Downstream (MLP Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

Canterlot Castle was in ruins. Twilight took to the burnt orange skies, thick with smoke. From up there, it was clear that something awful happened here. Buildings were just piles of scorched wood, stone and glass. No ponies in sight.

Then, something moved under a pile of stone slabs where the east wing of the castle was.

Twilight immediately went to pick up the debris and found Luster, injured but alive.

Luster looked up and cowered, covering her head. "Princess Twilight... I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's okay, Luster. I'm so happy you're safe." Twilight immediately went to hug Luster then held back, afraid she might worsen any injuries.

"What happened here?" Luna asked to no one in particular, trying to ignore the horrific smell of burning.

"This pony came to the castle. He had Princess Flurry Heart with him and offered her release for control of Canterlot. Mother and Father made me go to the panic room and to not come out until they said I could."

Twilight held a hoof to her mouth. "My baby Flurry..."

Celestia heard this and slumped over. "He. So, it wasn't her, after all."

Luster looked around, truly taking in the devastation. "No... we- we gotta change this."

"We can't, Luster." Celestia said a little too fast.

Luster's face was scrunched and immediately went digging through the piles of rock, looking for the bookmark.

Twilight picked Luster up with her magic and sat her down. "Luster, please listen to Celestia. Rune may be unrelated to this, but now is not the time to make this any worse.

"But I'm not! I think Rune can help us! She can go back in time!"

"Which is why she's dead!" Celestia slammed her hooves into the ground, to the horror of Luster and Twilight.

Twilight looked Celestia in the eye, pained. "I thought you only had her banished!"

Celestia paused, stunned.

Twilight looked to Luster, then nodded. She stood over her and flared her wings at Celestia. "You always told me deserves death, no matter what they do. Why is this different?"

Celestia tried to look away, her voice submissive "I had to. Banishment can't break a time loop. I tried."

"Well, the time loop's broken now, right?" Luster piped up.

Celestia glared and said nothing.

Twilight stepped forward. "If we can prevent any of this happening - if I can save Pinkie - I will do anything to make that happen."

Celestia went to protest, but even Luna was glaring at her.

"I..." Celestia looked away. "Very well. But if you want to come with me to bring her back, you can't all come. Somepony has to stay behind."

Twilight put a protective hoof over Luster. "Luna, can you look for survivors while we're gone?"

Luna nodded. "Of course," she said, taking to the sky.

Celestia stood between Twilight and Luster. "Stick close. And remember, she will not be happy to see me."

Twilight and Luster closed their eyes as Celestia cast a spell. When they opened their eyes again, they were surrounded by darkness.

A voice whispered "What are you doing here, Celestia?"

"You should show yourself, Miss Forge. I am not alone."

Silence fell, then a pink light fizzled to life in the dark. The light carved the shape of a restless pony glaring at them. Luster recognised their eyes immediately.

"Rune?"

"Luster...? And I presume my best friend?" Rune practically spat out those words.

Twilight looked to Celestia. "Why did you do it, Celestia?"

Rune's smile couldn't really reach her eyes. "Oh, no need to ask her. Let me give you the run-down."

Celestia went silent as Rune began. "The Twilight I knew went away to Ponyville because her tutor told her to. I was so alone for years, even though we still talked. I wanted a chance to talk her out of leaving in the first place. Then, I heard about Starswirl's time-travel spell and went to work. When I cast it for the first time, I apparently created a never-ending time loop and ruined Equestria in the process." Rune looked to Celestia. "But, now that I see what you did to her, I see that you just wanted me out of the way. We both know that's the truth, Tia."

Celestia didn't look Rune in the eyes. "Your time here has made you bitter, Rune Forge."

"I wonder whose fault that is." Rune began to tear up. "You destroyed every little part of my existence, Celestia. I may as well have never been born."

"Do you seriously think I lied when I told you I'd keep your memory alive? I tried to publish your spells. All of them! Every publisher turned it down because I refused to take out your rune spells." Celestia walked towards Rune. "I kept a memento of you, so I'd never forget about you. But it seems I forgot it back in Canterlot." Celestia then looked over to Luster.

Rune was silent, then it sunk in. "Wait, why are you all even here?"

Twilight looked to Luster. "Luster told us you created a time-travel spell. We need it."

Rune blinked. "You could at least pretend I'm not being used."

Luster spoke up. "It's not like that, Rune. You know that spell better than anypony else. We need you alive."

"Alive...?" Rune looked into the distance, pondering the idea. Then she shook her head.

"What's the point, anyway? There's nothing for me in Equestria anymore. That thing there," Rune pointed at Celestia, who rolled her eyes, "She took away my family, my home, and my only real friend." Rune rounded on Celestia again. "And those simulations you put me through are torture. It just rubbed it in that I could never be with them again."

"Which is why we stopped them."

Rune turned away and slumped over. "Whatever. You wasted your time coming here."

Celestia huffed. "My thoughts exactly. Let's go back."

Twilight went to follow Celestia, then noticed Luster sitting beside Rune.

"No friends, huh?"

Rune quietly nodded.

Luster shuffled closer. "What if, say, you did have friends waiting for you?"

Rune humoured the idea. "It would change everything, Luster. But, Twilight was my best friend. Anypony else I knew are probably grandparents by now and won't even know who I am."

"Well, what about us? We might not be the best of friends yet, but wouldn't you call me a friend?"

Rune paused and looked at Luster. Here was a pony who cared about her, at least a little bit. She went to all this trouble to find her and really wanted to be friends.

Rune couldn't help but try to hug her. When her hooves passed through Luster, it made her choice all the more easy.

"I'll come back, but only for you."