"You have a lot to think about," Celestia said, disappointment clear in her tone. It sounded angry. Angry at her.
Twilight stared. All she could do was stare. Her eyes were wide, her vision blurring with tears, shock and coldness flooded through her.
Celestia stepped outside without another word. The guards at the sides followed her out, shutting the doors behind, leaving her all alone.
She... She still couldn't make sense of it. She thought she could explain it to Shining, but he went to comfort his bride instead of listening to her. Her friends, the ones she believed would always have been by her sides, ones she thought would try to understand her reasons before anypony else's, but even they went to check on the princess.
But then comes... The worst of all.
Her mentor.
Tears burned her eyes and streamed down her face the more she thought about it. Celestia was a pony Twilight looked up to more then any other. Of all ponies, the one she absolutely hated to let down... Was Celestia. She thought her teacher would guide her, she thought at least she would have stayed with her to speak with her, she thought Celestia would help her understand, perhaps even give her some advice.
You have a lot to think about.
They sounded so... Distant. So cold and uncomforting. They made her feel hollow, like she had no worth. She felt numb, weak in her knees. She felt somehow sick.
Twilight swallowed down the lump that had twisted painfully in her throat. But the tears kept coming.
Turning around, she wandered to the small staircase. She lowered herself down onto the steps, feeling helpless. She just couldn't fathom it. Was it her fault? Did she mess up this badly? Who is right? Who is wrong? Is she wrong?
Maybe she did do something wrong? But she still couldn't ignore it. Cadence was acting strange. She wasn't behaving like she once did. When she used to foalsit Twilight, she was basically a pony form of an angel. She was the kindest pony Twilight knew at the time. She was playful and fun loving.
This Cadence though, was nothing like that. Twilight wouldn't deny that she was right with her word. Cadence now was behaving like one of those Canterlot, snobby nobles. Complaining and sticking her nose up in the air. Not speaking a single word of gratitude towards the ponies that were setting up the whole wedding. And there was also something wrong with her Unicorn Magic aura. For as long as Twilight knew her, she didn't recall Cadence's magic being green.
Was it?
Wasn't it... Blue?
Or maybe she just is worrying too much.
Twilight knew herself perfectly, and equally knows that she stresses a lot. So that could be it. Perhaps Cadence changing her aura could just be coincidence?
Twilight groaned and rubbed her head.
She was a mess. She no longer has an idea of what to do next.
"Maybe I was being overprotective," she muttered to herself.
Twilight felt something run through her mane. She looked up... And found Cadence staring at her with a smile Twilight couldn't decipher.
Not knowing what else to do, she went with the most common way to end a problem.
"I... I'm sorry," she said softly.
Something flashed in Cadence's eyes for a brief second as she narrowed them to a glare.
"You will be," she hissed while her horn lit up with a bright green hue.
Twilight was immediately on her hooves, but was still too late to stop the crackling green fire to circle around her.
Once she was finished unleashing the spell, Cadence cast Twilight a single dark smile through the flames. And again, Twilight caught the strange flash in her eyes before she was shielded completely within the green fire. As she was, she felt her self going downwards. Through the ground and to a place Twilight had never seen before.
As the fire cleared at last, all that Twilight saw around her: was darkness. Calling a soft pink glow on her horn that illuminated the walls around her, Twilight looked around to observe the area. Her heart thudding in her chest.
Where was this? Why isn't it familiar? Was she in prison?
"Hello?" she called out to the empty caves. "Is... Anypony there? Where am I?"
"The Caves Beneath Canterlot!" A voice behind her answered.
Twilight spun around to find a reflection of Cadence looking down at her.
Cadence continued on. "Legends mostly believe that these caves don't even exist, so I thought it would be the perfect place to store you so you don't get in the ways of my plans."
Twilight narrowed her eyes in frustration. "What plans?" she shouted.
Cadence seemed intrigued. "Oh! The plans for your brother, of course," she responded, sounding like she was clearly enjoying herself.
Twilight didn't know what to say next. Her brother left her because he wanted to comfort his bride. He chose Cadence over her. So it wasn't like Shining would think that Cadence was doing anything against him.
But still. She didn't want Cadence to think that she was giving up. She was not going to give up. Even if that meant defending her brother when she didn't want to, she'd still seize every chance. Because that's what a hero would do. Right?
"Don't you dare do anything to my brother!" she growled. "You... You monster!"
Cadence let out a snicker. "The only way to stop me is to catch me," she chided.
And that was the final straw. Channeling her magic, she shot a beam at Cadence seconds after she vanished.
"Over here!" Her voice called from the opposite side of the walls.
