The Taking of Tartarus

by Rakoon1

Cold Loneliness, Part III - The Forgotten Memories

Twilight, Blue and the Generals returned to the Light Kingdom. They went to the nursing room, where Leaf Mane was with Twilight’s friends. Seeing them getting in with Melody weakened, Applejack asked:

"So, how did it go?"

"Nothing good" Twilight answered, motioning to Gleaming Shield that had been rescued after their parents had been frozen.

"Oh my goodness" Fluttershy said. "Does that mean..."

"Yes, the Snow Queen caught my brother and Cadance" Twilight said. "Spike, can you take Gleaming to Star. The nanny can take care of her too."

"Of course, Twilight" Spike replied, receiving Gleaming. "Come on, girl."

The young dragon took the baby alicorn. After they left, Twilight said:

"Melody, I think you'd better go to bed."

"But, Princess, I still can..." she started.

"No, Melody" Twilight said. "Despite the damage to your matrix is indirect, unlike to Leaf Mane’s, you shouldn't make efforts. Please, rest."

Unable to rebut Twilight’s decision, Melody nodded and Purple Smoke took her to one of the beds.

"What happened with Melody?" Rarity asked.

"Ingrid’s magic has affected her matrix" Twilight replied. "I'm afraid this is just the beginning."

"Yes, but, if the Generals fall, the defence of the Light Kingdom will also fall with them" Blue said.

"You don't have to worry about that" Golden Paladin said. "At least with me and Mirror Coat."

"Ingrid’s magic does not affect our magic in the same way as it affects the magic of those who are in direct contact with nature" Mirror Coat explained.

"What are you saying?" Purple Smoke asked, after taking Melody to a bed. "My magic is in direct contact with nature and I'm perfectly fine."

It was then that he gave a big sneeze and, with a small burst of purple smoke, his ears became yellow. He gave another sneeze, creating another explosion of purple smoke, and his tail became shorter and after another one his mane had a style only used by a mare.

"Something tells me you have your powers out of control" Mirror Coat noted.

"I have not" Purple Smoke replied. "It was just some sneezing, nothing more."

But he gave another big sneeze and, after an explosion of purple smoke that covered his whole body, he became a little gray mouse.

"I don't know why, but I think it's a good look for him" Heartbeat commented.

"Oh, I don't know, I think a purple mouse would be much better" Pinkie Pie said.

And Purple Smoke took another sneeze (which sounded squeal because he was a mouse) and his fur turned purple.

"That's better" Pinkie Pie said.

Using his magic, Golden Paladin returned Purple Smoke to his pony form again and told him:

"The fact that ponies are also freezing is disturbing also the magic of their Cutie Marks and how you're connected to the magic of the Cutie Marks…"

"I know, my matrix was also affected, just like Melody’s matrix was" Purple Smoke answered. "I'm going to bed before my cold gets worse."

And, having said this, he advanced to an empty bed.

"I think you should get some rest" said Twilight to Blue. "After what happened."

"I'm fine, Twily" Blue guaranteed. "You don't have to worry about."

"What happen’d tah Blue?" Applejack asked.

"He was grazed by the Snow Queen’s magic when he tried to save me" Twilight replied.

"What?!" everypony asked.

"But why aren't you frozen solid?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Fortunately, Heartbeat managed to break the magic" Twilight explained.

"He still wasn't fully frozen" Heartbeat said. "Besides, it was your love that saved him, Princess Twilight. Love generates enough heat to melt Ingrid’s ice."

"That means you can undo her magic" Rarity said.

"No, I can't" Heartbeat said. "I can only undo it partly or if the process is not complete. Only she can do it.

"But for that, she will have to accept the love back into her cold heart" Golden Paladin said.

"Something that is virtually impossible to happen" Rainbow Dash said.

"Not exactly" Heartbeat said.

That made everypony turn to her.

"What do ya mean?" Applejack asked.

"When Blue saved Twilight, I could feel it" Heartbeat said. "That act somehow messed with her. I felt her emotions vibrating. I think we can get to the reason for her sadness. Probably what drove Princess Celestia and Princess Luna turning their back on Princess Ingrid."

"But I thought this information was sealed" Twilight said.

"And it is" Mirror Coat said. "There is no way to recover, unless the Lord of Order or the princesses allow that."

