The First Twilight

by darkforce95

9 - The Separation and The Reunion

"How could there be two of them?" asked Luna.

"A Changeling. It has to be." said Cadence.

"That's it!" both Star Dusks exclaimed. "Stop confusing them. You're the changeling! No you are!"

Twilight smirked, "You may look like him, but you don't have his memories! What was your job before coming to Ponyville?"

"Princess Luna's personal guard." They both answered.

"Wait... How did he?"

"What was my most favorite of the stories that you told me?" said Luna stepping forward.

A personal question! Good job Princess!

"The one where I solved a puzzle deep in the temple by using all four physical elements on stones in separate corners of the room to release the captured princess." They answered in unison again. Then they turned to each other and began grappling with each other. Luna grit her teeth.

"How could the changeling know something like that?" she asked.

"Maybe," postulated Twilight, "after I was able to see through the fake Cadence, they developed a spell to help them absorb the memories of the person they're copying so as to fool everyone."

"Hey, maybe he can do that. But there's no way they could copy his talent!" suggested Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow, you're a genius!" commented Twilight. The Star Dusks must have heard it as well because they both began throwing lifted pieces of earth, cutting winds, and fire lifted from the torches in the area.

"Argh, this is startin' to tick me off!! How the heck are we gonna figure out which one's the real one?" groaned Applejack.

Twilight noticed that Princess Celestia was conflicted in thought as the Star Dusks once again grappled with each other. The struggle ended up with one of them mounting the other and raining blows.

"I guess.... it's the only way to tell.... Forgive me, Star Dusk..." Celestia said to herself as she took a couple of steps forward.

"Sister, what are you-"

"Solaris, you may awaken!!" she called out to the pair of warriors. The top one looked at her in confusion.

"Your highness, I don't understand. Why would you call me to awaken? I'm right here."

"You wouldn't understand, since you didn't have a memory blocking spell cast on you." she replied. The one being beaten pushed up the earth behind him with no warning, launching them both in the air. They both landed on their feet, now with clearly marked differences in look thanks to the ground beating.

"Princess what just happened?" asked Twilight.

"I temporarily released the lock on his memory. The fake would have no such lock and would be confused when I called his true name."

"True name?"

"Now you will really see where those legends came from."

The outed changeling remained in his form, picked up a piece of earth and launched it at Star Dusk. Star Dusk put his hand up and as the rock made contact with his hand, it began to melt away and fall down in orange-red clumps that quickly cooled.

The soldier looked down and heaved a giant breath.

Oh no, that's right! He was already low on magic! Remembering how to do more difficult spells won't change that!

The changeling noticed the moment of weakness too. It seemed to know better than to test its luck fighting Star Dusk and ran towards the group of spectators. Shining Armor stepped forward to protect the girls, favoring the Princesses and his wife. But the changeling, using the abilities endowed by Star Dusk, bypassed the soldier and went straight for his sister.

"Twily!"

In a moment, the changeling grabbed her by the throat and took off back towards backstage. They both landed on the floor with a heavy impact. Twilight slowly opened her eyes and looked into her own.

"He'll know, he knows his friends." she spat at the changeling as she backed away both rising at the same time.

Star Dusk burst through the curtains and saw the twin Twilights.

"Star Dusk!" cried the impostor, "He changed into me! Get him!!"

"N-no! She's lying!" Twilight defended. Both of them tried to look into his eyes to plead their case. He came to a decision and began walking over to Twilight. He nearly collapsed, causing both Twilights to gasp, but was able to get his hands on her shoulders for support though they had knocked heads a bit.

"Are you okay?" she asked the soldier as he got his weight back on his feet.

<<Take a deep breath and hold it.>> Came a voice from inside her head. It had sounded like Star Dusk.

"What are you-" before she could finish her statement she reflexively complied as Star Dusk wrapped his hands around her throat and lifted her off the ground.

<<You cut it pretty close.>> Came his voice again, she could see he wasn't speaking.

When he hit my head-

<<I opened up a telepathic link, yes.>>

So you can hear my thoughts?

<<Every one. Now I know you're the real one.>>

How?

