For Whom the Bewitching Bell Tolls

>You/re in Season 9
>You try telling the Mane 6 Cozy and Tirek have been jailbroken by Discord.
>Even going so far to explain that he revived Sombra and tried getting him and the others to work together, but it didnt work, so now he re-framed that incident as another "test" for them no longer needing the Elements of Harmony
>No one believes you, especially Fluttershy, who defends the idea thathe wouldnt betray them again after their first run in with Tirek
>You plead with them to check Tartarus to prove a point, but they arent interested in making the trip, especially after being nearly trapped there last time
>Discord is also conveniently not around for questioning, but you doubt that would change anything. He'd likely feign innocence
>....
>Try talking to the other Princesses
>Celestia and Luna dont buy it. You dont have any evidence of such a claim and they have no interest in checking Tartarus right now with other pressing matters on their table their upcoming vacation plans
>No one believes you. There's no one you could turn to in order to prove that something is deeply wrong.
>The only thing you can do is take things into your own hands, and thee's only so much time....
>You turn inwards. You had to research things about the fundamental magics of this world
>It shows. As your knowledge and aptitude grew, so did your distancing from the rest of the ponies
>Some start wondering if you're feeling sick from the bags under your eyes as you burn the midnight oil frequently
>Or why you stopped at AJ's for lunch with her family, and even stopped having your gaming sessions with Spike and Mac on the weekend evenings
>But you had to do this. You had to save everyone from themselves.

>Be anon
>Blacksmith by trade and (former) tabletop DM,
>You knew that things were going to get out of hand (err, hoof) soon. There wasnt much time to prepare since the school was only attacked less than a week ago. Your vision of what was to come mysteriously came not long after.
>No one believes you. Hell, when you thought about what you learned, you didnt believe yourself, either.
>But every night, you would have the same dreams of their adventures and the tribulations to come....and that absolutely sickening end result.
>It sickened you to your core that the ponies who took you in as a stranger to this world and showed you friendship could possibly do such a thing to a child.
>You had heard of the things she had done, their reasoning behind her imprisonment, but when you questioned before as to why she did this or what was done to help her change, the responses were less than satisfactory.
>It was a topic that was dropped for a time, but now.....if the visions were to be true, then a grave mistake would be made.
>There was only one thing to do - get the Bell before "Team Grogar"' could.

>You would need to forge a weapon capable of getting through Gusty's shield where it was kept
>There were also the materials that you knew little about, and a forge capable of melting them down. From your study, the workshop and your on-hand inventory be insufficient for such a task.
>Since none believed you, it would be best to keep your interactions with them as short lived as possible. As much as you'd miss Spike and 'Mac, you couldnt have them slow you down (or involve Discord) should word come about regarding your chat with the Princesses.

>Drafting the design for the weapon was the easiest part. A simple claymore with a gold sword guard, shaped as a half-crescent with some carefully selected gemstones socketed into its frame. That should allow the guard and the hilt to conduct magical energy from the few small utility spells you learned to harness as a Focus, while allowing the blade itself to be tempered with anti-arcane properties.
>This was the more difficult prospect. Gold and Gemstones were commonplace for ponies as is, be it for making their beautifully minted bits or Rarity designing dressed with the abundant acquisitions of her digs.

>But magic-nullifying materials? They're incredibly scarce save for those who sell suppression rings.
>Even when researching how they're made, the magic negating material used would be in such small amounts that it would be impractical to use for forging, even if you had hundreds of rings
>Then you remembered a certain "vision" of Maud telling Starlight about magic negating stones.
>Yes! And she moved into Ponyville not long after that, too! A quick visit to the local stone savant would be a great first step in your project.
....
>Your visit with Maud was mostly uneventful. She was fairly forthcoming with the information you needed.
>An ore aptly called Magebane was what you needed. While a lot of the metals in Equestria were conduits to magic at varying degress, with gold being the most effective, this was a metal that actively repels it. Naturally, its found in the most barren of places - and for your trip, your closest chance for a deposit of such would be Ghastly Gorge-

>"Anonymous."
>Maud interrupts your musing as you were setting out to leave
>"I wont question you on why you need this ore, but there is something else."
>"Why have you been avoiding my sister lately? She has been trying to get you to talk with her and came to me for help earlier, too."

