Atonement
Hope and Shadows
Chapter 20 “Atonement”
By Steven Little
My Little Pony © Hasbro
Sweetie Belle stood there with her mouth agape as her brain worked furiously to process the information that was thrust upon her. Ever since that fateful night when she discovered her true parentage, she had wondered who her father was; she wondered what kind of stallion could turn his back on the mare that carried his foal and now here he was, standing in front of her. ‘No!’ She told herself, a sense of righteous indignation burning within her. ‘I already have a father and he’s the most wonderful father a pony could ask for!’
“You’re not my father.” Belle said, her disgust for the stallion was clearly evident in the low icy tone of her voice.
The words stung the stallion deeply. “I promise you, I am your father. It’s from me that you get that pink stripe in your mane and your beautiful green eyes.” He assured her. Striker could see the anger stirring within the mare but still he felt he had to try.
“No, you’re not!” The unicorn yelled. “You weren’t there when I got my cutie-mark, you weren’t there when I went on my first date, or when I graduated from high school, or when I graduated guard training, or when I started my singing career, you weren’t even there when I got married. Spike is my father, he was there for us, for me; he was there for me almost my entire life… as far as I’m concerned you’re just a sperm donor!”
Scootaloo placed a comforting hoof on her wife’s shoulder. She had never seen the unicorn so angry before and it was not something she liked. “Hey babe, you need to calm down, he’s not worth it.” She said, trying to ease her mate’s turbulent emotions.
“I’m sorry, you’re right, I wasn’t there for you when you were born and I wasn’t there to see you grow into the mare you’ve become,” the blue-gray stallion said, his head hanging low. “I’ve made a great deal of mistakes in my life, not just with you and your mother but with a lot of things, I just thought…”
“You thought what? You thought you could just show up and we’d be one big happy family?” Sweetie Belle shouted. “You thought that helping that worthless, vile, loathsome, self-important, sociopath, Blueblood foalnap children and infants, that you’d somehow worm your way into our good graces?”
“I had nothing to do with the foalnappings, I’m sorry, I…”
“You hear that Garnet, he’s sorry; well I guess that makes everything okay then doesn’t it?” The distraught unicorn asked, tears starting to form in her eyes. “You abandoned mom, you abandoned me before I was even born.”
Scootaloo wrapped a wing around her wife as the unicorn quietly sobbed. “Shh, it’s okay babe, everything’s going to be okay.” The orange pegasus told her.
Sweetie Belle wiped the tears from her eyes before addressing the stallion again. “I suppose, I should thank you for leaving though, if you hadn’t run away from your responsibilities, mom would never have met Spike and I might never have met my two best friends or my wife.” She told him, hugging Scootaloo closer.
Sprinter knew he was fighting a loosing battle but he felt he had to get everything out in the open. “Rarity, you’ve been very quiet, do you have anything to say?”
“What do you want me to say Sprinter?” Rarity sat up in her bed slowly so as not to disturb her sleeping infant. “Sweetie Belle is right, you left me to go chase your athletic dreams, and now you’ve gotten yourself mixed up in Blueblood's delusional pursuits of grandeur.”
While Rarity was reading Sprinter the riot act, the rest of the captives were huddled around Dawn, trying to give her as much emotional support as possible. The mares in the group were closest the princes, hugging her tightly. “I’m sorry this happened to you,” Ditzy told her; stroking a wing down the alicorn’s back in comforting manner. “No mare could possibly deserve something like this.”
Dinky slowly pulled away from the Princess, stood up and tried to walk away quietly. Had it not been for Tootsie Flute’s hoof pinning her tail to the floor, Dinky might have gotten away. “Where do you think you’re going?” The teal unicorn asked her.
The gray unicorn was too ashamed to look the others in the eye. “I’m going to the other side of the room,” she said, her back to the ponies comforting her marefriend. “When we eventually get out of her I’m leaving Ponyville; I’m leaving Ponyville and I’m going as far away as I possibly can, someplace nopony can ever find me.”
Dawn could scarcely believe what she heard. After everything that happened, the pony that meant most to her was going to leave. “What, what are you talking about?” She asked, desperate for some kind of reason.
Dinky violently tugged her tail back from Tootsie Flute, leaving a few blond hairs behind as she started to walk away. “I’m sorry Dawn, it’s for the best.” Before she could get much further, she bumped face first into the disguised Apple Bloom. She tried to sidestep the mare but met the same barricade as Apple Bloom sidestepped with her and matched every movement Dinky used to get by her. “Let me go.” She said, flat and impassively.
“What are you doing Dinky?” She asked.
“What do you care?” The gray mare asked in response.
“It’s my job to look after the well-being of the royal family in every way possible and that includes personal matters so I’ll ask again, what in Equestria do you think you’re doing leaving her in this state?”
“What’s going on here,” Sprinter asked after he overheard the stallion he thought was his friend speak of his responsibilities. “Wildcard, what happened while you were undercover?”
