Twin Guardians

by rye

Memories of Love

A week had passed since the event at the castle. Rye had returned with Twilight and her friends back to Ponyville. Celestia had requested that Rye leave the armor in Canterlot. During that week Twilight was teaching Rye to use magic as a normal human and not as an Alicorn half-breed. Rye could hardly lift a quill without sweat dripping off his face. “Come on Twi! I told you, humans can't use magic naturally! We have been doing the same spell for a week, and I still can't lift it more than an inch!” Rye slumped down on a near-by wall.

“Well...Okay, we can take the rest of the day off. Is there...” Before Twilight could finish she heard the door shut. Rye quickly made his way outside of town. As much as he enjoyed being around Twilight and her friends, he just wanted some time alone. The look he wore would make any pony worry.

Rye was more than thankful the streets weren't too crowded. Many of the ponies had seen him around town from time to time during the week, but some still avoided him. He continued walking, lost amongst the unlabeled roads. “Omg, don't ponies know how to label what street you're walking down. Of course not....” Rye finally found his way to the out skirts of town; he continued to just wander past a simple grass meadow. It wasn't till he stumbled onto a small lake that he stopped. Sitting near the water’s edge, he just stared into the water.

Back at Twilight's, she had paced around for a long while. She had started to worry about Rye and if he was okay. “Spike, I'm concerned about him. You don't think he would do something foolish, do you?” Spike had been putting books away, enjoying the silence, when Twilight's voice snapped him back to reality

“Oh don't worry, Twi. He might be helping some pony. Or he could just be having fun around town. He'll be back by nightfall.” Spike was wobbling on the ladder and as he placed the final book in its place on the shelf he heard the door shut. Spike simply sighed as he continued his work.

Twilight was standing outside the library; her eyes were scanning the city in wonder to which direction Rye had traveled. It was already late in day and night fall growing fast. Taking a deep breath Twilight started making her way towards Sugarcube Corner. If any pony had any sense of where Rye could be, that pony was Pinkie Pie.

“Wait just a moment, Twilight Sparkle.” From the sky a dark figure flew down a few yards away. “We are here to aide you with Rye in his training. How does he fair?” As the figure stepped in the street lights, it became clear that it was Princess Luna.

“Luna, it’s good to see you. And yes I need help with his training, but he went out today and he hasn’t returned. I have no idea where he currently is.” Twilight gave an exhausted sigh; her body was ready for rest from pacing and her mind needing peace from the worry.

Luna gave a gentle smile to Twilight as she started on her way north of town. “If we pay attention to the surroundings, we may very well find a clue as to where he is exactly at.” Twilight rolled her eyes, knowing that clues are the first thing to any detective work. “So what is the first thing you notice?”

Twilight looked around her and saw nothing but empty streets, then decided to listen. She could faintly hear distant noise, almost like that of music and singing. Nearly blindly, she started to follow the sound through the town. Taking random lefts and rights till they reached the lake that Rye was at. There was a small flock of birds singing in tune with him.

Twilight was in pure awe of what she saw. Rye was in tune with the birds till he suddenly stopped. “Thank you little ones, you should go now. It’s late and you all need rest.” The birds all chirped and flew off in random directions, leaving Rye to his thoughts. “Why did it have to turn out this way…?” An aching sensation from his heart grew stronger.

Rye started to hum gently and softly before it grew. The water of the lake started to respond in with a light mist that rolled onto land and around his feet. The wind almost took on what seemed to be a musical accompaniment. Twilight and Luna both watched now with jaws wide open.

“Whether I’m right or wrong
There’s no phrase that hits
Like and ocean needs the sand
Or a dirty old shoe that fits”

While Rye was singing the water began to take shape. In the midst of the lake stood what look a boy near Rye’s age. His features were much leaner compared to Rye. Rye turned his head to the figure and kept singing.

“And if all the world was perfect
I would only ever see your scars
You know they can have their universe
We’ll be in the dirt designing stars”

Rye slowly started to walk out towards the figure, which seemed to be smiling. Around this moment, the magic inside Rye fully awaked and his wings came into view but they seemed to be almost ethereal in nature. It was then that Twilight noticed him walking on the waters’ surface.

“And darlin’, you know
That you make me feel so beautiful
Nowhere else in the world I wanna be
You make me feel so beautiful”

Once Rye reached the figure, he ran a hand along the face ever so gently. The figure seemed to move kind with his action. Tears were slowly falling down Rye’s face; the figure’s hand slowly came up and wipes them away.

“Whether I’m up or down
There’s no crowd to please
I’m like a faith without a clause
To believe in it”

Rye proceeded to take the hands of the figure into his and slowly dance in around the lake. The moon light seemed to shine on them even brighter than before. Fireflies slowly filled the air giving it an almost celestial feel.

“And if all the world was smiling
I would only ever want to see your frown
You know the can sail away in sunsets
We’ll be right here stranded on the ground
Just happy to be found

You make me feel so beautiful
Nowhere else in the world I wanna be
You make me feel so beautiful”

As the two came back towards the center of the lake, Rye held the figure out by the hands and stared deep into his eyes. Tears were now falling down his cheeks in a steady pace.

