The long awaited reunion
Twilight Sparkle lay on her bed in her dormitory. The faint light of sunset permeated the room, giving out a sense of overall gloom. The warm summer breeze filtered through the half-drawn blinds on the window, invading both her nostrils and mind with unpleasant memories from the night past. She turned around to lay on her back, watching the sweeping motion of the ceiling fan above her. She could still see the images as clear as day on the back of her head: the figures of the sculptures, etched underneath the moonlight; the shimmery black substance, spilling all over the floor; the mangled body of Silver Tongue, laying in a pool of blood; the silhouette of the giant cruise, sinking beneath the waves, never to be seen again....
A loud knock on the door snapped her from her musings. She stood up quickly, nearly tripping, as her back leg got snagged on her bed sheets.
"Yes?" She called, staring cautiously at the door.
"It's us. Open up," whispered a familiar voice.
Twilight gave a loud sigh and began fumbling with the door chain. After a couple moments, she stood back and fully opened the door to let in Spike and an aqua-colored filly into the room. She gestured the latter towards the bed, and magically drew up a chair for Spike, as she locked the door behind her.
"So?" She asked, looking up expectantly at the couple.
Spike's eyes dropped to the ground slowly. He fumbled with his thumbs, biting his lips, thinking carefully about how to answer her question. It was the filly however, who answered first.
"Word out on the streets is that High Tide is alive," she spoke softly.
Twilight felt her stomach fall at these words, but bit her tongue and allowed the filly to continue.
"Apparently the coast guard arrived an hour after we left, and rescued him alongside the passengers in the cruise."
"Anything else?" She asked, trying hard to suppress the hopeful tone in her voice.
The filly gave her a look of utmost misery and opened her mouth to speak, but her voice broke off before she had even uttered the first few words of a sentence.
Twilight gave her a sympathetic look and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Sorry Nemo, didn't mean to bring back any bad memories."
"Well, you see..." Twilight turned around at the sound of Spike's voice. "They haven't found his...his corpse yet," stammered Spike, filled with a nauseous sensation at the sound of that word. "But, from what we've heard, captain High Tide seems to have identified us to be the culprits behind Silver Tongue's death."
"Of course he has..." muttered Twilight bitterly, feeling the burning rage welling up inside her stomach.
"He's saying that we sneaked into the cruise as a pair of stowaways and that, after he witnessed us killing the D.A., we blew up the ship to erase all the evidence," he added over Nemo's continued sobs.
Twilight was at a loss for words. Never in her life had she harmed or even thought of harming a living creature. She had never liked violence, nor tasted the bittersweet feeling of revenge. However, as she stood there remembering the captain's booming laugh right after shooting Silver Tongue, she had to fight down the urge of running down the stairs, hunting down the bastard, and throttling the life out of him. Her chest heaved with exhilaration and discomfort at the thought of taking somepony's life. She had to stop, though, when she felt a scaly hand upon her shoulder.
"Uh... you okay Twi?" Asked the dragon, with a look of concern.
She drew in a deep breath, and slumped on the floor, folding her legs inward. "Don't worry Spike, I'm fine," she answered, giving him a slight smile. "I just wish there was something we could do to bring that creep to justice," she added bitterly.
"But we don't have any evidence," pointed out Spike.
A sudden idea lit up Twilight's expression as she wheeled around to look at Nemo still on her bed. She obviously noticed this as she cocked her head to the side, giving her an inquisitive glance.
"What? Is there something on my face?"
Twilight's smile grew wider still. "No, but you were the D.A.'s assistant! You had access to all of Silver Tongue's files, and you could help me prove my innocence by vouching for me in public!" She said, her eyes shinning excitedly.
"Oh...uhm...geez...where should I begin?" Stammered the filly, casting a sideways look at Spike for support.
"Sorry, Twi," interjected Spike. "But High Tide has said that we've put Nemo under some sort of mind-control spell, and that we're using her to do our biding."
Twilight had a hard time swallowing these words. 'So that was the little scheme the captain had cooked up in order to prevent Nemo's intrusion from ruining their plans? To make her out to be a brain-washed pony, doing the biding of an evil terrorist set out to kill the princess?' She couldn't help but feel frustrated at how well it all fit, and how little hopes they had left for exposing the conspiracy now that both the evidence and the D.A. were gone. Even more disheartening was the fact that they had lost all their belongings in the shipwreck: there was no way she could stroll around pretending to be a high society lady without the means to conceal her identity. She was busy brooding over all these things when Nemo's voice interrupted her.
