A darkness within a Twilightby Ultimaexe24ChaptersA start into DarknessChapter 2: Explanations and preparations Part1Chapter 3: Explaination and preparartions part 2Chapter 4: The hidden truth of the new teacherA start into DarknessLove, happiness, joy, friendship, these are the things that I used to describe my life now its fear, anger, darkness, hatred, and malice under the guidance of a king. A king who’s a master of the dark arts, a king who enslaved his own people and uses fear to control them, a king who was defeated by the princesses of the moon and sun and I am his apprentice, but my life wasn’t always like this it was once filled with the love, happiness, and friendship that anyone needs and friends who are supposed to be there for you, before it felt nice but now it makes me sick and so I write this in order to remind myself and to show my side on how everything got to this point, my name is Twilight sparkle, no I am Midnight Sparkle faithful apprentice to the dark king Sombra and this is my story. My life started off normal like any other life I had a loving family of my mother, my father, and my older brother in Canterlot, now as a filly I studied magic on my own wanting to attend Princess Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns, now I knew I was special when it came down to magic but I didn’t know how special I was until that day. I was practicing my magic with my favorite doll In the world Miss smarty pants. I was trying to make her teleport from one spot to another and that’s when I heard a voice, a voice that seemed to be coming from my doll, I’ll never forget what it said, “Little filly you have great magical potential I’m impressed.” now knowing what I know now I probably wouldn’t have paid it any mind, but being a filly I was both scared and surprised, the voice was coming from Miss smarty pants. I looked around to see if some pony was perhaps pull a prank on me but I saw no one, I looked at my doll and said, “Miss smarty pants did you talk.” “Yes little filly I did.” it answered to my surprise. I was speechless my only thought was, “I made her talk.” so I grabbed my doll and ran to my parents and told them what happened, they just laughed and chalked it up as me having a wild imagination. Feeling insulted I went to my room, sat on my bed while looking over my doll and thought, “did I really just imagined it?” but just then the voice answered, “No Twilight you didn’t.” I gasped and replied, “You can talk, but why didn’t you talk when I showed you to my parents?” the voice answered, “If I had talked to them they would get rid of me thinking I was bad for you and you don’t want that.” I thought about that and answered, “No but.” “And I can help you with your magic but you must not tell anypony or show anypony.” The voice had said. I quickly agreed and thus started my road to greatness. I have to admit it was hard, very hard. I read books throughout the day and at night I practiced what I’ve learned, and I learned it all even some dark magic from what I had read at the time was very dangerous but the voice ensured me that it wasn’t and as I agreed I didn’t show anypony what I learned. As the time went by the voice was talking less and less and my parents was getting worried on how I was acting and they thought I didn’t know but I did know but I didn’t care at this time I was going for the entrance exam for the school, I ran into my room and went to my miss smarty pants doll and told it the good news, the voice answered, “That is excellent Twilight I know you’ll get in for sure and you’ll meet Princess Celestia as well, but there is something I must tell you.” It told me that it had to go away for a while, at that time I didn’t know what he meant by it but the voice gave me a gift, as I picked up my doll a small black flame came out of it and went into me, the voice had said that once he returned he shall call to me and that flame will be our link and then the voice was gone, I was sad but I knew what I had to do and I did, I performed in front of Princess Celestia once she saw what I could do she made me her protégé I mean I was living every pony in that school’s dream. As time went on I would sometimes wondered about the voice, who was it, why would it choose me of all ponies to talk to. I looked at every book in the castle and couldn’t find anything on it, there were times when I was sleeping I could hear him telling me that the time was getting near and that I must study hard. Years later I was living in the Golden oak library in ponyvile and I had five great friends who at the time I considered them like sisters. we've been through a lot together, the return of Nightmare moon, Discord’s return, and even my brother Shining armor and my foal sister Cadence's wedding, as well dealing with the changelings, some time after that we dealt with Sombra, In fact I believe that’s the time when things went downhill. Princess Celestia had sent me and my friends to where the Crystal empire reappeared and find the Crystal heart as well as protect the crystal ponies from Sombra’s return. Everything was going well with the crystal fair, keeping crystal ponies happy and having them think we had the crystal heart that I had cut with my magic. But there was the problem, it had to be the actual crystal heart not a heart shaped crystal, so I along with spike went to find it. After sometime our search lead us to a door on the bottom of stairs lots and lots of stairs, after a few failed attempts I was about to try again until everything went grey and there floating towards me was a ball of light and a voice that I haven’t heard in years say to me, “It’s been a while twilight my friend you have grown quite well.” I felt like I was that little filly again, was shocked and happy at the same time. I called for spike but he didn’t respond that’s when the voice had told me it had stopped time for us to talk, I told him what I was doing and what he told me shocked me even more, “Twilight you must not retrieve the crystal heart you will fail the test.” I asked him to explain then he told me, his name was Cubic Spark shine and that he live in the crystal empire sometime before Sombra’s take over, he was was about to tell me more but everything was coming into color and he told me to look in the forest for a book titled Annalis and to use the spell of true revealing to understand everything and then he was gone. I shook my head and opened the door and to make things short I saved the crystal empire with the real crystal heart, well spike did. The next day I went to canterlot to see princess Celestia, as I entered the royal hall to the throne room I seen her standing next to a wooden stool with a smile pile of papers on it and with her magic lifting one, quickly writing in it, rolled it up and making it disappear and doing the same with the next. I remember how was so happy to see her and was eager to start my next phase of my training, I announced myself to her. Without even looking at me she said angrily “What are you doing here?” “I have come to start my next phase of my train princess.” I answered and bowed to her. Heh bowing down to her, at that time I would do it happily but now I haven’t done that to any pony except my master but I’m trailing, Celestia said, “you needn’t worry about that but you will leave now.” I was confused I didn’t even know why she was so angry I simply replied, “Leave, but why where am I supposed to go?” she answers, “It doesn’t matter to me...” as she finally looked me she continued “You failed the test Twilight.” this shocked me even more, I failed her test I never failed any of her test. I replied to her with tears starting to swell up in my eyes “I don’t understand, I did everything that was needed for...” but she quickly interrupted me, “Not only will you not go on to the next level of your studies, you won’t continue your studies at all.” tears were starting to flow as I said, “You didn’t say anything about me no longer being your student if I failed.” she then placed a wing over me and gave me a look of concern but then pushed me aside and said, “didn’t I.” and started walking off, "What do I do now.” I asked her, but just then everything turned grey and all motions had stopped, I knew what this meant and so I shouted, “Mister Cubic are you here?” and there appeared the same ball of light but then in a little flash appeared ethereal ghost like unicorn with cerulean blue eyed light brown coat and darker brawn mane and tail with a cutie mark of a magic spark with little shinning gems on the sides, I looked at him and said, “Mister Cubic is that you?” “ yes Twilight it’s me.” he said with a smile, I ran to him as tears fell from my eyes and hugged him all the while crying, he wrapped a hoof around me and said, “There there Twilight it’s alright.” I told him what happen and he said he knew and that’s why he appeared to on that day, he wanted to warn me about all of this. I didn’t understand then he said, “She wasn’t going to allow you to go the next stage of your training and I think it’s entirely my fault.” “Your fault how could it be your fault?” I said to him while wiping the tears from my face, “As I told you when you were younger you have a lot of magical potential within you and from what you’ve learned from me your magic has grown exponentially I believe she sensed that and has felt threatened by it.” he told me, “What, but why would she feel that way I would never do anything that would threaten her.” I asked, he gave me a sad expression and said, “perhaps it opened up some old wounds.” just then he started to fade away and I asked, “what’s happening?” “My time stop spell is ending listen to me my dear Twilight you must find my book with the word Annalis we can talk again and I will be able to tell everything just remember look in the forest and find my lab, use the true revealing...” and he was gone again and everything returned to color and in motion. Princess Celestia was walking away, she turned to me and said “you're still here leave this place now and never return, you are to leave my kingdom you are here by banished.” as the last drop of my tears fell I simply walked out. As I arrived home at the library I saw my friends who were waiting for me, as I got closer Rainbow dash was the first to ask, “So Twilight what the news when do you start your new egghead stuff with the princess?” “Yes darling do tell us.” Rarity said, I just lowered my head and continued walking as I said, “There won’t be any more lessons.” I replied, “What do you mean Twilight?” Spike said, “I’ll tell you what it means. It means that she’s so smart that the princess decided there was nothing she could teach her.” Rainbow dash said as she flew right next to me, “Oh oh then you know what this calls for… a party, yeah a big party with lots of balloons and streamers and oh oh and a big cake that says way to go and and…”Pinkie pie quickly said, Pinkie stopped on the count of applejack place her hoof over her mouth and said, “Ah don’t think that’s the case here.” I stopped in front of the door and said, “Your right applejack, because I’m no longer her student I failed her test.” they all gasped, “What! No way.” Rainbow dash said. “Preposterous.” Rarity said. “Are sure about that sugar cube?” Applejack said. “That can’t be right Twilight.” Spike said. “Maybe you should ask if you can retake it somehow.” Fluttershy said. “Yeah like maybe a test on other magically stuff.” Pinkie pie said. I shook my head and said, “No I can’t retake the test.” “Did she at least say why you failed?” Rainbow dash said I simply answered, “No and I’m not going to ask, if you guys can excuse me I really tired I think I’ll lay down for a bit.” I then walked in and closed the door behind me. I could hear what they were saying but I didn’t care and I didn’t want to burden them with the news of my banishment so I went upstairs to my room and just cried myself to sleep. As I slept I could hear Spark shine’s words echo through like a lone voice in a concert hall saying for me to find his book in the forest and flashes of the area flew around and suddenly I woke up in a cold sweat, I looked around and saw I was still in my room and spike was sleeping I could tell because he talking in his sleep, it sound like he was having a dream about jewels again, I smiled and looked out the window and saw Luna’s moon and thought, “If I was going to leave, now would be a good time.” So I got out of bed and levitated a light brown bag and filled it with some books I thought I would need, placed it on my back and started to head downstairs but stopped on a count of spike saying, “Twilight don’t go.” I turned around and saw he was still asleep and he mumbled, “No Twilight don’t go in to the.....pudding pool.” I smiled and I levitated him onto my bed, no his new bed and kissed him on his forehead and whispered, “goodbye Spike.” and proceeded downstairs as I go down stairs I saw the whole area was decorated for a party and there on the floor were my friends sleeping, I then proceeded through and opened my door and slowly closed it but not before I quietly said, “goodbye my friends.” Now outside I walked to the edge of ponyville in front of fluttershy’s home and facing the Everfree forest. I closed my eyes and thought of what Spark shine said look in the forest. Now I know there are quite a few forests here in Equestria but this is the closes one here, so I took a deep breath exhaled, gathered my courage and walked into the forest. As I was in the forest I noticed that it was quiet, a bit too quiet. I thought it was perhaps the local wildlife was just sleeping, well that's what I was telling myself as I walked in deeper. Soon I came across the castle of the royal pony sisters Princess Celestia and Luna’s old castle before the Nightmare moon incident and the start of my adventures win ponyvile. There I thought, “I’ve been through this castle inside and out and didn’t find any book called Annalis, let alone a lab.” but then it struck me perhaps he wanted me to use a spell that would maybe find it. I thought for a moment and remembered what spell he was talking about and that spell was the true reveal spell. As the name implies it reveals anything that is hidden away to the naked eye with magic, and so I concentrated on using that spell and with a low flash of purple light a brown wooden door appeared in front of me. I walked around it and saw that the handle was on the other side so I opened it using my magic then a flash of light appeared I closed my eyes tightly when it faded I opened my eyes and was astounded by what I saw it was a large room filled with books, test tubes, and other things and in the back large like glass cylinder and above is some weird looking device with some sort of large gem hanging with large red wires going into it I suspect that is what’s lighting up the room and there right under it was a red covered book sitting on a wooden pedestal, I walked towards it just then a familiar voice shouted, “Twilight stop!” I suddenly halted in place and I called out to Spark shine suddenly the ethereal unicorn appeared in front of me, breathed a sigh of relief and said, “another step and you would’ve been transported.” and pointed to the floor, there were a circle of gems embedded in the wooden floor and inside the circle were symbols that seemed familiar to me. Spark shine then continued to say “This is one of my creations it teleports you to different location of this tower.” “Tower, I thought this was just one room?” I said with my head tilted and giving a confused look. “No Twilight this is indeed a tower and if you would look out that window.” Spark shine said as he point to a nearby window, I walked to it and what I saw I just couldn’t believe I was in the crystal empire. I then turned to Spark shine and said, “This is not possible we’re in the crystal empire but I’ve never seen this tower when I was here before.” Spark shine chuckled a bit and said, “Your right this tower wasn’t there when you arrived in fact we’re not in the crystal empire at all.” “Then where...” was all I could say before he continued, “you’re in a different world a shadow world if you will, you see...” He explained to me that during his travels he heard rumors of the crystal empire having returned, so in his haste he tried used teleportation spell but the spell bounced back and he was brought here, at the time he thought nothing happened but saw that every pony wasn’t noticing him, then one group of ponies passed right through him, he thought he was a ghost but realized that the ground was solid for him soon after he reappeared back to where he disappeared, he went on to tell me how he figured out how to and from there and managed to bring this tower filled with every book ever known his Tower of knowledge he calls it along with him and was able to finite his magic and other things in this place. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing a world in between worlds and I was in it, it was too much for me to handle so I went to the window but then I saw the scenery changing in to another place as if one was fading out as the other was fading in and what I saw just made me speechless it was ponyville not the ponyville I left behind it was morning every pony going about their day, I sat down with my hoof on my head and Spark shine walked over to me I looked at him and just stuttered “wha..how…the…and…ponyville…and...” he just smiled and said, “ah you’ve seen it as well, you see time moves different here, in here has only been minutes but out there hours have passed but when you return to where you were it’s like not much time has passed at all it’s quite a phenomenon.” he then help me up and continued, “but enough about that come I promised I’d tell you everything.” and he did. He told me he was like me he studied magic and he developed ways to improve other ponies magic he even figured out a way to teleport to long distances but as he was about to test his spell when sombra attacked, he hid himself so to not get captured and went to go see princess Celestia for help once he got to canterlot she and princess Luna were already gone to stop him, so he used the long distance teleportation spell to return to the crystal empire but when he had got there he was drained of his magic and was weak but he saw the crystal empire, his home disappeared. As he was telling me this, flashes of the events he went through just filled the area like pages of a book being turned, I then asked what he did after me being interested in his story, he told me for some time he worked in secret finding a way to bring back his home but he soon found out that if he did find a way to bring back his home it would bring Sombra back as well so he quit looking and continued his studies of magic, he developed even more spells even some transformation spells so he used a spell to change himself into an earth pony and changed his name into astrum lighthooves and worked with my idol Star swirl and only he knew of his true identity, years went by for him and he wanted to live to see the day that his home would return and help stop Sombra from returning with it so he delved even further into magic to lengthen his life, he couldn’t find anything not even with Star swirl’s help so in secret tried other forms of magic even dark magic and alchemy and that when he developed a potion that was supposed to give him eternal life and everlasting youth but he never tested it, but one day Star swirl suggested that he consult with the princess, so he did. He told her everything on what happened during sombra’s attack, on how he traveled around the world, everything. She wasn’t even mad at him for deceiving her for so long and she offered to help in any way she could but he later found out that was a lie well to him not a purposely caused lie at the time she was just so busy to help and he wasn’t angry about it but what started everything to go wrong is what he discovered about Sombra. He discovered that what had happened at the crystal empire was not Sombra’s fault. Apparently Sombra was possessed by a dark spirit which had turned him evil. I asked him how he figured that out and he said, “Well I found an old journal of his and it stated that he was searching for something for the princess of that time, to protect the empire with the help of its citizens you know what that was,” I thought for a moment and answered, “The crystal heart!” “That’s right but at that time it wasn’t called the crystal heart it was…well it had many names but at that time it was called a destiny stone, upon knowing this he and a large group of his soldiers set out to find the stone but upon returning only he was the only one to return alive, it was said that the way to it was treacherous and full of dangers that no pony could ever think of.” Spark shine said. I couldn’t believe what he told me but before I could