Her Birthright

Twilight stared at the amulet dangling from Celestia’s hoof. It glinted in the light from the Sun’s horn; twisted and black with a vile purple aura emanating from it.

“That’s my sister’s-”

Celestia nodded, her empty expression never wavering for a second as she responded in complete monotone.

“Yes, this is Starlight’s-”

She was interrupted by Twilight’s hoof Smashing into the side of her muzzle, as the Nightmare screamed in rage once more.

“What did you do to her, what did you do to my sister?”

The impact from the blow, however, was far stronger than before and a small trickle of blood dripped down Celestia’s muzzle. The Tyrant didn’t betray any emotion but her eye twitched ever so slowly, as she reached a hoof up and lightly wiped it across her muzzle.

Looking down at the crimson smear on her hoof, Celestia’s normally passive eyes widened with shock. Looking up she noticed Twilight pulling back for a full-powered strike. Celestia’s eyes narrowed, moving faster than the rays of light from her beloved sun, she raised her hoof to block Twilight’s blow.

As the two made contact a scream of agony echoed throughout Tartarus as Twilight fell to the ground. Her forehoof had impacted Celestia’s so hard that it now hung with mere strands of flesh connecting it to the leg. Celestia stared in silence as her niece rolled on the floor screaming. After a few minutes, Celestia’s horn glowed an obsidian black, intertwined with a purple sparkle.

The malicious magic swarmed around Twilight bathing her body, and her hoof reattached as nerves and veins, arteries and capillaries shot out from her leg, grabbing the severed hoof and drawing it back towards the leg. Twilight’s flesh enveloped the bone that grew from the mass, and in an instant it was over. The glow faded, and Celestia stared ever-blankly at her handiwork as Twilight’s screaming ceased.

Twilight flexed her hoof in surprise, glancing up at her aunt in surprise, but before she could utter a word, Celestia spoke.

“Enough. Starlight is safe, Twilight. No harm has come to her.”

Twilight stammered, caught off-guard.

“B-but you have her amulet, her proof of being a Nightmare.”

Celestia nodded stiffly.

“Yes, because she isn’t a Nightmare anymore, Twilight. She’s a Daybringer now.”

The color drained from Twilight’s face.

“A Daybringer? Why? Why would sister-”

“An eye for an eye, A wing for a wing and a horn for a horn.”

Twilight’s blood ran cold as she stammered out.

“That-that’s-”

It was impossible to see what Celestia was thinking, the Alicorn’s face completely blank and her words completely monotone. Still, Twilight felt an abhorrent malice within her words as she spoke.

“Because of you, my daughter will never cast magic again. And the magical balance must be maintained. So options were put forth after your entombment: I kill you, as retribution for my daughter’s wounds as is my right and eliminate your propensity to cast spells eternally. Or find a host for Cadance’s magic. Your sister, upon hearing this, knocked down the doors to my throne room and begged me not to take your life.”

Celestia stayed quiet for a moment, letting her words sink in before continuing.

“Normally I wouldn’t have bothered to entertain such a notion, however, Nightmares are well documented for their narcissistic natures, yet she cared for you. A Daybringer trait. Something you seem to possess as well, in regards to her.”

Celestia paused once more, the ever-so-slightest ghost of a smile on her lips. Still she continued in her deadpan monotone once more.

“How very curious indeed. Seeing this, I offered Starlight a choice between two options: She could renounce the Nightmares entirely; having her magic completely replaced by my daughters, with hers lost to the aether replaced by love and compassion. Or I would personally make sure she watched you die a truly excruciating death.”

Twilight’s eyes grew wide with shock, while Celestia simply stared at her.

“Nightmares become stronger with feelings of anguish, regret and rage. If you were to be executed at least your sister would be stronger from it. However, she, surprisingly to me, chose the former; surrendering her control over time and dreams, to protect her little sister.”

Looking down, Twilight felt lost. The concept was simply impossible and yet, with literally all the power, including Twilight’s own at her disposal, Celestia had nothing to gain from lying to her.

“Starlight…did that for…me?”

“Yes, and you can thank her, when we get back up to the surface. She’s been waiting at the entrance for quite a while to see ‘little Twi-Twi’. Which is why you are going to shut up and pay attention. This is important.”

Once more, Celestia held the amulet before her, before tossing it into the air, issuing a command as she blasted it with the light of the sun.

“Stand against the wall and don’t move a muscle until I say so.”

Twilight instantly felt compelled to rise up onto her hooves and before she even noticed, she was standing next to the wall; her body pressed as tightly against it as was possible. Standing there she watched in utter awe as Celestia’s might was brought to bear against the sparkling jewel in the Amulet’s center.

