• Published 16th Apr 2022
  • 3,149 Views, 83 Comments

The Two Unicorns - Lets Do This



Earth-pony Twilight Sparkle and her friend Rainbow Dash visit a realm of forest and magic. And find that all is not quite right, in the place where the unicorns dwell...

  • ...
5
 83
 3,149

The Forest Princess

"So," Spike said, munching a gem-sprinkled cupcake, "let me see if I've got this all straight..."

He and Princess Fluttershy were seated at a small table by the lake, which had been set with tea and small cakes by the Princess's animals. A raccoon was just topping up Fluttershy's cup. And there was a small white rabbit seated on the table at the unicorn's elbow, who seemed to have no purpose other than to scowl disapprovingly at everything and everyone.

"The unicorns originally lived in the Forest," Spike said, ticking off items on his claws. "And then a bunch of them built a city, and decided to live there instead. And they chose a Princess of their own to rule 'em."

"Yes." Fluttershy nodded. "It was really quite friendly actually. The Forest Princess and the City Princess acknowledged each other's rule, and decreed they would always work together to help settle any disputes."

"Uh huh. And then over time, the two unicorn tribes sorta drifted apart, and stopped talking to each other."

Fluttershy looked sad. "I'd really thought that Princess Rarity and I had started to fix that. When she ascended to the throne in town, and I inherited the title here, we used to correspond all the time. I'd send her letters by carrier robin, and she'd send her replies by pony courier." Fluttershy smiled at the memory. Then sighed. "Yet somehow, it all fell apart. My birds would come back saying they couldn't deliver my letters, because her window was shut. And Rarity's letters, when she sent one, were so rushed and formal and distant..." Her shoulders drooped. "Then she finally stopped writing at all. I must have said or done something that offended her. I wish I knew what it was. She must be cross with me for some reason."

"Well, I don't know about that," Spike said. "Seems more likely she's just been really busy lately."

"Oh!" Fluttershy looked hopeful. "Do you think so?"

"Yeah, I know so! She seemed really overworked, when I and my friends saw her earlier today --"

Then Spike suddenly smacked his forehead. "I forgot! My friends! They're being held captive in the castle."

"Oh my!" Fluttershy looked frightened. "That's awful."

"Yeah! I came here to find some way to help them." He eyed Fluttershy hopefully. "I don't suppose... you'd maybe, uh..."

"Gee, I don't know." Fluttershy hunched, looking like she was trying to hide in her voluminous pink mane. "I'm not sure I should meddle with things. Who knows what might happen?"

"But ya gotta help them! You just gotta!" Spike gave her a pleading look. "They're not from here. They're not even unicorns! They're from some place where ponies are completely different."

"Oh!" Fluttershy looked surprised. "You know, some of the birds did mention there was a strange contraption sitting on one of the trees, down by the old dry riverbed. They said it looked like it fell from the sky itself."

"Hey, yeah!" Spike grinned. "That must be the aircraft Twilight and Rainbow used to get here." Then he slapped a claw over his mouth. "Look, I wasn't supposed to mention this, but they're not even from this world."

Fluttershy blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah! Twilight said she and Rainbow came from a completely different world than this one. I don't know how exactly, but we could ask her. And we must've gotten on somepony's bad side in the city, because we got picked up by the guards, and Twilight and Rainbow got tossed in a cell, and they're probably sitting in a dungeon right now, and... oh, geez..."

Spike covered his face with his claws.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I know this is a lot to ask, but... well, they seemed really nice. Especially Twilight. She's the nicest pony in the world... in any world. I'd feel terrible if anything happened to her."

Fluttershy thought it over. "Well," she finally said, "I've never met ponies from another world. It could be fun to hear about what their world is like." She nodded firmly. "And besides, if you live in the Everfree Forest, then you're one of my subjects. And a good Princess never turns down a petition for help from her subjects. I really should help, if I can." Then she hunched nervously again. "If I only knew how..."

"Maybe you could ask Twilight?" Spike offered. "She's an inventor. She seems really smart. Maybe she'd have some ideas?"

"Oooo... I don't know." Fluttershy glanced around, at her cottage, the lake, the forest itself. "It's such a long ways. And I get so nervous around other ponies, even my own subjects. It's different with animals. I seem to get along so well with them."

