Chapter 16 - Arriving back in Ponyville
Mystic was grateful that the journey back to Ponyville wasn’t eventful. She could see its cottages down under the moonlight.
Most of the soldiers had begun their journey back to Canterlot. Flash Magnus flew alongside the chariot, she, Pinkie, Applejack and Rarity were in. Twilight was on the opposite side. Mystic sighed in frustration, hating that the alicorn confiscated her weapons again.
Mystic looked back out onto the land of Equestria below.
These... these mares are national heroines? she thought, unable to accept that.
She recalled in her earlier days and her chats with Sunshine about Equestria.
Does this mean that all of those crazy stories of magical rainbows are true? These mares... Mystic slightly turned to look at them. There were six of them.
Sunshine’s excited face reemerged. So full of life and optimism at the stories of the rainbows. Mystic frowned, and closed her eyes, several tugs at her heart.
No! Mystic shook her head, interrupting her thought process. I won’t accept that! It can’t be real! But she knew she couldn’t deny the six ponies’ existence in front of them. Even if they might be part of exaggerated stories, I will see to it that they aren’t like they claim to be.
“Okay, we’re here!” said Flash Magnus.
Mystic noticed the chariot had come down from the sky and they were just landing in the middle of Ponyville. When it came to a complete stop, everypony stepped out.
“Thank you, sirs,” said Rarity, causing the pegasi to nod before taking off for Canterlot.
“Well, this was quite the adventure,” said Twilight.
“Yepperooni!” Pinkie exclaimed happily, “We’re amazing, and always have fun together!”
Rarity giggled, “Life’s not been dull since we met.”
“Ohh! That reminds me!” Pinkie said, pulling out a large list, “Mystic! We need to discuss your welcome, saving the kids and now saving Fluttershy and I’s lives!” She giggled, “This is gonna be some party!”
Mystic’s eyes widened. This mare is still putting a party together?! Mystic wanted to rebut her and tell her the party’s not happening, but Pinkie began going on about details.
“Do you like pinatas? Punch? And...”
“Pinkie,” said Twilight.
“Yes, Twilight?” Pinkie asked looking away from her list.
“Can we worry about the party for Mystic later? We’ve had a long day.”
Pinkie slightly wilted but she nodded.
“Okay, I’m just so excited for Mystic to have the party that’s so long overdue,” she said, not sounding as excited as she was before.
“Don’t worry, we’ll have an exciting Pinkie Pie style party here soon!” Rainbow assured her, smiling, “Who wouldn’t want to go to your parties?” She turned to Mystic, “You’ll come to the party she’s been working hard on for you, right?”
Mystic didn’t like that these ponies were trying to get her to come to a party she didn’t want to attend, but she hasn’t had the guts to say no. Why? This pink pony keeps getting on her nerves. All of the ponies, especially Pinkie were waiting for her answer.
“I-I... sure?” she answered hesitantly, mentally facehoofing after doing so.
“Yay!” Pinkie shrieked happily before wrapping her forelegs around Mystic.
Mystic let out a grunt due to Pinkie’s nearly bone-crushing hug. Some of her friends giggled as Mystic struggled to get out of her grip before Pinkie let go herself, causing the unicorn to stumble a little before she stood up straight.
“I guess we should head back to our homes,” said Applejack.
The others agreed while Mystic rubbed her sore back. Fluttershy tapped Twilight on the shoulder, causing the alicorn to turn to the pegasus. The latter had a bit of a concerned look mixed with some sadness.
“Um, Twilight?” she asked softly.
“Yes Fluttershy?” the alicorn wrapped a wing around her, “What’s wrong?”
“I... I know we had to stop those lions to protect Equestria,” she said with a sigh, “But... couldn’t we have found a better way to fight without them being killed?”
All of Fluttershy’s friends looks turned sympathetic.
“I do wish Ah didn’t have ta use that sword on some of ‘em,” Applejack remarked, slightly cringing from the memory of the battle.
“Did... you kill some of them?” Fluttershy asked with a small whimper.
Applejack didn’t reply, but she turned and looked away. It didn’t take much for Fluttershy to know what Applejack was trying to say by not saying it aloud.
“I... kinda did,” Rainbow piped up, “I... didn’t want to but I did help a lot...” She cringed, “I hated that...”
“As did I,” said Twilight, “I didn’t try to kill any of them but like Rainbow, I helped a lot...”
Fluttershy whimpered again, “I wish we didn’t have to...I mean they had friends and family too, didn’t they?”
None of her friends wanted to think about that, but they gave each other a glance, knowing that they highly likely did, no, definitely did.
“We did what we had to...” said Mystic which caused the others to look at her.
“What?” Rainbow asked.