respond he continued, “He presented it to the princess and demonstrated its power, but she was very weary of it right away and felt the heart having such malice within it, but Sombra assured her it was nothing to worry about, but she was right to be suspicions because unknown to any pony at the time Sombra was already under the spirit’s spell, and as time went by it was twisting his thoughts and driving him down a path of darkness, but at that time a great war was beginning between the empire and the griffons. The princess felt that the war could be avoided, so she made many attempts to make peace with them but all failed, Sombra seeing this took it upon himself to do what he thought was right...” Spark Shine told me but I quickly interrupted him “No that can’t be right, you mean to tell me Sombra, king Sombra, the same Sombra who attacked and enslaved the crystal ponies, defend it from attackers long before, why would he do that if the spirit was turning him evil, in fact I’ve read up on the crystal empire’s history and there was nothing about any war, how do I know any of this is true?” Sparkshine just smiled and said, “Now that’s the Twilight I know, but your right there isn’t anything on the war because the princess thinking it would be best to ease the pain for the citizens erased it from their memories and only she and a certain few in her court knew of it and Sombra was one of them and no record has been kept of it except for two books, one I’ve written and Sombra’s journal and to answer your question young Twilight, Sombra would have done all those things even if he wasn’t under a dark spell, for you see he was in love with the princess but I’m trailing off allow me to finish the story...” and he did, he told me the princess purging the crystal heart of the evil spirit due to Sombra telling her of his feelings about it being tainted, it took all the magic she had and it left her drained and sombra battled on for the empire until the war was over and he was to be rewarded but she stripped him of his title and honor due to a pendant made from the heart showed her a darkness inside him, Sombra was angry of her decision and he came up with a plan to kill the princess the one pony he loved he did it by poisoning her, Spark Shine wouldn’t tell me the rest but I gathered what happened but he went back to his story “Upon knowing this I went to tell Princess Celestia of this but she wouldn’t hear of it. I beg and pleaded for her to hear me out on an idea that would have saved him and the empire but she still didn’t want to hear it and that’s when I found out what was wrong Star swirl had told me that she had banish her sister to the moon using the elements of harmony and that’s what finalized my resolve, so I returned here and studied and practiced on some new spells after a lot of failed attempts I had done it and came up with a spell that was able to separate darkness out of any pony but it wouldn't get rid of it completely...” I interrupted by asking, “Why is that?” “Because in everything in this world there has to be balance, take one thing away it can’t be maintained, say if I used the spell on Princess Celestia then she would be completely good, no darkness no anger nothing. Oh it would be good for some time but her view would be warped thinking that whatever she thinks is bad she would have to correct, just think all of Equestria would be under a tyrannical rule far worse than Sombra’s instead of place of darkness it would be a place of oppressive light, that is why darkness is needed to balance everything out and for us to learn from our negative mistakes.” Spark Shine said. “Ok so seeing as Sombra was still evil you weren't able to use your spell.” I said. “No but there was a reason you see if I had brought the kingdom back it would have brought him back as well that much you know but due to Sombra’s power I would need a large power source to use the spell and that would have to be the elements, So I left out of here and went to tell her but when I got there I have found out that it had been years since I have last been to canterlot, and when I saw the princess she looked happy in what had to be in a long time. I didn’t want to burden her with my plan so I took the elements and traveled to the frozen north to bring him back and use my spell, but somehow she had gotten wind of my plan and stopped me on the boarders of where the crystal empire once stood, to say she was surprised to see me would be an understatment, to her I looked the same as I have to her perspective all those years ago. I once again pleaded to her told her it would be beter to go through with my plan but she wouldn’t listen, and I wasn't going to be swayed by her words. We said what was on our minds and I said some....harsh things and I told her I would anything just to save the kingdom even go throught her forcably, but still she remained adament on her dession, with no more words left between us we fought. Each spell she casted were calculated and precise but I countered them with something more powerful and wild ones. I was slowly gaining the upper hoof, she then was getting desperate end the battle as she was just lashing spell after spell at me while as I deflected and countered with the spells I mastered. Moments later she was on the ground and I stood tall feeling triumphant but then I realized something, I was more powerful than she was but also I was perhaps acting just as Sombra was in their battle. Upon relaizing this I returned the elements to her and apologized and how foalish I was acting, she accepted and said I was acting for the good of the Crystal empire, but just then something went wrong, my horn started to glow and pain rushed through me, I screamed as my body writhed pain and agony, soon my body was going numb, Celestia tried to help with using her magic but nothing worked, soon I lost consciousness and only here the faint screams of Celestia's voice calling my name. I came to some time later to find her crying, I told her I was ok but she didn’t respond to me, I tried to place a hoof on her shoulder but it passed right through her and that’s when I realized that I has in between worlds again but this time it felt different, this tower was there but I couldn’t touch anything as I can today and I’ve been like this ever since, so you see Twilight I believe it was what happened between me and her is why she reacted the way she has to you she doesn’t want you to go down the same path as I have, that is why I must tell you to speak with her once again and allow her to know of what I’ve told you.” Spark Shine said. “No I can’t she banished me remember I can’t got back not ever." I told him, he then sighed and said, “Well if you won’t go to talk to her I guess I can be your teacher but we have to start right away to prepare for the event that I have feared will come.” “Ok, but what event you are talking about?” I told him, he walked over to the book turned his head to me and said, “Because Sombra is returning.” I gasped and said, “What. But how he was defeated by Cadence and the crystal heart.” Spark Shine looked up at the glowing gem and said “No Twilight what was destroyed was nothing more than a shadow, excess magic from Sombra. Yes he was turned to shadow but over the years he has slowly getting stronger and with the crystal empire having returned he’s coming back and even more powerful than ever.” To be continued…. Author's Note Well what do you think and this is only the first part of the story the next is sure to come so look out for it Chapter 2: Explanations and preparations Part1I can remember the cold chill that ran through me after Sparkshine, my new teacher had said those words, King Sombra, the dark king of the crystal empire , a part of history believed to be gone wasn’t. I gasped at that, a million thoughts went through my mind, some of fear and panic, some are plans on how to warn every pony about this. The next thing to run through my mind were a million question but only one thing came out, “What!? But how, he was defeated with the crystal heart, wasn't he.” Sparkshine looked up at the glowing gem somberly and said, “No Twilight what was destroyed was nothing more than a shadow, excess magic from Sombra that he has been releasing over the years.” “I don’t understand Princess Celestia told me that he was turned into a shadow.” I said confusingly and trying to hide the fear in my tone, he then walked over to me and said, “Yes he was turned to shadow,” then waved a hoof in the air and suddenly an image appeared floating in the air, I studied it and saw that the large gem that was projecting the image and what it showed was a familiar figure, it was king Sombra but not in his shadow form but in his original form, he was still incased in ice but something was different. I looked closer and saw his body was pulsating lightly of some sort of dark energy, then Sparkshine continued, “but over the years he has slowly gotten stronger and as you can see he managed to reform his body.” “Reform h..his body. But how?” I said to him still in disbelief. he then wave hoof at the image and it changed into three more images. The first was of an earth pony mare, her eyes were dark red, and her mane, and tail was a dark muddy brown color and her coat was a wood brown color, on her flank was a cutie mark of a black crystal shard, she was just walking and from what I saw it looked as if she was in ponyvile, on the image next to her was a light grey stallion Pegasus with a dark red eyes with black mane and tail with a cutie mark of a crystal wrapped around in chains flying from what it looked to me was high in the sky perhaps clouds dale and on the last image showed two small figures one was a midnight blue colt Pegasus with his mane and tail of light blue that seemed to shimmer like the stars in the night sky, I remember thinking that that colt could be a dead ringer to be princess luna’s son, and the other was a dark grey filly unicorn with her mane and tail white with silver highlights and her mane tied at the end, the area they were in looked to be in a city Manehattan I thought , the little colt was crying while the little filly was trying to comfort him. I turned to spark shine and said, “I don’t understand. What do they have to do with any of this?” But as if to give me an answer they all started emitting the same purple mist for their eyes, and that’s when he said something that I never thought was possible, “They have a lot to do with this twilight, for you see they are Sombra’s essences that has been pony-fied, given life through sheer will.” “What, his essence.” I said nearly falling back by this news. “Yes, artificial ponies created through magic each with a different part of Sombra that are walking among us, well I should say they all represent different aspects or traits of him.” Spark shine said then pointed to the earth pony mare, “This one is named Sapphire Fancy believe it or not she is in tuned to magic which is a trait that Sombra has.” “Wait, so your saying she can perform magic?” I asked him in a somewhat disbelieve tone. “Exactly, to be more precise she can perform dark magic.” Spark shine said “That’s impossible, only ponies with a horn can perform any kind of magic.” I said as I looked at the floating image of the mare. “Ah, she knows this as well but she can, She doesn't understand how all she know is that she can but not in the norm that is.” he said as he rubbed his hoof under his chin. “What do you mean by that?” I asked “Well Twilight allow me to answer your question with one of my own. What is needed for magic to be performed.” He asked me, I thought for a moment and answered, “Well...as I said before a horn but…” “Exactly, but to be more precise something for it to be released is what's needed. As you should already know all ponies have magic within them but is used in different ways. For Earth ponies it's their physical strength and touch that releases their internal magic or to be more accurate through their hooves." I just simply stared at him confused at what he just said, he simply rubbed his chin with his hoof and said, "Allow me to explain." and with that he closed his his eyes and his horn started to glow blue, he then lowered his head until his horn touched the floor and out appeared a miniature pony. It was Applejack, hat and all with a little garden and some tools next to her. I stared at it with such intrigue and curiosity, I mean who wouldn't be, this kind of magic was unknown to me....me a who read just about every book on magic in the canterlot library. I knelt down to study it...er her more closely, I remember thinking that it was amazing the only time I seen something like this was when the princess showed me the crystal empire when Sombra returned or to be exact his shadow, but she used a crystal to make a projection not making it out of thin air. I placed my hoof on uh her and it went right through, I tried a few more times but the same result. I looked up to Spark shine and he said, "It's just a holo construct which I'll be teaching you about this spell later but right now let allow me to continue." I just simply nodded, stood up, smiled sheepishly and said, "Yes of..of course." He coughed into his hoof and continued with his explanation, "Now for instance your friend Applejack, well... her and her family are excellent apple farmers that can bring out the potential of the soil that they plant their seeds into and in which grows their apples with the help of the magic within them," just then the mini Applejack was working on the miniature garden. "but if another pony tries their hoof at it say a unicorn...." his horn glowed a bit brighter and the mini Applejack turned in to a mini Rarity wearing overalls and a hat performing the same actions as the mini Applejack from before. I remember thinking to myself, the real Rarity would never do farm work, she'd be to worried about getting dirty or even getting her mane and tail all messy. I giggled at that thought as Sparkshine continued, "the same result will happen but it won't be as... well...eh vibrant as Applejack's her family grown crops." "Wait a minute.." I quickly said to him, "if what your telling me is true then explain Pinkie pie." "Er..uh...well... She's...more of an unexpected surprise when it comes to Earth pony magic. To be honest she's done things that I can't explain, I'm sure you can relate to that." Sparkshine said while scratching his head, Oh I know the feeling, oh I certainly know the feeling. Studying Pinkie's Pinkie sense just left me with more questions about her, especially when she's pulling things out of no where. I just simply replied, "Yes I can relate on that." "Yes there were even times where she could fell my presents and even see me when no other pony should, but I detouring from the topic. As for a Pegasus it's kind of the same but..." "But it's more with their inner magic which they use for weather control and moving clouds and walking on them. As for us unicorns, we use our horns to use more complex forms of magic." I quickly say to him, "I know all of this Mr Sparkshine, this is common knowledge." Sparkshine just looked at me blankly as his horn stopped glowing and in a poof the mini Rarity vanished. After a few blinks he then gave me a warm smile and said, "Of course Twilight your right but she's a special case and I'll explain more on that later for now let’s move on shall we.” He said as he pointed to the image of the Pegasus and continued, “Now he, is called Amorphous chain and he represents Sombra’s cunning as well as he is Sombra’s eyes and ears, so….” “So he’s only gathering information for him.” I quickly interrupted. “Correct, when I discovered him I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but that is until I noticed him traveling from one place to another never staying for too long.” Spark shine said, I gave him a puzzled look and said, “Well that doesn’t seem so wrong.” “Normally yes, but the places he has been to have been reported of ponies exhibiting weird behavior and claims of being chased by monsters and other things, showing signs of fear and soon the whole town would be in a panic and fear, too afraid to even leave their homes to do even the most simple of things, but once he leaves the weird behaviors ceases, but at the next town he visits would exhibit the same behavior.” Sparkshine said, "So your saying he's performing some kind of fear magic." I said to him with a slight confused look, he simply nodded. "But that's crazy!" I shouted "No pony could just make another just experience fear, not from what your telling me." "Oh, don't you remember," He said with a raised eyebrow, "at the crystal empire. When you found a certain door. What happened to you when you got opened to it?" "Well..." I said. I thought for a moment on that particular event, I replayed it over and over in my mind but couldn't recall anything that was different. Tapping my hoof on my head I finally said, "I opened the door went up a lot of stairs, found the crystal heart, got caught in a trap set up by Sombra, then had spike take the crystal heart and after that.." "No no no Twilight. The door, what happened after you opened it the first time." Sparkshine said, "The first time but..I.." I answered, but then it hit me, I did open the door twice. I forced it open by using dark magic but then I got a vision of my worst fear of failing the test that Celestia had given my, but now that I think about it it was more of a vision of the future to me. Sparkshine smiled at me and said, "Ah, now you remember." "I do, but that was caused by a crystal that was on top of the door..." I said I paused for a moment and thought back to the door with the crystal above it. Sombra could have known I was there he was still trying to get through Cadence's magic, but then a realization just struck me like a door to the muzzle and I said, "That crystal, it must have been enchanted by Sombra long before, just as the same way how that trap had to be made to protect the crystal heart from any pony who came looking for it, it activates when some pony got close to or in the area." "Exactly, and he's like that crystal but only instead of effecting one pony he effects a whole town or a city, but as I said he doesn't stay long only a few days." Sparkshine said, I paced around thinking for a moment and a few questions came to mind. Did the princess know of what was going on and planed to have an investigation on it, and if so then why hasn't done anything or for that matter with her recent actions would she do anything? If I didn't fail her so called "test" would she have just sent me to investigate it in a form of some grand request or "lesson". I paced around even more until another question came to mind, I turned to Sparkshine, who was looking at me with a bit of concern, and asked “Do you know what he was exactly doing?” “Well believe it or not most of his times were spent in town halls for their records and libraries.” He answered. I can remember how my anger just sky rocketed. I was furious but also absolutely livid upon hearing that some pony was using libraries for evil purposes, I laugh at myself overtime I remember that moment, I remember stomping my hooves to the ground and saying, “I can’t believe this, how can some pony just.....go around using the world’s libraries for....for evil, that’s just unthinkable…” I went on and on about how books are meant to be used to educate others about ourselves and our history, how childish I must of sounded going on and on about books when at that time the fate of equestria rested in my hooves and mine alone, but I’m trailing off the main topic. Sparkshine just stood there wide eyed and speechless and then he just laughed at my little outburst, I then stopped and smiled sheepishly, as my cheeks turning red from my embarrassment. Looking back on it now I can say I was still so naïve to the important things when it came situations like this, oh sure I knew what needed to be done but when it comes to books or learning in general that was more important to me but again I digress. As Sparkshine was done laughing he wiped a tear from his eye and said, “I’m sorry Twilight, but when you said that it just made me remember an old friend who felt so enthusiastic about books just as much as you do, but let us continue on shall we.” and with another wave of his hoof the floating image changed to the little filly and colt. He started explaining about the two, and I stared at him intently but at this time I can admit this now, I wasn't paying much attention. You see my thoughts were of the other two. Oh of course I should have been paying attention but it's just those two ponies, created through Sombra's magic and walking among other ponies, were causing so much trouble for them, if I didn't know better I'd say discord may have something to do with this as well. A Pegasus