Chapter Twenty Four: Surrender
~BlackRoseRaven
Twilight Sparkle arrived at the gates of Enstasis the next morning, saddlebag hanging from her side, and she smiled a bit at the sight of Luna waiting for her at the open gates, the dark-coated winged unicorn stepping forwards and hugging her fiercely, then gazing down worriedly as she stroked slowly at the mostly-healed injury on her shoulder. “Thou wert hurt worse than I had heard... and thy collar! Oh, Twilight, I have been so worried... we have been so worried. And Celestia, too, feared for thee... although at this moment in time, she is... in no mood for conversation.”
Luna shook her head slowly, and Twilight frowned a bit as the dark-coated winged unicorn drew back and turned to stride into the courtyard, the violet mare hurrying after her as she asked worriedly: “Is Celestia okay? And... and her horn...”
“I... do not know how to answer this question, in all honesty.” Luna said quietly, and Twilight looked apprehensive before Luna smiled a little. “Twilight, surely thou does not think I would kill my own sister! But I will be honest... aye, we took Celestia's horn. We also gave her a replacement, but...”
Luna shook her head slowly, and Twilight frowned a little as she followed Luna through the courtyard towards the massive, open double doors at the other end. “I admit, I understand that... 'tis difficult for her. But she is... despairing, Twilight, and perhaps thou can speak to her, help her see reason and sense. Not only does she refuse to even send a letter to the Temple of the Sun to let them know she is still alive – for I have sent my own, and have the feeling from the letter I received in return they do not entirely believe me – she shattered the horn we gave her. 'Twas a prosthetic of crystal, but 'twill be no easy feat to replace, and worse yet it reopened the wound on my poor sister's head.”
“Removing her horn... could it have...” Twilight broke off, swallowing a little, and Luna halted in the enormous, wide corridor that cut through the center of Enstasis: the Grand Walk that led all the way from courtyard to the Garden, large enough for Scrivener to fit through even at full size. “I'm sorry.”
“Why art thou sorry? Twilight, it is I who am sorry... I who must apologize for... the measures I have taken.” Luna shook her head slowly, sighing a little before she gazed silently over the violet mare. “Seeing thee hurt... it kills me inside. And thou... should not put thine own problems and pains aside, even for Celestia. My sister will appreciate thy compassion, but... she did this to save thee. And I do not believe she meant to save thee from me, but from... something else.”
“Ponyville. She wanted them to... I don't even know what she wanted. It... it made them hate me, Luna.” Twilight looked up, and her eyes pleaded for an answer, but were without recrimination, without hate as she asked quietly: “Why did you do it? And why...” She clenched her eyes shut, shivering once. “Why do I still... trust you even though you... you...”
Luna was quiet for a few long moments... and then she met Twilight's eyes, locking gazes with her and saying softly: “Because my husband needed a horn... because Ponyville needed to see that there would be consequences for their actions against me... because I am selfish, and my husband and I have desires we wish to fulfill, and sometimes this blinds me to how much I may hurt others. And because, like my sister, I can be calculating and cruel... in their eyes, I have now bested Celestia. I hate to speak such... but it is true. I wish to be left alone, my beloved Twilight, and see my friends left alone as well. This will secure that, until I can make them understand we do not have to be their enemy. That they, too, can receive my gifts if they are only willing to accept me.
“And Twilight... thou art ours. Mine, and Scrivener's. Thou belongs with us... belongs. This is... like destiny, and I think thou knows that. There is no turning back for any of us, no running away from what we have become... and what we are on the way towards becoming.” Luna answered softly, shaking her head slowly and locking gazes with Twilight, who looked back at her, swallowing slowly as she shivered a little but didn't turn away, looked at her with adoration and trust as well as fear... and yet she wasn't scared of Luna. She was scared of the truth, of what they were on the way to becoming... but not of Luna. “And know this... hear this promise. Thou shall always have a place with us, and we will do anything and everything in our power to make thee happy. To make thee strong... to make sure thou knows just how important thou art to us.”
Twilight nodded slowly, looking down and closing her eyes, and Luna quietly leaned forwards and hugged her gently close against her chest, stroking soothingly through her mane as she looked down at her tenderly. “But I do not blame thee for any feelings, any misgivings thou might have. I feel blessed as it is... why, thou accepted what we did with Ross and Cowlick without hesitation, did thou not? Thou saw the good in it, while others insisted upon only seeing the bad. Thou knows the truth of Pinkamena and never spoke out about her, and thou has done an admirable job of protecting thy friends and balancing this with thy loyalties to us, thy family... until this sad turn of events that has seen thee pushed away from Ponyville. And even now, I see not anger, but only sadness in thy eyes... how can thou be so good and pure, for all the darkness we have spilled into thee? How can thou still shine with light and such ardor, in spite of all the pain that has been caused thee?”
Twilight only smiled faintly, resting quietly against Luna before the dark-coated winged unicorn slipped backwards, gazing affectionately down at Twilight and saying quietly: “Come with me, though. We shall see Scrivener Blooms, and thou may witness for thyself... the change he has been through. He requires rest and adjustment, though, as do I, and for this first week we will do very little magic. The horn must know him, and he must know his horn.
“I would ask a favor of thee, though... two, to be honest.” Luna continued as she stood back up, and Twilight tilted her head as she fell into pace with the fellow winged unicorn and they headed across the Great Walk towards an open archway. “One is that I would like for thee to help me train Scrivener Blooms in magic and other unicorn arts. It is all well that he pulls spells from my mind to perform any feats of magic, but if our link is ever endangered, well... it would be much better for him to be able to know how best to work magic by himself, with his own confidence. I wish to always be prepared, Twilight... 'tis difficult to say what lays over the horizon these days, after all.
“Secondly, I wish for thee to visit Celestia. To speak to her, reassure her a little.” Luna continued quietly, nodding slowly as they began to make their way up a staircase, and Twilight frowned in surprise as Luna smiled a little over her shoulder, not even needing to glance up as her horn glowed and pushed the door at the top of the steps open. “I am not heartless, Twilight. And even with what I have done, I love my sister. I care deeply for her. I did not think she would be so... so deeply affected by the loss of her horn. But I do not think that is entirely it... nay, she gave it too willingly. She is hurt by... by something else. A desire, perhaps, or... oh, I know not, 'tis why I wish for thee to speak to her.”
The violet mare nodded hesitantly, saying slowly: “Well, of course I'll talk to her, Luna... I... I don't know how much she'll speak to me if she won't talk to you, though...”
But this only made Luna smile faintly, shaking her head slowly as she murmured: “Do not undervalue thyself to Celestia, Twilight. I believe she cares for thee in a way she has never cared for any other pony...”
