Chapter 12: In Dungeons Deep
Canterlot Castle
One Hour Until the Coronation
Twilight
It was a beautiful gown, the quality of which Twilight had never seen before. The Lunar Pegasi that had brought it to her and had said it was from the one of the best seamstresses in the Citadel of Stars. It was everything Twilight could have ever looked for in a dress. Silver stars studded the light blue fabric with silver trimming along the hem. Twilight was sure she would have been the belle of the ball if she had ever had the chance to wear this to the Grand Galloping Gala. In addition to the dress, a small obsidian torc with a pink star sapphire hung around her neck.
She was beautiful.
But it wasn’t her.
Twilight sighed and sat down wearily, turning away from the mirror and the mare she didn’t recognize. Her mother had gone earlier to prepare for the final preparations for the coronation, and she had insisted that Twilight stay in her tower. Since then Twilight had done nothing but mull over her situation.
Why was she giving in to Luna’s demands so easily? Twilight knew that she should be focusing on retrieving the Elements and saving her friends. Guilt welled up inside her at how easily she had let her mother send Cadance and Shining to the dungeon. And shame burdened her as she recalled that she had yet to find out her friends’ fate.
Twilight was enlightened enough to realize her conflicting feelings. She knew her friends didn’t deserve to suffer, and that what her mother was doing was wrong.
Was she betraying them? By giving in to Luna’s demands was she neglecting her duty to Equestria? Using the Elements was the only sure way to defeat her mother. Twilight had no guarantee that by letting Luna do these things would Twilight be able to change her mind, and end Eternal Night. Was Twilight being realistic when she thought she could heal the rift between Luna and Celestia after a thousand years of sadness and hatred?
But now…Twilight wanted to deepen her relationship with Luna. She had felt the love Luna had for her, and had grown a little to love her in return. Twilight wanted to know Luna’s past, her dreams, her thoughts, her knowledge, and what made her happy. She wanted to make her mother happy. Was that evil? Night Light and Twilight Velvet, her adoptive parents, could never be replaced, but Twilight wanted to expand her family and know her birth mother more. Was that wrong? Was she making a fatal mistake by hesitating?
Twilight didn’t know.
Her ears flickered towards the door as somepony hesitantly knocked.
Curious, Twilight glanced toward the doorway. “Come in!”
Creaking a little, the doors let in a narrow strip of light as a familiar baby dragon made his way in.
“Twilight? Are you in there?” Spike said timidly. His green eyes traveled around the room as he tried to find her in the darkness.
“Over here Spike.” She lit her horn and the room was bathed in purple light. Twilight watched fondly as her number one assistant waddled over to her.
“Whoa.” Spike said, getting a good look at her dress. “You look just like a princess. All that you lack is the crown.”
Twilight sighed again and avoided looking into Spike’s eyes. “Yeah…my mother wants to present it to me during the coronation.”
She shuffled awkwardly. “Why…What are you doing here?”
“I don’t have much to do with Shining and Cadance in the joint, so I thought I’d come and find you!”
“Oh.”
Spike smiled weakly, and his eyes shifted back and forth rapidly. The poor drake was clearly uncomfortable discussing Cadance and Shining’s situation. Twilight had a nagging suspicion that Spike thought he was next to go, seeing as he was the only one left of the three of them.
“So…” Spike said awkwardly. “You’re going to be a princess?”
“Well…technically I already am, the coronation is just a formality.”
“Ah…O.K.”
The awkwardness of the situation was oppressive, and was obviously smothering their conversation. The elephant in the room, Cadance and Shining’s imprisonment, was doing little but drive a wedge between the two of them.
Twilight returned her stare to the mirror, where the pony she didn’t recognize stared back at her.
What am I doing? This isn’t me.
Making a decision, Twilight knew what needed to be done. She had given Luna too much, it was time to take something back.
Dress up time is over.
“You know what Spike?”
“Uhh…..what?”
Twilight started making her way towards the door. “I think our friends have stayed in the dungeon long enough.”
Spike let out a sigh of relief. “Oh good. I heard the food down there is terrible. And you know what a picky eater Cadance is.” Spike then stopped short and a thoughtful expression crossed over his face. “Hey…you said friends…as in plural…usually you would just say family when talking about Shining or Cadance.” Spike smirked and looked at her smugly. “Did you finally take my advice and made some actual friends?”
Twilight blinked, her magic lingering on the closed doors. She had forgotten that Spike didn’t know that she had made friends with Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie. She turned back to him and smiled a little.
“Yeah…I did, and it’s…kinda nice.” Twilight sighed. “But now they’re in the dungeon, along with Shining and Cadance. I’ve been a fool Spike, I should have been trying to get them out, not playing princess with my mother.”
“Then why did you?” Spike asked, genuinely curious.
Twilight glanced down, an odd mixture of hope and guilt battling within her. “ ‘Cause she’s my mom. And…she doesn’t seem so fierce when she’s with me. I think…just maybe…that I could solve all this without it becoming violent.” Her heart was pounding and her voice caught in her throat. “She…she loves me Spike. I know you, Cadance, and Shining don’t believe me but she does. I can’t just ignore that. I won’t. You’ve only seen her when she’s been on the offensive and commanding, but that’s just a mask. The ‘Nightmare’ is a mask. I’ve seen what’s underneath that. She has compassion, and she feels sadness and fear just like any other pony. And love. I think sometimes we’re too quick to judge ponies for what we’ve been told, and we don’t try to look at it from their point of view.”
“Whoa…that’s deep Twilight.” Spike said in awe. “When did you become such a philosopher?”
“Since I found out that the most haunting legend in Equestria is actually my mother.” Twilight said somberly.
Spike nodded. “You know…Cadance and Shining may not believe you, but I do.”
Twilight’s ears flicked and she looked at Spike hopefully out of the corner of her eye. “Really?” She squeaked.
“Well yeah, I’ve seen you use that ‘Want it, Neet it’ spell when you first found it, when Princess Celestia was teaching you. You know, the one that enchants ponies. You’re not acting like that.” Spike said seriously.
“Thanks.” Said Twilight.
“No problem.” Spike said, waving a claw in dismissal. He reached out to the doors and pushed them open. “So…tell me about these new friends of yours.”
