Prelude: Twilight goes to Canterlot with Nyx
Past Sins: What If....
By Pennycatan
Thanks to Pen Stroke for giving the permission to write this
Prelude
Twilight goes to Canterlot with Nyx
“It was fun today! Can we do it again? Please?” The black filly asked in excitement.
“Of course we can, Nyx, but not tomorrow. Maybe next week, okay?” The lavender unicorn said.
“Okay!”
“Um, Twilight? Isn't that a royal chariot outside the library?” Spike said pointing at the chariot.
“What?!” Twilight half-shouted and she looked at the direction where Spike's claw pointed. Outside the library is indeed a royal chariot with two pegasi guards hitched onto the chariot.
'Why did the princess come today? I hope it’s not something bad...' Twilight thought as she broke into a gallop to the library, leaving Spike and Nyx behind.
Twilight opened the door with her magic and rushed inside. “Princess Celestia!” Twilight shouted.
The white alicorn was sitting in the middle of the library on a cushion. She turned her head to the door as she heard a familiar voice calling her name.
“Ah, Twilight, you’re back. I was waiting for-” Princess Celestia began, only being cut off by Twilight.
“Princess, you could have sent a letter to me so that I could prepare something for you! Or clean the library at least!”
“Twilight, calm down. I’m just dropping by for a private visit.”
“But-”
“It’s okay Twilight. I won’t be staying here long.”
“Okay Princess... If you say so...”
“Hello, Spike, Nyx, seems like you three had a great day today.” Princess Celestia said, handing out a greeting to Spike and Nyx, who just arrived at the library.
“Yes, we did your highness. We had so much fun today!” Nyx replied, her voice filling with joy and happiness.
“That’s good to hear.” Princess Celestia said with a motherly smile.
“So, um, why did you visit me today, Princess?” Twilight asked.
“Oh, yes. Can we talk in private?”
“No problem. Um, Spike? Can you and Nyx prepare dinner?”
“Of course, Twilight! Leave it to us and have a nice talk with the Princess. Come on, Nyx.”
Spike went into the kitchen and Nyx followed him with a nod.
“So, what do you want to talk about? Is something wrong?” Twilight asked after she checked on spike and Nyx, closing the door to the kitchen behind her.
“There's nothing wrong for now. But it can go wrong if we aren't careful, Twilight.”
Twilight tensed as serious tone entered in Sun Princess’s voice and asked quietly, “What do you mean?”
“I’ll tell you about that. But before we proceed...” Celestia's horn glowed and cast a spell to the kitchen door.
“That's the spell that blocks out sound...” Twilight tensed more as she recognized the spell, “Princess is it something about Nyx?”
“Unfortunately it is, Twilight. I found out that Nyx is not your cousin. Would you care to explain that?”
Twilight hesitated, trying to think of an excuse; but then, she realized there's no point of lying now.
Twilight sighed “Okay, Princess...” and began explaining how she met Nyx in the Everfree forest, which made Celestia concerned about her student going into the forest so soon after she got ponynapped, and what happened to the filly since and as well as some theories she harbored. Celestia listened to it all without showing any emotions.
Twilight felt drained when she finished her exposition. Worries and anxieties filled her head the moment she knew Princess' visit was about her daughter. Now that she was done revealing all her hidden thoughts, it was Princess Celestia’s turn to speak.
“Thank you for being honest, Twilight.” Princess Celestia said, offering a warm smile
“I really didn’t mean to hide this from you Princess. I was...It's just...”
“That is okay, my faithful student. Actually I’m rather proud of what you did.”
“You are?”
The Princess nodded “Not all ponies would show kindness and protect the ones who were their enemies in the past.”
Twilight’s cheek blushed as her mentor praised her actions and nodded once.
“Before I break the news to you Twilight, can I ask you what Nyx thinks about you?”
“Well...Honestly, Nyx...kind of thinks me as...her mother.”
Celestia sighed. “I wish I didn’t ask you that question my faithful student. It has become much harder to tell you what I must...”
“What is it? What do you have to tell me?” Twilight asked anxiously.
With that, Princess Celestia began to explain to her student that the ritual created Nyx from Nightmare Moon's remains. At the end, Celestia paused to prepare herself to reveal to Twilight her fears, which only served to make Twilight more anxious than ever.
The alicorn took a deep breath and said, “I’m really sorry to say this, Twilight, but... Nyx is Nightmare Moon.”
“No...” Twilight’s moaned as her face grew pale; her last flicker of hope disappearing.
“Twilight...I’m sorry, I really am. But she needs to come with me to Canterlot.” Celestia said sadly, turning away; it was too painful to see her student's face as she struggled to come to terms with the verdict.
