Secrets and Lies

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10

Chapter 1

Celestia sighed heavily as she looked out at the star filled night sky that enveloped Canterlot. Her heart hung heavy, the alicorn carrying a burden that she had hoped would never come to pass...at least not yet. A slight breeze fluttered past her wafting the banners behind her and causing a slight chill to run across her body.

“Sister, what are you doing out here?” asked a voice calmly.

Celestia turned to find Luna gazing at her expectantly from the doorway. It was a needless question, one that Luna knew the answer to all too well and yet Celestia found herself obliged to answer it as if doing so made the situation easier.

“I was just thinking about things,” she replied after a moment.

“About her you mean?”

“Yes...her...”

“Tia you know all too well what must be done and what will happen if we don’t. I have been watching over her dreams, trying my best to stop the nightmare from taking her too soon but...”

“I know you’ve tried Luna, it was the same with him...the same as it was with all of them. I just feel so powerless.”

Luna approached her, stopping just next to her and lying her head across Celestia’s back. The white alicorn herself returned the gesture, the pair standing silently in a loving embrace for a moment.

“Fear not Tia,” said Luna, “I will continue to watch over her tonight, please try and get some rest.”

“I will try Luna but it is not easy to sleep soundly when you are holding the executioner’s axe...”

Twilight Sparkle woke with a start, a cold sweat clinging to every hair on her body. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and her breathing came in short sharp gasps. She couldn’t focus on anything, the room around her a blur of meaningless colours and shapes. Only one thing occupied her mind, the same thing that had plagued her dreams for several nights. She could even see it now, a black hoof reaching out towards her and behind it a pair of glowing green eyes.

She shook her head hard, forcing the image aside as she tried to steady her breathing. She looked a mess, her fur tangled and her mane stuck out in all directions. Even her wings hadn’t survived unscathed, her constant tossing and turning in the night having caused all manner of chaos with the delicately arranged feathers.

She lay back down, staring up at the ceiling above her. Initially she had thought it was just a bad dream but the same dream four nights in a row? That was more than just a bad dream, something was going on. She had been tempted to discuss it with her friends on several occasions over the last few days but they were all so busy that the right moment had never presented itself. Not that she hadn’t been busy either, her new lifestyle as a princess increasing her already full schedule with another cartload of extra work. It didn’t help that for the last few nights her sleep had been interrupted by this reoccurring nightmare. Perhaps she should speak to Luna, after all she was the princess of the night and would know a lot about dreams and what they meant.

Taking a deep breath she made a mental note to add it to her schedule whenever she could find a slot. She glanced over at the window, the curtains just managing to hold back the first rays of the sun as it rose above the horizon outside. Twilight was an early riser but even she wasn’t used to getting up quite this early. Even so she knew that lying in bed wouldn’t help her and the sooner she made herself busy the sooner she would be able to forget about the nightmares.

Firstly though she needed a shower and breakfast. Sliding from her bed she slowly made her way to the bathroom and turned the shower on. For quite some time Twilight stood in the flowing water, her exhaustion never leaving her but her body feeling much better for the experience. By the time Twilight stepped from the shower the roosters of Sweet Apple Acres were finally beginning to announce the start of the day. Even so Twilight found herself in no rush as she sat down opposite the bathroom mirror and began to dry her fur and straighten her mane. It was only when the smell of freshly made pancakes began to waft under the door that Twilight found herself paying attention to anything else around her. She followed the smell downstairs to find her ever present number one assistant stood over the kitchen stove pouring out what looked like a third batch of pancakes.

“Morning Twilight!” he chirped happily as he effortlessly flipped a pancake in the pan.

Twilight gave a small groan as she slipped herself into a seat at the table.

“Bad night sleep?” continued Spike as he slipped a finished pancake onto a nearby plate.

“Several more like it, replied Twilight as she rested her head on the table.

“Well a good breakfast should wake you up,” continued the dragon before he placed a stack of pancakes on the table in front of her.

Twilight couldn’t help but lick her lips as her stomach gave an appropriate rumble. Reaching for the syrup she quickly poured a large amount over the stack and then levitated a set of cutlery into the air before tucking in. It was after her seventh mouthful that Spike returned to the table, placing a rolled up scroll next to Twilight’s plate.

“Oh yeah, this came for you this morning while you were in the shower,” he said with a hint of annoyance, “Darn thing woke me up too, I really don’t understand why the Princess has to send you letters so early.”

Twilight stopped, her cutlery clattering to the tabletop as she reached for the scroll.

“Spike, why didn’t you tell me about this before? If it’s from the Princess it’s bound to be important!”

“Yeah well so is breakfast,” replied Spike, “I know how you get when you receive one of these letters. You always race off without thinking and you really looked like you needed breakfast this morning.”

Twilight gave a small chuckle, “I suppose I do get a little carried away sometimes. It’s just that I don’t want to let her down. Now that I’m a princess it means I have a lot of responsibility.”

“And I’m sure Celestia doesn’t start the day without having breakfast first.”

“Ok ok, I get it…thank you Spike, I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t always looking out for me.”

“Ah shucks…”

Spike blushed slightly as he wandered off again leaving Twilight to read her letter. For a moment she paused, her eyes glancing back at her nearly finished stack of pancakes. Spike was right; the letter could wait a few moments. Turning back to her food she placed another mouthful into her mouth before unrolling the scroll. The letter was brief but it didn’t need to be long.

Dear Twilight

A matter of great importance has arisen and I need to speak with you immediately. Please come to Canterlot as soon as possible and please, don’t bring anypony with you or tell anypony about this.

Your Fellow Princess

Celestia

The letter seemed rushed, written hastily and without much care or attention. The ink was smudged in a few places and the general tone itself didn’t feel like her previous letters from Celestia. Something important must be happening for the Princess to send such a letter. She quickly placed the letter down and looked at the clock. It was a little before nine and Twilight knew the first train to Canterlot left at 9.27am exactly. She didn’t have much time.

She turned and raced from the kitchen, nearly colliding with Spike and a pile of books he was carrying. Twilight didn’t even seem to notice as she made her way upstairs to her bedroom. Pushing open the door her magic sprung to life, lifting various objects from around the room and cramming them into a set of saddlebags that rested at the foot of her bed. With a final check of her mane in the mirror she ran from the room and back downstairs.

“Twilight? What’s the rush? What did the letter say?” asked Spike as the lavender pony arrived in the library.

“I don’t know Spike,” replied Twilight, “Princess Celestia wants me to go to Canterlot immediately.”

“Great, do you want me to bring anything?”

“No Spike, she said to go alone. Something really important must be happening, just stay here and look after the library. I’ll send word as soon as I can.”

Spike looked a little disheartened but at the mention of looking after the library his face seemed to brighten, “You mean I’m in charge?”

“Yes you’re in charge until I get back,” replied Twilight as she rechecked the contents of her saddlebags.

“You can count on me.”

“I know I can,” replied Twilight with a small smile.

Spike gave a quick salute and smiled back before Twilight quickly ruffled the spines on his head. A moment later she was out of the door, trotting quickly across town towards the rail station.

The doors to the palace throne room opened forcefully as Twilight fluttered into the room. She landed as best she could, the new princess still a little unsteady with her wings, and gave a short bow.

“Princess Celestia, I came as fast as I could, your message sounded urgent,” she said quickly.

There was no reply from Celestia except a soft sigh. Twilight looked up to find her former mentor sitting on her throne looking incredibly melancholy. Part of her face looked happy to see her, the rest seemingly cast in deep shadow by something that troubled her greatly.

“Princess?” questioned Twilight slowly.

“…Oh Twilight, you don’t have to use such formal terms,” replied Celestia suddenly, “We are equals now, how many times must I ask you to call me Celestia?”

Twilight felt a blush passing over her face, “It…just seems so weird to say it like that…even if I am a princess now too. You’re so much more powerful and experienced than me.”

Celestia gave a small chuckle as she stood and descended the stairs towards her former pupil. As quickly as the look of happiness had arrived though it faded and a frown settled across her face.

“Walk with me Twilight, there is something very important we have to discuss.”

Twilight slowly fell into step beside Celestia, both alicorns leaving the throne room as they began to walk along the palace corridors. For a time Celestia was silent but Twilight could see the dancing emotions playing back and forth behind her eyes.

“Twilight,” she said at length, her voice firm but soft, “What do you know of alicorn magic?”

“A-Alicorn magic?”

Twilight blinked, she hadn’t expected a question like this and Celestia seemed to anticipate her reaction.

“As I suspected, you haven’t heard of it have you?” she asked.

“I…I think I remember Zecora mentioning something about alicorn magic back in Ponyville when you and Luna were taken by the Tree of Harmony,” replied Twilight finally, “She said it was the only thing that could make the time vision potion work.”

Celestia nodded, “It isn’t the only thing that alicorn magic can do.”

Celestia stopped in her tracks and turned to face the wall. She sighed slowly and closed her eyes. As they opened Twilight couldn’t help but gasp, her eyes had gone green and a wisp of purple drifted into the air from the corner of them. Next came her horn, a sharp prickly mass of purple black magic flying up it before it shot from the tip and struck the wall. The wall itself sparked and crackled and a moment later a door faded into view within the stonework.

Twilight felt herself backing off slightly, she recognised the magic that Celestia had used. It was the same type of magic that she had shown her before she had gone to the Crystal Empire for the first time. The same type of magic she herself had used on the traps within the palace during her search for the Crystal Heart. The same type of magic used by…

Her dream suddenly returned to her, the outstretched hoof and those green glowing eyes. A cold sweat ran across her body as she stared ahead at Celestia. The white alicorn stepped forwards, opening the newly revealed door. Behind the door lay a long corridor cast in shadows and Twilight found herself swallowing at the thought of what might be down that dark passage. Celestia looked back at her, her expression neutral and unreadable.

“Come Twilight, there is still much to do.”

Chapter 2

The corridor was long and dark, the only light coming from the glow that radiated from both Celestia’s and Twilight’s horns. Spider’s webs clung to the ceiling and dust laid on every surface, each hoofstep sending a small cloud of it into the air. Twilight could feel a chill running down her spine, what was this place? Where was Celestia taking her?

Celestia herself hadn’t spoken since they had set hoof in the corridor; the white alicorn had simply kept walking, Twilight having no option but to follow her deeper into the unknown. After a time the passage widened slightly and came to a stop at the top of a flight of spiral stairs, Celestia didn’t pause though as she led Twilight down the steps. Twilight could only surmise that they were now inside the mountain that Canterlot was built onto but even so she couldn’t be entirely sure.

At the bottom of the stairs was a large room, or at least Twilight assumed it was, she couldn’t see more than a few meters in each direction. Celestia finally came to a stop and swung her horn to the side. As she did a small orb of magic flew off and struck a small object on the wall, the magic seeming to ignite something as a trail of light quickly spread around the room illuminating it for all to see.

Twilight looked around with building trepidation; the room wasn’t like anything she had seen before. Cages lined the back wall, the metal bars rusted and sharp. Along the walls lay old cabinets, each one rotten and crumbling where it stood. In the middle of the room was a large circular pattern that was sunk a few inches into the ground in the centre of which sat a series of large metal loops and chains that were securely fixed to the brickwork.

“What…what is this place?” she murmured quietly but even this was loud enough for Celestia to hear.

“It is the Dias of Control…an ancient place built years before the pony civilisation as we know it was founded. Come!”

Celestia stepped forwards into the room, Twilight hesitatingly following her.

“I don’t understand, what do you mean? What is this place for? Why haven’t I read anything about it in my books?” she asked quickly.

“You haven’t read about it because the existence of this place is a secret known only to myself and my sister…and one other,” replied Celestia as she stopped.

Turning slowly Twilight could see the tears that were starting to form in Celestia’s eyes. She blinked slowly, Twilight seeing emotion in her face for the first time since their initial meeting in the throne room. She looked sad, ashamed even, but why?

“Princess?” she asked slowly as she took a step towards her.

“I’m sorry Twilight but Luna is right, this is the only way…”

Twilight didn’t have a chance to respond as Celestia’s magic flared to life. She felt herself encased in it, the yellow glow surrounding every inch of her body. Normally Twilight would have trusted Celestia to the ends of the world but right now she was terrified. She struggled against the magical grip but found herself incapable of moving even an inch. As Celestia’s magic touched her horn her body reacted swiftly. Her own magic flared to life, pushing back against the oppressive feeling that Celestia was slowly forcing on her. If she hadn’t have been so panicked the brief magic duel may have been a little less one sided but this time Celestia had the upper hand. With a final flurry of purple sparks Twilight’s magic was forced back and Celestia’s own magic sealed around the base of Twilight’s horn.

Twilight’s eyes flashed to Celestia, the white alicorn stood in front of her unmoving.

“What…what is going on? Princess? What are you doing?” she asked quickly, her voice panicked as her breathing began to increase.

“Please don’t resist Twilight…this is the only way…I’m sorry…”

Twilight felt herself being picked up and a moment later was placed down again in the centre of the room. At the same time the rusted chains came to life, wrapping themselves around her body as large manacles snapped closed around her hooves. Twilight couldn’t help but cry out as the chains wrapped around her, each link biting into her fur and wings as they secured her to the floor. As the final chain clicked into place the magical field around her vanished although the glow of Celestia’s magic never left her horn, keeping her magic silenced.

Twilight immediately began to fight against her bonds, each movement bringing a new pain as she quickly realised that any amount of movement caused the chains to dig into her skin. She looked back at Celestia her eyes pleading for release and answers. What was going on? Why was Celestia doing this? Was she being punished? But if so what for? What had she done wrong?

