An Impossible Choice
(Set in a future season, where the Changelings are at peace with Equestria)
All the powerful creatures of Equestria, including the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony, had gathered in Canterlot Castle’s main throne room, where the Elements were being held. But recently the physical representations were being far from harmonious, they were glowing and fizzing almost angrily.
“You mean theres too much Harmony?” Applejack spoke, after listening to Celestia’s explanation.
“Basically, yes, that would be a good summary. My sister and I's best guess is without helping to imprison at least one evil creature, their power has nowhere to go so they are overloading” the Princess of the Day replied
“What can we do about it?” Twilight asked worriedly.
“Well, we think we only have one option. Somepony, or something, will need to be either banished or cast to stone” Luna replied
“WHAT?” the bearers called out together
“Theres no way I'm casting a innocent creature into stone” Fluttershy cooed softly, but determinedly.
“We have no choice...without doing something the elements of harmony will overload and destroy the whole of space and time!” Discord replied "And thats my job!"
“Is there nothing any of you can do to stop it?” Rarity asked melodramatically
“I’m afraid not - it is more powerful than any of us as it has proven time and time again” Cadence replied, casting her eyes around the room at some of the creatures the elements had defeated.
A silence fell across the room, and then Twilight took on her natural role - leadership “Who will it be?”
Luna stepped forwards “It should be me. I got used to being on the moon for a thousand years, I can do it again” and the Princess took on a regal pose.
Rainbow and Applejack went running across and stood in front of Luna “Princess, it’s mighty loyal of you to put your kingdom first, but you've done nothing wrong so I ain't going to allow it” the farmer addressed the room in general
Rainbow turned to Applejack “Wait, I’m Loyalty, you’re Honesty”
Applejack shrugged her shoulders “Whatever, they are both good”
Discord let out a big sigh “Well, it should really be me given I’m the most evil one here” but no sooner had he spoken that Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie grabbed him in a big hug.
“No way mister! The fact you're even willing to consider it shows just how far you’ve come!” Fluttershy stroked his belly.
“Nopony has gone from evil to being as fun-er-rific as you, you’ve paid your penance!” Pinkie Pie added
With Discord and Luna out of contention, Cadence then stepped forwards “The Crystal Empire will survive without me, and I’ve never been banished or frozen. I did destroy King Sombra, an evil act in itself, so I guess it’s my turn?”
Shining stepped in front of his wife, tears in his eyes “There’s no way I’m going to let that happen!” he yelled, his protective instincts kicking in and his horn glowing ready to fight.
Rarity trotted over and stood next to him “It may be the foolish romantic in me, but there is no way I’m going to let the Princess sacrifice herself after she's found her knight in...urgh...Shining Armour” Rarity groaned at the end, followed by the others.
“With the the bearers each backing one you, I guess it then falls to me” Celestia then gently spoke “Afterall, I’ve banished two of you myself so it’s only fair that I feel the power of the rainbow”
As soon as she finished speaking, Luna and Cadence had both teleported in front of the eldest Alicorn “We cannot let that happen Sister” Luna yelled at full Royal Canterlot volume “You have never done an evil thing in your life, there’s no way you can be banished!”
This was starting to turn into a complicated mexican standoff between the various groups, but one creature had yet to speak “It has to be me...I’m the only one without any sort of current or historical connection to the elements or it’s bearers” the black insect sighed.
Celestia turned and shock her head at Chrysalis “No, it cannot be so. The Changelings would not survive with you as their Queen, so it would be murder. And I think causing a mass genocide would not please the Elements of Harmony!”
“Well it has to be one of us!” Cadence shouted out
Throughout this Princess Sparkle had just watched as her friends and family had all protected various immortal creatures. Celestia turned to Twilight “Twilight, it’s ultimately your decision as the element of Magic. I feel it may be best if you don’t tell anypony when you have chosen as otherwise the bearers might subconsciously block it. But time is running out, you need to decide before the next full moon”
Twilight levitated the fizzing crown onto her head, and the necklaces around her friends necks. “ There’s no point delaying it and causing more fear. I’ve chosen, and I hope you will all forgive me once this is done”
The various creatures in contention nodded and expressed that they understood. The elements of Harmony began to glow and the six bearers lifted up into the air. The five bearers of Kindness, Generosity, Honesty/Loyalty and Laughter all allowed the element of Magic to do what it wanted. A beam of Rainbow light went shooting, up into the sky, and came thundering down...
