What Didn't Happen

by Zeg

A Small Hope to Hold Onto

What Didn't Happen

by Zeg

Chapter XIV – A Small Hope to Hold On To

Twilight stumbled, nearly tumbling face first to the ground as she hastily landed on the path that led up to the doorway of Fluttershy’s cottage. Her wings flapped haphazardly at her sides to keep her balanced as she scrambled up the path to the cottage door. “Fluttershy!” her strained voice called out as she reached the door and her magic reached out to grab the handle. When the door didn’t give, she reached her forehoof up to rap against the doorway, urgently calling her friend’s name out once again.

A whoosh reverberated through the air as Spike swooped down to the ground quickly, a single flap from his powerful wings slowing his descent just before he touched down. He hurriedly made his way up the path to catch up to Twilight. Just behind him, Luna’s dark figure swooped in, her form nearly indistinguishable from the shadows surrounding her. She gracefully landed on the ground, her slippered hooves giving off a barely audible click when they touched the pathway. She calmly folded her wings to her sides and walked up the path as well.

Unable to rouse a response from inside the cottage, Twilight quickly took a single step back from the door as she prepped a spell aimed at its handle. However, just as she was about to undo the lock barring her entry, she felt something brush up against her fetlock that caused her to look to the ground. There near her hoof she found Angel pawing at her.

“Wow,” Spike said in a surprised breath as he knelt down, resting one of his forearms on the ground as he took a closer look. “Is that Angel Bunny?” he asked as he pointed one of his clawed fingers to the tiny white rabbit. The finger hovered slightly too close, and Angel took a swat at it, causing Spike to jerk his hand back quickly. “Yep, that’s gotta be him,” he said with a slight grimace, knowing of only one rabbit in all of history that would have the gall to take a swat at a dragon easily a hundred times his own size.

Twilight knelt down so she was nearly eye level with Angel. “Where’s Fluttershy at?” she asked. Angel glanced up into her eyes, his ears laying back against his head for a second before he quickly dashed to a small pet door to the side of the cottage’s main door. The flap squeaked as it rocked back and forth a few times after he passed through it.

Twilight stood at the door, trying to maintain her patience as she waited there for Angel to return, or better yet for her friend to answer. It was technically the middle of the night, and was highly likely that Fluttershy was just sleeping. That was what she wanted to believe, but the magical shockwave she had felt had filled her with a sense of dread that she had been unable to shake.

Discord was free. That was all she knew for certain from the power she had felt. His prison had been shattered, not failed but had been completely shattered by a powerful force. The only possible cause she could think of would be the Elements, which under normal circumstance would require the bearers to bring forth their power. And with Chrysalis having displayed deeper knowledge of the Elements than even herself, it wasn’t too far of a stretch for Twilight to believe that the Changeling Queen had found a method of using them. This led her to a simple conclusion; if her friends weren’t here, then they were in danger. She hoped against hope that she would be wrong just this once and that Fluttershy would tiredly answer the door any second now.

The tiny squeaking sound from the pet door returned, and Twilight glanced down to see Angel struggling against something he was tugging at, his tail and hind legs being the only thing sticking out. She reached out and carefully lifted the flap for him, and he gave one more good tug before tumbling out of the door onto his back with a scroll wrapped in his paws. Twilight quirked an eyebrow when Angel sat up, holding the scroll as high as his tiny arms would allow to offer it to her. She accepted it in her magic carefully, bringing it up to glance at it as she turned it over. The outside of the scroll was stamped with a broken seal of black wax. She uncurled the scroll, her eyes traveling back and forth over the words before she drew in a short gasp. She pressed her eyes closed, gritting her teeth as her head hung a bit lower to the ground.

“May I see that?” Luna asked, causing Twilight to jump slightly. Twilight had left the library in such a rush that she had nearly forgotten about the Moon Princess. She glanced back toward Luna, trying to quell her uneasy expression as she passed the scroll from her own magic to be accepted into Luna’s. Luna inspected the scroll in a similar fashion to what Twilight had, though the sight of the black wax seal bearing a crescent moon brought a frown to her muzzle. She flipped the scroll open, scanning the words contained therein quickly before rolling the scroll closed in her magic. “A summons,” she said simply as she passed the scroll back to Twilight. “It bears my seal, but I did not have this sent.”

“I know,” Twilight said quietly as she accepted the scroll back. She opened the scroll once again, reading it as if hoping that maybe the words would be different this time. ‘Your presence is requested at the Canterlot Palace by her Majesty, the Queen of Equestria,’ was carefully written in perfect calligraphy, along with the day’s date. Twilight remembered part of the plan that Chrysalis had mentioned, that she had intended on taking the form of Nightmare Moon before Twilight had managed to interrupt her. It appeared that part of that plan had also been to draw her friends to Canterlot, likely to make use of the Elements. Twilight shivered at the thought, and didn’t find much comfort in the fact that her own face was being used instead. Infact, that made her feel worse.

