Corruption

Fluttershy flew through the air as fast as she could. Discord had left her house mere seconds after he teleported the visitors. The news of Princess Celestia's disappearance hadn't hit anywhere except Canterlot. But it was going to hit Ponyville quicker than anypony but Fluttershy knew.

Rainbow Dash was chillaxing on a cloud when a yellow pegasus passed her. Her expression told her she was on a mission. Rainbow Dash tossed off her sunglasses and flew after her friend.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash called out as she flew alongside her friend. "What is going on that had got you so concerned?"

"P-Princess C-Celestia is missing!" She said in a panicked soft voice. Rainbow Dash watched the citizens of Ponyville as they passed overhead.

"W-What do you mean she is missing? As in missing from Canterlot or-"

"I don't k-Know! They just said she was missing! I-I need to see Twilight. She needs to send a letter to the Princess." Fluttershy stammered as the Golden Oaks Library came into the distance. Rainbow Dash tried to make sense of the situation as they both gracefully landed and Rainbow Dash knocked on Twilight's door, mid-morning.

A dishevelled Twilight Sparkle and her assistant Spike, who was wearing an apron for cooking, opened the door. She was using her magic to hold up some books and scrolls in the background.

"Good morning, girls!" She said with a tired smile and gestured them to come in. Spike said his greetings and ran back into the kitchen to prevent their breakfast from burning and Twilight returned to the table with the statue of a pony head in the middle of the Library where she put her supplies down. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Hey, Twi. Do you know where Princess Celestia is?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight raised an eyebrow towards the pair as Fluttershy began playing with her mane in an attempt to focus on something else.

"In Canterlot, I assume. Is there a reason you want to speak with her?" Twilight asked as she levitated a new scroll and quill beside her and dipped the quill into some ink.

"I...Um...I need some lessons!" Rainbow Dash blurted out. "She had been alive longer than anypony. She must know some great flying tricks!"

Twilight put down the quill and scroll. Then slowly approached her friends. Rainbow Dash was sweating and Fluttershy couldn't look her in the eyes. Something was very wrong.

"OK. Something is going on here. What is it?"

Luna galloped through the castle. Being careful to avoid any windows because the news reporters were getting bolder and bolder. There was a reporter or two at almost every window. Yelling through the glass for a statement. She managed to find the entrance of the underground dungeon where they kept dangerous ponies hundreds of years ago.

She opened the door and walked down stone stairs, followed by three bat pony guards for protection. She nodded to a guard who stood at the began of the hallway of cells.

"Which cells is the interrogation being held?"

"Cell 56, 55, and 54. Princess." The guard replied and pointed down the hall. Luna gave her thanks and walked down the dim wall constructed with concrete. She reached cells 56 and 55. She looked into both to see each one having a guard interrogate two maids from separate parts of the castle. She moved to cell 54 to see Bini Filters and an extra pony, who she recognized as Arone being interrogated by a guard.

Luna entered the cell and gestured for her guards to stay in the hall.

Everypony in the room looked over to her and she told them to continue. The unicorn guard, who wasn't a bat pony, made the friends' attention focus on him again. He leaned forward on the wooden table, separating the pair from the guard with a scowl.

"Why were you in Ponyville?"

Bini visibly gulped and Arone wiped the sweat from his brow. Luna inhaled the musty smell of the air and waited for their response.

"W-Well, you see. I needed new books for the Canterlot Library and...I brought Arone with me because he is my friend. There really isn't any reason for us to be here, so can we go?" Bini replied. The guard rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

"You are very bad at lying, Miss. Filters."

Arone muttered something under his breath and Bini glared at him. She looked back at the guard. Clearly trying not to look at Luna.

"I am telling the truth! I am not kidding!" Bini said. Slamming her hoof on the table for dramatic effect. The guard looked down at the scrolls in front of him then back at the pair.

"Mr. Arone. You were supposed to be on duty when witnesses say they saw you and Miss. Filters got on the train to Ponyville. Why were you going to Ponyville when you were still on duty?" The guard asked.

