Chapter 11 - Only In Memory
Princess Luna sighed as she walked through Ponyville. Every subject she passed bowed with the most forlorn expressions she had ever seen. It had been a week since the disappearance of the element bearers, and the town had gone into a frenzy. She continued on her way, taking the time to nod at each pony. She wasn’t in a rush. It wasn’t long before the Friendship Castle neared, in all its splendor and beauty.
Guards that were stationed around the entrance stood aside and saluted to their ruler as she walked into the entrance.
It was a chaotic sight. More guards, both Solar and Lunar kept a silent vigil in the halls. Reporters had flown in, snapping pictures and jotting down notes. Luna paid them no mind and brushed past them and headed to the throne room. Ever since Spike sent the alarming letter to Canterlot, the Friendship Castle turned into a base camp for both private investigators and friends and family of the element bearers.
Quiet sobbing floated to the Princess's’ ears, causing her to sigh again. She would give anything to be somewhere, anywhere else but here.
The throne room was crowded with ponies. Concerned, angry and some hysterical family members and friends filled the room, voices and sobs overlapping in a sorrowful blend of music. Luna’s concerned eyes grazed over the colorful crowd, quickly rummaging her mind over what she could possibly say to them.
Just then, she heard a young, slightly squeaky voice call out her name. Her head turned just in time to see Sweetie Belle push her way past a few ponies. “Princess Luna!” She cried out again.
Her hooves clipped the cold marble as she rushed in front of Luna, the corners of her fearful green eyes gathering tears. “Y-You can see dreams! Can’t you find out where Rarity is when she’s asleep?”
Luna opened her mouth, but the other two Crusaders appeared beside their friend before she could answer. Apple Bloom uttered a guttural sob as she reached up and buried her face into Luna’s chest-plate. “Please,” she choked, her voice muffled. “Please tell us you’ll find our sisters! Big Mac’s been more quiet than usual, an’...an’ Granny f-fell out of bed today...I...I’m scared!”
Luna gently stroked her red mane and pulled back, placing a hoof under the filly’s chin. “It would be foolish of me to make such promises, young Apple Bloom. However, I will promise that I will try my very hardest to bring your sisters back to you, for they are dear to me, too.”
The youngest Apple sniffled and nodded slowly. Luna’s gaze shifted to Scootaloo, who was standing off to the side. She hastily wiped her eyes and swallowed hard, her lower lip giving off a slight tremble. Luna took a step forward and slowly rubbed the top of her head. “Princess!”
Luna’s head snapped up and a stocky pony with a thick mustache and white coat came forward with a crying unicorn female with a pink coat and purple mane at his side. “Is there word? Anything at all?”
“I..”
“Whoever put their dirty paws on my baby girl deserves to burn in Tartarus!” a mare with a short orange mane shouted, slamming down a hoof. A stallion with a rainbow mane spoke to her in soft mutters, to which she replied sharply, “CALM?! How can I be bucking calm when our daughter is missing, Bow?!”
“How could this happen?” a portly blue mare with an apron asked a lanky yellow stallion as they bounced two wailing babies in their forelegs. Luna at least recognized these two, but faintly.
“Nopony would dare hurt Pinkie Pie, would they, Carrot?”
Luna nervously blinked from face to face, running all the reassuring things she could say through her head at once. “Please, everypony….”
A young mare held with a grey coat and violet eyes hugged a sobbing stallion, murmuring, “Fluttershy...oh, Fluttershy!”
Luna’s heart skipped a beat when warm breath tickled her ear. “Princess. Your sister is in need of your presence.” Luna turned to the Celestial guard, and judging by the look in his eyes, the situation was far worse then he let on. With one last glance towards the crowd of ponies, she followed the Celestial guard down the darkened purple halls of the castle.
After half a minute of silence, the guard stopped at a closed door and stood attention, giving a single salute. Luna gave a firm nod of thanks before pushing the door open with a hoof.