"Twilight, I think we better leave town before nightfall. I was able to get lodging on account of working for the D.A.'s office back in Canterlot, but the minute word reaches the landlord that we're wanted fugitives...we'll be hard-pressed to find a way to escape. The accident with the cruise happened far too late to make this morning's tabloids, and the fact that this is a crowded place makes us all that harder to spot, but by tomorrow morning everypony is going to know who we are and be out there looking for us."
Twilight had to admit she had a point. It had been hard enough getting out of Ponyville, without causing a commotion, once everypony had thought her out to be the culprit. She could only imagine what it would be like, getting out of town tomorrow, once the police and the Imperial Guard were informed of her whereabouts. They had to beat them to it before the streets were filled with a thousand patrolling guards, and their faces were plastered all over the newspapers.
"Let's get out of here before things get ugly," she spoke firmly, throwing Rarity's traveling cloak around herself once more.
******
Rarity was, as her name implied, a unique pony. Though fate had deemed that she be born in little ole' Ponyville, she most certainly knew that Canterlot was the place where she truly belonged. After all, where in Equestria could somepony hope to find someone with her considerable talents? The design...the craftsmanship...the fit...the color! Everything there was to her creations just screamed out of her superior sense of fashion. Unmatched. Unequaled. Unreproducible. Even the most influential and well-known ponies of the Canterlot elite had been entranced, bedazzled by her regal appearance and demeanor. Dozens of stallions would have gladly given anything to have her hoof in marriage. And why wouldn't they?! After all, she was a lady, a damsel, a delicate flower sitting amongst the dunes of crudeness, right in the middle of a desert of all that was rude and uncivil. Why wouldn't anypony come save her from her predicament?!
"Applejack, sto~~~~p!"
The cowgirl gave a loud sigh before turning around to look at her search partner, for what she felt was the thousandth time. "Now what?"
"That street! It's downright filthy!" Cried out Rarity in apprehension at the sight of the stone pavement, covered in grime and banana peels.
"Beg pardon Rarity, but this is a port. All the streets are filthy!" Retorted Applejack, glaring at the picky white filly.
Rarity let out an indignant gasp. "I just had my pedicure done and I absolutely refuse to befoul my beautiful hooves walking on that icky muck!"
Applejack's patience was beginning to run thin. They had been going out in pairs and searching the town for any sign of Twilight since morning, having heard of what had happened on the cruise from the nearby merchants. Rarity, however, wasn't been exactly helpful. She had been complaining nonstop about everything that had to do with Stableside since they had gotten there three days ago. Either the temperature was not right enough for her, or the sea breeze was frizzing up her mane, or the food didn't look clean enough....
"Eww! Why does everypony keep on bumping into me! They're soiling my coat with their sweat! Why do the streets have to be so crowded! And why do all these bedraggled merchant ponies have to walk around with their products at hoof? I already have little personal space as it is!" Whined on Rarity, prancing on the spot.
"Now listen here Rare. Everypony is doing their part looking for Twilight, and I'll be darned if Ah let this opportunity slip us by. So you best stop complainin' and start lookin' for our friend!" Barked Applejack.
Rarity, though, was too busy, watching a certain hunchback pony wearing a familiar gray cloak, walking down the street in company of an aqua filly, to pay attention to Applejack's scolding.
"Applejack, darling. I think...that's my traveling cloak," she said without taking her eyes off the peculiar pair.
Applejack seemed to calm down at these words and walked up next to her to have a look. "Haven't we seen that filly with pink mane before?" She added thoughtfully.
"That's not pink. That's fuchsia, my dear," Rarity correcter her.
"Ok. Ok. Haven't we seen that filly with the few-sha mane before?" She asked again, struggling with the word.
Rarity nodded in response. "Why yes, I believe we have but, oh heavens, I just can't remember where..."
"Was it in one of Pinkie Pie's parties?" Suggested Applejack.
"Maybe it was during the Grand Galloping Gala. She does seem somewhat high class," pointed out Rarity.
"How do you reckon?" Asked Applejack, inspecting the filly from head to hooves.
"Well, her neatly combed mane, and the way she walks, and that tie... I swear I've seen that tie before."
"Oh shucks, them ties remind me of that nosy Dee—" her voice trailed off, her eyes widening in comprehension, her brain unable to make the connection just yet. She turned around to look at Rarity and saw that she had reached the same conclusion.
"Applejack, that's the D.A.'s assistant!" Yelled out Rarity after a moment's silence.
"Ah knew it! But who's that she's with? Merchants' been sayin' that the D.A. kicked the bucket the night before," observed Applejack.
"I think, that's our dearest Twilight..." said Rarity, her voice quivering with excitement.
Applejack shook her head in shock. "Twilight?! But why would she be with her of all ponies?!"
