GREEN
3
0
7800 42.92 KB 592
7800 42.92 KB 592
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1.
>You 'awaken', so to speak, in a starlit grove
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>The leaves on the trees stand still, dew glittering in the grass
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>No sound stirs the clearing: no wind through the trees, no insects chittering, no birds singing
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>The sky is almost clear, save for a smattering of wispy clouds that trail across the moon
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>The very air is soothing: it's cool, the smell of the wild filling your nostrils
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>You breathe deeply, and know that you are not alone
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>You turn around, and find the Lunar Princess standing before you
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>She's just as resplendent as the last time you saw her
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>Her midnight-blue coat gleams in the moonlight; her mane seems to be made of stars and space, waving in an nonexistent breeze
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>She looks down at you, her form towering over yours
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>Her expression is kind, but stern
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>You bow before her, finding yourself overwhelmed with admiration and gratitude
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>She had saved you, before, and that was a debt that you felt you could never repay
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>And now you had called to her, to ask for yet more, and she had answered without hesitation
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>You were beginning to understand Twilight's trust of the regents of Equestria
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>She speaks, her voice powerful but restrained; like a distant storm that has yet to break
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"You have been heard. Speak, child."
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>You get back to your hooves, suddenly nervous to voice your request
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>But her presence compels you, and you find yourself drawn to speak your mind
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"Princess... I want you to relinquish the protection you've granted me, just for tonight."
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>Her expression changes, almost imperceptibly, to one of consternation
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>She's silent for a long moment, studying your face, and you begin to worry you've offended her
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"... Do you know why I granted you my protection to begin with?"
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>You stare at her, stumped, the question having caught you off guard
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>She looks faintly amused at your expression, but it disappears quickly
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"I was drawn to your suffering, child. You bear a weight that most of the ponies in Equestria do not..."
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>She continues
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"You hale from a land much more abrasive and violent than this. You feel that are an outsider, as though you don't belong."
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>You recoil, slightly, her words cutting you to the quick
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>You're still not used to these ponies' uncanny ability to know your thoughts
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"But as long as you reside in this world, you are one of my subjects. And I will not see any of my subjects suffer so."
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>You hang your head low, suddenly ashamed that you would even consider this gambit
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>You feel a hoof under your chin, and she gently tilts your head back
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>You don't resist, gazing into her kind aquamarine eyes
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"You do not need to glimpse the future to know that you have a place here, Nona."
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>Of course she would see right through you. You should have expected it, honestly, but your stubbornness had gotten the better of you once again
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37.
>The truth was that you didn't care to see what would happen tomorrow with regards to the Astrolabe and Star Swirl's workshop
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>You had wanted to see your own future, the one in which you stayed in Equestria; started a family, and gave up on going back to Earth
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>You had insisted to yourself that what you wanted more than anything was to return home, but there was some part of you that desperately ached to know what your life might look like here
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>You sigh shakily
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"... I'm afraid, Princess. I don't know what to do."
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>She smiles at you then, and you're reminded instantly of her older sister
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>It's a smile that's seen much sorrow, but much joy as well
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"I know what it is to be afraid, Nona, and to feel as though you don't belong, but you cannot allow it paralyse you. I cannot help you make this decision; for the choice you face is yours, and yours alone. But I can tell you that letting your nightmares in is not the path forward. And you can trust that I know something of nightmares."
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>Her smiles turns faintly wry at that
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"You must simply have faith in yourself."
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>You gaze into her eyes, the ancient wisdom therein impossible to deny
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>It occurs to you that this is a being which has lived a score of your lifetimes, and not all of it as the benevolent regent you see now
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>You close your eyes, taking a deep breath
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>For a moment your stubborn desire to know what your future holds battles with Luna's words
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>But what she says rings true, and there's no denying it
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"... Okay. Thank you, Princess."
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>She nods gracefully
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"Then sleep, little one, with my blessing."
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>She leans forward, her horn glowing, and kisses you on the forehead, and the moonlit dreamscape around you fades away once more
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***
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>You awaken slowly, your eyes taking a long while to come into focus
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>The first thing you notice is Twilight's warmth, still snuggled tightly against you
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>The second thing you notice is that you actually feel well-rested for the first time since you arrived in Equestria
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>You're reminded of the first night you spent in Ponyville, Twilight's hoof wrapped comfortingly around you
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>You lie still, mulling over your conversation with the Lunar Princess
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>You feel embarrassed and a little foolish for thinking that you could lie to her about your true intentions last night
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>But also for having tried to fool yourself
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>You knew that what you were really doing was just avoiding coming to your own conclusion about what to do next
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>Princess Luna, and Twilight too, for that matter, were right, of course
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>Opening yourself up to be tormented by the witch's nightmares was stupid, reckless, and unnecessary
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>This was a decision you were going to have to make by yourself, even if you were torn on the matter
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>Twilight stirs next to you, stretching and yawning
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>She sits up suddenly, and you can feel her eyes on you
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>You look over at her sleepily
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"Well?"
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>She says, her eyes burning with curiosity
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>You flop back down
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"... Five more minutes."
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>You can feel her eyes burning a hole into the back of your head
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"Nona!"