She fell quiet, looking thoughtful as she gazed ahead, and Twilight smiled faintly as she followed the dark-coated winged unicorn through the catacombs of the enormous castle. They passed servants of the night that were able to stride through these dark halls during the brightest days, as well as Nibelung and a pony or two, and Twilight admired the sense of peace in the air. The way that all these different creatures were working together side-by-side for one common purpose beneath a strong leader... or in this case, two strong leaders who had a singular goal.
Twilight looked softly towards Luna as they strode through the halls and worked their way up the steps, and the starry-maned winged unicorn smiled lovingly over her shoulder as they finally set hoof through a pair of enormous oak double-doors and into a wide hall. Torches burned with blue fire, lighting the doors that lined the corridor and a second set of engraved double doors at the very end... and Twilight felt a strange shiver pass through her as these opened and Luna halted at the entrance to bow her head politely, gesturing for the violet mare to continue inside. “Go ahead. He expects you... eagerly.”
For some reason, it filled Twilight with joy despite her fears and misgivings, and she nodded awkwardly before making her way forwards, striding into a wide, beautiful bedroom. Shelves rested against the far wall on either side of the bed, above which hung two paintings: the ever-cherished painting of Scrivener running through a forest... and the picture of Luna, Twilight, and Scrivy all sitting together, happy, smiling, a vision of the past that had been.
Above the mantelpiece across the room from the bed, another painting hung: a more-recent one of Luna and Scrivener sitting together, his claws holding her hooves, their pose forming a heart between their bodies... and Twilight smiled a little up at this before her eyes roved towards where Scrivy was calmly sitting at a writing desk near the open glass doors leading out onto the balcony, sunlight and a faint breeze whispering in as the male murmured without looking around: “Just a moment. Almost done...”
“I thought you were supposed to be eager.” Twilight smiled a little... and then she blushed when Scrivener gazed over his shoulder in amusement, her eyes roving over the black, spiraled horn now extending from his head. It was almost glowing, the faintest tinge of crimson glinting like a hidden edge along its length, and the violet mare felt a shiver as she thought of where it came from... but elation at how proud, how strong, how confident Scrivener looked. How fitting it seemed for him, as his eyes almost glowed with warmth behind his glasses, his cloak swirling around his powerful frame.
She didn't speak as Scrivy winked, his horn glowing... and in front of him, the scroll he had been working on rolled neatly up as the inkwell corked itself and quill returned to its holder, the items all giving only the briefest of dark sapphire glows. Then he slipped easily out of his seat and strode across the room towards her, sitting down in front of her, and Twilight looked up at him adoringly before she blushed when he reached up and stroked quietly along the faintly-visible cut near her throat. “Are you sure you don't want me or Luna to do something? They hurt you. What hurts you hurts us.”
“No, it... it won't solve anything.” Twilight replied quietly, looking up at Scrivener with a small smile, and the poet simply shrugged, giving her a thoughtful look. It made her sigh and roll her eyes, smiling a little as she reached up and rested her hooves against his chest, saying quietly: “You know, the old Luna would have been the one to suggest revenge like that. The old Scrivy probably would have made fun of me.”
“I was just getting to that, but now you're sucking all the fun out of it.” Scrivener replied gently, then he softened and reached up, cupping either side of her face as he leaned forwards, and Twilight blushed before she shivered and closed her eyes when their horns gently touched, a spark sizzling between them as she felt familiarity, adoration... love... twist between them. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle. For being here with us. For coming to us. We're going to keep you safe now.”
“I know.” Twilight whispered, gazing up into his eyes with trust and love... and then a warm smile spread over her features as Luna slid up behind her and gently removed her saddlebag before pressing against her back, the violet mare shivering as she whispered: “I'm safe now... you make me safe...”
“We do.” Scrivener said gently, stroking her face slowly with a claw as he smiled down at her, and then he leaned forwards and kissed her forehead softly, saying quietly: “And you give us a world in return, Twilight. But pleasure should wait... business first, and that includes Celestia.”
Twilight only nodded, smiling up at him... and fifteen minutes later, she was walking through the halls of Enstasis with a Greater Nightmare guiding her, the enormous, smoky creature saying affectionately: “-very lucky, Twilight Sparkle. The mistress and the master both favor you highly. You are their most-special treasure. Their prized possession.”
“Yes, I am.” Twilight murmured before she could stop herself, and then she blushed and shook her head, adding hurriedly: “I... I mean I know they care about me very much but... they see me as more than an object...”
“It's a manner of speech, Lady Twilight. There is no disrespect, worry not.” the Greater Nightmare soothed, and then it bowed its head politely as they arrived at a set of open, golden doors, Twilight looking up curiously. “We are here. Good fortune to you.”
The Greater Nightmare flickered out of existence as it stepped backwards with a smile, and Twilight glanced nervously towards where it had been before she carefully stepped into Celestia's private quarters. Then she gave a smile of relief and happiness as she saw Ross and Cowlick calmly sitting on the stairs, playing a game of cards as Ross smiled, a stack of coins beside him, and Cowlick simply looked frustrated. “Hey!”
The two Moon Blessed looked up, and then Ross bowed his head with a half-blush as Cowlick grinned widely, throwing her cards down and saying warmly: “Well, look who it is! Hey, Celestia, you got a visitor!”
There was no response from beyond the ajar door at the top of the stairs, and Cowlick sighed and rolled her eyes before she turned them back towards Twilight as the violet mare approached. “Sorry. Celestia hasn't been all that... receptive lately. But hey, all the same, great to see you here.”
“You too, Cowlick.” Twilight stepped forwards, and she and Cowlick traded a tight hug before the violet mare gazed down with a smile at Ross, who looked up at her with an abashed blush. “How are you doing, Ross?”
“Good, good...” Ross stammered, and Cowlick rolled her eyes before booting him lightly in the shoulder, and he gave an embarrassed look between the mares. “Sorry. Sometimes I forget who I am and remember who I used to be... other times, all those emotions well up...”
Twilight softened at this, reaching forwards and squeezing the male Moon Blessed's shoulder as she said gently: “It's alright. But you two are... are happy, right?”
Cowlick smiled slightly at this, nodding and saying softly: “Very happy. Sure, we have to obey Luna and Scrivener. But we don't feel hesitation about doing things for them... we sense their emotions and we feel their pleasure. I guess we're kinda programmed and brainwashed but hey, you know what? It ain't so bad. And I can still fight it if I want to... but I don't want to. I have Ross. I have friends. I'm allowed to work on my projects as I please. My pride... in the past, might have helped me now and then, sure, might have made me feel like the tough girl on the block. But my pride got people hurt and killed. Now that I've been stripped of it I see that. I see so clearly...”