Twilight nodded but eyed the two Lunar Pegasi guards that had been flanking the doors, but now stared at her curiously. “Hold that thought Spike.” She said quietly, Twilight then raised her voice and tried to look as regal as possible. “Don’t worry gentleman.” She told the soldiers primly. “My assistant and I are just going for a short walk to see some friends before the coronation, I’ll be back soon.”
The two soldiers nodded and remained where they were.
As Twilight and Spike made their way to the dungeon, Twilight started formulating a plan. She knew Luna was busy at the moment, so there was a chance she could her new authority to get her friends on a train back to Ponyville before her mother noticed. She knew her friends had been labeled as assassins, but she was pretty sure she could convince the soldiers that they weren’t what they were labeled.
And if that didn’t work, there was always magic.
Twilight wasn’t sure how her mother would react when she discovered that Twilight had released her friends, but she would convince her that they weren’t a threat since Luna already had the Elements.
Cadance and Shining’s situation was more…difficult. It wasn’t going to be easy, but Twilight was determined to get them out, safe and sound.
“So Twilight, who are your friends?” Spike asked as they walked.
Twilight shook her head as she filed away different jail-break scenarios and her mind’s eye drifted over her five new friends. “Ironically Spike, you’ve already met them. Do you remember those five mares on the Princess’s list for the Summer Sun Celebration? The ones that were in charge the various preparations?”
Spike scrunched up his face in thought as he searched his memory. It had only been the equivalent of two days since the celebration, but with all that had gone on it had seemed much longer than that.
“Hmmm…yeah, I think I know who you mean. There was that cowpony, Applesnack I think? She had more relatives than a cow has spots. Then that annoying blue one…Rainbow Smash? Then there was that really pretty pony, Rarity.” Twilight smirked as Spike’s face lit up as if in a daydream at the mention of Rarity. “Oh! And Fluttershy, I liked her, she was so polite and she listened to everything I said. Pinkie Pie was that really hyperactive pony that threw that party in the library. Is that all of them?”
“That’s all of them. Though their names were Applejack and Rainbow Dash. But besides that, you got it right on the mark.” Twilight corrected primly.
“Huh.” Spike said thoughtfully. “You know…from the way you reacted, I would have never thought you would have become friends with them.”
“Chasing down a thousand year old legend that turns out to be your mother tends to do that.”
“Ah.”
Finally, the pair of them stood outside the doors leading to what Twilight assumed was the dungeons. Noctis had told her earlier that the Legion had renovated the old sealed-off dungeons. Since Twilight had grown up here, she knew that this door was new and hadn’t been there before.
Also, the plaque next to it said ‘Dungeon’, along with the four heavily armed soldiers standing in front of it, looking curious at Twilight and Spike. The door was obviously makeshift as it seemed that the entrance had been walled off some time ago. It was wooden with iron studs holding it together. The stone around the door was cracked and broken from the soldiers opening the wall to renovate the long abandoned dungeons.
Twilight pulled back up her ‘princess mask’ and spoke firmly to the soldiers in front of her.
“Please step aside gentleman, my assistant and I are here to inspect the prisoners.”
The four looked on stoically while one of them stepped forward to address her. He had on different markers on his armor than his comrades, so Twilight assumed this was an officer.
“I apologize your highness.” The Lunar Pegasi said sincerely. “But we have strict orders from Commander Noctis to not let anypony through without the proper authority.”
Twilight had thought this might happen, but she smiled inwardly as it was Noctis’s command, and not her mother’s. “Are you saying that your princess doesn’t have the proper authority?”
The Lunar Pegasi subtly shifted, as if uneasy. His ears flicked as he thought it through. Beside him, the other soldiers remained stoically uninvolved.
Twilight decided to provide the proper nudge. “I’m just here to make sure the prisoners accommodations are correct, as well as extract some information from them concerning the Empress’s return.” It was not technically a lie. She did come to check on her friend’s accommodations, but not in the way the soldiers probably expected. If she could, ‘the prisoners’ next accommodations would be their own beds in Ponyville. Also, she wanted to know what her mother had done to them while she had been unconscious from using the Elements of Harmony.
Having come to a decision, the Legion Officer nodded and stepped aside, one of his companions unlocking the door so that they could enter. Without hesitation both Twilight and Spike walked calmly into the…the…
Oh…no…
It was…far worse than anything Twilight had imagined. She knew these dungeons were old, but she had thought it might have been renovated to resemble something close to a standard county jail.
How completely wrong she was.
It was truly, in its essence, a cave fixed with bars and iron doors. The dungeon was literally cut into the hard rock of the mountain. All the normal fixtures of a nice polished floor and smooth walls were replaced with cold and slimy granite. Torches fashioned to the walls only served to highlight the barbaric conditions. Old rusty chains hung from the ceiling, the red-tinted iron failing to gleam in the dim light. Twilight could hear the faintest drip drop of water somewhere in the dungeon, amid the occasional sound of metal chains clanking across the rock.
A few guards loitered around, and Twilight noticed these were not normal Legion Lunar Pegasi but normal looking ponies. One of them, a orange unicorn carrying a bucket that smelled of garbage approached her drunkenly.
“’Scuse me ya’ highness.” He slurred. Twilight sniffed the air daintily as a whiff of the stallion’s breath reached her muzzle. His breath smelled of alcohol. The stallion was drunk off his plot. “Didn’t know that ya grace was gonna bless us dregs ‘ere with ya presence tonight eh?”
Twilight stared, her shock not having worn off yet. She felt numb. Guilty. Shameful. Was this where her friends were? Did she leave her brother and the closest thing she had to a sister at the mercies of drunk stallions?
“Where are the prisoners?” Twilight said quietly. Her voice halting and timid.
But her anger was rising. Slowly. Like the eruption of a volcano.
“Na who cares ‘bout them dumbells.” The unicorn dismissed her question as if unconcerned. Then his voice dropped to a conspiring whisper. “But I tell ya somethin’ ya highness, these Legion folk are de best! Dey put me right to work dey did! Dough I volun…volun…jumped at the opportune’ to join I’s did.”
Twilight appraised the unicorn, surprised a little. “You’re not with the Legion?”
It was clear the unicorn was drunk out of his mind. He had no inhibition whatsoever as to not tell Twilight everything he knew.
