Prompt: Daring Castle

It’s been two weeks since Rarity disappeared.

Twilight lay with her mane against the freshly fallen snow, next to the newly erected grave.

The Empress #7. The headstone reads, messily etched into the thick clump of cobblestone. It was a rushed project, that much was clear.

Rarity, The Empress, loves the snow. She would be excited to see a blanket of white flecks dusting her own headstone. It was a surprising thing for Twilight to realize about her friend– that she was excited about the snow. It never seemed much like her. But now, in the dead of winter, Twilight, the fourth Temperance, wishes nothing more than to enjoy the cold with the seventh Empress of Ponyville.

She sighs, turning toward the frozen stone. There’s no pony underneath. It’s just soil with a headstone on top, likely placed to shut the rest of the world up about the mysterious disappearances as of late.

“I don’t know why I would talk to a rock like you’re there.” Twilight says to the rock. “But I don’t know where else to go.”

She turned her eyes to the cloudy sky, the snow seeming to fall in a circle around her instead of on her. It was quite beautiful, just like Rarity.

“Where are you, Empress.” She says it like a statement, rather than a question she’s actually asking.

The seventh Empress is the fifth Major Arcana to disappear in six months. Soon, they’re replaced by a new one to take up the duties of the previous Major. This type of thing is much more expected of the Minors, as their tenure is typically only five years or so. But Majors serve for life. Twilight herself has been fulfilling the role of Temperance for eight years, bringing balance and calmness to the world around her.

Rarity entered her position as seventh Empress only two years ago.

Twilight sighs again, it’s all she can do, really. There’s nothing much else she can think to say to the rock, nor to the darkening sky.
Suddenly, a voice in the distance makes her jump.

“I wonder who will be next, though.” The pony trots through the snow with her partner, a shovel in hoof.

Something about the scene screams at Twilight to hide, so she does, rolling over and propping herself up behind a nearby tree.

“I was surprised to see that it was Empress, this time. I didn’t think her power was nearly as strong as High Priestess or Temperance.” The second pony answers.

Twilight leans against the tree, slowing her breathing. What power?

“I don’t think the kingdom was prepared to produce a new Empress in such little time. But Luna must have seen something important in that one.”

“Last I checked, she was looking for ice.”

“Ice?”

“She had fire, from the recent Strength. She had dark from Tower.” The shovel-holding pony presses the tip into the snow-covered earth, making a small indent in an empty spot in the graveyard.

Twilight’s breath hitches in depths of her chest. She better not breathe. She can’t let them know she’s here. These ponies aren’t familiar to her, they must not be from Ponyville. Maybe they’re from the kingdom.

“Hm.” The second pony acknowledges.

Fire? Dark? Ice? The words enter Twilight’s brain scrambled. Her job is to bring balance, think things through, make the world make sense. Nothing about the sudden elemental discussion makes sense. It goes against the methods of the fourth Temperance.

“Anyway.” The shovel pony speaks up again. The voice is closer now. So close that Twilight wonders if she can hear her heart practically jumping out of her chest. “I hear Princess Celestia will be coming to Ponyville tonight to check on the state of things.”

After a few more digs, the second pony places another rock next to Rarity’s. A smaller one.

“I wonder how much she knows.”

“I don’t think much. Luna has been quite careful with her.” The second pony turns around.

Soon, the two finish their job of rock-placing. It’s not anything important, maybe a decoration for Rarity. But clearly, there’s something happening, something Twilight doesn’t understand.

++++

Twilight has assumed that the Major Arcana are the highest ranked ponies next to the Kingdom Military and the royal ponies themselves. But secrets are being kept even from her. She wonders if she’s the only unknowing Major, or if there are others who know. Her head spins with the possibilities, arguing with the sense of balance in her brain.

She has no choice. For Rarity. She knows she’s not dead. One single excursion by request of Princess Luna and she dies? It’s not possible, it’s unlike her. Twilight has to make it to the castle.

Her plans of laying down and moping on this lovely snowy day shift immediately, prompting her instead to stalk Celestia’s carriage for the duration of her visit, jumping behind trees, bushes, watching the beautiful second princess speak to shopkeepers and households to gauge the happenings of the small town of Ponyville.

And the first chance she gets, Twilight, the fourth Temperance, hops into the concealed trunk of the carriage, hiding herself under a few blankets and bags of food kept there.

Celestia doesn’t visit often, but after Strength, Tower, and now the seventh Empress disappeared, it must be that she has to visit to bring a sense of peace amongst the townspeople. Her presence alone is usually enough for the ponies to feel at ease. The last thing the kingdom needs is for the town housing the Tarot Ponies to become restless.

