When Twilight finds out a dark secret about the Elements of Harmony, she must make a hard desition. But will it cost her? And how much?
Twilight Sparkle finds a dust covered book that holds dark secrets. As the Elements of Harmony weaken, she must deside who is the "right poney". And if she doesn't get it right, it could be the end of the Elements.
Twilight took yet another book from the shelf. It was almost noon, and she had been rearanging books all morning. After Fluttershy had found a book of magical items hidden, Twilight had made the decition to rearange the books and see if there were more. The more books she moved, the more helpless her efforts seemed. Just as she was about to give up, a book fell from behind the book labled 'Elements of Harmony'.
Using her magic to pick up the dusty book, Twilight examened the cover. It was old and black; almost looking like a journal. As she turned and twirled it, she became amused, even with the dust blown off of it, it seemed to have no title. As she started to open it, there was a nock on the library door. Useing her magic to set it down on her desk, she called out "It's open".
The door flew open and Apple Jack trotted inside. " Ah know this is kinda last minute, Twilight. But ah was hoping ya would be able to help me with apple bucking tomarrow." The orange pony looked hopefully at Twilight.
"Of corse I can help, Apple Jack." the purple unicorn smiled.
" Ah really apreciate it, Twilight." Apple Jack gave a small laugh. "So we'll see ya round noon. See ya tomorrow, Twilight." With that taken care of, the earth pony left to go recrute the rest of her friends. It was going to be such a large harvest, she needed all the help she could get.
"Now then." Twilight said as she picked back up the old book. "Time to find out where I'll be putting you, Mr. No Tittle." Twilight opened the book to the first page and began to read, unaware of just what she might find.
Twilight Sparkle flipped through the pages of the book she had found for the fifteenth time, but she knew what was written wouldn't change, no matter how much she hoped it would. She just couldn't believe it! A million thoughts were running throught the unicorn's mind. Why hadn't Princess Celestia said anything about this? Did she even know? Of corse she knew! Who was the "right pony"? Was it made up by some pony? No, it couldn't be. It was too detailed. And how could the Elements of Harmony hold such dark secrets?
Panicked by a loud nock at the door, Twilight threw papers over the book and opened the door with her magic. The door opened to reveal a blond pony with an orange coat, wearing her signature stetson. "Are ya okay?" she asked, walking up to Twilight. "Ah did done tell ya that ah was gonna need your help down at Sweet Apple Achers. When everypony but ya showed up, we all started gettin worried, Twilight. Afterall, your never late."
Twilight looked at her clock; it was 12:30. "Sorry, Apple Jack" she lied. "I just got caught up in my studdies. But I'm done now, so let's go." Twilight smiled to herself when her friend didn't ask questions and walked infront of her. As she left her home, she shut and locked her door. Hoping to leave what she had found behind her, hidden out of view, under a pile of old, unsent letters.
While Big Mac put the last of the freshly bucked apples into the barn, Apple Jack gave each of her friends a small apple pie and a glass of water. "Apple Jack, darling." Rarity praised, "you never do fail to reward us for our labor."
"And our reward always taist soo good!" Pinkie Pie gigled as she ate her pie in one giant bite.
The hard working farm pony blushed at her friends' praise. "Aw shucks, ya'll are too kind."
"If- if you say so. B-but we're just glad to have such a wonderful friend like you, Apple Jack." Fluttershy whispered just loud enough for everypony to hear her.
"Yeah Apple Jack, you're great." Spike smiled.
"Speaking of great. Check out my awesome new trick!" Rainbow Dash said before taking off into the sky. Everypony watched in awe as she made elaberate, precies twists and turns in the sky, leaving a rainbow tailing after her. When she stopped, she huvered mid-air in the middle of a rainbow the shape of a cloud with a lightning bolt shooting out of the bottom. "Pretty cool, huh?" she boasted as she landed, her cutie mark fading in the sky.
"That was absalutaly marvalous!" Rarity squealed. "Imagine all of Canterlot... NO! All of Equestrai witnessing that glorious proformance as you soar high in the sky, looking absolutally glorious in a beautiful dress made by yours truely!" Rarity smiled at the tought of her dress work being desplayed for all of Equestria to see.
"Uhm yeah. You lost me at 'dress'" Rainbow pointed out bluntly, causing the up class mare to frown.
"And just wait till the Wonderbolts see you," Pinkie saide, bouncing circles around the blue pegasus who was finishing her pie. "I bet they'd make you a Wonderbolt in like.." the pink pony paused, then started back up, "yeah. In like ten seconds flat, right!"
"Oh, I'm sorry," Fluttershy said shyly. "but I have to get back to Angle and fluff her tail... if that's okay with you."
