The Disappearance of Pinkamena Diane Pie

by Alubrony

Chapter 5: On This Night

The origami lizard scurried across the floor then started to make its way up the wall to my right. Thanks to the various enchantments I had placed upon it, allowing it to move silently and along any surface, the lizard became an effective spy. Before me was a golden water basin with intricate sun patterns carved along the sides. A subtle blue glow from the water glistened against its edges. Instead of reflecting myself, the water held a view of wooden rafters and cobwebs. The reflection was yet another culmination of my magical studies, as I was able to create an “eye” of sorts on the lizard, which was linked to the water. This allowed me to make observations from the lizard’s point of view, ultimately making it easier to navigate. Though it wasn’t currently active, I had placed another spell which was capable of taking sound and resonating it from the basin.

I smiled down at the basin pleased with my work. Standing, I turned to assess the mess that was my room. Lying everywhere were open books and sheets of paper with hastily written notes. Among the books was a silver plate with a half-eaten salad that Bastion had brought me earlier. I lifted the plate and brought it closer so that I could finish up the remains. After hastily cramming various flowers, carrots, and cherry tomatoes into my mouth, I looked over a few of my notes on the applications of different animals as Saddle Scouts. The three animals Bastion made each presented their own unique uses, and though at first I had assumed the bird would prove most useful, my studies showed me differently. The bird, while agile and able to fly, was harder to control. In order to control it, I would need a more thorough understanding of the phenomenon of flight, and how its wings would react based on changes in wind or speed.

On the other hoof, the lizard was simple to control and, most importantly, stealthy. Once I placed some enhancements to hide the magical presence on it, I was more than positive it would be able to go unnoticed by the sisters. The books around me took on a purplish glow as I carefully lifted them and piled them neatly in one corner of the room. I then gathered my notes together and placed them by the books. Once everything was clean from my previous study session, I sent a small signal to my lizard commanding it to return to the floor and take place by the basin.

“This is it,” I muttered to myself as I made my way to the balcony. I placed my hoof along the golden trim which lined the glass of the large, ornate doors, and was met with a pleasant chill as I pushed them slightly open. Though I prefered the warmth, the rush of night air wasn’t an unwelcome feeling. Opening the door the rest of the way, I stepped out onto the balcony.

My spine tingled slightly as I felt the full chill of the night. Before me laid Equestria in all its beauty. There was a bright three-quarter moon in the sky which blanketed the land with a soft lunar glow. In the distance to my right, I gazed upon rolling hills and snow topped mountains. To my left were the city lights of Canterlot, and even further out, the beginning of the Everfree Forest. Gazing out into the night, I couldn’t help but fear the terrors tonight might hold for me. What if my worries were ill-placed, and Celestia really didn’t know anything? What if she caught me in the act and disowned me? The worst of these fears was the possibility that I’d learn nothing of my pink friend. I turned my eyes to the moon and the sky, hoping that somewhere she was out there looking at the same moon.

“Wherever you are, Pinkie, I’m going to find you. I promise,” I whispered softly into the night. Even though I knew there was no possible way she could hear those words, I hoped wherever she was, she’d feel somewhat better. A silly wish, but it gave me the small satisfaction of feeling that I was helping her rather than going on wild goose chases. While I stood there, thoughtfully staring into the distance, a small breeze crept up, stinging my skin slightly. It crept along my back, giving me goosebumps. A crack interrupted the quiet of night. Startled, I turned my head to find a tiny Discord standing on my back.

“Are you going to tell me what this is all about?” I spoke with venom on my tongue. I’d had enough of these games. Discord turned his head to me, an almost lazy droop to his eyelids.

“Please Twilight, you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you,” he countered stiffly. Something about him was throwing me off. His shoulders seemed to be slumped, as if carrying an unseen weight, and his eyes, though staring straight at me, appeared to be looking right past. It was much the same as the look he’d had on the train this morning.

“Then why are you here?” I asked, my demeanor equally as stiff as I turned my gaze back to the moonlit Equestria.

“There is something I need to be sure of.” I felt a small tingle has he walked along my shoulder to my neck.

“And that is?” I looked back at him.

“I need to know that you trust me, Twilight.”

This time his stare was not looking past me but bored straight into me with a fierce determination. I could almost see flames behind those eyes. To be honest, it frightened me slightly to see somepony as whimsical as Discord have such a rough gleem to their eye. I sat silent, unable to respond. Could I without a doubt say I trusted Discord? Of course I couldn’t. He’d nearly torn apart the only group of friends I’d ever known; all the while turning my world upside down. I doubted that I could ever trust him. But there was definitely a difference between that Discord and this one. He held an air of confidence that, unlike before, conjured a feeling of dependability. Maybe I couldn’t trust the old Discord, but perhaps this one I could.

The silence held for a few moments longer. Discord continued to wait patiently for my response. I, in turn, struggled to give an answer. Finally, I broke the silence.

“I trust you.”

The edges of his lips crept up and he gave a large exhale.

