Continuity Disrupted

by Doug Graves

60 The Coming Storm, Part Eight

Applejack smiles to herself as she feels the barest tingle from Twilight’s horn. It isn’t quite as satisfying as when Rarity does it. If she had to speculate, not something she normally likes doing, she would say it is because Honesty magic isn’t Twilight’s speciality. Not that she has anypony else to compare the experience to. And it took her and Rarity a couple tries to really get it down to where they channel the pure essence of their cutie marks. Not just some imitation or spell, and colt howdy were their Elements hungry for that kind of thing.

Something feels slightly off, though, and not just the taste of the magic. Applejack opens one eye. Slowly at first, but that is just enough to confirm that something is dreadfully wrong with the mare in front of her. Applejack’s other eye opens, both widening as she tries to place when she had seen Twilight like this before.

Twilight’s brow is furrowed in concentration, her eyebrows practically next to each other she is focusing so intently. Her eyes are closed, Applejack unable to read anything from the normally expressive orbs. Her mouth - the tiny amount she can see past Twilight’s horn - speaks volumes: it is twisted, curling to a smirk halfway from madness to Chaos.

It hits her: when Twilight stopped the Ursa Minor, channeling more and more of her magic into boosting her telekinesis while simultaneously quickening a soothing melody, so that she could cast two spells at the same time. The unicorn’s reserves must be incredible to do that! And she seems to be surpassing that, but without any of the visual effects!

Applejack’s eyes nervously peel themselves away from the awe-inspiring and hopefully-not-about-to-make-her-wet-the-floor sight to find Rarity. The white unicorn seems more fascinated than distressed, watching the display of pure power with rapt attention. The nervous clearing of Applejack’s throat is enough to distract her, the worried glancing of Applejack’s eyes enough to confer that something is dreadfully wrong.

Rarity’s eyes narrow as her focus changes, no longer on the purple unicorn and the euphoric sense of being radiating from her. Twilight looks like she feels when performing this with Applejack, after all. Instead, Rarity concentrates on the physical mare. The way her legs - despite resting on the ground with no weight on them - are shaking uncontrollably. How her breath is ragged when she bothers to breathe. The way Twilight is smiling shows no comprehension of what is happening to her body.

“Twilight?” Rarity asks, hesitantly at first.

Twilight doesn’t respond, the manic grin merely growing larger.

“Twi-ligh?” Applejack grunts out, unsure whether it is safer to remove the horn from her mouth and just speaking around it.

Nothing.

“TWILIGHT!!” Rarity shouts, practically in the unicorn’s ear. She desperately searches the mare’s face for any change, one way or the other, that indicates what she is going through and how they can help.

Twilight mumbles, “...”

“What was that?” Rarity asks, bringing her own ear closer, snapping back as Twilight’s body convulses.

“Thank you,” comes the whispered reply as Twilight collapses, only Applejack’s mouth around her horn keeping her head from dropping down. The rest of her body limply settles against the floor while her mouth (and her bowels, though they would never tell anypony that particular tidbit) goes slack.

Applejack, no longer feeling anything coming from the mare in front of her, pulls her mouth away. Her eyes widen, the pupils shrinking to pinpricks as the two notice a faint pink glow, the same color of Twilight’s aura, seeping out of the horn. She points a hoof, “Um, that ain’t supposed to happen, is it?”

Rarity gasps, immediately shaking her head.

“Well, do something!” Applejack yells, turning to Twilight. She tries shaking the comatose mare but to no avail, like she is shaking a sack of potatoes. “Twilight!”

Rarity turns to the extensive library around her, immediately cursing Twilight’s organizational skills. Or complete lack of them. Where are the medical textbooks? Magical maladies? The magic section seems to include everything under the sun, sorted alphabetically by title? Useless! Though perhaps she can put several of the paper towels to use.

Applejack puts her ear to Twilight’s mouth, the barest whisper of breath going in and out, growing more and more labored with every stroke. The earth pony’s throat rumbles as she deliberates - what can she do? Magical something-or-other is still seeping out of Twilight’s horn, the mare fading along with it. Applejack hems, then haws, jittery hooves clattering against the floor as she watches Rarity’s fruitless search. She has to do something.

