Open Your Heart

by Gpizano

Shadows of Dark Creatures

There were a lot of things that could be seen in Los Pegasus. A guy wearing a tutu on the corner asking for change, a religious person in a tie would be on the opposite corner shouting about how people were going to hell for playing video games and watching TV. And then you had someone at the fountain, holding a journal with a sun on it with one hand while the other was pounding on the wall.

"DAMMIT SPARKLE, LET ME THROUGH!"

Groaning as her headache started to flare up, Jackie rubbed her forehead to calm it back down before opening the book and getting the pen out of her pocket. She's already been writing to Twilight before this, messy handwriting a complete contrast to all the other writings in the book but legible at the very least.

HAVEN'T YOU OPENED THE DAMN PORTAL YET?!

I DID! Are you at the right section of wall?!

Pausing, Jackie took another look at the spot she was in before pocketing the pen and moving over to the right, feeling along until she thought she was in the right spot. Suddenly the wall gave way and she was falling through, that familiar portal feeling passing through her as it felt like she was getting whiplash all over. Although it was... different this time. Something... someone else was in here. Jackie turned in time to see a pair of yellow eyes glaring at her before a blast of teal banished it, flash of red. Then she fell onto her back on a cold stone ground, Sunset's journal landing next to her as the now green pegasus gave a a groan of pain. She then became vaguely aware of others in the... library?

"Jackie! Jackie, are you okay? Did you see anything when you went through?"

"Twilight, give her some space-"

"By the stars what is that smell?!"

Turning over onto her stomach, Jackie looked up and saw not just Twilight, but Celestia and... wait, that one looked like Vice Principle Luna kind of. The dark alicorn was holding a hoof over her snout, leading Jackie to believe the funk from her bender had followed her even to this world. Before she could even get a word out though, a dark aura had formed around her, lifting her up into the air as Princess Luna started to escort her out of the library. That's about when Jackie found her voice.

"W-Wait! Sunset, we gotta' find Sunset!"

Reaching out, she latched with all four hooves onto the one side of the door frame, putting up a pretty good effort of not being moved by Luna's minor efforts. Celestia gave Jackie a sad look, complimented by hints of stress showing through. Twilight, while stressed however, looked more annoyed as her former mentor spoke first.

"Jackie, we're doing what we can, this is uncharted territory, the leyline between two tapped into by a portal. We have no idea what is in there, the type of power and magic or what even happens to somepony sent in."

"Which is why I should go in there! I've studied Starswirls theories and designs on his original portal more than anyone, my knowledge of magic would be an asset!"

The snap from Twilight caused her and Celestia to lock gazes, the moment tense as a silent conversation went between them before the younger alicorn cast her gaze away and the elder's turned back to Jackie.

"We're doing all that we can Jackie. But until we have more information it's a dangerous, unknown situation. Just give us time."

Another protest was welling up inside of Jackie, but with a firm, telekinetic yank she was dragged off by Luna. Spike was on the way with a tray of drinks as he jumped aside to make room for a struggling Jackie and Luna.

"Spike, bathroom with a tub?"

"Down the way, sixth door on the right."

"Thank you."

Heading through the correct door, Luna turned on the water to the tub, testing it with a hoof to get it at the right temperature while Jackie continued to struggle, throwing out swears that Luna did not seem to care for. Once the tub was full, the alicorn turned off the water and unceremoniously dropping the pegasus, creating quite a nice splash that Luna kept contained with her magic. Jackie would emerge seconds later, sputtering and glaring at Luna as a shampoo bottle was brought over and a generous amount was magically lathered into her mane.

"Dammit! Fucking cut it out!"

"Continue your uncouth language and I'll be sure to use some soap on your mouth."

The look from Luna seemed to cow Jackie, the pegasus a bit more cooperative as she was still in hang over recovery mode. So with but a mere grumble, Jackie sank low into the water and let Luna continue to wash out her mane, both silent as Jackie was cleaned up. After Luna dunked some water over her head, Jackie reached for the conditioner bottle. Or at least tried to. While she'd been able to get the hang of walking her last time here, figuring out how ponies grabbed things without fingers was still beyond her mastery. It slipped into the water, making Jackie pout before Luna's magic lifted it out and applied some to her mane.

"I had thought you'd have trouble. You've only been to this world once before, yes?"

"Yeah... but geez, I didn't think my bender would carry through to another dimension... world... whatever."

"Bender?"

"Yeah, don't ponies go on benders too? Drink a lot? Lose days and black out a bit?"

"Ah, I understand now. Something befell you recently?"

"... yeah."

"I see."

More silence, although after the conditioner was washed out soap was left up to Jackie, Luna simply sitting back as she contemplated what she would say.

"You know, we are trying our best to get Sunset back."

"Didn't seem like Twilight agreed."

"Yes... well, my sister and Twilight do differ on what should be done. For good reasons."

"Oh yeah? Well what's Celestia's reason for not sending Twilight in? Twilight's crazy good with magic."

"Because if she let's Twilight just jump in, then she may be lost like Sunset. Her fate unknown and without a way to get her back."

"... oh. Wait, why haven't they found a way to get people back yet?"

