Our Voices Carry Through The Hills

Chapters

Prologue: Her Heart Speaks In Whispers You Can't Hear
As My World Crumbles
As My Soul Bends
As My Feet Stumble
As My Heart Mends
My Voice Will Carry Far
Some Might Say Without End
And Although I Must Pay
For The Immense Weight Of My Sins
They Will Know Of My Love
For My Cries Will Carry
Carry Through The Winds
And I Pray I Will Be Forgiven, For I Must Make Many Amends
Epilogue: I Hear Beyond The Silence

Prologue: Her Heart Speaks In Whispers You Can't Hear

Prologue:

Her Heart Speaks In Faint Whispers

FFFFOOOOOOMM!!!

Another explosion from deep within the cave shook the very earth beneath their hooves. The ungodly rumbling of stone and rock made them lose what little stability they still had, sending the unicorn haphazardly falling out of her friend's embrace and colliding with the solid floor below them. The small purple wisp of magic alighting the tip of her horn began to flicker in and out of existence, as she struggled to stand back on her feet.

"No, Twilight!" Rainbow cried, "Let me help you up..." She leaned down and let Twilight place her foreleg over her shoulder, once again giving her something to support herself. "Are we almost there? Please tell me we are," Rainbow asked.

Twilight simply nodded at her statement, and continued to stagger forward down the dark cave with the help of her dear friend.

"Don't worry, Twilight. We'll get your voice back soon and we'll make them see that you're innocent. I promise."

Twilight smiled weakly up at her. What would I do without you, Rainbow? she thought.

The unicorn's body ached all over... but so too did her heart. If it hadn't been for Rainbow coming along, she would've probably left Equestria for good and never came back. It tore her apart to see everything she loved around her being destroyed... but she didn't know what to do, or who to turn to.

What had she done to deserve this?

Who could possibly be ruining her life?

FFFOOOOOMM!!!

A second torrential detonation of energy tore through the cave, causing Rainbow to clumsily let Twilight fall again despite holding onto her even more securely than before. Absolutely horrified, the pegasus could only watch in disbelief as her friend hit the wet ground for a painful second time. Twilight's breathing was becoming erratic and her limbs began to feel unstable. And yet, she pushed herself up again, and she was going to keep getting up until she restored her good rightful name.

"I'm s-so sorry, Twilight. P-please forgive me," pleaded Rainbow.

Expressionlessly, Twilight propped herself over her friend's shoulder once more. Seeing that her friend cared for her so much made her heart positively melt. Gently, she reached her head over and gave Rainbow a soft kiss on the cheek. Her friend blushed at the sudden gesture, not exactly sure what to think of it considering she couldn't even speak.

Twilight slowly pulled away and gave her a fleeting sorrowful glance. You've done nothing wrong, she thought.

Somehow Rainbow could tell what she was trying to do, attempting to tell her not to worry herself over it. But she did worry. Having to see Twilight go through such agony tore at her heartstrings.

Rainbow made yet another promise to herself. Should they both make it out of this situation alive, things were going to be different between them.

Nodding in the direction they had been following, Twilight took the lead with her dimly lit horn guiding the way. With her magical power nearly sapped, this was becoming an exceedingly difficult task. Beads of sweat cascaded down her forehead the deeper into the dark chasm they went.

"C'mon Twilight. We can do this," Rainbow said reassuringly.

Though she was comforted by her encouraging words, she had the faint feeling as though something worse was still to come.

Now heavily gasping for air, Twilight started to slow down, while Rainbow on the other hand wasn't about to quit on her now. They had come too far, faced too many obstacles, and faced such increasingly overwhelming odds, that to give up now would be so foolish. She wanted to restore Twilight's good name just as much as she did, even if it cost her own.

The black tunnel's floor was beginning to become damp and occasionally the two would step in a puddle, lightly splashing up water. The ambient humid air started to fill their lungs with each breath, making it even harder now for Twilight to continue.

Her limping pace began to falter, and she nearly fell to the ground again. But luckily, Rainbow caught her this time.

Deciding that she needed a break, the pegasus stopped and allowed her a moment to breathe. The purple wisp of her horn started to fade again, but she forced herself to keep it alight, grunting and wheezing all the while.

I don't think I'm gonna make it. Rainbow might have to go on without me.

Her head drooped, causing her to stare at her reflection in a puddle. Seeing her own self so defeated greatly frustrated her and hardened her heart.

Angrily, she splashed away the water that bore her image. No longer did it remind her of herself... but of the impostor, the one who took everything away from her, the one who destroyed her reputation and the town she called home.

With a bit of her pent up rage released, she now sadly draped her foreleg over Rainbow's shoulder again and signaled to her that they should continue.

While her friend didn't necessarily want to obey her, she knew they had to keep going. "I get there's a lot of things you probably want to say right now, Twilight... and I also know that there's no way I could possibly understand how you feel right now. But please, just know that I'll always be there for you, and that once this is all over... we can go home together."

Twilight stopped for a second, feeling a lump form in her throat. A tear began to fall from the corner of her eyelid and curtail at the end of her cheek. She pressed her face into Rainbow's neck, silently whimpering to herself.

Saying nothing in response, her friend simply let her grief into her soft blue coat.

Please don't ever leave me, Rainbow. You're just... so amazing and you're the only one who'll ever stand by my side. Every time I get beaten down, you gracefully pull me up. Every time I give up on myself, you bring me back from whatever abyss I've fallen into. And... every time I get lost, you are my light in the darkness... because even though you don't know it... you are home to me.

Rainbow could feel her neck becoming saturated with Twilight's tears. Not knowing what to do at this point, she simply pulled her into a firm, one-legged hug. "We'll make it Twilight. We'll make it."

FFFOOOOOOMM!!!!!

As My World Crumbles

"Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them."
-Nathaniel Hawthorne

As My World Crumbles

Thump!

A small tremor in the earth violently shook the foundation of the library, abruptly stirring Twilight awake.

Her eyes fluttered open irritably, still not quite fully rested, as she caught rays of the orange morning sun flooding her bedroom. She hugged the blankets around her even tighter and looked over at the clock on the wall. It was 10:37.

What the heck was that?

She couldn’t understand how it was so late in the morning, yet she still felt so tired. Sleeping in definitely wasn’t one of her daily habits.

Lazily, she leaned up and glanced over at the smaller bed across from her own. Empty.

I wonder where Spike is. There’s no way he would’ve let me sleep in this long.

She was about to call out for him, until she decided against it using her better judgement. A bit frustrated at herself, she slammed her head back down into the pillow and stared at the wall in front of her.

Why do I feel so tired too? I even went to bed early last night.

Not wanting to bother with her thoughts any further, her eyes gradually began to close once more. Silence again filled the room, save for the sound of the ticking clock.

Thump!

Her window frame loudly rattled this time, startling her from her light snooze. She nearly fell off the bed from the sudden quake, as it caused the entirety of her room to violently jostle around.

Sensing that something was not right, she threw off the covers and slackly arose from her bed. Her legs felt somewhat wobbily beneath her, but she managed to find the strength to get up and walk to her door. An immediate dizziness hit her hard, and she paused for a moment to regain her composure.

Ugh…What in Equestria could possibly be shaking the library like that? And why am I so disoriented? Maybe… Spike knows? Yeah, that’s it. I’ll ask Spike what’s going on.

When she came upon the door she tried surrounding it within her magic… but her horn remained unresponsive. She scrunched her eyes together, trying to focus all of her concentration on just removing this one obstacle.

However, it remained firmly shut.

As she failed time after time to open the door, she became increasingly distraught. This day was already off to an absolutely horrible start. Embittered at her defeat, she forcefully pushed the door open herself.

With uncertainty now running through her mind, she approached the staircase and tried calling out to Spike, but what came out of her mouth instead sounded like the squeak of a dying mouse.

She tried to call out again, but ended up only silently mouthing his name… ‘Spike’.

With even more tension building within her than before, Twilight took in a deep breath and tried to scream as loud as she possibly could… and yet, she could just barely make the tiniest of squeaks with what remained of her non-existent voice.

She began to hyperventilate frantically. Panic started to set in. Something was terribly wrong with her and she had to act now. She rushed down the staircase in a great hurry as her adrenaline started pumping.

Why is this happening? Why can’t I speak?! Why can’t I use my magic?!! This has to be some kind of nightmare!!

When she reached the ground floor her eyes began to dart around the large room, looking for her little dragon assistant... but he was nowhere to be found. She stopped for a moment, letting the past few events sink in. None of this was making any sense at all, and confusion began to claw at her rapidly diminishing sense of hope.

NO! This is not the time to panic! I just need to find my friends and tell them what’s going on! But wait a second… how do I tell them?

Her gaze averted to the front door.

It doesn’t matter! I have to get somepony’s help! NOW!

She galloped across the library as fast as she possibly could. As much as she tried not to panic, her worry kept itching at the back of her head like some overgrown tick. The tension was making her sweat. It wasn’t so much the fact that couldn’t speak or use magic that bothered her, but that there was no explanation at all. How was she supposed to fix her problems if she didn’t know what caused them in the first place?

I could always try a book, but what’s the point if I can’t cast any spells?!

She finally reached the door and shoved it open with a great thrust. Still tired from before, she stumbled out onto the grassy lawn in front of her home awkwardly.

Suddenly, this terrible smell assaulted her nose.

It was the smell of something burning.

Trying to focus her eyes on what was going around her, she became aware of some faint distant screaming, far off in the background. When she looked up, she immediately saw the cause.

Immense pillars of smoke, reaching high up to the heavens, clouded the skies above Ponyville, quite nearly threatening to blot out the sun.

No! What’s going on--

Thump!

Twilight felt the impact in her chest immediately. A heavy pulse of hot air hit her with devastating force, causing her to fall helplessly onto her back.

Large tree branches hanging over her lurched side to side from the sudden shockwave as a bright purple plume accompanied by equally blinding violet flames erupted upwards just a few blocks away. The flames gradually turned to smoke, and funneled upwards into a neatly symmetrical mushroom cloud… directly over the heart of Ponyville.

“AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaahhh!!!” A mare’s distant scream wracked Twilight’s ears fiercely.

She slowly staggered to her knees, trying to shake off some dust on her back. Her vision swirled and doubled, making it take even longer for her to focus.

She could only be sure in one thing at this point… Ponyville was being attacked, and it was her sworn duty to help.

This can’t be happening! This has got be some kind of nightmare! I'm sure of it now!

She got to her feet, and suddenly felt a sharp crippling pain in her chest.

“Hhhhuhhhhh…” she desperately gasped at the intense cramping in her sternum.

That last shockwave had definitely hurt, and the pain had only been amplified by her still fatigued body. It was like somepony had sucked the life right out of her.

She nearly collapsed, right then and there, but she had to help. Her benevolent nature simply would not let her quit. Her eyes teared up from the agony in her chest.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaahhh!!!” Yet another terrible shriek plagued her ears.

This pain was becoming too extreme, but the sight of her hometown burning, the distant screams, the loss of her voice, the loss of her magic… it all forced her back to her feet, despite her body’s agonizing protests.

She slowly began to stumble awkwardly towards the sound of destruction, with the smell of smoke still looming heavily in the air. Tears fell freely from her face now as she perilously fought against the pain inside of her. She had to help at any cost and fight the invading forces.

Is it a dragon? That’s the only thing that could make flames that high. Oh no! What if it’s Spike going on a rampage again?! But… that wouldn’t make sense. That’s not the color of fire he breathes. Is it another dragon?! Why would they be attacking now?! Maybe it’s Discord? No that couldn’t be it either. His actions aren’t usually so violent and destructive.

Twilight finally reached the side of a home and leaned her full weight against it, allowing herself a moment to let the pain in her chest recede.

THUMP!
FWOOSH!

Another dense heated airburst collided with the side of the building, coinciding with the sound of even more ear-piercing screams.

Her mane was blown clear behind her head, as the hot air rushed by her weakened frame and continued on down the road. She briefly retreated, using the house as a shield from the explosive force, and when she looked above her she saw only the dark clouds of black ash rising even further, signaling yet even more senseless destruction. The home beside her felt as though its entire foundation swayed heavily underground, gently pushing back against her.

What could possibly be doing that?!

A sudden cry of ponies in peril started to advance upon her. She needed help more than ever right now, and this might be her only chance to seize it. With great difficulty she stumbled away from the house and attempted to wave at the distraught group approaching her.

“We have to evacuate now!!” shouted a male unicorn to another.

“But where will we go?! What if she follows us?!” his companion replied.

She?... Who’s she?

A female earth pony tailing close behind them suddenly stopped. “NO!!” she cried.

Her companions halted as well, looking to see what had so deeply frightened her. Her lower jaw dropped agape in sheer terror as she pointed a hoof offensively at Twilight.

“IT’S HER!!!! RUUUUUUNNN!!!!”

The mare’s screams cut through Twilight’s ears harshly, causing her to reel back in utter shock.

What?!! Me?!!! Why?!!! What did I do?!!

One of the unicorns started running off down another street. “C’MON!! THIS WAY!! BEFORE SHE KILLS US!!” he yelled.

Taking his lead the other two ponies frantically followed, galloping as quickly as their legs would allow. Twilight saw only fear in their eyes as they ran, no offering of help, no longer any comradery between her fellow ponies, no anything.

Kill them? Why would I ever kill any of them? I love everypony in this town… and I thought they loved me. I would never do anything to hurt any of them.

With tears still trickling down, she continued her slow laborious trek to the center of town. Each step was growing more and more difficult as she trudged down the dirt road. A scream could be heard now and again, but it was gradually dying off. The explosions and fire however kept plaguing her senses relentlessly.

A cascading wave of purple flames erupted here, a godlike surge tore through the earth there. Surely there was no being other than a dragon who could do such a thing. But if that was the case, then why would the other ponies be so afraid of Twilight’s presence? Nothing made sense to her anymore.

The streets were becoming increasingly barren and loud as everypony in town hurriedly channeled themselves out of the path of destruction, while the quakes continued to rattle buildings.

Fighting through the awful sounds and tremors, and after several agonizing minutes, Twilight found herself only a block away from the epicenter. Homes drenched in violet flames swarmed like dying flies around her, making every deep gulp of air hot and dehydrating. She could feel her mouth painfully drying out as she treaded over singed and tattered piles of splintered wood and broken rubble.

It was like walking into an oven… but this was supposed to be her home.

THUMP!
FWOOOSH!!!

The familiar wall of heated air impacted directly into her chest, nearly sending her to her knees. But she braced herself this time, and stood firm. A once quaint home just a block away imploded in on itself, shooting forth another bright spherical cloud of flame and smoke, pluming furiously skyward. The structure noisily collapsed into a great tumultuous heap, filling the nearby streets with more falling ashes.

Where did that blast come from? I don’t see what could’ve made it.

Twilight propped herself over a pile of twisted rubble, desperately searching around for the cause of this utter hell. She scanned the rooftops and the streets around her, but still came up with nothing. It seemed as if whoever was causing this could be in two places at once. Either that, or they could just simply move incredibly fast.

This is a nightmare.

Twilight could feel her mind faintly starting to slip. The twisting fire wrapping around the landscape was sapping her strength even further.

And then… it hit her from where she least expected.

THUMP!
CRAAAASH!!

The erupting flames fiercely slammed into her side like a freight train, absolutely crushing her body.

She toppled over like a domino, forcefully impacting with the dirt road as fire, dust, and debris broke over her like energetic ocean waves, heavily shrouding the surrounding air. Her eardrums nearly burst from the unbearably loud blast.

It took a few seconds for the last of the building’s thrown about pieces to settle down, and the smog ever so slowly began to lift and recede.

Twilight limply picked up her dirt covered cheek off of the ground. She could not see anything going on around her, but decided to brave the storm, and get up anyway. Her sternum wilted unevenly as she pushed up off her bruised front legs. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to stop, but she continued to push. Tiredly, she came to a seated position and patiently waited for the dust to dissipate… but then she heard something else.

It was the sound of footsteps, light footsteps… and they were approaching her quite calmly through the cloud of dust.

Who’s there? A pony?

The footsteps continued to advance and Twilight looked in the direction they emanated. Suddenly, the footsteps just stopped.

She couldn’t quite make out who was there, but the dark silhouette against the dusty violet background was certainly pony sized.

“Hmmm… another victim?” said the shrouded figure.

Wait!! That voice! IT’S MINE!!!

CLAP!

A strong burst of wind abruptly and forcefully blew away the dusty cloud plaguing the surrounding atmosphere.

Twilight’s jaw dropped. She simply could not comprehend who she was looking at. She had wondered why Spike would just leave her at home, why her friends hadn’t come to see her, and why the other ponies ran in fear just at the sight of her.

But it did make sense now. It was like looking into a mirror, for the pony that stood in front of her… was her exact copy, her absolute doppelganger.

No… it can’t be! It’s… me?!

Her clone looked quite shocked to see her as well.

“WHAT?! How are you even able to move?! You should still be asleep right now!!” her double shouted angrily.

Twilight simply retreated back in fright, not able to say a word. It was so odd hearing her voice come from somepony else, somepony who was hostile.

Her copy smirked devilishly. “Oh yes, I forgot… you can’t speak. You know, I almost forgot to thank you for that, and for this power anyway. Not that I needed it though. To be quite honest, I thought you’d be too drained to get up for weeks. Hahahahahaha!”

Who is this?! A changeling? I thought they fed off of love though?! What love is there in completely destroying Ponyville?!

Twilight clumsily staggered to her feet, angrily preparing to fight her doppelganger with every ounce of willpower she could muster.

“Now now now… do you really think that’s a good idea, Ms. Sparkle?” her copy asked tauntingly.

I DON’T CARE! I’M GOING TO STOP YOU!

Twilight closed her eyes and began concentrating, forcefully gritting her teeth and trying to conduct within her horn any residual power lying dormant within her body. The tip of her horn weakly flared up with a small violet spark, but it would not grow. With her body sweating profusely due to overexertion, the faint light started to waver.

“Well, I’m impressed,” her clone commented, “I didn’t think you had it in you, Ms. Sparkle. But, just like always you exceed everyponys’ expectations. Even when I thought I took away everything from you, you give me more.”

SHUT UP!!!

Her horn sputtered, faltering under her extreme stress. It took only a few moments, but her spark slowly glinted out of existence and was finally extinguished. She released her hold and desperately gasped for air. With sweat and tears languorously falling to the ground below, Twilight knew her body was about to give out on her.

“I want you to see something, Ms. Sparkle. Observe.”

The clone calmly pointed her horn at an untouched home off in the distance.

Wait, what’s she doing?!

Her horn, her weapon of choice, suddenly surged to life with a great swelling of crackling and swiveling electricity. Violet flames poured freely out of the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks in curtailing twisting wisps. A tight sphere of densely concentrated violet energy began to form at the tip of her horn.

Twilight saw her true intent and panicked, trying in vain to lunge at her, anything to stop her… but it was too late.

NO!! DON’T DO IT!!!

SHHOOOOOOM!!

Her clone could not hear her silent pleas, and fired her blast of heavily compacted hot energy like some explosive cannon.

The beam traveled swiftly across Ponyville in the blink of an eye, and violently collided with its target. Like an immense bolt of lightning, it tore through walls, wood, glass, and stone as if they just weren’t there. Blazing a path of utter carnage, the beam disintegrated the front surface of the house, proceeded to atomize the central structure, and plowed through clear to the other side.

With everything completely burned away and turned to ashes, the debris cloud promptly lifted, and there stood now only an empty space where the home used to be.

Twilight weakly tackled her adversary, sending them both tumbling onto the dirt road amidst piles of cooking rubble. They tussled and fought angrily, with neither of them quite being able to take an advantage.

Just when Twilight was about to get some leeway over her clone, she suddenly teleported away through a loud flash of lightning right out of her clutches.

More tired than ever after their little wrestling match, Twilight laid sprawled out on her back hopelessly, in a fruitless attempt to catch her breath. The violet flames and sound of collapsing buildings haunted her mind once more.

Where did she go? More importantly, where are my friends? I hope she didn’t hurt them. What would they think? Would they really believe that I caused all of this?

Her breathing slowed considerably as she felt herself on the precipice of passing out. Her eyes were shutting, almost fully closed… when she felt her presence again. She snapped back to reality, staring at the familiar face hovering over her. There were so many things she wanted to scream at her reversed reflection, but then again, how could she? This was the pony who stole her voice, stole her magic, stole her home, and possibly stole her friends.

The only thing she could do now was glare at her coldly, and grit her teeth.

“Aww…why the long face Ms. Sparkle? Oh, by the way, I just love using your voice to scare other ponies. It’s soooo priceless.”

Just shut up and get this over with already.

“I bet I know what you’re thinking too! Who am I? Is that what you want to know?”

Twilight kept bearing her hostile scowl as her doppelganger oppositely smiled with glee.

“Well, as far as the ponies in this town are concerned, I am you. You should’ve heard their screams! ‘Twilight’s gone crazy’ this and ‘Twilight’s destroying Ponyville’ that! HAHAHAHA!... As I said before, priceless.”

In her already defeated state, Twilight couldn’t bear to hear that everypony now thought she was insane. Her heart caved in on itself, her whole world was falling apart right before her eyes, and she couldn’t help herself from crying even more.

No… it can’t be true… it just can’t be!

Her previously adverse expression turned to one of utter distraught, grief, and finally pain. She began to sob and whine to herself silently in words that only she could hear, staring in destitute up at her own reflection and the colossal tower of smoke and ash reaching ever higher into the sky.

“Oh, and one more thing before I send you to your doom. I just wanted you to know that I won’t stop here. No, in fact I’m not going to stop until you’re the most hated pony in Equestria and everypony knows true pain!! HAHAHAHA!”

Threateningly, her clone aimed her horn right at the center of Twilight’s forehead. The familiar sound of magical buildup made Twilight’s eyes widen in terror. Electricity crackled in the air as she poured more heated multi-colored energy into her spell.

NO!! PLEASE DON’T!!

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you Ms. Sparkle, but when I get through with Equestria, you’ll certainly wish I had. Now… I suggest that this time you don’t come back, for your own good.”

The impostor suddenly whipped her head around in a full circle, and without any hesitation unleashed her spell upon the poor unicorn beneath her. The swirling purplish-magenta aura engulfed Twilight’s still struggling body.

Fully encased in a rapidly twisting cocoon of hot energy, she found herself falling out of reality and into a space where only the whitest of lights existed.

She knew this feeling all too well, she was teleporting… but this time against her will and to a location she did not know.

FWOOSH!

After her impostor’s magic stopped flowing, the spot where Twilight lay just seconds ago was now a smoldering crater. Now with her one obstacle out of the way, she could continue flattening Ponyville to the ground.

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings again even more forcefully, nearly reaching her maximum velocity. She had to find her friends at all costs, and surely they would have all evacuated Ponyville by now. Was this really happening? Was one of her best friends really destroying her home?

“Why is she doing this?! It’s like she’s gone crazy or something!” she cried to herself.

As much as she would’ve liked to stay and fight, the safety of her friends was priority number one. She rapidly approached the nearest place outside of Ponyville’s walls where they might still be able to hide, Sweet Apple Acres.

Tucked away in the rolling hills, just far enough from the sounds of screams and the columns of smoke, she desperately hoped this place would offer refuge and she would find at least Applejack and the rest of her family. As she made her descent on the farm, Rainbow could definitely tell there was somepony working the fields this morning. Not wasting any time, she swooped down and hastily applied the brakes, greatly reducing her speed and allowing her to come to a calm collected stop right outside the farm’s trademark red barn.

She galloped the remaining distance to the front of the building and came to an abrupt stop. It struck Rainbow as being odd that the right front door was left so wide open. Usually it’s kept completely closed off, or maybe just slightly so, to air out the interior. Carefully she peeked her head inside, looking around for any signs of life.

“Psst! Rainbow, over here,” came a faint voice.

She turned to see three large bales of hay placed inconspicuously near the back of the barn, and saw a familiar orange hoof signaling for her to come on over.

“Applejack!” she yelled.

Angrily, her friend stuck her head out and glared at her.

“Would ya pleeease be quiet?! We’re trying to hide over here…” she harshly whispered.

Rainbow cautiously made her way inside, attempting to obey her friend’s order as best as she could. Silence hung in the air, save for the sound of her quiet footsteps.

“Is it only you in here, AJ?” she softly replied.

“Not exactly,” she added.

Rainbow glanced behind the bales and was deeply relieved to see both Pinkie Pie and Applejack huddled together, still okay and well.

“How are you holdin’ up Dash?” Applejack asked.

Before she could even respond, Pinkie without warning hopped up and wrapped around her friend in a tight, sorrowful hug. Somewhat startled, but nonetheless happy to see her, Rainbow reciprocated with a hug of her own.

“Umm… hey Pinkie. Are you alright?” she asked.

Her unusually quiet friend began to weep over her shoulder. Never before had Pinkie felt so helpless and unable to help anyone. The screams of her fellow townsfolk absolutely crushed her fragile soul. No amount of humor could ever be found in her current situation, which is what she futilely clanged to in moments like these.

She sobbed ever so softly. “T-twilight… destroyed… ‘sniff’… Sugarcube Corner. It’s just… gone.”

Rainbow felt a strange aching in her chest, so deeply saddened by her friend’s loss. She was sincerely grateful that her own home lied outside of Ponyville’s perimeter, and silently mourned for the loss of everypony who actually did live there.

“I’m sorry, Pinkie,” she quietly responded, “We’ll fix this, don’t worry.”

“’Sniff’… okay. If you say so,” Pinkie whispered.

They calmly separated and sat down behind their hiding place in a semi-circle.

“So, can I ask why you left the barn door wide open?” asked Rainbow.

Applejack itched the back of her head. “Well, in case Twilight shows up, I figured it’d be best to make it look like no pony’s in here. If I shut the doors then it might look kinda obvious where we’re hiding.”

“I hate to burst your bubble, but Twilight seems to be destroying buildings pretty indiscriminately,” she retorted.

Applejack felt her blood boil. “Indiscriminately?! Why is she blowing up any buildings at all?! She’s supposed to be our friend, and now she’s turned into some loco-pony maniac!”

“But… why?" Pinkie asked through teary eyes, "That’s what I want to know.”

“Whoa whoa, first things first,” Rainbow interrupted, “I know we all want to figure out why Twilight’s doing this, but we have to get everypony to safety.”

Applejack lifted her head higher. “You’re right… we have to get those fancy pants Royal Guards to come to Ponyville, STAT!”

Rainbow nodded back towards the entrance. “We might not have to get them, AJ. Did you see that huge cloud of smoke? Ponyville looks like the top of a volcano for pete’s sake. I have no doubt that everypony in Canterlot has already seen that we need help.”

“Wait a second,” Pinkie uttered, “What if she goes to Canterlot? What if she tries to hurt everypony there?”

“With Princess Celestia and Princess Luna there? How could she?” Rainbow asked rhetorically.

Suddenly an idea came to Applejack. “That’s it! The princesses! Maybe they can figure out why Twilight’s gone all crazy-like on us!”

Her two friends sat silently for a minute, considering their options. Usually the three of them were part of Equestria’s first line of defense against any attack… but that was when they had Twilight on their side. Without her they really had no choice but to get the help of the princesses. What were they supposed to do when their greatest ally was now their enemy?

“It’s a good point,” said Rainbow, “But how exactly do you plan on getting there?”

“What about the train?” chimed in Pinkie.

“Fat chance. No train’s going to stop in Ponyville if there is no Ponyville to stop at,” she replied bluntly.

Applejack let out a lengthy sigh and mustered some courage. “Then we’ll just have to run,” she surmised.

“Run?! B-but… that’ll take forever!” Rainbow yelled.

“I think you’re forgetting, Rainbow, that Pinkie and I are both earth ponies. Running is what we do. Unless… you want to go to Canterlot yourself?”

“N-no… I can’t,” she muttered glumly.

Applejack was a bit troubled by her odd response. “What do you mean? You are the fastest out of any of us. You could make it there by the end of the day, easy.”

“I know, I know. It’s just… I don’t know... I want to talk to her,” she replied hesitantly.

Pinkie stood up uneasily. “Twilight?! She’ll blast you to smithereens! Please, you can't be serious Rainbow!”

“That’s just it though Pinkie. I’m too fast for her. She won’t be able to hit me at all, at least I think. Besides, maybe I can get through to her somehow, like... snap her out of it or something.”

“And what if you can’t?!” Applejack yelled.

Rainbow retreated aback at her sudden outburst, knowing in her heart as though that was not a decent enough answer.

“I-I’m sorry AJ, but I’ve gotta try. It’s the least I can do. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but—“

“No,” Applejack abruptly cut her off, “I’m sorry Rainbow. I… I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just under a lot of pressure right now. That… and I don’t want to lose another one of my best friends.”

Seeing her eyes start to well up, Rainbow placed a reassuring hoof on her friend’s shoulder.

“It’s alright AJ, but I really have to know what’s going through Twilight’s head right now. If there’s even a slight chance I can change her back to normal old Twilight, I swear I’m going to find it.”

Filling with a new sense of hope, Applejack smiled warmly at her pegasus friend.

“You’d better. Cuz I’m gonna be real sore if I have to come back here and get ya myself,” she replied jokingly.

“Ha, don’t sweat it,” Rainbow brushed off her comment with a laugh.

It took her a moment to realize it, but Pinkie Pie still remained unconvinced. She couldn’t help but weakly sniffle and cry at the thought of her closest friend going to confront Twilight by herself. She desperately wanted to help her, but what good would she do?

She began to softly whisper through her tears. “P-please don’t go, Rainbow. Don’t face mean old Twilight. Don’t be a hero this time. Just come with us to see Princess Celestia. Pretty, pretty please.”

Her concerned words weighed down heavily on Rainbow’s heart. This time, in an extraordinary show of tenderness, she was the one to give her the first hug. All Rainbow wanted was to have everything go back to normal, and she decided that she would start with her surprisingly distraught friend.

Pinkie had often wondered what it would take for Dash to give her any sincere sign of affection, considering that most of the time she just avoided her. Pinkie knew now that the only thing that would make her seek the absolute comfort of her friends… was the moment she lost one of them.

“I’m sorry Pinkie, but I have to see her for myself. If only to make sure that she’s really turned against us. Otherwise, I’m going to hold onto a sliver of hope.”

“And if she’s changed for good?” Pinkie asked softly.

“Then I’ll be right behind you.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

“Yeah, I Pinkie Promise.”

“Stick a cupcake in your eye?”

“Heheh, yeah. Stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Now, with both of them smiling, they calmly broke their gentle embrace. Rainbow wasn’t exactly showing it, but she was horrified about confronting Twilight. The only thing keeping her from saying so was the fact that she didn’t want her friends to lose hope. If anything, she would want them to be brave and go on without her should she fail.

“Where’s the rest of your family, AJ?” Rainbow asked.

“I told Big Macintosh to take Applebloom and Granny Smith as far west of here as possible. Sure they objected at first, but I told all of em that I had to stay and fix this mess. Twilight was my friend after all, and she’s my responsibility as such.”

“S-speaking of friends…” said Pinkie. “Have either of you seen Rarity or Fluttershy?”

“Not today, sugarcube,” Applejack replied gloomily.

Rainbow shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry Pinkie, but they both live on the opposite side of town. I couldn’t risk going there first.”

“Well, can we please find them before we go Applejack?” Pinkie asked.

“Of course, although they probably ran out of here as fast as their darn legs could carry em’… or wings.”

“Then it’s settled,” Rainbow announced, “You guys go find them and start heading for Canterlot to ask for the princesses' help, and I’ll go have a little ‘chat’ with Twilight.”

Casually, she stood up and made her way for the door, trying to appear as confident as possible. If she should show the slightest sign of fear then her friends would surely be upset as well. She only made it about halfway when she felt Pinkie’s familiar embrace around her neck one more time, stopping her in her tracks.

“Remember, you Pinkie Promised.” she said quietly.

Rainbow sighed. “I know, I know. Don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine.”

Still not entirely satisfied, her friend reluctantly let her go.

The sunlight broke dimly through the dark hanging clouds, down unto Rainbow’s face as she opened the other heavy barn door. She stepped out onto the grass and prepared for takeoff while her friends remained close behind, wishing she didn’t have to go on her dangerous mission... but nothing they could say was going to stop her now.

“Dash,” called Applejack.

Rainbow glanced back at her. “Yeah?”

“Bring our friend back,” she ordered.

Rainbow smiled in return. “I’ll try, AJ. I’ll try.”

Glad to have the last words of encouragement, she turned back to face the ash plume hanging high over Ponyville. She dug in her back hooves and pushed off of them while simultaneously thrusting her wings downward. With a powerful flap, she became airborne and quickly ascended.

After only a few seconds she appeared to them like a bird, flying off into the distance for the ravaged town they all called home.

Already missing her friend, Applejack removed her hat and placed it against her chest.

“I hope she knows what she’s doing,” she told Pinkie.

More tears started to well up in her friend’s eyes. “Well, she is Rainbow Dash. If anypony will come through for us, it’s just got to be her.”

With raging fire blanketing half the town, Ponyville had been nearly wiped completely off the map.

Most buildings lay in tattered crumpled heaps of their former selves. The sound of twisting flames and crackling wood filled the air. The streets remained barren except for an occasional pile of wreckage here and there. The sky had been virtually blacked out by the colossal plumage of smoke, shrouding the city underneath in near darkness.

Rainbow stayed low beneath the cloud layer so she could see where she was headed. Before long a twinkling of a flashing purple light caught her attention. The flashes traveled from to rooftop to rooftop instantaneously. Rainbow had a hard time making out the culprit, but she could make a pretty good guess of who was causing the display.

She descended furiously upon the town.

“Maybe I can catch her off guard,” she said to herself.

The flashing light continued to progress towards her direction until coming to a stop on top of one lonesome house. Rainbow knew this was her target as she proceeded to slow down, not wanting to startle the unicorn who had just winked out of a teleportation spell.

“Twilight!!!” Rainbow yelled angrily.

The unicorn spooked and scanned the area for what made the sudden noise. It took her a second to realize the pegasus hovering right behind her. She turned around slowly with a calm indifference.

“Twilight! What are you doing?! This is ridiculous!!! Don’t you see what you’re doing here?!!” Rainbow shouted.

“HAHAHAHA!!” she replied maniacally, “Like I care… everypony must pay for what they did to me!!!”

“What did they ever do to you Twilight?!! These are innocent ponies you’re hurting!!”

“Innocent is a very strong word,” the unicorn bluntly stated.

“C’mon Twilight! What’s wrong with you?! It’s me, Rainbow Dash!! Your best friend!!” she yelled louder.

The unicorn prepared to fire a magical spell at her, as her horn began to flare up with fiery power. She smirked in a quite twisted way.

“I don’t need friends anymore. Goodbye Rainbow!!!” she cried.

She fired her unbelievably wicked blast straight at the pegasus, making the surrounding air sizzle under the intense heat. The violet beam approached rapidly, but with Rainbow’s quick thinking she simply nosedived and the unicorn’s attack connected with nothing. While she was plummeting to earth, Twilight fiercely launched a rapid succession of hot energy bursts at her direction, but with subtle alterations to her flight characteristics, the attacks easily breezed by and Rainbow remained unscathed.

She pulled up and ascended sharply once more.

Surprised that Rainbow had avoided every one of her shots, Twilight fell back onto her bottom, as Rainbow landed on the rooftop and madly advanced upon her.

“No more games Twilight!!!” she yelled.

The unicorn fell even further onto her back, as Rainbow was nearly on top of her now.

“W-wait, Rainbow!!” she stammered frightfully.

Her friend obeyed for a second, eager to hear what she had to say.

“I-it’s me, the old Twilight! I swear! Please listen to me!” she frantically pleaded.

“Is… is it really you… Twilight?” Rainbow’s hopes were starting to lift. This was exactly the response she wanted to hear out of her. Maybe things really could go back to normal, just like she had planned.

“Yes, it’s me,” Twilight’s smile began to turn into a grimace, “You idiot.”

Her horn flared brightly and Twilight promptly fired a violet halo shaped blast which latched around Rainbow’s neck like a dog collar.

Feeling herself suddenly choking, she reeled away from the unicorn in immense pain. This time, Rainbow fell onto her back, trying to scream as loud as she could, but only garbled sounds escaped.

“You… tricked… me…” she somehow managed to squeeze the words out of her lungs.

“Well yes,” agreed Twilight, “You were pretty gullible too. It’s unfortunate that it had to be this way between us Rainbow. You could’ve just left and went on your merry way… but no. You had to come back for some self-righteous reason because you think you’re better than everypony else. Well, would you like to know what I think would bring you down to size? C’mon, I want to hear your guess.”

Rainbow remained motionless. Tears began to stream down her face as she felt her breath fading away. Was her friend really that far gone? Even threatening her now?

“Aww, I thought you’d at least try to guess. But whatever… it’s your wings. I just don’t think you need them anymore. How about you?”

“No…” Rainbow weakly choked against Twilight’s magical grip.

The unicorn deviously grinned in delight and fired yet another wicked spell at her.

The magic vortex spiraled around her body vigorously and she could tell she was already losing the feeling in her wings. Twilight commanded the spell to stop, causing the swirling energy to dissipate, and when Rainbow fell once again onto the roof her wings hung limply at her back. She struggled in vain to move them even an inch, but they would not budge.

“Excellent, now you can’t fly away like the pest you are. Oh, but I almost forgot! I can’t leave you here in Ponyville. There’s just too much destruction and well, you know how bad that is. So, instead what I’m going to do with you is send you very far away! How does that sound?” Twilight asked cheerfully.

Rainbow continued to choke on her collar, struggling with every bit of drive she had left. Meanwhile, Twilight carelessly wrapped her up in a sphere of fluctuating energy.

“I’m not going to teleport you away, Rainbow. No, that would take all the fun out of it. I think it would be much more entertaining for everypony if I just threw you like a big ball!!”

Her screams were even more muffled inside the rotating sphere as Twilight consciously let her rise up into the sky. Once she had seen true terror in Rainbow’s eyes, she flicked her horn aggressively, and simply sent the huge ball of magic flying away at blazing speeds.

FOOOOOMM!

Trapped helplessly and still choking, Rainbow began to lose consciousness as she traveled past Ponyville’s city limits, past surrounding forests, and over distant hills.

“This… can’t… be… happening…” she mumbled breathlessly inside of her prison. With only a few seconds of alertness left, she started to lose what little remaining hope she had clung to.

“I… guess… she really… did… change.”

The furiously burning shell surrounding Twilight commenced to break away as she finished teleporting. The support underneath her back released and she plummeted to the mossy ground below.

Following the abrupt impact, she let her situation slowly sink in. Somepony was making everyone think that she was the one destroying Ponyville, she never found any of her friends, not even Spike, and now the one who had ruined her life roamed free and sent her away to face her doom. Perfect.

Now I know how Princess Cadence felt on her wedding day. Although, this is much worse. She, or it, is actually physically hurting other ponies this time. But why…?

Twilight pushed herself up anemically, trying to gauge her new location. She was in some kind of forest, densely packed with tall trees. Sunlight broke through the top canopy layer, letting bright pockets shine down here and there. She could faintly hear a stream of water running in the background.

Wherever she was, it was certainly more peaceful than Ponyville right now.

I have to find out where I am. I have to get moving, though it probably doesn’t really matter anymore.

She staggered to her unstable legs, and began to walk. She decided it would best to follow the sounds of the stream, for it could possibly lead her to a larger body of water. Her number one priority was figuring out where she was.

An hour or so passed and her legs were becoming increasingly weak, but she kept on fighting past the pain, surging on ahead, confident that her goal was near.

There’s gotta be something at the end of the stream. Where else would it go?

After another half hour passed, she finally saw a clearing of trees off in the distance. If she could’ve laughed, she would have at the sight. There it was, in all its glory… a serene lake.

Being the intelligent unicorn she was, she deduced that at the clearing she would be able to determine a landmark to help her find her way, whether it be some mountain, Cloudsdale off in the far sky, or even worse still, possibly the cloud of smoke over Ponyville. And yet, she would take any help she could get at this point.

She passed the tree line and nearly collapsed from exhaustion, but the beautiful sight lifted her spirits. The stream ended at the edge of the forest, into the vast expanse of the deeply blue lake. Twilight had never been here before in her life. She was obviously far away from home. There were some mountains miles and miles away… but that was it. Cloudsdale was nowhere to be seen, in fact there were no clouds at all. The sky all around her remained completely desolate, yet sunny.

No. How can this be?! I’m totally lost?! Where did she send me?! Some random place?!

With her hope receding again, she collapsed onto her front legs and started to sob quietly. The stagnant surface of the lake provided an equally silent background, although the stillness of the air offered her little comfort.

What am I going to do?

BOOOOM!

Twilight shook herself out of her daze. That sound was all too familiar, but she wondered how it could be all the way out here.

She looked back up to the sky through her tears and saw a massive orb of hot energy crashing towards the earth. It passed far over the trees and then suddenly winked out of existence, however, there was something inside that fell out. A smaller object that was contained within the orb dove towards the center of the lake with extreme speed.

Twilight squinted her eyes and came to a horrible conclusion. The object… was actually a pony, and it looked like it was unresponsive.

She felt a knot form in her chest seeing the pony descend so rapidly. If the pony was unconscious then it would surely drown. Knowing this, Twilight jumped into the stagnant indigo colored water as the meteoric pony collided heavily with the cement-like surface of the lake, sending a large wave rippling across it.

She waded helplessly out towards the center, requiring every last bit of strength she had to stay afloat. Luckily the unconscious pony had crashed going towards her direction and was already moving her way.

When Twilight nearly reached her, she dove down underneath and clumsily placed the pony’s weight on her back.

The sudden realization hit her heart abruptly, as she finally saw who it was… Rainbow Dash.

Her dear friend had dark bruises along her frame and a deep red ring around her neck as if she had been strangled. Her breathing was faint and Twilight knew she would have to work fast. She paddled and paddled harder with each lengthy stroke, getting slowly closer to shore each time. With Rainbow’s weight placed over her back, this was becoming exceedingly stressful on her body, but at the same time, she was so elated to finally have one of friends with her.

Her bottom hooves finally touched onto the rocky shore and she placed her friend down gently on her back. She propped her head up, allowing her to breathe. Rainbow appeared to be exhausted, almost as if she was just fighting for her life, which deeply worried Twilight.

She sat and tried to coax her awake, but to no avail. Rainbow was out cold, so she decided to wait for as long as she needed to for her friend to come back to her.

Hours passed, minutes ticked by, and still nothing.

Rainbow continued to remain unresponsive to everything Twilight tried, and as the sun began to go down she feared the worst. They would have to stay here by the lake for the entire night and leave in the morning if she didn’t wake up soon.

Reluctant to leave Rainbow by herself, Twilight ventured into the woods regardless to find firewood for the night. Fortunately for her, there was a bountiful supply of loose driftwood brought in by the stream that was caught within clay outcroppings at the water’s edge. Even better, the various branches and loose twigs had dried out considerably, making for perfect kindling. Although it was admittedly difficult for her not being able to use magic, Twilight had managed to procure a respectable amount that would ensure their fire would last all night.

Now, with the sun passing over the horizon and darkness settling in, Twilight wondered how she could even ignite the kindling.

If I could only make a spark… that’s all I’d need. I don’t need to make a huge flame, just big enough for me and Rainbow.

She glanced over at her unconscious friend who was still only barely breathing. The mark around her neck made Twilight’s heart sink into her stomach.

I’m so sorry Rainbow. Why did she have to hurt you of all ponies? You probably tried to stop her, being the hero you usually are.

She casually picked up a branch and held it in her hoof studying it. With only a few minutes of fading sunlight left, Twilight began to concentrate.

I know I can’t really perform any spells, but maybe for you Rainbow… just maybe I can make a spark, and light this fire.

Her cheeks curled upwards and she clenched her eyes shut, funneling every last drop of magic she could pull from within her being. It was such an insignificant amount that at first it seemed she was making no progress. No energy passed through her horn at all… but she continued to fight anyway.

I’ll do it for you, Rainbow!

The most subdued of magical vapors gradually climbed to the surface of her mind. A tiny wisp of a gentle, magenta aura inched its way up her horn. As it made itself apparent near her tip, it coalesced into the smallest of pink bright spheres. Occasionally the magic would trail off like a web but it somehow maintained its shape. Twilight could only compare this energy manipulation to something like balancing a stack of ten books on her head at once.

Ever so carefully, she grabbed the smallest and driest stick she had and held it up to her wincing spark. Then, to her amazement, the stick caught fire.

She pulled it away from her face abruptly, marveling at her meager yet immensely significant achievement.

YES!! I CAN MAKE A FIRE FOR US NOW!!

Rainbow’s eyes weakly pried themselves apart and she gazed nauseously at the starry night sky above her. The last thing she remembered was fighting against Twilight’s choking collar, and then passing out shortly after. It devastated her heart to know her friend had nearly tried to kill her.

Still struggling to get a full breath of air, she cried silently to herself.

Something caught her attention however. She noticed a rough gravelly surface pressing against her back and this constant heat brushing by her face like a warm breeze. Lazily, she leaned her head over and saw the small campfire only a few feet away, and past that, the surface of a lake. She also became aware that her own coat was slightly damp.

“Did… I fall into the lake?” she faintly whispered.

Tromp.

She heard something behind her sounding vaguely like the footstep of a pony. Startled at the noise, she rolled her head over to face the opposite direction.

A chill ran down her spine when she saw the familiar menacing unicorn approaching her. Sheer terror made her weakened frame stir, but she couldn’t put up any resistance. It seemed that Twilight had decided to finish the job and get it over with. She had decided this was Rainbow’s last day.

Rainbow was so stunned she couldn’t even speak, as Twilight gleefully smiled and lunged over her. She felt her legs wrap tightly around her neck, almost as if she was trying to choke her with her own hooves this time.

With what little breath she had left, Rainbow let out an ear-piercing shriek.

“GET OOOFFFF OF MMMEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!”

She thrashed about wildly as forcefully as she could, sending Twilight reeling onto her back. Absolutely horrified and with tears welling in her eyes, she backed off.

Was this really happening to her? Had her friend been actually convinced that she was evil?

No Rainbow!! It’s me!!

Twilight pointed to her throat, attempting to show Rainbow something… but she was to blind with her own fear to pay attention to what she was doing. Anger built within her towards Twilight, as she awkwardly rose to her feet.

Rainbow lumbered in her direction absolutely ready to lay her life on the line for Equestria and the friends she had left. Now afraid for her own life, Twilight darted off into the woods as fast as her tired legs could carry her. Her tears returned, falling to the mossy earth below.

Rainbow gave chase after her, though she wasn’t quite as nimble-footed as her former friend. She was obviously still feeling the effects of being knocked out for so long.

“Your game’s not going to work this time Twilight!! I won’t fall for it!!!” she yelled.

Suddenly, Twilight’s hoof got caught in a loose tree’s root and she tripped onto her stomach. She could hear Rainbow rapidly gaining on her.

With her eyes so glossy with tears, she couldn’t even see where she was going.

Why is this happening to me? Is this what my life is destined to be now? I’m so sorry, Rainbow. Please, believe me...

As My Soul Bends

Splash!

Twilight’s front hooves plopped down heavily into the stream, kicking up water behind her. Though she still couldn’t quite see where she was going, she was able to make out a faint path along the trail of running water. She had to pick up speed, maybe even outrun Rainbow Dash until she tired herself out. Then again, she was as equally exhausted as her friend… but she still had to try to convince her somehow.

“Get back here Twilight!!!” Rainbow’s voice was quickly gaining on her.

What do I do?! Should I just give up!? What would she do to me if I did?!

Panting laboriously, she came to a fork in the stream and went off in a new direction. Rainbow could hear her frantic footsteps start trailing off and she changed course as well. As her grogginess started to wear off, she began to run faster and faster until she was at a full gallop, closing the distance between them even more swiftly than before.

Twilight could hear a quiet sound of water crashing in the distance, and it became louder the longer she ran. The trail of the stream widened gradually and she had a progressively harder time staying out of the drink. With no other option, she hopped up along the embankment and continued to follow the rushing water from up high.

After progressing further downhill, Twilight saw the cause of the crashing sound. The stream haphazardly flowed directly into a much larger river. She was forced to change direction yet again, as crossing the rushing torrent would be clearly out of the question. While the river was quite loud now, the crashing sound still increased in volume the further she ran.

Rainbow Dash was so close behind now that Twilight could hear the labored breathing of the pegasus. Terror plagued her mind in heavy waves the shorter the gap became between them. She began to lose focus on where she was going, concentrating nearly all of her energy into each long stride. Her legs were just about to give out, when the river’s volume finally reached its peak.

This is hopeless. She’s going to get me. Maybe I should just let her. It’s not like she can do anything to me worse than what’s already happened.

“Stop running Twilight!!! Now!!” Rainbow angrily demanded.

With no longer the will to keep running, her back left leg lazily dragged along a stretch of rocks, and she tripped yet again.

She tumbled off the embankment and was mercilessly swallowed up into the raging currents, suddenly feeling water rush into her mouth and down into her lungs. Her head briefly broke the surface, and she gasped desperately for any air she could. She coughed forcibly in an attempt to seize the water out of her airways, but it would not budge.

With the river sweeping her away, her body relinquished and fell limp to her now pointless commands.

Rainbow couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It seemed like just earlier today Twilight was an unstoppable engine of destruction and chaos, but now she couldn’t even escape from the clutches of a river.

She kept racing along the embankment, waiting for Twilight to surprise attack, or teleport away… but she did nothing. In fact, she seemed to be in actual peril.

“What’s she doing?!” she asked herself.

Rainbow suddenly heard the increasing noise too, and turned to her front to see the cause. Just a little further ahead of Twilight, the river abruptly ended, or so it appeared. Rainbow quickly realized the crashing sound was coming from that of a monstrously tall waterfall, and now, her former friend was shortly about to be swallowed up by it.

“No! What do I do?!” Rainbow cried.

Deep below on the river bed, Twilight’s hooves struck a large rock sending her into a series of violent flips. Now extremely disoriented and still struggling for air she began flailing her front legs around, looking for something to grab on to. However, the only objects she could find in the swirling torrents were loose twigs or rocks that were too smooth for her hooves to grip.

Rainbow fought a raging battle within her, deciding whether or not to help the struggling unicorn. All she could think about was the destruction of Ponyville and how Twilight had caused it, had taken away the use of her wings, had so visciously attacked her just earlier that morning. But was this really the same unicorn?

Twilight felt the speed of the current pick up even more, and then she saw it for herself… the drop-off. Right at the river’s event horizon, a large hollowed out log provided the last bit of resistance to the river before it released into a watery abyss.

Weakly, Twilight lunged one leg out and managed to wedge one hoof inside the cylinder of wood, but with dense waves crashing into her side and over her head she felt her grip begin to falter.

Rainbow reached the massive log as well and began carefully walking across it. Should she take one false step, there would be no flying away to safety. Incredibly tired and worn out, she shakily made her way to the end of the log and leaned her head down towards Twilight.

“So, what trick are you trying to pull this time?!” she yelled at the struggling unicorn.

Twilight's hoof slipped a little and the current pushed her a little closer to the edge. With her head completely drenched Rainbow could not see her tears, but her face told the whole story.

Her body and soul had been defeated, and the faint glint in her wincing eyes communicated that fact. She shook her head lightly with the most solemn of frowns cursing her lips.

It’s no trick, Rainbow. This really is the end… for me anyway.

“Why won’t you say anything?!!”

The pegasus watched her friend, almost as if she were in slow motion, silently mouth the words to her…

’I’m sorry.’

Sensing that her time was nearly finished, and with every ounce of willpower she had sapped right out of her decrepit frame… she smiled briefly at Rainbow, and let go.

“NNOOOO!!!!” her friend shrieked.

A sudden surge of lightning tore through Rainbow’s heart. She gripped onto the log’s frame with her back legs and thrust her upper body downward, reaching desperately for her falling friend. Using both of her front hooves she cupped Twilight’s own within hers. The addition of her weight caused Rainbow’s legs to wobble uncontrollably, but she held in place. Taking advantage of her athleticism, she slowly began pulling her up.

Twilight remained in absolute awe, still not fully comprehending she was still alive. She did however note that her friend was struggling greatly to pull her up, and decided to grip onto her leg with her other hoof, assisting her in any way she could.

Rainbow finally lurched her up over the top of the log and released her, letting Twilight cough up the last of the water still caught in her trachea. Inhaling exasperatedly, the unicorn collapsed onto the side of the log and calmly looked up at her friend sitting next to her. Rainbow was quite out of breath as well, but she hadn’t nearly fallen to her death like Twilight had.

“’Huff’… so what’s… ’huff’… your deal… Twilight?” she asked skeptically.

The unicorn didn’t respond, instead giving her an insignificant smile as a token of gratitude. Her eyes fluttered waveringly as she felt her last bit of energy finally get used up. With the utmost serenity, the tension in her face relaxed as consciousness slipped away, and she mouthed yet more silent words to her friend.

‘Thank you.’

This familiar heat lightly nipped at Twilight’s nose.

She could see the orange glow beneath her eyelids as she suddenly felt herself snap back to alertness. She didn’t open her eyes yet, for she didn’t want to cause any sudden commotion should Rainbow Dash still not trust her. Instead she stirred around on the rough ground as non-threateningly as possible.

She could hear the crackle of the fire she made earlier and nothing else. Sincerely hoping that the coast was clear, she pried one eye loosely open.

Rainbow Dash was sitting upright, staring intently into the flames. Twilight waited for a minute but she never budged an inch. She was quite shocked that Rainbow hadn’t try to tie her down or anything of the sort.

Does she trust me now?

Dash glanced over at her friend and saw one eye peering lazily back.

“You’re not gonna try anything funny, are you?” she said sternly.

Twilight gently shook her head.

“Good,” she replied.

Pushing up weakly from the ground, Twilight nonchalantly sat up and gazed solemnly into the fire as well.

The things I could tell you Rainbow… you have no idea. So much needs to be said, but without my voice, how would I do it?

“So, why did you come back for me?” Rainbow averted her gaze to meet Twilight’s.

Her eye contact let her see deep into her soul. Twilight nervously pointed back to her own throat.

I can’t speak Rainbow! Can’t you see that?

“So, you were trying to choke me?!” she yelled.

Oh no!! She thinks I was trying to strangle her!!! No Rainbow, that’s not what I meant by that!!

Twilight shook her head vigorously while still maintaining eye contact.

“Then… what were you trying to do?” she calmed down somewhat.

Seeing this as a good chance to show her motives, Twilight stood up. Rainbow was a bit uneasy at first, but decided to let her make an argument. The unicorn pointed up to the night sky where she had seen her friend fall from.

Twilight glanced back quickly to see if she was paying attention. Quite deliberately, she traced a line from the sky to the surface of the lake with her hoof, and forcefully flailed her arms upward to show her there was a great splash.

“Was that supposed to be me?” she asked.

Twilight nodded at her statement and continued. She made a paddling motion with her legs, aiming towards the center of the lake where she had splashed down. She stopped briefly and pretended to lift something heavy onto her back while simultaneously pointing to Rainbow.

“You picked me up?”

Twilight nodded again.

She made more swimming gestures aimed at the coastline and then pretended again to lift the weight off her back and gently set it down. Twilight then used her hoof like a pillow, laying her head against it, and made a snoring sound.

“I was sleeping,” Rainbow guessed.

Yes, now you’re getting it!! I knew you would!!

Twilight smiled and came to sit down beside her. She could tell Rainbow was still slightly lost in the dark.

“Okay, so now the big question. Why can’t you speak to me? You spoke quite clearly earlier today.”

Ugh… how does she still not get that it wasn’t me?! C’mon Rainbow, we were making progress here!

Twilight’s frown returned and she pointed back to her throat.

“You… lost your voice?” Rainbow wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her at this point. She had been tricked once already, maybe she was just trying to trick her again. But why go through all the trouble of falling into the river and acting out the little scene for her?

Twilight nodded even more glumly, letting a tear dangle at the end of her lash.

“How did you lose your voice?”

Her friend simply pointed back at the direction she came from, towards Ponyville she guessed.

The other me stole it!! She’s the one responsible! She even took my magic too!!

“You… lost it in Ponyville?”

Twilight pointed to her horn next and attempted to make it flare up, twisting her face in concentration. However, despite her best efforts, she could not conjure any magical energy.

“So, you can’t use magic anymore either?”

She nodded her head gravely. She had hit the nail on the head.

“You used it all up destroying Ponyville, huh?!” she shouted offensively.

Twilight couldn’t believe it. She had explained everything to her as best as she possibly could, and she still didn’t make the connection. She fell hopelessly onto her front legs, once again defeated. Her eyes welled up with tears once more and she began to quietly sob into her hooves, all the while gently shaking her head side to side.

No. No. NO! That’s not it Rainbow. That’s not it at all. Why won’t you trust me?

“Are you saying that’s not right?!” she asked loudly.

Instead of responding with a nod or shake, Twilight simply picked her head up with rivers of tears streaming down either side of her face. Her gentle, soulful eyes broke Rainbow’s focus as her friend’s cheeks became more and more damp under her building stress. The pegasus couldn’t look away. This was not the ruthless destroyer she had faced earlier today. Even when she had claimed innocence that morning when Rainbow threatened her, she saw something different in that pony’s eyes. But now, she saw none of that behind Twilight’s tears.

“Am I wrong, Twilight? About everything?”

Yes Rainbow. Yes.

Twilight nodded calmly with yet another meager smile.

She coolly approached Rainbow and slowly placed her forelegs around her shoulders, so as not to startle her this time. Sobbing ever so lightly and trying to hold in her emotions, Twilight relished this hug… and even better still, Rainbow returned her sympathetic embrace. They held each other so blissfully that the world around them seemed to stop. Rainbow could hear her almost silent whimpering, as the pressure of the day began to lift from off of her nearly broken heart.

Twilight felt so pathetic, but her friend graciously understood and allowed her to vent her frustration and crippling depression. She let out another faint squeak here and there, trying fruitlessly to tell Rainbow how happy she was that she finally was on her side.
Staring out over the lake and carefully holding her crying friend, Rainbow tried to think of better questions to ask, ones that she could actually answer.

“So Twilight, if that wasn’t you in Ponyville… then do you know who it actually was?”

She stopped crying for a moment to lift her head and Rainbow could tell her answer was no.

Twilight gradually let go of her friend knowing she was probably dying to know more information. Feeling a little light-headed, she sat back down and stared into the heart of the fire. She was so very tired and her body begged for sleep, but if Rainbow had more questions then she would gladly answer them.

“Why did you run from me then if you were innocent?” she asked.

Twilight cocked an irritated eyebrow at her.

Really Rainbow? Did you really just ask that? You screamed at me! And then you chased after me like you were gonna kill me or something!

“Uhh… never mind. Don’t answer that.” Rainbow felt so embarrassed and realized it was probably better to stick to ‘yes or no’ questions.

“Did the other Twilight send you here too?”

She could actually answer this one. Twilight nodded while pointing back into the forest in the direction of the stream.

“She sent you into the woods, huh? That seems kinda weird.”

Rainbow glanced back at the lake. “And then you… saved me… and made a fire for us.”

This one simple fact made her want to take back everything she had done or said to Twilight tonight. She was still her best friend, even after all the craziness she had met with today. It was her turn to cry now as she felt her soul crumbling in on itself, trying to imagine being in Twilight’s place right now, after all the lies and deception she had faced with such fervor and the torment her mind had been put through.

“Oh Twilight, I’m so sorry I chased you… and I’m sorry I yelled at you, after everything you did for me too. I must be the worst friend ever…”

Her unicorn friend amicably shook her head at the comment and smiled warmly.

No, you’re not the worst friend ever Rainbow. Don’t even think that for a second. We all make mistakes.

“So… you’re not mad at me then?” she asked solemnly.

Her friend shrugged her shoulders jokingly.

Ehh… what are you gonna do? I can’t stay mad at you forever.

Rainbow felt so relieved to know that her friend wasn’t going to hate her for the rest of her life, which she found ironic considering that was probably what Twilight was feeling herself just a short while ago.

With the rest of their stress slowly fading away they found that exhaustion was settling in. Twilight could barely keep her eyes open any longer and she could see Rainbow was fighting sleep as well, but then again, they didn’t have to anymore. As their small fire started to fizzle out, Twilight picked up the last of her now sparse pile of driftwood and threw it lazily upon the flame. Rainbow let out a lengthy yawn as she did so and steadily fell over onto her side.

It was becoming increasingly cold throughout the still night air and the breeze coming in from the lake wasn’t exactly helping their situation. Twilight cautiously scooted over towards Rainbow and calmly laid down beside her. Her coat still remained damp from her excursion into the river, making her shiver ever so subtly.

Rainbow heard Twilight’s faint breathing behind her as the fire started to fade out. She was obviously freezing, not being used to staying out in the wilderness for quite this long. In response, Rainbow flipped over sternly to face her cold friend and reached her forelegs around Twilight’s thin wobbly frame. She reeled her in close and placed her friend’s head into the crook of her neck.

Her mane brushed past Rainbow’s nostrils, almost making her sneeze, but she held it together. Though still cold, Twilight was once again comforted by her presence, listening to Rainbow’s breathing and slowing down her own pace to match it. A single tear fell down her cheek and she casually swept it across Rainbow’s coat, but she didn’t seem to notice. With their bodies now synchronized and radiating heat to each other, they found themselves falling into a state of relaxation and finally a much needed rest.

Thank you, Rainbow.

FLASH!

Though Shining Armor didn’t usually teleport to get around places, today was a marked exception. He was almost required to, as traveling from Canterlot by foot while hauling a full suit of golden armor would’ve proven very difficult.

Winking into existence, his hoofs casually planted onto the ground, and he took in the overwhelming sight before him.

The utter ruin of Ponyville struck at the core of his being.

“NO! Why would somepony do this?!” he exclaimed.

While on his way to the destroyed city he had passed by some civilians in desperate need of assistance. Most of them didn’t get a good look at the perpetrator of the chaos, but one was certain that Twilight Sparkle was the culprit. He didn’t want to believe it when he heard the news, but with some violet-pinkish flames still burning in the wreckage, the evidence certainly wasn’t presenting a good case for her.

“It can’t be… could Twilight really have committed this crime?” he asked himself.

Entering from the outskirts of town he kept his head low should anypony try to attempt a sneak attack. It was well after midnight and the stars bled through the black sky, but he had arrived as quickly as he could and no later. He was shocked when he had received the orders from Princess Celestia herself earlier that day, notifying him of an attack on Equestrian soil. Willingly, he left well before his first officers, and they would most likely have to catch up. A pegasus can only fly so fast, but Shining had become diligent enough in his use of magic that he could now cover vast distances simply by teleporting, though at a great cost to the magical levels within his body.

He passed down through street after street. Most buildings and homes were simply dissolved into blackened shadows, piles of still burning ashes. A crackle of burning wood could be heard now and again, and a wisp of purple flame would occasionally lash out at his feet as if reminding him just who he was dealing with.

“There’s no way, it’s got to be some mistake. I just couldn’t see Twily doing this in a million years, or ever for that matter.”

“Hello?! Is someone there?! Please! Help me!!”

A tiny voice cried from inside the blackened shell of a gutted home.

“Yes! Don’t worry! I’m coming!” he shouted in response.

Shining bounded into the ashy ruins, tromping over burnt wooden floors and dodging loose hanging planks. His golden armor clanged together with each long stride. He came to a door peered inside a wrecked room and saw a little filly, an earth pony, trapped awkwardly underneath a crushed bed frame. She appeared to have wrapped herself in some towels and now they were keeping her from wiggling her way out.

“Please, help me,” she said calmly.

“Of course,” he replied.

Shining used his magic to lift the charred bed over her, releasing its deathly grip. The filly squirmed away unharmed and removed the soot covered towels, revealing her untouched sunflower yellow coat. Her frizzled purple mane clumped in front of her face, but she promptly swiped it away.

“What happened here?” he asked.

The girl quietly looked around the ruined room. After taking a moment to calm down she met his eyes.

“I… I saw ponies running in the streets, and the fire. Then my house just… burst into flames. I panicked and ran into the bathroom, but it was on fire too, so I wetted some towels and ran back to my room. I would’ve ran away but the front door was on fire, and then I heard ponies screaming at something, so I got really scared and just hid under my bed.”

“Well I for one think you were very brave,” he commented with a smile, “And nice thinking too. Those towels probably saved your life. Now, you wouldn’t happen to know who did this… do you?”

“I… only saw somepony teleporting on the rooftops after that. I couldn’t see her face, but she was purplish… and a unicorn obviously. I’m sorry, that’s all I know,” she said nervously.

He was certain now. The other civilians were not just talking nonsense, which made this news even harder to swallow. His heart flipped over in his chest, still not sure how to answer the little filly.

“I see, well um… let’s get you to safety.”

He wouldn’t allow himself to show it, but he was starting to feel dizzy as his mind began spinning trying to come up with a possible explanation. She followed him out of her ruined house with her eyes closed most of the time. They cautiously avoided any piles of burning wood and made it back to the street the building overlooked.

“Hey mister, what’s your name?” she asked.

“Me? Well, I am Shining Armor, Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard. I live to serve folks like you. What is your name by the way?”

“Oh my name is… wait, who’s that?”

The filly pointed uneasily down the road behind him.

He swiftly turned his head, catching sight of an eerily still silhouette of a pony. The shadowed figure’s horn lit up with a crackling sparking aura composed of violet energy. A bolt of dread streaked down the length of his spine.

Then, the unicorn slowly advanced upon them.

“RUN!” he yelled at the frightened filly behind him, “Run as far away from here as fast you can, and don’t stop.”

Realizing who it was, the filly obeyed his command and started galloping away down the city streets. At this point he was just happy that the shadow didn’t chase after her. It did make sense though, as he was the bigger target here.

Shining Armor carefully removed his purple and golden helmet and placed it on the ground beside him. With nothing obstructing his vision now, he could clearly make out her features.

“Oh, I wouldn’t have done that if I were you,” his sister said.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing... but his royal duties took first priority. On the brink of crying, he issued a stern warning he sincerely hoped he would never have to.