<<It's the look in her eye when I started choking you.>>

And if you started choking the fake one?

<<You know, a normal person would ask me to put them down if I knew they are the real one.>>

Please and thank you?

<<In my current state, I won't be able to beat her. I had to make physical contact to open up the link after all.>>

Twilight began to feel her lungs begin to burn in pain, pleading for new air to replace the old one.

And choking me will help?

<<I want to ask permission for something first->>

Yes, Yes!!! Go! Do it! I can't breathe for crying out loud!!

Twilight felt a tingle around her body and the burning sensation went away as Star Dusk dug his fingers in deeper to her throat.

What did you do? I'm still not breathing but-

<<You and I are sharing now. Everything. That's why I wanted your permission, it can get a bit awkward but I guess you're just noticing your lungs are fine.>>

Okay... So what's the plan from here?

<<I'm going to borrow some magic from you. I'm practically fresh out. That way I can stand some chance against this thing.>>

You can do that?

<<And you didn't question the whole breathing through me thing?>>

Well I... you.... shut up... Star Dusk smirked but she could feel that that was supposed to be a smile with laughter.

<<If I'm right you'll feel a warm feeling in your neck, where the contact is made and cold in the limbs.>>

Wait, 'if you're right'? You mean you've never done this before?

<<Not even the true link one but both theories are sound. Besides, the first one worked right?>>

Twilight began failing trying to hit him. WHAT? You mean I could be dead on a hunch!? Twilight could feel a happy feeling coming from the attacker, he was thinking that now the choking looked realistic.

<<Not if you knew the developer of the two spells.>> Another warm feeling, along with a quickly flashing memory of a beautiful woman with golden eyes and hair that started white at the roots and slowly shifted to a light orange and then lighter purple. Then a sharp, powerful pain which was quickly squashed along with the memory. <<I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to feel that. I'll try to have more control.>>

It's fine... Are you okay?

<<Let's take care of one thing at a time shall we?>> He began the spell and just like he warned, her fingers and toes were the first to be hit with the cold while her throat felt comfortably warm. Twilight then focused enough to feel what Star Dusk was feeling. He was warm all over. She tried to see what he was thinking and she felt as her consciousness was being pulled in a different direction. To another memory....

---

"Princess, I beg of thee... Do not ask me such things." said Star Dusk to a younger Princess Celestia.

"Young knight," She began, "We cannot help thee with thy troubles if thou does not assist us in finding the memory in question."

This must be from the time when everybody talked like this. Although the Princess isn't using the Royal Canterlot voice, only the royal 'we'. Twilight thought as she saw the scene unfold.

"Thou wouldst have a different opinion of me if thou knew what it was..."

Wait, is this....

"We cannot help you if we don't know what needs to be blocked. Or how much."

It is!! I'll finally get to see what the heck was hurting him so bad!!

"Very well..." The young knight relented. Celestia smiled then spread her ethereal wings and placed her hand on his forehead.... and nothing happened. They just stood there, the princess's eyes darting around behind her eyelids while the knight kept still.

Wait.... Oh shoot! I'm in Star Dusk's memory not Princess Celestia's! He's not actively thinking about the memory, she's sifting through them to find the right one! I won't be able to see anything.... pouted the magi. She sat down on the railing nearby waiting for them to finish. What seemed to be nearly an hour later, Celestia opened her eyes.

"So... it was thou who was the cause of the King and Queen's death..." she said quietly. Twilight blinked disbelievingly.

"T'was I who was responsible... yes. No amount of punishment can be adequate for my crime."

"What? No, that can't be." said Twilight to the knight. "You were a hero! The Princesses both cared for you like family. Why would they do that if you killed their parents?" They did not react to her words. Right, it's a memory. It already happened.

"I see.." she began, faltering her royal voice, "Then I assume thou are also at fault for Sparkling Gauntlet not returning as well?"

"I... I suppose so...." he answered dejectedly.

"Then if I block this memory, it will be as it never happened. Thus thou would escape any need for punishment."

