The Path to Paradise

by TheCrystalRing

Rating: teen
Tags: Shining Armor, Princess Celestia, Sad, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other
Length: 2778

A prisoner escapes from Tartarus to have a chat with an old friend.

I had been locked away down there for what felt like an eternity, with only darkness and shadows to keep me company. No escape, no hope, only darkness. I thought I would never escape. But then, one day, Cerberus left his post, and I could finally flee.

But I wasn't gone for that long, right?

---

Originally written for EqD's Writer's Training Grounds

Published 2014-05-14 15:40:05 UTC
Last updated 2014-05-14 15:40:05 UTC

Begins in Hell

Equestria has changed since I have been gone. It’s so different from what it once was that I can scarcely believe it is even the same country. The ponies here were always so frightened and confused when I first arrived, and now they’re frolicking around as if nothing bad had ever happened to them or ever will.

It’s disturbing, to say the least. Though I suppose it should have been expected, considering how long I must have been locked away. One thousand years? Two? Three, four, five? I can’t remember, and in all honesty that terrifies me more than Equestria changing ever will.

But the world itself hadn’t changed too much, for which I am grateful. The sky's still blue and brisk with the breezes from the north, the grass still the vivid green of dragon emeralds, and the Sun, oh, the Sun…It is as warm and inviting as I remembered.

It was dark down there. I couldn’t see myself or the scraps of food I was given to live off of. I couldn’t feel anything but cold and numbness. I couldn't hear anything beside the growls and hisses of my fellow prisoners and my own pitiful sobs.

I kept telling myself that I didn’t belong down there with criminals and murderers, that when they realized where I had gone they would arrive to free me and reassure me that, yes, I was no villain, and yes, I deserved the freedom I had been yearning for for so long. They never came, and I lost hope with every passing year until it seemed that I would live alone in Tartarus forever.

But then, one day, he left his post. Cerberus, the guard-dog who had always stood solid and alert at the exit, had simply decided to leave. And for the first time in forever, I could escape.

And my escape honestly wasn’t as difficult as I would have thought. I had become so emaciated in my time down here that I easily slipped out of the chains that had bound me here for so long. And when I finally burst out into the sunlight and into nature, where I never thought I would ever see again, I wept. Tears of joy, of sorrow, of regret.

But I couldn’t celebrate for long; he would return soon enough, and if I did not flee he would surely find me and drag me back down to my cell. I did not want to be in the dark again. Not like that. I needed to be guided away from the dark, to figure out my next plan of action. And who better to help than the Princess of the Sun herself?

So that’s why I’m here, standing in front of her castle within the new capital of Equestria. Like the rest of the country, this place, Canterlot, had changed as well. I remember when this city was nothing more than a couple of tents that could barely stand against the elements. Oh, it was so easy to conquer back then…

The two guards who chatted among themselves on either side of the drawbridge snapped to attention as I approached. I could hear one of them whisper to the other words like ‘monster’ and ‘beast’ before they turned to face me. I suppose I do look rather worse for wear: an eternity in one pair of clothing will do that to you.

“State your business,” The unicorn of the two droned while trying to stifle a yawn, “or we will have to ask you to leave.”

I pulled my cloak around me tighter before I spoke, “I wish to speak to Princess Celestia.”

“On what grounds?” The pegasus took over as his companion started nodding off.

“I simply wish to have a talk with Her Highness, sirs. Is that a problem?”

The pegasus stared hard at my face, despite the fact that it was concealed from view under my hood. He sighed after a moment and turned to his partner, awaking him with a nudge, “Hey, go get the Captain and tell him that a mon-I mean-someone wishes to see the Princess.

The unicorn nodded sleepily before vanishing in a puff of azure magic. The pegasus guard only had enough time to about face before the unicorn reappeared with another, taller, unicorn. The Captain, I presume, judging by his much more lavish looking uniform.

He was about the same height as me, and stared me straight in the eyes as he spoke, “I am Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard of Princess Celestia of Equestria. What is it that you wish to talk about with Her Highness?”

I frowned. Why did he need to know? Back before I was imprisoned, anyone could march up to the castle and chat with the Princesses whenever they so wished. Though I guess that’s also why they were always being ambushed every other day. Such is life.

“Captain Armor, the matter of my visit is of no concern to you. Please permit me to enter, if you don’t mind”

His eyes narrowed at my response and his tail flicked in annoyance, “What if you are a criminal, a villain? I cannot just let you come in and possibly harm the Princess. So tell me, stranger...are you friend or are you foe?”

