A Tangled Web...............................................................................Vol. I: The Fall

The trap is set

the bait’s been met

with bated breath we wait

The lie’s been told

now truth unfolds

the hour, dear sister, is late.

Chapter Three- Secrets and Lies

Deep within the trails of the Everfree Forest, a stallion galloped freely through the vines. Scarcely drifting from his path, even the peat seemed to stiffen underhoof, as though the forest itself parted for his presence. Dark of pelt, his flowing mane cast long shadows along his back. He bore a silver cutie mark, a soft quill shimmering against the darkness; while silver wisps of hair softened the edges of his brown fetlocks, shorn rough by time and stature.

Bursting through the forest’s edge, he slowed to a sharp canter, as he cautiously edged his way along the narrow clearing between the brush and a steep canyon masked by dark fog. Ducking beneath a rough bramble, he saw his target lay ahead. An ancient ruin, covered in a heavy coat of ivy, bearing two regal crests, seemingly new against the crumbling walls.

Hooves heavy upon the rope bridge, the old unicorn passed the gates into the main chamber of the castle, bending low into a deep, abiding bow.

“Your Highness,” he toned with a clear voice, raspy yet smooth. “I bear news from beyond the Everfree.”

“Rise, Silvertongue,” hissed a silky voice, “and come near. These shadows do us little justice, do they not?”

Silvertongue rose gently, stepping towards the firelit end of the chamber. Before him sat an Alicorn, white from hoof to horn. Her eyes, formed of deep slits upon her long face, shone a regal white, glowing very nearly blue in the darkness of the ruined throne room. Approaching the dim light of the altar, Silvertounge at last brought his gaze to meet his monarch.

“Now,” said the Alicorn, her words singing heavily on the still air, “what news do you bring us this fortunate evening? Word on the Elements, I presume.”

“My liege, the Elements have been provoked. Their actions will follow to your plans, and you will have them here by daybreak,” he paused, lowering his head slightly, “your apprentice will see to that.”

“You’ve met with her then?”

“Yes, your Majesty. I have made your instructions most clear.”

The Alicorn smiled lightly, her eyes twinkling in the fires glow. “And what of the whelp?” she asked, a chill settling into her voice. “Has she been deposed?”

The unicorn hesitated, stepping a hoof cautiously back from the throne. “There... was a mishap,” he shivered, “Luna...”

“What have you been told about that name?” The Alicorn bellowed, her eyes flashing a deep crimson. Fire streaked along the walls of the ruin, growing to magnificent heights, singeing the mane of the old unicorn who stood trembling at the altar. “I will not hear it again!”

“Yes, your Majesty,” quivered Silvertongue, bowing low before her. “It... will not happen again.” He paused, regaining his composure. “Sadly, when Her Highness dispatched the Usurper, the whelp was not in her appointed place. She... has eluded us.”

“Not a worry,” the Alicorn sighed, her fury vanished. “I have a feeling...”

“Not a WORRY?” cried a voice from the far side of the chamber, “Morana, you can’t be serious, after all we’ve been through to get to this point!”

“Aerona, my dear sister, you’ve awoken,” Morana sang with a thin smile, “come, join me at the altar. This is a night of jubilation.”

“That little harpy is still out there, after I killed her sister!” The younger twin huffed, turning as she strode to glare at the unicorn before them. “Can our servants do nothing right?”

“Silvertongue,” chirped Morana, “if you would be so kind, please take leave to your chambers, I must speak with my sister in private.”

Bowing sharply, the old unicorn turned about, trotting towards the hall at the far end of the throne room. Hearing the door clatter shut, Morana turned a soft gaze upon the younger, nipping affectionately at her neck.

“What is the matter, dear? This is our night!”

“I’m aware of that, Morana,” Aerona replied dryly, “but the fact that she’s still out there...”

“Dear sister,” Morana interrupted, “she is but a detail of our plans. Do you not still taste the vengeance on your tongue?”

Aerona’s eyes dimmed slightly, as she allowed herself a weak smile. “Yes, sister.”

“Do our fires not still cleanse the soil from which our enemies draw their feed, nor poison the air which they breathe? We have, in one swift movement, removed the true thief!” Cried Morana, throwing her hoof into the air. “I promise you, my beloved, that by the time our sun rises upon the lands that forsook our very names, we shall have our birthright once more!”

