Everypony was asleep, the castle was quiet and the village below dark beneath the light of the half moon.
I moved on quiet hooves, exploring the halls.
Most guards had left with Celestia, but some remained, apparently assigned to Midnight and they were doing patrols, but none of them had any chance of spotting me.
Just keep out of the light, don't let my eyes reflect and when necessary, go to the rafters.
None of them had a clue I was even there.
Not that I had seen any of them for over an hour. Seriously, this place has to be bigger on the inside or something, I could have sworn I went through more corridors than could possibly fit inside by now.
From time to time I let out a small chirp of echolocation. It really was a very useful sense and so far, it had paid off.
I had found two hidden doors by the fact that that part of the wall sounded hollow. Both leading to fairly boring empty rooms, but the fact that this place had them kept me looking.
Because come on, who doesn't like hidden passageways?
A sound made my right ear perk up. Something scraping against crystal.
I heard it again. Not a hoofstep. Something sharp. Claws? A claw? Didn't sound like metal.
I let out another chirp, listening hard at the echoes around the corner.
Small shape, moving.
Small, moving, claws against stone. Two legs, not quadruped which limited things quite a lot unless we had been invaded by ostriches.
Talon.
I walked around the corner, "Shouldn't you be asleep?" I asked the small dragon as he got closer.
He blinked in surprise, his eyes slightly luminous in the dark. He didn't have as good night vision as a bat, but he could see better than a day pony.
"Page... yeah, I couldn't sleep," he admitted and crossed his arms and sighed, “It’s… not bright enough. And it’s too quiet and too loud at the same time. And my bed feels too strange.”
"I get that," I agreed and fell in beside him as he walked on, "Not an easy thing to do to turn things back around."
"Yeah, I guess."
I looked at him, "You're not glad to be back. I know it's tough, but-"
"Neither is Midnight," he said and stopped to look up at me, "...She cries, you know. When she think nopony sees."
I sighed and looked towards the side, "It's tough for both of you."
Talon was quiet for a long moment before he spoke up again, "When you leave, I'm going back with you."
I looked at him, "Talon, I'm not sure that's a good idea. I know you are getting to know a filly back home, but you may come to regret going in the future. And there might not be a way back here then, I have no idea how many times you can do that trip."
"Page, Nocturnis is my home," he said firmly, "Yes, I missed everypony here. I'm happy to see everypony again, especially Midnight's parents. But this is no longer where I belong."
The worst thing?
He wasn't wrong. Yes, it wasn't his original world, but he had helped build Nocturnis as much as any pony. He had any right to live there, just like anypony else.
Sighing, I nodded, "Even so, I think you should discuss it with Midnight. And her parents."
"I will. But this is my choice, Page," he said seriously.
"It is," I agreed before smiling at him, "When did you start to grow up?"
"I am over the age of majority for a pony," Talon pointed out.
"Fair,” I sighed, “But for a dragon that's not that old."
Talon shrugged, "I grew up among ponies," he said, "And spent the last years in Nocturnis."
I nodded. I didn't like it, but foals in Nocturnis learned very quickly that there were times to mess around and times where you didn't. And even when arriving, Talon had not been a foal. Young for a dragon yes, but not a hatchling.
"So what are your plans now?" I asked him, "I mean, tonight."
Talon shrugged, "Don't know. Might go for a walk, I need to think."
"Sounds good," I agreed, "I think I might take a flight too."
The Crystal Tree Castle stole Gallifreian technology to give itself TARDIS physics. Midnight better be expecting a call from The Doctor soon.
Less than 1000 words but powerful enough to be a oneshot with some changes
The world survived without a Twilight. I get the feeling that when the time comes, they'll be going back.
Maybe they can ask thier discord to find another Twilight from a universe where she lost against Starlight?
11304237
Page: Just get a Twilight from a world where she'll be happy to come here
Discord: ...enough twilight in the multiverse who fit that description *snap*
*Dusk and Barb fall through a wormhole*
Dusk: whut?
Barb: urgh
Princesses+Mane 5: SOLD!
Page: you lied Pinky! this so isn't the canon world!
Pinky: it is! for a very specific AU!
11304211
Doctor Whooves: You really need your checkup
Page: I'm an alicorn damn it all! we're next to immortal!
Whooves: And that comes from regular checkups, stop being a baby and get down here!
Page: *hisses from the rafters*
Discord watched sadly, letting out a sigh. Cadance looked up from where was splayed out on the couch.
Cadance: What's wrong, Discord? Besides the obvious, that is.
Discord: I just wish we could do a cannon crossover with Goldur's Equestria. Prince Mark could sort out this interdimensional problem lickety-split.