I sighed as my grasp on the cloak loosened, “Captain Armor, I can assure you, I am no foe...” I lowered my hood, shaking my hair free of the constrainment, “...In fact, you may even recognize me as quite the opposite.”

All three of the guards jaws slackened as they took in my appearance, their eyes wide in awe. I’m not surprised; as far as I am aware, my siblings and I were one the few of our kind to ever exist in this world.

Shining Armor swallowed once, twice, thrice before speaking again, “Are...Are you…? Her? The one from the legends…?”

I chuckled, and the two lower ranked stallions backed away from the sound, “Yes, I am she. May I talk to Her Highness now?”

“O-Of course!” The Captain stuttered before yelling behind him, “Open up the gate!”

The sound of heavy chains clinking filled the air before the drawbridge dropped down and filled the gap between city and castle. He nodded curtly at the drawbridge operator before turning towards me again, “If you would follow me, Miss.”

He trotted off across the bridge and I followed closely behind, taking in the castle from the inside. I never imagined that those helpless little ponies who would were being conquered all the time by malevolent forces would ever be able to survive unaided, much less become this rich! It’s amazing how much they have grown...Were people like me ever even needed in the first place?

“We’re here,” Captain Armor stated, snapping me out of my stupor, “Let me check if she is in availible for you.” His magenta magic gripped the throne room’s door handle, pulling it open to where it was just wide enough to allow him to slip inside, “I’ll be back momentarily.”

I hated to see him go, really. Even though he seemed quite standoffish to me, he did remind me of someone...I shook my head as I readjusted my hood back over my head. No, I didn’t have the time nor the energy to mourn about what I once had; I needed to look forward. For I was still not truly free, even without chains and shackles trapping me, and my only hope was the one behind this door.

I must have been standing there for a while, because when the Captain finally returned my feet were covered in pins and needles. “Sorry for the wait: she’s ready to see you now.”

He opened the door wider for me as I took a tentative step forwards. I stopped and asked the Captain one final thing.

“Did you tell her who I was?”

Shining Armor shook his head, sending his mane into disarray, “No. I thought it would mean more if you told her yourself.”

I nodded and thanked him, before stepping through the doorframe, the door clicking closed behind me. I let go of a breath I didn’t even know I was holding as I walked down the red carpet lining the long hall. On either side of me, there were windows of stained glass, the dying light from the sunset just barely causing colored lights to dance on the floor.

They all depicted scenes from history that I must have missed in my absence. Celestia and her sister banishing a creature who I learned was called Discord in my time down there; Celestia, alone this time, banishing a strange black alicorn that I had never seen nor heard of; a group of six ponies banishing the same black pony, and then Discord himself. Hm, I guess this new Equestria wasn’t as peaceful as it seemed at first glance. I tore my sight away from the windows as I reached the end of the carpet, and to the few steps that led up to where the thrones sat.

Where she sat.

Now she had changed quite a lot from how I remembered her. She was much larger than before; I could tell that if she stood she would easily tower over me. Gone was her mane of cotton candy, a pastel rainbow in its stead, slightly flowing as if being blown by an invisible breeze. However, her eyes remained the same. She still had eyes the color of freshly bloomed fuchsias, and they squinted at me as I halted.

I kneeled down in respect, “Hello, Celestia. It’s been a while.”

She blinked, her head tilting as if she was trying to identify my voice, “Perhaps it has been, but I do not recognize you. Who are you?”

I looked up at her, my fingers twitching on the cloak’s clasp, “Me? I am an old friend, and I certainly don’t think you could forget me. Equestria was formed because of me and my actions. I slayed many a beast, and I befriended even more. I was a guardian of your kind, and I was their savior. I was a hero. But I was cursed by the last - and most certainly greatest - foe I ever faced to suffer alone…” Unhooking the clasp, I pulled off the dark fabric to reveal my identity, “...in Hell itself.”

She took a sharp inhale of breath as she took in the rustic clothing, the long blonde hair that cascaded down to my waist and held back by a ribbon, the cerulean blue eyes. And the heart shaped pendant around my neck that at one point carried a great power.

“...M-Megan?”

I smiled, “See, I knew you would remember me.”

