Chapter Ten
“Why would she do that?” Twilight asked the empty room, not that she had expected the steaming bath to answer.
She had come back to her room after Court, to find a small note pinned to the door to her room, telling her that Pip was still in the kitchens, and that Twilight was to take the bath Cadance had prepared. She found, with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, another note pinned to the bathroom door, this one telling her that if she wanted to have a hot bath, she would have to heat the water up herself, and ‘not to pretend she couldn’t because I have already talked to Luna about her lessons, so don’t even try it Missy.’
And here she was now, reclining in the hot water, relaxing as the steam curled about her. She had taken the time to pull her mane back before entering the tub, giggling as she slid a pair of Cadance’s ornamental sticks through the tight bun. Then she had slid into the water, and allowed the heat to melt the stress of her day.
“Could have been worse,” she mumbled, half dozing. “Snowdrop helped. Ugh, imagine if they had all gotten to complain.”
She moaned, and slid lower into the tub. The water slid up around her, until only her eyes were left above the surface, breathing out a slow stream of bubbly curses. It would have been hell, listening to every single noble approaching the Princess, making veiled insults to not only Twilight, but Princess Luna as well, and being forced to record each and every word they said. It was disgusting, transcribing what they said. It made her feel dirty, as though she were the one saying those vile things, insulting the Princess.
It wasn’t though. Twilight knew that Princess Luna had her faults, one of which was her sadistic ‘lessons.’ By the Light, even Princess Celestia had a few faults of her own. But there was no excuse for the rude behavior of the nobility. Had they forgotten that those ‘doubtless well meaning, but clearly misguided’ actions that were being attacked were made by the same ponies who gave them their station? Even if Princess Luna hadn’t been the pony to elevate the Helian nobility to their ranks, she had done so in her own country, and deserved their respect.
That brought the mare’s thoughts full circle, back to the odd behavior of Lady North. Why, in the name of the Light, had she defended her? Twilight was nothing to the white mare. There was no connection of blood between them, and the Grey Lady had never given Twilight more than a glance on the rare occasion she was at the Heart. Why was she acting so differently?
“Why indeed,” said an amused, reptilian voice.
Twilight screamed, the shriek encapsulated into an enormous bubble. Her head shot out of the water, and Twilight felt Princess Luna’s lessons come rushing back.Instinctively, as thinking would only weaken the spell, Twilight jerked her head. Her horn flared with a rough, unrefined burst of energy, and she felt the tub stir. With a rush, the water filling the tub flew into the air, crashing down on the intruder.
Not offended in the least by the sudden attack, Spike cocked her head to the side, and sent her own power surging into the tide. The deluge stopped a few feet away from the dragoness, frozen in midair. Quirking an eye ridge at the mare peeking over the tub’s walls, Spike smirked and whirled about. Her tail came crashing into the irregular mass of ice, bladed tail held sideways. With a crack, the flat of her tail smashed into the ice, and the block shattered.
The pieces of ice fell for a moment, only to be caught on the updraft of magic as Spike lifted them back into the air, sending a stream of icy shards cascading back into Twilight’s tub. Twilight yelped, and pressed herself to the tub’s wall, sending power back into her horn. She felt the wall of fire she summoned pressing against her, the heat waves slamming into her alike fist. The spell was sloppy, but effective. As the ice water came pouring back into the tub, it passed through the fire, steaming away until the entire room was obscured in a wall of white.
“Most impressive. Luna, or Celestia?”
“You mean who taught me?” Twilight asked. With a soft grunt, she dispelled the flames, blinking into the haze. “It was Princess Luna.”
“That would explain why the spell was so… messy.” Spike hummed in amusement, and Twilight turned to face the sound of talons clicking on tile. “I don’t mean to offend you, of course. It was a very good counter, if unrefined. Next time though, if someone is attacking you with ice, summon heat, not fire. Fire is a waste, it needs fuel, and you have to spend more energy to keep it roaring. When you summon heat though, you only need to power the spell itself.”
Without warning, the white haze constricted. Over the span of a few moments, Twilight watched as the vapor swirled, swirling into a large ball above the tub. It tightened again, pulsing like a heart, and the white mist suddenly became a small sphere of clear water. It was perfectly round, held suspended in the grip of a mage with eons of practice. There was no subtle jarring to distort the image, no changes in pressure. It hung above her, small and perfect, and Twilight stared in wonder at her own reflection.
Then there was a giggle in the back of Spike’s throat, and the ball dissolved. The ball burst, and Twilight saw that the small sphere was a very large one, held compacted by Spike’s spell. That was all the time she had to examine it though, before it poured back into the tub, a deluge that seemed to be centered on her head. Twilight felt a tugging on her mane, and then a sharper yank, and felt the neat bun pulled apart by the flow.
The mare rolled her eyes under the water, then pushed herself back to the surface. Her head broke the water with a great gasp, and her mane clung wetly to her neck as she shook her head to clear the water from her ears. “What was that for?!”
“That?” Spike said, baring her fangs in a wicked grin. “That was for attacking me.”
“You snuck up on me.” Twilight grumbled, sinking low into the water again.
Spike laughed again, shuffling her wings as her tail flicked back and forth. “Would you mind if I joined you, Twilight Sparkle? Your thoughts were loud enough to be heard in the gardens, perhaps I could help? Cider?”
“Sure, and yes please.” Twilight mumbled. “Sorry for throwing water at you. I didn’t mean… I mean, if I had known it was you-“
“No offense taken, little star.” Spike smiled gently at the mare, before turning to fetch the stout mugs of cider she had brought with her. She carried the first back with her tail, extending it to Twilight with a wink. Then the dragon turned back towards the door.
