EverFree.
"WILL YOU GIT FROM UNDER HOOF!"
It was not a question that Applejack stated, rather, directions to her sister and the other cutie mark crusaders as they played pony see pony do to keep themselves busy during Applebuck season. Only a giggle heard from behind her at the last second had prevented Applejack from bucking both the tree and Scootaloo into the basket. Having to stop bucking in mid buck caused Applejack to miss the tree and knock over half a dozen full baskets of apples and ended up hoof over muzzle
Sure, the little darlings had worked their hooves off helping earlier, but, being little foals, you couldn't work them like adults. Big Mac had informed them they could work until after lunch then they could play, as long as it was where they could be supervised by some pony.
Normally they would have said for them to just scoot along. But with reports of diamond dogs close to their farm had every pony watching out over all of the youngsters.
"Here, let me" said Twilight . Using her horn she elevated both Applejack and the apples back into their proper place. Spike slid off of Twilights back and waddled over to the girls. As much as he loved Twilight, and Rarity even more, and he was friends with all of the ponies, what Twilight had suggested to him earlier that morning had him balk a bit
"I'm a foal sitter now?" Spike stammered astonished. He watched Twilight nod.
"Pinky has her hooves full with the Cakes foals, and as much as Fluttershy would have loved to do it, she's busy with helping the woodland creatures get settled in and Rarity would except she's in over her mane with orders for the Nightmare Moon festival. I'd promised Applejack to help with bucking, and that leaves, you to keep the girls busy. It's just for the afternoon Spike. I am sure you will think of something to keep them occupied."
"But, if the diamond dogs come- what am I supposed to do?" Spike grabbed his backpack and began to sort through his box of gems to take for a snack. He had no idea how much energy he would need to deal with three small foals.
"You're a dragon Spike. They are terrified of dragons." Twilight said dryly.
"Really? Oh, no, wait, they aren't. They just can't chew through my scales that's all, and I'm more bother to slow roast than to eat raw," he groaned.
"Well, there is that. " murmured Twilight.
Twilight had lectured him on just this once, JUST this once to not do anything that could put the foals in harms way, even though there would be the temptation to.
" Not to sound, wrong here Twilight, but, what do I get out of this?"
Twilight was expecting the question. "Well, as Sweetie Belle is Rarity's sister…"
Spike held up his paw. "All right, for Rarity, I will do this."
Twilight smiled. "Thanks Spike"
It was just a short gallop to the farm where they heard Applejack yelling and saw the tangle of legs. Spike sighed as he slid off of Twilights back and shrugged his back pack over his shoulders. Normally, he would be right there in the thick of things, getting into just as much trouble as the girls.
Turning he saw the three cutie mark crusaders regarding him.
"So, your our foal sitter? " asked Applebloom.
"I would like to think myself as your afternoons entertainment." Spike saw the look of puzzlement as they followed him under one of the bucked trees that was within view of the workers, but was still out of the way. From his backpack he pulled out a blanket for the ground and three of his smaller gems. Placing the gems on the blanket he leaned forward and breathed a small wisp of fire on them so that they began to give off a magical glow. Looking up he saw he had their attention.
" I understand you three are looking for your cutiemarks…" he began. Spike saw he had their undivided attention. "As assistant to the research librarian, Twilight Sparkle, I have had the opportunity to discover a secret regarding the origins of the cutiemarks…" Spike paused "but the tale is one that only the bravest pony can bear…Are you, brave enough?" he asked.
Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other and then Spike and nodded. Spike leaned forward and breathed on the gems again creating a fine wisp of smoke that swirled around the four of them on the blanket.
Spike lowered his voice so the three would have to lean closer to hear him.
"Some may believe this to be an old ponies tale – you need to decide it for yourselves…" He saw them nod, hanging on every word he said.
" Long ago in the center of the Everfree forest built by the finest crafts ponies was the royal castle, home to the princess sisters. At the time, the forest was like any other place in ponyville. Magic was needed to grow the plants, to move the clouds, and to manage things day to day.
