//------------------------------// // Chapter 34 // Story: Internal Darkness // by Silver Sorcerer //------------------------------// Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all associated characters, settings and stories are the rightful subjects of Hasbro, the HUB, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. Chapter 34 The name was instantly recognizable. Only one pony in all of Equestria called her that. She froze at the mere sound of it. "No…" she mumbled. "You…can't…be…here," "I am and you don't know how much I missed you, little sister." "This…has to be some…trick. Magicon, stop it right now!" "Twilight, please! This isn't a trick! Magicon isn't toying with your mind. I'm here, alive, and so happy to hear you." "If you're…alive, then…where are you?" "Over here," he announced as the sound of chains directed Twilight to a wall. Carefully approaching it she continued to listen until she found a small crack in the wall. No mouse could squeeze through it but the light from her horn did and the sound of their voices carried through the still air. As she peeped through she gasped at seeing a hoof waving in the air in the middle of the cell. It was so dirty, but under that dirt Twilight could barely see the white and blue hairs of her brother. "Sh…sh…shining?" "Hi, Twilight." "Oh my Celestia! You're alive!" "Amazingly, yes." "Who? What? How did this happen to you?" "I could ask you the same question." "It was…" "You don't need to say his name. I know who did it. The question is why." "For…umm…well…reading." "Reading?" "His big, ancient spell book." "Dear Celestia! You weren't hurt were you?" "No. Why?" "Because that book has some very dark things in it." "I saw that." "I experienced it." "What do you mean?" Shining was silent for a few moments, only his breathing audible. "Shining?" "Yes?" "Just how long have you been down here?" "I don't know. I lost track after a few months." Twilight was silent, calculating how long her brother had been in this prison and how long she hadn't realized it. "I…can't believe it." "I thought I would never see or hear you again." "Me neither." They were both tearing as the realization of how close they were fell upon both of them. "Shining?" "Yes, Twilly?" It really did feel good to say that again. "How did you end up here?" He was silent again. "Perhaps it'll be easier if I start at the beginning. Make yourself comfortable; knowing the pony up above we won't be going anywhere anytime soon." Twilight really didn't know how she could make herself comfortable in a dungeon but tried nonetheless. She sat down on the floor, the chill instantly coursing through her. She dimmed her horn. "It all began when I was with your friends searching for you in Northern Equestria." And so he began telling his story. He told her everything he could remember: Luna's sudden death, his abandonment of the search, his hatred at himself for it, arriving in Canterlot, meeting Magicon, losing his memory, raising the sun and moon, and then the duel that put him down here. He conveniently left out his sexual relations with Magicon, fearing that the news would be too great and too horrible, even for his sister. As for Twilight, she simply sat and listened with a quick question here and there. Shining Armor answered them all. As he spoke she listened intently and began building the framework of the narrative in her mind. Suddenly pieces started falling into place and the understanding was growing more shocking with every passing syllable. When Shining told her about Magicon killing the princesses Twilight nearly screamed from hysterics. It was incomprehensible. Nopony could destroy a princess, much less two. Magicon had always been a kind, maybe a little bizarre stallion, but never a murderer. It suddenly clicked in her mind why Magicon was so upset when she read that ancient spell book. It wasn't just a spell book; it was an instruction manual. It spelled out a job for a group of ponies whose hatred of alicorns and the princesses stemmed from the mind of one crazy pony. Magicon was the latest in that group and tasked with the job of killing the princesses. Twilight feared what he might do next, especially to her friends. Had he hurt them? Were they under some kind of spell? Were they loyal to him and only pretending to be loyal to her? Did they even want to be her friend anymore? She didn't know and she wouldn't know, not as long as she rotted in this cell. Hours passed as the knowledge between the two grew. They shared everything they could think of and came to understand just how old this