Equestria's chain of conflicts

by Dranz_89

Running from the past, hiding from the future

"So what's your favorite color?", asked Twilight.

"Is that of any relevance?", said the white pegasus.

"Ok... then what music do you like?"

"I don't know... should I have a preference?"

"Ugh... well do you like any books?"

"Ummm... what is a book?"

Twilight sighed in frustration. She was trying to be friendly and break the ice, but Guardian Sword's ice was too thick to even scratch, maybe because he was tired, or maybe because his left wing was still injured. He was just next to her left side, just walking forward, and constantly watching over her vigilantly.

It was a long trip to Crystal Mountain, which was now a huge icecream field. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, all kinds of flavors covered the mountain. Twilight talked and talked along the way, and Guardian Sword just listened, it was a monologue more than a dialogue. She spoke about music, food, and all the books she likes most, although later up, she had to explained to Guardian Sword what a book was.

Once in the city, nothing looked different in there, as if Discord had never been released. Some crystal ponies in town recognized Twilight and waved at her, she waved back pretending, very poorly, that her visit was completely casual. Twilight and Guardian Sword walked to the main square, where they found a suspicious looking crystal pony. His shiny dark blue coat glowed like a lake reflecting the night sky, and his mane shone golden like a streetlight. Guardian Sword stepped between him and Twilight taking a defensive pose, "Who are you? and why does it seem like you're waiting for us?" he asked.

"I'm just waiting for her, tough guy. You can get lost!" said the dark blue crystal pony , his voice was raspy.

"Too bad... I'm her personal bodyguard, I go where she goes", Guardian Sword replied.

"Guardain Sword! Don't be rude!" Twilight pushed the pegasus aside, and she talked to the crystal pony, "excuse me, but... do I know you?".

"Hah! Of course you don't remember me!", said the crystal pony, "Some time ago, we fought over a bag at Midnight Castle".

"You are that Changeling!" Twilight gasped, as Guardian Sword stood on a fighting stance, spreading his right wing, and preparing for battle.

"Easy there", said the crystal pony, "I'm not looking for a fight, I'm just looking for her."

"why are you a crystal pony now?" asked Twilight.

"I don't know... I used to be a crystal pony before being a changeling", he replied, "but... suddenly, I am me again. I can't say I'm not happy about it, but to be honest, I'm not sure if this was supposed to happen. I was researching what was happening with me in the library, where I met a very interesting unicorn, she came to me and asked me to wait for you here, and take you to my house, where you'll be able to conversate."

"That's a very convenient story, so who was this unicorn you met?" Guardian Sword met him face to face, with a threatening glare.

"I really don't know, but she said that you would be interested in talking to her again, and...", he replied as the pegasus was getting closer to him, until he shouted at Twilight, "can you calm your pet down? he's freaking me out!"

Twilight gently touched his the pegasus' shoulder to calm him down. She nodded and followed the crystal pony. They arrived to a small crystal house, it apparently belonged to the dark blue crystal pony, for he opened the door and invited Twilight in, the pegasus wasn't too well received but he let him in anyway, they glared at each other ready to jump to a hoof fight any moment soon.

Inside the house, the crystal pony invited them to the dining room, where a white tall unicorn wearing a white coat was waiting for them while reading an old book. and resting on the table in front of her, there was a red cup of hot chocolate. Twilight recognized her for her emmerald colored mane, "Observer!", she gasped.

"You arrive just in time, Twilight Sparkle" the tall unicorn said as she closed the dusty old book she was reading, she stared at her with calm eyes, she placed a couple of small cups on the opposite side of the table, and filled them with chocolate, "sit down", she commanded.

"What? What is going on?" asked Twilight, she turned to the changeling who just smiled at her. "Why is she here?"

"You know? I've been to the Crystal Mountains", claimed the Observer, she took a sip from her cup, while Twilight and Guardian Sword sit in front of her. "And I saw this young filly who claims to be Discord's daughter. I have to admit, not even I suspected of her when you visited me in my observatory. I advise complete caution with her, I would even dare to say that she is more dangerous than Discord. Just like him, she possesses chaotic powers and can see all your strengths and weaknesses. But UNLIKE Discord, she lacks self control, ergo, she will stop at nothing to defeat you and crush you until you're emotionally destroyed. And then she will end your life while you sob over your own misery."

"End my life...?" Twilight gulped.

"If you're lucky", The Observer calmly added.

"I'll make sure no harm will come close to Miss Twilight", claimed Guardian Sword.

"Tough words for a wingless pegasus", the crystal pony mocked him.

"Wanna see how tough they are?", the pergasus hit the table with both his hooves, causing the Observer's cup to spill some chocolate.

"I'm afraid he's right, Guardian Sword", said the Observer, taking out a handkerchief out of her white coat, "this is something you can't protect Twilight from. Unless you're planning to protect her from herself."

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Twilight, very confused. But the Observer responded with another question.

"May I ask you what were you doing with your life before the dragons attacked Equestria?" she filled her cup again with some more chocolate.

