//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: The Moon's Special Star // by lightningflare1 //------------------------------// The Moon’s Special Star It’s been an almost a month since Luna had admitted her true feelings towards Twilight, and she honestly couldn’t be any happier. She wasn’t even grumpy in the mornings anymore, believe it or not. Luna had spent so many years fearing the darkness and was finally able to find the light. Twilight was her light. She motivated the lunar princess stay on the right path, away from the darkness who eagerly whispered into her ears. Luna couldn’t be any happier, but she was kept in the dark of Twilight’s condition. Twilight could feel this weird magic following from her rib cage to her chest. The purple princess chooses not to inform any pony about this. She wanted to solve this issue by herself which probably broke one of her friendship lessons. But she was determined to figure this out on her own. "Twilight! You got a letter from Luna" Spike called out and walked over with a scroll. "Thank you, Spike" Twilight said taking the scroll in her magic’s grasp. She removed the seal and read the letter over. Love, I can't wait to see you tonight for our date. We’ve been so busy lately that were unable to see each other. I dearly missing holding you in my hooves and teasing you. Once you arrive, I have something special for you. I know it’s early, but I wanted to celebrate our first month anniversary! Tia told me ponies did this now. I think it’s odd, but I do want to try it. Could you bring a book about this? I eagerly await your arrival and to have you in my hooves once more. Love, Luna Twilight smiled and placed the scroll down. They both recently started to be intimate, and Luna claimed to have ‘discover’ a certain spell. It allows mares to use, a certain male part for a few hours. Luna hadn’t gotten the chance to use it yet, but Twilight knew she was eager too. Twilight had to admit, she never thought her sex life would be this interesting. Twilight smile as she thought about Luna’s plans for tonight. She brought over a quill when she felt the sensation remerge once more. This feeling was so weird, she could feel her magic reacting against it. As if, the two forces were fighting each other. Maybe I should tell Luna about this? She has been around for over thousands of years… she might have an idea. But Twilight thought with her hoof subconsciously placing itself over her heart. The sensation was just that. Sensations that felt weird whenever she was around Luna; for the time being, Twilight was able to ignore it at times, but she still wanted answers. Should I really be doing this... But he’s the only one who might know... it’s his magic after all. Twilight couldn’t believe her mind was even considering this. A part of her wanted to see Tirek and ask him what he had done; to reverse whatever dark magic he had placed on her. But she couldn’t do something so reckless, not after all the lessons of friendship she learned over the years. So why isn’t she telling her friends or Luna about this? They could be helping her and yet, here she was. Lips closed and keeping this a secret from every pony. I just don’t want to worry Luna about this.... or my friends. "Maybe.... one visit wouldn’t hurt" Twilight said to herself. She sighed and felt the rational side of her brain screaming at her for doing something so stupid. But had this other feeling it was the right thing to do. Dear Luna, I can’t wait to be in your hooves once more as well. I’ll make sure to bring the book you requested. Until tonight. Love, Twilight Twilight sealed the letter with her seal and asked Spike to send it off. The dragon placed his mixing bowl down and fired a blue flame. The scroll disappeared in a smoke of ash as it flew away. "Hungry Twilight? I’m making pancakes" Spike said and took the bowl once more and mix the batter. "Sorry Spike, something came up and I have to go," Twilight said and nuzzling him in the cheek, "I’ll see you later Alright?" "Twilight, are you alright? You’ve been.... deep in thought a lot lately? I mean more than usually," the dragon asked and placed a concerning claw on Twilight's side. "We’re here you know. Your family, friends, Celestia, me and especially Luna. So, if something on your mind just tells us" "Of course, I remember" Twilight said smiling at him. She was so happy Spike was here. He was her voice of reasoning on many occasions, and of course her number one assistant. He was family after all, "This is something... I want to handle myself. But it shouldn’t take too long" Spike was about to open his mouth when Twilight disappeared in a flash of magic. He sighed and turned to his pancake batter, his eyes staring inside of the bowl. He just knew something was wrong and Twilight wouldn’t tell him. "I need to ask the others" Spike placed the bowl down and jump down from his stool. He threw his apron to the ground and rushed out the door to find the others. Twilight reappeared in front of the gates of Tartarus. The last time she was here was when Cerberus left his post. She walked over to the large doors which kept the monsters inside, including Tirek. Twilight back away, flapping her wings and examined the top half of the door. Twilight’s hooves gently touched the ground with a smile appearing on her muzzle. "Magic...." the word left the purple mare’s mouth. She back away and fired a powerful ray straight at the small opening. Her ears lifted when she heard the doors slowly making a sound. Twilight stop the release of her magic and saw the doors opening ever so slightly. Am I making the right choice…., Twilight look back behind her, Equestria. Her friends, her family, her lover. Everyone was behind her and yet, she couldn’t bring herself to ask for their help? What in Celestia’s name was wrong with her. