Scootaloo gasps.
“What do you mean ‘you’?!”
Arc turns the paper to her. Scootaloo grabs it and looks it over.
“Wanted. Former Hero of Light Arc. Needed for questioning in the attempted regicide of Princess Celestia, attempted murder of Captain Decimus, and attempting to overthrow the monarchy.”
She looks at the picture for a long time before speaking again.
“Did… did you…?”
“I don’t know, Scootaloo. Maybe…”
He sighs before continuing.
“…maybe I did.”
“No way!”
“But I have a distinct memory of fighting the captain!”
“There had to be a good reason for that!”
“Could I have been trying to take over? Are these charges against me really true?”
He looks at the wanted poster again for a long moment.
“Arc. So that’s my real name.”
“And you were the Hero of Light… whatever that is.”
“Yeah.”
“We need to find out more. See if you really did all that stuff.”
Arc shakes his head. “No… we don’t.”
“Huh? But don’t you want to…?”
“What I want to do right now is to get you to the orphanage safely.”
“But what about you?!”
“After you’re safely dropped off I’ll get to digging. See what I can turn up regarding this mess.”
“I could help!”
“Thanks, but… I want you to stay at the orphanage where it’s safe and find a nice family. One that cares for you, loves you, and…”
“Like you do, Big Brother?!”
“More so than me.”
“I don’t really see how that’s possible. After all, you’ve looked after me for a while now.”
Arc pats her head. “You’re a really nice filly, Scootaloo. And I want you to stay that way. If you keep hanging around with me, who knows what’ll rub off on you.”
“Only good things I would think.”
Arc sighs. “I can’t take that chance. You have a bright future ahead of you. Let’s not jeopardize that.”
He looks around and stands up.
“In any case… let’s get out of here.”
“But what about all those bits for the bounties?”
“Forget that. Every moment we stay here is dangerous. As soon as those posters go up with a reward that high, everyone will be looking for me.”
“Makes sense.”
The pair quickly leave Canterlot and head for the woods west of the city. Later that afternoon, Twilight’s friends enter Luna’s chambers together along with Derpy, Dinky, and Sereb. Applejack is the first to speak.
“We got here just as fast as we could, sugarcube!”
Rainbow Dash nods. “Yeah! What’s up?!”
Twilight frowns. “There’s been some very serious… developments.”
Rarity appears hopeful. “Did Princess Celestia finally send for you?”
Luna shakes her head. “She did not.”
Pinkie frowns. “Then is it about the posters going up?!”
Twilight sighs. “Yes. But how did you know about that? We had everypony flown here by chariot for that very reason.”
Pinkie grins. “I have great eyesight!”
Fluttershy appears nervous. “What did the posters say?”
Luna points a hoof. “There’s a copy of one on the table. Sergeant Sandstorm Mirage delivered it to me early this morning.”
Trotting over to the table, they look at the paper. Sereb appears confused.
“A wanted poster?”
Derpy turns to Twilight. “What does that mean exactly?”
“It’s a notice to everypony that they should be on the lookout for the pictured individual.”
Dinky gasps. “But that’s my dad’s face on there!”
Rainbow Dash seethes. “WHAT?! But he didn’t do ANY of those things!”
Rarity nods with conviction. “Right! Had he wanted to overthrow the monarchy he had ample opportunity!”
Applejack frowns. “Even before Princess Celestia came back! I mean, not that he would have or did!”
Dinky holds the poster in her hooves. She shakes as rage overtakes her.
“Why… why would somepony say these things about him?!”
Sereb growls. “Indeed. If anything, Arc himself is the victim of these crimes.”
Luna nods. “I agree. But look at the name at the bottom of the paper.”
Dinky grimaces. “Decimus!”
Derpy’s hoof flies to her mouth. “Oh no!”
Applejack grits her teeth. “He must believe Arc’s alive too!”
Rainbow Dash gasps. “What makes you say that? I mean, he hasn’t done anything since the incident.”
