Who Rules: Travels and Travesties

by Nom deCheval

Chapter Three

Celestia looked at that gates of Tartarus, her eyes fixed on that destination. Between her and her goal was a large three-headed dog, whose heads were down low, dripping with drool and showing his teeth, a faint growl-like sound coming from the depths of his being as he put his forepaws out, and raised his butt into the air.

“Cerberus,” Celestia said slowly and softly, “I am very sorry, but I do NOT have time to play.”

At the sound of the goddess’ voice, the beast yelped, jumping in the air and spinning around once before resuming the same position as before, his tail wagging furiously.

“Yes, yes, I know, it has been a long time since we played, but I have been very busy, and I am on something of a limited schedule at the moment,” Celestia answered with a heavy sigh. She was holding back the dawn, extending her time limit to rescue her beloved sister from the depths of this literal hell before her, but she knew that once she set hoof in Tartarus, her timeline became a much more fragile thing. Her current proximity might have already started that clock.

The three heads of the dog-beast whimpered, and Celestia stepped forward, rubbing the weary animal behind the ears on its center head. Cerberus immediately responded with enthusiasm, as his right head began to lick Celestia’s side, covering her pristine coat with a heavy layer of dog spit. Despite wanting to be through this as quickly as possible, Celestia could not repress a laugh.

“Oh ho ho ho. Does anypony come and play with you? Are you just left here alone all the time?” The beast’s answer was a more energetic tongue bath, almost knocking the alicorn to the side. “I will take that as a no.”

Raising her other hoof up, Celestia grabbed both sides of the massive head of the beast, staring him directly in the eyes. “I promise when this is done I will come back and we will play. Do you like that? Do you? Do you?”

Pulling away from Celestia’s grasp, Cerberus bounded around the room, at one point sliding out of control and falling into the massive brass gate that locked the denizens of Tartarus inside--and the vast majority of others outside. He finally ran back in front of the alicorn, dropping down onto the ground and looking up--very slightly due to the size of his head--at her and barking cheerfully. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Celestia said with a smile.

She stepped towards the gate, the magical glow of her horn casting a golden shadow on the reddish metal. The hinges hesitated, uncertain as to their use from neglect, and with a mournful wail, finally grinding as the door swung open.

Celestia stepped to the doorway, staring inside. Her eyes turned to steel as she set herself against the coming path, and stepped through into the waiting realm. There was no hesitation as the gate slammed shut behind her.

Not sharing her sister’s gift to see in absolute darkness, Celestia had to rely upon her own means. With a thought, her horn glowed as bright as the star she represented, sending shadows scurrying away to hide behind rocks and walls. Immediately she walked down the path, hoof steps finding their way with certainty.

The way was twisting and long, delving deep outside her own world and into the land with little light and no warmth. With every hoof fall, she could feel the cold grow around her, becoming far more frigid than any mountaintop in the north of Equestria.

She moved on, ignoring the screams from the ground as she placed her hooves and the screams of something that withered in the light of her magic. Soon--if time was working correctly--she found her next destination.

A river so wide that it seemed to be a sea, with water that burned a black flame that provided no heat, coming up from water the color of blood. On its shore stood a steady line of ponies, each clad in brass armor, all of them staring at the goddess-mare with black, empty eye sockets.

“Stand down, guardians,” Celestia spoke calmly. “I am not your duty. Your burden does not come into play with me.”

A single stallion stepped forward, his legs moving with a broken step as they cracked under the pressure of his own weight. “No mortal pony may cross the river Phlegethon. Such is our task, and we shall not forsake honor again.”

Celestia knew of these ponies. The fallen who betrayed their charge, allowing death to follow in their cowardice. It was not from their deeds that they ended up here, but from their lack of them. It was from the weight of their own sins that they were not able to rise into Elysium, and until they could forgive themselves, they would know no rest.

“Who are you?” she asked the guardian.

“Nessus. I lead this battalion,” he answered.

“Then know that I am no mortal pony. I am Celestia, Goddess of the Sun and ruler of Equestria. Immortal incarnation of light and all that goes with it. I shall pass here this day,” Celestia’s body glowed with the light of her power, driving her words into the pony.

“I know who you are,” he answered, “but you do not rule this land. We answer to another.” He stood his ground, staring at Celestia, who in turn took another step forward, her wings flaring out as she prepared herself. His words stopped her. “But you are correct. You are no mortal pony. You shall have passage across.”

The river of blood boiled, the flames parting as a churning grew beneath them. A great wooden ship pushed its way up from the depths, crashing through the surface as the fire tried in vain to catch hold to it. The blood was pushed aside and pushed back against the hull as it took seat on the surface of the river.

“I shall ferry you across,” Nessus said.

There was a slight hesitation before Celestia answered. “Thank you,” she said, stepping towards the ship, and moving up the gangplank onto its deck. The wood of the ship was stained red, and she could feel the faint sticky sensation under her hooves as she walked. She ignored it.

“The trip is not long, but if you do not know the way, it is eternal,” Nessus said as he launched the ship from shore. “This river is filled with lost souls who tried to cross on their own.”

“I know the way. It has been a long time, but I’m sure the path has remained the same,” Celestia answered.

The dead pony turned to the goddess. “Yes, I had heard you had visited in the past. The distant past,” he said.

She didn’t answer. Standing at the bow of the ship, she watched and waited, looking for signs of the shore to peak on the horizon. Wails of anguish rose up from the blood water below, and it took all of her courage to not look down to see the faces of the ponies that cried out in lamentation. Too many voices, too much suffering, for her to see the faces that went with them.

Her eyes focused on the horizon, she soon was able to spy the great brass tower that sat at the center of great city of Tartarus, Dis. Three brass walls surrounded the city, each one progressively taller than the last. It was the sole location of solace from the tortures that the world itself presented, but also was the home to the most callous of all criminals and where the greatest of all punishment occurred.

Her lungs filled with the foul air of the land as she braced herself for what she knew would be the truth. Luna would be in that city somewhere. It was only a matter of finding her, freeing her, and returning to Equestria. Just that simple.

The ship slowed, coming to a full stop as it slid into the soft shoreline of the lands of the land of the damned. “You have arrived. Take care to watch yourself, the laws of Tartarus are very different from those of your home.”

“I know, Nessus. I know all too well,” she said as she bowed to the dead pony. “Thank you for your aid. May you find peace.”

“And may you find what you are looking for,” he answered. “And may that you are able to leave in peace.”

“We shall see, warrior. Goodbye.” Celestia’s wings spread wide as she leapt into the air, letting her ride the weak atmosphere to the shore without her hooves stepping into the foul waters of the river of blood. Four hooves came down in soft succession, each padding quietly against the barren earth of the land.