“Twilight Sparkle! For the crime of high treason against Equestria’s citizens, I order that you come with me to Canterlot, where you will stand trial before a council of your peers!”

Those were the most difficult words he ever had the displeasure of speaking.

She halted abruptly and raised an eyebrow.

“Come on, Shining Armor.” She scoffed at his request. “You know it never works like that. Besides, you couldn’t make me go even if you tried, not by yourself anyways. I was hoping Canterlot would’ve sent more than just you. This won’t even be a challenge.”

He broke decorum for a brief moment at her hostile words.

“Twily… what are you saying?” he pleaded with her, “Why are you acting this way? I’m your brother for Celestia’s sake. We don’t have to do this!”

“You might not have to, ‘brother’. However, I on the other hand have no time to play games in Canterlot… at least not yet,” she replied cheekily.

“You’re acting just like Cadence did the days before our wedding! Are you a changeling?! What have you done with my sister, you monster?!” Magical energy started to subconsciously pour into his horn out of sheer anger.

“My my, as always you’re so quick to jump to conclusions. A changeling? It was a good guess perhaps, I’ll give you that. But you are wrong again ‘brother’. I am still just a unicorn.”

She casually started to approach him again.

“CHANGELING OR NOT! YOU’RE COMING WITH ME!!” he shouted.

FOOM!

His pent up immobilization spell fired loudly, rapidly reaching his sister in only a fraction of a second. His pinkish aura was intercepted by her own horn and she somehow managed to deflect the spell away with a jerk of her head, making the blast collide into the side of a building. The wall of the charred home noisily collapsed to the street below.

“If you’re going to take me in, might I suggest using more offensive spells than that one. Defensive spells aren’t going to get you anywhere I’m afraid.” She hunched down on her front legs aggressively as if preparing an attack of her own.

“I’m not going to hurt you!!” he yelled.

“Then I’ve already won, ‘brother’.” She grinned evilly and with a bright flash of purple light, teleported to a space directly beside him.

“Behind you!!” she shouted.

“Oh no you don’t!!” he retorted.

Right as she fired her coursing lightning bolt of hot energy, he teleported as well, off to some distant rooftop. Her beam scorched a long burning scar in the road way and she silently cursed to herself that she had missed. Angrily she reared her head.

“Gah! Why did you have to move?!” she yelled up at him.

“Have it your way Twilight!” He fired another streaking pink spell in her direction which she countered with a violet blast of her own.

Their heavily condensed energy collided with such force that an impact crater crushed the ground beneath the epicenter. Ash piles were blown away, thickly clouding the surrounding atmosphere. Deciding not to wait around for her to come back at him again, Shining teleported to another rooftop over the blackened remains of somepony’s home. It was simply amazing to him that some of these buildings could even still stand.

To his shock, she flashed into existence over the structure directly opposing him.

A slight pang of fear crossed her eyes as she saw that he had beat her to the punch.

“Uh oh…” she said bluntly.

He fired another torrential beam at the skeletal structure of the building beneath her and with a great surge, it began to topple over as well.

With her support falling away underneath her feet, she teleported again and just like the first time landed right next to him. He angrily charged another attack and fired, but once more it connected with nothing. She flashed into existence right behind him yet another time.

"How can she move so fast?!"

Now completely off guard, Twilight casted a simple, quick, and efficient freeze spell on his legs. His hooves remained plastered to the surface and he struggled to turn his body, but all his efforts proved useless.

He grunted and thrashed about, while she ever so elegantly paced around him. She was so close to him now it made his face flush red in anger.

“H-how did you-?!”

She quickly interrupted, “You let your anger get the best of you. Just as gullible as ever. Maybe that’s why you always stuck to sports when you should’ve spent more time studying.”

“What are you talking about?! What’s with you Twilight?!” he shouted.

“All in good time, ‘brother’. Hahahaha.” she chuckled lightly.

“You’re a liar!! You are a changeling aren’t you?!” he accused.

“Ugh… not this again. Whatever, keep making up conspiracy theories all you want. It doesn’t matter now.”

She let loose another calm wave of violet energy over his muscular frame, effectively halting all of his bodily movement. He tried in vain to fight against it, but accomplished little of anything.

“Grr… the other guards are on their way. It’s only a matter of time now before they show up and take you away for good Twilight. You have to stand trial!”

“You really still think I’m not beyond saving? After everything I’ve done?! Well… you certainly do stick to a misplaced moral high ground. As for the other guards, I don’t even care. I’m done with this town anyway as you can plainly see. Now… I think I’m going to move on to phase two.”

“What are you talking about?! You planned this?!”

Twilight put a hoof over her mouth. “Oops, I’ve said too much. I’ve got to put you out for a while now, but I do hope you know that I enjoyed our little ‘fight’. I really must be on my way now.”

Her horn blazed upward again with her familiar purplish energy. It poured out like a cup overflowing down onto Shining’s head. He felt the muscles in his neck seize up as he let out one more abated breathy grunt, until he was fully encased within a solid shell of magical aura.

“Excellent, now he won’t get hurt,” she added.

She brought her face close to his and delicately whispered in his ear, though he couldn’t even hear her from inside his prison. “As much as I hate to admit it, you were one of my favorites, Shining Armor.”

She backed away from him and took a final glance at the city around her. “May our paths not cross again.”

With another bright flash, she teleported off into the night.

“HHHUHHH!!”

Twilight loudly gasped as she flung herself awake for the third time.

Even with Rainbow gently holding her she was finding it extremely difficult to stay asleep for more than twenty or so minutes at a time. Horrible headaches continued to throb within her skull, causing her to have terrible nightmares as well. They came and went in shorts bursts and she knew it would have been impossible to make it through the night if not for her dear friend keeping her close.

Why does my head hurt so bad?

She fidgeted around unevenly making Rainbow Dash quietly stir awake also. The pegasus uneasily looked down at her unicorn friend with concern.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” she asked almost silently.

Clenching her eyes shut in obvious pain, her friend pointed to her temple.

“Your head hurts?” Rainbow guessed.

Oh gosh. Like you wouldn’t believe! It’s unbearable, really.

Twilight silently nodded and laid her head back down, letting out a long sigh in an attempt to shrug off the pain. The fire beside them had burned out about an hour ago, leaving only a few hot coals left behind.

“Is there anything I can get you that would help?”

In place of answering her directly, Twilight simply pulled Rainbow closer to her and nuzzled her gentle nose further into her soft neck. The only thing she wanted for her headaches right now was the comfort of her friend. Rainbow took the hint and squeezed around her even tighter making Twilight smile lightly in satisfaction.

Just… please stay here with me.

So far, Twilight’s impostor was quite delighted with how well her plan was progressing. With a majority of her obstacles now out of the way, completing the rest of her scheme would seem comparatively simple.

No longer having any reason to stay in Ponyville, she fled into the Everfree to avoid capture. Although, if she could take down the captain of the royal guard, then taking care of any other soldiers had to be simple as well… but she did not fret, as that time would come soon enough. Soon she would be even more unstoppable.

“Hmm… the forest is much more overgrown than I remember it,” she glanced around at the dense foliage using a dim glow from her horn like a lantern in the night, “It has to be in here somewhere.”

She continued to venture deeper into the thicket, passing by various sticker bushes and hanging vines from tree branches when at last, she finally saw it.

But a simple hole in the forest floor, she knew it led to something much greater and grander, something that few ponies knew how to actually exploit… and still get away with it. She stuck her horn’s light down into the hole, gauging its depth. When she had decided that she could easily fit through, she descended quite carefully. It was more of tunnel really, with twists and turns that she wasn’t quite expecting, but whoever had made this entrance had clearly done so to make it look as inconspicuous as possible.

With only her dim violet light guiding the way, she finally came to a much larger opening which funneled out into a vastly expansive cave. There was a ramp that took her down to the ground level that smoothly leveled out. Stalactites hung high on the ceiling above her, dripping small droplets of water occasionally.

“I never expected it to be so easy to get here. Only a fool would come this far without knowing what they were doing.”

She finally reached a small body of water at the midpoint of the cave, and smiled at her reflection deviously.

“Fortunately, I am no fool… Gah, how did that blasted rhyme go again?” she asked herself.

She continued to stare at Twilight’s face for a second, contemplating the potential risks. If this worked like she thought it would, then nothing in Equestria could stop her.

“Yes. Now I remember.”

She inhaled deeply and leaned down towards the water, stopping with her nose just inches away.

"And into her own reflection she stared… yearning for one whose reflection she shared… and solemnly sweared, not to be scared… at the prospect of being doubly mared."

She let her body fall forward into the drink and was quite shocked to emerge on the other side, completely dry. She propped herself up onto the rocky layer in front of her and pulled herself up.

Before her stood another clone of Twilight Sparkle, but she wondered if her copy still retained her memories like she had.

“Are you who I think you are?” her copy asked.

“I am the original, yes, and as such… if our plan is to succeed then I need you to follow my lead.”

“But wait… if we make more of us, then won’t our mental acuity significantly decrease?”

“I like the way you think, but yes, you are right. If we continue to multiply then our minds will certainly be stretched thin,” said the original.

“How do you plan on combating this then?”

“You are my clone. You should know already that I have a spell for such a problem,” she dismissed.

The copy planted a hoof on her face in embarrassment. “Oh, how could I have forgotten? Silly me. Let us commence then?”

“Shall we?” agreed the original rhetorically.

They both took their places at the edge of the pool and simultaneously dove in. When they emerged on the other side the impostor couldn’t believe she now had three clones of herself to do her bidding.

But her lust for power could not satiated.

“No… I must make more! All of you, enter the water now!”

Not questioning their leader’s judgment, her subordinates dutifully obeyed and dove into the water as well. Copy after copy of Twilight Sparkle emerged from the water’s depths, and her numbers continued to swell, until she had a meager army gathered before her. Most of her clones gave her blank stares, but she had anticipated this and had prepared accordingly.

“Now I just need to apply the memory-meld spell. If not for the real Twilight Sparkle, this would’ve been nearly impossible.”

Her clones were starting to get anxious being so closely packed together in the cave. The impostor could tell she would have to act faster.

“I need your attention!!” she yelled.

They all mindlessly stopped any chatter, and fully obeyed her once more. When she was sure all eyes were on her she began charging her horn.

“Excellent! Now hold still!” she demanded forcefully.

A dense purple fog seeped from her horn slowly, and started to fill the vastness the cave. She had to enter each of their minds, one by one, and plant the seed of her knowledge, her pain, her misery, and the need for revenge most of all.

A clone here and there rejected her pain and felt themselves sucked back into the mirror pool. At this point it was merely survival of the fittest, and the undesirables would have to be weeded out tediously, but it was a sacrifice on her part she was willing to make. Her “army” had been effectively cut in half through her efforts, but with her knowledge of events now deeply rooted in each clone’s psyche, she felt confident that her plan would not fail.

After she was done prodding their minds, the purple haze lifted and her clones took their first real breaths of being self-conscious, having their own thoughts and awareness. Some of them shook their heads as if they felt bugs crawling over their skulls, but the side effects eventually wore off.

“Now we are all equals!!” she proclaimed.

Her copies silently nodded in agreement at her statement, still trying to center their gradually piecing together minds.

“So, with you now being as intelligent as myself, do you all agree that we need a leader?! I say since I am the one that brought you to this world, that makes me responsible for your actions, do you not agree with that as well?”

She received more complying nods from her fellow sisters and she felt her bloodlust began to soar to greater heights. Soon she would taste an even sweeter vengeance than she could’ve ever imagined, all under the false of identity of Twilight Sparkle. This plan was almost too perfect.

“Let us begin phase three then… hahahaha,” she chuckled devilishly at her subordinates with a most twisted grin.

Twilight awoke painfully yet again, as her headache had finally reached a boiling point. She carefully slipped out of Rainbow Dash’s embrace while she lay contently on the rocky surface. Slowly staggering to her feet, she headed towards the lake just a few yards away from them.

Her eyes were terribly bloodshot and worn out, and she had given it her best effort, but she simply could not sleep as well as her friend. She placed her hoof against her head and could tell by the heat that she was clearly running a fever. Sweat beaded down her neck and shoulders in short streams as she approached the lakeside.

I was freezing just a few hours ago. Why does it suddenly feel like the inside of an oven out here? Ugh… my head is spinning too. I don’t think I could even do basic math right now. This is ridiculous!! But..why does it hurt… so bad? Am I getting sick or something?

With her vision being blurred by the sweat trickling down her face, she stumbled forward awkwardly, and plunged into the cold water with a loud splash.

Relief flooded into her tired limbs and aching back. The water soothed her tender forehead and she felt pressure release on her joints, as she let the coolness seep into every crevice of her body. Deciding not to hold anything back, she let her frail frame fall freely into the black abyss. She didn’t even care anymore. The cold evenly combatted the heat and pain within her head and her body.

I should probably go up for air soon… but this feels so good. It’s like… I can finally fall asleep now.

A few bubbles escaped from her mouth as her chest fell in on itself. She could hear her own heartbeat slow down within her head.

What am I doing?! I’m going to die—no. No I won’t. Just a few more seconds. I’ll be okay. I shouldn’t think like that anyway.

She continued to fall into the watery blackness, letting her own desire for temporary relief override her survival instincts. Twilight didn’t want to ever go up now, not back to more pain and misery. Her mind started to slip away as well, as cold water began to enter her open mouth and trickle down the back of her throat.

Finally, after hours of agony… she fell asleep.

Splash!

“Hmm? What was that?” asked Rainbow.

Her eyes weakly pried themselves open and she was disheartened to find that Twilight was no longer held within her embrace.

“T-twilight? W-where’d you go?” she stammered.

Rainbow scanned the surrounding area only to find nothing, but then she saw a slight ripple passing over the lake close to their campsite which corresponded with the noise she had just heard just moments ago.

“Is t-that you Twilight? Are you in the water?” Her voice tensed more and more with each word.

She stood up and walked over towards where the ripple had emanated, though the water was still too dark to see through. She glanced around the campsite, looking around for Twilight one more time.

“Where did she go? She was with me just a second ago…”

Rainbow turned back to the water and a small pink glow caught her attention. A few feet below the surface, a tiny sphere of light cut through to the surface that seemed to be winking at her.

She felt true terror in her heart when she realized it was Twilight’s horn sending out a distress beacon. Her eyes widened in pure disbelief.

“NO! TWILIGHT!!!” she screamed shrilly as she dove into the black drink.

Her now recuperated legs were able to quickly propel her downwards. Twilight had fallen all the way to the lake bed, calmly resting on its surface in some peaceful slumber. Rainbow panicked and threw her legs around her friend’s waist, guided only by the faint pink light of her horn. With a powerful kick off the lake bed she surged both of them skyward.

Rainbow took in a deep gulp of air when she broke the surface and pulled her friend gently over her back, placing her on the rocky outcropping. Twilight’s body unfurled lazily over the rock and Rainbow desperately searched for any signs of life, but her chest wasn’t expanding. In fact, her entire body remained eerily lifeless and still.

“No, no, NO! Please, come on Twilight!” Rainbow pushed her head into Twilight’s sternum, listening intently for a heartbeat. When she heard nothing, she began frantically pressing down onto her chest with both hooves, attempting to manually start her heart. To her horror, Twilight remained completely unresponsive.

“No… no no no no NOOOOO!!” she shrieked.

Next, she took a mouthful of air and pursed her lips securely over her dying friend’s, and exhaled forcefully. Twilight’s ribcage expanded briefly and as Rainbow let go of her, her lungs retracted as well. No response.

Not yet defeated, Rainbow inhaled deeply and pressed firmly into her lips once again, letting out another long breath and expanding her friend’s lungs to full capacity.

“Mmph!” Rainbow let out a garbled noise as Twilight lightly coughed into her mouth.

The unicorn fell over onto her side gagging and coughing, all the while expelling all the water that was still caught within her airways, and feeling life surging back into her weakened torso. Rainbow had never been so happy than when she was seeing her friend come back from the brink of death itself, but her shocked state of mind kept her from saying anything as Twilight struggled to calm down from her ordeal.

What happened to me?! It feels like I have a house sitting on top of my chest! Did I pass out or something?

After taking a moment to breathe, Twilight casually reached up and felt her own soft lips, tasting a bit of saliva on her tongue that she didn’t recognize as her own.

D-did Rainbow Dash… perform mouth-to-mouth on me?

She turned around meekly to face her elated pegasus friend, who unexpectedly wrapped her up in joyous, yet strangely sorrowful hug.

Rainbow started to cry, sobbing as softly as a whisper into Twilight’s ear. “W-were… you trying… to kill yourself… or something?”

Her only response was a slight shake of her head. She let her eyes close with the utmost serenity and sighed heavily into Rainbow’s damp coat, allowing herself to get swept up once again into her friend’s loving embrace.

I’m sorry Rainbow. My head was spinning, my body was too hot for me, and… the water just felt so good. I guess one thing led to another… and…

Rainbow clutched her tighter. “Please Twilight… just stay by my side… and I’ll pull you through this, I promise. I know we got off on the wrong foot earlier, but I’m here for you till the bitter end. I hope you know that.”

Twilight sniffled weakly into her neck.

It was just a headache Rainbow, I swear. I wasn’t trying to kill myself. But, thank you… thank you so much for saving me again. I just wish I could tell you that I…

that I…

just…

want you by my side forever.

“Luna!!” A loud female voice broke the princess’s long period of silence.

She placed a hoof over her forehead in a meager show of aggravation towards her new arrival. She had been lost deep in concentration for hours on her observation deck, but she still was having extreme difficulty with something. With the night still dwindling away, she would not have much time left.

“Yes, sister?” she barked in irritation.

Celestia hovered down onto the deck, calmly placing herself next to her clearly preoccupied sibling. She approached her with absolute concern.

“I’m sorry Luna. I didn’t mean to disturb you, but have you found any signs of her yet?” she asked.

Her sister exhaled deeply in distress. “I’m afraid not. Your pupil is somehow preventing herself from entering any sort of dream-state. I haven’t felt her presence once all night. It’s almost as if she’s consciously not allowing herself to enter a deep sleep. That… or she placed a spell on herself to prevent her from doing so.”

Celestia sighed at the news. “Oh Luna… what am I going to do? So many refugees have already started pouring in from Ponyville. They’ve all been saying with certainty that it was Twilight causing the destruction.”

“Is that why you sent Shining Armor, sister?” Luna cocked an eyebrow.

“No, I sent only our fastest troops. There was no way for him to know ahead of time who we were dealing with. I just wish I had more answers for the citizens of Ponyville as well...” Celestia’s voice was faintly trailing off.

“What do you think caused Twilight Sparkle to commit this heinous act?” Luna asked.

“That’s exactly my problem, Luna… I don’t know what to think anymore,” Celestia drooped her head in grief.

“Oh come on, Celestia! You can’t possibly expect me to believe you’ve already forgotten. There are no others in all of Equestria that know better than us that no pony… is BEYOND SAVING!!”

A raging fire in Luna’s eyes penetrated deeply through Celestia’s soul. She was right in every way, however. Over a thousand years ago she had once felt this same sense of betrayal and heartbreak that she now faced, and she had frankly given up then too. Luna knew even better than she did, that terrible feeling of utter alienation.

Taken aback at her sister’s outburst, she fumbled with her response. “O-of course… you’re right, Luna. I’m sorry… I just don’t want what came between us to happen again with anypony else. I don’t think my heart could bare it, for a second time anyway.”

“Then what do you propose, sister?” Luna replied more calmly.

“Well, the safety of my people comes first,” Celestia confidently proclaimed, “Being so, I have sent half of the fleet to be stationed at every major settlement within a hundred mile radius.”

“How could you have planned this so quickly?” Luna asked.

“After ruling for as many centuries as I have, the most important thing I have learned in my time is that you can never be too cautious,” she sternly replied.

“Do you really believe she’ll attack another city, sister?”

“I’m not sure, but if I started treating her differently from any other criminal then everypony would certainly question my judgment.”

Luna glanced down at the city streets of Canterlot. From this high up she could see refugees dispersed arbitrarily at intersections and under street lights, desperately searching for temporary shelter.

“Have you seen her friends... the other elements of harmony? Have they come to seek your guidance?” she inquired.

“Yes… but only four of them have arrived so far. I allowed them to stay on castle grounds, but before I could ask them any questions they had all seemed too fatigued, and promptly requested a place to sleep. I was worried when Rainbow Dash didn’t show up with them, but the others said… she went to confront Twilight herself.”

"And she hasn't arrived yet?"

"Correct..." Celestia turned her head away to face the direction of Ponyville. " ...and If I don't hear from Shining Armor by morning, then I'm afraid I'll have to put a barrier around Canterlot myself."

As My Feet Stumble

The prior night had been unkind to Twilight, as getting any sleep was now completely out of the question. Each time she would close her eyes, it seemed as though some unseen force would eerily pry them open again. She got in a quick few snoozes here and there, but after taking her fall into the lake and having her headaches temporarily subside, her body simply wouldn't allow her to rest.

Rainbow Dash's concern for Twilight didn't allow her to fare much better, though she was able to recuperate much more than her friend had. They tried to rest underneath a tall evergreen tree which had so graciously let a bed of soft pine needles blanket the forest floor below, though the pegasus spent most of the early morning hours watching her friend violently stir every time she was about to go under. She would offer Twilight a hug now and then to comfort her, but nothing at this point seemed to help her.

The early morning sun let its first glorious rays of orange light peek over a distant mountain, encasing the expansive lake and their tree in its warmth. Twilight, realizing this was a hopeless battle, simply quit on sleep and painfully got up.

I just can't do it. No matter what I do, I just can't keep my eyes shut.

She stood up weakly and glanced back to Rainbow, who was caught up in a light snooze. Apparently, she hadn't gotten much rest either.

I guess I'll just let her sleep for now. She deserves it anyway.

Twilight calmly walked back towards the lake and took in it's divine serenity. She tried to remember exactly which way Rainbow Dash had come from, as she had only caught a glimpse of her before she plummeted.

I hope that's the right direction, because if I'm wrong... then we might be wandering through this forest forever.

"Hey Twilight, get any shut eye?"

What?! I thought she would still be sleeping!

She turned succinctly to Rainbow who was rubbing one of her own dreary eyes open. The pegasus yawned lengthily and took her place beside Twilight. Her friend only briefly shook her head in response, turning back to gaze out gloomily over the lake before them.

"Sorry to hear that," Rainbow replied glumly, "So, we never really talked about it, but do you have a plan?"

A plan? I'm not too sure about that. However, now that I have at least you on my side Rainbow, I might still have a shot at proving my innocence. I suppose we just have to go to Canterlot and get this mess sorted out.

Twilight nodded fervently and pointed to Rainbow's lips with one hoof.

"You want me to tell them for you?" she guessed.

Yes, Rainbow. I'm not exactly in the best position to be making a case as you can see, so I need you to do it for me.

"Well I hate to break it to you Twilight, but... I can't exactly fly."

The unicorn silently mouthed the word in utter disbelief. 'WHAT?!'

"I know, I know. This looks pretty bad, but it's okay, I'll deal with it. We can go all the way back together, really I'm fine with that," she assured her.

Twilight's heart painfully melted at her finally divulging the truth. She scooted over to her friend and laid her head down solemnly upon Rainbow's shoulder, trying to hold back the floodgates.

Oh Rainbow... I see why you were so upset now. I know how hard it was seeing Ponyville like that, but I also know how big a part of you flying is, and I've seen how you deal with it when you can't. But, how can you remain so calm without your wings? Are you just acting this way because of me?

Rainbow gently reached her leg up and stroked Twilight's disheveled mane. "Hey, like I said before, it's okay."

The unicorn calmly picked her head up in response and started walking along the shoreline. She gave her friend a slight nod in passing, signaling for her to follow. Rainbow perked up at her gesture and began to follow.

"Hey wait a second, where are we going?" she asked.

Twilight pointed to the direction where she believed she saw Rainbow come from, some path off into the woods. However, to go that way they would first have to walk around the entirety of the lake.

"Is that the way back to Ponyville?" she said catching up to her.

Twilight shrugged. I don't know, but it's our best shot.

"Well, I think I trust you more than I trust myself right now. So wherever you go, I'll go," her friend happily commented.

The unicorn gave her another warm smile, when suddenly both of their stomachs started vehemently growling. It struck them at that moment that neither had eaten anything for almost an entire day, for it was impossible with all the commotion going on.

"Maybe... we should get something to eat on our way," Rainbow added.

Twilight continued to press on and guide her friend. For reason's unknown, her body seemed to be functioning more effectively today, though she was still somewhat fatigued from her lack of rest. It wasn't nearly as painful for her to walk, and for that at least she was grateful.

I couldn't agree more. There's just got to be something in these woods.

"How much further is it?" Twilight's voice hissed.

The master copy glanced back at her clone with a piercing glare. "Silence! You should already know anyway! Regardless... we couldn't attack now, even if we wanted to. If what I've anticipated comes to fruition, then Celestia will already have the city sealed off by the time we arrive."

The Everfree forest proved to be no match for the soon to be conqueror. With four of her clones trailing close behind her, each possessing equally unstoppable might, there was nothing that could impede their progress. In fact, some of the most terrifying creatures that usually plagued the forest simply bowed out of their way as they continued.

"So," said one clone, "...if the Princess has the city sealed off, like you planned, then how exactly do you plan on getting in? That is not something you ever kept us informed about."

"Hahahahaha..." She cackled. "I'm glad you asked. By myself, I would have never been able to enter the city's walls. But luckily, we all know Canterlot like the backs of our hooves."

"You have yet to explain your intentions," one of the other clones stated bluntly.

"It's quite simple, really," she retorted with a smirk, "With all of the others sent away, rampaging in the streets of nearby cities, the Princess will have no choice but to lower her defenses to let her precious royal guard go on their merry way and defend against my onslaught! It's perfect!!" She boasted.

"Funny, I think that's probably the same plan we all came up with," said the clone bringing up the rear.

"Haha," she chuckled, "That is because we are all geniuses! Working together, there is no possible way our combined intellect can fail!" She happily received nods in agreement from all of her companions, save for one.

One of her clones did not seem as enthusiastic about the plan, almost as if she was preoccupied thinking about something else. The leader noticed this and pulled up beside her, but her clone simply looked away.

"What's the matter?" she asked her copy.

Her double merely glanced at her fleetingly, and turned away yet again. "You know this plan won't bring her back, right?" she remarked timidly.

Every clone immediately stopped in place, the sound of their hooves deadened. They were all entranced by that one word she had just spoken. Awkwardly, they all turned to her in absolute silence.

"We're never to speak of her again!" the leader shouted, "Everything we do!!! Gah, don't you see?! Of course it's all for her!!!"

"And not for the other?" her clone asked.

"Absolutely not! She was just the key!!" she retaliated.

"And what about Twilight Sparkle? What of her? I know our reasons, but... it still seems almost insensitive. I hate her as much as all of you, but still... we're ruining lives here."

The clone received angry glares all around from her sisters, but the leader barged in before they could attempt anything hostile.

"Wait! What are you saying? Don't tell me you've forgotten already!" she demanded.

"No..." she responded meekly, drooping her head in defeat, "No, you're right. Apologies, leader. Let us keep going."

The leader smirked at her small victory. "You are forgiven sister. I know where you come from, just being given new life. But I need your trust now more than ever. Celestia and her people must pay for how they treated us. Don't you agree with that?"

"Y-yes leader," her copy glumly replied, "It won't happen again. I swear by it."

She patted her clone reassuringly on the shoulder, though it offered little comfort. "Excellent! You really are an extension of myself you know. In time you will see things my way even more clearly."

Faintly, her double nodded in agreement along with the rest of her sisters. "I suppose I will," she remarked.

With her one weak link finally brought to her side, the leader released her and pressed onward. Sunlight trickled down through slight openings in the tree canopy, keeping them all aware of the fact that soon ponies all across Equestria would be awaking to something quite horrible. The density of the forest was diminishing as well, the longer they walked.

Their leader often worried about situations like this occurring with her clones. At first, everything seemed to be happening so punctually, but then again, why wouldn't it? She had taken months to plan this. Ever since she lost the one thing she couldn't live without she had been plotting. They had all laughed at her and shunned her when she had pleaded so tearfully to them. But they refused to listen! Nopony in Canterlot cared for her arguments, and Celestia had simply cast her into the wind like common trash. And she did it all for her. She had even told them that... but no one ever listens... not until their very lives are at stake.

"Grah!!" she coughed in disgust, but her voice began to rise, "I'll raze every city to the ground!

I'll march directly into the capital!!!

I WILL MAKE THEM LISTEN TO ME-- AND THIS TIME CELESTIA WILL PAY FOR HER INTOLERANCE!!!!"

Her clones performed exactly as instructed, heading off to every major city, settlement, and village across Equestria. With nearly fifty machines of chaos at her disposal, it was now only a matter of time before Canterlot would be inundated with messenger ponies requesting for help. Just as she had hoped, the mirror pool had also given every doppelganger nearly her exact powers and abilities, though she already made the last few modifications herself. They would surely all reach their targets by the afternoon, and Canterlot's defenses would come crumbling down soon afterward.

However, she gave one of her clones a very... specific task to attend to.

Applejack had been the last to get up that morning, wandering through the barren halls of the castle. It felt so unusual seeing it empty, considering how it was normally teeming with royal guards. Celestia had so graciously offered her and her friends a room the night before, but when she awoke all of them had simply left already.

She yawned loudly, "...I can't believe I slept in so late. If ah'd still been on the farm, Big Macintosh would've killed me for sure."

However, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She had practically dragged Rarity into the castle herself, while Pinkie on the other hand had a similar time dealing with Fluttershy who simply didn't have the strength to make it there herself, at least not in one day anyway.

"O' course. Leave it to the earth ponies to do the heavy liftin'," she commented to herself.

Finally, she found a guard arbitrarily placed next to a grand staircase. Without hesitation, she approached him.

"Ey big guy, you wouldn't have happened to see my friends go by here, now would ya?" she asked.

"They did pass by," he said deeply. "...possibly on their way down to the Princess's dining hall. It's right down this staircase, miss."

Applejack breezed right on past him, flashing a tiny smile his way, "Thanks, sugarcube."

She followed down the long winding staircase until it eventually ended, right at where the guard said it would. The tall double-doors to the expansive hall were left flung wide open as Applejack was able to ever so cautiously peek her head inside. She was elated to see all of her friends sitting around the lengthy dining table, but they all seemed to still be suffering from yesterday. They all had plates of various vegetarian dishes placed in front of them, but not a single bite was taken at all. However, the one thing that she noticed most, and broke her heart at the same time, was that Rainbow Dash was not sitting with them.

"Hey. How ya'll feelin' this morning?" she asked lightly.

Immediately her friends all turned from their untouched plates and gave her a slight wave to come on over, but they still remained eerily silent. She calmly walked over and found a seat next to Rarity, who seemed relieved to see her.

"Hey girl, how you holdin' up?" Applejack put a hoof on her distraught friend's shoulder.

"How am I holding up? HOW AM I HOLDING UP?!" she cried.

Applejack simply stared back in shock for a moment, but never budged an inch.

"Umm... yes?" she replied timidly.

Her friend let out a long winded sigh. "Ahh... I'm doing fine actually, now that you're here sweetie. I just wanted to say thank you, for getting us all the way here in one piece, I mean."

Applejack smiled at her uplifting words when suddenly Fluttershy, who was sitting directly across from them, spoke up as well. "Oh yes. Thank you, Applejack. We wouldn't have made it here by now, if it wasn't for you that is."

She brushed off the comment. "Bah, weren't nothin'. It was a group effort on all our parts anyway. Why, even Pinkie here did some--"

Applejack was abruptly cut off by a loud snore, coming from her pink friend sleeping across the table next to Fluttershy. The pegasus rubbed her friend's back trying to coax her awake, but Pinkie was out like a light.

"Wait a minute, wasn't she awake just a second ago?" asked Applejack.

"Oh, it's been just terrible," said Fluttershy, "She's still so very tired from yesterday. She keeps drifting off, but... she has no control over it."

Applejack propped her chin up into her hoof, thinking over their ordeal. "Can't rightly blame her. I've never seen her so stressed out. Kinda' makes me stressed out just looking at her."

"Well, I think we're all under a lot of pressure here darling," added Rarity, "As for me, I'm just relieved that Sweetie Belle's is going to be taken care of."

Fluttershy took her hoof of Pinkie and turned back to her other friends. "I know that was hard on you Rarity. None of us wanted to see her go with the others."

"No it's alright," she lamented, "It was for her own safety. I just hope everypony else who went the other way out of town fared as well as we did."

A long silence hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. None of them wanted to talk about the elephant in the room, but they knew it would have to come up eventually. When it seemed like Applejack was finally going to say something, Pinkie Pie, who had laid her cheek upon the table to rest, muttered what they were all thinking.

"What are we going to do about Twilight?" she asked quietly.

Applejack responded for all of them. "Uh... I think we're all still trying to figure that part out, sugarcube."

Sadly, Pinkie sat herself back up now fully awake. Deeply preoccupied with her thoughts, she leaned her head onto Fluttershy's shoulder, but her friend withheld any protest. "I miss Rainbow... and the old Twilight," she mumbled.

"So... you guys haven't seen from her?" Applejack asked.

"I am afraid not," said a soothing regal voice.

The friends all turned their attention to the main doors. The mare standing before them had just finished her royal duties for the night and had come to warn all of them of her sister's taken precautions.

"Princess Luna!" they cried in unison.

Wordlessly she strode to the opposite end of the table, taking careful note of their emotional states. Once she was in a well enough position to address them all, she spoke calmly yet freely.

"As I'm sure you are all aware of this by now, but I am obligated to inform you that this afternoon, before the sun goes down, my sister herself will erect a barrier around Canterlot. As of this morning, nopony has seen of your friend miss Rainbow Dash and I myself have been unable to locate her through her dreams. I am also sorry to say that if she does not arrive by this evening, she could very well not be granted access to the city until this 'issue' has been resolved."

"What?! No!" cried Pinkie.

"I regret the decision as well, I assure you all," she continued, "However, if Canterlot falls... Equestria falls."

"Wait, you aren't afraid of Twilight, are you?" Rarity asked.

"Myself? No, I can't say that I am," the princess replied, "On the contrary, my sister and I fear no unicorn, no matter how powerful they may be. The reason Celestia is constructing the barrier at all is quite simply because the risk to every other citizen in Canterlot is much too great. We have already taken in a heavy influx of refugees as well, not even including yourselves. Furthermore, we sent away half the fleet of our own royal guard early this morning."

"W-why did you keep the other half?" Fluttershy murmured.

"Should the barrier fail, of course. Although, it is extremely unlikely, and she would still have to contend with our raw might if she did manage to break through," Luna nonchalantly commented.

Applejack summoned some courage. "But princess, does this mean we're just giving up on Twilight? What if, say, oh I don't know... she's not really herself. What if she's under a spell or curse or somthin'? Or maybe she's really a changeling? I'm not quite sure myself, but I say we should put all our cards on the table here first if we're gonna be bettin'."

"She's right," spoke up Fluttershy, "There's no good reason for Twilight to be doing this. We can't just give up on her."

Everyone sat uneasily for a long moment, letting themselves hold onto a faint glimmer of hope for as long as they could.

"A spell perhaps," Luna nodded in agreement, "... however, this would be an impossible act for a changeling."

"And why is that, princess?" Applejack asked again.

"It's simple really, for the changelings feed off of love. It is where they derive the source of their power. For a changeling to be as magically adept enough to destroy an entire city... it just seems out of the question. Their abilities just don't work that way I'm afraid. There is no way even the queen could generate that much power, unless she had a most potent source of love at her beck and call."

Applejack lowered her head in disappointment. "So, what you're saying is... is that Twilight had to be the one destroying Ponyville?"

"That," Luna confirmed, "Or... another unicorn is playing us all for fools."

Pinkie leaned up and caught the attention of the princess. "So how do we know which is which?"

Luna smirked at her subject in a playful sort of way. "Well, I was hoping you four could assist me in finding that out."

[hr

While the forest's environment had been hospitable up to now for Twilight and Rainbow Dash, it turned out that its seemingly lush vegetation offered little in the way of sustenance. On their way towards what they could only guess was Ponyville, they had only been able to find a few berry-plants, some wildflowers, and a few patches of grass here and there. Neither of them were used to such a minimalistic diet, but they were ponies after all, and foraging was what they did best. However, Twilight's restlessness from the prior night was starting to catch up to her, and after walking through dense foliage and hilly terrain for so many miles, she was finally beginning to slow down.

With Rainbow tailing close behind to keep an eye on her friend, she could tell that Twilight was having difficulty. She often asked the unicorn simple questions that she could answer, but it was still odd for her not being able to chat while they walked. As Twilight lagged in pace, Rainbow smoothly trotted up beside her and took note of her painful facial expressions.

"Do you want to stop and take a break Twilight? It's really okay with me. We have been going at this for hours."

Twilight suddenly stopped and began breathing laboriously to the ground beneath her. She picked up her hood and pointed to her throat, slightly licking her chapped lips.

Please Rainbow, I'm so thirsty.

"Do you... want something to drink?" her friend guessed.

She received a pleading nod from the desperate unicorn.

"Well, maybe if we go a little further we'll find something. What do you say to that, Twilight?" she asked apprehensively.

Twilight meekly looked away again, and reluctantly nodded. Her throat was so dry that it made each breath sting faintly. She wanted nothing more but to sit and rest, but her body would not allow it until she quenched her thirst. Longing for her next drink, she continued on with Rainbow close at her side.

The pegasus had never seen such determination in the face of overwhelming adversity, not since within herself anyway. But, where she had always tried to impress and make sure everyone knew her name, Twilight merely wanted everyone to not fear hers. Rainbow was now sure of it, that this was the definition of true courage.

She might not have understood why Twilight had trouble sleeping or nearly drowned herself in the lake, but she wanted to be by Twilight's side almost constantly now.

"Hey Twilight, I just wanted let you know that... I think you're really brave."

She simply blushed at the comment and glanced over, smiling calmly into her friend's cool magenta eyes.

That means a lot coming from you, Rainbow. I just hope my bravery holds out as long as I need it to.

Feeling this strange gravitation between them, their quiet steps in the foliage grew closer and closer, until they were nearly supporting themselves against one another. Rainbow Dash wasn't quite sure why, maybe it was because Twilight was tired, or maybe it was because she was just happy to be with her, but Twilight gently leaned her head into her friend's neck and inhaled deeply the scent of of her rainbow-colored mane.

It didn't mean as much to Rainbow when they embraced the night before, back when they were cold and Twilight felt so helpless. It was simply more of a friendly gesture to keep her friend comfortable. However, now that they had found solace in each other's company and it was no longer about whether or not they would make it through the night, she realized that this simple act was her friend's subtle way of showing genuine affection for her... and she happily accepted it.

Rainbow chuckled under her breath. "Heh... I'm glad you're with me too."

They strolled deeper into the woods, passing by multitudes of trees and moss covered hills. Twilight felt as though she could almost fall asleep now right against Rainbow's side, but they had to keep going. At least for a moment, she was able to ease her mind with Rainbow guiding the way for the both of them.

I wish I could thank you, Rainbow. Even only once might be good enough. I'd have more to say than just that, but I think you know it already.

"Hey Twilight, do you hear that?" her friend asked quietly.

The unicorn's ear perked up slightly from Rainbow's side, listening intently. After a second or two, a light crashing sound could be heard far up ahead of them.

That's weird. It almost sounds like the waterfall from last night, but it couldn't be. We went in the completely opposite direction.

Twilight suddenly felt her friend stop and begin to look around for something. She could sense that something caught her eye when Rainbow finally spoke.

"T-twilight!" she stammered, "It's a pool... a-and a waterfall!"

The unicorn lazily rose from her friend's side and took in a brief glimpse the sight, but could not believe her eyes.

No way! This is too good to be true!

"C'mon, lets go get a drink Twi-"

Before she could even finish speaking, the unicorn was already stumbling weakly away from her towards the glorious sight before both of them. Rainbow easily caught up to her, but Twilight didn't seem to need any assistance so she opted to only stay within close proximity.

They peaked over a small tree-lined hill and came to the spacious clearing. The waterfall itself was not very tall, only about three stories in height, but it emptied directly into an expansive deep indigo colored pool surrounded on all sides by massive boulders and mossy stones. Some smaller streams snaked away from the oasis in a web-like pattern, forcing the ponies to watch their step as they approached.

When Twilight finally reached the edge of the water, she nearly collapsed onto her front legs and gratefully took her first few sips of the delightfully soothing liquid. It's coolness slowly eased away the pain in her throat and gradually removed the dryness and heat within her chest as well.

She pulled away for a second and noticed Rainbow standing upon the rocks next to her, taking a few hearty gulps from the running body of water herself. Her friend had done a fairly decent job up until this point of hiding her own thirst and still tried to maintain a semblance of composure.

Twilight was beginning to cheer up now that her one desire had been fulfilled. She arose and backed away silently, letting Rainbow quickly fill in the empty spot. With both of them being exhausted and emotionally worn out, Twilight swiftly thought up of a great idea to lift their spirits, and also help them relax at the same time.

I have her right where I want her. I'm gonna do it! NOW!

Rainbow's entire body suddenly jerked forward when something heavy collided into the back of her. She fought against it, nearly taking a dive into the drink, but her legs held firm. Seizing her opportunity, Twilight gave up on pushing Rainbow and simply pulled her front leg out from under her. The unicorn then let her own frame fall freely backwards into the drink while tugging along her friend in as well.

"W-wait Twilight!! What're you do--!"

SPLASH!

The pair plunged into the refreshing dark water and promptly bounced off of the rocky floor below. The pool itself was only barely deep enough to where they could comfortably keep their heads out of water without struggling. Rainbow surfaced first, taking in an exasperated gulp of air. She twisted around her body in agitation, desperately searching around for the unicorn who had so recklessly pulled her in.

"Twilight?! Where are you?! You're gonna pay for getting me all soaked when I get my hooves on you!!"

Then, to her annoyance, another heavy wave of water crashed over her head from behind. She angrily churned through the water and came face to face with the smiling unicorn. Rainbow was about to yell at her, but this was the first time she had seen her smile since the beginning of their ordeal.

"Aww... come on! Don't give me that look!" she ordered.

Twilight hesitantly splashed her again, but this time more playfully. They locked eyes fervently as Rainbow anticipated another splash, however the unicorn gave up and started to slowly swim away towards the crashing waterfall behind her. This only irritated her even more.

"Hey! Just where do you think you're going?!" she yelled.

Twilight turned for a moment and rolled her eyes at Rainbow. She continued to tread through the water when she finally felt a wave of water crash over her own head. She caught a slight glimpse of Rainbow swimming over to her, ready to pounce. Rainbow's right cheek curled deviously into a half-smile.

"Two can play at that game! And I never lose!"

Twilight backed away from her with a competitive smirk of her own, until she abruptly reached the foamy basin of the waterfall.

Let's see if you can catch me first!

She deliberately hopped backwards, hurtling through the crashing wall of water and disappearing out of Rainbow's field of view. The pegasus hurriedly tussled through the deep blue water to reach her, and surged through the powerful waterfall as well. She tumbled once end over end and dizzily emerged on the other side. It was much darker on this face of the waterfall, though some ambient sunlight made it's way through the vacillating torrents.

There was a small egg-shaped space up underneath the platform of the falls, almost like a little hideaway from prying eyes. The outcropping was composed entirely of rock and lied just above the water line, allowing its floor to remain relatively dry. However, as Rainbow peered around the cave-like area, Twilight was nowhere to be found.

"Where did she go?" she asked suspiciously.

Splash!

Yet another blast of water graze over the side of Rainbow's face. She shook her head violently, shaking every last drop out of her now disheveled mane, and retaliated with a splash of her own. The unicorn scarcely ducked out of the way of the first volley, but Rainbow quickly followed up with another. The concentrated stream of water glanced over her cheek as she continued to tread away, but the pegasus rapidly caught up and tackled her into the drink. They tumbled through the water, happily play-fighting and wrestling in a somewhat reserved manner, until Twilight accidentally swallowed a tiny gulp of water which haphazardly funneled into her windpipe.

"KAAH! KAAH!" she barked weakly.

As Rainbow lunged over her yet again, she put her hoof out to stop their playing and began vigorously coughing. She awkwardly leaned herself over onto the dark rocky surface of the outcropping and attempted to sit up, hacking the liquid out of her system and wheezing for air.

"Oh no... not this again," Rainbow muttered in concern.

She hopped out of the water and placed herself at her friend's side, gently stroking her back. Twilight would let out a timid cough now and again, but it kept up for several minutes. Rainbow offered her a few words of encouragement and she would smile at her between heavy breaths.

After wiping away the last little bit of water from her mouth, her coughing fit finally ran its course and she calmly laid down onto her side. She had been quite exhausted before they even found this little oasis, but maybe it was getting that long awaited drink of water that made her want to break out and have some fun. She didn't regret their little skirmish in the slightest. It was the perfect thing to help her take her mind away from the bigger problem, though she knew it would have to be addressed sooner or later.

Rainbow leaned over close to Twilight's head. With a serene smile gracing her lips, she could tell that the unicorn was trying to fall asleep... when suddenly her stomach started growling again. Twilight placed a hoof on her stomach trying to deaden the sound, but it became immediately apparent to Rainbow that they would both need something to eat soon. She stepped away from her friend and headed back to the waterfall.

"I'll be right back Twilight. I'm gonna go find more food."

Twilight's eyes shot open and she desperately reached out for her, however as Rainbow sunk into the smaller pool before them she did not notice her friend's silent pleas.

No Rainbow! You don't have to go! Just stay here! PLEASE!!!

But it was useless. Rainbow dove through the crashing waterfall and out of sight. In frustration, Twilight made one attempt in vain to get up, but her body screamed at her to stop and rest her sore muscles. She fought against it temporarily as she knew trying to fall asleep would be pointless, but everything within her forced her to close her eyes.

Just... please be okay Rainbow. Don't be away for too long. I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to you, especially if it was because you were trying to do something for me.

A tear welled up at the corner of her eye.

I don't need food... as much as I need you right now.

"Any sign of him?"

"No your highness. He has not returned yet," the guard reluctantly divulged.

Celestia looked away from her window as a cold shiver ran down her spine. Her personal quarters were a bit of a mess, but she decided that it would need to be cleaned later. While she didn't exactly need to study anything, she thought it might help to get in a bit of extra practice before casting the full-scale barrier. It had only crossed her mind once that Shining Armor would not return. She had complete confidence in him, despite his somewhat reckless behavior.

She released a long abated sigh and slowly made her way out of her royal bedroom. The guard who had delivered the news shut the door for her and dutifully followed. Admittedly, Celestia didn't feel like speaking to anyone right now, for she felt almost guilty herself for what was transpiring. Never before had one of her students so blatantly turned against her since Sunset Shimmer... but this was much worse than that. There was no valid reason for Twilight to turn on her like this.

"Alright," she spoke to the guard, "Tell the rest of your men to take their positions and clear the perimeter of the city. I was afraid I'd have to go through with this, but I find myself left with no other option."

"And of the refugees on the outskirts?" he asked.

She raised a courteous eyebrow. "Like I said, clear the perimeter. Make sure no pegasus, guard nor civilian, is left outside. I will give you half an hour to prepare, lieutenant, but I can't spare any more time than that. Make haste, please."

"Of course, your highness. It will be done right away," he confirmed.

Without another word between them, the guard turned to the main staircase and hurriedly descended to go about his appointed task. Now left to her own devices, Celestia wandered a bit further down the grand hall, passing by various tall stained-glass windows all depicting historical events throughout Equestria's past.

"This is just absurd, outrageous, impossible!" she angrily blurted to herself.

She stopped when she came to one particular window and glanced up at it's entirety. She was now faced with the elements of harmony and the ones depicted as bearing them, all placed within their own circles around the enchanted stones. However, it was the lavender unicorn at the apex that she paid special attention to.

"But, I don't see how else I'm supposed to handle this. It has to be some kind of mistake, surely, but still... I might only be able to know for sure when I see her myself." She turned away from the window in sorrow. "And I'm sure I'll meet with her face-to-face soon enough."

"Why don't we attack now, leader? You said the city would be sealed off, but it's not."

"No, not yet. Don't be so overzealous," she casually tossed aside her clone's argument, gazing intently upon the mountain's face just several miles away.

It had taken them the better part of the morning to get this close to their target. They all knew they could have arrived much sooner just by teleporting, but there would have been little advantage to that. With the city infested with powerful unicorns, royal guard or not, the risk was simply too high. Ponyville had been admittedly a much easier objective to conquer, especially with the most gifted unicorn among them left powerless.

She addressed her subordinates. "The city is still crawling with the royal guard. That much is certain. The barrier itself, whenever Celestia erects it, will only be a slight hindrance. With our combined power it will not be such a challenge. However, with that army of 'ants' still roaming free, they could prove to be the real threat here."

"So do you propose we just wait?" asked one of the others.

"No, quite far from it in actuality. There is still further progress we can be making while we wait for the rest of the guard to vacate."

"How so?" inquired the clone beside her.

"You all already know... just like the way the queen knew!" she asserted.

"What are talking about, leader? I thought we weren't helping her any more, agreed?"

She took her clone's words to heart and started to slowly advance in the direction of the mountain."Correct sister, this is not for her. It just so happens that we want the same things. Now follow me!! All of you!!"

Her copies hesitantly obeyed, as their leader suddenly and loudly flashed out of existence. The four subordinates all simultaneously teleported as well, giving chase to her as she spontaneously appeared and disappeared at random points within the forest. Arbitrary crackles of lightning echoed through the tall trees. It was fortunate for them that the surrounding area leading from Ponyville to Canterlot had been fully evacuated the day prior, else they would have surely captured unwanted attention.

Roads leading up the mountain side remained barren and the train itself had not gone by in two days. It did not matter to their leader however, as she had a more indirect path in mind. Far below the high spires and massive platforms supporting the city within the mountain, the powerful quintet of unicorns came to a vast grassy plain. They found themselves at the base of the torrential waterfall which fell from the tall peak looming overhead.

They gazed skyward towards their colossal marble-colored target, as the sound of crashing water filled their ears. The leader turned to address them once more.

"We're going to teleport up the cliff face! If you have any objections to this, speak now!" she demanded.

A few of them calmly shook their heads from side to side to show their willingness.

"Very well! Stay close together, and don't be too assertive, for you might just lose your footing!"

Now staring back at the cliff face, she scanned for the first rocky terrace to use as their starting point. Her eyes flickered with delight in the setting sunlight when she finally saw it. With a quick burst of light from her horn, she flashed off once again. Her subjects took note of her position several stories up on a small outcropping of rock, and subsequently teleported with a blinding flash of their own.

Their hooves all plopped down uneasily on the rugged terrain, but they somehow managed to have just enough room to stand comfortably. The leader signaled for them to wait as she flashed up to an even higher perch. This cliff edge was too small to support all of them once however.

"One at a time!" she yelled down to them.

Amicably, her copies formed a semi-straight line of order. When she received the go ahead from the one in front, she flashed off again for some other cliff up far above her. She glanced down occasionally to see if they were keeping pace with her and laughed quite jubilantly the higher they went. Her plan was starting to come to fruition, at long last.

After scaling the treacherous rocky face for nearly half an hour, they were now only about a few hundred feet below the underbelly of the royal city. The wind at this altitude was proving much more brutal than she had remembered, but perhaps it was because she had rarely ventured outside of the city's walls. Her copies were obviously not faring much better, however it didn't matter at this point, for they had reached as far as they could go without alerting any passing guard.

"No, this will have to do," she surmised.

Her horn flared up once again, preparing a turbid dense flame which was to be directed at the stone wall beside her. The subordinate clones stopped on their clamorous platforms awaiting for her to make the next move. To their surprise, their leader actually began blasting a concentrated violet beam directly into the cliff's sturdy face. Massive stone slabs churned under the heat and adroitly dislodged themselves, simply tumbling off the side of the mountain past her. Fortunately this process was not quite as loud as she was expecting it to be, and from this far beneath the city anyone above would simply think it was a common rock slide.

She halted her progress for a moment and signaled to the next in line to teleport. As her clone winked into existence next to her she pointed back to the crevice she had just created.

"If we work together sister, we can bore into the mountain," she noted calmly.

Her subordinate quickly realized her intention and nodded in agreement. "Oh yes! The mines!"

"Exactly. Now please, help me. If we stay out here too much longer we run the risk of getting caught," she added.

"Yes leader, of course."

The two doppelgangers of Twilight Sparkle positioned themselves facing the semi-circular fissure in the wall. The ambient energy trailing from their now shimmering horns began to coalesce in the surrounding air. Once their powers had fully melded, they opened fire upon the wall with great fury. The combined heat of their blast was powerful enough that it easily melted any and all rocks before them, all into a churning, red-hot, viscous paste. Their collective beam easily bored deeper and deeper into the mountain side, perfectly punching a circular shaft large enough to accommodate all of her copies. The leader halted her destructive beam for a quick moment and her clone reluctantly followed soon after.

She turned once again to her copies down below and silently instructed them to advance. With several quick flashes of light and crackles of electricity, the quintet was once again reunited before the super-heated chasm. Dense hot air and the smell of melting minerals pelted the inside of their nostrils causing a few of them to wince.

"Now," the leader suddenly grabbed their attention, "we are directly below the city as you can plainly see. This means that if we continue to tunnel into the mountain from this way, we will eventually reach the old mines buried deep beneath the city. From there, we will go to the deepest cavern within the mine and cast the spell there. However, before the spell can be finished, we need the artifact from within the castle."

"So, we wait until the others come through for us?" one clone asked.

"Precisely. There was no point in rushing here earlier this morning. By the time we make it to the core of the mountain, the guards' numbers should dwindle to merely a few. Besides, any minute now Celestia will--"

CRACK!!!

A dreadfully loud eruption from above painfully flooded their ears. A swift wind of yellow aura crashed into the five mares, sending them toppling over onto their sides. They had not been anticipating that Celestia's barrier would be quite so forceful, but as the sphere of swirling energy began to encase the city in wavering sunflower-colored light, they found it nearly impossible to stand. They could not see it from their current position below the city, but the Princess' familiar beam reached skyward towards the shield's apex, pumping more and more energy into it.

"Gah! Curse her!" cried one of the staggering clones.

"D-don't worry! We'll have our chance soon enough, I can assure you of that," the leader turned back into the cooling tunnel, "But for now, the barrier will ensure that nopony in Canterlot hears of our progress!! This will be even easier now!!"

Splash!

Rainbow dove through the waterfall and came up on the other side, stirring Twilight from her light snooze. The unicorn hadn't had any opportunity to fall into a deep sleep since she left, not with her stomach growling in agony every few seconds. In fact, it seemed like everything in her life was working against her now to prevent her from sleeping.

Why can't I just keep my eyes shut. Oh well... I don't even care now. I'm just happy she's finally back.

Rainbow lurched her body up onto their little rocky loft and gently strode over to her defeated looking friend. She held within her mouth two large, green, and sagging leaves which apparently looked to be holding food. Twilight meekly sat herself up reached for one of the leaves, but Rainbow quickly nudged the other one to her instead. Not exactly sure of her intentions, she happily took the sagging leaf anyway and opened it to reveal a haul of assorted blue and red berries.

Wow! Thank you so much, Rainbow!

She set down the berries and gave the pegasus another quiet hug. Rainbow was quite relieved to see her friend so happy again, even if she didn't exactly show it. The other heavy leaf in her mouth kept her from saying anything.

She pulled away and let Twilight start to pick through her little stash of berries, popping one, then two, then four at a time into her mouth. Eventually, her stomach started to quiet down and the rumbling went away. Twilight sighed in silent relief.

Rainbow walked a few steps away and sat down coolly, staring blankly into the waterfall. She held the leaf meant for herself in her mouth all while Twilight quietly finished the last of her berries. When she had finished, the unicorn glanced up at her friend's now gloomy expression.

Why... isn't she having any of hers?

The pegasus looked over at her friend's empty leaf, making sure she was absolutely done, and turned back to the waterfall. Twilight leaned upwards towards her friend, but she didn't seem to budge at all from her sitting position.

What happened next almost seemed to occur in slow-motion for Twilight.

Rainbow relaxed her lower jaw, and carelessly let the leaf fall freely to the ground below.

Its contents violently spilled across the rocky floor beneath them.

A sharp pang of horror racked Twilight's frame as she finally made the connection.

Rainbow's leaf...

had been filled with dirt.

As My Heart Mends

Twilight was simply flabbergasted at how she couldn't have seen it before. All of her friend's signs now became agonizingly clear, but in that instance, Rainbow couldn't let her know. Nothing was more important to her than helping Twilight, and the unicorn had just looked so pitiful to her.

No! Why Rainbow?!

Twilight quietly began to inch herself over to her, little by little. Her eyes were starting to gloss over again with the familiar sensation of tears, but she was able to find her way to her friend's side once more. Rainbow was indeed silent now, offering little comfort for her friend's unheard pleas, but instead she turned to Twilight and offered her a weak smile. The unicorn's positively glowing violet irises captivated her opposite's attention, and for the life of her would not let go. She also took note of the tears trickling down her soft cheeks and felt a lump of guilt building within her own throat.

Twilight attempted to utter the silent word.

'Why?' she mouthed mutely.

Rainbow scratched the back of her head hesitantly. "I'm s-sorry Twilight... but I searched for hours, and I could only find one bush that had anything to eat on it. I-I saw how hungry you were and knew you must've been pretty worn out, so... I just wanted you to have it all. You needed it more than me anyway."

Twilight shook her head lightly at the last statement, exonerating several tears from her chin and letting them fall to the floor below.

No... no, Rainbow. You shouldn't have. We could've shared, really. Why, why, why did you have to do that?!

"Hey it's really not that bad, Twilight," she put a gentle hoof on Twilight's shoulder, "I'm used to it, honestly. I've had to fast before for much longer than this, for races and stuff like that."

You've starved yourself before? But this is different, Rainbow!

The pegasus could tell she was definitely not buying any of it, but it was nonetheless the truth. It was immensely burdensome on her heart to see her sobbing because of something she had given her, but it had to be done. She was willing to go the distance for Twilight, whether the unicorn wanted her to or not.

And yet, for her act of immense kindness, she received the most poignant and delightfully heartfelt hug of their time spent together. Twilight practically buried her face into Rainbow's neck, sobbing excessively and breathing even heavier than before. Her lips quivered uncontrollably as a small stream of tears pooled in the tiny cup of her mouth. She tugged on Rainbow's back, pushing their soft chests forcefully into each other, letting the blue and purple cuticles of their fur mingle.

Rainbow allowed one leg to dangle loosely around her friend's back which she quickly used to tug her in as well. Another quivering smile weakly spread across her twisted facial expression.

"I-I'm sorry. I just didn't... want you to be in pain anymore. That's all," she whimpered meekly, "You have no idea how hard it is for me to see you suffer, Twilight. It... b-breaks my heart."

I'm so sorry, Rainbow. But don't you know it breaks my heart to see you suffer too? What about you? We're a team. That means we share everything.

Subconsciously, Twilight softly began stroking the excess water out of Rainbow's mane, straightening it out down the length of her back. Perhaps it was just a spur of the moment thing, but the pegasus actually enjoyed her gentle gesture. Gone was her usual ostentatious attitude, for now she had no apparent need for it.

She let her ear graze over Twilight's as she lowered her head, and proceeded to lightly rub her cheek into her friend's more teary one. After their quick informal nuzzling session, the pegasus then rested on the side of her shoulder, still holding her sleepy friend close. Twilight similarly pressed her nose further into the crook of Rainbow's neck, when suddenly she stopped and pulled away.

Rainbow, thinking perhaps Twilight was finished with their hug, was about to retreat as well, when she felt a slight tickling sensation right above her collarbone. She jerked her head to the side, realizing all at once that Twilight had just delicately kissed her neck. She felt more tears in her eyelids building now, trying to hold back a flood of words and emotions that she could barely control. But then, Twilight kissed her again and even more sweetly than before. Although the unicorn was not trying to tickle her in any way, she could feel Rainbow inhale in a breathy agitated manner with each gentle peck, causing her to squirm slightly in her embrace.

Oh no... I'm sorry, Rainbow. I didn't mean anything by it, I promise.

Twilight halted her small kisses, deeply afraid that she had done something wrong, when seemingly out of nowhere... Rainbow kissed her neck. However, where Twilight's kisses were fast and fleeting, Rainbow's lips stayed firmly in place for a few long seconds. Her eyes remained serenely closed as she allowed her lips to draw in a slight taste of the mare. Absolutely elated to feel her friend returning the gesture, Twilight yanked her in even more vigorously. Rainbow then cautiously released her soft lips, leaving only a tiny speck of saliva on her friend's neck, and calmly rested her cheek on the unicorn's shoulder once more.

"Y'know something, Twilight?" her words barely crept above a whisper, "I... I've never felt this close to anyone before. I just... never want to let you go, ever. I know it'll be nearly impossible to go back to our old lives, but whenever we get this mess all sorted out... I just want more of you in mine."

Twilight's embrace around her doubled in intensity, as her already fragile heart nearly split in two. Her tears flooded the entire surface of her face.

Why?! Why would you want more of me?! All you've done is help me so far, and what have I given you in return?! Nothing!! I've given you nothing!! I could never deserve somepony as wonderful as you, Rainbow!!

The pegasus could hear Twilight's sobs escalating into her neck, so she decided to try more uplifting words.

"Hey Twilight, it's okay. Remember our day together? It wasn't all that bad, right? I still enjoyed every minute of it, being with you. Sure, we didn't talk much or anything, but then again we didn't need to."

Her words didn't seem to help as much as she had hoped, as Twilight still clung onto her securely.

How could you enjoy it? I'm so worthless. All I'm doing here is bringing you down with me. I want you to stay with me more than anything, but not if it's going to kill you.

"I enjoyed our day together... because I love being a part of a team, Twilight. And from now on, we are a team, you and I. That means we face struggles together, overcome them together, sacrifice for one another, give back to one another, and communicate with each other, as best as we can anyway," Rainbow paused for a second and then continued, "But when everything's said and done, Twilight... I want you to be my teammate for as long as I live."

That did it for Twilight. Her heart had finally snapped.

A tiny squeak escaped her lips as her sobbing finally reached its peak. Her forelegs which had been wrapped around Rainbow's chest started to loosen considerably, as her body focused solely on trying to contain her emotions. It became a losing battle however, when Twilight at last surrendered herself and allowed Rainbow to take full control of her body, holding her in her skillful hooves in the most loving way she knew.

I just wish I could protect you, Rainbow, like how you protect me. I never knew you could be so caring, or sweet, or supportive. Why can't I do the same for you?! Why do I have to be so weak?!!

The pegasus gently let her friend recede away, cradling her longingly, and gazing upon her now relaxed teary face. Twilight's eyes remained lazily shut as her body had simply given out under the emotional pressure. The most minuscule and unstable of all smiles slowly crept across her quivering lips. While she was still clearly upset, she found it difficult to not enjoy Rainbow's delicate embrace around her. She felt so comfortable, and for one of the few times in her life, genuinely loved.

Sure, Twilight had felt loved by her friends and family before, but never in the way that Rainbow had shown her today. This was a different kind of love she felt forming between them and she wanted to ensure that it would never end. This pegasus, who only the night before considered her an enemy, was now willing to starve herself for her.

Twilight barely pried her eyes open in time to see her friend's face inching ever closer, and then suddenly... she felt it. Rainbow kissed her sweetly on the cheek behind her flowing river of tears. The unicorn's smile gradually widened as her friend then proceeded to pull away her gentle lips.

Rainbow was allowing herself to relax as well, as the sight of her pacified friend was having a contagious effect on her. She watched Twilight's chest now rise and fall rhythmically like slow oscillating ocean waves. Her breathing, no longer spasmodic or forced, quieted down immensely. Her eyelids neatly fluttered over her violet irises and promptly found their resting place.

"Twilight?" she whispered as quietly as she could, but the unicorn did not budge in the slightest, "Are you asleep?"

Her friend's head slightly dozed off to one side, yet her warm smile remained under her watery cheeks. Rainbow was quite simply in awe. Everything she had tried before to help her sleep never seemed to work. It worried her not knowing if her friend would ever truly get to rest, but now to her great relief, Twilight was finally drifting off.

Still cradling her tenderly, she lowered Twilight's placid frame to the cool floor below and caressed her purplish mane, slicking it back behind her head. The sleeping mare leaned over onto her side, facing back to Rainbow sitting next to her. The pegasus couldn't help but feel exhausted as well, but simply brushed it off as just being hungry. Happily, she laid on a spot of ground nearest to her, coming face to face with Twilight's damply closed eyes.

Rainbow pulled one foreleg under her own head into a makeshift pillow, but before she drifted off as well, she leaned over and gave Twilight one last affectionate kiss on her wet cheek. The unicorn's facial expression all at once relinquished its hold as her soul began to piece itself back together, the spell keeping her awake temporarily diminishing and allowing her mind a much needed intermission.

THUMP!

Another heavy rumble tore through the city's streets, causing every tall skyscraper's heavy cement foundation to roil and sway violently. Ponies frantically littered the roads like panicked ants down below, running away from the sound of sheer turmoil and chaos.

"Was that another one?!" a pegasus guard shouted to his subordinate.

"I think so sir!" the grey stallion removed himself from his perch and approached the other end of the roof, "But it came from the opposite direction! I think from this way!"

His superior darted over to his soldier's side to get a better view.

"No, it can't be. That's at the heart of the city," the officer noted grimly, "How are we supposed to combat this so quickly? The cities being attacked from all sides!

"Should we act now, sir? There aren't as many of us posted that far in."

"We aren't left with much of a choice. However, Manehattan's Central District takes first priority. Let's move!!" he barked.

The officer let his front legs fall over the edge of the building and he began to plummet towards the ground while quickly gaining speed. His hefty muscular wings opened, uninhibited by his lightweight gold-plated armor, and he soared straight for the epicenter of the tremors. His subordinate followed in a similar manner, falling into a perfect swan dive and shortly pulling out of it once terminal velocity was reached.

