Chapter 1: When the Star Fell
Author's Note
Hey Everypony!
Now, before I go on, I just have to say that this was pretty lazily done - in my opinion, anyways. But fear not! I have requested the aid of an editor and by Luna I got one! >:)
Nevertheless, I feel like I'm always going to be a little bit more lazy while creating this short stories since I am so used to writing longer stories...
But anyways; hopefully the story is the least bit entertaining.
I feel like it'll pick up after the third part, but eh.
You decide.
NOTICE: There is a spacing in the words, in part 3; this means nothing and apparently can't be fixed. Sorry about that.
Thanks for reading! :D
Chapter 1: When the Star Fell
Part One: Star Fall
Everypony gathered about the hill in Ponyville, quietly shifting about with baited breath and thriving interest at the spectacle that would soon be viewable to them. While others had their eyes on the sky, vigilantly searching with passionate anxiousness, others stood around in small groups and chattered with one another.
"Uh, Twahlaght?" Applejack approached a very-anxious Twilight who was busy looking into the telescope and then at a paper pad she had brought with her - back and forth, back and forth, her furrowed eyes flickered between her tools. Applejack tried again. "Twah?"
"Yes, Applejack?" Twilight asked, glancing back down at the pad in her hoof with a petulant frown, seemingly double-checking her numbers (and not liking her results), if anypony who looked her way had to guess.
"Ah was just wonderin' about th' shootin' stars... They gonna be around anytime soon?"
"Well, they should be here in just about—”
"HEY! TWILIGHT! ARE WE GUNNA SEE THE SHOOTING STARS YET?!" Pinkie suddenly appeared between Applejack and Twilight, shouting in untold glee right into Twilight's face.
Twilight's pupils dilated in surprised shock for a moment, before she shook herself out of both the temporary trance and the ringing in her ears; where her friend just originated from, she decided to ponder over later. An irritated edge began seeping into her tone. "Pinkie!"
"Yes, Twilight?" Pinkie said, batting her eyelids.
Twilight sighed, losing her annoyance just as quickly as it had come. "Couldn't you just ask me, normally?" She adjusted her telescope which had turned a few degrees to the left with the sudden appearance of the pink mare. "Besides, Applejack has already asked.” She motioned towards said Applejack, who was still shaking off the last drudges of the auditory beating she had been briefly put through. “And as I was about to say—”
"Huh? What do you mean, Twilight?" Pinkie interrupted, tilting her head to an almost-unnatural angle. "That was normal. It was my normal very-anxious tired-of-waiting-around-outside voice.”
Twilight exhaled and then smiled a little. "Well, I guess it's my fault. Maybe I shouldn't have asked you all out here so early...” Shaking her head, Twilight turned and began peering back down at her pad of notes. “Anyways, we have at least a few more minutes before the shooting stars, so if everypony wants to go—”
"Twilight! Look!" Pinkie cried, pointing a hoof.
"Huh?" Twilight turned as a chorus of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ began to fill the air.
"Oooh, wow! Look at that!" A pony in the crowd said, directing everyponies’ attention. Within the group of shooting white stars, there was an entire spectrum of colors highlighting random meteorites as they plummeted through the air.
"Oh my!"
"Wow!"
"Check that out!”
The hill was stark-still and void of sound, now - save for the occasionally-whispered coo of admiration. And while the processions were enamored to the point of paralysis by the fairly-rare sight, Spike walked up beside Twilight, gently bumping her with an elbow. "Hey, Twilight."
"Hey, Spike," Twilight said, averting her attention from the display of stars for a fraction of a second through a nuzzle before returning her focus to the shower. She and he were quiet for a minute before Twilight spoke. "Ya know something, Spike?"
"What?"
"The best and most beautiful scenes are always found in nature. And since moving to Ponyville, it's only ever gotten better."
"Heh. Yeah," Spike said. "You can say that again, Twi - and I totally agree with you.... But..."
"But what, Spike?" Twilight asked, her voice edged with concern.
"I think it's only really ever gotten better because - it's not just the view or anything - but because of our friends; now we can share these moments with them. And when I think about that sometimes, I just... I dunno, feel really happy about it."
Twilight smiled affectionately down at the little dragon. "I could not have said it better myself." She pulled him close to her with a foreleg and the both of them turned their eyes to the sky. Twilight wondered when was the last time she actually did something like this... When was the last time she ever watched the stars when it wasn't for some kind of experiment or study? With Spike... with her friends... like this?
"Spikey-wikey! Can we please have more tea?" Rarity called.
"Huh? Oh! Be right there!" Spike gently removed Twilight's hoof. "Be right back, Twi."
"Sure thing, Spike." Twilight saw him off with a smile, and turned her eyes back to the sky...
~ ~ ~ ~
Not long after that did everypony begin to move away from the crest of the hill. Others stayed to chat amicably with one another, while others laid out something to lie down on, the remaining night festivities now focusing more on a nice star-lit dinner than actual stargazing.
