Twilight Velvet stared into the mirror, her lipstick levitating mere millimeters from her lips. Her gaze was drawn into her teal orbs, thoughts wandering down strange and unnerving paths. What if this actually does work? What if she was right the entire time, and she never stopped looking for her?
The mare was forced to put the lipstick down as the powerful thoughts swirling in her head overtook her for a moment. She wondered what she would do if she had been wrong this entire time if she could even admit that she had been incorrect, and if Celestia turned out to be right.
Velvet looked up into her eyes, and to the dark circles that lined them.
“What would I even do if Twilight was brought back to us?” Velvet muttered.
It hadn't been long, only a couple of months, yet it felt like years had passed, so many in fact that she felt like an entirely different pony than the one that had watched nervously from the sidelines as Twilight took that fateful test. Velvet stared down at her hooves, noticing how they were caked with reagents and dust, remnants of her experiments, and her time spent digging through old booksellers in search of lost knowledge.
It occurred to her that she would have never let her hooves get this dirty if Twilight had been around. The mare had always been sure to keep a clean appearance in hopes of ensuring Twilight and Shining Armor took on those traits. Yet here she was, her hooves a mess from her self-imposed ‘work’, her mane, tail, and complexion now in worse shape than they had been in years.
The mare had learned several dark secrets and taught herself quite a bit about magic over the last few months and she began to wonder just what she would do with that knowledge if it wasn't needed after all. The rest of the public viewed demons as myths and stories, but she knew they were real, and that knowledge would stay with her for the rest of her days. Could she just ignore it, if Twilight came back? Could Velvet pretend like she didn't know that demons could potentially invade their reality at a moment’s notice if they had enough reason to?
Even her house had changed, becoming nearly a fortress of wood and brick protected by layers and layers of protections she had applied over the months. Would she just take those down if Celestia was right and this had indeed been only a freak accident?
Twilight Velvet shook her head, forcing the thoughts away and lifting the lipstick to her lips. She wasn't sure what the answer to any of those swirling questions was, but what she did know was that they would not need to be answered for a while. Which would at least give her enough time to think of a plan in case such an eventuality were to come to pass.
For now, she had an important meeting at the castle, and though she had her doubts, she was not going to blow this chance to see her daughter again.
After applying the lipstick she added a little eye shadow, masking the bags under her eyes in a way that would at least make it seem intentional.
Taking a step back the mare smiled at the sight she beheld, noticing that although her look was a little darker than usual, it was appropriate given the circumstances at least.
With her makeup done, she levitated a small hoof bag over her shoulder and trotted into the bedroom she hadn't slept in for several weeks.
“Ahh, there she is. Are you ready?” Night Light asked.
Twilight Velvet nodded, giving the stallion a once over before whistling.
“You clean up pretty good, Mister Light," Velvet remarked.
The stallion smirked, straightening the bowtie around his neck.
“Why thank you, Madam Velvet. I do believe the slightly darker look works well with your complexion,” Night Offered in return.
“And to answer your question, I am almost ready," Velvet replied with a giggle. "I just have to check on something.”
Night Light frowned.
“Please tell me you are not leaving another experiment on while we are at the castle, I would appreciate not coming home to the fire department trying in vain to bust down our front door again," Night Light groused.
“Don't worry, dear," Velvet placated, the mare holding back a wince. "I am fairly certain I turned everything off and was just going to double-check.”
“Alright, but don't take long. The carriage is supposed to be here in a few minutes,” Night Light warned.
The mare nodded, turning to the door.
“I know. It won't take more than five minutes at most," she answered.
The stallion smiled, trotting up to her and stopping her with a hoof against her shoulder.
“Thank you by the way," Night Light exclaimed in a soft, gentle tone.
She lifted an eyebrow. “For?”
“For giving this a try,” The stallion muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “I know you and Celestia have had your disagreements, but I am happy to see you giving this entire thing at least a chance.”
The mare stiffened briefly but ultimately forced her muscles to relax.
“I am too," she replied softly. "I really do hope that she is able to find Twilight and we can start putting this entire mess behind us.”
“Me too,” Night Light murmured
Night Light gently pulled his wife closer, planting a chaste kiss on her cheek.
Velvet giggled, gently pushing her husband away.
“Oh stop it you," Twilight Velvet shot back playfully.
“Hey babe, do you think after this we could maybe…” Night Light trailed off, only to smirk. “Catch up and maybe share some cocoa by the fire?”
The mare smirked back, planting a kiss on her husband’s lips.
“We’ll see. For now, let's go see if the old nag can pull this whole thing off,” Twilight Velvet exclaimed.
Night Light sighed.
