Tamed

by PiercingZen

Chapter 14 - Power Corrupts Absolutely

Act 3

Chapter 14 – Power Corrupts Absolutely

*****

Harmful acts always feel correct when justified. In the name of someone, to protect those you love, to punish for a horrible act, or to prove your dominance…of course, we never see beyond the veil of our own actions…how our own actions spawn more justifications…to spread like wildfire the very thing we strive to undermine and suppress. This, however, is a necessary evil…to sustain the order of everything we know…we must continue this malicious cycle…until the day we die.

*****

Abysmal…pure awfulness…

“Spike, your painting looks…very nice. Where did you learn how to do it?”

“I taught myself, Twilight…and I also took a couple pointers from some of these books.”

A painting of Rarity…so elegant. Her face was almost spot on, but the rest…could use some work. “It has some good points, but you need to work on it a little.”

“What do you mean?” Spike gave her a woeful look.

“U-Uhh…nothing! I’m sure you’ll improve with practice!” She looked away embarrassed, but she tried to change the subject. “Spike, I need to go Canterlot on the weekend. I have to talk to Princess Celestia about the nature of the Elements of Harmony…I’ve always wondered who the previous element users were…if there were any.”

“Couldn’t you just write her the question?”

Twilight’s eye twitched.

…

“Luna?” An oxford blue filly asked. “Don’t you ever feel betrayed?”

“What do you mean, child? You will also address me as Princess Luna!”

“Oh…sorry. Princess Luna…do you ever feel the night has always been the lesser than the day? That all life seeks to shun the night for its gloominess? That Equestria always fears the coming of the moon?”

“I…do have some suspicions…”

…

“Sister, I demand you give the night a greater purpose! Why is it that Equestria sleeps through my time of glory?!”

“Luna, you must calm yourself. Everypony appreciates the cool and quiet moments of the night as does all life. Your role is just as important as mine…you must understand this.”

“But I…” Luna sighed. “Perhaps…”

“No!” The oxford blue filly jumped in from hiding. “You need to give Princess Luna the respect she rightfully deserves, Celestia!”

“Who…who is this, Luna? A…an alicorn filly?!”

“Sister! I can explain!”

…

Deeply bound in the harsher stages of regret…a thousand years to silently wait…to see my mother…

“You see, Night Mare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the...the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of...magic!”

Crushed…curse you, Twilight Sparkle. Midnight wept. I just wanted to see her again!

She’s not dead, Midnight! Visit her in Canterlot! Why are you so upset?

I’m tired of you...just go away…

…

“Father?”

“Yes yes. What is it?”

“Why can’t I use magic?”

He sighs. “Not again…I told you a thousand times! Your mother sealed your power!”

“Why?”

“To protect you! Her sister has some freaky way of detecting magic from alicorns. If she were to find out, she’d destroy us both!”

The filly sighed. “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea…I wish I was dead…”

“Hm…interesting…come, child. I want to show you something.”

…

“How…how am I alive?”

“There…now without that silly horn. There’s nothing holding you back! Wreak chaos in my name, sweetie! Enjoy it!”

…

It worked…Celestia couldn’t sense it…my horn was gone…but I felt dead. Nothing felt warm and everything looked grey and dreary. I could use magic…but at what cost?

“All right, ladies, let's show him what friendship can do!”

Again…what do you have against me? What does the world have against me?

He was going to change the world as we know it! Nopony could sit back and let him continue his evil!

Evil…it’s the word I’d use to describe you…and your friends. I hate you…I hate you so much! I don’t just want you dead…I want you to feel the thousand years of pain I’ve suffered! Always hiding! Always trying to eke out a living as a normal pegasus! I just wanted to be by my mother’s side!

…

A large, endless white room. I don’t see anypony here…wait. I see somepony…

Twilight walked straight towards a white column and behind it was an oxford blue filly. As she approached her, the column transformed into a tree, in the distance a village erupted into view, and Twilight found herself on a hill with the filly. “Oh! Hello, there. What’s your name?”

