“We’ve heard your story from the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Blue Moon. But we still have some questions,” Twilight began. “Is Auntie Eclipse really trying to open the Livewood? And is it true she forced your family into helping her?”
Blue Moon nodded sadly. Scootaloo could almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
“Auntie Eclipse has had no other goal since I met her. She believes she will take the helm of Nightmare Moon and lead Equestria into an age of darkness. She could have used any family,” he said bitterly. “But when I grew sick, she tricked Lumi into pledging our loyalty to her in exchange for curing me. Now I wonder if Auntie made me sick to begin with, just so she could force Lumi to do what she wanted.”
“Waiiit. So you weren’t both under some kind of zombie spell to serve her? You did it willingly?” Rainbow Dash asked, flying to get into Blue Moon’s face.
Blue Moon didn’t flinch. Scootaloo was impressed. It took a lot of courage to stand up to Rainbow Dash when she was in cross-examination mode!
“I usually was. But not always,” he admitted. “When Auntie Eclipse wanted Lumi to behave a certain way, she would put me back under her spell until Lumi completed whatever Auntie demanded. It was as if I were wearing a mask and not in control of what I was doing. Just riding along, like this…”
Blue Moon’s face slipped into his terrifying grin, and Scootaloo shuddered. That she remembered.
“Why not just keep y’all under her spell the whole time?” Applejack wondered.
“A compulsion spell takes lots of magic.” Twilight frowned. “Holding power over even one pony for that long is a challenge.”
“But controlling one pony in order to make another pony do your bidding is clever. Half the magic, twice the result,” Starlight reasoned. The others glared at her. She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on! I’m not saying it’s a good idea. Just effective.”
“And now she has the fillies under her spell?” Twilight sighed heavily. “Auntie must be more powerful than we thought.”
“She didn’t try anything on our girls until yesterday,” Blue Moon admitted. “Auntie has been very careful, plotting each step. But now she’s using as much magic as it takes, because she knows you all are onto her. And these three brave fillies,” he added, nodding to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom, “are the only ones who have stopped her plan so far.”
All eyes in the room turned to the Crusaders. Sweetie Belle blushed, Apple Bloom stood proudly, and Scootaloo just hoped this meant they wouldn’t be in trouble for sneaking into the Livewood.
“Poor Ambermoon and Lilymoon,” Fluttershy said. Scootaloo could see she was feeling bad about not having trusted the two fillies. “How could you let that horrible Unicorn turn them into zombies?” She frowned at Blue Moon.
“Lumi Nation and I have tried to protect our daughters,” Blue Moon said, looking down in shame. “Lumi is the strongest of all of us. Auntie always had a hard time controlling her. But the contract that binds the two of them will give Auntie our daughters if Lumi doesn’t serve her. We are truly caught in that witch’s web.”
“At least you’re free now,” Pinkie Pie said, trying to find a bright side. “That’s gotta mess up her plans!”
But Blue Moon shook his head. “Auntie Eclipse gave four of us matching cutie marks. She needs only three ponies to open the Livewood. She liked having a spare. She’s a planner.”
Silence fell over the room as the gathered ponies realized what this meant.
“Then we have to stop her, right now!” Twilight said, stomping a hoof in determination.
“No,” Starlight said.
Everypony turned to her in surprise, even Scootaloo.
“We don’t have to stop her. They do.” Starlight nodded to the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
“Darling, what are you saying? Of course they’re brave, and they’ve done so much already,” Rarity said, moving to put a protective hoof around Sweetie Belle’s shoulders. “But one doesn’t send fillies against an ancient sorceress!”
“Princess Luna chose them to be Defenders of the Livewood. We can help them… but this is their story,” Starlight said.
Scootaloo might have been imagining it, but she thought she heard Discord sighing in relief: “She can be taught!”
“How do you feel about this?” Twilight asked the Crusaders. They shifted from hoof to hoof, and finally Apple Bloom spoke up.
“We know it won’t be easy.”
“And we’re scared,” Sweetie Belle added.
“But together, we’re stronger than anypony,” Scootaloo said. Twilight smiled, looking proudly at the three fillies.
“I know you are,” Twilight said. Then she turned to the assembled ponies. “We don’t have a lot of time. I’m sure Auntie Eclipse is attempting to open the Livewood as we speak.” She turned to look at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Let’s do what we can to get you three ready to save Equestria.”
Scootaloo glanced at her friends. Apple Bloom swelled with pride. Sweetie Belle looked mildly nauseous. Scootaloo wasn’t sure what was going to happen. But she was ready. She knew they could do this. Right now, she felt as if they could do anything. The moment was only slightly ruined by Applejack leaning down to whisper…
“But after you save Equestria… y’all are still grounded.”
Lumi Nation watched helplessly as Auntie Eclipse directed her daughters slowly up the pillars. She was furious with herself for doing nothing, but she knew how powerful Auntie was, and she was well aware that standing up to her wouldn’t accomplish anything. She had tried. Many, many times. Lilymoon took her place atop the first pillar, staring ahead with the familiar grin Lumi had come to know so well. Moments later, Ambermoon reached the top of the second pillar, wearing the same blank expression. Auntie Eclipse turned to Lumi, her horn glowing a sickly bloodred.
“At least I don’t have to waste any of my power on you, do I, dearie? You know what happens to
