Chapter VIII
Concord cantered back through town, carrying Verity on his back. The young spirit’s new porcine leg had slowed her far more than he would like and seemed to give her no small amount of discomfort, though she never complained outright.
The evening sun painted the sky with streaks of peach and rose and turned Ponyville’s streets into shadowy canyons lit by the golden glow spilling from the windows of the houses. The gray stallion drank in the sight, feeling as if he were about to burst with joy. He wished he knew a song to sing, but nothing came to mind, so he settled for happily humming a simple tune. Until recently he had been content to leave music to its muses, but the feelings within him demanded expression!
Atop his back, Verity lay awkwardly, back to her normal impassive attitude. In her front hooves she clutched a bouquet of wildflowers they’d gathered on the way back into town.
“Pink is the mane on my true love’s head,” Concord began, trying to put words to the tune, “She uh, works in a bakery selling bread...”
“She isn’t in love with you,” Verity stated, fiddling unconcernedly with the bouquet. “And her mane is brilliant rose.”
Concord nodded. “Maybe she isn’t yet, but we’re going to fix that tonight! She’ll come around once her friend gives me a once-over.”
The filly held her tongue. She personally put no stock in predictions of the future, but didn’t care to rain on her big brother’s parade. Maybe he was right. Ever since she passed Inside, she had begun to realize the size of the chasm between what she knew and what she understood.
“Good evening, Conky,” a familiar pony called from across the street. Concord snapped out of his happy daze as a pair of mares approached from the opposite direction. Though he would much rather be off, courtesy dictated he at least stop to greet them.
“Hey Fortuna, you were right!” he told the unicorn. “I went and showed her a bit of my skills and she completely changed her tune. We’re on our way to meet her right now!” He pranced in place giddily, nearly throwing Verity off his back.
The other pony with Fortuna blanched and looked away.
The unicorn playfully tapped her in the ribs with a knee. “Well cousin, don’t you have something to tell him?”
Just Deserts pawed at the dirt and bit her lip. “Hi Concord.”
“Hey there, um...” the stallion’s mouth worked silently as he tried to recall who the strange-looking pegasus was. The moment stretched into an awkward silence.
“Psst, Ver! Who’s that?” Concord at last whispered over his shoulder.
“It’s Just Deserts,” she responded louder than he would have liked.
“Well hey there, Desserts! Now I remember ya. What’s up?” He bellowed, trying to make up for his faux pas with cheer.
She winced at having her name mangled by a fellow spirit. “I, well...” she began, trying to sound as collected as she usually did, but it had suddenly become difficult. She assured herself it was yet another side effect of Ms. Sparkle’s poor-quality summoning spell. It was a miracle they all hadn’t fallen to pieces already!
“...Fortuna and I made a plan to truly fix things up around here, but it could get really messy. I was thinking, maybe you could go with me—with us, that is, and make sure it all goes off peacefully?”
Concord looked apologetically into the pegasus’s hopeful aquiline eyes. “That sounds real nice and all, and I hope it all works out okay, but I’ve got me a previous engagement, if you know what I mean.” The goofy grin spread anew over his face.
Just Deserts turned to look back up the street she’d come down and frowned darkly. “I think it’d be much better if you came with us instead, Concord. We need to do our duty, not dally around with some... some sneaky, manipulative, unjust mortal.”
“Aw, she’s not that type,” Concord assured her, starting down the street again. “Anyway, I promised to meet her and to not use any super-equine powers until she says it’s okay. I have to keep my promises, right?”
“I guess,” Just Deserts mumbled surlily. “If anything, ah, happens between the two of you, and you want to come help, I’ll be up north in Canterlot!” she called after him.
”Fortuna and Desserts in Canter-trot. Got it. See you two later!” he shouted back, not bothering to turn. The pegasus looked dismally after him.
“Don’t be so down, Justy!” the unicorn cajoled the disappointed pegasus. “You told me you made sure that pink pony would see him as her greatest fear, right? You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Hmph! Who’s worried?” Just Deserts retorted. “What do I care if he wastes his affections on that airheaded reprobate?”
