"I'm glad you could all make it." Rarity gazed up from the book she was poring over, before rubbing her eyes and stretching. "Where are the others?"

"MacIntosh has taken them out to the fields to gather up some food," said Fluttershy as she sat down on the floor. "Don't worry, they've got Angel with them so they'll be fine."

"So why are you all here anyways? I'm missing out on my nap you know," complained Rainbow Dash.

"Are we throwing a party? Oh! It's a surprise party, that's why you don't want anyone else here."

Rarity levitated the book up so everypony could see it. It was bound in frayed leather and was as thick as her forearm. "This book right here was written by Twilight herself and it contains all the spells she knew as well as alterations and the theory behind them. There's another three volumes over in the corner, as well as her journal and a couple volumes on various other subjects. She was quite the scholar."

"Ah thought you were meant to be making disguises." There was a hint of reproach in Applejack's voice.

"I was, but last night I was reading through her books to see if there were any spells I could learn that'd help. And well... it's easier to show you than to explain it." Standing up, Rarity closed her eyes, a look of deep concentration evident on her face. Then a ripple of light began to spread from her horn, turning her white fur a light blue as it went – the same shade of blue that made up the majority of her cutie mark. With a shake of her mane and swish of her tail, the purple faded, only to be replaced by a pale yellow. Finally, dark blue patterns began swirling around her flank. The lines extended out and split up multiple times until it formed an intricate web of blue lines, each one a subtly different shade of blue.

"How is that poss-"

"-ghtya'll said t-"

"-then I was like oat-"

"Girls!" Everypony fell silent at Rarity's yell. "I know what I said, but I didn't know what Twilight knew. I said I couldn't do a full body illusion well because my cutie mark is about beauty, but if I think of this as body paint then it clicks with my special talent. According to Twilight, and just proven now, we're only held back by our cutie mark if we're unimaginative. Secondly, I made my coat the same color as my cutie mark so that it's not noticeable. Furthermore, none of the extra lines I added actually go over it, so my original statement of being unable to cover cutie marks still stands."

"But what the hay is that cutie mark meant to represent?" asked Dash.

"That is something I'm still working on. But nonetheless, it's a proof of concept, as Twilight called it in her journal. There are also notes on how to enchant items, which individuals can activate at will. If I can master that then I can create a bracelet for each of us with a disguise hidden in it. That way we can move around freely."

"Okay, so we've got disguises, communications, a name, food, and a base," said Dash as she ticked off the items from the list they had created two nights ago.

"Not much of a base," sniffed Rarity as she looked at the stone walls and general lack of furniture.

"Oh did I forget to mention that?" Dash looked smug as she puffed out her chest. "I've gotten us some furniture. A couple of tables, a desk, two bookshelves, two beds, even a kitchen and bathroom if you can get the plumbing in."

There was a collective jaw drop from all those assembled. The first to recover was Applejack. "How the hay did ya manage that sugarcube?"

"I live in a cloud house, so I separated the wall from the floor in those two rooms, chucked everything I wanted onto two clouds, and then dragged the entire thing here. Why else did you think it took so long for me on the first night and where did you think I've been these past couple of days? I've been hiding the cloud in the Everfree Forest beneath dense tree cover and in caves during the day and dragging it along at night. There's no need to thank me."

"We would have helped," said Applejack.

"I know, but they're my things and it's not as if it's hard work. I could do it in my sleep. Plus, it's moving clouds so only a pegasus could help anyways."

"Okay, so what's the next step?" asked Rarity.

"Cupcakes! What? It's perfectly doable. I mean, there are thunder clouds right? And thunder clouds provide lightning which is electricity, so if we can harness that electricity, then we can bring Dashie's oven online and then we can bake cupcakes! Unless it uses magic as its supply, in which case we can just stick Rarity's horn in there and voila, cupcakes."

"... She's actually got a point..." All eyes stared at Applejack. "Not the cupcakes, though that would be welcome. Weren't ya'll paying attention? We can harness the power from lightning."

"For what?" demanded Dash. "Do you know how difficult it is to make lightning in the first place? And it's dangerous. I mean super dangerous. More dangerous than any stunt I have ever attempted in my life. One wrong move and it can kill you!" She stomped the ground. "No! I forbid it. Ther-"

"Forbid it!?" Applejack was on her feet, the two ponies staring each other down. "You have no right! That power can give us hot water, baked goods and who knows what else."

"Um... please stop fighting... jus-"

"I don't give a buck! If I see lightning clouds anywhere near the ground I will-"

"You'll what? Throw a tantrum? Find a cloud to nap on?" Applejack stepped forward as she drew to her full height. "Who in the world made you leader!"