Pandemonium plagued the streets as herds of confused ponies desperately ran in the opposite direction of the heavy quakes. Plumes of smoke began billowing out of the Market Plaza just ahead of them. Wisps of thick fumes grazed past their faces and distorted their vision.

"Let's get lower!" the younger stallion cried.

"Agreed!" said his superior.

After passing several city blocks, they gave a cursory glance toward a low lying building with a flat roof. It would keep them just high enough above the ground to stay safe, but low enough to give them a better view to what was really causing this chaos. Utilizing a powerful beat of their wings, they evacuated the rooftop of of any hazardous soot still clogging the air and with an even more vigorous backwards flap came to an abrupt landing.

The less experienced guard cautiously lifted his helmet upward to peer down to the city streets. There was almost no way to see through the the debris cloud fogging up at ground level. Much to the officer's chagrin, a low purple flame emanated through the mist.

"What is it?" asked the rookie.

"I think... it's the one we're after," he coldly responded.

Just then a piercing beam burst forth from the cloud and collided with the building that was their support. The intense heat seeping through the roof burned the soldiers' hooves allowing them just enough warning to fly away to safety. Had they left a split second later, the pair would have both been engulfed in torrential violet inferno as the frame of the building imploded turbulently. A heavy shockwave crushed their chest plates, throwing them about and forcing them to upright themselves.

The rookie careened out of control, falling through smoke and fire, until at last his back plating abruptly contacted a pile of broken cement and twisted rubble, down within the mist below. Lazily he rolled off of the pile and fell onto the dirt road beside him, cocking his head side to side to gather himself. His helmet had come off sometime during his tumble, allowing him barely to see the faint outline of a unicorn.

He inhaled long-windedly and then shouted directly at the silhouette, "Surrender yourself, unicorn!! We have been authorized by Princess Celestia to use brute force if you do not comply!!"

The shadowy figure began to approach, causing the soldier to hesitantly back away.

"I'm warning you!!" he cried.

Some free clouds began to coalesce into spiraling balls which suddenly burst into fiery cataclysmic eruptions. When the fireballs finally dissipated there stood before him four shadows of the same unicorn. He was quite stunned as the quartet ganged up on him through the foggy haze. He backed out of the cloud and felt himself pushed against a wall, when their faces suddenly became readable out of the shadows.

"How do you plan on taking us on, exactly?" asked the leader menacingly, "Go ahead. I want to hear your answer."

"Wait... you!" the guard stumbled weakly off in another direction in an attempt to distract them, "Y-you're Twilight Sparkle! Princess Celestia s-said you would--"

"What?!" she swiftly cut him off, "Attack?! Of course we would attack!!"

The guard was immediately taken aback. "B-but why?! And where did all of you come from?!" he nervously responded.

"It doesn't matter now. You have your orders... and we have ours. Now stand aside, pegasus, unless you wish to get your lovely armor melted clean off," her clones smirked deviously at her blatant threat.

"You can't defeat us all!" the guard retorted, "We'll overpower you eventually!"

"I doubt that!" she cackled.

The unicorn started feeding her heated aura into her horn. A tiny wisp of violet flame licked the air as she aimed her building charge directly at his crumpled chest plate. He unfurled his wings in one robust flap, when he was instantaneously struck by an immobilization spell cast by one of her prepared sisters. His body violently seized as if an immense surge of electricity coursed right through the length of his back.

"Good bye!!" the leader yelled.

The royal soldier was silently whispering his last goodbyes to himself, when her beam suddenly shot forth with an unrelenting blazing intensity. Luckily, at the very last second, his commanding officer leaped onto the leader, catching the lot of them off guard.

Her beam cut through the air like a blade of the highest apical ferocity, piercing the hide of a tall skyscraper and plunging clean through to the other side. As the leader fell, her aura sliced the colossal building directly into two clean halves. The upper fraction slid smoothly on its now loose hinge, loudly churning and grinding. When it reached the precipice of falling out into nothing, the immense upper half tilted high above the dirt road and collided destructively with an equally tall building opposing it, resulting in a heavily swaying A-shape formation. Broken shards of glass and smoldering lumps of the skyscrapers' infrastructure plummeted fiercely to the city street below in a great tumultuous heap.

The lead clone easily threw the armored guard off of herself using magic and quickly erected her body. When she finally stood up, the officer found himself being encased in a immobilization spell of his own, conjured by her fellow copies. He struggled valiantly, but to no avail. Their prison of magic would slowly consume the guard until he was frozen in time.

"ALERT THE PRINCESS!!" shouted the officer to his ally.

"Oh, won't you just shut up?" the leader snickered above him.

Hesitantly, the rookie quickly removed his golden armor while the clones were distracted, for he would have to travel far. Still a bit dazed from their stun spell, it was quite difficult for him to even stand.

"I shouldn't get more help?!" he questioned dubiously.

The quartet of angry Twilights turned to the stumbling pegasus with rows of fierce eyes. His helpless commander was only seconds away from being swallowed up by their aura.

"NO! JUST SEND FOR HELP!!" he pleaded.

Hearing all he needed to, the grey pegasus quickly took to the sky as a violent meteor storm of purple flames and eruptions hurtled at him from all directions. The falling skyscraper above proved to be an intense obstacle as he narrowly avoided tumbling debris and shattering pieces of glass. The unicorns' ferocious attacks all barely missed, colliding with more of the surrounding buildings and engulfing them in multicolored flames and yet more billowing smoke. The citizens of Manehattan had put years of labor into creating these masterpieces for the city, and now, this small band of unicorns had put it all asunder.

The uncomfortably naked pegasus reached for as high as he could, passing over equally tall towers that were tangible and not, composed of both smoke and fiery concrete. Only making his escape by the slimmest of margins he sincerely hoped the other members of the royal guard were faring better than him, though it was not likely.

He continued to flap harder and harder until eventually he passed Manehattan's city limits and far across the bay. Heading due southwest, it would take him a considerably shorter time to make the return trip lacking his protective golden armor.

"This is just awful," he mumbled, "We're so horribly outmatched here, and why would Twilight Sparkle of all ponies attack Manehattan?"

THWACK!

Princess Luna brutally slammed shut the weighty doors to her bedroom, stumbling artlessly inside. The mid-afternoon was such an awkward time for a pony's dream to be knocking so unpleasantly on the window to her mind. She staggered into her room holding an unstable blue hoof to her temple while her conscious was locked in a fierce battle with this particular dream.

"Gahh..." she gasped in sharp pain, "I don't understand it! Why did this dream come to me?! Why did this pony come to me?! Could... could it really even be hers?!"

Luna had only just sent Twilight's friends away to help the refugees. She had asked them to be ready at a moment's notice should she attack the city, but now it seemed that she was directly trying to contact Luna herself. Admittedly, she had gone to her room to look up an old counter spell, and it was only by pure chance that the unicorn's dream suddenly flooded her head.

"Why does it hurt so much?!" she whined, "I've seen into countless dreams before, but never have they plagued my mind such as this one!!"

Fumbling around her personal chambers in a disorderly manner she at last came to her bedside, leaning upon it desperately for support. Abnormally vivid images of lush forests, winding streams, wide lakes, rushing rivers, crashing waterfalls, swaying wildflowers, the brilliant sun, and the glowing moon, they all clawed ruthlessly at the gate to her mind's eye. Frame by frame she was beginning to lose her grip on reality the faster they came at her.

"Stop... just please stop... I'm begging you! Unicorn... PLEASE STOP IT!!!" she cried.

Then suddenly... she saw a blue pegasus, and the images did indeed cease as she commanded.The princess gradually opened her teary eyes, staring down at the royal tapestry upon her bed depicting a clear starry night. She did not see the depicted artwork however, for now she saw the only the image of this mare, as seen through the eyes of Twilight Sparkle. It was such a simple dream for the unicorn, yet so surprisingly potent for Luna. With hardly anypony sleeping across Equestria she didn't immediately deem this dream a threat, but with its surmounting flood of memories Luna couldn't help but assume the worst. She was so hesitant to let it in.

Luna began to lightly sweat, a small side effect of melding minds with a such a distraught sleeper. Twilight Sparkle was undeniably suffering. Grief and heavy sorrow filled Luna's heart as she pried deeper into the dreamscape, but she firmly pressed on, only seeing more of the Rainbow-maned pegasus. Through Twilight's eyes it appeared that as though she was a fiercely brave companion of some kind, fighting through all sorts of pain and hardships for her. A tear drifted away from Luna's left eye, uninhibited by any gravity in the black dreamscape.

Painfully Luna felt the crushing sensation of not being able to breathe through the unicorn's unstable connection, almost feeling herself fall away out into her bedroom, but the pegasus saved her yet again by breathing into her new life.

"This dream," she muttered, "It's all about their friend Rainbow Dash... Twilight Sparkle has to be here somewhere. I'm certain of it."

The princess floated on through over completely blackened landscapes devoid of any visible terrain. Quick snippets of memories depicting an entire day with the pegasus floated high in the sky above her. Luna was not so used to seeing such a barren wasteland for a dream.

"Perhaps maintaining even this simple dream is a challenge for her," she noted, "Regardless, she must be present for this dream to still be functioning."

She cast a fleeting glance to her right and then her left when she a spotted a small lavender colored figure standing on some invisible ground. Luna quickly began flying for the new direction and the smaller the distance became between them, the more it was apparent that Twilight did not pay her any notice.

The princess swiftly came down to settle on the unseen terrain a few paces from her, but the unicorn seemed intent on staring up at the vivid memories playing out above them. Luna could see that Twilight's face was completely drenched in her own tears, however she wasn't about to let that phase her.

Luna calmly broke the silence of the void, "Twilight Sparkle, I have heard the most disturbing news that you have directly attacked Ponyville and in turn all of Equestria. Is this true?"

An image of Rainbow Dash kissing Twilight's neck passed high over them, causing the unicorn to briefly smile under her damp eyes. She only gave a slight shake of her head to the Princess's question, but it was plainly obvious her focus lied elsewhere.

Luna cocked a suspicious eyebrow, "If you are innocent, then why do you not come to Canterlot and give your case? Would that be impossible for you?"

This time she received a silent nod in return.

"I see. Well then, can you at least tell me what is really transpiring here?" she asked.

"She's... just suffering for me," Twilight continued to stare up longingly, "And... I can't do anything about it."

"Please Twilight, I need you to focus. This is a dream, nothing more. There have been terrible crimes committed in Equestria and all signs point to you being guilty. Now, if you are innocent, then I need your side of the story!" she loudly demanded.

It was painfully obvious that the unicorn wasn't listening to her, instead relishing intently within her past memories of Rainbow Dash. Luna couldn't help but glance up at the sky as well and see the the pride within the pegasus' eyes whenever she gazed upon Twilight.

Strangely, the projections of her thoughts began to converge into a smaller and smaller circumference, until only a tight circle of Rainbow's face came into focus. The halo of light descended gracefully from the sky and gradually positioned itself between the two ponies who were observing its brilliance.

"T-Twilight Sparkle..." Luna hesitated, "I need an answer from you. Will you please avert your eyes for just a moment?"

The unicorn's eyes in fact never moved, staring blankly through the translucent image. Unconsciously, she let out a long heavy sigh. "What if I can't save her?" she whimpered.

"Listen to me!" Luna yelled at her, "You are dreaming Twilight Sparkle! I am your Princess, and as such I need your attention right now, not her!"

The corner of the unicorn's cheek lifted slightly into a faint teary smirk. She could not take her firm gaze off of the beautiful pegasus shining before the both of them.

"But, I think... I love her," she whispered weakly.

Those three words cut through Luna's heart like an icy dagger. Where had she heard them before? She could've sworn she found herself in a similar situation not long ago, almost like experiencing Déjà vu. But the first time was different for her, she was sure of it. They were nearly angry the first time she heard them, but what took her off guard the most was the fact that she was certain a mare had spoken those words to her before.

"Twilight, please! I need you to forget about Rainbow Dash right now! You need to come to Canterl--!"

THOOMF!

Luna was abruptly cut short by the sound of an immense implosion.

The black floor beneath them buckled heavily under some colossal unseen force. The memory halo of Rainbow quickly faded out of existence, causing the startled unicorn to hyperventilate uncontrollably and panic. She nervously backed away from the princess as the blackened walls of the dreamscape began to topple around them.

The princess desperately cried out for her, "Wait! Twilight! Keep the dream open!! I beg of you! I have to know what's happening for my sister!"

The unicorn cowered helplessly against the shaking floor letting her eyes dart around, searching for the one thing she felt could save her.

"Rainbow? Rainbow?! RAINBOW?!!!" she shrieked pitifully.

Luna felt that familiar force pulling on her back leg, painfully reminding her that it was time to leave. She fought against her mind's reflexes, but she also knew that if she stayed when everything crumbled down around her then she faced the very real possibility of never escaping from this atramentous wasteland.

"NO!! TWILIGHT!!" Luna screamed as forcefully as possible.

The walls at last fell onto the unicorn and Luna was violently sucked back through her mind's gateway. Her mind, bit by bit, started to infest her physical body once more.

"GAHH!!" Life surged back into her previously statuesque frame as she fell backwards clumsily off of her bed. Fortunately, she was caught in midair by a faint yellow aura which gently cradled under her back. She was gradually lowered by the sudden presence and came to a rest softly on the floor. She only briefly glanced at her sister.

Luna's laborious breathing, accompanied by beads of sweat running down her forehead and neck, deeply worried Celestia.

"Luna, what's wrong?! You look as though somepony just tried to kill you?!" her sister asked warily.

A stream of tears trickled down both of Luna's cheeks as she clenched her eyes tightly shut. She pressed one hoof delicately against her chest trying in vain to hold back an unbearable ache. She sobbed heavily for her emotions finally got the better of her, another terrible side effect of her butchered attempt to meld her mind with Twilight's.

"Tia..." she whimpered like a frightened child, "... my heart hurts..."

A shred of fear eased its way into the back of Celestia's mind, sending goosebumps down the length of her spine, for Luna had not referred to her as 'Tia' for well over a millennium. She came to her sister's side as calmly as she could manage, seeing that she was clearly under immense stress, though completely unaware of the fact that the monumental weight of Twilight's emotions now coursed through her sister's soul.

"Luna, what happened?" she asked more quietly, "You were staring at your bed for well over an hour. Did you wander into a dream?"

The princess let out only more tears, but could not open her eyes through the pain. She attempted to stand, but her legs would not allow it. An abated moan escaped her lips as she tried to speak.

"Her... her dream came to me. It sought me out, sister," Luna forced her voice to steady itself, "Twilight Sparkle... she is in immense agony. Her dream was so devoid of even the slightest fragment of a coherent thought. All above us were images of her friend Rainbow Dash. She would not even listen to me for a moment, Celestia, but I could feel her pain. It was absolutely... dreadful."

"Why would her dream be so empty, Luna?" her sister asked.

"I... am not sure," she mumbled, "Usually, dreams of that simplicity only occur in newborn foals. They cling onto short-lived memories of their parents while they sleep. I see them often enough, but there is no reason for Twilight Sparkle's dream to be so abstract. This dream was deceptively hostile. To be quite honest, I wasn't expecting it. There's just no reason... unless--"

Luna cut herself off when a thought struck her.

"What is it, Luna?" Celestia inquired.

"Unless," she glanced back at her sister with watery eyes. "... she has been cursed, Celestia."

Twilight's chest seized heavily as she sucked in an excruciating breath. She immediately pulled away from Rainbow who previously had one hoof gently lying over her neck. She sat up abruptly and caught herself, letting her eyes dart aimlessly around their little hideaway under the waterfall, searching for the princess who only moments before had tried to get her attention.

Princess Luna?! Where are you?! I'm sorry!! I didn't see what was going on!! PLEASE COME BACK!!!

Rainbow's tired eyes lightly pried open, catching sight of the worry-stricken unicorn looking around the darkness for something. The pegasus calmly arose to sit beside her.

"Twilight? What's wrong?" she asked with a low tone.

Her friend quickly turned back to her, eyes wide with fear. Her pupils had shrunk to mere pinholes.

"Twilight, you're scaring me. D-did you have a nightmare or something?"

The unicorn lowered her head and shrugged. She pressed her hooves delicately against her eyes to keep them shut, trying to remember everything Luna had said.

It was just... a dream. But Princess Luna was there. I'm sure of it. What did she say to me? Something about going to Canterlot? That's where I was going anyway, but she demanded me too. They must really think I'm behind all of this. Can't they see that I'm not?! IT'S NOT MY FAUL--

A faint gasp escaped Twilight's lips, as Rainbow suddenly wrapped her in another gentle hug.

"Hey, calm down Twilight. I'm here for you. It must've just been a bad dream, right?" Her voice was so soothing in Twilight's ear that she could not help but relax.

She calmly shook her head.

"It wasn't a bad dream? Then what was it about?" she hesitated when Twilight didn't respond immediately, "Oh... I guess that's kind of a dumb question, since you can't exactly tell me."

The unicorn lightly dabbed Rainbow's shoulder twice, causing her eyes to widen at the sudden revelation.

"Wait a second, it was about... me?"

This time Twilight silently nodded and pulled her in closer. The pegasus wasn't exactly sure what to say after that, but for the first time that day she noticed Twilight was not so ready to break out into tears. On the contrary, the unicorn was feeling much better after her much sought after nap.

My dream wasn't very long, Rainbow. But it was just enough. If it wasn't for you, I know I would've never gotten to sleep. I'm sure of that much.

"Well, I'm glad I could help," she said with a light smile, "Do you feel rested, at least?"

She received another slight nod.

"T-that's great, Twilight!" she exclaimed.

Rainbow tried to hug her tighter but her strength just wasn't what it used to be. Twilight could feel her struggle slightly to hold them together and then even worse, her friend's stomach started growling again. Rainbow pulled away for a moment and rubbed her midsection with a look of discomfort.

"Darn it," she grumbled, "Why won't my stomach just shut up?!"

Oh no, Rainbow. Please, anything but this. I'm so... so sorry.

The pegasus noticed her friend getting upset again, "Hey, no worries. I'll just go out in a little bit and look for myself this time."

What?! Are you insane?! It'll be too dark soon!

"Please don't give me that look, Twilight. Besides, I already know this area pretty well from earlier. I'm sure I can find something else, at least until morning."

She tried to lazily put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder to reassure her, but the unicorn would not take 'no' for an answer. With a hint of urgency she stood up and walked back toward the waterfall that had been giving them light background noise.

Rainbow reached up for her, "Wait Twilight! You don't have to go for me! Honest!"

As if on cue, her stomach loudly disagreed.

Her friend was about to dive into the water, when suddenly they both became aware of a faint purple glow moving just outside past the translucent waterfall. They both stopped immediately and observed its sporadic movements. It would flash away into nothingness, reappear just a few yards over, then wink out again. It seemed almost as if the glow was circling the circumference of the pool, staying just inches away from the water. From Twilight's perspective looking through the falls, it was hard to tell exactly what it was.

Then, the orb of violet light entered the water... and began to gradually approach their hideaway.

"T-Twilight!" Rainbow anxiously stammered, "We have to leave, right now!!"

No! It just can't be!

The glow passed right under the torrential waterfall without so much as a flicker and hovered in the shallow pool before them. After a few moments, the purple light simply went dead in the water. Quite flabbergasted, the two friends slowly approached the edge and looked down into the murky depths.

"W-where... did it go?!"

Much to their horror, a lavender-colored horn eerily crept above the surface.

Then, a familiar set of violet eyes peered up at them, followed by a deceptively warm smile. Everything below her neck stayed in the water.

The new arrival's horn began to flare up with raw power, freezing the two friends where they stood, sheer terror running down their spines.

"Hello, Miss Sparkle. Hello, Miss Dash. I'm actually surprised you two managed to find each other," she waited for a response, but the stunned ponies were too scared to even breathe. "Not that it matters, anyway. Our leader thought she could risk having you roam free, but... after some 'careful' consideration, she has decided that Twilight can no longer be given a chance to interrupt our plans."

'Our' plans? What does she mean by that?!

"I'm sorry to say it Miss Dash, but since you now know the truth, you must face the same fate as her," she remarked with disdain.

Rainbow's trance was broken at the sound of her threat, "I was planning on it. I ain't going anywhere without her!"

Twilight glanced briefly at the pegasus, as another tear ran silently down her cheek.

Oh Rainbow... do you really mean that?

"My my, how noble. Guess that's to be expected from such a close friend, is it not?" the impostor smirked in Twilight's direction, "But since you take first priority Miss Sparkle, you shall be the first to go!"

Her clone insidiously placed her front hooves over the edge and pulled herself up, all the while maintaining her lock on the petrified unicorn. Rainbow bravely wedged herself between the two.

"Sorry, but you're gonna have to go through me first!" she asserted.

The impostor's charge of energy kept building. "Fine then. Have it your way, pegasus. I'll simply take out the both of you with one clean strike!"

NO RAINBOW!!

Twilight heard the familiar sound, a sound still clear in her mind from yesterday morning. She waited until the absolute last possible second to intervene because she knew Rainbow better than most ponies. She would not have moved on her own if someone else did not do it for her. Twilight quickly reached around Rainbow's waist and jerked her aside with every bit of strength she could muster.

SHOOM!

The villain's swelling violet beam unleashed its fury all at once. Packed into a tightly knit funnel of raw power, her torrid energy ripped through their small hideaway with blinding speed and pulverized the back walls. The comparatively thin ceiling of rock above them gave way after no longer having any support. The crashing falls high over them suddenly plunged down with torrential force. Every rocky surface caved in under the pressure and all three of them were abruptly engulfed by the sweeping current.

With the waterfall now completely destroyed, the trio found themselves harshly siphoned back into the much larger pool. Twilight and Rainbow Dash separated somewhere among the carnage, getting lost within the murky deep. The impostor did not fair much better than they had, as she found herself dizzily struggling to resurface from their tumble. When the villain finally arose she began to claw at her eyes, removing any excess water. She glared around in the darkness like a watchful predator, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Blast! How could I have been so foolish?! W-where did they go?!" she furiously shouted.

A splashing sound from behind caught her attention. She turned around only a fraction of a second too late, as she could only make out a dark figure running off into the woods. In a fit of anger, she teleported out of the water and found her self at the rocky shoreline again. As she was about to give chase, there came yet another splashing sound. Turning around much in the same way, another figure darted off in the opposite direction.

"I can't let either of them escape!" she yelled, "But, I don't have time to perform the homing spell again. I'll just have to make do! There's no time to waste!"

With a quick burst of electricity, she scorched off into the rapidly sinking night.

Did she chase after me? I can't hear anything.

Twilight had managed to climb out at the far end of the pool staying as far away from her impostor as she could manage. She had ran back further into the woods, trying to cover as much ground as possible, but a strange aching feeling overtook her heart. Dread overcame her entire being as she realized she was finally alone.

Alone? Without Rainbow? What am I going to do?

With the darkness of night setting over the forest, it would not be long until she could only travel by moonlight, yet worse still so would her impostor. She had ran for a solid ten minutes, never wavering or faltering, but now she needed to stop for a moment and take a break. She leaned against a tree for support on the verge of crying, and listened to the sounds of the wind intently.

I shouldn't have left her. I should still be by her side.

She stomped an angry hoof into the ground.

Why?! Why couldn't I just be brave and be there for her?! She was always there for me!!

The bright moon was starting to peer its head through the clouds, bathing the forest foliage below in a pale blue glow. Twilight hesitantly turned around, but she knew this was her only option.

I've got to go back for her! I couldn't live with myself if something happened to her! She was already starving herself, fighting my own battles, when it should've been me!!

"AAAaaaahhhhh!!!!" a blood curdling yell pierced through the quiet night, sending another cold shiver running down her spine.

NO!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!!

Pushing through her previous barriers, Twilight darted off for the sound of her friend's screams. Her strides became lengthier and faster until she had reached a full gallop. Knowing that she wasn't being directly targeted by her impostor, she released all of her restraints and bounded past hoards of trees and over rolling hillsides.

Hang on, Rainbow! I'm coming!

Rainbow jumped behind another large rock and hunkered down, sincerely hoping this one would hold up better than the last few. The evil Twilight had easily disintegrated every obstacle so far that stood in her path, and this one would be no different.

"Please, Twilight..." she whimpered. "... please save me--"

BOOM!

A violent explosion erupted from the stone behind her, sending her limp body flying helplessly through the air. She forcibly collided with the leafy ground and tumbled over several times before coming to a gradual halt just below an oak tree. A heavy cloud of debris fogged up the air, but was promptly blown away by the powerful re-materialization of the angry unicorn.

Rainbow lazily lurched towards the wooden giant, knowing that any moment could very well be her last. She propped her body against the tree heavily, struggling to hold back the pain of her many cuts and bruises. She held her breath to keep as quiet as possible.

"Come out Miss Dash!" the impostor taunted, "We both know I'm going to find you sooner or later, so you might as well give up now!"

Her heart rose into her throat out of pure fear. The impostor was right, there was no escape for her, at least not in her current condition. She was far too weak to even attempt to run. It was only by a miracle of some kind she had even managed to make it this far without breaking so much as a leg.

"Well I suppose if you won't come out, then I'll just have to track down Miss Sparkle herself. It's a shame really. I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this." She grinned deviously at the moon starting to peer down at them.

"NO!" the pegasus cried.

She stumbled awkwardly away from the tree and fell freely onto her legs. The evil unicorn turned her head and caught sight of her easy target now completely vulnerable.

"Please... just don't hurt Twilight," she quietly pleaded, "I'm the one you want. I'm the only one who knows. She can't even speak... so if you're going to put us out of our misery, then just take it out on me."

"Such bravery," Twilight's clone advanced on her, horn at the ready, "You should be commended for your efforts, Miss Dash. I have known a few alicorns who would be put to shame by your courage alone. But alas, I have my orders."

The unicorn began to funnel her energy into her horn once more.

"Please, just one more thing..." Rainbow mustered what little courage she still had left in her weak frame. A single soltary tear rolled down her cheek. The unicorn's charge intensified, ready to fire away at any second. "Before you do whatever you're about to do to me... can you just tell Twilight that... I lov--"

Scrunch!

The impostor heard the sound of leaves ruffling and pulled an immediate about-face. The familiar lavender unicorn charged blindly at her.

"NO TWILIGHT!!! RUN AWAAAYYY!!" the pegasus screamed.

But, it was too late.

With a godlike clap of thunder, her clone's beam fired, carving a devastating path of destruction.

Twilight gritted her teeth angrily and jumped straight for the blast, as it consumed her entire body in a purplish-white light.

My Voice Will Carry Far

Encapsulating, penetrating, all-ensnaring heat wrapped around her tired frame.

It was a bold move to challenge her foe head on, but Twilight had no regrets. She had the idea in the back of her mind that maybe her horn would just 'activate' by some miracle, but she knew that was foolish. She knew well in advance that her horn wouldn't save her. The power within her had long been drained, and her impostor had even said as much.

However, in that brief instant, squandered away from her damaging world, she was suddenly whisked away to a new realm. The heat scorching her lavender coat had since faded, the strength of her copy's spell long gone, and she found herself among a sea of whiteness.

Time had simply stopped for her, as she floated aimlessly through this new, immense emptiness.

Where am I? W-where's Rainbow?

The overwhelming lucidity flooded her vision, encompassing everything as far the eye could see. The void was truly endless.

"What is this place? Ooph--" Twilight quickly cupped her mouth in absolute shock, "I-I... I can speak."

The realization sunk in rapidly as she giggled to herself. She flailed about gleefully, caring little that she had no idea where she was.

"I CAAAANNN SPEEEEAAAAK!!!!!!" she cried loudly across the never-ending whiteness. Her voice echoed for several seconds into the endless expanse, when she heard something peculiar from behind her.

"H-hello," said a gentle feminine voice.

Though she wasn't as loud as Twilight, she was still barely audible through the eerie silence. The unicorn somehow managed to turn her body in midair, still floating gracefully along like a breezy autumn leaf. She was admittedly shocked there would be anyone else here, but was still happy to see a friendly face.

Before her, standing on an invisible white surface, were two unicorns of varying ages. The taller was a mare who had an opal-colored coat, which did little to help her stand out amongst the white background. Her deeply magenta mane was lushly sinuous, cascading freely down over her shoulders and the length of her back. But, what truly made her radiant to behold, was her cloudy burgundy eyes. Her frame was sleek and graceful, although Twilight could tell she had matured much more than herself. Lastly, either side of her flank end was adorned with falling petals of some whitish-purple flower.

She was simply beautiful.

At the lovely mare's side, stood and equally eye-fetching school-aged filly. The small girl's profound, emerald irises, colored the same shade as the darkest of grass fields, could melt the firmest of hearts. Her rather short, yet wavy, hunter-green mane and tail curled lightly around her neck and flank respectively. However, underneath all of her other features, her light-fuchsia coat courteously accented her entire angelic appearance. Her flank, however, was unsurprisingly barren.

The smaller unicorn seemed almost afraid of Twilight, as she lightly hovered down and planted her hooves on the invisible surface. The filly subconsciously moved closer to the present adult, wary of the advancing unicorn.

"Hello," Twilight calmly greeted the mare in return, "Can you tell me what this place is? D-did... I die or something?"

"No, you have not passed on," the mare replied with a warm smile, "I have simply brought you here with a small bit of my magic, if you will."

Twilight gave a cursory glance all around them. "So if I'm not dead, then where are we?"

"This is simply a realm existing between the living world and our own." The mare placed a gentle hoof on the filly's shoulder that had just pressed against her, causing the girl to respond with a meager smile of her own. "And this here... is my adopted daughter, Leya. She's the brightest little filly I've ever known."

"Heh," her daughter giggled.

"Hi there, Leya," the unicorn happily replied, "My name is Twilight."

The shy girl gave her a slight respectful bow of her head.

Wow, what manners. She reminds me a lot of myself... at least, when I was that age.

"Wait a minute," she thought over the mare's previous words, "D-did you say the... 'Living' world?"

"I did," she replied matter-of-factly, "For you see, Leya and myself have passed on. She had no one else to care for her, so I took her as my own. I only wish my wife could've met her, but maybe she will one day."

"Oh... I see," Twilight noted glumly, "Then, what's your name? And why did you come to help me?"

The lavender unicorn was having trouble reading the mare's expressions through her empty eyes. She wanted to ask the obvious question, to know whether or not she was blind, but she found it better to just assume. However, with the girl by her side, the mare did not seem in the least bit anxious. The adult giggled lightly in a soothing tone, causing her daughter to almost join in with her.

"How could I forget? Just call me Lily," she pushed aside the thought, "Now, as we do not have much time together, I suppose I have something important to tell you, Twilight Sparkle."

She hardened her soul in response, as she was not so sure as to whether or not Lily could be trusted, but something about her loving demeanor gave Twilight a sense of familiarity. She wasn't quite sure why, but this unicorn reminded her so much of Rainbow Dash; perhaps not in personality, but in confidence.

Lily's features stiffened in all seriousness. "I will give you what little remains of my power. When you return to your body, you must use a counter-spell immediately or else she will overpower you. If you are able to do so, you must run from her, for this is the only chance I can offer you, Twilight. Leya and I will continue to watch over you all, but we will not see each other again. With that being said, I suggest you take my warning to heart. You must head for Canterlot, for that is where she will be going as well."

"W-wait, why do I have to go now? There's so many questions I have to ask you," she anxiously pleaded.

"Time is of the essence, Twilight. The longer we hold this connection, the less of my power I have to give to you."

"What about me, mommy?" Lily's attention quickly turned to her shy daughter who simply peered back up at her longingly. "I've got some magic! Let me give her some too!"

"Leya, there's no time to--"

"Of course there's time!" the filly quickly retaliated, "We have to give her everything we have! Or else she won't make it! Please mommy, I really like her!"

Twilight felt her heart lurch at the girl's plea, causing a lump to form in her throat. This filly, who had passed at such a young age, was still willing to give her magic to a total stranger for a cause she knew was noble. Twilight felt tears welling, but they would not show. This was not the time to deny the young girl's bravery.

"B-but Leya!" Lily retorted.

"No buts, mommy! I may be little, but I want to help too!" Her emerald eyes remained firm in the face of adversity, and her adoptive mother eventually relinquished.

Lily let out a long sigh. "... fine. You may give her some of your magic as well."

"Yes!" Leya raised a righteous hoof in joy.

All at once, tiny, violet flames started to spontaneously materialize around Twilight's feet. They sporadically licked at the tips of her front hooves, and then encroached further up her legs. She began to panic, as she felt the heat intensifying all around her.

"W-wait, what's going on?!" she cried.

Lily calmly stepped forward and let her delicate voice go to work. "Twilight, you have to go back. Just remember to use a counter-spell as soon as you reach your body and you'll be fine."

The spry filly jumped out from behind her mom. "And don't forget, we'll be watching you, Miss Twilight! So don't mess up!"

Twilight attempted to laugh at Leya's encouragement, but the growing flames quickly took first priority. She fought against the rotating funnel of fire, however, the heat was proving to be too strong to overcome. She exchanged a few final glances with the strangely serene looking unicorns before her, as they watched her body get overtaken by the swirling flames. The fire didn't necessarily hurt, but the heat and violet fire were still too close to consuming her for her to calm down.

Two wisps of magic siphoned from the observing unicorns as their power began to converge around Twilight, and causally, the tunnel of flame. Their mixing, greenish-red aura poured through the outermost layers and engulfed her body. For the first time in two days, she finally felt the warmth of magic running through her frame once again. She had almost forgotten the feeling, and was promptly reminded of just how fortunate she was to use her power on a regular basis.

Gazing upon the wonderful unicorns that she would never see again, she was filled with a strange sense of loneliness and pity for them. She knew so little about them, yet with their magic coursing through her own horn, she felt closer to them. With the torrential wall of fire now separating them, Twilight couldn't help but wave goodbye.

"Maybe we'll see each other again someday!" She yelled through the violet flame.

Lily simply nodded reassuringly.

"Of course we will!!" Leya shouted gleefully.

It was the last thing Twilight heard before she passed through the gate,

... and then she felt the actual fire.

“NOOOOOO TWILIGHT!!!” Rainbow reflexively screamed as loudly as her tired lungs would allow, as her dear friend was completely swallowed up by the blazing inferno.

The impostor had unleashed her power in full force, unrelenting upon the landscape and destroying everything in its wake. Twisted chunks of smoldering rock and forest debris were blown far and clear of the immediate area. The sight of this chaos was too much for Rainbow’s heart to handle, for her body began to collapse just at the sight of it. The fake’s powerful beam cut straight through to the hillside and divided the earth itself into two crumpled hemispheres.

“I was wondering when you’d show up, Twilight!!” she shouted over her attack.

After what seemed like an eternity and an utter hell for Rainbow, her flaming beam finally eased away and ceased. The cloud of debris thickly hovered in the cool night air for nearly a minute, and then slowly began to dissipate. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had not intended to use such a harsh spell on Twilight. She was simply caught off guard and had used a "little" more magic than was necessary to compensate.

Ever so coldly, she turned back to Rainbow Dash.

“I’m sorry you had to see that Miss Dash,” she smirked, “I do not think she’s dead, but I have been wrong about these things before. Now, what was it you were about to say?”

Rainbow couldn’t even speak anymore. Her soul was clearly crushed into a broken shell of its former self, and lost somewhere within the wind. Her flooded eyes said as much. Before she had fallen, her wings had been her life and flying was her dream, but she now realized that Twilight was her dream… and she was gone.

With the faintest of stares, she looked up at her adversary through the deepest sea of sorrow. The gem-like reflection of her magenta eyes traveled adeptly, back into her opposite’s eyes, but the impostor gave her no such thing that could be considered called a dignified response.

“Stop looking at me like that. I warned you after all,” she scolded.

“But…” Rainbow’s voice only cracked above a weak whisper, “I… love… her.”

Behind her adversary the dust continued to lift, and the sides of every tree and stone began to alight with a strangely reddish-green glow, but they did not immediately notice.

“Like I said, I have orders and I must follow them, Miss Dash.” She gave another devious grin and lowered her horn to the cowering pegasus. A second violet charge started to build and swell at its tip, coalescing into yet another dense sphere of compacting white-hot energy. “Think of all the misery I’m saving you from by not having to see Equestria in ruin. When this is all over, you’ll be glad you weren't around to see it.”

Time froze in that instant for Rainbow. An exact copy of her friend, a friend with whom she had spent the previous night and the entire day with, a friend who she had watched suffer for a crime she had not committed, a friend who was willing to sacrifice her own life for her, was now aiming the barrel of an unstoppable, magical cannon directly at her weakened body. She had never felt so defeated. She just wanted to hold the real Twilight in her hooves one more time, but now she was gone.

“Maybe this way… I can be with her,” Rainbow calmly whispered.

However, in the split-second before she faced utter annihilation, a shot rang out from in front of her.

A piercing green beam sliced through the dark cloud, tore swiftly and gracefully across the once grassy hillside--

-and plunged harshly, directly into the side of the impostor.

“AHHHHHH!!” cried Twilight’s doppelganger.

Her body was violently flung several yards over Rainbow Dash and crashed forcefully into the crackling bark of a sturdy tree. Through Rainbow’s flowing tears, she quickly turned back to the area of the carnage upon the hillside and gazed in awe at the sight of her still living friend, powering through the cloud of debris.

Twilight’s body had now been enveloped in a radiantly glowing mixture of two widely contrasting energies. The two clashing burgundy and lime-green auras took turns swelling and receding around her legs and upper body, then finally around her neck and head. Gone was her usual purplish-pink aura, for this power did not seem to be her own. In fact, it almost appeared as though excess energy was seeping from the corners of her eyelids and sprouting off sporadically into the chilly air. Her horn still sizzled with green sparks flaring up from her fiery attack. She gave slight hints that the attack had left her winded.

That one… was from Leya.

With new confidence rising within her chest, Rainbow limply picked herself up off the cold ground and called out to her. “TWILIGHT!!”

The unicorn rushed towards her friend, not ever wanting to be separated from her again. With each step Twilight took, the crumbled rock beneath her feet began to sprout with new life from her residual green trail of magic. Positively overflowing with love in her heart, she and Rainbow met halfway and quickly swept each other up into a tight embrace. Her hooves held stronger than her friend’s though, as Rainbow was still feeling lethargic from her prior struggle. She tried not to show Twilight her weakness, but at this point she no longer had a reason to.

She felt the slight warmth emanating from Twilight’s now magically enhanced body ever so gradually seeping into her own. Rainbow wasn’t so quick to ask questions, though. For she was simply relieved her friend had not been lost to her forever. She might still have a chance to tell her what was really on her mind.

Suddenly, something stirred came the horrible sound of magical buildup yet again. Twilight’s eyes briefly caught sight of her furious clone preparing a retaliatory attack.

“HOW DID YOU--?!!! GRRRRAHH!!!” Unleashing another long battle cry, she immediately opened fire.

Twilight had only an instant to react, but she distinctly remembered what Lily had told her. They had to run for it, and this would be their only chance. She made her decision in that fraction of a second and promptly utilized the gift she been generously given. With a brash flick of her horn and a spontaneous burst of explosive electricity, she quickly swept up Rainbow Dash without warning and teleported using every last bit of her concentration. She was not quite sure where she was going, but anywhere was better than here.

The rushing river of frothing hellfire sailed clear past any discernable target and collided with only the crumbling hillside yet again. After another sizable portion of earth was indiscriminately lain to waste, she at last relinquished her spell and her horn sputtered eerily silent. She angrily glared at the results of her rage, however, it was painfully clear that she had missed.

She took a few steps forward and listened, but she knew by now they were long gone.

“NO!! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!!” she cried out, “HOW COULD I FAIL?!!”

Through Equestria’s scale of time, Rainbow and Twilight had disappeared for only a few milliseconds, but as the unicorn had given only a brief thought as to where they were going, the time it would take them to get there was left up to what remained of her magical gift. Rainbow had never teleported with Twilight before, and though it took only several seconds to pass, she distinctly remembered every vivid detail.

When they first entered the magical gateway, she instinctively clung to Twilight as tightly as she could, for the bright strobing lights made it nearly impossible to see where they were going. They had entered into a kind of starry vortex that twisted and undulated the farther down they ventured. Curling streams of violet, pink, red, and green magic ebbed and flowed along their path, flaring and receding arbitrarily, wandering and fading out into nothing. Then, the colors would explode like supernovas and flooded Rainbow’s vision, forcing her to cling onto Twilight even harder in fear.

She nervously looked up, hoping in the pit of her stomach that Twilight was not affected in the same way, but what she saw stunned her.

The unicorn never flinched, not even for a moment. She gazed dead ahead only for her destination and nothing else. She had a new profound determination within her and a building sense of purpose holding Rainbow in her hooves. Her wisps of burgundy and lime-green magic left a shining trail behind them even brighter than the one ahead. Rainbow was left completely in the dark about what had happened to her, but she knew this was still her dear friend… although, perhaps she was more than that now.

“Is that really you, Twilight?” Rainbow asked timidly through the silence.

Casually the unicorn glanced down at her and smiled.

Yes Rainbow, it’s really me. You wouldn’t believe what happened though, even if I could tell you.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

Twilight turned ahead towards her target once more, still smiling and clutching onto Rainbow firmly.

To Ponyville, I think…

The pegasus shut her eyes serenely and simply let her friend focus on the task at hand. They were approaching an opening through the void that could easily outshine the sun, and Rainbow could not look anywhere near its brilliance. However, Twilight was more than ready. She had done this countless times before, though it was much more physically taxing carrying another pony at the same time.

I hope I'm right. For everypony's sake.

FLASH!

A calamitous burst of electric-green lightning signaled their arrival, as they spontaneously erupted back into the plane of existence only a few feet above the ground. Their back hooves unexpectedly fell onto a sandy bank, and they awkwardly stumbled forward into a light current of water. Twilight went down first, colliding stiffly with the murky sediment-filled bottom, although the stream itself was very shallow. Splashing up some water, she eased herself up and spit out the foul tasting fluid which had unfortunately flooded her mouth.

Rainbow had somehow handled herself more gracefully, and planted her hooves firmly before she entered the drink as well. With a quick, frightful glance, she turned to help her friend immediately out of the water. Twilight simply spit a few times and rubbed her tongue against foreleg to remove the last remaining bit of a salty taste, and showed Rainbow an uneasy look of satisfaction.

"Are you alright, Twilight? You're not glowing anymore," she noted.

Twilight peered at her hoof again and was quite shocked to see that Rainbow spoke the truth. Her reddish-green aura that she had received from her friends on the other side had, indeed, dissipated. Her heart started to race, desperately hoping she had not used all of her power up so hastily.

No! It can't be! I can't have used that much magic already!!

Rainbow was just as worried, for Twilight's confidence seemed to be fading away faster and faster. She did the first thing that came to mind in these situations and rested a gentle hoof on her shoulder.

"Twilight, please calm down. We're safe now. See? There's no fire, at all. Your spell worked perfectly!"

The nervous unicorn smelled the air cautiously, and the scent of burning earth was gone just as she said. However, her worry only slightly subsided.

"Told ya. Now, we just need to figure out where we are."

She gave Twilight a warm smile and promptly headed for the water's edge.

Rainbow peered her head over the embankment and scanned the surrounding area. The stream seemed to snake through and around some grassy rolling hills, nothing too out of the ordinary. But suddenly, she saw an oddity amongst the landscape. To her amazement, one of the hills had a window, and a birdhouse hanging over it.

Rainbow had wondered why this place looked so familiar, and it was because they were only a small ways off from Fluttershy's cottage.

"Heheh," Rainbow chuckled lightly, "You're not gonna' believe this, Twilight. Come take a look."

Twilight hesitantly obeyed and looked over the edge of the outcropping as well. In that moment, she wanted to laugh right along with Rainbow, but settled for a delighted jab on her friend's shoulder. Neither of them could believe it. After two days of sheer hell, they were finally making progress.

Using a bit of the new energy that Twilight inadvertently gave her, Rainbow quickly hopped onto the grassy hillside and helped up her friend as well. The moon hung low above them, giving them a crystal-clear view of the starry night sky. They took a moment to breathe and relax after their near encounter with death, walking closely with each other as they made their way toward the empty cottage.

After crossing over a tall hill, Twilight calmly leaned her head into Rainbow's neck again. She did not breathe heavy or anything of the sort, but she still enjoyed this every time she got the chance.

The pegasus did not want to disturb the moment, but some issues needed to be resolved. "Should we go to Ponyville, Twilight? Or should we just go to Canterlot? I'll go wherever you choose, I promise."

I don't know, Rainbow. I don't want to see Ponyville. Besides, Lily said that the fake me would be going to Canterlot too. I should probably do what she told me.

Twilight didn't seem to respond so Rainbow brought up another point. "I saw that you used magic back there. Is there any way you could use it to get your voice back... or make my wings work?" Her voice seemed to trail off.

I think it's all gone. But... I guess there's no problem in trying.

The pegasus stopped suddenly and waited patiently for her to answer. Twilight gazed out blankly into the field knowing that she had to at least give it a shot, and at last gave Rainbow a slight nod.

"So... you want to go to your library?" she asked.

Twilight gasped apprehensively at her suggestion at first, but relented and agreed. That would be a very painful trek for her, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad with the pony she admired by her side.

"Alright, let's keep going," she said.

They passed on by Flutterhy's eerily dark and silent cottage, devoid of its usual slew of woodland critters and her pets. They both agreed to not go in and stay on their chosen path.

Off in the distance, the faint, violet glow of a low flame signaled they were almost back where they started. When the first rows of charred buildings came into view, their hearts started to sink.

When at last their collective beam of tumultuous energy ceased, another stone weighing several hundred tons dislodged from its prison within the wall and collided heavily with the crumbling floor below.

They had been boring into the mountainside for hours, and the unholy quintet of powerful Twilight Sparkles was becoming more anxious by the second. The sun had since gone down, but with two of them taking shifts lighting the way and another two making their way yet deeper into the cavern, it hardly even mattered. These mine shafts had been littered sparsely with various crystals which easily reflected the light of their horns. Seeing through the darkness was proving to be no challenge, and neither would driving straight to the core of this mountain.

The leader's two subordinates out in front combined their power yet again, and unleashed a firestorm. Their melded energy easily melted through the layer of rock; however, the deeper they commenced, the denser the layers of rock became. Instead of easily plunging straight onward, they found it much simpler to carve out wide portions of earth at a time.

"Damn it!" yelled their leader, "We should've reached the center by now. If we do not finish here in time, we will be late for our meeting with the princesses, and that I will not allow."

One of her clones, busy keeping the cavern illuminated, cocked an eyebrow at her. "Why do we not simply attack them first, if they are so important?"

"Because," she scoffed, "this spell will take nearly half a day to be properly prepared. We just need the artifact to complete it, and whatever these princesses try to throw at us will not be such an issue. I was merely hoping to get more of an... advantage."

"And why is this artifact so vital to your spell?" her clone asked.

"Its mystical properties, of course. It directly converts magical energy into physical energy, and vice versa," she hastily professed.

"But, is that not what we already do as unicorns?"

"It is," she confessed, "however, as unicorns the type of physical energy we create is severely limited. With the artifact within our grasp, my magic's possibilities would be nearly endless. It will amplify my power to have capabilities that reach far beyond that of any alicorn."

"Such as... what?" Her clone continued to grimace skeptically at her explanations.

"Well, let's just say that by tomorrow everypony in Equestria will know the sounds of true pain and agony."

As if her clones had been waiting for those words, their beams suddenly ceased and yet another tremendously heavy slab of earth fell dejectedly from the wall. Its powerful collision with the floor kicked up a thick cloud of crystallized dust, which was quickly blown away by their magic. Behind where the stone had previously lain, opened a grand entrance to a far-reaching tunnel that gradually sloped downwards. As one of her clones peered down the long shaft, a faint orange glow lit up her features. They could all easily fit inside.

"What's down there?" she inquired.

The leader immediately took point and signaled for the others to follow.

"Down this way is the main atrium. Celestia would like us all to believe that no unicorn has ever been down this far, but that is clearly a lie. A friend of mine at the school specialized in advanced geology, and according to what he said, the royal sisters had sealed off this area to perturb any intrusion."

Her copies stayed close behind the further she went.

"And why would they do something like that?" one of them asked.

"From what I have heard, this area can be very... volatile." Her horn briefly flared up with power, causing her to grip the side of her head for a moment and rub her temple. These dull pains came and faded away every now and then. "Grrr... damn these headaches. It's like somepony's taking a blasted drill to my skull."

"Should we stop? Are you alright, leader?" another clone questioned.

"Y-yes... I'm fine," she shook her head lightly. "Let's keep going."

They continued down the long winding shaft and the orange glow only seemed to increase in intensity. The estranged group walked for several minutes and eventually saw the large breadth of a great opening. They could hear some of kind of liquid bubbling, getting louder the closer they came to the clearing. When they had finally reached the precipice, the rocky surface abruptly ended and twisted off to their left into an obviously archaic staircase, easily over a hundred steps in length.

The colossal stone room reached far to the other side of the mountain, and high to a stalactite-covered ceiling. Ancient architecture that had been lost for over a thousand years, plagued the walls as a reminder of the history of some bygone era. At the center of this grand room, which easily extended nearly half the length of Ponyville, lied a deceptively docile pool of boiling lava, keeping the monumental chasm dimly lit the color of a dull vermillion upon every broken and cracked side.

"Excellent," their leader commented, "this area, along with the upper levels, shall provide us with plenty of breathing room should something... go wrong."

"Since when did this mountain have volcanic activity?" asked a clone to her right.

"Aeons ago, but its power has since been regrettably quelled. The magma deep within only comes to the surface in slight pockets now and then... at least that is what I remember. However, once we start the spell, we can use a part of its dormant, untapped power. Those fools! How could they not see what was lying under their hooves this whole time?!"

"So, you're still doing this for the queen?" asked another subordinate.

"For Chrysalis?!" she hissed, "Absolutely not! I do not care what she has done for me! ANYTHING she has done for me! This is about me, Celestia, and everypony else who follows her tyrannical regime!!"

Inhaling a deep breath to calm herself, she glared around the expansiveness of the cavern with predatorial eyes.

Then, she turned back abruptly to the rocky staircase. "Just follow me," she said dismissively.

Her other four copies followed with a hint of concern hidden within their features. They knew what was really causing her headaches, and they knew that no matter how much she fought them off, they would always return in greater force. They genuinely feared for her sanity. They felt her pain, her loss, her sorrow, but even they could not feel her true agony. She was being targeted by something unseen. That was their only clue, and they could do nothing about it.

"Careful with your step," she glanced back at them as a warning, "These stairs are ancient and could give out at any second."

"Why do we not teleport to ground level, leader?"

"Because sister, we've used enough magic thus far. We need to conserve it now, for our real trials are about to begin."

The winding staircase followed down the semi-circular wall, as it had been simply carved out ages ago. Their leader contemplated the ramifications of hollowing out this much space within a mountain this large, especially considering that centuries of decay had probably occurred. However, it would all play a part of her plan.

After carefully descending the lengthy flight of chiseled earth, their faltering hooves finally found sanctity on the low, rocky floor. They spread out into a loose triangle formation and approached the one boiling pool of lava that illuminated the expanse. From the stairs, it was still a good walk to the midpoint of the chasm, but it gave them enough time to collect their thoughts.

The lead Twilight Sparkle peered into the bubbling cauldron below when they at last came upon it. She rubbed her chin in thought for a moment, carefully pondering her next move, and then silently nodded to herself.

"Alright," she pointed to the edges of the small pond of liquid rock, "Now, take your positions. Two of you, start forming the sphere as I mentioned earlier, myself and the other two will begin pulling magma from within."

Her sisters obeyed, placing themselves at equidistant points along the rim. She nodded to her two clones at the opposite end and they immediately began fusing their two powers. A few wisps of energy started to float away from the tips of their horns and converge at the apex of the pool. Their violet magic spun in place like a miniature black hole, absorbing more and more of their incoming power. Just as their leader had said, the sphere that would serve as the heart of her spell compacted and grew brighter with each new layer applied to it. They had nearly contained their own personal star, which easily overpowered the not quite as luminous glow of the lava pool.

With their first phase nearly complete, she signaled to her other two subordinates to begin lifting. Tumultuous plumes of liquid earth funneled upwards synchronously with a wave of their horns. Small droplets of the super-heated material fell haphazardly onto the bright sphere, but it was quickly singed off. Their massively condensed energy had surpassed the inside of the earth in temperature, and it kept on building. Using the other three's combined force, a great wave of lava swallowed up their star and fully enveloped it. At this point, the quintet was apprehensive about the consequences of their actions. It seemed as though at any second the capricious mixture of their energy and lava would explode... but it held.

In fact, it started to harden.

The leader could feel herself sweating, and by looking around, could also tell she was not the only one. The heat was utterly unbearable, but with more than enough magic to protect themselves they were able to ward it off temporarily.

Ever so gradually, the lava began to take on a near glass-like complexion, a result of prolonged exposure to the spell. It was quite beautiful to behold, as the entire pool seemed to freeze over with a new hardened and translucent surface. Pockets of their star's light began to peek through and light up the chasm like the late, evening sky they could not witness from deep within the mountain.

And then, they felt a heavy quake beneath their hooves.

The stalactites high above them soon came into focus, as they were certain they were about to calamitously fall like a hail storm upon them.

However, after a moment, everything quickly subsided.

"W-what was that, leader?" asked one startled clone.

"The mountain tried to reject the spell," she noted, "but it can't hold out forever. All we need is the artifact, and then we can bend its comatose power to do our bidding."

"J-just close your eyes, Twilight. You don't have to see this," said Rainbow Dash.

The unicorn tried to look away, but she simply couldn't. Everything she loved was simply gone. Piles of rubble, charred piles of wood, broken frames of homes and business; they all filled the streets.

And it was so quiet.

There was dead silence for miles around.

She attempted to remain calm, but she had to see it for herself, even if only to remind herself that it actually happened. She would not leave Rainbow's side for an instant, almost clinging onto her like a child would hold a blanket. The pegasus could only imagine what she would say, but turned her attention away from it.

"Don't worry, Twilight. We'll fix it. But for now, we need to hit the library, and pronto."

Her friend finally broke her gaze upon the sight of the carnage and turned back to face her. She would have cried, but her body simply had no more tears to give.

You're right, Rainbow. I just hope we're not too late.

They slowly meandered past the destruction, carefully avoiding debris and smoldering craters where her impostor had missed her targets. Or at least... that was what they hoped. They tried their best not to pay it any mind.

The pair was quite surprised when they finally found the library, for it looked as though it hadn't even been touched. It was still in the exact same condition as when she had left.

"Well... that's terrific," Rainbow sarcastically noted, "As if there wasn't enough evidence already."

Twilight solemnly nodded in agreement.

Yeah. It would be just awful if any royal guard had seen that. Though I'm sure she would've handled them just as easily.

Rainbow cautiously approached the front door first and was not surprised to see that it was unlocked. The door eerily creaked open, revealing only blackness inside.Twilight quietly took the lead and stumbled into the atramentous void, pulling Rainbow right along with her.

Her hoof fumbled against the wall searching for a light switch. Normally, she just used her magic to find it, or had a few lit candles placed arbitrarily around her home. She finally felt the small piece and flipped it upwards, instantly illuminating her vast collection of books.

"Umm... do you have anything to eat?" asked Rainbow. Her stomach had started to ache again as they started walking, but she had done a decent job of keeping it in check until now.

Of course, Rainbow. I should have something in the pantry.

Twilight pointed to another door off in one corner, and her friend quickly took the hint. As she went off in search of food, the tired unicorn began searching among her endless droves of tomes. Luckily, her section devoted entirely to spells had been neatly arranged at the far right end of her shelves... but she wasn't looking for herself. She wanted to reserve any power she might still have specifically for Rainbow. Not only could she get the message out faster than she could, but Twilight couldn't stand to see her friend so miserable without her wings.

She finally pulled out the one book that might have the right spell...

When suddenly, she heard Rainbow scream.

"AHHH! Twilight! Come look!"

Her concentration broke immediately as she clumsily dropped the book out of her hooves. Rainbow had left Twilight's pantry door wide open and could not help but gawk in disbelief at what she saw. She quickly bolted over to her distraught friend and peered inside the door as well.

A hot streak of fear ran down her spine when she finally saw it. She painfully gasped at the sight.

It was Spike...

and he was completely frozen in time.

One of his claws was pointing up into the air and his mouth hung open as though he were about to yell something. He looked absolutely terrified.

Instinctively, Twilight reached a hoof out to him and lightly touched the side of his hard face. He was covered in a luminous transparent cloak comprised chiefly of violet magical energy. The surface was rough to the touch, almost feeling like stone, yet Twilight had a solution. It would be a stretch, but if she could somehow manage to absorb the remaining magic with her horn rather than concoct a counter-spell of her own, then there was a chance she could break him out of it.

"W-what should we do, Twilight?" Rainbow nervously stammered.

Confidently, Twilight advanced and placed her horn gently upon Spike's head. Her eyelids clenched tightly shut in her focus, summoning from deep within her mind a magic that seemed foreign to her. It was Lily's magic, but she was not planning to use it all up. Instead, she was going to add to it.

Her horn sputtered to life with a low burgundy glow. It cut through the upper most layer of his translucent prison, just enough to administer her own influence, and began draining away the imposing spell. It was not necessarily a strong spell that came him locked away out of time, but with most of her gift from Leya and Lily already used up, she had to work delicately.

Bit by bit, his shell began to chip away and crack as she removed layer after layer of purplish energy. The wisps slowly receded into her horn, adding what little power there was to her small supply.

Then, his arm started to move.

Twilight broke away for a moment as he began to fidget, and suddenly his protective shield burst into mere atoms.

His voice cut through the still air like a heavy blade.

"TWILIGHT!! WATCH OUT!!" he screamed.

The ponies cocked their heads to the side with concern as his pupils started to frantically dart between the two of them. After taking a second to realize he was not in any danger, he cupped his claws over his eyes and wobbled around dizzily. He fell backwards onto his rump and let out a long painful moan.

"Ohhhh... what happened?" he weakly asked.

Twilight quickly swept him up into a tight hug, and there was no way he could retaliate, at least not in his current condition. She nearly squeezed the life right out of him she was so happy.

SPIKE!! I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!!!

"We could ask you the same thing," said Rainbow bluntly, "because honestly, we don't know either."

The unicorn gently plopped him back on the ground and he quietly finished rubbing his eyes. He slowly stared back up Twilight and then to Rainbow Dash.

"W-where did you guys come from? The last thing I remember, a pony was standing over Twilight in her bed and then she zapped me before I could say anything."

"Woah woah," Rainbow interjected, "You're saying you actually saw someone attack Twilight?"

He twiddled a claw upon his lower jaw. "Umm... I think so. It must've been last night or... however long ago I went out."

Twilight and Rainbow exchanged worried glances.

He doesn't know what's going on, Rainbow.

"He has no idea, Twilight," she noted.

"Know about what?" he asked timidly.

"Um... listen Spike," Rainbow started, "You've been out for awhile, and well, Ponyville was attacked."

"Attacked by who?!" he interrupted.

"Well," she let out a quick sigh, "We don't know that yet. She looked exactly like Twilight, but I can personally assure you that it wasn't. Although, it seems like you've already met our culprit face to face. She stole all of Twilight's powers... and her voice, if you haven't been able to tell yet."

He turned back to the unicorn, almost ready to cry himself, but she could only offer a weak smile to reassure him.

"She... stole your voice too, Twilight?" he whispered.

She only nodded at his statement, wishing she could tell him everything else.

There's so much more to it than that, Spike. These have been the worst days of my life.

In that moment she remembered something and quickly glanced at Rainbow.

Well, almost the worst. I wouldn't have made this far without her.

"Wait a second, Spike," Rainbow swiftly caught his attention, "Did you happen to get a good look at her. Better yet, how did you know it was a she that broke into Twilight's room?"

"Um... let's see. Her face was bandaged up mostly, but I could see her muzzle. She was definitely too small to be a stallion. It was pretty dark, but I could see the right side of her face was completely covered. Her eye though, it was blood red, and she looked right at me. As soon as I got out of my bed, boom! She hit me with it. And now...

I'm back here with you guys."

"Her face was bandaged?" she asked.

"Yeah... why?" he responded.

"Oh, no reason. I was just asking for Twilight."

The small dragon looked back to the unicorn in question, who was contemplating the words he just spoke.

Red eyes. Bandages on her face. Who could it be?

"How old was she? Could you tell?"

"She looked older than you two, but I've been wrong about these things before," he admitted.

His eyes traced a line to the door at the front of the library, and nervously pointed at it with a slightly shaky hand.

"Do I even want to see what's past that door?"

He felt a familiar lavender hoof place itself lightly on his shoulder and start to guide him forward.

It'll be hard Spike, but I'll be here with you.

Rainbow quietly followed the two to the door, knowing full well that maybe he would take it better with her at his side. She understood though. She enjoyed having Twilight at her side too, and thought perhaps it would lessen the shock.

He took a deep breath and signaled for her to open it.

He was ready.

The door creaked open once again and the sight of destruction flooded his eyes for a split second. He exhaled his long breath and gazed upon all of the charred buildings. He frowned in disappointment, but he had been properly warned, so he hardened his heart and tried to accept it.

"Please tell me everypony made it out okay," he muttered.

"As far as we know," Rainbow replied.

"Good," was all he replied with.

Without another word he began wandering off down the same road Twilight had when she heard the screams. No longer worried about the memories, the concerned ponies followed close behind.

"W-where are you going Spike?" Rainbow immediately asked. She could tell that's what Twilight wanted her to say.

"To pick up the mess," he said sternly.

"What do you mean? Hello, we have bigger problems here!"

"I'm sorry, it's just what I do. I help. That's all I've ever done," he replied

Spike! Would you please just come back here?! I need you more than ever right now!

"But we need your help! Don't you see that?!" Rainbow cried out.

"Of course I do," he stopped in place along the road and stared up at the rooftops. He let them catch up to him, even though they were obviously flustered.

"Then why don't you help us?" she asked more quietly.

"I am helping you," he pointed up to a nearby rooftop, "but you can't see what my eyes see. He is the one you really want."

The two ponies skeptically glanced up at his target. For the third time that day, Twilight was absolutely mortified at what she had found, as was Rainbow. Spike however smugly nodded at his small victory.

He had found Shining Armor.

Some Might Say Without End

Through the dead of night and many passageways of the castle, the sound of heavy hoofsteps from the royal sisters echoed at great length. The unusually barren halls offered little in the way of comfort, and Celestia was beginning to wonder why there was such an extreme lack of security, but she held firm for her sister, who only hours before had experienced the most painful dream of her life and still had trouble recovering after the fact. They walked close together, which admittedly they had not done in some time, but the circumstances seemed to call for it.

Slivers of fear began to slip through minuscule cracks into their hearts, for Luna had no way to discern what Twilight's true intentions were. She did not seem openly hostile and was extremely preoccupied with thoughts of Rainbow Dash. Luna was certain she was cursed, but that still did not give her any insight as to whether or not she would attack them. There was simply no way to be sure.

Celestia picked back up the conversation as they walked. "So, Twilight said she 'loved' her?"

"She did," Luna leaned her head slightly, "But it was the way in which she said it, sister. I know I've heard something just like it before."

"It does sound a bit familiar," she softly agreed, "Do you think it had anything to do with her curse?"

"It's hard to tell. She could have been under some outside influence, but her words seemed genuine to me."

As they turned another wide corner Celestia let out a rather brief yawn. She was about to reply, when Luna abruptly beat her to it.

"Will you require rest soon, Celestia? I know maintaining the barrier is an immense burden on you," she noted.

Her sister's expression turned grim. "It can be, but sleep is out of the question. If Canterlot is in danger then I must be ready, no matter the cost."

"What about me, sister? I can be of assistance. Surely you know that. I am quite accustomed to sleeplessness, I can assure you."

Celestia glanced at her fleetingly and then turned away. "I know you can, Luna... but for some reason I feel as though this is happening because of something I've done, and as such I couldn't possibly ask you to bare the weight of my burden."

"That's preposterous!" she blurted, "Why have you come to such a drastic assumption? Because she is your pupil? It matters no more, Celestia. We rule Equestria as one. That means I must protect our citizens just as much as you have, and nothing you say could make me believe otherwise. Whether you like it or not, I'm here to bear the weight."

Celestia was rather surprised at her passionate pleas and wasn't quite sure how to respond, but she had learned from past mistakes.

"Yes Luna, I'm sorry," she hesitantly replied, "I would love your assistance, but I think I feel this way because of more than just the one obvious reason."

Luna calmed down considerably. "What do you mean? You feel guilty for something else?"

"Yes, and... I'm not quite sure why that is," she sorrowfully responded.

They finally made their way out to the expansive grand foyer of the castle and were immediately approached by three pegasus guards. The grey stallion that headed them was completely lacking every piece of his armor, but it was clear from various cuts and bruises that he had seen a vicious battle of some kind. All three bowed synchronously to their princesses, when the heavily beaten pegasus suddenly spoke in a hurried manner.

"Princess Celestia, I'm sorry to have returned from duty so quickly, but Manehattan is under heavy attack by Twilight Sparkle. The city is being leveled as we speak. I only just barely escaped."

Celestia eyed his tired frame for a moment as if gauging the truth in his words. His unrelenting gaze seemed entirely sincere, but Celestia was secretly hoping it was some kind of trick. However, the evidence his exhausted body presented proved utterly damning.

"No... it can't be," she said under her breath, "I had no idea it would escalate this far."

"Princess," he interjected, "I must also add that there was not only one, but several of her there. She must have somehow made clones of herself... or perhaps we are dealing with changelings again."

"Impossible," asserted Luna, "the changelings would know better than to attack us again. Besides, they have nothing to gain from all of this."

Celestia carefully turned to her sister, fear once again seeping through the cracks of her mind. "Then... it had to have been Twilight, Luna. I don't know how she's doing this, or whoever else is doing this, but we must act immediately."