stallion who instils fear to every pony that's in the place he visits, and an earth pony mare who can perform dark magic, I keep racking my mind on those two I knew I had to stop them from whatever they were doing for Sombra, but I thought maybe they could be taught on how to control their magic and live like regular ponies. I felt a hoof placed on me and snap out of my train of thought, and saw Sparkshine giving me a worried look as he said, "Twilight are you alright? You seemed to be miles away." "Yes, I fine." I answered with a forced smile. "You know Twilight you're a terrible liar, I know something's bothering you now tell me, it doesn't have something to do with what happen with Celestia, does it." He said to me with concern in his voice. It wasn't about what happened, from my banishment and having to leave my friends and ponyvile but at that moment it did, but not as much as to my current concerns. I stared down at my hooves and started rubbing one of them against my fore leg and answered, "Well no, not entirely, Its just that.." I started to look around as if I was going to find the right words to say. I closed my eyes then slowly inhaled and then exhaled which seemed to relax me a bit, I then look to my new mentor and said, "I was just wondering if it was possible for them to learn to control their magic." Sparkshine walked over to his previous spot, sat down then closed his eyes and lowered his head all while rubbing his chin thinking. Silence engulfed the room not a sound came from us, well the only sound that could be heard was a low humming sound that seemed to be coming from the crystal over head. He remained that way for a few moments until he said, "If some pony found a way to teach them then yes it is possible, but why would that matter Twilight?" I must have seemed to light up to him with my ears perking up and having an large smile form on my lips as I said, "Then if they did, they could live their lives as normal ponies and not have to do Sombra's orders, we can even become friends with them and they could help us." Sparkshine just frown at my statement and said, "No Twilight they can't live like normal ponies they are magic given life and form, they may look like normal ponies but to the core they're nothing more than Sombra's slaves to do his bidding. Even if they learned to control their magic they would pose a greater threat, the can not be reasoned with and they certainly wouldn't befriend any pony." I felt like I shrink to the size of a foal as I feel my ears folding to my head and I lowered my head staring at the floor and sadly said, "O...Oh your right, sorry forget I mentioned it." I could hear his hoof steps getting closer to me, each step just seemed like they were telling how naive I was to even think of something like that, as they stopped I was staring at them I remembered thinking, 'This is it, he's going to toss me aside just like the princess did, I am a failure. what am I going to do now.' As I felt the tears starting to form in my eyes I felt something else, I felt him place a foreleg on me as he said, "Look Twilight I know how you feel you have a good heart, as big of a heart as the bearer of the element of kindness, but we just can't take that chance," he was silent for a moment then let out a heavy sigh, "but if you think befriending them could work, I don't see why we can't give it a try." I slowly looked up to at his blue eyes and his warming smile. I wiped the tears from my eyes and said, "R..Really." "Well yeah. You've done a lot of things that no pony would ever thought would be possible," Sparkshine said and with a wave of hoof images of my previous exploits appeared and slowly rotated around us as he continued, "You've not only made some wonderful friends but you've also defeated Nightmare moon which brought back princess Luna, you've figured out how to bring your friends back to their senses and turned Discord back to stone, You've also uncovered the truth behind the Changeling queen's disguise during your brother's wedding, even when Celestia was fooled and fought valiantly against most if not her entire hive and help save the day, you also created a plan to keep the crystal ponies happy until you find the crystal heart and along with spike, help save it from Sombra's shadow and that's just a few things that you have done. So you should be proud of all those things and never doubt yourself when it comes to things like this. Plus as your teacher you should know that I have complete and total faith in you on making it happen." From just saying made me smile, not only that but it also made me feel good about myself and all that I've done. I remember thinking, 'I shouldn't be sulking about what happened, I should be moving forward, it like they say when one door closes another door opens. I maybe banished but I can still help save Equestria from behind the scenes.' I wiped the last of my tears, then regained my composure and put on a determined look as I said, "You're right Mr Sparkshine. Now lets gets started on saving Equestria." "At-ta mare, lets get started." Sparkshine says with a nod. Author's Note Well this took me some time to do, what with things happening in my life like getting sick, work and visits from long time friends. but here it is the second chapter, Tell me what you think of it, I could really use some input so I can better direct the way the next chapter should go. Chapter 3: Explaination and preparartions part 2Chapter 3: Explanations and preparations Part 2 Once Sparkshine said those words we got started….well after he insisted I get some sleep first. I protested of course but he forcibly had me go to sleep and by that I mean he placed a sleep spell on me, how I know that well when I woke up he told me, and that was the first lesson that he taught me, and after that he showed me around the tower. I remember I studied every nook and cranny of that place, and when I thought I knew everything with a little chuckle and a warm smile he would always tell me, “No Twilight your not there’s still more within here,” and would reveal even more floors of that place. I remember asking him, “How many more floors are there?” he rubbed his chin and said in a fatherly tone, “Hmm how many floors…well Twilight let me put it to you this way. It would take a few lifetimes to even reach the first half of floors that’s in here and that’s judging from the time difference within here. but in my case, uh...I lost count after the....hmm...nine hundred and fifty second floor.” I felt my jaw lowering from the pure shock of what he just said, nine hundred and fifty two, he lost count after the nine hundred and fifty second floor. We went through I believe it was around fifteen floors of nothing but books and that still wasn’t even ten percent of what that place had. The floors he had showed me had every book a pony would want, from books on attack spells and defensive spells to even (to my surprise from when he told me) books on raising foals, I mean I thought that the Libraries in Canterlot or even the Castle archives had a lot of books but that place, the “Opacnt sanctum of scientia” he called it, (but I liked my name for it better, the “Montis Santorum of knowledge” but I’m moving off into a tangent here) completely over shadowed them. Those places alone or even all the libraries throughout all of Equestria couldn’t compare to the amount of books that was stored within it, it would be like comparing and ant to a pony, no a dragon. My new teacher told me that was the reason why he placed those circle of gems or those “Warp pads” on each floor, so that it would be easier for him to navigate to which ever floor he wanted. After all of that and a little breakfast we started on one of the most important things in my life at that moment, my new magic training. Now I thought all this training was going to be easy, but my training on this new form of magic has been anything but easy. For the first few weeks he had me studying and memorizing spells from his Plethora of books, and another few weeks he had me practiced them. I remember those sessions were so exhausting, I practiced those spells until I had no more magic left, well practicing those level of spells would tire any pony out and I couldn’t fault Sparkshine for them going like that, to be fair he did tell me to pace myself but I wouldn’t have it. I was so focused on mastering these new spells so I could be prepared for either one of those magic pony constructs arrived or Sombra’s inevitable return. I remember the first few days he had me train outside the tower, and I don’t mean outside of the tower as in back in the Everfree forest, I literally mean outside the tower. I open a side door and saw nothing but pitch-black nothingness I mean there was nothing there, no road, no sky, just pure nothingness. I couldn’t even feel any wind but something was giving us air or else we would have suffocated from a lack of oxygen. I turned to Sparkshine and he just motioned me to move forward, I looked out to the nothingness again, took a deep breath, closed my eyes and place a hoof forward, and to my surprise my hoof made contact with the nothingness. I lifted my hoof up and placed it back down just to confirm this, then I heard Sparkshine laugh a little but I didn’t care I wasn’t going to charge head first and find myself falling into an abyss of Nothingness, Once I confirm it was ok I proceeded forward. As I’ve taken a few steps out an uneasy feeling washed over me. In mere moments I felt like my entire world was spinning around me and turning upside down, I couldn't tell up from down, right from left or if I was standing or sitting, I felt like I was going to lose my breakfast, the temperature didn’t make it any better for me neither, I should explain. You see it was like being in a block of ice shivering while at the same time I felt like I was in the desert, with my mouth all dry my body sweating then it would all switch in a matter of minutes. I think I read a book on sensations like that, I think its what happens when a mare becomes pregnant not sure really, not that I’ve ever been pregnant mind you, so don’t think that about me, although it’s not like I don’t want a foal of my own I’m just not ready for a foal of my own yet but if I were to have a foal I would may…be have one with Master Sombra. I could see us ruling as king and queen but…. No…no…I gotta get those thought out of my head, bad twilight, bad twilight, no naughty thoughts, oh great look what I did I written all of that inside the book oh well I'll just edit these parts out (if I can last long enough before she returns) but..I…um…anyway I’m getting waaaaay off topic here. Anyway I remember just standing there, staring at that dark abyss just trying to get my bearings on how this area actually worked and then saying to myself, “This place it looks like it goes on forever.” “It does actually.” “Gah!” That was all I said as I jumped up a bit and fell down all the while turned around while grabbing my chest and breathing erratically. I literally felt like I jumped out of my own skin, The only time I had felt like that would be with Pinkie pie popping out of nowhere. As I saw it was Sparkshine he had an ear-to-ear smile just like Pinkie would, I started to slow down my breathing. He place a hoof on my shoulder and said, “Twilight relax it’s just me, sorry I scared you. I sometimes forget that when walking out here you hardly make a sound.” Then I realized he was right, I looked to the tower to judge how far I've walked and thought for a second and realized I didn’t hear any of my hoof steps. He helped me up and said, "As I said this place actually do go on forever and if you're not careful you can get lost, and trust me I've been there I wondered for hours trying to get back to the tower." "Then how did you get back?" I asked. "Well luckily I always place a wavepoint so I can teleport my way back to where ever I was, no matter how far I've went." He answered. "W.wait, a Wavepoint what's that?" I asked him still confused. Sparkshine raised his head and was tapping a hoof to his chin, I could tell he was thinking because after tapping his hoof to his chin he would cross his forelegs close his eyes. After a few moments he finally said, "Ok, but first close your eyes." I did as he asked. "Ok now picture a giant Hooftack placed in the middle of Ponyvile." "Wait a giant Hooftack?" I said to him "Yes a giant Hooftack or a Railroad spike if you will, hmm.. now that I think about it yes a Railroad spike will make much more sense. Anyway now said Railroad spike is actually a bit of you magic given form. Now you're traveling to a far way place to lets say, um...oh Appleloosa." Sparkshine said "Ok." I said still not getting where this was going. "Now as you travel picture the distance between you and the Spike is a big rubber band and as you travel it's stretching longer and longer as you as you get further and further from it, until you reach Appleloosa." Sparkshine said and swear I could feel him smiling as he is explaining this to me. "Ok, so now what?" I asked as I started to what I thought I was figuring out where this was going. "Now as you arrive there and you've done everything that you needed to do and you're planning on your return trip but realize you do not have enough bits for it, so what do you do?" He said. I thought for a moment trying to figure out the answer and trying to piece together everything he has told me thus far, :Hmm he mentioned the Railroad spike and a Rubber band being my travel distance, so there's gotta be a connection. Wait if I'm in Applelossa then..." "Ah you got it now don't you." Sparkshine said "Yes I do." I answered with so much confidence all the while puffing up my chest, "This is a trick scenario because the ticket would be a round trip one." Sparkshine giggled a little and said "Well that maybe true Twilight but in this example no that's not answer." and right then and there all of my confidence and ego just fell and shattered like a piece of glass. I felt my ears fold to my head as I fell to my hunch and said, "What, but how is that wrong?" Sparkshine walked closer to me and said, "Twilight it's not that it's wrong, it's just not the scenario I've given you." lowered his head and shook it slowly, "I can't blame you though. You've probably came up with that answer do to Celestia's method of magical training you and your way of going through your studies." He placed a hoof to my shoulder, given me a more serious look as he stared at me square in the eyes and said, "You're over thinking it Twilight, just think about everything I have just I told you." I sat there and thought for moment and then it finally it me. I facehoofed myself for not getting it sooner, I mean it was so simple. I stood up now brimming with new confidence and said, "The Railroad spike I would use that, I mean it's so simple." I gave him a big smile "you said that it's my magic in a form right." "That's right, you're on the right track." Sparkshine said "So if it's my magic I should be able to trace it and use it to teleport." I said. "Exactly but not just any teleport, you would use a method that I like to call a snap teleport." he said after giving me a little applause, but just then a something came to mind, "Wait but that can't be right, even if i did use a teleportation spell I wouldn't have nearly enough magic to take me all the way back to Ponyvile, I don't think even the Princesses have that much magic for it, and even if i did I would be way too tired to do anything else." "Ah yes normally you'd be right, you wouldn't have enough magic just to make that long distance jump, but performing a snap teleport you would, you see...." Sparkshine said, just then his horn glowed and out appeared a railroad spike, a barn and a little version of me just standing there in mid air between the both of us and continued, "by using this method it's like you're creating another you in ponyvile which is basically telling your body and the world around you that you haven't even left from Ponyvile but in reality you have, and as you are traveling...." he then moved the mini me away from the Spike, towards the barn. As he done that a faint light blue trail appeared slowly waving in the air like wave of water. It gotten longer as he moved the mini me closer to the barn. Sparkshine then continued with his Explaination, "you're creating a sorta link between you and your magic and as your traveling your extending that link,henceforth the giant rubber band reference. So once you've reach your destination you could use that link or trail to return to that very spot you placed it, just by tugging your link with your magic, in a sort of rubber band effect." "Wait, so what's to keep anything from interfering with the link?" I asked "That's the marvelous thing about it, nothing can interfere with it, no pony walking through it, not a spell being cast on or near it's location, not even when you cause or during a snap back, in fact no pony can see or feel it but the caster." Sparkshine said, I nearly fell over from all of that, I mean it was a new type of magic that could revolutionized all pony kind. Don't get me wrong all of the spells and techniques he had taught me could do that, but that new form of teleportation could push magic even further. After a what felt like hours but were actually a seconds of thinking of that (as well as imagining me getting the highest achievement award for bringing this method out to the world) Sparkshine asked, "Do you remember the training I had you do on teleporting when you were younger?" I quickly blinked snapping out of my little dream sequence and said, "Bwha huh. I um I'm sorry can you repeat that, I was deep in thought." Sparkshine chuckled a bit, shook his head and said, "The lessons on teleportation I was giving you when you were younger, do you remember it?" I thought back to those happy times we had together, of him teaching me the basics of magic as well as some of the advanced stuff like the teleportation spell. I remember jumping with joy after completing my first teleport from the middle of the backyard where me and my miss smartypants doll were, to a nearby tree. I smiled at that memory and answered, "Yes of course I do. It was very hard to learn, being a filly at that age but I still learned it. Why, what does that have to do with this?" we started walking back to the tower as he asked, "Well, you do know that once you teleport you leave an Ether trail right?" "Well yeah. Any pony who's ever studied on teleportation spells would know that." I quickly answered, "Once a teleport is triggered you don't just move from one place to another, you dematerialize yourself and enter into the Aether, once inside you travel through it until you reach the location you want to get to and re-materialize there. The trail is actually the movement that the caster makes within the Aether. I'm still not following on how this has to do with snap teleporting?" "Ah but it has has everything to do with it, you see when performing the usual method of teleporting you leave that Aether trail, which any pony with enough knowledge on the matter can follow you through that said Aether trail, While using the snap Teleportation...." Sparkshine paused for a moment as we reached the opened door of the tower, "I should come up with a better name for it, ah well that's not important right now back to what I was saying. When using a snap teleportation spell you're not traveling through the Aether, your traveling through your link to your magic anchor, so if you were to use it while being pursued no pony would be able to follow you due to you using your link and not leaving an Ether trail." "Is that why you brought me out here, to teach me on how to do that?" I asked him "That is right my dear as of today I'm going to teach that spell." Sparkshine said wearing his ever so warming smile. I hopping for joy and squealed with glee upon hearing those words. But the next thing said with a serious tone in his voice caused me to stop, "But.....I must tell you that it's extremely difficult to learn and even more difficult to master. Now I must ask you, do you think you you can handle it?" "Yes." I said with a serious look on my face. "Are you sure now Twilight, once we start there's no turning back, I will not lie to you although the training of this will sound and seem easy but it truth it will physically and mentally be draining for you, it will take every once of strength and will power just to even get the process right. I must no I have to tell you not to agree with this so quickly and to think carefully on this, we still have time to do this after you mastered some of the other spells I have for you." Sparkshine said. I soon felt wave of doubt wash all over me as questions soon raced through my mind, :Am I really ready for this?: :Can I do this?: :If I fail on