The white rabbit next to her slapped its face with a paw. Then it clambered up her mane to sit atop her head. And pounded her head with its foot, pointing sternly. Fluttershy smiled up at it.

"You're right, Angel. I'm overthinking things again. I should trust myself and just go with the flow." She took a deep breath, and then nodded. "Just give me a moment to inform my subjects, Spike, and we'll decide what to do."

"Subjects?" Spike looked round. Then he realized he could see, in the misty distance among the trees, dozens of forest unicorns. They were all waiting and watching, attentively and respectfully.

Fluttershy's horn sang. With her magic she gently picked up a delicate china bell and rang it. Immediately a brown-coated unicorn wearing a formal cravat and vest, and carrying an elegantly-carved hardwood clipboard, trotted around the cottage and up to the table, to stand at attention.

"Hickory, would you please ask everypony if it would be all right if I rescheduled my appointments for a short while?"

"Absolutely, Highness. I'm sure nopony will mind."

"Thanks. And what else? Oh yes! Would you also ask the volunteer brigade to stand ready, just in case they're needed? And I might need to ask some of them to stay on watch a teensy bit longer than usual. So would you apologize to them for that on my behalf?"

"Of course. Consider it done, Your Highness."

"Thanks, Hickory. I think that's everything."

"As you say, Highness." Bowing, the major domo backed away, then turned smartly and headed off into the misty woods.

And Fluttershy smiled at Spike's amazed expression.

"What? I did say I was the Princess, after all."

------------------------------

The sun had set, and outside the cell's window the sky was turning dark. But aside from lighting candles against the fading light, the ponies inside hadn't really noticed.

Twilight and Rainbow had described their trip through the cyan void between the worlds, and Princess Rarity had sat listening attentively, a look of intrigued awe on her face.

Then Princess Rarity had returned the favor by describing a bit of her own history and rule. Which had one or two surprising aspects to it.

"Wait a minute," Twilight said. "Are you saying that you didn't want to be Princess?"

"Oh my goodness, nothing of the sort!" Rarity laughed. "It's been a dream, honestly. Having an entire pony tribe looking up to one, hanging on one's every word. And wearing this perfectly exquisite crown." She touched a hoof to the circlet on her forehead. "It's any filly's dream-come-true, really!"

But then she looked a little sour.

"It just wasn't my dream-come-true. Truth be told, I'd hoped I might one day become a famous fashion designer. With my connections amongst the nobility, the movers-and-shakers in town, I was sure I could make a go of it, create a brand all my own. Rarity Fashions, I planned to call it. And I felt sure I could make it work. Everypony would see I wasn't just another do-nothing royal, eating crumpets and waving a scepter during parades. They'd see what I could really do!"

She shrugged. "But then I didn't have a choice, did I? When Mother decided I was ready and chose to abdicate in my favor, that was it. I had to step up and be the Princess of the Unicorns, whether I wanted it or not."

Rainbow scratched her mane, baffled. "Uhhh... what kind of Princess just gives up her throne like that? Don't royalty usually hang onto the crown like grim death?"

"Pish posh," Rarity replied. "It's the way things are done. And rightly so! Far better indeed to have the transition take place voluntarily, at a time and place when everypony's ready for it, rather than waking up some poor dear in the middle of the night, halfway through a war or something, and saying 'Here's the crown, honey. Best of luck! Hope you can hack it!'"

The Princess rolled her eyes.

"Yet I had hoped that even with all the responsibilities, running the country, seeing to the needs of my subjects, and so forth, I might still carve out a little time for my own design work. A side-hustle I believe they call it in the 'biz. I could be a Fashion Princess, known for both my firm leadership and decision-making, and for my trend-setting, taste-making couture."

Rarity sighed. "But somehow it just never worked out. There simply weren't enough hours in the day! Even when Aegagrus offered to serve as advisor, to help organize my schedule and ensure I was focusing on the ponies most in need, the work just seemed to pile up. I never had as much as two seconds to rub together to think a complete thought. And as a result, nopony ever really seemed happy with my decisions and decrees."