Apple Bloom looked over to Shadow Wing and Midnight who quietly got behind the curious stallion and restrained him. “Ironhoof, watch the door.” She said, sauntering over to where the two lunar stallions were holding Sprinter. Pulling her helmet off, she smiled and realization struck the immobilized stallion. Before he could say anything, Midnight practically shoved his hoof in the stallion’s mouth. “Now then, Mr. Track, as you can plainly see, I am not Wildcard but in fact the head of Princess Luna’ s personal guard and the way I see it, you have two choices; you can either sit there and keep your mouth shut, or I’m sure one of my boys here can easily find someplace around the castle to stow your corpse where nopony will find it. Now, are you going to be a good boy and sit there quietly?”
The stallion rapidly nodded his head in acceptance. “Really Bloom, was that entirely necessary? Honey asked.
“You’ll understand when your older kid.” From the corner of the yellow mare’s eye, she could see Dinky trying to scurry away but before she could get too far, Apple Bloom grabbed her by the tail and dragged her back to her marefriend. “And just where do you think you’re going, I’m not done talking to you.”
“Leave it alone Apple Bloom.” The younger mare growled.
“No, I can’t let this go Dinky.” The yellow mare told her. “If you do this, you’re going to regret it, trust me. If you leave now you’re going to hurt more than Princess Dawn, you’re going to hurt yourself in ways you can’t possibly imagine yet, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but soon, and for the rest of your lives. Don’t resign yourself to this.”
Dinky looked Apple Bloom in the eye. “You don’t get it do you?” She asked, hot tears burning their way down her face. “Look at her Apple Bloom, look at her! All I ever do is hurt her; I’ve been hurting her since the day she was born!”
“That’s not true.” Dusk told her, trying to diffuse the situation.
“Yes it is and you know it Dusk! Remember when you two were five; she broke her wing because I encouraged her to try flying before she was ready. Then there was the time she almost got hit by the train because I told her about what happens to a bit when the train runs it over on the track. If your mother, Twilight hadn’t come along when she did, Dawn would be dead right now. Or, how about the time she got pneumonia because I kept her out to late playing in the snow that one winter? Then of all things I cause her to lose a leg!” Dinky pressed down, twisted her right front leg and pulled up sharply, yanking the stump of her leg from the artificial limb.
“Look at it,” the gray mare shouted, shoving the scared stump in Apple Bloom’s face. “I did this to her! If Discord couldn’t have swapped our legs, I probably would have killed myself, I couldn’t face living knowing that I’d maimed her like this. And now because of me she’s sterile, she’ll never be able to have a foal, ever!”
Dawn rubbed a hoof along her gray appendage. “Dinky, I’ve never blamed you for anything, I never could.” She said, as she tried hard to control the tears threatening to fall.
“But I am to blame! Maybe you were right, maybe we should have just rutted like a couple of ferrets then this would never have happened but it did and there’s nothing I can do to take it back this time.” She said, inserting her limb back into the artificial leg. Slowly, she walked back to the softly crying alicorn she loved so much. “Can’t you understand Dawn, that’s why I have to go. What if next time my foolishness costs you your life?”
“You talk as if I had no choice in all of it. Dinky, you are one of the smartest dumb ponies I know. Every one of those things were my fault, not yours. I was the one who climbed to the top of your workshop and jumped off and you talk as if you pushed me.” The young princes told her, trying to keep her voice calm.
“But I put the idea in your head when you asked me how birds learned to fly.” Dinky argued.
“And even if you didn’t, I would have found out myself, I did live in a library after all.” She said. “That thing with the bit on the train tracks; if you recall, you told me never to do that myself but I did anyway, my fault, not yours. When I got pneumonia, it was because I wanted to spend more time with you, we were having fun and I didn’t want to go in; as it was both my mothers had to come get me in the end and we both had coco by the fire. I didn’t start getting sick till the next day. Through all of that, if my mother’s didn’t think I was safe with you, do you really think they would have left me in your care?”
“She’s right you know,” Dusk interjected. “Our parents trust you implicitly, they understand that each one of those incidents were accidents and coincidence. Had something bad happened every other day than I think they would have said something but each of these occurrences were years apart and it’s not like I didn’t have my own cuts and scraps growing up. Remember when I was twelve and broke my back right leg? I was trying to help Applejack with the Apple Harvest and misjudged a buck. I didn’t blame Applejack for it, it was my mistake and I just dealt with it.”
“It doesn’t hurt that Tootsie Flute was doting on you the whole time.” Garnet said.
“No, that was definitely a bonus.” The alicorn stallion said with a slight blush, Tootsie Flute chuckling softly behind him.
“This has been a theme with you for a while now Dinky,” Apple Bloom said to her as she herded the gray unicorn next to the young Princess. “I don’t know how long this has been going on but I know that it has to stop. I can see how much you love her but you can’t take everything onto yourself, not everything bad that happens between the two of you is your fault. Heck, if anything Scoot, Belle, and I are more to blame for what happened in the kitchens. We were charged with the security of the Royal Residence and yet this poisoner slipped by us, something I cannot begin to apologize enough for. As it is, I will most likely be asked to tender my resignation after we return or at the very least be demoted.
Dawn raised a hoof and was about to correct the Major but Apple Bloom waved her off. “It’s okay Princess, it was my job to ensure your protection and that of the entire royal family, I failed and I am prepared to pay for that failure. Now, I need to take care of this other matter, Dinky take care of your marefriend and Dawn take care of her too, you both need each other right now.” Major Filigree couldn’t help but smile slightly as she watched the two mares hug each other tightly before turning around and walking toward the captive help by her two subordinates.
