The Smell of Daphne Odora
Fear had a certain primitive way of shutting down time. The world becomes painfully bright as your heart threatens to break through your chest. At this height of primal emotion your very being screams at you to run away from the danger threating your life. Running towards the danger, your body tells you, would be to achieve the absolute summit of stupidity.
Zachery, with his chitin green wings replacing slow black feathers, scaled this summit as he ran toward Twilight and the shuttering creature that held the form of the princess of the day. Dropping he let gravity take over as he fell vertical to the ground his changeling wings keeping him afloat as he neared Twilight. Who oblivious to the danger she was in still cried as she ran towards Celestia’s unreceptive hooves.
His arm shot out, hooked fingers grabbing Twilight’s tail and yanking her backwards. Disregarding her yelp he pulled her under her his arm, and kicked his feet out desperately trying to find purchase on the marble floor.
But the floor was sleek, his moccasin's soles had no grip, and with a sinking feeling he realized that he had gained too much speed…
He shifted Twilight down leaving nothing obscuring his wings while they buzzed at and unholy frequency as he tried to slow down. His knees buckled and he finally came to a off-balanced stop. His breaths came out ragged, and just for a moment he was rendered essentially blind as his eyes refused to focus. His slit pupils bounced around trying to clear out the whiteness that refused to stop reflecting off the spotless marble floor and into his eyes.
Blood pounding in his ears the world came into focus and white marble floor stretched into two long fur covered legs. Zachery’s head snapped up and-
Brutal, cold, detached.
He choked. It was if someone was slowly grinding a hard fist into his windpipe, as if something was trying to strangle him. He gasped, gurgling as two dull magenta eyes stare through him. Celestia’s borrowed face twisted horrifyingly; both halves sagging and lifting independently refusing to express the same emotion.
Happy, sad. Angry, disgusted. Horrified, manically gleeful. Changing painfully until her head snapped back with a sickening crack.
Slowly, gently Celestia’s head swayed as she leveled it to look into his eyes. Her face at last working together towards one emotion. A sweet radiant smile crossed Celestia’s muzzle both of her eyes closed in a clear show of peace.
Eyes that softly opened, reflecting nothing but dull merciless pools.
“Hello, my little human.”
Blood rushed from his head and directly into his heart. Blind fear scratched at him, somehow he was drowning on land, and fear is a tool don't let it control you.
Zachery broke through the imagined pressure on his neck, and pushed his wings backwards. Their eyes locked as he flew blindly down the hallway. Him refusing to take his eyes off the Demon King’s eldest daughter, and her just staring.
“We’re going to hit a wall!” Twilight screeched, reminding Zachery that in her current position she was facing the other way, and could see where they were going.
He cursed as he looked away from Celestia in favour of not breaking his back, crushing Twilight’s head, or worse slowing down. He sharply took the corner winching at Twilight’s shriek as she roughly rag-dolled under his arm. However, any concern he had over her injuries was ripped from his mind as the awkward beats of two very large wings rolled into focus.
His back burned as he put more force into his blurring wings. He didn’t know where he was going but anywhere was better than under Celestia’s hoof.
“Zachery put me down!” Twilight shouted kicking out with her back hooves nearly hitting his face. “Why are you running from Celestia?”
Zachery’s eyes widened trying to work through the craziness of Twilight's question when he once again noted how she had faced. Twilight to her fortune, and his misfortune missed the entirety of Celestia’s display.
He stifled a curse, and pulled on the knowledge that Luna gave them what seemed much more then a couple of hours before, “Twilight, that thing chasing us isn’t Celestia.”
“How would you know that?” Twilight accused, struggling in his grip, “You never met her until now!”
This time he didn’t stop the Common Tongue curses that fell from his mouth.
Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she shifted to glare up at him, “You just swore at me, didn't you?”
Zachery made to snap back a response a hiss rising in the back of his throat when Twilight screamed. His eyes widened as the sound of pulsating magic, and stench of burning air reached him.
Slamming his wings against his back and he rolled out of the way of the incoming blast which threated to burn his skin and set Twilight’s fur on fire. He open his wings with multiple beats he reached the hallways arching celling, he didn’t need Twilight’s next scream to know that he needed to dive. He fell out of the way of the volley of blasts aimed at them cursing as the Celestia’s fire got too close, too hot.
“Why is she firing at us?” Twilight screamed, “Any one of those spells will kill us!”
"No shit." He snapped, continuing to twist out of the way of the hell fire thrown haphazardly at them.
Twilight shield her eyes from the fire burning around her, “S-she must think that your foalnapping me.” She said, and Zachery didn't know whether she was trying to reason with him, or herself, “If I could just talk to her I’m sure we can sort this all out!”
“Are you out of your spirit damned mind?” He hissed.
“I know Celestia!” Twilight yelled over the crackling flames, “I can get through to her. If she sees that I’m not in danger she will stop attacking us.”