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>You huff, and look back up at her
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"It didn't work."
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>She looks disappointed, but also relieved
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>She's still staring at you
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>You sigh again
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"Princess Luna talked me out of it."
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>She nods smartly, but she's still looking at you
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>As always, she seems to know when you're keeping things from her, the perceptive little brat
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>You don't say anything, but she doesn't break the silence either
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"... The reason I really wanted to see the future was because..."
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>Your voice falters, and you put a hoof over your stomach
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>She nods sympathetically
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"I know. It's the only reason I agreed to let you do it."
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>You groan
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"Am I really that easy to read? Everypony around here seems to know what I'm thinking."
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>A cheeky smile creeps onto her face
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"No, I'm just that good. As for every other pony... Yeah, actually, maybe you are just an open book."
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>Her expression turns to one of sincerity, and she puts a hoof on your shoulder
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>It's more comforting than it has any right to be
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"I know that you're having a difficult time deciding what to do, but... I just want you to know that you'll always have a place here, Nona, if you choose to stay."
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>You look into her eyes, and you don't see any pressure there
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>Just a pony who wants you to be happy
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>You pull her into a tight hug, which she returns without hesitation
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>Celestia, you're lucky to have a friend like her
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>You break the embrace after a few moments, and she clears her throat
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"Ah-hem... Well, we should get going right away. It's going to be a long hike to the abandoned laboratory."
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>As much as you would love to stay in bed all day, you know she's right
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>Truthfully, you're dreading going there
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>The time for you to make a decision grows closer and closer, and all you want to do is run away
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>But the only path lies forward... For better or for worse
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>Twilight slips out of the bed and stretches again
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"I'm going to fix something for breakfast. Can you go wake Midnight, if he's not up yet?"
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>You nod, but eye her curiously as she turns to leave
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"I didn't know you cooked, Twi."
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>She laughs softly
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"It's not that hard, Nona. You just follow the instructions exactly and it works out fine! I mean, it's essentially a simpler form of chemistry."
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>Of course, you should have expected she'd say that
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>She heads upstairs while you roll out of bed
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>You take a moment to yourself, scrounging around for a brush, which doesn't take long
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>You spend a few minutes brushing out your mane, something you had gotten a lot better at in the last few days
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>You're still no Rarity, but you are able to at least make yourself presentable at this point
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>The ritual of it was oddly comforting
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>The rhythmic movement calmed your busy mind; something that was all too necessary of late
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>And given that you had to hold the brush in your mouth, it took just enough concentration that you couldn't think about other things
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>You sigh happily as you finish brushing out the last tangles, your mane curling softly around your neck and gently tickling your shoulders
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>Sadly all good things must come to an end
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>You put the brush down on a nearby table and head upstairs to go wake Midnight
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>As you reach the ground floor, you can already smell whatever it is Twilight is cooking
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>Something min-maxxed for dietary efficiency, no doubt
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>You giggle to yourself as you head up the second flight of stairs to the upstairs landing
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>Your hooves make an adorable 'clip-clop' sound as you walk up the wooden staircase, something you'll never get tired of hearing
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>The sound is quickly overpowered by a powerful snoring as you approach the top of the stairs, and peeking up onto the landing you can see a lump under a pile of blankets on Twilight's bed
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"Hey, Midnight!"
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>He doesn't stir
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"Midnight, wake up! It's time to go."
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>Still nothing
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>He probably can't even hear you over his own goddamn snoring
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>It's like a chainsaw on meth
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>You start looking around for something to throw at him
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>A heavy book? No, Twilight would probably be mad. A wrought-iron lantern? Maybe that's a bit too far...
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>Aha! Target acquired
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>There's a small throw pillow that's fallen out of the cabinet next to the staircase
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>You extend your wing, slipping it under the pillow and lifting it up
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>You heft it a few times experimentally
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>Seems like the muscles in your wings are pretty strong, and only a little sore from some of your previous escapades
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>You have a pretty fine amount of control over them...
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>You huck the pillow towards the sleeping form of Midnight Spire with all your might
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>As the pillow sails towards him, you idly wonder why you can't seem to get the hang of flying, considering you don't seem to have any issues with strength or coordination
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>Bullseye! It's spectacularly effective
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>The pillow impacts him squarely in the face and he flails around wildly, snorting and sputtering
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>He sits bolt upright, his eyes wide
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>You feel a little bad, you hadn't actually expected to smoke him quite like that
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>Ducking down, you use the last few stairs as cover
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>After a moment you walk up as though you were just approaching
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>You give him your most innocent face
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"Oh, hey! Good timing, Twilight's just making some food and then we're going to head out."
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>He stares at you suspiciously, his eyes still bleary
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"... Did you throw something at me?"
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>You do your best to eye him curiously
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"Why would I do that? Anyway, it's almost time to get going. Grab your stuff and come get some breakfast!"