"T-That was not my intention! I just-"

"Thy thoughts were purely on our sister." she interrupted, returning to her royal speech. "As they should be." Celestia closed her eyes in thought. "Their deaths are not due to any folly of yours. Thou hadst specific instructions per the king. You followed them to completion."

"You are much too kind Princess..." he began, looking away from her. "Had I not put them in danger in the first place, I would not have to follow such instructions. Thus-"

"Thus they would still be here?" Celestia finished incredulously. "Star Dusk, allow us to repeat, thou are not at fault for what happened. Thou could not have had the foresight to predict what would happen from that point. There is no reason to blame thyself for what happened. I certainly do not and I am sure Luna would not harbor any grudge against you as well."

Star Dusk still looked away. "I still feel just as guilty as if I had placed the blade myself..."

Celestia sighed deeply, "If I did this could you be able to love my sister as she desires?"

The knight flinched at the question before answering. "If the memory is blocked, then possibly. However-"

"It would be a lie. And if thy memory should return..."

"She would be hurt worse than now." finished Star Dusk as silence pervaded the air.

"Very well, we shall grant thy request. We will have to block the entire memory as even a fraction of the mission may remind you."

"However it must be..."

Twilight suddenly felt a tug and was pulled away from the scene.

---

"Twily? Twily!" called her brother hovering over her.

"She should be back now." said Star Dusk's voice from the side.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and saw her friends and family around her with the Sisters hovering over Star Dusk who seemed to have a headache.

She slowly rose up and saw herself, caged in an earth jail cell.

"Why does she still-"

"Bound that way." Cadence interrupted pointing out the ethereal binds on her hands and feet.

Star Dusk fell to his knees holding his head.

"The lock on his memory must be closing..." deduced Celestia as Luna looked to her for an explanation.

"This hurts... a little... more than last... time" Star Dusk said through winces in pain.

"Blocking out memories... What a kind and compassionate ruler you are." the encaged changeling said sarcastically.

"HEY! You take that back!" Yelled Rainbow.

'That' Twilight smirked saying, "I would, if she didn't condemn him to death by doing that."

Suddenly, Star Dusk fell to the floor convulsing violently and every one save for Rainbow, Shining Armor, and Twilight ran to his side to hold him down.

"You can't just relock a memory all willy nilly like that, oh no.... That would make it far to easy to lock up someone's memory. That kind of spell was ment for deep cover agents of the kingdom so they would forget their previous life until the time came."

The smirk broadened to a grin, "It was never meant to be a permanent solution. Only memory erasure could do that, but I'm sure your 'dear' Princess knew of the terrible side effects related to that spell."

"I will take him to Canterlot hospital!" said Luna, clutching his larger frame to her, opening her wings and quickly taking flight.

Celestia and the others went to face the impostor.

"Princess, what is she saying?" asked Twilight worriedly.

"I didn't think I would ever need to unlock the memory, now who's fault do you think that is?"

"Your idle threats don't work on me Princess." she spat, making Celestia imperceptibly twitch since it seemed like her student was talking back at her. "You had to have known that one day or another you would have to release the lock."

"Yes, but I did not intend to have to reinstate it."

"Excuses, Excuses... So, when are we gonna get to the meat and potatoes of the matter huh? Why was it in the first place you had to lock out a specific memory?"

"That doesn't matter!" cut in the real Twilight, "He wasn't even the one at fault anyway." Everyone turned to her in surprise.

"What would you know? You weren't even there." she spat back, "And there are no books on the subject miss bookworm."

"It's not important right now. I know him well enough to know he wouldn't do anything without cause to do so."

"He wanted to forget to change himself. He was a much different man before you even met him." the fake countered.

Twilight grit her teeth, hatred seething from her heart. Her eyes went black, "He was a kind and gentle soul before he had to deal with whatever was in the badlands protecting Equestria. I don't want to hear you dirtying his reputation with filth and lies."

"Twilight, stop!" said Celestia reaching for her student.

"Ooh, what are you gonna do to shut me up then, princess?" goaded the doppelgänger.

Twilight grabbed her using her magic and forcefully pulled her from her cage and physically held her by the collar.

"I have half a mind to kill you!" she threatened looking herself square in the eye.

