Chapters Chapter One: Twilight and Duster
A figure in the distance shifted, and the crickets stopped chirping. It was a warm summer night, and the ground was dewy. The black figure trotted forward, head down. Black, tarry tears dripped from the weeping pony's muzzle. It was a soft, wailing moan that appeared from the whole body instead of just its mouth. The temperature dropped to freezing next to the pony. The ground froze, and every tear became ice. The pony's hind hooves crunched on the frostbitten grass, and suddenly the sun rose. The pony looked at the sun, and suddenly- the fear broke. White flashed in front of the pony's eyes, and it shook it's head, but the white wouldn't disappear, it wouldn't leave!
Celestia looked up at the sun. Her eyes glittered softly, wet with tears. Her beautiful sun glowed in the sky, and the heat of her handsome Sol made her glow with pride. Turning around, she faced Luna, who was watching proudly. “I'm glad... she's not here. It's you, not her.” Luna whispered into her sister's ear. “I love you, you know that?”
“I know.”
Luna smiled, and walked away. Celestia looked at her. Normally she wasn't in such a cheery mood, but everypony had their good days. Except me. Celestia thought viciously, and she stomped her hoof sharply, and the slipper broke, shattering into a million tiny pieces. Each piece... Her subjects... Her only...
Celestia raised herself up gently, and suddenly, her whole body shivered. She felt a shiver run down her spine. “Oh my Lauren,” She gasped softly. “He's... not... back!?” She whirled around, convinced that He was there, there for her, done with his job- But He wasn't there.
Twilight moaned and kicked as she slept. No! A voice snarled in her head. Let me in your head, let me in your mind! This is for the sake of Equestria, its hard enough to get to you from here! LET ME IN YOUR MIND! Twilight woke, feeling unhappy, her face pale, and her whole body dripping sweat. Spike stood off in the corner, looking smug.
“Dreaming about having love?” He said cheekily. He was a teenager, but Twilight wasn't going to let him get away with that!
“Spike!” She snapped, whirling around. “You might be with Rarity now, but you need to get busy here! Organize all the shelves. All of them.”
Spike's smugness vanished. “But that'll take me all day!” He said in anguish. Twilight smiled grimly, and said, “And tell Rarity you're going to be busy all week.” She said, relishing in someone to yell at. Maybe she should see Celestia, she hadn't seen Twilight in weeks. Twilight decided to go to the castle. Celestia hadn't written in at least a month. Her concerned deepened when she realized she hadn't heard from either Princess, and the letters she sent were basically ignored, saying Princess Celestia couldn't write back at the time. She paced for a minute. Maybe Celestia was sick? If so, she should certainly visit her mentor! After all, Twilight hadn't been in canterlot for months.
Twilight made her decision. She had to get on the long, boring train to Canterlot. She took the train, read a huge book a foot thick, and finished by the time they were in Canterlot's train station. Twilight trotted up the steps slowly, and then calmed herself. She might as well visit her brother now that she was here, maybe stay a few nights. She sent a letter to Spike, saying she would be staying in Canterlot for a little less than a week. She might as well meet a few other ponies, buy some stuff in shops, see new sights. Yeah, she had a good week ahead. She could see Celestia later, just because she didn't write didn't mean she was in any immediate trouble.
Smiling to herself, Twilight strolled to a hotel she knew well, called L'Hôtel Best. Twilight strolled in. One of the staff, Duster, raced up to her and hugged her. “Oh, thank Celestia! I thought you died or something! I haven't seen you in years!” He let go, eyes bright. He was the closest Twilight had ever had to a friend before she went to Ponyville.
“Hi Duster!” Twilight said, grinning. “So, you're still working here, after ten years?”
“Until I can get a better job.” He said gloomily. “Well, how've you been? I know you went off to Ponyville, and I heard insane rumors that you beat Nightmare Moon, Changelings and a dragonquis.”
“Well, uh, they're true, Dusty.” Twilight coughed. “Uh, got any free rooms?”
“Certainly! Only a hundred bits! It's still being cleaned.” He scowled for a second, smiled, and then said, “What brings you to Canterlot?”
“What, I can't visit?” Twilight said in mock outrage, trotting along side the brown stallion in the white hallways. Gold letters stamped atop the white painted doors read, 450, 451, 452, and so on. The lavender unicorn mare looked down at the ugly, pea-green carpet beneath her. Duster looked at her, and his eyes were slightly narrowed. His wings were folded tightly to sandy-dust-colored body, Twilight blushed.
“Yeah, I'm here to see Celestia, but...” She lowered her head slightly, lavender face turning scarlet, and mumbled something awkwardly. Duster laughed.
“Twilight, you're my friend.” he said softly. “I'm not saying I'd deny you if you asked me to things behind closed doors with you, but I'm not your coltfriend.” His warm green eyes glowed, and she wondered if he'd actually do it. She didn't ask, but trotted forward, until she got to room 467.
She opened the door as soon as Duster handed her the room key. He left, murmuring goodbye. There was the same ugly carpet, and the dull white-washed walls, but there was a large bed with a black blanket. There was a bathroom, and the bath had a shower. There was a surprising amount of warm water, and she imagined the warm glow in Duster's eyes as he said 'behind closed doors'. She kept herself level, and shook the water out of her mane.
She got out of the bath, drained the tub, and levitated a towel onto herself. She dried herself, watching the steam rise from the water. She exited the bathroom and opened the blinds. The sun was sinking into the horizon, and the sky was bloodred mixed with orange. She thought about calling for Duster, and they could watch the stars- but felt a strange reluctance to do so. Was it the fact he said they were friends, but nothing more?