Pinkie sighs. “If he didn’t believe it, I don’t think even the captain would have everypony out there chasing ghosts!”
Rarity shudders. “Ghosts?!”
Fluttershy frowns. “Probably not the best way to put it.”
Pinkie shrugs. “Meh. It was the first thing that came to mind.”
Twilight looks to her friends. “As hard as it is to say this, I believe this is good news.”
Derpy gasps. “Good that Arc is being hunted?!”
Twilight shakes her head. “No. This is just more proof that Arc is indeed alive and well.”
Sereb grins. “That is most likely true, yes.”
Dinky plants her hooves firmly. “So where do we go from here?”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Princess Luna could start by having Decimus arrested.”
Luna sighs. “I wish I could. However, he has the blessing of my sister. And the troops follow them loyally.”
Rarity groans. “Well, we can’t let him get away with slandering Arc’s name like this!”
Applejack nods fervently. “Darn right!”
Fluttershy grins wickedly. “I agree. But isn’t there some way the captain could be stopped a little less… officially?”
Pinkie gasps. “Woah! Are you suggesting assassinating him?!”
“Maybe not outright killing him. But somepony could… make him disappear for a while.”
Rainbow Dash rubs her front hooves together. “Leave that to me!”
Luna shakes her head. “As tempting as that idea is, we can’t do that.”
Rainbow Dash groans. “Why not?!”
Sereb growls. “I would be willing to help.”
Twilight frowns. “Because if he disappears, Princess Celestia would be vulnerable to attack or kidnapping!”
Rarity grits her teeth and frowns. “That’s a bad thing how exactly?!”
Derpy appears confused. “Rarity?”
“She’s done NOTHING but cause trouble since Arc rescued her! If he were here right now, I’m sure Arc would march right into the Audience Chamber and remove her from her station! Forcefully if necessary!”
Dinky nods angrily. “Yeah! She’s out of control!”
Twilight holds up a hoof. “Please, everypony! That’s Luna’s sister and my mentor you’re talking about!”
Luna bows her head. “They are correct, Twilight.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Darn right we are!”
Fluttershy appears hopeful. “So she needs to be… removed?”
Applejack sighs. “But no normal weapon can hurt her.”
Pinkie nods. “Other than the Dagger of Eternal Slumbers, you mean!”
Rarity gasps. “But Arc still has it in his ring!”
Sereb turns to Luna. “Is there perhaps a second method?”
Luna shakes her head. “No. According to the official records found in the forbidden wing in the Archives, my sister only allowed one knife to be made before destroying the blueprints personally.”
Twilight puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “That does make sense. After all, only the Hero of Light can legally take action against a sitting princess.”
Sereb growls. “While that was prudent of her, it doesn’t help in our current situation.”
Derpy puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “What about Fluttershy’s earlier idea to make Captain Decimus disappear? Could we maybe…?”
Luna sighs. “As tempting as that may be…”
“I think my mom means could we do that to Princess Celestia.”
Pinkie grins. “Kidnap a princess?!”
Applejack nods. “That isn’t a bad idea. We wouldn’t hurt her, of course.”
Rarity’s eyes light up. “And with her gone, Princess Luna would be free to retake the throne and oust Captain Decimus!”
Fluttershy gasps. “Arc would hear about it and come back!”
Sereb smiles toothily. “It is a sound idea. The only question now is the method by which we would accomplish such a feat.”
Twilight taps her chin thoughtfully. “If somepony could get close to her, they could administer some kind of poison. Nothing lethal, mind you. Just enough to knock her out.”
Luna sighs. “How would she be carried away? It would take several strong stallions to ferry her to a cell.”
Rarity turns to Twilight. “What about that Matter Compacting Spell?”
“I’m not sure it would work on an alicorn.”
“Oh, it would.”
Luna nods. “Yes. Arc cast it on me during our date to make me appear to be nothing more than a commoner.”