“You don’t have to be sorry and take Nyx to Canterlot...because she isn't.” Twilight argued quietly.
“Pardon me, Twilight?” Princess Celestia asked after a few moments.
“My daughter is not Nightmare Moon!” Twilight snapped at her mentor and made the Sun Princess step back.
“I know you don’t want this, but you'll have to accept it. And you know that.” Princess Celestia gave a comforting hug to calm her student down as she spoke.
“No! I don’t want to accept it!” Twilight shouted as she struggled in her mentor’s hug, “And whatever you say I’m not going to listen! She is not the same mare she once was!”
“Twilight, please don’t make this any harder. I need to bring Nyx with me.” The Princess begged.
“No, I’ll not allow you to take Nyx.” Twilight said, breaking away from her mentor’s hug.
“Twilight, I need to bring her with me so that we can both put our fears to rest. You also admitted that you’re a bit scared, remember?”
“Yes, I was, I'll admit that. But why? She hasn't done anything wrong."
“I’m just doing this to make sure that Nyx is not a real threat to any pony, Twilight. Once I figure out that she is not a threat, Nyx will be returned to you at the next morning.” Princess Celestia said as she gave another soothing hug to Twilight.
“But she really isn't a threat to any pony, Princess, I swear. She’s just a sweet little filly!”
“Twilight...”
“No! I’m not going to let you take my daughter away from me because of your fears! I’m telling you that she’s changed! She. Is. Not. A. Threat. To. Any. Pony!!” Tears ran down Twilight's cheek as she yelled the words.
“Twilight, if you won’t allow me to take her, I have no choice but to do it by force. I don’t want to do that to you or Nyx. So please...let me bring her to Canterlot.”
Twilight broke away from her mentor's hug again. "NO! I won't let you take her! If you really want Nyx, you'll have to go through me first!"
Princess Celestia was speechless; she was too shocked after what she heard from her student, but shortly afterwards she managed to speak.
"You don't seriously mean that, do you Twilight?"
"I'm not joking Princess. I really mean it."
"Twilight, I already told you that I don't want to cause anymore harm to you."
"You've done a lot of harm to me already from your visit, Princess. And I don't want any more of this!"
"I know what I've done to you today Twilight, but I can't stop here. I must bring Nyx to Canterlot."
"I don't get the point. Why do you need to do this? Nyx is already harmless and safe with me."
"Please Twilight...Just allow me to take Nyx. She will be back to you by morning."
Twilight sighed “Princess... Do you really promise me that she’s going to be back tomorrow?”
“If I find out that she is not a threat, yes, I promise.”
After Princess Celestia promised to Twilight, Twilight dove into her mentor's hug and sobbed quietly. Celestia just let her
sob in her embrace until her sobbing stopped and she had calmed down.
Twilight broke away from Celestia’s embrace and said, “Okay, Princess....... But can I go with Nyx to Canterlot at least? She'll
be scared without me.”
“I think it will be the best for you to stay here, Twilight. I don’t want this to be any harder on you.” The Princess said as she dismissed her spell and Twilight just nodded sadly.
“Oh, Princess! We just finished making dinner. Would you like to join us?” Spike asked as he came out of the kitchen with Nyx.
“Thank you for asking, but I’m afraid I can’t. Nyx needs to come with me to Canterlot.” Princess Celestia announced, “Since she’s an alicorn filly, she needs some medical checkups and Twilight already agreed with me.”
“Really?!” Nyx exclaimed in excitement.
“Yes, and once we are finished I can give you a personal tour of Canterlot Castle.” Princess Celestia said.
“Hmm, it’s a bit weird to going to Canterlot right now for medical checkups... but I guess it is ok with me if Twilight has already agreed.” Spike said.
“Are you positive about this, Twilight? Honestly?!” Nyx asked as she turned her head to her adoptive mother.
“Y-yes, Nyx, I’m positive.” Twilight sniffed as she answered. Nyx noticed tear trails on Twilight’s cheek, and asked,
“...Twilight? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong Nyx, don't worry about me; I'm fine.” Twilight said with a weak smile.
“You’re hiding something, aren’t you Twilight?” Spike asked in an unpleasant tone, “What did you and Princess talk about? Is it some kind of a secret? Even to us?”
“Spike, I told you. Everything's fine. Nyx, don't mind me and go along with the Princess.” Twilight said.
“No, I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.”
"Nyx, this is an important thing for you and me. Please, go to Canterlot with the Princess for me."
"What's more important to me is hearing what happened from you, Twilight."
"Nyx, just go with the Princess."
"NO! I'm not going anywhere!" Nyx almost snapped.
'I really didn't want to say this but...'