“You do realized that she’s trying to kill the both of us?” Zachery exasperated before making a sharp yip as Celestia’s next spell burned too close to his head.
“Celestia would never hurt me, or anypony like this. It’s not who she is. Just let me talk to her!” Twilight cried, increasing her struggles. “If there is something wrong I can help her, I can get her to stop!”
Zachery cursed under his breath it was getting really hard to hold Twilight, and he was close to just dropping her. “Fine!” He growled ignoring how Discord's mismatched eyes had glared at him, “Talk to her. Reason with her, but know that whatever happens you’re on your own.”
He pulled his wings to back and dived playing by ear where the Celestia’s attacks were coming from. The end of the hall was coming up, two heavy doors were in his way, he couldn't cast any spell as long as he was holding Twilight like this, and there was no way in hell that he could slow down or backtrack.
“Twilight, open the doors!” He shouted, the smoke raising in their increasing enclosed space making it harder to breath.
“What doors?” Twilight shouted back her view still very limited.
With a grunt he flipped upside down giving Twilight a clear view of the doors, and him a clear view of the fire wrapping around Celestia’s horribly serene form.
“Twilight!” He yelled as wreathe of flame screamed at them.
The doors crashed heavily against their respected walls sending a deafening boom down the hallway now opened to them. Zachery sent them spinning away from the wave of flame spilling from Celestia’s horn. Thankfully they found themselves in a expansive hallway and not a small furnace like room. Seeing that Twilight wasn’t going to burned alive and that Celestia had failed to follow up on another attack Zachery released his hold on her.
Twilight awkwardly landed on the bright red carpet her wings barely keeping her balanced. He on the other hand landed easily sliding on magic coated hands and crouching low as he skidded to a stop.
He stood up just as Celestia stumbled in. Celestia stared at him her eyes not registering anything else as she stepped forward, her walk was regale and smooth as her appearance was ragged and hollow. His stance shifted wings buzzing threateningly as black inky magic seeped from the pores in his arms.
“Princess!” Twilight exclaimed as she ran toward Celestia and Zachery wondered again how Twilight couldn't see how wrong Celestia was. Regardless of his tension Twilight bounded up to Celestia stopping before the Sun Princess and smiling up at the being which stole her mentor’s face, “Celestia, look I’m okay." Twilight spoke, acting as if the last few minutes of fear meant nothing, "You don’t need to protect me.”
Celestia looked down a Twilight a vague look passing her face before it lit up in comprehension, “Twilight my faithful student, you have returned from your mission.”
Twilight’s smile became strained as her ears slowly splayed back, “Y-yes I returned you know this, that was why you were chasing after us remember? You wanted to protect me, right?”
Celestia held Twilight’s gaze; her dull eyes looking through her once student before rising to look at him. Celestia smiled over Twilight, “I see that your mission was a success.”
“Ah, yes.” Twilight said with a winch, “I found a human his name is Zachery, and-” Twilight wavered shuttering as her mentor looked down at her, “Celestia, I made a horrible, horrible mistake. I let fear cloud my judgement and by doing so I hurt Zachery.” Twilight said, “I almost killed him, and for letting you down I will gladly take any punishment you give me. Luna had already given me her judgement, but it’s your name I tainted with my actions.” Twilight looked deep into Celestia’s now gentle eyes, “I will take both Luna’s, and your judgement no matter that may be to repent for what I’ve done.”
Twilight’s eyes widen as Celestia giggled softly, and lightly raised Twilight's head with an unadorned hoof.
“My dear student.” Celestia sighed, her smile sweet as she nuzzled Twilight, “Everything is going to be fine.”
Fresh tears ran down Twilight’s face, “But Celestia I-”
“Shh~ Twilight you are too hard on yourself.” Celestia whispered pulling Twilight into a hug her free hoof combing through Twilight’s unkempt mane, “Besides, he is only a slave.”
Twilight went still in Celestia’s warm embrace. She blinked matted white fur away from her eyes as her mind tried to make sense of what Celestia had said. Twilight pulled away her eyes wide as the searched the radiance of Celestia’s no longer so blameless face. “Celestia?”
Celestia ignored Twilight’s confusion in favour of staring at Zachery. “And want a wonderful slave you have brought me. Such a wonderful breed too.” Celestia looked down at Twilight’s gaping face, then back at Zachery her smile gave way to a small frown. “Though it's eyes are all wrong. His iris are supposed to black or at least a very dark brown, and it's skin could be paler. No matter! You’ve found their nest, once we sort through them we can use him to breed proper children.” Celestia turned her impure smile at Twilight, “Isn’t this exciting?”
Twilight pushed hard out of Celestia’s embrace, slowly backing away from her while she shook her head in horror.
