Alex's Scrapbook

by Alexstrazsa

Equestrian Hearts - Chapter 2

Author's Note:

If you've been following me for a while, you might remember a story I had called "Equestrian Hearts." It was a Kingdom Hearts crossover that was hastily written fro Fimfiction's first fanfiction contest, and after a while I realized it was trashed. The story at this time is unpublished, and will be needing a complete and utter rewrite.

Here's the WIP second chapter of that failed story, in the event you actually remember what was going on.

Equestrian Hearts

Chapter 2 - An Unlikely Ally

Bright flashes of purple dotted the Equestrian countryside, fading as quickly as they appeared. They travelled along the dirt roads, making their way to the mountain range that Canterlot laid on. In the middle of the flashes of light was Twilight, pushing both her physical and magical skill to their limit as she teleported and galloped to the city of royals. The only thing running through her mind was that she needed to get to the city and speak with Celestia, fast.

She made her way up the mountain path, panting heavily as the burn of exertion pulsed through her legs. Even her horn was beginning to ache, with every jump through reality shooting a wave of pain through her skull. Only a bit more... Come on Twilight, you can do this! she told herself, gritting her teeth and fighting through the growing headache.

The gates to Canterlot appeared on her left as she passed between two walls of the mountain. The path had been carved in long ago, and at points dug through the stone itself. Twilight banked left and onto the road to Canterlot, and in a few short moments she was over the bridge and in front of the gates. She stumbled forward and gasped as her fatigue finally caught up with her, forcing her to lean against the gate. Ugh... no magic for a little while... she thought, her head still rhythmically throbbing in pain and her ears ringing. Lowering her head to rest, she looked towards the ground at the base of the large gate and noticed that something seemed ‘off’ about it. It took her a moment before she realized what was wrong: the gate was partly opened.

That’s strange... she thought, eying the gate curiously. Why would the guards leave it ajar? In fact... She raised her head and looked around. Where are the guards? It was then that the dull humming in her ears began to subside, and she heard the last thing she wanted to hear at that moment: panicked screams, originating from beyond the gate. Oh no... Her eyes grew wide as she looked through the iron bars and into the depths of the city. Not here... As the gears in her head turned and clicked into place, the Keyblade materialized in front of her and fell to the ground with a clink. Gulping, she stepped forward and attempted to levitate the Keyblade, but found herself recoiling as a fresh wave of pain surged through her head. After a moment to recuperate, she bent down and grabbed the Keyblade between her teeth, then crouched low and slipped under the gate. Twilight took a deep breath before galloping through the gatehouse and into Canterlot.

- - -

Nothing could have prepared her for the sight she beheld upon emerging into the residential district. The dark creatures she had fought before moved in droves among the city, terrorizing anypony they could find. Joining them were similar looking creatures, but they donned helmets and light armor on their taller frames.

In the chaos, Twilight made out the royal guard doing the best they could to fight back the invaders. The tough unicorns and pegasi were holding their ground, but without the Keyblade they would be sitting ducks. I’ve got to help them! the unicorn thought, charging into the fray. She fought back the lingering pain in her muscles and rushed towards a group of guards that were surrounded by the beasts.

There’s seven of them... four armored ones and three small ones. They’re focused on the guards, so I can come in with an attack. Four blasts should take out the armored ones, then I can sweep through and take care of the small ones. Oh... I hope this works. Twilight set her plan into motion, lighting her horn up. She swung the Keyblade in an arc, sending multiple blasts of violet energy - and throbs of pain to her head - burning through the air, in an arcing pattern. Just as Twilight planned, they hit the armored creatures squarely in the back, causing them to shriek in pain and collapse to the ground. Still running towards them, she used her momentum and jumped, spinning to the side as she did. The Keyblade cleaved through the smaller monsters, and as she landed on her hooves and skidded to a halt, they fell apart in a shower of black dust.

She dropped the Keyblade and panted, not quite recovered from her journey to the city and now with a fresh headache. Rubbing her head, she glanced upwards and looked to the three guards. “Are you... okay?” she asked, between breaths.

The group shared the same expression of disbelief before one of the pegasi coughed and spoke up. “Yes, ma’am, but all thanks to you. We would’ve been done for if you hadn’t shown up...” The other two nodded.

“That’s good... now, when did these creatures start appearing?” Twilight asked, lifting her head and breathing more calmly.

The pegasus looked into the sky, finding where the sun was. He then looked back to Twilight and said “Only an hour or two ago. They came out of nowhere, literally. We don’t have a clue how they entered the city.”