Cautiously, Twilight took a sip of the drink, tasting the strong, sweet taste of The Apples’ Cider. The apple family always made the best cider to be had in Helios, and unlike their desert dwelling relations, their brew was made for flavor, not alcohol. Groaning quietly in pleasure, Twilight took another sip, glancing at Spike.
She was attractive. Twilight had been aware of the… physical allure of the ponies about her for years. Surrounded by the nobility, of the ponies whose impeccable breeding had produced creatures of exquisite beauty, Twilight would have had to be frigid not to feel their pull. Spike though, and Princess Luna and Celestia, all three of the ancient creatures had an ethereal grace about them that transcended that earthy attraction. While all three were classically beautiful, with tall legs and lithe bodies, but that wasn’t what made them so alluring. It was that sense that they were older than time, preserved in eternal youth, with the subtle promise of decades of experience at their beck.
As if she had been waiting for the moment, Spike chose then to stretch herself, letting her front legs slide forward as her wings flared out. There was a series of soft clicks at the reptile’s spine popped, and then a splutter from Twilight as she coughed up cider. Quickly, the scribe turned away, staring determinedly at the bath she was in. She hadn’t quick enough to avoid seeing Spike’s tail swish to the side, swinging up like a pendulum, and revealing a slash of bright pink nestled between the vivid green scales of her legs.
The mare’s head ducked down, submerging her flaming cheeks below the water, staring intently at the smooth wall of the tub opposite her. Did she really just… Was Spike intentionally show her, umm...
“Call it... marital training.” Spike said, slipping soundlessly into the water. Her smooth, scaled body didn’t even make the fragile surface ripple as she slid into place, directly across from Twilight. She reclined against the walls of the tub, just as Twilight did, her green spines folding limply down along her back. She smiled at Twilight, like a cat seeing a fat little mouse. “Perhaps I should continue with a… practical demonstration?”
“NO!” Twilight yelped, still underwater. Her exclamation rippled through the bathwater, emerging as a bubble. As her words ran out, water rushed in, and Twilight jerked herself above the water again, coughing. “No!”
“Calm yourself, Twilight Sparkle. I was merely jesting. While you are… attractive for a pony, I find myself inclined towards a more… draconic mate?” Spike mused, still smiling. Suddenly, the enigmatic grin widened into a grin displaying her wicked fangs. “Of course, I still have urges that you might be able to satisfy…”
Twilight blushed again, though not as hotly as before. She averted her eyes from the seductive gleam in the emeralds across from her, looking at the window. The sun was setting now, casting a brilliant crimson hue cascading across the sky. She focused on that, the brilliant banners of light in the sky, bidding a fond farewell to the sun that warmed them through the day, and ushering in the night with the muted tones of indigo, and violet.
“I’m sorry, Twilight. That was improper, me propositioning you, an engaged mare.” Spike’s subtle, mysterious smile was back. “She was the only one wise enough to know that the game was already lost.”
“Huh?” Twilight asked, brought back to the present with a jolt. “Who is wise, what game?”
Spike sighed, and shook her head theatrically. “Snowdrop. Tall, bluish grey mare. Unicorn, one of the most magical entities in the world. You may have met her a time or two?”
Twilight glared at Spike. The dragon smirked. “And the game? Why, your marriage. Or rather, the competition for Princess Luna, a game you won handily.”
“That doesn’t explain why she helped me. Us.”
“Doesn’t it? Think for a moment. Lady Snowdrop is no less ambitious than her fellows.”
Twilight fell silent, looking at the reclining dragoness. Why did Spike say Snowdrop was no different? She was different. She wasn’t trying to force her way into marrying Princess Luna. She was actually helping both Luna, and Twilight herself.
“So you mean…” Twilight said slowly, following the train of thought. “That she wants to ingratiate herself? She knows she can’t change Luna’s mind, so she wants to be our ally?”
“Exactly.” Spike smirked. “Now, with your questions answered, perhaps I can find some rest. You are a very loud thinker, little star.” The dragoness slithered out of the pool of water, the drops sliding off of her smooth scales. She stepped onto the marble floor with the soft click of her talons once more, dry as she had been entering the little room. “Your servant has returned, with your supper.”
“He isn’t my servant!” Twilight called after the reptile. In reply, Spike only chuckled, and bent forward again, swinging her tail wide. Before she could catch another mortifying glimpse of the beautiful dragons intimate regions, Twilight squeaked and turned about. There was another, louder chuckle as Spike left the little room, and the flustered mare within. “Stupid dragon.”
Twilight sighed, then felt a reluctant chuckle bubble up from within. She liked the dragoness, she couldn’t deny it. The wanton, cynical reptile was engaging, intelligent, and had so many experiences to draw upon, Twilight was more than a little in awe of the creature. From the casual comments she had made throughout her visit, Twilight gathered that she had been here long before Princess Celestia, or even Queen Terrace had been born. Spike spoke of mountain ranges that were no more, of great oceans that spanned the whole world. Neither the Princesses, nor Spike herself had said as much in words, but Twilight was sure that the dragon was far older than anything else in the world. After all, what was revealing her nethers to a monster who had seen the passage of ages?
The mare shook her head. She had enough to think about right now without wondering about the endless expanse of time Spike must have seen. With another sigh, Twilight stood up, summoning a fluffy towel to her as she stepped out of the tub. The towel flew to the purple unicorn as she walked slowly across the floor, briskly rubbing her fur dry. Satisfied with her handiwork, Twilight draped the towel over its rack again, and followed Spike’s path to the door.
“Oh, there you are, Miss,” called a chipper voice. Turning, Twilight saw Pip walking down the short hallway leading to her room, a large silver platter balanced on his back. “I just got back, and I wasn’t sure whether you had returned or not, Miss Sparkle. I’m sorry for being gone for so long, but I was learning how to cook.”
