//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: Tears of a princess // by lightningflare1 //------------------------------// Tears of a Princess Luna slowly opened her eyes. She took a few moments for her vision to focus. She felt a gust of wind against her coat, no, it wasn't wind. It was something else, but what could it be? Luna moved her front hooves and felt sore around her midsection. "Luna!" a strange voice called out. Who’s calling me? What’s going on? The floor is so cold and hard... I remember feeling this pain, but now it’s gone. The moon princess’ eyes could see a blurry, purple figure. Is somepony fighting? But who could it be? "LUNA!" Twilight shouted standing above her wife with a powerful shield surrounding them. Luna blinked her eyes slightly, her vision finally recognizing the mare in front of her. "Twilight...." Luna whispered slowly rising to her hooves. She shook her head and glanced at her stomach; the wound was completely gone as nothing had happened. Luna looked up only to see Moneybags and Twilight clashing horns. "Thank Celestia.... you’re awake," Twilight replied gritting her teeth slightly, as she felt the barrier starting to constraint under Moneybag’s attack. "What’s going on? How can Moneybags have such magical ability?" Luna asked. One thing was certain, she knew ponies like Moneybags didn’t take the time to study magic. Noble unicorns would hardly learn a simple levitation spell, let alone the level of magic Twilight had acquired with years of study. "It must be some dark magic or something. We can worry about this later!" Twilight replied. She quickly teleported Luna and herself to another part of the castle, Meer moments before the barrier broke with Moneybags’s attacks striking the spot they once stood. "Fighting one alicorn is hard enough...... let alone two, especially an alicorn like Twilight." Moneybags mutter to himself, glaring at the scorch marks his attack had left behind. "Having trouble to defeat two mares, brother?" Crescent spoke, standing behind him with glaring eyes. "I didn’t see you helping," Moneybags said turning to face the other stallion. "Why are you here?" "I came to help you, of course." He replied walking around his brother, "Aren’t you afraid they might.... runaway?" "They won’t leave. They’re determined to end my life. Those two whores are just hiding for the time being." Moneybags retorts with his eyes following his brother’s movements. "Where are the others? Quill? the twins? The group?" "I told them to finish off Flash Sentry. We wouldn’t want him to wake up and reveal what he has seen." Crescent replied "Good! Now time to find some them," Moneybags said smiling before he entered the castle. Twilight placed a detection spell around them. They needed to alert Celestia about this and get help before Moneybags could find them. Twilight placed her hoof against her chest. She could feel her heart beating rapidly against her hoof. Twilight needed to calm down and think of a plan before they were discovered. Moneybag isn’t a fool. He knows I have a home ground advantage. He’s going to take every precaution and might do a sneak attack once he has located us. I need to be prepared for any attacks he might throw at us. Twilight thought taking a few deep breaths to calm down her nerves. "Love," Luna whispered with her eyes scanning the dark castle’s hallways. "We must alert my sister about this!" "I know.... we need a distressed call or maybe a letter. But anything we use might alert Moneybags about our position." Twilight whispered with her eyes scanning the area as well, "But right now we’re in the open. Follow me." The lunar princess gave a small nod of the head. She followed Twilight into an empty room. The castle was massive to Twilight’s standards, she had left several rooms empty for the time being. She had only managed to fill up a third of the castle. Twilight gritted her teeth together with the door making a small ‘click’. She held her breath, placing her ear against the door as she held the doorknob tightly in her magic. She moved her ear slightly against the door, hoping no pony heard it. After a few breathless moments, Twilight slowly removed her ear from the door. "How are we going to send a distress signal?" Twilight