doing this will there be enough time to go over the other spells he has in mind for me?: :Should I do this, I mean I've read enough books within the tower to fully prepare for any sort of training he would have for me, but the way he's telling me all of this makes it seem like it could be life threatening, so am I truly ready for something like this?: I looked at him straight in his eyes, giving off a look of determination and confidence and said proudly, "Yes I'm ready." "Good. Now come inside and we'll start the first step." Sparkshine said as lead me back inside the tower. The moment we walked inside it felt like a huge weight was lifted off me, like I was carrying a large boulder for so long and dropped it at the door step. My mind was clear again and I even felt lighter, hence my previous statement, all in all I felt like I was back to normal. We walked a little further from the open door to a writing table with one long drawer on the bottom of it and three smaller ones on the side, sitting on top of it were three glowing Crystal shards, that seemed to shift to many different colors in a little rhythmic symphony of their own little design. He looks them over and mutters to himself, "Hmm one...two...three... should I use another one." Sparkshine looks to me and then to the gems, then picked one up with his hoof and placed it up to the light while rubbing his chin and almost instantly it started to slowly change it's shape, from a single simple crystal shard to having two more sprouting on it's sides while still keeping it's rhythmic color shift with the others. It just astounded me, I've never heard or read anything on a crystal that would do anything like that due to simply having light pass through, til this day I'm still astounded by it. Anyway Sparkshine then placed it back on the table and just as slowly the crystal returned to it's previous shape, he stared at them a bit more and with a slight nod he said, "Ok, Let's use four just to be to be on the safe side." He walked over to the small drawers, he lit his horn up with magic and one of the small drawers cloaked in his blue magic opened. He then started shifting through it, I could hear the shuffling of papers and other miscellaneous objects, all the while saying, "No...no... not that one....hmm oh here's that ruby I was looking for." He went on to the next one but this time he was tossing things out from it. I remember thinking to myself, "How could he be so organized with his books but not everything else, maybe I should take some time to organize everything for him." I chuckled to myself as he went to the third drawer more frantically like he was going mad with panic if he didn't find what he was looking for. Moments later he breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled out another crystal shard but this one was different, it's shape was that of a flame frozen in time, it didn't glow like the others did it was all grey like stone grey, in fact if any pony saw it they would say it was a rock. Sparkshine place the flame shaped shard as well as the others on the ground close to me in a circle, walked over to me and said, "Ok Twilight we're gonna start here, first I want you to create a magic waypoint, it will take some time for you do it but I will know when you've done it." "Wait, how will you know if I've created one if you can't see it?" I said. "Oh right I forgot about that, here let me show you." He said He then lowered his horn until it was almost touching the floor, closed his eyes and his horn glowed in a different shard of blue kinda on the side of Luna's mane color of blue. Seconds later his horn stopped glowing as he let out a heavy breath and raised his horn and said, "There, now then that's how you create a waypoint out of your magic." Staring at the empty spot, I cocked my head and raised my a brow and said, "Um Sparkshine I don't see anything." he laughed a bit and said, "Oh right sorry I forgot only I can see it, hold on just a moment." he then levitated the four crystal shards towards us and one by one he placed them in a circle. As he placed the third shard I noticed their shifting of colors had stopped, they only glowed to one color, blue. Well to be more precise they were shifting to different hues of blue, but as he place the grey shard next to the others to complete the circle it too was changing to different hues as well and what I saw just left me fro the most part speechless. Chapter 4: The hidden truth of the new teacherThe next few seconds seemed to move like hours for within the circle stood a glowing figure of a pony but just not just any pony it was Mr. Sparkshine height and all but it was ethereal. As I stared at the ghost like copy it blinked and wave at me like it was alive, I tilted my head as to study it, but it did the same in fact every action I've done it mimicked me from raising a foreleg to sticking out our tongues. I extended a hoof to poke it but before I could the ghostly copy quickly vanished with a low whoosh sound as if some pony blew a candle out. I looked around calmly and....ok I panicked and started looking around frantically, but calmed down when I noticed the shards were no longer changing to different kinds of blue but returned to shifting through all the colors of the spectrum. I glanced up to Mr. Sparkshine (hmm you know now that I think about it he did hate being call Mr due to it making him sound old and he had considered us equals as well as my mentor and friend so I should refer to him as just Sparkshine, heh although he is technically older if not a little younger than Sombra so oh well) and saw he had a fatherly smile and said "That's how you do it, but I must says I am a bit rusty but.." he dropped to one knee with a grunt all while clutching his head as his breathing rasped and labored. I rushed to him after I shouted, "Mr. Sparkshine!" when I got to him I noticed something about him, at that moment his whole body started to fade with a slight flicker as if he was being erased by some unknown force and a few seconds later it stopped. As I was helping him to hooves his breathing was becoming more steady and less labored along with him regaining his composure. Once he was up and he wiping some sweat from his brow, I started to think about what just happened. The sudden pain, the lost of balance and him unsuspectingly fading like that. I've never seen nor heard of anything like that before....well unnatural and quite unnerving. I was brought out of my train of thought when I felt a shaky hoof on my side as Sparkshine said, "Thank you Twilight, I'm fine now. I hope I didn't cause you to worry." I..I was just speechless as I stared at him wide-eyed, I mean there he was having some sort of episodic attack after creating a mana waypoint which resulted in him going through that unusual phenomenon of him fading out like that, (which I may add I was still trying to wrap my head around.) and all he's concerned about is me being worried. Well needless to say I handled it pretty well, like a matured, intelligent, and respectful mare who has gone through training of discipline and patience, and by that I mean I snapped at him after blinking twice, "What me, that's....that's..no forget about me what in the whole wide of Equestria happened!" Sparkshine blinked then opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off before he could say anything, "One minute you're showing me how to create a Waypoint and the next you're having some sort of episode that causes to you be in pain, lose your balance and oh let's not forget about you fading away like you were vanishing out of existence." "Twilight, that's not...." Sparkshine said but I quickly interrupted him so he wouldn't have time to retort back, "No...no..no. Don't you go and tell me that it's not important or I shouldn't worry, I thought you were going to die!" I said to him. He then looked away slightly as his ears folded to the back of his head, so I walked up to him and jabbed a hoof to his chest sharply as I said to him, "Well let me tell you something Mr. Sparkshine, to me it is important and I am going to worry." Tears started to form in my eyes and my vision started to blur, so with a sniff, I wiped them clear and continued, "You may be my new teacher but you're something else to me, something more important than just that." I wiped the fresh tears and continued, "You're a friend, my longest and dearest friend who has been with me as a filly, a friend who played with me and listened to me talk about my hopes and dreams." I jabbed him again, "A friend who taught me things, things that, I'm afraid to admit, but have forgotten for a time such things like life and things that I wouldn't even know from the princess." I jabbed my hoof in his chest again, "A trusted friend who I've trusted with secrets that I've never told any pony not even my family, just as you've trusted me with your secrets of magic, and as that trusted friend I would have thought you would tell me if something was wrong." SParkshine started to raise a hoof as I lowered my head until I was staring at the floor and I continued, "I mean princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria for over a thousand years, and the one mare that I idolized; who I truly respected wouldn't tell me, her own personal student about anything that should have been told, not about Sombra, or Discord." I chuckled, "She couldn't even trust me enough to know that she knew of Nightmare Moon's return, she even went as far as to dismissing my own thoughts of her return on the night of the summer sun celebration or even the fact that Nightmare moon, the mare of the moon was actually her very own sister and co-ruler of Equestria, by Tartarus she even used me just to save the Crystal Empire from King Sombra and then just threw me away like a wad of gum or a used tissue, and after all of that you're here by my side and I'm thankful for that." I wiped my head up to stare at him in the face with anger clearly written all over mine "I understand Twilight but this is..." Sparkshine said but I didn't listen to him. Now I'm not sure if there were tears flowing from my eyes but if they were they had to look like as if some pony turned on a faucet and I didn't care I had been too focused on what I wanted to say and it needed to said, "And now you're telling me that what just happened I..I..should not even worry about it, and that it's not important. What, you expect me not to worry about it. Well, news flash Mr. Sparkshine, if you haven't figured it out yet I'm going to worry about it. Something is wrong and I think I have the right to know about it so I can help you." I stood there breathing heavy through my clenched teeth, with the look of rage staring at him. Sparkshine let out a long and staggered sigh and he did something that caught me totally by surprise, he pulled me into a hug. Heh and just like that all that anger and frustration just melted away, vanished as if it was never there and what replaced was a feeling of embarrassment and fluster. He remained like that for few moments until he said, "My dear Twilight you're right and I'm sorry about that, you have to understand for one who has been alone for so many years I have forgotten that my actions can affect others." He released his embrace and looked at me with a slight smile, I stared into his eyes and what I saw were the eyes that were quite similar to the Princess. They were the eyes of somepony who lived a long life and saw many things through it, as well as a hint of worry and of something he was hiding something, and whatever he was hiding shook him to the core. Sparkshine wrapped a leg around me and said, "This old stallion shall tell you everything, but first, come let's get some tea to calm ourselves hmm." I simply nodded and he led me to the living room. Moments later I'm sitting at a large wooden table on top of red fluffy cushion located in the middle of the living room, a small cup of tea in front of me giving off the aroma of some flavor that I could not place but it smelled nice. I grabbed the cup with my magic and took a sip, it was delicious but it gave me a hint of familiarity, I think I had this flavor of tea before with the princess. As I place the cup down I look in across from me, there was Sparkshine sipping tea from his cup with such finesse you'd think he was a Canterlot noble, Rarity would probably be head over hooves over him, well if he had on a fancy outfit. I chuckled to myself at that thought as Sparkshine finished his sip as said, "Ah, Crystal Earl. After all these years you're still my favorite flavor, and always good to enjoy among friends and calm the nerves." I answered with a simple nod as I took another sip from my cup. He was right it was quite enjoyable and it made me relax a little, as I think of it now maybe it because of the little bit of honey that was put into it I don’t know, in fact even now I still can’t get the tea to taste just as good as it was then but I’m moving from my story, hehe I tend to do that for some reason I wonder why, anyway back to what I was saying. As I was taking another sip from my cup I was looking at Sparkshine, and with his body language I could tell he was stalling or for the most part he hoped I would drop the situation and move on with my lessons. Well that wasn’t going to happen, so I placed my cup down and said to him, “Mr. Sparkshine I know you’re trying to stall on telling me on why that happened.“ For a moment he was staring into his cup motionless as a statue, perhaps in deep thought, but he closed his eyes, followed by a deep sigh and said, “You are right Twilight I am stalling, not because I’m trying to hide anything from you, it’s just after all these years I still haven’t figured out if it’s true or not.” He laughed a bit as he held his head with a hoof and continued, “All these years I couldn’t find an answer to it but..." he paused, "No that's not quite right it's perhaps I’ve just been in denial of the truth that’s right been front of me, just been refusing to see it because of my long life of isolation in here in this place of great knowledge and wisdom." I remember how scared I was becoming as his demeanor changing from the look of a kind and gentle stallion to a crazed and broken stallion. His mane was disheveled and shagged with some split ends, it looked as if he never brush or a comb to it, his eyes although wide open would twitch every few seconds, looking at them you could see they gave off a look of a crazed pony who could snap and attack you with how small his pupils shrank, and that smile he head just gave me chills down my spine, and I must say all together just gave him a look of and insane pony yes that true but for some reason it brought back memories of my most lowest and embarrassing incident that mostly every pony calling it the "Smartypants incident" I was sill getting looks from ponies even after two weeks had gone by. I sat there as he going on about, "The truth was right there but I kept on pushing it away like it was nothing" and "Now that she saw it happen it's concrete now, there's no excuse." I remember thinking if this was how I must have looked and was acting on that day that everypony called the smartypants event. I quickly shook those thoughts out as I said to myself, "No this is not the time for that." I got up and went to Sparkshine as he was mumbling to himself, grabbed him and with one swift motion smacked him across the muzzle leaving a light red mark on the spot I hit him, he slowly placed a hoof to it and stared at me blankly. I took a few steps back and said, "I...I'm sorry Mr. Sparkshine I just didn't know what else to do, you were just losing yourself and have an episode and..and..I'm so sorry" Sparkshine removed his hoof and stared at if for a moment chuckled then smiled and said, "You know if my wife was here knowing her she would have done the same thing and shout get a hold of yourself you moron." He brushed his hoof through his mane, at this time I got up the nerve and asked, "Are you alright Mr. Sparkshine?" He wiped a tear that I haven't noticed earlier turned to me and answered, "Yes Twilight, and sorry about that but I am fine now and thank you I truly needed that." He straightened himself up and continued, "Once again I am truly sorry for that but it's because of what I'm about to tell you is the reason I was acting that way, and I just hope you don't think of me any different from how you are now." "What, treat you any differently. Why would I do that" I asked with my head tilted "It's because..well for you see..." Sparkshine started but he stopped, he looked to me and opened his mouth to say something but closed it, I could see he was starting to tremble slightly. He then placed his right foreleg around his arm and squeezed it to calm himself down and seconds later his trembling stopped and he said "I don't think I'm the real Sparkshine." "Wait what. Not the real you, you're not making any sense. Maybe it's the stress of everything that's getting to you, you should rest and..." I said but he quickly interrupted me, "No not me, I mean I'm me but not the real Sparkshine, I believe I'm just a...a....a copy, or an imprint of the real Sparkshine." I opened my mouth to say something but he quickly raised a hoof he continued, "Before ask, no I'm not projecting myself to you and I'm not a ghost well I don't think so due to the fact ghost don't eat." "I...I know that." I said with my cheeks puffed and crossed my forelegs and blushed slightly, "and besides, there are no such things as ghost." "I wouldn't be so sure about that my student, one must see all this world has to offer before making an assumption like that," Sparkshine said with a chuckle but then his whole demeanor changed and with a heavy sigh he continued, "Perhaps I should tell you about what happened after the whole incident with the princess" I simply nodded and he did. He retold me of what happen up to the part where he returned here, but it was at this point he said something that got me thinking about this place. "I've told you that I figured out a way to bring my tower here right?" I simply nodded when in truth I had forgotten. "Well upon entering I felt that something was wrong, not just with me but with the tower. So I searched around and found that three more floors had appeared, all filled with books that I've never seen nor collected. I quickly went outside the tower to check it's height, but once outside I saw that it was the same height from when I brought it here, the same five floors. It was baffling to say the least I chalked it up as this place following it's own rules, I went back inside and found that all of the furniture were rearranged." he let out sad chuckle as he continued, "To see that happen in just a few short minutes I.... uh what was that word that your friend Rainbow Dash had said once, hmmmm ah yes I began to spaz out as it were. I didn't notice but I was slowly becoming unhinged as more and more unexplained things started to happen like I would write out formulas for spells I was developing, I would take my eyes away from it for a moment and then it would be either erased, finished or even completely changed into a whole new formula or when I made a sandwich and place it on the table one moment and then the next it would be moved to another place with a bite taken out of it." I stared at him as I recanted more and more of these incidents, he had a mask of calmness on him but there were things that I noted that he was about to lose it again such as how one of his eyes would twitch and he would shake for second. As he told me of each incident his mask would brake little by little like a tiny pieces were being chipped away but it was what he told me next was what really broke him but that's for another part of I'll leave for later, but all in all I reassured him that no matter who or what he is, he'll still be my teacher and most importantly my friend and no matter what turns out to be true he will always be my friend and I'll be there for him, with that said he regained his composure and soon we resumed my training. Author's Note Ok I know it's been so long and most of you may have forgotten about this story but you have to understand a lot of things kept pilling up especially work, and being that I work overnights is kinda hard for me to just take a few moments to write some of this chapter but I finally finished this chapter and going to start on the next one (on my day off cuz tomorrow I work and need some rest before work). For those who waited so patiently I wish to say thank you for sticking with me and to say that besides work I wanted to make this chapter longer but every time I came with something more to add I would have to change what I've written before it () so if this chapter seems a little bland and too wordy I'll take full blame on that. now if you can excuse me I gotta put the next chapter in order and hopefully I can get it out before or the day after new years, so T.T.F.N.
