//------------------------------// // Don't Forget The Party's Extension Number // Story: Ynanhluutr // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// “So... uhm...” Twilight fidgeted in the moonlight. “How exactly does this spell work?” “Shhhhh...” Rainbow sat on a college rooftop, just beside the window looking in on the Sunset Suite. “Lemme concentrate.” “Oh, right...” Twilight rolled her eyes. “We spent a whole afternoon arguing in a library and now you want quiet.” “I'm serious, girl.” Rainbow frowned, placing a hoof to her pendant. “I missed my chance last month on account of wandering aimlessly through an antimagic desert. I'm a bit out of practice.” “Right.” Twilight bowed, floating backwards. “I'm sorry.” “Don't be.” Rainbow glanced aside. “Do you remember what we rehearsed?” “Erm... yes.” “You got your questions ready?” Rainbow squinted through the dim night air. “No matter how we shake it, this is gonna get awkward.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Let's just be quick about it and hope for the best.” “Right.” Rainbow glanced up at the pale orb in the center of the night's sky. “Right right right... here goes...” She slowly stroked the ruby lightning bolt in gentle little circles. Twilight watched with pursed lips as a silver aura emanated from the metallic surfaces of the Loyalty Pendant. Within seconds, a royal voice echoed along the wind, shaking the phantom unicorn to her very core. “Rainbow Dash? Rainbow Dash, is that truly you?” Rainbow gulped. “H-hey, Princess Luna.” She smiled crookedly in the glittering moonlight. “What's up?” “Oh, Rainbow Dash, such boundless elation! There is no way to properly state just how ecstatic I am to once again hear your voice! When you missed the last moon cycle, I had feared... we had all feared the worst! And considering your last dire situation...” Meanwhile, Rainbow looked at Twilight. She mouthed several mute words, swinging her forelimb for emphasis. Twilight nodded in response. She floated closer to Rainbow's pendant, yelping: “Luna?! Princess Luna?! It's Twilight! Twilight Sparkle! Can you hear me?!” Long silence. Followed eventually by: “Rainbow? Rainbow, are you there? I do certainly hope I did not imagine your voice just now.” “Luna! Luna, can you hear me? It's Twilight!” Twilight repeated. When she got no response, she glanced up at Rainbow, grimacing. Rainbow hung her head with a sigh. “Rainbow...?” Clearing her throat, Rainbow spoke up: “I'm here, Luna. You don't have to worry, Your Highness.” “Needn't I? Rainbow Dash, it has been the space of two months! Surely some ill-fate had to have befallen you and your companions in order to make you incapable of communicating all this time!” “My companions... are fine,” Rainbow said. “I'm fine too. As for the communication part, it's a super long story...” “I would most certainly like to hear it! Consider all tasks set aside! My ears belong to you and you alone—” “That's just the thing.” Rainbow coughed. “Look, Princess, I'm going to need you to fetch Princess Celestia.” A brief moment of silence, then: “My sister? But, Rainbow, you know very well that she can't leave the rift in—” “Right. Then fly to her.” Rainbow gulped. “Please? We... I need to talk to her. It's super... super important.” “… … … very well. As you desire, Rainbow Dash. I shall bring this conversation into the company of Celestia.” “And... uhm... since you're going to Ponyville...” Rainbow gazed aside at Twilight. “...wake Spike up too.” Twilight bit her lip. “Spike? He will surely be sleeping at this hour.” “I know, but this is the most important conversation we've ever had... or will ever have.” “Did you finally reach the edge of the world, my little pony?” “Erm... no. Not yet. But believe you me... I... I-I just gotta speak to Celestia and Spike. Pronto.” “Very well. As you wish. Forgive the space in time that this will take. Even with the powers of flight and teleportation, it will take a considerable amount of time to assemble the requested company at the sarcophagus.” “Right. So long as you can get there by moonfall, Your Highness.” “Fear not, Rainbow Dash, and await my signal.” “Will do.” “It... it is exceedingly great to hear your voice again.” Rainbow smiled delicately. “You too, Luna. Now go fetch Celestia... erm... please.” “Commencing with the 'fetch.'” And then the enchanted airwaves fell