Chapters My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
A flash of lightning lit up the dark sky and moments later the sound of thunder filled the air. Clouds were accumulating and the wind howled like a choir of malevolent banshees, the makings of a harsh storm growing at an exponential rate. The silhouettes of two figures shown boldly against the light of a full moon and together they spun, locked in a not-so-elegant waltz of battle. Wings beat heavily, blades clashed, sparks seared off armor plates. There was another clap of thunder and the ground shuddered violently under an impact. A haze of dust rose up from the newly formed crater and the dark sky grew darker as clouds concealed the stars and rain finally began to fall freely. One pony had the other pinned in the rubble.
"You should see yourself. Do you have any idea what you look like right at this moment?" called out one voice. Male. It was so casual and yet it was seething with a dark euphoria. There was a cruel edge to his voice that was cold as ice. Cold enough to quench dragonfire but leave any who heard it burnt just as badly. The voice that replied was unusually calm, like ripples moving across the surface of water while the eye of a storm passed overhead.
"What?" This voice was also male.
"A ravenous beast. The same blood runs through the both of us. The blood of a beast who wanders, hunting for the blood of others."
There was a roar of rage that pierced the stormy night sky, drowning out even the sounds of mighty thunder and howling winds. This cry of agony was so intense that it practically tore the world asunder around it, the very fabric of reality unraveling. The sky above shattered like glass and the ground below crumbled beneath these two stallions. Darkness consumed them, thick tree branches encircling the crater. Then there was a sudden brilliant, bedazzling flash that could only be described as rapidly forming crystal. Encased in gemstone. Like a cocoon of diamond and hidden within was something... somepony? Trapped. There wasn't any way to get a better look and the harder one tried the more obscured this gemstone prison became. Abruptly a pair of eyes lit up from within the jewel capsule and a spider-web of cracks split into the gem's surface, a blinding light escaping through these deformities until the entire object exploded with energy. It was then that the Princess of the Night awoke with a start, Luna's eyes wide and her chest panting heavily while she caught her breath and fought to make sense of the dream she'd just witnessed.
She rarely had dreams of anything remotely worth dwelling on. It was generally when one of the denizens of Equestria became particularly troubled did she bother to dwell on dreams at all. To have experienced one during her own rest was highly unusual, especially since she wasn't entirely sure if what she'd seen was a dream, or something else entirely. Luna sought the counsel of her sister, Princess Celestia just before the cycle of night was to begin, though as expected there wasn't much the older sibling could say to alleviate the worry she now felt.
"I cannot fully explain what I saw big sister. You know I can enter the dreams of others while they sleep, but I've never experienced the dream of another while -I- slept..." Luna hesitated, her voice trailed off as she lowered her head and averted her gaze. She put her arms around herself though Celestia simply smiled and leaned in to embrace her younger sister, giving her an affectionate nuzzle.
"Go ahead Luna. Speak your mind." said Celestia. The dark blue alicorn took a deep breath and brought her head up.
"There's something very troubling about this... it felt as though the dream was brought to me... I was still the observer... yet it felt cold and barren, like I wasn't supposed to be there." She had briefly embraced her older sister before she'd pulled away. "You and I share the responsibility of watching over the Day and the Night... and that after you lower the sun and I raise the moon, I sometimes enter the dreams of our subjects when they become troubled. But.. for as long as I can remember there's been... an empty place here in Equestria." There was a twinge of guilt to Luna's voice as she spoke.
"What do you mean?" Celestia's eyebrow rose curiously as she gazed at her younger sister, moving to brush some of her radiant mane out of her eyes.
"A void. A place I could not go. With this dream... I believe it came from this place. This place is actually a mind. A pony whom our light can't touch. I'm sorry I never said anything, but with you and I watching over so much and so many, I never gave it much thought. I let it slip my mind..." Celestia took this information and pondered as she began to pace back and forth in her private study, flames flickering within the hearth against the wall at the back of the room.
"It's all right Luna. Anything is possible, even if it's unlikely. Though what makes you think that this 'void' is actually another pony?" Luna gave her older sister a faint, but sincere smile.
"Because of what happened... when I forced you to banish me to the moon." The two royal sisters shared an equally pained, yet heartfelt gaze as they looked into each other's eyes. Celestia was the one to look away this time, attempting to hide the dew that had formed beneath her eyes. Of course she didn't like being reminded how she'd had to banish her own sister. Luna continued to help ease the tension and show she wasn't at all bitter over what had happened.
"I would be able to recognize a lost soul, wouldn't I? I believe that it's a pony who's trapped, or imprisoned, and it feels as though it's coming from somewhere deep within the Everfree Forest."
"With the barest glimpse of a clearing amongst a tree line, you draw the conclusion it's that particular forest?" queried Celestia. Luna gave a shrug.
"It's the largest and wildest forest in Equestria. A perfect place to hide something you don't want found."
"The Everfree Forest... if this void has really been there for as long as you can remember, then it might have been there well before we built our castle there. It could be very old. Perhaps older than we are? Hmm..." The elder princess continued to pace back and forth, her voice trailing off. There was a chilling silence between the two sisters until Luna finally spoke once again.
"Sister? I know it will soon be time for the moon to rise, but don't you think we should investigate this? Prisoner or not, it pains me to think that there could be a pony who's dreams are a source of constant torment..." Celestia smiled at Luna once again.