Twilight waited until the sun sank down, and the sky turned black. It was a new moon, perfect for star-gazing. She put on a scarf, as it was still cold even if it was summer. The unicorn trotted outside, putting a woolly hat, her room key, a telescope, some parchment, an ink bottle and a quill. She walked outside, and went back in to put on boots. It was unusually cold that night, and she didn't know why. She took out the telescope, propped it on the railing, and gazed out into the night. Suddenly, it became colder. It had dropped at least ten degrees. Twilight saw something moving from far away, and raced back inside. What could do that? Discord or a changeling? Somehow, she didn't think so. Her heart hammered in her chest, and her door flew open. Duster jumped in and slammed it shut with his wing.
“It's outside. I don't know what it is, but it just moans. It scares me.” Duster said, voice shaking. “It's so cold... It makes me... sad.... I want to pity it, but it is so creepy!”
“I know.” Twilight's voice caught in her throat. The only thing lighting the room was a dim candle, and Twilight was surprised when she heard Duster so close. “We're just friends.” He murmured in her ear. Twilight crouched, leaning towards him, and his voice.
“Just friends.” He repeated sharper, but his eyes were lighthearted, and his face was so close to Twilight's, and she could tell he was about to kiss her-
The door opened again, and this time, it was Applejack. Her eyes were bright.
“Twi'! What in all ahve hay could've caused ya'll to come here? Rarity said next time ya'll went to canterlot ya'll had to take her, ter!” She said, then cringed when she saw them so close, staring at Applejack. “Oh... yall're... ahm... busy. Ah can tell Rainbow ter stop searchin' Los' Pegasus."
All of them blushed, and Applejack cleared her throat.
“Yeah, ahm, sugarcube, we were just wondrin' where ya'll were, so... I'll be on mah way. Oh, if ya'll are... bein' private an' all, keep tha door locked, so Ah don't walk in on sumin' like that.” Applejack stammered. “Rarity was 'specially wondrin' why ya'll were here. Ya'll know how much she loves Canterlot, and ahll of 'er fancy-smansy dresses.”
Applejack coughed, closed the door, and Twilight hurried to lock it, hiding her burning face from Duster.
“Uh... shouldn't you leave?” Oh, why did she have to go red now? Even by the candle's glow she was still flaming-red in the face. Duster coughed awkwardly, and hurried out the door, not looking back.
Twilight kept blushing, and fell asleep, the bed surprisingly cozy and warm.
The next morning, Twilight watched the sun rise, and last night's details rose up in an awkward warmth in her cheeks. Twilight trotted outside, and went to a small shop to eat. The daisy, wheat, and mustard sandwich was delicious. She tipped the waiter, and trotted outside to see the shops. They were all selling food and books. Twilight looked at everything. There were cherries on sale, hundreds of ponies trotting down the streets, all smiling happily, hooves clunking on the cobblestone pathways. At around midday, she went to a lemonade stand. She bought two glasses, and drank the first. It was ice-cold, and it was a very hot day. A warm breeze occasionally stirred her fur, but all she could to do stay cool was to walk in the shade as often as possible, and eat ice cream and drink icy lemonade, and try to ignore the warmth of hundreds of ponies. Twilight Sparkle sighed happily. She was in the shade of an umbrella, sprawled out at a park, watching foals frolic in the fields, enjoying their summer vacation.
Twilight stretched out on her towel, and yawned. The dewy grass trembled in a blustery gust of wind. She felt like napping, the day was so warm, and her eyes were so heavy. But if she napped, anypony could do something to her. So she dozed.
She didn't mean to fall asleep. It was pure darkness, and Duster was crying, “No!” And screaming in pain. She ran forward, hooves scrambling uselessly in air. She was a bird, swooping over the Palace, Celestia's face was determined, but tears dripped down her muzzle...
Suddenly, she was falling, legs flailing uselessly through the air. Duster was falling, spinning next to her, but his wings were useless. They summersaulted through the air, and a voice shouted, “WAKE UP!”
Twilight shook her head, and noticed at least three stallions watching her with intrest. She stood up, glared at them, and strutted away, kicking up dirt in their direction. “Porn addicts,” She snarled under her breath, and walked away, head high, tail stretched out. The stallions were looking sullen, and they muttered to themselves unhappily.
Twilight reached her room an hour later. She took out a book she bought and read it, then became hopelessly bored. She needed something to do. She'd been in Canterlot before, and had already seen most things there. Maybe she could take Duster up on his offer. The idea of them, together, in a darkened room, made her heart race.
Twilight went to find Duster. He ran over to her, and announced in one breath, “I'm-going-to-a-party-wanna-come?-It'll-be-fun!”
“Yeah!” She said. Seven minutes in heaven? Spin the bottle? Truth or Dare? So many opportunities to be with him, all alone... She was in her room, and she pumped back and forward, the whole world blurring, and her eyes widening in hunger, hunger for her old friend's kiss, and the warmth of his body grinding against hers. She shivered, and pumped faster, face growing hot, her fantasy become more and more inappropriate for her mind. She moaned, just moving her hips, and suddenly stood still, and threw herself into the bed. Her matters with Duster had wiped her mind clean of her worries about Celestia, and they came back to her in a wave of uncertainty.
She and Duster were heading to the party. The party, the party that she was now longing for. She rubbed her cutie mark, squirmed, and they trotted to the party.
The first game was spin the bottle. Neither Twilight nor Duster had the opportunity to play, as they were both dancing to hard, pounding rock music. This was her first party that wasn't thrown by Pinkie Pie, and hated to admit this party was way cooler than Pinkie's little shindigs. Truth or Dare ended up with most of the ponies either to drunk to do as they asked, or becoming so horny they asked for a bedroom for them and another guest. Twilight trotted over to the DJ, Vinyl Scratch, who was nodding.
"Hey Twilight! Decided to take a vacation, then!?" She called, nodding drunkenly. Twilight nodded, and levitated a shot glass over to herself, and decided to dance. She had to watch the other ponies before she did- she had to copy them and get the dancing right. She had only danced at royal balls, and this party was hardly royal. Root beer, normal beer, and hay shakes were being served, along with chips, fries, and dips. She tasted each one, and then looked over to see Duster talking, voice slurred, with a bunch of other drunk stallions to a beautiful white mare. She looked around- they were playing a one of Pinkie's favorite games, "Pin the Tail on the Pony." Only the drunk ponies seemed to be playing, and a buzzed pony seemed to be the only one able to actually get the tail on the pony.