Twilight stashes herself amongst the supplies. She feels her heart race excessively, practically beating out of her chest. Her mane feels matted, her hooves dry and shaky. It’s almost like going against her assigned role as Temperance is enough to send her body into a state of deprogrammed confusion.

What am I?

She can’t recall a time prior to her role as the fourth Temperance, even though she’s supposedly thirty-five. But the Tarot Ponies aren’t supposed to question that. They’ve been chosen by the kingdom, the ponies that can bestow destinies onto anypony they choose. Everypony in the Tarot who disappears is replaced shortly thereafter, fulfilling their role amongst the kingdom.

What do I actually do?

The carriage lurches forward, and Twilight holds on, letting out a breath she’s probably been holding for the hours she’s been stashed here.

Thoughts of the kingdom’s potential plans with Rarity, the seventh Empress, flash through her head. For eight years, Twilight Sparkle has existed as a symbol of sorts. Someone to represent the virtues of Temperance in the kingdom of Equestria’s most crucial town of Ponyville. She does nothing besides exist alongside the other Tarot Ponies, presenting ideas for making the kingdom a more– temperant– place. For Rarity, this was focused on the virtues of the Empress, making the kingdom more beautiful, divine.

It doesn’t matter much who is chosen for each of the 78 roles– 22 Major Arcana supervising a few of the 56 Minor Arcana– it just matters that those roles are filled.

Now that she thinks about it, Twilight can’t recall a time where she’s had to think much about anything.

The carriage screeches to a halt, the hooves of who is likely Princess Celestia stomp above the storage container Twilight’s stashed herself in.

And then, with a screech of the hatch, the ceiling above her opens. She did not think this through. Again, she’s never had to think much at all. At least not in the past eight years.

“Ah. Good. You’re still here.” A beautiful, commanding voice breaches the space between the opened hatch and twilight’s purple little head.

The blanket Twilight messily threw over of herself is quickly removed, revealing the face of the beautiful second princess of the Equestrian kingdom.
Twilight can only describe the feeling in her chest as pure panic.

“Temperance, yes?” Celestia’s pink, sparkly eyes pierce through the very depths of Twilight’s soul, giving off an aura of something Twilight can’t quite comprehend.

But she’s not given much of an option to refuse to answer Celestia’s question.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She replies meekly.

“Get out of there.”

Twilight scrambles to her hooves, clumsily throwing herself out of the compartment and onto the cobblestone path to the castle. The stone feels just like Rarity’s headstone, cold and lonely. Full of secrets.

“So, what brings you to the castle?”

Twilight can’t think of anything to do to defend herself. She feels frozen in time, in place. Maybe this is what Rarity did to force a disappearance scandal. Died of terror in the face of the second princess. But then, what about Luna? And those ponies’ description of something related to ice? And fire?

“It’s not snowing here.” Twilight shakily says. It’s not the sentence she meant at all.

Celestia waits patiently.

Considering Twilight is likely to die at the hands of one of the two princesses, she may as well come clean. “I think Rarity is here.” She mumbles. “The seventh Empress.” She clarifies.

“You do?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I wanted to investigate.” She looks at the ground, observing the way each chip etched into the cobblestone path absorbs the thousands of wheels and hooves that once crossed it. For Twilight, this is the first time her hooves have touched it.

She’s never thought about it. She’s never thought at all.

“Interesting. You’ve gained sentience?" Celestia observes the nervous look in Twilight Sparkle’s eye.

Twilight doesn’t know how to respond. She doesn’t know. Much. Of anything.

“How did that happen?” Celestia asks a variation of the same question again.

“I- I don’t know.” Twilight answers. She doesn’t know.

“Rarity, you say.” Celestia turns around.

It’s only now that Twilight notices the castle surrounding them on all sides. And it’s just the two of them. Come to think of it, she did hear some mumblings of a few voices throughout her concealed journey to the kingdom. Now there’s nobody.

Celestia notices Twilight’s nervousness. “Your first time in the castle?” She asks.

“Yes.” Twilight nods.

“So, not fully sentient.” She observes to herself.

Silence. For a few moments.

“Am I going to be killed?” Twilight asks after some time.

Celestia laughs. “No. Actually, I’m glad you’re here. I need your help.”

“My help?”

Twilight looks around. The castle is large, daring to cave in on itself and her. Like it’s some alternate dimension of some kind.

“I have suspected the disappearances are far more sinister than they seem for quite some time. It seems as though the Majors have been gaining sentience at a much higher rate, and from what I’ve gathered, that’s what leads to their disappearance.” Celestia explains.

