//------------------------------// // Duel Monsters // Story: Longing for the Past // by Fantasia //------------------------------// Rainbow paced around her living room, distraught from the recent realization. Her friend, her... best friend, had disobeyed her, going ahead with what she had said specifically not to do... and not caring one bit about the risk! "I mean, why?" Rainbow fumed, thinking it over. "Twilight's smart, she's... amazing. So why...? She had wheezed out something about Chrysalis, and Ponyville... but the changeling are being taken care of, I mean..." Her eyes widened as the two words suddenly clicked, making a lot more sense in her head. Had Chrysalis made an attempt on Twilight's life? Had that... pushed her to take such drastic action? It occurred to her then, that she hadn't exactly received the full story... She shut her eyes, and threw her head back. "I'm such a featherbrain... Twilight!" She yelled out her friend's name as she turned and flew out the front door, into the cold winter air. Rainbow glanced around frantically for signs of a familiar purple coat, only instead to spot something that looked like... a crystal suit? She flew down to get a closer look, and it turned out to be just that. A pony, seemingly made of magenta-colored, semi-translucent crystals, stood firmly in the field beneath her cloudominium... a dense black smoke visible deep within the confines of the crystals. "Oh, Twilight," Rainbow murmured grimly. 'What have you done to yourself...?" One of Twilight's hooves raised itself off the ground, and pressed onward, taking Rainbow by surprise. Her steps were awkward and clumsy, as she seemingly dragged herself forward. "Twilight!" Rainbow called out to her. Twilight didn't respond, not even lifting her head to acknowledge her friend. Rainbow feared the worst. "Twilight... come on. It's me, Rainbow... your friend." She dipped closer until she was flying at the alicorn's side. Twilight continued to trudge mindlessly on towards her destination. Wherever, or whatever it was, Rainbow had no idea. "Is your throat sore...? If you can't speak, I..." This mare is quite bothersome, the voice snarled, drowning out Rainbow's voice. She'll only get in our way... Get rid of her, my puppet. Twilight turned her head to face Rainbow, causing the pegasus to pause. "Twilight—?" Twilight focused her emotionless gaze on Rainbow's hind leg, where crystals immediately began taking shape, clamping down on it. Rainbow winced, letting out a pained scream. The crystals acted like claws digging their nails into her. The shock was too much, and she fell back on her flanks... gripping her hind leg between her hooves. She sucked in a breath through her gritted teeth. The crystals were still growing... Enough, slave! Twilight gazed up, and cocked her head away, turning her attention back to Canterlot. You needn't kill her. You only need retrain her. Everyone here will all be of service to me... one day. "I... understand," Twilight monotonously replied. "Twilight?" Rainbow peered up at her, lightheaded from the pain the crystals were causing. "Who... are you talking to?" No, the only ones who are to perish... are the royal sisters who stole away my throne! Understood? "Un... derstood," Twilight said, then began walking once more. Rainbow cursed under her breath, then glared up at her old friend, her fears ringing true. "You're not you anymore... are you?" Twilight continued walking. "Somepony's controlling you... aren't they?" Rainbow yelled after her, before taking on a softer tone. "That somepony is King Sombra... isn't it, Twilight?" We've wasted enough time here, his voice reminded Twilight, to which his host barely nodded. A mountain of black crystals rose up under Twilight's hooves, slanted in the direction of Canterlot. Rainbow could only watch as her possessed friend rode the crystals like a wave, headfirst into Equestria's capital. "D-darn it!" She clenched her hooves before glancing around warily, finding a rock not far from her. She grabbed it within her hoof, and proceeded to bash the crystals that gripped her hind leg like a vice. "Come on..." She slammed the rock down again and again, desperation setting in as her gaze kept returning to the jagged pillar of crystal, and her friend posed at its very tip. "Come on...!" Twilight's horn sparked to life once more, this time using it to craft a pair of intricate crystal wings at her sides. She leaped from the jagged mountain, using them to glide down to a