“I have lost my illusions, I have drowned in your words
I have left my confusion to a cynical world
I am throwing myself at things I don’t understand
Discover enlightenment holding your hand

You are
So beautiful”

Rye slowly began to walk backwards from the figure as the environment started to slowly return to normal. Luna quickly cast a spell on Rye to send him into a dreamless sleep the moment his feet touched dry land. The second Rye touched dry land, he was asleep in seconds. Twilight cast a spell to levitate Rye before he hit the ground. “So Twilight, what have you learned here this night?” Luna walked out from the bushes over to Ryes’ floating body.

Rye slowly began to walk backwards from the figure as the environment started to slowly return to normal. Luna quickly cast a spell on Rye to send him into a dreamless sleep the moment his feet touched dry land. The second Rye touched dry land, he was asleep in seconds. Twilight cast a spell to levitate Rye before he hit the ground. “So Twilight, what have you learned here this night?” Luna walked out from the bushes over to Ryes’ floating body.

Twilight followed Luna, “That his emotions are holding him back and that they are also the key to unlocking the rest of his powers. But what makes me curious is how come his Alicorn half is still visible?” Luna noticed this as well and from the look on her face she was just as confused as Twilight.

“I’m not sure Twilight, but its best we call it a night here. You need rest and much as he does. Head home for now, continue his training when he wakes. You may end up with better results. I must go now Twilight.” Luna spread her wings took to the air and vanished in a blinding light.

Twilight turned to Rye, who was in a deep slumber. “We have a long way to go, my friend. But I have great faith that things will get better.” Taking care that he was safe, she started her way home with Rye, magically suspended in the air, in tow.

---

Suspended by his wrist, Damien slowly opened his eyes to an eternal darkness. “Finally you grace me with you presence.” Two red orbs floated in front of Damien. The only Light, emanating from the orbs, was cast across his face and chest. “Don’t worry; I’ll give back your body once I’m finished with your brother.”

The boy did not say or do a thing; he gave up fighting a long while ago. The demon just cackled at seeing the boy in such a state. ‘Yes, feed me. Make me stronger with your agony.’ The demon thought to its self. Looking into the orbs Damien could see a mirror reflecting his face with an evil grin and red eyes. He simply hung his head, he had no way out. He had lost hope that his brother would save him a long time ago and simply prayed that he would just end his life.

Damien could feel the binds, which tied his soul to the demons, cut into what strength he had left. “He won’t fall to you demon, nor would I have if I wasn’t a child when you came around.” Even if Damien gave up his fight, he knew that Rye would never give up until things went back to normal and that meant defeating Damien’s body or ripping the demon out … both ways will kill the boy in the end.

“Well, it seems you still have something of a spirit left in you. That’s good, if you gave in completely it wouldn’t be any fun to destroy both your home, your mother’s homeland, and kill your brother. But I have things I must attend too, so this will be the last time I talk with you for a long time.” Damien felt relief that he didn’t have to entertain this monster for much longer. But he now was curious what was to take place that was going to be so important that Damien wasn’t worth the torture.

Damien was use to how teleporting took place, with smoke that would cover the body then a slight jolt and the smoke then would clear. Of course Damien never knew where the demon was taking him till things where visible again. This time it seemed that the demon took him into the fortress of creatures that looked like unicorns but were black and had incest wings, and holes in various parts of their body.

“What is the meaning of this intrusion?!” A female voice rang out across the hall where Damien stood, “you had better have a good reason I do not just have you destroyed, creature!” A tall version of the creatures walked forward, unlike the others, this one seemed more regal in nature yet at the same time very dangerous.

“Fear not, Queen Chrysalis, ruler of all the changelings. I am Seirdoch, the demon general from year ago or has my name been lost to the ages.” Chrysalis looked at the boy and laughed, Seirdoch though wasn’t pleased with this. “Do not take this body as my own; it is merely a shell that I use to hold this boy a prisoner.”

“That is enough boy! Seirdoch was feared by all beings and was the master of the shadow army. That lies in wait for him to this day!” Just that moment five of the changelings turned on Chrysalis and started to hiss. The shadows on the walls started to extend from the wall like tentacles.

Chrysalis stared at the boy carefully before an almost demonic smile appeared on her face. “So the mighty Seirdoch has been brought down to the lowly body of a boy” Seirdoch snarled as shadows wrapped Chrysalis in tight bindings.

“Your army belongs to me now, Changeling, and it will be ready to march on equestrian soil soon.” Chrysalis struggled but nodded as she found the bindings stronger than herself. “Good, make no move till you hear from me again. I want you to strike at the perfect moment.” Seirdoch released Chrysalis and her changelings from his grip just as he vanished into a cloud of smoke.”

“GET THE SOLIDERS READY! WE ARE MARCHING TOWARDS THE EQUESTRIAN BOARDER! WE WILL TAKE CANTERLOT FOR OURSELVES!” Chrysalis roar orders out to all her drones, in a short time the hive was a buzz with activity. Chrysalis sat on her throne as things were prepared. “Once Canterlot is under my control, I will make sure no pony tries to fight back. And as for Seirdoch … I will deal with him later on. Maybe it wouldn’t be bad following his lead….nope I will rule it all!” Chrysalis let out an evil laugh while the changelings worked towards the upcoming battles.

Author's Note:

sorry this chapter took so long to make, my chemo treatments are now finished so I should start making them on a more reg. basis. Also the new cover art is thanks to my bf, if you want to see his work send me a message and i'll get you into touch with him. As for the shorter chapter length, i've decided to shorten them to aid in getting more chapters sooner. Thanks for the support and enjoy

The lyrics in the center script are from the song "So Beautiful"
Darren Hayes, “So Beautiful”