That night Starlight tossed and turned fitfully, sweating in her sleep. The images and sounds of her battle with Twilight ran through her head, a particular line kept running through the dream, "Starlight! You need to stop this! Every Equestria I've come back to was worse than the last!" The dream changed as new images and sounds entered, along with a new sensation, smell, particularly the smell of decay. She looked up at the cages holding the emaciated remains of Rainbow Dash and Applejack as the sickly-sweet stench of rot filled her nostrils. The lifeless bodies of the two mares turned their heads to face her, their mouths opened and said three words that shook Starlight to her core, "You killed us!"

Starlight thrashed about in her sleep as her dream was filled with the bloodcurdling scream of a filly. A pair of turquoise eyes with vertical slitted pupils appeared in the dream. "Hahahahaha! I have found you my little pony!" "NO!", Starlight screamed as she snapped awake from the horrible dream, sitting up as sweat poured down her body like rivers.

"Huh! Wuzzat!", Rarity slurred as she shot up from a dead sleep, her breath smelling of pruno. She blindly groped around with her hooves before finding the trembling Starlight. "Is everything okay?"

"No,", Starlight said in a cracking voice as she fought back the urge to cry, "I have done something terrible and I have to find a way to make it right."

Rarity placed her hoof on gently on Starlight's back and began to rub it gently. "It's okay. Whatever you've done, we'll help you make it right in the morning."

Starlight gently pushed Rarity's foreleg away. "You can't help me make this right.", she said in a half sob, "Not after what I've seen my dream. Something or somepony knows I'm here and after what I've seen in my dream, something's coming for me. I can't stay here."

"What did you see?", Rarity asked concerned.

"Turquoise eyes like a snake and a voice saying they've found me."

Rarity gasped in fright. "Queen Nightmare Moon found you in your dreams?! That is serious. If you run, make for the Everfree forest, the bunnies in there will guide you to safety." She waved her hoof in front of her face, giving a self-deprecating laugh, "When she or her guards come looking for you, I can honestly say I've not seen you." She passed Starlight the half empty bottle of pruno. "Take this. I know you hate the way it smells, but it can help numb the pain and make your dreams blurry. If nothing else, you can trade it to somepony for some food or a safe place to sleep."

Starlight grunted softly as she nodded her head. Taking the half empty bottle, she deposited it in the pocket dimension with the modified time spell and stole off into the night.

In Canterlot Nightmare Moon opened her eyes and smiled maliciously. "Now that I know you're here Starlight Glimmer, it's only a matter of time until I find again." The pitch black alicorn made her way down to the dungeons. Opening the heavy iron door to the interrogation room, she first looked to the "interrogator", a lavender unicorn mare with two crossed knives as a cutie mark,rinsing the blood off her various instruments of torture, then to the lavender alicorn strapped to the steel table, her wounds slowly closing on their own. "Any new information from our guest?"

The lavender unicorn turned to Nightmare Moon, lowered her gaze and prostrated herself. "Just the same half-incoherent ramblings about somepony named Starlight Glimmer and a time spell before losing passing out my queen."

Nightmare rubbed her chin in contemplation as an evil smirk spread across her lips. "Very well, I will tell my sister of your good work and recommend you be rewarded for your loyalty. Now leave me with the prisoner so I can interrogate her myself."

"Yes my queen.", the lavender unicorn said before rising from the floor and leaving the interrogation room.

Nightmare Moon leaned down next to the lavender alicorn's head and whispered, "Your dreams intrigue me Twilight Sparkle. You may have beaten me in your old timeline, defeated that draconequus, perfected that old fool's spell to get your wings and even defeated that centaur. I don't doubt that you're resourceful and will find a way back to your timeline. So I will leave an insurance policy to ensure that when you manage to escape, you will truly know the power of the darkness." Rising up to her full height, she lit the magic in her horn and summoned a pinprick-sized ball of pure blackness. Cackling softly to herself, she directed the ball of blackness into the head of the lavender alicorn.

The door to the interrogation room snapped open revealing a white alicorn with blazing orange eyes and a mane and tail of flickering yellow-orange flames. "What are you doing sister?"

"Just ensuring our victory dearest sister.", Nightmare Moon said turning, "I have managed to acquire the information not only from when this one came, but also the unicorn she came to this time with."

Daybreaker cocked her head curiously. "Pray tell sister, what information have you discerned?"

"This one here comes from a timeline where we don't exist.", Nightmare said with a smile. "She comes from a time where the elements of harmony had been reawakened.", she spat, "The unicorn she came through time with is named Starlight Glimmer. She was wrathful at this one for foiling her plans and prevented a filly named Rainbow Dash from rediscovering the sonic rainboom. That's what led her to here."

Daybreaker rubbed her chin in thought. "Really? Just how powerful is this one and this Starlight Glimmer?"