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>You turn and start walking downstairs before you give yourself away
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>You only make it about three steps before you suddenly feel a prickle at the nape of your neck
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>Instinctively ducking, you just barely manage to dodge the pillow that flies right over your head, brushing past the tips of your ears and smacking into the wall next to you
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>You laugh as you hasten your trip down the stairs into a gallop, dodging another pillow on the way into the kitchen
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>Trotting into the kitchen, you can see Twilight hard at work frying up what appear to be potatoes on the stove, and there are a trio of daisy sandwiches sitting on the cutting board next to her
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>She looks over her shoulder at you as you walk in
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"Great timing, I'm almost done here. Did you get Midnight up?"
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>You nod
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"Sure did. He'll be down shortly, I think."
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>Sure enough he wanders groggily into the kitchen a few moments later, giving you the evil eye
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>The three of you sit down and begin eating as Twilight levitates the plates over
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>You're careful to sit opposite Midnight for fear of reprisal
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>As it turns out, Twilight's cooking is quite good
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>The daisy sandwiches are tasty, and the breakfast potatoes are fantastic
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>The three of you eat in relative silence
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>Twilight seems to really enjoy daisy sandwiches, meanwhile Midnight clearly isn't fully awake yet
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>You wonder if ponies have some kind of equivalent of coffee that they drink in the morning
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>There's hay tea, obviously, but it doesn't have the same stimulant effect of coffee...
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>That was something you did actually miss from Earth
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>That and tobacco
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>It suddenly occurs to you that you haven't even thought about smoking since you arrived in Equestria
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>Typically you would take a few smoke breaks a day, especially when you were working
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>But you hadn't even felt the urge to smoke since you got here; hell, it hadn't even crossed your mind
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>You knew that you had changed since you got here, but perhaps not all of it was of your own volition...
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>A scary thought. That, and the fact that you were having more and more trouble remembering things about your old life
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>How much has this place affected you, beyond just the experiences you had endured?
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>Twilight's voice rouses you from your thoughts
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"...Equestria to Nona, are you there? Is everything alright?"
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>It occurs to you that you've been staring at your half-eaten daisy sandwich for a solid minute
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>You shake off the sudden chill you're feeling
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"Y-yeah, I'm good. Just lost in thought. Food's great, by the way. Thank you, Twilight."
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>Midnight Spire grunts an affirmative through a mouthful of potatoes
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>Twilight looks positively chuffed, and goes back to eating
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>It only takes a few more minutes for the three of you to finish your meal, and you and Midnight volunteer to clean up while Twilight gets everything ready to go
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>Another few minutes and the three of you are walking out the library's door, after Twilight gives Spike a long list of things to take care of while she's gone
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>Poor guy
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>Dawn has barely broken; the sun just beginning to peek over the edge of the horizon
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>You turn to look back at the library, admiring its elegant and, for lack of a better word, cozy architecture
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>You just can't seem to shake the feeling that it's the last time you're going to see it
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>Turning away, you trot to catch up to Midnight and Twilight
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>Twilight's face is set in grim determination, clearly imagining every possible scenario the three of you will face at the laboratory
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>Midnight seems more lost in thought, an uncertain grimace etched into his features
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>He must be nervous
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>You realise he's probably not been far outside of Canterlot before this
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"Hey, Midnight."
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>He shakes off his torpor, and glances over at you curiously
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"Have you ever done anything like this before?"
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>He shakes his head
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"No. I'm usually more about... Reading about this sort of thing."
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>You bump him with your shoulder
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"Well, don't worry. I'll protect you."
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>He snorts, but can't hide a small smile
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>The three of you make your way through town, the streets largely devoid of life
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>Most of Ponyville is only just starting to wake up at this point
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>Except maybe Applejack; she's probably already hard at work
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>You spare a glance at the hospital as you walk past, unable to stifle a pang of emotion at the thought of a particular resident doctor
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>You suppose you could have gone to see him yesterday...
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>But it's too late now
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>The building disappears behind you as you turn away and keep walking
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>The quaint urban sprawl of Ponyville recedes as the wild of the Everfree starts to loom before you, and not ten minutes later you stand at the threshold of the forest
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>A shiver runs through you as you stop and regard the darkness resting under the thick canopy, thoughts of your first flight coming unbidden into your mind
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>Midnight Spire regards the forest with wide eyes
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>Even Twilight doesn't seem too eager to take the first step into the ominous woods
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>You all stare silently at the dimly lit forest, even the insects and wildlife seeming to hold their breath
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>You speak up first
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"You know, Twilight, maybe we could find another Astrolabe, somewhere else? Literally anywhere else?"
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>Midnight looks at her hopefully
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>Twilight remorsefully shakes her head
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"Very funny. No, you read that book just as I did. If it's truly that dangerous, and somepony else is looking for it, we need to secure it for the good of Equestria."
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>She glances over at you
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"And for you, of course."
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>She turns back to the forest, her face returning to that mask of determination you had seen earlier
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"Let's go."
