S1 CH 13. Going home
Twilight slowly inched through the castle, Spike at her side. The fact the little dragon was currently enjoying a crunchy ruby was doing little to calm her nerves. If anything, it was making it so, so much worse.
Preparations for the gala were now in full swing… kind of. While supplies were still in the midst of being procured, there didn’t seem to be anypony willing to PLAN the thing. Or even cater it, for that matter. No band, either. In fact, all of the greatest party planners in Canterlot seemed to be either very ill suddenly, retired or ‘out of town’.
Of course, it was clear to anypony what was going on. Nopony wanted to be the one to incur Nightmare Moon’s wrath if things didn’t go well. And it was very unlikely they’d go well. Especially with the size of the gala suddenly doubling and the tickets selling like hot cakes(though she suspected it was more for fear of what would happen if they DIDN’T sell well.) So now everypony was walking on their tip hooves and hoping to avoid being noticed by the angry mare, in the event something bad happened to them.
So of course Spike had to have the crunchiest, noisiest food imaginable. Despite what had occurred, the dragon seemed to be settling into life here just fine. Moondancer had managed to procure plenty of gemstones for the young dragon to feed on(making her Spike’s favorite pony at the moment). On top of that, while soldiers had been stationed heavily along the griffon and dragon borders, it remained to be seen what would happen. Neither had made any move to attack, though defenses were being readied. Nightmare Moon seemed to be reveling in the idea of the coming war and she had even heard her talking about Tirek a time or two, wondering if he could drain the magic from dragons and griffons. She shuddered to think what newfound power this would bring the alicorn.
Her story was going well, however, and she was still certain she’d have it finished before the gala started. Assuming there was anypony to run it. She was beginning to worry that Nightmare Moon would have to follow through on her ‘jest’ about imprisoning a pony to run it. She pushed open the door to the garden and stepped outside.
It was an oddly warm night. She often wondered about that as she walked through the garden. It had been months by now, at least it felt like it. Yet everything seemed fine. All the plants were growing strong, some nights were cool, some nights were hot. It was as if the sun was still with them, just they couldn’t see it.
She glanced back to Spike. “Do you mind if we walk around a bit? I need to clear my head.”
He shrugged. “What do I care?”
She gave him a little smile before she started trotting into the garden. No, it was a little cooler now, she supposed. Not too much. And sometimes, it got really, really cold, and frost would appear. But it wasn’t so bad that she worried. Yet. She didn’t know what Nightmare Moon was doing to keep it in such a manner, but she was happy she didn’t have to worry about THIS.
Her travels brought her back towards the opera statue and she froze in place, staring at it. The ancient thing was covered in dozens of little cracks, all over. She hadn’t imagined it being that cold, but the poor thing looked horrible. She wondered if she should tell the gardener. Did they even have one now? Maybe she should tell Nightmare Moon. She trotted forward and reached out a hoof towards it.
She then froze, mere inches from touching the statue. Her eyes went wide and any thoughts of the statue were flung from her mind. “Of course! Spike, come on!” She didn’t wait for him to agree, she grabbed him by the back scale in her mouth and flipped him over to land on her. He let out a yelp.
“What? Hey! What are you doing? What’s going on?”
“I’ve got it figured out! I know what I need to do,” she said with a big grin, quickly galloping out of the garden.
“What?”
“I can ask Cadence! I mean, she has to know dozens of party planners! Hundreds! I’m sure she knows at least one who’d be willing to do this, right? If for no other reason than as a favor to me! This is going to work! Everything is going to be okay!”
------
Everything was not going to be okay. Twilight walked through the city streets, slowly and cautiously. The ponies in the street were glaring at her. At first she thought it was her imagination, but there was no doubt about it.
Ponies would cross the street the moment they saw her, or go into buildings. Or just glare at her as she passed. She thought for a moment that maybe it was Spike, but she was sure it wasn’t. She occasionally heard them whisper.
“That’s her, isn’t it? The traitor?”
“Yeah. My cousin said she gave Nightmare Moon all the guard routes and unlocked the castle gates for her.”