"This one was the personal student of Celestia." Nightmare smiled as Daybreaker winced visibly as the mention of the name. "This one also freed Luna, defeated the draconequus and the centaur. This one also managed to travel to the other world and defeat Sunset Shimmer. As for how powerful Starlight Glimmer is, she managed to steal the cutie marks of a town and created a cult with herself at the center until this one revealed her treachery. That's when Starlight Glimmer swore vengeance and rewrote that old fool's time spell. Though Starlight Glimmer is powerful and shouldn't be underestimated, it would be folly to underestimate this one as she is very powerful and resourceful in her own right."

"Hmm...", Daybreaker hummed thoughtfully, "So Starlight Glimmer knows not only time magic, but also how to steal the cutie marks of others. Now as for this one, what have you done to ensure our victory?"

Nightmare Moon chuckled coldly. "I have left in her dreams an old friend that will slowly twist her to our cause. Now if you want to find Starlight Glimmer, she's in Ponyville, we may want to send our forces to track her down as she won't be there for long."

Starlight used her magic to conceal herself as she slipped through the shadows. Standing on the edge of town, she first looked to the Everfree forest. "No, if they know I'm here, that's where they will look for me first." Closing her eyes, she summoned up her magic and teleported to the mountains above where her old town would have stood, she looked towards the maze of caverns across the old natural bridge. "Nopony knows those better than me, I can hide there if they come looking for me." Crossing the bridge, she paused to created rune traps that would collapse it in the event she was pursued and then cast a rune trap on the slopes over the pass to create an avalanche that would cover the entrance to the caves. Entering into the mouth of the cave, she found a concealed spot to lay down for the reminder of the night.

As the moon hung low in the night, Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker teleported in with a contingent of guards. The guards began pounding doors to rouse the residents. Once the citizens had gathered, a white unicorn stallion with a blue mane said in a loud and clear voice as he levitated several posters in a raspberry aura, "Citizens of Ponyville, your most wise and benevolent queens request any information that leads to the whereabouts of the wanted outlaw named Starlight Glimmer."

A cream-colored earth pony mare with a two-tone pink mane and tail walked forward and prostrated herself on the ground. "I-I have seen her my most benevolent and divine queens.", she said shivering.

"Where did you see her good citizen?", Daybreaker asked in a voice sweet as honey laced with venom.

"She came into town yesterday. When the thief Scootaloo was sentenced, she ran into an alleyway over there to hide.", the cream-colored earth pony said pointing a hoof, "I think she's hiding out in the hobo camp."

"What is your name good citizen?", Nightmare Moon said in a voice equally dripping in saccharine sweetness and danger.

"Roseluck my queens."

Daybreaker summoned up a small pouch of bits. "This will be yours when she's in our custody. For your sake, you had better not be lying."

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes and delved into the dreamscape. "Hold sister. She may have been here earlier, but she has since fled the town. I believe she's hiding in the mountains on the edge of the badlands."

Daybreaker scoffed before pulling a couple of bits out of sack and tossed them to Roseluck. "Your most kind and benevolent queens thank you for your assistance Roseluck." She rose to her hooves. "Come along sister, we have an outlaw to capture."

The two queens and the contingent of guards teleported to the valley on the edge of the badlands. The guards spread out across the area in a wide search pattern. "My queens!", a pegasus guard shouted returning, "We've found a cave across a natural bridge. She might be hiding there."

The two queens walked along with several guards to the natural bridge. "After you sister.", Nightmare Moon said in faux politeness.

Daybreaker raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Though I thank you for your politeness, you wouldn't be allowing me to blunder into a trap would you?"

"But of course not dear sister.", Nightmare Moon replied in faux shock, "I was thinking of giving you the honor being the first to capture our guest."

Daybreaker smiled deviously at Nightmare Moon, who returned the same smile. "Guards! Go and apprehend Starlight Glimmer.", Daybreaker ordered.

Several guards saluted. Unicorn and earth pony guards began advancing slowly across the natural bridge as pegasi guards flew across the gap. One of the guards stepped on one of the concealed rune traps, causing it and the others on the bridge to explode in bright flashed of light, sending the natural stone formation along with several guards plummeting into the gorge below, a split second later the rune traps on the slope exploded, triggering an avalanche of snow covering the entrance of the maze of caves.

Starlight snapped awake at the sound of the rune traps exploding and began running deeper into the maze of caves.

"The honor of capturing her indeed dear sister.", Daybreaker said laughing, "Your deviousness knows no bounds."

Nightmare Moon feigned ignorance. "Dearest sister, I would never do anything intentionally bring harm to you. But let's tarry not, she thinks to hide from us in that maze."

Starlight rounded a blind corner and stopped to catch her breath. She knew that it wouldn't be long before they found a way in here to search for her. Seeing the remains of a long dead prospector, she used her magic to rip a section of the rotting clothes off it and summoned the bottle of pruno. Tying the cloth around the bottle to make an improvised weapon, she began backtracking across her own hoofprints. Using her magic, she created several false trails of hoofprints leading down several other passages before taking off down another passage. They might have the advantage of numbers, but this was her home turf.

Daybreaker melted the mass of snow covering the entrance to the caves. The two queens teleported into the caverns along with several guards. "Do whatever you need to do to bring her in to us alive and unspoiled.", Daybreaker ordered, "Come along sister, you know as well as I where the exit to this maze is." With a gesture, Daybreaker ordered a few guards to post up at the entrance to the caves.