“Nope! Me an’ me lads down ‘ere weren’t none too ‘appy with ol’ Celestia runnin things, what wid the prohibition an’ all, so we told dem Legion boys dat we were da resistance.”
“But there is no resistance!” Twilight shouted indignantly.
The unicorn laughed. “Yup! Youse right! But dem Legion folk don’t know dat! Dey were just all too ‘appy to find somepony that dey dought didn’t like the princess. Dey even gave us dis job of watchin an’ interrogatin da prisoners.” He leaned in next to her, and before Twilight could respond, he rubbed flanks with her. “Say ya highness, since it’s ya big night an all, I don’t suppose ya be willin to let me get a piece a dat flank of yours wouldja?”
Twilight gaped at the drunk stallion, shocked beyond belief. But before the stallion could do anything else, or say anything else for that matter, she lit up her horn and struck him violently with a binding spell as well as smothering him with another to put him so sleep. The offending stallion fell to the ground and stayed there unconscious.
“Wuz goin on?” Another stallion mumbled sleepily. He appeared from around a corner with a lantern as he searched out for the source of the noise and rubbed his eyes from waking up. He saw Twilight and the unconscious jailer and his eyes immediately widened in fright.
Twilight panicked.
Without so much as warning, a beam of purple light flew at the stallion and struck him as well, binding his hooves. Then he slammed into the opposite wall from the force of the spell before falling into unconsciousness like his drunk compatriot.
The crash of his body alerted the other jailors that were somewhere else in the dungeon. Two more stallions, a pegasus and a unicorn, came rushing around the corner, far more alert and awake than their compatriots on the floor. They both saw Twilight and gaped in shock at their princess.
“Princess what happened?” The unicorn demanded. His eyes roved about the dungeon as if seeking some other assailant.
Twilight couldn’t believe her dumb luck. They thought somepony else had attacked the other jailors! Quickly taking advantage of their confusion, she walked up to them and lit her horn in another spell.
“Oh, um…nothing!” She released the sleeping spell over the unaware two stallions as they looked about for the other nonexistent assailant. The spell washed over them and the two stallions promptly fell at her feet, giving out loud snores as they fell into the realm of dreams.
Twilight quickly searched the dungeon to see if there were any other jailors. But it seemed like she had already found all of them. Working quickly, she gathered all four of the stallions into a pile and reinforced their bindings, as well as laying over them a more powerful sleep charm. It was obvious that the unicorn was not trained in the magical arts, as he hadn’t even sensed her spell when she cast it.
Spike was still standing where he was, dumfounded by what had taken place. While he looked on, Twilight cast a silencing spell between them and the soldiers on the other side of the doors leading to the dungeon.
“Spike,” Twilight said urgently, concentrating on her spell work. “Look around the dungeon for Cadance, Shining, and my friends.”
“Right!” Spike saluted and scuttled off, peering through cells carved in the walls and in the floors.
Twilight finished casting the spells but didn’t join Spike in looking for her friends. She was trying to figure out what she needed to do next. She couldn’t just let these guards go, that would be disastrous if she wanted to get her friends out with as little confrontation as possible. Twilight could hide them, but four missing guards would arouse too much suspicion. She decided that a memory wipe of Twilight attacking them was probably the best decision. She was just about to begin casting the spell when Spike’s voice cut through the silence.
“Twilight! Over here! It’s Cadance…she doesn’t look too good.”
Twilight dropped what she was doing and immediately scurried over to where Spike was. He was standing silently above one of the cells carved into the floor. An oil lantern hung over the pit and it had iron bars for a lid. Twilight peered down into the darkness and she could barely make out the form of a Cadance-shaped pony with chains attached.
“Cadance?” Twilight said guiltily, pleading that her old foalsitter would respond.
A weak, but relieved voice answered back. “Twilight…is that you?”
Twilight nodded feverishly. “Yes it’s me Cadance.”
“What…What are you doing here?”
Twilight grasped the padlock keeping Cadance locked away with her magic. “I’m here to get you out of course.” She snapped the lock cleanly in half and she wasted no time in opening it up. Twilight hesitated as she thought of how to get to Cadance. If she knew how to use her wings, she would have flapped down.
That reminded her. As soon as she stopped her mother from freezing the world over she was going to ask her to teach her how to fly.
Anyway, Twilight decided she would levitate herself down into the cell using her magic. She would have teleported, but she didn’t want to scare Cadance and the cell was small anyway. Twilight might have lifted Cadance out too but she wanted to get stock of Cadance’s injuries before she jostled her around too much.
Using her magic, Twilight surrounded herself in her purple aura before gently lowering herself into the cistern. When she reached the bottom, her hooves immediately came into contact with something very smelly and squishy.
“Ewww…” Twilight complained. “What is that?”
Cadance snorted weakly. “That’s…my dinner you’re stepping in Twilight. The finest slop Canterlot’s trash bins have to offer.”
Twilight looked Cadance over. It wasn’t pretty. Her wings were still bandaged, but the bandages were soaked with slop and slime. Her back leg, which Luna had broken, had a makeshift splint that was barely adequate. She still had the ring around her horn, and chains were attached to all four legs. Her normally bright pink fur was matted with mud and slop. She looked extremely tired and exhausted, as the bags under her eyes only underlined her exhaustion.
“Oh…oh Cadance…I’m so…so sorry.” Twilight murmered. Ignoring the mess, she wrapped Cadance in a gentle hug, making sure to avoid hurting her broken wings.
“Heh…” Cadance mumbled. “You…You lifted the enchantment? How?”
Twilight shook her head, tears of anger and shame falling down her face. “There was no enchantment Cadance. There never was. But that’s not important right now, Spike and I are here to get you all out.”
Cadance seemed confused, but she was too tired to think clearly and rationally. Twilight carefully detached the chains and then slung Cadance onto her back. Concentrating on her magic, Twilight flashed them up out of the cistern to where Spike was waiting for her. Laying her down gently, Twilight unwrapped her bandages and undid her splint, letting her broken leg fall free. Cadance groaned in pain a little but otherwise remained quiet. The horn ring on Cadance’s horn was different from earlier, so Twilight was able to remove it. Now she could use some healing magic on Cadance. Alicorns were fast healers, unnaturally so. But Cadance would need to heal faster is she was going able to walk out on her own hooves.