street in the residential district of the city. They weren't ideal for flying, being both featherless and blunt, but they caught enough traction to soften her landing, and prevent a crack or two in the crystals sustaining her. She straightened up, before turning, and proceeding in the direction of Canterlot Castle. Celestia's foolhardy sister Luna will no doubt be presiding over the castle at this time of the night, Sombra's voice supposed. No matter. I can take her, then Celestia herself, in her sleep. I might be in trouble however, if I have to face the two of them head on... Well, luckily for me... you mean something to them, don't you, my puppet? "They... value me," Twilight answered truthfully. Yes... and it is that trust in you that will cause them to hesitate... and likely refuse to fight back. You are the Element of Magic, and... a subordinate of Celestia's after all, aren't you... Twilight Sparkle? I can see inside your mind, and into all of your flowery, sweet memories... I know you were there when I tried to retake my empire, and now you're partaking in it all over again—only this time... you'll be servicing me. "I'll... be servicing you." Twilight stepped into view of Canterlot's castle, attracting the attention of some patrolling guards. You no longer have control over your magic, but you have mine. Dark magic... and the ability to materialize crystals, and crystallize your foes. Twilight reared up, then brought her hooves down... causing crystals to jut up from underneath their hooves, and enclose them before they could get a single word out. Do you know why you no longer have control over your magic? Twilight said nothing as Sombra's influence drove her towards the palace doors. It is because you are changing! Undergoing a metamorphosis... but into what you may ask? "Into... what?" Twilight asked, as instructed. Sombra's voice sneered, and rose in volume. An umbrum! You're changing... into one of my kin! Twilight formed a crystal battering ram out of thin air, and with it, threw open the doors to the entrance hall. You ponies think you know your history, labeling me as some unicorn gone mad, when in fact, what I always was... was a shadow, cloaked in equine skin. My horn you now wear was never actually a horn, but a crystal, laden with dark magic! You— A beam of magic grazed Twilight's side before ricocheting off, not a moment after she set hoof into the spacious throne room, believing it at first to be empty. Then, as her eyes glanced upwards, trailing the trajectory of the shot... she spotted her target. Princess Luna was hovering high above her... her eyes aglow, and scowl prevalent. "You!" Luna's voice bellowed down at her. "State your name, and why you are laying siege to thy castle!" —are a monster, Sombra finished. "I am a monster," Twilight replied with a cock of her head. "And I have come here..." She rose up to Luna's level, crystal blades extending freely from her forelegs. "To end you!" Luna few back as both of Twilight's swords came flying at her from either side, narrowly keeping her head. She slowed to a hover, staring back at her assailant as she straightened back up, withdrawing one of her swords to keep balance. No face to pin a name to, thought Luna. Her voice rings familiar, as does this dark magic, but... I cannot allow myself to dwell on this feeling—lest she get to 'Tia, and all of Equestria...! Her eyes softly closed, and her horn sparked to life, electricity rippling around it... the air around both her and her assailant picking up. "Very well," she murmured under her breath. A black orb grew in size above the tip of her horn, and her eyes opened, revealing an intimidating white light. "You should be warned however, monster... I spar with creatures of the night, every night... and you... are no exception!" The black orb reached its full potency, and shot off at the ceiling. It spread quickly, encompassing the whole throne room in darkness—darkness that Luna disappeared into. The last thing Twilight saw before her mind went on full alert was the fading lights in her opponent's eyes. How predictable. The Princess of the Night, taking refuge in the shadows... Sombra's voice scoffed at the act. Well, no matter. Her magic was shown to have no effect on us—! Twilight's head swerved to her left as a lance tore past it, grazing her cheek... and leaving a deep-seated gash. Twilight simply lifted a hoof to the scar. The crystal was already at work repairing itself, filling in the cut. Unbelievable... he