"Of corse it is, sugarcube" Apple Jack responded to the timed pegasus. "Anywho. Thank ya'll for coming out and helpin us. We haven't had this big a harvest since ah was just a filly. Ain't that right, Big Mac."
"Eeyup." The red cult responded as he walked up to his sister.
"Of corse, darling. Any time." Rarity sighed. She was just thankful that she could finally go home and take a nice, long bath. Without a second thought, Rarity began to make her way home.
"Yeah, no problem." Rainbow Dash said as she lifted herself into the air and flew off.
Pinkie Pie giggled before she started bounceing away after Fluttershy, Rairity and Rainbow.
"Spike, you go on home. I need to talk to Apple Jack." Twilight dismissed the dragon. Then she turrned to the orange farm pony. "Can we talk in private?" Though Twilight already knew that there was nopony else around.
"What's botherin' ya', sugarcube?" Apple Jack asked. She had noticed that Twilight hadn't said much all day.
"Okay." the purple unicorn took a deep breath before she started speaking. Her words came out rushed, "I was cleaning the library. And there was this book. No title, just a book. And I read it, and it said stuff. And, I just don't know what to do, Apple Jack." Twilight pouted, causeing the earth pony to feel sorry for her.
"Well, ah sure of heck can't help ya if ah don't know nothin bout this mystery book of yours." Apple Jack promped the unicorn to spill the beans.
Twilight Sparkle was quiet for a long time before responding, "It's the Elements of Harmony. They're running out of time. And it's up to the bearers of the Elements to proform a ritual. But the ritual requires a pony sacrifice." She watched as her friend's expression changed several times.
Apple Jack looked at Twilight in bewilderment. She could tell that the unicorn was serious. "Uhm..." Apple Jack tried to think of something to say. "Ah don't know, Twilight." A squeel came from the direction of the Cutie Mark Crusader's club house. "Applebloom!" Seeing her chance to get away from Twilight, Applejack took a step back. "Ah better go see what's goin' on. You know how them Cutie Mark Crusaders can be. Always gettin' in a hay loud of trouble." As the last word came from her mouth, the farm pony turned and bulted towards the club house of the CMC.
Twilight walked through Ponyville, her head hanging in defeat. It seemed pointless. None of her friends had beleived her, not even Spike. Rarity fainted, Fluttershy hid behind her couch, Pinkie Pie had called it an awfle joke, and Rainbow just cracked up before flying away. What would it take to make her friends believe her? If it weren't for the book, Twilight would be able to be just like everypony else, oblivious to the secrets that lie behind closed doors. But books never lied. Did they? "Well, I guess I just have to do this alone!" Twilight practically hollered, causing all the near by ponies to stop what they were doing and look at her. "Sorry."
"I feel sorry for you." Zecora ryhmed as she approched Twilight. "Rituals are better with numbers above two." It uneased Twilight with how Zecora always seemed to know what was on her mind. Zecora couldn't help but notice the confused look on the purple unicorns face. "My brewing pot knows all, from this to the alicorn's fall." The zebra seemed to be sympathetic, but she kept an eye on Twilight. "If the perfect pony is what you seak, then I invite you to take a peak. Diamond Tiara or Cheerilee. One of them, clearly."
"Thank you, Zecora." Twilight sighed. Though her friend from beyond the Everfree had solved one of her problems, she still needed to figure out what to say to the others. Perhaps she could use the Mirror Pool to make copies of them and pass those off as the real thing. That is, until she figured out who she was supposted to use in the ritual to renew the Elements of Harmony's power. The only problem was the resolts of failure; the Elements shattering, or being transfered to some other ponies.
As Twilight continued walking towards her home, the library, a plan came together in her head. "It's simple. I'll tell Cheerilee and Diamond Tiara that I want them to be the first to see my new spell. Then, when they arive at the meeting place, I'll blindfold them. While they're blindfolded, I'll lead them to the Mirror Pool. It'll be easy to move the rock with my magic. Then, I'll trick them into making a clone of themselves. From there, I'll nock out the real Cheerilee and Diamond Tiara, replacing them with the copies. I know the perfect place to hide them until this whole thing's over with. It'll be simple, and nopony will even know that they disappeared!" Twilight smiled at how quickly she had made the perfect plan. "It's foal proof!" ------ ------ ------
As Twilight lay in her bed, she listened to Spike's soft snors. It was going to be hard to keep this from her faithful assistant, but she knew it had to be done. What would her friends say if they found out? Twilight knew they wouldn't, but she couldn't help but ponder the thought as sleep came to claim her. ------ ------ ------
" Spike, I'm going out." Twilight called up the stairs as she heard the baby dragon stur.
