//------------------------------// // Chapter 47 - The Frozen Sun // Story: Denuo Fortuna // by Firecaller //------------------------------// Chapter 47 - The Frozen Sun Sunbeam lay sprawled out on the floor after the explosion, her hooves jammed into her ears as she tried to stop them ringing. “Uhhh…” Forcing her eyes open, her vision swimming a little, she found herself eye-level with the floor. It took a few seconds more, and some long blinks, before she noticed that the floor was strewn with burnt fragments of door, a couple of which that were still burning. The scent of charcoal filled the air. Groaning again, Sunbeam half-closed her eyes as she rested her chin on the floor. “Oww-www. That hurt! That really bucking-” Her next word caught in her throat as a set of golden shoes stepped into view. Not breathing, not blinking, Sunbeam watched the shoes approach her. Even over the ringing, she could hear the crunch of charcoal being crushed under them when they trod on some. They stopped inches away from her muzzle and Sunbeam stared at them. While the shoes were now coated in charcoal dust, the hooves inside them remained a pristine white. She noted that there was a tiny, ‘v’ shaped dent in the front of the left shoe. Sunbeam closed her eyes. Her mouth felt so very dry. ‘Tell her about Ponyville. Tell-’ She felt something move close to her face and she tried to ignore it. ‘F-for buck’s sake, just open your mouth and tell her. Tell her! Tell-’ There was an exhale of hot breath directly onto Sunbeam’s right cheek, so close that she felt individual hairs of her fur move. Sunbeam tilted her head, a confused look on her face. She was about to say something, something important, but she couldn’t remember just what it was. Her confusion grew; her mouth tasted like she’d been licking copper and, for some reason, her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. She also noted that she could smell a high-quality shampoo now; it’s pleasant jasmine scent mixing with that of charcoal. ‘Am I at a barbecue? Why am I at a barbecue? I had something important to do, I’m sure I had something important... Uh, actually that shampoo it smells quite nice, I wonder where I can get some?’ Her brow furrowed. ‘Why won’t my eyes open? Why can’t I open-’ There was another exhale onto her cheek. Sunbeam lay still for a moment. ‘Ah yes, I remember. I’m not at barbecue, I’m-’ A jolt ran through her. Slowly, she put her forehooves on the back of her head and pushed her face hard into the floor. ‘Let it be quick. -Please-, j-just let it b-be- There was a voice in the distance. An image of a purple alicorn formed in Sunbeam’s mind. While she couldn’t make out what had been said, but it sounded like a question had just been asked. The presence by her face moved away. A chance... Pure instinct took over. Her eyes still closed, Sunbeam lifted her head off the floor. “Ponyville in danger! Ponyville is in danger!” Letting her head fall back down, she wrapped her hooves over her eyes and lay there panting as she waited. In the following silence, as nothing happened, a grin formed. ‘I... I did it. I told them. I don’t care now. I don’t care what she does now! I told-’ Sunbeam felt magic wrap around her and lift her up into the air. There was a choked sob. ‘That’s a lie! I do care! I -do- still care!’ *** Mayor Mare stopped dead as she walked back into her office after lunch. An unknown unicorn was sitting at her desk, idly going through her paperwork. Two more unicorns stood on either side of her desk, watching her. The one sitting at her desk looked up. “Ah, you’re back from lunch.” He glanced at the clock. “I was expecting you twenty minutes ago to be honest. Must have been a good lunch. Anyway, you may call me Mr Fang.” He looked down at the folder he was reading. “I just was reading about the town’s ‘emergency meeting protocol’. Set up to inform Ponyville of, and I quote: ‘rogue magical events, creatures or general mishaps.” He looked up and smiled. “Not once are the bearers ever mentioned. All that is ever said is: ‘Ponyville's heightened threat risk due to circumstances’. Very politely put may I say." He hoof tapped the folder. "I see the town hall has been recently increased in size to accommodate the majority of the populous now, and, on last test run you tried a new method to get ponies to attend meetings.” He paused and tilted his head. “In less than an hour, a little under ninety percent of Ponyville's inhabitants were there. I’m impressed.” Mayor Mare looked around. “Who are you? Where’s my assistant?” The stallion waved a hoof. “Oh she’s... unavailable I’m afraid. You see I’d heard some disturbing things about my sister last night and just had to rush here to find out what was going on. Anyway, after I had finished describing my sister to your assistant she told me she’d seen a pony matching her description, this very morning." The unicorn stood up, his expression growing dark. “While I was aware that a bearer had found her and so her condition might not be the best, the way she described my sister greatly upset me.” His words descended into a growl. “Beaten, broken, her cutie marks... burnt off." Turning his head away, he sighed. "Confession time. When your assistant told me how she looked I did get quite upset. And then she had the gall to tell me that she’d just sat and watched as my sister was taken away." Sharp Fang's jaw trembled for a second before turning to look at her. "She just sat there and watched as my little sister was taken away to face the Day Princess.’ He took a deep, calming, breath before smiling again. “I did, kind of, go and lose my temper with her.” He nodded to the unicorns stood by the desk. Both nodded back as one put up a silencing field around the room while the other locked the doors. Sharp Fang walked over to the window and looked out. “Knowing that my little sister is now in the hooves of the Day Princess. Knowing that, as we speak, she’s being… she’s being...” His hoof scraped the carpet before he looked back at Mayor Mare. “Well, it feels like my heart has been ripped out. A feeling that I suddenly had the overpowering urge to share with somepony.” His eyes narrowed. “Especially with somepony who had just ‘sat there and watched’ as she was taken away.” Levitating the folder from the desk over to him, he looked back down at it. His voice was casual as he pointed to a waste paper basket, half-full of red paper. “So I teleported your assistant’s heart out of her chest and into the wastebasket. Don’t worry though, I remembered to contain the spray. No point making work for the cleaners eh?” Mayor Mare’s head slowly turned to look at the basket. Sharp Fang casually turned a page in the folder as he stood by the window. “Now with the pleasantries out of the way, let’s get down to business. I want you to call an emergency meeting. I want everypony in one spot at one time.” He turned his head and flashed a smile. “It will be so much easier to control everypony if they are in a confined space.” Mayor Mare took a half step back, her eyes still on the basket. “What!? What… Miss File?!” She looked at him. “You killed Miss File... You sick- No! No I won’t help you! I won’t-” Sharp Fang’s horn glowed and Mayor Mare’s left foreleg was rotated ninety degrees, sideways. He looked back down at the folder. “And you may consider that me asking nicely.” Ignoring the screams, he turned to look out the window over Ponyville. “Congratulations Ponyville. You are all bargaining chips. And trust me, that is a step up from how I did see you.” He turned back to Mayor Mare as she rolled around on the floor holding her leg. “Please bear this in mind, Madam Mayor, I am willing to retire every single pony in Equestria to get my sister back. Every... Single... One!” Sitting down, Sharp Fang rubbed his eyes. ‘I just hope I’m in time little-sister. I just hope I’m fast enough so that Day Princess leaves enough of you -to- be saved. Please hold on Icefang. Please, I beg you, just hold on a little longer. I swear I’m coming to save you.’ He felt a cold chill run down his spine as his determination spiked. ‘Orders be damned! I’m going to save you from the clutches of the Day Princess little sister. No matter what it takes, I’m going to save you!’ He looked back at the Mayor and then to one of the unicorns. “Hold her still. Thank you.” Standing up, he walked over to her. “Now, just how do we go about calling an emergency meeting Madam Mayor? Please bear in mind that I won’t ask nicely again.” *** The explosion had woken Luna. Horn charged and ready to defend herself, she cautiously opened the door to her quarters. Even though she was an alicorn, her sister’s pranking had taught her, long ago, the benefits of some basic caution when opening a door. Outside, four thestrals stood ready with weapons drawn. The sergeant in charge of the detail turned to her and nodded. “The immediate area is secure your highness.” Relaxing, she stepped out into the corridor. “Good. I want-” They all turned to look up the passageway at the galloping sounds. As they got closer the guards automatically took up defensive positions around the Princess. The major, and two pegasus thestrals, turned a corner and galloped down the passageway towards them. The major skidded to a stop and saluted a couple of steps away from them. “Ma’am. Initial reports indicate that the explosion came from the throne room. No word on your sister yet. All checkpoints I’ve encountered are still guarded and on high alert. The castle is going to lockdown as we speak.” The sergeant glanced at a thestral unicorn who was part of his detail. Horn glowing, the unicorn nodded back. “It is the major, Sergeant, no illusionary magic here.” All the guards around the Princess relaxed. Luna nodded. “Good. Let us make haste to the throne room then major. I wish to make sure that my sister is okay.” “Ma’am!” The major turned to the thestral unicorn. “You! You scanning?” “Yes ma’am. Full spectrum scans. A little slower, but more thorough.” The major nodded and turned back to Luna. “Your highness. I know you would like to check on your sister as soon as possible, but please, if you would let us do our job and take a steady pace to the throne room. We have no idea of what’s going on yet.” “Of course major.” The major relaxed and turned to look at the other thestrals present. “Okay ponies listen up. I want everypony on a defensive posture around the Princess. You!” -she pointed to a pegasus thestral- “I want you on airborne-point, at least two body lengths in front of us. Everypony, we’re in the castle and there are a lot of scared, confused ponies milling around at the minute, so check your targets. Give one warning, then take them down if needs be. Hard, but non-lethally.” She paused. “However, if the something feels bad and you see the situation going south… we’re defending the