Cracks in Reality - Book One

Celestia remained silent while she processed the words Twilight had just spoken. It was the very same beliefs and ideals that Darklight had lived and fought for during the war that decided the fate of Equestria’s very soul, and there was no doubt in her mind that he had also ingrained those same ideals and beliefs deep into Twilight’s very survival instincts.
　　For several long moments Celestia made no move to release Twilight from her bonds. She so desperately wanted to believe that her former student would keep her word and stick to the conditions of her release, but Darklight had no doubt also taught her the finer points of using lies and manipulation to achieve whatever goals she set out to accomplish. So Celestia knew there was no way she could ever properly could trust Twilight.
　　The princess let out a heavy sigh. This had not been how she had imagined her reunion with her student would go. Truth be told, she had long given up hope of ever seeing her surrogate daughter again, but on some nights when her pillows were stained with tears of heartache she allowed herself to slip into a fantasy where she was once again holding her small and innocent filly in a love filled hug of comfort and reassurance. Even now, Celestia had to resist the strong maternal urge to run a hand through Twilight's mane and tell her everything was going to be okay. She wanted, no, needed, to somehow let Twilight know that she was still loved and cared for.
　　But this Twilight was no longer the sweet and innocent filly she had once known. This Twilight was… Celestia didn't even want to think about what her student was now. She had to focus on what Twilight had the potentional to be if she was shown-and had the chance to experience-the purifying magic of friendship. She had to show and teach Twilight that there was now much more to her existence than darkness and death.
　　Luna had been a good pony before she gave into the darkness of Nightmare Moon, just as Twilight had been a good pony before being sucked into Tartarus and corrupted by Darklight’s evilness. So there was still hope for her, just as there had been hope for Luna. And even if Twilight couldn't remember anything about her former life in Equestria, Celestia was confident she could find the light her once faithful student had long lost. To do that, she had be the first pony in this new relationship to show the other trust.
　　So it was with shaky and hesitant hands that Celestia began untying the leather restraints that kept Twilight immobile. While she worked to free her student, she noticed Twilight's muscles tensing and un-tensing. Twilight was no doubt thinking of the best way to attack and kill her as soon as her limbs were free. But Celestia ignored this and continued untying the alicorn, regardless of the threat she posed to her life. She had to show Twilight a certain amount of trust if she was ever going to truly get through to her.
　　After a while, Twilight finally spoke once more. "You actually care about me, don’t you princess?" her voice was low and soft, but mostly curious. "I can’t remember anything of my life before I was trapped in Tartarus. But Darklight was always constantly reminding me I had another home outside of the Dark Realm. He kept promising that one day when it was time for me to return back home, he would find a way to free me and get me back there." Twilight turner her head so her closed eyes met Celestia's gaze. "On my fourteenth birthday, I had completely lost all the memories of my life before Tartarus so that world meant nothing to me.” Twilight's voice now had a colder and sharper edge to its tone. "But you obviously know and care about me, even if I don’t know anything about you outside of the history books I’ve read. So What was I to you? Why do you care so much about me?"
　　When Celestia had undone the last strap restraining Twilight, she braced herself for any possible attack. But none came. Twilight just laid there on the hospital bed, as still and peaceful as a frozen lake. "I asked you a question princess!" Twilight snarled angrily. "Why do you care about me so much? Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance. Darklight told me how much you hate and despise those who use dark magic. So why don't you hate me?"
　　Celestia smiled kindly, and tried to softly run her fingers through Twilight’s mane in an attempt to comfort and placate her. Twilight flinched away from the approaching hand whimpering loudly and moving her whole body as far away from the princess’s touch. Celestia had to blink away burning tears forming behind her eyes and take in a much needed deep, calming, breath. Once she was sure she could talk without her voice cracking with emotions she began answering Twilight’s questions. "Ten years ago, I chose you as my personal student, and you were quite possibly the most powerful unicorn I've ever had the pleasure of teaching. But you were also much more than a student to me. You were my daughter. You held a very special place in my heart, one that has never healed since the day I lost you."