Cadance: Well, you know how Page is about crossovers, and you certainly don't want to make Hiver come all the way down here.
Discord sighed again, hanging his head in defeat.
Discord: You're right, as usual. Sure, one innocuous crossover is fun, but pretty soon Page will be stuck in the Alien franchise with seven Sigourney Weavers breathing down his neck. But think of the shipping potential of infinite universes!
Cadance: Oh, Discord. You don't need infinite universes for that. Oftentimes, the best ships are the ones closest to home...
Talon: Have a good flight Page! Don't hit any mirrors on your way out!
Page: What mirro--*Page walks into a mirror* OW!
Talon: Yeah some of crystal walls are so reflective that it make the castle look like it has more hallways than there are. Pretty cool huh?
Page: Ok I thought I was going nuts earli--*accidentally hits a mirror again* --I don't like this. We need to sue somepony for this hostile architecture.
Talon: The castle was designed by a piece of furniture. You can't sue the table.
Page: ...stupid table. *hits another mirror* OW! Ok how is this wall reflecting the first floor kitchen when we are on the second floor?! HOW?!
I'll be honest. I was never a fan of the whole multiverse arc, with Twi/Midlight and Talon/Spike. It's been muddled for too long. I'm hoping a reason occurs for Midnight and Talon to stay in their original world, so a line can be drawn and the chapter closed on it.
11304413
This would've been so much better if Page didn't have echolocation.
Thanks for chapter!
Have a good day!
Celestia could have handled a lot of the problems herself if she wasn't always playing nice. There is a time for nice and time to do something. The only time she dealt with a problem was when the changelings showed up and she still dropped the ball. She should have used that to become stronger to better protect her subjects but instead she got every royal in equestria captured because she didn't even try to change anything. Not one problem twilight Dealt with couldn't be handled by others if they actually bothered. Even the tree took advantage of twilight and friends. There is no way that they were the only ones who could handle every problem. The restaurant just needed to get customers which meant getting past the critics who thought paying a ton for hardly anything was a good thing. Any princess eating there and liking it would been enough to get the crowds in. And the park you're telling me that city doesn't have anyone who supposed to keep the park neat and clean and safe. And the idea that if they all gave a little it would be big thing in the end. How does anything big get done without everyone giving their part with time and effort and money. The feud could have been resolved by simply getting to think about how long it had been going on and how long it could last if they didn't agree to forget whatever the fight was about and say sorry at the same time. I doubt the kids want to spend the rest of their lives fighting for seemingly no reason.
I just want to point out that earlier on in the story when she first tried to return, Midnight said she had a spell to send messages back after returning home. I wonder what happened to that spell.
Also, is the way midnight got pulled back into her own universe a once off or repeatable?
11304418
I just imagine him stumbling for a bit and then be like "..echo location. Right".
11304473
Well, it's a SHOW. A STORY. And you need conflict for it. I hate MLP because they overpower characters one second
Twilight lifted an Ursa Minor at the beginning, studied under Princess Celestia, and just represents Magic. She then became an alicorn, further boosting her raw power, to keep up with her mind and theory.
ANd beat them into dirt the next.
What does Twilight do? She loses against Starlight, who seemingly can match a full quarter of all Equestrian magic. Starlight didn't seem to go into any prestigious school.
Oh, and I should remind you, how Starlight was surprised, when Twilight NO-SELLED her attack at their first encounter. When they first clash spells Starlight is down and out, and is running for her life. When they clash for second time - Twilight is fighting for her life, and can't OVEPOWER Starlight. Just tag of war beam, pure power.
11304791
Yes but twilight isn't a solider or a princess for most of the show and using her for every little problem outside the castle seems wrong to me especially when Celestia is over thousand years old and more powerful than twilight.
Hoom hoom, let us not be hasty... The plot thickens, but immediate emotional recoils aren't the best basis upon which to make such important decisions.
Grammar jackboots:
When she thinks nopony sees.
He had a right to live there, just like anypony else.
11304810
Twilight doesn't NEED to be a soldier, to win magic tug of war. Tug of war doesn't mean actual war. It's literally just tugging on a rope as hard as you can. Twilight has fine control over her spells, yes, because she studied by herself and under Princess Celestia. No, I was talking dumb POWER. Why do you think I constantly remind people of her Ursa Minor achivement? She levitated many tons of star bear, and several tons of water tower filled with milk, then levitated BOTH things to a CAVE she JUST found by magic scanning or whatever within however many kilometres this thing must be away from town, for the MAJOR to not just walk into town. Twilight has POWER. And recently found unicorn, that in the PAST was NOT a threat to her
Twilight doesn't seem to be remotly tired after taking full blast of Starlight's magic. What do we see next? All that skill and power, USELESS. Studying under Princess for YEARS - all those spells, and control over them, her TALENT, magic. Not even friendship. She can COPY spells after SEEING them. ONCE. Rarity's gem finding? Copied after seeing it once. Celestia showed her hate(Sombra's magic) school magic? COPIED, on her FIRST try(with some difficulty, but first cast).
