The Twilight was Dark Tonight

“This way, Princess.” The rather seedy looking guard said as he lead Celestia down a long hallway riddled with cells. Celestia hated this prison. Not just because it was a prison, though. This was a prison for lunar extremists. People who commit crimes in the name of Princess Luna. And even then, it wasn’t because they were directly opposing her. It was because Celestia herself agreed with their cause. Freeing Luna from the banishment she forced upon the lunar princess. Their means were just criminal and incredibly dangerous.

These people hated her, too. She had already narrowly avoided being spat on a dozen times and had ignored more jaunts and insults than she would have liked.

“Why are we here, anyways?” Celestia asked, a bit of spite tingeing her voice. She chose to ignore the blood spattered cell being hosed down they passed.

“You told me you needed someone powerful, powerful enough to level a mountain in the blink of an eye. You also said you needed someone who, given the chance, would save your sister instead of destroying or banishing her again should the nightmare return. There is but one person I can think of, at least that’s still alive.” The guard explained.

“And who might that be?” Celestia asked. They stopped and Celestia caught something that was flying towards her. Confused, she looked at the projectile and found that it was a very large padlock that had been nearly shattered. Looking around, she saw that the padlock matched those that kept the cell doors locked.

“I don’t appreciate it when those morons you call guards lock my door...” A very intimidating voice said from the source of the padlock-turned-projectile. It was feminine and seemed to hold power all on its own. Celestia looked into the cell and saw only two things. The first was somebody sitting on the cot, shadows hiding their face, and a peculiar scar on the back of both of their hands. The scar was of a six pointed star with a similar but much smaller six pointed star between the points of the original.

“To answer your question, Princess, that would be her.” The guard said.

“Oh? So Princess Celestia is looking for me?” The person said, interest evident in her voice. The scars on the backs of her hands slowly began pulsating a deep purple glow and Celestia caught a glimpse of the girl’s face. There was a very large scar going from her left brow, down past the eye and through her lips, curving slightly right at her chin and finishing at her collarbone. It may have been her doing it intentionally, but the eye was shut as if the scar kept it so.. Aside from that, though after looking another moment she realized the scar certainly didn't degrade it, the girl sitting in there was rather beautiful.

“Twilight Sparkle, the only person in here that isn’t a criminal.” The guard said. The low purple glow flashed bright and the girl was gone, only to appear soundlessly behind Celestia. Startled as a hand touched her pristine white wing, she turned around to find the girl studying her.

“So you’re here of your own volition?” Celestia asked after a moment. The girl simply nodded and slowly walked around Celestia to again touch at her wings. Celestia shivered slightly, but chose to let this girl do as she pleases.

“I leveled an orphanage and half of the surrounding village when I was little, on accident of course, but ever since then my life has been filled with people trying to hurt me. I killed those who tried to do the same to me, but it was only in self defense. That’s the only reason I haven’t committed a crime, though, because they came at me with the intent to kill.” The girl explained in that intimidating voice. Though, now that she wasn’t pissed at what she was talking about, Celestia could definitely hear compassion and even maybe kindness in her voice.

Celestia flinched as she felt one of her feathers being plucked, though since said feather would grow back in minutes she decided to ignore it.

“That doesn’t explain why you’re here...” She said. She raised an eyebrow as she saw Twilight coming back around to her front, gently rubbing the feather against her lips. The girl’s lips twitched in a slight smile and she stopped in front of Celestia and turned to face her.

“I wasn’t finished. I didn’t want to risk hurting anyone unintentionally, since after the killings my mind became incredibly unstable. I would sometimes even lash out at inanimate objects and obliterate them. Before I did that to a person, I decided I’d go and lock myself up in a place that I couldn’t destroy with magic. This prison is the only place that would accept a ‘volunteer’.” Twilight explained.

“So I’m guessing that scar happened when those people tried to kill you?” Celestia asked. The girl just chuckled lightly and shook her head.

“Nope. I gave myself this scar.” She said, grinning now. The eye opened then and Celestia didn’t know whether to be amazed, appalled or afraid of what she saw. The eye was pitch black, the entire thing, except for that same symbol that was on her hands. It looked like it had been branded onto the eye in red. Celestia looked back at the symbols on her hands and thought back to when they glowed.

“They’re glyphs, aren’t they? But I can’t figure out what kind it is or even what branch of magic...” She said. Twilight looked down at her hands and chuckled as the eye closed once more.

“They aren’t of a single branch. This is a general glyph, the first of its kind. I invented it when I was twelve. And by general, I mean all I need to do is guide it to do what I want and it can accomplish anything given the proper power.” Twilight explained.

“When you were twelve? Exactly how long ago was that?” Celestia asked, curious.

“Seven years ago, I’m nineteen now. Some people swear I’m in my mid twenties though, apparently I’m much too matured to be barely out of my teen years.” Twilight shrugged again as she leaned against a wall.

“Why the fuck are you talking to that scum?!” A prisoner in the cell next to her growled and spat. The retaliatory elbow shattered his jaw before the spit even hit the floor. The guard chuckled, but Celestia didn't to think it was a good thing.

“Anyways, why are you looking for me?” Twilight asked, her left hand glowing as she dragged it over her blood spattered elbow and the blood disappeared.

“Nightmare Moon is returning.” Celestia started. Before she could finish, though, howling cheers and applause shook the entire area.

“SILENCE!” Twilight’s voice resounded, echoing off the walls. It was magically amplified and the entire prison did as it was told. You could hear a pin drop, if one was foolish enough to disobey Twilight’s order that is.

“Continue.” Twilight simply said, as if she hadn’t just shut up an entire near-rioting prison with a single word.

“...But I cannot destroy it, nor do I wish to banish her once more. I want someone powerful enough to hold their own against her like I can, yet have the strength and purity to save the woman within from the nightmare. That is something I cannot do, but apparently you can.” Celestia explained. Twilight cocked her head, her expression looked almost confused.

“Why can’t you?” She asked.

“This is something we cannot discuss in a place like this. If you are here of your own volition, then will you come with me and at least hear me out?” Celestia asked.

“Hm... First, tell me something. Why are you putting so much faith in me being able to do it? I’m powerful, but not as powerful as you.” Twilight said. Celestia didn’t answer. Instead, she simply beckoned to the girl and started walking.

Twilight liked this Princess. As she thought that with a small smile, she uncrossed her arms, following said Princess, and the feather she held fell to the floor before crumbling to dust.