Chapter 9

Twilight stood in the library, smiling to herself as she reshelved the library.

This. This was how it should be. Just her, her son, and her books.

Nothing and nopony else.

She finished her last shelf and stepped down from her ladder, smiling at her work.

Volo the eagle shifted nervously, her eyes scanning the room as she searched for Alan. She didn’t understand why he wasn’t here.

Twilight and Alan were never apart long…

It was the fourth day of Alan’s incarceration, by Twilight’s count, and things were already looking up.

Since it was obvious that Harmony meant no harm, she had elected to go back home to Ponyville. Almost no one else came with her, worried about Alan, she figured. No, the only ones to follow her back seemed to be Applejack and Silver, but that was perfectly logical. Applejack’s down-to-earth common sense would dictate that Alan was either too dangerous, or not worth worrying about.

Orion cried out, and Twilight immediately dropped everything. She rushed over to the crib that held her young son, and held him close. “Sh, Sh, Orion. It’s alright. I’m here.”

Orion continued to cry.

“Aw, what’s the matter? Are you hungry? Do you want your bottle?”

But Orion didn’t want his bottle.

He wanted his daddy.

It was morning of the fifth day, not that Twilight was counting. Honestly, she didn’t care about Alan anymore. It didn’t matter.

She simply went about her business, getting her coffee, reading her books, eating lunch, all when she wanted, how she wanted. Never once did she need to ask what another pony thought, what they wanted. It was just her, and Orion.

This was the life.

A knock sounded on her door.

Ears perking, she looked up from her book, and stared across the main room from where she was sitting..

The knock sounded again.

Getting up, she crossed the room, and opened the door. “Oh! Applejack! What are you doing here?”

The Farmer stood at the front door, staring into the library with a frown on her face. “Ah...uh...just thought I’d check up on you, is all,” she said.

“Oh, well, I’m doing fine, thank you,” she said. “Was there anything else?”

Applejack fidgeted. “Well...no...it’s just...are you sure you’re alright, Surgarcube?”

“I’m fine, Applejack,” she repeated with a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, Ah mean...Ah just can’t imagine you’re alright with Al just being tossed in the Big House like that.”

Twilight frowned.

She hadn’t really told the girls yet. It wasn’t something she was going to enjoy telling them, either. Alan was their friend as much as he used to be her’s. Telling them that they were no longer married was sure to cause waves.

That and probably another dozen doorway conversations.

The bigger problem was they were going to notice—

“Twi...where’s yer earring?”

That.

“Look, Applejack. When I went to visit Alan he...he still wasn’t quite himself,” she said. “He was acting erratic, dangerous even, and despite the inhibitor ring, managed to get some of his Dark Magic through the gate. It damaged my earring, so I had to take it to a jewler’s.”

Applejack blinked. “Really?”

Twilight nodded. “He calmed down again, and said to give him a few days. He’ll be fine, he just needs to sort some things out.”

Applejack took a long, hard look at her friend.

“Alright, Sugarcube, but y’all let me know how he’s doing.”

“Of course!” she said, before beginning to close the door. “Now, I hate to do this to you, AJ, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. See you later?”

“Eyup. Ya sure will,” she said.

Once the door had shut, the farmer scowled and began to walk away.

“So how’s she doing?” Silver Pauldrons asked.

Applejack shook her head. “Either she’s fine or she’s hiding something, and Ah don’t think she’s fine.”

Silver walked up beside her. “So what are you going to do?”

“Ah don’t know,” she said, “but as sure as Ah’m the Bearer of Honesty, Ah’m gonna find out.”

Celestia walked down the hallways of Canterlot Castle alone.

She walked with purpose and power. Yet despite her confidant gait, something was bothering her.

First and foremost, was Alan. She knew Alan fairly well, had a decent grasp on his personality, and something just wasn’t adding up.

Alan wouldn’t have lied about Harmony to get to him.

Now, yes, the massive flow of Dark Magic could mean he was being corrupted. It was certainly no stretch to see that, but…

But, if, hypothetically, he was telling the truth, and Dark Magic had not corrupted him, then…

Then that means Harmony was at fault.

The problem with that was Harmony wouldn’t do such a thing either, which meant it had to be Discord.

To make matters worse, she received a letter from Applejack, telling her about Twilight’s seemingly uncaring attitude towards her husband.