...directly onto Twilight...
Once the light had faded, every creature gasped as they saw Twilight turned to stone, standing in a regal pose that would be her position for a long time.
“No!” various ponies called out, most resorting to tears. Shining, and others, started hugging the stone Alicorn, weeping uncontrollably. For with the element of magic also turned into stone, there was no way for it to be undone.
Celestia got everypony’s attention, the pain clear on her usual poker-straight face “Twilight made this choice...”
“But, what if we need the elements?” Rainbow Dash yelled out
“Should the need for the elements arise, then they will free Twilight. Until then, there is nothing we can do to free her...saving the word was her gift to us all” Celestia cried, putting her neck round the statue “My faithful student...once again you have shown yourself a far better pony than I ever expected”
*****
The statute of Princess Sparkle stood in the Canterlot Castle main throne room. Everypony in the land had been told the truth, that the newest Princess had sacrificed her freedom for the good of all creatures. And they had been told by Discord that whilst in stone, Twilight would still be aware of everything happening around her. So every day ponies would come up to her and thank her.
Twilight was indeed aware of everything that went on, her consciousness perceiving the world and noises around her. Every day almost without fail the same things would happen
Day court would take place, with Twilight’s sacrifice honoured at every single start.
When day court finished, Celestia, who was always the last to leave,would drap her wing across Twilight and tell her just how proud she was of her student.
Night court would then proceed in the same way, except when Luna left she would simply cross her horn with Twilight in silent recognition.
Discord would pop in at some point when nopony was around, and gently cup Twilights face “You’re a much more nobel creature then I could ever be” the Draconequus would whisper tenderly, before disappearing.
At night Spike would come into the throne room, and curl up to sleep around the statue, guarding it throughout the night in an unspoken bond of loyalty to his mother/sister.
Then, as the day came to a close, an annoying calm voice would enter her mind, trying to encourage her to quit You can free yourself anytime it would whisper. But Twilight always resisted, knowing it would be the end of the world if she did anger the elements by freeing herself
Whenever time permitted, others came to visit. During every diplomatic visit, Chrysalis would come up to Twilight, bow and acknowledge that it should be her in there. Shining and Cadence came down as often as they could, and Cadence always read to Twilight one of their old foal storybooks.
And of course her Ponyville friends would visit often. Pinkie Pie always had a new song to sing to her friend, whilst the others just talked about what was going on in their lives, their jobs, their growing families. Seeing her friends fall pregnant, and then carry foals around brought so much pleasure to the Alicorn Statute, and her friends by extension knowing they were still sharing the joys with Twilight.
But as the years past, her mortal friends grow visibly older, and after a while there visits became less frequent as old age took their toll.
First was Shining Armour - one day Cadence entered the throne room but was wearing a black dress and hat. Twilight knew what must have happened, and just wish she could join Cadences mourning. And then Applejack came to visit no more, followed shortly by Rainbow Dash. Pinkie was the next to pass on, leaving just joint visits from Rarity and Fluttershy. And then soon even they didn't visit anymore…
*****
Today was exactly 600 years since that fateful day of the impossible choice, and Twilight was still casting the regal pose in stone. Visits from the immortals had remained a daily, or nightly occurrence, but of course only they remembered Twilight Sparkle as a pony, rather than as a legend to be honoured. It was strange that she hadn't gone mad yet, but the daily activity in the main courtroom kept her going.
Every so often a major event like a wedding took place, and Twilight was always considered a guest of honour. and every anniversary of her sacrifice was celebrated. But she was growing lonely as the years went by.
You can free yourself anytime the voice in the back of the mind spoke on a daily basis Just free yourself, and all this will be over
“And kill everypony?” Twilight responded as usual “Never!”
Nopony hardly remembers you...surely you’ve suffered enough for ponies that don’t even care what you are going through the voice responded
“I don’t know what you are - if you are something evil trying to make me destroy Equestria, or my own mind going crazy. Every day for the past 600 years you have tempted me, and it will never work. I will never allow Equestria to come to harm, not after 600 years, not after 6,000!”