Sereb looks hopeful. “And Arc also used it on Celestia during her rescue.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Great! Now we have a plan!”
Rarity smiles. “All that’s left is to figure out a way to get close enough to Princess Celestia to make it happen!”
Twilight sighs. “That’s been holding us back all this time.”
Rainbow Dash gasps. “What about Spike?! Couldn’t he send the princess a message via his… um… dragon’s breath, or whatever?!”
Luna shakes her head. “The Audience Chamber and her room have been magically warded for protection.”
Twilight nods as her ears droop sadly. “That’s why I can’t just Blink in there either.
Fluttershy sighs. “Oh my! This is really complicated!”
Applejack groans. “I’ll say.”
Pinkie stands on her hinds legs. “We need something that’s so spectacularly HUGE that Princess Celestia CAN’T ignore it!”
“Princess Luna and I’s supposed relationship should have been enough to do that.”
Sereb frowns. “What is preventing her from requesting your presence?”
Derpy looks to the others. “Could she just be REALLY busy?”
Dinky gasps. “Either that or something’s wrong. Like maybe she’s been kidnapped again.”
Luna shakes her head. “No, she’s still in the castle. I can feel her magical aura. But it is a bit… different.”
Rarity appears confused. “Can you elaborate?”
“It almost feels… foreign to me. Like she’s someone else.”
Applejack gasps. “Could it be an imposter?”
Luna shakes her head. “No, it’s definitely her. Of that I’m certain.”
Fluttershy shudders. “That only leaves the idea that she’s not noticing.”
Derpy shrugs. “But what else can we do?”
Dinky grins. “We might just have to be forceful in our next move.”
Sereb nods. “Agreed. Failing all passive routes, Arc would normally use an escalating role of violence at this point.”
Rainbow Dash shadowboxes. “Why don’t we just create a distraction and bust in there then?!”
Rarity rolls her eyes. “Then what?! Take her prisoner?!”
“No! Find our Elements and blast the princess with them!”
Applejack nods. “That might actually be the best idea. After all, they’re non-lethal.”
Fluttershy smiles. “And it’ll bring about whatever needs to change to bring her back to us.”
Twilight gasps. “Or it could banish her like it did Luna!”
Luna sighs. “Perhaps that is for the best.”
“WHAT?!”
“We need to think of the citizens as a whole. Not just Celestia.”
Twilight seethes. “But… but you’re her SISTER, Luna?! How could you even suggest that we…?!”
“It’s BECAUSE she’s my sister.”
Sereb nods. A noble endeavor.”
Derpy turns to him. “Sereb?”
“If anyone is to go against the Princess of the Sun, it should be someone close to her. They would stand the best chance of reasoning with her. Failing that, however…”
Dinky nods soberly. “It might need to be done.”
Fluttershy appears nervous. “I still like the idea of using the Elements of Harmony on her. Less violence that way.”
Luna bows her head. “That… may not be an option.”
Twilight: Luna?
“As I told you before, I made some inquiries to Sunburst recently in an effort to recover everypony’s respective Element. However, he reported that the safe containing them had been forced open and the Elements taken. Presumably to the vault.”
Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes. “So let’s just march over there and get them.”
Twilight nods. “We’d need Cadance or Decimus to help Luna open the vault though.”
“Not exactly. Further inquiries show that the vault has not been opened in some time. Which can only mean that he, or somepony else, stored them elsewhere.”
Rarity gasps. “Where?!”
Luna bows her head. “Nopony knows.”
Fluttershy sighs. “Oh my! This is terrible news!”
“My Pinkie Sense is telling me he’s up to no good!”
Sereb growls. “I do not believe such magical senses are needed to ascertain that, Miss Pinkie.”
Twilight nods soberly. “That only serves to convince me that he knows we’re on to him and his plot!”
Derpy grimaces. “Right! With Arc gone, you six are the only ones whom could have stopped the princess!”
Luna frowns. “I may be able to overpower my sister. With proper help, that is.”