"I agree, we most certainly need to know more. If you wish to go tonight, then I will remain on watch after you raise the moon." Celestia looked at Luna and the two sisters shared a loving smile. "As Ponyville is so close to the edge of the Everfree Forest, I am going to notify Twilight Sparkle, just in case. She just returned from a rather interesting adventure." The Princess of the Sun chuckled and glanced at a scroll that lay open behind her.
The slightest of pouts broke through Luna's royal demeanor. Did Celestia think she couldn't handle this on her own? It was because of her negligence that this void, this pony remained lost to them for so long. It was her responsibility, no, her obligation to make this right. As these thoughts ran through Luna's head it was as if Celestia could see them flurry in her sister's eyes. The white alicorn gave her blue sibling a warm smile.
"I have every confidence in you Luna, I only feel Twilight should be informed in case this turns into something that may threaten Ponyville, or any other part of Equestria. Her ability to take in and disseminate information may prove invaluable in an instance such as this. I'll let her know you're coming." Just like that it was decided and Luna nodded her head in reluctant agreement.
"I... I know. I just... I can't help but feel this is a failure of mine, having dismissed it for so long... that it's -my- fault, my responsibility to set this right, that's all. How will you notify Twilight Sparkle? Will you send one of the Guard, or send a message through her assistant?" Luna turned to the door and stretched her wings widely, giving them a flutter before folding them neatly again.
"Please don't berate yourself Luna, if anything you should be cross with me for not noticing at all." Luna peered at Celestia curiously who gave a comforting smile and it seemed to have the desired effect of lightening the mood. "I don't think we should alert anyone unless absolutely necessary, not until we know more. Twilight and Spike will show the utmost discretion."
The two sisters nodded at one another. Celestia began working on a message for her faithful former pupil and newest Princess of Equestria. Her horn radiated magic and a quill appeared, pressed to a scroll of parchment for her to scribble away on. It only took a few moments for her to finish the message and Celestia rolled up the parchment. With a flash of magic the note sealed itself and vanished, off to be delivered. The younger sibling had moved towards the door but lingered, just in case there was anything else. It would be a few moments until the silence was broken.
"Sister? is there something else? Something troubling -you-?" inquired Luna, noting the look of deep thought spread across her sibling's face.
"Hm? Oh, it's likely nothing. Though this does coincide with an occurrence that has just been brought to my attention. A shop broken into here in Canterlot. The rare and expensive merchandise was left untouched, along with the shopkeeper's bits, though apparently an heirloom of some sort was taken. Something seems familiar about it, but I can't put my hoof on it... I'll have time to think on it later though, we should get to work. Be careful little sister." Celestia strode over to Luna and smiled, leaning forward to give her a hug and a kiss to the forehead.
"I will big sister. I'll get to the bottom of this and be back before you know it, promise." Luna smiled right back and returned the hug. The two siblings exited the private study together. It was time for the sun to set. Time for the moon to rise. Time for night to fall over Equestria.
Twilight Sparkle paced anxiously in circles around the map that had appeared in her throne room. The idea of having her own castle was still so strange. She and Spike had just returned from their trip to Starlight Glimmer's village when he'd let out a hefty belch of green flames, a scroll appearing from within them. Spike caught it in his claws and looked it over a moment before he'd turn to face his lavender alicorn friend.
"Hey Twilight, Princess Celestia already sent us a message. Do you think she could've found Starlight Glimmer? I wonder how she stays on top of these things..." The dragon tapped his chin thoughtfully with one clawed finger. Twilight sparkle felt her lips curl into an amused smile and she gave Spike a roll of her eyes as her horn went aglow with magic, taking the scroll from her number one assistant.
"Well, let me read it already and we'll find out won't we?" She let out a chuckle as her magic pulled the scroll open. Her eyes went left to right, top to bottom all the while Spike continued to ramble.
Dearest Twilight,
A troubling matter has come to light that may reside in the heart of the Everfree Forest. My sister Luna will be coming to meet you in Ponyville before going on to investigate. We have very few details at the present time. I trust that you and Spike will be able to help her should she require it. Also, please keep this confidential. I know this will be difficult, but I advise you to refrain from mentioning this to your friends until we know more. It could very well be nothing and I wish to avoid causing a panic that would surely ensue if world got loose, especially if it turns out to be nothing. Luna will fill you in on what details we have when she arrives.
Please take care and give your friends my warmest regards.
-Celestia-
"Spike, Princess Luna is coming to meet us..." The dragon immediately ceased his crazy ramblings.
"Now? What for? I mean the moon's just come up. Doesn't she have to do that whole 'Princess of the Night' thing?" Twilight gave Spike a flat look.
"Come on Spike. You know she takes her responsibilities just as seriously as Princess Celestia and Princes Cadence. I'm sure she wouldn't be coming here... in the middle of the night... unless it were... of dire importance..." Her voice trailed off as all the possibilities this royal visit would be bringing ran through her head.
Princess Luna watched over the night and whatever she was coming for it has to be very important indeed if she was taking time from her duty. Twilight paused long enough to peer around the empty throne room. Looking at each of the seats the castle had wrought for her, emblazoned with the cutie marks of her friends. She approached the round table where the Cutie Map of Equestria had materialized and gazed across its features. Her bright eyes wandered over each special place and she wondered how many times the Map might send her across the realm. As her eyes fell over the Everfree Forest, Twilight began to wonder again what it was Princess Luna could be looking for. As she looked away, there was a moment of hesitation that caused her to turn back and lean in closer. Maybe it was her imagination or maybe it was the dim light of the room, but Twilight thought she just saw a blank spot that had flickered towards the center of the wild woods.
