Answering the Call

by Sigil Flare

Chapter 5

Twilight opened her eyes to find herself lying on a cold stone floor. She stood up and looked around to see only darkness. She was completely alone. Twilight felt so cold and tired. "Where am I?" asked Twilight to herself "Am I dead?" the last thing she could remember is getting free of those vines and then hitting the ground.

"Twilight Sparkle...." said an echoing voice

"Who's there?" asked Twilight trying to hide the fear in her voice

"The Element of Magic itself...." the voice said with a hearty laugh

"How do you know that?" yelled Twilight in response "Who are you?"

"I am the shadows in the night. I am the darkness that fills your mind. I am the blackness in your heart." replied the voice coming from behind her now "You know who I am and I know who you are"

"Let me see you then. If you know me, then you already know I won't try anything" said Twilight firmly

A dark fog rolled over Twilight's hooves. As it touched her it made her feel despair, as if everything was lost and their would never be hope again. The sensation passed as the fog moved in front of her and began to solidify into a pony-like shape.

"Erebus" mouthed Twilight

"You know my name" said the fog it's mouth moving in a very unnatural way "That is very good"

"Where am I" asked Twilight "Why did you bring me here?"

"I do enjoy a good game Twilight" said Erebus putting a cloudy hoof on Twilight's muzzle The sinking feeling reaching out and grabbing her once more "But I hate to lose."

"I've done you no wrong" replied Twilight taking a step back and glaring at the apparition "Yet"

"More than you know Twilight" replied Erebus shrinking away into a mist "More than you know"

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Twilight opened her eyes slowly light flooding her vision making her squint. She felt like a block of wood, all of her muscles were either stiff or sore, some were even both. She realized she was in the Ponyville hospital. Before she could look around anymore a white coated pony walked in the door.

"Ah Miss Sparkle good to see your finally awake" said Nurse Redheart with a sigh of relief "you had us worried"

"What are you talking about?" said Twilight tapping her forehead with a hoof "Come on brain" she thought to herself "Wake up I need you"

"You were asleep for three whole days Miss Sparkle" replied Nurse Redheart "I haven't seen a pony as beaten up and tired as you were since the last time Miss Dash paid us a visit"

Twilight looked to her right at the chairs along the wall and was surprised to find Rainbow Dash asleep in the one hidden back in the corner. Nurse Redheart noticed the look and smiled.

"Miss Dash was the one who brought you here" said Nurse Redheart softly "It's thanks to her you were able to recover at all. She's been here the last three days and hasn't moved an inch from that chair the entire time. She wouldn't eat or sleep, even if we offered. Must have finally dozed off from sheer boredom the poor thing."

Twilight looked at the cyan pegasus snoozing quietly over in the corner. She always new that Rainbow Dash was the Element of Loyalty but now she realized just how much she meant to the pegasus. Twilight couldn't help but smile at her marefriend, and not just because of how uncharacteristically feminine she looked while sleeping either.

"It's not my place to say" said Nurse Redheart lightly "But In my opinion you couldn't have put yourself into better hooves" with that she ducked out of the room

Twilight continued her examination of her room with little to no results. She was in a hospital bed in a hospital gown a bowl of ice cream next to her on her bedside table. Twilight tried to sit up and howled in pain as she felt her ribs bend. Rainbow Dash's ears twitched and her eyes shot half open.

"Twi are you okay?" asked Rainbow Dash with a tired yawn

"Yes Rainbow" replied Twilight laying back down "I'm fine go back to sleep"

Soon Twilight could see the steady up and down movements of Rainbow Dash's chest. She lifted up her gown to reveal some bandages around her chest and abdomen. She let out a frustrated sigh as her head hit the pillow. "How could Trixie beat me?" said Twilight to herself "What did Erebus mean by more than I know?" Twilight face hoofed herself that her brain still wasn't in overdrive as usual.

"Twilight" called a soft friendly voice from out in the hallway

"I'm in here Fluttershy" replied Twilight Fluttershy walked into the room followed by a bright white unicorn with a very diligently groomed purple mane.

"Twilight my dear" said the unicorn "you look simply dreadful, just look at that mane"

"Good to see you too Rarity" said a now very self-conscious Twilight trying to fix her mane

"Oh stop messing with it Twilight" said Rarity levitating a comb out of her jewel encrusted saddlebag "I'll fix it for you. It's the least I could do for you after saving Applejack like that"

"Oh yeah" said Twilight raising her head off of her pillow and allowing Rarity to get at her mane "How's Applejack?"

