Twilight Sparkle and her friends Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as they accompanied Princess Celestia to the dungeon of Canterlot Castle. Equestria was in chaos, and nopony knew if what they were about to do would help. All Twilight knew was that the evidence never lies, and with the evidence that she had collected, that's all she needed to know.
Six days ago, an outbreak of a sickness nopony had ever encountered before appeared out of nowhere. Not many ponies knew exactly where it came from, but Twilight had a pretty good idea, and she also thought she knew who was responsible. That's why these five ponies were traveling underground to the abandonded jail cells that long ago housed the most dangerous ponies in Equestria. They had a new inmate to add to the prison.
Twilight shivered as she remembered being trapped down here with princess Cadence on the day of the wedding: how scared she had felt as the Changling Queen Chrysalis taunted her about how helpless she was to stop her.
I'm in control this time, thought Twilight, and I'm going to do all that I can to stop this disease from spreading.
Pinkie and Applejack walked closely on either side of Fluttershy to try and comfort her. She was truly frightened of this place, how dark and damp and claustrauphobic it was. She wimpered a little, and Pinkie reasurred her that everything was fine. Although Appleack didn't say it, she knew that this was a lie. Other than Fluttershy's quiet protests, the five ponies and their prisoner continued on in silence.
Celestia had created a special cap that they had put over their prisoner's horn. It prevented her from using her powerful magic in an escape attempt. As Celestia led them deeper into the dark void with only the light from her horn to guide them, she wondered if she was doing the right thing.
Did we arrest the right pony? Celestia wondered. There was nothing to say that they hadn't, but still...
Celestia suddenly stopped walking and turned to the left. "We're here" she announced. Twilight couldn't see three hoofs in front of her face, but somehow Celestia knew that there was a jail cell right next to them.
Twilight thought, She must have been down here a lot during the war thousands of years ago. I wonder if Celestia will bring herself to lock her up again.
Their prisoner began to speak with urgency. "Please, my sister! I had nothing to do with this. Let me help you!" Princess Luna pleaded.
"You've helped enough Luna." Celestia said with an air of sarcastic finality in her voice.
"What could I possibly do to convince you of my innocence!" Luna begged.
"Give us the antidote," said Twilight "So that we can cure the ponies that are sick."
"An' so that we can heal our friends!" Applejack burst out with obvious hurt in her voice.
"And so that I can eat chocolate again without the thought of getting sick!" Pinkie had to add.
"I already told you," said Luna with forced patience, "I am not involved with the creation of this virus! You have to believe me."
"Then how come the meteorite that almost hit us was carrying it?!" Twilight said incredulosly.
"I can not control every piece of space rock that enters Equestria's atmosph..." Luna trailed off in her thought, and Twilight finished it.
"That doen't explain how the virus got there. It couldn't have survived in outerspace, so someone had to have added it to the meteorite."
Luna was losing hope that she could convince them of her innocence when Fluttershy spoke up. She had been silent out of fear for the whole time until now. "What... if she's t-telling the truth. She seems sincere." Fluttershy managed to stutter out.
Applejack wheeled around on her. "Are ya' crazy!? Who else coulda' dun' it?"
Pinkie added, "But Fluttershy, what about all those nasty rumors saying that Luna was up to no good?"
"Maybe they were just rum..." Fluttershy began to counter, but Twilight interupted.
"The physical evidence is incriminating enough, let alone the circumstantial proof. I'm sorry Fluttershy, but we have no other choice." Fluttershy wanted to stand up for Luna somehow, but didn't know what to say. She just had a feeling that Princess Luna was innocent.
"Twilight is right." Princess Celestia broke in. "Even if my sister had nothing to do with this, it's better to be safe than sorry."
"But Celestia, I can help! It will do you no good by locking me up in here!" Her voice began to raise and her multi pitched voice began to appear. "Only someone with great power, either magic or something other, could have started this plauge, and I refuse to sit here idly while my people fall victim to it!!"
"Well for now, you're going to have to." And with that Celestia lifted the Princess of the Night with the golden glow of her magic and plopped her on the ground. Then she slammed the door shut, locking her in for the time being.
"Fine. Do what you wish." Luna resided to herself. "When you want my help, I'll be more than happy to assist you." She turned away from them, almost disapearing, blending into the darkness.
The five ponies on the other side of the bars turned and began to follow Celestia away from their prisoner and towards the world of light. Twilight hoped that she was doing the right thing.
"Twilight Sparkle!" Twilight heard Luna yell from her cell. "Keep doing what you do best. I know that you can solve this mystery. If you keep looking for clues, you might just find somethng that suprises you."
Ugh! Twilight groaned in her mind. She's making me doubt myself again. She's right though. I have to keep looking for clues if I'm going to find the cure.
As she ascended to the world of light, she began to go over in her mind the events that led up to this catastrauphic situation. It all began with a dinner date...
