Chapter 19:

Betrayal, Truths, and An Ambush

While Twilight and Ocellus head inside the castle, they were unaware that Pharynx was watching them from a distance. He has been waiting for this is the moment the Outsiders have been waiting for their entire lives.

"Go on, get her, Ocellus!" Pharynx said, excited to see Ocellus finally take down their enemy.

But all he sees so far is Ocellus following the Alicorn Queen into the castle and not attacking her. This got Pharynx very confused and concern, why isn't Ocellus attacking? After all, there were no guards in sight, Twilight was unsuspecting, it was the perfect moment!

"What are you waiting for, Ocellus?! Get her!" Pharynx begged, laying on the ground hoping Ocellus will attack Twilight right about now.

But instead of attacking, Ocellus followed Twilight into the castle to shelter away from the cold night until they were out of his sight, Pharynx snarled and ran off back to the Outlands to inform Stone Heart of some very bad news on their plan…

When Pharynx told Stone Heart what he saw with his own eyes, the Lead Stallion whinnies in anger and faced Pharynx with a look of anger and betrayal.

"You're sure?!" Stone Heart asked, hoping he has misunderstood.

"Affirmative, father. I saw it with my own eyes!" Pharynx replied, telling his father the truth about what he saw.

"No, Ocellus cannot betray us!" Stone Heart snarled in anger, hoping that his own daughter would not switch sides with their enemies…

The next morning, Ocellus walked out of the Castle by herself to think about something. She was very conflicted about what is happening around her. She knows she had a job to do but after she got to know Twilight, Dusk, and their family, she knew that this isn't right nor is this what she wants. But what was she to do? After some thinking she realized she had to tell the truth.

Taking a deep breath, Ocellus started talking to herself about how she is going to break it to Dusk about the plot she was part of.

"Okay, I have to tell him today. But where do I start? 'Dusk, Stone Heart has a plot and I was a part of it but I don't want to be because…because I love you'," Ocellus performed as she then sighed in defeat, knowing Dusk will probably never believe her.

"Who am I kidding? Dusk will never believe me. But I have to try," Ocellus encouraged herself as she heads back inside the Castle to tell Dusk the truth about herself.

"Dusk…I need to talk to you about something…" Ocellus started as Dusk arrived wanting to hear what she wanted to talk to him about.

"Dusk, I don't want you talking with her…" Twilight said sternly, approaching the two Alicorns as Dusk and Ocellus turned to her. Dusk with a brief look of worry at his mother's tone, Ocellus slightly scared for the same reason.

But then Twilight changed her expression from stern to kind and understanding expression, "I want to talk with her," She said kindly.

Dusk smiled to see his mother have a change of heart while Ocellus was confused and nervous about talking to the Alicorn Queen, herself.

Twilight then gave Dusk a mother wink to assure him that nothing will go wrong between them before she and Ocellus head out to have an Alicorn talk with each other. Dusk hung back and watched his mother and Ocellus walk off somewhere as a smile appeared on his face, not only is he happy to see his mother have a change of heart but also to see her give the Outsider a chance.

Twilight and Ocellus took a stroll together until they wandered into a burnt down forest where the ground was covered with white ash and the sky a misty grayish green color. While they were walking, Twilight told Ocellus the true story about Chrysalis's reign and life, including how Chrysalis wanted to be next in line for the throne, killed Twilight's Parents at the Stampede, and even went as far as destroying Twilight's home.

"Chrysalis just couldn't let go of her hatred. And in the end, it destroyed her," Twilight said, finishing the story of Chrysalis to Ocellus. Though her Aunt had been wicked, Twilight still regretted what happened to her.

After Twilight finished explaining the story, Ocellus looked down feeling greatly shocked and guilty after hearing the true story of Chrysalis and her reign. It was far different from what her father told her when she was a foal.

"I've never heard the story of Chrysalis that way before. She truly was a killer, wasn't she?" Ocellus asked, still can't get over the fact that Chrysalis killed Twilight's Parents and ruined the kingdom.

Twilight didn't know how to break the harsh truths to the young Outsider. But looking ahead at the lifeless burnt wasteland, Twilight thought of something that might help Ocellus with something she is dealing with.

"Fire is a killer too, Ocellus. But sometimes, what's left behind can grow better than the generation before…if given the chance," Twilight explained as she brushed away some ash with her hoof and revealed a tiny sprout to Ocellus.

But before anymore could be said, Twilight and Ocellus heard sinister cackling as they raised up to hear where the cackle was coming from, Ocellus gasped in fear for she knows what that means. Twilight looked to her left and appearing from the mist, the Outsiders make their appearance with smirks on their faces.

Twilight and Ocellus were horrified to see the Outsiders arriving as they turned to their right and saw more of them coming out of the mist.

"No. Oh, no. No," Ocellus whispered in fear as she and Twilight looked ahead and saw someone approaching them.

Up ahead of them, Stone Heart emerged from the mist cackling with a smirk along with Aria, Pharynx, and the rest of the Outsiders.

"Why Queen Twilight…," Stone Heart greeted with an evil smile and tone.

"Stone Heart!" Twilight snarled with anger and hate, she never thought she would bump into Stone Heart again.

"What are you doing out here? And so…..alone?" Stone Heart asked with a toothy evil grin.

Twilight glared at her enemies as her horn began to glow intensely and Ocellus looked around to see her own band circling around them. Twilight knew this means they were outnumbered by two to eleven Alicorns.

"Well done, Ocellus. Just like we always planned," Stone Heart said, congratulating Ocellus with a smile.

"What?! YOU?!" Twilight sneered, turning to Ocellus with anger and betrayal on her face.

"No, Twilight! I didn't have anything to do with this!" Ocellus tried to explain to Twilight but it was already too late…

"Attack!" Stone Heart ordered, and the Outsiders begin their attack on Twilight.

Aria charged at Twilight first, confronting her. But Twilight quickly swatted her away with her hoof.

"NOOOO!" Ocellus shouted, horrified to see her family attacking Twilight, aka, Dusk's Mother.

Twilight then swatted another Outsider away from her before finding herself attacked by two Alicorns. One bit her mane and the other bit her on the back. Quickly using her magic, Twilight was able to knock them off before another Outsider jumped at her and Pharynx leaped onto her back.

Not wanting Twilight to get killed nor hurt, Ocellus jumped in and tried to help her the best way she can, but since she wasn't trying to kill anyone, she found herself kicked by Pharynx and hitting a rock head first, falling into unconsciousness.

Before Twilight knew it, she is being swarmed by the Outsiders as they kept biting her, scratching her, and even jabbing her with their horn. Then Aria jumped onto Twilight and sent her falling down a rocky cliff.

Twilight hits a rocky ledge before landing on the ground, breaking her right wing, with a grunt and getting up weakly.