The Price of a Smile

by Trick Question

Luna's Game

Twilight Sparkle arrived in Canterlot on Tuesday, the day after the meeting.

No, thought Twilight, that wasn't right at all. The meeting was yesterday, which was a Saturday evening, and she left on Sunday. But the calendar at the train station said Tuesday...

It was happening again.

Twilight shook off the uneasiness within her as she headed toward the castle.

"I'm here for a visit to the Office of Equestrian Records," Twilight said to the royal guards at the castle's main entrance.

"Yes, Princess," said one of the guards. "However, Princess Luna is prepared to receive you in her chambers."

"Oh! Well, I guess I'll stop by there first," said Twilight, faking a smile. As she made her way down the vaulted castle corridors, she wondered how Luna might have known she was coming. She hadn't sent any message in advance of her visit. Everything reeked of deception.

After a few minutes, Twilight Sparkle stood in front of the doors to Luna's chambers. No guards were posted, which seemed odd. Luna was normally asleep this time of day.

It's almost certainly a trap, Twilight realized. Still, she was fairly certain she could hold her own against any pony in Equestria, even Princess Luna. She decided to play it dumb. Is that the same thing as playing it cool, she wondered? She'd have to ask Rainbow Dash later. Twilight was comforted to know that her 'cool' friend would always be on her side, even when she acted like a dork.

At the first knock, both doors swung open, aglow with Luna's hue of magic. "Come in," her voice called. Twilight entered the room, and the doors shut behind her. Princess Luna lay on the floor near an empty fireplace. The curtains were dark, keeping the room dim. Luna was unadorned by clothing or armor, and sat beside a plate of cookies, a notebook, and a chess set already prepped for a game.

"I've been waiting for you, Princess Twilight Sparkle," said Luna. "Come, please. Sit."

Twilight walked forward and sat down, frowning. "Look, before we say anything, I need to ask you something," she began, but Luna put a hoof to her lips, then motioned to the notebook. On the notebook, something was written, but it wasn't legible. Twilight stared at it for a few seconds before realizing the letters had simply been modified by a diagonal reflection. It was the kind of cipher even a small foal could read. More importantly, it was easy to read and write without error.

Only one sentence was written there. "Write like this," it said. Luna hoofed Twilight the pencil.

It could still be a trap, she thought.

"Do you remember when you returned to Equestria, how your mane glistened like the stars in the night sky?" wrote Twilight, and passed the pencil to Luna.

"On the contrary. Without my magical mantle, my mane was short and rather plain. Cornflower blue, to be specific. Satisfied?" Luna skillfully wrote her words upside down, facing her guest. Once finished, she returned the pencil.

"Thank goodness, it's really you. But how did you know I was coming?" wrote Twilight.

"I have been watching your actions recently. Others may be watching you, as well, which I suspect you know. It is unlikely they can see us here, but why take needless risks with privacy?" wrote Luna.

Luna spoke out loud. "Have some cookies, Princess, and please, make the first move," she said, pointing to the chessboard.

"Thank you," said Twilight. She silently grated at the formal title, but decided against saying anything. Luna was a formal sort of pony, even in private. Twilight moved her queen's pawn forward two, then wrote, "Please, tell me what you know."

"I presume you have troubled dreams, or perhaps have noticed unusual things in your daily affairs?" wrote Luna.

"A huge understatement," wrote Twilight. "I'm hallucinating, mysterious ponies are watching me, and many things I experience make no logical sense."

"I see. I am surprised you did not come here sooner," wrote Luna.

"I should have come sooner."

"It was fortunate for you that you waited."

"Why?"

"I believe the expression goes thus: Ignorance is bliss."

"It most certainly is not," wrote Twilight. "Knowledge is always worth the cost of growing up, however painful it may be." She looked at the chess board again, and spoke aloud. "Oh. You moved your knight out after cracking? That's the King's Indian Defense. It's a hypermodern opening."

"Yes," said Luna. "I have been reading up on chess. Much has changed over the past thousand years, as the masters have learned to, how do you say it, 'up their games', I believe? I am still trying to catch up with the times."

"Well, if you're even a regional master you'll probably beat me," said Twilight. "I'm a rusty Class A at best, maybe an 1850." Then she continued writing, "Tell me what is going on. Some of my friends are scared. At least two ponies have gone missing."

"I am sorry to hear that," wrote Luna, "but friends can be comforted, and perhaps missing ponies don't wish to be found."

"What?" Twilight blurted out, then covered her mouth with a hoof.

Luna continued writing. "Read my words closely. You have a perfect life, Princess. You have friends who love you. You go on grand adventures, and you make ponies' lives better. You want for nothing, and are greatly blessed."

Twilight made her move, then took the pencil back. "Yes, I am," she wrote. "I know I'm very fortunate. I love my friends, and I'm grateful for my opportunities, Princess. Are you trying to tell me I'm placing my life in jeopardy by seeking answers?"

