//------------------------------// // The 'Chosen' One // Story: The Dawn Before Twilight // by CinnabarPony //------------------------------// Twilight gasped and ran over to the fallen alicorn, looking over her body with fear and confusion in her eyes. “Celestia? CELESTIA?!” Nothing. She screamed as loud as her lungs would allow, her voice echoing along the empty hallways: “HELP! IT’S PRINCESS CELESTIA! HELP! SOMETHING'S WRONG!” Twilight felt herself beginning to tear up as second by agonizing second passed and nopony came to her aid. Ignoring the infuriating rule the others had put in place, she used her magic to check for a pulse. It was there, thank the heavens. However Celestia seemed to be breathing with significant strain, she was pained to realize. “Don’t worry Princess, everything is going to be fine…” She put her hooves around the unconscious princess, not able to hide the fact that tears were now streaming down her cheeks. But you don’t know that, Twilight. You don’t know that this thing won’t kill her before we even figure out what it is. It took far too long for a pair of guards to arrive on the scene. An armored unicorn levitated Celestia onto a stretcher, preparing to take her away to the infirmary. “What happened, Princess?” The unicorn guard asked, acknowledging Twilight in her broken down state. “I- I don’t know, she just…” Twilight had no idea what to think. She was far too surprised and frightened to gather her thoughts. One thing was for sure, it wasn’t a lack of sleep that had led to this. She saw the look in Celestia’s eyes. She was under attack. “Thank you, Princess. We will... we will get her to the infirmary at once.” The guard responded, seemingly a bit overwhelmed by the state of both alicorns. “Wait, Celestia! I want to be with her, what if something else happens?” “Princess, we can assure you that her majesty is in good hooves.” The second guard’s coat gave the impression he’d fallen out of a chimney, and his mane was a brilliant, fiery orange. “If we require your assistance with the situation, we will say so.” “At the moment,” the other guard started, “I encourage you to let me escort you to your room, Twilight. We will be doing our best to help her, I can assure you.” Twilight looked up at the odd use of her first name by a royal guard, and found Cloudchaser looking down her with a sympathetic smile. Feeling angry and overwhelmed, she brushed the tears from her eyes and stormed off in the opposite direction towards the guest room. Worry did not even begin to describe what Twilight was enduring when she returned to her room to clear her thoughts, and, most importantly, to stop the flow of tears streaming down her cheeks. Shutting the door behind her and leaning back against the wall, she began to breathe slow, calming breaths in an attempt to ease her racing mind and the pulsating heartbeat in her ears. She knew she couldn't keep acting like this. It was her job to be strong for Celestia, strong for herself. Twilight’s first thought was to let Spike know of the tragedy. However, the little dragon was no longer in the room, a mess of blankets at the side of his bed marking his absence. She could only assume he left at some point to get breakfast. After getting his advice was ruled out, her thoughts shifted to Luna and Cadance. They would be able to help, surely. Celestia was only unconscious, remember? She’s still breathing. She’s going to be alright. You just have to let them know what happened. Wiping her red, puffy eyes one last time, she reached a hoof towards the door, her only priority getting Luna and Cadence for help. Unfortunately, Twilight’s hoof never reached the doorknob. Because in that moment, the most pain Twilight had ever experienced came rushing through her skull and spreading everywhere throughout her body. It felt worse than if somepony had been trying to forcibly tear her horn off, and was succeeding. The excruciating pain overcoming her, Twilight’s legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor, crying out in agony. The short-lived headache on her and Spike’s way here was nothing compared to this. She screamed for mercy, for the torment to stop. For several minutes it didn’t. If anything, the pain only grew more and more unbearable. She thrashed and screamed with all her might, all for naught. And with most of the castle dealing with Celestia in the infirmary, there was nopony around to hear her pleas. Clearing away her tears had been proven pointless, for fresh new ones were being forced out of her closed eyes. After the realization came to Twilight that she just might end up dying from this, in dreadful pain and all alone, a blood-curdling voice echoed through her head, its tone a sickeningly amused one. “Hello, Princess.” The voice had no specific age or gender, or anything else to identify what the source of it might be, other than the pure joy that it appeared to be feeling. Twilight didn’t have much time to dwell on the nature of the voice, however, as the pain within her only increased with every word it spoke. “I have chosen, you, Princess. I have chosen you. I’ve been watching you, and you have the most potential out of any alicorn. Potential that has gone unused for far too long. You have the most to gain, the most desired from others. Your emotions will be