Author's Note
Chapter One: Mission Complete! I had originally intended on starting this much sooner, but I have a horrible problem with procrastination, not to mention writer's block that comes and goes. This story was originally supposed to take place during the middle of Season 4, well before the events of Twilight's Kingdom. However with the beginning of Season 5 and the Cutie Map it provides an easier segue with which to introduce this character and stories. I hope you enjoy these adventures as they unfold! Friendship is Magic was developed for television by Lauren Faust and My Little Pony is the property of Hasbro!
Princess Luna shared a few more words with Celestia before bringing a waxing gibbous moon high in the sky and then taking off in the direction of Ponyville. The pegasi had removed clouds earlier during the day so Luna was able to enjoy smooth sailing in clear skies. It was some time until she reached Ponyville and her flight, while relaxing, was entirely uneventful. It gave the Princess of the Night ample opportunity to let her thoughts dwell on the task at hand.
Perhaps the dream was just a reminder of what happened between she and Celestia? A story she conjured in her sleep that took it's roots from her own transformation into Nightmare Moon? That certainly seemed more the more rational notion, but what she saw had been two stallions, not mares. At least, the voices she'd heard belonged to stallions... and the crystal cave? She'd never seen such a place before. No, it couldn't have simply been a figment of her imagination. But why haven't I felt anything until now? After all this time? Could it just be the Tree of Harmony responding to all the trouble with Tirek?
Luna was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she'd flown over Ponyville without realizing it and she'd spotted the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. The Princess gave a soft huff of exasperation and quickly altered her course, spiriting away towards Twilight Sparkle's castle to which she arrived at shortly thereafter. She lingered outside, taking a few moments to admire the structure's gleaming architecture. It wasn't the Golden Oak Library, but in time it would certainly suit Twilight. She approached the doors and gave them a few sharp knocks, letting the sound echo throughout the hall beyond. After a moment Twilight Sparkle was the one to appear and answer the door, a look of thinly veiled anxiousness on her face.
"Princess Luna! We got the message you sent. Please, come right in! You didn't have to knock-" Twilight greeted Luna until the latter silenced the former with a gesture and a smile.
"Please Twilight Sparkle, it would be most unbecoming if I just let myself in. Though thank you for answering so promptly. Truth be told I expected Spike to let me in." The Princess of the Night continued to smile and the Princess of Friendship bowed her head, standing to the side to let her new arrival enter.
"It's late and spike is still a young dragon after all. He zonked out on me so I tucked him into bed."
A quick trot through the halls would leave Twilight and Luna in the throne room with both princesses standing alongside the map in the center. Luna had yet to see the crystalline pedestal with the Map of Equestria since the castle had formed and seeing it with her own eyes was more than she could have imagined.
"We must say Twilight Sparkle, we confess ourselves to be a tiny bit envious of your accommodations. The magic behind this unique cartography is simply stunning." Luna said quietly as she gazed over Equestria, her eyes lingering fondly over Canterlot. The awe she felt did not properly show on her face, but it did cause her to revert to using the royal 'we'.
"Oh! Well thank you Princess. That's very kind of you, but it's nothing as regal as Canterlot of course. As for the map, it just appeared when all of my friends gathered her with me. Like the castle was reacting to our friendship." Twilight replied as she joined Luna in looking over the Map once again. It wouldn't be long until Cloudsdale moved close enough to Ponyville, and that meant time for a change in season.
"We do apologize. We... err, that is to say -I- am sure you're puzzled as to what I'm doing here, so let us discuss the situation. We also need not trouble with formalities." Luna gestured towards Twilight's throne for her to sit while she herself began to pace back and forth. "What I can most adequately describe as a 'vision' has brought me here. My sister suggests that you assist me in the investigation." Luna proceeded to share all the details. Well, maybe not all of the details. While she cared deeply for Twilight, she simply felt it was not relevant to share her feelings of guilt or responsibility as she had with her own sister.
"You've never seen visions like this before?" inquired Twilight.
"Not to my recollection." Luna replied instantly.
"Are you sure it was a vision? Couldn't it just have been... well... a bad dream? I mean, we all get them from time to time, right?" Twilight smiled timidly, hoping she didn't come across as condescending. Luna raised an eyebrow.
"As the one who shepherds others through their bad dreams, I can say with certainty that I didn't 'just have a bad dream' myself>"
"I didn't mean-" began Twilight, only to frown with embarrassment as she lost her voice. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound rude and I don't pretend to understand how your power works-" Luna gave Twilight a reassuring smile before cutting her off.
"It's all right. This may have been a bad dream... but it was not my dream. It was shown to me. I could see a cave full of crystals. Before that I caught glimpses of dense tree-lines. While not the only forest in Equestria, it is the largest that remains wild and-" Luna was cut off by Twilight this time as she finished the deduction.
"A perfect place to hide something you want to stay hidden." Twilight nodded and it took her a moment to realize what she'd done, a yelp and a blush of embarrassment creeping in on her cheeks. Luna simply laughed and nodded in agreement.
"Celestia and I came to the same deduction."
"Well, where should we even start looking? The Everfree Forest covers a pretty vast- wait..." Twilight's voice trailed off, her eyes widening as the other shoe fell. "The map!" With this exclamation she immediately turned to face the table in the center, practically leaping from her seat to rush to the edge.
"What about the map?" Luna moved to stand beside Twilight, peering over her shoulder with a curiously raised eyebrow.
