The bride of sparkleby The FrankChapters2. A slightly disturbing solution3. What the hay is that?4. Mommy?5. Exodus!6. Just a nice little chat!7. In other words8. You never walk alone.1. A very modest beginning.2. A slightly disturbing solution Spike was more or less dragged out of Ponyville, and even though he recognized the everfree forest, he was nevertheless surprised when they reached their destination. "The castle of the two princesses? What did you find here?" "The equipment I need. You know that book that hit my head? It was the book of my dreams! The one with all the answers! You probably wondered what I've been doing this whole time? I've been organising THIS!" Twilight opened a door, and hit a light switch. The room was full of electrical equipment, manometers, chains, pipes and cables that went from the ceiling to the floor. And in the middle of the room, a platform, which through a combination of chains and wheels, were connected with the roof. Apparently, it was constructed with the ability to elevate from the floor up to the roof through a hole.And on the same platform, a gigantic operating table. And something, covered with a green sheet, was lying upon it. "What is...this?" "THIS is the place where my love shall live again! Cause that's where I was WRONG! I thought that magic was the solution." "Then...what is the solution?" Twilight stared boldly with empty eyes out in the open for a while, then she turned and kept her eyes focused on Spike when she answered. "SCIENCE!" "Eh...science?" "Are you aware that Darwin preserved a piece of vermicelli in a glass case until, by some extraordinary means, it actually began to move with voluntary motion? Do you know that the heart beats because of the electrical impulses from the sinoatrial node? Have you ever heard about the central nervous system, that it moves with small, electrical impulses? Do you have ANY IDEA what SCIENCE have done to improve the lives of ponies over the years?" "Twilight..." "SCIENCE is the answer! Science has given my life new meaning... Science will give me back my Rainbow!" Spike just stood and stared at Twilight. She trotted over to the table and started to stroke the thing that was covered in sheets. "Here she is! My love, my bride... I will bring her together, I will merge the pieces back to one, and I will give her the life bringing kiss of a 30 million voltage thunderstorm! And then...She will come back...to me..." Spike just couldn't believe his ears or eyes. He felt disgusted with the bare thought of her actions, but he couldn't really bring himself to fully understand what she just said to him. THIS is what she's been doing the weeks I thought she recovered? And...if the thing lying on the table is...WAS Rainbow Dash...then...Oh Celestia, what is it that she has done? "Twilight... you dug her up?" "Yes! It took a while... and the decomposing had already started. But the spare parts are easy to find. And the brain and her heart are intact. She only needed a new leg, a piece of liver..." "Twilight...listen to yourself! This is...this is crazy! It's impossible!" "No it's not! It has been done before..." She presented Spike with a book. "How I did it... by Victor Frankenpony?" "A true genius, Spike! A pony, for which nothing was impossible, or unbendable against SCIENCE! For whom the mere limits of our existence was only small obstacles. For whom death...was just a part of the equation that simple could be ruled out! He created a creature from dead matter...And he gave it LIFE!!" Spike couldn't do anything more than stare. Something had snapped in Twilights brain, and apparently broken a few threads in her heart as well. "I have done everything by his instructions... and with your help...my masterpiece will soon be complete." Twilight walked over to the table and stroke the corpse with a loving touch with her hoof. "My love...will come back...and I will at last...be happy." Twilight looked with her eyes full of love on the body on the table. Spike stared at her, and he knew there was only one thing to do. To make an end for all this. "Twilight, this is just...stupid. I'm going to tell our friends and then...." Spike tried to move, but he was stopped by Twilights magic. "What are you trying to do, you worthless little piece of spit? Are you going to betray me? Do you DARE to cross my plans? Do you have the insolence to smash MY DREAMS?" "Twilight, this isn't a dream, it is...madness." "YOU STAY HERE!" A chain magically appeared and spun itself around Spikes neck. The next he knew, he was stuck, and a whip appeared in twilights hooves. "Perhaps I need to teach you who is the mistress here...I'm gonna need a lot of help. And who'd be better than my faithful first assistant? He just need to get his priorities right..." ... It wasn't a day’s work, but mixing extreme violence with electrical chocks, Twilight managed to break down Spike. Two days, and he was all "yes mistress". He had been most helpful. And now...Two days after schedule, it was time to cook... There had been a Thunderstorm scheduled for today, and it was a real beauty. At around 7.30 pm its epicentre would be straight over the castle. So 7.33 pm was the time. They had been preparing the whole day. The electrical devices had been meticulously aligned and the body of Rainbow had been wrapped in bandage. Why that was necessary, Spike didn't understand, and Twilight couldn't really explain it either... it just said so in the book. Just for safety, the body was strained to the table with leather straps. Just for safety. In the end, Twilight put on a white robe, and so, everything could begin. Twilight placed herself on platform the operating table stood on. She and Spike removed the sprints that held it to the floor. Spike pulled a lever, the low buzzing of an electrical motor was heard, and the platform started to move upwards, towards the hole in the ceiling. Right into the centre of the thunderstorm. Twilight felt almost like she was being named a princess. This moment demanded a speech! "You know, spike! From that first day when stinking bits of slime first crawled from the sea and shouted to the stars, "I am pony.", our greatest dread has always been the knowledge of our mortality. But after tonight,death will no longer be the final limit of our meek harmless existence! Tonight, we shall hurl the gauntlet of SCIENCE into the very face of death itself. Tonight, we shall take aour rightful place, as the true emperor of nature! We shall rule the world! The earth will tremble at our feet! Nature itself will bow for us!" The idea of the resurrection was this. Two lightning conductors was placed on the roof. They were connected with the equipment on the floor, and by pulling a series of levers, the correct, and calculated, amount of electrical power where supposed to stream through the creature, giving every part of the body the spark that would re-animate it. Three strikes would be enough. Well...at least that was the plan. The first strike went as planned, it struck the left conductor, moved down through the equipment, and when Twilight screamed "PULL THE MAIN LEVER" the exact amount of current float through the creature exactly like planned. Twilight could see some twitches in the body, but no movement that equated as life. Unfortunately, Twilight hadn't thought about the fact that an electrical current will always take the shortest way from minus to plus. The second time the lightning hit the conductor alright, a gigantic spark jumped over directly to the table, making all the manometers to jump over the read mark and strike bottom at the same time. Twilight was almost thrown over the edge of the platform, but she was by miracle, left unharmed from the electricity. She could see how the skeleton of the creature glow in the dark and the whole platform was shaking. "GET US DOWN!" she shouted. And Spike obeyed. The whole laboratory smelled like someone had made one ton of sausage. Twilights legs quivered when she walked of the platform. "Twilight...how are you?" "I failed... I failed... there is no way that could have worked. I burned her, Spike. I burned her to death." "Twi...she WAS already...never mind." "How could I be so...what was I thinking...HOW..." Twilight was heading for a corner of the room, where a pile of hay already was prepared. Spike, however, couldn't take his eyes from the...thing that lie on the table. And then... His eyes couldn't get bigger than they already was. "Twilight...I think you may want to look at this..." "Don't bother, Spike, it's...It's...WHAT!" Twilight turned around. The creature was moving its front hooves! And the wings was spread out! Twilight quickly grabbed a stethoscope, and ran for the table. She listened...Yes! There was a heartbeat! "She's alive...SHE'S ALIVE! SPIKE! I DID IT! SHE'S ALIVE!" "Oh, sweet Celestia..." "OH SWEET CELESTIA, NOW I KNOW HOW IT MUST FEEL TO BE CELESTIA! SHE'S ALIVE!" Twilight went on, forcefully removing the bandage from the body. The creature was moving, but it had yet to open its eyes. And when it did, the first thing it saw was Twilight leaning over it. "Hello beautiful!" she said. The creature opened its mouth...and screamed. Author's Note AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! With thanks to Mel Brooks and James Whale. Oh... I think I might need to apologise a bit for "dr Frankenpony"... but...No, not really. 3. What the hay is that? Whatever Twilight had been expecting, it wasn't this. The creature stared in panic, and started to twist on the table. The whole time it screamed, or groaned, or both. "Spike! Quick! I need to give her..." RRRRRRIIIIP! The creature had ripped of two of the leather restrains. Twilight got dead with silence and fear. This could not be! She wasn't supposed to be...strong...not like this! Could it have something to do with the overload of electricity? Spike was staring with fear and loath at the thing on the table. It did look like Rainbow...but it had black hair, grey fur and... The left wing was a bit bigger than the other one. It had a big scar, drawn together with at least 25 stiches over its stomach. A similar scar was placed right over its right flank. It looked...monstrous! And howcome they still looked like wounds? Dead tissue doesn't heal, of course, but Spike never thought of that. Now, at least, the ability to speak had returned to Twilight. "Spike! The sedatives! On the drawer there! Bring me..." RRRRIIIPP! The last of the leather restrains broke, and the creature took its first unsteady steps on the floor. It was trembling, but it had at least stopped screaming. Now it was...just grunting. Spike and Twilight both noticed with fear that the creature’s eyes were green. And those green eyes looked...not that friendly on them. Not at Spike at least...but then it looked at Twilight. It started to move towards her. "Mmmmmm?" Twilights fear was immediately replaced with another. Pride. Mothers Pride. She had created this herself, and with no bloody stallion involved! She had the right to be proud of her work! "Come here...come here!" She encouraged the creature to keep moving. " Yes...one more step, good girl! Good girl!" The creature’s movement got steadier with every step. And it also looked more and more confident. And then it all broke. Spike never repulled the first lever and therefore, when the lightning once again struck one of the conductors, the energy flew through the equipment once again and from there it went through the contracts. That was a big part of Dr Frankenponys project, the parts where the electricity would go into the body. Twilight thought the original design was practical, but much to big to be discreet. So, instead she put the cathode and anode to be mostly hidden by the skin, and the contracts were to be inserted rather then stuck on. The contracts were pretty small, and shaped like triangles. But since they were no longer attached to the creature, they just lay on the table, two meters apart. Which ment, that when the lightning struck, a spark of 2000 Ampere filled the room with bright light and there was an enormous BANG. The creature got terrified, and screaming wildly, it knocked Twilight over and ran in panic out of the laboratory. Spike held the sedative in his claws, but the spark made him thrust the needle into his own knee... And so, the creature left the castle, leaving behind a sleeping dragon and a knocked out Unicorn. Not that it knew that. But it was a fact nevertheless. … Only discord knows what can be found in the mind of a new existence, and in this, a semi-new existence, he would probably dived in head first. However, Discord was still captured in stone for the second time at this very moment, so no one was there for the poor creature. And that was probably for the best. For the first hour of existence, it had felt pain, fear, rain, cold, loneliness, panic and finally, hunger. Running through