Blood Ties

by bestponydash

The Whole Truth

Twilight sprinted down the crystalline halls until she reached Celestia's door. She busted her way in, "Princess! I need to t-"

"Twilight, you're back so soon." Lennox stood tall, his eyes glowing through the darkness like two small candles. He stood next to Celestia's bed, glaring down at her with unmoving eyes. Twilight began to sweat and nervously inched closer to the Princess who appeared to be unconscious, twisting and turning, panting and grunting in some sort of nightmare.

"What's wrong with her?"

"[sigh] Don't worry, just a small spell to keep her sedated. But I can tell by your tone that you don't approve of this."

Twilight took a step toward him, "Lennox, listen to me."

He did not move his gaze, "I thought after learning the truth you would understand; understand that she must be stopped." He looked at Twilight and moved between her and the bed, "She started a war to satisfy her own personal goals; a war I lost friends to, friends on both sides. When I asked her to stop the fighting she brushed me aside like I was some filth to be scraped off her hooves." He creased his brow and waved his horn; Celestia squealed in pain.

The rest of the mane six arrived at this point and each gasped in horror. They readied themselves for the fight and moved in. Lennox took notice and lifted Celestia above her bed, "Stay where you are; I don't have anything against you."

"It's too late for that, put the princess down now or else!" shouted Rainbow.

Twilight knew that a frontal assault would put Celestia in too much danger, "Rainbow, stop," she cried.

Lennox took a step forward, "Don't you understand? Do you really want to be ruled by a pony who steals children from their beds and sends ponies to their graves in a struggle they don't even know the cause of? Think about it."

Twilight's friends looked at one another in confusion. "Twi? What's he talkin' about?" asked AJ.

"He's lying, don't listen to him!" growled Dash.

Twilight Took a step forward, "Listen to me, things did not go the way you think."

"What are you talking about?"

"Celestia had no choice, she didn't want to start the war but she couldn't give up the egg either," she took another step, "She had to choose th-"

"No choice?! Everypony has a choice! She could have chosen to stop the fighting, the horror, but she didn't." Twilight was close now, close enough to make a move. Lennox watched as her eyes shifted from him to Celestia. "She made her choice long ago, and now I make mine."

"No, wait!" A second later and Lennox poofed away in a ball of magical smoke. When it cleared Twilight looked around; they were nowhere in sight.

"Which way did they go?" asked Pinkie.

"We gotta find'em before it's too late," added AJ.

"I think I know where he took her." The mane six turned around to find Luna standing behind them.

"Where?" pleaded Twilight.

"Gather around." And the mane six did so, and Luna poofed them away in another burst of smoke. When they reappeared, the six gazed at the large field they stood in. The moon was full in the dark sky and there was a gentle breeze swaying the grass. "There!" Luna pointed. Lennox was standing next to a small mound of dirt with his prisoner trapped in a magical cage next to him. Everypony ran for him, stopping only because they collided with a large barrier surrounding their target. Lennox turned to face them and as he did so, he revealed the gravestone above the mound.

The six regained their "footing" and shook the dizziness from their heads. "Lennox...let princess Celestia go. Please, you don't understand,"again pleaded Twilight.

"Then make me understand. Try and explain why my best friend had to die for this..." he looked at Celestia.

Twilight stood just behind the barrier looking into Lennox's eyes, "The elements of harmony."

"What about them?"

"Me and my friends represent them, we were chosen to uphold th-"

"That's your explanation? A stupid prophecy!"

"It's the truth. Celestia needed a dragon's egg so that I would become the element of magic. But she couldn't simply ask for one, the dragons would never have allowed it."

"With good reason. And if this is all you have to say then you're wast-"

"But there's more to it than that. Around the time you all found the dragons, Celestia started to get visions of the future. As time went on, they got more and more intense; they showed her what would happen if the prophecy was not fulfilled. She knew that if she did not get an egg, Equestria would become a wasteland and ponies would be doomed."

Lennox turned to his captive, " If this is true then why did she stay so quiet about it?"

"Because she couldn't tell anypony else about what was happening."

"What? Why not?"

