//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: Moonbound // by Warmblood //------------------------------// The door closes, and Twilight is alone. There is no bar or lock on the door, but Twilight knows the ever present Royal Guards will stop her if she tries to leave. Quite calmly and with a great deal of civility, Twilight is sure, but they'd stop her. With that in mind, the imprisoned inevitably begins to see her surroundings as the walls of her confinement; her prison. The door, stout as all the others in Canterlot, and the immovable walls of stone and mortar, those marked the limits of her freedom. Her window gave her a view of the plain far below Canterlot. There are no bars on the window, of course, but without wings or the ability to use her spells inside the palace, Twilight isn’t about to attempt escaping that way. So instead of an escape route, it remained simply a window looking over Equestria. Twilight studies the room intently, her eyes searching for some difference from the last time she was here, a few days ago. It is still the same Canterlot guest room she remembers. The bed seems unchanged, even its covers are still neatly folded, just as she had left them. A writing desk with its overlooking mirror and comfy chair appear just as they had before. Twilight wonders what she’s looking for. A layer of dust? But no, she had only been unconscious a few days, not the years that had seemed to pass for her. She sighs and walks to the window, stepping into the ray of sunlight that pierces the glass. Twilight stares out over the peaceful landscape of rolling hills and meandering streams, interspersed with green forests, and snow-capped mountains far in the distance. She feels conflicted. The peace and comfort that she ought to feel from the sight of her beautiful homeland is overshadowed by the memory of almost a hundred years of life crowding her head. Tall peaks far to the west, the ocean of deepest blue hue, trees as wide as ten ponies are tall, she had seen them all. She had experienced the wonder of the mountains towering over her, and the elation of soaring above them with her love by her side. It all had felt so real, as real as Ponyville and Canterlot, as real as every minute of her own life. Consequently, her anger for the injustice that had been done to Luna couldn’t simply leave her. It wasn’t that easy to just let go of the past, and the truth that no one else remembers. Twilight couldn’t forget that Princess Celestia had perpetrated the crime. She had altered Luna’s mind. She stole away what made Luna unique. She replaced it with meaningless, self serving fabrications. Twilight berates herself for not anticipating Celestia’s attempt to turn her friends against her. She had known the Princess was more manipulative than she appeared, but she had let rage blind her to Celestia’s guile. The Princess had anticipated her every move so far. Twilight bit her lip as she thought of the other issue at hoof. She lacks hard evidence against Princess Celestia, to such a degree that it may as well be her word against Celestia’s. Could she really blame her friends for betraying her for the Princess? What proof had she given them to believe her claim? Furthermore, there is a small voice, somewhere in the back of her head, reminding her that Luna’s life is not her own. Even if she remembers every detail of the Princess’s life, that didn’t make her one with Luna. “But what am I supposed to do? Just forget everything I saw?” She hisses under her breath. “I can’t. There’s just no way!” She argues with her invisible opponent, pacing back and forth like an attorney before a judge. In this case the large mirror, laced with ornate bronzework around its outside edge, is her arbitrator. “What is the one thing I treasure the most? It isn’t my books. It isn’t my house. Knowledge? No, that’s part of who I am, not what I love most. What would I miss most?” She asks herself as she turns from the door and paces to the window. She pauses in front of it. In the distance, she knows, there is a place called Ponyville. A place she calls home. Her eyes widen as she performs an about-face. “It’s friendship, isn’t it? I care most about my friends and all the things we have done together. We’ve built a bond together, and proved we can face anything if we just face it united.” She reaches the door and turns back towards the window. “But it isn’t just the here and now. It’s also the memories we’ve made. The feeling of belonging, the laughter, the crazy adventures, those are the things that matter most to me, because they involve the ponies who matter most to me. I could lose everything else, every other material thing, because those things can be replaced. But my memories, and my friends, I couldn’t bear to lose. I treasure them more than anything else.” Twilight sighs, looking to the ceiling as though searching for an answer. “Then what am I supposed to do! Ugh! I want to help Luna, but if I go against Celestia... it won't end well." “Now I have memories that aren’t my own, but they sure seem just as real! I feel like I should be mourning a pony I never knew! Or, at least… I don’t know! Why does the pain feel so real! It’s like it just happened yesterday!” Twilight throws herself on the crisp sheets of the bed, fighting the urge to curl up into a ball and forget the outside world. She rolls over restlessly, futilely searching for a more comfortable