“So do I.” Ross said softly, raising his head with a smile. “They told me I wasn't broken, you know, or slow or weak or stupid. But they took away my fears and they made me able to think a little clearer. How could that be bad, or a crime? I'm strong now. It doesn't confuse me and I don't take things literally when someone says something like 'the walls have ears' or other metaphors. I'm... number, yes, but it's good. It's not like when the Blood Seers made me cold... it's warm. It's pleasure. It's vitality.”
The violet mare nodded, looking affectionately from one to the other before she smiled a bit and said quietly: “I'm really, really happy to see you both. Can we spend some time together later, catching up?”
“Of course, Twilight. I'm sure that Scrivy and Luna want us to, in fact... they're always talking about you, you know. Always thinkin' of you. Makes me a little jealous: here I am, Moon Blessed, and they only got eyes for you.” Cowlick grinned slightly, shaking her head slowly as Twilight blushed a little. “Still. More time with Ross alone, so it works out.”
Twilight nodded, and she gazed from one to the other before slipping past and heaidng up the steps, both Moon Blessed gazing after her adoringly as the violet mare knocked once at the ajar door before pushing it open and calling quietly: “Celestia? Are you in here?”
“Twilight Sparkle...” Celestia murmured softly... and Twilight softened as she gazed across the room at the ivory equine. Her rainbow mane flowed slowly back behind her, but it stuttered every now and then, as if she was still weak, and she was framed against the window by the sunlight that filtered in through the cracked glass. Then, slowly, she turned her head, her dull amethyst eyes reddened from crying, her cheek bruised and streaked with tears, her profile striking with the lack of the horn, making Twilight flinch.
Celestia smiled bitterly, then she turned slowly around and strode calmly around the disheveled bed, her hooves crunching small pieces of glass and crystal beneath them as Twilight stared up at the ivory equine, mouth dry. Dried blood streaked her bruised features, and the wound in her head was like a black and staring third eye, a faint whimper rising in the violet mare's throat as Celestia leaned down and asked coldly: “So what do you think of Scrivener? Impressive, isn't he?”
“I... I...” Twilight only shuddered a bit as Celestia loomed over her, breathing a little harder before she swallowed and whispered: “I came here to talk to you about-”
“About what? About my failure? About betrayal?” Celestia snapped bitterly, and Twilight dropped herself, blushing deeply, staring in shock. She had never seen Celestia like this before... and the ivory winged unicorn snarled as she half-spun, striding towards the wall before simply slamming her head into it hard enough to crack the marble, Twilight giving a small cry of shock before Celestia leaned forwards against the hard surface and whispered: “Look at me, Twilight Sparkle. My own sister did this to me... and now thinks I can resume the throne, like nothing happened? 'Sister, sister, sister' she and Scrivener mock! By Yggdrasil and dead damned accursed Odin, look at me! I gave up everything to them, everything, everything, and still they tried to hurt you!”
Twilight began to open her mouth, confused, but Celestia shook her head violently and stomped her hooves against the floor, cracking the tiles before she snarled as she strode towards the windows, raving: “Luna, I love her, I can't fight her or turn on her even with every instinct telling me she is evil, and Scrivener is her husband and a friend even though my horn adorns his head, but why, why did I give it so willingly? Am I that weak and pathetic? Did I believe somehow my good would seep into him? What a joke! I'm not good, I've never been Celestia the Good, I was Aya the Sun Cursed and that fate cannot be escaped! The blood of foals can't be washed off anypony's hooves, nor the blood of the innocent... and you, look at you, out there, sniveling, crying, whimpering... pathetic!”
Celestia shouted the last at the window wall, and Twilight stared before the ivory equine reared back and slammed her hooves into the glass, sending new cracks spiraling through it as she stared out at Ponyville before suddenly looking over her shoulder, tears spilling down her cheeks as she whispered: “Do you hear their prayers, Twilight? They pray to me and I hear them, through the hole in my head, through my missing horn. It hurts so much... they want me to kill my sister. They want me to murder my brother. But I love them. I love you. You and Luna and Scrivener... and they just let me ride off and die. They never thanked me.. they don't even thank me now. Where is my validation? Is this what I deserve, hornless and alone, so alone, so alone...”
Twilight trembled, then she ran across the room and leapt up, hugging Celestia around the body, and the ivory winged unicorn twitched before she closed her eyes, breathing slowly as she dropped her head against the glass, her rainbow mane sparking as the vestiges of sanity returned to her eyes and she whispered: “Twilight... I'm... I'm sorry. It seems all these years of bottling up my emotions... like when my horn was removed, it let all that... flood out...”
“It's okay. I-I-It's okay... I'm h-here...” Twilight whispered, tears leaking down her face as she buried her features against Celestia's back, trembling quietly. “You're not alone... thank you, Celestia. Thank you for trying. T-Thank you...”
Celestia only stayed silent for a few moments, however, still leaning against the cracked glass before she murmured: “That was... just madness speaking, Twilight. I sacrificed myself willingly, and I would do it again, and I do not need any... adulation. No, what hurts is... so much. So much hurts, not any one thing I can pin down, from how Ponyville treated you... to how cruel this world is. To my own... misplaced feelings, lost emotions. I gave up everything, I have nothing left to give... and yet they will always want more... and Scrivener and Luna talk with such conviction in themselves and yet the things they have done, oh, the things they have done...”
She shivered slowly, and Twilight silently pulled back, gazing up at Celestia as the hornless mare finally let herself slip away from the window, looking silently down at Twilight as she whispered: “I'm sorry you had to see me like this. That I cannot be the perfect shining star they all thought I would be forever. Twilight Sparkle, you... you should run away. Before you're consumed too...”
“It's not like that, Celestia, I... please, come on. Let's... let's get out of this room, maybe, let's let Cowlick and Ross clean things up while we go for a walk, okay?” Twilight said apprehensively, and then she smiled a little. “Or I can help you, maybe just fixing things a little will-”
“So eager to have them as servants, are you? So eager to serve yourself?” Celestia snapped suddenly, shoving her face down next to Twilight's, and the violet mare reared back before staggering backwards until she hit the bed with a whimper when Celestia advanced, snarling. “I took care of you for how long, treated you special for how many years, and I make one mistake and Luna sweeps in and steals you away! What is it, why is it, is it because of the sick things they do to your body, or is it because I treat you with love and respect but all you want is to be treated like property because... be... because...”