“Oh?” Twilight said, feigning ignorance. The little colt was beaming at her, pride obvious on his cute face.
“Uh-huh!” He grinned. With a little careful maneuvering, he edged towards the same indent in the mass of literature that the Colonel had used that morning, letting the platter slide off of his back smoothly. There was a slight clatter as the end fell off his back, making the cover rattle against the base. Pip winced at the sound, shooting a furtive look at Twilight. At her smile though, he only blushed, nosing the platter into place. “Bon appetite.”
His horrible attempt at the formal phrase made Twilight giggle, a sound she stifled before it could hurt his feelings. “Why thank you, good sir,” Twilight said, bowing to him.
Pip ducked his head, taking the small knob atop it between his teeth. He flipped the cover off of the platter with a flourish, eyes twinkling. The flashing silver drew Twilight’s eye, and she followed it as it flipped through the air, landing on Pip’s outstretched hoof with a dull clang. He stood then, taking a comical bow, like a magician before his crowd, and Twilight applauded.
“Umm. What… is that?” Twilight said, jerking back from the strange confection on the tray. There was a bowl of some kind of stew, something she had never seen before. Pale chunks of something floated in the thick broth, mixed with the small flecks of pepper suspended within the creamy mixture. Beside the bowl, an assortment of readily identifiable vegetables rested in neat groups, bright carrots alongside brown slices she thought were onions. Finally, as an obvious desert, there was… something. Sliced into pieces, whatever it was seemed to be covered in spices, and coated in a thin, shiny glaze of what Twilight thought was honey.
“It’s potato soup, with grilled greens and carrots.” Pip chirped, grinning widely as he pointed to each item in turn. Then his hoof swung to the small plate with the aberrations. “And those, those are fried apples! Momma used to love making them, and they are very popular in Selene ever since she started selling them over the border.”
“Oh,” Twilight mumbled, trying not to wince at her slip. Pip’s mother must have been a chef of some kind, working in a town along the border between Helios and Selene. Gryphons had been raiding along the border for years, trying to block the trade caravans running between the two countries, but they rarely succeeded. All the raids usually did was wreak havoc with the towns and farms running along both sides of the border. His mother had no doubt been caught up in the crossfire.
It wasn’t right. There was no reason that there should even be a border. Was the slight differences in their culture worth risking the lives of so many? There wouldn’t be a border raid if it weren’t for the imaginary line. Trade could be done from town to town, instead of following the ancient laws that required everything to pass through the capital first. It was stupid, wasting the trader’s times, and it risked so many ponies over an old rule that had no point anymore.
Precisely. A cool, slightly annoyed voice chimed in. Your marriage, and the bond it creates, will be a balm to many such wounds. Now, if you please, cease your internal monologue, I would like to sleep.
Twilight blushed, then concentrated on forming her thoughts clearly. How do I stop it?
The same mental defenses of magic work for the mind. Close yourself behind a wall, and your thoughts will rebound upon it, rather than spill out for all to hear.
“Thank you.” Twilight said warmly, careful to shape her thoughts again, before throwing up her mental shields. Princess Luna would flay her if she found out that Twilight had forgotten the defense that should be second nature. With her mind closed once more, Twilight focused on the little colt, smiling. “If it was your mother’s recipe, I just know I’ll like it.”
The thick stew and tart sweets, Twilight decided later that night, were delicious and filling. A bit too filling, as a matter of fact. Troubled by her fully tummy, Twilight hadn’t been able to sleep. The night had become a pitched battle between Twilight's increasingly uncomfortable faculties, and her mind’s foolish fear of the fallen dark. In the end, her body’s southern department had won out, leading the little mare out of her room’s small globe of light.
Of all the places in the Heart, her own rooms were the most familiar to her. If there was anywhere that the little mare should have felt comfortable, even in the blood chilling darkness, it should have been here.
It wasn’t. The dark was still paralyzing. It was shameful, to be so distressed by something so common. She hadn’t even been able to use the privy without lighting the entire room with her horn’s glow, not even when her bladder had been nearly screaming its protest. This wouldn’t do. She had agreed, publicly, to marry Princess Luna. She was going to be bound to the Queen of the Night, living in a country devoted to the darker aspects of life.
It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with Selene, as a country, nor her peoples. What they did though, their arts and songs, the delicate craftspony’s hoof at work, or the minstrel’s epic poem, they were all things suited for the darkness. There was something about the night, about darkness. It lent itself to lovers. Twilight thought it was because the night seemed so close, like a shroud, something to block out everything but that which is closest to their hearts.
“Huh.” Twilight grunted, walking to the door of the water closet set in a corner of the bathing room. Nudging the door open with one hoof, she turned, taking a small wooden rod between her teeth. The rod was attached by a thin chain to the ceiling, and Twilight jerked the rod down sharply. Behind her, there was a satisfying woosh as a pipe in the base of the privy opened, and the unpleasant necessities of life were washed away in a tide of water. A few moments later, the hollow echo of the drain ended with a clang as the lid slid back into place, and the flow of water shut off again, leaving the small basin full of clean water once more.
The unicorn continued walking through the room, caught up in her own thoughts. She would never have called herself a poet before, but that bit about the night and lovers had been a little too close to that mark. She grinned in the dim light, chuckling. Maybe that was why Princess Luna had been so taken with her, she was a Night Pony after all.
Twilight’s soft giggle stopped suddenly. Something about that thought, about even thinking that she might be a part of the darkness. It shook her, and some deep part of her rebelled against it. She was Helian, but it was more than that. She was a mare of Light, born and raised beneath the gentle rays of the sun. To be anything but its vessel, that seemed so fundamentally wrong that her stomach turned over again.