>You meet her gaze evenly as you grab your things
"Maud, your sister laughed off the idea that she and her friends would someday soon support something terrible - that an otherwise non-threat to Equestria was purposely manufactured by someone they call their "friend". It wasnt just her, either. No one believes me.
>Maud blinks as she listens, her face never betraying even an iota of emotion as always
"I can understand that no one buys this. I dont really have proof about what I saw, but the visions I had...they seemed real; from the ambiance of the surrounding nature within them to the tingling of my skin as
powerful magic is being cast, to the screams and fear of its victims."
>You look away briefly, stopping yourself
>"Whether or not it can happen, the reality is that you have friends who are worried about you, Anon. Even if they do not believe, what you have with them is rock solid. You shouldnt let it erode away with whatever you're planning if it means keeping them in the dark."

>You couldnt have expected her to believe this either, but at least she didnt outright shrug it off like the rest.
>As you meet her gaze again your grip tightens on the strap of your equipment bag
"Were you this inquisitive of Starlight's plans when she asked you about that stone to control the cutiemarks she would steal?"
>Maud's eyes widen ever so slightly for just a moment and she falls silent as she tries to process a response
>You take this as an opportunity to start leaving.
"I was in the Crystal Empire at the time, but I saw yours and Starlight's talk in one of those hallucinations, too."
>"Anonymous-"
"Dont worry - unlike her, I dont want to hurt anypony with this, if I can help it. Thanks again for the tip."
>You know better than to return to your workshop right away. Chances are that one of the Mane 6 or their buddies would be waiting for you there now that you've emerged from its depths for the first time since your meeting with the Princesses a few weeks ago.

>It was starting to get late. Ponies in Ponyville's market were starting to close up shop, and you needed to pass through in order to make it to the nearest train station. There's a dropoff point that's only a couple miles away from Ghastly Gorge, and you could probably set up camp at one of the many ridges there.
>You did have a very brief run-in with Applejack while sneaking around, however.
>"Anon! Ya finally came outta yer steaddin' huh? Arent'cha gonna say howdy to a friend?"
>You pause and curse yourself for being seen, standing upright from your crouching by the now vacant strawberry kiosk
"Applejack."
>"An where are you off to at this hour? Ya'll didnt come to catch some last minute sales, did ya? "
"I'm just doing some of my own business is all."
>You cant let her know what you're doing or where you're going. Just keep your best pokerface and ease yourself out of the conversation as quickly as possible. If Twilight comes after you-
>"Fair enough. Say, Twi was hopin' to have a chat with you about what happened a couple weeks ago. It seemed mighty important, an we even stopped by your place a few times to get'cha.
>You rub the bridge of your nose in mild frustration
"I was home, but my doors are locked. I dont know how you guys can walk around without locked doors, but I wouldnt want somepony just wandering in when I have a lot of materials that need careful handling."

>This seems to go over the little cowpony's head
>"Ah cant imagine some hunk of rock bein' that important. Sounds like you and Rares take a real shine to pickin' up pretty pebbles-"
>Enough.
>Withdrawing a small silver circlet from your bag as she rambles, you snap her to attention while equipping it
"Hey, AJ, how does this look?"
>"Huh? What's that you got there-"
>With a bit of mental focus, the bracelet releases a sudden blinding flash of light that only lasts for a second

>AJ is left standing stock still, unblinking.
"A 'pretty pebble' made this, too."
>It was a very weak paralysis spell imbued into this implement. On a foal, it may work for a little more than ten minutes, but on a full grown pony, especially one as physically capable as AJ, you've probably got about two before she starts shaking it off.
>Using it again would be out of the question, since the magic within it would need time to recharge itself from this world's ambient Ether.
"Sorry AJ, I'm all out of time to chat. Tell Twilight I dont want to hear her rabble, though."
>You can see her pupils move ever so slightly in response
>Deciding to move quickly, you up and turn AJ away from the direction you're going and book it for the train
>Just in time, too. You were able to catch the last one out of Ponyville for today. The station gradually moves on by as you look on, seeing a freed Applehorse finally make it there as she checks the platform for any trace of you among the departing ponies.
>Knowing Twilight, she probably just wanted to lecture you on the importance of spending time with friends after your studious seclusion period, or inquire why you badgered Celestia about her vacation plans when you saw them last, calling them completely unimportant compared to what was coming.
>You prop your chin up with your hand as you lean against the window, observing the scenery go by
>It was still lost to you how someone who preaches and teaches harmony could allow a foal to go to a prison for monsters. You couldnt fathom why no one tried reaching out to Tirek either.
>And worse yet, no one even cared to check on them
>How could anyone hope to become better if all one does is leave them to fester in their despair and anger? Its no small wonder they could have escaped and desire revenge.
>This wasnt the Magic of Friendship they shared with you.