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Blinking out of the ether, Twilight landed harshly upon a wet patch of ground in the Everfree Forest. Her horn lit white hot as she rose quickly to her hooves, turning about sharply to face the deep blue Alicorn.

“Who are you?” Twilight shouted, levitating anything she could find. “What are you? What have you done with the Princess?”

“I am Luna,” she replied flatly. “Sister of Celestia, and Regent of the Equestrian night...”

“But... But you said you weren’t a Princess.” Twilight cried, her hackles rising. “What, are you a Queen now?” she shouted, hurling a large rock at the Alicorn. “Nightmare Moon come back to finish what you started!?”

“Twilight!” Luna shouted, the projectile falling harmlessly off a magical field, “We don’t have time for this. If you’d let me explain...”

“Explain WHAT?” Twilight screamed, her skin crawling with rage. “Explain that you killed Celestia? That your petty little jealousy couldn’t be satisfied with just half the power in the world? Is that it?” Her eyes taking on a white glow, Twilight shot several more stones and branches at Luna. “That’s it, isn’t it? We’ll send you right back to the...”

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE, THAT IS ENOUGH!” Luna roared, a wave of magical energy sparking out in all directions, knocking Twilight back several feet. “Do you understand what ONE THOUSAND YEARS IS? What it is to be separated from everything, from everypony, from family and friends and your home?”

A flap of Luna’s broad wings brought her inches from the unicorns face. Twilight stared on with wide eyes as the Alicorn’s expression drew hard and set.

“But that wasn’t enough, was it?” Luna rasped, her voice low and edged with anger. “A thousand years, each night colder than the last; but still I saw my homeland. Every night, I could feel it. Every night, connected just enough for a smell, or a taste, only to have it ripped from my grasp... a cruel tease. No... you can not comprehend what that is, child,” she stood away, holding her head at full height. “I pray you never will.”

Luna took a half step back, turning to gaze into the forest. Glancing back at Twilight, soft tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. “And before you accuse me of treachery this evening, Twilight Sparkle,” she paused,  huffing back tears, “please recall that you are not the only one who lost somepony tonight.”

Twilight sat awkwardly upon her haunches, dumbstruck as Luna turned to walk away. Watching the midnight Alicorn disappear into the shadows of the forest, she stood slowly, shaking some errant leaves from her mane. Stepping lightly, she followed the Regent into the brush.

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“What do you mean, Vanished?” cried Rarity, pointing a hoof at the bewildered nursepony.

“They just... vanished...” Tenderheart replied, slightly shaken. “The Princess floated off her mat, and then there was this bright flash of light, then... poof! I’ve never seen anything like it...”  she muttered, trailing incoherently as she fell back on her haunches.

“Well, that’s not at all helpful,” Rarity huffed, trotting towards the others. “If the Princess woke up, why would she just whisk Twilight away like that?”

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “Maybe she needed some privacy?”

“Fine, but she’s a Princess! Even after the inevitable bustle, she could have just ordered everypony away...”

“yes, but... um...” Fluttershy squeaked, shrinking a bit from the sudden attention “well, maybe she, um, needed Twilight’s help...” she paused, turning towards the back of the cave. “We could see if she left any clues, um... if you want to.”

Unconvinced, Rarity trotted over to the matted hay where the Princess once lay. Nothing seemed out of place, short of the missing Regent. Nudging gently at the straw, she carefully turned over a few matted bits, but found nothing.

“Hey, what’s that?” said Pinkie, bounding beside the startled unicorn.

“What’s what darling?” Rarity responded dryly, “I don’t see anything...”

“That spirally thing on the wall of the cave!” smiled Pinkie, her eyes widening.  “It looks pretty.”

Upon closer inspection, Rarity saw what appeared to be an odd symbol: a dark, narrow spiral, rimmed with several sharp triangles around the edge. “Strange,” she said, stepping back. “It looks like something you might find at Zecora’s hut, but why would it be here on the wall?”

“Dunno,” replied Pinkie, “Maybe we should ask her!”

“Yes, well, we’ll have to go get Rainbow Dash and Apple...” she paused, glancing over at the now crestfallen pink pony. “Pinkie, dear, what’s the matter?”

Pinkie Pie sighed, glancing between her friends and the symbol on the wall. “Y..you guys go on ahead, Rarity. There’s something I gotta do before we leave.” she said, casting a sad eye towards the far end of the cave.