The filly sniffled…it looks like she’s been crying for hours. She wiped away her tears and stood up. “I-I’m Midnight Sun, the honorable daughter of the great Princess Luna! You shall address me as Princess Sun!”

Twilight giggled and sat down to be level with the filly. “Wow! I’ve never been in the presence of royalty before! Well, Princess Sun…why are you crying?”

She’s so adorable…I wonder where her parents are…

“I wasn’t crying! I was…practicing my drama act! For when my lovely prince comes and takes me away from this place!”

“Oh? Hehe. I think you are a very convincing damsel in distress. Now…where do you live, Midnight?”

“It’s Princess Sun, and I live in Canterlot! Haven’t you been listening? I’m Princess Luna’s pride and joy!”

“Honey…Princess Luna? It sounds like somepony’s been reading too many books.”

Boom!

The two ponies gasped. Twilight turned to look…some kind of crazy colored shockwave. The filly squealed, “What is that?!”

“I don’t know. But it’s so beautif…Ah!!” Twilight put a hoof to her forehead. A sharp, irresistible pain pierced her head. She screamed as she heard a crack and part of her horn fell silently to the ground. The pain went away almost instantly…she stared for a long time down at the broken piece of horn…she began to feel cold…her thoughts began to slip away from her…her emotions and feelings jaded. She gasped as she looked back up. “Rainbow Dash?”

Everything was now pitch black and nothing felt familiar, but nothing felt frightening either. All the fire and passion in her soul doused with darkness as her eyes glazed over and her heart beat slower.

Now there’s nothing to hold me back…I’ll do what I must…to fulfill your final wishes, Twilight Sparkle. It’s time to wake up…

*****

At the library…

“So hold on a minute!” Spike interrupted Scootaloo as she was trying to relay to him the message Rainbow had given her. “You want me to send a letter to Princess Celestia to send royal guards to Ponyville…because of a rogue pegasus? And that pegasus turned Twilight to stone…and Rainbow Dash is now looking for said pegasus in Cloudsdale?”

“Exactly! I can even tell you where they’re staying! Please! You have to get her to help Twilight! It’s made Rainbow so sad! I can’t stand to see her like that!” The filly hopped up and down.

Spike turned and scratched the back of his head. “I dunno…I’m almost positive this is some sort of prank on me.”

“It’s not! Honest!! I…” She looked at the ground to think. “…I even did a Pinkie Promise to her to tell the truth!”

The dragon gasped. “A Pinkie Promise?! Well, why didn’t you say so in the first place?” The dragon pulled out a scroll and quill from seemingly nowhere and began writing. “Okay! Repeat everything you told me again so I get this to her right away!”

The front door busted open as two fillies and four mares poured into the library.

“Scoot! We brought them just like you asked!” Sweetie Belle and Applebloom rushed up to her.

“I heard the news! It’s simply awful!” Rarity zipped up to the rest. “Please tell me that Twilight and Rainbow are okay!”

“Well, uh…” Scootaloo started.

“What’s this all about anyhow?” Applejack interrupted. “Sweet Apple Acres ain’t a stone’s throw walk now.”

“Okay, I’m gonna tell everypony. Tw…”

“Wait!” Pinkie Pie interrupted her again. “Don’t tell me! Twilight and Rainbow are secretly…” Everypony stared at her as she paused. “Celestia’s personal hitmares!” Everypony groaned. “Tell me I’m close!”

Scoot sighed. “You couldn’t be farther from it. What I was trying to tell you all…”

It was Fluttershy’s turn, “Oh, I really hope that this isn’t…” Scootaloo glared at her. “Oh! Sorry…” She blushed and cowered away.

“Come on, guys!” Spike was busy writing what he remembered. “I need Scootaloo to tell me everything so I can send this to Princess Celestia!” They all calmed down and grew quiet.

