Twilight, Soldier of War

Evening light had set in washing the sky in the warm light of the fading sun. Twilight’s parents lived in the noble quarter, despite not being nobles themselves, but with two children becoming royalty they had more influence than most of the nobles combined. Twilight and Spike stood in front of their parents’ home. It was a simple two story blue house set into a slot next to countless others. It wasn’t overly decorative, as to feel it was competing for status, nor was it forgettable either.

After a few minutes of stearing at the door Spike looked up to Twilight and asked, “As much as I love what moms done with the place don’t you think we should go in?”

Twilight gave him a smile that failed to reach her eyes. “Sorry, I kind of spaced out there. Yes, we should definitely go inside. It would be kind of awkward to be standing out here when Shining Armor and Cadence arrived, although I guess then we could go in together and—”

“Twilight,” Spike interrupted. “Would you like me to knock?”

“Well...yes,” She admitted after a moment.

With a shake of the head Spike stepped up and knocked on the door. Before Spike could give a third knock the door flew open. “Spike.” Twilight Velvet said from the doorway, meeting Spike’s eyes. She slowly looked up to the being behind him. Her eyes moistened and she gave a smile only a mother could give, “Welcome home, Sweetie.” An awkward moment seem to stretch on between the two of them as Twilight forgot how to speak. “Let's not stand out here all night, come inside.”

Velvet led them into the living room, there was a couch and a few chairs all centered around the corner fireplace. Spike plopped on the couch and asked, “Where's Dad?”

“We weren’t expecting everypony so soon so he ran out to pick up a few things,” Velvet answered, before turning to Twilight. She looked over Twilight’s armor and her smile faltered; she took in a breath as if steeling herself then spoke. “Twilight, you can place your armor upstairs in your old room.”

The annoyance that flashed across Twilight’s face was apparent to all. For a moment all Twilight could do was think about the statistical probability of this subject coming up so many times in one day. When her moment ended and rough calculations done she answered, “If it’s alright, I’ll keep my armor on.”

“No, it is not alright,” Velvet said sternly. “I do not allow armor to be worn in my house.”

Twilight didn’t want to argue with her mother, but her tone told Twilight she was prepared for one. Frankly everyone’s obsession with her wardrobe was getting on her last nerve. No, more accurately it was cutting it out with surgical precision. “It’s not that big of a deal, just let it go.” She said between clenched teeth.

But Velvet just stood her ground and shot back, “Yes it is a big deal, Twilight. I understand you’ve been...away for a long time, but that doesn’t mean you can disregard the rules of my house!”

The small part of Twilight’s mind that fought against arguing with her mother was suddenly hushed out. “For fuck’s sake Mom!” Twilight snapped. “It’s just armor I’m not going to ruin your damn house by wearing it. I know Equestria is a nudist country, but ponies act like they’ve never seen armor before. Being in the Royal Guard must be a pain in the ass with ponies demanding they strip down constantly; it must be because I haven't been back a day and already everyone's obsessing over my wardrobe and trying to break into my dreams! Fuck!” Twilight stood there breathing heavily and watched her mother.

Velvet’s face was the same sheet of ice as before her daughter's rant. She turned to Spike, who had watch the exchange with wide eyed shock, and spoke in a voice that was almost too chipper. “Spike, I left you some gems on the kitchen counter go help yourself, just don’t ruin your appetite.”

Spike glanced between the two for a moment before hopping down, deciding to put as much distance from those two as he could, and suddenly grateful they weren’t dragons.

When Spike was out of sight Velvet looked Twilight in the eyes and spoke to her in a voice no louder than normal, “I don’t give a buck if the rest of the Royal Guard wears armor or a frilly tutu; If they wear it when they go off to fight it’s not welcome in my house. Princess Celestia came and told us the basics of what happened to you, and I know enough to see your armor isn’t what Rarity would consider a fashion statement. And another thing young lady, I know you have been through a lot but I will not have you speaking to me or anypony else like that again. I am not one of your ‘battle buddies,’ so you will treat me with the respect I deserve, Is that clear!”