“I heard that she cavorts with demons and spirits, that she’s signed a blood oath to gain dark powers.”
“I hear she tricked Celestia into wearing a cursed crown and that’s why she lost to Nightmare Moon.”
She knew there was absolutely no credence to any of these rumors and, fortunately, none of the guards seemed to be looking at her in the same way.
But every single word hurt. They cut into her like a knife, hacking and slashing at her heart mercilessly. She’d almost been ready to cry when a stone glanced off her cutie mark. She let out a yelp and looked back, but nopony said anything. She almost demanded they reveal themselves, but the hostile looks she received told her that it would do no good. None of them would fess up to it. And it would just make her seem worse.
By the time she arrived at her parent’s home, she was nearly in tears. She knocked on the door a few times and, after a moment, it opened.
“Twily!” Shining said, a big grin on his lips.
She lunged forward and hugged him, bursting into tears. His eyes widened but, after a few moments, a hoof reached out and gently wrapped around her. “It’s okay. It’s okay, Twily. You’re okay,” he whispered soothingly.
“Who is it?” she heard her mom call out.
“It’s Twilight!” he called back.
“TWILIGHT?!” her mother’s voice shrieked, the sound of frantic hooves echoed through the halls. Three pairs of them. “NIGHT! CADENCE! It’s Twilight!”
“We heard!” the alicorn and unicorn yelled in unison. A moment later her parents and Cadence were standing at the end of the entranceway, watching her.
Twilight tried to wipe the tears away, but they wouldn’t stop. “H-h-hey,” she said softly. “C-Cadence, y-you’re here too? I… I thought you’d be… off doing… other things by now.”
Cadence sighed. “Times are… difficult right now. Shining and I have been trying to stay close after all that’s happened. After being apart for so long it… the thought of separating again...” Her cheeks turned red. “Besides, my family is… currently in hiding and I did not wish to be home alone.” She stepped forward. “Twilight, why are you crying? Who is your friend?”
“I’m Spike,” the dragon said, crossing his arms.
“Is he one of… hers?” Shining asked, glaring down at the dragon.
“N-no, no. He’s mine. Sorta. Kinda… a pet. Sorta,” Twilight said, sniffling a little. “T-there’s a… a lot has happened since… since everything and… and I just… can… can we talk?”
The others nodded and, slowly, she was guided towards the living room.
------
Twilight sipped her cocoa, holding Spike in her hooves. She hated that she needed it, but the little dragon was very warm and oddly soft, a very comforting presence right now. And she needed one. She’d tried not to worry them, tried to keep everything bottled up inside and away from her family and friends. But she couldn’t now. She couldn’t take it. She’d told them everything, what she was doing, how hard she was trying. About the dragons, the griffons, Spike, the creatures of darkness, the gala.
“I-I just don’t know what’s going to happen anymore,” she said softly. “This isn’t like one of my books, I’m trying so hard to guide her right, but whenever I make some progress, whenever I see some light in her, something bad happens. Like Tirek, or this coming war. I don’t even know if the war is going to happen! The dragons and griffons might make a move at any moment, and then what? Thousands could die because of this! Because of her! Millions maybe!”
Shining nodded, rubbing his chin. “I… wouldn’t worry too much about that, for now.”
“H-huh?” she asked softly.
“I’ve been on border patrols. The griffons, they may talk big games, but they barely even guard their borders. I haven’t even heard of them exerting ANY military might in ages. I imagine it’ll be a while before they could organize any type of assault. Even if they can, they tend to be rather direct. They won’t be able to penetrate our borders with the way they fight. With our magic and pegasi, they won’t be able to launch much of a sneak attack, either. The dragons, on the other hoof… they’re a much larger threat. But they’re slow and calculating. When they attack, it’ll be dangerous. But we’ll likely know months in advance and it may take them years to even finish planning any assault.”
“Wait… really?” Twilight asked, before looking to Spike.
The dragon shrugged. “What? We live thousands of years, why rush things?”