What used to be Twilight’s Library was now a pitch dark room with the sole exception with a ray of golden light. That light was focused on a fear-stricken pony at a table, shaking like a leaf. Tears leaked down the pony’s face. “P-Please believe me! I never had anything to do with--”
“Spike mentioned how you treated Rarity in Manehattan two moons ago,” a sharp voice spat. “The judges favored her over you, and so did your assistant. An act out of jealousy, perhaps?”
“I didn’t hurt Rarity! Or her friends! I don’t even know them! I swear it!”
A large, slender body blocked Luna’s view of the mare as the sound of slamming hooves threatened to burst her eardrums. “You’re LYING TO ME!”
“SISTER!” Luna yelled.
The figure stopped short and whirled around, her mane falling over half of her face. “...Luna?”
The lights immediately cut back on, giving view of all of the bookshelves and Daring Doo posters on the walls. The shivering and quaking ball of a pony sat at Twilight’s desk, her parchments still neatly placed at the corner.
Princess Celestia blinked rapidly and eased her hooves off the desk. “I...I am sorry,” she muttered quietly, trying to regain her composure. “I did not mean to raise my voice to you, my little pony. Please, forgive me.”
The mare swallowed hard as she bobbed her head. “O-Of course, P-Princess.” She looked between the two royal sisters, shrinking back slightly. “C-Can I go now? Please?”
Celestia sighed. “Of course you may. I will have somepony escort you back to Manehattan.”
The mare was already halfway across the room. “No need,” she peeped, bolting out the door. Luna turned her head and narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Celestia said quietly.
Luna crossed over to her sister, and spoke in a low, earnest voice. “If we panic, they win. Don’t give them what they want.” She paused and shifted her tone. “And yes. Lord Tirek is still in his weakened state and tightly secured in Tartarus. I saw to it personally, like you asked.” Celestia closed her eyes tightly. “What name do we cross off of our list?”
The eldest set her jaw before speaking in a calmer tone. ”Suri Polomare. One of Rarity’s rivals. She’s...innocent. Along with two swindlers...a Griffon...and a Minotaur.”
Luna materialized a parchment and quill, making smooth and neat lines along the material. “Another has been taken into custody. A ‘Lightning Dust’, a rival of Rainbow Dash. There is also a number of Diamond Dogs, a creature called Ahuizotl, and a few Sirens Twilight got into a tangle with a while back.”
Celestia had sunken into a chair and laughed somewhat ruefully. “Oh, Twilight...the trouble you got yourselves into.”
“I still think we are wasting our time with these little rivals of theirs,” Luna said, rolling up the parchment. It disappeared in a wisp of blue dust. “The suspect we should be interrogating is Chrysalis! If anypony wanted to go after Twilight and her friends, it’s that overgrown bug!”
“I know that, Luna,” Celestia replied tiredly. “We are trying to locate her. But this...this is too delicate. We have to go over each and every possibility before we make clear assumptions. I don’t want to risk losing them….” Her eyes turned downcast. “They are too precious to me. To all of us.”
After watching her sister, Luna relented. “Understood.”
The door flung open, hitting the wall with a loud bang. The alicorn’s heads snapped up to see another pony being pushed into the room, followed by a larger pony decked with armor. “What is the meaning of this!?” the smaller pony demanded. Stars that patterned her purple hat and cape projected brightly tinted shapes in the walls with every movement she made. “Just WHAT have I done to deserve this...this brutality!?”
The larger pony removed his helmet revealing his cold blue eyes. “You’re under interrogation for the possible fillynapping of the elements of Harmony, AND the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle….my little sister.”
“S-S-S-Sister!?” the smaller pony stuttered. “That little librarian is your sister? B-But Trixie would never--”
“According to every single citizen of Ponyville, you were the one who terrorized Ponyville some time ago,” Luna said in a-matter-of-fact tone.
Another guard came up behind Shining Armor and held up a scroll. Shining’s eyes scanned over it with a look of disgust. “You forced Rarity to make 58 banners and tapestries and made Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hang up every single one of them...Applejack had to spend hours stepping in apple mush to make your cider...you forcefully removed Pinkie Pie’s mouth and nose from her face against her will…”
Trixie cringed as Shining shifted the weight of his gaze onto her. “And you exiled my sister from town.”