the everfree forest in the middle of the night, in a Thunderstorm is NEVER a good idea. Unfortunately, it did not know this. But when you are about one hour old, I guess that can be excused. The creature had stopped running. The thunderstorm was moving away, as it walked through the forest. Everything was new, and scary, and exciting. It tried to eat things. Bark tasted nohing. Leaves were ok. Grass was divine but Dandelions were heavenly. Not that those words meant anything to the creature, but it was so it felt. The creature was so very hungry, that it didn't notice it wasn't alone anymore... ... Back in the castle, Twilight had reagined consiousness. She tried to wake spike, but the sedatives were strong. It would be some more hours. But every hour was precious. Where were her creation? All alone in the forest with noone to supprt or encourage her...Twilight started to cry when she thought of her poor lonely creature. There was no time to wait for Spike. Twilight placed him on her back, an left the castle, heading east. ... The creature looked unsteady at the Timberwolves. It had no idea what they were, but it had at least realized that they were dangerous. It treid to offer them some dandelions, an offer which the wolves ripped apart. They started to howl. a pony, anlone in the middle of the night. This would make an easy snack... When faced with extreme danger, the basic routines of the brain kicks in. The first one should be hiding or running. The creature looked around. No, no opportunity for that. For what it was worth, fighting was the only solution. So, the creature threw itself forward, and charged right into the timberwolf pack, with it hooves stretched out in front of it. The sound of wood breaking filled the woods. The creature hadn’t charged THAT much, and still, it had defeated its first threat. The leader of the Timberwolve pack were now only a pile of cracked wood and the others were a shaking mess, curled up against each other on the other side of the pile. The creature looked at its hooves, then the pile of wood, and then the hooves again. Then, it looked at the rest of the wolf pack, and grunted, low and aggressive. The wolfs scrammed. The creature looked after them. This was a very special moment. It was the first thing the creature had learned about itself. It was strong. It could hurt things. It could break things. It could scare things. The creature gave out a victorious roar, then it charged on through the forest. For the one being strong, there was always food. Somewhere. ... "Twilight, this is impossible! We will never find her!" "We must find her, Spike! If someone else finds her first...They will take her away from me!" "Twilight...is that REALLY the biggest issue?" "YES! Now keep looking!" ... The night slowly erutpted into day. The creature had fed, it had slept, and now it was exploring. It was making its way through the forest rather violently, because it only knew how to awoke fear, and it didn't want to meet any more opponents. Pretty soon, it had moved out of the everfree, and walked over to a smaller forest, that were under ponyvilles jurisdiction. There it stopped. Next to a small brook sat a small thing that looked like...the creature. It was Pound Cake, the Pegasi son of the owners of Sugercube corner. What was he doing out here all alone? Oh, he wasn't alone. He had been playing with his sister and parents. But Cup managed to trip over a stone, making a wound on her hind leg. So, her parents took her in to care for her and to put on a plaster. Pound didn't want to go in. And since nothing really dangerous was around, he was allowed to stay. Of cource the creature didn't know this. It just saw a little samethingasme throwing things in the brook. It started with grass, and then it went on with flowers. The creature decided to take a closer look. Pound Cake turned his head. He did not recognize this pony, but it looked funny. Not scary. So, he giggled. The creature liked that sound. It wanted to hear it more. So, it sat down, next to Pound, and tossed flowers. There they sat for a while, in peace, united in giggling and grunts. The creature could not giggle. But it wanted to learn. Now it new more about itself. It liked giggling. It liked small samethingasmes. And it enjoys wet things that streamed. It sounded soothing. But then.... The creature noticed that they were out of flowers. Well, at least if you didn't want to walk some distance. So, was there anything nearer? Yes...those little things on the back of the small thingy looked a bit like petals. Those would probably be good! The creature grabbed pound and started to tear of the wings. Well, at least it tried. But they did not come off! The creature charged more, but they still was stuck, though they were quite wibbly. Pound was screaming with pain and terror. The creature got afraid again. Why was the little samethingasme screaming? They had been playing, right? There were still playing, right? So why was the little samethingasme screaming? WHY? The sound irritated and frightened the creature. It wanted it to stop. It held its hooves in front of the muzzle, but that didn't help. In panic, the creature threw the little on into the brook. Poundcake couldn't swim. After all, he was only three. Very soon, the little pegasi foal were floating, face down in the water, lifeless. The creature liked the fact that it was silent. But it was bad the things on the back didn't come of. It sat itself down againg, looking at the things that floated in the brook. "Pound! Where are you?" Sounds. Lound sounds. Sounds of what could be biggerthingslikemes. The creature didn't like them at all. Perhaps the wanted to fight? The creature probably could scare them. "POOOOUUND! WHERE AAARE YOUUU?" To much noice. The creature didn't want noice. It wanted to go home. So it turned back into the everfree. There it was silence. There it could be alone. There it was the ruler. Mr and Mrs Cake just got a small sight of the creature as it ran off. "What the hay was that? And...where is pound?" They looked down in the brook. Then they screamed. Author's Note Oh shit. 4. Mommy? Spike and Twilights search through the Everfree was resultless. In the end, they went to Ponyville where the commotion was at full throttle. They hadn't heard the news about Pound of course, but they wouldn't be held in the dark about that for long. Everypony in the village was talking about the attack on Pound Cake. The minute thay stepped inside, ponies where asking them "have you heard..." or "Do you know that...". The big question on everyponys lips was 'who would commit such a terrible deed' ? The attack seemed totally pointless and incompressible cruel. The crowd demanded blood, Twilight could feel that. And she also had a pretty good idea who the villain was... No, she knew. Something grey with a black mane, the rumours was. To the villagers, there could have been any type of creature, but Twilight knew there could be only one. Her Rainbow. But why? Why? The only reason Twilight could see, was that her creature must have been scared but... how could Pound scare anypony? How could a small foal scary a full-grown pegasi mare? The explanation to that wouldn't be simple. Well, whatever the reasons would be, the crowd would show no mercy. If they would find her first.... Luckily, some rumours also said that it had glowing eyes, was fire breathing and had three big horns poking out of its nose. Well, that could save her love a bit longer, if anypony decided to start looking for her. If Rainbow only was careful and tried to behave like a normal pony... no, that was not likely. They would Catch her at once. But there was also another danger which she started to realize. She had been away without any explanation for almost a week. What if someone asked? What kind of explanation could cover it up so nopony suspected HER? First they would ask questions, ten they would find the castle, then the laboratory, than they would know Everything and just... Twilights mind started to run amok. "Twilight, please... calm down!" Spike realized the danger they were in, and Twilight behaving like this was bound to draw suspicion, but he had no idea how to calm her. "I can't Spike! What if they find her? It isn't very likely that anyone would take me bringing back my dead marefriend to life with a shrug of shoulders! What if they find me? They will kill her! They will kill me! They will destroy all my work! They will..." Spike quickly opened his bag, found an apple, and thrusted it into Twilights mouth. Her Eyes were still large and filled with panic, but she stopped screaming. Apparently, in all the other commotion and screaming, nopony had noticed what Twilight was shouting. Something good, at least. "Alright Twilight, this looks bad. But one thing at time! First, we need to..." "FIRST WE NEED TO FIND HER!...if I can get to her first...and work with her. Give ponies some time to cope with it...see our love...my love... they might understand. I need to get back. " "Twilight... no..." Spike facepalmed. "She must have ran to the Everfree. But how to get back there without raising suspicion? ”Twilight mumbled to herself. Spike just shook his head even more and was about to say something but he was interrupted. Because luckily for Twilight, fate played her hand. Mrs Cake came running to her. She was crying, and her voice was desperate. "Please Miss Sparkle! You must help us! You have heard what happened to my poor little foal? What kind of demonic creature could have done such a thing? Please Miss Sparkle, you are the wisest one around here! Please tell me you can solve this! Search your books! You must find this...beast! The thing that did this... it wasn't natural! " "You're right about that..." Spike mumbled. That comment would earn Spike a meeting with the whip back at the castle, for now, all Twilight could do was to smile sheepishly and try to comfort the poor mare. "Why...yes Mrs Cake! I will at once go... to... the castle of the two princesses! I assure you, I will find the fiend who did this! She must be in one of my books!" "Thank you! Thank you!" Mrs Cake was unable to speak anymore, and she leaned her head onto her husband, who also had come forward. Twilight turned around, when she heard a familiar voice around her. A voice who spoke words she didn't want to her at the moment... "We will come with yer. It's not safe for yer to go alone into the Everfree forest!" Applejack and Pinkamena. They looked at Twilight with genuine concern. Normally, Twilight would have loved the idea of having her best friends with her. But there was no way she wanted to explain anything to them now. She needed to get them of her back. "NO! I mean... its better if you stay here. You need to guard Ponyville. I...can take care of myself. " "But Twi..." "NO! Thank you, I understand you are worried. ..but I can use my magic. Better you take care of the town." And with that, she left in a hurry. Pinkamena and AJ kept their eyes at her as she exited the town. No reason to run after her. But still... "She was weirder than she was a month ago." "Yeah... and why the hay did she say... Ah don't think Twilight is telling us everything there is here...." Twilight and Spike searched the Everfree forest for three days, and no sign of the creature. To make sure no more suspicion was aroused, Twilight came into town at least once a day, but she felt eyes upon her every time. She never saw anypony specifically looking at her but she couldn't shake of the feeling. Maybe it was just paranoia, maybe somepony actually was looking. Nevertheless, Twilight had to come back. She also had realized that whenever they would catch the creature, they wouldn't be able to keep her at the castle for long. The princesses would definitely search that place. Luckily, they rarely went into the Everfree, and perhaps they would keep out...but she needed to find her fast anyhow...you never know when somepony actually...well. They needed sanctuary, but the tree wasn't safe either, not with all the commotion around. Luckily, Pound cake had been found in time. The colt’s life could indeed be saved, and the wings were examined, with the positive outcome that they would rebound. That cooled down everything with the major population. And so, Twilight started to give her basement a makeover. It might come in handy...someday...if they wanted to keep something very strong locked in. Well, they did need to find her first. But no traces at all. And with no traces, there was only one thing to do. To ask the one pony who lived in the forest. Twilight wasn't very keen on letting Zecora into this, but it was probably necessary. And then she realized, she had nothing to be ashamed of or was to be doing anything that would catch ponies’ suspicion! She was searching information about the attacker for Mrs. Cake! She could talk to Zecora as much as she wanted! And