The Broken One

I rushed outside to the portcullis and could hear my mother shouting in anger outside the gate. I pushed through the crowd of ponies and witnessed my mother in a fit of rage. She had apparently demanded access but became furious when my guards did their jobs properly. I walked up to the gates and just stood there staring into my mother’s furious gaze.

“What is the meaning of this”, she fumed as her nostrils flared.

“Say please and I’ll let you in”, I replied neutrally.

“Please let me in”, she growled through gritted teeth.

I waved the guards off and sighed. I called to Audrey to open the gate and the portcullis slid upward. My mother stared in miffed pride as she stepped through the gates. As soon as she was inside the gates slid shut.

“I see you found the defense array”, my mother said coolly as we walked toward the castle.

“Yeah, I call her Audrey”, I replied. “It saves time. Now, what brings you here?”

“I came to speak to you about Discord”, she sighed.

“What about dad”, I asked causing her to gasp. “He isn’t that bad really.”

“Jackson, he stabbed you”, she gasped.

“I simply was outclassed”, I admitted. “He’s the Spirit of Chaos; I’m just the Prince of it. His wushu was stronger.”

“Wushu”, mom asked.

“Nothing”, I replied with a wave. “Anyway, what about dad?”

“He’s been relocated back to the Canterlot Castle”, she replied.

“I want him brought here if possible”, I requested.

“It is possible”, she said slowly, “but why do you want him here?”

“So I can stop him if he ever escapes again”, I shrugged.

Prince Jackson, I just intercepted a correspondence from Twilight Sparkle, shall I read it to you?

“The array can do that”, mom asked in awe.

“Her limitations are dictated by my imagination”, I grinned. “Go ahead, Audrey.”

Prince Jackson, I think I may have found a few books that may help you in your objective. Please take good care of these books because they’re from the restricted section of the royal library. Please don’t tell your mother about these books. I felt dirty just looking at the covers, so be careful. Don’t read them alone. Your friend, Twilight Sparkle.

I stood in silent contemplation for a few seconds before my thoughts were interrupted by my mother’s voice.

“Jackson, what is she talking about”, my mother asked quietly.

“I’m going to bring Shadow back”, I replied before I started walking away. “Audrey, let me know when the books get here.”

Twilight Sparkle has just been redirected to the portcullis and I have notified Cindra.

“Good”, I smiled as I headed toward the courtyard. “Do me a favor and add Twilight’s biometrics to your database.”

She is outside of my range.

“Then do it as soon as you can reach her”, I replied as I caught sight of Cindra. “Hey, can you bring Twilight to the library, Cindra?”

She nodded and I looked over my shoulder to see my mother following me closely. I led the way to the library and we settled in at a table to wait for Twilight. I had a thought occur to me and turned to my mother.

“Don’t jump Twilight’s case when she gets here”, I asked quietly.

“She went into the restricted section”, she replied with wide eyes. “Those books are restricted for a reason!”

“Just chill out.”

At that moment the two mares entered the library and as soon as Twilight spotted the white princess she froze in her tracks and looked like she was about to faint. My mother motioned her closer and she stiffly complied. We were all silent until Twilight was seated.

“Twilight-“

“I’m so sorry”, Twilight blurted. “Please don’t banish me to the moon!”

“What”, mom gasped as she jerked her head back. “Why would I do that?”

“B-because I d-disobeyed you”, she stuttered as she began crying.

“Twilight, you’re under my jurisdiction”, I smiled as I rubbed her shoulder. “Besides, if disobedience meant banishment I would have been banished on day one.”

“That’s true”, my mother laughed. “While I’m disappointed in you, I could never bring you harm, my dear Twilight.”

“Is everything okay now”, I asked.

“I suppose so”, my mother nodded. “I must return to Canterlot, but I will make arrangements for the transportation of Discord.”

With that we stood and hugged before I walked my mother back to the gate. She promised to return when she had time to speak longer because she had some questions about Audrey. I nodded and hugged her again before she stepped outside of the portcullis and teleported away.

I poofed back to the library, startling Twilight so badly she fell backwards out of her chair. I couldn’t help but laugh as I helped her back into her chair and sat beside her top look over the books she had brought.

“The Path of Death”, I said, reading one of the labels. “Twilight, what is this?”

