The inky, swirling darkness was stifling to look at. Where was she? What was going on? Her whole world was gone, and now she was left all alone. She couldn't understand. The clear, light gold shell that surrounded her, keeping the black nothing at bay, strained as she curled closer to herself, watching in perpetual anxiety.
Her coat, a light fuchsiaish gray that was brilliant enough to be mistaken for white, ruffled and creased the tighter she hugged herself. Her wavy, multi-colored mane of light cerulean, light turquoise, very light cobalt blue, and pale heliotrope seemed to be her only real comfort in this nightmare, as her pale, light grayish magenta eyes stared out of the magical shield around her. Her ear flicked when the silence was fractured for a moment by a small but vicious voice that whispered accusations that she couldn't accept nor deny. All she held was worry, guilt, shame, stress, and fear, which quickened her breath and drowned the voice.
But the words that seemed to have come from the darkness itself refused to be ignored. Refused to be drowned by her own panic. Words that scratched, scraped and seeped through the hairline cracks, prodding at her, and making her emotions run high and her spirit degrade. It wanted what was taken away from it. It wanted its freedom. It wanted her. It wanted her to suffer as much as it suffered.
"Please, stop," she whimpered, which only seemed to agitate the darkness around her. The golden shell around her made a sudden crack as more fractures appeared at an alarming rate. Her eyes shut tight, as she felt and heard the magic around her that was keeping her safe was failing and fast. "I... I couldn't... There was nothing... I could do."
The magic shattered as the darkness flooded in, consuming her body and screams.
-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-
Princess Celestia, waking violently in a cold, panicked sweat, braced herself as she tried to control her heavy, deep breathing. Eyes closing tightly, she focused deep within herself as intensely as she could to calm her nerves, and repeat the mantra that has been used quite often in the last while, ever since the return of the Crystal Empire. After finally regaining her composure, as her eyes trailed up towards the night sky, she slowly began to relax with the notion of knowing she was still here in her bedchambers and what she had been preparing for hadn't arrived. With a slow, deep, and shaky sigh, Celestia corrected herself over the fact. It hadn't arrived yet, but it will be soon.
She gently pawed at her face with her hooves, almost as if she was trying to reassure herself of the current circumstances. Running them through her silky, ethereal mane, she slowly dipped into her thoughts and memories of this honestly rather nightmarish project. The plan, initially proposed by Starswirl himself beyond a millennium ago before he disappeared with the other original "pillars", as they were called, was set in motion in present day with little trouble, save for the final part. While five of the ones summoned came deliberately and with relatively no issue, the sixth was not only brought in through accidental happenstance, but had displayed himself to be a massive threat if left unchecked. Of course, the whole situation was beyond delicate at this point, and any alterations to what was established would only cause far more harm than what she could handle, so she had opted to just let events play out and keep an eye on all six.
All in all, despite some hiccups, the Dark Hearts, as she had decided to dub them privately for simplicity's sake, had shown to be relatively cooperative, to varying degrees. Their own versions of compassion, joy, grace, strength, and bravery, not to mention the new types of magic they had brought with them were intriguing to say the very least. It was also a blessing to know some of them really took to their companions, even if others were less than eager. It did Celestia's heart some good, and made her think that their presence just might prove to be the key to Equestria's- no, the world's survival.
As she calmed down further and her eyes danced about the moon bathed room, becoming more and more at peace with her surroundings and current standing, she began to transition her thoughts from the Elements and the Dark Hearts themselves to the predicament that they had been forced into. In truth, despite the need for their services, she did had misgivings over stealing them away from their home worlds to have them solve an issue they had no stake in. It was always something that she had protested when the plan was first drafted, despite Starswirl's reassurance. Or, it was less reassurance and more the belief that beings already baptized in a deep darkness and then brought over to defend us would be a more useful tool than sacrificing brighter souls to corruption or dark magic in order to produce a similar effect. The ethics alone made the palpable guilt all the worse. Still, the ones brought WERE at death's door already, so were they no longer a part of the worlds they came from?