"I spoke to Princess Celestia before I left. She gave me permission to leave for Ponyville!" Arone snapped. The guard wrote down a few more notes.

"What was your conversation with the Princess about?"

"Um, it was mostly normal. She gave me a list of duties that I had to accomplish and then I told her I had some business with Bini in Ponyville. She nodded and said for me to hurry along before I missed the train." Arone explained. The guard raised an eyebrow as he wrote down more information.

"Did she seem strange before she left?"

"Well...Yeah. Sorta. She seemed pretty happy when I told her I was going to Ponyville. I assumed it was because her student, Twilight Sparkle lives there. She practically pushed me out of her room as she gave me permission to leave. Normally she asks more questions or something. She seemed like she was in a rush for something." Arone replied. Then he rested a hoof on his chin in thought. "I didn't even get her schedule now that I think about it."

"Her schedule?" The guard repeated. Arone nodded.

"The Princess usually gives me her schedule in case I need to find her for work or emergencies," Arone explained. "It usually takes us half an hour to go over it. It is pretty long but I forgot about it because I was worried about making it to the train on time."

"Alright. I am going to ask again. Why were you in Ponyville?"

"As Bini told you, we were trying to find rare books for the Canterlot Library." Arone said with a scoff. The guard didn't believe them of course.

"Guard," Luna called out. "I will take over from here."

The guard hesitated but decided he liked his job and nodded. He swiftly left the cell. Luna moved to where the guard previously sat and looked over his notes. She looked back up and the pair with a raised eyebrow and an unconvinced scowl.

"Based upon these notes and what I have heard, you two are hiding something." Luna stated. Arone and Bini looked at each other. "Something that involves my sister. Do you know why she is missing?"

"Um...No," Arone said slowly.

Luna slammed her hoofs on the table, making the friends jump and look up at her with big eyes.

"Tell me what happened last night." She growled.

"L-Last night? Why?" Bini asked.

"Witness say Arone came out of Celestia's room with very suspicious behaviour. He went to you in the Library and then you two went to sit in the Royal Garden during a storm. Almost like you didn't want to be heard. Dreams can reveal what we try to hide the most."

"And how exactly are you going to make us fall asleep? We can easily take medication to make us stay up!" Bini said. Getting jabbed by Arone to keep her mouth shut. Luna smirked and activated her horn.

"One of the advantages of being the Night Princess. I can make ponies fall asleep."

"Oh no." Arone muttered as their eyes dropped and they collapsed against the table. Falling into dreamland.

Luna entered the dream realm and brought Bini's dream closer. She watched from the buddle as she started to dream, thanks to Luna's magic, about her life. Luna clung to the dream and entered it. She appeared in the streets of Canterlot. It was nighttime. The signature of Nightmare Moon was high in the sky as a small filly with a red scarf and no cutie mark trotted down the street. She was shivering.

She was in a rundown part of Canterlot. Luna had only heard of that area in old newspaper articles. It was a rundown part of Canterlot until two years before she returned. Celestia made sure that most of the city's funds went to that rundown area to make it thrive again. It worked. It has worked so far.

The young filly, whose features resembled Bini Filters, looked down the street behind her to a rundown house. Barly being held together. She smirked and used her weak magic to tightened the saddlebag on her back. She continued down the street. Luna followed her closely as Bini trotted in silence. She passed the foster home in Canterlot, she passed the school for gifted unicorns, she passed town hall.

She stopped at the Canterlot Castle entrance. Luna rolled her eyes at the sleep guards, who were supposed to be on duty and awake, were laying on the ground. The filly hesitated before opening the front gate with a grunt and slipping in before carefully closing it.

Luna flew over the gate and landed in front of the filly. This was history. Nothing Luna did would change the past. She might as well find out what Bini was doing trying to break into the castle as a filly.

"What are you doing, little one?"

The filly didn't reply and didn't even acknowledge her presence.

"You aren't going to get any answers out of her."