Dinky gasps. “But that might just be what Captain Decimus wants!”
Rainbow Dash grins. “He WANTS a hoof in the mouth?!”
Dinky shakes her head. “No, no! A princess fighting another princess would lead to a civil war! It might even destabilize Equestria even more than it is right now!”
Sereb growls. “The little one is most likely correct. We could be playing right into Decimus’ hooves.”
Rarity groans. “So we’re back to square one in the planning department then?!”
Luna shakes her head. “Not completely. I… have one last idea.”
Twilight appears hopeful. “What is it, Luna?”
“It is rather… difficult to say. Everypony, please stay here in the castle. Everything will be explained later.”
Derpy raises an eyebrow. “Princess Luna?”
Rarity frowns. “Why…?”
Luna looks away. “Please! It… I just… look, I’ll have some guards escort everypony to a large suite.”
Twilight heads for the door. “Come with me, everypony. I’ll see to it you’re settled in before…”
“You will remain with me, Twilight.”
“But…”
“I have spoken!”
Rainbow Dash smiles. “We’ll be okay, Twilight.”
Rarity nods. “Yes. That and Princess Luna needs you right now.”
Pinkie giggles. “Right!”
Fluttershy perks up at the newfound positivity. “See you soon.”
Sereb frowns. “We shall not be far.”
“Come along, Dinky.”
“Yes, mom.”
They leave the room, shutting the door behind them. Twilight turns to Luna nervously.
“Is… is everything okay?”
Luna shakes her head. “Not in the least. But now is the time to act.”
Walking over to her bedside table, she opens a drawer and pulls out a sealed scroll. Looking at it for a long moment, Luna sighs and returns to Twilight.
“Take this.”
Twilight accepts the sealed parchment, clearly confused. “What is it?”
“Just hold onto it for the moment. Now I need you to listen closely, Twilight, as these may very well be the most important instructions I will ever give you.”
Luna speaks at length for some time. Eventually she sighs and nods.
“That should be everything.”
“I… I don’t…”
“Believe me when I say it has to be this way, Twilight.”
“But what will you…?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes, Luna.”
Luna puts a hoof under Twilight’s chin and raises it to look her in the eye.
“Then please do as I have instructed.”
“Is this an order?”
Luna shakes her head and smiles at her. “No, Twilight. Just a very important request. Will you do it?”
“Yes, Luna.”
“Very good. Do as I have told you, and everything should be fine.”
“But what if…?!”
“You’re a smart mare, Twilight. I’m sure you can figure it out.”
Turning away, Luna’s horn glows. A dark portal opens and she walks toward it. Stopping just before entering, she looks back and shoots Twilight a sad smile.
“Take care, my friend.”
Twilight nods wordlessly as Luna vanishes from sight and the portal closes. Walking over to the balcony door, she sits down in front of it and sighs.
“I’ll do my best, Luna.”
Several hours later, as the sun sinks toward the horizon, the doors burst open and a dozen heavily armed and armored Royal Guards enter the room. Twilight stands and turns to face them as they level their weapons at her. For a time no one moves. Several tense moments pass before a stallion in back turns and motions with a hoof. The sound of hoofsteps echoes down the corridor, growing louder by the second. Eventually the guards part, forming two rows leading up to Twilight as Celestia herself enters the room. Looking around slowly she sighs and motions to the guards.
“Leave us.”
“But your highness! Captain Decimus gave strict orders for us to…!”
“Now.”
Without another word the guards march out of the room and close the door behind them. Celestia and Twilight look at one another wordlessly for a time. Eventually Celestia reaches out a hoof and smiles. Twilight grins widely and runs to her old friend. Meeting, they begin nuzzling each other affectionately.
“Oh, Princess Celestia! I… I’m just so happy to see you again!”
Celestia smiles happily “As am I, Twilight. As am I.”
They embrace for what seems like an eternity. Eventually Celestia steps back and looks down at her student.