“I’m so gla-”

“However,” I curtly cut him off. Glaring down at the nearly three-inch tall Discord and tensing my neck, I tried my best to appear intimidating. “I have no idea what it is you’re planning, but I will trust you. If you dare betray my trust, I can ensure you, Discord, that you’ll wish you’d stayed a statue.” Discord sat silently. I could feel a small quiver where his feet touched my skin. It seemed I had left my intended mark. Unfortunately, I was unable to fully bask in this moment, for less than a second later Discord had straightened up and once again was carrying his air of confidence.

“Duly noted, Twilight Sparkle. However, I can ensure you that betraying you was not in my agenda,” he amended as he turned his back to me. “Now go, midnight draws nigh.”

He raised his claw, smirked, and snapped. There was a crack followed by a breeze as Discord was blown away like a pillar of sand.

Turning to retire to my room, worry began to weigh heavily in my gut. Discord’s visit, while insightful, only managed to be a bad omen. The twisting in my stomach had returned once again; the twisting I had dubbed “dread.” Tonight would be a turning point: whether for good or bad, I had no idea. As I strolled across the room, I quickly snuffed out each candle. Before long, the room was bathed only in the soft cyan glow of the water basin. Returning to my post alongside the enchanted water, I sat down and lifted the small paper lizard with my magic.

Whatever was to come on this eve, it would all begin with me. I took a deep breath before I ignited the spark which would connect the lizard to myself; as if I was imagining strings connecting the two of us. Just before completing the connection, I found myself faltering. I shook slightly as the weight of the matter came over me. With this plot, I would effectively be betraying my teacher: the pony who taught me so much; who set me on the track of friendship, the track to a happier life. Yet, here she was, an obstacle between me and that life.

Doubts lingered in my head over whether I was wrong to jump to the conclusion that my teacher had simply thrown me under the rug. I bit my lip and tried to clear my thoughts. I needed to remember what this was for. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, my teacher was not without her faults. Bastion’s story had taught me that. She had lied about bloodshed, the likes of which Equestria hadn’t seen for untold centuries. Or, perhaps, just what the Princesses hadn’t let their subjects see. Celestia had a poker face. Countless times I’d been a witness to it. Now was the time I’d call her bluff.

With the connection complete, I slammed my hoof down, causing the lizard to stir to life. It stood up, turning its head left and right, before scurrying into the darkness and out of the room. I kept careful track of its exit before turning to the magical basin. Banisters and cobwebs flew by on the surface of the water as the lizard crawled across the ceiling at a remarkable pace. I turned my head to and fro as I worked its strings. Turning left, then right, the lizard hopped from banister to banister while I guided it through the castle. As it approached the main hall, I slowed its pace bringing it to a stealthy crawl. Finally, it reached the throne room where night court should just be adjourning. Luna sat at the throne, her mane billowing from her magical presence. To each side of her was a Guard, each appearing to be low in rank considering their nearly identical appearance. Before them was a middle-aged earth pony, who had just turned to leave. I assumed he was the last visitor for night court. The mighty golden doors opened, allowing him to exit, then promptly closed behind him.

As soon as the doors were shut the Princess stood up, stretched a hoof out, and opened her mouth wide for what I figured was a loud yawn. Then she turned and began to descend the stairs, turning left for the passage leading to the Princesses’ private quarters; the guards marched at her sides. Spurred to life by my magic, the lizard zipped across the ceiling to catch up with the Princess of The Night. Once I had found a suitable spot just behind the Princess, I reduced its speed once more to keep a careful eye on my prey. The guards kept their heads forward and seemed unable to detect any disturbance, however the Princess’ eyes continually shifted back and forth. Occasionally, she would even turn her head to look behind her. Fortunately, she never appeared to look in my Saddle Scout’s direction, which led me to believe that she was being overly cautious; probably at Celestia’s command. Before long, we had reached a large wooden door with a silver-lined crescent moon carved upon it.

I bit my lip in anticipation. One of my greater concerns was the possibility of magical wards being placed on the entrance to the room that might disrupt or completely disable any magic that crossed it. It was not a difficult magic and was often used during large social events as a way to protect against terrorist acts. Luckily, ward magic was heavily covered during my first few years as Celestia’s pupil and I’d learned a few loopholes. The guards mouthed a few words to the Princess, then continued down the hallway towards the barracks.

Luna gently placed a hoof on the door and pushed it open. As she stepped her first hoof into the doorway her whole body shook as if having cold water dumped on her. This was the sign that I was looking for. There were definitely wards on the room. Quickly recovering, she continued into the bedroom. This was my chance. The lizard took off at my command. Hopping from the ceiling, the wall, and then to the ground, it had reached the doorway before Luna had even set another hoof in the door. Before continuing, I activated the spell allowing me to hear their conversation. The next part would be tricky. Magical limitation wards, such as what I assumed this one would be, had a very particular flaw. As a pony walks through the ward, the ward warps to fit the pony body and adjusts itself as necessary. Once the pony was all the way through, a hole would remain where the pony had been. This hole disappears after a fraction of a second of course, but that’s all I would need.