Dash shook her head, whole body trembling with anger as she kept her head bowed and eyes clenched shut.

"Applejack please stop," whispered Fluttershy, but the echo from the yelling drowned her out.

"Don't tell me the high and might Rainbow Dash is afraid of lightning! What's poor Dashie going to do? Run home and cry to her mom-"

Smack!

Applejack was thrown to the ground from the force of the punch. She lay there for a couple seconds, trying to gather her wits and stop the world from spinning. It felt like Dash had dislocated her jaw with that punch. By the time the earth pony had recovered, Dash was nowhere to be seen and Fluttershy was glaring down at her. Fluttershy of all ponies.

Standing at the entrance to their make shift room, the yellow pegasus simply said in a whisper, "Dash's mother was killed by lightning."

"Ah- Ah-"

"From what I know, she single hoofedly stopped a dangerous storm that blew over from the Everfree Forest, even though she wasn't scheduled to work that day."

"Ah need to find her."

Fluttershy shook her head and walked out the door. "You don't want to see her right now and she won't want to see you. I'm sorry Applejack, but talk to her tomorrow in the morning."

"Tell her Ah'm sorry," shouted Applejack after her, but Fluttershy didn't bother acknowledging, whether she heard it or not.

When I came to, I was unshackled and on the floor. While I was unconscious somepony must have come in and cleaned up for the pool of blood, bile, sweat, and urine that had flooded the floor. It even smelt nice. Rolling over, there were no traces of the crippling pain that I expected, instead it was just sore muscles and some tender skin. Nonetheless, I ran my hooves over my body, poking and prodding to make sure everything was healed. Apart from some charred fur, bruises where the shackles were attached, and tender skin where Nightmare Moon and shoved those swords, I was perfectly healthy.

Taking a deep breath, I started surveying my surroundings. Stone, stone, stone, and more stone. Tapping the floor, I titled my head to the side and sighed. Granite, which meant it was nonconductive to all magics. That meant there probably wouldn't be any runes or enchantments in the stone due to the difficulty, but it also meant there was no way to send magic out through the stone either. Then again, an alicorn could probably weave spells into it, and it's not like I can cast spells anyways.

I glanced over at the door then across to the chains attached to the collar around my neck. Iron. All of it was iron. Average when it comes to magical conductivity, which means they are most certainly enchanted – probably the basic listening and strengthening spells, and maybe a magic suppression or detection spell just in case I managed to work around the suppression ring on my horn.

Reaching up tentatively, I touched my hoof to the ring and gave it a gentle nudge. Nothing. I gave it a harder tug. Still nothing. Lying on my back, I grabbed onto the ring and pulled with all my might until I was on the ground panting. Still didn't budge. I expected as much, but I still wanted to be sure. At least there wasn't any pain along with it, but I'm certain that was an oversight by Nightmare Moon that she'll end up correcting soon.

Okay Twilight, what did those books say on suppression rings?

Suppression rings prevent magic from exiting via the horn. The image of the text book floated into my mind – it was as though I was holding the physical thing in my hooves. Okay, they're durable, and any attempts to break it results in it drawing magic from the unicorn to strengthen it, and tugging on it does the same. Channeling magic while it's on resultsin magical feedback, thus the pain, and channeling too much magic while its worn results in the horn shattering, which rules out overloading it. I could drain all my magic thus weakening the ring, but the horn is weaker than the ring, which means if I try to snap it, I'll probably snap off my horn as well. Either way could earn me my freedom, but I'm the only one who comes close to matching Nightmare Moon in terms of magic. Therefore, I need to stay alive and be able to use my magic in case my friends decided to come save me.

My friends...

I looked out the tiny window in the room. It was no bigger than my muzzle, but it was better than nothing. Hopefully they're not stupid enough to come rescue me. They'd just get caught and that'd create an even bigger mess.

A rumble from my stomach cut into my thoughts. Looking around the room, I saw two bowls in the corner and walked over to them. One was filled with water, the other was filled with shredded paper. A note lay next to it, simply reading, "If you wish to have a nutritious meal, you will finish off the paper. After all, recycling is good!"

My jaw was on the ground and I didn't care. She expected me to eat paper!

A second grumble from my stomach. I was starving, there was no doubt about it that, but to actually eat paper... I shook my head and curled up in a ball. No.

My thoughts turned to what Princess Luna had said. The rule of four – check four times, ask for at least four differing opinions, have four escape routes, always have four back up plans. My eyes widened as I leapt onto my feet and immediately began pacing.