Starlight galloped through the caves, stopping occasionally to listen. She heard hooffalls and shouted orders from the guards moving through the caverns. Creating more false trails, then continued through to where she knew the maze exited. Galloping fast and hard though the maze, she followed the cool breeze indicating she was nearing the exit. Her hooves dug into the floor of the cave as she came to a skidding stop, seeing Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon waiting at the exit smiling. "No!", she exclaimed before turning back on her track.

Several guards moved up the cavern to block Starlight. Using her magic, she lit the rag tied around the neck of the bottle of pruno and hurled it. The bottle struck the armor of the guards shattering, a second later the crude alcoholic beverage ignited. As the guards screamed and rolled trying to extinguish the flames, Starlight barreled past them. Rounding a corner, she found her path blocked by a raspberry-colored magical shield. Summoning up her magic she shattered the shield and continued running. Two earth pony guards tackled her to the ground. As Starling struggled to get free from the two earth pony guards, the last thing she saw was a white unicorn stallion guard looming over her before bringing his armored hoof down towards her head.

Starlight groaned as consciousness came back, her head throbbed and her ears rang. Rising slowly to her hooves, she found she couldn't get upright as three lengths of chains attached to a collar around her neck and to the base of the cage she was in held her in place. Summoning her magic to break the chains, pain wracked her body as runes on the chains lit up, bleeding her magic away. Looking around, she inspected the cage she was in. It appeared to be a regular black iron cage, but closer inspection revealed that not only the bars, but also the chains had several magical restraining runes carved into them. She continued looking around, seeing that two guards were hauling the wagon her cage was in, beyond the bars she saw she was being hauled through the streets of Canterlot and several guards surrounded the cage. "Where are you taking me!", she demanded with a shout.

One of the guards struck the bars of the cage with the butt of a spear. "Silence prisoner!", he shouted.

"Somepony tell me where I'm being taken!"

The guard struck the bars again. "You will be silent or you will be gagged."

Starlight snorted at the guard as she pointed her horn at him.

The guard shoved the point of the spear between the bars and pressed it against Starlight's throat. "Try it!", he growled.

Starlight decided to relent for now and laid down in the cage. She continued to look around as the wagon came to an open square in front of the palace. Several ponies around the edges of the square had their heads and forelegs locked in stockades as crowds of ponies hurled rotten fruit at them. Other ponies were tied to posts with their forelegs stretched above them while the were flogged. In the center of the square two ponies she recognized as Fancy Pants and Fluer di Lis were lashed to a post, along with a changeling, all three were standing atop a large pile of wood. A pony wearing a black outfit and mask tossed a lit torch on the pile of wood.

The wagon hauling Starlight came to a stop at a side entrance to the castle. The guards opened the door to the cage, detached the chains from the floor and hauled her out. As the guards led Starlight through the dungeon, they passed an iron door where she heard a familiar voice shrieking in pain. She dug in her hooves to try and stop so she could find out what was going on, only to receive a sharp blow from the butt of a spear in the base of her ribs. The guards hauled her to a cell, several guards pointed the tips of their spears at her while another guard unhooked the collar around her neck and shoved her through the door of the cell.

As the heavy iron door to the cell was slammed shut and locked, Starlight looked around letting her eyes adjust. The only light that came in was through a narrow slit at the top of the far wall, in one corner sat a bucket for her to relieve herself in, against one wall was a plank of wood suspended from the wall by some rusty chains with a dingy blanket balled up on top of it. She lit her horn probing the cell, only to find wards that blocked her magic. She found herself mentally overwhelmed and curled up on the damp floor crying. Once she had cried herself out, she rose to her hooves and walked over to the plank of wood to sit on it.

As the light slowly began to fade, Starlight's stomach began to rumbled and gurgle in hunger. They had to feed her at some time, didn't they? As the last of the light faded indicating the day was over, darkness filled the cell. Starlight wrapped her forelegs around her stomach as it began hurting with hunger. Slipping into a fitful sleep, she now regretted using the bottle of pruno as an improvised weapon. Light slowly filled the cell as morning broke, she woke not feeling rested as her stomach hurt from not eating. Walking over to the door, she banged on it with a hoof and shouted, "When do I get something to eat?!"

A guard banged on the door shouting, "You will be silent!"

"But this is inequine! Do you starve all your prisoners?!", Starlight shouted.

The guard banged on the door again and shouted, "You will be silent!"

"I won't be silent!"

The door unlocked and swung open as a guard with a truncheon stormed in. Starlight tried to summon her magic to defend herself, but found the wards blocking her. White flashed across her vision as the guard struck her across the head with the truncheon. Stars and spots swam before her eyes as she collapsed to the floor. "You...will...be...silent!", the guard shouted as he struck Starlight a few more times with the truncheon.

Starlight laid on the ground her head spinning, as she felt a warm trickle ooze down the side of her head. As the heavy door slammed slammed shut, she whimpered as her tears pooled on the floor. As the cell spun around her, darkness began enveloping her.

