After asking around I finally found somepony who had seen Heart Charmer checking into a local hotel. He gave me directions and I shortly found myself outside. I wasn't sure what I would say to her. How should I explain my outburst to her? That I could never forgive Celestia for what she had done?
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The time I spent in the forest healing was a blur. I remembered foraging for food, a huge difference from the hoof-service I got as Captain of the Night Guard. Once I was healed I snuck back into the village and noticed that people were packing everything up. I quickly learned Celestia was moving the royal court to Canterlot, the unicorn city in the mountains. I knew I would have to travel at a distance and on hoof so I set out right away in hopes I would get there around the same time the royal court did.
The journey to Canterlot took a week on hoof and by the time I arrived the royal court was already there and had begun settling in. There was a looming castle on the outskirts of the city that was not yet finished. It was amazing how much work the unicorns could do in such little time. They must have started building this castle right after Princess Luna was banished.
I looked around, listening in on conversations as I passed by other ponies. I needed to know everything I could if I was going to take Celestia down. The conversations I overheard were disconcerting, though I couldn’t place why they disturbed me so much. It wasn't until later that evening as I settled down in the forest outside the city to sleep that I realized what had bothered me so much. All these ponies were going on with their daily lives as though nothing had happened. They gave praise to Celestia for protecting them and for being such a generous ruler. Not one pony, however, mentioned Princess Luna.
I was afraid to talk to any pony lest I be discovered, but I knew I had to ask. The next morning, when I returned to Canterlot, I approached a grey earth pony near the gates.
"Good evening dear sir, could you tell me, what is happening here?" I asked.
"The Princess Celestia, in her wisdom, has decided to move the court here, to Canterlot!" exclaimed the stallion excitedly.
"And what of Princess Luna?"
At this question the stallion looked confused, as though he was trying to remember something on the tip of his tongue, or a dream he had last night that was slipping away. "I'm not rightly sure what you mean. Princess Celestia is our sovereign."
I had been angry before, but that anger was nothing compared to this. Celestia had put a block in these ponies minds. She didn't want them to remember Princess Luna or that Nightmare Night. It would be as if Princess Luna had never existed at all.
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I walked up to the front desk of the hotel and inquired about Heart Charmer. The kind old mare behind the desk informed me that Heart Charmer was in room 24. When I knocked on door 24 a few moments later, I heard her voice from the other side asking, "Who is it?"
"Ms. Heart Charmer? It's Cloud Twist," I answered. "Can we talk?" There was a twisting in the lock and the door opened to reveal the pretty mare, her white coat and blue mane shining in the sunlight from the windows.
"Come on in," she said, moving over to give me room to walk in. "Did your meeting with the princess go as you hoped?"
"It did, but that’s not the reason I came. I wanted to apologize for my outburst yesterday, it was out of line. But... there are things you don't know about Celestia, things she has done. Things I could never forgive her for." Tears began to well in my eyes as the memories resurfaced.
"Would you like to tell me about it?" she asked, placing her hoof on my back. I snapped back to my senses and, remembering where I was, dried my eyes.
“I... I appreciate the offer, I do. Thank you, Heart Charmer, for everything you have done for me. Again, I apologize for my behavior yesterday.”
“Oh, of course,” she murmured, looking away from me and taking her hoof from where it rested on my back.
“I should go,” I shifted restlessly. “I need to get some sleep while the sun is still up.”
I returned to the castle and things took a turn for the worse. I don't know what made me think I could live in the castle and never run across Celestia but the day came much sooner than I had hoped. As I entered the courtyard I noticed the Day Guard running drills... overseen by Celestia herself!
I tried to hurry past but her eyes caught mine and I knew she recognized me. She spoke with one of her personal guards who intercepted me. I knew it was useless to run. "The Princess would like to speak with you," stated the guard. I followed him, albeit unwillingly, to where Celestia was standing.
"State your name," she ordered.
My mind ran through a thousand possible scenarios every one ending with me being thrown into the dungeon. I did not want to go there again. I had to keep calm and I had to establish my ties to this time period. I couldn't lie to her; she would know if I did. "My name is Sir Cloud Twist, personal companion to Her Royal Majesty, Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night and the Moon and the Stars."
"How dare you?" Celestia stated softly. "How dare you! How dare you return here! You who incited civil war amongst my kingdom!" she shouted as I struggled to remain calm.
"I am the loyal servant of Her Royal Majesty Princess Luna. I will always return so long as she is alive." My whole body shook in rage, but my voice remained even. "You must excuse me your Majesty," I stated through gritted teeth, "But I have had no rest and need sleep before the night returns so that I may serve my Princess."
As I began walking away the voice behind me spoke the words I dreaded to hear. "You have not been excused! It may have been a thousand years since last I saw you, Cloud Twist, but I still remember the day! You must stand trial for your crimes against Equestria! Guards, throw him in the dungeon!"
The rage was apparent in my voice with my next words. "And what of you, Celestia? Who is there to hold you accountable for your crimes? WHO?!" I glared back at her as the guards escorted me to the dungeon.