“Are we okay now?” Dawn asked the mare in her hooves.
“For now, but I still want to talk about everything later, when we’re out of here.” Dinky responded. “And this time, you leave the socks in your mothers dresser and I’ll bring enough treats and drinks so we won’t be interrupted.”
“Princess?” A concerned but inquisitive filly asked.
“Yes Toffee, what is it sweetheart?” The slightly less distressed alicorn asked.
“What does steri… steri… whatever that bad pony said, what does it mean.” Toffee asked, looked up and the larger white mare.
“The word is sterile dear and it means that I will never be able to have a foal of my own.” Dawn told her, tears dripping down her face. Dinky held her tighter.
“Oh, is that all? Why don’t you get your mama to cast her spell on you like she has too with ma’ aunt Apple Bloom?” The young filly inquired.
“What are you talking about little one?” Dawn asked the young filly.
“Oh, momma and aunty were talking the other day in the kitchen while I was playing with Chaser in the living room and I heard her tell momma that she was afraid she couldn’t have babies because of an accident she had a long time ago,” the young filly stopped to take a quick breath. “And that’s when momma told her to go talk to your momma’s and if she couldn’t have any babies then your momma’s could cast a spell on her that could fix her insides so she could have babies again. If it can work for my aunty then I was thinking that it might be able to work for you.”
The group surrounding Dawn and Dinky sat there in disbelief, staring down at the talkative filly with their mouths hanging open. “I’ll be,” Aiden finally said, breaking the tension. “From the mouth of babes.”
Apple Bloom sauntered over to their captive trying to figure out her next step. This particular position was something she never liked, making things up as she goes was not her strong point as she always liked going into a situation with an established plan of engagement. “So, Mr. Track, what am I going to do with you, I can’t very well let you go to tell our captors what you’ve learned here and if I stash you somewhere in the room, it’s only a matter of time before you’re discovered and we’re right back where we started.”
“Major is it?” Sprinter asked. “You and I both know you have but one coarse of action; I am prepared.” The stallion announced as he knelt before the mare.
“What are you two talking about? Apple Bloom, stop this!” Rarity demanded.
Sprinter looked over his shoulder at the mare that once loved him. “It’s alright Rarity,” he said, trying to ease her conscience. “I was prepared for this eventuality should Blueblood find out that I disobeyed him.”
“You may have been a cowardly jerk earlier in your life but right now you show a courage that I wish more ponies had these days; do not worry, I will make this as quick and painless as I possibly can.”
“No Apple Bloom, don’t.” Sweetie Belle said. “He may be a jerk and I still hate his guts but there has to be another way. No pony deserves to die like this, there’s been enough senseless death for one day.”
“And what would you suggest Captain, should I just let him go?” The yellow mare asked her friend and subordinate.
“Uhm, guys, something’s going on over here that I think you should look at.” Honey told the arguing mares. Jato and the amber mare looked at each other in confusion as she was ignored in favor of further argument.
Melody walked up to the amber mare and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Let me handle this. Hey, could you old nags stop clucking at one another long enough to listen to my gal-pal here for five damn minutes?!” All argument stopped immediately as the older ponies in the room stared at the monochromatic teenager standing next to Honey. Melody couldn’t help but smile at the mare next to her. “That’s how it’s done Honey and remember to swear, that’s the most important part when you’re trying to get the attention of a bunch of old farts.”
“Now wait one damn minute, I’m not that old.” Scootaloo tried to interject.
“Yes you are but that’s not the point, something’s going on over here with Dusk and Dawn, we were talking and all of the sudden they go all stiff.” Jato explained.
All eye in the room turned to the alicorn siblings standing still as statues, tears coursing down their cheeks. “Dusk, Dusk are you okay.” Tootsie Flute asked, gently shaking her boyfriend.
The alicorn stallion blinked his eyes a few times and looked down at the mare in front of him. “I’m fine Tootsie, it’s just, or mothers are here they’re mounting a rescue as we speak.” He informed them.
“Our mothers,” Honey asked. “Is my mom there too?”
“All of them and half the equestrian army as well. Mom brought every stallion guard in Canterlot to stage an offensive against Blueblood’s forces. They’re trying to get in through a secret passage below the dungeons but first they say their going to try and empty the castles forces by drawing them out into the plain to the south…”
“I can do that.” Sprinter interrupted. “I can get Blueblood to send out his forces and empty this castle but there’s still a hoof-full or two he keeps closest to him. I can get the Prince to empty this place and then I can make my way to the dungeons and guide them through to the Prince’s hidden sanctum. Please, I know you have no reason to trust me but if I can help, if I can somehow make up for my betrayal to the Princesses then I have to try.”
Apple Bloom looked the stallion in the eye, trying to discern any insincerity in the pony’s words and after a moment, nodded her head. “Shadow, Midnight, let him go. Sprinter, do this and I will speak on your behalf at your trial and try to get you some kind of leniency but, I warn you, should you betray my trust I swear to you that I will see you hang from the parapet of his castle. Do we understand one another?”
The stallion nodded his head vigorously. “You have my word Major.” He told her before Iron Hoof opened the door to let him out.