A start into DarknessLove, happiness, joy, friendship, these are the things that I used to describe my life now its fear, anger, darkness, hatred, and malice under the guidance of a king. A king who’s a master of the dark arts, a king who enslaved his own people and uses fear to control them, a king who was defeated by the princesses of the moon and sun and I am his apprentice, but my life wasn’t always like this it was once filled with the love, happiness, and friendship that anyone needs and friends who are supposed to be there for you, before it felt nice but now it makes me sick and so I write this in order to remind myself and to show my side on how everything got to this point, my name is Twilight sparkle, no I am Midnight Sparkle faithful apprentice to the dark king Sombra and this is my story. My life started off normal like any other life I had a loving family of my mother, my father, and my older brother in Canterlot, now as a filly I studied magic on my own wanting to attend Princess Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns, now I knew I was special when it came down to magic but I didn’t know how special I was until that day. I was practicing my magic with my favorite doll In the world Miss smarty pants. I was trying to make her teleport from one spot to another and that’s when I heard a voice, a voice that seemed to be coming from my doll, I’ll never forget what it said, “Little filly you have great magical potential I’m impressed.” now knowing what I know now I probably wouldn’t have paid it any mind, but being a filly I was both scared and surprised, the voice was coming from Miss smarty pants. I looked around to see if some pony was perhaps pull a prank on me but I saw no one, I looked at my doll and said, “Miss smarty pants did you talk.” “Yes little filly I did.” it answered to my surprise. I was speechless my only thought was, “I made her talk.” so I grabbed my doll and ran to my parents and told them what happened, they just laughed and chalked it up as me having a wild imagination. Feeling insulted I went to my room, sat on my bed while looking over my doll and thought, “did I really just imagined it?” but just then the voice answered, “No Twilight you didn’t.” I gasped and replied, “You can talk, but why didn’t you talk when I showed you to my parents?” the voice answered, “If I had talked to them they would get rid of me thinking I was bad for you and you don’t want that.” I thought about that and answered, “No but.” “And I can help you with your magic but you must not tell anypony or show anypony.” The voice had said. I quickly agreed and thus started my road to greatness. I have to admit it was hard, very hard. I read books throughout the day and at night I practiced what I’ve learned, and I learned it all even some dark magic from what I had read at the time was very dangerous but the voice ensured me that it wasn’t and as I agreed I didn’t show anypony what I learned. As the time went by the voice was talking less and less and my parents was getting worried on how I was acting and they thought I didn’t know but I did know but I didn’t care at this time I was going for the entrance exam for the school, I ran into my room and went to my miss smarty pants doll and told it the good news, the voice answered, “That is excellent Twilight I know you’ll get in for sure and you’ll meet Princess Celestia as well, but there is something I must tell you.” It told me that it had to go away for a while, at that time I didn’t know what he meant by it but the voice gave me a gift, as I picked up my doll a small black flame came out of it and went into me, the voice had said that once he returned he shall call to me and that flame will be our link and then the voice was gone, I was sad but I knew what I had to do and I did, I performed in front of Princess Celestia once she saw what I could do she made me her protégé I mean I was living every pony in that school’s dream. As time went on I would sometimes wondered about the voice, who was it, why would it choose me of all ponies to talk to. I looked at every book in the castle and couldn’t find anything on it, there were times when I was sleeping I could hear him telling me that the time was getting near and that I must study hard. Years later I was living in the Golden oak library in ponyvile and I had five great friends who at the time I considered them like sisters. we've been through a lot together, the return of Nightmare moon, Discord’s return, and even my brother Shining armor and my foal sister Cadence's wedding, as well dealing with the changelings, some time after that we dealt with Sombra, In fact I believe that’s the time when things went downhill. Princess Celestia had sent me and my friends to where the Crystal empire reappeared and find the Crystal heart as well as protect the crystal ponies from Sombra’s return. Everything was going well with the crystal fair, keeping crystal ponies happy and having them think we had the crystal heart that I had cut with my magic. But there was the problem, it had to be the actual crystal heart not a heart shaped crystal, so I along with spike went to find it. After sometime our search lead us to a door on the bottom of stairs lots and lots of stairs, after a few failed attempts I was about to try again until everything went grey and there floating towards me was a ball of light and a voice that I haven’t heard in years say to me, “It’s been a while twilight my friend you have grown quite well.” I felt like I was that little filly again, was shocked and happy at the same time. I called for spike but he didn’t respond that’s when the voice had told me it had stopped time for us to talk, I told him what I was doing and what he told me shocked me even more, “Twilight you must not retrieve the crystal heart you will fail the test.” I asked him to explain then he told me, his name was Cubic Spark shine and that he live in the crystal empire sometime before Sombra’s take over, he was was about to tell me more but everything was coming into color and he told me to look in the forest for a book titled Annalis and to use the spell of true revealing to understand everything and then he was gone. I shook my head and opened the door and to make things short I saved the crystal empire with the real crystal heart, well spike did. The next day I went to canterlot to see princess Celestia, as I entered the royal hall to the throne room I seen her standing next to a wooden stool with a smile pile of papers on it and with her magic lifting one, quickly writing in it, rolled it up and making it disappear and doing the same with the next. I remember how was so happy to see her and was eager to start my next phase of my training, I announced myself to her. Without even looking at me she said angrily “What are you doing here?” “I have come to start my next phase of my train princess.” I answered and bowed to her. Heh bowing down to her, at that time I would do it happily but now I haven’t done that to any pony except my master but I’m trailing, Celestia said, “you needn’t worry about that but you will leave now.” I was confused I didn’t even know why she was so angry I simply replied, “Leave, but why where am I supposed to go?” she answers, “It doesn’t matter to me...” as she finally looked me she continued “You failed the test Twilight.” this shocked me even more, I failed her test I never failed any of her test. I replied to her with tears starting to swell up in my eyes “I don’t understand, I did everything that was needed for...” but she quickly interrupted me, “Not only will you not go on to the next level of your studies, you won’t continue your studies at all.” tears were starting to flow as I said, “You didn’t say anything about me no longer being your student if I failed.” she then placed a wing over me and gave me a look of concern but then pushed me aside and said, “didn’t I.” and started walking off, "What do I do now.” I asked her, but just then everything turned grey and all motions had stopped, I knew what this meant and so I shouted, “Mister Cubic are you here?” and there appeared the same ball of light but then in a little flash appeared ethereal ghost like unicorn with cerulean blue eyed light brown coat and darker brawn mane and tail with a cutie mark of a magic spark with little shinning gems on the sides, I looked at him and said, “Mister Cubic is that you?” “ yes Twilight it’s me.” he said with a smile, I ran to him as tears fell from my eyes and hugged him all the while crying, he wrapped a hoof around me and said, “There there Twilight it’s alright.” I told him what happen and he said he knew and that’s why he appeared to on that day, he wanted to warn me about all of this. I didn’t understand then he said, “She wasn’t going to allow you to go the next stage of your training and I think it’s entirely my fault.” “Your fault how could it be your fault?” I said to him while wiping the tears from my face, “As I told you when you were younger you have a lot of magical potential within you and from what you’ve learned from me your magic has grown exponentially I believe she sensed that and has felt threatened by it.” he told me, “What, but why would she feel that way I would never do anything that would threaten her.” I asked, he gave me a sad expression and said, “perhaps it opened up some old wounds.” just then he started to fade away and I asked, “what’s happening?” “My time stop spell is ending listen to me my dear Twilight you must find my book with the word Annalis we can talk again and I will be able to tell everything just remember look in the forest and find my lab, use the true revealing...” and he was gone again and everything returned to color and in motion. Princess Celestia was walking away, she turned to me and said “you're still here leave this place now and never return, you are to leave my kingdom you are here by banished.” as the last drop of my tears fell I simply walked out. As I arrived home at the library I saw my friends who were waiting for me, as I got closer Rainbow dash was the first to ask, “So Twilight what the news when do you start your new egghead stuff with the princess?” “Yes darling do tell us.” Rarity said, I just lowered my head and continued walking as I said, “There won’t be any more lessons.” I replied, “What do you mean Twilight?” Spike said, “I’ll tell you what it means. It means that she’s so smart that the princess decided there was nothing she could teach her.” Rainbow dash said as she flew right next to me, “Oh oh then you know what this calls for… a party, yeah a big party with lots of balloons and streamers and oh oh and a big cake that says way to go and and…”Pinkie pie quickly said, Pinkie stopped on the count of applejack place her hoof over her mouth and said, “Ah don’t think that’s the case here.” I stopped in front of the door and said, “Your right applejack, because I’m no longer her student I failed her test.” they all gasped, “What! No way.” Rainbow dash said. “Preposterous.” Rarity said. “Are sure about that sugar cube?” Applejack said. “That can’t be right Twilight.” Spike said. “Maybe you should ask if you can retake it somehow.” Fluttershy said. “Yeah like maybe a test on other magically stuff.” Pinkie pie said. I shook my head and said, “No I can’t retake the test.” “Did she at least say why you failed?” Rainbow dash said I simply answered, “No and I’m not going to ask, if you guys can excuse me I really tired I think I’ll lay down for a bit.” I then walked in and closed the door behind me. I could hear what they were saying but I didn’t care and I didn’t want to burden them with the news of my banishment so I went upstairs to my room and just cried myself to sleep. As I slept I could hear Spark shine’s words echo through like a lone voice in a concert hall saying for me to find his book in the forest and flashes of the area flew around and suddenly I woke up in a cold sweat, I looked around and saw I was still in my room and spike was sleeping I could tell because he talking in his sleep, it sound like he was having a dream about jewels again, I smiled and looked out the window and saw Luna’s moon and thought, “If I was going to leave, now would be a good time.” So I got out of bed and levitated a light brown bag and filled it with some books I thought I would need, placed it on my back and started to head downstairs but stopped on a count of spike saying, “Twilight don’t go.” I turned around and saw he was still asleep and he mumbled, “No Twilight don’t go in to the.....pudding pool.” I smiled and I levitated him onto my bed, no his new bed and kissed him on his forehead and whispered, “goodbye Spike.” and proceeded downstairs as I go down stairs I saw the whole area was decorated for a party and there on the floor were my friends sleeping, I then proceeded through and opened my door and slowly closed it but not before I quietly said, “goodbye my friends.” Now outside I walked to the edge of ponyville in front of fluttershy’s home and facing the Everfree forest. I closed my eyes and thought of what Spark shine said look in the forest. Now I know there are quite a few forests here in Equestria but this is the closes one here, so I took a deep breath exhaled, gathered my courage and walked into the forest. As I was in the forest I noticed that it was quiet, a bit too quiet. I thought it was perhaps the local wildlife was just sleeping, well that's what I was telling myself as I walked in deeper. Soon I came across the castle of the royal pony sisters Princess Celestia and Luna’s old castle before the Nightmare moon incident and the start of my adventures win ponyvile. There I thought, “I’ve been through this castle inside and out and didn’t find any book called Annalis, let alone a lab.” but then it struck me perhaps he wanted me to use a spell that would maybe find it. I thought for a moment and remembered what spell he was talking about and that spell was the true reveal spell. As the name implies it reveals anything that is hidden away to the naked eye with magic, and so I concentrated on using that spell and with a low flash of purple light a brown wooden door appeared in front of me. I walked around it and saw that the handle was on the other side so I opened it using my magic then a flash of light appeared I closed my eyes tightly when it faded I opened my eyes and was astounded by what I saw it was a large room filled with books, test tubes, and other things and in the back large like glass cylinder and above is some weird looking device with some sort of large gem hanging with large red wires going into it I suspect that is what’s lighting up the room and there right under it was a red covered book sitting on a wooden pedestal, I walked towards it just then a familiar voice shouted, “Twilight stop!” I suddenly halted in place and I called out to Spark shine suddenly the ethereal unicorn appeared in front of me, breathed a sigh of relief and said, “another step and you would’ve been transported.” and pointed to the floor, there were a circle of gems embedded in the wooden floor and inside the circle were symbols that seemed familiar to me. Spark shine then continued to say “This is one of my creations it teleports you to different location of this tower.” “Tower, I thought this was just one room?” I said with my head tilted and giving a confused look. “No Twilight this is indeed a tower and if you would look out that window.” Spark shine said as he point to a nearby window, I walked to it and what I saw I just couldn’t believe I was in the crystal empire. I then turned to Spark shine and said, “This is not possible we’re in the crystal empire but I’ve never seen this tower when I was here before.” Spark shine chuckled a bit and said, “Your right this tower wasn’t there when you arrived in fact we’re not in the crystal empire at all.” “Then where...” was all I could say before he continued, “you’re in a different world a shadow world if you will, you see...” He explained to me that during his travels he heard rumors of the crystal empire having returned, so in his haste he tried used teleportation spell but the spell bounced back and he was brought here, at the time he thought nothing happened but saw that every pony wasn’t noticing him, then one group of ponies passed right through him, he thought he was a ghost but realized that the ground was solid for him soon after he reappeared back to where he disappeared, he went on to tell me how he figured out how to and from there and managed to bring this tower filled with every book ever known his Tower of knowledge he calls it along with him and was able to finite his magic and other things in this place. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing a world in between worlds and I was in it, it was too much for me to handle so I went to the window but then I saw the scenery changing in to another place as if one was fading out as the other was fading in and what I saw just made me speechless it was ponyville not the ponyville I left behind it was morning every pony going about their day, I sat down with my hoof on my head and Spark shine walked over to me I looked at him and just stuttered “wha..how…the…and…ponyville…and...” he just smiled and said, “ah you’ve seen it as well, you see time moves different here, in here has only been minutes but out there hours have passed but when you return to where you were it’s like not much time has passed at all it’s quite a phenomenon.” he then help me up and continued, “but enough about that come I promised I’d tell you everything.” and he did. He told me he was like me he studied magic and he developed ways to improve other ponies magic he even figured out a way to teleport to long distances but as he was about to test his spell when sombra attacked, he hid himself so to not get captured and went to go see princess Celestia for help once he got to canterlot she and princess Luna were already gone to stop him, so he used the long distance teleportation spell to return to the crystal empire but when he had got there he was drained of his magic and was weak but he saw the crystal empire, his home disappeared. As he was telling me this, flashes of the events he went through just filled the area like pages of a book being turned, I then asked what he did after me being interested in his story, he told me for some time he worked in secret finding a way to bring back his home but he soon found out that if he did find a way to bring back his home it would bring Sombra back as well so he quit looking and continued his studies of magic, he developed even more spells even some transformation spells so he used a spell to change himself into an earth pony and changed his name into astrum lighthooves and worked with my idol Star swirl and only he knew of his true identity, years went by for him and he wanted to live to see the day that his home would return and help stop Sombra from returning with it so he delved even further into magic to lengthen his life, he couldn’t find anything not even with Star swirl’s help so in secret tried other forms of magic even dark magic and alchemy and that when he developed a potion that was supposed to give him eternal life and everlasting youth but he never tested it, but one day Star swirl suggested that he consult with the princess, so he did. He told her everything on what happened during sombra’s attack, on how he traveled around the world, everything. She wasn’t even mad at him for deceiving her for so long and she offered to help in any way she could but he later found out that was a lie well to him not a purposely caused lie at the time she was just so busy to help and he wasn’t angry about it but what started everything to go wrong is what he discovered about Sombra. He discovered that what had happened at the crystal empire was not Sombra’s fault. Apparently Sombra was possessed by a dark spirit which had turned him evil. I asked him how he figured that out and he said, “Well I found an old journal of his and it stated that he was searching for something for the princess of that time, to protect the empire with the help of its citizens you know what that was,” I thought for a moment and answered, “The crystal heart!” “That’s right but at that time it wasn’t called the crystal heart it was…well it had many names but at that time it was called a destiny stone, upon knowing this he and a large group of his soldiers set out to find the stone but upon returning only he was the only one to return alive, it was said that the way to it was treacherous and full of dangers that no pony could ever think of.” Spark shine said. I couldn’t believe what he told me but before I could respond he continued, “He presented it to the princess and demonstrated its power, but she was very weary