Author's Note

STOP and go back
if you reached this page by clicking "next chapter" rather than by clicking red hyperlinked options at the bottom of the previous chapter.

Otherwise, proceed!

002: Pick up the dagger and go downstairs.

RE: Pick up the dagger and go downstairs.

You pick up the dagger, a lovely dagger, quite sharp, jeweled and glistening with wondrous magic.

"It's just a typical dagger," you say.

"If you say so," the narrator says.

"I do say so," you say.

"Have fun!" The narrator's voice twinkles... to the extent a voice can twinkle.

All that remains is to open the door and to go downstairs--which you do.

"He-hello?" A feminine voice calls out from below.

You reach the bottom of the stairs and behold your quarry: a... pony who is wearing a tiara. A purple pony wearing a tiara. A purple princess pony wearing a tiara?

"Have you come to set me free?" the pony princess asks, her voice echoing in the nearly empty room.

"Are you a princess?" you ask, confirming the obvious.

"Yes! I am Princess Twilight Sparkle." She's not quite a pony though, you notice. She also has a prominent horn sprouting from her forehead and wings and a chain securing one of her forelegs to a wall.

"You're a pegasus?" you ask. "And a unicorn?"

"An alicorn. I have the strength of earth ponies, the flight of the pegasi, and pivotal magic of the unicorns."

"Okay."

"I see you have a dagger. To free me from my binding?" she asks, tugging at the chain.

"Sure," you shrug.

"I'm not sure it will be able to cut through," she sighs. "Do you have a key?"

"Nope," you say.

She sighs. "No trouble. I'm sure I will find some way to get out of these chains." Her voice hardens and deepens. "One way or another."

"I was told," you say, "that if you get free, you'll end the world."

She laughs a manic quick titter. Then, she stops. "Oh, you were serious."

"Yes."

"But why would you think that?"

"Some disembodied voice told me you'd end the world."

"I see." Her eyes narrow.

"Anything to say about that?"

"It sounds crazy." She raises an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"But you're going to free me, right?"

"You're a pony... a magical pony."

"Yes."

"That's pretty freaky."

"I think it's pretty freaky that you're not a pony."

You shrug. "Ponies don't talk where I'm from. At least, where I think I'm from."

"Having memory troubles?"

"I guess."

"So am I," she wets her upper lip. "Maybe we're both victims?"

"What sort of memory problems?"

"I... recognize you, and I feel like I may have spoken to you before, but then again, that can't be. We haven't been here before. Our story's just starting."

"Hmm..." you muse, noncommittally.

"I'm sure that once I get free, though, that everything will become a bit clearer. Please, this chain is really painful and I haven't eaten in quite a while. I don't even remember how long it's been. And Equestria needs me! Without me, it might devolve into a squabbling bunch of fearful tribalist groups--that would be apocalyptic!""

"How long have you been here?"

"I dunno. Days. Weeks?"

"Really?" You scour the room again, trying to find evidence of refuse. "What have you been drinking? Eating?"

"I dunno. Does it matter?"

"It doesn't matter," the narrator says.

"Did you just imprison her recently?" you ask.

"I didn't do anything," the narrator says.

"Really..."

"Essentially... specifically..." the narrator dissembles.

"What are you talking about?" The princess asks.

"You don't hear that voice?"

"I hear your voice."

"Don't worry about it. One more question... How did you get here--in this basement?"

"I... don't know. All I remember is... Starlight Glimmer was casting a somewhat complex spell and then I fell unconscious and woke up here."

"Who?"

"Starlight Glimmer--my former student and... something else. She's brilliant."

"Sure she wasn't trying to take over your royal lands by sending you here?"

"Is it her voice in your head?"

"No. Probably not. It was some older gent's voice."

""She wouldn't change her voice.... She's too vain and cisnormative.... despite the company she keeps."

"What?"

"Never mind... the idea just popped into my head. But can I trust it?"

You shrug.

"Did the voice say he was Discord? Did he speak with quirky insane tones? Or maybe it was Tirek--deep, domineering, and like an upset stomach?"

"No, neither of those sound right."

"Hmm..." she cogitates. "It could have been Chrysalis... she wouldn't have a problem with playing a part like that...."

"Will you be finishing your task?" the narrator asks. "Or will we all be dying in horrible and endless pain because you let the princess escape and END THE WORLD!"

The princess shows no sign of hearing the voice--even its shout.

"Are you manipulating me?" you ask the voice.

"Does anything about this seem right?" the narrator pleads.

"Not at all." You tilt your head in askance with some agreement.

"But Chrysalis would need to manipulate a body.... So, it couldn't be her." The princess keeps mulling over her options.

"It's quite simple," the narrator says. "Get close to her, plunge your dagger in, and this is over. You'll have saved the world. You want to be a hero. You and I know something's wrong. Didn't you notice how she said she hadn't eaten in a long time and had been here a long time--how long? There's no refuse bucket and no waste. She's clearly not a person."

"I'm not so happy with the depersonalization you're suggesting..."

You stop arguing with the narrator and make the decision that's closest to what your heart suggests.

"My mind feels so clear..." you note.

"Surprising, innit? It is wonderful that I still have this much influence. But," he sighs. "You will need to make the ultimately most important decision. I hope I did enough."

"I really can't properly brainstorm who among my coterie of villains could do this?" the princess sighs. "My mind is really muddled. I really need to get loose. The pain of these chains is messing with my mind. They might be magical!" Sweat drops from her brow and she starts jerking around. "It's so annoying, so real annoying that I can't think. I know that thinking is important. And books. There are no books here!" Her eyes widen in horror at the bare room. "We need books. Books hold truth and truth will set us free. Or work will--or, maybe that's not an appropriate analogy. Offensive? This whole situation is offensive. And wrong. This is wrong. So wrong." Her hooves kick out.

"Be calm... Calm and friendly..."

"Friendly. Friend? Are you saying you're my friend?"

"I'm--"

Her face scrunches up into a twisted ball of insanity. "That's on the tip of my mind! Starlight Glimmer wasn't just my student. She was my friend. And you were... you're familiar. I had six friends. Maybe five? Were they all ponies?" she winces and looks at her chain-adorned fetlock. "There's something really wrong with this chain."

"I've gotta get close to finish this up," you warn her, showing the dagger. "Please, be a... friend and keep still."

"I suppose you could give sawing at the chain a try," she says. "If my magic didn't work, maybe brute force will? Not saying that you're a brute of course, but it's a form of expression. And once I'm free, my mind will clear and we can figure out what that voice is. That horrible voice you're hearing must have been what caused Starlight's spell to misfire! I'm glad you're being so friendly by helping me escape," she smiles wide, displaying her surfeit of gleaming white teeth.

GoTo:
A. Slay the Princess

B. Free the Princess