The jewel pulsed dully, and then brighter and brighter still, until long black tendrils began to snake out from within. Twilight’s jaw dropped as the tendrils grew in number, twisting and wrapping around themselves until they formed a large black blob. From within that blob emerged a large black pony with the form of a large stallion; its eyes glowing bright white as it seemed to be looking around for something.

Twilight then saw a sight no creature ever had and lived to tell about it. Celestia’s expression changed to one of absolute rage as she snarled at the figure.

“Your victim is right here.”

The black stallion turned to look at her, and Celestia smiled coldly as her body erupted forth in flames. Her mane and tail blazed forth in a firestorm of heat, moments before Celestia blasted the being with all her fury, the stallion vanishing in an exorcism of light.

“Begone.”

Her flames died down and she stared at the spot where the stallion had been, breathing heavily. The walls and floor of Twilight’s cell of indestructible stone began to drip; reduced to molten rock from the full power of the sun’s fury. Twilight stared in disbelief as the face of Celestia took on an expressionless appearance once more; placid and empty.

Twilight stood just five hoof lengths from the Celestial Princess, though the distance between the two was truly immeasurable.

“We need to leave. Now.”

Just as the waves of molten rock crashed down, both Celestia and Twilight vanished in a flash of golden light. Seconds later, both reappeared in the hallway of Canterlot Castle. Twilight stood there, panting heavily as the sensation of awe subsided.

“What…what was-”

“Twi-Twi!”

At that instant Twilight was knocked off her hooves as a blur of bright pink slammed into her from out of nowhere, sending her crashing to the ground. Glancing up in surprise as she lay on her side, Twilight saw a tall soft lilac pink Alicorn standing over her, its wings reaching out to grab her.

Twilight found herself effortlessly lifted up and pulled into an overwhelmingly loving embrace as the Alicorn nuzzled her.

“Twi Twi, I missed you!”

Twilight blinked in startled recognition; she didn’t understand who the figure hugging her was, but that manner of speech could only belong to-

“Star, is that you, big sister?”

The hug was released and the Alicorn took a step back, her wings flared wide in an almost theatrical display. Twilight steadied herself on her hooves and gazed at the unfamiliar being.

The fur of the Alicorn was a bright lilac, whereas her sister’s had been a dark gloomy gray. The mane and tail were definitely the colors of her sister’s though the style was much different from the Starlight she had known as well as significantly brighter. On the Alicorn’s flank was the familiar image of a falling star. Twilight stared into the magenta eyes of the towering Alicorn, before addressing her.

“Starlight?”

The Alicorn smiled lovingly back at her, slowly folding her feathery wings, before causing them to vanish in an instant; revealing the suddenly smaller form of a lilac unicorn mare.

“Hello little sister, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

The words were gentle and loving, just as Twilight had always known her to be. An expression of joy filled Twilight’s face and she grabbed her sister in a tight embrace, while Starlight gently caressed her mane with her hoof. Still, one thing was concerning to her.

Looking over at Celestia, Twilight inquired.

“What was that…that thing?”

Celestia nearly spat out the words.

“Pony of Shadows.”

Twilight looked confused.

“Pony…of…Shadows?”

Surprisingly, it was Starlight who answered. Leaning down to lightly nuzzle her little sister, Starlight’s voice was soft and warm like melted butter on fresh baked bread.

“The Pony of Shadows is a hex; a curse that waits to be activated by its caster. And a horrible one at that. It steals the body of its victim, possessing them and placing them completely under the control of the caster.”

Twilight looked aghast as the images of that night flashed before her eyes. The destruction, the pain she had inflicted. Even a Nightmare had standards when it came to destruction, there were limits to what could or could not, would or would not be destroyed. Twilight suddenly felt sick.

But Starlight wasn’t done. And what she said next really made Twilight’s skin crawl.

“It gets worse. It draws out 100% of the victim's inert potential to use magic. The magic of the victim is then multiplied by the casters own and well, mom’s magic is comparable to Aunt Celestia’s.”

Unseen by the two sisters, Celestia’s normally passive expression flickered as her eye twitched at being compared to her sister. Almost as if she was insulted by the very idea. Still, she stood quietly by and watched as Starlight continued.

“Which is why you were able to cause apocalyptic destruction, and overpower not to mention nearly slaughter Cadance in the process, little sister.”