“I can see many questions on your mind Twilight,” said Celestia in a mournful tone, “My only regret is that I could not do more for you when you needed me the most. I can only hope that everypony will eventually be able to forgive me for what I must do.”

“What...what do you mean?” asked Twilight nervously as she looked back at Celestia in fear.

Twilight never received a reply from the alicorn before her. The room seemed to shudder, creaking emanating from every piece of cracking brickwork. Twilight could feel the sudden rush of magical energy surging into the room, and more importantly into the circular pattern beneath her. On the ground a series of runes began to glow, the stones themselves beginning to fade from view as a well of mana began to rise up from the floor. A final look at Celestia was all that Twilight could manage before it happened.

The white alicorn reared back, her horn aglow with more magical energy than Twilight had ever seen. As she brought her front hooves down to the ground her horn gave a spark and the magical charged jumped towards its target. Twilight screamed as a pain like nothing she had ever felt before overtook her senses. Every part of her body burned like she had been trapped in a furnace and the smell of burning fur filled the air as Twilight’s body was wreathed in flames. Yet this was only the beginning. Hotter still the flames burned, heat upon heat as Celestia’s magic took on the power of the sun. Twilight was locked in the middle of it, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to do anything as her senses were overloaded with fear and pain.

Am I going to die? Please no...somepony...anypony...save me...

Nothing replied to her thoughts and slowly her mind faded to black.

“Hello? Can anypony hear me? Where am I? What’s happening?”

Twilight called again and again into the darkness that surrounded her but she was only greeted with silence. It felt like an eternity since she had arrived in this place and yet the darkness was new to her. She felt cold, a shiver running across her body as she turned around and around on the spot like a mad pony.

“So good to finally meet you in person Princess,” spoke a sudden low voice, the tone carrying hints of amusement.

Twilight jumped and spun around but found nothing but endless black.

“Who are you? Show yourself!” she demanded, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke.

“You wound me Princess, to think you’ve forgotten about me so soon. Very well...”

Twilight felt something wash over her, a sudden feeling of dread and fear as she slowly turned once more. Behind her stood a grey coloured unicorn although most of his coat was covered by the set of plate armour or the long red cape that cascaded down his back. On his face was a small smile, his green glowing eyes half closed as he looked at her with an amused expression. Twilight’s own eyes went wide, her legs frozen to the spot as she stared back at him.

“...Sombra...” she said quietly.

“Yes Princess it is I,” replied the unicorn with a roll of his eyes, “I’m quite astounded it took you so long to recognise who it was. I have after all been visiting you most evenings.”

“You...so that’s what the dreams were about?”

Sombra raised a hoof to his forehead, lightly tapping it against the black crown that rested there.

“And you’re supposed to be the newest Princess of Equestria? I had expected a little more intelligence than that you being Celestia’s ‘prize student’ and all.”

Twilight snorted, annoyance and anger starting to overtake the fear in her mind, “What do you want Sombra?! What is this place?”

“Still as clueless as ever I see, very well I shall spell it out for you. You are mere seconds from death.”

Twilight backed away slightly, stamping her hoof on the ground as she tried to remain calm. Sombra meanwhile just chuckled.

“Oh fear not, I’m not here to kill you,” he continued with a slight smirk, “That little task has already been claimed by another party, your dear precious Princess Celestia.”

“Lies!”

Twilight felt her rage boil over and her magic reacted. A flurry of magical bolts flew from her horn at Sombra but the unicorn didn’t even move. As the bolts reached him they merely passed straight through, his form waving like smoke on a breeze before reforming again in front of her.

“Honestly Princess, did you really think such a thing would work here?” questioned Sombra in a disappointed tone, “And resorting to violence so soon, I thought you cared about friendship.”

“I have no interest in being friends with you Sombra!” replied Twilight her voice shaking slightly as her mind tried to work out what to do next, “What do you want?”

“Like I said Twilight Sparkle, you are moments from death, burned to a cinder and your ashes tossed to the wind. It’s such a pity really; there is so much undiscovered potential in that body of yours.”

“If I’m moments from death what am I doing here?”

“Oh a good question at last,” replied Sombra with a slight chuckle.

A moment later his magic flared into life and an image appeared between the pair of them. A dimly lit room illuminated by a bright burning flame in the centre. The image was still, like a picture, and yet the flames danced back and forth around an object in the middle of them. As the image zoomed in Twilight felt her stomach lurch, it wasn’t easy to see but for her it was easy to tell. A pony stood in the middle of the flames, her body wrapped in chains and head held high as she screamed at the ceiling. The fur across her body had been completely burned off, the rich reddish brown colour of burnt flesh covering her instead. Her tail and mane were no longer visible, both evaporated by the flames around her. On her back, stretched out and rigid in pain, were the charred skeletal remains of a pair of wings.

Twilight backed off, shaking her head violently; it was her! Just then her memories resurfaced, the message from Celestia, the long walk down the darkened corridor, the look of regret and sorrow in her mentor’s eyes. Her breathing began to quicken but as much as she tried she couldn’t pull her gaze away from the image before her.

“Remember now?” asked Sombra as he stepped round the image and approached her, “I forget how fragile the mind can be when it’s in denial.”

“W-Why...?”

“Why? Why is Celestia doing this? Another fine question, I do have the answer but you may not like what I have to say.”

“I...I...t-tell me...”

Chapter 3

“I wasn’t always like this you know although if I had the choice again there really wouldn’t be any contest,” began Sombra, “Being a simply unicorn again just wouldn’t have the same appeal you understand.”

“I thought you were going to tell me about Celestia,” interrupted Twilight with a small huff.

“Patience my dear, every story has a beginning and this one begins with me. I could bore you with the details of my childhood, try to persuade you that I was once a good little colt like yourself but I know that wouldn’t interest you. Instead let’s just skip ahead a few chapters to where I became Celestia’s student.”

Twilight almost choked on her own breath, “What?! That’s not true! Celestia would never take a monster like you as her student!”

“Did I not already say I wasn’t always like this? No, I was a good little colt once, always learning and doing my best. It was quite a proud moment when all that hard work paid off and I graduated top of my class in school as I’m sure you’re well aware.”

Twilight didn’t respond, instead the glare on her face remained steady and silent as she waited for more important facts to be revealed.

“But of course she wouldn’t tell you about that now would she? How could Celestia, perfect princess and ruler of all Equestria, announce to her subjects that she had taken a student under her wing who had nearly overthrown her?”

Sombra paused for a moment, clearing his throat as he studied Twilight’s face for a reaction but none was forthcoming just yet.

“Still unconvinced? Well how about I ask you a question then, why do you think Celestia and Luna create other alicorns?”

Twilight’s brow faltered, the frown vanishing for a moment as her brain started to mull the question over and over. It was true that both Celestia and Luna were immortal, or seemingly lived longer than recorded records. For thousands of years they had ruled over Equestria but Twilight couldn’t think of any previous cases of alicorns existing until her and Cadence.

“Let me enlighten you dear Twilight Sparkle,” interrupted Sombra as he looked squarely at her, “They create them only to be sacrificed.”

“What?!”

Twilight’s mind flashed back to anger at his words, the princess once again glaring at the unicorn before her. Sombra let out a chuckle.

“Don’t believe me? What about this then?” In a puff of magic the earlier image of Twilight’s roasted body appeared next to him, “It would seem that you make a rather good sacrifice.”

Twilight tried to form words but for a moment only ranting fumes left her lips as she looked from Sombra to the image and back again, “S-Sacrifice for what?!”

“What do you know of alicorn magic?”

“What do you know of alicorn magic?” Celestia’s voice rung out in her head like a klaxon call. Her frown returned, the alicorn glaring at Sombra once again but this time it wasn’t in disgust at him.

“What is alicorn magic...?” she asked slowly.

“That is a question that Equestria should have asked long ago and nopony has dared.”

“Enough word games Sombra! Tell me what it is, now!”

“My my, so impatient, very well I shall tell you or better still why don’t I show you?”

His eyes gave a slight pulse of colour and his horn came alive, crackling black energy pulsing along it. Twilight felt something touch her mind, a dormant force that began to stir as Sombra continued his spell. She shook her head the touch becoming a tingle and the tingle spreading slowly down her spine. As it did she jumped sharply and wrenched herself back into the moment. Sombra’s spell stopped a moment later, the unicorn smiling at her expectantly.

“What are you playing at Sombra?!” she demanded, once again glaring at the pony in front of her.

“Playing at? I wasn’t doing anything, why? Did you feel something?” he replied with a smirk.

“A tingle in my mind, don’t try to play dumb, you were trying to cast some kind of mind control spell on me weren’t you?”

“Mind control spell?” Sombra gave a small chuckle, “if I wanted you bent to my will I could do it much more easily than that. No, I was simply giving the power in you a simple nudge.”

“What do you mean?”

“Still clueless, I see.”

Sombra again raised a hoof to his head and gently scratched behind his ear.

“Very well, you wish to know what alicorn magic really is?” he asked slowly as an oppressive feeling began to bear down on Twilight like a freight train in the night, “this is alicorn magic.”

Without warning Sombra’s horn sprung to life once more, his eyes lighting up a green colour that was even brighter than before. All around him a dark mist began to arise, tendrils snaking off into the space surrounding him as behind him a large set of black feathered wings fluttered into view. Twilight didn’t know what to think, the scene was actually both incredible and yet terrifying at the same time. It felt like her very soul was being drawn out and held at Sombra’s mercy. She could feel the same tingling returning to her mind, the sensation slowly spread across her body and this time she could do nothing to stop it. The tingle started to burn, Twilight feeling like her nerves were on fire as she tried desperately to speak.

And then, just as suddenly as it had started it stopped. The tingling vanished and the burning sensation became a cool massage like a summer’s breeze at high noon. She felt herself relaxing, almost falling asleep before she managed to blink and clear her mind. As she did all the feelings stopped and she was returned to normal. In front of her Sombra had also returned to his previous form, the wings and tendrils nowhere to be seen.

Twilight tried to make sense of it. She had sensed what the magic Sombra had used was, the very same she had used to defeat his traps in the Crystal Empire. But Celestia had said that magic was evil, formed from hatred and fear. How could that be alicorn magic? It couldn’t be could it? Celestia had always cared about her subjects, there was no way that hatred and fear could be behind everything she did.

“I see you are beginning to understand,” commented Sombra as Twilight looked up at him, “Alicorn magic, the magic that Celestia and Luna both wield...is the darkest power known to Equestria.”

“No, no that can’t be true...”

“And why can’t it be true Twilight? Because your beloved Princess Celestia is involved? The same Celestia that is now moments away from ending your existence? Could such a loving and caring leader do that to a pony without hesitation? No, I’ve seen the truth. When I became Celestia’s student I happened to learn what alicorn magic really was completely by accident. I overheard them talking, the sisters planning their next move and ultimately the fate that I myself was destined to endure. You see, they might use the dark powers of this world but they do not control them. They cannot bring themselves to use the full power they are capable of wielding.”

Sombra gave a gruff sound, obviously disgusted at the notion, “When I found out what they had in store for me I was terrified and yet at the same time I was furious. To hear such words from a ruler I thought was all loving and benevolent; it showed me the true meaning of this world. So I played along, I studied hard and did as I was told but always I was watchful. When it was finally time for my own ascension I was ready, they made me an alicorn, a conduit to the dark powers they feared so much, and in that moment I struck.”

“I opened my heart to the darkness, I welcomed it into my being, and it replied. It was an experience like no other, the raw unbridled power I felt...it was intoxicating. I think I surprised both of them with my actions and I would have killed them both there and then had it not been for intervention of that accursed Starswirl.”

“Starswirl?” interrupted Twilight suddenly.

“Yes, Starswirl the Beared, a great and powerful unicorn himself...but no match for me in that moment. Even so he held me off long enough for the sisters to escape. They ran Twilight, they ran from the power I wielded.”

Sombra smirked, reviling in the memories he was retelling.

“I knew that time was short though and I had but one chance to make my move. I took the Crystal Empire, the source of all love and good will in Equestria, and twisted it to my will. The dark powers reacted and had it not been for Celestia and Luna interference I would have succeeded in drowning Equestria in a sea of misery and sorrow. But alas the sisters saw it fit to reveal their weapon against such occurrences, the Elements of Harmony. It goes to show how much they despised their true power that they were able to wield them. I was defeated as I’m sure you know already, but darkness cannot so easily be overcome.”

“But...when you returned we stopped you again and...”

“Ah yes, I will say one thing Twilight, your use of alicorn magic during that time was most impressive indeed…it almost seemed like it was natural for you.”

“Don’t push me Sombra! I defeated you once and I can…”

“Ah but you didn’t,” interrupted Sombra, “You may have retrieved the Crystal Heart with the help of your dragon friend but it was Cadence that activated it and tossed me back into the void! If it hadn’t been for her spell shielding the Empire you would not have had time to accomplish your task and the kingdom would have fallen. Credit where it is due…and you may be interested to know that if it wasn’t for Cadence you wouldn’t exist in your current form at all.”

“What are you…?”

“Celestia and Luna both knew I would return eventually, they may have banished me but they could not defeat me. So they made the perfect defence, an alicorn who was not affected by the dark powers, an alicorn whose magic was the complete opposite of my own power. But there in lay the problem, such an alicorn couldn’t be used as a sacrifice…so they needed another…and you fitted that bill nicely as we have both seen.”

“You’re…you’re lying!”

