It's been a few hours after Celestia's order to her guards, they have all been running around going through old reports, flies about land the Glimmer have bought and given. Celestia is waiting in the war-room a holographic map over Equestria on display, red marking off pieces of land marking where Glimmers have a hold, Blue Blood and Ice Pike is there watching over the map. Ice is wearing her family armor in a dull silver color with black trim and her family crest on her chest plate and a spear and sword at her side.

Celestia's ESS (Equestria Secret Service) have done a good job locating many of these places. It worries her that they have such a hoof-hold in mine lands. With that in mind she called the military officer with their squads she could trust and give them orders to strike almost all the locations at the same time, this is to minimize the chance of anypony escaping.

All this could be possible mostly because Tec and Pin Scroll working on, a type of quick response transport. It's a bit unstable as it is now "one use only". This is because the magic consume is so strong that it breaks the engine, so Pin Scroll installed shielding system to protect the passengers.

Doors open, an guard enter with Red Ink, They both bow. "Your highness." They both says.
"Rise my ponies, have something changed." they both rise and Red Ink takes out a stake of paper from a saddlebag.

"Yes your highness, it seems that many of the noble have starting to notice the movement of the royal guards and military, they're concern if something is happening. We have told them per your instruction the it's part of a new training regiment we're working out."

"Good, we can't have the Glimmer know what's going to happen or the other nobles. What about you Silver Blade." Celestia turn to look at the guard.

Silver blade takes out some papers. "We also got report on the things you wanted us to check. It's true that Thunder Splash is foalnapped as well and we secretly got Light Spark out of the Glimmers house." He pauses "And we have put her in a guest room for now. She was not happy, but she asked to speak with you. Your highness."

Celestia nods. "Good Silver Blade and I will talk to her soon, anything more?" Silver Blade shakes her head. "No, your highness."

"Good you can return to your duties." Celestia respond.

The Guard gives a quick salute and leaves to do other things. Celestia looks over the three other in the room. "Ice Pike and Blue Blood can both follow me and stay with Light Spark, so after we have spoken you can look after her." they both nod. "Red Ink can you keep an eye on the situation until I'm back." Red give a quick bow with. "Yes your highness."

Celestia, Ice and Blue leave the war-room walking to the guest room where Light Spark is staying.

Light Spark is walking back and fore in the room that has become her new prison, a room in Canterlot castle. This room is like all the others for visiting guest and diplomats, the only thing that's different is the two guards standing inside the room with her.

"Why is this happening, if it weren't that I was forced to come here." her thoughts where cut off with a rattle of chains. Sighing she looks down at her fore hooves bond with hoof shackles. "They really are doing everything to keep me lock up."

There's a knock on the door drawing her attention, as the doors open it revels Celestia, Blue Blood and Ice Pike.
Light Spark see the relief on their faces as they see her, Celestias is neutral in her expression, but her eyes shows a barely contained rage in them a small hint of orange in them.

"Light Spark. I have questions for you." Celestia says as she stops looming of Light Spark.
Light Spark gulps feeling smaller then she has ever felt before. "Y- yes, your highness I will answer as good I can."

Celestia looks over her shoulder at the guards giving them a stare that could melt them on the spot. "Leave us." The two guards gives a salute and leaves the room, Light Sparks eyes never leaving Celestia.

As the door close behind them, Celestia return her gaze at Light Spark. "Tell me what Sparkling Glimmer is planing."
Light Spark finally break her eye contact, staring down at the floor now. "I can't tell you, if I do. I will lose whats most important to me, and I can't have that." Spark says in a weak vocie.

Celestia snorts "Do you really think that Sparkling is going to keep his world, you of all ponies should know him the best."
Light Sparks head snaps up in anger. "I now how well of a flank head he is! Don't you think I know he will go back on his words....." She stop as her face changes from anger to sadness, tears starting to run down her face. "But I don't know where Thunder Splash is so I can't save her." she lower her sight to the floor again.

Celestia feel her anger fade at the pain of this young mare, sighing Celestia sits down beside Light Spark "This is why you need to help us, so we can save those we care about."

Light Spark sniffle and give a small nod. "Only if you can promise me that me and Thunder Splash gets out of our families without backlash."

"I promise and I will help you get out and find a place for the both you." Celestia says with a motherly tone.
Light Spark looks up at Celestia, sadness and worry in her eyes and she begins her tale.