“Dusk, is Dawn okay, she hasn’t moved even a little.” Ditzy asked.
“She’s okay mom, she talking to her mothers and Princess Celestia.” Dinky told her.
“She’s right but how do you know that?” Dusk asked.
“I don’t know, I just do. It’s kind weird like a feeling or a thought in the back of my mind,” the gray unicorn tried to explain. “I don’t know exactly what’s being said but I know what’s happening.”
A few seconds later, Dawn shook her head and wiped the tears from her cheek. “Our parent’s know what happening. They’re not happy with Sprinter but they will trust him to carry out his promise.” The white alicorn informed them.
“Guys, how do we know this isn’t a trick,” Jato asked. “ I mean, Prince Blue Balls…”
“Jato, language!” Rarity said, covering her foal’s ears.
“Whatever, what I’m trying to say is that he told us we couldn’t fly or due magic in here so how do we know that it wasn’t some kind of trick?”
“As much as I can’t believe I’m saying it, Jato raises a good point.” Garnet said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jato demanded.
“Trust us Garnet, Jato, we know when we’re talking to our own mothers. And as far as how it was done, they initiated contact from where they were, it didn’t come from us.” Dawn tried to explain.
“But that doesn’t make any sense, if they could do that then why didn’t they contact you before?” Scootaloo asked.
“I think it has something to do with proximity,” Dusk told them. “They couldn’t contact us till they were closer. Regardless, our families are here now and they’re coming to get us, I just hope Sprinter was sincere in his promise to help us.”
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Sprinter came running out of the prisoner’s room, intent on carrying out his mission when he turned the corner down of the connecting corridors and found Prince Blueblood walking with his entourage toward the main receiving hall. The white stallion was surprised to see the earth pony but knew all to well what he was doing there. “Sprinter, I take it that you disobeyed me and spoke with Rarity.” The Unicorn asked as he continued to walk into the receiving hall.
“Yes your majesty, I am sorry that I disobeyed you but you were correct, she’s been utterly ruined by that dragon, her head filled with Celestia’s nonsense about interspecies relationships.” He said, sniffing back false tears.
“I was hoping to spare you from this, I wanted to be sure myself if Celestia’s poison had tainted the mare and from your reaction it seems to have poisoned her down to the core. My dear, dear Sprinter, I am sorry for your loss, but don’t fret, when all this is over you’ll have your pick of the mares.” Blueblood told him,
“Does that mean your not mad at me?” Sprinter asked hopefully.
“Oh, I am mad at you for disobeying me but I can hardly be cross at a pony whose heart has been crushed, I understand that pain all to well.” The would-be King told him. “Rarity and I were betrothed at birth in an attempt to rejoin the family bloodline. You see, she is also from the line of Platinum, just as I am. With our marriage, the bloodline would no longer be split but strong and whole once more. She was to be told of the engagement upon her sixteenth birthday but before that could happen, she met you.”
Blueblood could see the stallion begin to shake. “Fear not, I was angry at first but she was truly beautiful and you knew nothing of the betrothal, you could hardly be blamed. I tried again during the Great Galloping Gala just after my Aunt Celestia’s sister returned from her banishment, but she spurned me once again. I would try again and again, I even tried to rescue her from a date with some worthless blankflank earthpony; she does seem to have a weakness for your type, but in the end, it was not to be. Alas, we have both suffered at the hooves of that mare and her deceitful ways.”
“I’m sorry your majesty,” Sprinter said bowing low. When he rose up, he glanced out the window behind the Prince and noticed the birds being flushed from the trees in mass. “My king, I do not mean to change the subject but there seems to be movement in the forest.”
“Really? Where, show me.” The stallion insisted.
Walking to the window behind the prince, Sprinter pointed to the forest bordering the castle. “There your Majesty, just before the rise of the large hill, flocks of birds are being disturbed. That can only mean that either a large animal is crashing through the forest or a large number of ponies are headed this way.”
Blueblood glared at the trees a few moments until another large group of birds was disturbed. “It seems aunty didn’t head my warning. Sprinter, Oakleaf, Freestone, get down to the grounds and have all of my troops in front of the castle immediately; if it’s a fight Celestia wants then it’s a fight she’ll get.”
Sprinter walked in silence as he made his way down the main castle stair to the courtyard below. “Hey Sprint, what’s up with you, you look like somepony just walked over your grave.” Freestone said with a slight chuckle.
“Ease up on him Stony, poor guy just had his heart ripped out, give him so space.” Oakleaf told him. The pale gray pony with a dark green mane sidled up to the nervous stallion. “Hey bud, it’s okay, mares can be pretty heartless sometimes, that’s why I swore them off completely.”
“I appreciate it guys but I was more or less prepared for how things went with Rarity, I was more concerned about what the Prince would do when he found out that I disobeyed his order about seeing her.” Sprinter explained. “He says he’s not going to do anything but with how his moods keep changing, I think I should make myself scarce before he changes his mind.”
Freestone shuddered. “I can understand that, I was there when he punished Chaser and the Doc, I wouldn’t wish that on anypony.” The light orange pony confessed. “If you want to take off for a bit, me and Oak can handle everything.”