Rarity scratched her chin, pondering the meaning behind this. "Maybe she's been taken captive!" She spoke out in alarm.
Applejack returned her worries with a gasp. "Oh no! We've gotta help her!"
"But what are we gonna do?!"
"You go out and rally the others. Ah'll follow them and make sure they don't get away with Twilight."
******
"Are we out of town yet? I'm boiling in here!" Whined Spike from underneath Twilight's cloak.
"Hush Spike! Humps aren't supposed to talk! We'll get found out," whispered Twilight, sweating underneath her disguise.
"Don't worry, we're nearly out of town," Nemo assured them, out of the corner of her mouth.
Sure enough, they were approaching a white brick wall at the end of a stone-lined road, were a welcome sign had been nailed to the archway over the entrance. The fillies hastened their pace, their eyes dead set on the dirt road that stretched itself beyond the entrance. They could already taste the freedom in the air as they got closer to the threshold, unimpeded.
Their faces sweaty, their hearts racing, they stepped out into the spacious plains in front of them, gently caressed by twilight. They exchanged nervous looks, torn between anxiety and triumph, and high-hooved each other as they broke out into relieved giggles.
All of a sudden, before either of them could speak a single word, they were ambushed. A single cyan bullet wiped the smirks of their faces, as a rainbow maned pegasus dived out of the sky and tackled Nemo Ius out of sight.
"Rainbow Dash?!?!" Yelled out Twilight in shock, pulling off her cloak at last, to release Spike from his hiding place..
"Alright, who are you lady?! Just where are you taking Twilight?! You better answer! I'm not afraid to get rough on ya if I have to..." Rainbow Dash spoke out in a threatening tirade of words, pinning Nemo to the ground.
"Please don't hurt me!" Pleaded a terrified Nemo under Rainbow Dash's ominous glare.
"Please don't make me," she retorted, further terrorizing the poor filly.
"Twilight! Heavens to Betsy, it is you!" Called out yet another familiar voice.
Twilight felt her jaw drop faster than lightning. "Applejack?!"
"Its not just her!" Announced Pinkie Pie bouncing towards her, followed by Fluttershy and, to Spike's delight, Rarity. "We've missed you soooo much!" Cried out the pink pony, pulling her into a tight embrace.
Twilight still had not recovered from the initial shock. "But-but what are all of you doing here?! How did you find me?!" Demanded the plum filly, albeit sounding more worried than she intended.
Rarity gave a tiny cough to call her attention. "Well, the manager at the Waldhoof-Astoria let Fancy Pants know that you were headed here, and since he's a big friend of mine, he's been helping us track you down," she explained. "Now, do tell me, is it true they have a fountain that shoots out wine in the lobby?" She asked, her eyes glowing with excitement.
"Err..."
"Hey! Let's leave the questions for later! We gotta do something about her first!" Called out Rainbow Dash, nodding towards the still cowering filly beneath her.
"Oh nononono! She's actually on our side, and has been helping us elude capture for a while now," explained Twilight, trotting towards them.
"How do you know? She could be a spy for all we know!" She said accusingly, snorting hard on Nemo's face.
"Relax Rainbow, she was there when the captain tried to kill us last night. She's as much of a wanted criminal as we are now," Spike told her, gently putting his claws on her side.
Fluttershy gave out a terrified whimper. "Kill you? Why would anypony try to kill you?"
"Its a long story," said Twilight simply, pulling Nemo from underneath Rainbow Dash.
Over the next couple of hours, Twilight retold her side of the story as best she could. Being careful to explain how she'd managed to slip through the clutches of the Imperial Guard in more than one occasion. She had to admit it her friends made a great audience, and it was kind of refreshing telling them all that she'd seen, despite the horrible memories she was now reliving for them. They, in turn, listened attentively to anything she said and gasped at all the right spots ("that scumbag!" Yelled out Rainbow Dash in disgust, when she told them about Storm Chaser trying to kill her). After she finished explaining how captain High Tide had killed Silver Tongue and framed them for it, (she had to stop for a while to allow Nemo to regain composure) everypony went quiet and shifted uncomfortably in their spot.
"Girls? Is there something wrong?" Twilight asked, giving them a concerned look.
A shiver ran through the crowd as the ponies eyed one another, their faces filled with shame.
"Golly, Ah never thought you'd been through so much," spoke out Applejack, after a moment's silence, not daring to look Twilight in the eyes.
"Yeah," admitted Rainbow Dash. "You've braved all these dangers while we ran around doing nothing. Talk about loyalty..." she lamented.
"But girls—"
"Please Twilight, say no more. We ditched you. We abandoned you when you most needed us... nothing we say can change that fact," said Rarity, tears streaming down her face.