asked "Celestia should be asleep at this hour, love. I can enter her dream and inform her," Luna whispered sighing softly, "Let's just hope Moneybags doesn’t find us." "Hurry and warn Celestia," Twilight said placing a hoof against Luna’s chest, "I’ll watch over you, and ensure nothing happens when you’re in the dream realm." Luna smiled giving Twilight a small nod of the head. Whenever Luna entered the dream realm, she is at her most vulnerable. The lunar princess uses all her magic in the dream realm. Her attention pulled away from the waking world, focusing on ponies’ dreams with her guard down and open for an attack. "I promise I won’t be long, love." Twilight wrapped her hooves around Luna, pulling her tightly into an embrace. "I was so afraid…. Of losing you," Twilight whispered. A smile appeared on the moon princess’s muzzle, "Join the club, love." Luna whispered slowly wrapping her hooves around her. "You’ve given me quite a few heart attacks." Luna leans back and gently kissed Twilight on the cheek. "Sorry, my crazy moonbutt," Twilight mock with a grin, knowing full well her wife hated those names. "Oh…… you’re going to regret that, love," Luna whispered giving Twilight a small sexual grin, "I’m going to make sure of it." "Come on out, Princesses," Moneybags cried out, aimlessly roaming around the castle’s ground. "We need Celestia’s help," Twilight whispered slowly opening the door, "Go. Hurry." Luna gave a quick nod in response. She closed her eyes with a white glow surrounding her horn. Luna opened her eyes, finding herself back in the Dream realm once more. She quickly scanned the doors of ponies’ dreams. "There you are, sister." Luna mutter to herself, placing a hoof on the Solar themed door. "Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!" Celestia joyfully praised. She skipped in an open field of delightful pastries and cakes. The solar princess licked her lips as she brought over a double fudge, layered with fresh strawberries, and glazed with chocolate ganache cake. "Prepare to be eaten!" "My goodness, sister…." A light magenta eye met the stare of Luna’s cyan eyes. Celestia slowly lowered the cake, closing her mouth slightly. "I know you love cakes…. but aren’t you going a bit overboard?" "Luna, what are you doing here?" Celestia asked clearing her voice slightly, "In my dream…." "Sister, I-!" Luna let out a yelp as she suddenly felt her body shake. She recognized this feeling. Her body was being under attack, and now the dream realm is being affected. "Sister? What’s wrong?" Celestia asked with a concerned voice, quickly rushing to her sister’s side. "Moneybags…. He found us…" Luna whispered as she felt her body shake once more. "What?! Luna! What’s going on?!" Celestia said softly shaking her sister, urging her to speak before she was forcibly pulled away from the dream realm. "Moneybags has found us…." Luna quickly spoke grunting each time, as she felt her body being attacked. She closed her eyes and felt her control of the dream realm loosen. "I don’t have much time…." "Luna! Where are you?!" Celestia asked "Twilight’s castle." Luna replied before being pulled out of the dream realm, "Please hurry!" Luna eyes quickly snap open. She gasped with her instincts taking over, she quickly dodged a magical burst. Luna stumbles to the ground, grunting softly before placing a barrier around her. Her eyes rapidly searching for Twilight. Twilight?! Where did she go? What happened to her?! "Luna.... you’re awake" Luna quickly turns her head, seeing Twilight a bit beaten up but still standing. "Love, I’m so sorry I took so long," Luna said as she pulled Twilight inside of the barrier. "It's alright…. but I know why Moneybags is so powerful." Twilight said, eyes narrowing at the stallion’s side, "The Alicorn Amulet…. Dark magic." "It enhances the magical ability of a unicorn," Luna said sighing deeply, "Wonderful…." "I’ve faced this before… with Trixie…. And I couldn’t defeat it." Twilight replied glaring at the amulet. She had hope, she would never see such dark magic again. Zecora had hid the amulet deep inside of the Everfree Forest, but somehow, Moneybags was able to find it. "Is that all you got?! Two alicorns?!" the two mares looked away from each other. Moneybags