Twilight saw all of this and watched as her friends all began to group and pack up.
"C'mon Twi, let's head back to your place," Rainbow Dash said as she flew overhead of the rest of them.
"Uh, yeah... coming..." Twilight mumbled just loud enough to hear, turning her head back to the sky. I was sure it was supposed to go at least a few seconds longer...
"Twilight; you comin'?" Applejack called from somewhere behind her.
"Y... yeah," Twilight said after a moment or so. Perhaps she was wrong? She had an uneasy feeling starting to rise from the depths of her fetlocks. "Let me pack up my telescope;
I'll see you girls in a bit."
"Well, don't stay out too long, dear," Rarity called back.
"I'll go help... normally I would, Rarity, but... you all at the tree house!" Twilight heard Spike somewhere behind her -addressing her friends, no doubt. But she wasn't really listening - not to them, anyways. Her eyes were glued to the sky. She was sure her calculations were correct. To a ‘T’, at that. So... why weren’t they there?
Just then, she saw a few more shooting stars fly past, stirring up a bit of noise from a few of those who had stayed behind.
'I knew it!’ Twilight thought, her eyes following the stars across the sky. She then turned her head and saw another... a distinct one that seemed to be a bit slower than the others and was steadily heading across...
No... it wasn't really going across the sky... was it? Twilight tilted her head at it; its angle seemed to indicate it would reach the earth.
Twilight raised a hoof as if to walk over the top of the hill, her eyes fixed on the star... Down, down, down, it came. The arch of its tail bending more and more and more until... it seemed to be falling - almost as if it were just deliberately falling. Although... it's path... it wasn't straight in its path. Somehow, Twilight knew this wasn't any ordinary shooting star - if it even was a that - what she also knew, was that it was falling very, very close to Ponyville.
Her eyes followed the space debris until it seemed to disappear in the direction of the Everfree... a small burst of light caused Twilight's eyes to widen, and a low gasp escaped her mouth. All was still for just a few moments before Twilight came back to reality as Spike called out to her.
"Twilight! Twilight!" He panted as he reached her side. "Sorry about that, Twi; I got a bit distracted by the girls..."
"Hmm...?"
Spike furrowed his brow in confusion at the dull look of thought on Twilight’s face as she stared out blankly. In curiosity, he even waved his claw about her face. Nothing. Concerned, he began to speak. "I said—”
"Oh!” As if not realizing she had been standing there motionless, Twilight trotted over to her telescope and took a quick glance into it. “No, no, it's alright, Spike. I said I'd pack up, anyways..." She set her hoof onto the telescope in an attempt to break it down, only her mind was certainly not where her hoof was. Her hoof smoothly slid off, and she stumbled as a result.
"Uh... Twilight?" Spike said.
"Yes, Spike?" Twilight turned her face to him, oblivious to that little blunder.
"Uh..." Spike was a bit creeped out by the way Twilight was looking at him. Her gaze seemed blank and mindless, as though she wasn't even focusing on her current surroundings.
"I guess you’re a bit carried away by the stars, huh?" Spike continued, "But, you’re not going to use your telescope...? That's kinda strange."
"Is it?" Twilight asked, turning her eyes to the sky, once more, sweeping it for any signs of another falling star.
"Um... Twilight?" Spike said, poking her just a little.
"Oh! Spike!" Twilight was unamused.
"Sorry," Spike said, shifting his carry nervously. "You're not paying attention."
"Oh..." Twilight saw that Spike was all packed and ready to go, the telescope tucked under his right arm securely. She noticed a part of it had full potential of being marked up, against the ground. "Here, let me help with that." With a gentle glow from her horn, Twilight levitated her telescope just above head-level. "We'll just keep it like this," she said.
"Alright then." Spike said. They turned to go.
For just a moment, Twilight turned her head back to the patch of sky which was clearly seen from atop the hill. She glanced towards the direction of the Everfree, anxiety was lingering within her. She knew what she thought she had seen... but did she truly believe it? And if she would tell her friends... would they believe it?
* * * * *
Part Two: Vision of the Sky
"Ahhhhh...." Twilight yawned, smacking her lips as she slowly removed herself from bed. She ran a hoof over her face and then stretched, yawning once more. She then carelessly teleported herself to the lower floor and headed towards the restroom. Later on, she was eating breakfast with Spike.
"Good morning, Spike," Twilight said, embracing her little dragon friend.
"Good morning, Twilight—” Spike gave a brief yawn of his own. “—I got breakfast all ready for you."
"Thank you Spike," Twilight said, settling down to eat. Spike sat before her.
"No problem."
"..."
Spike frowned, watching as his friend was once again off in her own little space, lost in thought. "Uh, yeah... no problem, Twilight?" Spike repeated, rubbing the back of his head in worry and awkwardness.
"...."
"Uh, Twilight?.... Hello? Anypony home?" Spike snapped his claw before Twilight's face.
