> A Second Path
>  by Azure Arc
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Rewrite Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



It was always the same.
The castle was completely deserted, its halls were littered with scattered belongings and broken decor. Some doors were left ajar while others swung openly, each uncharacteristically screeched as if they hadn't been properly maintained in weeks. She would follow the most prominent path of destruction directly to the large and intricately carved wooden doors, portals to the throne room where would usually sit the princess's.
When she entered, a chilly and foreboding draft would kick up.
Both of Equestria's royal sisters sat calmly in the centre of the room, diligently eyeing the door, almost as if they were expecting trouble to come crashing through it at any moment.
But they were still. Unnaturally still.
She wouldn't notice this at first, she was just excited to see that her princess and teacher was still here despite there being absolutely no one else.
She called to them, they wouldn't answer.
When she laid a hoof upon the shoulder of the princess of the sun, she was greeted with the feel of cold, hard stone.
The same was true for the other princess.
The regal sisters, the guardians of Equestria, were little more than stone decorum in the centre of Canterlot castle's throne room.
Celestia's crown slid from her head and landed with a loud chime at Twilight Sparkle's hooves, as the light of the sun so very suddenly blinked out.
For over a week, her dream had been the same.
Always the same.



A Second Path
Act: 1
Chapter 1



Twilight sat upright, her right hoof already raised to clear the dust of sleep from the corner of her eyes. For a bliss-filled few seconds she was ignorant to anything other than the well rested feeling that came with a good night's sleep. And then memories of the day before, and the events of the night's dream flooded forth.
Each morning, after her recurring dream, Twilight would immediately pull her curtain aside to assure herself that the light of the sun still remained. It was always there, exactly where it should be. Not that she truly ever expected any different, it looked to be an average Monday morning. These were only dreams after all... Well, one dream. Over and over, every night for the last nine days. She had written a letter to Celestia two days ago, explaining the dream in detail, and asking if Celestia had any information she could impart upon Twilight. but the only reply Twilight had received was a very short note that told her that while Princess Celestia was currently swamped with royal and personal duties to attend to, a longer reply would be on the way. Twilight was still waiting for that promised lengthened reply.
But what could be taking so long? Does Celestia know something I don't? It certainly wouldn't be the first time Twilight's intuition and above average grasp on magic had combined and manifested itself in such a way as to warn her of an impending disaster. As for Celestia's behaviour... I sometimes wonder whether or not she knows more than she lets on.
There was nothing the purple mare could do about it for now. Not until she received the solar princess's reply.

So Twilight would go about her day. Starting off with breakfast after poking the slumbering form of her draconian assistant, Spike, from beneath his covers. As they ate, tidied up and prepared for a commute into town, Twilight would watch Spike closely, almost on the edge of her hooves every second of the day, ready to jump towards the letter she had expected to arrive at any moment now, for two days.
Hours later, when they had returned home, no such thing had happened. Three days. Twilight thought to herself. Three days without a reply. This is unlike Princess Celestia.
Whenever Twilight ever needed to know something, Celestia would make sure she did so as soon as was at all possible. Yet here she stood, three whole days after mailing an inquiry and not a word of reply came. At this point, Twilight would be happy with another letter that told her that the longer reply was still on the way, as it would ease her worried state.

Another three days passed, with no word of reply. Though the dream had stopped, it had been replaced with another... Or more accurately, two dreams in consecutive order. One after the other. In the first, there were no visual other than the flickering light of a lantern over unidentifiable furnishing. A far different experience from the last. In this dream, the only thing to take note of, was the oddly clear and discernible sound of a colt Twilight did not recognise by voice alone, seemingly speaking aloud to himself.


“When we are first born, we are dependant on our mothers, and fathers, to guide us toward maturity.
We are taught the ways of the world. Right from wrong. 
Safe from hazardous.
Good from bad.
And then, when we become of age, we are so suddenly thrust out into the world, to fend for ourselves. It is often overbearing and seemingly impossible...
At first.
But we quickly grow and adapt to our situations. And as such, we grow stronger for it.
It is this day, that most of us will recall as the most life changing. The day that most will agree upon, was the best thing to happen to us. It helped us find ourselves, and discover each our individualities.
So I put forth a query. Should the metaphorical 'mother's' of the land, the two royal sisters that watch over, guard and protect Equestria from those such as the changeling scourge, the purveyor of chaos, Discord, or the beasts that lie beyond the borders of Tarterous, no longer be there to protect us, would it have the same effect?
Would we at first find ourselves lost, but soon adapt and rise to find we are capable of living this new and frightening lifestyle?
Maybe.
Or perhaps it would show just how unfit for the world we are.
Show that as a species, we require a helping hoof through life, lest it prove to be far to difficult for us to handle.
I for one can not wait for the answer.”


And then, the sound of chipping stone, a magical spell releasing and the movement of many hooves would start abruptly, and then lead into the second dream. This one was even more cryptic, and much shorter.
In this dream, a voice whispered to Twilight, speaking in a different language entirely. But for what it was worth, the words appeared, spelled out in plain English before her very eyes. There were only five.