With each hoof fall, Celestia’s eyes took in more and more of the city, the walls lined with dozens of guards in rotting armor of brass. She could feel eyes watching her, even though the guards on the wall were like Nessus and his contingent of blind warriors, empty sockets sitting on either side of their head. When she finally turned her attention to the grand gate, she found the eyes that stared at her.

Standing on the gate was a huge, bat-winged pony with a blood-red coat. A pair of horns twisted off of her head, spilling back towards her neck and the tattered black mane that hung loosely down her neck. A long, serpentine tail with a broad point waved behind her smoothly. Her face was hidden from view, covered in a black mask of sewn leather, brass studs lining either side of her muzzle to look like an obscene grin. Her eyes were visible though, and Celestia felt the chill strike through her as their eyes met.

The alicorn did not hesitate, nor falter in her step as she moved towards the gate, choosing to meet the stare of this mare. The figure on the gate did not move, save for her eyes that tracked Celestia’s every step, following her until she walked beneath the great arch and to the gate proper of Dis. Two guards stood, waiting for the white alicorn to approach, and then stepped into her path.

“Stand aside,” Celestia spoke in a commanding tone. “My business lies inside.”

“No living pony is allowed inside these gates,” a guard answered, his voice rasping against dried vocal chords.

“I will not ask again, so listen this time: stand aside.” Celestia’s front hoof scratched at the surface of the road--such as it was--ready to act.

“Guards!” The voice Celestia feared--but knew--that she would hear spoke clearly, the two figures at the gates responding immediately to their mistress’ words. “You will treat this pony with the respect that she deserves! You heard her: stand aside.”

An ombre colored horse stepped into view, her color ranging from deep purple on her back to mild grey at her hooves, with a mane that flowed in the stale air like oil on water, shimmering red and blue. Brass shoes and harness shined in the dim light that pervaded the land, and a crown of five brass spires rose from her head around her spiraled horn. Great wings of such a soft grey that they seemed almost ghost-like grew from her back, while her eyes of shining silver smiled at the arriving visitor. She trotted past the guards, stepping up to look Celestia in the eye, standing equally as tall.

“Selene,” Celestia said with a cold tone.

The other alicorn’s jaw dropped open, her eyes fluttering in mock surprise. “Celestia! Now, is that any way to greet me after such a long, long time? Especially since I just came to help you.”

The stale air of Tartarus once again filled Celestia’s lungs as she took in enough air to reluctantly reply. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to seem rude. It is good to see you again...sister.”

* * * * * * *

“Relax, Twilight,” Cadance said again. She hadn’t been counting the number of times those words had come out of her mouth in the current conversation, but she was reasonably sure that it would have been some sort of record for most times trying to reassure a pony that the end of the world wasn’t, in fact, nigh.

“But don’t you see?” Twilight began for the sixteenth time--she had been counting--to explain it to Cadance. “Zecora was right! Luna was really Nightmare Moon all along, and she lured Celestia away from Canterlot so that she could ambush her, capture her--or worse!--and then make it so that the night lasted forever! We’ve got to go save her! The princess could be dead!”

It amazed Cadance how large Twilight’s eyes could get. “I promise you Twilight, Celestia is fine.”

“IS SHE? IS SHE?!” Twilight was inches from Cadance’s face in a flash--literally, as she teleported in front of the pony. “How do you know?”

“Because,” Cadance began, taking a step backwards to re-establish personal space, “if Celestia died, Nightmare Moon couldn’t keep the night going forever.”

“Huh?” Twilight’s head twisted. “I don’t follow.”

“Let me explain then. When a celestial alicorn--like Luna or Celestia--die, the energy of the universe creates a new version of them to take their place. And no pony can stop it, because the energy that the alicorn would normally control--like the sun--takes over and rises on time, bringing the new alicorn to life with it.” Cadance looked at Twilight, hoping for understanding.

“I’m not sure I understand,” she replied.

“Okay,” Cadance took a deep breath. “Let’s say that Celestia did get killed by Nightmare Moon. Because she has no power over the sun normally, she could not prevent the sun from rising the next morning, because the universe was bringing a new celestial alicorn into existence with it.”

Twilight nodded. “But...what if she killed Celestia during the day?”

“Well, I suppose she could keep a new alicorn from arriving by not having the moon rise, keeping the sun up so that it couldn’t rise the next day and bring a new goddess with it, but...that kind of defeats the whole ‘endless night’ concept, doesn’t it?”

“True...” Twilight pondered the princess’ words for a moment, letting them knock a few questions off the shelves in her mind. “So, are you saying that Celestia and Luna weren’t born like we were? That they just sort of--came into being?”

“Basically, yes,” Cadance said, grateful that Twilight was grasping the concept.

“So how are they sisters?” she asked.

“Conceptually. The sun and the moon are sisters in the heavens, so Celestia and Luna are sisters in Equestria,” Cadance said.

“So, they aren’t real sisters,” Twilight repeated.

“They are if you ask them. They just don’t share any common parentage. Or any parents, actually,” Cadance explained.

“Wait,” Twilight’s eyes grew once more, “are you saying that you don’t have parents either? That you just...appeared?”

“No, I’m not. I’m not a celestial alicorn. I was born from living parents just like you were. And I’m not immortal like they are, either. Just...long lived.”

“How long?” Twilight stared up and down at Cadance, trying to remember if the pony looked any different now than she did when they first met.

“Long. Let’s not get into that, okay?” The alicorn’s wings popped out a bit, her feathers ruffling out.

“What about Shining Armor? Are you going to... I mean, is he going to...” Twilight couldn’t finish the question.

“Let’s deal with the matter at hoof, okay? We have a night that is still going, and a bit of a problem of our own, remember?” Cadance’s cheerful demeanor came back quickly.

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten!” Twilight’s panic came back just as quickly. “We’re stuck in here until the sun rises, and Celestia knows when that will happen! Wait, she does, actually.”

“That’s right. But, unfortunately, there is a whole nation of ponies that are probably starting to get just as nervous as you are right now. And since I’m in charge, they’re going to be looking to me for guidance.” Cadance paced back and forth slowly, her head down as she concentrated on the right solution.

“True, but, they are also wanting something else from you right now. And me. And both of us,” Twilight reminded her by slapping her own flank with her hoof. “And it doesn’t have anything to do with you aunts!”

“I know, I know,” Cadance replied as she paced. “But we have to go out there. We have to think of the ponies.”

“Sure, cause I’m pretty sure they’re thinking about us right now!” Twilight began pacing back and forth opposite from Cadance, matching her step for step.

“Not all of them, just the one’s that know us. Or of us,” she said.

“Which is just about everypony, thanks to what you did with the changelings and what the girls and I did with both Nightmare Moon and Discord,” Twilight retorted.

“Good point.” Cadance passed Twilight.

“So, we’ve got to do something to get rid of this spell.” Twilight passed Cadance.

“Which we already did. There’s just been a wrinkle added to the whole thing.” Cadance and Twilight passed each other.