Mystic sighed, glancing at her machete, “Those lions were going to attack a city and try to take over your land, we had to stop them.”
Rainbow glared, getting a little defensive, “So, are you saying you wouldn’t have a problem with killing them?”
“I’m not saying that.”
“Then what are you saying?” Rarity asked, “It seems atrocious to kill, that’s why we try to avoid it whenever we can.”
“Sometimes you don’t have a choice, and there wasn’t any other way to get those lions to retreat,” Mystic explained, “As much as I dislike Hong, I do agree that killing somecreature, if they won’t stop and aren’t showing mercy like that pride, you’d have no choice.”
“There always has to be a better way!” Rainbow protested.
“Sometimes there isn’t,” Mystic said with a grave expression. She looked away, “Look, I hate blood. I hate it. But I need to do what I need to do if there’s no other option.”
Her friends looked at one another.
“Ah guess yer right,” Applejack said, “And there were other cases where a villain wouldn’t stop and they were destroyed...”
“I see,” said Mystic, “And... when Hong killed those vultures...” She formed a glare, “That was distasteful.”
Twilight nodded, “Why couldn’t he just imprison them while we fought the pride?”
“That’s what I thought, too.” Mystic looked at Fluttershy, “Don’t let this overcome you, try to move past it and hope for better times where violence isn’t so prominent anymore.”
Fluttershy nodded, calming down now. Rainbow had a suspicious look on her face, thinking Mystic’s probably being crafty as she’s heard from Hong. She’s always been suspicious of her, but now with that idea planted in her mind, she just can’t let it go.
“I think we need to get home,” said Applejack, glancing at the Ponyville clock tower, “We got home just in time fer supper.”
“Oh, yes,” said Rarity, “I do need to make sure those last orders are ready before the Gala arrives. Oh!” She turned to Applejack, “And my sister will be joining your family tomorrow morning, right?”
“Eeyup,” replied Applejack.
“Good, and I’ll have more time to get those dresses finished.”
“Aaaaannddd I’ve got more planning to do!” Pinkie declared, looking at her list again.
Fluttershy smiled, “I’ll see you girls, tomorrow.”
“I’ve got some business to take care of, but I should be back tomorrow evening,” said Twilight.
With that, everypony began heading home. Applejack came up to Mystic, smirking, “And you, we’ve still got some apples to harvest.”
“Hoora,” Mystic deadpanned, causing the farmer to chuckle.
As she flew back to the castle, Twilight looked back to her friends parting their separate ways, Applejack walked with Mystic back to the farm while Fluttershy and Rarity headed back to their homes, and Pinkie was looking over the list for Mystic’s party.
Twilight couldn’t help but smile, Pinkie is a lot like her in her organization and planning skills when it comes to ambitious parties. Twilight looked back to the direction of her castle, seeing its shimmering crystals lit up by the rising moon. Sighing, she flew a little faster to get there and tell Spike to send a letter to Celestia.
“Hey Twi,” said a familiar raspy voice.
Slightly startled, Twilight looked to her left to see Rainbow flying alongside her. She smiled, “Hey Rainbow, need anything?”
“Yes,” replied Rainbow, “It’s concerning what went down after the lions’ defeat and some of their captures.”
“Flash is having his men look all around the area and local authorities to capture the rest of the scattered lions and lionesses,” Twilight explained, “And we’ll have them in for questioning and crimes against Equestria.”
“It’s not them,” said Rainbow, glancing back to where her friends had been, “It’s concerning that general and our guest he seemed to be determined to bring in.”
Twilight sighed, she should’ve known somepony in her group of friends would be uncertain about her call to keep Mystic under her wing, concerning with what’s happened with Mr. Bullion, the School and now recently the lions’ attempt to take Canterlot.
“Rainbow,” she said, “I’m heading off to Canterlot to tell Celestia about all of this and to assess any updates on the recent situation.”
“But what if that general tries to bring the ruler of his land in and try legally to get Mystic back?” Rainbow asked.
“Mystic told us that he’s her adoptive uncle, plus her fear of going back was very genuine,” Twilight explained.
“How do you know if she’s really telling the truth about that?”
“I’m not one hundred percent sure, but her recent actions and not posing any real threat doesn’t seem to suggest that she’s the kind of pony to do such things.”
“She could just be trying to cover her tracks,” Rainbow huffed.
Twilight looked at Rainbow, “Fluttershy told me about her time with Mystic while on the way back here. In addition, she believes that Mystic is a good pony, she just needs friends to help her out.” She sighed heavily, “After all, Fluttershy has a gift for reaching to ponies...or draconequuses.”