“Yes Twilight I am lying, nothing I have said is true, it was all a clever plan to make you my willing subject,” replied Sombra, his eyes burning right into her, “You can’t deny it doesn’t make sense. Your beloved Princess doesn’t care about you; she’s shown that in quite glorious fashion already. She will end your life in order to seal away the power she fears and then move on. You are nothing more than a vessel. They create alicorns like us to serve as living sacrifices in order to bind their own magical power.”

Twilight was hunched on the floor, her front hooves clasped over her ears in a desperate attempt to shut out Sombra’s words. It couldn’t be true, Celestia would never do that to her…she was like a second mother to her. And yet whilst her emotions battled on her analytical brain went into overdrive. Everything Sombra had said made sense. She ran over everything in her mind trying desperately to find a fault, a loophole, some sort of non sequitur that could unravel his whole story…but nothing appeared. Everything was perfect, everything made sense.

She swallowed hard, her breathing quickening as she began to realise the truth. Her whole life had been a lie, an ideal fantasy constructed around her to hide the truth that lay behind it. The pony she trusted more than any other in her life had lied to her, moulded her into this form for nothing other than her own preservation. She felt a growing anger boiling inside her, an inferno she couldn’t control.

She looked up at Sombra, the unicorn, or rather alicorn, looking back at her with a knowing expression. He stepped forwards, offering a hoof towards her. For a moment Twilight looked at it, a faint glimmer of disgust passing across her face, before slowly reaching forwards and accepting the hoof. Helping her back to her hooves again Sombra gave a small smile.

“You have a choice Twilight Sparkle,” he said slowly, “You can either keep your faith in your false Princess and die by her hoof…or I can help you obtain a power that will not only save your life but will elevate you beyond that of anypony in the world.”

Twilight looked back at him, her expression firm and decisive.

“…I choose…”

Chapter 4

All Celestia could feel was a constant stinging on her cheeks as her tears were flash boiled by the intense flames. She wished there was another way, anything that would spare her from the task she had just completed...and yet there was nothing. Her most faithful student Twilight Sparkle was gone and now she would have to spin yet another web of lies to cover up the deed she had committed. It would have been easier if it had been like her previous student, but Twilight had done so much, achieved so many goals and reached the hearts of so many ponies...including her own.

Celestia could remember ever instance she had done this stretching back millennia into the dark and forgotten past of Equestria. Each time it had been a struggle but she had been able to brush that aside, reassuring herself that it was for the safety and continued future of her subjects. This time, however, as the fires had consumed Twilight she had even wished it had been herself that stood in Twilight’s place. She had always tried to distance herself as much as possible but the lavender unicorn had meant more to her than anything else on the planet.

As Twilight’s scream suddenly stopped Celestia felt part of herself roll over and die. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes, keeping her magic steady for a few more moments before finally letting it fade. As she did the heat quickly subsided and the deed was completed. She couldn’t look up; she didn’t want to face what would stand before her. She had seen it many times before, alicorns she had seared in white hot magical flames stood before her, their faceless expressions that would forever haunt her dreams. And now Twilight’s face would join them. She took little comfort in the fact that this sacrifice would bind the dark power to the Dias, helping to control and limit their influence across Equestia.

She shed more tears as memories of old began to resurface. Her first meeting with Twilight during her entrance exam to her school was forefront in her mind. Back then she had simply seen a pony who would eventually fit the requirements of the task she had just completed; but as time had gone on she had become so much more. Reuniting her with her sister, defeating Discord, proving her strength by becoming the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony alongside her friends. She had done so much, conquered so many foes. It pained her to know that Twilight would never know just what she had saved Equestria from.

Alicorn magic, it was both a gift and a curse as far as Celestia was concerned. It gave her the power to command the sun and the moon, it extended her life to a point reaching infinity, it gave her power that was beyond the imagination of anypony in Equestria. And yet she and her sister had chosen not to use it, for with it came a terrible price. Both she and Luna had trod that path in the deep dark past of Equestria; a world that had been filled with nightmares and dark beings beyond imagination. The two sisters had ruled with an iron hoof, they had killed anypony that stood in their way and ponykind had lived in fear of them.

What had caused them to change? In truth Celestia couldn’t remember; her long life awash with fractured memories. Of course nopony alive knew of these dark secrets. Records of those times were kept locked and secured within the castle vaults that only she and Luna could open. They had constructed a lie and woven it into the very fabric of pony society; Hearth’s Warming Eve. None of it had happened, the events of Hearth’s Warming simply a way of transitioning their rule from darkness to light. Celestia still felt a little shame in truth, blaming her subjects for the time of darkness and suffering and claiming that she and her sister had rescued them all. Still it had worked and even after centuries the facade still held.

There had of course been slips in the lie; her sister’s transition into Nightmare Moon had been one. A blind eye to jealousy and suffering had nearly toppled the peace they had both tried so hard to create. And yet Twilight had saved the day, the pony she had just sentenced to death. Yet more problems had occurred when Sombra had discovered the existence of alicorn magic. Twice he had nearly brought about a reign of darkness but twice he had been defeated. To think that she had initially planned on sacrificing Cadence, Celestia shuddered. When Cadence had been transformed into an alicorn the magic Celestia had expected to fill her body hadn’t been that of the previous transformations. She still couldn’t explain it but without her unique control over the power of love Sombra would not have been defeated that second time. And so it fell to Twilight.

“I’m so sorry Twilight...” she murmured to herself as she finally looked up.

There before her stood the charred statue of a pony, its features no longer recognisable but Celestia knew who it was. As she continued to look her mind began to replace the charred flesh with that of Twilight’s true forms. Her short styled mane and tail. The wings she had yet to fully bring under her control. Her face...her...Celestia couldn’t picture it. She felt a wave of panic wash over her, why couldn’t she picture her face? That ever smiling and joyous face? Fresh tears flowed down her cheek as she finally crumpled into a pile on the floor.

It was then that Celestia felt something; a faint twinkle of magical energy. She paused and looked up from the ground, her eyes going wide in amazement at what was happening. From the tip of Twilight’s horn a faint purple coloured magical glow was pulsing at a slow regular beat. As she watched it began to speed up, the pulses getting faster and faster by the moment. As the pulses reached a peak Celestia felt a sudden shiver run down her spine as the magical feeling changed. Before her eyes the glow changed in colour, going as black as night before a faint purple glow began to surround it. In a flash the glow expanded, ripping its way across Twilight’s form and encasing her in a black mass of energy.

Celestia sprung to her hooves, backing away slightly as she eyed the scene before her. Slowly the black mass began to fade, sinking into Twilight’s burnt form like a sponge absorbing water. There was a pause, a moment of silence, and then it started to happen. All across Twilight’s body her burnt skin began to transform, purple fur sprouting from all over her body. Her mane and tail also began to grow along with new feathers across her wings. Celestia watched in shock at what was happening, how was it even possible?

As the final patch of lavender fur was filled in Twilight stood still for a moment, her eyes closed and her body almost lifeless. At length her lower jaw moved slowly, taking in a gulp of air as her chest heaved heavily. Celestia couldn’t contain herself, she didn’t know how it had happened or even why, but it had. She rushed forwards, pressing herself hard into Twilight’s form as she embraced her.

“Twilight! Oh Twilight…” she cried, tears almost streaming down her face.

The lavender alicorn didn’t respond for a moment but when she did it sent a shiver down the white alicorn’s spine.

“Hello Celestia…” replied Twilight, her voice flat and filled with hatred.

Celestia pulled back immediately, almost stumbling over the edge of the Dias in her haste. Twilight still had her eyes closed but as she opened them Celestia wished she hadn’t. A pair of glowing green eyes with red pupils met her gaze, the edges of them giving off wisp like clouds of purple smoke. Celestia lowered her head, glaring back at the pony in front of her.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“I’m Twilight Sparkle, your faithful student and Princess of Equestria,” replied the lavender alicorn, “Why? Don’t recognise me?”

“You’re not Twilight, what have you done?”

“I haven’t done anything Celestia.”

“Don’t call me that!” snapped Celestia, the white alicorn giving a short snort as she spoke.

“But you always tell me to,” replied Twilight as a smirk spread across her face.

Celestia stamped her hoof, “I will ask again, what have you done with Twilight?”

“I think what you have done is more important here Celestia, I know all about what you’ve done here…what you’ve done in the past. The real reason you turn ponies into alicorns, we are nothing more than husks to be used to seal away the power you are afraid of. Well Celestia I have news for you, I’m not afraid of such magic, in fact that magic you fear just saved my life…a life you just tried to take from me.”

Celestia’s eyes widened slightly, “No…you didn’t?”

“Didn’t what?” chuckled Twilight, “Decide to live instead of dying? I trusted you Celestia, ever since I was a foal I looked up to you like a second mother. I did everything you asked and then more. I protected Equestria from crumbling into dust…and this is how you repay me?”

“I never wanted…”

“That didn’t stop you though did it? Well Celestia, let me tell you something…I’m not going to let you continue this road of sacrifice. I will stop you right here and right now…and Equestria will praise me for it!”

Without waiting a mass of black magic formed at the tip of Twilight’s horn. Celestia barely had time to respond as the torrent of magic screamed towards her but somehow she managed. Her own magic lunged forwards, slamming into the mass that approached her, and for a moment the pair were locked in a struggle that neither seemed capable of breaking.

“Even after expending so much magic only a moment ago you’re still able to resist…impressive,” commented Twilight as she absently licked her lips.

“I will never bow to the darkness again! Never!” replied Celestia as she struggled to keep her footing.

“You don’t need to bow Celestia…you just need to die!”

As if commanded by her words black spots began to appear on the floor all around Celestia. At first she didn’t seem to notice, her vision locked on Twilight, but as they began to move her eyes flicked to the nearest one. She didn’t have much time to observe them though as long wisp like black tendrils shot from the spots. Although they had no physical mass the magical tendrils still packed a solid punch. One struck Celestia across her neck, the tendril vanishing into thin air as it hit but not before it delivered a powerful magical blow to the alicorn.

Celestia staggered slightly, her magic momentarily faltering and allowing Twilight to press the advantage. More tendrils whipped up around her, snapping forward to strike her. Each one left a searing black mark across her white coat and each one nearly caused the alicorn to cry out in pain. It was almost as if they were sapping her strength as with each hit she could feel herself becoming weaker. This was the moment Twilight had been waiting for, summoning every ounce of magical power she had she forced it into the beam that was still holding steady between them.

The sudden pulse of magic raced towards Celestia, the alicorn not able to withstand the sudden rush. With a scream of pure agony Celestia was hit full force by Twilight’s magic, the very air itself appearing to turn black as the explosion echoed off the stone walls. Twilight shook her head slightly, lightly rubbing a hoof against her temple before approaching the scene before her.

Celestia lay on the ground, her body charred with magical energy that still seemed to dance around her body. Her left wing had been virtually torn to pieces and thin trails of blood lines her white coat. Twilight stopped in front of her, chuckling slightly to herself as Celestia tried to move but found that all she could do was glare coldly.

“Now now Celestia, is that any way to look at your prized student? I could have killed you just now so you should be grateful, I’m not like you.”

Celestia just coughed slightly, still trying to move from her position on the floor. At the tip of her horn a small ball of magic was trying to form but in her condition Celestia was having immense trouble. Twilight shook her head again.

“Really Celestia? Still trying to resist? Haven’t you learned yet that I’m now more powerful than even you?”

Twilight walked closer, stopping right next to the alicorn. She knelt down, using a hoof to grip Celestia’s chin and turn her head to face her. For a moment she just looked into Celestia’s eye, the ruler of Equestria still looking defiant despite her position. Twilight sighed and removed her hoof, Celestia’s head slamming back to the floor with a thud. Celestia gave a grunt at the impact but managed to avoid crying out. She shut her eyes, trying her best to focus her magic, when suddenly she froze. Something had grazed her horn, sliding from the base to the tip of the long structure. Her eyes snapped open to find Twilight lightly resting a hoof against her horn.

“If you insist on resisting this much I’m simply going to have to silence you aren’t I?”

She didn’t say anything else as she raised her hoof. Celestia realised too late what she was about to do but even if she had she would have been too weak to prevent it. Twilight brought her hoof down heard, slamming her full weight onto Celestia’s horn. A sickening crack of bone breaking echoed around the room as Celestia’s horn splintered into a million pieces beneath Twilight’s hoof.

For a moment Celestia could only stare wide eyed but as the pain finally reached her brain she could do little else but scream. Twilight took a shuddering breath, almost revelling in the pain Celestia’s scream embodied. Looking down the shattered pieces of Celestia’s horn lay lifeless on the floor. The broken stump attached to Celestia’s head was fizzling slightly but as Twilight watched the fizzing stopped and the broken horn fell silent. Twilight grinned, Celestia wouldn’t be casting any more spells…ever.

Her own magic flared to life as she gripped Celestia’s tail and dragged her across the room. One of the old cages at the back of the room swung open and Twilight mercilessly threw Celestia into it. The cage door didn’t have a lock but as she closed it she levitated a few rusted bars from a nearby cage into view and wrapped them around the bars to hold the door shut. Without magic it was doubtful Celestia would be able to undo the metal twist ties. She looked at her former mentor, the alicorn curled up on the floor sobbing pitifully into her hooves.

“Huh! Pathetic, is this all an alicorn is capable of? Perhaps your sister will prove to be more interesting.”

At these words Celestia jumped, opening an eye and looking up at Twilight through the bars.

“Stay away from my sister…don’t you dare hurt her…” she sobbed quietly.