Created by magic, and built by the remnants of living things, the castle overlooked everything on top of the mountain that it had been built upon. Nothing could penetrate it's walls that was not invited within- such was the magic that had been infused within every stone.
The Everfree forest itself was a curiosity, Wild – untamed creatures lurked in it's shadows. The Royal family allowed this and encouraged these animals to take haven in the forest to give the regular ponies a safe place to live. The forest surrounded the royal castle, protecting it- or did the castle protect the forest? Those who lived and loved in Ponyville didn't know. None, but the very brave, or very foolish stepped within the forest without just cause, or dare cross the Royal family…
Princess Celestia and her sister Princess Luna were the only two ponies known to have cutie marks, and it was said they were born with them as they had been born within the ring of the elements of harmony. Using their magic they took to their tasks of raising the moon, and the sun each day and night.
Thousands of years ago, the sisters lived, laughed and loved within the walls of the castle. With out question, it was their home. The joy that the sisters shared radiated from the stain glass windows and echoed down the castles long halls.
The castle was, content. One would wonder, how – could a castle be- content? Was it alive? Was any home a being to be considered? Normally no. buildings may have their own character, and style, but they are made of wood and stone, and only need be managed.
The castle of the princesses was another matter. It had been the first home of the royal family, the rulers who commanded the movements of the sun, and moon. It had been created with kindness , generosity , loyalty, laughter, and magic. The power that the two sisters had, and of their family seeped into each of the castle stones. It became aware of itself when the princesses were both quite young, and it loved them dearly.
While it couldn't communicate with them, yet- it could sense their feelings and in it's small way, do things to make them happy. For when they were happy, the castle felt great joy. When they were sad, the castle felt their sorrow. Those born after the princesses birth, discovered , they too, developed cutiemarks, and were no longer blank flanks. Not only the residents of the castle but of Ponyville and all of the surrounding towns as well. Was it from the elements of harmony that the cutie marks came from? Or, was it the influence of the castle as it tried to put things into order? No one knew"
Spike reached into the gem fire and turned over one of the gems with his claws. He heard the girls gasp- thinking he could be harmed by his own fire? Not a chance! The gem fire flickered and grew.
"For thousands of years the sisters lived in harmony. Until one day-
The castle knew something – evil – lurked in the Everfree forest. It was an evil that was from no regular creature it could recognize. It knew in its very foundation that all the happiness that had been known would be forever changed. The forest and the castle existed in balance. All that was wicked and evil had been cast from the stones that created the castle, enchanting them to be a protective fortress against that which would threaten the land. The builders of the castle had no way to know that over the many thousands of years, that which they had cast away would finally come together and taint the happiness enjoyed by everyone.
Discord rose up creating havoc upon the land, and high upon the mountain of Canterlot, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna used the elements of Harmony to capture Discord into an enchanted stone prison.
In the last moments of Discords existence, he managed to touch Princess Luna's heart, darkening it.
The castle knew- something was very wrong. The sisters went about their day and night routine, there was still laughter in the castle walls, and harmony- but – the darkness that was in Princess Luna's heart grew.
"They love your sister more than you" Discord had whispered into her ear.
Princess Luna began directing the moon slower and slower so that the nights became longer, and her sisters time with the sun shorter. Discords words had rung true within Princess Luna's heart, and she grew bitter. The castle listened and looked into the heart of Princess Luna and saw the bitter darkness had almost consumed her heart.
And when, Luna rose up against her sister to become Night Mare Moon- the castle, screamed.
Deep in her heart, Princess Celestia felt the agony of the castle as it cried in despair. It's beloved child was plotting something horrible. It felt a betrayal against Princess Luna, but her plans to harm Celestia was wrong, and if the castle didn't act, then, all would be lost.
Through her thoughts, the castle informed Celestia exactly what she would need to capture Night Mare Moon, and what to do.
