//------------------------------// // Honesty's Lie // Story: against all odds // by Flaring Dawn //------------------------------// Twilight and Luna arrived at Canterlot Castle by nights fall. Luna didn't know if she wanted to go through with this, but Twilight on the other hand knew she wanted to do this. She needed to do this for Equestria. Twilight knew exactly where Celestia was. She would be in the throne room overseeing her blasphemous ways in action. Oh how the idea of millions of ponies dying by her grasp must arouse her so. It made Twilight sick to her stomach. Twilight was so fixated on getting inside she didn't hear Luna behind her. "Twilight Sparkle..." The princess of the night said. Twilight turned to Luna and scoffed. "What?!" Twilight yelled. Luna gave a worried look and pointed towards the castle walls. Twilight's jaw dropped. She hid behind a wall fighting back tears of both sorrow and betrayal. Standing guard at the gate of Celestia's castle was her brother... Shining Armor only he didn't look himself. His body was the color of ash and his mane was the color of blood. He had murder in his eyes. Twilight fell onto her haunches and began to cry. Luna attempted to comfort the crying mare only to be glared at. "How dare he... HOW DARE HE!!!" Twilight yelled at the top of her lungs not caring if she was heard by anypony. Her heart was just ripped from her chest and stomped on by the one she thought would always be there for her. "Twilight you must watch thy tone.. they may hear us!!" Luna said sharply. Twilight glared at the Princess. Luna backed away from the glare. Never has Luna ever been afraid of anypony, but it seemed Twilight scared her. "I will keep my voice down when that traitor of a brother is dead at my feet and i bath in his blood..." Twilight said with pure hatred and venom in her voice. Luna grimaced. In all her years she has never heard somepony wish death upon a family member. Even if they betrayed them. Luna was about to say something when all of a sudden She heard a familiar laugh behind her. Twilight Shivered, she knew exactly who's voice that was. Twilight could only gasp before she was knocked clean out. Luna attempted to fight but also was knocked out. Twilight and Luna's world faded to black, but the sickening laugh of their attacker was heard from inside their heads. A few hours passed and Twilight was awoken by the sound of laughter. She looked towards the sound and saw Shining Armor standing near a cage. Twilight felt instant rage build up inside her. She launched herself at him but was knocked back by a glowing force field that surrounded her. She snarled at Shining Armor. Shining Armor laughed evilly at her. "Hey sis... Long time no see...." He said with a wicked laugh. Twilight was in tears. How could her brother do this? How could he betray his own family? "I thought you loved me?! Why are you doing this? Why are you killing innocent ponies?" Twilight said with tears now falling from her eyes. This only made Shining Armor laugh even more. Twilight snarled and attacked the force field repeatedly with magic of her own, She was knocked back by one of her own bolts. "Your a fucking disgrace... I hate you... I will kill you... you piece of shit..." Twilight said as blood fell from her head, tears mixing with the crimson mask she wore. Shining Armor glared at Twilight and smiled. Twilight was sick to her stomach to see her brother this way. Shining Armor pointed to a cage. Luna was inside covered in blood. She wasn't moving. She looked dead. Twilight cried into her hooves. "How could you?... How could you hurt Luna?..." Twilight said through her tears. Shining Armor smiled a sick smile. He pointed to another cage and Twilight's heart fell to the floor. Applejack was inside and her coat was completely grey. She was covered in blood, her blood. Twilight's face contorted with fear and sorrow. "N-no..." Twilight said as she fell to the ground. Shining Armor smiled at Twilight. "Now do you see... Insect... You have no chance in hell... of defeating us..." Shining Armor said with a grin. Twilight cried tears of anger. "You monster... How could you hurt them?..." Shining Armor smiled. "Cause he told me to..." Shining Armor said. With that a loud laugh came from a corner in the room. All of a sudden a figure stepped into the light. Twilight's eyes went wide. She backed away from the figure with fear. "Hello Twilight... It has been so long since we saw each other... What a small and chaotic world we live in..." The figure said. Twilight whimpered loudly. "D-Discord... what are you?.." Before she could finish the force field was down and Discord had her by the throat and slammed her against the wall and growled. Twilight winced in pain and began to cry. "DON'T talk... Listen to me very carefully... You and your little friends had me encased in stone for what seemed like a thousand years... do you not remember?... Well even if you don't let me make it clear that after you 'rehabilitated' me I have been slowly controlling your precious sun goddesses mind, turning her into a drooling puppet... She has done well in what I made her to do... Kill