A Simple Mistake
By Michael Ramsey
Chapter 1: A Simple Mistake
“I’m glad I finally have some time to myself,” muttered Twilight as she entered the Canterlot library. It had been a while since she last stepped through the ornate, golden doors, and with all the chaos that came with becoming a princess, some time alone was just what she needed.
No royal duties to worry about or celebrations to attend. At last she could relax, unwind, and enjoy life like any normal pony.
But first, she planned to use this time for her studies.
She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the scent of aging books as she prepared to get to work, the library’s large doors slowly closing behind her with a soft click. Before she could begin however, a voice rang out from her right, shattering the silence of the room.
“Hello, your highness.”
Lost in her thoughts, she flinched, quickly turning to see the librarian, an older grayish pony. Her silver mane was tied up neatly into a bun, her eyes were closed behind gold framed glasses, and she was bowing behind her desk, a large, tan book resting on the elegant mahogany.
It's a good thing her eyes were closed, she thought, blushing at her own surprise. "Oh, hello,” she said, trying to mask her emotions with a hopelessly forced smile.
The librarian slowly rose, easily noticing Twilight’s not-so-subtle embarrassment. She pushed it aside, adjusted her glasses, and softly cleared her throat. "Is there anything I can help you with today?"
"Oh I'm just here to catch up on some reading," replied Twilight, nervously waving a hoof. "I should be fine."
The librarian smiled, gently nodding at her reply. “Just let me know if you need anything,” she said, returning to her book.
Twilight began her tour of the library, carefully taking in the familiar sights. Sunlight poured in from the towering windows, the brilliant rays reflecting off the polished marble floor as she walked deeper into the building. A smile slowly formed as she inspected the shelves, immense towers of elegant wood layered with intricate patterns that were delicately outlined by a lustrous gold trim.
The filly inside her squealed with joy, eager to explore the countless rows of knowledge that surrounded her. The library’s contents were breathtakingly vast. The largest of tomes and the smallest of pamphlets, ancient texts and last week’s publications, the works of both the greatest and the least reputable authors, no piece of literature was excluded.
Ponies of all ages and walks of life moved among the shelves, each attending to their own tasks in perfect rhythm. A cold silence echoed through the room, oddly comforting her as she made her way to the heart of the archives.
“With everything that’s been going on I haven’t had any time to study,” she said as she levitated books from the surrounding shelves. She checked their covers, eventually returning them to their proper place with a touch of regret. “Just because I’m a princess doesn’t mean I can slack off.”
She slowed to a stop as she neared the center of the library, looking around at the shelves indecisively. She circled in place, furrowing her brow in confusion as the surrounding books looked on with anger, seeming to shun her for her lack of conviction.
“Now if I only knew what to read.”
The librarian again drew her gaze from her book, noticing Twilight’s sudden pause. She slowly made her way to the princess, smiling at her obvious bewilderment. “Is everything alright, your highness?”
Twilight didn't answer at first, scrambling across the library in a final attempt to make a decision. After a few moments of frantic searching she slumped in defeat with a heavy sigh. “I can’t decide what to read," she replied. "There are just so many great books.”
The older mare chuckled at her response, rubbing her chin in thought before looking around the room. While the librarian searched, Twilight considered her strange situation. Had she really come to the library without a book in mind? This wasn’t like her at all, she was known for being well-organized.
She backpedaled through the day in her mind, but couldn’t remember anything about a book, or even deciding to come to the library. Was this all just a force of habit? She felt fine, but maybe she needed this time alone more than she realized.
After a few moments of silence, the librarian gently raised a hoof, gesturing to a nearby hallway. “Why not try the Starswirl the Bearded Wing?” she suggested, remembering Twilight’s fascination with the author in question. “We’ve recently recovered a tome containing some of his research into time travel.”
Twilight’s face instantly brightened. “There’s a new book? About time travel?” she asked, almost yelling with excitement. She bounced with anticipation, stars shining brightly in her eyes.
The librarian grinned at the younger mare’s enthusiasm. “Why yes, his work regarding the subject is really quite fascinating.” she replied, calmly adjusting her eyeglasses.
Twilight leapt with excitement, giving the librarian a quick hug. “That’s perfect! Thank you!” she squealed, rushing off toward the Starswirl the Bearded Wing and the promised book.
The librarian quickly raised a hoof in alarm. “There’s no running in the…”
“…oh, never mind” she finished with a chuckle, waving her hoof dismissingly.
Twilight slid to a halt as she reached the door, throwing it open and rushing inside. She stopped abruptly as the entirety of the wing came into view, golden sunlight delicately playing off the grand hourglass and the countless shelves surrounding it. The gentle rays accented the rustic features of the room, creating an almost dream-like atmosphere. Despite her earlier visits, it was a sight that never failed to fill the mare with awe, granting her mind a few precious seconds of peace.
After several moments of admiration she returned to her earlier mission, scanning the room for a good place to begin her search. She began slowly at first, carefully removing the texts and checking their covers before returning them with a disappointed sigh. As time wore on however, she became more and more restless, beginning to wonder if the book could be found at all.
Panic setting in, she began tearing books from their shelves, the texts soaring behind her and forming a pile as she checked and double-checked the covers, desperate to find the tome.
“No, not that one,” she said, discarding a blue tome with an aggravated grunt. She quickly spun around, lifting a green book from the shelf behind her. “That’s not right either,” she said, throwing the book away. She launched another book from the shelf, quickly retracting it with excitement. “Oh wait!” she cried, eyes wide with hope as she checked the cover again. She sank in disappointment, sending the book toward the pile again with a sigh. “No, never mind.”
Having effectively demolished a third of the wing, she threw her hooves up in frustration. “Oh, where is it?”
A loud groan escaped the princess, had the librarian lied to her? She tried to recall their earlier conversation, grinning sheepishly as she envisioned her child-like enthusiasm. She had given her little time to explain exactly where the book was, but it shouldn’t be this hard to find it, right?
She slammed her hooves into the shelf with a grunt, a large book falling from the top and bouncing off her head with a loud thump that echoed throughout the room.
