Twilights Mane Passion

by Darkonshadows

98

“Nu-uh Radiance, have you used a diagnostics spell on yourself lately?” Tress was not having Twilight traipse around a dark forbidding forest of monsters and magical maladies.

One flare of her horn later, Twilight had scanned herself, Tress and Luna in that specified order.

“I’ve just got some flesh wounds; aside from the concussion I’m perfectly fine. Maybe Fluttershy just went a bit overboard on the bandaging. You on the other hoof have a lot of still healing minor fractures Tress, not only that but Luna’s ribs are broken.” Giving the princess of the night a stern gaze, Twilight watched as Luna’s ears flopped downward followed by a very sheepish looking toothy smile. “Aside from that I can tell Berry really did a number on her as well when she tagged in. How are you even still standing? I know she didn’t hit you in the ribs and in fact seemed to know you were hurt there and was actively avoiding it, but still.”

“We are hurting its true, but thou art tougher than that to let a few broken bones get in the way of aiding yonder lost subjects in the dire forest. Now this Berry you speak of, we wonder why she was so vexing in her movements.” Luna patted her chest with a hoof wincing a bit, her broken bones were sure taking their sweet time and being violently electrocuted didn’t help them at all either. She was too resilient to let a thing like that stop her, even then Tress really could have grievously injured her with the first blow which was something a average pony wouldn’t have stood up to. It took a lot to incapacitate an alicorn without killing them; in turn Luna hadn’t truly tried to kill Tress either. Had they both actually been trying, Ponyville would have been leveled to the ground.

“She was drunk at the time Luna.” Seeing the incomprehension it took Twilight a moment to remember Luna was still a thousand years in the past. “She imbibes a lot of spirits and is just about always tanked.”

“Ah, now a proper understanding of the situation can be had. She is a warrior of the spirits!” There were plenty of warriors a thousand years ago that Luna knew who would drink and perform better than those who became worse after imbibing certain beverages. “We waste our time with senseless prattle. Injured though we may be, we are not infirmed well enough to be a thing of trifle. Now we must be moving if we are to aid thy friends.”

“Well you heard the lady Twilight. We might be a bit messed up, but we’re good to go! Coming along Fluttershy or will you let three injured mares walk into the Ever Free Forest alone?” Like Tress really had to ask that. All three of them turned to the shy mare poking her head out from behind a large stump with Pal curiously meowing at her hooves.

Sighing Fluttershy fluttered out from behind the stump carrying a novelty super sized medical kit, today was going so well considering that not many ponies other than her close friends and a princess had been injured by today’s events. Only problem is they kept making things worse by actively wanting to run head long into danger. They weren’t invincible and Fluttershy wished they could acknowledge their injuries for once, going on like this wasn’t very smart or wise. Fluttershy doubted their friends were in mortal peril as they were ponies that could handle themselves.

“Let me see to Luna’s ribs first, I just hope you all know that I don’t like that you’re always getting hurt so often.” The tone Fluttershy spoke in was slightly angry sounding, even if it did make her sound more adorable, as she fluttered over to the princess. The reason for the maid outfit for all the embarrassment and bad memories that wearing it brought the shy mare, it made it all the easier for her speak out loud and was quite comfortable. “I’m still wondering what happened to Celestia’s guards, they weren’t around anymore when Tress created that hole in the town hall.”

“Knowing our sister’s solar guard, if only minor things have changed in my absence, they probably took off for reinforcements or to find orders from a higher ranking official since Celestia went into hiding upon my arrival.” Luna rolled her eyes, she kind of saw a problem with guards that weren’t semi autonomous and this would be one of them. Without a princess to tell them what to do they were seemingly inept. She grunted slightly when Fluttershy tightened some bandages around her withers and chest. “If our sister did not have a backup plan for our return, then she has truly become silly.”

“There you go, feeling better Luna?” Fluttershy smiled up at Luna who wrapped a comfortable wing around her.

“We thank you kind maiden Fluttershy. Let us move, so we can find thy friends and return to the merriment that is fun renewed with vigor!” Luna pronounced excitedly as she motioned for Twilight to lead the way, she had more knowledge of the forest then Tress or Fluttershy at this time.