princess. Remember, non-lethal is only my preferred method.” *** Twilight watched as Celestia paced back-and-forth in front of Sunbeam. While Celestia’s mane was no longer on fire and had almost returned to its normal colours, a hint of red still tinged it. Sunbeam herself was pinned to the floor by a golden glow around her barrel. Her wide eyes were the only thing that moved as she watched the Princess pace in front of her. Twilight looked around, Apart from herself and her friends, the princess and Sunbeam were the only other ponies in the throne room. She’d watched as Celestia had ordered, under 'duly noted' protests, the guards and Short Notice to leave. Currently, Pinkie and Fluttershy were trying to keep an agitated Rainbow calm while Rarity and Applejack were just giving the Princess disapproving looks. With a deep breath, Twilight stepped hesitantly forward. “Princess, I know Sunbeam is not exactly an ‘innocent’, but she did help us. And I did give her my word that she could stay here. I don’t think all this is strictly necessary-” Lifting a hoof, Celestia cut Twilight off before seating herself down in front of Sunbeam. “This could all be a ruse. No pony has ever left them. Not one, ever!” The hoof was pointed at Sunbeam. “So why should I believe this one has now? Especially now. Considering everything that’s happened recently… No, this is all way too coincidental. I will not take chances with them Twilight.” Her face twitched. “I will not let them hurt any more of my ponies ever again. Not one, not ever again!” Twilight tilted her head. “Princess, what are you...” Celestia's head snapped round, making Twilight flinch. “Don’t you understand Twilight?! They are responsible for so many-” Taking several deep breaths, Celestia rubbed her eyes with a hoof. “My apologies Twilight. She is a reminder of a mistake. My biggest…” There was silence as Celestia continued to rub her eyes, her voice becoming tight. “So many Twilight. They took so many. I sometimes wonder how many went thinking it was what I ordered. How many died thinking I had ordered them to be...” Lowering her hoof, she leant down to look Sunbeam in the eye. “What’s the term you use? Retired? Isn’t that what you call it? Retiring somepony?” Celestia’s voice became a growl. “How many did you retire In my name?” She got closer, baring her teeth. “How many ponies did you kill in my name. How many died thinking it was me that wanted them dead? How many!?” Sunbeam cringed back, not saying a word. Celestia horn started glowing and the edges of her mane and tail started to smoulder. “And worse, because of you I had to send my little sister away. I had to…” She lifted a hoof up wipe her eyes. “I had to send…” Sunbeam eyes grew a little wider, her pupils a little smaller. Seeing the Day Princess on the verge of crying was, somehow, even more terrifying. Celestia looked down at her, her voice suddenly tired. “For a thousand years, I was so lonely. So lonely...” Leaning down, her muzzle brushed Sunbeam’s ear as she whispered into it. “You drove me mad. I went mad with grief after sending my sister away. I did terrible things looking for you. Stopping you was for the greater good. And I had to do such... terrible things for the greater good.” There was a pause as she shook her head. “I hate you all so much for that. For making me do things that even after a thousand years, I’m still trying to atone for. I hate you for turning me into a monst-” A voice called out from behind her. “Sister?” Celestia spun around a look of shock on her face. Luna was standing in the open doorway to the throne room, giving her a questioning look. Stepping between Luna and Sunbeam, Celestia spread her wings defensively. “Lulu! Stay back! It’s one of them! It’s a knight. Stay back! Don’t get any closer!” Luna calmly looked at her sister, still halfway across the throne room. Slowly, she leant sideways to look at Sunbeam. Celestia sidestepped, keeping herself, and her stretched-out wings, between Luna and Sunbeam. *** Lyra watched as the unicorn pinned up an ‘emergency meeting’ poster on the notice board outside the mayor’s office. She turned to Bon Bon. “I guess we need to go tell ponies there's an emergency meeting then. I wonder what the problem is this time?” Bon Bon shrugged. “No idea. But at least we’re here first.” She grinned and pointed at the poster. “Just like last time, every pony you tell that hasn’t heard, the greater the tax reduction you get for the end of the year. So let’s make a start before others start spreading the word as well.” *** As Luna and Celestia looked at each other across the throne room, Applejack stepped forward. “Princess, I don’t know what’s going on here but she ain’t lyin’. Sunbeam there really does think Ponyville is in danger.” Celestia, her wings still out, calmly looked around and down at Sunbeam. “Oh, I believe she thinks she’s telling the truth Miss Applejack.” Her eyes narrowed. “However, there are spells to alter the memory. Spells that make the subject think they are telling the truth. That way they can pass any lie test.” A second passed, then Celestia rubbed her eyes again, her wings drooping. “Only for those false memories to fade and for them to revert to their original character later.” Applejack pulled the brim of her, recently retrieved, hat down. “Princess, that’s a load of hooey. I doubt-” The stamp, which echoed around throne room, cut her off. “It’s happened before Miss