She cried out in pain, rubbing her head as several books fell to the ground, her magic cut off by the sudden attack. She angrily levitated the assailing text, preparing to throw it out of the nearest window. “It's not bad enough that I can’t find the book I’m looking for… “
She stopped mid-sentence, noticing the cover. Her eyes scanned the red tome disbelievingly, as if the name would suddenly change or the book itself would disappear. Convinced she was not experiencing a pain-induced hallucination, the princess squealed with joy, satisfaction flooding her face as she relished in her victory.
“I found you!” she exclaimed, holding the book warmly in her arms. She gleefully danced around the room, a throbbing pain in her skull eventually forcing her to stop.
“Well, you sort of found me,” she added, softly rubbing her still-sore head.
Ignoring the disheveled wing around her, she approached a nearby desk and gently laid the book down, placing a hoof on the cover affectionately. “The important thing is that you’re here.”
She opened the ancient tome, eager to see what awaited her within. Her eyes drank in the numerous notes, spells, and equations lying before her, widening in awe as she realized the magnitude of Starswirl’s research.
She unwittingly raised a hoof to her mouth. “There’s so much to learn about time travel,” she began, taken aback by the sheer amount of knowledge. “This is all so complicated, I’m not sure if I can read all of this.”
She paused for a moment, going over what she had said. Since when had she been unable to complete a reading assignment? Celestia had given her countless tomes to read in the past, so why would she doubt herself now?
A chill raced up her spine, something about this whole situation felt wrong.
She quickly shook her head, trying to shrug the feeling off. After all, this wouldn’t be the first time she had overcomplicated something, and with everything she had gone through to find this book, she was going to read it. She turned the page, looking on in horror as a piece of paper slowly drifted to the floor.
She shrieked, literally jumping in fear. "What is that? Did I rip a page?" she asked, frantically flipping through the book to make sure it wasn’t damaged. "For the love of Equestria, please don't tell me I actually ripped a page out of Starswirl the Bearded's book. This is library property! What if this page was really important? What if it was… "
She paused, arching an eyebrow in confusion. "…what is it anyway?"
She retrieved the page and slowly read the contents aloud. The words were cryptic, but organized in a way that was familiar to her for some reason.
“That's weird, It almost sounds like a… “
Before she could finish, a burst of white magic flew from the book, quickly surrounding her.
“…spell” she squeaked, shrinking in fear as the aura slowly lifted her into the air.
She flailed her hooves in panic, dropping the page as her mind ran wild. Would the spell send her to the future? Send her to the past? Destroy time as she knows it? Would she be the only one affected? Would she be the only one spared? What would happen to everyone else? What could she do to stop it?
The aura pulsed, glowing rhythmically, slowly becoming brighter.
Her eyes grew wide, a wave of terror washing over her. She hurriedly looked around the room, desperately trying to assess her situation. What was this magic and why was it pulsing? What was this spell going to do?
Another pulse, and again the aura grew brighter, the glowing nearly doubling in pace.
She held her breath and winced, preparing for the worst. After several moments of silence, she slowly opened her eyes and looked around, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Was this some kind of levitation spell? Her face warped with confusion, but the possibility of the spell being harmless quickly renewed her confidence.
Again the aura pulsed, again it grew brighter, and again the glowing increased in speed.
She raised a hoof to her mouth in thought. The light became brighter with each pulse, but why? What was its purpose? Why was it glowing?
She winced as the magic pulsed yet again, nearly doubling in brightness.
Her jaw dropped, realization dawning. The aura was storing power, gathering its strength. This was a pattern, a sequence.
This was a countdown.
Her heart sank as the aura pulsed again, drawing ever closer to completing its task.
She exhaled slowly, a look of determination forming on her face. “I have to stop this before something terrible happens,” she said, magic flowing through her horn as she prepared a counter-spell. “I just hope this works,” she said, turning her head to the side in anticipation.
She released the spell, and the aura erupted in response, sending a shockwave of white magic through the library that shattered the windows and sent several shelves crashing to the ground. The aura began draining the energy in her horn, steadily increasing in power as it fed on her magic. She quickly cut the magic off, nearly losing consciousness. Her vision blurred with each passing second as the pounding in her head steadily grew louder.
The aura pulsed a final time, and she instantly succumbed to the darkness.
“Did you find anything?” asked Spike, diligently searching the room.
“Nothin’ here,” answered Applejack, kicking the ground in disappointment. “Nothin’ that’s useful, anyway.”
Rainbow Dash grunted impatiently. “We’re wasting too much time,” she rushed, hovering nervously over the pair. “We have to get out of here now!”
“We can’t!” yelled Spike, fury flashing in his eyes. “We have to keep looking. There has to be something that we’ve missed, something we’re just not seeing.” He continued searching, scattering countless items across the room in frenzied desperation.
The two mares exchanged equally worried looks at Spike’s determination.
“Spike,” began Applejack, placing a hoof on the drake’s shoulder. “You know Twilight wouldn’t want you puttin’ yourself in danger like this.”
Spike pulled away from her, angrily spinning around to face the pair. “So, what, you guys are just going to give up on her? Just abandon her like that?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Give up? Do you know who you’re talking to?” challenged Rainbow Dash, slamming her hooves together for emphasis.
“We’re not abandonin’ Twilight, Spike,” added Applejack. “But if we keep goin’ at it like this we’ll just end up like Princess Celestia.”
He sighed submissively, mentioning the princess had struck a chord in the young dragon. “Fine,” he said, throwing his claws up in frustration. “You guys go on ahead, I’ll catch up. I... I need to take care of something first.”
The mares again exchanged worried glances before looking back to Spike, unconvinced.
“I promise,” he said, tears welling in his eyes. “I’ll be right behind you.”
The trio blurred into darkness as the sounds of nature began to flood Twilight’s ears. She weakly opened her eyes, rubbing the back of her head as she slowly came to.
“This is just one of those days,” she groaned, groggily taking in her surroundings. She quickly did a double take, noticing the darkened forest around her.
“Err, one of those nights, I guess.”
She stood up and walked around, quizzically observing the surrounding woodland. “Well this is weird,” she said, arching an eyebrow. “I don’t see how this has anything to do with time travel.”
