The Alicorn Who Knew Nothing

The Alicorn Who Knew Nothing

Chapter 13

Down The Rabbit Hole

As the thunderstorm raged outside the Ponyville library, twilight paused her searching and looked out through her bedroom window at the wind whipping through the tree branches.

‘Rainbow had said the storm would be bad, but I didn’t think it would be this bad’ twilight thought briefly.

Turning her attention away from the window she resumed her search around the library. Her bedroom was a disheveled mess, books were thrown onto the floor haphazardly, and her bed had been tilted on its side knocking the blanket off.  Even her mane was showing signs of her anxiety, several strands were splitting off giving her a crazed pony look. She had been looking everywhere she could think of and she still hadn’t found that book.

“SPIKE!!!....Did you find it yet!?” she yelled through her open bedroom door.

“No Twilight, are you sure you didn’t loan it to anypony? We’ve been looking all day, if it was here we would’ve found it by now.” Spike yelled from downstairs.

“It’s got to be here Spike. The last place I saw it was up here in my bed, right before I made us breakfast. I didn’t loan it to anypony, it was in my special collection remember?”

She heard him grumble something she couldn’t make out, but deciding it wasn’t worth the effort to scold him she began to look over another stack of books she had laid out in the middle of the floor.

‘Roof repair, no. how to fix an interdimensional portal, no. how to train your dragon, no. hitchhikers guide to Equestria, no.’ as she continued to sort through the stack of books she heard Spike start to make his way up the stairs.

“Twilight we’ve been looking all morning can we get something for lunch?” he said poking his head inside the bedroom.

“Why don’t you go fix us something? I want to finish this stack of books first okay?” she said setting down the book she had in her hooves.

“Twilight I know you’re hungry to, also you could use the break. You look absolutely crazy come on down and I’ll fix a sandwich for you.”

Sighing she looked away from the stack of books toward the mirror that sat in the corner of the bedroom. She looked like she had been wrestling with a manticore and lost, slowly standing up she turned away from the mirror and made her way toward the door.

“Alright Spike, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to have a moment to eat and relax. She said calmly.

As the pair made their way down the stairs spike quickly asked what she wanted for food.

“Does a daisy sandwich sound fine to you Twilight?”

“That sounds fine to me Spike, you get the daises while I get the bread from the fridge.” She said making her way toward the kitchen.

But before she had a chance to make it one hoof step spike reached a claw out to block her path.

“Nope, let me make it for you twilight. You go sit at the counter I will bring it out to you when it’s ready okay?” Spike said turning her away from the kitchen.

“Aw, thanks spike you are such a gentledrake, you’re going to make some dragoness very happy someday.” She said taking her seat at the counter.

“Aw it’s not a problem at all Twilight you know I’m just happy to help.” He said blushing.

As Spike walked back into the kitchen Twilight was sure she heard him whisper something about making some mare happy, but she just rolled her eyes and went back to wondering where she had left that book.

‘Okay I was reading it in my bed before breakfast this morning, but what in Equestria could I have done with it after that? Maybe owlicious saw where I put it, I’ll ask him after lunch.’

As she continued thinking where she left her book, she heard spike start laughing from in the kitchen.

“What’s wrong spike?” she asked leaning over the counter trying to see into the kitchen.

“Ohhhh it’s nothing Twilight I just saw something that was amusing. Anyway are you ready for your sandwich yet?” he said leaning his head around the corner to the kitchen.

“Um yea I guess so? What was so amusing?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise.” He said coming from around the corner carrying a plate in one claw the other held behind his back.

“What’s behind your back?” she asked raising an eyebrow.

“First may I present your sandwich milady.” He said as he placed the plate on the counter with a flourish of his claw.

Twilight just stared at spike waiting for him to answer her question, but when none came she gave him a quizzical look saying she wanted an explanation.

“Take a bite first, let me know what you think of the taste.” he said giving her a malicious smile.

With her face formed into a scowl she gently picked up the sandwich and gave it a tentative bite. As she chewed on the foodstuff in her mouth she kept her eyes locked on spike’s in case he did something, but before she had a chance to swallow spike chose to reveal the item he had kept hidden behind his back. The effect was immediate on Twilight because she instantly tried to gasp at what she saw, but because of the food currently in her mouth all this succeeded in doing was causing her to choke.

“achg….urjk…wher….where did y..you find that” she choked out as she coughed.

“I found it in the fridge behind the eggs; you must have left it in there this morning when you were making breakfast. So how’s the sandwich taste?” he grinned.

“I could hurt you for that you know, that was just plain mean.” She said composing herself.

“But where is the fun in that, you would lose your number one assistant.” He said sarcastically.

Quickly setting the book down away from her he motioned toward the unfinished sandwich.

“Finish the sandwich first. Then and only then can you read this book okay?” he said making her look him in the eyes.