Twilight whirled around and shooted another blast at Cadence but she vanished again. Twilight simply kept shooting. She went on and on until ,at last, she let out a roar of frustration. The aura on her horn glowed a blinding lights and a powerful sphere blasted outwards with an incredible force.
Destruction happened, and then, as the glow faded, it fell quiet again.
Twilight fought to catch her heavy breath. Her heart was still racing.
Exhausted and frustrated, she slumped down. Tears burned the sides of her eyes again. She blinked, trying to push the heavy feeling away. What could she do? Was this it? She had only began to protect Equestria for a short amount of time. Was she this bad at it? It was the truth. Everytime the knew evil was defeated, not only would it make Twilight think that there was more trouble that was yet to come, every new villain she faced seemed even more terrifying than the last. It only made her wonder exactly how she and her friends endured it while keeping themselves contained together.
But then... A sound made her train of thought come to a stop. She lifted her head as it came nearer. And then, from the darkness, materialized non other... Then Princess Luna.
Twilight's brain came to a halt.
Princess Luna? How in Equestria was she here?
She could do nothing but stare as the princess stopped before her, looking down at her with a calm smile.
"Princess... Luna? What are you... Doing here? How did you get here?" Twilight asked, still dazed by Luna's sudden appearance.
Luna chuckled. "I followed you, of course!" she responded with a hint of warmth in her voice that Twilight didn't here in a long time. It felt nice to hear it again.
Twilight blinked. "But... How? I didn't even see you anywhere," she protested.
Luna raised a brow. "So you're saying you don't like my presence?" she demanded.
"What! No! I didn't mean it like that!" Twilight cried. Then her panicked expression fell into one of surprise as Luna started laughing.
"Forgive me, Twilight Sparkle. I was just kidding," she said with a giggle.
"Right," Twilight muttered.
"Anyways," Luna began as her laughter waned. "After I saw your brother, friends, and my sister walk by me with pretty angry looking expressions, I came to where they were rehearsing the wedding. I didn't step in immediately. I peeked in in time to see..." Luna paused to make a weird 'ahem' sound under her breath.
"... Cadence," she continued. "Do some magic and send you here. Once she was gone, I just followed you, and apparently, I know this place," she finished, mumbling the last words.
Twilight's curious was piqued. "You know this place?"
Luna shook her head. "That story, I'm afraid, is for another time. For now, I'm just wondering about you," she said, her eyes softening with concern.
Twilight didn't respond.
Luna shifted closer. "Are you alright, Twilight Sparkle? Because when I had seen your friends and brother go by me, they didn't look so happy. Even my sister. And since you were the only pony left behind, I figured that It had something to do with you. Right?"
Twilight just looked to the ground, but nodded.
A long silence passed. Eventually, Luna opened her wings and gestured her hooves. "Looks like somepony needs a hug," she said, a small smile blooming on her face.
Twilight stared at her. A hug? Did she deserve a hug? Most of all, from Luna. It wasn't that Twilight didn't enjoy Luna's company. In fact, it was the opposite. She loved that fact that Luna was here. In all the ruckus, at least there was one friend with her. And besides, Luna was just helping her feel better, so she'd be the heartless one if she neglected it.
Feeling her first instinct take over, Twilight smiled and dove into Luna's wings, ever grateful that she was here. That she wasn't as alone as she thought. Even if she was still mildly surprised that it was Luna of all ponies to give her that comfort.
Luna really isn't appreciated that much, Twilight thought. I think she deserves more love. As well as recognition for her gorgeous night.
Ever since Twilight was a filly, she had developed a deep fondness of the night. She loved looking at the moon, and loved, loved, loved, looking at the stars. She loved it so much she even had (and still has) a star themed blanket and nightgown. She even studies them. Just everything about them made her happy.
After another brief moment, they finally pulled away.
Twilight smiled at her. "Thanks. I needed that," she admitted, causing Luna to chuckle.
"I know," she replied with a wink. "But now, I'd like for thou to tell me why your friends are upset with you. In fact, tell me the whole situation."
Twilight let out a long breath with a glance to the side. "It's... A long story, actually."
Luna simply took a seat beside her and placed a wing over Twilight's shoulders for comfort. "Do please tell, as I am all ears," she urged.
Twilight gave her another smile, feeling ever grateful that she was here.
"Well," Twilight began. "It all began when..."
And then she told the dream walker of all the events that had occured since her arrival at Canterlot. The whole time, Luna listened silently. Making not a single interruption. Instead, she'd only make constant facial reactions at specific parts. Her eyes widened when Twilight came to the bit where Twilight disrupted the practice wedding.
"... And then I ended up hear," Twilight finished.
Luna looked deep in thought, as if that small frown on her face and the hoof on her chin was anything to go by. Twilight was itching to hear what the night enchantress thought.