"Hmm... oh!” Spike’s worry doubled at the delayed response. “Sorry, Spike - what did you say?" Twilight asked.
"Don't worry about it," Spike said, rising from where he sat. It was still morning; perhaps Twilight was just a little groggy, Spike thought. "I'm not very hungry right now, so.... you go on ahead and eat. I'll be elsewhere... cleaning, I guess."
"Right. You do that," Twilight said, giving an assuring, yet suspicious grin. Spike raised an eyebrow, but left - regardless - leaving Twilight in thought.
She pushed her food back and sat with her head on her hooves... She began to think about what had taken place the evening before. What had it meant - what did it mean now? Was it all an illusion, or did she really see that star fall? Or was it even a star, in the first place..?
Her eyelids closed and she was immediately back on the hill. She could see the stars as clear as ever, now... may be ever clearer. She saw the shooting stars, her friends - everypony! But now... these feelings... something was different. Something was there, but she just couldn't put her hooves on it.
"That's right..." Twilight thought. "Expectancy..." That was what to call the feeling: expectancy. The whole atmosphere had changed, dramatically, from last night... Everypony's eyes were on the sky, yes, but... there were more like... more than just looking, they were... expecting. There were no "oohs" or "ahhs" as those particular shooting stars passed overhead.
There was hardly a stir from the crowd, at that... just... anxiety. Everypony seemed to be anxiously waiting... for something... something to happen—
that's when it hit Twilight! This is what she was feeling, last night. She was expecting something to come, but never really knew it... She turned and looked at the expressions on the faces of everypony in her imagination. They were blank and unreadable. But still, she knew everypony was expecting something. Just then, there was a great bright light behind Twilight. A small gasp escaped her lips as she turned to see what was emitting the bright light.
Twilight raised a foreleg, in an attempt to lessen the effects of the brightness of the heavenly glow. But now the light was before her - the star was actually right in front of her! She squinted her eyes as the bright light hovered, before her, for just a few seconds longer...
"Don't look, everypony!" Twilight heard her own voice, but couldn't quite tell that it was hers, for her mouth did not move. But as if startled, the light quivered and then shot off in the direction of the Everfree.
"W - wait!" Twilight extended a hoof towards the direction of the light, the star. Suddenly, all around her was darkness; nopony was around - not her friends, not anypony else, not even Spike...
"Twilight!"
Not even... Spike.... "Spike..." Twilight heard herself, that time, but wasn't really sure where her mind was.
"Twilight!" She thought her own name as if trying to pull herself out of the mind-paralyzing trance.
"Twilight!" No... that wasn't it. Somepony... somepony was calling her...
"WAH - AH!" Twilight's reality came back to her like a smack in the face. Spike would never admit in a million years that the smack came from him as he watched her fall back and out of her chair, ending up on the floor. "Ohhh..." She rubbed her head - shook it so that her eyes would stop spinning in their sockets. "Huh....?"
"Twilight, are you alright?" It was Spike. Of course it was Spike.
"Yeah I... I think so," Twilight said, sitting down on her rump.
Spike sighed. "Alright Twi. It's about time you told me what's going on."
"Oh, well..." Twilight chuckled, nervously. "It's - uh - kinda hard to explain.”
Spike raised an eyebrow, arms crossed over his chest. "Yeah?"
"Uh... yeah." With trepidation, Twilight rose to all fours. "But even if I did tell you...."
"What? Is it that you were so intrigued by the stars, last night, that now you can't even get them out of your head? They were so mystically wondrous that you're continuously seeing them, everywhere?" Spike paused, but before Twilight could say anything, he continued. "Or, is it something else? Maybe you just didn't get a good night's sleep..." It sounded like more of an conclusion than a question to Twilight.
"Uh... Actually Spike... You're right." Twilight headed towards the actual 'library" section of her house.
"Wait... I am?” Spike asked.
"Yes," Twilight said. "I mean - it's something like what you said... I just can't get the stars out of my head... what happened, I... I just can't let it go."
"Oh."
Twilight stopped, abruptly, and turned to see that her assistant had grabbed a broom and began to sweep as if without a care in the world. "What do you mean ‘oh’?" Don't you think that's a little blunt?"
"Nah." Spike continued sweeping.
"But Spike—!"
"Helloohhh - ooooh!"
"Huh?!" Twilight turned towards the door, just as Pinkie Pie burst in, practically cartwheeling through in her usual peppy zeal. "Pinkie—!"
"Heya, Twah." Applejack trailed in, behind an exstatic Pinkie Pie.
Like a gust to a flame, Twilight’s irritation was snuffed out, leaving an atmosphere of confusion. "Oh, hello girls..." Twilight said, stretching her neck to look beyond them to see if anypony else was coming in.
"Do’ 'worry. It's just us, Twalaght," Applejack reassured.
"Oh, well... that's fine, I suppose," With a smile, she looked to her two friends. "How can I help you girls?"