"After we got the message that you were coming, I saw a blank spot... or I -thought- I saw a blank spot. I just assumed I was imagining things, but maybe I wasn't... darn it, how do I make this thing-"
Twilight Sparkle huffed in frustration as she put her hands on the map's edge, trying to get it to cooperate. The interactive image of Equestria responded, perhaps a little too quickly. It took Twilight several moments to get a handle on moving the image until she finally managed to get it centered on Ponyville. Slowly she shifted right to show the Everfree Forest, they could see exactly where Zecora's hut was located along with the ruined Castle of Two Sisters, and finally the Tree of Harmony. Where was it? As she rolled towards the center she finally caught sight of the anomaly. A black spot barely the size of a pea. The patch flickered as if the Map was trying to fill in the blank, but something was preventing it from doing so.
"That has to be it. Unless this thing is broken? Wonder what kind of warranty this thing has..." Twilight tapped a finger against her chin as she thought aloud. Luna gave another amused smile and rolled her eyes.
"I doubt it's broken. It's showing us the way. Though it doesn't look like we can get an exact fix, but it shouldn't be difficult to locate once I'm in the general vicinity." Luna stared hard at the flickering patch of black and tapped the edge of the table, causing the map to zoom out. Twilight frowned as she looked over at Luna.
"Don't you want me to go with you?" Luna had just turned to leave when Twilight issued the question, causing her to stop in her tracks. She had intended on looking by herself, though her brow furrowed as she envisioned the stern look on Celestia's face if Twilight confided in her that Luna had asked her to stay behind.
"I was intending to investigate myself, however you are welcome to accompany me If you wish... Though it is quite late at night. Are you certain you don't wish to remain here with Spike?" inquired Luna, already sensing such a flimsy diversion wouldn't be enough to peruade Twilight to remain.
"Spike is out cold. He's still young after all, I hate keeping him up this late. He'll be all right, I'll leave a note for him if he wakes. Besides I couldn't just sit idly while there's a chance I might be able to help you." Twilight replied, nodding eagerly.
"Very well, we begin whenever you're ready to depart."
It felt like hours had passed since Twilight and Luna had ventured into the forest. However much time had actually passed, the starry night sky could still be seen overhead through the foliage every time Twilight looked up. The two alicorns had passed Zecora's hut on their way towards the old Castle of Two Sisters, deciding that it was as good a place as any to use as a starting point. The zebra sage came out to greet them, though the brief meeting left Twilight feeling disconcerted. Zecora had issued a warning that she had felt something was amiss though she, like they, could not identify what. The zebra was spooked and Twilight couldn't recall her ever looking so anxious, not even when she'd been driven from her home by Plunderweeds.
"Princesses please beware, a foul scent lingers on the air. Something creeps out there in the dark, take heed before you disembark!"
Twilight Sparkle glanced occasionally in Luna's direction, who seemed un-phased by the zebra's words as they continued deeper and deeper into the forest. The longer they travelled, the closer the air became. Anypony claustrophobic would surely by feeling the effects. Stars were becoming more difficult to spot between tree branches of the wild Everfree trees until finally darkness enveloped them from every angle.
"I don't understand. We had clear skies, and such a bright moon tonight. Now we can't see one hoof in front of the other- ah!" Twilight was cut off as her hoof snagged a particularly troublesome root that curled mischievously from the ground, causing her to trip and faceplant with a yelp.
Luna paused and knelt down to help Twilight up, the latter scowling as she rose upright. She'd shake her head, huffing indignantly as she brushed some of her purple and pink mane from her eyes. Her horn lit up, glimmering with magic and soon glowed brightly enough to illuminate the path ahead. Luna nodded and gave Twilight an encouraging smile, soon following suit with light from her own. Wondering why she hadn't done this sooner, it only then occurred to her that Luna could probably see in the dark far better than she could. It was then that a rumble of distant thunder came from overhead, thus answering Twilight's question as to why they could no longer see the stars or the moon.
"Great, so now it's going to rain..." She let a sigh of exasperation escape her and Twilight allowed lingering doubts to entertain her, wondering if she shouldn't have stayed behind after all. Luna had been largely silent most of their journey so far and she opted to attempt a bit of idly chit chat. "I guess it's easy to take for granted that ponies keep the weather under control everywhere else."
"Indeed. When Celestia and I first began living in the castle we built here, it was some time before I'd adjusted to the random weather patterns. She was insistent we let this forest continue to grow without interference." Luna smiled faintly, but kept her eyes focused on the path ahead until the dark trees were beginning to recede, making their narrow path wider until it finally spilled out into a small clearing. In the center stood an abandoned metal post with a sign that had long since faded and rusted over, its message lost. Vines that looked not dissimilar from plunderweeds had encroached on the long forgotten marker, twisting all the way up the post and coiling around the piece of slag bolted at the top.
"Look there." Luna murmured softly as they approached the dilapidated marker. Reaching out with her left hand, she tore a few of the vines entangled around it away.
"I can't make out anything on it, it's completely worn away." Twilight replied. She circled around behind the post to see if the back was any less eroded or obscured by the troublesome plants when she spotted a patch of pitch black at the other end of the clearing, nestled at the base of a tree stripped of all it's leaves. Luna moved towards it and leaned her head in so the light from her horn would pierce the darkness. The tree's bark was white, yet faded as a sign of it's apparent age. With no leaves, flowers, or fruit hanging from it's branches it was a testament to see it still standing, clinging to life despite all wild trees growing around it. It's trunk rose up off uneven ground, at it's base lay a rocky crevice rent into the earth beneath it, wide enough to allow a pony of even Celestia's size to enter. The closer they approached, the more obvious this hole in the ground became, though anypony not paying attention would find themselves in for a startling surprise if they took a wrong step.