Celestia staggered backwards, grasping at her skull, clenching her eyes shut as she shivered violently before whispering: “Oh Twilight, Twilight, I am so sorry, I'm... I'm so sorry, this anger isn't directed at you...”
Twilight could only stare, breathing hard, pressed back against the bed and shivering as she looked at Celestia before the ivory equine looked up at her... then trembled before she stood suddenly, screaming into the purple mare's face: “What do you want? I can't apologize enough, can I? For the past, for the present, it's all mixed together in my head! Do you know what I'd do to be loved like you're loved? Do you know how jealous I am of you, perfect little Twilight? I'm abandoned by everyone, I'm shackled, I'm a prisoner in darkness, the sun locked up in this big black jail, staring out at a place that will never accept who I am! Look, look, look at me, Ponyville!”
Celestia turned around, striding back towards the window as tears rolled down her cheeks, then she slammed her head against the window, howling: “I died the perfect martyr you always wanted, Equestria! But I'm still alive, a ghost that can never return, because I'm stained and blemished and impure, and oh, no, no, you won't accept your wounded Celestia, your aching morning sun, you want your figurehead, your Queen! You can all call me savior now... if I go back, what will you do? See me broken, revile me... or throw me away, I know they will, Twilight, they... they will!”
Twilight shivered and shook her head wildly, shouting desperately: “Celestia, stop! Listen to yourself, you're... you're deluded, this isn't a prison, and you aren't... they'll accept you. They loved you, they looked up to you...”
“You don't understand.” Celestia whispered, clenching her eyes shut as she scraped a hoof against the window, peeling shards of broken glass from it... and her voice was terribly, horribly sane again as she trembled weakly. “The thoughts keep running around in my head, Twilight. Because that's how I am, I see every detail, I think about the bad memories over and over again despite trying... trying so hard to forget... trying so hard not to see but it's there, oh it's there...
“Don't you get it? This is what they wanted!” Celestia turned around, her eyes desperate and wide, Twilight shoving back against the bed as she stared weakly up at the ivory equine. “This is what they wanted... because it's perfect. For how long did Equestria have their perfect, glorious Queen? Oh, Celestia, she can do no wrong! Oh, Celestia, she's so good, and everypony loves her! And now? 'Celestia sacrificed herself for us, proving she was the perfect ruler...' I was a martyr. They can hold me up as an icon, the ultimate symbol, the figurehead for peace and prosperity and a good pony, a good ruler, the apex of morality. But if I come back, broken, deluded, my horn severed? If I come back, still preaching for my sister, defending her, anything but perfect? It would shatter that image. That I was incorruptible until the end. They lose their savior, their Queen. The politicians know this, the priests know this, the schoolteachers know this. They want me dead! They need me dead! And if I'm not dead when I come back, they'll throw me in jail and start all over again!”
Celestia gave a cracked laugh, shaking her head violently before she shivered and flopped forwards, breathing hard, and Twilight could only stare down at the pony laying before her, the ivory equine shivering as she whispered: “Luna wants me alive, and Scrivener wants me alive. I think they want to do things to me. I think I want them to do things to me, things that you wouldn't believe I'm capable of, Twilight Sparkle, but you don't know me. You know who I showed you I was... so did the world. What a stupid mistake that was... now I'm a ghost. A living, breathing ghost. Insanity is my only safe place now... where's the Draconequus, I think I'm ready to be great friends with him. Where's Discord? Is he dead in this world too? It's too bad... I finally feel like I'm ready to get to know him.”
Twilight stared down at Celestia, and then the ivory winged unicorn rolled slowly onto her side, curling up in the fetal position on the floor and trembling as tears leaked from her eyes. “I don't want to give in. I won't give in. Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, come lay with me here in the broken womb of this room. Let's pretend we're mother and daughter for a little while. Let's pretend we're friends, too...”
“You need help...” Twilight whispered, leaning down and trembling harder. “Celestia, listen. I'm going to get Luna and Scrivener, okay? I'm going to bring them here and we're going to try and help you...”
“So you want to do sick things to my body too, do you?” Celestia muttered, and Twilight grimaced before Celestia spat to the side and whispered: “Of course you do. You're more like them than I thought... I lost you a long time ago. I should have let them take your horn... they took every other part of you, didn't they? Tell me, who's name do you scream louder when they sink their claws into you, my sister or my brother's?”
“Stop it. Stop it, you're... you're not well.” Twilight shook her head, then she stood up, looking down at her silently. “Celestia... you're not alone. You're not a prisoner... you're... you can go back, and they'll accept you. They'll welcome you, Equestria wants you, needs you...”
“Equestria does not need me. Equestria has the Council of the Temple of the Sun... Equestria has seen me made martyr, and now they'll all unite around that. Watch, watch as my death brings a new era of prosperity, it's brilliant, really. I knew it would happen the moment sister received that letter back from the Council refuting all her evidence I was still alive... but they won't attack her, oh no. They'll prepare armies against her, they'll talk about how evil Nightmare Moon is... but they'll save actually trying to attack my beloved sister until after they need a new political ideal to rally around...” Celestia whispered bitterly, then she looked up at Twilight, her eyes flaring coldly. “And don't pretend you need me. It must be nice not to have self-control... you think I've never wanted to take up my sister's offers? You think I've never wanted to feel Scrivener's body over mine? There's a sick fascination there... what would it be like? Giving myself over a Tyrant Wyrm, letting him ravage me...”
Twilight shuddered and turned almost beet red as she hurriedly looked away, then she spun around and stumbled quickly towards the door, breathing hard before she whimpered as Celestia clawed to her hooves and staggered after her, screaming: “Get out of here then, you whore! Get away from me and save yourself while you still can! Get away from Enstasis, from Equestria... they'll both kill you, Twilight... they'll both love you and use you up and kill you!”
Twilight only shouted wordlessly as she hurried through the door, then she cursed as she tripped on the stairs, screaming as she rolled down them painfully, but Ross and Cowlick both leapt forwards and caught her, falling backwards with her and cushioning her impact against the hard marble floor with their bodies. Immediately, the violet mare clung to them both, breaking down into tears against the Moon Blessed as Celestia loomed in the doorway above for a moment, snarling down at them as tears rolled down her own features before she whispered: “Good. I can't help you anymore, Twilight. I can't help you or myself or anyone else. Leave me to my misery. No one can fix me, or fix this.”
And with that, Celestia withdrew into her room, slamming the door as Cowlick and Ross comforted Twilight as best they could between them as the violet mare cried and cried and cried.
