//------------------------------// // 9 - Act 3 - In the Dark of the Moon. // Story: On The Dark Side of the Moon // by Blue Wolf //------------------------------// Darkness greeted Rainbow Dash's eyes as she reappeared. Bare walls of jagged rock, grey and foreboding loomed in the half light. What little the pegasus could see was only lit by a cold light that came from directly behind her, casting a meagre bluish-white circle on the smooth rock floor. Directly behind was what Rainbow Dash at first took to be a gigantic circular window lit up by moonlight, and it took a moment for her to realise that it actually was the face of the moon, as if the moon were made of glass. As she looked more closely she could even make out stars beyond it, and the shadowy globe that was was home to Equestria. Beside her, Rainbow Dash's six companions stood in a row in front of the Lunar disc, staring into the cavern that was Twilight's dungeon. The moonlight only extended a little way in, the walls and floor beyond quickly faded into the darkness. Nopony was able to speak for some time, a shiver running through each of the friends as the cold reality of the bleak, despairing blackness into which they had unwittingly cast one of their own closed about them. “You OK there Princess?” Applejack threw a concerned glanced over at the Ruler of the Night. Out of all of the ponies Luna seemed to be the one most affected by the oppressive darkness that awaited them. The Princess looked restless and uneasy, the sadness in her voice undeniable as she gazed ahead towards the back of the cavern. “We were locked away for a thousand years in this place...” The dark Alicorn lowered her head. “I had no desire to see it again...” Luna's voice trailed off, her royal composure buckling under the strain as a millennia of painful, lonely memories flooded back to her. Applejack said nothing, but a moment later the princess felt the farm pony's warm cheek and muzzle against her neck. “Twilight?” Pinkie Pie's call echoed into the blackness. “Twiliiight!” Spike joined in, followed by the others. “Can ya hear us sugarcube?” “Twilight dear! Are you here?” “Twilight!” The ponies' shouts faded away into dead silence, the five Bearers of Harmony all straining their ears to listen. For a moment or two there came no reply, the only sounds coming from their own heartbeats and breath. Suddenly Applejack's hoof went up, her ears erect. “Y'all hear that?” From deep within a dark corner of the prison came the faintest sounds of heartbreaking sobs and sniffling, echoing out to the ponies from the looming blackness. Rainbow Dash stiffened. “Twilight? T-that you?” “Twilight!” Pinkie called out again. Again there came no reply, but just as they began to think they'd imagined it the faint crying came again – distant and very faint, but undeniable. “Could that be her?” Rainbow Dash stared into the gloom Applejack furrowed her brow as she adjusted her hat. “...Only one way ta find out RD. C'mon everypony, le's go find Twilight.” The rescuers advanced cautiously into the cavern, fanning out slightly to search for Twilight. There was a brief flare of unicorn magic as they passed into the darkness - Rarity's face becoming visible for a moment before she focused the light from her horn into a beam, lighting the cave floor ahead of her like a torch. Luna then followed suit, the two magical ponies moving outwards towards the walls to cast their collective light over as wide an area as possible. Pinkie Pie glanced over to her left as they went deeper into the cavern. She could still just about see the outline of Applejack and Rainbow Dash patrolling the centre of the cave, while near the opposite side wall Fluttershy stuck close to Luna's side. The party pony had barely turned to look ahead when there was a gasp from the unicorn beside her, Rarity's light beam picking out something lying on the ground directly in front of her. “Oh my!!!” In the centre of the beam of light was Twilight - lying on the floor in chains, crying into her hooves and shivering. “Twilight!!” “I've found her! I've found her!” Pinkie Pie bounced cheerfully round in circles, orbiting her missing friend as shouts came out of the darkness from the other ponies. “TWILIGHT! Applejack! Luna! Fluttershy! - Over here, over here! They've got her!” “Hold on sugarcube! We're a-comin!” There was a sudden galloping of hooves that echoed round the cavern as everypony came rushing to towards the source of the noise. A moment later the entire group were clustered Twilight's side and calling her name. “Twilight! S-say something!” “Twilight? You OK hon?” “Oh my goodness...what's happening to her?...” Fluttershy recoiled at the sight of her friend. Twilight was little more than a huddled heap of fur and hair. Heavy manacles attached to cruel spiked chains of black metal pinned her down on her front, lying full length on the freezing cold floor of her dungeon. Her coat had lost almost all of it's lavender colour, her once vibrant fur and mane now faded to dismal shades of grey. She was crying bitterly, her tear streaked face buried in her hooves and the mare didn't respond or even look up as her friends crowded round. “Make way. Let me see her.” The little circle of ponies parted at sound of Luna's commanding voice, letting the midnight princess approach and kneel beside the fallen mare. “Oh Twilight Sparkle...what have I done to you?” Luna stared in open-mouthed shock at the poor condition Twilight was in, the Princess immediately losing no time in freeing the unfortunate mare. As Twilight's chains rapidly dissolved in a blast