Seven Minutes In Heaven was played next. By now, Twilight was tipsy and Duster was flat-out drunk. Twilight pulled a slip of paper out of the hat, and in clear letters said Duster. Smiling, she called out the name. Duster stumbled forward, and they went into a closet. Duster leaned close to Twilight's muzzle, and whispered, “I stand by what I said. But you pulled my name out of that hat.” Duster leaned in and kissed Twilight. She let him into her mouth, and he explored inside, tongue on hers, and feeling every inch of her mouth. The kiss lasted for at least two minutes. He spend five more whispering flirty jokes and nibbling behind her ears and tickling her neck with his warm, moist breath.
He kissed her neck, then on the lips, allowing Twilight to explore his mouth with her tongue. The closet was opened, and they stumbled out, danced a bit more, and got drunk more, and somehow managed to stagger back to their rooms. Twilight fell asleep, the kiss still fresh on her lips.
Chapter Two: Books, Dreams, and Guards
CHAPTER TWO: Books, Dreams, and Guards
Twilight was awake, but she kept her eyes shut tight. All of her feelings towards Duster suddenly disgusted her. She got up, opened her eyes, and washed her mouth, over and over again, until it was as wrinkly as a prune. She stood up, and silently cursed the party a million times over. She trotted all around her room, then stood up tiredly and walked out the door. When Duster looked at her, she determinedly looked away. She thought she saw Duster trotting over to her, but when she dared to look back, he wasn't. Probably stopped by another one of the staff, she thought angrily.
She had no idea what she was going to do today, she just hoped it was over quick. The ponies seemed to be watching her closer. She rushed away, and went to buy some books to read, titled: ANCIENT EQUESTRIAN MONSTERS, HISTORY OF OLD EQUESTRIA, AND THE PRINCESS'S PARENTS- FACT OR LEGENDS?
She opened the second. Old Equestria? What was that?
It is a known fact that Equestria used to be larger. The borders used to be twice the size, but were reduced for an ancient reason. No living pony other than Celestia or Luna know why, as it was over 2000 years ago.
Never, in any of the books that she'd ever read, had she ever read about this... “Old Equestria”. She devoured the book, and stopped, one hoof on a page scribbled on.
It lives. The beast lives, and I... I am nothing.
A jolt, like a tiny lightning zap, filled Twilight, followed by a warmth blossoming from her heart, heading to the tips of her hooves and end of her horn and tail. She traced her hoof across the words. They meant SOMETHING, she was sure, but what? She stood up off the bench, paced for a second, repeating the words under her breath. “I am nothing... The beast lives... Wait! These books were bought as a trio-!” She pounced on ANCIENT EQUESTRIAN MONSTERS, and opened to dog-ear crease. It was a monster, quite like a bear, with three mouthes, six legs, and long talons. It had huge, leathery bat wings and spikes rippling down its spine, each six inches tall under a bright, black-blue armor-like covering of fur.
It looked pretty bad-ass, but it said they died out a thousand years ago. She flipped open THE PRINCESS'S PARENTS- FACT OR LEGENDS? She looked for any specific markings, but on the cover-
“They died.” She read aloud, baffled. It matched the hoofwriting in the other books. There was a mystery to solve, a story to be found. She clicked her tongue, and looked down at all of the notes, muttering them all together nonstop. Finally, she took out a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote down- 'Celestia's parent's dead, killed by a BearSpider, which is still alive. Author of the notes... is nothing... don't know what that means, going to find out.'
She realized just writing that was stupid. Was it all just a huge joke? If it wasn't, then what did that mean? How could someone be nothing? She looked up in the sunny sky, not expecting an answer, but something fell into place- She could just ask Celestia! While on it, why not ask how she was? Twilight jumped to her hooves, ready to go then and now- but sat back down. Enjoy the day now. Solve mystery later. She was itching to ask, and she knew she was just putting it off- but she didn't know why.
She snuck back to the hotel, not seeing hide nor hair of Duster until she opened her door, to see him standing there, hooves crossed and standing on his hind legs. “You've been avoiding me. Twilight, please. I was drunk. I. Was. Drunk.”
“You got yourself drunk!” Her voice was strangely high-pitched.
“I saw it in your eyes, Twilight. When I said it. I saw your... closeness to me. I thought you'd be asking for more, not acting like it never happened. We didn't have a roll in they hay or romp in bed, so why do you keep acting like we were brother and sister who just mated?” Duster said, on all four hooves, but eyes narrowed, piercing her sharply. But she refused to flinch or cower. Duster glared at her, and for fifteen minutes it was a silent glare, and Twilight whispered, “I'm sorry.”
Duster's eyes became concerned. “I may not be a mare, but I know something's wrong. You can tell me if you'd like, not that you need to.” He coaxed.
All of the nightmares, dreams, mysteries, concerns, and feelings of shame and love came back to her. She wanted to tell him everything- her strange reluctance to love him anymore, after the kiss, but love for someone- or something- else.
“No, Duster. There's nothing wrong.” Twilight said softly.
He raised a quizzical eyebrow, in a you-can-tell-me-what-you-want look, and walked off through the door, and Twilight sighed and laid on the bed, looking up at the ceiling for what must've been hours. Her stomach growled and she realized she had missed breakfast and lunch. She had a quick salad for dinner, and went to sleep.
