Twilight's Inferno: A Brony Comedy

by The Young and Free Dragon

Canto IV: The Cleansing River

TWILIGHT'S INFERNO
BY THE YOUNG AND FREE DRAGON

There is no greater wealth than family

The group of six dwindles to two; we fare
Forth a new way, I and my guide withal,
Out from that quiet to the quivering air,

And reach a place where nothing shines at all.

~Dante: The Divine Comedy 1: Hell, Canto 4, Lines 148-151

CANTO IV: THE CLEANSING RIVER

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes to find herself on the edge
The edge of a flowing river, so clear and yet so cloudy
She feared to venture farther than her perch on the ledge

Celestia appeared beside her, and pointed to a distant glow
“Here comes the last glimpse of hope for those who sin,
“Once across, there is no way backward you can go.”

The glow drew closer until it was revealed to be
The horn of a unicorn's head, on the bow of a boat
A boat crafted of some unknown type of tree

And standing with an oar, was a harrowed stallion
Leaning on his row, and looking bleakly to the water
Though quite old, appearing more like a scallion

And past Twilight, several tens of sinners did go
Boarding the boat and moaning loudly,
Some crying, as they glanced down below

“Why do they show such a strange aversion,
“To this water which flows beneath,
Could it be made of their perversions?

“Impossible though, for it is so clear,”
As to answer her question,
Or to make the answer that much harder to hear

Three or four sinners dove into the water
And suddenly began to scream and smoke
As if they were part of some burning slaughter

And they did catch fire, and were forced ashore
As they burned, the water they drank brought up
Their insides, so from their mouth did pour

“This water cleans those who are wrongfully judged,”
Celestia said, once the sinners had boarded the boat
Before continuing, Twilight's side she gently nudged

“Board the boat, and I shall follow after,”
She said, floating into the air.
“And then we must part from thereafter.”

Though Twilight feared the ship, she swallowed it and boarded
Taking seat among the sinners, studying those around her
Their sins were on their foreheads; both sinning and sordid

“These waters are to cleanse, but so often true sinners try,
“And wash their sins away in this mighty river,
“To simply shake them off their wretched hide.

“How sad it is, that those who are truly innocent and pure,
“Do not know they are so blessed, and board the boat,
“Not knowing what they do not have to endure.”

“Does this stallion not tell them they are not damned?!”
Twilight cried, horrified that he might know the truth,
“Does he not warn them before in this boat they are crammed?”

“How would he speak, with a mouthful of sand?”
Celestia queered, shaking her head.
“Done so because of the position he is manned.”

And Twilight saw sand pouring from the corners of his mouth
And toward the middle, his lips were sealed tight
With straining stitches, all facing east by south

“Misjudgment already poses a heavy weight on your heart,”
Celestia said coldly, her body reflecting in the water
“And yet some never see redemption, not half as infernal as thou art.”

Twilight bowed her head, humbled at the very least
“I am sorry, dear Celestia, harm I meant not,
“But what is the path we take? South and then to the east?”

“Apologize not to me, but to those you have wronged,
“As for our course, there is no direction to Hell,
“Only by holding on to hope, is the journey prolonged.”

“Then how shall we get there, due to my hope?
“After all, that is all I can hold on to now,
“My only way for the misery to cope.”

“Forget your misery, you know not the word,
“The only thing keeping us still is your deception,
“That which is to yourself, your own desperate gird.”

“Hast though no kind words to speak to me?”
Twilight asked, pressing her hooves against her face,
Her eyes, wishing to sorrowfully bleed.

“None, until your crimes are repaid,”
Celestia said, “None, none at all.
“Not one, until your journey's been made.”

“Now look, my point has found its home,
“Out upon the sea you will find horrors,
“Those that rival even the mind of Boehm.”

And Twilight Sparkle did look, to the direction she pointed,
Her eyes widened, her heart beat sped faster,
To a simple end to the water, and a sky burning and disjointed.

The land that supported the river, did end abruptly,
The water poured down and turned to fire,
And screamed up at them, shouting so corruptly.

The boat drew nearer to the edge, and the passengers all screamed
For their mothers, their fathers, their children, their possessions
But for nothing than that among the mortal life, it scarcely seemed

And over the falls, a fall without comedy
Deeper into their first assortment
The second circle: dishonesty.

Comments

[FireFlash13231]

627827 dat has the epics...do want

[Thespurgin]

728406 it's in the scraps of my DA, the finished one is. I am not averse to making more either, for other fics.

So wait.. dishonesty is the second circle... then who was in the first, if any? From what I see there was none present for her to meet, save celestia, of course, but she doesn't really count.

[The Young and Free Dragon]

728536

The first circle is Limbo. The circles afterward are the circles for the sins, which are occasionally divided by certain things like the City of Dis.

[Thespurgin]

728553 right. Thanks.

[Scootaloo-009]

I actually read the book, so I after skimming the first chapter, I can tell it's nothing like it. After all, the book was fanficition in itself, Dante meeting the ghost of his idol poet and all. Will there be a sequel to the story for purgatory, and a sequel to that for heaven? And will the ending be comparable to Dante's Inferno, where Dante has to crawl up saten's hairy plothole?

[fluttershyfan3030]

I wonder if you actually read "Dante" to get this poem to flow so smoothly. I am really enjoying this