uttered in disbelief. Her magic... actually... A wicked thought spread through Twilight's mind. Can hurt me... Well, what do you know... I guess she merely was holding back before! Sombra moved Twilight's lidded gaze to where the magical construct had been thrown, when a second shimmering lance struck her front left hoof. The lance dissipated, and the holes remaining in her hoof began to fill themselves not a second later, before any smoke could leak out. Her... her armor is self-repairing, Luna observed in slight amazement, silently circling her foe. Very well... She hovered high above the crystal alicorn, raising a hoof above her head, and this time conjuring up six blue, shimmering lances. Lances that gave off an alarming light. Twilight caught sight of them immediately. There you are! "Fare thee well, monster!" Luna cried, and pointed her hoof down, the spears following suit as they rained down upon her foe. Twilight lowered herself into a defensive stance, unsheathing one of her swords, and preparing to swing at the first lance. Sombra had hoped to send it spinning, however... Twilight slowly blinked as the weapon tore clean through her blade... severing it in two. What—?! Sombra's confusion was cut short, having only a split second before the remaining lances assaulted his new body. Two entered through Twilight's shoulders, another through her back, and two more through her hind legs... pinning her where she stood. The magic will dissipate any moment, Luna reminded herself, ducking her head and charging forward; so I must make this quick! With any luck... this will put an end to her regenerative abilities. An aura encompassed her horn, illuminating her presence in the darkness as she prepared to send her horn into her assailant's chest. Sombra's voice roared, "Is this supposed to hurt me, Princess?!" He leered, and conjured crystals larger than either of them to rise up from the floor and block her path. "No, monster," Luna replied. "It is merely meant... to keep you restrained—" She weaved and sliced her way through every crystal until she was a mere inches away. "—so that I may do this!" What? Prevent my armor from repairing itself? Sombra snarled, then exclaimed as Luna's horn just barely grazed his chest, "I will not allow you!" Sharp crystals burst forth from Twilight's crystal skin, covering nearly every inch of her face and body. Luna's eyes widened, and she pulled back before getting skewered. The crystals retreated back into her crystalline body as Sombra once again spoke to her. "You cannot lay a hoof on me now, Princess." A pair of scythes took shape on the sides of Twilight's forelegs. Luna grit her teeth as magic erupted around her horn, shaping itself into a sword. "Would thee like to bet?" The two leaped at one another, Twilight's crystal scythes and Luna's blade of magic clashing briefly in the air. Luna stared bitterly into her assailant's emotionless gaze. Their attacks forced them back, their hooves touching down, and skidding along the black void that was once the throne room. Twilight regained her composure first, lifting her foreleg, and from it, shooting off a few long, vine-line crystalline tendrils. Luna noticed, and in a quick second, conjured up a lance, spinning it like a propeller, grinding the thorny crystal vines into dust. She glared back at Twilight, whipping her lance down by her side, before charging forward. Sombra kept up his assault, using Twilight's body to fire off stream after stream of the vine-like tendrils, Luna expertly weaving in and around them as they struck the floor and surrounding area with enough force so as to penetrate it. She leaped over her assailant's final attack, instead landing on top of, and running along one of the crystal structures to Twilight herself. She wound her right foreleg back, and in one swift motion, sent it forward, kneeing her opponent in her face... shards of crystal flying out from the impact. The blow sent Twilight's body back several feet, the spiked tendrils that remained attached to her foreleg—and embedded within the ground behind them—uprooting chunks of the floor as she was thrust backwards. She landed roughly, the impact causing a few more hairline fractures to form in her armor. Luna swooped down beside her opponent, her horn still ablaze with magic. She scowled, pointing her horn down directly at her, alighting the darkness and her foe's body. "Hmph." Sombra slowly forced Twilight to her hooves. "Not bad, Princess..." "Surrender