“Princess Celestia? Just take her...but make sure you keep the promise. If anything goes wrong with Nyx, I will never forgive you or myself.” Twilight said with a heavy sigh, turning her back from the Sun Princess, Spike and Nyx and lowering her head in guilt.
“I will, Twilight, I will. Nyx, Twilight will be fine, I promise. But we need to go now.”
“No! I don’t want to go! I’m just staying here with Twilight until she tells me what’s going on here!” Nyx shouted.
“Nyx please, we have to hurry.” Princess Celestia pleaded, trying to keep Nyx away from Twilight.
“No! I’m not going to Canterlot! I don’t need a doctor! I just want to stay here!”
“I’m sorry Nyx, you will be back in the morning and returned to Twilight, I promise. But we really should get going.” Princess Celestia’s horn glowed and golden aura surrounded Nyx and lifted her to the air as she talked, and carried Nyx towards the door.
“No! I don't want to go! Let me down!” Nyx screamed in panic and fear, struggling to be free of the Sun Princess’s magic.
“What is going on here, really? And what do you mean by ‘take her’? Aren’t you going to stop the Princess?” Spike asked suspiciously to Twilight.
Twilight said nothing. She was just sitting down in her spot, her body trembling as tears flowed.
“Twilight! TWILIGHT! Please, don't let her take me away! I'll apologize if I did something wrong! Just let me to stay here! I want to stay with you! Twilight!” Nyx shouted, giving up her attempt to break free from Princess's magic.
Barely able to handle the situation, Princess Celestia quickly slipped outside the library and shut the door behind her.
"Twilight, are you really going to just sit there and do nothing?" Spike asked in disbelief after what he saw. "I don't know what's going on here, but isn’t Nyx your daughter? Why in the world would a mother give up her child so easily?!"
Spike's words brought Twilight back into reality. Spike was right; a mother never gives up her child this easily. She suddenly felt guilty, more than she ever did, and turned around, wiped her tears and hugged Spike. "Thanks for reminding me Spike." she said as she teleported outside.
When Twilight arrived outside, she saw the royal chariot flying off into the night. Twilight's horn glowed and her magic grabbed the royal chariot, and jerked the chariot down as hard as she could, trying to ground it.
On the chariot, Celestia and Nyx saw that the royal chariot was surrounded by a glowing purple aura. Nyx quit sobbing and looked back to the library and smiled. It was Twilight, trying to stop the chariot from going to Canterlot, using everything she had in her.
"Princess, can't we go down for a moment? Please?" Nyx begged.
Princess Celestia hesitated. If they went down now, Twilight might stop her from bringing Nyx to Canterlot. But inside Princess Celestia's mind, she felt that this wasn't the right way to do this. She broke one mother's heart in the progress, and didn't want to cause any more harm to Twilight or Nyx.
"Alright Nyx, let’s go down." Princess Celestia said and ordered, "Guards, turn around and land beside Twilight Sparkle."
"Yes your highness."
"TWILIGHT, YOU CAN STOP NOW!!!" Nyx yelled.
It was then the purple aura faded from the chariot, allowing the pegasi guards to turn around and pull the chariot back to the library. Once the chariot landed beside Twilight, Nyx launched out of the chariot like a rocket to Twilight and hugged her neck.
"Oh, Twilight... Thank you so much for stopping the chariot...I was really scared!" Nyx cried.
"It's okay now Nyx. And I'm sorry." Twilight said as she rubbed her daughter's back.
"Sorry for what?" Nyx asked.
"For giving you up so easily. I'm not a good mother..." Twilight said.
"You're the best mother I could never get Twilight! And it doesn't matter now that you're beside me. I have one question though..."
"What is it, Nyx?"
“Why did you cry and what did you talk about with the Princess?”
“Nyx, do you really want to know what the talk was all about?” Twilight asked in a serious tone.
“Yes of course I do!"
Twilight asked, “Is it okay to tell her, Princess?” and Princess Celestia just nodded, still sitting on the chariot.
“Alright then...I’ll tell you what Princess Celestia and I was talking about. But don’t freak out after you hear all of it, okay?”
Twilight said and Nyx nodded.
Twilight started to tell Nyx about the serious talk that Princess Celestia and she had earlier. She told her the reason why she cried and Nyx had to go to Canterlot. She also told her everything she thought and her concern for Nyx. And after the long explanation, Nyx wore a face of both shock and horror at the same time.
“Why...why didn't you tell me this before...?” Nyx asked, tears forming in her eyes.
“I didn't want to admit to myself that you are Nightmare Moon, Nyx. And I promise you that you will not be like Nightmare Moon.” Twilight said.
“H-how do you know that I-I won’t become like Nightmare Moon?” Nyx asked, her voice shivering in fear.
