The cell she found her self in was small and dank. She could hear the sound of water dripping from the ceiling and of nervous hooves pacing. She couldn’t tell what time it was because there were no windows to the outside, just bars facing the stone walls of the prisons hallway. It was about one-thirty in the morning when the guards had taken her from her home it felt like she could have locked up for hours but it may have only been less than an hour, it was hard to say. Helplessly shuffling about the cell only one thing was on her mind. Twilight. Suddenly a voice broke her nervous pacing.
“You know, you'll just make yourself stir crazy if keep pacing like that.” It was a young males voice, and it was close.
“Whose there?! Show you're self! What have you done with Twilight!” Rainbow Dash lunged at the bars of her cell, trying to see down the hallway, where the voice had come from.
“You can't see me. I'm in the cell next to you.” Dash landed on the ground in front of the bars and turned to the solid stone wall.
“Oh.” Her bemused tone made the voice laugh a little.
“I'm Cobalt Prose, what's your name?” The voice asked, seemingly happy to have some conversation.
“Um, I'm Rainbow Dash. Nice to meet you?” She said becoming more concerned by the mysterious ponies every word. The more he spoke the more Dash began to suspect what she feared.
“Say, by the way how old are you?” She questioned nervously hoping that she was wrong, but she was not.
“I'm just a colt, I don't even have my cutie mark yet.” Dash nearly gasped, but before she could open her mouth her mind quickly flared into anger. Why is a colt in prison!
“What's a colt like you doing in a place like this?!” She said in outrage.
“About a week ago my father wrote an editorial questioning Princess Sparkle’s reason for leaving the throne, as well as Princess Celestia's reaction to it. Then two night's ago, the royal guards came to our door in the middle of the night, telling him to rewrite his article when he refused they told him he was under arrest. My body just moved on it's own, I-I tackled one of the guards. Then they arrested me and him. I haven't seen him since I was brought here.” His voice was shaky, he seemed on the verge of crying by the end of his story, but Dash was now burning with anger. He's just a kid! Celestia wouldn’t do that right? But his story, it's just like what happened to me. What in the name of Celestia is going on?!
“So what about you?” Dash looked up to the wall. Even though they could not see each other, It seemed like he could tell how she felt. Poor kid was probably having the same thoughts I was when he first got thrown in here.'
“Whaddya mean? What about me?”
“What are you doing in here?”
“I-I...” She stopped. Why was she there? The guards had not told her much, just that she was under arrest by order of Celestia and that they had Twilight. Rainbow Dash was not stupid, she could piece together what probably happened. Twilight sent a letter to the princess, and this was her response. She gave a heavy sigh.
“I fell in lov.” She was cut off mid word by an excited noise from the boy behind the wall.
“I know who you are! You're friends with the former Princess Twilight Sparkle! Listen, once you get out of here I need you to send a message to my mother.” Dash nervously rubbed the back of her head with her hoof.
“Listen kid, I don't know about my odds of getting out. But If I do, I'll see what I can do. What do you want me to say and where would I find them?” She knew full well that her leaving here soon was unlikely, but if it made the colt feel better she would try to give him hope.
“They live in Appleloosa. Tell them...” He stopped, she could swear she heard soft sobs coming through the wall. She was about to speak up but decided it would be best to let him have a moment.
“Tell them to leave Equestria. Without me if they have to. We were brought here together, my dad and I. he told me that they would let me out soon and to get my mom and sister out of Equestria.” The statement gave her the chills. Surely things weren't that bad right? She shook it off. She still needed the mom's name, she was about to ask but then she heard something. Her ear swiveled to the hallway, followed by her head. She heard a fast approaching hoof beat, then a shadow came into sight.
“Princess.”
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She lay on the uncomfortable straw bed, still reeling from the shock. She had only been in her cell for twenty minutes but it felt like it could have been hours. Even with no access to moonlight or a clock her sense of time was impeccable. Her cell was tall stone cylinder with a small bed in the center. The only view aside from the walls she had was a small barred archway looking into the hall. Two small torches allowed dim flickering light in. Runic markings were carved into the wall, their influence made her unable to use her magic. All she could do now was wait patiently for Princess Celestia. Twilight knew she would come. Then her ear twitched, she could hear soft hoof steps coming towards her cell. She ran to the bars to get a better look, and sure enough there she stood.
“Princess! Where is Rainbow Dash!?” The princess only gazed at her disapprovingly.
“Your friend is safe. I am sorry Twilight Sparkle. I needed to talk to you about the situation before it got out of had. This was the only way.”
“The only way?!” Rage flared in her eyes.
“Yes, I needed to deal with it out of the way of the public's eyes.”
“Princess why are you doing this? Rainbow Dash and I have done nothing wrong.” She knew anger would not sway the princess, instead she let it subside as pain and sadness took it's place.
“Nothing wrong? You are throwing your life away on false feeling and hurting not only those close to you but all of Equestria. What you are doing is nothing short of evil.” Twilight was stunned silent tears working up in her eyes. The pony she looked up to most, her mentor, the one she thought of as a second mother, thought she was evil. A deep and permeating despair took grip of her body.
“Princess, why is it wrong? I-I care about her, I care about her so much, this can't be fake.” She smiled as tears rolled down her face. “It can't be.”