Zecora must have heard some things! Being the only pony living in the Everfree, that made her a superior source of knowledge in the matter. So, on the fourth day, they visited her. Twilight did some small talk, but eventually, she had to come forward with her questions. "You wonder if there may have been some monstrous things that I have seen. I have to say in simple word, I have not seen, but I have heard." "What have you heard?" "The trees are whispering whit fear about a danger that appeared It walks the paths, hidden by night, is dark and strong, keeps out of sight. The Timberwolves, they run with fright, from evil pony of the night It’s dangerous to them, they know, it killed their king with just one blow And I myself have heard the hoooowl of pony living without soul" Zecoras melodic voice made Twilight shiver. Her unsatisfying rhyme made it even chillier. "Where did you hear it, Zecora? Where?" "The precise spot I do not know, but traces can be found to show It wanders down to shady well, to end its thirst I pray to tell. The Shady well! Twilight knew exactly where that was, and a little too close to Ponyville... Action was needed, fast! "Thank you Zecora! We must go there at once! But you've been most helpful, now..." Zecora held up her hoof. "Just one last word, my dear dear friend, it looks to me, this is the end The path you walk, it will not end with joy and glee, do not pretend!" But Twilight was already out the door. "Such haste. Such waste. " Twilight and Spike hade made themselves a hide close to the Shady Well. The name came from the fact that the surface was pitch black. Although the water was clean and tasted really pure, (and actually was transparent if you put it in a bottle) you would never see the bottom... The well lay in the middle of a glade, with at least ten yards to the woods. A perfect place for hunting creatures. It was some hours waiting for the evening, but as soon as darkness fell, they were rewarded. The few birds in the forest were dead silent, and soon they heard the gruntings of the creature. It moved fast towards the well, but not fast enough to escape its hunters. They had taken precautions, and had converted a crossbow into shooting a syringe with sedative. Once they got a clear view of the creature, they shot. The silence of the woods was immediately broken with the screaming and grunting of the creature. It fought, some kind of invisible enemy, and three times, it hit the ground, only to rise again and make a run for the surrounding forest. But the sedative was strong enough, and pretty soon the creature was tied up, and teleported to the castle. The reconstructions of the library wasn't finished yet, besides, the castle had better cells. The same night, the creature awoke to found itself in a cell. Well lit, and with lots of fresh water, and dandelions. But locked in. It started to charge at the door, then the walls... nothing. Solid stone. The creature fell asleep again, to awake some hours later. But now, it wasn't alone... Spike had been reluctant letting Twilight do this. But she was determined, she would go into the creature alone. It needed love, she said. "I need to go in there. By myself, to show that I mean no harm and that she can relax!" "Twilight, I don't really think that will work. I think you're getting yourself killed" "Then, so be it!" "Twilight...don't be stupid now..." "I need to do this. For me. For her. For us" Spikes other objections were overruled, and so, she went inside. The creature saw a face looking at it from across the room. It remembered...sort of...pain...opening eyes...and then...this face! This face, looking sortalikeme was the one responsible for the biggest pain the creature ever felt. Probably everything that the creature had experienced over the days was sortalikeme's fault! And now it was back? To torment the creature more? The creature got angry, and charged at the face! Twilight was regretting her words, in these exact moments. The creature had apparently learned things about survival in the woods, and now it tried to scare her. It made itself look bigger. It made some lunges at her, incomplete, but enough to show this...sortalikeme...what it was capable of. And when Twilight saw the anger that filled the creature’s eyes, she became afraid, and sad. This was a mistake. A huge mistake. Why didn't she recognize her? Why didn't she remember? "Rainbow, please! Don't do this! Stop! Don't do this to me! I love you...I..." The creature stopped its movements. It had heard that voice before. At its awakening, yes, that must be...no...someplace else as well. That had nothing to do with pain. And in some part of the creature’s brain, a memory erupted. Of a sunny, beautiful day... Rainbow, stop tickling me! Stop...sto...o...op! You know, you really are beautiful, you know that? I am so lucky I have you Yes...that voice...and that face... The memories blurred, but the creature suddenly felt a warm feeling inside. It wasn't sure about why or when, but it knew it actually liked sortalikeme. Very much. Although the pain, it really really liked sortalikeme. The creature walked forward and started to stroke her mane against Twilight. "mmmmmmm" Twilight, stroke her creature over its mane and sighed calmly. This was progress! ... A couple of days later, Twilight wasn't so sure about the progress. She had been trying to communicate with the creature. But no development had occurred yet. And what did she really know about her creature? Well, it liked hugs. And it liked to pick flowers...but except for that, nothing. And it didn't like Spike at all. Think, Twilight, Think! There must be a solution! There must be a way... You can never bring her to Ponyville in this condition! But why won't she listen? She's just...running away...or she just sits there...Staring out of the window. Does she want to go out? I can't let her. Not after what happened with Pound. I hope Spike stays silent...one word and they will come to get her. They will take her away. I WILL NOT ALLOW THAT! Twilight sighed. Well, feeding time. "Come here, Dashie...come here..." The creature, turned her head and looked at Twilight. Twilight held out a mug with milk. The creature happily jumped of the chair, grabbed the mug, and started drinking. "My little Dashie...My darling Dashie...What shall I do with you... you are like a child." The pony computer registry, as Rainbow used to call Twilights brain, suddenly bursted with activity! Those words, she had read! And in a context that was very relevant to this matter! "...a...a child! That must be so! That must be... And I read it so recently! How could it have slipped my mind? Now let's see..." Twilight turned to the bookshelf, and soon enough she found dr Frankenponys book. "Now let’s see...chapter...13..." Thursday, the 15. To my great surprise, my creation still does not speak. The chock of awakening must have dozed off by now, and still no sign of it what so ever. I have spent some time examining him, and all the vital and necessary limbs are intact and functional. I must dig deeper into this. I will not do with the explanation that he plainly is stupid. Saturday evening, the 17. Today, Ygor was tossing a ball. He's such a simple mind. Though, without hesitation, my creature started to play with him. It is the first time I've seen him happy. Strange. What can be so interesting with a ball? He don't like the concept of snooker... Wednesday night, the 21. I finally cracked it! It took me a few days, but with the help of Ygor, I made my breakthrough. My creature behaves like a child because he IS a child! His brain may be at an estimated age of 29, but that has no significance, because the electrical forces set it back to zero! My creature is virtually an infant, with the strength and the body of a full-grown man! This is a most ground-breaking discovery! And it means, I have to teach him. I have to train him. I need to raise him...like my own... Like my child. Like my child. And now Twilight realized what her creatures first words, Mmmmm, was supposed to sound like. Mommy. Author's Note A sweet, touching chapter. And you know what happens after those chapters? Thats right, EEEEVIL! 5. Exodus! Whether it was by pure luck or whatever, Pounds life were able to be saved. But that didn't put an end to the talking. The question on everyponys lips was "What kind of freak of nature could there be that could do this to a small, innocent filly?" However, after some weeks, the commotion died down. Everything went back to normal. The society talked about it for a while, then it was forgotten. The kids were the first to forget. To them, there never was a threat, really. And for a kid, life is eternal, and death is unthinkable. And who really knew what happened? It was summer! No pony wanted to waste valuable playtime! Now, their parents did not forget that easily. They kept their fillies and colts under severe supervision for a couple of days, but finally, they had to let them out again. They had to be honest with themselves, nothing had happened after the attack on Pound. So there was not very much they could do, other then to let them run free again. The Princesses didn't forget, even though it might have looked that way. They were still searching for the explanation. They were investigating but time erased the tracks. Nature, and dead Timberwolves, were very bad witnesses. There was somepony who didn't need to forget. Because she was finally happy again. She brought her love back from the dead. Sure, she behaved like a three year old. But Twilight had no problem with that. She was there, together with her again. And for Twilight, that's all that was necessary. But if one would think everything was nice and happy, one would have to think again. Because there was somepony else who did not forget. The one who promised her friend to always be there. The one who felt like she betrayed her friend when she couldn't be strong for two. The one who remembered a certain desperate cry... Applejack couldn't sleep. That was really painful, because for the last weeks she had been deep down it work. She needed her sleep so she could work as hard as she needed to distract herself and she needed that distraction because she didn't like the thoughts she was having whenever her mind wandered. And she hated what she was thinking. She hated the fact that she had doubts in a friend. But she couldn't deny her feeling that something was seriously wrong. Twilight was behaving strange, and the attack on Pound was not something you took easy. But she couldn't really put her hoof on it... And as the night rolled on, there was not very much to do, than to give in. Oh, sod! Sleep can wait. Let's think this through, maybe it will go away then... Now, there isn't very much to go on. ...there are four things, but.... 1. Twilight was working on a way to get Rainbow back. I know Twilight. She never gives up. Not even when she faces the impossible. 2. "SHE must be in one of my books." Not it. She. Why "She?" 3. Twilight has been much happier in the last weeks. Now, unless you’re Pinkie, you don't change your mood so quick. And even Pinkie didn't change back that fast, she is still Pinkamena for most of the time. So Twilights behaviour is really strange.... And she hasn't talked about Rainbow Dash at all... No no, Jaqueline Apple. This is just your imagination and paranoia that plays with you! These are no facts to rely on at all! Everything has a perfect, natural explanation...except for one thing... 