"I believe this is what we're looking for Twilight." Luna spoke softly and she looked up, trying to take in as much of her surroundings as she could. The darkness made it impossible to see anything beyond the clearing, though Luna could vaguely make out the shape of a mountain not far off behind where this ancient tree rest and it occurred to her that this rend in the earth likely disappeared beneath it.
"Down the rabbit hole, right?" Twilight let out a chuckle and forced a smile in attempt to hide the anxious look in her eyes.
"Only way to know for sure, yes?" replied Luna who smiled at Twilight Sparkle. The latter leaned forward to let the light from her horn shine down the tunnel and the Princess of the Night went to step in until Twilight stopped her.
"Wait a second. Let me just-" She galloped over to the edge of the clearing and with a brief sparkle of magic, Twilight left a ribbon tied around a tree branch marking the path they'd taken to get there. After hurrying back, she performed a repeat of the spell and left a ribbon tied to one of the branches of the tree that marked the entryway to this rocky outcropping. "Just in case."
Luna nodded as she turned to face the tunnel and the pair descended into the darkness. There was a much louder clap of thunder from outside mere moments after they began their descent, signaling that the storm had finally blown in overhead.
Author's Note
Chapter 2: Mission Complete! Feel free to leave comments or send me a PM, feedback is greatly appreciated.
The echo of their footfalls bounced off the narrow confines of the rocky tunnel as they traversed further along. The light gleaming from their horns reflected off strangely glossy mineral and Twilight guessed it had to be obsidian. The mountain they were walking into was likely a volcano, though she could feel nothing nor smell any sort of natural gas in the air to indicate that it still held a pulse of any kind. Again they were confronted with the problem of barely being able to see far enough to keep one step in front of the other and the further they went, the more anxious Twilight became. She felt like they were being swallowed by darkness, but as she glanced at Luna her resolve strengthened to see the Princess of the Night was un-phased.
Determined. Resolute. They had a task to complete and acting like a frightened filly wasn't going to get them any closer to their objective. It felt like they'd been walking for miles when they finally spotted a light ahead in the distance and a very faint vibration could be felt in the ground beneath them. Luna looked at Twilight and they both nodded to each other.
"I see it." Luna looked towards the light shining in the distance.
"Can you feel that?" Twilight stopped long enough to truly feel the vibrations in the ground.
"Yes." Luna replied and gave a nod, picking up her speed to trot further down the tunnel, forcing Twilight to speed up as well in order to keep pace. The light at the end of the obsidian corridor grew brighter the closer they drew until finally the pair reached the end and found themselves spilling out into a larger space. The sudden increase of light caused them to shield their eyes and it took a moment to adjust as both alicorns doused the light from their horns.
Luna and Twilight stood in a small cavern, the walls hollowed out from the same obsidian as the tunnel. At the far end was a single cluster of pure quartz crystal that came out of the wall, it's center gleaming vibrantly with the white light they'd spotted from the corridor.
"A lantern of some sort, maybe? If so, what's it here for? It's not like there's anything in here..." Twilight pondered aloud as she and Luna stepped across the cavern to inspect the crystal formation. They were so distracted by the light coming from the quartz that they didn't notice the ground beginning to even out. The noise of their steps changed pitch when they sauntered onto a panel. They barely had time to register the noise before the crystal lantern flared brightly. A beam of light shot from the cluster and expanded to fill the cavern, moving from ceiling to floor, then back up. Twilight got the impression they were being... measured? Scanned?
"What-" Twilight was interrupted the moment the beam touched the ceiling again the entire room flashed. All of the sudden both Princesses found themselves standing in another cavern, a similar panel beneath them. "-was that." She finished her previous thought without inquiry, recognizing a teleportation spell.
This new cavern was much larger, it's roof several heads higher which did wonders to ease any sensations of claustrophobia. Twilight looked down to see a rune blazing away with white light, much like the light coming from the crystal cluster they'd seen previously. This rune began to fade, the spell's magic wearing off now that the panel had spirited them here and disappeared, leaving it bare as if it had never been marked at all. The plate rest on the end of a path that rose up along a column of rock that stretched it's way across a spring. As she looked over the edge into the calm liquid, Twilight could see that this pool was deep enough to swim in, likely several feet deep, but she could clearly make out a bottom even with the dim light coming from the single crystal cluster on the wall. That lone source of illumination actually seemed to handle the entire cave, beams of light bounced off the surface of the water and caused flowing reflections to dance on the cavern's ceiling. She noticed that Luna had already crossed much of this rocky bridge and Twilight trotted after her so she wouldn't be left behind.
At the end of the path after crossing the pool sat a pedestal that rose from the rock. There was something about it that made her feel it was both natural and completely artificial at the same time, the way the rock looked... grown, instead of carved. In the center lay a metal cube, caked in a layer of dust that rest locked in a curiously formed cradle of four arms that held the object in place. Twilight got the impression she stood in a place nopony had stood in an age. Yet the dust around cube had been disturbed. She would have missed it if it hadn't been for the beam of light that came from the roof of the cavern, centered on the rock pedestal. A shaft carved through the rock for air and light, no doubt.
