//------------------------------// // Fears and Worries // Story: The Queen's Revenge // by Listener //------------------------------//         Celestia backed away slightly. She had expected a reaction from Twilight, but her getting up and yelling at her wasn’t the reaction she had wanted. She had hoped that Twilight’s spirit had already been broken, but it looked like she had some work to do.         More fun to be had, breaking her spirit. Her will to survive. Her innocent faith in her friends was... delicious, but annoying. Celestia’s smile returned. She was going to enjoy this. “Twilight, Twilight, Twilight. I thought you knew better than to challenge me, your teacher. I’ve taught you everything that you know.  But that doesn’t mean I taught you everything that I know!” Twilight only growled in response, to busy concentrating to answer. She was busy charging an offensive spell, a variation used against the changeling invasion. Only this time, instead of lots of little blasts, Twilight was preparing to send out a single, concentrated blast.          “You can’t win against me, I am the very embodiment of the sun! I’ve been alive far too long for a simple mare to defeat me.” Celestia said, walking around Twilight slowly, forcing Twilight to turn in a circle to keep her in view. “You. I don’t know why. I don’t know how. I don’t even care about the reasons and ways that I even got here. But you. I trusted you. You were like a second mother to me. But this. This is too much.” Celestia stopped circling her, her eyes locking on to Twilight’s. She appeared to think for a minute. “I know you cared for me, and that’s what you have to watch out for Twilight. Ready for one last lesson in friendship? Only this time from me?” Celestia said, her voice starting out mother-like and caring, only to shift to a cold, uncaring voice at the end. “Why would I listen to anything that you have to say? You’ve apparently lied to me my whole life!” “Oh, you’ll listen to me, and you’ll listen well, my little pony. Your final lesson begins now.” She began to walk towards Twilight, who was beginning to look a little unsure. Her horn dimmed a bit. The thing about offensive spells is that, in order to prevent harm to an innocent pony, the caster had to truly believe that their life depended on it.Twilight’s will was beginning to waver, and that caused the spell to weaken. Twilight began to back up. Celestia took this opportunity and began to talk. “This lesson goes against all the silly little friendship reports that you sent. The lesson is called ‘Not Everypony Is Who they Seem’.” “You’ve got a certain mindset, that while is admirable in today’s society, is totally wrong and leaves you defenseless against ponies that would just like to use you. Like me.” Twilight’s horn had almost gone out, but with those words, the lavender aura flaring back up, and sparks actually appearing at the tip. “You just used me? All along? I just can’t believe it. You’re not acting like yourself.” Twilight said, glaring questionably at her ruler and mentor. “You just don’t get it, do you? It’s all one big act. The sovereign and just ruler of Equestria doesn’t exist. It was all a facade, one that has lasted centuries. But I got too involved. Time to stop... this involvement.” She said, her eyes glinting green again. Twilight’s mind was working in over time, trying to figure out what she was hearing from her mentor. She knew the Princess. At least... she thought she did.         But... she was missing something. Something important. She had seen something, something that didn’t make sense.         Something... green. “Stay back! I mean it!” Twilight said, stopping her own retreat backwards. “Why Twilight? I thought we had an understanding. I teach, you listen. Isn’t how this works?” “Yes. That was a deal I made with Princess Celestia. But you aren’t the Princess, are you? Chrysalis.” Twilight’s horn was glowing brighter than ever, and was getting ready to fire. “Ah, she’s figured it out. I was wondering how quickly you could do it. If you could at all.” Chrysalis said, dropping the act immediately. “You won’t get away with this! My friends-” Twilight started shouting, only to be interrupted by Chrysalis. “Your friends are currently just becoming aware of your plight. There’s not a unicorn in Equestria that could follow that transport spell. There’s not a pegasus flying above the clouds that could spot this hidden fortress. There’s not an earth pony alive that could possibly get in here with all the reinforcements that we’ve put up.” She glared at Twilight. An evil, loathing glare. “So get this through your pretty little head of yours. No one. Not your friends in Ponyville, not your brother the lucky groom, and most certainly not the Princess and her mixed up little sister. No one is going to see you alive. Ever. Again.” Twilight leveled her gaze and the Celestia imposter. Grunting, she prepared to let loose the spell that she had been holding. “Go to Tartarus!” Twilight screamed at Chrysalis, startling her. She hadn’t expected Twilight to completely lose it. She almost allowed herself to be hit by the blast that Twilight had thrown her way. Sidestepping the blast, she yelled to the guards posted outside of the door to come in and restrain Twilight. The looming oak doors creaked as the two changelings outside pushed them open. With a dull thud they hit the walls behind them, and the two entered. “Get her and show her to where she’ll be staying while she’s with us, won’t you?” Chrysalis said, trying to regain her composure. She had been knocked off balance when she had barely dodged the blast. “Yes, my Queen.” Reaj and Tange started after Twilight. She had used up all her magical energy with that one spell. She had put everything she had into it, not thinking ahead about what she would do afterwards....         “Come on you. We’ve got a nice cell for you. All magic-proof and everything.” Reaj said, stalking towards Twilight from one direction, while Tange came from the other side. Only one direction to retreat, and that was backwards. Twilight backed up slowly, trying to think of something, anything, that would help get out of there. She drew a blank on every train of thought. She bumped into a corner. Throwing a glance behind her, she saw that she had run out of room to go anywhere else. Nowhere left to run. Nowhere to hide. Maybe Chrysalis was right. Maybe there was no hope. Shivering, Twilight did what little she could, what with being physically exhausted, mentally strained, and magically drained.         Twilight screamed at the top of her lungs. //b0d\\         Dash and Spike were still in the library ten minutes later, waiting for the letter from Celestia that would bring some order to the chaos that was raging there. “How did this happen? How could nopony have seen this coming? I mean, we probably did sorta tick them off with the whole Canterlot wedding fiasco. We should have seen this coming, at least expect some sort of retaliation.” Dash was worrying constantly, hovering constantly  around the room. “Dash, we’ve been over this. It’s noponies fault. How could we have seen this coming? It’s been several years since the wedding, and there hasn’t been a changeling sighting since then! Who’d have guessed that they would’ve waited this long?” Spike said, who in an odd change of roles, was trying to calm down Dash. “The Princess! Twilight! Me!” Dash yelled. “ It’s our fault that Twilight is now gone, in the hooves of those... things! What are we going to do!?” Dash said, her sanity taking a leave of absence for the moment. “Hold on Dash. How do you work out that this is your fault?” Spike said, coming over to the cyan mare. “It is my fault Spike! I should’ve seen this one coming! I’m the one that should know about danger! I’m the one that knows danger. I live for the rush that I get on adventure. I’ve made some enemies in my past and dealt with them before. I should’ve seen this coming! All I’ve done since the royal wedding is screw around, hoping that-” She cut off. And then immediately started again. “I’ve also read enough Daring Do that I should know that the enemy always waits for you to let your guard down. That’s exactly what they’ve done.” “Dash, stop blam-” Spike tried to interrupt her self-blaming, but Rainbow Dash cut him off. “-They wait until a dark night, and then take Twilight when she’s sleeping!” “Dash!” Spike yelled up at the flying pegasus, trying to get her attention. “What Spike? What could be more important than finding Twilight!?” She yelled as she landed on the wooden floor with a dull thump. “Calm down. You’re not going to find Twilight by blaming yourself. If anything, it’s my fault. I was here. Right there, just sleeping. I didn’t realize what was going on.” Spike said, his voice cracking at the end. Dash looked over to the baby dragon, who was looking down at the ground. Was he crying? Dash softly walked over to Spike, and nudged him with her wing. “Hey, hey, okay, I’ll admit that the blame game is getting us nowhere. But that doesn’t mean that we have to just sit here waiting, does it?” She said, trying to cheer him up while she was dying inside. “Well, what can we do?” Spike asked, trying to wipe his eyes without Dash seeing*. Dash pretended not to see. “Well, I’m not sure. We could see if anything is out of place. Maybe they left a note?” Dash said in her normal boisterous voice, as if nothing was wrong. She was running out of ideas. Twilight was normally the one that came up with the plans. How was it, that in less than ten minutes, her whole life could be turned inside out? “Maybe.” Spike said, unconvinced. “But why would th-” Whatever Spike was going say, he never got to finish it, as a letter from Celestia had just come via the normal way. “The Princess! What did she say?” Dash said before Spike could even open it. “Give me a moment Dash!” Spike said, slitting the ribbon and unrolled it. “Well!?” Dash said impatiently. “Dash, give me a second!” He scans the letter, mouthing several of the words. “Okay, this is what she said. “Spike. Gather Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy and get on the next train to Canterlot. We’ll meet you there. Please give those that haven’t heard this yet no cause for worry. Sincerely, Princess Celestia.” “Is that it? That’s all the Princess has to say? Gather your friends and come to Canterlot?” Dash yelled in irritation. “Do you have a better idea? The Princess is probably our best hope for getting Twilight back, wherever she is. Come on, I’ll grab Pinkie Pie and Rarity. They’re closer. Go get Applejack and Fluttershy. You have wings, and can get there faster than I can.” Spike said. He sounded serious. “Okay Spike, but you be careful, okay?” “You too Dash.” “Me? I’m always safe, Spike. No need to worry there. I’ll be back before you know it!” Dash said, trying to act normal. With those words, she rushed out the window where Spike lost view of her in the fog. Dash flew up out of the fog and on towards Sweet Apple Acres. Spike stood in the bedroom for a moment longer, looking around. It seemed impossible that just the night before Twilight had made dinner here. Had him help out with an experiment that nearly blew up. Put him to bed here. Said that she loved him.          Looking once more at the bedroom, Spike sniffled, trying not to cry. He had to be strong.         Only last night...                 Everything changed. “Twilight. We will find you. I promise.” And with those words, the number one assistant left the library. A/N Well, this is strange, A chapter that was simply a blast to write. It's up early, but I think that every other Friday thing is just going to become a deadline for a new chapter. Time for credits! EvilPresident! Thanks for Pre-reading this and putting up with the stupidiness of my original! Something888! A thank you for you is in order also! Thanks for the Pre-read! And ProtheanBrony! He Pre-read this, so it's not full of grammartical grammar related problems! Am I going to do this every time? Yes. Yes I am. These guys are awesome, and deserve the credit.