Twilight found it to be rather peaceful as a statue. Before, there was always something that needed doing. Whether it be a report to the princess or something as simple as a day with a friend or even mundane chores at the library. “Busy busy busy” was how she would describe her life before. She imagined saying those words in an exasperated tone while running from one place to another. She never bothered to slow down in her past life. Maybe if she did twilight mused she wouldn't be in this predicament. Of course there was another curiosity that plagued her entrapped mind. What position did her encased body hold? More importantly what was the expression on her face? Was she smiling? Hopefully not. This was no laughing matter. Terror? Surprise? Guilt? Possibly a combination of all three. Or...or it was anger. Yes anger and accusation. Twilight's mind drifted back to her last thoughts in a world that involved more than her own muddled musing.
Celestia eyed the empty cake pan hovering in front of her. Engulfed in the soft golden light of her magic. Her gaze was intense. As if she hoped that with a dirty look the few dried crumbs stuck to the bottom would be scared into sprouting a new cake, just for her. With a growl she threw it across the throne room. Where it landed with a clatter that reverberated with a hallow echo at the hooves of her unfortunate prisoner. “well Twilight Sparkle. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Chains rattled and clinked together as Twilight shifted her position from standing to sitting. Her physical bonds were more symbolic than anything else. As attested by the half circle of unicorn guards that stood at attention behind her. Ready to spring into action should she attempt to use her prodigious talent at spell casting. Twilight said nothing. Her mouth resolutely shut as she returned the princess' glare. Scenarios of escape played through her mind. All playing out to the same futile end. The guards would be easy enough, foals play even. Twilight was the most talented and powerful unicorn in recent history and she knew it. But no matter how powerful she was Twilight couldn't compete with the princess. A lesson she painfully learned the day before.
Celestia was the first to break the staring competition. She rubbed at a spot in between her eyes. No doubt fending off a stress induced headache. “Oh My student what am I going to do with you?”
“Let me go?” Twilight chimed in unhelpfully.
A snort of amusement found its way out of the exasperated princess. “I think we both know its far too late for that.” her features hardened once again as she returned her gaze to twilight. “I could imprison you in the dungeon. But I doubt it would hold for long.”
Twilight smiled rather smugly. “Yeah lets go with that”
Celestia tapped her chin in thought. “of course if we removed your horn before imprisoning you. That could work.”
Twilight paled and began shaking. Her chains rattling. “You wouldn't”
it was Celestia's turn to look smug. “I would.”
“Don't you think your over reacting a bit” twilight said meekly.
“I cant hear you” Celestia said in a sing-songy voice. With a look upon her face that said she was enjoying this a bit more than she thought she should. “tell you what, My most faithful student. You apologize right now. And I will forgive you. No strings attached. No grudges. Well you still have to serve your sentence. But if you play nice and promise not to escape. I'll let you keep your horn.”
Twilight sighed in defeat. “ Is there an alternative?”
“I turn you to stone” Celestia's mirth disappeared. Her cold gaze boring into Twilight's.
She was shocked. How could her princess be so cruel. Threatening to take her horn. The very thing that defined her as a unicorn. Not to mention the source of all her talents. And for what? A misunderstanding? And now she's threatening to turn me to stone? Twilight felt rage and indignation boiling just below the surface. How dare she. I'm Twilight Sparkle, her protege, most powerful unicorn in existence. Hero and savior of Equestria on more than one occasion. And she treats me like...like this!
Twilight narrowed her eyes and glowered. Meeting Celestia's cold gaze with her own inner fire. “Maybe you should send me to the moon while your at it.” she sneered.
Twilight heard a gasp and felt herself thrown against the far wall. Where celestia's overwhelming magic held her pinned. “You dare bring my sister into this?” she shouted. The windows rattled in their frames and the guards cowered and covered their ears from Celestia's first use of the Canterlot royal voice(TM) in centuries.
Twilight panted. The force of meeting the wall had knocked the breath out of her. And the radiant golden light slowly crushing her didn't make it any easier to breath. Twilight smiled despite the overbearing pain. She smiled even as the tears began. That barb had been worth it. Payback for the humiliation she suffered as Celestia treated her as no more than a common criminal these past few days. Even her friends had turned their backs on her again. Fearing what the princess would do to them and their homes should they disobey. Cowards, the lot of them.
Celestia's radiant form stalked closer. Each click her golden shod hooves made on the polished tile of the throne room seemed to be counting down the seconds until Twilight's doom. All too soon she stood before her. And Twilight knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that her time was up. Their faces were only a few scant inches apart. The pinned mare began to sweat from the heat radiating from the immortal sun princess. The princess didn't say anything. She didn't need to. Her anger was as plain as day.
Twilight felt it than, a familiar feeling. One she had hoped to the crazed deity in front of her she would never feel again. It started at the tip of her tail and slowly worked its way upwards. Her heart skipped a beat. It was similar but distressingly different to that one time she had run into a cockatrice in the Everfree forest. During that first unfortunate event she was still aware of her surroundings. But this time everything past the point of her petrification felt...gone. Like it never existed. Was this how she would end? Not as a petrified mare. But as a statue in truth? So be it. She only had one more thing to say before disappearing. Hopefully it would be an important lesson.
“Dear princess Celestia” The princess faltered at those three strained and whispered words. than frowned and continued her spell at a more hurried pace. Twilight's smile grew at the realization that her teacher might not be as big a fan of her friendship reports as she let on. “These past few days I learned that Friendship is a fickle and fragile thing. And that no matter how hard you try. You will always be alone in the en-.”
The familiar feeling of nothing came rushing back as the memory dissolved. Twilight remembered what sadness felt like now. It burned and ached like her heart was being squeezed in a vice. Every so often, just about the time she would forget. It would beat a slow and subdued rhythm. The sound was loud and overbearing. A clear reminder that she was not in fact a cold statue but unfortunately very much still alive. With it came renewed thoughts of mortality. How would the end find her? Would it ever in this state? So many questions and very few answers. Was she at this very moment slowly suffocating? Or would old age finally find her eons from now, far beyond her mortal years. Maybe her mind would erode and eventually disappear. Perhaps Celestia would free her and all would be forgiven. Twilight wasn't sure which fate she preferred. Even after all that happened to her. Up to and including being locked in this empty cage for who knows how long. She still felt like all the heartache, anger and pain were worth it in the end. After all cake is delicious and Celestia always had the best cake and Twilight would not apologize for that.
