As the first month of her captivity slipped away Gray’s visit were the only thing that Thunder had to keep herself together, Gray visited often, every chance she could manage to slip away sometimes bringing food with her and they would just lay down and talk. Celestia had begun to get more and more violent as time dragged on but when as her body began to fold knowing that Gray was trying to find a way to contact her world kept her spirit burning bright.

“I wouldn’t be able to travel through the basin myself” Gray had told her a few visits prior “because she has soldiers guarding it day and night and without her permission I wouldn’t be able to set a hoof near it” but she had been trying to think around the problem and every time she visited she filled Thunder with hope.

Today had been particularly vicious, at least Thunder thought so, but she rested contently on the cold stone floor while Gray fretted over her and she talked about the one thing she loved more than any other: Red. “It was terrible at first they tried to take her from me, said a winged pony couldn’t raise one with its hooves meant for the ground but I wasn’t willing to give her up so easily… I ended up dropping out of school and taken on a second job to make sure I could support us, sure I could’ve made more in a mine but after I lost my Dad I didn’t have the courage to step in one of those” she shifted flinching slightly as she pressed down on a tender area of flesh “So I stayed working on the farms around town it didn’t pay as much but it was enough” She lifted a wing so that Gray could check for any loose feathers and continued to talk “I’ll be forever grateful to Ms. Buttermilk, she was an elderly mare who lived across the street, because she helped me with Red she watched her while I was working and she raised quite a few foals too so she knew pretty much everything even if I thought it was a silly question she had an answer” she laughed resting her head on her hooves while Gray groomed her wings sighing in relief as the pain in them faded. “I remember some nights Red would be fussing and I’d end up staying up all night just trying to sooth her, she’d finally fall asleep at the crack of dawn and then I’d have to go off to work and pray she wouldn’t fuss again when I got home” she chuckled softly “It was hard for a while… but I know my Momma and Dad would’ve wanted me to raise her”

“She sounds like a wonderful little filly” Gray commented making Thunder light up “I’ve always wanted a sibling myself, I’ve heard plenty of horror stories from Pattie and Orange but I still always wanted one; it gets lonely sometimes even with… with the others around” She covered quickly but Thunder knew who she had meant. As a unspoken rule during these visits Celestia was not to be mentioned, both to avoid fighting and because Thunder usually had enough of her by the time she was dismissed from their 'meetings'.

“She really is” Thunder mumbled folding her wings to her side again “I just hope she’s still okay…” she added a worried look appearing on her face making Gray frown.

“Don’t worry” Gray replied trying to cheer her up “If you’re friends are half as wonderful as you say they’ll make sure she’s fine” that got Gray a weak smile in return.

“You should probably get going” Thunder was silent for so long before she had spoken Gray had thought she had fallen asleep “She will be wondering where you’ve gone to if you’re gone for too long you know” the dark blue mare stood slowly, her limbs trembling slightly but she managed to make it to the iron case without collapsing.

“I’ll be back soon” Gray promised leaning in to surprise Thunder with a quick nuzzle before she shut the case, the lock clicking quietly before Gray blew out the lantern.

Thunder relaxed against the back of the case, the familiar sting of the dulled spikes digging into her back maybe she could doze for a while… Black half formed shapes crowded around behind her closed lids as she heard her mental voice growing louder. She was so tired. She missed her bed at home, her body was so sore how could she keep this up for much longer? What would Celestia do to her if she felt that Thunder was no longer worth the trouble? Desperately trying to quiet her thoughts Thunder shook her head jolting in surprise when she hit the front of her case with her head, feeling a sting that made her head hurt more than it should have, and shortly after hitting the cold stone floor. Didn’t Gray lock the case? She looked back, it was still locked… What just happened? Slowly standing on her hooves she rubbed the sore spot on her head.

She walked toward the door and pushed it open a crack… the hall was clear, perhaps she could find a way out now! If everyone thought she was locked up no one would try and look for her. Sliding from her dark room and closed the door behind her and blinked in the brightness it was quiet, but as far as she knew that was the norm. Being cautious she approached the stairs her ears prickled for the slightest sound perhaps if she could find a window she could get out. She started up the steps trying as hard as she could to make sure her hoof falls were silent she knew there were no windows in the stairwell she had walked it so many times she could practically remember every crack. Her mind dimmed with the sudden desire to sleep but she shook her head to rid herself of the desire, if she could get home she could sleep for as long as she wanted. Reaching the door at the top of the stairs she pressed her ear against it, she didn’t know what time it was, or if somepony would be coming to fetch her again soon so she had to make sure.