“Sentience.” Twilight repeats.

“You were friends with the seventh Empress?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting. I suspected that was something taken from you. But Rarity found it, and instilled it within you as well. Before her disappearance.”

Twilight wants to ask questions. But she hasn’t done that in eight years. She doesn’t ask questions. That’s not part of the duties of the Tarot Ponies. She is a symbol. Who doesn’t ask questions, who doesn’t think, who doesn’t know. Balance, self-control. The duties of the fourth Temperance.

“I am confused.” It’s all she can say.

“Like I said. I need your help.” Celestia continues. She’s not interested in clarifying Twilight’s confusion. “Everypony of the Tarot that has disappeared has had some relation to friendship. I suspect that my sister is behind it. And I have a feeling if you didn’t stow away in my carriage, you would have been next.”

The daring castle surrounding her seems to inch closer, trapping her. It’s so overwhelming. It’s so outside of the bounds of her Temperance duties.

“Is- Rarity. Is she dead?” Twilight manages to stutter.

“I don’t think so.” Celestia answers. “But I don’t know.”

Twilight nods, looking up at the sky once again. It’s not snowing here. Rarity wouldn’t be as happy.

“I will help.”

++++

Every wall of the castle is constructed with that same cold cobblestone, yet somehow the interior itself isn’t cold. It’s quite comfortable. Celestia leads Twilight down long hallways, through tightly cramped corridors, pulling her by the mane to make sure she isn’t seen. Every once in a while, she asks a quiet question Twilight doesn’t know how to answer.

“Do you know what your horn does?”

“Um. no.”

“Did Rarity ever create snow in front of you?”

“Um. no.”

“Have you ever cast a spell?”

“Um. no.”

The castle itself is a maze. Every move she makes feels like it might be her last.

“Here we are.” Celestia stops suddenly in front of a blank, cobblestone wall.

Twilight stares at it.

“Do you see anything?” Celestia asks, gesturing toward the blank wall.

She doesn’t. She doesn’t think. She doesn’t know.

“Try harder. Think of Rarity. The Empress.”

So Twilight does. She stares hard at the wall. She pictures her beautiful purple mane, her white coat, her smile, her eyes. She pictures the look on her face when she felt worried the day before she disappeared. What she said to her that night. “Be careful Twilight, perhaps you should stay away from me for now on.”
Twilight takes another deep breath, concentrating harder.

“There’s a lot we don’t know about the world.” Rarity’s voice plays again in her head. “A lot we’re not supposed to know.”

Twilight had forgotten about that.

“There was a whole world before us, before this. You should think more, Twilight. Try to.”

Twilight had forgotten about that, too. More memories come flooding back to her, memories she doesn’t think she’s allowed to have.

“I love you, Twilight. I hope you don’t ever remember this, but I hope you don’t forget, either.”

Twilight breathes harder, heavier. She didn’t remember that. But it’s here again. She was asleep when Rarity said that.

“I’m not going to be around anymore, they’re coming.”

Twilight widens her eyes at the blank wall, which doesn’t seem as blank anymore. A circular purple ring of something begins to glow, filled with illuminated floral swirls. It’s clearer, clearer with every memory that brings another tear to Twilight’s eye.

Rarity, she loves her.

“If you ever learn to know. Focus on memories of magic.”

“I will.” Twilight answers the memory aloud, and the ring glows brighter.

“Amazing.” Celestia steps back. “Keep going.”

So Twilight does. Maybe she knows a bit more now. Maybe Rarity was telling her things she learned. Maybe that’s why the Majors have been disappearing. Something about friendship, love.

Twilight’s decorative horn glows the same color purple as the ring on the previously blank cobblestone wall. And suddenly, it opens. The wall crumbles, each individual rock now glowing that same color purple.

“I knew it. Twilight. I knew it. You have magic. You all do.”

“Who goes there!” A third voice enters the space around them, snapping Twilight out of her magical haze.

“Oh no.” Celestia’s face drops. “It’s one of the Royal Flush.”

“The–” Twilight doesn’t have time to ask. Her glowing horn goes dark, the rocks crumble to the ground in a messy pile in front of them.

“Go.” Celestia shoves Twilight forward, through the crumbled wall.

“Stop!” The member of the Royal Flush who yelled before now has four other ponies with them, staring them down from the other end of the hallway. “That’s a restricted area! Don’t you dare!”

Twilight just runs, Celestia behind her.

The new path inside the walls of the castle seems to appear out of thin air. It shouldn’t make sense that there’s another entire hallway system beyond that wall. It should have led to the outside. Twilight doesn’t know what this is, or how Celestia knew, or why she’s battling against these so-called Royal Flush for the secrets of the kingdom. But she’s learning to think. She’s learning to know.

