Prologue: Awakening
In the ruins of a small village far to the north of Canterlot a purple unicorn phased in and out of consciousness. The frigid winter air silently rocked her to sleep. The wind carried with it voices from somewhere far away.
A male voice asked, "is that the one?"
"Yep, that's her alright," came the barely audible reply.
"It won't be easy. Who knows how long she's been in there, she could be long dead." The male scoffed.
"No, knowing her she is definitely still alive. Come on, let's get started," countered the female in a tone of finality.
"If you say so ... we'll have to ... our way past ..." the voices slowly faded away.
Twilight blinked heavy eyelids, the familiar room slowly coming to focus. Obnoxious light shown through the small crease that constituted a window in the tiny room. Twilight let out a tired groan, her foggy mind grudgingly resisting to function. Celestia’s prying green sphere was lazily drifting across the icy stone floor. Finally coming to rest squarely on Twilight's face—painful green orbs of light sprouted to life in her eyes.
"Dammit!" She cried quickly shading her eyes. Stupid sun. Why do you always have be to such a jerk. Blinking away the foul intrusion she rolled over. Twilight froze as she came face to face with her still dozing companion. The stallion's sandy coat glistened in the soft morning light as his brawny chest rhythmically rose and fell. Twilight slowly smiled as she took him all in. Hmm, well played sun. Okay. I'll forgive you, this time.
Unable to help herself Twilight gently nuzzled up against his exposed chest. Feeling his soft coat against her's she breathed deeply. Filling herself with his scent. He smelled faintly of autumn and the sticky-sweet aroma of sweat—memories of the previous night's romp filled her. She ground her hind legs together and, turning a deep crimson, buried her beaming smile in his chest.
Heat always seemed to radiate from the stallion. Not that she would complain. It was pleasant, especially considering his quarters were always on the verge of freezing even though it was midsummer. She put the odd thought from her mind as he stirred.
“Hey there,” droned a warm voice. It sounded almost a purr that resonated from deep within his chest.
“Hi,” came her muffled reply as she snuggled closer, no longer concerned with waking him.
“I’m glad you’re in a fine mood this morning,” remarked he with a smile.
“Well, of course!” Twilight replied finally looking up into his azure gaze. “After last night how could a mare not be.” Last night—why did that feel so long ago. Her mind felt groggy and clouded like peering through a dense mist.
“Hmm,” he trailed off as he reached out to grab her.
She smiled, returning to the present. It was past time the oaf woke up. Wake up, a tiny part of her cried. She pushed it aside, moving up to lay her head on his shoulder.
His hoof softly stroked her mane as her head lay on his shoulder. For a short while at least the world felt right, safe, as it was meant to be, it's a lie. The unexpected thought disturbed her. Where did that come from. What is wrong with me today? Her head was aching again.
“I should bathe and get ready soon. I have the second and third shift today.” He lamented at length.
“Hmm, must you go?” Sighed Twilight not hiding her disappointment.
“You should too. It is your brother’s wedding after all,” he dared.
Her brother's wedding. Her memory was cloudy as she tried to remember what wasn't right about that. She shook the thoughts from her mind. “Please, you know I have no desire to attend. We aren’t nearly as close as we once were.” She argued. That’s the understatement of the year, she grimaced to herself. "Besides my parents wouldn't be pleased if I did. Just another opportunity to embarrass the family after all."
His face grew distant. “Regardless, it’s impolite not to attend,” his voice teemed with sympathy. "You know, things won't get better if you don't make an effort."
Reminded of just how different she and Shining Armor were, Twilight sighed and pushed herself to her hooves. She rocked slightly, her head pounding. Holding a hoof to her head, she sighed. “We are two very different ponies. Shining is the golden colt of the family whereas I am ever the disappointment to the family name.” It would only result in another one of the countless lectures about why can't I be more like my brother. All this family drama was putting her in a foul mood. Twilight stood rubbing her head. And what was up with this migraine?
“It can’t be that bad. I know you. You're amazing! You really should give yourself more credit, Twi.” He said pushing himself up and moving toward the wash pail.
She smiled at that. He really was a nice stallion; far more so than her last special somepony. Who was he again ... it doesn't matter, she decided. Watching him wipe himself down a devious thought occurred to her. Moving stealthily forward Twilight drew upon her latent magic to snatch the sponge from his hooves. So fast was her theft that it took him a few seconds to realize what had happened.
“Hey! Give that back!" He protested after a moment.
A wicked grin crossed her face. "If you want it, come and get it. Oh, mighty Canterlot Guard." She teased waving the sponge tantalizingly before her.
"Oho, tough mare huh. Sounds like somepony needs to be reminded of just how mighty this guard is." He countered. He spun in a blur of motion. His sinuous body coiling for a split second before launching himself at her.
Energy collapsed in around a giggling Twilight only a heart beat before he would have tackled her. Phasing through dimensions to cross distances was supposed to be instantaneous, this was not. Twilight floated, weightless in an endless sea of stars. Brilliant light pink mist thrummed lazily around her, slowly coalescing into a shadowy figure. A single violet eye opened to peered at her warmly. "Return ... you ... don't .... belong ... here ... child ... return..." Breathed a soft melodic voice. The stars fall away as Twilight was pulled back into the small room.
"What was that?!" You vanished. Did you learn a new spell?" He exclaimed excitedly.
