> Never Too Late
>  by SC_Orion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> To Stop
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Twilight Sparkle,


I have need of you and your friends in Canterlot at once, it is an emergency. Princess Luna will explain it to your friends, and I need to discuss it with you in private. Please hurry, I'm afraid I cannot provide any more details than this until you arrive. I wish you haste.


-Your loving mentor, Princess Celestia.





"That's all it says." Twilight finished reading the letter again out loud to her friends present. Twilight sighed, frowned slightly, and looked up, "Well, we'd better hurry, the princess said it was urgent."


A nod of agreement flowed through the assembled group, and they took off at a brisk trot to the train station. Ponies who stood in their way quickly made way for the Princess of Friendship and her friends coming from the Castle of Friendship on their journey to the train station. It was early morning, and the sun was just edging over the city of Canterlot on the horizon, the brisk summer breeze greeted the group with kindness, keeping the day from getting too hot too soon.  If they hurried, they could make the second train to Canterlot that morning, but it would leave in less than five minutes, not providing a lot of time for them to get there.


Upon their arrival, they quickly bought their tickets in relative silence, then boarded the train with seconds to spare. Sure, Twilight was a princess and could have just had the train wait on them, but she would rather not cause a disturbance in the train schedule, many ponies depended on the train, after all.


"So what do you think this is all about, Twilight?" Applejack asked as the train started to slowly set off from the station.


"I haven't the slightest idea, I'm afraid Applejack. Knowing her, she wouldn't have summoned us unless it was an emergency." Twilight answered with a bit of a frown sitting upon her muzzle. She glanced at spike who looked somewhat nervous, his eyes were darting from Twilight and out the window to Canterlot, "Spike, are you alright? You look nervous."


"Wh-What do you mean, Twilight? M-Me nervous?" he chuckled uneasily, "I-I don't know what you mean." Spike forced a smile.


"Well okay then..." Twilight said in a drawn out tone that stated she obviously didn't believe him, but wouldn't push. She continued to look at Spike for a few seconds before turning back to her friends. Spike wiped a claw across his face and sighed.


"Maybe she just wants a really, really, REALLY big party!" Pinkie Pie jumped, and landed directly under where she had been, despite the train still accelerating.


"I don't think she wants a party, Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash answered, "I'm not sure that would be considered an emergency..."


"What do you mean, a party wouldn't be an emergency!" Pinkie seemed shocked by the allegation.


"I hope we don't have to do anything dreadfully... dirty..." Rarity shuddered at the thought, then gasped, "Oh no! I'm not dressed properly for a meeting with the princesses either!"


Princess Twilight Sparkle shot Rarity a deadpan look. Rarity was oblivious.


"I just hope we don't have to fight any monsters..." Fluttershy shyly added.


"What're you talking about Fluttershy, that'd be awesome!" Rainbow interjected. Fluttershy hid in her mane slightly.


The conversation continued on, but Twilight began blocking it out in order to think...





'I was planning on taking action today... Guess that won't happen now, I'll have to reschedule.'


'Not necessarily, depending on what is happening, I could use it to my advantage, if it weakens them enough I won't have much of a problem.' I tapped my hoof on my chin absent-mindedly.


'However I would need to make sure I'm not weakened from whatever this is.'


'I don't even know what they want...'


'They could know about my plan...' I grimaced at the thought. 'No, they can't know about it.' I chuckled inside my mind, 'There's no way they could know about it...'


'Right?' I paused expecting somepony to answer me, getting none, as the others were still conversing.


'Unless sompony found out and told them...'


'I did misplace that one checklist...' I rubbed my head in annoyance, the more I thought about this, the more nervous I was getting.


'Somepony could have found that...'


'Why would they believe I would move against the princesses though?' I giggled in my mind, 'I mean, there's no reason anypony could possibly think that I'd do that...'


'Except Spike...' my eyes shot open, I looked down at Spike, and remembered how he was nervous earlier. I grimaced as I put two and two together.


'Spike found out and told them...' I sighed and fidgeted in my seat.


"Hey Spike?" I asked, the young dragon looked up at me.


"Yeah, Twilight?"


"You... You didn't happen to send the princesses a certain checklist, did you?" judging from his reaction to that question, the answer was an obvious 'yes'. I winced internally.