Applejack winced, almost imperceptibly. "Uh, you see... Actually—”
"What are you talking about, silly?! WE came here to help YOU!" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing around Twilight - suddenly ending up in her face.
"What do you mean? Twilight asked, raising a brow.
"Don't ask us, silly - ask him." Pinkie Pie motioned beyond Twilight.
Twilight turned, eyes locking onto Spike. His back was turned to her, but as soon as her eyes fell on him, he stilled. His lack of response caused Twilight turn back towards Pinkie Pie and Applejack. "I don’t underst—"
"Come ON, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie said, thrusting her face back at Twilight as soon as she could. "We all know you've finally lost it."
"What?!" Twilight’s eyes narrowed and she immediately turned back to Spike. "Spike! What did you tell them?! And when?! And how long ago?!"
"Now hold on there, sugarcube," Applejack said, gently touching Twilight's flank. "Whatever Spike told us, well... Ah don't think he meant it that way..." Applejack glared back at Pinkie Pie who, in turn, only shrugged.
"I still don't understand."
Applejack just sighed. "It's alraght. Ah think that once ah’ve done m' work today, an' when Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash an' Rarity aren't busy; we can all talk.” After a brief pause, she added, “You know you can tell us an'thang, right Twah?" Applejack asked.
"Yes, I know..." Twilight replied, smiling just a bit. "I guess we can talk later."
"Alright then, sugar," Applejack said, turning to go with Pinkie Pie in tow. "I best be gettin' about m' work, then." With a wave from the two friends, the door was closed and the library’s atmosphere returned to its former state.
* * * * *
Part Three: An Investigation
"Alright, so what exactly did you tell them?" Twilight inquired, as her hooves clopped, gently, over the soft grass. After her two friends had left, Twilight decided on a walk around the outskirts of town would help her rampant thoughts. Subsequently, she dragged Spike along with her.
"Oh, well, uh - it's not what you think," Spike stuttered, nervously.
"I'm listening," Twilight said, trotting onward.
Spike inhaled deeply. "Well... alrightsoIdidn'treallyknowwhatwaswrongImeanyouwereallytiredlikeandIhadnoideawhattodoandwasworriedaboutyouand—” Taking an enormous gasp of air as if he was preparing to belch fire, he nearly began his onslaught of hurried explanation before Twilight gently, but firmly, closed his mouth..
"Wait, wait, wait - stop!” Twilight gave herself a moment or so to process what she had heard. “You said you were worried about something? I mean, me - you were worried about me, you said? Why?"
"Because, Twilight, you weren't acting like yourself!" Spike said once his mouth was promptly returned to him. "I mean, you slept last night, like a log even! I saw you! So why would you be all in outer-space or something in the morning?!" His voice quieted. "You were always so amazed about the stars, but this was.... different..."
"But, Spike..." Twilight replied, matching his tone, "I... you seemed so calm this morning, though..."
"I know, but..." Spike let his voice trail off again, and this time he wasn't looking at Twilight.
"Oh, Spike. There's no need to worry - I can assure you; I'm fine..." Twilight stopped to nuzzle Spike like she always had. She was surprised when suddenly, out of the blue, Spike latched onto her muzzle and held a claw over her lips.
“Shh... I hear something..."
"Hmm?! Mwhup?" Twilight said, attempting to speak.
"Oh, sorry!" Spike let her muzzle go.
"Spike!" she growled, another random bout of irritation overcoming her.
"I said I was sorry Twi—”
"Shh! Wait... I hear something.." Twilight said, raising her head and looking about. What she heard was small, soft, but seemed to be some kind of melody to it.
"That's what I said,” Spike grunted, his voice harsh but hushed. For he, too, could hear the melody slowly wafting in from beyond a wall of underbrush. He nor Twilight had
realized just how far they had gotten, but it was no doubt they were somewhere in the Everfree.
Both he and Twilight crept up into the bushes before them, ones which looked out over a clearing. The small clearing was dotted with small spots of sunlight, with larger patches in other places. One such patch fell over a strange-looking figure which seemed to be sitting in the middle of the clearing. It took only a moment to confirm that it was the one emitting the melodic sound. Looking closer, they both could see that the figure was accompanied by a variety of birds which seemed to fly away from it, just to come back again.
"Twilight," Spike whispered. "What is that thing?"
"I'm not sure Spike," Twilight whispered back. "I... I can't really see it..." Spike didn't answer. Instead, he made some kind of half-inaudible, weird sound, that seemed to rise from the back of his throat.
Startled, Twilight looked down at her dragon-assistant. "Spike?" She said. His eyes were large and he was staring, his expression unreadable.
"So... beautiful..." Spike was practically gurgling in his own drool, now.
"What?! Seriously, Spike?!" Twilight said, raising her front hooves in emphasis of disbelief. Just then, she gasped, clamping them both over her mouth, as she squatted low to the ground.
