The Handmaiden

Golden Oak stood proudly just outside the walls of the golden city of Canterlot, looming behind the expansive castle and serving as a warning to those who dared speak out against the Empress. Many, many meters taller and wider than any tower or spire made by man, it was far enough into the woods north of Canterlot to discourage any attempt at escape (although, prisoners would be hard pressed to find a way down from the top of the trunk, where their cells were). The only way from the tree to the city's gate was a single worn, rough path. Carriages rarely made their way to Golden Oak, only every other month or so to drop off supplies, and to carry prisoners to and fro (although Twilight couldn't recall ever seeing a prisoner properly released in her years at Golden Oak).

Twilight loathed the cursed, confining, wicked tree with every fibre of her being, but she greatly preferred it to where she was going now. She had never seen the arena before, but she knew the stories of the slaughters, the massacres and bloodbaths. Golden Oak may have been a Hell on Earth, but at least she was likely to survive to see it through.

The rickety wooden wheels of the prisoner's carriage clicked and thumped against the uneven roads as they approached the city. The journey was mostly silent, none of the future gladiators having much to say to one another. Twilight just held Pinkie close, as close as she could with her hands bound in rope, keeping her eyes trained on her fellow inmates. Though the games were supposed to be prisoners versus the Empress' chosen warriors, it could easily devolve into a bloody, free-for-all scramble for survival. If Twilight wanted to have even a chance at survival, she would need to treat everyone and everything before her as an obstacle.

"Hey, Twi." Twilight blinked firmly, shaken from her thoughts by Pinkie's hushed whisper.

"What is it?" asked Twilight. Pinkie glanced around before reaching her tied hands into her hair and retrieving a little hunk of bread. "Pinkie…"

"I know you're hungry. You must be. You're always making sure I've had something to eat." Pinkie shoved the morsel under Twilight's nose. "Now it's my turn. Eat up, Missy. I won't take no for an answer." Twilight stared at the strange girl beside her for a moment, shaking her head incredulously. Disbelief soon became amusement, and Twilight managed to crack a tiny grin despite the grim circumstances.

"Yes, ma'am," she said, opening her mouth and letting Pinkie feed her. It wasn't much, their meals never were, but Pinkie seemed satisfied with the sight of Twilight eating for a change. Twilight, herself, couldn't deny that it was nice to have something relatively tasty in her mouth, and she ate slowly to stretch the moment out as much as she could. She spoke in between tiny nips and nibbles of her meager breakfast. "How are you holding up?"

"Scared to Three Hells and back. I've always been scared about being picked, since even before we met," admitted Pinkie. "I thought I was plenty terrified before, but now that it's actually happening? It feels like a bad dream."

"Yeah. I understand the feeling." Though Twilight's mind was primarily focused on Pinkie, she still felt a burning fury under the surface at being deceived, used and tossed away. Spearhead, the good for nothing bastard. She wished she could pay him back for his treachery. "But it'll be okay. We'll get through this."

"I don't know, Twilight. We're labor workers, not fighters or anything."

"I'm whatever you need me to be."

"Quiet back there!" The coachman snapped his reins, slowing the gait of his horses as the carriage approached the entryway into the city. The tall, black iron gate had been raised, allowing a way past the tall, sturdy border walls. "We're approaching the arena."

"Have you ever been to Canterlot?" whispered Pinkie. She seemed to be going paler and paler the deeper they rode into Canterlot. "My ma and pa would talk about it sometimes, to scare me and my sisters straight whenever we misbehaved. Pa said the Empress built it out of bricks made from damned souls that she plucked from the Three Hells."

"I think that's probably just a legend, Pinkie," sighed Twilight. She could feel the weight of the city, the heft of the guards staring down at them from their watchtowers in the walls. "My mother had brought me along with her on a trip to deliver crops, once or twice. I don't much remember it." Twilight pondered the city a bit, inspecting the stone houses and little thatch-roofed shops that lined the main road they were traveling down. "It was raining then, I think."

"Pa always called Canterlot 'The Fourth Hell'. Said that the Gods and Goddesses must've been mighty upset with us to let this place stand."