As Luna stepped another hoof through the door, I tugged the strings connecting me to the lizard and positioned him for a jump. It wouldn’t need to be high, just high enough to reach where her hoof had just been. Luna was almost completely through the door at this point, and just as her last rear hoof had cleared the barrier, the lizard lept. The view in the water basin spun as the lizard curled in midair and spun through the doorway. Finally, the world righted itself once the lizard had landed, unaffected by the ward.

“Yes,” I breathed in satisfaction as a smile crept up my lips. Quickly, I turned the lizard’s head from side to side so that I could observe the room. The room was surprisingly not much larger than my own; however, it was extravagantly furnished. There were two leather-clad chairs in the furthest most corner to my left, and to the right was a large king-sized bed. The linens were a deep azure color, and the frame had silver trim swirling along its bars. To the left of the bed was a doorway to the balcony, which Celestia was standing in front of, glaring out into the darkness. The corners of her mouth were pulled down into a grim frown. Luna, who was standing just in front of me, lifted a hoof up and pulled her head back, shocked at the sight of her sister.

“Sister, what news is this, that you must put wards on our own quarters and wear such a scowl?” she asked, a tone of worry in her voice. Before Celestia could turn her head to reply, I forced the lizard to scurry under the dresser that was just to its right. Celestia sighed before turning to meet her sisters gaze.

“Luna,” she began, stepping closer. “I’m afraid that there is a serious threat to Equestria, perhaps the world.”

I tilted my head quizzically. Threat to the world? I failed to see how Pinkie’s disappearance could be related, but I was pleased to see that my suspicions were not falsely placed. I leaned in closer to the water so that I could hear the words perfectly clear. After all this heartache, I would finally know what happened to Pinkie.

“What? Why have we not heard of this sooner? Is this why the Guard has been rallied?” Luna asked, alarmed.

“I wanted to wait until I knew more about the situation. Also, -” Celestia stopped. For a brief moment, her eyes had glanced right at me. “Luna, may we take this conversation to the garden? I wish to feel the chill of night.” She lifted up one of her mighty wings and gently settled it around her sister. Then, she began to guide her to the balcony while simultaneously throwing the door open with her magic. As soon as Luna had passed through the doorway, Celestia turned and glared at the lizard. Though I knew she couldn’t see me, it felt as if her gaze was piercing right through the water at me.

“I am not so easily fooled, Twilight Sparkle,” she announced as her horn took a soft golden glow. The light in the water basin turned to black. I sat there in the darkness of my room, staring into the dark void of the water basin. I was so close. How did she know? It was as if she’d known the whole time and was simply throwing out tidbits of information to taunt me, mock me even.

“No!” I yelled knocking over the water basin as I stood. “No no no no no no no!”

I continued to scream at the water basin while frantically slamming my hoof down into the water that was spreading across the floor. The water splashed up, wetting my face. Turning around, I lifted my hind legs and bucked the water basin across the room. My anger was boiling over. Not only had I been denied the truth, but the bitch had taken it upon herself to mock me as well. My gaze scoured the room, searching for another object I could unleash my fury on. Then my eyes settled on the balcony. If she thought she could just shoo me off, she was horribly wrong. Lowering my body weight and tensing the muscles in my legs, I took off to the door. The sound of my hooves slamming against the floor reverberated across the room as I threw the door open with my magic.

Suddenly there was a loud crash behind me. I turned my head back to see Bastion storming in through the doorway.

“Twilight, is everything ok?!” he yelled as he galloped into the room. Unfortunately, he was too late, for I had already reached the edge of the balcony. Bending my knees down, I launched myself into the air and over the rail of the balcony.

My stomach lurched as I began to freefall. Cold air stung my eyes as it fiercely whipped around my face and through my mane. My heart was slamming against the walls of my chest. Quickly, I began to draw magic from my body to the tip of my horn. I tried to soothe the violent emotions of fear and rage in my head so I could visualize the spell I intended to cast. With a flash of my horn a large lavender spiral appeared below me. Landing square on my rump, a jolt flew up my spine from the impact before I began to slide down along the spiral. Though the speed of my descent had been reduced largely by the spiral, I was still sliding with more velocity than I felt comfortable with. I whipped around in circles, watched the world spin, and all the while tried to contain my rising urge to puke.

Finally, my ride came to an end as I was flung off the spiral and into the grass. There was an audible thud as I slammed into the ground shoulder-first. I layed there for a few moments catching my breath and trying to ignore the slowly spreading pain in my shoulder. Obviously this had not been one of my brighter moments, but I couldn’t help but feel a little proud of my new-found use for shield spells. Carefully, I began to stand up, one hoof at a time. My head was spinning, and I could taste bile at the back of my throat. Then, before I could catch my breath, I found myself slammed to the ground once again as a large mass barreled into me.

“Ouch… Oh, crap, are you okay, Twilight?” Bastion asked, quickly rolling off of me. Part of me wanted to continue laying there as if I was dead, but time was of the essence. As I shakily rose to my hooves, a shot of pain came from my shoulder, causing me to bite my lip.

