Tainting of a Clean Slate
Prologue
Twilight rested her hoof against the mirror that rested on the wall. She was staring at herself tonight wondering if she was alone or not. The alicorn opened her wings and looked at them both one at a time to see that they were normal. Her hoof drifted up to her lower eye lid and she pulled down at it with her hoof to see if there were signs of color change but there was nothing. Spike walked up with tired eyes as he rubbed his tired thoughts from them.
"Twilight..it was just a dream" Twilight let out a long sigh and nodded lowering her head. "I know it seemed real but its like when I was really really little. Remember how I used to have those horrible nightmares? You were there to remind me that it was only a dream and it is nothing to be afraid of" Spike chuckled and looked in the mirror at himself and the beautiful Alicorn. "The filly in your dream may have seemed real too you but it was only a dream" Twilight nodded sniffling a bit from the now cold air that rested in the castle at night. She thought back to the dream and couldn't help herself to think that there was more too it than just a dream. "Can we go back to bed now?"
"Of course, Spike, you go ahead...I will be right behind you in a moment" Twilight smiled and looked to her dragon assistant with only her eyes so her body would remain facing the mirror. "Your right , it was just a dream. I just can't help but recognize the filly from my dream Spike. She looked allot like me but I know that she wasn't me!" She placed her hoof on her chest leaning back landing on the floor, her wings laying flat against it. She looked at the shine of the ceiling and thought to herself about the resemblances she had with the filly. "Go to bed Spike, I will be sleeping soon myself. I just have some midnight studying too do~"
Chapter One
The world was burning with purple flames as the world all around her was cracking with portal light on the ground below her. Twilight watched in agony as she saw everything slowly being turned to dust. She was helpless and weak.
"Help, somepony help me!" Twilight could hear ponies screaming. The horror was just to much for her and got worse as ponies all around her stopped running and just stared at her with bright blue eyes shining through the dust that now fell from the sky like snow, it was ashes. She turned around to run only to run into an open hand. She looked up at it only raised her up from the ground, she was a small pony and she could not fight back the human figure. The smoke and dust covered most of the attackers body making it hard to see as the darkness concealed it. Twilight screamed as two large black wings shot open from the now visible girl. A sharp blue glow came from her eyes and from Twilight Sparkle's as she screamed.
"YOUR MINE!"
Twilight shot up in bed slamming up against the ceiling of her room. She was frightened so bad she took flight right out of bed, falling down back onto her bed she began too look around the room for the girl who had grabbed her in her dream. She patted down her chest with her hooves and felt along her neck but she was fine. It was only a dream and she let out a long sigh of relief but was very confused onto why she had a nightmare with a human in it. She had not been through the portal in almost a year now it seemed and maybe it was longer now. Spike busted out of his covers and rushed over to her bedside. Twilight had her hoof on her head rubbing it now from the impact on the ceiling and Spike hoped for what seemed forever before finally pulling himself up onto her bed.
"Twilight! Are you alright? You flew like really fast! It was awesome!!" Spike chuckled and this caused Twilight to give him a slight glare. He tapped his little claws together and chuckled a bit slower as he realized he might want to rephrase that. "That looked painful are you alright?" Spike tilted his little head and Twilight lowered hers to nuzzle her brother figure on the head. "I'll take that as a yes~" Spike reached up and hugged the face of the alicorn and she giggled.
"Just a bad dream, Spike. One that I tend to forget with a dream of cotton candy, hopefully enough to make Pinkie Pie jealous because the quicker I forget the better" Twilight smiled and used a quick flash of magic to pull the blankets over her slender body. "I need some sleep for tomorrow Spike. I am fine so you can go back to sleep too so that we are ready for our visit to Canterlot tomorrow afternoon" Twilight stared at the wall as she was now laying down on her side. The thing she saw in her dream was lingering in her head but she didn't know who it was or how her dream made that up. "Goodnight Spike~" Twilight's ear twitched as the words the girl spoke rang in the air. "Your Mine...." The daylight rose later as time passed. Getting up again but this time without smashing her head Twilight slipped our of bed and levitated a soft robe onto her body so she would not freeze walking downstairs. Spike was still asleep cradled in his bed holding a Mane-iac comic book. The castle felt really cold even with the robe on.
"Twilight, whoa, why is it so cold!?" Spike was getting up now as well rubbing his arms fast and hugging himself. "I think I might need my blanket with me and its not even winter yet! Why is it getting so cold already!?" Twilight opened her wing pressing a feather against the dragons lips to silence him.