“Thanks Freestone, I appreciate it.” Sprinter said as he charged the rest of the way down the stairs and off to the right, towards the dungeons.
“Why in Equestria would he be going to the dungeon?” Oakleaf asked.
“Those cells are filthy, I guess he figured it’d be the last place the Prince would go.” Freestone offered.
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Sprinter walked quietly down the stairs towards the cells, the entire way he could her the screams and roars from the dragon that Prince Blueblood kept down there. It was horrible, the stallion had a hard time imagining the torture he must be enduring. Sprinter knew he needed to go and meet the Princesses and ensure they got into the castle but he could not stand to listen to the dragons suffering any longer. Straightening up, he squared his shoulders and marched right up to the cell the held the devil himself and a miserable dragon.
With a great amount of apprehension, Sprinter raised a hoof and knocked on the cell door. After a short amount of time Scythe opened the door and stuck his head out. “What do you want, I’m busy in here.”
“His Majesty told me that the dragon was down here with you.” Sprinter started.
“Yeah, he is, what of it… oh wait, don’t tell me, you finally got the chance to see that bitch you were banging all those years ago huh?” The malicious pony asked. “Hah, you did didn’t you, oh this is fantastic! Let me guess, now that you know the little whore wants nothing to do with you anymore, you want revenge on the dragon.”
Sprinter was a little shocked to see how much the maniac in front of him knew but solemnly nodded his head. “Oh fuck, this is perfect! Don’t worry about it, I’ll give you some time alone with him; I’ve something to get anyway but whatever you’re going to do, make it quick, I won’t be long. Oh, and if you finish before I get back, be sure to lock the door on your way out.” He said with a manic grin.
Sprinter entered the dank stone cell with the sound of Scythe’s hooves running down the hall, echoing in his ears. Closing the door quietly he turned to address the dragon. What he saw before him was one of the worst things the stallion had ever witnessed in his life. The purple dragon had been beaten to within an inch of his life and was covered with numerous wounds. Sprinters gaze roved to the soiled rag covering the dragons missing eye and even at his distance, he could tell that the vacant socket was beginning to become infected. “Is it true?”
The sudden speech shocked Sprinter out of stupor. “In a way, yes. Scythe is sick pony and has his own way of seeing things. I did speak with Rarity and your children; I assure you they are fine. They miss you and fear for your safety.”
“You’re him then, aren’t you, Sweetie Belle’s father?” Spike said with a small, almost painful sounding chuckle. “I always though my Rarity had good taste but I guess she missed the mark with you.”
“In more ways that you can Imagine Spike; and no, I’m not Sweetie Belle’s father,” he said as he walked closer to the dragon. “You are her father in everyway that counts. I’ve done so much wrong in my life and have a long way to go to make up for it but I promised Rarity and the others that I would do all in my power to ensure their escape and I intend to do just that.” Standing next to the bruised and battered dragon, Sprinter took hold of his neck and pulled it closer to him.
“What are you doing?” Spike asked, shocked at the sudden tug on his neck.
“I’m helping you the only way I can.” Sprinter told him. “Rarity loves you and there is nothing I can do to ever change that, I know that now but I also know that I still love her and I always will. That being said, if saving you will make her happy that I will do what I can to make it happen.” He said as he twisted the locking nut on spikes collar and released its grasp on his neck.
Spike worked his jaw and flexed the muscles of his neck now that it was free, but soon felt the collar going back around his neck. “What is this, I though you said you were helping me?” The dragon demanded.
“Be silent, do you want to bring the entire guard in here? I told you I would help and I am.” He said, feeding the chain back through the collar and securing it. Walking around to face Spike, he held up the lucking nut. “You see this? This nut and indeed all of your restraints are made of Amber Steel, you couldn’t break them even if you were a hundred times stronger than you are now, that stuff was designed for the sole purpose of holding a dragon. The only thing holding the chocker and chain in place now is a bit of wire I found on the way down here.”
“What good does that do me? If you really wanted to help you’d release me now!”
“Why, so you could tear ass around the castle trying to find you’re family only to be brought down by Bluebloods elite guard? No my friend, there is another plan already in place. The Princesses are on there way now, I’m to meet them below the cells and guide them through the castle. When everything falls to chaos in the ensuing battle, then you can escape. With all the guards busy with the Princesses and half the equestrian army, they wont have time to worry about you.” Sprinter explained.
“But you just said that I can’t break the chains, how am I going to escape?” He asked.
“The chains are made of ember steel but the bricks that hold the other ends are not. The mortar holding them in place is centuries old, I have little doubt that you could deal with it given a good enough reason.” The stallion started to get a nervous look in his face. “Scythe’s been gone far to long, he should be back any moment. Spike, I know you’ve been through hell but please endure a little longer, the Princesses are coming and who knows, one of these days when this is all over, you might come visit me in my cell.” Sprinter told him before dashing out of the cell and towards a door at the far end of the cellblock.
The door creaked on it’s long rusted hinges as Sprinter tugged it open. Behind the forgotten door was a set of stairs that led down below the cells into a little known portion of the castle. ‘Well Sprinter, here we go. Now all we have to do is wait for the Princesses and pray they don’t kill us on sight for our treason’
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At the very bottom of Demons Run Gorge, the small rescue squad walked along the chasms wall searching for the marker that Twilight told them would reveal the secret passage into the castle. “Twi, now tell us again what we’re supposed to be looking for.” Rainbow asked.