place to lie. Instead she disturbs the sheets until they coil around her like a constrictor snake. “Gah!” She groans. She hadn’t asked for this anger, or this pain. It is utterly unwelcome, like a cruel autumn snowfall ruining a harvest. And like the snow foretells of a winter to come, she fears what her own revelations would herald. "How can I live without Celestia’s guidance? What will I do? How much more pain and hardship will it take to expose Celestia’s crimes, and what would happen after they were revealed?" Twilight admits she doesn’t know the answers to any of those questions. A moment later she feels something cool on her cheek. She gingerly touches the spot with a foreleg, which comes away damp. It takes a moment for her to realize she’s crying. She hasn’t cried for a long time… at least not as Twilight Sparkle, anyway. She couldn’t remember her eyes tearing up. She didn’t think she was going to cry, but it had come unbidden and without warning. Who am I crying for, Twilight thought, Orion? Luna? Myself? Orion wouldn’t have wanted Luna to mourn for him, Twilight thought. He would have wanted her be happy. But that didn’t change the fact that Luna did mourn for him. For years, in the deepest dark of depression and self loathing, she pined and cursed mortality, though it made no difference. That was Luna’s life. She soared through the highs with carefree ecstasy, but her lows plunged her down far beyond the point of sadness. Her life was in one way a lovely story, the Princess and her fate-ordained mate, running away together, living their lives together and free. But there was no happily ever after, and time made a tragedy of the fairy tale. Luna lived that life as best she knew how. She lived by her passion, and she did not regret it. Even though it brought her great sadness, would she have wanted it any other way? Twilight couldn’t imagine Luna ever wishing to undo the past. For all that had gone wrong, for all that had struck a note of discord in her life, she still had such beautiful memories. She loved Orion in a way that Twilight could never have imagined before experiencing the feeling herself. That part of her life was a stunning song, sadly cut too short. Nevertheless, it is a part of her life, and it should be inseparable from her persona. Reflecting on her own life, Twilight realizes how naïve she had been. She has been through more than most, certainly, but she has never really understood what her life means. How could she? It isn’t every day one gets to step out of their own skin and see their life from a novel perspective. What she has is rare. She has a good life. She has talent and ability. She has friends who care for her. Moreover, she has a full life left to live. What more could she ask for? She closes her eyes, hoping a little rest would give her a clearer view. Twilight sits up in a second. Her head snaps to the door. No, it is still closed. There are no shadows of legs under the door, so she doesn’t think someone had knocked, but what was that noise? She is sure she had heard something, and she didn’t think she was just hearing things. She hopes she’s still sane enough to be spared from that annoyance. Another tapping sound made itself known from the direction of the window. Twilight swivels in that direction and saw the shadow of flapping wings cast by the ray of sunlight on the floor. Then she notices the light blue furred face framed by a rainbow colored mane and a pair of large violet eyes peeking through the window. Ah, it’s Rainbow Dash! Twilight realizes. She kicks off the covers and strides to the window. She could see Rainbow Dash saying something, but she can’t hear very well through the window, so she searches the frame until she finds the latch and opens it. A gust of wind rushes into the room, along with Rainbow Dash, nearly knocking her off her hooves. “Twilight!” Rainbow Dash exclaims. “Shush!” Twilight puts a hoof to her lips. She shuts the window and resets the latch with an effort. At least the window opens inward. It would have been much harder had it opened out over the sheer wall. She rounds on her Pegasus friend. “I thought you were supposed to be good at this sneaking around stuff!” Twilight huffs. Rainbow Dash suppresses a snicker. “Hey, I can be sneaky if I want to!” She crouches down, taking small, measured steps that make no sound, mimicking her exploits from a while back. Of course, those had been under cover of darkness. In a brightly lit room, it serves to make her more noticeable, rather than less. Twilight can’t help but smile at her friend’s antics. “You know, you haven’t changed a bit.” She tells her. Rainbow Dash’s smile fades, and she raises an eyebrow at Twilight. “Why would I have?” she asks. Twilight stumbles over her words. “Well, um, it’s just that I…” “What is up with you? One second you’re like normal, the next, it’s like you’re a totally different pony!” Twilight opens her mouth to try to explain, but Rainbow Dash continues on. “And why are you mad at Princess Celestia? No one understands that! I mean, you’ve been her student since you were what, five?” Twilight starts to correct her, but realizes how pointless it would be. “Rarity won’t stop going on about how you insulted the Princess, and Fluttershy was bawling her eyes out. I just want to understand why.” Twilight nods solemnly. “I see. Is that why you’re here? You’re just curious?” “Partly. But also