The Impossible Choice

by FireMaster

Chapter 21: Victories Cut Short

Author's Note:

I'm back! It's been a long time but now that I'm done with classes for a bit I decided to try and start writing again! Since it has been so long since starting the book, let me know if there's any continuity issues. I'm having trouble keeping all the details together without going back and rereading everything. I also would imagine there's some other issues since I don't have an editor, but nonetheless we push forward. As always enjoy the chapter and thanks for giving it a read!

Part II ~ No Turning Back

~ April 19th, 1020 ME ~

‘2:01pm‘

Dream portals flowed through an endless void of the dreamscape. Most of the population was awake at this time, but a number of exhausted ponies from the night before were asleep, their minds dreaming away. Very few of the dreams were pleasant. Nightmares plagued the survivors of the battle. Was this the built-up stress showing itself? Luna in particular was asleep yet feeling exhausted. Her strength was hardly enough to even perform her duties of protecting the dreams of her subjects. When was the last time she had felt this tired? Luna approached the nearest dream. It was clearly a nightmare, and the poor foal needed her help!

She rushed to enter the dream but upon contacting the surface of the portal, she found herself passing right through it. Looking behind her the same dream loomed there, slowly drifting along completely undisturbed by her presence. She tried to interfere again only to find her efforts had come up empty. Why was this dream ignoring her! This was getting frustrating quickly. Luna tried to enter several other pony's dreams but continued to fail. How could she, the Princess of the Night, be unable to complete her duty? Since mastering dream walking Luna had never failed! While she was taking a moment to collect herself things began to change. The dream bubbles began converging on her location. What's going on! Luna looked around for an escape but they were moving in from all sides. The dream scape doesn't typically have a good concept for directions but Luna was the sun and the dreams revolved around her. She was unprepared for what came next. A familiar voice spoke, sending chills down Luna's spine. Her whole body began to quiver.

"Youuu arrre powerlesssss Luna. Your inadequacy-ee made you easily defeated by crrreatures of the night'. When the end draws near I'm coming for youuu. I will take what I deserve, leaving none of you behind this time. We could have been so much, but I don't need your mind any more. Sooo... what would ponies think if they knew Luna couldn't even win in her own domain?" The cold voice began to laugh menacingly. "I'll let you think on that while you enjoy this nightmare! Sweet dreams Princesss!"

Luna began falling, flapping her wings with no effect. She called upon her magic to try and manipulate her surroundings to no avail. The fall never seemed to end. Wind ripped at her fur, while she was left to wonder if and when she'd hit the bottom. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes felt like hours. The terror she felt in her powerlessness was unimaginable. She hadn't had a nightmare, let alone dreamed since she was a foal, yet here she was with no control.

"Don't worry Luna... You won't be hitting rock bottom tonight."

At the snap of a finger a cloud formed that caught Luna, stopping her endless fall. It had a strange pink tinge to it.

"Discord?" Luna exclaimed with great surprise. she sat up on the cloud and spotted the chaos spirit gliding over to her.

"Don't sound so surprised. I came to deliver a message only to find you being tormented by a spirit of evil far darker than anything I ever thought up. You looked like you could use a spirit of chaos." He said with a smirk.

"We didn't think you were the type to sleep or dream. I've never spotted one of your dreams before."

"Oh no, I'm not sleeping or dreaming, you are, and I'm just here on official business." Discord was now wearing a suit and tie which he took a moment to straighten as he landed beside Luna on the pink cloud. "Besides, I promise you wouldn't want to see one of my dreams."

"Very well Discord, we thank thee for delivering us from our fall. Now what art thou business?"

"Slipping into old speech again, are we Luna? Makes you feel more comfortable. Well I suppose... Let's get down to business, to defeat the... impending disaster. I still can't interfere too greatly in the conflict yet, but Blazing is behind on learning to use his magic. Additionally you're still facing more danger than you realize. What else..." Discord whipped out a scroll and reading glasses while skimming down the apparent list. "There's also the problem with organization to worry about. Twilight needs to be on the troop command team with her brother. The general population is too spread out to protect. The enemy wants to split your attention. AHHH there's just too much to cover and so little time. I'll just have to trust Blazing and the Elements of Harmony to figure some of this out.

Luna, I despise being serious... but the reason I came to you is that you are the only one that can defeat your nightmare. The Nightmare is not you, and Nightmare Moon is no longer. I know you still struggle to forgive yourself, but you're going to have the choice at some point to face your fear or let the nightmare win. This is a battle that you alone will have to face, and the fate of Equestria is weighted on this decision. Others will have to make difficult choices as well, but I'm specifically here to warn you not to let anger or fear cloud your judgment. This is one of the last times we will speak for a while so take care and enjoy the cotton candy."

Take care, had to be one of the nicest things Luna had ever heard Discord say, but then her mind went straight to the cotton candy, and all she could think was, the spirit of chaos strikes again.