Few minutes, and Twilight is OUT.
Twilight traps her in a crystal once, and Starlight just breaks OUT, no sweat. Then, she does stupid, and tries to crystal Starlight again. Starlight simply dodges. Writers really go out of their way to create a powerhouse, and then have them struggle against mundane threats. Celestia at least have an excuse that she was not even trying, and she was in a room full of ponies, so that she could NOT go full supernova on Chrys, not that she seemed to NEED it. She had face of control, Bug had face full of incoming pain.
I'll keep telling you, MLP is full of such busted stories.
11304877
Well her talent is magic but definitely not fighting which the people who job it is to protect the people and country should be doing it. Celestia could have helped in the crystal empire so that cadence would had more support than just shining. The girls could have used more info than old city cursed and evil unicorn did it and it was lost to time. She was there when it fell so anything she could have told would have been helpful. Another alicorn to hold off the enemy would definitely have been helpful.
11304884
Here is another question then. Is STARLIGHT a soldier? From what I gathered - no. From what I understand she is COMPLETELY self taught. She is not likely to have been in Celestia's prestigious school, or any bootcamp for military enlisted ponies. Starlight is WILD. Twilight has both discipline from the best(Celestia/Gifted Unicorns), and power. Element of Magic, talented unicorn by herself, and boosted by being an alicorn.
Why does she loose to a random nobody? You can only push talent so far without any discipline!
11304888
Because despite all her teaching Celestia never taught twilight anything about self defense. Celestia is all about peace. Considering how many times did the queen of the changelings try to get them because they wouldn't put her in her place and make her get that either she chooses peace or she chooses death. Because they kept letting her get away and never bothered to have a second thought about her once she was gone. Starlight on the other hand didn't have peace and forgiveness Celestia as a teacher so she learned whatever she could and probably if twilight hadn't beat her to might have created new magic before twilight did.
11304933
How do I get it through your thick skull. Both Twilight or Starlight have no COMBAT training. BOTH of them are CIVILIANS. BOTH. The problem come when you compare EVERYTHING ELSE.
Twilight:
talent
Element of Magic(fate talent)
elite school
Princess Celestia as teacher
self-taught
alicorn
Starlight:
talent
self-taught
maybe school(doubt)
Do you see, do you see now, just how big the gap SHOULD be?! Twilight might have been equal with Starlight when she was a unicorn. Why the f*ck do you become an alicorn - if it doesn't give you ANY boost?! Even back then - Twilight was fated to become Element of Magic. She could pick any spell the SECOND she SAW it with her EYES!!!
11304948
More power yes but with training in how to use it it certainly doesn't do much good. Starlight was able to outmaneuver her because she twilight go to move is blast it. Maybe if she had some actual training in fighting she could have held her own but with the same thing each round its no wonder starlight was able to get the upper hand.
11304955
The thing is Starlight also outPOWERED Twilight. Noticed how Twilight put Glimmer in a block of crystal? And noticed how Starlight broke out of it like it was NOTHING?! Comparing to when Twilight completely blocked Starlight without any effort?
Seriosly, how many times do I have to repeat. Twilight, even if Starlight was the same power, should have been more skilled at PACING and SPEED CASTING. Or maybe creative casting? Despite Twilight being an academic, and not an artist, I would think she would pull something mechanichally creative at least, and catch Starlight in something, that Starlight can NOT deal with(dispel/overpower). With the same power, Twilight migh have had more stamina, to simply exhaust Starlight, and just bean her over the head with her still fresh "beam of death"(just a magic beam) or something?!
11304970
Twilight unfortunately barely uses magic outside her telekinesis when was the last time you remember her learning a new spell even after becoming an alicorn. Practice makes perfect and keeps the skills sharp. The only skill she ever practices telekinesis. Once she masters it once she forgets about that why her block wasn't strong enough. She may have the juice but she not really using it.
11304975
From what I understand she alsodoesn't eat or go to the toilet. She doesn't sleep often, what else?