Applejack! They did it before to me before! I was naive and thought one had truly turned their back on them. Oh, I tested him to see if he was telling the truth and he passed. I truly thought he had changed. He truly thought he had changed. But… they were fake memories, implanted so he could pass the truth test. They faded and he reverted. I lost good ponies that night! So many good ponies, even my assistant, before he could be stopped. He killed so many I cared about.” She stamped a hoof again as small flickers of flame edged her tail. “And he was proud of what he did. He thought it would buy time for others to escape... and it worked. I had to begin to search for them all over again. He stood there, looking so proud of what he’d done. So many I cared about lay dead by his hoof and he dared to look proud!” Her voice became calm and low. “I lost my temper and he... stopped being proud.” Her head turned towards Applejack... and Applejack took a step back at the look. “I’m not letting it happen again Miss Applejack. Not again! Especially not to any of you.” She turned to Luna and her ears flattened. “Certainly n-not to anypony I love.” Luna, who had walked over to her, put a hoof on her sister's shoulders and spoke calmly. “Then what are we to do?” Celestia’s ears perked up as she turned to look at Sunbeam. “I spent many sleepless nights wondering what I could have done differently. How I could have saved them. I know what I should have done now.” Smiling, she lowered her head over Sunbeam. “I shall know your mind Miss Sunbeam. I shall know your deepest thoughts. We will horn link and I shall rip the veil of fake memories away and expose the truth.” Sunbeam’s eyes managed to widen a tiny bit more as Celestia lowered her horn. Before she could turn away, a golden glow formed around her head, holding it in place. Sunbeam could only watch as Celestia’s horn closed on hers. Suddenly she started snorting with laughter. “My first ever horn link is with-” Their horns touched. *** There was a moment of disorientation coupled with a falling sensation. Sunbeam blinked and looked around. She was seated on top of a sand dune in the middle of a bright yellow desert. Rolling dunes stretched out endlessly in all directions under a bright blue, cloudless, sky. She brought a hoof up to check but there was no sand in her fur. Looking up, she could see the sky was bright, yet there was no sun in it. A regal voice spoke behind her. “You must be very inexperienced in horn links. Your mind doesn’t quite know what to make of what’s going on” -Celestia walked around Sunbeam and seated herself down- “so it’s trying to fit a world it does know over it to compensate. The more experienced you get in horn links, the less ‘physical’ you need to be and the more ethereal you can become. Almost to the point where you can interact as pure emotions.” She prodded herself and felt her hoof press into her chest. “Very inexperienced. Your mind is trying to apply the rules of the physical world here as well. Unfortunately, as we are in your mind for this we have to go with its rules.” Sunbeam nodded and looked back over the desert. She frowned and turned her head back towards Celestia. “I feel calm. Why do I feel calm right now? Part of me feels I should be raging. That I should be angry. So very, very angry.” Celestia looked around. “Perhaps this is somewhere you feel safe... and thus calm. From the detail, I definitely say that this is somewhere you have been before. Multiple times. Even I feel calmer here.” Sunbeam looked over the rolling dunes stretching out to the horizon. Lowering her head she snorted. “Well, congratulations on being the first pony here there then, Day Princess.” Her head fell and she spoke mostly to herself. “Not that I put much stock into the concept, but still... I would have liked my first time to be somepony I actually liked. Just as well this place is making me feel calm because I think I might-” There was a long pause before she lifted her head. “So, what do I need to do to get this over and done with?” Celestia looked at her. “You? You can do nothing Miss Sunbeam. I am looking for memories that are locked away from you. Especially from you in fact. If you could remember them, it would defeat the entire purpose of hiding them in the first place.” Closing her eyes, she lifted her head. “To save wading through all your memories I shall need to calibrate my search. Let us start with pulling out a recent memory out of a place you know well.” Sunbeam felt a ‘tugging’ sensation inside her head. The desert faded and they were in the Golden Oaks Library. Her notes about her amulet lay on a table. Celestia sighed as she looked around. “This is going to take time. More rules.” She gestured around her. “A ‘physical manifestation of the memory. I fear your mind is going to make us go through each memory like this.” She lifted her head. “So be it! But this is a good starting point as any. Now I have an idea how to pull your memories out, let us calibrate further. As hidden memories will resist being pulled out, let us pull out a memory that you will try and resist remembering.” Sunbeam pulled her head back. “Uh...” Celestia looked back at her. “Hidden memories will operate in a similar manner to memories you don’t want to remember. And as such- Ah, this one will do.” The tug Sunbeam felt was harder this time. The image changed again and they were in a dark room filled with books. Sunbeam