Chapter VI: As Long As You Hold Me Tight

Discord (Present)

"Maybe I should give Celestia something engraved. What do you give a pony who controls the sun," I said we we stopped at the engraving shop. "Ooh a statue," I pick up a metal sculpture of the princess. Rainbow Dash glares and me and says I am wasting their time. She says every moment we waste here shopping is a moment we could be finding Twilight. "I'll have you know that everything we have bought will bring Twilight back."

"How is a subscription to Cheese of Month going to bring her back?" she asks as I take another bite of the pepper jack. "How can you eat that?" she asks making a face. I tell her I always enjoyed spicy food and she would too if she gave it a try. "I would rather date Zephyr than eat that." I tell her that can be arranged. 'NO!" she grabs my lion paw. "Just help us find Twilight."

"You said you knew what happened to her," Fluttershy says as I nod. I point them to them down the street to the tea house. "Are you sure you saw her there," I nod telling her that I ran into her there. "Thank you Discord. See you just have to ask him nice."

We walk into tea house, "she was down in the sample section and oh my is that her?" I say creating a duplicate of the princess. They race down the aisle. "Now to find the perfect gift," I looked over the teas until I found a rare blend. "She will love it."

Shining Armor (Age 13)

"Here it is," I said flipping through a catalog, "Castle Greymalkin," I place a star beside the listing. "I can see it now," I picture the castle sitting in my display with all my He-Stallion figures all around it. "The ultimate power in the universe," I look at my 3 page list "I better apologize to Twily." One can't be too careful when it comes to Hearth's Warming.

I can hear her and Cadence talking about something in her room. "Are you sure it's a time spell? I mean it could simply a dream potion?" the princess asks as I knock on the doorway. "Well if it isn't my brave hero," she motions me to enter. "What can we do for you good knight?"

"I wanted to apologize...to Twily...I should never made fun of you earlier," Twily looks at me and smiles saying she knows I was teasing her. "Thanks sis," I give her hug. I ask her what she and Cadence are doing. She tells me that she's trying find a spell that caused her to time travel. I look at her worriedly, "I think you need to rest Twi you're all worked up."

"I just want to get back to the present or...future as it were." I tell her that I will make my world famous hot coco for her. "Wait a second! Coco I remember having some when shopping?" I ask her if she thinks something was in the coco. "I don't know, maybe this is all in my head."

"Twilight, you are the smartest pony I know. If you think something happened then it did," Cadence said. "Although I think a break would do you good," we head downstairs to the kitchen for coco and cookies.

Silverstream (Present)

"I think I read of this place in Pre-Equestrian History," Ocellus said as we came to clearing. "Something about illusions I think." I look at her worriedly, Ocellus never forgets a fact. "The important thing is this place can mess with you. So be careful."

"Yona not afraid of creepy woods!" Yona says stomping her foot on the ground. "Yaks not...," she stops as she looks around. "Did you hear that?" she asks nervously. Ocellus reminds us that it's the place tricking us.

"It would be easier if we had a map," Sandbar says trying to figure out what way to go. Gallus says we don't need one. This place is south of library and we should be heading forward to make it outside. "Are you sure about that?"

I was about to say something when I heard some called my name. "Did you hear that?" Sandbar and Gallus were still trying to decide what to do. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to check to walk a little ways." I call out again asking who's there? The voice says my name again. "Terramar? Is that you?" I follow the sound of the voice. "How did you get down here?" I ask my brother but I hear nothing. "Terramar does...," I try to move but my legs are stuck to the ground.

I hear a rumbling as a wave of mud comes hurtling my way. I try to fly but something is affecting my wings. "This is not good," I said trying to escape as Ocellus swoops and saves me. She asked why I ran off. "I heard Terramar calling me. He sounded in...," I hear the sound of hooves approaching.

"It's a couple of Celestia's guards," she says as the two unicorns guard arrive.

Twilight Sparkle (Past)

"Maybe I have been a little tense," I tell Armor as I take a bite of my gingerbread pony. He says that this is just what I need to unwind. "So did you finish your list?" I ask as Shining shows me he list. "wow three pages I can't...hey!" I say noticing he had spooky spiders bug maker on it. "How is it that you can ask for that but I can't get a Ms. Science Hooves chemistry set."