of magic Luna scooped up Twilight's limp body and hugged her close. “Twilight...you must wake up. Come back to us.” Six worried faces looked on as Luna tried unsuccessfully to rouse Twilight from her stupor, the lavender mare cringing and curling up like an injured foal even as the Alicorn took her up in her hooves to comfort her. “This is...simply dreadful!” wailed Rarity. “I cannot even bear to think of suffering such a cruel fate...to be locked forever in this...unfashionable dungeon!” “Focus, Rarity...” warned Applejack. The cowpony pressed a hoof to Twilight's fur. “...if we jus' had something to keep her warm... Ah don't suppose y'all happen to bring anythin' like a blanket or summat now, did ya Rare?” “I'm afraid not Applejack dear. You did insist that we leave in something of a hurry and I simply didn't have time to pack my wardrobe. Besides...I'd never have been able make anything work in a place like THIS...” The alabaster unicorn rolled her eyes at the grey ceiling. “Shoot! We gotta think of somethin'...Twilight's more frozen 'than a Hearth's warmin' snow-pony...” replied Applejack. Rarity looked over at the shivering Twilight, then she considered for a moment. “Spike? I'm going to have to borrow something from you dear.” announced the unicorn airily. Spike's eyes misted over and a dreamy expression appeared on his face. “Anything for you Rarity!” Rarity walked over to the dragon. “I do apologise for this...” reaching down, she plucked a scale from Spike's flank with her teeth, the dragon too enthralled by thoughts of his crush to even seem to notice. Using her magic to enlarge it, Rarity then levitated the purple scale towards her. “Uh...Rarity? W-what y'all doin?” Applejack asked hurriedly. “Uh-oh...” The scale poised itself high in the air, the other ponies letting out a gasp as they saw what was about to happen. Bracing herself, Rarity brought the scale down like a knife. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Spike's horrified scream rent the air and echoed around the grim chamber as the dragon sank to the floor in shock. Rarity grimaced for a moment, before levitating the severed ends of her tail and mane together above Twilight. “It's quite alright Spike dear...” Rarity said resolutely. Her magic was now transforming and weaving the silken hair together, and before long a rich, purple blanket fell out of the air and wrapped itself round Twilight. “It's all in a good cause. It may not be my best work, and it's a little bit thin but at least it's something. And of course...my friendship will keep Twilight warmer than it would me...” Rarity smiled down at Twilight, who had stopped shivering. Her expression became slightly pained as she turned to look at the frayed stub of her tail and felt at the truncated remains of her long, curled mane with her hoof. “Now if you don't mind...I'd... like to be alone for a while” She regally tried to keep her head up as she trotted into the darkness and out of sight for a few minutes, obviously trying to put on a brave face over the temporary loss of her tail. Luna looked across to Applejack and started to follow, but the farm pony solemnly shook her head. “Best leave her be Princess...'sides, we still gotta help Twi.” Applejack nuzzled at the whimpering mare. “C'mon sugar-cube – snap out of it!” Twilight yelped suddenly, covering her ears with her hooves and trembling. “NOO! P-please...leave me alone!... I - I can't listen to how much you hate me any more!” Twilight's begging degenerated into a fresh flood of tears, her cries even fainter than ever. “Hate you??!” repeated Applejack and Rainbow Dash together, horrified. “N-no Twilight...” Fluttershy's eyes were welling up. “I certainly don't hate you! I may be a horrible, mean pony who really doesn't deserve a friend like you Twilight...or a nasty pony who hurt her friend's feelings when she said things she doesn't mean, but I will never, EVER, hate you! “Only one roun' here who 'got any reason to hate anypony's you Twilight...” Applejack nosed at the quivering mare. “Afte'r what we said...Ah just hope y'all be able ta forgive us. But ah promise right now, Element 'a Honesty an all – that I ain't ever hated you Twi, an' I won't ever lose mah trust in a frien' like that again.” Applejack hugged her friend tightly - a few tears dripping onto the silken blanket, but other than a few heartbreaking sobs, there was no response. Rainbow Dash felt a chilling realisation in her chest. “It's no good – I...I don't think she knows it's really us.” the multicoloured pony looked up at her friends, her eyes wide with fear and helplessness. A single tear shone in a corner of one eye. “What'll we DO??” Pinkie Pie wailed, bursting into tears. “Well I'm NEVER giving up!” Rainbow Dash's expression became resolute. “I ain't EVER gonna quit on a friend! I'm staying right here, an keep talkin' to my friend Twilight - even if it means staying in prison by Twilight's side forever! There's no WAY I'm gonna give up now!" Rainbow Dash folded her wings and lay down beside Twilight, resting her head on Twilight's neck. “Ah'm stayin' too.” Applejack lay down on the opposite side of Twilight, putting one forehoof over Twilight's shoulder. “Me too.” Fluttershy joined Rainbow Dash. “Pinkie Pie NEVER walks out on a party!” The bubblegum pink mare positioned herself in front of Applejack, facing Twilight. “And I'm staying too.” Rarity re-appeared out of the darkness at Luna's shoulder, who briefly nuzzled at the Unicorn's neck. “Twilight...” The night Princess began to speak, but at that moment a chill wind blew through from the