“Twilight?” Celestia asked reaching out, worry reflecting hollowly from her eyes.
“Stay away from me!” Twilight shrieked viciously slapping Celestia’s outstretched hoof away. “You are not Celestia! Celestia would never say something so-" Twilight stepped further away, "Zachery is not a slave!”
“Twilight that’s enough!” Celestia scolded bitterly, “How dare you tarnish our kind’s name by putting those creatures on the same level as us!” Her harsh voice took on a softer air, “Don’t you see how it’s manipulating you, and itself? Humans love to work, they love to create things out of nothing. Don’t you see that you’re taking away what makes it, it away?” Celestia's smiled returned and Twilight found herself shivering, “You have much to learn about humans Twilight they love being controlled, it is in their nature.”
Twilight backed away her head shaking roughly at the poison that leaked from Celestia’s mouth, “No! You’re wrong I read the book.”
Celestia's smile dropped and her face formed into something sinister, “Twilight.”
“I saw the bones. I saw how damaged they were.” She pushed holding her ground.
“Twilight there is much you need to know-”
“I know enough!" Twilight cut in harshly. "I know about their suicidal dash into the ocean to escape ponies, to escape your father!”
“Twilight, you do not talk over me!” Celestia shouted her mane shuttering with her anger.
“What are you talking about anyways breeds? Eye colour? You want his skin to be paler?” Twilight shouted, her stance hard as she glared up at Celestia’s rage, “I talked with you for hours before I left, and you never brought up breeds or any of these horrible things. Where did these things come from?” A snarl crossed Twilight’s face, “Luna was right. I have no idea who you are, but you are not Celestia!”
Pain exploded in her head and Twilight found herself staring at Celestia’s outstretched hoof as she limply fell. Twilight raise her hooves, trying to contain the pressure bleeding hotly in her head. A pained yelp escaped her as something landed roughly on her wing, and a screamed closely followed as that thing yanked down. Celestia’s enraged visage filled her vision and she realized that Celestia, who had raised her as much as her mother had, was crushing her wing.
“I should rip away your wings and break off your horn for your insolence.” Celestia growled out as she pushed down, “It would do you well to learn how to address your superiors.”
Another pained gasped left Twilight causing Celestia to remove her hoof. “Oh Twilight.” Celestia said softly using the same hoof that she hurt Twilight with to gentle caress her trembling face, “You should know better than to anger me. Why must you bring yourself such pain?” Celestia admonished sadly as if she was talking to foal who touched an open flame in curiosity, “Now wait here while I address the human you so kindly brought me. For your sake don’t try to use your magic. I can feel your power anywhere in this castle after all,” Celestia smiled sweetly, "You are my dearest student." She pulled away from Twilight stepping over her body as she walked towards Zachery.
Twilight struggled to flip over on her stomach winching as her wing pulled. Eyes bleary from pain she watch as Celestia, no, the creature in Celestia’s body stalked closer to Zachery cooing all the while.
‘No.’ Twilight’s mind burned as Zachery stiffened his eyes darting around in clear panic, ‘I can’t let this happen.’
She struggled to her hooves her head swimming madly from the point that Celestia struck her. She took a shaky step and the world blanked out. She stumbled blindly, the world slowly shimmering back into focus just as she fell. She was no closer to Celestia, Zachery was still in danger, and again it was her fault.
Celestia even pace didn’t change as she drew nearer to Zachery the mummers of a one sided conversation barely filling the room. The pounding in Twilight’s head drowned out what Celestia was saying, but she knew it was terrible because Zachery paled his pupil’s switching from defensive slits to horrified circles. Celestia continued to speak her soft tone drilling into Twilight’s head with incomprehensible words. Briefly Zachery looked to her before steeling his shoulders and closing the gap between him and Celestia.
‘No!’ Twilight’s eyes widened with each destructive step Zachery took. What was he thinking? He knew that Celestia was corrupted, he was the one that pointed it out.
Twilight forced herself to walk towards Celestia. She had to stop him. She had to, but she was terribly weak compared to Celestia. She couldn’t take on Celestia and keep her away from Zachery.
Anger burned in her. Why didn’t he run and leave her? He was supposed to be smart wasn’t he? So why was he shuffling towards Celestia when she had tried to kill him? Twilight could barely look at him, it hurt to look at him, to look his wide darting eyes, how he seem to shrink with every step he took. Pathetic tears threatened to roll down her face. He was so scared he couldn’t even control his magic! Just looking at the small black wispy sparks escaping his mouth tore at her-!
Twilight blinked at familiar sparks, the same sparks that she saw from the corner of her eye just before…
Oh.
Zachery once again caught her eye with his own. The urgency behind them taking on a new meaning.
