It gets a little gushy at the end, but every story needs the least bit of romance.
Chapter 7: Diplomats
We were greeted at once. We walked a couple meters down a tight hall, and just as we were about to turn the corner an enormous, super-powerful looking stallion steps out. His tan brown skin looked almost orange by the light of my fire. He didn't say anything, he just beckoned us forward. I looked at Twilight, who was looking at me, as if I should make the decision I figured this colt didn't mean any harm, as he had walked down the hall without looking back or waiting. He would only mean harm if he had to.
I followed, as did Twilight, close behind me, and I mean close. Don't ask why I'm thinking about her in the middle of a possible deathtrap, it's beyond me. We caught up to the colt, but he didn't seem to notice, or care.
The walls were made of stone slabs, seemingly thrown on top of each other at random. We continued walking until their was a light up ahead, glowing blueish and competing with my orange glow. We finally reached the room. It was just like the rest of the cave except in a small circular opening. There were two ponies in there, one looked like it was on the verge of death, a white coat with bones sticking out all over, and an alicorn. The alicorn was a dull orange, almost peach colour. Her hair and tail were a little yellower, but the same dull, almost ugly colour. Her face looked grim, as in if something didn't go right soon, she might do something she didn't want to. Her cutie mark was strange, a question mark. Like a piece of word art it sat on her thigh. The old pony's cutie mark was almost the same, a question mark, looking like a bubble letter except colorless.
It was the old pony that spoke first, the same voice as the signs, "Welcome, be at ease. I know you have no reason to trust us but I ask for your time, hear us out. In the end we will decide if it's safe enough to give you back your memories." I looked at Twilight, who was in shock. "Not only you, Twilight, but you too Flare. We have not stolen yours but we will help you remember." After a few seconds of nothing being said, I spoke, "Talk."
"Princess Celestia," she said, "Do you know her?"
"Yes, of course, she's the princess." I replied.
"Twilight, do you know her?" the pony asked.
"Tell us your name," Twilight instructed.
"I am Matilda," she said, then nodded towards the alicorn, "That is Nora," and nodding towards the beefy colt she said, "and Gambit. He doesn't speak, but he listens attentively."
"All I know about the princess is that she cannot see me or know where I am," Twilight told her.
"Oh yes, we did that to you, because it might have brought back your memories." she said, as if it didn't matter. Which irritated Twilight, who could barely contain herself. "It's time I told you the whole story, both of you."
"It started when you were young, Flare. We were great friends with your parents, and we were late coming over when we heard she mother was giving birth. Because we were late, we were not there to save you or your family. We arrived just as Celestia and her allies were leaving. They burned your father in his own forge, and your mother was burning as we pulled you out. Once we got her out, Nora was trying out all her healing spells on you, trying to stop the flames from burning you. Your mother screamed to see you, and we let her before she died. We figure it was because you were born on fire that her flames wouldn't go out, and she perished. You went unconscious and we tried for ten minutes to put the flames out on your mane, before we figured that they were there for good. Your cutie mark, which was there at birth had burned, along with your wings and horn. We raised you for five years and left you at your mother's house after wiping your memory. We watched you as you grew, and you knew what to do. You grew your garden and forged many things. The only things we do not know are where you put the things you forged, and why Celestia burned your parents." I took this in easily, as if my mind knew it already. Twilight looked at me, as if looking for my conformation that it was true, I nodded. Matilda continued, "And Twilight, we took you because you were getting too close to the princess. I reckon it would have been, from three months to a year and she would have you working for her." Twilight looked angry, and like she wanted to believe it, but couldn't make herself. "Can I have my memory back now?" Twilight asked, "Please?" "Okay, I feel I have gotten my message through, and I feel you believe it. There is no knowing what you could do, so we will have to tie you up. Now don't be alarmed! You might attack us if you remember, or you might not do anything. We do not know, and we have more story to tell you when you get your memory back, to help you see our side."
Twilight looked nervous as we made our way through the structure We stopped in a room that had a chair, and buckles at the wrists and ankles. Twilight looked at me for reassurance, and I nodded. I felt at ease since they told me the truth. She walked over and sat down. A peach light erupted from Nora's horn as she grunted trying to make the buckles close. Finally they did, and Nora collapsed. I rushed to her, and helped her stand. "Thank you," she said quietly. I felt Twilight's eyes on me even though I wan't facing her. I kept my head down, so as not to make eye contact, until she looked away. Matilda rolled right up to Twilight in her wheelchair and asked her to lean down. Twilight leaned her head forward, so her horn could make contact with Matilda's. Matilda touched Twilight's horn and it glowed blue. They stayed like that for approximately three minutes. The tension built up in my chest as I waited and watched.