"Hm. That one might actually be true." Twilight felt Pinkie gently rest her head against her, clearly exhausted from this whole ordeal. The sun, just fighting past the horizon, bathed the carriage in a warmth that was almost foreign to the prisoners. "Hey, Pinkie." She perked up upon hearing her name. "You look beautiful."

"T-Twilight… Thank you," blushed Pinkie. "You're so sweet… What makes you say that?"

"Because you are. You're so, so beautiful." Twilight gave Pinkie a little kiss on the forehead. "We're always stuffed up in that tree, always in the dark. I never get to see your face in the sun. You're so pretty in the light." Pinkie craned her head back to kiss Twilight deeply, smiling through her hot, fat tears.

"I love you so much." Pinkie sniffled slightly, nuzzling as close to Twilight as she could in her position. "I want you to know if something happens to either of us—"

"No. I'm not going to let anything happen," swore Twilight. "I give you my word, Pinkie, I swear to the Gods above I won't let anything happen to you."

"But, just hear me out… When I ended up in Golden Oak, I thought my life was over. And then I met you, and I thought maybe things would be okay. You saved my life. I don't want to live without you, Twilight."

The carriage lurched to a stop, jostling the passengers in their seats. Twilight hadn't noticed, but it looked as if they had arrived; a circular structure set in the middle of the city, the tallest building in Canterlot if not for the castle looming behind it. The arena looked as if it were carved from stone, with several gated entryway leading in for the gladiators to enter. Between these gates was a large, open archway, through which spectators would file through to find their seats in order to observe the carnage. A handful of spear-wielding guards were waiting for them, and they approached the carriage to direct the prisoners.

"If we somehow get out of this in one piece," said Pinkie, talking as quickly as she could while her fellow inmates were dragged off of the carriage. "If we somehow survive and win, let's just… run. We can go back to my family's land, rebuild the farm. If we win this fight, let's run away. Let's get married and live happily ever after."

Twilight didn't say anything at first. She knew that their chances of surviving at all were slim, nevermind winning their freedom. She knew that the Pie clan's property had been reduced to ash, with the ground itself poisoned so that no crops or life could survive there. She knew that Pinkie's "happily ever after" was an impossible dream.

"Okay," said Twilight finally, giving Pinkie a tiny grin. "We're going to do it. We'll get out of here and get married, and it will be wonderful. I promise."

"You two! Out!" A guard barked for the last two prisoners, aiming his spear at them threateningly. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"Yes, sir. We're coming." Twilight grabbed Pinkie's bound hands on her own, leading her away. Twilight marched forward, to the beat of her own heart pounding in her chest. Time was running out, Twilight knew that much for sure. Less than an hour before she was expected to fight, kill, and perhaps even die for the High Queen's entertainment. To make matters harder on herself, she had just made an impossible promise to survive, to win, to save herself and her lover.

Twilight squeezed Pinkie's hand gently, steeling her resolve as they followed the unfortunate chosen souls to what would surely be their ends.

As soon as the prisoners were within the walls of the arena, they were led down to a basement, with series of small cells lining the walls. Some were occupied by other gladiators, any number of dejected, hopeless husks prepared to be led to their demise. A few of the battered warriors were a bit better off, wearing their battle scars with pride and cackling as the "fresh meat" shambled to their holding cells.

Each prisoner was relegated to their own cells, separating Pinkie from Twilight while they prepared for the battle. Pinkie was distraught, but Twilight assured her that she would be right beside her when the game began. Currently, however, she didn't have an abundance of time to worry about Pinkie.

As soon as Twilight was in her holding cell, she was frisked by the guard who was waiting for her there. She was tense at first, but she relaxed slightly when she realized what exactly was happening: she was being searched for weapons. It was a tiny comfort to know that not every guard in the kingdom was like Spearhead. This guard seemed softer, kinder, his gentle blue eyes revealing a more decent soul than the guards that Twilight had become accustomed to. When it was confirmed that Twilight had nothing on her person, the guard sat her down and produced a scroll of parchment from his belt.

"You have been selected to battle in the Empress' arena, in which you will battle to the death for the High Queen's entertainment," droned the guard, barely reading from the parchment he had unfurled. "The rules of the game are simple, in that there are essentially none: you and your fellow gladiators will battle against the Empress' chosen champions, and the battle will continue until the Empress calls for time. You may fight and survive by any means necessary, although it would behoove you to put on a show that amuses the Empress."