Fortuna raised an eyebrow. “His what?”
“Skills! I meant ‘skills’.”
“Of course, dear. Come on, we’ve got a train to catch.” It was all Fortuna could do to keep from bursting out laughing. Spirits on their first time being enfleshed were always so amusing, what with the absurd ways they tried to deal with their new mode of existence!
Twilight Sparkle sat in the dark beneath the library, unable to move a muscle. It felt bizarre, being imprisoned in her own skin. Worst of all was the terrible calmness that suffused her body even as her mind panicked. Her pulse remained steady, her breathing was slow and automatic, she wasn’t even perspiring from stress. It was like she was experiencing the sensations of a completely different pony, one that hadn’t just been zapped by a pair of spirits, robbed of the Element of Magic, and made privy to their plans to overthrow the princesses!
She had tried over and over again to cast a spell, any spell, but a void had sprung up between her will and her horn, swallowing every command she attempted to send across. Other than that, her thoughts were entirely clear. That unicorn-spirit-thing had been right; this wasn’t some paralyzing drug; she’d been altered on a fundamental level.
Not sure what else to do, Twilight began counting her heartbeats to try to stem the flood of purely mental fright threatening to overthrow her reason. She had only got as far as two hundred seventy-one before the door to the basement opened again and another pair descended.
“Twilight?” Pinkie called hesitantly down the stairs, “I thought I heard the bell above the front door ring but I was right there and I didn’t see anypony. Were there any invisible alchemists down here? ...Hey, how come the lights are off?”
“And could you just tell me what to send to the princess?” Spike added. “It’s been a long day; I need my rest!”
The petrified pony enjoyed a small bit of comfort. At least her friends were okay! What had the pegasus done to Pinkie Pie, though?
Twilight heard Pinkie’s distinctive gasp at the foot of the stairs. “Oh my gosh! Twilight! What’s wrong? What happened to you-know-what? ...Hey! Can you hear me?”
She felt herself roughly prodded in the side with a hoof, sending her wobbling back and forth like a bowling pin.
Pinkie screamed. “Oh no! They got her!” she wailed. “They froze her insides and turned her to a Twilight-shaped grape pony-sicle! Oh Twilight, I tried to warn you! Why didn’t you listen?” The unicorn was suddenly swept up into one of Pinkie’s crushing embraces.
When the distraught mare finally let her go, Twilight felt a cool, trembling claw held up to her nose, then pressed against her neck. Beside her, Spike heaved a sigh of relief. “She’s okay, Pinkie.” he said. “Well, not okay-okay, but she’s still alive. Look at this big red welt on her neck. It’s like she got stung by a giant hornet or something.”
“Or needle-poked by a giant alchemist!” Pinkie replied. “Or by a regular-sized alchemist with a great big giant needle! And he took the secret thingy too! What’ll we do!?”
Spike had no idea what sort of secret Pinkie was talking about, but if Twilight hadn’t felt the need to tell her own loyal assistant, he doubted it could be all that important. Twilight had told him about the mythical alchemists, though, and shared her opinion on the matter. “If you didn’t see anypony go down here, Twilight must’ve just had an accident and pricked herself with something or had a spell go wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time, so don’t go calling out the Wonderbolts! We’ve just got to get her some medical help ASAP. Run and go get an ambulance or a doctor or... or something! I’ll stay here and make sure nothing else happens to her, okay?.”
“I can’t, Spike! The alchemist is out there somewhere just waiting to do that to me, or worse!”
Twilight was surprised, and by the sound of things, Spike was too. She could be dying for all any of them knew, and Pinkie was too scared to even go outdoors and get help?
“Pinkie, our friend is in trouble and you’re, like, the second-fastest pony I know. Go run for help!”
The mare whimpered, then mournfully steeled herself. “You’re right, I gotta, no matter what. It’s been really awfully wonderful knowing you both.” Tearfully, she dashed up the stairs, through the door and out of the library. “Help! Alchemists! They got Twilight Sparkle! He-e-elp!”