Celestia had her eyes so trained on Zachery’s quivering form that she didn’t notice as Twilight drag herself directly behind her. Twilight steadied herself as magic slowly gathered at the base of her thankfully uninjured horn. She knew that in her heart that she could never find it in herself to knowingly allow harm to come to Celestia. She could never hurt the mother figure of Equestia, the pony that had watched over her for so many years of her adult and foal life.
The creature before her was not Celestia.
With a flash Twilight covered herself in a purple shield. The display of magic distracted Celestia and for a moment, Celestia's gaze locked with her own, and Twilight had to shut her eyes to protect herself from the hostility on Celestia’s face.
To protect herself from the brightness of an exploding world.
Vaguely she heard what had to be Celestia bounce hard up and over her shield, and the distant sound of shattering glass.
The shaking stopped and Twilight quickly dropped the bubble around her. Wide eyed she took in the once beautiful mosaic hallway. The carpet was burned to ash and once gleaming white hallway had angry cracks choking the grey surface.
Her hooves fell away from the ground as Zachery grabbed her again. His bright green wings buzzing with a newfound fury, thankfully this time she was facing the right way. Before they ducked out of the hallway she looked back and was greeted with a seared broken mosaic window directly behind the clear spot where her shield was. Her stomach tightened. That would not keep Celestia down.
Forcing herself to look away as Zachery tore down a dizzying amount of hallways and arches. His lips where pressed in a tight line and she could almost hear him ask, ‘Are you happy now?’
She tried to speak pass the dryness in her throat, “Zachery-”
“Shhh!” He hissed back ducking down another hallway and landed on his feet.
Twilight looked up at him, “Why are you stopping?” She asked her voice barely at a whisper.
“Wings too loud.” He whispered back, awkwardly pulling off his shoes. Now shoeless he look back down on her, “Feathers too slow.” With that he started to run, and Twilight noted that his bare feet made absolutely no sound as he moved.
Twilight kept silent as they moved feeling that she was something akin to deadweight she looked for anyway to help. She came up with nothing, until she realized that he was starting to double down the same hallways.
“Zachery! This way!” She said pointing out a different direction. Soon she was leading him through the castle, both of them silent as they ran to what was the closet safe room.
Zachery burst through the door unceremoniously dropping Twilight in favour of locking the door behind them. Although they both knew that the decorative wooden door would scarcely slow Celestia down.
“Twilight?”
They both quickly turned around to see Rainbow Dash and Rarity looking at them in confusion. Their hooves were deep inside their bags clearly being interrupted while they were unpacking. Vaguely Twilight saw that they didn't touch the bed that Zachery had fashioned for himself.
“Darling,” Rarity asked, worriedly looking between her and Zachery's haggard appearance, “what happened to you two?”
Twilight slowed her gasps. She knew that she looked like a mess with her eyes straining red, a bruise forming at her temple, and one wing limping at her side. Twilight turned to Zachery and saw that while not as bruise as she was the shirt that Rarity had made him was torn to shreds, and he twitched at every sound.
She flinched as a white hoof neared her, her eyes wide and wild as Rarity quickly pulled back at the sight of her flared wings.
"Oh no, Rarity I'm sorry," Twilight said her hoof covering her mouth, "I thought you were..."
The stark realization that she may never be comfortable around Celestia again hit her harder then the creature posing as her once mentor could ever hope to, and she ran into Rarity, clinging on her as she sobbed. Twilight knew that she needed to tell them what was going on, but she didn’t want to talk, not now, not ever. She was tired. Everything hurt. For a few minutes let somepony else make decisions.
Rarity carefully smoothed down Twilight's mane, her eyes darting to Rainbow Dash and then to Zachery. “Zachery?” Rarity asked, hoping that the only creature that was with Twilight could tell her what was going on.
Zachery hearing his name frowned, his teeth grated as he spoke, “Sol va ser freneza, kaj provis mortigi nin.”
Twilight’s eyes snapped open and she pulled away from Rarity, “What?”
Zachery for his part looked just as confused as Twilight felt. Clarity then crossed his face and a snarl twisted his face as what Twilight knew was a string of curses dropped from his lips.
“The spell must have worn off.” Rarity muttered, before speaking in broken Equestrian, “Zachery. Spell. Quick.” Rarity said leaning her head forward.
Brought out of his malediction by Rarity's action, Zachery nodded and reached forward. They all jumped as sparks and hot chaotic swirls of magic hissed angrily around Zachery’s hand. Yelping, Zachery and Rarity pulled away from each other.
“What the hay was that?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, her eyes drawn to the turbulent magic that Zachery erratically shook away.
“I-I don’t know. That has never happened before.” Rarity replied her ears splayed back.
Twilight watched as Zachery held the offending hand, “It looked like he lost control of his magic, but that sort of loss can only happen if he was off bal-” Twilight eyes widen, “Rarity, has Zachery told you anything about the spell he uses?”
“Only that it was very hard to do, delicate even.” Rarity answered.