In an instant, panic flung itself over her again. Could she still be a part of this world, of her world in Selene? Surely there must still be daylight there, how else would anypony know what night was? She would be married to the Princess though. She would have to be a part of Court at the very least, which would undoubtedly be held after dusk. What if they didn’t even need light there? Maybe they had some strange magic that let them see in the dark without even a hint of light. That would suit them, wouldn’t it?
Twilight shook, envisioning such a scene. They would be inside, of course, maybe in a palace like the Heart. But the inside would be cold and black as a dragon’s heart. She would be trapped, unable to find her way out, while everypony stood somewhere in the darkness, talking as though nothing was wrong. Nothing would be wrong, they would be able to see perfectly. It would just be her, curled in a corner, shaking.
She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t even think about something so horrible. She was shaking already, and she was still surrounded by her own magic’s glow. How could she have been so stupid? She couldn’t marry Luna, no matter how kind the mare seemed. It was unbelievable that she could have just charged into the agreement, without ever thinking about the possibilities. If something like that happened, what would she do? She couldn’t embarrass her wife by cowering in a corner.
No, said a cynical voice in her mind. For a moment, Twilight thought that it was Spike once again, before recognizing the cool tone of her own detached thoughts. You couldn’t be seen doing something so pathetic. You would have to sit by her, smiling and pleasant, while the dark closed in around you, smothered you. It would make your skin crawl, wouldn’t it? To be stuck there amid the darkness. But you wouldn’t show it, it would be your duty to be silent.
Duty. It always came back to that wretched word. It was her duty to Helios to wed Princess Luna. It was her duty as the Princess’s maid to do as she wished, whether it be to act as a scribe or clean her chambers. It was Shining’s duty as a Guard Captain to put himself in danger, defending his country. It was Cadance’s duty to do… whatever it was she did for Princess Celestia. Light, even the Princesses were bound by duty, a duty to their subjects. It was an enormous, never ending cycle of duty and honor, each strand feeding another, until every one was unbreakable. She had given her word, had promised to marry Princess Luna. It was her duty to stand by her word, to help everypony, in both countries.
Twilight had stopped walking while her mind chased its tail, standing still by the doorway leading to the winding hallway that stretched the length of the Heart. She could go through that door now, slip into the hall, out the main doors, and vanish into the night. The urge to disappear was terrifying, but oddly alluring as well. She could leave this all behind. Duty and honor be damned, she would be free, be her own mare. Nopony would have any hold on her, she could go where she wanted, do as she pleased. She could leave, and never return.
And then what? The voice was back, amused now. Where would you go? Every stallion and mare in the kingdom knows who you are by now, there would be nowhere you could hide. And if you left civilization altogether, how long would you last, hm? You are better at magic now, true, but you have no hope of stopping a rampaging manticore. Even a timberwolf would leave you bloody and dying. You cannot run.
“Shut up.” Twilight snarled at the voice, annoyed by its logic. In response, her mind threw image after image at her, of just how a fight between a timberwolf would play out, illustrating silently just how hopeless it was. “Fine, I won’t leave.”
“I am glad to hear it.” Luna’s soft voice chimed, as the black mare stepped silently from the empty shadows.
Twilight screamed, backing up sharply. Her rump met stone, and a jolt of pain lanced through the purple mare’s rump, and her legs went numb. Legs collapsing under her, Twilight dropped to the floor.
“Twilight!” Luna yelped, trotting across the room to kneel beside Twilight. “Are you okay? OW!”
The Night Mare stumbled back, pained tears welling. “Light, it’s me Twilight.”
“You scared me half to death!” Twilight hissed, trying to keep her voice low. The last thing she needed was to have Pip wake up. She leveled a glare at Princess Luna in the dim lavender light, snorting as the mare rubbed the place where Twilight’s hoof had slammed into her jaw.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Luna said, rotating her jaw. There was a soft click as her jaw popped back into place, and she groaned in relief. The black mare let out a rueful chuckle. “I guess I did deserve that.”
“I’ll say,” Twilight groused, trying to keep her voice down. “And how did you even get in here? I know that you didn’t knock!”
The Princess smirked at Twilight’s outraged confusion, and adopted her most haughty demeanor, suitable for cowing petty politicians and low level army officials. “My dear, there are many doors, and only one needs be knocked upon.”
“What!” Twilight hissed, eye twitching. “By Celestia’s rump! Tell me how you got in here, and then get out! Do you have any idea what would happen if somepony found you here?”
“What, is a bride not allowed to visit her affianced?” Luna smirked, lifting a brow.
“No, she is not! There is a week period before a marriage where the two are not allowed to sleep together, to dissolve any possible love charm in place. If they see you here, then the whole court is going to think I’m using a spell to control you, and the penalty for ensorceling royalty is banishment!”
“Well, then walk with me.”
Twilight groaned, “Aren’t you listening? If anypony sees us together at night, alone, then they have all the evidence they need to call off the marriage that you worked so hard for! And I did not go through hell just to give it all up because you are bored!”
Twilight stamped her hoof for emphasis, making a loud chime echo through the nearly silent chamber. To her dismay though, rather than laughing the very legitimate worry off, and bidding
her goodnight, Princess Luna stood still. Her tall black body seemed to collapse into itself, and Twilight suddenly realized that the alicorn’s eyes were shining with tears, not mirth.
“I- Princess, I didn’t mean…”
“Please,” Luna said softly, blinking her tears away. “Twilight, please. Will you walk with me. I swear you, everypony is already asleep. I would not ask you to risk so much otherwise.”
“But what if they wake up, then-“
“Then I will feel it!” Luna snapped, suddenly angry. “I rule the night, Twilight. I can feel when somepony is asleep, that’s how I knew you were still awake. If they wake then I can bring you back the same way I entered. Now, will you please walk with me? I…” She trailed off, whispering the last words. “I need to talk to you alone.”