She tried to notice if anything was different than she remembered, but everything seemed to be the same. The flora, the fauna, the sky, the moon, nothing had changed. She didn’t feel any different either, aside from the throbbing pain in her skull and her horrible confusion, anyway.
“Maybe this was just a teleportation spell,” she reasoned, rubbing her head in thought. “But that doesn’t explain what it was doing in a book about time travel.”
She continued to deliberate the purpose of the spell, completely unconcerned with where she was going as she made her way through the forest.
“What if it sent me into the past? Maybe Canterlot hasn’t been built yet.”
She considered the thought before shaking her head in disagreement. “But wouldn’t that mean the spell doesn’t exist yet either? Can it do that? Can the spell send things back before the spell even existed?”
She was too captivated by her thoughts to notice the change in scenery as she slowly emerged from the forest.
“If the spell was supposed to send me to a different place in time, then why is nothing… “
Her gaze slowly shifted upward mid-sentence, her face warping in confusion.
“…different?” she finished, her mouth agape.
She had found Canterlot… or what was left of it, anyway. The quiet ruin before her barely resembled the vibrant city it had replaced. The once-mighty walls were now piles of broken rock and twisted metal. Streets once brimming with life now echoed with a dark loneliness, and the beautiful palace was little more than a blackened husk of its former self.
“No,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She stared into the empty streets with horror, feeling as though the entire world had collapsed around her. She shut everything out and ran toward the city, hoping to discover this was all some kind of nightmare.
“This can’t be happening,” she said, shaking her head violently. She slowed to a halt as she neared the entrance, lifting a piece of the surrounding debris. The cold stone rested roughly in her hooves, a solemn tribute to the lives it once protected. She angrily cast the fragment aside and bounded over the wall, her hoofsteps echoing loudly throughout the ruined buildings as she scrambled down the street.
“This can’t be happening,” she repeated, twitching with panic. She looked around frantically, trying to find anything that was out of place.
She neared Joe’s doughnut shop, now largely a pile of rubble. She inhaled instinctively as she passed by, the scent of ashes replacing the fresh baked goods she remembered so fondly.
She lowered her head as she rounded the corner, tears streaming down her face. She galloped blindly down the street before tripping over a mound of debris and landing hard on a toppled column, the sudden impact violently knocking the wind out of her.
She gasped painfully between sobs, her lungs desperately begging for air. Tears stained the street below as she continued to cry. She cried so much it began to hurt, her hopes of waking up drowning in a sea of tears.
She shook with a few final sobs before falling silent on the moonlit street, the cold stone stabbing into her body as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. She perked up suddenly as a low rumbling invaded her ears. She turned around to find a group of changelings rushing toward her, baring their fangs and hissing as they quickly closed in.
“I guess I’m not alone after all,” she said, turning to run away. She panted heavily as she ran down the street, her body still sore from her earlier outburst. Magenta light erupted from her horn as she launched various objects toward her pursuers, striking several of the changelings down and forcing the others to run away.
“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” she said, breathing heavily and wincing as she gripped her aching side. She made her way down the street, trying to fit this new development into her situation.
Her train of thought was abruptly derailed as a blood curdling cry pierced the air behind her. She quickly spun around, her eyes widening in horror as an army of changelings advanced toward her.
“Of course I could be wrong,” she said, violently flapping her wings. The princess desperately struggled to get airborne, looking back at her feathered appendages with a mixture of worry and anger, the purple blurs of motion doing little to get her into the sky. She hit the ground running with a heavy sigh, confusion flooding her mind as she ran down the street.
Despite all her effort, she failed to get more than a few feet off the ground. Was there something holding her down? Did the spell do something to her?
She violently shook her head, trying to dispel the thought. ”Think later, survive now,” she said as she rounded the corner. She turned down a nearby alley, sliding to a stop as she approached a large pile of rubble. She quickly looked it over, groaning as she realized her mistake.
She turned to leave the alley but quickly turned again as another terrifying cry echoed around her. She raced to the top of the debris, knocking down nearby scaffolding onto a number of changelings as they entered the alley.
“That’s a start,” she said, panting as she tried to come up with a plan. She quickly snapped to reality as a number of changelings flew to the top of the pile, hissing as they lunged toward her.
"Of course they can fly," she said with an aggravated sigh before leaping from her perch. She slid down the rubble, rounding the corner as she reached the end of the alley.
She sprinted down the broken street, looking over her shoulder to see the changelings quickly gaining on her. Panicked, she quickly turned back around, narrowly dodging a collapsed market stall.
“The marketplace!” she said, smiling as an idea formed. She pushed forward, passing several more stalls as she approached the heart of Canterlot's bazaar. She eventually reached the market’s centerpiece, a marble fountain proudly topped with a statue of the royal sisters.
She turned to face the advancing changelings, magenta light flowing through her horn as she levitated various objects from the surrounding ruin. Trinkets and knick-knacks, various forms of carpentry, and even the stalls themselves were sent flying down the narrow street. The changelings quickly reconsidered charging into the onslaught, diving behind anything they could as more of them fell to the barrage of debris.
“Ha, it’s working!” she said, panting as the magic in her horn slowly faded. Her eyes instantly widened as a deep buzzing filled her ears. She spun around, nearly falling over as a second army of changelings landed in front of her.
“Or not,” She said weakly, beginning to back away. She heard an all too familiar hissing behind her as the changelings down the street slowly came out of hiding. She desperately searched for an escape, reluctantly finding only one way out.
A way out that she really, really didn’t want to use.
“I just hope Ponyville is safe,” she said, magenta light slowly enveloping her horn. The changelings rushed towards her, quickly closing the distance as she desperately tried to complete the spell.
“Come on,” she said, straining as the aura slowly grew brighter. The changelings scrambled over each other as they approached her, a primal cry erupting from the terrifying sea of black that sent shivers down her spine.
“Come on, work!” she yelled, sweat pouring down her body as the changelings came ever closer, a collective hiss ripping through the air. She flinched as they leapt toward her, their fangs glowing in the moonlight as they quickly neared her face.