The most impressive furnishing however lay at the far end of the cavern. Against the wall were a row of seven enormous crystals, displayed in varying colors. The one in the center was easily the largest and looked to be made of diamond rather than the quartz they'd seen. It was strange though, somehow grey and cloudy instead of clear and brilliant. The other six were positioned three on either side of the center crystal and each one was a different color. Twilight peered at the arrangement, tilting her head curiously.
Blue. Pink. Red. White. Orange. Magenta. Purple.
"That's strange... these almost look like..." Twilight shook her head. It had to be a coincidence. Looking over at Luna her thoughts of familiarity instantly waned when she saw the wide-eyed stare from the Princess of the Night. "Luna?"
"This is exactly what I saw..." Luna approached the enormous crystal and leaned in to inspect it more closely. So mesmerized by the size of the gem, she leaned in too close and the tip of her horn brushed against its flawless surface. A wave of energy suddenly washed over the diamond and a pulse shook the ground that startled them both, each hopping back timidly. A faint light came to life behind the six colored crystals in response to their presence. Luna gulped nervously, the first time since her journey had begun that she no longer looked completely confident.
Twilight moved to the right and went to inspect the other crystals alongside the centerpiece. Leaning forward, she touched the surface of the magenta pylon. She could feel vibrations coming from within and the longer she touched it, the more she thought she could hear a faint humming. It was soft, easily covered by the sound of the water in the pool behind them.
"Luna, can you hear that?" Twilight pressed her ear to the pylon and shut her eyes. As anxious as this chamber had made her, the sound coming from the crystal was... warm.
Pleasant.
"Yes." replied Luna as she too touched an ear to the red crystal on the left. "The sound from this one is different. Another pitch. It's like... they're singing? But not this one in the middle..." She moved to press her ear to the diamond in the center and yelped, jumping back a moment.
"What is it?!" Twilight gasped, looking at Luna with alarm.
"It's cold like ice." She continued this time, fighting the urge to pull away when she touched her ear to this massive diamond. Indeed there was no warmth coming from this crystal, quite the opposite. No vibrations. No music. Luna hesitantly turned her head as if afraid her ear may have stuck to this frostless block and did so without issue, turning so that the tip of her horn would touch the gemstone. Another pulse of magic washed over it's surface and opacity of the diamond suddenly shifted, growing clearer. Twilight was busy inspecting the next pylon, trying to discern the differences in the choir of singing crystals to notice right away. Luna narrowed her eyes and leaned closer. There was a shape nestled under several inches of crystal. With another tap of her horn, another pulse of energy resonated and brought another shade of clarity to the diamond. When the pulse subsided the shape within was much more apparent and gave the Princess of the Night reason to gasp loudly. Twilight turned instantly.
"Is something wrong Luna? What is- ah!" Twilight brought her head around and found herself face to face with a pony locked away within the diamond. Twilight gulped as she looked the shape over, shaking nervously. The pony's features were not discernible, as if it were cloaked in shadows. She could make out no colors, though it was definitely masculine. And it had wings. A Pegasus? Twilight swallowed hard again as her eyes trailed over this creature's form. He was large, easily bigger than she was.
"This is exactly what I saw Twilight. This is the one, I'm certain of it." Luna said once again.
"What would you call this thing? A prison cell? ...a casket?" Twilight shrank a little as the implications of these items wrought all sorts of unpleasant scenarios in her mind. "How would you propose to open it? ...should we open it?" She glanced nervously at Luna, then back to the diamond pylon.
"We should open this if we can. If my vision is anything to go by, this pony is in constant torment. You may not be able to feel it... but I certainly did." Luna stared at the pylon and lowered her head as her horn began to gleam and power up with magic.
"But, Princess... it's not like this is a pony stuck in a well... somepony left him here for a reason..."
"I understand your reservations, Twilight. Friendly or unfriendly, we can't help him unless we get him out of there, right?" Luna paused lnog enough to look at Twilight.
"I... I suppose so..." Twilight relented, a reluctant frown tugging her lips. Luna gave a smile and waved one hand dismissively.
"Have a little faith Twilight Sparkle. If Discord can be reformed..." Her thought finished with a chuckle then turned to continue focusing on her magic. Twilight soon followed suit and touched her horn to the diamond. It was then that an array of colors matching the crystals nearby suddenly flashed in sequence at the top of the center gem.
"These crystals appear to be... some kind of locking mechanism. I bet the elements of harmony would have been able to open it, but since we no longer have access to them, I think we need to do it in a certain order?"
Luna nodded in agreement and she and Twilight both thought for a moment on what the correct sequence might be as they watched the stripes of colors flash along the top of the diamond. Charging their magic they'd take turns sending a jolt of magic into the corresponding crystal. As they powered up each pylon, the gleam that came from within flashed brilliantly, the pleasant hum growing more audible. Twilight grit her teeth, focusing harder and increasing magic output. The cavern was soon filled with a choir of singing crystal. The pair gasped, their concentration broken as the diamond capsule in the center began to absorb their magic. A single wavering note chimed out from each crystal in a particular order, like tumblers turning in a lock. A seventh note rang out as the diamond in the center began to emanate light from within, drowning out the light from the others. The vibrations caused the entire cave to shake.
"Twilight get back!" Luna shouted as rock crumbled from the roof of the cavern and she reached out to take hold of Twilight's hand and pulled her away, nearly tripping on the edge of the pedestal behind them. The dusty cube that rest in the cradle was knocked loose tumbled over the side and bounced on the ground.