Dude, just because it isn't show doesn't mean she's completely out of practise. She was shown, at the start, learning new spells. Hell, teleportation was said to be advanced magic, and she managed it. She knew how many spells at the time of Boast Busters? 15? 25? Most unicorns said to not have known more than 5. All relating to their special talent.
Food.
Being friends.
Being leader.
NOT being a teacher(she didn't start the school until later).
Sleep.
I would guess she would find some time in her bisy schedule to practise a bit.
11304991
Yes but who exactly is she going to practice with? She is the strongest in town and possibly equestria itself. There are no guards in town even after she got a castle so can't spar with them and part of practicing fighting skills is trying them out against someone. The other alicorns are busy with their jobs most of the time and twilight is trying to avoid being a princess as much as she can.
11305011
Are we talking combat training, where you NEED a sparring partner, which can respond to your attacks, or are we talking general skills. Like shooting beams at bottles? Twilight isn't training to confront an opponent, neither is Starlight. However, in general practise, talent and variety - Twilight wins.
Power. Different spells. Speed cast/skill. Tutoring.
Like I said - I would maybe buy Twilight not being able to crush Starlight if she was a unicorn. However, we seen that Twilight seems to be above Starlight. Oh, OH. If Starlight is so powerful, why couldn't she deal with Chrysalis, then?
It is a consistent toilet, where writers FLUSH powerfrul characters, because they need a quick shortcut for a conflict. Celestia moves Sun and Moon for thousands of years. She loses against the Queen, but at least it can be justified. Chrys was overpovered("oh crap" face), Celly didn't see it(calm face), spells can be stopped if you just touch a horn(forget taking a beam to the tip of it), if Celly used more power she could have burned every being alive in that chamber...
However, many other fights just don't make sense. Twilight can't stomp Starlight, Starlight can't put bug down, Discord, someone who warps REALITY can have his magic blocked(throne stone) or drained(by Tirek or Grogar's bell)... I can go on.
11305462
Knowing how to preform the spell won't help if you can't think about it in a battle situation and despite having a brother who is the captain of the guard she never actually practiced her fighting skills outside the real world where it is a terrible time for such things. And starlight both times couldn't deal because the first time she wasn't there and the second the throne was the issue with its chanelings only magic rule. Starlight kept being creative in her fight and twilight for some reason doesn't use her full power even when she needs to.
11305474
Twilight doesn't JUST know. She CAN perform spells. Do I need to find you how she COPIED Sombra's HATE spell FIRST TRY, after seeing it from CELESTIA. SEEING it, not just learning about it. She only struggled because she doesn't have much room for hate in her heart!!! It was still ONE try!!! With practise she only becomes BETTER.
Twilight saw the spell ONCE. She had no trouble(apart from emotions) casting it.
https://youtu.be/ev7ucJuDlgE?t=781
Again. Twilight has element of Magic, and so talented, she can copy spells, and USE THEM after seeing them ONCE.
Twilight has her faults( obsessive something or other, she is a perfectionist, and loses it, if she fails at something), however, she has raw talent and SKILL to back her up.
LIke I said - blame f*cking wirters. Characters by themselves SHOULD have been able to deal with stuff.
11305484
Like I said combat is a lot different from just using a spell. You have know what spell to use and how much power to use for it and when it would be best use it. She is a blast first in a fight girl and she knows nothing about fighting skills which is more than just knowing spells. If she bothered to use those skills in a sparing session she could be a great warrior but as it stands she is a lousy warrior. If you want to complain about someone getting beaten complain about the other princesses most of them have been in fights before and yet they got beaten in no time.
11305490
It's not about being able to do it. But also being willing to hurt somebody which is a lot harder that most people think. Especially for somebody like Twilight. There is a reason soldiers shoot at man shaped targets.
11305507
True soldiers also practice situations that they might encounter in the real world. Twilight has only bothered to learn how preform the spells and that is like owning a gun but being unable to use it when push comes to shove.
11305524
wow this got off rails, but twilight had no problem busting out the magic fighting the changelings the 1 time, or flinging herself at a hydra, it's just after season 2 things got silly because they needed the bad guys to be badder than the last bad guys
plus we never got to see what real combat magic is in the show, her brother only ever got to do shields and get kicked around but he probably could juggle fireballs
11305617
Actually she still did the same move the changelings won by sheer numbers she has never really gotten creative in a battle.
Canon.002Rarity didn't tell Talon how much she missed him when he was gone? I mean, Dragon Dropped probably didn't happen yet, in either case, but considering how Talon left and just came back now, maybe she would've realized how much he means to her, and maybe they could've had a heartfelt moment or two together.
Protagonists get some enforced vacation time. Just enjoy it while you can, MC. Midnight is on the case.