"Sir?" Twilight spoke gently, attempting to get a feel for the guard and how likely it would be to sway him. Maybe she could earn a favor from him. "How are we meant to defend ourselves?"

"Ten minutes from the start of your match, you will be given free reign of the armory for you to select your armor and weaponry for the fight. Equipment is on a first come, first served basis, and any fighting over the equipment will summarily be punished by public execution."

"Isn't that why we're here to begin with?"

"You're not from Canterlot, are you?" asked the guard. Twilight shook her head. "It shows. Well, trust me, this is much preferable over the alternative."

"Right… So? When do we start?" asked Twilight. The guard returned his parchment to his belt, folding his hands behind his back.

"You will be given a short fifteen minute period to eat and do whatever you wish to prepare. Warm up, meditate, pray. After those fifteen minutes, you will enter the armory and select your equipment, and then the match will begin."

"Eat? They’re feeding us?"

"Just a moment. Stay where you are." The guard exited the cell, locking it behind him as he went. Twilight pursed his lips, not sure what to expect. She thought she would be competing on an empty stomach but that appeared not to be the case. She let out a sigh as the minutes ticked along. At least she'd be getting a meal out of this.

The guard soon returned with a tray of food, which he set on the floor in front of Twilight. A wheat roll, nowhere near as stale or moldy as the Golden Oak rations, half of a boiled potato, and a small bowl of a thin, watery stew containing chunks of some unidentified meat. Beside her stew were two small wooden cups, one filled with water and one with a deep amber liquid. Twilight felt her stomach twang with hunger, and she leapt at the meal before the guard even had a chance to undo her bindings. The bread was a bit crusty and tough, and the stew tasted of little more than whatever overcooked, unwashed game that composed it. Overall, the meal was barely edible.

To Twilight Sparkle, after years of Golden Oak's food, this was a feast fit for a queen.

"Thank you," she whispered in between mouthfuls. “I've been so hungry…"

"Hm. It's quite possible that this will be your last meal. The Empress, in all of her kindness and generosity, thought it fair that you at least have some half-decent food," said the guard. Twilight nodded, taking a deep sip of her water. It was hardly dirty at all, and refreshing beyond measure. "The other cup is brandy."

"Brandy?"

"It's a drink. It'll calm your nerves." Twilight nodded, then sipped from the second cup, almost immediately choking as it burned in her chest. "Heh. Maybe a bit strong for your tastes. Come here, I'll remove your bindings." The guard stepped forward, pulling a knife from his belt. Twilight cautiously offered her hands, which were then freed from their ropes as the guard had promised. He gave her a nod as he turned for the door. "You have fifteen minutes. Make good use of them."

"W-wait!" Twilight seemed almost as surprised to hear those words as the guard was, who stopped in his tracks. "Why are you being so nice to me? Who are you?"

"I didn't think I was being especially nice. These might be your last twenty or so minutes alive. I just believe you deserve a bit of dignity and decency." The guard paused, giving a moment of thought before continuing. "I’m not really supposed to fraternize with the gladiators, but… My name is Flash. Flash Sentry."

"Well. Thank you, Flash." Twilight gave the man a small smile. “I’m Twilight."

"Then good luck, Twilight. Given the Empress' mood lately… You're going to need it."

On that ominous note, Flash marched out of the cell, locking Twilight in to enjoy the last of her meal. She ignored the brandy, deciding to focus on the foods that didn't hurt going down. Twilight couldn't recall the last time she had a hot meal, and this warm stew was supremely satisfying. She licked her dish clean, setting it aside to finish what remained of her meal, thinking of Pinkie all the while. She must be so scared, especially if Flash’s kindness and respect was the exception rather than the rule.

Fifteen minutes came and went quicker than Twilight expected, and she was soon being ushered out of her cell by a different guard entirely. He didn’t speak to her, just dragged her by the arm down the corridor. She seemed to have been the last one called on, which meant that the other gladiators hadn’t gotten the same amount of time to eat as she had. Whether that was due to Flash’s kindness or the other guards’ cruelty wasn’t immediately evident, although Twilight liked to believe it was the former.