looked around. “Where-?” There was a foals voice from behind her. “...Please Mr Sable, I don’t want to do this.” *** Celestia watched as the old stallion stepped towards the filly with the knife. With a smile, he turned the knife around to present the hilt to her. “There you go. You should always pass a knife hilt-first in case-” Hopping forward on three legs, he caught a rear hoof on a stack of books on the ground and went stumbling forward. “Mr Sable!” The little filly rushed forward, trying to catch him. In her haste, she grabbed the hoof with the knife to try and support him. Their momentums carried them both forwards. Celestia watched impassively as they collided. The filly stepped back, a look of puzzlement on her face. “M-Mr Sable? Are you okay? Mr-” She looked down at her hoof and a look of horror spread over her face. “I’m sorry Mr Sable. I… I didn’t mean to… I swear I didn’t mean to...” The blood trickled onto her hoof. She looked up, tears in her eyes. "Please be okay Mr Sable, Please be okay. I didn't mean-" The filly let out a shrill scream as the stallion toppled forwards onto her. Celestia let the memory fade as the filly lay pinned under the corpse, struggling to get out. Turning to look at Sunbeam she nodded. “That was most helpful. You resisted recalling the memory most adequately. Now I just need to look for memories that react to being recalled in a similar manner.” Looking away she carried on. Sunbeam had been sitting with her head hanging so low her nose was almost touching the floor. She didn’t look up when she spoke, her voice thick. “Wonderful. Glad I could help.” Sunbeam rolled her shoulders before glaring at Celestia’s back. “And I hope the word ‘horrific’ appears, several times, on your autopsy report. Bitch!” Celestia didn’t look round. “Please be quiet, I’m trying to concentrate here.” Sunbeam looked silently back down at the ground. After a minute, she lifted and hoof and wiped her eyes. “I’m so sorry Mr Sable. I didn’t mean to. I swear I- I didn’t- I- I-” Celestia’s ear twitched in annoyance at the unintelligible sounds now coming from behind her. *** Celestia opened her eyes. “Ahah. There we go. Memories that resist being recalled that also have a magical signature to them.” Wiping her nose on the back of her foreleg, Sunbeam barely had time to look up before she felt a ripping sensation within her head. Celestia calmly looked around the room. It was a dimly lit windowless office with a desk off to the left. The only light came from a single light hanging in the middle of the room, which had a ‘yellowed-with-age’ lampshade around it. The only picture on the wall was of a desert, it’s bright yellow dunes and bright blue sky, contrasting greatly to the rest of the gloomy office. Celestia nodded in satisfaction. “These memories are all magically repressed. This is exactly what I’m looking for.” Sunbeam sat rooted to the spot, her ears flat, as she reached a shaking hoof out towards the Princess. “T-t-this isn’t what you want! This is just something I don’t want to remember! I’ve been taking a memory suppression potion. This is not what you’re looking for! The magic is from a potion I’ve been taking! This isn’t-” Celestia cut her off. “Your desire to repress these memories could be an implanted behaviour. A simple diversionary tactic. Something to try fool me into thinking this is not what I’m looking for. These are magically repressed memories, this is exactly what I am looking for. I will see this! I will see all of this. And after we seen what surfaces, we shall then discuss your future.” Sunbeam cringed back. Something Zecora had said, just after she’d tended her for the first time, popped into her mind. Zecora looked back at her. “I shall tell none the scars you hide, nor that Night Owl's Slumber you need. Just remember, the memories inside will surface when you least take heed.” Zecora was silent for a second. “All then that will all come back to bite you on the flank!” The images formed. *** Luna looked at the late-afternoon light coming in through the windows and shook her head. “This is taking too long sister.” She glanced over at the bearers. They were stood huddled together, all silently watching Sunbeam and Celestia. Even Rainbow was still. Luna looked back at the pair. “This is taking way too long sister. What are you-” Celestia’s head jerked back, breaking the horn link with Sunbeam. Luna relaxed. “Sister? Are you okay? Did you find any...” She tilted her head as Celestia’s ears pinned themselves back. Not taking her eyes of Sunbeam, Celestia slowly lowered her head over the mare laying on the floor and spoke softly. “Miss Sunbeam?” Sunbeam didn’t move. Celestia reached a hoof out but stopped short of touching her. “Miss Sunbeam?” Pulling the hoof back, she seated herself down. “Please Miss Sunbeam, I’m sorry I had to put you through all that, but please understand, I had to make sure. I had to.” Tiny trembles started in Sunbeam as she lay there with her eyes shut. Celestia kept her voice carefully calm. “Please, Miss Sunbeam, you can relax. Your memories are your own. There are no fake memories. You truly have left them, you truly are no longer part of the Knights. There is no need to be afraid now. You are in no danger here.” Celestia reached a hoof out, but again, stopped short of touching her. Luna stepped forward. “Celly, what happened?” After a moment's hesitation, Celestia let her head fall and