Venite ad me.
Invenient me.


Unlike the first dream, however. This one contained a more legible piece of visual information. Celestia's throne, shifting aside to reveal a staircase Twilight was sure she had never seen before. Naturally, this mysterious room warranted investigating, and when Twilight stepped forward to do so, she realised then that she was not alone this time. Beside her stood somepony familiar, though very unexpected. Especially considering in this dream world, none other than herself seemed to occupy Canterlot castle at this time.
If Twilight's eyesight were to be under any doubt, everything was confirmed yet again when the other pony opened her mouth to speak, and the recognisably firm and slightly arrogant tone of her voice carried with it these words; “Well? Was the plan to bring me with you so you could show me a hole in the floor, or are we going in?”
True to this mare's character, she did not wait for Twilight to take the lead. Rather, the azure unicorn started down the narrow staircase, her tail flicking side to side with each step, before after descending only a few stairs, turning to Twilight and muttering “Once again, it seems Trixie will have to take the lead. Do try and keep up, Twi.”
The dream slowly faded to black as Twilight placed her hoof upon the first step. Then, she would wake up.
Tuesday morning, Twilight's eyes opened and for a few moments she would just stare at the roof, not moving. While the dreams were still fresh in her mind, she wanted to try and permeate the meanings behind them. Her first dream had lasted quite a while, and of the three, seemed to be the most dire. The next two were less detailed, and at first seemingly unrelated. But Twilight quickly figured out a possible connection. Besides the obvious connection of the first dream and the third dream, where both were set in Canterlot castle while it was uncharacteristically empty, the two princess's weren't in the room at all in the third. In the first they were there, but they were turned to stone. The second dream was nothing but the sound of some colt Twilight had no recollection of, talking about removing the royal sisters from the picture, and observing what would become of Equestria. Whether it would become stronger for it, or perish without their protection.
These dreams are definitely connected. But the order doesn't make sense, and I'm sure there are parts missing.
The events of the third dream would have before the first. And those spoken of in the second dream must obviously have come to pass either before all three, or sometime in between the third and the first. Maybe it has already happened... It would explain why Celestia has taken so long to reply... But then again, Equestria would have known if Celestia and Luna had disappeared by now. Which means what? That perhaps Princess Celestia knows something is coming, and she's busy trying to stop it? That maybe... Maybe she won't be able to stop it. That I'm the only one that can. That's why I'm having these dreams!
Twilight leapt from her bed and bounded over to her saddle bag, but before she so much as opened it, Twilight shook her head. “I don't even know how. All of these dreams, they don't tell me what I'm supposed to do, or where to go, or who is responsible.” she spoke aloud. And there's always the possibility that I'm being paranoid, and these dreams are just that. Dreams... 
Then it clicked. In one of the dreams, there was an indication of what she could, or should do next. The only other pony in any of the dreams that wasn't made of stone, or unrecognisable. “I need to find Trixie!” she shouted. A dull thump and some incoherent, tired mumbling showed her outburst had awoken Twilight's dragon companion.
“Twilight,” Spike groaned “What's with the yelling?”
“Spike, you're awake! Good, I need you to take a letter.” Twilight dug through her cabinet to find the scrolls she had spent one afternoon addressing to her brother, just in case she should ever need to send him an urgent letter as quickly as she could.
Spike, still in a tired daze, scratched as the scale on the back of his head and made a confused noise. “But Twilight, Princess Celestia hasn't even written back yet.”
“This isn't for the princess. I need to send an urgent letter to Shining Armour.” Twilight passed the scroll, ink and quill over to Spike. Being the captain of the royal guard, Twilight's brother would have easy access to the public records. He could find where Trixie was currently living for her. Twilight also had access to pretty much anything there was to access at Canterlot castle as well, being the student of Celestia, but it would be much quicker this way.
In a flash of green fire, the scroll was sent away. It would appear before Shining Armour instantly, but unlike the letters Twilight sent off to the princess, her brother wouldn't be able to send the replies back instantly. Twilight expected a carrier pigeon or the fastest mail-mare or colt at the captain of the royal guard's disposal to deliver the reply by sometime this evening.