now, lest you face further humiliation," Luna warned, only for Sombra to softly shake Twilight's head. "I am afraid that it is not I... who will suffer humiliation." "What—?" Twilight's gaze intensified suddenly, and before Luna could react, was encased within a large crystal spire. Sombra got Twilight the rest of her way to her hooves, looking up at her foe as she floated n place, like an insect encased in amber. The sight delighted him, bringing a slight grin to Twilight's face. "One down." He turned Twilight's sights elsewhere, to the door leading back out the war-torn throne room. "One to—" A deep crack sounded out, giving him pause, and causing Twilight to turn midway, looking back over her shoulder in bewilderment. "Wha—?" The crystal exploded outwards, shards and heavy winds blowing past her body. Luna hovered in its place, her horn rippling with electricity, and a sinister smoke encircling her. She glowered at her foe, her eyes an eerie blue, and pupils thin slits. "Well now, isn't this a surprise!" Twilight's voice shouted gleefully among the whipping winds; "It looks like we're both a couple of monsters—!" The trails of smoke came to life, wrapping around, and wringing Twilight's neck, lifting her body up off the ground. Luna grit her teeth, cracks beginning to form in her enemy's armor from the pure strain her smoke caused. "Sister! Stop this!" Luna snapped back to reality, her eyes widening at the familiar voice. She peered past her mysterious foe, to see her sister standing in the door's entrance, awake and... bearing a deep-seated look of concern for her. "Stay back, Sister! I... have this under control." She forced her gaze away, determined to not be swayed, only for her sister's voice to persist. "Are your referencing your emotions, or this fight?" Luna shut her eyes tight in frustration. "Both!" she shouted out. Celestia frowned, having been given slight pause, before flying up to her sister's side. "The life you are about to take is Twilight Sparkle's, Sister." Luna's eyes blinked open, her mind dumbfounded by the revelation. "Surely you jest, 'Tia. This... crystal abomination looks nothing like young Twilight." "Maybe not on the outside, but..." She set a hoof on her sister's shoulder as she herself turned to face their intruder with a sorrowful look. "I have mentored her long enough to recognize her magic signature... and surely her voice sounded familiar to you, however hollow it may now be." "It did ring familiar..." Luna eased up, and lowered both herself and Twilight's body to the ground... her magic simmering down. Her pupils reverted to normal. "What was I about to do? Oh how could I be so foolish...?" "Twilight's mind is being manipulated, Luna, so don't be too hard on yourself. You were just defending this castle. We mustn't dwell on what could have been, but instead on how to free Twilight's mind from whatever malevolent force now controls it." "Well surely you have a spell or two that will suppress its influence?" "If I did, dear sister... don't you think I would have used it to free you from Nightmare Moon's influence, all those moon ago?" Luna's gaze sunk, her voice softening. "Yes, I... suppose you would have." "This is exactly what I was hoping for..." Celestia and Luna turned their attention back to the monster they now knew to be Twilight, as she got to her hooves. "I just knew you would not dare lay a hoof on me the moment you discovered who it was you were fighting." "Who... are you?" Twilight's head cocked indignantly. "I already told you. I am a—" A blur sped in from the hall outside, whizzing past them as it grabbed Twilight around her neck... promptly cutting her off. Surprised, Sombra looked down to see a foreleg of metal, and that's all he saw before he was thrown onto the ground, then pinned down by a familiar pegasus. "You!" he growled. The annoyance from earlier...! How did she...? "Princesses!" Rainbow glanced over her shoulder, back at them. "You're both okay, right?" "Physically, yes," Celestia replied after a moment, a bit shaken. "Do... do you know what has happened to Twilight?" Rainbow nodded. glaring down at the crystal-clad pony beneath her. "It's Sombra! He's... taken control of her mind." "But how is that possible?" asked Luna. "You and your friends worked together to vanquish him!" "I... I-I don't know! It's like... his consciousness hid away in his horn when we defeated him, and took over Twilight's mind the moment she...!" Her gaze turned sullen at the memory, her