"I know she'll be fine. I'm more worried about her home." said Rarity with a sigh "It was destroyed almost completely in that fire. At least the apple trees survived"

"Well maybe Applejack and her family can stay at your house Rarity" suggested Twilight "At least until they're house is rebuilt" Rarity stopped grooming Twilight's mane.

"Now Twilight that is an idea" said Rarity clapping her hooves together excitedly

"See not all bad?" replied Twilight with a knowledgeable smile Applejack had been the only one who had sent letters to Twilight since her departure to Canterlot. She mentioned a crush on her glamorous unicorn friend. I guess this means she feels the same way.

"Twilight that you in there?" asked Spitfire stepping into the room

"Hello Spitfire" said Twilight "How are you doing?"

"I'm good" said Spitfire looking at the sleeping Pegasus in the corner "Can't believe Rainbow Dash pulled on off"

"Pulled what off?" asked Rarity

"A Double Sonic Rainboom" replied Spitfire shaking her head "I didn't think it was even possible to do one, but two?"

"A Double Sonic Rainboom" echoed Fluttershy jaw dropping

"But how?" asked Twilight shocked "She's never been able to do it before, why now?"

"Because of you Twilight" replied Spitfire looking through the window to the cloudy skies beyond as if transfixed "When she saw your explosion of magic she Sonic Rainboomed to your rescue. I only just got there in time to see the second one"

Twilight stared at her marefriend sleeping peacefully in the corner "I know she likes me but I had no idea..."

"It gets better" said Spitfire feeling great pride in her teammate "I talked to Applejack afterwards. She said that Trixie was about to finish you off when Rainbow Dash fell from the sky and punched her right in the face. It had enough power behind it literally sent her catapulting through the Sweet Apple Acres sign and flipping head over hooves a few feet further."

"Is that even possible?" asked Twilight in shock and amazement

"I heard it from the Element of Honesty herself" said Spitfire "I have no doubts it's true"

"Wow" said Fluttershy smiling "She must like you a whole lot huh Twilight?"

"Like?" asked Twilight beaming "She loves me"

"Twilight aren't you forgetting something?" said Spitfire with a chuckle

"Oh yeah sorry" said Twilight scratching her head with a hoof a blush of embarrassment on her face

"Now, Rarity" said Spitfire addressing the unicorn "We came here originally to get the Elements of Harmony back together again. We needed Applejack, but I don't think she's going anywhere soon."

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Rarity "I checked on her yesterday and they said she'd be fine with plenty of rest"

"She's perfectly fine" said Spitfire in explanation "But with most of her close relatives injured there is no way to fix Sweet Apple Acres in time for the harvest season. If we took her now then we would be leaving Ponyville without their main food supply"

"I see" said Rarity clearing her throat "and i suppose you want me to come with you then?"

"Yes I do we need your Element of Generosity now more than ever" said Spitfire "If we are to defeat Erebus and save Princess Luna from the Shadowlands"

"Did you say Erebus?" asked Rarity a look of understanding on her face

"Yes," answered Spitfire "Why?"

"A strange stallion wandered into my shop three days ago" replied Rarity thinking back "He started rambling on about a whole array of things as I was filling his order for him. He mentioned an Erebus and Princess Celestia quite a lot. Though there was a bit of Alcohol on his breath"

"What did this stallion look like?" asked Spitfire "What was his name"

"He was a light brown with black soot coated hair" said Rarity in disgust "It was so revolting a color. He smelled of burned metal and wore bandages around his eyes. I don't quite remember his name, sorry"

"Sounds like quite a character" laughed Twilight looking to Spitfire "Right Spitfire?"

"Where is this pony now?" asked Spitfire very seriously, much to Twilight's surprise

"Last thing he said before he left was that he was going to get a drink" said Rarity in disgust "As if he didn't stink of the stuff already"

"Twilight I'm going for a walk" said Spitfire backing out of the room "You and Applejack's injuries are going to keep us here for awhile anyways"

"Alright?" said Twilight suspiciously "Have fun and be careful" Spitfire nodded acknowledgment and walked out the door her hoofsteps speeding up as she galloped down the hall.

"What was all that about?" asked Rainbow Dash sleep thick on her voice

"Rainbow Dash are you still over there?" asked Rarity addressing the Cyan Pegasus snoozing over in the corner "Have you at least eaten?"

"Maybe" replied Rainbow Dash trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes "Is Twilight okay?"

"I'm fine Rainbow" replied Twilight waving a hoof in greeting "Good to see you awake finally"

"I was only taking a nap geez" replied Rainbow trying not to blush in embarrassment "So how soon you gonna be getting out of here?"