“That’s why you need to go to Canterlot, Nyx. So that we can be sure that you won’t be any harm to all of us. You don’t want to hurt me or other ponies, do you?”Twilight asked.
“N-no! I don’t want to hurt any pony!"
“I know Nyx, so let's go to Canterlot. I'll go with you."
“You will? I’ll be glad if you do that, but what if we find out that I am a real harm to any pony?”
“Whatever we find out, I will accept it.” Twilight said, “Like I said, I’ll be always beside you to protect you from anything. That’s what families are for, Nyx.”
Nyx hugged Twilight’s neck “Thanks, Twilight... You really are the best mother I could ever get.”
“You’re welcome, my sweet little daughter.” Twilight said rubbing Nyx’s back with her hoof again and then looked to Celestia. “You don’t really mind if I go along with Nyx, do you Princess?”
“If you insist, I won’t stop you, and I apologize for what I've done to you and Nyx."
“It's alright, Princess. So, are you ready to go Nyx?” Twilight asked.
“Absolutely! There’s nothing I’m going to be afraid of if you’re coming with me!”
“Seems like we’re settled.” Princess Celestia said softly, “Shall we hurry then? It’s getting to be far too late.”
Twilight and Nyx nodded got on the chariot and with that, the two pegasi guards started to pull the chariot to the distant Canterlot Castle.
Chapter One (old version)
Chapter One
Nyx was already asleep beside Twilight with a smile in the floating chariot, and this made Twilight to smile also. She was glad that she was able to comfort her daughter, thanks to her dragon assistant, Spike. If Spike didn’t remind her, she would have been regretting the rest of her life for giving up the filly too easily as a mother. Twilight shook her head slightly at the moment to forget what she did at the library and stroke Nyx’s mane softly.
Princess Celestia felt guilt at this sight. She was happy to see a mother and daughter together again but also regretting a lot that she tried to split them apart.
"Twilight, I'm-" Princess Celestia bent her neck to Twilight as she tried to apologize, but stopped as her student touched her lip.
"Don't say you're sorry, Princess. It's over now; you don't have to apologize more." Twilight said, lowering her hoof.
"But I want to, Twilight... What I did to you and Nyx tonight, it was terrible..."
"I know it was, but it’s part of the past now. Put your guilt aside, Princess..."
"I can't, Twilight... I want to but I just can't; it's too big to put aside."
"Princess..."
"Twilight, allow me to explain at least. I owe you an explanation for this."
"If that will comfort you, I'll listen, Princess."
"Thank you, Twilight." The Sun Princess began, "I had trouble of sleeping at yesterday night, so I went to Spell Nexus to get some advise about Nyx and Nexus said he'll prepare a spell that can prove Nyx is harmful or not."
"Spell Nexus?" Twilight said as an image of a blue unicorn came to her mind, "The headmaster of your school for gifted unicorns? He told you to do this?"
"No, he only told me that Nyx have to come to Canterlot without you for the testing and I said I'll...do it by myself."
"You...volunteered?"
"Yes, I did...but only because I care about you and Nyx so much. I thought it would be better for me to do it then letting somepony else hurt you or your daughter."
"..."
"Twilight... do you blame me for tonight's visit?"
"I also had fears about Nyx like you, Princess... So, I don't blame you...not entirely."
"Can I ask who do you blame? If you want to answer, that is."
"Somehow I blame me for tonight's mess... If I told you about Nyx and talked together, what happened tonight could've avoided..."
"Oh, Twilight..." Princess Celestia said and wrapped her arms and wings around Twilight, giving her student the best soothing embrace she can give and Twiight just stayed in her mentor's embrace.
"Uh, your highness?" One pegasus guard called after awhile.
"Yes?" Princess Celestia said, still embracing her student.
"Forgive my interruption, your highness, but we're near Cantorlot Castle." The guard informed.
"Thank you for informing." Princess Celestia said and turned her head to Twilight as she released her, "Feeling better?"
"Yes... Thank you, Princess." Twilight said with a smile then turned to Nyx,
"Nyx, wake up. We'll arrive soon." Twilight whispered to the black filly as she nudged to wake her up.
Soon Nyx opened her sleepy eyes and whispered, "Mommy?"
Twilight chuckled, "Yes, mommy's here. Now wake up and get ready. We'll arrive at the castle soon."
"Okay..." Nyx said and sat up.
Twilight smiled at her daughter and then looked forward. The royal chariot was approaching to the grand throne room's door and while approaching, Twilight narrowed her eyes as she spotted a blue pony standing in front of the door. Soon, the chariot landed in front of the blue unicorn.
"What took you-" The blue unicorn tried to question to the white alicorn as she stepped down but then froze when he saw a lavender unicorn stepping down from the chariot right behind Nyx,
"TWILIGHT SPARKLE??"