“I need a minute,” Twilight said in a quiet mumble as she stepped away from the door. She walked up to the nearby fence, sitting herself there and hooking a single forehoof over it as she held the scroll out before herself with her magic, just staring at it.

She glanced to her side when she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. Spike stood there beside her, offering his silent support. His chest heaved a visible sigh as he looked down to her.

Twilight held his gaze for a quiet moment before she slowly looked back down at the scroll hovering in her magic. “I dragged them into this,” Twilight said, slowly shaking her head as her magic squeezed the scroll, causing the paper to krinkle.

“Twilight—”

“Spike,” Twilight said, quickly interrupting him. “No matter how you try to sugar coat this, I’m the cause. I started all of this.” Twilight magical grip continued to constrict on the scroll until it had been crushed into a tiny wad. She furrowed her brow at it as she mentally squeezed the cursed note, and then let go a tired sigh as she released it to let it fall to the ground. “I might not be able to fix this,” she said quietly. She glanced up to Spike, her face showing pained sadness. “What if it is already too late?”

“That is doubtful,” Luna’s voice said from behind, causing Twilight to glance over her shoulder. “Do not let your emotions think for you. Ask yourself what you know to be true.”

Twilight drew in a long breath, letting it out slowly to calm herself. Starting from the beginning, she stated what she knew had to be truth. “Chrysalis gathered my friends together to make use of the Elements... to release Discord.”

“And?” Luna asked, a single eyebrow quirked.

Twilight knew what Luna was attempting to do. Now wasn’t a time to let emotions run wild. They needed to think rationally about the situation if they were to get it under control. “She had to have a reason to do so. Something that she wanted... something from Discord,” Twilight reasoned.

Luna nodded slowly, and once again asked, “And?”

Twilight spent a short silent moment pondering the simple question. Then a thought finally occurred to her, her eyes brightening a bit. “She would have to control him somehow.”

“Exactly,” Luna said, nodding her head approvingly with a gentle smile.

“My friends are still okay,” Twilight said as she stood to turn herself toward Luna to return the smile.

“For the time being, yes,” Luna said as she cast her glance toward the silhouette of Canterlot Mountain off on the horizon. “She needs the power of the Elements, and obviously she had need of the other bearers to call on that power. Only with that power could she control Discord, though we should not rely on that indefinitely.”

“This shouldn’t have even been possible in the first place,” Twilight said as she scrunched her muzzle. “If the Elements allowed just anypony to use them, there’s no telling what they could end up being used for.” She turned a curious glance upward toward Luna as she asked, “She can’t just use the Element of Magic because she looks like me, can she?”

Luna looked back to Twilight, giving a small shake of her head. “I can promise you, that has nothing to do with her capability to call on the Elements’ power.” She noticed Twilight’s apparent confusion at her statement, and quickly spoke to add, “There is much that needs to be explained, but we should first make our way to Canterlot, posthaste. Every moment we remain here is another wasted that we can not afford.”

“Hey, sorry to butt in on all the princess talk, but aren’t we missing a step?” Spike asked, drawing their attention toward him. “I thought we were just talking about getting Princess Celestia out before we made a mad dash out of the library.”

Twilight turned to look up to him. “Spike, that isn’t as simple as just whipping up some magic power to get it done. Cracking a prison enchantment designed specifically to entrap an alicorn is going to take some very careful planning.”

“Twilight is correct,” Luna said with a nod as she looked to Spike. “We are ill prepared to perform such a ritual, and this is hardly the proper place,” she added as she glanced about her surroundings. Her gaze ended up finding its way back to Twilight. “Returning to Canterlot is our best course of action. However, we need to proceed with caution. I know you are eager to aid your friends, but by your own account, the extent of the changeling infestation was far beyond anything I had even considered, and Discord is now loose.”

Twilight nodded. “Right. The Nightguard probably has their hooves full, but hopefully the spells I taught them will have kept the changelings at bay.”

“I would be more concerned with Discord turning the city into his own personal playground,” Luna said through a sigh as she turned to begin walking down the path away from the cottage. “Let us hope that Chrysalis has enough sense left to not allow such a thing.”

---

It had been over an hour, perhaps two, since Chrysalis had managed to evade capture. Moondancer had spent most of that time fuming and fretting in her office. While she would have prefered to be lifting every last cobblestone in Equestria to find the one that the Changeling Queen had hidden herself under, somepony would have to be responsible for keeping the disappearance of Equestria’s Queen, an enchantress, an extremely dangerous prisoner, and an ancient forgotten evil from causing widespread panic.

Which was to say, Moondancer had to figure out how to cover up the mess.

Her helmet had been placed on an armor stand near the south wall when she had arrived. She had sat at her desk ever since, attempting to place words to paper. Her muzzle had remained etched with a frown, and her magic steadily held a quill to a blank sheet. She absent mindedly pushed her reading glasses back up on her muzzle with her magic every now and then but otherwise remained unmoving. The quill had remained held to the paper so long that a bit sized blotch of ink had soaked the paper underneath the tip. Moondancer stared at the blot, her teeth slowly grinding back and forth. This was probably the tenth or eleventh page to be ruined in such a way; she had lost track. Finally, she sat back with an exasperated sigh as she let the quill fall down to the table.