“Would it be possible to cast the spell if his magic was greatly disturbed?” Twilight pressed.
“Why no, but that would only happen if-” Rarity paled, “That explosion we heard earlier.”
Twilight winched, if Zachery’s new round of swearing was anything to go by he had come to the same conclusion they did.
“Zachery!” Twilight said attempting the pattern of speech that Rarity had used. “Spell. Wrong? Need to calm down and try again?”
Zachery ceased his self-degradation to frown at her failed attempt.
“Twilight let me speak to him. I have more experience in this then you do.” Rarity said to her before looking up at Zachery, “Spell magic bad.” Rarity said to Zachery explaining that she knew what he did, and to Twilight's shock Rarity pulled her lips back and released combination of a click, short huff of air, and a hiss.
That was a word from Zachery’s language. It wasn’t crisp and there was an odd trill in it which caused to Rarity hem, but it was still farther then she had ever been. Farther then she would probably ever be.
Zachery sighed, and combing his hair back in clear agitation he replied with a confusing mix of his language, Equestrian, and hand signals.
Rarity nodded a worried look crossing her face as she translated. “To make it simple, because of the explosion he casted his magic won’t calm down enough for him to safely cast the translation spell for what could be hours.” Rarity worried over her lip, “Twilight, he says that he used the explosion against Celestia. What happened?”
Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up and looked up at Zachery in a mix of horror and shock, “You attacked Celestia? Why?”
Rarity quickly translated words dipping into a broken mix of both languages, “Kial, pain Sun?”
Zachery’s paused mulling over his next words. Then he answered slowly taking care not to switch languages so that Rarity and Rainbow Dash could understand, “Sun try kill me. Sun try kill her.” He said pointing to Twilight.
“That’s impossible.” Rarity whispered.
“Celestia would never do that!” Rainbow Dash said, stubbornness swelling her words. “She’s like the nicest pony ever, right Twilight?” Rainbow Dash's eyes widen when she looked away. "Twilight?"
“Celestia tried to kill us.” Twilight said carefully, pushing through the twisted irony that mocked her from the edges of her mind. The pony that she wanted to prove her worth and skill to was the pony that she now needed to protect Equestria from. She held back the agony they needed to know, “Celestia threaten me, and was going to do I don’t know what to Zachery, but what she said-!” Twilight huffed her breaths coming in short gasps. She wasn't making sense, she needed to make sense, “Luna was right there is something horribly wrong with Celestia, because the Celestia we know isn’t the one that attack us. The Celestia that attacked us wants to kill us.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Twilight stared at Rainbow Dash, whose face was scrunched in anger, as she struck the ground.
“Rainbow Dash-”
“No! I’ve had enough!” Rainbow Dash snorted, “You almost killing somecreature is one thing, but for Celestia to do that.” Rainbow Dash shook her head, “You’re wrong. It must have been a mistake or, or an accident.”
“Rainbow Dash, look at me!” Twilight snapped flinging her hair back pointing to the darkening bruise at her temple, “Celestia did this to me!” She shouted her own anger coming forth with a dangerous force, “After that she threatened to break my horn, and rip off my wings.” Twilight shook, the past hour and all the ill feelings from then coming back to her. “We have to do something before Celestia finds and kills us all!”
“Twilight…” Rainbow Dash said, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at the bruise, “I can’t, that’s… that is impossible.” Rage slowly clouded her face as her breathes came out in harsh gasps, “I don’t know what you saw but it’s wrong!” Her angry eyes locked onto Twilight as her stance shifted into something directly violent, “Celestia is supposed to be the good one, better than any of us. She would never attack any of us!”
Rarity looking between Rainbow Dash and Twilight worry growing on her face as she looked between the two. Worry that grew to panic because of the serious express on Twilight’s drawn face, “Rainbow Dash, let her talk.”
“Rarity you can’t believe this can you? Do you really believe that Celestia did this?” Rainbow Dash shrieked pointing vaguely to Twilight’s appearance. Her voiced raised further, “Celestia is good. She doesn’t start fights. Sure she makes mistakes everypony does, but this? She would never do this. She would never betray us!”
Fur and hair prickled at the low dragging snarl that leaked through the cracks in the door. An animalistic bray ripped through the outside hallway, tearing into them. Wall-hangings and windows violently shuddered as they stared wide eyed, and paralyzed at the door heaving at the pressure.
“Show yourself!”
Except for a few short breathes they kept still in the oppressive silence that hang between them and the anger lurking in the halls. The quiet was broken by another indigent scream, hatefully punctuated by the sound of hooves shattering marble.
And then the door they stared fearfully at lit up in a golden glow.
Far away they heard as every door in the hallway was opened one by one before being shut in anger. The pace the doors opened and closed quickened. The faint slams now sounded like gun shots as she inched closer. Panic radiated from them as she edged upon them, her ragged breath becoming louder, and louder as less, and less doors distance them from her.