“That’s a book written by Starswirl the Bearded himself”, she gushed with bright eyes. “He’s the only pony to journey to the spirit realm and come back!”

“Maybe the only pony”, I smiled ruefully, “but not the only one.”

“That’s right”, Twilight gasped. “Oh I have so many questions!”

“We can talk about it later”, I replied as I picked up the next book and read its title. “Necromancy and Other Dark Arts: A Researcher’s Guide. I really hope you found something useful.”

“Me too”, she smiled sadly. “I’m sorry about our last meeting. I really don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s a small matter”, I shrugged as I picked up the other books and scanned their titles. “It was… pleasant, but…”

“You don’t have to say anything else”, she smiled sadly.

We spent the next few hours reading before our stomachs both growled. I asked Audrey to relay a request to the kitchens for a “special burger”, hay fries, a Celestia salad for Twilight and a couple mugs of mead. I asked that they be brought to the library when the food was finished and Audrey reported the kitchen staff’s compliance.

“What’s a special burger”, Twilight asked nervously.

“It’s like a haybrger but made with real meat”, I grinned. “It’s delicious!”

We went back to reading and before long our food arrived. Steam rose from my plate and Twilight asked why she got a salad. I told her because it’s all I had ever seen her order and she admitted the validity of that statement. I bit into my burger and moaned as the juice dripped down my chin.

“Can I try it”, Twilight blushed as she motioned to my burger. “I’ve never… tried meat before.”

I shrugged and held the burger out to her. She took a small bite and her eyes flew open as a small smile spread over her face while she chewed. She swallowed and voiced her appreciation for the flavor. I grinned at her as she asked when I had found time to go out hunting.

“I didn’t”, I replied as I turned my attention back to the book beside me and continued eating.

“If you didn’t go hunting then- Oh, Celestia”, she groaned as realization struck her. “Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is.”

“Okay, I won’t tell you that you just ate an assassin”, I replied nonchalantly.

“You have to be joking”, she said quietly. “Please tell me this is just some horrible joke.”

“It isn’t a joke”, I replied as I turned back to her and took another bite.

“Oddly enough, I’m somewhat okay with this”, she said quietly as she eyed my burger.

“Audrey, can you ask for another burger”, I asked. “Not hay.”

I have passed on your request, Prince Jackson. Do you require anything else?

“Not right now, thank you.”

I tore my burger in half and gave the untouched portion to Twilight. She took it sheepishly and nibbled on the edge before taking a decent sized bite. I laughed at the small moan that slipped from her as she chewed.

“I can’t believe I’m eating meat”, she blushed. “I know it’s wrong, but it just tastes so amazing!”

“It sure does”, I grinned.

“I can’t do this often”, she whispered more to herself than to me.

I shrugged and went back to my reading as I ate. I came across one passage about a natural rock formation that looked remarkably similar to the gates to the spirit realm and marked the page for later reference. I looked up as a servant came in and deposited the burger on the table. His eyebrows shot up when I turned and pushed the plate in front of Twilight. His pupils shrank to pinpricks and he rushed from the room as she took a large bite and turned back to her book to chew.

“I think I corrupted you”, I laughed as she ate quickly.

“What can I say”, she smiled. “I’m an impressionable young mare.”

“You’re twenty years old”, I laughed.

“So what”, she laughed. “I’m still young!”

I stuck my tongue out at her and she giggled again. I felt a small spark of warmth inside that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I was actually feeling happy.

What is going on, I asked myself.

“What is it”, Twilight asked, having seen the look on my face.

“Nothing”, I replied shaking my head. “Let’s get back to research.”

Twilight chugged the rest of her mead and turned back to her book with a disheartened expression. I felt bad about making her sad so I scooted over and pulled her into a hug. She turned and wrapped her hooves around my neck as she sighed into my shoulder.

“Sounds like you have something on your mind”, I whispered as I rubbed her back.

“I can’t talk about it”, she sighed as she tried to pull away.

“You can talk to me about anything”, I replied as I hugged her close. “I’m your friend.”

“That’s only part of what makes things so difficult”, she sniffed.

“Then what is it”, I asked. “What’s the problem?”

“I think I… love you”, she replied in a nearly inaudible whisper.

“Well, fuck.”