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, I've been waiting for your arrival” Twilight’s ears perk up at the unmistakable voice. The purple alicorn frown and rushed inside; her worries and fears left at the door. "Tirek!" Twilight shouted running towards his lonely cell which sat on an island rock platform. "What have you do-!” Twilight was caught off when Cerberus suddenly block her path. Twilight froze slightly as the three-headed hounds growled at her. "You’ll have to get through him first, if you wish to talk, princess." Tirek mock with his claw tapping on his cell’s bars. "Uh.... hey, Cerberus... do you remember me?" Twilight asked with a small smile forming on her muzzle. She gulps as the hellhound simply growled at her. She looks around, seeing other creatures she had encountered before in cells as well. Twilight turned to the hellhound, "If only Fluttershy was here.... she could calm him down." Cerberus approaches Twilight and growled even more. His hot breath hitting Twilight’s fur and made her uncomfortable. She quickly tried to think of a way to please this hound. She had to speak to Tirek. Twilight quickly went through the spells in her mental library until she realized she was over thinking this. Cerberus was a dog after all. "Do you want a toy, boy?" Twilight asked with a large tree suddenly appearing in her magic glow. She smiled and waved the tree in the air. "Do you want it? Hm?" she asked seeing Cerberus’s eyes follow the tree. Twilight smiled and gently tossed the tree towards him. Cerberus happily caught the tree with all three heads biting down on their new toy. Twilight waited a few seconds to make sure Cerberus was occupied before heading to Tirek. "What did you do!" Twilight shouted as she stops in front of his cell. She angrily stood in front of the bars, nose to nose with him. "You’re going have to be more specific, your highness," he said in a mockery tone with a grin on his face. "You burnt my left side! And now I have this weird sensation! It feels like my magic is fighting against it! I know your magic is behind this!" Twilight said with her ears pinned back, and eyes narrowed at him. Tirek chuckle softly before erupting in laughter. Twilight back away slightly at the sudden reaction. If she wasn’t certain before, she was now; Tirek was behind this. The centaur’s arm suddenly went through the bars and grab the unexpected princess of friendship’s muzzle. He pulled back and forced Twilight to hit against the bars, wings spread out and flapping frantically to break free from his grip. "Foolish Princess.... you made a grave mistake coming here," Tirek said with his smile growing. He opened his other hand; Twilight look down and saw a ball of dark magic forming. "I’m not going to allow you!" Twilight shouted. Her horn lit up and was about to perform a counterspell, but it was too late. She felt a sharp pain through her chest. "You’re far too late! Princess!" Tirek said. He quickly shoved the orb of magic inside of Twilight’s chest and shoved her back. Twilight fell back and landed on her flank. She gasps and quickly examined her chest and look for a wound. "What did... what did you do to me?!" Twilight demanded as she got up. Tirek simply laughs even more to the princess annoyance. Her eyes narrowed with her horn lighting up. If he wasn’t going to tell her then she would force him too. She was about to fire a spell when she shouted in pain. She hit the ground, clenching her chest as it felt her heart had been stab from the inside. "Do you like it?" Tirek with a smile on his face and snickering, "A little something for you" "Wh... What did you.... do...?" Twilight managed to ask through her moans of pain. "That! My dear princess of friendship is a curse. I just cursed your heart. The sensation you call it…. Well its just to lure you here." he said and turn away from her, crossing his arms behind his back. "A very ancient spell lost to time. Well, until now of course. A little birdie told me about your new relationship with Princess Luna and I must admit... I didn’t think you swing that way. You defeated me Twilight Sparkle! Because of you, I’m stuck here again once more. If I can’t defeat you in a traditional battle than I’ll defeat you with your heart! Every time your.... princess approaches you. The curse will attack your heart! In other words, the longer Luna is holding you the quicker you’ll die. You’ll never be able to be with her again!" Tirek shouted before bursting into laughter once more, "I HAVE WON!" Twilight’s eyes widen in horror as everything crashed down. She had just been cursed because of her reckless choices. She could have prevented all of this, if only she told somepony. She looks back and saw Cerberus giving her a sympathetic look. "And this curse will prevent you from harming me! So, don’t worry, you’ll be able to get out of Tartarus, Unlike me. But knowing you’ll be miserable for the rest of your days, or even better dead! Is worth it! I won either way." he said. He placed a hand under Twilight’s chin and slowly lifted her head. Forcing her to look at him as he spoke, "Do come again to see me, Princess” he said and pushed Twilight back. What have I done...., Twilight didn’t respond and simply turn around and left. She ignored Tirek’s laughter of joy. A