“Thanks, Spike…now listen carefully. Rainbow and Twilight are in big trouble!” The filly began explain the whole story…not leaving out a single detail of her time with the two mares except for their relationship. Scoot didn’t really see any point in telling them about that. She told them about Rainbow attending classes, Midnight Sun, and Twilight’s death. The mares had varied reactions ranging from Rarity fainting to Fluttershy crying. Even the fillies shed a tear or two.

“This is an outrage!” Rarity yelled. “Midnight Sun must be destroyed!” She slammed a hoof to the ground.

“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie was play fighting against thin air. “We should go to Cloudsdale and teach that two-faced pony a lesson in pain!”

Scootaloo stopped them all. “No, you can’t! Dash told me you can’t. She said she doesn’t want anypony else to be hurt!”

Applejack scoffed. “Scoot, Rainbow’s a hot-head…does she really think we’ll allow her to fight this battle on her own?”

Fluttershy approached the orange pony, “You’re all forgetting one thing!”

“Yeah?! And what’s that?” Applejack’s dominant tone causing the poor pegasus to cower.

“She’s in Cloudsdale…we don’t have the balloon and I’m the only pegasus here…”

Scootaloo stomped a hoof. “Hey, don’t forget about me!”

“Oh, now hold on there, you two!” Applejack stopped them both. “I’m not allowing a filly and a scaredy-pony into Cloudsdale with that dangerous pony running amok! No way no how!”

Rarity let out a whine. “Then what can we do? I’ve never felt so powerless!”

“We just have to trust Rainbow…” Scootaloo hung her head. “…and hope Celestia can find a way to save them both.”

“And I just finished the letter.” Spike rolled up the scroll and looked at everypony. All of them looked worried and uneasy. He glanced back at the letter to the golden seal. “I hope this works…for Twilight’s sake.”

*****

Rainbow Dash flies through the front door of her house in Cloudsdale and crashes into the staircase. Her eyes were still glowing and she climbed to her hooves. She began to angrily buck the walls and various objects within her reach. She stomped the ground repeatedly and yelled. “Screw everypony!” She kicked the front door shut. Her glow faded away and she collapsed to the ground. “Screw the Wonderbolts! Midnight Sun! My wings! Ponyville! Cloudsdale! Screw Equestria!” Tears fell from her eyes as she pounded at the floor.

After a few moments, Dash calmed down exhausted from her rage. “What do I do now?” She whispered. “Where do I go from here?” She buried her face in her hooves. “I’ve lost everything…” She sniffed. “How can I show my face to anypony? I really am a fake…”

Crash! Dash gasped and looked up. She heard something break on the second floor. Midnight?! She wouldn’t dare come back! She got up and ran upstairs to her room. She opened the door and looked inside. Another gasp, “Where’s Twilight?” She eyed the empty bed and ran up to it. She looked under and around the bed. “Oh no! She didn’t…fall off did she?” She began to leave the room to go check when she heard some more rustling behind her. “Who’s there?!” She whipped her head around.

Something emerged from the little fort of books in the corner of the room…something she’d never thought she’d see…

“T-Twilight?!” Dash felt a simultaneous rush of happiness and horror. Twilight looked very different…she had a strange, magical, transparent orb around her, her eyes were glowing white, and sparks were flying out where her now fully broken horn used to be. “W-What happened to you?!”

Twilight didn’t respond. She walked very slowly towards Rainbow in a zombie-like daze. It looked like she had trouble walking as if she hadn’t done so in a long time. The unicorn stopped a few meters away from the pegasus and slowly sat down.

“I-I can’t believe it! You’re…alive! Midnight said you couldn’t come back!” She smiled as tears streamed down her cheeks. “I knew she was wrong!” She approached the mare for an embrace when orb around the unicorn repulsed Dash backward. The pegasus let out a tiny scream as the orb also shocked her. “Ow! What was that for?! Twi? It’s me!” The pegasus climbed back to her hooves.