“No, no I’m not. But what I am is in a hurry. So, if you don’t mind,” I stated angrily as I brought down the spiraled shield and began to slowly limp towards the main garden.

“Wait! Twilight, what could possibly be going on that you felt the need to jump out a window?” he called as he ran to catch up. I gritted my teeth and sighed audibly enough to where he could understand my aggravation.

“Like I said, in a hurry.” I turned to glare at him before continuing. “Also, don't get me started on jumping out of windows.”

“Ah, well… Okay, you got me there, but can you at least tell me whats going on?” he asked as he strode up next to me. His voice was tinged with worry. Once again, I made sure to sigh audibly. Though I understood completely what his stance was here, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Tonight was not going according to plan at all, and I needed to get to the garden. Though I couldn’t blame Bastion, him being here only gave me a target for my current state. I sat down, then raised my hoof to my chest. I needed to clear my thoughts, not just for Bastion’s sake, but for my own. Rushing in with no plan and an angsty attitude was not going to get me anywhere. After completing Cadence’s breathing exercise, I turned to Bastion with a new attitude.

“Alright, listen, I really can't go into full detail right now, but I’m trying to get information on my friend’s disappearance. If you insist on following me then please just shut up, and do as I say.” Bastion sat there for a few moments before responding with a simple nod.

“Good,” I spoke with a smile, then turned back to the garden. The entrance to the garden was a large arch created from shrubbery that extended into walls which made up the boundaries of the garden. Quickly trotting up to the wall, I hugged the side, inching my way over to the entrance. I turned back to ensure that Bastion was doing the same. He had more or less caught on and was following my steps exactly. Once we’d reach the entrance, I peaked through, taking note of every detail. Directly ahead of me was the famous hedge maze the garden was known for. Along the path to it were several statues of various creatures adorned by flowers. The Princesses were walking along this path and towards the maze.

They didn’t appear to be talking, however I hated having to wait for a chance to get closer. Eventually they made their way into the maze.

“Don’t use any magic,” I whispered as I turned to Bastion. He narrowed his eyes in response.

“Is that suppose to be a joke?” he replied with a snort. I smacked my hoof to my face. Then, calling magic to my horn, I placed a simple spell on the both of us that would hide our magical presences. Of course this was the same spell I’d used to hide the lizard’s presence, but I liked to think that Celestia had simply seen the lizard, rather than admitting the possibility that I failed at magic.

Once the spell was complete, I hurried through the entrance and towards the maze. Making sure I kept my body low and my steps light, I slowly began to follow the sisters through the maze. They both kept completely silent; however, Luna would occasionally look at her sister with what I could only describe as a worried look. Celestia, on the other hoof, kept her eyes straight ahead. The whole situation was extremely fishy to me. I had no doubt that Celestia was aware that I would try again. Hell, she probably already knew I was here. Yet she wasn’t acting. My better conscious told me this was a bad situation, but I had come too far to turn back. Besides, I still had a back up plan.

We kept on trekking through the maze, turning every so often. I’d played in the maze when I was younger, but I’d never managed to get it mapped out in my head. The Princesses, however, seemed to know exactly where they were going. Finally, we approached another large shrub arch, which the Princesses continued to pass through. I raised my hoof to signal Bastion to wait for a few moments to ensure they had moved on from the arch. Then I swayed my hoof forward as I made my way to the entrance, hugging the shrub-covered wall the entire way.

Once we had reached the arch, we pressed ourselves firmly to the side. Then, listening carefully for any sign that they were closer than we had assumed, we carefully inched our heads around the edge. The area was what appeared to be a smaller circular version of the garden outside the maze. In the very center was a large pedestal with nothing on it. It took me a few minutes before I could recognize it as the pedestal Discord had once stood on. Bastion opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a chance Luna’s voice rang out.

“Sister, I have kept quiet as you’ve asked, but now that we are here can you please tell us what it is that troubles you so deeply?” Luna called to her sister with the tone of a worried and confused pony. Celestia met her gaze, keeping the same blank gleam before sighing and letting the facade drop.

“Luna… What I am about to tell you may be hard to hear. But it is undeniably the truth,” she spoke, her face carrying a tired frown. Luna nodded in reply as she took a seat across from her sister. Unconsciously, I held my breath. This was the moment I had been waiting for. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bastion looking up at me from his place just below me as we peaked around the corner. There was a tinge of worry in his eye; whether for me or for this situation I had no idea.

“Very well, do you remember the story Starswirl once told us? About the Council of Six and Eris, The Queen of Chaos?” Celestia asked, narrowing her eyes and leaning in closer to her sister. Luna pulled back immediately, her mouth agape.

“You don't mean Eris has returned, do you sister?! I thought that Starswirl and the Council vanquished her long before we were born?” Luna asked, fervent for answers.

“Contrary to what Starswirl told us, I later discovered from old texts tucked away in the library that Eris was not vanquished. When she realized she was to be defeated, she tore open a gap in space time and vanished,” Celestia replied, then adding on, “and it would be more accurate to say she returned quite some time ago.” Luna cocked her head to this statement, her eyes narrowing.

“What do you mean by this, sister?” she asked, slightly lowering her voice.