As the frantic pony’s shouting receded into the distance, The immobile unicorn suddenly felt Spike jump up and hug her nearly as hard as Pinkie had. “You will be okay, right? You even got turned to stone once and bounced right back!” he said, sounding more worried than he had with Pinkie. “Celestia’s top student can’t die from some silly accident, can she?” She felt a hot tear soak into her coat. She would have given anything to comfort him then, to give some sign she was still there, but she could do nothing. Her assistant clung to her in silence for another twenty-three maddeningly regular heartbeats.
“Speaking of, I guess I oughtta let the princess know what happened,” Spike mumbled, sniffling and letting go. Twilight heard a rustle of paper and then the scratching of a quill. “Twilight... can’t respond... parol- no, uh, immabil-... can’t move... Sent for doctor... will notify... situation changes... Apologies, Spike!” There was a muted roar as the dragon incinerated the message with his breath. “Figures this would happen right after you got that real important letter, huh?”
He paced around the room in silence for a couple minutes.
“I’d better get upstairs so I can meet the whoever it is when they get here. If you can hear me, um, sit tight, okay? Everything’s going to be alright.”
Twilight heard his clawed feet padding back up the stairs. He didn’t sound so sure himself, but her assistant was probably right. Pinkie was going for help, Princess Celestia had been alerted that something was up and Twilight was still surrounded by her friends and neighbors, whatever happened. They would figure out a way to free her from whatever spell or power had frozen her here, those two spirits’ plot would be foiled and everything would go back to normal.
Wouldn’t it?
After getting lost a couple times before having Verity give directions, she and her brother finally found their way back to the Golden Oaks Library. Despite the late hour and the slight chill in the air, the door stood wide open. Standing beside the door silhouetted by light from within was a tiny, worried-looking purple dragon.
“Library’s closed,” the dragon said, craning his neck to look anxiously up and down the street instead of at Concord. “There’s been an—” he gulped, “an accident downstairs.”
“Pinkie told us to come here, though,” Concord said. “Is she around?”
The dragon appeared startled. “Wait, Pinkie sent you? Wow, that was fast. Sorry doctor, I thought she was going to get an ambulance, or that whoever she sent would at least have, y’know, doctor-stuff.” Spike glanced at Verity and the bouquet she held. “Oh, so I guess that’s some sort of herbal medicine?” He stepped inside and hurriedly waved the two ponies in. “I’m Spike, I live here with Twilight. C’mon, she’s down in the basement.”
Concord put on his shiniest, goofiest grin and followed the dragon into the library and downstairs. To his dismay, the “she” to which the dragon referred was not Pinkie Pie but her friend the unicorn. The pale purple pony sat as still as a carving, with her head lowered, her ears back and her eyes squeezed shut, as if perpetually bracing for something unpleasant.
“She went downstairs about half an hour ago talking like she’d be right back,” Spike explained. “Pinkie went to talk to her and then came back up and she’d been alone since then. A little bit later, we both went down to check on her, and the lights were out and she was like... this.”
Spike gave Twilight a light shove in the side, causing the inert pony to rock back and forth a couple times before settling back on her hooves. “Sorry, Twilight,” he whispered.
“I checked her pulse and breathing, and they were both there, but then I noticed—”
“So... does this mean she can’t tell Pinkie what a great guy I am?” Concord interrupted.
From her immobile vantage point, Twilight felt her earlier confidence vanish. That was the voice of stallion who’d suddenly appeared in this basement earlier today with his little sister. More spirits; they had to be! What did they want now?
The dragon stared at the gray pony. “I... um... yes?”
Concord rubbed his chin and nodded sagely. “Guess I’ll have to get her fixed up then. Diagnosis, Ver?”
“Her will’s been disconnected from her body,” the filly stated.
Concord nodded happily. “Oh, good! That’s no big deal.”
Spike nearly melted with relief. “So she’ll be okay? You can heal whatever this is?”
Don’t trust them, Spike! Twilight tried to think as loud as she possibly could. Get out of here before they get you too!