Luna turned to see, the current form of Bini Filters standing behind her. Wearing a scowl.

"That was a cruel trick you played, Princess. Making my memories turn into dreams at your command. I never knew that was possible." She said as she moved to stand beside Luna. Watching her younger self open the tall double doors with all her strength and slip in. The pair followed her into the main foyer.

"Why are we here? What were you doing in Canterlot castle?" Luna asked.

"I don't know why my memory started here. I assume we are here because of you. This memory is about you." Bini revealed. The Alicorn looked down at Bini and then back to the filly as she hid against a vase in the dark foyer to avoid the night guard seeing her with their flashlights.

"How?"

"That is for you to figure out."

Bini turned into dust and was swept away by a wave of wind that didn't exist. Luna followed the filly when she checked to make sure the foyer was clear and then pulled out a ripped-up map of the castle from her saddlebag. She trotted down the corridor, then down another one and then a few more. Luna knew where this was leading to. The Canterlot Library.

The filly finally made it after a few wrong turns and having to review the map over again. She entered the dark Library that didn't have any sign of activity. She immediately went to the "M" section. She knew what she was looking for. After a few minutes of looking she gasped and withdrew a large book with her magic. Her magic flickered as she yanked it farther and farther from the bookshelf. Finally, her magic faded completely, having lost her strength to hold it up any longer. Making the book slam to the ground with a heavy bang.

Bini waited for the guards that never came. Much to her surprise. She used her hooves to pull the book closer to her and looked over the title.

"The Legend of the Mare in the Moon."

Luna gasped as Bini smiled with triumph and opened the book with haste. Bini was too caught up in her reading to notice a white Alicorn enter the Library. The Princess of Equestria. Celestia followed the source of the very dim light emanating from a part of the Library. Much to Luna's dismay.

She turned a corner and stopped when she saw Bini sitting on the cold floor with the giant book.

"My little pony. What are you doing here?"

Bini yelped and jumped into a fighting position. She didn't back down even when she realized it was Princess Celestia.

"I-I...Um...I-I was...Um..." Bini stammered. Her mind was on overdrive to figure out a good excuse. She looked around for an escape route and decided that going backwards was her best option. She started to gallop away from the Princess. Her naive mind kept telling her she had a chance of running away and getting away from her.

Yellow magic soon levitated her into the air and brought her over to Celestia at eye-level.

"Filly. What are you doing here?" Celestia asked with a soft voice. She didn't have a note of anger or annoyance in her voice.

"I was reading a book." Bini said with her head held high. She, now, had the thought she could make her way out of her current situation. "I like reading...P-Princess."

Celestia smiled and lifted the book over to her eyes. Her smile fell once she read the title and then looked back at Bini with concern.

"Why are you reading about L-...The mare in the moon?"

"She is cool. She was repressed by an evil Princess and got punished for trying to make everypony better. It is interesting. I want to meet her." Bini replied. "Is that bad?"

"No. No, of course not, little pony. It's just...She is dangerous."

Bini looked up at her with narrowed eyes.

"So. She is real?"

Celestia didn't respond. She simply opened her mouth to respond but no noise came out. Celestia sighed and looked down. She winced and sucked in a deep breath before looking back up at Bini.

"If you chose to believe she is real. Then to you, she is. I don't know if she is."

"B-But the moon! My teacher says the moon wasn't like that before the mare in the moon was banished! That is evidence she is real!" Bini protested. "You know everything! You must know-"

"Enough." Celestia snapped harshly. Bini stopped talking and tears started to form in her eyes. Her eyes showed fear. Celestia's eyes showed anger but then turned to softness. "I cannot give you the answers you seek. You must find them yourself. Like a big pony."

Bini mumbled under her breath and glared at the Princess.

"Where is your home? I can teleport you there, little one." Celestia asked. Bini frantically shook her head.

"No, no, no. I am not going home!" She snapped. Struggling to get out of the Alicorn's magic. "I am not going home!"

"Why not?"