"Maybe in your library" Heartbeat said. "But maybe we can find the answers in Ingrid’s emotions. After all, emotions are linked to memories."

"Are you saying what you mean?" Golden Paladin asked.

"You bet" Heartbeat said. "It's in the matrix."

In the castle of Canterlot, Ingrid entered in the throne room, where her sisters were, frozen.

"I don't understand!" she exclaimed, sitting on Celestia’s throne. "How can I have fail?!"

She looked at Celestia and then appeared in front of her and said:

"Why?! Why do they do this one for the other?! Why sacrifice themselves like that?!"

But Celestia, being frozen, did not respond. Ingrid turned back and said:

"I won't let them cum with me in this way. I'm going to the Light Kingdom and I will freeze every piece of it. I will cover this world in the silence of my eternal icy winter!"

And, having said this, Ingrid took flight and left the castle, heading south, towards the Light Kingdom.

Seeing this in his mirror, the Lord of Chaos laughed and said:

"That's right, my dear. Go, freeze everything in your way. Freeze the original star seed be and I can rule this world totally and completly."

And he laughed hugely.

In the hallway outside the ward, were Heartbeat, Twilight and Golden Paladin. The Princess asked to the General of Affection:

"Wait, does that mean you're going to use your matrix to find out what happened between Ingrid, Celestia and Luna? Why didn't you say that early?"

"I never thought I could have access to their emotions" Heartbeat said. "After all, Celestia and Luna are frozen and that prevents me from feeling their hearts. Why do you think that my power is weakening because of Ingrid being freezing the hearts of the ponies? About Ingrid, let’s say that the fact that she represses her emotions kept me from me to connect myself emotionally with her, but that all changed."

"How?" Twilight asked.

"I think that had to do with the fact that Prince Blue Sword saved you, Princess Twilight Princess, from Ingrid’s attack" Golden Paladin said.

"That’s right" Heartbeat replied. "Like I said, I felt her emotions vibrating as if Blue’s act of saving Twilight had been a great emotional shock. Her secret is unfreezing her own emotions."

"I see" Twilight said. "This emotional shock allowed you to feel her emotions, which may allow you to connect with her."

"Therefore, it's time to go to my matrix" Heartbeat said. "To my room!"

She tried to use her speed, but when she did it, she just tripped and fell.

"Heartbeat, are you okay?" Twilight asked.

"Yes" she replied, rising up. "But I don't understand. Why have I lost my speed? There was no frozen hearts enough to block my speed."

"I think I can answer that" Mirror said, approaching.

"What do you mean?" Heartbeat asked him.

"Look at this" Mirror Coat said.

He invoked a mirror that showed to Heartbeat something that left her speechless.

"It can't be..." she said.

Twilight looked and saw what Mirror Coat wanted to show a Heartbeat. It was the Oasis of the Heart that was completely covered by a layer of ice that blocked its brightness.

"The oasis of the Heart..." Twilight said, not wanting to believe. "It’s frozen."

"It seems that Ingrid’s power arrived there” Golden Paladin noted.

That seemed to have irritated Heartbeat who said:

"Ok, now this is personal. To my room!"

But then she turned to Golden Paladin and asked him:

"Can you give me a ride? My legs are shorter than yours."

Ingrid flew as fast as she could towards the Light Kingdom. She was already starting to cross the dense forest on Equestria’s southern border, freezing the plants with thorns that it had.

While she flew, Ingrid couldn't resist thinking about what had happened at the Crystal Empire. The way Blue protected Twilight remembered to her what happened hundreds of years ago.

Twilight, Heartbeat and Golden Paladin walked through the hallway towards Heartbeat’s room. The General of Affection was in his older brother’s back who had agreed to give her a ride. While they walked, she kept asking the same question to Golden Paladin:

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"For the umpteenth time, the answer is no" Golden Paladin dsif. "The way from the ward to your room still lasts a few minutes."

"A few minutes?" Heartbeat repeated, not wanting to believe. "How do you handle with walking without speed?"

That made Twilight drop a laugh. Just like Pinkie Pie, Heartbeat always could make her laugh in a serious situation like that.

They arrived at Heartbeat’s room. Upon their arrival, she jumped from Golden Paladin’s back and said:

"Finally, I was beginning to think that we would only arrive in the next century."