Twilight hadn’t budged. Her eyes were constantly fixed on the pegasus but she refused to say anything. In addition to being shocked, Dash also felt chilly after touching the orb…a very familiar chill. “Twilight? What’s wrong with you? Why won’t you say anything to me?” Dash approached her again, but more carefully. She poked the orb with a hoof and received another shock for it. “Ow!” Dash’s heart sank. “I don’t understand what’s going on! Twilight say something to me!” There was still no response. “Anything!” Rainbow was getting frustrated. “Please!!”

After a few silent, but painful moments, Twilight slowly stood and walked over to the window. She looked out the window for a few moments, and then looked back at Rainbow.

“What is it?” The pegasus joined the mare next to the window and looked out. There was some sort of commotion in Cloudsdale. A group of pegasi were flying towards the house. Why are they coming over here? “I don’t know who they are, Twi. I’m not sure what’s going on.” She looked at the unicorn who only stared coldly at her. “Stop…staring at me…please…” Dash looked away as Twilight didn’t oblige her.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Dash jumped as she heard somepony banging on the front door. She hurried outside the room and stared at the front door from atop the stairs. Rainbow could hear yelling from the other side. “Rainbow Dash! This is the Cloudsdale Guard! You are to come quietly!”

Why are the Cloudsdale Guard here? She retreated back into her room and closed the door behind her. “Twilight! They’re here for me! What should I do?!” Twilight had no response for the mare. Dash groaned and approached the window. “Let’s get out of here! We can outrun them!” She opened the window and crouched down. “Just climb on my back!” The unicorn just stared at her. “Hurry! Come on!”

Crash! The pegasi kicked the front door down and Dash could hear them moving around. “Please, Twi…” She whispered. “I don’t know why they want me…but I don’t want to stick around to find out! Let’s go back to Ponyville…let’s just forget we ever came here! You’re alive…if there’s anything I wanted more than becoming a Wonderbolt…it was just to be with you. I’m sorry I got so distracted…so determined to become my dream. But it’s okay now! Climb on my back…and we’ll be reading books and eating sandwiches with Spike back in the library!”

Nothing…Twilight just remained motionless and emotionless. The mare Dash knew for the better part of her life…was gone. What stood in front of her was nothing more than a husk…some kind of magical being she couldn’t even recognize. “Twilight?” Dash sank to the ground and began to sob. “Answer me…say you love me…tell me how much you missed me…I missed you….I still miss you!” She could hear ponies climbing the staircase. “I’m sorry! Isn’t that enough?! Won’t you forgive me?!”

“Rainbow Dash! Don’t move!” Several pegasi entered the room and surrounded the two ponies. “You are wanted for the murder of the pegasus Grinder!”

Dash’s ears perked up and she turned her head. “Grinder? I didn’t kill him!” She yelled in between sobs. He’s dead? Zephyr said he was all right…no…could it have been Midnight?

“You can tell that to the Canterlot Court!” The pegasi began to close on her. They were aware she was dangerous and were extremely cautious. Rainbow stood up and spread her wings. They all backed off. “We said don’t move! You can’t take on all of us!”

“I told you! I didn’t kill him! You are looking for the wrong pony! You should be looking for Midnight Sun!”

“Two witnesses put you at the scene where you fatally injured the pegasus! You can’t wiggle your way out of this one, Rainbow Dash!”

Dash hung her head and closed her eyes…she considered defeat. She had caused nothing but trouble ever since she lost her wings. I can’t seem to do anything right…maybe I should be locked up…I’m worse than Nightmare Moon…worse than Midnight…no…never worse than that wretch! Dammit, Twilight! I wish you could just teleport us out of here already!

Suddenly, Dash felt something pull her…she felt her whole body being squeezed by some sort of force. It was extremely painful but it only lasted for a second. She let out a yelp and opened her eyes.

