The Worst Kind of Victory
Twilight Sparkle strained against the combined might of the empowered Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow as they relentlessly streamed their magic against her makeshift shield. The large chunk of wall that had once been a part of the now half destroyed Canterlot Castle wouldn’t have even lasted a second against the power if she hadn’t been dispersing the majority of it.
Surprised observation: thaumic output is only 4.5% too low to bring this confrontation to an indefinite stalemate.
It was the quiet, analytical part of Twilight’s mind that never quite went silent. Alas, fight or flight took precedence, and the observation was simply mashed in with the rest of her sensory input and short thoughts. She would remember it later.
Rarity, bless her heart, ran up to the wall and put her hooves up against it, as if it would help her at all. “Go, Twilight! Get help!”
Applejack was right behind her, following suit. “We’ll hold them off til you get back!”
Chances of successfully slowing them down at all is approximately 1:300,000,000. Basically zero.
It came out as, “No! I can't leave you here!”
“It’s our only chance!”
“You'll come up with something to save the day!”
“You always do!”
Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie joined the useless holdoff, to Twilight’s panicked bewilderment. Couldn’t they see that she was the only one actually having any effect? Twilight’s eyes watered as Celestia and Luna joined them. She had no idea why they would be this foolish.
“We believe in you!” Spike gave her a gentle pat on the withers before rushing off to do the same.
Chance of death of at least half of friends: 9-
Her thought was interrupted by Discord grabbing her and pushing his face against hers. “Fly, you foal!”
She couldn’t stop trembling as she watched them stand there, pushing uselessly against the chunk of wall. Twilight’s reserves were depleting, but not excessively so.
Forty-three seconds until burnout.
The quick calculation managed to make itself heard, and she felt a glimmer of hope. That was plenty of time to come up with something, right?
When her friends noticed that she hadn’t immediately teleported away, Celestia turned. “Twilight, you need to leave!”
“I can fix this! I just need a second.” She scrunched her eyes shut to block her vision and thus, preserve necessary brainpower.
Problem: Enemies are supercharged with Grogar’s magic via the Bewitching Bell.
Problem: Bewitching Bell makes use of magic to attack a near certain fatal error.
Problem: Thirty-nine seconds of time remaining.
Desired Outcome: Enemies defeated with minimal casualties on friendly side.
Solution: To be determined.
“What are you doing? Get out of here!” Discord yelled. The rest of her friends yelled their agreement, but Twilight couldn’t do it. The moment she left, her absorption spell would fade, and they would be blasted to dust. Even if she eventually found a solution, this was a failure state.
Option A: Flee with friends.
Likely Outcome: Enemies follow them and/or eventually catch up. Return to original problem.
Discarded.
Option B: Direct fight. Capable of nearly matching them working in tandem.
Likely Outcome: Death or capture. Matching power with power isn’t sufficient. Two are vastly older and more experienced. The other is a sadistic loose cannon.
Discarded.
Option C: Sabotage power source. Bell already holds the magic of two demigods and one arguable god. Likely stability is low.
Likely Outcome: Massive explosion. Loss of friends and possibly several city blocks.
…
Considering.
…
Still Considering.
…
Estimates of widespread suffering if plan enacted: Low to moderate. At worst, capital is destroyed. Nation thrown into chaos. Allies will assist. Quick to rebuild.
Estimate for villain victory: Massive. Tyrannical rulers, slavery, being used as livestock. Unlikely that allied nations can match enemy power. Decades or centuries of suffering.
…
Solution found.
Twilight started drawing power into a mass teleport. Even if ponies would die from her actions, she could at least save the ones she loved. Her absorption spell started to fade as its power was siphoned off, and Luna turned with a relieved look that lasted but a second. She knew that something was happening, but not what until Twilight’s aura started surrounding them.
“Twilight! No!”
“What is she-” Celestia looked down at herself in a panic. “No, Twilight!”
The rest of them turned to see her smiling at them sadly, tears running down her cheeks.
Eight seconds until burnout.
“I’m sorry.”
Seven.
“But I can’t let you die!”
Six.
“There’s another way!” Rarity yelled.
Five.
“Twilight!” Spike screamed.