"One other thing, princess," he shyly blurted, "but on my way back to the castle, I could see violet lights over the hills and past the horizon in every which way. I hate to say it, but I don't think this is an isolated event. I think that Twilight Sparkle... is attacking more than just Manehattan. It seems as though all of Equestria in under attack, I'm sorry to admit."

This time, it was Celestia's turn to cower.

She backed away from them apprehensively, placing a shaking hoof over her chest. Her worst nightmare had finally been realized. All of Equestria was under fire and she felt so terribly unprepared. After centuries of peace, her royal guard had become stretched impossibly thin. If Twilight had really copied herself and somehow managed to retain all of her abilities, then what was to stop her from completely taking over?

"Celestia," her sister called.

Luna lightly snapped her out of a nervous haze by placing a delicate hoof right below her collarbone. Celestia turned frightfully toward her sister who remained adamant despite this even greater threat. She struggled to find inner peace and reached it briefly thanks to her sister's reassurance.

"Look, Celestia... the moment we begin to panic, is the moment we begin to fail. It matters not how powerful she is. As I said before, we don't have to face these challenges alone anymore. Confrontations are sure to come, and we must meet them confidently, sister."

Celestia's gaze narrowed as she lifted her head. Luna's words strengthened her resolve as she closed her eyes to think, but there was only one logical option she now had.

"I-I know... Luna. You're right as always," she turned back to her guards, "Take all the others and split yourselves into equal parties. Then head for every major city, and be alert."

"B-but your highness--" one guard interjected.

"Do not question me!" her voice rose for an instant, "I will take watch of Canterlot myself, along with Princess Luna. I will deal with Twilight when she arrives, for I am sure she will, and I will be prepared all the same."

BOOM!

Right as she finished, an ungodly tremor tore through the tile floor beneath them and continued for several agonizingly long seconds. The grand chandelier high above them started to sway, and a slight crack started to form in the ceiling at its epicenter. Luna nearly fell onto her side, but was swiflty caught by Celestia at the last instant. The colossal stone supports of the foyer seized under some new incredible weight, but despite the quake, remained firm. Several stained glass works showed signs of bowing before splitting chaotically from end to end.

They were all immediately prepared to evacuate... when the quake abruptly ceased.

The guards, still stunned at what just occurred, were even more flabbergasted when Celestia bolted right on past them, followed closely by Luna. Suddenly embarrassed by their lack of preparedness they all began to give chase for their princess, ready to fight off any danger. Two other guards posted by the massive main doors prepared to open them for her, but Celestia quickly seized them open with a forceful heave of her powerful magic.

"Sister, please tell me where you're going!" Luna cried.

"I have to see if the barrier has fallen!" she shakily replied.

A small group had flocked behind her out onto the main castle gardens, but she was instantly relieved that her immense magical barrier still held. Its near opaqueness practically blotted out the sky, however stars could still be seen slightly bleeding through. When she finally came to a stop, so too did everyone behind her.

"Princess," spoke up the injured pegasus, "if you don't mind me asking, but what was that?"

She briefly glanced back to him. "I'm not sure," she thought for another moment, "But every member of the guard must go about their duties, for Luna and I will handle Canterlot's safety personally. Everypony else is in great danger, so please go now!"

They were all hesitant to leave to say the least. It went against everything that they had been taught to leave the princesses to their own devices, and just simply leaving seemed almost unthinkable. But what were they supposed to say?

"You heard her!" one armor clad pegasus shouted.

Without wasting another precious second, the three of them took off to warn any pegasi still remaining in the fleet to leave immediately. As they flew over distant spires for the edge of Canterlot, Celestia began to feel inexplicably relieved, almost as if a mere ounce of the figurative ton of weight bearing down on her shoulders had been lifted.

"We must find Twilight's friends," she calmly admitted to Luna.

Her sister raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you fear for them, Celestia?"

"I fear for everyone at the moment. But, just as you said before, the moment I panic is the moment I begin to fail."

"On my signal!" yelled the lead Twilight Sparkle.

From the small entrance to their secretive cave, the quintet peered up at the royal city's underbelly intently. The heavy barrier of yellow magic still impeded their progress, but soon their break would come. They had patiently waited for the last ten minutes since the initial blast for some sort of retaliation, yet it never came. They would have attempted to teleport into the city by now, but Celestia's magic was specifically put in place to safeguard against it.

Several things would have to happen for their plan to succeed. The first, which they had already counted on happening, would be for one pegasus guard to return and request for backup. It couldn't be too obvious that her clones had intentionally let one go, at least that was what she had commanded of one of them. Secondly, when the rest of the airborne fleet departed, the shield would be temporarily weakened. However, the final stage would come after the fact, and rely solely on their own combined destructive power.

Suddenly, the aura began to fade slightly just above their heads, causing a glint of light to flicker in the angrily glaring eyes of their leader. Exactly as she predicted, the sound of beating wings grew into a roar as a heavy multitude of flat-colored pegasi guards passed swiftly overhead. Everything was going along almost too perfectly.

"Now! Disrupt the shield!" she yelled.

On her cue, three distinct violet beams lashed out and buried into the underside of the barrier. They pierced its surging hide, creating a small triangular sized hole and slowly began to pry. Her clones were visibly struggling but this would be their only chance. If they attacked with any more power, they ran the serious risk of punching straight through into the city and disrupting the lives of everyone who would be sleeping, completely unaware of the imminent danger. But, Celestia had indeed taught her well in their short time together. Only she could possibly know how to break the shield.

The near deafening sound of the massive pegasi exodus muffled the sound of their beams. Their focused triangular formation of power expanded, letting the now unexposed stone face of the city stand vulnerable. But that's not what they would enter. They wouldn't attack so belligerently, not with so much at stake. They would have to be much more stealthy for their plan to follow through.

The leader turned to another clone who was standing at the ready. She quickly took up her hoof within her own, much to her sister's surprise, and glanced back up to the slowly expanding opening.

"We'll only have one shot at this!"

"And what if we miss?!" her copy nervously replied.

"Then we'll have a long way to fall!! Let's go!" she ordered.

The pair tightly focused their magic into one converging spot that undulated around them. The familiar spark of a teleportation bridge began to crackle and they suddenly jumped through space. They were only able to narrowly pass through the rather small opening, which had almost seemed to pass by in slow motion. Phasing through the stone wall proved rather simple, as material objects did not hold the same weight as magic ones.

As quietly as they could manage, they flashed into existence at the center of a four-way intersection of a city street. When their hooves hit the brick road, they quickly darted to the sidewalk to avoid being spotted from any windows. The long corridors of the roads remained mostly barren save for a few lit street lights. It was clear they had reached Canterlot's market district, and it was remarkably quieter within the city's walls compared to its outside. High overhead, Celestia's shield taunted them as if they were enclosed within some expansive magical prison, yet they were the ones in control.

"Take heed," the leader commented to her clone, "we will only have one chance for this to succeed, and should we get caught now, there is no telling what could happen to the mountain. The longer we take, the longer its power will seep out, so time is of the essence."

"And the others? What happens when we confront the princesses? Without their help we will surely be defeated," she responded.

"Now that we are inside, the barrier we be open to greater influence... and will break."

They flashed off again into the night, darting past any stray lights and open windows that could give away their position. The cold was bearable enough, but the latent magic within their bodies kept them warm. They could only hope their three other sisters were faring the same.

The pair stayed relatively close together, keeping their rapid teleportations to only a dull thud here and there. The largest of the city's spires still hung low in the distance, but they were quickly closing the gap. Down in the busier districts it remained eerily silent as they passed into the shadows and emerged at the end of an alleyway, when they suddenly heard some light whispering around the corner.

They had just about reached the main castle gardens; the place that seemed least likely for any sounds to be heard. The leader took point and glanced beyond the alley and her eyes briefly flared with surprise... but she quietly remained calm.

"What is it?" her clone whispered.

"Twilight Sparkle's friends are leading the citizens into the castle," she glumly noted.

"What?!"

"Shhhh!" she quickly hushed, "This doesn't affect the plan... I was just hoping we wouldn't have to resort to such drastic measures."

"And what drastic measures would those be?" her clone asked skeptically.

Her leader pulled away from the corner and glanced back at her in deep thought, considering the option she feared most. She was willing to go to any length to defeat Celestia, and knew that to do so would require relinquishing any doubts she still had. This would definitely be the most impossibly drastic thing she had attempted thus far and could potentially jeopardize her entire plan.

"We might have to make a 'grand' entrance," she said with a devilish smirk.

"Careful, Twilight," Spike calmly warned.

He pointed to something just in front of her and she quickly turned around to dodge the object. The annoyed unicorn eyed the splintered piece of wood he was referring to as she slowly climbed the stairs. She wasn't as nimble footed as Rainbow Dash, who had already managed to make it to the top floor of the building. The blackened smoldering ruins offered no clue as to whose home or business this was, as nearly all the remains of Ponyville simply blended into each other. Yet, they would not allow their emotions to stop them now.

The heavily weakened floorboards creaked under Twilight's hooves, but somehow they managed to hold.

"It's okay, Twilight," Rainbow called down to her, "Just take it slow, there's no rush."

Twilight was obviously in distress, but this nagging feeling to impress Rainbow kept clawing at the back of her mind. She knew that Rainbow didn't really need to be wowed, and yet still she was willing to go out of harm's way for no discernible reason.

I don't want to go slow, though. I have to get to the top now, and I'm not going to let some stupid stairs stop me.

Spike followed close behind and lightly grabbed onto Twilight's straight tail for support, careful not to tug too hard. The railing along the staircase had been all but completely burned away, leaving the two to rely solely on their own balance. Normally, this would've been easy. However, with almost the entire building tilting to a slight angle, finding balance on a rickety staircase was more than a challenge.

"Rainbow's right, Twilight," Spike said, "There's no need to rush."

She slowly crept up the steps as ordered, though she was getting somewhat agitated.

I know she's right, Spike. But I have to--

CRACK!

Without warning, a blackened floorboard snapped in two underneath her right hoof. She tried to reel backwards, but the snap caused her to fall. Utilizing some barely tapped reflexes, she lunged upward and quickly caught the next step but it also gave out. As the smoldering staircase began to crumble beneath her feet, she gave one last desperate leap.

She closed her eyes and reached for as high as she could, not knowing if she could even fall the rather far drop without breaking a leg or crushing her rib cage. Spike held on for dear life and closed his eyes as well, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

But it never came.

"Oof!!" Rainbow yelped.

She quickly clasped one of Twilight's hooves within her own, much in the same way as when she had almost fallen down the waterfall. Twilight gasped at the sounds of crumbling wood behind her, and even more so at the extra weight hanging from her tail. She watched as Rainbow lurched forward off the edge of the upper level, yet managed to firmly plant her back hooves and keep them all from falling. The pegasus wheezed painfully in her struggle, causing Twilight to quickly snap out of her fog. Rainbow's stomach loudly grumbled as her grip started to fail.

"Darn it..." she weakly muttered, "why won't it just... go away?"

Hang on, Rainbow!!

Twilight immediately glanced back at Spike hanging down below and silently signaled to him to start climbing. A little stunned at first, he began to gently run his claws up Twilight's tail and then onto her outstretched frame. When he finally reached her shoulders, he gave a quick little leap and managed to catch the side of the upper level with his now flexed talons. He swiftly pulled himself up and began helping Rainbow, who was greatly relieved to have some of her workload lifted from her hooves.

When Twilight broke over the edge, she assisted them in pulling herself up as well and fell into a lazy heap out onto the upper level. Catching her breath was admittedly easier than it was for Rainbow, as the pegasus simply sat and clutched her abdomen in pain. Spike had been unaware up until this point of Rainbow's situation, but guessing the issue was no problem at all now. He could only grimace at her discomfort with worry and saw that Twilight could only do the same.

What he did not know, however, was the flood of emotions Twilight experienced now every time she saw Rainbow in pain. He did not know of her hidden feelings, nor of her desires, nor of her plans for the future with her. But what happened next said more about their story together than any words ever could, for Twilight calmly reached over to help Rainbow up... and gave her a loving kiss on the forehead while doing so.

He would not chance mentioning it, and neither did it seem would Rainbow, but that image in his head could not be burned away, and for some inexplicable reason he did not want it to be either. It comforted him. It made him want to hide a smile. Being with her his whole life, he could tell by now when Twilight was in love.

When the unicorn finally helped her friend to her feet, Rainbow shrugged off the pain in her gut and gave her a delighted smile. Being in Twilight's presence still made her forget about it all somehow and allowed her to focus once again.

"Alright, Twilight," she said sternly, "How do we get to the roof from here?"

Let's have a little look around first.

The unicorn casually paced past her and nodded to her friends to follow. She led them down an eerily quiet corridor that split off into two adjacent rooms. The one at the far end seemed to have a trail of moonlight peering through and Twilight immediately knew this would be her best shot. When the trio reached her goal, she quietly pushed the smoldered remains of the door open. It barely swayed an inch before it snapped clean off its hinges and fell chaotically to the floor.

Still a bit startled from the loud snap, they headed inside and found that the corner of the building had messily collapsed, allowing the full moon to flood the bedroom with a low blue glow. The three carefully stepped around a rather large pile of debris clumped around the epicenter of the collapse and were quite elated to see that they had a clear shot to the roof.

Although, they were sincerely hoping that it wouldn't collapse as well.

Twilight continued to press ahead over the piles of burnt wood and stone, encouraged quietly from behind by Rainbow who gave her a nudge here and there. Now cloaked in moonlight themselves, the three friends slowly peered over the horizon of the roof and suddenly caught sight of their target wrapped tightly in binding purplish-magenta energy.

The sight nearly made Twilight cry, but she forced it back once again. With her brother bound in a state of suspended animation and turned away from her, she could only imagine what his face would look like.

Rainbow nudged her in the side again when they at last made it to the roof, offering her only a brief second of respite.

"C'mon, Twilight," she said softly, "We'll go see him, together. What's the worst that could happen if we're side by side, right?"

Her pleas of assurance did little for Twilight, but they helped enough.

The unicorn curled one hoof gently around Rainbow's front leg, coaxing her to follow while her head still hung low.

You're right. Maybe it won't be so bad with you by my side.

Spike kept his distance from the two as they calmly walked over to the encased stallion. Should anything go wrong he would not hesitate to step in for Twilight, but he knew she could handle this. How could she fail with Rainbow right next to her?

The unicorn finally had a chance to gaze upon his features, which were complex to say the least. His eyes seemed to be locked intently with those of an invisible foe. His teeth were heavily clenched. The muscles in his neck were stiff.

He was fiercely angry at something.

Twilight retreated to the comfort of Rainbow's side, horribly afraid of what might happen.

No! This is too much! What will he think? Will he attack me? Will he attack US?! He can't hurt Rainbow, I wouldn't allow it! But, I can't just leave him here...

Rainbow could see the fear in her eyes. She was now absolutely petrified of her brother.

"Twilight," she whispered in her ear, "Please calm down... I'm here for you, I'll be your voice."

Something snapped in that instant.

The unicorn's eyes suddenly began to rest, no longer wide with terror. Rainbow's words caused her heart to slow, her soul to mend, her mind to simply be put at ease. She inhaled quietly a few times, much longer and heavier than her initial breath of shock, and finally pulled away from the safety of her mare.

She leaned in close towards her brother, free of any doubt, and hardened her heart. Her horn eased its way into his bright shimmering prison and called once again upon Lily's power. Her own fear was kept at bay for the time being with Rainbow and Lily in her presence, allowing her to focus solely on pulling the magic out of her impostor's spell.

Spike watched timidly as the magenta shell surrounding Shining's tense frame slowly began to wither away, dissipating into softer and softer shades of pink with each passing second. The stallion's hooves began to twitch ever so slightly as the feeling in his limbs returned. His eyes and cheeks twisted and contorted as control of his facial muscles started to return as well.

After a few last seconds of focus, the spell was at last vanquished and he stood free of his all-encasing prison.

His angry facial expression dropped briefly as he caught a glance of Twilight before him, but suddenly his anger returned and he quickly teleported away to the edge of the roof with a bright flash.

"Why did you release me?!" he yelled threateningly at Twilight.

The unicorn stood motionless for a second, fearfully anticipating his next move. Rainbow, however, advanced past Twilight and placed herself in harm's way for her yet again. It took Shining Armor a second to recognize her face, but he remained adamant.

"Rainbow Dash?! I demand an explanation!!"

"Will you calm down already?!" Rainbow cried, "This is your sister here! She's done nothing wrong!"

"Says who?! You?! You could be tricking me!!" he retorted.

The pegasus continued to approach him, causing him to reflexively aim his horn at her.

"We're not tricking you!! You were tricked before, but this is the REAL Twilight!!" she pleaded.

"And why can't she tell me that herself?!" he abruptly quipped.

Suddenly, the small purple dragon who had been standing quietly to the side stepped out in front of all of them. Shining Armor had not noticed him before and quickly took his attention.

"Because..." said the dragon, "...her voice was taken away from her."

"What?!" he asked in utter disbelief.

There was an uneasy silence for several seconds as Twilight's friends slowly moved out of the way, allowing her a clear view to her brother. He seemed extremely hesitant to believe anything they said, but her eyes did not lie. She tried to mouth something silently to him and he could not hear it, so he moved in closer. Spike and Rainbow watched him slowly pass by, expecting him to attempt something hasty at any second... but it never came.

His expression turned somber. "What did you say... Twilight?"

"She can't speak," Rainbow stated again for emphasis.

The stallion simply ignored her and kept advancing upon his sister. Her tears now became apparent as he closed the distance.

"T-Twily?" he asked lowly.

Twilight sat down as he placed himself before her.

He listened intently for her voice, but then decided that watching her lips might be a better option.

'I'm sorry,' she silently mouthed up at him.

Her lower lip curled into a tiny pout and she closed her eyes in defeat, apologizing to him for a crime she did not commit. She was not expecting any sort of forgiveness, for she was sure he was just as upset about this whole ordeal as she was. No amount of apologies would be able to bring back Ponyville or take away any of this pain.

However, instead of some threat, or insult, or accusation... she received a warm and loving embrace. It was the strongest, tightest, and quite nearly the happiest hug she had ever gotten from her brother. His soul, which had nearly collapsed under some ungodly emotional pressure, finally began to lift, and soar.

"Twilight..." he said weakly, "How could I ever doubt you? I should've known... It was just so convincing, and I had heard rumors, and then you just attacked me... but it wasn't you, was it?"

He could feel his sister lightly shake her head in response, for it was all she could do.

"I didn't think so," he said.

Applejack and Rarity were leading another group of earth ponies and unicorns onto the castle grounds, exactly as Princess Luna had instructed of them. Most pegasi civilians had simply fled for Cloudsdale, for logically it was the one safe place that Twilight could not reach. The sisters had hoped that no pony would panic and were certainly grateful to her friends for offering to stay and help.

Only a handful of unicorn guardsmen remained in Canterlot, presiding alongside their princesses and helping the citizens in any way they could. The massive doors to the castle remained open to accept the influx of frightened ponies. The great stone walkway leading onto the main grounds was tightly packed with a heavy procession. Luna and Celestia kept a watchful eye on the crowds as they flowed into the castle.

"Do you think this was the best option, Tia?" Luna asked.

Celestia's cheek upturned with worry. She was still not used to her old name. "I'm not sure, Luna, but what else could I do? I couldn't just leave them outside of my protection."

"But isn't this shield your protection?"

An older unicorn stallion who was passing by abruptly stopped and bowed to them. "Thank you, Princesses, for your most gracious hospitality."

Celestia, who was still somewhat preoccupied, quickly nodded him along and turned back to Luna. "I know, Luna. But if there's a chance that this can save even a few of them, then I will take it."

"And shouldn't her friends be bringing the last of them soon?" her sister inquired.

"Yes... and it seems they are coming along now," Celestia gladly noted.

A final crowd of nearly thirty ponies was being led by Rarity and Applejack, with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie gathering at the rear. They all tried to form a single file line, and the friends simply bowed out of the way, allowing the rest of the citizens to easily pass. The four friends then converged and followed up behind, when they suddenly heard a dull rumble of thunder.

They briefly stopped at the low, yet powerful sound.

"Do y'all hear that?" Applejack asked no one is particular.

"Yes," Rarity answered, "But that's so strange; I saw no storm coming this way."

Fluttershy unconsciously moved towards Pinkie Pie at the sound, nearly bumping into her. The pink pony took the hint and quietly allowed her friend to get close.

"W-what was that?" the pegasus stammered.

"I-I don't know," Pinkie responded, "M-maybe it was just somepony having gas?"

The crowd ahead of them began to speed up, leaving the four to scan the immediate area for the cause. When they saw nothing, they gradually turned back and continued to follow the group.

"What do you think it was?" Applejack asked Rarity.

"Well, it was probably just a--"

CRACK!

The sudden burst hit them hard and fast.

A sharp noise hit their ears unlike any they had ever heard before.

Fluttershy immediately fell to the ground in shock, while Applejack swiftly turned and glared behind them.

Celestia and Luna could only watch in utter horror as a heavy beam of light collided with Pinkie Pie and sent her reeling onto her back, flying into a soft patch of grass before her body completely froze stiff, consumed by a disturbingly familiar power.

"PINKIE PIIIIIIIEEEE!!!!" Rarity squealed in sheer terror.

The three remaining friends froze in place, rendered immovable by their own fear. Applejack's eye twitched in disbelief when she saw her former friend standing before her, emerging from a slight cloud of sparkling electricity, but what made her fret even more... was that she was not alone.

The once quiet exodus of ponies turned into a mad roar as they all funneled into the castle, leaving Celestia and Luna to fight to contain the crowd.

A brief silence hung in the air far away from the entrance, when the leader suddenly spoke.

"Good evening, my friends!" Twilight called out in a twisted fashion, "I warn you! If you do not stay out of my way, then what happened to Pinkie Pie will also happen to you!"

"You ain't no friend of ours!" Applejack yelled, "What happened to the real Twilight?!"

The leader stepped forward threateningly. "But Applejack... I AM the real Twilight!"

"I call horseapples on that!" she angrily retorted.

"Hmm... still not convinced..." The unicorn muttered to herself.

After a few seconds of doing nothing, Rarity finally mustered some courage from deep within and stepped forward with an angry passion burning in her eyes. Her horn flared to life with a hot blue energy she was not accustomed to summoning. Applejack was hesitant about letting her pass, yet did not want to stand so dangerously between the two unicorns.

Rarity's voice was hot and tempered. "I, for one, will never believe that YOU are Twilight Sparkle!"

"Very well," the lead Twilight said, as a similar charge began to build within her own horn, "It seems somepony else wishes to challenge my power."

"You bet I do!" The white unicorn hissed.

FOOM!

Without hesitation, she openly fired a tightly concentrated, cyan beam upon the impostor. The air singed and crackled as the lavender unicorn angrily retaliated with a densely heated laser of her own. An eruption of power surged between the two as their mixing auras collided and cooked the very ground beneath them.

Rarity's ocean-blue beam was considerably weaker than the impostor's, and her power gradually began to fail. Her face contorted in pain and frustration, remembering who she was truly fighting for and using that as fuel to keep her going... but this fake Twilight was simply too strong.

Struggling through tears and surging rippling power, she knew she was horribly outmatched.

"ENOUGH!!" shouted a foreign voice.

Their duel of explosive power was cut abruptly short by a swiftly intercepting yellow beam. The brief burst of disrupted energies crackled loudly across the sky and all throughout Celestia's massive dome.

The princesses had finally arrived to deal with this problem once and for all, landing elegantly, yet assertively in the grass field next to Twilight's friends. Celestia immediately rushed to Pinkie's side and inspected her body, trying to come up with the appropriate counter-spell.

It would have to wait, however.

The impostor looked rather startled at the sight of Princess Luna's harsh glare, but stayed openly hostile.

"Twilight Sparkle!" the princess called, "If that is who you truly are... why do you so boldly challenge us and all of Equestria?! Surely you know you will fail!!"

Applejack helped up Fluttershy to her feet, and somewhat awkwardly, the two took up position behind Luna. Rarity nervously followed their lead, knowing disappointingly when she had been bested. It was certainly better now to let the princesses try their hand.

"Why do I challenge you?" the leader arrogantly asked.

Celestia peered away from Pinkie Pie, looking back upon the face of her pupil, but something was most definitely wrong with her.

"Whoever you are, why have you come here?!" the princess reinforced.

The impostor simply chuckled for a moment with her copy, who did not seem worried in the least. She made quick eye-contact with Celestia, as if taunting her and coaxing her to attack, but she knew psychologically that it would be difficult for her to follow through on a such a threat against her precious pupil. Being such, she decided to use this moment of weakness to her advantage.

As Celestia took one tentative step forward, the impostor suddenly teleported again, leaving her clone to take another vantage point.

With a loud crackle of electricity, she winked into existence behind Luna and her friends and brutally forced a solid magic beam into the side of Applejack.

"AHHHHHH!!!" the earth pony screamed.

The earth pony was sent skyward by the sudden jolt and immediately hardened into a crystalline shell before she collided with the soft, grassy earth. Luna pulled an about face, her eyes instantly beginning to seep with a deep, cobalt aura due to a buildup of excess energy. Celestia tried to react as well, but the impostor quickly snatched up Fluttershy into her threatening hooves and backed away, holding her horn close to the pegasus' temple. Now that she had a hostage, maybe she could have more leeway with the princesses.

"No... please don't hurt me!" whined Fluttershy.

"Silence," was all the impostor responded with.

Celestia slowly approached her sister, keeping an intent, watchful eye on her actions. Rarity backed away to the two sisters and prepared another blast with her horn. The impostor now faced down three sets of angry eyes and steadily building powers, all aimed to destroy her at a moment's notice. She had willingly left her clone and was now forced to face the consequences of her actions alone.

Everything was going according to plan.

Celestia's gaze never faltered, locked in a battle of wits with hers.

"You won't succeed, whatever your intentions are!" she cried.

"But princess," Twilight taunted evilly, "I just wanted to see you."

"Let! HER! GO!!" Rarity shouted.

Fluttershy struggled in Twilight's grasp, trying to get some sort of leverage. She attempted to turn her head, but was only able to chance a slight glance at her former friend with her horn pressed against her head so forcefully. The impostor made a horribly fatal mistake by glancing at her as well.

"P-please... just..."

"I thought I told you already-- GAH!!!" she instantly gasped.

Suddenly, she saw her piercing eyes and relented. She could not look away from her stare as it seethed into her soul. The impostor's eyes widened in fear, compelled to never again look away in her entire life. Her face twisted in agony and her body went stiff, but she fought against it.

Celestia and Luna could not believe what they were witnessing, for Fluttershy was actually winning the fight herself.

"N-no.... stop!" Twilight cried.

Fluttershy wriggled around in her grasp, but the impostor kept her bound tightly.

"You won't beat me!" Fluttershy bravely declared.

As the impostor's gaze deepened, something more terrifying was taking place... something only Fluttershy could see from this close. Twilight's violet irises were starting to change, filling with a heavily saturated crimson at their corners. The stress was proving to be too much for the impostor and keeping up her illusion was nearly impossible at this point. Her left eye was soon consumed entirely by the color of blood and her hold was about to give.

Then she started laughing. It was a most gruesome laugh. It was the laugh of an evil conqueror who would soon taste victory.

"Is that the best you have, Fluttershy?!" she cackled.

Terror once again plagued the pegasus' heart. "No!! It can't be!!"

Twilight's twisted expression soon mellowed out into one of complacency, and her gaze easily averted back to Celestia. Her conflicting eye colors tormented the princess, as she was torn between looking into the violet of her pupil's and the blood red of her enemy's. However, her focus suddenly turned to Fluttershy.

"Now, Princess Celestia!" she finally announced, "I want you to observe something!"

The impostor pushed Fluttershy away abruptly and barely tapped the side of her head with her magically wrapped horn. The pegasus calmly fell onto her side in defeat and slowly felt herself get swallowed up by her expanding and all-encasing spell. Rarity did not know what to do at this point. It was the worst pain that had ever befallen her heart, watching her friends go down helplessly, one by one.

Princess Luna, however, was tired of this.

The princess of the night had never moved so fast before. It was almost as though she did not move at all, but had simply appeared behind the impostor like she was there the whole time. She phased out of the shadows, nearly catching the impostor off guard, but somehow she turned at the last moment.

Her magically drenched horn fell heavily upon the impostor's, and their mixing powers finally collided. Their eyes met furiously in an intensely heated, extreme focus.

"How DARE you?!" the princess grunted.

Twilight showed no signs of backing down, even though she knew she was outmatched. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead and cheeks, abiding her time for as long as possible under the immense weight of Luna's superior power.

"Heheh..." the impostor chuckled nervously, "Wouldn't you... like to know, princess? I'll admit... grrhh... you are stronger than me, but... I have the greater... gruhhh... intellect!!"

"And how, pray tell, is that?!" Luna barked.

Celestia decided long ago not to interfere with Luna's progress, for she had an undying confidence in her sister. Her sister was her only equal in all of Equestria, so she had little to doubt. But, that wasn't what worried her.

"Tell me, princess!" Twilight cried in struggling, "How many do you think I brought with me here tonight?!"

"NO! Princess Celestia!!" Rarity yelped.

It was far too late now to stop her. She had practically won already. It had simply all been a distraction, for Rarity swiftly directed Celestia's attention to the center of a far off field.

It stopped Celestia's heart instantly when she realized how she could've been so easily fooled, for the impostor's clone had placed herself underneath the apex of her magical barrier around the city, draining it for every last drop of power that surged within it and severely weakening it in the process.

Celestia knew it was ready to give, and her hope at last gave out when it finally did.

Luna triumphed over the impostor with a heavy flail of her horn, sending her reeling to the wayside with an explosive surge of power. The fake Twilight yelped in pain and tumbled into the field, kicking up loose dirt and blades of grass with each roll. When she stopped, she was allowed a brief moment to gaze up at the rapidly receding barrier and let forth a weak smile.

"Hahaha..." she chuckled lightly to herself.

As the great dome of yellow energy began to fail, she tried to falteringly stand up. Luna's blast, however, had nearly left one of her legs crippled. Running was out of the question.

Her laugh started to build, much to the Rarity and the sisters' dismay, at the sight of her plan coming to fruition.

"... haha... HaHa... HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!"

Her laughs carried far across the fields, far up into the now open night sky, and far into the empty corridors of Canterlot's heart.

If looks could kill, then Luna would have left all of Equestria in sheer ruin with her icy glare. Her overflowing dark power started to seep out of the corners of her eyes yet again, her hatred building for this unicorn impostor who was so boldly attempting to overthrow them. Yet, her power could not be contained, and although she desperately wanted this incident to end peacefully, it became painfully clear that would not be the case.

"Prepare yourself..." Luna whispered coldly.

All at once... the princess of the night unleashed hellfire.

Her scorching beam of cobalt flame tore the field in two, scarring the earth and everything in its wake.

The fire consumed the unicorn's vision and she instinctively attempted to deflect it away... but Luna's hammer hit its mark, sending her sailing through the air yet again.

"AIIIEEE!!!" she screamed again.

Her defeated body plowed into the field once more, taking with it its fair share of upturned soil, rocks, and grass.

When Luna's river of energy was at last quelled, a long canyon had been etched into the smoldering earth, and at its end laid a neatly round crater. She expected that to be the end of it. No unicorn had nearly the power to get up after an attack like that.

The princess turned back to her sister and Rarity for a moment, still in awe at what had just transpired, when she chanced a glance back at the lavender unicorn. Although, she wished what she was seeing was simply an illusion.

Out of the small pocket of carved-away earth, the face of the unicorn haunted her as it slowly peered over the edge and up at them, a twisted grin easing its way upon her face.

However, it looked as though she had two faces now.

Luna's attack had clearly left its mark. The impostor had what seemed to be a loose shell around her face that hid her true complexion. The flames had simply impacted the left half of her 'Twilight' coating, and now nearly a third of her actual colors became visible. She did not appear to be affected by the blast as much as Luna was expecting, but she was obviously weakened.

She started to laugh again at Celestia's look of horror.

The princess recognized those eyes now. In the deep moonlight, her pale beige coat underneath her illusory lavender one stood out. One single lock of her loosely flowing scarlet mane curled around the base of her cheek. Her left iris was now fully consumed by a rich bloody red.

"N-no..." Celestia mumbled weakly, "Why...?"

And Although I Must Pay

The sound of her laughing penetrated deep into Celestia's mind. Repressed memories of this pony crying and wheezing and sobbing all boiled to the surface. She knew she was broken on that day when she had tried to help this lost pony, but the situation was simply out of her control. There was nothing she could've done for her. It was painfully clear now just how she could have possibly infiltrated the barrier, yet Celestia was completely oblivious to the signs before.

The princess came to a shocking conclusion on the day that she met her, one that had finally caught up to her. She, one of her own former pupils, was one of the most powerful unicorns that had ever lived, or ever would live.

"L-lady..." Celestia whispered to herself.

The laughing died instantly at the sound of her name. The demented shell of Twilight Sparkle awkwardly staggered out of her blast crater, her one blood red eye locked fiercely on the princess. With her facade slowly dying away, a hidden power she had been keeping locked away began to mix with that which she had stolen from Twilight. In her anger and heightened state of awareness, she could clearly hear Celestia's mumbling. Her eye twitched sporadically, attempting to hold back a hurricane of suppressed emotions.

"Do not speak my name!" she hissed; her voice started to crackle under pressure.

"Why, Lady?!" Celestia yelled in breathy disbelief.

"DON'T CALLL MEEE THAAAAT!!!!!" she screamed.

Her horn realigned itself with her target.

Luna had but a second to react, for she knew her sister was in peril the moment she spoke the unicorn's name. The unicorn before them instantaneously unleashed everything she could muster, forcing the princess of the night to defend against it with equal speed. If her sister fell, then Equestria would surely follow.

"NOOO!!" Luna cried.

She phased instantly through the shadows and reformed directly in front of Celestia, taking the full force of their enemy's heavy beam into her side. The blast was hot and overpowering, but Luna did not have time to protect herself.

She screamed briefly as she was maliciously thrown onto her side and collided heavily with the grassy field. It was only thanks to her heightened power as a princess that she was not immediately consumed by the potent spell, yet her side was deeply scarred as a consequence.

"Luna!!" Celestia yelped in despair.

The princess swiftly came to her sister's side. Her attention quickly turned away from her enemy, focusing intently on Luna's injury. Rarity backed away in fear as the impostor began to approach again; the same demented look of satisfaction graced her lips. This was turning into a nightmare.

"Princess Celestia," Rarity said hurriedly, "She's coming back!"

Luna lazily cocked her head to the side to peer up at her sister, who could only grieve for her in distress. Celestia leaned her head down towards her sibling's ear and it was clear that her injury did not keep her from thinking straight.

"I-I'm so sorry, Luna, " she whispered.

"Heh," her sister chuckled once, "I'll be fine, Tia... 'tis but a scratch. If I could just have a moment, then I should be able to recover. Just try to stop her... please."

Celestia glanced back at the advancing unicorn and hesitated. "I'll try. Just don't move from this spot, Luna," she turned to Rarity next, "Rarity, please go back inside the castle and alert the guards to be prepared."

"B-but... Princess?!" the unicorn stammered.

"Please, Rarity!" Celestia pleaded once again, "You must tell them--"

"RAHHH!!" she was interrupted by the impostor's loud groaning.

The screaming mare was suddenly afflicted by a terrible pain coursing through her temples, sending her haphazardly onto one front knee. She concealed the portion of her exposed face with her free hoof in an attempt to hide her shell breaking away. Piece by piece, brittle shards of her spell cracked and dissipated. Luna's blast had done more damage than she initially realized, and she was afraid her own power would come to light for what it truly was. She had to keep the guise of Twilight Sparkle for as long as she could.

"Damn..." she muttered, "...The queen's spell... isn't holding anymore."

She chanced a peek at Celestia, removing her hoof and exposing her red eye again. Her hatred kept building and intensifying.

"You will lose, Celestia!! I was always the best!! Always! But you never saw it!!"

She stood once more after a great amount of strain and started to lumber towards them again. Her voice began to change and become more mature as more of her face broke away and revealed itself.

"And then I came back to you!! After all my years of service and my accident, you just ignored me!!! I came to you in my time of need and you cast me aside because you deemed my situation unworthy of your precious, valuable time!!! Do you remember what you told me, Princess?!!" her voice crackled like heavy breaks of lightning.

Rarity had heard enough. The sight of the two-faced mare sent painful, icy shivers down her spine. She decided, finally, to obey Celestia and warn the others, making her break for the castle. The malicious mare simply eyed her, knowing she would be the next target, yet she remained determined on finishing Celestia first.

"This is between you and me, Lady!" the princess called, "No pony else has to be involved!"

"Shut up!" she coughed at her, "I much preferred the name I received from my position! Ponies respected me then!"

Celestia held her horn at the ready should she try anything hasty. She quite honestly wanted to blast her into oblivion for hurting her sister, but her benevolence would not allow it. She would try to quell the raging monster within her former pupil first.

Just as Luna herself had said... no pony was beyond saving.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Lady!!" shouted Celestia.

"It doesn't?!" she hissed, "No, Princess! Let me tell you something! Why don't you try living in a world where your destiny is denied to you again and again, always taken away and given to somepony who is more fortunate than yourself! You knew I would become too powerful, and that is why you denied me my destiny and gave it to your precious favorites!"

Her voice began to tremble the longer she went on, as more pieces of her shell faded away. "And you know something else, Celestia? I... almost believed you... when you said I wasn't meant for it. When you said that I was meant to help others, I was so disappointed at first, and then... I learned to love it."

"L-lady..." the princess mumbled in grief.

The lavender shroud around her entire body began to fall away. More shards broke off into the empty night air, revealing her cream-colored fur that she had tried so desperately to mask. It started at her ears and slowly trailed off down the back of her head and neck, revealing more of her short, yet elegant scarlet mane. However, she no longer cared.

"But then... I got cocky," she muttered with spite, "I tried so hard to impress you, for nothing. You saw my power, you saw my diligence, and yet nothing ever got through to you, Celestia. I was getting older and you threw me out like trash when you had new students arrive. They always captured your attention more so than I, for you were so easily captivated by simple things."

"That's not true! You know I loved having you by my side!" Celestia pleaded.

The unicorn clenched her teeth in frustration as her own power consumed her mind and body. The last bit of of her illusory binding broke away sporadically in large chunks, blown clear back by her erupting storm of magic. A thick, red aura seeped out of her eyes as both irises were now completely engulfed in her natural, bloody color. The lavender coating around her horn was torn clean off and cracked down the length of her face, before everything was smashed away like an eggshell crushed under a heavy stone.

It frightened Celestia, yet she couldn't help but feel pity for her, for the right hemisphere of her face was wrapped tightly with rough, white bandages. Her mane, now unhindered by the shell of Twilight Sparkle, reached for the sky above as her dense magical power lifted the very hairs off her body. Even her tail seemed to be floating in some non-existent breeze.

The princess knew it well now.

Her former student's power far exceeded her wildest imagination.

"Liar!!" she yelled through her gritted teeth, "After the accident, you stopped talking to me, just like all the others!! I was laughed out of pony society!! They pointed at me in disgust!! Have you ever felt such hatred from your own race?! How could you ever know what it's like to be told you could be a princess, and then it's all pried from your hooves from a violence-saturated cesspool of vermin ,such as yourselves, who can't even tap into the depths of their own skills and dreams, and MAGIC!!! Try living in my pitiful world for one day, Celestia!! Where the only solace you can find is in the spirit of the blind... and the SICK!!!"

Her horn flared to life, though this time with a loosely flowing crimson stream. Celestia, still in awe, silently prepared her own horn for attack, pouring into it her near endless reservoir of magic. She knew she would need it.

"Listen to yourself, Lady!!" she called out to her, "Yes, I knew you were powerful. Yes, I knew you were brilliant, and that is why I gave you your job. You have indeed helped Equestria in ways you may not immediately see, but I see it, Lady. I am sorry you could not be a princess, truly I am... but your power is just too destructive! Can't you see that now?!"

"Excuses!!" she yelled in retaliation, "That's all you ever gave me, excuses and lies! Well, it ends here today, Celestia!! I have won!"

A slight tear formed at the corner of Celestia's eyelid. This entire situation reminded her too much of her old fights with Luna, centuries ago. She had hoped this wouldn't turn out the same, desperately so. She wanted to bring this lost pony back to her side, and it broke her soul so deeply, wondering if there would ever come a day when those she cared for most would not turn against her. However, it seemed she would always be doomed to live a cursed existence where she could never please everypony equally, and those she had fought to keep so close would only turn against her when things were not up to their liking.

The yellowish magic in her horn continued to build, preparing to fire at any moment.

"How could you have won? You have not defeated me yet!" she retorted.

"Keeping telling yourself that," the unicorn muttered.

The heat of her magic trailed down the length of her legs, yet the fire did not seem to cause her any discomfort. Twilight's own magic had simply been added to her's, and her frame was having difficulty containing the volatile concoction of combined energies. She had nearly shrouded herself in a vortex of undulating red flame. Her leg, which had almost broken on impact, began to heal itself. Her eyes remained determined... and deadly.

Suddenly, she erupted. A burst of explosive red-hot power signaled she had teleported, and she materialized instantaneously below Celestia. With only an instant to react, the princess brought down her horn, swinging it like a hammer. A heavy collision of bright reds and yellows broke across the landscape, illuminating the night sky for miles around. Their horns met with such ferocity and sheer force, the earth beneath them buckled. Cracks of lightning split the sky and shot in every which way, reaching up into the heavens and impacting the mountain side.

At the epicenter of their erupting powers, the smaller unicorn struggled with every ounce of willpower her enhanced body could muster. Through tears of anguish, Celestia continued to press down upon her unforgivingly, but she was given no choice with her former student. Her anger could not, and would not, be contained. The red flames on her side sizzled the ground under her hooves, for her power was not as neatly focused as the princess' own. Through eons of careful, meticulous practice she did not waste any excess energy upon her foe. She was simply astonished that her former student's power was able to match her own, despite her lack of focus. The sounds of their confrontation carried far off into the countryside as they stared each other down through their own tumultuously mixing and coalescing auras.

The resulting earthquake was godlike, sending tremor after heavy tremor coursing through the city's walls.

Just when it seemed the mountain could not take any more pressure... they winked out of existence with a thunderous clap.

Celestia briefly reappeared on a tall spire of the castle and scanned the area, her eyes and horn deeply saturated with thick, yellow magic. She found her target as the unicorn reformed in a garden below her. A bright, scarlet beam plumed towards her in that instant and struck the side of the tower. The princess was caught off guard and narrowly jumped from the platform as it started to collapse. The tower lumbered away slowly towards the main castle entrance as more shots rang out. Blast after hot blast barely scathed Celestia's majestic frame. She dove straight for her, tucking in her wings close to her sides, dodging her beams only by mere millimeters.

The tower finally broke onto the ground, making the earth rumble once again. Smoldering stone and ash littered the fields, only avoiding Twilight's friends and Princess Luna by a slim margin. Surely, they could have all been crushed.

Taking only a moment to reach her, Celestia's dive was successful as she plowed into her former student. They rolled haphazardly onto another small patch of grass and the unicorn struggled against the princess' hold. Red flames licked Celestia's face and she could only combat it with a similar outpouring of her own energy.

"NOO!!" screamed the unicorn.

Once again, she flashed away unharmed just several yards from the distraught alicorn. Celestia quickly up-righted herself and teleported to her hooves as well. A single cut traced a line down Celestia's right cheek and her body was slightly injured from the scuffle. Their powers continued to rise and grow, lifting the earth itself. Tears saturated the bandages around one half of the unicorn's face, while a congruent stream fell down her opposite. Her blood red eyes communicated such hatred, such anger, all directed at her former teacher.

She felt her mind slipping away under the sheer immensity of her building power. It was only by some miracle, or perhaps decades of careful study and training, that had kept her soul from being crushed by the weight of her magic. She had to let it out now, else her body would simply vaporize into ashes under her own heat.

"Lady," called Celestia, "I'm sorry for what happened to you! You know I could not have changed anything about what happened! The timing was all wrong and there was nothing I could do about it!"

"LIES!!!" she screamed again.

"It's not a lie!! You were the most intelligent and talented filly I had ever met, and NOW look at you! You're bringing Equestria to ruin!! What good will all of this bring?!!"

"The pain will go awayyy!!" she loudly moaned.

Her eyes clenched shut and she concentrated, focusing her overflowing well of energy onto one spot, and suddenly she instantaneously flashed away. Celestia was prepared for this, and with a crackle of blazing electricity stormed off after her.

They took turns exchanging volleys of densely compacted magic, winking in and out of existence all throughout the castle grounds. Claps of thunder echoed across the sky, sending a flying bolt of red here, and another yellow bolt over there, chaotically surging across fields and ripping the landscape in two.

Celestia had never exerted herself so harshly in all her life, but she knew she could handle it. Although, she was surprised that a mere unicorn could nearly match her in strength, and she had wondered if the reason was solely because she had stolen it from Twilight, or if she had truly held this limitless potential within her the entire time.

It did not matter now, however, for every second she wasted in this fight was one less she could use to help save her people. She had to end this soon.

Celestia rematerialized high in the night sky and spread her wings. The unicorn could not follow her up here, although she was left vulnerable. Her pupil flashed out into an open field, realizing this would be her best chance to strike. The flames around her body converged around her horn and formed a neat miniature star. The small sun she had created began to expand as the princess approached, yet Celestia was busy forming her own.

"Luna was right," she whispered to herself, "I have to stop her now."

"Prepare yourself, Celestia!!!" the unicorn blatantly threatened.

"I am always prepared, Lady!!"

Celestia performed another graceful dive, tucking her body into a tight torpedo shape, leading with the growing yellow star at the tip of her horn. She narrowed her gaze on her target, preparing to unleash at the opportune moment. Her opponent reciprocated with an icy glare of her own. Her shimmering rubies for eyes would not look away, intent fully on destroying the pony who had denied her what she rightfully deserved. She had desired to be a princess ever since Celestia had planted the seed of hope within her as a filly. She knew it was her birthright. She knew that her destiny had been stolen and could never be returned.

With only several seconds until impact, the memory of her face, the one she had loved so much all those years ago, the one she saw limitless potential in, and now the one that only expressed undying hatred, would be forever etched into her mind.

"HAVE AT YOU!!!" she cried.

Then...

the two suns met...

and detonated.

Rainbow's ear twitched when she heard a high pitched noise.

"Did you guys hear that?" she asked.

Twilight, Spike, and Shining Armor all stopped for a moment and took a questioning glance back at her. The town was dead silent as they listened intently for several seconds, but the sound never made itself known.

"I don't hear anything," said Shining dismissively.

His sister forcefully nudged his side causing him to wince in pain. She did not appreciate his tone one bit.

"Oof," he yapped, "What did I say?"

You don't have to be so blunt with Rainbow, you know? I wouldn't be here without her.

The scowl he received from his sister made him want to take it back. Perhaps his ego had been inflated slightly since he was the only one who could help them down off the roof. This time, Twilight signaled him to hush so she could listen.

A dull thud lightly broke through the silent remains of Ponyville, followed by what sounded like a crackle of electricity. It sounded almost as if a lightning storm was imminently approaching their direction.

"Woah," he commented, "I definitely heard it that time. Sorry, Rainbow Dash."

"We're good," she responded.

She smiled with satisfaction at Twilight, communicating a silent 'thank you' to her.

"What was that, though?" the small dragon asked.

"Well, it can't be a storm," said Rainbow, "The weather factory in Cloudsdale doesn't usually run this late at night."

"What if it was an emergency?" he countered, "Just look around us. If what happened here could happen someplace else, then why wouldn't every pegasus pony be helping out?"

Rainbow pondered over it, tapping the bottom of her chin with a free hoof. "I don't know. It's possible I suppose, but still a little bit of a stretch."

Twilight wanted to add her own input, but seeing as she was left silent in all of this, she decided to just continue on ahead and hoped they would all get the hint.

Whatever it is, it's being caused by the impostor. I'm sure of it. We have to get back to the library so I can show my brother the spells I need. I've never heard of any relating to the voice, but maybe I can find one. I'm just... really worried about Rainbow, though.

"Hey, Twilight," Rainbow called, "Wait up!"

The pegasus led the stallion and dragon into following her, and she could see the uncertainty in her features as she approached. Her friend was anxious for something, and she could easily guess what it was. Twilight peered over at her and their eyes met for a moment. It was all so strange for Rainbow, as she felt as though she could read Twilight's very soul.

We have to go to Canterlot, Rainbow. We have to let them know what's really going on. Princess Celestia is the only one who can help us at this point.

"I know that, Twilight. But... we have to take this seriously. What if she attacks us again?"

The unicorn abruptly stopped, simply unable to believe what her friend had just spoken. Rainbow halted as well, almost equally as surprised as she was. The two behind them synchronously followed their lead, looking in a puzzled manner upon the pegasus.

"Wait a minute," said Spike, "Did Twilight just say something to you? Because, I didn't hear anything."

"No," Rainbow nervously glanced between the three of them, "She didn't say anything, but... I could hear her voice in my head."

A silence fell over them as they all contemplated the truth in her words.

"I don't know, maybe I just heard what I wanted to hear... or something like that."

"No," said Shining Armor, "I think you did hear her."

Twilight cocked an eyebrow at her brother, for this was one of the rare occasions he knew something she didn't.

"W-what do you mean?" Rainbow asked.

"It was something..." his eyes searched the ground beneath him for an answer, "... I-I think one of my professors at the school told me a long time ago."

"What? Hearing voices in your head?" she skeptically responded.

"As crazy as it sounds, yeah. I'm pretty sure - and bear with me on this - but I think this is a fairly common thing in mute ponies."

I don't remember anything like that at the school. Which professor knew about this?

"You mean... mute ponies can talk with their mind?"

"Oh no, it's not nearly that simple," he replied, "There's a few things that have to happen first, and usually only one other pony can hear them."

"Only one other pony? Why is that?" she asked.

"That's the thing... I'm not too sure. I don't remember the part after that," he glumly admitted.

Twilight briefly nudged Rainbow's side and caught her attention again. Spike and Shining Armor watched them exchange glances, staring into each other's eyes for a second, when suddenly the pegasus quietly nodded and turned back to them.

"I think Twilight wants to know which Professor taught that lecture... but I could be wrong. It's not totally clear every time," she divulged.

The dragon simply gawked in amazement, as did the stallion next to him. Twilight no longer even had to speak to communicate with her.

"Well?" Rainbow asked impatiently.

"Oh, s-sorry... I think it was Professor C.," he stammered, "Do you remember her, Twilight?"

He received only a blank stare from his sister. She didn't exactly spend as much time with the other professors as her brother had, for she was in the company of Princess Celestia the majority of her stay in Canterlot. She also figured her brother wouldn't take the time to learn all the professors by name, instead opting to only use an initial in their place.

Typical Shining Armor...

Twilight let out a disappointed sigh and began trotting off again for the library. They all stayed relatively close to her, still mulling over the sound they heard earlier, when suddenly it hit them again. There came a slight roll of thunder from the distance, followed by another heavy crackle.

The lavender unicorn spooked at the sound and began to run at a full gallop. Everyone behind her quickly picked up the pace as well. She had to know for sure what was causing the sound. She sensed it had to be just the weather, but fear of the impostor slowly edged its way back into her mind the longer she ran.

It was only when she came to the clearing in front of the library that she saw the actual, horrifying cause. It captivated her in that instant, unceasingly taking her attention away from everything else around her. Miles and miles away, there was indeed a storm brewing, but it was not the kind that brought rain.

Rainbow caught up to her and looked off into the distance as well. Shining Armor and Spike got another vantage point slightly behind them.

There was fantastic light show high upon the mountain in which Canterlot resided. Twilight knew from this distance it had to be happening directly in front of the castle, but it was still hard to make out what was going on. Like fireflies in the night sky, two lights would flash and then disappear, one red and one yellow. Every few seconds the two flickering stars would meet on the castle grounds, followed several moments later by a low and heavy roll of thunder, just like from before.

From their collisions, almost like fireworks, long strands of electricity would reach up and lick the side of the mountain or reach for the heavens themselves. It was odd watching the display, for even at the speed of sound, from this distance the timing of the flashes and booms did not coincide.

"W-what's going on?" asked Rainbow.

Spike let out a deep breath before answering, "I'd say... that's where your impostor went."

"No," muttered Shining, "I have to do something. The princesses could be in grave danger!"

His sister briefly ignored the lights and turned to him.

No! Please don't go yet! I need you here! You're the only one who can help us!

"Woah, Twily. What's the matter?" he asked in surprise.

"Isn't it obvious?" Spike asked him, "She needs you to help us, man. You're the only one out of us who can properly use magic right now."

Thump!

The two stars of Canterlot collided with each other yet again, sending a slight tremor slowly churning through the surrounding landscape.

The four of them all at once turned back to witness what had caused the quake. The two twinkling lights flared for a moment, looking as though at any moment they could both be extinguished.

Then, much to their surprise, the yellow star winked out, leaving only the ruby colored star in Canterlot shining brightly and triumphantly.

"That does not look good to me, " Rainbow commented.

They waited for about a minute, painfully so. It was the slowest minute any of them had to endure, especially for Twilight, who was the first one to look away. She galloped the rest of the way to the library and burst the door open. The other three were to quick to join her, as a powerful gust of wind emanating from the far off point of contact swept throughout the hollow shell of Ponyville.

Rainbow ensured that everyone got in safely before she hastily shut the door behind her. There came a low howling noise as the brief burst of wind passed by.

"Wow," said Spike, "I guess this is bigger than we originally thought."

Twilight dashed back over to the book she was reading earlier and skimmed the pages, looking for the one spell that had caught her eye. She didn't want to seem pushy, but the circumstances really called for it. Her eyelids jumped for a quick moment when she finally came upon the page.

"What is it, Twily?" her brother asked.

She held the book with one open hoof and enticed him into looking at it. He obeyed, nonchalantly strolling over to her and reading the heading of the page.

"But... this isn't a spell to help get your voice back," he noted, "It's just a spell to be used on pegasus ponies."

His sister shoved a hoof against her eye and ran it down her face, showing her impatience with him. In turn, she quickly pointed back to Rainbow Dash.

"So, you want me to help her instead?"

He received a silent, yet pleading nod from her.

"Why?" Rainbow spoke up, "What spell is it?"

Shining Armor glanced back at the pegasus. "Twilight wants me to perform this spell on you. It should return full control of your wings again."

"What?!" she yelped.

She had asked Twilight earlier to search for this exact spell, but Rainbow didn't think she would go through the trouble to actually find it. To her, getting Twilight's voice back seemed infinitely more important than getting her wings to return. She angrily tromped over to her friend, causing Twilight to unconsciously drop the book. Luckily, it was quickly caught by her waiting brother so he would not lose the page.

"Twilight, getting your voice back is priority number one. I'm not worried about my wings right now. I was just joking about that."

They locked eyes for a moment and the pegasus scanned her distraught features, trying to piece something together. Twilight remained firm, never once saying anything.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she scoffed at the unicorn.

Twilight scowled at her in return.

"More important?! How is that more important?!" Rainbow countered.

The unicorn shook her head, throwing off the comment.

"But, Twilight... I can't do that without you there with me. What would everypony else say? You have to give your side of the story too."

Twilight lowered her shoulders in defeat and let out a long sigh, still maintaining a light eye contact with her mare.

"I know I'm right. I'm always right... and I really need you on this. I can't go it alone."

Rainbow placed a hoof on her shoulder, but Twilight simply rolled her eyes and brought her gaze to the floor. The pegasus could no longer hear what she was saying, but she had said plenty.

Spike placed himself next to Shining Armor, folding his arms in deep thought. "I swear, it's like they're married or something."

"I'd have to agree with you on that one," the stallion concurred, "This is the most one-sided conversation I've ever seen."

Rainbow slowly turned away from Twilight. "She says... the spell isn't here, so I just want to go through with the one that's in the book."

"WHAT?!" the stallion and dragon yelped synchronously.

"Twilight says it's important," she replied, "And I believe her too. So, let's just get it over with."

Shining Armor met his sister's just as surprised stare, almost as if he was waiting for an approval from her. Rainbow looked between the two, but she could feel he did not hear the same things that she did. After taking a moment to think, Twilight finally nodded to him.

"Alright then, let's see how out of practice I really am," he said jokingly.

"AHHH!!" Celestia wailed.

The soft grass did little too alleviate the pain of hitting the ground once more. Her resilience would only carry her body so far, and the last blow was absolutely merciless. She tumbled off in some unknown direction, closing her eyes to keep herself from getting dizzy, desperately trying to recover from her new burns.

And then she stopped.

At last, after falling away from the blast crater for a rather lengthy distance, she gave a final roll onto her back. Her breathing was heavy, yet frantic. She had no idea how she could have possibly been bested by one of her students. To her, it seemed impossible a unicorn could possibly exceed her expectations this far. Maybe she was right. Maybe she was destined to be a princess, but Celestia was not about to quit now, as much as her body wanted her to.

She cocked one, smoothly pink eye open, just barely able to see over the grass. She was immediately stunned to see princess Luna struggling to pull herself over to her. Though tired as she was, the princess of the night had seemed to have healed slightly from her encounter, merely keeping her body low to go unnoticed. She had a plan hatching, and Twilight's impostor could not find out her intentions, should they all be doomed.

"Celestia!!" the triumphant unicorn called out.

A familiar tromping of hoof-steps approached, sending another icy shiver down the princess' spine. Her former pupil came to her side, standing imposingly tall over her. Celestia had only felt this threatened and defeated one other time in her life, centuries ago.

The once neatly flowing, scarlet mane of her enemy now fell in long, shaggy locks past her cheeks. The bandaged half of her face was starting to unravel, yet she remained concealed under it. An open wound on her scalp, caused by one of her fiery clashes with Celestia, now let loose stream of blood down upon her forehead. She gasped for air exasperatedly, for she did not make off as well as the princess first thought. While Celestia's body had not taken as much of a beating as hers did, her energy was simply sapped.

Those familiar, blood red eyes glared upon her. "I-I... told you I was the best. But, now I must be off, Celestia."

"L-lady," Celestia muttered, "D-don't do this..."

A loud crackling sound broke their brief conversation, and her pupil glanced up at something. Celestia could not move her head far enough to see what it was, but she could make a fair guess.

A drop of blood fell from the unicorn's face and fell on a blade of grass just adjacent to Celestia's muzzle.

"Leader," said the voice of Twilight Sparkle, "You look hurt. Do you need assistance?"

"No, I think I'll manage," she seemed in to be in obvious discomfort, "Let's just get the artifact and leave. The mountain only has but a few hours."

Celestia fought through the biting pain and lightly dabbed her hoof. "No Lady, p-please tell me you didn't..."

"I did, Celestia... but do not worry. Equestria will still be here in the morning, if there is a morning."

She shrugged off the princess' hoof and turned back towards the main castle entrance, although there were now the remains of the smoldering tower she had demolished earlier to contend with. Paying it no heed, she silently signaled something to the others and made their way towards the castle. Celestia could hear several sets of hoofsteps now, four by her count, and they all followed her.

She laid in the grass, fighting and pulling against her muscles to move. If she could just make it to Luna, then they might have a chance to still succeed. Her legs and wings all ached however, and simply moving now proved extremely taxing on her spirit, but she had faced worse than this before and persevered all the same.

"Luna!" she called.

There came no response. From her limited view, she could see the space where her sister had been only a few minutes ago, and it was now empty.

"N-no, where'd she--?"

"I'm right here, Tia," came a soft voice from behind her.

Celestia nearly yelped in surprise, but in actuality this wasn't the first time her sister had done something like this. She had managed to phase through the shadows while their enemy was distracted; a slight oversight on her part. Celestia couldn't have seen her either, else her cover would have been blown. She remained low next to her sister and lightly panted from overexertion, for she was still not fully recovered.

"They're going to take the stone, Luna," Celestia mumbled.

"No!" she cried, "Why would they take it? That stone only has one true purpose, Celestia!"

"I know, I know," she asserted, "Which is why we need to ambush them when they come back this way. We might still have a chance to--"

BOOM!

Another loud and heavy explosion suddenly rocked the land, signaling that the intruders had made their grand entrance. Shrill yelling and screams corresponded with the sound of magical shots being fired and debris clouds pluming into the sky. Celestia's eyes widened in absolute horror as she tried to cover up the sound of her failure with her hooves upon ears. None of this could possibly be real, yet unfortunately it was.

With the bodies of AppleJack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy littering the fields around them, the echoes of thunderous explosions ripping over the mountainside, and the torrents of screams saturating the night air, Celestia's hope dwindled to near non-existence.

But instead...

her anger grew,

and gave her the strength to get up off her knees.

Her sister followed her example, and stood with her.

Their tired bodies pulled what magic they still had within themselves and brought it to the surface, hazing their eyes in their respective energies and enveloping their horns. The sounds of the screaming started to die down, but they knew this wasn't over yet.

"Are you ready, Luna?" Celestia's words barely escaped through her tired lips.

"I'm never leaving your side again, Tia," her sister assured.

As the last few wisps of Shining's magenta-colored magic left her body, Rainbow gave a few tugs at her wings. Her look of discomfort was off put by her joy when they finally budged, free of the curse Twilight's impostor had imposed upon them. Although, after two days of doing little of anything, they were fairly stiff, and sore. She winced in pain when she fully extended them and then promptly tucked them back against her frame.

"Well, I don't like to brag," said Shining, "But, that was my first attempt ever at a spell like that."

Rainbow turned back to him. "Yeah, they still kinda' hurt to move, but it should go away in a few hours."

Unconsciously, the pegasus reached out to the stallion and gave him a light hug. Twilight wasn't quite sure why, but it caused her face to flush red with jealousy. She tried to tell herself it was all innocent, and it was just her way of saying thanks, yet it still bothered her. She looked off to a corner of the room, trying to push the image out of her head. Spike took notice however, raising an eyebrow up at her. He rarely saw this kind of emotion out of her, but he was nearly as skilled at reading her expressions as Rainbow.

The pegasus didn't hold the hug long, for she honestly didn't like it all that much. It didn't feel the same to her as hugging Twilight did. She found herself holding her breath the whole time, but she never did with her mare. Secretly, she hoped Twilight wouldn't think anything of it, but when she turned to the unicorn she truly cared about she was disheartened to see that wasn't the case.

"We should probably get going now," Shining remarked.

He remained completely oblivious to the emotional trauma he had just inadvertently caused, only wanting to keep them focused on the task at hand. Twilight finally relented when Rainbow pleadingly tugged on her hoof, spurring her into remembering the bigger issue they were facing.

"C'mon, Twilight. It's Equestria-saving time again," she said jokingly.

The unicorn pulled her hoof away and made only succinct eye contact with her. However, in that fraction of a second, she had spoken volumes to Rainbow.

"You know it's not like that, Twilight," she assured, "Besides, we have bigger things to worry about right now. I just want to stop whoever is doing this and return everything back to the way it was. That's my only concern. I want you to get your voice back and clear your name, and for obvious reasons I can only do it if you're right there with me. I just want to save everpony, like we always do."

She received a gentle smirk from the unicorn.

You're always the voice of reason, aren't you?

"That's why I'm here, isn't it?" she agreed.

Twilight tried to laugh, but no sound escaped her lips. Spike, who had been waiting patiently, finally tapped her side to get her attention.

"Question," he stated, "What exactly should I do? I mean... I can't really help in this situation, if I'm being honest with myself."

"That's not necessarily true," said Rainbow.

She's right. There's got to be some way he can help.

The dragon, somewhat defeated, walked to the other end of the room and took a seat on a small un-hollowed out section of the tree. Twilight was starting to get worried and calmly walked over to him as well. He didn't appear to be in a talking mood, thinking long and hard about the consequences should he go, but he had no idea what would happen. Usually in these situations, Twilight and her friends solved everything on their own. Very rarely was he actually involved in saving anyone... and the truth hurt.

He glanced up at the unicorn he had known his whole life and shook his head, letting out another long sigh. "... We both know I should just stay here, Twilight. I'd only be slowing you down."

Come on, Spike. Don't talk like that. You can't be so hard on yourself all the time.

"Don't give me that look, Twilight," he defended, "While we're putting everything on the table here, I just think it's best for me to admit I'm kinda' useless in this situation. I was the first one to even see who caused all this, and just look what happened to me. I got zapped instantly! If I went with you... then it would just be more of the same thing."

Oh... Spike...

Shining suddenly stepped forward. "I know it's probably not what you want to hear, Twilight. But I think he's got a point."

His sister turned and glared at him.

How could you say something like that? He just wants to help!

"Hey, all I'm saying is maybe there is a way he can help out here," he noted.

"He might run into some ponies going by this way," Rainbow suggested.

"Exactly," Shining agreed, "There's bound to be some guards, or possibly even a citizen that could come back through town. If he stays here, then he could help spread the word about what's really going on."

That's ridiculous! He could get hurt if he just stays here!

"He won't, Twilight," asserted Rainbow.

A silence fell over the room as they all thought over it for a moment. Spike nearly blushed, yet held it back behind his stoic expression. Just from Rainbow's response, he could tell what Twilight had just said to her.

"I'll be safer here," he unknowingly concurred.

The unicorn turned, frowning with doubt and anxiety. It was true, however. They were all right. Twilight didn't even know if she was thinking straight, herself, anymore, and now she was obviously showing it. Not wanting to fall under further embarrassment, she relented, and quietly reached over to the dragon to embrace him in another soft hug.

They held this position for nearly half a minute, wondering if they would ever see each other again. The costs were high, and the price for failure would be too great. The air was thick with tension and heavy emotion, but they found solace in each other. It was only at the sound of yet another crackle of lightning that Spike reluctantly let go.

Yet, he remained unusually calm.

"You can do this, Twilight," he said with a smile, nodding to the other two ponies next, "With them helping you, there's no way you can fail."

When she let go of him, her uncertainty was slowly starting to be replaced with a cautious optimism. Perhaps seeing Equestria faced with such a terrifying threat gave him a new sense of maturity. Maybe his once carefree attitude towards life was gone, but Twilight was happy to have yet another voice of reason spurring her on.

