The Path of Absolution - Punishment

by Morningstar1337

xvi - Mnemosyne's Gamble

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were walking around in a bright white void.

“Where are we?” Sweetie Belle said.

“I don’t know,” Apple Bloom said. “Scootaloo?”

“Don’t look at me,” Scootaloo said. “We’ve been walking here for days and we still don’t know where we are.”

They heard a voice echoing in the distance. “Are you lost?”

“Who are you?” Apple Bloom said. The three Crusaders looked around the void only to find nothing as usual.

“I am merely a guide,” the voice said. “I can guide you to many things.”

“We’re not in the mood,” Scootaloo said bitterly.

The three fillies knew how they got to this void, and they knew that at the moment they would rather wander around here than return to life in a world that shuns them and a forest that would’ve killed them anyway.

“There’s nothing back there for us,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Are you sure?” the formless voice said.

---

Diamond Dust was just waiting in front of the statues. She heard hoofsteps as they came closer and closer.

“Well, guess it’s time to put on a show,” she said half-heartedly.

Meanwhile Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Spike were galloping as fast as they can. They had only a few hours left before the Cutie Mark Crusaders were permanently petrified.

In a few seconds they were in front of the statues. They saw a pink alicorn filly with a horn and wings of ice nearby.

“What the hay?” Rainbow Dash said.

“But this is impossible,” Twilight said. “Another alicorn besides the princesses should not exist. You should not exist.”

“You can see me, can't you?” Diamond Dust unfolded her wings as ice crystals formed. “Then of course, I exist.” She launched a barrage of sharp crystals at her opponents. The crystals missed the ponies and Spike used his breath to melt the projectiles.

The battle had begun.

---

Inside the void, The Cutie Mark Crusaders were still talking to the disembodied voice.

“What do you mean you can help us get our cutie marks?” Scootaloo said.

“I mean exactly what I say,” the voice said. “I can help you with getting your cutie marks, you deserve to at least know what your destinies were meant to be before passing, right?”

“Even if we get our cutie marks it won’t--” Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment. “It won’t change a thing.”

“The town will still hate us,” Sweetie Belle.

“I don’t think the town will be a problem,” The voice said. “I’m gonna send you backward to a time before you went to this forest. A time before you let the cockatrice take your lives.”

“You can do that?” Scootaloo said. “How?”

“You’ll need these,” the voice said.

The scythe, sword and scales materialized in front of the Crusaders and a circle appeared beneath their hooves. The items called the fillies to wield them. The circle grew more complex as more shapes and runes appeared on it.

“These items were attracted to your grief,” the voice said. “They are attracted to bringers of strife. I can use them to send you back in time, or you can wander this void aimlessly for the rest of your days. The choice is yours,”

---

The ponies and Diamond Dust were still fighting in the forest while Spike hid behind a tree. Twilight erected a magic barrier over her friends.

“That won’t save you.” Diamond Dust used her horn to fire a beam of ice at the barrier. The beam froze the shield over. In a few seconds the ice broke into several pieces.

Twilight fired a purple beam from her horn and it hit Diamond Dust’s right wing. Applejack and Rainbow Dash used the moment to charge the queen. They launched a flurry of physical blows but Diamond Dust blocked them with her undamaged wing. She then froze their hooves when they made contact with the ice.

“Hey,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were stuck. Diamond Dust then flew up and then moved her left wing with tremendous force. The force was enough to break the ice binding Rainbow Dash and Applejack to the windigo queen’s wing and they plummeted to the ground below.

The two mares crashed into several trees. Applejack tried to move but her hooves were in too much pain to stand. Rainbow Dash however was able to stand, but the attack had cut her hindlegs. She saw the blood flowing from her legs.

Twilight and Fluttershy tried to aid her friends while Pinkie Pie and Rarity tried to hold back Diamond Dust.

Pinkie Pie took a cannon from out of nowhere and launched confetti and a cake with enough force to push Diamond Tiara back. Rarity lifted several rocks and pebbles to further pelt the queen but stopped her attack. She still couldn’t believe that a filly would do all this damage.

Diamond Dust used this to her advantage and rammed Rarity with her wings, she then froze Pinkie Pie’s hooves, immobilizing her. Rarity fell in agony. Diamond Dust went to the statues and used her magic.

The cure in Spike’s hand escaped his grasp as Diamond Dust levitated the cure towards her.

“So you were planning on using this to cure them, huh?” Diamond Dust poured the liquid on each of the three statues.

---

In the void, The Cutie Mark Crusaders were sitting on one of the three small circles. Apple Bloom held the crimson sword, Sweetie Belle took the ebony scales and Scootaloo took the pale viridian scythe.

“Are you sure this is gonna work?” Scootaloo said.

“Of course,” the disembodied voice said. “There’s just one thing. I’ll need to access your memories.”

“But why?” Sweetie Belle said.

“I need them to find the perfect place for you to begin anew,” the voice said.