She snorted. "Not as if I didn't try making a go of it. I felt it was my duty, in fact, my responsibility to the realm. If I had to sacrifice my own dreams for those of my subjects, so be it! But even with all the time I've put in, I just don't feel that I am, well... loved in the way that a royal ought to be. Honored and respected, cherished almost, as a symbol of the realm and all it stands for. Humph! I keep giving, and giving, and giving, and it's just never enough!"

She smiled with wry humor. "Perhaps it's just as well then, me being deposed. I certainly can't do much worse shut up in here than I already have done."

"Oh, I don't think that's true," a timid voice said. "I've always thought you were an excellent ruler, Rarity."

"It's very good of you to say so, Fluttershy, but --" Rarity's eyes went wide. "Fluttershy?"

The ponies all looked round, trying to see where the voice had come from. Then they thought to look through the window.

The butter-colored, pink-maned unicorn was hovering outside, suspended in her own shimmering golden magic field. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in uninvited like this," Fluttershy went on. "I know this is your realm, Rarity. I don't mean to trespass."

"Don't be silly, my dear!" Rarity replied. "You're always welcome. We are friends, are we not? Or at least, quill-pals?"

"It's just, well... you haven't written lately. And I did wonder."

Rarity looked shocked. Then she nodded sadly. "That one's on me, dearest. And I do apologize. Pressure of work and so forth. I'd never want you to think I didn't care. And I did so enjoy the visits from your little birds, bringing me your letters. A bright moment in an otherwise dreadful day, I always thought."

"I'm so glad!" Fluttershy smiled. "I missed your letters too."

"Well! I am very glad to see you, Fluttershy," Rarity said. "And not merely because I find myself in a bit of a pickle just now. But however did you think to come calling just now?"

"Spike asked me to," Fluttershy said. "To help rescue his friends."

The dragon leaned round her mane, waving from his seat on her back. "Hey, Twilight! Hi, Rainbow! Um... hello, Your Highness..."

"Spike, is it?" Rarity smiled warmly at him. "My own little knight in shining scales! My hero and defender. Words escape me!"

"Woahhhh..." Spike was dreamily agog. So much so, he almost lost his grip on Fluttershy's mane, and caught himself just in time.

Rarity nodded. "We definitely need a few more like you in the castle guard. Not like that useless ivy-headed Captain that Aegagrus picked out."

"But Rarity," Fluttershy said, "I didn't expect to find you in here. What's going on?"

"To keep it short and sweet, dear -- because that's just about all I can take at the moment -- I've been deposed! Betrayed!" She flung a hoof to her forehead, overwrought. "Shoved in this cell, awaiting what fate I cannot say. And for the life of me I don't understand what went wrong. Was it something I said? Something I did?"

"That's terrible!" Fluttershy agreed. "If there's any way I can help, Rarity, I will."

"My gratitude knows no bounds, my dear," Rarity replied. "I only wish I could invite you in, let you take a break from having to hold yourself up by your own, er... hoof-straps, as it were. But..." She gestured at the bars on the window.

"Oh! That's not a problem." Fluttershy concentrated briefly, her horn singing. There was a sudden flash of light...

... and she was standing on the carpet in the cell, Spike still sitting on her back. The dragon stared around nervously.

"Hey, uh, what just happened? Did the world turn inside out or somethin'?"

"Self-teleportation!" Rarity marveled. "And you did it so easily. I'm impressed! I've tried to learn it, but never quite got the knack."

"It's tricky," Fluttershy agreed. "But I just set aside a little time every day to practice. And I was doing it in no time."

"Meh, it's no sonic rainboom," Rainbow said, with poorly disguised envy. "But yeah... that is pretty cool."

"I can teleport other things as well," Fluttershy said. "In fact, I can get us all out of this cell, easily. You could come live in the Forest, Rarity. All of you would be welcome there."

"That would be nice," Twilight said. "Except it doesn't solve the real problem: getting Rarity her throne back."

Rarity nodded. "It might not have been the most pleasant of occupations, but I simply can't abandon my responsibilities, or my subjects. I need to show them I haven't given up, show them this crown really means something..." She smiled weakly. "However, at the moment I am open to suggestions."

