The Imagineers

Chapter Three

Friends thicker than glue, and betrayals from long ago

Twilight woke up with all of her friends surrounding her looking very concerned, while Rainbow Dash and Orthodox were arguing.

Twilight groaned, “Ugh, I’m definitely feeling that tomorrow.” She got up.

Rainbow Dash stopped arguing with Ortho and everypony grouped hugged her

“We were so worried darling,” Rarity said.

Twilight looked at them all, “You forgive me? Even after I hurt you, tried to hurt Discord?” She looked for the embodiment of chaos but he was nowhere to found, neither Fluttershy.

“Of coarse dear, we are friends aren’t we.” Rarity said.

Apple Jack came up, “And besides sugar cube, Orthodox told us about that Taint in your magic's due to the severing of your element.”

Twilight then asked, “Where’s Fluttershy and Discord?”

“Well…” Rainbow started off, “After you fell unconscious, Discord grabbed Fluttershy and teleported who knows where. Said he needed to protect her from you.”

“I’m truly sorry dear, about your magic, its a shame you won’t be able to use it for so long. You should really thank Ortho though, he was able to cleans your soul with his magic, otherwise you would still be in that state.”

Twilight looked to Ortho and nodded to him. He nodded back.

“We should probably get to your village,” Ortho said, “I’m tired of being in this forrest.”

“Oh, Orthie, Orthie, can you teleport us back?” Pinkie asked.

Ortho petted the party pony’s head, “Sorry Pinkie, but Master Baolaf says that I should limit myself with my abilities until I hone them properly.”

“Master baolaf?” Questioned Rarity, “He’s been dead for thousands of years dear.”

“He’s… in my subconscious rarity, an effect from the element of magic he says. he also says that it used to be a Unicorn tradition for apprentices to let their masters into their head after their deceased ” Explained Orthodox.

All of the ponies shivered.

“Wait, he’s really in there?” Asked Twilight Intrigue.

Ortho nodded, “Yes, and he knows you very well from another life.”

“Another life?” Twilight questioned. She knew that certain ponies believed in reincarnation, the belief that a pony soul enters another body after death, but most ponies didn’t talk about their spiritual senses. Twilight tried to keep out of it due to it being unprovable at this particular point of time. But this was a creator telling her this, not a preacher, “Who?” she questioned.

“Starswirl the bearded. That a strange name though.” Ortho said.

Twilight froze, did this… being, say she was starswirl the bearded. Of coarse, it explained everything, Discords fixation with her, Celestia’s interest in her, even why she was able to finish starswirl’s spell that lead to her Alicornhood, but she was unable to let herself believe it. She then dropped and blacked out again.

Everyone stared at her.

“Was it something he said,” asked Pinkie. Everyone face hoofed, and face palmed.

. . .

Twilights friends had to carry her the way to Ponyville. Zecora said her goodbyes and left for her hut as the pony’s and the Imagineer reached town. Of coarse they got a lot of strange looks  from the denizens of ponyville, but had faith that their town heroes knew what they were doing. A couple screamed thinking that Twilight was dead, but the ponies explained to them that she’s just knocked out. Ortho noticed that some of the Denizens were whispering to each other about him, which made him feel a little uncomfortable, but expected nothing less. He could hardly believe that its been only around eighteen hours since he’s been here when its felt like days. When they reached the castle, spike ran out to greet the six friend, only to find five, one was unconscious, and with an Imagineer from another universe. Admittedly, they all looked to be in bad shape.

“You found the Imagineer; Is Twilight going to be okay?” Spike asked.

“Let me tell you something,” Ortho said to the… Little lizard, who seemed to be friends with the six, “I’m guessing... you’re her friend?”

“Her Number one assistant Spike the dragon, and yes, friend.”

Ortho smirked, “Well think about it this way, how would  you feel to find out that you’re the incarnate of one of the greatest mages in all of Equestria, then find that you can’t use magic anymore or else you will go mad and probably destroy everyone you know?” ortho asked. Though it didn’t go in that order, it gave the message. Plus the little info from Twilight's memories helped”

“I’d expect about this much of a reaction from her,” Spike said. He led the ponies and the Imagineer into the Castle tree with a waiting Celestia.

“Oh my.” Celestia said as she picked Twilight up with her magic, “I will put her in her room to rest.” She said as she glanced at Ortho worriedly.

“Be wary of her, young Imagineer.” Baolaf said in his mind, “She was made to take care of ponykind and will do anything to protect her ponies if she felt threatened.”

Ortho nodded in understanding. he looked around in the structure and noticed it was bigger on the inside than it is on the outside, minor manipulation to the time-space continuum maybe? Bending the space time fabric might be one of the manipulations ponies are able to do. Ortho thought.

“Ortho, She attempting to reach in your mind, cut her off”

Ortho then felt it, the Alicorn trying to pry through his head. He shut her out as easy as a flick of a switch. She attempted again with a stronger force but went unsuccessful. She came out appearing as if she didn’t just tried to pry into his head. No going back now, she was already feeling threatened by his mere presence.”

She spoke up, “I’m afraid Twilight has a taint in her magic.”