“I mean exactly as I say. Eris returned to Equestria soon after I banished Nightmare Moon.” Luna cringed at Celestia’s reply. Apparently some scars hadn’t completely healed. “You see, she came to me roughly two hundred years after the banishment. How long she’d been there before hand I was unsure of, I’ve estimated it to be somewhere around a hundred years. However, when she visited me, she was using the form of a simple earth pony.”

“Wait she approached you directly? As a pony?” Luna stood, practically shouting with surprise.

“Yes, Luna, she came to ask me for a favor,” Celestia replied simply.

“And what favor might that be?” Luna’s voice took its normal volume, and she once again sat down.

“She told me that for the first time in her existence, she’d found a friend. That her friend meant more to her than all of Equestria, and everything beyond its borders. Then, she told me that this friend was now gone, and she feared her heart would once again be poisoned by the chaos that she commanded.” Celestia paused, eyeing her sister before continuing. “So she asked me to seal away her power, so that she might continue to live her life as a pony.”

“So, she’s been living in Equestria as a pony for the past eight hundred years?” Luna responded, looking down at the ground, her eyes shut as if she took some time to process all that she’d heard. My mouth was agape. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Eris was a name I’d run across long ago in what I had thought was simply a bedtime storybook. But what was really driving me crazy was what Celestia was implying. Luna was unaware of Celestia’s and mine conversation from earlier, so she had yet to grasp what dark secret Celestia was letting out. I bit my lip, hoping that somehow this was unrelated, or perhaps the pony in question was not who I thought she was.

“Yes, Luna, Eris has been living here under the guise of Pinkamena Diane Pie, The Element of Laughter.” Luna’s gaze shot up to meet her sister immediately, her mouth hanging open with shock. She didn’t reply, simply sat there staring, unable to respond. I pulled myself back behind the bush. It couldn’t be true, there was no way that Pinkie could be some all-powerful evil from a bedtime story. Yet, it made sense. Pinkie had always been quirky. Her antics and strange abilities to achieve feats that not even a unicorn such as myself could do would be no problem if she was a draconequus in disguise.

Then I started putting all of the pieces together. From what I knew of Pinkie’s history, she had simply shown up in Ponyville one day. Everypony quickly became familiar with her due to her over-the-top friendliness. The story she had fed us was that she was born of the Pie family, which I’d learned was a lie as of yesterday. Though I hated to admit it, what I’d just heard could be the truth. I looked down to the ground and closed my eyes. I’d thought tonight would bring me closer to finding Pinkie, and though I’d learned a great deal more about her, I felt even farther away than I’d began.

“B-but how can a creature as evil as Eris possibly be The Element of Laughter?” I heard Luna ask. She was trying her best to not be yelling, I could hear it in the way her voice quivered.

“Luna, I’m afraid I don't have all the answers yet, but what I do know is that the seal I put on her is breaking. Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t break hundreds of years ago,” Celestia replied, her tone becoming serious. It made sense now. What had driven my friend away was the fear that she would hurt us. Beside me, Bastion sat staring at the Princesses. His eyes were narrowed, and his face was as still as stone.

“What, what do you mean, sister?” Luna’s voice rang out from behind me. I turned my body and once again peaked out from behind the hedge. Luna’s head was cocked as she looked to Celestia.

“I mean that the Chaos inside Eris is much too grand for any seal to contain,” Celestia announced, turning her head to the ground. “When she came to me with her request, I honestly didn’t believe the spell would be able to hold for much more than weeks at best. Yet, it did hold. Something inside Eris allowed her to push back the Chaos that would inevitably poison her heart and bring her back to evil.”

Celestia stood from her position across from Luna and stepped closer to her. Celestia’s eyes held a fire to them I hadn’t seen before.

“Luna, I’ve spent so much time trying to understand what it was that allowed Eris to escape the Chaos’ grasp,” Celestia began as she placed a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “I knew it had something to do with the friend she had made. You could even say that Eris was the one who ignited my interests in the magic of friendship.” She looked away from Luna, staring up at the sky as if the events she spoke of were there among the stars. “Of course, I have yet to fully understand what it is exactly that allows Eris to do so. In any case, that power is failing. According to Twilight, Pinkie has recently disappeared. Her behavior before the disappearance was very erratic and strange. I assume you can guess why.” She returned her gaze to her sister once more, a hard gleam in her eye.

“The seal is breaking, and the Chaos is once again consuming her heart,” Luna responded. She then took in a deep breath and exhaled before continuing. “So what are we going to do about it?” she asked, her voice taking a cold tone.

“I’ve pondered that for some time.” Celestia sighed. “Through my studies in friendship, I thought maybe I could perfect a seal that would completely contain Eris’ power. However, I have turned up nothing. I even released Discord as an experiment to test what power the magic of friendship has over Chaos. And though Discord has been reformed, his motives are still questionable. Needless to say, Eris’ power far surpasses Discord’s, so trying the same with her would be nigh impossible. I played with the idea-”

“Tia, stop.” Luna cut off her sister. “That is not what we asked. What do you actually plan to do?” she spoke with a glare. Celestia met her sister’s stare with a tired expression.