The Queen’s absence wouldn’t simply go unnoticed. Since the Nightguard were the only ones who really knew what was happening, she would have to make an announcement in the morning hours. What that announcement was going to be was still up for debate in her mind. One side of her thoughts had considered the lies that would be the most believable, but the other had told herself that the truth would find its way out like it always does, and it would be better for it to be told from herself instead of through rumors. It was a choice between which headache she wanted to deal with, and so she remained caught between the two, not wanting to deal with either.

Moondancer allowed herself a few more moments of brooding before she swept aside the ruined sheet of paper in favor for a fresh one. Her magic grasped the quill once again, dipping it into an inkwell, but before she could even draw it fully out she was interrupted by a knock at her door. She gave the door a tense look, her right eyelid giving off a quick twitch. Dropping the quill back into the well, she leaned forward and folded her forelegs on her desk. “Enter,” she said as she maintained her hard look on the doorway.

The door clicked and opened to reveal one of her Nightguard. She recognized this one at first glance, a pegasus stallion that was a specialist in the ranks named Swift Wing. He lived up to his name, earning himself the nickname of Swifty as he had often served as a runner when important information needed to be relayed. Unfortunately, ‘important’ could just as easily mean ‘not good’, and with the way the night’s events had been proceeding the odds were high that he wasn’t there for a friendly chat. “What is it?” she asked, trying hard to resist the urge to let go a heavy sigh.

“Captain, we’ve spotted a dragon near the city.”

Moondancer stared silently at Swift Wing for a long while, her stoic glance eventually causing the stallion to fidget ever so slightly on his hooves. Just when he was about comment further, he found himself interrupted by a loud bout of laughter coming from Moondancer. She nearly doubled over as she let out the loud laugh until her lungs were nearly empty, her head coming close to touching the desk. Drawing in a quick gasp of air, she leaned back against the back of her chair and continued her laugh toward the ceiling as she raised one of her forehooves and slapped it back down on the desktop. Swift seemed unsure how to respond at first, considering that the information hadn’t been meant to be anything humorous. His ears splayed back against his head as he eventually let go a weak chuckle through a forced grin.

Moondancer wiped a tear from her eye as she worked to calm herself, coughing a few times and bringing her laughter down to more of an amused giggle. “Oooh, I’m sorry,” she said as she used her hoof to stifle one last snicker, shaking her head. “With everything else that’s gone horribly wrong today, that just came across as funny for some reason,” she said as she stood from her desk and walked over to her armor stand. Her magic removed her reading glasses and set them aside on a shelf as she grasped the helm off of the stand. She spoke to the helm as if it were staring back at her as she told it, “A dragon... sure, why not! Perfect way to round out the evening,” before giving it a quick half spin and plunking it down over her head. She briskly trotted out of her office door before the armor’s enchantments had even fully finished changing her appearance.

Swift Wind fell in beside his captain as she trotted out of her office, only a half step behind hers. “It’s a small one, ma’am,” he said. “And it hasn’t approached the city any further since we’ve spotted it.”

The two Nightguard continued a short distance down the hall, coming to an open walkway that bridged the gap between the palace hallway and a nearby spire. After crossing the walkway, they made their way up the spiral stairs within the spire at a brisk pace. “Well, we should probably figure out what it wants anyways,” Moondancer said. “Just a small one, you say?”

Swift Wing came to the top of the flight of stairs just behind Moondancer and turned toward an open archway that led to one of many of Canterlot’s observation platforms. “Hard to get a good estimate on its size with only the moonlight, but it appears smaller than most of the trees that it has landed near,” he said.

“But still quite a bit larger than a pony?” Moondancer asked, receiving a nod from Swift Wing in response. That was a small concession that she would gratefully accept. At least Canterlot wasn’t in immediate danger of being turned into rubble by an elder dragon. “Even a dragon that size could start something though. We should keep an eye on it,” she said as they walked up on two other Nightguard. One had been peering through a telescope when they had arrived, but both turned to salute their officer when they heard her voice. “So, where’s this dragon?” Moondancer asked as she looked to the two guards.

The unicorn stallion that had been watching through the telescope motioned a hoof toward it. “We’ve got eyes on it right here, Captain. It’s still quite a ways out.”

Moondancer stepped up to the telescope, resting her right hoof against it to steady it as she peered through it. Her magic lit to adjust the focus slightly, and after a few seconds she could make out movement among the trees off in the distance. With only moonlight available, it was hard to see much in detail, but her eyes did pick up on something else that she hadn’t expected to see. There was more than just a dragon there; she counted two other smaller shadows moving near it. “What are those with it?” Moondancer asked as she glanced back.

“We’re not sure yet,” the guard replied. “There’s definitely something that’s been flying around with it. We first noticed them when we saw some colored lights near the dragon, and then saw that it was actually coming from those other two. Whatever they are, they’re sticking together as a group.”

