When The Mask Falls Off

by jwizard

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Sad, Main 6, Princess Luna, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 2851

Can any pony truly know what motivates another? Twilight finds out the hard way what evil truly is.

Equestria is slowly recovering from a war between its neighbors.

In this, it has come real close to be destroyed by a twisted secret that has laid at the heart of its Diarchy since before the time of Discord.

Twilight Sparkle, one of its greatest heroines, has had to come to the hard conclusion that the pony she loved as a second mother never existed.

That instead of a kind, benevolent princess, what she loved was instead a mask.

One that hid a truly selfish monster within.

Published 2016-01-01 23:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-01-22 21:43:08 UTC

Chapter One

Twilight sighed heavily as she walked down the stairs to the lower dungeon within Canterlot Castle. She was tired, heartsore, and angry.

The last several years had been a trial. She honestly couldn’t believe that she was now the leader of a war torn nation. Not only that, she was now in charge of raising the Sun, as there simply wasn’t enough trained unicorns to do it.

Equestria was slowly rebuilding itself. It was hard, though; so many lives had been lost.

What was worse was that there were so many wounded, in such a way as they couldn’t be helped. At least, not in the way traditional for ponies.

No, these wounded were something else entirely; they were human. Not those human alternates in the world beyond the mirror, but real humans.

Creatures without magic of their own. At least those born on Equus had natural magic; that was more of a curse for them than it was a blessing, as that magic was the source of one of the most contemptible spells that had ever been created.

The Human/Pony Conversion spell.

Twilight’s muzzle went from sad to intense rage. To think, all this time, that the humans that had crossed the dimensional divide had been forced by energy drained from suspended infants into becoming ponies.

Not only that, but to find that this spell going wrong was what created the creature that had plunged Equestria into a time of Chaos; Discord.

What made Twilight the most angry was who was responsible for both the botched version, and the horrendous stable one.

The same pony that declared war on territories outside Equestria when they refused to accept her rule; the same one that declared herself a Traitor to Harmony.

The former alicorn of the Sun, Celestia.

Twilight had to stop walking for a moment, as her power was fast coming out of her control. She sat quietly, meditating on all the good things in her life.

Trying to forget what she had learned.

Despite this, memories of what happened all those years ago came to her mind unbidden; memories of what had happened in the past, and how she had found out…

Ever since Starlight Glimmer had stole Star Swirl’s Time Spell, Celestia had tasked her with cataloguing the myriad of books and tomes that contained his various works.

She had been excited at first, until she started reading his personal journals. Finding out that he had been grossly misrepresented by history was a shock.

None of the spells outside of Time study were at all his work. Every single spell outside of his own special talent was created by ponies that studied under him. What was even worse, was that she had found out that his circle of mages had been hiding a terrible secret from the rest of Equestria.

The Fire of Friendship wasn’t enough to destroy the Windigos. That it took the combined efforts of the greatest powers to do so.

Twilight paused as her magic found something interesting in one of his journals. There was a hidden compartment inside one page; a compartment held outside of time and space in a manner that was intimately familiar with.

Concentrating, Twilight focused on the page, keeping the runes on the base of the Mirror of Worlds in her mind’s eye as she did so. The page shivered as it changed its shape. Becoming a pouch, she could now see what was inside it.

Twilight pulled out several tightly rolled scrolls, still as fresh as they were when they were sealed. She gasped as the first one was bound in a ribbon that featured her Cutie Mark.

With great trepidation, she unbound the scroll, and began to read.

To Princess Twilight Sparkle;

If you are reading this scroll, then the future I have seen has come to pass. If this is true, then Equus as you know it faces its destruction. An enemy of our making is on its way, and I am no longer in a position to stop it.

Records will likely show that I died in an explosion triggered by my last unfinished spell. That is patently false; first because that spell was not mine, and second because I did not die.

No, I was forced to sacrifice myself in order to seal the portal to the human world. Not the one that one can travel to using the Mirror of Worlds, but the real human world.

The world where our ancestors came from, fleeing a war they started.

That is a story for another day, and you are free to explore it if/when you save both Equus and Earth.

I know you likely have very little time before either Celestia or Luna- I cannot be certain which as both are equally likely -arrives to my wing.

Please place the remainder of the scrolls into the pouch after you read this sentence, and only take them out again if/when the Moon Princess joins you.

If Celestia does so, burn the journal. Do not worry, the flames will only destroy the pouch.

There will be more on this scroll once whatever next happens has passed.