“It’s a round marker with writing on it, it’s supposed to be hidden along this wall but after hundreds of years of neglect and falling rubble, I’m afraid it could be buried.” She informed her pegasus friend.
“Did Clover’s memories show you any landmarks or other such markers?” Luna asked her wife.
“No, sorry, I just know…” Twilight stopped talking mid sentence as her face took on a vacant expression.
Lyra waved a hoof in front of the alicorn’s face, trying to get a reaction but to no avail. “Sorry everypony but I think Twilight has left the building.”
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Before she knew what was happening, another vision played out in Twilight's mind. Once again, back in the secret passages of Platinum Castle, Starswirl was comforting a broken hearted Clover. “It’s alright my dearest, we knew this day was coming. Faust made her decision years ago and the only thing left for us now is to carry out her final request.”
“I know, I know but it doesn’t make it hurt any less,” Clover said as the tears poured from her eyes. “I don’t know what I’m going to tell Celestia, her mother was supposed inform her of everything before she left but now it’s just been dropped in my hooves. How am I supposed to tell the girls that their mother gave her life to make a set of talismans that they will have to use to fight off some terrible evil that nopony knows about? And what about Luna, you know how emotional that little filly is. She lost her father when she was a baby and now she’s supposed to accept the loss of her mother so soon after, it’s not fair Starswirl!”
“I know and you’re right, it’s not fair but you know as do I how strong the girls are, they will get through this. It is their duty to take over the throne now that Faust has vacated it.”
“To hell with duty, they’re only children, they shouldn’t have to deal with this!” Clover shouted, which only resulted in her husband hugging her tighter.
“But they do have to deal with it and you and I will be right there with them to help them as much as we can.” Clover cried, her face buried in her husbands chest.
All her sorrow, her rage, and her sense of helplessness; she tried to cry it all out, leaving the evidence in Starswirl’s tear soaked fur. To her husbands credit, he held her as she vented her pain a while longer before she got to her hooves. “What are you going to do now?” he asked.
“I’m going to hide this damn book then I’m going to tell the girls that their mother is dead, just like she told me to.”
“Do you want me to wait here for you?” The bearded stallion asked.
“No, you have important work to do and I don’t know how long it will take the girls to come to terms with this. When you’re done for the day, come and find me in the castle proper. Celestia and Luna look up to you and I think it will help having you there as well but before you come, go to the glen and retrieve the talismans that Faust is creating.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, they need to know what their mother died for.” Clover told him. The lavender unicorn walked directly to a wall in their hidden chamber and pressed in a brick third from the bottom and two to the left. Pushing hard, a loud click was a heard and a portion of the stone wall opened up revealing a secret library, magically sealed away from prying eyes, the elements, and the ravages of time.
“Hey, isn’t that where you put my notes on the Amniomorphic Spell?” Starswirl asked.
“Yes, along with any other tomes, spells or records that ponies aren’t ready for. Faust had a policy of letting things out at a gradual pace instead of unleashing new spells and technology upon a world not mature enough for them, and this book certainly qualifies. Besides, if you want to hide a leaf, hide it in the forest.”
“I married a very smart mare.” Star swirl said, a hint of a smile on his face.
Clover stepped out of the room and closed the stone door behind her. Stepping up to her husband she kissed him on the cheek. “Yes, yes you did, now lets go and break the bad news to the Princesses.”
Starswirl and Clover walked down the hall and spun a disc on the wall, revealing a secret opening to the bottom of the canyon that ran along the side of the castle. “Celestia and Luna are out with Princess Platinum in the valley at the mouth of the gorge, if we hurry, we should be able to catch up with them.” Starswirl told his wife. Turning the disk embedded in the cliff wall, the door shut again and the two unicorns started down the canyon to deliver their heavy burden.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight was rendered speechless, the vision before her faded to revel the very same portion of the cliff face that was standing before her. Without saying a word, the lavender alicorn dove into the pile and started digging with her hooves, not even bothering with her magic.
“Twilight, what are you doing?” Cadence called out to her.
“It’s here,” she gasped out. “It’s right here, behind this mound. If I can just shift this pile a bit I know it’ll be here!”
Applejack and Pinkie Pie tried to pull Twilight of the ruble pile but were pushed away. “Come on Twi, you don’t need to be diggin’ in the dirt, ya’ll can move this faster with your magic can’t ya?” Applejack asked her.
Twilight slowly crawled down from where she was and hung her head shamefully. “Sorry Smart Cookie, I got a little carried away.”
“Twilight, are you alright?” Celestia asked her.
Twilight took one look at her old mentor and broke down in tears. Running swiftly she embraced her sister in law and wept bitterly. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I tried to stop her, I tried to get her to postpone her plan but she wouldn’t listen, your mother was just too dammed headstrong to listen.”
Celestia held her tightly as the lavender alicorn cried out tears that were not meant for her to cry. Luna walked over and embraced her sister and wife. Rainbow Dash looked at the scene quizzically. “Why the heck did she call you Smart Cookie, AJ? It’s like she’s stuck in the Hearths Warming play we always do every year.”