idea went back in history and how dangerous it was for Equestria now. It scared Shining Armor to death when he realized that Cadance was the last alicorn alive, though he already knew that. But that fact that Magicon, his former lover and close friend and ally, was the one heading the whole operation was beyond fearful. He told Twilight what he knew about Cadance. How she had been under a hex. How she was now a prisoner down here too. How Magicon had teased him about her. "How did you learn all of this?" Twilight asked. "From the 'disloyal' members of the guard and from Lieutenant Dash." "Rainbow visited you?" "Yes and thank Celestia she did. She helped me confirm the truth about myself." "And what was that?" He paused. He had just walked into a trap. Could he tell her? What would she think of him? If he didn't tell her now, then when? What if she somehow managed to break free or what if Magicon decided to tease and torture her about it? He couldn't risk it. He loved his sister too much. She would understand. She had to. She just had to. "Twilight…there's something I need to confess." "What is it, BBBFF?" Damn, he loved it when she said that. It reminded him of the days when she was just a filly. Those innocent days when they would fly kites, or play ball, or just hang out. It had been so simple then and now, well look where they were now. "It's…about…how my memory was erased." "You said Magicon erased it." "He did, but I never said why." "Ok…why?" "Because…because…we were caught by reporters in a hotel room." Twilight was silent for a moment. "Come again?" "That night when I arrived. Magicon and I…confessed our feelings for each other." He could feel his face flushing redder and hotter than ever before. Why as he telling her this? "I don't follow." "Twilly, that night Magicon and I admitted that we liked each other and…and…" he couldn't say it. "Did what?" "We bucked! That's what!" Shit! He didn't intend to shout. He didn't intend for it to come out like that at all. Now it was a disaster. It was over. His sister would never think of him the same way again. Twilight was silent after hearing that, knowing what he said but unwilling to believe it. "I'll…just…uhh…leave you alone," he mumbled, slowly moving back to his corner. "Wait," Twilight said making him stop and turn back to the small crack and the light emitting from it. "Yes?" "Are you sorry?" she whispered. "Absolutely. I've never done something so stupid and reckless in all of my life." Twilight paused, debating whether that was a satisfactory answer. "Listen, Shining, I…really don't know what to say." "All I can say is that I'm sorry, for everything. If I had never abandoned your friends maybe none of this would've ever happened." "You can't blame yourself for what happened. What's done is done and nothing you can do will ever change that. I've learned from my own experience that we all make mistakes and that mistakes should be appreciated. We learn from them. You learned what it means to be unfaithful. Now, you must learn to love the mare you married." "I love her so much. I just want to be with her so bad. Twilly, can you ever forgive me?" "I already have, BBBFF. You made a mistake and you're going to fix it. I know you. When you screwed up you always went back to fix it. You're honesty with me proves that." "Yeah, I guess." "Shining, listen, I love you and nothing will ever change that." "I just wish I could've been a better brother and husband." "If you were any better than you are now, then you'd be a god or something." "Yeah, ok. So what do I do now?" "If you ever get the chance, talk to Cadance. Tell her everything and pray that she'll forgive you. She'll be harsh and heartbroken but if she truly loves you, she'll forgive you." "I can only hope." They were silent afterwards, both filled with heavy hearts. Finally, Shining asked, "So, what happened to you?" Twilight explained her story to him. How she had received less and less news from her friends. How Magicon never told her about Shining's supposed mission. How Equestria was changing in front of her eyes. She told him everything she knew up until that moment. He sat in silence, taking in every word. He didn't ask questions. He really didn't want to know. What he knew was that his sister was safe and still loved him. He couldn't ask for anything more. When she had finished, Shining mumbled, "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry too." "For what?" "For not being a better sister." "You're the greatest sister in Equestria." "You…really mean that?" "Would I lie to you? After