Chapter 8
Twilight Sparkle
It took a long time, but Twilight freed Luna. It took a combination of physical labour, from both Luna and Twilight, and magic to open the cell. Chrysalis had put a lot of thought into imprisoning Luna, definitely trying to ensure that she would not escape.
Daylight was beginning to break on the horizon when Luna walked out—except there was no sun.
"Without my sister, the sun will not shine," Luna said as she glanced out the window. "I must find her."
As the stars disappeared from the sky, and night time began to fall, what normally would be a gloomy grey day, turned into a grotesque green one. The grey clouds reflected the green brighter than their night time counterparts had. It was almost as though all of Equestria was trapped in one of the green pods.
"I'll help you Princess Luna," Twilight said. Luna shook her head.
"No Twilight Sparkle. You must go meet your friends and find the Elements of Harmony," Luna said. She began to pace back and forth.
"But what if Chrysalis imprisons you again? Like you said, your powers are matched. We need to stick together. It'd be better if we came back as a large group and found Princess Celestia together," Twilight said.
Luna remained silent.
"The changelings know that my friends and I escaped. They're going to be more active now. I agree with you that we must find Princess Celestia—but we should do it as a bigger group. If she's in danger or if she's been imprisoned, the two of us can't free her alone. She'll be heavily guarded, especially once they see that you've escaped. They'll know it was me. We need to go to Ponyville together and find the Elements of Harmony," Twilight said.
Slowly, Luna nodded in agreement.
"Alright. We will go to Ponyville. But first there is something I must do," Luna said.
"I'll go with you," Twilight said. Luna shook her head.
"I think it would be best if I did this alone—it will not take long. Though I long to go find my sister immediately, I agree if we were surrounded we would fail. I need to go check on something else before we go to Ponyville. Head to the train station Twilight Sparkle, and I will meet you there."
"What is it that you have to do?" Twilight asked. Luna hesitated a moment and then sighed.
"I will not keep secrets from you any more Twilight Sparkle. I need to go check and make sure that Discord is still imprisoned. This changeling attack, so sudden, when changelings used to be scarce and rare in Equestria... I cannot help but wonder if this was one final trick he played, one final move, before he was imprisoned," Luna said.
"Could he really do something so big like this? It doesn't seem like something he would do. He likes to create chaos, yes, but this is a lot darker and deadlier than anything he ever did. This isn't his style," Twilight said.
Luna shook her head. "While you are right in some aspects, in others you are wrong. Yes, Discord likes to create chaos, and you are right in that he does not harm ponies along the way. This is darker than the havoc he wreaks, but he is very capable of pulling such a stint, as he has done it before..."
"He's done it before?"
"Yes. Discord can tell when he is going to fail. He may be loony, but he is very wise. And while he plays pranks and flips buildings upside down, there is a side to him that wants to see Equestria fall. Just because he does not do it with his own hand, does not mean that he does not create any influence. Before my sister and I imprisoned him last time, he played one final card before he was sealed. At the time, it seemed like nothing. My sister didn't know what he did, and to this very day she still does not know. It was Discord who placed the idea in my head that I was unloved by Equestria. It was Discord who started the seed of envy that eventually turned me into Nightmare Moon. It was his idea, his thought, his simple words, that changed me into a monster and turned me against my sister.
"All he did was comment on how little ponies were out at night, and how nice it was during the day. And that it wasn't fair, because the night was just as nice. He said if he were to break free again and wreak havoc, he would make it night eternal, because the night was so underappreciated. He said this to me, just as I had cornered him and seconds before my sister had arrived. I laughed it off and told him he was muttering nonsense—but the damage was already done. Nightmare Moon began to brew inside me, and soon after we imprisoned him, I began to resent Celestia."
Twilight Sparkle was speechless. She didn't know what to say. Luna could be right then—Discord could have had something to do with this.
"But..." Twilight started, trying to figure out what she was trying to say, "But if this is Discord's fault, what difference does it make if he is free or not? He influenced you before he was captured, but then it took place once it was gone. He could have done the same thing here... He could have found Chrysalis and placed a bug in her ear too."
"I know. But I cannot rule out the possibility that Chrysalis is Discord in disguise. Or that Chrysalis has freed Discord herself. Whether or not she is siding with him, Discord has energy she can harness. He does not possess the same grade of dark magic that we do. His is a grey matter, and that is one she can use. What I really need to find out Twilight Sparkle, is that if he is the root cause behind all of this, and if he is freed or even imprisoned by Chrysalis somewhere, but not in the same incarceration that you put him in, he may know a way to stop Chrysalis."
"Ok, I understand. But why can't I come with you?" Twilight asked.
"In case I get caught," Luna explained. "You're right in that we need more conscious ponies to fight off Chrysalis and free my sister; she will most certainly be heavily guarded, wherever she is. But if we both get caught checking on Discord, and we're both imprisoned again, then Equestria is down one Element of Harmony. You need to get to Ponyville and you need to find the Elements. It would be ideal if I were with you, but if I get caught and put back into the cell, you can free me again later. If we are both put into cells, we will not be in the same place. You will be put into a pod or worse. And that is a risk that we cannot take."
Twilight nodded. She really wanted them to stick together, but Luna was right. It was imperative that she find her way to Ponyville.
"Ok then Princess Luna. What's the plan?"
"Go to the train station. I will have someone accompany you. If I am not there within an hour, then start to head towards Ponyville without me. I will meet you there. I do not know if the train is still running; I doubt it is. So I recommend that you walk the tracks to Ponyville. The changelings have the upper advantage in the air," Luna said.
"That's ok, I can't fly anyways," Twilight said. Who was she going to have accompany her? Nopony else was free.
"You can't; but they can."
It was then that Twilight heard a noise behind her. She turned around and gasped. Standing there were the Shadowbolts.
"How... Where did they come from? I didn't think they were real..?" Twilight said.
"They're technically not; they cannot speak unless I am present to voice their thoughts and they cannot technically think on their own. Unless I am focusing on them directly, they will be silent guardians. It is the best I can provide for now. They are a dark magic trick from Nightmare Moon, that I now control. But they are physically real, and they will protect you," Luna said.
Twilight walked over to one of the Shadowbolt. She poked it. He was definitely real.
"What kind of dark magic—"
"There are many different realms of magic that you do not yet understand Twilight Sparkle, and now is not the time to explain them. One day you can ask—" Luna whipped her head towards the staircase. "Did you hear that? They're coming. Quick, we must leave. Remember, go to the train station; if I am not there within an hour, head to Ponyville. I promise I will meet you there."