4."We saw it! We saw it! It looked like a pegasi! But...weird. ”Number 4. The big one. Something that looked like a pegasi but weird. A pegasi back from the dead would be quite weird... Not that I don't miss her... but that's not the way I want her back... Applejacks heart went up in her throat. All her vague ideas did not jump to a conclusion, but they were pointing in a direction she didn't want to go. Perhaps I should tell Princess Celestia... No! Not now! I don't have enough evidence to tell the princess. But enough to go for a walk around Twilights tree and just...check things up. "Ah better bring Pinkamena. Ah might need the company..." ... At the Golden oak library, everything was calm and in order. They had successfully moved the creature here some days ago, and things were going rather well. The days had been filled with studies and playing. Twilight actually did enjoy to have a...well sort of a foal around her. Spike had to be reminded not to talk about private matters in public sometimes, but that was working out as well. She really was getting good at using the whip. This was a nice little evening routine to give him a piece of the whip, just to make things sure... Right now she was reading a bedtime story for Dashie. Twilight wasn't keen on those ones normally, but the joy in Dashies eyes every time she red to her was well worth it. "Mummy! More!" "Oh, no Dashie. Now it's time to sleep!" "No. Mummy. Read." "Well, ok. One more. But just one more!" The creature looked eagerly onto the book. The ugly duckling. That was her number one favourite. "It was so beautiful out on the country, it was summer- the wheat fields were golden, the oats were green, and down among the green meadows the hay was stacked...." It did not take very long until she heard a familiar snore. As Twilight looked at her sleeping Dashie, she felt calm and relaxed. Finally everything went as planned. The days had been wonderful. They had begun training her speech. Now, at the moment she only talked in two- or three word-sentences, but Twilight had decided that this was to be considered as just "cute". She had lectured her in reading. She was far from reading the latest Daring do, but fairy tales and comics was good enough. She had lectured her about the land they lived in, the three...four types of ponies, and what they did and their types of magic. "You are going to be so beautiful...Everypony's going to love you, just like I do. Everything will be just as before. They will perhaps be a little startled at first...and we may have to dye your mane... but they will love you, just like before. Just like I love you, so will they." Twilight let out a comfortable sigh. Everything was going to be just perfect. She could see herself surrounded by her friends. They would cheer with joy...The whole town would there to greet her...and Princess celestia would also be there...to congratulate her...for achieving the impossible. Twilights dreams were painted in pink and light blue. She didn’t hear the door to the library open. She didn't hear the steps in the stairway. She didn't hear how the door to the room crack open. But she did hear the scream. "AAAAAAAHHH!" Actually, two terrified screams came from the door. Applejack and Pinkamena was standing there, staring at them. "Twilight...what exactly is...that?" Twilight looked at her creation. She was awake now, and looked, in her special little way annoyed and disturbed. The creature hated loud sounds. It wanted to make them stop. It wanted to get back to sleep, but if those ponies, as mommy told here they were called, would keep screaming, that wouldn't happen. She wanted to just make them shut up. But mommy had also teached her that ponies wanted to be friendly. And if she wanted ponies to be friendly, she also had to be friendly herself. Now they had stopped screaming, at least for a while, so the creature decided it was time to try. She just did what mommy had teached her to. She started to walk towards the two now deadly frightened earthponys. ... The sight of the creature was so disturbing that Applejack really couldn't get her mind straight. She knew that it must be Rainbow Dash, but she looked so crooked and different from the Rainbow Dash she remembered that there was no way that she would accept that they were the same pony. The green fur, the black mane... the eyes... And the way it walked...The creature was walking with a small limp, caused by the fact that the leg Twilight found was just half an inch too short. And it was even more prominent when the creature walked slowly. The fact that the scars on the flank was clearly visible didn't make the impression better and to round it all up, the creature didn't really know how to smile. Rainbow Dash had never been good a smiling without a smirk face, and the creature smiled the same way. But with her features, it actually looked like she was going to eat them. Applejack wasn't the world’s most conservative pony. She had no problem with her friends being gay, she was pretty open to different religions and she sure as hay wasn't a racist pony. But...the idea of reanimating dead things? No. That was something Nightmare moon would do. Things that came back from the other side were nasty, evil creatures, that was Applejacks belief. And even though this was something her best friend had done...no, it couldn't be excused. This was wrong. Just wrong! The ponies, as mommy called them, was shaking. Well, they were at least silent. But shaking. Was that good? The creature wasn't sure. But, mommy was supposed to be right, wasn't she? And so, she stretched out a hoof. "grunt...frieeeeends?" "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" This would have been a great time if Fluttershy had been present. She would have seen through the creature’s scary features, and... Who am I kidding? She would have done the same, screamed from the top of her lungs, and running away. "Yer keep yer hooves to yerself yer stinkin' devils seed!" Applejack placed herself in the "fighting position". Head low, all four legs steady on the floor. Nopony, not even dead ones, would have a chance to get to her. While Applejack watched the creature, Pinkamena stared at Twilight. " Twilight... why? Why? This is...this is...disgusting! This is...not fun at all!" "Pinkie...It's...She's not..." "She? Are you calling it she? This is not a pony! This is some kind of... Monster! This is disgusting! This is...hey! Come back here!" Twilight didn't say very mych, but it was enough to make Applejack snap at her. And the creature didn't understand what was going on. It got scared. And so, she resorted to the only thing she could do. She ran. She jumped over the two earth ponies, out the door, and out of the library. The only thought was to get away, the rest...was to be taken care of later. But Applejack wasn't going to let her get away that easy! "Pinkie, yer stay here and make sure Twilight doesn't go anywhere. Ah will get that...that...thing! ... The creature ran the streets of Ponyville. She didn't really know where to go, and her mind didn't get a chance to easy either, whit Applejack showing up almost every time the creature though she lost her. Why did that pony chase her? Why? She hadn't done anything! "Yer stop right there, yer freak!" More loud sounds. And she had thought that this pony looked nice? Now the creature got angry! Well...If they couldn't be friends, the creature decided to try something she knew would work. She was strong. She could scare things. She could brake things. And she could hurt other ponies. So she turned around, and charged at Applejack. Applejack didn't know anything about the creature’s strength, and so she ran straight into her. The creature stretched out her hoof, causing Applejack to fly some ten feet back. The hurt she felt when she hit the ground made here even madder, and she was quick up on her hooves. If this thing wanted to fight, she wouldn't back down! And neither would the creature. She pawed the ground with her hooves. So did Applejack. She lowered her head and snorted. So did Applejack. They circled around each other for a while, waiting, studying the other. Was there any weak spots? Where to put the first blow? They looked deep into each other’s eyes. The creature saw hatred, anger, disgust and determination in Applejacks eyes. She felt a pain inside her that was stronger than any emotion she had before, and she quickly turned that emotion into anger fuel. Oh well, if that's the way you feel about me, let’s have it, then. You shall not live to see me face again Applejack didn't care about details. She just saw a monstrous creature that once perhaps had been her friend but now, it was just a varmint you needed to exterminate. "If yer ever think Ahm gonna let yer live yer wrong! Yer going down!" Now they were still. Everything was still. And then, simultaneously and with synchronized roars they charged at each other. Applejack managed to get a grip on the creatures head, and doing a backflip, she managed to throw the creature onto the ground, but she didn't release her grip. The creature managed to get up, and raised her hoof to struck a blow on AJs muzzle, but the blew was not hard enough to make Applejack lose her grip on the creatures head. So the creature locked a grip on AJs head as well, and then, using her full strength, she hurled them both into a nearby wall. The wall cracked, and some of the brimstones fell to the ground. That made Applejack loose her grip, and the creature took her chance. She gripped Applejacks hindleg and started to wing her whole body around, and sending it right into another window. It took some time for Applejack to come out of the house she was thrown into, but the creature was waiting for her. Applejack seethed with anger. Her eyes became a fiery white and though it felt like she had broken a rib and was bleeding from multiple places of her body, it didn't slow her down, and soon, she charged back at the creature almost at once, and managed to get her down on her back. Applejack raised her hooves and struck blow after blow onto the creatures head. The creature did feel the pain, but she also felt the electricity build inside her. She did get hurt, but mostly she got angrier! She raised her hoof, making a stop for Applejacks hoof right in the middle of a blow, and again she summoned all her strength into her backhoove, sending Applejack seven yards into the air, and then she crash landed on the ground head first. Applejack lay still. She breathed, but she had nothing left in her. She had used all her energy, and that hadn't been enough. She started to drift away. Now, the creature wasn't finished. She threw herself on top of Applejack, first making her face her. And then, she struck her head with a blow. And then another one. The creature was basically beating the shit out of applejack. There was more blood now, so much you could hardly see any part of Applejacks face. The Creature didn't notice her hoof become bloody, nor did she hear the blows become wetter with each hit. Not much life left in her now. And finally...the final strike of mercy. Then, something happened that the creature never expected. Applejack opened her eyes. And she spoke. Softly. "I'm sorry Dashie...I didn't want to end it...like this..." The creature was dumbstruck. This pony was sorry? Sorry for what? Sorry for...trying to hur her? And then, there was a sudden light. And another one. And another one. And voices. Voices, voices came from everywhere. "It's the monster that molested Pound!" "And now it has taken Applejack!" "It killed her! It killed her!" "No, it is not too late! She's breathing! Look, she's breathing! GET OF HER YOU FREAK!" "KILL IT! KILL IT! We must get rid of it! It's a danger to us all!!" Apparently, most of Ponyvilles population had awoken by the fight, and now, the creature faced almost 99 very angry ponies. She backed away from the wounded Applejack and the crowd. Some ponies rushed forward to take care of Applejack, the rest of them armed themselves with whatever they could find. Cricket bats, pitchforks, torches, donuts, scythes... And they were closing in on the creature. The creature didn't feel any anger anymore. It was just afraid. And so, the creature did something she hadn't tried before, and because she was raised by a unicorn, she didn't know she could do it either. She flew. She flew like a drunken crow, up, down, sideways. But since she had the muscles and the wings for it, it actually looked like she was attacking the mob with her uncontrolled moves. The thing that in reality was really clumsy navigation looked to the ponies on the ground like random charges against them. And that filled the mob with fear, and a whole group of feared ponys was like a grupo of sheeps. So, in spite of their large number and weaponry, they pretty soon ran in panic in every direction. "It's dangerous!" "It's crazy!" "It will kill us all! RUN FOR YOUR LIFES!" In the end, the creature was alone. At least, she had learned to fly roughly. But she was sad. Nopony wanted to be friendly with her. They were just angry, or violent...or both. And loud. Extremely loud. And they had fire. She didn't like fire. And mommy wasn't there. The creature flew towards the Everfree. There it at least could be alone. As she flew, she spotted a small light in the middle of the forest and a chimney with smoke coming out of it. She had seen Zecoras hut some times before, but never been inside. In her mind, a small memory of a rhyme came up. Yeah, she had some memories of the whiteandblackthingy. Was she nice? The creature memories were blurry, but she had some remembrance of Zecora helping...something with wings... A last attempt. And...Mommy had been talking about Zecora, how she helped ponies and that she was welcoming to all. A nice pony. Just what the creature needed. Zecora was meditating. But the harmony she felt was ruzzled, something was disturbing her peace. Three hard knocks on her door. And when she opened...well, she was a bit startled, but even though she had never seen this creature, she immediately knew what it was. Black mane, one wing larger than the other, green fur...two scars. Actually, even more when she looked close. Zecora was in this way different from the other ponies. She didn't see a freak or a monster or a varmint. She just saw two sad eyes, filled with sad and desperate hope, and a poor miserable creature who desperately needed help. "Frieeeend?" it said. "Friend indeed, my lonesome child, come in, come in, exclude the wild” Zadora wasn't afraid. She had seen some broken spirits in her days, so this was not a new experience to her. Whether she did recognize Rainbow and understood what she had become was unimportant. She knew what this pony lacked, and she knew what was needed to change her. "Oh you poor thing without a goal, things might improve if you got a soul" The creature grunted. Soul? No word that mommy had taught her. What was a soul? Was it a good thing? Mommy only thought her good things...Well, mommy had also said that ponies wanted to be friendly... At look how that turned out. No, she decided to trust this blackandwhitestripedthingy. She seemed nice. Soul was good. Now, the creature found Zecoras hut to be a good place to stay for a while. Zecora gave her something to eat, and water. She lit up the fire, to make the creature warm, and then, she started to do her magic. Well, it wasn't really magic, it was just her knowledge of nature’s own medicines and healing herbs. But it could achieve things that felt like magic. Zecora had a vague idea what to do, and she had to dig deep in her papers to find the potion she was looking for. It was a potion for restoration of the mind. She was a bit hesitant. Now, it was not an advanced potion, it was basically a very rough mix of five very bitter herbs. But...she never really tried it on anypony. And the brief records she had upon its use, the only thing she knew was for the effects to be a bit uncertain. However, this creature was in desperate need of help. Something must be done, and... There was no danger in trying. So... "Drink this my newly born friend, it will do you good in the end" It did taste extremely bitter but the creature drank it all. Pretty soon it started to feel dizzy. The potion did a re-boot of her brain, her soul and her memories. The process was extremely painful. Her heart felt like it was going to explode and her stomach was burning with a pain out of this world. And the creature knew pain. And then, it was like she was being drenched by a tide of time and memories. She could not breathe, she was drowning. And the memories just kept coming. It hurt, it hurt so much she wanted to rip her hearth out of her chest. And then everypart of her body started to ache, especially the backhoof and wing that didn't originally belong to her. She was laying on the floor, twisting, her legs pulling back an forth in spasms. And for every spasm, a new tide of memory fell over her and drenched her. This was not a thing the creature wasn't prepared for. It felt angry again. This was not a nice pony either! She wanted to hurt her, to make her feel the same pain the creature did. The creature had troubles concentrating, but she finally made her eyes steady enough to look and aim at Zecora. The creature groaned, got up on her legs, wobbled for a bit...and charged with its hooves. But, dizzy as she was, she didn't remember her strength. The next second Zecora was lying on the floor with her head crushed and blood and body fluids floating on the floor. The creature was roaring, but very soon, the roaring changed to words. Full sentences. The creature was no longer a creature. It was a pony again. "What have I done....what have done! Please! Please...Ze...Zecora! Please! Don't be..." The pony once known as Rainbow looked at the dead zebra on the floor. She recognized Zecora. The events of the evening came back to her like a kick in the head. She had almost killed one of her friends. She had scared the life out of ponyville. She had killed Zecora. "Oh no... Oh no....OH NOOOOOOOO!!!" The pony once known as Rainbow was in a great state of chock. For a while, she just sat there in the hut. The actions that she had committed, and which felt extremely logic at its time, now felt like barbaric, extremely unnecessary and stupid. What was she really? She needed answers. She couldn't go back to twil...mommy? No....She had another memory. It was a little vague, but she knew the right direction. She went for the castle. Author's Note "The author rolls hirs eyes with a smirk, tilts hirs head to te left, where a small red flag, with the words "OH HOW EEEVIL!" printed on it emerges. 6. Just a nice little chat!6. "Pinkie...please...let me go. She needs me!" Twilight had been begging Pinkie to let her out of the golden oaks library for more than an hour, but the Pink earthpony had no mercy for her. "YOU'RE NOT going anywhere. And you don't have the right to call me Pinkie. The name for you is Pinkamena Diane Pie. Miss Pie for you...miss Sparkle...if I have to be polite. I can't believe you to do such a monstrous thing. It's just...just...I don't know..." Pinkie went back into silence. Her hair was straight again. Yep, this was Pinkamena alright. Twilight couldn't think of anything to do, and she became desperate. The only thing that was on her mind at the moment was to help Dashie. Ok, She was strong...but an angry Applejack was a tough opponent. And then there was the townsponies...they might see her... and without Twilight there to explain.... She needed to get out. She closed her eyes. It might have looked like she was in dispair, but in reality, she was thinking. There is a chair in the hallway...If I can get Pinkie to put all her concentration on me... but no, this is PINKIE...she will see through a lame gambit... but on the other hand...This is Pinkamena...she MIGHT be easier... Worth a try at least Twilight started to sctrach herself. This was not anything particulary suspicious, but Pinkamena took no chances apparantly, and she immidiately started to stare her down. This was the chance! Twilight levitated a chair from the hallway behind Pinkamenas back, still scratching her back.. Pinkamena was staring at her and it was a tough task not to look like there was something suspiciuos behind her... But Twilight had trained enough to levitate objects without looking at them. Just a bit more...Don't move..don't move...THERE! And so, she knocked Pinkamena to the floor. But she also needed to take care of Spike. Or, to make sure he didn't snitch on her. They had a stash of sedative at hand in the basement, just in case, and now she went for that. She took a syringe needle as well and went into spikes room. The dragon was still sleeping, in spite of the commotion. How that was at all possible she couldn't say, but she proceeded with her plan. She gave Spike the sedative. Now, he would sleep for the rest of the day. Hopefully. And she could make her escape. And save her creature from Applejack. Or the other way around. The latter was the more probable. She sneaked out of the library. The whole town was awake apparently. Twilight decided to stay out of the open, but it was not hard for her to hear the shoutings. She heard everything. "We must track down that monster!" ""We must find the one responsible" "We just found Zecora...Dead! The moster took her!" "Who can it be, that is responsible for this?" "Applejack murmured something about Twilight Sparkle!" "If Twilight Sparkle is responsible for this, we must get her! NOW!" Twilights brains first thought after those rants (and those printed above was only a handful of them) was that there was no logic between "maybe Twilights responsible " and "lets go get her" but she pretty soon realised that this was an angry mob...there were no thinking... just a thirst for revenge. Alomst like a stampede... Oh my celestia...Applejack...what did she do to her?... and Zecora...dead? No...NO... NOOO!!! ...They hate me...they will find me... They will fiond Dashie... NOOOO! She suddenly felt apathetical. Nothing else. She fell into a heap on the ground. The creature approached the castle. The memories of its new existence were blending with old ones and it was all just very confusing. What was she? Who was she? Who was Mommy? was she Twilight Sparkle? She had remenessing about that name. She felt that name to be important. And during the fight with the pony with the hat, some other things had surfaced. She had remembered the face, and in the end she felt like she finally was winning something. And yet, she also knew there was a deeper connection between them as well. Well, one thing was for sure. She did NOT like this state of mind. The creature walked over the bridge to the castle. Now, since she was practically newborn the first time she was here, she had no real idea where to go. The castle was big, and it was mostly a ruin which made it even harder to navigate through. But she took her time, and eventually she found the right door. The labaoratory smelled like it hadn't been cleaned for half a century, but she stepped in nevertheless. This was the first place the creature remembered. This was the place where she would find the answers. No matter how much mom...TWILIGHT said she loved her, she didn't really trust her telling the truth when asked anymore. Suddenly, a new wave of memorys came upon her. She fell on her hooves, backwards to the floor, while the tides of time floated over her. It was a bit blurry, but...there was names. Shouting. Rainbow, wait! Don't do it! I have to, I need to...there is nopony else. Be careful! I love you, please make sure you come back. The voice. That was Twilight sparkle. And then there was...foals? Foals. And a falling rock. And then... this other, strange memory. It couldn't really describe it, other than that it was beautiful. Then it remembered pain...and sudden lights... and the face of mom...Twilight. Mommys face looked like Twilight. Alright, mommy was Twilight. And she loved Twilight Sparkle. And Twilight Sparkle loved her. That was good then? On a table lay a book. "How I did it". The creature glanced through it. This was a really strange book. Something about...bringing dead things to life? Yuck! Who reads this stuff? Then her eyes fell on a pile of paper that were spread all over the same table. The creature hadn't even started to read the text when she recognized the handwriting. This was a document written by somepony the creature knew well. This was Twilights handwriting. After glancing through, she noticed that the papers were numbered and that there was an actual cover page. She arranged the pages in order and looked at the cover. Project New Rainbow. A study in the possibility of reanimating lifeless matter and turn a dead mind back in consciousness. The creature had a really bad feeling about this, but she sat down, and started to read. Twilight Sparkle awoke in the same position she fainted in. Apparently noone found her. But the commotion was still att full throttle. Now they seemed to aim all their anger at her... Twilight needed to step back and think, easier said than done.. What had really happened? Pound was hurt, Applejack was beaten to a pulp and Zecora was...dead? And who got the blame? she did. All because of her... all because of her...creature? That couldn't be! That just couldn't be! She had been acting out of love! And nothing bad comes out of love! She got angry all of a sudden. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT US! AND YOU HAVE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF LOVE YOU IGNORANT..." Seconds later, she had teleported her way out of ponyville. If Spike had been here, he probably would have said something about it being bad giving away your position to an angry mob by screaming at them but what did he know anyway? Luckily it would take the townsponys some time to wake Spike to make him tell where she had gone. Though, some part of her mind told her that this wasn't right. She should not treat ponys like this. She shouldn't leave her friends bleeding in the towns square, or beting them with a chair. But that part was very soon gagged and put in a cell back in her cortex. She hadn't done ANYTHING wrong! THEY were wrong! And she was going to show them just HOW wrong! And her poor Dashie...Where could she be? The castle. That was the only solution. She had trained her herself. After Zecora, there was now way she had stayed in the everfree. And so Twilight ran for the castle. ... She opened the door to the laboratory. The creature sat at the table head in her hooves. She did not raise her head when Twilight entered. She just stared blankly straight forward. "Dashie?" No response. Twilight walked up to her, and now, the creature did look at her. "Dashie, what..." "Why, Twilight? Why?" "What?" "Why did you do this to me?" "Do what?" The creature stared at Twilight for some seconds, then it took a piece of paper and started to read. " 'The left hindleg was to badly decomposed to be reanimated. I made a visit last night to the morgue, and after two hours I found a earthpony with almost the same color and height. From the same body I took some part of the intestinal system that also needed replacement.' Oh, but wait, this is getting better. 