Twilight slowly opened her eyes. She felt as if all her energy had just left her in an instant as her eyes slowly looked around. All she could see was a white ceiling and bright lights. As her eyes fully opened, she began to shake her head back and forth while her ears started to her noises. She put her hoof to her face and rubbed her eyes. “Ugh...what happened?” she said in a small voice.
“Twilight? Are you okay?” said Night Light.
“Twilight, sweetie are you alright?” asked Twilight Velvet.
Twilight put her hooves on her ears, “Stop it, you're too loud...ugh...I feel like I got slammed by a carriage...twice.”
“No surprise there Twily, you've been out for a while now.” said Shining Armor.
“How long have I been out?”
“A little over a day,” said Celestia as she towered over the bed-ridden Twilight, “You gave us quite a scare.”
Twilight's eyes widened as she saw the rainbow-maned alicorn. Twilight then immediately began to move back in the bed she was in, “You! No! Stay away from me!”
“Twilight don't move like that, you're still injured.” said Cadance as she grabbed Twilight. “You're in the hospital Twilight, everything's going to be okay.”
“No it's not! She's here and...and...ow!” said Twilight as her back suddenly stung in pain, “Augh! What the...oh...I don't feel so good...” Twilight then fell back on the bed she was in, trying to nullify the pain. “Ugh...this isn't good...Why am I in this much pain?”
“You used too much magic.” said Celestia sharply. “I will admit that the amount of magic you used would destroy a regular unicorn's horn and possibly kill them. You on the other hand, just have minor bruises and your horn is just fine.”
“...that's good.” said Twilight as she laid down and began to close her eyes. Then she remembered something, “My bag!” she said as sprung up from the bed. “OW!”
“Whoa, calm down Twily!”
“Your bag's right here sweetie.” said Twilight Velvet as she handed it over to Twilight. “Nopony has touched or looked in it. We just had to take it off you when they put you on the bed.”
Twilight immediately grabbed the bag and put her head in it, trying to make sure nopony saw the contents inside. There, she saw the disguise ring was still in it, along with the money she brought with her. 'Good...now I just gotta make sure Celestia doesn't see this...' she thought to herself as she kept her hooves on the bag. “Okay...thanks.”
“No problem.”
“Now...I have another question.” said Twilight as she looked directly at Celestia.
“What is it?” asked Celestia in a soft voice.
“Why are you here?”
“I still wish to talk to you Twilight.”
“Please, at least listen to her Twilight.” said Cadance.
Twilight gritted her teeth while thinking, 'This is bad. I have to weigh my options right now....One, is to listen to this absurd prophecy garbage and agree. Then use that to find a moment to run away. Probability that would work...fifteen to twenty percent with low to medium risk. Second option, refuse and wait in hospital to recover...then attack while her guard's down and run...probability...eighteen to twenty-two percent with medium to high risk...Third option...find a way to contact the Rainbooms...probability...thirty or more percent...risk...very high...what do I do...'
“Will you please listen to me Twilight?” asked Celestia again.
“Depends...are there a bunch guards outside this room and outside this building?”
“...Yes, there are.”
“Then I'm not listening.”
“If I made my guards leave, you would just run away again.”
“I can't run in this situation.”
“Well...”
“Oh please, this is why I won't believe whatever you tell me. I can't run yet you try to imprison me here.”
“Twilight!” yelled Cadance. “Stop being so disrespectful!”
“It's fine Cadance. Could you other ponies leave this room for a bit?” asked Celestia.
“While you're at it, make the guards leave.” said Twilight in response.
“The guards are here to make sure the press don't get in here.”
“...Oh...I guess that makes sense...” said Twilight, feeling a little defeated.
The ponies left the hospital room and only Twilight and Celestia remained. Celestia sat on the biggest chair in the room and began talking. “Will you at least listen to me since you can't go anywhere right now Twilight?”
“...”
“Don't you even want to talk to me a little?”
“No. I have no reason to talk to you.”
“Why is that?”
Twilight, who had made sure she wasn't looking at Celestia then turned her head directly at Celestia in anger, “Why?! Are you serious?!”
“Yes.”
“Wow. Okay. Let me start with the part when you sent an army of guards for me, or when you brought my parents right to me to capture me!”
“I never wanted to catch you, I only wanted to talk.”
“You keep saying that but you sure don't show it.”