“Alright.” Twilight gave Cadance an old bandage to bite down on. Knowing what Twilight was about to do, Cadance nodded and bit down on the bandage. “This might sting a little…just bear with me.”
Healing magic was difficult, and not for the faint of heart. Only higher level mages and trained doctors were taught these spells, and only they could pull them off successfully without damaging the body further. The less dangerous spells merely influenced the body into taking the steps to properly heal. Nudging it in the right direction so to speak. However, what Twilight was about to was one of the more dangerous spells. It dramatically increased the body’s healing process, it was…a little painful since it was unnatural. Celestia had taught Twilight to only use these spells in an emergency, and this definitely clarified as one of those times.
Calming herself, Twilight reached out with her magic to Cadance’s wings and leg. Feeling the broken appendages, Twilight focused her spell and began repairing the bone and knitting the muscle back together.
Cadance groaned in pain as her leg snapped back into place. She then yelped a little as her wings fanned out and began repairing, tears of pain running down her face. Twilight had to admire her courage and strength to endure that. A few months of healing in a couple of seconds was nothing to sneeze at.
Finally, the spell finished and Cadance let out a relieved sigh before falling asleep. Usually, the shock of healing the body like that required lots of bed rest. Cadance had earned her nap.
Twilight padded her back and carefully made sure she was comfortable. “Spike? Watch over her please. She should wake up soon, and I don’t want her to wake up alone. I’m going to go find my brother.”
Spike nodded as he sat down next to Cadance.
Twilight approached the next set of cisterns and peered down into each of them. The first two held nopony but the third held a familiar white unicorn.
“Rarity!” Twilight prompted.
The mentioned mare started from the unexpected call. Peering up at her, the unicorn gasped slightly. “Twilight! Is that you? How in Equestria did you get free?”
Twilight grimaced. She should have realized that her friends would think that she too had been captured by her mother. They didn’t know. She was going to have a lot of explaining to do.
“I’ll explain later. How are you? Are you injured?”
“Well…no. I’m afraid to admit I fainted from sheer fright at gazing at Nightmare Moon’s visage.” Rarity admitted sheepishly. “Have you freed the others?”
“I’ve got Cadance, and I’ll find the others and my brother soon. Just hang on, I’ll get you out in a jiffy.” Using her magic, Twilight broke open Rarity’s prison cell and her chains before teleporting her up to the surface.
“Oh thank goodness!” Rarity exclaimed, already trying to clean the dirt and muck off her coat. “I feel so absolutely filthy! Those rude stallions were so crass and uncivilized. None of them had a shred of decency.” She looked up from dirty white coat to look at Twilight, and an eyebrow floated up into her mane. “Twilight darling, why in Equestria are you wearing such a beautiful dress?”
Twilight wasn’t sure how to explain to her friend that her own mother, who they had tried to use the Elements on, had imprisoned Rarity and was now in the process of making Twilight a princess.
Unfortunately, Rarity was distracted by something else.
Her eyes widened as she took in Twilight’s wings. “Um…Twilight…are those wings on your back?”
Twilight nodded but tried to avoid explaining things right then. She’d rather explain everything when everyone was free, so she only had to do it once.
So, Twilight simply distracted her.
“Yes…yes they are. But that’s not important right now.” Twilight pointed at a hoof behind her at the sleeping Cadance. “Do you think you could watch Cadance while I free the others?”
Sorry Cadance…
Rarity looked at where she was pointing and her eyes bugged at comically. “Is that…Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?!” And with that Rarity shuffled over to sit with Spike to watch Cadance intently, like a filly on Hearth’s Warming Eve waiting for the presents to arrive.
Smiling painfully at Rarity’s enthusiasm, Twilight made her way to the next cistern, where she spied a motionless pink pony at the bottom. Twilight immediately noticed that her usually poofy mane was flat and lifeless.
“Pinkie?”
Pinkie Pie looked up at the sound of her name and saw Twilight. A wide smile immediately lit up her face and her mane poofed back up.
“Twilight! You’re here! Do you have a Get Out of Jail Free Card?” Pinkie asked.
Twilight blinked, taken aback a little. “A…buh…what?”
“You know, from Ponyopoly!”
“Um…no?”
“Oh that’s too bad.” Twilight could only stare as Pinkie reached back into her mane and pulled out a bright yellow card. “Here! You can have mine!”
Twilight stared, unsure as to how to respond. She then shook her head to clear the confusion before opening up the cistern and breaking Pinkie’s chains.
Then…much to Twilight’s absolute confusion…Pinkie bounced from wall to wall of the cistern until she was standing right next to Twilight.
Twilight stared. Again.
Seemingly oblivious to her acrobatics, Pinkie took her yellow card and stuck it in Twilight’s mane. “There you go. Now remember that when you pass Go, you collect two-hundred bits!” And then, without further ado, Pinkie skipped over to join Rarity and Spike.
Twilight stayed there for another moment. Trying to process the enigma called Pinkie Pie.
What…What just happened?
Twilight decided to leave the matter until another time.
Note to self: Study Pinkie Pie
Twilight walked over to the next cistern and peered down into it only to see two angry green eyes stare back at her.
“Twilight Sparkle!” Applejack yelled up at her. ‘Bout time ya showed up! Now move your rump and get me outa here!”
Twilight nodded and immediately smashed open the cell and broke the cowpony’s chains before teleporting her up.
Applejack promptly slapped her old hat back on her head and shook Twilight’s hoof. “Thank ya kindly Twilight. Now tell me what’s going on? Ah’ve been pickin up tidbits of what the guards been talkin ‘bout, and they’ve been talkin ‘bout some daughter of Moony’s they found becomin a princess tonight. Point me in the right direction so ah can go buck the traitor to the moon along with her mama.”
Twilight paled and before she could respond Applejack noticed her wings. Her friend’s jaw dropped open before her lips pulled back in a snarl and she scowled at Twilight.
“Twilight Sparkle.” Applejack said accusingly. “Are those wings on your back?”
“…yes.”
“Do those mean what ah think they mean?”
“…probably.”
“Yah care to explain?”
Twilight knew there was no avoiding this one. She could see the steely glint of accusation in Applejack’s eyes, and knew her friend was struggling between disbelief, confusion, and anger. Twilight tried to look confidant but she wilted a little underneath Applejack’s glare. She decided it would be best to start from the beginning and work her way up.