~Star Swirl~

Twilight gaped in shock for a moment before hastily stuffing the remainder of the scrolls into the pouch. She turned as she heard a pony approach the door. She sighed in relief as she saw it was Luna.

“Princess Twilight, we need to talk. I know you found his letter to you.”

Twilight shook her head to dislodge the memories. She didn’t have the time to go over the past. She started walking again.

It was only a small amount of time later that she arrived in the dungeons. She smiled in brief happiness as she saw the pony on guard. “Captain Radiant Dawn, it is so good to see you.”

The human-turned-pony looked just as happy to see her. “Princess Twilight, it is good to see you as well. I take it that they have finally decided what they are going to do with her?”

“Yes,” the purple alicorn responded. “And despite my personal feelings in this, I did my best to try and get what little mercy I could.” He nodded as he led the way to the only occupied cell.

Lying in the cell was a pony that Twilight once looked up to. Now, all she could see was a monster.

Celestia’s once pristine coat was matted in places, though not with dirt. Her hooves, wings, and horn were bound with bands that held jewels that were the colors of Harmony.

She looked up as Twilight came before her. She waited as Captain Dawn stepped into the cell, then followed him into the cell. Celestia made absolutely no motion to indicate that her former student had entered the cell. Twilight knew that it was all an act.

She was proven right as Celestia finally raised her head. Twilight saw that she had been crying again; even so, there was no sympathy in her gaze.

“if you are here Princess Twilight, it means that the ponies and humans have decided my fate,” the former princess said cynically. “I’m sure that you did do what you said you would, and convinced them to be merciful. Even though I know how much you hate me now, you would never go back on your word.”

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t hate you Celestia; nor do I love you.” She sighed. “I’ve mentioned this before; the Princess Celestia I loved as another mother was a mask; once it fell off and showed me the monster inside, I realized that the Celestia I loved never existed in the first place.”

“Spare me the platitudes traitor,” the fallen alicorn snarled. She cringed in pain as the bands on her body burned her. “I may have told some untruths, but everything I did was for My Little Ponies.”

“I thought you would have learned by now; these bonds were Forged by the Tree itself,” Twilight said coldly. “I guess you still have your pride.” Her gaze hardened. “And spare me the lies; you’ve done all of this because of what happened to Utopia all those years ago. And that lies solidly on your shoulders; the ponies struck first on your orders!”

Twilight stopped her harangue after that statement. “None of that matters anyway; I’ll never get you to see what you have done as wrong, and frankly I don’t care to try any more.”

The next words Twilight said caused a pit of fear to fall in the fallen alicorn’s stomach.

“You will be executed for your crimes against both equinity and humanity- by hanging -in the next three days. This was all the mercy I could get for you; even then, you have three thousand years of this to answer for.”

Author's Note

This is not my usual bread and butter at all.

However, the idea just popped in my head, and I couldn't get it to shut up.

A different take on both Tyrantlestia fics and the Conversion Bureau.

Expect more, as there's going to be more.

And for the record; no I don't hate Celestia. In this though, the one we know and love in the show was a mask.

I'll be writing a blog to cover my inspiration as soon as I get some sleep.

See you all next chapter.

Edit: Ack! I forgot to add the / in the end quote tag for the letter!

Chapter Two

Celestia stumbled in shock before rallying. “How is my execution by hanging mercy?!” she cried. “How is such a brutal and barbaric method of killing the greatest alicorn that has ever lived a mercy?!”

Twilight’s expression grew even colder. “I’ll leave the debate on who is the greatest alicorn to ever live to another time Celestia.”

Twilight’s expression didn’t change as she continued. “It’s merciful because what was originally decided was that you should be executed for every human life you tortured.” Celestia blanched at that; while she didn’t believe that any of those lives had worth, she still knew that there were thousands that had died on her orders.

Celestia shrugged her shoulders when Twilight didn’t continue. “You forget, Twilight, that I am an alicorn. You yourself know how impossible it is to kill our kind.” Twilight shook her head at that.

“It’s not impossible Celestia; there is a method that one can use,” Twilight said in response. Celestia paled as she realized that Twilight had done it; the alicorn before her had recreated the greatest weapon against her kind that had ever existed.

“It doesn’t bring me any pleasure to use a weapon that was once created by our foes, I assure you. However, I do believe that it serves a sense of justice, as they wouldn’t have been the threat they became if it wasn’t for alicorns like yourself.”

