2:Troubled Past, Uncomfortable Present

Several Days Later...

Twilight Sparkle had been standing in front of the crystal table, by now she already had been awake. After so many years she has trained herself to wake up every single day at approximately 6 a.m. Sharp. She had too, the combination of several factors contributed it. For example, as a student of Princess Celestia, she was expected to wake up early morning and go straight to the classes at the School for Talented Unicorns. Yes, even the Princess herself wouldn’t save you from general education. Another thing was that since all the castle staff had been pretty much living in the castle, and that means it was almost impossible to get any sleep thanks to all of the noise they had been generating,

Right now she had been self-practicing with the energy sword in a quiet environment of her castle. The glowing stick behaved as the weapon, and it reminded her of old-fashioned legends of various knights, legionary, and centurions, sometimes even hoplites which were basically grampy ponies in a suit of rusty armor going on a bunch of adventures brandishing their rusty swords and spears. Sometimes they end up going after a random dragon, basilisks, and hydras. Sometimes if they lucky enough they will meet Cthulhu. Why wouldn’t Equestria have them?

Twilight swang it sideways, with an audible whirring sound the blade obeyed her telekinetic commands from her horn. She swang it, again and again, methodically in a beautiful dance of a red light.

Twilight’s mind went back into the past, she remembered how part of the program she was required to learn the self-defense.

Seven years old Twilight Sparkle has been standing in the large castle yard. Right in front of her, a royal guard had been standing. This one was her combat instructor.

“Go on, come forward and pick a wooden stick of your choice. Quickly Twilight decided which stick she wanted, and then she took it with her telekinesis.

“I see, an interesting choice!” A guard instructor commentated on her choice, Right now Twilight had been holding a stick that would have been simulating a usage of a single sword. “Why don’t you take a second stick, two swords are better than one.”

Twilight shook her head declining the offer, “No thanks, I will probably hit you harder with just one stick.”

Combat Instructor nodded and then gestured to her to start attacking whenever she is ready. “Go on then and try to hit me then!” He himself was holding a long stick which supposed to simulate a spear or any other staff based weapon.

Twilight raised her stick and with a scream, she ran toward him, with a precision strike he knocked her of her hooves and then knocked away her stick from her grip, he then pointed the end of his stick to her face “You are dead, try again!”

Several minutes went by, routinely Twilight had been getting hit and then ended up fake killed by her instructor in more and more creative ways.

“I am still waiting for you to strike me down,” he said to her with a cocky smile, which only caused her to glare at him. She stood up and caught the wooden stick that was tossed back to her, “Try again!”

Twilight smiled to herself, all of that was the idea of the Princess, she said it would help Twilight to iron out all of the possible anger issues. If she can learn how to fight then it would be an added bonus. In a way it helped her, the guard instructor turned out to be a pretty chill guy, and both of them earned each other respect at the end. By the time Twilight learned how to teleport she started to use it to her advantage, and eventually, she too managed to strike him on more than one occasion.

A beeping noise distracted her which then caused her to start paying attention to her surroundings, she looked around and then she saw the source of the noise. Was the noise had been originating from the table? About a few seconds later the table had light up and then the map of the whole world projected on it. Several seconds later after the image of Twilight’s cutie mark glowed and then separated from her flank and then froze in a random location on the map. Not only that but Twilight noticed that five other cutie marks had been there as well.

“Well, I guess that makes it very interesting! Twilight thought it would be best to wait for other girls, but for now, she switched off her saber and then she attached it right next to her saddlebags. Turns out she didn’t have to wait that long after about twenty minutes all of her friends came “You’ve seen it too?” Twilight was referring to the fact that they probably saw their cutie marks light up and then flew away into the direction of the castle.

“Yep, I was having my usual day at Sugarcube Corner, and then, well my cutie mark started glowing it was a bit weird actually!” all the others nodded as well pretty much in agreement that it went pretty much the same way. Applejack had been on her farm, Rainbow Dash had been sleeping, Fluttershy had been feeding her animals, Rarity was busy working on her project, and Spike was there too.