“A wrinkle? That’s putting it mildly. This is more like a deep fold or a pleat. We’re waiting for the sun to come up and we don’t even know why it isn’t!” Twilight turned to come towards Cadance.

“Right, which means that we can solve both problems--calming the populace and getting rid of the spell with one action.” Cadance turned towards Twilight.

“We have to raise the sun!” They said in unison.

“I mean, sure, why not? Unicorns used to do it back before Equestria was formed, so why can’t we do it now, right?” Twilight beamed as she stepped towards Cadance.

“Exactly! Which means that you and I should be able to do it ourselves, thus creating the final component of our spell!” Cadance said, stepping up to meet Twilight.

Twilight opened her mouth, and then paused. “Wait a second. If what you said about Celestia and Luna are true, why did unicorns used to have to raise the sun? Weren’t they already created? Why didn’t Celestia do it back then?”

“Long story,” Cadance said. “Maybe another time.”

“I would love to take the time to listen to the story. I like stories. You used to tell me stories all the time,” Twilight answered.

“Then we should definitely do it. Spend some time together...telling stories,” Cadance answered.

“Right.” She and Cadance were standing close to each other, staring into each other’s eyes for far longer than either of them realized. “Um, is it getting hot in here?”

“Oh yeah,” Cadance replied huskily.

“Yeah.” Twilight felt her heart skip a beat.

“You know, you are a really smart pony,” Cadance said.

“Thanks. I’ve had a crush on you since I was a foal,” she replied.

“What?” Cadance shook her head, stepping backwards. “Wait, what? You had a what on who? I...I think that the spell might be starting to effect us.”

“Oh gosh! Oh gosh! I...I...” Twilight stammered. “Yes! The spell! That’s what caused that. Totally!”

“Which makes it even more important that we raise the sun,” Cadance said, turning to look out the window.

“I agree!” Twilight stepped backwards and looked out a different window.

“Right,” Cadance nodded to what should be the morning’s night sky. “So, do YOU know how to raise the sun?”

“I was kinda hoping you did,” Twilight answered, also nodding. “You’re the alicorn after all.”

“True, but you’re the magic expert,” she replied.

They turned to look at each other once more, remaining at their respective windows.

“So what now?” Cadance asked.

“Well, if there is any record of how it was done before Equestria was formed, it would be kept in the Royal Archive of Magical Documentation,” Twilight stated.

“That building is all the way across Canterlot,” Cadance reminded her.

“Yeah. I know,” Twilight slowly stepped away from her window, walking to stand beside Cadance. “I could teleport there by myself, but it’s too far to take you with me.”

“But you would need me, especially if something bad happened. We need to stick together,” Cadance found herself looking into the unicorn’s eyes once more.

“Yeah. I totally need you.” Twilight couldn’t break her look from the alicorn.

They stared with great conviction, lost in the moment. Which was probably why they didn’t hear the other mare approach.

“That looks like it’s headed for fun. Can I join in?” she asked.

Both Twilight and Cadance spun at the words, shocked back into the moment by the unexpected statement. Standing in the room with them was a tall, lean unicorn with a long, pink mane and violet eyes that sat half-lidded as she stared hungrily at the other two mares.

“Fleur de Lis?” Cadance responded in shock. “What are you--wait a second, forget what--HOW did you get in here?”

The white mare smiled mischievously.

* * * * * * *

There is no sun in Tartarus. Nor a moon. Nor day or night. Unlike the pitch black of the path down, the sky above the damned remains a constant grey, the color of the end of a long day of dismal clouds that threaten rain but deliver nothing. The ground is black and grey, with no grass or growth of any kind. A barren landscape in the truest sense. The only colors that break the palate are those of blood and fire--and brass.

The city of brass is the only sign of civilization, and it is more a sign of a prison or fortress. No opulence. No culture. Walls and more walls. And a great tower to lord over it all. And in the middle of those walls, under the grey skies, Celestia sat at a huge stone table.

“You will have to forgive the selection, but we are not blessed with the variety of choices that you have in Equestria.” Selene sat across from the sun goddess, her expression one of overblown regret. “Still, I feel we must do our best to welcome one of our very rare visitors. And one of such high station at that!”

“You’re very kind, Selene,” Celestia answered, her smile a much more practiced genuine.

“Oh please! It is the least I can do for my sister,” she answered.

Celestia looked at the selection on the table. Various lichens and mushrooms littered the arrangement. She recognized most of the mushrooms, but not all. Inevitably some must have been native to Tartarus alone.

“I do hope you enjoy the meal. My servants are just dying to know what you think,” Selene mocked.

“It is an interesting arrangement of choices. I’m afraid I do not know some of these mushrooms. Where do you gather them from?”

Selene’s hoof pointed out at the long, black mushrooms with a thick stalk and almost no cap. “Those are whisper stalks, they grow on the side of basalt formations, leaching their color from that stone. And those,” she pointed to red, broad-capped mushrooms with very short stalks, “are flame spots, which can be found only near sulfur deposits; it gives them a sharp, exotic flavor. But my favorites are the restful lamentation.” She gestured finally to a flat, white mushroom that seemed to grow in layers upon itself.

Eying them all carefully, Celestia lingered on the last one for a moment, waiting for the mare to continue. “And where do you harvest them?” she finally asked.

“They are special,” she said with smile, “they only grow on the bodies of those that were sent here for the sin of sloth. They are too damned slow to move, and the mushrooms grow right out of their body. It’s said that harvesting them is excruciatingly painful.”

Celestia stared across the table at the other pony. Her expression went from practiced smile to expressionless. “Are you trying to shock me, Selene? I thought better than that of you.”

The ombre alicorn shook her head. “No, I’m not. I’m describing what life is like here. LIFE. There isn’t very much of it here, Celestia. This is the land of the dead, after all, and the small bit of life that does live here has to find ways to survive.”

“Of course,” Celestia answered calmly, “and I have no doubt that it is a difficult task to live here, but I am disappointed by the theatrics.”

“Theatrics?” she laughed. “You think THIS is theatrics? You know so very little of Tartarus, dear sister.”

The conversation was rapidly descending into a place that Celestia felt best avoided. Glancing around, her eyes once again found the mare with the leather hood. She stood atop the great tower, staring down at the pair of alicorns, her tail twitching rapidly.

“Who is she?” Celestia asked, giving a quick nod to the odd pony. “I have never seen her kind before.”

The other mare turned her head, following Celestia’s eyes, and let out a small snicker when she saw the target of her sister’s curiosity. “Ah, that is Tisiphone,” she turned back to Celestia, who brought her head around to meet her gaze. “She is one of the erinyes. As well as my dearest companion.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, prompting Selene to continue.

“My predecessor was not the kind soul that I am,” she began, her voice becoming somewhat wistful. “And he kept a tight rein on all those in his command. Controlling. Even abusive. And he relished in the pain he could bring.