“Alright, from what I know, Nightmare Moon captured us and brought us to Canterlot Castle, which her army also captured.”
“Army?”
“The 501st Imperial Legion from the Citadel of Stars, a Lunar Pegasi city in the Unicorn Mountains. They and some other legions captured all the major cities of Equestria.”
“Tarnation!” Applejack swore. “That’s not good. What about the Royal Guards?”
Twilight sighed. “Also captured. Nightmare Moon and the 501st captured Princess Cadance and my brother Captain Shining Armor—“
“Your brother’s the Cap’n?” Applejack asked, a little awed.
“Yes. From what I’ve been able to gather, the other Royal Guard garrisons in the rest of Equestria surrendered peacefully after the nobles caved in to Nightmare Moon’s claim on the throne.”
“Hmmm…this isn't sounding good at all.” Applejack pondered. She eyed Twilight’s wings a little. “Tell me how ya got those.”
Twilight took a deep breath, it was time to come clean. “I didn’t ‘get’ them. I was born with them a thousand years ago when Luna, Celestia’s younger sister, gave birth to me a few months before she renamed herself Nightmare Moon and Celestia banished her to the moon.”
…
“…beg pardon?”
Twilight sighed. “I know this is a lot to take in, but please just hear me out before you start throwing punches. I’m Nightmare Moon’s daughter. The princess you heard about from the guards, that’s me. I was born a thousand years ago, but because of some dark magic, Celestia had to use my pegasus and earth pony magic to heal me. I remained in a coma for the next thousand years and I just woke up seventeen years ago. I didn’t find out about any of this until after we confronted her and she revealed that I was her daughter. Now I’m trying to convince her to halt Eternal Night while simultaneously saving all my friends and family.”
The look on Applejack’s face would have been priceless were it not for the seriousness of the situation.
“You sure about that Twi’?” Applejack said in disbelief. “Ah’m known for telling tall tales but yours could reach the moon.”
“Do you think I’m lying?” Twilight snipped back. She was irritated at all the disbelief she was getting from ponies. But on the other hoof, she was curious to see if Applejack, the bearer of the Element of Honesty, could see that she was telling the truth.
The cowpony scrunched up her eyes and stared at her, and Twilight could almost feel like her eyes were scanning her soul for any sign of deception. Applejack seemed to mull over Twilight’s words in her head while she glared at Twilight. Finally, she nodded her head.
“Eeyup. You’re tellin the truth.”
Twilight cocked and eyebrow and looked at Applejack skeptically. “Really? Just like that?”
“Just like dat.”
“Why? How come you believe me? I haven’t even managed to convince my own brother of all this.” Twilight added.
“Whelp,” Applejack snorted. “Ah can tell you’re serious about this, and the thing is Ah can spot a liar from a mile away. Also you’re a terrible liar Twi.’ An’ anyways if anypony can string a yarn that long and keep a straight face they must be tellin the truth.”
“Huh.” Twilight huffed. She didn’t think it was going to be that easy. “So…you’re not mad?”
“At you? Nah.” Applejack dismissed Twilight concern with a wave of a hoof. “Ah know yah had to be in a tight bind with ol’ Nightmare to be willin to dress all fancy for her.”
Twilight deadpanned. “Oh.”
“Now enough talk. What’s the plan?”
“We need to get everyone out first, then we can discuss that.” Twilight told her, moving on to the next cistern, Applejack following close behind.
They both looked down to see an agitated blue pegasus struggling in her chains.
“Just hold on sugercube, we’ll get ya right out.” Applejack yelled down.
“Twilight! Applejack! It’s about damn time!” Rainbow yelled, clearly irritated. “But get me later, Fluttershy’s in the next one over! Get her out first!”
Twilight glanced over at Applejack while she opened up the cell and broke Rainbow’s chains. “I don’t think she’ll be able to fly up without cramping her wings after they’ve been locked up that long. Can you help her?”
“Yah can count on me Twi’!”
“Great, I’ll go get Fluttershy.”
Twilight walked over to the next cistern, which like all the others was sealed off with iron bars and had an oil lantern hanging over it. She peered down into it and sure enough the yellow pegasus was chained up, huddling in a corner of her cell.
“Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy jerked her head up and moved her head back and forth looking for the source of her voice. “T—Twilight? Is that you? Oh please tell me that’s you!”
“Yes it’s me, just hold on it’ll just take a moment to get you out.”
“Oh thank goodness!” Fluttershy cried. “I was so scared! It’s so dark down here!” Fluttershy jerked her head back and forth, looking around her cell. “Where are you? I can’t see you!”
Twilight frowned a little as she broke open the cell. What was she talking about? Fluttershy should have been clearly able to see her with the oil lantern shining above them.
“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked, confused. “I’m right above you!”
Twilight had to admit it was a little dark down there, as she couldn’t fully see Fluttershy’s face. The pegasus looked up above her but she failed to focus in on Twilight.
“No…I…I still can’t see you!” Fluttershy whimpered, obviously distraught. “Where are you?!”
A cold dread started to form in the in the pit of Twilight’s stomach. Without further hesitation Twilight lowered herself into the cell, her horn lighting up the darkness.
Fluttershy was a mess. She was cowering in the slop of the cell, her once beautiful sunshine yellow coat covered in muck and dirt.
Her once pristine wings were brown and several feathers were knocked out of alignment.
As soon as Twilight’s hooves touched the cell floor, Fluttershy jumped as if surprised by the noise. Twilight carefully moved closer until she could finally look at Fluttershy’s face.
What she saw stopped her heart and made her want to vomit as she saw the pale, lifeless orbs that were once her friend’s kind eyes.
Fluttershy…Fluttershy was blind!
Blind!
Twilight had a cold suspicion as to who was responsible, and the thought was the equivalent of a dagger plunging into her heart.
“Fluttershy?” Twilight said carefully. She flinched when her friend whimpered at the proximity of the voice.
“Twilight? Can you please get a light? It’s so dark down here…and I’m scared of the dark.” She whimpered out pitifully.
Twilight didn’t know what she should do. What to say. How could she tell her friend that she was blind?
