Crystarium Fantasia

Astrána and Twilight stepped out onto the platform. Twilight took a deep breath, the smell of trees, open air and... Candy filling her nose, Pinkie Pie ran headlong into Twilight, hugging her tightly.

"TWILIGHT! I've missed you soooooo much!" She squealed in excitement, Twilight hugged back for a moment.

"Pinkie, you can let go now."

Pinkie frowned, "But I don't wanna!"

Applejack trotted upto the three ponies, Astrána stood dumbfounded at Pinkie's actions, "C'mon Pinkie. She needs to get her stuff back to her library."

"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight smilled as Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash approached, "I've missed you guys so much!"

"I think I speak for all of us when I say I did to." Rarity said, smiling. Pinkie stood, allowing Twilight to get to her feet. Twilight looked at her friends.

"Do you want to walk back to library with me?" The purple mare asked. The group agreed to walk with Twilight and Astrána to the Library. As they progressed towards the hallow tree they passed the university, the building was finished while Twilight was away in Canterlot.

The seven mares reached the Library, Twilight unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Twilight! I've missed you!" Spike ran over to Twilight and hugged her.

"Come on in girls," she said, "Spike will make us some food." Spike looked at Twilight with a look of amusement. The five other mares walked in smiling, Astrána walked to the doorway.

"Come in, Astrána. This is your house as much as mine, for now." Twilight said with a smile. Astrána walked in, she looked around nervously for a while.

"Umm... Twilight?" Fluttershy said quietly. "I need to speak to you."

"Ok Fluttershy." Twilight replied, walking a few meters away from the group with her. "What's up?"

"I..." Tears filled her eyes, "I felt something yesterday. It felt like some unnatural force was awoken."

"I know... Princess Celestia and I felt it too. I can't quite tell you about it now. I'll come over to your cottage tomorrow, ok?"

"O-Ok Twilight." Fluttershy walked back to the group after this. Twilight began to feel worried but she shrugged the feeling off. Approaching the group she realised Astrána had begun talking to her friends. Good, it's not taking her as long to adjust to my friends. It was a week before she would call me Twilight. She smiled as she remembered Astrána calling her 'Miss Sparkle' it always tickled her.

***

A few hours had passed, Spike had gone to bed, Twilight had ate with her friends. Astrána and her were idly chatting.

"I didn't know I was your first student." Astrána stated.

"Oh, yes. I'm worried I won't be able to focus on your studies as much as I have been the past two weeks. The university wasn't supposed to be finished for three months."

"That makes me feel rather special." Astrána said with a sligh blush. "But, I see you as more of a friend than a teacher, is that wrong?"

Twilight thought for a moment, "I see you as a friend too, Astrána. It might be unprofessional but I can't really help who I grow attached to."

Astrána smiled, "Thanks Twi'. I find it hard to make friends in new places. I'm glad your friends were nice to me. They usually find my silence disturbing."

"Oh don't worry," Twilight said offhandedly, "Fluttershy is quiet, a lot like you."

Astrána smiled at this, "I'm glad I have something in common with your friends, it would have been terrible if we did not get along."

"I doubt that would've happened."

"I'm a rather nervous person, I just assume the worst," Astrána said, laughing slightly. "Are you feeling better, after yesterday?"

Twilight felt she needed to lie, but she had the greatest urge she could trust and confide in Astrána, she was the same age as her. "Yeah, I'm... No, I've not been feeling ok."

Astrána moved closer to her, she put her her leg around Twilight's back, "Why? did the others feel it too?"

"Yes, they did. I'm worried this might be a serious issue." Twilight lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Everything will be ok." Astrána the leaned into a Twilight and nuzzled her before giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

Twilight's ears perked up, she turned to look at Astrána, "I... Umm... Astrána?"

Astrána immediately removed her leg from around Twilight, blushing. "I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me."

Twilight smiled, "It's ok..." She thought for a moment, "We're still friends."

"That's good." Astrána said, a flash of sadness flickered through her eyes, it was so momentarily that Twilight dismissed it for some other feeling.

"I'll... Go to bed." Astrána said, blushing.

Twilight smiled, "I guess I will too, it's pretty late."

***

Twilight left Astrána and Spike in bed, stepped outside into the dim morning sun. Birds flitted from her tree when she closed the door. She trotted towards the University, it was a large stone building, it seemed too big for the small town. Twilight soon realised that ponies will be travelling to Ponyville to learn from Celestia's student herself. Twilight pondered whether she should enter the building. She approached the door, just as she was about to enter she remembered her promise to Fluttershy the previous night.

