In Youth Eternal - A Dark Secret

Chapter 5: Hope and Despair

All around her, it was very dark. She could not figure out where she was or how she go there, merely floating weightlessly in an abyss of darkness. All the mare knew was what she could remember. The pain, both physical and emotional, put a strain on the mare. Memories of good times flashed before her at random. Her time with her best friends. Her time spent studying magic under a majestic alicorn. But now the memories of that alicorn were painful. The emotional pain hurt more than any physical pain ever could.

*     *     *

Twilight Sparkle suddenly regained consciousness. Her head still ached from the violent conflict in the castle library, as did her bruises the guards gave her. She raised her head and looked around, trying to get a good grasp her surroundings.

The room was rather small and dank. A heavy iron door with very a small, barred opening seemed to be the only in and out. An opening in the wall on the other side of the door was also protected by iron bars. A shackle was clamped around one of the lavender unicorn’s hind legs, chained to the wall.

The only object of interest in the prison cell was small mirror, but it was only big enough to see one’s whole face in the reflection. Twilight peered into this mirror and saw the reflection of an injured lavender unicorn; dried blood present on her face, running down from her mouth. Her usually well groomed mane was now unkempt and messy.

The injured unicorn brought a hoof to her face and wiped the dried blood away. Something else was odd about the reflection she saw, however. Her eyes shut and her head shook rapidly, shaking her senses and thoughts properly back to her once and for all. Glancing back into the mirror, the mare saw it.

Her horn was mysteriously missing.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she brushed her mane aside to see her forehead. What she saw replacing her magic horn was a crest of some sort. The crest resembled Princess Celestia’s Cutie Mark down to the last detail. Twilight gasped, concluding her ability to use magic must have been sealed while she was unconscious.

Closing her eyes, Twilight had lowered her head, returning her hoof to the floor. Memories flashed again, regarding the unfortunate encounter in the library where she was attacked and captured. The mare gritted her teeth; tears of sorrow flowing down her visage and dripping onto the floor.

“Why?” she cried, emotionally distraught.. “Why? Why? Why!?” Twilight curled up in a corner of the prison cell, keeping her eyes closed. ‘Why?’ She just wished she could end it all, as the pain of Princess Celestia’s brutal betrayal proved too much for the lavender mare to handle. She figure that she would end up the receiving the same fate as her past students, and for the time being, would be trapped in this dank dungeon for who knows how long.

Memories flashed in her head once more. Memories of Spike. She perked up, remembering how Spike would likely be unattended right now. Twilight Sparkle knew nothing of his fate. Her thoughts expected the worst, considering what cruel twist had just befallen her.

Gritting her teeth for a second time, she asked herself ‘Could Princess Celestia have gotten him too?’ The brutal turn of events and thoughts of what Celestia may have done, or will do, with Spike made her angry, alongside her existing anguish.

Twilight stood up and faced the window. The sun had just barely started to peek over the horizon, letting just a little light into the cell. She moved closer to the window, propping her front hooves on the sill.

“Oh Spike,” she cried, looking out the window as despair loomed over her. A tear rolled down the mare's cheek as she let out a depressed sigh. “Please be safe...”

Those were the last words she uttered before curling back up into a corner, closing her eyes. Twilight Sparkle then drifted off into a saddened state of slumber with only a thin strand of hope.

*     *     *

“I witnessed a baby dragon scaling down the outside of the castle.” reported a pegasus Royal Guard.

The guard had begun his explanation to the Princess about his encounter with the escaping Spike.

“He was using a lot of bed sheets tied to each other as a rope. He was also carrying a book bag of some sort. It looked like there was something in it." the guard explained gesturing with a hoof.

Princess Celestia expression suddenly changed. Her eyes widened while maintaining a scowl. “Why didn’t you capture him?” she inquired harshly, glaring at the guard. The armored pegasus winced a little.

“I-I tired to! But the little rat made a jump for the river below right before I got to him. I didn’t have time to react and hit the wall instead...” he replied, with a nervous looked on his face. He lowered his head a little in shame.

The white alicorn simply closed her eyes while maintaining her disappointed scowl. “I see,” she spoke. It was calm, yet frustrated. Celestia’s eyes reopened, making eye contact with the armored pegasus. “You are dismissed.”