“Sure! I can just—” The gray stallion paused and frowned. “Nope, nope. I promised Pinkie I wouldn’t do any of that stuff.”
The dragon stared at Concord and Verity in utter perplexity. “You promised Pinkie not to help Twilight? But you said she sent you here!”
The stallion shrugged. “I gotta wait until Pinkie says it’s okay. Can you do anything for her, sis?”
Verity thought for a moment, then nodded. “I can call somepony else who can.” She went back to fiddling with the bouquet.
After a moment’s pause, Spike spoke up again. “Well? If you can get help, do it! ...Please?” These were the strangest medical professionals he’d ever seen.
The little filly cleared her throat.
“And I have asked to be
Where no storms come,
Where the green swell is in the havens dumb,”
“—And out of the swing of the sea,” said a melodious voice right behind Spike.
The dragon yelped and whirled around to see a rakish looking unicorn stallion who’d appeared as if from nowhere.
“Wha-what’s going on?” The dragon cried. “Who are you? How did you get here?”
Concord waved to the new pony. “Oh, that’s just ol’ Verse. He’s always popping up in the places nopony expects.”
“For who has sight so keen and strong, / That it can follow the flight of song?” Verse asked, proudly tossing his head.
“This is crazy!” Spike yelled, jumping between the spirit-ponies and Twilight. Life in Ponyville had its regular oddities every so often, but everything that had happened this evening was just too much. “You’re all crazy! You aren’t doctors, stay away from her!”
“I never said we were,” Concord admitted. “But a doctor can’t help her; Verse can.”
“Liar! Get out of here!”
Verity made a noise of irritation and began tearing petals from the daisies in the bouquet to vent her anger. This was the second time she’d done just what was asked of her, and the recipient of her goodwill had been angry instead of grateful. Stupid ponies. Stupid dragons.
When none of the trespassers made a move to leave, Spike filled his lungs and punctuated his command with a warning puff of dragon-fire. He hoped Twilight couldn’t see all this; she’d been quite adamant about never having any open flames in the basement.
The ponies skipped out of the way to the edge of the room, Concord suffering a small white patch of singed hair on his left shoulder. “Hey, the proof’s in the pudding right?” he said, unperturbed by the attempted immolation. “When she’s better, we’ll all look back on this and laugh.” He motioned to the other stallion. “Go for it Verse! Do your stuff!”
Twilight had heard the roar and felt the heat from her assistant’s fiery breath, but she was only disappointed that it seemed to have failed. Spike, leave me! Run! She inwardly screamed. You can’t fight them! Why, oh why can’t you understand me?
“He can’t understand you because you’re not actually saying anything.” Verity said, rolling her eyes.
Twilight silently boggled. You can hear me? she thought, trying to imagine herself actually saying the words.
“No,” the little spirit replied, slipping from Concord’s back to the floor. “But I know what you’re trying to say.”
None of the others seemed to notice the filly’s statements. Spike was too busy guarding Twilight and trying to coax another blast of fire from his innards. Concord was juking about in an attempt to keep the dragon’s attention on him while Verse stared at the ceiling and tapped his chin, trying to recall something.
Tell them to stop! Twilight mentally pleaded. Please!
Verity ignored Twilight and instead took a bite out of the bundle of flowers. She was done taking requests from ponies. It wasn’t even really part of her purpose, anyway.
On the other side of the room, Verse began his recital. He sat on his haunches, threw his head back and raised his front legs high in the air like an evil sorcerer in a cheesy adventure film.
“Sunder me from my bones, O sword of God
Till they stand stark and strange as do the trees;
That I whose heart goes up with the soaring woods
May marvel as much at these.”
Twilight felt strange, or, rather, she didn’t feel, and that was strange. The sensation of being trapped in place began to fade, replaced only with a loose, airy numbness.
“Sunder me from my blood that in the dark
I hear that red ancestral river run
Like branching buried floods that find the sea
But never see the sun.”