The sound of crunching metal echoed horribly when a locked door held fast against her magic.
They dropped on the ground as hot air threatened and nearly succeeded in suffocating them. Abrasively heat rippled across them through the cracks of their firmly locked door, throwing hair and manes back before sucking forward as the spell ended. Briefly they heard nothing but heavy breathing, and the rhythmic strikes of a hoof tapping marble in annoyance.
A harsh snort, a low whinny, and once again their door was bathed in a golden glow.
Zachery pushed himself forward his feet barely touching the ground as he leaped at the door. Muffling the click he unlocked the door, and jumped back his eyes never leaving the door. Twilight slowly stood beside him not nearly as confident in her ability to be as stealthy, not with the way her head still ached. Twilight taking care not to unleash magic in her horn least she gave them away, leveled her horn at the door, and waited.
The doorknob twisted roughly around, and the door opened just a crack stilling their hearts, before slamming shut. Her heavy hoof steps took her further down the hall, farther away from them.
Twilight slowly released a breath that she did not remember holding. Her wings lowered, and she turned to Rainbow Dash whose fur and wings still stood up straight.
“Rainbow Dash.” Twilight said, the tight way she had set her jaw had made her speech rough, “That was not Celestia. Celestia would never do this, but the thing that is in Celestia’s body. That thing puppeting around her body, will kill us.”
Rainbow Dash ran a hoof throw her mane, “Oh sweet Cel-” Rainbow Dash gulped pass the dryness in her throat, “Twilight what do we do?”
Twilight bit her lip. Whatever she came up with wouldn’t be enough she needed help, and a lot of it. “We need to get Luna.” Twilight said, “She’ll know what to do, or at least how to s-seal Celestia.” She pushed past her stutter. This was no time to have emotions get in her way, “Zachery!”
Zachery’s head snapped to look at her and she had to force herself not to take a step back, not because of the silts that his pupils where in, or how his iris bled between blue and green. For the first time that she meet him, just for a moment, his face reflected open terror. As quickly as it came the fear left and looked at her with rigid determination.
“Rarity, tell Zachery what I just told you.” Twilight said opting not to bring up Zachery’s brake in emotion, she had work to do, “Then tell him that you three will go find Luna as I distract Celestia.” As a princess, no, as Celestia’s former student it was her responsibility to go after Celestia. It didn’t matter if Celestia is possessed, or influence by some sort of monster she needed to be stopped before her rampage ended with more creature’s getting hurt.
“No.”
Twilight blankly looked up to see Zachery glaring down at her. She stood still as Zachery repeated in rough and sharply clipped Equestrian, “No.”
“Rarity.” She asked, watching as Rarity looked between them acting as if she wanted to be anywhere else, “What is he talking about.”
Rarity shifted on her hooves, “He doesn’t want you to go after Celestia.”
Twilight snapped her attention back to Zachery, “What why?”
Zachery huffed and released a jumble of the two languages punctuating them with sharp hand movements. In response to this display Rarity winched.
“He says that you’re not in right state of mind to face Celestia.” Rarity translated gingerly.
Twilight eyes narrowed her eyes at Zachery, “I am perfectly able to face Celestia.”
Zachery clearly understanding Twilight’s response sans Rarity’s translation, frowned at her before roughly pointing to her. Keeping eyes contact her them pointed to his head and said, “Bad.”
“My mind is not bad.” Twilight said, forcing herself not to winch as her head flared up, and the world threated to tilt.
Zachery repeated his earlier motion ending it with, “Foam bad.”
Twilight shot a glance at Rarity.
“That one is Pinkie Pie’s doing.” Rarity said awkwardly, “It directly translates into something, mostly a plant, being so bad or dangerous that direct contact with it will cause any living thing to, ah, bubble and foam. Considering how much bad things are on that island it changed into meaning that something was worse than simply bad.”
She turned back to Zachery who was still pointing at his head.
“My state of mind is not, worse than bad.” Twilight said stiffly, nostrils flaring, “I have to be the one to face Celestia. No pony or creature else can do it.”
Zachery’s frown deepened his hand not moving an inch as he said, “Bite bad.”
“That means-”
“I can guess.” Twilight replied, she pushed her frustration down, “Zachery I am perfectly capable of dealing with Celestia.”
“Sniff bad.”
Twilight’s frown tightened, “I understand your concerns but-”
“Hoof bad.”
“If you’ll just-”
“See bad.”
“Damn it, Zachery! Will you just let me get a fucking word in?” Twilight angrily snapped, her anger bringing her to stomp hard on the group.
They froze as her hoof stomp radiated out of the room and down the hall. Her ears swivelled in panic trying hard to pick up anything that sounded remotely like gates of Tarturus opening to consume them all.
A breath, an exhaled, and repeat.