“I have no idea sugar cube, I think our poor Twi has finally gone round the bend.” The farm pony told her friend.
“No dear Applejack, her mind is sound, just confused at the moment. She’s being overwhelmed with her ancestor’s memories and it’s hard for her mind to separate them out. I recall this memory in particular; it was not a very happy moment for anypony involved.” Luna explained.
The majority of Twilight's friends had gathered around her to try and consol the crying Alicorn as she fought to regain control of herself. “I’m sorry everypony, I didn’t mean to loose control like that,” she said as she sniffed back the tears threatening to fall again. “I’m okay now, I promise.”
“You scared us there for a moment Twi.” Vinyl said, giving the alicorn a rough pat on the back
“I’m very sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you all.” Twilight said, ashamed of her outburst.
“We understand, Twilight really, it just uhm, I mean if you don’t mind me asking, why did you call Applejack, Sharp Cookie?” Fluttershy asked, a little of her timid nature returning due to he friends emotional outburst.
“We can talk about all of this later but for now,” Celestia said as she moved the pile of debris aside. “I think we have more important issues to deal with at the moment.”
“But…” Pinkie started to ask before being interrupted.
“Pinkie, these memories have revealed a lot of things to me and have posed many more questions, questions I intend to get an answer to,” she said, almost glaring up at her former mentor. “For now, all I can promise is that I will try to explain everything I can once this is over.”
“Okay Twilight, I trust you.” The pink mare said in a voice too calm to normally be associated with her.
Twilight closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. As she opened her eyes she saw Cadence, her old foal sitter, smiling down at her, happy that her sister-in-law hadn’t forgotten the calming technique she taught her all those years ago. Turning around, the lavender alicorn approached the chasm wall to find a small stone disc set into it. The stone circle itself was unremarkable and if one didn’t know better, they would have just passed it by without a second glance; what was interesting to Twilight was the marking on its face. Through the center of the disc was a straight line with a small perfectly circular hole beneath it.
“Well, that’s a funny thing to put on a rock,” Lyra said, looking over the unicorn’s shoulder. “You think it’s some sort of key or something?”
“No, it’s ancient Unicornian,” Penelope said, running a hoof gently over it’s surface. “It’s very old, even back in my time. Nopony knows exactly how old it is but every now and then you’ll markings like these amongst ancient ruins.”
“Can you decipher it?” Beaufort asked.
“I’m sorry sir but knowing what it is and reading it are two very different things.” She told him.
“Unfortunately this knowledge is beyond me as well.” Celestia volunteered.
“Nor I,” Kirin admitted. “I guess my old teacher didn’t think it necessary.”
Twilight chuckled as she continued to stare at the circle in front of her. Without a word, she stepped up to the circle and inserted her horn into the small hole. With a small grunt of effort, she poured her magic into her horn and started to pull it up. Slowly at first the hole her horn was lodged in began to move through the stone circle as if it were sand and as soon as it was above the line she pulled out her horn and dragged it along the line, making it whole again. As soon as the line became solid, there was a shuddering and a large, disguised, oval-shaped door opened out in the chasm.
“Dearest, what did you do?” Luna asked her wife.
“Sorry, it took me a moment to find the right memory. This time I focused on the specific knowledge I was looking for instead of letting Clovers memories show me what they wanted. I should be fine from now on.” Twilight told them.
“But that doesn’t explain how you knew what to do.” Cadence said.
“Oh, well it’s simple really, it was funny just how simple it was but Clover And Starwirl were quite clever, even if you could read the ancient unicorn language you still had to posses enough magic to unlock it.” Twilight explained. “The original glyph read, ‘Doe seeking stag’ all I had to do was change it to it’s opposite, ‘Stag seeking doe’ and the door unlocked.”
Well, at least I can see where you get your cleverness.” Luna said with a small smile.
“Luna, signal our troops to begin the attack,” Celestia told her sister.
===============================================================
One by one, the small group of insurgents entered the old cast and lit a small number of torches they found just inside the door. Beaufort stepped ahead of the group and took point in the dark chamber. “Okay Princess, where are we going?”
“If Clovers memories are correct then we should head down this corridor, turn right pass through another secret door and then up a flight of stairs, that should bring us to the dungeons.”
“You could do that or you could allow me to escort you to your children.” Sprinter said, stepping from the shadows.
The ponies didn’t have a chance to gasp in surprise before Gertrude had soared over them all, her twin blades unsheathed, tackled the stallion to the ground and pressed the edge of her swords against his throat. “Speak carefully and quickly while you still can.” She growled out.
“My name in Sprinter, I was sent to help you by Apple Bloom and Rarity.”
“I was expecting you but I suppose the Major forgot to mention that I wanted you in plane sight and no surprises.”
“I’m sorry, I left their cell before I was told.” Sprinter told them. The stallion swallowed hard as Gertrude pressed the blade firmly against his throat.
“Come now, this is ridiculous,” Kirin said. “Gertrude please let him up.”
Celestia nodded and the griffon cautiously backed away. “Tell me Sprinter why should I believe you? For all I know you’ve fooled our soldiers and are leading us into a trap.”