Twilight recalled how Fluttershy could see something in Discord that the others couldn’t, she saw through the vampire fruit bat incident. Sure, Fluttershy isn’t perfect, but she has a talent for showing her kindness, compassion, and what ponies or Discord needs. Rainbow sighed again.
“I guess you’re right,” she said, “But concerning with what’s happening with the School, I’d be careful with that general.” She rubbed the back of her mane, “Why couldn’t you just stand up to Mr. Bullion like that?”
Twilight rolled her eyes in slight annoyance, “Believe me, that stallion is a real jerk and I always feel like standing up to him in that sense. However,” she looked at Rainbow, “He’s got massive connections with powerful ponies in our government and he’s able to provide evidence for a court case.”
“Like the pipes and electrical issues lately?”
“Yes, said Twilight. “We have to handle this, it’s a tangled-up mess. I have to make us succeed. I need to for our school’s sake.”
She began breathing a little hard, feeling another one of her panic attacks beginning to come on. Doing Cadance’s breathing technique, she did her best to calm down before it could come in full force. Taking a final deep breath in, Twilight calmed down.
“Anyway, the School will be spared from a stallion who’s woven his way into his hooves over the course of a few months,” she said.
“And... Hong was told by Celestia to take care of the lions, and he only just met us,” said Rainbow.
Twilight nodded, “Yes, and Celestia will be notified of Mystic’s role, too, and how valid the General’s claims were.”
“I still think there might be more to her than what she’s said.”
“That’s why we’re still keeping an eye on her and providing friendship like we always do,” said Twilight.
The pegasus and alicorn landed in front of the door to Twilight’s castle.
“But she does seem like somepony who could potentially be dangerous, and what if Hong is right about what she did in the past? I mean, murdering ponies?” Twilight slightly cringed at the thought of such an action, Equestria rarely saw murder by anypony.
“We don’t know for sure if that’s even true, we need to get all the facts,” said Twilight.
“We don’t know some for sure facts about her, Twilight,” Rainbow formed a stern look.
“Like what?”
Rainbow rubbed the back of her mane, thinking for a minute, “She did vandalize property, attacked me first, tried to shoot me down with her magic, and isn’t easy to get along with. She’s got to be hiding something, and what if Hong does bring in ponies to bring her back? What if...she’s...”
“She’s what?”
Rainbow gulped, “Forgive me, Twilight but... what if she could be weaving her way in... like somepony that was a filly and got close while at the School?”
Twilight’s eyes widened, hurt building up behind her eyes, “Rainbow,” she glared, “Mystic won’t be like Cozy Glow.”
“We don’t know that for sure, Hong said she’s a crafty pony.”
Twilight, still feeling hurt, didn’t look convinced at what Rainbow was saying, but she went on, “And that...” Twilight held up a hoof, giving Rainbow a somewhat skeptical look.
“Rainbow, we’ve mostly been over this,” she said, “With you trying to talk about her like this...” Twilight narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “Are you treating as if she’s your problem and are trying to handle her your way with all that’s happened?”
Rainbow’s eyes widened in shock and somewhat in anger, “What?! I’m not! I’m just trying to make sure...”
“That she won’t be a problem,” Twilight interrupted, she placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, “Look, we do trust you, but it sounds like you’re just trying to make it sound like she is a problem.”
“She got off with a rocky start with us,” Rainbow reasoned.
“She did, but lately she hasn’t been,” said Twilight, “If you have anything to say other than what you’ve said about Mystic and what we’ve talked about, please share.”
Rainbow opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped herself and began thinking. She didn’t want to be exposed about her lie and she did want Mystic to stay in check, and the pony seems to have given up trying to convince them that she’d lied.
Finally, Rainbow relented, “Okay. Sorry Twi, I guess I am just a little worked up.” She sighed, “I’m sorry I mentioned Cozy.”
Twilight’s look softened but kept her suspicions on Rainbow, “It’s okay. Anyway, I’m going to head to Canterlot.” She took her hoof off Rainbow, “Good night, Rainbow.”
“Good night, Twi.”
Rainbow flapped her wings and took off into the night sky to floating cloud home. Twilight narrowed her eyes suspiciously about Rainbow’s behavior. She closed them, breathed in and out again to calm down before she magically opened her doors to the castle, stepped inside and closed them behind her.
Twilight sat in her chair and looked along the bookshelves of her castle’s library to find a good book to read. She didn’t pay attention to Spike wrote a letter she told him to write about recent events. It would be tomorrow when she would go meet Celestia due to her schedules, but that gave her an excuse to hang out with her friends a little longer outside of saving Equestria and school.
“So, shall I send the letter to Celestia now?” he asked as he placed the ribbon around the closed scroll.
Twilight turned her attention to him. “Yes, send it,” said Twilight.