The castle- wept. As much as she loved each of the sisters, she knew, what Princess Luna had planned was very wrong. In its deepest sorrow moment, the castle informed Princess Celestia that the only way to stop Princess Luna was to imprison her within the very moon itself where she would stay bound for a thousand years where upon the longest night, Princess Luna would escape. The price being, once Princess Celestia had used the elements of Harmony against her sister, she would never be able to weld them again."
Apple Bloom interrupted Spike " Like, we know that the elements of harmony were re discovered by my sister an Rarity an the others and Princess Luna has been returned to her normal self…So how does that help us with our cutie marks again?"
Spike was expecting this. He knew they would get to a familiar part of the story where the foals would want to jump ahead. Bending forward he breathed harder onto the gems making a whoosh of flame that caused the girls to squeak in surprise.
For a moment, Spike didn't say anything. When he did speak, it was in a lower tone, flat, with out emotion.
"Princess Celestia sent everyone away, up to Canterlot to be safe with instructions for them to make their homes there. The castle – felt, something was wrong with in Princess Celestia's heart but didn't know what. It was different than what Princess Luna held. It knew Princess Celestia was afraid. Doing it's best, it tried to comfort Princess Celestia that everything would be all right. To save her ponies, Princess Celestia welded the elements of harmony against her sister, imprisoning her within the moon, and, with the last bit of her strength, she pulled the everyday magic from the everfree forest and used it as a binding spell on the castle, placing the elements within the castle to hold what ever force was growing within the castle at bay."
"At wha?" Scootaloo asked scratching her mane with her hoof.
"At- Bay" explained Sweetie Belle "It means to keep it under hoof so it don't do more mischief- even if all it was wantin to do was to help."
"Well, tha don't seem just right at all!" said Apple Bloom. "The castle wasn't hurtin nopony! How did you say it come alive again?" she asked Spike.
Spike breathed on the gems again. Sitting up he studied the three of them.
"When trees lose their leaves, and things go to dust, the dust make dirt, and under pressure, the dirt makes stone. So technically, everything came from something living, even the stone, and if what it was created from had magic all along, the stones would be just as magical. Some feel that it was the elements of harmony that helped it along, or the birth of the two princesses as they had the magical power to harness bot h the sun, and the moon."
"Ohhhh" the three said together.
"Wait wait wait!" gasped Sweetie Belle "The elements of harmony aren't in that castle any more, an they aren't commanded by the princesses any more , the others who never lived in the castle now control them- so- what's goin on with the castle now? Is it – dangerous?"
Spike breathed on the gem flames one last time. The gem fire flair as his face was wreathed in its smoke.
" For those seeking their cutie marks? Quite possibly very dangerous…"
"AAAHHAGAHHHHAAA!" the three cutie mark crusaders screamed at the top of their little lungs and threw their arms around each other for support.
"SPIKE!" Twilights admonishment behind him caused him to launch several feet into the air. He landed with a thud amidst the giggles of the girls and looked at Twilight sheepishly. "You did say to keep them entertained…" he said in his own defense.
"Uh huh." Twilight said giving Spike a nudge with her hoof. "Granny Smith said it's time to come in for dinner, and then after dinner, its bed time for the three of you… Tomorrow is another long day of bucking apples for everyone."
Spike blew out the flame from the gems and handed one to each of the foals. The magical fire had created deep set sparkles that reflected within. While Spike loved slow roasted gems as a snack, he knew these girls would treasure the gems even more. Folding the blanket he pushed it into his backpack and followed the ponies to the barn where the food was set up.
After dinner, Twilight and Big Mac fashioned wires to make the gemstones into pendents for the girls so they could wear them proudly.
The smoke from the gems had collected under the apple tree and with the evenings breeze swept it into the Everfree forest. It danced as an entity across the branches in an undulated form as it moved through the forest.