A soft nearly inaudible clearing of a throat suddenly reached the ears of the two sisters. Both Twilight and Starlight turned to see Celestia standing motionless, staring blankly into Starlight’s eyes. Starlight’s eyes suddenly widened in absolute terror. Swallowing hard, she turned to Twilight and spoke gently, yet somewhat urgently to her little sister.

“Hey Twilight, why don’t I introduce you to my wife. Come now, let’s let Aunt Celestia have some time to herself to do um, whatever she wants to.”

Celestia stayed motionless as she watched Starlight usher Twilight out of her sight in a flustered panic. Once they were out of sight, however, she spoke in an almost inaudible whisper, the ghost of a smile hovering on the lips of the Celestial Sister.

“It’s up to you now. Both of us are counting on you.”

Twilight groaned in frustration, as she conjured another drink, this one native to the Dragonlands, a fiery, burning mead.

“That’s enough of that.”

Applejack objected to this, staring at the frozen scene window to the past the two had been watching.

“Hey now! What happened next? It was just getting good.”

Twilight grumbled.

“I met her annoying wife. She did nothing but insult me, claiming I was nothing but a filly who just got their cutie mark. And how could I possibly possess any magical prowess.”

“Aw c’mon! Show me!”

Twilight stared at the drunk Earthpony in silence. Applejack gazed back and fluttered her eyelashes, causing Twilight’s face to flush a bright red. Throwing up her hooves, Twilight growled.

“Alright already. I’ll show you.”

“Yay! Another drink please.”

Twilight conjured another bottle for AJ, stating.

“Only if you share your past with me as well”

Twilight grinned victoriously while inwardly cheering in the stark silence that followed. There, that will stop her from asking about-

“Alright, Sugarcube.”

Twilight laughed.

“That’s what I- wait, what?”

Applejack’s buzz faded from her words, movement and even her eyes as she said simply.

“I said I’ll share my past with you. Let me see your bracelet.”

Twilight blinked in surprise, but seeing AJ gesture at it again, she slowly undid the binding around her hoof, whispering quietly.

“Can I trust you?”

Applejack paused for a moment, before lifting Twilight’s muzzle to stare her in the eyes.

“With your very life, Sugarcube.”

Twilight sighed, flustered by the motion, but also by the notion of trusting others. Twilight said softly as she gave the bracelet to Applejack.

“Fine, I’ll be leaving it to you then.”

Applejack smiled and strapped the bracelet to her hoof, making sure it was secure. Twilight spoke incredulously.

“Can you really use magic?”

Applejack laughed.

“According to everypony else? No-”

Her eyes glowed brightly with an orange light. Applejack took a deep breath and drew some strange signs in the air. Twilight was mesmerized by the fluid graceful motions; like that of a practiced dance, Applejack wove an invisible portrait in the air. Twilight couldn’t believe it, every stroke was masterfully polished, this wasn’t novice-ranked technique, this was a master’s craft.

“-No, I can’t.”

Twilight could visualize the areas where a Unicorn would have drawn using magic, though slower than a Unicorn’s cast, Twilight couldn’t help but be in awe of the Earthpony’s knowledge of the arcane. Applejack continued.

“But as a secret between us, Sugarcube?”

Applejack reared up and slammed her hooves on something in the air, her eyes glowing with magic channeled from the bracelet. Twilight clapped in excitement as a portal materialized.

“I dabble.”

Applejack chuckled at her own joke, before waving a hoof and an image of her next to a white Unicorn came into view. Twilight recognized her, it was Rarity and the two were walking down a dirt path outside Sweet Apple Acres.

“Darling, have you ever thought of having foals?”

Startled, Applejack came to a sudden stop.

“What in tarnation?”

Rarity just laughed and kicked up some leaves while explaining.

“I was just thinking of our plans, you know, Darling, for when we leave school?”

Applejack and Rarity were walking down the path to the woods towards the Apple family farm, talking about this and that; what they would do once school ended that winter.

“Rare, we’re both mares. I don’t think we’ll be having foals regardless of our activities.”

“We could always adopt.”

“True, but-”

Rarity’s eyelashes fluttered in excitement. She exclaimed.

“Oh, what do you think would be better? A Unicorn or an Earthpony?”

Applejack scuffed her hoof, voicing her thoughts.

“I don’t think it would matter, to be honest. Even a Pegasus orphan would be treated with nothing but love.”

At that moment, as if the Universe had heard her words, from the sky a ballistic missile of cyan came crashing to the ground, slamming into it with great impact, great enough to create a crater.

“What in the name of Princess Celestia-”

There before them, unconscious and shivering, murmuring nonsensical words was a little cyan-furred filly Pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane.