"It appears we are at an impasse. How about a trade, Princess Twilight? Their release for all the Alicorn magic in Equestria?" She gasped. How was she supposed to decide between her friends and her world? He was offering her a near impossible choice. If she gave up the magic that her mentor, her sister, her friend had entrusted her with, she'd save her friends... But she'd be betraying every other pony in Equestria, and possibly destroying any hope of ever restoring the magic.... But if she were to refuse, keep the alicorn magic... Her friends would remain trapped, or possibly even die... The thought made her shudder.
"What's it going to be?" Her ears flicked as the pleas of her friends reached them. She looked into their frightened eyes. An image flashed through her mind. If she chose wrong, that emotion would be what filled every other pony. Tirek looming over the land, casting a shadow. The sun and the moon locked in position, half of Equis burning and the other frozen. Ponies rebelling against the ruler, and being cut down. Equestria's once beautiful green dull and blood splattered. Magic gone forever.... And soon after, the rest of the races living on the planet conquered as well.
In an instant, she knew what she had to do.
"We're waiting, Princess." Discord said the last word mockingly. How could he betray them like this? Maybe if he'd never been freed Tirek wouldn't be this powerful. They should never have trusted him. Oh, she should've seen it coming! 'No, Twilight, What ifs won't help you.' She told herself. Could'nt start blaming herself now. She looked up, anger flashing through her violet eyes.
"As the last remaining alicorn princess and keeper of magic, it is my duty to protect this land," Both Tirek and Discord seemed genuinely surprised by her answer. Of course they would. Element of harmony turning her back on her friends. Unheard of. Thank goodness she wasn't loyalty! She took a step forward. "My friends are important to me, but I won't betray Equestria for my own gain. Celestia trusted me to keep this magic. If this is the role I'm meant to play..." She stopped there, stay on track Twi! Twilight raised her voice. She didn't know how she gained the ability to use the Royal Canterlot Voice, but it must've been the alicorn magic. "No, I refuse your offer."
"Then you can watch as I destroy them!" The bubbles around the five mares began to shrink. She knew she made the right choice, but that didn't make this any easier. She cast her eyes downward, almost choking on her sobs. The rest of the five, they were too busy trying to curl as small as they could, in their inescapable prisons. They were never going to think of bubbles the same way after this.
"Wait, wait!" That was all Twilight heard of the conversation, as Discord whispered the rest of it. She did, however, notice the bubbles stop closing in on her friends. She let out a quiet sigh of relief. It was really a tiny feeling compared to everything else happening, but at least for the moment they were okay. The two enemies turned back to her.
"Princess Twilight. We would like to.. Offer you another deal." The centaur said. Twilight would do just about anything at this point, and she nodded for him to continue. It was Discord who spoke next, though.
"We're going to play a game. Well, five games, really. More fun that way!" Everyone looked at him, clearly irritated. "Okay, I get it! One game for each friend."
"Five worlds, five ponies... You travel through the world, pick up clues, find that pony."
"It sounds simple enough." She finally said, suspiciously.
"But! You have forty eight hours only." A list of rules appears in his hands, and he reads them off. "If you gain a fatal injury, the round is automatically forfeit. If you lose a friend, you lose your magic." He grinned. Lose her magic? Scary concept there. Even for a unicorn that would be horrifying, losing what makes them a unicorn, but for Twilight... It would meant the end of everything as they knew it.
"And.... What happens if I rescue that pony? Do they come with me?"
"That's for me to know, and you to find out!"
Twilight thought it over. On one hoof, this could just be a trap. But it might be the only way to save her best friends. She didn't hear any protests from said mares.... What could happen to make everything go any more wrong than it already was? She felt a sinking feeling in her belly as she spoke.
"Okay, but one condition. You don't get to mess around with my search. Set any traps or tricks in the reality beforehand, but not after I've entered." Tirek and Discord look at eachother and reach an unspoken agreement.
"We agree to your terms."
And then air was rushing past her, her straight, neatly combed mane flying in all directions and into her eyes. Her throat grew dry, she couldn't even scream. Her wings seemed undamaged, yet she couldn't seem to fly, it was as if they were paralyzed. There was nothing to grab unto. She looked around her. She took that back, there was'nt nothing to grab unto, there was nothing at all. No dark, no light, no cold, no warm. No end in sight.
Just falling. Oh, she was falling so far. Yes. Twilight Sparkle, So-called saviour of Equestria, was terrified.
If this choice was so right, why did she feel so guilty?