stood in front of them, tapping the amulet with his hoof with a chuckle. "My, my, it seems you’ve discovered my little trick," Moneybags said before he laughs hysterically. "We’re just getting warmed up," Twilight replied sneaking in a smirk at Luna. Twilight took a deep breath, "Luna. Hold the barrier just a little bit more" "Are you planning something?" Luna asked "Yes.... but I need time to conjure the spell" Twilight replied, slowly going through the steps of the spell inside of her head. "Leave it to me, love!" Luna said. "What are you two planning?" Moneybags asked. A scowl formed as he watched Luna leap out of the barrier. Luna rose to the air with a flap of her wings. She fired a powerful magical ray at her target, quickly firing repeatedly as the unicorn stallion dodge her attacks. Not wanting to be a crispy husk of a pony. Luna flew around the sky, trying her best to attack, defend herself, and keep Twilight out of harm's way. "Stay still dammit!" Moneybags shouted in frustration. His eyes narrowed as he fired one, well-placed attack, managing to strike one of the lunar princess’s wing. Luna shouted in pain, she quickly lost her ability to stay air born. She quickly grabbed the edge of the balcony with her hooves, tightening her hold with her body dangling. Just a little bit longer…. please hold on, Luna. Twilight thought gritting her teeth slightly. "The almighty alicorn princess," Moneybags said swiftly, placing an anti-magic ring around Luna’s horn, "And you called yourself a princess? The Co-ruler of Equestria? The pathetic little sister of Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia is the true ruler of Equestria, not you. You’re only the spare to the throne, wait, no. Not the spare…. Just a flank to keep Celestia’s throne warm. Nothing else." "Sh-shut u-up!" Luna grunted painfully, tightening her grip around the balcony’s edge. Luna tried to pull herself over with the help of her one good wing. "Don’t even think about it," Moneybags said breaking the moon princess’s other wing. Luna… I’m so sorry…. Please forgive me, a few tears shed from Twilight’s eyes, hearing the painful cries of her wife. The sound of breaking bones, the screams of pain…… Luna crying Twilight’s name. Just…. hang on…. Please hang on. "Oops! Did I just break something?" Moneybags mock placing his hoof against Luna’s forehead, "I’m so sorry, Nightmare Moon." "Do… not call me that! That…. She…. Is apart of my past!" Luna grunted, letting out a quick squeak when Moneybags softly pushed her back. He snickered as he watched, Luna desperately trying to hold on, "You monster!" "Calling me a monster? Didn’t you return to darkness after I stabbed that slut of yours?" Moneybags asked playfully tapping the tip of Luna’s horn. "It was interesting…. only part of you changed!" "I…. I will never return to the darkness! To her!" Luna said feeling her grip loosen, "I will never become her…. EVER!" "Doesn’t matter now," Moneybags said smiling down at her, "Oh! Could you please do a flip as you plummet to your death?" "MONEYBAGS!" the unicorn stallion raised a brow. He turned around and was a bit taken back, "STEP AWAY FROM HER!" Twilight roared. Twilight growled with her eyes glowing white, her horn blazing in magic with her mane flowing…. Just like Celestia and Luna. "What do we have here?" Moneybags mutter to himself. A scowl formed on the unicorn’s face, knowing full well, he shouldn’t underestimate Twilight Sparkle. "Whatever spell your forming…." He spoke tapping the alicorn amulet, "Won’t be enough to stop me." "HANG ON, LUNA!" Twilight yelled. She took a deep breath and fire a powerful magical ray at him. "Don’t worry about it, love," Luna shouted back glancing down below, "I have no intentions on letting go." "NO! WHAT YOU ARE! YOU AND THAT THING! ARE AN ABOMINATION!" Moneybags shouted back quickly firing a magical ray of his own. What’s going on?! Luna thought. She groans some more, pulling herself slightly higher in order to get a better view. Her eyes widen at the sight of Twilight and Moneybags’ battle. It was intense. Twilight and Moneybags both firing a magical ray at each other, both rays itching to push the other one back. A deadly dual of tug of war; the loser losing their life. "WHO THE HELL