Now, both of these were certainly something that Discord would do, but...but Luna was just so sure.

Adamantly sure.

So it came down to Luna.

There was another thing that was bothering her, but the sword could wait.

Right now, she needed to talk with her younger sister.

She strode into the Lunar wing of the castle as the sun began to set.

She crossed the hall with nine powerful steps, and found herself standing at her sister’s door, flanked by two of the Night Guard.

“Is my sister awake yet?” Celestia asked.

“She is, your majesty,” the one to her left confirmed.

“Thank you,” she said, before knocking on the door. “Lu, Luna can I speak with you for a moment?”

A muffled voice answered from behind the door. “Come in.”

Opening the door, and stepping inside, she was quick to spot Luna at her vanity, brushing her ethereal mane.

The younger princess’ eyes caught her in the mirror. “What did you wish to talk about, sister?”

Celestia took a moment as she walked in to enjoy the room. It was nice to see it lived in again, nice to have her sister back, which was only going to make the following conversation that much more difficult. “Luna...I...I need to talk to you about Harmony…”

Luna stopped brushing her mane, and calmly set down the brush with a sigh escaping her nostrils. “This again…?” she asked, sounding annoyed.

“I am just worried, Luna. It seems neither Alan nor Twilight are of their right minds, and, knowing Discord’s power—”

“But this is Harmony,” Luna interrupted, “not Discord.”

“As far as we know,” Celestia finished.

“No, I know that this is Harmony,” Luna said, “I’m certain.”

“You may be certain, Lu, but I’m not. I have no idea, and I wonder at how you do. I...I just want to know how you are so certain.”

“I know Harmony,” Luna answered simply. “That is Harmony.”

“But how do you know?!” Celestia asked. “I just want to know how, Luna!”

The Princess of the night stood, turning to face her sister. “Harmony was made for me, and I was made for him, I know him like nopony else. Is that not enough for you, sister?”

“And you don’t have doubts? Not a single one?”

“Not a one,” she repeated.

Celestia stood, waiting.

Luna sighed. “Alright, alright...I...I looked into his mind.”

Celestia blinked. “You did what?”

“I...my ability to walk in ponies dreams is not limited to when they sleep. I...I can walk in the minds of those who look me in the eyes,” she admitted.

“You can do that?” Celestia asked.

Luna nodded. “I do not admit to having this power, nor do I use it. It is not my place to know the thoughts and secrets of our subjects. The truth is, since I returned, I have used this power only once, and that was when Harmony lay chained in our throne room. I saw into his mind, Tia. I saw how he struggled for the past month, fighting off a second presence in his mind for control of his own body.”

There was silence between the two sisters, Luna’s eyes piercing into Celestia’s own gaze.

“I looked into his mind, and I saw Harmony,” Luna said. “I saw Harmony, and that’s all I saw. That’s why I have no doubts.”

Celestia nodded.

“Now let us not talk about this again,” she said, before turning back to her vanity.

Celestia nodded, and began to walk away.

“So,” Celestia thought, “That’s that, then…”

She closed the door behind her and began walking away, back towards her own room.

“Well, that’s one less thing to worry about…” she thought. “Right?”

It was the seventh day.

Maybe noon, if Alan had to guess.

It was hard to tell.

He sat on his cot, throwing the little rubber ball against the wall, singing to himself. His voice sounded tired and weary, yet he sung anyway, it was fitting.

“Falling in the black,

Slipping through the cracks,

Falling to the depths, can I ever go back?

Dreaming of the way it used to be.

Can you hear me?

Falling in the black,

Slipping through the cracks,

Falling to the depths, can I ever go back?

Falling inside the black.

Falling inside, falling inside the black.”

The ball bounced up, and Alan batted it away with a hoof, slowly humming as he came to the verse to the song.

The ball bounced wildly, landing out in the hallway, out of hoof’s reach.

His eyes followed the ball, and he sighed.

It was going to be a few hours before a Guard came by to check on him, so no ball-throwing until then.

He sighed again and rolled onto his cot, where Twilight’s earring sat.

He took it, holding it gingerly with his hoof, and mumbled to it. “I’m sorry, Twilight. Please come back.”

He sighed, when he thought he heard his ball bounce. He brought his head up, and looked around his cell, in confusion.