"Wh-what? I-I don't know what you're talking about, Twilight." Spike was bad at telling lies, it really shows.


I sighed. 'So they know. This was supposed to be that -special- day. They summoned me and my friends to Canterlot.'


"Whelp. This sucks." a second passed, and then I noticed everyone was staring at me, "What?"


"What sucks, Twilight?" Rainbow asked.


"Oh, um... Nothing, was just thinking is all." I quickly replied and went back to my thoughts. The others returned to their conversation, apparently buying it.


'Okay, maybe I can still salvage this. I could tell them it was a misunderstanding...'


That line of thought was quickly interrupted by another thought, 'Gee, -Dethrone Princess Celestia and Princess Luna- is pretty easily misinterpreted, isn't it?'


'Okay, so I could've been a little more... I could have worded it better. Less suspiciously. Yes.' I paused, 'Mental note, when plotting against someone, if you're going to make a checklist, make sure it's not obvious what it means. Also hide it.'


'So that won't work... I could tell them Spike was lying.' I cringed, 'No, I can't do that to him, he doesn't deserve that...' I looked at Spike and smiled sadly, all he ever tried to do was help, 'I know he meant well, but...' I sighed.


'Just go with the flow, act oblivious, -I don't know what you're talking about- should suffice.'





The trip into the throne was met with relative quiet, everypony was content to quickly trot to the room in silence. We had picked up a couple guards to escort us to the throne room, only serving to add to my suspicions, and raising a few eyebrows from the others. We now stood at the massive doors to the throne room for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, there were two guards on each side of the doors, they nodded and opened it. Inside both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were waiting, their facial expressions were one of concern, but it was well masked. Princess Celestia nodded, and the guards vacated the room. We stepped forwards. I inhaled and exhaled, 'Stay calm.'


"What's wrong, Princess?" I did my best to speak in a voice that wouldn't betray my real worries. Princess Celestia met me half way, and nuzzled me. It wasn't normal, either. I could fell her tension and worry. She broke the nuzzle sooner than normal too. We both took a step back as my friends gathered around.


"Greetings, my little ponies." she smiled, "There is a new danger we must face together, Princess Luna will explain it to you, but I need to talk with Twilight alone."


My composure faltered. I gulped, and turned to watch them leave through a door in the back, I could feel my heart beating in my chest. It was a constant throbbing, as it was racing by this point. I did my best to take a deep breath and release it without looking suspicious. "What is it, Celestia?" I asked, dropping the formal title.


Celestia let her head hang loosely for a moment, and sighed, then looked at me. "I... I'm sorry Twilight."


'Not good. Act natural.' "What's wrong?"


"Twilight, stop, we both know what this is about."


"I don't understand, Celestia?" I was having difficulty keeping my voice steady, she obviously knew, and how this went was now up in the air. No element of surprise, and more than likely she had prepared for something.


"Twilight, please." she paused sadly, "Spike sent me that checklist. I know what you're planning."


"I'm not planning anything, Celestia."


"So you're calling Spike a liar, then?"


I grimaced.





I was walking Twilight's friends down the hallway, trying to figure out how to best break the news to them. I knew they would take it hard, but our plan was to try to stop her without force. 'Surely, if we show her that all of her friends are against her idea that'll convince her to not go through with this.' I paused, the others paused and formed a semicircle around me. I took a deep breath, and exhaled.


"Alright, Princess, what's this about?" Applejack asked, concern evident in her voice.


"It's... about Twilight, I'm afraid." I looked over at Spike, "Spike, perhaps you should tell them..."


"I... I guess I could..." Spike gulped, and all heads turned to him, he looked at each of their faces in turn. "Twilight's planning to overthrow the princesses."


"What!" they all shouted in unison.


"You're joking, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.


"Sadly no, Spike found a checklist with some... Rather incriminating evidence on it..." I mused.


"She would never do something like that!" Fluttershy argued


"That's what I thought too!" Spike shouted, "But... Then I found that checklist..." he was on the verge of tears, "And... And I just knew I had to do something about it! So I sent it to Princess Celestia..." Spike looked at me, "Please, don't... Don't hurt her."


