The Last Letter

by DwarvishPony

The Letter

"Dear Princess Celestia,

I'm writing you now with dire news. Ponyville is gone. I don't have much time, but I'll try to tell you everything I can.

It all started a few weeks back, with a friendship mission to the minotaur city of Durhoof. Pinkie and I were called there by the map. When we got there, there was an argument with the borders of a pony neighborhood in the city. The ponies in the area were claiming an area the the minotaurs were saying had always belonged to them.

Pinkie and I dug around the Durhoof city hall and found the borderline of the neighborhood in some old city planning blueprints. The blueprints clearly showed that the area in question belonged to the pony side of town. We explained that that was how things were built, and then offered that the minotaurs get a small section in another area of the neighborhood to expand into. After some lengthy discussions, everypony seemed to agree on things. I thought that was the end of it. One of the minotaurs, Buck Wild, seemed so happy with the arrangement that he asked if he could visit Ponyville sometime.

I couldn't turn him down, so of course I said yes. About a week later, Buck Wild visited with a group of friends. I showed them around Ponyville, ending the tour with the castle. They seemed impressed. They went on and on about how carefree the town seemed and how fantastic the location was. I thought they were being nice. This was four days ago.

Yesterday, Buck Wild came back to Ponyville, but this time it wasn't to make new friends. I don't even have the words to describe the massacre they committed when they walked into the town square. Buck Wild brought a battalion of armed minotaurs from the minotaur empire. An entire battalion! I'd never seen that many minotaurs before!

They came in and said that they owned Ponyville now. I didn't know how to handle the situation. I'm afraid I may have said some things that were rude. When I explained that they couldn't just waltz into Ponyville and claim it, they declared war on Equestria! That's when they attacked. They had swords and axes and so many terrible, terrible weapons. I had a few guards at the castle, and they fought back, but there was no winning against a force that size.

They killed anypony that put up a fight first. Even if somepony lay down there arms and tried to surrender, it didn't do any good. The minotaurs are bloodthirsty monsters. They killed everypony who dared to pick up a weapon. Applejack and Rainbow Dash fell in the initial battle.

Afterwords, they started rounding everypony up and executing them in the town square. I watched the entire thing from my castle. I'm a terrible princess. I just hid and watched! They even got Fluttershy and Pinkie when they did the first few rounds of executions. And I just watched my friends die."

Twilight paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Spike. I need to be stronger. We need to warn Princess Celestia of the danger heading towards Canterlot." Twilight took a deep breath, barely holding back the sobs that threatened to rack her body and stop her from finishing this one last act. "Okay, lets continue."

"Rarity overheard some plans involving pushing the invasion forward. She managed to pass these plans on to Spike before the minotaurs burned down Carousel Boutique with her inside.

The minotaurs are using Ponyville for a staging grounds. They plan on marching on the capital. The minotaurs will reach Canterlot's gates in a matter of days. They'll come straight from the south. They're planning on using shock tactics to take Canterlot before you can mount a defense. Thankfully, the minotaur army doesn't have any siege equipment to bring with them.

Please, please make sure you protect Canterlot. Equestria needs you. Everypony looks up to you, Princess Celestia, just like I have. I wish I had time to tell you how I feel. Your mentoring and friendship have helped me grow so much over the years. I don't think there's any way for me to repay you, even if I had the time. Thank you so very much for everything you've done for me.

Your faithful student until the end,
Twilight Sparkle"

Twilight took another deep breath, acutely aware of the tears that flowed down her face. "Okay Spike. Send it." A loud banging had begun emanating from the door to the map room as the attacking minotaurs sought to destroy the last bits of hope in Ponyville. The door had already begun to crack under the assault.

Spike rolled up the letter to Celestia and sent it off with an emerald flame. "Do you think we gave her enough time?"

"I hope so, Spike. I hope so." Twilight placed a hoof on the young dragon's shoulder. "I need you to do one last thing for me though."

"What is it Twilight?"

"I need you to go hide. You have plenty of hiding spots a Minotaur couldn't reach you in. Go hide. When it's safe again, I want you to leave Ponyville. Head for the Crystal Empire. If you can make it there, Shining and Cadence can make sure you're taken care of."

"But... what about you?" Spike fidgeted with his tail as he asked the question.

