Tale of Two Tyrants and the Eternal War

"Rainbow Dash! We're glad you're here!" Cheered Twilight.

"Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle, Applejack, Twilight, Princess Luna, AND Pinkie Pie? Am I dreaming, or am I dead?" Fluttershy and Pinkie exchanged glances.

"Neither, Dashie! We're in Equestria!!" Said Pinkie, bouncing gleefully despite her injuries. She had a back eye, and a terrible nosebleed. But nothing can stop Pinkie from smiling.

"What? Wait…WHAT!?" Dash exclaimed. "Oh Celestia…I'm just- what?" Rainbow groaned loudly.

"Nevermind, Rainbow Dash." Said Twilight, patting Dash's head.

"Twilight!" Dash shoved Twilight's hoof off her head, her cheeks a rosy pink.

"What?" Asked Twilight, a smirk on her face.

"Don't do that! Anyway, where are we going, Princess Luna?"

"We are not the leader of this mission. That would be miss Sparkle." Replied Luna, gesturing at Twilight. Dash facehoofed, then yawned loudly.

"Alright then. Twilight, where are we going?"

"Canterlot."

"Wait WHAT!? Why are we going there!? Isn't that where Solar Flare lives!?" Dash yelled, almost knocking Twilight over.

"Yes, it is." Replied Twilight, her tone unchanged.

"Well shit." Said Dash, pretending to shoot herself.

"Um…Twilight?" Squeaked Fluttershy.

"Yes, Fluttershy?" Replied Twilight, cocking her head.

"I'm not so sure about this…" Fluttershy whispered, her pink mane covering her face. Twilight walked over to Fluttershy, then brushed her mane away from her face. Twilight draped her leg over Fluttershy's shoulder.

"Hey, it's ok, it's ok. We'll figure this out together, ok?" Twilight said comfortingly. Fluttershy nodded, then continued to trudge onward. The gray clouds above them started to shower the troupe with rain. Cold, hungry, and hopeless, they trudged onward. Even Pinkie Pie bore a depressed look. Her bright pink mane had turned from fluffy and bouncy into straight and wet in 2 minutes. They eventually reached the Ponyville train station, then piled into the small passenger car.

................

"So, Twilight. What's your brilliant plan?" Asked Rainbow Dash sarcastically.

"We don't have all the Elements. Solar Flare may be a wicked, cruel tyrant, but on the inside, Princess Celestia is still there. I plan on reminding Solar Flare who she really is, just like I did with you." Explained Twilight, flapping her sopping wings.

"That'll work like a fucking charm, now won't it?" Replied Dash bitterly, crossing her arms.

"Unless you have a better plan, I suggest you shut up." Growled Twilight. Dash narrowed her eyes, a snarl on her face.

"Make me." Dash spat.

"Girls, please! Can't we all get along? We just met, for pony's sake!" Pinkie huffed.

"Too late for that, Pinkie. Dash just crossed the line." Twilight replied crossly.

"Whatcha' gonna do, Twi? Talk me to death?" Rainbow brought her face up to Twilight's, her teeth bared.

"Say that again." Twilight hissed.

"Whatcha' gonna do? Talk me to death?" Dash repeated. With that, Twilight tackled Rainbow Dash, then brought a hoof down. The blow connected. Dash smirked, then launched Twilight into the trains' wall, rocking the car slightly. Dash flew over to Twilight, pinning her to the ground. Rainbow gave Twilight a swift punch, followed by another, then another. Rainbow Dash continued to strike Twilight, her hoof now covered in the Princesses' blood. Pinkie, shocked and disgusted, barreled into Rainbow Dash, sending them both sprawling across the floor.

Princess Luna, who had watched the whole thing, helped Twilight to her hooves. Twilight wiped the blood off her face with her scarf, then looked over at Dash and Pinkie. Pinkie got to her hooves, then shook the water off her coat and mane. Pinkie trotted over to Twilight.

"You're welcome." Pinkie growled. She then walked over to Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash also got up, then shoved Twilight as she made her way over to the rest of the group. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle, Luna, Twilight, and even Flora looked at her with disdain. Rainbow blushed, then grumbled something under her breath. The train screeched to a halt, and the doors opened. Twilight could have sworn she heard the ground sizzle as the rain hit.

The group made their way through the winding streets of Canterlot until they reached the crumbling Palace. Before anypony else could even take a step, Twilight was already at the top of the stairs. She burst through the doors, almost knocking them off their hinges. On the throne sat Solar Flare, a scowl adorning her face.

"Twilight Sparkle. Why am I not surprised?" Solar Flare got up, then stalked down the red carpet. "Come to die?"

"No, I haven't. I've come here to remind you of who you really are. Princess Celestia."

"Hahaha!! Your little "Princess Celestia" is GONE!!" Solar Flare cackled.

"No, she's not!" Twilight conjured a ball of water, then splashed it in Solar Flare. Solar cringed. Twilight ran forward and knocked Solar off her feet. "Princess Celestia isn't gone. She's in there somewhere, I know it!" Solar Flare began to heat up again, then grabbed Twilight before she could back away. Solar's mane of fire snaked around Twilight, slowly burning her flesh.

"OW!! Princess, stop!! This isn't you!! You're kind, sweet, and are Equestria's leader. We need that leader back! Princess, please come back to us! You're not like this, and I know it! Princess…Princess…" Twilight's vision faded as her core temperature heated drastically. Solar Flare idly tossed Twilight's limp, smoldering body aside, then turned back to her throne.

"HEY!!" Solar Flare turned around to see 6 ponies standing proudly in the doorway.

"And you must be Twilight's little crew. Well guess what. Twilight Sparkle is dead." Solar Flare stated coldly, a smug smile creeping onto her face. The 6 exchanged saddened looks as the scent of cooked meat filled the air.

"We won't give up, even if Twilight's gone! She never gave up on us, and we won't give up on her. She fought for Harmony, and we will continue to fight, no matter the cost!!" The mare who spoke was Rainbow Dash, a fierce determination in her eyes. "Princess Celestia, we know you're in there! Look at what you've done! Your selfishness has cost Twilight, and Equestria, their lives. You can't fix it, but you can still salvage what's left. Do this for Equestria, for Twilight!!" The group said Twilight's name in unison. Solar Flare bore an expression of shock, sadness, and disgust. She closed her eyes, and a single year streaked diwn her face and splashed on the marble floor.

There was a flash of blinding white light, and Princess Celestia stood before them. She gazed down at her shoed hooves, disgusted.

"What have I done?" Celestia gazed at Twilight's body, then ran over to it, crying. She knelt down over her student. "WHAT HAVE I DONE!?" Celestia wailed. "Twilight, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Celestia sobbed. Luna stride forward, then knelt down by her sister. Luna draped a wing over Celestia's back. "Sister?" Asked Celestia, her eyes red from crying.

"Yes, it is us." Luna placed a hoof on her sister's, and gazed into her magenta eyes. "Sister, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't control yourself."

"How can you say that!? I killed my most faithful student, destroyed Equestria, and why? Because I was too selfish to pay any attention to you!!" Celestia cried out. "Equestria deserves better than me." The group gathered around Twilight, heads bowed.

"I'm so sorry, Twilight." Celestia removed her crown, then placed it on Twilight's head. "This was all my fault."