everything, would I be that cruel?" "No." "I love you, Twilly." "I love you too, Shining." The put their hooves to their respective walls, trying to feel the other's presence. Though Shining couldn't feel anything other than the chill of the stone, he knew his sister was only a few feet away. She knew the same. As they had their embracing, they heard both guards yelling outside. It was muffled due to the steel door, but it could still be heard thanks to the silence of the cells. "What is that?" Shining asked. "I'll check," answered Twilight getting up and putting an ear to the door. Though muffled she could hear men yelling, hooves running, and armor banging. Clearly this wasn't some military drill. Something was happening outside their cells but she had no idea what. Returning to the small fracture in the wall, Twilight seated herself. "Well?" "It sounds like a scuffle or something like that." "I don't know." "Maybe Cadance is escaping?" "Don't say that, Twilight! Prisoners that escape or try to aren't thrown back in jail; they're killed on the spot." "Dear Celestia!" "Pray that it's some other pony that's escaping and not our Cadance." She could only hope that it wasn't. They both silently prayed that she was alright. Twilight threw in an extra prayer for her friend's safety. She could only hope that they were alright. That was all they had right now: hope. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ The girls were shocked by Rainbow's and Cadance's presence. Rainbow was bruised and cuts scarred her body while Cadance was absolutely filthy. She was covered in dirt and grime and the smell was worse than sewage. Rainbow's uniform was not present, abandoned thanks to Magicon's attempted torture. "Rainbow, what are you doing here?" Fluttershy asked. "What happened?" "A lot," she answered. She didn't sound like herself to the girls. She sounded rougher, colder, and animal-like. "What's going on?" asked Pinkie. "How did you find us? Why are you so dirty? Why is Cadance with you?" "Please, Pinkie Pie," interrupted Cadance. "We have a lot to talk about and a lot to reveal. All of you have been kept in the dark about a lot and you need to know what's going on." "Before we do that," interjected Rainbow, "where's my AJ?" "Ah'm right here," she answered waving her hoof. "And Dashie, what in Celestia's name happened ta ya'?" "It's a long story," she said as she walked over to her lover. Ignoring the dirt and bruises Applejack quickly hugged the cyan pegasus, being comforting and gentle at the same time. "Ya' look absolutely filthy." "I don't care." "Are ya' alright?" "I will be." "Do you want me to prepare a bath?" interrupted Rarity, directing the question at both Cadance and Rainbow. "Later, Rarity," answered Cadance. "Right now we have to tell you all about Magicon and what he's done to us." "He did this?" Fluttershy asked. "Yes," answered Rainbow. "Why?" "Let's start with the beginning. Rarity, lock the door. Pinkie, close the blinds. Nopony must know what's occurring in here right now." So began their secret story. Cadance started, telling them everything she knew and her encounters ever since her arrival back in Canterlot. She told them about Magicon, his deception, his hex, her rebellion, her imprisonment, and now her rescue. Rainbow proceeded next, telling the girls about her guard's information and what they had told her. She told them about her own confrontation with Magicon, how they fought, and how he threatened to cut her, making everypony shudder, and how she ran away and rescued Cadance. She did manage to save her conversation with him last, knowing how sensitive the issue was, but unlike Cadance who told the facts with an elegant and comfortable twist Rainbow told them cold and hard. Despite her best intentions, she didn't go gently about the subject, resulting in a wailing Cadance. "NO! Impossible! How could he?! He loved me!" Here was her husband who she had nearly lost to a Changeling, choosing another pony over her. And that pony was a stallion and a friend to her. Both of them had betrayed her and she was devastated. Magicon hadn't been honest with her. He did have feelings for Shining and vice versa and they shared them in one night of love and passion. It was just too much to bear for one pony. "Cadance, it's not your fault," comforted Applejack while glaring at Rainbow. "Applejack's right, Cadance," added Rarity as she brought a few boxes of tissues and hoof-kerchiefs over to the sobbing mare. "It's shocking and disturbing, I know. But you love him and he loves you. He probably regrets ever having