The unfortunate stallion sat there, rubbing a hoof across his neck. “Fist off, Your Majesty,” he said with a deep bow. “I want to apologize, Blueblood offered me something I never thought I would have an opportunity at, a second chance with Rarity. He lied and manipulated me as he has done with so many others. All that being said, I can only hope to be forgiven for my betrayal, my cowardice, and my stupidity. I am prepared to lead you to the captives and the one holding them. If, after these events, you still wish for me to be punished, then I will humbly accept any sentence that you deem appropriate.”
“The fallout from this incident is going to be ugly and painful Sprinter. You have alighted yourself with those who have abducted our children and would use them to wrest control of the country from my family,” Luna stated. “Are you sure it is wise to so quickly through yourself at our mercy even when you do not know the outcome?”
“No your majesty, I don’t think it is the wise thing to do but it is the right thing to do.” He said, a certain finality in his voice.
“So be it, but until this unhappy affair is over, Beaufort will be your shadow, where he goes, you go.” Celestia told him in no uncertain terms.
“I understand Your Majesty, if you’ll please follow me, I will show you to your children.”
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WORTH.THE.WAIT!
Looking forward to the next chapter as always!
2584799 you read it already? damn you're a fast reader!
2584802 Always have been. and I've been sort of stalking my favorites list for it...
I hope Rarity snaps his neck. And will Spike get his eye back?
OMGHFOFSPSSSBFNZWEITEIOHGVWZUGTIWGHTE! IT'S HERE!
2584847
This is a bad-ass universe, do you really think Spike gets his eye back? A electronic eye or a simple eye-patch look way more bad-ass. And Spike can never be bad-ass enough...
2584802 Give us more! We always have to wait so long!
All we want is more goodness! 
2585148
I'll believe that when I read it.
2585148
Cultural Artifacts presents Blueblood in an interesting light as well. Fair warning, it's HiE, so it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I really like it. But remember that while we've seen Rarity in episodes prior to the Gala, as far as we know that's the first time her and Blueblood have met. And she doesn't exactly come across as the best pony in that episode. In fact, given a history of similar status-seeking mares, one could be find Blueblood justified in deciding to act a bit of an ass to filter out the trash.
Woop it updated im looking forward to the next chapter keep it up!
Also Hehe Blue Balls that made me giggle
2585653
CA? That thing started good then went off the deep end no matter what Blueblood is like in it. That being said it took me till going one chapter back to remember Gertrude, Penelope and I still didn't remember Striker so that's for the reminder at the beginning
2587278
The chapters around the 1/3 mark are definitely the weakest of them. I think, quite frankly, that the author just tried to cram too much into one chapter and hampered himself in so doing. The latest stuff is a lot stronger, though still not quite as good as the initial couple chapters; those are gold. But then again, I'm a sucker for good world-building and that story most definitely builds a varied and complex world.
Well worth the wait.
Is it too much to ask for Blueblood and Scythe to die painfully, if anyone deserves a faith like that it's those two scumbags
2587371
I could put a scene like that in one of mine if that would make you happy. would you like that?
Wooo an update I really love this story, I'm so happy it finally updated and I wasn't dissapinted. I'm looking forward to the rest I just hope the next update it sooner.
Excellent chapter, I just wish you didnt take two months to update each chapter.
When I saw the email saying this updated, I literally freaked the f*** out. I'm not kidding when I say this is probably one of my absolute favorite stories.
hey man not trying to be picky but are u still updating this i mean u have alot of people begging at ur hoofs for updates and i was just wondering are u ok man
2688466 I am still working on it, please be patient.
2688616 dont worry i still love u mate just wondering if u were ok if life wast sucking for u or something.
2688616 Once you finish this you should make a whole story with Jato and Honey!
Wow awesome series.....curious what would you call this entire series?
3054689 That's a good question, one I've been raking my brain for an answer for some time now.
3056090 If ur open to a suggestion I came across an idea while reading them
The Hearts Path
i love all what you don so far and i wish i can read more but i know one must w-ate for them and i hope it flows from you in a good way till then good luck with it and thank you for one of the thing that lighten my life up
3102243 dude i feel the same way XD
loved it
This is amazing! Please make more good sir.
-BBP
ill get around to this
In just finished the last chapter and as I commented on one of your other stories dear sir, you have quite the skill in stirring up emotions. I like it, and hope this story will come to an equally awesome end as the last one
If there's anything I can do to help, be my guest
WOWOWOWOWO hold the presses,....I downloaded this story like three months ago at the last chapter then was Rescue at Demon's Run part 2......and I just compared the chapters from then to now....Did you rewrite your story?
3058901 The Hearts Path... I like the sound of that.
I know this is from the last story, but when Reginald was reunited with Rarity, I nearly shout in glee. Luckily I didn't, as it was 4 o'clock in the morning and my parents were asleep. Still, I wish Pinkie was real, because we would be throwing the BEST PARTY EVER.
"there's moar?" 
"
I love your work, bro. After I finished reading Curse of the werepony 2 and saw there was a sequel, I was like, "Yay!!"
After finishing that, I saw another sequel, and I'm like, "okay. dlazerous just got 20% cooler"
And then I see this story and I'm like
And then Big Mac said to me, "Eeyup."
And I'm like "