"I... I was studying friendship..." Twilight answered with a trembling voice, she was staring at the table, very nervous. Guardian Sword and the crystal pony stood silent as the Observer raised her voice, as if she was scolding Twilight.

"Even if you're already an expert on that topic, as I've heard. You even became the Princess of Friendship, so why would you relinquish that title and step back the level of your studies?"

"I... I don't want to talk about it..."

"This is why I knew you couldn't handle the Rainbow of Darkness. Something is causing you all this sorrow in your heart. You don't want to get hurt again, so that's why you keep avoiding this topic, that's why you don't know what to do with your life. You are stuck, Twilight. And this is your worst weakness. Past is something that nopony can escape from, even if you try to carry on, it will always haunt you."

"How do you know so much?! Who are you?!" Twilight turned agressive.

"Everything will be revealed in due time", replied the Observer.

"Rarity and I already talked about this, I accept what happened, I'm ready to carry on! I'm not stuck! And I've had enough of this! Guardian Sword we're leaving, now!"

Twilight stood up, and Guardian Sword followed, looking worried. The Observer just sighed and did nothing to stop them, she took one last sip from her cup, and before Twilight closed the door, she told her one last thing.

"The only way to carry on, is to turn around and face it face to face, Twilight. And that's easier said than done," After drinking the last drops from her cup, the Observer laughed and looked at the mountains through the window, "If somepony can understand that... it's me."

Twilight heard the words, but she ignored them and slammed the door behind her. She started to walk toward the mountain with his bodyguard walking close behind her. They walked through the city with a very tense enviroment, Guardian Sword didn't have the courage to say anything, for Twilight could explode in wrath even with the most harmless commentary. He was almost as scared as when Princess Luna was in a bad mood.

A blizzard of lemon flavored snow was blowing from the north, slowing the ponies down, but didn't stop them. Twilight's plan was simple as if it was strategized by Rainbow Dash herself: find Screwball, beat the hay out of her, and get the Element of Magic. Far ahead, they saw the silhouette of a pony, That must be her, Twilight thought, and she rushed to her.

"Wait, Miss Twilight!" Guardian Sword chased her, but the blizzard got stronger, and some unknown force stopped him from following Twilight.

The unicorn, however, pursued the shadow even through the blizzard, shielding her eyes, her mane waved like dancing at the pace of the strong winds. She got closer and closer to the silhouette until the blizzard stopped, she uncovered her eyes, and found out that the silhouette wasn't the pony she was expecting. It was in fact, a pony that she wasn't sure she wanted to see again. Twilight's eyes widened, her jaw dropped down and her ears perked down, she felt a huge and bulky knot inside her throat, and her knees started to shake like jelly.

"Twilight..." called the orange stallion standing before her, with a blue cobalt mane and sky blue eyes staring directly at hers, "have you forgotten me?"

"No... I'd never... you were everything to me..." Twilight responded with tears streaming from her eyes like two rivers. "it's just that... we belong to diferent worlds now... Flash Sentry..."

"Would you die with me, Twilight? Would you hold my hoof once again so we can share our worlds, and join them" the stallion offered his hoof, "everything will be like before. We'll be together until the end. Follow me, to a new journey, to no destination and without no why."

Twilight slowly walked three steps in the pegasus' direction, but her fourth step didn't touched the snow, Twilight was one step to a deadly precipice, but she stopped.

"I'm sorry... I can't die yet..." Twilight stared down, embarrassed to look directly at his eyes.

"Why do you reject me? Am I not worthy?"

"I'm not rejecting you... it's just that... there is still something left for me in this world... My life is not complete yet..."

"And you think mine was?!" The pegasus' eyes turned red, and the blizzard started blowing again, this time it was black snow, and it blew against Twilight's direction, "I wanted to do so many things! My military career was just progressing! I was a candidate for captain! I wanted to have a family! But I wasn't able to do any of that! And it was all because of YOU!"

"Leave her alone!" Guardian Sword appeared out of nowhere, he was soaring through the blizzard, his left wing was moving again. He stood beside Twilight , who was about to crumble down to tears.

"I never met Flash Sentry", Guardian Sword claimed, "but I've heard the stories of a brave pegasus who protected Princess Twilight with his life. He would never ask such a thing to her, and he would never talk to her like that. You are just an impostor!"

"So this is why you reject me, Twilight", Flash Sentry calmly closed his eyes, "you have another chivalrous knight in your life! How easily you forgot about me! No wonder you can't even look at my face!" he opened his dark red eyes again. Then, next to him, appeared another Flash Sentry, and behind Twilight appeared yet another.

After a few seconds, Twilight and Guardian Sword were surrounded by seven Flash Sentries.

"Ugh... you had to come and ruin all the fun!" Screwball appeared behind the Flash Sentry standing in front of Twilight and Guardian Sword, "oh well, Flash Sentries, just finish the job."

Upon her command, the seven pegasi leaped at Twilight, but Guardian Sword pushed her away, and Twilight fell on her flank as the fake Flash Sentries started beating Guardian Sword down, one of them grabbed him by the tail, and threw him down the abyss just to dive in, following him.