met Magicon. He loves you and he's willing to do anything for you. You must not forget that." "I…won't," she stammered through her sobs. The girls were silent for a few minutes, letting Cadance finish her sobs while they silently contemplated their stories and the central pony in them. After a few minutes, Fluttershy asked, "So, what now?" "Well, it's it obvious?" Rainbow retorted. "That no good stallion has caused all of these problems and they aren't just normal problems. Look at what he's done: hurt Cadance, hurt me, hurt Shining Armor, and countless other things. He needs to be stopped by any means necessary." "Oh my," gasped Fluttershy. "Wait, I don't understand something," interjected Pinkie. "If Shining Armor is in prison then what is the meaning of this letter?" She showed Cadance and Rainbow the letter and they both read of it. Cadance passed a few more tears and Rainbow read it over a second time, clearly confused. "From all the facts, the letter's probably a fake by Magicon," Rarity stated. "He probably wrote it himself and was preparing to share it with the rest of Equestria to put an end to any remaining rumors about Shining Armor." The girls nodded in agreement. "The one thing Ah can't understand is why Magicon is doin' all of this." asked Applejack. "I have a theory," answered Cadance. "Magicon not only is desperate to protect his image and his power, but also the dark secrets he holds. Even before the deaths of the princesses he was hiding a few things. It all started with a letter Celestia and Luna received and explained to us." She told them about Red-Blood, scaring all of them into silence and fear. "I think Magicon might've been motivated by Red-Blood and those memories Celestia and Luna showed us," finished Cadance. The girls all wore expressions of shock and terror. It was one thing to have a bad-tempered, secretive, and dangerous pony; quite another to have a possible murderer of Equestria. "So, you think…he…killed Celestia and Luna?" asked Fluttershy nervously. "Either that or he told somepony to do it. I know for a fact that Celestia was murdered. I saw it with my own eyes before fainting. As for Luna, I really can't say for sure. Magicon may have killed her directly or influenced her. But, that's all speculation." "Shining Armor would know," mumbled Pinkie. "Yeah, why didn't ya' rescue him?" asked Applejack. "Like I had time? I had enough of a time getting out of those caves and sneaking into the dungeon. I was really lucky to see a knocked out guard at the entrance and the door opened to let me right in. Finding Cadance was the easy part, getting her out was hard. We got out of the cell, but were caught by a Night Guard and we rushed to get out of those dungeons as they charged after us. Try outrunning and flying trained guards with minimal light, exhaustion, and fear. It's not easy." "I can't believe you even made it out of there alive," said Rarity. "Once we burst through the door to the dungeons from the palace it was an easy to fly into Canterlot and hide." "We realized then that we couldn't do this alone and I was way too traumatized to do this on my own so we agreed that we should come back and find you guys," added Cadance. "Well, thank Celestia you did," said Pinkie. "But…umm…won't we get in trouble for harboring fugitives?" asked Fluttershy with fear in her voice. "They were wrongly imprisoned by a madpony, Fluttershy," Rarity stated. "Besides, they're our friends and they would do the same for us if you were in jail. Now, come you two, we've had enough adventure for one day. Let's get you two cleaned up." She rose and proceeded to the bathroom. The sound of rushing water soon filled the air as the girls remained seated. "Ah, just can't believe one pony can do all of this," remarked Applejack. "But he did, Applejack," Pinkie said. "Speaking of doing things, what is he doing now? I'd like to make that pony know what it felt like to be at another pony's whim" grunted Rainbow putting her hooves together angrily. "Aww nah, Dashie! Ah ain't losin' ya' again. This is the second time Ah lost ya' and Ah didn't even know about it. Ah'm not gonna let yourself get killed by that stallion. He won't show mercy to ya'. He'll kill ya'." "You think I don't know that, AJ? You think I was oblivious to you? I missed you so much and down in those caves all I could think about was you! You don't know how good it feels to be safe with you. But, that pony has to pay." "And he will, once we figure out what we're going to do," Rarity stated as she emerged from the bathroom, a towel in hooves. "But