"A few days a go I was coming home after" she pauses. "My date, as I was walking past Sparkling's office and I heard him speaking with some pony."

"I thought it was odd for him to speak with somepony with out guards at the door, so I listen in." She stops, looking up at Celestia before she continue.

"I heard that the two speak that they have gotten a hold the item." Sparklings voice's comes through the door, the other voice is speaking more quietly so I can't get everything it talks about.

"Yes.......her a sleep for a few hours." Mystery voice. "Good, with that I can get her out of the castle with the guard that I own." Sparkling reply. ".......Celestia?" Mystery voice ask. "I don't give a buck about Celestia, she just the bitching mare that is charmed by that monster." Sparkling screams, he pauses. "And she won't be a problem for long, I got in contact with an friend. That gave me a drug that have been put in her highness greatest weakness."

"Tec'ondra?" The mysteries voice ask. "NO you fool, cake. Cake is her greatest weakness. A day don't go by without her eating a big account of it." Sparkling tells the other.

"......drug do and what about the sun?" the mysteries ask. "Oh not much. I learned that something interesting, Celestia was once a mortal like us "normal ponies". What dose that make her "imperfect" and as an imperfect pony she has faults like the rest of us."

"THE DRUG WHAT DOSE IT DO?" The mysteries voice scream out now distinctly female with a hint of insect like buzz and echo behind it. I gasp at the voice as it remind me of Tec'ondra voice but more adult.

They stop, knowing that I have been detected, I chose to run. I only came a few meters from the door when it bust open and the sound of magic filled the air like angry wasps, an yellow aura encircle me buzzing hard. Being lifted into the air then I hit by a spell making my senses blurry.

I got turned upside down in the air coming face to face with a hooded pony holding me with her magi. Her features hidden only thing that's visual is her crocked horn black with yellow stripes enlightened with yellow magic buzzing, her muzzle black like her horn wearing a wicked smile and her eyes like that of a cat, glowing with a yellow light.

"Look what I caught, a rat." She says with a smile that never fades form muzzle. "I will just squeeze a little and I will be rid of you." The magic around me tightened around my neck. "No I still need her." Sparkling calls out, the pressure around my neck lessen.

She pauses looking at around the room. "I don't remember what happened after that. I woke up in my room and learned that Thunder Splash had been taken and sent to a place called 'The Maw' and if I didn't stay there she would be hurt." Light Spark ends her retelling.

Light Spark flinches as the heat from Celestia overwhelms her, it's like sitting near a furnace.

"Aunt calm yourself." Blue Blood scream out. Light Spark looks over to at Celestia whom is sitting where she was before Light Spark told her what happened to her.

Celestia's mane is throwing of smalls sparks, eyes glowing orange. Blue Blood throws herself and hugs Celestia, the smell of burning fur and flesh is filling the room.

Blue Blood hisses in pain screaming out. "Tia you most calm yourself." Celestia to her credit regains her senses and looks down at Blue Blood, tears starts streaming down her face as she hugs Blue Blood back. "I'm sorry BB, I lost myself there."

Celestia lights up her horn and teleport them both away leaving Ice Pike and Light Spark alone in the room.
They both sits still in the silence that follow. They stare at each other not saying a word until Ice broke it.

"So you and Thunder is dating?" She pauses as Spark gives a slow nod and Ice continue. "I know you couldn't tell you families, but why....." she trails off. Sparks looks down at the floor and sighs. "It's because we didn't know if we could trust you."

"Didn't know if you could trust me? We have been friends form foals legs. Are you freaking kidding me?" Ice shouts, Spark cowers away making herself as small as possible, her ears flat on her head. "You didn't think this wouldn't hurt me, you bucking idiot. Do you really think I'm not your friend, I have always stand by you and Thunder Splash." Ice Pike stops her rant panting heavy.

"I, I" Sparks try to reply but fail as she can't form words. "You can't bucking answer me." I stomps her left fore hoof on the floor. As Sparks won't give Ice an reply, Ice turn around and heads for the door.

Ice exit the room stopping right before the door closes looking back at Sparks. "You know if you two weren't such stupid ponies, I could have help you, and protect Thunder Splash with you." the door closes with a hard click.

Light Sparks only sits there in her grief and regret, as tears rolling down her face. Ice walks down the corridor her own tears staining her fur.

