//------------------------------// // Broken // Story: Secrets // by Aqua_Breeze //------------------------------// The dungeon was cold and gloomy. The only light came from the torches that clung to the walls. Aurora, still weak from the void ring earlier, couldn’t manage to put up her disguise. Twilight, concerned for the changeling, held Aurora as best she could with the hoofcuffs still secured, trying to keep the changeling as warm as possible. The two sat, almost motionless, for what felt like hours before Aurora broke the silence. Without Celestia getting in the way, the whole situation finally sank in, and Aurora couldn’t help but cry. “I’m sorry,” Aurora said between sobs, “I’m so sorry”. “What in Equestria do you have to be sorry for?” Twilight asked. “This whole situation… it’s my fault,” Aurora said. “What are you talking about?” Twilight asked, “None of this is your fault. I brought it on myself”. “If I’d have just kept my disguise up when I got home, you’d be fine,” Aurora said, “But I couldn’t even do that, and now-“. “Don’t you start thinking like that,” Twilight said, “Celestia didn’t arrive like she normally would, she didn’t have your chariot with her, so you thought she’d left already. Had I been uninformed of the situation, I’d have thought the same thing”. “I should’ve kept up my disguise until I could be sure, though,” Aurora said. “I don’t want you blaming yourself for something that’s not your fault,” Twilight said, “So stop it already, alright?”. “Sorry,” Aurora said, “I just… I just don’t wanna say good bye”. “I know, sweetheart, I know,” Twilight said, “And believe me, I don’t either. But right now, how about we change the subject? I don’t like it when you’re crying”. “But… what is there to talk about?” Aurora asked. Twilight and Aurora sat there and talk for a good while. They talked about all the fun things that Aurora had been able to do, told some jokes that were really just rather lame… anything to make Aurora smile and laugh. The fun was cut short, however, when Aurora came to realize just how hungry she was. Her belly was doing quite well, it was her love reserves that were empty. Twilight picked up on Aurora’s sudden fear and started to worry. “Aurora, what’s wrong?” Twilight asked. “I… I’m kinda hungry,” Aurora said. “We’ll get some food soon,” Twilight said after letting out a sigh of relief. “No, I’m hungry for love,” Aurora said, “And I’m not getting any from you”. “What do you mean?” Twilight asked. “I mean what I just said,” Aurora said, “I’m not getting any love energy from you… or, well, any emotional energy for that matter”. “But that’s… that’s impossible,” Twilight said, “How is that possible?”. “I don’t know, but it is,” Aurora said, “And I-“ “The ring!” Twilight shouted. “What are you talking about?” Aurora asked. “Void rings are supposed to prevent unicorns, or alicorns in my case, from casting spells,” Twilight explained, “It doesn’t hurt me at all, as with any other unicorn, or alicorn I guess, who doesn’t attempt to cast a spell with one on, but you sounded like you were being killed”. “Well, that’s cause it hurt,” Aurora said. “I know it did, but that isn’t the point,” Twilight said, “I think that having it clamped down on your horn cut off your ability to absorb emotional energy”. “You can fix that, right?” Aurora asked. “Without doing some research, I haven’t the slightest clue how,” Twilight said, swallowing loudly, “Or if it’s even possible to fix this”. “So… then you’re saying I’m just gonna starve down here no matter what you do?” Aurora asked. “I’m not gonna let that happen,” Twilight said, “Next time a guard comes down, I’ll ask for Luna. I don’t trust Celestia to help with this right now”. “And I don’t really blame you,” Came a voice from behind Twilight. The sudden third voice caused both Twilight and Aurora to jump. As Twilight tried to turn, the rear hoofcuffs reached their limit and forced her to stumble and fall flat on her belly. With some help from Aurora, Twilight got back up and walked over to the bars to see who spoke up… only to find the very pony she’d wanted to talk to. “How long have you been there?” Twilight asked. “Long enough to know what you want to know about,” Luna said, “And, believe it or not, I already have the answer”. “You need to show me how to do research that fast,” Twilight said. “My sister does not know this, but I was once friends with a changeling queen a couple hundred years before my imprisonment in the moon,” Luna said, “And I can tell you that Chrysalis’ hive shouldn’t represent all changelings”. “We can talk about that later,” Twilight said, “What’s going on with Aurora, and how can we fix it?”