“That... that makes it slightly less terrifying,” she muttered softly, though she kept her eyes low. “I just... I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I'm trying my hardest, but it just seems to make more and more ponies hate me! I don't want them to hate me! I want them to understand! I'm doing this for them, for all of them! Why can't they see it?”
Velvet sat down besides her daughter and gently reached out, putting a hoof around her. “I know, dear. I know. Sometimes ponies can be... small minded. They see something and automatically assume the simplest, worst decision. They don't even consider what could be happening.” She rubbed her back lightly. “But you're doing an amazing job. You're working hard and, other ponies or not, you are making a difference.”
Shining nodded. “It's true. I've been hearing from the other guards as well. As horrible as the... whippings have been they aren't very often since... well, ponies are trying to avoid causing problems. For now. There hasn't been one in a while, even.”
Twilight nodded. “Nopony has... died... have they?”
“Thanks to your efforts so far I'm sure, no,” Cadence said. “I know it's scary and hard. But you're doing your best, Twilight. And so many ponies owe you so much for that.”
She smiled and gave a nod, wiping her eyes. “T-thank you. Sorry. Just... felt so overwhelmed and... err, sorry Spike,” she said with a sheepish smile down at the dragon.
“It's cool,” the dragon said with a shrug, his cheeks red.
“I think it was a very brave thing of you to do,” Cadence said with a nod. “Stepping out to protect Spike like that. He would have been really hurt if not for you. You saved his life.”
Twilight blushed and gave him another squeeze. “Of course. He's just a child. No... matter what Nightmare Moon thinks, he doesn't deserve to die for what his Dragon Lord said, doesn't mean he's to blame.” She frowned. “I thought she... I didn't think she'd actually... do something like that. But she just picked him up and...”
Spike's face turned even redder. “Can we talk about ANYTHING else?”
Cadence chuckled before nodding. “Of course. Now, about your gala issue, have you considered trying outside of Canterlot?”
“What? Of course not! The best party planners in the world live here,” Twilight said with a shake of her head. “Nightmare Moon wouldn't accept anypony else!”
“Maybe,” Cadence said. “But, she wants something different, right? She's having that mare from Ponyville completely remaking her castle, isn't she?”
“Well, yes. I suppose.”
“Maybe they'll know somepony who can help. If nothing else, getting out of town for a few days might give you a bit of a... a chance to relax. Get away from ponies who know you by sight and... well...”
“Pepper me with rotten apples?” Twilight asked flatly.
“They... haven't done that, have they?”
“Not yet, but they're on the verge!” she snapped with annoyance, before shaking her head. “Sorry. It's all just so... frustrating.”
“Sis, why don't I walk you back to the castle when you go back?” Shining offered.
“No, no, it's fine,” she said with a shake of her head. “I can handle it, anyway.”
“Oh. Okay. Allow me to rephrase. I'm walking you back to the castle when you go back.”
She blinked, before smiling and giving a nod. “Well... I guess if you insist,” she said with a smile. “Whatever makes you happy.”
“Good,” he said flatly, before glancing to Cadence. “See? It's not so hard. All you need to do is take a firm hoof with her and she understands what's going on,” he said with a big grin.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Twilight asked curtly.
“You're stubborn,” Cadence said with a shrug.
“I hear it's a proper earth pony trait, alas,” Night said with a sigh. “Hopefully you're just more stubborn than that mare on the throne.”
Twilight chuckled and got to her hooves, gently setting Spike down. “I am NOT stubborn.”
“Sis, you've barely told us any of this until you were so beaten up about it you were bursting into tears,” Shining muttered. “You can't bear all this on your own, you need some support.”
She nodded. “I have support. Kinda. They've just been busy lately. I'll visit them when I go to see Ponyville. It'll help me. A lot. I promise,” she said with a big smile. “Speaking of, I should probably go now. I--”
“Oh no you aren't!” Velvet snapped, making her urk.
“W-what?”
“You're staying home and getting a nice, delicious home cooked meal.”
“Well, at least home cooked,” Shining said, earning a scathing glare from his mother.