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>She steps through the trees and vanishes into the dark undergrowth
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>You glance at Midnight, then follow suit
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>You don't hear any sound from him for a long moment
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>Then, a reluctant sigh, followed by hoofsteps and the rustling of leaves
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***
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>A bead of sweat traces a line from your brow to your jaw, your eyes glazed over and half-lidded
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>You've been walking for hours, you think, the incessant rustling of the trees and buzzing of the insects taking their toll on your mind
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>The thick canopy of the Everfree forest seems to defeat the concept of time; you have no idea how long it's actually been, and the whole damn place looks the same
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>Twilight insists that you've been following the correct path, but as far as you're concerned you could have been walking in circles for hours and you'd have no idea
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>The thorny vines that wind around every individual tree, shrub, and seemingly stalk of grass scratch and pull at your coat
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>The air is thick; it seems to cast a suffocating pall over the entire forest
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>You find yourself dearly missing Zecora's guidance
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>When she had been here to lead the way, you had hardly noticed any of this
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>But now, the layout of this Celestia-forsaken place was claustrophobic and confusing
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>It's not just you: the other two seem similarly affected
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>They both look tired and frustrated
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>Still, Twilight forges ahead, determined as ever
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>You sit down heavily, exhausted
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"Twilight!"
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>You croak
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>She turns to look back at you, her eyes glazed and cheeks flushed from exertion
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"Can we take a break? I... need a minute."
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>She pauses, then nods reluctantly
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257.
>Midnight Spire collapses next to you with a grunt
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>Twilight pulls the map out of her saddlebags telekinetically, and continues studying it without sitting down
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259.
>You glance at Midnight
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>He looks about as tired as you feel
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"This forest is practically a maze. How are we supposed to find this place if we can't even figure out where we are?"
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>He mutters
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>You pat him on the back with a hoof
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"Buck up, Midnight. The Everfree is confusing, yes, but we've got a map. We'll be fine. Right, Twi?"
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>Twilight laughs nervously
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"Yeah... About that."
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>You stare at her, unblinking
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>She forces a smile
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"This map relies on information from a long... long time ago. Some of the directions are a bit... Difficult to decipher."
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>Midnight looks heartbroken
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"You mean we're lost!?"
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>He wails
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>You roll your eyes, and keep patting him
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"No, not lost! More like... Directionally challenged, we'll say."
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>She replies
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>You can't help but snicker
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>Midnight looks up at you, desperately
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"Can't you fly up above all this and give us some directions?"
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>Now it's your turn to laugh nervously
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"Yeah... I wish it were that simple. Let's just say I'm not the most talented flier, and the last time I tried flying over the Everfree I just about died."
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>You wince at the memory, your wings involuntarily tucking in close to your body
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>It hadn't been much more than a week ago, but it felt like a lot longer
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>It was a miracle you hadn't broken anything
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>You shake the memory off, and look back to Midnight
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>He's staring at you pleadingly
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>Twilight nods
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"I'm tempted to agree."
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>You breathe a sigh of relief
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"Thanks, Twilight."
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>She coughs
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"Um... Actually, I meant with Midnight."
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>You stare at her in horror
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"Hear me out... You're actually not a bad flier, Nona. Like you said, it's just landings you struggle with, right?"
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>Midnight snorts
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"I can attest to that."
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>You take a step back, your feathers ruffled
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"No way. I'm just going to crash again!"
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>Twilight raises a hoof
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"Relax, Nona. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. But what I was going to suggest is that Midnight and I could catch you, if you fall."
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>You consider her expression unhappily, trying to suppress the images of you hurtling through the trees that flash through your mind
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>Trying to fly over the Everfree was just about the last thing you wanted to do right now
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>You glance up at the treetops, the wind pushing the leaves around gently
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>You close your eyes, and take a deep breath
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>Opening them, you find Midnight looking at you hopefully
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"Okay, I'll do it."
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>Midnight hops to his hooves
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>Twilight looks pleased... Almost proud, in fact
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"Thank you. I know this isn't easy for you."
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>You nod nervously, glancing up at the sky again
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>The wind appears to be picking up
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>Well, looks like there's no time to lose
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>You look back to Twilight again
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"And you're sure you can catch me?"
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>She nods solemnly
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"One hundred percent."
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>You take a moment to center yourself, and before you can have second thoughts you stretch your wings out and start beating them, lifting off in a matter of seconds
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>You try to focus on keeping yourself level, flying straight up and not building up any speed
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>As strong as your wings are, lifting off this way is a lot more taxing than you had expected
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>How in Celestia's name does Rainbow just do this constantly?
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>You're approaching the treetops at this point, and you can already feel the wind pulling at your fur, whipping your mane around
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>Despite your better judgement, you look down, and Twilight and Midnight staring up at you apprehensively
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>It's already a long way down... But surprisingly you don't feel any vertigo
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>You suppose Pegasi must not experience vertigo. Neat!
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>You clear the treetops, and a large gust of wind threatens to knock you over
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>But you've learned from your last experience here, and had seen this coming
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>You tuck your shoulder slightly, drop one wing a bit... And with a harder push from your other wing you stabilise yourself
-
327.
>The verdant canopy of the Everfree forest spreads out before you, miles and miles of scruffy treetops stretching into the distance
-
328.
>You instantly feel a sense of relief, the tightness in your neck and jaw melting away as you're exposed to the air and sun above the canopy
-
329.
>At first, the whole area looks the same... Just millions of ominous-looking trees in every direction
-
330.
>But then something stirs your memory
-
331.
>In the distance, maybe two dozen miles ahead... There's a craggy hill just barely rising above the treetops, and just behind that you can make out the tip of some sort of grey pillar
-
332.