"ENOUGH!" Celestia cried out, magically separating the two of them and looking down intensely at her protege

"Uh oh, you went and ticked off your teacher. Not a very smart thing to do." joked 'Twilight'.

"Silence." Celestia spat back in a tone that no one had ever heard her use. "You need to watch your tongue very carefully if you want to keep yourself alive. The only reason I stepped between you two was to keep my student from dirtying her hands and reputation due to your goading. I, on the other hand, would not be above killing you for the protection of my kingdom. You insult either one of my vassals again and I will not hesitate to help you cease breathing."

Everyone froze. No one had ever heard Princess Celestia make such threats. She had never had to kill any threats to her kingdom up until this point. But her eyes showed she was deadly serious to this case. The changeling looked at her with as much shock as everyone else before swallowing her saliva in fear and turning away from the demi-goddess.

Satisfied that she got her point across, Celestia turned to Twilight, helping her student up off the floor.

"I know I was the one who showed you that dark magic Twilight. But please, don't sully yourself with it. It's not necessary for you to use it and you will regret it." she instructed, regaining her usual tone of voice. "Come now, we all have a train to catch."

---

Princess Celestia and Shining Armor took the 'honored guest', as she put it, somewhere in the castle while Twilight and Cadence went to the hospital. The others had stayed behind in order to help clean up the mess left by the fight. The two girls found Princess Luna slumped in a waiting room chair, barely keeping herself awake.

"Princess Luna!" called Twilight, running up to her causing her to startle to a more awake state, "Is Star Dusk alright?"

"He... is. However he is in a comatose state." Luna replied as carefully as possible.

"He's what?!"

"Twilight," chided Cadence, "I'm pretty sure the doctors are working him as we speak so calm down."

"They are trying to find the cause of the coma." added Luna.

Twilight began pacing back and forth in thought, "It would probably have something to do with the memory spell."

"That is what they are looking into. They are not sure how to let his conciousness through the lock."

<<Twilight.>>

"So the lock is not allowing him to regain consiousness? Maybe he's locked inside..." mused Cadence.

<<Twilight.>>

Twilight cleared her ears from the buzzing she heard, "Have they tried using mind reading magic to get in and maybe help him out?"

"The lock seems to be keeping them out. I wish my sister had... YAWN come with you. We could ask her about the details of the spell..."

<<Twilight.>>

"You go rest Luna, Twilight and I will wait for news."

Luna sleepily nodded and walked out. Twilight still had not stopped pacing the entire time, worry shown across her face. Cadence took a seat and took a deep breath, wordlessly encouraging Twilight to relax.

<<TWILIGHT!!!>>

"WHAT!??" she yelled at Cadence. Cadence jumped up in her seat and stared blankly.

"What, what?" she asked in confusion.

"You've been calling my name since before Princess Luna left, what is it?" Twilight replied calming down a bit.

"I haven't been calling you but I will say, since I have your attention, that you need to sit down and calm down. Worrying yourself to death will not help matters any more than waiting it out calmly. Plus, you've always thought better when you've been calm."

Twilight chuckled and sat down across from her, "Leave it to my old babysitter to know me too well."

<<It's also a lot easier to talk to you when you don't have a million other of your own voice inside your head.>> 'said' the young man sitting next to her.

Twilight turned and jumped out of her seat, "Y-You! W-What, H-How-"

"Twilight, relax. If you're starting to see things it's because you're stressed." Cadence said calmly.

<<Or that our telepathic link was still open, like I had hoped.>>

"I... I uh, think I need to wash up... I'm seeing things."

"Go ahead, you'll be fine."

<<Alright I understand that this doesn't- hey, wait TWILIGHT!>>

She quickly arrived at the bathroom and splashed her face with water several times. Once finished, she let the cold water drip down back into the sink as she took a couple deep breaths. She looked up in the mirror and saw herself, face soaked and clearly sleep deprived.

Maybe I need to head to the castle and rest... Cadence should be able to keep track while Princess Luna and I get some sleep. Plus Princess Celestia and Shining Armor should be able to pick up the slack should she get tired.