closed her eyes. “I needed to make sure Lulu. I had to make sure she wasn’t a danger to you. To anypony! I had to make sure there were no fake memories. I had to do it.” “Had to do what Celey?” With her head still low, Celestia ground her teeth. “Please understand Lulu, I had to keep you safe. I had to know she wasn’t a threat to you. I had to make sure none of her memories were fake, that she had left them. So I had to keep going. I had to.” “Sister, what are you talking about?” Lifting her head, Celestia looked at Sunbeam. “She’s been taking a memory suppressant, Lulu. I thought it was an introduced behaviour pattern, one to try and fool me. To try and disguise the reason for the magical signatures on the memories.” Her head fell again. Luna gave her a blank look, then looked back at Sunbeam. “A memory suppressant? While such magics do seal away memories, they also act to help preserve them. Every feeling, every emotion, every little detail, they all comes back perfectly...” Luna turned back to look at her sister and lifted an eyebrow. Celestia looked away. Luna glanced at Sunbeam as she lay there, shaking. “Celey, just what did you do?” With a shake of her head, Celestia took a deep breath before looking down at Sunbeam. “Miss Sunbeam, you have helped the bearers, and in turn, helped Equestria. I am in debt to you. You’ll get the best help we have both professional and” -she glanced at her back- “medical.” She reached out with a hoof and brushed Sunbeam’s forelock. There was a flinch and a tiny whimper at the contact. Celestia's horn lit up and Sunbeam’s head was gently lifted up. Lightly, she put her hoof under her chin to support it. “Please, Miss Sunbeam, please look at me.” Sunbeam eye’s opened. Celestia smiled. “Thank you-” She trailed off as she looked into those blank eyes. “Miss Sunbeam?” A soft, foal-like voice came from the mare. “P-please stop. I - I promise to be a good little filly if you s-stop.” Celestia recoiled, pulling her hoof away like it had just been burned. Sunbeam just kept looking at the princess. “I promise to be a good little filly that does w - what she’s t - told if you stop.” Celestia stood up and took a stumbling step back, almost falling over her own hooves in the process. Sunbeam seemed to lose all energy and her head dropped back down to the floor but her eyes never left Celestia. “I’ll be a - a good little filly. I promise to be your good little f-f-filly.” Celestia took another step back, her ears flat. Sunbeam kept looking at her a hopeful, smile on her face. “You’ll see, you’ll see! I’ll be a good little filly. I’ll be your good little filly. I’ll do anything you want me to! I’ll be anything you want me to, I’m a good little filly.” Luna had been with her sister in situations that looked hopeless before, the fight against Discord flickered in her mind, but she’d never seen Celestia looking so ready to run before, so close to… Luna’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Panic?” Stepping forward, she quickly scooped up Sunbeam’s chin with a hoof and turned it towards her and away from her sister. “Miss Sunbeam, look at me.” Luna found herself having to sidestep, forcing Sunbeam’s head round even further so Celestia was physically behind it, all to stop the mare from trying to look at her sister. Leaning down, she spoke with gentle authority. “Miss Sunbeam, look at me. Look only at me.” Blank eyes turned to look at her. “I’m her g-g-good little-” Luna’s voice was soft as she lay down facing Sunbeam. “Come back to the here and now Miss Sunbeam. You are no longer there, you are here. Come back to the here and now where you are safe.” “I’m her good little…” Luna continued to cast subtle magic. "Come back here Miss Sunbeam. You are safe here. Come back here where you are safe. You are safe here." "I'm… her..." Luna took her hoof away from her chin and smiled. “You are safe here. You are safe here Miss Sunbeam.” “I’m…” Sunbeam blinked and her eyes became clear and sharp as she stared at Luna. She tilted her head to one side. “I’m a good little filly.” Sunbeam blinked again at what she’d just said, a look of confusion on her face. She opened her mouth to try again. “I’m a good-” Her jaw trembled. “I’m... a…” Luna saw the spark of recognition in Sunbeam’s eyes. Sunbeam's expression changed. Luna turned her head away. *** Celestia had sagged with relief as Luna turned Sunbeam’s head away from her. Taking calming breaths, she looked around the throne room as she collected her thoughts. She noted that all the bearers were all still sitting together, all looking too shocked to move. After a few more breaths, she turned back to face Sunbeam. She was laying on the floor facing Luna as her sister worked her magic. Sunbeam spoke. “I’m her good little filly.” Celestia twitched at the phrase. At least the voice sounded more normal now. “I’m her good-” “I’m... her…” There was a pause. Celestia flicked an ear, all she could see was the back of Sunbeam’s head. Luna suddenly turned her head away. Both were still for a second then Sunbeam sunk her face into forehooves. With Luna still looking away, Celestia watched as Sunbeam rolled onto her side and slowly curled up into a tight little ball, her face never leaving her hooves. A moment's silence passed. A quiet sobbing started. Steeling herself, her throat dry, Celestia stood up. Lifting a hoof, she went to take a step towards Sunbeam. There was a ripping sound from behind