//------------------------------// // Chapter 63: The Awakening Part One // Story: Light and Dark: Road to Redemption // by MXCDarkHorse2020 //------------------------------// Chapter 63: The Awakening Part One Inside one of the crystal palace bedrooms inside the Crystal Empire where Twilight is laying in, the alicorn finds herself regaining consciousness as her eyes open up as she finds herself waking up to the Crystal Empire surroundings. She groans in pain as she gets herself up and out of bed and walks up to the window where she finds the many crystal ponies all living in peace together walking around town and the Crystal Heart still intact. “Wow, what happened?” Twilight asked herself as she made her way out towards the door and into the hallways. “How did I get here?” She made her way through the hallways as she struggles to fly around trying to wonder what is happening and why everything is so peaceful as she finds her chest covered in bandages before focusing her attention back to the hallway as she finds herself nearly dodging Tempest by an inch who just happened to be walking in her direction causing her to struggle to conjure magic to keep her from slamming into the nearby wall and knocking over a crystal pot on a stand which landed right on her. Twilight then got herself back up while groaning in pain as Tempest ran up to her. “Easy, Twilight.” Tempest quickly placed her hooves on Twilight to help her up while still holding on she can escort her back to her room. “You’re still looking and feeling very banged up.” “Tempest?” Twilight said as Tempest helped her walk and maintain her balance. “Still banged up from what?” She said still clearly confused of what had just happened and how she got injured like this as if the memory of what happened back at the School of Friendship is lost on her. Before Tempest could answer a baby alicorn comes flying right at her babbling and giggling in delight as she clings onto her aunt looking very happy to see her awake causing Twilight a stumble back a little before being caught by Tempest again as Shining Armor, Cadance, and Sunburst come on over in hot pursuit of the alicorn foal. “Flurry! Get back over this instant!” Sunburst yelled out to her before turning her attention to Twilight. “Sorry Twilight.” He casually greeted her before realizing who he was talking to after a second of regaining his thoughts. “Twilight! You’re awake!” He then enthusiastically greeted as her brother and sister run over to do the same. “Oh, thanks goodness you’re awake!” Cadance said in happy relief as she hugged her. “Great to see you back with the living, Twily!” Shining greeted as he hugged her too. “It’s good all right.” Twilight then broke apart the hug politely as she tried to walk around trying to understand what is going on. “Just one question. What happened?” She then asked as her vision blurred as she tries to look to her surroundings before stumbling with her footing before stumbling back down to collapse as she fainted with Tempest quickly catching her in time before she could hit her head. Seeing that Twilight still needs some more healing and rest Tempest along with Cadance help the passed out alicorn to her hooves as they carry her back to her room and place her back on her bed just as she was waking up. “Please just sit back…” Cadance eased her sister-in-law from getting up from her bed with a gentle hoof as she prepares to heal her with her alicorn magic. “You took a nasty hit back there.” “Where?” Twilight questioned as she struggled in pain. “Right where your chest is.” Cadance answered as she worked her magic as Shining Armor grips onto to her sister. “So tell me where it hurts the most.” Cadance told Twilight as she starts to feel better from her healing session. “A little higher…” Twilight asked as the moment she starts working her magic on her heart she suddenly flashes back to the moment she went ballistic after Midnight took down Celestia and Luna. “Yep, you’ve hit the right spot.” She sharply gasped in pain as her sister-in-law eases up her magic on her. “Just try to hold still because I can feel a lot of dark magic in there.” Cadance instructed her as Shining further strengthens his grip on her sister as Cadance carefully extracts the dark magic with lightning infused in it to which Twilight groaned in pain from the surge as she flash back to the moment Midnight and Sombra struck her down while also remembering her lying on the bed as her family looks over her crying as they hope she lives. Once Cadance did her magic as Shining Armor contains the harmful dark magic in a magic bubble, Twilight then gasps and falls to her down onto her stomach with sweating coming down from her face. “Now I remember!” Twilight