. “You were correct when you said the void ring did this,” Luna confirmed, “But, there is no such thing as a permanent fix for it”. “Please tell me that’s some cruel joke,” Twilight said. “I’m afraid it is not,” Luna said, “But, this doesn’t spell certain doom”. “How so?” Twilight asked. “Mana crystals,” Luna said, “Fill one up with love energy, and have her hold it up to her horn. Think of it as a medication”. “I’ve heard that love can be a great medicine, but that's just ridiculous,” Twilight said, “So, how would I focus love energy into a mana crystal? I’ve never had to use one before”. “When charging a mana crystal, you need to hold it up to your horn and focus on the energy with which you wish to fill it,” Luna said, “To fill it with love energy, you need only focus on something you love… like this changeling you have taken in”. “Her name is Aurora,” Twilight said. “Where did she get that name?” Luna asked. “Her mane and tail when she’s a pegasus filly look kind of like an aurora in a way,” Twilight said. “When she has her strength back, I’ll have to see that for myself,” Luna said. Luna left a little while ago to get some mana crystals and a few blankets for Twilight and Aurora. Before leaving, however, Luna got rid of Twilight’s wing clamps so that she could wrap her wings around Aurora, allowing her to more efficiently keep the changeling warm for now. Upon returning, Luna noticed the two sleeping ever so soundly, Aurora snuggled kind of cutely under Twilight’s left wing. It felt wrong to wake them, so Luna levitated one of the blankets over as slowly as possible so as to not disturb the sleeping duo. As the blanket fell upon Twilight, however, she jumped. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I did not mean to startle you,” Luna said. “It’s alright,” Twilight said while yawning, “Thanks for the blanket”. “I couldn’t rest well tonight knowing you were down here freezing,” Luna said before levitating over the mana crystals, “Oh, and here’s some mana crystals for you. I took the pleasure of charging them for you”. “Thanks a lot,” Twilight said before picking up one of the crystals and taking it to Aurora, “This means so much to me”. Aurora was somehow still asleep, but that wasn’t going to last long. Twilight shook the changeling slightly, causing her to finally wake up. After yawning, Aurora was greeted by a full mana crystal. She wasted no time in snatching it up and holding it up to her horn as Luna said she should, and was immediately rewarded with a fresh, delicious flow of love energy. The look on her face told Twilight all she wanted to know. “So, how exactly does that work?” Twilight asked. “The love energy is absorbed through the horn just like pure mana when a charged crystal comes into contact with the horn of a magic user of any species,” Luna explained, “Normally, a changeling’s horn would absorb that energy automatically, but a changeling who has been voided is unable to absorb love energy naturally”. “But, how does it work exactly?” Twilight asked. “The horn treats the love energy as pure mana,” Luna explained. “Thanks, mom,” Aurora said as she walked over, “It tasted a little different, but it was still good”. “You should be thanking Princess Luna, not me,” Twilight said, “She’s the one who charged those crystals, after all”. “Oh, well… thanks,” Aurora said. “You are quite welcome,” Luna said before levitating over a couple more blankets, “It’s going to get cold tonight, these will help”. With that, Luna turned and walked off to start handling her nightly duties in the dreamscape. Twilight and Aurora set out the blankets and wrapped up in them for the night. Even though she did not need Twilight for warmth anymore, Aurora still wanted to sleep under her wing where she felt safe. Now, all snuggled together, Twilight and Aurora fell asleep for the night, unaware of what the following day would bring.