The unicorn’s knees started to quake as their heated gazes burned holes in her. “I--but--see--”
“I think I’ll be taking my leave,” Celestia sighed, walking past them. “Do what you must, Captain Armor.”
Luna exhaled and soon followed, but not before pausing at the door. “Do not harm her, Captain.”
Shining Armor looked up. “If she’s hiding something...I can’t make any promises.”
A long moment of silence that was only broken with Trixie’s ragged breathing stretched on before Luna turned away. “Very well.” The door swung shut behind her, and the Princess of the Night was once again left alone with her thoughts.
“Princess…..Princess?”
“Princess.”
Luna’s eyes shifted to a Celestial Guard, who saluted upon her direct attention. “Your highness, there’s been a riot in front of the castle. We’ve set up a barricade to keep ponies back, but they’re growing more restless by the minute.”
Luna’s ears perked up at the distant shouting and screaming from below. “Rioting? There hasn’t been a riot here since the age of Gloin!” She spread her wings and glided across her chamber over to the window. Thousands of ponies had gathered at the gates of Canterlot Palace, pushing and shoving. Luna was appalled at how her ponies were acting. “Who brought about such violence and disarray?”
“Her name is Starlight Glimmer, your grace,” the guard replied.
“I’ve never heard of the name. What has she against us?”
“We don’t know. We have apprehended her, however. She seemed...eager to meet you.”
After a moment's pause, Luna nodded. “Then meet we shall.” She pursed her lips. “Has Spike returned yet?”
The guard shook his head.
Her brow furrowed. “Hmmm.” She began to walk towards the door, when the guard cleared his throat.
“One more thing, your highness. The mare has brought other ponies with her...her daughters. They refused to leave her side.”
He was met with a cool glance. “Then bring them here. Bring them all.”
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....... oh joy.
I've a feeling that, in the next chapter, things will blow up.
bad ponys trying to hurt Trixie
.........but I really liked the last sentence of this story. I only hope that it isn't going to be as easy as them forcing Twiligt and the others to leave starlight, and them just putting Twilight in jail.
I still hope that they change Starlight to the point that she is actually accepted as their Mother, and that they don't just make a few spells and well force them appart even if starlight is the evil one here.
I think you understand what I'm trying to say here, please no easy solution where they just well win against Starlight and anything like that.
7201460 Nothing's ever that easy
Ah ah ah!! So! Excited!
You better not keep me from my StarShyDashJackPieLightArity! I will hold you to your word!!
7201492 Runs to key board Yes Ma'am! Types furiously
7201507
That's right! Snap to it! Easy on the publish, Summer Chancer, don't want to be blown away by comments! Easy, easy... and we're published!
7201528 Screen smokes
7201538
What about them?
Can't wait for the next chapter!
7201543 They're fogging me up
This is not gonna end well, is it? I'm still wondering if Starlight is actually going to win in this story...and I'm not sure if I would be okay with that. I think I would.
7201854 If she does or not....
Things will never be the same.
I predict that things from now on are going to be really, really explosive. I mean, Luna's temper is pretty volatile, and as for Celestia's ... I think that getting thrown into prison or stonified will be the least of Starlight's worries then.
Whew! Just finished reading every chapter up to here. I can't wait to see how Luna will react to the Starlings' disguises
7202128 You read fast
Thanks for faving, Flowey 
I love this fic! Please more!
First, we see how much unhappiness Glimmer stealing the legacy of six families just to give herself a legacy TRULY caused.
Second, GEEZE! Was Luna the only one seeing this was turning into a freakin' witch hunt?
And I imagine Chrysalis pointing out rather pragmatically, "If I'd kidnapped your six ponies and wanted you to know about it, I'd have sent an engraved invitation. If I'd kidnapped your six friends and NOT wanted you to know about it, I'd have ALREADY replaced them with changelings and brainwashed those close to them not to notice any differences!!!!"
And poor Suri... sure she's a cheater and liar, and geeze, if she was grilled and accused that viciously for a crime she didn't even commit, GEEZE.