"Okay." He mumbled in reply.
As Twilight walked to the door, she grabbed her sattle bag and dropped it onto her back. It sagged from it's heavely loaded, but she needed everything that was in it; apolagie letters for her friends, two blind folds, chains, shackles, an asortment of sharp things, a lange rock, and the old, black leather book. "Yup, foal proof." Twilight smiled to herself as she trotted out the door, ready to begin her plan.
Twilight trotted into a dimmly lit room. She was happy at how her friends had quickly accepted her apolagies and how well her plan had gone the day before. Chained to the wall were two ponies; one was magenta mare with light purple and lavender hair and three flowers decorating her flank, the other was a light pink filly with purple and white hair topped with a tiara, and a tiara on her flank.
"My daddy, Filthy Rich, will get you for this." The filly sneared, sticking her tounge out at Twilight, causing the unicorn's smile to vanish.
"As if." Twilight snorted. "Filthy Rich? Like he could do anything to me. Plus, 'daddy' doesn't even know that you're gone. Nopony does." Twilight couldn't help but laugh. She had expected to be caught half way through the operation, but to her surprise, she hadn't been.
"You won't get away with this, Twilight Sparkle." The kind school teacher said calmly from the other side of the small room. The Element of Magic had made sure not to put the two ponies too close together. She had also succured the chains with magic that would keep the mare and the filly from escaping.
Twilight turned to the calm mare and gave her a wicked grin. She had been waiting for somepony to say that for two days. "Oh Cheerilee. Cheerilee, Cheerilee, Cheerilee." Twilight sighed, the smile plastered to her face. "I thought you were a smart mare. But, turns out you're no smarter than the foals you teach, are you? Only one, I repeat: Only one of you will be going home after all is said and done. Well, maybe one of you. Our lucky pony will be doing something verry important for all of Equestria. And, she'll actually help save everypony." Twilight laughed as a hopeful look crossed Diamond Tiara's face. The silly filly had no idea, did she? Stupid foal. " Our lucky pony will be the pony sacrifice needed to presurve the Elements of Harmony."
"And how will you keep us quiet, huh?" The snot nosed fillie hissed.
"Easy." Twilight responded, using her magic to pin the small pony against the floor. Her magic was quickly replaced by the weight of her hooves against Diamond Tiara's small body. Unsure of what this was leading to, Diamond Tiara began to struggle, whipping her head back and forth. As she struggled, Twilight pushed harder on her leggs. After a few long minutes of battling, the filly's tiara scrapped Twilight's left eye, causing it to bleed. "You foal!" Twilight screatched as she struck Diamond Tiara on the head, nocking her out. The purple unicorn struggled backwards, holding her eye with one hoof.
Quicker than Cheerilee had ever seen the booksmart mare move, Twilight reseaded into the shadows. Cheerilee watched in silence, waiting for the mare to reappere. She heard the clinking and clanking of different items, and the mumbles of Twilight. When the unicorn stepped into the light, she had a bandage on her eye, her caot around it had a reddish tent to it. The mare spoke in a dangerously calm voice, "Thanks to that," she gestured towards Diamond Tiara, "you two don't get any food tonight. See you tomorrow." The smile that crept acrost Twilight's face sent chills down Cheerilee's spine. ------ ------ ------
Spike looked up as the door creaked open. Twilight. She was finally home. But Spike's releif was instantly replaced by worry when he noticed a bandage over her left eye and her hair messed up. "Are you okay?" Spike couldn't help but be consurned for her.
"I'm okay, Spike. Better than ever, actually." She responded, giving him a strange smile. Spike couldn't help but shiver at the intensity of his friend's peircing gaze. But, if Spike had learned anything over the years he had spent with the purple unicorn, it was not to question her; no matter how odd she was acting.
Twilight galluped up to her desk, and knocked off papers with one large swipe of her hoof. The papers scattered to the floor, reveiling the book. As she stared at the book, she called out "Spike, take a not." She took a breath before begining, " Dear Princess Celestia, I've learned that not everything is as it seems. I wanted to inform you that I have stumbled apon some rather interesting information. Do to these findings and sertain," Twilight thought of the correct word to use, "complicatins, I will not be able to send you a report as often, and I appologize. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle." Spike quickly scribbled down the rest of what Twilight had said before he sent the letter to the Princess.
"Oh yeah," Spike recalled, "Rarity came over looking for you. She says that your order is done and that you should pick it up as soon as possible." Twilight smiled at Spike as he relayed the message her friend had left for her.
