Lunar Ambition
by Rex Ivan
"Dusky Robes, you have been found guilty of multiple counts of treason against your Princess and Her kingdom. The perversions you have brought into the realm of unicorn magic have created crimes against the natural law too numerous to name. Your irresponsible actions have threatened this kingdom and all the creatures of this world, and you have shown no remorse for the destruction and injuries you have caused.”
“Know that I do not enjoy doing this. You are one of the finest students I've ever instructed, and you were my friend. Harboring as much power as you do, I realize that no prison in this world will contain you. Therefore, it is by my royal decree that you will be sent to a place where you can do no more harm. It is a place of no life, yet you, yourself, will fail to die. You will stay there for as long as I deem it fit to atone for your actions. It is my hope that eventually your rage will be calmed enough to be able to see the error of your ways. As of now, you are BANISHED!"
Sound larger and more powerful than any she had ever felt resonated through her, and there was motion. All around her motion of the matter of the universe as it slid away, contorting around her range of vision. That vision stretched, elongated out into a thin beam that focused outwards toward a single point. All of the world passed through her mind in an instant before being struck dark.
When she awoke again she was still thrashing against the restraints, though they no longer held her. Gnawing, kicking, and rolling through the dull grey dust, and throwing herself against the hard rock surface. She moved to strike out with her magic, to propel energy blindly outward to destroy. There was no effect. Still she thrashed reflexively as she again summoned her will into a funnel for her rage. There wasn't even the familiar glow around her horn.
She managed to roll onto her hooves and into a partial run that staggered down a gentle rock slope. Her purchase on the land was uneven and she once again tumbled into a roll, smacking against a nearby outcropping of rock. With legs flailing she managed to right herself enough to position her momentum toward the flat stone again. She bore her weight down with all her might, willing her head to connect with the hard surface. The dull impact resonated through her skull and she reared back to repeat her action.
“Work, you stupid horn! Work! I'll MAKE you work! You'll work or I'll break you off.” Her words were meant to be shouted out with such a power that they shatter the very air into ice, but she hadn't even succeeded in making them reach her own ears. After three additional strikes against the hard cold surface rock, she looked down to see that not even a stain of blood had marked her impact point. She reared back a final time, her bloodshot eyes seething upwards into deep space, and her silent mouth wrenched open wide, straining her throat yet unable to express the magnitude of her frustrations against the lack of atmosphere.
Time passed in this way. Hours or days, she didn't know. Even if she had been coherent enough through her maddening anger to focus on their passing, there was nothing to mark the passage of time. There was only light and shadow, and the unspeakable rage compelling her to run, repeatedly tumbling over and over, throwing herself against the ground and the rocks. It was also, in this way, that she slowly crossed the surface of the orbiting rock, oblivious to the oncoming horizon of night.
Some hours, or perhaps days, after she had entered the veil of complete blackness, she finally felt her energies expend themselves. Laying flat out on her back she stared up at the starlit night. Tears streamed across her face and froze as they fell away from her body. Time passed again, and still she lay looking up into space.
Finally, when she felt her strength begin to return, she sat up and made motion to stand. She suddenly became conscious of something else, something there with her. She felt it, almost imperceptible, at the back of her mind, and she realized it had been there unnoticed for some time now.
She braced herself and stood tall, allowing the remnants of her anger to abate for the moment. Aiming her focus toward the presence, she found it to be calling her, guiding her. She spent the next unmeasured length of time stumbling through the dark with only dim starlight to guide her.
Through the rough surface and the night she could still see the stone building in the distance. A pantheonic structure that glowed with a dim indigo hue. Soon she stood at the steps, peering into the gloom that yawned out from between thick stone pillars. Then the voice struck into her head, the one that would remain with her for the rest of her life.
“You have her stink about you.” It was rough and cruel, and it even gave her pause to nearly shiver. “If you come closer, we can certainly fix that.”
Dusky focused her words to the front of her mind preparing to project them outwards, before she was mentally interrupted by the same dark hiss. “We may be weakened, but from here we can read you just fine. You barely need to concentrate at all. Actually, we'd much rather that you don't. The wrath you were expelling when you first arrived was something we haven't tasted in centuries, and we've found that focused thought tends to diminish that quality quite a bit.”
The small grey unicorn gaped into the darkness of the temple. She quickly emptied her mind of any stray thoughts.
“Oh, little one. That amuses us. You think a move like that would prevent us from peeling through your mind like a ripe fruit? At this range your defenses are nonexistent to us. Feel free to try to run away though.”
Her muscles strained to turn, but her hooves remained stuck fast to the stone steps. Panic began to sprout in her mind.
“Oh, yes. Please keep at it. Fear really is one of the better delicacies your kind has been able to produce. Don't think for an instant that we'll only have you standing there outside gawking into an empty doorway. Please, do come it. We have such things to show you, and you have so much to give to us in return.”