“Fluttershy and I will get our things, you can meet us outside in a few minutes.” she nodded, as the pair trotted towards the front of the cave.

Pinkie Pie stood quietly for a moment, before pacing slowly across the rows of cots, towards a pair of sleeping ponies against the far wall. Stepping softly up to the cot, she gently nudged the taller of the two, a yellow stallion with a square-set jaw. “Mr. Cake?” she whispered, “are you up?”

Receiving no response, Pinkie looked about, finding a pen and small scroll on the nurses stand. Carefully scrawling a letter, she sniffled slightly as she wrote, clumsily manipulating the pen with her teeth. Inspecting her work, she hastily scratched out the last line, rolling it neatly before sliding it beneath the sleeping stallion’s pillow.

She took a step back, leaned in and lightly kissed the stallion’s forehead, whispering a soft thank you as she began to back away. Wiping a tear from her eyes, the earthpony turned tail and trotted slowly towards the outside world.

*****************************************************************************

Trotting in uncomfortable silence, Twilight’s mind was spinning. There were so many questions, and the one pony who might have some answers wasn’t quite up to talking. The pair passed endless rows of gnarled pines beset with a strange assortment of climbers and roots, while just beyond the shadows the forest seemed to writhe with a dark and eerie life; yet despite the foreboding nature of the forest, Twilight felt safe. For the first time in a long time, truly safe.

Steeling herself to the task, Twilight at last broke the silence. “Luna,” she started, clearing her throat...

“I have a final promise to my sister that I must fulfill,” said Luna flatly, “and then you can be on your way.”

“No, Luna, wait. Please... I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions like that, and... and I shouldn’t have made such a terrible assumption, that you would be so heartless as to...” Twilight paused a moment, biting her lip, “I mean, she was my teacher, but she was your sister... I’m so sorry Luna.”

Luna released a heavy sigh, slowing her trot. “I understand, Twilight,” she turned towards the unicorn, her eyes softening a bit, “and thank you... Honestly, in your horseshoes I might suspect the same thing.”

Twilight nodded, peering back into the forest ahead. “What is happening, Princess?”

“Luna, please.” she insisted, “I am no Princess.”

“Right, but Luna,” replied Twilight, “that’s what I don’t understand.”

“You’re a clever mare, Twilight,” started Luna, “I should know, Tia never shut up about it.” she grinned. “So you tell me. How is it that we’ve come to live in a Kingdom without a King, or a Queen?”

Twilight stopped in her tracks. She’d never really thought about it, actually. Her whole life she’d known the Princess controlled the Sun and Moon, and that was enough. Staring blankly at Luna, she shrugged.

“Hmmm..” Luna smiled dryly, “and what of the existence of a ruined castle deep within the Everfree Forest?”

“Well,” Twilight began, “I assumed that was where you and Celestia lived before...”

“Yes, that’s what she told everypony,” Luna interrupted, “but I can honestly say I’ve never lived there in my life. Neither had she to my knowledge.”

“But...”

“Look, Twilight,” Luna continued, “I’m going to be honest with you. When...whatever happened, happened, I was still a foal. I don’t have all the answers yet, but when we get where we’re going, things are going to get a bit clearer...” the Alicorn turned about suddenly, murmuring softly to herself.

The two ponies stood in a small clearing, behind a row of large oaks. Looking around, Twilight slowly began to recognize small bits. Even in the darkness, she realized that she’d been here before. A rustle from behind one of the bushes startled the unicorn, as a tall hooded figure emerged from the shadows, and spoke in a very familiar tone...

“Though tidings grave have brought us to this place, in times like these I’ll take a friendly face.”

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Trotting at the outskirts of Ponyville, Applejack kept a nervous eye on the horizon, scanning for any signs of movement. Her ears pricked sharply in constant motion, searching for a hint of danger, the slightest crack or hoof-fall out of place. A task made all the more difficult by the pegasus pony doing somersaults around her head...and talking.

“...So then I...”

“Uh-huh...”

“...Loop-de-loop around and...”

“Uh-huh...”

“...Nick of time!”

“RAINBOW!” shouted Applejack, panting lightly, “I got it, it’s a very exciting story! The first three times, anyway...”

“Heh, sorry...” giggled Dash, glancing sheepishly at AJ as she softly touched down.