"Hmph, I suppose that is rather extreme, what you told me," she admitted. "However, I do have to disagree at the bit where everyone left you," Luna grumbled with a frown.
Twilight's ear twitched. "You do? Why?"
Luna inspected her hoof. "Well, it is quite unfair for your friends in particular to just leave you. After all, you know Cadence like they don't, so the wiser decision for them would be to stay by your side like the friends they should have been. But no, they turned out to be disappointing. To leave you because they'd rather go and comfort a pony they've met for only a few hours."
Twilight blinked at her, amazed by how logical that was. Her friends really didn't know Cadence like she did.
"Okay," Twilight agreed. "But how about... My brother?"
Luna glanced of to the side with a expression that seemed to say 'do I even care about him?' Twilight bit her tongue to hold back her laughter.
"Him?" Luna said with a dismissive tone. "I guess, he didn't want to lose his bride? That's all I can say about him, to be honest. Although, that still didn't give him the right to just tell you off like he did."
Twilight glanced around the walls of the caves. She took a bracing breath before asking her next question.
"What about Celestia?" she asked, her tone suddenly small.
And just like that, Luna's carefree look disappeared. Twilight regretted ever asking her that. That one friend she had was going to leave her too. She knew Luna cared about Celestia more than anypony. So she waited. Waited for Luna to get up and leave her.
But she didn't.
Luna stayed in her place, her wing still tucked around the purple unicorn's shoulder. And she was staring at Twilight with eyes that held what? Disappointment? That she knew was Twilight was thinking?
Luna let out a long breath. "Allow me to guess," she began slowly. "You're thinking that I would leave you now because I'd choose my sister over anything, right?"
Twilight didn't respond.
A strange look crossed Luna's face that seemed... Hurt. But also slightly offended.
"Is that what you think of me, Twilight? That I wouldn't think twice of a situation because I'd only side with my sister? Am I not aware of the times when even my sister is wrong? Would you honestly expect me to still support her when she's the one incorrect? Would you continue to support your friend when they're wrong?"
Twilight turned to look away, shame flooding within her. Why had she said that? Why did she believe that Luna would have left her at that very moment. Of course, Luna wouldn't leave her just like that. Even if it is her sister this was about, Luna was not like many ponies Twilight knew. She was different.
"I... I'm sorry," the unicorn whispered. She could barely make out the words, her throat was twisted again. Tears burned her eyes again.
She felt Luna's hoof beneath her chin to tilt her face up. Her eyes met Luna's.
"Listen, Twilight Sparkle. I'm not mad at you. I understand completely why you'd think of me like that. After all, we don't spend too much time together to know one another so much. Please don't think that I wouldn't want to be your friend anymore. I would never give up something like that for so little."
Luna squeezed Twilight against her as the unicorn sniffled. "We are still friends, Twilight Sparkle. I could never just leave you like that unless I have a valid reason. And besides, you were the first friend I had made since my return from the moon. You were the pony that defeated the darkness within me and reunited me with my sister. And you were the only pony in Ponyville that recognized me as Luna whereas the others ran in terror. You aided me. That gives me enough of an excuse to keep your friendship for as long as I can. Believe me, Twilight Sparkle."
She gave Twilight a smile. Twilight smiled back.
Lifting her hooves, Twilight wiped her face. "Thank you, Princess," she said breathlessly.
Luna gave her another squeeze.
"Anyways, aren't we trying to save the day here? And I think I sense some distance magic," Luna said thoughtfully, looking to the distance.
Twilight perked up again. "You sense magic?"
Luna nodded. "Indeed, and it's not far from here. We could try searching. And I swear the magic also feels familiar as well as powerful. I think it requires our attention."
Twilight nodded, getting up, but then faltering again.
"W... What about all the ponies that are mad at me? What if they don't want to see me?" She flicked a sorrowful glance to the floor.
Luna regarded her carefully. "Twilight Sparkle, do you honestly care so much of their intentions towards you? Would it even effect you? Should it effect you?"
"No..."
"Exactly. What you should do is listen to your heart. What does your heart say?"
"That I should fix this," she responded. And it was the truth. She didn't want to stop fighting. She wanted to do what she as a hero was meant to do.
"Right. And the best way to fix it is by actually trying. Despite what anypony else's intent might be. If you desire to do what is right, you must follow your instinct. A hero doesn't serve to protect because she's trying to please somepony. She protects because she knows it's the right thing to do."
Twilight got up again, this time she didn't falter. She felt more determined than before. "I'm ready to do what is right!"
Luna smiled. "Good. But what are we doing still standing? Let's go!"
Author's Note
And I am back. With another rewrite!
I actually wanted for them to use Luna in this episode. With all the chaos going on, it felt a bit unrealistic to leave Luna out.
I hope you like it!