Starlight was snapped from unconsciousness as a guard banged on the door of the cell. A slot on the bottom of the door was unlocked and opened. An empty wooden bowl and cup were shoved in. "Prisoner!", the guard shouted, "When it comes time to feed you, you will have ten seconds to have your bowl and cup placed next to the slot or you will go hungry!"

Starlight slowly rose to shaky hooves and stared at empty bowl and cup. Her head spun from hunger and the beating she had received earlier. Suddenly she felt sick and she ran to the bucket, every muscle in her body locked as she vomited. Slumping to the floor, she began crying. "Stars above please hear me.", she prayed, "I'm scared and I don't want to die here! Please help me!"

The guard banged on the door. "You will be silent!"

Starlight curled up in a ball, terrified as her breath wavered. Her eyes became pinpricks as panic began overtaking her. She went to scream, but the fear of the guard outside the door made her throat close up. After some time that she could not fully comprehend, she came back to her senses and began pacing the walls. "Okay Starlight, think.", she whispered, "They've got to feed me at some time. They also have to let me out of here to wash up or get some exercise. They can't be so inequine as to keep me locked in her all the time, can they?" A realization came over her, they could very well let her rot in this cell.

A familiar voice screaming in pain made Starlight's blood run cold. "I'm so sorry Twilight!", she whispered in a wavering voice, "I wanted to beat you. But not like this. Not like this." She slumped to her haunches in a corner and laid her head against the wall, sobbing quietly. She sat for hours in the corner, refusing to move. As the light began to fade signaling that the day was coming to an end, she made her way to the plank and laid down. "Please forgive me Twilight.", she whispered. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she cried herself to sleep.

A loud banging on the cell door snapped Starlight awake, the pale light of early morning was filtering in through the narrow slit in the wall. "Feeding time prisoner!", a guard shouted through the door. Starlight rushed over to the door and slid the bowl and cup to the slot. The slot opened, a ladle filled with gruel filled the bowl, another ladle filled with water filled a cup, a slice of black bread was tossed on top of the gruel. Starlight looked down at the water, gruel and bread. The look and smell of the gruel disgusted her, but hunger overtook her sensibilities and she greedily gobbled down the bread and gruel, then drank down the water. She didn't feel full, just not hungry anymore.

Starlight paced around the cell, counting the cracks in the floor and the blocks in the wall. A gurgling in her stomach indicated that nature was calling and she hovered her haunches over the bucket to relieve herself.

The door to the cell snapped open, startling Starlight. "Prisoner!", the guard barked, "The queens request your audience. You are to be taken to clean yourself and make yourself presentable for their divine highnesses."

Starlight was lead by several guards through the halls of the dungeon. A guard ran his hoof across her flank. "You know you are a pretty filly.", he said in a leering tone, "After you visit the queens, maybe you can show me and some of the other stallions a good time and well make sure you get something nice. Maybe a muffin or a slice of cake or maybe a pillow for your bed or maybe some wine in your cup?"

Starlight groaned in disgust as she shirked away from the unwanted advances.

"You'll crack eventually.", the guard leered, "If you're a good filly, we'll reward you." He smacked her flank and made lewd kissing sounds as some of the other guards snickered lewdly.

Starlight was shoved into a room with a trough of water against the wall. A scrub brush and bar of soap was shoved into her hooves. "Clean yourself!", the guard barked. Starlight nodded and walked to the trough. As she lathered the soap on the scrub brush, she wished she had some shampoo for her mane and tail, but the soap would have to do for now. Splashing water on herself, she began scrubbing her body. Looking over, she shuddered with disgust as the guards leered at her.

After Starlight finished rinsing the soap from her fur, mane and tail, she looked to the guard and asked, "Can I get a towel?"

The guard smirked and levitated a towel in his magic. When Starlight reached for it, he moved it just out of her reach. "You want it?", he jeered, "How about you give my flank a little kiss first?" He turned sideways and wiggled his flank at her.

Starlight scoffed in disgust. She refused to degrade herself for this scum's pleasure and instead shook herself off. The guard smirked and gave a little snicker. "Come along."

Starlight expected to be taken to the throne room, she was surprised when she was taken to the royal baths first. Walking into the bath, she looked on as Daybreaker lounged in a bath while two attendants scrubbed Nightmare Moon.

"Good morning Starlight Glimmer.", Daybreaker said as she rose from the water, water streaming off her. Walking over to a table and laid on it, two attendants began scrubbing her.

"I trust you haven't been treated too harshly.", Nightmare Moon rising from the table and walking over to a shower to rinse off. Attendant began wiping her down with soft towels.

"I haven't been treat harshly, if your show of hospitality is locking me in a dank cell, being beaten by a guard for asking for food, being starved for days and having guards proposition me to pleasure them with promises of bribes.", Starlight said in a disgusted tone.

Daybreaker pouted in mock hurt as she rinsed off. "You wound us both my little pony. You did however kill several guards with your traps and improvised weapon. That normally gets your head on a stake or locked in a cage. But we are kind and benevolent rulers."