The three fillies didn’t know what to do. They were almost dead, so they had nothing to lose. On the other hoof, they weren’t sure they could trust this guy to begin with, let alone give him access to their memories.

Sweetie Belle remembered all the times she spent with Rarity. She knows how precious they were to her. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo weren’t so sure. They would do anything to wipe the stain of Gabby Gums off their lives. But they weren’t sure if that was worth their memories.

“I’ll be sure to return your memories when I’m done,” the voice said. “But you better hurry. Time’s running out.”

After some consideration, the Crusaders agreed to the terms.

“We’re ready,” they said.

“Good, now point your items towards the center and I’ll do the rest.”

The fillies did as told. The white void around them began to turn a deep black as an eerie blue pillar of light descended to the center of the circle. The Crusaders were being obscured by pale blue fog as several lights began passing them.

The light turned to screens depicting their lives up to this point and were forced inside the sword, scales and scythe.

Apple Bloom kept seeing an orange earth pony on these screens, and wondered who she was.

Sweetie Belle kept seeing an older unicorn with similar colors as her, and wondered who she could be.

Scootaloo kept seeing a pegasus with a rainbow mane, and wondered who she was.

The three Crusaders fainted as green light began to engulf the void.

---

Diamond Dust was finished using the cure. Twilight and Fluttershy helped Applejack and Rainbow Dash limp back to .

Spike was busy tending to Rarity’s wounds. Pinkie Pie tried to move but the ice immobilized her.

The adviser returned to the tiara and said, “They’re ready.” The Cutie Mark Crusaders fainted as stone turned back to flesh. Twilight noticed that Diamond Dust was wearing an ice-white tiara.

Diamond Dust’s horn glowed as a sphere of ice emcompassed her and the Crusaders. The sphere levitated into the stratosphere.

Applejack and Rarity were stunned. Their sisters were unpetrified, but now they were at the mercy of the windigos.

Twilight tuned to Spike. “Spike, write the letter.”

He knew what letter to write. The group went back to the edge of the forest.

---

The Friendship Express was nearing the cave.. The passengers noticed a barrier over Canterlot. The windigos were galloping back into the clouds. The ponies were safe, for now.

The pegasi went back into the train as it entered a cave. Gale Force went to Star Song, Flitter and Cloudchaser. “You did good, team.”

“Wish I could say the same for you,” Cloudchaser said.

“Cloudchaser,” Flitter said.

Just then Thunderlane entered the car.

“Thunderlane?” Cloudchaser said.

“Oh, hey Cloudchaser, I've been looking all over for you,” Thunderlane said. “Sir, I would like to join your team, sir.”

Cloudchaser and Flitter facehooved. Gale Force’s mouth was agape.

“No!” Gale said. “Absolutely not.”

“Um, Thunderlane,” Flitter said. ‘I think that request came at a bad time.”

He saw the look on Gale’s eyes. He said, ”I'll just go and--”

“Wait,” Cloudchaser said. “You can come and join the team.”

“What?” Gale said. “Cloudchaser. as your commanding officer I--”

“As a commanding officer you must not let your emotions take over you like that,” Cloudchaser said. “You would have frozen to death if I hadn’t been saving your flank.”

“That’s besides the point,” Gale said.

“Is it?”

Gale Force decided not to argue with Cloudchaser. “Fine, you’re in. Happy?” He then left the car.

Thunderlane stroked his mohawk. “I’ll ask later, and I’m sorry if something happened.”

Meanwhile Silver Spoon was reading several books. She was still a little sad.

Lyra and Bon-Bon entered the car.

Silver Spoon hid her face behind the book.

“I still can’t believe you were the first pony to alert the town about the windigoes,” Bon-Bon said.

“Hey, you helped too,” Lyra said.

The two mares then saw Silver Spoon trying to hide herself with the books.

“You alright, little girl?” Bon-Bon said.

“I’m fine,” Silver Spoon said. She put the books down and introduced herself. “I’m Silver Spoon.”

“Well, my name’s Lyra and this is Bon-Bon,” Lyra said. “How do you do?”

“I’m fine,” she lied. The train had just entered Canterlot’s train station. The doors on some of the cars opened and everypony exited.

“Well, I guess we’ll see you later.” Bon-Bon said. She and her partner left.

After a while Silver Spoon left the train as well.

---

Meanwhile, in Canterlot’s castle, Princesses Celestia and Luna were talking about recent events.

“My sister,” Luna said. “If the windigos have returned, then Equestria will be thrown into a second ice age.”

“I know Luna,” Celestia said. “But--”

Suddenly a scroll appeared. Celestia read it.

The scroll read ”Dear Princess Celestia, I’m sorry to ask for this. Can you send someone to pick us up at the Everfree Forest?

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle.”

Celestia was surprised. She took a look at the extra long train then she looked at her sister. “I don’t suppose you would pick up Twilight Sparkle and her friends?”

Luna was a little surprised by the request. But the princess of the moon knew that she had to prepare for Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s wedding. She nodded and teleported away.