“My cooking is delicious! Far better than that rich over spiced junk they serve in the castle!”
Twilight smiled none the less before plopping back down in her seat. She needed to remember to do this more often. There was no place like home.
------
Twilight bowed her head respectfully, kneeling before the ruler of the night. She could feel Spike behind her, cowering and lightly shaking. “Your highness?”
The ruler merely cocked an eye, while Moondancer gave the writer a nervous look. “Yes, bard? I assume you must have some reason for coming before our throne without being summoned?”
“Yes! I do!” she said quickly. “It's, err, about... the gala.”
Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed. “Indeed. Do tell.”
“Well, err... this gala is going to be unique. Something never before seen in Equestria, right? Nothing like Cele... like the previous galas?”
“Of course. For it will put all others to shame!”
“Then perhaps we could... think outside the box, as it were?”
The alicorn took a soft, annoyed breath. “Bard, we have often found your council to be well placed and wise. But if you do not get to the point soon, you will be dismissed.”
Twilight gulped. “Perhaps we should look for a party planner outside of Canterlot?”
“You wish for a novice to plan our grand gala?”
Twilight nodded rapidly. “Yes! Well, not a novice, but somepony who is brand new. Somepony who hasn't been preparing parties and the like for Canterlot before, somepony who will bring fresh ideas and new plans and make it something completely unlike every gala before it. Something completely original and, err, fresh.”
The alicorn rubbed her hoof against her chin, eying the mare suspiciously. “And... you believe that this will make our gala better?”
“I believe that this will make your gala unique. It will make it something completely unlike ANY gala ponies have ever seen. Something they'll be talking about for months.” Whether that was a good thing or not, she couldn't say.
Nightmare Moon nodded. “We... suppose there is... some truth to what you say. Very well, we will have the search expanded for novices of... particular skill. Was that all?”
She gulped, here went nothing. “A-actually. I wanted to know if I could be permitted a small leave of absence to, err, go down to Ponyville. Perhaps my friends there might know a pony of sufficient skill. After all, since Rarity is designing the castle and all, maybe she'll know somepony she has worked with in the past who would be... up to the task?”
Nightmare Moon gave her the oddest expression. It was scary, her eyes narrowed slightly. But it was also a little... she couldn't be certain but she thought she saw the alicorn's lip stick out just a tiny bit. She was sure she was imagining it, though. There was no way the terror of the night was pouting. “You wish to go to Ponyville to be with thy friends?”
“Yes? Just for a little bit! That's all. Really.”
The terror's eyes narrowed. “Very... well,” she said through gritted teeth. “We will give you a short time to... perform this task. But hurry back.”
“O-of course your highness. Thank you,” she said before bowing her head again. “May I be dismissed?”
The alicorn merely gestured with a wing.
Twilight turned and made her way out, rapidly. Once she was in the hall she let out a soft sigh of relief before making her way through the castle.
“She seemed kind of mad you were leaving,” Spike said.
“Of course she's mad. She's ALWAYS mad. She's probably upset I won't be able to regale people with stories of how she terrorized some poor orphan or something.”
“Wait, she really does that?”
“No, she doesn't. But I swear sometimes it feels like she would,” Twilight said before shaking her head. “I'd say I don't get paid enough, but I don't really get paid at all. I can't wait to see my friends.”
“Do you think they'll have somepony who can really plan the gala and everything?”
“Yes? No, I don't know. Maybe. Probably. I mean, there have to be a ton of ponies who can plan a gala. I'd do it myself, but I doubt my theme would work very well.”
He shrugged. “I don't know, seems like a lot of work to me...”
“I can't imagine it would be. They'd have access to all of the castle's resources. Cooks, guards, scribes. Invitations can be handled by somepony else, all they need to do is say what they want to have happen, then other ponies will make it happen. It's kind of a whole... thing. Delegation. If I knew what would MAKE a good party, then I would just do it all myself.”
“Not much of a partier?”
“My idea of a good party is curled up in my favorite chair with a good book. Or maybe a pen and notebook.”