"I am informing you of an unfortunate situation. You may be forced to choose between that which you value most, and the answers you seek," wrote Luna. She then took Twilight's pawn with her knight. "Check," she announced.

"Ugh," said Twilight, seeing the quagmire she'd entered, though she wasn't certain where she'd first gone wrong. She moved her king, conceding a second pawn in the process. "You're going to win now, I'm certain. I should forfeit," she said aloud.

"How interesting. I never took Princess Twilight Sparkle for a quitter," quipped Luna, stone-faced.

Twilight's fur bristled. "Fine, then. It's on. Make your move," she said, then took the pencil back. "I don't understand how merely knowing something can ruin my life," she wrote.

Luna took one of Twilight's rooks. "Check," she said, then retrieved the pencil. "The meta-information is equally dire, so I cannot answer that question without revealing the very knowledge which imperils you. I can only hope you will trust my words and heed them. But please, try to focus on the game for a moment," she wrote.

An angry, frustrated look crossed Twilight's muzzle. She stopped writing questions and studied the board. With each move, Luna gobbled another of her pawns. Maybe if I'm extremely lucky, I can pull out a stalemate, thought Twilight. I'll wait for Luna to make a small mistake, box my own king in, and "win" by scoring a draw. She knew a pyrrhic victory against her superior would still taste sweet, but Princess Luna wasn't into making mistakes. Luna captured yet another pawn, and Twilight moved her king out of check for the third time.

"You're good," said Twilight, with an air of resignation.

"Thank you," said Luna.

Luna ceased her tempo by moving a knight forward to support her white-square bishop. It seemed like a solid and conservative move, but Twilight noticed something very unusual. Most of the remaining pieces on both sides were focused on a single, critical spot, and this made the board remarkably easy to read. She took a moment to do the math, and realized she had the upper hoof! Luna had made a small but fatal error. Twilight could force a series of trades, sacrificing all but five of her remaining pieces, and in the process trap Luna's king. She kept analyzing the board, staring at it for several minutes in silence, but the plan looked foalproof. It was a forced mate in eight, leaving Luna with no choice at any step.

I must be wrong, thought Twilight. Luna must have an out, probably several, even though I can't see them yet. The odds of a step-by-step forced mate of this length are impossibly slim! But my choice is clear, she reasoned. Twilight moved her remaining rook right up next to Luna's king.

"Check," said Twilight. Luna calmly moved her king, taking Twilight's second rook.

"Check," said Twilight. Luna intervened with a bishop, taking Twilight's knight.

"Check," said Twilight, yet again. Luna moved her king, taking the bishop.

Three similar moves followed. Check, check, check. Finally, Twilight placed her queen adjacent to Luna's king, sacrificing her strongest piece to force Luna to move her king right up against the edge of the board, blocked on all sides by her own pawns, her bishop, and Twilight's remaining knight.

King takes queen, pawn advances, and...

"Checkmate," Twilight said in a surprised voice. It was stunning. Twilight had only her king, three pawns, and a knight remaining on the board. Luna had an army, having lost only three pawns and one bishop.

"Congratulations," said Luna, with a soft smile.

"I don't think so. Princess Luna, you threw the game!" said Twilight.

Luna took the pencil. "Are you certain of that?" she wrote, and passed the pencil to Twilight.

"Yes," wrote Twilight, though she wondered why they weren't discussing the game out loud anymore. "You could have made the fatal mistake, I'll give you that. But that ending sequence of moves—I've never seen anything like it. The odds that a board like that would develop naturally are nanoscopic! The evidence is clear: you're a true grandmaster, and you orchestrated this entire game so I would come from behind and win." For a brief moment, Twilight's muzzle bore a smug look to it.

"Congratulations yet again, this time on your correct deduction. However, I invite you to pretend for a moment that I lost our game legitimately. Does a come-from-behind victory feel satisfying?" wrote Luna.

"Yes. Of course it does," wrote Twilight.

"Even when you must sacrifice all of your pieces to achieve it?"

"Actually, that makes it even more satisfying. It's a more dangerous strategy, and therefore more impressive. In chess, all that matters is the king. That's how the game works."

Luna smiled, but her eyes betrayed a deep sadness. "Princess, you seem to believe that all truths are as simple as this game. How did you put it? 'Knowledge is always worth the cost of growing up.' But how can you make such a claim about an unknown quantity before you know its true price? As Princess Celestia's personal protégé, you have lived a life requiring fewer sacrifices than you think. What if these last few sacrifices were..." she wrote, then levitated each of the captured pieces in turn as she noted them on paper.

"Your honest appraisal of yourself."

"Your desire to remain by the side of your friends."

"Your kingdom, and all of its generous fortune."

"Your willing dedication to altruism."

"Your ability to enjoy life."

"Your magical prowess."

Then Luna lifted the last piece Twilight had sacrificed: her queen. "Your friendships themselves," she wrote, and finally passed the pencil to Twilight.