moonlit circle at the front of the cavern. Luna and Rarity looked up sharply, sensing a growing magic in the air. “W-what's happening?” quaked Fluttershy. An ominous feeling spread through the cavern and into the ponies' hearts. Twilight's tear filled eyes opened, staring straight ahead at the Lunar disc. “....N-no...please...no more...” A bright magical light suddenly erupted before them, quickly morphing itself into the shape of a tall pony with spread wings and a long graceful horn. The six friends stared in disbelief as the towering form of Princess Celestia stepped out towards them. ------------------------------- “N-no!” Twilight cowered in fear before the Ruler of the Sun as the Princess advanced, Celestia glaring down sternly at her pupil. The normally warm presence that accompanied the elder Alicorn was noticeably absent, as if the sun had been hidden away behind a cloud in an otherwise perfect sky. Even Luna seemed disturbed by her sister's appearance - the younger sister noticeably tensing up, but she stood her ground as Celestia came to a halt in front of Twilight, looking down at the mare from on high. “Princess...please...I'm begging you!” Twilight's tearful pleas grew desperate as she tried to back away, pressing herself down into the floor of the cave in pure terror. “Please let me go! I-I'll leave Equestria and never come back...just please, please let me go...” Twilight buried her face in the ground. “No.” Celestia's voice reverberated round the room and drove into the ponies' hearts. It was stern and unforgiving, with a frightening coldness to it. “You have failed miserably Twilight Sparkle. You have failed your friends and you have failed me.” “N-nooo!” “And even now you are failing to accept and learn from your punishment. I am severely disappointed Twilight Sparkle, and there is no going back for you while you continue to compound your failures.” “I'm SORRY!!!!” Twilight was screaming her apologies now, her decorum breaking down completely as she descended into her own private hell of hysterical sobbing. Her teacher gazed levelly down at her. “SISTER! Please – stop this!” Luna stepped forward, facing her sister with a horrified expression. Celestia looked unimpressed. “Apologies make no difference to me.” The high princess' merciless gaze never left Twilight for an instant. “OK...That about does it!” A furious Rainbow Dash spread her wings and within seconds the cyan pegasus was standing directly in Celestia's path, blocking the way to Twilight. She was returning the Alicorn's cold stare with a look of rage that would have stopped a cockatrice dead in it's tracks. “I don't believe a word you say! Twilight's never let me or anypony else down, and that includes Princess Celestia! I trust Twilight because if there's one thing bein' Twilight's friend has taught me it's this: When it comes to her friends, Twilight Sparkle NEVER fails!” “Just who do you think you are?” Celestia replied in a terrible voice, the princess's gaze switching to Rainbow Dash for the first time.“You were not so trusting of Twilight earlier, or was I mistaken when you and your friends told her that you hated her because she used you - as you put it Rainbow Dash – as a 'research project'. Your trust in friends must be fickle indeed.” Rainbow Dash bowed her head, closing her eyes. “You're right. I admit that I did lose my trust in Twilight. I was angry at Applejack, when I had no reason to be and I took it out on the wrong pony. That was wrong of me.” Rainbow looked back at Applejack, who had also lowered her head. Rainbow turned to face Celestia again, but this time her expression was hard and full of resolve. “But I've learnt my lesson. And I've learned that to lose your trust in a friend, is the quickest way to lose trust in yourself. And I ain't EVER gonna make that mistake again.” Celestia's eyes narrowed. “I'm not letting you torture my friend any longer!!!” Rainbow Dash fearlessly squared up to the much larger Alicorn for a face off. “We ain't gonna let y'all either!” Applejack and the rest of the Mane six were standing their ground behind Rainbow Dash, surrounding Twilight. Even Spike stepped forward in front of Rarity, his nostrils snorting angry green fire and his reptilian eyes narrowed in a look that had barbs on it. “ENOUGH!!” Luna angrily stepped forward and stamped her hoof on the ground. Her anger had swelled as she watched the stand-off and the sight of Twilight's friends preparing to defend her had been the final straw for the Ruler of the Night. She stood, wings flared and horn lowered, facing her sibling as the Royal Canterlot voice shook the air around them, the whole moon seeming to tremble at her divine wrath. “You are NOT my sister...my sister could never be so cold and unforgiving, nor could she ignore such loyalty from true friends! WHO ARE YOU? I demand you reveal your true self at once!” 'Celestia' gave the dark Alicorn a cruel smile, her voice suddenly distorting in a way that was all too horribly familiar. “Very well then.” Magenta eyes suddenly flashed a brilliant green, the ponies looking on in horror as emerald flames suddenly burnt away the pristine white coat and swanlike wings of Princess Celestia to charcoal black and gossamer. The graceful hooves and horn became twisted and gnarled, and the sunset colours of her ever flowing mane turned to a ragged cerulean. "Whoa Nelly..." breathed Applejack. Before them stood Chrysalis - the evil changeling queen who Twilight had once exposed as impersonating Princess Cadence during her wedding. She towered over the shocked ponies, laughing cruelly.