Moondancer held a thoughtful look for a few seconds before she returned to peering through the telescope. The group of shadows were still on the ground. She waited, quietly watching them as she hoped to catch a hint as to what they were, and then she saw it. There was a glow that appeared as a soft magenta for a quick few seconds. Moondancer’s mind easily recognized what had to be a chromatic aura, the visible light that a unicorn’s magic gives off, but it didn’t make sense. It appeared just as Twilight’s magic aura would, which would be the first bit of good news all night if it really was her, but why would she be outside the city? And why the dragon?

“Wouldn’t be the strangest thing that’s happened tonight,” Moondancer commented mostly to herself as she leaned back from the telescope, pausing in thought for a moment. “Load a green flare,” she commanded just before she leaned back toward the telescope to watch the group of shadows. Her ears swiveled back as she listened to the sounds of one of her guards loading their launcher with a flare canister. Once the sounds ceased, she splayed her ears back against her head as she gave one simple command. “Fire it.”

The flare launched into the sky with a pop, sailing higher as it crackled into the sky until it reached its peak. The flare burst into into a shower of slow burning green sparks, lighting the sky above the observation platform. The green light slowly faded as the flare burned out above. Moondancer kept her gaze on the horizon through it all, watching the group in the distance for some sort of reaction. “Come on, I know you saw that,” she mumbled to herself.

There was movement. The three shadows took to the sky, moving toward the city. The corner of Moondancer’s mouth turned up slightly as she stepped back from the telescope. “We’re about to have visitors,” she said as she turned toward the other guards. “Lets get a welcoming party put together. Specialist Swift, I need you to deliver a quick message.”

---

Spike, Twilight, and Luna had been discussing their strategy for entering Canterlot when they spotted the green signal flare coming from the palace, which was the signal for an ‘all clear’. The signal was a welcome sight, assuming that it were not a trap. If the changelings were attempting some sort of trickery, then they were being foolish, luring two alicorns and a dragon toward them that were much better prepared than they had each been earlier. Still, the trio decided they should be ready for anything as they cautiously approached the city.

When they made their final approach to the spire that the flare had been fired from, they saw a group of Nightguard waiting there for them. Luna descended to the platform first, landing near the center and glancing to her left and right at the Nightguard that lined each side. Twilight touched down to her right and Spike to her left just a step behind her.

The gathered guards didn’t snap to attention the way Luna had expected, and instead kept a tense posture as if they were ready to act if given the command to do so. Only Moondancer made a move as she stepped forward onto the observation platform, making her presence known as she walked out meet the trio of visitors. She stopped just a short distance away, her eyes glancing between the two alicorns and dragon in front of her before finally coming to rest on Luna. She tilted her head just slightly as she asked, “Your Majesty?”

A very slight smile graced Luna’s lips as she spoke. “For a moment, we were afraid our guards may have mistook us for some other alicorn, Captain.”

Moondancer knelt before Luna, casting her eyes to the ground. “Sorry, but you do appear... a little different,” she said as she looked back up. She rose, taking another cautious step closer. “I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to confirm that none of you are changelings.”

Luna nodded knowingly. “After what has transpired this night, we do not blame you. You may, Captain.”

With that approval, Moondancer quickly cast the detection spell, sending a white wave of power that passed harmlessly over Luna, Twilight, and Spike. “Well, you’re not changelings,” she said happily. She stepped back to the side, gesturing toward the archway with a slight bow. “Allow me to officially welcome you home, your Majesty. I’m happy to see that you’re safe, and that Twilight is with you. I assume our dragon guest is a new ally of yours?”

Luna glanced to her right toward Twilight, silently deferring the question to her, who took a step forward to speak. “He is an ally, but he’s my friend. Well, more like family, really,” she said as she smiled up to toward Spike, which he returned.

“Oh,” Moondancer said as she cast a curious glance toward Spike. “Well, I suppose that’s just as good. We can use all the help we can get right now.”

“The name’s Spike. It’s nice to meet you,” Spike said as he took a step forward, kneeling down on one knee as he extended a hand out to the captain.

Moondancer hooked her forehoof in Spike’s hand, giving him a hoof to hand shake along with a nod. “Moondancer, Captain of the Queen’s Nightguard. Thanks for your help.”

“Now that the introduction is out of the way,” Luna said as she began walking toward the archway, “tell us what has transpired here in our absence.”

Moondancer followed alongside Luna as Spike and Twilight followed just behind them. She didn’t respond immediately to the question, her hesitation driven by the fact that she had nothing but bad news to give. Once they passed the archway walking into the spire, she finally broke the uneasy silence as she began to give her report of the night’s events. “Chrysalis managed to escape. We’re fairly certain that she was posing as Twilight.”

“You’re right on that,” Twilight said with a heavy sigh. “She took me by surprise in the throne room. It’s only thanks to Spike that I managed to escape after they dragged me away from the city. Were you able to use the detection spell on her to reveal her?”

As the group began to descend the spiral spire stairs, Moondancer looked back over her shoulder to Twilight. “No, it was just an educated guess. She was acting strange, and by the time I’d figured it out, it was already too late for us to do anything about it. And, she didn’t just escape on her own.”