"It's simple Twily. I'm older and there isn't much damage you can do with that ooze." I tell him I heard a colt in my class got it all over him and to have his coat sheared off. "That's just a story they tell to scare foals from asking for it." Cadence laughs as he glares at her.

"I don't know I've seen that pony around the castle. The other students call him chrome dome," Armor pales at hearing that. "Besides you wouldn't be as lovable bald," she nuzzles up to him as he blushes. I giggle at the two flirting.

"It's nice to see you two get along," mom says coming in the room. "Armor we have to talk about your list." She takes the list from him. "Santa Hooves told me that he either can give you Castle Greymalkin or the bug maker." Armor looks at his list trying decide which is more important.

"Did you ask him about the chemistry set. I can do so much with it." She tells me that he is till looking into it. "Okay," she tells me no matter what Santa Hooves will make sure you have lots of fun things. I smile at that before taking a drink of coco.

"Also Mi Amore Cadenza he told me that you better lay off the cuddling. He knows that you've been making googly eyes at my son." Cadence frowns saying Armor is too cute and and can't help but to love on him. Armor blushes and hides under the table.

Dr. Hooves (Present)

"No matter what I try the blueberries sink to the bottom," I explain as Rarity tastes the batter She says that is the least of my problems. She asks if I added yogurt in the batter. "Heavens no! Why ever would I do that?" She tells it's to add acidity to batter. "Hmm, hadn't considered that." I take a notebook and write down to add yogurt. She asks if I have the right equipment. "Of course this is the most advanced lab in Equestria."

"I mean baking equipment. Do you have muffin pans?" There is a special pan for them? "Tell you what doc, I'll show you everything you need to make perfect muffins if you help me find Twilight." I tell her I accept her offer. "Then let's get baking."

"Yes what do I need first," She tells me I need to set the oven to 380oF. "Hmm that would be 193.3oC," I turn on the Bunsen Burner and try to get the temperature right. She tells that will never do. It needs even heat. She looks around and asks I've have kiln. "Of course," she walks over to it and says it will do.

"Now doctor what could have happened to Twilight?" she asks me. I tell her to tell me everything she knows. "She went out to get last minute supplies for the school party. Starlight suggested she get some coco to relax. When she went to check on her she was gone." Hmm let's see there could be something in the coco. I ask her if any other pony had the coco. "That's the strange thing. Nopony remembers there being a coco stand there." It could a dissociative break caused by something in the coco. I've heard stories of ponies mistaking the leaves of Florsargentea luna for Mentha spicata.

Rarity looks at me strangely, "Sorry the leaves of the Moon Flower can be mistaken for Spearmint. The leaves have a slight hallucinogenic effect. She could have took a sip and had an episode." She asks me what would be the symptoms. "Light headed feeling, euphoria, slight sedation. If anything she might be sleeping somewhere."

Cadence (Age 16)

"Next semester the instructor is going to teach us survival techniques," Shiny tells me excitedly I ask him why he needs it. He's going to be royal guard not a commando. "Well survival is important to any solider and the pony who taught him is a legend in adventure circles."

"Just don't come home covered in mud," I tell him kissing his cheek. Twily laughs as I tell her when she gets a boyfriend of her own she'll understand. She says her special somepony has to be very smart and know magic. "Starswirl's been missing for millennia and besides he's a little old for you." Twilight blushes as Armor laughs at her.

"Did you mean that about me being your...boyfriend?" Shining ask nervously. I tell him I wouldn't want any other pony to cuddle with. He blushes as I nuzzle him. I hear the music playing in the living room. I ask him if that is Light Carol. "Yes it is," I tell him I love that song and and start to sing along to it.

"I didn't you know you sang?" Twilight asks amazed. I tell I take singing lessons. If I wasn't a princess I would love to be a singer. "Can you teach me to sing," she asks as I tell her I will. "I"ll get my books on music theory," she races up the steps.

I motion for Armor to follow me into the living room. "Mom and dad will see us...," I tell him I don't care. He sits next to the record player and I next to him. I...I love you Cadence," he says as I smile and nuzzle him gently.