The wind stirred the leaves around the walls of the empty castle, whispering the names of those who lived there long ago. wrapped vine and mist surrounded by the memories of the past. The castle of the princess sisters waited. For a thousand years it had remained empty, a guardian to the elements of harmony – keeping them safe at the request of the princess. It would do anything for the princesses. When Luna had been returned, it had been overjoyed. It gladly gave the elements of harmony to the five friends who demonstrated all of the qualities that the princesses had over the many thousands of years of reign. It waited for the return of the princesses. Why wouldn't they wish to live in their beloved home once again?
It had pondered this question for the longest time as it sensed the princesses were near, It could see them as they moved the sun and the moon across the heavens. Why hadn't they returned? What kept them away?
The wind stirred the leaves again. Almost in irritation, the castle shifted the vines to brush the leaves away, and in the process, encountered the gem smoke that moved and clung against the walls of the castle.
Magical gem smoke!- A dragons work! – could this be the answer? The castle breathed in the smoke, taking it in at every stone pore and in the smoke, it heard the fragments of the story Spike had told the girls.
The Princess castle heard the truth.
Sorrow built from it's foundation, and rattled through every archway as it cried out in grief. It had been abandoned. It had never felt so alone, so unwanted, and ashamed.
Sweetie Belle sat up in her bed in Apple Blooms room and screamed. Her scream woke every pony and caused a rush of hooves to her room where they found her gazing out the window towards the ever free forest clutching the pendent gem that Spike had given her.
"Darlin? Wha is it? Asked Applejack.
"Its gonna come get us!"
"What is?"
"The darkness!" sobbed Sweetie Belle.
"Princess Luna won't let any darkness hurt you sugar cube!"
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom slid from their beds and went over to where they were. "The Princesses can't stop the darkness from coming…" they said together.
"Now just a dang applepickin minute. Is this from tha old pony tale that Spike told you today? Because that's just fluffy dragon talk!" Applejack saw the three of them shake their heads.
"He didn't say anything about darkness. Well, not this darkness." Scootaloo said softly.
"Well, what darkness then?"
The fillies shook their heads. They couldn't explain it to Applejack, they just felt it deep inside of them. Finally Apple Bloom, with a struggle said to her sister. "The darkness is deeper than the hurt Princess Luna felt when Princess Celestia banished her to the moon.. and just as old."
For a moment Applejack was silent. She could have dismissed it as a dream, but for three of them to have the same thought was something more.
"Somepony get the others…" she said to Big Mac.
Granny Smith offered to stay with the girls while the others went to their beds and Applejack went down stairs waiting on the arrival of her friends. The three girls tucked back into their beds listened to the conversation that came up through the floor boards. Feigning sleep, the girls waited until Granny Smith left the room before sitting up in their beds and looked at eachother.
"They don't even know where to look for the darkness, do they?" inquired Scootaloo to the others. "Do you know?"
Apple Bloom nodded with some certainty "It's got to be at the Princesses old castle."
"Should we tell them?" hissed Sweetie Belle.
"Course not." Scoffed Apple Bloom. "They wouldn't believe us, an they wouldn't know what to do."
"Oh, like you do?" taunted Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom looked down at her glittering gem.
"I think I do. But I can't do it by myself, an we are going to need some things…"
The girls had discovered long ago that if you needed to sneak away, you did it in plain view of everyone. The adults noticed the girls coming down the steps and with a quick request for some milk and apple tarts to help them sleep granted, the girls slipped out back door of the kitchen with some apples in their packs and tools that Apple Bloom said they needed.
Apple Bloom knew the way through the Everfree forest to Zecora's home. The forest itself held no terror for her, as she knew which plants to avoid ,and what paths not to take. As they ran through the forest, the moon of Luna illuminated their way, and when they came to forks in the path, the pendents they wore glowed a bit brighter.
At last they came to the suspension bridge that hung between the castle, and the Ever free forest. Scootaloo knew this to be the place where Rainbow Dash had proven her loyalty to her friends. "We are almost there!" she said excitedly, then balked before placing her hoof on the bridge.
