Bliss in Darkness

Abduction

"What.... what are you doing here?"

"We are here to retrieve something we lost ma'am." The man in front spoke calmly and carefully.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" Twilight asked frantically. She already knew the answer, they were here to take Charlie back, but once they were here, they would not stop coming for more and more answers until there was nothing left untainted in Equestria. Or at least that's what Charlie led Twilight to believe. Regardless, she spouted out more and more pointless questions to gain as much time as she could. She was obviously trying their patience, and the last question seemed to tip the scale from annoyed to furious.

"Did you come peacefully?"

"Of course. Now, we are going to need you to come with us."

"I'm afraid that's not possible.." Twilight said as she charged her horn. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to do yet, but she was leaning towards teleportation or incineration. Before she could decide whether to fight or flee, she felt a sharp pain on the left side of her neck, inflicted by two agents she didn't even know were behind her.

She fought with all her might. She fired bolts of energy around the library at random. All for nothing, as she faded into black unconsciousness.

"I want all of this back to base immediately."

***

"How did you know I had... oh... you.." Luna said teasing me. I was finally happy. Luna filled the spot where Claire had been in my heart, and fit the position perfectly. She was so wonderful, and I let her know it. After several straight minutes of kissing, I took a breath and looked her in the eyes.

"I always knew things would work out."

"Then why did you not just come say it?"

"Because it was funny."

I laughed and rolled over onto my side. Life was finally looking up.

But there was something in the back of my mind that I knew was not perfect. I had solved my problem with Luna, but what of...

"The Humans!" I shouted as I jumped up.

"What humans?!" Luna exclaimed at my sudden outburst. I had forgotten that me and the six elements were supposed to venture into the forest again to see what we could do about the rift.

"Luna I'm sorry, I have to go. The Elements and I need to figure out whats going on in the forest."

"If its not too much to ask... I'd like to help. May I come with you?"

"Of course. In fact, I'd prefer it. We were all supposed to meet at Twilight's library at noon."

Judging by the time, it was ten in the morning. It had taken me only about a half hour to get this far out of Ponyville, so If i left then I would get back just in time to collect myself and get ready. Or so I thought.

Luna and I departed our peaceful clearing, leaving all traces of our romance behind. It was time for business of a different kind, and we both knew it. Having the princess' help would be a great benefit to me, as I could sense the disturbance growing in intensity the closer we got to Ponyville.

We walked for a few minutes before Luna surprisingly turned to me and started speaking.

"Charlie?"

"Yes?"

"Whatever happens in the forest today, promise me you will be coming back. I don't want to lose you for a third time."

"If it weren't such a cliche, I would promise. But this isn't some story. I can see myself having to make a serious choice later, and I will make the choice that is right for everypony, and everyone."

"I see..." Luna said slightly disheartened. I could tell I hurt her, but now was not the time for false hope. There was a great possibility that there will be conflict in the near future, and I scorned myself for not making this a bigger priority earlier.

***

"Dear Celestia,

This is Spike. Cant talk. Strange creatures are at Twilight's house and they are taking everypony away. Charlie is nowhere to be found, and I think these creatures are humans. Please send help."

Celestia had to read the letter several times to confirm what she had just been informed of. Strange creatures? Humans? Charlie hadn't been working on closing the rift? What was she going to do?

'I'm going to stop them.' Celestia thought as she ordered the captain of the guard to assemble the men. Equestria would soon be at war, only unlike the war between Equestria and the Griffon nations many years ago, she had no idea what tactics would be used against her. The captain, ever cautious in times of war and peace, pulled Celestia aside in hopes of changing her mind from an initial assault.

"Celestia... with all due respect... We don't know what these things are, or what they are capable. I..."

"I know they are capable of kidnapping my ponies, and this offence will not go unpunished."

"I agree you highness, but I'm not going to send my men in blind. I am sworn to protect Equestria, not obey your every whim and beckon. I will fight them, once we deem force necessary, and also once we know what we are truly up against." A vein seemed to pop in Celestia's head. Never before had she lost her temper, but she was closer now than ever before. One of her guards just spoke out in disagreement! This was unheard of. Nevertheless, her composure returned as reason won over despairity in her mind once again.