Nightmare Moon walked over to Starlight and fluffed her mane with a hoof. "You need a proper bath." She gestured to the tub and clicker her hoof on the floor. "Give our guest a proper bath and some perfume, I'm thinking some rose oil."

As the attendant guided Starlight to the tub to soak, Starlight asked, "What did you want to see me for?"

"Tut tut tut!", Daybreaker scolded in gentle words dripping with honey and venom, "No talking of business until we've all had a proper bath and breakfast."

Starlight's muscles relaxed as she lowered into the hot water of the tub. Attendants tossed crushed rose pedals into the water and stirred the water. She raised a hoof, watching the water fall of her foreleg. The attendants helped her out of the water and guided her to a table where two began scrubbing her down with sweet-smelling suds. Starlight couldn't help but let a sigh escape her lips as the gentle scrubbing of the attendants made the knots in her muscles from where she had been sleeping in the very uncomfortable cell began working loose. Walking over to the shower to rinse off, she watched as attendants rubbed perfumed oil on Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon.

Starlight shivered slightly as the cold water from the shower ran across her body. Attendants gently rubbed fluffy terry cloth towels across her body. An attendant began rubbing rose oil into her fur, mane and tail.

"Come along.", Nightmare Moon said in a sing-songy tone, directing her to a dressing room.

Attendants slipped a gleaming bronze ceremonial chest piece onto Daybreaker as other attendant slipped a similar shining silver ceremonial piece on Nightmare Moon. Both slid their hooves into elegant crystal slippers. A gleaming gold braided crown was slipped onto Daybreaker's head as a pointed black iron crown was slipped in Nightmare moon's head.

"Hmm...", Daybreaker hummed thoughtfully as she looked over Starlight, "I'm thinking something simple and elegant, maybe a silken robe for you. What do you think sister?"

"Indeed sister.", Nightmare Moon replied.

The attendants brought out a shimmering white silk robe and offered it to Starlight. Raising a hoof, she politely refused.

Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow each as they smirked. "Very well...", Daybreaker said in a smooth voice, "...maybe the silk robe is a bit much. No matter. Come along, breakfast is waiting.

Starlight apprehensively followed the two into a dining room with a long table. Every instinct was screaming that she was in the presence of dangerous predators and her prey sense was screaming for her to run, but the presence of the two queens seemed to push her forward. Silver platters filled with fresh fruits and cheeses were laid out on the table, a crystal decanter of juice along with three crystal goblets were also laid out. Starlight found her mouth watering as she hadn't had anything to eat except the disgusting gruel and a piece of bread.

Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon sat down at the table and began to elegantly pick up pick up pieces of fruit to eat. "Sit and join us.", Nightmare Moon sat gesturing to a chair.

Everything in Starlight screamed for her to run away screaming, but she found herself compelled to sit down. Looking at the silver platter, her body told her that she was hungry and her mouth watered. She stopped herself from reaching for the fruit. "So why did you really bring me here?"

Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon scowled slightly before returning their faces back to the pleasant masks. "It's rude to discuss business at the table.", Daybreaker scolded. "Indeed sister.", Nightmare Moon replied, "Don't be rude Starlight Glimmer. Be a gracious guest and accept our kindness."

Though the words from the two queen sounded like honey, they felt like vinegar. Starlight scowled and shoved the platter onto the floor.

Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon glared at Starlight's insolence. Pushing their platters away, they rose to their hooves. "I guess breakfast is ruined.", Nightmare said glowering. "Indeed.", Daybreaker replied, "I guess if you're going to be rude, then we shall get down to business."

Starlight's eyes went wide with fear. She was in it deep now, jumping to her hooves, she went to run, only to find herself caught in an orange aura.

Daybreaker pulled Starlight close to her face, her eyes glowing like bronze in a furnace, the flames in her ethereal mane flickered. "Since you are going to rude and refuse our graciousness, then I guess we get down to business. We know you have the knowledge of the magic to take ponies mark and how to travel through time. You will give us that knowledge." The kind mask was completely gone, revealing the monstrous ruler of the unforgiving sun, curling her lips back she revealed her fangs.

Nightmare Moon moved in close, her regal mask gone revealing the monstrous ruler of the unforgiving night and barred her fangs. "If you won't give it to us, we can make you tell us."

Starlight felt her heart trying her heart trying pound its way from her chest as she heard her pulse pounding in her ears. She gulped and put on a strong face to try and hide her fear. "Buck off!"

Daybreaker hurled Starlight across the room. "Very well! You have sealed your fate and the fate of that alicorn you came with. Guards!" After several guards entered the dinning room, she said, "Take this prisoner to see mistress Sparkle! Maybe seeing her little friend suffer will loosen her tongue!"

Starlight tried to run, only to be tackled by several guards. One of them slipped a magic restraining ring on her horn and drug her to the dungeon. They threw her into the interrogation room and Starlight gasped seeing Twilight chained to the wall, heavy restraints kept her wings from fully extending, a magic restraining ring was on her horn and a magic restraining collar was clamped tightly around her neck. "I'm so sorry.", Starlight said to the semiconscious alicorn, "I didn't want this." The only response she received was an incoherent groan.