Luna stepped out onto the bridgeway just ahead of the group. She glanced out over the edge off into the distance as she spoke. “We already know of Discord’s escape, as it was impossible for us to not notice the magic flux when his prison was shattered.” She looked to her side at Moondancer as they passed the doorway into the halls of the main palace. “Would we be correct in assuming that the Elements were involved?”

“Yes, your Majesty, you would be.”

Twilight quickened her steps, trotting up to Moondancer’s other side, eager to ask a question. “Did you see my friends here?”

Moondancer looked to Twilight, her muzzle having a disappointed frown etched upon it. “They were last seen with Chrysalis and Discord right before they all vanished.”

Twilight stopped mid stride, flinching as her ears splayed back. “Vanished...,” she nearly whispered as her gaze dropped toward the floor. The rest of the group stopped there in the hallway with her, turning toward her.

The silence lingered for a short moment before Moondancer took a step toward Twilight, resting a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. We haven’t seen a trace of any of them since. We’re not giving up though. We’ve stayed on high alert since then, but our assumption is that Chrysalis got what she wanted and hoofed it out of here.” Moondancer stepped back a step, looking to Luna as she added, “We’re not sure why she freed Discord or why she would want him, but he seemed willing to leave with her.”

Luna quickly shook her head. “No, we highly doubt it was as willing as it appeared. Discord is not one to lift one single claws willingly for another, and forcing him to do so would take considerable coercion. The Elements have gone missing as well, have they not?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, your Majesty,” Moondancer said as she bowed her head. She grited her teeth together for a second as she let go a shaky sigh, and then snapped herself to full attention before her monarch. “I take full responsibility for this failure. Changelings infiltrated our ranks and caused confusion, and they set up a decoy that led us away from the palace after your disappearance. That was when Chrysalis managed to get the Elements.”

“There’s no reason for that, Moondancer. Please, be at ease,” Luna said as she lightly tapped her captain on the shoulder with one of her slippered hooves, getting Moondancer to relax slightly. “We were all very ill prepared for this enemy, yes, but there is also a very good reason for that,” she said as her eyes darted toward Twilight for a very brief moment. However, before Moondancer could comment further, Luna asked, “How did they breach the vault?”

“It was opened for them. They had Princess Cadenza open it.”

Twilight’s ears perked up at the mention of the other princess’s name. She leaned a half step closer, lifting a forehoof as she gave Moondancer a confused look. “Why would Cadance help them?”

“I’m sure she didn’t realize what she was doing. Gale happened upon her being led through the halls by a couple changelings shifted to look like us, and then they turned on her to keep her from talking. She’s alright,” Moondancer said quickly when she noticed the frightened look that flashed across Twilight’s face. “At least that’s what Doc Heart has told us. She’s suffering from some sort of hallucinations from the bite though, so we haven’t gotten her to respond to anything we’ve asked her. But, we’re still pretty sure that she came in contact with Chrysalis and opened the vault for her.”

“What makes you certain, Captain?” Luna asked.

“Well, the vault was opened properly, and it only responds to an alicorn’s magic. She was the only alicorn here in the palace at the time as far as we know.” Moondancer shifted her eyes to look directly at Twilight. “She’s also mentioned your name, over and over, ever since the attack.”

Luna narrowed her eyes slightly as she pondered over Moondancer’s words, and then said, “We are not sure we understand that connection.”

“Cadance and I have a... history... with each other,” Twilight said, drawing the attention to her. “We were very close. Since Chrysalis looked like me, she probably only had to ask Cadance to help her, and she would have done it.” Twilight quickly shook her head, trying to dispel the images of her face being used to trick one of the closest ponies in her life. “I have to see her,” she said, looking to Moondancer.

“I’ve got no problem with that, as long as the Doc is fine with it. Maybe she’ll respond to you.” Moondancer turned her glance toward Luna, adding, “It’s possible that she’s the only one here that knows what Chrysalis was planning.”

“Finding out for sure should be a priority,” Luna said, her voice taking on an air of authority. “We need to know what the changelings’ next move is to be. Captain, if you would, please escort Twilight and Spike to see Princess Cadenza.”

Moondancer snapped to attention. “Yes, your Majesty.”

Luna nodded to Moondancer and then turned toward Twilight. “In the meantime, I shall begin the preliminary research for the ritual that we are going to need to free my sister. If I do find anything promising, then I will send for you.”

“Thank you, Princess,” Twilight said, bowing her head slightly. Luna smiled and bowed her head slightly in response before she turned to make her way down the halls.

As Luna left the rest of the group to attend to her task, Twilight and Spike looked back when they heard Moondancer make a confused sound. “Uhh,” she drawled out as she watched Luna leaving down the hallway. She finally managed to pull her gaze away and look to Twilight. “I get the feeling I’ve just been left out of something... really important.”

Twilight gave Moondancer a soft smile before she began walking in the direction of the palace infirmary. “I’ll tell you everything I can on the way.”