Her lips, almost on their own, go to Twilight’s horn, clasping around the smoky pink still pouring out. She can feel it in her mouth, expanding. It tantalizes her, the taste delicious, alluringly sweet. Yet the very fact that she is enjoying her Friend’s suffering sickens her, to her core. She tries pressing her tongue against the tip, the sides, even completely enveloping the horn. All do nothing. She holds back the tears - she can’t quit now!

Ah promise you’ll be safe.

Applejack grunts, her own Honesty pushing against the torrent flooding into her. She can feel the raging river slow, yet it still trickles through in spurts and bursts.

Now listen here. What Ah’m saying to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you’ll be safe.

Applejack allows herself a smile as her levee holds, silence pervading the room. She can barely make out Twilight’s steady breathing, the mare in front of her finally recovering. Or at least, not slipping further into oblivion. The spell Twilight had been channeling, that she had poured nearly all of her essence into, is still there, as if waiting for a guide to return.

Applejack grunts for Rarity, unwilling to break her connection with Twilight. Her herdmate dutifully comes, abandoning her search for a book that likely doesn’t exist yet. Rarity watches as Applejack pantomimes, placing her own hoof next to, then inside Twilight’s mouth.

Rarity grimaces briefly - Twilight’s reserves are obviously much larger than hers, hence the difficulty with ‘overflowing’ them. Would she be able to pull through, perform whatever action Applejack thinks is necessary? Her eyes shine, attempting to locate the problem, though the lack of thaumic flow through Twilight is disturbing. Instead, what she discerns as a large cache, held in a stasis of sorts. Could that be it? But, then why does Twilight not reabsorb the remnants of the spell? Could it not know where to go, as the rest of her lies completely drained?

Couldn’t she wait, hope that it could find its way back on its own?

In her moment of indecision, she can sense Twilight weakening. No. She has to.

Would she be able to help? Could her dim light guide Twilight back?

Yet, even if it would cripple or kill her, she knows she will try.

Rarity’s horn lights, prying Twilight’s loose jaw open. She bends down, lower than before, carefully maneuvering her horn into Twilight’s mouth with Applejack’s help. It slips in easily enough, much like-

Focus! She needs to channel Friendship, yes? But telekinesis, while it might qualify, doesn’t seem personal enough. She tries anyway, imaging she is lifting a needle, a bolt of fabric, every piece of fabric in her shop!

Nothing. The cache is unmoved, though she can feel the slightest twinge around her horn, like Twilight is smiling.

Rarity thinks back; what can she use? Meeting Twilight initially, helping the sea serpent Stephen Magnet? Standing with Twilight against Nightmare Moon?

No.

The second time she had connected with Princess Luna. Along with Twilight and the rest of the herd, she had saved everypony from the dreaded Tantabus. She had used her Friendship to stitch together the walls of the dream.

She channels that image, of conjuring and controlling a giant sewing needle in the sky. Long, broad strokes, stitching together an initial pathway for Twilight’s magic to flow back to her. Shoring up the ragged edges, smoothing out the road, intricate designs along the edges that will never be noticed.

Nothing. Well, a hesitant peep forwards, as if the cache is unsure whether or not the path is safe.

Rarity shines, a beacon of light, of hope, of Friendship, standing along the path and ready to guide, however needed.

The cache lurches forward, engulfing Rarity. She screams as It greedily devours, intent on replacing everything It had lost. And then some.

Rarity whimpers, abject pain wracking her core, yet allowing the despoiling of herself, gladly offering if it would allow her Friend to recover. She slumps over, or tries, her horn firmly held in place. It... it would be worth it. Right?

Twilight guzzles greedily, her mind lost in the ecstasy of evocation.

The spark, ignited inside me when I realized that you all… are my Friends!

She pauses, as if noticing for the first time what exactly she is drinking. Her…

Her friend.

HER FRIEND.