“Hurt her? Oh I’m not going to hurt her…at least not straight away. I’m going to humiliate her, torment her and belittle her first…then depending on how she acts I may just kill her. Only time will tell.”

Twilight grinned once more and turned her back on Celestia. Even as the white alicorn kept throwing quiet threats at her she didn’t turn around. She had other things on her mind…

Chapter 5

Luna lay quietly on her bed, the soft pillows and silk sheets wanting nothing more to envelop her form and guide her to a peaceful dream world...and yet Luna found herself unable to let it happen. She wouldn’t deny that she was tired, her body crying out for the slumber her sheets were trying to grant her, and yet her mind would not allow her peace. She sighed and rolled over again, staring up at the canopy that stretched between the tall bedposts.

She didn’t know why it still bothered her, it wasn’t as if there was anything she could do to change it...it was just the natural order of things. But this time it just felt wrong and she knew her sister was feeling the same way. Twilight Sparkle had done so much for both of them, especially for her. When her own alicorn magic had managed to grip her heart over a thousand years ago Celestia had only delayed the inevitable...it had been Twilight Sparkle that had defeated it.

She rose a hoof towards the canopy above her, her attention focused on the intricate detail of the filigree pattern that adorned her horseshoe. She sometimes wondered if she could still call herself a princess, after everything she and her sister had done in the past did they still have a legitimate reason to rule? If ponies ever found out the truth would they still rally behind them...or would they cast them aside?

Her mind drifted to the previous night, a night spent trying everything she could to break through the darkness that had been plaguing Twilight’s dreams. As with the previous several nights she hadn’t succeeded, indeed the darkness had been stronger every night almost as if there was something more than just a build-up of alicorn magic. She had felt something, something she couldn’t place her hoof on. Still what did it matter now? By now Twilight was already...

“I’m sorry but the Princess is currently resting, she is only to be disturbed on matters of royal business,” came a voice from outside the door.

Luna looked up slightly, curious as to who could want her attention. She didn’t have any meetings that day; indeed most of her day was spent resting in preparation for her nightly duties. She waited silently, her gaze set on the door now, but no response to the guard outside could be heard.

“With all due respect to your new position I cannot allow you in unless her majesty permits it,” continued the guard.

Luna frowned, who could be at the door?

“No I will not step aside and I do not appreciate that tone. Now kindly...wha...what in Equestria are...no stop!”

The sound of the guards spear clattering to the ground was enough for Luna to know that something was amiss. She rolled over, sliding from her bed and pulling herself to her feet. Her exhaustion was forgotten as she stared at the closed door. She was about to take a step forwards when a sudden pulse of magical energy shattered the door into a million pieces. Luna shielded her eyes as splinters of wood flew everywhere but quickly looked back.

The brickwork around the frame had also been shattered but through the disturbed dust Luna could see a pony stood in the hole that was once a door. She could feel her body tense, her magic swirling around her in preparation for what might she might see. Was this a planned attack? Had the Changelings returned?

As the dust settled though she found something that was even more horrifying, something that sent a chill down her spine. Twilight Sparkle stood in the doorway, her coat slightly ruffled but otherwise it was the same pony she had known for years except for one thing...her eyes. Where there was once a loving set of purple eyes now sat a pair of bright glowing green eyes set with a pair of red pupils. Something else was wrong as well; held aloft beside her, flailing uselessly against the magic that held him was the guard that had been stood outside the room. He tore pointlessly at the magic binds that surrounded his neck as they threatened to strangle him.

Luna couldn’t speak, she didn’t know what to say, what was going on?

“Speechless are we Luna,” inquired Twilight with a smirk, “Surprised to see me? I would imagine so; after all you must have thought I was already dead by now.”

“P-Prin-cess!” croaked the guard next to her, “help...me!”

“...Twilight Sparkle...release him at once!” demanded Luna as the guard’s words finally snapped her from her shock.

“As you wish...”

Suddenly the guard began to flail even more frantically. His hooves became a blur as they tried in vain to grip the magical bind around his neck. To Luna’s horror the magical bind had started to shrink, cutting of the ponies air almost immediately but it didn’t seem to stop. The guard’s face started to go purple as the blood supply to his head was cut off and yet the bind didn’t stop. Suddenly there was a sickening crunch as the guard’s voice box was crushed under the continued pressure. Even without a scream Luna could see the pain in the pony’s eyes yet she was powerless to stop it from happening.

The bind continued to constrict, squashing the guard’s neck even further until finally the pressure became too much. As the first strands of blood began to seep from the guard’s neck Twilight gave a small smirk. Suddenly the bind shrunk to a speck in the middle of the guard’s neck. As the guard’s head was separated from the rest of him he managed a last look at Luna before his head fell to the floor in a shower of blood. Twilight didn’t move, the spray of blood from the guard’s body showering her in a red mist before it fell to the floor and continued to gush its fluids across Luna’s bedroom floor.

The whole event had taken a mere second but Luna felt like she had been trapped in it for a century. She couldn’t move, completely shocked at what she had just witnessed; it was only a sudden clattering sound that snapped her back to reality. In front of her, lying still on the ground, was a long cone shaped object. It was white in colour with a spiral pattern running around it and at its base the edge was jagged and sharp like it has been snapped off something. It took Luna a moment to realise what it was but when she finally did her knees began to shake like jelly.

“N-No...Tia...?” she murmured quietly as she took a step backwards.

“I do hope you put up more of a fight than your sister,” replied Twilight as she stepped forwards, “Although considering all the effort you’ve put into trying to keep my magic out of my dreams I somehow doubt that you will.”

“You...you...Twilight...? What have you done to my sister?!”

Luna’s words were stuttered but they carried great anger as well as showing her nerves.

“Oh she’s still alive, I thought it only fair that both you and her survive to see the new kingdom I’m going to build on this facade you’ve constr...!”

Luna didn’t wait for Twilight to finish, instead there was a pulse of magical energy and an arced bolt of crackling lightning flew across the room and struck the ground where Twilight stood. The impact shook the very room, masonry and dust flying everywhere, but Luna seemed unwilling to relent. Another bolt screamed across the room followed closely by another. With every cast the rage on Luna’s face increased, her magic following suit as it started to strike randomly around the room.

One bolt hit the wall carving a giant hole in it, another tore across the floor carving a giant crevasse into the stonework, and another flew upwards and struck the ceiling causing the ancient brickwork of the castle to crumble bringing the entire roof down on the place Twilight had been stood. As Luna finally forced herself to stop the damage Twilight’s entrance had caused seemed more like a paint chip in comparison. She was breathing heavily, her eyes slowly calming of their rage as they filled with tears instead.

For a moment she surveyed the pile of rubble that filled the room; nothing was moving. She allowed herself to relax, snorting at the pile as she did. At length she sat down and began to weep but her moment of peace was not to last. A soft whine filled the air and she barely had time to look up as the pile of debris exploded from the inside. Luna didn’t have time to react, the alicorn trying desperately to shield herself as pieces of rubble rained down around her. She screamed several times as her body was peppered with bits of brick and mortar, each impact slicing cuts into her coat or stunning her with blunt trauma.

She coughed as the dust settled, her whole body aching with pain as she looked back at where the pile had been. In the centre stood a black mass of energy, swirling tendrils that looked like they belonged in a nightmare. As they parted Twilight stood tall in the middle of them, the lavender alicorn completely unhurt by the earlier assault.

“Oh that was good!” she commented, her tone bordering on lust as she licked her lips, “I’ll admit I didn’t think you had that much strength left after the last few night. Just goes to show you can never underestimate your opponent...just like you did with me.”

“I’ll never give in to you!” replied Luna defiantly as she grit her teeth against the pain she was feeling, “I’ll make you pay for what you did to me!”

“Oh, it wittle Woona afraid of herself?” asked Twilight as she stepped closer, “Is she afraid of becoming what we both know she really wanted? Forever you’ve been in Celestia’s shadow, always the lesser of two great sisters. That jealousy gave you power you couldn’t even begin to understand...you’d barely started to scratch the surface before little Twilight here stopped you. Why not embrace it again? If you did I wouldn’t be able to stand before you, the kingdom could be all yours...Celestia won’t be able to stop you this time.”

“Silence!” screamed Luna, her Canterlot voice booming loudly as she glared back at Twilight, “I will never give into the darkness again! I’m not jealous and I have friends and family that care about me! You have been defeated time and again and this time will be no different!”

Twilight just laughed, “So that’s how you want to play this? Well perhaps I best show you a little something else...”

Twilight raised a hoof and stomped hard on the ground. As she did a small ripple of magic spread out from around her hoof before a circular shadow started to appear on the ground. It increased in size for a moment and then slowly started elongate, sliding across the ground slowly towards Luna. The princess herself tried to back away but it was difficult. The earlier rock impact had broken one of her wings and the pain in her body made it difficult to stand.

She shuffled backwards but the shadow was too quick for her. It slowly spread around her, encircling her form on the floor; as it did she felt her whole body go rigid as if it had been frozen in place by some unseen force. A moment later small crystals began to sprout from the ground around her. Luna glanced around her as the crystals started to grow around her threatening to encase her body.

“You won’t get away with this, others will come!” she said stubbornly as the crystals started to spread around her upper body.

“Oh I’m counting on it,” replied Twilight, “If they don’t who will be there to witness your glorious rebirth...”

She turned away from Luna, heading back towards the castle as the crystals finally finished their journey, sealing Luna inside her prison.

Chapter 6

“Carn sarn it Rainbow! Do ya really have to turn everything into a contest?” grumbled Applejack with a roll of her eyes.

“Uh hello, future Captain of the Wonderbolts here,” replied Rainbow as she fluttered along upside down beside her.

“That don’t mean nothin’.”

“Oh yeah? Afraid I’ll win again?”

“Against me? Hahah, nope! Against Pinkie though, oh you’re doomed.”

Rainbow snorted as she rolled herself over and landed in front of the farm mare.

“So you think I’m doomed huh? Care to bet on that?”

“Oh you’re on, how about this? If you win ah have to do next week’s apple bucking wearing one of Rarity’s dresses.”

Rainbow’s grin broadened, “Ah yeah, sounds good to me.”

“....buuuuut, if you lose you have to do next week’s weather jobs in the same getup.”

Rainbow faltered momentarily, her grin twitching slightly a faint hint of doubt crept into her mind. It vanished quickly though as she raised a hoof, spat on it and held it out towards Applejack. The farm pony followed suit, spitting on her own hoof and slamming it hard into Rainbow’s.

“I’m so gonna enjoy watching you bucking trees in that dress,” commented Rainbow, “That staring contest has my name written all over it.”

“Sure it does sugarcube, sure it does.”

The pair grinned at each other; the friendly competition that existed between the two never seemed to tire.

“Ah, there you are girls!” announced a voice suddenly.

They both looked round, Rarity trotting towards them with Fluttershy following close behind. She was smiling at them but both could see the frown that was plastered across her face.

“So sorry to interrupt your...uh...showboating...but have either of you seen Twilight today?” she asked politely.

“Can’t say ah have, Rainbow?” replied Applejack.

“Nope, but I’ve been napping all morning.”

Rarity groaned and sat herself down with a thud, “Oh really now, how in Equestria does she think I’m going to properly finish her new dress if she doesn’t come to her fitting appointments. I appreciate she has a lot of extra duties to attend to now but the diplomatic meeting she is attending is only two days away now and there’s still so much work left to do!”

“Did ya check the library?” asked Applejack with another roll of her eyes.

“Really now Applejack, do you really think I hadn’t already thought of that. I was just on my way to check there now but I thought I’d ask you girls first when I saw you.”

“She didn’t come to the bunny breakfast picnic I had planned today either,” added Fluttershy quietly.

“Hmm, not like Twilight to miss two appointments in one day,” commented Applejack, “That pony pretty much has her schedule painted on the inside of her eyelids.”

“And four spare copies in her saddlebag,” added Rainbow with a smirk, “I asked her to make me a training schedule for the Wonderbolts once, you do not want to know how many pages long that thing was.”

Rarity gave a small sigh and stood up, “Well thank you both, I suppose I should go and check the library now. Something probably just came up; we all know how intense she can get.”

“Ah’ll come with ya Rarity, curious to find out what Twilight has her head buried in this time,” commented Applejack as Rarity and Fluttershy started to head off.

“Guess I’ll come too” added Rainbow, “don’t have to be back on weather patrol for a few hours...uh! Maybe she has the new Daring Do book, that would be so awesome!”

Before long the four ponies were stood in front of Golden Oak Library. Everything looked normal, every detail about the building exterior looking no different to how it usually did. There was, however, one thing that was different, the smell. The familiar smell of baking drifted on the air, no doubt coming from the open kitchen window. Everypony looked at each other.

“Twilight is baking?” asked Applejack in a surprised tone, “Ah’m not sure if I should be shocked, scared or a combination of both...”

“Really now Applejack, perhaps she has just been so stressed out she decided to take a break and try something new,” replied Rarity.

“Doesn’t sound like Twilight to me, that pony never takes a break,” added Rainbow.

“Well we will just have to see won’t we?” finished Rarity as she approached the door and knocked.

There was a silence for a moment and then the door was flung open energetically as a pink pony bounced onto the doorstep.

“Ooh! Hi guys! What brings you here?” chirped Pinkie Pie in her usually sugar toned voice.

“Pinkie Pie?” replied the four together.

“What are you doing here?” asked Rainbow.