"I feel awful that we suspected you. I don't know if you could ever forgive us for ever doubting you in the first place," spoke Fluttershy in her usual hushed tone.
"Oh Twilight please forgive us! We didn't mean to be such a bunch of big mean, meany-pants!" Piped up Pinkie Pie.
"Girls—"
"Twilight, we did ya wrong. As far as Ah'm concerned we're indebted to you big time. We're mighty sorry for the way we behaved with ya. Why Ah could buck myself in the rear for the way Ah acted. But Ah assure you that Ah'll do mah best to make it up to you, and so will everypony here," swore Applejack to general assent.
"Thank you Applejack, but I've already forgiven all of you," said Twilight, feeling the burning sting of tears behind her eyes. "You're the best friends a pony could ask for, and I can't...express my joy to have you all here with me right now," she added, her voice breaking off as she fought an overwhelming desire to cry out of happiness.
"You're too kind sugarcube," sobbed Applejack, putting her arms around Twilight and hugging her tightly.
Twilight found that she could no longer keep the pretense. Finally in the presence of the ponies she loved, the friends she had been longing to see, she could not fight the long-kept moan of misery that had haunted her since the fateful day in which she had turned from being one of the Princess' most beloved subjects, to the most loathed pony in Equestria. She felt her knees give way as she let out a wail of sorrow, burying her face into Applejack's chest. Her friends rushed to her side and embraced her tightly, stroking her back as they too let out cries of their own.
"It's okay Twilight, we're with you now..."
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Iron Hooved would like to take a minute to remind all of you that while fanfiction may be fun, food poisoning is not. Do take the time to wash vegetables before consuming them, and thoroughly cook your meat. Escherichia Coli is no laughing matter
give me a sec, i need to grab my double barreled shotgun and SHOOT THAT MOTHER BUCKER IN THE BUCKING FACE WITH BOTH BARRELS.
He want's gunpowder, I'll give him gunpowder
But in all honesty, this fic is great!
great update and ending of the chapter
but if you would excuise me i have a shotgun here with somepoines name on it
I can't help but find the emotional part... lazy.
All the stuff they say is very standard, nothing surprising came out of it.
It left me very disappointed. Leave it to Twilight, the mare without feelings,
capable of not being upset with those who abandoned her while she had the
blame for attempted murder of the Ruler of the land on her head!
She nearly dies? Pffft, who cares, its not like the only pony who seemed
to care was Fluttershy, and even then she did fuck all about it.
And thinking she was kidnapped and was being led around? What?
They aren't stupid, right? Twilight Sparkle is the apprentice of
Celestia herself, her natural talent is magic! Whos to say she
couldn't i dunno... TELEPORT away like she done a few times already?
My rant in a nutshell : Me = Disappointed.
Cheers
~iraqlobstah
302007 Admittedly, I'm not good with emotional moments, sorry I couldn't deliver there, but "mare without feelings, incapable of being upset"? Did you skim through the paragraphs? She breaks down crying at the end after holding it in for so long. It is clearly stated she was trying to put up a pretense, a false smile, a tough front. She can't bear the weight of it at the end and cracks. Though in a way you're right and so I will go back and reedit this paragraph, among many others (mainly in the beginning) to correct my mistakes once I finish the story.
As for Twilight being led on, it's a matter of perspective. How many times have they all worked under vague if not deeply misguided assumptions before? Remember Zecora? The running of the leaves? Party of One? Lesson Zero? Honestly, these ponies, if anything, excel at panicking and coming up with the most illogical reactions on the spot. Not to mention that:
1- Their voice of reason, Twilight, wasn't there to put a lid on it as she usually does
2- The suggestion came from one of the most impressionable and overly dramatic ponies
3- Rainbow Dash has always been the "attack first, ask questions later" type
4- The context is, and has been, alarming as they have realized for some time now that their friend is in danger.
I sincerely cannot picture them reacting any other way towards Nemo other than with deep mistrust, especially after they were locked up back in Canterlot.
302343
Anyone can make a mare cry, but i meant for that specific scene,
not the story as a whole.
... I guess the mane 6.. or 5 are just a bunch of idiots who are still alive
because of Twilight, eh?
Cheers
~iraqlobstah
302382 Did I ever say that? They're not idiots but they do tend to act on wild assumptions from time to time as I have stated. And think of the context, I cannot stress that enough.
302404
It was a joke... jeez...
Cheers
~iraqlobstah
302423 Ah, sorry, I thought you were being sarcastic
301638 lol as bad as that is i find it funny how you would post a coment about it
great chapter as always and can't wait for the next.
Shotgun? Too old fashioned. Phoenix feather up the ass anypony?