Of course! Celestia taught me that rule herself, which meant she would follow it herself, therefore she'd have four back up plans. I took a couple deep breaths to slow down my mind so I could properly analyze everything. Mistakes are born from haste and ignorance.

Celestia's main plan would have been using the Elements of Harmony on Nightmare Moon. Backup plan one would have been war, but for that she'd need somepony to lead. Somepony who knew war, knew tactics, knew strategy. Somepony who would have been groomed from a young age by Celestia herself or a close advisor. Somepony would could also serve as a symbol of hope.

Ice filled my stomach.

There was only one pony that accompanied Celestia everywhere. One little filly who was allowed into meetings, discussed philosophy over a chess board, and was asked by Celestia for her opinions on matters ranging from national policy to what food to eat. Celestia only had one protégé.

Was I a weapon and nothing more?

No. I remember the warmth from being by her side, the way she'd laugh when alone with me and the smile she gave me and only me. When I fell sick, she shifted her desk into my room so that she could work and take care of me at the same time, and when my fever got worse, she put all meetings on hold while she tended to me personally. Maybe she did create me as a weapon in the beginning, but there was no doubt in my mind that she thought of me as more than a student by the time I left for Ponyville.

Stop getting sidetracked Twilight. Focus.

If I got captured they'd be plans in place to set said pony free. That means there'd be spies within the castle. No doubt Nightmare Moon knew that as well, which made things slightly more difficult. I glanced out the window and frowned. And to make matters worse, from what little I could see, I was no longer in Canterlot, which meant it was even more unlikely there'd be ponies here working under Celestia. For all I knew, only I was here and only Nightmare Moon knew the location of this jail.

Sighing, I grabbed the stupid note and tore it up in frustration. There was no point in trying to figure out what Celestia could have done. She was a princess, an alicorn. She functioned on a level well beyond even the smartest pony. What I need to do is figure out what I should do to help those out there. Taking a deep breath I began going over the facts.

I need to help ponies, which means I need to be in a position of influence. Something that is impossible while I’m a prisoner, which means I either had to be free, or working for Nightmare Moon. Without my magic, it is highly unlikely I'll be able to fight my way out therefore I need to be let out. That means I need to join Nightmare Moon until such a time that I can escape or rise high enough to be able to subtly influence what's going on from the inside without rousing suspicion.

I triple checked my chain of logic before nodding grimly. Okay, now how do I go about getting let out? She needs to be convinced I'm broken completely and utterly, which means being tortured and learning how to act convincingly. No doubt I'll be a pet at that stage therefore I need to prove to her I'm completely and utterly loyal. She'll also be expecting me to double cross her, so I need to play to those expectations.

I gulped at that last thought and I swear pain flared up in my stomach where she had stabbed me with those swords of hers. Sitting down, I moved to drink from the bowl only for the smell to hit me. It was urine. I immediately pushed it away despite the protests of my parched throat. Sure urine is sterile, but the mere thought of drinking it made me gag.

Okay, what else do I need to do?

I needed to get stronger. Physically stronger. If I couldn't rely on my magic I needed to be able to rely on my body in addition to my mind. And if I was going to get physically stronger, that meant getting fluids and nutrients into my body.

I eyed the two bowls and shook my head.

Tomorrow. I'll eat and drink tomorrow. That way it'll look more like I've been driven to it as a result of desperation rather than any sort of plan.

The reality of the situation crashed down on me, but I fought back the tears. I had to suffer. Suffer for my friends and for my family, for Equestria and Celestia. I had to suffer and once I have suffered, I'll have to work for a monster and force the world to hate me. I'll have to kill ponies, burn down towns, torture ponies and bathe in the blood of innocents. But most of all, I'll have to face Celestia and my friends at the end of it all.

Gaia have mercy on my soul.

Every time I screamed, I could taste more blood leaking into my throat. My lips were parched and cracked, and even speaking was painful. Not that Nightmare Moon cared. Everything was blurry and out of focus, but I could see enough. She readied another spear, slamming it through my left forehoof, shattering the bone and eliciting another scream of pure agony. A pole for each limb to restrain me. The only thing keeping me conscious and alive was Nightmare Moon's magic.

"So Twilight Sparkle, I see you haven't eaten the meal I had the chefs specially prepared for you. That hurts you know?" She trotted around me, sending the occasional bolt of magic at me. "But that's not important. I want to know where your friends are and what Luna said to you."

I simply grinned up at her from my position on the ground. "Make me," I managed to croak out.