She suddenly vanished in a blinding flash of light, the black waves crashing against each other as they washed over the space she had occupied only moments ago.
She reappeared in front of Ponyville, crying out in agony as she sank to the ground. Every inch of her body ached, an unfortunate consequence of her long-distance teleporting. She still hadn’t decided if this new-found ability was a gift or a curse, but one thing was for sure…
…it really, really hurt.
“I hate that spell,” she said, gasping as she writhed in pain. She righted herself after several moments, her blurred vision slowly adjusting to her surroundings as the aching throughout her body began to subside.
“Oh no,” she whispered, slowly walking toward the ruined town hall, its walls broken and windows shattered. She placed a hoof on the large wooden doors, their once-vibrant paint having long since faded.
“Not you too,” she said, lowering her head as her hoof slowly slid down the door.
Before she could delve any deeper into her thoughts, a passing shadow brought her back to reality. Looking up, she spotted a group of changelings flying overhead. She quickly ducked inside, carefully closing the door behind her.
“This is crazy!” she exclaimed, throwing her hooves skyward in bewilderment. She paced around the room, trying to piece together her situation. She walked over to the window, scanning the surrounding ruins despairingly.
“I just hope Spike and the girls are okay,” she said as she peered through the broken glass. In an instant she snapped to attention, a new wave of fear falling over her.
“Spike!” she yelled, her eyes widening in shock. She burst through the town hall doors and galloped toward the library, unconcerned with any sort of danger she might be in. She bolted down the empty streets, panic overtaking her as she neared the ruin of her home, its broken door hanging on what remained of its hinges.
She threw the door open and ran inside, coughing on the years of dust that had filled the library in her absence. She waved the filth away, quickly scanning the room. Books were torn from their shelves, desks were turned over, and countless items were strewn across the floor. On any other day, she would cringe upon finding her library in this condition, but her mind was preoccupied at the moment.
“Spike!” she called, magenta light pouring from her horn. She coughed as she moved across the library, stirring up more of the long settled dust that surrounded her as she searched for any sign of the young dragon.
“Maybe he hid something in one of these books,” she reasoned, lifting several tomes from their shelves and shaking away the dust before checking them for clues. She eventually returned them to their proper place with no small amount of disappointment.
She continued searching this way for what seemed like ages, her agitation steadily growing with each tome she inspected. After double checking the shelves, she began moving throughout the house, winding through the kitchen, basement, and hallways, investigating every nook and cranny in hopes of discovering anything that could help her. She called out to the missing drake as she searched, a growing fear welling up inside of her with every silent reply.
“I need to be sure,” she said, having finished her first sweep of the first floor to no avail. “I really should double check everything, just in case.”
She set off on her second search as determined as she had the first, but her nerves were quickly wearing down as the stress of the past few hours began to take its toll. She no longer returned items to their proper place after examining them, preferring to instead discard them with a heavy sigh before moving on.
Her thoughts wandered as she stumbled through the house, frustration shattering her focus. Her mind was quickly flooded by the questions she had been suppressing since she had arrived here, and none of the answers she conceived could offer her any solace.
“I’m wasting too much time,” she said, panic beginning to set in. She buried her face in her hooves, desperately trying to come up with anything useful, but when the countless horrors befalling her assistant were all she could think of, the breaking point had finally been reached.
She could almost feel her sanity leaving her as she galloped throughout the library, tears streaming down her face.
“Spike!” she cried, leaving a trail of destruction through every room as she began a final desperate attempt to find any sign of her beloved friend. After tearing through the first floor she raced up the stairs to continue her search, launching countless objects across the room in a panicked frenzy. After what felt like an eternity, she eventually collapsed to the ground, panting heavily as tears poured from her eyes.
“Oh Spike,” she began, shuddering as she buried her face in her hooves. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I did this to you, to all of you.”
Her magic slowly faded, a quiet darkness overtaking the room as the light from her horn began to die out. When the last of the light was finally gone, she cried as she had in the ruins of Canterlot. She cried until her throat burned and her sides ached, until tears refused to flow altogether, and then she simply sat in silence.
She stirred after several moments, gazing at the moonlit ruins of Ponyville through what remained of her bedroom window. She slowly stood back up, her body crying out in protest as she righted herself. Magenta light once again flowed through her horn, illuminating the room as she began carefully looking over the damage she had caused to the remnants of her home.
“I guess I got a little carried away,” she said, a sheepish half-smile forming as she continued to survey her bedroom. She paused as she neared the corner, several large cuts in the wood catching her eye.
“What’s that?” she asked, a fallen desk blocking her way as she motioned toward the wall. She moved the escritoire to the side and looked back to the wall, discovering a carving of her cutie mark with an inscription beneath it.
Twilight,
Since we can’t stay in Ponyville we’re going to the ancient castle to try and come up with a plan. I know it’s not much, but I left your saddlebags on the bed in case you need them. I don’t know when or if you will ever read this, but please, be safe.
Your number one assistant,
Spike
“Thanks Spike,” she said, smiling as she gently placed a hoof on the carving. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to the bed, finding her promised saddlebags and shaking off the dust before eventually donning them. She then set off across the library, searching for anything she could use.
After gathering what little supplies remained she walked over to the entryway, the faded red door having finally fallen from its hinges. She slowly leaned outside, scanning the area for any patrolling changelings. Confident the way was clear, she left the library and ventured toward to the Everfree Forest, hoping to find someone that wasn’t a changeling… and some answers as to what was going on.
Chapter 2: The Everfree Forest
Twilight approached the Everfree forest, pausing to look back at the ruins of Ponyville, tears in her eyes.
“I’ll fix this” she said mournfully, turning back around. “I promise” she whispered as she took her first steps into the darkness. As she walked alone through the woods, a bush in the distance began moving. Fearing more changelings, she ducked behind a group of trees and waited. Eventually, a group of rabbits came hopping out of the bush. Twilight jumped out of her hiding spot and began walking again, blushing with embarrassment.
“Great, now I’m afraid of rabbits” she said, rolling her eyes. “I guess without Fluttershy here, all the animals ran into the forest”
She stopped for a moment, thinking of what she just said. “Fluttershy…I wonder how she’s handling all of this. She’s usually so emotional…I can only imagine what’s happened to her.”