“I’ll go make sure Shining Armor is ready," he offered.
Twilight Velvet stepped into the hallway and deftly pulled down the staircase to the attic, her spells automatically detecting her magic and disabling the countermeasures she had put in place to stop anypony other than her from entering. The mare swiftly trotted up the steps and into the attic, glancing around at the boxes her experiments and literature had been piled into. She opened a few of the cardboard cubes and checked her list, before sighing and, putting the paper down on her now empty desk and looking out through the small circular window that overlooked her street.
It seemed silly now that she thought about it, packing all of her stuff up like this when Celestia might just end this whole sordid affair in a matter of hours. But, on the other hoof, Velvet couldn't be sure the alicorn could or would follow through, thus she was here, making sure her things were packed and ready to be shipped to wherever Velvet ended up after joining Riff Raff’s silly group.
The mare’s gaze lingered over the picture frame that poked out of a box.
“What are you doing out of your box?” Velvet muttered.
Just as she was about to poke the picture back into the box she stopped, and instead pulled the picture out, staring wistfully into the past.
“You were so smart, even back then,” Twilight Velvet muttered, staring deep into the image of her holding her newborn daughter, tears still streaming down the new mother’s face.
It was one of her fondest memories, and one that had stuck with the pony ever since, reminding her that she had gained the unique challenge of raising a son and daughter. The filly Twilight merely lay in Velvet’s forelegs, staring at the world around her as if studying what was going on with those big inquisitive eyes of hers.
Velvet sighed, pushing the picture back into the box and making her way out of the attic before closing the hatch once more.
Trotting down the stairs, the mare stopped.
“Am I forgetting something?” she mumbled.
She looked over at the mirror at the bottom of the stairs and found that although her visage was a little more dour than usual, nothing was truly amiss. Shrugging, the mare trotted down the last of her stairs and turned the corner, making her way towards the entrance and the sound of her son and his father arguing.
“Why do we have to dress up like this?” Shining Armor whined, tugging at the tie around his neck. “Celestia said it wasn't an official meeting.”
“It's just a tie," Night Light retorted, rolling his eyes.
“And hair gel!” Shining Armor pointed out.
“And hair gel," Night Light tiredly admitted.
“You know in my day no matter the reason for attending the castle, we always wore our absolute best,” Night Light added. "That meant full suits. We had our coats brushed, our hair styled, our hooves filed, the whole nine yards."
Shining Armor blinked, dropping his hoof from the tie around his neck.
“I suppose this isn't so bad…” muttered the colt.
“Are you ready, hun?” Night Ligh asked, turning his attention from his son to his wife.
“Ready as I’ll ever be," Twilight Velvet replied with a small smile.
The stallion turned and opened the door, allowing the rest of his family to leave before he closed and locked the wooden barrier behind them, stepping back and watching as the various spells and wards flickered into existence.
“You know, you are going to have to tell me how to turn that on and off. I don't want to accidentally turn the mail delivery pony into a frog or something," Night Light remarked.
“Don't worry, he wouldn't get turned into anything,” Twilight Velvfet replied, only to pause and tap her chin. “Other than a pile of ash of course.”
Night Light narrowed his eyes.
“Velveeet," he warned.
Twilight Velvet stuck her tongue out at the stallion.
“I’m kidding. He would get a shock at most, but not much more than that," Twilight Velvet explained. "Oh, and I left all my notes on the house’s wards on your end table just in case.”
“Thank you, but why? You were fine being the only one who knew how to use them until now. What changed?” he asked.
“It's like you said, it's safer if we both know how they work," Velvet lied.
Night Light nodded, joining his wife and son by the curb.
“So does this mean you are back together now?” Shining Armor inquired unexpectedly.
“Where is this coming from? We never broke up,” Night Light pointed out.
“But you two didn't sleep in the same room for a long time and you were really angry at each other too,” Shining responded.
“Honey, I know we were angry but that doesn't mean we were getting a divorce or something,” Twilight Velvet kneeled beside her son, looking him in the eye. “Adults can disagree but still love each other.”
Shining Armor frowned, looking from his mother to his father before shrugging.
“I’m just glad you're back together again," he declared suddenly.
“Enough of all this doom and gloom talk," Night Light dismissed. "What do you think of a pizza party once your sister is back?”
“But I thought they were just finding her...” Shining Armor asked, a smile slowly growing on his face. “Does that mean she's coming home today?”
“Night Light, are you sure it's a good idea to get his hopes up like this?” Twilight Velvet interrupted, shooting her husband a concerned glance.
The stallion chuckled nervously.