After a short walk Twilight reached Fluttershy's house, she knocked on the door. A few seconds passed then Fluttershy opened the door.

"Oh, hi Twilight. I didn't know you would come this early..." Fluttershy said.

"Am I too early?"

"Oh, no. Come in." As Fluttershy spoke these words she stepped aside, allowing Twilight to enter her cottage. She noticed she had redecorated. More walkways and small houses for animals lined the walls, Angel sat over on the couch chewing on a carrot.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

Twilight paused for a moment, "Well, while Astrána and I stumbled upon a secret room in the Canterlot library."

Fluttershy look bemused, "A secret room?"

"Yes, the Queen of Equestria herself created it. She had left her journal on a pedestal in the antechamber."

"I thought you said it was a room."

"Well, it was. Only it was bigger on the inside." Twilight tried to explain, "We opened the book, some sparks shot from the inside of it and then, that's when we felt it. That's when everyone felt it."

Fluttershy pondered for a moment, "What did the journal say?"

"Well... The Queen of Equestria was named Astrána, she went to stop six ponies that were working with Discord that harness some great power, the element of Chaos." Fluttershy recoiled at the sound of the elements, "The last thing she wrote was..." Twilight paused for a moment, "I...I don't remember.

"You don't remember? But it can't have been that unimportant." Fluttershy stated curiously.

"It wasn't! I remember reacting, it was a great shock to both me and Astrána." Twilight began feeling frantic, "Celestia must remember... I'll send her a letter as soon as I get back." Twilight trotted towards the door.

"Twilight wait!" Fluttershy said, quite loud for her. Being the quiet pony in the group. "The animals will be ok... Won't they?"

Twilight paused for a moment, "Of course they will, Fluttershy." She walked out the door with a quick glance and a smile back at Fluttershy, she seemed reassured for some reason.

***

Twilight reached the University once more, the sound of desks being dragged along floors sounded from within the building, Twilight's ears flopped to the sides of her head. It was not long ago she was a student herself, now she was burdened with taking that knowledge and passing it onto the next generation. The prospect depressed her, yet at the same time, empowered her, it made her feel alive. The next generation growing up having her as a teacher.

Thinking it was high time she did something relaxing Twilight decided to go for a walk. Ponyville had not changed since she had left, except perhaps for the few tidbits here and there might have been altered.

The brisk morning air blew through her coat and mane. Ponyville appeared fairly barren such an early time, few ponies roamed the streets, Twilight noticed a few fillies taking themselves to school, the bare flanks on the young ponies reminded Twilight about Sweetiebelle, Applebloom and Scootaloo. She knew she would be teaching them but had not had the chance to speak to to the young ponies in months. I must make a note to go and visit them this week. She thought.

An hour passed, Twilight entertained herself by watching the morning in Ponyville unfold, the shops were opened, ponies now roamed the streets, people mingled and chatted with friends. Twilight even met with a few old acquaintances she had almost forgotten about.

Twilight headed back to her house, keeping in mind she needed to write a letter to Princess Celestia discussing the matter that came up and Fluttershy's cottage, it still worried her. As she entered the door she saw Astrána sat by the fire reading the Queen's spellbook.

"Hello, Astrána." Twilight said, smiling.

Astrána jumped slightly, surprised to see her, "Hello, come and take a look at this, some of these spells are extremely complex!"

Twilight trotted over to where Astrána was seated, "Oh, oh dear. This book contains arcane spells of the highest nature..." Twilight scanned the page, "Here, take a look at this one. Crystarium Fantasia, a spell that renders everything within a thirty meter radius encased in a crystalline tomb. Odd, it doesn't say when it wears off."

Astrána closed the book, "I guess that'll have to wait for another time."

"Yes, it will." Twilight agreed. "I guess we need to get back to your studies... Today I will be teaching you offensive magic. We'll have to travel to the Everfree forest to practice this, it should be interesting." Twilight said.

Astrána smiled, "Oh! I've been excited to learn offensive magic!"

Twilight nodded towards Astrána, "I need to write a letter to the Princess, could you gather your notes on offensive magic and wake Spike? We'll leave in an hour." Astrána smiled and trotted upstairs to wake spike. Twilight began to write her letter.

Dear Princess Celestia

Earlier today I was conversing with Fluttershy when she asked me a few questions about your mothers journal. I was unable

to answer a few particular because their answers did not appear in my mind. It was as if the book itself had wiped them from my

memories. It was a rather disturbing experience considering the conclusion of the book was so important. Could you please

get back to me on this matter as soon as possible.

                                                                                                 Your faithul Student

Twilight Sparkle