Twilight rolled her eyes and simple set an easy going pace. She knew a quicker route to the castle, but her friends were following Sunset so she had to assume that they were on path that the map from the library showed, one that was created by Celestia a few years ago no less. Twilight didn’t think this was coincidental at all.

It was about twenty minutes in; they had passed a collapsed ledge and helped a manticore remove a few thorns from its butt and paws. It had taken a while, but they had finally found Ditzy Do in a most unusual situation. Luna leapt in to protect one of her subjects from the two evil looking wooden wolves that looked vicious and dangerous.

“Do not worry subject, we will protect you from these…” Luna started jumping in front of Ditsy with her horn lit, only for the mare to jump in front of her with an angry look in her crossed eyes while holding her hooves out.

“Pineapples never hurt kiwi! No tomatoes need throwing!” Ditzy screamed angrily at the princess causing her to back down looking confused. Just about any pony would have had that reaction.

“What?” Luna asked patiently noting that the large timber wolves were standing protectively at the mares side, the situation was baffling.

“I think she means to say her parents would never hurt her and that bloodshed doesn’t need to happen.” Twilight was suddenly hugged, just when she felt like she would pass out she was let go.

“The felling of a tree and the glow to the gold pot visually prowling wet noodles lair!” Ditsy smiled at them before tilting her head questioningly and looked back at her parents. “I continue to molasses, pineapples need unabridged existence! No tomatoes to worry about, tell alpha that flank is three cycles for heaviness. Wing pup provided butterfly?”

“Um, I think I understand. She said Applejack and Rainbow were last seen heading towards where a river serpent lives and that she’s staying behind to catch up with her parents. She’ll be fine and will be back in three days to continue work and wants us to inform her boss about it.” Fluttershy smiled when Ditzy started clapping her hooves, only for the mare to give her an intriguing look. “And um… yes I’ll look after Scootaloo Ditsy.”

Ditzy smiled and motioned for them to run along before nuzzling into the more feminine looking timber wolf while making a cute whining noise that got her licked several times.

“Thy subjects are more puzzling then they ever were in the past. Where is this river, is the serpent there of danger to your friends?” Luna only got a small smile from Twilight as she led the way to towards the river. The silence told Luna that this was going to be a bit disappointing; she was pleasantly surprised to be wrong.

“So then he says, apples, how do you like them? You can bet things got silly after that.” Applejack snorted as she lifted a teacup up to her lips and took a sip, both Steven the river serpent and Rainbow were laughing up a storm. The river serpent was clawing out some crumpets to the two ponies.

“Aw yeah, this is going to be so awesome.” As long as Rainbow Dash was saying how awesome things were, then all was right with the world.

“Oh my, this is a simply smashing story and well if it isn’t an old friend. Twilight, it’s not often I get so many visitors at once and you are certainly making my day!” It was nice to see old friends again within the same lifetime, getting visitors always made Steven happy.

“Have you more tea to share mister…?” Luna inquired, the safety of all her subjects was almost assured; the only one missing now was the pony these two were supposed to be following and the river serpent didn’t look evil in the slightest.

“My name is Steven nice to meet you miss… I know you! You’re that mare that’s always on the moon, so nice to make your acquaintance in person or would it be pony? Oh where are my manners, let me get some tea for you.” Steven had a teapot held in his tail and dunked the front half of his body in the river and came up with an empty teacup a second later. “When you next see Zecora, can you please give her my thanks for this tea set she got me Twilight? Oh my who is that mare back there, she’s rather adorable and it certainly is good to see your best friend made a full recovery. She didn’t look so good the last time I saw her.”

“Of course I will Steven. We got some time to talk, but we can’t stay long.” It made Twilight kind of sad that she kept forgetting to visit Steven and he had been so friendly to her previously. “We have a unicorn to find and make sure she’s alright.”

“You mean that really angry unicorn that came by here? She seemed rather brutish and is really riling up all the animals in the forest; she’s not a good conversationalist either.” Steven couldn’t keep the contempt out of his voice; he was another in a long line of beings that were not fans of Sunset Shimmer.