Soon, she was being dragged down a flight of stairs, which puzzled her greatly. Shouldn’t they be going up, to the arena? Before she could voice her concerns, Twilight found herself being shoved forward, into a dirty, torchlit basement. The walls were lined with weaponry, and several racks of armor stood nearer the middle of the room, but Twilight didn’t make note of any of that. Her focus was entirely consumed by the sight of Pinkie, just a few feet to her right, waiting by the wall with the rest of the gladiators. She fought the urge to rush over to her love, instead waiting for her guard to give her permission to move forward.

“You have ten minutes to select your equipment,” he said. “No pushing. No fighting. When your time has elapsed, you will report to the center of the armory.” He pointed a bit forward, to a large swath of ground. It wasn’t cobblestone like the rest of the basement, instead a smoother stone of a different color. “Your time begins now.”

The gladiators rushed forward, inspecting the tools and armor that would hopefully keep them alive in the coming hours. Immediately, Twilight and Pinkie met near the weapon racks and, after a brief embrace, went about grabbing their gear. Neither of them knew much about fighting, only the things they had picked up on while defending their respective farmlands from animals in their youth, the things they learned from their family. Twilight wasn’t very comfortable with any of her options, but she eventually settled on a steel shortsword for herself and a decently sized morning star for Pinkie, who had a deceptive level of strength and could wield the spiked weapon relatively easily.

“Did they feed you too?” asked Pinkie as Twilight handed her a set of thick hide armor. “Gee, Twi, don’t you think we should go for something a little sturdier?”

“No way. Look over there.” Twilight pointed to the other gladiators, who had gone for the heavy steel armor. One warrior, which Twilight figured must’ve been Kaiden Fabian, was attempting to put on a solid silver-steel chestpiece, and he quickly lost his balance and fell forward. “It’s too heavy. If someone comes running at us while we’re wearing that, we’ll tip over trying to get out of the way. This stuff may not protect us from a direct attack, but that won’t matter if we can find a decent shield and keep moving.”

“Hey, that’s really smart!” Pinkie gave Twilight a wide, cheesy grin, which Twilight had no choice but to return. “So? Did you eat?”

“Yeah. It’s been so long since I had a hot meal…” sighed Twilight. “How about you? You eat okay?”

“Mh-hm. My guard spilled a bit of my stew, but I couldn’t really complain. That’s more than we’ve had in ages.” Pinkie went about pulling the hardened leather armor onto her body as quickly as possible, while Twilight did the same.

“Hm. Did you drink that stuff they gave you? The brandy?”

“Brandy? What’s that?” asked Pinkie. She fruitlessly tried to stuff all of her hair into a too-small leather helm, and a few curly tufts peeked out under the brim despite her best efforts. “All they gave me to drink was water.”

“Hm. Strange…” Twilight hummed curiously. It seemed that Flash was even nicer than he originally let on. “Guess it doesn’t matter. Come on, let’s see what else we can get.”

Twilight dug through the other pieces of equipment, finding a small buckler shield comprised predominantly of wood. There was only the one left, and Twilight gave it to Pinkie, who wasn’t quite as quick as her. Pinkie would need all the armor and protection she could get. Time was running out, and Twilight was only able to procure one last dagger for herself before their five minutes were up.

“Gladiators, to the center!” barked the guard. Twilight gripped her weapons tightly, looking to Pinkie’s face. She was shaking, obviously terrified, but she stood strong, keeping a tight grip of her equipment. She turned to Twilight and gave a tiny nod, which brought a small smile to Twilight’s face. The two marched, hand-in-hand, to the center, standing among their fellow warriors.

“What’s the plan?” whispered Pinkie. Twilight chewed on her lip gently, thinking things over as she tightened her chestpiece. She took in a breath, watching the guard march across the room to a lever on the wall that she hadn’t noticed before.

“My best guess is that we’re going to be given a moment or so to look around while our opponents enter,” said Twilight. She could feel her heart pounding, threatening to punch through her chest, but did her best to remain calm. Panic would be the end of them, she knew that for certain. “From there, we get our bearings. Find where the fighting is going to happen and avoid it.”

“We’re going to have to fight eventually.”

“We can’t beat these guys at their best. We tire them out, and pick them off when we see our opening.” Twilight wasn’t sure if her strategy would hold, but it was all she had for the time being.