---

As Twilight, Spike, and Moondancer had traveled to the infirmary, Twilight had done her best to fill in the gaps for Moondancer. Learning that Nightmare Moon’s true name was actually Luna, and that she and Celestia were sisters, came across as shocking to her, as well as learning that Princess Luna had had a change of heart and was now willing to bring her sister back to Equestria. However, that revelation wasn’t near as shocking as when Twilight decided to tell Moondancer more about herself, particularly about where she had come from. “I don’t think I would have ever considered... princess from the future,” Moondancer said, staring blankly at the top of the small, square table just in front of where she was sitting in the infirmary waiting room.

Twilight was sitting at the opposite end of the table, and Spike had chosen to curl up on the floor beside the table between the two. “Sorry I didn’t tell you,” Twilight said with a wan smile. “At the time, I thought telling you everything would have probably made me appear crazy.”

Moondancer snorted a quick laugh. “Oh, you still appeared plenty crazy. Scared me worse than anything ever has.”

Spike smirked when he noticed the uncomfortable scowl on Twilight’s face. “Did she give you the glowy eyes?” Spike asked to Moondancer, motioning toward his own eyes with a single claw in a small, circular motion. His suspicion was confirmed with Moondancer gave him a silent nod, causing him to let go a rumbling chuckle.

“I got a little upset,” Twilight said in a huff, dismissively waving a hoof at her side. “I said I was sorry, didn’t I?” she asked defensively to Moondancer. Moondancer’s only answer was a sideways grin.

The sound of hoofsteps on linoleum drew the group’s attention to the hallway, and there they saw Doctor Heart walking toward them from the hall as he levitated a clipboard in front of his face, flipping through pages as he mumbled quietly to himself. He lowered the clipboard when he fully stepped into the waiting room, and upon noticing Spike he stopped dead silent for a second as he stared. “I thought the receptionist was joking. You really are a dragon,” he said as he eyed Spike up and down.

“Last time I checked,” Spike said casually.

The Doctor blink-blinked at Spike, and then with a quick shake of his head he glanced to Twilight, his brow perking up a bit. “And you’re an alicorn,” he said as he eyed Twilight’s wings, to which Twilight nodded with a sheepish grin. “Well, why not,” Doctor Heart said with a shrug as he stuffed his clipboard in a side pocket on his labcoat.

Twilight stood, taking a few steps around the table to stand before the Doctor. “How is Cadance doing?” she asked quietly.

“Physically, she’s doing just fine. I’ll take you to her room,” Doctor Heart said, taking a couple steps back and motioning for the group to follow him. They silently followed the Doctor as he led them through the halls past many open doorways that each led to the private patient recovery rooms. They came to a room numbered one-zero-nine, and there the Doctor quickly snatched a clipboard from the wall file next to it. He flipped the pages up and scanned them quickly, and then let them fall back down, glancing up to Twilight. “No signs of anything foreign in her blood work other than the toxin, and there’s only the bite mark on her neck, which looked much worse than it actually was, so no serious long term injury.”

“But?” Twilight asked cautiously, splaying her ears back.

Doctor Heart let go a visible sigh as he dropped the clipboard back into the wall file. “It’s been hours and she still hasn’t responded to any stimuli. Sound, touch, even light gets no response. The best way to describe it is... it’s like she simply isn’t there. I’m assuming that being directly injected with the toxin causes a more profound, longer lasting effect, but that is just a guess on my part. I really don’t have any prior experience with changeling bite victims.”

“She’s going to recover soon. The venom will wear off,” Twilight stated. While she knew from her own past experience with changelings, saying as much openly didn’t lessen her worry nearly as much as she had hoped.

“Yes, I’m sure. But, it could take a few days for the toxin to fully work its way out of her system at this rate. Until then, she isn’t likely to be her normal self.” Doctor Heart glanced into the dimly lit patient room shortly before looking back to Twilight. “Just don’t expect much.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Twilight said, receiving a nod from him before he walked off down the hall to tend to his duties elsewhere in the infirmary. Twilight stepped up to the door, peering into the room for a few seconds before she turned back to Spike and Moondancer. “I’d like to go in first, just for a minute, if you guys don’t mind.”

Spike and Moondancer glanced to each other. Moondancer gave a quick, single nod to him, and Spike nodded back, and then looked to Twilight with a reassuring smile. “Go ahead, Twilight. We’ll wait here.”

Twilight gave them a thankful smile before she turned to enter Cadance’s room. The room was only lit by a single wall lamp on the far wall, the rest of the lighting in the room turned out. Twilight’s hooves very quietly clicked on the linoleum floor as she approached the side of the bed. She could see Cadance’s form partially underneath the covers, laying prone on her back.

Twilight stopped at the bedside, resting on her haunches as she stared blankly at the sheet covering Cadance’s body. Her eyes traveled up Cadance’s still form until she could see the white bandages wrapped around Cadance’s neck. Slowly blinking her eyes closed for a moment, she reopened them and leaned in closer to the bed, clasping her forehooves around the lifeless pink hoof that laid at Cadance’s side. “I said I’d help you, didn’t I?” Twilight said as she glanced up to Cadance’s eyes. Cadance didn’t respond to the touch, nor did she stir at Twilight’s voice. She only continued to stare up blankly at the ceiling, the only motion coming from the gentle rise and fall of her chest and the slow blinking of her eyelids. Twilight watched her for some time for any acknowledgement that she had been heard, but didn’t receive one.

