Chapter 8: The Noose
She awoke with a start at the sudden banging against the door. She glanced quickly around the room trying to orientate herself. For a brief moment, she didn’t know where she was, and that moment seemed blissful as the memories and realisation flooded back.
The morning light fell through bars onto her face. This was the last morning she would ever see. Today was execution day, but not yet. Not until midday. She stood as a metal grate opened and a pair of eyes glared through making her feel very exposed. The grate slid shut again and was shortly followed by the groan of metal on metal as the door was unlocked.
The door swung open to reveal a royal guard with a prison guard standing behind him. “Twilight Sparkle, the princess has requested an urgent audience. You must come with me.”
Twilight walked forward and wiped her eyes. “What time is it?” she asked.
The prison guard glanced at the wall above her door.“Six-thir-“
“All questions will be answered when you are with the princess,” interrupted the royal guard. He fixed the other guard with a scowl. “As I said, this is an urgent audience,” he repeated.
Twilight nodded and began following the royal guard. The other guard followed behind. They walked through the tunnels below the castle. Nopony spoke as they walked, and the tunnels would have remained silent were it not for the rhythmic clopping of hooves on stone. The royal guard’s horn lit up casting occasional orbs of light which clung to the walls.
The royal guard took a turn and they climbed a shallow staircase. There was a locked wooden door at the top of the stairs. The guard knocked three times and heard one knock back before the door was pulled open. The room was surprisingly ornate considering its location.
Twilight walked inside as the door was shut behind her.
The cold of the tunnels seeped away from her and was replaced by comforting warmth. She walked forward and looked around the room. It was clearly very old with most of the décor being out of touch with the rest of the castle, but it was still warm and welcoming. Two of the walls were covered in bookcases and a large, deep-purple rug was stretched out across the floor.
At the other end of the room, a door opened and Celestia entered. The princess walked over to a chair and sat seemingly not taking notice of her. Twilight walked toward her and sat across from her. For a moment, they both sat in silence as they faced a blazing fire which illuminated the room in an orange glow. A log from the fire fell and sparks hit the flame guard.
Twilight sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said.
Celestia looked at her, seemingly only noticing her presence now. “Thank you. And I’m glad you could meet with me.” She took a deep breath. “You have disappointed me, Twilight. You showed incredible potential in magic, far more than I ever had at your age.” She noticed that her voiced was raised and she stifled it. “Everything you’ve done with her,” she paused for a moment, “is not forgivable.”
Twilight nodded, her eyes averted. It hurt to hear her teacher speaking to her like this, but it was expected. Forgiveness was beyond her now, and her death was the only thing that would ail the minds of those affected.
“I’m sorry,” Twilight repeated. After a moment, she added, “I cannot undo what I have done.”
Celestia nodded. “Like I said, it is not forgivable.” The next words came slowly and almost dripped from her lips. “But it may be forgettable.”
Twilight looked at Celestia and frowned. The implication was outlandish. You could not rip the memories out from an entire population, no spell, or wielder had such power. “How?” she asked cautiously.
“I’m calling upon a favour from an old friend,” Celestia said cryptically. “The case concerning you shall be looked at in a new light following the new evidence uncovered. The trial will postpone the execution for you, and if all goes to plan, you will be free by tomorrow.”
“This is impossible.”
“This is your only chance—a second chance to live how you were supposed to live.” Celestia looked nearly empathetic as she spoke. “And you will not have to live with what you have done. Those memories need only be taken from your mind. The others, I can keep quiet.”
Twilight felt as though the rug had been pulled out from under her, and she just kept falling. Only it was now her choice if the noose was around her throat. She would either fall in the dirt, or hang a few feet above it.
She could be given her life back, and all this chaos could end.
“What about Pinkie?” Twilight asked.
Celestia took no pride in her words. “She will be hanged for her crimes against Equestria. As justice would have it.”
Twilight shook her head like it was the easiest decision she could ever make. That decision, in her mind, was made. “I won’t leave her.”
“Twilight, listen to yourself. You are being given a second chance at life. You will never get this chance again.”
Twilight stood, the manacles around her legs going taut. “I will to stay by her side. I will not abandon her. Either we both go free, or neither of us do.”
Celestia’s voice became soft, pleading. “Please, Twilight. Please think, just for a moment, just think.”
“I killed those ponies, Celestia,”said Twilight. The words seemed to physically harm the princess. Her expression darkened.
“This is your choice?” Celestia asked. It was a final chance at redemption. Twilight nodded. It was only then that Celestia realised that Twilight was crying, and just how young she looked. She had come so far, and Celestia had lost her student. “Very well.” Her breaths became shallow and her words seemed distant. “Your execution will continue as planned. You will hang at noon.”