CARES ABOUT GENDERS!" Twilight shouted as a few tears started to form, "PONIES LIKE YOU! NEED TO BUCKING MOVE ON!" "YOU BITCH!" Moneybags shouted back. He shrieked heatedly, closing his eyes tightly as he forced more magic into his horn. Twilight grunted some more, seeing Moneybags’ magic starting to overwhelm her own. She couldn’t let him win, she just couldn’t. "TWILIGHT! YOU CAN DO IT! DEFEAT HIM!" Luna shouted. She moan in pain as she attempted to flap her wings, only to have a jolt of pain shoot through her body. "DO IT FOR US! FOR…. OUR FOAL!" Twilight shouted in anger. She infused all the magic she could muster, all the magic she had inside of her, and fired her last attack. Moneybags’ eyes widen in horror, "No…. NO!" he shouted, as with Twilight’s magic consuming his own. His magic was strengthening Twilight’s, making her attack even more powerful. "I…. I can’t… lose! Not against…. FILLYFOOLERS!" "DO IT TWILIGHT!" Luna shouted. Luna’s ears twitched slightly, hearing her wife screaming even louder. She lifted her head slightly when a large blast of magic shot into the sky. Luna closed her eyes, opening them slightly, seeing the balcony half destroyed. "Luna!" Twilight shouted running towards the burnt edges. "Twilight," Luna said smiling at her. She looked down with a magical aura surrounding her. Twilight gently placed Luna on the balcony, before taking her wife in her hooves. "We did it…." Twilight said tightening her hold around her. "Where’s Moneybags?" Luna hesitantly asked, quickly looking around for any signs of his presence. "Gone…. I felt…. His body being…. Well, you know." Twilight said looking away from her, "He’s gone." Luna smiled big before she stole a kiss from Twilight’s lips. "We did it…. Twilight. It's finally over…. we did it!" Luna cheered. "Don’t be so sure about it," a voice spoke. Twilight and Luna quickly turned around, when a hoof struck them in the face. Both mares slid against the ground, and tumble over the edge of the balcony. Twilight shouted, managing to flap her wings just in time. "Hang on, Luna!" Twilight shouted looking down at her, as Luna held onto Twilight’s back hooves. "Twilight! Use teleportation!" Luna shouted. "I can’t…. I used up all of my magic!" Twilight shouted, her wings struggling to keep them air born. Twilight wasn’t going to admit it, but Luna was much heavier than the average pony. For a mare who spent most of her life on the ground, her wings weren’t strong enough to sustain such weight. "Love, fly to the balcony…. Or land!" Luna said unable to stop herself from looking down. "I…. I’m trying!" Twilight shouted. "Such an easy target," Crescent said, standing in front of the two mores, his eyes glancing down at the destroyed balcony. "What a battle! Not surprised my worthless brother failed." "You’re not upset?" Luna asked quickly adjusting her grip around Twilight’s hooves. "He might have been my brother, but that doesn’t mean I had to like him," Crescent said with his horn glowing. "I might have found him a pest. But I do approve of his ideal’s of killing, ponies like you two." "Luna…. I can’t…. Hold us any longer!" Twilight said with tears dripping down on Luna’s cheeks. Her body can’t take this anymore. After using so much magic from earlier, and now this…. She can’t hold us. Luna thought, desperately trying to find a way out of this. She looks down at the ground below. She could let go, let Twilight save herself. But Crescent would immediately strike her down before she would be able to save herself. Luna couldn’t use her magic either because of the ring or able to fly them to safety with her broken wings. "Goodbye," Crescent said smiling even more, "Have a nice time burning in hell!" Crescent narrowed his eyes at the two mares. He was about to fire his lethal attack when Twilight and Luna suddenly drop to the ground below. Twilight had managed to soften their fault with her wings, but the fall was still rough. Both mares struck the ground, hard. "Just great," Crescent mumble, quickly teleporting to the ground below. He sighed in annoyance, looking down at the soft cross underneath his hooves. He took a deep breath of the night air, smiling at the sight of the two mares groaning in pain. "Twilight…. Are you alright?" Luna moan