“That sounds really boring,” he said with a huff.
“Hence why I don't throw parties. Even when I had to do it, when I was first starting, my agent planned everything. I wonder if I should ask her! She might...” She trailed off and shook her head. “No.”
“What?”
“I've really asked her to do a lot over the years. Throwing a small party for a few really good fans and funders for my books is one thing, but something like this? That's just horrifying. I need a professional. Somepony who wants to do it.” She sighed and pushed open the door to her room.
“Why don't you just run?” Spike asked.
“Run? Why would I run? What would happen then?”
“Who cares? Nopony here really seems to care what you're doing. They treat you like dirt. Nightmare Moon doesn't seem to like you, either.”
“She doesn't really show affection well,” Twilight muttered. “I'm pretty sure if she didn't like me, I'd be dead by now. And I fear to know what would happen to a new bard.”
He sighed and gave a little shrug. “Whatever. Just don't go and get yourself too beat up, okay? Cause like... we're a team and stuff.”
She blinked before smiling to him. “I know. And don't worry, I'm being extra careful. Nightmare Moon is... really, she's not so hard to deal with. You might get hurt in the process, but she's almost...” She eyed her book before closing it and putting it into her saddlebag. “I think she does still care. Not a lot. But somewhat.”
“She has a fun way of showing it.”
Twilight nodded and then tossed a few gems into her bags. “Okay, come along. I've got some snacks and stuff. And my notes. I can get some writing done on the way there. I wonder if I should take the train. Do you think the guards would be okay taking me?”
He shrugged. “Would it give them an excuse to get out of the castle?”
She thought about that for a moment before nodding. “Good point. Let's go.”
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Gee, I wonder who she is going to get to plan that Gala.
7671520
Don't know man, it's not like there's any professional party planners in Ponyville.
7671576
And that folks, is how we got Applejack to due the planning for the Gala!
I kid, there's no way for that to happen.
Because the Cutie Mark Crusaders will beat everypony else to the punch.
7671656
Nah, Zecora's definitely party planner material.
Hey there. Not much I can say other than, once again, excellent job on the exchanges, emotional content and the future chapter set-up in all the right places. I particularly liked Twi's chat with her family and, unless I miss my guess, the set-up for Twi's first official meeting with Pinkie Pie . Of course, I COULD be wrong concerning the latter. And, even if I am, I will still eagerly look forward to the next chapter as soon as time and inspiration will allow.
Nightmare Moon isn't a complete monster. She's NOT Chaotic Evil after all. She's very much a Lawful Evil that believes herself to be Righteous. You do right by her and she won't have to punish you horribly. If you are not one of her creatures under her protection or a known ally....then you get even fewer protections.
I usually try to stay away from Dark fanfics like this, but you got me hooked real quick!!
7671656 Oh God that would just be a TERRIBLE idea. Although it WOULD be a rather amusing read....
That is when a giant smile grew on my face.
Ayyy, I know that this means..
7670937 got it.
well enough chit-chat, new chapter is up, lets go read it.
7671924
No, that's what's locked up in the statue that's singing opera while slowly hatching sitting out in the garden which NM hasn't noticed yet. takes a deep breath
And cue 'Laughter' entering the stage!
So she has already met Rainbow, Fluttershy and Rarity and is going to Ponyville were she can meet Pinkie and Applejack...
May the elements assemble!
7674094 I feel Discord is more of a Neutral Chaotic Evil.
No matter how contradictory that just sounded.
7833469 Discord is Chaotic Neutral on a large scale. He lives to act in opposition to the status quo because he finds it boring. Can't really consider him evil when he has no moral reason for anything he does.
He is still a dick though.
Huh. I just noticed that Twiight's father is an Earth Pony named Tall. Actually I think Tall is only part of his name.
9674572
It's literally in the first paragraph of the story: Tall Order.
Curious that, I do like your take of the vampires and werewolves, they are much more interesting than the usual fair in my opinion.
That castle.. will get pronked.
9758794
Dear god
Found a typo!