Suddenly a blazing flash of light made Twilight lightheaded, and she collapsed to the ground
*****
Twilight looked up at her friends and family all gathered around the hospital bed.
“She’s awake everypony!” Pinkie shouted out, causing Twilight to flinch as the voice pounded into her sore head
“What...what day is it?” Twilight asked “Where am I?”
Cadence came up to her sister-in-law with a drink of water “You’ve been asleep for the best part of a day, so we brought you to Canterlot University Hospital for observation”
“So, I dreamt all that in a day?” Twilight sputtered around the drink.
“Dreamt all what?” Everyone asked
Luna comforted Twilight “I sensed elements of your dream...I must say you beared it very well”
Twilight went on to explain everything she went through from choosing herself, through the death of her friends to never giving up, leaving out the more intimate nature of how she dreamt of the various comforting she received from them all...especially Discord.
“We saw the elements bare down on you but didn't know that you had deliberately chosen yourself? Wow, thats a level of Loyalty...”
“And Kindness “
“And Generosity”
“even we could not display” three of her friends finished in unison.
“Oh-my-gosh, that-means-I-need-to-throw-you-like-600-birthday-parties!” Pinkie bounced in excitement.
“600 years...who-wee that was some impressive work there partner, but why did all of this happen?” Applejack asked the room in General
“Well, the elements seem to have settled down, so I guess they are harmonious again” Luna replied
“So, this was all a test?”
“Not a test set by me, but by the elements themselves. It seems like they wanted somepony to prove just how badly we desired the harmony we now enjoy” Celestia added “And my faithful student seemed to pass with flying colours...as usual!”
Twilight looked around her room with all her closest friedns and family, except one, present “Wow, this is all so much to take it...but what I really want after 600 years is...”
Spike came running into the room, a big tub on his back “Ice Cream delivery!” he shouted
“Oh Number 1 assistant, how did you know!” Twilight giggled as she levitated a big spoonful right into her mouth “Oh, Hen and Berry’s, how I missed you the most!” she mumbled as everypony laughed...
Ineffective Inquisition
Shining Armour sat opposite the prisoner for the third consecutive week. Society was too good to it's prisoners - they were well looked after & wanted for nothing. In fact, guaranteed food, a warm bed and the relative safety of a cell was better than the lives many of the prisoners had before.
This made the integrators life very difficult, even one good enough to be the captain of the Royal Guards. And it showed in his work. Without being able to even threaten the prisoner properly, how could he get any information from them?
"So what do you want to talk about today?" he started
The prisoner looked up from her cushion with confusion "What do you mean?"
"Well, we've been at this for so long now, it's not like you're going to suddenly change your mind, is it?" Shining sighed, leaning back on his bean-bag chair
"So, you just want to chat?"
"It's my job to be here, regardless of what progress I make"
"Is this some kind of trick?" the prisoner questioned.
Shining sighed. As a younger stallion, he joined the royal guard to protect the kingdom. Counter-espionage started off as fun and interesting, chasing bad guys through city streets. However, that was a dangerous job and now he was married to Royalty, he was stuck more with a desk job.
Him one side of a desk, his prisoner on the other, like for the past three weeks.
But he had no tools to get her to talk. The tricks on the street - a push into a wall here, a zap of magic there wasn't allowed in these controlled, sanitized circumstances.
"No trick, I'm bored silly. Any idea on how hard it is to try to interrogate you when you're better off in jail, where you get fed everyday?"
The prisoner thought about it, running her hoof over the anti-magic charm now permanently embedded in her horn "I...I just assumed you wanted revenge?"
"Nah, maybe at first but my bride is fine, I'm fine, Celestia's fine...you didn't actually hurt anypony. So...did you see the game last night?"
Knowing Shining was desperate for a chat, Chrysalis smirked a little "Maybe...but I'm a little hungry right now" she coolly replied.
Shining just looked at her, and sighed again. His horn glowed and a series of small pink hearts floated from his horn to her mouth, feeding her a little love "Now can we talk about the game?"