"I have a theory about that. Celestia said in her journal that whenever she tried to talk about her visions or about why she needed a dragon's egg, she would suddenly lose her voice and could barely breathe. I think this was the doing of the elements themselves. The elements have always been somewhat of a mystery and I think they possess their own magical source. My theory is that the elements needed Celestia to fulfill the prophecy but they couldn't risk her revealing their plan and jeopardizing the future. So, they cast a spell on Celestia to keep her quiet about what was happening. They showed her what was going to happen if she didn't get her hooves on an egg. In the end she had no choice but to steal one. However, she did not know that she would start a war, and I'm sorry that it was unavoidable."

"You speak as though the elements of harmony are sentient beings. They are nothing but magical batteries, used to gain an edge in case of emergency."

"Lennox, please, you must believe me."

He shook his head, "No, I-I don't believe you. You think that crazy story about visions and the future is going to persuade me to forget what really happened? No. You're lying to me, and I'm done listening." He raised his horn to Celestia.

"Lennox." He turned at the sound of Luna's voice. "I believe Twilight's story; she would not make something like this up. Please let my sister go."

He stared into Luna's eyes, "You of all ponies know I can't just walk away from this."

"Yes you can," she stood up against the forcefield Lennox had surrounded himself with. "If you stop now, they will not put you back in that cell, I promise." Lennox softened his brow and the forcefield grew slightly more transparent. Luna slowly passed through it and approached him.

He looked at Celestia and then back at Luna, he turned to the grave of the fallen friend. "I tried to save them..."

"I know you did."

"And for that, I was locked up for twelve hundred years." Luna raised her hoof and touched the scar on Lennox's snout.

"Back then, I had to choose between you and my sister. I was confused and scared. I didn't know what to think."

"I told you, I don't blame you for giving me this," he took her hoof.

Luna stepped back, "But now we know the truth and I'm asking you not to make me choose again."

"...I want to believe this story, but...If I stop this...You don't know what it's like to be trapped in a dark place, with no hope of escape, for years."

She looked at the ground, "...Yes I do."

"What?"

"I have made many mistakes over the years. One mistake was...more severe. I allowed myself to be taken over by a dark force and I had to be...dealt with."

"What? You were-"

"I spent a lot of time away, but when I was saved I understood that we can all come back from our pasts."

"You were imprisoned by your own sister even after you chose to follow her through that war. I can't..." He looked at Celestia. "How could...No, I was right all along." He stiffened up and teleported to the other side of the barrier, trapping Luna and Celestia within. "This fantasy story is all a lie, Celestia is nothing but a power-hungry curse who would stoop so low as to banish her own sister when she began to speak her mind. I do see the truth now and now I will finish what I started so long ago and save Equestria from itself before another war is started."

The mane six had absolutely no idea in hell what was going on besides Twilight, but they understood when Lennox readied himself that it was time to put this threat down. "Come," he said, "I see I must deal with you all first or I will never be free to do what is necessary."

They did not need a second invitation and everypony jumped into action. Twilight, regretting that things turned out the way they did, flew forward alongside Dash and Fluttershy; Rarity, AJ, and Pinkie followed close behind them. Lennox Ran forward and sent several shots flying after the six. "Watch it," Dash warned; and twilight dodged with little effort. But as the blasts traveled pasts the ponies, they stopped in mid-air and changed course.

Rarity looked behind the group, "It's coming back!"

Twilight watched as the missiles turned and swayed. "They're homing shots; everypony spilt up, try to shake them." And so, the six suddenly broke up, each going a separate direction except for Twilight, who continued to run at Lennox head on. The two collided and Lennox summoned a sword of magic to slay the princess. Twilight responded with a shield and deflected blow after blow, waiting for an opening.

The rest of the ponies were trying their best to outrun the balls of magic following each of them. The magic was quick to turn and advanced fast, closing the gaps. "I got an idea!," AJ shouted to the group, "Everypony, watch me and do what I do." AJ began to run in a circle every so often and gradually moved closer to where Twilight and Lennox were hashing it out. The rest quickly got the idea and did the same thing, slowing getting into position.

Twilight blocked yet another hit of Lennox's sword, this time bashing him back. She quickly shifted her shield to a spear and thrusted forward. Lennox rolled to the side and spun, swinging for her legs. Twilight jumped and her spear turned into a warhammer, barrling downward toward lennox's head. He surrounded himself with a bubble to absorb the blow, then sent the force outward. But Twilight would not be fooled by this trick again; she poofed away, leaving Lennox confused. When she appeared, she was behind her opponent ready to strike while his back was turned.

"Twi!"