Celestia's condition grew worse as the week grew on: Twilight's presence only served to agitate her, and no matter what Luna or Scrivener did or said, she half-fought and half-pleaded with them. It was like under all the pressure, under all the weight of everything that had happened, Celestia had snapped... and as the three had sat quietly together one night, Luna had remarked softly: “Aye, removing her horn had something to do with it... but perhaps sister gave her horn up so willingly because she knew she was near her breaking point. 'Tis an amazing and terrible thought in what it implies but... Celestia... was wise, strong, would do anything to protect others. Confined to that room and without magic, she still causes mayhem... imagine if she had gone mad while her horn was intact.”
They tried to give her another horn, this one only of glass... and while Celestia had been sane and quiet while they had attached it to her skull, the moment they had left her alone, she had promptly charged into a wall. It had shattered it and injured the winged unicorn in the process, and Luna had been torn between frustration and concern as she'd healed Celestia's injuries as she'd simply laid prone.
One of the few things that seemed to comfort Celestia was when Luna sat with her and Scrivener read to them. She usually remained quiet and calm as long as Luna sat beside her... otherwise, she would follow Luna incessantly around, even if her little sister tried to move pointedly away.
There were a few other precautions they had learned to take as well, although things as simple as fixing Celestia's room were complicated by the fact that if anyone apart from Twilight, Scrivener, or Luna entered her room, she would either freeze up and glare at them the entire time they were there, or she would all-but-attack them, shouting and rambling as she stormed around furiously. Getting her to leave was just as hard: she seemed scared to be anywhere else apart from her 'miserable cell,' as she called it, and out of frustration from trying to forcefully drag the still-surprisingly-strong rainbow-maned equine out of her room, Luna had eventually picked up a pillowcase and yanked it over Celestia's head childishly, shouting that if she didn't want to see the world she didn't have to.
Surprisingly, Celestia had gone docile after that: whether it was because she had suffered such a severe breakdown of sanity or because she didn't have to deal with looking at all the things that she had come to fear and hate, as long as she was blindfolded she would calmly allow Luna to lead her out of her room. They experimented with this a little, but if Celestia's blindfold was removed at any point, she would rush back to her room in a panic... although Luna had noted quietly that Celestia was able to perfectly retrace the route she had been taken, meaning she was likely more-aware and less-insane than she was letting on.
Madness was perhaps a way for Celestia to hide from the way the world had turned, to avoid responsibility to Equestria as well as to her sister... but at the same time, the paranoia, the delusion that Equestria had cast her aside, the fears and breakdown were all real. Rather, it was only the depth of it that might have been exaggerated... but all the same, Luna and Scrivener didn't know what to do apart from making her as comfortable as possible.
They barred her windows: not because they feared her trying to escape, but because the cushioned bars made it harder for her to shatter the glass and hurt herself. They layered the walls with rubber, insulating the stone from Celestia's wrath, and protecting Celestia from herself. They put a soft carpet on the floor, and replaced the mostly-torn-apart furniture with plush bedding, pillows, and blankets. They tried to give her a bean-bag chair as well, but Celestia simply ripped this apart and Luna had shouted at her for half an hour after she spread its innards over her entire room, until Celestia had broken down into tears and the younger sibling had looked horribly self-loathing for forgetting how fragile Celestia had become... how she really wasn't responsible for all her actions.
Twilight had also brought Celestia a few things, among them, a large, plush stuffed pony doll. When she had first entered, the rainbow-maned equine had gone into a moody ramble, but it had cut off the moment the violet mare silently offered the toy to the hornless female... and her amethyst eyes had lit up, the insanity floating away and a strange semblance to the old Celestia rising in her pallid features as she had taken it slowly, and whispered: “I never had... something like this before...”
Celestia cherished it. Even in the worst of her rages, she cherished it, took care of it, sometimes sat with it and smiled as she brushed its mane and rocked it slowly in her limbs. She was tender and affectionate with it... almost as tender and affectionate as Luna and Scrivener were with Scarlet Sage.
The filly herself was having a hard time: she was cut off from Apple Bloom, from all her friends in Ponyville, living in the dark castle. She was glad for Twilight's presence, and the fact that the violet mare often took several hours of her day to tutor the Pegasus filly, but the fact that her Aunt Celestia had lost her mind terrified her almost as much as the idea that she might never see Ponyville and its inhabitants again.
Luna and Scrivener were always there for her, but knew there wasn't much they could do, apart from comfort her, tell her they were going to try and find solutions, and keep her company. Twilight Sparkle felt awful for the filly too, especially since Scarlet wanted to see Celestia... but with Celestia's unpredictable mood swings, it was too dangerous. It was something that Twilight had started studying in the enormous library of Enstasis: like many other libraries in this Equestria, there was more shelf space than actual books and papers, but all the same, it let Twilight research.
And late one night, she quietly headed to Celestia's quarters, smiling a bit at the Nightmares in the corridor before making her way up the steps and into the hornless winged unicorn's room. She closed the door behind herself as Celestia only sat and stared out at the dark sky, studying the moon and the twinkling stars with her plush pony hugged against her chest, and Twilight looked silently at Celestia's back before she said quietly: “This can't last forever.”
“What do you know?” Celestia glared over her shoulder, her eyes guarded as she quietly stroked through the dark mane of the pony plush, hugging the velvet body back against her body, its green button eyes glinting almost as moodily as the amethyst irises of the mare. “You have the whole world, Twilight, this whole, dark, depraved-”
“Stop it.” Twilight said forcefully, and Celestia reared back slightly even as the violet mare shivered a little at her own tone before she continued in a quieter voice: “I don't believe you're making all this up, Celestia... but you are exaggerating it, and you're... you're not trying to get better. In fact, I think you're trying to convince yourself to get worse. I... I'm here to try and tell you... show you... you don't need to. You can come back to us... come back and rejoin the world now. We're not going to hurt you.”
“You're a liar.” Celestia whispered, hugging the plush up against her chest as she shivered a bit, then she turned back to the window, staring out it before saying suddenly, abruptly: “Besides, this is... nice. Not being responsible. Doing whatever I please... screaming when I feel like it instead of holding it all in. My soul feels... numb, my mind is scattered, my heart aches... what do I have to return to, Twilight? Even if I was wrong, I'd just be in a lonely throne, and do you know what they'd demand? They'd want me to fight Luna. To take down my sister... my beautiful, beloved sister. But I can't fight her... I can't stop her. I gave up my horn to them... I made Scrivener Blooms, who I knew was a monster, into... something unstoppable now. Do you really think Equestria will forgive me for that? More importantly, what if they demanded that to redeem myself, I have to fight and kill him? Never. I could never do that...