Twilight was in darkness. It was completely dark, then a voice- “I need to warn you-”
Twilight zoomed away, into a bright white flash, the flash wouldn't leave- and suddenly, she was Celestia, she was watching through her mentor's eyes. She was raising the sun, and tears dripped off her muzzle-
She was back in the darkness, but a second voice appeared in the dark. It was deeper, kinder, and happier. “I am waiting for you! I'm almost-”
She was Celestia. Her hooves twitched between black with red slippers to white with pale yellow slippers- and thick tears were dripping down her face, He wasn't back yet, why not, she felt Him, she felt Him somewhere, He had contacted someone else, but if to take all that energy, wouldn't He contact her...
Duster was dead, eyes glazed, head lolling, and a huge, bearlike paw was on his body, he was oozing blood, and two yellow eyes pierced the blackness all around her.
Twilight woke, screaming shrilly, the creature's snarl still in her ears. The sun had just risen. Well, that tore it for Twilight. She was done. She was getting answers from Celestia today. She opened the door, slammed it shut, and locked it. She said a brief “hello” to Duster and a pale green stallion, and walked out of the hotel.
Twilight walked, walked, and walked, walking. Her hooves were barely rising off the ground, and her muscles were aching. She just kept walking, and finally, she reached the palace. She marched up to the stairs to see her brother and another guard discussing something in a low voice. Shining Armor, her brother, noticed her and bounced up to her. “Twilie! What brings you here?” He said, scraping a hoof across the cobblestone, his cheery voice and broad grin clearly fake.
“I need to talk to Celestia.” Twilight said firmly. “And you're not going to stop me.” She stamped a hoof. “You might be bigger than I am, but I can use better magic.”
“Twilie.” Shining Armor said softly, eyes wide and pleading. “Don't see Celestia today, she's tired, she just raised the sun, and she's not as young as she used to be. Go away, please, this is a bad day for the guards as well as her.”
The guard he'd been talking to slunked over, coconut-colored fur flat, and head low. He flapped his wing at Twilight airily and hissed something into Shining Armor's ear. Twilight's brother shifted uncomfortably, then glanced at Twilight and made little flicks with his hoof at her, a clear sign to go away. This enraged Twilight further, and she charged past them. “TWILIGHT!” Shining Armor started running. “Golden, guard the entrance. I have a little sister to catch!” He called, not even turning his head. The stony-faced guard sat down on the entrance with a sigh.
….....................................................
Twilight was as nimble as a cat as she swerved through the halls, heart racing, as her brother chased her. She was nimbler, yes, but he was much faster than she was. This was clear in her mind as he charged forward, and suddenly, she turned, and as he ran straight at her, dodged and raced forward while he slipped and skidded hooves first into the end of the hall.
Twilight chuckled to herself his eyes were derping in circles. There was no way he could ever catch up to her now! ...But then he shouted, “GUARDS! STOP HER!”
Oh fuck. She thought.
Twilight galloped forward, sprinting outward, and tripped. She sprawled on the carpet, and her horn ripped a very old looking tapestry on the wall. Cursing, she staggered to her feet. Two pure white guards appeared. One was a unicorn and the other was a pegasus. Twilight wasn't sure what do to, but kept running.
“HALT!” They shouted. “Before we have to use force to stop you!”
Twilight didn't respond, but swerved into another room, and knocked over a bookshelf over the entrance. She didn't know if it was with magic or with her hoof, but now she scrambled for fear of getting caught. She could hear Shining Armor's voice now, in her head. This isn't a game! You're going to get in trouble if you don't come quietly!
Twilight wanted to scream back at that voice, tell it she knew it wasn't a game. But she said nothing. She knocked over a vase, and shattered the windows, millions of pieces of glass raining down on the determined guards. The pegasus guard paused to pull out a large, jagged piece from his wing. Scarlet blood clashed on snow white feathers.
“What have I done!?” She cried aloud, but only she could hear. She was in so much trouble, damaging the palace, wounding a guard!
She paused, panting, to clutch a stitch in her side. The guards were shouting threats and curses, and looking back she saw the shard of glass made the pegasus guard inable to fly. Guilt squirmed in her belly, then filled with determination.
A dark blue pony sprang on top of her from a corner, hooves on Twilight's throat. Princess Luna jerked Twilight back, into a secret passage.
“Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle. I'll tell them you were a changeling- we get a few strays here and there, only ones that act oddly are them, though. Now... how to get thee out of here...”
“I want to see Princess Celestia!” Twilight said angrily, horn flaring. “She hasn't replied to my letters, nopony's seen her for weeks other then those in the palace, and I wanted see if she was okay!”
“No, Twilight Sparkle, she is not okay.” A shadow of unease stirred in her eyes, and Twilight tried to pursue the subject.
“What do you mean? Is she sick?” Twilight asked, ears straining.
“What do you mean? Kissing an old friend thee had long since forgot about?” Anger flared in those aqua eyes, and for a second, all she could do was wince and cringe.
“Wait... You've been watching me!?”
“Of course I have. What the hell do you think Applejack was doing there? A favor for me. Those stallions, watching you, all in debt for me. And Duster, as well.”
“What?! Why are you watching me!?!” Twilight screamed. “I don't need to be watched! I'm not a little filly, and there's no reason you need to watch me. And... you... you didn't make Duster... You didn't make him act like you loved me, did you?”
“There is, Twilight Sparkle. You see, He is back.”
“He? Who's He?”
“He is...” She hesitated. “Twilight, I know you found the books. The one who wrote it was my brother.”
“Brother? You haven't got-” Twilight began, still outraged.
“Twilight, it was written by my brother, LunarSun. And no, Duster loves you entirely. Now, who is He you ask? Well, He is the Ruler of the Universe.”
Chapter Three: Equestrian History
Equestrian History
Twilight gasped, and took a step back. “The whole universe?” She said weakly. “The whole... universe... wow... but...”