because I can fly, and mostly because I’m your best friend! I snuck out as soon as Celestia let us go back to our rooms. Look, I know something’s gotta be really wrong for you to go calling the Princess names. It just isn’t like you.” Twilight sighs, realizing this is exactly the problem she is worried about. Rainbow Dash considers the situation a problem with her, not with Princess Celestia. “Would you believe it if I told you what I said was the truth? That she really did hurt Luna. Not physically, nothing that left a mark visible from the outside, but I’m telling you she took from Princess Luna the most important thing in her entire life.” Rainbow Dash looks incredulous. “Go on.” She says. “Celestia stole what made Luna Luna. She took her memories away, and replaced them with something fake and trivial. It’s like she stole her soul, Rainbow.” “Woah, that’s pretty crazy.” Rainbow Dash remarks. “What do you mean crazy!” Twilight explodes. “I saw it!” “I’m sorry Twilight, that came out wrong.” Rainbow says, grimacing. “Okay, so Celestia messed with Luna’s memories. How exactly did you figure this out?” She takes a seat in the chair with her forelegs supporting her head, like she meant to settle in for a long story. Twilight takes a seat on the edge of the bed across from her and does her best to explain what it had felt like to be a disembodied spirit, floating through the mindscape of another pony. She describes what the memories look like as best she could, and what they had revealed to her. She could tell that most of it goes over Rainbow’s head, but she listens closely to every word Twilight says. When Twilight talks about what she had seen about Luna’s life, Rainbows ears perk up. “You mean Princess Luna… Princess Luna! Had a lover?” Rainbow Dash interrupts in the middle of the story. “Yes.” Twilight agrees, “He changed her life in so many ways. He was very handsome, in a roguish kind of way. You would have liked him.” Twilight tells Rainbow with a sad smile. “You saw him? I mean, I guess you would have had to, but I just didn’t really think…” Rainbow trails off. “It wasn’t like reading a book, Rainbow. It was much more than that.” Twilight continues her story to its conclusion, explaining how she had talked with Luna’s consciousness, and how it had known nothing about Orion. It had been like an imposter, with the real Luna nowhere to be found, if she still exists at all. Rainbow Dash actually agrees with her on one point, that Princess Luna seems the more foalish, and perhaps the more submissive of the two Princesses. But while she might agree with that observation by itself, Twilight could tell she doesn’t believe the whole story. In the end, Twilight just couldn’t prove anything she said, and without that, it would remain only a story, not an indictment of the Princess. As Twilight wraps up her retelling, Rainbow looks down and notices how the ray of light slanting in from the window has grown to almost touch the door on the opposite wall. She jumps up, checking the sun. “Oh! I’ve got to go. Celestia wants us all to talk to you together, in about… pretty soon, I’m guessing! I’ve got to go before somebody notices I’m gone.” Twilight reluctantly agrees. She had enjoyed sharing what she’d seen, even if she doubts Rainbow Dash believes all of it. It feels like a significant burden relieved from her shoulders just by talking about her experiences. She walks with Rainbow to the window, so she can hold it open as Rainbow took off. “Twilight?” “Yes?” “Princess Luna seems pretty happy doesn’t she?” Rainbow’s question strikes Twilight as rather simple. “Of course she does. She just can’t remember what was stolen from her.” She answers. “But Twilight, would remembering all that stuff make her any happier?” “It’s what makes her unique. Without it she’s just a puppet!” Twilight argues. “I’m just saying what I’m thinking. If she’s happy, what does it matter? And meanwhile what will this do to all of us? Look, you’re just so caught up in this. We don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose you. Don’t go down this road Twilight, I’m telling you it won’t lead anywhere good.” “Get along Rainbow Dash. You’d better go before you get in trouble.” Twilight shoos towards the window, holding back the angry words she wants to throw at her friend. Rainbow Dash goes reluctantly, concern evident in her eyes. Twilight opens the window with a whoosh, and Rainbow Dash is off. She shuts the window behind her and watches her fly away to the other side of the guest wing. Just as Rainbow Dash had promised, there is a knock on the door five minutes later, and Twilight’s five best pony friends step in. Rainbow is breathing a little heavier than she should be for simply walking down the hall, and Applejack gives her a glance that suggests she hadn’t gotten away with her excursion scot-free. Nevertheless, she made no admittance to her visit except a small guilty smile when Twilight first looks her in the eyes. For the others, Twilight has little to say. Judging by Rainbow Dash’s reaction, she doubts she could convince anypony of her story. She is happy that at least Rainbow Dash knew, but she realizes that pressing too hard on her friends might drive them away. And what good would it do? It is an ugly and difficult truth, one that could divide them and draw them into factions between the believers and the non believers. Twilight reasons that Rarity and