//------------------------------// // Awakening // Story: The Cuddle Dungeon // by Penalt //------------------------------// “I think I’ve finally figured out what the disease is...” said Celestia, as she came to a halt in the glade where her and Cuddles took their meals. Cuddles looked back at Celestia with a smile that reminded the ancient pony of Fluttershy, filled with hope and happiness. “What do you think is wrong, Princess?” Mistress Cuddles asked, leaning forward slightly. “I… I think I might be a workaholic,” Celestia said, her face a roil of emotions, the coloured gems on her bridle flashing in every combination of colours imaginable as they revealed her inner turmoil. “Go ahead, Princess,” Cuddles said, putting a wing against the alicorn. “Say it all. What do you mean you think you’re a workaholic?” “Everything you’ve been doing,” Celestia began, going to her knees so she could look Mistress Cuddles in the eyes. “The meals, the grooming, the workouts, even braiding my mane. This hasn’t been a kidnapping at all. You’re forcing me to take a break from my work as Princess.” “Why would we do that?” Mistress Cuddles said, raising an eyebrow. Her gesture and tone of voice said that she knew the answer already, but that she needed to hear Celestia say it. “Because,” Celestia said, pausing to take a breath. “Because I wouldn’t listen to anypony who tried to tell me. Not you, not my advisors, not Kibitz, not… not even Luna. I wouldn’t even listen to my own sister." Celestia felt the beginnings of tears begin to sting her eyes and Mistress Cuddles lived up to her name, wrapping her wing around Celestia’s broad neck and cuddling her close. “Why?” Mistress Cuddles asked, her voice as soft and gentle as a summer breeze. “Why wouldn’t you listen to all those ponies, who love and care for you?” “I don’t know,” Celestia said. “You called me vain a couple of days ago. Perhaps that was it?” “Considering the state your mane and coat were in,” Cuddles said, with a wry smile. “I very much doubt it was vanity that pushed you into your course of action. Try again.” Celestia paused in thought, looking inward and her introspection restored her emotional balance. “Trust,” Celestia said, after a minutes long pause. “I don’t trust anypony else with Equestria. Not even my sister. Oh, you must think I’m a terrible pony if I can’t even put faith in my own sister.” Celestia’s calm began to fall apart again and she began to sniffle a bit. Cuddles made soothing noises while she stroked Celestia’s head with her wing. “There, there. It’s okay,” Cuddles said, keeping her voice gentle and soft. “It’s just that for so very long the burden was all on you. You were the only pony for the job and just like somepony with a hurt leg, you got used to the pain and having to bear up under the weight. You got so you couldn’t even imagine not having that load, that strain.” Celestia sniffed, then nodded. “That’s why you and the others arranged all of this,” Celestia said, a little wonder coming into her voice, “because the only way to get me to rest was to literally force me to. It’s why you all made me a prisoner and created this place, because each and everypony of you care about me.” “Not entirely,” Cuddles said, with a small chuckle. “This place has been here for some time. The Cuddle Dungeon has played host to many powerful ponies over the years, including your sister, Twilight Sparkle and a few of her friends.” “Wait,” Celestia said, surprised at the revelation. “Luna and Twilight have both been here as well. Why?” “For reasons similar to those that brought you here,” Mistress Cuddles said. “Both of them needed to step away for a time, to find their balance again. Much as I did shortly after Flutterbat first manifested. Fluttershy needed to find a way to live with the wild creature inside her, and the Cuddle Dungeon did that for her.” “Why isn’t this place more widely known, if so many ponies have been here?” Celestia asked, a little puzzled. “Any pony who comes here is invited to become part of it’s staff afterward,” Cuddles said. “Those that agree become valuable assets in keeping Equestria and it’s most powerful ponies safe from themselves. Twilight, for example, is the pony that designed your shackles. As for those that don’t want to become part of our staff or advisory group, they have their memories altered, so that they only remember a restful beach vacation where they learned valuable lessons.” “Incredible,” Celestia said, looking anew at the golden band around her fetlock and wondering if they would work just as well on other alicorns. “What happens now?” “Well, you’ve made the biggest step, accepting that you have a problem,” Mistress Cuddles said. “What we need to do now is help you to learn how to accept the help of all those you have around you now. The Elements, Cadance, Twilight, and your sister, among others. You are no longer alone, and you can share the load now with those who are willing and able to help.” “So, I get to go home now, right?” Celestia asked, a hopeful tone in her voice. Cuddles laughed her silvery laugh and shook her head. “Not yet, Princess,” Cuddles said, and Celestia pouted slightly. “Perhaps I like having a princess as my prisoner, or maybe I have evil designs on your body.” Mistress Cuddles laughed again as Celestia rolled her eyes at her. “Or maybe it’s because you really do need at least another month of downtime, resting, eating health foods and doing healthy things, while you and I put together some long term strategies for the future.” Celestia looked back over her shoulder where Sand Storms and Damned Age looked at her, slightly sad expressions on their faces. “Don’t look so sad, fellows. It’s looks like the two of you are stuck with me for a little while longer at least,” Celestia said, smiling at the pair she come to view as close friends. Which is why what happened next was such a surprise. “I’m sorry, Princess Celestia,” Damned Age said, a sad little smile on his face, “but with you definitively on the mend, it’s time for me and Sand to go.” “What