single tear fell from her eye as the doors of Tartarus opened. Luna sat at her balcony and anxiously waited for Twilight’s arrival. The lunar princess smile, remembering the fond memories they’ve spent together. They would watch the night sky, talked for endless hours, and... other things. Luna’s balcony wasn’t too far from her bed. Luna looked at the time and watch the hand tick away. She wanted to hold Twilight so badly, her hooves craved the softness of her fur, the small giggle she would hear, and the constant blushing. "What’s taking so long..." Luna mumbles softly and paced around her balcony. She sighed and glanced over at the clock once more. The hand stopped at the new hour, she was an hour late. That wasn’t normal of her love. She was always on time if not an hour early. And whenever she was late it wouldn’t have been more than a minute. Has something happened? Luna thought and saw Ponyville at the distance. She frowned and opened her wings, she quickly flew to Ponyville with Twilight’s castle in sight. The moon princess just knew something wasn’t right. Twilight was acting weird lately and wouldn’t speak of it whenever asked about it. Luna would sometimes catch, Twilight touching her chest with her hoof whenever she thought the lunar princess wasn’t looking. Luna landed on Twilight balcony with a small grunt escaping her mouth. She quickly pushed the doors open with her hoof and saw Twilight nose deep inside of a book. This spell must be here…. A cure must exist! Twilight thought, throwing the book she was reading to the side before taking another one. "Love? Did you forget about our date?" Luna asks as she slowly approaches the bookworm. Twilight looked up from her book when she quickly clenched her chest in pain. True to the words of Tirek, the immediately attacked her heart with the pain growing even more as Luna got closer. Luna gasp seeing Twilight in such pain, she quickly rushed to her aid when she was suddenly pushed back by a shield. Twilight wasn’t as good with shields as Shining, but it was good enough to stop Luna in her tracks. "Love? " Luna said with a confused look plastered on her face. "Don’t.... too.... close...." Twilight managed to say through her groans of pain. "Love! What’s going on! Let me in! Let me help you!" Luna frantically shouted, trying to break through the portal. Twilight shook her head and managed to grow the shield, pushing Luna back out on the balcony. As soon as Luna was at a good distance from her, she felt the pain from her chest disappearing. "Twilight! Please let me through! Please! What’s going on?! Why are you in such pain!" Luna shouted and attempted to break through the shield that was holding her back. "Luna, I can explain everything... but you have to promise me not to move." Twilight said with her hoof still clenching her chest, “Alright? Once the shield is down. Don’t move" "Twilight, are you alright? What’s going on with your heart?" Luna asked and could feel tears forming. Twilight looked down with tears of her own forming. She took a few moments to regain herself before she could continue to speak. "Promise me and I’ll explain everything," Twilight said softly. Luna gave a small nod of her head; Twilight lowered the shield and as promised, Luna didn’t move. "The burn marks from Tirek.... well, after you healed them, I felt a strange sensation inside of me. At first, it stayed on my side but as time went on, and we got closer... this sensation moved to my chest. I foolishly decided not to tell anypony about this... believing I could solve this problem on my own and spare you the worry. It turns out this sensation was to lure me to Tartarus and seek him out." "What... love, why didn’t you tell me? I could have tried the healing spell! And why would you go to Tartarus to see that Monster!" Luna said. She felt hurt, her own marefriend hadn’t confided in her. Did Twilight refuse to ask for her aid because she didn’t trust her? "I know! I know! I’m so sorry Luna!" Twilight said with tears overflowing. Luna hated seeing Twilight cry, she desperately wanted to hold her. She wanted to brush her mane and comfort her, saying everything was alright. The lunar princess slowly walked towards Twilight once more, but quickly stop seeing Twilight in pain once more with her hoof clenching her chest. "Twilight! Why is this happening?! Why are you in pain every time I tried to approach you?" Luna asked quickly returning to her original spot. Luna looks so hurt.... she looks so betrayed and hurt.... and it’s all my fault, Twilight took a moment to regain herself from the latest attack on her heart. She looks up at Luna’s heartbroken expression. "I wanted answers... I fell for Tirek ruse and spoke with him. He caught me off guard, pulled me against his cell and cursed my heart. He used an old forgotten spell; dark magic is causing all of this." she said simply. Luna gasps in disbelief, why would Twilight, willingly go see this monster?! "He cursed your heart?" Luna asked, desperately holding back the urge to run over to Twilight to embrace her. "This curse.... it will hurt my heart whenever you get too close to me. If we would hug for example... it would kill me on the spot. We can’t.... we can’t touch each other, we can’t even be close to each other because of this... and it’s all my fault!" Twilight cried out. She covered her eyes with her hooves as she wept. Luna was in shock as she processed everything Twilight had told her. If she would to ever hold Twilight again.... it would kill her.... by her own hooves, she could kill Twilight.