“Baking!” replied Pinkie with a face of glee, “Spike looked so lonely and bored when I got here and then I thought, how do I cheer myself up? Well the answer was obvious but Spike didn’t seem too impressed but then I totally found a recipe for gem cakes and he just couldn’t say yes fast enough. So me and him started and...”

"Woah woah woah!” interrupted Rainbow, “You and Spike? Where’s Twilight?”

“My thought exactly,” added Rarity.

“Oh I dunno, Spike said something about her going to Canterlot but he didn’t know anything else. Anyway, come on in, the cupcakes are nearly ready!”

Pinkie Pie bounced back inside, leaving the door open behind her as she did allowing the four ponies to slowly enter the library.

“Canterlot?” asked Fluttershy, “Why would she go to Canterlot alone without telling us?”

“I would reckon something important came up and she didn’t have time,” replied Applejack, “That said I would have thought she’d have told Spike.”

“Speaking of that dragon, where is my little Spikey-Wikey?” cooed Rarity as she looked around the room.

“Hi guys!” came a reply as Spike jogged into the room followed closely by Pinkie Pie, “Pinkie tells me you wanna know about Twilight.”

“If you wouldn’t mind my darling little Spike,” replied Rarity with a flash of her usual smile, “We hear she’s gone to Canterlot, is that right?”

Spike swooned for a moment but quickly recovered and gave a small cough, “Yup, she left this morning. She got a message from the Princess but it didn’t say anything about what was going on. It’s over there on the side cabinet if you want to read it.”

Rarity flicked her head round, noticing the rolled up scroll sat by a stack of books. She quickly lifted it up with her magic and unrolled it so that everypony could read it. After a moment she let it drop to the table top.

“What in Equestria do you think that is all about?” she asked to nopony in particular

“Sounds like something is going down,” commented Applejack, “Question is what?”

“And why wouldn’t the Princess send for all of us?” put in Rainbow, “I mean, yeah Twilight’s a princess now but come on. We may not have the Elements of Harmony anymore but that doesn’t make us useless right?”

Rarity and Applejack nodded in agreement.

“M-Maybe it’s a private matter?” said Fluttershy quietly, “Like maybe the Princess is ill and doesn’t want to be seen by too many ponies, I know I don’t like lots of ponies crowding round when I’m ill.”

“Or maybe she’s been sent on a super-secret mission!” grinned Rainbow as she rubbed her hooves together.

“Ah don’t think that’s…”

Applejack was interrupted as a dull rumble filled the air. It sounded like it had come from a long way off and yet everypony still felt the slight vibrations that ran through the library and disturbed the birds nested above.

“What in Equestria was…”

This time Rarity was interrupted as another rumble filled the air, louder in volume and much more pronounced in the level of vibrations it caused. Fluttershy meeped and quickly hid under a nearby table the others looking around nervously at the room around them. Rainbow seemingly wasn’t fazed though as she took off and made for the door. She blasted through, turning straight upwards as she spun around looking for the cause of the vibrations. What she saw was something that made her body numb.

It screamed through the air silently, a large mass of swirling purple magic, arcing high above the clouds before starting its descent…towards them. Rainbow barely had time to scream a warning as the large mass tore towards Ponyville. It struck the ground a few streets away from the library, the air compressing as the mass imploded. There was no sound at first and then an ear splitting howl ripped through the quiet streets. All over town window’s shattered at the sound, birds and animals scattered in panic and ponies were sent hurtling to the ground.

Rainbow could do little as she hung in the air, paralysed by the sudden event that had hit the town. A moment later she was screaming across town towards the impact point. She flew over it quickly, looping back around and coming to a screeching halt at the edge of a large crater that was once part of the street. Rainbow could have sworn there had been a house here but now there was nothing but smouldering pieces of wood and brick. Two nearby building lay half ruined, the other half nowhere to be seen.

All around her ponies were screaming or stood paralysed as they picked themselves up off the floor. One pony in particular was staring at the crater in absolute horror, a mint coloured unicorn that Rainbow recognised.

“Lyra? Hey Lyra you alright?” she asked quickly as she tried to shake the pony from her shock.

For a moment Lyra didn’t respond but eventually a single name drifted from her lips, “Bon Bon…”

Rainbow felt a chill run down her spine as she looked back towards the crater. Her gaze flashed one way and the next, the Pegasus getting her bearing quickly before looking back at the crater.

“No…” she murmured quietly.

“BON BON!” cried Lyra the unicorn scrambling to her feet and rushing to the edge of the crater.

Rainbow could do little but watch…this had been the house that Lyra and Bon Bon had been sharing. Everypony in town knew they had a thing for each other but it was only recently that they actually started dating. Rainbow felt like her heart had been ripped out as she watched the unicorn frantically race around the crater, stopping every few steps to frantically search before moving on.

“Rainbow!” came a call from behind her causing her to look around.

Her friends were charging towards her, each of their faces sharing the same shocked look of disbelief that she felt. Fluttershy was in tears, Pinkie’s mane and tail lay flat and lifeless, Rarity’s eyes seemed to have been drained of life and Applejack’s teeth were clenched in a mix of anger and sorrow.

“Wha…what happened?” asked Rarity quietly.

Rainbow was at a loss for words, she found herself looking back at Lyra as the unicorn lay bawling her eyes out into Lily Valley’s chest.

“Some…some sort of magic…” murmured Rainbow finally.

“Where? Where’d it come from?!” demanded Applejack as she grabbed Rainbow and pulled her to face her.

“C…Canterlot…” replied Rainbow.

Each of them looked in the same direction, the direction of Canterlot.

Chapter 7

No pony spoke as the train thundered towards Canterlot, each of them locked in their own thoughts about what had just happened in Ponyville. Rarity sat cradling Fluttershy, the demure mare still crying despite it being over an hour since the tragic event had happened. The unicorn was gently running a hoof through her mane in a motherly way but it was more an instinctive reaction than one performed with thought. Rarity’s eyes were lifeless and sullen, the spark that usually resided within them extinguished. Across from the pair sat Pinkie Pie, the party pony sitting on her own looking at the floor. Her mane and tail were still flat and lifeless, there was no need for parties right now. Spike sat next to the pink pony, curled up on his seat with his mind dancing back and forth over what had happened but more precisely where Twilight was. Applejack sat on her own away from the rest as sharp scowls and glares flashed across her face. She had always been a pony who was committed to helping anypony with anything they needed done, but this time there was nothing she could do. The realisation was more than upsetting, it was heart breaking. Finally there was Rainbow Dash; no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop her mind going back over the events that she had witnessed. She should have done something, anything! More than anything she felt guilt; guilt over the fact that she hadn’t done anything, that she couldn’t have done anything...but mostly guilt that, unlike Bon Bon, she was still alive.

All around them other ponies sat in silence, each shocked by the events that had just happened. It was as if all the life had been drained from their faces, the horrific realisation that it could have been them that had died. Such events were vastly unheard of in Equestria; deaths were usually by either natural causes or freak accidents. This had been neither but no pony knew exactly what it was.

As the train approached Canterlot nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Banners still fluttered in the wind, the tall towers of the castle looked unscathed and the royal guards flanked the train like sentinels...

Applejack was the first to notice, snapping to attention as she looked out of the window. On either side of the train pairs of Pegasus royal guard flew in perfect formation. What was going on? As the train started to slow the guards moved in, almost touching the carriages as they flew along. Applejack starred at them hard, their faces unreadable and their eyes gazing into the middle distance as if they were sleep walking. By now other ponies on the train had also started to notice, murmurs circling the carriage as ponies started asking questions.

As the train finally came to a stop in the station the scene had escalated greatly. It was like the Canterlot wedding all over again. Guards stood everywhere, each doorway and arch flanked by a pair of them. Even more guards stood on the station platform, each of them looking as vacant as the Pegasus knights that hovered around the train. For a moment there was silence but eventually this was broken as a single earth pony guard stepped forwards.

“All passengers will disembark the train immediately,” he said flatly, his voice as lifeless as his eyes appeared.

No pony moved, each of them unsure on what was going on.

“All passengers will disembark the train...immediately!” repeated the guard, his voice raising in volume as he spoke the last word but still holding no sign of emotion.

Slowly a few ponies began to move, nervously making their way towards the exit doors. As the doors opened a passageway of guards greeted their vision, speechless statues that lined their path towards the station exit. Slowly the train emptied, each pony casting nervous looks around them as they walked down between the lines of guards. The five friends all had different reactions of their own.

“What in tarnations is going on here,” asked Applejack as she looked from the face of one guard to the next.

“It’s...it’s like they are in some sort of trance,” whispered Rarity in reply.

“They all look so scary,” added Fluttershy as she tried to hide herself behind Rarity.

“I’d say they look more sad than scary,” mused Pinkie Pie sullenly as she examined each guard carefully.

“It…it sorta feels familiar,” said Spike slowly as he rode on Fluttershy’s back, “You know, like I should know what is doing this.”

“Who cares what is doing it? Why are we just sitting here doing nothing? Something is obviously going on!” hissed Rainbow.

“Well obviously Rainbow but we don’t know what,” replied Applejack, “Ah think it would be better to sit tight and try and find out some information first, that’s what ah’d reckon Twilight would do.”

“Fine, you do what Twilight would do, I’m going to do what I would do...”

With that Rainbow spread her wings and shot upwards into the air. She was going to find out what was going on and nopony would stop...

“Aaaaah!”

Rainbow screamed as something solid impacted her side close to her wing. Spinning to the side she came face to face with a Pegasus guard, his spear out and pointed towards her; now she knew what had hit her. She backed away slightly but stopped as she felt the pointed end of another spear jab her in the back. Turning again she found two more guards hovering behind her.

“You will return to the others and do as you are instructed,” said one of the guards, his voice as flat and lifeless as all the previous ones, “This will be your only warning.”

Rainbow looked around her; more Pegasus guards were joining the three that surrounded her. First two, then another three, then one more; all of them forming up in a sphere around her. Whichever way she went she was confronted with readied spears and blank expressions. She snorted to herself, frustrated that her escape attempt had been thwarted so quickly, but eventually decreased her wing beats as she let herself drop towards the ground below.

“Find anything useful?” asked Applejack with a hint of annoyance as Rainbow landed next to her.

“Yeah, this whole situation sucks!” fumed Rainbow as she reluctantly re-joined the pack of ponies.

Silently the five ponies and one dragon followed the crowd, each of them still completely baffled by what was going on. As they passed through the streets of Canterlot you could have been mistaken in thinking that nothing was wrong had it not been for the complete lack of ponies populating the streets. Every shop and building looked just the way it always did; various windows advertising upcoming events or special offers. Outside a café the tables still held the remains of the lunchtime rush; daisy sandwiches and other such treats sat alongside cups of coffee that had long since gone cold. It would have been like a ghost town had it not been for the numerous royal guards that stood on every street corner like silent statues.

“W-Where is everypony?” asked Fluttershy quietly as her nervous eyes darted left and right quickly.

For a moment nopony answered her, each of them looking back and forth as well as they walked.

“Can’t say I know,” replied Applejack, “but I’d say we’ll find out when we get to wherever it is we’re being taken.”

Rarity gave a small nod, “I think you’re right Applejack…but this situation is certainly getting stranger by the moment.”

The ponies fell into silence once more as they continued to walk. Before long though it became clear as to what their destination was. The streets were all heading uphill and all the while one structure stood out amongst the backdrop. Canterlot Castle soon grew larger and larger, its tall towers glinting in the sun and its banners fluttering in the slight breeze. As they got nearer they caught sight of another lot of ponies being lead in the same direction as them and before long a large group came into view as they entered the castle grounds. Now they knew where everypony in Canterlot was at least. As the group came to a halt in front of the castle there was a communal whisper that was starting to float around the assembled mass; what was going on?

“Something really odd is going on here…” commented Rainbow as she scanned the crowd of ponies.

Before any pony could reply though a sudden call from a number of trumpets split the air with their musical barrage. Everypony looked round and up at the sound that had come from one of the castle balconies above them. A single unicorn guard stood at the front of the balcony, his expression the same as all the other guards they had seen that day.

“Her royal highness, Queen Twilight Sparkle!” he announced loudly before stepping back.

“Queen?!” came a collective response from the group as they watched Twilight step up to the balcony edge.

None of them could say she looked much like she had before. On her head was a large crown that seemed more like protective headwear than it did a decorative feature. Down her back was slung a long red cape with golden trim and the horseshoes she wore extended up her fetlocks almost to her knees. She was smiling slightly, the edge of her lips curled upwards in a way that seemed to distort the expression into one of complete madness.

There was a silence amongst the assembled ponies, each one trying to work out what was happening. As the seconds ticked by though the expression on Twilight’s face seemed to twist into one of annoyance. She glanced to her side and nodded at one of the guards. The message was quickly passed from one guard to the next until it reached those surrounding the group below.

“Bow before your Queen!” announced one of the guards.

The ponies near to him looked confused and hesitant as they looked at him. This confusion didn’t last though as several guards stepped forwards brandishing their spears.

“Bow before your Queen!” repeated the guard in a more forceful tone.

Afraid of the spears and what might happen if they didn’t the nearby ponies all bowed starting off a chain reaction across the crowd. Only a few of them hesitated for a moment, each glancing at the guards around them before complying. Out of all of them Rainbow resisted the longest, her eyes fixed on Twilight until Applejack smacked her around the head and forced her to bow as well.

“Just play along you dimwit!” she hissed at her.

“Play along? We don’t even know what’s going on!” replied Rainbow.

“I’m sure we’ll find out very shortly,” cut in Rarity as she glared up at the balcony.