“You are right dear, there's only a chance, but come on!" Night Light exclaimed, throwing up his hooves. "We got Princess Celestia on our side! If she finds Twilight, I’m certain she is going to bring her home.”
Twilight Velvet’s jaw clenched, and she bit back her retort, holding it in after she saw the joy and hope on her son’s face.
“I think we should get ice cream!” Shining Armor announced. “Twilight always gets ice cream after she finishes a stressful quiz.”
“That sounds like a great idea.” Night Light smiled. “Right, honey?”
Twilight Velvet nodded, forcing her muscles to relax and her body to calm.
“I think that's a great idea, but it's missing something," Twilight Velvet replied.
"Like what?" Asked Shining Armor in confusion.
“We should get our ice cream at Donut Joe’s,” Twilight Velvet answered. “You know how much your sister loves that place and he does serve sundaes and the like there."
“Oh, good thinking, Velvet,” Night Light added.
“Yeah! Oh hey, look!” Shining Armor exclaimed.
Following her son's hoof, Twilight Velvet saw the distant shapes of a pair of pegasi flying down the street, carrying behind them a chariot just large enough to transport a trio of ponies within.
“Would you look at that, Celestia's really rolling out the red carpet for us,” Night Light pointed out.
Twilight Velvet was less impressed and was instead staring intently at the weapon-bearing pegasi that pulled their chariot.
“She sure is…” Twilight Velvet mumbled.
The pair of ponies slowed as they approached the road, landing a few houses down and slowly pulling up to the Sparkle residence a few seconds later. All around them, neighbors and random ponies alike stopped and stared as the closest pegasus guard gave the family a quick visual inspection.
“Mr and Mrs Sparkle?” he asked curtly.
“And our son, Shining Armor," Night Light added, patting the young colt on the head.
The guard gave the lone child present a once over as well, smirking slightly as the colt forced himself to stand tall and proud under the pegasus’ scrutiny.
“Good to see. Now then, please step inside the carriage," ordered the guard.
His partner turned and flashed the family a slightly more friendly smile.
“And please keep all body parts you want to keep inside said carriage," he added.
“Of course. Why don't you take the front, Shining?” Night Light offered, before stepping into the carriage, and squeezing himself against one side, allowing his son to eagerly trot up to the front of the carriage where he peered over the side.
“Thanks Dad!” Shining Armor declared.
Twilight Velvet stepped in last, her gaze lingering on the lack of rail or anything that would keep them from falling out the back.
“Because that looks safe...” the mare mumbled, before enacting a quick spell that would keep her family inside the carriage in case the entire thing turned over.
Her husband rolled his eyes at the unnecessary spell, while Shining Armor didn't even seem to notice, as he was too busy talking away with the more personable guard who was graciously answering his many questions.
“Are you alright, dear?” Night Light asked in a low tone.
“I’m fine, just making sure nothing happens is all,” Twilight Velvet
shot back, staring intently at the guards pulling the carriage.
“Alright. Hold on for a minute, take off can be kind of bumpy sometimes,” the friendly guard yelled before turning back and taking formation with his partner.
Twilight Velvet frowned but said nothing, merely clutching the side of the carriage a little tighter while Shining Armor hopped onto his back legs and gripped the front, eagerly watching the pegasi as they began to trot faster and faster. The pair quickly reached the desired speed and extended their wings, flapping hard to get the elevation they needed. In seconds they were off the ground and a minute later they were above the rooftops, making a beeline for the castle.
A few minutes later the family was being carefully herded through the castle and towards an ill-used subbasement absolutely swarming with guards. They couldn't go more than a dozen feet before being met by another checkpoint either magical or mundane, to the point that even Velvet was a little impressed. It was obvious that they held security in high esteem, though she had yet to be convinced that they kept magical knowledge in such a lofty regard.
A grim-looking grey-coated unicorn mare with piercing golden eyes approached from down the hall, stopping only when they were a few feet apart and flashing the pair a graceless smile that seemed painful for her to even make.
“Greetings. My name is Iron Throne. I’m to be your escort into the sanctum,” she announced in a tone that smacked of more command than a friendly hello.
Twilight Velvet merely nodded her head slightly.
Night Light smiled.
“Good afternoon," he greeted.
Shining Armor saluted, trying to match the intense gaze of the guard.
“Good evening, ma’am," Shining Armor exclaimed.
The guard chuckled at the sight, saluting the colt back.
“Cute kid,” Iron Throne muttered before jerking her head towards a side hall. “Follow me, and do not leave my side.”
Velvet’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
The guard snorted. “There is a lot of classified stuff down here and I would hate to have to lock up some old mare who couldn't follow simple instructions, now hurry up. I will not leave Her Majesty waiting.”