I smiled solemnly, "We don't want to hurt her, of course. She is very dear to both of us, which is why we're hoping we can stop her from actually taking action." I paused, and looked at them with a determined expression, "Which is why we called all of you, if all of you come out as being against her on this matter, we're both hoping she'll stop."


"And if she doesn't?" Applejack asked.


I grimaced, "The castle's been evacuated, they don't know why, only the seven of us, my sister, and Twilight know what is going on." I paused, "This could be dangerous if it gets out of hand..." I thought back at my foolish attempt to usurp my sister over a thousand years ago, and how it costed me dearly.


"We... We should probably head back now..."





"So you're calling Spike a liar then?"


I grimaced.


"That's not what I said..." I paused and bit my lip, "I don't know what checklist you're talking about, or even what this is all about."


"Your voice betrays your words." she sounded and looked genuinely hurt. I frowned, and opened my mouth to say something, before closing it.


Seconds passed, I looked frantically from left to right to come up with something to say.


I heard the door that Princess Luna and my friends had left through open again, they walked through. Their expressions and body language said it all, Princess Luna had told them what was going on. I grit my teeth, and then saw Spike crying. My heart ached for him. 'Well, looks like I'm against a wall now.' I slowly turned my head back to Celestia, and waited for her to say something.


Luna, Spike, and my friends slowly approached Celestia, Luna walked beside her, and my friends stayed behind them, the two alicorns shielding them somewhat.


Rarity stepped forwards, "Darling... Tell me it's not true."


Applejack stepped forwards and starred at me, as if looking into my soul, lying at this point would be useless.


Rainbow Dash stepped forwards, "It is true, isn't it..." the way she looked at me showed a deep sense of betrayal.


Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were both standing still, Fluttershy was hiding in her mane, and Pinkie Pie's mane had gone straight. It creeped me out.


"Well, are you going to answer any of them?" Princess Celestia asked.


'Guess it's too late to turn back now.' I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and released it, allowing the sensation to calm my nerves. "Why did you have to bring them into this, Celestia?" her reaction told me she hadn't expected me to open with a question.


"They have a right to know, as your friends." she firmly answered when she regained her composure.


"A right to know? Or you mean -I'm using them against you-." Princess Celestia's face turned sorrowful.


"You needed to know where they stand, Twilight."


I looked at each of my friends in turn and looked down at the ground lowering my head slightly, then turning my gaze on Celestia. "I figured they'd side with you... I'm not surprised or mad at any of you either." I turned my gaze back on Celestia, and lit my horn. they all took a step back, the shocked expression on their faces made me grit my teeth, obviously none of them expected me to actually follow through at this point.


But could I actually follow through with this? I had to ask myself this question now, I paused, while the princesses had readied their horns, they had yet to attack, waiting for me to make the next move, the sorrowful expressions on their faces told me they didn't want to fight me. Did I want to fight them? No. I didn't, but I had to, so many more ponies could be helped with me running things! They couldn't even save Equestria from it's most dire threats, they sent me and my friends instead!


Did I want to do this? No. But I had to, for the good of everypony. I needed to be careful, though, my friends were still in the room, they could be hurt. I looked at them, "Please leave us." I waited for them to move, however they didn't respond by leaving, instead, Rainbow Dash stepped forwards.


"I won't let you do this, Twilight." Rainbow's voice was filled with determination.


"I don't want to hurt you." I paused and grimaced, "Please, stay back. This is dangerous." I turned back to celestia, released my spell, turned on my hooves and teleported across the room. I turned back to see Princess Celestia with her wings stretched out surrounded by a yellow glow of a magical barrier, but Princess Luna wasn't beside her. I grit my teeth and quickly looked around, just barely managing to see her out of the corner of my eye in time to dodge a spell from her.


I countered with a spell of my own, one designed to incapacitate, it missed by a mile. I was caught off guard when magic struck me, I readied my horn to retaliate and locked eyes with... Rarity. My mouth fell open slightly, I wanted them to stay out of this. A few seconds later I was knocked out of my trance by another bolt of magic, from Princess Celestia, it threw me against the opposite wall, fortunately I hit a column of marble, rather than being sent out of one of the windows. I'd likely not survive that.