She felt a stir in the clearing, beyond the bushes she and Spike hid themselves behind. "Sp - Spike," she muttered. "D-don't panic.. we can just go out there and see what it is. If it's not any sort of threat, then we can - Spike!?!"
Spike was carelessly stumbling out into the open clearing.
Before she knew what she was doing, Twilight dashed out after him, screaming his name and instinctively raising a barrier, incase the unknown figure was hostile.
"Spike - wait - Spike!"
In an instant, the whole clearing was illuminated with light, except “seeing” was still an option; anyone and anything could easily see - or rather, they could see a whole lot better! Although, to any onlooker beyond the clearing's natural bounds, there was nothing there to be seen.
As Twilight ran towards Spike, she felt like she was moving very slowly. The pure, white light was two walls that flanked her, like a corridor of sorts, and the figure in the middle of the clearing was at the "end" of the corridor.
Twilight Sparkle... the figure said.
Twilight stopped, abruptly and almost fell over in shock. "Y - you know my name..!"
That, I do. The creature said, slowly rising from where it sat. The creature rose to reveal its full and whole figure; tall and slender. The creature seemed to have long hair which was only able to be seen on its head and it had what looked to be radiant, glowing eyes, a short nose, a mouth, and two weird-looking ear-things. It had long skinny things which hung at its sides, tipped with a flat part that had skinnier things protruding from it, as if it was a fleshy blunt mimicry of Spike’s claws. The body looked like it was adorned in clothing - a dress perhaps - and the hair on its head flowed seemingly in an ethereal breeze.
"Wh - what... what are you?" Twilight exclaimed, eyes wide.
I am your star, Twilight. The one you have have been searching for.
* * * * *
Part 7: Back in Ponyville
Spike and Twilight walked along, in silence, as they headed back to Ponyville. After a little while, Spike finally snapped under the intense atmosphere and spoke up.
“Twilight?” He said.
“Hm?” The gears in Twilight’s head kept her body at a rhythmic trot, as she gave little heed to Spike.
“Yeah…” Spike began, searching for words. “About back there… I’m… sorry for what happened.”
Coming to a halt, Twilight looked over at Spike, eyebrow arched. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, come on Twi,” Spike murmured, looking down as he twiddled his thumbs. “If I had never went into the clearing in the first place, then this never would have happened…”
Twilight looked ahead of her and stared into space for a moment, a critical look of thought overcoming her face. Another bout of silence permeated the space between them. When Spike finally left his lethargy, and made an attempt to speak, Twilight burst into a sudden, abrupt fit of laughter and trotted onward.
“Really, Spike?!!” Twilight went on laughing, leaving behind a dumbfounded Spike.
Shaking himself of his trance, Spike ran up behind Twilight - speechless, for confusion had plastered his face, forbidding the movement of his mouth.
“Oh, Spike,” Twilight began, now recovered from her explosive guffaw, “It wasn’t your fault. I was the one who saw the star, remember? And besides - what’s the downfall here? The fact that I am to try and execute an investigation for an rare and unknown creature who used to inhabit some part of Equus, at one time, is just beyond extraordinary!” Twilight kicked her front legs in emphasis of her excitement.
“Oh… well… actually...”
“It’s fine, Spike,” Twilight said, dismissively trotting onward. “Let’s just get back to Ponyville. The sooner we do, the better, because we have a lot to talk about with the girls.”
A mixture of feelings caused Spike to stroke his arm, nervously. He then acquiesced with a nod and shuffled after Twilight. “Yeah… sure.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Now back in Ponyville, Spike and Twilight could see that only so much time had passed. They had started their little trek into the Everfree somewhere between nine and ten o’clock, so it was hardly noon.
“Spike, I am sure all of the girls are busy, so… why don’t we just head home and wait until later to talk about what happened, hm?”
Breaking through his thoughts of regret, Spike’s attention was drawn towards Twilight in that her voice carried a hint of uncertainty. He wasn’t sure where it came from, for she had just been so hyped about this whole thing just a moment ago…
“Sure”, was all the dragon said, his mind evidently elsewhere.
They walked on for a little while longer, until the tree house was just up ahead. Spike picked up the pace, moving ahead to open the door for Twilight when he was suddenly blown aside, Pinkie Pie’s boisterous voice landing him just a few feet from where he once stood;
“HEYA, SPIKE!” Pinkie yelled this while somehow managing to balance on the tips of her front hooves.
“Ah!!” Spike landed in the bushes, face first. Jerking his face upwards, it seemed as though Spike had suddenly reawakened. “Pinkie!! What’s the big idea?!”
Pinkie Pie snorted with laughter, “Oh, nothing! Just haven’t seen you all day, is all… Hey! Why haven't I seen you, today, at all? And you Twilight?! What’s going on? You’re not keeping something from me, are you?!”
Suddenly Pinkie Pie was standing over a compressed Twilight who had to bend herself so that she almost flattened on the ground - Pinkie Pie’s elongated eyes zipping all over Twilight.