Celestia leaves medical wing after Blue Blood have been healed form her burns, leaving her to rest and given order to the guards to look for 'the Maw'. She also left blood for some test to see what is in her blood. "Tec'ondra what is happening around us, drugs, betrayal." Celestia shakes her head, lowering her gaze she notice gilded white transparent hooves standing beside her. Raising her gaze she lock eyes with a pair of orange orbs. "Daybreaker." She hiss out through gritted teeth. Daybreaker nods in response.

"The one and only. She gives Celestia an knowing smirk. "You know very well why all this is happening, come with me and I will show you. Daybreaker says and starts walking, Celestia glares at Daybreakers back but follows.

Daybreaker takes Celestia to an old part of the castle, a part that haven't seen any hooves in over a thousand years, heavy dust on the floor windows covered with curtains letting in little light. Celestia is led into a room she haven't been in until after Luna was sent to the moon. "Why did you take me here of all places?" she says as looks around the room with a sour look.

"This is the best place we can use or do you want to teleport down to the castle of the two sisters?" Daybreaker says as she stops before a big cloth covering an old painting. "Why would you want to return to that castle?" Celestia asked shocked.

Daybreaker turn her head towards Celestia giving her an irritated stare. "Because your mindset might be triggered by the drug in you're system, but it's only because it has something to grab down deep inside you." Daybreaker return her gaze to the old cloth. "Take that down so I can tell you why this is happening." Walking up beside Daybreaker, Celestia takes down cloth making sure not to stir the dust to much.

The cloth now on the floor in a pile reviling an old painting of Celestia and Luna in the old castle. Celestia in the painting is smiling and happy with good lighting, Luna on the other hoof is wearing a frown almost angry, the lighting was a bit darker making it look like Luna is hidden in Celestia's shadow.

They both look at the painting, Celestia gets a soft smile on her muzzle like she is remembering a nice memory. "It's a great painting. Me and Luna had to stay still for hours, the poor painter had to be up both night and day."

"Is that what you see?" Daybreaker ask. "What do you mean?" Celestia ask as she turn her head looking at Daybreaker. "What I see is a sister filled with light the other put in her shadow. This is how our subjects saw the two of you. You seen at parties, social with nobles showing your face to public." Daybreaker say as her eyes never leave the painting.

"And theirs Luna hidden in your shadow in eyes of the public, she whom have been fight against the threat to Equestria with the few ponies that did know her true self. Daybreaker continue with a somber tone. "That's not true, Luna was liked by many of the nobles...." Celestia is cut of as she dodges a transparent hoof that would have hit her in her face. "What's that for?" Celestia ask as she rights herself.

Daybreaker growl in irritation. "Take off your pink tinted glasses. You know fully well that none of the nobles cared for Luna and poison your relationship. Daybreaker Points a hoof towards Celestia "And you ignored it, you let it happen and now they do the same with your new daughter. And yet again you let it happen. Lowering her hoof she stare at Celestia.

Celestia release a defeated sigh. "Your right I let my own grief and worry. So I let the nobles do as they please." she lock shes with Daybreaker "What would you have me do I was sadden and alone after what happened to Luna."

"And you let them walk right over you, they never respected you and you know it. If you let me take control neither of this would have happened."

Celestia's eyes widen in comprehension. "You planed this. When I'm at the lowest, you say you would help me only to take over and make things worse." Daybreaker gives a quick deep laugh. "Silly little Tia, if I wanted to take control I would have done it long time ago. Do you really think you could contain me. Daybreaker says with a wide grin.

Eyes filled fear Celestia stammers out. "You can't mean, you could take over when ever you wanted." Daybreaker only gives a slow nod grin still on her face. Celestia was about to retort but as open her mouth when the sound of hooves coming from the corridor stops her, Daybreaker fades into nothing grin still on her face.

A royal guard runs in and stops. "Your highness, we have news found where 'The Maw' is, we're only need your order and we will assault them." Regaining her Celestia smile looking at the new comer. "Good I will join the attack, to be there for me daughter. Tell the smiths to prepare my armor."

The guard stammers out. "Y..Yes your highness." and runs of to do his duty. After the guard have left Celestia looks over to painting, lighting up my horn and destroy it in a blaze of grief, the painting tainted with memories of the time of the past.

As the painting turn into a smoldering pile on ash, she leaves for the armory to get ready for a war long time coming.

Author's Note

Thanks for the wait all, had a bit of a writes block on how I should make the lead up to the climax.

I will use Bold n Underline when Daybreaker are talking/bleed through. Like this. So that help for them that don't use nightmode.