silent. The night limped on. Frostily so. For the next hour and a half, Rainbow Dash paced around the rooftop ceaselessly. The distant roar of the crashing tide gave a haunted backdrop to the scene, and when Rainbow finally stopped to catch her breath, she noticed Twilight shivering off to the side. “You okay, Twi?” Rainbow asked. “Hmmm?” The unicorn glanced her way. “Oh, yes. Definitely.” Nevertheless, she produced a shuddering breath. “You know, you don't have a body right now,” Rainbow said. “You don't have to remind me,” Twilight muttered, quivering all over. Rainbow arched an eyebrow. “Then how come you're shivering?” The mare blinked, struggling to keep still. “Hey...” Rainbow smirked. “It's gonna be alright. Just remember your questions, and we'll knock this out.” “It's not that I dread what's about to happen, I just... just...” Twilight's voice dwindled into a breathy squeak. “Don't faint on me now, Twi.” Twilight squinted in Rainbow's direction. “Luna couldn't even hear me. What does that mean?” “You're honestly surprised?” Rainbow shrugged. “No offense to the Royal Sisters or your undying respect for them, Twilight, but alicorns aren't exactly all that.” “Rainbow...” “Seriously. I mean, Luna and Celestia are totally awesome. Whitemane too. But you gotta remember, they discovered this piece of Urohringr. They didn't build it.” Rainbow tilted her gaze up at the moon. “Maybe the Sun and Moon belong to them, but there's stuff about this land that's way older than any alicorn ever.” “And if it's something other than Harmony that's allowing you to communicate with me, then what is it?” “I dunno. But something tells me that our think tank is about to double... maybe even quadruple.” Just then, the air crackled with a familiar voice. “I have returned, Rainbow Dash,” Luna said. “What's more, I am not alone.” Rainbow perked up, grinning. “Alright. Let's get this show on the road. Celestia? Princess Celestia? Are you there, Your Highness?” “Rainbow Dash...” Celestia's motherly tone enriched the air around them, positively warming Rainbow's coat through sheer inflection. “My sister informs me that you are in one piece. This is truly joyful news.” Twilight inhaled, her eyes instantly watering. She held a hoof over her muzzle, blinking rapidly in Rainbow's direction. Rainbow gave her a reassuring smile. Then, after a deep breath, she tilted her head back up. “It's good to hear from you as well, Celestia. Are you alone?” “Indeed, I am not, as per your request.” Just then, a deep voice growled: “Rainbow? Rainbow, is it actually you?” Twilight did a double-take. “I... I don't get it. Who's the stallion in there with them?” Rainbow held a hoof over the front of her pendant and spoke aside: “I don't think that's a stallion, Twi.” Twilight stared. Then, after several seconds, she gasped again. “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh...” The voice continued: “After all these months, you're still alive? I-I mean... that's great! Good news and all. I'm just... well... it's a pleasant surprise! I didn't think Celestia and Luna would be asking me to speak to you in a million years... eheheheh... how are things, Rainbow?” Rainbow took a deep breath. “Doing fine, Spike. Okay, look... we haven't got much time. Every hour of these three nights is super precious n'crud. So let's start out with a few important questions.” “What kind of questions do you have in mind, Rainbow Dash?” Celestia's voice asked. Rainbow fidgeted. “Well... I-I guess they're not so much questions as they are... they are...” She winced. “Okay, just wait and hear me out!” She flashed Twilight a look. “N-now?” Twilight asked. Rainbow nodded vigorously. Twilight cleared her throat. “Uhm... When I was seven, and I-I had first entered Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, she lectured the class on 'Thermodynamic Spatial Sub-dimensions Within a Chaotic Sphere.' It was the first lesson I ever learned from her ever. I scored ninety-eight percent on the following quiz... and... and sh-she had to console me for an hour afterwards while I cried like a baby.” She blushed slightly. Rainbow took a deep breath, tilted her head up, and spoke: “Princess Celestia, about... a dozen years ago, you gave a lecture at your School for Gifted Unicorns on... uhhh...” “'Thermodynamic Spacial Sub—'” “Right. Thermodynamic Spacial Sub-dimensions Within