The ponies and dragon looked at each other, doubtful and uncertain. All except for Twilight. She was biting her lip, thinking fiercely.

Then she looked up.

"Magic," she said. "Ponies in this world can use magic..."

"Yes, though fat lot of good it does me," Rarity grumbled. "I can't even fend off an attack by my own guards! To say nothing of Aegagrus -- after all, he's only the most powerful mage in the whole realm."

"But how does magic work?" Twilight asked. "Do you just wish for things, and they happen?"

"Oh no," Fluttershy replied. "There are spells one recites, which give a kind of shape to the magic. And the shape determines what happens." She demonstrated by powering her horn, then using her magic to gently levitate the water jug.

"These spells," Twilight asked, "are they written down anywhere?"

"Oh yes!" Rarity nodded. "There are old grimoires, with catalogs of spells that mages have discovered, over the ages."

"Would I be able to read those?"

"Twilight!" Rainbow laughed. "You could read every book in the world. Plus your world, and mine, too. But you can't work magic. You're an earth pony, remember?"

"Maybe so, but I'm also an inventor. And I find that when I have a hard problem to tackle, a useful way to begin is by learning everything I can about something I didn't already know." She shrugged. "Maybe I'd spot something Rarity or Fluttershy could use."

"Forthright thinking, my dear!" Rarity said. "And there are certainly books on the subject, in the castle's library."

"Just one problem with that," Spike pointed out. "It's out there? And we're in here?"

"I can teleport us out of the cell," Fluttershy reminded them. "Maybe even to the library, if you can tell me where it is."

Twilight shook her head. "The guards may notice if we're suddenly gone. We can't afford to raise suspicions. They might decide to split us up."

"Well, then," said Rarity, "Fluttershy, if you wouldn't mind popping down to the library for us?"

"Oh... I'm not sure I'd know what to look for. We tend to learn spells by rote in the Forest." She hunched fearfully. "And I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable, going there all by myself."

"I could go," Rainbow offered, "if you can tell me where this library is, so I can find it from the air. But... I wouldn't have any idea what books to look for either."

"Hey!" Spike said. "I spent a lot of time hanging out in Aegagrus's study, cleaning and organizing stuff. I could probably find the kind of books we want, if I can just get a lift there."

"All right, then!" Rarity nodded. "Here's how we'll work it. Rainbow and Spike, you head to the library, while Twilight and I stay here to keep up appearances. And Fluttershy, you tuck under the covers on the bed. We'll pretend that you're Rainbow, ah... napping."

"... which wouldn't be far from the truth," Twilight muttered dryly.

"And we'll have to hope," Rarity finished, "the guards don't take notice that Spike isn't here. But we can work that out somehow."

"Sounds like a plan!" Rainbow grinned. "Well, whaddaya say, Spike? Ready to go pull off a midnight raid on a top-secret vault filled with ancient tomes of forbidden magic?"

"You know it, Rainbow!"

"Then climb aboard, partner!"

Spike scampered over and clambered up on Rainbow's back.

"Ouch! Watch it, buster."

"Sorry," Spike said sheepishly. "Claws."

"Yeah, we need to get you a pedicure or somethin'." Rainbow hopped into the air, and hovered a bit, getting used to Spike's weight. Then she listened carefully while Rarity described the best way to reach the library.

Finally, she nodded. "Okay, I think we're ready to go. Now, what's a pegasus gotta do to get teleported outta this dump?"

"Just hold still," Fluttershy warned. "So I can judge the distance right."

"Eeeyeah..." Rainbow suddenly looked leery. "Just make sure my wings don't fall off or end up the wrong way up or something."

Fluttershy smiled. Then she lit her horn, concentrating fiercely.

A flash of light, and Rainbow suddenly found herself hovering outside the cell's window. "Woah. Is that all? Ha! I could get used to this. Okay, Spike, hang on!"

"Eeyaahhhh!" Spike barely had time to grab her mane as Rainbow revved her wings and dove out of sight.

"A rather excitable young lady," Rarity observed, as Twilight helped Fluttershy to hide herself. "Still, she has grit and determination, which cannot be discounted."

"I only hope," Twilight fretted, "she remembers that not every adventure works out like a Daring Do novel..."