He blinked, as he watched his ball roll across his cell floor.

Confused, he stood, and picked up the ball.

As he brought it to his face, however, his eyes went wide as a glowing message stared at him.

“Stay quiet, Chaos is sleeping.”

Alan blinked, before setting the ball down. “H-Hello?” he whispered out to the darkness beyond his cell.

“Stay quiet, Pendragon, I implore you. If Chaos wakes, then we are both in trouble.”

Alan raised an eyebrow. “W-Who are you?”

A figure stepped into view. A tall, serpentine figure with four, mismatched legs. “I am Harmony.”

Alan growled, his ears folding back against his head. “I’ve heard that one before.”

“Please, Pendragon, I’m being honest, please!” Harmony whispered, urgently.

“Why should I trust you, again?” Alan asked.

“Because we both want the same thing,” he said, before passing a key through the bars. “We both want to see the ones we love back to their normal selves.”

Alan’s stance relaxed a touch as he took the key. “What’s this to?”

“Your inhibitor ring, I couldn’t get the key to your cell, but you should be able to recreate a key with your magic,” Harmony whispered.

Alan looked up at the draconequus. “What do you mean, we both want the same thing?” he asked. “Who is so important to you?”

Harmony looked up at him with sad eyes. “Luna...Chaos tricked me into thinking I was free, and used me to lure her to trust me. He’s been manipulating her ever since.” He sighed. “He’s locked us both in cages, Pendragon, and he’s tearing our loved ones away from us.”

“Then how did you get out, huh?” Alan asked angrily. “Why are you telling me this instead of Luna, or Celestia, hm?”

“Please, stay quiet, please! I can only take control when he’s asleep! He knows that! He’s set up magical safeguards to wake him whenever we get near to either Princess. Please, Alan, you’re my best and only hope…”

Alan glared into Harmony’s eyes.

He couldn’t trust him.

Not an inch, not a mile.

But…

No. He couldn’t trust him.

Couldn’t trust him.

Not...one…

He sighed.

“What do you need me to do?” Alan asked.

“Escape and find your sword. I don’t know how or when, and it’s best I don’t know. Once you leave, Chaos will try to take the information from me. Just find your sword. That is the key to everything.”

“What do I do with it?” Alan asked.

Harmony hesitated a second. “You...you’ll have to kill me.”

Alan blinked. “What?”

Harmony shook his head. “From what I know it’s the only way. This world is better off without the two of us, anyway…” he trailed off, before looking Alan in the eye. “Best of luck, Pendragon. Faust will be with you.”

Harmony backed up into the shadows, leaving Alan alone.

He stood there in his cell for a moment, and looked down at the key in his hoof.

“I shouldn’t trust him,” he thought to himself.

The key stared up at him.

“I shouldn’t…”

He brought up his other hoof to search for the tell-tale keyhole, and found it quickly.

The key fit in perfectly, and with a click, he felt the ring loosen and his magic flow freely.

The draconequus certainly made a good case, though.

He shook his head. “I don’t know if I can trust him,” he muttered to himself, “but I will not sit idly by and let my home and family down.”

He would not sit by and do nothing.

Celestia walked down the stairs to the dungeons, her guard walking next to her.

“How has he been?” she asked, wondering how Alan has been these past ten days. She was coming down to visit, try and get a grip on Alan’s mental state. If he was doing well she might even be able to convince Luna to let him up.

She kept insisting that it was too soon.

“Oh, he’s been a model prisoner, Princess. He’s been polite to his guards, never talked back, ate everything we gave him, it almost be a shame to see him go.”

Celestia nodded, appreciatively.

There was a beat of silence.

“He will be leaving, won’t he?” the guard asked.

Celestia nodded. “Of course, of course,” she said, reassuring him as they came around the bend. “He just lost his cool for a moment. All he needed was to take a few days to cool down.”

The guard nodded, before they came up to a lonely wooden door.

It was quickly opened, and the guard saluted, letting the Princess walk unhindered to the hall.

She took a step inside and paused. “You can close the door, Daring Arrow. I’ll only be a moment.”

Sergeant Daring Arrow nodded, before closing the door behind the solar Princess.

Celestia smiled, before she turned to face the darkness before her.

Now...was it the fourth cell down, or the fifth?