“Yeah…just—just give me a moment.” Twilight stalled for time, tears already falling down her face. “I’m going to unlatch your chains.” And with an audible click, her chains fell away to the floor.Twilight immediately gathered Fluttershy in a tight hug, trying to still and calm the shaking pegasus.
Twilight had to ask.
But she was afraid of what the answer would be.
“Fluttershy…what was the last thing you saw before you ended up here?”
“Here? Where are we?”
“The dungeons of Canterlot. But please tell me, what was the last thing you saw?”
Fluttershy gulped and her trembling began anew.
“Oh Twilight it was terrible! You were on the floor! And—And I saw her attacking all our friends! I was the only one left! All of you were in pain and I—I panicked!”
“Fluttershy…who was it?” Twilight cried, her heart breaking in two.
But she already knew the answer.
“It—It was Nightmare Moon!”
And Twilight’s heart broke.
She began sobbing pitifully as she hugged Fluttershy. Twilight felt betrayed, deceived, and lied to. How could she do this? How could her mother hurt this kind and innocent pony?
What was she going to tell Fluttershy? How could she tell Fluttershy that she was the daughter of the pony that blinded her?
Twilight hesitantly reached out with her magic to Fluttershy’s eyes, but immediately recoiled.
Dark Magic.
Eyes were such a complex and fragile part of the body. It was a tedious and delicate task to heal eyes with magic. But with Dark Magic also infecting the wound, it was too dangerous to attempt. Dark Magic would immediately try to repulse the healing magic and cause more damage. A skilled mage or doctor would have to first painfully extract all the Dark Magic before attempting to heal the injury. A painful and long process that required the most skilled and practiced to undertake.
And it was beyond Twilight’s skill.
“Oh Fluttershy…I’m so sorry!” Twilight wept. “This is all my fault…I should have tried harder…I should have…” But what should she have done? Should she had tried harder to banish her own mother? Would she have been happier if she hadn’t known?
Was it worth to be ignorant of the truth, if she could have lived in the lies and be happy?
She’ll never know.
Fluttershy still trembled but she scrunched up her blind eyes in confusion. “What? I don’t understand.”
Twilight hugged Fluttershy closer, blinking out sad and angry tears.
She had to tell her.
“Fluttershy…I’m so sorry but…you’re blind.”
“No!” Fluttershy cried, a sound so terrible to hear. “No that can’t be! I can’t be blind! How—how am I supposed to take care of Angel! Or all my furry friends!” She shook and wept in Twilight’s embrace, she struggled blindly to face Twilight with a plea on her lips. “You’re good at magic Twilight! Can’t you fix me! Please! I can’t help anypony else if I can’t see!”
Twilight cried harder at Fluttershy’s begging. Even when brought so low, her friend was still thinking of others. It broke her heart that she couldn’t do what her friend asked. She just didn’t have the skill. Cadance might, as she was more skilled at healing magic, or Celestia, but Twilight didn’t even know if her mentor was alive.
“I’m sorry...” Twilight said quietly. “I can’t. I’m not…I can’t heal you…Maybe one day, but I can’t today. I’m so sorry.”
And that was when Fluttershy broke. She fell limp in Twilight’s hooves and wept, her beautiful tears staining the muck on which they stood. Her cries of pain and hopelessness were torture to hear.
Twilight gathered what little of her courage she had left. She needed to be strong, for Fluttershy, for her friends, for her family. Now was not the time to fall into despair. Now was the time to be strong and courageous.
Hugging Fluttershy closer to her, Twilight teleported them to the top. She slung the still crying Fluttershy onto her back and made her way towards the all the others who were gathering in the center of the dungeon. She noticed that Cadance was awake and that she had freed Shining Armor and the other Royal Guards who had imprisoned. They looked odd and out of place without their armor. Applejack was with Rainbow Dash whose leg was healed, Cadance’s work Twilight presumed, and they both looked with wide eyes at the state Fluttershy was in.
Rainbow approached Twilight as if in a daze, staring at Fluttershy and her eyes the whole while. Her face drawn up in absolute horror.
Twilight knew what was coming.
Rainbow’s face morphed from shock to a raging hatred in less than a second, she snorted and blinked out angry tears as she tensed up and yelled to the heavens.
“Damn you Nightmare Moon!!! If I ever get my hooves on you, you’re going to beg for the moon!!”
Rarity also had tears running down her face as she walked up to Twilight. Without a word, she took Fluttershy from Twilight and carried her away so that Twilight could handle the others.
It was time to act.
Twilight knew what needed to be done. She had been a fool. A blind fool. She still loved her mother, but she couldn’t let that get in the way of what had to be done. All the world was groaning out from underneath her mother’s iron hooves. She had just looked the other way.
No more.
Twilight may be her daughter, but she needed to do what was right. She could no longer blindly accept her mother’s tyranny, for that was what it was.
Did her mother act without reason. No. But that didn’t make what she was doing right. The ponies that had wronged her a thousand years ago were dead. There was no reason to wreak havoc on this scale.
Eternal Night was not the solution, but Twilight was no longer deluded to think that she could convince her mother of that before it was too late and more ponies suffered because of it.
Cadance had been right, Twilight didn’t have time.
The Elements of Harmony were off the table. Twilight couldn’t get to them and her friends were in no shape to face her mother again. And if they did, things for them would only get worse.
Cadance and Shining were almost no better. They were both too beat up and exhausted to face her mother and it would take too long for them to recover to be of any help to the situation. The Royal Guard too was not an option, as the Legion far outnumbered. Twilight also suspected that the Legion might actually be better trained than the Royal Guard, as they had more combat experience.
Twilight, and Twilight alone could end this madness.
She was going to have to rip out her own heart to do it, but Twilight would have to defeat her mother. If she could talk her out of all this she would, in a heartbeat. But Twilight had seen first-hoof that her mother wasn’t being rational. Luna was letting her fear dictate her actions, and fear seldom listened to logic.
Twilight closed her eyes, the last of her tears falling down her face.
I’m sorry mother.
Twilight turned to the gathering of ponies, who were all looking at her. She realized they were looking to her for what to do next as she was the one who had freed them.
A plan formed in her mind. She owed it to her friends to get them out safely. And there was a way she might be able to do that at the same time as confronting her mother.