“Y-yes ma’am,” Twilight cried on instinct. Without another word she did an about-face and headed for the stairs, all the while trying to figure out what just happened.

Twilight’s old room was bare bones with only a bed, nightstand, and a closet. It took her a moment to remember that her belongings had all been moved to her castle. After depositing her things on the bed she made her way back down stairs to find her mother’s welcoming smile and holding a cup of steaming tea. Velvet held the cup of for her and said. “I’m sure after that tirade of yours you must be thirsty.”

Twilight took the offered drink, suddenly regretting her earlier words. “Umm...mom, about what I said—”

“You're forgiven,” Velvet interrupted.

“Just like that?”

“Always just like that. Now come on, let's not leave Spike all alone.”

Velvet led Twilight back into the living room where Spike was tossing gems into the air and catching them in his mouth. They set on the couch and just talked. They talked about how Velvet’s publisher asked her to help co-write a Daring Do book when A.K. Yearling broke her writing hoof. They talked about how Spike got to visit the Dragon Lands when the Friendship Court went to meet the new Dragon Lord. And they talked about the little things that made up their days; they spoke of everything except for That, and Twilight was more than happy about that. Before she knew it an hour had flew by and it was marked by the arrival of Night Light.

“I’m home,” He announced. He soon entered the living room carrying paper bags in his magic. “And guess who I ran into.” His words caught in this throat and his bags fell from his magic, as his eyes fell on Twilight. Twilight stood and stepped around the chairs as another voice called out.

“Dad, What’s wrong?” Shining armor asked, coming up next to him. When Shining saw her he wasn’t frozen like his father. He let out a cry and charged, “Twily!”

Without her armor she had nothing to absorb the impact of Shining’s flying hug, and fell back on the ground. He pressed his head into her chest and cried as his said, “Please tell me this is real. Please, please don’t let this be a dream. No, if this is a dream don’t tell me just let me pretend this is real.”

“Shiny,” Twilight called, trying to shove him off of her. “Yes, I’m real.” Cadence stood next to Night Light as they both shook from laughter at the scene. “Can one of you get him off of me.”

Once everypony had settled down they took a seat around the fireplace. Twilight was wrong. When she met her mother at the door steps that had not been awkward. No, that was a vacation she hoped to one day return to. Due to the lack of seating Twilight had volunteered to sit on the floor, despite the protest to the contrary. She set with her back to the wall next to the fireplace with everypony else facing her. And by Murphy's balls was it awkward. It wasn’t the fact they were staring with uncomfortable smiles plastered on their faces. She was a princess, so she was use to a certain level of attention.

No, what made it awkward was the fact that there was only one question hanging in the air and nopony wanted to be the one to ask. A few times a forced conversation would start up, but as everypony’s mind was elsewhere it quickly faded out. Finally having all she could take she let out a groan and cried, “Ok let's just get this over with! Yes, I was gone for ten years while only three past for everypony else. Yes, I fought in a war. Yes, I’ve killed people and seen others die. But believe me when I tell you I’m perfectly fine; I don’t need to be coddled.” As if to be proven wrong a small boom went off in her head, reverberating off her skall and forming a very unpleasant headache.

“We weren’t trying to coddle you. It’s just…” Cadence said, stopping as if thinking of the right words, after a moment Night Light finish for her.

“Twilight, Princess Celestia said we should take things slowly with you.”

Twilight rubbed her temple trying to quell her growing headache. She really hoped it wasn’t the onset of a migraine. “Peo...er...ponies have been taking things slowly with me all day and it's been exhausting. So if you don’t mind can we stop playing coddle the delicate flower. Look let's just talk about something else. Cadence, I heard you and Shiny had a filly; tell me about her.”

Cadence seemed to brighten up at this and with her the room. “Her name is Flurry Heart, she’s just over a year old and she’s quite the strong flyer. We would have brought her but…” Cadence said, and Shining Armor picked up from her pause.

“We didn’t think it was a good idea to have her out so late, besides as much as we don’t want to we have to head back home in the morning.”

“That’s ok,” Twilight said. “There’s no need to bring her all the way out here on my account. I’ll see her eventually.” Apart of her couldn’t help but wonder if the reason Flurry Heart was left behind was to keep her away from a half crazed Human. She then realized she was calling herself crazy and let that thought go. “What does she look like?”

