//------------------------------// // Of Equal Value // Story: Repercussions // by SociallyAwkwardPegasus //------------------------------// Two full days had passed since the messenger guard had alerted Princess Celestia of the defeat of the Equestrian army. And during that time, the princess had done all in her power to ensure that her emotions would remain in check when finally meeting the ones responsible. Though as most, she found it very difficult. “And look who we have here, Princess Celestia and, oh. Where is my lesser half this time?” The smug voice and smile of Nightmare Moon caused Celestia to let out a primal, but low growl of aggression that anypony alive had yet to see from the benevolent princess. “I did not come here to mince words with you. Where is my sister? Tell me where Luna is, now,” Celestia demanded. The act of such aggression caught both Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis off guard, though they couldn’t deny the joy in seeing the once and mighty princess demanding the one thing she couldn’t live without. “And what makes you assume that we know the whereabouts of your sister?” Nightmare Moon questioned, obviously enjoying the knowledge that the princess lacked. It was in that moment that princess Celestia couldn’t contain her rage. Despite all of the decades of political correctness and keeping her emotions in check, she could not help herself when the life of her sister dangled in the balance. Unsheathing a nearby soldier’s blade, Celestia lunged across the table, as the blade swung in a wide, but practiced ark, stopping only a few millimeters away from Nightmare Moon’s neck. “You will tell me where my sister is or I will gut you like a fucking whorse!” Celestia bellowed as she slipped into the old, Royal Canterlot Voice. It had been ages since the last time it had happened, though the princess thought it necessary to show how serious she was about her threat. “You and I both know a mere sword will not kill me princess. However, I find your determination rather refreshing. It has been so long since I have had a chance to test your skills in combat. Perhaps you will humor me a bit. And if you win, I shall give you your sister. Do we have a deal?” Nightmare Moon questioned, waiting to see if the steel of her blade would also taste the blood of the precious sun goddess. “Unfortunately I am going to have to stop the two of you. As much as I would love to see Equestria’s other princess fall, it would be ill advised. Besides, we have much to discuss and very little time for games,” Derrick added as he walked into the room before taking a seat in one of the free chairs and propping his feet up onto the table. “Derrick, how many times have I told you not to put your feet on the table? It’s rude, though I am willing to make an exception this time,” Nightmare commented, as she looked at Celestia. Long gone was the utter rage of the alicorn princess, instead replaced with mild confusion, along with several levels of annoyance. “You, creature, where is my sister?” Celestia addressed, shifting the blade of her sword towards the human in the process. This didn’t sit too well with a certain queen, and before the princess of the sun had time to react, a blackened-steel blade laid against her neck with a scowl from Nightmare. “You will not point your sword towards him with lethal intention, lest you incur our wrath,” Nightmare growled. “Now, now, settle down. I'm sure she means me no harm, do you princess?” “Not unless you withhold information about my sister,” Celestia responded without missing a beat. “But of course. We have you sister here in the castle. I have already sent for someone to bring her here to you,” Derrick replied casually. The look of shock was clearly evident on the princess’s face, wondering if what this creature had said was true or figment of her imagination. With a simple nod of her head, the princess retreated to her side of the table before handing back the guard’s sword she commandeered a couple minutes prior. The wait seemed like an eternity for the princess as she fidgeted in her seat as an uncomfortable silence filled the conference room. Derrick, who was now locking eyes with the ceiling as he balanced his chair on two legs, intrigued the princess. She remembered him from the last time she was sitting in the conference room. It was the same creature that her sister had assaulted. The thought alone made the princess mentally wince from how hard she had hit him. Though as the princess continued on with her thoughts, another, and seemingly improbable thought crossed her mind. “What if Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis are truly reformed, and this is the creature that had done so?” She couldn’t deny that Nightmare Moon was much tamer than when she had first battled her over a thousand years ago. Back then; Celestia could see that she was the embodiment of evil. And Queen Chrysalis, a ruler known for her inability to share power, seemed to be quite willing and accepting of Nightmare Moon as well. The princess’s eyes soon lingered over to the human again in thought. “And yet this strange creature may have done what I had failed to do. And while his jet-black mane and hazel eyes are common physical traits, he was much shorter than her and,” the door to the conference room was quickly slammed open, pulling the mare from her train of thought as well as startling most of the guards in the room. “Delivery time! And look what I brought with me today!” The sound of a cheery bat-mare echoed throughout the large room as she threw the package carelessly to the ground. The battered mare let out a loud groan of pain, though with one look from the sun princess, her voice overshadowed Lumen’s. “LUNA!” Celestia screeched as she tore from the table and over to her sister, or at least who she thought was Luna. The mare on the floor of the conference room was no alicorn, at least to the untrained eye. Long gone were the beautiful wings the mare prided herself