Cause And Distress

by pabrony


First Day Of School

Twilight Sparkle bounced excitedly around the tall, snow white pony as she walked through the corridors of Canterlot Castle. She had not only passed her entrance exam to Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns, became Princess Celestia's personal pupil but she had also gained her cutie mark. It was the perfect day.

"Where are we going, Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked eagerly.

The alicorn smiled at the filly's enthusiasm as she knew that she was destined for greatness within the next ten years. As the pair reached the doors to the courtyard, Twilight lit her horn in an attempt to pull the doors open. She tried with all her might for about a minute before giving up.

"How about we try opening the doors the other direction," Celestia said with a light chuckle. Celestia raised her hoof and pushed the oak door open with ease.

Celestia began to walk through the door when Twilight suddenly screamed in panic.

“Twilight?” Celestia said, turning to look at the petrified filly.


“Where am I?” Twilight whimpered.


“SURPRISE!” shouted nearly a hundred ponies as the lights in the room came on.

Twilight stood in the doorway, paralyzed in fear, as she tried to figure out what was going on.

“You a’ight, sugarcube?” Applejack asked as she tried to set a hoof on the unicorn’s back.

Twilight quickly pulled away and darted underneath a table, covering her face with her hooves as the rest of her body quivered in terror.

“Twilight, darling, whatever is the matter?” Rarity asked gently as she poked her head under the table.

“Who… who are you?” Twilight asked as she peeked out from under her hooves.

“It's me, Rarity. I redid your mane a couple hours ago, remember?”

Twilight slowly shook her head as tears began running down her cheeks.

“I don't know any of you. I don't even know where I am. I want my mother, please,” Twilight said as she began crying harder.

Fluttershy slowly crawled under the table and draped her left wing over Twilight's back. “There, there. It's going to be okay. I'll stay here with you while everypony else looks for your mom.” said Fluttershy softly.

Twilight nuzzled up to the yellow pegasus as her crying continued.

“I really think we should end the party now, Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy said, returning the nuzzle. “There's something really wrong and the whole town being here probably isn't the best idea.”

“Awww, but I worked so hard on this,” Pinkie whined.

“Hate ta say it but she's right, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “This here crowd ain't gonna do any favors in calmin’ th’ girl down.”

So one by one, each of the Ponyville residents began exiting Golden Oaks Library.

‘I just want to go home,’ Twilight thought seconds before another bright light filled her vision.


Once the light that had blinded Twilight dissipated, she found herself inside the ruins of an ancient castle. Still terrified from her ordeal at the surprise party, her fear intensified tenfold upon hearing the evilest laugh anypony could imagine. She looked toward the direction of the laughter and saw a black pony with five light gray stones on the ground in front of her.

“Who are you?!” Twilight screamed in terror. “Where did you bring me?”

“Who am I? You should know, you little foal. You're the one who introduced the entire town to me,” the mare said with a laugh. “I am Nightmare Moon! And I guarantee that you will never see the sun nor Princess Celestia ever again! Mwa ha ha ha ha!”

Twilight, uncertain of what to do, bolted for the nearest pile of rubble that she could hide in. ‘What is she talking about? I never saw her before in my life,’ Twilight thought frantically. ‘I'll do anything so I can go home.’

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” Nightmare Moon taunted. “You can't hide forever.”

“TWILIGHT! WE'RE COMING! HANG ON!” came the sound of Applejack's voice from a nearby stairwell.

‘There's that nice farm pony that I met a few minutes ago. She'll be able to help me,’ Twilight thought as she wiped her tears away.

As Nightmare Moon slowly stalked Twilight, five more ponies entered the chamber, ready to do battle alongside their newest friend. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found.

“Do you five really think that you can defeat me? I have the Elements Of Harmony in my possession and now…” Nightmare Moon reared back on her hind legs and then forcefully slammed her forehooves to the ground, shattering the orbs. “...they are scrap. The only thing you have to show for your journey is broken stones and a little purple unicorn that's too terrified to show herself.”

“Don't count yer apples b’fore they fall, Missy,” said Applejack. “Fluttershy, you an’ Pinkie find Twilight an’ help calm her down. The rest of us will keep Miss Moon occupied while Y'all work yer magic.”

Just as the group of friends split up, another bright light filled Twilight's vision, blinding her once more.


“Twilight? Are you okay?” Celestia asked as she knelt down in front of the purple filly.

Twilight just stood in front of the doorway, staring off into space in a trance-like state.
The only bodily functions that showed, aside from her breathing, were tears that began rolling down her cheeks.

“I don't know any of you. I don't even know where I am. I want my mother, please,” Twilight whispered. “I just want to go home.”

Celestia tilted her head in confusion from Twilight’s actions and what she had said. “Do you really want to return home, Twilight?”

“Who are you?!” Twilight screamed in terror. “Where did you bring me?”

Twilight continued to stand in the doorway, petrified, as her cheeks became darker as more tears flowed down them. It was clear to the princess that something was wrong with the young filly but she couldn't figure out what it was.

“Come with me, Twilight,” Celestia said softly as she levitated the catatonic filly onto her back. “Let's go see Dr. Insight so she can find out what's bothering you.”

As soon as Twilight's hooves touched the princess's back, however, her demeanor changed almost instantly.

“No! Stop hurting my friends! PRINCESS CELESTIA! WHERE ARE YOU? HELP US!” Twilight shrieked as her hallucination continued.

Celestia stopped walking and turned her head to face Twilight. She had to act fast to help her apprentice before it became too late. She looked around and noticed one of the castle guards standing watch over Princess Luna’s bedchambers.

“Centurion!” she shouted to get the other pony's attention.

“Yes, Your Highness?” he replied.

“Find Cadet Shining Armor and bring him the emergency ward. I also want you to have Dr. Insight meet us there,” Celestia commanded.

“Right away, princess!”

“Please, Princess Celestia,” Twilight begged. “We need your help before Nightmare Moon takes over Equestria. Where are you?”

“I'm right here, Twilight,” Celestia said calmly as she began a brisk walk toward the castle emergency ward. “There is nothing to be afraid of. I promise.”


“Cadet Shining Armor, reporting as ordered, Your Highness.”

“Cadet, I need your help, however, what you see stays between you, me and the doctor. Is that understood?” Celestia told him.

“Yes, ma'am,” Shining Armor answered.

Celestia looked him directly in the eyes and warned him, “If what you see is disclosed to anyone, including your parents, you will be dishonorably discharged for insubordination and imprisoned in the stockade.”

“Understood, Princess.”

Princess Celestia then lead Shining Armor to the room where his sister was continuing to experience a terror-inducing hallucination.

“How… how long has she been like this?” Shining asked with a look of shock on his face.

“About twenty minutes. Has this ever happened before?” Celestia inquired.

“She, um, used to hear voices until her psychiatrist prescribed her some antipsychotic medication last year,” he replied as he approached his sister. “She’s never had any type of premonition or hallucination before, though.”

“This is your last warning! Leave me and my friends alone!” Twilight shouted as a bright pink glow began to surround her horn.

Celestia realized what was about to happen and quickly erected a shield in front of herself and the young cadet.

Twilight aimed her horn in the direction of her brother and discharged the energy that had built up. A powerful beam of magic left the filly’s horn and hit the shield, causing the entire room to shake. The beam lasted approximately fifteen seconds long and when it finished discharging, Twilight collapsed onto the bed she was standing on.

“Are you okay, Twily?” Shining softly asked as he cautiously approached his sister.

“Shiny? Wha-what happened?” Twilight asked weakly.