all the ponies so I may cleanse all that is pure from this world... Now do you understand?" Discord said as he clenched at Twilight's throat, attempting to suffocate her. Twilight gasped for air as she struggled to breathe. Discord grinned and threw Twilight across the room. Discord teleported over to the now bleeding mare. Twilight was whimpering as Discord picked her up by the horn. "Now we are going to play a game. It is a game of life and death..." Discord said with a grin. He looked at Shining Armor who then nodded and launched a spell towards Applejack. Suddenly the element of Honesty woke up. Her eyes beaming a crimson color. The element around Twilight's neck began to glow and flew towards Applejack. As the Element connected with Applejack it turned a dark red color. Applejack glared at Twilight and snarled. Discord smiled. "Good luck... oh by the way... to win the game you must retrieve the Element from Applejack... Fail and she will either die or kill you... As I said before... Good Luck..." Discord said. He snapped his fingers and Applejack and Twilight were in a forest. Applejack didn't waste anytime and charged Twilight, kicking her in the hoof. Twilight fell to the ground and cried. "A-Applejack it-it's me... Twilight please!!" Twilight pleaded with the crazed mare, only to be met with another hoof across the face, sending her into a tree. Twilight whimpered as she lay bleeding on the ground, cold from the heartbreak she now felt. Applejack continued to advance on Twilight. Twilight closed her eyes... Then she opened them and snarled. Twilight stood up and shot a beam of energy at Applejack sending her into a tree. "WAKE UP CALL!!!" Twilight yelled as she sent another bolt of energy towards Applejack. It hit it's mark and it froze Applejack into place. Twilight ran to her swinging her hoof towards the Element around Applejack's neck. Twilight grabbed the Element but was knocked back by a blast of energy.The spell holding Applejack was broken. Twilight was terrified. "Heh heh heh...th-thought you could stop me? oh...Twilight... you make me laugh..." Applejack said with a wicked grin. Twilight growled. "I will stop Discord and Celestia if it kills me... THIS IS NOT YOU APPLEJACK!!!!" Twilight said as she ran for Applejack, tears falling from her now bloody eyes. Applejack charged Twilight as well. The two mares collided, Applejack bit Twilight on the neck, causing Twilight to howl in pain. Twilight kicked Applejack off of her and stumbled back, holding the wound on her neck. Applejack came in for another attack, but Twilight was smarter. Twilight let a bolt of magic loose and it hit Applejack in the heart. The Element glew a bright orange and fell off of Applejack's neck. Applejack fell to the ground with a thud. Twilight ran over to her friends side and knelt beside her. The color returned to Applejack and she began to wake up, feeling the pain from the fight with Twilight. "T-Twilight? what in the hay is going on?" Applejack said as she tried to stand only to fall to the ground in agony. Twilight held onto her friend. "Applejack...Discord tried to have you kill me... I had no choice... I had to wake you up..." Twilight hugged Applejack as she cried. Applejack returned the hug. Suddenly the Element reacted and launched itself at Applejack. It attatched itself to her and locked in place. Twilight smiled and cheered. "That's it!!! i know how to stop Celestia!!! Twilight said with glee. All of a sudden Discord appeared. Applejack snarled as did Twilight. "Well done Twilight you passed the first test... Applejack has returned to you... So what...you still have four more challenges awaiting you.... good luck..for the next test will break you in ways you could not of imagined..." With that Discord snapped his fingers and Applejack was surrounded in a black aura. "Well i'll just hold onto her for a while to ensure no cheating... If you fail your next test... she will die..." Discord said as he snapped his finger, making Applejack disappear. "Very well Discord... I'll play your little game...When i finish you will die, And i will have Celestia's skull!!!" Twilight said seething. A door appeared next to Twilight and without hesitating, she walked into the blinding white light, knowing this next test was going to be more difficult than the last. Twilight appeared on the other side of the door. She noticed a silhouette in the distance. As Twilight walked closer to the figure she noticed who it was. Twilight looked at her surroundings and noticed she was inside Fluttershy's cottage, only blood stained the walls, and there, chained to the wall was Fluttershy. She had a long cut on her side, painting her body red with blood, And a deep gash could be seen on her forehead. "T-twi... Help- me..." Fluttershy said with a whimper. All of a sudden a long spike appeared from the floor aimed at Fluttershy's chest. Discord appeared and chuckled. "This is your next test Twilight...What will you do to save a friend?... Lets find out shall we?" Discord said with a sickening grin. Twilight growled and charged forward, praying her next move won't be Fluttershy's last moments alive.