She shook her head violently, trying to dispel the thought. “I’m sure she’s fine. I mean, yeah, she can be emotional at times, but she’s fast and she has a good head on her shoulders.” She began walking again, nodding in agreement with herself. “And besides, she had all of her friends to help her.”
She paused for a moment, painful realization on her face as tears again welled in her eyes.
“Well, almost all of them” she said after a long pause, staring at the ground as she continued walking.
“What about the rest of the girls?” she asked herself, looking up in thought. “Rainbow Dash and Applejack wouldn’t just run away, they would be the ones running toward the army of changelings” she said, visualizing a battle in her mind. “They’re both strong and fast, but there are so many changelings…what if they were captured?” She began to panic, visualizing her friends’ defeat. “Or worse…” she said, her eyes widening in horror.
She again shook her head, trying to think positively. “That wouldn’t happen. They’re brave, but not stupid. If they realized there were too many to fight they would run.” She began to calm down, visualizing an organized retreat instead of her friends’ capture. “But what if they didn’t realize how many changelings were there? What if it was an ambush?” she said, holding her hooves on her head as panic once again settled in her mind.
“ARGH! I have to know what happened!” she screamed, birds flying away at her sudden outburst. As the sound of her yelling faded into the night, the howls of timberwolves echoed through the forest in reply.
“Oops” she said weakly, shrinking in fear. All at once, the sounds of branches breaking and trees moving seemed to surround her. Twilight was frozen in fear. She looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the noise. The howls grew louder as she felt her heart beating hard in her chest. She stood still in the middle of the darkness, the sounds growing even louder, seemingly coming from only inches away.
Suddenly, all at once, complete silence filled the air. The forest was so quiet the only thing she could hear was her own breathing. She looked around slowly, taking in every detail, her eyes scanning every inch of the surrounding foliage, desperately looking for the predators she knew had surrounded her.
Suddenly, she stopped, finding a pair of green eyes glowing in the darkness. She stared deeply into them, her fears confirmed. The silence was broken by the sound of a loud growl that rang in her ears and rumbled in her chest. The one growl was suddenly joined by several others, quickly growing louder. Looking around, she found the same green eyes peeking behind countless trees and bushes. Terrified, she braced for the attack she knew was coming.
The growls suddenly stopped, but the sound of the timberwolves' breathing lingered in the air. Twilight's eyes narrowed in sharp focus. She had a plan, and it was going to work...she hoped.
Finally, one of the timberwolves lunged at her from in front. She quickly slid under the sailing predator, running through the gap it left as it attacked. She sprinted as fast as she could, unconcerned about where she was going. Piercing howls filled the air behind her and the sound of heavy steps pounded throughout the forest. Panting, she looked around desperately as she ran, trying to think of a plan. Her fatigue became apparent as the growls of the timberwolves behind her grew louder, the predators coming ever closer to her. Their putrid breath invaded her nostrils as she put all of her energy into running, just barely dodging trees as she bounded through the woodland.
Her heart sank as a river came into view, the consequence of her unfocused running. She stopped for a moment, looking around frantically. “Too tired to swim across” she said between heavy breaths. She took off again as she ran down the length of the river, desperately looking for a bridge, a log, or anything that she could use to cross. With no escape in sight, she stopped as the last of her energy was drained. The timberwolves slowed to a walk as they neared the river, baring their fangs as they approached the exhausted princess. Desperate, Twilight tried to teleport to the other side of the river, but her magic fizzled out before she could even begin the spell.
Exhausted, but determined, she weakly assumed an attack position. As one of the timberwolves moved in closer, she began to stumble, losing consciousness. The predator lunged at her, mouth agape. She winced, bracing for the inevitable. As the large jaws came within inches of her, a rock hit the sailing timberwolf in the side, knocking it into another timberwolf and breaking them both into pieces.
Twilight looked toward the direction the rock came from and spotted four cloaked ponies running toward her assailants as she sank to the ground. When the last timberwolf was defeated, she finally succumbed to the darkness, collapsing on her side near the water's edge. After ensuring the timberwolves were gone, the four ponies circled around the unconscious princess, confusion on their faces. They looked at each other and nodded, picking up Twilight and disappearing into the forest.
Twilight weakly opened her eyes as she slowly regained consciousness. She looked around, stopping as she heard the faint sound of a conversation going on in front of her. Focusing in, she noticed that they were the same cloaked ponies who saved her earlier. She fought to hold onto consciousness as she listened in.
“Do you think she’s a changeling?” asked one of the ponies, an orange mare.
“Not a chance” replied another, this time a white stallion. “It’s almost impossible to remain transformed when you’re unconscious, there’s no way a changeling could do something like that.”
“What if it’s not just a changeling?” added a red stallion, throwing a hoof up for emphasis. “What if it’s Queen Chrysalis herself?”
“There’s no way” answered the fourth of the group, a blue mare. “Queen Chrysalis would never be this deep in the Everfree Forest without any changelings to guard her, and the only unusual thing we found out there was a pony being chased by timberwolves.”
“I say we take her to Watchful, he can tell us if she’s a changeling or not” said the orange mare, gesturing toward Twilight.
Twilight began to lose consciousness yet again, desperately trying to hear what the ponies were saying.
“No” replied the white stallion. “If this really is Twilight Sparkle, it’s going to change everything...
...We’re taking her to Luna.”
As the stallion finished his sentence, Twilight again gave in to her fatigue and slipped into the darkness. The darkness faded into light as Twilight appeared back in Ponyville, enjoying a picnic with her friends. The sunlight shone warmly on her face as she took a bite of the cake in her hoof.
“This cake is amazing, Pinkie Pie” she said as she took another bite. Pinkie seemed to ignore her comment, having a conversation with Applejack.
“I really like the cake, Pinkie” said Fluttershy, almost whispering.
“Thanks Fluttershy!” replied Pinkie, eating an entire slice in one bite. “It’s a new recipe!”
“Oh really?” asked Fluttershy, her ears perked with curiosity. “What’s different in this one?”