“ ‘Sides, if the forest is as dangerous as you say it is now, we’ll need to be as quiet as possible time we get there.” AJ squinted against the darkness, trying to figure out exactly where they were. “Which should be soon, I’d reckon”

As the pair slowly crept up to the forest’s edge. Rainbow Dash grunted lightly, turning her attention to the char beneath her hooves. For once in her life, she was glad to be on the ground, the echoes of her last flight still fresh in her mind. Shaking her mane slightly, she stopped mid-stride, as her ears pricked back and forth.

“AJ,” hoarsed Rainbow, “did you hear that?”

“Yeah I did,” whispered AJ, ducking behind a felled branch. “Get down, I think somepony’s comin’...”

Laying in wait, the two ponies shared an approving glance, silently counting down as three shadows emerged from the forest. Passing closer, the shadows crept silently by the tree, as Rainbow pounced upon them.

“Gotcha-a-aah it’s Rarity!!!” she shouted, landing harshly on the alabaster unicorn.

“Nice to see you too, Rainbow Dash,” mumbled Rarity, “Now if you would be so kind as to get off of me...”

“Applejack!” Pinkie shouted, pouncing on the earthpony as she trotted from behind the tree.

“Hey, where’s Twilight?”  asked Rainbow, expectantly, “I’d of thought this would be her...” she trailed off, seeing the expressions of her friends fall sharply at the name.

As Rarity quietly explained what they’d missed, the jovial mood slipped silently into the night. Rainbow sat back on her hooves, staring into the forest, fighting back tears, while Applejack’s jaw set hard against her face. A wistful silence fell over the group, broken only by the soft rustle of the forest behind them. AJ was the first to finally speak.

“Far as I see it, we got two options here,” she coughed, clearing her throat, “Do we go off towards Zecora’s, hopin’ that’s what the princess meant, or do we head back towards the cave, an’ start our search there?”

“Silly hayseed,” responded a haughty voice from the trees, “I think I might be of assistance there...but it’ll cost you!”

A flurry of sparks and cracks streamed out of the forest, quickly trapping the group in a tight circle. Bursts of color shot in every direction, nearly striking each of them in turn, as out from the trees swung a light blue unicorn, wearing a star studded cape.

“Well, well, well,” she laughed, her voice singing over the fiery display, “it looks like the gang’s all here...” her eyes narrowed, lined with malice, “well, almost all.”

“Trixie!” Applejack shouted, stepping forward. “What‘n the hay are you doin’ here?”

“Just dropping in, seeing if The Great and Powerful Trixie’s favorite Ponyvillians needed her help,” she paused, glancing around the group. “Which, as she suspected, seems to be the case!”

“Help?” snerked Rarity, “HA! As I recall our Twilight ran you out on a rail when that Ursa came to town. I hardly think...”

“Oh... Rarity, was it?” chuckled Trixie, “Yes, I’d recognize that rat’s nest of a mane anywhere... Trixie will admit that her performance in Ponyville was, shall we say, lacking,” she paused, turning to face the group with a hard glare. “...but Trixie got a new teacher.” she smiled viciously.

Rising to her hind legs, Trixie’s horn began to glow, as behind her a mass of stones and soil floated high above. Swiping her forehooves, the sod quickly burst into flames, peppering the ground where AJ and the others were trapped.  

Bounding left and right, crashing into one another, the ponies fought bitterly to avoid the falling brimstone. Pinkie yelped loudly as fire ripped down her back, crashing heavily into Fluttershy, who covered her face in her hooves. Freeing herself from the melee, Applejack turned quickly, bucking the nearest branch she could find, narrowly missing Trixie’s head.

“That’s enough Trixie,” she shouted, panting as she turned back to face the startled unicorn. “Nice trick an’ all, but why don’t you tell us why you’re really here!”

“All business, I see...” Trixie glowered, pacing around the flames “Very well. The Great and Powerful Trixie happens to know where Twilight and your little Princess are,” she paused, turning towards the ponies with a wide and angry smile. “But more importantly, I know where they are heading...”

“So tell us!” screamed Rainbow Dash, flapping to a hover. “Tell us where they are or else...”

“Or else what?” Trixie snapped, a tight smile creeping onto her face. “How about we play a game. I’ll tell you where Twilight is when you find me,” she cackled, rearing back while her horn flared a bright blue. “Catch me if you can!” she shouted with malevolent glee, disappearing behind a conjured veil of smoke as she galloped deep into the forest.

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