with, along with the stubble of a once and mighty horn protruding from her head. Her mane had been shaven clean off her coat along with several branding marks, made noticeable by the lack of clothing the mare was wearing except for a black-electronic collar fastened around the mare’s neck. “Luna, talk to me, please!” Celestia begged, caring not that everyone in the room, except for the human who was still lost in his own little world, was staring at the two of them. Lumen quickly used this time to make her way over to her human, smiling lovingly as she stood over him. “Hey Lumen. What took you so long?” He was met with a small smile as the mare leaned her face close to the human’s before pulling his lips into a passionate kiss. “Just took a detour is all. I'm sure the anticipation was killing her.” Lumen added as she looked over towards the white mare that was enveloping her sister with her wings and arms. “Luna, are you alright. Please, say something, anything!” Celestia begged with tear stained eyes. Luna was quick break down as she sobbed into her sister’s chest, clinging on for dear life and refusing to let go.” “She may find it a little difficult to speak at the moment. I would too if I had lost my tongue,” Derrick added from across the room. Everyone from the Equestrian’s side soon recoiled back in shock and disgust as Luna began to sob more violently into her sister. “Why the fuck did you cut out her tongue you barbaric monsters!” a brave guard shouted. Derrick took this opportunity to shrug his shoulders before pointing to the other side of the table. “She left us with very little choice. She is a very skilled sorceress after all, and knows several spells that can be invoked by incantations alone,” Nightmare pointed out before crossing her arms with a huff. Meanwhile, Celestia was tuning everyone else out besides her sister. The only thing she cared about right now was getting Luna to safety, though Derrick’s voice soon brought that thought to a halt. “Alright princess, you have seen you sister. Time for her to go back down into the dungeon.” The sudden statement stirred the princess from her sister as she looked at the human with disbelief and anger. “If you dare try to take my sister away from me, I will not hesitate to kill you,” the white mare threatened as she brought Luna up to her feet, guarding the younger sister with her body. Derrick brushed off the threat with an idle wave of his hand. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say princess. Though I would highly advise against doing anything you might regret. For if you do, well, let’s just say that your sister might lose her head, quite literally,” Derrick replied rather calmly. Celestia let out another primal growl of anger before noticing the steady beeping light of the collar around her sister’s neck. “So this collar is rigged to do my sister harm. I will destroy it with a quick burst of magic,” Celestia thought as her horn faintly began to glow. Before the human could warn her of the consequences of attempting to remove the collar, Celestia fired a concentrated bolt of magic at the collar in hopes of destroying the device. However, she was greeted with the withering sight and agonizing scream of her sister as the lunar princess dropped to the floor with over a hundred thousand volts of electricity coursing through her body. “I tried to warn you princess. The collar is magic proof and any attempt to remove it in such a way will result in your sister getting a discomforting jolt of electricity coursing through her body. So it will probably be best if you not try something like that again, for you sister’s sake that is.” Celestia was quick to wrap her fallen sister into a loving embrace as the jolts of electricity ceased their pain upon the younger alicorn. The blue fur around her neck was singed as the smell of burnt flesh and hair filled Celestia’s senses. “I hope you are willing to listen to my proposal now princess. I am willing to let your sister go, though it will be for a price.” This statement seemed to catch both Nightmare Moon and Queen Chrysalis off guard. “Derrick, you cannot be serious. She is worth more than anything they could possibly offer us,” Chrysalis was quick to input. Though the words of his friend did nothing to sway his opinion. “You both said that I was allowed to do with her as I please, and I am willing to bargain for her freedom. Though like I said, it is going to come at a cost,” Derrick reiterated. Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis wore expressions of concern and light annoyance, though conceded to the demands of their demand. “Fine, you may bargain for her life. Though it better be good.” Derrick just smiled at the upset alicorn before turning his attention back to the princess. “Now then Celestia, are you willing to hear my one and only demand for the release of your sister?” The princess of the sun could do little to hide her anger, treating her sister as a mere bargaining chip. Though the situation dictated that she would at least control herself for the moment, since her sister’s life was at stake. “And what sort of demand would that be?” Celestia retorted in a none-to-pleased tone. Derrick could only offer a smile as he reclined back in his chair once again and stared up at the ceiling. “There is a certain person of interest that I want from you Celestia. Being held in one of your political prisons is an inmate by the name of Terra Skywind, though I am sure you are more than familiar with her.” Celestia’s eyes widened in shock, more so for the fact that the human even knew about this individual and that she was being kept under lock and key. The expression of the princess said it all to the human. He knew that he had her right where he wanted her and given the certain situation, was more than likely going to get his way. “Yes princess, it seems you know full well who I am talking about. Terra Skywind, or as she is better known as, the daughter of the High King of Gryphonia.”