The singing crystals suddenly ceased their hymn as the gemstone capsule was forced open. A beam of energy carved into the diamond and split, widening to create a very clear gateway into the pylon. Dust was kicked up and shrouded the cavern in a haze for a few brief moments. Twilight coughed as the dust hit her throat and only when she'd managed to find her breath did her eyes fall upon the diamond pylon. All seven crystals had ceased glowing, the vibrations shaking the cavern coming to a stand-still. The only light that shone was from the crystal lantern on the rear wall where they entered and the shaft in the ceiling. Mist poured out from the around the Pegasus, still keeping his features obscured. They could make out the shape of shackles that bound the figure's wrists and neck.
"What should we do?" Twilight moved to approach the crystal but Luna put a hand out to stop her, taking the lead instead. As she approached the mist suddenly intensified. A pair of eyes lit up from the dark shape of the Pegasus, two red pupils shining like red hot coals in the dark. Luna grit her teeth as a long-taloned hand suddenly curled around her throat and another grabbed the side of her head. She froze in place, the dark mist taking the shape of something enormous. Twilight gasped as she made out the form of a fanged muzzle forming, horns curling up and back. It leaned in close as if going to press its 'face' to Luna's. It's eyes narrowed and a wide grin of fangs spread practically ear to ear. A low, lumbering voice called out to them.
"This is not your grave... you are not welcome here... " Those piercing red eyes squinted and a malevolent snicker echoed in the cavern.
Luna immediately gave the creature a blast of magic from her horn, causing it to reel back into the crystal prison. The mist dispersed like it were nothing more than a cloud of dust and the Princess of the Night scowled, looking thoroughly perturbed that this thing had taken such a liberty as grabbing hold of her, or so Twilight assumed.
"We will not tolerate these shenanigans!" She shouted in in her royal Canterlot voice, causing the cavern walls to shake around them. Steam practically escaped her nose as she glared defiantly even though the figure remained motionless and shackled within the confines of the diamond capsule. Luna's eyes flared brightly and she looked ready to blast the gem pylon proper, magic radiating from her horn until Twilight stepped between them.
"Luna wait!" Twilight had only ever seen Luna so angry when she was transformed into Nightmare Moon. "You said we were coming to help... him..." Her voice wavered a little as she looked at the pegasus still shackled in place. "We can't help him if we blast him into dust and cause the roof to fall on our heads, can we?"
The horn on Luna's head sparked and for a moment Twilight thought her words hadn't even registered. She braced herself, lowering her head and diving for cover as a beam of energy lanced out. It took her a moment to look up and survey the damage, her violet eyes wide as plates with fear that Luna had lost her temper while smoke billowed from within the diamond. She could hear heavy breathing and looked back to see Luna standing tall with no trace of the anger on her face or in her eyes. The Princess of the NIght was calm and regal, her dark mane sweeping over one shoulder. Twilight soon knew why she'd so swiftly regained her composure and struggled to do the same, pulling herself upright and dusting herself off so she could make herself presentable as the pegasus finally joined them, his form slumped forward onto all fours as the mist cleared.
Metal chain links rattled as movement caused them to sway heavily, the Pegasus falling forward to the ground on his hands and knees. The light coming from the crystal lantern on the far end of the cavern no longer managed to provide ample illumination and Twilight had to squint to try to get a better look at him. Immediately her eyes noticed the fragments of chain still attached to the shackles clamped around each of his wrists, the one at his neck seemed to have broken completely when blasted free. The stallion was indeed larger than she, closer in size to Luna. Perhaps even larger?
Sheesh , thought Twilight, ...might give Big Mac a run for his bits.
She colored faintly when she realized he hadn't a scrap of cloth on him, though his posture gave defense to his modesty. His body was covered in a sleek black coat and two massive wings stretched from his back, rustling awkwardly after having been kept in place for however long. A long mane of white hair grew wildly atop his head, stretching down his back and draping over his shoulders. Unkempt bangs hung down his forehead, covering the pony's eyes. A few dark streaks ran the length of his mane, going from roots all the way to the tips. The sound of his heavy, ragged breathing filled the air between the three of them. Twilight looked to Luna who seemed to be waiting for the Pegasus to collect himself, however it didn't appear that would happen any time soon. So Twilight decided to take the initiative, taking a step forward.
"Hello...? Please, don't be alarmed... we've come to, ah, help you..." Twilight's voice shrank a little as she called out to him, unable to convince herself she was sure that's what they were actually doing. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, and this is Princess Luna. We're ponies, just like you. Can you... can you hear me?"
He did not respond immediately, a few long seconds passed before his head slowly tilted up. The response she finally got was conflicting to say the least. Bringing both hands up, the Pegasus clasped them over his ears as his head raised to the ceiling. The bangs of his unkempt mane fell back and Twilight finally got a look into his eyes. A gasp escaped her when she spotted he held two different colored irises. The right was a bold, bright silver while the left was a deep, piercing red, his gaze wide as though he were looking at something too terrible to comprehend. Her surprise over his heterochromia was short-lived as he shivered, yet remained frozen in place while his voice called out to them in an agonizing roar. Was he trying to frighten them?
"Grrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
No, it sounded more like he was in pain. The abrupt cry of distress echoed off the obsidian walls around them, the noise even causing the metal cube to rattle on the ground. Twilight and Luna both placed their hands over their ears to dampen the sound now assaulting them. The Pegasus dropped his hands from his head and his wings slowly unfurled, positioning themselves to prepare for takeoff. A blinding pale blue light filled the cavern, causing the two Princesses to shield their eyes while attempting to keep sight of the Pegasus between their fingers. Twilight briefly spotted the source as something he was wearing around his neck before the light soon engulfed his form, leaving him obscured in an orb that almost began to look like the embrace of blue flame.