To my surprise, Nightmare Moon threw back her head and laughed while thunder and lightning crackled outside. "Oh Twilight Sparkle, we expected nothing less from thee. We would have been disappointed if thou had said anything else." She suddenly coughed and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, adjusting to your language has been... an interesting experience to say the least."

The blue blade returned and though the sparks arched to both of us, neither reacted to the pain. It hovered towards the center of the poles, directly above my chest. Blue tendrils snaked out, wrapping themselves around the poles before being conducted along the metal. Pain immediately shot through my body, it felt like my blood was boiling.

Scream after scream was torn from my lips. I screamed until I was hoarse, then I screamed some more. Each time it coursed through me, my body arched and strained. With each movement, each muscle spam, I tugged on my limbs.

The blade vanished and I lay there, panting and whimpering in pain. It was only my third day, but I already recognized the familiar scent of urine, blood, sweat and tears mixed together. My wrists felt like they were on fire, as if someone was holding them in an open flame. I glanced over and immediately threw up.

My blood was literally boiling. Some of it still bubbled and it was hot to the touch. But what was really gruesome was the sight of my limbs. I had arched and bucked and tugged while being shocked, and as a result, I had pulled on my limbs. The same limbs being restrained by having poles shoved through them. They were mutilated beyond belief. My left forelimb hand managed to rip itself free and was dangling by a scant few muscle fibers. I turned to the side and threw up again, but barely anything came out. Barely anything came out the first time anyways.

Even with my eyes squeezed shut I could still see it, but I wasn't sure what disturbed me most. The way the blood oozed out with the beat of my heart? The flecks of bone that seasoned the unholy mix of fluids I was laying in? Or maybe it was the way my hoof dangled uselessly in the air and the way a thread of muscle snapped like string. I don't know.

But that image will stay with me forever.

To my surprise, I felt warmth envelope me, closing my wounds. The pain remained, but it was a dull pulse like a headache. Compared to what I was in, it was heaven. I cracked open an eye and licked my dry lips. When I tried to speak, all that came out was dry croak so I resulted to sticking out my tongue at her.

"Sometimes I wonder how I ever had fun without you in my life."

The poles descended once more and magic filled the air. I took a deep breath, waiting for the inevitable.

For Celestia.

I stared at the bowl of urine. I stared at it and used all the power I had in my stare to turn it to water. It didn't work. Since Nightmare Moon left a couple of hours ago, I had laid there on the floor staring at it, trying to work up the courage to drink. I didn't dare close my eyes for fear of the image returning and though there was nothing stabbing me, the tiniest movement would send phantom pain through my limbs. A gift from the torture I had endured.

The worst thing was, I knew drinking urine was safe. It had high salt content, but it was also sterile which meant the only reason I had an aversion to drinking it was due to societal norms that were conditioned into me since birth. I also knew that if I didn't drink something soon I would die. That wasn't an exaggeration or an overreaction – it was scientific fact. Three days without water was death. Sure, I couldn't tell the day night cycle thanks to the eternal night, but it felt like I hadn't drunk in three days. All the sweating and vomiting probably didn't help either.

Leaning close, the stench of ammonia made me wrinkle my nose in disgust, but it was bearable. I leaned in slightly more until my nose was almost touching the surface of the water. Taking a deep breath, I stuck out my tongue into the foul liquid and winced at the taste. It wasn't as bad as I expected, but the mere fact that I was doing it made me want to throw up. Probably would have if it wasn't for the fact I had nothing left to throw up.

Without a second thought I threw myself at that bowl, drinking all of it up without a second thought. It flowed down my throat and soothed me. As far as I was concerned, it could have been the wine that they served Celestia when diplomats were visiting. I drank down every last drop. I savored every single drop. I went so far as to lick the bowl clean in an attempt to get as much fluid as possible.

And once I was done, I curled up into a ball.

It wasn't the urine, I knew that much. It was the way I had acted – the brutish, uncouth, barbaric way I had slurped it down as though it was fine wine. The only thing that stopped me from throwing up was the knowledge that I had to live. The determination in my soul that made everything bearable. Without that, I would have given up already.

Lying back down, I licked my lips and glanced at the bowl of paper. I was starving and that paper was starting to look like a plate of Applejack's apple fritters, but I steeled myself. I would not give in that easily. I would only eat once I broke or if two weeks were up. Sure, it's three weeks without food, but considering it's paper we're talking about, I doubt there'd be enough nutritional value for it to keep me going after three weeks of nothing but urine.

A shudder passed through my body.

Urine and paper. I'll never complain about Spike's cooking again.