"I don't know" said Twilight looking to Fluttershy "You know?"

"I don't know sorry" replied Fluttershy "but I think I should go and see if Fang needs anything" She bowed her head out of courtesy and excused herself from the room.

"And I need to go and finish up my newest order" said Rarity winking at Twilight "You two have fun now" and Rarity shot Rainbow Dash a fleeting glance "You be gentle got it?" then walked out of the room

Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked at each other and blushed. They still hadn't gotten quite used to ponies knowing how they felt about each other quite yet, so Rarity's comment had struck a very awkward cord.

"Well that was weird" said Rainbow Dash smiling "huh Twi?"

"Rainbow Dash" said Twilight looking at her marefriend a coy smile on her face "I know what you did for me"

"Oh that" said Rainbow Dash a look of embarrassment on her face "I'm the Element of Loyalty. I'm always gonna be there for you Twi"

"No matter what?" asked Twilight gesturing for Rainbow Dash to come closer

"No matter what" replied Rainbow Dash walking to Twilight's side "I'll never let anything happen to you"

"Well it seems the doctor forgot to give me part of my medicine" said Twilight putting a hoof on Rainbow Dash's muzzle

"And what would that be?" asked Rainbow Dash smiling

"I'm afraid I need a Miss Rainbow Dash in my bed stat" said Twilight scooting over to open room for her marefriend

"Well who am I to argue" answered Rainbow Dash sliding under the covers wrapping her hooves around Twilight pulling her close

"Ouch" said Twilight cringing in pain from her injury

"Sorry" said Rainbow Dash laughing "Now I know what Rarity ment when she told me to be gentle"

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Spitfire walked out of the hospital her mind feeling weighed down. "That Stallion Rarity described" said Spitfire to herself walking down the street "Could it be him?" She looked to a bar on her left and found a bar named Berry's Punch. It wasn't all that big but there was a loud commotion on the inside.

Spitfire heard somepony yell "and stay out" as a light brown stallion was thrown out of the bar. He was wearing a trenchcoat. A hat flew out the door after him. It was an old top hat with a small gear on the left side of it. Spitfire looked at the stallion and smiled.

"Well if it isn't Rusty" mocked Spitfire smiling"Still getting thrown out of places I see"

"Spitfire?" said the stallion standing up "What the heck are you doing here anyways?"

"I could ask you the same question?" asked Spitfire curiously

"Erebus has set his sights on this town" answered Rusty "I'm here in case he tries to do something"

"He already did" said Spitfire shaking her head "You missed it"

"No I just saw no reason to interfere yet," replied Rusty putting his hat back on his head "Celestia's student had it covered, her and her friends"

"So that was Erebus who sent Trixie back" said Spitfire nodding

"You mean you didn't know?" asked Rusty surprised

"I do now" smiled Spitfire "The more info I have on him the easier it will be to take him down"

"You always were a mischievous one Spits" laughed Rusty "I haven't laughed in a long time"

"Why'd you let yourself get thrown out this time?" asked Spitfire "I know you have money and you could probably take that entire bar on by yourself"

"Someone has to stop me from drinking till I pass out right?" laughed Rusty a huge smile on his face

"At least you realize you have limits" sighed Spitfire sitting down next to him "I haven't seen you in a long time Rusty"

"It has been awhile hasn't it? 12 years now I think." replied Rusty putting a hoof on Spitfire's shoulder "I'm sorry I never came around more often..."

Spitfire pulled her elbow back and threw it in the general direction of Rusty's muzzle. He could have dodged it easily but took it instead. He remained on his hooves the force of it not near enough to knock him to the ground, but enough to hurt all the same.

"Don't you ever leave again you hear me?!" yelled Spitfire angrily "You are the only one I have left"

"It must have hurt" said Rusty looking at Spitfire with his sightless gaze "Being alone for all that time. I know how that must have felt for you"

"Then why did you leave?" asked Spitfire frustration echoing through her voice

"I'm not sure" replied Rusty looking into the sky letting out a long sigh "But I can't say I'm sorry for leaving. You've turned into a great mare Spitfire. You have a great life and wonderful friends. You hardly remind me of that little filly I used to know so many years back"

"You really live life without regrets huh?" said Spitfire her anger fading

"I live my life to have no regrets it's true" answered Rusty with a smile "Which is why now that I'm back, I don't plan on leaving again. If your going after Erebus, I'm not going to sit idly by. I'm coming with you"

Comments

[Sigil Flare]

Alright that was my bad on reposting the chapter. That'll teach me to try posting stuff running on no sleep for 48 hours. sorry for the false excitement