“I don’t want to do this, Twilight,” said Pinkie, her fear almost physical in form. “I don’t want to kill someone.”

“I know, Pinkie, but we have to do what we can to survive.” Twilight glanced down, only then realizing the reason for the discoloration of their platform: layers of dried, stained blood from battles past. “If someone comes at you, you cannot hesitate for a second. You understand? You swing at them before they swing at you.” Pinkie nodded. “Good. We can do this. Just stick by my side and—”

“Quiet, prisoners. You will now enter the arena.” The guard pulled the lever, and the room itself seemed to tremble. “May you battle with distinction, and bring glory to our Empress' name.”

A thin beam of light shone from the ceiling, from a split in the stone that wasn’t there previously. Twilight and Pinkie watched in awe as the stone ceiling slowly slid open, the room rumbling with the sounds of the various mechanisms controlling the trapdoor, as well as the roar of a cheering crowd. The floor beneath the gladiators’ feet shook similarly, and, with a mechanical groan, slowly rose into the air, propelled by some gear-powered system of pistons, the likes of which Twilight had never before seen. Their platform rose higher and higher, closer to the sound of cheers and shouts from the undoubtedly bloodthirsty crowd. Twilight felt Pinkie squeeze her hand nervously, and Twilight returned the gesture firmly as they finally entered the arena proper.

The floor was hot, almost burning sand, like the deserts to the south of Equestria that Twilight had heard about from Pinkie. This was like the Pie Clan's homestead, which Twilight hoped would be an advantage to them. Surrounding the desert arena, raised in their seats and looking down on the warriors, were thousands upon thousands of men and women, shouting and jeering at the soon to be slaughtered. Nearly every seat was claimed, with the notable exception of a large, cushy seat situated in its own boxed off area at the top of the stands. The High Queen’s throne.

“I love you, Twi,” said Pinkie, her breath catching in her chest. She was clearly overwhelmed by all this, something Twilight could hardly blame her for. “Til the end.”

“We’re not at our end yet. We’ll get through this together.”

The loud blare of a horn stole the attention of the gladiators, as well as the spectators. All eyes were on the top of the stands, were a pair of heralds were blowing their fanfare. Two guards marched into view behind them, but they were different from those that Twilight had seen previously. Rather than the typical golden armor that the Equestrian military typically wore, these men wore deep, dark, burned orange armor with the distinct crest of the Equestrian Sun welded onto their chest. Most curiously of all, their helmets came with masks that obscured their faces and gave them the visage of some mouthless, soulless monstrosity, beaming out cold indifference with their dark, vacant, shadowy eyeholes.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" A woman strode forward, standing between the guards and heralds. She was pale as porcelain, her violet hair tied back in a tight, classy bun. Everything from her voice, impossibly loud and powerful, to her hair, even her crisp, tailcoat and vest simply oozed poise, importance, and elegance. "Hail before the brilliance, the excellence, the power, beauty, and grace that is your High Queen, the Goddess of the Sun; Her Majesty, Empress Celestia!"

The heralds played another flare on their horns, and every single person spectating rose from their seats and dropped to one knee. Uneasily, the gladiators did much the same, kneeling into the hot sand. As the sound of horns filled the air, the elegant woman stepped aside, bowing as she was joined by Equestria itself.

The High Queen stood tall, her height just barely surpassed by the imposing forms of her sun-crested guards. Her gown was alabaster, consisting of the finest of silks, running down her body like a cascade of silver, and her shoulders were draped with numerous golden scarves and shawls. Her hair, which was a blend of green, purple, teal, and pink, flowed down to her back, and was contained by the beautiful, glistening gold diadem that wrapped around her head. She wore a set of jewelry with large gems of varying colors; Two sat around her neck attached to thin wispy ropes of platinum, and the other two, which were a bit smaller, hugged her ankles, bobbing slightly as she walked.

Empress Celestia looked down at her subjects for a moment before putting the pointer and middle fingers on her right hand to her lips, silently kissing them and raising them to point at the sun. The crowd returned the gesture, and Empress Celestia, followed swiftly behind by the Elegant Woman, soon made her way into her private box. As she sat down, so too did her subjects rise from their kneeling position and take their seats. The Empress simply radiated power, commanding the very soul of man with just her silent gaze. She smiled a tiny smile, then gave a nod to the Elegant Woman. The Elegant Woman hurried out of the box, whispering something to the heralds.