>You're sure you've seen it in one of your dreams, but you can't quite place where
-
333.
>But that has to be it, you're sure of it
-
334.
>You hear Twilight's voice drift up through the canopy below
-
335.
"Can you see anything?"
-
336.
"Yes! I think I've got it!"
-
337.
>You shout back
-
338.
"Okay, I'm coming down now!"
-
339.
>Now... How to get down from here?
-
340.
>Maybe if you just reduce the lift you're generating?
-
341.
>You start beating your wings more slowly, and to your pleasant surprise you start gently descending
-
342.
>But it seems that this method comes with a cost...
-
343.
>Your stability is compromised, something that you quickly discover as you reach the height of the canopy and a huge gust of wind practically knocks you out of the air
-
344.
>You try to right yourself, but it's far too late
-
345.
>You plummet straight towards the forest floor like a green missile
-
346.
>You squeeze your eyes shut as the ground rushes up to meet you, and...
-
347.
>Nothing
-
348.
>You crack one eye open to find yourself hovering a few inches of the ground, surrounded by a purplish glow
-
349.
>The glow ceases, and you're dropped briskly onto your hooves
-
350.
>Twilight looks at you with a mixture of pity and relief
-
351.
"Told you we'd catch you."
-
352.
>You sigh
-
353.
"Thanks. I really thought I had it there for a second."
-
354.
>She sidles over to you and bumps you with her shoulder, smiling reassuringly
-
355.
"Don't worry, Nona, I'm sure you'll figure it out. Flying can't be easy, I imagine."
-
356.
>You're about to respond that she would know, but you manage to snap your mouth shut before you say anything
-
357.
>Right... She won't get her wings for Celestia knows how long yet
-
358.
>You look away
-
359.
"Right, so I think I got a good look at where we need to go. If we cut straight through this way, we should be able to get there before dark. I hope."
-
360.
>You catch a glimpse of Midnight Spire's expression, and he doesn't look entirely convinced
-
361.
"How are we supposed to know we're walking straight in this Celestia-forsaken place?"
-
362.
>You shrug
-
363.
"Just wing it, I guess?"
-
364.
>He stares at you blankly
-
365.
>Twilight looks thoughtful for a moment, then perks up
-
366.
"I know, we'll just a leave a trail. I've packed a good length of rope into each of our bags... If we cut it into sections, we can just tie it to some of the branches we pass. Then we'll double back occasionally to make sure we're staying on course."
-
367.
>You nod appreciatively
-
368.
"Good thinking, Twi."
-
369.
>She beams proudly
-
370.
"Thank you."
-
371.
>It doesn't take long to get the rope sectioned out into pieces long enough for tying
-
372.
>A few moments pass, and the three of you are off, Twilight occasionally using her magic to tie a piece of rope every twentieth tree or so
-
373.
>You and Midnight take turns doubling back and then catching up, ensuring you're on the right path
-
374.
>This process continues for the better part of the day, and as the sky begins to darken you notice the ground steadily beginning to incline
-
375.
>The trees begin to grow more sparsely and thin out as larger rocks and boulders begin appearing on your path
-
376.
>After many hours, the forest opens up enough for you to see the hill you've been seeking
-
377.
>It's no mountain by any means, but it's a lot larger than you had figured it would be when you had glimpsed it from a distance
-
378.
>A droplet of water lands on your forehead, startling you, and you begin to hear the gentle patter of rain picking up around you
-
379.
>You gaze up through the sparse canopy, letting the droplets land on your face and run down your cheeks
-
380.
>After the pall of the Everfree, it felt wonderful; the cool water soothing your aching muscles and mind
-
381.
>Ahead of you the terrain begins to rise more sharply, and a little further on you can just make out the spire you had spotted earlier, just barely poking out over the top of the hill
-
382.
>As the three of you walk further up the hill, the sides start to fall away into a bluff, and then disappear entirely, leaving the hill shaped like a large wedge; the base behind you now, and the point in front of you
-
383.
>You sidle over to the edge and carefully spare a glance down below, and you can just make out bits of ground through the thicker trees near the forest floor
-
384.
>It's already a pretty long way down
-
385.
>You glance up ahead again, and see Twilight and Midnight getting ahead of you
-
386.
>Picking up a trot, you catch up to them quickly
-
387.
>Twilight has stopped, and you barely manage to skid to a halt before you crash into her
-
388.
"Hey, why have we...?"
-
389.
>Your voice trails off as you follow her line of sight
-
390.
>You've almost reached the top of this weird hill, and jutting out from the top of it is the stone spire you had spied from afar
-
391.
>Turns out it wasn't on the other side of the hill, it was actually rising from the top of it
-
392.
>There's a bunch of rubble around the base of the spire, as though it was fully buried under this hill at one point and now some sort of erosion had revealed it fully
-
393.
>Now that you've gotten a closer look at it you can also see a number of glyphs wrapping around it, none of which you really recognise
-
394.
>But that's not what your two companions are staring at
-
395.
>At the very top of the hill, just past the stone spire you can see a faint flickering glow just barely illuminating the edge of the cliff
-
396.
>A fire?
-
397.