"Spike~ The weather changes on its own sometimes. The pegasi cannot be held responsible for every weather change just because it upsets you. Its natures course and sometimes we should let her take it" Twilight moved her wing away and pushed open her door and step out. "Come along now Spike we have some things too do as we get ready for the trip to the Crystal Empire! Who knows how much time we have left" She stretched out flaring both wings open with a yawn. "I think I slept in for a bit longer than originally planned because of that dream I had" She thought back to the girl in the dream and the wings she had. The blue shine from all the ponies in her dream when the girl arrived, the purple flames, and the screams. Twilight couldn't help but still let this all rest in her head because it all felt too real too her. "So I will need brush my mane and perhaps get my hooves polished?" Spike yawned and leaned up against the wall letting out a big groan because he hated mornings.
"Twilight? What was that dream even about last night? I ask because you flew out of bed" Spike looked at his talons making a counting motion with his fingers. "Like literally you did" Twilight rolled her eyes and turned to her assistant patting him lightly on the head with one wing.
"It was nothing, Spike, nothing to worry your little head about"
"Its enough to bump yours over though huh?" Spike crossed his arms and Twilight just turned away as the little dragon began to chuckle at his remark. Lately he sure knew how too make cocky remarks. "I'm going to check my bed to see if I burped up anything for you to read. Lately because of your lack of sleep I have missed a few scrolls over night that the Princess wrote too you" As he chuckled some more it made her giggle at her brothers enjoyment.
"Yeah remember that one time we woke up and Celestia had sent three urgent scrolls!? We were freaking out all day wondering what we were going to say too her about missing them?" Twilight placed a hoof over her muzzle and giggled more. "You were so worried you tripped right" she couldn't help but laugh a bit in mid sentence trying to relapse with a good memory. "You fell right into the cake Pinkie Pie left at the castle for a big delivery! They had to make it all over again~!" As Twilight continued talking about that Spike was looking in his bed but there was nothing there that caught his eye. However a book by Twilight's bed was now flashing over and over again.
"Um, Twilight, that book is flashing again?" tapping his talons across his bed sheets he quickly moved over to the book transitioning the tapping to the hard cover. Twilight poked her head back in through her bedroom door and raised a brow as too what Spike was saying. "Hey! Its from Sunset Shimmer!?" Twilight suddenly appeared levitating the book close to her with a large blush now spread across her muzzle. Spike was quickly knocked to the floor from the teleportation spell. "Hey! What gives!!??"
"Spike go downstairs and make sure we have enough packed! I think I should read this alone thank you!"
"But Twilight I wanna know..." Before being able to finish his sentence he was grabbed by the tail with magic being moved to the door and out. "Twilight!!" The door closed and Twilight quickly opened the book back to the page message that was from Sunset Shimmer. The alicorn still had that bright blush on her muzzle as she looked inside. Everypony who was there the first time Twilight came back from the human world to get her crown noticed she had this blush when she met Flash Sentry but over time that same blush had spread its wings too another pony. That ponies name was, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight having not heard a thing from her for awhile was now a very giddy pony too find out what her friend from the other side was up too. The letter wrote...
" Dear Twilight,
The most amazing things have happened recently and I wish I could tell you everything about it but I don't have much time. Me and the girls are going out to celebrate! You see the school has this event that we attended at Camp Everfree and lets just say once again things were far from normal. It seems to be the norm around here recently but we are heading out to celebrate because turns out the place was in trouble and we helped save it. A bit more complicated than that but we found out some wonderful news!
The girls and myself are starting to learn and discover that we have magic! Our very own magic for this world and we don't even have to pony up too use it, Isn't that amazing!!?? I know your probably have a nerd attack but try to calm down because I haven't said the best part yet. Our world Twilight has finally excepted magic! She was scared of it for awhile and I know I still have yet too tell you why and I am sorry. I promise to explain that as well but that will have to be for another day.
Hey we still think of you every day...you are after all the reason this all could happen. If you would have never came through that portal too stop me so many moons ago, none of this would be happening and in fact Camp Everfree might be gone because of it. I would have become that crazy monster taking over Equestria but thanks too you. We all have friendship now and we all miss you~! Always thinking about you Twilight. Hope to write too you more now that I am free.
Sincerely,
Sunset Shimmer"
"Oh I miss you girls too! I really do!" If it was possible Twilight would have big hearts in place of her irises. "Oh I really do hope you write more, Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight smiled and her blush began to fade a bit now that she was done reading. As she closed the book she swore she heard somepony speak.
"Not all is well you know~"
"Wait what!?" Twilight quickly turned around looking around. "Spike! Spike are you still there I thought I told you to go downstairs?" After she said this there was silence. The alicorn quickly stepped away from her bed and too the door opening it to confront her little dragon but soon found that he was nowhere around. "Spike? I swear I heard something..." She rubbed a hoof across her eyes and shook her head around to see if there was something in her ear or what. "Not all is well?" Going down the stairs she continued to look around sure that she heard somepony. "Spike? Do you know if one of the girls is here already? I think Rainbow or Pinkie Pie might be trying to play a prank on me" Spike was at the bottom of the stairs dragging a bag next to his side and he just shook his head.
