Bright Darkness

by Rattus and The Victor

Meeting

Trixie nervously trotted back and forth within the dungeons. Though it was deep underground, a constant bright light flooded the place. Making sleep difficult and privacy nonexistent. The walls were made of a rough topaz in her cell- or so she thought. She had only learned how to identify earned rocks from another fairly recently.

A jagged black rock lined the traditional thick bars- though a sizable boulder of what she thought was the same material sat between another cell she could into in the walkway. Guards would idly walk by, scanning vacantly around as they passed her. She thought of attempting a teleportation spell to escape this unforeseen madness, however her horn barely became alight when the magic was aggressively ripped away from her and sucked into the black rock. She cried out in pain, and then collapsed as her hopelessness weighed down on her- heavier than all the minerals in this dreaded Empire.

She knew there had been some grim misunderstanding the moment she explained to the nurse about the conditions she found the stallion in. Guards immediately drowned her and tore her from the spot she stood. She had seen Princess Cadence, and sighed a breathe of relief- before she saw the level of apathy etched throughout her face. Her eyes swelled wide in horror as what she recognized as a dark magic expelling spell was used- the orb ripping through her, stinging at bits of her. Flashes of the alicorn amulet leapt before her eyes and for a moment she thought she was to dissolve away from existence. Surprised when moments later all she saw was her shaking form. The princess looked undeterred and had placed her horn on her head, causing Trixie to fall from reality and into blackness.

Great and Powerful my flank. She thought to herself as she got up to pace. She couldn't even verbally defend herself when questions were barked at her. All she could let out were cowardly squeaks and screams. She sighed as she noticed how knotted her wispy frost colored hair was. Hunger gnawed at her senses and she sat down again- though sitting seemed to make her even more mad and send her thoughts racing. One of the guards would be down soon with some mush that vaguely resembled food, and she would be ecstatic to devour it.

"Princess!" her words echoed in her mind. "I don't know anything, I swear! I just was trying to save a life!"

She pondered what trouble that stallion she saved must be, and if it would have been better just to have let him drop and be shredded by the abyss below. She knew this was a horrible thought, but in the same vein right now she would be a free mare, probably getting some actual food. Relaxation like she was told she needed.

This was quite the opposite of that. She could slowly feel her slip on reality with each passing hour. She had heard solitary confinement had been abolished as a punishment in Equestria hundreds of moons ago. That each pony was innocent until proven guilty and entitled to a fair trial. Everything pointed to that not being the case now. Her bones aches with fear, loneliness, hunger, and overuse from pacing.

What would my family think?
I would hope they knew this is just some misunderstanding.

A series of clicks followed by metal grinding on metal sounded. She attempted to poke her muzzle out from her prison to see what was going on. A chorus of footsteps aligning in rhythm sounded from down the hall. Leading a large portion of guards was the Princess herself. Trixie cowered into the back of her cell, coiling on the floor and not daring to make any movements. As her luck would have it the reverent figure stopped in front of her bars.

Trixie glanced over at them, freezing once her eyes locked with Cadence. She would have never thought the Princess of Love could fill her with live wires of terror. Attempting to gather some composure and calm, she acknowledged the crowd with a nod.

"Trixie, isn't it?" Cadence said with cold detachment, she had unfurled her large wings, which made her look even more formidable.

Trixie nodded. Wondering at first how they had her name- realizing though that the Princess's of the land must speak to one another, and Trixie had defiantly made herself known to the Princess of Friendship as a threat to Equestria- though that was only with the amulet of course. Without it she was weak, ignorant, and spineless.

"You may have been acquitted of your previous crimes against Equestria outside of my kingdom, however I could not let a threat run free nor could I knowingly allow your actions to go, unpunished."

Trxie's eyes were once again wide with terror. All of her senses were paralyzed, her ability to speak nonexistent. She knew getting away wouldn't be so easy, and realized how much of a fool she was for coming her. She would have ended up here no matter what she had done- at least she had hopefully saved that stallion's life in the process.

"Do you still stand by your statement that you are in no way affiliated with King Sombra?" Cadence continued.

Trixie nodded as truthfully she didn't know of any king in their monarchical land.

"When one of my nurses examined you, she noticed dark magic scarring around your neck- care to explain?"

"Amulet." she choked out, Cadence nodded.

"Of course. I wanted to see if you would try and lie to me."

Trixie shook her head.

"Would you relay to me just how you found this stallion?" Cadence asked, her tone gentle and authoritative.

Trixie began telling her of the encounter in the Frozen North, and why she was there. She was traveling, searching for a purpose and to grow stronger not just magically, but as an all around better pony. None of that would be believed, however she relayed the truth.

Cadence left almost as quickly as she came. The small army leaving with her.

She was astonished to find that her meal had been upgraded from mush to healthy greens and a small serving of sweet oats.

---

An aghast shock wave echoed through Twilight when she heard the news.

King Sombra Re-Awakened, Captured. Dark Magic Wielder Trixie Captured.

Cadence's letter arrived before she immediately teleported herself to the Crystal Empire. The magenta flash blinding and the crack loud enough to shake books from the walls.

By the time she arrived inside all of the other Princess's were also inside the throne room. Though it was Cadence's kingdom, everypony looked towards Celestia for guidance. Luna sat uncomfortably, she had a distant clandestine stare. This was one of the first gatherings all the Princess's had since her return.

"I say execution." Cadence finally declared.

Celestia raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued, nodding for her to continue.

"We can't risk him coming back- even having his heart pumping. He is consumed by his own evil, unlike Princess Luna he will never break free."

Luna cast her a glance that was mixed with tingles of emotions; offense, a sense of being impressed, and resentment. Looking away Luna airily droned, "From what I have heard it sounds as if his dark magic has been separated from his being. Though you can't separate a pony from his ideals, and I agree that is in itself, dangerous."

Cadence swelled with pride. "Reformation isn't possible in this case." she said with confidence.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Celestia chimed in. "I would like to take a look at him myself before we continue further."

Cadence's ears pinned back, "With all due respect, I do believe this is my kingdom, and I should have the final say in what happens and when we shall continue."

Celestia looked over calmly at Cadence, "I only expressed the desire to look. You will find in exploring all avenues in a given case is necessary. And I posses stronger magic, tolerance, and fortitude than you. I am the least likely to be consumed by his magic."

"Princess-" Twilight sadly sighed, the other three heads swiveled towards her with questioning looks. "Nevermind."

"I will look at him as soon as I can." Celestia said, "I will attempt to peer into his mind and see if reformation is possible. Are we in agreement?" Though the question was directed at everypony present, she glared at Cadence scrupulously.

Everpony "aye'd" in agreement before teleporting back to their respective duties. Twilight groaned as she looked out at the empty throne room. Though she was a Princess she never had much to add to such meetings. And even when she tried to exercise some control or probe some thought process she was always shut down. She too teleported back to her study.

Comments

[Dxinsider]

wow.... Cadence is a cunt.

[Yubella]

She was astonished to find that her meal had been upgraded from mush to healthy greens and a small serving of sweet oats.

Yeah even if I get out I'm not being one of the princesses 'little ponies' again. If I were trixie. I as myself already hate them for diffrent reasons