"Thanks, Spike." Twilight said, heading towards the door. "I'll be back in about five minutes." ------ ------ ------
"Here you are, Twilight." Rarity showed her friend a coal colored hooded cloak with a magenta trim that matched Twilight Sparkle's mane. "Just as you asked: a hooded cloak." Rarity smiled, hoping that her customer liked her desighn as much as she did.
"Wow Rarity, it's perfect." Twilight smiled thinking of Diamond Tiara and Cheerilee. She was still surprised by how much she had actually enjoyed giving the snotty, spoiled filly a beating.
"I don't mean to be rude, but how did that happen to you're eye?" Rarity's question took Twilight by surprise.
"Oh, this. I tripped and hit my eye against a sharp rock." She lied. She wished she could tell Rarity about how a stupid tiara atop the head of a struggling filly had really been the culpret, but she knew that she couldn't. "Fifteen bits, right?" Twilight smiled, trying to change the subject.
"Yes, darling." Rarity smiled, taking the money from her friend. "I still have absalutaly no idea why you would need this." Rarity raised an eyebrow. How exciting it would be if Twilight revealed some kind of secret love affair or some other kind of juicey secret? Rarity squealed at the thought of it.
"Celestia siad I should bring one to Canterlot with me. I leave tomorrow." Twilight explained with a smile.
"Oh, I see." Rarity was disapointed with the answere. "Well then, darling. You should probably get home. You'll need to rest if you're going to see the princess." Rarity quickly ushered her friend out of her beautique.
Twilight retrieved her sattle bag from the corner of the library. As she started to pack things, Spike began to read off of one of Twilight Sparkle's check lists.
"Paper?"
"Check"
"Quill?"
"Check"
"Ink?"
"Check"
"Book?"
"Check"
"Food?"
"Che-"
"Why do you need food?" the purple dragon looked confused.
"Oh! I uhm... you know... I promised Pinkie I would take her some food before I left." Twilight was starting to get sick of lying to her friends. It wasn't fair to them. How could she be snicking around, behind the backs of her closest friends? Even though every part of her screamed to just tell her scaily friend the truth, Twilight forced a smile upon her face and galloped to the door. "Meet you at the train station, Spike."
"Oh, okay." Spike called after Twilight as she trotted away. ------ ------ ------
"Hello, my little fillies." Twilight smiled, trotting into the room that held Cheerilee and Diamond Tiara, both of which looked up in surprise at the note of kindness in the purple unicorn's voice. "I'm affraid that I have biusiness to attend to in Canterlot, thus I won't be here for a few days. Now I di-"
" What about us!" Diamond Tiara interupted Twilight, causeing a strange, side-ways glance from the unicorn. "Are you just going to leave us here!" Venum was thick in the filly's voice, almost making Twilight flintch.
"As I was saying." Twilight turned to address the pink mare. " I have brought you all enough food and water." Twilight smiled kindly. "I've been thinking alot of this situation, and have decided to treat both of you with the respect you treat me. Thus, Cheerilee," A magenta glow injulfed the chains around the pink earth pony. "You will be unbound while I am away." She glanced at the small filly, who stuck her toung out at Twilight. The purple mare let out a sigh before continueing. " As for the filly, she'll stay where she is."
"What!!" Diamond Tiara's high pitched squeal caused her a deadly look from her capter.
" Thank you." Cheerilee did not look at the younger mare, but simply sat down and starred at the ground untill she heard the door click shut and lock.
----- ----- -----
"About time you got here, Twilight." Spike piped up as he saw the purple mare trotting towards him with a smile on her face. "The train will be here any minute."
Twilight looked at the purple dragon blankly for a moment before realizing that she could have missed the train. "Sorry about that, Spike. I just had a few things I needed to do before we left for Canterlot is all." Twilight's words were accompanied by a hissing sound as the train halted in front of them.
Twilight and Spike stood patiently watching as various mares, cults, stalions, fillies and other equines got off the train. Before long, inside of the train had cleared out.
A tan stalion in a jacket with a pocked watch came to the opening of the train doors, looking around the train station. He looked at his pocket watch for a moment before calling "All aboard the Equestria Express. Next stop Canterlot. Train leaves station at 13:30 hours; 15 minutes. All aboard!" The stalion then disapeared into the train.
Twilight glanced at Spike before boarding the train. Her assistant fallowed her closely, unaware of the horrors that the purple unicorn was capable of, and unaware of the thoughts that pleagued her mind.
I know it says "temperarly abandoned", but truth is that I have not abandoned this story. I'm just having some MAJOR writers block with this one.... and non of my other stories are far enough for me to feel like I can release them to the public, so please be patient. Thank you!