“Wait, you heard Fluttershy, but not me?” asked Twilight, confused. Pinkie and Fluttershy continued with their conversation about the cake, both unaware of Twilight's presence. “I guess Pinkie is just being Pinkie, right Rarity?” she said, looking over at the white mare.
“It certainly is a beautiful day to be outside” said Rarity, waving her hoof for emphasis, completely oblivious to Twilight’s comment.
“You said it!” agreed Rainbow, flying around in the cool breeze. “I love this weather!”
“It’s too bad Twilight ain't here to enjoy it” said Applejack, a sad look on her face.
“Okay girls, I think the joke has gone on long enough” said Twilight, laughing nervously.
“She would love to be here!” said Pinkie. “I even packed a ‘Welcome Back’ party just in case!”
“What do you mean ‘Welcome Back’? I’m right here!” she yelled, angrily stomping her hooves.
“I’m just worried about Spike” said Rarity, holding a hoof to her mouth. “He certainly has taken all of this very hard.”
“Spike is fine!” yelled Twilight. “I just saw him yesterday…He was skipping home from the boutique with a goofy look on his face! How do you not remember?”
“Yeah” said Rainbow, landing next to the others. “He almost never leaves the library.”
"That's because he's always sleeping!” she yelled.
“One thing’s for sure, It’ll never be the same without ya, Twi” said Applejack, looking up at the sky somberly. The other four all looked up with her, as if they expected the princess to fall from the sky.
“Twilight…” sighed the group in unison, looking down mournfully.
“I’m right here!” she screamed, stomping her hooves in anger, her face turning red with anger. “This isn’t funny!”
She winced, shielding her eyes as a blinding light appeared in front of her. The light began to fade, revealing Canterlot in flames all around her. The sky was darkened with changelings, and ponies were running in terror all around her. The guards, caught off guard by the sheer number of changelings swarming the city, tried to reorganize as the blackness fell over the city.
Suddenly, she saw the interior of the castle, the royal guards preparing defenses as her friends readied for battle. The large golden doors suddenly burst open as changelings flooded into the room, letting out blood curdling cries as they washed over the hapless defenders in a sea of black. The fight was over before it even started, her friends far too outnumbered to even slow them down. As the last of her friends were washed away in the darkness, she saw Celestia and Luna, completely surrounded by the darkness as they tried to hold back the swarm. “Twilight, where are you?” they cried as they too were overwhelmed by the horde.
As the smoke settled over the ruins of Canterlot, Twilight suddenly appeared in the middle of a dark room, a single light shining down on her. As she looked around, all she could see were evil eyes staring back at her. Suddenly, the room brightened, revealing changelings all around her. They slowly opened their mouths, exposing their fangs as they hissed and cried, filling her with terror. As she stood there, frozen in fear, the darkness again enveloped her as the changelings swarmed over the princess.
Twilight snapped awake, panting as sweat fell from her face. She began to calm down as she realized it was all a dream. Looking around, she spotted the same four cloaked ponies standing in front of her.
“Are you alright princess?” asked the orange mare, extending a hoof to help her up.
Twilight grabbed the hoof as she righted herself, readjusting to her surroundings. “I’m fine” she answered, rubbing the back of her head. “Uhh...Thank you for saving me from those timberwolves earlier.” The ponies all bowed, acknowledging her thanks.
“It was our pleasure” answered the white stallion.
“Where are we?” she asked, looking around.
“Home” he answered, walking into a nearby cave, the other ponies followed him as Twilight stood still, confused.
“Are you coming?” asked the blue mare, gesturing with her hoof to follow. Twilight followed the others as they continued walking into the cold underground below.
“Before we go any further, a warning” said the red stallion, turning to face her. “We believe you are Princess Twilight Sparkle, but the resistance isn’t as welcoming to newcomers…regardless of appearance.”
“Even if you look, think, and act like Princess Twilight Sparkle” began the orange mare, adding to the warning. “They still won’t trust you…not at first…not after Cloudsdale.”
“Rainbow…” whispered Twilight weakly.
“Be careful where you go, and who you talk to” said the white stallion. “At least until everyone knows who you are.”
“Got it, thanks” she said, nodding her head.
“Alright then” said the blue mare. “Onward we go.”
They continued through the depths of the cavern, navigating countless tunnels until they finally arrived at wall with a small jewel shaped opening in the center. Twilight watched as the white stallion pulled a necklace out of his cloak, an oddly colored jewel on the end. The more she stared at it, the more it seemed to change color, as if it knew she was looking at it.
The stallion placed the jewel in the cavity, and the sound of rock grinding against rock echoed through the cave as the wall split and began to open. The white stallion returned the necklace to its place within his cloak as the wall receded into the rock around them. Light slowly poured into the dark cavern as the large door continued to open. A warm air blew into the tunnel as a small settlement came into view.
What she saw gave her mixed feelings. She was glad that she had finally found civilization, but she was overwhelmed with guilt as she looked around. Makeshift buildings and ponies in tattered clothes were all that was left of the Equestria she loved so much. Countless lives ruined, all because of a simple mistake. She noticed the angry and untrusting looks the frightened ponies gave her as she walked through the cavern.
“I see what you guys were talking about” she said quietly to her escort.
“Don’t worry about it too much” said the blue mare reassuringly. “Everything will change now that you’re here.”
The ponies approached a large building in the center of the settlement. The guards outside the building stopped the group, first looking at Twilight, and then at each other, confused. Looking back to Twilight, they opened the door and bowed.The room grew quiet as they entered, and every eye was locked on Twilight. Slowly, the murmur of voices filled the room as they began talking again, having found a new subject to discuss. Twilight found familiar angry looks surrounding her as she walked across the room.
“Come on” said the white stallion, gesturing to the group with a hoof as the guards opened the large doors at the end of the room. “Princess Luna is this way.” Twilight followed the ponies as they walked through the large doors, the guards bowing as she passed by. Even though it wasn’t built with the same materials as anything in the castle, the chamber still felt as though it belonged in one.