She gave another sigh, knowing this was one of the many, many things that made sleeping so difficult, if it weren't for sleep spells and modern medicine. She gazed towards the writing desk that sat off to the side of the fireplace. It had been some time since the six of them had grown accustomed to the world, now having some sort of stake, be it the bonds they've made or the goals they've established. She supposed it was now a good time to come clean about her involvement and why they've been brought here. She then remembered who the letter would go to, and realized that she deceived her student as well. All of those reports on the "anomaly" Twilight had been working on and sending to Celestia gave the Princess another brick of guilt to build her growing wall of issues.
"Who knows how much time she wasted on such a thing when she could have spent it in other, better ways." Celestia slowly rose up from her bed, tossing the sheets away from her, and began to approach the writing desk, now with growing desire to at least end that problem she had ended up creating for her precious little pony.
Planting a seat before the paper and quill that was already set up and ready to be used, she picked up her writing tool with the light of her horn, dipped it in the ink-well, and began to conduct her letter.
To My Dearest Twilight Sparkle,
Over the years that I've had the pleasure of being your mentor, my beloved student, I have known you to be a very steadfast and earnest young mare. Your willingness to research even into the strangest of topics either at our request or through your personal volition is nothing short of inspiring, and I could not be prouder. However, there is something that I must inform you, not as your teacher, friend, or guardian, but as the current co-ruler of the lands, with a heavy and contrite heart.
I believe it's about time I come clean to you about current circumstances. While I appreciate your reports and updates in regards to your research, as you have no doubt spent many long hours doing so, finding clue after clue of the "anomaly" as you refer it to, it is ultimately futile. Not that it'll be impossible to finally understand and replicate, especially for the necessity of our extra-equestrian guest, but for the fact that I'm already aware of its properties. I have been for quite some time now.
This situation, this duress I have placed upon you, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor, and the good people of Equestria as a whole is of my doing. The "anomaly" is from a spell I have casted on five occasions, with the sixth coming from a source closely connected to these circumstances. The reasons for such an action on my end will be explained, but not in this letter. It would be best for all of you, from the creatures summoned to the guardians that have custody over them during their stay, to learn the full truth once you are all gathered. I will send a royal decree to those that have prior occupations to allow a leave of absence to discuss such matters, and the meeting will be done within a week's time.
I know this information I have bestowed upon you has likely shocked you, while it has possibly left your trust in me shaken, if not fractured, and I have nothing but deep regret for hiding such a secret and forcing you into the dark. I do not expect forgiveness for my transgressions, nor do I expect for our relationship as dear friends to ever return to how it was, but I ask that you please keep an open mind, while also keeping this information to yourself for now. Neither your friends nor the guests the six of you harbor should be placed into a negative state of mind leading up to the meeting.
I assure you, once everything is settled, once I'm assured that their presence is no longer required for what's to come in the near future, I will happily grant them the option to return to their original worlds. Please, grant me a small mercy and trust me on this. If you have any doubts or questions, express them in your reply or address me when we are together again.
Signed by your contrite former teacher,
Princess Celestia
With the letter finally inscribed on the parchment, she rolled the letter before magically summoning a seal to keep it closed. Holding it aloft with her magic, she hesitated for a moment, remembering it was still the dead of night, not one hundred percent sure if Twilight would be awake at this time, nor was she wanting to interrupt her sleep if she wasn't. Not wanting to wait until morning and end up convincing herself to postpone the whole thing for a later date, Celestia bit the bullet and cast the spell to send the letter. The scroll suddenly evaporated and disappeared into the night sky, leaving the monarch once again alone in her room.
Returning to her bed, she crawled partially back under her covers and gazed outside into the night sky once again, watching the twinkling stars to try to distract her mind for the time being while she waited. She didn't quite know how long she had been gazing out into the dark of the night, but her concentration was soon broken when the tell-tale sign of the message spell had been presented to her. It was a reply, and with a flick of her horn, she summoned the scroll into existence and unfurled the parchment. Inside it read:
I will be sure to get everyone ready by then. Thank you for telling me. I'll save my questions for when I'm there.
- Twilight Sparkle
Her heart sank. Despite somewhat expecting it, she was hoping she wouldn't get such a curt response from Twilight. Never-the-less, the deed was done, and now all that was left was to carry on as normal until the day approaches. With yet another sigh, she flipped the covers over her head, closed her eyes, and pushed herself to drift into slumber. She had a long week ahead of her, and she was going to need the night's reprieve before it all started.