“This isn’t what I wanted to happen. Things have gotten so out of control. But now, things are going to start getting better,” Twilight said as she did her best to put forward a smile. “Luna is going to help us. We’re going to bring Celestia back. We’re going to find my friends. And” — Twilight tightened her hooves around Cadance’s — “you’re going to get better.”

“...Twilight.” The quiet whisper caused Twilight’s ears to snap upwards.

“Cadance?” Twilight cautiously asked as she leaned in toward Cadance’s face.

Cadance only blankly stared up at the ceiling in the dim room, her eyes slowly blinking at nothing. A moment of deafening silence filled the room, until the quiet whisper came again. “Twilight... why,” Cadance quietly mumbled. Twilight watched intently for a moment afterwards, but when nothing more came forth she sat back on her haunches. She closed her eyes, furrowing her brow as her imagination did a fair job of presenting her with disturbing images. She grited her teeth at the image in her mind of Chrysalis using her stolen identity to cause Cadance harm.

Twilight flinched against a pressure that she felt on her hooves, her eyes snapping open quickly to see Cadance’s forehoof twitching against hers. She glanced toward the head of the bed, and her eyes went wide when they were met with the other princess’s half lidded eyes staring straight back at her. Twilight felt an unexplainable twinge of fear prick at the back of her neck, causing her hackles to stand up. “...Cadance?” she asked in a quiet breath.

Cadance’s chest rose as she drew in a breath. “You... promised...,” she said. Twilight’s ears splayed back, her mouth opening to try to respond but not finding anything to be said.

“Twilight?” A low voice rumbled from the doorway. Twilight yelped as she scrambled back from the bed, having been taken off guard by the sound. Her wide eyes snapped back to the room’s door, seeing Spike peering in through the door. “Whoa! Sorry. Was just making sure everything was alright,” Spike said from where he was leaning against the doorframe, his free hand waving defensively. Twilight lowered her head, catching her face in her forehooves as she panted from the sudden scare. “Are you alright?” Spike asked as he knelt under the door’s archway to enter the room.

“No,” Twilight moaned into her hooves as she shook her head. “No, Spike, I’m not.”

Spike knelt down next to Twilight, resting one forearm on the floor as he placed the other across her withers. He gave her shoulders a gentle rub as he asked her, “Is there anything I can do? Anything?”

Twilight dropped her forehooves to the floor, looking over to Spike and then reaching toward him to nestle her muzzle into his shoulder. She shook her head, answering with a muffled ‘no’.

Spike furrowed his brow, glancing at Cadance’s still form laying on the bed. “Did something happen?” he asked.

Twilight sniffed once, pulling herself back a bit and rubbing beneath her eyes. “She looked right at me, and then she...,” Twilight went silent when she felt the knot forming in her throat. Spike didn’t pressure her; he simply waited, giving her the time that she needed. Twilight took a shaky breath to try and calm herself. “She knew who I was... knew that I failed her.”

“Hey,” Spike said as he sat up, looking down into Twilight’s eyes and resting both of his large hands gently on her shoulders. “You don’t know that. The Doc said she wouldn’t be herself for a while.”

“What if she thinks it was me,” Twilight said as she cast her glance off to the side.

“Then we’ll just tell her what really happened when she wakes up,” Spike said, his voice raising suddenly. Twilight glanced up to him when she felt his powerful hands gently squeeze her shoulders a bit tighter. “I’m sure everything will be fine,” he said much more quietly, though Twilight could still hear the concern in his voice; his concern for her.

“Yeah. Y-yeah, you’re right,” Twilight said as she glanced back toward the bed. “Just need to give it time.”

Spike let his hands gently slide off of Twilight’s shoulders. Twilight stood to take a few steps, turning and setting herself at Spike’s side as she leaned against his right leg. Spike rested his right hand on her side, holding her close to himself as the two of them quietly watched Cadance for some time afterwards. Eventually, Spike broke the silence that had settled upon the room. “Moondancer said she had things to get back to, so it’s just us now.”

Spike could feel as Twilight drew in an exhausted breath and let it go with a quick huff. “Oh, Spike,” she began as she shifted to glance up toward his face. “I really don’t know what to do next. I feel like all we can do now is just... wait.”

Spike glanced down at her, his jawline scrunching to the side a bit before he looked back toward the bed. “Yeah, it’s kinda rough having to wait on things to happen. But don’t worry, Cadance will get better.” He quickly looked back down to Twilight when a thought occurred to him. “Say, maybe we can go find Princess Luna, help her out with the research—” Spike suddenly stopped and blinked, his eyes darting about quickly. “Shoot! Research!” he said as he drew his right hand up quickly and snapped his fingers. “I completely forgot,” he grumbled, drawing his hand up into a facepalm that he slowly drew down the length of his muzzle as he let out a rumbling groan.