"My parents named me after a joke that I don't even understand. They yell at me about not having good grades and not being good enough to be in your classes. They yell at each other about lack of money. Sometimes they say they hate each other and...Or me. I don't want to be some powerful unicorn. I just want to exist! In fact. I want to exist on the moon like the Mare in the Moon. No pony can find me there. No pony can tell me what to do. No pony will yell at me. I just want to be alone. So, leave me alone!"

Celestia flinched as Luna did. When Luna was younger, she had memories of telling Celestia to leave her alone often towards her fall to Nightmare Moon. They would have fighting matches and it would always end with Luna accusing her of not loving her enough and then telling her to go away and never come back. To leave her alone.

"Well, I can't just-"

Celestia gasped and lowered her head. She cringed as if something was hurting her. Then looked up at the filly still struggling in her magic.

"I-I can't just leave you alone. There must be somepony to take care of you." Celestia said before a deep inhale of air. Bini ignored her and continued to struggle. Trying to use her own weak magic to get out of the magic holding her up. She walked out of Library with the filly in her magic. Bini began to tire out as she placed the young filly on her back, between two white wings.

"Your highness...Is that a filly?" The guard questioned. Celestia looked back at Bini, who had buried her face into Celestia's wing with embarrassment, anger and sadness.

"Yes, Astral Thunder. She is what caused the disturbance. We will begin a journey to the nearest foster home. They should be able to figure out who her parents are...She has refused to tell me." Celestia said. The guards' training kicked in and they didn't react other than stiffen their posture.

"Withholding information for the Princess of Equestria is punishable by law-"

"She is a filly! There is a difference. Now. We must go there now. It is late." Celestia ordered. They started down the corridor. The scene faded to a black void. Bini reappeared in front of Luna with her current form.

"Show me what I need to know." Luna snapped. Becoming impatient with the unicorn. Bini tilted her head with a suspicious gaze and started to circle Luna.

"What makes you so sure that I know anything?" She asked.

"Your behaviour. I order you to-"

"Or what? You'll send me to the sun or something?" Bini snapped. Luna took a few steps back.

"You are bold in your dreams." Luna commented. "If you don't...I will be sure to fire you."

Bini's breathing stopped for a moment.

"That isn't fair."

"I need to know what is wrong with my sister." Luna said. "If you refuse to tell me. It is considered treason. I am sorry."

Bini considered her next action for a few moments. Was this secret worth losing her job over? No. She concluded. It was selfish. She was well aware but...Maybe if she told Luna...Celestia...Wouldn't go insane. Bini slowly looks back at Luna.

"Fine. I will."

Bini shimmered away and a new scene replaced the black void. Luna found herself in the Canterlot Library. Bini was moving a cart of books through two bookshelves. She was humming to herself when she heard the double doors to the Library swing violently open. She placed one last book in it's spot and peeked between two books in the shelf facing the door. They watched as Arone galloped in. Sweating and panting from running full force through the castle.

"Bini? Bini! Are you in here."

Bini sighed and placed down the books she was holding with her magic. She moved into the open and gestured Arone to come over.

"Over here, Arone. Come on."

Bini returned to the cart as Arone moved through Luna and closer towards Bini.

"The Princess has lost her mind. She has this crazy idea that she must kill Sombra." Arone barked out. Luna gasped and Bini merely shrugged.

"OK."

"Sh-She is insane! She just goes and announces that she is about to kill somepony and acts like it's fine! It's not fine!" Arone was almost to the point of yelling as Bini rolled her eyes and continued to reshelve books.

"I am assuming she also told you not to tell anypony." Bini said in a calm manner. "Why are you telling me? This isn't my problem."

"Damn, you are selfish," Arone muttered. Bini chuckled as she put back a few more books.

"And yet you still talk to me. Surprising." The unicorn replied and then she pushed the cart a bit further down the aisle.

"Focus, Filters." Arone snapped back. "We need to get Discord involved."

"Why? What do you mean by "We?" Bini replied with a raised eyebrow as she moved the cart of books along.