Once again hearing nothing Thunder opened the door… the hall was empty… Alarm bells began to ring in the back of her mind, this wasn’t normal, at least she didn’t think so, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she slipped beyond the door closing it behind her and looking for an escape route. Avoiding the path she knew took her to the throne room Thunder picked the farthest door from it that she could and checked inside, another hall.

Where the heck was she now? Thunder walked down the hall curiously glancing from side to side to study each door she came across but none gave her a hint as to where they led and she hadn’t even come across a single window that she might use to escape. Chewing on her lip she walked to a tall black wooden door on her right and opened it curiously.

And was met with a large lab.

Tilting her head she walked inside hoping that at least here there might be a window.

She nearly jumped out of her fur when the alarm started blaring… Maybe somepony noticed she was missing? She hoped not... She looked around the lab spotting all sorts of odd machines and diagrams, for a brief moment her panic and desire to flee battled with her own curiosity. On one of the table rested some sort of device, it was a helmet, black with dark blue accents and a matching chin strap, but in the middle of the forehead was a sort of false unicorn horn that was sharp and shaped like a bolt of lightning it was a simple enough looking device but it made Thunder's skin crawl and quickly turning away from it she continued her search for an escape. Finding a door on the far wall of the lab she took it, reaching what looked to be another hallway.

Feeling like she was starting to go in circles she wished the alarm would stop blaring, it was starting to make her ears hurt. Picking another door she found herself face to face with a group of Celestia's guard. She froze at first and for a few seconds both groups just stared at each other then with a yelp Thunder slammed the door and fled back the way she had come.

She could hear them chasing after her, no longer unsure if it was just in her head every time she opened a door she was met with more of them, and she still couldn't tell the different corridors apart!

Wondering if it would be wiser to give in then to just keep running in what she could only assume to be circles she found herself back inside the lab.

One moment she was standing, searching for safety, and next she was inside Celestia magical grip struggling to breathe as the blackness seemed to squeeze her throat. But the moment it began it stopped. It wasn't a mysterious power that saved Thunder this time however, it was Gray.

Struggling to regain her bearings Thunder saw the mare, her body tensed with barely restrained aggression and fear as she confronted her closest pony and mentor.

"Please Celestia!" Gray cried "This is wrong! Please, not making this poor pony suffer like this!" Gray had unshed tears in her eyes as she looked up to the one pony she admired above all others "Let Thunder go, let her go home she had a life there, a sister and a mother and friends" Celestia's brow rose as Gray spoke but she said nothing. "All this effort and pain just to get her to join us, it isn't right we don't need to keep fighting, if we could just end this war peacefully than no other pony would need to suffer!" By now Gray's tears began to fall.

Seemingly moved by her student's pleas Celestia frowned "oh dear Gray" she mumbled pulling her student close to herself in a embrace "Don't fret any more, this suffering will end soon, and you can finally have the peace you've been determined for" she whispered to the closest thing to a foal she dared recognize before looking to Thunder and her gathered guard.

"Take our guest to a nice room hmm? I think she needs a rest" she ordered leading Gray from the lab as two soldiers picked Thunder up and placed her carefully on her hooves so they could lead her through the labyrinth of halls toward another identical door. Hurrying her inside they closed the door behind her.

Thunder looked around in surprise, she was actually in a bedroom rather than some sort of cell, the theme of this room appeared to be red, red and gold. She moved toward the bed and looked at it curiously, it appeared to be a normal bed... did Gray's pleas reach Celesta? Was she truly going to go home soon? She dared to hope.

Allowing herself to relax she crawled onto the bed, she was beyond tired, all she wanted was home and sleep but for now she had to only deal with one. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to fall into the blackness of sleep.

Even her dreams seemed tired, a blur of blues and grays, cries of betrayal and for mercy but she couldn't make out much of it before she stirred from her rest. It was dark outside when she looked out the window but she couldn't even tell how much time had passed, so lost she was to the time she had been here for all she knew it could've been years that she laid in that case even though according to Gray it had only been a month. She slipped from the bed, tired but unable to slip back into rest again. Just as she had been about to grab the door knob a knock sounded.

"Miss Thunder?" a stallion's voice on the other side called in.

"Yes?" she answered startled at timing of everything.

"Miss Celestia has requested your presence in the throne room" the voice continued "If you would make yourself decent I'll take you there"

"Oh, uh yes, give me a moment" she said glancing around for something to try and comb her mane. But finding nothing she merely petted it down with her hoof hoping that would help. Was she finally going to go home? Was that what Celestia is calling her for? Deciding to find out she opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

The pony who had been talking through the door was very small, dappled gray in color but with warm amber eyes she couldn't see his cutie mark though his black armor though so she didn't have any sort of idea what he might be like. He didn't bother with pleasantries but merely nodded to her and set off down the hall.