I rubbed my head, and stood back up, lashing out with my magic, I sent a spell at Rarity to incapacitate her, it hit and she fell to the floor unconscious. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack ran over to her, their words were lost in the sound of the magical exchange between Princess Celestia, Luna, and myself. Two against one, I was barely holding my own, sweat trickled down my forehead. I teleported across the room and managed to launch a spell at Luna, who didn't evade it in time, she collapsed to the floor. Princess Celestia's horror at this showed as her fighting intensified.


Princess Celestia pointed her horn at me and sent a beam of magic at me, I responded in kind, our beams met in the center, my beam slowly pushing her beam back. Rainbow Dash started running towards me, I was hit by a spell from the side, breaking my concentration, I turned to see Luna standing up staring me down. I turned back to see Rainbow Dash about to buck me, I panicked and the next thing I knew she was flying through the air towards a marble pillar. "NO!" I shouted, and started running towards her. She impacted the pillar, and it cracked, Rainbow let out a sharp yelp at the impact, I quickly rushed to her side.


I enveloped Rainbow with my magic, checking her injuries. She had broken her wing, and had cracked two ribs, I cringed and ruffled my wings, the thought of breaking one was unthinkable. Rainbow Dash moaned as she moved her head to look at who was enveloping her in magic, when her eyes met mine I immediately looked down, the pain, despair, and sense of betrayal that they showed was enough to make me rethink this. Princess Celestia had rushed over to my side and took Rainbow Dash in her magic, I released my grip on her, I folded my ears back and just starred at the floor. We seemed to have agreed to a truce with that having happened.


I felt shaky now, "I'm sorry, Rainbow..." I paused, my voice was trembling, "I... I didn't mean to hurt you..."


"Twilight..." Princess Celestia's voice sounded pained, "Why?"


"She startled me, I... I wasn't given time to think..." I shook my head, "I'm so, so sorry..."


"Why would you want this, Twilight? Why would you want to kill me?" My face shot up and I looked her in the eye, shocked.


"Kill? No! I never wanted to kill either of you, I just wanted to get stuff done! You're like a mother to me, Celestia... and Luna is a good friend of mine." I saw Luna nod.


Princess Celestia reached out a wing and draped it over my back, I leaned into her side. "I'm... I'm sorry." I cried.


"Shh, it's okay, I know..." Celestia pulled me closer and nuzzled me.


I cried for a few minutes before regaining my composure. I looked up at Celestia, "S-So what happens n-now?" I weakly asked.


"That is completely up to you, do you want to continue with this foalishness?" she asked as she looked into my eyes.


"N-no... But it's too late... I-I already messed up too much."


"No, Twilight. You didn't, Rainbow will heal, your friends will forgive you, and I forgive you, it's never too late to change one's course, but it might not be too late to evade the repercussions of your actions..."


I looked down dejectedly and sighed, "I understand, princess." I paused, sadly, "C-Can I at least say goodbye to my friends?" I asked as I looked up to her, confusion spread across her face.


"What do you mean, Twilight?"


I cringed, "You... You're going to send me to the moon."


"What? No!" Celestia quickly shouted, then regained her composure, "No, Twilight, what would ever give you that idea?"


"You said it was too late to evade the consequences of my actions..." I sighed.


"I just meant that you'd need to apologize to your friends, and regain their trust." Celestia paused, "Nopony outside this room even knows what happened. I can easily explain away the damaged, they won't question it if I tell them not to." Celestia smiled at me.


Princess Celestia set Rainbow Dash down. Rainbow Dash slowly stood up and flexed her formerly broken wing, finding it healed. "Thanks, princess." Celestia smiled back at Rainbow.


"I... I should go apologize to them." I gulped, not looking forwards to this.


"I agree. And I think you will find them more forgiving than you'd expect..."


I slowly stood up and walked over to the others, they appeared to be gazing at my very soul, I was having a hard time looking at them, so I settled for staring at the ground, "I'm sorry, girls. I... I wasn't thinking right." I didn't expect a reply or anything friendly, instead expecting to be chastised for my behavior.


Then I was pulled into a hug by Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy followed suit and hugged me too, quickly followed by Rainbow Dash, Spike, Applejack, and then Rarity joined in, though slowly, as the effects of the spell hadn't fully worn off yet.


"We forgive you."