“I have just the thing,” Velvet called. She quickly got up from her seat and trotted out of the room. She returned with a photo album floating behind her, and after flipping part ways in she handed it to her daughter. Twilight reached out and took it, but try as she might she couldn’t stop the slight tremor in her hand. The Photo Album was open to a page of a foal sleeping peacefully. She had a white coat, her mane was purple with a blue streak, and had the biggest pair of wings she had ever seen on a foal. “You weren’t kidding about a strong flyer,” she said, glancing up at Cadence.

“She’s really not.” Shining Armor chimed in.

Twilight turned to the next page. It was a group photo of her parents, Shining, and...herself. At her confused look her mother asked, “What's wrong dear,” she came around the side to get a look at the photo. “Oh, that was right before you moved to Ponyville.”

Twilight ran a finger over her pony self as she said, “I look so alien.”

“No, you're beautiful, then and now.” Velvet said, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

So you’re an alien then?

“What was that?” Twilight asked, looking to her mother.

“I said you're beautiful.”

“No, not...never mind.” Twilight closed the photo album and handed back to Velvet.

Oh god, You’re really a Pink Pony Princess

Twilight shot up from her seat and franticly looked around. “Twilight,” Night Light called, standing up from his chair. “What’s wrong?”

Twilight held her head as her headache grew worse, but she did her best to shrug it off. “Did you hear that?”

Night Light looked to the others and could see the same confusion on their faces. “No we didn't hear anything.”

Not all of us are going to have a glorious death.

Twilight grabbed her chest as her breathing increased and the room seemed to shrink. “Twilight tell us what’s going on!” Her mother cried.

“I...I need…” Twilight stammered. “I need air.” With that she stormed from the room.

“Wait, Twilight!” Spike called, running after her as the others set in bewilderment. “I’ll come with you.” Spike reached the front door to find it hanging open, and Twilight nowhere to be seen.

The darkness had set in but the street lamps provided just enough light for Twilight as she ran. She didn’t pay much attention to where she was going or who she ran into. There weren’t many ponies out but the few she came across either gave her a look of disgust, like the very notion of non ponies in Canterlot offended them, or just screamed and ran. She wasn’t even sure why she had run off, it was like something had hit her flight response hard.

She stopped and leaned against a tree, taking in deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. “Late as usual I see.” Twilight jerked her head at the sound of the familiar voice. Across the street standing next to a dimly lit street lamp was Cotreau.

Twilight stared unbelievably, “Commander?” She whispered, as she took a step closer. Cotreau turned and walked down a side alley. “Commander, wait!” she followed as fast as her legs would carry, but as she passed into the shadow of the alley she froze. It wasn’t just Cotreau but all of them: Nadia, Davis, Teagan, and even Skyler. They stood at the end of the alley each wearing their armor that she was so used to seeing, and they smiled at her.

Skyler waved and called out, “Hey, Spotlight, better hurry we’re heading out.” They turned as one and walked deeper into the shadows of the alley.

Twilight’s legs felt like jelly but she forced herself to run anyway, yet no matter how fast she ran they seem to get farther away. “Wait!” she called, reaching out as if the catch them. “Don’t leave me behind!” But they were gone and Twilight's world went dark.

It could have been five minutes or five hours she couldn’t be sure, but when she awoke she was lying face down in the alleyway. She felt weak but managed to push herself into a sitting position. She leaned against the alley wall as a bout of dizziness overtook her; with trembling hands she fished out her Anizon case and simply stared at it. As she set there glaring at the white case that had taken up so much of her life. She realized just how much she hated it, but needed it at the same time.

It made things so much simpler. Just a single shot and your mind become so clear and you stop worrying, obsessing, and just focus on what it is you need to focus on, side effects be damned. She popped open the case and retrieved the gun. With a precision that only came with practice she loaded the gun, yet it took her a moment to still her arm so she could find a vain. It seemed like an eternity before she felt it wash through her. She leaned her head back and looked out at the night sky; the stars were beautiful, just like then.