first, Cadance and Rainbow, if you two would come over please. I won't have an overthrow marked by poor hygiene." Cadance rose silently while Rainbow grumbled a few words before following her. Once inside Rarity closed the door, allowing the girls to talk amongst themselves. "I'm in disbelief," said Pinkie. "We all are," stated Fluttershy. "To think we worked for him all this time and not suspect a thing? How stupid are we?" Applejack remarked. "We're not stupid, AJ. Magicon was just really good at deceiving everypony. He deceived all of Equestria," Pinkie stated. "Well, how do we stop him?" asked Fluttershy. "We can't confront him individually. Look what he did ta Cadance, Dashie, and Shining. They all stood up ta him and he struck all of them down," stated Applejack. "Should we resign from our posts?" Pinkie asked. "I think that would only arouse his suspicions," answered Fluttershy. "He doesn't know we know. All he knows is that Rainbow and Cadance are missing. In his mind we're still oblivious ta everything," said Applejack. "But with Cadance and Rainbow fugitives and us being close friends with them, won't Magicon suspect us of being involved?" asked Fluttershy. "I mean, I'm sorry, that was a big question." "Don't be, Fluttershy. Ya' bring up a good point. Ah really can't lie if he asks and Ah don't wanna put mahself or any of ya'll in danger." "We'll just have to be careful," finished Pinkie. "The Royal Guard will start looking for both of them," said Fluttershy. "But didn't Dashie say their loyalties lie with her and Shining?" asked Applejack. "I wouldn't rely on them," advised Pinkie. "After all, look at what they did to Cadance. They could've let her go but they still arrested her." "Yeah…" "And with two highly dangerous ponies loose, they're not going to easily let them get away. Oh my, they're probably going to be searching everywhere," exclaimed Fluttershy. "You bet they are," said Rainbow Dash as she emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam. The door closed behind her, leaving no guesswork that Rarity and Cadance needed more time together. "Now don't ya' look like a million bits," teased Applejack as the cyan pegasus made her way over to the group. She was completely clean now. Not a speck of dirt was on her and her bruises were quickly fading and cuts healing. "You sure clean up good, Rainbow," Pinkie commented. "Well, Rarity had some fancy potion thing that removes dirt and heals cuts and bruises." "Well, that's mighty nice," commented Applejack as she began stroking her lover's mane. "So what have you guys been up to?" "Just talking," answered Pinkie. "Any plans to get that stallion?" "Ya' gotta get that outa your head, Dashie. We'll get him. But not right now." Rainbow grunted knowing her lover was right. "Umm…I hate to change the subject…but whatever happened to Twilight?" Everypony froze at her name, especially Rainbow. "Twi's back?" she asked her mouth agape. "Yeah. She came back yesterday," said Fluttershy. "Rarity and I talked with her before she went to talk to Magicon." "Ya' mean our Twilight could be dead right now?" asked Applejack horrified. "I…uhh…no, I don't think she is." "Calm down, girls," Pinkie said. "Look, we know Magicon isn't a walk-in type of killer. And he probably won't lay a hoof on our Twilight." "Yeah, and didn't he want her to be his apprentice or something?" asked Rainbow. "Ah think so, but Ah can't remember," Applejack lamented. "So, our Twilight is probably learning some new magic and might learn his weakness or something," commented Pinkie. "We're still going to stop him?" asked Fluttershy reluctantly. "Of course we are, Fluttershy. That pony committed the worst crimes in Equestria. He has to be stopped now or Celestia knows what he'll do," answered Rainbow with determination in her voice. "But what about Twilight and Shining Armor?" "Fluttershy's right," said Pinkie. "As long as Magicon has those two he can threaten to hurt them. We're at a bargaining position. Oh, like a game! I love games!" "So we save them," said Applejack. "Easier said than done, AJ," laughed Rainbow. "Twilight won't be a problem, but I was nearly killed rescuing Cadance and she wasn't in a tough cell like Shining. We won't be able to rescue him unless he can get out of those dungeons." "So, we have to get Magicon to release him?" asked Fluttershy. "Not gonna happen," answered Applejack. "Applejack's right," added Pinkie. "Let's focus on our Twilight and then worry about Shining and Magicon." But little did they know that their Twilight would need more help than they realized.