“Twilight Sparkle! Are thou doubting me!?” Luna asked snappishly. It became so dark Luna lit her horn to guide the way through the tiny, cobwebby passage. “My sister has fallen in love with Him, as she had done when she was just a filly and my parents had created Equestria. He pretended to be one of us... a poor pony that was born from the clouds, the ground, and the jewels your Rarity seeks so much. We, the Alicorns, who represented all of the ponies, were the rulers and founders of Equestria. Very soon, the Unicorns, Earth Ponies, and Pegasi cared not for eachother, and they started to die out.” Luna stopped, and turned.
“Hearth's Warming Eve is a lie. A lie to cover up a brutal war that we couldn't stop. The Carols were what the ponies sang before the battles, prayers to us that they wouldn't die. They didn't find Equestria, they destroyed it. When they were all dead, only the mothers survived. Their children mated with other races. It was no longer forbidden for an Earth Pony to love a Pegasus. And I trust you read about old Equestria? Twilight, I had another brother and a sister. My sister died giving birth to Cadence. And Prince Blueblood is not related to us at all. He's a unicorn, but every one of my kin is an Alicorn.
“That aside, LunarSun had almost no friends. One that was his friend was jealous of our little brother, DarkSky, and decided he would be most loved by the Prince when his brother was dead. So he dared DarkSky to go to Old Equestria, called Wild Equestria then, and bring back a Rabbit-Bird. He did, but the friend let loose an ancient monster- and you know what it is.”
“The BearSpider.” Twilight whispered softly, ears flattening and tail hanging limp.
“My little brother died, leaning against a rock, attempting feeble magic to drive it off, but that wasn't all.” Her voice became soblike, and she was shaking with fear and anger, eyes wide and tearful. “One of the Palace guards told my brother where DarkSky went. Filled with rage and fury, he went to go tell off his friend and collect his brother. When he found him, LunarSun found DarkSky, bleeding to death, as his friend raped our little brother. He was squealing in pain, but not from the wounds, from the friend pounding him... Eyes glowing maliciously, as he took my brother's virginity from him. The friend came inside DarkSky, and my brother had seen to much.”
“My brother jumped at him, but it was too late. DarkSky was dead, and filled with my brother's friend's juices. The friend had gone mad, and he tried to pin my brother down. 'I want to make you come before I die,' The friend said, laughing, 'I always wanted to fuck royalty.' He let the BearSpider loose again. He could control the evil beast, but Lunar wasn't as weak nor as clueless as our brother. The BearSpider couldn't fly. LunarSun jumped into the sky, but the bear pulled him down, and attacked him... Lunar used his magic to snap his friend's neck, but the Bear was still savaging him...
“My parents appeared, filled with anger and fury. My father attacked the bear and my mother brought LunarSun home to be put in Stasis. I thought he was dead, and I was crying, crying hard, but then He explained that he wasn't dead, but would need to be in stasis for thousands of years... it would stop him from dying, and heal him slowly, so slowly... My father died, and my mother went to avenge him, and trapped the bear in a stone prison, and as she was dying, went to my little brother, stroked him, kissed my father, then died.
“Tia kept coming to my room to tell me our brother was okay. That our sister, Stars, was okay. She slept in my room, and was next to me so often I eventually bursted out, 'LEAVE ME ALONE!' and raced away.” Luna's voice became soft. “My sister left to go see where He had gone. She loved him, so much, it was terrible to see that she knew He had to be gone for thousands of years, until my brother healed...” Luna cleared her throat, which sounded like it had a lump of rock in it. “And that created Deprestia. A few nights ago, Celestia felt His presence. She thought He'd returned to us, but no! He was gone! Still gone, healing our brother. She's been walking the lands as Deprestia at night ever since.”
“He contacted me. He wanted inside my head...” Twilight said slowly. “And he's been giving me dreams.”
“Dreams?” Luna looked up from her hooves, alarmed. “About?”
“Duster. We're falling, and then he was...”
“Was?”
“OH NO! NOOOOOOOOONONONONONONO!”
“What!?”
“I had a dream it killed Duster! We have to hurry!” Twilight shouted, panicking. Luna looked appalled.
“He spoke to you!? Oh, no wonder Deprestia has been getting colder... Twilight, Celestia's not in her right mind. If she's Deprestia and she sees you, she's going to try to kill you! Twilight, you have to hurry and get out of here!” Luna's voice was suddenly croaky and urgent. “What the hell are we still doing in this tunnel!? Come on, let's go, we have to hurry!” Her walking pace became a trot, then a jog. It was hard to run fast in such a dark and confined space, Twilight soon figured out, as she tripped over her own hoof in effort to move faster.
Eventually, Luna realized Twilight was far behind, and slowed considerably.
Luna moved forward, then said, “Stop.”
Twilight lit her horn to see solid rock. “We've been walking for fifteen minutes!” She snapped sardonically. “All to see the BEAUTIFUL rock and handsome cobwebs we couldn't have seen on this whole lovely walk!” The edges of her vision were beginning to blur.
“Twilight. Step back and look at the whole picture.” Luna's voice was aggravatingly calm. Twilight hesitated, but the Alicorn mare in front of her was a Princess, and she was kind... She stepped back slowly, and Luna's horn glowed with a soft, floating sky-blue light. It was like someone lit a dozen candles. The light flew up to the ceiling, and Twilight gasped. Luna carried loose rock from the walls, and grinned, stepping back.
They were in someone's basement.
“Princess Luna!?” A male voice called from above. It was unmistakably Duster's. They heard soft clip-clops of hooves on stairs, and the pegasus walked down, both wings holding glowing candles. “Luna! You brought Twilight!”
On closer inspection, it wasn't Duster. The pony's fur was darker, and his cutie mark was a green book. But his eyes glowed, exactly like Duster's.
“Sir, do you know Dus-”
“Duster is my son.” The stallion said shortly. “He and I haven't spoke in years.” Twilight was smart enough not to pursue the subject. The rosy glow of the candles lit the dim room and Twilight realized it was filled with hundreds of books, stacked upon books, stacked upon books. She gaped at all the books around her, and had an urge to use her magic to crack open a book and start reading.