You might not be able to hear me, Spike, but I'll tell you one day just how much that means to me.

He stood up. "Alright, enough blabbering on my part. You guys gotta' go, for Equestria's sake."

Twilight uneasily nodded and started to head for the door, followed soon after by her brother and Rainbow Dash. She wanted to tell him so badly that she loved him with all of her heart, but for some reason, she figured he already knew that. Sure, she would worry about him, yet she would never truly know how much he worried about her sometimes. But this wasn't a time for worrying. She could not doubt herself now, and he would not give her a reason to do so. She really could succeed, and he felt it within himself.

Although the three ponies filed out of the library, still tired and somewhat hungry, their morale seemed to be improving. They no longer had any time to prepare, but Twilight's new confidence was a driving force as they came out to the main road. The sounds of clashing, miles away, began to die, yet the lights over Canterlot cut clearly through the night sky as though they never stopped. An eerie silence fell over the town once more.

Hesitantly, Twilight stopped and motioned back towards Spike, who remained standing by the front door. They traded a glance and a slight wave to each other when he suddenly turned to Rainbow. The pegasus was about to wave to him as well, but he gave her only a silent nod of assurance in return, as if wordlessly saying 'bring her back to me'. Shining acknowledged this also, just as Rainbow did, though in a more subtle fashion typical of a brother.

As the three headed off to face unknown danger, Spike was finding it difficult not to break down on the spot which he stood. In the face of these overwhelming odds, he did what came naturally in a situation such as this one and pondered over how he could really help.

"Well, there's one thing I can do," he muttered.

He eased the door shut and went inside. Rummaging through the shelves wouldn't be necessary, for he knew exactly what he needed. He found one of the reading stands, essentially a stump in the floor, and quickly took up a blank piece of parchment within his clawed hands. Next, he took up a quill set beside him, placed it in the nearby inkwell, and began composing.

"It might be too late, but I've got to try anyway, for Twilight," he noted, "Princess Celestia recognizes my handwriting too, so she'll know it's really me."

After he was finished, he held the end product in his hand and looked over it twice to ensure it would get the message across. Anything could help Twilight at this point, including the most elegant letter he had ever composed. With the fate of Equestria hanging so delicately in the balance, it had to be flawless.

"Please... let this work."

Celestia and Luna's power began to reach further depths the more they stumbled towards the sound of crackling fire. The entrance to the castle had been shrouded under the smoke and debris, and all they could do at this point was wait for their opponents. Another explosion deep within the grand foyer signaled they would soon be making their return.

"Tia," Luna coughed, still panting heavily, "I just want to be honest with you... and tell you that I'm afraid."

Celestia sounded equally exhausted. "It's okay, Luna. I'm afraid too. I'm afraid for everypony we couldn't help today. I'm afraid for Twilight, afraid for Rainbow Dash, and afraid for every citizen in Equestria whom I have failed. This is all my fault."

"Don't say such things," her sister bluntly stated.

"It's true though," Celestia defended, "I let her leave in tears, and I was too caught up with what was going on in Canterlot to help her. She is one of my greatest students... and I let her go."

"I remember your nightmares, Tia."

Celestia briefly glanced at her sister, "You do?"

"Yes," Luna admitted, "Even though I was imprisoned within the moon, I still minded the dreams of our people... especially yours."

"Why did you never tell me about this?" she inquired.

"Because, Tia," she paused, "After seeing dreams in numbers reaching nigh millions, over the course of eons, I can honestly say that your nightmares are by far the worst I've had to endure... and I remember each and every one of them."

Celestia felt a lump take form in her throat. "I-I'm... so sorry about that, Luna."

"Do not regret it," she hastily replied, "It helped me feel closer to you, and for that, I am deeply grateful."

The sisters returned to their former stances, horns at the ready and prepared to fire. Their power was kept concealed under a false guise of calm and weakness, for this would be their one and only chance to stop her. A single, cream-colored hoof, tattered from an earlier scuffle, emerged underneath the wall of red and violet flames. Their foe once again made herself known, passing through smoke and fire as if her body itself was comprised of it. Much to the royal sisters' chagrin, four clones of Twilight Sparkle brought up her rear, easily walking through the flames as simply as she had. Celestia took note of a brown satchel hanging around the leader's neck; she knew very well of its contents.

"I'm surprised you can still stand, Celestia!" she cried.

"I'm full of surprises," the princess muttered under her breath.

"Unfortunately, this is the end for both of you," she continued, "I'm quite sorry, Princess Luna, but I really do like you much more than your sister. It's a shame I was not taught by you when I was in my prime, yet as I recall, Celestia here doomed you to a terrible fate as well, centuries ago. Why do you stand by her now?"

"I learned from my mistakes!" Luna shouted, "It's a shame you did not learn the same."

She cocked an eyebrow at the princess. "Weakling," she said.

"Bitch," Luna replied.

The four copies of Twilight spaced themselves equidistantly from their leader and took aim upon the princesses. Their horns began to spark and crackle to life with violet energy. Celestia and Luna stood closer together, tightly focusing their own building power composed of light gold and indigo auras. Undulating flames of magic reached off their bodies and licked the surrounding air, for they had not melded their powers like this for as long as they could remember. There was simply never a need to.

At the center of the quintet, the leader's eyes began tearing up with the familiar red flames surrounding the castle behind them. Her subordinates congregated around her, pumping their magic into another small sun concentrated at the tip of her horn. This one was considerably larger than the last; a testament to her overwhelming strength.

The sisters pressed their shoulders together, leaned their heads inward, cheek to cheek, and their horns abruptly contacted. Their sheer power reversed the effects of gravity, causing the ground beneath them to lift and surge, but they would have to hold it back until the last moment, or else it would fail. This was a different kind of magic, not one that any element of harmony could muster. This kind of magic was a force of destruction, not of creation.

The mountainside began to seize.

"On the count of three!" yelled Celestia, pouring every drop she had into the spell.

"Equestria is doomed, Celestia!!" shouted the leader.

"ONE!!" the sisters yelped.

The twisting platform of stone beneath them began to rise even further. A white sun began to materialize where their horns met.

"TWOOO!!!" they yelled in unison.

The growing star upon the red-eyed unicorn's horn had nearly doubled in size since they began counting. The grass at their hooves disintegrated in an instant.

"I CAN NOT BE DEFEATED!!!" she screamed.

"THHRRREEEEEEE!!!!!"

Their voices seemed to carry forever, sweeping through the streets of Canterlot and projecting for miles around.

Then came the true fire.

"Twilight, wait up!" Rainbow called.

The unicorn was oddly keeping pace much better than her two companions, driven almost by anger now. Shining was admittedly embarrassed to lag behind so far, but he had good reasoning. If there really was more than one of these Twilight impostors running around, then letting his sister out of his sight was not an option. Although, he still kept up with the two of them.

The soft, red glow still hung over Canterlot like a dim lighthouse in the sea of the night sky. The quakes had stopped almost entirely now, but Shining couldn't help but glance back and forth between the royal city and his sister. He was almost beginning to feel alienated from her, yet he couldn't quite understand why.

It wasn't her brother's fault, however. Twilight felt almost as if they were being watched the entire time and was becoming anxious. Her heart rate started to rise, and at one point felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, when she suddenly stopped.

Twilight! Listen to me!

The unicorn looked around hurriedly, but only saw Rainbow at her side. She recognized that voice from not long ago.

"Are you alright, Twilight?" Rainbow asked with concern.

I heard a voice, Rainbow!

"A voice?" she asked.

She received a nod from the unicorn, who suddenly winced as the voice spoke to her again.

There isn't much time, Twilight! You need to hurry!

Lily?! Is that you?! Where are you?!

Yes, Twilight! But please, listen to me for I can't speak long! She's reached Canterlot and has infiltrated the castle! The princesses are in grave danger! Do not go to the city!

"What's the matter, Twilight? You're scaring me," said Rainbow.

Then, just like that, the voice was gone. The unicorn stopped to take a moment and breathe, running through everything Lily had just said over and over again. She desperately attempted to contact her.

Lily?... Lily?!... LILY?! Where are you?! Come back?!

Nothing.

She was just gone.

Twilight felt a familiar nudge on her shoulder and once again made eye contact with her mare. She suddenly realized just how odd she must be acting and calmed down.

"So," started Rainbow, "Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?"

I heard Lily, Rainbow.

"Lily?" she asked, "Who's that?"

When Twilight didn't immediately respond, her brother calmly advanced up to her and cocked his head to the side. He had heard that name before. His sister noticed and turned his way.

"This... Lily," he said, "Does she have red eyes, Twily?"

She nodded and glanced back at Rainbow.

She passed away not too long ago. I met her and her daughter when I charged into that spell. She's a unicorn, Rainbow. She allowed me some of her magic so I could fight off the spell.

"Twilight says she passed away... and helped save us by giving Twilight her magic," the pegasus relayed to her brother.

"Oh... I see," he mumbled, "But she spoke to you?"

His sister confirmed his assumption yet again.

"That's strange," he noted, "I remember a Miss Lily who had red eyes... but I think she was mute. I don't remember her ever speaking to anypony."

Thump!

They felt it under their hooves first, then came the true sound...

the godlike sound of a volcanic eruption.

An immense fireball filled the horizon, nearly as bright as the sun, and pitted a deep gash into the side of Canterlot's mountainside. Hellfire tore the city asunder, tearing a canyon through its stone roads, buildings, and spires. Brief flashes of bright yellow and blue lights fluttered within its wake, fruitlessly attempting to hold back the eruption of awesome power.

The detonation made the three of them cover their ears immediately, yet they could feel the sound even in their chest, making it almost difficult to breathe in that instant. Then came the searing heat. To them, it felt as if they were standing mere feet from a campfire, even from this immense distance.

The ball of red flame exited through Canterlot's walls, taking with it enough debris and stone to fill another small city. Like a hot, pyroclastic flow of a volcano, a thick cloud, which was heavier than the air surrounding it, began to fall off the edge of the mountain face and plummet slowly to the earth below. The sound that followed came to close to that of a hurricane's wailing, as a swift and forceful wind blew their manes clear behind their heads.

Twilight fell onto her back and hit her head against the dirt road. She almost passed out from the collision, but managed to maintain a faint consciousness. She did not know how Rainbow or her brother had fared, but she hoped more well off than she had.

She waited until the storm passed before she opened her eyes. Her ears were constantly ringing, and she shook her head from side to side, trying desperately to regain her hearing, when Rainbow suddenly stood over her.

The pegasus' lips moved, but she could not hear any words.

So that's what it feels like.

Next, her brother came over and tried speaking to her, but she still could not hear anything. They helped her slowly back to her feet, where she promptly shook her head even more. She looked back upon the epicenter of the destruction and gasped. The smoke and debris had not fully lifted, yet a distinct outline of the city showed that its layout had changed remarkably.

Although she could only hear herself breathing in her head, her own internal screaming took over.

Canterlot, the place where she had lived for most of her life with her family, including her brother, was now nearly wiped clean from existence, leaving none of the former buildings and spires which made it so recognizable from before.

Scorched earth...

That was all that lay before them.

The princesses had fought valiantly, but their struggle was in vain. They knew, the moment they took up arms against her, they were destined to fail, but they would never give up Equestria so easily.

The beige unicorn dropped to one knee, propping herself up on only one front hoof. She gasped in sharp pain, for the price of victory was high. A small stream of blood escaped past her lips and trickled down the side of her muzzle and chin. She would've given anything to have the body of an alicorn right now, but she might have suffered an even worse fate if she did.

The earth splayed out was barren, dried, and cracked. The only two figures that stood before them were melded together, frozen in time, encased in a hardened, glass shell of energy that could not be broken by any physical force.

The leader got up from the ground, sweating profusely and in terrible agony. She brushed the side of her face to remove any excess blood and tromped onto the glassed ground. The scent of so many different things burning saturated the air, yet she paid it no mind as she walked up to the two sisters. They were completely oblivious to the devastation around them and she waved a hoof in front of their faces to make sure of it. She held the satchel close to her side.

"You couldn't keep me from this, Celestia," she spoke calmly, "This became my destiny the moment you destroyed my original one. You had to deny me everything. You just HAD to let me go! Well, no matter... I'll leave you here with your sister. You too look so beautiful together, I must admit. It's a shame the beauty on your outsides does not match your insides. We could've even lived together, possibly... in another life maybe. I never thought I'd actually be glad to say this, but this might be the last time I see you, Celestia. You too, Luna. And for all the grief that you have caused me, the heartache, the lies, the deception... maybe I can at least pretend I had my wedding here in Canterlot. I can pretend I lived happily ever after, but not until I see those who have followed you so blindly suffer for not speaking up. It is truly tragic."

And with that statement, she walked past them, not paying them anymore mind than she thought they deserved. Her clones followed behind, save for one.

One single clone of Twilight Sparkle stayed for a moment and came to stand before the princesses just as her leader had.

She was filled with conflicting emotions, just as she had been the entirety of that day. She knew that wasn't what her flower would've truly wanted. She would not have wanted revenge this great and destructive, and yet she could not help but wonder why her leader was so terribly, emotionally scarred. Her memories came and went, but she still had the same feelings.

"I think I am the side of my leader... who wishes to thank you, Princess Celestia. If we had not met you, then we might not have met... her."

As her comrades lingered off in the distance, a flash of green flame warped over the princess' head and a scroll of parchment materialized from it. The letter fell freely to the ground, as the princess had no way of receiving it.

The clone raised it and read it slowly. Her eyes skimmed through it, taking only the necessary bits of information.

"Twilight Sparkle is on her way here?!" she yelped, "But how? One of us was sent to dispose of her... how did she make it by all this time?"

Unconsciously, she lowered the letter back to the ground, for she could feel her leader approaching. With a quick burst of her violet flame, the letter was extinguished.

"What was that paper you just burnt?" asked the red-eyed unicorn.

"Oh..." her clone muttered, she had to think fast, "This piece of trash floated on by and stuck itself over Celestia's face, and well, I could not just leave it there. Her expression is just too priceless, wouldn't you agree?"

Her leader raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I suppose... but come along, please. We do not have time to dawdle any longer. The mountain is still unstable."

Her clone nervously picked up her feet and nodded in agreement. "Of course, leader. I apologize."

"No need," she replied, "Let us be off now."

The copy of Twilight Sparkle said nothing more as they walked, keeping the other secrets that had been contained within the letter solely to herself. She was honestly not quite sure what to do with this new information, but she was sure her flower would have approved of her lie.

"With the artifact," her leader remarked, "We can finally begin dismantling this tyrannical regime."

"And replace it?" her clone asked.

"Precisely."

For The Immense Weight Of My Sins

For Twilight, holding her loved ones close was the only comfort she could find. The sight of burning wastes was kept only at the corner of her vision, as she could not bear it. Her mind would never allow her to do so, yet she had to continue. With her mare and brother she loved, she pressed on down the road to the destroyed city. The sounds had died off by now, and an eerie silence encompassed everything around them as they walked. The air was stifling, saturated with the smells of things set ablaze, yet still they continued.

They were not sure they would reach the mountain by sun up, and there was no feasible way they could sleep now. Lily's warning to Twilight guided them, for she remained convinced taking the obvious route to the leveled city would be a terrible option. However, for the time being they were left with no choice. The three took breaks only occasionally, as time was still of the essence. Shining Armor could have easily cleared the distance without them, but his instinct to protect his sister would not let him. Rainbow could have as well, yet her wings were not fully recovered. It did not matter, however, for she never had any intentions of leaving Twilight's side again.

It was not until they came to a point several miles down the road that Twilight made an unusually abrupt stop. She did not appear tired to Rainbow, instead wrapped up in her own thoughts. She kept her head down, still choosing not to look upon their eventual destination, but something else was amiss. The pegasus tried to make eye contact with her, even going as far to pull delicately under her mare's chin. Twilight would not turn though, slightly worrying her mare. Her eyes widened as if she suddenly remembered something obscenely dreadful.

"What is it?" Rainbow asked, "What's wrong, Twilight? I need you to look at me."

The unicorn spooked. She was afraid of something, but not afraid of the obvious. There was something new approaching, yet terrifyingly familiar. She felt it in her horn first, then her heart.

After taking a split second to make sure she was absolutely right, she finally made eye contact.

She's here, Rainbow!! We have to go!! NOW!!

"WHAT?!" Rainbow cried; she turned to Shining, "We gotta go! Twilight says she's coming this way!"

"The impostor is coming here?!" he yelped.

Twilight caught Rainbow's attention again to confirm this, then briefly turned away. She signaled for them to follow, for there simply was no time. Danger was coming.

They sped up to a full gallop as adrenaline started pumping through them. Rainbow was tempted to take flight since she could cover more ground that way, but for obvious reasons, chose to stay close to Twilight. Her wings still ached with a dull pain anyway. It would have been fruitless.

The three of them thought they would have more time to prepare. This was simply too soon, but the dormant power within Twilight, the magic Lily had given her, was pulling her away from the villainous pony. She could sense her copy's magic from afar, as if it was peering down upon them. Rainbow attempted to ask her if she was close at times as they ran, but the unicorn never gave it a second thought. They had to get away. They had to outmaneuver, even if she wasn't exactly sure how to do so.

What was possibly the worst thing about their situation, however... was that Twilight did not know if they were truly making any progress. She only knew the direction to go; the opposite of her enemy.

Her brother was keeping pace only a short distance behind them. Long before, had he taken off his armor, for it would be too heavy and cumbersome to carry such a distance on foot. Besides, it did not seem to help against their foe in an actual confrontation.

"Twily!" he called to his sister, " Is she close by?!"

He tried to keep his voice down as best as possible, knowing that if he yelled too loud, he could give away their position. His sister only shook her head, panting heavily and not once taking her eye off the road ahead. Rainbow, though hungry, was able to push past the pain and keep up with her. To her, it was simply just another marathon to overcome.

Almost like an internal light switch, the feeling suddenly flickered out for Twilight, causing her pace to slow considerably. She came to a cantering pace, and then to a steady walk once again. Something was out of place.

Where did she go? I could feel her just a moment ago. It's like Lily is trying to tell me something.

She was short of breath as Rainbow came to her side, but she still never removed her gaze from the ground. Rainbow wanted to be as delicate with her mare as possible, but it was so difficult when she would not look at her. It frightened her not to know what she was thinking, yet she was determined not to raise her voice.

"Please, Twilight," she pleaded, "Tell us what's going on."

The unicorn turned, and Rainbow could've sworn she saw a bead of sweat go down her forehead. Time seemed to stop in that instant they made a connection. A shiver of fear streaked through the length of Rainbow's spine as she peered deep into the violets of her eyes. Shining Armor waited for her to say something to him, but Twilight had apparently just told her the worst imaginable thing. Rainbow was left speechless as she nervously turned to the stallion. Her dread was so overwhelming that it was contagious, spreading to him as well.

"W-what's the matter?" he stammered, "Is she close now?"

"You could say that," he heard his sister say.

He suddenly felt in that instant the same icy fear creep up his neck, the same terror that Rainbow Dash had when she looked into Twilight's eyes. They all immediately motioned to look back into the dark forest, only dimly lit by the bluish glow of the moon. Two familiar, violet eyes peered back at them unflinchingly; the rest of her body remained silhouetted against the darkness. Instinct told the three of them to bolt for it, maybe even split up, but they were not about to leave each other so hastily. Instead, Shining mustered his remaining courage, and took up a defensive position towards the impostor. Though he was afraid, he could not allow it to show.

"Well?" she asked, stepping out of the shadows, "Isn't this the part where you're supposed to arrest me, Captain?"

He puffed out his chest in anger. "You will not succeed, criminal," he said, "I will take you into custody, myself."

She held back a laugh with a delicate hoof. "Oh please, Shining Armor. You couldn't even defeat my leader the first time. What convinces you this encounter will have any other outcome?"

He lowered his horn at her. "I don't know, but you aren't going to hurt my sister again. That, I can guarantee."

Twilight gasped lightly at his mentioning of her, wondering if he had really meant what he just said. Rainbow ever so slowly reached out for her friend's hoof, not wanting to make any sudden movements that would aggravate their enemy. She tugged on her lightly, and Twilight gradually nudged her distraught frame in the same direction, never once taking her eye off her brother.

No, Shining! We can run away! Don't fight her!!!

"Twilight," Rainbow whispered, "We have to run for it while we still can."

The impostor advanced another step. "There's only one way this can end for all of you. There is nowhere you can run that I won't find you, and there is no place in all of Equestria that we won't see."

"Funny," Shining scoffed, "I was about to say something similar."

His horn crackled to life, enveloped in the usual pinkish hue of his magic. His enemy reciprocated, letting the corners of her eyes begin to seep with violet flame, surrounding her own horn in a similarly twisting blaze. She took yet another step.

"Twilight!" he yelled, "Just go on without me! I'll catch up!!"

His sister began to fret at his lie, for she saw it for what it truly was. She was no simpleton. She could tell by the wavering in his voice that he was going to fight to the bitter end. On the other hand, Shining had planned in advance for just such an occasion as this, for he knew it was bound to happen the moment he found out there was more than one impostor. The odds were against them from the beginning, and he had already laid his life on the line once. Luckily, he was graced with a spare to offer his sister.

He tempted not to look at his sister, for his gaze would stay her feet. Instead, he advanced toward his enemy.

Then, saying nothing more through her blinding anger, she fired and deeply wounded the earth under them, leaving behind a hot scar in the dirt path.

Yet, her blast missed its target, or so it only seemed that way.

The stallion fired in that same, tense instant.

He assumed a head-on confrontation would be gainless, and he was correct. In turn, he had concentrated a heavy volume of his magic into deflecting the blast at an angle, sending the beam careening back off into the forest. The treeline was lit high above by their mixing energies, but his counter spell was easily consumed by hers, and the resulting explosion of violet flame from deep within the brush indicated he had only just barely succeeded.

The clap of thunder erupting just a short distance away finally frightened his sister into running. Rainbow immediately followed; she did not need any convincing. For Twilight, the sounds of destruction from miles off were not nearly as terrifying or nightmare-inducing as the ones from this close. These sounds reminded her too much of that terrible first day.

They ran, and for all the power their legs could muster, they could only go so far before the sounds caught up to them. Twilight instinctively held close her position to Rainbow Dash, gripped with fear. Yet, her emotion was not entirely for herself, but for all of those around her, especially her brother. He did not deserve to face this challenge alone, but for the good of Equestria, she knew he must. She had not even the chance to tell him how much she truly loved him.

Much to her painful annoyance and agony, the explosions of magical cannon-fire traveled swiftly behind them, but only within the forest itself. Twilight wanted to scream every time she heard the earth caving in, but instead was limited to only faint gasps in between her rapid breaths. Rainbows did not look nearly as worn, focusing intently on keeping the unicorn concentrated on their target. Now, Twilight was finally forced to look upon Canterlot.

Why is this happening?! Why can't this just be a nightmare and end already?!

"Come on, Twilight!! We gotta go faster!!" her friend yelled.

Their hooves began to feel heavier, the longer they ran. Every yard covered took them further from one sight of chaos and slowly toward another. The atmosphere itself seemed to be bearing its weight upon them, yet they continued. They passed through one vast clearing of trees, a field of tall yellow grass. It concealed them, at least up to their chins, as they ran right on by. The deafening shudders of the earth continued to follow them.

Twilight heard her brother scream once in a throaty, guttural fashion. Then, followed shortly by another blast, her copy let out a similar call in response to his attack. They could not tell who was winning, and their hope was beginning to fade.

The mountain was growing nearer with every step, and debris from the broken city was beginning to cloud their vision. They were forced to hold their eyelids nearly closed to keep the dust at bay. It had not once crossed their minds to leave the path. If they were to stray now, then they would surely get lost.

How will we know when we're getting close? I can't exactly use my magic to clear the way.

Rainbow huddled even closer to her mare, careful not to step on her hooves. She could hear Twilight's silent whimpers each time an explosion went off behind them, despite her not knowing who it was intended for.

"We gotta be almost there!" she yelled, "If we can just get close enough, I might be able to get us up the rest of the way!"

What?! Please tell me you don't mean what I think you mean!!

"Just stay close, Twi-- !!" she suddenly cut herself off.

The unicorn's hoof had somehow caught itself on a loose tree root, sending her awkwardly lunging forward. She instinctively tucked and rolled several times, dirtying her coat on the dusty path and colliding with a few loose rocks as Rainbow watched in horror. The pegasus came to her side instantly, yet was extremely hesitant about helping her up. Twilight's wheezing in agony offset her confident demeanor; she didn't know what to do. Her side was left scraped and pulverized in some areas and would obviously be heavily bruised within a few hours.

The sounds of her brother's tumultuous clashing started to die off, leaving only faint echoes of the battle which slowly faded away. Twilight freely whimpered now, as Rainbow attempted to help her up. It was almost impossible for her to see now, and it was only when the unicorn's cheek brushed against her coat that she could feel Twilight was crying. She had been terribly wounded from her dive, and she was not afraid to show it. Every subtle movement she made caused her to wince in pure misery. Even something as simple as breathing became a taxing chore for her.

There was no possible way she could go on her own now; she would need constant assistance.

"Twilight," Rainbow whispered delicately, "Can you make it? Do we need to stop?"

The unicorn's features temporarily relaxed at the sound of her beautiful voice. Her eyes could no longer open, so she only shook her head. She was not about to quit now.

"Do you want keep going then?" Rainbow quietly replied.

Twilight clenched her teeth and staggered forward, propped up only with her mare's help. She gave a slight nod, silently gasping to fill her lungs. She bit her lip, attempting fruitlessly to hold in her pain, and signaled to Rainbow to continue. This was not going to be easy for her, but there was no turning back now. This was going to end, one way or another.

Rainbow attempted to help as best as she could, letting Twilight lean a great deal of her weight on her. She wanted to tell Rainbow just how sorry she was, but the pain was too much. She had no choice. Though still somewhat weak, Rainbow trudged along the path, more than happy to help her reach their destination. Whenever Twilight suffered, she always did right along with her. Her heart broke, fragment by tiny fragment, every time the unicorn was hurt in any way.

She wanted to cry as well, yet she was Twilight's only support now, and she would not fail for the life of her.

In her pit of helplessness, Twilight wanted so desperately to keep Rainbow out of harm's way. She had decided in that fleeting instant, their one moment of silence together, that she would spend the rest of her life making it all up to Rainbow in some way.

She wanted to tell the pegasus just how much she loved her, and just how amazing she really was. It was only by pure circumstance that she felt it was inappropriate. Twilight wasn't quite sure how much longer she could wait. She was not even sure how much time they still had left together, and this only made her weep more.

Her emotional pain was beginning to exceed her physical pain. It was crippling... and demoralizing.

She felt so utterly... defeated.

"I think we're almost there," Rainbow softly noted, "Just hold on, Twilight."

I don't want to. I've failed everyone. I've failed Ponyville. I've failed my brother. And worst of all, Rainbow, I've failed you.

The pegasus tugged up on her, carrying even more of Twilight's weight. Her eyes fluttered through her tears at her friend's sudden show of determination and strength. It was almost as if her pain allowed Rainbow to tap into some hidden depth of her will, and pull from it. She took freely from her well of love, for it did, indeed, give her courage. It did, indeed, quell her pain; it quelled her weakness.

Twilight was able to relieve some of the pressure for her, feeling a slight pang of life returning to her. Rainbow tried to take her back, but the unicorn remained wholly adamant and refused to let her bear all of her burden. As much as her heart wanted to give out and die, she took back some of the weight.

They had pulled each other back from the brink of darkness.

The main atrium was on the verge of collapse, just as she had predicted.

She had taken far too much time thus far, and she could not allow any further loss. Her clones had followed closely behind her, down through the dark passageways and the ancient staircase of the great chasm. The floor was hot, showing signs of melting and decay. Her clash with the royals had taken more time than she anticipated.

It didn't matter any longer, however. Her planning had brought her this far, and the satchel at her side held the key to her victory. Not once had Twilight's impostor considered becoming a princess after all of this. This was all merely a ploy to ensure that every stallion, mare, colt, and filly would know her pain and suffering. She had no intention of killing them; that could never bring about any good. She only wanted all of them to never repeat Celestia's mistake, and there was only one such way to do so.

They would have to suffer for it.

One of her copies pulled along beside her.

"With the princesses immobilized," she started, "... Does that mean the moon will have to be forcibly moved?"

"Yes," stated her leader, "It will have to be in position to hold their attention. There is no other way around that, I'm afraid."

She approached the former pool of lava at the atrium's center, now essentially an erected glass sculpture, when another clone briefly spoke up.

"How can we possibly move a celestial body?" she asked, "Unless we were born with that power, it's impossible for any unicorn."

Her question was met with a fierce glare. Her leader's fiery, crimson eyes sent a cold shiver through her frame, despite them being near equals in power. Perhaps it was the bandages over the side of her face she found intimidating, even though she was well aware what lied underneath. They all had the same scars, deep below the surface.

"My power will meld with the mountain's, just as the stone was purposed for," she replied coldly, "The moon shall be no hindrance, I assure you."

"Of course," her clone politely responded.

Every so often, the platforms of hot stone beneath them would lightly quake, alerting them to how volatile their position actually was. They were constantly reminded just how close to death they were, and their leader was becoming impatient. It had only been by pure chance that she noticed one of her clones was missing.

"What?!" she cried, scanning the area for her, "Where is she?!"

FLASH!

With a calamitous burst of energy, her copy winked into existence behind the lot of her sisters. The three of her sisters backed away from her, feeling the weight of their leader's icy stare upon her. The clone of Twilight receded back slightly, looking dreadfully guilty over something. She was immensely terrified.

"YOU!" her leader roared; her voice echoed at length through the great chasm.

She advanced upon her sibling aggressively, deeply imposing her will upon all of them.

"Leader!" she cried hastily, "I can explain my actions, please, you must listen to me!!"

"Why should I?!" her commander barked, "You've been against me from the beginning, haven't you?!"

"Of course not!!" she bravely defended, "You've made me suffer your pain! You've given me all of your memories! Why would I turn against you?!"

Her leader stopped apprehensively and quieted her voice. "That may be true, but you also have free will. That is something I can't take from you," she said.

"For which I am grateful," her clone replied lightly in return, "Our memories hold much more meaning to us when we are not told what to do with them. That is why I would never turn against you."

The red-eyed unicorn held a stiff gaze, unflinching and skeptical. It took her nearly half a minute to come to a conclusion, then she finally turned back to the glass structure.

"Tell me, then. What were you doing?" she asked.

"Apologies, leader," she confidently responded, "I was trying to get to that point before. I was near the entrance, purposing a barrier spell of my own to keep out any intruders, should they find themselves becoming... meddlesome."

"I doubt that would ever happen," her leader scoffed, "But I suppose it's the thought that counts. It no longer matters, however. Soon, every pony will know of our exact location."

Her words seemed to be prophesying the end of Equestria, when in actuality, that was only partially true. Once again reassured of her clone's compliance, she made her way up to the glassy structure. Encased deep within, their star of energy was busy fusing with the mountain's, coalescing their powers inside of one extremely tumultuous cauldron.

She flicked her horn to the side, causing the glass surface to churn upwards and twist. Her reddish magic molded the dense solid with ease. It formed a spherical shape at first, then she cut it, forming nearly a solid cube. The mass thinned at its edges, appearing to have the sheen common in a fresh coat of ice. A slight opening formed at its center; she intended to use it as a placeholder.

With one hoof, she unbuckled the satchel and slowly pulled out a dull, black stone that seemed no more appealing to the eye than a lump of coal. It was deceptively heavy, hard for her to support for a long time without the assistance of magic. It would have to be molded as well, but not by her doing. This was something only compaction on an immense scale could accomplish.

Using her power, she lifted it fully out of her grasp and placed it within the glass container. Her aura molded the glass to seal it safely inside, and suddenly she felt her magical hold intensify without her willing it to do so.

She suddenly felt the amplification, and it was quite glorious. A warm blanket of energy curled up underneath her sternum from the structure, infusing itself into her. She paid it no mind, however.

The atrium rumbled heavily, only briefly, and the floor surged only once. Her aura locked in place around the stone, and it immediately plunged down into the pit of diamond-like complexion. Like the tinkling of wine glasses, the sound echoed across the chasm, seeming as if soon it would all shatter at once.

But, it held.

Her subordinates gathered around her, waiting inevitably for the worst to happen. Her blood-red irises flickered with intense outpourings of her excess energy, yet she would have to hold it in for the next phase. The mountain's peak would have to be decimated first.

When the surge quelled, all was quiet again, save for the sound of her labored breathing. For an alicorn, moving celestial bodies seemed almost like a house chore would be for a colt or filly. But, for a unicorn, one who is not spiritually tied to anything greater than themselves, this task is simply impossible. Unicorns were never biologically built to accomplish such feats. She was different, though. She had already proven once this night that she was capable of matching an alicorn's strength, and this occasion would be no different.

She closed her eyes, and deeply visualized her target, for it was heavy. Her magic connected with the stone, and surged along with the mountain's core, for it was powerful. She sweated profusely, and used little help from her clones, for it was her destiny.

The earth underneath them quaked again, and her hooves nearly melted the floor under her with the intense flames erupting from them. Her body was now reaching critical mass, and she finally began to move worlds, the heavens themselves.

"Twilight," Rainbow whispered, wandering through the debris cloud, "We gotta' be getting close; the dust is getting thicker."

I can't see anything anymore, Rainbow. I'm sorry to put so much of this on you. You deserve better. I'm so useless...

The unicorn inhaled a particularly nasty bit of air and gagged. She coughed stiffly in Rainbow's grasp, causing her to stop.

"Please, Twilight," she whimpered, "We're almost there... You can make it. I know you can."

They traded their weight several times, as the unicorn never seemed quite sure of her own feet. Every breath was painful and long, yet Rainbow helped her continue. On a few instances, Twilight had to hug around her tightly, just to keep herself from stumbling into the dirt. There was an eerie silence hanging over them now, and she was only comforted by Rainbow's occasional whispers. She held onto her like a foal would clutch a blanket.

Suddenly, they each heard a slight rustling of leaves, much like they had earlier when the impostor made herself known. However, this sound was much more chaotic, like whomever was causing it could barely stand. Rainbow positioned herself defensively against the sound, preparing for whatever they might be faced with, when she heard the familiar stallion's voice.

"T-twily?" his voice was unsteady, "R-rainbow... Dash?"

He was having just as difficult a time seeing through this haze as they were. Twilight was filled with a slowly permeating sense of hope that he had won, though his voice didn't seem to portray as much. She forced her teary eyes to gradually pry open.

"We're here!" Rainbow called to him.

"Be careful!" he struggled to reply, "I lost her! She's still here somewhere!"

"What?!" she cried.

He lumbered awkwardly through the fog, finally catching up to them. Apparently, he had bought himself enough time to make it this far, but he acted as though they were still in imminent danger. Twilight could barely make out his face, yet his body clearly showed deep burns and scars running the length of his torso; it was a small price for him to pay. He tempted not to use his magic this close to his sister, for it would have surely given away their position if it had not already been so. The impostor obviously had a way to find them even before that, so he was still admittedly skittish.

Despite the sense of urgency, he came to his sister, and immediately began inspecting her injuries. She was no doubt hurt, and by the sound of her breathing, could tell it was difficult for her to even walk.

"Twilight..." he grieved, "What... happened to you?"

"She fell a while ago," Rainbow noted, "But don't worry. I'm getting her to Princess Celestia, even if I have to carry her on my back the whole way."

The unicorn's leg twitched around her shoulder, as she stifled more tears from flooding her vision. It was exceedingly difficult for her to believe what Rainbow had just said. She wanted to scream the words that had been on her mind for so long, but it would be impossible right now.

"I'll be here to make sure you do," he proclaimed.

"WHERE ARE YOOOUUUUU?!!!"

His sister's voice screamed from far behind him, causing the three of them to lurch uncomfortably backward. Twilight's ear twitched, recognizing the sound that she often heard within her own head. The impostor was fast approaching.

He turned, seeing only the faint violet glow of his enemy's magic, and quietly urged the two mares to keep going while he stayed at their backs. Shining hoped the debris cloud would offer a last bit of respite, before another encounter would leave even deeper scars. It was only because of his retaliation that his injuries had progressed this far. He could have simply given up and spared himself any further pain.

He would sooner die before he let that happen.

His hooves dug into the ground, preparing for an imminent confrontation, when he suddenly became aware of the sound of crashing water. It was off a little ways, but he knew Rainbow was taking his sister in that direction. He had just hoped, by this point, that his adversary had not come to the same conclusion.

"Shining Armor?!" her voice was hostile and loud, "You're going to regret challenging me!!"

"Is that a fact?!" he retaliated, "I think we're on equal ground here, criminal! You just caught me off guard the first time! That's all!"

Her growing voice caused his feet to shift; he couldn't even really see her. A black silhouette moving through the cloud and the dim purple glow above it gave his only clues, but it was so imprecise. He contemplated running off in some direction even he was not quite sure of, yet that would only leave his sister an open target once again.

"You've barely even touched me so far!!" she called from the darkness.

"Oh yeah?" he scoffed, "We'll see how long that keeps up!"

As if spurred on by his challenge, the glow emanating through the haze flickered and sent off another tight beam of light. It contacted the ground from what he could gather, resulting in a quick, yet forceful detonation. Much to his disappointment, the air within her blast radius lifted slightly, making her silhouette bleed through the remaining fog quite clearly.

She finally figured it out; all she had to do now was blast away the air herself.

"Damn..." he muttered to himself.

"You've got to be around here somewhere!!" she yelled.

He shifted again, preparing to make a break for it.

"You know what?" she asked rhetorically, "I'm through with this, Shining Armor."

He didn't know what she meant by that, but it caused him to sweat. He attempted his best to remain motionless, as her light continued to approach and brighten his own features. She knew exactly where he stood.

"Well," she simply stated, "I cannot see. Therefore, I must clear what is obstructing my vision."

His eyes widened in that instant, out of pure horror. He painfully recognized that statement, and knew at that very moment he would soon again fail. He had counted on that much from the beginning.

With but a simple wave of her horn, her magic lightly cast itself upon the ground, flowing freely like a running faucet. She had been hiding this. All along, she had been concealing the fact that she knew how to win, but she saw no sport in it. However, it was no longer about sport. Her target was getting away and she had no choice but to pull out her trump card.

Her aura washed over the landscape, for she had plenty to spare, and coated the path and the surrounding forest floor completely. Like a blanket, everything had been wrapped in her dim glow. Then, she began to lift it up. It all fell harmlessly away from Shining, barely even grazing his frame, as she filtered the clean air from the contaminated. The cloud rose high above them, but he did not look away from her.

With a satisfied smirk gracing her lips, she sent a vast majority of the debris surging up into the sky, where she knew it would dissipate in the upper atmosphere. She did not even have to look upon it; it was such a simple spell. To her, it felt similar to lifting old sheets from a bed.

Their eyes met again, yet Shining remained still. A fleeting glance at his lithic hooves told much of the story. His sister had gone in the opposite direction, obviously. Although, it was clear they had all almost reached their destination.

She stood tall and leaned her head back, taunting him. Her eyes traced a path behind him and up to the sky, all the while he could only grit his teeth in anger, as she seemed to be planning her next move after she defeated him.

"Would you take a look at the moon, Shining Armor?" she asked lightly.

"It's just a trick," he coldly replied, "I'm not as much of an idiot as you think."

She pointed a calm hoof to something up above him, when suddenly he noticed something else. The lighting of the landscape was changing. Shadows were shifting, like one colossal sundial, and it was apparent the moon was moving abnormally fast. Its voluminous glow soon cast another enormous shadow upon a distant hillside, of the mountain's peak. It managed to break his attention for a moment, as his curiosity was now piqued.

She did'nt attack like he thought she would, but instead let him gaze in awe upon her leader's handiwork. It was quite a sight to behold.

The moon itself, free of Luna's influence, began to turn pink. It was splotchy at first, taking up only small patches, but then they grew, filling in with even deeper shades of redder colors. The forest itself was beginning to turn a pinkish hue as well, faintly illuminated by its presence. Not only that, but the moon seemed to be accelerating even faster towards the mountain. It took only about a minute, but at last it gradually slowed and came to a halt, high above its peak.

Shining heard his sister's clone behind him suddenly cough. He motioned towards her, prepared for her to say something, but she was afflicted by an uncharacteristically sharp pain. Coinciding with the new placement of the moon, her agony only became worse as she stumbled away from him.

"What's going on?!" he demanded, "What's wrong with you?!"

She stopped for a moment to steel her resolve, preparing once again for his retaliation. This was not the time for showing weakness.

"My leader," she coughed; her voice was hoarse, "She has taken control of the moon, as you can plainly see. The stress must be getting to her. I can feel it."

"No!" he shouted in reply, "She can't!"

Seeing this as his only opportunity, he bolted.

He should have known the royal sisters were defeated by now. Every sign had pointed to it before. There was no reason for Twilight to continue without his help; not even Rainbow Dash could do anything about this. He quickly gained speed and made some leeway over his adversary. He hoped that if she tried to follow, it would only exhaust her further. That didn't seem entirely likely, though.

"Get back here!!"" she yelped.

He was already too far away to hear, and his mind was elsewhere. The mountain's waterfall became louder as he ran. It was his only signal of his progress, for he could not see as well over the trees. Only the moon hanging over the mountain peak gave him any sense of direction.

"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Stop!" he yelled.

"The dust is lifting, Twilight!" uttered Rainbow.

The unicorn inhaled deeply through her nostrils, finally filling her lungs after refraining from it for so long. It wouldn't have been so much of a problem without her injuries. Rainbow, on the other hand, had been heading for the sound of water the entire time. It was purely by chance the haze faded away, and for some reason she did not think it was due to natural causes. This only made her go faster.

The bluish glow of the moon had changed into a light red, the longer they walked, a fact which Rainbow hoped Twilight didn't yet notice. The pegasus brought her out into a wide clearing, still pockmarked by craters and debris from the broken city above them, and the sound of the waterfall grew into a low, dull roar. Its base had been cleansed by its constant flow, and was readily drinkable.

The large pool branched out into several streams which all coalesced into one, rather wide river. Twilight was thankful, desperately awaiting her first drink after their ordeal. Rainbow brought her to the water's edge and let her down gently. Twilight could manage this much for her, and she had no desire to be a burden on the pegasus anymore. She took a few deep gulps and coughed once as she swallowed too fast, but it quickly subsided and she continued.

Rainbow gazed up the mountain face, contemplating the simplest way to reach Canterlot. The immense stone platform upon which it sat had nearly melted completely off, leaving only about half of it structurally sound. There was still the possibility it could give out though, but Rainbow had prepared for this. Her wings had enough time to recuperate, should something go wrong. Twilight peered up as well, though she was glancing at the moon instead. The magenta color of Rainbow's eyes were magnified tenfold by the red moon's glow, as were the red locks of her mane.

Twilight gasped in that moment at the sight before her, though Rainbow didn't notice. She could have taken her attention and told her how beautiful she was, yet she decided to keep it to herself. For a reason she wasn't quite sure of yet, she began obsessing over her appearance. It was more than that, though. The pegasus had become a true heroine in Twilight's mind, something far beyond that of being just beautiful.

You're so perfect, Rainbow. You probably hear that all the time, but I really want you to know it.

"Alright, Twilight," she was paying closer attention to their target, "I guess I'm taking you up there myself."

Twilight weakly stood up, and tugged on her hoof. She blushed fully when they finally made eye contact.

You're most certainly NOT carrying me all the way up there!

"I sure am," her mare replied confidently, "Whether you want me to, or not. Since we couldn't take the easy route up, we gotta' take the hard route instead."

Twilight placed her weaker hoof on Rainbow's chest and silently pleaded with her. The pegasus shook her head every so often, tossing aside everything she said.

"No, Twilight. I'm fine, really. I can take you up there. I've carried much more than that before."

So what?! I've put too much on you already!

"I don't care about that," she admitted quietly, "I just care about you, because... well... I-I..."

What is it, Rainbow?

Her words fumbled on their way out; she couldn't believe what she was about to tell Twilight. She knew this wasn't the best time, either.

"Twilight... I-I just-- ," she was abruptly cut off.

Thump!

The earth shook violently once more, throwing the both of them haphazardly off balance. They clung onto each other as they fell and shared in the impact, distributing their weight evenly. The initial tremor surged off into the distance, leaving only the sound of the falls to keep them company. They could faintly make out the call of Twilight's brother approaching them.

"What was that?!" Rainbow cried.

I don't know... but I'm sure this isn't over yet, Rainbow.

"KAH!!!"

Her chest seized heavily as her target at last reached its position.

Their leader coughed up yet more blood, which fell freely from her chin to the rocks below. Each clone of Twilight felt a similar spike of pain in their own chests, though they managed to stifle it. The scarlet flames radiating from her frame began to melt the floor away, but her power was only skin deep, and her body was finally beginning to show it.

Her breathing had altered sporadically, coming and going in fast waves. Blood seeped through the pores at the corners of her eyes, giving her the appearance of lightly crying the thick fluid. Her nose began to bleed as well, leaving nearly her whole face lined by her own vital fluids. Her bandages became saturated also, and though it was becoming hard to see, she was somehow able to keep a magical lock upon the stone.

She wheezed a few times, struggling to catch her breath after the deed had been completed, leaving her clones in awe at how far her power had truly ascended. They could not even see the moon above them, but they knew it was there. They could feel it was there. They knew by her heat and her pain that she had moved the heavenly bodies themselves.

"Leader," said one of her clones, "Do you need assistance? You look as though you can barely stand."

She coughed abruptly in response, leaving another trail of blood trickling down her muzzle. Her legs were indeed unstable, but she held, angrily gritting her teeth in agony as she did so.

"I'm fine," she muttered weakly, "I have to do this."

With a wave of her horn, the glass structure before her shifted again, setting the last phase of her plan into motion. She turned slightly to the one clone whom she had been suspicious of for the longest time, and calmly nodded her over. Hesitantly, her copy complied and came to her side, keeping her head low.

"W-what is it, leader?" she asked meekly.

"I need you to open the bridge with me," her superior whispered.

"M-me?!" she stammered; her voice echoed across the expanse of the atrium.

"Yes, you. Prove your loyalty or leave me. That is the choice I give you."

Her leader's gaze never faltered, and the sight of her blood dripping from her mouth was extremely compelling. She could not look away from her piercing red eyes.

"I-I'll do it," she relinquished, "I'll do it for her."

"I knew you would," her leader said with a faint smirk.

She nodded again for her clone to take up the position opposite to her across the pit. Forming the link to this many ponies would surely kill her without the added help, so she thought there was no better way to test her clone's loyalty. The other three would simply act as support, for adding too many extra minds into the mix could rip apart the very fabric of the spell. It would have been far too risky.

"Now, prepare yourself," she ordered.

Her clone remained at the ready, as per her request, her horn bearing its own violet glow. She steeled her gaze upon the glass structure, waiting intently for something from her leader in return.

Then, it happened.

The stone sank into the glass, melting it like ice into water, plunging deeper into the earth. It continued to fall and turn a whitish-red, absorbing the lead unicorn's power. It stopped once it was out of sight, then every shard of glass began to melt away as well, almost back to its original state as igneous rock. Everything started to liquefy before them, and the stone was eventually lost somewhere in the mix.

Her clone continued to apply her power, though it seemed to be having little effect.

"I don't think it's working, leader!" she shouted hastily across the pit.

"Just give it a moment-- kah!" the unicorn coughed again; this next spell would be even more physically taxing than before.

Her horn flared with sheer power, once again welling in her chest. A small, red flame arose from the bubbling pool of lava, and it quickly rose higher and higher, until it soared several stories above where they stood. It began to funnel upwards into a scaled-down, rapidly spinning tornado, surging up to the height of the stalactites and compacting further into a tight beam. Its heat focused and intensified, causing each pony to sweat profusely, save for the leader. Her body was completely engulfed by her own flame, acting as a double-edged sword of protection and producing a steady, dull pain. The column became more cylindrical, utilizing the stone as its central core and source of stability. Like a tight, focused beam, it burrowed up into the mountain's internal ceiling, sending even more melted rock falling into the expanding pool below.

In that short instant of her fragility, the state in which she was about to leave her body, her power suddenly exploded, and surged forth with a great, massive rumbling.

Her clone nearly lost hold of the bridge at the sound of her scream, for it was deafening... and painful.

Shining Armor finally made it to the clearing, exhausted, but not defeated. The tremor from just moments ago only encouraged him to run faster, and he was elated to see that his sister had not yet took off with Rainbow Dash. His shouts seemed to get their attention.

"Wait, don't go!!" he yelled.

As his sister got up, he could see her obvious attachment to Rainbow. She practically hung herself over her friend, though she didn't seem to be too proud of it.

"Why not?!" Rainbow blurted.

There was a strong sense of urgency in his voice as he approached the two of them. "Princess Celestia and Luna have been defeated, Twilight!"

His sister gasped at the news, even though she had the sneaking suspicion long beforehand. Despite this news, Rainbow remained firm.

"Well, you're just gonna have to go with us then," she stated bluntly.

"Are you listening to me?!" he barked, "If you go up there, you'll be in serious danger!"

"We don't exactly have a choice anymore!" she retaliated.

Shut up! Stop arguing! This isn't solving anything, you two!

Twilight fidgeted at Rainbow's side, and they made brief eye-contact once again. The pegasus listened to her for a moment and then turned back to the stallion, determination flaring up in her eyes.

"She says we have to go, and that there's no time for arguing. She thinks she can help the princesses."

"B-but, Twily-- " he was abruptly cut off.

"No buts! That's what she said!" Rainbow shouted.

Twilight never thought he would need this much convincing, but he relented at last. He took a long glance up at the mountainside, contemplating whether or not Rainbow could carry her up there all by herself.

"I'll take her up half of the way," he said, "But it'll be too dangerous to go all the way up. I'll need your help, Rainbow."

"Of course," the pegasus responded, "That's why I'm here."

"We shouldn't waste any more time then. Let's go."

He slowly took Twilight upon himself, allowing her to rest one foreleg over him. She wasn't nearly as heavy as he was expecting, which would make this ascension even easier than he first thought. With a quick snap of his head, he found his first target, his starting position. The moon's red glow allowed him to make out several spots where he could grip the terrain, but he just hoped that Rainbow wouldn't be too tired to keep up.

The pegasus unfurled her wings, stretching them in unison, and feeling that foreign sensation of blood pumping through them. They no longer hurt, much to her delight.

She took off first, as Twilight and Shining watched. She seemed to have little trouble readjusting, but didn't want to make a big show of just how happy she was to fly again. There were more serious matters that had to be dealt with first.

Shining's horn began to glow pink, preparing the spell to fire, when he heard a rustling in the trees behind him. He panicked, knowing they had been caught.

"Damn it!" he yelled.

He clutched Twilight close, and they bolted off with a quick surge of lightning. They cleared several stories at least up the mountainside, and found themselves positioned precariously on a new outcropping of rock. Rainbow stayed close as well, not being affected by any heavy gust at this altitude. It was much easier this way, and gave her time to become accustomed to flight again before taking on a greater load.

Rainbow pointed to another spot for him. "There's a place over there!" she yelled.

His sense of urgency was beginning to take over, and he bolted off again. Twilight felt as if she had no say in the matter, yet at this point, all she could do was allow her loved ones to go to work and help her. She absolutely dreaded that this would ever happen. She had wished so much that she could do this all by herself, but that would've been impossible.

The pair of unicorns continued to climb, only stopping ever so often to scan the cliffs for their next destination. Rainbow helped guide them as best she could, but it was apparent they were being followed by the similar sound of another unicorn teleporting.

They had nearly made it halfway up, when suddenly a tightly concentrated, white beam of magic missed impacting with Rainbow's frame by only mere inches. The pegasus spooked and dove out of the sky. Like cannon fire, more shots rang out, forcing Rainbow to perform evasive maneuvers. Twilight's doppelganger had Rainbow locked intently in her sights.

"Rainbow Dash!!" Shining yelled.

She could barely hear him over the roar of magical energy, so he placed Twilight gently on the cliff beside him and retaliated with a shot of his own. When his horn fired, the copy of his sister several places below him, turned to meet him with an icy glare. She shouted to him, only as a threat before each shot; she was not about to fail her mission now.

"COME BACK HERE, SHINING ARMOR!!" she bellowed.

"Maybe I will," he muttered to himself.

In a split second, he scanned above them and found another outcropping, glowing strangely with a faint purple hue. His sister glanced up as well as he pointed to it, signaling that should be a safe distance away. Knowing that his sister had a good idea of where they should go, he turned in that instant to find Rainbow Dash, who was once again rapidly ascending.

He fired a warning shot at the impostor to keep her at bay, then yelled with as much volume as he could muster.

"RAINBOW DASH!!" he called down below, "COME TAKE TWILIGHT, NOW!!"

Another shot rang out; a hot, purple beam which he only narrowly deflected. The burst of energy noisily impacted with the mountainside again, and Rainbow took the hint. There was no longer any time; she continued to fight through the pain valiantly.

"I'm coming!" she cried.

Shining distracted their adversary with another quick blast, but she swiftly teleported to yet an even higher perch. Twilight, in a brief moment of boldness and clarity, reached out for Rainbow as she came up to them and was hastily swept up in her mare's embrace. She wanted to panic, not used to having her hooves off the ground for this long, but she decided to hold her eyes closed.

"I'll catch up!" he yelped.

"You'd better!" Rainbow quickly replied.

The impostor leaped from her perch and teleported with another brief flash. Shining responded by moving to a cliff even closer to her, preparing to stop any further progress she could make.

"This ends now!!" he said from atop a higher platform.

"I was hoping you'd say that!" she threatened.

All at once, the two of them fired and their blasts connected, singeing the surrounding air. A loud clap of thunder arose from the epicenter, colliding with Rainbow and Twilight. They pressed their heads together in an attempt to deaden the noise, but it did little. The sound of their clashing continued far below them, but they could not look back now.

Twilight could hear Rainbow's sharp gasps of pain and pointed to the spot which her brother had found. Her hunger never was satiated.

"I see it, Twilight... but where is that light coming from?" she asked.

How am I supposed to know? It doesn't matter, though. We have to stop, for your sake!

Rainbow was just about to peek over the edge of the cliff, when another deafening shot broke out down below. She faltered for a second, but managed to lift Twilight over the side and gently place them both on the cliff's rugged edge.

Although, much to their amazement, this was much more than just a simple cliff. It seemed as though this whole perch had been carved out by somepony. There was a deep, cavernous entrance that extended far into the mountainside. A pale, violet gem placed a few feet inside along the cave's wall illuminated the pathway with another dim glow.

"W-what is this doing here?" Rainbow stammered.

The unicorn simply peered back over the edge to find her brother, paying little attention to their new discovery. The city's under belly, only a few stories above them, lied in shambles. Most of it had been blown away, and she still worried for her brother's safety far underneath it, but her worry was only short-lived.

Thump!

Another heavy tremor shook their perch, almost sending Twilight off the edge. Rainbow caught her by her tail at the last moment, and pulled her back into the safety of her tight hug.

"Are you crazy, Twilight?!" she scolded, "You gotta be more caref--!!

BOOOM!

They both simultaneously cupped their ears under their hooves, as the earth continued to rock and sway. Like the eruption of a volcano, the quake was followed abruptly by raining hellfire from the sky. A sea of meteors consumed the landscape for as far as they could see, blocking out the red glow of the moon. Neither Rainbow, nor Twilight knew what was happening, but they instinctively retreated inside the mountain, fearing for the safety of their significant other.

Blackness engulfed the outside world, shrouded under a veil of smoke and debris.

The noise only seemed to last for a split second, but they knew it came from the mountain; there was no other place it possibly could have. Rainbow quickly swiped the purple stone, for it was the only way they could see now, and carried Twilight further in. The heavy churning of the thick air itself, was enough to frighten them.

The unicorn screamed in her head, sobbing uncontrollably at the sight of their world being destroyed, and her brother vanishing along with it. She tried to struggle, though she knew very well it wouldn't accomplish anything, and it took Rainbow nearly a minute to calm her down. She was practically inconsolable, not wanting to budge even an inch, but Rainbow dragged her along as best as she could.

"C'mon, Twilight! We have to go!" she pleaded.

The smoke and debris did not follow them in as far as they were expecting, offering them a last bit of respite from the incoming storm. They stopped for a moment, only to catch their breath, when Rainbow dropped the stone she had been carrying loosely in one free hoof. They each watched in horror as the stone fell forward and cracked into two halves, once it had made contact with the stone.

Just then, something odd happened.

A small, purple wisp of magic escaped from it and began searching for the nearest container it could inhabit. Rainbow was simply in awe, as the aura jumped at Twilight and attached itself to her horn. The unicorn did not retaliate, however. Instead, Twilight let the magic seep into her body, taking what little she could from it. The stone was a more effective source of light, but she would be able to use it all the same.

Her tears slowly began to dry, and her horn conducted lowly with the new energy. Somepony had placed it there, specifically for them. Twilight could feel that much from the magic she had just inherited. If it was not meant for her, it would have simply dissipated into the surrounding air. Somepony wanted them to enter this cave.

She chanced a glance at Rainbow, her horn illuminating the way, and they made eye-contact. Her features stiffened.

I think I'm ready, Rainbow. I'm sure this path leads somewhere.

"What makes you say that?" the pegasus responded.

This magic is going to lead us. It's friendly. I'm sure of that much.

"And you're sure it's not just a trick?" she asked.

Yes... I'm certain, Rainbow.

"Well, I'll follow you," she assured her, "In fact, I'm sticking to you like glue from now on."

Weren't you already?

Rainbow let out a nervous chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood, and it seemed to work. She lifted Twilight's foreleg further over her shoulder, and they continued to march on, hearing the slight rumbling behind them all the while.

After going a short ways into the darkness, Twilight huddled closer to her. Neither of them felt like continuing. They were both weak... and tired.

However, they kept going. They had no choice.

The rumbling itself had since faded, and the sound of their hoofsteps became their only source of stimulus. The ground was becoming more saturated the further down they went, which was something most peculiar, being at an altitude this high. Twilight came to the only conclusion she could think of; they were under Canterlot's spring, the source of its waterfall.

"H-how much further is it?" Rainbow inquired.

I'm not quite sure, if I'm being entirely honest with you.

"That's okay," she admitted, "As long as we're togeth-- "

FFFOOOOOOOMMMM!!!

Another explosion from deep within the cave shook the very earth beneath their hooves.

The ungodly rumbling of stone and rock made them lose what little stability they still had, sending the unicorn haphazardly falling out of her friend's embrace, colliding heavily with the solid floor below. The small purple wisp of magic alighting the tip of her horn began to flicker in and out of existence, as she struggled to stand back on her feet.

"No, Twilight!" Rainbow cried helplessly, as she leaned down to assist her, "Let me help you up..."

They Will Know Of My Love

"Damn it!!" shouted the beige unicorn in frustration.

Her spell, growing second by second, nearly split the mountain itself in two, sending thousands of tons of flaming rock surging upward and across the endless expanse of the starry night sky. She had not counted on the stone amplifying her power by a magnitude such as this, but she was grateful to have some of the immense stress lifted from her body. Enough of her own blood had been spilled this night, yet she was afraid she would have to give even more.

The red beam, plunging skyward and still under her direct influence, reached the moon's plains in only a matter of seconds. A shockwave traveled up its length and pumped more of her energy into the lunar surface. With a colossal swelling of her power, it released and flooded the entirety of the heavenly body with her crimson aura. She effectively swallowed it up in her magical embrace, causing her to pant even heavier than before. Her clone assumed control of the next phase, widening the bridge to allow her leader absolute control.

Her aura was consumed inside the beam as well, yet she managed to expand it even further. She could hear her leader's thought inside of her own head now, much like on the first day. It was particularly excruciating, hearing her screams of agony and pure hatred, her memories; a twisting whirlwind of emotion, frustration, love, happiness, pain, torment, elation, frustration, exhilaration, optimism, and pessimism-- it was all so blinding and painful... just endless pain. Tears began to fall freely from her face, as the earth embedded within the mountain shredded into boiling slivers, small islands that diverged from the epicenter. Lava peeked up through the cracks, heat licked the surrounding air, and the stench of brimstone saturated everything.

It was becoming harder to breathe for all of them.

"DO IT NOW!!!" she screamed.

Finally, after long awaiting this moment, her clone allowed her access, and her left eye became visible upon the moon. Her aura formed her ocular shape in a matter of seconds, though she could not use it functionally like any other part of her body. At least they would see. Every pony in Equestria would see it, for they could all catch a glimpse of the moon. The darker center of red became her pupil, piercing the hearts of all who might gaze upon it. A lighter shade of the surrounding scarlet became her iris, and yet, the even brighter shade of pink became her sclera.

It was a perfect recreation of her terrifying, blood-red eye, gazing from on high across all the land.

She felt the connection instantaneously. A hundred minds, then a thousand, then hundreds of thousands all mingled with her thoughts, but she maintained control.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!" she cried in agony.

A million voices, screaming all at once across the expanse of her consciousness, tried to call out and be heard above her. Yet, her power was too great. She shouted them out. She forced them down. She plunged them down.

"Leader!!" yelped one of her clones, "Are you alright?!"

She could not hear her, maintaining extreme focus. Her nostrils were steadily bleeding now, as were her eyes. Her breaths became more ragged and deep. She grit her teeth fiercely to bite back the pain.

Then came the flood of voices once more. From the young to the old, she heard them all; every stallion, mare, colt, and filly who gazed upon the moon screamed within their minds. She found herself lost in a never-ending sea, adrift and wandering, yet forcing her influence upon them.

"LISTENNN TO MEEEE!!!!!!!!!"

"WHYYYY?! - What is this?! - What's happening?! - Where's Princess Celestia?! - MOMMY?! - GET OUT OF MY HEADDD!!! - ARE THEY DEAD?! - NO, THEY CAN'T BE!!! - Who's doing this?! - We're doomed!! - Twilight Sparkle attacked my wife!! - How was there more than one?!! - WE CAN'T FIGHT BACK ANYMORE!!! - LOOK AWAY FROM THE MOON!! - I CAN'T!!! - Canterlot is gone! - MY DAUGHTER IS GONE!! - I CAN'T FIND MY HUSBAND ANYWHERE!! - It's Twilight Sparkle!! She's responsible!! - WHY IS SHE DOING THIS?!! - GET OUT OF OUR HEADS!! GET OUT!!! GEEEETTT OOOUUUTTTTTT!!!!!"

She whimpered to herself; her feet stumbled, trying to maintain her balance. She had become weak from the barrage, but she was determined to make them hear. She was adamant, until her dying breath, that all of Equestria would know her pain.

"Silence..." she whispered at first, "Silence!" her voice then grew into a deafening roar, "SILENCE!!! ALL OF YOU!!! JUST BE QUIET!!!!"

THUMP!!

The earth shook again as she fired.

Her horn flared along with her words, sending another surge of boiling energy speeding along the shaft of her beam skyward towards the moon, slamming into it with incredible ferocity.

The voices quieted temporarily.

"NOW YOU WILL LISTEN!!!"

Silence, just as she had hoped.

"CELESTIA AND LUNA ARE NO MORE!!! YOUR PRECIOUS PRINCESS OF THE SUN IN NOT AS BENEVOLENT AS YOU'D ALL LIKE TO BELIEVE!!!"

She finally had them under her power; there would be no escaping for any pony.

Victory was at hand.

"What's happening to all of them?" asked a clone of Twilight Sparkle.

She walked past several royal guards calmly enough, all encased in her magical aura. They had fought valiantly, but their struggle was in vain. There was simply no way to defeat the onslaught of invincible, unicorn power. The captain's subordinates followed close behind her, all looking just as equally puzzled. The dark street upon which they walked was littered with ponies, halted in mid-gallop.

A few citizens of Manehattan, who just moments before had been trying to flee for their lives, were now captivated by the pinkish glow of the moon that swarmed over everything. Just as easy as they thought it would be, the clones no longer worried about their victims as they now remained motionless. They were not swallowed up by a magic spell, nor would they need to be immobilized. The doppelgangers only nodded in approval at their leader's handiwork.

"I didn't expect it to be this easy," commented one clone.

She walked over to one, particularly tall stallion and waved a hoof in front of his face. He would not look away from the moon for anything, even if he was about to be struck down. He seemed to be mumbling something incoherently to himself. They all were, in fact. Every last pony on the street was locked in some twisted trance... and crying. All of them had streams of tears running down the lengths of their faces, speaking in unintelligible whispers, and breathing frantically. They all seemed so distraught.

The clones knew exactly what was transpiring, though they were admittedly surprised their leader could achieve this level of influence so easily. They did not have to look upon the moon, however, to feel their leader's pain. It hung in their chests, in their hearts, wherever they went. When their consciousness had been first conceived, they were essentially freed from the shackles of this spell, for it was a double-edged sword they wielded from the very beginning.

"They're all so very... sad," noted another clone.

"They have to be," said her superior, "They have to feel what we felt."

"But, is this really the best way to go about it?" she replied.

"Perhaps not," agreed her officer, "Yet, you can't deny that this is the better option to simply freezing them all. We wouldn't have an Equestria if we did that. We're not here to exterminate every pony, but Celestia's damage must be undone."

"Are they really so far gone?" she asked, "What about the little ones? Are they not innocent?"

"They'll be fine!" barked her superior, "They must know never to repeat the atrocities. Correct?"

The more timid of the clones simply bowed out and went back to inspecting the citizens. It was so odd and cold to her, like they were dying on the inside, quietly and helplessly. She could not tell at this point if they really would die, for minds such as these, ones that were already filled with a consciousness and memories of their own, were never meant to bear this much emotional weight.

"I don't know..." she whispered between them.

Thump!

They all glanced back towards the direction of Canterlot, just in time to see another pulse of energy surge upwards through the pillar of light and collide with the moon, as if renewing their leader's hold on Equestria's citizens. As the blast radiated across the lunar surface, the redness in her eye became more pronounced and commanding.

A thick cloud, steeped in the pinkish glow, hung low over the mountain, full of leftover debris from the initial blast. The rain of fire had not reached the city, and simply would not at this distance. They were admittedly unsure how cities closer to Canterlot fared, but they knew their sisters would not let the ponies living in those settlements perish; that was not their goal.

Their ears all twitched suddenly, coinciding with the sound of some far off wailing from Manehattan's central district. It then grew... and festered, until it finally caught up them. Every pony began to sob unevenly; it was more pronounced in a select few. Their mumbling was becoming louder and louder, forcing the clones of Twilight to retreat aback to the comfort of each other. For reasons even they were not quite sure of, this was beginning to frighten them. Their leader's plan was about to come to fruition, but they began to doubt whether or not they still had control of the situation.

"Princess Luna..." whined a school-age filly.

"Get out of my head..." moaned an older mare.

"Let us go..." sobbed a younger stallion.

The clones all looked to each other for a sign of reassurance, but they could not find it between the five of them. In a moment of desperation, the group coalesced into a tighter formation to try and drown out the sound by their own talking.

"Is this normal?" asked one clone.

"I would consider nothing as normal," said the officer, "At this point, anyway."

"Will they retaliate?" she heard another subordinate ask.

"Doubtful," she scoffed, "They've been helpless thus far, and they'll still be helpless once this process is complete."

"GET OOOUUUUTTT!!!!" a scream broke out a few blocks away.

It was quickly followed by yet another; the wailing continued to flood the streets. Each subsequent scream increased in intensity.

"GEEETTTT OUUUTTT!!!"

"GEEEETTTT OOOOUUUTTTTT!!!!!!"

"Do you see that, Twilight?" Rainbow quietly asked.

The unicorn lifted her head even further as they walked, catching the pale, red glow from deeper within the cave. Rainbow could feel her hesitation by her foreleg hanging over her shoulder, but they trudged on. The pegasus glanced into her eyes for a moment and found herself quickly lost in her gaze. They were allowed some time now, for the tremors seemed to have temporarily deadened.

I don't know what's going to happen to us, Rainbow. I'm pretty scared, actually.

"I'm scared too," she admitted, "But honestly, I don't care what happens to me... so as long as I'm helping you."

Rainbow, I was trying to tell you this earlier... but you've already done too much for me. I could never repay you for what you've done for me. I could never say thank you enough, to show my true appreciation for you, that is.

"B-but..." Rainbow turned away, whispering softly to her, "Y-you don't have to... Twilight. You don't have to thank me, ever."

The pegasus forced the both of them to continue, wanting to just end the conversation there. This wasn't the right time. She could feel at least that much.

What are you talking about?! Of course I have to thank you!

She couldn't hear her from this position, and Twilight barely had the strength to retaliate. She would've dragged her feet behind her, but this was difficult enough on Rainbow; she was quickly losing strength. The unicorn did the only thing she could think of... and kissed her lightly on the cheek again, though, much to her dismay, she seemed to ignore it.

"It's not going to work," Rainbow muttered, "We have to get your voice back, Twilight. We have to win this together. Just thank me later."

She was hiding something; Twilight was certain of that much. Her emotions had never gotten the best of her like this before; it was unbearably irritating to her.

Why am I acting this way? Does she even feel the same about me? Just stop and talk to me for a second, Rainbow!

"Please, Twilight," she pleaded, "Just please... tell me we're almost there."

The pegasus halted once more, as they each felt another light quake pass under their feet. It was not as heavy, nor as burdensome to withstand as before, but they each thought perhaps it was because they were simply accustomed to it now. The reddish glow from deep within overcame Twilight's comparatively puny light, and the blast itself was sobering, bringing them back to the importance of the task at hand, though more so for Twilight than Rainbow. Possibly the trait she admired most about the pegasus was her sheer persistence, and she only loved her more for it, despite her desperate attempts to reel her back.

She pulled against Twilight's will, carrying her further and further inside the cavern. After stumbling for what seemed like an eternity, they passed into an even larger, hollowed-out part of the mountain connected to a series of smaller tunnels. However, the glow came most prominently from only one orifice.

No, Rainbow! You'll get hurt again!!

"We're gonna' fix this, Twilight," she stated simply.

The pegasus finally obeyed her wish, giving her one final moment of respite. She sat Twilight gently down on the floor, and she immediately clutched her side in agony. The unicorn had suffered immensely, and it was clearly breaking her spirit.

"Alright, heh," Rainbow lightly chuckled, "I guess you don't exactly have to show me which way to go anymore."

She placed a delicate hoof under Twilight's chin and lifted it until they made eye-contact. This distance between them was not something Rainbow wanted to get used to.

"Why won't you look at me?" she asked, "We're almost there, Twilight. Can't you see that?"

The unicorn chanced a cold glare at her, still biting through the pain.

"Dangerous?! Well of course it's going to be dangerous!" she retorted.

She received an even harsher shake of her head in response, though Twilight was giving her what she asked for.

"You're afraid... for me?"

Twilight was quite offended that Rainbow found that idea so preposterous, subsequently rolling her eyes. When they met with each other once again, she placed her right hoof lightly on Rainbow's cheek to ensure she was paying her full attention. Another tremor broke over the mountain, but they ignored it, instead gazing longingly into each other's eyes.

"I know..." mumbled Rainbow, "It's just that... I had no idea about that before, until now. Please forgive me, Twilight."

Forgive you? You're joking, right? You don't need to be forgiven for anything, Rainbow, except for maybe being a little too hot-headed.

The pegasus reared her head, blushing slightly at the comment, but then, she smiled warmly at her.

"I suppose I am, sometimes," she jokingly agreed.

Twilight returned the expression, still softly caressing her face.

And I wouldn't have you any other way. It's one of your better qualities.

"Better qualities?" she asked, "What exactly are th-- AHH!!"

THUMP!

A heavy burst of air, a by-product of the explosion, tore through their cavern and slammed into the two of them brutally, knocking them over onto their sides.Twilight's head hit the floor first, though the small distance she fell kept her injury to a minimum. They scooped each other up in the moment before they impacted, once again sharing the pain of the fall, letting the rest of the heat and sulfuric fumes roll over them.

They tumbled in their own tight embrace, holding each other close, and then the blast finally passed.

Twilight lifted her head off the ground slightly, as Rainbow gave her mare a close once-over. The pegasus gasped at the sight of blood that had seeped into her mane and pulled her head into her soft neck in a motherly sort of way. She tried to stifle the tears, her lips quivering and weak.

"T-twilight... you're hurt," she whimpered.

The unicorn didn't offer any resistance, instead nuzzling the side of her head into her mare's soft, blue coat, careful not to prod her with her horn. Twilight only barely managed to lift herself a few inches before Rainbow pulled back on her, an odd role-reversal. She rubbed a hoof lightly on her scalp where she had impacted, and slightly lifted her frame, painfully so. Rainbow was puzzled now, not because she seemed to recover so quickly, but because her attitude had seemed to change so fast.

Twilight was steadily becoming more agitated... yet stayed frightened at the same time. This swirling concoction of emotion made her quickly forget about the injury to her head, though it made it noticeably more difficult to stand. Seeing her friend's gaze stiffen, Rainbow swiftly up-righted herself and tried to brush some of the dirt out of her mare's mane, but Twilight was now staring adamantly at the last tunnel. She was frustrated now, remembering the image of her impostor's face, her own, Ponyville and Canterlot laid to ruins, Rainbow's look of anguish, her brother being lost outside.

Her violet eyes met the pegasus' once more, communicating something through a new stream of welling tears.

Let's go, Rainbow. I'm ready.

"What? Are you sure?" she asked.

I'm positive.

Her glum facial expression said otherwise, yet Rainbow humored her, calmly heaving one of her forelegs over her shoulder. The pegasus was not ready to admit it, but she was hoping Twilight was willing to back up her claim, and she would gladly help her every step of the way. She would protect her as best as she could. She would defend her as best as she could.

Twilight took one step, helped along slowly by Rainbow. Her feet faltered, almost unsure of themselves, but she persisted. She had learned as much from the pegasus that she loved. Rainbow lifted more of her weight, yet again to Twilight's dismay... but they were making fast progress now. They could feel the heat intensifying as they made their way down through the red glow of the lengthy shaft. Occasionally, a scream of pain could be heard, causing Twilight to wince at the memory of the first day the impostor attacked, but she repressed the tears. She would not allow them to boil to the surface now, especially not with Rainbow acting so bravely for her.

This is my chance. This is my opportunity to impress her. Wait? What am I saying? What about Equestria? Isn't that more important?

As they made the trek down the hall, she shook her head, trying to shove the emotions out of her head. She could not tell for the life of her what was more important anymore. She just wanted to cry for every pony, just like Celestia would.

"KAH-KAH!" she coughed.

A particularly potent whiff of the sulfuric stench had entered her nostrils, making her want to gag on it. It didn't help at all, considering her sternum was already fairly bruised, and just the simple act of breathing held a dull pain for her.

Rainbow stopped to let her get it all out of her system, but it was taking much longer than she thought it would. With worry spreading across her features, unable to help her mare with her breathing, she did what came naturally.

In a most calm and serene fashion, the pegasus slowly leaned over and planted a small, loving kiss on the unicorn's cheek, causing her pain to recede almost instantly. This time, it was Twilight's turn to blush. She glanced up at Rainbow and gazed into her eyes, smiling all the while and struggling to hold back her emotions.

"You're welcome," she said with a smirk.

Twilight hadn't even said anything to her.

THUMP!

The pegasus immediately responded this time; she was prepared. She threw one of her wings out in front of them, and curved it into a tight C-shape. The forceful gust of wind formed by the blast grazed over them, as both ponies pressed their weight forward. The heat was bearable for Rainbow, but she could tell it was definitely getting hotter, the further they went.

When the blast finally vacated the darkened corridor, she retracted her wing slowly to her side, fairly singed, but still usable. If she did feel any pain from it, it was not apparent in the slightest to Twilight, who thanked her silently once again.

"There's the light," she added nonchalantly, "You see it, Twilight? We're almost there."

Why do I get the feeling this is a huge mistake?

It took them a moment to realize it, but the light was not coming from a natural source. In fact, much to their horror, the light, which was so blinding and potent to their eyes, was being created entirely by a unicorn.

And, because of the screams and wailing, coming from a mare's voice which Twilight thought sounded eerily familiar, she nearly forced Rainbow to stop.

But she didn't.

They kept on going.

The cave eventually ended, and the light that flooded the chasm was bold and brilliant, capturing their attention. It was only because they clung together that they were able to look away. Twilight had never seen such an immense space, at least one that was surrounded entirely by walls, be they made of earth or not.

It was like walking into a furnace.

They immediately gazed below, searching for the source of this powerful spell that surged into the night sky. All they found were the backs of three familiar lavender-colored unicorns, and one that was not so. At the head of them, a unicorn maintaining the heated column of energy for her spell continued to scream in pain and agony... and Twilight vaguely recognized that voice, once again.

She lumbered backward, afraid of what she was witnessing, but Rainbow stayed her feet. Twilight continued to fidget at the top of the ancient staircase which led to the bottom level, when suddenly she hit a rock with her back hoof. Unfortunately, the rock dislodged an even heavier chunk of the staircase, which had slowly been eroded away over the course of millennia.

The weighty lump of stone broke away and fell...

and continued to fall.

"No," Rainbow whispered between them, as their eyes followed it all the way down.

"AHHH!!!" their leader yelped in pain as even more citizens of Equestria attempted to defy her, "I CAN'T LOSE!!!"

Her clone opposite her was struggling immensely to hold open the bridge, but she could feel her leader's power succeeding. There was no telling what would happen if every pony were given too much of her emotions. They might all go insane, or be stricken with depression, or even worse than that. She was so afraid for them, but in this melding of minds, she could not show weakness for even a second.

THUMP!

Her spell fired again, independent of her influence now, sounding off like a cannon skyward.

She coughed again, letting more blood pool on the stony floor beneath her. Bit by bit, larger pieces of earth surrounding her beam fell into the pit and were swallowed up by its hellfire. The stone was performing its function quite spectacularly, though perhaps maybe a little too well.

Beads of lava were beginning to seep to the surface through cracks in the floor surrounding her, causing her to subconsciously back away from the imposing heat. The flames rippling off from her hooves fought back the blaze temporarily, but she would not hold out forever.

"It's almost done!" her clone cried; her voice was shaky, attempting to hide the lie.

"I CAN'T EVEN TELL ANYMORE!!!" she shouted in reply.

Her cream-colored hooves continued to retreat from the beam as its once thunderous sound had now lowered to a dull hum in the background, save for the occasional burst of energy she pumped into it. However, the stone was taking more control of that issue now.

She opened her eyes, taking a temporary hiatus from the connection, and finally caught her breath. This was the most physically demanding task she had ever had the misfortune of carrying out in her entire life, but she was no longer doing it for herself. Her insides were being ripped apart, she could feel that much, and she had most likely taken years upon years off her lifespan, just within the last ten minutes or so. She did not even look away from the beam herself, until she heard a most peculiar sound.

They all heard it.

It sounded like a heavy stone fell from the ceiling, which could have been entirely possible, considering the second-hand nature of her spell, but what struck her as being odd about this sound... was that it came from behind her. She nearly panicked at the realization, yet remained calm.

Something had disturbed the stairwell; she was certain of it.

She flicked her head to the side, looking back upon the entrance, and immediately gasped at the sight of the new arrivals. Her subordinates quickly pulled an about-face as well, looking as equally stunned as their leader. From this distance, she could still feel the terror in the lavender unicorn's violet eyes.

"BUT HOW?!" she barked.

If it had not been for Rainbow Dash standing at her side, she probably would not have been able to tell her apart from any other clone, yet she knew. She had been discovered, not that she had much to fear, but she was determined to finish them once for all. Before any of her clones could react, she fired a shot, and it echoed at length through the chasm.

"NOO!!" the pegasus screamed.

Twilight recognized that stance only a split second before Rainbow did, and performed the only act her body could manage in that sheer instant of terror. She reflexively pushed the pegasus to the side, being that she already had a hoof around her, and let go. The blast nicked the stone surface beneath them and melted through it instantly, heating the air to unimaginable temperatures. If Rainbow had tried to save her or pull her out of the way, then they would've both been done for. The explosion knocked the wind out of their chests, leaving Twilight sightless and dazed as she fell.

Rainbow's vision blackened as well, and she tried to open her wings, but they only barely extended outward, providing little drag for her descent. The fall was tremendous, and she could not think clearly as her head frantically spun.

Tugging on her wings to upright her trajectory, she failed and fell into a rapid tailspin, only making the ringing in her head even worse. She tried to peek one eye open while plummeting to the earth, and somehow managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of her unicorn falling, like some kind of angel from atop her cloud. Twilight was unconscious; she could at least tell that much. She also seemed to be injured from the blast, even more so than before.

Fighting past the ringing in her head, Rainbow heard a faint scream, and it was also terribly familiar. It was Twilight's voice, calling to them plain as day, though she only screamed her own name. She couldn't decipher why Twilight would be screaming her own name. It could've been one of her impostors that was screaming, but that wouldn't have made any sense. They had no reason to care about them.

Although, if the clones did care for one of them, she would prefer it to be Twilight. The unicorn had seen enough punishment this night.

Rainbow's multi-colored mane blanketed her vision as she turned her head away, breezing past over her eyes and forehead, and she could only make out the ground approaching now. Instinct took over. She tried to fan out her wings again, and noticed a slight burning sensation. Although, that's exactly what it was. She had burnt yet again by the impostor's magic, and the sensation was only made worse with each frantic movement.

So, to end the pain, she simply stopped and closed her eyes, silently hoping she wouldn't die.

Then... she impacted.

Crack!

She abandoned her post holding open the bridge, immediately teleporting to just below the massive staircase. Twilight Sparkle had suffered the brunt of her leader's attack; she had to be saved. Using a simple blast of magic, she was able to cradle the unicorn moments before she hit the dense earth, encasing her in a delicate cocoon of safety. She prayed Rainbow Dash would fare well enough on her own, but to her shock, she did not seem to recover from the blast as quickly as she hoped. Helplessly, she watch the pegasus barely catch herself before impact, skidding along the surface of the stone floor before rolling lazily onto her side. She had been knocked out cold.

"TRAITORRRR!!" her leader screamed.

"No please!!" she retaliated, calmly releasing her hold on the actual Twilight, "Listen to me-- AHHHH!!!!!"

A new beam, heavier than any train and hotter than any star, slammed into her cheek and engulfed her vision. She went blind for a second, sailing backward through the air, body gone limp by reflex, heart skipping a beat... and she crashed onto her back.

With her crimes came punishment, but for her dedication came reward.

Her head rolled to the side, and she winced in agony. The intense inferno of her leader's blast had nearly left her face scarred, though luckily, the power and memories her leader had bestowed upon her also managed to save her from certain doom. She pushed up weakly from the ground, catching the sight of her leader commanding one of her other sisters to keep the bridge open. Her copy obliged and ran off to attend her duty, while she could only struggle to reach her feet. Her leader then turned towards Twilight, grimacing in unrefined anger and hatred.

"Nooooo!!" cried her subordinate in a pathetic tone, "Don't do it!! She's innocent and you know it!!"

"And you are a traitor!!" she scoffed coldly, "I should've known from the first moment you questioned me!"

With her face partially scalded off, revealing her leader's once unique, cream-colored coat, she placed an unsteady hoof on the ground and dragged herself along the floor. She was making progress slowly, though she had not left the true Twilight Sparkle's side by much.

The lavender unicorn was breathing, at least; it was a good sign, at this point. Her eyes fluttered unevenly, trying to piece together what had just occurred, and then glanced around at the entirety of the colossal room.

She was searching for something, or somepony, leaning every which way to get a better view. Then, her eyes flickered when she caught sight of her mare, and her chest heaved as she rolled over onto her side. Her heart was palpitating, screaming against her to stop, pulling against her legs with an unimaginable and invisible weight. But she continued to fight. She fought against her body. She fought against her muscles. She fought against the unicorns approaching her, paying little attention to them.

Then... she began to cry as she pulled.

She pulled on the earth, tugging her weight, but her muscles were feeling denser by the second.

Her heart was dying inside now.

Rainbow...

... had just stopped breathing.

No.

No!

NO!

NOO!

NOOOO!!!

NOOOOOOO!!!!!! RAINBOWWWWW!!!!

The unicorn stopped and reached, wishing and hoping that this was not real. She reached and reached further then pulled her body, dragged herself even more, and then reached again.

NO RAINBOW, PLEASE, I LOVE YOU!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! YOU CAN'T DIE!!! I WANT TO LIVE WITH YOU FOREVER!!! COME BACK!!! WHY CAN'T I EVER SAVE YOU?!! ALL I'VE EVER WANTED WAS TO SAVE YOU!!! WHY?!! WHY?!! WHYY?!!!

"Twilight Sparkle," said the familiar voice behind her.

She did not listen for even a second, reaching ahead and pulling herself along even faster than before. Her desperation knew no limit.

"Twilight Sparkle!!" her impostor shouted.

The struggling unicorn couldn't hear anything anymore. It was only when a beige hoof, encased in red flame, stomped in front of her... that she finally stopped.

She had been defeated.

"Stop it!!" yelled her clone, "She doesn't care about you anymore! Can't you see that?! Can't you see she has suffered enough?!"

"I will decide, not you, when these ponies have suffered enough!!" she retorted, "You are a coward!! A betrayer of your own flesh and blood!!"

Her clone's illusory spell was beginning to dissipate, independent of her willing it to. Her false identity of Twilight Sparkle was shattering, falling off as purple shards and disintegrating into the surrounding air. Her breath was shallow, but she lifted herself, wincing in agony every so often.

"Why can't you see?!" she yelled, "Why can't you see she is just like us?!"

"Like us?! She was NEVER like us!! I had no one in my life to help me!! I had no one!!"

"Just like she did!! You sent her away to fend for herself, and damn it, if she did not get here by the help of this pegasus, then how would she have survived?! I ask you, leader, how could she?! ANSWER ME!!"

Twilight used the distraction, not paying attention to what they were saying, and continued to crawl from her foe's reach silently. Rainbow laid helplessly, seemingly dead, only a few yards away; a goal so weighty and immense, it gave Twilight hidden depths of strength she had never known before. She reached... and reached again for her.

"I do not have to answer you!! You betrayed me!!"

THUMP!

The mountain's sudden quaking was tied directly to her emotions, and this sudden outburst was not helping the situation. The chasm's vast floor was buckling with every scream and shout, forcing her to try to remain calm. The flames around her hooves began to rise once more; her blood continued to flow from her nose and mouth.

Her plan was falling apart at the seams... and so was the mountain around them.

"She is in love, just like you were! Just like we all still are!!" her subordinate retorted.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!!!" she screamed.

She pressed a hoof against one ear to stifle some of the speech between them, but the flames on her hoof nearly scorched her bandages off. They were beginning to burn away; however, with a quick magical burst, the flame was extinguished from her cheek. She began to back away from her clone and glanced at the struggling violet unicorn for only a split second, as if to see if she had given up yet.

Her two clones who had not been preoccupied stayed close to her side, though they stayed out of her way. They were still contemplating whether or not to interfere, when their former comrade approached.

"What would she think of all this?! What would she say to you?!"

"SHUUUTT UUUPPPP!!!!!" she screamed even louder.

Her clone, physically exhausted from the attack and magically drained from holding open the bridge for so long, barely stumbled up to her leader. The last few shards of Twilight Sparkle faded away from her face, her body, her legs, and finally her hooves. However, her scarlet mane flowed beautifully, her newly blood-red eyes hung lowly and could melt the hardest of hearts, and her cheeks were left open to breathe and reveal the full grace of her features.

This horrified her leader.

THUMP!

"No... you look like me before..." she quietly muttered, "Before the accident... you look like me before all of that! WHY?!"

"Because," her clone started, "This is what we were all like at one point. This is the true us. Don't you see that?"

"What?" she whispered in disbelief.

"We've made mistakes," her sister said, "We've committed horrible crimes, but not in the name of love as you'd like to think."

"They deserved it..." she argued through building tears.

Her clone simply raised a hoof and pointed behind her; her new red eyes demanded her leader to look.

"Did they?" she asked.

Her leader glanced back to Twilight once more.

She gazed intently upon the scene unfolding before her; the lavender unicorn had nearly reached the pegasus, and their bodies neatly opposed each other in a mirror-like fashion. Rainbow had curled up into a sort of C-shape, her mouth dangling open, loosely and unresponsively. With Twilight's last bit of strength, her body collapsed into a similar form with her eyes at the level of her mare's gentle mouth. Their faces were upside-down compared to each other, and Twilight could barely breathe as she stared at Rainbow's lightly closed eyes.

She can't be gone. She just can't be. Why was I so stupid? Why did I have to put us in danger?

Twilight gradually reached one foreleg up to the level of of Rainbow's mane, lightly brushing it out of the way before continuing under her cheek. She delicately lifted her head, and her heart broke even further when she didn't respond to this either. She battled against the ground to raise up her other hoof, and ever so softly, cupped her mare's head in a quiet embrace. Still... nothing.

THUMP!

The earth shook again, tied synchronously to each break in the beige unicorn's heart.

Rainbow... I could spend an eternity letting you know how much I love you, and yet, I don't think I could ever fully communicate it. You might never know just how thankful I am, or ever will be, to have had you in my life.

Twilight lightly pulled her mare's muzzle closer and turned her head.

Their noses lightly brushed against each other as she leaned in even more slowly.

She gradually opened her lips, letting her lower jaw calmly search for its target.

She wanted to do this ever since Rainbow revived her on that first night. She never brought it up with her, but she distinctly remembered the taste Rainbow had left in her mouth that night, and from that point on, she had been desperately hoping to share this special moment with her. Yet, it always seemed as though one of them would have to be on the brink of death to go to such extremes. This broke Twilight inside.

They finally connected, and Twilight ever so quietly inhaled deeply of Rainbow's delicate scent.

Her lips were so soft and luscious, yet at the same time eerily lifeless. She pressed in her own lips with even greater force, as if trying to coax the life back into her... but it would not come.

Please... just kiss me back, Rainbow...

The pegasus' mouth remained limp within her own.

No... please...

She continued to kiss her in a respectful sort of manner, never passing any boundaries, and never making any progress either. Her tears flowed down her cheeks and onto her mare's, hindered by absolutely nothing. A small wetness formed on the heated ground because of it, just underneath their joined muzzles.

From a short distance away, the clone that had been ravaged by her leader began to approach the distraught unicorn. She could see her heart was dying from simply holding her mare, and despite her better judgement, blatantly ignored the safety of her own life.

"What are you doing?!" her leader hesitantly cried.

She responded without even looking back at her, feeling the full weight of her leader's glare at the back of her head.

"I'm helping," she calmly replied.

Twilight heard the hoofsteps this time and began to fear for her life, trying to bide what little time she had left to hold Rainbow. She reluctantly released her lips, and gazed upon her features again, caressing the sides of her face with her calm hooves.

At least I got this close. At least I got to kiss her.

But... why couldn't she just kiss me back?

This isn't fair...

"Twilight Sparkle," she heard above her.

Twilight was nearly blinded by the intense light behind her foe as she slowly turned her head to face the beige unicorn through glossy, teary eyes. She was pitiful, distraught, and still utterly defeated. Her heart had shattered more than once that night, as had the rest of her bruised frame been beaten.

Her former clone had never felt such pity for a being and quickly tried to come up with a way to alleviate some of her pain. She did not know if Rainbow Dash could still be saved, but she knew there was a way to help.

"There's something I'm sure you've been wanting back for some time now," she whispered.

Just please... help Rainbow.

Twilight found it difficult to make out her facial features, but being this close, she undeniably recognized those eyes. That voice was familiar too, and she swore that she had not heard it since her childhood. It was mature enough, probably so when she was younger as well.

The light emanating from the massive pillar of energy bled through the mare's scarlet hair as well, weaving a piercing, yet alluring persona.

Wait... I know her from somewhere...

Suddenly, she lowered her head toward Twilight, enticing a frightened grimace from the defeated unicorn. Nervously, she inched her entire body closer to Rainbow, praying that somehow the injured pegasus would miraculously come back to life and save her... but she did not.

"Hold still, Twilight Sparkle."

Her jaw dropped again, not wanting to find out what her enemy was about to do to her. Her memories of her were vague and fleeting, and she still could not tell if she was hostile. The mare opened her mouth as well and lightly cupped a hoof around Twilight's cheek. She almost looked as though she was going for a kiss, one that Twilight would not be able to prevent.

But she stopped.

Her mouth was held only a mere inch from Twilight's, and she wasn't quite sure how to react. The lavendar unicorn was sweating harshly, waiting in anticipation for something. Her body would not obey her commands; she was helpless to her enemy's influence.

"You need this more than I do," the mare spoke lowly as a faint trail of violet magic escaped past her lips, "I'm sorry this has taken so long."

She exhaled slowly in Twilight's direction, letting her breath reach Twilight's mouth. A spectral wisp of energy danced between their lips as it exited her muzzle. She nearly seemed to be sighing in relief, as if an immense burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Twilight coughed lightly in response, feeling the wisp of magic enter her throat and lungs; the sensation wasn't painful, though not terribly pleasurable either.

Twilight swallowed once as the last few wisps of magic entered her mouth, as the familiar mare stood taller than before, silently acknowledging her, as if saying 'you're welcome'. She held a hoof to her own throat, wincing at some slowly receding pain.

"Now, tell Miss Dash," she nearly choked on those words, "Tell her how you feel... with your own voice."

Twilight could've said much at that moment. The last three days had been a veritable hell, a worse nightmare than she could ever conjure while sleeping. She had the ever present and looming fear that she would never speak again, but it was only when Rainbow had been injured that she stopped caring. There was no point in speaking anyway, since she only truly cared now if she could communicate with Rainbow. But, at this moment, when Rainbow could not look her in the eye, her voice suddenly came to mind once again.

It had been her one chance at salvation, gratefully returned to her by the unicorn whom she thought was her enemy.

Through never-ending tears, she mustered courage.

She overcame doubts.

She had to speak.

"Thank you."

They were the first words she spoke, and they were directed at this mare...

but then she turned.

She placed an unsteady hoof beneath her, shaking frantically and unevenly. She felt as though one of her bones might break, yet she pressed more weight on it. She grunted in agony as she leaned herself over Rainbow, tapping into her deep well of love.

The clone's leader, still silently watching, began to cry as well. A small lump of agony and painful remembrance formed at the back of her throat.

THUMP!!

Another cannon shot rang out, yet Twilight's shaky foreleg somehow held its place. With her free hoof, she turned Rainbow onto her back and collapsed lazily upon her, resting her chest lightly upon her mare's. She attempted to be as careful as possible, but she was much too tired to avoid the clumsy mishap.

She ran her other hoof, now free, calmly through the length of her shaggy, multi-colored mane.

"Oh... Rainbow..." she whimpered, "You've carried me so far, and what do I have to show for it? I've lost you. I've lost everything..."

Her tears continued to fall upon Rainbow's blue coat as she caressed her ravishing face.

"I wanted us to live together. I wanted us to be together forever, even though I don't deserve you. I want so badly to save you, Rainbow... 'sniff'... but I just can't. I can't save anypony... from anything. I'm so useless without you... why?... Why?... WHHHYYYY?!"

She buried her face in Rainbow's chest to quiet her screams, hoping that perhaps they could jump-start her heart instead. She could not be consoled, for she had lost her true everything... everything that was important to her. Her friends were gone. Her brother was gone. Celestia was gone. Everypony in Equestria was probably gone as well to her, or at least they would be if her heart somehow survived this pounding it was taking.

Her voice was almost completely muffled by Rainbow's soft coat.

"I... just can't do it..." she mumbled, "I can't live without you, Rainbow... I can't go on... I could never go on without you... I just love you too much. There, I said it. I love you so much, Rainbow. I've seen just how amazing you truly are. I've seen you sacrifice so much for me. How could I NOT love you?!"

"Please!" cried her former impostor, "Please stop, Twilight Sparkle!"

The red-eyed unicorn placed a hoof over her chest in agony. Her soul was being crushed by the sight.

"NOO!!" Twilight screamed into her friend's chest; she had been blinded by her passion, "I have to tell her how much I love her! Even if she can't hear me!! I'll never stop saying it!! I love you, Rainbow!! Come back to me!! Be with me!! Stay with me!! Live with me!! All of this would have been for nothing if you don't get up!! NOW!!!"

Twilight's voice, after being silenced for nearly three days, reached its zenith; its boiling point. Her voice carried far above every sound in the immense chasm, including the dull hum of the monstrous pillar of energy, slowly drilling its way into the mountain and killing it.

"LILYYYY!!!" she screeched in agony, "Lily!!! Please help me save Rainbow!!!! HELP ME!!!"

That was the final straw.

The mare who had been her enemy from the start collapsed as her heart at last gave out.

The mention of that single name shredded her soul into tiny, insignificant fragments.

THUMP! THUMP!!

This time, two torrential bursts of magic tore an even larger scar into the earth.

Her two clones standing close by her side managed to assist her at the last instant, preventing her from colliding with the rough, heated floor. Her flaming aura all but disappeared into sheer nothingness as her jaw hung low in utter disbelief, blood still pooling beneath her.

"Leader," one of her clones acknowledged, "Can you stand?!"

"How?" she mumbled to herself, completely ignoring her, "How... does she know... of her?"

It took her a few seconds to regain her composure, but the damage had clearly been done.

Her tears welled and flowed as Twilight's did, as well as her other clone who resembled her old self. They both knew it at that moment, and it was something so palpable and unavoidable.

Twilight Sparkle had somehow won.

She stood up and approached, and somehow, she did so upon confident feet. Her spirit had been broken. Every pain within her face and neck, all the blood flowing down her cheeks, all the weakness in her body... had now all been for nothing. She did not notice any of it. After walking only a few yards, she found herself above Twilight and the pegasus, staring down upon them through pity and defeat, heavy in her own eyes. The lavender unicorn chanced a teary glance up at her and gasped at her horrifying features. With a quick wave of her hoof and a little assistance from her magic, she removed the bandages that plagued one half of her face.

Twilight held a startled hoof over her mouth when she saw the scars, terrible burns that horribly disfigured an entire hemisphere of her head. Her mane had been let down slightly to her help cover it up, but the strands could only hide so much. She would've looked terribly menacing to anypony, save for her rampant tears and blood, mixing and coalescing over her muzzle and cheeks.

She had clearly been through torture of the highest magnitude, physically and emotionally.

"Twilight Sparkle... One of my greatest students," she spoke just above a whisper; her voice was weak, yet refined.

There was a moment of silence; the unicorn still reeled in her own pain, and could not quite fathom the words she just uttered. She searched her memory, yet could only find faint fragments with which to piece a clear picture together. She tried remembering her eyes, for their deep scarlet coloring was unique among most ponies, but she had never been good at memorizing faces. And her professors, of whom she had few and little time with, she could barely remember any of them either.

Quite frankly, she was embarrassed that she did not come to the conclusion immediately... yet she did finally.

"Y-you..." Twilight muttered through her sobbing, "Y-you were my... W-why would you...?"

"You don't even remember me, do you?" she asked quietly, "I suppose I can't rightly blame you, Miss Sparkle. I never was meant to be a professor. I always knew I was meant for greater--"

"KILLING RAINBOW IS GREATER?!!!!"

She screamed as loudly as her tired lungs would allow, nearly deafening her foe.

"Miss Sparkle, she is not gone... yet," the scarred unicorn carefully cocked her head toward the immense pillar of light, "But there is still time. I'll handle this, just as I handle everything else."

Twilight watched her raise an unsteady hoof, enveloping it within her own red fire. Her horn flared to life as well and she began extracting a pure white aura from the beam. Her clones showed extreme hesitance at this seemingly simple act, terribly afraid of the ramifications, for they would be great.

"B-but leader!!" one clone cried out.

"No pony can stop me from this!" she retorted, "I will deal with the consequences of my actions personally!! Just let me do this!"

Twilight let the unicorn closer into Rainbow's personal space, even allowing her to place a gentle hoof on her mare's chest. The light she extracted from the beam traced a line through her one outstretched hoof, into her shoulders, through her chest, and down through her opposite hoof, directly into Rainbow's heart. She couldn't quite tell what her former teacher was doing at this point, but she seemed to be genuine in offering her help.

"Why are you helping me?" asked Twilight, "All you've done is hurt us so far, so why are you helping us?"

"Because Twilight," she gave her a bloody and teary glance, "I know love when I see it."

Rainbow's back left hoof twitched slightly, but she had commanded Twilight's full attention now.

"You destroyed Ponyville... you took my voice..." the weaker unicorn whispered.

"I have done far worse things than that, I'm afraid to say."

"But... why?"

"For a plethora of reasons, I must admit. However, I suppose my greatest would be not being heard by anypony. I screamed my heart out before the committee, Celestia's committee as it were, and still they chose not to listen to me."

"Is that why... you destroyed Canterlot then?"

"Partially... but I started with Ponyville first because I wanted her to know I was coming; coming for revenge of the highest order."

"That's not it though," Twilight interjected, "That's not why you're helping me now. I can see it."

The bloody mare chuckled under her breath, still feeding her spell into Rainbow's body. Twilight gave notice to her friend's life returning, though she had difficulty giving her attention to both mares simultaneously.

"You always were quick to catch on, Miss Sparkle."

Yet another tear fell from her cheek to the hot stone below.

"You're right about that," she admitted, "I'm helping you for my own reasons now. I've seen your pain, and you could never understand how much you remind me of myself. I've seen my love fall away right before my eyes, and how I wished that someone would hear my screams of agony. Yet, my cries always fell on deaf ears..."

"I... don't know what to say," Twilight muttered.

"You don't have to say anything," she responded, "I have already said everything for you. Everypony in Equestria knows of my pain now, and I suppose of yours."

"THEY ALL THINK I'M CRAZY BECAUSE OF YOU!!!" screamed Twilight.

She chuckled again, for she had another secret. Her voice was growing weaker, and she was finding it more and more difficult to stifle a cough here and there.

"Don't be so sure..." she choked on those words, "Celestia knows you are innocent, and honestly, that's all that really seems to matter in this country. Everypony only truly cares for what she thinks."

"T-that..." Twilight paused, "That's not always true."

The mare continued to be impressed by her own handiwork, feeling life slowly return to the pegasus. Her crimes would cost her dearly.

"Believe me, Miss Sparkle. It is true. I was handed the keys to a never-ending lifetime of opulence and power, and then I was stripped of it. I pleaded with Celestia for years, but... they were wasted years, now I see. I never even spoke to her again, until I requested my marriage to be held in Canterlot."

"You were going to get married?" asked Twilight as she tried to stifle more sniffling, "To whom? What was his name?"

"Heheh," she let out a small laugh in irony, then began to let her tears flow again. A colossal ocean of repressed feelings flooded her heart as she tried to find the words. She winced in agony, painfully remembering the face she loved, coughing while trying to spit out the name.

"The name you cried out for, just moments ago... 'sniff'," she sobbed heavily, "Where did you hear that name, Twilight?"

The weak unicorn was flabbergasted that she had brought it up, for she never thought it would be relevant to her.

She answered hesitantly.

"D-do...

you mean...

Lily?"

"YES!!" the mare suddenly shouted, "Where did you hear it, Twilight?!"

"She... told me herself," she whispered in reply.

"But... she never met you before, Miss Sparkle. She told me herself as well..." her eyes were clenched shut tightly, yet her tears kept coming. "She was so beautiful, Twilight. So beautiful in fact, she could make the princesses envious. Perhaps they were jealous!"

"I... don't understand," Twilight nervously stated.

"Don't you see?" the mare continued to choke, "She was so perfect, and yet imperfect at the same time. It took her four years to be able to speak to me, and yet I stayed!! I stayed by her even though she was mute!! I stayed by her despite the looks we received!! The cowards could never understand what we shared!! She loved me, and I loved her. So much so, that I was willing to bring Equestria to the brink of ruin to prove my love!! And then she died!!! She died!! SHE DIED!!!"

THUMP!! THUMP!! THUMP!!!!!

Her screams echoed even above the shouts of the earth itself. The chasm was not flooded by the noise of her blasts, but of the torrential bellows created by her vocal chords. She coughed up even more blood and fell defeated, still lightly giving Rainbow Dash what little she could. Her face released any tension, her features relaxed, her body let loose any stress, her limbs nearly fell limp, and her eyes fluttered in complete disarray.

"For you see, Twilight Sparkle..." she whispered,

"My agony knows no limit..." she continued,

"My love for her cannot be quelled...

Not for her...

Her beauty captured my soul...

And that... is why I made Lily my bride...

She was so beautiful."

Twilight had difficulty searching for an appropriate response, instinctively clutching Rainbow even tighter.

"I-I... wish I could've seen it..."

"By my power," the mare whispered, and paused, "You can, Twilight."

Author's Note

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

I have some people I'd like to thank. Because honestly, if they weren't here, then this chapter might not have been either.

Kitasatina Mestina
Foals Errand
Lelouch Vi Britania
Senyu
Timelord358
LightningBass94
Tidal
EddWar
Hawkeye364
SHL
deli73
Timaeus
Undercover Brony

Thanks for the support guys!! :twilightsmile:

And thank you, Raven, for dealing with my constant nagging. Sorry. :facehoof:

WARNING: I am releasing my tie-in Chrysalis Story along with this chapter and it DOES contain spoilers. If you don't want anything ruined, then I suggest you finish reading this chapter FIRST.

Chryssi story: SPOILERS

For My Cries Will Carry

Author's Note

Please read:

I really hope this chapter will teach everyone to be better people towards one another, because I really think it can. This chapter came from the heart and I genuinely cried a few times while I wrote it.

Some readers might not think it's powerful stuff, but I do.

Thanks again, Raven. :pinkiesmile:

Now grab some tissues... :applecry:

For My Cries Will Carry

A silvery light flooded the mare's eyes as she gazed upon Twilight, rendering the unicorn speechless. It was the last thing she remembered before her consciousness was consumed by the blackness. She felt her body go limp for a moment as the process began, but the feeling in her legs soon returned. The world around her simply vanished in the blink of an eye.

The pain that had plagued her began to empty away.

Her vision was swallowed up.

She was now lost in a pitch black void, waiting for somepony to come find her. Her hooves now planted themselves firmly on an invisible, rough surface somewhere among the atramentous emptiness.

"Hello?!" she called out; her voice echoed for a while before she received a response.

"Hello, Twilight," said the mare behind her.

She quickly turned in response, yet her adversary seemed much more complacent in this dark realm. The blood that had plagued her face was now gone, yet her burns remained.

"W-where are we?" Twilight muttered, "And where's Rainbow?"

"She'll be joining us shortly, I think. However, you said you wanted to see, and for the pain I have caused you... I suppose that is the least I can do."

"But how--?"

"We don't have much time."

Before Twilight could even finish her question, a small house, probably only suitable to be home to a small family, began to silently sprout out of the blackness to her right and quickly caught her attention. There was barely any sound at all in the void; even her hoofsteps as she started to walk up to the home seemed to be deadened of all noise. She was followed closely by the mare, who was carefully noting Twilight's curiosity all the while. The home, a single building in a sea of blackness, was quaint by modern Equestrian standards. It was but a simple one-story, stone-foundation house, with a straw roof hanging off on all sides.

"I-is this...?" Twilight was still lost in thought.

"This is a memory of mine," the mare divulged, "It's simple, but it's all I have to offer."

They both found a window off to one side and peered within, to what Twilight guessed was the main living room, although there was hardly room for anything else in this minuscule home. A cream-colored filly with curly, red hair held a book out in front of her using a dull red magic. She was curled up by a modest fireplace to keep warm, but there didn't appear to be any adults around. Twilight noted just how much concentration it takes to read a book while simultaneously levitating it. It was simple for any adult unicorn, but for a filly, it would prove arduously challenging at such a young age.

She seemed happy enough; her scarlet eyes flickered in the firelight, carefully, yet quickly skimming the book. Twilight nearly gasped when she read the title upon the book's spine.

"Tier 51 Advanced Magic?!" she blurted, "B-but how?!"

The mare at her side stifled a giggle at her outburst, glad to have so deeply impressed her. She eyed her past self intently, as did Twilight.

"I was a spry, young filly, Miss Sparkle," she started, "I had few friends, for I never found them of much concern. My mother and father were always out, leaving me home by myself most of the time, alone with only that book. It was the only one my father ever kept around from his days at Celestia's school, and as such, it was my only reading material. I picked it up quickly enough, but I honestly didn't find most of the spells within its pages very challenging. It seems it was a skill I inherited from my parents, for they were both undeniably talented and powerful unicorns."

"I think I understand," said Twilight, "But... how come you lived here? Surely, you could've lived in Canterlot."

"We did, but it wasn't until after my mother found a job offer working as a librarian that we finally moved there. Honestly, it seems as though my family will always be plagued by setbacks."

As she finished speaking, the house before them began to break away, piece by piece, and fade like wisps of smoke into the blackness. The particles of what was left over dissipated into nothing as another building started to sprout from the blackened ground. It seemed to grow upward like a flower reaching for the sun, nearly two stories tall, when it suddenly stopped.

The mare nodded for Twilight to follow her, heading for the main entrance to the house. The experience did not seem to affect the unicorn, as she began to calmly accept what was going on around her.

"What do you mean by setbacks?" she asked.

Wordlessly, the mare continued up the house and creaked open the front door. It was similar to her old home, rather small in size, yet much more decorated. There was another fireplace currently in use, several sofas set around its perimeter composed of varying colors, and the same little filly, curled up upon one cushion and crying to herself while still clutching the same book within her hooves.

"My father... loved to travel, Twilight. He was always trying to better himself through challenge and hardship, and through his way, he had garnered a vast knowledge of magic and Equestria. But... he always wanted more. He wanted more for me and my mother, and he always used to call me his little princess, telling me about how one day I could stand out above everypony if I worked hard enough and truly became one. I began to believe it too, once my powers and abilities started to grow and improve."

She walked over to her younger self, who paid no attention to her presence. Being but a memory, they could not interact. Carefully, she placed a delicate hoof on the crying filly's head and lightly stroked her mane.

"Why...?" the filly whimpered to herself, "It's not fair..."

Twilight stood off to the side and simply observed the scene, feeling terribly sorry for the girl.

"My father left us to go on an expedition of some sort, saying he'd be back within a week, but my mother spared me the details... and he never returned."

The filly clutched the book even tighter.

"I-I'm... so sorry," Twilight sorrowfully admitted.

"Don't be," the mare responded, "After what I've put you through, Twilight... you don't have to be sorry for anything."

With a slight wave of her horn, the filly, the house, the furniture, and the fire all began to dissolve into the air as tiny particles into a much larger mist. She felt the filly's mane in her hoof fall away like the smallest of beads through her grasp, coalescing with the spectral wisps of the other objects. The floor beneath them gave out as well, until they once again stood upon only blackness.

"It was difficult for me and my mother after that. I spent most of my nights memorizing every spell within the book, while she would come home and cook and clean, things of that sort. I remained adamant about studying, and occasionally my mother would bring home books from the library, though they were much simpler than my first. I suppose I should've thanked my father for exposing to me to the more 'complex' uses of magic, especially when I was so young. I still loved and appreciated my mother, though. She worked so hard for me, Twilight, and I wanted nothing more than to make them proud and show that I could truly be a princess."

Twilight took a second to process the new information and then looked around, as if waiting for something new to appear out of the ground. Almost on cue, castle walls constructed of heavy stone began to surge from the blackness skyward. In the sanctity of her mind, she was able to create worlds like a goddess might, easily forming the interior of Canterlot's massive main foyer. Immense stained-glass windows protruded from the walls, the marble floor pushed up underneath their hooves as she willed it so, and a luminous chandelier descended from the ceiling until it came to its final resting place. The unicorn had never seen the interior so barren.

"W-what happened after that?" Twilight timidly asked.

Again wordlessly, the mare pointed to one corner of the grand hall and signaled for her to follow. Twilight complied, staying close behind her as she walked. They came to the main staircase and turned, allowing them to see two ghostly specters running toward each other, though the figures were completely silent. One was tall and whitish, whom Twilight immediately recognized as Princess Celestia, while the other was much smaller; she was the filly from earlier.

They stopped when they at last reached other and gave each other a loving embrace. Twilight's lips quivered while holding back her emotions, as she also knew the feeling of Celestia's hug all too well.

"I gained favor with Celestia early in my life, Twilight," she never looked away from the unfolding scene, "My mother recommended me to her, and she allowed me to take her entrance exam to enter the school. Needless to say, it was pathetically simple for me. In fact, I might have impressed her too much."

Twilight had never seen Celestia so happy to be holding a filly, at least not since she held herself. She was envious, but there was obviously a catch in the mare's words.

"It looks like she loved you," said Twilight.

"Perhaps at one point," she admitted with a sigh, "But nevertheless, I faced hardship."

The two mares faded away into unrecognizable fog, yet the landscape did not change. On the opposite side of the foyer, a similar, teenage looking filly appeared, more mature than before, and found the spectral figure of Celestia once again. The young, red-eyed pony tried to hug her, but the princess was hesitant now.

"She began to doubt me, for I had frequent outbursts in class. The professors were imbeciles most of the time, and I did not agree with a majority of their teaching methods. Celestia told me that she could not teach me to my full potential unless I was willing to listen to the others first, but I loved our lessons together so much that I implored her to let me skip those trials. Yet, she always refused. My powers were growing too quickly, if I am to be honest, and I needed somepony to help me. I felt like my grip on reality was slipping away because of it, and that was why I needed Celestia to listen... but she just wouldn't, Twilight."

"I-I... don't know what to say..." she responded.

The mare continued to play out the scene, letting the ghosts of years past fade into nothingness once again, only to be replaced by a yet more mature version of herself and an ageless Celestia.

"By the time I had reached a certain age, the princess no longer looked at me like a pupil. She treated me like a common coworker, just like another cog in a machine."

Her past self walked calmly through the hall with her head down. There were no guards, for she did not feel as though conjuring them was necessary, even though Celestia was present. The princess strode down the opulent staircase, thinking over her royal duties. As she approached the bottom, she neatly and nonchalantly passed the familiar mare who was holding a stack of books within her fiery red aura, barely giving her any notice. The former version of herself let a small tear curtail at her eyelid and down her cheek as she watched Celestia go on as if she didn't exist.

When the princess was out of sight, her ghost dropped the stack of books into a loose heap upon the floor and began to cry more deeply. Then, she began to fade away, once again, into nothing.

"I don't want to sound rude," Twilight spoke up, "But perhaps she was just too preoccupied to give you the proper attention you deserved?"

"I am many things, Twilight," she said, "But foolish... isn't one of them. She purposefully ignored me."

Then, the oddest of things started to happen. A light snow began to drizzle down from the ceiling, passing through as though it wasn't truly there. The soft flakes were not cold to the touch, though they were powdery. They began to accumulate on the castle floor as the colossal walls around them started to disintegrate into mere atoms which calmly floated off into the black void. The windows were blown out, the marble floor was completely consumed by whiteness, and the ceiling lifted away as well to reveal a bright, yet cloudy sky.

Twilight knew this place.

These were the school grounds, deep in the heart of winter. She looked back to see if the mare was still behind her, but she had vanished.

"Hey," Twilight called, "W-where did you go?"

Then suddenly, she heard a faint whimpering off in the distance. She noticed the immensity of the school, but it was coming from elsewhere... from behind her. She turned to see a small patch of woods on the outskirts of the city, though the surrounding area was quiet, save for the wailing. Without giving it another thought, she galloped off for the sound, heading for the white-blanketed evergreens.

She passed the initial tree line, and the cries were gaining in volume, though she had little idea of where to go. Her breath left a vapor trail behind her as she ran, weaving in and out of the dense, dead thicket. She began to slow when a splotch of red in her peripheral vision caught her attention.

The trees surrounding the weeping mare were tall and looming, as she gathered by a frozen pond. Her scarlet locks obscured the sides of her face, reassuring Twilight of who this truly was. Watching from a safe distance, she was spooked when the girl suddenly peered up in her direction, her face covered with more tears.

"Who are you?!" the mare cried, "Just leave me alone!!"

Twilight was aghast, and slightly nervous as well. "I-I'm sorry!" she blurted, "I didn't mean to intrude, I swear!"

It was only after a split second that Twilight realized she wasn't talking to her, but somepony else entirely. Another familiar mare, about her age, suddenly appeared at her side and began walking toward the distraught unicorn by the pond. Twilight recognized those elegant, magenta tresses. She remembered that brilliant, opal-colored coat. She thought as well that she would recognize her voice, but she never spoke once.

This was undoubtedly a younger version of Lily walking up to her.

"Just go away!" the mare shouted antagonistically, "Leave me alone!"

Lily ignored her pleas and continued until she was by her side, though the mare remained distant. In a most subtle act, the quiet unicorn wrapped one foreleg around her cold frame and embraced her in a warm hug, to which she easily relented. Though still sobbing, the mare reciprocated and continued to weep into her shoulder.

"It's not fair..." she moaned.

Lily quietly hushed her and pulled her in close, gracefully letting her grief run its course.

Twilight's ear flicked to the side when she heard snow crumpling; it was the sound of a hoofstep.

"She's beautiful," said the familiar voice, "Isn't she, Twilight? My Lily just doesn't compare to anyone else."

"That's how I feel about Rainbow, sometimes," Twilight noted, "Even more so in the last couple of days."

"Having somepony to hold you in your darkest moment... is just something everyone should have."

The younger unicorn looked over to see tears welling up in her eyes, watching her past self cry as well. She was paying especially close attention to Lily.

"I had just told my mother..." her voice barely crept above a whisper, "... that Celestia was no longer interested in having me as her protégé. She told me that day she was looking for somepony else; somepony 'less volatile,' is what she told me. So, I came out here by my favorite pond when I needed to think, or cry, whichever came first. I had never felt so defeated or lost in my entire life... and yet Lily, despite her handicap, had come to me and showed me such compassion. It was the first time we ever truly met outside of school, for most of the time she sat quietly in the corner of the classroom. I never knew what she was trying to say to me, for she could not speak at all, not until a few years later, anyway."

"I spoke to Rainbow," said Twilight, "Even when I couldn't use my voice."

"Hmph..." she cocked an eyebrow at her, "Consider yourself fortunate, Miss Sparkle, for mute ponies are only able to communicate with one pony in their entire lives. They latch on to the one they love most and can only communicate if their significant other loves them equally as much."

"W-wait," Twilight stammered at the sudden realization, "T-that means..."

"Correct," the mare halted her, "Miss Dash does indeed love you, Twilight."

The unicorn felt like a train had just impacted into her side, causing her to nearly fall over. Instinctively, she collapsed to her hocks and knees and practically buried her head in the imaginary snow. It wasn't cold on her nose, but the light flakes acted as a sort of blanket for her. She pressed her forelegs over her head, covering her eyes and holding back tears, whimpering all the while to herself.

The older mare approached her side, standing over her greatly concerned.

"Why?" Twilight moaned into the snow, "Why does Rainbow love me? She has no reason to love me! I only bring her pain and misery, and she sacrifices so much for me! I have nothing to offer her, yet she offers me everything! She gives me everything! I don't deserve to be loved by her!"

It took a few minutes, but eventually her sobbing ceased and was replaced by softer sighs. The mare placed a firm hoof on her shoulder, coaxing her to lift herself from the packed snow, to which she gradually complied. She picked herself up and wiped away some tears, still sniffling occasionally.

"You know, Miss Sparkle," the mare said, "There's a funny thing about love that I learned from Lily."

"And... 'sniff'... what's that?" Twilight quietly whispered.

"You don't have to deserve it. Sometimes, it is just freely given by those who are better than us."

That statement...

It broke the unicorn's heart with its infallible truth.

Twilight was completely silenced by the profoundness of it, unable to even respond to her.

"And sometimes," she continued on, "All they want in return... is to know that they are loved as well. That's it."

The mare quietly turned back to the sight of her past self, who was still softly weeping and being gently held in Lily's embrace.

"In that moment, Twilight, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I no longer cared about being a princess when she held me. I no longer felt the pain of missing my father or disappointing any of my peers. I only cared for being with her, even when my world was crumbling around me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Even when I thought everyone would disapprove... I didn't mind it, not one single bit. She was all that mattered to me, and so I made it a habit of telling her that very thing every single day."

Twilight finally mustered the courage to speak through her tears, though her voice was shaky.

"I can't imagine having to go through that pain," she softly muttered, "But maybe... I could have if I had somepony like Rainbow by my side."

The mare simply nodded in agreement. "There are few things in life you cannot overcome when you have someone like that to go through it all with you."

When she had finished speaking the words, a soft breeze blew by the two and wafted through the trees. When it finally reached the pond, her past self and Lily faded away, breaking into small flakes of snow and wafting away in the wind. The tall evergreen trees began to follow suit, falling into the white powder, branch by branch. The ground began to shift slightly, though the snow remained, and suddenly they both found themselves along a barren path that had been carved out through the deep snow, leading directly to Canterlot. The sky remained mostly overcast, save for a few blue patches.

"Your memories are becoming more vivid," Twilight noted succinctly.

"They are more recent," she added, "And I remembered things more clearly once I reached adulthood. Now, if you'd please follow me."

The lavender unicorn obeyed and followed along the trail, close by her side. She had only seen Canterlot covered in snow this torrential but a few times before, as it was extremely rare for the pegasi to bring the weather up to this altitude. Usually, this kind of accumulation meant it was near or around a holiday.

"Tell me," said Twilight as they walked, "Where, or I suppose I should ask when, are we now?"

The mare in front continued to trudge on, heading for some destination only she knew.

"This was nearly four years after Celestia denied me her tutelage; Hearth's Warming Eve, as I recall."

"So, where are we going exactly? Your home?" Twilight asked.

"You catch on quickly, Miss Sparkle. You always did."

Twilight wasn't quite sure what she meant by that, but decided that she might figure it out for herself soon enough. When they reached the walls of the city, she took note of just how barren the streets were; they remained completely lifeless, yet covered in powdery snow. The stone roads were cleared, and the street lanterns remained on as well with a fiery, magical glow.

"Where is everypony?" she asked this time.

"I didn't recall, for I was not there to remember it. I stayed indoors for this day... with Lily, no less."

They had come to a street corner when she made an abrupt right turn and stopped, peering up at the corner building. It was just like the home from one of the first memories she had shown Twilight, and just like before, she went up to the front door and opened it. When they stepped inside, Twilight saw that all the furniture had been rearranged to sit closer toward the fireplace, and quietly sitting upon it were two perfect recreations of Lily and her mare. They approached to get a better view of the happy pair enjoying each other's company.

Twilight eyed a small, colorfully wrapped package set beside Lily which held a purple, frilly bow on the top. Using her magic, she gently handed it over to her mare. A tag dangled down, from which Twilight could clearly read the name... 'Lady'.

"Lady..." Twilight muttered under her breath; she knew that name from somewhere.

"You may call me that, if you'd like," said the mare beside her.

Twilight pushed the thought away briefly and continued to watch the memory play out. Lady, in pure joy, had carefully unwrapped the present with her own magic, leaving a now plain, rectangular box sitting in her lap. She removed the lid with a steady hoof and pulled out a luxurious-looking, plaid scarf, woven from fine fabrics incorporating a majority of the colors found in a rainbow. Immediately, she fell in love with it, and began slowly wrapping it around her neck and shoulders.

"I-it's... so beautiful, Lily. I-I love it so much," said her past self, "Did you make it yourself?"

Lily gave a warm smile and nodded, more than happy to see just how much she actually liked it.

"My gift to her was not as grand," she noted, "Though I still slaved over it, Twilight."

The younger Lady took a smaller, similarly wrapped package at her side and handed it smoothly to her mare. Lily wasted little time in opening hers as well.

"I made yours too," said Lady, "I hope you'll like it."

Lily nodded while listening to her, but when she finally took the lid off of her small box, she simply gawked in utter disbelief. The first golden chains poured out of one side of the box, then Lily released her hold on the package, leaving only a dazzling, silvery pendant. Like a miniature sun, the locket Lady had crafted flickered in the firelight, picking up all of its gold and silver accents, its diamond encrusted opening, and most of all... its large, high-carat centerpiece. The diamond inlaid directly over its center was truly magnificent, and comparatively massive by the standards of most fine jewelers.

"You said you made that necklace?!" Twilight blurted.

"I am extremely powerful, Miss Sparkle," she responded, "Don't ever question that. Surely you know how diamonds are formed... I made that piece as well, and I assure you I didn't simply just 'find' it."

Still in shock, Lily placed the golden chains over her horn and back underneath her lovely, magenta mane. She had difficulty taking her eyes off of it.

"Um... I'm sorry if it's a bit much," said the younger Lady, "But I really wanted to make something special for you, Lily. We've been friends for a long time now, and only just recently began having a relationship... and I just wanted to let you know how much you mean to me."

Lily looked as though she were about to cry, for that was all she ever truly wanted from being with her mare. Their eyes calmly locked with each other and they each leaned forward slightly, when suddenly, Lady lightly gasped in disbelief. She clutched a delicate hoof over her heart, trying desperately to comprehend something that had just happened.

"It was the first time I ever heard her voice, Twilight. It was clear in my head, plain as day. She sounded so lovely and delicate to me, and at the time, I'll admit I thought I was going crazy... though I didn't really care. It was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard, and I think I ever will hear."

"I-I..." her past self whimpered, "I love you too, Lily. I love you... so very much."

Without so much as another word, Lily and Lady both scooted toward each other and embraced, softly locking lips and breathing light sighs of comfort and relief.

It was at this moment that Twilight noticed a quiet, dripping sound, like that of a droplet falling into a small puddle. She looked down at the floor, and indeed saw a small pool of water forming at Lady's hooves. When she peered back up at her, the mare's face was completely overrun by rivers of tears.

"That kiss..." she choked out, "That first kiss after you profess your love for one another... is so vastly different from any other kiss, it's as if your entire relationship has been given new life after a moment such as that. Your feelings change for the better. You become more sure of yourself. You just... let go and are free."

Then, all at once, the scene began to fade into ghost-like projections again, falling quietly away into nothingness, particle by tiny particle. Her tears fell away with the floor, the fire was extinguished, the furniture vanished, the mares disappeared, and the walls began to change. The wood surfaces around them grew taller and wider as the black floor was replaced by a more opulent, marble one. Desks took shape, a chalkboard formed where the fireplace used to be, and a massive, clear window opened upon the opposite wall.

"You two... were so beautiful together," whispered Twilight; she barely took notice of the changes.

"Maybe I was at one time," said Lady, running a soft hoof over her burns, "But not anymore. However, Lily will always be beautiful to me."

She suddenly stepped forward as the desks started to become occupied by ghostly figures, nearly lost memories of small fillies and colts. Twilight could tell they were all unicorns, though some of their faces were nearly blank or nonexistent. Most of the students looked to be writing something using magic and a quill on a piece of paper... all save for one. He was a young colt sitting at the back of the room, furthest away from the board. His features were much more well defined and vivid, and Twilight immediately recognized his bluish mane and bright, white coat.

"Shining Armor," she muttered.

Lady came and stood by his desk, watching the colt stare out the window, lost in a heroic daydream of some kind.

"Your brother didn't very much like to study, Twilight. In fact, he spent a majority of class time barely doing anything. He was intelligent, no doubt, but he lacked the discipline you had. I think it was only because of his natural talents and hardheadedness that he didn't fail, somehow. Though, I must say, becoming Captain of the Royal Guard is no small feat."

Twilight scratched a spot behind her head in slight embarrassment. "Yeah, that's my brother for you. I just... hope he's okay."

"I'm quite certain he will be," Lady assured, "He's more stouthearted than most stallions I've seen."

The blue-maned colt began to atomize into the air, drifting off into a cloud of particles which started to reform into a different, more feminine shape. The pieces started to come together in the very same seat in which he had sat, turning a light lavender color. Bit by bit, a small filly took his place, and she had her nose deep in a book. She seemed so very happy and full of optimism to be in the class.

"It's... me," said Twilight.

Lady held back a small giggle before speaking. "Yes, you were always very studious, Miss Sparkle. You reminded me so much of myself... which is probably why I felt jealous of you, sometimes."

"Why would you be jealous of me?" she asked.

"Because... I saw the way Celestia loved you... the way she used to love me."

Twilight looked up from her past self and peered into Lady's blood-red eyes.

"I... had no idea," Twilight pleaded, "I barely even remembered any of this because I was so young. I didn't know I was just the 'next in line' to have Celestia as my personal tutor."

"It's not as simple as that, Twilight. Celestia picked us out of the herd for our raw talent... but she saw something different in you. She saw something that I was oblivious to for the longest time; it was something that made you future princess material."

"And what's that?" Twilight inquired.

"Humility... Miss Sparkle," she at last divulged, "You are much more humble with your fellow ponies than I ever was, or ever would be. Celestia knew this, loved you for it, and put all of her faith in you. Rainbow Dash might have helped you come this far, even through all the challenges I put you through, but I see now that her trust was not misplaced. Perhaps... that is something Rainbow loves about you too."

Crack!

She was suddenly cut off by a loud tapping noise at the front of the classroom and was clearly annoyed when she turned around to see her former self standing by her old desk. She held a ruler in her usual, red aura, and her scarlet mane was braided in an odd fashion down past one shoulder, possibly to appear more professional looking for her new role. She doggedly eyed the students, waiting for their full attention.

"I can't believe I used to have my mane styled like that," she admitted in embarrassment; Twilight let out a tiny giggle to herself in agreement.

The professor was briefly distracted when there a came a light rapping at the door. Obviously flustered, the mare turned from her students and quietly opened the wooden door to reveal Lily, standing there as always with a warm smile. It looked as though she had simply come to visit, yet she handed over a filled paper bag to her mare. She promptly took the bag and set it beside her chair, when Twilight suddenly noticed the scarf Lily had gave her was curled over the backrest.

Lady's past self heavily blushed when her mare reached in for a goodbye kiss, yet she played it off smoothly and with dignity. They gave each other a quick peck on the lips, then Lily simply turned and walked off down the hall. Lady eyed the lunch her mare had just brought, and closed the door behind her. The students had gone back to their assigned tasks while she was preoccupied, so she let them be.

"You probably could not tell right there," she said to Twilight, "But Lily had just read off to me a full list of groceries to pick up after the day was over. We had become so comfortable with each other, that her muteness no longer played a role in our relationship. She could tell me anything at all, and no pony around us would ever know. One day, she went off on a tangent for hours to me, telling me how hard it was for her that no one could ever tell what she was thinking... not unless she wrote it down or something of the sort."

"How long had this been going on?" she asked.

"Probably a year or two, by this point. I'm not entirely sure, for Celestia had offered me the position not too long before. To be quite honest, I think it was her way of apologizing to me."

"Well, I'd say you were undoubtedly qualified for the position," Twilight noted.

"It's true," she agreed, "I started by teaching the younger classes, but in only about two years time, I was teaching my first tier fifty-one students. I was practically the greatest authority on the subject, besides Princess Celestia and Princess Luna that is."

"That's seems a little odd," said Twilight, "Celestia never mentioned it to me until much later."

Lady suddenly cocked an eyebrow at her. "Tell me, Miss Sparkle... just how do you think I obtained your voice so easily?"

The unicorn wasn't quite sure how to respond, and she was almost afraid of the answer.

"I'm not sure," she finally muttered.

"Hmm," Lady rubbed a thoughtful hoof under her feminine muzzle, "It seems to me then... that you never mastered tier fifty-one."

Twilight wanted to be offended by that statement and come up with some sort of snappy comeback. Yet, try as she might, she could not argue with what she had said, and it began to aggravate her.

Lady continued. "Please, I don't mean to sound rude, Twilight. We simply came from two very different worlds."

Twilight agreed more so with that last statement, though she still felt pity for her situation thus far. They were both gifted unicorns, but gifted in different ways. As she continued to ponder her meaning, the floor once again began to crumble away underneath them, as did the surrounding walls. A familiar darkness was returning to the space around them. The children's desks began to dissolve away and so too did Lady's. All the fillies and colts vanished into thinning, incorporeal wisps as well, leaving only the two mares standing idly in the void.

