//------------------------------// // Violations // Story: Dark Rituals // by Softy8088 //------------------------------// Violations “Twilight Sparkle?!” Luna blinked rapidly several times, as if the mare she was looking at were something stuck in her eye that could be thus cleared. For the first time the unicorn had ever seen, she appeared to be at a loss for words. “Wha– what are you doing here?!” Besides the Princess’, Twilight could see an unnerving number of shocked faces staring her way. She was certain there were many more behind her as well. Her mind searched for acceptable explanations to give, but her imagination had apparently gone into some kind of seizure and was throwing up only fractured images of wedding cake. She was left to speak the words she had desperately hoped to avoid: The truth. “I... uh... I followed you here, Your Majesty.” More gasps. Luna kept blinking. “You... what?!” The purple unicorn was certain the question was not borne from the lunar Princess’ poor hearing, and decided against repeating herself. “Why?!” “I...” Twilight started. It’s okay, it’s not a big deal, her mind offered the comforting lie. So you crashed a wedding... and stalked the co-ruler of Equestria... But she’ll forgive you! It’ll be fine. It’ll all be fine! “I was curious.” Not a lie; I’m not lying to the Princess! “I wanted to see where you were going.” Just being economical with the truth; no need to bore her with the details. Were the faces around her becoming less stunned and more angry, or was it just her imagination? No; that part of her was still weakly tossing up confectionery. Luna exhaled loudly as she closed her eyes and faced the ground. “Twilight,” she said wearily, “do you have any idea what you’ve just done?” “I’m really sorry, Princess Luna!” Those words, at least, were easy to say. Almost as if some subconscious thought process had been practising them for her all night. “I didn’t mean to pry into your business, but when you said you’d be gone, and you didn’t say where, and I just wanted to know, to... to...” She stopped herself before admitting her real motivation. Her imagination was very much comatose at this point. The truth stared mockingly into her eyes. The royal pony pre-empted her confession. “My feelings are of no consequence!” Luna was definitely angry now. Were her eyes starting to glow? “Do you understand what this is?” She waved a hoof toward Emerald and Noctua. The former pony’s jaw was still hanging open, while her eyes were wide as saucers. The latter, however, was gritting her teeth and glaring daggers at the purple unicorn. “A... a wedding?” Twilight volunteered timidly. “I know I wasn’t invited, and I’m really sorry to you, too,” she addressed the couple. “Congratulations, by the way!” she added with a mirthless chuckle. Luna’s eyes were closed again, and a rather ominous cloud formation was taking shape above her, blocking out the light of the moon. When she spoke, it was obvious she was using significant effort to keep her voice in check. “No, Twilight Sparkle. A wedding, as you know it, can be a very public affair, with a great many casual acquaintances or even strangers in attendance,” she explained, gaining somewhat greater control of her tone as she went. “What you have seen tonight descends from a much different tradition. The joining of these two ponies may well be public knowledge, but the ritual of life offering... it is a very private; a profoundly intimate moment. Only the most trusted of friends and family are permitted to witness it.” The unicorn noted that the ponies around her now appeared to be not so much angry as outright furious with her. “For a stranger to see it...” Luna continued, “is an extreme violation; something akin to rape.” Twilight felt all the blood leave her face. Her stomach, for the second time tonight, fell away into some abyss. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Luna waited patiently for her words to sink in. The clouds above were dissipating, and the Princess’ anger had given way to an anguished sadness and... something else. Was it guilt? “I...” Twilight squeaked in a manner very befitting of a certain shy pegasus friend of hers, “I didn’t know.” She turned to the surrounding crowd, then back to the two ponies on the dais. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t understand what this was... I didn’t...” “I know,” Luna interrupted with a loud sigh, “and this is partly my fault as well. I should have been more vigilant when coming here.” “It’s not your fault, Princess,” Noctua suddenly broke in, “she’s the interloper.” The large pony nodded solemnly. “Yes. This is a very unfortunate situation for all involved. Still, it falls to me to make redress.” She looked straight into Twilight’s eyes. Almost apologetically. “Seize her.” Before the purple unicorn could even register the meaning of the last command, a dozen hooves were upon her, pinning her forcefully and painfully to the ground. “She is skilled with magic,” Luna warned, “Suppress it.” As if taking the suggestion, Twilight instinctively channeled energy into her horn. Her magical reserves had not yet replenished to anywhere near normal levels, but panic was, as always, a fantastic motivator. It was too late. A half-dozen unicorns were already at work, blocking any way for her to cast a spell. Even her innate teleportation had no hope of working. Physical struggle was proving to be just as hopeless. She felt her cloak being ripped from her body. Her vision was unfocussed, but she could hear Luna approaching. “Twilight Sparkle,” the Princess said with a profoundly sorrowful tone, “Believe me when I say that I am sorry for what I must do. I know your actions were borne of ignorance, not malice. Still, the laws of this ritual cannot be ignored. You have witnessed something your eyes had no right to see. You will pay restitution with your own body.” Twilight finally managed to look up, and immediately regretted the decision to do so. Luna was standing only two steps away, and in her magical grip levitated a knife. Unlike the ornate, silver device she had held minutes earlier, this knife was a plain, utilitarian thing; a simple medium-length steel blade and a plain wooden handle. It looked like it had been pulled at random from some kitchen drawer. To the unicorn, it was the scariest thing she had ever seen. Her heart threatened to shatter her ribcage. “N– no... Princess...” she gasped the words through a series of panicked breaths. “Please, Twilight Sparkle, don’t make this difficult. Try to show some dignity. It is the least you can do.” “I’m so sorry! I won’t tell anypony what I saw here, I swear! Please, I beg you, please forgive me!” Luna shook her head sadly. “I cannot grant you absolution. This is their night.” Luna again indicated Emerald and Noctua. “They are the only ones who can.” “Can– can I speak to them?” Twilight asked through her tears. “They are under no obligation to listen.” At least it wasn’t a “no”. “Please,” struggling against her captors, the unicorn turned her head to the pair, “please. I didn’t mean to ruin this night for you. I shouldn’t have come here. I was wrong, but I didn’t know. I never meant to hurt anypony. I’m... I’m happy for you.” She smiled, and the genuineness of it surprised even herself. “You deserved this night for yourselves and I took that away. I’m so sorry that I hurt you. I wish so much that I could take it back. Please, please, forgive me?” Noctua eyed her skeptically as she pressed her tongue firmly into the side of her mouth. Emerald’s expression was unreadable, though she seemed to be blushing. After a moment, she walked up to her blue friend, and whispered something in her ear. Noctua looked at her quizzically, and whispered back. A few more back-and-forth exchanges took place as Twilight waited, her heart refusing to slow down. Luna’s knife still hung in the air, the blade pointed menacingly her way, only a couple of feet away. After what seemed like an eternity, but was likely no more than a minute, the two ponies approached. “What you did was terrible,” Noctua addressed the purple unicorn, “You violated our most private and special moment. You’ve hurt us, in ways you probably don’t even understand.” She sighed. “But you didn’t mean to do it. At the end of the night, it was an accident. Em doesn’t believe that you’re a bad pony, and... I don’t either. We still think this might be the happiest night of our lives, but not if we end it by making a new enemy. So...” She looked to the green mare beside her, who nodded. “We accept your apology.” Both ponies smiled at Twilight. She felt herself relax, and her stressed heart paced itself as she did her best to smile back. It was easier than she might have expected. Noctua took a deep, cleansing breath, looked at Em, then gave quick nod to Luna. “Cut her,” she instructed. Every muscle in Twilight’s body snapped taut, while her eyes went so wide they could be aptly compared not to saucers, but to dinner plates. “Don’t worry, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said softly, “I promise I’ll make it quick.” The blade came towards her. The unicorn’s mind went blank as she felt the first slice.