Blight trapped in there?” Twilight asked.

“For the moment,” replied Princess Celestia. “The magic of the forest will occupy him, and the barrier will prevent him from escaping it. But this is only temporary. Given enough time, he will break through.”

“How could he possibly break through a barrier that both of you created?” asked Rarity.

“It is difficult to explain,” answered Luna. “As we said, Blight’s power lies with old, powerful magic, the kind which has existed long before the founding of Equestria. For reasons we don’t understand even now, little of our magic seems to have lasting effects on him.”

Applejack crossed her legs and spoke up, “So now what? Is there some ‘old magic’ of our own we can use?”

Rainbow lightly elbowed Applejack. “Hello, Elements of Harmony, AJ, remember?”

“Will they work, Princess?” asked Twilight.

Princess Celestia frowned. “I’m not sure. I had hoped you would have had the chance to use them at the castle, but it was too dangerous to stay. Alpenglow, I was hoping you would have an answer.”

Twilight forgot that Alpenglow was standing there. She turned to him. “Do you know a way to stop Blight?” she asked shyly.

Alpenglow's answer was as short as it was unhelpful.

“No...Your Highness. I don’t.”

Luna frowned. “How can you not?” she snapped. “It was you who defeated him before, or am I mistaken?”

“It was, but I don’t remember a great deal about what happened that day.” He looked away and took a slow, deep breath. “I’ve been fighting to keep him as weak as possible for just in case he found a way.” The helmeted head slowly surveyed the landscape, as if it were noticing it for the first time. Alpenglow nodded in the direction of Ponyville. “I’m guessing that was a long time ago. How long has it been? I don’t recognize this town.”

The princesses looked at each other for a moment before standing. Finally, Princess Celestia told him, “It’s been…a little more than a thousand years. We’re just outside of a town called Ponyville.”

Twilight slowly shifted her gaze to Alpenglow, his head now pointed square at the ground. His jaw, the only part of his face the helmet didn't cover, clenched tightly, but slowly relaxed after a second or two.

Everything that had happened tonight- the castle, the vines, Blight and Alpenglow- had all filled Twilight’s head to the brim. She had a mountain of questions and next to no answers. She mainly wanted to figure out what to do next, but her head ached and it was hard to stay standing. They all desperately needed time to rest.

Princess Celestia must have felt the same way, for after a brief pause, she said to Alpenglow, “I’m sorry, but we should head into town now. We can talk once we settle in.” She turned to Twilight. “I told Shining Armor and Cadance to meet us at the library. We can meet them there and decide what to do next.”

All Twilight could do was nod. “Yes, Princess,” she said, and turned to her friends. They all nodded in turn, and began to walk.

The trip to the library was short and silent. Twilight dragged her hooves the entire way, too tired to pick them up, but when she saw the silhouetted figures waiting at the front door, she found the energy to walk forward briskly and hug both of them tight.

“It’s so good to see you Twilight!” said Cadance, who looked as beautiful as ever.

“Are you alright, Twilie? You look awful,” said Shining Armor, who was looking at her closely.

As everypony entered the library, Twilight took a deep breath. “I’m fine. We’re all fine. It’s been a really long night.”

“An understatement,” agreed Luna.

“Twilight,” asked Princess Celestia, “would it be alright if everypony spent the night here? I think it would be best if we all stayed together for the time being.”
Twilight tilted her head slightly. “Of course, Princess,” she answered, pointing her hoof up the staircase. “I have plenty of pillows and blankets for everypony to use down here. Um…you and Princess Luna can use the beds upstairs if you want.”

Princess Celestia smiled warmly. “That’s quite alright, Twilight. This is your place. Luna and I will be fine down here.” Luna nodded in agreement.

“The same goes for us, Twilight,” added Cadance with a good-natured smile. “Besides, you all look like you could use the beds more than us anyway.”
Zecora gave Twilight a knowing smile. “A good night’s rest will do you well; tomorrow is the day to dwell.”

Twilight looked around the room for Alpenglow, but didn't see him. She glanced back at the front door, but then through one of the windows noticed somepony standing on the outside balcony. Twilight unconsciously took a couple of steps towards the staircase, but Princess Celestia placed a wing on her back.

“Don’t worry about him; he’s fine. He’s just going to stand watch for the night, and we'll speak with him in a moment. Luna and I need to let him know about everything that has changed. He’s just confused right now.”

As great as it was, even Twilight’s curiosity could no longer compete with her need to sleep. With Spike on her back, already out like a light, she nodded at the Princess and went upstairs, followed by Pinkie and Rainbow. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy quickly finished laying out simple beds for everypony, then came upstairs.

“It’s not fair,” Pinkie said sleepily. “All the princesses are sleeping over, and we didn’t even get…to...toast…marshmallows.” Then, without missing a beat, Pinkie Pie passed out on the bed across from Twilight's, snoring softly to herself.

“You know, as crazy as it sounds, I think I’m going to follow Pinkie’s lead on this one,” said Rainbow Dash, who flopped next to her on the bed and immediately started snoring, only not quite as softly.

The rest of ponies looked at each other with weak, slaphappy grins, then climbed onto the two beds, lying down sideways so there would be enough room for all of them. It looked very uncomfortable, but nopony seemed to care, as a diverse chorus of snores immediately filled the room. Twilight gently lifted Spike from her back and tucked him into his basket. With one last yawn, she blew out the candle on her nightstand, climbed onto her bed, and was asleep before her head even hit the mattress.