After several minutes Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon entered into the interrogation room with a very familiar looking lavender unicorn. Starlight stared back and forth between the two Twilights.

The lavender unicorn unrolled a leather bundle containing several cruel-looking instruments. Picking up a small bell in her mouth, she rang it and several stallions wearing stained aprons walked in. "Place that one in the chair and restrain it. Use the copper clasps so it can't close its eyes.", she said in a cruel tone.

The stallions roughly picked up Starlight and shoved her into a heavy iron chair. They restrained her legs with thick iron clamps, wrapped a thick leather around her head to hold it place, wrapped a heavy leather strap around her barrel and place copper clamps on her eyelids to keep them open.

"This doesn't have to happen.", Daybreaker hissed in Starlight's ear, "All you have to do is give us what we want and we'll let you both go free."

"We contemplated letting Mistress Sparkle interrogate you...", Nightmare Moon hissed into Starlight's other ear, "...but I've seen you'd die before talking. You'll find that my sister and I can be benevolent if you give us what we want."

"Don't...", Twilight mumbled from the wall, "...they lie."

Daybreaker and Nightmare glowered at the lavender alicorn. "Mistress Sparkle is an exemplary interrogator.", Daubreaker cooed, "Though she failed her entrance into the university, she became an outstanding guard and her study into equine physiology is bar none."

"Remember that this all because you were rude and decided not only to ruin such a nice meal, but also refuse to share knowledge that is rightfully ours.", Nightmare Moon said in a smooth tone dripping with venom.

Starlight spat a wad of saliva in the hopes it would hit one of the queens or the interrogator.

"Very well.", Daybreaker snarled as she and Nightmare walked over a pair of padded chairs, "You may begin Mistress Sparkle."

The lavender unicorn smiled viciously. Levitating a long, thin needle in a magenta field, she it waved in front of Starlight. "We'll start slow and gentle." She tapped the needle against Starlight's frog then gestured towards the alicorn on the wall. "I'll begin inserting this into that one's frog."

Starlight braced herself as the lavender unicorn walked over to Twilight. "Be strong Twilight!", she whimpered.

Twilight hissed in pain as the long, thin needle was slowly pushed into her frog. "Alicorn physiology is such an amazing thing.", the lavender unicorn said cruelly, "I must thank you my queens for allowing me to study this one thoroughly." Twilight groaned in pain as the lavender unicorn wiggled the needle in her frog. Pulling the needle out slowly, the lavender unicorn began dragging the tip of the needle across Twilight's frog on her other hoof.

Twilight yelped softly as the lavender unicorn poked her frog quickly. A trickle of blood came from the lavender alicorn's lips as bit down on it to try and keep from crying out in pain as the needle was cruelly shoved into her frog until it hit bone. Starlight sobbed as she stared on in horror, unable to close her eyes.

The lavender unicorn smiled cruelly at Starlight's sob. She pulled out the needle and tossed it on the table. "Care to talk?" When she received no answer, she gave a pout in mock disappointment. "No? I guess we move onto the next step." She levitated a cruel clamp device with some threaded bolts on it. "Hoof screws are such an elegant method in the sheer cruelty. Allow me to demonstrate." She slipped the hoof screw onto Twilight's hoof and began slowly tightening it. Twilight groaned in pain as the hoof screw was slowly tightened. After several minutes of the hoof screw being tightened slowly, Twilight cried out in pain as her hoof split with a loud crack. The lavender unicorn continued slowly tightening the hoof screw until the sounds of bones breaking filled the roof. Twilight's eyes rolled up in her head as she fainted from the pain.

The lavender chuckled callously as she unscrewed the hoof screw and placed it on the table. She showed off Twilight's hoof and pastern began slowly healing and realigning. "You see, alicorn physiology is such an amazing thing. You can torture and break one's body for hours or days without fear of killing it.", the lavender unicorn said coldly. She levitated a vial of smelling salts in front of Twilight's snout to wake her up. "Now we move onto the next level. You might want to brace yourself."

The lavender unicorn levitated a large iron brace and clamped it to Twilight's foreleg, she inserted a flat iron bar into a slot on the brace. Starlight gave a loud sob as Twilight locked eyes with her, silently begging her not to talk. The lavender unicorn slowly twisted the flat iron bar and Twilight screamed in agony as her bone in her foreleg began breaking with wet pops. Starlight vomited as the cruel clamp mangled Twilight's foreleg, she struggled and strained against the restraints, trying to escape in futile. The lavender unicorn undid the clamp around Twilight's foreleg. "Don't talk!", Twilight said through clenched teeth, They'll kill you after they get what they want."

"Don't talk eh?", the lavender unicorn said with a chuckle, "I can accommodate you on that." She levitated a teardrop-shaped iron instrument. She gave the wingnut a few twists to demonstrate the iron leaves expanding, the closed it back up. "Now where to put it? The ponut? The vulva? The mouth? Hmm...since that thing said don't talk, the mouth will do."