“Okay...” Twilight said, shaking her mane out. “You need to get back to the castle, right now. I’m the only one who can fight... whatever these things are. Go warn the rest of your squad, and get the rest to fall back!”

“But, how can-”

“There’s no time!” Twilight said, her brows creasing as she stared at the guard. “You need to leave, now.” She then bent down and picked the Keyblade up, and after taking a moment to crack her neck, she galloped farther into the city.

Twilight made a beeline to the castle, trying to avoid the creatures the best she could. When one tried to get in her way, she jumped around it or evaded it. When a group was in her path, she cut her way through with several strokes of the blade. I need to get to the princess... she’ll know what to do... She pressed on, approaching the great structure quicker with every passing second.

After dodging another few monsters that tried to stop here, she arrived at the gates, which to her relief were being barricaded. Many guards stood in formation outside the entrance, weapons at the ready and shield by spiked walls. Murmurs of ‘Twilight Sparkle?’ travelled through the squads as the unicorn in question ran through, only to be stopped by a bulky, dark stallion in decorated armor. “Halt, citizen.” he gruffly said, staring the mare down.

“Ehcus meh, ah neef to geh froo!” Twilight grunted through the hilt of the weapon. The stallion raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.

“Pardon me?”

Twilight rolled her eyes, then spit the weapon out. The stallion followed it with his eyes as it landed on the ground. “I said I need to get through!”

He snorted, then said “The castle is on lockdown, ma’am. I’m afraid I can’t let anypony through.”

“But I need to speak with the princess. It’s of the utmost importance!”

“As I said, the castle is-”

“Sir, I am Twilight Sparkle. Student of Princess Celestia, bearer of the Element of Magic and, with the help of my friends, defeater of Nightmare Moon and Discord. I need to get inside!” Twilight huffed, eyes narrowed at the stallion in front of her.

The guard’s expression didn’t falter as he continued to give Twilight an unimpressed scowl. “I’m going to need proof of your claims, Miss. Sparkle.”

“I can vouch for her, Sergeant,” came a light, almost melodic voice from behind the stallion. Both him and Twilight looked to see none other than Celestia herself looking over the two of them.

The sergeant bowed in respect, saying “Your majesty! I was not expecting you to be on the front lines.”

“It’s quite alright, Sergeant Stormwind. I had a feeling my student may be paying me a visit, although I wish the circumstances could have been better.” She briefly looked to Twilight and frowned, then returned her gaze to Stormwind.

“I apologize for any inconvenience, your majesty. I was not aware of Ms. Sparkle’s status. Had I known, I would have let her through without-” He was cut off by Celestia raising her hoof.

“As I said, it’s quite alright. Now, myself and Ms. Sparkle have some important business to discuss. I entrust the safety and defense of the main gate to you, Sergeant.” She then nodded to Twilight and turned around, beginning to walk back to the castle.

Stormwind saluted, then began to bark orders to the other guards. Twilight picked up the Keyblade and trotted past him, catching up to Celestia. As she approached her, the Keyblade mysteriously disappeared, fading off into gold sparks as it had before. Before Twilight could question it, Celestia spoke.

“How does Ponyville fare in this unwelcome visit? And most importantly, are you okay, my student?”

“I’ve been better, Princess... but for right now, I’m... okay. Yes, that’s the word. As far as Ponyville goes, I’ve had my friends warn the rest of the town and defend it.”

Celestia nodded, turning a corner as she did so. Inside the castle, there was no screaming or fighting. There was only the faded light casting itself through the windows and the hollow echo of their hoofsteps through the halls. It was serene and peaceful - a harsh contrast to the journey here. Twilight became lost in the calming atmosphere and her mind began to wander, until Celestia’s voice went through her head.

“Twilight?”

The unicorn shook her head and blushed. ‘I’m terribly sorry, Princess, I don’t know what came over me, I just-”

“Twilight, please,” Celestia started, with a smile. “I understand. The trip here must have worn you out, so you can feel free to take a moment and rest.” She slowed her pace, watching the little filly next to her slow down as well. “That’s better. Now, we should discuss the matter at hoof.” The princess turned her head to Twilight as she walked, adopting a more serious expression. “I’ll be honest, Twilight. I don’t know what these creatures are or where they’ve come from. Quite frankly, that frightens me.”

Twilight gulped, one of her fears coming to reality. Celestia not knowing about something? The very prospect put a lump in the pit of her stomach. “I’m not certain what they are either, Princess. However, I have a way to defeat them.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “Is that so, my student? Do tell.”

