Chapter 12 - Revelation
“Now you have seen the lengths that Twist went through to try and win my heart,” Celestia said to her student, “The cruelest thing that in all that he was doing, the deception, the study of forbidden knowledge, and of course those brutal murders-- he felt no pity or remorse for his actions. In his mind, everything he was doing was right, not for others but for himself. That, my faithful student, was Twist’s fatal flaw. We all have flaws to our personalities. Some are just little quirks that appear and cause a mild annoyance to the pony or others. Others are major problems that when left unchecked or fixed can become dangerous. Twist’s was his entitlement, his feeling that somehow the world owed him much, that he deserved to get what he wanted. When he didn’t get what he wanted, he would not accept it but try to circumvent whatever or whoever was denying him. Now part of this was the doing of my sister and I, to take him from nothing and shower him with luxuries that many ponies could never experience. But in the end it was the way he saw the world that was the ultimate problem.”
“Now, about Twist,” Luna chimed in, “Twist suddenly vanished. My sister and I naturally were worried about him, fearing that he had died at the hooves of the murderer. We had all guards on patrol comb the streets and alleyways to seek him out. They questioned the ponies in the city and covered the streets with missing pony posters. But what we did not know was that Twist did not want to be found. He was so close to his goal, his triumph, that he did not want anything or any pony stopping him.”
Luna paused to catch her breath before continuing the story as Twilight waited anxiously to learn what happened.
“My sister and I learned after the fact that Twist had, over the nights, set up a makeshift residence in a cave within the forest. The cave was so cleverly hidden that not even the guards who passed through to try and find Twist could spot it. It was here, with all the components and the spell book ready that he completed his ritual to become the form of what he loved: an alicorn. My sister and I do not know exactly what happened that night, but I can only tell you that it was painful beyond imagination. It can be likened to a body being torn apart and reassembled while the pony is still awake. The transformation is not quick either, lasting several hours. This further makes the process excruciating. Even though my transformation happened over a millennium ago, I still remember the painful hours that passed by that felt like days.”
“Then one morning, he returned,” Luna said as she used her magic to bring forth another memory into view. The two younger sisters were sitting in a parlor when suddenly a guard appeared panting heavily as if he had ran the entire way from wherever he was stationed to the room.
“Princess Celestia and Luna, we have found Twist and he is unharmed. He arrived at the castle a few minutes ago.”
“You found him,” Princess Luna said, “Oh most wonderful of news.”
“There is something unusual that has happened thought,” the guard said, as if unable to explain what.
“Something,” Celestia said curiously, “What has happened to him?”
“Well…”
“No need to explain,” a familiar voice was suddenly heard behind the guard, “After all I think seeing this will be enough.”
With that a grey alicorn with a black mane and tail and blue eyes appeared, pushing the guard out of his way like he was a mere toy.
“Twist,” Luna said, “Is that you?”
“Who did you think it was?”
“What have you done,” Celestia said in a mixture of amazement and anger.
“Isn’t it obvious, my dear? I realized after you did not accept my love that there could be only one explanation.”
“And that was?”
“I knew, Celestia, that you could not love me as a normal unicorn, so that is why I decided to make a change. I hope you like it, my dear. Oh, and the power I feel! Now I can do any magic that I want without breaking a sweat. Observe.”
With a glow of his horn, Twist lifted a couch in the room and spun it as if it was as light as paper before placing it down.
“The flying also is a nice trait too,” he said as he unfurled his wings and hovered in the air for a few seconds before setting down.
“And I have the thanks of you two that have helped make this possible.”
“And how did we do that,” Luna demanded.
“Well your sister, Celestia, was so kind enough to allow me access to the study room those sleepless nights for me to find a certain spell. You’ve probably heard of it: The Desired Image Spell by Starswirl the Bearded. And I have your thanks too Luna for giving me the information behind the spell. And yes, it was just for theoretical purposes at first until I decided to use it.”
“You mean to tell me that those murders in town were due to you,” Celestia said with a look of disgust.
“Oh, but murder is such a negative word. I’d prefer ‘a means to an end’. It sounds so much nicer that way.”
“How could you,” Celestia said angrily at him, “How could you murder those individuals for some sick need to power a spell you cast on yourself?”
“This is the thanks I get for going through all the trouble for making me what I am? You know that I did this all for you, so that we could be together.”
“You did this only for yourself,” Celestia said coldly.
“Oh come now, Princess, you knew that deep in your heart that you loved me. Even when you did that little rejection speech, I know that it was just a façade. Now that I’m an alicorn just like you, there’s nothing standing in our way of being together.”
“Enough,” Celestia shouted with such a force that surprised even her sister, “I’ve told you once, and I will tell you again. I do not love you, Twist. I never have and I never will. Not even this stunt you did will make me change my mind. In fact this has made me like you even less. You have murdered innocent civilians as well as an ambassador from the Griffon Kingdom and a dragon all for your own sick little game. You care about nothing but yourself. Heed my words Twist, I am not something you can own, and you will never have my heart.”
With that Celestia and Luna stood, their long shadows darkening the grey alicorn and their faces locked in disgust.
“Twist,” Princess Celestia said, “You are accused of the murder of three ponies within the city limits as well as a griffon ambassador, crimes of which have the sentence of death. However, considering your connection to us, we are willing to offer some leniency. Therefore, my sister and I hereby banish you from Equestria. We strip you of your position of our student and our friend and sever our adoption with you. We will offer no courtesies that were provided to you with these titles. You will be provided with provisions and escorted out of the city. If you show your face in the land or commit such a despicable act on its soil, then we will have no choice but to punish you severely. Now pack your things and prepare for your departure.”
With that the two sisters turned their backs on Twist, no longer speaking or even acknowledging him. It was as if they had never met him those years ago in the orphanage, never trained him in magic, and never treated him as a member of the family. With a mixture of anger and sadness, Twist left the room to pack for his impending exile.