Spike let out his magical fire that consumed the scroll and went out the window towards Canterlot.
“You did send a letter to Fluttershy, right?” Twilight asked with a yawn.
“Just before that one,” Spike deadpanned
“Okay, good,” said Twilight as she closed her suitcase.
“Okay, Twilight,” said Spike. He knows he’s gotten everything, but he checked his suitcase anyway just to satisfy Twilight. When he rummaged through the countless Power Ponies comics and some jewels in it, he closed it.
“Oh, Twilight,” he realized, he shot up from his seat over to a counter and grabbed a journal with Twilight’s Cutie Mark on it.
“The Magical Journal? What about it?” Twilight asked.
“Oh, I got a message from...” Spike smiled, “You know who about coming over, eventually.”
Twilight gasped, grabbed the journal with her magic, and pulled it over to her, Spike, slightly annoyed she yanked it out of his claws, went over to her. Twilight began reading the latest entry.
“Dear Twilight,
Hi! I hope you’re doing well. I’ll be coming over to join you in a little while. In about two days, maybe three. Make sure Rarity has my dress made and that you’re all ready for my arrival. I know things have been a little hectic with the School, but I know you and your friends will pull through as you always do. Anyway, I hope to see you soon! I can’t wait for the Gala!
Your Friend,
Sunset Shimmer”
Twilight’s pupils were the size of pinpricks and her mouth was agape.
“I can’t believe this...with all that’s been going on, I forgot about her visit!” she thought. Shaking her head vigorously, she blurted out, “When did this message arrive?!”
“Oh, about an hour before you came in,” said Spike, “I told her we will pull together and we’ll look forward to seeing her.”
“Wha?!” Twilight yelped, “But we don’t know if...”
“Twilight!” Spike shouted, keeping her from freaking out, “We’ll be in and out of Canterlot and we’ll pull everything together. We’ve got this, I assure you.”
“But I completely forgot about her visit! And...”
“And she’ll be welcome regardless of what you’re going to freak out about,” Spike said with a small grin, knowing Twilight, “But for now, don’t we have something else to worry about?”
Twilight did Cadance’s breathing technique to try and calm down. She did it a couple more times before finally relaxing, “You’re right, Spike. We’ve got this.” She smiled at him, “Thanks.”
Spike formed a proud smile, “What’re number one assistants for?”
Twilight giggled. “Well, since I can’t figure out what I want to read, how about we both go read some of your latest comic books together?”
Twilight had to suppress a laugh as Spike lit up as if he’d received the best Hearth’s Warming gift. “I’ll go get them!” Twilight watched him go and the laugh she’d held in finally released. It felt good to laugh.
Meanwhile, Mystic and Applejack were nearly at the huge barn of the orchard, and Big Mac was outside putting away some farming tools.
“Hey, Big Mac!” Applejack called, “We’re back!”
The large stallion immediately perked up, smiling brightly when he spotted them. He trotted to them as they entered the property. He and Applejack hugged.
“Back so soon?” he asked, pulling back, “But then again, you and yer friends know how to defeat evil.” He winked.
Applejack chuckled, “Yeah, we do.”
“And you,” Big Mac said to Mystic, “What were you doin’ earlier by bein’ in such a rush?”
“It’s a long story,” replied Mystic.
Big Mac’s brows furrowed but Applejack gave him a nod that calmed him down.
“Well, let’s have some dinner,” said Applejack, walking up to the homestead.
“Mystic?” Big Mac asked.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” replied Mystic, to which Big Mac nodded.
Mystic looked up at the night sky, seeing the many twinkling stars and nearly full moon. The sight of the night sky caused Mystic to feel a pain in her chest. Her eyes widened a little as she gazed upwards, holding her chest as if a distant memory had resurfaced. She shut her eyes tight.
“Not now,” she muttered, trying to suppress the memory of a familiar filly's golden mane, “Not now.”
Did I surprise you in this chapter? 
It will be a while longer before the next chapter, but don't worry, I'm doing my best to stay hard at work. 
Also, concerning a certain character you all know contacted Twilight, I will say you will see her at some point during the second act of the story and she might have a bigger role than what you think.
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*tsk, tsk, tsk* Oh Rainbow Dash, you only gonna make yourself look more like a fool for lying to your friends.
Anyway, it's short, but good chapter. The Mane Six and Mystic discussed about killing, Mystic having a brief flashback about a certain old friend, and Twilight preparing a visit from a certain visitor that I'm excited to see eventually!
Great job!
10558956
Thank you! I'm excited too!
Tings are only getting more interesting, I wonder when the EoH will find out about Mystic’s past.
10559574
I guess we'll find out one of these days.
10560488
yes we will.