of it right away and felt the heart having such malice within it, but Sombra assured her it was nothing to worry about, but she was right to be suspicions because unknown to any pony at the time Sombra was already under the spirit’s spell, and as time went by it was twisting his thoughts and driving him down a path of darkness, but at that time a great war was beginning between the empire and the griffons. The princess felt that the war could be avoided, so she made many attempts to make peace with them but all failed, Sombra seeing this took it upon himself to do what he thought was right...” Spark Shine told me but I quickly interrupted him “No that can’t be right, you mean to tell me Sombra, king Sombra, the same Sombra who attacked and enslaved the crystal ponies, defend it from attackers long before, why would he do that if the spirit was turning him evil, in fact I’ve read up on the crystal empire’s history and there was nothing about any war, how do I know any of this is true?” Sparkshine just smiled and said, “Now that’s the Twilight I know, but your right there isn’t anything on the war because the princess thinking it would be best to ease the pain for the citizens erased it from their memories and only she and a certain few in her court knew of it and Sombra was one of them and no record has been kept of it except for two books, one I’ve written and Sombra’s journal and to answer your question young Twilight, Sombra would have done all those things even if he wasn’t under a dark spell, for you see he was in love with the princess but I’m trailing off allow me to finish the story...” and he did, he told me the princess purging the crystal heart of the evil spirit due to Sombra telling her of his feelings about it being tainted, it took all the magic she had and it left her drained and sombra battled on for the empire until the war was over and he was to be rewarded but she stripped him of his title and honor due to a pendant made from the heart showed her a darkness inside him, Sombra was angry of her decision and he came up with a plan to kill the princess the one pony he loved he did it by poisoning her, Spark Shine wouldn’t tell me the rest but I gathered what happened but he went back to his story “Upon knowing this I went to tell Princess Celestia of this but she wouldn’t hear of it. I beg and pleaded for her to hear me out on an idea that would have saved him and the empire but she still didn’t want to hear it and that’s when I found out what was wrong Star swirl had told me that she had banish her sister to the moon using the elements of harmony and that’s what finalized my resolve, so I returned here and studied and practiced on some new spells after a lot of failed attempts I had done it and came up with a spell that was able to separate darkness out of any pony but it wouldn't get rid of it completely...” I interrupted by asking, “Why is that?” “Because in everything in this world there has to be balance, take one thing away it can’t be maintained, say if I used the spell on Princess Celestia then she would be completely good, no darkness no anger nothing. Oh it would be good for some time but her view would be warped thinking that whatever she thinks is bad she would have to correct, just think all of Equestria would be under a tyrannical rule far worse than Sombra’s instead of place of darkness it would be a place of oppressive light, that is why darkness is needed to balance everything out and for us to learn from our negative mistakes.” Spark Shine said. “Ok so seeing as Sombra was still evil you weren't able to use your spell.” I said. “No but there was a reason you see if I had brought the kingdom back it would have brought him back as well that much you know but due to Sombra’s power I would need a large power source to use the spell and that would have to be the elements, So I left out of here and went to tell her but when I got there I have found out that it had been years since I have last been to canterlot, and when I saw the princess she looked happy in what had to be in a long time. I didn’t want to burden her with my plan so I took the elements and traveled to the frozen north to bring him back and use my spell, but somehow she had gotten wind of my plan and stopped me on the boarders of where the crystal empire once stood, to say she was surprised to see me would be an understatment, to her I looked the same as I have to her perspective all those years ago. I once again pleaded to her told her it would be beter to go through with my plan but she wouldn’t listen, and I wasn't going to be swayed by her words. We said what was on our minds and I said some....harsh things and I told her I would anything just to save the kingdom even go throught her forcably, but still she remained adament on her dession, with no more words left between us we fought. Each spell she casted were calculated and precise but I countered them with something more powerful and wild ones. I was slowly gaining the upper hoof, she then was getting desperate end the battle as she was just lashing spell after spell at me while as I deflected and countered with the spells I mastered. Moments later she was on the ground and I stood tall feeling triumphant but then I realized something, I was more powerful than she was but also I was perhaps acting just as Sombra was in their battle. Upon relaizing this I returned the elements to her and apologized and how foalish I was acting, she accepted and said I was acting for the good of the Crystal empire, but just then something went wrong, my horn started to glow and pain rushed through me, I screamed as my body writhed pain and agony, soon my body was going numb, Celestia tried to help with using her magic but nothing worked, soon I lost consciousness and only here the faint screams of Celestia's voice calling my name. I came to some time later to find her crying, I told her I was ok but she didn’t respond to me, I tried to place a hoof on her shoulder but it passed right through her and that’s when I realized that I has in between worlds again but this time it felt different, this tower was there but I couldn’t touch anything as I can today and I’ve been like this ever since, so you see Twilight I believe it was what happened between me and her is why she reacted the way she has to you she doesn’t want you to go down the same path as I have, that is why I must tell you to speak with her once again and allow her to know of what I’ve told you.” Spark Shine said. “No I can’t she banished me remember I can’t got back not ever." I told him, he then sighed and said, “Well if you won’t go to talk to her I guess I can be your teacher but we have to start right away to prepare for the event that I have feared will come.” “Ok, but what event you are talking about?” I told him, he walked over to the book turned his head to me and said, “Because Sombra is returning.” I gasped and said, “What. But how he was defeated by Cadence and the crystal heart.” Spark Shine looked up at the glowing gem and said “No Twilight what was destroyed was nothing more than a shadow, excess magic from Sombra. Yes he was turned to shadow but over the years he has slowly getting stronger and with the crystal empire having returned he’s coming back and even more powerful than ever.” To be continued…. Author's Note Well what do you think and this is only the first part of the story the next is sure to come so look out for it
Chapter 2: Explanations and preparations Part1I can remember the cold chill that ran through me after Sparkshine, my new teacher had said those words, King Sombra, the dark king of the crystal empire , a part of history believed to be gone wasn’t. I gasped at that, a million thoughts went through my mind, some of fear and panic, some are plans on how to warn every pony about this. The next thing to run through my mind were a million question but only one thing came out, “What!? But how, he was defeated with the crystal heart, wasn't he.” Sparkshine looked up at the glowing gem somberly and said, “No Twilight what was destroyed was nothing more than a shadow, excess magic from Sombra that he has been releasing over the years.” “I don’t understand Princess Celestia told me that he was turned into a shadow.” I said confusingly and trying to hide the fear in my tone, he then walked over to me and said, “Yes he was turned to shadow,” then waved a hoof in the air and suddenly an image appeared floating in the air, I studied it and saw that the large gem that was projecting the image and what it showed was a familiar figure, it was king Sombra but not in his shadow form but in his original form, he was still incased in ice but something was different. I looked closer and saw his body was pulsating lightly of some sort of dark energy, then Sparkshine continued, “but over the years he has slowly gotten stronger and as you can see he managed to reform his body.” “Reform h..his body. But how?” I said to him still in disbelief. he then wave hoof at the image and it changed into three more images. The first was of an earth pony mare, her eyes were dark red, and her mane, and tail was a dark muddy brown color and her coat was a wood brown color, on her flank was a cutie mark of a black crystal shard, she was just walking and from what I saw it looked as if she was in ponyvile, on the image next to her was a light grey stallion Pegasus with a dark red eyes with black mane and tail with a cutie mark of a crystal wrapped around in chains flying from what it looked to me was high in the sky perhaps clouds dale and on the last image showed two small figures one was a midnight blue colt Pegasus with his mane and tail of light blue that seemed to shimmer like the stars in the night sky, I remember thinking that that colt could be a dead ringer to be princess luna’s son, and the other was a dark grey filly unicorn with her mane and tail white with silver highlights and her mane tied at the end, the area they were in looked to be in a city Manehattan I thought , the little colt was crying while the little filly was trying to comfort him. I turned to spark shine and said, “I don’t understand. What do they have to do with any of this?” But as if to give me an answer they all started emitting the same purple mist for their eyes, and that’s when he said something that I never thought was possible, “They have a lot to do with this twilight, for you see they are Sombra’s essences that has been pony-fied, given life through sheer will.” “What, his essence.” I said nearly falling back by this news. “Yes, artificial ponies created through magic each with a different part of Sombra that are walking among us, well I should say they all represent different aspects or traits of him.” Spark shine said then pointed to the earth pony mare, “This one is named Sapphire Fancy believe it or not she is in tuned to magic which is a trait that Sombra has.” “Wait, so your saying she can perform magic?” I asked him in a somewhat disbelieve tone. “Exactly, to be more precise she can perform dark magic.” Spark shine said “That’s impossible, only ponies with a horn can perform any kind of magic.” I said as I looked at the floating image of the mare. “Ah, she knows this as well but she can, She doesn't understand how all she know is that she can but not in the norm that is.” he said as he rubbed his hoof under his chin. “What do you mean by that?” I asked “Well Twilight allow me to answer your question with one of my own. What is needed for magic to be performed.” He asked me, I thought for a moment and answered, “Well...as I said before a horn but…” “Exactly, but to be more precise something for it to be released is what's needed. As you should already know all ponies have magic within them but is used in different ways. For Earth ponies it's their physical strength and touch that releases their internal magic or to be more accurate through their hooves." I just simply stared at him confused at what he just said, he simply rubbed his chin with his hoof and said, "Allow me to explain." and with that he closed his his eyes and his horn started to glow blue, he then lowered his head until his horn touched the floor and out appeared a miniature pony. It was Applejack, hat and all with a little garden and some tools next to her. I stared at it with such intrigue and curiosity, I mean who wouldn't be, this kind of magic was unknown to me....me a who read just about every book on magic in the canterlot library. I knelt down to study it...er her more closely, I remember thinking that it was amazing the only time I seen something like this was when the princess showed me the crystal empire when Sombra returned or to be exact his shadow, but she used a crystal to make a projection not making it out of thin air. I placed my hoof on uh her and it went right through, I tried a few more times but the same result. I looked up to Spark shine and he said, "It's just a holo construct which I'll be teaching you about this spell later but right now let allow me to continue." I just simply nodded, stood up, smiled sheepishly and said, "Yes of..of course." He coughed into his hoof and continued with his explanation, "Now for instance your friend Applejack, well... her and her family are excellent apple farmers that can bring out the potential of the soil that they plant their seeds into and in which grows their apples with the help of the magic within them," just then the mini Applejack was working on the miniature garden. "but if another pony tries their hoof at it say a unicorn...." his horn glowed a bit brighter and the mini Applejack turned in to a mini Rarity wearing overalls and a hat performing the same actions as the mini Applejack from before. I remember thinking to myself, the real Rarity would never do farm work, she'd be to worried about getting dirty or even getting her mane and tail all messy. I giggled at that thought as Sparkshine continued, "the same result will happen but it won't be as... well...eh vibrant as Applejack's her family grown crops." "Wait a minute.." I quickly said to him, "if what your telling me is true then explain Pinkie pie." "Er..uh...well... She's...more of an unexpected surprise when it comes to Earth pony magic. To be honest she's done things that I can't explain, I'm sure you can relate to that." Sparkshine said while scratching his head, Oh I know the feeling, oh I certainly know the feeling. Studying Pinkie's Pinkie sense just left me with more questions about her, especially when she's pulling things out of no where. I just simply replied, "Yes I can relate on that." "Yes there were even times where she could fell my presents and even see me when no other pony should, but I detouring from the topic. As for a Pegasus it's kind of the same but..." "But it's more with their inner magic which they use for weather control and moving clouds and walking on them. As for us unicorns, we use our horns to use more complex forms of magic." I quickly say to him, "I know all of this Mr Sparkshine, this is common knowledge." Sparkshine just looked at me blankly as his horn stopped glowing and in a poof the mini Rarity vanished. After a few blinks he then gave me a warm smile and said, "Of course Twilight your right but she's a special case and I'll explain more on that later for now let’s move on shall we.” He said as he pointed to the image of the Pegasus and continued, “Now he, is called Amorphous chain and he represents Sombra’s cunning as well as he is Sombra’s eyes and ears, so….” “So he’s only gathering information for him.” I quickly interrupted. “Correct, when I discovered him I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but that is until I noticed him traveling from one place to another never staying for too long.” Spark shine said, I gave him a puzzled look and said, “Well that doesn’t seem so wrong.” “Normally yes, but the places he has been to have been reported of ponies exhibiting weird behavior and claims of being chased by monsters and other things, showing signs of fear and soon the whole town would be in a panic and fear, too afraid to even leave their homes to do even the most simple of things, but once he leaves the weird behaviors ceases, but at the next town he visits would exhibit the same behavior.” Sparkshine said, "So your saying he's performing some kind of fear magic." I said to him with a slight confused look, he simply nodded. "But that's crazy!" I shouted "No pony could just make another just experience fear, not from what your telling me." "Oh, don't you remember," He said with a raised eyebrow, "at the crystal empire. When you found a certain door. What happened to you when you got opened to it?" "Well..." I said. I thought for a moment on that particular event, I replayed it over and over in my mind but couldn't recall anything that was different. Tapping my hoof on my head I finally said, "I opened the door went up a lot of stairs, found the crystal heart, got caught in a trap set up by Sombra, then had spike take the crystal heart and after that.." "No no no Twilight. The door, what happened after you opened it the first time." Sparkshine said, "The first time but..I.." I answered, but then it hit me, I did open the door twice. I forced it open by using dark magic but then I got a vision of my worst fear of failing the test that Celestia had given my, but now that I think about it it was more of a vision of the future to me. Sparkshine smiled at me and said, "Ah, now you remember." "I do, but that was caused by a crystal that was on top of the door..." I said I paused for a moment and thought back to the door with the crystal above it. Sombra could have known I was there he was still trying to get through Cadence's magic, but then a realization just struck me like a door to the muzzle and I said, "That crystal, it must have been enchanted by Sombra long before, just as the same way how that trap had to be made to protect the crystal heart from any pony who came looking for it, it activates when some pony got close to or in the area." "Exactly, and he's like that crystal but only instead of effecting one pony he effects a whole town or a city, but as I said he doesn't stay long only a few days." Sparkshine said, I paced around thinking for a moment and a few questions came to mind. Did the princess know of what was going on and planed to have an investigation on it, and if so then why hasn't done anything or for that matter with her recent actions would she do anything? If I didn't fail her so called "test" would she have just sent me to investigate it in a form of some grand request or "lesson". I paced around even more until another question came to mind, I turned to Sparkshine, who was looking at me with a bit of concern, and asked “Do you know what he was exactly doing?” “Well believe it or not most of his times were spent in town halls for their records and libraries.” He answered. I can remember how my anger just sky rocketed. I was furious but also absolutely livid upon hearing that some pony was using libraries for evil purposes, I laugh at myself overtime I remember that moment, I remember stomping my hooves to the ground and saying, “I can’t believe this, how can some pony just.....go around using the world’s libraries for....for evil, that’s just unthinkable…” I went on and on about how books are meant to be used to educate others about ourselves and our history, how childish I must of sounded going on and on about books when at that time the fate of equestria rested in my hooves and mine alone, but I’m trailing off the main topic. Sparkshine just stood there wide eyed and speechless and then he just laughed at my little outburst, I then stopped and smiled sheepishly, as my cheeks turning red from my embarrassment. Looking back on it now I can say I was still so naïve to the important things when it came situations like this, oh sure I knew what needed to be done but when it comes to books or learning in general that was more important to me but again I digress. As Sparkshine was done laughing he wiped a tear from his eye and said, “I’m sorry Twilight, but when you said that it just made me remember an old friend who felt so enthusiastic about books just as much as you do, but let us continue on shall we.” and with another wave of his hoof the floating image changed to the little filly and colt. He started explaining about the two, and I stared at him intently but at this time I can admit this now, I wasn't paying much attention. You see my thoughts were of the other two. Oh of course I should have been paying attention but it's just those two ponies, created through Sombra's magic and walking among other ponies, were causing so much trouble for them, if I didn't know better I'd say discord may have something to do with this as well. A Pegasus stallion who instils fear to every pony that's in the place he visits, and an earth pony mare who can perform