For a moment Twilight was silent, the twisted smile returning to her face as she surveyed the bowing ponies below her.

“Citizens of Canterlot and indeed of all Equestria,” she started, “Today is a day that will be remembered in the history of our race. Today the tyranny and lies have come to an end. Today the truth has been revealed and a new order has arisen. From this day hence forth Equestria is no longer ruled by the traitors Celestia and Luna, today Equestria is MINE!”

There was a silence, not even a blade of grass rustling in the breeze as everypony simply stared at Twilight. Her friends below could hardly believe what they had just heard. Twilight let out a faint chuckle to herself as she watched the reaction of the crowd with glee. Her eyes narrowed, the former princess licking her lips slowly.

“And if anypony would think of disobeying I would watch very closely what is about to transpire,” she added before waving a hoof.

Two earth pony guards walked up beside her but it was not they who the crowd was now staring at, it was the turquoise coloured Pegasus mare that was being held between them. She looked a mess; bruises and cuts covering her body and thin lines of blood streaked through her fur. Her golden yellow mane was torn and ripped and her eyes were red and bloodshot from tears. She cowered between the guards, afraid even to look up from the floor. Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide, she knew the Pegasus.

“Lightning Dust…” she whispered to herself.

“This piece of filth attempted to escape,” announced Twilight with a gesture at the cowering Pegasus, “Not only that but she assaulted three of my guards and even dared to attack me!”

Twilight swung her gaze round at Lightning Dust, the mare cowering back even more in a pointless attempt to hide. Twilight’s horn lit up, Lightning Dust finding herself encased in her magic and lifted into the air. It was a testament to how scared she was that she didn’t even attempt to resist. She was levitated out over the edge of the balcony where everypony could see her, her eyes closed as she shook in fear.

“Let this be a lesson to any who would dare defy me!” finished Twilight.

With an ear splitting crack Twilight’s magic wrapped itself around Lightning’s wings and pulled. Lightning’s previously closed eyes were wrenched open in screaming agony as he wings were ripped from her body. Blood showered down to the ground below, spurting from the stumps that used to hold her wings. For a moment she didn’t react, her body frozen in shock and pain, but eventually the scream came; a blood curdling scream of absolute pain. As it rung out several of the assembled ponies below threw up, others turned white and looked away…some just continued to stare, locked into a death stare with the scene they had just observed.

“Does it hurt?” cooed Twilight like a mother addressing a child, “Does the poor little Pegasus have a boo boo?”

For a moment Lightning was unable to speak but eventually words returned to her, each one punctuated with a heaving gulp of air and a sob, “I’m…sorry…I won’t…fight…anymore…please…please let…me go…I’m sorry!”

“Let you go? Let you go you say?” replied Twilight, her grin returning slightly, “Well maybe you have learned you lesson…alright I’ll let you go.”

Through Lightning’s tear streaked eyes a faint glimmer of hope seemed to spark into life. As Twilight’s grin expanded though the spark faded quicker than a match in the rain. The magic holding Lightning aloft faded to nothing, gravity finally taking its normal course as it took her body in its grip and sent her plummeting towards the group. Her scream came anew, the terrified Pegasus flailing frantically in mid-air as she fell.

It was at this moment that another cry sounded from the crowd, a long defiant cry of resistance, a single word; no! Rainbow Dash surged forwards over the crowd, the mare’s wings beating a thousand times a second as she soared towards the falling Pegasus. The distance closed, Rainbow straining against her own limits as the ground raced up to greet Lightning.

She was only a few feet away when Lightning’s eyes finally locked with Rainbow’s. Time seemed to stand still, a silence occurring between the two of them that seemed to last a lifetime. Determination and desperation flashed across Rainbow’s eyes whereas Lightning’s only held a single word; sorry.

The sickening splat sound echoed through the area like a bomb shell. The sound of breaking bones and squelching organs filling the air for but a split second before silence fell once more. Rainbow’s legs refused to hold her weight as she collapsed next to the dead body of her former Wonderbolt Academy partner. She had been mere inches from catching her, mere inches from saving her life. Instead Rainbow found herself covered in the blood of her former kin turning her blue coat a ghastly shade of purple.

“Well well well,” announced Twilight from on high, “If it isn’t my dear friends from Ponyville. So good of you to come and see me.”

She turned away from the crowd of ponies and headed back towards the castle. As she did she stopped momentarily to relay her next order.

“Round up the five elements and bring them to me. The rest go straight to work, I suspect it shan’t be long before we have company and we need more supplies if we are to wage a war.”

Chapter 8

Twilight Sparkle lay dozing across Celestia’s throne. Her head rested against one hoof whilst her rear hooves dangled over the other. On either side of her body her wings lay limp and unfurled and a gentle snore barely rustled her forelocks. The rhythmic sound of hooves on the stone floor was enough to cause her to look up, an earth pony royal guard slowly walking up the room towards her. His eyes were half closed, his gaze fixed on something that nopony could see almost as if he was in a trace.

“Your highness, we have gathered the elements as per your order,” he stated flatly.

“Took you long enough!” snapped Twilight in response, “Bring them in and then get out of my sight!”

The earth pony gave a bow and then turned slowly and left seemingly unperturbed by the tone of the new queen. Twilight sat herself up in her throne and took a moment to rearrange her cape before looking back down the hall. The doors had just opened fully and a line of five ponies and one dragon were being led in by a group of armed Pegasus guards. Each was chained to the next with large manacles that jingled with each step they made.

They all wore a different expression of shock, anger and fear. At the head of the group was Applejack, the fiery earth pony staring straight at Twilight with a burning rage in her eyes. Next was Rarity, the fashionista flicking her gaze back and forth between her fellow ponies with sadness and remorse and Twilight with glares of ice. Fluttershy came next, the shy pony looking completely terrified as she tried in vain to wish herself away from her present situation. On her back rode Spike, the young dragon seemingly lost somewhere between wishing everything was just a dream and the fact that he’d just witnessed his surrogate mother murder another pony in cold blood. Behind the pair was Pinkie Pie, having formally looked sullen and sad she now seethed with a bubbling rage that seemed to ripple through her mane like waves on the sea. Lastly there was Rainbow, the Pegasus making the blanked guard ponies on either side of her look like party animals; it seemed that her spirit had been completely broken.

“So nice of you all to pay me a visit,” announced Twilight as they came to a stop in front of her throne, “Guards leave us!”

The group looked a little weary as the Pegasus guards simply turned and left the room at the order but with them gone their attention settled back on Twilight. The alicorn stood slowly and began to make her way down the steps of the throne towards them.

“You won’t need those,” she continued as her horn gave a brief glow.

With a procession of clangs the manacles dropped from their limbs and settled in a heap on the floor. As Twilight reached the bottom of the steps a silence permeated the room, interrupted only by Fluttershy’s quiet whimpers.

“What?” asked Twilight after a moment, “No greetings? No howdy doodie? No so good to see you? And here I thought we were all friends.”

“…Friends?” asked Applejack through grating teeth, “Friends don’t go murdering ponies to prove a point! What’s going on Twilight?! Where are Celestia and Luna?!”

“Those two?” grinned Twilight with a faint hint of a chuckle, “Oh they are around, despite the lies and treacheries they have spread I just couldn’t bring myself to kill them just yet.”

They all stood in shocked silence at Twilight’s words, all that is except Spike.

“What…what has happened to you Twilight? Is it really you?” he asked slowly.

“Oh Spike! My number one assistant!” replied Twilight quickly as she hoisted the dragon into the air with her magic and floated him over to her.

She rubbed him against the side of her muzzle and for a moment there was the faintest flicker of actual joy on her face.

“Oh I have so missed having you at my side, how are you? I do hope I didn’t hit the library earlier when I was practicing my new magic abilities; there are so many books that I need to move to Canterlot.”

“H-Hit the library?” asked Spike as his face started to go white.

“That…was you?” voiced Rarity slowly.

“Huh! If you mean a giant ball of destructive magic I plan on using to level any city that defies my will, then yes it was me. I decided to try a few pot shots to test my aim, I have reports that half the Cloudiseum in Cloudsdale was completely vapourised, not too bad for a first attempt,” replied Twilight as she lowered Spike to the ground.

Again silence filled the throne room, none of them could believe what they had just heard.

“H-How…how could you?!” cried a voice from behind them forcing them all to turn.

Rainbow was slumped on the floor, tears pouring from her eyes as she tried to focus on Twilight. Her body shook like a leaf in the breeze and her otherwise tough girl attitude had completely vanished. To see Rainbow in this state almost made the others burst into tears themselves.

“How could you do this?” continued Rainbow, “How could you kill so many ponies?! How could you do this to the Princesses?! You aren’t Twilight! What have you done with Twilight?!”

Twilight simply smiled as she stepped forwards towards her. She stopped and looked down; maddened eyes meeting tear streaked red ones.

“How could I you ask?” she said slowly with a small grin tweaking the edge of her mouth, “How could Celestia and Luna perpetrate a lie for thousands of years? How could they rule over us in friendship when their rule had originally been based on fear? How could I? I am simply rebalancing what they abandoned and taking my true place as an alicorn in Equestria.”

She turned slowly, looking back at Rainbow for but a moment.

“Oh I am still Twilight only now my eyes have been opened. So sorry if this upsets you Rainbow Dash, I know you’ve had a thing for me for quite some time now…but I’m sorry to say I don’t date inferior Pegasus like you.”

Rainbow looked like the very life inside her had been drained out of her. It was true of course, over the last few months she had started to develop feelings for the fledgling princess that were more than simple friendship. Numerous times she had tried to pluck up the courage to say something but each time she had chickened out. It was something that was always on her mind, she had fought so many adversaries, overcome so many challenges and taken enough risks to fill Ponyville’s Highland Reservoir several times over; and yet she had never been able to express her feelings.

The fact that Twilight knew and that she had just rejected her with such a remark was like a dagger in her heart and the more she tried not to think about it the more that dagger just seemed to turn slowly. She collapsed to the floor, openly crying in a manner that left her friends completely shocked and dismayed. Each of them felt frozen in place except one.

With a cry of rage Applejack turned on Twilight, aiming a sharp hoof at the alicorn’s head. She didn’t even get close. A faint glow of magic surrounded her in mid swing, holding her still in the air. Applejack suddenly found it hard to breath, the magic field constricting around her like the jaws of a trap. In a moment her face started to go purple as she failed repeatedly to draw in oxygen. Twilight herself seemed amused by the spectacle, shuddering in glee with each fruitless breath that Applejack tried to grab.

“Twilight stop! Please stop!” cried Pinkie as she looked from Applejack to Twilight and back again, “Don’t do this! Please!”

Twilight gave the earth pony a small glance and then rolled her eyes. The magic surrounding Applejack faded and the earth pony collapsed to the ground in a fit of choking coughs. Pinkie rushed to her side, quickly checking over her friend in earnest as Applejack finally started to draw normal breathes.

“Why are you doing this Twilight?” asked Rarity quickly, the white unicorn glancing around at her friends and maintaining a good distance from the alicorn in question.

“Why? Yes why indeed,” replied Twilight, “At first I simply wanted to unveil the schemes of the princesses and reveal them for what they were. But the more I thought about it the more I began to wonder, why shouldn’t I take up the crown myself? Alicorns were always meant to be royalty, they were always meant to rule. I’m going to return Equestria to how it was thousands of years ago! I’m going to make every being fear what we ponies can become when we given the chance! I am going to rule the world and nopony out there is going to stop me!”

Twilight let slip a small chuckle, her voice having gotten darker and more forceful as she had spoken.

“And now you all have a choice,” she stated a little more calmly, “You can join me and together we will wipe away the lies and torment that Celestia and Luna have spread…or you can oppose me and face a fate worse that which the princesses will soon endure. Come now my friends, what do you say?”

“…N-No!”

Twilight looked towards the noise with a harsh glare of annoyance. Fluttershy lay next to the sobbing Rainbow Dash, a hoof gently brushing through her mane as she attempted to calm the broken Pegasus. She looked scared, petrified even, and yet she met Twilight’s glare with a resolution that made everypony stare in amazement.

“No!” she repeated after a moment, “You aren’t Twilight…and you aren’t my friend! Twilight would never do this to her friends! She loves us and we love her, she brought us all together in a way none of us can even express! I don’t know who you are…but you are not MY FRIEND!”

Twilight simply grinned and turned away from her, casting her gaze over the others, “And what say you?”

“I’m with Fluttershy!” voiced Pinkie as she helped Applejack to her feet, “No friend of mine would do this to my friends! You’re just a giant meanie pants!”

“You said it Pinkie,” croaked Applejack, “You may look like her, you may sound like her…but you ain’t her! No way am I going to let you do this to Equestria!”

“Likewise!” continued Rarity, “I would rather die than side with what you’ve become! You’re a disgrace to Equestria and all alicorns!”

Twilight didn’t react at all, she simply shifted her gaze once more; this time her violet eyes falling on Spike. Throughout the whole conversation the young dragon had been unable to even move. His mind was full of questions and fears and as he looked around his mind just couldn’t comprehend any of it.

“Ah Spike, my number one assistant,” swooned Twilight, her tone and smile exaggerated to the point of nausea, “You’re still going to join me aren’t you? I’m going to need a helping hand organising my new library and keeping my checklists in order.”