“Captain Shining Armor?” Twilight asked sharply. Her brother straightened up even though the bruises covering him only showed a small part of his pain. He knew that she only used his title and full name if the situation was dire. “I’m going to create a distraction, and you’re going to take it. It will be enough for you to slip past the soldier garrisoned in the castle. Take your guards, Cadance, and my friends out of Canterlot and to somewhere safe.”
“No way Twilight. I’m not leaving you here.” Shining retorted defiantly.
Cadance also refused to back down. “You can’t do this by yourself.”
“Don’t you think I know that?!” Twilight yelled. “But I can’t do this with you either! None of you are in any kind of shape to face her. She’ll kill you. I can’t live with myself if that happens. I have the element of surprise. She’ll never expect for me to go against her. If she sees you, she’ll be alert and any chance I have of ending this goes south. This is our only option.”
“That’s a bunch of ponyfeathers Twilight!” Rainbow yelled at her. “We weren’t able to beat her together and with the Elements. There’s no way you’re going in there alone! I’m coming with you!”
“No Rainbow Dash.” Twilight commanded firmly. She grasped Rainbow with her hooves and turned her head towards Fluttershy. Twilight knew it was cruel what she was about to do, but it had to be said. “Look at her Rainbow! Fluttershy needs you! Now more than ever. Promise me you and the others will take her and Spike and leave.”
“No—“
“Promise me!!”
Rainbow snorted and struggled as she blinked out tears of frustration. Finally, she took a long hard look at Fluttershy and closed her eyes as she nodded angrily. “I promise!”
Twilight turned to Applejack, she knew that the cowpony could keep them all together and out of harm’s way if necessary. “When you get out, promise me you will stay safe.”
Applejack looked like she wanted to argue, but she knew the futility of that. She took off her hat and nodded solemnly. “I promise.”
“Cadance.” Twilight said next.
“Forget it Twilight. Shining and are aren’t leaving you here.” Cadance said firmly in a voice that rivaled Celestia’s. Cadance’s and Shining’s faces were determined and stubborn to the last. Never wavering and ever brave. Twilight knew without a doubt that they would march into Tarturus with her.
Twilight smiled. It was a bitter and sad thing.
“I know that. So I hope you’ll forgive me for what I do next.”
And then before either of them could react, Twilight sent a twin set of stun spells straight at them. They never stood a chance. Their eyes widened in surprise before the bolts struck them. They were too surprised to react and even then, they had yet to recover enough from their imprisonment to mount an effective defense.
The others gasped in shock at what she did as the princess and her captain fell unconscious to the floor. Before anypony else could react, Twilight turned to the liberated Royal Guard.
“Who’s next in the chain of command?”
A white pegasus stepped forward, the normally stoic guards shocked out of their routine.
“Um…I am. Lieutenant Iron Wings at your service.” He said nervously.
“Excellent Lieutenant. Seeing as Princess Cadance and Captain Armor are both incapacitated, I, Twilight Sparkle, niece and student of Princess Celestia order you to take the both of them out of Canterlot as soon as the opportunity arises.”
“And when will that be ma’am?”
“Here in about ten minutes. The yelling, shrieking, and earthquakes should be a dead give-away.” Twilight said grimly. “In addition to the two of them, you are to escort these five mares and Spike to Ponyville before anything else. Understood?”
“Yes ma’am.”
Twilight turned towards the dungeon exit and the soldier she knew were waiting on the other side of her silencing spell.
“Twilight?”
It was Fluttershy.
She turned back around and looked forlornly at the pegasus, even though she knew Fluttershy couldn’t see it.
“Yes?”
The blind pegasus gulped.
“Is it true? Is Nightmare Moon your mother?”
…
…
“Yes.”
Silence. Dead silence.
Fluttershy tried to turn in Twilight’s direction so she could see her face. Her voice spoke like a thousand shattered hopes.
“Can…can she be saved? Is she redeemable?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight looked at her friend, who was a far better pony than anypony else in this castle.
“I hope so.”
Fluttershy nodded, like that was all that she needed to hear.
“Then go save her.”
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MY HEART!
FLUTTERSHY! NOOOOO!
UGH! I need an update! Like..SOON! xD
Nice. Interesting that Fluttershy should be so kind, considering her predicament. I do have to wonder what it would take for Twilight to wield all of the elements herself. At this point a second successful attempt would be much more effective, but even if she could would Twilight dare to risk the affects of such?
Oh Twilight, you will never understand Pinkie. And poor Fluttershy, at least there is hope.
I honestly can't see Celestia supporting prohibition. I really can't. Even if she does, it's been thousands of years, more than enough time for her to reverse it.
Time's ticking. On an Earth-like planet, the average surface temperature, including all variances such as the arctics, is 17 C/ 54 F. In just one week, that hits freezing...
Bad Idea!
Really? Applejack?
This is going to break their hearts. Both Nightmare and Twilight. Especially Nightmare; she feels so betrayed and angry at the world already.
Stop toying with our emotions!
This feels like a very penultimate chapter. Is this ending soon?
I'm so happy to see this updated, I was getting worried for a minute.
My eyes teared up as I read the scene between Twilight and Fluttershy. So heartbreaking...
And at least Applejack believes Twilight, compared to Cadance and Shining Armor.
It seems that next chapter will feature the greatest mother-daughter argument in the history of mother-daughter arguments.
I have a sneaking suspicion that it will go something like this:
(Just, you know, replace Tirek with Nightmare Moon.)
5368165
nightmare is Luna...if you remember, just an appearance.
Also, if the world were to freeze over from eternal night, it would have happened a long time ago.
Also, Luna better not be either imprisoned or killed whenever this is over.
Some story development but after reading this I feel cheated out of a chapter, not to say it wasn't good it's just, not satisfying as a chapter so plz don't make us wait to long for a chapter. Plz
LOVE IT
hope to read more soon
5368217
Yes, I remember... so?
Actually no. Like I said, it takes time.
FINALLY!!
5368292
a thousand years without the sun...
And I'm pretty sure magic could solve the freezing thing, sorta like how you create fire by magic, or how windigo's cause a forced winter. Not sure exactly how it would work but it's possible.
Different universe ya know?
Ok now we're peachy.
I when I think this can't get any better, you throw this at me, bravo!!