“So fine, you caught me.” Celestia looked bitterly over her shoulder, saying quietly: “How's it feel to be so smart, as smart as I am... smarter, maybe. Wiser, too... but what does that all get you, Twilight? Put at the head, put in charge... no, you were smarter. You submitted yourself to Scrivener and Luna's will... you're just their toy, but now you never have to deal with being a leader, for all your power and prowess and genius. You look at me and think I'm a coward? You're the coward. You're the pathetic one. Still trying to balance yourself, still pretending you're 'in the middle' while licking Luna and Scrivener's hooves... claws... whatever. I don't care. I... I don't care, I don't care, I don't... care...”
Celestia clenched her eyes shut, shivering, and Twilight could only stare disbelievingly. The words cut her to the core, drained the emotion out of her, made her wonder silently if she had ever known Celestia at all before the rainbow maned winged unicorn stared miserably back out the window and whispered: “I wish I could die, Twilight Sparkle. Maybe one day I will kill myself, to escape this paradox, this... fate of always seeming to end up... fighting what I love, what I desire. Giving my everything to it... and then turning on, destroying it. But you can't understand. I was devoted. You're just taking the path of least resistance.”
“I...” Twilight shivered and shook her head slowly, whispering: “No. No I'm not. Celestia, god, what's happened to you... who... who even are you?”
“I'm not your mother.” Celestia muttered, looking down and then firmly twisting the neck of the doll, and Twilight shivered and clenched her eyes shut for a moment before she spun around and yanked the door open, charging through it and down the stairs. And Celestia trembled as well, looking over her shoulder as she hugged the doll tightly to her chest, whispering: “I wish I could apologize, Twilight... but you needed to be pushed away. I needed to stop you from... trying to chase me.”
Twilight ran through the halls of Enstasis, crying quietly to herself, feeling empty, heartbroken, betrayed... and terrified that Celestia was right. That she was nothing more than a coward, dragging herself behind Luna and Scrivener but hesitant to ever step up for them without an order, without some reason, that she really was nothing but a toy... and as she stumbled through the halls, she swallowed thickly, thinking of the collar that had been cut from her neck, thinking of the earrings glinting in her ears, what feeble gestures they were when she knew what she should have asked for, demanded, maybe years ago now as she staggered her way through the castle. Her mind felt bent, her heart thudded in her chest, her breath rasped painfully in her lungs as tears flooded down her cheeks, sobbing: “I'll prove it... I'll prove who I am... I'll prove they care about me and that I care about them...”
She searched Enstasis, working her way through floor by floor, trails of tears still clinging to her cheeks before she finally almost rammed into the double-doors of the library and knocked them open, startling Scrivener where he was calmly reading at a table in a nook between shelves. He stared towards her as Luna frowned and emerged from another row, then the two stared in shock as Twilight ran forwards and almost fell over in front of Scrivener, staring up at him with pleading eyes before she cried: “Please! Please, I... I want to be closer to you two, I want to... to prove t-that... I'm family, I... I love you! I love you, please, I need to be with you... I need to be with you both... please, I... I need you to love me...”
Scrivener softened at this, slowly putting his book aside as he glanced hesitantly towards Luna, who frowned a bit before she nodded slowly in return as Twilight half-collapsed, trembling as new tears fell from her eyes... and then she looked up, pleading with her eyes when Scrivener took her face in his claws and said quietly: “Twilight, we do love you. We do. Isn't that enough? Everyone here knows how much you mean to us, that your worth is immeasurable to us... that you are special. That you are our chosen...”
“I want more. I... I need more. I need to know.” Twilight whispered, shivering once as she looked back and forth as Luna slowly strode up to her side, gazing down at her thoughtfully now as Scrivener smiled faintly, stroking his claws back into her locks. “Isn't there some way, any way... you... please... anything... anything. I never, ever want to be apart from you. I want to be with you both... forever...”
“Forever...” Scrivener echoed softly... and then he and Luna slowly looked up, their eyes locking, trading thoughts and emotions and visions in a swirl... before they both smiled slowly, their eyes almost glowing before Scrivy looked down and said gently, as he slipped his claws to her shoulders: “There's one way that Luna and I can think of that you can do that, Twilight. One special way... but there's no turning back. There's no returning to who you were... and you'll be ours, for all eternity...”
Twilight stared up at Scrivener, nodding fervently, breathing hard as she swallowed thickly before saying quietly: “Anything. I'll... I'll do, be... anything. Please. I can't take this anymore, I can't take... being a coward anymore...”
“You're not a coward. But... alright, Twilight Sparkle. Alright.” Scrivener smiled a bit, glancing over at Luna as she nodded slowly, her horn beginning to glow as she calmly stepped aside... and then Scrivener leaned forwards and shoved Twilight down, pinning her on her back. She stared up at him with surprise as he leaned over her, his eyes half-lidding as his strong form loomed overtop hers, cloak fluttering around his body before he reached one claw up and pulled his glasses slowly off as he closed his eyes. “Twilight Sparkle... to be ours forever... to ensure you and I and Luna will never have to be apart... I'm going to put you to sleep. I'm going to send you into the deepest, darkest sleep there is... and then you're going to die.”
“W-What?” Twilight looked up in shock, but Scrivener only smiled as he tossed his glasses away before he reached down, pinning her firmly back, making her gasp as she shivered and yet couldn't compel herself to fight even as he leaned down, inhaling slowly- “Wait! You're going to kill me?”
Scrivener's blue breath washed out, spilling over her face, and Twilight shivered as she felt it seeping into her skin, numbing her, her eyes widening as pleasure and lethargy both spilled through her form, her limbs shivering before the male said softly, as Luna gazed down with a tender smile: “Don't worry. It's just the first step to being here with us forever. Look at me, look into my eyes, okay? Don't be scared. I love you.”
“We both love thee, so deeply, so truly... we have thee, Twilight. Thou art ours forever... thou will be with us for all eternity now.” Luna added tenderly, and Twilight Sparkle trembled, the violet winged unicorn breathing hard before Scrivener breathed slowly over her features again, and she could almost taste the affection in it, pleasure bursting in her mind even as her lungs began to ache, as her mind went static, as her muscles loosened and weakened and she stared upwards at the male pinning her as Luna leaned into her field of vision to look down with adoration as her horn glowed and starry locks flowed around them.
And Scrivener took another slow inhale as he leaned over her, Twilight's eyes locking with his... and her violet irises filled with childlike trust and devotion, with admiration and adoration as she nodded weakly once before her lips parted as he leaned down... and this time, he kissed her quietly, gently, tenderly. She tasted his breath as he breathed into her mouth, feeling it burning down into her as her eyes fluttered before slowly closing in pleasure and tiredness, her heart thudding harder, faster, before it stuttered in her chest...