Fluttershy and Luna were properly introduced to Steven and it was quite a nice little diversion, they stayed for thirty minutes to rest. Once they were ready to move on they all waved goodbye to Steven. The five mares and trailing cat came upon the bridge as Twilight explained that Ditsy was going to be spending quality time with her parents for the next three days.

“I still think it’s kind of weird our language is her third and I didn’t even know diamond dogs have schools.” Applejack muttered to herself as she crossed the bridge, the legend that was Ditzy would continue on.

“We say thee halt! Something is not right with the castle.” Well Luna hadn’t known that the castle would look as dilapidated as it did after a thousand years.

“Looks perfectly fine to me, give or take a thousand years.” Her comment causing the princess to blush, Twilight continued walking forward with Tress shaking her head as she followed. “Besides Celestia has a new castle up in Canterlot, you know the place where unicorns moved to in the hearths warming tale? You have to at least know that one.”

“I really don’t like the memories of being stuck to the ceiling this is bringing me back to.” It was one thing to have being stuck to the ceiling as one of your worst fears, but Tress had an actual reason for her fears as it has happened three times already.

“What are the chances of that happening a fourth time?” After a moment Twilight stopped, realized what she just said and face hoofed. “Sorry Tress, I know with us it’s an unavoidable certainty. Oh and before we go into the castle you might want to get the moon back in motion Luna.”

“You are right, thy night is nearly over and our sister’s dawn comes this way!” Luna started the moon back on its merry path across the sky a bit quicker than it was before, since it had to catch up with the correct time given that she hadn’t moved it since her release. “Now where can this Sunset Shimmer be and why is she here?”

“She’s looking for the Elements of Harmony, unfortunately for her she’s not going to find them here. I put the five elements of harmony back with the tree of harmony and then the element of magic appeared there, nothing much else happened aside from a flower with a box popping up and the tree taking the elements back into it.” Thinking on it Twilight mused over the tree a bit. “Though it is kind of odd that the tree is shaped like my cutie mark, with how my life is I don’t really do coincidences anymore. The tree appears to be related to the lost empire of crystals, an empire which disappeared a thousand years ago because of an evil tyrant unicorn.”

“Sombra was a horrid pony, the curse he dealt the empire is one of our bigger follies. Well at least the elements are safe from being misused by the wrong hooves. We told Celestia that we should have put them back immediately after Discord was dealt with. Neigh, she just had to study them and given the few months we had them nothing new ever came of it!” It was clear Luna was still frustrated with Celestia, she stomped the floor leaving imprints in the shape of her shoes in the castles main entrance. “Our voice fell upon deaf ears and is probably what eventually started our great schism. Thy sister also did not aid us with our nightmares saying they were nothing to worry about; well we hope she has learned much from ignoring signs of dissonance and what became of it.”

“Where are they, they have to be here somewhere!” It wasn’t hard to know Sunset Shimmer was in the castle with her voice bouncing off the wall. This was followed by an obscenely loud roar and Sunset's blood curdling scream.

Rainbow, Twilight and Tress looked back at Pal playfully following a butterfly before looking to each other and frowning.

Author's Note:

There are about three chapters left in this story, the next one starts off after what caused that roar having already been dealt with, also heavily traumitized ponies.

I'll just leave it as a noodle incident, one that will have a name to it.

Comments

[FluffyNevyn]

3 chapters left in the story, or in this arc?

Because if there are only 3 chapters left in the story I would have a very sad

[Darkus Relling]

“I really don’t like the memories of being stuck to the ceiling this is bringing me back to.” It was one thing to have being stuck to the ceiling as one of your worst fears, but Tress had an actual reason for her fears as it had happened three times thus far.
“I really don’t like the memories of being stuck to the ceiling this is bringing me back to.” It was one thing to have being stuck to the ceiling as one of your worst fears, but Tress had an actual reason for her fears as it has happened three times already.

...Repeation much?

[Darkonshadows]

4878210

Just one of the many doubling gaffs I get when trying to fix sentences or have two seperate ideas for one sentence.

They weren't exactly the same, one ended in 'already' and teh other ended in 'thus far'. Either way I have fixed a lot of these, thanks for the noting it. I can tell you enjoyed the story somewhat.