her and Celestia found herself pulling her head back in surprise as Rainbow hovered right in front of her face, ripped bandages dangling off both her barrel and her damaged wing. Hesitantly holding up a forehoof up at her, she kept her eyes down on the floor. “Err… Princess, I -I don't think-” Rainbow grimaced as her wing cramped and she landed heavily on three legs. Even so, she kept her foreleg out towards the Princess. "I... I really don't think..." A moment later Rainbow was joined by Applejack as she skidded to a halt next to her. Lifting a hoof, she pulled the brim of her hat down. “I think you should hold right there, partner.” Behind the two, Celestia watched as Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity all galloped over to Sunbeam. Putting the hoof down, Celestia looked away. After a brief hesitation, she turned to look at Luna. “I had to keep you safe Lulu, so I had to keep going. I had to see everything to make sure there was nothing hidden. To make sure everypony was safe, I had to carry on.” She looked towards a large window. “To keep you, to keep everypony I love safe, I had to make her remember everything. It was for the greater good Lulu. It was for the greater good.” Celestia glanced over at Sunbeam. Rarity was stood next to the mare, glaring back at her as both Fluttershy and Pinkie hugged Sunbeam. Rainbow and Applejack were both still standing side-by-side, between her and Sunbeam. Applejack was still glaring but Rainbow just kept her eyes on the floor. Turning her head, Celestia looked over at Twilight, the only one of the bearers not over with Sunbeam. “Twilight, you must understan-” Celestia quickly looked away from the confused, questioning look on Twilight’s face. The glares were easier to look at. Standing up, Celestia walked silently over towards the window, her head high. Seating herself down, she looked out of the window over Canterlot. “I had to make sure she wasn’t going to turn on us like the other one did, so I kept going. Even as she begged for me to stop, I had to keep going.” Her ears fell. “Even after the pleading had stopped and she’d gone quiet... I had to keep going. I had to see everything to make sure everypony would be safe.” Sitting there, Celestia heard Luna walk towards her but she kept looking out of the window. She tilted her head towards the sounds of the steps, her voice conversational. “Do you know what I hate about them the most Lulu? What I truly despise most about them?” Sitting down next to her, Luna was silent. Celestia continued. “Because of what they did, I can justify doing almost anything to stop them. Almost anything is for the greater good in comparison." She glanced towards Sunbeam before returning her gaze out the window. "Because of them, I know I can justify doing almost anything, however terrible, for the greater good.” She was silent for a second. “Almost anything. She’ll get the best treatment possible. The very best. You know I mean that don’t you? She will get the best I can give.” Celestia just kept looking out the window as Luna put her wing around her. Celestia’s head fell. “I try to be the best princess possible. I try to be the best leader possible. I try to make sure my little ponies have the best lives possible.” Her jaw trembled. “And sometimes, I have do things I really don’t want to, so they can have those lives.” She sat silently as Luna hugged her. “I envy them their ignorance. I really do envy them...” She trailed off and her ear rotated in the silence. The sobbing had stopped. Lifting her head to look around, she saw Pinkie and Fluttershy share a look of concern. She watched as Pinkie softly prodded Sunbeam. “Sunny?” There was no response. Pinkie tried again. “Sunny, say something.” Silence. Licking her lips, Pinkie leant in towards her ear and whispered into it. “You’re a good little filly.” After a couple of seconds, Pinkie repeated the phrase a little louder. “You’re a good little filly.” Sunbeam lay still. Pinkie’s tone became desperate. “You’re a good little filly! You’re a good little filly! You’re a-” She stamped a hoof. “Do something Sunny! Say something! Don’t just lay there, hit me! Punch me! Slap me, try and strangle me... again. Just do something!” Sunbeam didn't move. Leaning down, Pinkie hugged her tight. “Please Sunny, don’t go!” *** Laying on top of a dune Sunbeam stared out over the silent desert. She calmly watched the horizon start to shrink and the colour drain away. Everything was so peaceful here. The horizon approached rapidly. She didn’t want to go back. She watched the horizon get closer. Soon everything would go away. The horizon ended five dunes away from her now. She never wanted to go back. Four dunes. Soon she’d never have to go back. Three dunes, everything was grey. She closed her eyes and waited. Icefang’s voice, filled with rage, rang out. “What? Are you just gonna lay there and let him win?” The voice became a snarl. “Don’t you want to make him say he’s a good little filly over and over until he thinks that’s all he can say? Make him say it over and over until he thinks that's all he'll ever be able to say?" The voice became choked. “Make him say it over and over until he… he actually believes it.” Sunbeam lay there. Greywing’s voice replaced Icefang’s. “Ponyville’s in danger. You just gonna lay here? You just gonna give in and let your friends get hurt, even die? Don’t you want to get up save them?” Her ear twitched. The