>That could only mean one of two things
-
398.
>Either there's a forest fire or...
-
399.
>Your heart sinks
-
400.
>You brush past Twilight and creep closer to the edge, ignoring her muffled protests
-
401.
>Peeking over the edge, you're met with an unwelcome sight
-
402.
>The cliff face is not actually sheer, but an overhang, and it's likely that whatever the spire is connected to is the only thing keeping it from collapsing
-
403.
>Unfortunately you can't really see underneath it that well from this angle
-
404.
>What you do see is a small bowl-shaped clearing, illuminated by a campfire painting the surrounding trees with dancing light
-
405.
>Around it, and a handful of ponies are busily rushing around setting up tents, presumably trying to beat the rain
-
406.
>No! Somepony else beat you here
-
407.
>Your eyes water from the smoke drifting up from the fire below, and you're forced to duck back over the ledge before you start coughing
-
408.
>Twilight and Midnight are both staring at you, their eyes wide
-
409.
>You stand and start walking back down the hill, giving them both a meaningful look
-
410.
>They fall in behind you, the silence broken only by the increasingly heavy patter of the rain
-
411.
>Once you've made it about halfway back down, you turn to face them
-
412.
>Twilight speaks first
-
413.
"What did you see?"
-
414.
>You can see in her eyes that she already knows the answer, but she's hoping you're going to say something else
-
415.
"It's a campfire. Somepony else beat us here."
-
416.
>You glance over at Midnight, who looks like he's about to cry, before looking back to Twilight
-
417.
"Did you see anypony down there?"
-
418.
>She says
-
419.
>You nod
-
420.
"Maybe a half-dozen, setting up camp around the base of the structure. I couldn't get a good look further inside- could be anything in there."
-
421.
>She nods thoughtfully, clearly already drawing up plans
-
422.
>Midnight speaks up, glancing nervously at you
-
423.
"Well, what are we going to do?"
-
424.
>You immediately turn your attention to Twilight, certain she's got some kind of plan cooked up already, and Midnight follows suit
-
425.
>She looks at you knowingly, her eyes sparkling
-
426.
"Okay. I think I have an idea."
-
427.
-
428.
***
-
429.
-
430.
>A drop of rain lands squarely on your nose, failing to startle you
-
431.
>You are hiding inside of a particularly dense bush on the outskirts of the clearing you had scoped out earlier
-
432.
>A bush which still failed to fully shield you from the now driving rain
-
433.
>When it had first started it had been wonderful, but now your coat was totally soaked through and you were freezing
-
434.
>You shiver, observing the oddly-shaped clearing in front of the oddly-shaped hill
-
435.
>It almost looks like something had exploded, shearing two huge chunks of the cliff off and leaving a big crater in front of it
-
436.
>None of the ponies you had seen earlier were in sight; presumably they were all warm and dry in their shelters
-
437.
>You stare at the tents jealously for a moment, before your gaze shifts to the stone structure beyond them
-
438.
>It was quite impressive, really
-
439.
>It was a sort of tetrahedron, hewn from stone and wrapped in vines and ivy. The stone looked ancient, weathered and cracked
-
440.
>There was a large staircase in the center, leading up to an engraved doorway that was obscured by the spire, the narrow base of which started in the middle of the staircase and jutted up into the roof of the small cavern which covered the whole structure
-
441.
>The same spire which you had seen earlier, and the tip of which you could just barely make out now through the darkness
-
442.
>If it weren't for that spire emerging from the top of the hill, you might never know this place was here unless you glanced at it from the right angle
-
443.
>You shake your head, looking around the crater again
-
444.
>Where was Midnight? He should be here by now
-
445.
>You were due a distraction any minute, and surprisingly he had volunteered for the task
-
446.
>It still wasn't clear who, exactly, these ponies were, or who they worked for, but Midnight had seemed quite guilty when Twilight had been laying out her plan earlier
-
447.
>You suppose he must still feel responsible for essentially selling the location of this “laboratory” to such shady characters
-
448.
>It still wasn't clear how they had managed to beat you here, although they had had a much longer time to study the original document than you and Twilight
-
449.
>The only reason you and Twilight had figured it out as quickly as you had was, of course, Princess Celestia's help
-
450.
>As your mind wanders, your thoughts turn again to your unborn foal; that image of you and Blue Cross and your theoretical future family creeping its way back in
-
451.
>Something you had been avoiding thinking about, obviously, and which had been precluded by the rigours of your travels
-
452.
>But idle minds tend to wander, and despite your exhaustion you find yourself again wondering what a life in Equestria might look like
-
453.
>What would you do here? Your job with the mayor had not been at all unpleasant or unrewarding
-
454.
>And you can't imagine you would ever run out of adventures and activities to participate in in your time off… Not to mention however much time foal-rearing is going to- would take
-
455.
>You're reminded of Luna's words to you last night
-
456.
>Could you really make a home here? Do you really think you deserve that…?
-
457.
>You sigh, still unsure of yourself
-
458.
>You scan the clearing, searching for signs of that midnight-blue coat you've become so familiar with
-
459.
>There is one thing you are sure of: one way or another, you need to secure the Astrolabe before somepony else does
-
460.