Finally Matilda rolled back, and Twilight's eyes closed and she stopped breathing. I was about to yell but I was shoved to the ground by Gambit, pinning me down, and my mouth was magically closed. I struggled almost picking Gambit up with all of my strength, but I couldn't manage. I was shushed by Nora who then said it was going to be okay, that I had to be quiet or Twilight might not wake. Then there was a gasp and Twilight screamed. Gambit jumped, and I was able to lift him off me and shove him to the side. Standing upright my mane flared up, heating up as I crossed the room towards Twilight. She was looking around, scared and angry. "Princess! Princess Celestia, help me!" Then she saw me and cried, "Flare help me up, they are going to kill us!" I shushed her. She looked at me, and calmed a little, "What's going on, Flare?" "It's okay," I told her, "It's okay." I started sobbing. I was so relived she was okay that I couldn't contain it. I sat on the floor, thinking about my emotions and trying to sort them out. As far as I knew the buckles must have released Twilight because she was hugging me, and I felt useless. I couldn't protect myself, let alone another pony. I stopped sobbing, and stood up. Matilda was a meter away, just sitting there. "Let us go," I told them. "We were never stopping you," she said. I held Twilight's hand as we started for the door. "Gambit, lead the way out. We will be coming down to your house tomorrow, Flare. Don't let Twilight leave you. For all our safety, especially hers."
Gambit lead the way to the entrance of the cave, and I lead Twilight to my house. We went upstairs and I showed her to my guest room. She went to the bathroom, and when she came out I was in my room. She came looking for me, and insisted that we slept together, as she didn't trust herself. I was to tired to argue, even if I did care. I lay in bed, Twilight on the other side. I told myself that no matter what I did I would not fall asleep tonight.
After about three hours of laying in bed, Twilight got up. I heard her walk across the room, then a quiet sound of metal clanging and she walked back over. I knew I kept one of my better made swords lying on a chair over their. I had no idea what she could possibly want with it. She walked right in front of me, my eyes were squinting, so little that she couldn't possibly have known I was watching her. She started sobbing and she sat down hard, letting the sword fall on the floor. I slid out of bed and approached her slowly, "Twilight, why did you grab my sword and why are you crying?" "I... I... didn't want to..., I felt that I had to... . I'm supposed to kill you!" "Why?" I said slowly. "My memories make me think that you're somehow bad..., that the Princess wants me to kill you." She started wailing, and I still felt sympathy for her. I knew that I had done basically the same thing, when I was under the influence of the signs. I hugged her, and shortly after she stopped crying. "You'll be okay, just wait until tomorrow, things will be clearer then." We went back to bed, after I put my sword back in it's original position.
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I got up early because I hadn't slept at all through the night, and it hadn't even been hard. I didn't feel the need to sleep throughout the night. Not to mention I felt rested after I got up. I quietly slipped out bed so Twilight didn't wake, and crept out of the room. I went downstairs to make breakfast. Twilight came down about an hour after me, "What time is it?" "It's about 8:00," I told her. I pulled up a chair for her and she sat at the counter. "Hungry?" I asked. "You'd better believe it," she responded. She ate like she was trying to be polite, but gobbling it down all the same. I had started eating mine when she belched loudly. Her hoof went straight to her mouth, and she stared at me as if hoping I might not have heard. I laughed, and said, "Well aren't you full of surprises!" She laughed, and we had a peaceful breakfast. Doing the dishes was fun. Twilight would talk the whole time, and I would listen and stare at her gratefully. We were like a little philly and colt, playing with the dishes, laughing and having a good time.
Soon after, if not too soon, Matilda and friends came down the trail. I grabbed Twilight's hoof as we waited on the front porch. "Nice house you got here," Matilda said as Gambit pushed her, "Okay, I'm sure you have questions, Twilight, ask away!"
"Why was I trapped in a pit? Why did you take my memory? What's wrong with the Princess?" Twilight demanded, losing patience as she asked.
"The Princess burned Flare's parents, for one." Matilda said, staring at me. My face was devoid of emotion. "We took your memory because you trusted the Princess too much and you were getting too powerful. The Princess is powerful enough and with you on her side we'd be devastated. You were trapped in the pit because we thought the memory wipe damaged your brain, and you were going to die without any thoughts. Really we thought that you thought that you were already dead, so we left you there to really die, for real." My brain was having a hard time processing this.
"We had always thought the Princess was evil, but it wasn't until she burned her greatest warrior in cold blood that we realized how power driven she was." Twilight didn't look ready to understand the full picture of this either so I focused back on the story. "We thought you two would join us after you realized what we were fighting for."
Then Nora spoke up, "If you would join, we might be able to get your wings and horn back, Flare, but it will be Twilight who will save you in the end." I grew confused as that sentence didn't really make sense. They might be able to get my wings and horn back and Twilight will save me?
Then Nora's eyes were replaced by complete blackness, and I couldn't stare away. She spoke in a spine chilling voice, different from her normal voice:
Two ponies will be able to cross the land,
With powers unknown to all.
They will fight towards the one,
And find out who will fall.
Soon after that some worries arise,
And the two are called on again.
They will travel victoriously,
Unto the enemy's den.
Nora's eyes changed back to their normal, peachy color, as she staggered on her feet. Gambit caught her, and stood next to her, acting as a support. I was staring with my mouth wide open, every word plastered into my head. It was clear that Nora had just prophecized the future, but I didn't understand how. "There, there, Nora, you'll be okay. Just sit down and let it pass." This had clearly happened before because Matilda acted as if it didn't matter much. Twilight spoke up before I could, "Was that a prophecy? Is it going to be true?" Matilda shushed her quickly, "Inside, let's get inside and talk about it."
