Cardcaptor Twilight

Twilight awoke to the sound of her alarm clock ringing. She screamed as she bolted upright in her bed, and looked around cautiously for Yue’s next attack. When she found herself to be alone in her room, she tilted her head to the side in a quizzical manner. “Huh? What’s going on? Why am I here?”

“Twilight, are you up yet?” Twilight slipped out of bed, and made her way towards the staircase leading down to the lower level of the library. She could see Spike at the bottom, wearing a pink apron and a chef’s hat. “About time! C’mon, breakfast is almost ready!”

Twilight slowly descended the stairs. She had so many questions to ask, like why she was there, and what had happened at the final judgement? And, where were Kero and Trixie? ‘Maybe… Maybe Kero left, after I lost the trial… Or maybe he’s just off sulking about it somewhere. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me.'

“Twilight, what’s up with you?” Kero asked. “You’re looking kinda out of it. You okay?”

Twilight saw the concerned look on Spike’s face, and smiled, so as not to worry him. “I’m fine, Spike. Just haven’t woken up yet, that’s all.”

“Well then, it’s a good job your number one assistant here took the liberty of making your favourite breakfast for you this morning!” Spike said in a proud tone.

Twilight giggled and patted him on the head. “Great. Can’t wait to taste it.” She heard the front door open, and looked up to see who it was. “Oh, Rarity! Good morning. You’re up early.”

“Yes, I wanted to come by and pick up a book that Spike told me about,” Rarity told her. Twilight gave the baby dragon a knowing grin, and decided to leave the two alone whilst she straightened up her mane.

“Oh, it’s on that shelf over there,” Spike said, pointing a claw at a shelf behind Rarity. Twilight found it odd that he pointed it out, rather than going and getting the book himself.

“Ah, I see it. Thank you, Spike,” Rarity said, picking the book up with her magic and turning to leave.

“No problem! Just return it whenever!” Spike said as he waved goodbye to his friend. He turned around and walked back into the kitchen, leaving a confused Twilight halfway up the stairs to her room.

‘W-What was that? Spike and Rarity, having a normal conversation like that? What happened to Spike putting the moves on Rarity and offering to do everything for her? And Rarity usually spoils him silly when she offers her gratitude.’

“Twilight, breakfast will be ready in five minutes!” Spike announced.

Twilight shook her head to clear her thoughts, and continued up the stairs to her room. ‘Nah, I’m sure it’s just because she was in a hurry. And Spike’s… ah, maybe he’s being cold intentionally to make Rarity take the initiative. Reverse psychology. Very clever, Spike.’

Satisfied with her logic, Twilight approached her mirror with a smile on her face, and began to brush her mane. As she did so, she noticed that a certain picture was missing. The picture of her and her friends, all together in the park. “… Huh. Guess Spike moved it when he was cleaning. I’ll ask him about it later.”

Twilight decided to see if Trixie knew anything about what happened the previous night. Hearing from Spike that she was going to be practising her magic at the park, Twilight set out find her. On the way, she saw Scootaloo approaching her at a dangerously-fast speed, and readied a teleportation spell.

It wasn’t needed, though, as the scooting Pegasus filly planted her hind hooves on the ground, braking just short of the purple Unicorn. “Heya, Twilight!”

“Good morning, Scootaloo,” Twilight said as she cancelled her built-up magic. “Haven’t I told you before how dangerous it is to travel that fast?”

Scootaloo scoffed and waved a hoof dismissively. “You sound just like my mum.”

“Hey guys!” Both Twilight and Scootaloo jumped as they saw a blue blur crash down in front of them, followed by laughter as the blur revealed itself to be Rainbow Dash. “What’s up?”

“R-Rainbow Dash!” Twilight scolded. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”

“That would’ve sucked! Then who’d let me read their Daring Do books?” Twilight rolled her eyes and Rainbow Dash laughed at her own joke. The Pegasus then looked down at Scootaloo. “You goin’ crusading, this early in the morning?”

“Yeah. Apple Bloom had a great idea, but the weather is scheduled to be raining later, so we have to do it now,” Scootaloo explained.