Rarity weakly smiles up as the intense pull against her spirit relents, her horn withdrawing as she finds Twilight’s eyes. Twilight’s look of terror - the wide, devastated eyes, ears splayed back, mouth pursing shut as if she would never drink again, hooves straining as they grip the floor.

“Twilight…”

“Rarity! I-”

“Shh,” Rarity says, her horn pressing against the unicorn's lips and silencing her abject apology. “You made it, Twilight. I was so worried.” She pulls away, if only for a moment, to gaze into her Friend’s eyes. To know that she is okay, and to let her know that she is okay. Rarity pushes her head against Twilight’s, a soft, serene nuzzle.

“But, I-”

“Shh, Twi,” Applejack shushes, no longer feeling the press of Twilight’s magic against her own. “It’s okay. You can rest now.” She too drops down, her nuzzle trying to convey that sense of well-being, of relief, of joy that they are all okay.

“No,” Twilight says, shaking her head. “I realized something, Applejack. And Rarity. When I was pouring myself into the spell. When I lost myself. When Rarity… helped me recover. I was so glad.” Her smile returns, her hooves cease their shaking, her ears turning upright. “I was so glad to be doing it with you!”

Twilight draws Applejack and Rarity into a hug, softly sobbing. “And I realized, that no matter what, I want to keep doing those things with you. I want to do everything with you! And with Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. Because you all are my Friends, and I can’t see myself with anypony else!”

“O-of course, Twilight, we’ll always be your Friend,” Applejack says, vigorously returning the hug. Her hooves clasp around Twilight’s back, drawing her even closer.

“No, Applejack.” Twilight shakes her head, softly smiling. “I want more than just to be Friends.”

“Are ya askin’ what Ah think you’re askin’?” asks Applejack, though it isn’t an eyebrow that raises. Instead it is her smile, growing wider as Rarity joins her in grinning madly.

“I am.” Twilight pulls away, purely to better take in the view of the two mares beaming back at her. She slightly inclines her head, the barest bow she can manage, before returning her gaze to Applejack. “Applejack, I want to join the herd.”

Applejack nods, a short glance to Rarity before she can’t contain herself any more. She leaps forward, gently tackling Twilight to the floor. “Yes!” she shouts, her muzzle and hooves finding every available inch of Twilight.

“Yes!” Rarity joins a split second later, her own set of nuzzles and light kisses. She wraps both of them in a hug, her joyous smile highly contagious.

Thunder peals outside, accompanied by the steady strike of lightning against the library. The three shudder, their embrace continuing but with a slightly new purpose. Twilight forlornly looks outside, sighing to herself. “I guess I’ll have to wait until morning to make this official, though.”

Applejack chuckles, carrying the two unicorns over to the cot set up by Twilight’s bed. “Twilight, Ah feel like Ah’ve been waiting a very long time for this. Ah’m sure we can wait one more night.”

Twilight smiles as Applejack places her in her bed like a newborn foal. She yawns, sinking under the sheets, though she frowns when Applejack and Rarity go to lay down on the cot. “Oh no you don’t,” she whispers, the two mares quietly yelping as Twilight’s horn flares a brilliant raspberry red. She grunts at the exertion - she’ll definitely be sore in the morning - but she pulls both mares up and into the bed, tucking all three of them underneath the covers. “Mm,” she purrs, snuggling in between both of them. “Much better.”

“Yes, darling. This is much better,” Rarity says, though she can’t keep her gaze from traveling over the sheets. They aren’t tucked in right! Her horn lights, to pull the sheets off and redo the hasty job, but stops herself.

“Agreed.” Applejack snuggles next to Twilight, though she grimaces slightly internally. She’s going to be hot, and being under the sheets won’t work! She goes to kick the sheets off, but stops herself.

Applejack and Rarity look up at each other, then glance down at the unicorn already fast asleep. You know, maybe they can make it through the night, even if they are a little uncomfortable.

Comments

[badninja]

Well that happened. I will need a bit to digest this bountiful chapter.

[DarkPhoenixx]

Wait.....so both??!! Doug is gonna be surprised in the morning lol

[Silentwoodfire]

They all need to clean up

[Poparakelis]

Trixie and Twilight, what a dog