“You don't have to worry about us. Right guys?” Night Light offered, trotting alongside the guard assigned to them.
"No way," Shining Armor declared, shaking his head.
Twilight Velvet merely snorted, trotting after her son and husband as she looked around, keen to spot anything out of the ordinary.
Time passed quickly, and the trio and their guide quickly made their way deep into this strange section of the castle, passing through numerous empty hallways and even more numerous closed doors. The entire area seemed deserted until they passed by a hallway wherein a guard was holding back a rather annoyed-looking lab coat-wearing mare who glared at the trio, before whispering something to the guard, who rolled his eyes.
Twilight Velvet snorted her irritation, having figured that they must be secretly keeping the researchers and other ponies that worked in these halls somewhere else to ensure they didn't speak to her or her family. Not like she would blame Celestia, Velvet would have done the same, but there had been a part of her that had hoped to be able to find out something while she was so deep in Celestia’s secret wing of the castle.
Annoyed that she would go home empty-hoofed, Twilight Velvet shook her head and instead focused on the strange guide they had been given. She was taller than the average mare, and bigger by a large margin, to the point that she looked like a stallion, at least from the back, but she stowed such thoughts away for now, as it didn't exactly matter ver much.
She sighed, trotting morosely beside her husband who was still looking around in wonder.
Thankfully it didn't take long for the trio and their guide to reach their destination, stopping before a large double door at the end of a seemingly random hall.
“Here we are,” the guard announced before turning around.
“A few rules before we go in, though,” Iron Throne continued, her gaze narrowing and looking at each member of the family in turn. “You are not to touch anything save the floor or your provided seats at any time. Understood?”
“Yes ma’am," Shining Armor saluted.
“Got it,” Night Light added, while Twilight Velvet merely nodded once more.
The guard’s gaze lingered a moment on the older mare.
“There are going to be a lot of ponies inside this room and as such you are to stick directly behind me at all times unless explicitly told otherwise," Iron Throne continued. "Celestia has established a viewing box for you, once we reach it you are not allowed to leave until the spell is completely over.”
Noticing that the family seemed to understand, Iron Throne turned and pushed open the door, revealing a room bustling with activity.
Ponies trotted to and fro, some old, wizened, and clearly experienced in the magical arts while younger-looking mages flitted about carrying stacks of paper, quills, or other components. Although at first glance it seemed a chaotic scene, Twilight Velvet quickly noticed that the flow of movement was well organized, and no one was rushing around, as everyone seemed to understand exactly where everyone was going.
The room itself was large, easily big enough to fit a baseball field, the walls of which were rounded, and went up easily fifteen or so feet. The center of the room was dominated by a large pillar upon which a glowing crystal ball sat, where Celestia and an aged mare stood, speaking animatedly while occasionally gesturing to the crystal ball or the glowing sets of runes that surrounded said pillar. The mare was old, easily in her late seventies, her gold and yellow fur having lost some of its luster, while her orange eyes remained as fiery as a young mare’s.
Twilight Velvet gawked silently at the sheer artistry on display, staring in awe at the numerous interlocking spells that all fed up the pillar and into the crystal ball. Even from where she was standing Velvet could feel the thrum of energy, the many spell matrices making the very air thick with mana.
“Over here,” Iron Throne exclaimed, interrupting Twilight Velvet’s fascination.
The trio followed the guard over to a small booth set aside from the rest of the action of the room. Stepping inside, they all took a seat on the raised steps and looked down on the various ponies as they went about the business of completing the spell.
“Ooh, comfy,” Night Light muttered.
Twilight Velvet chuckled at her easily amused husband before reluctantly admitting to herself that the provided seats were rather comfortable.
“What are all those spells, Mom?” Shining Armor asked, peering at the center of the room.
“I have no idea," Twilight Velvet admitted.
“This is a little beyond my paygrade, but at least one of them is a remote viewing spell, but it has way too many access lines,” Night Light pointed to a small section of runes in the rightmost corner. “It's feeding into nearly every other part of the spell.”
“Wow,” Twilight Velvet muttered, her doubt slowly bleeding away as she looked around the room.
Celestia stopped and glanced over at the pair, waving a friendly hoof at the family.
So caught off guard by the spell work, Twilight Velvet found herself waving back before catching herself and pulling her hoof down, an act that earned her a chuckle from her husband.
“It is quite impressive, isn't it?” He whispered.
“It certainly is… large,” Velvet muttered.
Celestia gracefully trotted up to the booth, smiling at the three ponies.
“Thank you for joining us today," the alicorn greeted. "I know it's unorthodox to be here during the actual casting, but I deemed it appropriate after certain… events.”
The alicorn shook her head.