“Ever see the Empress before?” asked Pinkie.

“Not in person,” murmured Twilight. "The murals don’t do her justice."

“Her Greatness, Empress Celestia, has decided to make an amendment to the terms of today’s match!” The Elegant Woman spoke loudly again, her voice shimmering and echoing throughout the arena. “Rather than the scheduled duel of today’s gladiators versus The Empress’ chosen champions, The Empress has decided that today’s warriors will battle a selection from Her personal Bestiary!”

“Bestiary?” One of the other gladiators, a girl Twilight presumed to be Peach Cobbler based on her size and the general fear in her eyes, spoke with a tangible sense of horror. “W-what does that mean?”

“May you battle with distinction, and bring glory to our Empress' name!” The Elegant Woman kissed her fingers and pointed them high into the sky. Accompanied by the tune of the heralds and their horns, two massive doors slowly rose on either side of the arena, leading into a dark chamber containing Gods only knew what. “Release the pack!

Heavy, booming footsteps echoed throughout the arena, shaking the very colosseum with each heavy footfall. Twilight glanced back to Pinkie, who had raised her shield in preparation, and got herself ready to make a break for it. She wasn’t sure what would be entering the arena, but she knew she didn’t want to fight it head on.

Soon, into the warm light of the sun, stomped a massive paw, then another, and another and another. Each paw had four large, lethally sharp claws. The body carried in by those claws was thick, heavy, sturdy, covered in golden brown fur that was matted slightly with dirt, sand, and blood. From the beasts’ backs unfurled two massive, leathery wings, which they flapped intimidatingly as the trio of monsters entered the arena. They flexed their hard, spiked, segmented tails, baring their sharp, powerful teeth as they strode into the ring.

“M-manticores…” breathed Pinkie. “Pa told me about them. Gods above, we’re finished…”

“Stick to the plan,” whispered Twilight, gripping her sword a bit tighter. “Stick with me, and run until we have an opening.”

“We’re going to die!” squeaked Peach. “They’ll devour us!”

“Today’s match of the Empress’ Arena is about to begin!” called the Elegant Woman. “Gladiators, good luck!” She flashed a smile so glistening and bright that the fighters could see it from their position in the ring. “Attack!”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Peach couldn’t even hold onto her weapon, dropping the too-big sword to the ground nervously. “I was just hungry! If I knew this was what would happen, I never would’ve touched that fruit, I promise! I—”

There was a loud whoosh, like a ship’s sails cutting through the wind, and the rest of Peach’s cries were lost in a terrified, horrified scream. Quicker than the others could even process, she had been swept up and carried high into the air by one of the three beasts, the biggest of the trio. The pack leader. Peach screamed, her voice vanishing into a sick, wet cracking sound from the manticore crushing her skull between its powerful jaws.

“Run!” Twilight grabbed Pinkie and pulled her away from the center as the other two beasts leapt into action. Chaos descended upon the arena as the remaining gladiators fought for their lives. With only four left, and two manticores currently unoccupied, not many expected this to last long.

“Gods, no…” Pinkie kept pace with Twilight, glancing over her shoulder as they ran. “She’s dead!”

“Focus! Head to the door!” Twilight pointed towards the archway that the manticores had entered through. “They’re trained to fight their opponents here, and to avoid hurting any spectators. Someone could get hurt if we fight so close to the crowd, the manticores might not attack us if we go there!” The only thing Twilight had to go on was her instincts, her gut feeling, but it was better than standing there and waiting for the manticores to pounce.

"Get down!" Twilight dove to the sand, bringing Pinkie down with her, just in time to avoid the swoop of a manticore. "Go! Go!"

The two scrambled in the sand, tossing themselves closer and closer to the wall, to the closest thing to safety they had in this arena. Twilight didn't dare look back, but she could almost feel the manticore circling around for another attack. Her blood was coursing, like fire in her veins, setting her lungs alight. She couldn't keep this up, not like this. Twilight could scarcely imagine how Pinkie was holding up, not that she had even a second to worry.