“Booksly, we have to get out of here.”
“No kidding! If anyone catches me in a dark basement with a Princess covered with cobwebs and panting, they'll think I was raping you.” His tone suddenly became brisk.
“So, just head through the doors. Luna, you might want to disguise yourself.” Booksly said, nodding smartly, sitting with his long dark brown tail wrapped around his hooves. Twilight trotted ahead, and just barely heard the unrecognizable Luna whisper to Booksly, “You wouldn't need to rape me.”
Twilight pretended as she hadn't heard, but had a particular feeling that she and Booksly were more than friends. They walked out into the street, and Twilight blinked at the sudden sunshine and noise. For a minute she was blinded and deafened at the hubbub and sunshine, but her eyes slowly became normal. She walked close to Luna, mind reeling from what she'd just discovered. Luna's face was stony, carrying a look that made everyone recoil from her like she was a poisonous snake. It was determined, but scary, and when Twilight looked at her, she winced softly or cringed.
They reached the train station, and Luna finally turned to Twilight. “Should I get Duster, as a good-bye?” Luna said awkwardly. Twilight suddenly realized- the dream. She moaned and said, “Luna. Duster. He's still in danger, my notes, I left my notes on the books in my room, he saw them, he thought the bear killed my parents, he thought I was going to go kill it, and now...”
“Oh no! Twilight, do you realize what this means! He's going to let it free! He's going to-”
“I know.” Twilight groaned, voice low. “It's going to try to kill your brother when he gets free. And someone can control it, they're going to do what Lunar's friend did...”
“We have to hurry!” Luna urged.
They galloped forward, knocking over ponies, until Luna said, panting in the sunshine, “There's no way in hell we can run to Old Equestria. We have to teleport.” Her horn glowed, and Twilight touched her hoof gently.
It was all black, like she was looking into a raven's feathers at a new moon. Then it was sunny and warm, but it was too hot and there was so much moisture in the air. It was like a jungle, and made Twilight uncomfortable. She wished her fur wasn't so long, but realized Luna looked designed for this kind of thing- long legs, thin fur, and dark fur. Twilight realized why Luna always wore slippers- there were jagged stones cutting into the tender frogs of her hooves, and it hurt badly. Twilight was limping, and Luna looked back. She hid a smile and conjured glass slippers from thin air to protect the sensitive underhoof.
Twilight put on the lavender-colored slippers, and magicked the stones out of her hooves. As she trotted along, she marveled at how well the reinforced glass worked. They traveled wordlessly through the long jungle, and suddenly stopped.
A deep gorge lay in front of them, a large waterfall gushing water.
“There, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna pointed across the bridge with one hoof. A large stone bit of the gorge was shaped like a bear head. The mouth was gaping open. Twilight could see Luna stiff up. “Someone's inside. Someone's talking to that beast in there.” Luna murmured softly. “The task takes both a unicorn and pegasus to get to. A pegasus to fly, and a unicorn to open it.”
Twilight stared at it. “You're going to fly over there?”
“We, Twilight Sparkle. You created this mess, did you not?” Luna said bluntly.
“Well, technically, if you want to trace it back, some arsehole that was your brother's friend started it.” Twilight reasoned feebly. Luna's glare put ice to shame. “Hold on to my legs, Twilight Sparkle, they tether you to life.” She snapped.
They flew across. Twilight couldn't help but look into the dark gorge below. The rushing water, thousands of feet below, was still roaring loudly in her ears. Fear that she'd never felt before, not even over Discord, filled her heart making it beat rapidly. She felt dizzy and her vision blurred. She wondered what they'd find in there- the bear, eating the one who released it, or a lustful pony wanting to bang royalty and a random unicorn mare?
Twilight's fear was filled with the unknown. Discord, and even the Changelings, had eventually explained themselves. But this beast and it's master would undoubtably kill them, or bang them as they died. Twilight was still saving her virginity, but she was pretty sure Luna had given hers to Booksly. As they landed on the bear's jaws, just missing the wicked-pointed teeth, Twilight said, “What if he... you know...”
“Then we loose virginity.” She said indifferently, but there was fear beneath her voice. They walked in, and something smashed into Luna. It was like a bolt of lightning. “Luna!” Twilight cried, and looked for a pulse. She had one, and Twilight sighed. She was suddenly hit forcefully, but none the less gently, and skidded to hit the stone bear head's teeth. It was so bright she couldn't see her attacker. She shielded her eyes with an arm, and then gasped at the pony standing before her.
“YOU!”
Author's Note: I love cliffhangers, as you might've guessed from the last chapter, but I won't have time to write any time soon after this is published.
Chapter Four: The Return of the BearSpider
“Yes,” The unicorn said, savoring his victory. “Once I discarded that foal, I was done with it!”
Prince Blueblood's light blue eyes glowed, and he turned. “I had no intention of going to bed with you, Miss Sparkle. Nor did I have the idea with Luna.” His horn glowed brightly, and the purple mare felt vines slither around her, binding her. One wrapped around her horn, disabling her magic. She squirmed and Blueblood, smirking jauntily, moved a vine, and when she struggled, it pressed and wiggled against her nethers. She tried to wriggle out of the vines, but her moaning soon filled the bear's head, and finally, when she could take no more of it, she collapsed limply.
“Right then, Twilight Sparkle. If you're quite done, I have something to show you.” He was tying up Luna as he spoke, and once he was done, levitated Twilight along with him. His hooves clacked on the stone tongue of the bear, and Twilight looked around, eyes full of fear.
“Why?” She said weakly.
Blueblood rounded on her. “Because! Unicorns have never ruled the throne, always Alicorns. Pegasi are brutes, and Earth Ponies are weak, and Alicorns want to treat them the same! I come from the noble line of Princes. I am Blueblood Prince, and I should be Prince Blueblood! And when Celestia and Luna are dead, then unicorns will rule supreme! No request from a unicorn to pegasus or Earth Pony could be denied, or the ponies denying would be punished severely!” Blueblood laughed softly. “No request, Sparkle.”