“When I took control, I found Tisiphone chained to a wall in a secret chamber behind his personal quarters. It seems he took a liking to her, and so she became the target of his affections--as well as everything else. She was kept prisoner. Hidden away from all eyes. I didn’t find her for almost a full century after I assumed the throne, trapped and chained in her own private cell. I found her broken, in more ways than one, and nursed her back to health. We took a...liking to each other. Since then, she has never left my side.”

Her eyes softened as Celestia listened to the words, her reply broke the chill that she had placed on herself. “That is noble. And kind. But tell me, what is an erinyes? I do not know them. Is that why she wears a mask? Is it a part of her culture?”

Shaking her head, Selene let her smile twist. “No. She wears the mask because her face has been scarred and twisted into a horrific shadow of what it once was. She was beautiful once, but my predecessor wanted the vision of that beauty to be his alone, so he committed it to memory and erased it from her. He even stole her tongue, wanting her voice to be his memory alone, but she can still speak--to an extent. She claims that he says he only ever saw her beauty when he looked at her afterwards, but knowing how twisted his mind was, who knows?”

“How horrific. She must be so grateful that you came along,” Celestia replied, her focus on the story of the abused mare.

“Yes and no,” Selene sighed. “You see, she is forever bound to me now, feeling that I was her salvation. But to answer your question from earlier, the erinyes are spirits of punishment, each one focusing on their own unique domain.”

Celestia waited, expecting more description from Selene. She finally spoke again to satisfy her curiosity. “And what is the domain of Tisiphone?”

The ombre pony let her expression stay even as she spoke, “Betrayal and vengeance. We have that nature in common. It’s what drew us together. And what keeps her so close and so distant to me. She did not get the chance for her vengeance on the stallion who ruined her life and took her face, but cannot betray the one who saved her. She is forever torn, but would do anything to protect me.” Selene leveled her eyes at Celestia, the cold light of the world turning away from them for that moment. “Anything, sister.”

“And so she watches me,” Celestia replied, the compassion a razor in her voice. “She is protecting you--of sorts.”

“She is merely cautious,” Selene’s voice became the echo of kindness again. “Who knows what such a powerful being such as yourself would do here if left unchecked? Oh, and that reminds me: what ARE you doing here, dear sister?”

“You know very well why I am here, Selene,” Celestia answered bluntly.

“Yes, but humor me. I want to hear it come from your mouth,” Selene stated.

Celestia paused, staring across the cold table in front of them. She raised her head up and spoke clearly, “I have come for Luna. I wish to set her free.”

“Yes. Yes, of course you have.” Selene’s smile dimmed the light of the air. “And we will talk at length about her situation...after we eat. You wouldn’t want this food to go to waste, would you? It is a rare commodity in Tartarus.”

Taking a deep breath, Celestia nodded once. “Of course. And again, you are too kind to bring it out for me, sister.”

“Oh, think nothing of it,” Selene’s horn came to life, a deep purple glow raising a chalice to her mouth. “A toast! To sisters reunited!”

Four heartbeats passed before Celestia brought her own goblet to her muzzle. “To sisters reunited.”

They both drank deeply as Tisiphone began to pace back and forth on the tower above them.

* * * * * * *

It is always a bit disconcerting when an impregnable fortress is impregnated. Especially if you are the ones that are inside the impregnable fortress, and the impregnation was done by somepony who is best known for being nothing more than very, very attractive. It takes away a lot of the mystique about the word impregnable.

Or adds a lot of mystique to the attractive pony.

“You haven’t answered my question, Fleur,” Cadance moved around the bed, doing her best to keep the white mare on the opposite side from her. “How did you get in here?”

“Why are you so interested in that?” she asked, her eyes darting back and forth between the alicorn and Twilight Sparkle. For her part, Twilight was staying behind Cadance, hunkered down low ready for action, adding another level of defense against the aggressive mare that invaded the room.

“Because no pony is supposed to be able to get in here!” Cadance answered.

“Oh, that,” Fleur made a leap across the bed, clearing it easily. Cadance shrieked and Twilight reacted, teleporting both of them back to where Fleur was previously standing.

“Slippery little minxes, aren’t you?” Fleur’s eyes were wild, and a bit of drool seeped out of the side of her mouth. “That’s okay, the chase just adds to the excitement.”

“I don’t think this is going well,” Twilight said nervously.

“It’s not going bad, though,” Cadance replied, shifting her weight as Fleur seemed to tense for another action. “I mean, she doesn’t want to hurt us.”

“Hurt you? Absolutely not!” Fleur insisted. “I mean, unless you mares are into that.”

“NO!” they shouted in unison.

“Oh good. I really prefer a happy scene.” She dashed to her right, trying to sprint around to meet the other ponies, but they ran the opposite way, keeping the gap between them consistent. Before they had time to recover, Fleur turned course and ran back the other way, causing the pair of mares to skid to a halt and run the other way. Seeing an opportunity, the white unicorn leapt again across the bed, positioning herself directly in front of the running duo. She reached out, looking to catch them both in an embrace--just as Twilight teleported them again.

“Damn! Almost got you!” Fleur grinned madly.

Cadance turned just enough to see Twilight out of the corner of her eye. Labored breathing was just beginning to show from both the physical and magical exertion she was putting herself through.

“No chasing, Fleur,” Cadance said. “Let’s stop this.”

“I agree. Join me on the bed,” she responded, her eyebrows dancing playfully.

“Why don’t we start with something a bit simpler. Like answering my question. I AM the Princess of Equestria at the moment, after all,” Cadance decided to try a different approach.

“Very true, Your Highness,” Fleur answered, “which is why I came here in the first place.”

“Wait,” Cadance raised up her head slightly, “what difference does that make?”

“It’s my job,” she answered. “I’m here to protect the princess.”

“Hold on. Hold on. What?” Cadance asked.

Twilight raised herself up, just as confused. “Protect the princess? From what? A bad mane day?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot,” Fleur said, stalking around the bed again. Cadance and Twilight kept their position from her. “Okay, let’s pretend for a second that I’m not just a pretty face, okay? That maybe, just maybe, my relationship with Fancy Pants is there to make sure that I stay close to the castle. And that my real job is to watch over the princess--well, both of them, actually--to make sure that there is no covert action being taken against them.”

Cadance opened her mouth for a full second before she spoke. “Are you telling us that...you’re a spy?”

“No! A spy does that to OTHER kingdoms. I’m special security. Ex-spy, actually. And it’s my job to guard your body. So bring that body over here!” Fleur suggested.

“Okay, hold on.” Twilight was shaking her head in confusion. “You mean to tell me that you are some sort of special bodyguard for Princess Celestia?”

“That’s a simple explanation, but...yes,” Fleur answered, slinking a little to the right.