I tip my hat to you good sir and take it as a gift o a well written chapter.
Deep breath in... let it out... deep breath in... Oh my God! I never thought I could be this nervous-cited.
One, A.J. is still boss, good on her for trusting her friend.
Two, Pinkie was adorable, also Twi forgot to collect two hundred bits.
Three, Dashie was awesome as she was obviously more concerned for Flutters than herself.
Four, Rares just made me smile. It was nice to see her with her priorities intact.
Five, Fluttershy better get her revenge... revenge in the form of many hugs from Luna also healed eyes and a puppy.
Six, I am so excited to see what happens next. I imagine it will go a little something like this... "Yo Twilight, are you ready to be crowned princess?" "Heck noes mom. We're going to have a little chat about the level of Pony Hell reserved for unapologetic ponies who made Fluttershy cry... then I'm gonna send you to Pony Hell." "But faithful student, can't you see that we have made amends with our sister? Relax and be a princess now." "Mom? Did you really think you culd trick me with an expertly crafted Celestia Puppettm?" "Well we had hoped."
I'm gonna stop now before I write the entire story for Puppet Celestia and Friends... I'll see you at the next chapter.
Yeah an update!!!
please tell me we get more soon. 
Typos as usual, but also FAR fewer than usual. Either you got this partially edited before posting, or you've gotten better at writing in general since the chapter with seven instances of a single error.
I'll catalogue the errors tomorrow when i have access to a computer and not just a phone.
Ah snap, Luna v.s Twilight incoming...makeameme.org/media/created/LETS-GET-READY.jpg
I knew that Fluttershy's blindness would be the straw that broke the camel's back. And yet, Fluttershy is the one who pities Nightmare the most, and hopes for her redemption. I can foresee how this is going to go:
Nightmare Moon is confronted by Twilight: Arguments ensues, and then a violent battle.
Nightmare overpowers Twilight, and the dark forces controlling Nightmare try to trick her into either killing or brainwashing Twilight.
Nightmare is shocked to see Twilight's friends show up out of the blue: this forces the Elements to activate, escaping the dimension created by Nightmare.
Nightmare is saved, and either all will be well, or a sequel about Nightmare's redemption.
Just a thought.
It is Alive can not wait to read more love this
Reads chapter title
sings"and caverns old"
Applejack's eyes are green.
more please
5368817 Yay, Misty Mountain song from the hobbit
Your alive
Fluttershy had better get her eyes fixed because Fluttershy without her sight is just wrong. 
You broke my Heart with poor Flutters... I was expecting Rainbow to be the injured one, You know, for being brash and Hot-headed.
I'm really excited to see the next chapter, I really don't know how they would fight, I mean, NMM loves Twilight too much to hurt her, same as Twilight, so... HOW?
5368340 If magic could solve it, then why are they worried? And besides, the moon does get sun.
5369473
because ponies fear things in the night? They don't like the dark?
And if it were true in this universe, well twilight is in this universe so, Luna would be concerned about it...
5369495 Luna's not exactly thinking clearly, in case you haven't noticed...
5369523
and? She shows huge concern for twilight...
"Note to self : Study Pinkie Pie" that's not gonna end well.
YOU FUCKING ENDED IT THERE....... STOP BLUE BALLING ME MAAAAN~ so good, I reeaaaaally need the next chapter now, this is one of if not THE greatest Twilight-Luna/Nightmare Fic I have ever read!
5368866 (Bangs forehead against desk and swears violently) "Curse you colorblindness!"
5369615 she did to banish Luna. And we don't know what other dangers that might have arisen before their face off. Heck the two of them could have studied the Elements during those centuries
5369631 yup, Alicorn rage flare incoming.
Feels like filler for some reason
Edit: HAY! I never said it was bad I just said it felt like filler. It's still an awesome chapter and I really want more, I guess I was expecting cute shinanigans, I guess *shrug*
5368817
5368935 I love that song! I was hoping someone would get that reference! Hobbits are awesome! If I could get away with it, I would put a Hobbit pony in the story!
This chapter is wonderfully written :D
Keep up the good work!
/)
I knew fluttershy was blind about 12 chapters ago, but I thought it was the more gory sliced out eyes rather than simply blinded.
Twilight finaly decided to act against her mother,
And lot of things will depend in how the duel develops in the next capter.
will she lose and flee? or maybe get captured, it could even be a draw of some kind too...
The least posible option for me would be That Twi wins the fight , but even if that were to happen
I can't see Twi able to force/convince her mother to release Celestia
5370147
The writing went, "she severed the nerves contacting the eyes to the brain
Also in regard to this story, i find it heartwarming, sad, and dark. :D keep the good work! Perhaps a duel never happens at all.. maybe she explains things to her mother and they (despite mom being NMM) have a mom/daughter talk.
it is looking as if the stage is set for the big battle to come.
5368461
I totally agree. Thats what's going to happen.
Also: NO! FLUTTERSHY!! Fluttershy is such a good caring soul . . . I can't believe, that after all that Nightmare Moon did to her, she's still hoping for her redemption. The villain who is pitied by the hero will never be able to succeed.
I mean, look what happened to good ole' Voldyshorts? Harry pitied him, because he 'would never know love' and then Voldemort got exploded.
At least in the movie.
He still dies in the book though.
I think I'm getting off track . . . Update soon!
5370848 I know, did you see what form Fluttershy's revenge would take? To re-cap. Fluttershy gets hugs from Lune(meaning that Nightmare Moon is defeated and Luna returns) and her eyes are healed... so I guess it's not really revenge and more just hugs from Luna and eyesight restoration which is better. Also I loved that Fluttershy was had so much kindness in her heart that she was concerned for Luna's well being despite what was done to her.
And caverns old.
Hm. I like this, but it's not what I was expecting - not after the buildup of relationship over the last few chapters. Like, this kind of reaction wasn't surprising from Twilight after what she'd seen, but it doesn't feel like what the story was moving towards.
You. Need. TO. WRITE. MORE!
Hmmmmm... I would have preferred a buildup of relationship and twilight eventually convincing nightmare to set her friends free, but you are the author, not me. I am interested to see where this is going.
Give me more...
MORE!!! 
Creator, calm down!
I NEED MORE! GIVE ME MORE!
Here's a rope.
Thanks.