“Verse, whoa, wait!” Concord, still running about, hollered at declaiming unicorn. “Sunder? You’re sposta stitch her back together, not tear her the rest of the way apart!”
The poet paid him no heed, but continued:
“Give me miraculous eyes to see my eyes
Those rolling mirrors made alive in me
Terrible crystals more incredible
Than all the things they see.”
Awareness of everything in the room burst upon Twilight in a blaze of light. It was like she was looking in every direction at once. She could even see herself, scrunched up on her feet right where Just Deserts had left her. It was all extremely disorienting. What had Concord meant about being torn apart?
“Stop! Don’t do it!” Concord yelled, sliding to a halt and looking, mortified, at the purple unicorn.
Spike seized the opportunity to grab his tail and tried to drag him back toward the stairs. “Everypony just shut up! All of you, get out of here and quit bothering Twilight! This isn’t funny!”
The spirit unicorn smiled impishly and launched into the final stanza:
“Sunder me from my soul, that I may see
The sins like streaming wounds, the life’s brave beat
Till I shall save myself as I would save
A stranger in the street.”
In spite of what she expected, it didn’t hurt at all. Twilight simply felt herself rising up into the air to hover just below the basement ceiling. Directly beneath her sat a unicorn mare with a distinctive bright stripe in her dark mane, but that wasn’t her anymore.
But then... what was she? She could see everything in the room except herself. Was this what it was like to be a spirit?
Still being pulled by the tail by her exasperated assistant, Concord flopped to the floor and put his front hooves over his head. “Ohh... Pinkie’s gonna hate me for this!” he groaned.
Verse, however, looked extremely satisfied, turned and walked briskly back up the stairs. Concord leaped back to his feet and hurried after, now dragging Spike behind him. “Wait, Verse, come back! You gotta fix this! Pinkie’ll think I did this and she’ll never even talk to me again!” The unicorn laughed, broke into a run and disappeared through the door to the ground floor.
Concord rushed after, causing Spike to lose his grip and bounce back down the stairs. The gray stallion left the basement, but popped his head back through the doorway a couple seconds later. “Listen, Twilight, if you can still hear me, just stay right there with the, um, the rest of you. Don’t go into any lights, swirling portals, fiery abysses or the hooves of any long-lost ancestors, okay? I’ll get Verse and be back in a jiffy and I’ll make him fix you up right. Trust me!” He disappeared again.
“What the heck is he talking about?” Spike wondered. “They didn’t even do anything, did they?”
Forgotten by the other spirits in a corner of the room, Verity continued devouring the bouquet. She knew the answer to both questions, but didn’t feel like sharing it at the moment. She could tell that Twilight had floated down to hover right above her.
You’re Verity, right? Twilight thought at her. Please, I don’t know why any of this is happening! Who are you ponies? Why are you doing this?
Verity pretended not to hear. Based on what she’d seen so far, this pony really wouldn’t like the answer.
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Man, these spirits are idiots! I can't wait to see the moments Concord and Verity learn the truth of what they are really doing.
C&C:
[Note: There might be more errors in this, but I am feeling a bit tire and lazy, so I picked the biggest one right now.]
“What the heck is he talking about?” Spike wondered. “They didn’t even do anything, did they?”
> I'm not sure, but I think you meant to say Twilight, instead of Spike.
>>GMZ_Casper no spike is who wondered , the three of them came claiming to "fix" twilight ; Verse only said three poetic verses and fled laughing maniacally and concord following him demAnding he fix her and spike left comfused with frozen twilight .
Brilliant as always , proceed my good man
2064888
Thanks for reading and looking over the story!
As for your comment, that really was supposed to be Spike speaking there. I apologize for any confusion; I'm doing some strange and unorthodox things with denoting dialogue for this story.
When Twilight wants to say something but can't on account of her current predicament, her words are given in italics with no quotation marks.
2067573 2068745
I had picked up on the italicizing, but the comment just seems...off, I guess. That is why I had noted that I wasn't sure if it was an error or not. Thank for clearing it up for me, though. I appreciated it, you two.