“Ah, I see. Well, good luck.”

“Thanks.” Scootaloo kicked the ground to give herself a push, and continued to scooter through the streets of Ponyville.

“Huh,” Twilight said as she watched her leave. “That was… a little casual, don’t you think?”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I barely know the filly, why wouldn’t it be casual?”

“Oh, come on, you know.” The look on Rainbow Dash’s face told Twilight that she didn’t know. “She’s your number one fan, right?”

“Really? Huh, first I’ve heard of it.”

Twilight sighed. “Yeah, okay, very funny, Rainbow.”

“Uh… thanks?” Rainbow Dash looked up at something above her. “Look, I’d like ta stay and chat, but I’ve gotta get this sky ready for this afternoon’s rainfall. So, catch ya later, Twilight!”

“See you later,” Twilight said as she watched Rainbow Dash fly up into the sky. “… How strange. She’s always humouring Scootaloo’s affections for her. Why would she suddenly act like…” Twilight shook her head. “One problem at a time, Twilight. Gotta find Trixie, and ask her about yesterday.”

Twilight found the wooden trailer sitting in the middle of Ponyville’s park. She felt uneasy as she approached it, but when she saw the blue showmare it belonged to stepping outside, she smiled and continued on. “Trixie!” she called out.

Trixie turned around to face her. “Oh, Miss Sparkle,” she said, causing Twilight to stop and look at her in shock. “What can Trixie do for you?”

“… W-What?” Twilight asked. “Trixie, did you just call me…”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Miss Sparkle?”

There it was again. Twilight felt her stomach turning as she heard Trixie addressing her in such a casual manner. There was malice in her voice, nor any gentleness. No competitive tone, nor a friendly one.

“W-What’s going on? What’s this uneasy feeling?”

“It is just as Yue said.” The world around Twilight began to shake, and Twilight panicked as she saw darkness surrounding her. “A world where everypony forgets their feelings, for the ones they hold dearest to them.” Twilight recognised that voice. She turned around, and saw the cloaked pony from before standing before her. “A world without love. One would have to experience it, to know its true horror.”

“Y-You’re…” The cloaked pony smiled, and pulled down their hood, confirming Twilight’s suspicions. “Princess Celestia!”

“Twilight Sparkle, surely you do not wish for such a world to exist.”

Twilight hung her head in defeat. “But, what can I do? Yue is too powerful. I can’t harm him, because his body is Fluttershy’s…” Twilight felt a wing gently caressing the side of her face, and looked up to see the Princess smiling down at her.

“I’m so proud, to have a student who cares for her friends as much as you do.” Celestia’s horn lit up, and from her cloak came her crystal bell. “If you give up now, the result will be a world in which all the feeling which everypony held for their loved ones will be no more. Is that the world that you desire?”

“No, of course it isn’t!”

“Then, I’m sure that you will find a way. After all, you are the pony that revived the Elements of Harmony with the power of friendship. Inside you lies the power that you need to defeat Yue… you just need to realise that fact for yourself.”

“But… But what can I do? I lost, didn’t I? That trail’s over, right?”

Celestia’s bell rang out, and began to glow. “This bell was designed to give you one final chance.” The bell rang again, and the world began to glow around the two ponies. “From this point on, you are on your own. But remember, though you may be alone in person, in spirit, your friends will all be with you.”

“In spirit…” Twilight put a hoof to her chest, and closed her eyes. “Applejack. Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Trixie… and Fluttershy. They’re all… They’re all right here, in my heart.”

Celestia nodded, and rang her bell one final time, before it shattered in her magic. “Now, the rest is up to you. Good luck, my little pony.”

Twilight opened her eyes, and gave her mentor a confident smile. “Thanks. I won’t let you down, Princess!”

Yue gasped as the wind cage surrounding Twilight dispersed, and the purple Unicorn from within teleported back a few steps. “She broke through Windy?”

“Hey, Yue!” Twilight called out, getting the Moon Guardian’s attention. “I don’t care about Clow Cards or masters! But a world without love… is something that I’ll never accept!”