"What is it?" Sweetie Belle inquired "What's wrong?"
"You, do have a plan, don't you?" She asked Apple Bloom. "Like, we aren't going to die trying to get there, are we?"
Apple Bloom shook her head. " No. can't you feel it? It- wants us there…"
Deep down the girls knew it to be true. "It's just the getting home that might be a problem later if we don't solve this." She muttered under her breath as they clopped across the wooden planks.
Behind the three, dark fog swept across the forest floor, erasing their tiny hoof prints.
The castle was smaller than they had thought. That was the first impression the girls had, though, they supposed, during it's time, it was the largest creation. The years had not been kind to it's structure, the elements and the storms that were a natural occurrence to the forest had stripped the castle of its elegance. The battles waged upon its grounds had forever scarred the noble stones once set by love.
Tears fell from the three as they were overcome by sorrow. Their tiny hooves making slight sounds upon the stones as they walked within the castle.
The tears streamed down their cheeks as they fell to their knees sobbing. The stones drank their tears. The castle felt their sorrow, and drew the darkness that surrounded the castle closer. These little foolish ponies would never leave it's halls, it would never feel abandoned ever again!.
Scootaloo was the first to notice the darkness. She nudged the others and sat back on her haunches.
"Any time you want to use your plan, would be good." She muttered under her breath to Apple Bloom through her tears.
Taking deep breath the girls tried to compose themselves. "We're sorry. We didn't know!" Apple Bloom said out loud. "We didn't know until we were told. We're just little foals." She said softer. "We know that the adults made mistakes , and they didn't know ether. But we want to make it right, and better, and we can't do that if you keep making us so sad."
The castle was puzzled. It hadn't planned on making them so sad, but the tears of their abject sorrow had felt good on it's stones.
The sorrow lifted. The three fillies took a breath and managed to get back onto their hooves. Turning her head, Apple Bloom opened her pack and pulled out rags and a dust pan.
"First we have to get you cleaned up." She said brightly to the castle. Her friends regarded her with expectation. "This is your brilliant plan?" Scootaloo whispered. Apple Bloom nodded. "There is a broom over there." She said nudging her friend.
Shaking their manes, the three of them set to cleaning the long hallway, removing the dead leaves and vines, and cobwebs as they worked to the main chamber where the elements of harmony had been held and the final battle had happened. The girls knew they had been working for hours now, they would have had to have been missed, and, there should have been some sunlight coming through the broken windows. But a dark dome still covered the castle now, and the girls knew their way was blocked until they were rescued.
"YOU TOLD THEM ABOUT WHAT? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR APPLEPICKIN MIND?"
The girls absence had been noticed at breakfast time. None of the adults had realized the girls hadn't returned to their rooms, and now that it was dawn, the darkness that had been spoken of from the dreams was visible from Canterlot as a dark cloud that lingered over the ever free forest. Luna had noticed it on her return home and with the rising dawn, the magnitude of the darkness was realized.
Yet, both sisters didn't feel evil from it- that was what was the curious thing. Anger perhaps, and other darker emotions, but, not evil. She sent a message to Spike, one that woke him from a dream of a mountain of gems, one that he hurried to where Twilight and the others were now franticly searching for the girls on the farm. His confession of story subject matter had caused Applejack to yell.
Twilight took a breath and said softly.
"Spike, take a note.
"Dear Princess,
It is our belief that the darkness may be from the castle located in the Everfree forest. Any information you may have on this would be appreciated as we believe the foals Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle may have traveled to the castle last night.
Your faithful student
Twilight Sparkle.
Princess Celestia sat for the longest time just holding the note before her.
"This is all my fault" she whispered softly.
Taking in a deep breath she made her way to the chambers of Princess Cadence
"Celestia? What is wrong?"