"Very well. Somepony go find Charlie at once. We need to know exactly what humans are capable of, and we may need him to predict their next move."

***

"It's... quiet."

"Too quiet?"

"No, but pretty damn quiet. Where is everypony?" My heart was racing as I walked through Ponyville. It had only been several hours since my departure, and everything was as I left it. Quiet, serene, and peaceful. But that was in the middle of the night when everypony was sleeping. It was almost noon, there should be ponies out scurrying about their business.

"There's something wrong, Charlie. I don't like this." Luna whispered to me as we patrolled the empty streets of Ponyville. She was right, I had never seen the streets so barren before. At least, not since I first came to town.

"I don't like it either. But I have a very strong suspicion that we are being watched. Stay close to me, and don't do anything without my say so." I had to be very serious with Luna. There's no way I could explain to her how devious humanity could be, so I had to suffice with the simple explanation.

Shut up, or they will kill you.

We did not aimlessly wander as Luna thought we did through the streets. I took much caution in the way I sneaked through Ponyville. I always stayed away from areas they could corner us in, conspicuous bushes they could be hiding behind, and other areas of questionable safety. I knew these assholes, and they were not going to get the jump on me.

The day took a sharp turn from bad to horrible as I turned the corner and saw Twilight's library. The door was gone off the hinges and the whole place just looked.... empty. I gulped and signaled Luna to follow me closely.

I peered into the library and was met with a strange sight. Nothing. No books, no furniture, no food on the kitchen table, no Twilight, no Spike. Not even the rug on the floor. I could hardly contain my frustration, as I now knew it was the humans behind this attack. Who else but the government would be so through? They took everything for study no doubt... I could only imagine some doctor dissecting Twilight's horn, trying to unlock its secrets for themselves. I had to stop it.

Before I got too ahead of myself, I decided to calm down and search the library for clues. Perhaps they had left a trace of something behind... Like that blinking light in the corner. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that there was a blinking red light coming from the upper left hand corner of the room. That certainly wasn't there before. I stood up and reached up to it.

Once I had the device in my hand, I could clearly see what it was. A small camera. I crushed it in my hands like a bug.

"What was that thing?"

"It was a camera."

"What use would taking pictures be? They have already been here..."

"Its not for taking pictures, its for watching us. I told you humans are advanced...." I tried to explain to Luna. She hadn't been there when I explained modern human technology, and it would take months of study before she could even begin to grasp the subject. She would just have to suffice with the simple answer of,

"Humans are good with electricity and metal."

As much as I wanted to explain wireless technology and microprocessors to Luna, we just didn't have the time. I needed to find Twilight. I needed to fine everypony, really. The clock was ticking and my friends could be dying. It was high time I asked myself why it came to this.

"I'm so stupid Luna..."

"You are not, let's get going."

"No, its true. I should have been here when they came, but I went to go find you. I put my personal goal over the lives of many, and this is what I got."

"Oh don't you talk to me about regrets. We don't have time for this, now lets go!"

"Ok, fine. But where? We have no idea where to look, and as much as I want to save them, I dont feel like charging into the Everfree completely blind."

"We will do what I do when I need help. We will go to Celestia."

***

An unknown amount of time passed before the purple mare awoke and discovered she was strapped to a large metal object. She felt a course strap holding both hooves up above her head, and one holding her midsection. Painful, but effective at holding her at a semi-verticle angle. She opened her eyes, but they relayed nothing to her brain. She decided to rely on her sense of hearing to determine her location instead.

"Hello?" She whispered.

Silence.

She replied to the silence with a soft cry. Charlie had been right, this was more important than their personal struggle. She had pushed him away and now all the ponies in Equestria would suffer for it.

"Is... is that you Twilight?" She heard the ever elegant, yet quivering voice of her fashionable fellow unicorn.

"Yes it is! Rarity, whats happening?"

"I... I don't know. I cant see anything, can you?"