Her panic began to overtake her mind as her own legs moved against her will, carrying her up the steps, past the pillars, and toward a tall open doorway. She struggled to throw her torso off balance to encumber the progress of her traitorous legs, but only succeeded in eliciting a long echoing laugh from the darkness before her. The knowledge that she could no longer scream didn't stop her from trying, as she was pulled into the door and engulfed by the undulating mass of eternal night.
* * * * *
Dusky jerked herself awake, legs stretching straight out and mouth opened wide in a scream that nearly shook the tapestries from the walls. Her eyes, opened wide against the sunlight, burned and reflexively closed. Her mind whirled and she tried to stand only to stagger back into a pile of fine plush pillows.
“You're finally awake. I'm -” The white alicorn's voice was cut short by another scream as the little unicorn tossed her head from left to right trying to take in her location. “Calm. You are now calm.” The lush melodious voice filled Dusky's ears and the rigidness of her body fell away. All panic and fear were gone, and she fell back into a heap on one of the larger pillows.
“You remember then? It wasn't a dream or an illusion. You were actually there, and so was she. That is what true darkness is. That was the power you were headed towards, my student.” She paused to levitate a cup to her lips and take a small sip of her tea. “I've seen it happen before, and I failed to take action then. The result is what you met with up there.”
The scent of camomile reached Dusky where she lay, and decided she would like to have some as soon as she could stand again. She ventured to try to speak, and her voice was raspy and ragged. “What happened there. I … I can't recall much.”
“Good. I erased a majority of your memories of that encounter. You wouldn't be able to function if I hadn't.”
“Did … was that why you sent me there? To meet that … that darkness?” She could feel her heart beginning to sink as she thought of the implications.
“I made absolutely certain you were in no real danger, although you believed yourself to be. But come now, stand and face my mirrored glass. I want you to take a look at yourself.” The Princess made a gesture towards the tall standing mirror near the far wall.
Some energy returned to her legs and she did as she was told. “You know, for some reason I don't much mind you telling me what to do now. It kind of seems like I should know why but I- ... what … happened?” She stared into the tall mirror, and a wide eyed unfamiliar pony looked back.
“This mirror has the power to show us our true selves. Your ordeal on the moon changed you so completely that it is no longer fitting for you to keep the same form. I wanted you to see what you will become before the change.”
“But … why does my reflection have no horn? Wha … what about my magic?” Tears began to form in her eyes and she made no move to stop them.
“Your magic no longer belongs to you. Your practices stained your power so horribly that the only way to free you of that darkness was to pull it entirely from your being.”
“My … no more? Never again.” She looked up into her mentor's face.
“I am sorry. I've failed you as a teacher. Had I been more discerning, I would have noticed the signs before you reached that point, and I could have corrected things myself.”
“What will I do now?” Her voice cracked as tears streaked down her face.
“You won't have to worry about that. You will be given a new name and a new life. A simpler life, and one where I hope you can finally find the happiness that eluded you as a unicorn.” Her long white horn swung down producing a radiant aura with an intensity that grew until all things had been blotted from Dusky's sight.
* * * * *
“This tea is simply fantastic, dear. I daresay it's one of the best blends I've ever tasted in my life. What's your secret?” The yellow unicorn grinned from ear to ear as she lowered the cup back onto the saucer.
“Oh, I can't tell you that Miss Sunnyside. Then I wouldn't be able to advertise that it's a 'secret recipe'. Just sufficient to say that I have the means to procure the materials I need in order to make the best tea in Canterlot.” She smiled back, holding the finely ornamented tea pot between her hooves. “Would you care for another cup?”
“I would love one, but unfortunately can't partake just now. You see, it's nearly two o'clock and I have to attend the proctoring of yet another hopeful filly into the school of magic. I do hope this next one makes the grade. The last few have been such abysmal failures, that I honestly can't help but feel sorry for them.” She sipped up the last of her tea before blotting her muzzle with a napkin.
“Oh, but listen to me starting going on about the politics of magic. I'm sorry dear, I would imagine that's something an earth pony would just be bored to tears over.” She moved two bits over toward the counter before nodding again. “I'll be sure to tell all my friends about this place. I'm sure you won't mind the publicity, would you Tea Leaf?”
“Oh, not at all. Tell all your friends and associates.” She set the teapot down on a nearby doily-covered end table and moved to show her customer out.
“Splendid. Well, I'll be going now. Take care dear.” The unicorn waved as she walked off the patio area, and trotted down the street.
“Yeah, you too.” The white earth pony waved back before walking back inside her new shop. She gathered up the payment from the counter top and moved to deposit it in the register. Looking around at the empty shop, she decided it was safe to step outside for a break.
As she sat on the patio bench, feeling the warmth of the sun against her coat, she looked upwards toward the highest tower of the royal castle. A warm breeze blew by and she closed her eyes, feeling it wash over her and smelling the sweet scent of the fresh air. Then, nearly entirely by accident, she let the first honest smile in years spread across her face. Opening up her eyes to look toward the royal tower again her smile grew wider as she whispered into the air. “Thank you.”