“You're perverted!” She gasped.
“Rarity, poor mare, thought I was gay, Miss Sparkle. But I showed her. I showed her that I was no stallion's person, and she gave up her virginity to me. Albeit, somewhat forcedly, but she agreed to in the end. She was glad.” He gave a sick smile. “Right, miss Twilight.” He loosened the vines at the tip of her horn. “Light the way.”
Twilight, having no choice, lit her horn. She felt like a living torch and just as bad as a parasprite- she hadn't wondered why Rarity hated Blueblood so much. It couldn't just be because he was a snob, she'd know to like people like that... so Blueblood had put her to bed against her will?!
Rage filled Twilight as it had not done for a long time. She opened her mouth to say something, but vines forced her jaws shut. Furious, she tried to pry them open.
“And, Twilight Sparkle- so ends the life of Duster Dirt.” His eyes glowed maniacally, and his horn glowed at the bear's stone windpipe. Duster, limp and lifeless, lay in a corner, a corner of his mouth slowly dripping blood. Her heart caught in her throat, and she looked at Luna.
The whole bear's head was about the size of a small kitchen, and Luna moaned and stirred in the corner. Blueblood turned to look at her, he muttered, and turned back to the throat.
“I need royalty to do this.” He snarled under his breath. “If I take off that foal's wings and attach them to you would it still work?”
He raised Luna jerkily from the ground, and made Luna trace her horn across the door's walls. It opened slowly.
“Hear me, beast! I am Blueblood Prince, and heir of Fireswing, your master! Hear me, and allow me to take control of you!” His horn glowed, and a live cow appeared, struggling against the deranged white stallion's sky-blue, glowing grip. The stone throat opened, and in the darkness glowed a pair of huge, glowing yellow eyes. “I brought you this offering to satisfy your hunger!”
The cow mooed, eyes wide with terror, and the huge BearSpider's head appeared, jaws wide. It's long, shaggy brown fur hung limp from it's mammoth-sized head, and it's enormous, seven inch long teeth pierced the cow's windpipe, crushing it. The BearSpider was so gigantic it only took three bites of the large cow to devour it completely. The cow was alive for the whole feeding, and Twilight had to close her eyes so she didn't vomit. Not that she could with the rope-like vines restraining her jaws. She wanted to cry, because she knew what was going to happen.
“As our first sacrifice for unicorn supremacy, kill the pegasus. I don't want it getting out how I freed you.”
The bear hesitated, staring out stupidly, and then it's eyes glowed, and it cocked it's head. Then lunged.
The creature was only a bit smaller than a dragon. The book had been wrong. Huge black wings unfurled from it's side, and the spikes gleamed on it's back wickedly. It's long, sharp claws unsheathed from broad, flat paws. It's ten foot long tail carried a huge daggerlike white blade at the tip. There was no way in all of hell Duster would survive, and Twilight wanted to cry to him to wake up- that none of it was real, that she was in her books, and Duster was safe-
And suddenly, her pupils widened. She hadn't ever loved Duster. She was concerned for him, because deep down inside- she knew Duster was going to die. Her heart filled with dread, and she shivered. And she broke the binds around her jaws. “Duster!” She cried. “I loved you like a friend, but not like a lover!”
Duster's eyes opened, and he opened his mouth and said, “I always did.”
And the creature killed him cleanly, a stab through the neck with its thin, bladed tail. Duster's eyes turned glassy, then closed, the etch of a smile on his once handsome gaunt, dead face. Twilight watched the Bear neatly pick Duster up and bring him to it's new master. “Now. Which one should die first? My supposed sister or Twilight Sparkle?”
He paused, then looked up at Twilight fondly. “You're the strongest unicorn there is. Perhaps you could be my queen?” He was musing out loud. “I would need to watch you all the time, make sure my secret doesn't get out, but if you're half as good as Rarity, then...” He lapsed into a thoughtful silence.
He turned to the BearSpider. “Kill the dark blue one and then fly me and the purple pony across.” He told it. The creature advanced on Luna, and Twilight's eyes widened in hopelessness-
“No! There will be no more murder tonight, Blueblood!” A voice shouted, shaking the whole world.”
“LunarSun,” Blueblood whispered, pupils dilated in fear. “I thought...”
The world was bright, as bright as the sun, in a flash of pure white. The light drew to one source, and it pulsed brilliantly, a white blob bigger than Celestia. The bear swatted at the light with a paw, eyes wide, and with an expression full of wonder.
The light formed a pony shape, and then the soft, pulsing light grew detail. A tail like Celestia's glowed blue, light blue, and black all in waving stripes. So did a small mane only flowing out to the light pony's long snout, and the same color as it's tail. Suddenly, the light stopped pulsing and a pure white alicorn stood there, kneeling. It opened it's eyes, which were a soft green color, a mixture between dark blue and pure, bright yellow. The stallion blinked, and then stood. He was about as tall as the bear, and bore faint scars on his chest, back, and shoulders, not including three indistinct, jagged scars across one of his gentle green eyes.
His horn glowed, and silver armor appeared on his back, and slippers appeared on his feet. A small silver crown appeared, his horn holding it in place.
“Ready for round two, Bear!?!” The stallion roared, eyes blazing with anger. Twilight realized- this stallion was LunarSun. She looked at him in awe, and he looked back at her. He tilted his head slightly, and his eyes were soft and caring. Twilight felt a rush of affection for him. LunarSun had loved her, all along, And she had known she loved him as soon as she had touched the writing in his books.
Happiness filled her, then dread- what if he fought the bear and lost? What if he was put in stasis for another ten thousand years or whatever it had been? What if... he lost against the bear? What if he died, like his parents and brother, facing the BearSpider. Emotion blocked her throat, and through tears of fear, happiness, and love, she barely managed to choke out, “Lunar! Run!”