Twilight whined quietly, a small sound issuing from the back of her throat. Her teeth set into her bottom lip as she glanced from Luna to the closed door to the Heart. “Okay.”
Princess Luna seemed to expand then, standing a little straighter as she bowed her head. “Thank you, Twilight. It is an honor to have your company on this fine night.”
Twilight blushed furiously, and hurried through the door the Princess pushed open. After a few quick steps, her hooves sank into the plush carpet running down the center of the Main Hall, turning in time to see the ebony magic of her bride-to-be closing the door behind her, slipping the heavy latch into place silently.
“End your spell.” Luna breathed, and Twilight jumped. A moment ago, the alicorn had been several paces away, but in a heartbeat, she was suddenly breathing gently on Twilight’s neck.
“I… I can’t.” She choked out, tasting the metallic tang of fear at the thought.
“Hm?” The voice above her hummed in inquiry. “Surely you aren’t lost in the spell.”
Twilight snorted in derision at the thought. Even a foal wouldn’t be caught up in the tides of magic of such a simple spell. Being snared by a spell was always a danger to the untrained, those whose minds weren’t shielded from the siren song of magic. The more powerful a spell, the more easily it would trap a unicorn in its depths, unable to end the spell until they lost consciousness, or died. It was one of the most dangerous aspects of magic’s nature, but one that was directly linked to the energy of a spell. A simple light spell was so weak that nopony had ever been recorded as falling to the magic.
“Well, then why can’t you end it?”
“I…” Twilight began, choking on the words. Princess Luna hummed this time, a slightly annoyed sound telling the little mare to spit it out already. “I’m afraid of the dark!” Twilight whimpered.
For a moment, Selene’s Princess was silent, looking at Twilight. Then the slight confusion in her eyes vanished, and a knowing look replaced it. “I see. Do you trust me?”
“I… suppose. I mean,” Twilight amended as the Princess opened her mouth. “Yes, of course I trust you.”
“Then end the spell. I promise, all will be well.”
Twilight froze. End the spell? That would let the darkness come rushing back in. It would surround her, suffocate her, just like it always did. The young mare’s body began to tremble as she looked at the Princess. Then she swallowed hard, and shut her eyes, cutting off the flow of magic. For an instant longer, the dim purple light colored the insides of her lids, before they too became dark.
“Open your eyes, Twilight.” A soft voice called, gentle but firm. It was what Twilight had always thought a mother’s voice would sound like, fully of tenderness, but with a mild rebuke tittering on the verge of speech. “I promised you, it will be okay.”
Twilight shook for a moment longer, then slowly, hesitantly, she opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was a wall of black before her, and she felt her tummy flop around unpleasantly. Then the wall moved, and Twilight realized that it wasn’t the darkness, but the silken coat of the Princess. Following the line of utter darkness along, she found herself face to face with a smiling Moon Goddess. Before she could move, the mares eyes sparkled, and she bent down. She pressed a soft kiss to Twilight’s upturned mouth, a gentle caress that lasted for a long moment. Then she sighed happily, and pulled back.
“See?” She said warmly. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Twilight didn’t reply, but raised her hoof slowly from the floor. Tentatively, wondering if the tingling in her lips would disappear if she touched them, she gently touched her hoof to them. The tingling didn’t vanish, and she lowered her hoof, running her tongue lightly along them. That didn’t stop the pleasant sensation either, it only added her tongue to the list of parts humming with the Princess’s touch.
“Oh. Oh my goodness.” She said, taking a breath she had neglected. “That was… very nice.”
Princess Luna tossed her head back and laughed, still muffling her voice. “I meant the darkness, beloved.”
Twilight felt her cheeks flame again, what was it about ancient creatures that made her blush constantly, and blinked a few times. “It isn’t dark.” She said softly, confused. “What…”
“Tell me,” Princess Luna said, starting to walk slowly down the corridor. “Do you know why you are afraid of the dark?”
“I… I thought that it was like being afraid of heights.” Twilight mumbled.
“No, it isn’t. At least, I am sure that it is not with you. I am sure that, in your case, it is because you can no longer feel magic.”
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, walking at a good clip to keep up with the strolling alicorn. That was one thing that both Princesses and Spike had in common, they were so much taller, they forgot how much faster even their slow pace was.
Unaware of her companion’s slight difficulty, Luna hummed softly as she thought. “What do you know about the sun?”
“It’s raised and lowered by Princess Celestia, and it keeps the world warm and allows the crops to grow.” Twilight answered. It was common knowledge that everypony learned very early in school. The sun was essential to all life, providing the heat and light that every creature needs to survive. Without its light, the world would be cold and dead, with frozen oceans and silent mountains. Nothing would grow, no animals would survive.
“Allows the crops to grow,” Luna chuckled. “But it doesn’t. You can grow plants underground easily. You do so here, do you not?”
“Well, yes.” Twilight said slowly. “There is a hothouse beneath the kitchen where the more delicate plants are grown. There are still windows though, they must allow enough light in to keep the plants alive.”
“True, they do. Here. But there are other places where crops grow. Ask Spike, the cave where she rests for centuries at a time is full of plants and animals, though it is buried deep beneath the mountains. There is no light in her home, Twilight, yet there may be more kinds of flora and fauna there than anywhere else. How can that be, without sunlight?”
“I… don’t know.” Twilight admitted. The admission made her shudder, every cell rebelling against the fact that there was something that was completely counter to everything she knew. She
could either believe that Princess Luna was lying, or that she, Twilight, was wrong. She was sure that Princess Luna would never lie to her, she had promised.
“Magic. Sunlight has almost nothing to do with life. I am sure that you noticed how both Celestia’s and my own mane react when we are near one another, or when Spike is near either of us?”
Twilight nodded slowly. “Yes, I did notice that when Spike first arrived. I thought…”
“Yes?”