exclaimed when the memories flow back to her as she gasped in pain. “I went down! But didn’t just get hurt. I actually died back there! But somehow you brought me back!” “I just used magic from the Crystal Heart.” Cadance simply replied as if she almost didn't think it would be enough save her. “I’ve always been a good healer but aside from the time you went down taking on Midnight this is the first time I actually had to deal with removing dark magic.” “Well whatever you did you saved me.” Twilight said pleased with the fact she is alive as she hugs the Princess of Love while using her magic to bring her brother in too as Flurry flies over to join in on the family hug. Meanwhile back at the Canterlot Castle, Midnight and her allies are decorating the castle to Midnight’s liking before the dark alicorn herself makes her way to the crowd of ponies that have gathered in the audience all looking terrified to see Midnight once she emerged outside of the balcony. “Everyone, listen up!” Midnight commanded her new subjects. “There has been a new shift in power amongst the leaders of Equestria!” She announced as every pony wonders what this is all about. “Through the last week there has been a drain of magic that you all have noticed through those three days. The princesses along with the Elements of Harmony have all tried to fix the problem yet they have all paid a terrible price in succeeding. And in the process, all those who have failed all of Equestria in trying to stop another threat from taking over are all now my prisoners.” The crowd murmurs confused and terrified looks and exchanges as they know that Midnight is taking over. “For they are all unfit to protect Equestria anymore and were unable to prevent the School of Friendship from being destroyed in the process.” She said as she presented an image of the school burned up with her aura of magic. “In the process Princess Twilight Sparkle has lost her life trying to stop it. So now it is necessary that I assume the throne in light of Celestia and Luna’s failures and I will promise you all you all will be able to live your lives like you always do and everyone will prosper in the end. And if none of you are willing to accept the change in power well…” She had her cohorts come up onto the balcony. “…they will have the pleasure to make sure you learn your lesson in the end.” She then said as he had a banner with her cutie mark presented over the castle as every pony terrified bows in submission to her along with her cohorts as the dark alicorn smirks as her heart glows neon purple as she relishes in enjoying her coronation as Cozy Glow places her crown over her head to make it official before everypony as the little one secretly gives an expression of displeasure behind her back before giving a forced smile to the audience. Just inside of the library, Sunset Shimmer appears through the portal looking around the place for her alicorn friend with the journal she uses to communicate with Twilight in tow. “Twilight!” Sunset called out as she walked around the room until she heard Midnight’s voice. “I know this all so sudden, but if you all corporate you will all find living under my lead will be manageable…” Hearing this causes Sunset to show an alarmed look hearing that Midnight is here and taking over Canterlot. “…and still find living your own lives as comfortably as you all usually do.” “What happened while I was gone?“ Sunset asked herself in shock as she quickly casts an invisibility spell to avoid being spotted in case Midnight comes back as she listens on to her speech. “For I even as the Princess of Darkness still am a very fair and reasonable mare willing to listen to reason as long as you are all willing to give me a chance to prove it all to you. So don’t be afraid to carry on with your lives like you normally do and treat me like you treated the other princesses before you and we’ll get along fine.” She then concluded her speech as she and her cohorts all make their way down to the catacombs beneath the Canterlot prison cells where Sunset invisible stays a hundred yards away from the villains to avoid being detected by Midnight as she decides to stay outside of the prison rooms and outside as she listens in as Midnight and her cohorts visit the defeated ponies in their cells. “You all have a good night’s rest?” Midnight politely asked them as they all glared at her with bags over their eyes as they apparently did not due to being prisoners of war to the conqueror standing before them taking over their home. “I can tell you all didn’t from the looks of the bags from your eyes. I understand. It takes time to get used to big changes even if it is the better.” She then said to Celestia to Luna who both grit their