The pegasi…they were gone…in fact…she wasn’t even in the same place. “What the…?” She looked around. I’m…home?! She saw Twilight standing next to her. Rainbow smiled and started to laugh. “You…you heard me, didn’t you?! You teleported us away!” She hopped around the unicorn, being careful to avoid the orb. “Yesyesyesyesyes! So you are still in there somewhere! Say something!” Dash was being a bit too hopeful…as Twilight remained deathly silent.

Rainbow’s enthusiasm died quickly. “Curses!” She stomped a hoof and sighed. “At least, we’re out of there, right? Now maybe we can find a way to turn you back to the egghead I love.” She stared into Twilight’s eyes. “There has to be a way…”

*****

“What a crazy day!” Applebloom and the two other crusaders had left the library and were returning to their everyday antics.

“You’re telling me!” Sweetie Belle groaned. “You have no idea how much of a drama queen my sister is!”

Scootaloo chuckled and pulled the two fillies into a hug. “Ah…I’m so glad to be back.”

“Oh, yeah…” Sweetie glared at the filly. “You never told us why you ditched us at the library and joined those two to Cloudsdale.”

Scootaloo smiled sheepishly and let go of them. She began to sweat. “Well, uh…you see…

Applebloom interrupted her, “Yeah…you didn’t even tell us y’all were leaving! How could ya just go out’n abandon us like that?”

“You see, I just…”

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders should always stick together!” Sweetie stomped a hoof.

“Okay! Okay!” Scootaloo yelled and took flight, hovering above the two ponies. The fillies gasped…they had never seen her fly before.

“Scoot?! Are you flying?” The two said simultaneously.

Scootaloo looked around herself and smiled. “Well, duh! What does it look like I’m doing?” She boasted as she puffed out her chest. Scootaloo flew in circles around the two and did a small loop-de-loop.

“Woah!” They were impressed. “Who taught you?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“The one and only Rainbow Dash, of course.” The filly looked back at her flank. “I didn’t get a cutie mark from it though. So I guess I’m still a Crusader after all.” She landed and approached her friends. “I’m sorry I left you guys…can you forgive me?” She hung her head.

“Hm…I don’t know…what do you think, Applebloom?” Sweetie grinned at the orange filly.

“I think we can forgive’er…under one condition.” Applebloom grinned as well. The pegasus gulped and took a step back.

“And what condition is that?” Scoot chuckled nervously. Before they gave an answer, the two fillies tackled her to the ground.

In unison, “Cutie Mark Crusader Pegasus Ticklers!” Hooves began poking and tickling Scoot’s sides and belly. She began to giggle and toss around frantically trying to escape.

“No! No! Stop! Uncle! Uncle!!” She burst into laughter and shut her eyes tightly as she began to tear up. After a few seconds, the tickle torture stopped and there was an awkward silence. Her laughing died slowly and she was breathing heavily. “Guys?” She peeked with her left eye…then both opened followed by a gasp.

A hoof pounded against her chest and pinned her to the ground. “Hello, cutie…it’s great to see you again…” Scootaloo tried to scream, but only a wheeze came out. “I have to thank you for saving me…it was really sweet of you.” Scootaloo caught sight of her friends a few meters away…frozen in solid ice against a tree. “Now, I only ask you help me out…one…last…time.” A shock was sent through the filly’s body…and she slowly passed out. She heard a small, evil laughter. Rain…bow...help…

*****

Rainbow and Twilight were still at the floating house. The two were sitting and staring at each other intently. They had been for over half a minute. “I’m not gonna fail this time…” Rainbow whispered.

In a few seconds, Dash’s eyes began to water and then she blinked. “Darn!” She giggled and wiped her eyes with a hoof. “You won again…I guess that means I owe you another kiss.” She blushed and turned her head away…trying to look as vulnerable as possible. After a few seconds, she sighed. “What’s the use?” She began to walk to the kitchen…Twilight’s eyes followed her every move. “Yeah, don’t think I can’t feel that stare of yours, not-Twilight. I’m gonna make something to eat…do you want anything?” She actually waited for an answer, but of course she didn’t receive one.