>You arrive at your stop in the Twilight hours. By the time you've checked your things and made your hike to a rise overlooking the Gorge, the moon's already begun its nightly ascent.
>It doesnt take long to set up tent with your packed materials and set up a small ward around it with some magically charged Amethyst. Like your usual items, its not particularly powerful - a pony could easily walk into it without effort.
>But it would do the job of keeping the insects, scorpions and other critters from wandering in, and the stones recharge themselves within a few hours.
>It never ceases to amaze you what one could do with these gemstones and a little rune engraving. Maud might have really been onto something when she said somepony could conquer Equestria with the right one.
>Once your camp is secured, you peer into the ravine from your perch. Its dark, but you can make out the movements of the local quarry eels below
>They usually sleep during the day, but at night, they emerge to hunt small prey animals or squabble with each other over territory and mates.
>Even if you wanted to hurry things along, you arent equipped to deal with them,
>Hell, even if you could, mining in the dark was never a good idea.
>Resigning yourself to rest, you have yourself a small packaged supper and gaze at the moon, thinking of your next steps

>From here, it would be a trip back to the checkpoint and a train ride to the north west for the last stop at the Peaks of Peril.
>The Kirin made their home nestled in the nearby forests. It had been some time since you visited their quaint home out of curiosity, long after Fluttershy and AJ aided their kind.
>Since then, they've gradually started to try turning their wrathful flames into something they can use instead of fearing what they can become. Though short lived, you learned a lot about your current craft by spending time with the fluffy hybrids.
>Its time to sleep. You'll need to get up early to mine that Magebane.

>Within your dreams, you see the same things as you usually do - flashes of different fragments of time of Equestria. Its never in any particular order and only in short snippets. Most are major events but sometimes you get a glimpse of the simpler conversations or interactions between ponies you've met.
>Tonight was different, however.
>The visions you had would start and end far more abruptly than you were accustomed to.
>Where once you could see an entire conversation or sequence of events to its end, they only lasted about a minute, and the interval between each shift started to decrease gradually as your mind began to race
>Your head started to ache, being gradually overwhelmed by the information streaming through you at such a rapid pace. You begin tossing and turning in your sleep in the real world with pained grunts
>Your dream-self was completely paralyzed, eyes glazed over as you subconsciously struggled to keep your sense of self from being swept away in this stream of imagery
>It felt like an eternity had flashed before you before it ended within mere moments.
>Your consciousness persevered somehow as you fall from your empty space onto the ground that had manifested, undergoing a brief spasm as you recover from the paralysis
>It takes a bit of time to adjust, but you're able to weakly pull yourself from the ground to see the scene before you - a very familiar one at that

>"There is no punishment suitable for the crimes you've committed!", you hear Celestia cry
>Meters away, you see a depowered Cozy Glow, Tirek and Chrysalis, and before them stands their would be judge and jury
>As always in such visions, your presence holds no actual weight or meaning to the scene.
>Despite this, you try to call out to them, to tell the Princesses to wait a moment.
>Discord, as always, worms his way into their ears with his idea of a verdict, and the Princesses smile in agreement.
"No....not again...."

>"Yes, I think that will do nicely", Luna remarks
"Celestia, Luna, this isnt right! They're helpless now! They cant hurt anyone! Dont-"
>"Ooh, can I help? Pretty please?"
"-Its because of you they've done this!"
>Your voice reaches no one.
>You cant change anything.
>Even when you pull yourself up and try to get in the way of their combined spell, it passes straight through you, striking its intended target
>You can only look back at the affected, as you always do.
>Chrysalis tried to lash out as any cornered creature given no quarter would
>Tirek flinched away from the beam, hoping to spare himself of any pain that may have come with this punishment
>And Cozy Glow could only look on in abject terror as she felt herself petrify
>For a moment, it almost seemed like her eyes had locked with yours before they became solid stone
>"...."
>You dont even notice when the Princesses approach the statue
>Your balled fist tightens at the cheer of the ponies involved at this execution.
>But unlike the other occasions you've seen this, something changes.
>A hoof gently rests upon your shoulder as you look on at the statue, temporarily startling you out of the haze of your anger and disgust.