“P - Pinkie!” Twilight stuttered, “Can you please stop looking at me, like that?! And —"
“Yeah,” An annoyed, but evidently recovered Spike cut in, arms folded across his chest. “Lay of Pinkie, we’re not hiding anything.”
“Oh yeah?” Pinkie Pie began closing in on Twilight.
“Sp - Spike!” Twilight managed, half pleading for her assistant’s assistance.
“Alright, fine.” Spike said, rolling his eyes. “We’ll tell you everything, later, Pinkie — later.”
Pinkie gasped, "I knew it!" she squeaked in emphasis, "I knew you two were doing something - otherwise I would've seen you two by now!” After somehow producing a familiar cap and pipe out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie - now standing beyond Twilight - eyed both her and Spike. “And when did you leave home? Hmm… very suspicious…” She stroked her chin with her hoof, glancing back and forth from Twilight and Spike.
After exchanging glances - Spike’s being rather annoyed and Twilight’s rather lost - they both headed towards the library door. Spike opened the door just as he had planned to, earlier on, and they both entered. Turning to close the door, he startled, for Pinkie Pie was right there.
“Veeeeeery suspicious.” She said, the bubbles she forced from the pipe apparently the essence of her voice as her mouth never moved.
With an irked brow still arched Spike said, “Look, I said we’ll talk later, alright? Tell the girls - later.” He then closed the door, Pinkie Pie’s suspicious look still following him.
Spike sighed, “Hey, Twi? I don’t really know what’s up, I mean… If it weren't for Pinkie then I never would have… I don’t know… I feel like I just woke up or something.”
Twilight just smiled back at the little dragon. “Guess it must be some sort of side effect from earlier.”
“Yeah...maybe…” Spike said, “But I mean… I don’t even know what I was thinking about, before now… Think I should be worried?”
“No, Spike.” Twilight said, coming over a giving him a bit of a hug. From what she would recall, all he had been doing was worrying about some kind of fault he had never made.
“Well, actually…” She began, trailing off of her thoughts.
“Yeah, I know.” Spike read her like a book, “Something’s bothering you.”
Twilight ceased the embrace and headed towards her room, “I guess you could say that."
“What is it?” Spike asked, his voice peaked with concern, now, more than annoyance. “Something to do with earlier, right?”
“Yes.” Twilight said, her voice coming to him, from her room. Spike entered and she continued to speak as she began rearrange the books on her bookshelf. “It’s just… I've had this sort of weird feeling within me since the day began." Twilight surveyed a book cover and then replaced it, elsewhere. "It was sort of the reason I couldn't eat, or why my mind drifted for no apparent reason… I thought it would be gone, by now, but…given the circumstances…”
“It didn't leave.” Spike finished.
“No, it didn't.” Twilight said, looking back at Spike. “In fact, it has sort of gotten a bit worse.”
“Well does it… does it hurt?” Spike asked, shifting with discomfort.
“No, it doesn't hurt, Spike,” Twilight reassured, “But it’s still there… just... in my stomach, I think. It’s just… it’s a feeling I can’t seem to shake, no matter what I do…”
“Well you haven’t done much,” Spike grunted, his voice a combination of concern and matter-of-factuality.
"Well, you're right, there." Twilight laughed as she finished her rearrangements.
"What was that for?" Spike asked.
"What? My laugh?" Twilight returned a question.
"No," Spike shook his head, "What you just did; isn't that... sort of my job?"
Twilight laughed again, all tensity lifted from her shoulders, "Oh, no - I was just tinkering, really."
"Oh." Spike said.
"Mhm." Twilight trotted towards the stairwell, "But I'm sure I'm going to do a whole lot more after the girls join us, today... Wanna finish breakfast?"
"Sure!" Spike headed down the stairs after Twilight, eager to join her and glad she seemed back to normal.
* * * * *
Part 8: Form and Fiction
There was lots of chatter as Twilight's friends piled into the tree house, library.
"Alrighty then." Twilight said shutting the door behind Rainbow Dash, the last one to enter. All of the girls took comfortable positions somewhere in the library; most of them just resting on their hooves. Rainbow Dash executed a few barrel-rolls and then decided to join the rest of them on the floor.
"Aw yeah! What a day it's been!" She stretched like a cat and yawned. "So, uh, what's down, Twilight?" There as a brief paused before she burst into laughter, "Get it?! What's down?!" She rolled around on the floor, laughing. Clearly, such a joke was pretty hilarious to Rainbow Dash... Apple Jack, on the other hoof —
"Oh, for ponies sake, Rainbow. We just got here and ready you're not letting Twahaht get her chance to speak." Apple Jack raised an unbelieving eyebrow at Rainbow Dash.
"Well actually —"
"Haha - sorry 'bout that Twi." Rainbow Dash straightened, "Couldn't resist."
"No, it's alri—"
"Yes," Rarity said, "Now. About all of this... what was it, again?" Rarity looked to Pinkie Pie for a refresher.
