These things always seemed to turn out worse when Spike wasn't around. He had gone on a shopping trip to the village and would likely drag it out until lunch time. What was bugging Twilight this morning was the problem of cross referencing research text. She had walked back and forth from her study to the library ten times already and twenty more teleporting.
What was worse was that the main castle library was in the next room, but to get to it meant going out or her room, along three corridors and back in the far end. She could have put a door in, but the 'self building castle' didn't like upgrades.
Thinking of a solution, Twilight caught a glimpse of an old book in the corner entitled "party pranks". She knew it had a spell for ponies to pop through walls and this was the main reason it was now kept in the forbidden section at Canterlot's main library. She opened the relevant page and read aloud;
"That I might be made of air and vapour, so that through solid walls, I might caper."
She knew as soon as the room started to lift up around her that she had made a serious mistake. Trying not to panic she gave an involuntary wing flap to pull her legs from the rug. Hovering in the middle of the room she took in the enormity of events.
"Oh no, what have I done?" she exclaimed.
At least she could still fly. So far the spell wasn't a complete disaster then? She let out the breath of air and realised she had been double lucky. If she had been unable to touch the air she would now be suffocating and heading deep into the earth.
Interesting though this was, it was time to put this bad experience behind her and continue with her research list. Unfortunately the reversal spell was on the next page and might as well have been a thousand miles away. Her front hoof passed gently through the page as though it were smoke. Her magic had no more effect and after several fruitless attempts to move the page she floated backwards to think.
After some careful consideration and several glances at the tea pot she decided to try blowing the page over. The pages were old and thick and even blowing really hard didn't shift them. On the final attempt she flew at the book as hard as she could while blowing a huge raspberry at it. The page moved fractionally as she passed through it before disappearing out the back wall.
Once outside the failed experiment seemed even crazier. She was now being carried along by the gentle breeze of a very hot summers day. A few well placed wing beats kept her in check as she tried her luck in the castle pond.
Any onlooking ponies would have been fascinated to see the princess of friendship splashing about. Had there been any other ponies she might even have called for their assistance. But now she thought about it, recollection of previous endeavours brought on stomach churning embarrassment. This was the sort of problem you needed close friends for.
Because the breeze was heading toward Fluttershy's house it seemed the best choice. Seeing as she couldn't walk teleporting crossed her mind, but she had done a lot of that this morning and couldn't risk another princess 'incident'. The fields and trees passed lazily below as she made her way to the edge of the woodland.
Fluttershy was outside her house mixing animal feed with a large spoon. She placed it back in the tub to greet Twilight.
"Oh dear, have you a sore hoof?" She enquired, noting that Twilight usually walked, ran or 'popped' from place to place, having never become quite used to her wings.
"No, I can't touch anything. I'm like a living ghost," said twilight passing through the middle of a large oak tree with indifference.
Fluttershy squeaked with surprise, causing Angel to stick his long furry ears and nose out of the kitchen window. "We need to take you to Zecora!"
Twilight scowled. "Or you could come to the castle and turn a page for me?"
Fluttershy look flustered. "Zecora is nearer," she said taking to the air in the direction of the dark forest.
As they traveled Twilight had a suspicion that the day was getting away from her in many ways. She wasn't sure why such a simple plan as opening a book to the correct page had been so quickly derailed? They soon arrived at the zebras home....
"With such modern spells as these, a pony could be brought right to it's knees. But I think I have a curious notion, that I can fix you with this potion." Said Zecora.
After half an hour she couldn't ! But Twilights indigestion was better than ever, so she made a mental note to come back for a bottle of that later on, when she could hold objects. Since most of Zecoras spells and potions had life changing results it was nice to find one that wasn't extreme.
The two ponies flew side by side back toward the castle for a while before Fluttershy headed off to check an injured duck at her house.
"I'll just be a minute and then we'll get you fixed up good as new."
It wasn't long after that Twilight hit the next problem. The weather department could do a lot with rain and clouds, but the wind was still an issue. If you needed a slight refreshing breeze for a royal picnic then a few well placed pegasi would make sure it happened. But if a strong wind blew into Equestria, it couldn't be predicted or controlled.
Twilight now wished she had spent more time flying as her wing muscles hadn't developed like those of a natural born flyer. It wasn't long before she gave up fighting the gusts and decided to go with the flow for a bit. She could wait out the storm and return to the castle later when it had calmed down a bit. It couldn't blow her far off course.