<<Please don't. I can't go that far from my body.>>

Twilight froze and slowly adjusted her gaze to see a translucent Star Dusk leaning up on a stall behind her.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" she whirled around and pressed herself backward.

<<Are you done being freaked out yet?>>

"B-But you're a ghost!! Are you dead?!?! How are you talking to me??" she countered nearly jumping on the counter top.

<<Twilight Sparkle, are you calling me something that's not scientifically possible?>>

"Because you're right there!!! With no body!"

<<You do realize that your future self was also doing that, with her body of course, yet you claimed her has not scientifically possible.>>

"That was different! That was... Wait... How did you know that? You were still stuck in time limbo when that happened."

Star Dusk took a breath, <<Are you calm now? Can I talk and explain or are you gonna flip out or interrupt with other questions?>>

"Well..."

<<Right, conditional I got it. I'll try to get through it quick. So,>>

"Do you still remember the memory that was locked away?"

Star Dusk crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. Clearly he was on edge.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Continue.."

<<So that memory spell would normally lock me in my own body.>>

"So Cadence was right!" She claimed excitedly.

<<TWILIGHT!!! I've been playing inter-dimensional pinball for at least twenty-four hours! The least you can do is listen without commenting until the end!>>

"Sorry, Sorry...." she sadly. Star Dusk's expression softened at her apology.

<<No, I'm sorry.>> he said rubbing his eyes. <<I didn't mean to snap. I just have been having a hard two days.... I feel like I should be exhausted but obviously I don't have a body to exhaust.>>

Twilight walked over and tried to put a hand on the knight but her hand went right through him. She quickly recovered and decided to use words to relax him.

"Well, you can work your mind to the ground. I guess that would be like exhausting your consciousness?" she suggested. Star Dusk smiled gently in response. Suddenly his form flickered.

"Maybe their waking you up!" she suggested excitedly.

<<No. I know this feeling. You need to take me inside you.>>

"Wait, WHAT?!"

<<NOT LIKE THAT!! I knew you liked me and everything but that was going a bit far don't you think?>>

"Wait, how did you-" he flickered again.

<<No time. I'm gonna have to use your mind like a hard drive to store my consciousness>>

"A what now?"

<<You're gonna have me inside your head. That way I can stay here.>>

"Wait, that means you'll see all my thoughts and memories."

<<We've already connected so we could do that.>> he flickered more harshly. <<Okay we're gonna have to kiss.>>

"WHAT!?"

"Twilight what's the matter? I could hear your yelling from the waiting room." Called Cadence through the door.

"I-I'm fine!" Twilight ran to the door and leaned up against it to bar entry to her sister-in-law, "I just... ummm..."

<<You're getting rid of your frustrations by yelling at the mirror instead of her.>>

"I'm getting rid of my frustrations by yelling at the mirror instead of you. Wait what?"

"O-Okay... If you're sure..." Another flicker.

"Yes I'm fine!!"

<<Okay, are you ready?>>

"I don't know if I'm emotionally ready for this...."

<<By my estimation of your feelings, you're ready. And you know I like you from that song I wrote.>>

"Couldn't you have said something instead of-" He flickered almost to the point of vanishing.

<<We can argue about that later!! Kissing now!>>

He leaned in close to her and their lips found each other. Twilight felt a familiar warmth at her lips that flowed into her mind. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone.

"Star Dusk?"

<<In here.>> his voice echoed in her head.

"Good, you're safe. I wish our first kiss would have been more romantic though.."

<<We can work at it.... Wow, I guess I hadn't seen how..... explicit your dreams can get.>>

Dear Princess Celestia,

Please kill me now.....

Author's Note:

If this chapter seems a bit disjointed... it probably is.

Had a very important event happen and it interrupted my train of writing.

Happy Birthday to my new Jaden Alexander 12/3/12!

Hopefully it's still good regardless. As usual, comment and I'll keep writing!

Comments

[Super_actor]

Oh god, I know I would hate someone having access to all of my personal memories and feelings, and even more so if it's someone I like. That would be just awful. Poor Twilight.

[Blue Streak]

Well this is interesting