Twilight gave the dragon a soft smile. "I'll follow as soon as I can. But I need you to get to safety first. I'll use a shield spell to hold them off, okay?"

"I- Okay, Twilight. Just promise me you'll meet me when you can."

"I promise Spike." Twilight gave the dragon a tearful hug, knowing she was making a promise she could never keep. Spike accepted the answer, though, and ran out a door on the other side of the room with one last look back at his best friend.

When her number one assistant was gone, Twilight powered up a shield spell to block the doorway. She was tired and scared, but Twilight wouldn't let these monsters harm anypony else while she drew breath.

"Life in Equestria shimmers," The door was showing severe damage now, the minotaurs on the other side of the door now visible through the cracks.

"Life in Equestria shines..." The doors blasted inwards, one of the double doors coming clean off it's hinges.

"And I know for absolute certain," The minotaur attackers slammed a tree trunk into Twilight's barrier, sending spikes of pain through Twilight's horn with every strike.

"That everything is certainly fine..." The shield spell fell.

Author's Note:

Written in about an hour at about 3 in the morning. Let me know if you spot any errors made, please.

More importantly, the fantastic video that inspired this one-shot:

Comments

[Xanderfox]

Humm makes me think on Alicorn immortality and how it works as most "Twilight dies" fics do, and the idea that she might be kill able but not stay that way. The idea she might wake up in a mass grave or in some Minotaur's trophy room after she dies and returns seems like a scary possibility.

[garfan]

It makes no sense overall, dramatically weakening Twilight and ignoring the fact Canterlot is right next to Ponyville, at least it's certainly closer than the Crystal Empire

[DwarvishPony]

6577005

The point of sending Spike to the Crystal Empire is because it's further from Ponyville. Twilight knows what's heading to Canterlot. Would you send your friend from one war zone to another if you could help it?

As for weakening Twilight, she's distraught. I look at it from the viewpoint of "magic takes focus". Twilight's friends are gone, and she has a lot on her mind (the foremost being saving Canterlot). Taking that and the fact that she doesn't have the same magical strength she had when she fought Tirek, and I feel that this scenario is a bit more plausible.

6576888

That's an interesting idea. I didn't think about alicorns possibly having the ability (intentional or not) of essentially regenerating. I view alicorns as biologically immortal, but there are things that can kill them. This was just a short little one-shot I decided to do that reflected that thought.

Thank you both for the read though

[lordofmyth]

6577205 Think the point they are making is that CELESTIA COULD FUCKING SEE IT HAPPENING. Pnyville is in full view of Canterlot. They would see smoke and fire.

also they would have to deal with two demigods. Sothey would be utterly wiped out as they are bombarded by powerful spells and magic attacks.

Also the idea of magic takes focus is compeltely, 100% redacte,d by the fact that alarm, fear, and rage can fuel magic. And Twilight would be utterly enraged, uncontrollably enraged, by what has happened. so rather than havign a cowering filly they would be dealing with someone who has become Gladriel having a mental breakdown because everything she loved is destroyed.

[Grif_Bladefeather]

*watches as a ray of unfiltered solar energy hits the minotaur's encampment reducing it to slag which is then reduced to particles* yeah figured celestia would do that.

[Xanderfox]

There are still countless possibility for what happens once the door are breached, with every pony dead Twilight could easily "cut loose" and stop trying to hold back her power for fear of harming anyone. She could "panic teleport" escape once her survival instincts could no longer be suppressed. Spike could witness them going after Twilight, he grew from greed, with his friends all dead his "mother" in mortal danger he could go "Rage Dragon" mode. She could get a last second reprieve from Celestia, Luna or even Discord. The Minotaurs might try to capture her alive for ransom, towns folk are one thing but princesses are valuable prisoners. And of course like I said she might get killed and "wake up" hours later confirming she is immortal

[martianmister]

This is so bad, its actually hilarious.

[DwarvishPony]

6578393

What's bad about it?

[martianmister]

6578462

How about the fact that some random enemy just shows up and killed everypony?
i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3HUSfHUr--/ktwsironnp83lum404wt.jpg

[Saberking2012]

Princess Twilight Sparkle is the Princess of Friendship. As such, she uses her position to spread friendship throughout the land of Equestria. This is knowledge that everypony knows.

Looks promising. Will read later.

[Saberking2012]

I read it and while it's not great, it can improve. Just get an editor and it can be better. I hope for the best