a Chaotic Sphere. It was Twilight Sparkle's first lesson after joining the school. Even though she scored ninety-eight percent on the test she had about it, she cried her eyes out, and you were there to sit her through it.” Silence. Rainbow bit her lip. “Is... is that true?” “'Why... yes, Rainbow. That's a very delightful memory that I love to hang onto. What ever made you bring it up?'” Rainbow shook her head at Twilight. “That's not enough,” she hissed. Twilight nodded, then boldly said, “Three years later, I was wandering the Palace grounds, when I found Princess Celestia seated in the Royal Gardens, quietly sobbing. Though she never told me directly why, I noticed that... that she had a necklace in her possession with the emblem of a royal compass.” Rainbow spoke loudly, “Celestia, a few years after that, Twilight found you sobbing on the Palace grounds. Like... in the Royal Gardens. And you had a pendant or a necklace with... a 'royal compass' engraved on it. Do you recall that?” Dead silence. “Rainbow Dash, I... I do not understand the meaning of this inquiry. What has inspired you to ask about—” Rainbow gazed pointedly at Twilight. Twilight closed her eyes, sighed, and blurted: “Prince Blueblood's great great grandfather was a royal guardspony named Captain North Star. He died saving Celestia from a manticore attack outside Stalliongrad.” Rainbow said, “Prince Bluelbood's great great grandfather was Captain North Star. He died saving you from a manticore attack.” An audible gasp filled the air, followed shortly by Luna's breathless voice: “Sister...” Rainbow and Twilight stood in nervous silence, waiting. Celestia's voice picked up again, and it was struggling to stay firm. “Rainbow, how... h-how could you possibly know of such a thing...?” Twilight whimpered. “Oh gosh... she's hurt.” She gulped. “I-I promised never ever to tell anypony about that—” “Spike!” Rainbow hissed at her. “Spike!” “Er, yes, Rainbow?” the growling voice came into clarity. “What is it?” Twilight composed herself and stammered: “'A Colt's Guide to Library Etiquette.'” Rainbow blurted: “A Colt's Guide to Library Etiquette!” “It's the first book I ever gifted Spike on his birthday.” “It's the first book Twilight ever gave you for your birthday!” “Uhhh... yeah. But what's that got to do with—?” Rainbow motioned with her hoof. Twilight fidgeted, leaning forward to whisper in Rainbow's ear. Rainbow made a face. “Why are you whispering the next part—?” Just then, her eyes widened. Grimacing, she spoke to the air: “Uhhh... Spike? When you were... barely a hatchling, and Twilight took you with her to live inside the Royal Palace, you accidentally caused the fire to the West Wing. Or, more appropriately, she did... because... uh...” Rainbow squinted over her shoulder. “...Twilight thought she could housebreak you with a litter box full of dried-up old newspaper clippings.” Twilight bit her lip, blushing furiously. Rainbow looked back up at the moon. “Is that right?” Eventually, Spike's voice cracked: “I... I don't get it. How do you know all this? Aren't you halfway across the dang world?!” Celestia interjected: “Rainbow Dash, an explanation, if you please. How is it that you know these things? Did Twilight tell you before she perished?” “No, Your Highness.” Rainbow gulped. “She told me them just now.” “Just... now...?” “Because Twilight Sparkle is alive, Princess Celestia,” Rainbow said. “At least in spirit. She appeared to me just as I crossed the Grand Choke, and her consciousness has been attached to me and my pendant ever since.” Right that very second, the shadows of trees and buildings shifted. Rainbow was momentarily confused, until her peripheral vision caught the very moon wobbling in its orbit. Then, just as quickly as the lunar tremble had started, it was still again. “Uhhh...” Rainbow blinked. “...Your Highness?” “I have taken over the conversation, Rainbow Dash,” Luna boldly spoke. “So that my sister may reorient her meditation and keep Ponyville from succumbing to the rift.” Rainbow merely clenched her teeth. “Now... uhm... please...” Luna's voice cleared in a not-so-dainty fashion. “Would you kindly explain to us how this miracle has occurred...?” Twilight giggled and bounced in place, smiling brightly. Rainbow smirked. “Well, Your Majesty...” She winked towards the sky. “We were kinda/sorta hoping you might help us.”