Twilight turned to AJ and quickly took notice of her friends' positions. She smiled, "Got it," and took her position as well. The mane six were almost there and each ran one last circle in their path. The blasts chasing them followed their movements and as the ponies stopped circling, the missiles gained speed to hit their targets straight ahead. Just as they were about to meet their ends, the mane six jumped over the magic. "Now," Dash shouted, and Twilight fired her own shot at Lennox. Six shots zoomed passed the ponies, who had formed a tight circle around Lennox. The old unicorn looked around and realized he had been surrounded and was about to be defeated by his own magic. He did the only thing he could do and put up another bubble shield.

The shots had no room and no time to turn back around and bombarded Lenox's defenses; he struggled and grunted trying to hold the shield together. When the dust cleared, his magic disappeared and he glanced around. "What...What is this?!" The mane six were glowing with magic; their manes, hooves, eyes, all multicolored and luminous.

"I told you," said Twilight, "The prophecy is real; we represent the elements of harmony, and they are much more than just mere batteries."

Lennox began to sweat, "No...You're bluffing!" He fired off more shots, in all directions, but it was no use. The mane six lifted their heads and the rainbow appeared and surrounded them all, linking them together. "No! NO!" The rainbow joined above them, arching and quickly showering down on Lennox. "Stop! Stop this!," he looked back to Luna, "Help me!" The barrier and the cage trapping Luna and Celestia disappeared as Lennox's body began to harden and turn to stone at his hooves. Luna ran toward them all, tears in her eyes, but she did not help him. Lennox screamed in anger and fear as his body grew stiff; he screamed until he could scream no more and only a statue was left.

The rainbow withdrew from him and disappeared, returning the six to their normal states as it went. Luna approached her frozen love with a wet face and remorse in her eyes. The mane six panted from exhaustion and revelled in their victory. Off in the distance, soft moans erupted. "Princess Celestia!" Twilight called as she ran over to her friend.

The princess slowly opened her weary eyes and Twilight helped her to her hooves. "Twilight? What...What happened to me?" Twilight helped Celestia to the statue, explaining the events that transpired on the short way over. "I see," she said when Twilight finished. Celestia seemed to be able to walk by herself now and approached Luna. "I am sorry, my sister, but he ga-"

"I know," Luna answered, "It's just..." She wiped her face and straightened up as best she could. Celestia comforted her sister and turned to address her saviors, "Thank you all once again for risking your lives for our sakes. I know I should have come up with some way of telling you about all this, Twilight but as you have read, something was...affecting me, I'm sorry."

"You don't have to thank us, princess. Now I have to find some way to tell Spike about all this. I'm afraid of how he'll take it."

"I will personally help him in anyway I can, you have my word. Now that this matter is settled, I think the spell will dissipate and I will be able to speak on the war and how I came to possess Spike's egg."

"Thank you, I think he will appreciate hearing your explanation," Twilight smiled nervously.

The ponies all looked at the petrified Lennox with his furious expression and twisted body. "What's gonna happen to him?" asked Dash.

"I think I know where to put him...Until the time comes."

The ponies raised an eyebrow to Celestia, "When the time comes?" Twilight asked.

"Lennox...is not a bad pony," Celestia looked to her sister, "I believe you all will be able to convince him to stay with us in time." Luna smiled and nodded; her sad expression fading.

Twilight smiled in agreement and the ponies poofed back to Canterlot Castle with the statue in tow. When everything had been squared away, Twilight immediately began looking for her dragon companion. She first checked the guest room, "Spike?" she called, but he was not there. She checked Luna and Celestia's rooms, "Spike, are you in here? I need to tell you what going on; it's important," still no answer. Twilight grew nervous and started checking more and more rooms more quickly, more frantically. "Spike!" she yelled, but no answer. She grew desperate and ran to her friends. "Have any of you seen Spike, I can't find him anywhere."

The mane six and the princesses shook their heads and Twilight shook in fear. "Oh no, what if he...I have to find him."

"Don't worry, dear," said Rarity, "He couldn't have gone far; we'll find him and tell him everything, you'll see."

Twilight took little comfort in her words, "Where could he be?" she said to herself.

Author's Note:

Opinions in the comments

Comments

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

THis chapter killed the story for me., the Elements requiring Spike to be stolen, NO, NONONONONONONO

I can never see that.

[manacar]

Nice story