>"At last, we have found thee, Anonymous."

>"Admittedly, this dream of yours was far more to find among the many, and even more difficult to enter."
>You felt her hoof pull away, but it wasnt like you cared
>"That is most unusual, human. It is as though something wanted to obscure your mind from our sight."
>The Princess paces about as she observes the now still-motion world.
"Why are you here?"
>You try to keep your composure. Despite the feelings roiling in your mind, you at least wanted an answer.
>"Our conversation from weeks prior, Anonymous. We have had much time to think of your claims, as bizarre as they were,"
>Luna stops at the statue, standing by your side as she looks up at the petrified victims
>"But this....is no mere dream, is it? We were only able to come to this place because we existed within the makings of this dream of yours."
"Luna. Did you see all that transpired before you froze this place?"
>There's a pause before she replies
>"We did, Anonymous."
>Keep it together.
"Was all of that crazy shifting earlier your doing?"
>"It was. After seeing how unique your dreamscape was, We had to delve deeper into its abyss. Unlike other dreamspaces, we cannot discern if this is a fabrication of your mind or something more."
>Finally, you look at her for the first time since the interruption.

"Real or not, do you think this is just? To petrify these three when they have no power? To not even offer them friendship or a chance to change?"
>Luna meets your gaze evenly. You can see her bottom lip stiffen in a slight grimace as she tries to solve some internal conflict to her answer, but it doesnt take long for a resolution to come.
>"I do."
>She doesnt have a moment to react before you meet her answer in kind.

>The entire world around you shatters into an endless voidwhen your fist meets her face. Luna herself doesnt budge despite the oddly satisfying force you smashed her with, but her head does twist a bit.
>You also think you might have broken something
>Despite your fist being buried in her cheek, she's able to gradually turn to look at you in the eye with a mix of anger and shock, making you pull back
>"You.....you hit me? How is that possible here? "
>You'd like to know yourself, but that doesnt matter right now
"You seriously mean that? You of all ponies should be sympathetic to their situation."
>Luna collects herself and starts using her horn to channel some healing magic. It looks like it takes time to work - something you chalk up to her being out of practice
>No one has directly assaulted her or her sister in some time, after all
>"Listen well, Anonymous. When I say that I find their fate just, I do not mean it out of maliciousness"

>"If what your dream shows us is to be believed, they will never cease being an enemy to our kind. Ponies have suffered trauma from the terror they set upon us time and time again. I have seen it in their dreams countless times as I aid in helping resolve the fears of the dreamers."
>Luna circles you, and you move slowly in kind to keep eye contact
>"Tirek insatiably feeds on our magic, the lifeblood of our society. Chrysalis, on our emotions with her refusal to reform like the rest. The foal, however sweet the facade she puts on, holds nothing but greed and contempt for everyone else.
>Luna pauses her pace to stare you down
>"How can we ever hope to change them when they either cannot or refuse to conform to a better way? How is it not better to isolate them until a means to their salvation could be found, as it were for myself and young Stygian?"

>Your eyes close as you breathe deeply, feeling your flash of fury dissolve into something else.
>It was pity. At first you were angry because you had believed that the Princesses saw your plight as the ramblings of a madman. Hell, you had your own doubts about how true it could be, too. Even beyond Discord's trickery, the end result seemed like such an unnatural thing for them to do; but hearing this response only reinforced that this was more than a mere possibility.
>They firmly believe that this is right
"Luna."
>Her eyes observe you with cautious intent, looking for any signs of hostility
"You've misunderstood everything about what friendship is. Hell, I doubt you ever really learned its true meaning."
>That earns you an ear flick and furrowed brow
>"You would seek to lecture me, when you've abandoned your friends to revel in your delusions?"
"I would."
>You take a step towards her
"Luna, the whole reason Stygian came back to his senses was because Starlight and Twilight actually reached out to him. Even in the depths of his despair and anger, friendship found its way to him - a ray of hope in his darkest hours."
>Another step. Luna stands firm, but you see her bottom lip stiffen again as she listens
"Had you remained as Nightmare Moon when your emotions took on a life of their own, would you have changed your mind if offered the same opportunity? Or would you prefer another thousand years on the Moon because the 'means to your salvation' hadnt been found yet!?"
>Another step forward for you, as her eyes widen and she takes a step back
>"I....if its for the good of Equestria....I...."
She doesnt notice that you're standing before her as her mind races, likely reliving the turmoil her rebellion and subsequent punishment had brought upon her.
>You raise your hand, but she doesnt notice until its right before her face. Snapping back to this reality, she flinches for an impact that doesnt come.
>It rests gently on her crownless head instead.