dark magic, I keep racking my mind on those two I knew I had to stop them from whatever they were doing for Sombra, but I thought maybe they could be taught on how to control their magic and live like regular ponies. I felt a hoof placed on me and snap out of my train of thought, and saw Sparkshine giving me a worried look as he said, "Twilight are you alright? You seemed to be miles away." "Yes, I fine." I answered with a forced smile. "You know Twilight you're a terrible liar, I know something's bothering you now tell me, it doesn't have something to do with what happen with Celestia, does it." He said to me with concern in his voice. It wasn't about what happened, from my banishment and having to leave my friends and ponyvile but at that moment it did, but not as much as to my current concerns. I stared down at my hooves and started rubbing one of them against my fore leg and answered, "Well no, not entirely, Its just that.." I started to look around as if I was going to find the right words to say. I closed my eyes then slowly inhaled and then exhaled which seemed to relax me a bit, I then look to my new mentor and said, "I was just wondering if it was possible for them to learn to control their magic." Sparkshine walked over to his previous spot, sat down then closed his eyes and lowered his head all while rubbing his chin thinking. Silence engulfed the room not a sound came from us, well the only sound that could be heard was a low humming sound that seemed to be coming from the crystal over head. He remained that way for a few moments until he said, "If some pony found a way to teach them then yes it is possible, but why would that matter Twilight?" I must have seemed to light up to him with my ears perking up and having an large smile form on my lips as I said, "Then if they did, they could live their lives as normal ponies and not have to do Sombra's orders, we can even become friends with them and they could help us." Sparkshine just frown at my statement and said, "No Twilight they can't live like normal ponies they are magic given life and form, they may look like normal ponies but to the core they're nothing more than Sombra's slaves to do his bidding. Even if they learned to control their magic they would pose a greater threat, the can not be reasoned with and they certainly wouldn't befriend any pony." I felt like I shrink to the size of a foal as I feel my ears folding to my head and I lowered my head staring at the floor and sadly said, "O...Oh your right, sorry forget I mentioned it." I could hear his hoof steps getting closer to me, each step just seemed like they were telling how naive I was to even think of something like that, as they stopped I was staring at them I remembered thinking, 'This is it, he's going to toss me aside just like the princess did, I am a failure. what am I going to do now.' As I felt the tears starting to form in my eyes I felt something else, I felt him place a foreleg on me as he said, "Look Twilight I know how you feel you have a good heart, as big of a heart as the bearer of the element of kindness, but we just can't take that chance," he was silent for a moment then let out a heavy sigh, "but if you think befriending them could work, I don't see why we can't give it a try." I slowly looked up to at his blue eyes and his warming smile. I wiped the tears from my eyes and said, "R..Really." "Well yeah. You've done a lot of things that no pony would ever thought would be possible," Sparkshine said and with a wave of hoof images of my previous exploits appeared and slowly rotated around us as he continued, "You've not only made some wonderful friends but you've also defeated Nightmare moon which brought back princess Luna, you've figured out how to bring your friends back to their senses and turned Discord back to stone, You've also uncovered the truth behind the Changeling queen's disguise during your brother's wedding, even when Celestia was fooled and fought valiantly against most if not her entire hive and help save the day, you also created a plan to keep the crystal ponies happy until you find the crystal heart and along with spike, help save it from Sombra's shadow and that's just a few things that you have done. So you should be proud of all those things and never doubt yourself when it comes to things like this. Plus as your teacher you should know that I have complete and total faith in you on making it happen." From just saying made me smile, not only that but it also made me feel good about myself and all that I've done. I remember thinking, 'I shouldn't be sulking about what happened, I should be moving forward, it like they say when one door closes another door opens. I maybe banished but I can still help save Equestria from behind the scenes.' I wiped the last of my tears, then regained my composure and put on a determined look as I said, "You're right Mr Sparkshine. Now lets gets started on saving Equestria." "At-ta mare, lets get started." Sparkshine says with a nod. Author's Note Well this took me some time to do, what with things happening in my life like getting sick, work and visits from long time friends. but here it is the second chapter, Tell me what you think of it, I could really use some input so I can better direct the way the next chapter should go.
Chapter 3: Explaination and preparartions part 2Chapter 3: Explanations and preparations Part 2 Once Sparkshine said those words we got started….well after he insisted I get some sleep first. I protested of course but he forcibly had me go to sleep and by that I mean he placed a sleep spell on me, how I know that well when I woke up he told me, and that was the first lesson that he taught me, and after that he showed me around the tower. I remember I studied every nook and cranny of that place, and when I thought I knew everything with a little chuckle and a warm smile he would always tell me, “No Twilight your not there’s still more within here,” and would reveal even more floors of that place. I remember asking him, “How many more floors are there?” he rubbed his chin and said in a fatherly tone, “Hmm how many floors…well Twilight let me put it to you this way. It would take a few lifetimes to even reach the first half of floors that’s in here and that’s judging from the time difference within here. but in my case, uh...I lost count after the....hmm...nine hundred and fifty second floor.” I felt my jaw lowering from the pure shock of what he just said, nine hundred and fifty two, he lost count after the nine hundred and fifty second floor. We went through I believe it was around fifteen floors of nothing but books and that still wasn’t even ten percent of what that place had. The floors he had showed me had every book a pony would want, from books on attack spells and defensive spells to even (to my surprise from when he told me) books on raising foals, I mean I thought that the Libraries in Canterlot or even the Castle archives had a lot of books but that place, the “Opacnt sanctum of scientia” he called it, (but I liked my name for it better, the “Montis Santorum of knowledge” but I’m moving off into a tangent here) completely over shadowed them. Those places alone or even all the libraries throughout all of Equestria couldn’t compare to the amount of books that was stored within it, it would be like comparing and ant to a pony, no a dragon. My new teacher told me that was the reason why he placed those circle of gems or those “Warp pads” on each floor, so that it would be easier for him to navigate to which ever floor he wanted. After all of that and a little breakfast we started on one of the most important things in my life at that moment, my new magic training. Now I thought all this training was going to be easy, but my training on this new form of magic has been anything but easy. For the first few weeks he had me studying and memorizing spells from his Plethora of books, and another few weeks he had me practiced them. I remember those sessions were so exhausting, I practiced those spells until I had no more magic left, well practicing those level of spells would tire any pony out and I couldn’t fault Sparkshine for them going like that, to be fair he did tell me to pace myself but I wouldn’t have it. I was so focused on mastering these new spells so I could be prepared for either one of those magic pony constructs arrived or Sombra’s inevitable return. I remember the first few days he had me train outside the tower, and I don’t mean outside of the tower as in back in the Everfree forest, I literally mean outside the tower. I open a side door and saw nothing but pitch-black nothingness I mean there was nothing there, no road, no sky, just pure nothingness. I couldn’t even feel any wind but something was giving us air or else we would have suffocated from a lack of oxygen. I turned to Sparkshine and he just motioned me to move forward, I looked out to the nothingness again, took a deep breath, closed my eyes and place a hoof forward, and to my surprise my hoof made contact with the nothingness. I lifted my hoof up and placed it back down just to confirm this, then I heard Sparkshine laugh a little but I didn’t care I wasn’t going to charge head first and find myself falling into an abyss of Nothingness, Once I confirm it was ok I proceeded forward. As I’ve taken a few steps out an uneasy feeling washed over me. In mere moments I felt like my entire world was spinning around me and turning upside down, I couldn't tell up from down, right from left or if I was standing or sitting, I felt like I was going to lose my breakfast, the temperature didn’t make it any better for me neither, I should explain. You see it was like being in a block of ice shivering while at the same time I felt like I was in the desert, with my mouth all dry my body sweating then it would all switch in a matter of minutes. I think I read a book on sensations like that, I think its what happens when a mare becomes pregnant not sure really, not that I’ve ever been pregnant mind you, so don’t think that about me, although it’s not like I don’t want a foal of my own I’m just not ready for a foal of my own yet but if I were to have a foal I would may…be have one with Master Sombra. I could see us ruling as king and queen but…. No…no…I gotta get those thought out of my head, bad twilight, bad twilight, no naughty thoughts, oh great look what I did I written all of that inside the book oh well I'll just edit these parts out (if I can last long enough before she returns) but..I…um…anyway I’m getting waaaaay off topic here. Anyway I remember just standing there, staring at that dark abyss just trying to get my bearings on how this area actually worked and then saying to myself, “This place it looks like it goes on forever.” “It does actually.” “Gah!” That was all I said as I jumped up a bit and fell down all the while turned around while grabbing my chest and breathing erratically. I literally felt like I jumped out of my own skin, The only time I had felt like that would be with Pinkie pie popping out of nowhere. As I saw it was Sparkshine he had an ear-to-ear smile just like Pinkie would, I started to slow down my breathing. He place a hoof on my shoulder and said, “Twilight relax it’s just me, sorry I scared you. I sometimes forget that when walking out here you hardly make a sound.” Then I realized he was right, I looked to the tower to judge how far I've walked and thought for a second and realized I didn’t hear any of my hoof steps. He helped me up and said, "As I said this place actually do go on forever and if you're not careful you can get lost, and trust me I've been there I wondered for hours trying to get back to the tower." "Then how did you get back?" I asked. "Well luckily I always place a wavepoint so I can teleport my way back to where ever I was, no matter how far I've went." He answered. "W.wait, a Wavepoint what's that?" I asked him still confused. Sparkshine raised his head and was tapping a hoof to his chin, I could tell he was thinking because after tapping his hoof to his chin he would cross his forelegs close his eyes. After a few moments he finally said, "Ok, but first close your eyes." I did as he asked. "Ok now picture a giant Hooftack placed in the middle of Ponyvile." "Wait a giant Hooftack?" I said to him "Yes a giant Hooftack or a Railroad spike if you will, hmm.. now that I think about it yes a Railroad spike will make much more sense. Anyway now said Railroad spike is actually a bit of you magic given form. Now you're traveling to a far way place to lets say, um...oh Appleloosa." Sparkshine said "Ok." I said still not getting where this was going. "Now as you travel picture the distance between you and the Spike is a big rubber band and as you travel it's stretching longer and longer as you as you get further and further from it, until you reach Appleloosa." Sparkshine said and swear I could feel him smiling as he is explaining this to me. "Ok, so now what?" I asked as I started to what I thought I was figuring out where this was going. "Now as you arrive there and you've done everything that you needed to do and you're planning on your return trip but realize you do not have enough bits for it, so what do you do?" He said. I thought for a moment trying to figure out the answer and trying to piece together everything he has told me thus far, :Hmm he mentioned the Railroad spike and a Rubber band being my travel distance, so there's gotta be a connection. Wait if I'm in Applelossa then..." "Ah you got it now don't you." Sparkshine said "Yes I do." I answered with so much confidence all the while puffing up my chest, "This is a trick scenario because the ticket would be a round trip one." Sparkshine giggled a little and said "Well that maybe true Twilight but in this example no that's not answer." and right then and there all of my confidence and ego just fell and shattered like a piece of glass. I felt my ears fold to my head as I fell to my hunch and said, "What, but how is that wrong?" Sparkshine walked closer to me and said, "Twilight it's not that it's wrong, it's just not the scenario I've given you." lowered his head and shook it slowly, "I can't blame you though. You've probably came up with that answer do to Celestia's method of magical training you and your way of going through your studies." He placed a hoof to my shoulder, given me a more serious look as he stared at me square in the eyes and said, "You're over thinking it Twilight, just think about everything I have just I told you." I sat there and thought for moment and then it finally it me. I facehoofed myself for not getting it sooner, I mean it was so simple. I stood up now brimming with new confidence and said, "The Railroad spike I would use that, I mean it's so simple." I gave him a big smile "you said that it's my magic in a form right." "That's right, you're on the right track." Sparkshine said "So if it's my magic I should be able to trace it and use it to teleport." I said. "Exactly but not just any teleport, you would use a method that I like to call a snap teleport." he said after giving me a little applause, but just then a something came to mind, "Wait but that can't be right, even if i did use a teleportation spell I wouldn't have nearly enough magic to take me all the way back to Ponyvile, I don't think even the Princesses have that much magic for it, and even if i did I would be way too tired to do anything else." "Ah yes normally you'd be right, you wouldn't have enough magic just to make that long distance jump, but performing a snap teleport you would, you see...." Sparkshine said, just then his horn glowed and out appeared a railroad spike, a barn and a little version of me just standing there in mid air between the both of us and continued, "by using this method it's like you're creating another you in ponyvile which is basically telling your body and the world around you that you haven't even left from Ponyvile but in reality you have, and as you are traveling...." he then moved the mini me away from the Spike, towards the barn. As he done that a faint light blue trail appeared slowly waving in the air like wave of water. It gotten longer as he moved the mini me closer to the barn. Sparkshine then continued with his Explaination, "you're creating a sorta link between you and your magic and as your traveling your extending that link,henceforth the giant rubber band reference. So once you've reach your destination you could use that link or trail to return to that very spot you placed it, just by tugging your link with your magic, in a sort of rubber band effect." "Wait, so what's to keep anything from interfering with the link?" I asked "That's the marvelous thing about it, nothing can interfere with it, no pony walking through it, not a spell being cast on or near it's location, not even when you cause or during a snap back, in fact no pony can see or feel it but the caster." Sparkshine said, I nearly fell over from all of that, I mean it was a new type of magic that could revolutionized all pony kind. Don't get me wrong all of the spells and techniques he had taught me could do that, but that new form of teleportation could push magic even further. After a what felt like hours but were actually a seconds of thinking of that (as well as imagining me getting the highest achievement award for bringing this method out to the world) Sparkshine asked, "Do you remember the training I had you do on teleporting when you were younger?" I quickly blinked snapping out of my little dream sequence and said, "Bwha huh. I um I'm sorry can you repeat that, I was deep in thought." Sparkshine chuckled a bit, shook his head and said, "The lessons on teleportation I was giving you when you were younger, do you remember it?" I thought back to those happy times we had together, of him teaching me the basics of magic as well as some of the advanced stuff like the teleportation spell. I remember jumping with joy after completing my first teleport from the middle of the backyard where me and my miss smartypants doll were, to a nearby tree. I smiled at that memory and answered, "Yes of course I do. It was very hard to learn, being a filly at that age but I still learned it. Why, what does that have to do with this?" we started walking back to the tower as he asked, "Well, you do know that once you teleport you leave an Ether trail right?" "Well yeah. Any pony who's ever studied on teleportation spells would know that." I quickly answered, "Once a teleport is triggered you don't just move from one place to another, you dematerialize yourself and enter into the Aether, once inside you travel through it until you reach the location you want to get to and re-materialize there. The trail is actually the movement that the caster makes within the Aether. I'm still not following on how this has to do with snap teleporting?" "Ah but it has has everything to do with it, you see when performing the usual method of teleporting you leave that Aether trail, which any pony with enough knowledge on the matter can follow you through that said Aether trail, While using the snap Teleportation...." Sparkshine paused for a moment as we reached the opened door of the tower, "I should come up with a better name for it, ah well that's not important right now back to what I was saying. When using a snap teleportation spell you're not traveling through the Aether, your traveling through your link to your magic anchor, so if you were to use it while being pursued no pony would be able to follow you due to you using your link and not leaving an Ether trail." "Is that why you brought me out here, to teach me on how to do that?" I asked him "That is right my dear as of today I'm going to teach that spell." Sparkshine said wearing his ever so warming smile. I hopping for joy and squealed with glee upon hearing those words. But the next thing said with a serious tone in his voice caused me to stop, "But.....I must tell you that it's extremely difficult to learn and even more difficult to master. Now I must ask you, do you think you you can handle it?" "Yes." I said with a serious look on my face. "Are you sure now Twilight, once we start there's no turning back, I will not lie to you although the training of this will sound and seem easy but it truth it will physically and mentally be draining for you, it will take every once of strength and will power just to even get the process right. I must no I have to tell you not to agree with this so quickly and to think carefully on this, we still have time to do this after you mastered some of the other spells I have for you." Sparkshine said. I soon felt wave of doubt wash all over me as questions soon raced through my mind, :Am I really ready for this?: :Can I do this?: :If I fail on doing this will there be enough time to go over the other spells he has in mind for me?: :Should I do this, I