"I, I did something, wrong. many years ago… I broke – a trust. As a result, innocent lives are now at stake. Cadence, I- have failed in keeping the ponies safe…" Celestia said sadly.
"You are a good, and kind ruler!- you would never place any pony in harms way." Cadence said firmly.
"Cadence, please. I- I have to fix this, and it will most likely be the end of me to do it. In my absence, I am leaving Luna, and you in charge of ruling Canterlot and managing the sun and moon. I am, sorry, that this will change your life forever, but it is the price of being a princess. To do what is needed to serve our ponies."
"you can't!" Cadence gasped.
"I must. Its something I should have done a thousand years ago… I wasn't strong enough, then ether. But one way, or another, it will prevent the darkness from spreading across the rest of the world."
Hugging her niece , Celestia hurried then to her sisters room where she found Luna pacing outside on the balcony.
"The darkness, seems, familiar- one who's touch I recognize from before."
"I am, the cause of the darkness sister." Celestia admitted sadly. "I need your help to rescue those trapped inside, and to get them to safety. I will explain along the way. My only hope is that you do not hold my actions against me."
"Sister?" For the longest time Celestia held Luna in her wings. "There isn't much time" she said softly.
The three foals had worked their little hooves as best they could cleaning the castle one room after another, stopping only to munch on the apples they had slipped into their packs. When they were tired, they fell asleep where they were working in quiet little lumps upon the floor.
The castle hadn't expected this. It chided itself. It should have known that the little ones only had a finite amount of energy, and it recalled the princesses falling asleep over their toys when they were younger.
It watched them sleep. The slow, steady breaths of the foals was something the castle always enjoyed watching… something that it missed so deeply that it was a physical pain within.
Voices! There were voices that the castle recognized outside! The tendrils of the darkness crept around the voices and listened as they called the names of the fillies it had within its walls.
It listened to the voices. "my sister is in there I'm not stopping here…" one of the voices said "My sister is in there too!" another said.
Sisters. The love of sisters was something that sustained the castle, and it's belief in the love had caused it to do the unspeakable. Sorrow filled it's foundations and shook its resolve.
Then it heard – her- voice.
Anger.
Pain.
Grief
Sorrow.
ANGER! ANGER! ANGER! The walls of the castle shook with boiling rage. How DARE SHE return and command them away!
Not again.
Please… not again…
Please, don't go… Don't leave me here alone- please don't go don't go don't go…
Apple Bloom woke with a gasp. Somehow, she knew the others were outside. She nudged her friends waking them. "We have to make them understand." She said to them in a whisper.
"Wait! Let them in! they can help too!." She called out to the castle.
The castle hesitated in dropping the stone walls upon the ponies outside.
The darkness parted, revealing the path to the castle, and safe passage over the bridge. It closed behind them, moving them closer until they were able to enter into the castle itself.
"Boy howdy some pony's been busy." Applejack marveled. While repairs still needed to be made, the castle was cleaner than it had been for several centuries. They made their way to the great hall where the three foals sat.
"Children, come over here please…" said Celestia firmly.
"Not until you listen to what we have to say." Said Scootaloo firmly. Nudging Apple Bloom forward Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle regarded their friend wondering if there was any rational explanation that was believable.
"Why did you leave her behind?" blurted Apple Bloom.
"Her who?" asked Applejack confused.
"Her the castle. Your home for thousands of years and you left her behind and never looked back. Do you know how much that abandonment hurt her? How – angry that made her over time?"
"I do." Said Luna softly.
"I'm sorry" whispered Celestia.
"Sayin your sorry isn't enough!" thundered Apple Bloom. The gem around the girls necks crackled with energy. The three fillies fur stood on end as light issued from their eyes.
"Let them go- please" Luna asked softly.
"We chose to stay, and do what was right by her." Scootaloo said, her voice echoing in the hall.
Rarity and Applejack stepped forward to where the fillies began to float with the magical energy of the castle.
" Please let our sisters go- don't hurt them." Rarity said firmly.