Four.
“I love you all! Please forgive me!” Their yelling protests were cut off as, with a flash of light, they disappeared far, far away. She quickly whipped up a blink and dropped her shield, disappearing behind her foes as their attack finally destroyed the rest of the barricade. With a loud crash, the beam slammed into the ground, and then all was silent.
Tirek snorted as he examined the rubble. “She got them out.”
Estimate ten seconds until Chrysalis realizes she can still sense your emotions.
“Those weenies!” Cozy Glow whined. “I wanted some payback.”
“You’ll get yours, we just need to track them down.”
Chrysalis was silent for a moment, simply watching in thought. Then, almost on cue, her eyes widened. She spun around and snarled at the piece of ruined ceiling Twilight was recovering behind. “Trying for a sneak attack, my little pony? Come on out and face us like a real princess should.”
Chance of being instantly attacked: low. They would rather gloat.
Twilight took a breath and readied herself. This was it. She stood and walked out, back straight, expression steel. She would not give them the satisfaction.
“And here I thought this was a repeat of our last meeting,” Tirek said with a smirk.
“I’m done running,” Twilight said.
“Aww, but I wanted to play Hide and Go Seek,” Cozy Glow whined.
Chrysalis scoffed. “I’m done with chasing after them. The thrill of the hunt only goes so far.” She eyed Twilight, frowning when the alicorn refused to stop glaring. “Get the bell. We’ll use her to draw out the others.”
Twilight eyed the Bewitching Bell as Cozy Glow brought it out. She knew that what was coming would be indescribable pain, just the same as happened to the other two princesses only minutes ago.
Five seconds remaining until minimum power level achieved.
Twilight ignited her horn and snarled. Like simple animals, they took the bait. They all burst out laughing, buying her those precious seconds.
Still, the inevitable came. Cozy brought out the bell, and with a quick spell from her horn, it lt out that bone chilling clang. Twilight watched as it turned towards her, maw hungry for her power.
She would make sure that it choked on it.
Her horn flared, emitting light all colors of the rainbow, and some that weren’t. The bell greedily ate, and ate, and ate as she screamed.
Three seconds until wellspring drained.
It kept eating.
Two.
Twilight begged whatever powers that be that this would work.
On- drain halted.
The bell let out an ear piercing and twisted clang before the maw closed, and Twilight was released from its torturous embrace. The three villains looked on in satisfaction, then confusion when her horn lit once more.
“What happened?” Chrysalis demanded. “Why didn’t it work?!”
“I’m...not sure.” Tirek said, poking at it. It let out a deep, sickly chime at his touch.
“Maybe it’s full?” Cozy Glow offered.
“Or maybe she had something to do with it,” Chrysalis said, snarling at Twilight once more. She flinched back at the smirk she got in return.
“You’re right. I sabotaged it.”
“What! How?” Tirek demanded.
“Does it matter?” She pointed at the bell. “That sure doesn’t look safe.”
They all turned, finding the bell shaking in place, light starting to leak from the cracks that were forming along its body. The three villains quickly started to panic, and began to run off. Twilight grabbed what remained of her power, what remained of herself, and held them there. There was no way she was going to let them go. Not after this. She ran over to the bell and pulled them down, right next to her.
“For our friends,” she said.
“Let us go!” Chrysalis screamed, blasting at Twilight with her magic. Twilight flinched from the blast, but still held on.
“For our families,” Twilight grit out.
“Release us!” Tirek joined in the attacks.
“For...our..homes.” Her vision was fading, she still held.
“P-please!” Cozy Glow yelled.
There was a moment of silence as the light from the bell grew all-blinding, and time seemed to stop.
“For Equestria.”
Miles away in Ponyville, Twilight’s friends, the Princesses, and Discord were all standing on a hill, desperately hoping for Twilight’s safety. For some sign that their friend and new monarch was still alive, or even thriving.
Their answer would be a blinding flash.
===
One Year Later
It was the end of the first annual Day of Eventide, commemorating the lives lost in the Battle of Canterlot. Celestia walked down the halls of the Castle of Friendship, having taken custody of the building after the old palace was destroyed.