“Oh? But, unless you’re willing to harm me, then there is nothing that you can do.”

“Wrong,” Twilight said, pulling a card out with her magic. “You see, I’m not fighting alone. The spirits of all my friends are here with me, lending their strength. And, when you have that kind of power…” Twilight threw the card up into the air, and raised her wand. “Anything can happen, even miracles!”

Twilight swung her wand forward, and Yue narrowed his eyes as he examined it. “It’s changed shape…”

True to his words, the wand that collided with the card in the air was different from the one that Twilight had been using previously. Whilst the shaft and the colour were the same, the head was different. It was now a six-pointed purple star, with five white stars shimmering around it. “Windy!”

A strong gust of wind shot out of the card, and approached Yue. “I’ve already told you, Windy is under my jurisdiction.” Yue held out a hoof, only for it to get snagged by the incoming wind. “What?!” Yue struggled as Windy grabbed all four of his hooves, and then wrapped around his body, preventing him from moving. “B-But how?!”

“it’s simple,” Twilight, walking forward as Windy dragged Yue down. “My magic is neither under the sun or the moon. My magic… comes from harmony. From friendship. And that, is a power that falls under no jurisdiction.”

Yue glared at Twilight for a moment, before sighing and closing his eyes. “… I see… so this is the pony that would succeed my master.”

“… I don’t care about being your master or anything,” Twilight said. “I simply want to protect my friends, and everypony else in Equestria. That’s all.”

Yue shook his head. “Regardless, you have passed. The judgement has ended… and I, Yue the Judge, deem you worthy of being our new master, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Twilight, you did it!” Twilight backed away as a huge, winged lion-like creature approached her.

“W-Who are you?!”

“Hm? Oh, right. My new form. It’s me, Keroberos.” Twilight stared in disbelief at the large creature before her. “Heh, told you my true form was cool, didn’t I?”

Twilight nodded her head slowly. “Y-Yeah…” ‘This is Kero? … Guess Trixie won’t be calling him a plush toy anymore. Hold on…’ “Where’s Trixie?”

“The brat? Beats me. She started sulking after you passed the trial, and wandered off somewhere.”

Twilight frowned at that news. She hoped that Trixie wasn’t too upset by all of this. “Don’t worry, my student,” Celestia said as she approached the purple Unicorn. “Miss Lulamoon will be fine. I sense she just has her own way of dealing with things.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked. “I mean, I just got her to start trusting me, I don’t want her to suddenly start calling me her rival again.”

Celestia giggled at her student’s worries. “Twilight, I don’t think you ever stopped being her rival,” she said, much to Twilight’s dismay. “Trust me, you’ll be fine. When Trixie comes back, just greet her with a smile… and she will do the same.”

Twilight thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. “Okay, Princess. I’ll trust your words.” A thought crossed Twilight’s mind, and she turned around to look for Yue, who was no longer present at the scene. “Fluttershy… What’s going to happen to Fluttershy?”

“Well, although you’re the new master, Yue still has no intention of going out of his way to serve you,” Kero said. “Therefore, he’ll most likely spend most of his time sleeping, and allowing his alter ego to take control.”

“You mean, Fluttershy will be okay?”

“Yes. So you have no need to worry, Twilight.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Twilight said with a yawn. A long yawn.

“Sounds like somepony’s ready for bed,” Celestia teased, her wings spreading as she prepared to take off. “Well, it is getting rather late. I congratulate you on passing this trial, Twilight.”

“Thanks, Princess…” Twilight rubbed her tired eyes, and let out another yawn. “I’d better get back to the library, before I fall asleep in the middle of the forest.

Celestia nodded, and started to flap her wings, lifting off of the ground. “Well then, I wish you a good night, my faithful student. And, I hope to hear from you again soon.”

“Yeah… I’ll write to you soon, promise.” With that, Celestia flew off into the night sky, leaving Twilight and Kero at the ruins in the Everfree Forest. Twilight looked down the pathway ahead of her, and then turned to Kero. “Come on. Let’s go home.”