//------------------------------// // The Invasion (Part 1) // Story: A Beautiful Night // by bakersong //------------------------------// She watched the night for any signs of trouble, tomorrow the wedding would begin and Twilight and her friend all arrived early in the mourning today. They were each assigned a task for the wedding as well, and her and Onyx had a nice little talk about how his relationship with Twilight was going. He got invited by her sister in order to help introduce him to Twilight's family. Though as she watched the city she couldn't help but remember that there had been another explosion just yesterday. It was believed to be caused by the prisoners who are now confirmed to still be within the city. But for some reason what her sister told her about some of the ponies had managed to escape their most secured prison didn't sound right to her. She couldn't also help but drift off to thoughts about if Song was really okay after the attack. The question of whether or not to check on him still bothered her, but her promise to her sister kept her from going. When she looked through her telescope again she spotted the restaurant The Night, the place where he used to work at. A place that held one bad memory as a waiter there had made a fool of her and her coltfriend in front of an audience, though she was glad he had the decency to apologize. Many ponies still consider Song a hero for what he did, and there have been a few rumors about him. Like he let the creature inside of him in order to protect Equestia, a harsh rumor was that he just wanted more power and just let it inhabit him. Little did they know that he had suffered so much in order to protect them, losing the only pony who cared for him to that thing. He had given up a normal life to ensure that not one soul would enter into that accursed cave, his roots of sadness had ran deep within him as he watched many close friend age and die. The one good thing that came out of it was that let them meet. Thinking back to their first meeting she felt her heart grow heavy not knowing if they could share moments of them telling each other secrets about themselves that they would never share with anypony else. When she felt it was time to lower the moon to let the sun rise she let her horn fill with magic and closed her eyes. It wasn't that she had trouble lowering the moon it was just a little easier to concentrate on thoughts at the same time. Right after the wedding she could go see Song and get back to trying to help him. As her moon fell behind the horizon the first light of her sister's sun started to show up hitting her eyes. She had heard about her sisters engagement through the great vine of the palace staff. And she couldn't help but feel absolutely happy for them, but that just brought back the memory of Song laying there the lights in his eyes slowly fading as she sung the lullaby. From the rumors spreading around the staff about them it sounds as if Feather had gone to a hospital to get something checked out. From what she heard, Feather had not been feeling like herself for the past month or two. All they were waiting on was the results of some test that Feather refused to tell anypony about. "Lulu, how about you go get some sleep before the wedding? I'll take over until it's time." Her sister said from behind her. "I'm fine Tia, but I was hoping to go visit Song before the wedding?" She asked turning to look at her sister. "I'm sorry Luna, but it's still to dangerous." Celestia answered. "How? We know that the prisoners that escaped are outside the prison, so why can't I go visit him?" She asked her frustration growing slightly. "Please, calm down Luna. It's not that, they might try to spring some others from prison while most of the guards are distracted with guarding the wedding." Celestia answered. "Please sister? All I want to do is talk to him at least once and do a little more research to try and help him." She said. "You can still do the research, but please don't go until after the wedding." Celestia said with pleading eyes. "But why? I know that you're hiding something from me, and i'm going to find it out!" She said almost yelling and she unfolded her wings and gave a few flaps in order to lift herself off the ground. "Please Luna, don't. Wait!" Her sister called as she flew away. She kept flying towards the prison that held Song wanting to find out the truth on why her sister wouldn't let her go visit him. Though she knew that she must have seemed obsessive on seeing him, but she only had a short amount of time to help him. There was no way she was going to lose him again, not when there might be something she could do about it. It didn't take long for her to get there, but when dropping to the front door the guards seemed to get a slightly nervous look to them. As she walked up to the door expecting to get let in she let out a small yelp of surprise as the guards lowered their weapons to block the door. She took a moment to collect herself before speaking. "Why are you not letting me pass?" She asked in her normal royal speaking voice. "We were ordered by your sister to keep you out. Sorry princess, but we can't let you in even if you order us." The guard on the right answered. "Then I won't ask." She said lighting her horn and casting a stun spell on them, which made them stand in place. "Thank you for your corporation, but I think i'll let myself in now." Using a spell that removed the spears from her way she opened the door, and knowing she would most likely come across other guards who would try to stop her casted a cloaking spell on herself. Though it was only a matter of time before they pick up traces of her magic she hurried along to where Song's cell was. When she heard other guards calling out she knew she had to hurry. Taking the necessary turns and going up a few flights of stairs and making some more turns, she knew she was close. But there was something in the air that smelled horrid, she knew that there was some kind of attack but from what she saw so far not to much damage if prisoners escaped. This smell though smelt like something was burnt and was trying to be hidden under some cleaning supplies. Upon coming on the last corner she stopped sensing somepony around it, she looked around and saw a total of four guards standing there waiting for her. They must think she was stupid as she could also tell that there was more waiting in the shadows, it was an ambush tactic she had personally come up with, so she used another spell to create a doppelganger to make most of the guards follow with success. She quietly started to walk towards the cell still sensing some other's she cast a bright light spell to not only blind them but to reveal them. Now knowing where they were she casted the same stun spell that she did on the two outside. Feeling satisfied that was all of them for now she walked to the chamber which Song's cell sat, only to be met with more of the horrid smell. "W-what..." She said trailing off as she saw the cell. Her eyes widened in horror at the scene, the door was completely warped like something extremely hot had come through and only affected that cell. As she looked inside the room was charred, and there was something the resembled bone in some of the ashes. Tears stung her eyes as she started to panic. "Oh no..." A voice said from behind her, and when she turned a unicorn in a white lab coat was staring at her eyes wide. "Princess Luna, you're not supposed to be here!" "Shut up, tell me what happened? And where is my Song?" She screamed as she picked up the unicorn with her levitation. "P-please don't hurt me princess!" He squirmed in the magic field. "Then tell me what happened." She said, which she forced her voice to take on a more softer tone without losing it's edge of anger and pain. "Y-you just saw him in there, i'm sorry princess." He answered whimpering and looking away, and he let out a yelp of pain and surprise as he found himself on the floor. "You're lying, he can't be dead..." She whispered the tears returning. "I'm afraid he is, and i'm so sorry. Even if there was a small chance it wasn't him, then that wouldn't make sense. Since he was the only one in the cell, and he never left." He answered shaking in fear from the aura that she was giving off. "I-I promised him I would never that it happen again, and I b-bro..." She then looked at the cell again and screamed in pain as she felt her heart be torn once again. The scream echoed throughout the entire prison, it probably wen't all across Equestia and everypony who could hear it could feel what she felt. They felt the pain and the sadness of their princess and it tore their hearts to hear her in such pain. By the time the guards returned they all hung their heads low as she was now uncontrollably crying. "D-do you know who did this?" She asked her voice strained and full of the same pain and sadness, but missed with pure rage. "I-I think we f-finally figured i-it out." The unicorn with the lab coat said still shaking with fear from her first aura. "Tell me who did this?" She asked all emotion replaced with something dark. Before any could answer screams of panic could be heard from outside along with the sound of attack magic. She took that as her cue and blasted a hole in the wall as she knew that it was the ones who took her Song away. It had to be, she would not let them escape with their lives. All the guards saw was the princess of the night turning into Nightmare Moon and blast the hole in the wall. They all prayed that whoever crossed her path would run for their lives. But they knew that they had a duty to do and protect the citizens, and possibly capture the ones who did this alive.