“But that is not why we are here today. We are here to welcome your daughter back to Equestria, hopefully," Celestia hastily added.
“Hopefully,” Twilight Velvet muttered darkly, refusing to look the alicorn in the eye.
“We are very grateful you invited us here today, Your Majesty,” Night Light added.
“Do you think you can bring my sister back?” Shining Armor asked nervously.
“I do indeed,” Celestia stated confidently. “To that end, I have brought with me a compliment of my finest soldiers.”
The alicorn gestured toward the other end of the room, where fifteen fully armored ponies of mixed race stood silently.
“These mares and stallions are well versed in dealing with demons and outfitted with the best weapons and armor the royal armory has to offer," Celestia explained.
“What makes you think you will be able to find her in the first place?” Twilight Velvet asked.
“Dear I-” Night Light began, only to get cut off by a smiling Celestia.
“Don't worry about it. I know you have your doubts, Velvet, but I can assure you this is the finest divination circle in Equestria and possibly the world.” The alicorn smiled confidently, gesturing to her right, where the elderly mare from earlier now stood speaking in hushed tones with a younger stallion. “My old protege Dawn Star has been hard at work on this array for months now and I can state confidently that if Twilight Sparkle is on one of the known planes, we will find her. After that, it would be child’s play to recover her.”
Shining Armor sighed, relaxing into his seat as did Night Light, who smiled faintly.
“That's great to hear, though I thought Dawn Star retired,” Night Light remarked.
“It didn't take much convincing to get her interested in your case, if nothing else she could never resist a challenge," Celestia replied.
“How long is this going to take?” Twilight Velvet asked flatly.
“Only a few more minutes. We are merely running through last-minute safety tests,” Celestia answered.
“Well, get on with it then,” Twilight muttered, shooing the alicorn away.
Celestia pretended not to notice, merely nodding once to Night Light.
“It was nice to meet you again. And you as well, Shining Armor," Celestia offered.
The colt beamed, standing a little straighter in his seat while Night Light smiled.
“Thank you again, Your Majesty," Night Light declared.
The alicorn smiled and left, leaving a rather ticked Twilight Velvet to glare at her backside.
“Do you have to be so antagonistic?” Night Light hissed, leaning toward his wife.
“Do you have to be such a kiss-ass?” Twilight Velvet shot back.
Behind them, their son sighed, putting his head in his hooves.
“Not again,” he muttered.
Night Light glanced back at his son.
“Let's not ruin this moment," Night Light offered.
“Fine,” Twilight Velvet murmured half heartedly.
Twilight Velvet turned from her family and towards the center of the room, where Celestia and the Dawn Star now stood.
The trio remained silent as they watched the mages finish setting up, placing several braziers at seemingly random points. Once over a dozen of the things were set in very specific locations, a stallion went around, lighting them with an odd spell that made the entire thing briefly shine with some strange inner illumination before the top of the brazier lit with a deep purple glow.
It didn't take long for Celestia to conclude whatever business she had, the alicorn turning and trotting over to the anti-demon team she had referenced before. Dawn Star, now alone in the center of the room, lit her horn and spread wide her hooves, bracing herself for something.
A second later a thick shield was erected between the exterior of the room, where the various attendant mages stood, and the Sparkle family sat, and the interior of the room, where Dawn Star, Celestia, and her team stood waiting. The alicorn herself was watching her former protege silently, her gaze focused on the mare’s horn as she drew from deep within herself, summoning such a surge of magic that every unicorn in the room felt their horn itch.
Shining Armor brushed his horn absently, wondering what exactly was going on, and though he wanted to ask a question, he knew better than to speak during such a tense moment.
Placing a hoof against the shield, Twilight Velvet gave it a light shove, finding the spell work to be beyond compare and well above her limited understanding. Forced to watch, the mare wanted to remain cold, and distant, to observe the happenings closely, studying their every move. Yet she couldn't seem to muster the strength needed and was sitting at the edge of her seat, chewing on her hoof like she was in high school all over again.
“Come on, come on,” Twilight Velvet muttered, watching as Dawn Star slowly went through the motions that would activate her array.
Night Light placed a hoof on his wife’s leg, and for a moment she considered brushing it aside, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to do so. She needed something to ground her, thus she grabbed hold of the offered limb and squeezed tightly. Together the pair watched on in confused anxiety as magic seemed to ebb and flow.
Sections of the floor lit up at random, with one small area flashing briefly before dulling to the same light red glow as Dawn Star’s magic. This process repeated, until finally the entire massive array was glowing with the same faint red light. The aged mare stopped suddenly, placing a hoof against her head as she breathed deeply, stumbling for a moment.