"You're welcome" Golden Paladin said, sarcastically.

Heartbeat advanced to the door and opened it. When she entered, Heartbeat was speechless for what she found, as well as Twilight and Golden Paladin. Heartbeat’s room, that always displayed an extremely joyful and colorful air, full of living toys and candy, was shrouded in silence and darkness.

"My room" Heartbeat said. "It's horrible!"

"Heartbeat" Golden Paladin said. "You can get it as soon as we stop Ingrid."

"

You're right" Heartbeat said. "So let's do it."

She advanced to the tapestry with golden ornaments. Twilight always wondered about may be behind it. Using her magic, Heartbeat made the tapestry fall and reveal what it was hiding. It was a huge door, but with no lock and a knob or a handle. Heartbeat passed the tip of her horn along the length of the door and Twilight could hear several clicks, something that wanted to say that the door was unlocking. Finally, the door has been completely unlocked and opened.

"Come on" Heartbeat said to Twilight and Golden Paladin, doing an inviting gesture.

And she came in. Twilight and Golden Paladin followed her and, when they entered, they were stunned by what they were watching that was what appeared to be a gigantic room, where there was a maze full of shelves where in each one were several orbs, black and white, and the last being the ones that were in majority.

"Heartbeat, what is this?" Twilight asked.

"This is the room of my matrix" Heartbeat explained. "Here they are the physical form of the souls of all sentient beings, whether they are bad or good."

"And let me guess" Golden Paladin said. "Your soul is your matrix."

"That's right" Heartbeat answered. "It’s right in the middle of the room. But of course that is well protected by a barrier. Not to mention the fact that the matrix is in the center of the Light Kingdom. So my array is extremely well-protected."

But then they saw some of the white ball freezing.

"Hurry, hurry" Heartbeat said. "I know where Ingrid’s soul is."

She jumped on Golden Paladin’s back and he and Twilight started running, following Heartbeat’s instructions on the way forward. Finally, she told them to stop and, when they did, Heartbeat said, pointing, while getting out from her brother’s back:

"It’s there."

They looked and saw a soul that changed colors between black and white.

"Why is it changing color like that?" Twilight asked.

"It means that her soul is divided" Heartbeat replied. "Even though she is working to the Lord of Chaos, what makes her soul being black, she still has the light of the Lord of Order, what makes her soul being white. It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Yes, indeed, it makes sense" Twilight said. "Heartbeat, do you mind if I go with you?"

"Of course not" Heartbeat replied. "But try not to get away from me when we go in. Normally, the entry into a soul is quite complicated, especially in one like Ingrid’s."

"Okay" Twilight replied. "Do you come with us, Golden Paladin?"

"No, Your Highness" he said. "Unfortunately, I have to stay. I have to pay attention in case of Ingrid attack. Right now, not counting the Light Guard and your friends, there are only Mirror Coat and me to protect the Light Kingdom."

"Very well" said Twilight. "I'm counting on you."

"Don't worry" Golden Paladin said, doing a salute. "I will give my best."

Twilight nodded and then she said to Heartbeat.

"Let's do it, Heartbeat."

"Very well" she said, touching in Twilight with her hoof. "Let's go into the Snow Queen’s soul."

She charged her horn with magic and casted a spell that made her and Twilight shine a reddish glow and then they disappeared.

"Good luck, Princess" Golden Paladin said.

And then he started heading to the exit of the room.

When Twilight gave for herself, she was in the middle of an area where she couldn't distinguish neither the floor nor the ceiling. In fact, she was in the middle of what should be a huge ice storm.

"Hello?" she called. "There is somepony here? Heartbeat, where are you?"

Suddenly, she felt a strong grip on her heart. It was a grip that seemed to stop her from breathing. Her body started to get cold, numb. It seemed that the darkness was taking over her and that Twilight couldn't resist.

It was then that she felt a warm touch touching her on her shoulder. When this happened, the tightening disappeared and Twilight could breathe again and she felt her body recovering the heat it had lost. In addition, the snow that was surrounding her started to slow down to a stop. Twilight saw it was Heartbeat who had touched her.

"I told him to be careful" Heartbeat said. "The entries in a soul are always quite difficult."