“So what do you think it all that means?” Twilight heard Spike’s voice.

“I don’t know Spike, but whatever it is you have to stay here!”

“But Twilight?”

Twilight swallowed, she didn’t want to use that tone of voice which she going to use right now. It was similar to a parent scolding her disobedient child. Spike wasn’t just part of a family, he was a friend. “I said you had to stay here! If we do not come back in three days, then you should go to Princess Celestia. You will tell her where we went. Is that understood?” she said with a slight hint of steel in her voice.

Spike’s eyes widened “I am sorry.”

Twilight swallowed again, “No don’t apologize. It’s me who should be sorry.” She then blinked, “Are we all agreed with the plan?”

“I guess”, Everypony else nodded in agreement.

“Alright, for now, I want you to go do your business as normal, but I expect you all to.. Hm let’s see,” Twilight quickly glanced on the map she saw a couple of railroad tracks that being zigzagging to her destination. “Lets us meet at the railroad station at noon! And then we would all go traveling.”

Twilight Sparkle was twelve, she was currently been sitting in the Royal Library doing her homework for Princess Celestia. She heard hoofsteps of the pony entering the library and then coming closer and then stopping, she smiled because she recognized the pony who is now standing behind her.

“How long are you going to be standing there big brother? Come on just go and sit down on the chair.”

“I would have, but you are sitting here doing your own work, and I just don’t want to bother you!” Shining Armor trotted next to her and sat down

“Shining, please, you are already bothering me by just standing here under my own nose.”

“Sorry!”

Twilight stopped doing her work, and then started paying attention to her brother “Shining why are you really here?”

“Since we barely see each other, I thought I just visit you today, if I really bother you that much then I guess I am not being welcomed here.”

Twilight groaned, “No Shining its fine, just forget it. I can’t really kick you out from the public library.”

Shining grinned at her “Is that a challenge?”

Twilight smiled, “Yes, Yes it is.”

Next dream sequence...

Celestia has been standing on the balcony watching Twilight in the courtyard, Several seconds later she sighed and then she turned to Sergent Shining Armor who is currently had a few broken ribs as well as a bleeding nose.

“Was it really worth it?”

“Now that you’ve mentioned, my little sister will go very far! But, yeah she knows how to throw her punches!” Shining flinched from the pain.

“Is there anything else you learned from your little sibling skirmish?”

Shinning Armor flinched once again “Yeah, being zapped with lightning bolt hurts like a bitch! I am sorry Princess.”

“Its fine Sergent, I do not expect from the members of my armed forces to just stop swearing in my presence. However, I would recommend that you would take it down a notch.”

“Of course ma’am!...Do you think we are rushing this thing?”

“Sergent..please understand that right now we don’t have any more room for mistakes!...I was really hoping for that two of my best students could have an opportunity to work together!... But, right now... I am forced to use her as a weapon against my enemies! And I am really sorry to be forced to put her in unnecessary danger.”

“We will do what we must?” Shining Armor sighed.

“Exactly!” Princess Celestia put on a sad smile and then turned back to watch Twilight fighting. “I am sorry Twilight.”

Next dream sequence...

Twilight Sparkle was sixteen. With a scream, she teleported next to her opponent, and then almost instantly she slammed her opponent into the ground. At the same time, she sent a small jolt of lightning which caused her opponent to flinch.She was about to execute her finishing strike when the overly familiar voice of Princess Celestia could be heard.

“TWILIGHT! THAT’S ENOUGH!”

Twilight sighed, turned, and then obediently trotted away. She heard a cracking noise of teleportation, and then she turned to see who it was, as she expected it was Princess Celestia herself looking at her with curious and sad eyes. “Twilight, please just go to your room! We are going to talk later”

Twilight nodded and then continued to trot toward her destination.

Celestia sighed, “I feel like I am making the same exact mistake. Damn it, but I am almost out of time.” She then went to the pony in order to inspect his injuries...