* * * * *


Azure lids slid slowly apart, past tired purple irises. Reluctantly, the owner of these eyes slid her still tired form from her velvet sheeted bed. A magical glow began to emanate from her horn and suddenly the same mauve glow encased numerous items within the small wooden home. A brush flew from the top of a dresser and began straitening out the unicorn's bedraggled mane and tail, as the water inside a tea kettle quickly rose to boiling point and poured itself into a small teacup. The door to this small home opened and out stepped the mare, into the early Wednesday morning light, a cup of tea held aloft beside her head, her mane freshly brushed and tidied, and her eyes looking over the small Trottington caravan park. There were few other caravans occupying the other places, making it a relatively quiet place to live. Trixie was not thrilled with her new living conditions, but she did enjoy the privacy and quiet.
Roughly three months had passed since Trixie's... Incident, that involved public humiliation, a beast like no other, and a unicorn named Twilight Sparkle. Trixie was forced to flee Ponyville in disgrace, her home had been destroyed and her reputation, tarnished. It had taken her over a month to regain most of what she had lost. Thankfully she had enough money put away to afford lodging at a cheap but acceptable Trottington motel, where Trixie was eventually able to land a day job as a waitress. During the night, she was allowed to perform her magic show for extra bits. When the first month had come to an end, the money she had earned, along with what she had already saved, allowed her to buy a new caravan, and rent the spot she now lived on.
Trixie's mouth stretched wide in a quiet yawn. Over the last week, she had found that she had not been getting as much sleep. Each night for almost seven days now, she had been having a series of dreams. Dreams Trixie wished would stop, because they only served to remind her of the events that put a stop to her cushy lifestyle. In the latest dream, the unicorn Trixie felt was mostly responsible for her humiliation, arrived on Trixie's doorstep one morning, and though she was unable to hear what Twilight was saying, she would happily let the purple mare in without any hesitation. “Laughable.” Trixie mumbled to herself. “As If I would ever feel anything close to happy if I were to ever come face to face with that pony again. Besides, how would she possibly know where I live.” Trixie finished her tea, and trotted back inside, the door swung closed behind her. I need to get ready for work.
After eating a simple breakfast, Trixie pulled her apron on. As she did so, she heard a light tapping on her door. It couldn't possibly be... No... In my dream I wasn't wearing my work uniform, was I? Trixie considered ignoring the knocking. It couldn't possibly be Twilight. And it wasn't as if there was anypony she even wanted to see. It was probably just a pony looking to sell her something... And then the mare at her door called out her name. That sounded like... There was no doubt about it. Twilight had found her. What does she want? Did she come to gloat, or maybe she means to apologise. I don't want her apology... Maybe it's something else... Ugh, curiosity is killing me. Whatever she wants, I can always slam the door in her face if I'm not interested. 
Trixie moved toward the door, but then paused to look herself over. I can't let her see me in this! As if she doesn't have enough to hold over me, the smug little princess's helper. Trixie struggled out of the apron and tossed it aside before quickly regaining her composure and pulling open the door. Sure enough, standing at the doorstep of 'The Great and Powerful Trixie', was the student of Celestia, Twilight Sparkle. This is the part where I apparently let this... Twilight. Into my home, with a smile on my face. Well, we'll see about that.
“Trixie...” Twilight started, not sure what to say. There was no way Trixie was happy to see her, and Twilight would have to explain how she even knew where to find Trixie. No one was ever pleased to know that their privacy could be easily invaded by the pony that played a part in their downfall.
“Spit it out, Twilight. I have places to be.” Trixie rolled her eyes. This was already proving to be as uninteresting and as time wasting as she expected. The sooner Trixie got rid of this annoyance, the better.
Twilight decided to start by showing a little desperation. “Please, I need your help. I think you might know something that could help save Equestria.”
That did it. Trixie's interest was piqued. My help? Ohoho, now I understand. A chance to flex her ego had been long since last met. “Surely you don't need MY help. Can't you just write a little letter to Celestia, telling her that Twi needs some help?” Trixie was barely holding off a grin. This was too perfect, a chance to play the superior between herself and Twilight. She would milk this for all she could.
“That's the problem... I think Princess Celestia is in trouble, and we're meant to save her. Princess Luna as well.” Twilight shifted her weight about her hooves, unsure of whether or not Trixie was listening, or if she was about to get a door slammed in her face. “Can I come in? I've got a lot to explain, and a lot of questions I need to ask, that I hope you can answer.”
With a smile, Trixie stepped aside and beckoned the purple mare inside. “I suppose I can hear you out... Oh and while you're here, you're supposed to be some kind of smarty pants, right?. Tell me, what the heck does 'Venite ad me' mean?”

–
First and foremost, why am I rewriting A Second Path? Basically, because it's the story I put most of my effort into writing, and I feel the last few chapters of the original have been lacking. The mystery surrounding the books has sort of died off (This was then confirmed to me by a helpful review.). I want the introduction and the establishment of the books to be much heavier, and still retain a decent amount of the mystery surrounding them. Along the way I felt I should fix up some of the holes I left in the story, and change the order around regarding how Twilight and Trixie meet up. I figure it made more sense that Twilight would seek out Trixie, rather than the other way around. And finally, with the introduction of the new characters and antagonists/villains at the end of season 2 I was actually handed a lot of stuff I could work with to make my story better, which I can not help but feel lucky for, because most people who write fanfiction tend to have elements of their stories ruined by the introduction of new canon.

TL;DR. I want to make the story more mysterious and new canon has helped me fix a few broken elements.

Oh, and for those aware of my Gilda centric one shot 'My Rainbow Dash', I'm thinking of extending it. Only one or two more chapters at the most, but I've had a lot of feedback, people wish for a little more, and I want to give them a little more.

I'll be deleting the original chapters shortly.