"No... I can't. What did they do to our eyes?!" Twilight exclaimed as she blinked repeatedly trying to regain her sight. She feared the worst, brain experimentation, or other evils the humans may have committed against her.

"Uh Twilight... It's just dark in here."

"Oh." Twilight responded when she realized that the room was indeed pitch black.  "That doesn't exactly help our situation Rarity..."

"I know Twilight. Why cant I hear anypony else?"

"I don't know... Maybe they categorized us by race?"

"..." Rarity responded not with words, but with tears. Twilight would have comforted her friend, but she could not. She could only sit there, strapped to an unidentifiable object, and hope that help would soon arrive.

Minutes passed, then hours in the dark tomb. If anybody was listening, they would hear the tears of two best friends, fighting for their lives.

***

"Celestia!" Luna exclaimed as she flew past the balcony on which her sister stood. On her back, she carried Equestria's only hope. Me. Heavy though I was, Luna was a very strong alicorn and her added size came very much in handy. Celestia did not have time to question my transportation, for Luna landed right next to her sister and I hopped off to greet her. Stoked though I was to ride on a pony, I had instead been thinking of what to say to Celestia, so when I spoke it was very quickly and to the point with no formalities whatsoever.

"I have been to Ponyville and it is completely empty. I recommend further investigation before we come up with a plan of attack. Time is very much of the essence, so we will need to have multiple teams of ponies searching the jungle for the residents." I said without stuttering.

"See this? This is a camera. It is very small, and it saw me coming. They know I'm here, and I wouldn't be surprised if they know your name, size, race, and gender. The only thing they haven't had time to study is the power of your magic. Use it if need be. The same goes for you Luna. They are dangerous, tricky, and they want to see this world "civilized." Don't let them convince you otherwise."

"But... these are your people Charlie? Shouldn't you be able to reason with them?" A pony in the royal guard spoke up. I was surprised he knew my name, but small details did not matter anymore. Equestria had been invaded and there would be more attacks very soon. I was sure of it.

"They are the very reason I left my world. They tortured and studied me like I was an expendable animal. I do not with the same upon all of you." I then hopped back up onto Luna's back and prepared to be endowed with the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"I still don't believe this will work..." I whispered to Luna who only gave me a look of reassurance and a small smile, her horn glowing.

"GUARDS OF CANTERLOT." I spoke extremely loud, my voice box trembling with the power it now possessed. I felt like there were seven voices coming from my mouth, all speaking through a megaphone.

"I realize that you all may be frightened, but do not worry. We can and will defeat this enemy. But that does not mean it will be easy. Earth did not send their army here..."

'If they did we would all be fucked already...'

"But they did send a regiment of highly trained sophisticated agents to subdue and capture me. 'Why fight for the human?' you may ask. Because once they capture me, they will not stop until they have captured, cataloged, and colonized all of Equestria. If you wish to remain free, you must fight with me."

I took a moment to observe the army I had just taken control of. Or should I say, the guard force. Equestria had no needed a military for the thousands of years of peace they had been living in. The only ponies that could fight were the Royal guard, and they were not suited for subterfuge. Had we more time to prepare, I would have suggested we find other ponies more suited for the task, but I would have to make due with what I had.

"Are you sure this is the best idea Charlie? The guards are faithful, but they are anything but subtle..." Celestia spoke to me as she saw the look of unease grow on my face. I felt Luna's power recede from my voice box and spoke normally to the princess.

"It is most definitely not the best idea, but we don't exactly have anything else now do we..." I spoke quickly and to the point.

"I suppose not."

"Don't worry Princess. I've beaten them before, I'm sure we will think of something." I said as reassuringly as possible. In truth, I had no idea how well any of this would turn out, but we at least had the advantage of magic. One we were losing as they were sifting through Twilight's books.

'Dammit...'

Authors Notes: Sorry for the delay ya'll. I've been traveling (again) but now I'm home! Also, I got an idea for another story that I just couldn't pass up. The story is here if you care to read it: Through Struggle Thanks for reading!