>There's no doubt their intentions are less noble than yours, and frankly at this point you're not sure how much that's really saying
-
461.
>A flicker of movement at the edge of the clearing catches your eye, and your attention snaps immediately onto it
-
462.
>There he is, creeping towards one of the tents closest to the edge of the clearing
-
463.
>Midnight sneaks like a true amateur: as though he read about it in one of his books and was simply doing his best to emulate it based on description alone
-
464.
>Thankfully the heavy rainfall covers his clumsy hoofsteps, and he makes it to the tent without attracting any attention
-
465.
>As you watch, he makes his way over to the tent unseen, and looks around dramatically
-
466.
>Lowering his head, his horn just brushes the bottom edge of the tent as he stands motionless for a moment, his face set in a formidable grimace
-
467.
>You watch in awe as, with a bright flash, the fabric ignites, and the fire rapidly climbs the side of the tent and flares up over the camp
-
468.
>Holy shit you were not expecting that
-
469.
>You can hear the droplets of rain hissing as they collide with the now raging inferno that climbs from the roof of the tent
-
470.
>Midnight flees from the burning tent, disappearing back into the foliage just as the cries of alarm start to sound across the camp
-
471.
>Ponies start rushing out of their tents, eyes wide with panic
-
472.
>It's complete pandemonium; the camp's residents crashing into each other and milling around aimlessly
-
473.
>Thankfully it doesn't seem like anypony was in the tent Midnight set on fire, as even the heavy downpour isn't enough to quench the magical flames
-
474.
>Well, it looks like your window of opportunity is open, and there's no telling how long it will last
-
475.
>You slither out of the bush, shivering again as you feel the rain-drenched leaves slip across your already soaked coat
-
476.
>Skirting the edge of the clearing, you cast a sideways glance at the chaos in the camp, still a bit shocked at Midnight's methods
-
477.
>Honestly you didn't think he had it in him
-
478.
>It was a side of him you hadn't previously seen, and it was somewhat unsettling how easily he had set the tent alight
-
479.
>Surely he couldn't have known it was empty?
-
480.
>You brush the thought aside as you approach the edge of the camp
-
481.
>Picking up a light trot, you break from the cover of the trees and quietly slip behind the nearest tent
-
482.
>You're not far from the entrance to the structure already, it's a straight shot from here to the staircase
-
483.
>You slowly peer around the edge of the tent, trying to expose yourself as little as possible
-
484.
>Now that you're up close you can get a bit of a better look at these ponies
-
485.
>All of them seem to be earth ponies, and they look... Grizzled, for lack of a better word
-
486.
>Some of them have scars, and all of them seem pretty burly
-
487.
>Normally these are details you could have picked up from across the clearing without breaking a sweat, but it had been too dark by the time you arrived here
-
488.
>They actually seem to have regained their composure surprisingly quickly, already organising a fire line and passing buckets of water toward the burning tent
-
489.
>Looks like your window is more narrow than you had thought
-
490.
>Your heart feels like it's in your throat; you can hear it in your ears
-
491.
>Fuck it, it's now or never
-
492.
>You bolt from cover, making a bee-line for the stairs
-
493.
>The landscape blurs as you gallop as fast as you can, praying that nopony sees you
-
494.
>You reach the bottom of the stairs sooner than you realise, but you suddenly hear a shout from behind you
-
495.
"Hey, stop! Get that Pegasus!"
-
496.
>Shit
-
497.
>You book it up the stairs, taking them three at a time and using your wings to propel yourself upwards as your hooves skate on the wet stone
-
498.
>You don't bother looking back, but you can hear a commotion behind you as somepony gives chase
-
499.
>The rain ceases pelting you as you race up the stairs and past the pillar, finally underneath the cliff's overhang
-
500.
>You reach the top, and spare a glance backwards as you run towards the doorway
-
501.
>Two of the earth ponies are chasing after you, slipping and sliding as they try to follow you up the wet stone steps
-
502.
>Heh, no way they catch you
-
503.
>You're not sure what to expect of the layout of this place but hopefully you can lose them inside
-
504.
>Not quite as stealthy an approach as you had planned but you suppose you'll have to improvise a little bit
-
505.
>You look back ahead, already planning out how you're gonna lose the- OH FUCK
-
506.
>There's a large earth pony in the stone doorway, his face set in grim concentration, his hoof a blur as it rushes towards your head
-
507.
>There's sharp pain in your jaw, and then...
-
508.
>Darkness
-
509.
-
510.
***
-
511.
-
512.
>Your mind swims uneasily through a sea of throbbing, aching pain
-
513.
>Celestia, your head feels like it's fit to burst
-
514.
>You can faintly hear voices coming from somewhere nearby, but you can't make out what they're saying
-
515.
>What happened? Where are you?
-
516.
*CRACK*
-
517.
>Your head snaps to the side, your eyes suddenly open but still out of focus as it all comes back to you
-
518.
>Standing over you is an unfamiliar pony, a unicorn mare by the looks of it
-
519.
>Her coat is jet black, and her mane white
-
520.
>Your gaze travels up as you blearily drink her in
-
521.
>Until you lock eyes with her
-
522.
