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Journey to My Imagination

by DeiStar

Chapter 18: The Real Culprit

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Chapter 15: The Real Culprit
*****

Lauren stopped for a second. She had heard some words echoing inside her head, and not just any voice, it definitely was the voice of none other than Princess Celestia. The same sweet, kind and pleasant voice she possessed before her corruption. Although Lauren was still confused, she was still more confused about what the voice said. Don’t allow an illusion to blur your judgment? Just what was the meaning of that?

A single second of silence passed before Lauren looked up at the Celestia before her. The same Celestia who forced Twilight, Luna and even Faust to give up. However, her mouth didn’t move.

Lauren shifted her gaze to her hoof, which was just a centimeter away to greet Celestia’s. Illusion? I… I know it was Celestia who said that, but… she didn’t say anything, did she? She then came to a sudden conclusion, which she was sure it was the cause of it. An… illusion. Is this… an illusion? She glanced at Twilight, who was just waiting for her to surrender against Celestia. Something was wrong. No… I know Twilight. She wouldn’t give up that easily, especially giving up in saving her mentor, Celestia. She took one last glance at her hoof, before making up her mind and sending an order of flinch to her brain, quickly jumping away from Celestia.

Celestia hummed in surprise. “What the?” she tried to protest, but Lauren was looking at her with anger on her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“No! I refuse to give up! I will not submit against you!” Lauren protested, slamming one hoof against the floor.

“Lauren! What are you doing?” Twilight cried. “If you don’t give up… the Princess will…”

“Shut up, Twilight!” Lauren exclaimed, Twilight gasping in surprise. “I am not going to give up to a character I created. That is just plain ridiculous!” The fire within her grew stronger with each claim. “This is an illusion! This is not real!”

Celestia was quietly listening to her, a frown displayed on her face. Certainly, she wasn’t happy with her changing her mind at the very last second.

“Lauren! Quit it! You’re only making it worse!” This time, it was Faust who interrupted. “You alone don’t stand a chance!”

“Hush! I will not allow you to talk to me like that!” Lauren looked at Faust, then at Twilight. “Twilight, I know you wouldn’t give up so easily. No, that’s not the Twilight I created. The Twilight I envisioned would fight until the very end for their loved ones! Especially Princess Celestia!”

Twilight gulped, looking at Celestia with fear, tears beginning to shed from her eyes. “I… no…”

“Drop it now, before you regret it!” Luna warned. Lauren was recklessly throwing claims at them, and with Celestia’s current state, it wasn’t the wisest decision.

“Luna! I’m sorry for what I did to you about Nightmare Moon, but this is YOUR sister we’re talking about. You would even give up your own life to protect her, am I right?” Lauren took a step closer, making herself clear enough for everypony to listen.

Luna couldn’t deny that there was some reason behind Lauren’s words. She looked at her sister, and, like Twilight, she started to tear up as well.

“Too bad,” Celestia replied, finally interrupting Lauren’s speech. “I gave you one chance to submit and you wasted it.” She took a step closer, making Lauren take one step back in response.

“I don’t care! You’re not Celestia! Not the Celestia I created, at least. And honestly, I don’t give a flying feather to what you do to me! You’re nothing but an illusion!” Lauren yelled back. Her horn started to glow, ready for her attack.

“Tsk.” Celestia cringed, taking a step back. “S-shut up.”

Lauren raised an eyebrow, confused about Celestia’s sudden reaction. Was there something within the words she heard in her mind that she had to realize? An… illusion. Of course! She took one step forward, hoping that her theory would be correct. “Yes! This is nothing but a mere illusion! This isn’t happening!”

Celestia groaned, pressing a hoof against her head. “N-no! Shut up!” She took a few steps back, her mouth twitching.

“An illusion! That’s all this is! And nothing more!” Lauren exclaimed at the top of her lungs. “Drop the act! I am Lauren Faust! You can’t fool me, little pony!”

Before anypony knew, Celestia let out a high-pitched scream that pierced through everypony’s ears. Her body began to shine, beams of light escaping through it. It almost seemed like she was about to burst, but instead, she began to slowly fade away, still screaming in agony.