Scrivy paused to breathe in through his nose.... and then Twilight felt one final breath pushing its way down into her lungs. But she kissed him back, even as a single tear flowed down her cheek, smiling into the kiss, blue smog floating silently up around their locked jaws as the poison flooded her system. The last thing she felt was pleasure, the last vision in her mind was her safe and cradled between Scrivener and Luna, and they had her in their forelegs, holding her tightly forever, forever, forever...
Her heart skipped, stuttered... and then stopped, and Twilight Sparkle lay dead beneath Scrivener Blooms as he slowly drew back, gazing down at her tenderly as Luna smiled lovingly, both gazing down at the beautiful, smiling corpse of the violet mare.
Darkness. Everywhere.
She looked back and forth, but she couldn't make anything out as she tried to walk forwards... but it was hard to walk with nothing at all around her. Nothing to touch, no sensations, no feelings...
She shook her head. She didn't know who she was. It was there, but it was unspeakable, unthinkable... and she shivered before looking slowly up as light shimmered over her features. Gorgeous light, shining down from a beautiful sky, a forest trail ahead of her leading to a pair of open gates, and she could see ponies she knew were her parents, smiling at her, beckoning to her, the stallion's voice calling warmly: “Come on, before it's too late! Hurry, daughter, hurry!”
“We missed you so much... come on, Twilight... we love you. Come on now! Come see us... there's so much catching up to do, so much to talk about, you can be at peace now...” the unicorn mare added lovingly, raising her own hoof, and Twilight smiled, feeling her mind lighting up at her name, beginning to start forwards...
And the image flickered out like it had never been there as instead she tripped and fell, plummeting into darkness, then shrieking in surprise as meteors of flame ripped past her, singeing her, making her ache before her blood froze in her veins as she realized they were made from corpses and bones. Ponies, Nibelung, other creatures, falling like burning stars mashed together from the remains of the dead, some of them still screaming as she flailed her limbs, spread her wings, but it was like she couldn't catch the air... like there was no air to catch as beneath her, terrible, gaping jaws opened, swallowing her up.
She was in a throat of ice and spikes and rock, bursts of fire and magma seething out of wounds in the mutant terrain, staring back and forth before she gasped as she fell out of the tunnel and into a wide, awful cavern, her descent slowing as she stared at the sight of a terrible giantess. A goddess, wearing the rags of an ancient dress, curled up like a child in her mighty throne, haggard and scheming upon a platform of ice surrounded by a moat of magma. Goddess Hel, ever-paranoid, ever-watchful, ever-waiting, deep and hidden beneath the layers of Helheim, staring wistfully up at the worlds above but too scared of her own fetid domain to ever step foot outside this bubble, this dark cave that lurked beneath reality...
And then Twilight looked down, and she shrieked as she realized she was about to hit the earth before her eyes clenched shut and her whole body bucked convulsively... only to feel something catch her, hold her in place, her head bobbing stupidly as her eyes blinked rapidly, and a voice said gently: “It's okay.”
Slowly, Twilight's eyes opened... and she shivered as she realized she was laying in the library on top of a white sheet, a second covering her body... but stained heavily with blood and ichors. She swallowed slowly, then let her head roll to the side and trembled at the sight of a large needle and thick black string, before a claw reached down and soothingly stroked through her mane... and at that simple touch, Twilight's shivers halted, a warmth spilling through her strangely-numb, strangely-rigid body before she slowly looked up.
Scrivener Blooms and Luna were both sitting at a table, smiling kindly down at her, books pushed aside and what looked like a large plate holding something on it between them. Twilight frowned, rolling over as she studied the two and grimaced: both splattered here and there with crimson stains, but the sight barely fazed her as she whispered: “Getting too used to seeing you like this, but... what...”
As she stood slowly up, her eyes locked on the plate... and she realized that the shape on it was a large heart. And worse yet, still throbbed slowly and visibly. It made Twilight feel a little ill, shivering a bit before Scrivener said quietly: “Luna and I want to give you one last chance to back out. Eternity is a long time... so you can choose to have this back if you want.”
Twilight frowned slowly... and then she paled, reaching up to touch her chest... and shivering as she felt the edge of a wound, of what felt like a hole despite there being no pain more than a faint burning sensation she was barely aware of. She could feel the same sensation here and there over her body, and she stared down at a forelimb... then moaned in shock as she saw a red, ugly cut that was sealed tightly by black stitching, Luna saying softly: “The transformation put stress upon thy body. We had to... make repairs.”
Twilight shivered, reaching a hoof up and touching her face, feeling out a line of stitching that went from her forehead, down between her eyes, and then across one cheek as she whispered: “Oh g-god... what... what have you done to me...”
“In time, because that depends on your choice.” Scrivener said softly, and Twilight snarled at him, but the male only smiled slightly as he reached up and rested a claw on the heart... Twilight's heart, and she twitched as she realized she could actually... feel it. Feel his grip, as he said quietly again: “If you turn back now, you'll... hurt, but you'll be the same Twilight. But if you give it to Luna and I... you'll be with us forever. You'll never, ever have to worry about not being valuable to us again... you'll never have to deal with doubts, or fears about that.”
“I...” Twilight shivered, staring at her heart, watching it beat... and then she looked slowly between the two before laughing weakly, whispering: “Like I have a choice. And even if I did... Luna, Scrivener... it's... I need to be with you both. I already said that... I still mean that and know that. But god, what... what did you do to me...”
Luna, however, only smiled calmly as she glanced towards the heart with a tilt of her horn, and Twilight winced as it split in half, before she stared in shock as Luna picked up one side and Scrivener the other. The two looked at each other as Twilight could only watch, then they leaned forwards, and Scrivener's jaws opened as Luna's did the same, and Twilight whimpered before clenching her eyes shut and turning her head away, but it wasn't enough to drown out the sound of teeth crushing into meat, or the feeling that ripped through her body.
She shivered and gagged, trembling hard before slowly opening her eyes in the silence that followed... and then she stared as Scrivener quietly slipped out of his seat as he picked up another object from the table and held it up, looking into Twilight's eyes and saying quietly: “We want you to have this. It's not much... but... well, you know.”
Twilight swallowed slowly, looking at the silver orb in Scrivener's claw, roughly the size her heart had been and covered in complex runes that were lit by ever-flowing crimson and black fluid twisting through it. For a few moments, she could only stare... and then she trembled a bit, not looking down as Scrivener smiled and leaned forwards, sliding this object into the opening in her chest as he explained quietly: “Luna had a Nightmare bring it to us at the last minute. It's... really nothing amazing, just a fancy locator. You put someone's blood in there and you can always find them by holding it, so... we put our blood in there for you. So you... always have us in your heart.”