"Not that I am aware of, no, can we get going? We are going to be late for the train"
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
The train was busy and Twilight was having only a bit of issues getting her bags in but it was okay. Getting to her seat she used a wing too wipe her forehead clean. Not exactly how she wanted to start a day after a hard nights sleep. A couple ponies would wave to the princess or stare because they might not have met her before. Some would even ask for autographs which Twilight found silly because why would they ask for such a silly thing?
"Spike I tell you this~ If you can sit here for just five full minutes without making faces at that filly over there. I will order you all the bags of peanuts you want or a stack of donuts for the long ride to the Empire" Twilight beamed a smile and sighed long as she leaned back in the seat. This was going to be a long day and she was thinking a nap might help her nerves. "Does that sound like a deal, Spike?"
"Oh you have yourself a deal! There will be no silly faces from your trusty dragon today, Princess~" Spike chuckled giving a quick glare too the filly letting him know the games would be on later as the ride continued. Probably soon after the five minutes were up. The tired alicorn let out one long yawn and soon found herself closing her eyes. The noise around her started to go quiet as she seemed to start to drift off to sleep. She was okay with that because too her she needed a nap for this trip to be enjoyable. As she drifted off she did begin to hear a voice, faint but there. It was female and it appeared to be telling her to wake her up.
"Twilight~ Twilight wake up" Twilight opened her eyes and the train was empty now. "Twiiiilllligggght?" Looking around Twilight didn't seem to notice she was alone now.
"Spike? Spike I am trying to rest could you keep it down?" both eyes widened as two hands grabbed her from behind. A large shadow casted down in front of her and she could see large wings coming our from behind her own shadow. She tried to scream seeing this because of her dream last night but nothing came out as she opened her mouth. The wings were now fully opened and Twilight tried to get up from her seat to escape but was pushed back down.
"I told you that you were mine~ Now that I am here I can finally understand it all!" the same voice from the other night in her dream, she recognized it right away. Closeing her eyes she quickly told herself to wake up but was still unable to scream it. Opening her eyes again she saw the large dark wings closing around her. "Your mind now! All mine!!"
"Nooo!!" Twilight shot up in her seat and coughed taking breaths. Spike turned around stopping his silly face and immediately just assumed she was telling him no. "Stop it!" Raising his hands up Spike chuckled and responded in the way most expected him too react.
"He made the first face! I swear! Please I really want some peanuts and I tried so hard not to make a face!" Twilight looked around and actually went with it. She used her magic to lower her assistances hands to make this scene less embarrassing.
"Spike its fine~ Just don't do it again okay?" She looked to her window and began to stare out at the moving terrain. The trees rushed back and snow began to fall so they were actually getting close now. She must have been out for more than a couple minutes but that dream seemed so short. "You can get some peanuts, Spike, the bits are in my saddle bag. I am feeling a bit tired so while your at it Spike" She looked from her window and at the reflection of herself now imagining those black wings now as her own. "Could you get me some coffee so I don't fall asleep?"
"Of course!? What kind would you like? Black?"
"Any kind is fine Spike, whatever is cheaper" The train now pushed through the snow heading to the empire and Twilight had a good explanation for what happened and she hoped her thought on it was the truth. She shrugged it off now as nothing and smiled sitting straight in her seat now as she continued to enjoy the rest of the ride and the scenery that zoomed by. This was nothing right? Nothing that should worry her right now. She was on her way to the Crystal Empire to see her brother and sister in law about how things were going with the baby. Things couldn't be better but she also felt like a clean plate that had just been used and made dirty as her gut began to twist and turn.
That was way to real for her as she felt her shoulders and it felt like something had grabbed her and she was soar all over now. "I just can't wait to get off this train. I think its doing a number on my body~"
"Continuous dreams, Spike, from what I read it is actually very common. It says here that dreams that continue on over several nights are usually caused by thinking of the dream you had the night before through out the day" Twilight was explaining her conclusion too her train incident as they both were stepping off the train. The Crystal Empired shined from the bright moonlight and it casted down on them greeting their arrival it seemed. "I think thats why I had a dream about the same thing twice. It should be nothing to worry about and should stop when I stop thinking about the dream" Spike counted his fingers raising a brow and nodded looking to the alicorn with a smile on his face now.
"So your not going to talk to Princess Luna about it? Your sure you got it all under control, Twilight?" Twilight shook her head and looked to the large spear like castle before them. "I mean your not worried even a little bit?"