Not only Celestia, but Twilight, Luna and Faust were doing the same. Their bodies lightened up and just like Celestia, they let out loud screams that roared across the throne room.

With a final flash of light, the four lightened mares were gone. Lauren closed her eyes due the intense burst of light, her ears still ringing because of the screams. After a few seconds, the light was gone and Lauren slowly opened her eyes.

What she saw in front of her took her breath.

*****

“Now then, Luna. Hold my hoof! Let’s rule Equestria together! You and I were meant to be one!” Nightmare Moon still had her hoof extended, waiting for Luna to take it.

“Yes… yes.” Luna slowly raised her hoof. It was now just a matter of a couple of seconds before the deal would be done. In just two seconds, she would become one with Nightmare Moon again. In just two seconds, she would become the undisputed ruler of Equestria.

Don’t cling to the past! The evil side never wins! You should know that, Luna! Look within your heart! This is not what you desire!

Luna’s eyes went wide open, immediately recognizing the voice that ran through her head. “C-Celestia?” she stuttered, freezing her hoof in the air, which was just few centimeters away from Nightmare Moon’s.

“What?” Nightmare Moon looked at her. “Hurry, take my hoof!” she ordered.

Luna blinked. That was… that was Celestia! But… her voice… it’s not the Celestia I was battling a while ago. She looked up at Nightmare Moon, whose hoof was still extended in the air, waiting for her to hold it and accept her back in her life. Evil side never wins… this is not what I desire. Luna pulled back her hoof, jumping back from her own alter-ego. “N-no!”

“Luna! What is the meaning of this!? Accept my power, now!” Nightmare Moon ordered, striking one of her hooves against the floor, causing her crystal shoe to inevitably shatter.

Luna thought of the words she heard inside her head, trying to find the sense within them. “Don’t cling to the past,” she repeated. “Nightmare Moon is my past. Not my present.”

Nightmare Moon bit her lower lip. “Luna! Stop fooling around! Time is short! We must rule Equestria together, as one soul!”

“The evil side never wins,” Luna repeated. “Nightmare Moon was defeated by the Elements of Harmony.” She took a step forward to her alter-ego. “They defeated you in order to release me from your evil imprisonment!” Luna pointed her hoof at her. “Thanks to them, I finally reunited back with my sister!”

“N-no! Remember that it was Lauren the one who caused it!” Nightmare Moon reminded her, not willing to let go her only chance to resume the eternal night she had been planning since forever.

“It was not her fault! She is my… our creator.” Luna rolled her eyes, still a bit shell-shocked about that revelation, which would surely change her perspective of life from now on. She returned her gaze to Nightmare Moon. “Within my heart… your power, your body, your soul is something I do not desire!” she exclaimed.

Nightmare Moon cringed, grinding her teeth and taking a step back. “N-no! Luna! Stop!” She lost balance on one of her legs, causing her to lean down.

“Begone, demon! Go back to the rotten place you came from and never return! Die already and never come back!” Luna yelled, her wings fully spread and her horn glowing, prepared to battle her evil self.

A loud scream came out from Nightmare Moon. Her black armor and helmet shattered, causing the broken pieces to vanishing into the air, just like the smoke from the fire. Beams of light began to shoot from within her body. For a second, she took the shape the Celestia with the blue mane.

Luna closed her eyes and placed a hoof in front of them due the bright flash of light. Nightmare Moon’s screams were still echoing with might across the whole room. After a few seconds, they finally faded away, both the screams and the burst of light. Silence shrouded the room, a silence that would be broken as soon as Luna opened her eyes.

*****

“Now, Twilight. Come back to me. Let’s go,” Celestia whispered, with her hoof still extended.

Twilight simply nodded, accepting her beloved mentor’s offer. It was going to be okay now. She was going to have her happy life back. No worries about anything anymore. All she had to do was to hold the Princess’ hoof and it would be all over. All the madness and battles she had with her would be over, and they would go back to how things were before.

My faithful student, don’t abandon your friends only for a false happiness!

Twilight looked at the Princess, confused. Her mouth never opened. “Huh?” She could swear she had just heard Princess Celestia’s voice.