The pegasus nodded, giving a salute. “Ma’am!” he shouted, before turning and exiting the throne room.

Princess Celestia thought a moment. The river Spike fell into runs very close to Ponyville. Only a little bit of forest separated them. If she knew the baby dragon, she knew that was his destination, should he have survived the fall into the river.

“Captain Strong Wing,” she called out, turning her head to make eye contact with the white furred, gold maned stallion. “I want you and your stallions to guard the entrances and perimeter of Ponyville. I also want street and sky patrols. The target is Spike, the baby dragon. If you find him, kill him.” Her voice remained cold.

“Yes, your Highness,” he replied calmly, saluting. He then turned away to run towards the exit.

“Oh, and one more thing,” remarked the majestic alicorn. The Captain stopped and turned around. “About the book bag that Spike has. I want its contents returned to me.”

The Captain nodded in acknowledgement. “Yes, Princess Celestia. I will fill my troops in on all the details,” he said with his gruff voice. With that, he shifted towards the doors and sprinted off the rally his troops for their mission.

*     *     *

“Ugh...” he grumbled as he turned over onto his back. He could feel grass below him as he shifted. The sound of rushing water was prevalent. In fact, he could feel water flowing over his small feet. The air was fresh and cool as it drifted over his face.

Spike opened his eyes, dazed. He was laying at the river bank, having drifted downstream for an unknown amount of time. Staring up at the sky, it was mostly dark, but light crept from one side, implying early sunrise.

The baby dragon sat up and shook his head. “Holy guacomole...” he said to himself. He found that the book bag was still secure around his torso. Spike found the book to be just fine when he checked it. “Good thing this bag covers the whole book,” he commented before letting out a sigh of relief.

“Hi!” shouted a high pitched voice from behind. Spike was startled, reflexively jumping in shock. He turned around to find himself face to face with a certain pink earth pony, who was hopping up and down in place.

“Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here? How did you find me?” he asked the pink party pony. He was confused, but relieved at the same time. A wave of hope washed over him, having been found by a pony he can trust. Although, his heart still sank, knowing there was a long road ahead of him to get Twilight back.

Pinkie smiled. “Weeeell, I was up reeeaaally late baking lots of cupcakes when suddenly my Pinkie Sense went off! It was an ear flop then a tail twitch then jumping spasms! Or was it a tail twitch THEN an ear flop then a jumping spasm?” she asked rhetorically with out missing a beat. As usual, Pinkie Pie spoke with what seemed like the longest run on sentence ever. “...which led me here where I found you! Hey, you wanna-”

Spike quickly placed one of his claws over the pink mare’s mouth to silence her motor mouth. “Pinkie Pie, listen to me. Twilight needs our help!” he told her, with a saddened look in his face. “She’s been captured and imprisoned by Princess Celestia! She’s in SERIOUS trouble!”

Pinkie Pie jumped and gave a large, over-the-top gasp at the news. Even the normally happy-go-lucky party pony, the news made her a bit scared for Twilight. “Oh no!” she exclaimed. “We have to tell the others!” The look on her face was very concerned. Even the pink party mare knew this must be serious business.

“How far are we from Ponyville?” inquired the baby dragon.

Pinkie Pie pointed with a hoof. “Over there!” she claimed. Just through the trees, Spike could see parts of humble town of Ponyville. He let out yet another a sigh of relief.

“Okay, good. I hope there’s time to save Twilight,” he spoke, solemnly.

"Yeah! Me too! We get to sneak into the castle and have blast!" she chimed, bouncing up and down.

“Pinkie Pie, I have a feeling Twilight is going to die if we don’t save her in time. She looked beaten up pretty badly...” Pinkie’s mane promptly deflated at the news as she ceased her bouncing. Her visage displayed an expression of sadness at the prospect of losing one of her best friends. Losing a friend was something she never took well.

“Oh No... Then we have to hurry then! Come on!” she said, taking off. Her mane popped back up to usual when serious determination crossed her face. Spike quickly followed, nodding in agreement.

He only hoped that he wouldn’t be too late, but that hope was fragile.