>Her eyes gradually open again as she looks at you, their edges filling with teardrops
>Its strange to you to imagine that a day would come where you were talking down to a Princess like a displeased father would to a misbehaving child.
>She even attempts to choke out a reply, but you're not having any of it.

"Luna, I'm plenty mad and hurt that you and the others belittled my warnings, but more than anything else, I'm disappointed. Of anypony else, even Twilight "Princess of Friendship" Sparkle, you should know what it means to meet ponies where they are in the dark and help them find their way to a better tomorrow. You should know what its like to be locked away and neglected, forgotten to the ages in all but name and myth until someone else can deal with you."
>She cant even look at you anymore, trying to find anything else in this endless void to look at. You kneel, moving your hand to her jaw to make her look at you again, even if her tears flowed freely and her lip quivers
"And its because you know these things, because you lived these things, you should know better than to put anyone else through it. Not to the helpless....and especially not a mere foal."
>"A-anon....."
She can barely choke out her name with all of the guilt she's been weighed down with as the realization of her failure comes down on her in full.
>You look at her solemnly for a few more seconds before pulling away
"I dont care what you do from here. I'm going to do what I think is right, even if I have to do it alone."
>"....I'm sorry...."
>You turn away from her, having run out of anything else to to say, except...
"Now get the hell out of my head."
>You dont see it, but somehow your mind can tell that she has taken her leave

>You are Princess Luna, Warden of the Night and those who dream within it
>Awakening from your stasis, the first thing that greets you is pain in your cheekbone. It was nothing that your magic couldnt recover you from, but it was unprecedented that you would be harmed in a dream and have it follow through to your true self.
>....
>More than that, your encounter with the Outworlder Anonymous left you with much to think about.
>As you rise from your bed and head to your balcony, you begin to question yourself
>Was it really fair to have simply put Tirek and Cozy Glow away as you and your sister had?
>Just what was it that Cozy Glow dreamed about before she executed her plan? It was natural for many ponies to fall through the net of your gaze as you scoured the dreamworld - you are but one soul attempting to aid many, and before her betrayal, no one suspected anything
>But what if you had found her dreams? By chance, could you have seen her for what she truly was? Could you have helped her?
>Even if you couldnt, what have any of you done after the fact but send them away? If Anonymous' vision holds weight, then it would seem that history repeats itself once again in a far more troubling way.
>The time soon comes for you to lower your moon and make way for your sister's sun.
>"I suppose, paying Tartarus a visit to check on them wouldn't be wasted time."

>You will need to get an ensemble of mages together. When the magic of Equestria was nearly lost, Tartarus' entrance and exit were but a mere door. With its magic fully restored, its seals would be active, preventing entry or escape to living entities without a incantation invoked by three ponies to pass through.
>Today, you had scheduled to finalize your vacationing plans with your sister, but with Anonymous' words gnawing away at your conscience, you couldnt possibly focus on your future revelry without ensuring that nothing was amiss. From there, your future vacation wouldnt be the only thing to talk about

>You're Anon, the one and only
>And you fucking punched a goddess horse in the face and told her off on top of that
>You should feel alpha as fuck and as robust as ever from what was a good night's rest, but you're morning's met with a punch of mental fatigue
>Must be a side effect of the dreamscape shenanigans.
>You dont hate them, you tell yourself. They're just not acting like they usually do. You never knew the ponies to be so callous, even towards others they arent fond of
>All you could do is hope that somehow your words reached Luna. If not that, your fist doesnt disagree about reaching her again should she come at you with more "justified" bullshit.
>The sun's barely risen over the mountains in the distance. Its a prime time to break camp and get mining. It will take at least a day to gather and compare samples of this ore once you find some deposits to ensure you make with only the highest quality fragments you can find.
>Afterwards, its off to the Kirin to forge your weapon and maybe arm yourself a bit better for the journey ahead
>A long road lay ahead of you, but you wont waver in your mission to unravel Discord's plan and give his unwitting pawns the chance they deserve