Twilight laughed weakly despite herself as Scrivener stepped back, and then the purple mare stared slowly back and forth before she gritted her teeth as Luna's horn glowed and the dark-coated winged unicorn leaned forwards, the wound in Twilight's chest closing as bones crackled quietly. She looked weakly down at this, at the injury that remained behind... but Luna only smiled, and with a flick of her horn, the needle and threat floated into the air and Luna began to neatly sew the wound closed, explaining gently: “I know thou has many questions for us, Twilight Sparkle. I know we probably should have told thee our plans, but... the heat of the moment, and thou... we wanted to make thee strong. We... were overeager to make thee part of us, forever... because now thou art, as we are part of thee.”
“What am I?” Twilight whispered again, looking back and forth... but her emotions felt muted, and strangely... she did feel strong. She did feel pleasure, even as Luna knitted her wound closed like she was a doll and not a living being, and there was no longer any panic, any fear, her need to know becoming more and more like curiosity instead of urgency. “I feel...”
“In simple terms, we have made thee into a Lich.” Luna replied with a strange pride in her voice, and Twilight's eyes widened in shock that cut clearly through her numbness as Scrivener smiled and rose a claw, squeezing the now undead-pony's shoulder gently. “A powerful mistress of the undead, kept alive by magic... and while most are kept tied to the world by a phylactery, we have... improvised something else.”
Luna and Scrivener both smiled warmly... and Twilight's eyes widened before she whispered: “My heart... you... Luna, you put my life essence into my heart, but then you two...”
“We divided it between ourselves. We consumed it, and made it part of us. Therefore, thou art part of us, thy soul tied to us, to our existence... so as long as we exist, so will thee. Yes, my beloved Twilight, it also gives us control over thee, but... we love thee. We would never force thee to do anything for us...” Luna continued affectionately, stepping forwards and hugging her tightly, and Twilight blushed even as she shivered a little. “Thou art ours. Forever, now. For forever and a day.”
“And you're still beautiful. Stitches and all.” Scrivener added softly, reaching up and stroking her face slowly... and Twilight realized she could feel their emotions clearly. Could even hear the whispers of their thoughts this close. She knew she should be horrified, and yet she couldn't compel herself to feel anything less than gladness for what had happened... couldn't help but smile slowly in return as she felt that same trust from before spilling through her, felt only a thirst to learn more about how they had performed such a... a... miracle...
“Yes... I feel you both. I understand you both, I... I mean, I know I should be upset and mad, but...” Twilight turned away, pacing slowly with a frown, shaking her head out quickly as her dark mane and tail almost floated before she flapped her wings once and looked over her shoulder, smiling faintly as her eyes flashed. “But you... you made me part of you both. You made it so we'll always be together, and I asked for this. I did ask for this and... and now who could ever doubt my love for you? That our love is strange, but it is true. It is real. I am yours... I am yours completely.”
“You are.” Scrivener smiled slightly, and Twilight nodded firmly once before the male added quietly: “But you know, we won't blame you if you're angry with us, Twilight Sparkle.”
“No. No, that... that's how the old Twilight would have thought. She would have been... ashamed of herself for 'giving in,' and she would have put the blame on you when I chose this. Hell, you told me you were going to kill me, and I let you! How could I blame you when I subjected myself to that? I... I do trust you. I trust you both.” Twilight retorted sharply, and Luna and Scrivener both looked surprised before the violet mare blushed a bit and looked down almost embarrassedly, reaching up to touch her forehead. “I... I mean... wow. That came... I'm sorry. I just feel so... so confident. I feel so strong and different instead of meek and needing to please... and I feel like... I don't know... like I've been reborn.”
She blushed a bit, glancing up before she smiled wider and added slowly: “And I... I think I need a new name. I'm a new pony now. A different pony. A strong, confident pony, not somepony who lets herself get shoved around by everyone else, trying to be nice, trying to make friends with everyone when I already have everything I need in this world. Sparkle... I don't want to sparkle, like a pretty, useless thing. I am between the worlds... I balance darkness and light, like... shadow. I... I am Twilight Shadow. Yes...”
She licked her lips slowly, then grimaced a bit in surprise as a tooth nicked her tongue, opening her jaws as if to try and peer down at her larger, sharper teeth, but Scrivener only grinned approvingly as Luna laughed and nodded, leaning forwards and saying warmly: “Yes! That is excellent, Twilight... our beautiful Twilight Shadow! I adore this... truly, look at thou blossoming, look at this transformation! It is glorious, beautiful, perfect... yes... Twilight Shadow. Our Twilight Shadow. Come, we shall celebrate.”
“Yes, I'd like that.” Twilight grinned widely, her own eyes flashing with blue light before she let out a long exhale... and then frowned in surprise as blue mist sizzled out of her own jaws, leaning backwards a bit as Scrivener chuckled quietly and Luna smiled radiantly. “What... I can...”
“We infused you with my blood and my breath. Your lungs are probably still filled with the mist...” Scrivener Blooms paused meditatively as he studied her thoughtfully. “I wonder if I could fill you up like a balloon and make you breathe on people for me.”
Twilight only gave him a grouchy look at this, shaking her head slowly before she self-consciously reached up to rub at the Y-shaped stitching across her chest, looking awkwardly down at herself. She could feel the burning sensation receding... and Luna smiled a little, explaining quietly before she could even ask: “Worry not, beloved Twilight. Thy wounds will heal, but... with what thou art now, thy body needs a little aid in remembering what to do. Flesh will graft to flesh in time, but it will not... grow back quite as readily. Thou must use magic to heal thy wounds and secure larger injuries with stitching to ensure they close properly... but it may please thee to know that like the Velites, should thou lose a larger body part... thou may take a new one from a suitable donor, stitch and graft it to thy body, and in time it will transform to match the rest of thee as if thou had never lost the body part in the first place.”
“Great. I'm sure Discombobulation will appreciate not being the only patchwork doll anymore.” Twilight muttered, looking almost apprehensively down at a hoof... but then she simply shook her head and smiled, finding it easier than it had ever been before to simply push the thoughts away as she gazed up between Scrivener Blooms and Luna. “But you know what? I can figure all this out later. For now... well... I want to see how close to alive instead of undead I really am.”
“I like you.” Scrivener said simply, and Twilight Shadow threw her head back and laughed before she strode forwards with a wide grin, her eyes glowing as she felt the last of her old self slipping away... and instead she firmly moved to embrace the future, joining the two without regrets into the descent into darkness.