>No
-
523.
>Your vision snaps into focus, and you stare in horror
-
524.
>Her eyes are a deep, dark purple
-
525.
>You try to leap to your hooves, but your limbs don't respond
-
526.
>You look down, and find you're on your side with your legs and wings bound with coarse rope
-
527.
>Nononononono
-
528.
>You try to fight the rising panic in your chest to no avail, gasping for air
-
529.
>But no matter how much air you draw in you still feel like you can't breathe
-
530.
"Man, we have got to stop meeting like this, hey?"
-
531.
>She purrs
-
532.
>You look back up at her, hoping, praying that this is some sick hallucination, or just another nightmare
-
533.
>She peers back down at you with a faint, predatory smile, before turning away
-
534.
"Leave us."
-
535.
>She says
-
536.
>It's at this moment you finally take in your surroundings
-
537.
>You're in a large, round stone chamber littered with columns, some of them collapsed
-
538.
>Across from you is a doorway, which appears to lead into a dimly-lit hall
-
539.
>One of those large earth ponies you were acquainted with earlier is standing at the door, and at her words he nods curtly and walks out the doorway
-
540.
>You hear the echoing "clip-clop" of his hooves slowly fade as the mare turns to face you again
-
541.
>Her horn begins glowing white, faintly at first before it grows so bright it's blinding
-
542.
>And then it's gone, and standing before you is a young, white-haired woman in a dark dress
-
543.
>You recognise her from your dreams, of course
-
544.
>This must be her true form, if she has one
-
545.
>She stretches luxuriously, before looking down at you once more
-
546.
"You have no idea how tiring all this cutesy shit is. Easier than explaining myself though, you know?"
-
547.
>You stare at her hatefully, barely in control of your whirling emotions
-
548.
>If you could run, you weren't sure you'd be able to stop yourself right now
-
549.
>She claps her hands together
-
550.
"So! You've been pretty busy, haven't you?"
-
551.
>She leans over and peers at you curiously
-
552.
"Made some friends, even found yourself a boyfriend! How cute. I bet you even think you're in love."
-
553.
>Your cheeks flush red, and she laughs
-
554.
"God, you're fucking pathetic."
-
555.
>She takes a knee next to you, and you flinch as she puts a hand on your flank, but you've nowhere to run
-
556.
>She closes her eyes, and you can feel a tingling sensation where her fingertips make contact
-
557.
>After a moment she stands up, regarding you with astonishment
-
558.
"Took the new body out for a spin, I see. Estrus is rough this time of year, I've heard, but I had no idea you'd be such a curious cat!"
-
559.
>You look away, humiliated, but finally manage to find your voice
-
560.
"Fuck. You."
-
561.
>She raises her eyebrows
-
562.
"Now, now, that's no way for a pony to talk. How would your little boyfriend feel if he heard you?"
-
563.
>You grit your teeth
-
564.
"Why are you doing this? What the hell do you want from me?"
-
565.
>She looks at you then, and for a moment her smug facade falters
-
566.
>She crouches down next to you, fury in her eyes
-
567.
"I want you to suffer. You, and all the other entitled little shits on Earth who think they're owed the world because of some accident of birth. And with the Astrolabe, it will be easier than ever to make that happen."
-
568.
>Out of weapons, you lash out with the only thing you have left: your words
-
569.
"So, you're basically throwing a man-hating tantrum because I wouldn't give you some spare change? You're more pathetic than I am."
-
570.
>You regret it the moment it comes out of your mouth
-
571.
>There is a gleam that ignites in her eyes; a maniacal fury that you had never seen before and would count yourself lucky if you never saw again
-
572.
>Her hand shoots forward and grips your muzzle, snapping your mouth shut
-
573.
"You're done talking."
-
574.
>Her fingers dig in, that familiar tingling sensation returning a thousandfold
-
575.
>It feels like the heat is being drawn out of you; it's so cold your face goes numb
-
576.
>There's a terrifying tightness in your mouth and throat as though your very breath is being stolen
-
577.
>And an inescapable feeling of loss; as though she's taking something from you that you'll never get back
-
578.
>And then it's gone
-
579.
>She releases her grip on your muzzle and stands up, her eyes dark and cold
-
580.
"And I'm done entertaining you. I will kill you, by the way, eventually. But first I'm going to find the Astrolabe, and kill your boyfriend."
-
581.
>You shake your head, trying to rid yourself of the numbness
-
582.
>She taps a finger on her chin thoughtfully as she regards you
-
583.
"Oh, and allow me to do you a little favour before I go."
-
584.
>There's an explosion of pain in your stomach as she delivers a swift and forceful kick straight to your belly
-
585.
>You open your mouth to cry out in shock and horror but... Nothing comes out
-
586.
>Tears stream down your face as you silently scream in agony
-
587.
>In that moment, you couldn't care less about anything other than your foal
-
588.
>The Astrolabe, your voice, your home, even your life; you would gladly give them if it meant saving the foal
-
589.
>You hardly register as the witch shifts back to her pony form and walks out of the room
-
590.
>All you can do is weep silently before you black out from the pain
-
591.
-
592.
***
by HotdogWater
by HotdogWater
by HotdogWater