Luna jolted upright in her bed, which was now filled with strawberry flavored cotton candy.

"Discord!"

---

‘4:24pm‘

"Twilight, would you mind explaining to me why you not only left Canterlot, but had been making weapons in your basement?" Celestia was glaring at Twilight with a rather disapproving face.

"Princess Celestia, please don't banish me! I'm sorry I've failed you as a student. It won't happen again. I'll give up anything if you just let me stay with my friends and family!"

"Oh, Twilight, you know I don't have any intention of doing that, and you of all ponies don't fall short as a student. I just need to know why you put yourself in danger when I gave you so much responsibility in our absence?" Celestia now was wearing a motherly smile while showing some sympathy for Twilight.

"I just couldn't bear losing Spike, and when I found out somepony broke into my secret lab I thought my brother was in trouble!"

"That still doesn't explain the weapons Twilight. Why were you making magical weapons?"

Twilight's ears, which were already folded back, seemed to shrink back even more. "Princess I... I..." She took a deep breath trying to collect herself. "It was a theory. My latest project was based around material science and thaumic radiation. Compounds resistant to magical energy must have a weakness. Solids crushed into a powder form have more surface area so I theorized they should be able to absorb more magic. At first the plan was to use these chemical powders to make magically resistant materials absorb more magical energy. Then I realized that they could be used to store and supply more mana over a longer period of time. So, I began experimenting with enchantments on items that were powered by magic stored within the object. The storage method was to implement the powder inside. Then I learned how to imbed long term spells into the items, and I got so excited I felt like I needed to make an enchantment for every spell I knew. Then I started trying to make the spells penetrate the more magic resistant metals, and then they became more volatile in nature, and then... ohhhh I'm sorry Celestia.” Twilight finished her monologue looking dejectedly at the ground.

"Oh Twilight... I know you well and none of this is surprising from a mare as smart as you, but perhaps you should publish some of this research and work with others on it. The most important lesson here is that you need to trust those around you. Working on this research alone is dangerous and could easily go too far without someone to keep things in check. Now that we have that cleared up, I have a new assignment for you if you're willing to take it?"

"Anything for you Princess!" Twilight replied with clear relief and excitement.

"I'm glad to hear it, but you need to think hard about this, Twilight. This will be unlike anything I've asked of you before. Please think about this completely before agreeing."

"Okay." Said a Twilight now visibly nervous again.

"Equestria needs you to join your brother in organizing the guard. We've all had to do things we're not used to recently, but this in particular seems like a lot to ask."

"Celestia, when you say Equestria needs me, I'm not sure. It would be a good challenge and I want to help but... I mean my friends and I have saved Equestria before, but isn't there somepony more qualified than me? What if I mess things up? What if ponies get hurt because of me? What if-"

"Twilight, I ask you because you're one of the most qualified ponies I know. I consider you far more than a student, I trust you as an equal. Just know that part of making difficult decisions isn't that you won't make mistakes, it's that you'll be willing to learn from past decisions to make better ones. I know you have the best interests of My Little Ponies at heart."

"Well Celestia, if you believe in me then so should I! I accept the responsibility!"

"Your Majesty! Forgive me for interrupting but I bear urgent news!" An earth pony stallion wearing the day guard uniform stood by the door breathing heavily,

"Speak freely, private Cobble."

"I was on duty among the Canterlot patrols when reports started coming in left and right for missing ponies. I had over ten cases brought to my attention, but almost every guard seemed to be getting bombarded by citizens when I rushed here to bring-" Just then, Shining Armor rushed in also looking a bit winded from a full gallop.

"Princess Celestia! I just received an urgent telegram from Baltimare! It has been reported that hundreds of ponies began acting strange and then started going missing about ten minutes ago! I think the changelings are back!"

"We must not waste any time. Chrysalis has us in a corner, and she's using innocent ponies to her advantage. Captain, Twilight has now agreed to assist you with organizing the guard. Respond how best you deem fit to help My Little Ponies."

"Yes, your majesty. Alright Twily let's do this."

"Lead the way BBBFF. I'll be right behind you."

Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor left Celestia's presence in a haste to formulate their counter play towards Chrysalis drones.

Chrysalis had put them in check. They needed to find a way to protect their kingdom while flipping the board in their favor. So far it seemed like all the pieces were stacked against their underprepared nation.

As for Celestia, she had much work to do as well. However, trying to stay strong and remain collected for those around her was becoming a huge burden, considering how the events from the last few days had built on themself. She wanted to confide in Luna, but from their talk moments before her sister was also carrying a heavy load with the knowledge that the Nightmare was alive and stronger than ever. They may have survived a battle together, but the war had just begun.

Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

and then... ohhhh I'm sorry Celestia.”(—— Twilight finished her monologue looking dejectedly at the ground.

"Equestria needs you to join your brother in organizing the guard. We've all had to do things we're not used to recently, but this in particular seems like a lot to ask."