Celestia took a step forward, but Dawn Star held out a hoof, stopping her before she took another step. Unheard words passed between them before the old unicorn stood once more on confident hooves. Taking a breath, the unicorn lit her horn again and this time focused the entirety of her attention on the orb before her, forcing it to glow with every color of the rainbow before finally settling on the same deep red the rest of the room was lit by.
“Dear, could you maybe relax a bit?” Night Light whispered.
Twilight blinked, looking down at her husband’s hoof that had grown pale as it was now starved of blood. The mare pulled back her hoof in shock.
“Sorry dear," Twilight Velvet murmured.
Her husband shook the hoof, barely able to hide a wince.
“Don't worry about it, we are all nervous. Right, Shining Armor?” Night Light offered.
The married couple looked back at the colt who had somehow managed to stuff both hooves in his mouth and was now chewing away at a ridiculous pace.
“Shining Armor,” Twilight Velvet hissed. “What have I told you about chewing on your hooves!”
“To not?” he asked weakly, before frowning. “You were doing it too!”
“Just don't put them both in your mouth, you look ridiculous,” Velvet shot back before turning back to the center of the room.
Dawn Star had hopped up onto her back hooves and was now gripping the pedestal tightly while staring deep within the orb, her eyes wide and swirling with a strange energy. She remained this way for a few more seconds before she gasped, turning to Celestia.
“I got something!” Dawn Star shouted excitedly.
“So soon? Where is it?” Celestia asked.
“She's in… Tartarus,” Dawn Star muttered, her face straining as she gazed back within the orb. “In the lower circles, near the spawning grounds and the endless wastes.”
Celestia’s features grew dark and she glanced down to the leader of her little team, who in turn nodded grimly, pounding a hoof against his chest. Assured that her squad was ready, the alicorn turned back to her former protege.
“Do you have a fix on her position yet?” Celestia pressed.
Dawn Star shook her head.
“Not yet, but she isn't moving,” Dawn Star replied, the mare gritting her teeth, straining against some unseen force. “But there is some sort of interference fighting me.”
Velvet’s jaw fell open, her hoof falling to the ground.
“N-no,” she muttered.
Rif Raf’s words rang in her ears. I also know that she will suffer some form of strange interference.
For a moment the mare was forced to face the grim possibility that her strange accomplice had been right all along, but it was only for a moment, as Dawn Star suddenly gasped.
“I found her!” she shouted.
“Where?” Celestia asked, taking a step closer. “Where is she, Dawn Star?”
“She's in a castle of some kind, it's coming into view now!” The older mare shouted back.
“Bring it up!” Celestia commanded.
Dawn Star nodded, her horn glowing brighter than ever before as she forced the spell to change and project the image outwards.
The room was suddenly filled with the strange red light, which slowly dimmed and coalesced into an image that was both strange and yet was also oddly familiar. The image showed a ruined castle in the middle of nowhere, shards of jagged rocks poking out of a seemingly endless wasteland. As the seconds ticked by they slowly descended into the castle, looking on in confused horror as they noticed enormous hoof prints in the dirt, the size of which could crush an entire house with little effort.
“What could have done that?” Night Light muttered in shock.
That was not the end of the devastation, however, as what little stonework that had not been destroyed through sheer force had been slagged by some immense heat which had even turned sections of the sandy dirt to glass. Worse than the destruction wreaked by the unknown monster were the corpses that littered the ground. Initially hidden by the red stone of the castle and orange sand, everyone in the room was suddenly made aware of the hundreds of bodies that lay draped over every foreseeable surface.
Twilight Velvet could feel her breakfast begin to rise in her stomach, and she instinctively reached back to cover her son’s eyes only to find that Night Light had done the same.
Realizing her husband had the issue well in hoof, Twilight Velvet turned back to the grisly spectacle, watching as they slowly descended into the center of the killing field.
“Hurry, Dawn Star!” Celestia yelled. “She could be in danger.”
“R-right,” the aged mare muttered, shaking her head as she made the spell speed up.
Together the room watched as the image slowly closed in on a small section of dirt near the center of the courtyard, where several words could be seen printed in the dirt, accompanying a strange vial of some kind. Twilight Velvet leaned forward, straining to see what the words said, only for a vein in her forehead to bulge when realization settled in.
The room went silent, as everypony looked on in a mix of confusion and shock, just about everyone wondering why the words ‘Tit for Tat, Celestia’ were written in the dirt. The alicorn herself stepped forward, her rage barely contained by the thin mask of calm indifference she tried to wear.
“Zoom in closer. I need to know what is in that vial,” she commanded sternly.