simple to twist into a means of getting what we want. Your peers are scared and weak, now is the time to rise above them!” And just like that, the pain stopped. Twilight’s body wasn’t burning anymore, and her horn was still very much in tact. The alicorn lifted her head and let out heavy breaths, her lungs far too tired to scream, which was what made the most sense at the moment to do. The only thought circulating through her brain was Why? Why did this have to happen to me? For a solid few minutes, that was all she could think. Her limbs, though having regained consciousness, were frozen in place, and Twilight lay there with nothing but her own confusion and terror for company. That was until Spike reentered the bedroom. He was whistling merrily and held in his claws a large bowl of multicolored gems, all of which fell to the floor at the sight of what had become of Twilight. He was at a loss of what to say, he just stared, bug-eyed, at the mess of an alicorn before him. Twilight mind eventually cleared a bit, and her fear and shock were replaced with a single objective: I need to tell the others. And just like that, she dashed past an overturned bowl of gems and a very bewildered dragon, Luna and Cadance the only things she would allow into her mind before she found them. She made her way as quickly as possible towards the library. To her dismay, she found the room being staffed by only a single earth pony guard. “Where are the princesses?” Her tone was, to say the least, less than tranquil, and it along with Twilight’s state was enough to make the guard retreat a few steps before answering. “I apologize, your Highness, I thought you knew. I’ve been informed that Princess Luna and Princess Cadance are in the infirmary.” “What?” It couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t. “You mean, like, to check on Celestia?” “No, your highness. Again, I deeply apologize, but it seems the other two princesses have fallen victim to the same condition as Princess Celestia. All three are in the infirmary recovering.” Twilight stood there for a moment, eyes wide, her breathing fast-paced and ragged. She looked around the entire library, then back to the guard, who backed away a few more steps in response. Her bloodshot eyes seemed to glare right into his soul. If he didn’t know better, he could’ve sworn the princess’ scieras were a bit off-colored. But before he could get a better look, Twilight turned from him. Without a word, she then walked out of the library, head hanging low. She wasn’t panicking anymore, at least not on the outside. She trudged as if in slow motion back to her bedroom, eyes glazed over and and expression unbelieving. She didn't know if she could manage processing everything that had happened. She didn't even know if she wanted to. All of the other princesses, unconscious? Why? And why was she the only one who hadn’t… That voice. It was the same one. It chose her. She was the one with the most potential, the worthiest alicorn. It had done this to the others, and she had no idea how to get them back. Twilight slowly pushed open her door with her magic, Celestia’s rule not even registering in her mind as she did so. She looked utterly defeated, and walked right past Spike to go sit on the edge of her bed and think things over. The dragon whom she had ignored stood in a position not much different than how she had left him. Gems remained littered all over the ground. “Um... Twilight?” The purple alicorn remained on the edge of her bed, unmoving, adorning a look of despair. “Are- are you alright? What happened?” Not getting the answer he needed from Twilight, who remained unreadable and completely silent, he climbed up onto the bed and sat beside her. After a brief moment of kicking his legs and fumbling over something to say, he quietly asked, “Twilight, I- I’m just worried about you. You’ve been acting weird since this morning, and I… don’t know what to do. You gotta tell me, is everything alright?” Twilight felt tears well up once again, but stopped herself from starting to cry once more, knowing that as soon as it started, she wouldn’t be able to stop. She turned to her very concerned assistant, sighed, and then began to recount to him exactly what had happened starting that breakfast. At the end of Twilight’s retelling, Spike looked shocked beyond comparison. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around Twilight, who dug her muzzle into his shoulder and breathed long, raspy breaths as her eyes began to water once more. There was a million questions rushing through the little dragon’s brain, but at the moment all that mattered to him was comforting her. They remained like that for a good while, Spike’s embrace doing far more to console the poor princess than words ever could, before she finally broke out of the hug, giving Spike a breathed thanks before staring out into oblivion once more. Spike decided now was as good a time as any to question further. He treaded carefully, making sure his words were the softest they could be. “So, Twilight... you said there’s something evil in your... head? And it chose you over all the other princesses?” With a short sniffle, Twilight responded, “That’s what I think. And now all the others are all unconscious, probably because of some magic I have no idea how to counter...” Panic was getting the better of her once more,  “...so it's up to me to figure it all out. What’s happening to them... what’s happening to me… And I don’t have the slightest idea on how to do it!” she gave him a desperate, somewhat manic stare. He returned it with reassuring smile. “I think you’re forgetting something, Sparkle.” Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle at her assistant’s unique nickname for her, “Yeah? And what’s that, Spike?” The dragon seemed surprised, “Well, your friends of course! The Elements of Harmony! You guys have taken down loads of bad guys while the other princesses have been in danger. I don’t see how this is any different. And if they know you’re in trouble, we both know they’ll do everything they can to help you, Twilight.” The alicorn looked relieved. She exhaled deeply as a smile made its way to her lips. “You know what, you’re right! Spike, take a letter. Whatever this thing is, and whatever it’s doing, I know we’re gonna need the help of ours friends to stop it.” Spike gleefully pulled out some parchment and a quill from Twilight’s desk, dipping the feather in a bottle of fresh ink before getting ready to scribe. “Ok Twilight, what do you-” But Twilight was no longer on the bed. The alicorn had fallen to the carpeted ground, holding her head in her hooves. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was shaking violently. “Twilight!” Spike could do nothing but stare at the alicorn, overwhelmed by the pain that had all of a sudden become her once more. She gave out a garbled cry, as she heaved dry sobs and pleaded with the world for the torture to stop. Then, the voice came. Only now, it was angry. “Trusting this one with our secret, are you?” Spike stared at the writhing Twilight, then to the blank parchment he held, and knew what he had to do to help the pony he cared about most in the world. Dear Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie pie... “No one must know about our plans, Twilight. About me. If you want the rise above the rest, there are precautions you must take!” There is an evil creature that has attacked the princesses. It’s gotten into their heads and is able to speak to them tella telapathi in their minds. “I have taken the liberty of subduing your fellow princesses. Now is your time.” Celestia, Luna, and Cadance are all unconscious. We don’t know what’s wrong with them or how to wake them up. “You must do whatever it takes to get into power. With my help, you will be unstoppable!” Twilight is in a lot of pain. The creature said that it has ‘chosen’ her. “This one will try to put a stop to our plans. Your window will close and you will forever be forced live in your fellow princesses’ shadow.” Please, come to Canterlot as soon as you can. We need your help. “You know what you want. Make the right decision, Twilight.” The purple mare’s eyes shot open at the voice’s conclusion. Same as before, the pain had ceased, just like that. Her breathing heavy and pulse racing, she slowly unfurled her hooves away from her skull and awkwardly managed to stand. “Twilight!” said a relieved Spike, putting down his quill. “You okay now? Sweet Celestia, I was worried. It’s alright, as soon as I get this letter to the girls, they’ll be able to help you.” “No.” “I… What? Why?” Spike was more than a little unhinged by Twilight stern response. She had been writhing in agony moments earlier. Why did she not want help? “I said no, Spike. Don’t send it.” “But- but… You’re in pain! You and the other princesses, you’re all in danger! We need help!” Twilight’s face shifted into an angry grimace, one the Spike had rarely seen from such a patient and kind pony, “We do not need their help. They’ll do nothing but slow us down. I can handle this myself, Spike.” Spike eyes grew wide as he backed up towards the bedroom window, the scroll held tightly in his claws. “You heard me loud and clear, Spike. Give it here.” Spike only backed away farther, until he was right below the bedroom window. If he could just produce a small flame… “SPIKE!” Twilight saw what the dragon was attempting, however. She slammed the window shut and tore the scroll out of Spike’s claws with her telekinesis. With a quick spark of magic, the letter was set aflame, and Spike could only watch in horror as their only hope was reduced to a pile of ash on the carpet. “I gave you an order, you disrespectful little dragon. You’re not to disobey me again, is that clear?!” Spike could only fearfully nod in reply, too scared to attempt speech. “I’m going to check on the others. You aren’t to leave.” With that, Twilight stormed out of the bedroom in a huff. Spike could do nothing but stare out to where she had left. He was frightened and surprised and unsure, but most of all, he worried more than ever for his best friend. Purple hooves clicked and clacked loudly on marble as the alicorn walked with dignity towards the infirmary. In hindsight, she realized that she had perhaps treated her assistant a little too harshly. He may have disobeyed her, and telling the others would have most certainly put a stop to her plans, but he was just a baby dragon, and he looked up to Twilight more than anypony. A regretful look made its way onto face, and she decided to apologize the next time she saw him. Twilight hadn’t