in pain. She wrenches slightly and touched her wings slightly. The Moon Princess was unfortunate to fall against her wings. The pain running through her body was intolerable, but Luna was able to keep it inside. Luna smiled slightly with Twilight giving a slight nod of the head. "Now, don’t move. I don’t want to dirty my coat." Crescent said. He smiled and focused his magic once more. He was about to fire his attack when he was suddenly tackled by two Pegasus stallions. He grunted with his face being pressed down against the ground. His eyes quickly darting from side to side, seeing more hooves around him. Dammit! Reinforcements. "THE RING! NOW!" a familiar voice shouted. Twilight turned her head at the sound of the voice, she smiled seeing her, "Shining!" Twilight cheered. "What?!" Crescent shouted. He struggled to free himself from the hold of the two Pegasus guardpony. His horn lit up when his magic was quickly cut off, "An anti-magical ring….." "Luna! Twilight!" Celestia shouted rushing to their side. Twilight and Luna slowly, but painfully sat up on their hooves. They both smiled at the solar princess, "Are you both alright?" "I’m alright, sister," Luna said smiling at her. She had never been so happy to see her sister in her entire life! Celestia removed the ring from around Luna’s horn, "Thank you." "Your wings…." Celestia said gently brushing her hoof against them, feeling her sister flinch slightly at her touch. "I’ll be alright, Tia," Luna replied hugging her sister, groaning slightly in pain. "Did you two fall from…. Up there?" Celestia asked looking up at the broken balcony above, "Are you two seriously injured?!" "No, I don’t think so." Luna said glancing at Twilight, who simply nodded her head ‘no’. Luna sighed in relief, at least Twilight wasn’t seriously injured. "Thank you. If you hadn’t arrived when you did…." "Don’t say it…." Celestia said wrapping her hooves around the smaller alicorn mare. "Ouch…" Luna yelp. Celestia quickly released her hold, "I’m so sorry." "Celestia!" Twilight said hugging her sister in law, "Thank you!" "Twilight!" Celestia smiled nuzzling the purple mare’s cheeks, "Thank goodness, you’re both alright." "Just a bit beat up." Luna teased "Where’s Moneybags?" Celestia asked "Gone and he won’t be back," Twilight said smiling at them both. Her eyes moved away from the two princesses, stopping at Crescent who was currently being chained down. "Place another anti-magic ring!" Shining ordered glaring down at the stallion, "Do not allow! This filth to escape, do you understand me?!" "Yes, Captain!" the guardponies said quickly saluting him. "Bring him to the interrogation room! I want to know who this mole is!" Shining said "And use any means." Celestia said with a death glare, "Anything….! I want Crescent to talk and tell us who this mole is." "At once, your majesty," a Pegasus pony said with a quick bow. At least the rat dead! Crescent thought smiling at himself "What’s with the smug?" Celestia asked slowly walking towards him, "Speak Crescent!" "Just happy somepony died," Crescent said spitting on the ground, "That’s all." "Well, I doubt you’re talking about my sister and her wife. So, you must be talking about Flash Sentry! We stopped the attacked on his life. Your associates…. Well, not the brightest bunch." Shining said walking over to Crescent before striking him in the face. "What….? Those fools!" Crescent shouted grunting slightly, as Shining pulled him closer to his face. Crescent glared into Shining’s eyes, "You don’t scare me, Captain." "We’ll see about that." Shining said before punching him out cold, "Take him! I’m going to handle his interrogation personally." The guardponies nodded before dragging the unconscious unicorn away. Shining removed his helmet and threw it the ground. He quickly rushing to his sister’s side, and into a tight embrace. Twilight yelp in pain with Shining immediately loosening his grip. "Oh! I’m so sorry, Twily!" He said "It's alright," she replied "Thank Celestia," Shining said gently giving his sister another hug. "Just beaten up, BBBFF," Twilight said smiling back at her brother. "I’m just…. so, relieved you’re alright." He whispered burying his muzzle into his sister’s mane. "Its finally over," Twilight spoke softly