Okay, work with me here... I want you to appear. The violet unicorn closed her eyes in concentration, and after a moment the Keyblade flashed into existence in front of her, hitting the ground with a metallic thump that echoed through the room. The Princess gave the slightest indication of surprise as her eyes widened. “My, that’s an interesting new trick. How did you acquire this... key?”

Twilight bit the handle and pulled it up, looking towards Celestia. “Ih juf apearf in fro’ oth me.” She attempted to move on, but was interrupted by Celestia’s muffled laughter. “Huh?” She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

“Ah, hah, my apologies Twilight. I couldn’t help but laugh over how you sound. Is there a reason you don’t simply levitate it?” The alicorn brought a hoof away from her mouth as her giggling subsided.

A deep pink glow surrounded the Keyblade as it floated out of the mare’s mouth and hovered next to her, dipping and rising the smallest amounts. Twilight looked to the ground in thought, then looked back to Celestia. “I guess it helped me concentrate on my magic. I can’t really describe it, but I get this... feeling when I hold it. It’s like some sort of energy is in it.”

Celestia nodded and began walking again. “I don’t fully understand, but some things are just like that, aren’t they?” She let a light smile crawl across her face. “Perhaps you can discover more about that object. I’m sure it would make an interesting report, would it not?” She flashed a grin at Twilight.

Twilight blinked a few times, then widened her eyes in realization. “Oh! Of course it would! I’ll be sure to report all of my findings to you about this...” She looked over the weapon. “...whatever this is.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it. Now then...” Celestia looked through one of the windows, finding where the sun rested in the sky. “If you’re ready and able, Twilight, we must secure this fine castle. You appear to be the only one that can truly stop them, so I understand this may be a large burden for you.”

The unicorn then noticed that they had made a large circle and were back at the entrance to the castle. She looked to Celestia and gulped, then shifted her gaze to outside. The guards positioned outside were now locked in combat with the creatures, with various shouts and commands going through the air. She gulped, glancing to the princess.

“The general plan is to fend them off while your brother and I prepare a more potent shielding spell for the city. Something that won’t give him such headaches, I assure you.”

Twilight nodded, looking back to the fighting ponies. “How long until the shield is up, princess?”

“Several minutes at most.”

“Then I should be fine.” Without another word, she took the Keyblade in her mouth and headed into a full gallop, charging to the fight. Celestia watched her student for several moments before nodding, turning around and transitioning into a brisk walk through the hall.

- - -

Unbecoming of her, Celestia’s brisk walk turned to a gallop as she traversed the castle halls, heading for the barracks. If Shining Armor was anywhere it the castle, it would be there. Her hurried pace went unnoticed, as the regularly patrolling guards had a more serious situation to deal with.

She approached a set of double doors that led to one of the castle’s courtyards, and with a brief flash, they flew open with a groan. Celestia treaded from royal carpet to crafted stone as she ran outside, and for a brief moment she slowed to both remember her bearings and take a breath of air. The break was short lived, as she flared her wings and took to the air with a powerful flap. Loose feathers were left behind as the sun princess ascended, her eyes searching for her target.

“A-ha,” she mouthed, spotting the barracks. The building was styled as the rest of Canterlot was; smooth stone walls with a curved, golden roofs which glinted in the sunlight. Only, this building had a large gold shield above its entrance, with two crossed swords and a knight’s helmet over it. Several guards were hurrying out of the building, fully equipped and yelling indistinguishable orders to each other.

Celestia hung in the air for several brief moments before diving towards the building. She fluttered to a stop as she landed in front of it, touching the ground lightly. The princess wasted no time entering the building, where an assault of shouting on her ears gave her pause.

“Send squads five and six to the main gate, and by Celestia, get some support to the residential district!”

The princess smiled softly as she recognized the voice of none other than Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard. She stepped into the main area, where the captain was looking over a map of the city and magically pushing small pieces about. He wore his suit of armor, which styled his mane into a tall and imposing crest. Shining looked over the map with a frown, which turned to a scowl as his eyes darted around the board. “Where’s squad seven?!” He lifted his head and looked around. It took him a moment, but his head snapped back to Celestia, who stood still just inside the door.

“Princess!” He brought his hoof up in a quick salute, then approached her. “I’m doing what I can to position the troops, your majesty. We’re doing our best to protect the citizens and fight off... whatever these are.”

Celestia nodded, glancing to the map on the table. “That may not be necessary, Captain.”

Shining Armor gave her a puzzling look, but remained silent.

“I’m sure you recall your wedding, not too long ago?” Celestia walked to the map, looking over the intricate sketches and small figures that were positioned upon it.

“Of course. I could never forget that night...” The white stallion looked off into the distance, smiling as he recalled fond memories.