"I don't understand," Twilight wrote, then quickly crossed out her words as the meaning struck her. "Princess Luna, there is no possible truth that could make me give up any of those things! I will always do whatever it takes to protect my friends, without compromising who I am as a pony. How could knowing the truth endanger me and my friends? Please, stop playing these games, and tell me what you know." Twilight's writing darkened as she pressed the pencil down firmly with her telekinetic magic.

"Your friends are not endangered by your present actions. However, were your eyes to open fully, you would no longer be able to see them in the same way," wrote Luna. "I am willing to reveal all, but you must first make a choice. If you choose to heed my warning, you will return to Ponyville, entreat your friends to ignore the oddities they have seen, and resume your idyllic existence of success and friendship. You and your friends will be happy and healthy, and fortune will smile upon you for the rest of your days. I pray you will deign to trust me and follow this course."

"Or?" wrote Twilight.

"Or, you may risk everything and learn the truth."

Twilight read Luna's words, and sighed. "I must assume that you know this truth, and you seem perfectly fine to me. Princess Celestia seems fine as well," wrote Twilight.

"Princess Celestia is completely unaware. I believe she may have detected the disturbances, but if she has, she has kept it to herself."

"Are you serious? Why in Equestria haven't you told her?"

"Princess Twilight Sparkle! Have these words of mine fallen upon blind eyes? Princess Celestia has not had the opportunity to choose, and for this I thank the Stars. I love my sister dearly, and I want her to be happy above all else. Do you understand this concept of love, or do you not?"

Twilight paused and tapped her pencil rapidly against the paper in frustration, before writing, "Are you telling me that you, personally, would rather forget the truth you've learned?"

Luna paused for a moment after taking the pencil back. "I am sorry. I cannot answer that question," wrote Luna.

"Well, why the buck not?" yelled Twilight, standing up and snapping the pencil cleanly in two with her magic. Both pieces clattered onto the chessboard.

"Sit, and I will answer your question," said Luna.

Twilight sat and frowned. "Do you have another pencil?"

"It is no matter. I am certain we are not being observed," said Luna, with a hint of guilt in her voice.

A look of disbelief crossed Twilight's muzzle. "You... You've been trying to scare me, this whole time," she whispered. "And you actually expect me to trust you now?"

Luna paused for a moment. "I am sorry for any apparent deception. However, Princess, you should be scared," she said. "I shall no longer dust my words with sugar. If you continue to trot down this path, and the lids of your eyes lift, you will no longer be able to return to the life you once knew. No harm will come to you or your friends, but you will miss what you have sacrificed, and you will miss it dearly. All of this, I can promise you."

Twilight grimaced, fighting back tears. "Then why can't you tell me what you would do?" she asked.

Luna sighed. "I cannot truthfully tell you what I would do in your place, because your decision is not mine to make," she said. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, you must live with the choice you make this day, and all of its consequences to follow. I have warned you of the pain it will cause you. I cannot allow you any space in which to blame me, or any other pony, for this decision which you alone must make."

Twilight Sparkle began to cry, and Princess Luna quickly hoofed her a silk handkerchief.

"This isn't fair," said Twilight, closing her eyes as she held the silk against them.

"I know this. I am truly, truly sorry," said Luna, lines of worry etched upon the otherwise graceful curves of her face. "Truly, I am."

"You already know what I'm going to choose."

"Of course. I knew this long before you arrived, just as I knew you would be the first to seek my counsel."

"I'll want to tell Princess Celestia the truth. Surely you know this."

"You must learn the truth first. I believe your want is far from certain."

"Okay." Twilight sniffled, wiping tears from her cheek with an ankle and blowing her nose with the cloth. "But Luna, if the truth is really as bad as you say, is there at least a way to show me a part of it, so I could make a more informed decision?"

Princess Luna smiled gently, and placed a hoof under Twilight's chin, propping it up. "You are wise beyond your years, my little pony. Very well. Tonight, I shall show you a small glimpse of what lies beyond the veil. I shall enter your dreams, and there we shall observe your nightmares together. That is when you will need to make your final decision."

"Do you think it will change my mind?" asked Twilight.

"Neigh," said Luna, her head bowed low.

Comments

[Misty Spell]

Twilight very soon:

pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw4929_small.jpg

[StormyVenture]

Time to just kill yourself/turn yourself into stone/pretend that nothing else exists.

[Yami Vizzini]

This gon' be good....

[Autistic Techie]

"I am willing to reveal all, but you must first make a choice. If you choose to heed my warning, you will return to Ponyville, entreat your friends to ignore the oddities they have seen, and resume your idyllic existence of success and friendship. You and your friends will be happy and healthy, and fortune will smile upon you for the rest of your days. I pray you will deign to trust me and follow this course."

"Or?" wrote Twilight.

"Or, you may risk everything and learn the truth."

This is thematically quite similar to the Matrix pill scene.