"No! Please, stop it!" Twilight stared down the cliff, watching the pegasi disappear through the abyss, her lips were trembling, she covered her eyes with her hooves as she felt like something inside her chest had shattered, like a crystal ball.

"You know what the worst part of all this is?" the pink filly appeared behind Twilight, wearing the Tiara of Magic, she smiled and whispered to her ear, "it was all... your... fault..."

Screwball stood behind Twilight, who was still weeping, and shortly after, one of the Flash Sentries came back, panting. "Back already? did you take care of that meddlesome pegasus?"

"Of course not!" said the fake Flash Sentry, "I escaped! that pegasus is a monster!", he quickly lifted off leaving the area as fast as he could.

"Hmph, what a coward!" Screwball, fixed her mane, "Anyway, when I'm finished with you, he's next!"

However, Twilight stopped crying, all of a sudden, she stood up once again, and turned around to stare the chaos pony face to face. Screwball stepped back and gulped when she realised Twilight's intentions. Twilight's eyes were glowing, showing no sign of conscience, then, a magic sphere bursted around her, blowing Screwball away. At this moment, the icecream snow of the mountain returned to its normal white color, and the blizzard completely disappeared.

Twilight slowly approached Screwball, who was laying on the snow shaking in terror before the unicorn, she was fearing for her life. Twilight stopped right before her, the sphere around her shrinked and accumulated on her horn, and she slowly aimed it at Screwball. The chaos pony pulled her hooves to cover the her chest and belly, and closed her eyes tightly hoping that it would prevent the pain.

"Stop it, Twilight", an orange pegasus with blue mane appeared on the unicorn's left side.

"Nice try!" Twilight shouted at Screwball,

"He... he... he's not one of mine... I swear!" said Screwball, uncovering her teary eyes.

Twilight realised she wasn't lying, either that, or she was a pretty good actress. Those weren't the eyes of a liar, though. Those were the eyes of a victim, ready to beg for her life. Twilight slowly turned to her left. "Is it really you this time?"

"I bet you've heard this a bunch of times", he smiled at Twilight, "but I guess it will count a lot more if you hear it from my lips. Ahem... I regret nothing, if I had a second chance on that very same instant, I would do the exact same thing, no doubt about it."

"Oh, Flash! I'm so sorry!" Twilight tried to hug the pegasus, but it was like hugging thin air.

"Here, take it" Screwball threw the Tiara of Magic right at Twilight's hooves, she looked embarrassed, "my daddy told me not to mess with you... now I see what he meant. You are the scariest pony I've ever met."

Before Twilight could respond, Screwball faded, Twilight picked up the Tiara and put it over her head and stared at Flash Sentry, "thank you", she said.

"That's the way I remember you, even if you're missing your wings, you will always be my beautiful princess", Flash Sentry bowed to Twilight, "I said I would always protect your heart before protecting mine, but now this role belongs to another pegasus."

Climbing from the abyss, Guardian Sword returned to the top of the mountain, exhausted. He stood there looking at Twilight, and sighed in relief.

"I can rest easy", said Flash Sentry.

"I wish you could return to my side", said Twilight, "when you died... my whole world crumbled, and it took me so long to build it again. And even so, I didn't build it right. I always blamed myself, so I tried to stay the same, even tough the rest of the world was changing, my friends moved on with their lives one by one. My good friends... they tried to comfort me, you know? They tried to convince me that it wasn't my fault, until I believed it myself. But now that I faced the guilt with my two eyes, I finally realised that I was right, and Screwball was right too, it was all my fault."

"At last, you understand", Flash Sentry closed his eyes, "yes it was your fault, but if I have something to say about it... I'm proud that your love whas the sole reason I gave my life for."

"Ok. We have only one thing left to say, then" Flash Sentry bowed to Twilight again, and Twilight also bowed to the pegasus before her, when they raised their faces, they stared at each other's eyes. They both said the same word at the same time.

"Goodbye..."

Flash Sentry turned around and started walking away, he slowly faded in thin air.

"Are you ok, miss Twilight?" Guardian Sword waved his hoof in front of Twilight's face.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you were just standing there, talking alone."

"Don't worry... I'm fine. Finallly I'm perfectly fine."

Author's Note:

I'm quite happy with this chapter. But since I'm the writer here, the opinion that I really want to know it's yours, of course. Let me know what you think in the comments, how do you like the story so far, what would be better, go ahead and tell me how much I suck, that's fine too.

Since this is my first story I'm completely all ears when it comes to advice.

Comments

[nioniosbbbb]

There are some grammar mistakes but that's not the major problem of this story. Neither is this story suffering from "Show don't tell" stuff. The main problem I have is that sometimes it seems you lack... patience. Or maturity? I don't mean that in a mean way but for example when you say Pinkie Pie has "Powers" well that's... not exactly mature. Ability is something you can do... skill is what allows you to use that ability. In any case what would fit more into that would be "Don't underestimate me!" What i advise you past getting an editor is to give things a little bit of more work. Like how Twilight made Screwball cower in fear.

Mainly what this fic needs is more work. Be patient with this. Try reading some more. It helps.