Celestia leapt to her hooves and almost tripped herself as she ran down the stairs to wrap me into an embrace, “M-Megan, is it truly you…?”

I pulled away slightly and spotted tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes, “Yes, it’s me, Celestia. I’m back.”

She broke the embrace and wiped at her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears, but soon gave up when her efforts proved futile, “I just n-never thought I’d see the d-day...We didn’t know w-what happened to you; you left to go see what w-was causing all the smog and pestilence that had been a-arriving from up north, and then you never r-returned…”

“That’s because it was a trap. When I finally found the culprits, they turned out to be none other than the Furies, and they were livid with rage. Apparently, they were angry at the fact that because I would befriend our enemies more often than not, they weren’t taking as many souls to Tartarus as they wished. And they decided that I had to pay.”

I unsteadily rose to my feet and stared at myself. Years of grime and filth clung to my clothes, my body, my face, and I might as well have been a corpse with how inhuman I looked, “I have been locked away in Tartarus for what seems like forever. And judging by how Equestria looks now, I don’t think I’m too far off, am I?”

The alicorn sighed, “Yes, it has been. To my knowledge, the last time you were spotted was well over five millennia ago.”

“Am I the only one?”

“Hm?” She cocked her head to the side, “What do you mean?”

“Am I the only one? Of my friends, of my siblings...Am I the only one still alive?”

Celestia averted her gaze and remained silent, confirming my suspicions.

I was alone. Yes, I had Celestia, and no doubt Luna was around, but my friends...every single one...All gone, all dead. Without me by their sides. I was a fool for thinking they would still be alive. It was only natural they would be long gone. Mortals were meant to die. And I...I am a mortal who was way past her prime.

I broke the silence. “Celestia? Can you do me a favor?”

The confusion was evident on her face, but she nodded.

“Can you help me die?”

Her eyes widened to the point that I was afraid they would fall out of her head, “What?!”

“I want you to help me die,” I pushed back the sleeve on my left arm, exposing a dark blood red rune, “The Furies cast this curse on me that prevents me from dying, and can only be removed by powerful magic. Alicorn magic. Once removed, I’ll age to how old I am suppose to be, and die.”

“But why would you want that?! You just came back…”

I took her face in my hands and turned it so she could meet my eyes, “I’ve realized that don’t belong here anymore. I’ve seen how much Equestria has changed, even without me here to help. I might even have been holding you all back from progression. Yes, everything is different, so much so that I wish I could be here to see everything your country has to offer, but I can’t. I should have been dead long ago, with all of my friends and family right beside me, but I didn’t. And I want to change that now, Celestia. Please.

“I want to be free.”

She lowered her gaze and remained silent for the longest time, the only noise to be heard was quiet sound of water droplets splashing onto the marble floor. Her tears, and my own. Finally, she lifted her head, tears still dripping from her eyes, but with a soft smile gracing her features.

“If that is what you wish, Megan, then I would be honored to grant it.”

I sniffled and wrapped my arms around her neck, my tears staining her otherwise pristine coat, “Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome,” She replied. Silence reigned once more for a minute of two before she spoke again. “Are you ready?”

I backed away from her and sat cross legged on the floor, “Yes, I am.”

Was I? I suppose I was. I know now that when I dreamed of escaping Tartarus, when I dreamed of living on the surface once more, I had always imagined them by my side. My friends. And who knows: they might even be waiting for me at wherever mortals go when they died.

Yeah, that sounds nice. I closed my eyes when I saw Celestia’s horn alight with the color of the sun, and felt the cursed rune disappear from its former resting place. And even as I felt all those years the curse had been holding back for so long wash over me, even as I felt my mind become fogged, and even as I felt myself slowly fading away, I beamed. I couldn’t wait to see their faces again, to see their surprise at my sudden appearance.

Speaking of surprises, I wonder if Surprise’ll throw a party when I come. They’ll all be there! Firefly, Twilight, Bowtie, Danny, Molly! Who knows, I might even see get to see Scorpan, Spike, and Mr. Moochick. It’ll be like a family reunion, with all of us together, except we won’t have to depart in its aftermath! No, we’ll be together forever, side by side, reminiscing about our adventures and maybe even finding some new ones. And nothing would be able to ruin it.

Because I found my path to paradise, and it began in Hell.

Author's Note

I honestly am not sure if this is a good story or not; I just started typing and came up with this. I suppose it is kind of dark, though not enough to warrant a tag.