　　Twilight clenched her closed eyes tighter shut and took in a deep shaky breath. "I don't want to hear anymore of this." A tear glistened on her cheek and when she spoke again, her voice was nothing more than a cold, dark, whisper filled with icy hatred directed towards Celestia. "If I meant so much to you, if I was so special," Twilight took in another shaky breath and her voice was beginning to break with emotion. "Then why the fuck didn’t you come for me. If you loved me as much as you claim, why didn't you tear through the walls of Tartarus and pull me from that world of nightmares?"
　　Twilight’s viscous attack came out of nowhere, and Celestia suddenly felt hands wrap around her throat, and slamming her hard against one of the glass walls behind her. Twilight’s grip around Celestia’ neck tightened, cutting off the brain’s blood and oxygen supply. Celestia feebly tried to pry Twilight’s fingers from around her throat, but their grip was like iron and her strength was waning with every second.
　　The royal guards began rushing to their princess’s aid, but Celestia waved them off, not willing to risk any of them being killed by Twilight while she was in a state of such unstable emotions.
　　"You have no idea how much I now hate you, princess!" Twilight pulled her forward before slamming her against the glass wall once more. Celestia desperately fought against the darkness spreading on the edges of her vision that threatened to pull her into unconsciousness. "What else did I leave behind in this world?" Tears were now freely rolling down Twilight's cheeks. "Did I leave behind any family? Do I even have a family here?"
　　Celestia tried to reply but all that came out was a desperate gasp for some much needed air. Twilight suddenly became quiet and extremely still, and her face turned into an emotionless, unreadable mask. She released her grip from around from Celestia's throat and let the princess fall to the ground in an untidy heap. Celestia was able to get to her knee and suck in massive lungfuls of air that Twilight’s hands had denied to her "After I've taken care of Garro, you and I are going to have a very long talk, princess, and you better have some very good answers for my questions.”
　　"Twilight."
　　"I said, we will talk later, princess."
　　Celestia flinched at the soft, but intense, voice of her student. It was far too similar to the way Darklight talked when he was angry. She would have preferred screams of rage and hatred, then the emtionless tone of Twilight's voice. But she knew that beneath Twilight's calm exterior, still similar to that of a frozen lake, there was a massive rushing current of negative emotions ready to be unleashed in a fit of fury at whatever was unlucky enough to be her enemy.
　　Twilight turned to face the princess once more, her expression still a completely unreadable mask. "We need to get started now. Take this inhibitor ring off my horn, unlock this cell, and take me to my armor. I'll stick to the conditions you have set, but if we're going to do this, we're going to do it my way."
　　Celestia stood on shaky legs-still breathing heavily from the lack of oxygen-and picked the key to the cell up off of the ground. She tried to meet the closed eyes of her student, but Twilight ruffled her wings and began swishing her tail with anger, before she looked away from her. Celestia did’t say anything as she placed the key to the cell against the glass wall and walked out through its rippling surface. Nor did she bother reminding Twilight that she was still naked when she walked out the medical jail cell. Something as inconsequential as modesty meant nothing to somepony like Twilight, especially when they were consumed by their missions.
　　Twilight followed Celestia out of the medical cell glaring icy daggers of hatred at the back of the princess’s head. It took all her training and will power not to give into the strong and intense feeling of heartbreak, betrayal and abandonment and snap the princess’s neck. Not even the presence of twenty-strongly armed-royal guards staring in shock at her exposed body was enough to deter Twilight from killing the pony who had left her to an hellish exitance of pain and fear.
　　But she had made a vow to the princess, and if she wanted the inhibitor ring on her horn removed and armor back, she had to keep her word. Because nothing else mattered but getting her armor back and killing Garro. The Fifth Lord of Tartarus had been a thorn in her side for far too long. It was time for her to remove it permanently.