two voices combined. “And what if they decide that one of Ponyville's foals is special? What if they decide to take one of them? Apple Bloom... Scoots... Sweetie Belle… Or any other foal...” Her hoof dug into the sand. “Imagine him getting his hooves on them-" Sunbeam’s eyes snapped open. She looked out over the dunes that stretched endlessly out in all directions, under a clear blue sky. Her eyes narrowed. The peace of the desert was broken by a distant rumble of thunder. *** With her hooves wrapped around her, Pinkie lifted her head off Sunbeam’s barrel as she felt muscles move in her grip. “Sunny!” The smile became a grin as felt Sunbeam try to move under her. Letting go, she gestured for Fluttershy to do the same. With a nod, Fluttershy released her and the both stepped back to give her room. Everypony watched as Sunbeam rolled onto her front and, with her eyes still shut, carefully put each forehoof flat on the floor. With effort, Sunbeam pushed herself up into a sitting position and opened her eyes. Silently, she looked around until she saw the main doors to the throne room. Hauling herself up on all four legs, she stood there for a few moments, her legs shaking. Her eyes never left the doors. “Ponyville. Must get to...” She turned her body to face the doors and then started to walk, unsteadily, towards them. “Must get to Ponyville. Must stop...” Everypony watched silently as she walked away from them. The only sound was her hoofsteps on marble as she made her way towards the doors. Not once did Sunbeam look back. “I won’t let him...” Celestia went to take a step towards her, Luna held her tight and shook her head. Celestia’s ears fell as she nodded. Sunbeam suddenly staggered sideways several steps, only just catching herself in time before falling. Legs wide, she took a few seconds to steady herself before she set off towards the doors again. She didn’t notice the golden glow fade from around her barrel. Celestia turned her head to look back out the window. Pinkie lifted her head as she saw Sunbeam steps start to falter. She watched as Sunbeam’s legs started to shake more and more with each step she took. It would only be a matter of time before... Sunbeam’s right foreleg buckled and she toppled forward. *** Sunbeam gave the floor a puzzled look, she'd fallen but hadn’t hit the ground. Something was wrong with that but she couldn’t quite work out what. Blinking, she looked to her side. Rainbow smiled back as she held her. Turning her head, she found Pinkie looking back at her from her other side. It was hard to speak, her mouth felt so dry and it making her voice raspy. “Got to… get to Ponyville. Must get... Ponyville. Won’t let them. Won’t let... him. I won’t let-” Her jaw trembled. “Him.” Pinkie stroked her mane. “Shhh little one. You need to rest.” Sunbeam shook her head. “No! No. Must get... to Ponyville. Got to. Must save... Must stop...” She blinked at Pinkie with a puzzled look. “Must… Stop...” Her eyes rolled up and she slumped in her grip. Pinkie moved her hoof away from the pressure point and looked up at a confused looking Rainbow. “She’s in no condition to do anything right now. She needs to rest.” She looked towards the main throne doors sadly. “She needs to rest and have a clear mind for what’s coming.” She brushed Sunbeam’s mane. “I’ll throw you the best party ever once this is all over. Best party ever... if you come back. Please, just promise you’ll come back.” There was a pause before she looked at Rainbow with watery eyes. “I don't know if she'll come back Dashie. Even if we win, even if she’s sat right next to us at the 'we won' party, I don’t know if she’ll ever truly come back. I’m afraid part of her will never come back.” *** Standing in front of the throne room doors, the major turned to look at a pair of solar guards escorting a unicorn mare towards her. The mare, in guards armour, was carrying what looked like a wire-mesh bin. All three looked pale and about to throw up. One guard saluted her. “Major, this unicorn was teleported into the castle courtyard a few minutes ago.” The unicorn mare saluted. “C-constable Morning Dew of the Ponyville Guard. I have a letter I have to hoof-deliver to Princess Celestia.” The major tilted her head. “She a little busy right now.” Morning Dew stepped forward. “Ponyville’s been taken over! We were all in the town meeting and then they all came out. They have powerful magic and we couldn’t do anything. Sergeant Buttress tried to… and they… they… the bones were sticking out of her legs. They did one leg at a time to show us they could. S-she was screaming so badly. Redheart was trying to stop the bleeding when I left. They - They teleported me here and told me I have to hoof-deliver this letter to Princess Celestia. If I don't…” She shoved the bin towards the major. The major blinked. “Why are you showing me a waste paper bask-” She at looked at what was inside, sitting on the paper. “Oh buck.” Turning, she pointed at the throne room doors. “Get those damn things open! I don't care what they're doing, this is important.” Squeezing through the gap even as the doors opened, she marched into the throne room. She found the hairs on the back of her neck rising at the atmosphere inside. As she approached the Princesses, holding each other, she walked past two bearers holding onto an unconscious mare. The major couldn't help but keep glancing at Pinkie as she walked past. She had such sad eyes.