“I could almost taste the magic coming from Spike. I thought that it must be reacting to the magic.”
“You were quite right.” The alicorn said, turning down a side passage Twilight knew was a shortcut. “Spike is perhaps the greatest source of magical power. She could quite literally level both Helios and Selene, with enough left over to flatten Ryais at once.”
“Light.” Twilight hissed, shocked.
“Yes.” Luna said, and Twilight thought she saw a grin on the mare’s face. “Light. Light isn’t just created by a sloppy spell Twilight. Magic is light, or more accurately, light is magic. That is why you can see when you are near Princess Celestia or myself. We have not the control Spike does, so the magic welling up from within us shines through dimly.”
“But what does this have to do with me being afraid of the dark?” Twilight asked. “I mean, this is very interesting, but it doesn’t explain anything about me.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Twilight winced. “I’m so sorry. That was very rude of me, I didn’t mean to sound so conceited.”
“Stop worrying.” Luna laughed. “I want you to speak up, Twilight. You are my wife, or will be soon. I don’t want somepony to ignore everything I say, but I cannot respect one who does not speak her mind.”
Twilight nodded, smiling up at the Princess’s turned head. The older mare had been pulling slowly ahead as they walked, and Twilight was now walking along behind the firm rump swaying before her. Which, upon consideration, Twilight decided she liked a great deal.
“The reason you are afraid of the dark is linked to what I was saying though. It isn’t the darkness that frightens you. It is the lack of magic.”
“Huh?” Twilight pulled her eyes away from the Princess’s tail, blinking as she focused on the tip of the mare’s spiral horn. “I don’t understand.”
“If light is magic, then the absence of light would perforce be the absence of magic.” Princess Luna said, adopting a lecturing tone now that her student’s mind was fixed fully on her words, not her hips. “Thus, those who are accustomed to the constant pressure of magic are upset by its negative. You are a very personally powerful pony, Twilight. Your own magic is very strong and well grounded, though you are not properly trained yet. But here, your own magic works against you. The sudden decrease in magic around you affects you to a greater degree than other ponies.”
“Okay.” Twilight said, following the Princess’s words. “But then wouldn’t that mean that everypony would be affected as strongly, assuming that they were as magical? Shining Armor and Cadance seem fine with the darkness though.”
“They are both weaker than you, and better able to defend themselves from the effects of darkness. You… I do not mean to offend you, Twilight, but your magical training is laughable at best. It is a shame that you were forced to learn what is essentially impossible for you to master, but your schools are set up for unicorns to learn magic. Cadance and Shining Armor, whoever they are, are sure to have learned to shield themselves very early in their magical upbringing. Have you tried to maintain a shield while it is night?”
“Yes, you told me to keep my defenses raised at all times.”
Princess Luna nodded, turning down another passage. “Good. Do you remember how to create a reflective shield?”
“Yes.” Twilight said. The shield was a variant on the standard, flexible wall that protected a unicorn’s mind and body when casting spells. It was designed to reflect the forces of a spell away from the pony, rather than absorb them and ground the energy.
“What I am certain that your friends are doing is casting a similar shield subconsciously, one that rebounds their own innate power back upon them, creating a kind of bubble of magic around them. You could try it, but I wouldn’t advise doing so.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” Luna said, turning to flash Twilight a brilliant smile. “That would mean you wouldn’t have to follow me around so closely. I rather like having you close.”
Twilight froze, then tossed her head, laughing. “Princess,” She said, still giggling. “I just don’t know what you think.”
“Hm?”
“One moment, you are lecturing me about the nature of magic, things that I haven’t even read about. Then the next, you are flirting with me again. It’s just…”
“Just what?” Luna asked.
Twilight only shook her head, chuckling. Luna huffed at the mare, but she smiled.
“Well, it is nearly midnight now.” The alicorn said quietly, hearing Twilight’s stifled yawn. “Thank you for walking with me, Twilight. I… I enjoyed your company. I was feeling very lonely tonight, and you were a delight. You should go to sleep now though, big day tomorrow.”
“Huh?” Twilight asked, yawning again as they turned one last corner.
“Silly filly.” Luna said indulgently. “You are getting married tomorrow. Did Celestia not tell you?”
“Mmmm, no.” Twilight mumbled, paying little attention to the Princess’s words. Luna shook her head, and mumbled something too low for the unicorn to catch, then smiled.
“Goodnight, Sweetheart.” The Night Mare said quietly, moving forward a few steps. Half asleep already, soothed by the walk and the calming presence of the Princess, Twilight followed, and wasn’t at all surprised to find herself standing suddenly in her room, though they had been walking down for almost an hour. Drowsily, she climbed into bed, and felt the blankets slide up to cover her in a cocoon of warmth. There was a soft kiss on her forehead, and she heard Luna say something else, but she was too far gone to make out the words.
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Haha... Spike's such a damn tease. Forgot for a moment that it was a R63 version...
Also, nice job explaining magic. It works well.
~Skeeter The Lurker
great chapter tonight
Twilight and Luna interaction! I Squee'd pretty fucking hard there.
2998360
You have no idea. I spent three days trying to figure out why photons would act as the force carrier for magical energy, and what the basic properties of magic is. (a combination of attractive and repulsive forces, similair to electromagnetic forces, but assuming that all corporeal matter is composed of a single "charge") Actually, I'm still thinking through it. I probably won't be done until sometime in the middle of second semister physics.
I think you might have dun goofed with some of the breaks
otherwise I'd like to take this moment to pass a notion, that being I'd like to form the 'while we all scramble around with the motherhood thing here, snow might be being nice to Twilight because they're related.' Probably not the most sound guess I've ever made in a story, but whatever.
On an unrelated note, thank you for becoming my personal "word a chapter" calender today Nadake, where else would I learn such useful and much used words like "Affianced?"