“But I lived here for years. And I was the princess’ personal student. I knew everything that was going on--and lately I mean EVERYTHING. So why have I never heard about this?” Twilight was borderline apoplectic at this revelation.

“Because I’m good. Very, very good, actually. I learned from the best. You ever hear of Hata Marey?” she asked.

“The seductress spy? Everypony has heard of her,” Cadance replied knowingly.

“She was an amateur,” Fleur said. “I’m the real deal.”

“Why do you say that?” Twilight asked.

“Because she got...caught!” Fleur made another leap for them, but this time Twilight was prepared. She caught the mare in mid leap and help her aloft over the bed.

Fleur’s eyes shot wide and her grin grew larger. “Ooh, kinky. I like the whole ‘helpless mare’ bit.”

“That’s not what I’m doing!” Twilight defended.

“Actually, it kind of is,” Cadance whispered back to her, and then turned back to the suspended mare. “But more importantly, you are now going to tell us exactly how you got in here.”

Fleur de Lis giggled slightly, causing Twilight’s expression to drop. “What are you laughing at?”

“Well, you two aren’t exactly intimidating,” she answered. “And besides, I know that neither of you would hurt me. So, it’s just a matter of running a little magical interference against you until you get too tired to hold me up, and then you’ll be easy to catch.”

“Oh, this is getting ridiculous,” Cadance let out an exasperated sigh. “What do we have to do to get you to talk to us?”

The suspended unicorn turned her head slightly, and Twilight could see one eyebrow cock up high on her forehead. “A trade, eh? Interesting...”

“Cadance, what are you doing?” Twilight whispered.

“We’ve got to do something, Twilight. And she might be able to help us,” she answered, before turning back to Fleur. “Right. A trade. What do you propose? And remember, we’ve got you captured!”

“Oh, I know,” she purred. “I feel so helpless. So, why don’t we start with something simple. I’ll tell you how I got in if...the two of you kiss.”

The pupils of both mare’s eyes shrank to dots. They threw a quick glance at each other for a split second and then turned right back to the suspended mare.

“Oh, now I REALLY want to see it,” Fleur responded to them.

“I don’t...that’s not a good idea,” Twilight stated.

“What else can we do?” Cadance asked.

Fleur grinned suggestively.

“NO! I did NOT mean it that way!” Cadance responded.

Fleur frowned. “Darn, and I was so getting ready to tell you everything that I knew. Now I guess you’ll never know.”

“If you are so ready, then tell us. We really need to know,” Cadance urged.

“And I really need to see you two kiss,” she responded.

“No. And it’s not the same. What we need to do is for the whole of Canterlot,” Cadance explained, her voice deep with consideration.

“Oooh. Say ‘hole’ again,” Fleur twisted the words around.

“Oh for goodness sake!” Twilight shouted. She reached forward, grabbed Cadance by the muzzle and planted a big, wet kiss right on her mouth. “There! Now tell us how you got in here!”

Cadance blinked several times at Twilight’s rather aggressive action.

“Not that kind of kiss!” Fleur said. “I meant a REAL kiss.”

“You didn’t say that, so fess up!” Twilight insisted.

“Oh, fine then: I walked,” she answered.

“Hey! That’s not fair. That doesn’t tell us how--”

“And that wasn’t a real kiss!” Fleur broke in on Twilight, not letting her finish.

“Uh,” Cadance stopped blinking long enough to make a statement, “it’s okay, Twilight. I mean, this is important. You can...you can kiss me again.”

“Cadance, I’m not sure that--” Twilight wasn’t able to finish her words, as Cadance brought her lips over to kiss the unicorn. This time, the kiss lingered. Their lips pulled on each other, trying to pry the other pair apart to gain access beyond. A tongue came out and danced across a pair of lips, not quite passing beyond because it was met by another tongue that played with its tip at the entrance to the other mare’s mouth.

“Now that is more like it,” Fleur whispered into Cadance’s ear.

“What?” Twilight pulled back, surprised to see the unicorn standing on the ground. “How did you--”

“You were distracted,” Fleur explained, interrupting her. Twilight was getting a little tired of not being able to finish her sentences. “But in a good way.”

Fleur’s horn lit up, using her magic to gently urge Cadance’s muzzle to turn towards her own. She brought her lips up, brushing them against the alicorn’s. Cadance could feel Fleur’s lips move against her own as the mare whispered to her, “Relax. You’re perfectly safe with me.”

“I shouldn’t be--” Cadance began, but never finished.

“You should lie back and let me take things from here.” Fleur pushed the mare back onto the bed, without any strong resistance. “I promise to give you everything that you’re looking for.”

“The information?” Cadance asked.

“Sure. Why not?” Fleur pushed her further onto the bed, climbing up after her.

“Uh, Cadance?...” Twilight’s tone asked the question more than the words.

“It’s okay, Twilight. If this gets us what we need to get out of here, then--” Fleur moved up and kissed the princess, stopping her in mid-sentence.

It was a short kiss, but to the point. “Less talk. More sex,” Fleur stated, as she began to kiss her way down Cadance’s chest and stomach.

“What should I do?” Twilight’s concern over Cadance’s well-being was taking over.

“You should...ohhhh...should go and...wow, she’s good...you should go and...” Cadance’s head lolled back as Fleur’s head buried itself between her hindquarters. She could feel the mare’s tongue circling in some odd, unknown-to-her method.

“Do what?” Twilight urged.

“Her,” Cadance moaned. “Do her.”

Twilight’s eyes became beacons of white with almost imperceptible dots of black. “What now?”

“She...she’s really wanting...both of us,” Cadance forced herself to talk through the experience. Not an easy task. “So she...needs to...be...ohhhhh...”

Cadance’s voice trailed off as she closed her eyes. Twilight turned to look down at the cause, and saw Fleur ravenously devouring Cadance’s marehood. She had never seen anything quite so...primal. Even the times that she was witness to Celestia and Luna’s passionate activities, they had a sense of design to them. Whatever was going on with Fleur right now, it was of a far more base nature.

And Twilight was getting amazingly turned on by it.

Licking her lips, Twilight slid down Cadance’s body, getting a closer view of the action. Fleur was moving her tongue faster than Twilight thought possible, and despite her first impression, it wasn’t entirely without pattern. It looked to her as though Fleur’s tongue was was both twisting itself in circles and rolling around the outside of Cadance’s pussy in a large arcing motion.

She sat there, staring at the mare as she pleasured Cadance. Not sure what to do, she opened her mouth to speak, but only a gasp of amazement escaped. Fleur’s eyes opened, and met Twilight’s. The white unicorn smiled up at her, or at least that’s what Twilight thought. Fleur’s mouth never separated from Cadance’s sex, her tongue still working its own brand of magic, but the curl on her lips seemed to say that she was smiling.

“Twi...light...” Cadance forced herself to speak, “you’ve got...to...”