“Princess Luna” he began, bowing. “We’ve found Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
Luna looked over at the group, disbelief on her face as she stared at Twilight. She walked over to the princess, placing a hoof on her as she closed her eyes, magic flowing through her horn. She opened her eyes again, filled with tears. “Twilight Sparkle, it’s you!” she cried, embracing her. “I can’t believe it’s you!” she said.
“It’s been a long day, Princess Luna” said Twilight.
“I know all about it” she said, raising a hoof.
“You do?” Twilight lightly shook her head, brow furrowed. “How could you-“
“The spell I just cast was a mind reading spell” answered Luna. “It allows me to know anything about anyone. All I need to do is place a hoof on them. It's become somewhat of a necessity now that the changelings have taken over Equestria, and don’t worry, I only looked at what I needed to, your secrets are still yours.”
“That’s incredible, I didn’t even know there was a mind reading spell” said Twilight, still amazed by what she just heard.
“There are many kinds of magic you have yet to learn, Twilight” said Luna, smiling at her comment. “But I’m afraid there’s no time for any of that right now. Now that you’re here, the Elements of Harmony can be used again. The only problem is that your friends aren’t here.”
“Not here?” asked Twilight, taking a step back from the princess. “What do you mean they’re not here? Where are they? Are they okay? What happened?”
“After Canterlot fell and Celestia was captured, your friends united one last time to defend Ponyville. Despite their efforts, Ponyville was destroyed, and they each went their separate ways, blaming the other for their failures. Rarity left for the Crystal Empire, Rainbow Dash flew to Cloudsdale, and Applejack ran to Appleloosa. Unfortunately, I don’t know where Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy or Spike went, and Appleloosa and Cloudsdale have been destroyed since Applejack and Rainbow Dash left, so I can't guarantee they will still be there.
“What about the Crystal Empire?” asked Twilight, hoping for anything to work with.
“The Crystal Heart has managed to defend it from the changelings so far, but they have surrounded the city, and none of our refugees can get in.” answered Luna.
“If no one can get into the city, how am I supposed to get in and leave with Rarity?” asked Twilight.
“I believe these scouts can help you with that” said Luna, looking to the four ponies standing beside her.
“Of course” said the white stallion. “We’ll give you all the information you need.”
“The Crystal Empire is too far away to walk or fly, how am I supposed to get there?” asked Twilight, her face warped with confusion. “Are the trains still working?”
“Although the shield around the Crystal Empire prevents me from using my magic to teleport you inside, I can still bring you near it. From there, you’ll have to get in using the information the scouts will give you. As for getting back, I'm sure Princess Cadence and Shining Armor will be able to help you."
“Well it’s not much, but it’s a start” said Twilight, giving a brief nod of her head. “It looks like I’m going to the Crystal Empire.”
Chapter 3: A Rough Night
The shade of night continued to darken Equestria, the moon shining delicately upon the world below. Sunrise was only a few hours away, but for the ponies beneath the darkness it felt like ages. In the past, they could sleep peacefully, relishing in the protection of their princesses. But in recent years, that luxury was stolen from them, and it was not a welcome change. The night they once loved now filled them with the terror of uncertainty. Would this be the night the changelings raided their compound? Would they be dragged out of their homes and taken to Canterlot, never to be seen or heard from again? It was a question they asked themselves every night, and it was a question without an answer.
Most ponies refused to sleep, afraid of what might happen if they allowed themselves even a moment of rest. For the ponies who did choose to sleep, the experience was anything but restful. Their dreams were plagued by the evil that now ruled over Equestria, ages having passed since their last night of peaceful slumber. Many had come to expect the nightmares; they were simply another reason to avoid sleep. But one could not avoid sleep forever, and eventually their bodies demanded they suffer through the horrid visions to gather what little energy they could. Over many years they came to reluctantly accept this as just another part of their lives. One pony in particular was new to this horror however, a recent arrival in this twisted version of her home.
Twilight tossed and turned in her sleep, her eyes clenched painfully, sweat pouring off her body as her mind was warped by the haunting visions she was forced to witness. She had suffered a dream like this before, after her encounter with a pack of timberwolves. Everything she cared about was destroyed before her eyes, and she could do nothing to stop it. The nightmare finally ended when she too was taken by the evil that had claimed everything else.
She spurred awake, panting heavily as tears streamed down her face, mixing with the sweat that covered her body. She sat there, her sheets wet with perspiration as she tried to calm down. Eventually, she regained control of her breathing, and after several long moments of silence, reluctantly returned to her pillow, hoping for a peaceful dream that would not be coming.
In a bedroom chamber elsewhere in the building, Princess Luna slowly opened her eyes, despair on her face. “It’s happening too quickly” she said, looking to the ceiling as tears formed in her eyes. “I have to delay it, or there’s no hope for any of us.”
Twilight looked around the room, gathering what materials she could in preparation for her adventure. She had decided to give up on sleeping, having suffered through two more nightmares. She didn’t know what time it was, looking at the sky was somewhat difficult with a large wall of rock in the way, but she made an effort to quiet her motions in case anyone was still sleeping. She literally jumped in surprise as a knocking came from the door. She quickly gathered herself, preparing to face whoever she had woken up.
“Come in” she said, trying her best to form a smile despite how bad she felt. The door opened to reveal Princess Luna, who instantly saw the heavy fatigue in Twilight’s eyes. “Oh, hi Princess Luna” said Twilight, trying even harder to force a smile. “I’m just trying to get some things put together for the trip. I’ve triple checked my list and all that’s left is for the scouts to tell me how I’m supposed to get inside. I have no idea what time it is, but I’m sorry if I woke you.”
Luna grinned slightly at her concern. “Don’t worry, you didn’t wake me up, and I’m sure the scouts will be here any moment with the information that you need.” Luna closed the door, turning back to face Twilight. “In the meantime, there’s something very important I need to discuss with you.”
“Really?” asked Twilight, somewhat stumbling from exhaustion. “Is there something wrong? I mean, other than what’s already wrong?”
“I’m afraid there is Twilight” said Luna, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “I’ve seen your dreams, and I know what’s happening. I just want to say that I’m sorry.”
Twilight’s face warped with confusion. “You’re sorry? What for? I mean, all of this, it’s my fault. I’ve ruined countless lives, and I’ve destroyed almost all of Equestria. What do you have to be sorry for?”