2998439
Really, you picked affianced? What about ensorcelment. Nopony uses ensorcelment. And thank you for the honor.
Can this be turned into a clopfic......... or can someone make a clopfic to this???? Seriously i got turned on from just the tease.
Hell ill do it.... Ive done dragons before.....
2998429
Considering the nature of magic itself, it's really quite tricky to explain in a way that makes sense.
You did quite well.
~Skeeter The Lurker
2998457 Being quite honest that sounds like a word I'd use in something I write just to see how confused the idiots I know are
Personally I liked it very well. I will admit I'm somewhat biased toward more dialogue but I think it worked well. When the characters themselves speak it helps, for me at least, to paint a picture of who they are even better than merely their internal monologues as it also lets us see the mask they use for interacting with others.
question we still have no resolve for the Blue-Blood case i want to see him cry over his banishment.
Spike's character is one I love seeing. He... sorry, SHE (The gender change does amuse me!) reminds me of a much more... wild Lorien from Babylon 5. Extremely old and knowledgeable, but she doesn't just give you what you need to know. She hints and teases, just nudging you in the right direction.
Luna and Twilight talking? Adorable. Tugged at my heart strings. I want to see more of them interacting with each other. Especially after they get married. Want to see how they develop as a couple.
The dialogue flowed well. I didn't have any problems with the way it was spaced vs larger blocks of text. I would say this chapter had excellent pacing and flow.
Good chapter! As always, looking forward to more!
More allusions to Twilight's origin. Her massive personal power is what creates her fear of darkness, simply because the difference in magical output between herself and her environment. Still... gah, what is her relation to everything!
I'm always up for more dialogue and less walls of describing the ways in which characters walk. Whenever there's walls of, no offense, but relatively useless text I tend to skip over it and then it's almost guaranteed that I'll miss something important in one of those walls of text.
Well this was great, I didn't notice any errors apart from some formatting ones.
Like...
rushing back.Instinctively, as thinking would You forgot a space.
So glad you updated! Can't wait for more Twiluna action now that they're getting married!
i am still confused about twilights swiss cheese knowledge of magic so i must have missed something earlier on
oh well this gives more reason to reread this story new chapter is great
I love this story. I wonder if other ponies we know are gonna enter it
2998955
She seems to know a lot about magic, the theorie but not the practice since she couldn't adapt herself to the "unicorn" magic which is taught in the school.
Well, I have to say I really liked that one. For a chapter with low plot and high character and background development you managed to keep me interested from beginning to end.
Taking out the description dumps was a good idea, by now we have a solid grasp on what the castle looks like. Also it gave the whole thing a far superior narrative flow since there was little to no interruption.
I think you should try to keep it up as long as you can and if you need to describe a new environment, try mixing the description with some dialogue. Instead of a mile long paragraph about everything around Twi, try stating things as she notices them, going from big to small and keeping it short.
That way you can keep the plot and characters going while giving us just enough info to make a mental representation of the place she's in.
Wait, Tomorrow? That seems a little rushed doesn't it even for, or especially for, (Not sure which) a royal wedding. And you would think Twilight would freak out a little more about something like that.
Great Chapter by the way. Had a lot fun with the interactions that happened. Twilight embarrassed, Luna upset, Twilight getting a kiss, all great moments.
I loved the new layout, more dialog, more world building, more of Luna's hot flank
. The magic lessons coming are gonna be great! 
? Maybe?
Bit of foreshadowing, maybe, with Luna's comment about Twilight being unable to master what she's learned because the schools all teach unicorn magic
Hugs!
2999128>>2998548>>2998983
cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/460x/38278261.jpg
I like the way you explained how magic works, a lot a fics don't often do that. Another thing is that Luna and Twilight dynamic
, the way Luna is both Twilight's teacher and wife and of course a tease
.
This was an excellent chapter overall.
cdn.memegenerator.co/instances/460x/24899208.jpg
Seriously though, I love this. I was wondering when Twi would realize that her fear of the dark would play hob with her since of duty and she would have major issues with being the Princess-consort of a country that embodied that which terrifies her the most.
I will admit, I thought Twilight's fear of the dark was attached to the death of her foster parents. I know it's a little obvious/cliche but still. Your reasoning however, while surprising, is nice and solid; a very intriguing twist.
Still, not even a private "congratulations" from Celestia? Aww.
EDIT: To answer the question posed in the A/N: I do prefer this style over previous chapters.
2998963
Oh believe me, you are going to be sick of Rarity soon.
2999598
2999075
Thank you, that is the kind of response I was hoping for. I'll try and keep it up, but I really can't promise anything, I suck at writing dialogue.
The approach to this, is something else, in a word. Not elegant in its approach, but lovingly approached from a standpoint of a single view, and yet, it works perfectly.
Amazing chapter!
I have been waiting to see a few fics where Spike says something like .. "I was always a girl ... You mean you didnt know? How could you not know i am a girl?!?!!!?!"
3000227
I... What?
3000381 You write twilight in her role very well. I know my words may have been a bit obscure in that respect. And the nature of writing her from a 1st and 2nd person viewpoint works very well with how the interaction for everyone goes. Sorry for the confusing reply. I hope your muse keeps you inspired.
So Equestrian plants 'photosynthesize' magic, which is the energy of light in that world.
Meaning our plants would die there, perhaps even in the 'sunlight', given that our plants utilize a photon-capture mechanism which is tightly bound to quantum principles, down to specific wavelengths of light (with green being mostly reflected back, hence why most leaves appear green, though a few appear other colors, even black due to green-asborbing pigments).
Certain archae contain retinal to utilize green light. And a few species of fungi (specifically those found in the Chernobyl reactor) haev mutated into forms which utilize melanin as a photophore to absorb gamma-radiation and utilize the energy in a carbohydrate-synthesis pathway in the same way chlorophyll does.