“Twilight? What’s the matter? Go on, hold my hoof. You’ve got nothing to fear now.” Celestia smiled at her. However, it was not her original smile. Not at all. Not even close.

Twilight recalled the voice in her head. It was clearly the Princess’ voice, but it was far different from the Princess right before her. Yes, the voice she heard was from her mentor, the original Celestia, the one whom she loved and cared for. But that was not it. It said something, something very interesting indeed. “False… happiness?” she mumbled, repeating what the voice said inside her mind.

“Twilight, hurry up! Hold my hoof, now!” Celestia ordered, in a rather loud tone, which made Twilight to pull her hoof back in reflex.

“Abandon my friends?” Twilight looked at Lauren’s body, lying a few meters from her. She looked back at Celestia and slowly stepped back. “I… I don’t want to abandon my friends,” she said. “No… not even for… a false happiness.” The pieces fell into place. A faint light dawned in her eyes. It was extremely clear.

“Twilight! I command you to hold my hoof right now if you don’t want to end up like everypony over there!” Celestia exclaimed, taking a step closer and extending her hoof for Twilight to hold it. However, she only received a groan from Twilight as she jumped back from her.

“No! I don’t accept it!” Twilight shouted. Her horn glowed again, flashing her purple, magical aura. “I don’t abandon my friends! Not even for the false happiness you are offering me!” She pointed her hoof at Celestia, quickly striking it against the floor.

Celestia stepped back, one of her eyes twitching. “How… how dare you talk to your mentor like that? You ungrateful wimp!”

“You’re not my mentor! You’re not the real Princess Celestia! You’re nothing but a phony! If I had to give you a name, I would call you Ait Selec!” Twilight exclaimed.

Celestia closed her eyes, pain building within her. “S-stop it! Stop it!” she cried, shaking her head around, messing her purple mane even more. Her eyes shot open, with a clear bloodshot on them.

“Give me back my mentor! My friends! My life!” Twilight yelled, ready to fire her magic beam at any second. She had to save the Princess, no matter what.

“Aaargh!” Celestia screamed, her mouth agape and looking up at the ceiling. Bright beams of light emanated from random points of her body, and so did the bodies of Lauren, Luna and Faust.

The light was getting too bright, forcing Twilight to close her eyes. She could only hear the screams of agony that were coming out from the phony Celestia. Those screeches pierced her ears, but it was a pain that she had to endure if she wanted to see her beloved mentor again.

Little Twilight knew that she would soon be reunited with her.

The screams and light both faded away in a matter of seconds. Signal that Twilight received to open her eyes. Slowly, she opened them. What she saw in front of them made her eyes to shoot wide open.

“P-Princess… C-Celestia!?” Twilight squealed. Right in front of her, was none other than Celestia, the Princess of Equestria. Her glorious pink mane and tail floated magically in the air, with several tiny sparkles coming out of them. She had her crown and royal adornments perfectly polished and shining. Her original smile was displayed on her face.

“Twilight, my faithful student,” Celestia greeted her, extending her wings in happiness. She wanted to say something else, but before she knew, Twilight was already standing in front of her, with tears coming out of her eyes.

“P-Princess… is it really you?” Twilight asked. She could just burst in tears right there. Her legs were shaking in anxiety. Her mentor was back, back at last.

“Yes, Twilight. Do not fear me, I am back,” Celestia assured, sitting on her hind legs to get on Twilight’s level. She extended one hoof and wiped the tears out of her student’s face. “I am back, thanks to you, Twilight.” She smiled.

“P-Princess!” Twilight threw herself at Celestia, wrapping her front legs against her neck and embracing her in a hug. She burst into tears. Never had she been so happy in her life. Not even when she was allowed to live in Ponyville with her friends back when they defeated Nightmare Moon. She wasn’t willing to let go. Her beloved mentor was back, and she wanted to savor every moment.

Celestia simply placed one hoof behind Twilight’s head, while she returned the hug with her other leg. “Twilight. I’ve missed you so much.” A single tear built in her eye, sliding through her cheek. Nopony could explain how she felt right now. It was such a moment that none of the two mares was willing to end.