Spike looked back at her with uncertainty. Before him stood the pony who had raised him since he was a baby. She had cared for him and taught him everything he knew. She had comforted him when he was upset and he had helped her in turn when she was down. They had spent the many highs and lows of life together and had saved each other from peril on numerous occasions. But now…

He looked back at the other ponies, each of them looking back at him with worry and concern. As much as Twilight had raised him so too had everypony else he had come into contact with. They had all accepted him into their world, even after his greed had sent him on a rampage through Ponyville. They were all his family…and he couldn’t let them down.

With a small gulp he turned away from Twilight and walked confidently over to Rarity. Puffing up his chest he turned around to face Twilight once more and released his breath.

“No Twilight, I’m not going with you,” he said as confidently as he could despite the shaking his knees were doing.

Twilight gave a sigh as a look of disappointment crossed her face. She blinked slowly before a look of annoyance flashed across her face. Her magic flared to life and the previously discarded manacles that littered the floor sprung to life. Each one quickly wrapped itself around its previous host, Rarity and Rainbow actually crying out at how rough the action was. Without a moment’s pause another set of restraints flew out from seemingly nowhere and wrapped themselves around each ponies neck, a long chain connecting them all together in a line.

“Guards!” yelled Twilight in a voice that seemed to make the whole room shake.

It took but a moment for the throne room to fill with guard ponies, each of them brandishing a spear and staring menacingly at the chained party of friends.

“Fine then, if that is what you’ve decided you’re of no further use to me,” announced Twilight before looking at the closest guard, “Take them to the dungeons and lock them up. They are to be given nothing unless I say so! Now take them away.”

None of her former friends said a word as they were led off by the guards although Twilight herself had one last thing to say.

“Enjoy your last night in this world,” she said spitefully, “I’ll be sure to make your executions tomorrow as long and as slow as I can!”

Only Rainbow turned her head to look back but it was only for a moment as she followed her friends out of the throne room.

Chapter 9

As the final cell door slammed shut the only sound that filled the air were the mewling whimpers of Fluttershy; despite her earlier outburst she was now back to shuddering like a little filly. That said none of the others looked in a better state. Rainbow sat on her haunches near to the yellow Pegasus staring into the middle distance; she hadn’t even made a sound since they had left the throne room, not even when she had been poked or hit with a guard’s spear. Applejack and Pinkie had been placed in a separate cell across from the Pegasus duo. Applejack was probably the most vocal of the group, screaming at the departing guards to let her out. Pinkie also sat on her haunches but unlike Rainbow her brow was furrowed in a deep scowl that made her look extremely alien considering her usual smiling face. Rarity was in the cell next to them; the unicorn looking back and forth as she paced around her cell looking for a way out and occasionally shooting sympathetic glances at Spike. The dragon sat huddled in a small cage of his own which hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room. There was barely enough room for him to stand up but currently he sat with his head in his hands and a depressed look on his face.

At length Applejack seemed to tire of her volley of insults and instead looked around at her friends. She grits her teeth, what were they going to do now? They had to get out of here but the question was how? For a moment she looked at the bars of her cell. They looked worn and tired but covering their surface was an odd coating of small black crystals. She frowned at them and then glanced back at her hind legs. She was an Equestrian renowned applebucker, if she couldn’t do something about the bars she doubted anypony else could. Slowly she stepped away from them before turning round and running full tilt towards them.

As she reached them she spun quickly, thrusting out her hind legs against the bars and was rewarded with a solid and firm impact. However the bars themselves didn’t even move at all; instead there was a slight clang, a whir and a large pop. With the last noise Applejack was sent flying across the cell as the force of her kick was directed right back at her. She slammed into the opposite wall with a cry of pain before collapsing to the ground. Pinkie was almost immediately at her side, every pony else looking at her with great concern.

“Oh my gosh, are you alright Applejack?” exclaimed Pinkie with a faint hint of panic in her voice.

“Other than feeling like I’ve done twenty round of cider, I’m fine,” replied Applejack as she rubbed her head, “That’s going to hurt in the morning. At least we know we won’t be getting out that way…Rarity, think you might be able to pick the lock with your magic?”

“I can try I suppose,” replied Rarity as she her own cell door a glance, “I will admit I’ve never done anything like this though.”

“First time for everything I guess,” replied Applejack.

They all watched as Rarity approached her cell door and gave the lock a look over. It wasn’t a complex thing, a simple key and tumbler lock but something about it made Rarity a little nervous. She took a deep breath and slowly reached out with her magic. As the glow surrounded the lock she felt a slight jab in her mind. It only took a moment for the full effect to kick in as a bolt of black magic sprung from the lock and struck the tip of Rarity’s horn. Her scream was a silent one, her body frozen on the spot as the bolt struck, but a moment later she crumbled to the ground like a puppet that had lost its strings.

“Rarity!” cried Spike as he reached out of his cage towards the mare.

Applejack and Pinkie had also rushed to the side of their cell but Rarity was too far away to reach. All they could do was wait. The few seconds that it took for Rarity to recover though seemed like an eternity to every pony around her. Slowly her ear flicked back and forth a few times and with a slight groan of discomfort she opened her eyes. She twitched a few times and then slowly pushed herself up, every pony gasped.

“Rarity! Your horn!” exclaimed Spike as he stared at her in fright.

Slowly Rarity looked up, her shriek piercing straight through all of them. Around her horn were small spikes of black crystal, each of them looking like they had sprouted from within her horn itself. She frantically ran her hooves over them trying to knock them off. When that didn’t work she tried using her magic only to find it stopped at the base of her horn, she couldn’t cast any spells.

“Those crystals, they’re like the ones Shining Armour got on his horn when…” began Applejack.

“…when we we’re fighting that big meanie Sombra!” finished Pinkie.

“I don’t care what it looks like!” cried Rarity in a panic, “I can’t use my magic! I can’t…what’s happened to me?! Why can’t I use my magic?!”

“Rarity calm down,” snapped Applejack, “Panicking isn’t going to solve the problem, we have to find a way out of here!”

“Calm down?! Don’t panic?! You’re the one who told me to try my magic and now…”

“P-Please…every pony please!” came a soft whimper from the cell opposite them.

They all stopped and looked; Fluttershy was pressed up against the bars of her cell, tears flowing freely from her eyes in river.

“We…we…we have to stick together,” she murmured, “We…we have to find a way to save Twilight…we…”

“What’s the point?!”

Every pony stopped dead and turned towards the voice. A little behind Fluttershy Rainbow Dash had turned her head to look at them. Her face was like an open book, displayed for every pony to read, and what it said made every pony shudder. There was no hint of determination, no fighting spirit, not even a glimpse of sarcasm or rebellion; all there was the look of a pony who had completely succumb to her despair, a look of acceptance and sadness.

“Why should we even bother?” continued Rainbow with a small laugh of despair, “Even if we get out of these cells there has to be hundreds of guards waiting in the castle. Even if we somehow manage to get by them do you really think Twilight will just sit back and watch us leave? Did you see what she did to Lightning Dust…what she did to Ponyville? There’s nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. She’ll find each and every one of us and kill us. I don’t know what happened to her but I guess it doesn’t matter…nothing we can do will change her back.”

Every pony was speechless, such words may have come from any normal member of Equestrian society, from a scared noble or a small foal…but for Rainbow herself to say it sent a chill through each one of them that they couldn’t fight. Time seemed to freeze and only the low howl of the wind stirred the air.

“…n-no…”

Applejack spun on the spot, looking around at where the sound had come from, “who’s there?!”

“…you...c-can’t give…up…” croaked the voice again.

This time Applejack managed to work out where it had come from and looked towards one of the far cells. There was a faint hint of movement, a shadow shaking against the flickering light of the wall mounted oil lamps. Strains of exertion and pain started to emanate from the cell as the occupant tried to stand but each time seeming to fail. Finally the dark form slumped to the ground and a scraping sound filled the air as they dragged themselves forwards. Every pony gasped in horror as the black shadow finally managed to make it into the light.

“Princess Celestia!” came a chorus of shocked and fearful voices.

Celestia herself didn’t look good at all. Her broken horn not withstanding her body was covered in bruises and cuts and both of her wings hung limp at her side. She looked thin, half-starved even, and blood ran freely from her dried cracked lips. Her fur was no longer white, matted with dirt, blood and grime and her mane lay still and lifeless.

“…you can’t…give up…” she croaked once more, her voice hoarse and dry.

Nopony spoke, they all knew Celestia wasn’t the immortal god some ponies thought she was, her fight against Chrysalis had proved that, but to see her like this made their stomachs churn. The question of what had happened to Celestia was finally answered but perhaps it would have been easier if they had not found out at all.

“Please…you can’t give up on her,” continued Celestia as she reached out a hoof toward them, “Please.”

“Celestia…” murmured Applejack, “What happened to you?”

Celestia just looked away, afraid or maybe ashamed to answer the question. Again a silence hung in the air but this time an all too familiar voice split the air.

“Whilst I usually try not to agree with Princess Sunshine I must say in this case she makes a valid point.”

“Discord!” snapped Applejack quickly as she spun back and forth on the spot looking for the offending draconequus himself.

“Right you are Applejack,” continued Discord as a floating smile appeared in mid air between the cells.

A moment later the smile spun round a few times and in a small poof of needless smoke Discord appeared.

“Dingy accommodation you have here I must say,” he said aimlessly as he looked around at the caged ponies.

“What are you doing here Discord, did you do this to Twilight? What are you up to this time?” accused Applejack with a stamp of her hoof.

“Moi? Oh you wound me so Applejack,” retorted Discord with an over exaggerated show of fake pity, “I have had nothing to do with this I can assure you.”

“Likely story…”

“Yes, yes,” interrupted Discord with a roll of his eyes, “Now then, shall we move onto more pressing matters? What Celestia has said is actually quite important, wouldn’t you agree?”

He looked towards Celestia, frowning slightly as he did. The white mare met his gaze for but a moment before looking away again.

“Are you here to rescue them?” she asked slowly.

“Indeed I am,” replied Discord, “and I see that time has finally caught up with you.”

“Something you must be pleased to see…”

“A part of me is enjoying this but frankly I have no desire to go back to my previous life...”

“Don’t mean to interrupt,” cut in Rarity sharply, “But would somepony please explain what in Equestria is going on!”

Discord and Celestia both cast a glance at Rarity before looking away again.

“I’m sorry…there simply isn’t time…” replied Celestia, “Discord take them and get out of here.”

“Woah woah woah!” interrupted Applejack, “What do you mean us? If we’re being rescued you’re coming along too?”

“No Applejack,” replied Celestia with a cough, “It’s too late for me, I’m as good as dead.”

“What do you mean?” asked Rarity cautiously.

Celestia looked away, “Discord go...and…I’m sorry…for everything.”

Discord nodded and raised his hand, “I know you are Celestia but that doesn’t excuse you.”

With a snap of his fingers seven flashes of light lit up the room before fading to nothing. As stillness fell on the cellblock once more Celestia was left to sob quietly by herself.

Chapter 10

The wind barely rustled the trees of the Everfree Forest as a flash of light lit up a small clearing in the undergrowth. It faded quickly to reveal a party of five ponies, a small dragon and a draconequus, the latter being the only one who didn’t start looking around frantically.

“…wait we can’t…” cried Fluttershy, seemingly being transported mid-sentence before she realised where she was.

She quickly fell silent as she looked around, whimpering slightly at the dense forest that surrounded them. Pinkie Pie and Rarity seemed content to just look around before sighing deeply in a mournful tone. Applejack meanwhile was anything but mournful.

In a second she rounded on Discord, the rage inside her finally finding an outlet she could use to release it…if it was justified or not. Discord seemed sluggish, or at least he wasn’t expecting such actions, and Applejack’s front hooves connected squarely with the draconequues’ face. In true Discord style though the blow was quickly rendered mute as Discord’s head simply popped free from his body and rolled to the ground a few paces away.

As Applejack stood in complete shock Discord looked back at her with a small frown, “Really now Applejack, did you really think this would solve all your problems?”

Applejack just stammered slightly as Discord’s body wobbled over to his head and picked it up.

“I can understand you’re not exactly the happiest pony in Equestria right now but do you think de-heading your rescuer would make an improvement?” he asked slowly as he reattached his head and frowned at her.

Applejack’s lower lip was trembling like a leaf in the wind as she stared back at him, “What gives you the right to be so cocky?! Have you seen what’s been happening?! Don’t you dare try to make this into a joke! Why didn’t you rescue Celestia?! What did you do? What’s going on?!”

“Still think I have something to do with all this?” Discord sighed, “I can’t blame you I suppose but this time you really shouldn’t be looking at me.”

Applejack growled slightly but Fluttershy suddenly stepped forward and placed herself between the arguing pair.

“P-Please, don’t fight...we’re all really scared and nopony knows what’s really going on,” she said, her words firm but obviously hard for her to say, “Discord did save us…”

“Thank you Fluttershy…” started Discord before Fluttershy shot a glance in his direction.

“…but that doesn’t explain what is going on,” she finished with a slight bite to her words that made Discord flinch slightly.

“Very well, I’ll try and explain but you really should save your questions for that zebra friend of yours,” he replied with a short sigh.

“Zecora?” questioned Rarity, “What would she know about all this?”

“More than you can imagine,” teased Discord as he turned and began to walk away.

The others set off after him although Rainbow took some encouragement before she began to move herself. For a short while a silence descended over them, Discord looking uncharacteristically sombre.

“Well?” pushed Applejack at length, the earth pony still not convinced about everything that Discord had said.

“Your patience is not one of your best qualities,” snapped Discord, “Still, for someone as young as yourself I suppose it’s a quality that you just haven’t developed yet.”

“What in the hay is that supposed to mean?” replied Applejack.