Lady looked away from Twilight, as if still thinking about something, when she calmly waved a hoof skyward. With her godlike power of creation, thick trees and thickets began to surge upward from the blackness, flooding the landscape around them with lush, green vegetation. It reminded Twilight of the forest she had been wandering through only the day before with Rainbow Dash, though the sun showed much brighter through the treetops here. She also heard the faint sound of trickling water off in the distance.

"W-what happened here?" the unicorn quietly asked her.

Lady did not answer immediately. Instead, she glanced at her for only a second while pointing off to a nearby hillside adorned with several low-hanging trees. Sitting across a wildflower-riddled meadow amongst the protruding roots of one, rather large tree, two familiar mares enjoyed each other's quiet company in the shade. Lady coaxed Twilight to follow, and she confidently obeyed, crossing the small grassland in long strides. As they approached, they could hear the former Lady speaking aloud, talking about their future plans together.

"What about here, Lily? Isn't this area just impeccable? It's so quiet, and we would never have to worry about being bothered by anyone. We could adopt a little filly, or a colt, and raise them here, just the two of us. What do you think of that?"

Lady suddenly stopped, watching her former self make eye contact with her love. Twilight acknowledged her movement and halted as well, as the mare pointed up at them.

"Look into her eyes, Twilight. What do you see?" she asked.

Twilight squinted to get a better view, but from this short distance it was painfully clear.

"They're... cloudy," she finally muttered.

Lady continued forward, though at a slower pace now.

"This was when her blindness was first beginning to become apparent. She told me how it was harder for her to see from time to time. She said with each passing day her field of vision grew a little dimmer, or smaller. I never really considered it an issue, though. I told her it wouldn't matter, because I would always be there, at her every beck and call. Although... that didn't seem to comfort her much."

The pair reached the top of the hillside, watching Lily silently converse with the mare's past self. She stifled a giggle at her response, and they finally nuzzled their heads against one another in a loving sort of way.

"You two seemed so happy though," Twilight pointed out.

"Well, we were happy, Twilight. In fact, I had never been happier in my entire life. It was difficult for me not to shower her in gifts, and quite honestly, she told me to stop that. Yet, I feared that as we aged, so too would her blindness. I began to wonder if she would fall into depression because of it, Miss Sparkle. As I said before, my family will always be plagued by setbacks... and Lily was a cursed creature."

Her former self pulled away slightly from Lily's soft presence and turned to her once again, but she seemed to be having difficulty coming up with some words that were on her mind. She peered down at the open roots, the grassy meadow, and then down at Lily's hoof... she knew this was the perfect opportunity.

"Listen, Lily... I've known you for many years... and I just wanted to tell you that they've been the best of my life. Ever since you came to find me, my doubts have long since vanished. I no longer care what I do with my life so as long as you are in it, which is why I have to ask you something."

Lily's face began to turn red as she looked at her; Lady took her full attention now.

"Lily, I know we have something special, and I'll always be your voice for you," she took Lily's delicate hoof within her own, "But, I can't go on any longer unless I know we'll always be together, which is why I have to ask...

...

Will you marry me, Lily?"

Twilight's heart nearly gave out.

At those words, and in that brief moment, she remembered what Lily had last said to her in their meeting. It was about Leya, her adopted daughter, whom Twilight had just barely met ... but she knew what the mare meant now.

I only wish my wife could've met her.

It all made sense now, the reason why Lily had tried so desperately to help her; it was because she watching her own wife slowly destroy Equestria, and she had to find some way to help.

The startled mare had tears welling up as she happily accepted Lady's offer, eagerly nodding her head all the while. They looked as though they were moving in for a hug, when they passionately locked lips again. Lady's former self was hiding a small grin somewhere in their deep kiss, lost in pure bliss, and they each began to caress their significant other's face with a soft hoof.

"It was the happiest I had ever been, Twilight, just to hear her say 'yes'. You would not believe how nervous I was, but I desperately did not want to make a fool of myself. I wanted to be confident for her, just so she would have confidence in herself as well. I wanted to prove that I could take care of her and give her everything that she ever wanted, even if all she really wanted was me. Since she was losing her eyesight, she had no use for precious gems or opulent clothing and living arrangements. She just needed me to speak for her when no one else could hear."

"And you did that for her?" Twilight asked.

"Of course I did... But they never listened!"

With flames of rage building in her bloody eyes, she stomped angrily over to the two mares before her. Twilight stayed close behind, not actually sure of her intentions.

Her former self softly broke their kiss. "How about Canterlot, Lily? Doesn't that sound like a wonderful place to get married?"

Lily clutched her tight and happily nodded again, then they returned to simply holding each other.

"Idiot!" she barked at her past self, despite her not being able to hear her shouts, "You imbecile!! Celestia would NEVER let you have a wedding in Canterlot!! She would NEVER care about your pleas!! No matter how much you scream!! No matter how much you shout!! Celestia would NEVER let you get married in her precious, little city!! Just go someplace else!! Forget about it, you idiot!! Idiot!!! IDIOT!!!"

She stomped the ground forcefully with every syllable she spoke, struggling in vain to let her know the agony she faced, the utter disappointment, the feeling of complete failure, yet her cries fell upon deaf ears.

Reaching her highest point of defeat, she collapsed, just as Twilight had not too long before. Her teeth were tightly clenched, but her will to shout was gone. So, with a swift wave of her hoof, the two mares before her were blown clear away, as though they were simply made of light smoke, gone to a forgotten realm. The rest of her conjured landscape remained intact, however, as did the surrounding forest area.

Twilight strode up to the distraught mare and placed a hesitant hoof on her shoulder, still not quite sure why she felt so sorry for her after everything she had done... though her sobbing made the unicorn pity her even more.

"I... don't know what happened to you, Lady," she quietly spoke, "But I can assure you, I know that feeling of helplessness. I've watched Rainbow struggle for me, I've watched her get hurt because of me, and I've even see her die... because of me."

"She's not dead..." the mare whispered in between sobs.

Twilight pulled away from her, afraid she had said something wrong or inappropriate, but Lady only wept for another minute or so. When she was done, she shakily stood and turned for another part of the forest. Not even signaling for Twilight to follow, she began to walk off deeper into the woods, uncaring if the unicorn stayed with her or not. Her next destination was surely close by.

"Wait a minute!" Twilight called, "Is this over?!"

Lady took a fleeting glance behind her.

"Hardly," she responded.

Not quite sure of her meaning, Twilight ran to catch up and came up beside her again at a slow walking pace. Her scowling, red eyes seemed intently focused on something as she eyed another nearby hill.

"Please," Twilight said, "Can you tell me how Rainbow is doing?"

"She's still here somewhere; I can feel her presence," she cocked an eyebrow, "I'm sorry I have not been able to bring her back yet, but I am doing my best, and my best almost never fails."

"I'm... very relieved," the unicorn admitted.

"I can't blame you for being worried about her. I'd apologize again, but I fear I would be getting redundant... not that matters anyway. Soon, I will pay for my crimes."

"W-what do you mean?" Twilight muttered.

"You'll see soon enough," she wanted to change the subject, "Tell me, Twilight, what do you know of Queen Chrysalis?"

Just that name alone brought back painful memories for her.

"The changeling queen?" she asked, quite startled, "Well, for starters, she kidnapped my sister-in-law and turned my family and friends against me, then she nearly destroyed Canterlot and took over Equestria."

"Hmm," Lady pondered, "It seems I've beaten her, then, in that aspect... though I wish I could I could take it back. I think you'd be quite surprised at how much she has changed since then. She actually... tried to stop me, Twilight."

The unicorn suddenly gasped at this.

"What?!" she yelped, "B-but... why?"

"I think it will all make sense in just a few moments, but I need you to see something first," Lady added.

Twilight remained hesitant about following her, yet continued anyway. She could not have left now even if she wanted to, for it seemed as though Lady's memories would have to finish playing out before she could return to reality. This time away from her body was much needed also, as she was allowed temporary reprieve from her previous physical pain.

They crested the tree-covered hill, allowing them a full view of a vast lake. Twilight thought it looked eerily familiar, but the sight of a tall, dark figure standing at the water's edge caught her eye. The being was colored a deep gray, nearly black, and her legs and horn were riddled with large holes. Yet, what was even more peculiar, is that she was standing with the two mares Twilight had seen not but a few minutes ago.

"It's her," she quietly noted, not trying to sound panicked, "Why was Chrysalis here with you?"

"I know you could never show me forgiveness, Twilight, so I won't try and bother asking for it. However, Lily and I were desperate to be wedded, and it might come as a great surprise to you that she was willing to officiate our marriage. Since we couldn't have ours in Canterlot, I suppose it was preordained that we met here where Lily thought it sounded the best."

They slowly descended the hill and began to approach the trio, and the day was clear and vivid in her memories as if it was actually happening right before them.

"Sounded the best?" Twilight skeptically asked.

"Lily's blindness was getting worse and worse with each passing day, and so too did she grow sick. I suppose it first started when I had trouble hearing what she was saying to me one night. Through our eye-contact, I could only hear so much now. Her words came in short bursts to me... and occasionally I would ask her to repeat herself. I could tell by the way she cried sometimes that it was breaking her heart, me not being able to hear her. Though I tried and tried again to piece together what she said, I was afraid it was becoming too difficult for me, to the point where I even lied to Chrysalis during our wedding."

They came to a point just a few yards away from the scene, along a sandy embankment, and they could now hear what Chrysalis was saying to the two of them. Twilight noticed that Lily's eyes were a much paler shade of burgundy than before, almost completely whited out.

"Please, Lily," said the queen in a regal fashion, "Profess and affirm your vows."

Lady watched her past self intently reading her mare's eyes, looking for the silent words that no one else could hear.

"She knew that Lily was mute," she explained, "I let her know that much beforehand, and yet she still agreed to wed us of her own free will. I never imposed it upon her, nor did I ever have any intention of forcing it. I simply asked the queen when she found me crying, and that was that. I have to admit, I knew Lily was just as hesitant as I was about letting her marry us, but we didn't really have much of a choice. She was getting weaker all the time... and I knew we didn't have much time left."

Her former self closed her eyes and began to cry when it was clear Lily had finished speaking, causing Chrysalis to ask her next question.

"Did she return your vows?" the queen inquired.

"Every last one..." Lady whispered, "And more."

Twilight turned to the mare beside her, who seemed to be letting her tears flow as well.

"What did Lily say to you to make you cry like that?" she lightly asked.

"That's the thing, Miss Sparkle..." she paused to swallow the lump of sadness in her throat.

"I didn't hear her say anything. I only heard...

... silence."

Chrysalis picked up where she left off and asked each mare if they accepted the other's vows, which they fully did. Lily looked especially happy when Lady said her 'I do', and in response to the queen's same question she gave her a grateful, yet silent nod.

"Then, by my power as Queen, I see no valid reason why you two should not be joined in eternal matrimony. You have each consented together in wedlock, made vows, pledges, and promises to each other, and now take your other's hoof in marriage. May no pony ever put this union asunder.

I now pronounce you both... as wives to one another.

Please, you may kiss each other now."

Twilight and Lady watched the now happily married couple share a deep, passionate kiss, which Chrysalis seemed to take great satisfaction in watching as well.

"You lied... for Lily's sake," Twilight noted, "You didn't even hear her vows, but you accepted them."

"Gah!" Lady grunted in anger, trying to force back her tears, "I, unlike most ponies, did not always need to be told how much I was loved. I knew Lily loved me by the way she had cared about me, from the first day we met until our last days together. I never once questioned it or doubted it. It was always the small things she did for me that let me know, and I would consider myself weak if I had to have her tell me everyday 'I love you'. Yet, I was afraid, myself. I was always terrified that I was never doing a good enough job of showing my love, so I forced myself to tell her everyday how much I loved her! Do you have any idea what it's like, Twilight, to watch the only pony you've ever loved slowly die in your hooves, and there's NOTHING you can do about it?! It was all my fault!! MY FAULT!!"

"Lady!!" Twilight cried out in an attempt to calm her down.

Not having any of it, the distraught mare angrily waved a hoof at Chrysalis, causing the memory of her to instantly vanish into thin air.

The kissing mares along the embankment seemed to be lost in their own world, in their divine kiss... when suddenly, Lily pulled away. She looked deeply saddened by something and calmly sat down by water's edge. Lady's past self seemed horrified and quickly came to her side, but then Lily started coughing too.

"It just wasn't fair, Twilight," Lady began to move in closer, "She was always healthy before all of this happened, before her eyes changed...

before I couldn't hear her anymore."

Twilight stayed close, watching Lily begin to struggle just to breathe while Lady gently embraced her in a hug. Her inhalations only became more labored; fear plagued her feminine features. She knew the end was near.

"Lady..." Twilight whispered to herself.

The pair came to stand right over the unfolding scene, both of them gazing upon Lily's silvery eyes. She was crying, and desperately trying to communicate something to Lady, but it was obvious nothing was getting across to her. Lily began to relax and slump into her forelegs like a baby might, and they each began to delicately caress the other's face.

"Lily," the past Lady muttered to her, "Can you r-repeat that... I-I... couldn't quite hear it."

Lily only winced sharply in pain and coughed again, not wanting to accept the fact that her love would never know what she truly said. Her tears began to flow freely.

"It had only been five days, Twilight," Lady started to cry even heavier, "The fastest five days of my life... and they were gone in an instant. We weren't even married for a full week before she finally fell away from me, and there was nothing I could do. Before we had met each other, Twilight, she could speak in her writing... but then I could hear her, and as such, I spoke for her. I was her voice. I screamed for Celestia to let us be married in Canterlot, yet she denied us. I failed her that day, and then I failed her again when I could no longer hear what she was saying. Even worse though, is that she could no longer write or safely use magic without the use of her sight, so I had become her last hope of having a normal life... and even that was taken from her as well.

It was breaking her heart, Twilight!

Her entire world was slipping out of her hooves, and she could only watch helplessly as it shattered into a million pieces!!

I WAS HER VOICE!! AND I FAILED!!

SHE DIED BECAUSE OF MEEE!!!"

As Lady said the final words, the beautiful mare laying within the hooves of her former self pulled on her and weakly reached up, begging her for one last kiss.

With both mares deep in their sadness, their lips calmly met, and they held it for an extended period as Twilight and Lady watched.

The unicorn clutched her tightly when she felt Lily's lips begin to weaken upon her own. She whimpered lightly as her beautiful wife began to pull away from her; her eyes were serenely shut, calm, and still. Lady cradled her and let her face glisten immaculately in the sunlight, but the world around her had stopped. Lily had long since ceased to continue breathing, about halfway through their final kiss.

"Lily...?" the mare whispered weakly, "Lily?!"

She shook her gently... yet her wife's features remained placid and peaceful.

"L-lily..." she whimpered, "No... please come back. Please come back... please... just please... please! Please! PLEASE!!!"

It was no use.

Lily had just as quietly died in her hooves as she had lived.

"She had gone without so much as one cry for help, Twilight," said the mare beside her, "She had not pleaded, nor begged, nor in any way ever asked to be remembered in some way. All she wanted was for one, single pony to hear her... and that was me. I failed her.

I failed her! And it was just so damned hard for me to accept it!!"

Her past self had lost all facial expression, as if her soul had just silently snapped in two. The memory of Lily began to fade away from her grasp, beautifully transforming one piece at a time into lovely orange flowers which floated away on some unnoticeable breeze. Twilight recognized the flowers as fire lilies and watched them calmly float over the surface the lake before phasing out of existence, once again taking part of the artificial realm Lady had created.

The mare now sat alone, staring emptily across the water's expanse.

"Lady, it wasn't your fault though," Twilight finally said, "It was out of your control!"

"How can you say that?!" Lady scoffed, "It was my fault she died, Twilight!"

Suddenly, as if her past self had just heard what she said, she stood up from the embankment with anger in her deep, red eyes and turned back to the forest. Swiftly taking off at a full gallop, the two witnessing mares bolted off as well.

"Wait!" Twilight yelled, "Where is she - or where are you going?!"

"I was furious, Twilight!" she shouted in reply.

They followed the mare through the dense thicket, as it became much harsher and heavier the longer they ran. They bobbed and weaved, narrowly avoiding new branches that seemed to appear spontaneously from nothing. Lady's past self was running away from it all. She only wanted to leave her life behind and never turn back. She wanted to forget everything that had ever happened to her. After they had chased and chased, the mare finally came to a dark clearing. Twilight had noticed the trees above them gave even more shade than before, keeping this low part of the forest dim and shadowy, almost as though it were night.

"Damn it!!" the red-eyed unicorn shouted, forcefully stomping her hooves into the mossy ground, "IT'S NOT FAIR!!!"

Her horn began to glow with her signature red aura, and Twilight feared it for some reason. She suddenly noticed Lady pull up beside her, quietly observing her former self with extreme intent. The mare brought a delicate hoof to the one, horribly burnt half of her face, reminiscing about the day they were witnessing.

The mare's power started to grow.

"I buried her amongst a quiet hillside, Twilight," she said to the frightened unicorn, "I covered her grave with every flower I could manage to find within a mile. I left no permanent markings and ran for my life, for nearly a full day. I felt as though I had nothing left to live for and that my mind was slipping away from me. Whenever my emotions grew too strong, so too did my power, and I was afraid I was going to destroy something. So, I went as deep into the forest as I could, trying to find the quietest place, just as Lily might have done, only so I could let it all out."

"LILYYY!!!" her past self screamed; the earth around her hooves began to smolder.

"But it wasn't your fault!" Twilight retorted.

"LILYYYYY!!!" her scream carried for miles.

"Don't lecture me, Miss Sparkle! When I lost my wife, all I wanted was to scream, and burn, and destroy... and let loose everything I had! It had to get out of me!"

"LILYYYYYY!!!!!"

An intense, red blaze started to churn at the base of her ankles and slowly work its way up her legs. Her face contorted in agony as her mind began to lose control, feeding the flame that was gradually consuming her body. Her horn became infinitely lustrous and bright, nearly blinding Twilight and her future self, though they continued to watch, despite this, from a distance. The earth buckled underneath her and began to collapse away, bit by bit, yet her immense power seemed to be reversing the effects of gravity itself, keeping her levitating and completely unhindered. Twilight simply gawked at the godlike display of might to which she bore witness, for she knew she might never achieve a state quite this advanced in her entire life.

"It was my fault she died, Twilight, and my heart could not bear it any longer."

The flames finally consumed the mare's face, singeing her flesh...

And then her power finally discharged with an impossibly loud clap of thunder, rocking the landscape with a massive detonation of her raw fury... and might.

It consumed Twilight's vision and she frantically covered her eyes... but she felt nothing. She never felt the heat, nor wind, nor the utterly torrential force behind the blast. In fact, everything became eerily still and quiet, save for the sound of her own nervous breathing.

She fell onto her back haunches and plunged her head further into her hooves, wiping away her tears that were now forming. There was a new fear seeping into her mind as she continued sobbing, and she wanted desperately to hide from it.

The sound of hoofsteps behind her snapped her out of her daze.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Twilight, but it's over now."

The unicorn slowly pulled away her hooves and began the arduous task of taking in the overwhelming sight before her.

Acres upon acres of forest... all flattened and burnt. Smoke billowed up into the sky in immense columns, shrouding the earth in nigh blackness. Only ashes remained, littering the wasteland around her with its ghost-like presence. Twilight had a hard time seeing though the air, for it almost seemed to be saturated with latent, red energy leftover from the aftermath.

"My power is too great for any unicorn to bear," she said to the distraught unicorn, "And I had to pay for my curse... with this."

As she finished speaking, she showed Twilight the burns across her face once again.

Then, just as quickly as the blast had come and gone, so too did the world around them. Piece by broken piece, every bit of ash, dirt, smoldered tree limb, root, rock, twig, and particle of smoke... all faded away into the blackness of her mind's void. Once the last atom of the memory phased out of sight, Twilight attempted to stand upon the invisible, black surface.

"Lady," the unicorn whispered, "I talked with Lily myself. She saved me from one of your clones, and I don't think she would ever blame you for anything."

"That's preposterous," she scoffed, "Even after everything that I've done..."

"But that's just it," Twilight interrupted, "Lady, you said that Lily died because of you, but from what you've shown me with your memories...

I would say...

That she lived... because of you."

The mare clutched her heart and lightly gasped at what she just uttered.

"Oh... Twilight," she whimpered, "Y-you're... so very right about that. I feel as though... everything I've been telling myself has just been a lie."

"I think it has been too," Twilight agreed, "But, I think I've learned something from you today. I've learned what love truly means to me. I've learned what my family and friends mean to me. I've learned what Rainbow truly means to me."

The mare before her simply turned away, gazing out into the void; her voice was soft and delicate.

"I know Miss Dash has suffered for you, Twilight, and I'm sorry for that as well. But, it seems as though I've made you both go through the same pain that Lily and I felt, and for that I will never be able to forgive myself... I was so intent on revenge when I found Chrysalis again that I forced her to aid me and show me how to use her abilities. She actually did try to stop me, but I think she still wanted revenge of her own in some way. Her abilities, combined with mine, allowed me to easily steal your magic and persona all the same, yet I see now that it was all a waste."

"Was it because you were jealous of me?" Twilight calmly asked.

"As horrible and unjust as a reason it was, Twilight... yes, that was why. But, I will still pay what I owe, and I have much to pay for."

Twilight saw the forlorn look in her eyes and saw her soul was genuine. The snippets of her life that she had seen only told a tiny fraction of her full story, and that much was obvious to her. She calmly approached the mare and placed a delicate hoof on her shoulder, causing Lady to avert her gaze back to her own.

"Lady," she spoke quietly, "This is one of the hardest things I've ever had to say to somepony... but I forgive you."

Another tear began to form at the corner of one of the mare's eyes. "But I am so... undeserving of forgiveness, Twilight."

"Well, you told me you learned from Lily that you don't always need to deserve love, and I believe in something similar to that. Because, as much as you might find it hard to believe, you don't always have to deserve forgiveness either...

Sometimes, it's just freely given by those who are better than us."

She gasped once more.

"Twilight Sparkle..." she weakly muttered in response, hanging onto every word, "I see now... I see why Celestia kept you. I know now why she loves you so. I now see why everypony loves you... and I also see now how you are more powerful than I could ever hope to be. You always shall be better than me, maybe not in strength alone, but in the way you carry yourself around your fellow ponies and show them compassion in ways I never did. I see that you are wiser than me also, which is quite impressive considering your youthful age. Just your utter benevolence makes me realize that...

... you would make a perfect princess."

"Lady..." Twilight whispered, "I never really cared about being a princess. I just care for the ones I love."

"It's funny you say that," the mare noted, "For I, too, stopped caring about being a princess the day my wife first found me, and held me, and... loved me."

Lady elegantly pulled away from Twilight, getting wrapped up in her own thoughts again.

"I-I... have a gift for you, Twilight," she said.

"It wouldn't happen to be my magic, would it?" the unicorn pleadingly asked.

"That will come soon, Twilight. But I think you want this more."

Lady stepped off into the blackness a small ways, and her horn suddenly flared to life. Deep in concentration, she lifted a hoof over the void and began to conjure something. The tiniest of red wisps sprouted from nothingness and grew.

Her flame twisted and undulated, taking a shape that was familiar to both of them. Four legs of equal length extended from its thin frame, a fiery tail formed at its rear, and at the neck a delicate, feminine head and muzzle began to take shape. Lady seemed to be harshly exerting herself, although she had pushed herself much harder than this before.

Once she was satisfied with her creation, she ceased her flow of magic, and the flames suddenly dissipated to reveal the frame of a tired pegasus whom Twilight knew all too well.

"R-rainbow," she muttered, "B-but... how?"

Lady backed away slightly, allowing Twilight to come and sit by her mare's side. She was breathing now, though unconscious, yet seemed to be slowly coming to.

"I can only spare you a few minutes," Lady said, "But then you two must make your escape, or else you will die."

"What?" Twilight asked with concern, "What do you mean?"

"My spell, Twilight... it is linked with me to the earth beneath us and has become unstable. If I do not act accordingly soon, then I fear the mountain and Equestria will be ripped in two, potentially killing many. I can assure you, though, that I will not allow this. I will correct my mistakes. There is time enough to undo what I have done."

"That's ridiculous!!" the unicorn retorted; her voice seemed to stir Rainbow Dash from her daze.

"It might be too difficult to explain, Twilight. Celestia tried to warn me, but for obvious reasons, I ignored her. Albeit, I knew what I was doing, but before, I had not been emotionally compromised. This is something that is key to the success of this particular spell, and now, because of my folly, I must fix this issue soon or else we will all die."

She backed away even further from Twilight and quietly nodded to her, as Rainbow's eyes began to lightly flutter open.

"I will give you a few moments to be alone," Lady's hooves started to dissolve into the blackness as she spoke, "Please don't waste them, Twilight. You'll never realize how precious every second together truly is... until they are all used up."

"Wait!!" Twilight cried.

It was useless, however, as Lady's entire body fell through the black floor, leaving only Rainbow at her side in the endless void. Realizing that they were now alone, she attempted to delicately scoop up the pegasus in a soft embrace. Rainbow seemed to respond to this and finally opened her eyes.

"Woah..." she whispered with a smile, "Hey, Twilight, you look like you're all better."

The unicorn stifled a giggle. "I don't know if that's what I'd call it... but I'm sure glad you're here with me now."

"W-where are we anyway?" she asked, taking a long peek around the vast emptiness.

"Lady... was showing me her memories."

"Who's Lady?" she asked again, "And how did you get your voice back too?"

"It's kind of a long story... but Lady has been the one doing all of this, Rainbow. She's the one who attacked Ponyville, and she just gave me back my voice not too long ago. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you seem so calm about being in this place with me. Don't you think it's dark here?"

"Well that's just it, though," she replied with another confident smirk, "It's... not so dark with you here."

Twilight's mouth suddenly fell open.

She was simply dumbstruck by that statement; it reminded her of Lily's blindness for some reason, and she instinctively pulled Rainbow into her, feeling the soft fur of their bosoms mingle. She started to cry, and Rainbow thought briefly that she had said something wrong, when Twilight unexpectedly began stroking the full length of her multicolored mane, from her head down to her shoulders.

"Twilight, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Nothing's wrong..." whispered Twilight, "Just please... let me hold you, like the way you hold me. I thought I watched you die, Rainbow, right in front of me, and there was nothing I could do. You just stopped breathing, and I screamed for you in my head, but you couldn't hear me. No one could hear me. It was the most absolute, worst feeling I've ever experienced all my life... and all I wanted to do was hold you, and make you feel better, and just... stay with me."

"Well," Rainbow replied with a light chuckle, "I'm certainly not going anywhere now."

"I tried to kiss you too... Rainbow," she quietly admitted.

Her mare's face flushed red at the mention of her name, but she couldn't see it from the confines of their tight hug. Rainbow's eyes frantically glanced around the blackness of the void, trying to think of an intelligent response; however, she never hesitated in pulling the unicorn closer.

"I know, Twilight..." she nearly whimpered, "I felt it. I felt your lips on mine. It was the only thing that kept me from going over the edge, because I saw you fall too. I thought you were going to die. I thought we were both going to die."

"You felt me... kiss you?"

"Yes," she replied, "And I think it saved me."

Twilight continued to lightly stroke her mane, now somewhat relieved by what she just said.

"I-I... was so worried you'd hate me for it. I didn't know if you would approve. I didn't know if you'd ever speak to me again--"

"Twilight," Rainbow swiftly cut her off.

The pegasus lightly pulled away, but still clutched her tight. Their eyes met again, though this time Twilight only found soothing comfort in her mare's soft, magenta irises, and relaxed in her embrace. Rainbow still saw uncertainty in her features, so she forced her voice to remain calm and gave her another warm smile.

"I could never hate you, Twilight, and you'll never have to be sorry. We've both been through a lot lately, and I've enjoyed every minute that's been spent by your side. Sure, we've had some bad experiences, but do you honestly think that anypony else could have come this far besides us? What I guess I'm trying to say is... you had plenty of chances to give up, but you didn't. And here I thought I was the one with crazy determination, yet it always seemed like you kept up with me, even when your body couldn't... and I think that's the coolest thing ever."

"But, Rainbow... you've done so much more for me. I'm so s-sor--"

The pegasus cut her off this time by placing a gentle hoof over her mouth, but she quickly pulled it away. Her gaze steadily averted to Twilight's lips.

"Like I said before, you'll never have to be sorry...

...

because I love you, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's shuddered, and her tears grew heavier.

"Y-you... do?" the unicorn whispered.

Rainbow let out another light chuckle to try to lighten the mood. "But of course, isn't that obvious? I even used your full name, so you gotta' know I'm being really serious here."

This made Twilight laugh too. "I know you are; it's just that... I never knew if you felt the same way about me. I feel like I've gotten to see just what a wonderful mare you truly are, underneath that usual tough-pony persona that everyone knows so well. You're simply amazing, Rainbow, and I always want you to know that... because I love you too."

They said nothing for a few moments, letting the silence of the void encompass everything once again. It was all so calm and still, and yet they continued to gaze upon each without minding it too much.

A second or so was spent between them, taking glances at the other's lips, when they finally moved in and lightly brushed their soft noses against one another. They began to caress each other's cheeks with their delicate hooves while continuing their passionate nuzzling.

Then, in a most subtle fashion, Rainbow bit her lower lip and gradually turned her head to the right, leaning her upper body into Twilight's even more. The unicorn seemed to accept her advances by giving her a simple smile and began to tilt her head as well. The lips of the pegasus teased her own for a brief second as she whispered something barely audible to her.

"I... love you, Twilight," she said delicately.

"I love you too... Rainbow," the unicorn replied just as quietly.

They calmly closed their eyes, quietly anticipating the moment they had been so anxious for.

And then, their supple lips finally grazed over each other in one, full sweep, allowing slight hints of their mingling saliva to covertly enter their muzzles. They held this initial lip-lock for a few seconds, each of them filling their lungs once with the mellow scents of their significant other, before their jaws lightly contracted in a yet sweeter second kiss.

Twilight wanted to weep tears of joy now that Rainbow was finally kissing her back, for this was a far cry from the lifeless lips she had tasted earlier. In her state of elation, she wrapped up the pegasus even more tightly and kissed her slowly again, and again, and again. Rainbow happily accepted her every advance, and they each widened their firmly embraced maws, little by little. They each ran their hooves lightly over the other's face, around their shoulders, and down the lengths of their backs, as if only to make sure this was reality and not some kind of wonderful dream.

While the two embraced, they felt a slight breeze go by and the black surface beneath them take on a more natural feel. It turned into grass, and the sounds of a lively forest became apparent all around them. The warmth of the sun encompassed them as well; however, they were much too preoccupied with each other to notice the changes taking place.

With each slow, gradual kiss they relaxed further and further until at once they both let out a long sigh of content into the other's mouth, as if they had reached some perfect state of nirvana. The impossible weight of their burdens was lifted from their shoulders, and while still maintaining their heavy embrace, they fell over onto their sides amongst the tall, green grass. It took a small deal of effort for them to refrain from smiling the widest grins of their entire life, yet finally, they both simultaneously agreed to release their lips' hold.

As they opened their eyes, the first thing they immediately noticed was the bright sun, which forced them to lightly squint just to see each other. Despite this, the sunlight seemed to enhance their own natural beauties, and Twilight couldn't help but give Rainbow another light peck on the nose as she gazed into her magenta irises.

"W-where are we?" the pegasus asked lightheartedly, "How did we get here?"

Twilight took a swift look around them and recognized the vast, open meadow surrounded by woods, where Lady had earlier asked her wife for her hoof in marriage. The sight was as lush, vivid, and breathtaking as she had remembered it from before, though she kept this part to herself.

"This is one of Lady's memories..." Twilight quietly whispered, "I think... she wanted us to see it."

"It's so beautiful," Rainbow added, taking another quick look around.

Twilight suddenly thought of something in that moment to ask her, but she was somewhat afraid of Rainbow's response. Although, she supposed this would as good a time as any.

"Listen, Rainbow," she caught her mare's attention again, "I was just thinking... I don't want you to think this is happening too fast, and I know there are much bigger things we should be worrying about right now, but... if we make it out of this somehow, and things go back to normal, would you maybe consider... going on a small vacation with me? Just the two of us?"

Rainbow's trademark grin returned, and Twilight couldn't have been happier for it.

"Are you joking? How could I turn that down? Of course I'll go on a vacation with you! And I'll even-- Mmph!"

Hearing all she would need to, Twilight swiftly cut her off with another serene and blissful kiss. With that one question out of the way, they went back to their informal showing of love for one another, but under it all, the unicorn made a silent wish to herself that this relationship would never end in the same way as it did for Lady and Lily.

They continued to roll through the meadow, holding each other close, when Twilight felt a few blades of the tall grass fade away. She opened her eyes for only a second to see what was going on, and it oddly appeared as though the land was falling upward into the sky. Much like before, when Lady's memories faded away into nothing, the landscape dispersed into their basic pieces and then even smaller particles. But, it was different this time.

Rainbow quietly broke their kiss as she noticed the look of worry in Twilight's features, but she didn't have to wonder for long over what vexed her so much. The grass was rising from the meadow, trees were pulled from the ground skyward and instantly atomized, and the ground beneath them simply gave out. They once again found themselves on the invisible, black floor as the world around them was swallowed up by the blue sky. Even the sun itself seemed to be fading away.

"W-what's happening, Twilight?!" Rainbow asked frantically.

"T-this usually happened when she was done showing her memories, but this is very weird," she noted.

"Twilight! Miss Dash!!"

They heard a faint scream off in the distance, though it seemed to be getting louder. The landscape kept breaking away.

"Twilight!!! Miss Dash!!!!"

The last of the particles shot upward and simply vanished into the black. The blue sky was now gone, as was the entirety of the sun. The mares continued to hold each other, once again surrounded by only the empty void.

"It's Lady," Twilight divulged, "She's calling for us, Rainbow."

"TWILIGHT!!"

The scream came from directly over them.

"I'm not gonna' lie," said Rainbow as she clutched the unicorn, "But I'm kinda' scared, Twilight."

"MISS DASH!!!"

"I'm kind of scared too--"

CRACK!

She was cut off when they noticed the surface underneath them breaking like glass. Fear coursed through them when the small ridges only grew deeper.

CRACK!!

It all happened in a fleeting instant.

The glass pane finally shattered, and Twilight slipped out of Rainbow's embrace.

They both began to fall, and the pegasus reached out so save her, but it was useless. She once again saw utter dread and horror in her gaze and she tried her wings to see if they would budge, but they did not. There was no longer any feeling in either of their bodies.

"Twilight!! NO!!!" the pegasus cried.

"RAINBOWWW!!!"

They fell...

and fell...

and fell yet still.

They tried to reach for each other, but it was useless. Rainbow tried to hide the fear in her eyes when she suddenly saw a dull, red flame rapidly approaching from beneath them. Twilight twisted her body to catch a glimpse of the impending inferno. It continued to grow, second by second, until it engulfed nearly their entire line of sight. The sounds were growing louder... and louder.

"Twilight! Get up now! Miss Dash?!!

It was as if she was yelling directly into their heads, but they couldn't focus on her words with the immensity of the flames coming up at them. At the last moment, before they were consumed, Rainbow managed to touch a hoof to her mare, gained some leverage, and pulled her in tightly. Twilight's back pressed firmly into her sternum, and she pushed her nose into her purple mane, holding her like a frightened child might.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!!" the pegasus cried.

"I DON'T KNOW!!" Twilight screamed.

The first snakes of flames lick at their hides, though it only felt warm. They fell through the fire, and it wrapped around their bodies, engulfing all of their senses and rendering them useless. The redness turned white, undulating and twisting, growing brighter and brighter until it became as luminous as the sun.

Twilight suddenly felt Rainbow's presence leave her back...

... and she fell alone now.

"TWILIGHT! YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!!! THERE'S NO MORE TIME!!!"

Carry Through The Winds

Author's Note

Special thanks to my buddy and guest prereader Tidal for his valuable input.

Carry Through The Winds

THUMP! THUMP!

Twilight felt it immediately in her chest. The ground shook with such force, it pushed her over onto her side. Her cheek came into contact with the rocky surface; it was unbearably hot now. Her eyes shot open just in time to see a massive stone unhinge from the wall and begin to tilt toward the center of the room. The full interior of the immense cavern had grown terribly hot as well, and she briefly noticed the sweat running down her face. The situation was getting worse every second.

"Twilight!! Get up now!!"

She recognized that frantic voice as Lady's and swiftly turned her head. The burns on the frightened mare's face caught her attention first, but she soon remembered that she no longer had to be afraid of her. Lady quickly came to her side and tried to help her up. The world around them was simply falling apart.

Although, this time... it was real.

"You have to take Rainbow Dash and get out of here, Twilight!" she yelled over the destruction taking place, "We've run out of time!"

Twilight peered over and saw Rainbow just a few feet away, gradually waking up on her own. Her injuries no longer seemed to affect her; something for which Twilight was grateful, but it still looked as though she was having some trouble getting up. She suddenly heard the colossal stone from earlier collide with the earth somewhere behind her.

THUMP!

Lady ignored the destruction and finally helped the unicorn up, assisting her in hobbling over the small distance to Rainbow. It was in that split second that Twilight saw, out of the corner of her eye, her four clones gathered around the developing pit of fire at the center of the room, working frantically to contain the developing firestorm. The immensity of her pillar of energy slowly expanded and began to engulf the floor itself. Stone, hot air, and the lava itself from deep beneath them was being swallowed up by the spell, slowly being absorbed and disintegrated into its bright luminescence. The wider it expanded, the greater the temperature rose, and in turn, the more every pony began to sweat. The great atrium was slowly turning into a veritable hell, and the sense of urgency finally surged through both Twilight and Rainbow.

"What's going on?!" Rainbow yelled; the sounds around her were becoming nearly deafening.

"The spell is destabilizing!!" Lady cried, "You two must leave! NOW!!"

"Why is it falling apart?!" Twilight shouted.

Lady allowed the unicorn to take her place by Rainbow, and turned once again back to her fellow sisters. The three of them who still resembled Twilight's appearance were having their outer shells rapidly disintegrate into tiny shards. Their illusory spells had been completely used up and were now starting to fall away under their extreme stress.

"The spell is an extension of my soul!" she yelled in reply, "And now that it's falling apart, only I can stop it, Twilight!"

Stalactites high above began to loosen, lumber, and break away with every great heave of the mountainside. Columns of stone, hundreds of tons in sheer weight, fell and collided with the floor, coinciding each time with a slow roll of thunder and power. The heat continued to intensify and loosen yet more of the now tumultuous earth. Death was eminent if they stayed much longer.

Lady bolted over to her clones, whom remained petrified in their intense focus, and screamed as loudly as she could.

"GET TWILIGHT AND RAINBOW DASH OUT OF THIS PLACE!! PLEASE!! I'LL HANDLE THIS!!"

One of her clones pulled away her attention at her cry, as did another right after her, but they still maintained a firm, magical hold upon the chaotically growing spell that threatened to destroy all of them.

"What are you saying, leader?!" cried one clone, "We have to keep it open or else we'll all die!!!"

"She's right!!" said another, "If we pull away now, there will be no stopping it!!!

"Don't you see?!!" Lady retorted, "If you stay here... you'll die ANYWAY!!!"

A moment was spent between the clones pondering the validity of her words, but they were first and foremost given life in order to assist her... and that was what they sincerely planned on doing.

"PLEASE!!" she yelled again, "JUST GET TWILIGHT AND RAINBOW DASH AWAYYY!! I'LL HANDLE THIS!!!"

As she continued to plea, the earth beneath their hooves began to split into long, deep scars of fire and flowing, molten rock. The immense slabs on which they stood cracked away from the center of the vast room, causing their trembling legs to struggle just to maintain their balance. Pits of lava now riddled the earth in every direction they looked, and the air kept growing hotter.

Her horn flared to life, fueled by her insatiable anger, and she suddenly shot forth a blast of red fire which struck the column of light with blinding speed. Her clones screamed in pain as the overload of excess power surged back through her spell and into all of their collective horns. They were genuinely not expecting the harsh assault, and they were all flung backward, sailing through the air, and each of them barely missed falling into the expanding pits of flame. Lady knew they were in no danger, however; her calculations were completely flawless, and this was the only way to ensure they would not have to suffer any further.

Rainbow and Twilight simply gawked at her sudden display of aggression and proceeded to back away. Her clones weakly and slowly came back to their hooves, though they did not look aggravated in the least with their leader. Instead, each of them seemed to be genuinely concerned for her well being.

They began to back away from Lady and tried yet again to stop her; however, she would not have any of their convincing. With the mountain collapsing further and further every second, she knew they had to leave that instant.

"DON'T QUESTION ME!!!!" she screamed over the falling of the heavy stones.

THUMP!!

Another stone weighing several hundred tons impacted a short ways from all of them, promptly startling them.

With beads of sweat running down her head, the magic in her horn began to envelop the rest of her body as well. Her fire started at her neck this time, raising up her mane in some invisible breeze, and then it proceeded down past her shoulders and torso. As her magic reached the tips of her hooves, the ground beneath her started to melt away yet again. She was preparing to unleash something devastating.

Twilight and Rainbow, still weak from before, had to assist each other just to stand at this point. With the stone islands all around them being suddenly set adrift over hot pits of lava, panic was beginning to set in over both of them, and they instinctively pressed themselves closer together.

At the sound of another stone slab breaking away from the wall, the two ponies turned, and were shocked to see a small mountain lumbering toward them. They were only seconds away from being crushed, and Twilight quickly tried her magic, but for unknown reasons, she still could not conjure the magic for a spell. Rainbow knew her wings would not immediately work either, and she began to cry. With death falling over them, engulfing them in its approaching shadow, the two mares began to say silent prayers to each other in their heads as they waited for the inevitable.

"I-I... love you, Twilight," Rainbow said into her ear.

"I love you too... Rainbow," the unicorn nervously replied.

THOOOM!

In that brief instant before death, four collective red beams of magic lunged outward, high above them, and impacted forcefully into the side of the immense stone slab.

Its weight was sent off balance, making it sway and falter backwards towards the wall from which it unhinged. The combined weight and heat of their blasts of magic was more than enough to push it back against the wall with a monstrous thud and then shaking of the earth. Lady's clones bore a hole clean through the slab and smelted its rocky innards with the wall once more, leaving it once again motionless and harmless to any of them.

The display of godlike might left both of the mares speechless, unable to even comprehend that they were, in fact, still alive. It was only at the sound of a crackling teleportation spell that they snapped out of their daze. Two of Lady's clones now stood by them at the ready, sweat trailing down their foreheads as a sign of their obvious overexertion.

"Miss Sparkle!!" cried a clone at Twilight's side.

"Miss Dash!!" yelled another opposite to her.

They swiftly came to the mares' sides and saw the obvious distress in their features. The other two clones were promptly gathered close by, waiting at the ready.

"We're leaving now!!" shouted one again, "This is our only chance to get you two out of here!! Our leader will handle the spell's dismantling personally!!"

"WAIT!!" Twilight cried; she quickly spun to find Lady staring back at her.

Her body glowed red with excess power as she began to reach her critical mass. Hot magic seeped out of her eyes like teardrops and out of her mouth almost like drool. She held a firm magical grasp upon the spell as it continued to expand, engulf, and destroy the landscape around them. She seemed to be crying actual tears, as well.

"LADYYY!!!" Twilight reached out a desperate hoof for her former teacher, "LADY!!! Please tell me you're getting out of here!!!"

The mare engulfed in flames locked eyes fiercely with her, taking only a few steps away from the raging inferno of her spell-gone-awry. She was suffering in the highest order, nearly on the brink of collapsing, herself. Her face remained stained with blood, though it was slowly being boiled away by her growing fire.

"I'm sorry, Twilight!!" she yelled, "I can't go with you!! I must stay!!"

"NOOOO!!" the unicorn screamed helplessly in reply, "YOU CAN'T STAYYY!!!"

While the world crumbled around them, bit by bit, colossal stones continued to seize from the walls and ceiling, the heat continued to rise, the pits of lava swarming at their feet formed into small lakes, and everything was turning to sheer hellfire.

Lady was scared, herself, though she hid under a false guise of confidence. Engulfed in her own red, raging aura, she attempted to break away from the inferno and approach Twilight. It seemed as though her spell was sucking her in, tugging at her back legs. A trail of magic latched her firmly to the expanding pillar of light and fire, and like the heavy chains of a prison cell, she fought against them. She was fighting the increasing gravity of her own magical power... and she was losing.

A singular pit of lava separated her from the rest of the group, and she called out to the distressed unicorn being held back by her clones.

"I MUST STAY, TWILIGHT!! IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME!!!" she shouted.

"NOOO!!!" Twilight screamed once again, struggling to be heard over the calamity around them, "I CAN HELP YOU!!!"

The mare stood across from her with a steely gaze; she never flinched for a second. The skin and fur around her hooves began to atomize and burn away, yet this didn't seem to bother her in the slightest.

She knew she was going to die.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," her voice toned down, just low enough for the unicorn to hear, "But...

...

I must pay for the immense weight of my sins..."

It took both of her clones to restrain Twilight, for she fought valiantly. Although, it was fruitless.

"NO!! PLEASE!!" she yelled as loudly her tired lungs could manage.

"Do us all proud, unicorn!" Lady shouted in reply, "As much as I was jealous of you, Twilight... you were always one of my favorites!

Now...

BEGONE WITH YOU!!!"

The mare swiftly turned away from her former student and enemy and gazed with fierce intent upon the vortex of hot energy that was slowly pulling her in. She planted her hooves firmly upon the melted stone and began to silently cry to herself. The pain was unbearable, as no pony's body was ever meant to be subjugated to this much torture.

Twilight reached once again over the pit of fire, but was stopped suddenly by a familiar, blue foreleg wrapped around her shoulder. She abruptly turned to see Rainbow's magenta irises staring fearfully back into her own.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," said the pegasus, "But she's right! We need to leave right now, or else her sacrifice will be for nothing!!"

"But I can't... just--!"

"You can! And you will!!" her mare interrupted, "She's trying to right her wrongs for you! This is her apology, and we should accept it, on HER behalf!!"

Twilight swallowed a guilty lump in her throat, but she knew Rainbow was right. This was their only chance to leave this veritable hell alive, and she had to listen to her better half. The pegasus had not seen the pain that Twilight saw Lady suffer, but perhaps that was why she could still think so clearly.

Sadly accepting defeat, Twilight complied with her mare.

"Alright, let's go," she reluctantly agreed.

THOOOOOM!

The pair instinctively clutched onto each other to maintain their balance, but this tremor was particularly heavy. Twilight could hear Lady scream something behind her, yet Rainbow kept her focused and pulled her up fully to her feet. The quartet of Lady's clones had lost nearly all of their outer layer of purple fur leftover from their illusions, and they appeared to be showing signs of weakening. They gathered around Twilight and Rainbow, standing at the ready.

One of them approached, whom Twilight faintly recognized as the clone who had given her voice back to her, though it was difficult to tell them apart. She was struggling to stand, but her legs remained firm; their connection to their leader was obvious. Her alert, scarlet eyes belied her heavy fear, and her sisters could feel it too. They would not have much time to help them either.

"We have to go back the way we entered!" she finally announced.

"Then let's go, already!!" Rainbow shouted in reply.

Everything began to happen rather quickly after that, as the lead clone and another took their places beside Twilight and Rainbow, respectively. The clones placed a steady hoof on each of their shoulders, while the other two stood ready to clear a path.

"Can you use your wings?" asked the clone beside Rainbow.

The pegasus tried to budge them, but they would not give.

"They're thrashed!" she yelled frantically.

"No matter!" replied the clone, "We can teleport you out of this room, at least, just not in one jump! Our power is nearly used up, so we'll have to make our way out of here one step at a time!" she turned to her sister clone, "Are you ready?!"

"I think we're as ready as we'll ever be!!" her copy quickly responded.

Twilight felt the familiar heat of Lady's magic coursing through her body, and on through Rainbow's, as the two clones pointed their horns for a moving platform of stone not too far away. They would have to be fast, and their aim could not falter. With a swift surge of their remaining magical might, they blasted forth through the air, taking the pegasus and unicorn with them. In a split second, they covered only about one third of the distance to the stairwell, a pathetically small distance compared to what they could normally achieve.

When their hooves plopped down on the next unstable slab, it became clear they would have to act faster. Their energy was depleting faster than before.

"AGAIN!!" shouted the lead clone.

By another loud crackling of electricity, they stormed off quickly toward the next platform and their hooves struck the ground more forcefully this time, causing the rapidly melting earth below to rupture under the excess weight. The look of utter shock shared between the four told of their immense peril. They had only another fraction of a second to escape.

"IT'S NOT GONNA' HOLD!!!" Twilight shouted.

FLASH!!

They tore off for a final time just as the stone collapsed from underneath them, nearly crashing head-first into the atrium's immense stone wall. The quartet had reached the bottom of the staircase, one of the few areas that had not been engulfed by lava or fire, and the clones appeared to be physically spent. Rainbow and Twilight became aware of the slight smell of burning skin and suddenly realized it was coming from the clones as they released their weakened hold on them.

"Are you guys alright?!" Rainbow blurted; she exchanged a worried glance with Twilight.

They were clearly suffering, yet they remained determined to press further on. The two clones who had taken another path around the inferno suddenly teleported to their side with another great flash, though they were exhausted all the same. Twilight looked frantically between the lot of them, desperately hoping that they could recover, but it seemed as though they were all defeated.

"C'mon, you guys can make it!" Twilight pleaded, "I know all of you can!!"

Behind each clone trailed a long wisp of water vapor, following their every movement as it radiated from their bodies. It took Rainbow and Twilight only a moment to guess that the steam emanating from them was actually their own boiling sweat, and their frames were quickly thinning with each passing second.

"We... don't have much time, Twilight," said the lead clone.

"Don't talk like that!!" the unicorn retorted, "You can do this!!"

She had no intention of leaving without them, much to their chagrin. However, this was nowhere near a decent place to argue, so they bit their lips in anguish and continued up the staircase with her and the pegasus close by their sides. Rainbow Dash had never seen Twilight so determined or afraid for somepony that she was willing to go this far. She no longer held any regard for her own safety, even though she knew this struggle would prove fruitless, but perhaps that was just something else Rainbow admired about her. It reminded Rainbow so much of herself, and she knew that this truly was a pony she would follow to the ends of Equestria... and beyond.

They all huddled close together on the staircase, taking each step slowly, one at a time. They had not the courage, nor the willpower, to hurry up the long obstacle, for it surely could have given out at any moment from the heat alone. The stone was unstable, yet cool on its upper surfaces, possibly because of the greater elevation from the floor, itself.

Yet, the further they rose, the more Twilight could see Lady struggling to fight back the surging pillar of hellishly bright light. She was surrounded on all sides by the boiling, melted rock and still encased within her own growing, magical fire. From this distance, Twilight could not hear her cries of pain, as the collapsing mountain drowned out any such noise before it reached her. Though, she could very well imagine it.

"C'mon! Stay focused, Twilight!!" yelled Rainbow as she reached her hoof back to the distracted unicorn.

Twilight turned away from the melting landscape crumbling before her and gratefully accepted her mare's help.

"I'm sorry, let's keep going!" the unicorn responded.

"Grrrrrahh-- DAMN IT!" Lady cried to herself, "Why must everything be so damn difficult?!"

Her hooves continued to slide, she grit her teeth in anger, and her scarlet mane obscured her vision as it was pulled over her eyes. She could feel her grip on the floor slipping, but no amount of magic could save her at this point. The intense heat continued to singe her fur and the skin around her face, though she was able to chance a quick, fleeting glance at the ceiling, getting only a small glimpse of the blood-red moon she had created.

"How could I have been so foolish?!!" she hissed, "I accomplished nothing!! I never accomplished anything with my life-- NOTHING at all!!"

Her hoof suddenly slipped, and she only caught herself by the slimmest of chances. She panicked and frantically shot another fiery hoof into the stone beneath. While failure was something she was accustomed to, giving up was certainly not. She had to make her final stand and hold out for as long as possible.

"THEY MUST HURRY!!" she screamed.

The pain of having her flesh melt away was insufferable, but she simply accepted it as divine payment for her crimes. Her power had been steadily advancing and growing over the entire course of her life, and now it had all led to this. She knew in the back of her mind that neither Celestia nor Luna could have handled this spell on their lonesome, but then again, she had defeated them easily enough. She wanted to tell Celestia she was sorry, and perhaps the princess would've forgiven her, though with her death fast approaching, she feared she might never know.

"I'm... sorry, Celestia," her tears were pulled from her face into the vacuum as well, "I'm sorry for being a failure. I'm sorry for never living up to anypony's expectations. I'm sorry that I only cared about my own gains and not those of others. I'm sorry I've hurt Twilight Sparkle. I'm sorry I've destroyed homes, businesses, and livelihoods, and I'm sorry most of all...

... for Lily.

She must hate me more than anypony else for what I've done. I can't make ANYONE happy!!! WHY IS IT ALWAYS SO HARD?!!!"

THOOOOM!!

The pillar surged violently once again, exploding skyward by her ungodly influx of power. Her anger and sorrow continued to swell in her heart, her rage compiled and stacked, and her voice kept rising.

Her hooves began to falter as well.

"WHYYYY?!!!" she screamed again, "Why did I have to be so blind?!! Why was I cursed with this awesome power-- that it could only be used for destruction?!!"

Her back hooves slipped again, but she remained adamant. The fires of her unruly spell licked her cheeks, singeing her flesh even further.

"IT'S NOT FAIR, LILYYY!!!"

She slid toward the vacuum a few more feet and caught herself; her scarlet mane whipped around violently, as did her tail. The rushing wind sounded and felt like a passing freight train, mere inches from her face. It was all so loud and deafening.

"WHY COULDN'T THEY JUST RESPECT MEEE?!!! I WORKED SO HARD!! FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE!! JUST TO IMPRESS THEM!!!"

The column of blinding light began to suck in entire stone slabs, excess lava, stalactites, her magic, and tons upon tons of earth. It was all swallowed and shot upward at blazing speeds toward the moon, where everything was promptly disintegrated upon impact.

It was just as she had feared. It was eating up the mountain around them, no longer sustainable by her magic alone. Like an outward manifestation of her soul, everything was ripping apart, and she would have to force it all back down the only way she knew how.

With sheer might.

"I WON'T BE DEFEATED SO EASILY!!!" she roared into the inferno.

Manehattan's streets grew silent as the spell upon its citizens began to weaken.

"W-what's happening to us?!!" cried a clone of Twilight Sparkle; she was in obvious, terrible pain.

She desperately glanced around at her sisters for assistance, but it was clear they were all forced to endure the same torture she was going through. The deep, red glow of the moon still hung over them, blanketing everything as far as the eye could see. Their small group was surrounded by a multitude of ponies who called this city home, but they were only just coming to from their horrifying ordeal as Lady's spell finally released its hold.

Their skin and fur was beginning to fall away, breaking off into the slight breeze winding through the city's streets. They all knew in that moment that their leader was in great peril, fighting for her very life, and they had only a few seconds before they were likely attacked by the slowly reviving citizens, though there was little they could do.

They clustered together at an intersection, watching their own hooves gradually decay right before their eyes. The top layer of their bodies that had shielded them under the guise of Twilight was cracking away before anything else, and panic was beginning to overtake them. Their voices began to change as well.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!!" one of them screamed even louder.

Her shout suddenly snapped a few nearby ponies completely out of their trances. A few of the stallions and mares around them began to rub their eyes, then in turn shake their heads. They were obviously emotionally shaken from their ordeal, yet their resolves remained unbroken enough to where they could stand without assistance. The citizens were awaking to new screams now.

"She must be dying!" one clone yelped.

"BUT HOW?!! cried another.

It wasn't long before the group of five had a small crowd gathering to witness their destruction. The lavender coats they once donned had been completely seared off, leaving only their leader's natural cream coloring and straight, scarlet mane. They were completely disheveled in appearance, though they were more concerned with fighting off the pain than how they presented themselves. The clones had fallen into a life-and-death struggle, as if they were choking on the air itself.

"BACK AWAY FROM US!!!" one screamed at the gathering crowd, hoping to scare them away, "BACK AWAYYYY!!!"

It was of no use.

The ponies collecting around them held mixed emotions of terrible fear and piqued curiosity; there would be no dispelling their interest. A few of them would occasionally glance at the red moon, only to see if the beam of light reaching up for it was the culprit, though it was hard to tell. From miles and miles away, Canterlot's mountain appeared to be erupting as a full-on volcano, something that no pony had ever before seen in recorded history. Thick, rolling clouds hung in the distance, being created by the blown debris from the mountain's peak. A torrential clap of thunder coincided with every bright, lustrous surge of magic.

With the eyes of every pony fixating upon them, their looks of fear turned into that of concern.

Starting at their hooves, their bodies themselves began to dissipate into nothingness, fading into smoke and shadow... and all they could do was shriek.

"No... no...

NO... NOOO!!!!

NOOOOOO!!!! HELP USSSS!!!!!!!! PLEASEEEE!!!!"

Manehattan's citizens did little of anything in response.

A part of them wanted to help, yet, another apart clawed at their minds and told them that they deserved it, leaving them emotionally conflicted. They were utterly confused and lost by the whole situation unfolding in front of them. They couldn't tell if the pain these ponies were experiencing was real or not, but even if they did know, they knew not how to help them.

So, the sisters closed in on each other, horribly afraid of their eminent death.

With their time running out, they attempted to hug each other in light embrace, for it was something that none of them had ever experienced in their short lives.

However, they continued to waste away.

"C'mon!!" yelled Rainbow, reaching a hoof out to a struggling clone, "Let's go! Go! GO!!"

Twilight was only a few steps ahead, waiting at the exit to be delivered from this hell they faced.

The atrium was melting away; its floor lied completely drenched under molten rock now. It had seeped up through the pits and cracks, threatening to consume everything. The heat was making it hard to breathe, even now for Rainbow. It hadn't bothered her as much before, but with each passing second she could feel herself choking on her own spit.

Twilight allowed the other weak clones to pass her up, barely making it out of the turbulent environment. She managed to get a slight grip on Rainbow's free hoof within her own, when the pegasus suddenly took hold of the clone's hoof as well. With their combined strength, they heaved her up the last few steps and out of the blazing inferno, just short of her drawing her last breath.

Rainbow nearly fell into Twilight, panting heavily and using her as light support. The fire was still nipping at their backs, however, and they all continued to trudge on. A majority of them were limping, slowly and unsteadily, and the mares who now clung to each other brought up the rear, continuously imploring them to go on. Although, no matter how much they were encouraged, they simply could not find the strength.

They were defeated, and they felt it was time Twilight knew the full truth.

They all went on for only about a minute more until they suddenly stopped in front of the unicorn and the pegasus she held close. Their leader was dying, and she had entrusted them with one final duty before she gave her life, though it went unspoken between them. From this deep in the cave, this would be their last chance to save them.

Twilight and Rainbow came to a rest, watching them with concern as they turned around to face them head on. Their familiar red eyes of their leader looked tired and worn. They were surely close to death as well.

"W-what's wrong?" Twilight asked, "Why are we stopping?"

The rumbling from deep within the mountain barely affected them from this distance.

"Twilight," whispered the lead clone; she sounded breathless, "We are but creatures of the Mirror Pond, given life only for the sole purpose of serving our leader. She endowed us with her memories, the ones filled with joy and the ones filled with sorrow as well. Along with this curse, we were given her extensive knowledge of magic, and we felt compelled to obey her at every turn because of it. However, what she has given us has come at a terrible price, Twilight. For you see...

...

... we are about to die."

Rainbow didn't know these faces as well as Twilight, but she offered her as much moral support as she could. Just having the pegasus by her side made this news a little easier to accept.

"Die?" she asked hesitantly, "But... won't you just go back to the Mirror Pond?"

The clone's sweat trickled down her forehead as she spoke. "We may or may not, for the spell she has cast on us has made us different from typical clones. We think for ourselves and can act independently, so there is no telling what will happen when we pass on, but our connection with our leader is undoubtedly strong."

Twilight looked off to the side in disappointment and Rainbow lightly nudged her.

"I see... I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be," Lady's clone began to tear up, "We've done terrible things, Twilight Sparkle. The others like us... they were sent to every populated area around Equestria and told to lay waste to whatever we found. We personally brought down Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and Canterlot as a whole. But, it was of our own choosing. We had a choice in the matter, and we chose the poorer. Our sins are no lesser than our leader's. Our actions were not purer, nor wiser. Believe me when I say that... we have much to pay for."

She glanced away from Twilight down to her hooves and slowly brought up one and held it in front of her. Rainbow Dash winced at the sight of its decaying, unable to imagine the pain they were experiencing. Atom by atom, their bodies were breaking away into the hot air.

"We don't have much time, as you can see," she said calmly, "Our leader's last request was to ask you... if you could please tell everypony what you've witnessed here today, Twilight."

"What she's witnessed?" Rainbow asked.

"I will," Twilight quickly responded, "I'll tell them what I've seen."

"Excellent," the leader brought her decaying hoof to the ground, "And please tell Celestia we are sorry for what we've done, and for what our leader has done as well. She is a troubled spirit. She has faced much torment and adversity throughout her life, but I know that doesn't warrant immediate forgiveness. Many things we have done are unforgivable."

"But," Twilight awkwardly paused, "I... already forgave her."

THUMP!!!

The clones stood silently for a few, long seconds, watching their legs continuing to fall away into wisps of thin air. They had reached the end of their journey.

"Then I suppose..." the lead clone added, "... there's only thing left for us to do."

"HNNG--GRAHH!!!" Lady screamed; her back hoof had been grazed by the encroaching flow of lava.

Her body acted reflexively on its own, and the fire wrapping around her back began to push the heat of the molten rock backward. Her fire, now completely engulfing the entire length of her frame, was the only thing preventing her from being consumed. It shielded her from the pain, but her focus was starting to waver even more than before, letting the atmosphere slowly bypass her defenses.

She had waited long enough.

"THIS IS IT!!!" she barked at the looming tower, "THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS!!!"

She felt her hooves skidding along the floor and let her power reach its maximum. Her teeth were fully grit, her mane had burnt away to a much shorter length, the burns on her face had traveled down to her neck area, and she had encased herself in her own sphere of power. She stomped forward, cracking the earth beneath her with a heavy quake. Her hooves felt as though they weighed tons upon tons and the only way she could keep it up was by consuming more of her reservoir of magical energy. She had to stay her feet somehow against the torrential onslaught of the vacuum, but she had spent.

When the lava threatened to at last consume her, she finally let go of the earth and quickly plunged into the whiteness of the beam.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs; the heat exploded in her face.

She could only compare it to walking on the surface of the sun itself, for her body went numb instantly. She immediately fell into a spread-eagle formation, letting all of her frame extend outward. Being completely suspended in the inferno, she fought against the forces of gravity trying to rip her apart. The blazing heat licked her face up and down, taking with it bits and pieces of her burnt skin. She could feel her back legs slowly vaporizing, which were admittedly the parts of her body least protected by her shield of red flame.

"LIIIIIILLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYY!!!! HELLLLLLP MEEEEEEE!!!!"

Her screams were drowned out by the sound of the godlike surging, trying its best to incinerate all of her. No pony could hear her cries, at least none that were still living. Everything pulled her skyward towards the moon, roasting her alive, but she continued with all of her might to dive. She whimpered and moaned to herself; the pain had to get out someway, anyway she could manage. Her flesh kept searing and falling away. Her shield couldn't hold for much longer.

She lurched her head forward, peering down blindly through the lava beneath her. Her target had to be down there, and she prayed she could find the strength to see where she was going, just as Lily had. Her wife, so brave and defiant of the odds, could've found her way so easily. She wished she was here, helping her... but this was her own trial.

This was a trial by the greatest of hell fires and it threatened to consume her at every instant, yet she plunged down further. Her shield faltered, her eyes remained firmly shut, letting out loose spurts of her excess, godlike power, and her body kept dissolving away into obliteration. The storm had taken her by full force, unrelenting and unstoppable, but she had never encountered an obstacle she could not defeat with raw power.

She dove down into oblivion, passing through liquid rock, threatening to crush her under the immense pressure. Like a quaking heart, the mountain beat against her; her target was fighting until its dying breath.

"NOTHING CAN STOP ME!!!

FOR IT WAS I-- I WHO HAD THE POWER OF A GODDESS!!

I'VE BROUGHT EQUESTRIA TO ITS KNEES!!!

MY BODY MAY FADE INTO OBLIVION BUT-- I WILL NEVER FAILLL!!!!!"

The light penetrated her eyelids; it was a dull blue in a sea of yellows and reds. Though hot as the sun, her target's flame would prove no match for her might. The same power she had used to defeat Celestia was now being used to save the princess' country and Twilight Sparkle, most of all. Her tears barely reached her cheeks before they were steamed away.

She reached a hoof out in front of her, flailing it downward, several stories below the surface of the bubbling cauldron and twisting vortex. The constant sucking force at her backside kept pulling her upward, but it was met with fierce, godlike resistance. The light became a bright azure, and she finally touched it. It seared her flesh instantly, yet she pulled on it regardless. Fusing with the source was the only was to assure its destruction.

The stone with which she had once combined her powers was now collapsing under the weight of her heart's stress. She cradled it within her burning hooves which were fast melting away. Her pulsing, red fire was dimming, rapidly being swallowed up by the tons and tons of lava bearing down upon her.

"I AM ALL-POWERFUL!!!

I WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!!!

I WALK ON A PLANE ABOVE ALL-- AWAY FROM THE SHACKLES THAT BIND THESE PONIES TO THIS REALM!!!

AND NOW-- I WILL DIE FOR ALL OF THEM!!!"

She took the stone, still boiling away at her skin, and pressed it into her chest. Her coat burned away instantly, and it pushed yet deeper.

Through her own willpower, she continued to drive it into her heart.

She was experiencing unrelenting torture of the highest magnitude.

No pony had ever suffered like this before.

