The Darkest of Stars

That Night...

Radley blinked open his eyes slowly. He had a massive headache. It took him a while to get a feel for his surroundings, especially after that strange encounter.

Cyril...

What was her problem? He found it hard to tell if she was serious or not. She seemed a lot like a mix between Pinkie Pie and Kassandra, which was a bizarre combination.

How did she know so much about him? He had never seen her before in his life. She also knew that ridiculous nickname that Kassandra had given him. Whoever she was, it was hard to tell what side she was on, if she were on any at all. Was she really offering her friendship or was she just trying to mess with his head? It was confusing...

“What's on your mind?”

Radley jumped in surprise. He had no idea that Kassandra was also here. “Oh...nothing,” he lied. “It's just...we're on the precipice of another battle with Blackstar.”

“So?” Kassandra said, shrugging. “We've been through this twice before.”

“But this could finally be the time we completely destroy her,” Radley said. “After all...her body still exists.”

Kassandra's eyes got bigger. “Are you serious!? How do you know?”

“I was with Applejack and Fluttershy at the lab where Blackstar was being developed. They recognized the body in the chamber. She's still around here somewhere.”

Kassandra sat down, as if a great weight was just placed on her. “This...this isn't good. It would be one thing if Blackstar possessed someone else during the arrival of the Darkest Star, but if she gets back into her original body...”

“I know,” Radley said. “This just got a lot more complicated. We have to find her, this Trixie Lulamoon, before it's too late.”

“No, we don't.”

Radley and Kassandra both turned to find Allis walking towards them. “Dude, how long have you been there?” Kassandra asked. “You've gotta stop sneaking up on people like that.”

Allis ignored his sister and went straight to Radley. “And you have to stop lying to us!”

Radley had no idea what he was talking about. “Lying? What are you talking about?”

“I saw the meeting between the council,” Allis said, as if looking Radley directly in the eye. “I know what their original plan was. We were never supposed to get involved.”

Radley could see where this was going. “Now, Allis. Please listen-”

Allis stamped his hoof on the ground. “No! I'm done listening to you! You've been lying to us all of these years!”

“What are you talking about, Allis?” Kassandra asked.

“Go ahead and tell her, Radley!” Allis commanded. “Tell her the truth about how we were supposed to be bound to Blackstar for all eternity!”

Radley couldn't look any of his friends in the eye. “I'm...sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Starswirl planned for himself, Wind Stryke and May Treearch to be bound to Blackstar. It was not suppose to be us.”

Kassandra was starstruck. “But...you told us...”

“That Starswirl had bound us to Blackstar while we slept and had abandoned us,” Allis finished. “That was a lie. Radley himself had interrupted the ritual that would have sealed himself and Wind and May to the princess. And then...”

“...he placed us in instead,” Kassandra completed in disbelief. She looked at Radley. “Is that true?”

Radley had fallen completely silent. He couldn't say anything. “Well, is it!?” Kassandra screamed. “Is it true that we've been hating Starswirl for what we thought he did to us all of these years when it was you who did this to us!?”

The maroon Earth pony still was completely quiet. Finally, Kassandra snapped. Dark smoke swirled around him as she lifted him up into the air. Radley's body had gone completely straight, but still he didn't say a word. “Give me a reason, Radley Kane,” Kassandra said through clenched teeth. “Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right here and now!”

Allis walked up behind her. “Kassandra, you know it's pointless. Drop him.”

Kassandra's eyes were dark with her own magic, as well as her own tears. “He ruined our lives! He's been the one we should have been hating!” She turned back to Radley. “Why would you do this!? Tell me!!”

Still, Radley did not say anything. His expression was unreadable.

“Drop him,” Allis said again.

Kassandra closed her eyes. Radley fell to the ground with a thud. She walked away, tears flowing down her face.

Allis approached Radley, standing over him as he was still lying on the ground. “All this time, you had us completely fooled. All this time, we thought you were a friend. You saved our lives all those years ago. We were without purpose, without parents. You and Starswirl as well as May and Wind   gave us a family again. But then we became bound to Blackstar, cursed to fight her for all eternity. You had us thinking that it was Starswirl who did this to us, the pony who was like a father to all of us. But I guess I was blind in more than one way. These necklaces may bind us together, but I will never be your friend from this point forward. Farewell...pony alchemist.” He took to the skies, leaving Radley all alone.

Finally, a tear slid down Radley's face. “I did it...so that I wouldn't lose you,” he said at last.

~

Twilight awoke to find herself in her own room in Canterlot, alone. Words couldn't describe how happy she was to be back here. It felt like it had been ages. However, she felt...strange.

Kassandra had revealed something to her, but she had to see for herself. She went to a nearby desk that had a elegantly crafted letter opener. She took a deep breath and picked up the tool. She aimed for her arm, but stopped suddenly. This was crazy. After all, it was technically a dream where Kassandra had told her. What if she was wrong? She'd survive but it would hurt terribly. She had yet to understand the true nature of her immortality.

“What if...what if she was right?” Twilight asked herself aloud.

“What if who was right?”

Twilight jumped straight into the air. “Princess Celestia!” she yelled. “How long have you been here!?”