Luna sighed deeply. There was a long silence before she finally spoke. “Twilight, you have to stop blaming yourself. What happened was a simple mistake, a mistake that you plan to correct. But more importantly, it was a mistake that you can correct. My sister and I have done many things that we wish we could take back, but unlike you we didn’t have that option.”
“Luna…” began Twilight.
“But I’ll save those stories for another time. I’m simply apologizing because I wouldn’t wish your situation on anyone. I can tell you from experience that time can be your greatest enemy, if given the opportunity. But I can also tell you that focusing on your past failures will only stand in the way of your future triumphs. There is…something else that I need to apologize for.”
“What do you mean?” asked Twilight.
“These dreams…these nightmares, are fueled by your emotions” began Luna. “Guilt, anger, depression, they are all contribute to your visions. Unfortunately, they are only fueling the visions, they are not directly responsible.”
“Then what is?” she asked, furrowing her brow.
“Not what” answered Luna, “But whom. Queen Chrysalis has become very powerful over the years, virtually unchallenged as she fed off the love in Equestria. This power cannot be contained, and it is released in the form of the nightmares that everyone is experiencing.”
“I still don’t understand how that’s your fault” said Twilight.
“The nightmares, in addition to causing fear, have another effect. They weaken the spirit of the ponies they haunt, draining their will to fight. I have tried to protect Equestria from their influence, but the power of the changeling queen continues to grow, and I fear the nightmares are beginning to affect even myself. I am unable to protect the very ponies that look to me for strength, and the only thing I can do is apologize.”
Twilight stared silently at the floor. Whatever she was going to say suddenly seemed a lot less important.
Luna placed a hoof under Twilight’s chin, raising her head to look her in the eyes. “That’s why I came to you. Your dreams have already begun to take their toll on your spirit, whether you know it or not. Your negative emotions are making the dreams more powerful, and you need to fight them.”
“I won’t give up that easily” said Twilight, somewhat offended by her comment.
“The changes won’t come quickly, but they will be devastating. I don’t know how long it will take you to reunite your friends, but if the dreams manage to break your spirit, none of it will matter.”
“I’m not sure I understand” said Twilight.
“Your friends have already lost who they are; their failure to defend Ponyville destroyed their friendship and the power that it held. You must remind them of who they are, but you can’t forget yourself in the process. The Elements of Harmony are brought together by a spark.”
“But if that spark fails…” began Twilight, her eyes wide as realization dawned on her.
“Then the elements will fail with it” finished Luna. “If you lose your will to fight, your sense of what’s important, there will be nothing left to stop the changelings. You have to realize that your friends have suffered through many things, and if you can’t rise to the challenge, neither will they.”
“What do you think I should do?” asked Twilight. The worry in her voice would normally raise a chuckle from Luna; Twilight often had a way of overreacting. In this situation however, it was important for Twilight to remain calm.
“Right now, you should try to get some rest” answered Luna. “The sun isn’t up yet and you need to gather your strength.”
“But you said that the scouts would be here any moment” said Twilight, confused.
“I also said that you didn’t wake me up” said Luna with a smile.
Twilight shrank back, blushing with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry Luna, I thought I was being quiet enough, but I-“
Luna raised a hoof to silence her. “Don’t worry; it was your nightmares that woke me up. When I saw that you were suffering I knew I had to do something.”
Twilight rubbed her head in confusion. “But you said you couldn’t do anything. I mean, isn’t that what you just apologized for?”
Luna chuckled slightly. “That’s true…There will come a time when I can no longer protect you from the nightmares, but for the moment I still can. So long as you keep your emotions in check, I should have no problem guarding your dreams. We’ll be cutting it a little close, but it should buy us all the time we need.”
Twilight slumped in defeat, burying her face in her hooves. “How am I supposed to keep my emotions in check with everything that’s going on? I mean, I still feel terrible about all of this, and knowing that my own guilt can ruin everything else only makes me feel worse.”
Luna embraced the young princess, knowing that this would be no easy task for her. She eventually broke the embrace, standing back up as Twilight weakly looked into her eyes. The uncertainty in her tear-filled gaze shook Luna to the core. Twilight’s spirit was already breaking, and she had to do something now.
A reassuring smile crossed her face. “I know how difficult this must be for you” she said, her hooves returning to Twilight’s shoulders. “Experience has taught me that a pony’s emotions can easily be their own undoing….Although the Elements of Harmony freed me from Nightmare Moon’s control, Nightmare Moon is still a part of who I am. That evil calls to me from the back of my mind, and it’s a never ending battle to keep that part of myself under control. There are many times when I feel as though it’s impossible, but I have to struggle on. We all have an evil to face, a part of ourselves that we try to conceal or control. Your negative emotions may not be evil, but they are something you need to fight.”
“And I was just saying how I wasn’t going to give up easily…” said Twilight sheepishly.
“You may be a princess now, but even princesses are allowed a failure or two” said Luna with a chuckle. “None of us are perfect; perfection is a high standard for anyone to live up to. Sometimes we mess up, and we have to accept it like anyone else. What matters is how we handle those failures when they happen.”
A sudden determination crossed Twilight’s face as she stood to meet Luna’s gaze. “You’re right. This is my mistake, and as long as I can make it right, I’m going to do everything I can to fix it. I owe that to myself and everyone else affected by this spell.”
Luna nodded with satisfaction. “Now there’s the spark I was searching for. When all of this is over, you’ll have quite the story to tell my past self. But for now, you really should get some sleep.”
Luna left the room, slowly closing the door as Twilight returned to her bed. A feeling of peace washed over the young princess as she gladly met her pillow, the nightmares lifted from her mind. Luna eventually reached her room, pausing as she opened the door. “It certainly is a never ending battle” she said, smiling weakly as she entered the room. She climbed into bed, pulling the sheets over herself as her head touched the pillow. She stared at the ceiling for several moments before letting out a long sigh. Tears again welled in her eyes. “But I fear I may be losing.” After several more moments, she closed her eyes, a familiar voice calling to her as she dreamt.