teeth in anger for killing Twilight and in Sombra’s direction. “You don’t know what you’re doing, Midnight.” Celestia protested. “Taking over and using fear and intimidation to rule Equestria wouldn’t make you a good leader but only a tyrant and a traitor to all of the good that has happened for the last one thousand years. “You think what you all did was good?” Midnight calmly retorted. “Constantly blowing Twilight's concerns to the sky, abandoning her in a time of need that caused her to turn to darkness, treating her just a pawn in your little game of chess to deal with threats that you have the power yourself to handle on your own?” She brought up their past fall-outs as proof as she presents said memories with her magic. “You’re all lucky you all managed to be friends with her after all of that even when all you all did was give her reason to believe friendship had failed her, what she has been defining herself and try to prove to every pony since the day she reformed. Because if she wasn’t a forgiving mare she would have come to accept her destiny and learn that ruling Equestria under a reign of darkness is the best way to go since friendship ever since she was introduced it didn’t bring happiness and harmony, only pain and suffering.” She then glared at each and every one of them as they all realize the validness of Midnight’s words with varying expressions. “You all call yourself saints when all you have done was hurt ponies who come across your way while only caring for yourselves.” “Even if what you say is true, evil will still fail just like every other villain who has come before and after you!” Luna defiantly refused to let Midnight break her along with Celestia and Starlight while the Mane Five from Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy in the order as the blue peagsus refuses to believe that as the others silently agree with her. “It’s true villains before have failed in the end…” Midnight agreed there. “But in this case it will be a different story since unlike my cohorts before they agreed to follow my lead I on the other hoof understand the power of friendship and the Elements of Harmony to the point I will never underestimate its powers as long as they are around.” She said as she turned her attention to the students who are backed up in a corner terrified of her. “And since you and these students represent the elements, you all along with the princesses are all set to be executed first thing in the morning.” “WHAT?!” The Mane Five and Young Six exclaimed in shock by her declaration. “Sorry to have to do this to you but I can’t have the bearers of the elements getting in my way again.” Midnight showed no sympathy with what she plans to do them. “But it is for the greater good of Equestria, surely something your chancellor would agree with me on even when he tried twice to have the school shut down.” “But how could you say trying to shut the school was for the greater good when all I was trying to do is…” Neighsay tried to retort only to stop mid-sentence when he had a realization as he looked back at his antagonistic actions towards Twilight and her friends. “Ooh.” “Yep. Doesn’t feel so good does it?” Midnight stoically replied with a nod. “Been used to winning all the time it takes being on the losing end of the ropes for you to finally open up your eyes to the damage you have caused so much that you were so gullible to fall for these fake photos in your pursuit to try to shut down Twilight’s school.” She said as she presented said photos to the chancellor who looks away now feeling like an even bigger fool for playing right into Midnight’s hooves. “I mean seriously you every low-level thug and con-artist I come across is so gullible that all it takes was some nice sweet words and moves to butter you all up and get you to do exactly what I want without realizing it.” “You won’t get away with this Midnight!” Rainbow Dash growled in anger as she tried to charge at her with only the confines of her surroundings holding her back. “Careful, don’t want to get too worked up.” Midnight warned the brash blue Pegasus as she was about to touch her jail cell. “You won’t want to lose your super speed would you, well not like you can since you’re trapped here.” Midnight flew over and tossed a small ball of magic right at her which turned into a hand to slap her on the cheeks before making contact with the substance imprisoning them which evaporated and exploded in Rainbow’s face. “One touch of these chards from Chrysalis’s old throne and any magic you have will be cancelled upon contact. Which I do thank her along with Shining Armor for bringing these here to provide your security for the castle.” She further spoke as she turned to Star