"Luna, I can't see past it. It's some kind of magic~" Twilight began to say, the walls of the cavern once again starting to shake around them. She could hear the beating of wings and deduced he was trying to take off. Obsidian rock crumbled from the walls, shards dripping off the roof above them.
"Brace yourself! He knows not what he's doing!" Luna's voice rose to combat the awful din of the continuous growl from their mark. The light grew stronger still and the force from his wings hit them like the gale force of a hurricane. It nearly toppled Twilight... until it sent the metal cube hurtling off the ground right at her. With an alarmed yelp she held her hands out to block the incoming projectile, but managed to catch it before being thrown off her feet with a 'thud' as she fell flat on her flank.
"Luna, we need to get out of here before he brings the whole cavern down on our heads!" Twilight shouted back in reply, her voice barely rising to challenge even though the bloodcurdling yell had finally ceased. She clutched the metal cube to her chest as she pushed herself back up, the constant gusts from his wings making it difficult to balance.
"No! We came here to help him!" Luna replied, her royal Canterlot voice rising up. She stood her ground, remaining stoic and her horn gleamed with magic that Twilight could see formed a barrier that was protecting her from the output of wind coming from the Pegasus and the chunks of rock still crumbling around them.
"Come on!" Without thinking she turned her back to the orb of blue light and ran towards Luna, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her towards the bridge that crossed the pool. Luna initially resisted, yanking herself free and giving Twilight a stern look until a particularly large chunk of rock dropped near them, crashing against the edge of the stone bridge and tumbling into the waters with a hefty splash. They both darted across the bridge and stepped on the panel that had brought them here, but nothing happened.
"What's this thing's deal? Work damn you!" Twilight found herself shouting, eyes wide as her free hand instantly clasped over her muzzle. She had most certainly not uttered a curse. Not at all. Her eyes went towards the cluster of quartz crystal that lit the wall above where they stood. It's power flickered as though something were keeping it from lighting further. The walls and floor were shaking harder than ever and she could make out the outline of the Pegasus vaguely behind the shield of light, hands still clasping both sides of his head. In the blink of an eye he went from on his knees to bolting upright and gave a powerful leap as he forced his way up into the air shaft that had been carved into the cavern. Another large chunk of rock was displaced from the ceiling and fell, crashing into the blue crystal on the end of the arranged pylons and shattered a chunk from the top, shards littering the ground. Looking to Luna, she realized that the barrier had been expanded to protect Twilight as well as chunks of rock were being blocked and knocked aside into the water. The other horseshoe fell and Twilight instantly looked back to the quartz cluster on the wall.
"Wait, Luna! Drop your barrier! It might be interfering with the teleport~"
Luna complied before Twilight had even finished postulating her theory. The force field protecting them fell and no sooner than it had did the rune on the panel flare to life, the quartz cluster flaring with light as it 'scanned' them. In another blink of an eye the pair were spirited from the collapsing cavern and found themselves standing on the first panel, nestled at the end of the long tunnel they'd traversed before. The walls and floor still shook from, but the tremors were just bleeding away this far through the rock. Twilight let out a slow sigh of relief now that they were out of immediate danger, her hand leaving Luna's arm and stepping away. She looked down at the cube she was holding in the other hand.
"I had rather hoped this would go more... smoothly." Luna sighed heavily and placed a hand to her forehead, giving it a weary rub." Quickly now, we have to get back to Ponyville at once. In his state he may hurt somepony, whether he means to or not."
Twilight nodded in agreement and held her free hand out, which Luna accepted. Her horn shined and magic sparkled around them both as she cast her teleportation spell, only to find they hadn't gone anywhere.
"I don't understand..." She tried again while Luna peered at her, eyebrows raised with concern. Again her magic failed to teleport them back to Ponyville and Twilight very nearly began to panic.
"It must be this confined space." Luna interjected almost at once, an internal sigh of relief as her best guess appeared to help calm Twilight's nerves. "We'll simply try it again once we leave the tunnel. Come." She smiled at Twilight who nodded and turned quickly, their horns once again going alight with magic to show them the way as they took off jogging down the darkened corridor.
As the two Princesses emerged from the tunnel at the base of the ancient tree, something watched closely from the shadows at the far end of the clearing. A pair of eyes followed their every motion, taking note of their appearance and pondering to itself as it spotted the cube the lavender one kept clutched between both of her hands. The blue one stretched her wings, no doubt finally glad to be out of that confined space. Those eyes watched carefully, watched and waited in silence even as the two were engulfed in magic, a flash ending with a chime of ionized air and a faint smell of ozone remained.
So they released him... how curious. I was so certain they would take the relic and leave him behind, what with the lack of hard evidence that he wouldn't hurt anypony. They didn't even give it a second glance until after he 'excused' himself. And so forcefully. Tsk tsk. that won't help them trust you at all, now will it? Was it the instinct to protect himself? That may explain it if he actually perceived those two girls as a threat.. his mind must truly be addled. How very, very curious. I'll just have to ask him myself...
Author's Note
Chapter 3: Mission complete! Took a bit longer to work out the kinks, also going back and fixing my mistakes as I catch them. (Seriously everypony, proofreading is paramount. Also sincerest apologies. In the middle of proof-reading I bloody hit 'publish' instead of save. >_< Whoops!)