“I believe it would be best for Equestria if we destroyed her before the seal is fully broken,” she admitted firmly, closing her eyes as if fearing her sister’s response. Luna and I’s mouths both dropped immediately. She couldn’t be serious. This was why she’d tried to hide it from me. This was going to be her plan from the beginning. She was never going to help me look. Hel,l she wasn’t even going to try to find another alternative. I felt myself begin to shake as rage began to seep throughout my body. It felt as if I was a pot about to boil over.

“Tia, you can’t be serious?!” Luna gasped in surprise.

“I am completely serious. I have spent hundreds of years trying to find another way, but there is not. Eris must be destroyed,” the Sun Princess declared.

“NO!” My mouth moved on its own, and a second later my body followed suit. Before I knew it, I was standing in the open, glaring at Celestia. I heard rustling behind me where Bastion had stood up to join me. While Luna looked over with a shocked expression, Celestia’s gaze simply wandered over lazily.

“Twilight, you should have stayed in your room,” Celestia advised with the same lazy expression. I almost felt a nerve snap.

“What? While you sit out here and plot ways to kill my best friend? Like hell I should’ve stayed!” I screamed at her. It took great effort to keep myself from launching at her.

“Twilight, I understand that this is difficult for you, but as a Princess I must do what is best for Equestria,” Celestia retorted, stomping her hoof to the ground. Beside her, Luna’s eyes shifted back and forth between us while she bit her lip, unable to speak. I felt my teeth grinding as I only became angrier.

“The good of Equestria, huh? Just like covering up the bloodshed during the changeling invasion was for the good of Equestria? Don’t make me laugh!” I scoffed in response. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Bastion twitch at the mention of Canterlot. Celestia simply narrowed her eyes.

“Well then, Twilight, tell me; how exactly do you plan to stop me?” she asserted, taking a step toward me.

“Sister!” Luna yelled, turning to Celestia. Beside me Bastion looked between us with a surprised expression. I felt bad for dragging him into this, but there was nothing that could be done now.

“Whatever I have to,” I announced, unafraid. Powerful or not, I was not about to let Pinkie get hurt. Celestia remained silent as she stared me down. Then she quickly turned her gaze to Bastion. He lowered his head, unable to meet her eyes.

“Corporal, I should hope your being here doesn’t represent disloyalty to Equestria,” she accused with the voice of a commander. Bastion shuddered.

“N-no, Princess,” he stammered, still keeping his eyes to the ground.

“Good. Then I command you to apprehend Twilight Sparkle under charges of treason,” she ordered swiftly. Bastion’s head snapped up instantly. I narrowed my eyes and stared at my teacher. She gazed back with a cold indifference. It was then that I realized any relationship I once had with her was now dead.

“Sister, please, this is unnecessary,” Luna reasoned, stepping closer to Celestia.

“Luna, you have a duty to Equestria just as I. I will forgive your ignorance since you have not spent the time researching this as I have, but for now hold your tongue,” Celestia lectured her sister. Luna bit her lip before giving me a small helpless glance and backing away. Celestia turned her attention back to Bastion, restating, “Corporal, I believe I just gave you an order.”

Bastion simply stood there, unable to respond. I became worried that he would follow the order of his superior. Yet, part of me wanted him to. It was unfair of me to drag him into this, and it would be even more unfair if I was to ruin his career. However, somewhere inside, I screamed for him to help me. We’d only known each other for a day, but he’d quickly become a good friend of mine. A friend I hoped to keep. Though it was selfish of me, I longed for him to choose me over her. He looked up at me then took a deep breath.

“Princess, I’m afraid I can’t follow that order,” he declared with confidence. A smile quickly formed on my face as I suppressed the urge to give him a big hug. He smiled back at me and gave me a small nod.

“I see,” Celestia began nonchalantly as if she was expecting it. “Then I will have to arrest the both of you myself.” She stepped forward with authority as she stared us down. I felt a cringe in my guts. This was about to happen. I was about to fight the Sun Princess herself. My heart began to slam in my chest as I felt a mixture of fear and excitement. Celestia continued her slow advance. I gritted my teeth as I struggled to think of the proper spell to use. Beside me, Bastion lowered his center of gravity as his horn glowed a bright violet. Luna looked as if she wanted to speak up, but kept her head down.

Suddenly, Celestia expanded her wings. With a great flap she exploded with speed in our direction. I found myself caught off guard and unable to respond. Bastion quickly shoved me to the side before rolling out of the way himself. Celestia’s horn and eyes glowed yellow as a long golden staff appeared at her side. She shoved her hooves in the ground, stopping just beside us. Her staff lurched at her will, smacking me across the cheek faster than I could comprehend. I flew through the air, my body twisting. Hitting the ground with a thump, my head struggled to function after the sudden trauma. Though I tried my best to quickly rise to my feet, my skull throbbed, and there was the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. Behind me Bastion was struggling to hold off the Princess. He had created a magical weapon of his own, a short sword, which he continued to just barely block Celestia’s unrelenting barrage of strikes with.