“P-Princess! I-I’m so happy!” Twilight whimpered. Her joy exploded to a whole new level. Just a few moments ago, the Princess was about to annihilate her, but now, she was hugging the real Princess.

After a few seconds, Celestia broke the hug, smiling and looking at Twilight, who was still lost in tears. “Listen, Twilight. I wish we could continue, but there’s no time.” Her smile was wiped from her face, and instead, a serious look was displayed on it.

Twilight tried to stop whimpering to listen to what the Princess had to say. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and looked at her. “W-what do you mean, Princess?”

“I’m talking about the evil mind behind this, the one who caused me to act like I acted.” Celestia closed her eyes for a few seconds. “The real culprit. The one who forced me to almost eliminate you.”

Twilight tilted her head to the side. Now that she mentioned it, Faust mentioned it earlier. The ‘something’ that was causing her mentor to act like that. “Who, who is it?” Twilight hesitantly asked. She needed an immediate answer, so they could stop whatever it was.

“Twilight,” Celestia whispered, her eyes still closed. “Close your eyes with me.”

Twilight doubted for a second, but agreed to do so. She closed her eyes, unsure of what her mentor would request her to do.

“When I count to three, you will open your eyes, okay?”

“Understood, Princess.”

“Listen to me very carefully. Once you open them, the real culprit will be before your eyes. Whoever it is, you must stop it, no matter what, understood?”

Twilight gulped, not expecting to listen something like that. So, it was the time now. Once she opened her eyes, she was going to face the horrible creature, who caused all the pain to not only Celestia, but to Luna, Lauren and Faust as well. “Understood, Princess”

“Don’t worry, my faithful student. I will be by your side until the very end. I love you, Twilight.”

“I love you too, Princess.”

“Now then. Count with me…”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Three!”

*****

“S-sister!” Luna gasped. Suddenly, she felt unable to talk. She couldn’t believe what her eyes were showing her. Her sister was right in front of her. She didn’t look like the Celestia she was battling moments ago at all.

“Luna… how I have missed you,” Celestia claimed, smiling at her sister.

Luna was still not sure what happened. Just a while ago, Nightmare Moon burst in a flash, and now, her sister was in front of her, with her pink mane and tail gracefully glowing in the air. She couldn’t help but run to her, bursting into tears. “T-Tia!” she cried, throwing her legs and wrapping them around her sister.

“Luna… I’m back,” Celestia whispered, hugging her sister back, not as strong as she was hugging.

“Is it really you?” Luna asked, between sobs. As heartwarming as it was, she couldn’t let her guard down. She had been deceived lots of times before, and she was not in the mood for another one.

“Yes, Luna. I promise you, it is really me,” Celestia assured, scratching behind Luna’s left ear with her hoof. “See? Remember how you loved when I scratched behind your ear when we were younger?”

Luna let out a quick snicker, shivering a little because of the scratching. “I-It is you…” she muttered. “I’m so glad!”

Celestia nodded, pulling herself from Luna’s embrace and looking at her. “Listen to me, sister. We can continue this later. For now, there’s something you have to do for me.”

“Y-yes?” Luna asked. As much as she wanted to keep hugging her sister, she noticed the seriousness on that last sentence. It definitely wasn’t any kind of joke or anything.

“We must still catch the culprit. The one who is behind all what has been happening so far.” Celestia closed her eyes, taking Luna’s hooves on her own.

“Who is it!?” Luna asked. “I will make that monster pay for what it has done to us!”

“Luna, listen carefully. Close your eyes,” Celestia requested.

Luna wasn’t sure where Celestia was going with that, but she wasn’t going to question her. Not even after being reunited back with her. “Alright.” She proceeded to close them.

“Now then, listen carefully. Once you open your eyes, the real culprit will appear before you.”

“Understood.”

“You must stop it, no matter what. Got it?”

“Yes, got it.”

“Very well then. Do not fear, little sister, for I will be next to you until the end. Never give up.”

“I won’t, Tia. You can count on me.”

“If that’s the case, once I count up to three, you’ll open your eyes.”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Three!”

*****

“C-Celestia!?” Lauren rubbed her eyes with her hooves. Was she dreaming or something?

“It’s nice to see you again, Lauren,” Celestia said, giving her a warm smile.

