“Spike? Can you come here for a moment, please?” the lavender alicorn called out while using a scrying sphere in her office, remotely observing a unicorn mare pacing back and forth and muttering to herself with tear-filled eyes in the spare bedroom downstairs that had been set aside for her use.


Twilight wouldn’t say it openly, but she was quite worried about her guest. Deep Field had been staying with her for a few days by this point, gradually beginning to behave in a more erratic and inconsolable manner.


The tell-tale sound of claws against a crystalline floor announced the arrival of a certain diminutive dragon. “What’s the matter, Twilight? Something going on?” Spike asked with curiosity in his voice.


Twilight sighed, worry evident in her voice as she turned to look at the little drake. “What do you make of this, Spike?” she asked as she pointed to the scrying sphere with a hoof. “Could you…uh, take a look and tell me what you see.”


The young dragon shrugged his shoulders before looking to the sphere floating in front of the young princess, his complexion noticeably paling in surprise as he observed the very same thing Twilight Sparkle had just witnessed.


“It’s Ms. Field… but what’s going on? Why’s she so upset? How long has this been happening?” Spike asked, a definite note of urgency slipping into his words as he spoke.


Twilight sighed again, “That’s just the thing, Spike, I don’t know. I only even used this saying sphere because nopony had even seen Deep Field today. Ugh… At this point, I am guessing that this has all got to do with her cutie mark problem- like a side effect that has not manifested up until this point.”


Twilight took a moment to take a deep breath before continuing, “My problem is this, Spike- the Crusaders are out of town right now, so they won’t be able to help, and besides, they’re all too young to be dealing with a mare who is this upset. Cutie mark magic is unfortunately not my forté, Spike, and my mind’s drawing a blank on how to help Ms. Field out… so do you know who I can ask to help out with this?”


Spike raised a claw to his chin in thought for a few moments before snapping his claws as the answer came to him. “I’ve got it! I’d get Starlight Glimmer down here, she has plenty of experience with cutie mark magic, and if she’s available, Zecora would be invaluable because of her ability with potions and herbal remedies- especially for calming ponies. Fluttershy told me just the other day that Zecora has just developed a new calming tea.”


Spike started pacing as he continued to speak, “If you want to go ahead with this, Starlight’s in the park flying kites, and Zecora is in town talking to Pinkie Pie for some reason. I can go get them if you’d like?”


Twilight smiled, before giving Spike some affectionate headpats, “See Spike, this is why you’re my Number One assistant!” Twilight paused as if in thought for scant moment before continuing, “I’m giving you the go-ahead for this one, but before you leave I’ll need you to take an important letter for me.”


Spike turned to Twilight with a grin, an inked quill and fresh sheet of parchment already in his claws, “Way ahead of you, Twilight- I’m ready when you are.”


Twilight smiled and inclined her head as a mark of respect to the drake she saw as more of a brother than anything else, before beginning to dictate the letter.


“Dear Princess Luna,"


“I apologise for awakening you early, but a rather distressing issue has arisen in Ponyville regarding an employee of yours from Oataca, named Deep Field- I believe that you know her well.”


“As you have no doubt been appraised by Princess Celestia about the reason for Ms. Field’s visit to Ponyville a few days ago, I will waste none of your time.”


“Princess Luna, firstly, I would like to know if Ms. Field has been having nightmares or anything of the sort. Naturally, I do not wish to know details of any nightmares or anything like that- that is under your purview and is none of my concern.”


“However, what is my concern is that Deep Field seems to be teetering on the very brink of insanity, and I wish to help her find herself once more.”


“Secondly, I would like to know if you have any further information regarding cutie mark magic in your personal archives, and if said documents could be loaned to me while I work out how to fix the problem?”


“Again, many apologies for disturbing you,”


“Yours Hopefully,”


“Twilight Sparkle.”


Once Spike had completed writing, and sealed the scroll, he nodded to Twilight, who simply nodded and said, “Send it.”


An involuntary grin split Spike’s face as he lifted the scroll above his mouth and doused it in green flame, the document immediately combusting, and becoming nothing more than ash before floating out of the window encased in a magical glow.


No sooner had Spike turned to leave and gather Starlight and Zecora, he was immediately wracked with a loud belch- a scroll sealed with the dark blue waxen Sigil of Night, Luna’s personal icon.


Upon opening the scroll and handing it to Twilight, she took note of the small number of words upon the strangely cold paper. In an elegant yet simultaneously spidery cursive, were written four whole words:


“Prepare Thyselves, I approach.”


Twilight Sparkle and Spike barely had time to look at each other quizzically before an inky, roiling vortex opened in the middle of the room, the displaced air throwing loose papers asunder.


A few seconds later, Princess Luna strode regally through the portal, effortlessly using her telekinesis to haul a huge bookcase on what appeared to be a luggage cart behind her.


Twilight was having trouble concentrating upon the dark alicorn, the portal itself seemed to be whispering directly into her mind- whispering in an alien language she felt that she didn’t recognise, but was sure she instinctually understood on some level.


Twilight winced as she looked into the portal itself, a primordial fear setting in as unknowable shapes appeared to be moving just beyond her peripheral vision, and disappearing just as soon as she moved her head or eyes to get a better look. Hoarfrost began to form and spread on the floor where the portal touched it.


Spike was just as unsettled by this portal, and he immediately clung to Twilight’s leg, claiming that the portal hurt his eyes when he looked at it.


Sensing that her portal was affecting her impromptu audience, Princess Luna shut the spell down, collapsing the portal into oily smoke which dispersed slowly, but left a pervasive smell of ozone in it’s wake.


“Well met, Twilight Sparkle,” the dark blue alicorn intoned, “We have much to discuss.”


To be continued…


————-xxxXxxx————-


Hey everyone,


This is the next part of story as related to the mare in the picture, Deep Field. The depiction of Ms. Field here is representative of what Twilight Sparkle was viewing at the beginning of the story.


I am acutely aware that seeing ponies upset can be an unpleasant experience for many of you, but please bear with me as I am using an AU that is a little darker than Canon MLP.


For any new watcher of my content, please understand that I am a sappy old sucker for a happy ending, and this mare will likewise get hers eventually.


That is a goddamned promise.


Oh, and I must mention that this chapter was initially meant to just be the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Deep Field talking- and I felt that it took the story in the wrong direction, so I rewrote the Chapter in order to better suit the narrative I’m playing with here.


So I guess, uh… Enjoy!