“…Fine spike I’ll eat your ever so delicious sandwich.” She said with a slight mocking tone.

“Good, now I’m going to clean up the living room, if I come back and you haven’t eaten the sandwich I’ll take the book away.” He said almost breaking into a laughing fit.

Deciding to poke fun at him she jumped up and tried to grab the book from the edge of the table, but spike grabbed it first and took a step back from the counter.

“Or…” he said grinning.

“I could hide it somewhere in the bookshelves. Make you spend all day looking for it.”

Her eyes widening in fear she sat back down in her seat and quickly finished the sandwich in three bites. Rolling his eyes at her actions spike simply tossed the book toward her.

“Fine you win, but don’t say I didn’t warn you whenever you get a stomachache later.”

She quickly grabbed it with her magic and ran toward the stairs. Realizing she forgot something she ran back toward spike and wrapped him into a crushing hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I know you help me a lot spike. I can’t thank you enough, my number one assistant.”

“Your very welcome Twilight, now don’t remember don’t stay cooped up there in your room all day. Fluttershy wanted you to come over this afternoon remember?”

“I know just come get me when she gets here okay? I want to finish looking over this book first.” She said returning to the stairs.

Waving a claw at her dismissively he went back into the front part of the library and began cleaning up the mess they had made. Twilight then made her way back upstairs and shut herself in her bedroom.

“Now that you back little friend lets continue where we left off.” Twilight said bringing the book in front of her.

“…but first let’s get this place a little cleaner.” She said looking around her room.

Quickly charging her horn she grabbed all the books and sorted them into their correct shelves. She then proceeded to move her bed back onto its frame and then made sure the blanket was tucked down correctly on the corners. Admiring her handiwork on the bed she hopped on top of it and settled herself against the pillows.

“Well since I spent all morning looking for you I guess I could start over from the beginning.” She said levitating the book onto the bed.

As she looked down at the book she took a moment to admire the details of it. The binding along the side looked as though it had been hoof crafted out of expensive silk. The bright yellow feathers that adorned the cover were super soft to the touch. Even the smell was nice, a comfortable smell that only certain ponies could appreciate, a musky scent that told her that it belonged to her and gave her a comfortable feeling.

As she became lost in admiring the book she gently ran a hoof across the feathers, which sent a small shiver up her spine. Remembering that she wanted to actually read the book she gently picked it up and started to open it to the first page, but as she did so the book began to glow and she just sat there staring at the page confused. Slowly it began to grow brighter and brighter until it was almost painful to look at. Quickly shutting her eyes she tried to turn away from the book only to find that the light continued to follow her wherever she turned. With growing fear she threw the book across the room and began to yell for spike.

Ridge slowly trotted along the edge of a pond that sat just past the walls of the castle. He had come here to listen to the waterfall hoping to relax, and so far the sound of the roaring water was doing exactly that. But one simple fact kept creeping back into his mind, right before he had went to sleep he had seen something that scared him more than it should have. He was sure he had seen Luna fly out of his room while Twilight was sleeping on his leg. It wasn’t his fault she had a nightmare, all he did was calm her down.

‘Why was she even in their room anyway?’

For what felt like the millionth time that evening he had tried to figure out that question, but all his mind was doing was going in circles. Deciding that it was a hopeless endeavor trying to answer himself he sat down at the edge of the pond and stared at his reflection.

‘The sooner I can get back to normal, the better.’

“Ridge?” Somepony asked.

Snapping his head away from the water he looked toward where the voice had come from. Slowly Cadence trotted from the shadows toward where Ridge was laying.

“Oh hey Cadence. What are you doing out here?” he asked puzzled.

“I came to see how you are doing.” She said giving what seemed like a genuine smile, but Ridge couldn’t tell.

“Well I just came out here to relax that’s all.” He said turning away from her to look out across the pond at a pair of ponies walking hoof in hoof.

“What would you need to relax from?”

“Jus….Well everything that’s been happening really. The princesses, Martha, Circus…and Twilight I guess.”

Cadence wanted to tell Ridge about what Luna and Celestia had said but she couldn’t think of a way to introduce the topic. So she decided to let the conversation drift toward Twilight.

“Why Twilight? I thought she was helping you get your memory back?”

“Well….yea she is but it’s….I just…. Ugh, I just think that Luna and Celestia don’t trust me to be around her.” He said covering his head with his hooves.

Realising this was a good as a time as any Cadence moved over to Ridge and put her hoof on his head.

“Trust me Ridge I think they trust you enough to be around her. What’s the real problem that makes you think that?”

“Well earlier she woke up because of a nightmare and she couldn’t go back asleep. So I read to her from a book she had sitting on the nightstand, but before I fell asleep I saw Luna leaving the room like she was watching us. I don’t want Celestia or Luna to be mad, all I was doing was reading to help her sleep she was the one who fell asleep on my leg so I couldn’t move or anything. They probably think I’m some weird pony trying to sleep with her now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they banish me off to some dungeon now.” He said cowering under his hooves.