He charged at the bear, and it opened it's jaws. Lunar jumped over it, and slammed a hoof into it's spine. Roaring in pain and fury, the bear lumbered around, but found itself too big to move. It thrashed its tail in frustration, but Lunar could'nt get a clear shot at it. He had to move it somehow. Lunar opened his wings, and flew out of the cave. His horn glowed silver, and he shoved Luna into a corner. The Bear, noticing her, tried to scramble to get her, but his master screamed, “NO, YOU IDIOT! GO AFTER THE FLYING ONE! THERE'S TIME FOR HER LATER! KILL THE FLYING ONE!”
The massive creature whooshed out it's wings, and flew off to get Lunar. Twilight could see the battle from the stone Bear's head. She found herself strangly reluctant to move- but maybe that was just because of the vine at her crotch. She used her horn to loosen the vines now that Blueblood was distracted. She loosened them, and they slipped off. She took Blueblood in a magical grip.
“I'm sorry.” Twilight whispered. “You don't deserve it.” Closing her eyes, she wiped some of the bear's blood off the stone floor. She conjured a vial from nowhere, and murmured soft words as her horn began to glow. The black, dark bear blood was raised out of the vial, swirling, swirling, until it became a tornado of blood. The blood became acid green and foamy. She put it back into the vial.
“Blueblood, there is no other way.” Twilight wiped her tearful face on her hoof. She raised the vial, and poured it on Blueblood's horn.
Blueblood felt a strange sensation in his horn. It felt like someone had put a warm towel around it, or someone was holding it in their hooves on a cold day. The beautiful lavender unicorn was in the corner, sobbing with a hoof over her eyes. Blueblood slumped to the floor, and felt so weak, like he was a sleepy colt caught staying up to long by it's mother. He opened his eyes half-way. “What...” He mumbled drowsily, “What did... what did you do...?....” He fell into a weak sleep.
“I took your magic and your horn away from you. Forever.” Twilight whispered to him softly.
Lunar panted heavily, flapping his wings. They had been in aerial combat for almost ten minutes, a long time to go while you were bleeding slowly and couldn't slow down or take a break. Lunar jabbed at the BearSpider with his horn, and the sharp horn twisted, and scraped the Bear's underbelly. Screaming in rage, the bear took a swipe at Lunar that he dodged, missing the powerful, clawed blow... Lunar's wings drooped, and his power was at a weakness, if the BearSpider attacked again, surely he couldn't dodge...
A flash of white blurred past his vision as a paw slammed into him, sending him flying backwards. A white Alicorn flew past. “Mom?” LunarSun whispered, eyes wide, as he landed on the stone bear's tongue. Twilight rushed to him, and as he lost consciousness, he looked at the glowing bright alicorn that had spared him from the fight and death, who he thought was his mother.
Twilight looked up again. “Celestia!?” She nearly shouted. The pure white alicorn princess dove at the stone bear's jaws, and then veered up. The BearSpider slammed into the rock wall, and she looked at Celestia, who's face was full of righteous anger. She slammed a hoof into the bear's face, and Twilight could hear a huge CRACK even from thirty feet away. The lavender unicorn went numb, then heard moaning from the corner- she trotted over to Luna and nuzzled her. The blue alicorn shook her head, then murmured, “Hey... Twilight...” Then her eyes jerked open and she shouted, “Where is the traitor Blueblood!? And what has he done with the beast!?”
“Blueblood is...” Twilight paused. “I...”
Luna looked at the limp, sleeping form of Blueblood. “You took away his magic?” She asked gently.
“I...” Twilight hung her head. “Is...he was going to kill you.” She burst out desprately. “I know it's illegal and morally wrong, but I can't let him kill anyone else!”
“Twilight. I approve of what you did. Now-” Her teal eyes widened with shock. “Is that LunarSun?!” She looked at her brother with badly concealed suprise and shock. “He came back!? He came for us?” She smiled broadly. “Wait. What happened? Where's the beast?”
“Celestia is fighting it.”
“Tia is out there!?” Luna said in obvious fear. She jumped out, and flew after Celestia to battle the beast.”
Twilight cursed at herself for not having wings. Now she was trapped in a bear's head with an unconscious alicorn Prince and a dead pegasus. She shook the Prince, who stirred. “Where's mother?” He murmured.
“I'm sorry Prince LunarSun, but she's dead. You saw Princess Celestia.” Twilight said softly.
LunarSun's face was expressionless in the shadowy bear mouth. He rose to his hooves, and said, “We have a bear to kill.”
He jumped out, and while the tired BearSpider attacked Celestia and Luna. He flew under the bear, and then Twilight broke off a tooth from the bear head, and levitated it over to Lunar. He grabbed it between his hooves, and he flew, as fast as he could, upward, and drove the huge stalagmite into the bear's heart. It's eyes flew open, and it opened its jaws in a silent howl- and it's wings stopped flapping as it fell into the gorge below, eyes glassy like the pegasus he had killed.
Twilight trotted over to Duster. The three alicorns landed on the jaw, and Twilight held Duster tenderly in her arms, looking down at the foolish pegasus, tears dripping on his now closed eyes. All of the royal ponies stood there awkwardly, intruding on Twilight's love and grief for the dust-colored pegasus. LunarSun finally broke the silence by nuzzling Twilight's neck. “Twilight, we can give him a proper burial when we're back in Equestria. For now, we need to get back home, where we can throw Blueblood in jail and find Him. He said He'd be in His favorite animal form. Undoubtedly he chose a cat.” The stallion rolled his eyes. “Honestly, at least birds can fly.”
She smiled softly, and gently put Duster down. Luna grabbed his in her hooves, and Celestia picked up Blueblood, wrinkling her nose in disgust. LunarSun picked up Twilight softly, and carried her carefully to the other size. The alicorns' horns all glowed, and they vanished, leaving the scene of destruction behind them.