“But it is fake Twilight Sparkle. Denounce your false feelings for another mare. If you do I can release you both.” The Princess's tone softened to the more familiar gentleness that Twilight had come to love and respect. “This can all go away Twilight, you can both go home. You can be friends again and know that it was all a mistake. It will be a valuable lesson.”
“No. We did nothing wrong! I know the feelings Rainbow Dash has for me are real!”
“Twilight, I was with her only minutes ago. I spoke to her. She realized the error of her ways quickly.” Silently, Twilight's heart began to break. She felt a lump in her throat, she tried to speak but her voice broke in a soft crack, all she could do was whimper as her tears pooled on the cold stone floor.
“Yes Twilight, she denounced her feelings. She admitted it was all a mistake. Now you must do the same.”
She cried, she had been crying allot lately. Her thoughts spiraled, for just a moment she even considered it. Then a memory came to her. A soft warm wing embracing her, pulling her up against a powerful, toned shoulder. A beautiful cyan pegasus comforting her as she cried, just like she was crying now. Her tears stopped, and determination swept over her. She stood, stomping to the bars. Going nose to nose with Celestia.
“No! Dash would not abandon me! She is the most loyal pony I have ever known. I saw it in her eyes. When I broke her heart, she was devastated and when she forgave me, I know it was with love in her eyes! None of that was fake! Dash would not abandon me!”
The outburst made Celestia take a step back. After a moment she closed her eyes and shook her head.
“I Shall come back in the morning. You will both stay here until you change your mind.” With that she walked away, leaving Twilight alone with her thoughts. She returned to her bed and stared at the wall, away from the light of the torches. She knew she would not sleep. Oh Rainbow Dash. I know you didn't leave me. I know you didn't.
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Twilight lay there in the dark for just over half an hour. Just as she predicted she had not slept nor did she even feel tired. Then, she again hear a hoof beat. However, this did not sound the same as Celestia's. Then a shadow cast over the cell wall, she turned her head to see who it was.
“Princess Luna. What do you want?”
“Hello Twilight Sparkle. I simply wish to speak to you.”
“I won't denounce my feelings for Rainbow Dash, so if that's what you came here for then you can leave.”
“She has already admitted it was a mistake.”
“I don't believe you!” She shouted, fighting the urge to cry.
“If you follow your friend's example you may both leave this place. Are these feelings worth imprisonment?”
“You wouldn’t understand.” Dejected she turned back to the wall. “Just leave me alone.” Dash wouldn't abandon me, she-she loves me. Right? Suddenly the sound of stone scraping against stone screeched through her hears. She whipped around, startled by the noise. The door was opening! Princess Luna stood before her, a magical glow fading from her horn and beside her was...
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight turned into a blur of purple, tackling Dash to the ground in a powerful hug. The two lay on the floor, after getting air back into her lungs she returned the embrace and looking lovingly into each others eyes.
“I knew you wouldn’t leave me Dash, I knew it.” Twilight stood up and extended her hoof to help her marefriend up. Dash took her hoof and got up, but she did not let go. Instead she pulled her close by her hoof and leaned into a passionate kiss. Twilight was stunned the moment Dash's soft warm lips met hers, then all the sadness, fear and tears of the day melted away. She closed her eyes and wrapped her forelegs around Dash as she to leaned into the kiss blushing radiantly. After a minute Dash slowly pulled away, though she stayed close enough to feel Twilight's warm breaths as she tried to regain air.
“I'm sorry I didn't say anything while you were talking with Princess Luna, she said she wouldn’t release you if I said anything. Twilight, I'm so happy you had that much faith in me, and I promise I will never abandon you.” She gave her another peck on the lips.
“Eh-Hem” Twilight and Rainbow Dash turned to see Princess Luna staring at them with an eyebrow raised. They both blushed as they untangled from each other, though they still stood pressed up against each other.
“Princess Luna, why did you free us? Not that I'm not grateful or anything!” She added nervously.
“Your love for each other has proven true. That is my only reason.”
“Does Princess Celestia know about this?”
“I fear my sister will not be as understanding as I. Now, you must go. Flee to Ponyville, there will be a friend waiting to aide you in your escape. I do not recommend staying in Equestria long however.” Twilight nodded then turned back Dash who looked as though she had already been told this.
“Dash I have a cloaking spell that we can use to get out of here, but you can't say a word while we are invisible or the spell will be broken.”
“Will I still be able to see you if you're invisible to?” Twilight nodded.
“Again I am sorry Rainbow Dash that I could not help the young colt. I know not where his father is and I fear for his safety should the boy escape alone.”
“I understand Princess. If you find out please do whatever you can to help them.”
“I Shall.” The two turned, facing down the dimly lit hallway. Twilight's horn began to glow, preparing to cast the spell, before facing around once more to the princess.
“Princess Luna. I've been having strange recurring dreams lately.”
“Is that relevant?” Her face became unreadable, The princess of the night could put on quite a poker face. Twilight was unconvinced, she stared down Luna.
“Is it?” A sly grin worked it's way across Princess Luna's face.
“I am afraid you do not have much time.”
“She's right Twi, we need to go.” The urgency in Dash's voice convinced her to give up on the subject, with a vibrant burst of purple light they vanished. As they ran Rainbow Dash took one last look back at Luna. Is Twilight right? She felt Twilight's side brushing against hers, bringing her attention back in front of her. We have to leave our home and our friends. Everything is falling apart. But, She didn't leave me, she didn't sell me out. If it's with her, even if I had nothing left, I would still have everything.