Swirl. “Along with Star Swirl for properly testing them before you had Twilight and her friends test it out themselves.” She added as Star Swirl looks too drained to fight back against her words. “But how did you even get that there Alicorn Amulet?” Applejack pointed to said amulet around her neck. “Oh this?” Midnight commented while feeling pleased at the mention. “About time some pony noticed, a little prize I got for managing to sneak into the castle even with the increased security.” “But how did you get in?” Celestia asked in disbelief as Midnight presents one of the guard’s badges to which Rarity gasped upon recognizing it. “One of the guard’s badges to which I had Chrysalis pickpocket from behind your back.” “What?” Rarity exclaimed in shock. “How?!” “Remember this pony from your friendship retreat?” Chrysalis arrogantly said as she transformed into the photographer. “I should have known.” Rarity grumbled with crossed arms upon realizing it. “Aw, don’t feel bad.” Midnight said in a mocking tone. “Looks can be deceiving can’t they?” She chuckled at the glaring and pouting unicorn. “So that also means you were behind those clones we came across back there!” Pinkie also figured out. “You tricked us into thinking our friends did those mean things.” “Correct.” Midnight simply replied without any reaction. “Every moment I spend with you all I’m mildly impressed with your puzzle piecing abilities even when you have a mentality of a young child, Pinkie.” She mocked the party pony who also pouted at being mocked like that. “But what now since you have Equestria under your control?” Celestia questioned her of what she is planning now. “Let’s call that one more riddle to solve, perhaps for next time.” Midnight refused to give away anymore deals as she turns to her cohorts who are all eyeing the bell. “What are you doing?! You saw what happened when you tried to take Discord's chaos magic.” Tirek scolded Daybreaker for eyeing the bell and trying to absorb it’s magic. “Yeah, but there's Alicorn princess magic in there now, too! I could be so much more powerful if I just could have…” The flaming alicorn pointed out. “What do you mean you could be?” Nightmare questioned with a glare at her arrogance as Midnight groans with a sigh knowing where this is going. “Um, hello? I'm the best one out of all of us!“ Daybreaker argued. “Um, no since you burn everything you touch!” Chrysalis argued in retort. “What are you talking about?! You’re not the boss of us!” Tirek joined in as Cozy stepped aside and away knowing Midnight’s reaction as she slams her hooves onto the floor to get them all to shut up. “Enough and No!” Midnight commanded them to stand down to which they all did as she takes control of the bell away from them. “But I am in terms of power and abilities, and I did not bring you all down so you can all indulge in another one of your ridiculous arguments.” “Sorry, your excellency.” Chrysalis along with the other bowed in shame and respect. “But Daybreaker started it.” She then attempted to protest while turning to the alicorn in question as the two again exchange glares at each other. “I don’t care who started it!” Midnight sharply shut her up as she points a hoof to the doors. “You all head on over back to the throne room and continue setting up the castle to my liking and then you all will report back to the throne room so we can discuss the future! Understand?!” She then sternly ordered them all without raising her voice to do so as they all quickly walk off in shame but not before stopping Nightmare Moon and Cozy Glow with a raised hoof. “Expect you two.” She calmly said with a now gentle tone. “Are we in trouble, mom?” Cozy asked in a worried tone. “No, no.” Midnight gently assured her as she placed a hoof on her back to which Cozy couldn’t help but cringe feeling it’s to lure her into a false sense of security. “I just needed to separate you from those who still need to learn to work together some more and to have you and Nightmare watch over the prisoners and keep them locked up until I get back so I can see to it they are executed for their crimes in the morning.” “Okay, and what about the alicorn magic and chaos magic?” Cozy questioned in a curious tone. “We’ll call that something that you can have as thanks for your loyalty.” Midnight replied with a smile. “After all, none of this would have been possible without you.” “Okay, mother?” Cozy replied with a respectful nod feeling pleased with this as Midnight turns to Nightmare. “Keep watch over them and make sure they are still locked up.” Midnight instructed to Luna’s evil counterpart. "Once I have everything planned out, I will come back to see to it that the execution falls through." “Will do, Midnight!” Nightmare