‘Wow, Ridge shouldn’t have to think he is in trouble. whatever they are doing this isn’t right at all, nopony should have to think that they’re in trouble not after what he’s gone through.’ She thought anger passing through her mind.

Rubbing her hoof gently across his back she knew now was the time to tell him.

“Ridge, trust me there not mad at you that’s the farthest thing from the truth. Now I don’t know what’s going on with Celestia and Luna but if my suspicions are correct they know more than they are saying.” She calmly stated.

Know she knew that this was going to be tough to explain to him, especially since she didn’t even know that much about what Celestia and Luna were hiding. But she knew this was wrong and she didn’t want to see anypony hurt, especially not somepony who had no idea he was being used. So she sat there waiting, her muscles tensed ready for his response.

“Wh…What are you saying?” he said removing his hooves from his head and turning to face her.

“I think Celestia and Luna planned for you to come here to the castle.” She said looking him in the eyes.

“W..Why would they do something like that? It was my fault I fell off the tightrope, not theirs.”

“Well…Yes I guess that’s true.” She said realizing he was technically right.

“Alright how about when Martha and Ridge left what did Celestia say was the reason you couldn’t leave with them?”

Ridge thought back to that afternoon in the throne room.

“She said that it would be safer here. Why?” he said raising an eyebrow.

“Safer how?”

“Well…she said that somepony might hoofnap me and try to torture me for some secret about becoming an Alicorn.”

“Oh? Did she tell you about how an Alicorn could just teleport away from hoofnappers? Did she also tell you that you have nearly unlimited magical energy, and that it’s nearly impossible to kill an Alicorn?” Cadence said with a serious tone.

“Well…no she didn’t I guess, but what about my accident? I got hurt pretty bad then.”

“Ridge I don’t know how to answer that, but what I do know is that it takes an enormous amount of power to even break the skin of an Alicorn. Now whatever caused you to have an accident must have rivaled Celestia herself, in terms of power that is. This is what I’m talking about Ridge, none of this makes any sense. Celestia and Luna know what’s going on I’m sure, but I don’t know of a way to find out.”

She said sitting down next to him.

Ridge stared down away from Cadence’s gaze for a moment wondering if she was actually right.

“But…why don’t you just ask them then?”

Cadence’s expression formed into a scowl. Ridge was very persistent with this whole Celestia was innocent routine.

“Because I know them Ridge, they will just tell me some made up story. I want to actually find out what’s going on with them. Have you noticed anything weird about the way Luna and Celestia act around you?

“What do you mean?” he asked bring his gaze back up to meet hers.

“Like…Well have you seen anything similar to when Luna was watching you and Twilight in bed together?”

Ridge quickly blushed at her mentioning being in the same bed as Twilight. After a moment to think about what she had asked he did remember one thing from the library.

“Well before I Celestia first introduced me to Twilight I thought I saw Luna watching me there as well. I thought she was just making sure I didn’t go anywhere while her sister was gone.”

Cadence processed this information for a minute and after coming up with a response she stood up and asked Ridge to follow her toward the library.

“Come on Ridge, I want you to show me exactly what you did while you were in the library.”

“What! Now?” he asked quickly getting to his hooves.

“Would you rather wait?” she asked turning back toward him.

“But it’s like midnight, everypony is already asleep aren’t they?”

“It’s a library Ridge, I think we can get inside without any help.” She said flapping her wings taking off.

“Ugh, fine.” He said before he followed suit with his wings.

“Guard?”

“Yes Princess?”

“Is Thine break over?”

“Yes your Majesty, what do you require.”

“I want you get me a sandwich, if you please?” Luna said sitting back behind her telescope.

“Without question.” The guard saluted quickly then left the room.

‘Let us see what the kingdom has been up to since I went to the bathroom.’

With not so much as a word Luna began sweeping her telescope across the grounds of the castle.

“Hm? That’s odd? Why would two ponies be walking hoof in hoof by the waterfalls this late.”

It was at this moment that a knock came from her door.

Quietly mumbling under her breath Luna stood up from her telescope and trotted over to the door. Opening her door she saw the guard standing there holding a plate.

“Your sandwich princess.” He said bowing, presenting the plate to her.

“Thank you guard, next time you may just enter you don’t have to knock.” She said grabbing the plate with her telekinetics and opening the door for the guard.

“Formalities madam, it is required for all guards to knock before entering any room.” The guard said stoically.

“Well you have my permission to disregard such rules for this evening.” She said knowing he would do anything but that.

“Yes Princess.”

The guard quickly took his position standing by the door.

Sighing Luna made her way back to her telescope unaware that she had just missed a pair of ponies fly past on their way to the library.