Alluvion

by journcy

VI - Catch; Farewells; Resolve

+ + +

KRACKOOM

+ + +

“Twilight!” Princess Luna shouted, immediately throwing herself into a dive despite the now-freed storm’s best attempts to snap her wings in half. She flew downwards with all the strength she could muster, the wind pushing back against her just as intensely. While the updrafts from the storm were slowing Twilight’s fall ever so slightly, Princess Luna was still rapidly losing her.

Finally catching a break in the wind, she managed to make some headway towards Twilight, coming close enough that she felt comfortable catching her in her magic.

Trappings of blue enveloped Twilight, slowing her fall gently and bringing her to a halt. She hung in the air, wrapped in Princess Luna’s magic, her stillness now in sharp contrast to her untamed surroundings.

Making her way down to Twilight with some difficulty, Princess Luna levitated the unicorn safely onto her back once more.

+ + +

“Twilight, what’s wrong?” Pinkie Pie asked, looking into her friend’s shining eyes.

Twilight merely sputtered and looked away.

Gathered around her in one of the many halls of Canterlot Castle were her closest friends (Spike now included). After Princess Luna had caught Twilight, she had flown right back to the castle. Twilight had sat on the Princess’s back, tears streaming down her face, curled into a ball, unwilling to speak.

She couldn’t. Not with what she had remembered. Not with what she had seen.

“C’mon, sugarcube. Please?” Applejack said from beside her.

“Twilight?” Spike said, tightening the hold he had gotten on her foreleg.

“I… I… No…” she whispered. “I can’t…”

“Can you at least tell us what this is about?” Applejack said. “Because we’re all mighty worried,” she continued, a statement that was backed up by a collective “uh-huh” from the others, and a ripple of nods.

“It was the portal,” Twilight again whispered. “I… I saw…”

“What? What did you see?” Applejack asked, softening her voice.

Twilight looked up into her eyes, and into the eyes of Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, and then down to Spike.

“…Myself,” Twilight finished, even Applejack straining to hear her.

+ + +

“I’m sorry, Twilight. But you know you cannot remain here,” Celestia said, her voice almost, just almost, trembling. Luna stood by her side, stoic.

Twilight sat in front of them, all three in the throne room. Head hung, a muffled “I do know” slipped out.

“W- I… I am so sorry, Twilight,” Luna said.

“It’s not your fault,” Twilight murmured.

+ + +

Bitter tears fell from every eye.

“Just re-remember,” Twilight stammered, “You’ll see me again. So soon. It’ll be okay for you.”

“But we don’t want it to be okay!” Rainbow Dash cried, her face twisted. “It won’t be the same! You have to stay.”

“I’m sorry, girls. And you too, Spike. But I can’t let the portal stay open. I can’t be so selfish.”

“And you’re sure that this’ll close the thing? Because we don’t wanna lose ya’ for no reason, y’hear?” Applejack said, her voice catching on some of the words.

“Yes. It will. I’m sure,” Twilight said, trying to add some firmness to her tone. Failing, mostly.

“Well… Then I see no way we can keep you, darling,” Rarity said, wiping at her eyes.

“G-Goodbye, Twilight,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight turned for the window, but Spike had grabbed onto her leg again.

“Spike…”

“How do we know that we’ll get you back? Are you sure about that? I don’t want to lose you, but I couldn’t lose you completely!” he sniffled.

“Yes,” Twilight croaked. “You’ll get me back. There’s no other way it could work.”

Resting her hoof atop his head, Twilight nuzzled his cheek.

She began walking again, Spike letting go, this time. The Princesses followed, flanking her, as they all traveled towards the balcony.

“Do not try to follow us, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia said, looking back at them. “This storm is not safe, not even for you.” Dash looked away.

Twilight climbed onto Celestia’s back and the two Princesses took off, a blue bubble forming around them and protecting them from the wind and the rain, which were worse than ever before. The door to the balcony slammed shut behind them.

As soon as they were gone, Rainbow was at the door, but to no avail. It was locked, and there was no key.

+ + +

It was funny, Twilight mused, the way this had all started. A trip to find a friend. She had found a lot more than a friend.

They neared the portal. For the first time they saw it clearly in all its mad power, the clouds rushing out of it like water from a broken dam. It was almost strange the storm hadn’t gotten worse faster.

Coming up to the side of the portal, Celestia looked back to Twilight. No words were spoken; all that was said was said with that glance.

It was her teacher’s goodbye.

Looking away, Celestia lit her horn. A golden platform appeared to her side. Twilight clambered off Celestia’s back and onto the magical floor.

The floor began to shift, moving over even closer to the edge of the portal. As she moved, Twilight threw one last look at Luna. Luna returned it, and her goodbye was almost as evident as Celestia’s.

Twilight turned and leapt into the portal.

Everything went white.

+ + +

Twilight fell out of the portal, and a surprised Celestia caught her in magic.

Brought up to rest on Celestia’s back, Twilight gazed with awe at her.

“Princess?” she wondered.

“Twilight?” Celestia came to her senses. “Where are you? Do you know how we got here?”

Whatever reply Twilight would have returned was cut off by a massive wave of force and energy as the portal collapsed.

+ + +

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna flew back to the palace amidst the still-present rainfall and mild gusts of wind. But they could tell that the storm was clearing already. Twilight was once again borne atop Princess Celestia’s back.

Landing back at that same balcony one more time, Princess Celestia lifted the lock on the door and opened it.

“Twilight!” the five ponies (and one dragon) chorused.

+ + +

“So whaddya mean, Discord was back?” Rainbow Dash said, confused.

Six ponies and one dragon sat in one of the many castle suites, a fire roaring before them.

“I’m not sure,” Twilight said. “It’s getting foggier every minute, almost like a dream. I think I woke up, except I was in Canterlot… And yes, Discord was back, and everything was like it was the first time he got free. Except I was alone, and not just because he had tricked us all.” Twilight’s eyes grew large, and maybe a bit afraid. “T-terrible things had happened to you all. Applejack, I think I remember that you were in a coma? And Rainbow… Oh, Rainbow… Pinkie Pie, you left Ponyville completely! And Rarity, you… Well, you… And you too, Fluttershy! Both of you… Left…” Twilight’s eyes had started to water.

Her friends moved to embrace her, all speaking words of reassurance. But they all thought of the things Twilight had told them mere hours before. The stories she had told, not new to some, but familiar now to all.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna looked on from the door. What had previously been only a theory—a likely one, but a theory nonetheless—it was now, for all intents and purposes, the simple fact of the matter.

The pony at the center of the pony pile was Twilight Sparkle.

The pony who had walked into the portal was also Twilight Sparkle.

One belonged; one did not.

Both were returned to where they had come from.

And the Princesses feared for the fate of the Twilight they had sent away.

Comments

[journcy]

*cackles maniacally*

This, my good friends, was the penultimate chapter (edited as always by the ever-handsome Web of Hope (don't judge me I just read Obs's new blog post))! And I hope to bring you the next one within a week's time or so, as my birthday is coming up and I plan to make like a hobbit!
So, tell me, if you would--do you get it yet?

For now,
Journcy Out.

[Web of Hope]

3251378
I get it, and am sad.