"Well, Rarity—"
"That's just it!" Pinkie Pie said, "I don't know! Twilight and Spike are keeping secrets!!" She pointed an accusing hoof in Twilight's - and then Spike's direction, as he joined the girls, standing besides Twilight.
Twilight sighed, "Pinkie—"
"You don't know?" Fluttershy asked, in a small voice, "But Pinkie Pie, you spoke to me for a long time, earlier... I know you said something about being here, but I can't remember much else..."
There was a pause before Twilight attempted another speak; "Well, girls, we—"
"Ahm sure Twah will tell us all about it." Apple Jack said, "It's why we're here, right?" There were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the group and they all turned their attention to Twilight.
"Um - uh - yes, yes, thank you Apple Jack." Twilight said, pulling her thoughts into focus, "Now what I was going to say was —"
"Hey Twilight!" Rainbow Dash said, raising a hoof.
"Yes, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight raised an expectant eyebrow, in Rainbow's direction.
"Nah, it was nuthin'." Rainbow Dash said, laughing a bit.
"Oh." Twilight positioned herself so she was facing the group, as a whole, "Well then back to what I was going to say... Ahem." Twilight then expounded on the events of that day - and last night. She explained to the girls just what had happened after they had left the hill and how she had seen the star fall. She told them about the weird dreams she had experienced - both during the night and that day. She told them about how she had apparently been acting strangely, which was the reason why Spike had told them whatever he had. She then went on to tell them about how she and Spike had gone into the forest and their meeting with Diana.
She explained what had happened with Spike and then relayed to them the same story Diana had told her and Spike, back in the Everfree. Twilight left out not a single detailed when she spoke about the request Diana had made to herself and Spike, as well as the mission they were going to embark on and why she needed their help.
"So as you can see, girls, this is what has been occupying myself and Spike, all of this time... We really need your help." Twilight looked from one mare to the next.
After a brief silence, most of the girls standing and staring at Twilight - as well as Spike - Rarity was the first to speak up this time.
"Ehem. Well. That was, uhh... very interesting story you told, there, dear!" Her enthusiastic tone died, immediately - Rainbow Dash picking up where she trailed off;
"Yeah, and completely unbelievable! Do you really expect us to believe that, Twilight?! I mean, come on! What was this supposed to be some kind of lame-attempt egghead prank?" Rainbow Dash was in the air, as she spoke, but ended up in Twilght's face, poking her muzzle.
"Yeah, Twilight!!" Pinkie Pie said, "Everypony knows stars don't fall down to the ground..." Thinking a moment Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "Ohhhh! I know! That must make you a cracked egghead!!" Apparently, that made the most sense to her.
Rainbow Dash fell away from Twilight, laughing, "Haha - yeah! Good one, Pinkie Pie!"
"Hey, that's not true!" Twilight snapped, "For one thing, I am not an egghead! And for another - why would I just lie to you all?! It's no joke - just ask Spike!"
"Simmer down, Sugarcube." Apple Jack said, resting a reassuring hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "We're here for ya. Now, about that story... Ah can't say it's not hard to believe, but ah can say that ah believe ya. A'course what yall're sayin' is that we need to find some kahnda species that used to exist - only now it doesn't - since they all left, eons ago?"
"Well not exactly." A now calmed Twilight said, turning her attention to Apple Jack, "We have only to find one creature that used to inhabit Equestria... Something that can relate to Diana..."
"Well, I'm not sure how you plan to do that, dear." Rarity spoke up, again, "But I believe you and from what I've heard, I am just not sure how we could possibly let that poor - um - whatever it is - whatever she is - go back, alone! Or, wait? Did I miss that part? Can she even go home, of you find nopony else to go with her?!"
"Yes, Rarity." Twilight said, "But the thing is - we don't know when." Twilight glanced over at Spike who had not moved, all attention turned to her, once again. "What Diana told us - told myself and Spike - was that she can only return to her home when...when... she said something, I just don't remem—"
"She said - and I quote - When the white light doth flood the second earth and turns it to be as the sun, and it shall sit among its brethren and shine as they - whole. This is when I shall return to my kind." Spike intervened, with astonishing accuracy.
Twilight's mouth was the only one to drop at that remark, the rest of the mane six shot awkward looks at Spike.
"What? I was there, wasn't I? I happen to remember things." Spike's tone was un-amused, entwined with annoyance at there apparent forgetfulness. He crossed his arms over his chest, gazing back at the mares.
Looking over at Twilight and gently closing her mouth, shut, Apple Jack said, "Uh, Twah? Was that really what th' creature said or is Spike, here, just talkin' all willy-nilly?"
"No, no, not at all." Twilight responded and then blushed, sheepishly. "Actually, that's what makes Spike such a great assistance, he does tend to remember things, well... That is exactly what she said."
Spike's expression was smug, "Oh, what can I say? Guess I'm just good, that way."