The princess glanced over, also giving a smile of her own. Despite the complications of that day, the ceremony had turned out well. “Yes, I’m sure you had a lovely time with Cadance. However, I was more referring to the defenses that were in place that day.”

Shining Armor blinked a few times as reality came back to him and he promptly blushed. “Oh, of course, the defenses. Yes, I remember the shield I had to keep active. Why do you bring it up, your majesty?”

“I plan on using a similar tactic here.” As she spoke, her horn adopted a faint yellow aura. “If you can raise your city wide shield,” she nodded to Shining Armor, who returned the gesture and willed a miniature shield around the map. “I can reinforce it with my own powers.” A second, golden aura surrounded the deep red one and the two merged, forming a humming, pulsing shield with patches of golden that shimmered throughout the crimson. “This should take care of any uninvited guests that still remain in the city.” The enemy representing models inside the city were suddenly flushed of the map and clattered against the floor, to Shining’s surprise.

The unicorn looked from the pieces on the ground to the small shield, then to the princess, who stood with a faint smile as nothing but her mane moved. “I will do my best, your majesty. Should I start now?”

“Not just yet, Captain. We need to move to a more optimal position.” She turned and began to walk to the exit, Shining Armor quick to follow her. “Also, we may want to be quick about this. There is a certain unicorn defending the gate right now who could use a break.”

“Who?” Shining asked, looking up to Celestia.

“None other than your sister.”

“What?!” He yelled, throwing a hoof to his mouth to suppress the noise and halting dead in his tracks. He looked at Celestia with fearful eyes - the first frightened look he’d had in a while. “What do you mean Twily is on the front lines? She’s my little sister! She can’t be fighting! I need to help her!” He was about to break off into a full gallop when Celestia’s hoof touched his shoulder and their visions locked together.

“Shining Armor, your sister is very capable of defending herself. Right now, we need to focus on shielding the city and protecting all of its inhabitants. As soon as we’re done, you can meet with Twilight.”

He gulped, then snorted as he scuffed a hoof against the ground. He looked back to Celestia, his brows creased. “Okay... Let’s go then.”

Celestia nodded, her horn beginning to glow. With a golden flash and a pop, the two disappeared.

- - -

- - -

Twilight came to a stop as the Keyblade ceased its incessant humming, and looking up, she saw the entryway to Trottingham. The arced letters were painted onto a similarly curved piece of wood, which was beginning to warp and crack with age. Nonetheless, the town seemed inviting, even at night. The architecture was very similar to Ponyville, and even the number of buildings seemed similar. Twilight gave a slight smile and entered the town. As she passed under the arch of the entryway, the Keyblade faded away. Heartless hadn’t reached here yet.

So, the other Keyblade bearer is somewhere in this town... but where? Her question answered itself as her vision passed upon the largest and brightest structure by far: a multi-story building with ‘The Trottingham Inn’ engraved over its doorway. Light poured through the windows, illuminating the whole area. Quite a few residents were there, and even if the Keyblade wielder wasn’t inside, she could get some information about them.

She trotted towards the building, trying to figure out who in Equestria the other Keyblade could have been given to. No obvious answers came to mind, so she gave up on it about five paces from the doorway. Twilight was about to open it when the Keyblade popped back into existence. She widened her eyes in surprise, but managed to catch it before it hit the ground. “Well, that’s not good...” she mumbled, floating it behind her. Pushing the door open, she walked inside.

It was darker than she expected, and as the door shut behind her, it only became darker. The contrast to how it looked on the outside gave her pause, but she shook her head to clear her head. Not sure how to ask about a Keyblade, she approached the bar. Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a slurred, rough voice next to her. “Ain’tchu a pretty lil’ filly.”

Twilight turned her head to look at the patron next to her. He was a dark grey pegasus with a messy, brown mane, several scars on his face, and more empty cups in front of him than any one pony should have. She then scrunched her nose as the heavy scent of alcohol passed her nose. “Goodness, you certainly... enjoy your drinks.” The unicorn forced herself to smile.

“Yesh I do. An’ you kno wha’ else I like?” He took a moment to hiccup, then leaned in closer to Twilight, to her displeasure. “I like purple. Jes’ like you.” The pegasus punctuated his sentence by poking Twilight in the chest. She stepped to the side as her false smile turned to a soft frown.

“Please, don’t touch me again.” Hoping to ignore him, she turned away and looked to the barkeeper. He was a sturdy built stallion donning a short length beard and a slicked back navy mane, against a coat pale violet.

Comments

[Themaskedferret]

Interesting idea, think you'll revisit it?