been to the infirmary before, so it took her a good while to find. She eventually located the secluded section of the castle by following the sounds of panicked guards  wondering what they were to do now that the royal sisters were unable to serve. When Twilight approached, all noise fell silent. “Your highness, we are all very glad to see you are alright.” The closest of the guards greeted Twilight respectfully. The same gray and orange stallion as before. “May I see the others, please?” After glancing to his fellow guards, the stallion nodded and unlocked the door leading to the afflicted mares. What Twilight was faced with once she entered the room nearly made her choke up. Three hospital beds lay in a line along the back wall of the blank canvas of a room. They were larger than average beds, to account for the larger than average ponies using them. The royal sisters and Princess Cadance lay completely limp, as if corpses. Twilight’s steps towards them were small and uncertain, as if they were about to jolt back into consciousness. The first pony she approached was Celestia, who was still breathing the same ragged and uneven breaths. To see such a magnificent and powerful pony diminished to something so helpless, it almost hurt Twilight to see. She then visited in turn the bedsides of both Cadance and Luna. Their breathing was just as worrying. Twilight had to force herself not to begin crying. She had shed far too many tears that day, and crying over the situation at hand would not accomplish anything. She decided it would be best to do something of use, while she was here. Closing her eyes, her horn illuminated a slightly off-pink as she scanned the three of them for any enchantments that could've been placed. It was a useful but rather tricky spell, for fully-grown ponies -alicorns, at that- were far more difficult to enchant than everyday objects, and these such enchantments were even harder to detect. Even while doubting herself, however, Twilight was pleased to find her performing of the spell easier than ever before. The results didn’t shock her, though they were still difficult to come to terms with. All three had had unspeakable dark magic cast upon them, leaving them extremely weak and not far from their own demises. The gears in Twilight’s head started turning immediately, her exposure to dark magic had been limited before now, it would surely take her a while to come up with a spell powerful enough to undo all of this…. “Princess, I see you have come to visit your peers,” A doctor, a brown and white stallion with a spotless lab coat on, entered the room all of a sudden then and approached the mare, causing her to annoyingly lose her train of thought. He wore the same look of pity for her as guards. It was really starting to get on Twilight’s nerves. “I apologize, we have not yet figured out just what exactly has happened to them.” Twilight was silent for moment, it took all her strength not to roll her eyes, “How long do they have, if nothing is done?" “For now, they are all stable. Very weak, but stable. In comas, but we are not sure why, or whether it is some kind of magical force or a health concern that has rendered them this way.” Twilight only dropped her head, sighing. “I will… leave you alone with them.” The doctor spoke after a brief pause, and exited the room. When Twilight looked once more upon Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, she was surprised to find that her outlook on the situation had strangely… shifted. She remembered the voice: “I have taken the liberty of subduing your fellow princesses, now is your time.” It was no mystery, what had happened to them. Twilight knew all too well. And she was planning on using it to her advantage. The small gathering of royal guards, as well as the doctor, all turned their eyes to the purple mare as she exited the room that now held nearly all the most powerful ponies in Equestria, all still very much unmoving. “As you know, all three are of my fellow princesses are- unfit to rule at the moment.” The ponies before her only nodded, listening carefully to every word their last remaining ruler uttered. “I will do my very best to look for a solution. In the mean time, as I am next in the line of command, I should be the one to take over the control of Equestria until the others are healed.” The castle staff looked to one another, then nodded universally amongst themselves. “Of course, Princess Twilight. As is the way of things,” agreed the doctor. “We will inform the rest of the castle. You may take up the throne room, if you wish, and i’ll get somepony to fetch you the duties that are in need of completing in the wake of the royal sisters’ absence.” “And, Cadance?” Even if she had a nagging feeling not to bring it up, Twilight’s concern for her sister in law was far too great to subdue. “Yes. Of course. I will get a letter written to inform the Crystal Empire of her condition, if you wish.” “I- that would be…” Twilight thought of her family in the Crystal Empire, of her brother and her niece, and pleaded with herself to allow them to send the letter. They had the right to know, didn’t they? No, telling them would only endanger her plans. “I will be sure to write and send a letter myself, thank you.” One of the guards seemed confused at her reply, and