Twilight motioned to the captain. As they both turned to leave, she said the last thing Celestia expected to hear. “I suggest you make your peace with the heavens; your soul won’t be condemned to Tartarus for what you have done. No, the Inner Hels is where those truly evil go. May the Maker have mercy on you, and my your death heal the heart of the pony I truly love.” She and the stallion left after that, leaving the fallen alicorn to reflect on her past.

Several hours later, Twilight was sitting on the Amethyst Throne in the Royal Throne Room in Canterlot Castle. She had just finished meeting with a delegation from the Centaur lands; a very tense delegation.

Twilight looked up as two of her newest advisors approached her throne. She smiled ruefully as they did so; both had once been considered among Equestria’s greatest enemies.

Sombra the Shadow King, and Lord Tirek both smiled at the expression on Twilight’s muzzle. “I can see that negotiations with my nation were as tense as I expected them to be,” the centaur said. Twilight nodded.

“All of the lands outside Equestria that weren’t involved with our Civil War are of the belief that we’re going to grant leniency to my former teacher,” Twilight said as she stepped down from the dais. She sighed. “And while a part of me does wish that were possible, an even greater part of me knows that she must answer for her crimes.”

Sombra frowned. “Princess Twilight, she is responsible for the near destruction of not one, but several civilizations,” he said heatedly. “I know that she was your teacher, but how can you say that you wish you could go easy on her after what she has done?”

Tirek facepalmed at that. “Sombra, it is because she was the Princess’ teacher that she wishes things could be different.” The centaur sighed. “Even though she herself did not believe in those things, Celestia still taught Twilight a better way to live. And a truly good person knows that an execution never truly solves anything.”

Sombra blinked at that. “Hmm, I hadn’t thought of it in that manner.” He sighed. “I can say with certainty that execution benefits no one.” His gaze hardened. “However, it will allow all of us to gain closure. I would at least like to be able to finally lay my hatred to rest; I cannot do so as long as the one responsible for my people’s near annihilation is finally dead.”

Tirek and Twilight both nodded at that; Sombra had a personal vendetta against Celestia; after he, Tirek, Scorpan and The Dragon King Midnight had sacrificed everything to defend Equus in the Eleventh Hour several thousand years ago, their reward was to be branded as traitors by Celestia. The only one to escape that fate was Scorpan, and that was because he was no threat to the status quo.

Tirek had a thoughtful look on his face. “If I may ask Princess Twilight; you had no reason to pardon either myself, Sombra, or Midnight. Why did you?’ He flushed with embarrassment at the look Sombra gave him. “Granted, I am pleased that you did so, but I still would like to know how you were able to convince the Celestial Council.”

Twilight’s sighed. “I was given evidence of your innocence by Star Swirl and others; said evidence showed that none of you were guilty of the crimes you committed against Equestria.” Her expression turned severe. “As to how I convinced the Celestial Council; after their refusal to hear both mine and Luna’s pleas, I was forced to levy my authority as both Alicorn of Magic and Warden of the Sun to remove them from office.” She snorted. “The sawed-off traitors are performing the same salutary function that Discord once performed; that of statuary.”

“I am sure that went over as well with the rest of Equus,” Sombra said snidely. They all chuckled at that. “Well Princess, my brother and I shall take our leave of you. Until tomorrow.” The two bowed to the purple alicorn. She returned it as well; they had more than earned her respect and friendship.

After they left, Twilight made her way to her quarters, ones that had been Celestia’s until fairly recently. Her steps were heavy as she plodded onwards.

Passing by the Hall of Memories, she stopped for a moment. She decided to take a look at the glass murals. Memories, both good and bad, flowed through her mind as she looked at the stained glass windows.

She remembered the first time she had walked this corridor. It was just after she and her friends had stopped Discord. She had been so proud and happy of them as she stood there. Most of all, she was proud that she had done the best she could to lift the burden on her Princess’ shoulders.

Twilight’s legs fell from underneath her as her heart once again broke. No matter what she had said to others, she still felt as though something had been torn out from within her. A loss of innocence that she would never recover, and the loss of faith in some of those who had gone before.

A sound caused her to raise her head. Luna was standing at the door, looking at her. The midnight-blue alicorn said nothing as she made her way over to Twilight. Twilight raised herself up to hug the pony that had been her rock for the past few years. She continued to sob, knowing that the only way she would truly heal is if she let it all out.

Author's Note

Next chapter is up.

Sorry for taking so long; I really only work on this fic when I've hit a dry spell on my other fics. I may have more in another day or two, as there was more that I wanted to put in this chapter that really didn't fit.

Hope this latest chapter is up to snuff.