Dawn Star nodded, her horn glowing brighter as she brought them in even closer until they could see the small green-colored vial resting on the ground. It was tiny, a little larger than an eye dropper and though plain in appearance, it contained a swirling magenta magic that grabbed the viewer's attention.
“Should we deploy?” Celestia’s team leader asked nervously, glancing from the alicorn to the strange vial.
“No,” Celestia replied sadly. “It's a trap.”
A second later, as if on cue, the vial itself exploded, leaving behind no trace of it, or the writing. Dawn Star recoiled, bringing the image back and allowing them a better view of the area.
“What do we do, Your Majesty?” she asked nervously.
“Give me a second,” the alicorn muttered, tapping her chin for a second before nodding. “Survey the area. We have to make sure she isn't here and the interference didn't knock us off course.”
Dawn Star nodded and turned back to the crystal ball, but Velvet could see from here that the aged unicorn didn't hold much stock in the alicorn’s words. As time slowly ticked by, and their slow survey of the area brought up more corpses and blasted ruins, the mood of the room slowly fell.
After several minutes had passed, Dawn Star sighed.
“There is no one here, Your Majesty," the seer exclaimed.
Celestia gritted her teeth and stepped forward.
“May I?” Celestia asked.
“Sure, but I don't think you are going to find anything," Dawn Star declared.
“Humour me," Celestia replied.
Dawn Star shrugged before taking a step back and allowing Celestia to hastily step into the void she left behind, her horn alight with power as she linked her own magic to the crystal ball and the connected array of runes. Instantly the light changed from the unicorn’s dull red to Celestia’s bright yellow, the image suddenly gaining in clarity and focus.
Individual grains of sand could be picked out now, and yet despite this increase in clarity Celestia’s scan of the area brought up nothing Dawn Star’s hadn't. She didn't stop there, and after a second of concentration cast the same spell Dawn Star had used in order to find the filly in the first place. This time the caster did not waste a single iota of strength and dumped more than enough power into the spell, causing the floor to glow brightly with golden power.
The image blurred and disappeared, replaced instead by a featureless void. With a grunt, the alicorn pushed more and more power into the spell, and for a second the image seemed to shift, showing the inside of an empty grey room but it didn't last long and the void quickly returned.
With a ragged sigh, the alicorn let her magic peter out and for darkness to reign, before it too faded away, leaving the room stunned and silent. The spell, now devoid of a power supply, began to dull until it faded entirely, with even the braziers flickering until finally fading entirely as well.
“Your Majesty?” Dawn Star whispered.
"This is most unfortunate," Celestia muttered.
Twilight Velvet’s temper, which until now remained at a low simmer, suddenly boiled over and she leaped out of her seat, and threw herself against the shield separating her from the alicorn.
“You bitch!” Twilight Velvet screamed. “I knew it! I fucking knew it!”
The alicorn glanced sadly at the raging mare, ignoring the insults being thrown at her.
“Take them away, I will speak to the Sparkle family when they have calmed down," Celestia muttered half-heartedly.
Dawn Star nodded, turning back to the small group of guards standing next to the door.
“Velvet calm down!” Night Light cried, trying to pull his wife back from the shield.
“No! This bitch sold Twilight to literal demons, Night Light! Fucking demons!” the mare screamed, jabbing her hoof at the morose-looking alicorn. “And now she doesn't even have the fortitude to tell us the truth. Even when it's staring us in the face!”
Iron Throne trotted up to the trio, and sighed wearily, knowing what she had to do.
“Ma’am please come down from there," Iron Throne ordered.
The irate Twilight Velvet ignored the guard entirely and continued to pound her hooves against the shield.
“I will not leave until that arrogant bitch tells me what she got out of selling my Twilight to literal goddamn demons!” Twilight Velvet screamed.
The alicorn’s sorrowful expression fell away in an instant and she stomped over to the angry mare.
“You really are this stupid, aren't you?” she muttered with such distaste that even Velvet stopped and stared.
“Yes, I said it. You are an idiot,” Celestia spat. “A simpering fool that genuinely believes her own insanity. Do you really think this foal is really so special that I would trade her to a demon?”
The alicorn scoffed.
“She is powerful, yes, but so are hundreds of other foals. If deals with demons were truly my goal, there would be a thousand better ways to go about it," Celestia exclaimed.
“Then you admit it!” Twilight Velvet shot back.
“I admit only that I was a fool to believe you would see reason,” Celestia shot back. “You claim to know more on the topic of demons than even a several thousand-year-old alicorn who has more experience in a single hoof than your entire family was ever been beholden onto.”
“I-!” Twilight Velvet started only to find her mouth forcefully shut by Celestia’s magic.