"What was that?" Twilight asked. "He looked like it was going to freeze me."

"It was the surface of Ingrid’s soul, where the coldness that covers her heart is" Heartbeat said. "But it doesn't matter now, because we're in. What if we look for the memories we want?"

Twilight noticed then the place where they were. It seemed to be just like the room of the matrix, but, instead of white and black orbs, it had them in five different colors: yellow, blue, purple, green and red. Some had only one color, but others seemed to have two or even three.

"What orbs are these?" Twilight asked.

"Memories" Heartbeat answered. "Each memory is linked to an emotion and every emotion is linked to a different color: yellow for joy, blue for sadness, purple for fear, green for disgust and red for anger."

"Amazing" Twilight said. "So this is the inside of a soul."

"Yes, I know" Heartbeat said. "But we have no time to lose, Princess. We must find what we came for."

"You're right, Heartbeat. Come on."

And the two began to search.

Golden Paladin left the room of Heartbeat’s matrix and the door closed after he came out of her room and, when he did it, Mirror Coat appeared and said:

"Mirror Coat, we have a problem."

"What's the problem?" Golden Paladin asked.

"Ingrid is approaching" Mirror Coat said. "I managed to spot her from the Mirror Realm. I think she comes to finish what she started."

"Well, we have no time to lose" Golden Paladin said. "You and I are the only Generals able to face her now. Prepare the defences. I'll gather the Light Guard."

Mirror Coat waved and walked away. Golden Paladin ran down the hallway to find Blue.

"Prince Blue Sword, I'm so glad to see you" he said.

"What's going on, Golden Paladin?" Blue asked.

"The snow Queen is approaching the Light Kingdom" Golden Paladin said.

"What?"

"There's no time to explain. As Captain of the Light Guard, you will have to gather all the guards you find and go to the border of the dense forest. We must prevent Ingrid to advance."

"Very well" Blue Sword said, mobilizing to go get the guards.

"I just hope we can hold on until Princess Twilight and Heartbeat arrive" Golden Paladin said.

Ingrid was about to reach the Light Kingdom. She began to see the area where everything started to be illuminated.

"It’s there" she said, outlining a frivolous smile. "Finally, the Light Kingdom."

It was then that she hit in something that shot her back.

"What the..." she started.

Advancing a little, she extended a hoof, and then she felt a hard surface. It looked like glass. She realized soon who would be behind that protection.

"Mirror Coat, do you think this is going to stop me?" she asked. "You're quite wrong."

And, having said that, she focused her magic and invoked a huge storm that began to involve the protection around the Light Kingdom. For a while, it looked like it wasn't happening nothing, but then the protection started to freeze and eventually began to crack and shattered into a million pieces.

"Okay, no more setbacks" Ingrid said.

She advanced, but it was then that a magic beam was fired against her, forcing Ingrid to dodge and land. She faced Golden Paladin and Blue Sword, accompanied by the Light Guard and Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who had come to help, while Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were taking care of the Generals affected by the Snow Queen’s magic.

"You're not going to move forward, Ingrid" Golden Paladin said. "This you can believe."

"Don't make me laugh, Golden Paladin" Ingrid said. "You and Mirror Coat may not have been affected by my magic, but that doesn't mean you are stronger than me."

"That's what we're going to see" Golden Paladin said. "Why don't you attack?"

"If that's what you want, so that's what I'm going to do" Ingrid said.

And she prepared to face them all.

In Ingrid’s sould, Twilgiht and Heartbeat were looking for the memory they wanted and then the last said:

"I think I've found it!"

Twilight, when she barely heard this, she went to Heartbeat that was holding with her magic a blue and red orb.

"Is this the one?" Twilight asked.

"I think so" she said. "At least, my empathy power says that. For the color, it’s a sad memory and at the same time has a lot of anger. This means it’s a memory about betrayal."

"It seems to me to be the right one" Twilight said. "Let's see it."

"Very well" Heartbeat said. "Get ready, Princess Twilight. I'll make you see what's inside of this memory."

"I'm ready," she said.

And, with this, Heartbeat concentrated her magic and Twilight shone with a bright red glow and she was absorbed by the orb.

Author's Note:

The idea of the orbs with Ingrid’s memories was taken from the movie Inside Out.