“Right,” Twilight whispered, her eyes still looking at Fleur. She moved, sliding to the floor and stepping behind the protruding body of the model--or actually, spy, she realized--mare.

Fleur’s flank was even better than she remembered. It wasn’t as full or shapely as Zecora’s, or as seemingly perfect as either princess,’ but it had a beautiful, athletic shape to it. And her tail was flicking back and forth, exposing her marehood for Twilight to see. The shade of pink amazed Twilight. It was so soft that it almost blended in with Fleur’s coat. But it was also so full and engorged that there was no way it could be overlooked, and she was obviously pushing her flank backwards towards Twilight.

She didn’t need any more urging. Twilight moved her face forward, planting a kiss on the right rear cheek of the white unicorn. And then another. And another, each one moving closer to her ultimate goal. By the time her mouth brushed against Fleur’s nether lips in the most intimate of kisses, the mare was so excited that she momentarily forgot what she was doing to Cadance. Which was all the opportunity that the alicorn needed.

In a flash, Cadance’s hooves wrapped around Fleur’s horn, and began to pull against it, caressing it upwards. She could feel her own administrations at work as each stroke on her horn also pressed the mare’s muzzle directly against Cadance’s sex. Pulling one hoof up, she spit on it, making it easier to slide along the striated ridges.

At the same time, Twilight dove into her task. Her tongue plunging deep into Fleur’s cunt with driving rhythm, pulling out in time to lick up and down the slit, taking special care to tease the clit before driving back into the waiting hole.

Fleur was suddenly lost in an erotic overload. Her brain was unable to keep up with anything that was happening to her as both ends of her body were assaulted simultaneously. So, she let her training take over.

As an elite member of the Pony Intelligence Echelon--or P.I.E. as it was more commonly known--Fleur had been trained in the arts of both seduction and sexual pleasure. And she excelled at her training, as Cadance had both already discovered and was finding out again.

Fleur’s tongue was rolling around Cadance’s clit, pausing only to let the mare take the nub into her mouth with a slight nibble, barely raking her teeth over its sensitive surface. It was driving Cadance wild with arousal.

To counter, Cadance was twisting her hoof around Fleur’s horn, letting it roam down the full length of it, before bringing it to the tip and rolling it around the head of her horn, teasing the tip.

Each mare fought to bring the other to orgasm, pushing the other to go over the edge before they reached their own peak. It would have been very close, had it not been for the actions of a certain lavender unicorn.

Twilight’s experience was far less than either of the other two mares in the room, but she did have the advantage of that limited experience being, in part, with two ancient goddesses of celestial power. Letting instinct guide her, Twilight kept her tongue working the outside of Fleur’s pussy, tugging and pulling on her lips while still dancing across the clit that seemed to be getting harder and harder with every passing second.

The gentle teasing of Twilight on her marehood and Cadance on her horn was too much. Fleur’s breathing became ragged and quick, and finally held as she sat on the brink of ecstasy. And then she exploded.

Both Cadance and Twilight were greeted with a welcome rush of orgasmic evidence, as Fleur’s pussy and horn released their cum. Twilight’s mouth was awash as Fleur’s cunt drenched her. She took in as much as her mouth could manage, but it overflowed and ran down her chin and cheeks, staining the bed sheets below.

Cadance was welcomed with a similar display, as a gush of magical ejaculate coated her body, creating a tingling sensation that also sent her over the edge. The force of the horngasm kept striking Cadance, as she released herself onto Fleur’s muzzle, the surprised mare doing her best to fight through her own double-orgasm to let her tongue try to enhance Cadance’s pleasure.

Eventually, Fleur’s strength left her, and she collapsed on top of the alicorn princess. Cadance let her hooves move through Fleur’s mane, as she saw Twilight stand up from behind the unicorn, her right hoof wiping across her mouth.

It was time to press the advantage. Shifting around on the bed, Cadance moved to be muzzle-to-muzzle with Fleur. Her tongue snaked out, licking across the white mare’s face, tasting her own juices imbedded in the coat. Twilight watched on, her eyes growing increasingly wider.

“That was so good,” Cadance whisper in a purr. “So good. I imagine that you get to do this all the time with Celestia, don’t you? Since you can get in here whenever you want.”

“Hmmm?” Fleur was still recovering from the intense double orgasm. “No. No, I’ve never been with the princess.” She looked up at Cadance. “Well, THAT princess, anyway.”

“Oh really? What a waste of your skills. And she could sneak you in so easily. At least, I think she could. How did you get in here, again?” Cadance let her tongue drag across the mare’s muzzle once more.

“The secret passage.” Fleur let her head move back with the pull of the tongue, her smile growing wider alongside it.

“Secret passage?” Cadance asked, nibbling on Fleur’s ear. “How clever. I didn’t even know there was one in the castle.”

“No, you wouldn’t. Only Celestia, Luna, myself and one other know about it,” Fleur said. “For security reasons.”

“That makes sense, I suppose. That way you get access to anywhere in the castle. A spy’s dream.” Cadance replied, her mouth layering kisses along the mare’s neck.

“No, THIS is a spy’s dream,” Fleur stated seductively.

“I’m surprised the door didn’t lock when I activated the room’s security, though.” Cadance was kissing the underside of her neck and up along her chin.

“It’s magic. You have to be a unicorn--or alicorn--to open it. And know the key. It’s always secured, actually,” she sighed in response.

Bringing her hooves up, Cadance stroked along the neck until she held Fleur’s muzzle, and brought her lips over to brush against the mare’s, tickling them with her words. “Clever. Where is this door? And what is the key?”

“It’s the mirror along the north wall. The big one that is half hidden in the curtains. But I can’t tell you the key. That’s only--” Fleur never got a chance to finish. Cadance pressed her lips firmly against the mare’s, her tongue now invading the other’s mouth.

“You have to,” Cadance said somewhat forcefully as she pulled away, “I am the ruler of Equestria. It is your duty to obey me.”

“No, no,” Fleur laughed. “I mean, I can’t tell you because it can only be exchanged magically.”

“Well, let’s see what we can do, then.” Cadance shifted her head up, bringing the base of her horn into direct contact with the base of Fleur’s. A pleasant scraping sound was barely audible as she moved from base to tip, until the points of each horn were the only things touching. “Give it to me,” she moaned.

A spark arced out, tracing down Fleur’s horn, traveling along the spiral ridge and then reflecting back up until it crossed over to Cadance’s, racing down her horn and branching apart until is completely enveloped it, and then finally seemingly burrowing into the magical channel. Cadance gasped.

“Powerful, huh?” Fleur whispered.

“But exactly what I was hoping for,” Cadance kissed the mare once more.

“Well, now that we have that out of the way, why don’t we try for a second coming--so to speak,” Fleur suggested.