"They like each other. Maybe-"

"Maybe they will fall in love again and have little experiments running around to distract Celestia from her master plan?" Bini finished. Arone shrugged and started to help her organize.

"I have heard worse ideas."

Bini started laughing and leaned against the cart for support. She briefly looked outside as the night highlighted the lightning strike across the sky and rain started to pour down, thanks to the workers of the Cloudsdale Weather Factory.

"Come on." She said with a toothy smile towards Arone and pointed outside. "We are going outside."

"N-Now?" Arone said. Following her gaze to the window and watching the rain pouring down. "There is a storm."

"Exactly. Just like how showers help us think. Storms are like showers. Hurry up." Bini ordered as she removed her scarf and headed towards the corridor. Arone groaned and followed her into the corridor. They walked in silence and reached the nearest exit.

Bini guided him into the castle garden and they hopped onto one of the nearest benches. Quickly getting soaked as they watched the clouds move across the sky. Blocking out the stars and the moon but providing occasional light and noise across the area.

Arone sighed and shook his head. Watching the rain drip from his mane and hit the puddle below them.

"Any good ideas come up yet?" Bini asked.

"The best I got is that we go ask Discord for help."

"How is the newly reformed Discord going to help us? He could change at any moment."

"But yet, he hasn't. He won't do anything to risk her life because, newsflash, he likes her. She will listen to him because she likes him. It was obvious in the way they were watching each other in her medical room. He will give her advice that most likely won't get her killed. If she attempts to kill Sombra, she will die."

"Why will she die? Sombra isn't as powerful as Celestia." Bini asked.

"He isn't as powerful but dark magic has been corrupting her mind. He is in her head and I have no doubt that he will figure out a way to use it against her. Conclusion. She will die."

"OK. I am going to make the active decision to pretend I am not surprised by her being corrupted, as you put it. And then remind you that Sombra isn't an Alicorn. He is a-"

"He is a unicorn. I know. He is also a science experiment gone wrong." Arone barked. They both jumped a little at the sound of thunder and then settled back down on the bench. Bini looked at him in suspicion.

"Did you read Experiment 088?"

"No. I just hear things. What is experiment 088?" Arone asked.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter." Bini said. Quickly shutting down the conversation. "Next thing we do is going to Ponyville."

"No. The next thing we do is decided if we are friends or not." Arone replied. He moved his hoof into the puddle to watch as the water moved across the ground.

"Why?"

"I want to be your friend again. Do you want to be mine?"

"As long as-"

Luna watched the scene end abruptly and found herself back in the black void with Bini staring back at her.

"Why did you end it so abruptly?" Luna asked. Bini looked down for a moment. Then turned her back to Luna to avoid her seeing the worry on her face.

"What happens after isn't important." Bini snapped back.

"I have to go into Arone's dreams too. I will find out what other information you are hiding. It is better to just show me now so that we can get this over with. So that we can find Celestia before she carries out this...Act. I need proof." Luna said. Bini shook her head.

"Then I better start praying he knows how to block out your magic in dreams better than I can. Goodbye Princess Luna. You got what you came for. Please leave my mind." Bini said. Her voice cracked in the end with what Luna detected an emotional hurt.

"For what it is worth. I am sorry."

Bini didn't reply and refused to speak as Luna activated her horn and moved Arone's dream towards her as her next target. She left Bini's dream in a flash of blue light and reappeared in a wasteland. She recognized it as the badlands and looked at the castle of the Changelings in the distance.

"Hello, Princess."

She spun around to see Arone as a Changeling staring back at her with tears falling from his eyes.

"It's me. Arone."

"Arone...I-I don't understand."

"I would rather you know my secret. Then you know Celestia's. Celestia kept it from you for a good reason. I told Bini because I couldn't bare the burden of what she had told me alone. Don't worry. Celestia knows what I am and what I am not. She is my friend. I will not betray my friends."

Luna stared at Arone. Unsure of what to say.

---End of Chapter Twenty One---