She hated every moment of it. Every time she opened her eyes, she saw Twilight. Reading a book, conducting an experiment, asking questions. Every second, she was reminded.
And yet, she couldn’t find it within her to even budget a replacement capitol. It felt like a betrayal every time she even considered it.
At least she might finally get some answers. She opened the doors to the lab, and let out a sigh. “Any progress?”
Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst turned, their expressions...uncertain?
“I see, perhaps-”
“No!” Starlight interrupted her. “No, it’s...somepony else needs to hear this.” She gestured to the broken remnants of the Bewitching Bell, pieced together over months of combing the area around Mount Canterhorn. It took the two of them time to reassemble it, and the artifact would be forever useless, but clues as to what happened might have remained.
“As far as we can tell, the bell overloaded,” Sunburst said uneasily. “But…”
“Yes?” Celestia said patiently.
Starlight looked away, biting her lip. “There are hints of Twilight’s magic in there. They tried to use it on her. The thing is, if it was made by Grogar, he would have known to put a limiter on it so it wouldn’t explode from that.”
“Then why did it? Was it age? Damage?” Celestia asked. Starlight and Sunburst looked at each other. “Something else?”
“Twilight’s magic was there,” Starlight said. “All kinds of Twilight’s magic. Not just her raw essence. Stuff that she had to consciously do. The only explanation I can think of is she…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
A beat. “So you think Twilight did this deliberately.”
“Yes.” Starlight’s voice was barely audible.
“Is there any chance she wouldn’t have known this would ha-” She remembered the look on Twilight’s face. The sadness, the love, the acceptance. It was the face of someone who was about to willingly walk to their death. “Oh. Oh my.”
“Y-yeah,” Starlight said, looking away again.
Celestia stared at the remains of the Bewitching Bell for a moment before gazing out the window, looking at the smooth concave pit in Mount Canterhorn that was once the capital city. So much lost that day. So many lives. So many loved ones.
Celestia felt the urge to curse her former student’s name for such sacrifice, but knew it was useless. What was done was done and, perhaps, were their positions reversed, she might have done the same. She had ordered soldiers to their deaths before. Sacrificing thousands to save millions. Was that what Twilight was thinking? That losing Canterlot in exchange for saving Equestria was acceptable?
Celestia’s heart cried in outrage, but her mind calmly whispered that it was for the greater good. It would take her some time to realize what she would ultimately decide, but for now, there was something she was certain of.
“This can’t get out,” she said, in a tone that brooked no argument. She turned, gazing down at the two unicorns. “You need to understand this. We are still recovering. If word gets out that Twilight caused this loss, even if she did it for the greater good, it will undo all she worked for.”
Starlight appeared to think for a moment. “But- everypony accepted me even after my cult! Surely they would forgive-”
“Starlight, forgive me, but enslaving a village of two dozen is minuscule compared to this.” Starlight went silent. “If you’re right, then as noble as Twilight’s intentions were, she still killed a hundred thousand ponies. There will be riots at best, and the recovering government we have would be overthrown at worst. I’m certain that another windigo blizzard would be inevitable. We would face starvation and another great migration. This can not get out. Not to your friends, not to Cadance, or Luna, or Shining Armor. This doesn’t leave this room. Not for several decades, if ever.”
Celestia grabbed the findings and the bell, and with a bit of thought, incinerated them. “I won’t enforce this with a geas or memory wipe. Just keep in mind the consequences of your actions should you choose to ignore my warning.”
The two nodded and mumbled their affirmation before hanging their heads.
“I’m glad we understand each other. The official story is thus: Princess Twilight Sparkle spirited us away in an act of self sacrifice. When the Terrible Three tried to drain her magic, the Bewitching Bell malfunctioned and exploded. Twilight Sparkle is a heroine, fullstop. That is all.”
Celestia walked silently to her room, ignoring everyone that tried to get her attention. She looked at the scar on her nation before collapsing upon her bed, and sobbed for hours.
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10786283
Trolley problem. Inaction will cost many lives, action will cost fewer lives (but different people).