'Magic' would have a different energy form than our light. The Earth-based photophore would not be appropriate to catch the magical photons in the Mg-Fe reaction center of the terrestrial chlorophyll molecule.
Anyway, electrons then go through membranes, electron transport chain stuff happens, hydrogen ions are pumped, ATP produced through ATP-synthease, NADP+ is reduced to NADPH and then, carbohydrates!
Thus, if Earth was 'Conversion Bureau'd', and the plants were not altered properly to utilize whatever energy magic is based upon, the majority of the eukaryotic biosphere would collapse, save for those niche enrivonments which are based on chemoautotrophic bacteria, like those around hydrothermal vents in the ocean depths.
This has been your mega-nerd post for today.
PS: When does Discord show up and destroy the world?
3000515
Ahh, I love being able to attack huge posts. :
I wasn't considering magic as a wholly seperate force from that which is already present in physics. Photons still act as photons, this is just a very shakily grounded idea that they are also the force carriers for magical energy. What was said is that magic is light, essentially, the movement of magical energy will perforce create and expell photons. It isn't so much that our plants would survive there, as much as wherever something very magical (i.e. Dragons, Pheonixes, alicorns, the heavy weights) there would be a much greater diversity and biomass, because those creatures act as a near infinite source of energy.
Tl:Dr= Magic makes light. More Magic= More Light. More light, more plants, more plants, more magic.
P.S. Never. I am writing a different story where its basically a conversation between Discord and Twilight though.
2999825 - Yea... about that. I thought that learning Magic was supposed to be a more 'at-home' experience. At least in Twilight's nation. Unicorns were supposed to learn magic, traditionally from their mother, though I expect family would be a bit more inclusive. Thus, Twilight... being an orphan, is why her magic education was so stunted. She went to school, where it was noted that it was stunted by her classmates, but the school itself never taught magic directly.
I'd expect that if there was an option for Twilight to learn magic outside of a family setting, she would have taken it and exceeded, precluding some sort of reason such as what Fausticorn alludes to. It explains why she's coming so far with even the brief instruction from Luna, a fish to water that Twi, but with obvious gaps in her education, namely the self-reflective shield to ward off the arcano-somantic pain of darkness. Though the 'essentially impossible for you' line is still a bit curious... why wouldn't she be able to learn such a (assumed) common skill?
2998517 It was resolved in chapter 8 or 9, can't remember which off the top of my head. He doesn't get banished, but it is still a pretty harsh punishment
Edit: my mistake, it was in the upper part of chapter 7
3001853 i only remember the court being interrupted by spike and not bringing it up again
3000957 I require proof! Submit a 5,000 page thesis with all relevant equations and data from the LHC!!
3001863 Then the solution is obvious, re-read the chapters. Or just pay attention when I tell you that half his income goes elsewhere now and he now has a pony assigned by Celestia that ensures all his other servants are well cared for. Plus he has to do community service if I remember right.
3001899 found it chapter 7... I guess it did not leave as big an impact as it should have i was hoping for banishment...... or gelding would have been funny
2999825
Ah, nice, I was hoping that Rarity playes a role in Selene. Royal dressmaker or head of the royal servants? Anyway, it's probably going to be very amusing once she meets Twilight.
Oh, I hope Pip accompanies Twilight to Selene--I can already see Twilight getting all panicky when he vanishes, only for her to find out that Rarity 'abducted' the 'little darling' to make him a smashing dress fit for the princess' personal servant.
Regarding the change in writing style: I like descriptions, but I do think that the more dialog-heavy style is beneficial to the story. I was constantly reading the dialogue aloud in my mind (as little sense as this makes) and it is simply amazing. I love your world building, I love your characters.
Nice-sized update, dude. Twilight interacting with Luna was really well done, and I absolutely loved the scene with Spike. I take it that you were perhaps inspired by this pic for her design?
lic.me/i/xn9n
2998470
I prefer to use the "magic is harmonics" theory in my own stories. I haven't gone into hard detail in them, but I
shamelesslyessentially swiped the model from the Oh, My Goddess! series.3002325
jodylee.org/website/Gallery/Paintings/images/WindsOfChange.jpg
The small black creatures are the Wyrsa, the general body type I'm using for Spike. Those are the small cousins, the real ones are the size of a horse, faster than one, and they eat magic.
3001924
Haha, you might have forgotten, but old Blue won't. Half of his income going away like that? And think of who Celestia would assign to him, they won't take any flak, and they are going to be pissed about losing their cooshy job in the Heart. He's going to be miserable, but it isn't a cruel punishment.
I liked this new style. I personally like having a good amount of dialogue, well as long as it's good dialogue. Since you have good dialogue, I enjoyed this chapter.
Though if you don't like writing this way feel free to change back.
3002591
The variant of Wyrsa you refer to were mutants created by the Cataclysm. Thus those in the picture are more normal (though the originals were apparently suppose to be white in the back story, but the author never used any of that color).
Nice. Very Greyhound-ish. Unfortunately, I see the pic I posted more often when I see your Spike onscreen. Perhaps if someone drew what you imagined... Maybe I'll do that...
3002829
Well yeah, but all of the surviving wyrsa are that varient. The Cataclysm reshaped the entire species, which is the reason that they are no longer venomous. And please tell me that I'm not the only one who tried to figure how to write Lavan Firestorm and Karlia into Equestria. Becuase those two were such sweethearts.
2999598
If alicorns don't exist, how did they make Twilight Sparkle?
3004546
OK, I must have misused that meme image.
I was referring to the possibility of (somehow hidden?) Twilicorn
3004546
Lol, since when did they not exist?
Good work.
This style of writing is better from my point of view.