Twilight woke up, she was currently on a train that currently going somewhere North. I must have fallen asleep. She looked at the ponies around her, it would seem to be that none of them didn’t notice anything yet. Except for one pony that is. Currently, Rarity has been looking at her with the same exact curious and sad eyes, the same exact that Princess Celestia did all of those years.

“Is something wrong, dear?”

“Rarity it’s fine I am just having a dream, I just don’t know if it’s good or a bad dream! Say, Rarity, how long was I asleep anyway?”

“I am not really sure because this train car kind of put us all to sleep. I would have to guess that it’s been about several hours or so!”

True to Rarity’s words Twilight soon fell asleep once again.

Twilight Sparkle was back to the age sixteen, she was sitting in her room, she felt like she was being scolded by simply trying to do her best, she heard a knocking sound, but that would mean that...

“Do you want to see me, Princess Celestia?”

“Yes, may I come inside my faithful student?”

“Of course!” Twilight heard Princess Celestia enter the room and then the next thing she heard is the sound of door closing.

“Twilight... I need to tell you something.I also wanted to discuss something with you! It would seem that whatever strategy I am trying to use it’s not really working... So with heavy heart, I must do this.”

“Princess Celestia, I don’t understand!”

“Twilight!” Celestia’s eyes hardened “You will be benevolent...”

Twilight’s eyes dulled in return “I will be benevolent...”

“You must be kind...”

“I must be kind...”

Celestia continued her mental conditioning, “You will purge all the hatred and aggression...”

“I will purge all the hated and aggression....”

“...From your heart, from your soul...”

“...From my heart, from my soul...”

“...From the other ponies hearts and souls...”

“...From the other ponies hearts and souls...”

“...You are the weapon of the Harmony, unconditional and unstoppable!...”

...I am the weapon of the Harmony unconditional and unstoppable...”

“...You will forget...”

“...I will forget...”

“...The Darkness must not consume you...”

“....The Darkness must not consume me...”

“....The cycle of eternal hatred must stop...”

“...The cycle of eternal hatred must stop...”

Celestia’s relaxed her eyes, which then caused Twilight’s eyes to snap out from the trance. Twilight fell asleep soon after that.

Twilight was fully awake now if what she saw now in her dream is true then...she felt extremely used... It sickened her so much that she wanted to throw up. They were all agreed to something else! But this? For now, she still had a job to do, but then, then...

“Twilight we are here!” she heard Rarity’s voice.

Twilight’s mind snapped back to the reality “Uh, what?”

“Twilight we arrived at our destination, this is our last stop. The girls had been wondering when you are going to join us! It seemed like you weren’t even here.”

“Right, I am sorry. I... Just please give me a minute I need to focus.” Twilight swallowed “It was a bad dream after all.”

Rarity eyes widened, “Of course Twilight, I understand!”

Twilight had her eyes closed, and yet she still heard Rarity’s hoof steps exiting the train car. A whole minute later and then Twilight herself followed Rarity.

Their trek took several more hours, and by the time they all arrived right near what looked like a small settlement. A faint music and singing could be heard.

“Is this where the map wanted us to go? I don’t know all of them just seems to be happy.”

Pinkie Pie just simply shook her head, “I don’t know Twilight I just have a faint feeling that this village is a pile of Doo Doo.”

Twilight thought about what Pinkie Pie said, “Um, I am sure of it that all of us are here for a reason, and I think we are about to find out what that reason was.”

“Even me?” Applejack voiced her own opinion, “I am not really sure why would you drag us all out on this little adventure, or Rainbow Dash, or...”

“Because all of you signed up for this shit when you received the bling bracelets, and then we fired a Rainbow Friendship Beam at Nightmare Moon.” Twilight was slightly annoyed by what AJ just said to her, after some time she forced to calm down a bit.

Rainbow Dash glared at Applejack, “What the actual buck Aj. This. Was so not cool. We are friends, and friends to stick together.”

“Alright this is what we are going to do, we are going to go down there, and if it really nothing then it’s even better right?”

“I guess....aw!” Applejack felt Rainbow smacking her with the hoof on the back of her head. “Hey, I said I am sorry!”