Cadance shook her head. “No. Twilight and I have to go. We have an important task to accomplish.”

“Okay, well, we can play a little along the way, then,” Fleur moved to stand, but Cadance pushed her back down.

“Oh no! I want you right here when we get back,” she said with a smile. “I need this room secure.”

Fleur started to protest, but staring into Cadance’s eyes, she found her impossible to refuse. “Stay safe. This party is far from finished.”

Rising up, Fleur brought her mouth to Cadance’s once more, pressing into a kiss that exposed all of her feelings in a single moment. The alicorn pulled back, smiling. She looked over at her friend, and found Twilight standing there almost catatonic, her mouth gaping open and a small string of drool dragging its way out of her mouth.

Cadance rushed over to her...subtly. “Twilight? Twilight are you okay?” she whispered.

“I--I don’t...wow,” she answered. “I thought she was the seductress super spy.”

Cadance laughed. “Well, I AM a goddess of love. I do know a thing or two myself.”

“I’ll say,” Twilight barely spoke.

“We need to go,” Cadance urged her away, stopping after only a few steps. She turned back to Fleur. “Wait, you said that there was another pony that knew about the secret passage. Who?”

Lying on her side, her head propped up on a single hoof, Fleur was watching the two mare’s walk away. “Hmmm? Oh, yes. That would be the Captain of the Guard.”

Cadance froze. Twilight spoke.

“Captain of the Guard? As in my BROTHER, the Captain of the Guard?” She turned back to look at Cadance. “You’re right,” she said, “we do need to go. Now.”

They trotted towards the mirror with a little more urgency.

* * * * * * *

The goblet floated over to Celestia, who took it with her own magic. She breathed in its odor. “And what is this called again?”

“Sanguine,” Selene answered. “Think of it as an after-dinner drink. Of sorts.”

“It has a most...unusual smell to it. What is it made from?” Celestia asked.

Selene took a deep drink, the corners of her mouth curling up around her own goblet. She pulled it away, licking her lips. “Better to just drink and not ask questions. Though I did find it to be a bit of an acquired taste,” she stated.

Celestia looked down, swirled the liquid in the goblet, and stared at the stain that it left on the side of the metal. “So, let’s talk about Luna,” she said, placing the goblet on the table near her.

“Ah, yes. Luna.” Selene took another drink. “Do understand that we don’t call her that around here.”

A single eyebrow arched up on Celestia’s face.

“Nightmare Moon. She has a much more infamous name here,” Selene explained.

“Then you have her mis-named. She is Luna.” Celestia raised her head up, looking across her muzzle at the other alicorn.

“Oh, I know who she is. But I’m not sure that you do.” Selene moved to sit on a large chair that sat at one end of the spartanly decorated room. Stone walls were peppered with brass decorations. Heavenly bodies--the sun, moon, and stars--were all represented in metal on the walls. The goblets they drank from were brass as well. The only color in the room was a deep red, which tinted the upholstery of both the large chair that Selene occupied and the smaller one upon which Celestia rested a few feet away. Brass tables sat beside both chairs, one of them holding a full goblet of liquid.

“I know her better than anypony,” Celestia stated.

“The pony you call Luna is responsible for many atrocities. Some of which you are totally unaware of, you realize,” Selene stated, sitting forward in her chair.

“That was Nightmare Moon, not Luna.”

“Ah. Well, there is where the problem lies. There is no difference between the two. They share a common fate,” Selene stated.

“Luna is innocent. She is the one who stopped Nightmare Moon the last time she... She stopped Nightmare Moon and saved all of Equestria,” Celestia urged.

“So sad,” Selene stated, stretching out her wings. “No matter what you say, it doesn’t change anything.”

“I am here to free her, Lena,” Celestia stated calmly. “I want her brought to me.”

The mood around the ombre alicorn altered, as though no air was allowed to move in the room. “Lena? It’s been millennia since anypony has called me that. I wonder why?” She turned her head to look for the answer. “Oh yes, I remember now...”

Her eyes lit inside, and the air suddenly moved completely, swirling around the room in a torrent. “It’s because you were the only one who ever used that name!”

“I did not mean to...” Celestia’s voice trailed off, dying softly.

“What? Abandon me? Of course not. You had your life, and I had--well, I had this, didn’t I?” Selene’s words dripped from her mouth.

“That was your own doing, and you know it,” she replied, her voice strong again.

“But what did you do to help me? What?!” She rose from her chair and moved to loom over the sun goddess.

“There was nothing I could do. You know that,” Celestia answered.

“But did you even try?!” The rage of thousands of years carried themselves in those five words. And the silence that followed spoke volumes.

“I want to see Luna,” Celestia repeated. “I am taking her back.”

Staring down at Celestia, Selene’s head jerked back slightly. And then again, as her lip curled up on one side. Finally, the faint sound of laughter came echoing from her throat as she turned and walked back to her chair. Her back to Celestia, her cutie mark--a silver orb surrounded by a blue glow--fully in view, she ruffled her wings out, and then turned and gracefully sat once more.

“And what about the others?” Selene asked.

“Others? What others?” Celestia responded.

“Why, all the other souls of ponies that are here. The ones whose sisters sit at home, praying for their salvation. Hoping for them to find peace. You are going to see them as well, aren’t you?” Selene’s voice carried more than a slight mocking tone.

“That is different,” Celestia stated. “They are here for a reason.”

“And so is your Luna,” Selene growled. “And every sister thinks that their loved one is here unjustly. But they aren’t are they? They all have to stay, and so does your Luna. She is like any other sister. And besides, I seem to recall you leaving another sister here in the past.”

Celestia paused, taking in a deep breath. A count of ten went through her head before she spoke again. “Luna is not just my sister. She is more than that to me.”

“More than--” Selene stopped herself. “Oh. Oh my. I see. Interesting.” She shook her head, staring at the ground for a moment, and then pulled her eyes back up to look at Celestia. “Well, there are FAR more lovers in Tartarus than there are sisters. That ups the list, doesn’t it?”

“I would have thought that you would understand my feelings,” Celestia said with purpose.

“Do NOT speak that way! I do not give you permission to do so!” Selene rose up once again, turning to pace back and forth across the stone floor, her hoof steps echoing off the hard walls. “I rule here, Celesti--no,” she turned and looked at her sister, “CELLY. If we are going to be that familiar once again.”

“I understand what you did, Lena,” there was no anger in Celestia’s voice, “and I would have done anything to save you, but...I couldn’t. The sun had already risen. I couldn’t stop what happened.”

“You could have tried,” she answered, her voice fighting to stay level, her eyes focused on the ground once again.

The was a long pause before Celestia spoke. “I did,” she said. “I tried, but I didn’t have the power. I couldn’t hold back what was coming.”

Selene turned towards Celestia. “Why didn’t you try to free me?”