“I’ve lived for more than my fair share of millennia my dear little pony. I’ve lived through many different times and let me tell you that you don’t retain a hold on your sanity without learning the value of patience.”

“Sanity? From you, that’s rich!”

“I will give you that one, sanity was never something I truly valued. No I’m certainly more entertained by insanity you could say…but have you ever thought why?”

Everypony stopped for a moment. It was true that they all knew what Discord was but why he was like he was was not a question that they had asked. Discord gave a small snort.

“I suppose it’s no surprise, you defeat the bad guy and go home, no point on dwelling on the matter,” he said flatly.

“…I’m sorry Discord,” murmured Fluttershy quietly.

“Oh it’s alright Fluttershy, after all you were the first one to really believe that I wasn’t all bad unlike some ponies I could mention,” he let out a small sigh, “I suppose it’s just become a habit of mine, after all when you’ve been forced to dance back and forth at the whim of an evil overlord for their amusement you just accept that what you do is perfectly normal.”

“What do you m…” started Fluttershy quietly.

“I’ll let her explain, frankly I don’t enjoy talking about it,” interrupted Discord as he pointed ahead.

The short walk hadn’t taken long and as Discord pointed the hut of Zecora came into view. Outside the zebra was sat watching the jungle with a furrowed brow although her expression lightened as she saw the approaching group.

“Ponies!” she exclaimed loudly, “It warms the heart to see you here, I am so glad I no longer have to fear.”

“Zecora!” came a relieved reply from the group each of them looking happy to see a friendly face.

“Come inside and I’ll fix some tea, you must be tired after your fraught journey.”

Before long the group was sat round a small fire in Zecora’s hut sipping thankfully on a selection of herbal drinks the zebra had prepared. For each of them the events of the day seemed to slip away as the warmth of the fire and tea gently relaxed them. Even Applejack looked calmer and sullen mood of Rainbow Dash seemed to brighten ever so slightly. Still even a couple of creature comforts could not make them forget what had happened. The look on Twilight’s face, the word’s she had said…the deeds she had committed. There was a silence in the room but all eyes were on Zecora as she finally sat down with them.

“Many questions you have for me, but the answers you seek may not agree,” she said slowly.

“I don’t care one bit, what the hay is going on?!” insisted Applejack as each of her friends gave their own nervous nod.

“Very well I will explain, but if it hurts I am not to blame…”

Reaching to her side Zecora pulled out a small pouch and drew out a small pile of fine green dust. Slowly she murmured a few incomprehensible words under her breath and then cast the powder onto the fire. There was a burst of flame, the shock causing everypony to withdraw slightly, but then a series of images began to swirl into view.

“Our tale begins in a time long ago, back before any of us could ever know. The land was dark with dread and fear, for the grim spectre of death was always near.”

The swirling mist reshaped, figures moving back and forth like ripples on a lake but each one made the ponies shudder.

“This land was ruled by a pair you know, far darker they were and evil although.”

“Who?” asked Rarity quizzically.

“The Royal Princesses,” replied Discord from his hammock perch in the corner of the room.

“Bull!” snapped Applejack quickly.

“I assure you much Miss Applejack, Discord is quite correct in this flash back,” insisted Zecora.

As if in answer to her words the green flames changed shape once more, forming into the faces of Celestia and Luna.

“But that can’t be…” continued Applejack as she looked back at Zecora.

“I said your questions may bring pain, they brought much during their reign,” continued Zecora, “But perhaps it would be best for him to explain, but please do not spread too much disdain.”

Zecora looked across at Discord, the Draconequus not looking thrilled about the prospect. He gave a gruff sigh though and simply nodded.

“As I said before I do not like discussing these events but I suppose I do know them better than anypony else,” he replied as he snapped his fingers turning his hammock into a comfy looking armchair, “Many millennia ago the land you know as Equestria was ruled by the Cosmic Empire, a dominion so powerful that it spanned the entirety of the known world. As Zecora has already mentioned the rulers of this empire were Celestia and Luna…although back then they were known as Solar Flare and…Nightmare Moon.”

A gasp flashed around the group, Fluttershy turning a little white even.

“Nightmare Moon?! But…wasn’t that just…” began Rarity.

“Jealousy turning her evil?” interrupted Discord, “Really, how do you ponies call yourself mares when you’ll believe such a foal like story. If it was true we’d have a million little nightmares roaming around all over, I dare say that even in this perfect kingdom jealousy exists all over. In fact I know it does.”

Rarity paused, mulling his words for a moment. It was indeed true that jealousy was present in Equestria…especially in Canterlot. Discord gave a brief nod and continued.

“They ruled with an iron fist and anypony or indeed anything that stepped out of line was quickly disposed of. I don’t know how long their empire stretched back, it certainly lasted several thousands of years after I was created.”

“Created?” came a chorus of shocked calls.

“Yes created,” replied Discord as he glared menacingly at one of the masks on the wall, “You see Celestia and Luna eventually became bored of their normal entertainment, seen one pony beg for their life before being executed, seen them all. So they decided they needed something different and thus they created me by combining part of their magic.”

Discord shifted uncomfortably as if the memories made him feel uncomfortable.

“I was supposed to be their court jester, a play thing to amuse them whenever they commanded it. The more evil and unusual the trick I performed the more they enjoyed it. They never seemed to grow tired of the ways in which I would torment other ponies for their amusement.”

It may have been lost to the others but in that moment Fluttershy felt something. It washed across Discord’s face in a second, not lingering or returning but it was there. A show of regret, to Fluttershy it was like a beacon of light and she couldn’t help but shed a tear.

“A…jester…?” asked Rarity slowly.

“Trust me Rarity I didn’t enjoy it but I obeyed, even I wasn’t immune to the wrath of those two during that time, nopony was at all,” replied Discord, “But that time didn’t last forever.”

“Indeed it did not, for there is one event that must not be forgot,” added Zecora as she blew a new pile of dust into the fire, “When exactly it happened only few can say, but we must all be thankful for that day.”

The images changed, displaying the face of a young foal barely older than the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“A child she was but strong of heart, and yet she did what she must and played her part.”

“Ah yes, that is one thing you truly can’t forget,” cut in Discord, “She was most remarkable.”

“Who? What did she do?” asked Applejack curiously, the earth pony starting to settle into the tale.

“Well you see the princesses regularly held audiences for their subject where they could come and ask for help, beg for forgiveness or amuse them in some other way. No pony that ever stood before them got what they wanted of course, it was all a game,” continued Discord, “That is until this little thing came to them. I suspect she was allowed in due to her parents being arrested and it was assumed she would probably beg for her parent’s lives but it didn’t exactly happen that way.”

“She did not beg or cry or resent, instead she offered the princesses a present,” smiled Zecora.

“A what?” gasped Pinkie, her ears suddenly coming alive at the mention of presents.

Discord gave a small laugh, “She brought them a present! It wasn’t much, a simple hoof drawn picture of the two princesses but I must say it completely flummoxed those two. She just thanked them for being good leaders and said that if her parents had done something wrong the princesses would do what needed to be done. She didn’t look sad or anything! Truthfully even I found the situation rather bizarre and it was my job to create chaos! If I could have created as much chaos as that young foal did I would have been able to retire!”

“What happened next?” asked Rarity.

“Well it was slow at first but having been around the princesses for so long I could make out the changes in their personalities. They actually started ignoring some minor ‘crimes’, letting ponies off with only a vicious warning. They even released the foal’s parents amazingly. That said the sudden change did cause problems. They started to argue over how things should be done, Luna was always slightly more aggressive in such matters and it began to anger her that her sister was becoming, in her eyes, weak.”

“It came to a head on one fated day, the turning point of our history you may say,” added Zecora as she waved a hoof through the flickering flames.

The scene changes the flames dancing back and forth in a display of green fireworks. The ponies watched as pops and snaps rang through the fire accompanied by flowing trails of yellow.

“What’s all that about?” asked Applejack just before the flames gave a sudden swirl and exploded outwards in a shower of sparks before dying down to almost nothing.

Everypony flinched and looked away but as they looked back Zecora was looking deadly serious.

“A battle there was between the sisters of old, one that took from Equestria more than can ever be told,” she said sullenly as she glanced at Discord.

“It was inevitable I suppose,” continued Discord, “Two powers of equal mass arguing about how things should be done. It was quite sudden when it happened and I would say it was possibly the bloodiest battle in all of Equestrian history. The capital was razed to the ground and I barely managed to escape with my hide intact; others were not so lucky. I don’t honestly know if anypony made it out alive during the chaos but at that time all I was interested in was escape.”

“What happened after?” questioned Rarity, the unicorn taking the most interest in the story as it was told.

“The sisters vanished! Poof! Gone! I frankly don’t know where they went but it was a lousy time to take a vacation,” scoffed Discord with a small laugh, “With their magic removed from the world the normal ponies had to learn to survive on their own and that was not a pretty thing. None of them could control the sun, the moon or even the weather. Snow and ice battered the land only to be suddenly replaced by blistering heat or period of complete darkness. It was only once the ponies finally learned to control these elements that life began to become possible for them but even so the different tribes began to argue amongst themselves and more conflict seemed inevitable.”

“And what were you doing whilst all this was happening?” asked Applejack suspiciously.

“Resting my dear Applejack, I was made from the princesses’ magic after all. When they suddenly vanished I found myself in a very weak and frail state. However, it did mean that when they returned I was able to feel it…”

Discord scowled so harshly that Fluttershy let out a small ‘eep’.

“They just came waltzing back as if nothing had happened only now they were as you know them. The ponies didn’t know who they were, they were indistinguishable from their previous forms but I could tell without even looking at them. They united the pony tribes and founded Equestria as we know it now. They even had the nerve to rewrite history to make it look as if they had been the saviours!”

“Hang on! What about Hearth’s Warming Eve?” asked Applejack, “Equestria was founded by us ponies working together!”

“Oh Applejack didn’t I just say they rewrote history?” replied Discord, “They created that event so that nopony would question their rule or try to discover what happened before. They destroyed every record of their old realm they could find and anypony who tried to question it mysteriously vanished. They may have changed their outward appearance and actions but I could still sense the same magic and darkness within them that I had seen before.”

“For many centuries I simply watched and waited. I knew that if I acted too quickly I wouldn’t be able to stop them. When my time came the sisters were ill prepared at first. I plunged the land into chaos and threatened to unravel every lie the princesses’ had woven. That is of course until they revealed their all-powerful magical Elements of Harmony! I’m sure you can fill in the rest of the blanks yourself; they couldn’t let me live yet they didn’t have the power to destroy me any more so they just turned me to stone for a thousand years. An act you ponies repeated on me before I finally agreed to let everything slide…”

“D-Does this mean that our friendship really is…fake…?” whimpered Fluttershy quietly.

“Oh don’t worry my dear Fluttershy,” replied Discord with a smile, “Whilst I might still despise the royal pair it was refreshing to actually feel wanted and loved.”

Fluttershy smiled softly, content with the answer she had received.

“Now wait just a minute,” interrupted Applejack, “If all this is true just where did the princesses go? What changed them? Where did they even get those Elements of Harmony? They came from the Tree of Harmony I know but where did that even come from, magic trees aren’t that common you know.”

“Ah a good question indeed, one I shall answer from the lore of my creed,” replied Zecora as she reached for a large book.

Opening the pages she flicked through a few and then looked up, “Zebra lore has recorded much, most of it was hidden from destruction as such. Our stories tell of a battle most fierce, so brash and loud even the heavens it did pierce. When the fighting ended they sought to rest, tired and wounded they were drained of their best. Perhaps it was fate that they were found, rescued from their demise yet it was most profound. The ones that found them you see, were the filly’s parents who they had set free.”

“Woah woah woah!” interrupted Applejack with a wave of her hoof, “You mean to tell me that the parents of that foal who had started everything rescued the princesses?”

“Whilst this story seems to be phony, I can assure you it is most true my little pony,” continued Zecora, the zebra seemingly unaffected by Applejack’s outburst, “For many nights they toiled away, helping the princesses where they lay. Until at last they came around, and saw for themselves the kindness abound. At length they asked why they had done such a thing, pain and suffering was all they bring. To that the parents did offer a clue, it was what their girl would do.”

“They asked to see the filly but alas this was not to be, fore the filly had died on her escape from the city. Saddened by this loss they were, the next few weeks became a blur. When at last they were fully healed, they went at once to where the girl was sealed. Atop her grave they lay a seed, an apology for their ferocious greed. Soon they left to find a life anew, but what they left behind grew and grew. The tree they planted dug its roots deep, and into its branches did the young filly’s dreams seep. The tree did prosper for many years, and upon its branches grew the solution to our fears. This tree you all know well and good, it has saved us before as well it should.”

“Zecora…what was that filly’s name?”

Everypony jumped at the voice, each of them turning to face who had spoken. Rainbow Dash sat looking at them, her gaze fixed on Zecora but the faint glimmer of renewed hope glimmering in her eyes.

“Harmony,” replied Zecora as she closed her book and set it aside.

“The Tree of Harmony!” exclaimed Rarity.

“So that’s where it came from,” added Applejack before frowning slightly, “This is all well and good knowing how all this came about but how do we go about fixing it? Can we really save Twilight?”

Zecora gave a small smile to herself but if she was going to answer it was interrupted by the sound of hoofsteps outside.

“Ah it seems they have arrived at last, although we will still have to move very fast,” she said as she hoisted herself to her feet and looked towards the door.

The other all followed her gaze, waiting as the door swung open slowly.