In detail: A runaway trolley is speeding towards a group of 5 unaware people. You cannot warn them and the impact is certain to kill them. However you can throw a switch to redirect the trolley to a different track, which unfortunately would cause the trolley to crash into a single other person, killing them. Is it more ethical to throw the switch (killing one to save five) or to do nothing (not sacrificing one person, but - through inaction - allowing five others to die)?
Twilight favored to act, saving many at the cost of fewer. Whether it was morally the right thing to do - well, there are several different opinions on that, but I feel you already have hinted at yours by saying "mass murder".
10786315
10786283
I believe the best description for this situation is negative utilitarianism. Twilight took the course of action that produced the least harm.
The choice between the deaths of millions or the death of billions
10786315
10786381
Either way a lot of ponies would view it as murder and Celestia knows it.
10786414
Is it murder if there was no intent to kill? Mull that one over in your head for a bit.
10786395
Some choice.
10786419
Ask the ponies that question, they’re the ones I was talking about.
But to answer your question; no.
At the same time though the situation here could be seen as more complicated than that since her intentions were to essentially create a bomb that would kill her, Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy despite knowing what the consequences could be.
Regardless though the fact that Twilight consciously did what she did would no doubt lead to ponies viewing her as a murderer which, again, is what Celestia was expecting to happen should ponies find out the truth.
Can't Twilight just? I don't know, TELEPORT herself ( along with the Evil Trio) to a far away place, AWAY from the Heavily Populated Canterlot?! And then, blow up the bell??!!
Like Mastered SSJ1 Goku did with Semi-Perfect Cell by using Instant Transmission.
Or WHY didn't the citizens leave the city already?! Are they blind that the Villains attack the castle?! They should know how to evacuate the city themselves?!
Another thing, DOESN'T Twilight know that her ( And Shining's) own Parents live in Canterlot?! She might have "accidentally" killed them as well! Along with Moondancer, and her old Canterlot Unicron Friends.
Edit: Seriously?! Why do I have a dislike as well? Now it's ten dislikes.
10786465
This is a complex and difficult ethical issue, and I suppose that, at the end of the day, there is no right answer. Welcome to the world of tough decisions, where no matter what route you take, you end up with blood on your hands. The 2016 film Eye in the Sky portrays this dilemma very well.
10786886
It's mentioned in the story that her own magic field was on the verge of overloading. All the power in generating the shield and holding the Doom Legion back had left her seriously drained.
10786902
Dang! So no quick teleporting to a wasteland or something? Also, personal question?! After all of this. Does Twilight deserve to go to Heaven or Hell for this? Or maybe purgatory?
10786900
Pretty much.
10786933
I don't know if ponies have any concept of that. Given the hell she's been through, perhaps oblivion would simply be enough.
10786974
What would you have done in the circumstances?
So detonating a nuke in your capital is a worthy method of getting rid of corrupt government? Interesting
10786979
Don’t know.
The good news is that she got rid of most of the nobility...
10787274
The bad news is she got rid of most of the nobility.
Dont get me wrong some of the hereditary nobles were probably pretty venal and greedy, but they do usually have outliers in the family and they know how to manage their lands if they want to keep being fairly well off. Celestia now has to reassemble a government that she has no hold on nor the knowledge of their personalities and abilities from the remaining nobles that were not in canterlot or their branch families. While grieving.
10787273
Sensible.
So she was willing to sacrifice other lives for her friends?
Of course celestia would be stupid.
I would honestly still tell, because I’m not seeing the problem.
I’d take those consequences.
10787108 Alondro just sits there... looking shifty... and pushes a suspicious device under his bed.
Twilight went all Majin Vegeta on the Terrible Trio... but forgot to ask Piccolo to take them all to the nearest convenient wasteland! Dangit!
10786886
Actually, those are some good points.
10790465
Thank you!
I could get the "We have to suppress this for the sake of stability" argument if it was a few weeks after the event, but a year? It's simply been too long for it to be a big issue, and Equestria certainly has recovered unity from the villain trio's efforts. I think that was this story's one stumbling block (aside of Twilight's brain being just like a Star Trek computer with impossible exact-time-to-failure measurements for unpredictable things), it made Celestia seem massively overprotective of Twilight's reputation, when the reality is most ponies would be accepting, and the few that wouldn't would have only a dead pony to be angry at.