do you mean?” Celestia asked, then turned to Cuddles. “What does he mean?” “Thank you for your service in this matter,” Mistress Cuddles said, formally to the two pegasi. “I acknowledge that the obligation of the Shadowbolts has been discharged.” “Wait,” Celestia said, standing up. “You two really are Shadowbolts?” “Yes, we are, Ma’am,” Sand Storms said, walking up to within a step of Celestia. “We owned a debt to this place and a shadow is always sharpest when the light is at it’s brightest. We need you shining bright over Equestria.” “I’ll miss you,” Celestia said, and she found that she meant it. “If you ever want to return to being proper ponies, you have only to ask.” “And if you ever want a taste of Darkness, Princess,” Damned Age said, walking up to stand before Celestia on the other side, “you have only to say aloud our names and Sand and I will be there for you.” Then moving with the speed of his breed, he darted his head forward and playfully nibbled Celestia’s neck where it joined her shoulder. “Maybe one day,” Celestia giggled, as she batted Damned Age away. “Until then, gentlecolts, you have my thanks.” Damned just smiled like a foal caught with his hoof in the cookie jar. “Until then,” Sand Storms said, nodding to both Celestia and Mistress Cuddles. Then the pair of pegasi pumped their wings and ascended the shaft in a sheer vertical climb until they disappeared from view. It had been two full months since Princess Celestia had gone away and the strain was beginning to show on Princess Luna. Even with Twilight helping her out as much as she could Luna was barely managing to get everything taken care of that needed to be done. What couldn’t be helped was the near panic most of the nobles were still in. What nobles weren’t panicking were scheming, jockeying for position and getting in Luna’s face at every opportunity. So it was something of a relief when Princess Celestia appeared in glory in the middle of the throne room. “Get out of my chair, Usurper,” Celestia said, with a growl, and ponies around the room shrank back. Not only from the sheer crackling power the solar Diarch was holding in her horn, but from the brilliant glow coming off of Celestia’s body. Every inch of her shone with power and vitality, her ethereal mane flowing with an ever changing rainbow of colours, her body toned and trim, defined muscles that adding to her lithe beauty rather than making her look bulky or over large. Luna began to slowly get off of the thrones but that wasn’t fast enough for Celestia, who grasped the reins attached to the bridle Luna wore and pulled her to the center of the throne room with her magic. Luna made no attempt to resist, keeping her head down and looking toward the floor. Thus, she missed the wink her sister tried to give her in passing. Luna didn’t even look up when Celestia wrapped the end of a long golden chain around her neck. “Any other pony that was involved in this...conspiracy to steal me away,” Celestia said, every inch the ruler of Equestria. “Attach yourself to the chain I’ve fixed to your Mistress and I may show some mercy to you. I may even offer a cuddle or two.” Luna’s head shot up at that remark and she looked into her sister’s eyes reading the intent she saw there. “Come, my ponies,” Luna said, her twitching ears being all that she allowed to show of her relief and amusement. “We are undone and Celestia knows all. Come to me and share my fate, lest she hunt you down individually.” Several ponies emerged from the crowd and looped their chain around themselves. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Kibitz all stepped forward with about a dozen others in the throne room and the room crackled with anticipation at what was about to happen. “You lot stand accused of kidnapping, assault and lèse-majesté on an almost unprecedented scale,” Celestia said, and she formed regalia for herself out of living fire as she stood in judgement. “You all freely admit your guilt, do you have anything to say before I pass sentence?” Nopony dared to say anything, nopony dared to move or even breathe overly loud. “Very well,” Celestia said, fire wreathing about her in a blazing corona. “I grant you all the mercy of a quick execution.” The fire gathered around Celestia washed out in an unstoppable torrent and every pony watching had to look away from the brilliant fire that enveloped the guilty. When they could look back, all anypony could see was the long chain on the floor, lying amidst piles of ash. “I must contemplate the meaning of these events,” Celestia said into the echoing silence as the remaining ponies, mainly nobles and their retainers, looked on in stunned shock. “Court is adjourned until tomorrow. Any case brought before me had best be of importance, as I shall not be pleased if I have to deal with petty issues. Good day.” Celestia teleported from the room and the nobles in the room stampeded the Day Court’s clerk, offering anything they could think of to the beleaguered pony, if only they would take their case off tomorrow’s list. Celestia emerged from her teleport onto a beach of white sand. Happy music filled the air and the smells of all manner of tasty foods decided to make their presence known to her nose. She looked around the beach and noted with pleasure that several large beach umbrellas were still in place along with a cooler of cold drinks and piles of beach gear. All of those Celestia had “executed” were there, along with a great many others. Snacks and drinks were being distributed, and Pinkie Pie was already organizing some sort of game. Luna trotted up, a pair of drinks held in her magic, and Celestia wrapped her sister in a hug with forelegs and wings both. “Luna, can you ever forgive me for being so blind?” Celestia asked in her sister’s ear and Luna’s eyes became filled with happy tears. “I’m just thankful you came back,” Luna said, returning the hug, just as fiercely. “We will always come back for each other,” Celestia vowed, releasing her sister. “However, I did want to ask you about a pair of pegasi I met...”