I rolled Matilda inside and she started talking immediately, "Nora has the ability to see the future," she said, her eyes glittering, "She can see what will happen, and if has always played out true, as far as we could see. She was born with these abilities and she can't control them, so she doesn't talk that much either, because she's scared they might control her. We cannot let anyone hear about this, because Princess Celestia will take her and use her, of this we are certain."
The conversation was over, that was clear. Nora and Gambit entered. "Nice place," Nora said. "Thank you," I said, accepting the compliment.
Then Matilda spoke up, saying something that stunned me, "I'll give you a week to get ready. After that there is no reason to delay the inevitable."
"What?" Twilight asked.
"Nora has prophecized that there would be two ponies with incredible powers. It is clear to me through these old pony eyes that you two are clearly the most powerful ponies of this generation. Twilight, your mind patched itself up on it's own while neither Nora or I could have helped. If you haven't noticed I've never seen anypony teleport. I've studied your past personally, through your memories, which were clearer than my own. You banished an Ursa Minor. You destroyed Discord. You saved Princess Luna. Need I name more? Flare, your father was the world's greatest, undefeated warrior. He destroyed armies by himself. He also was the leader of the Elite Assault Team. Not to mention you're an alicorn for Celestia's sake! If you believe there is a stronger duo in the world then you are poorly mistaken. I've never seen a pony who has as much potential as either of you for my 157 year lifespan. You two will go to stop Celestia!" Matilda shouted.
As absolutely insane as that sounded, I agreed. I didn't know why. The I thought about it. This Princess Celestia had killed my father. i probably would have been angrier, but I didn't know my father at all, so I couldn't force myself to be any angrier than I already was. Twilight looked like she would go wherever I went and that she didn't really have anything against Celestia yet. She seemed like she wanted to figure things out too, like show that these ponies were telling the complete truth.
"Shall we get your wings and horn back?" Matilda asked. I nodded. "Nora, help Twilight get his horn back." Nora then conjured a piece of parchment, that had words on it, but I didn't have enough time to read it. After Twilight looked at it for a while, she nodded, and focused her attention on her horn and on me. Nora was doing the same, and both of there horns lit up with power. I felt tingling in my sides, but I was afraid to look down. Then after about a minute of tingling, I felt two objects rip from my insides, and I crashed to the ground. The pain was unbearable, so unbearable that I couldn't even scream. I felt my insides shutting down, so I knew I was going unconscious, and the pain would soon leave. I was right.
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Eight hours of rough sleep later, I woke, feeling very parched. I sat up feeling a weight on me that was holding me down, and my sides were itchy. I reached over to scratch my sides and felt something unnatural there. It was feathery and smooth, slick and delicate. Then a thought took over my mind as I looked and so the phenomenon "MY WINGS!" I hollered. Twilight came rushing up, to share the joy. I was prancing around in a circle. "STOP!" Twilight cried. I stopped instantly at alert. "Those wings need time to heal, as they are as weak as a newborn's," Twilight told me, "They will need at least a week." I started jumping around again, and thought to myself, "A week? I can handle a week." "I've prepared food if your hungry," Twilight told me. "Yes please," I responded. I hadn't said that word in a long time, having no one to say it to. Twilight took me downstairs into my kitchen, telling me that I needed to keep my wings down the whole week, that I couldn't even flex them. I was okay with that.
In the kitchen I asked, "Do you have the whole place figured out?" "Pretty much. Except I noticed you have hot water and electricity, neither of those thing I can see where you get." "I have pipes that I built running underground, taking the volcanic water, which is clean, all my cold water is just refrigerated and my electricity comes from the solar panels that I also built. I'm kinda an electrical engineer as well." "You can also cook." "Yeah, I can do that too." She handed me a sandwich and a glass of water. Then she sat on the couch with hers and beckoned me over. I didn't hesitate for a second.
The week flew by. Twilight and I had become the best of friends, if not, girlfriend/boyfriend. We hadn't done anything romantic, well not really in my eyes. We slept in the same bed, snuggled on the couch, stared at each other in the eyes while we were talking until we noticed we weren't talking and just staring at each other... . Okay, we were romantic the whole time. My wings were back and fully functional, but my horn is up to me to grow back, with magic. I'm not sure how I'm going to use a very small amount of magic when an enormous amount of magic was vital. But that's the past, the boring stuff. We can go back to that when it's over. All of it. Because today was the last day, it was time for the adventure to continue. I said to Twilight one last time before bed that day, "What are we going to do in the morning?" "Save the world of course!"
END OF PART 1
Yeah, this story needs more romance, but just a little. I say Twilight and Flare should get a little closer. TheBlindRat's story kind of close. By the way, you guys should check his story out. This chapter is a little shorter than recent ones, but I think this one is a turning point. Consider all of the story until now Part 1. Part 2/Chapter 8 will be out shortly, don't be worrying about that.
Your Fellow Brony - Abridged