Celestia lowered her head, “I may have shown a little force...but I believed it to be the only way to talk to you.”
“Tch...whatever...”
“Are you always this stubborn?”
“What do you care?”
“May I at least explain why I was trying to find you?”
Twilight sat her head back on the pillow, “Whatever, even if I say no, you're going to talk anyways. Do whatever you want.”
Celestia took a deep breath, “Very well, I will start at the beginning with a question. Do you know why I founded the School of Gifted Unicorns?”
“Don't mention that place's name in front of me.”
“You truly hate that place don't you?”
“...Yes.”
“Well, I founded it to find an apprentice.”
“...I had feeling you were going to say that.”
Celestia looked surprised, “You did?”
“Yeah...Cadance told me about that prophecy nonsense...she told me you wanted to find a pony to inherit Harmony, correct?”
“Well...yes.”
“All I had to do was put two and two together. Now I'm really glad I never went to that horrible place.”
“...You are quite intelligent Twilight Sparkle.”
“Yeah...I am.”
“Well, what else did Cadance tell you about Harmony?”
“Just that you believe I'm the one to inherit it due to my cutie mark, that's all.”
“I see...Well, there is still a lot to tell you...Let's start with the time I inherited Harmony.” said Celestia as she then momentarily took a deep breath, “It began centuries ago with a creature called Discord.”
“Discord? The mythical creature of chaos?”
“Yes. Discord had ravaged Equestria with his chaos. In response, my sister and I went to a certain place. There we found the Tree of Harmony.”
Twilight gave an confused look, “Tree of Harmony?”
“Yes. It was the resting place of a certain collection of items known as the Elements of Harmony. We removed the elements in order to defeat Discord. However, while we removed the elements, my sister and I saw something on the tree.”
“...What was it?” said Twilight as she found herself a little interested.
“The tree wielded three marks on it. One of the sun, just like my cutie mark. Another was the moon, which was my sister's cutie mark.”
“Let me guess...the last one looks like mine.”
“Yes.”
“Cadance also mentioned that this wasn't the only incident you used the elements. What was the other?”
Celestia's face began to show sadness as she explained, “That...was Nightmare Moon.”
Twilight noticed her face change and then said, “That old tale? So is the fable of the legendary Dark Crystal Unicorn true as well?”
“Ah, King Sombra...yes...we beat him a little after Discord...”
Twilight laid there for a second, thinking. Then she spoke up, saying something that made Celestia gasp, “Nightmare Moon...she's your sister isn't she?”
Celestia's eyes began to grow as she put her hooves over her mouth, “How did...”
“I told you before...I put two and two together...”
“But...”
“I'm not stupid...You mentioned your sister and according to everypony in Equestria, you don't have one. I also know the tale of Nightmare Moon...an alicorn trapped in the moon...She's coming back, isn't she?”
“...Yes.”
Twilight smiled. Then she began to laugh. “Heh heh heh....hahahahaha!!!”
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because...you've hunting me down like a dog so I can inherit some type of power to defeat your sister...hahaha...I really was right about you...”
“What do you mean?”
Twilight then raised her head and looked at Celestia with a grim smile, “You really are a monster.”
Celestia didn't show any emotion. She merely said, “What makes you say that?”
“You let others fix your problems and blame it on some prophecy. You want me to fight your own family member because you can't solve the problem yourself.”
“I have no choice. The Elements of Harmony no longer respond to me, so I had to find a successor.”
“And it just so happened to be me!” said Twilight as she put her hooves in the air. “Hooray! I'm so happy!”
“Stop being so sarcastic. Please be reasonable Twilight Sparkle.”
“Oh please, did you really think telling me this would work? That I would just fall for your prophecy?! Give me one good reason why I should help you?!”
Celestia showed no emotions. Then she did something Twilight didn't expect, she bowed down in front of Twilight and said, “Please...Please help me save my sister Twilight!”
Twilight looked at Celestia and saw the tears slowly fall out of her ancient eyes. Twilight didn't know what to say. Then Celestia spoke again, “Please...help me...it's all I can say Twilight...”
“...”
“I'm sorry I sent those guards...but...I had no choice...I'm sorry...”
Twilight just sat there, unable to react.
Meanwhile at the train station of Canterlot...
“We're here girls.” said Rarity as they exited the train. “Are you ready?”
The other two ponies with her nodded their heads and said, “We're ready!”
“Alright then, let's go save our friend!”