mean I've read enough books within the tower to fully prepare for any sort of training he would have for me, but the way he's telling me all of this makes it seem like it could be life threatening, so am I truly ready for something like this?: I looked at him straight in his eyes, giving off a look of determination and confidence and said proudly, "Yes I'm ready." "Good. Now come inside and we'll start the first step." Sparkshine said as lead me back inside the tower. The moment we walked inside it felt like a huge weight was lifted off me, like I was carrying a large boulder for so long and dropped it at the door step. My mind was clear again and I even felt lighter, hence my previous statement, all in all I felt like I was back to normal. We walked a little further from the open door to a writing table with one long drawer on the bottom of it and three smaller ones on the side, sitting on top of it were three glowing Crystal shards, that seemed to shift to many different colors in a little rhythmic symphony of their own little design. He looks them over and mutters to himself, "Hmm one...two...three... should I use another one." Sparkshine looks to me and then to the gems, then picked one up with his hoof and placed it up to the light while rubbing his chin and almost instantly it started to slowly change it's shape, from a single simple crystal shard to having two more sprouting on it's sides while still keeping it's rhythmic color shift with the others. It just astounded me, I've never heard or read anything on a crystal that would do anything like that due to simply having light pass through, til this day I'm still astounded by it. Anyway Sparkshine then placed it back on the table and just as slowly the crystal returned to it's previous shape, he stared at them a bit more and with a slight nod he said, "Ok, Let's use four just to be to be on the safe side." He walked over to the small drawers, he lit his horn up with magic and one of the small drawers cloaked in his blue magic opened. He then started shifting through it, I could hear the shuffling of papers and other miscellaneous objects, all the while saying, "No...no... not that one....hmm oh here's that ruby I was looking for." He went on to the next one but this time he was tossing things out from it. I remember thinking to myself, "How could he be so organized with his books but not everything else, maybe I should take some time to organize everything for him." I chuckled to myself as he went to the third drawer more frantically like he was going mad with panic if he didn't find what he was looking for. Moments later he breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled out another crystal shard but this one was different, it's shape was that of a flame frozen in time, it didn't glow like the others did it was all grey like stone grey, in fact if any pony saw it they would say it was a rock. Sparkshine place the flame shaped shard as well as the others on the ground close to me in a circle, walked over to me and said, "Ok Twilight we're gonna start here, first I want you to create a magic waypoint, it will take some time for you do it but I will know when you've done it." "Wait, how will you know if I've created one if you can't see it?" I said. "Oh right I forgot about that, here let me show you." He said He then lowered his horn until it was almost touching the floor, closed his eyes and his horn glowed in a different shard of blue kinda on the side of Luna's mane color of blue. Seconds later his horn stopped glowing as he let out a heavy breath and raised his horn and said, "There, now then that's how you create a waypoint out of your magic." Staring at the empty spot, I cocked my head and raised my a brow and said, "Um Sparkshine I don't see anything." he laughed a bit and said, "Oh right sorry I forgot only I can see it, hold on just a moment." he then levitated the four crystal shards towards us and one by one he placed them in a circle. As he placed the third shard I noticed their shifting of colors had stopped, they only glowed to one color, blue. Well to be more precise they were shifting to different hues of blue, but as he place the grey shard next to the others to complete the circle it too was changing to different hues as well and what I saw just left me fro the most part speechless.
Chapter 4: The hidden truth of the new teacherThe next few seconds seemed to move like hours for within the circle stood a glowing figure of a pony but just not just any pony it was Mr. Sparkshine height and all but it was ethereal. As I stared at the ghost like copy it blinked and wave at me like it was alive, I tilted my head as to study it, but it did the same in fact every action I've done it mimicked me from raising a foreleg to sticking out our tongues. I extended a hoof to poke it but before I could the ghostly copy quickly vanished with a low whoosh sound as if some pony blew a candle out. I looked around calmly and....ok I panicked and started looking around frantically, but calmed down when I noticed the shards were no longer changing to different kinds of blue but returned to shifting through all the colors of the spectrum. I glanced up to Mr. Sparkshine (hmm you know now that I think about it he did hate being call Mr due to it making him sound old and he had considered us equals as well as my mentor and friend so I should refer to him as just Sparkshine, heh although he is technically older if not a little younger than Sombra so oh well) and saw he had a fatherly smile and said "That's how you do it, but I must says I am a bit rusty but.." he dropped to one knee with a grunt all while clutching his head as his breathing rasped and labored. I rushed to him after I shouted, "Mr. Sparkshine!" when I got to him I noticed something about him, at that moment his whole body started to fade with a slight flicker as if he was being erased by some unknown force and a few seconds later it stopped. As I was helping him to hooves his breathing was becoming more steady and less labored along with him regaining his composure. Once he was up and he wiping some sweat from his brow, I started to think about what just happened. The sudden pain, the lost of balance and him unsuspectingly fading like that. I've never seen nor heard of anything like that before....well unnatural and quite unnerving. I was brought out of my train of thought when I felt a shaky hoof on my side as Sparkshine said, "Thank you Twilight, I'm fine now. I hope I didn't cause you to worry." I..I was just speechless as I stared at him wide-eyed, I mean there he was having some sort of episodic attack after creating a mana waypoint which resulted in him going through that unusual phenomenon of him fading out like that, (which I may add I was still trying to wrap my head around.) and all he's concerned about is me being worried. Well needless to say I handled it pretty well, like a matured, intelligent, and respectful mare who has gone through training of discipline and patience, and by that I mean I snapped at him after blinking twice, "What me, that's....that's..no forget about me what in the whole wide of Equestria happened!" Sparkshine blinked then opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off before he could say anything, "One minute you're showing me how to create a Waypoint and the next you're having some sort of episode that causes to you be in pain, lose your balance and oh let's not forget about you fading away like you were vanishing out of existence." "Twilight, that's not...." Sparkshine said but I quickly interrupted him so he wouldn't have time to retort back, "No...no..no. Don't you go and tell me that it's not important or I shouldn't worry, I thought you were going to die!" I said to him. He then looked away slightly as his ears folded to the back of his head, so I walked up to him and jabbed a hoof to his chest sharply as I said to him, "Well let me tell you something Mr. Sparkshine, to me it is important and I am going to worry." Tears started to form in my eyes and my vision started to blur, so with a sniff, I wiped them clear and continued, "You may be my new teacher but you're something else to me, something more important than just that." I wiped the fresh tears and continued, "You're a friend, my longest and dearest friend who has been with me as a filly, a friend who played with me and listened to me talk about my hopes and dreams." I jabbed him again, "A friend who taught me things, things that, I'm afraid to admit, but have forgotten for a time such things like life and things that I wouldn't even know from the princess." I jabbed my hoof in his chest again, "A trusted friend who I've trusted with secrets that I've never told any pony not even my family, just as you've trusted me with your secrets of magic, and as that trusted friend I would have thought you would tell me if something was wrong." SParkshine started to raise a hoof as I lowered my head until I was staring at the floor and I continued, "I mean princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria for over a thousand years, and the one mare that I idolized; who I truly respected wouldn't tell me, her own personal student about anything that should have been told, not about Sombra, or Discord." I chuckled, "She couldn't even trust me enough to know that she knew of Nightmare Moon's return, she even went as far as to dismissing my own thoughts of her return on the night of the summer sun celebration or even the fact that Nightmare moon, the mare of the moon was actually her very own sister and co-ruler of Equestria, by Tartarus she even used me just to save the Crystal Empire from King Sombra and then just threw me away like a wad of gum or a used tissue, and after all of that you're here by my side and I'm thankful for that." I wiped my head up to stare at him in the face with anger clearly written all over mine "I understand Twilight but this is..." Sparkshine said but I didn't listen to him. Now I'm not sure if there were tears flowing from my eyes but if they were they had to look like as if some pony turned on a faucet and I didn't care I had been too focused on what I wanted to say and it needed to said, "And now you're telling me that what just happened I..I..should not even worry about it, and that it's not important. What, you expect me not to worry about it. Well, news flash Mr. Sparkshine, if you haven't figured it out yet I'm going to worry about it. Something is wrong and I think I have the right to know about it so I can help you." I stood there breathing heavy through my clenched teeth, with the look of rage staring at him. Sparkshine let out a long and staggered sigh and he did something that caught me totally by surprise, he pulled me into a hug. Heh and just like that all that anger and frustration just melted away, vanished as if it was never there and what replaced was a feeling of embarrassment and fluster. He remained like that for few moments until he said, "My dear Twilight you're right and I'm sorry about that, you have to understand for one who has been alone for so many years I have forgotten that my actions can affect others." He released his embrace and looked at me with a slight smile, I stared into his eyes and what I saw were the eyes that were quite similar to the Princess. They were the eyes of somepony who lived a long life and saw many things through it, as well as a hint of worry and of something he was hiding something, and whatever he was hiding shook him to the core. Sparkshine wrapped a leg around me and said, "This old stallion shall tell you everything, but first, come let's get some tea to calm ourselves hmm." I simply nodded and he led me to the living room. Moments later I'm sitting at a large wooden table on top of red fluffy cushion located in the middle of the living room, a small cup of tea in front of me giving off the aroma of some flavor that I could not place but it smelled nice. I grabbed the cup with my magic and took a sip, it was delicious but it gave me a hint of familiarity, I think I had this flavor of tea before with the princess. As I place the cup down I look in across from me, there was Sparkshine sipping tea from his cup with such finesse you'd think he was a Canterlot noble, Rarity would probably be head over hooves over him, well if he had on a fancy outfit. I chuckled to myself at that thought as Sparkshine finished his sip as said, "Ah, Crystal Earl. After all these years you're still my favorite flavor, and always good to enjoy among friends and calm the nerves." I answered with a simple nod as I took another sip from my cup. He was right it was quite enjoyable and it made me relax a little, as I think of it now maybe it because of the little bit of honey that was put into it I don’t know, in fact even now I still can’t get the tea to taste just as good as it was then but I’m moving from my story, hehe I tend to do that for some reason I wonder why, anyway back to what I was saying. As I was taking another sip from my cup I was looking at Sparkshine, and with his body language I could tell he was stalling or for the most part he hoped I would drop the situation and move on with my lessons. Well that wasn’t going to happen, so I placed my cup down and said to him, “Mr. Sparkshine I know you’re trying to stall on telling me on why that happened.“ For a moment he was staring into his cup motionless as a statue, perhaps in deep thought, but he closed his eyes, followed by a deep sigh and said, “You are right Twilight I am stalling, not because I’m trying to hide anything from you, it’s just after all these years I still haven’t figured out if it’s true or not.” He laughed a bit as he held his head with a hoof and continued, “All these years I couldn’t find an answer to it but..." he paused, "No that's not quite right it's perhaps I’ve just been in denial of the truth that’s right been front of me, just been refusing to see it because of my long life of isolation in here in this place of great knowledge and wisdom." I remember how scared I was becoming as his demeanor changing from the look of a kind and gentle stallion to a crazed and broken stallion. His mane was disheveled and shagged with some split ends, it looked as if he never brush or a comb to it, his eyes although wide open would twitch every few seconds, looking at them you could see they gave off a look of a crazed pony who could snap and attack you with how small his pupils shrank, and that smile he head just gave me chills down my spine, and I must say all together just gave him a look of and insane pony yes that true but for some reason it brought back memories of my most lowest and embarrassing incident that mostly every pony calling it the "Smartypants incident" I was sill getting looks from ponies even after two weeks had gone by. I sat there as he going on about, "The truth was right there but I kept on pushing it away like it was nothing" and "Now that she saw it happen it's concrete now, there's no excuse." I remember thinking if this was how I must have looked and was acting on that day that everypony called the smartypants event. I quickly shook those thoughts out as I said to myself, "No this is not the time for that." I got up and went to Sparkshine as he was mumbling to himself, grabbed him and with one swift motion smacked him across the muzzle leaving a light red mark on the spot I hit him, he slowly placed a hoof to it and stared at me blankly. I took a few steps back and said, "I...I'm sorry Mr. Sparkshine I just didn't know what else to do, you were just losing yourself and have an episode and..and..I'm so sorry" Sparkshine removed his hoof and stared at if for a moment chuckled then smiled and said, "You know if my wife was here knowing her she would have done the same thing and shout get a hold of yourself you moron." He brushed his hoof through his mane, at this time I got up the nerve and asked, "Are you alright Mr. Sparkshine?" He wiped a tear that I haven't noticed earlier turned to me and answered, "Yes Twilight, and sorry about that but I am fine now and thank you I truly needed that." He straightened himself up and continued, "Once again I am truly sorry for that but it's because of what I'm about to tell you is the reason I was acting that way, and I just hope you don't think of me any different from how you are now." "What, treat you any differently. Why would I do that" I asked with my head tilted "It's because..well for you see..." Sparkshine started but he stopped, he looked to me and opened his mouth to say something but closed it, I could see he was starting to tremble slightly. He then placed his right foreleg around his arm and squeezed it to calm himself down and seconds later his trembling stopped and he said "I don't think I'm the real Sparkshine." "Wait what. Not the real you, you're not making any sense. Maybe it's the stress of everything that's getting to you, you should rest and..." I said but he quickly interrupted me, "No not me, I mean I'm me but not the real Sparkshine, I believe I'm just a...a....a copy, or an imprint of the real Sparkshine." I opened my mouth to say something but he quickly raised a hoof he continued, "Before ask, no I'm not projecting myself to you and I'm not a ghost well I don't think so due to the fact ghost don't eat." "I...I know that." I said with my cheeks puffed and crossed my forelegs and blushed slightly, "and besides, there are no such things as ghost." "I wouldn't be so sure about that my student, one must see all this world has to offer before making an assumption like that," Sparkshine said with a chuckle but then his whole demeanor changed and with a heavy sigh he continued, "Perhaps I should tell you about what happened after the whole incident with the princess" I simply nodded and he did. He retold me of what happen up to the part where he returned here, but it was at this point he said something that got me thinking about this place. "I've told you that I figured out a way to bring my tower here right?" I simply nodded when in truth I had forgotten. "Well upon entering I felt that something was wrong, not just with me but with the tower. So I searched around and found that three more floors had appeared, all filled with books that I've never seen nor collected. I quickly went outside the tower to check it's height, but once outside I saw that it was the same height from when I brought it here, the same five floors. It was baffling to say the least I chalked it up as this place following it's own rules, I went back inside and found that all of the furniture were rearranged." he let out sad chuckle as he continued, "To see that happen in just a few short minutes I.... uh what was that word that your friend Rainbow Dash had said once, hmmmm ah yes I began to spaz out as it were. I didn't notice but I was slowly becoming unhinged as more and more unexplained things started to happen like I would write out formulas for spells I was developing, I would take my eyes away from it for a moment and then it would be either erased, finished or even completely changed into a whole new formula or when I made a sandwich and place it on the table one moment and then the next it would be moved to another place with a bite taken out of it." I stared at him as I recanted more and more of these incidents, he had a mask of calmness on him but there were things that I noted that he was about to lose it again such as how one of his eyes would twitch and he would shake for second. As he told me of each incident his mask would brake little by little like a tiny pieces were being chipped away but it was what he told me next was what really broke him but that's for another part of I'll leave for later, but all in all I reassured him that no matter who or what he is, he'll still be my teacher and most importantly my friend and no matter what turns out to be true he will always be my friend and I'll be there for him, with that said he regained his composure and soon we resumed my training. Author's Note Ok I know it's been so long and most of you may have forgotten about this story but you have to understand a lot of things kept pilling up especially work, and being that I work overnights is kinda hard for me to just take a few moments to write some of this chapter but I finally finished this chapter and going to start on the next one (on my day off cuz tomorrow I work and need some rest before work). For those who waited so patiently I wish to say thank you for sticking with me and to say that besides work I wanted to make this chapter longer but every time I came with something more to add I would have to change what I've written before it () so if this chapter seems a little bland and too wordy I'll take full blame on that. now if you can excuse me I gotta put the next chapter in order and hopefully I can get it out before or the day after new years, so T.T.F.N.