Dash cleared her throat, “Why I would love something to eat, Dashie…” She did her best Twilight impression.

“Really? What would you like?” She asked herself.

“Oh, you know what I like, you silly pegasus.”

“Let me guess…Daisy ’n’ Daffodil sandwich?”

“That’ll be great!” Dash chuckled pathetically. “Great…now I’m turning into Pinkie Pie.” She sighed and looked at Twilight one more time. Her stare was as persistent and emotionless as ever. Dash gritted her teeth in frustration and stomped over to the mare. “Wake up! I demand that you wake up and stop being so creepy!”

Twilight’s head slowly tilted to the side. Dash gasped softly. “You reacted…maybe…maybe there’s some kind of trick to this…” She rolled her eyes at the silliness of the notion. She looked over at the tiara she got for the Best Young Flyer’s Competition. “Twilight can you bring that tiara to me, please?” The mare’s head rightened and nothing happened. “I demand you bring that tiara to me!” Still nothing. She groaned and walked over to the object. This is hopeless…it’s like trying to get Fluttershy to do something for you…such a pain in the neck!

Suddenly, Dash felt a spark of rage inside of her and she kicked the pedestal holding the tiara over. She broke the pedestal in half but the tiara just landed softly on the floor. She glared at Twilight. “Here I was hoping that you actually came back!” She walked over to her. “That your stupid horn of yours actually did some good for once and brought you back to me! No…instead it’s just mocked me! It’s given me these stupid wings and now it’s given me a walking dead Twilight!” She threw a hoof at the orb and it shocked her. She turned and kicked it and it shocked her again. She crouched and charged at it and like rubber it bounced her backward like before.

She yelled furiously. “Stupid magic! Bring back Twilight!” Her eyes began to glow as did her wings. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever asked from you! I don’t want these wings! I just want Twi! Now give her back!” She flew headfirst at Twilight as fast as she could and collided with the orb…it bent far enough that her and Twilight’s lips met. It wasn’t a kiss by any means…and the orb sent very powerful shock through Dash’s body. It forcefully propelled her backward into one of the walls knocking her out.

The shock had singed Dash’s coat…and the feathers on her wings began to slowly fall off. As they collided with the floor they made tiny glass-shattering sounds as they vanished into nothingness. After a few moments, she was wingless once again.

“Dash...?!”

Comments

[Pwnytown]

Le Gasp! Right in the cliffhanger! Eternally tracked. Forever.

[PPFW Combo Breaker]

YAY

[Sirius Dreams]

Midnight Gross is back to rape...reap the souls of the innocent! Wait...what? lol
Can't wait for more!

[tubaguy]

aw shit

[Boja131]

The Plot thickens.

[Sirius Dreams]

√' A check mark for epic...

[IAmScootaloo]

Awesome! Everytime this story updates im all like

[Pleaseworkforonce]

ok this is how the story has been for me
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[PiercingZen]

870437 I'm sorry for all those low points in the story.

[Pleaseworkforonce]

870561hmm oh no thats the plot thing the first hhigh point was what i thought the climax was and where it went low again was the ending then bam you made a even bigger thing that has yet to climax (well there were points where there was miniature climaxes and dips but their to small to mention)

[PiercingZen]

870576 Oh, all right. I mistook it for a quality chart. Pay no attention to me.

Thank you all for the comments. You fuel my motivation to keep writing.

[Pleaseworkforonce]

870612i47.tinypic.com/10xdjc8.jpg

[Dragaen]

well, can tell that Midnight Sun is going to be a bitch, with that said, I say good dat to this chapter, and hello chapter 15

[PinkiePieCupCakeSlayer]