“Well, I guess I never heard that apology.”

Applejack blinked and then quickly apologized to Twilight, “There I did it, are you satisfied Rainbow?”

“Yeah! I am!” Rainbow Dash screamed angrily

Fluttershy threw a worried look at Pinkie Pie and then whispered to her.

“Is something wrong? No, I just know it, that something is wrong, everypony is just acting out like they are not themselves.”

“Like I said that village down there is full of Doo Doo,” Pinkie Pie whispered back.

All of them descended downhill and then entered the unfamiliar territory. The ponies who lived there, all of them had a strange dull look in their eyes. Twilight felt her fur rise up in almost in a primal instinctual way. Forcing to ignore the nagging feeling she and the rest of the team trotted next to some random pony.

Twilight tapped her hoof on the shoulder of nearby pony. “I am really sorry, but I and my friends were kind of wondering if you could just point us in direction of where is, um your town’s mayor is. What I am trying to say is, well, take us to your leader.”

‘Oh, you mean Starlight?”

Twilight smiled “yes her, um so where would she be?”

“All the way over there!” she pointed to the house that’s been located right next to the hill.

“Oh of course!”Twilight felts like she would need to mentally kick herself, the answer was just so obvious.”Why I am not surprised that the leader would place her own house separate from all others!” Twilight threw a metaphorical fish hook, she was hoping that somepony would provide her with more information. “You know it helps them feel superior about themselves. For example, rich ponies build fancy castles, and the rest of the poor ponies build simple buildings like that.”

“Oh no! No! No! We are all equal here, and that includes our leader Starlight Glimmer.”

Twilight thought that she shouldn’t argue, that wasn’t a point. Right now she just received her aha moment. Horseshit! Like hey, this is equality. “Oh, by the way, have you heard about Tirek?”

Mare raised an eyebrow, “I don’t think that we are, what kind of pony he was?”

Pinkie Pie pitched in. “He wasn’t actually a pony, he was a power hungry hundred meters tall centaur, I thought that you might have noticed him,” She made a step forward towards the mare, " He was like Raaaaaah I am going to take all of your magic, “She made another step forward towards the mare. “And Twilight was like I am going to send you back to pony hell,”She made the final step towards the mare! Her face was almost right in front of her face.” and then they went into a Super Sayan mode, and that’s how Equestria exploded!”

“Thank you very much, Pinkie!” Twilight laughed nervously, and then pulled Pinkie back with her telekinesis!

A few seconds later they continued to trot towards the house where somepony by the name of Starlight Glimmer.

“Pinkie, do you really needed to do that? You scared that mare half to death with your enthusiasm?” Twilight asked Pinkie Pie.

“Well, not really sure, but did you noticed how she flinched when she heard me describing who Tirek was.”

“Yeah, that was a bit weird.” Twilight went to the door and knocked on it. About thirty seconds later the door is opened and all of them saw a light pink unicorn with a light blue stripe that’s been located on a purple mane.

“Hi,” Twilight started off, “we are from the ponytarian services.”

“Ponytarian services?” Starlight asked with confusion in her voice.

“Yes, you see Equestria is constantly under a lot of pressure from countless villains trying to invade it. After the fight between a bad guy and the good guy ends... Well that, this is where we step in. It’s our responsibility to make sure that everyone who is affected by the disaster is on the path of recovery.”

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash dropped a quick glance at the random pony who happens to be nearby, in that case, that was Rarity. “I am not sure what Twilight is trying to pull, but I don’t think that Starlight pony is going to buy it,” she started whispering to Rarity.

“Hardly anypony is aware that our Twilight is a Princess of Equestria, especially all the way out here.” She whispered back.

Rainbow Dash nodded, “I guess it's the usual then. I almost expect it that something will go wrong eventually.”

Author's Note

Like in the show this is a two-parter. In the next chapter is going to cover even more memories and than the final confrontation in the cave, after that, we will see. Just so you know Celestia is not evil she is just desperate.