Pinkie Pie seem most likely to side with the Princess, judging by their reactions outside Luna's room, while Twilight thinks she might be able to swing Applejack and Rainbow Dash to her side. That left Fluttershy, although it seems just as likely she would refuse to pick a side. Twilight decides she needs time to make a decision that could have dramatic consequences for their friendship.. However, what everypony is keen to remind her of is the unfortunate fact that Luna’s condition is no better than before Celestia sent Twilight into her mind. Twilight wants to tell them that the Luna they see isn’t the real Luna, it isn’t her Luna that she knows from her memories. But to do that would demand the whole story, and perhaps drive a wedge between them all. She could only shake her head at their insistence that she talk to Celestia and find a way to help save Luna. Quite frankly, she couldn’t remember any other meeting of friends that had felt so dour. After half an hour, her friends give up on trying to pry information from her, and simply offer their support. Pinkie Pie hugs Twilight tightly and promises everything will be okay. It is a nice thought, Twilight thinks, but it feels too much like a pat on the head a doctor pony might give a small foal. Even so, these gestures make Twilight think about what she will miss if she loses her friends. The talk eventually ends with the weary ponies saying goodnight, and wishing her well. Rainbow Dash is the last to step out the door. “You’ll remember what I said, won’t you Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asks. In the dying light, Twilight can’t distinctly make out her face from across the room. “I will.” Twilight duly responds. “Sleep well.” “I will.” The door closes. Twilight is alone again. The room is so dark she knows she’ll have to light a candle if she wants to stay up any longer. Truly though, she can’t imagine spending another needless moment awake. Her muscles ache and her eyes are tired. She collapses onto the bed as a wave of weariness passes over her. Today has been a long day in so many more ways than one, she thinks as her eyes swiftly close and consciousness speeds away. ------------------------------------- “Princess Celestia?” Sergeant White Mane inquires, knocking on the door at the top of a long stairway, a door leading into the upper room of the observatory. “You may enter.” A strained voice says, as though she is busy holding the world on her shoulders. White Mane opens the door a crack. A brilliant golden glow escapes through the gap. He dares open the door wider as blinding light pours through the opening. Standing in silhouette as though in front of the sun itself he sees Princess Celestia. Behind her he can just make out the dazzling strands of her spell. Like a golden astrolabe they shimmer in a complex spherical pattern, slowly rotating. He is dazzled by the sight of such a complex spell. “My Princess, it’s… incredible!” He had never seen anything like it in the twenty years he had served Princess Celestia. The light it emits is so bright he must look down at the floor to ease the discomfort in his eyes. “Thank you. Now please go ahead with your report.” Celestia tells him over her shoulder, too involved to spare him a glance. “Ah, yes! As you command. I listened as ordered. Twilight didn’t recant her story, but neither did she try to defend it with any vigor. Mostly it seemed her friends just wanted to cheer her up.” “Is that all? I expected more, one way or the other.” Celestia says. “There was something else. I heard voices through the door before her friends arrived. I think one of her Pegasi friends must have arrived through the window. I felt the draft under the door.” “The element of Loyalty, surely.” Princess Celestia surmises. “Did you intervene?” White Mane nervously shifts his hooves. He hopes he had done right. “No, as you ordered, I left them alone.” “Good.” Celestia says. White Mane immediately breathes easier. “What did they talk about?” “I’m afraid I couldn’t hear much of it, they were whispering. But right before the other pony left, I heard them say to Twilight that they didn’t want to lose her, and that she was heading down a bad path.” “Ah, interesting.” Celestia says, languidly drawing out the word. “I may have an additional use for this spell after all.” “Princess,” White Mane asks tentatively, “if I may, what kind of spell is it?” “A powerful one. Powerful enough to reach the moon.” Celestia replies. “Thank you, my Princess. I’ll let myself out.” White Mane says to her, although she doesn’t respond and maintains her stoic posture facing her shimmering spell. He turns to leave, reaches the door and abruptly turns back to face her again. The spectacular glow illuminates her flowing mane in a melody of color, light, and motion. Her white coat reflects so much light she seems to shine of her own accord. His eyes linger on her for a second. She is still looking the other way, as though gazing into the depths of her magical creation. She doesn’t see him hesitating at the door. The light, like a miniature sun, begins to blind him until he can barely see, and an angry purple blotch colors the center of his view when he finally looks away. How Celestia can stand it, he can only guess. He backs out of the door and gently closes it. I am not worthy, he silently reminds himself. I'm just a lowly guard pony and she's my Princess. End Part 7