//------------------------------// // Chapter One: A Nightmared Song Doubled // Story: Dark Tears // by Luna Lily Ruby //------------------------------// WARNING! SPOILERS WILL INSURE IN THIS FANFICTION! Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship was walking calmly, yet a bit wary, into the Everfree Forest. She was charged, by her old mentor, Princess Celestia, to check on the Tree of Harmony every now and then. She had left Spike back at the castle with Starlight Glimmer, as both dragon and pony were rather busy in preparation for Starlight's up coming test in friendship. The rest of her friends were too busy with everyday chores and jobs to accompany her and Twilight, was a tad nervous about it. I mean, who knows when a cockatrice could suddenly appear?! A few moments later, she reached the stairs to the mystical tree. Walking in, she made her way around it, frowning at a new, very small, opening. Squeezing her eyes tight with concentration, she activated her horn, which lit up with violet magic. Feeling a force she had never encountered before, even facing Nightmare Moon or Discord - even Tirek - Twilight gets physically and mentally, pushed backwards, flying into one of the cave walls. Taking a few minutes to re-orientate herself, she shakes her head clear. She felt a dark presence, and she noticed that the small opening seemed to be a wound in the tree, as it crept up and started to warp it's darkness around Princess Luna's seemingly popping-out cutie-mark, slowly making it's way to the top of the tree, poisoning it. Feeling as if evil laughter had just sounded, already spooked, she quickly fled. Stumbling on roots, branches and the general Everfree Forest derby, she tripped. Then, something pricked deep in Twilight's mind. Focusing, she realized that it was a foal wailing, far past the Castle of the Two Sisters and the Tree of Harmony. Something called to Twilight in that call. Something she could not explain. But she had to save it. Whatever it was. Racing through the trees, Twilight came upon something that would one day shake the very fabric of Equestria. But for now, she was innocent in knowing and naive. And for now, all what she could do was stare at the small face staring at her, purple eyes, calm and peaceful. "Twilight, thank you for contacting me. This... foal is indeed, important... Dangerous is as far as I'd say," Princess Celestia informed her former student. Meanwhile, Twilight glanced down at the now clean and happy three month old filly. "She looks nearly down to every single feather of what Princess Luna looked like when we freed her from being Nightmare Moon. Well, other then the fact that she's a unicorn, not a alicorn, but still... Celestia, what does this mean? And yes, I've taken into account her purple eyes... no cutie mark, but still I cann-" "Hush. We mustn't speak of her here. I've already sent for Luna, Cadence and Flurry Heart. We shall meet tomorrow morning. It would be most unwise to miss breakfast. Because there is no second chance. Oh, and take the foal with you." Turing her head up, Celestia teleported out of the room, leaving a very confused Twilight. "Could it be," Twilight thought. "Could she have acted like that towards an innocent filly? Has she turned... No. It's just can't be true! Celestia isn't cruel. Sombra, Crysalis and Tirek, they're cruel. Celestia is probably just upset someone could abandon a filly, especially at such a young age. Yes, that's it. It has to be. Celestia wouldn't just think such an small filly in such a fashion. But... Then why did she didn't want anything to be discussed in front of the poor thing, as if it could remember every word she spoke? Twilight was in a foggy world called being sleep-deprivation. Needless to say, it was not the best thing to be when holding an important meeting. When she had put the calm and sleeping foal down in her bed, she started wailing. Even after Twilight had fetched her a bottle of warm milk and rocked her gently with her own arms, as opposed to using magic, which she did to create the most soothing and calming lullaby music. The filly had fallen right to sleep after a few hours, when Twilight had been forced to remember a peaceful melody that had always put her right to sleep. And when she had tucked the small foal in, she had turned towards the moonlight, causing her coat to shine in a stunning and breath-taking way. After a near sleepless night, Twilight had stumbled into the dining room. To her dismay, Cadence informed Twilight that she had to bring the baby, and Celestia would cast a temporary spell, of which caused the foal not be able to hear nor see. After that, Luna led the way to her game room, where she triggered some sort of magical mechanism and all five royal princesses plus the filly found themselves in a cozy room, protected with magic stronger then that of Tirek at full peak, without the alicorn's powers. And now, Twilight stood with the other four sovereignty princesses. "...gone crazy?! We cannot, for the foal's sa-" "Luna. May I remind you of whom you are speaking of? One day this filly could destr-" "Her name." Twilight gave a huge yawn, and for once, not caring what Equestria's beloved sun princess thought, "is Melody. Melody Moonshine. I request that we call her such. Now, what is this about destroying Equestria? If we raised her, she wouldn't, would she?" "I'm sorry Twilight. But you have not heard the whole story, as you should have had. I apologize for over looking such an important part of becoming a princess and accepting full princess-hood. You have just always given faith into me, I am - was - accustomed undeniable trust and time for you to understand why I'm - with the exceptions of a few mistakes - always right. Now, I know what a fatal mistake this could have been. Allow me to explain..." After Celestia explained to Twilight just of whom this filly - Melody Moonshine - truly was, she nearly blew a gasket. Flurry Heart too. Despite being of age - 16 - she was never told any of this. "Why was I not told of this? I'm of age already!" Flurry Heart's comment went unnoticed. "You're right," whispered Twilight. "This filly is far too dangerous to be able to be treated upon like a normal foal may grow up. We must imprision her. Or..." Twilight hesitated, swallowed then whispered, "or come to the decision of killing her, which may very well be our most horrible, yet logical conclusion." A tear made it's way down Twilight's cheek, sliding down to her chin, landing in a small puddle of a nearly brtoken heart. She loved Melody already, but the thought of what secret she contained....She had to decide. Celestia; duty. Melody (and from the looks of it Luna); love. Twilight took a deep breath. "I will support the idealism and logic of..."