Slowly Twilight drooped her wings and the magic winded tightly in her horn dissipated. She recoiled at the horrified looks that Rarity and Rainbow Dash gave her, “I-I’m sorry.” Twilight whispered.
“Twilight.”
She looked up to Zachery, who didn’t look angry but was tense as his eyes still flicked at the door, “Twilight no follow Sun.” Zachery said, his voice taut as he stumbled over the Equish words, “Twilight no good...,” Zachery frowned clearly losing the word then settling for pointing to own head to compensate, “follow Sun.” He stared into her eyes, “Stop, end bad.”
Her ears pinned hard against her head, and she found herself wording but not saying anything.
“I think that Zachery is right about this. If you lose yourself like that when facing Celestia it won’t end well.” Rarity said softly.
“Then what are we supposed to do.” Twilight said, “Somepony has to distract Celestia. If I can’t do who will? Rainbow Dash can you fight Celestia’s magic? Rarity can you fight her strength? Even if the both of you go do you really think that you can distract her long enough for us to get Luna?”
Rainbow Dash and Rarity winched at her words but neither of them tried to disprove her. Frowning Zachery tapped Rarity’s shoulder, Rarity quickly explained to him the situation, and Twilight fought back her agitation and urge to pace.
This was bad, really bad. They could try and sneak out the widows but if Celestia saw them they would be dead in the air. Well she and whoever carried Rarity would be. Taking the service passageways would work, but if they were caught there they would burned alive. It would be like being stuck in broken, overstuffed oven. Rushing Celestia head on would be more than suicide.
“Twilight.” Zachery called her name and seeing that he had her attention he pointed to himself, "Zachery follow Sun.”
“What.” Twilight squeaked.
“Follow Sun. Twilight see Moon.”
“No, you can’t fight her. There is no way that you can do such a thing.” Twilight got frustrated as much of her words clearly didn’t translate over, “Zachery no follow Sun.” She said each word threatening to become a yell. “Zachery no strength? Power?” Her teeth grated at the look he gave her. Exasperated she let a grunt before flexing her foreleg, anything to get her meaning across, “follow Sun.”
Zachery looked at her pointedly before slowly breathing out. Small black sparks danced in his exhale. He ended the display and stated, “Zachery follow Sun.”
“No.” Twilight said her voice struggling to stay in a whisper, “This is my fight.”
Annoyance crossed Zachery’s face, “Twilight no khidva good. Twilight no ideo, pla good.” Giving up on Equestrian he spoke to Rarity clearing hoping she could translate his irritated words.
“What did he say?” Twilight asked, as Rarity frowned.
“That you didn’t plan well, because you didn’t think of…somecreature.” Rarity finished weakly, “I honestly don’t know who he’s talking about.” Rarity answered truthfully, “He said something about a pony or creature that was like a cockatrice, but well more then a cockatrice. Whatever that means.”
Twilight eyes widened, remembering a creature that fit such a description and could help them, “Discord. Discord’s here.”
“He is?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“He’s having a picnic with Fluttershy in the gardens, how did I forget that?” Twilight said stunned. While she wasn't close with the chaos spirit per say she couldn't deny that having him there would help them greatly.
Rainbow Dash spread her wings, and crouched she prepared to leap, “Ok, I’ll just get Discord-”
“No.” Twilight said finally calming down, finally thinking, “Rainbow Dash do you know where Fluttershy and Discord have their picnics?” Rainbow Dash shook her head, “You’re fast but that doesn’t matter if you have to search everywhere. Rarity should get them because I know for a fact that she knows where they are, or at least the areas where they might be.”
Rarity nodded, “There’s this little alcove they like to go to. If you don’t know where it is you’ll never find it.”
“Good, find them and bring them here.” Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash, “I need you to clear out the castle. If Celestia’s mind is where I think it is every creature in, and on the castle’s grounds is in danger. I don’t care what you tell them as long as you don’t tell them what’s really happening. The last thing we need is ponies trying to play hero by saving their princess.”
Twilight glared up at Zachery, “It doesn’t matter what I say to you does it? You’re going after Celestia.”
Zachery snorted stubbornly, “Zachery follow Sun.”
Twilight bit back another shout, “You will be hurt. Celestia, Sun will hurt you. Pain, hurt, injury. Are you getting any of this?”
“Yes.” Zachery said after moment, “Twilight see Moon. Zachery pain Sun, Twilight no pain Sun.”
Twilight's teeth grounded and she had to force herself to keep her hooves planted. Even as her own face stung she knew that she couldn't hurt the creature that wore her teacher's likeness. In other words Twilight no pain Sun.
“Fine.” Twilight said in defeat, “Go after Sun, after Celestia, or whatever is corrupting her. Distract her long enough so that we can get back up and clear out the castle.” Twilight paused to allow Rarity to finish the translation, and her own thought's to gather, “Just don’t die, okay.”