'Since the right wing is to badly damaged to recover, I will haveto track down a pegasi with almost the same height. Since it is of most importance for the wing to be fresh, I will need the donor to be alive at the moment of donation." The creature put down the paper, and looked at Twilight. "What have you done to me? This is not my body. I do not want any other body than mine!" "Dash...this is your body..." "It is not! My fur was blue! My mane and tail were rainbowcolored! My eyes were red! I had the cutie mark of a cloud with a rainbow bolt. I was the fastest flyer in Equestria! I was the Dash! Popular! Lucky! Free! ...happy. I was not...like this... " The creature paused, a very pregnant pause. "NOT...like this" "You...you can talk? You remember?" "THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT! Do you realize what you have made me into? I am a creature that no pony can love! You know what I did? YOU KNOW WHAT I DID? I almost killed a foal beacause it was TO LOUD AND HIS WINGS DIDN'T COME OFF! and just because I was shaped this way, My BEST FRIEND wanted to KILL me, and I WANTED TO KILL HER!! I almost did...Do you realize how much that hurts? And...the one pony who saw beyond that...the one who gave me back my memorys...I killed her...with my own hooves...because it was to painful..." "Dashie...I love..." "YOU DON'T LOVE ME! You loved the feeling, you loved to be loved by me. You were more in love with love than with me! If you really HAD loved me, you wouldn't done THIS to me!" The creature rose from the chair, and walked towards Twilight. For every step, she deliberately showed every scar on her body. She overdid the limp slightly, and she precipitated her odd pair of wings "I was only a freaking experiment to you! Just a fun little thing so you could have something to play with! Did you ever ask yourself if I WANTED to come back like this? I DON'T! I DON'T! I don't want to live like this! The pain...Do you understand the pain I feel every second? To know that I can never be one of you...to remember something that was me, but never again will be me?" Twilight stayed silent, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "Do you realize how it feels to remember how it was to be among friends, then wake up, understanding that those friends will never come back! Never look at you like they did before? Never treat you as an equal again? They called me a monster. They can not see how I could be anything else!..." The creature was silent once more. She continued to look at twilight. "Not that I don't agree with them. I AM a monster! And YOU were the one who turned me into a monster! I hate you! No... I don't hate you! I despice you! I Loathe you! I hope you end up in tartarus for this...you freak!" Twilight was still crying, she wasn't even looking at the creature. So, she went over to Twilight, took her face in her hooves and looked her in the eyes. Twilight turned away her eyes. She knew what was coming, she waited for the blow. Which never came. "You think I'm going to hurt you? Kill you? Make you pay? Treat you the way I treated Applejack, cause that's the only thing you deserve? No. Oh no, that is to easy for you!" The creature pulled Twilights face closer to her own. It was almost like she was going to kiss her, but she didn't of cource. She resumed her speaking, but now in a low voice, dripping with hate and bitterness. " This is my punishment for you! You shall never leave my side! You will stay with me as an outcast, as a pony non grata and you will see me everyday as a rememberance of what you've done. Everywhere we go, they all shall now what you did! And the only one who will talk to you is me...to spend your whole existence with the creature who hates you most of them all!" She let go of Twilights face, and turned away from her. She couldn't bare to look at her maker again. The creature walked out from the laboratory. She had no intentions of mercy, she just had decided that the pain would sink in a bit more if Twilight were allowed to be alone for a while. But partly, she also felt the pain herself. Every word she had said was true. Her life was pain. Endless, unbearable pain. And the worst pain was tha fact that she actually had hopes that it would have worked. Because down in her heart she still loved Twilight. But that love could never be. And that was the biggest reason for her to hate Twilight. For making her never be able to love her again. She went for her saddlebags. She had prepared thier egress even before Twilight arrived, because she knew there was no toher way out of this than to leave ponyville and Equestria for ever. When she returned to the laboratory, Twilight was still laying on the floor, but now on a heap of dry hay that by some reason was placed in a corner. "So...Twilight Sparkle. Are you ready?" "Yes...Yes..." "Hmm? No begging for mercy? No speach about how 'this was all I could do' or 'It was for love'? Hmm? No attempt to persuade me?" "No...No...I can't. I won't...please...I want to...stay with you." "What?" "I am...also a monster. They think so...they all think so...They want to get us both...they don't understand...They hate me as much as they ...hate you...I think..." The creature couldnt believe her ears. For a moment, she was wondering if that was a part that had been replaced as well. Twilight looked at her with tearful eyes. It was pathetic and meek, but still. "Dashie...What you just said...That's everything I want. Thats all I want. I don't care if nopony loves me, I don't care if they all hate me. I don't care if you hate me...just don't ever leave me. I can't live without you. Even if you deny me your love and only give me your hate...I will live with that, I will take the pain... But please don't leave me. Ever again." That moment, the creature did realize the depth in Twilights feelings. Alright, it was a very twisted love... but it was love. And she loved HER. The creature wasn't really sure how she felt about this, but, by pure instinct you might say, she walked up to Twilight and put her wings around her. And for a moment, there was just silence and comfort. One of those moments you wish would last forever. Then there was an explosion. And a Voice. A big voice. "TWILIGHT SPARKLE! With all the authority that has been given to me by the people of Equestria, I demand you to come out here and face your crimes!" Celestia. Oh Celestia. Author's Note “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Isaiah 43:25 "YEAH RIGHT" Celestia. 7. In other words It is well known that desperate actions very seldom leads to anything good or productive. When you, in Hockey for example, decides to change your goalkeeper for an extra forward, it usually ends with the other team winning with 5-2 instead of 3-2. Therefore, it is always better to have someone watching your back than driving forward. It is also a good idea to be prepared or at least have a discussion about which way to run or decide who takes the lead. Well, if you want to stick together, that is. Sometimes you want that, sometimes you don't, but if one of you wants that, and the other one is a bit uncertain, there will be some unncesarry screaming. Which might lead to the ponys that looking for you, easily finds you directed by your voices. You can never predict how you are going to react in a stressful situation. That's why "Know thyself" is so very important. The more you know about yourself and you abilitys, the more unpredicitve situation you can deal with. If, by chance, you fall, or slip over an edge, and you have wings, it is not a big problem, you can always fly. However, if you tend to forget that you have wings, or haven't grown used to them, you probably will fall to your death. Well, you might remember eventually. But that is probably to late. If your fall is combined with you being hit by the magic beam from a unicorns horn, the chock will extend the time it takes for you to regain control. Remember: always keep your calm. Some ponys might use your anger, confusion or despair against you, but the most common problem is that your own conciosness and ability to make decisions is darkened by this, usually without any onter ponys involvement. Especially if there is a matter of life or death, depending of your choice. It is worth saying; she who fights and runs away may live to fight another day. There is also the matter of pride. Pride is mostly a rather stupid thing, making ponies do things they don't really must do, or mostly, really can't do, but still aim for because if they don't,people might think they're loosers. Mostly, this is more of a problem for the pony herself, and not her surroundings. They mostly think that doing something out of pride is stupid. Bullies often use this method, to make their victims humiliate themselves without the bullies themselves really doing anything. How the horn of the unicorns physically makes magic is not fully reasearched, but one has gotten as far as knowing the horns consist of a blend of sub-cellular structures that each one creates high, but raw magical energy. The tip oft the horn is able to focus this ambient magical energy in a way that actually makes is useful. When fully concentrated, it can be used for the purpose of attack. However, as I said, calmness is necessary for any sucessful achievment, both went it comes to the aspect of actually hitting your target, but, wich is often sadly overlooked, also the fact that you forget your own defence. It is also a matter of training, knowing how to aim, but that's pretty much what everypony understands. Or, in other words: The creature and Twilight made a desperate run for escape. They argued where to run, and Twilights yelled that the creature must wait. However, since they didn't look behind them, a shot from Celestias horn makes the creature slip and fall down into the abyss. The rest is silence. The only sound is from the fire, eating the castle. Author's Note Sometimes, less is more. 8. You never walk alone. Twilight looked over the edge. There was no sight of her love anywhere. She turned around to face her former teacher and her former friends. Nopony said anything, and when Twilight finally broke the silence, her voice was totally emotionless. "You killed her" Celstia looked her student in the eye. She was worried, cause she saw nothing. No emotions, no crasiness, nothing. She could only hope that her neat and faithful student was still in there somewhere. And she also felt, that she didn't really need to ha a reason for her doings. "Twilight...it was necessary. She was a threath" Again silence. Twilight didn't even seem to listen. Her eyes were locked onto Celestia. And her voice had that same empty tone even this time. "You killed her. You killed my love. Now I am alone. Again. Why did you do this to me?" Celestia took a step back. This wasn't good. If sane Twilight was somewhere down there inside crazy Twilight it wouldn't be easy reach through... If she...tried to show interest then maybe she could reach through? Mad scientists seamed to be easier to deal with when you showed them proffessional interest. There was only one problem. The pony best equipped to do that type of talk was Twilight sparkle... "Twilight, please listen! It was really an impressive study! It is...really... an...extention of the knowledge about...ponys and...their lives...and..." "How?" "Sorry?" "How? In what way is it an extention of the knowledge about ponys and their lives? Is it the part about the measurement of electric amplitude in the sinoatrial node? Or the experiment on the recovery of transplated skin tissue from another host?" Now there was emotion in Twilights voice, but the emotions was superiority and contempt. "Please explain to me, oh great and powerful princess! What do you understand? The scientific profe of life? The process regaining activity in a recently inactivated hypothalamus? Cause believe me, you don't. None of you do. I am the only pony that has this knowledge! You don't understand a bucking THING! Because if you had, then you wouldn't have KILLED HER!" This was another real feeling, but to see a total lack of emotion change into a down right furious pony was no improvement. Twilights horn glow, and her mane started to burn. "Twilight, please! Listen to me! This was ..." "It was MY creation! MY love! You are not allowed to speak about it!" ""Twilight...she killed Zecora! She almost killed Applejack and Pound!" "She told me she was sorry! It was an accident!" They all looked at Twilight with sadness and a bit of disgust. She had to be taken into custody, which was painful enough for Celestia, but if this could be solved without any more violence it would be the best. She looked into Twilights eyes. They were almost completely black. But there