“Twilight. I need you to tell me something.”
“What is it?”
“Where is my sister?”
“She’s… gone.”
“Yes, that much I could sense. What I don’t know is where she’s gone.”
Twilight holds out the scroll.
“Princess Luna asked me to give this to you.”
Celestia nods and accepts the scroll. Breaking the seal she reads it over silently before rolling it back up and turning to Twilight.
“Did she say anything else?”
“Just that I should wait here and give you the scroll when you arrived. But how did she know you would come?”
“Alicorns can sense each other’s power. When Luna departed her power left with her.”
“I’m sorry she’s gone.”
“As am I, Twilight. Now then, I need you to do something very important for me.”
“What is it?”
“With Cadance back in the Crystal Empire and Luna’s departure I now rule Equestria alone again. It’s… such a heavy burden to bear.”
“Can I help?”
Celestia nods. “Yes. From now on I want you always at my side. This is a precarious time for our nation. The decisions I make in the coming days may very well shape this land’s future for generations to come.”
“What should I do?”
“Remain by my side as my faithful student and friend. I need those around me whom I can trust now more than ever! Will you do this for me?”
Twilight nods happily. “Of course, Princess Celestia.”
“Thank you, Twilight. I knew I could count on you.”
Celestia and Twilight return to the corridor together. The soldiers salute as they pass. Walking next door, they enter Celestia’s quarters together. Later that night as Twilight lays in the bed, sleeping soundly, Celestia again opens the scroll. Turning on the bedside lamp, she begins to read.
Dearest Sister,
It has been a long time since we were able to speak face to face. Sometimes I even forget that you have returned. While I don’t necessarily blame you for taking the steps you have, as a fellow princess I must caution you against this path you are on.
Over a year ago you were taken from us. Kidnapped and imprisoned in another land far away. Kept from your friends and loved ones, you must’ve longed for the comforts of home and hearth. I know you did, sister, as I too felt that way on the moon not so long ago. Every day looking down on the planet below was an eternity. Admittedly, during my imprisonment… I hated you. Hated you with every fiber of my body. Every molecule of my being. Every waking thought I dreamed only of returning and exacting my revenge on you and our land for what had been done to me. And as you know, I attempted to carry out my plans upon my return. Fortunately, Twilight and her friends were able to stop me by using the one power I still dreaded… the Elements of Harmony.
You’re probably wondering what I’m going on about, what with my sudden departure from the castle. You see, I’ve come to the realization that you yourself are edging toward a slippery slope. The same one I fell down oh so many centuries ago. You’ve forgotten how to trust others and be yourself. I still remember the way you used to be when we studied under Star Swirl. Headstrong, brash, short-sighted. But you rose above that and became the princess Equestria needed. This was necessary to maintain balance between the three pony races. I became jealous of your new popularity, and let it consume me. In the end, I nearly destroyed that which we and Star Swirl worked so hard to create.
As for where I’ve gone and why… it’s complicated, dear sister. Please know that I will always love you. But for now I need to operate from the shadows. To act as the final buffer between you and the complete destruction of everything. Know that I will be watching from the darkness. Watching and waiting. You know the reasons why already. Yet you continue to ignore my council.
As I close this letter, I want to remind you to draw strength from those around you. Especially Twilight. You know she and I have had our differences in the past. However, in the time you were gone I’ve gained a new respect for her and her friends. Those whom protect Equestria without any thought to their own safety. They’ve proven themselves to me. Yes sister… the mares whom thwarted my plans as Nightmare Moon have shown me the commitment that lies in their hearts. Heed their council in the days to come and do not listen to those whom would seek to hide you away from the citizenry.
With all my love,
Luna
Celestia sighs and rolls the scroll back up. Levitating it for a few moments, she tosses it into a nearby wastebasket and turns to stroke Twilight’s mane.
“I’m here, Twilight. I’m back, and I’ll never again leave you or Equestria unprotected again. Ever.”