------------------------------

The pegasus and dragon were gone for close to a couple hours, long enough for the guards to look into the cell once or twice. But apparently they only took a head-count of ponies in the room. Spike's absence didn't appear to raise suspicions.

And then suddenly Rainbow and Spike were back, Rainbow hovering outside the window and tapping softly at the bars with a hoof. Fluttershy teleported them back into the room. And then Spike hopped off Rainbow's back and unloaded their haul from the pockets of the carryall that Rainbow was now wearing.

"Sorry it took so long," Spike said. "We hunted all through the castle library, hiding out whenever the guards passed by. But we couldn't find anything that looked really useful there."

"So where did these come from?" Twilight asked, flipping open one of the creaky hardbacked volumes.

"Well... I remembered that Aegagrus had a lot of the good stuff on loan, sitting on shelves in his study, so..."

"Wait..." Twilight stared at him. "You stole these from him?"

"Eh," Rainbow shrugged indifferently. "Borrowed indefinitely."

Twilight looked about to object, then rolled her eyes. "Ugh, fine." She paged through the book before her, and nodded. "Okay, this has some good examples. But I'll need to take some notes. Oooh, if I only had quills and paper..."

"Got 'em right here, Twi!" Spike dug into the carryall again. "Figured you might need 'em."

"Let me guess..." Twilight said dryly. "Borrowed indefinitely?"

She scowed at Rainbow as well. And then her eyes went wide. Rainbow was suddenly wearing a peaked cap covered with moons and stars, and grinning her cat-like grin.

Twilight was aghast. "You did not. Tell me you didn't..."

Rainbow shrugged again. "Eh, I figured if you're gonna work on sorcerish spells, Twilight, you need a proper thinking cap." Plucking the hat from her mane, she mischievously plopped it onto Twilight's. "Huh? Amiright?"

"Rainbow!" Twilight growled crossly. "Is there anything in this mage's study that's still actually nailed down? Are you two trying to land us in trouble? I mean, more trouble than we're already in?"

"I think," Rarity put in soothingly, "that I could easily see my way to extending royal clemency for this entire escapade. Assuming we can get my throne back from that benighted usurper, that is."

"Groan. Focus on the job, Twilight," she told herself. "Spike, would you be able to take notes for me? It'll help get through this faster."

"Not a problem, Twi." He held up quill and paper. "I took dictation for Aegagrus lots of times. I think it's the main reason he kept me around. Fire away!"

"And Fluttershy, dear," Rarity said, "you sit over here, where you're not in direct sight of the door. And be ready to teleport out, if they get too suspicious."

The ponies all settled in, trying to find ways to quietly pass the time, while Twilight steadily and methodically worked her way through each book, occasionally making little "Oh!" and "Aha!" noises, or asking Spike to make a note of something she'd come across.

Rarity and Fluttershy got caught up with each other in quiet whispers. And Rainbow tried hard not to be bored, and failed utterly. First, she flopped down on the bed and tried to take a nap. Then she got desperate enough to pick up one of the books and try reading it herself. She got through about two pages before giving it up as hopeless.

Fortunately by that point Twilight had come up with a small shopping list of references she needed to consult. So Rainbow and Spike were detailed again to go find them. And to return the hat, at Twilight's insistence, so there wouldn't be any unhelpful questions raised about it.

The two quickly came back, with disquieting news.

"Okay, the good part is," Rainbow said, "they don't seem to be worried about us just yet. Or about Spike and me raiding the study. The bad news is, like any good dictator, this Aegagrus guy has been moving guards into position, taking control of the palace and the city. The whole place is on lockdown. I'm surprised they haven't come checking up on us yet!"

Even as she spoke, there was a rattling of keys in the cell door and it swung open. Fluttershy gasped and froze, having no time to teleport away. Neither was there time to hide the books, or Twilight's copious pages of notes.

But Rarity didn't even blink. Her horn sang, and a particularly large grimoire flipped open and smacked Fluttershy in the face. Another landed in Rainbow's startled hooves. Rarity picked up one herself, and was suddenly wearing a pair of reading glasses, humming thoughtfully as she turned a page. Twilight was still blithely absorbed in the tome she was paging through, of course, not even looking up at all.