replied with an obedient nod as Midnight turns to leave. “This is really bad.” Fluttershy told the others while feeling heartbroken over what Midnight had said to them. “We gotta find Twilight.” Applejack tried to shake off the alicorn’s words the best to her ability. “Maybe she survived and has probably already figured out some way to defeat them.” “Any idea how we can get out of here to do that?” Rainbow questioned pointing to the anti-magic surroundings to which Spike touches. “Too sticky. There's no way anypony could get through this.” Spike said with hopelessness. “I hate to say it but I’m afraid the party pooper is right.” Pinkie lamented in sadness. “Friendship has failed Twilight.” “What?! Pinkie!” Rarity exclaimed in saddened shock. “But why on earth would you say that darling?!” “Because we have failed.” Pinkie further went on as tears began to fall from her eyes. “We were there, we were supposed to be there for her but we ended up being captured and taken down by Midnight. And because of us giving her reason to believe we’d be better off without friends like us and with everything that had happened back there at the school, the beach, and the wedding, she is now dead.” She then cried with great and remorse to which Sunset listening to this is expresses silent shock to hear Twilight is dead after learning that Midnight has taken over. “No!” Applejack tried to comfort her as she insisted otherwise. “We didn’t! Midnight was just trying to break your spirit.” “Well she did it!” Pinkie refused to change her mind as she turns to face the corner still crying her heart out. “Because we did lose and Twilight is dead! Midnight won!” Fluttershy feeling the pain and guilt walked over to join Pinkie in on the crying. “Come on, Fluttershy!” Rainbow urged her not to give in. “This is exactly what she wants!” “Well, I am afraid she is right!” Fluttershy cried out. “Twilight is gone! There’s no hope for saving Equestria now and it is all our fault!” “Oooh, darling…” Rarity joined in on crying too. “We are so sorry!” Sunset hearing this from above turned away unable to listen and look on to the sad scene from down below as she tries to figure how to help them escape in order to stop Midnight. “What am I going to do?” Sunset wondered how she is going to obtain the bell, save her friends, and escape Midnight without getting killed in the crossfire of the dark mare now in control of the crown. Back at the Crystal Empire, Twilight is with her siblings, niece, and one of her friends just in deep thought. “What are you thinking, Twily?” Shining Armor asked his sister. “I honestly don’t know.” Twilight solemnly said to her brother’s surprise. “I don’t know how we are going handle this now. “ She then presented a map consisting all of Equestria along with all the places outside of Equestria. “Even when knowing that Midnight isn’t planning on stopping at Equestria, she is going to take over all other lands outside of Equestria until there is nothing left to defend.” “And this is a problem how?” Her brother couldn’t help but ask. "i get that you were out for a few weeks but why would you say that?" “Because even if we figure out how to defeat Midnight’s army backed up by Grogar’s magic from his bell…” Twilight explained her point. “We don’t know how to defeat Midnight herself. I don’t even know if she can be beaten either.” “But Twilight…” Cadance tried to console her. “I’m sorry, Cadance. But Midnight is just as powerful as me who was able to go toe-to-toe with me even with all of the most powerful ponies in Equestria by my side.” Twilight further went on. “I only was able to take her down while throwing my own life on the line. Now that she has the alicorn amulet along with Grogar’s magic I ended briefly dying after losing to her. And now Equestria has fallen to her.” She said as she then faced her family. “I’m supposed to be able to protect Equestria from her but I failed. I lost.” Twilight then walked off ahead to the balcony to get some fresh air as her heart glows neon purple as she showed more emotion during her rant to which they took notice of just as she was leaving the room but are unable to find the right words to comfort Twilight as what happened at the school really took a great toll on her confidence which hurts more than the injuries she sustained. Flurry unable to stand seeing her favorite aunt like this flies after her and hugs her when they make it to the balcony as her distraught aunt has tears streaming from her face with her heart still glowing neon purple. "Okay, dinner is swerved." Grubber said as he brought in a tray with covered food. "You're going to love thith princess, since this is personally a one of a kind meal I made if I do say so myself..." Before