Thunder stared down at the floor, not even bothering to try to find out if she were close anymore, how did the ponies who lived here find their way around when everything was identical? Perhaps she just wasn't used to large buildings? She jerked out of her thoughts as she stopped to avoid running down the pony in front her.

He opened the door with another polite nod and closed it behind her as she passed through it, the throne room was bright with artificial light but was as shiny and cared for as she remembered it being, with very little change though the carpets seemed to be a bit brighter perhaps they had been cleaned recently?

Thunder looked up as she approached the throne, it was empty, strange but perhaps Celestia got held up? Ruling was a full time job after all and Thunder figured that ruling during a war would be even worse though hopefully that part would end for them soon now. Glancing over at a side door she saw that it was opening, and Celestia herself stepped into the throne room.

"Ah, I see you are prompt, good" she said moving to the throne and settling into it.

"Yes ma'am, I'm just eager to return home" Thunder replied, truly feeling an eager thrill run through her.

"Go home? What are you talking about dear?" Celestia asked, looking politely confused.

"Isn't that why you called me here, to take me home?" Thunder asked her eagerness morphing into dread

Celestia merely smiled "Of course not, I fetched you so I could tell you the news"

"N-News?" Thunder repeated the dread creeping higher.

"Yes, it appears Gray has had an.... unfortunate accident and is no longer with us" Celestia's horn glowed and from the blackness of her magic an object floated in front of Thunder's face, a pair of broken and mangled glasses, Gray's glasses.

Thunder's heart stopped, it took her a moment to remember that she had to breathe "You did this didn't you?" She asked but Celestia's grin was all the answer she needed "YOU MONSTER! She looked up to you, she CARED FOR YOU! Why would you do this?!?" Thunder roared, tears burning her eyes as her chest ached for the lost life.

"Because she was a distraction, if she hadn't grown attached to you, perhaps I could've spared her, but you just had to enjoy her company didn't you?" Celestia turned toward the door that Thunder had come from as a set of her warriors stepped through. "Take Miss Thunder back to her room, I feel she'll be more willing to assist us now" she purred darkly

Thunder didn't even resist, she couldn't, she was just.... numb, at first she knew it wasn't her fault, she hadn't lead Gray to her death, it was all Celestia's fault, of course it was, but... was there anything she could've done? If she had done something differently, would Gray have been fine? If she had just stayed in her case maybe Gray wouldn't have had to have met her end this way. Thunder worried her lip in her teeth, was it true? Was it actually her fault? She knew Celestia did the deed but... if she hadn't been talking to Gray.... she rested her head against the front of the case and felt her body tremor, finally a sound escaped her, a sob. Than another. And another. She couldn't hold them in anymore, she was not just weeping for the lost life, but the reality that home would forever be out of reach for her now and the many lives that will continue to be lost in this pointless war.

Time continued to pass as she emptied herself of her tears, she wasn't even sure how long it had been she was fed of course but only when needed to, to make sure she stayed alive. But even the pain of hunger was eclipsed by her grief, she missed Gray. She missed her so much. But she would never be coming back, just like her parents, and all those she loved back home, she was so alone. Thunder looked through the gap in her case into the darkness of her 'room' and felt despair break her wounded heart in two. She couldn't even cry anymore she just couldn't there wasn't enough left. Tilting her head back she let out a sound, it was her admittance of defeat as her cracking mind finally shattered.

Celestia was in her chamber when she heard Thunder's surrender, and the sound make her smile, a gleeful evil smile.

Thunder barely flinched when her door opened, she allowed herself to be led without a struggle, she didn't have any fight inside her anymore.... She didn't even look at as she was lead to Celestia hooves, just stared at the floor resigned.

Celestia however was overjoyed to see her little toy so broken "So Thunder, finally decided to help us?" she asked with a smirk, knowing the answer.

"No..." Thunder replied however, shocking her.

"What?!" she growled, her horn sparking in outrage.

"Not Thunder.... not anymore" she continued, calming the irate dark ruler.

"Oh, so who are you now than?" She asks merely humoring her prisoner.

Thunder finally looked up at her, her eyes red from her grief and pain, but she couldn't feel anymore, her heart had grown numb from the constant pain but she remember something, from a long time ago, something she felt may pay homage to her departed friend, perhaps she owed her that much "Call me.... Icarus" she finally said, bending on her knee to the dark queen Celestia.

Author's Note

Well I'm back! :D I hope this chapter was worth the wait, But like I said in my blog post I lost internet for a while and then as I started writing again my grandfather passed away, but I'm back now and I hope you enjoy the chapter! :)