was one last chance... If Celestia choosed the right words... "Well...say it was a accident! How long would it be before the next accident? She would be equally sorry, but that wouldn't help!" "So you decided that KILLING her was the best thing?" Celestia closed her eyes. There was nothing left to do but play the game to the end. She opened her eyes, raised her head, and spoke with the regal voice. "Twilight, her existence was an insult to life in equestria. She needed to be terminated." "You ...are calling... MY creation...MY Rainbow... an insult to life?" Twilight got more and more angry. She started to glow white. This had only happened once before, but her friends remembered it. Twilight really frigthened them now, even Celestia. Twilights fur was now glowing white, and her mane was burning flames. Her eyes looked like a well right down to tartarus. "If... she... was... anything, she was a CELEBRATION of life! HOW DARE YOU CALL HER A MONSTER? HOW DARE YOU! DIE, I TELL YOU! DIE, YOU FUCKING DICTATOR!" Twilight charged her horn with magic, and shot at Princess Celestia. She was fast, and she did hit her former teacher pretty bad, but when she prepared for the next blow, Pinkamena charged into her right side. However, though Twilight had fallen over, her magic and concentration was unbroken, and Pinkanmena soon found herself floating in the air, with a magical grip on ther troath that shut of all air. Rarity and Luna combined there forces in a single thrust against Twilight. It didn't hit, because Twilight dodged it, but she let go of Pinkamena. However, the short moment of distraction was enough for Celestia to regain all her power, and she charged her horn. Fluttershy saw this, and she started to fly around Twilight as another distraction and when Twilight finally got suspicious, it was to late. Even though she channeled all her power into a powerful blow, the combined forces of Luna, Celestia and Rarity was to much for her. Her defence broke down, and the final blow was bulls-eye. Twilight fell lifeless to the ground. Rarity, Pinkamena, Fluttershy, Celestia, Luna and Spike all formed a ring around the fallen Twilight Sparkle. None of them spoke, and most of them were crying. The Castle was burning thoroughly now, the explosion and the fight had destroyed the remaining towers and everything was now in flames. Celestia was the first to break the silence. "My faithful student....I did not lie to you before. Actually I am jealous. You searched for knowledge, and you did indeed gain a deeper knowledge than me. You have indeed given us a deeper understanding of the limits of life. Your work will not be in vain. But still..." She made a pregnant pause. "Still... what you did is...unforgiveable. You don't play with life like this. Your body will be taken to canterlot for cremation. I can not assume anypony in your family or in this community would wan't anything to do with you. And... "Then let me have her!" Everypone looked up. Who was that who dared to interupt the princess? Everpony turned around to see...the creature. She was, beyound all reason, still alive. She was burned, and bruised, but she was alive, and apparently very angry. "Give her to me. I can take care of her. I will give her... what she deserves." "Stand back, you monster! If you value your life, you..." Rarity lovered her horn, and it sparkled with magic, but she was interupted. The creature charged at her, struck her in the flank, and before anypony got the chance to react, she grabbed Twilight and flew away with her in the distance. "Where is it taking her?" Luna. "I don't know... I can't see..." "It flew into the castle!" Pinkamena was obeservant. "The castle...we must stop it!" They ran trough the burning castle, and the saw the creature standing in front of the gate into the main hall, where the fire was at its peak. It still carried Twilight, and it walked slowly, but determined towards the flaming gate. "Stop! Stop! RAINBOW, STOP!" Fluttershy called out. The creature halted. "What did you call me?" "Rainbow...Rainbow Dash...That's your name, is it not?" The creature seemed to think. "It was my name. Once. Not any more. I am not the Rainbow you remember. Perhaps I once hoped that I could become her once again. But it is impossible. I know that. And for your information...Twilight is not dead. At least not yet." "Put Twilight down, you freak! Or else..." That was Pinkamena. "Or else, what? You think you can scare me? With what? Magic? I'm still standing, in spite of your efforts. Punishment? I suffer, every moment I suffer the pain of being alive. You think you can do worse? Death? Don't you realize...I've seen death. I've been to the other side, and returned." The creature paused. The other ponies were silent. The words of the creature had to sank in. "I know death. And I prefered it. I have no fear, I know what awaits me. And I'm going back to it. I am going to my death, without fear." "We will let you die, but leave Twilight." "No. If you want to kill me, you are welcome. But then...you must kill her aswell" Again there was silence. This time, it was broken by Fluttershy. Her voice shivered with despair and crying over the creatures cruelty. "Why? Why do you want to do such a thing to her? What makes you think we could do that? Why do you hate her so much that..." "I do not hate her." The creature interupted Fluttershy. Then she looked at Twilight with eyes that were almost tearful. "...I love her." You could have heard the dropping of a pin in that moment. "Yes, I love her. That is the grandest thing I remember from my other existence. Her love for me. And her love has been the same towards me in my new existence. I do not wish her to go away." "But if...why are you going... into the fire?" "Didn't I say, I know death? Didn't I say that I know what's on the other side. It's a place where I and my love can be together. Forever. Where I can still be hers and she can be mine, and NOPONY can stand in our way!" The creature paused briefly, but continued before anypony could say anything else. "What can you give her here? Punishment? There is nothing in this world left for her. You have all abandoned her, followed her like a prey, treated her like a paria. I know. I've seen you, I heard your last words to her...Princess." The creatures words, especially her adressing Celestia drooled with bitterness and contempt. "...I know how it feels. I will take her to a place where nothing more can hurt her!" And with those words, The creature that once was Rainbow walked into the flames. Soon, they were absorbed by them. Pinkamena and Luna was on their way to run in after them, but the second after they had dissapeared into the flames, the walls fell in, and blocked the way. There was now no way in getting them out. All they could do was watch as the flames grew. ... Rainbow...is it you?" It is, my love. Have you come for me? I have. Promise you never leave me? I will never leave you. Do you see it? I see. It's beautiful. Is it for us? It is. I made it for us. Do you want to have a closer look at it? Yes. Yes, I want that. Then come with me. This is for only you and me, and I promise...it is forever. I love you, Rainbow Dash. And I love you, Twilight sparkle. .... Although their was an immediate gathering of the wonderbolts to create a rainstorm over the fire, there was nothing to do. The fire continued trough the night, and The bodies were found two days later. There was no skin, no hair and no flesh. Only two burnt skeletons lying under a cracked wall, but Rainbow had apparently held on tho Twilight into the very end. It sort of looked like a groom carrying a bride to a wedding. Author's Note I DARE anyone to try to make a sequel out of THIS! Now, for further watching, this is the original Frankenstein, and this is the mother of all nightmares! No, not really... but this is the movie that made the monster what it is today. HOWEVER... The inspiration to this...thingy...comes mostly from the movie Young Frankenstein which I highly recommend. First of all, it is really funny, and it actually is pretty much the same plot as the original, so you will get it even if you haven't seen that one. The other inspiration comes from a Swedish book aimed for children, called "The aunt of Frankenstein". If you can read swedish, find a copy. It's hilarious. Now, this story is pretty dark, and if you wonder where i got THAT from, then you must read "Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus" by Mary Shelley. That's THE book, yes. It's gothic, its grim...it's good. Yeah...and the end...If you have read some Astrid Lindgren you might recognize it. That's all. Now i must clean my apartment. 1. A very modest beginning. Applejack slowly walked towards the centre of Ponyville. In her saddlebag she had an old number of Equestria Daily. She always carried that one around to remind herself. It was a tough thing to understand. Her best friend and rival was no more. Death was no a stranger to Applejack, but when it happened to someone close... well... you never can tell how you're going to react. And so, she always carried the newspaper. To remember...and look straight into the face of fact. Rainbow Dash was dead. It was four weeks ago today. Dash had been playing the hero, as always. And, she did save the lives of three foals. But at the cost of her own. Their circle of friends had been split and broken. Pinkie had become Pinkamena and refused to do anything other than funerals. Rarity had taken her marefriend Fluttershy with her and moved to Canterlot. Applejack thought of herself as one pony who didn't let these thing affect her but she had to face the fact that she buried herself in work so she could avoid the truth. So she could pretend it was just...temporary. But she had to come through at some point. And she did. And she started to work on Pinkie. She was coming along a bit. And Fluttershy took care of Rarity. The four of them where on their way back. But...But the worst case was Twilight. Not surprising,being Rainbow Dash's marefriend she would be the one taking the most damage. And to say Rainbow was the big love of her life was the biggest understatement in the world. Rainbow was Twilights life. Alpha and Omega. Rainbow was the one who made Twilight come out of the closet, and she also was her first real lover. She lived, she breathed, and she ate Rainbow Dash and her thoughts and opinion on life. They hadn't understood how much of Twilights view of the world was based on Rainbow. Her whole existence had crashed, along with Rainbow Dash. Applejack hadn't really understood this until quite recently when she realized she hadn't seen Twilight around for some time. Days passed, and a thing that seemed understandable at first became more and more strange and eccentric. In the beginning she had told herself that Twilight was the strong, most sound pony of them all. She would work her way through it all, but... The first time she had seen her at the funeral... Twilight had been a wreck. She had assumed that Twilight wasn't more hurt than any one of them, but as time passed, apparently that was wrong. There had to be no more denial, Applejack had to be honest with herself. Something was wrong with Twilight. Very very wrong. But... after all the trouble she had bringing Pinkie back...she wasn't sure she was as strong as she needed to be to help Twilight. When she realized that Twilight was the most hurt of them all, she felt like she had betrayed her friend. Still, she had kept on, hoping it would pass. But nothing changed, and after avoiding the problem for a few more days, something HAD TO be done, and she decided she needed to pay her a visit. "Ah hope ahm not gonna regret dis now..." Applejack knocked on the door of the library. It took some minutes, then Spike opened the door. He looked extremely tired. And Applejack was ashamed. It was actaully the first time she had visited the library since the accident. And she knew none of her friends had paid a visit either. They only met Twilight at the funeral and even then, she didn't talk to any of them. Not anypony else either. They had abandoned her, but at the same time, she had isolated herself as well. So, what were the first word Applejack choose to sa when she now stood in front of the library, trying to make amends, having not shown herself for almost a month? "Hiya, Spike." "Hi AJ." ... The moment Spike opened the door, Applejack stomach decided to shrink. Now that she was here, what was there to say? She felt the struck of guilt again, but Spike looked at her with his usual expression. That made her calm down a bit, but it didn't really help her finding the words. Well, a direct approach was usually the best, so... "Well... alright, no reason to beat around the bush. Ahm sorry ah haven't been around more. How is she?" "Well, I can't lie to you AJ. She's Bad, AJ...very bad." "Thought so... how