//------------------------------// // Into the caves // Story: A one year celebration // by MissSunnySweden //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Into the caves Twilight opened her eyes. At first everything was dark, but after a few moments, her eyes started to adjust. She was in some sort of cave, that much she could tell... Rising up on all fours, she looked around in the glum darkness. She was all alone.. Where were the others? Allowing a tiny spark from her horn to better light up the dark tunnel she looked around. ”Hello?” she called, hesitantly. Her voice echoed back at her. Swallowing uneasily, she started to walk down one of the wider corridors. ”Anyone there?” she called again. She walked for several minutes through the dark caves, the echoing sound of her own hoof-steps as only company. At first she called out to her friends and to princess Celestia, but after a while she grew quiet. The hollow echoes of her own voice unnerved her, and so she continued her exploration in silence. Suddenly she heard the sound of sobbing. Pausing for a moment, she looked around, trying to figure out where the sound came from. She turned her head to the side, her ears flickering. Twilight turned down another, more narrow hallway. Running around a corner she came into another cave. The figure on the floor was frighteningly familiar, even though it was one year since Twilight had last seen Luna in this form. Curled up on the cold stone floor, no larger than a school-age filly, lay the familiar dark blue shape of Princess Luna. Her face hidden in her mane, she didn’t see Twilight approaching. ”Princess Luna?” Twilight asked, a bit hesitantly. ”Leave me be!” It was almost comical, hearing the ancient dialect from the small filly. ”I will fall for no more of your illusions demon!” ”I’m not an illusion!” Twilight exclaimed. ”I’m so happy I found you here, we were so worried about you.” ”Cease these foolish attempts!” Luna refused to look up. ”To oft have I fallen prey to your illusion. Not again!” ”Princess...” Twilight laid down beside her. ”It’s not an illusion.. I promise. I’m really here...” Luna didn’t answer, her face still hidden by her mane. ”Luna?” Twilight gently buffed her with her muzzle. ”I don’t know how to convince you it’s really me. I don’t know what you have seen before this or what they have told you. But you have to believe me Luna! I don’t know how to get back, but our friends, and your sister, is in danger! You have to believe me!” Her voice, though still gentle and soft, had a desperate tone in it. ”One of the changelings took your shape and has tricked everyone into believing it is you!” ”One... one of the changelings?” Hesitating Luna lifted her face, looking up at twilight for the first time. ”Yes?” Twilight looked directly at the younger princess. Purple eyes met dark blue. ”You said one of the changelings. Not queen of the changelings.” Lunas eyes filled with tears. ”Twilight sparkle, is it truly you?” ”Yes, it’s me!” Twilights smiled, then her smile faded a little. ”Wait, queen of the changelings?” she asked. ”Until now they told me it was the queen that took my place. You are the first that didn’t.” Lunas voice trembled just early. ”Will you give me your word, Twilight Sparkle that you are truly here. Too many times have I been fooled by illusions, just to have all my hope torn away anew.” The filly looked close to tears. ”I give you my word, your highness.” Twilight Sparkle smiled weakly at her. ”We’ll find a way out of here.” ”I have wandered these corridors for a long time..” Luna began hesitantly. ”But now we are together.” Twilight rose. ”Come on Luna, will you trust me?” Luna nodded and rose slowly. ”Lead the way then, Twilight Sparkle.” she said, standing close to the unicorn. Twilight nodded and smiled again, before she started to walk down a corridor. -.-.-.-.- ”Princess?” Twilight looked down towards the small alicorn. They had been walking for what seemed like hours, and the princess had been very quiet. Lunas head was hanging and she seemed exhausted. Twilight suddenly felt very guilty about pushing her so hard. She must have been walking very fast for the now filly-sized Luna. ”I am quite all right.” Luna looked up, smiled briefly. ”Have you found any signs of an exit?” She looked around the cave walls. ”No... I’m sorry.” Twilight sighed a little and then she looked up again. The two stood in silence for a little while, studying their surroundings. ”Did you hear that?” Twilight said suddenly, looking up. ”Hear what?” Luna blinked, her face confused. ”I think.. I think that is the sound of running water!” The purple unicorn exclaimed and suddenly started running down a hallway towards the weak sound. Luna, having no choice, ran after her as fast as her legs could carry her. The sound of running water got steadily stronger as they got closer. Twilight finally rounded a corner and entered a cave much larger than any they had previously visited. The walls were covered in crystals that reflected glimpses of daylight, brought in with the waterfall that fell through the roof into a pool in the middle of the room. From the pool, a small river travelled through the cave out through another corridor, and Twilight could just barely catch the scent of trees and grass. ”Princess, I think I found a way out!” she turned around just as Luna joined her. But the alicorns gaze was focused on the wall on the far side of the room, eyes wide and legs trembling. As Twilight watched, the princess let out a heart wrenching scream. ”No! Not you! I will never surrender to you!” Twilight, at loss of what to do, followed the mares terrified stare. She gasped in sudden surprise and fear. Reflected in the crystals, twice the size she usually was, was the horrifying image of Nightmare Moon, dark eyes sparkling, and with a triumphant smile on her face.