"Starswirl was a genius of magic in his time, only he truly understood every intricacy of inter-dimensional portals. It's something only Twilight really has come to master recently and this is an unprecedented situation. Which is why we also need Twilight here."

"... makes sense. But do you have anyone else to go?"

"Ideas are floating around. But to find somepony able to survive whatever they will face on the other side and willing to make possibly a great sacrifice will be a... difficult process. Especially since Twilight and my sister are hesitant to ask that of anyone."

"Yeah... but what about you or Celestia? You guys are strong magic-y people."

"We run a country, Jackie. Getting lost who knows where on a whim would not sit well."

"But we're wasting too much time!"

Having been struggling with the soap, it slipped out of her hooves and into the water, the pegasus giving a frustrated splash before looking back to Luna.

"I know we have to be careful, but who knows what's happening to Sunset! You're all describing this crap like some big scary crap and she's in that! Hell, just toss me in there and I'll go!"

"Absolutely not. You're not even a unicorn in this realm. Do you even have any understanding of magic?"

"Uhhhh..."

"Precisely. And besides that we can't think of a way to call you back. I know you're frustrated, but all we can do is wait..."

Frowning softly, Jackie dipped down into the nice, warm water, air bubbles coming from her snout as she was deep in thought. Then without warning she pushed herself up out of the tub, slipping slightly on the tile but grabbing a towel with her teeth and putting it on the floor. Then after rolling around on it enough so that she wasn't dripping water everywhere and even more scruffier looking thanks to now having fur and feathers. She stood and marched over to the door, grabbing the knob as best as she could with her teeth to turn it so she could open said door and continue her march.

Shaking her head, Luna stood and followed, knowing that the pegasus was about to do something brash. And not proven wrong when Jackie more or less kicked open the door to the library.

"-because I never wanted to be a princess in the first place!"

That knocked all the bluster right out of Jackie, standing there awkwardly after having heard Twilight's outburst. The door being kicked open had drawn both alicorn's attention, staring at her, caught in the middle of something that was probably supposed to be a private conversation. Coughing softly, the still slightly damp pegasus scuffed her hoof against the floor.

"... so. That happened. Anyways, Luna says it's a bad idea but you guys can send me in after Sunset."

"Absolutely not."

Scowling softly, Jackie was determined not to be brushed off like that as she walked over to Celestia, the height difference having to make her look up to meet with the alicorn's disapproving gaze.

"I'm going! I'm not sitting around on my ass waiting for some random fuck to 'meet with your approval' or whatever!"

"As I would guess that Luna has explained to you, there is no way to call you back! You'd need something to tether you to this world, something that could breach dimensions so that we could find you. Finding something like that-"

"The journal."

Both Jackie and Celestia's heads snapped over to Twilight, the princess of harmony having picked up Sunset's journal from the floor with her magic.

"The two journals have always been connected through the dimensions, it's how I've powered the machine to open the portals before it was naturally their time. The link may likely be strong enough that even in a magical leyline, we could lock onto Jackie and call her back if we have enough power."

"But that still doesn't solve the problem of if she can even survive in there. Even if whatever lies beyond doesn't kill her, she isn't even a magic user. Not without a proper 'catalyst' as you put it. Assuming the rules of magic in the leyline work in the same way as this world or in her world."

Shaking her head, Jackie moved over to Twilight while looking back at Celestia.

"Give me a baseball bat and I'll be good. Look I know you're concerned and I appreciate it, but we can't just keep sitting around! At the very least I can write back and tell you what I'm seeing so you'll know what you're dealing with!"

"And if you die? What will that do to Sunset?"

At that Jackie grimaced, looking down at the floor as the thought of a distraught Sunset made her stomach twist up in guilt. But then if she didn't go, if going right now meant she'd be able to save her. Shaking her head, the mare looked up to Celestia, perhaps the most serious that Jackie had ever been in her entire life.

"I'm not abandoning her. I'll bring my Sunshine back."

Frown deepening, Celestia looked between Jackie and Twilight, knowing she had dissension in the ranks, the young and brash wanting to take action. Which left her with two options, keep them from going through with this crazy plan but only delay the inevitable as they went behind her back. Or go along with it and pray that it would work out, lending her help when necessary. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and then gave a nod.

"Very well. We'll go with your plan."

A small smile came to Twilight's face as Jackie gave a whoop, the green pegasus ready to dive right in but Twilight had different plans.

"Spike! We need to gather some supplies! ... and fetch a towel!"

Author's Note:

And here we go, into the unknown beyond!

Let's see what awaits, next chapter! XD

Comments

[CSC]

This is looking great so far.

[Gpizano]

7977313
7978651

Thanks to the both of you. It makes me glad I changed my original plans for the direction this was going in. XD

[CSC]

7978676 What was your original direction anyway?

[Gpizano]

7978721 Basically a much shorter battle and then it would've gone into more soap opera territory. Then this direction came to me about two chapters back and I liked it a lot more.

[CSC]

7978782 Yeah, good call on expanding the story.

[Gpizano]

7978821 Well expanding and basically chucking my previous ideas. Instead of planning it out I'll just do what I usually do and go with my gut. XD

[CSC]

7979225 Sounds good!