Pinkie stared at her, “Yep, but we already know that, Orthie told us.”

She looked to Ortho, “Did he now?”

“You Highness, I would… be pleased to introduce myself, I am Orthodox Monarch, Imagineer, Human from the planet earth.” He said respectfully.

“Does she really move the sun like Twilight showed us Master Baolaf?” Ortho thought the question to the consciousness living in him.

“Not how you would think Ortho.” Baolaf said in his thoughts.

Celestia nodded, oblivious to the time dilation. “Pleased to have make your acquaintance Orthodox.” She said. “Ponies?” Everypony looked to her. “I would like to talk to Orthodox in private if you would.”

The four left with spike included. After the doors closed behind them, Celestia stared at Ortho, her horn glowing. Ortho felt her trying to get into his mind again, but resisted with ease to her attempt. She started to strain, but stopped as soon as her nose started to bleed. “Tough to crack huh, Imagineer.” She said.

“You know, I understand that you were created to protect your ponies, but if I were  a threat, I wouldn’t have saved the other six, and I would probably have broken you down into the nothingness you came from.” Ortho said.

The Ruler flinched but regained her posture, “How do I trust a being who hides his thoughts.” Celestia asked.

“Is that what you do, pry into ponies thought so you can gain an advantage over them?”

Ortho then got an Idea, he reached out his mind to her. She was taken by surprise, but started resisting to no avail. He was in her head, in a hallway, “Stop this!” She pleaded, she was hiding something. An old rustic door appeared, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no!”

“Something horrible happened here.” Baolaf said as he appeared besides Ortho.

Ortho opened the door into what appeared to be a… once Dragons nest. Thousands of Dragons were sprawled on the ashy ground, with Celestia leading an army of ponies. She was talking to the general when a Purple Dragon swooped down to the ground, “Celestia!” It screamed, “I trusted you!” Thirty Unicorns were on him shooting him with all of their magic, “You killed my f..family,” He said as he coughed up blood, “My mate, my sons and daughters… how could you?”

Celestia glared at the Dragon, “Your flock threatened my ponies, you provided the Info I needed to take care of it.”

The dragon stared at her nearly beaten down, “We were friends.”

“Please, what point are friends really?” She said as she started off.

Orthodox looked to Baolaf who looked very grim at this battle field.

A pony soldier ran to Celestia with a… Purple egg

The Purple Dragon saw the egg and tried to lung at the pony to no avail, “My… Son.” He said before dying.

“Princess,” He the soldier saluted, “What do you want us to do with this?”

Celestia glanced at it, “Donate it to the school for gifted Unicorns, they will know what to do with it.”

The general came up, “What about all this?” he pointed to the battle field.

“Make it look like a griffon or changeling attack.” Celestia ordered. “Nopony is to speak or know about this attack.”

The general nodded and the memory disappeared. Ortho was out of Celestia’s mind, “How could you,”

He looked to Celestia spread out on the floor sobbing.

“They were Innocent!”

The group obviously heard Ortho yellng and rushed through the door, shocked to see their leader on the ground sobbing.

Ortho looked to spike with a pained expression, then looked to Celestia.

“What in tarnation is going on Ortho!” Applejack yelled to him.

He looked to Celestia. She lifted her head up with fear in her eyes.

Tell them Celestia, tell them the secret you’ve been hiding from them, from spike!.” Spike flinched at the mention of his name.

The ponies looked at spike then bak to Celestia with expectant gazes.

“I-I was only doing my job… to protect my ponies.” She said, then looked at Spike. Her horn started glowing.

“Stop her Ortho, she’s trying to use a memory wipe spell.” Baolaf warned him.

What do I do? Ortho thought.

“Let me take control.”

. . .

Baolaf knew what to do. Time froze as he took his natural shape, the old man in the blue velvet robes, He put out his hand and unfroze Celestia. She gasped at the sight of him.

“I hadn’t realized the fierceness of the protective instinct we’ve given you,” He said.

Celestia looked at him, fear, confusion, anger, all written on her face.

“You know, me and the others took months of planning for you do defeat my students mistake, after all, we were too old to do it ourselves. We devised a way to imprint a maternal bond to your ponies and apparently made it a little strong, wouldn’t you say?” Baolaf asked, “And judging from Twilights memories, its apparently the same for your sister, which is probably why she did what she did, after all, you did take all the glory. Ortho didn’t realized  yet that the same thing could happen to you, which is why I stopped him from telling them.”

“What are you going to do?” Celestia asked. Hoping he wouldn’t destroy her.

The old man sighed, “What I need to. Erase everyponys  memory of you and replace them with your sister.” He said, “You will be an assistant under Orthodox for at least a century.” Baolaf told her, “He needs one anyway if he’s to create and flourish in this land I’ve work so hard on.”

Celestia sighed, accepting her fate, “She won’t remember being sent to the moon?” She asked. “and Orthodox?”

“As far as Luna will know, she is the soul ruler of Equestria, and has been for thousands of years.” Baolaf said, “and Ortho, I know he would never go with the plan knowing what you did, I’ll erase his memory of you too, lastly, I’ll just need to make an adjustment to you.”

He picked her up and started spreading energy all over her body.”