Sisters….
The castle regarded the three fillies.
"Only two are sisters here. The third is without blood"
"Blood doesn't have to always make kin" Rainbow Dash spoke up. "And I know for a fact that these three are as close as any family could be."
A gusty sigh rattled through the halls, slamming what doors remained. The energy dissipated from the three fillies, the glow left the crystals and their fur as they were lowered gently to the ground.
"Children, please go with Luna, and the others back home." Celestia said firmly.
"Wait, you don't understand, Please don't hurt it!." Blurted Scootaloo.
"It feels as if you abandoned it with out reason, and it's hurting inside." Continued Sweetie Belle.
"All it wants is to be loved again and be a home" finished Apple Bloom. "We came here to help it, to get it cleaned up, but it's a lot more than what we can manage in short order."
"Please, Children. Princess Luna will explain everything outside. Go."
Scruffing the foals up onto their backs, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash made for the exit with Fluttershy pulling Twilight by her tail.
"Don't look back – Don't look back DON'T LOOK BACK!" Luna commanded shoving the group out of the castle before the darkness sucked her back inside the castle and the doors slammed shut.
Agony
It was nothing compared to the centuries of waiting for the return of the beloved daughters. The emptiness that had chilled each of the stones over time now filled the castle with a grief that knew no limits. It had to make them understand. It had always been there acting in their best interest, couldn't they see that?
Couldn't they?
Grief washed over the castle. Deep down, it knew she was sorry. Sorry for hurting her sister, sorry for betraying the trust the castle had given her, sorry for imprisoning things that disrupted the way she believed things should be. Discord had been correct all along. They had loved their beloved Celestia more than Princess Luna all along. The others had abandoned Luna to face her sisters fate while following Celestia's command. For a moment the castle considered letting Luna go. But, the risk of Celestia leaving was too great. With Luna safely tucked within the walls, Celestia wouldn't risk harm to her. She would stay, and be a good little princess doing what she was told. Sorry wasn't good enough any more…
The castle saw darkness fill it's hallways- where there was joy once, now there was sorrow. The tears that fell from the eyes of its captives was refreshing, giving it's strength, giving it resolve to taste more tears. It would build energy and escape once more shrouding the forest, drinking in the tears of those whom had abandoned it long ago. But, even with this victory, it didn't seem to be enough. It missed- something. It missed the innocence, the trusting nature of the children. It knew the princesses were terrified. Good. The castle had been terrified while it waited all those years for the princesses to return. Let them know what loneliness was. Let them know sorrow and grief and despair. Let them have what it had felt for so very long and see how they managed.
It needed no chains to hold them. Just closed doors that blocked the outside world with darkness.
It missed the children. It was a physical pain that the castle didn't know how to resolve.
"We will rescue them Cadence." Twilight said firmly. "There has to be a spell somewhere that can bring light that will banish the darkness."
Cadence nodded. The others had stepped in to assist in keeping the sun and moon rising and setting , as well as running Canterlot. "I know you will do your best Twilight."
"You don't need a spell Twilight-" Spike began. He heard Twilight sigh,
"No Spike, I can't risk any pony going in after them on the notion that the castle is unhappy because it felt abandoned all those years.
"Pushing magic at it is only going to make things worse. Even the elements of harmony can't fix this it wants to feel wanted, and needed. "
Spike sighed. He had been trying to tell Twilight his idea for days, and it always came to the decision that only magic could solve this. It was the first time though that Princess Cadence had been there to hear him, and he knew she had an open mind when it came to things.
He looked at Cadence.
"Please listen!" he said softly.
Cadence took a long breath "Alright Spike, what is your idea?"
"Destroying the castle won't make things better, because it's just going to spread it further over the land in the dust- and the air that we are breathing right now. The best thing we can do to contain it, is make repairs on the castle, and restore it to its former glory. And then have some pony live in it. Some pony, that's, special… one that's filled with the magic of love."