Princess Celestia smiled. “Long enough to see that you have some questions.” She turned to leave the room. “Follow me. We'll talk on the way. There's a lot to discuss.”

Twilight bounded after Celestia, walking by her side down a long corridor. “Luna and I have been looking for you and your friends for a while.”

“Radley, Kassandra and Allis were trying to show us some events of the past. We ended up getting trapped inside of something called a 'Blackest Heart'.”

“I see,” Celestia said, more to herself than to Twilight. “It's been a few weeks since you've been gone.”

“How much time is left until...?”

“Three months,” Celestia answered. “A lot has happened. For one, Queen Chrysalis is planning something.”

“Planning what?”

“We're not sure. We have reason to believe that she is working with, or for, Blackstar. It's been pretty quiet for a while, but we don't think she's given up.”

“Wait...what happened to the Alicorn Amulet?”

“I destroyed it,” Celestia said. “I was hoping that that would be the end of Blackstar, but I believe that she will find another way to get to this world.”

“What makes you think that?” Twilight asked. “Kassandra said that the amulet was-”

“-her heart? She was correct. But there was something that Alexander Kane said that has me thinking.”

“Who's he?”

“Radley Kane's father,” Celestia explained. “I remember him from many years ago. I thought he was dead, but I guess I was wrong. He was in possession of the amulet at the time. He said that now Blackstar could enter the world on her own terms.”

“Her own terms?” Twilight repeated. “Does that mean the amulet was acting as some sort of inhibitor?”

“It's possible,” Celestia admitted. “There was one other thing I heard from Blackstar that has me worried as well.”

“What's that?”

“It was broken, but I could make out some of what she said. 'There's more than one to take'.” She glanced at Twilight, seeking her opinion.

“What could it mean? More than one heart? Is there another Alicorn Amulet?”

“That's unlikely,” Celestia said. “If there was more than one amulet, she wouldn't have gone through the trouble to acquire the one.”

“But the necklaces that Kassandra and the rest have are shards of Blackstar's heart,” Twilight pointed out. “If those exist there are likely to be others.”

Celestia pondered this for a moment as she stopped at a door. “You might be correct there. There could be dozens of shards out there.”

“And the Alicorn Amulet was just the largest,” Twilight completed. “Why have we stopped here?”

“I found someone when I ventured to the Black Citadel,” Celestia said, opening the door. “Someone who will be staying with us for the time being.”

Twilight's eyes widened when she saw who it was. “Hello, Twilight Sparkle. It's been quite a long time, hasn't it?”

“Trixie!?” Twilight exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“I found her with Alexander Kane,” Celestia explained. “I was hoping that the two of you could become friends.”

“Friends?” Twilight repeated, quite taken aback.

“What's the matter, Twilight Sparkle?” Trixie taunted. “Did you not accept my apology from before?”

Before Twilight could answer, Luna entered the room with haste. “Sister, there you are! Remember, we have to-” She suddenly noticed Twilight was there, too. “Twilight, it's good to have you back. We will talk later.” She turned back to Celestia and gave her a knowing look.

Celestia registered understanding and stood beside her. “Right. Luna and I have a prior engagement. We will be back soon.” She nodded at Luna and they both left the room.

Luna shut the door behind them, giving Celestia a worried look. “Are you sure that was a good idea?” she whispered loudly.

“Twilight has learned a lot about friendship over the past few years,” Celestia said, not looking her sister in the eye.

“Yes, but with Blackstar?” Luna said, walking around to look Celestia in the eye. "Why stop there? Why not befriend King Sombra too?"

“Not Blackstar, but her sentient body,” Celestia corrected, ignoring the joke. “Trixie Lulamoon is not Blackstar. Her body has its own identity. Trixie could choose not to unite with her.”

Luna was silent for a moment, then smiled. “A noble idea, my sister, but I think you made one fatal assumption.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow as she started walking with Luna. “Hm?”

“You assume that Blackstar will give her a choice.”

~

Alexander Kane looked a bit wary. “So that's how Celestia wants to go about it. Did you have anything to do with it?”

Cyril shook her head. “Nothing at all. It surprises me too.”

Alexander chuckled. “Who said that I was surprised? I was worried that she wasn't going to come to that conclusion at all.” He went silent.

“Are you worried about Radley? Shall I speak with him again?”

Alexander shook his head. “No. Let him sort it out himself. It's about time he faced the consequences of his actions.”

“But if the Order stay separated-”

“I know what will happen,” Alexander interrupted. “We cannot get too involved yet. It was already extremely dangerous getting them out of the Heart. Just keep watching. Everything must be in place for the plan to succeed, but they must be the ones in control.”

“Consider it done,” Cyril said. There was a waver in her voice.

“What's wrong?”

Cyril shook her head. “Nothing. It's fine.”

“If there's anyone that you cannot lie to, it's me,” Alexander said, half-jokingly.

“Then let me rephrase: I don't want to talk about it.”

Alexander looked pleased and nodded. “Very well.”

“So, what's next?” Cyril asked.

Alexander looked like he was deep in thought. “The players are doing their parts well. The third act is over. Now, it's time for the action to fall. What's next, you ask?” He took a sip of Earl Grey tea and chuckled. “We watch the world stop.”