“To what end?” Celestia voice asked with passion. “To remind you what you lost? I couldn’t take you from this place because of YOUR actions, sister. You set your fate. I came to visit those few times, happy to come down here and see you, but I couldn’t continue. Each visit only reminded you of what was outside this place. I could see the resentment growing in you every time I journeyed here. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“So you left me to rot,” her voice froze in the air. “Left me among the damned.”

“You put yourself here, Lena. I simply did not wish to make it worse,” Celestia answered, rising from her chair to walk to stand beside her sister. “Now please, I beg of you, let me see Luna.”

There was no answer.

“I love her, Lena. Please,” Celestia pleaded.

With great deliberation, Selene raised her head up to stare Celestia directly in the eye. A smile slowly grew on her face, one without any warmth or compassion. “You can’t,” she finally said, “she’s in The Pit.”

Any color that was normally in Celestia’s face went away. “What?”

“What would you expect for Nightmare Moon? She is the worst of the worst,” Selene answered, straightening up and ruffling her wings once again.

“But, Luna is--” Celestia never finished.

“Luna is Nightmare Moon. And Nightmare Moon is Luna. They share the same fate,” Selene walked away from Celestia, moving towards the door. “You know the way out, Celestia. Now excuse me, I have work to do. Tartarus does not run itself.”

She exited, leaving Celestia alone with her thoughts.

* * * * * * *

At one of the squares near the castle in Canterlot, a gathering of ponies was standing and listening to a mare giving an impassioned speech.

“It is a sign. A sign to bring us together and put us in motion.” The crowd muttered an unintelligible response. “For too long, we have thought we were living in the light, but now we see that we are truly living in darkness!”

She paced back and forth, staring out at the crowd, looking for sympathetic eyes.

“Our princesses have gone down a dark path, and brought that darkness down upon us all. There is no sun. There is no light. Not so long as these princesses rule over us. The universe itself has given us a message!”

A few of the ponies were nodding, some even vocalized their agreement.

“But we are not left without hope. We are not left alone in the darkness. No, there is one pony that can lead us to a new light. A pony that can take us to a new dawn. A pony that, by her very nature, can show us only love!”

The shouts increased. More of the ponies were nodding along with her words.

“The old princesses are gone, and they have left us in the dark. Celestia and Luna have gone down a dark path, and I ask you fillies and gentlecolts, are you willing to go there with them? I say neigh! I say that we turn to the one pony whose love has already saved us once, and can be the guide that we need to lead us to a brighter future! My fellow ponies, we need Princess Mi Amore Cadenza!”

A cheer erupted from the crowd, and several of them were almost drooling at the thought of their new princess.

“Now, we must go and find her! We will go to the castle in peace, but if we meet resistance, we must be prepared to fight for what we think is right! We must find the princess, and help her ascend to her rightful place on the throne of Equestria forevermore!”

The crowd had grown to hundreds of ponies, each of them obsessed with the idea of finding their new princess and helping her--in any way that they could. And Harridan watched them march towards the castle, a smile washing over her muzzle as her dreams of a just and proper princess seemed finally to be on the verge of reality. She fell right in step with them, ready to face the future.

And in a secret passage that ran through Canterlot Castle, Twilight Sparkle saw the body of the pony in front of her shudder suddenly and violently.

“Cadance? Are you okay?” the concern in her voice clear and genuine.

“I--I think so,” she answered, a slight shake in her voice. “I just had one of those weird feelings. You know, the type you get when something horrible has happened and you don’t know about it yet, but it somehow involves you directly and will most likely come back to bite you in unexpected ways.”

Twilight blinked. “Um...that’s a pretty specific feeling.”

Cadance turned around and looked at Twilight. “Hah. I guess. Probably just my imagination.”

They nodded and walked further down the passage.

* * * * * * *

The vast majority of Tartarus is inhabited by the souls of the cursed. Ponies whose lives, in one way or another, kept them from going to the fields of Elysium, a paradise where ponies played and laughed in a perfect world of grass and rolling hills. The world of Tartarus was very different. A barren wasteland kept in constant twilight, with no life visible in any obvious location.

The cursed ponies were made to wander, always seeking a better existence, and hoping to find some sign of hope. Wanting to find something to give them meaning, but never actually discovering anything to improve their endless malaise and misery.

But they are not the only inhabitants of Tartarus. There is a special section of that underworld that is kept for those ponies of particular renown . Whose deeds placed them as feared and reviled by anypony that encountered them. Their nature summed up in a single word by the whispers of the living: evil.

For those ponies, there is The Pit.

The great brass tower at the center of Dis is not a decoration or a statement of power. And it is not the home to the ruler of the land. It is the gateway to a special place of torture for ponies who have been deemed beyond redemption. Unique tortures, each specifically crafted to an individual await the inhabitants of a bottomless hell that is called The Pit.

A grand spiral staircase works its way down the interior wall of The Pit, passing by countless cells that contain ponies suffering their unique torment. It is said that any mortal pony who ventures inside its walls would go mad in a few seconds from the visions of pain and the cries of the prisoners.

But Celestia is not a mortal pony. Each step took her lower inside the tower and into the bowels of Tartarus. She wanted to turn away. To not look at the ponies who were suffering in this place, but to look away was to chance missing the one pony she sought. So she saw it all.

An arsonist whose flesh was always on fire, and the water always out of reach. A glutton being fed a constant onslaught of food. A mare who drowned her own foals fighting to keep her muzzle above the waves, with the weight of her dead children pulling her down. A serial killer is made to experience every pony’s death as it happens. And countless others.

Her heart wanted to break, and her spirit tried to crack, but she would not let them. The only thing that kept her going was the phrase going through her head over and over: she was not going to leave Tartarus alone. She could not save everypony, but she was determined to save one.

She had no idea how long she walked, or how many souls witnessed, or screams of mercy heard. It was one step after another. One more tear down her cheek with every step.

And then she was there. She looked inside the cell, seeing the pony she came to find standing in a sea of sand, her feet unable to grasp the ground as she fought to remain upright, looking clumsy and weak. From what seemed to be everywhere, the sun rained down on her, burning into her flesh. For her, the sun would never set.

“Luna?” Celestia’s voice cracked as she raised her hoof, reaching out towards the pony, tears now streaming down her face. She made a move to step into the cell, but was stopped by a single voice.

A sound that echoed a gargling of razors and ice called to her from behind. “Suuunnnn Brrrrrinnnngggerrrr...”

She turned her head slowly, her tears drying up as she faced the owner of the voice. Hovering in the air behind the grand spiral staircase, her huge wings beating with a remarkable silence, was a pony of dark red wearing a mask of other being’s flesh, a twisted smile permanently crafted onto it. Her tail lashed back and forth anxiously.

Celestia turned fully to face Tisiphone, her jaw squaring and setting firmly. She tamped the ground with her hoof, and readied herself for what was to come.

...to be continued.