A few hours later it was becoming clear that today was not working out at all. Every turn was a wrong one and she wasn't sure how long she could fly for? It was now late afternoon and she was becoming tired and hungry. Teleportation had become far too risky hours ago as it required full concentration. Fluttershy would have raised the alarm, but would anypony even know where to look?
As she continued to be blown far from home the air took on a freshness and a hint of salt. It would be even less use to panic now. For all she knew she could fly through the solid rock of the cliffs below, but finding out she couldn't would kill her for sure. All that mattered now was staying awake and flying between the ground and the stars.
By her exhausted reckoning this was a bad course to be setting. The maps of Equestria spoke of many places it was better not to be. Places that if you wanted to know about then the library was the environment to do your exploring. Even as a healthy princess it would have been a risk to go to this next place and in a weakened state this was something to fear. Maybe they wouldn't see her?
Up ahead she could see movement flickering between the blackening storm clouds. And then her heart sank as she saw huge wings. As they grew larger they were accompanied with squarks of "Who?"
Soon there were some twenty pairs of wings around her circling with the same question. Twilight made her best excuse.
"I, Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria and Holder of the element of Friendship need your help."
The squarks became derisive and with wings twice the span of hers they took their chance to see her off. One bird swooped upward and dived into her with a scream. With its talons flexed and beak wide open it made to rip chunks from the intruder.
Twilight felt its anger as it streaked through her ghostly form. But two living creatures in the same exact space was too much for reality and its soul was ripped from its form by the unnatural magic. It fell lifeless, it's body twisting in the wind before disappearing into the waves. A trail of feathers followed its descent with Twilights horrified gaze.
The scene fell silent as she continued to struggle against the wind. Her foe momentarily fell back before taking extreme exception to the loss of a family member. They rose high above her with steady wing beats in readiness to attack. Banking sharply and diving into her two more fell to the same fate, twisting like sycamore seeds into the dark ocean below.
"Stop, please, I can't do anything. I don't want to hurt you," she shouted.
Her plea was met with squarks of "WHY?"
She was becoming weaker with every pass they made as she tried to dodge their demise. All before her was now turning blurry as she felt reality slip from her mind. Blacking out she felt the sky turn above her with a sickening clap of thunder, followed by sharp blast of heat and a blinding light. Then she just felt warm and held as she had done when she was a filly.
Twilight was back in the castle and in her warm bed. It was Sunday morning and Spike had clearly messed up breakfast by the sickening burning smell. But somehow that didn't matter right now, nothing did. She imagined burning flesh probably smelt the same as.....?
"SPIKE!"
Attempting to sit up she felt the bed collapse under her and the spinning room fade as it became wet and cold. Shocked at the confusing dream she forced her eyes open against the torrent of rain and witnessed the horror of battle. Gaining her senses she realised her immediate surroundings comprised of a shield spell. Below her a white hot shaft of light burn't all it touched. Objects fleeing the scene were literally exploding in the searing heat, leaving nothing behind but pungent smoke.
It wasn't over yet though and the largest bird of the group made to attack Twilights saviour. It burst into flames a few body lengths away from its quarry, as even it's smoke seemed to burn. It was all too much for Twilight who's body and mind again gave out to frantic and troubled nightmares.
She grunted in pain and turned over. Her wing muscles were in agony, but as she winced she could hear the familiar sound of logs burning in a fire grate. She could also smell camomile tea.
"Having problems my little pony?" came a familiar voice.
"I was hoping to keep the scribe in the ministry of magical accidents busy," she whispered back trying to smile.
Celestia laughed. "He has your picture on his desk you know. I believe his first born will likely be named after you?"
Luna entered the room upon hearing voices. "This is nearly as bad as that time you said rain instead of rein and were followed by a cloud for a month," she grinned. Turning to her sister; "Was it the living ghost spell that she tried?"
Celestia tutted. "Luckily it was one of the good ones so she could at least drink and breath. That was one very dangerous party game back in the day. Still, she has a new respect for magic tricks."
Twilight turned to the two princesses with a confused look. "How did you find me?"
"I can enter dreams," replied Luna simply. "As soon as you fell to exhaustion I could find you and inform my sister of your location. She caught you just in time before the local wildlife chased you into the sea. A close call, but not our closest," she smiled. "Any landing you can walk away from is a good one."
The End