What Crime did Irony Will EVER EVEN COMMIT IN HIS LIFE!? (I don't consider Siege canon). He's a self confidence teacher, it is LEGALLY not his fault if one of his students took his lessons too far! (In particular since he's obviously experienced, and Fluttershy was an exception, NOT the rule!). Not to mention the shame and fear this is going to bring TO HIS FAMILY whether he was innocent or not, just being ACCUSED is enough!!!!!
And poor Trixie! She was under the influence of an artifact that she herself described as 'evil' and was 'eating her soul!' And Shining Armor SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED to run this investigation! He's so angry that he'd be LOOKING for ANYONE to blame! With the stress and agony that someone in that place would be under, he'd end up getting confessions of actions that NEVER HAPPENED, therefore WASTING precious time and resources, and ruining another pony's life!
Trixie it was clear in the sixth season was TRYING to get her life back on track, while she clearly had a underlying desire to finally best Twilight at SOMETHING with Miss Mary Sue always just being so perfect while Trixie was eating dust. And Shining Armor will see that, and see Trixie as the most likely candidate, and NOTHING GOOD will come of it, since it's clear that Trixie doesn't have raw power to do such a thing (that she curses her own weakness from the bottom of her soul is likely HOW the Alicorn Amulet got such a firm grip on her). And her life is going to be EVEN WORSE from then on.
Shining Armor should NOT have been trusted with that investigation, and Trixie is going to be a traumatized mess. (I just had the horrible mental image of Trixie committing suicide, and is found innocent days later, but perhaps, THAT'S WAY TOO DARK!).
Flim and Flam... their business was already in pieces and having to move from place to place following their scheme having fallen apart twice in Ponyville (though having made peace with Granny Smith in one of hte comic, again, don't consider Siege Canon).
But GILDA?! GILDA?! WHAT DID THEY DO? Kidnap a citizen of a neighboring sovereign nation, WITH NO REAL EVIDENCE WHAT SO EVER, AFTER it was said Gilda has already reformed by that point, and was effectively Equestria's ambassador to Griffinstone and basically it's messenger of friendship to boot! SERIOUSLY!!!! THIS WOULD RUIN GILDA, GRIFFINSTONE, THE GRIFFINS, AND EQUESTRIA'S REPUTATION, the other kingdoms would begin to see them as a big bully who takes what they want ignoring the rights of other nations! Seriously, the people who taught Gilda a new way to do things, and that she was helping spread, WENT AND TURNED ON HER!!!
and a few Sirens Twilight got into a tangle with a while back.”
Invading THE HUMAN WORLD to capture three powerless creatures are likely slowly dying from not being able to feed... I can imagine Adagio laughing, asking that they at least be allowed to be buried in Equestria's sea as is seapony tradition. But seriously, invading the human world? WHAT KIND OF DISASTER WOULD THAT CAUSE?!
I also notice Celestia DIDN'T have Sunset Shimmer on that list. I wonder if that's telling, or Celestia being bias in her paranoia. Since she's targeting any pony who so much as looked at the mane six funny.
And the Diamond Dog I imagine will also be declaring this is as criminal, since they ALREADY made reparations with Rarity over the kidnapping thing. The only thing safer with them is that the three of them are exiles from their own kingdom.
As for Lightning Dust, I imagine her protesting up a storm, saying that her fight with RD would be her business, and if she did want to best RD, SHE'D WANT IT IN PUBLIC WHERE EVERYONE COULD SEE!!!!
I also notice they're not accusing Discord, I wonder if that's bias as well, given they've gone witch hunt crazy.
With this witch hunt going on, I wonder how many ponies and other creatures' lives were just plain RUINED because of this witch hunt.
You think SOMEONE SOMEWHERE would consider Glimmer and LOOK FOR HER! The Our Town ponies know what she looks like, and Celestia would have gotten a report on how powerful she was. (Ironically, a lot have theorized that Glimmer for the first time in her life truly practiced her special talent, her cutie mark, which she likely hates as much as any cutie mark, which explains EVEN MORE why she hates Twilight.)