"Twi!" Before she could react, Twilight felt a hand shove her down, knocking her into the sand. She looked up, just in time to see Pinkie raise her shield to block the incoming dive from the massive beast.

"Pinkie!"

The manticore connected shoulder-first with Pinkie's tiny shield, sending the girl flying. The manticore landed, sniffing around his prey as he decided where next to strike. After barely considering Twilight, her pale body trembling, he turned to pounce onto Pinkie's prone, unmoving form. Twilight scrambled forward, reaching as if to somehow stop the manticore, but she was too far, too slow. Too late. Time slowed to a stop as the manticore descended upon Pinkie's body, raising its claw to shear her flesh from her bone.

"No!"

A burning, blinding, paralyzing pain wrapped itself around Twilight's arm, her blood turning to ice as reality itself rended before her. A wall of power, nearly invisible to the eye, shook through existence until it finally collided with the massive beast. As if struck, the manticore flew through the air, letting out a anguished roar as it smashed against the stone wall with enough force to break its wing and put it out of the fight, at least for the time being. The beast lay there, hardly moving save for the occasional twitch and spasm, much to the shock and confusion of all those witnessing.

"W-what?" Twilight looked down at her shaky hand, her palm slightly bruised and smoking. A hush fell over the crowd, no one entirely sure what it was they just saw. Twilight looked to Pinkie, who was just as confused as she was, and then finally up to the spectators. Immediately, she felt her eyes drawn to the cold, calculating gaze of the High Queen herself. Empress Celestia looked at Twilight, her body shaking and hand smoking, before standing up and saying something to the Elegant Woman by her side.

"Twilight, what did you do? How did you even do that?" Pinkie scrambled to her feet, making a beeline for Twilight. She only managed a few steps before she froze in mid-stride. "T-twi…"

"That's not me, I swear!" Whatever had Pinkie seemed to have gotten a hold if Twilight as well; she couldn't seem to move much more than her head. Slowly, her gaze returned to the Empress, who was daintily gesturing towards the girls with a single finger. Empress Celestia gave a gentle wave upwards, raising the girls precariously into the sky, higher and higher, until they were about level with the High Queen. Twilight and Pinkie barely had time to panic before the Empress brought her hand to her chest, pulling the gladiators in closer and closer. She flicked her wrist, depositing them both onto the steps just beside the Empress' box.

"Sorcery…" whispered Twilight. "I’ve heard the stories that she had magick, but I never thought…"

"Up, slaves." The voice of that Elegant Woman shocked Twilight out of her stupor. She seemed much less pleasant this close up, her former glistening smile replaced with a harsh scowl. "Your presence has been demanded by Her Majesty."

"I'm sorry," said Twilight. "I-I don't know what happened, I just—"

"Just through here. It would do you well not to keep Our Lady waiting. Leave your weapons here."

Twilight and Pinkie shared a glance, the unease almost tangible. They thought they knew fear before, when they were being hurled into the arena. Given the choice between manticores and a party with Empress Celestia, Twilight would pick the manticores every time. But, as usual, Twilight didn't have the privilege of choice. All she could do for now is play with what she was given. After taking a moment to steady herself, Twilight stood up, gently taking Pinkie by the hand and leading the way into the box. The Elegant Woman was just behind them, clearing her throat before going into her announcement.

"Her Majesty, the High Queen of Equestria, Our Goddess and Radiant Light," she said, standing proudly behind the prisoners. "The Goddess of the Sun and All Which Its Light Touches, the—"

"Enough." That one, single word carried with it so much control, so much power, it silenced the woman immediately, leaving no room for question or debate. Empress Celestia didn't turn, nor did she spare her subjects a glance. Her gaze was focused on the carnage below. "I'm quite sure they are aware of who I am."

"Of course, your Majesty. Forgive me."

"Hm. You know, I find myself a bit peckish at this time." The Empress finally diverted her attention, glancing at Twilight with her cold, magenta eyes. "I'm sure my guests feel much the same."

"I shall have the kitchen staff prepare and deliver your tea cart right away, my Lady." The Elegant Woman went to bow, until Empress Celestia stopped her with a raised hand.

"No. I would like for you to prepare the cart."

"M-me?"