“If I really did this horrendous thing you accuse me of, would I then spend tens of thousands of bits building an array capable of piercing even the most powerful of wards?” Celestia asked incredulously, throwing out a hoof and gesturing to the room. “Would I spend months of my life personally training a task force of demon hunters for the express purpose of bringing your daughter back?”
Velvet sat silently, glaring at the alicorn looming over her.
The alicorn slowly shook her head.
“You truly have gone mad.” Celestia sighed, dismissing the shield. “Well, go on. I’ll give you one shot, one attempt to convince this room that I am the evil tyrant you seem to believe I am.”
Twilight Velvet felt the grip on her muzzle disappear and she lifted a hoof, rubbing the bruise already forming. She looked up at the alicorn, then back to her husband, who was nervously looking back at her, mouthing the words ‘don't’. Then, she stopped and really considered what she would say, what stunning bit of wit she could use to show just how deluded Celestia truly was. Only to shrug, and throw all such thoughts out the window and instead choose to slug Celestia across the face with every ounce of strength she could muster.
Celestia recoiled slightly, blinking in shock at the mare, who was now cradling her broken hoof and cackling madly.
“What? Did you really think I’d play your game?” Twilight Velvet spat. “You are more arrogant than even the most haughty of the nobility.”
“Velvet!” Night Light hissed.
“Mom…” Shining Armor whispered, shaking his head.
“Hate me all you want," Twilight Velvet dismissed. "I will bring Twilight home, no matter the cost.”
Celestia sighed and took a step back.
“So be it,” Celestia muttered before turning to the still-stunned guard standing next to her. “Lock her up. She’ll have her day in court.”
“Typical,” Twilight Velvet snorted.
The mare then extended her hooves out and sat quietly, waiting for the inevitable. When no irons were clapped over her forelimbs, she turned to Iron Throne who was still looking at her in shock.
“Well? Get on with it already," Twilight Velvet prompted.
“R-right,” Iron Throne muttered, retrieving a pair of cuffs from her armor before placing them on Velvet’s hooves. “You are under arrest for the crime of assault?” she asked, looking up at Celestia.
“Though I could have you hung for such an act, I am not nearly as petty as you seem to believe I am.” Celestia shook her head. “Aggravated assault.” She fixed the mare with a stern look. “I am running low on patience, this is your last chance, Velvet. Do not blow it.”
Twilight opened her mouth to speak but found herself enveloped in the yellow light of Celestia’s magic before vanishing, the last thing she saw were the faces of her disappointed family before they were replaced by the dull grey bars of a cell. The mare snorted in irritation, realizing she hadn't been given the chance to get the last word in before being whisked away.
“Typical,” she muttered.
Now alone, with little to do other than stare at the slate grey walls, Twilight Velvet pondered just what the ramifications of her actions may be. That didn't last long though as she merely snorted in irritation, dismissing such thoughts as irrelevant. As soon as she was out, she would find Riff Raff and join his little club, everything else were merely minor details.
A few minutes of silence later the mare finally grew bored enough to look around, noticing that her cell was small, little more than a few feet across, barely enough room for a small bed and toilet, without a privacy screen. Falling onto her cot, the mare stared up at the ceiling, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her hoof while wondering if someone was going to come down here and take off the now unnecessary hoof cuffs.
Just as the adrenaline began to fade, a sudden movement near the other end of her cell drew the mare’s eye.
“Who’s there?” she muttered, only to stop and stare. “Riff Raff?”
The titular stallion stood on the other side of the bars, a cane in his hoof and a smile on his face.
“Despite her words to the contrary, she does indeed intend on throwing the proverbial book at you,” Rif Raff remarked with a smile.
The mare stood on shaky hooves and limped her way over to the bars of her cell.
“I assumed as much. Why are you here though?” Twilight Velvet inquired.
“Why, to retrieve our most famous new member, of course!” the stallion announced, throwing out his hooves. “Do you think we would leave one of our own rotting in some prison cell?”
“I-” Velvet grinned. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me yet. My little club is going to ask a lot of you. Are you sure you are up to it?” He asked, leaning in close and raising an eyebrow.
“I don't care,” Velvet answered, smiling. “So long as I save Twilight I will do anything you ask.”
“You mean those words, don't you?” He half asked half stated, his smile wide and a hoof extended. “Then please, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the blackguard. My name is Blood Tithe, but you can call me whatever you want.”
The mare chuckled, gripping his hoof tightly.
“What do I call you, sir, lord or... what?" Twilight Velvet inquired.
“Gods above no,” Rif Raf exclaimed with a chuckle. “Other than certain rituals we have no titles, but when we do partake in such rituals, you may call me, master.”