“Your mane! It’s pink! That means…”

“Yes. I have been freed from the terrible spell that the culprit cast on me,” Celestia explained. “I’m so very sorry for everything that has happened. Not only for what you’ve been facing, but also because of what you’ve been through since you arrived here at Equestria.”

Lauren took a few steps closer to Celestia. “Are you sure you’re yourself? Do you think you could answer me some questions?”

“Yes, Lauren. You are my mother,” Celestia said. “You created me, after all. Not only me, but the whole of Equestria.”

“Do you mean that…”

“Yes. I know all about it. I know who I am and how I was created. It was all thanks to you,” Celestia said, walking towards Lauren.

“I… see…” Lauren bowed her head, quickly looking back at Celestia. “So, who or what caused you to do what you did? You know, going all nuts and stuff.”

“That’s where I was going next, Lauren. Please close your eyes,” Celestia requested, sitting in front of her and looking her directly at her eyes.

“Eh, what for?” Lauren wasn’t sure what would she gain from that.

“I am going to remove the spell that the culprit has cast upon you. Trust me.” Celestia closed her eyes.

“Spell? So this was all an illusion spell created by that culprit?” Lauren asked, receiving a nod from Celestia. “Okay then,” she sighed, closing her eyes as well. She was still nervous from Celestia's earlier stunts, but she had to remain calm.

“Listen to me. The culprit will be revealed once you open your eyes.”

Lauren gulped. She was caught off guard by that comment.

“Do not be afraid. I will be by your side to aid you to stop the culprit, as you are the only one who can stop it.”

“O-okay.”

“Very well then. When I count to three, you will open your eyes. Be ready for whatever appears before you, alright?”

“Y-yes.” Lauren was still nervous. This was it. The real culprit. The one who caused all the pain to Celestia was finally going to appear before her. But who was it, and why would it do that? The answers to those questions were going to be revealed as soon as Celestia would be done counting.

“Okay then. You have to be brave. Be brave, be the bravest ever.”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Three!”

*****

Twilight, Luna and Lauren opened their eyes at the same time. They were standing next to each other, but they didn’t notice right away, since their gaze was fixed towards whatever would appear in front of them. Celestia had told them that the culprit would appear right before them. Little they suspected of who it turned out to be.

“Curse you, Celestia,” a very familiar voice said. “Curse you,” it repeated.

The three mares’ hearts pumped hard. They gulped, feeling parasprites flying wildly all inside their bellies. Obviously, Celestia was just playing a prank of them. It just could not possibly be.

“It’s over, Faust. Or should I say, ‘mother’?” Celestia’s voice sounded from behind everypony.

Right in front of Twilight, Luna and Lauren, was none other than Faust. The one who saved them when Celestia was about to defeat Luna. The one who showed them the events from thousands of years ago. The one who promised them to find the culprit who was torturing Celestia and put a stop to it. Lauren's self-proclaimed alter ego, her other half. She was there, standing in front of them, with her head bowed, staring at the floor.

As much as anypony wanted to say something about the matter, the knots in their throats made them unable to. They could just stare, unable to react in any more constructive way.

This just can’t be true! Lauren was expecting anything else but her.

“Ah ha ha,” Faust chuckled. “Well, well... this was quite an unexpected twist of events, wasn't it? I can’t believe you three managed to break free from my illusionary spell. Ah, well, I guess I shouldn’t have underestimated Celestia.”

“What the... how can you... I don’t even...” Lauren stuttered. It couldn’t be true. Faust had to be playing some sort of prank on them.

“My dear Lauren, I told you earlier, didn’t I? I told you, I want your life!” Faust exclaimed, raising her head to look at her. She had the wickedest of grins displayed on her face.

“Faust. It’s over. You lost.” Celestia began walking towards her. “You have done enough harm to everypony. I’m going to stop you and give Twilight, Luna and Lauren a future!”

“Future, you say?” Faust snickered, bowing her head once again and spreading her wings. “Very well then, allow me to show you...” She raised her head, her eyes flashing red, still with the same wicked grin on her face. “Your future!”

Next Chapter: One Soul: Part I Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 35 Minutes
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