assured her, “Princess, there’s no trouble with us sending anything for you, if you-” “No!” Twilight’s denial got her a startled look from the guard. “...if you please. I’d like to inform my family in the Crystal Empire of the situation at hand myself.” The staff seemed, once again, universally content with Twilight’s explanation, if not slightly more unhinged after her small outburst, “Of course, your highness. Please, let us escort you to the throne room, if we may.” Twilight sat still as a statue on Celestia’s throne, looking over the expansive, and, for the most part, empty throne room before her. Two pegasus guards were positioned below her, looking out for any threat that might come for the last remaining princess. For the most part, the duties of Celestia and Luna that day were simple. There were a few scrolls she had to sign, a few important ponies to speak with, but for the most part the remainder of her day was quite dull. It was nothing she hadn’t already been accustomed to doing as the Princess of Friendship. Throughout the day, the only thing Twilight asked of anypony working in the castle was to continue tending to her peers. She would have to be patient. This was a good start, but there was far more work to be done before she could truly get what they both wanted. Universal adoration, commendation, and control would take time. Outside Canterlot Castle's walls was a world she needed to prepare for, and one that was hopefully never going to have a chance to prepare for her. The raining had only increased since morning, and it was now pouring in buckets outside. Distant rumbling informed of an oncoming storm.The endless patter of raindrops against glass was the majority of what Twilight would hear until late that afternoon. Leaning against the back of her throne, Twilight was starting to grow impatient with herself. How could princess Celestia just sit here for so long? With a sigh, she got the attention of one of the guards, and told him to go fetch Spike. There was no putting off her apology any longer. A few minutes later, Spike tentatively creaked open the door to the throne room with nothing but fear in his little green eyes. He then made his way towards the seated princess, his footsteps being drowned out by the rain and incoming thunder just outside. “Hello, Spike.” “Uh… hey, Twilight. How’s it going?” “Could be better. We still don’t know when the others will be back to good health.” Spike mumbled something shyly. Being a good ten feet below Twilight, she found herself incapable of hearing him. Without so much as a second thought, she plucked the little dragon up off his feet and levitated him to eye-level. “I’m sorry, what was that?” Something about Twilight’s smile was off, and the dragon glared at it with uncertainty. “I… aren’t you not supposed to be using any magic... Twilight, to protect you from that- that thing?” Twilight smile vanished, “Spike, I am the last remaining princess of Equestria. I have duties to my subjects, you know. I cannot afford the luxury of worrying about my own safety when the rest of Equestria needs tending to. You understand, I hope?” “Um, yes...” mumbled Spike, not sure if it was safe to respond any other way. Twilight let out a sigh, “Spike, i’d like to apologize for my behavior earlier. You were just trying to do the right thing, even though you may have disobeyed me. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted like that.” Spike seemed, more than anything, surprised at Twilight’s words. He gave her a small smile in return, “That’s okay, Twilight.” “But Spike, you have to listen. You are never to disobey me again. You are my assistant, you have a duty to me and to Equestria. There will be consequences next time. Do you understand?” Spike’s relief was short-lived. “I- I do, Twilight. I understand,” But as the princess gave herself a satisfied grin, the little dragon couldn’t help speaking his mind. “But, Twilight, shouldn’t I send a letter to the other elements? Our friends? If the others are still-” “No,” The answer was just as forceful and angry as it had been previously. Spike ducked his head in shame, dreading what would be coming next. “We do not need the elements’ help, do you understand that? I have everything under control here. We will find out what happened to the princesses, and until they recover, I will take over the role of ruler of Equestria. You are not to disagree with me again on this decision.” Spike didn’t know whether to feel worried for Twilight or just plain scared for himself when she responded the way she did. He gave a small nod and began to back away from the throne as soon as she released him from her magic. “I won’t, Twilight, don’t worry. Do you mind if I- uh, head back to the room?” After her little outburst, Twilight appeared to have returned to a content state, as if their exchange had never even happened. “Yes, Spike, go on ahead.” Spike wasted no time hopping down the stairs leading to the throne, a difficult task considering his size, and did his best not to run frantically for the doors. He managed to keep his pace a steady jog, but as soon he reached them, Twilight's voice echoed through the halls, “Oh- and, Spike?” “Yeah?” “It’s Princess Twilight Sparkle. It’s my official title, and it’s time you took to using it more often.”