Rarity glanced up at the guard, in feigned surprise. "Change of watch already? Capital! Shows you're right on top of things." Then she looked at the book in her hooves, which the guard was eyeing curiously. "What, this?" she said. "Oh, the previous watch were kind enough to allow my hoof-maiden here -- " She indicated Fluttershy, still hiding behind her book and trembling like a leaf. "-- to bring us some reading material as a way of passing the time. Such a positively dreadful selection to be honest. No page-turners at all. But beggars cannot be choosers, can they?"

"Uhh, Rarity --" Rainbow began uneasily.

The Princess put up a hoof for silence.

"Tut tut tut!" she said. "Less talk, more read!" Adjusting her glasses, she calmly returned to her own book, giving every indication of thorough fascination with it.

The guard eyed them a few moments longer. Then he turned and left. The door swung shut behind him.

And Fluttershy lowered her book, all but hyperventilating as she stared at her fellow Princess. "Rarity, that was amazing! I would never have been able to pull it off. I'd have frozen up, unable to say a word. But you managed it like it was nothing at all."

"Nonsense, my dear!" Rarity said. "One merely needs to project an air of absolute assurance and confidence. As if you have a perfect right to be doing whatever it is you're doing. Half the time, nopony will bother to question you, and the other half, well..." She fluffed her mane coquettishly. "That's what grace and beauty are for."

Immensely relieved, Fluttershy smiled. "You know, Rarity, it's so nice we're friends again. I've missed that. I can learn a lot from you."

"Likewise, my dear. And I promise, if we get out of this, I won't forget it, not for a second. We'll do lunch every week. And beyond that --"

"Ha!" Twilight suddenly shouted, looking up from her book. "I think I've got it!"

"Oh, what is it?" Fluttershy asked, politely. "Did you find something?"

"Something we can use against that good-for-nothing, turncoat Royal Sorcerer of mine?" Rarity snarled with venomous relish.

"Even better, if I have this right," Twilight said. "But there's only one way to be sure. Spike, take this down, please."

The ponies waited and watched as Twilight dictated a series of confusing syllables, which the dragon carefully jotted down. Then, consulting the book, Twilight rattled off another tongue-twisting torrent of syllables, which Spike was hard-pressed to keep up with.

"These are pretty rough," Twilight said, "little more than raw structure. If I had the time, I could fiddle with the wording, make them more lyrical and easier to say. But this should be enough for a test. Rarity, if you wouldn't mind, try to cast this spell here."

Twilight pointed a hoof at the first of the lines Spike had captured. Willingly Rarity powered up her horn and, muttering to herself, cast the spell. Which seemed to have no effect.

"Perfect!" Twilight said.

"Uh, Twilight..." Rainbow objected, "nothing happened."

"Exactly." Twilight put up a hoof for silence. "Now, Fluttershy, would you cast this one, please?"

Glancing around nervously, Fluttershy powered her own horn, and read off the complex incantation. Again, there was no apparent effect.

"Uh huh..." Twilight nodded eagerly. "Now if you would, both of you cast them, at the same time. On the count of three: one ... two ... three!"

Doubtfully, Rarity and Fluttershy again cast their respective spells.

And in the air between them, a bubble of soft luminescence formed, filling the room with shimmering light.

"Bingo!" Twilight said proudly. "See? Spells normally are cast by a single unicorn, and thus have only that unicorn's power to draw on. But I figured out a way that two unicorns can cast separate threads of the same spell, which weave together and interact, so the magic of both unicorns is in play. And that means the spell can be much more powerful, more than a match for any single unicorn -- hopefully, even Aegagrus."

"That's very impressive work, my dear," Rarity agreed. "But how does a luminance spell help us? Unless we need something more than candlelight to read by?"

Twilight grinned. "Because now that I know that the basic idea is sound, I can apply it to any spell. Give me a little time to find the ones that we'll need, and we're in business!"

She eagerly turned her attention back to the book, with Spike standing by at her elbow, ready to take notes.

And Rainbow looked smugly at the two Princesses.

"What'd I tell ya?" she said proudly. "Egghead, totally!"