"Yes, Rarity. You. I was under the impression that you were an intelligent enough woman to know that I am not fond of repeating myself.” The Empress tilted her head at her assistant, staring blankly at Rarity. “Leave me alone to entertain my guests. Fetch the cart. And have them dump in another batch of gladiators while you’re at it. My precious pets are getting bored.”

“As you wish, Empress, right away.” Rarity bowed and kissed her fingers, pointing to the sky before she nervously shuffled out of the box. Empress Celestia watched her go for a moment before turning her attention to the two gladiators before her. After nearly a minute of silence, the High Queen beckoned for the two to approach.

“Sit,” she said simply. Her voice was calm, in control, steeped in power and carrying an almost physical presence. Even if Twilight wanted to resist, the weight of the Empress’ voice would surely have caused her resolve to break. She led Pinkie deeper into the box, taking a seat in one of the cushioned seats that were typically reserved for visiting dignitaries whom the High Queen wished to meet with. Another cold, uncomfortable silence descended, the quiet persisting longer than the first before the Empress spoke again. “I don’t think I need to explain to you the severity of your actions. Practicing sorcery is among the highest of crimes in my kingdom. So, I would like for you to explain yourself. What did you just do?”

“I-I-I don’t know, Empress.” Twilight could feel Empress Celestia’s gaze scorch up and down her body, threatening to pierce her flesh and burn her soul. “It was an accident, I swear. I don’t even know how I did it, I just reached out, and there was this burning, stinging pain in my arm and—” With a single gesture, Empress Celestia silenced Twilight’s terrified ramblings. The High Queen barely seemed aware that Pinkie was in the room, all of her attention focused on Twilight. Again, Empress Celestia took her sweet time before breaking the silence.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight cast an uneasy glance backwards to Pinkie before continuing. “And my friend is Pinkamena Pie.” The Empress’ formerly blank, uninterested mask quickly faded into intrigue, perhaps even amusement.

“A Pie? Very, very interesting,” said Empress Celestia, grinning slightly. “I am quite familiar with your clan. That makes what follows much simpler.” The gentle tinkling of a bell floated in from the entrance, followed by the returning Rarity. She pushed a cart into the box, laden with a teapot, several dainty teacups, and a platter of cakes, tarts, and pasties. She pushed the tea cart to a stop just before the High Queen, serving three cups of tea before offering one to the Empress. “Thank you, Rarity. That will be all.”

“‘Twas my genuine honour, my Empress.” Rarity once again bowed, kissing her fingers as she backed away to stand stoically at the door. Empress Celestia took a deep smell of the floral, fragrant tea before taking a dainty sip and letting out a contented sigh.

“Go on, you two.” The Empress gestured to the spread. “Help yourself. Sweet tooth though I may have, I can hardly get through all of these cakes alone.” Cautiously, as if afraid of being pounced upon, Twilight and Pinkie reached for one of the elegantly frosted lemon cakes, nibbling on the treat quietly.

“E-Empress, may I ask…” As soon as Pinkie spoke, it looked as though she wished to take it back. Empress Celestia finally looked to her, reducing the girl to a quivering mess with just a short glance. Still, Pinkie managed to soldier on. “You said you know my family? And that it makes things simple? What do you mean?”

“Initially, I was unsure as to whose magick it was that injured my precious Maria,” explained the Empress. She let out a doting sigh at the sight of her injured pet on the arena's floor. “It could have been either of you, and it would be entirely possible that neither of you knew for sure who the perpetrator was. Now that I know you’re a Pie, it is evident that it couldn’t be you. Your clan is incapable of standard sorcery, instead electing to rely on your own…” The Empress considered things for a moment, as if trying to avoid offending Pinkie. “Your own traditional, more bohemian forms of magick. But this was genuine sorcery, not your family’s gypsy nonsense. So that means it must have been Twilight Sparkle.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose, Empress,” said Twilight. “I don’t even know how I did it.”

“Indeed. Untrained and unlearned in the ways of sorcery. Most magi discover their abilities in times of extreme stress. I don’t doubt that this was unintentional on your part. Thus why things are now quite a bit simpler.” The Empress took a sip from her cup before setting it down and taking a cake of her own. Twilight felt relief wash over her, a relief that was incredibly short-lived, persisting only until the Empress spoke again.

“As punishment for your crimes, Pinkamena Pie shall be put to death at once.”