Celestia stomped her hoof on the ground, causing the ground underneath Bastion to explode, launching him into the air. Celestia quickly rose up to meet him. Her staff almost seemed to bend from the speed of her slamming it across Bastion’s side, hurling him back to the ground. There was a loud smacking sound followed by a puff of dust as Bastion’s body impacted the ground. My legs moved of their own accord as I galloped as hard as I could to where Bastion laid, unmoving. Above me Celestia glared down. She narrowed her eyes as her horn glowed bright. A large beam of pure magical energy erupted from her horn towards me. I shifted my weight trying to roll to the side. I missed being hit by the beam by less than a second but was caught in the resulting explosion, launching me into the air once more. As my body lurched through the air, blackness took my vision.

I opened my eyes, apparently having blacked out. Only a few seconds must have gone by, for Celestia was just landing. My breathing was ragged and my body stung all over. The world would occasionally blur and refocus. I tried pushing myself up with my other hoof, causing my body to explode with pain before I fell back to the ground. Everything felt as if it was moving in slow motion. Celestia made her way over to me. I realized her facial expression hadn’t changed at all. This fight had been nothing to her. We were swept aside like flies.

“Do you see now where you stand?” she challenged me with a confident grin. “Eris is more powerful than you can begin to imagine. I must destroy her now before she regains her former strength.”

“I… I can't let you,” I protested, coughing. “She’s my friend.” Celestia’s expression softened, pitying me. She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off.

“Mine as well, to be afraid.” Discord’s voice resounded as he appeared in a puff of smoke. He was floating in the air in a relaxed sitting position. Celestia gritted her teeth.

“Discord, I wish I could say its lovely to see you,” she stated, a scowl across her face.

“Oh, my dear Celestia, it’s always lovely to see you,” he remarked, giving her a crooked grin. “Unfortunately, this little visit isn’t so much to see you as it is to help her,” he announced, pointing his claw back at me. Discord had come to help me. Yet, as wonderful as the moment was, I was in too much pain to really enjoy it.

“How very considerate of you,” Celestia mocked, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh yes, I’ve quite taken a liking to this friendship thing,” he replied, rolling over in the air until his belly was facing the ground. He’d propped his chin upon his claws and had grown large stylish eyelashes that Rarity would be jealous of. “However, I do have something I’d like to ask,” he spoke, batting his large eyelashes at the princess.

“What might that be?” she queried, her face turning to a scowl.

“Do you like sports?” he asked as a ball cap appeared in his claw, which he then proceeded to firmly plant on his head.

“What does tha-” Before Celestia could even finish her sentence, Discord had snapped his claw, causing a large metal bat to appear. There was an audible thud as the bat impacted Celestia’s side, slinging her body through the air with incredible speed.

“Sister!” Luna screamed as she spread her wings.

“Not so fast there!” Discord bellowed as streams of green and black magical energy began to swirl into a sphere in his palm. He reached back and launched the spiraling mass of energy at Luna with blurring speed. Luna, unable to react fast enough, was caught dead in the chest, causing the sphere to erupt in a deafening explosion. Luna was launched back as dust spread over the garden. The dust clouded my lungs and made every breath sting my throat. I coughed violently as I attempted to stand back up.

A shadow slowly drew closer from the dust. Even though my body ached all over, I forced it to move, assuming a defensive stance. The shadow broke through the cloud, revealing itself to be Discord.

“That was pretty risky facing Celestia like that. Really, Twilight, I thought you were smarter than that,” he jested, stepping closer with a smile. Before I could say anything I golloped over to him and wrapped my hooves around him in a tight hug. I’d never felt so happy to see Discord, nor had I ever been so happy to have him on my side. Discord rolled his eyes but did not attempt to pry me off of him.

“Yes, yes I’m happy to see you, too; however, this battle isn’t over,” he stated, bringing me to my senses. I quickly let go awkwardly.

“Sorry, I just…” I began before he curtly cut me off.

“Its quite alright, we’ll have time to talk later. Right now, you and your little buddy need to get out of here. I’ll hold the Princesses off,” he declared with determination. I found I could only smile and nod as I galloped into the dust to find Bastion. Before I could make it very far, a large gust of wind blew the dust away, almost knocking me over. I looked up to find Celestia making large powerful flaps with her wings. The dust cleared to reveal Discord once again wielding the large metal bat which was slung across his shoulder.

The two of them glared at each other for a long time before finally launching at each other in a burst of speed. I found myself frozen in place as I watched them swirling around in the air, their weapons clashing in a shower of sparks and magical energy. With great effort, I pulled my eyes away from the showdown to continue searching for Bastion. Scanning the area before me, I caught sight of him grudgingly rising to his feet. I galloped over to him. His fur was covered in dirt and there was a small trickle of blood running down his head, but overall he seemed to be okay.

“Bastion, are you alright?” I asked, gently helping him up.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine… just, remind me not to follow you next time you jump out a window,” he replied, coughing. His joke, as stupid as it was, made me smile. I reached out my hooves and pulled him close.