For hours Mistress Sparkle cruelly tortured Twilight while Starlight was forced to watch in horror. Every opportunity Twilight locked eyes with Starlight, begging silently for her to not talk.

"Enough.", Daybreaker said rising to her hooves, "This starting to bore me."

"I agree sister, this is becoming most droll.", Nightmare Moon replied. She tapped her chin with a hoof in thought. "I have a brilliant idea sister."

"Ooh, pray tell sister!", Daybreaker replied with a maliciously excited tone in her voice, "Your ideas are usually most fun."

Nightmare Moon gave an evil smile, revealing her fangs. "Keep them both restrained so that they can't use their magic or fly and lock them together in a windowless cell together. Only feed them once a week and only have one bowl and cup in the cell with them." She pointed a hoof to Starlight, "Since this one has already eaten, they won't recieve any food for seven days." She then smiled maliciously at Starlight. "Seeing as she won't talk, we have no use for her until she gives us the information we want. Tell the guards they can use her as a brood mare when ever they feel lonely. When she gets pregnant and has a foal, maybe the pain of having her infant taken from her hooves will loosen her tongue."

Daybreaker smiled evilly. "Oh sister why are your ideas always so delicious?"

Starlight and Twilight were drug down to the deepest parts of the dungeons, where ponies would mourn and grieve as they forgot the warmth of the sun, the glow of the moon, the smell of rain and the feel of wind. The two were thrown in a cell together and when the door slammed shut, blackness filled the cell.

Starlight wept loudly in the darkness. "I'm so sorry Twilight! I wanted to beat you, but not like this!"

Twilight allowed her eyes to adjust as her alicorn physiology allowed her to make out images in the dark. She walked over to Starlight and pulled her in a tight hug. Even though days ago this unicorn saw her as a hated enemy, now she was a scared mare trapped in the darkness. "Shh. Calm down Starlight. We may be trapped for now, but I'll help get us out of here."

Starlight sniffled as she trembled in the tight hug from here former enemy. "How will we get out? They've restrain both our horns and your wings."

"I still have my earth pony gifts.", Twilight said as she stroked Starlight's mane to calm her down, "It will take time, but I can dig down to the crystal maze beneath the castle. I've been down there before and know a way into the castle from there, so there will be a way to find the other exit. I'm going to let you go for now to find a place to pry up one of the stones. If you feel overwhelmed, call out and I'll help you out."

Starlight nodded as Twilight gently let her go. She listened as Twilight shuffled around in the dark and muttered several scientific quandaries.

"Let's see if what I learned from Maud can be useful.", Twilight muttered to herself as she inspected the stones on the floor. She leaned down and inspected one of the floor stones closely. She sniffed it, then licked it and finally tapped a hoof on it. "This stone has a pretty high calcium carbonate impurity. That will make certain parts of it fragile and I can make a fracture." She began tapping the floor stone with a hoof. A voice whispered in her head. "Embrace the darkness."

Twilight shook her head trying to figure out why she was hearing a voice. Maybe the days of torture caused her some trauma, but she didn't have the luxury to examine herself at this time. Raising her hoof, she brought it down with an hard crack. Inspecting the stone, she saw and felt some surface cracks. "It's a start," She raised her hoof to strike the stone again. "Kill them all!", the voice whispered in her head. Twilight shook her head trying to dispel the voice before bringing her hoof down again. More surface cracks spread. "This is going to take a while."

Time slowly began to feel like it stretched on for eternity. Both mares knew it was only a few hours since they were locked in here, but their instincts were screaming as neither of them could see the sky to determine if it was day or night.

Starlight curled up in a ball and began to sob. He terrified mind began to make up phantom monsters in the dark. "Daddy?", she whimpered, "Daddy, I'm scared."

Twilight stopped what she was doing and began trying to comfort Starlight. "It's okay Starlight.", she whispered to the terrified mare, "We'll get out of this Tartarus hole. Just be strong." She gently ran her hoof across Starlight's mane until she fell into a fitful sleep, then went back to working on the stone.

For what felt like an eternity Twilight repeatedly struck the stone on the floor until it split in half. "Success!", she exclaimed softly as she pried up the half of the stone. Hooffalls in the hallway caught her attention and she placed the half of the stone back in place. She nudged Starlight awake. "Guards.", she whispered, "Let's hope it's just a patrol." She held the unicorn mare in a tight embrace.

As a key rattled and the tumblers in the lock turned with a loud clunk, Starlight whimpered as she trembled. "Be strong.", Twilight whispered, "Don't let them see your scared or they win." The door opened and five guards walked in. Twilight squeezed Starlight tighter.

"Prisoner!", the lead guard barked, "Come with us!" The five of them marched in and grabbed Starlight with their hooves as the shoved Twilight back.

"No!", Starlight screamed as she reached her hoof towards Twilight.