"Spike, the princesses are very busy and have bigger things to do than listen to me talk about some dream I had" they were both at the doors and this time a couple guards were present around the castle. They looked at her but did not speak allowing her past as Twilight and Spike both entered the castle. "Right now we should get too our room and tomorrow we will talk to Cadence and my brother about our trip here. Keep out the incident on the train Spike! I don't want anypony worrying over something that isn't that big of a deal" Twilight was now inside moving down the hall levitating a not by her side glancing over at it. It had her room number listed on it so she could set up while everypony was probably sleeping. She began to groan slightly as she began to hear whispers down the hall calling out to her and she didn't know if it was because of her lack of sleep or her dreams were starting to mess with her head.
"Twilight~ Twiiiiillliiiiight...come here Twilight I have something to show you"
"I think I need some more sleep, Spike....this nightmare isn't going to stop me from enjoying myself" The alicorn quickly glanced down the hall to see if there was anypony calling to her. When she saw nopony was there she pushed open her bedroom door and let her saddle bag slide off of her and to the floor by the door. "Did you bring the book?" Spike tapped Twilight's back with a hand as he walked past it.
"Oh yeah its here and so is extra ink if you feel like writing a random essay or something. Why did you want me to bring it with anyways? I am sure Sunset Shimmer is fine and will get back to you later like she promised....we could have left the book there and answered any message she may have sent while we are here on our visit!" Spike jumped up onto the bed and looked to the mare. She stared at him blankly for awhile with tired eyes but soon she used her magic too pull the book from the saddle bag.
"Sunset Shimmer is....special and I don't wanna miss a single letter!" She quickly slipped into bed placing the book on the nightstand beside the bed and rolled over too look away from Spike. "I don't wanna miss anything more than I already have. Ever sense that worlds me showed up there is no reason for me to go and visit my friend and I miss it if you want honesty, Spike~!" Spike slipped out of bed heading to the door to head to his own room. "Goodnight Spike" The night was quiet and the castle was dark and cold. Twilight didn't know it yet but as she lay in the bed something was trying to get to her. After tonight she would not be the same and everything she knew was about to change in a blink of an eye but she didn't know it and she could not stop what she couldn't see.
"Get away from me! Who are you! What do you want!?" Twilight was crawling away from a dark purple mist that was slowly flowing towards her. Ponies were all around her just staring down at her with bright blue eyes and silhouettes of large black angle wings coming from their backs. Twilight was crawling to a cliffs ledge desperate to get away. "This is only a dream! Go away!!" the mist spoke in a female tone as it grew closer and closer to Twilight.
"You shouldn't be afraid of what you have been hidden away from, Twilight! Embrace the magic! Learn it all and understand the truth behind what you hold to be reality! Sunset Shimmer did after all~" Twilight gasped as the mist was now right in front of her eyes and screamed as the mist turned into a pony figure. She was looking into her own eyes but they were blue like the rest and she looked angry. "You are mine!" The alicorn through herself back falling back from the cliff. The ground was approaching fast as soon as she began to fall, hitting the ground wouldn't happen. She knew she would wake up before that, a loud scream echoed down at her and the world around her began to crack open at the sky with blue light. The purple mist was flowing down from the top of the cliff and the ground was on approach.
"Wake......UP!!!" Twilight opened her eyes and gasped for air as the mist slammed into her chest now being absorbed by the mares heart beats. Blue mist shot from her eyes and her wings started to peal off feathers and were shooting out growth of longer black feathers. She couldn't scream and with one large flap she was stopped before hitting the ground. "No...what do you want from me. Who are you!" Twilight couldn't help herself but to ask this question, was this even a dream anymore?
"I am you...you are me...what difference does it make right now? It will matter more when I am all thats left and YOU are the one with nothing but a memory, Twilight~" With one more loud flap of the wings a large portal opened in front of her. On the other side was Sunset Shimmer and her human friends. "I told you that you would be mine...might not make sense too you now but it will. I will understand it all, I will know it all, then I will use it all to destroy it all! There is nothing you can do too stop me!"
"Yes I can!" Twilight's eyes shot open and everything in the room fell from a suspended position in the air. Was she using magic in her sleep just now and as she looked around there was one thing still suspended in the air. As the alicorn slowly got out of bed breathing heavily and feeling hot all over her body she felt weak. She could hear a giggle ringing in her ear as if she was now walking alone. The object was the book she uses to write to Sunset Shimmer. "It was just a dream...just a dream..." Twilight said this to calm herself as she grabbed the book from its position with her mouth. Quickly she tossed it to her bed and she moved back with it. "It is just a dream, Twilight." The clock on the wall read a specific time, midnight. The time seemed to be frozen at this time as if the thing ran out of power. Laying back down in bed she pulled the book close and the blankets over her body to try and get back to sleep again. As she closed her eyes she began to mumble to herself about the dream and the events on it.
"Goodnight Twilight~"