he could unveil his creation he then saw Twilight isn't in the room with only the royal couple and commander looked lost of what to do. "What did I miss?" Grubber then asked confused by their troubled looks. Meanwhile back at the Canterlot Castle, as Sunset ponders her options on a deadline to where she is suddenly approached by Discord who groaned as he rubbed his feet. “Oh! My aching metatarsals!” Discord complained in pain. “You know, you forget how convenient snap-travel is.” “Wow this is a surprise.” Sunset said in a deadpan tone thinking he is playing another one of his jokes on her now. “Did you just walk here on foot?” “Yes, actually all the way from Tartarus.” Discord honestly answered. “You walked all the way from Tartarus?!” Sunset asked with sudden surprise. “But why would you do that when you have magic?” “Well, that’s part of a long story but the short version is it was part of the price I paid when made this teeny tiny boo-boo. All very well intended and noble on my part, of course, but…” He started to nervously explain himself. “Get to the point.” Sunset immediately cut him off with a serious expression. “I brought back the villains who have now taken over Equestria along with my magic.” Discord quickly confessed much to Sunset's further shock. “Why?!” Sunset asked now sounding angered by this. “Why did you do it?!” “Well it seemed like a good idea at the time to help Twilight prepare for anything even facing off against her evil counterpart to have the confidence to rule Equestria.” Discord honestly explained his best intentions at heart. “Well, thanks to you, Twilight is now dead and Equestria has fallen to the evil mare herself.” Sunset calmly yet with sharp anger responded. “I know.” Discord admitted in shame with closed eyes. “As much as I want to chew you out for this, we have a much bigger problem right now!” Sunset then used her magic to show the imprisoned heroes downstairs. “My friends are about to join Twilight in the dead with their execution first thing in the morning who are currently being guarded by Nightmare Moon and Cozy Glow. Along with my mentor who and her sister have been drained of their magic we have got to manage helping them escape, get their magic back, and get the hay out of here before Midnight herself decides to execute us on the spot. So if you care so much about our friends then help me figure out a plan so we can get out in one piece because Midnight has the will to kill if we were to fight her and from the last time I faced her I ended up suffering a near-death experience.” She then said with calm anger with her temper rising more and more as she goes on before taking some deep breath exercises Twilight previously showed her to calm herself down. Discord then ponders in deep thought as he tries to think of a plan as Sunset thinks of something. “I think I got it!” Sunset and Discord said out loud at the same time. “What are you thinking?” They both asked each other in unison again. “How are we saying our words at the same time?” They said together as Flash Sentry sneaks inside their room. “I could ask the same question?” Flash spoke up surprising the two. “Flash?” Sunset said in alarm by his sudden appearance. “Don’t worry?” Flash assured her. “I’m not with Midnight. I’m here to help.” “Ok.” Sunset accepted without hesitation with time at the essence. “We have the mirror portal that can transport us to the Crystal Empire and right where Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are. So there’s our escape route.” “Okay then the question is how do we get them out of their prisons along with the bell?” Flash then questioned. “I think I can arrange that.” Discord offered. “But the real question is how do we get the bell?” “I’ll take care of that.” Sunset confidently proposed. “I managed to make off with Twilight’s crown during her sleep and was only awaken by an accidental trip on my part so I think can safely say I have improved well since then.” “Not the best and least risky option but since she has full control of the bell I don’t see any other choice since Midnight isn’t the type of mare to keep things around and easy to obtain.” Discord relented with her suggestion. “If I could escape Twilight with the crown in tow, I’m sure I can do the same with a bell since Midnight is just as powerful as Twilight.” Sunset confidently stated placing faith in her own abilities before setting off to do so. “Flash, you go with Discord to help make sure they escape.” “I’m on it!” Flash obeyed without question as they went their separate ways as they set out to do their task. “This is for you Twilight!” Sunset said with her eyes locked in determination to achieve victory in her name as she makes her way to Midnight’s room.