voice drifting off. "She..." "She replaced her own with Sombra's... didn't she?" surmised Celestia sorely, stepping forward. "I should have foreseen her doing such a thing, after the attack on Ponyville..." Rainbow nodded, tentatively biting her lip... as she came to grips with what she had to do. She spoke up again, directing her voice at the two princesses. "I'm about to do something reckless, but I think it'll save her. Luna, when I say so... I want you to hit me with lightning." "Lightning?" the younger princess repeated, exasperated. "I've been zapped more times than I can count—I can take it! The question is..." Rainbow lifted her metal foreleg, her other one still pinning Twilight's body to the floor. "Whether or not he can!" He snarled up at her. "You'd dare hit your own friend?" Rainbow's brow lifted, freezing for a moment. "You wouldn't dare hit such a pretty face... would you, Rainbow Dash?" I... She shut her eyes tightly. "You're not my friend," she rebuked in a whisper, before punching a hole straight through Twilight's head. The crystal again began to repair itself, sealing around her hoof, and locking it in place. "Now!" Rainbow yelled. "Do it now!" Luna swallowed her nerves, pinching her eyes shut as she charged her horn, aiming it forward. "You're mad if you think this will work! You'll reduce her mind to nothing!" "Her mind's not the one I'm hoping to fry, Sombra," she refuted, then braced herself for the inevitable bolt of lightning to strike her. A sudden, crackling noise ripped through the air... and then it happened. Love you... Twilight— A bolt struck her in the back as her eyes flew shut, her tolerance for pain pushed to its limits as the lightning wracked her body. It coursed through her, pinching her nerves like they were a hundred sharp needles entering her all at once. She couldn't help but scream. The electricity reached her foreleg, and one after the other, the circuits began to overload, and explode... outpouring into Twilight's shadowy body. It too, caused Sombra to let out harsh scream in Twilight's tongue. Celestia and Luna all the while, stood back and watched, anxious... as two of their closest friends tempted death, writhing in agony... Twilight's crystal skin rippling, and coursing with electricity from the inside, as more of the components in Rainbow's arm blew apart. "S-sister..." Luna's voice quivered. "If this doesn't work..." "We'll lose them both... I know." "Tia, I... I-it's just... it'll be my fault if they both..." "None of this was your fault, Luna. This was Rainbow Dash's plan, and we must have faith that she knows what she is doing, lest Twilight loses her mind to Sombra... and Equestria loses two of its mightiest heroes." The screams soon faded, and their pain subsided... both of their eyes falling shut. Still, a smile crept briefly upon Rainbow's lips. "Take that," she whispered weakly, slumping forward. "You rotten... horseapple..." Her good foreleg gave out, and she fell beside her friend's body, out cold. "Rainbow! Twilight!" The two sisters rushed up to check on them. "Get Rainbow to the infirmary, Sister. Who only knows the damage she may have sustained..." "Right away," Luna replied, raising Rainbow's body in her magic. "I only hope I didn't overdo it. I-I've struck her before with lightning, on Nightmare Night... but it was all in good fun! She simply ran off with her tail between her legs! I didn't mean to—" "Luna," Celestia cut her off. "Please... Don't punish yourself over this." She sighed and turned back to Twilight. "They're both still alive, that much is certain. Whether or not they come out of this unscathed waits to be seen. However, these two are two of the... most determined, and... persistent ponies I've met in a long time, and after the hardships they've both endured, well..." Celestia looked over at her sister with a reassuring smile. "A little lightning's not about to stop either of them." "I hope you are right, Sister. Otherwise..." Luna bit her lip, shaking the dreary thought from her head, and turned, suspending Rainbow behind her. "I'm off to the infirmary. I... assume you'll be coming along, and bringing Twilight with you?" "Hm? Yes, yes, I'll... be joining you shortly." Her attention returned to her old student. But I won't be taking Twilight, no... There's nothing I can do for her in this... translucent state. She scooped her up within her magical aura, I can't takes any chances, because I cannot be certain of who it will be... when she comes to...