"GET INSIIIIIIIIDDDEEEEE!!!!!!!!!"

She pulled the white-hot stone away and plunged it into her chest again.

"JUST GET INSIDE ME!!!!!! DAMN IT!!!!!!!! GET INSIIIIIIIIDDDEEEE!!!!!!!"

She pulled the stone away once more and felt the emptiness of the hole it had bore into her.

Her lungs were giving out...

... and she felt her heart giving out as well.

Finally, she took what was sure to be her last breath, and her red flame remained, surrounding her in its protection.

She took the stone up and weakly pulled it back into the burning hole in her chest.

Her eyes were becoming faint and watery.

Her fire had been burning for a reason greater than just acting as a shield.

It had been meant to contain the blast as well... for it would be thunderous.

She whispered so softly, not even she could hear.

"I...

... am defeated...

...

... Lily...

... "

The stone had finally been pressed against her heart, silently melding with the last part of her soul...

... and she died...

... instantly and blissfully.

Her tears stopped too, save for one. One, single tear trailed down her cheek and curtailed at the tip of her chin before it slowly evaporated into what remained of her protective fire.

After only another second, a great, blinding flash occurred... and her body was instantly incinerated.

"KAHH!" the lead clone had to turn her head and violently coughed up blood upon the cave floor; she and her sisters had but a few seconds. "Twilight!!-- She's almost finished!!!"

Twilight instinctively tugged on Rainbow and approached the dying mares.

"What do you mean?!" the unicorn blurted, "What is she doing?!"

The clone looked down at her leg again; it had almost completely dissolved away. With the last bit of her waning strength, she and her sisters tried reaching out to them. When Twilight and Rainbow finally came up to them, their faces were beginning to dissolve into nothing as well.

THUMP!

A heavy rumble broke under their feet, but it meant something different to the clones than it did for Twilight or Rainbow.

"That's it, Twilight," she said calmly; her eyes locked smoothly with hers. "Our leader is dead now... and we must follow; we have no choice. Your magic will return to you soon, and we pray you will use it better than we have."

Rainbow could feel Twilight's legs getting weaker, forcing her to give slightly more support.

"Wait-- you can't!!" the unicorn whimpered.

Their bodies, ever so slowly, became translucent and ghostly. Atom by atom, starting with their lovely, scarlet manes and traveling down through their necks and shoulders, they broke off into a small, warm breeze passing by. The red eyes which Twilight had been focused upon wholly disappeared as she was conversing with them. Only the clone's mouth remained of her face, but it was fast dissolving as well.

"Tell them...

...

... we're sorry, Twilight."

The unicorn frantically reached out to touch her face just as she spoke the last words, but her hoof only fell through wisps of smoke and dust.

"No!" Twilight yelped helplessly, "No, come back-- please!"

Only emptiness and echoes remained, save for one, insignificantly tiny spec of purple magic. It appeared much like a star would in the night sky, lightly twinkling in their eyes as the last of the clones' spectral bodies floated off into the soft air. With their passing now complete, they had offered Twilight all they could muster from what remained of their own magic, and it gently floated over to her and Rainbow.

THUMP!!

This tremor was much more violent than the last, and it continued for much longer than all the others. It grew into a steady earthquake, tumultuous and dangerous, causing loose stone in the cave's walls to haphazardly break away and fall to the floor. The star of magic eased its way closer and closer to Twilight's horn, and the shaking continued to build. Pure terror and dread gripped them tight, and would not let go. A sound was approaching from behind, and like the stampeding wind of an imposing hurricane, it was closing in, second by second.

The speck of magic finally touched Twilight's horn with a bright flash and crackle of electricity, and for one, fleeting second she felt the familiar warmth of it all come crashing into her like abrupt, heavy waves. Oblivion was near; she could feel that much, and there would not be much time to dwell upon it. It grew out of her control, and she was terribly lost. Lady's clones had done something to her magic. It began to act on its own, against her will. Her eyes flared with her own power once more, frightening Rainbow whom was still clinging to her.

"TWILIGHT!!" the pegasus quickly pointed behind both of them to the incoming sound, "IT'S COMING RIGHT AT US!!!"

"HNNNGG--!!" Twilight winced in pain, giving Rainbow only a glimpse of the building power within her eyes, "WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MEEEE?!!"

Spike quickly fell to his knees.

His heart had been filled with such pain, he could not bear to stand up anymore. He had not even remembered why he came out of the library in the first place, but it was clear by the red glow upon everything around him that something was not as it should be. Clutching his clawed hand over his heart, he quickly turned to see the wastes of Ponyville once again. It irritated him, not knowing at all what was going on.

"W-what just hap--!!"

THHHOOOOMMM!!!

He felt it in his chest first, as if a huge boulder had slammed into his chest. It sent him reeling onto his back. The explosion was dense, powerful, and extremely loud. He saw a blinding light far off in the distance, shooting upwards toward the sky and moon. A red column of flame, nearly matching the mountain itself in size, was lifted to the heavens by some godlike force. The plume of smoke and ash reached only so high before being dispersed by the upper atmosphere, but the light kept accelerating.

Far below the display of true power that was unfolding, the mountain which held Canterlot looked as though it was being pried into two, disorderly halves by the sheer force of the detonation. Scarlet flames leaked out from every opening at its top and sides, and just when Spike was certain it was about to give under the immense pressure, the last bit of energy escaped from its tallest peak and followed like a comet's tail, forever skyward.

"NOOO!!" he cried out; all at once he remembered that was the direction Twilight was headed.

If she was anywhere close to that blast, then she could have very well been dead.

He was sure of that much.

The unicorn quickly turned to face the incoming onslaught and suddenly saw what was causing the calamity. It was huge, charging right at them, prepared to consume them in only a fraction of a second.

A wall of flame, colored the deepest and boldest of reds, sped toward them at breakneck velocity. There would be no escaping, no matter how fast they could run or teleport away. Death was eminent, and Rainbow was sure of it. She began to cry and instinctively pulled herself closer to Twilight, shutting her eyes and patiently waiting for the inevitable. The sound was utterly deafening.

Twilight could no longer see, as her vision had been effectively consumed by her magic's light, for the warmth kept flowing through her body. It radiated into Rainbow's side as their hips touched, and in that instant she felt it as well. Like sinking into a warm bath of water, the pegasus let her body go numb and gratefully let the magic course through her tired body. The feeling of tension faded, her eyes fluttered while still watching the flames approach, and she gave into Twilight's encroaching presence.

FFFFOOOOOMMM!!

The hellfire engulfed them instantly, swallowing them whole.

However, Rainbow didn't feel the heat.

She didn't hear any sound either. It was almost as if she had fallen asleep.

It was quiet.

Then, she heard Twilight's breathing; it was short, rapid, and faint. When the pegasus finally opened her eyes, she was instantly shocked by what she saw. There was still the fire, and it had not been vanquished like she had first thought. It was all around them, encasing them in nigh blinding light, surging onward as if the two ponies weren't even present. She turned to Twilight yet again and noticed that she was fiercely locked in a mental struggle of some kind. Her face openly displayed her sheer concentration as she grit her teeth. The entire length of her frame had been wrapped in a purplish-magenta aura, acting as a sort of shield. Rainbow briefly glanced down at her own hoof held close to her mare, and noticed it was wrapped in a similar covering.

Twilight was single-handedly preventing them from being destroyed by the inferno, and Rainbow was simply speechless because of it all. They were protected in their own small, magical shroud, isolated from all the destruction and chaos going on around them... but Twilight's anguish was disturbing her.

"Hey," the pegasus whispered to her, "Twilight, are you alright?"

The unicorn winced at her name, as if remembering something she had long forgotten. Still locked in concentration, she steadily turned toward her mare, and her eyes were still alight with the blinding glow of her magic. She continued to inhale in sharp, shallow breaths.

"It's... my magic, Rainbow," she weakly replied, "They gave it back to me."

The fire kept twisting and undulating around them, trying fruitlessly to penetrate her shield, yet nothing ever got through. It took several long seconds, but the whiteness that had clouded Twilight's eyes began to dissipate and revealed her familiar, violet irises to Rainbow once more. The relief she felt when she gazed into her mare's eyes was immediate as they both calmly sat down together on their hocks. It was clear that Twilight was still struggling to maintain her spell of protection, and all Rainbow wanted was for her mare to relax.

Without wasting another second, the pegasus gently leaned into her while closing her eyes, and planted a soft kiss upon her lips. Twilight blushed at the sudden gesture, but gradually relented to her advances and relaxed as Rainbow so desired. Her magical barrier surged outward and suddenly doubled in intensity, nearly pushing back against the raging wall of fire with equal ferocity. They both tried to smile with their lips connected, but settled instead on another passionate kiss.

Neither of them could believe just how quiet it was. There was nearly total silence now that Twilight's breathing had slowed. Rainbow took this opportunity to press her lips even deeper, only lightly pushing forward with the tip of her tongue. The barrier exploded forth once again by Twilight's subconscious release of energy, a direct result of her rising emotions. The pegasus wasn't even sure if this was a decent place or time for this sort of thing, yet her plan seemed to be working. The connection appeared to be working wonders on her own body as well, as she felt a hint of strength returning to the wings at her back.

They pulled each other into a smooth embrace, blissfully ignoring the utter carnage taking place around them. At last, their tongues finally met halfway between their lip-lock, lightly grazing across one another. Twilight silently teased her, as if taunting the pegasus to make another move. Rainbow, never wanting to back away from a challenge, complied with her request and penetrated her mouth assertively. The unicorn willingly allowed her entrance, letting her freely taste the inside lining of her cheeks. Rainbow courteously allowed her the same freedoms, and they both spent a good time exploring the insides of each other's muzzles.

It was only when a particularly heavy burst of flame impacted into Twilight's side that she finally released her lips' hold. She had thought that she could continue to hold the spell until the flames passed, but they only intensified with each passing second.

Rainbow nervously watched the shield as it began to falter, wavering under the pressure of every wave of fierce heat.

"W-what's going on?" she asked Twilight hesitantly.

"I don't know how much longer... I can hold it," the unicorn whispered.

"You mean it's too much?"

"I don't want to admit it... but yeah. The magic they gave me is being used up too quickly," she winced in pain once again, "We don't have much time, Rainbow."

The pegasus quickly looked to the floor and noticed that most of Twilight's magic was concentrated around their hooves, acting as a sort of anchor that tied them to the ground. This one, simple modification was possibly the only thing keeping them from being blown away, and Rainbow was certain of it.

"Twilight?" she asked coolly.

"Yes, Rainbow?" Twilight answered through clenched eyes.

"I-I... need you to let go."

Her mare's eyes suddenly shot open, flabbergasted at what she had just requested of her.

"WHAT?! Are you crazy?!!" she blurted.

Rainbow shook her head confidently, though she still maintained fierce eye-contact. "No, not at all. This will work, I promise. You just have to trust me, Twilight."

THUMP!!

Another heavy wall of flame hit her side, and the shield again wavered in response. It was obvious that she could not hold this out forever. She looked to her mare for comfort, and Rainbow was adamant in showing her support. A bead of sweat found its way down Twilight's forehead, and she finally realized she had no choice.

When the flames had finally reached their peak strength, Rainbow planted one last kiss on the unicorn's lips and swiftly pulled away.

"Well, Twilight," she paused, waiting for her mare to take one last, deep breath, "Do you trust me?"

The unicorn took one final glance at the erupting flames, weighing her options, for it wasn't only her life on the line. Should she fail, this would be the end for both of them... but she had taken enough time.

She gave Rainbow one last, warm smile, clinging onto these precious few seconds for as long as she could.

"I have no reason to ever doubt you, Rainbow," she happily admitted, "I trust you with all of my heart."

Rainbow was wholly satisfied with that response, and suavely helped her up from the floor. They had only a few seconds before another blast came and would threaten to destroy them. Twilight gave the pegasus a quick peck on the cheek and turned away from the wall of flame, as Rainbow reached over her shoulder and pulled her in close, preparing for something extreme.

"Alright, Twilight... On the count of three, I need you to release us and focus all of your magic on saving our flanks. I'll handle the rest."

They could hear the faint sound of another surge approaching from deep within the cave; this was their only shot. Twilight hesitantly nodded in response.

"Okay!-- ONE!!" Rainbow yelled confidently.

They spread their legs apart, getting a better grip with their hooves.

"TWO!!!"

Rainbow nudged Twilight's side to move her into a better position, and swiftly gave her a quick peck on the cheek for good luck. She extended her wings outward in one fell swoop. She would never let Twilight know how terrified she actually was.

The flames were coming faster than before.

"THREEEEEE!!!" she screamed.

It all happened in an instant.

They jumped forward, and Rainbow gave the most forceful flap of her wings of her entire life. Twilight did as she commanded and let go of the earth. They felt the extreme heat hit their backs almost immediately, and they were promptly swallowed up by the red fire.

Everything else after that passed by in one, chaotic blur.

They were suddenly lost in the hellfire, holding onto each other for dear life, and they each blacked out of consciousness.

And I Pray I Will Be Forgiven, For I Must Make Many Amends

Author's Note

This is the final main chapter. The epilogue will be out Saturday. :twilightsmile:

Thanks again, Raven! :pinkiehappy:

And I Pray I Will Be Forgiven, For I Must Make Many Amends

Sand...

Only dry sand...

It was the first thing she felt at her back; something of an odd feeling for her, as she had never been on a beach before.

The sound of crashing ocean waves came soon afterward, lightly teasing her eardrum. She kept her eyes shut and soaked in the new environment, letting the salty air grace her lungs with its presence. Never before in her life had she felt so relaxed or at peace, other than perhaps when Lily had first held her, and maybe it was because the terrible pain was now gone. She couldn't even quite remember how she arrived at this beach, but she admittedly did not care enough to warrant getting up.

All she knew was that her pain was now gone. She had paid for everything, just as she had told Twilight she would, and it felt glorious. Her burdens no longer weighed upon her, and her grief had long since faded. At last, she could rest happily on this beach for as long as she so desired, and she planned on that wholeheartedly. The sun beating down on her was not as hot as she was normally accustomed to, and with each passing breeze from the ocean, she breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"D-did...

...

... did I die?" she coolly whispered.

She placed a hoof at her side and ran it through the sand; it was dry and soft, yet cool to the touch. While lazily leaning her head over, she caught a glimpse of the white granules running over her foreleg and the endless beach that extended past it. About a hundred or so yards from the water's edge lied lush grass fields and various dry shrubbery. Suddenly, she noticed her scarlet mane pass in front of her eyes, as it was abnormally long. It was so long, in fact, that she could feel it nearly reach all the way to her flank. She had not grown it out that far in many years.

Getting a little curious, she took her other hoof and rubbed the sand off into her coat, then calmly rubbed over the burned areas of her face... except there were none.

Her wounds had been completely healed, and for some reason, this caused her to smile and lightly chuckle at the fact. She let out a few more small laughs before she finally quit and pulled her legs to her side again, lying completely straight in the sand.

"I did it, Twilight Sparkle," she spoke calmly, "I paid my debts to Equestria, and even Celestia herself. Although, I'm sure you were probably sick of my face, anyway. Who wouldn't be? After everything I've done, this was the very least I could do. It's a shame I could not witness the fruits of my labor... or my sacrifice, but I know in my heart it was not in vain."

She continued to lie still for several long, relaxing minutes, silently pondering if she would stay in that exact spot for all eternity. With all her woes gone, she felt as though she certainly could have. After taking a good bit of time to ponder her actions, she became faintly aware of a new sound-- the sound of hoofsteps in the sand. She wasn't quite sure how she knew, but she could feel they were being made by another pony, and a small one at that.

Without even daring to peek over at the new arrival, she addressed her with total confidence in her voice.

"I suppose I'm dead," she admitted to the newcomer, "Aren't I?"

She was quite shocked when a little filly's voice responded.

"My mommy's been waiting for you very patiently," she said courteously.

Lady flicked a loose lock of hair to the side, letting it fall out of her line of sight. With no obstructions now, she was able to clearly make out the girl's emerald-green eyes staring down upon her. The unicorn filly was almost taken aback by the mare's fierce gaze, though she did not mean for her own red eyes to appear hostile.

"Your mother?" she inquired.

"Y-yeah..." the filly replied shyly, "Will you please get up... and come say hello?"

Lady almost laughed at her request, leaning over onto her side to gain some leverage. With the pain in her body gone, she found standing up to be quite simple.

"Why, of course I'll come say hello," she agreed, "I have all the time in the world now."

"Great!" the filly happily yelped.

She signaled for Lady to follow, and the mare willingly complied, trailing in her hoofsteps among the dry sand. A small grin eased its way into her features as they walked, for she was more than eager to meet this young girl's mother. However, she could not stop pondering about why this filly was here in the first place, wondering if she too had died. The little unicorn seemed so spry and youthful, and she was almost afraid to find out the truth. Perhaps out of sympathy, she walked neatly along her side to keep her company.

This beach was long and vast; it appeared to stretch forever. Lady had come up with a few questions after thinking on it, though she decided to start with the simple ones first.

"So," the mare started, "What is your name, little one?"

"I'm Leya," she replied with a giggle and a smile.

Lady cocked an eyebrow. "Leya? Hmm... I see. Tell me, how old are you, Leya?"

The girl nodded her head to the side and peered over at the mare happily. "Five!" she triumphantly declared.

For one reason or another, that number sent chills down Lady's spine, for she did not wish to fathom how the filly could have died so young, or her mother, for that matter. She was struggling not to let her concern show.

"Five?" she asked playfully, "Well, you're certainly grown-up for being only five."

"I know that!" the filly scoffed, "I used to go out into the woods all the time and hang out there all day!"

"The woods? That can be a dangerous place."

"Not for me!" she cried, "I just thought all the trees and flowers were so pretty to look at, and all the animals were so nice to me. You can't appreciate it all until you stay there for one, entire day."

"Oh but I did, child," Lady replied with a smile, "I spent many days there with my wife. It was one of our favorite places to be."

"Yeah, I know that!"

Lady stopped in the sand, letting the ocean breeze lightly pull her long tresses to the side of her face. Her vividly scarlet mane came within only an inch of reaching the ground.

"How would you know that?" she asked skeptically.

The filly flashed another wide grin. "Because my mommy told me all about it."

Lady was taken somewhat aback by that statement; her features grew more curious. She watched the girl suddenly change course, from walking down the beach to belligerently tromping up a small, nearby sand dune. Staying alert, Lady followed her up the hill. There was grass over its side, she was certain of that much.

"How would your mother know that?" she asked finally.

The filly waited until they had crested the dune to answer, letting the mare take in the glorious sight before her.

There was an endless field that stretched on for an eternity. The sky was peppered with gentle clouds, grandiose and welcoming, calmly gliding along an invisible current out to the limitless ocean behind them. The grass was shorter here, swaying and very green. It was all so wonderful, and yet, the landscape took little of her notice.

Only the mare standing within it all took her attention. She instantly recognized her lush, magenta locks, her deep burgundy eyes, and her radiant coat which shined with all the brilliance of a freshly created pearl. The mare smiled warmly at her... and she could no longer contain herself.

"Why don't you ask her yours--?" the filly cut her own speech short.

Lady had already taken off at a full gallop, leaving a trail of tears in the grass behind her.

Her heart's burning desire, the only thing she truly wanted more than anything else in the real world, and it was now within running distance. She had to reach it at any cost. She had to force herself to run faster. The gap had to be closed. It just had to. She'd have given anything to touch her, hold her, and love her one more time -- and now she finally had that opportunity. Her long tresses trailed behind her like a massive, heavy flame.

The lovely mare started to walk her way, and Lady swore that every step she took was the most majestic thing she ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

It took her only a few seconds to close the distance; it flashed by in an instant.

Lady only barely slowed down as she came up to her, and somehow managed to stop just short of running into her at full force, when she suddenly reached up planted the most rich and satisfyingly passionate kiss upon her wife's lips that she could ever remember. Assertively, she wrapped her foreleg around the back of her wife's head and gently pulled her in, deepening the kiss yet further. Lady tried desperately to refrain from whimpering into Lily's delicate mouth, letting her lower jaw slowly contract over and over again, reveling in every passionate kiss she stole as it brought back so many wonderful memories. Her wife happily and obediently complied, reciprocating all of the passion she was receiving with equal fervor and love, letting her wife advance upon her completely unhindered.

Lady's heavy, sorrowful breathing gradually turned into softer sighs after about half a minute had passed. Her tears continued to flow, though Lily took little notice. Once Lady had been assured that it was really her wife she was kissing, she calmly removed her hoof from Lily's head and continued to steal kiss after kiss, each one better than the last. Like a terrible craving, she had longed for the taste of her wife's lips and the heavenly aroma her body gave off naturally. She indeed smelled of flowers, as her name might suggest.

With the sun at their backs and the wind lifting their lengthy manes ever higher into the breeze, they allowed themselves to bask in each other's presence. This was the one thing Lady had been hoping for; this was all she ever wanted. They heard the sound of Leya's hoofsteps, but they ignored her for the time being. The filly couldn't help but gaze in wonder at their nigh divine beauty.

But, only after another minute or so had elapsed, Lady suddenly stopped.

She pulled her lips away...

... and promptly collapsed at her wife's feet.

She hung her head low and cried profusely. Lily's eyes fluttered open, and she gazed upon her sobbing wife with great concern. Lady's long mane nearly covered her entire frame as though a blanket would. She might have even admitted that she was trying to use it to hide her shame. The grass lightly brushed across her nose.

"Oh Lily..." she whimpered through rivers of tears, "I've done... so many terrible things... and... I've hurt so many good ponies... whom never deserved it..."

She buried her face into the turf to stifle her cries, but it was proving futile. Angrily, she pounded a hoof into the ground and kicked up a spot of grass, yet Lily remained quiet. Her wife was accustomed to these outbursts when they lived together, and now was no different. She knew Lady all too well, and the only way to appease her fits was with a gentle hug... and soothing words.

As she did on the first day they met, Lily fell to her hocks and embraced her in the most subtle and nurturing way she knew how. Lady simply relented, allowing herself to be cradled and held like a broken child needed to be. This was a secret of Lily's, for she knew her wife had limitless powers and strengths that she could never begin to fathom. Sometimes, a god's might can not be quelled by another, equally strong power, but only with comfort and equally strong words.

Her voice, ever so delicate and soothing, pacified Lady's tumultuous spirit.

"I love you, Lady," she whispered, "I love you for who you are, not what you have done. I know you never meant to hurt anyone, and you didn't. My wife never would." Lily pulled her in even closer. "We can't change the things that happened to us, but you didn't take anything away that was permanent. I've seen the grief in your heart. I've seen the way you hide your true feelings. And, because of all of that, I want you to know that we can be together forever now, and you'll never have to worry about hiding yourself ever again."

"B-but-- Lily!" her wife retorted, "I destroyed, and burned, and decimated, and terrified so many of them! What I did was unforgivable! It was so hard for me to accept a life without you-- and I just couldn't! You KNOW how my power gets without you around! It had to get out of me! Without you there... I just...

just...

... destroyed everything!

Everything I saw made me angry, and I knew you wouldn't want me to hurt anypony, so I stopped myself! But it never helped! I brought Equestria to the brink of ruin, and what good did all of that prove to be?! I could have easily destroyed entire worlds if it meant you could hold me one more time!! But I know that's not what you wanted, Lily! I know that's not what you wanted-- but it was the only way I knew how!

It was...

... the only way...

... the only way I knew how."

"Shhh..." Lily softly hushed her, rocking her back and forth. "Lady, we both know that Twilight Sparkle forgave you, and she was the one you hurt most. I'm sure everypony will get along just fine with us here watching over them. You've emended your mistakes plenty enough, as far as I'm concerned. And besides, I am your wife. My opinion is what should matter most to you."

"You opinion does matter most to me," Lady whispered weakly, "But I still care about the others, Lily."

Her wife let out a sigh of relief, as if that was the only thing she wanted to hear from this entire conversation. Lady was finally beginning to calm down.

"I'm glad you care about them," Lily nuzzled her wife's ear playfully, "That was the only thing you ever needed to learn, Lady. That's it."

Fire...

Twisting and turning fire...

It flowed around them like the water in river, passing them by as though they were only a mere obstacle. Twilight had attempted her best to shield their bodies, but she was not sure how long she could hold. She could only cling to Rainbow for dear life as they were thrashed about wildly, for the pegasus could only alter their course so much.

They would've been lost if the flame had not taken the path of least resistance, taking with it loose stone and hot rubble. Rainbow was beating her tired wings for two now, and failure was not an option. She had always been told that flying blind was the greatest mistake a pegasus could make; it was actually preferred to halt any progress as opposed to going so recklessly, but they had no choice.

Twilight's spell kept them from colliding forcefully with the walls now and again, and Rainbow sincerely hoped she would not take them headfirst into an impenetrable surface. The pegasus used the natural gust of the flames to guide her to the straightaways. It was at these lengths where she would give another strong flap, alter trajectory, flap again, and then let the flames carry them once more. She could barely hear Twilight's screams over the roar of the inferno, but it was obvious her unicorn could not hold out for much longer.

Every thrust forward the pegasus gave was a slight relief for Twilight. Even with her elevated state of magical prowess, holding up the barrier around them was proving extremely taxing.

The flames sent them grazing past the hard surface of a stony wall on more than one occasion, causing the unicorn to wince in pain and stifle a cry of agony. Somehow, her magic had only held up this far by sheer willpower.

Rainbow felt the wall of flames stutter to the right, so she veered left.

Then, it broke left this time, and she promptly went to its counter.

The tunnels snaked out in long curves at times, forcing her to make small adjustments to her head and chest to compensate, though she was still flying blind. She could have sworn that they were coming close to the exit, but there was no way to know for sure. She could feel Twilight struggling in her grasp, making it much more difficult to keep them aloft than she first expected. The unicorn could not help her situation though, for it felt like there were a million tiny pins trying to puncture her barrier, and she had to fight off every single one.

"STAY WITH ME, TWILIGHT!!!" the pegasus screamed; she wasn't sure if her mare could even hear her.

Twilight only responded with an unintelligible yelping noise, fighting desperately for both of their lives. They briefly impacted with another wall, and Rainbow felt the barrier waver again, causing the unicorn to fidget even further. Her spell was disintegrating, second by second, until there remained only a thin coat of magic surrounding them.

"C'MON TWILIGHT!! WE'RE ALMOST THERE!!!"

It was the last thing the unicorn heard...

... before her head hit a loose stone, dangling low from the ceiling.

Her spell gave out in an instant, and they hit the floor forcefully. They tumbled a few times along the ground, spinning violently as the flames attempted to swallow them alive. Twilight blacked out just as the floor dropped out from underneath them, as if it had suddenly vanished like one of Lady's memories. Her head was spinning, and her willpower had been entirely drained. For some reason she couldn't understand, the fire felt as though it receded too, along with the cave floor.

But the wind was picking up; it grew into a full gust.

Though, she began to wonder if this was really the wind... or if she had entered free-fall.

Her body stopped responding to her commands and she went limp.

"Is she alright, mommy?" asked the little filly; she courteously approached the two mares sitting in the grass.

Lily continued to lightly stroke her wife's voluminous mane, tucking it close to her back. She flashed a smile at her daughter as she sat down with them upon the greenery, listening closely to Lady's breathing. She was calming down, bit by bit, with each passing second. Only her wife's touch could soothe her spirit.

"Yes, Leya," she replied, "I think she'll be fine. She's just been through a lot lately."

"What about her spells on the other ponies?" the girl asked inquisitively.

"Those'll wear off now that she's here with us. She's very sorry for what she's done, as I'm sure you can tell."

The filly smirked and gave a nod in agreement. "So, does that mean we're a family now?"

Normally, a statement like that would've melted Lily's heart, but with her wife still within her embrace, she was given the strength to happily respond.

"Yes, Leya. It means we're a family now."

"Cool!" the filly yelped with glee.

As if on queue, Lady began to lightly giggle at the child's outburst, and her wife calmly let go of her. She sat up fully, taking in one particularly deep breath of the warm, salty air. With a swift hoof, she dabbed away the rest of her tears and turned to the child.

"She's a spry one, Lily," she admitted, "How did you two meet anyway?"

Lily rubbed a hoof under her chin and turned back to her daughter, thinking on the matter.

"Well, there's not much to tell, I suppose," the mare lightly patted her daughter's head, making her smile even wider, "It was almost a week after I passed, I think, and I came out here to this exact place to gather my thoughts, when I saw her playing along the beach."

"I love the water!" Leya added, "I never got to see a beach like this until I got here, though. It's so different than the woods."

"It sure is," her mother agreed; she shifted her gaze back to Lady, "And when I saw no one else out here, I took her with me. I saw how truly special she was."

Lady gave the filly a once-over, as if to gauge her capacities as a unicorn. However, she had come a long way from the critical being she once was.

"She is special, Lily," she noted, "I can feel it."

"Y-you... think I'm special too?" the girl hesitated in asking.

"Of course I do... Leya, was it? That's a pretty name as well."

"T-thanks!" she said with a smile.

"Now," Lady rested a soft hoof on the filly's shoulder, suddenly dropping her own smile. "You don't have to tell me, if you'd like, but... I must ask for my own curiosity, little one."

Leya's cheeks turned into a light frown. She was slightly afraid of her question.

"Please, Leya," she said, "Will you tell me how you passed?"

Lady expected the filly to immediately gasp, or at least look puzzled... but she didn't. Instead, she raised a smooth eyebrow and began twiddling one of her hooves in the wavy grass. Lily was about to stop her from speaking, although, in her experiences, that was always a bad thing.

"I don't... really know how," she admitted, "I was just walking through the woods one afternoon. I don't even really remember where I lived, so that was just one of my favorite things to do. I knew my way around enough, and it wasn't really all that scary to me. But... it was nighttime; I remember that much. I was following this light that came from deep in the woods, and it looked like it was running away from me, so I chased after it. It was the reddest red I had ever seen. And then, it just stopped, and it got brighter and brigh--"

"Stop," Lady quickly cut her off, "Just stop...

... please, Leya...

... that's all I needed to know."

Without so much as another word, she quickly took up the filly in a hug, for her innocence and naiveté had simply crushed her soul with those few words. Lily immediately recognized the look of pure dread and guilt upon her wife's face, for she had been emotionally destroyed for the last time. She feared she might not be able to calm her wife's heart this time.

"Oh, Leya..." the mare whimpered weakly, "I'm so...

... sorry..."

Rainbow's eyes weakly fluttered open.

She immediately noticed the moon, which had begun to lose its red coloring, and then the roaring wind and fire. She could not hear it, though, for her ears were ringing. Far above her, a torrential firestorm was escaping from the tunnel they had initially entered, and the mountain itself seemed to be releasing an enormous jet of fire into the sky.

The last thing she could recall was Twilight hitting something, and then the barrier fell. Her multi-colored mane brushed the front of her face, but she did not immediately take the hint. It wasn't until she noticed the mountain rising even higher above her that she finally made the connection.

She was falling... and fast.

"Twilight!" she yelped, suddenly remembering that she was the only one who could fly.

Swiftly, she adjusted her wings downward and flipped herself over in mid-flight. Her eyes briefly caught sight of the falling unicorn several stories below her. Twilight's head was bleeding, and her eyes remained blissfully shut. Her mane and tail whipped around wildly as she reached terminal velocity.

She was out cold, and the ground was fast approaching.

"NOO!!" she quickly screamed out.

With a tremendous heave, the pegasus pushed a hefty wall of air behind her, quickly doubling her speed. Her velocity continued to increase with every second, and the unicorn still remained completely unresponsive. They had fallen a great deal, and she began to doubt whether she could actually reach her in time. She could not bear to see Twilight die now, especially not when she could have saved her. Though her wings were exhausted, she pressed downward, continuing to flap with every ounce of strength she could manage to pull from within herself.

The falling unicorn was only mere seconds from impact.

"YOU'RE NOT DYING ON ME, TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!"

Lady began to grieve yet again, stroking the filly's curly, green mane with her hoof. Lily never had the courage to ask Leya how she died, but she could tell by her wife's reaction that it was due to her actions. She came to her wife and Leya's side and huddled with them in one, collective family hug. Lady was inconsolable, and the small filly was still not quite sure why. She had become eerily quiet as she wept.

"Why's she sad this time, mommy?" asked the filly.

Lily tried her best to come up with a small, white lie. Although, there was still truth in her words.

"She's just upset that you passed so young, sweetie," she whispered into the filly's ear, "She thinks you're very special, and wishes that you could have had another chance to grow up in Equestria."

"But... w-why would I want to do that?" she asked hesitantly, "I love you, mommy. I like it here."

"While I love you too, we just think you had so much more to experience back in the living world. You could have grown up, gone to school, made friends, and maybe even had children of your own."

Lady finally and calmly released the filly and sat back up, keeping her head down to hide her river of tears. Once again, Lily had somehow managed to forgive what was unforgivable. It was the best decision she ever made in her life when she asked Lily to marry her. Despite all of her wife's disabilities in life, she was still more perfect than Lady could ever dream of being. She was undeniably proud to call Lily her wife.

"I don't know," Leya replied, "That sounds kinda' boring."

"Child," Lady briefly interrupted, "Having someone to love, and who loves you genuinely in return... is the single most important thing you can ever have in your entire life. Believe me in that... for I speak from experience. Much experience."

"Well of course I know that!" the filly retorted, "Mommy taught me that a long time ago!"

Lady kept her head down unflinchingly, pondering if Leya actually believed what she was saying. Perhaps it was just her innocence speaking, but she felt that her words were genuine. She wanted to cry even more, but stopped herself. She had begged for enough forgiveness for one day.

"It seems," she started to whisper, "That we began reading the books of our lives starting from opposite ends. You started reading from the end and learned the most important lesson first, where as I started reading from the beginning and didn't learn that vital lesson until the very last page..."

The filly cocked her head to the side, running those words through her head over and over, when she at last let another smile break across her features.

"Well maybe," she finally said, "You just need to put the book down and look at the world around you. You can't learn everything from pesky, old books."

Lady was simply taken aback; her mouth hung loosely. She had heard something so eerily similar to that before, back when she was younger.

"That sounds like... something Princess Celestia tried to tell me... back before I was replaced.

Although, I never listened to that advice."

She pondered over the filly, watching how the endless day's sunlight caused her mane to blend evenly with the radiantly green grass. There was only purity and warmth in the filly's eyes, and she knew at that moment that this was the type of unicorn that Celestia so desperately sought out.

"Y-you... could have even been a princess yourself, Leya," she finally admitted.

Lily pressed a soft hoof of reassurance on her wife's shoulders, but remained quiet. She enjoyed the fact her family was learning from each other and growing closer, despite the fact that they had only been a family for about several minutes now. The filly only shrugged her shoulders at the statement and quickly wrapped her forelegs around Lady to show that she didn't care anymore. She wanted to keep weeping for her loss. She wanted to let out the enormous reservoir of grief in her heart, but the filly wouldn't allow it.

So, she accepted Leya's offering, and the three of them sat quietly.

A few more minutes passed, and then there suddenly came a stronger breeze.

The wind was picking up into a full gust, so the three of them huddled together. There were no storm clouds of the sort above them, and everything about the wind seemed out of place. It all felt so unnatural, nearly artificial, and when Lady glanced into her wife's eyes, she saw that this was something that almost never happened.

They all hugged and simply waited for the squall to go on by, and when it seemed to finally die down, they calmly released each other.

Lady was the first to peer up and look around, but she did not see any immediate signs of inclement weather. In fact, everything appeared to be just as peaceful as before.

"Where did that come from?" Leya asked.

Lily patted her head. "I'm not sure, sweetie. Maybe it's time we all left."

Lady simply smiled at her wife, though still looking a little puzzled... when she heard hoofsteps behind her. There was somepony else in the meadow. She quickly snapped her head to the side to see what caused the sound and nearly shrieked at what she saw.

Without hesitation, she quickly stood up to face the new arrivals. Acting on instinct, she moved in front of her wife and child, quite prepared to unleash hellfire upon the intruders.

But then she stopped... and held herself back. There was no feasible way she could attack them.

There were about fifty of them all clustered together.

They all had multiple battle scars and wounds from a fight they had won valiantly.

"We can take her with us," said the lead clone.

Rainbow nearly plowed into Twilight, but she couldn't help it; she was going much too fast.

Her chest had slammed into the unicorn's, and she swiftly wrapped around her for dear life. She pulled back on her wings with all of her might, not trying to stop, but to alter course. Stopping was entirely out of the question at this point.

The tree line was fast approaching, covered in soot and ashes, and she could only hope it would cushion their fall enough no to kill them. With but a second before impact with the ground, she managed to barely careen into the dense thicket of leaves and foliage, stirring up the grey ash and taking it along with her.

She struck a branch at blinding speed and tumbled through the air, taking most of the impact in her shoulders. Luckily, Twilight had been protected by her sacrifice, but the cost she had paid was dear. She came out of one tree and directly into another, and yet another again. The unicorn remained limp in her grasp, yet Rainbow stayed firm, taking every lashing in stride. Her plan seemed to be working, as they were indeed slowing down. She tried reaching for a branch in midair and only clipped it, but it was enough to give her the proper braking she needed.

It left her hoof bloodied, yet she quickly forgot about the pain when her back grazed the side of a large tree trunk. She let out a brief yelp in pain and hit one more low-hanging branch before she finally let go. Twilight fell only a few feet or so before landing on her back. A tumultuous mixture of wet moss and tree roots acted as her landing pad, and her body tumbled loosely a few times. At last, she came to rest beside a calm stream, only a foot away from falling in.

Rainbow tucked her body and bulldozed her way through some underbrush, rolling over helplessly, again and again. The green shrubbery was weak and easily gave way under her weight, but it eventually brought her to a stop. Finally, she came to a rest on her back, taking in the smell of the forest. Her body ached all over; she couldn't even count how many times she had flipped over.

She took several deep breaths, trying to push the pain out through her mouth, and it only seemed to be working by the smallest of margins. Each desperate gasp for life felt harder than the last, and she was somewhat relieved the ash cloud had not reached this far beneath the tree line. Her body was plagued with soot, leftover from the initial explosion. She tried to shake it off, but that did little of anything. Deciding that she had spent too much time dawdling, she tried to get up.

What she expected to be an easy landing when she first asked Twilight to trust her had now turned out to be a colossal failure. She was forced to limp back the way she came, taking long and unsteady steps. The pain in her shoulder was killing her, but she bit her lip and trudged on.

It was a bit harder to see now, as she realized there was no longer the moon's red glow to keep everything alight.

"I-Is... is it over?" she wheezed.

With a quick swipe of her hoof, she smashed away another rather large plant, and finally saw her unicorn laying peacefully by the stream.
Her forehead still trickled blood, but Rainbow couldn't see from this distance if she was breathing or not. She plodded on, taking heavy steps just to keep herself up. The closer she approached, the more worried she became.

"Shit!!" she cried in distress.

With one final heave of her body, she fell clumsily at Twilight's side, placing her ear over Twilight's chest.

She heard nothing.

Twilight wasn't breathing.

"NO!" she yelped again.

Swiftly, she propped herself up and began pumping her hooves upon Twilight's sternum, hoping to restart her heart. She pushed and pushed, pressing on the center of her chest with only as much force as she thought necessary. She didn't want to run the risk of cracking her ribs, so she quickly moved to her muzzle while taking in a deep breath and assertively pressed her lips upon her mare's. With one great exhalation, she inflated Twilight's lungs, trying anything to get a rise out of her.

She pulled away and looked upon her mare's bloody head, hyperventilating out of sheer terror. She had no clue what to do anymore. Nothing she attempted had made any progress, and it was quickly ripping her heart apart. Carefully, she picked Twilight's head off the mossy floor and cradled her. It was the second time in only two days that she had watched Twilight slowly die in her hooves, and the emotional damage was starting to take its toll.

Rainbow gently shook her and whimpered through streams of tears.

"C'mon, Twilight... we won...

We finally won... and now you're dying... and there's nothing I can d-do...

What about that vacation?

I... already had a few places in mind, too."

The pegasus tried to wipe away some of the blood from her mare's head, and it appeared as though it was stopping. Her eyes were serene and peaceful, and her mouth was still slightly wet with Rainbow's saliva, yet she looked so lifeless. Her mare was starting to give up.

With the sounds of the explosions high above them beginning to die away, she began to slowly rock Twilight back and forth; it was all she could think to do.

"Come on, Twilight... we won..." she whispered.

Lady faced a wall of herself, all of the clones she had sent to do her bidding were now staring down upon her. She wasn't sure whether to feel grief for their sacrifice or fear that they would turn against her. Lily sat motionless, holding her daughter close.

"I'll say it again," said the lead clone, "We can take the girl with us."

Lady lowered her horn aggressively. " And what do you mean by that?"

Her clone was almost just as shocked by her leader's sudden display of hostility, but she had meant what she said. She had to appeal to her better judgment.

"Leader," she addressed her; that caught Lady's attention instantly, "We have been listening to your conversations with your wife -our wife- and we have come for the girl. We wish to take her back to Equestria, so that she may live again."

"Preposterous!" Lady scoffed, "How would that even be possible? You should have all returned to the Mirror Pool anyway upon the instant of my death!"

"You endowed us with a great power, leader," her clone replied, "But, you also endowed us with a great curse. While we were supposed to simply return to the pool, our connection to you caused us to feel the pain of a true death for ourselves. While our agony may not have been as great as yours, it was still unbearable in the highest order. We could not simply go back to the Mirror Pool... without following you here first."

Lady withdrew her horn, carefully eyeing every exact replica of herself. She wanted to weep for all of them, for she never knew the true consequences of her bonding spell. She never anticipated that they would have to feel the pain of death, and that alone gnawed at her heart.

"I'm... sorry... for all of you," she said. "It was never my intention for you to die, and even if you did, I only thought you would do so painlessly."

Her lead clone smirked at her and began to approach; her familiar, red eyes twinkled in the endless day's sun.

"We do not hold grudges, leader, for we are far above you in that respect. However, we have done just as much wrong here as you have. While you made us with free will, we still followed your orders as instructed, even against our better judgment. It will take Equestria a very long time to repair the damages we have caused, but there is one mistake we can correct."

"And what's that?" Lady asked.

Her clone pointed past her toward the filly wrapped in her mother's embrace.

"We can give her another chance at life, if you so desire. With the rest of our collective power, it should be rather simple, and when our magic is finally spent, we may return to the Mirror Pool... and forget the pain we have caused."

"What?" she scoffed.

Without so much as a word to her mother, Leya pulled away and stood up from the grass, then carefully made her way on over to Lady. Lily got up and quickly followed, but remained extremely hesitant.

"Lady, wait a moment," said her wife, "Let's talk this over."

The unicorn turned away from her clone and met Lily's gaze with concern as Leya stopped promptly at her side.

"I think they speak the truth, Lily," she noted.

"Of course they're telling the truth," said her wife, "But don't you think this is something for Leya herself to decide."

"Certainly," Lady responded, quickly turning to the filly, "Leya, I must ask you to take great consideration over this matter, for there is no reversing it once it has been carried out. My clones have offered to use the last of their magic to give you a new chance at life in Equestria, and we must know whether or not you accept it."

The filly carefully eyed the clones, not afraid of their presence in the least. However, when she turned to her mother, she appeared nervous.

"Will I ever... get to see you again, mommy?" she asked weakly.

Lily came to her and gave the filly another warm hug. With her voice just as soft and gentle as ever, she whispered into her daughter's ear, trying to choke back tears.

"Yes, Leya. You will get to see us again... But, please promise me that you'll do all the things we talked about. I want you to make some friends, go to school, fall in love, and have a family of your own... because I know you can do these things. Lady and I will watch over you, and we won't be far if you ever need to speak to us, okay?"

"Um... okay, mommy," she replied hesitantly.

"But, Lily," Lady added, "Where will she stay? We have to find a home for her, and somepony who would be willing to care for her."

Her wife simply smiled. "I think we both know who would make the perfect candidate-- or candidates, I should say."

Lady searched her memory and quickly made the connection. "Wait, you mean Twilight Sparkle? And Miss Dash?"

"Why not?"

"B-because-- !" Lady stammered, "They only just discovered their feelings for each other, Lily. A child is a weighty responsibility, and I only want the very best for Leya, as I'm sure you do too. She deserves as much."

"I've seen what they are like more than you have, Lady," she replied hospitably, "They've been through a lot, and I thought you'd see by now that they are more than capable of caring for her. Personally, I can't think of two ponies who are more qualified to care for her... other than us, perhaps."

Lady lowered her head, afraid she had hurt her wife's feelings.

"Lily," she quietly responded, "I know they are more than capable... I've seen it too. I was just afraid for her because of--"

Her wife swiftly cut her off by placing a gentle hoof over her mouth, and slowly pulled it away. Nothing more needed to be said, which was something Lady absolutely loved about her relationship with Lily. Neither of them was ever dominant over the other, and both of their opinions equally mattered. She needed a pony like that in her life to keep her temper and power in check.

Seeing as their small argument was over, they each turned longingly back to the filly. Quietly, they had one final group hug as a family, letting the moment sink in for all of them. Lily nuzzled her daughter's head one last time, squeezing her tightly and affectionately.

"Do us proud," Lily told her, "Remember... we're here if you ever need us, sweetie."

Her daughter squeezed her back.

"I love you, mommy."

Lily's lower lip would not stop quivering; she did not know whether to feel elated... or deeply sad.

The filly quickly gave Lady a firm hug as well, and the mare was quick about straightening her hair into a presentable fashion. She said nothing of her appearance, but it was something her own mother used to do for her when she was little. It was the first time she had ever received a hug from a pony younger than herself, and she wanted to make sure she had done it correctly.

"Now, Leya," she addressed her softly while looking into her eyes, "Please behave for Miss Sparkle, though I'm sure that won't be difficult for a sweet, unicorn filly such as yourself. She has been through a great deal lately, so go easy on her. I'm sure she'll love you just as we do, and she'll probably be thrilled to teach you everything she knows about magic... Just please be sure to show her the life away from the books as much as you can. Understand?"

The filly's frantic nodding caused her to break a smile.

"Excellent," she added.

Leya finally stood up and gathered herself, as did her adoptive parents. Lady's clone signaled for her to approach, and she complied hesitantly. Another strong breeze blew across the field, whipping around the red manes of all the ponies gathered around the little girl. Her initial fear had mostly subsided, and she casually turned back to her mothers, standing and waiting for them all to eventually leave.

Lily stuck close to her wife's side, eyeing her filly carefully. She seemed happy enough and gave her mother a joyful wave with her hoof.

Bit by bit, the clones at the back of the group began to break away into small particles of light, starting at their hooves and on to the rest of their bodies. Lady silently nodded to her lead clone, whom returned the gesture in earnest. She was sure Leya would be safe.

They continued to dissolve away into the wind, floating like the seeds of a dandelion would, far off into the distance. At last, Leya began to fade away too, yet she did so with a confident smile. The last thing the two mares saw of their daughter was her still waving hoof, before it finally faded away as well.

The breeze died down, and all at once... it struck Lily.

The weight of the mare's sadness caused her to collapse to the soft grass beneath her, and Lady immediately took her rightful place at her wife's side. She placed a steady foreleg around her frame, trying to comfort her as best as she could.

"Lily," she said worriedly, "I thought this was what you wanted."

"It is... Lady," her wife whispered to the ground, "But she's all I have had since I died... It's just so hard to let her go. I know she'll be happier this way, but I'll still miss her."

Lady had a few choice words for this exact situation.

"Believe me, Lily, I think she will miss you more than you could ever know. Ever since the day I lost you, I searched to every far end of Equestria for something that could fill the immense hole in my heart. But, without you in my life, I realized that nothing I could ever hope to find, no matter how perfect it was, could ever replace something as perfect as you. One day, Leya will consider it a true honor and a privilege to have known you as her mother... and I'd find it hard to believe if she does not do so already.

You're truly perfect, Lily."

Her wife responded by glancing at her, allowing their eyes, colored various shades of red, to meet. Their lengthy manes floating softly in the wind would make even the most beautiful ponies envious.

Lily smirked, letting a single tear fall down her cheek.

"Lady... you have the most lovely eyes."

Lady bit her lip only once, anticipating something.

"They are surpassed only by my wife's."

With the salty breeze still blowing in from the ocean, filling their lungs with warm, comforting air, Lady leaned in close...

... and kissed her wife with such passion that they fell over into the grass, locking each other up in a firm hug.

Kissing her wife was Lady's true heaven.

And she had reached it.

Rainbow only wept...

and wept...

and wept further still.

No amount of crying could bring her back to reality, and no amount of love could bring back Twilight.

She was so lost in her sorrow that she had not yet noticed the rain beginning to fall around her... or at least, it only looked like rain.

There were red lights all around her, glowing white-hot, trickling down through the tree canopy. They flickered like a swarm of fireflies, yet acted like mist. They were the shards of the shattered moon that had broken off from the collapse of Lady's spell. With her magic no longer keeping it all together, the lights had simply fallen back to the earth below; seeping into the tree leaves, dissolving into the water, and plunging into the ground.

When Rainbow at last peered up through her tears, she gazed in wonderment at the spectacle. Before her, a few particles of light began to coalesce and take a new shape. They stuck themselves together, one piece at a time, until a small, pony-sized clump collected on the forest floor. The lights dimmed at last, all along the clusters of thick foliage and underbrush, and even over the tiny mass that had taken shape. At its top, dark green tresses began to take shape, along with a delicately proportioned head. Its frame turned a light purplish color which shimmered in the rest of the departing, red glow, letting Rainbow see every strand of the forming pony's coat. The filly looked as though she were napping in a sitting position, and when the last of the glow left, she lifted up her head slowly to let the pegasus see her earthy, olive-green eyes.

The sounds had long since quieted, leaving a somewhat awkward silence between the two. The filly smiled warmly at Rainbow, yet suddenly realized she was in great distress. She gave a cursory glance to the unicorn that she was holding close to her body, noticing instantly that she was not breathing.

Wordlessly, the filly stood up, silently mouthing the word 'Twilight' to herself. She trotted over, looking to Rainbow occasionally to assure her that she meant no harm. The filly appeared so calm and docile, and the pegasus just wanted any help she could get. With Twilight lying helplessly in her embrace, she let the girl get even closer.

"W-who are you?" she asked weakly.

The girl didn't immediately respond, instead looking a little perplexed at what she had just been asked. She nervously touched a hoof to one of her ears, as if feeling to see if it was still there.

"I-I'm... Leya," she said quietly.

The filly came to her side, looking down thoughtfully at Twilight. Her horn began to glow with a faint, green aura, and slowly the wound upon the mare's scalp began to heal itself. Rainbow remained hesitant as she watched the filly work her magic, but her fear gradually began to subside.

"Will that... help her?" she inquired.

Leya remained silent, diligently wrapped up in her divine labor. This was a skill her mother had taught her.

"Um... Leya?" Rainbow asked again.

Again, nothing out of her.

Taking the hint, the pegasus turned her attention once more to her mare. The blood on Twilight's face had dissipated along with her cuts, but her face kept still. Leya started to put even more effort into her magic, wincing in frustration, staying focused all the while. She began panting heavily through her effort, so Rainbow placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder for support, and a familiar, green glow seemed to emanate from the top of Twilight's and a space over her chest. It flashed sporadically several times, then suddenly ceased all at once, leaving the air still and calm once more.

Then, to Rainbow's amazement... Twilight coughed.

"Kah!" she placed a discomforted hoof over her forehead, "Ohh... what happened?"

"TWILIGHT!" Rainbow joyfully exclaimed; she hugged the unicorn as hard as she possibly could.

Twilight nearly choked, her embrace was so tight. She happily returned Rainbow's hug, breathing a heavy sigh of relief and contentment as one of her eyes slowly crept open. She barely managed to stifle a yelp of surprise when she saw the filly right next to her.

"L-leya?!" she cried.

The little unicorn silently nodded and joined their hug without hesitation, quickly wrapping her forelegs around both of the mares' waists. Even Rainbow was more than happy to let her join in, returning the filly's embrace all the same. However, Twilight was slightly more hesitant, and looked down at her with deep puzzlement in her eyes.

"But, Leya... how did you--?"

"She saved you, Twilight," Rainbow interrupted, "She just showed up... and saved you."

While Twilight was still more than happy to see both of them, she calmly broke the hug and faced the filly directly. It was obvious the filly thought nothing of the situation, but the older unicorn knew better. Something was amiss.

"Leya, how did you get here?" she asked, "I thought you were... you know..."

The filly's expression turned slightly somber as she turned away to the ground. Rainbow was still not entirely up to speed with what was going on.

"My mommy sent me," she finally whispered, "And my other mommy helped... or the ones that looked like her did."

"Your other mom?" Twilight asked, "You mean... Lady?"

For some unknown reason, the filly seemed to ignore her, still looking down at the barren ground. Twilight began to wonder why she was taking so long to answer, afraid she had inadvertently hurt her feelings. She placed a gentle hoof under the girl's chin and raised it until their eyes met again.

"I'm sorry..." she cracked a weak smile, but it quickly faded.

"Don't be sorry, Leya," Twilight assured her, "I just wasn't sure if you heard me. I didn't know if I hurt your feelings or not, and got a little nervous is all."

"No," the filly whispered again, "It's just that...

...

I can't hear you, actually...

... I can only read your lips."

In that instant,

Twilight's heart went numb,

and she silently took up the filly in another hug.

"Oh, Leya..." the unicorn whimpered, "I'm so sorry."

While still clutching the filly tightly, Twilight glanced at Rainbow, her eyes glossy with tears. The pegasus leaned in and gave her mare another soft kiss on the cheek, showing that she was there for her. Although, by the look in her eye, Twilight needed to tell her something.

"Rainbow?" she asked.

"What is it, Twilight?" her mare replied with great concern.

"I'm... so tired..." she closed her eyes to hold back more tears, whispering ever so delicately. "I'm so tired, Rainbow... I just want to go home with you. I just want Ponyville and all of Equestria to go back to normal. I just want to see AJ, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie too. I want to see my brother... and the princesses. I just want to see everyone, but I'm just so exhausted... I feel like I could sleep forever."

Her grip suddenly loosened on Leya and the filly could only watch as Twilight gave her pegasus a return kiss on the cheek. With nearly every ounce of willpower gone from her body, the extensive damage from the events of the past few days had finally taken its immense toll.

She leaned over on her side into a dense pile of leaves, then lazily rolled onto her back. With a serene smile on her face, she rested her head down and slowly closed her eyes. Knowing she had two special ponies to watch over her, she let her mind begin to drift off.

Her body relaxed.

She remembered the last conversation she had with Lady.

She knew Leya was sent to her for a reason,

but she would think on it later.

All she wanted now... was sleep.

Epilogue: I Hear Beyond The Silence

Epilogue:
I Hear Beyond The Silence

It took almost three months.

Three long months later...

and Equestria was finally putting itself back together.

So many broken homes and families were being returned to the way they were before. Ponyville was usually busy; it was always loud, and there was always so much to do. Brick by brick and plank by plank, new homes sprang up where the old ones used to be, and most foundations were cleared away for new construction. It was hard for most. Some cried when they saw their homes in ruin, and others were simply overjoyed when they were finally able to hug their moms, dads, brothers and sisters, and even their elders. They all began to appreciate each other more... or at least, that's what I saw.

I couldn't actually hear most of the building going on either, but Miss Twilight - I actually called her mom now- tells me it's very loud. We often go outside and walk through town, seeing how everypony is doing and catching up on their work. Other fillies and colts have been enjoying the time off from school, but they are usually helping their parents too, when they can.

I used to get sad, the first few times we went out, because some ponies still looked afraid of Miss Twilight. I secretly knew why they looked at her that way, but often times, my other mom, Miss Rainbow, would walk with us and explain things to everypony. They would walk so close together that it made me want to smile all the time. They were so cute when they were with each other, but I think cute in a different way than my real moms. I never really got to see them anymore, other than occasionally in my dreams.

Ever so often, my mommy will come to me when I sleep and hug me, telling me how special I am, even though Miss Twilight and Rainbow tell me that a lot too. She always tells me she's watching, and that always makes me even happier, for some reason. I always try to be good, just like she and Miss Lady asked, because I see that life has gotten a little tougher for my new moms. They only kiss when they are alone, almost never in public. The only other ponies they have told about them being together are their closest friends, but I know others can tell when I walk with them. Everyone just keeps quiet about it, I'm sure. I wonder, sometimes, if that was just because of Miss Lady's spell.

We all live in the library now, as one big family. Mister Spike made a brand new bed for me that's about twice as big as his, and I love him a lot. I secretly think he likes being called 'Mister', but I'll keep that to myself. He's always helping me practice the way I speak and how to control my volume, since I can't really do those on my own. I've been getting better at it though, and I've even been able to teach him a little bit on how I read lips. He's not as fast a learner as I am, but I think he's slowly getting it. We usually sleep side by side with our beds close together too, near where all the books are kept. I love him so much, and I think he loves me in some way also.

My new moms sleep upstairs in their room, where they can have all the peace and quiet they want. Miss Rainbow moved all of her stuff from her old house into the library, and that took forever! I was just glad I didn't have to help, because that looked like a bit of a pain. I didn't have any stuff myself, obviously, but they both give me gifts, sometimes. I always give them big hugs every chance I can, because I really do love them so much. It's kinda' funny... I just love everything and everypony. I wonder sometimes if that makes me weird, but for now, I don't really care. I'm just so happy all the time, and Miss Rainbow tells me that's the most awesome thing she's ever seen. She even helps me brush my mane sometimes in the morning. I haven't even started school yet, but I love those mornings most of all.

I think the only time I ever got nervous since I came back to Equestria was the day Miss Twilight took me to visit Canterlot... or what remained of it. Almost all of it had been completely destroyed, yet we went through the city anyway. My mommy had told me a lot about Canterlot and Princess Celestia, even the part about when she lived here with Miss Lady, so I wasn't completely left out about what kind of place it was. Even though it was in the middle of being rebuilt, I still thought it was beautiful. On that particular day, we got to see the castle too. I remembered when we first walked in through those big doors that I could potentially be a princess one day, but I kinda' doubted it. I was just happy to meet so many new ponies.

We had taken a train to Canterlot that day, because Miss Rainbow was busy working with other pegasus ponies to help build more homes, so it was only the two of us that visited Princess Celestia. She was very beautiful. I can't even think of a word to describe how pretty she was, but I still secretly thought my real moms were prettier. She probably would've been really upset with me if she knew that, but I don't know that for sure.

It was the first time that she had seen Miss Twilight since I came back, and they were both very happy. They immediately hugged each other when they met, but I could see that they were crying. They whispered something into each others' ears, but I looked away from their lips, because I honestly didn't want to know what they said. I knew it was something only meant for them, not for me.

There were a lot more royal guards on watch, or so Miss Twilight told me. I could kinda' guess why, too. My new mom kept where I had come from a secret from Princess Celestia as well, and I wasn't quite sure that was a good idea, but she told me it would be better for everypony that way. The only things she said to her were that Miss Lady had died and paid for her crimes, and that she had adopted me soon after; nothing more. The princess seemed very upset to hear that first bit of news, but she was more than happy to meet me. She said my hearing problem was actually a blessing in disguise, and that I would understand that better one day. I hope she's right about that, but why wouldn't she be? She is Princess Celestia, after all. I practically jumped for joy when she told me to study hard and try to enroll in her school, probably because I have Miss Twilight as my super-special-secret tutor who could teach me everything she knows.

I'd be a shoe-in for sure.

I even got to meet Princess Luna. She's just as beautiful as her sister, but much more quiet. When we met, she barely said anything to me, except for, "I expect great things from you, little one." Although, I think she was secretly scared of me for some reason. When our eyes met, I just got that feeling. She was hesitant at first. I was bothered by it a little bit, but Miss Twilight said she's like that sometimes and not to worry too much, so I don't anymore. I hope one day I'll get to talk to her for longer; maybe, we'll even have a real conversation.

Though, probably the coolest part about visiting the castle was meeting my new uncle, Shining Armor. He wears the biggest, heaviest armor that I've ever seen... even though I've never really seen ponies in armor before. I gave him a big hug anyway, because he deserved it. He limped on one leg a little bit, and I could tell it was hard for him to get around, but I knew why too. There were a lot of things I knew, actually, that Miss Twilight said were best to stay quiet about. He said he was going to visit us more in Ponyville, now that he had more time for leave, but that made Miss Twilight a little nervous. I could see it in her eyes. I don't think he knew Miss Rainbow lived with us yet, so she offered instead to visit the Crystal Empire, which only made me even more excited.

Speaking of visits, we're planning to go on a vacation soon, before school starts for me. Apparently, my new moms had planned to go on one even before I came along, so I wasn't going to complain at all. They looked like they really needed one, too. Whenever they had a chance to hang out with all of their friends, they stuck close together. They were like two peas in a pod, most of the time, but I could tell they just wanted to get away for a while. I even tried hanging out with some new friends I made to give my moms a little more privacy. They called themselves the Cutie Mark Crust-Haters, which seems like a really weird name to me. I could be wrong about what they said, since I can only read their lips, but I hate the crusts of my sandwiches too.

Anyway, the time that I do spend at home in the library is usually used for reading. Ever since Princess Celestia told me to study, Miss Twilight has been helping me practice my magic, day in and day out, but we still have plenty of breaks to go out and have fun. I promised Miss Lady we would do that, after all.

One day, my unicorn mom brought home a really big text book, one we didn't keep in the library. She said she had it specially delivered to us from Princess Celestia's school, because that was one of the few places that actually kept them. It was called 'Tier Fifty-One', or something like that, and she would sit by my side and read it, herself, while she usually gave me something easier to read. I asked her one day why she was studying it so hard, and she would only say, "just refreshing my memory." I knew she was smart, but I didn't know she was that smart. I love her so very much.

A few days a week, I go out on my own and watch my pegasus mom go about her daily job. It's super easy for her too, but she always has time to hang out with me. We've gone out on a few walks before, where she's shown me some of the projects she's been working on with other ponies around town. There's a sweet shop called Sugarcube Corner that she's helping to rebuild with her friend, Miss Pinkie Pie, and they tell me it's going to be twice as big as the old one. Miss Pinkie shares my love of hugging everypony too, so we get along just fine.

I liked meeting Miss Fluttershy, as well. She's a pegasus, like my mom, but maybe not quite as fast a flyer. That stuff never bothered me, though. Miss Rainbow warned me she would be pretty quiet, and was totally embarrassed when I reminded her that didn't matter with me. She always seemed pretty glum whenever she brought it up, because I think she felt sorry for me. Although, I would always tell her that I loved her anyway, because I truly did, and even though I could never hear what she said, she made a point of moving her lips in a perfect way that I could understand.

"I love you too, Leya."

She always smiled at me after she said that...

and it made me want to cry sometimes.

They were never sad tears, though. I was only ever happy with my new moms, and I tried to show them as much as possible that I was the best little filly they could possibly have. Even though I'm sure it didn't matter too much to them, I tried anyway. I feel like I have a lot to live up to, but for now, I just want to have fun while I can. I'm so excited for our vacation, even if it'll only be the three of us, and Mister Spike said he can take care of the library, himself, while we're gone. Although, before we go, my new friends Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom said they were going to ask their sisters if we could possibly have a sleepover at one of their houses. Our friend Scootaloo would come along too, and I'm sure their sisters would say yes. Miss Applejack and Miss Rarity are just as nice as all of my moms' other friends, so why would they ever say no?

Until we leave though, I'm going to keep studying with my unicorn mom and helping her have fun too. She already says I'm 'advanced', but I don't exactly know what she means by that. I have this strange power that only comes out when I walk on grass, where whenever I take a step on it, it grows a few inches taller instantly. It's almost like I can make plants come back to life just by touching them, and Miss Twilight says that's a pretty special gift. My pegasus mom says I have a 'green hoof'... whatever that means. It isn't really green, though. I think she's just being silly sometimes, but I love her anyway.

In fact, I just love everything about my new life. I may not get to see my real mommy often, but I do always have a lot to tell her. I even got to meet with Miss Lady once in my dreams, and she thanked me for doing exactly as she asked. The last thing I remember her telling me was something about 'exceeding her expectations', but I don't really know what that meant. I think I'm going to ask my mom, Miss Twilight, what she means. There's actually a lot of things I need to ask her.

Oh well.

Until then, I'm going to keep being happy for everyone. I'm going to keep getting up with a smile on my face, giving everyone hugs, hanging out with my friends, the Crust-Haters, studying with my unicorn mom, meeting new ponies with my pegasus mom, and learning how to get along without being able to hear anypony. Then again, that never stopped me before.

I'm lucky to live in a place like Ponyville and have two, wonderful ponies to call my moms.

I can tell they are happy together...

and I'm so happy to be with them.

Fin.

This story is dedicated to my friend, Will.

Thanks for reading.

Author's Note

Well, what a journey this story has been! :ajsmug:

For the people that have stuck by me until the end, I wish to thank you all. I've spent literally hundreds of hours on this story over the past 3 months, and I'm genuinely pleased with the end results. Some corrections still have to be made, so I'm going to spend the next week editing those mistakes out.

As for my future writings...

I'm not done with this story... nor TwiDash's lol. :twilightsmile:

LightningBass94 made a group, and we hold co-ownership Our TwiDash Group

My newer TwiDash (better TwiDash) is here --> The Amethyst

I have many more projects and friends that I want to be helping with their own stuff, so I'm going to be spending a teency bit more time with them. I'll still be writing my ass off all the time and will frequently need pre-readers. If you are ever interested in helping me in that aspect and/or just want to give me some opinions on things I write before everyone else can, then I strongly suggest you follow me, if you have not done so already. I have conquered this veritable mountain of a task and I'm going to keep chugging forward.

I'm also going to be starting a new group soon, dedicated specifically to people who wish to better the community and themselves. No senseless negativity allowed. I'll keep blog posts going fairly regularly with any news about new stories or projects I might need help with. I'd love to see you there! :rainbowwild:

Thanks again, Raven... like a shit-ton. :twilightoops:

Coming soon (WHENEVER I get around to it): 'Our Voices Fall On Deaf Ears'