"Spike, what your asking…"
"Might be the only way to save the princesses, and the rest of Ponyville."
"It isn't my decision to make Spike." She said softly.
She hadn't heard him come in. She only felt the love he had for her in her heart.
"It's a decision we would make with consideration." Said Shining Armor.
Gently he gathered her into his arms. "Spike is right. If there is a way to rescue the princesses and set things to right, then, this is probably it. It's what the girls were trying to do, and what they have been saying is the answer all along. But, it means sacrifices too, As, captain of the guard of Canterlot, and to the princesses, it is my duty to ensure the safety of the kingdom."
Voices
"Oh my… I had heard stories of how grand this home was, but- they didn't do it justice… " the voice was female, soft, lilt, it held a wistfulness.
"The gardens need a lot of work, and repairs on the exterior structure to make it weather tight shouldn't take more than a month… but the foundation is solid."
It was a mans voice- more confident than the females the castle heard a sigh before a hesitant hoof stroked the exterior surface.
"Do you think we can look inside? " the female voice was asking something. Inside what?
There was a pause. "Please may we come inside and look around?" she asked.
The doors to the castle slowly opened. Black fog crept out and surrounded them drawing them inside. The castle felt no fear from them, only curiosity. Her horn touched the castle wall. It felt her memories, her captivity that she had endured, and the love she had for Shining Armor, for all of the ponies, and Esquitaria.
Deep down in her memories, were stories that she had been told of the castle, the love that the Princesses had of it, and the fond memories. That the decision to leave it was one of the hardest things that had to be done, knowing that someday, there would be another that would have need of the protection of the walls.
The darkness in the heart of the castle faded, the fog dissolved into a gray mist and the binds that held Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were dissolved as easily as butter melted on a hot muffin. It realized, it hadn't been totally abandoned, not forgotten, rather, placed in reserved for another generation. The castle regarded Princess Cadence and her spouse. His heart was good. The castle pushed deeper into their minds, the conversations they had had with Twilight Sparkle, and the dragon surfaced.
A dragon speaking in its behalf? The castle weighed the words of the dragon, it KNEW the voice of the dragon to be the very same that had told the young fillies about the castle. They had come to care for the castle, but had been too young to accomplish the mission.
It reflected on the hearts of the two that stood before it. It could only feel powerful love radiating from the young ones.
The fog lifted. The sun, raised by others cast its beams down upon the four as they hugged.
"but- why?" asked Luna.
The shy smiles exchanged between the two young lovers told it all.
They were true to their word. Workmen came and restored the castle to its former glory. The two young lovers took time in the garden, replanting that which once grew there. New stain glass windows were installed, and, the castle used the magical energy of the land to provide protection for those within it's walls.
Celestia arrived soon after the castle was completed. She leaned her horn against the wall and spoke in her mind to the castle.
"To leave you behind was the second hardest decision I had to make, but I knew, even then that your halls would someday be filled with joy again. Sometimes, we cannot do everything as soon as what we wished."
Twilight Sparkle sat reading the letter from her brother. They were moved in, and at least, she would get the chance to visit him, and her sister in law more often.
"Spike, take a letter…"
"On it!" Spike said grabbing the quill and parchment.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
The lesson in friendship that I learned this week is that Everyone, that you meet along the way becomes a part of you. That sometimes, simple can solve problems, and that we should never forget our past because it is what builds our future.
Without past lessons we have nothing to learn from. Who we are, what we have done, even where we live and the promises made are all important.
And sometimes it takes the innocence of a child to unlock the secrets of the past because as adults, we are too set in our ways to know better.
Your faithful student
Twilight Sparkle.
The tickle of the wind brushed against the muzzle of Apple Bloom as she curled up on top of her bed. It brought the faint scent of the gem smoke to her nostrals and the whisper of something in the darkness.
Sitting up in bed she gasped for air.
The darkness, was still out there
Waiting…