She already screwed up in so many ways if this decision got him killed…
“Twilight.” Her ears picked up at her name, while her face scrunched in confusion at the flat look he gave her. Zachery pointed to himself, “No die here.” With that he spun on his heel and disappeared through the door silently closing it behind him.
“Girls get ready to run.” Rarity said resolute while her ears splayed back, “Zachery said that he was going to get her attention. He said to run away from the noise-”
Twilight shuddered at the horrible reverberation that came from far down the hallway. Since when did Zachery roar?
One glance at Rarity told her that she never knew of this either.
“Well," Rainbow Dash said, "did she go after him?” The livid, feral neigh that came after answered her question.
“We have to go now!” Rarity shouted her voice easily being overshadowed Celestia's and Zachery's screams.
They quickly branched out, and Twilight found herself alone as she ran to the throne room. She wanted to teleport so badly, but doing so would ruin the shaky plan they had. Frustrated she tried to take to the air only to yelp as pain clutched her wing. Folding her wing back she started to sprint. She had to get to Luna, help Zachery, and stop Celestia.
Zachery's and Celestia's yells became quieter the further away she got. History told her that the skillful architect who designed the castle, on the request of Celestia, made it so that the halls didn't transfer noise into the other wings. What was intended to kept ponies calm in dangerous times now worked against her. No creature would hear the fighting, and the guards have long since left this wing due to her meddling and Discords play.
Her legs burned from ill-use, and she couldn't quite hold down her panic as the castle predictably stopped shaking, the yelling hushed, and the only thing she heard was the desperate sound of her own hooves.
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This... is worse than I ever thought. Celestia has... regressed or something and she was just plain horrifying.
sweet work, i hope the next chapter comes soon so we can get over this cliffhanger. BTW good to see you back
Like father, like daughter
6305164 i dont think she has regressed, it feels more like the king placed something on her mind in case the humans returned, after all it seems like he only told celestia his stories about humans
6305193 Hm, interesting. I honestly didn't consider it since there wasn't any hints of magical manipulation, at least none I picked up on the first time through.
I reckon she broke.
She loves her father, her father wouldn't hurt a soul.
Her father systematically enslaved an entire race and ordered near xenocide.
She remembered all the stories he used to tell her.
Skeletons broken under hooves and pony weapons doesn't lie.
FATHER WAS A GOOD RULER!
THE KING WAS A TYRANT!
HUMANS WERE NEVER REAL!
I SENT MY BELOVED STUDENT TO FIND A HORDE OF BLOODTHIRSTY MONSTERS!
... humans are less than animals, they have no minds or souls. They must be controlled by whips and caged when not in use.
6305245 to be honest it is too much of a coincidence that when the possibilities of humans being real happens she goes corrupted and hell bent on slaving the and killing anyone who opposes her, pretty sure there where ore reasons for the king to no push further on his pursuits of the humans besides the ocean and the griffons
New Celestia is super creepy
love this story so much!
[youtube=http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S-8pJtTXj3Y]
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/122/243/vuk.jpg
I hope Zachary beats the shit out of Celestia.
i hope he beats the f**king shit out of her
That was unsettling.
So that's what happens when you listen to Megadeth nonstop!
Solar Flare? Burning Sun? Whatever. Nightmare Celestia. Lovely.
Neat.
And this is why putting total faith in someone like Celestia is a very, very bad idea. Even if your demi-god absolute monarch would never, ever abuse their power in any way, in a world where mind raping spells and shape shifters exist, it's all but inevitable that all that good faith will turn around and bite you in the ass one day... that is, if she doesn't just straight up snaps.
I want to see Zachary hulk out on Celestia hardcore mode.
I can see this coming a mile away. Because of Applejack spreading word about the 'murderous Humans' Ponies are going to be willing to fight with Celestia and the old war will start up again. Ponies will become the murderers and the Humans' fears will be realized. I thought this would be a story about Ponies and Humans making peace, not war. I'm done here.
6310963 Not necessarily. They still might be able to reform Celestia before it gets that far.
6310369 that would be beautiful.
Fuck,thats intense
I can't wait for the next update
Gah damn you cliffhanger!!!! Lol
Awesome story!
6305188
I think you may be more right than you know... She was talking about human breeding...but humans left Equestria before she was even born. I think daddy left a bigger piece of himself in her than just twisted bedtime stories about evil humans...
Ok, now that I'm all caught up with this I have one major thing to say...
Find an editor, please? Or at least take the time to do it yourself.
This is a great story, but it's hard to read sometimes because of all the errors.
Well lookie here boy's this crazy pony's more programmed than a freaking computer. Looks like daddys girl celestia was programmed with a failsafe or her pops left a large piece of himself in her.Kid, you've got better programming than our own Deputy Weld.