“Alan…” she called, “Alan, where are you?”

She received no answer.

“Alan?” she spoke again as she made her way down the aisle.

No answer.

“Alan? Alan, are you alright?” she asked, walking past empty cell after empty cell.

Only darkness answered.

“Ala—” the name died on her lips as her eyes came across Alan’s cell. A rubber ball sat in the corner, and the cot was made and fixed with sheets and pillows, a book had been brought in, and an empty bowl sat in the corner.

But all of that meant nothing compared to the door that hung ajar, and the distinct lack of the Pendragon.

She blinked, staring into the cell.

He’s escaped.

She blinked again.

He’s escaped.

Her body began to move, heading back to the heavy oak door.

“He’s escaped!”

The door slammed open, and Celestia yelled at the guards. “He’s escaped! Start up a search! He can’t have gone far!”

The guards took beat to get started, but as soon as they began to move, Celestia found herself in the middle of a sea of motion.

She looked back into the dark hallway.

“What’s happened, Alan? What’s happened to you?”

A knock sounded on the library door, and Twilight was slow to answer it.

Applejack just wasn’t leaving her alone, asking questions all the time like it was her business to know she had been spending her week.

Still, basic manners dictated opening the door, so eventually, she wandered over. “Yes?” she asked, annoyed, when her eye widened at the sight of the four guards beyond the door.

“Ma’am! General Sparkle, Ma’am!” The lead guard said. “We have received news that your husband has recently escaped incarceration, and we have been ordered to search the premises.”

Twilight stepped aside. “He escaped? How?”

“We are unsure,” the lead guard continued as the other three flooded into the library, “but we’re trying to find him as fast as possible.”

Twilight nodded. “Of course.”

“We’ll be gone as soon as we’re sure he’s not here—”

“And then I’ll follow you to Canterlot,” Twilight said.

The guard blinked. “Uh...ma’am?”

“I’m going to help you catch him,” she said simply.

“You...are?” he asked.

She nodded, before she began to head upstairs. “I understand that you can’t accept my help directly, but I can play an advisory role, can’t I?”

“W-well,” the guard stammered, “yes...It’s just that I haven’t really had experience in having a wife give up her husband…”

“Alan is not quite in his right mind,” Twilight said as she formed her lie. “He’s suffering from some hallucinogenic side-effects of using some less-than-ethical magic. If he’s loose, he’s a danger to everypony. Once it wears off, he’d thank me for getting him somewhere safe.”

“So it’s temporary?” the guard asked.

Twilight paused at the door to her room. “Yes, yes it is.”

Harmony was slammed against the wall of his mind.

“Where is he?!” Chaos asked, picking up Harmony again. “How did he get out?!”

Harmony smirked. “I don’t know where he is…”

“Liar!” Chaos roared, before slamming Harmony into the floor of their shared mindscape. “Where is he?!”

Harmony choked out a laugh. “You can check my memory yourself, Chaos, I don’t know.”

Chaos roared as he quickly pulled up Harmony’s last memory.

“What do you need me to do?” Alan asked.

“Escape and find your sword. I don’t know how or when, and it’s best I don’t know. Once you leave, Chaos will try to take the information from me. Just find your sword. That is the key to everything.”

Chaos roared in fury, before he tossed Harmony back against the wall. “He will not save you, Harmony! He can never save you!”

Harmony smiled. “He doesn’t need to save me, he just needs to stop you.”

“What do I do with it?” Alan asked.

Harmony hesitated a second. “You...you’ll have to kill me.”

Chaos growled. “I will be sure he won’t!”

Harmony laughed as he picked himself up off the floor. “Truly, a master of the verbal argument. Evidenced further by your choice of name.”

“Shut up!” Chaos yelled, before disappearing into the void to take control of the body they shared.

Harmony chuckled. “He’ll stop us, he’ll stop us both. I know it.”

“Alright, everypony! Time to take a break! Miner’s got to write the next chap and—”

Done!

“Wait, what?”

Chaps done, get to work, guys.

“Bu...but it’s only been a week!”

I am in the flow, Pinkie!

“But I—”

In. The. Flow.

“Uh...okay…”

Just go, guys! Go! The audience has already read it by now! Go!

“Um...uh...ok! Comments, faves, all the basic stuff! We’ll see you next time!”

Bye!