* * *
Pinkie stared out of her cell window. The sun was nearly at its peak. It was nearly time. She wondered if Twilight was watching the same sun. It made it easier that way. It was almost as though they were together. Soon, everything she had done in this life would be a legacy. Anything she was proud of would be forgotten under the hooves of Red-Mane.
Still, an infamous legacy a better hoofprint on the world than none at all.
There was a heavy-hoofed knock at the door which made Pinkie wince. She had cried earlier in the morning in anticipation for this moment. Now that it had come, she felt empty. She was no more than a vessel to carry her soul to the next life. What happened to that vessel didn’t seem to matter anymore.
The small window on the cell opened and a black bag was thrown in. “Put the bag over your head.” Pinkie did as instructed. This would be all she saw before her face was revealed to the public and the noose was placed over her neck.
She heard the door open and she was grabbed by her hoof. “It’s time,” said the voice. “I’ll take it from here.”
Each step felt meaningful and slow. As it was, they were walking rather quickly and stopping regularly. The guard was probably passing through the checkpoints. They passed outside at one point, probably cutting through one of the many courtyards.
“Stay here,” said the guard as they stopped abruptly. Pinkie nodded through the bag. They were in a corridor with stone under-hoof. The air was dank and smelled like rotting vegetation.
Another voice spoke out, different to the guard escorting her. “Who are you? You’re not supposed-“ The voice was interrupted with the familiar sound of metal on bone followed by a meaty thump.
The escort guard spoke up, the voice sounding more familiar now. “Fuck.”
Pinkie tried to remove the bag but was dragged quickly away by the escort. They travelled down a flight of stairs into a room with a wooden floor. The escort was quietly swearing under her breath. Pinkie was pushed into a chair. She had been disoriented since the third turn and had no idea where she was.
There was a buzz of static and a voice called through a radio. “All call signs, the prisoner Red-Mane has escaped. She is believed to be assisted. Assume they are armed. Do not engage alone. Call for assistance if spotted. Do not engage alone.”
A different voice came through the radio. “Rainbow Dash is one of the officers on duty.”
The escort guard spoke up. “I’m on my break you asshole, but I’ll join the hunt.” The bag was lifted from Pinkie’s head a familiar unimpressed face stared at her. Pinkie smiled. Rainbow shook her head. “You’re in deep shit.”
Pinkie nodded. “Where’s Twilight? Is she out?”
Rainbow nodded as she undid the manacles. “Celestia got her off with new found evidence,” she said sarcastically. “She’ll be fine as long as she keeps her mouth shut.”
Pinkie took in the room. It was a house by the looks of it, only it hadn’t been lived in in decades. There was a pile of broken furniture in the centre of the room and a kitchen counter had been ripped from the wall.
“Old Canterlot’s housing district,” Rainbow said analysing Pinkie’s expression. “Not lived in, not occupied.” She grinned. “A few blocks of desolate houses. You’ll probably be able to camp out in these houses for a while. Y’know until you get some place better. I’m going to have to head, they’ll be looking for me.”
Pinkie nodded. “Leave the radio. I’ll pick up any chatter if they plan on searching here.” Rainbow unbuttoned the radio from her utility barding and placed it on one of the intact kitchen counters before opening a wooden door and running down the corridor.
* * *
Twilight slowly stood as a bag was placed over her head. They walked. Twilight couldn’t recall how long. When they were outside, she could hear the voices of other ponies. They shouted profanities and of how she was a monster. On some level, she found herself agreeing with them.
She stepped onto the wooden trapdoor which rocked gently. The noose was placed over her head and tightened. The bag was removed from her head.
Immediately, she saw her mother and father in the distance, at the back of the crowd. The crowd itself was filled with mixed expressions. Some angry, some sad faces, but some only looked tired.
Looking up, she saw Celestia and Luna on a balcony. They both wore an expression which was impossible to interpret. It wasn’t anger or even sadness. It was likely looking at an empty vessel. There was a shout from behind her. Twilight turned as much as she could to face the guard pony.
“Red-Mane has escaped!” he shouted. The crowd became more animated as several ponies left and others looked about them.
Twilight looked to her side. The second noose was empty. It swung gently in the breeze. Twilight smiled but it was bittersweet.
Clock stood on the other side of the podium. He was frowning with his hoof around the lever. He nodded up to Celestia. Celestia nodded back and turned to leave.
For a moment, a smile seemed to adorn his face. He pulled the lever.