“Thank you.” Those words came straight from the heart. In response he raised one of his hooves and draped it around my shoulder.

“No problem, but we’ve gotta move,” he announced, pulling away from my hug. I turned back to see that Luna was once again on her feet. Her eyes and horn were glowing with a brilliant blue as the remnants of dust in the air began to swirl around her, faster and faster. Whatever she was about to do, it couldn't be good.

"Discord loo-!" I started to yell but my words were lost in the deafening sound of Luna's attack. A huge burst of magical energy had erupted from her horn, sending a shockwave across the gardens that nearly knocked me off my feet. The world ignited with blue as the beam shot through the air towards the two godlike figures who were battling it out. Celestia reacted instantaneously, slamming her staff against Discord's head before tucking in her wings and spiraling out of the way of her sister's attack. The blast of energy tore through the area where Celestia had just been, consuming Discord in its sapphire shine before continuing through the sky, ripping clouds apart in its wake.

As the energy began to dissipate and the world once again descended into the darkness of night, I felt a lump in my throat that was a scream I could not let out. A shadow hurdled towards the ground from the spot Discord had just been. I tried to run to where the shadow had landed, but was quickly stopped by the sudden jolt of pain from my mane being pulled. Digging my hooves into the ground, I tried to fight the pulling as hard as I could.

"Twilight, stop this, we need to get out of here!" Bastion yelled through his mouth full of hair.

"Let me go, Bastion, I have to help him!" I cried, fighting back desperately.

"He did this so we could escape. We have to go. Now!" He reasoned, tugging me back. My hooves gave out, causing me to slip onto the ground.

"I can't leave him, Bastion!" I screamed in response. I knew I was being unreasonable, but the idea of leaving another friend behind shook me to my core.

"GO, TWILIGHT!" Discord's voice roared over the land. My eyes snapped up instantly to find Discord slowly rising to his feet. His mane was singed, and he had large smoldering areas across his body, yet his gaze held no weakness. He glared at the two princesses who had once again taken fighting stances. He looked away, back to me, and flashed one of his quirky grins. "Go now, Twilight. I won't go down so easy."

With every encounter I'd had with Discord, I'd struggled with knowing whether he was speaking truth or lie. This was the first time that I was certain he'd just lied. Bastion let go of my mane and nudged me with his muzzle.

"Come on, Twilight, let's get out of here," he spoke softly. I could only nod in response. Turning away from Discord, I dearly hoped I would see him again. From behind me, I once again heard the clashes of battle. Closing my eyes, I searched my memory for the spell I'd made in case things had turned sour. Energy surged up to my horn as I opened my eyes. A purple flame shot forth from my horn and slowly began to swirl around us. Dragon fire, I had found had many more uses than simply sending letters. Suddenly intense pain seared through my body. I tried to scream but found I couldn't as my flesh dripped away. Then there was a large tug causing my stomach to lurch. I felt my body twisting and turning through impossible shapes.

Finally, the searing pain subsided as my body regained its shape. There was a loud thud as my back impacted what felt like dirt. I opened my eyes to see the night sky shrouded by dense trees. My vision was blurry and I was exhausted. Slowly, my eyelids started to drift shut, but not before I found six familiar faces in my field of vision. A smile found my face and then the world went dark.

Comments

[Snow123]

And... Tyrant-memes. *sad sigh* Such hope, dashed away, it seems, for a conspiracy story without Celestia being a backstabber.

[Alubrony]

5476345 Sorry to have disappointed you.

*Spoilers*
Though to be fair Celestia is not really a tyrant. She gave one of the most powerful villains Equestria had known a chance to live in Equestria as a pony and spent 800 years trying to find a way to permanently seal away the chaos in Eris. However due to the recent disappearance and such she no longer had all the time in the world to research this and had to act on split decisions to do what was best for the country. She may not want to have to destroy Eris, but she has very little other choice. Just as when she had to Banish Luna. I will admit that the story portrays her as a evil figure but the story is also through Twilight eyes who is feeling hurt and deceived by one of the ponies she trusted most.

[Xion_Stellar]

I like this story so far so I will be tracking it.

[Basic Information]

Twilight got dusted... Man this is a good story, I wish to see future updates one day.

[Perfectly Insane]

How come you haven't continued this?

[78_Percent_Eggs]

TROLOLOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOLOL THEYRE BOTH TROLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

IMA GNAW THEIR BLOODY ARMS OF AND THROWUM DOWN THE FREAKING WELL, YA LITTLE BEEP BEEEP BEEEP GO TO BEEEEEEEP HELL BEFORE I BEEEEEEEEEPPPPPP[PPPPPPPPPPP THE BEEEEEEEP OUT OF THEM

[RebelNarrator45]

Oh lord...Twilight just fought Celestia...
Twilight just fought Celestia.
Twilight...just...fought...Celestia!

My world just crashed around my ears and came to an end.
Twilight...Celestia...fought...oh my lord....

[Perfectly Insane]

Do you ever intend to continue this?

[Specially Trained Derp]

Cancelled, a true shame. Was really enjoying it.