Twilight reached her hoof towards Starlight and shouted, "Stay strong!" Once the guards had drug Starlight out of the cell and slammed the door, Twilight held her hoof over her mouth crying. Turning with renewed determination back to the broken stone on the floor, she pried it up and began scraping away at the packed dirt beneath it. Pulling hooffulls of dirt up, she spread it into the cracks and lines in the floor to conceal her digging. "You have been abandoned.", the voice spoke in her head, "Celestia has abandoned and replaced you. Embrace the dark." "I know you're just a manifestation of the trauma. I'm not going to listen to you.", she said to the voice in her head.

After an untold amount of time, the cell door opened and Twilight used her body to hide the small hole she had dug. The guards roughly shoved Starlight into the cell and she collapsed into the fetal position immediately.

Twilight rushed to Starlight as the door was slammed shut and pulled her into a hug. Starlight wept loudly into Twilight's wither. "It's okay, let it all out.", she said gently rubbing Starlight's back.

"I didn't scream or cry or beg.", Starlight said between sobs, "I tried to stay strong."

Twilight gently rocked Starlight back and forth as she hummed a soft tune. "Kill the traitor.", the voice in her head said. Twilight refused to acknowledge the voice as she comforted the scared and traumatized mare. After Starlight calmed down and began to relax, Twilight said, "I'm going to work on the hole again. If you need me, call out."

Twilight continued to dig for what felt like eternity upon eternity as she made slow progress through the hard packed dirt. A key turning in the lock caught her attention and she rushed back over to hold Starlight in a protective embrace.

The door opened revealing a single guard holding a candle. "If you want to get out of here, follow me."

"Why should we trust you!", Twilight snapped.

The guard quickly looked side to side, before transforming in a flash of green flame revealing his true form as a changeling. "Trust me or don't, but I'm your only chance to get out of here. If you're coming, we need to go now! The ponies and changeling helping to keep the guards distracted won't keep them for long."

Twilight and Starlight looked to each other. "I'm getting out of here.", Starlight said weakly. Twilight nodded back, "Let's get out of here."

The changeling transformed back into the form of a guard. "Keep you heads down and act like prisoners being transferred.", it said. The disguised changeling blew out the candle and gestured for the mares to follow. As the three traveled through the corridors of the dungeon, the changeling would periodically stop and check the intersections. Coming to dead end, the changeling quickly lifted three stones on the floor and gestured the mares to the hole. "Quickly!", it whispered as the mares lowered into the hole. The changeling lowered itself into the hole and replaced the stones in the floor above.

The changeling dropped its disguise and lit the magic in its twisted horn, revealing a tunnel. "We crawl for about three hundred body lengths. Resistance soldiers will be waiting on us at the end." The changeling laid on its belly and began crawling into the tunnel. The two mares followed suit.

for what seemed like an eternity, the three crawled through the claustrophobic tunnel. It terminated in a small cavern filled with crystal growths. Several spears were pointed into the faces of the three, "Easy brothers.", the changeling said, "These are the two that the network told us about."

Ponies and changelings pulled the two mares up to their hooves. They pulled screwdrivers and began meticulously undoing the restraints on the horns and Twilight's wings. After the restraints were pulled off, Twilight flapped her wings to work the cramps out. "Thank Celestia!", she said in relief.

Several of the resistance soldiers spit on the ground at the mention of Celestia's name. Twilight cocked her head in confusion at the act. "We don't mention the traitor's name who chose to join the Nightmare's madness of her own free will.", one of the resistance soldiers.

The resistance soldiers began leading the two mares into the crystal maze.

"Where are we going?", Twilight asked, "Everfree? The castle of the two sisters?"

"The buffalo network in the Appleoosan desert.", one of the resistance soldiers replied, "Welcome to the resistance. By following us, the two demon queens will declare you both equine non grata."

Once the report reached Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon, all of Canterlot was in chaos. Magical detonation went off across the city as fires were started. The castle shook as a magical detonation went off, gutting one of the galleries holding priceless art. Daybreaker growled in anger as the stone of the floor began melting under her hooves.

"Calm down sister.", Nightmare Moon said, "Other than the attack on the city, everything is going as planned."

Daybreaker glared at Nightmare Moon as flames burned in the corner of her eyes. "Calm down?! Calm down! Why should I calm down?! Two prisoners that held vital information have just escaped and you say it's all part of a plan?!" The air heated up, causing the tapestries to ignite.

"Calm down sister.", Nightmare Moon said in a honeyed tone, "Remember I can walk in dreams and I saw the timeline the two of them came from. I placed a tantabus in the mind of the alicorn."

The flames around Daybreaker died down as an evil smile spread across her lips. "Oh my dear sister. You're plan is so delicious I wish I could frost a cake with it. Even if those two get away and make it back to their timeline, the tantabus will go after our counterparts." The two queens began laughing as the royal guard began overrunning the resistance fighters throughout the city.

Author's Note

Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoy.

The original idea I had for the torture scene involved Twilight being cut open and her ovaries removed, but I felt that it was too much in bad taste and nixed it. I also originally planned a scene where the guards would have savagely beaten Starlight before sexually abusing her, but that was too unsettling for me to write.

I will try and take all comments and criticisms as constructive.