As for Auizotul, I imagine he's busy brawling with Daring Do as normal, and likely is on the other side of the world.
Reminds me of a Batman story arc, where chaos seize Gotham, and Bats keeps trying to find the master mind, going from top tier baddie to top tier baddie... even eventually it turns out to be no face bottom rung baddie Quiz Master, who just INVITED all these villains to Gotham, and just lit the one tiny spark that got it all going, claiming how Bats thought how it had to be someone 'worthy of him' rather than someone like Quiz Master (then he's killed by the Court of Owls agent Talon, but even he admits that Quiz Master's scheme was clever).
Seriously, this witch hunt is terrifying, I wonder how many 'confessions' Shining Armor rung out of innocent ponies, and their lives were ruined even AFTER they were found innocent. HECK! If a witch hunt is going on, I wonder how long before Kevin The Changeling (from Slice of Life) was brought in for no other crime than being a changeling!!!
Seriously, what kind of traumatized mess was Trixie when it was all over?
I wonder how long before ponies with long standing grudges began to accuse others just for the sake of it.
I imagine this witch hunt likely stayed in the memories of a lot of ponies, actually HELPING Glimmer when she wants to change the system.
I'm surprised they weren't dragging in Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon with how this mad house was going!
“I’ve never heard of the name. What has she against us?”
You think Twilight Sparkle would have shared that information with her and Celestia!
Glimmer can't be insane enough to let her daughters meet with Luna. A thousand things could go wrong. Yet she's EAGER to speak with the Night Princess? And why not Celestia?
So yeah, this chapter shows how much damage Glimmer's kidnapping truly did.
We forget two more victims of this witch hunt.
Well, this idea I have when first read the prologue of Goodnight.
"Do you think she like me?"
"Of course Twily. She's just like Cadence. You'll become best friends in no time!"
Knock. Knock.
"Flurry, honey, we have a guest!"
"Grunt"
"This is Twilight Sparkle, your auntie. I finally fo..."
WHOOM! SMACK!
"YOU! -SMACK- WHY ARE YOU CAN'T LEAVE US ALONE! -CRUSH- WHY YOU CAN'T JUST DIE!!! DIEDIEDIEDIE!!!!"
"FLURRY HEART! Grunt Twily, you OK? fooh Daughter, this is not how you treat your family!"
"She's not family! I HATE HER!"
Sigh...
"As your father..."
"You are not my DAD! Where you been all this years?! Sniff... I don't know who are you! You're just, just... you're just complete stranger!"
Sorry for bad English.
7201854
Depends if with her daughters to temper her, if she actually does some GOOD for the world.
7202684 Wait...how is that good? Aren't her 'daughters' completely brainwashed to her views?
7202769
Yes, but she isn't going to be around forever, and it's pretty clear they aren't clones of her.
7202547 Haven't read the chapter yet, but this is sounding like I really don't want to
7202786 I know that, I meant that it didn't sound good.
*various noises of anxiousness*
7201854 I kind of expect her to win, or at least change because of her new daugther, and in the end to somehow end up in a new live with her daugthers, but also to get punished, just nothing ultimate like prison for the rest of her life.
Not sure if I made it clear enough.
7202786 her doing good probably is still going to be there later, I think her daugthers are going to change her in the end.
Is Glimmer's magic powerful enough to age regress a DRAGON?
7205333 No. Controlling Dragon magic is something that not even Starlight is capable of.
Starlight you idiot.
Noms popcorn eagerly
And yeah what happens to spike again , was he just knocked out right ? Been a while. Althogh starlight did have a point about that magic for all idea defiantly need some explaining to do
[bDISCORD CAN YOU FIX FLUTTERSHY'S WING?]
7201492
Ah, the old me... young and foolish. How do you hold up, Summer? Any clue why I called you Summer 'Chancer'?
9351591
Haha, I had no idea, but I rolled with it XD Man, this story's old, but I shall finish, if it's the last thing I do!
You can estimate a lot about a narrative by observing the actions taken by the different factions taking place within the overall setting.
Little details such as princesses stepping over the line with witch hunts...