“Rarity!” She starts calling her name. Something tells her that she must. “Empress!”

With every lurch of her tired hooves forward, it feels like more hallway appears.

“Think about her harder, Twilight. We won’t get out of this labyrinth until you do.”

“How do you know?” Twilight yells. She finally asks a question she wants to hear the answer to. “What’s going on?”

“You there!” A beam of red light streaks between Twilight and Celestia, slamming into an opposite wall.

“Go! Run!” Celestia encourages Twilight further. “You have magic Twilight! We lost it years ago, my sister took it from you, you have memories from before–” She rushes through her words, diving forward to dodge another beam of light fired at them. “I found out! She didn’t want me to, she doesn’t want you to! But your love, your friendship can save us!”

Another beam. Followed by shouts from the Royal Flush racing toward them.

“I can’t handle it!” Twilight stops suddenly, tears streaming down her face. Celestia, Rarity, all of them. It’s all too much thinking, all too much knowing. “RARITY!” She yells.

Her horn glows again, a brighter purple than before.

But the diamond-shaped beam of red strikes faster, sharply hitting twilight and surrounding her entire body. She shrieks.

“Twilight!” Celestia screams, trying to jump toward her.

The members of the Royal Flush surround her. Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. All wearing Diamond bands around their head.

“We let you get too far.” The King of Diamonds steps toward her, while the Ten and Jack grab hold of Princess Celestia.

Twilight doesn’t think. She doesn’t know. What is magic. What is any of this. It doesn’t make sense.

“RARITY!” It’s the only thing her brain can think to scream. It hurts, the diamond beam. It zapped the magic right out of her horn. She collapses on the floor, the cobblestone hit by the beam also crumbling around her.

“This is Temperance.” The Queen confirms.

This time, though, her pleas for her friend, her love, don’t go unanswered.

“TWILIGHT!” A voice permeates through the secret walls, shaking the castle around them. The walls feel colder, a blanket of ice suddenly cascading over the cobblestone lair.

“...Rarity?” A tired, pained Twilight mumbles back.

“Twilight.” Celestia mumbles, still being detained.

Suddenly, Rarity appears, her own icy horn glowing angrily in the dim light. Her white coat is darker now, and her mane and tail messy and tangled. She bursts through the wall with a force unrecognizable to Twilight, freezing the broken pieces around her. It’s a force that she can only think to describe as magical.

“Hooves off.” Rarity demands.

“STOP THIS!” Another voice enters the cave.

“Luna.” Celestia shakes free of the hooves holding her. “Luna, what’s going on here?”

“None of your business.” Luna’s horn glows as well, attempting to drown out Rarity’s, the Empress.

“She’s taken what’s yours, Twilight. Princess Celestia!” Rarity dares respond.

Silence.

With another blink from Twilight, she finds herself outside of the dark, cobblestone cave. Instead, she lays in a dark field outside the castle, though the dirt from the crumbled rocks still coats her entire body. Her eyes dart around, finding Rarity with her eyes snapped shut, a determined look on her face. Her horn still glowing.

“It’s an illusion. I won’t fall for it.” Rarity mumbles.

Twilight doesn’t think. She doesn’t know. She could decide to forget, to remove those memories from her head. It would be easier to go back, to fulfill her role as Temperance and bring balance and self-control to the kingdom through her surface level ideas and bright, quiet smile.

But that’s not what Rarity is doing. She’s thinking, she’s learning and knowing. She’s formulating memories, and she’s glowing.

Twilight scrambles to her hooves, shakily standing. The field still appears in her field of view, the bright, menacing moon above her. Rarity said it’s an illusion. Twilight doesn’t know what that means.

She snaps her eyes shut, taking a few shaky steps. With a deep breath, she puts everything into thinking.

“I’m here, Rarity.” She says softly, almost in a whisper. As if the world can’t hear her. As if she’s in a dream, one where she’s only speaking to herself. She won’t decide that none of this is real anymore. She will dare to exist in this castle of lies. She will dare to question the world she’s been placed in. She will dare to disrupt the balance and self-control of the role she’s been placed in.

As Twilight moves, she feels the warmth of Rarity overwhelm her body. It suddenly feels like she can see everything. She won’t let the illusions of The Moon take over. She’ll trust the love she feels for her Empress. The most beautiful pony she’s ever felt.

She’ll trust in the magic that was taken from her.

“I’m here, too.” Rarity answers in the softest, calmest voice she’s ever heard.

“Okay.” Twilight takes a breath. “Let’s do this.”

So they do. Together.