"Haha - whatever." Rainbow Dash said, noogying Spike, "But anyways, Twi , what's that even mean? Second earth and light and sun and stuff - what's that?"
"That's what I was wondering!" Pinkie Pie put in.
"I'm not sure." Twilight admitted, "But once we know that we will be able to tell how much time we have."
"Well, my dear, why are we even looking for this - I don't know, creature or whatever - when Diana can go home, by herself?" Rarity asked.
"I don't really know that, either," Twilight sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck, "But all I know is that finding somepony - someone or something - to go back with her means a lot to Diana, so...."
"Poor dear... what if she is the only one left?" Rarity's words hung in the air, for a while; no one talking, everypony thinking.
Eventually, a tiny voice spoke up, breaking the silence; "Well...um... she did say "sun" and "earth" and "shine", so... may be Celesta might know what she means?" Fluttershy rubbed a forearm, emphasizing the insecurity of her tiny voice.
"Oh, excellent idea, Fluttershy!!" Twilight's eyes shone, "We should ask Celestia!"
"Right, right, but even if we did understand when she was going to leave, we still don't know where to find someone who is just like her, to go back with her!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, "Shouldn't we figure that out, first? I mean, what'd be the point, right?"
"Well ah think we should know how much tahm we got," Apple Jack said, "So ah guess you can work on that, Twah." Twilight nodded, "And th' rest of us will go and look for some creature that might resemble Diana."
"And how do you supposed we do that, Ms.I'mincharge? "We can't just walk out th' door, run all over Equestria, and then expect to find some creature we've never even seen before - one that might not even exist - just like that!" Rainbow Dash was eye to eye with Apple Jack, within seconds.
"No, what ah meant was - look over there!" She spun Rainbow Dash around, pointing her like an arrow, towards the bookshelves. "See all that? There's a mother load a' information in this here library an' all we gotta do is look for the answer! Now get goin'!" Apple Jack rammed Rainbow Dash towards the shelves, and the other girls followed behind.
Twilight approached Spike and was about to speak before Rarity said, "Twilight, you told us of Diana's... um... bizarre appearance, but you didn't exactly tell us how she looked."
"Oh, that!" Twilight laughed, "Sorry, girls, I forgot something!"
All of the mares stopped their worked and looked at Twilight. Twilight trotted over to the group and began to pull books off of the shelves, with her magic. She flipped through a few, as she spoke;
"After Spike and I spoke to Diana and before she left, she had transformed into an entirely different creature... She looked so strange, I can't believe I forgot that part!" Twilight flips a few move pages of a book and then returns it to its place.
The mares exchanged glances and then Rainbow Dash said, "Yeah? And what did she look like?"
Twilight defined Diana's transformation form as best she could, leaving out no details.
"Wow, that does sound weird." Pinkie Pie's expression was calm and thoughtful...That is until she exploded, saying, "I'M GONNA FIND IT, FIRST!" She raced up the stairs, into Twilight's bedroom.
"Hey, wait! Pinkie Pie!" Twilight hardly saw the blur of pink as it dashed up the stairway, but knew where Pinkie Pie had gone.
"I know it has to be in one of these books, Twilight! You're room's full of 'em!" Pinkie Pie called from above.
Twilight sighed, "Yes, well, anyways..." She turned to the rest of the group, "What?" Twisted, unreadable expressions sat on their faces.
Rainbow Dash dragged her hooves down her face, "How am I supposed to remember all that?!"
"That does sound bizarre, Twilight - even more so than before!"" Rarity's voice was a mix of horror and delight.
"Which one are we s'posed to be lookin' for, here?" Apple Jack concluded.
"The second one," Twilight assured them, "Definitely the second one."
"But Twilight!" Rainbow Dash groaned, "I can't remember all that!"
"Then I will be right here, to remind you." Twilight smiled, "After all, this is a team effort."
"You got that that right." Apple Jack mumbled her approval, her nose deep into a book.
"Hey Twilight!" Spike ran up behind Twilight and patted her on the flank.
"What is it, Spike?" Twilight turned her head to look at the little dragon.
"What should I do?" Spike asked, "Kinda been standing around for a while and-
"That's alright, Spike, we got this." Twilight said, turning to nuzzle him. "You go ahead to bed."
"Oh... well, you sure?" Spike asked.
"Definitely." Twilight hugged Spike. Her pressing into him only caused the butterflies in her stomach to explode into a frenzy and she wearily backed off.
"You alright?" Spike asked, a few steps away from the stairs.
"I'm fine, Spike." Twilight returned a reassuring smile. Spike took it, nodding, and headed up the stairs. Twilight turned her attention to the rest of the girls, but her mind wasn't really there. "The feeling" was still there and refused to go away; she felt like she still had something to do... or was it that something was there and she wasn't looking at it? Maybe there was somewhere else she was supposed to be searching? She couldn't read the feeling and decided to let it be, for the time being.