Twilight shook her head. Everything was still spinning.
"You really are talented. You should apply to Celestia’s Scho … ol …” His voice trailed off. "Are you alright, Twilight? I ... I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Her skull felt like it was splitting open. “I kn ... know. It's jus … I ... I’m alright.” She managed, shaken. By Celestia, what was that. “Can we not talk about my magic, please?”
“O ... of course. Let’s just forget I said anything, okay?”
“Yeah,… thank you.”
The remainder of their time together passed in a blur as Twilight tried to collect her thoughts. His gilded armor soon snugly framed his slim well muscled body. Twilight frowned when she noticed that his unruly mop of a sapphire mane had been hidden beneath his golden helm. The pegasus could pass as a different pony than the bumbling country pony she knew her lover to be. She preferred the country bumpkin side of him.
Twilight smiled warmly at the stallion, her stallion, as he fumbled with the star-shaped emblem on his armor, no doubt trying to get it prefect. He was a good pony if slightly infuriating sometimes with his eternal optimism, she chuckled to herself. That got his attention.
Looking at her from the reflection in his small cracked mirror he snorted, "what are you giggling about over there by yourself?"
"Oh, nothing. Just a little thought." She noted offhoofedly as she moved to the small worn oak table at one side of his chambers.
He crooked an eyebrow at that. "Uh-huh, you're laughing at me, aren't you?" he said trying hard to feign seriousness. He had a terrible poker face.
Twilight flashed him a stern glare. "Don't ... you ... dare," She warned, as her eyes flicked to the sides seeking an escape.
This time it was his turn to grin mischievously. "Tell me why you were giggling," he pressed as he rounded on her.
"It was nothing, okay," she replied nervously as he stalked toward her, an evil gleam in his eyes. Crap Twilight shifted slightly readying her escape. "I swear by Celestia if yo—eep!" Twilight yelped as he sprung. Scrambling from her chair she bolted left trying to get away from her merciless assailant, to no avail. As quick as lightning a hoof wrapped around her slender waist pulling her close.
"Don't you da ..." she started before breaking off in wild laughter as he began to tickle her ruthlessly, smirking all the while as her lithe form convulsed in his hoofs.
"Tell me what you were giggling at," he whispered in her ear relenting slightly to nibble on her ear.
"O ... okay! Okay, I ... I'll tell you," she wheezed smiling. "Just let me go."
"So you can run away, not likely," he said nuzzling her neck softly.
"Fine. I was thinking how much of a giant oaf you are!" She blurted breaking free.
"Hmph ... as if! You were thinking about what a handsome steed this armor makes me," he teased as he struck an exaggerated pose and winked at her.
"Right, of course I was." Twilight rolled her eyes in false exasperation. "You know you're going to be late if you don,..." Don't go! A small voice pleaded from the back of her mind.
"Dam, I'm already late! I'll see you at the wedding, right?"
Terror filled her as she watched him rush toward the door. "Please don't go," Twilight whispered.
As he opened to door the world exploded in blinding green energy and fell away.
AWAKEN, MY DAUGHTER. Echoed a deep resounding voice in her mind. THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE. It overwhelmed her mind, driving out all other thoughts.
A wet crunch erupted all around her—Twilight's mind spun. She was upside down and falling. Something grabbed at her but its grip didn't last. Splitting agony resonated through her skull as her head collided with the rock hard surface.
"Blast it, I told you to grab her!" Barked an angry female voice.
"I tried! But that stuff is slick and I couldn't keep a hold of her." Insisted the male.
Her head throbbed. She couldn't see and she couldn't, breath. Gagging on a foul viscous substance Twilight coughed violently, desperately trying to breath. Every muscle shivered uncontrollably as the pain only worsened. It was deathly cold and she was covered in sticky wet ectoplasm.
"She is choking!" Cried the male in alarm.
"She'll cough it out." Commented the female unconcerned.
Twilight didn't know who it was but she swore she would kill them both for this.
A dark shadow loomed over her exuding an aura of arrogance and blatant disapproval. Slitted green eyes bore into Twilight. "Look at you, pathetic." Sighed the female. "How is her head."
Twilight didn't think the pain could get any worse. When somepony examined her head, she found out just how wrong she was. Curling into a ball tears filled her eyes. The pain was unbearable. "She'll probably have a headache for days, but I think she'll live." The male remarked.
"I ... I'll ... kill you ..." Twilight whimpered through sobs.
"Haha, that's the spirit. You'll need that if you want to survive." The female laughed. "Let's go, get her up. Quickly!" The female shouted at the male. "More are coming."
"I know. I know." Grumbled the male.
Two powerful hooves heaved Twilight up and onto a broad back. The semi-lucid unicorn drifted in and out of consciousness as they raced along in the biting cold of the Frozen North.
In the darkest reaches of the southern Hayseed Swamps dwelt the Citadel of the Undying Queen, A'ryshzassar. The flora that pervaded the region appeared fleshy—pulsating with a dark purple light tinted with a green glow. Protruding from amongst the monstrous trees were four massive obsidian appendages—all bending inward toward a central point. Dominating the core of the swamp stood a colossal pyramid of pitch-black carapace. Far within the cavernous stronghold Chrysalis laid draped upon her obsidian throne peering idly at the bulbous sacks hanging from the ceiling. A wicked grin spreading acrossed on her face.