“Forgot what?” Twilight asked. She drew back from his side slightly, watching him with a confused look.

“Hold on a sec,” Spike said as he held up a single finger. He balled up his right fist, thudding it against his chest a few times as he cleared his throat. His brow furrowed slightly as he screwed his eyes tightly shut. A rumbling sound echoed deep in his chest, and then quickly found its way through his throat to exit as a belch of green flame that lit the room in a very brief flash. Spike reached out and snatched a book that materialized from the flame, smiling as he handed the book to Twilight. “Delayed delivery spell. It’s from Celestia.”

Twilight eagerly accepted the book into her magic. The binding of the book creaked as she parted the pages, and the sounds of her magic quickly rifling through the pages filled the room as Twilight scanned a few of them. “Spike! These are my notes!” she said, glancing up to him in shock. Spike gave her a smile and a single nod as he rested his right hand on her side once again, watching as Twilight returned to flipping through the pages of the book. She seemed to intently study the pages for a time, but then her interest began to wane the more she viewed them. Finally, she splayed her ears back as she let her magic close the book with a dull thump. “This book is the cause of all of this,” she said quietly, glancing off at nothing as she drew the book close to herself and hugged it against her chest.

“We found it in Crystal’s—er... her room,” Spike said, drawing Twilight’s attention up to him. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze as he tried to give her a smile. “Celestia thought you might need it.”

“Well,” Twilight began, looking back down as she rested her chin along the top edge of the book, “I did research a lot more than just temporal magic back then. Maybe there’s something in here that could help. Though, honestly, things would have been much better off if this book had just burned,” she said as she clutched the book tightly against her chest.

Despite her misgivings over using the book’s contents, she knew that the spells contained within could give them exactly what they needed. A way to free Celestia, perhaps even a way to find her friends, and, though she hoped it not necessary, she could possibly devise a way to counter the power of the Elements, if need be. It was a small hope that she clung to, the hope that she could finally begin to set things right. Twilight and Spike silently remained in the patient recovery room for a time afterward, and then they eventually left together, making their way to the Canterlot Archives to search for Princess Luna.

Comments

[shyguy7829]

Hmm, the whole promise thing sounds a little deeper than it is, but I'm not too sure. Is it a mystery? Otherwise, there really doesn't seem to be any updates to the mystery list. Unless I missed something. Again.

Mysteries
The Origins of the Changelings : Luna has revealed a startling relevation about Crystal Charm. Do Crystal and Chrysalis share a connection?
Timey Wimey: Even though the past has changed, those who are from the future still exist. How could such a paradox exist?
The Missing Spark: It seems Chrysalis knows what happened to the past Twilight. What did she do to the unicorn?
Chrysalis's Strange Behavior: It turns out that Chrysalis had orchestrated a deal with Celestia to safeguard the Elements in exchange for a place to build a Hive without being ostracized by the public.
Secrets of a Changeling Queen: Discord dropped a few hints of Chrysalis's past. Just who is she?
The Truth about the Elements: Chrysalis managed to use the Elements of Harmony at the cost of draining the other bearers. Is there really more to these artifacts?
The Chessmaster: It would seem that Celestia has been following several prophecies. Is this how she has been preparing for everything that has happened thus far? Where did she get them anyway?
What the Mad God Knows: Discord has proved that he might be aware of Twilight Sparkle from somewhere. Is there anything else that he might shed a light on?

[The Random Lord]

It's Drag not Drug
but other than that it's good and suspenseful

[NebulaNyx]

so glad this updated to day. Im happy now.

[Zeg]

3288594
Shoot, my southern dialect is showing again.

I'll go fix that.

[Zeg]

3288580
When Twilight first found Cadance being held in a cell, she told her that she would help her if she could. The 'promise' refers back to that, but Cadance is quite out of it right now, so who really knows what's going through her mind. No mystery there, really.

Not much changed on the mysteries this time, I suppose. Luna did mentioned something that just confirms that there is some sort of connection going on between Chrissy and the Elements, and it isn't just that she looks like Twilight.

This chapter mostly bridges the gap between the previous arc and the next one. I actually got two possibilities for the next chapter I'm looking at, one in Canterlot and one that follows where Chrysalis went (I'll end up writing both, just don't know which one I should do first). Both of them are likely to resolve some of the mysteries...

or take them deeper...

[Zeg]

3288688

Happy is good. I like happy.

[Servant Phoenix]

After reading the description the first thing that came to my mind is my all time favorite Doctor Who episode:

Turn Left

Definitely gonna read, when it reaches "Complete" status.

[Kitcat36]

3288580
I know I'm reading these much later than you posted them, but I decided to start the story when it was complete.... ANYWAYS, I wanted to say, these are really cool posts and really useful too in keeping track of everything that's going on! So, thank you!

[Servant Phoenix]

3328194
I can't believe that after 3 years when I finally get down to reading this, I find my own comment here.