Scootaloo had finally made it to the castle. Unfortunately, it was gargantuan for a pegasus as small as she was. She didn't want to waste time trying to convince the guards, but had little choice.
She flew down to the guard at the front doors of the castle. "Hey, you! I need to talk to Celestia immediately!"
The guard rubbed his eyes and blinked a couple times. "What the, hey Steel, you seeing this?"
"Yeah, Flint, but I don't believe it. Is that a toy?" Steel said.
"No, my name is Scootaloo, I'm an orphan living in Ponyville and a friend of Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty! Twilight has been imprisoning us in dolls and I have to talk to Celestia immediately or more ponies will die!" Scootaloo shouted.
"I-what on Equestria is the regulation for this?" Flint asked.
"I don't know, but it's above our paygrade. Better just take her to Celestia. She might still be in the main hall holding the night court for her sister," Steel said.
"Awesome! Come on guys, we don't have much time," Scootaloo said. She landed on top of Steel's helmet as they galloped inside to find Celestia.
It was a short ride to reach her, reminding Scootaloo how much she missed being able to walk and fly like a normal sized pony. It had taken two hours when it should have taken twenty minutes to cross Canterlot to the castle due to her size.
The trio burst into the throne room, causing Celestia to tilt her head and put the bite of cake on her fork down. "Guards, what is the matter?" Celestia asked.
"Princess!" Scootaloo took off and flew towards her.
A thousand years of grace under pressure and regal composure began to slip, her eyes going wide in shock. There appeared to be a talking, flying doll, rapidly approaching her. Celestia dropped the cake from her levitation and her mouth fell agape.
"Celestia! Twilight's gone crazy and she's trapping everypony!" Scootaloo said.
"Wha-guards! Send for word from Luna immediately," Celestia ordered. "Ready the Solar Guard, and bring the Knight-Captain here at once."
"Celestia, please promise you can rescue everypony, please," Scootaloo whined.
"It's okay, my little pony. Now, tell me what has happened a bit more calmly."
Scootaloo landed on the armrest of the chair. "Well, Twilight tricked me to come to the library and poisoned me. Then she captured me as a doll, and Dash too. She has a whole town in her basement of dolls. Rarity, the crusaders, Vinyl, Lyra, Big Mac. . . She plans to get everypony and make them be her friend forever!"
Celestia was still processing this shocking news. Part of her refused to believe her pupil had this in her. After years of trials and tests, after raising her to the status of princess, how could she have this evil inside her?
"You are sure?" Celestia asked. She immediately felt it was a pretty stupid question. Tiny replica dolls of ponies that disappeared without a trace isn't the kind of thing you could make up.
"Yeah, an-" The room took on a red tint. Scootaloo looked up through the skylight to see a blood red moon hanging low in the sky. "What does that mean?"
Celestia stood up and levitated a dusty trunk out of an alcove in the corner. "It means, Scootaloo, that we're at war. It means Luna needs my aid. May the creator have mercy on Twilight if what you say is true."
Though the chest was dusty, the contents inside still gleamed as brilliantly as the last time Celestia had worn them into battle. The golden raiments of the sun goddess hadn't been used since banishing Nightmare Moon a millenia ago.
Now, Celestia slipped into the golden breastplate with sterling silver designed engraved on it. Her cutie mark adorned it, protecting her chest from all weapons magical and non-magical. She put on large boots, a larger regalia that protected everything below her knee. Celestia's mane was tucked under the helmet, and her horn slid through a hole in the top of it.
Scootaloo watched in awe at the transformation. Celestia had once been white with a flowing pink, blue, and green mane. Now all that was visible was a golden deity, barely a hint of white fur showing. Her flowing mane had vanished, replaced by a golden ethereal mane and tail. The entire room seemed brighter from her mere presence.
There was a loud popping sound in the room. Scootaloo turned to see a bloodied and bruised Luna in the center of the chamber. A large wound in her shoulder was spewing bright red blood onto the tiles. Scootaloo and Celestia flew over to aid her.
"Lulu! What happened? Are you okay?" Celestia cried out. She stopped in front of her sister and began to charge her horn.
"No, Tia, stop! Leave it for the doctors." She held a hoof up to wave her away. "you'll need your strength for Twilight, she is not the filly we once knew."
Celestia dropped her royal visage for the first time in millennia. Her facade cracked as her eyes narrowed and she grimaced. In one moment she was crying, the next her body was tensed up, her ears flat against her head. She was quick to regain her composure. For that brief moment, the pensive leader had shown her subjects the emotional turmoil within.
Scootaloo backed up as waves of heat began to radiate off Celestia, threatening to melt her. "Twilight tried to kill you? Was she behind the disappearances also?" Celestia asked.
Luna nodded weakly. "Yes to both, dear sister. She has fallen even-" Luna choked back a sob. "Even further than I did."
Scootaloo was blinded and realized it was the noon-day sun shining through the windows overhead. Celestia had raised the sun, despite it being nearly midnight.
Celestia motioned for the guards. "Take Luna to the infirmary at once. Dispatch all guards to Ponyville." Celestia grabbed the nearest guard, Steel, by the scruff of his neck. "And do not misunderstand me. When I say all guards, I mean every. Single. One." She released him and he ran off to carry out her order.
Celestia motioned to Scootaloo "Take her to the infirmary too. Do not let harm come to either of them." Celestia was so carried away in her disappointment, pity, and anger at Twilight's betrayal she did not realize the fear she was invoking in her subjects. Ponies who had never seen her raise her voice at the rudest solicitor were now backed against the walls as she channeled the pure essence of the sun.
She walked towards the door to the main hall, tears dripping from her cheeks to the floor. The nearest ponies raised their eyes and saw a look of determination and sorrow. Clad in her battle armor and with the sun high in the sky, her true meaning had been revealed.
Twilight, I'm coming for you.