long has it been? Two weeks? Ah haven't seen her since the funeral." "Yeah...She rarely was outside before, and she hasn't left the library since she came back from it. Honestly, I never thought she would go at first." Applejack was taken a back from Spikes words. Two weeks...and then two moore. Had it really been so long? But Twilight wouldn't mind, would she? She'd understand that... it takes some time to get yourself together. But on the other hand... with a control freak like Twi thrown out in chaos... no. This was not going to be a smooth affair. "Oh...ehrm...two weeks... ehm...What exactly is she doing in there?" "She's reading." Applejack still didn't know what to say really. But...something...at least? "Reading?...well... that's good isn't it? That's what she usually does." "No, you don't understand. That's the only thing she does. No sleeping, no eating... almost nothing else either. She reads." "Oh for the love of...That's... that's..." "Yep...She's totally lost it." Applejack was a mare of action, and this was a situation that needed a solution quick. "Ah better go in and have a talk..." Spike blocked the door, quickly, nervously waving his claws at Applejack. "Not a good idea, AJ. I know you mean well... but Twilight...can't see anyone. She screams. She fights... She...she almost attacked Princess Luna when she tried to reason with her three days ago. And it's basically only because I promised Princess Celestia to not let anyone near her that she didn't throw her to Tartarus. I don't know what to do right now but to save Ponyville from her!" "But...But...she can't stay like that! She must...yer have to talk to her. Something needs to be done! Doesn't she listen to yer?" "I tried. She won't listen to anypony" "She will break down." "She's already broken AJ. Her eyes are hollow, there is nothing left in there. She's a maniac, she scrools through endless books of magic. And when she finished them all, she started from the very beginning. And now..." "But why? Does she want to keep her mind busy or what?" Spike shook his head. "No. She thinks of Rainbow all the time. She's...researching. She's trying to find a way...to get her back." Applejack gasped. That was the absolutely last thing she expected. And it made her equally sad, upset and urgent to throw up. This was...bizarre. No, it was worse than bizarre, it was just...just... "To...get...her...BACK? But...that's...that’s insane! That's...impossible! That's just...gross!" "Yep. It is." "Does...the princesses know?" "Why do you think Luna was here?" "But... yer must have tried..." "I told you AJ. I have tried. But nothing gets through. She has built her self a wall. She only has two modes, either she's dead silent or..." Suddenly a cry flew through the air. It sounded like a howling, and it was heart-breaking to hear. It was followed by a high-pitched and equally sad sobbing. "RAAA-AAA-AAA-AIIIN-BOOOO-OOO-OOOW! RAAHHHHAHHH-AAHHHHA-AAAHHHH-AIIIN-BOOOO-OOOHHH-OOOHHHHW! " "Was that..." "Yep. That's the other mood. And it means that she dozed off for a minute. And when she does, she always have nightmares. Sorry, AJ, but I have to look after her. And...AJ..." "Yeah?" "It was nice of you to stop by. I really appreciate it. I understand that this is really tough for you to, I don't blame you for dealing with yourself. I just...miss you all. I hope this will soon be over." Spike closed the door behind him. Applejack just stood there, staring at the door. She had come to look after her friend, to try to make amends. Trying to mend some cracks. But Twilight was beyond that. Whatever help she needed, Applejack wan't the pony to give it to her. She had never felt more empty before in her whole life. "Yer know what...Ah doubt this will ever be over. We didn't only loose Rainbow. We lost Twilight as well." ... Coming down to the basement of the library, Spike found Twilight where he left her. She was laying on a pile of papers, hay, and excrements. She looked like she'd been bathing in dust and mud, and she smelled.. I know it's a bad thought, but it's sort of good that she doesn’t eat...change the hay is easier without the manure... "Twilight...I'm here. What is it?" "THERE IS NO-OH-OH-THING in these books! Nothing!" "Twilight...please...you need to..." "I will never give up! NEVER! Giving up is for quitters! She wouldn't want me to be a quitter!" Spike looked at her friend and caretaker. Applejacks words and worried expression flew through his mind. Had he really tried to talk to her? REALLY tried to get through, really trying to break that wall? To be honest, no... He had been grieving as well. He wasn't really a dragon of feelings, and he couldn't handle someponys sorrow, especially when it was as huge as Twilights. He to had hoped that it all would be over soon. But then Twilight started to freak out... and he had been scared. He only wished she would keep calm and silent and not hurt him. He tried to keep her clean, and to make her eat something but that was all. And he saw what happened to others who tried... Luna... He was scared for what Twilight miht do, but AJ was right. Somepony HAD to try to break through. And he was the only one who could. He was the only one she let near her...but what to say? How to start? "...I don't think she would have wanted you to behave like this either. It's not...healthy." "Like I care of my own health..." Spike pulled a deep sigh, and then he began. "Please Twilight...your friends are worried about you." Twilight frowned. "Oh, are they? THEN WHY THE HAY AREN'T THEY HERE TO HELP?" He was walking on thin ice, and he didn't really know what to say. "Well...you never let them in..." "Oh...yeah...right... I LET MY FRIENDS DOWN AS WELL! I AM THE WORST PONY EVER!" Ok, that was a new development... I can't talk to here like this, she needs to calm down" "Now Twilight...try to get some real sleep, ok? I know you want to do your best, but... without sleep, you'll never...get through. If you don't sleep...you...you...you never get the strength to do a proper research!" I can't believe I'm actually saying this to her...But she needs to behave...If I play along, she might actually get better. "Come one Twilight... You need to be strong...for her..." Twilight stopped crying for a while, and looked like she was going to doze off again. Then, she quickly opened her eyes, and rose to her legs. She rushed in panic back and forth over the floor...until she finally ran in to a bookshelf. The books rained down on her and one hit her in the head. "Stupid Natural Science to stand there...what good has science ever done to ponies..." Twilights eyes fixed at one of the books on the floor. The one that hit her head. She took it up, and examined it close. "I heard about this one" she mumbled. "But...hmmm..." Twilight opened the book and read some of it. Then some more. Spike watched her silently. There was a new glow in her eyes. Something was awakening inside of her. For hours she read the same book, until she finally spoke. And when she did, she surpriced him more than he believed was possible. "...you know what Spike? Go outside. You need some air." Spike stared. Ok, that book had made impact, but... "Twi... are you sure...I" Spike stammered. "GET OUT OR I KILL YOU!" ... Spike left the library with great trepidation. Only the fact that Twilight actually held a knife in her magic grip made him to leave. This was just...not strange, totally wacky! He wanted things to change, but this quick? And a total hoofturn? Keeping him close for weeks and then over the course of hours, she changes just to threw him out? Threating him with a knife? He noticed that other ponies avoided him. Not strange at all really, but disturbing. Well, this day had been enough. The emotional rollercoaster was to much, and he couldn't make himself care. Twilight today, Ponyville tomorrow. At least now they had tea again. An even more grotesque and odd view awaited him when he returned. The basement had been cleaned. The books were back on the shelf. No smell, no dirt, no smudged hay... nothing. And no Twilight! Then he heard a snore. He found Twilight in her own bed. She was clean, and apparently she had eaten something. What the HAY has happened to her... you don't change from freaked out to calm just like that...you don't. But if there is something she needs more than anything, there is sleep. I'll talk to her in the morning... And the morning after, Twilight was a different pony. She ate, she washed up, and she went out! Spike could hardly believe his eyes. What in the world had happened? But Twilight didn't explain herself, neither to him, nor her friends. She just said that everything was going to be good again soon. Spike wasn't satisfied with that explanation, but when he had been asking to many questions, Twilight had snapped at him an brought the knife back. So he kept his mouth shut. Applejack had also been suspicious, but she didn't get anything out of Twilight either. And Celestia had paid her visits almost every day to check up on her. But Twilight said nothing further, and everypony was ro reliefed that she was back, so in the end, they just let it go. But Spike soon realized something was wrong still. Not on the surface, she was eating, sleeping, talking to ponies... but there was something. She was... looking for something. She was keeping listas away from him. Going into stores without him. She started to be gone for whole days. She went away in the morning, came back in the evening with no explanation. Just the saddlebags that she never let anypony near. And then she disappeared. They all went looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. They searched everywhere, but she was removed from the surface of the earth, as it seemed. And everypony wondered "Where is she? And what is she doing?" Nothing. No trace. There was some dreadful days for Spike, but he was about to find out everything, in the most horrifying way. Because one night he woke up, Twilight stood next to his bed. Staring at him. With those crazy eyes and the smile of an axemurderer... "Twilight? What is it? Where have you been?" "You know Spike...I was WRONG!" wrong? About what? Ok... lets tag along... that's what they say you shall when you handle lunatics. "Oo..k? So..." Twilight interrupted him "I thought magic was the only solution! That magic was the solution to all life’s problems. But I was wrong. They all were wrong! All the petty little minds of Celestia and Luna..." "Eh...I don't think you should talk about the princesses that way..." "THEY DESERVE IT! THEY DIDN'T DO A THING TO SAVE HER! THEY COULD HAVE...but they just went gibbering about ethics, and the life code and shit. And they said that nothing COULD BE DONE!" Keep calm, Spike, keep calm... "Nothing...can be done. She is dead, Twilight." "Yes...At the moment..." Oh sweet celestia, what has she done... "Twilight...you're scaring me...I don't like that look in your eyes..." "Come with me spike! I will show you..." ... Author's Note *Gasp*! Dun dun DUUUUH!
2. A slightly disturbing solution Spike was more or less dragged out of Ponyville, and even though he recognized the everfree forest, he was nevertheless surprised when they reached their destination. "The castle of the two princesses? What did you find here?" "The equipment I need. You know that book that hit my head? It was the book of my dreams! The one with all the answers! You probably wondered what I've been doing this whole time? I've been organising THIS!" Twilight opened a door, and hit a light switch. The room was full of electrical equipment, manometers, chains, pipes and cables that went from the ceiling to the floor. And in the middle of the room, a platform, which through a combination of chains and wheels, were connected with the roof. Apparently, it was constructed with the ability to elevate from the floor up to the roof through a hole.And on the same platform, a gigantic operating table. And something, covered with a green sheet, was lying upon it. "What is...this?" "THIS is the place where my love shall live again! Cause that's where I was WRONG! I thought that magic was the solution." "Then...what is the solution?" Twilight stared boldly with empty eyes out in the open for a while, then she turned and kept her eyes focused on Spike when she answered. "SCIENCE!" "Eh...science?" "Are you aware that Darwin preserved a piece of vermicelli in a glass case until, by some extraordinary means, it actually began to move with voluntary motion? Do you know that the heart beats because of the electrical impulses from the sinoatrial node? Have you ever heard about the central nervous system, that it moves with small, electrical impulses? Do you have ANY IDEA what SCIENCE have done to improve the lives of ponies over the years?" "Twilight..." "SCIENCE is the answer! Science has given my life new meaning... Science will give me back my Rainbow!" Spike just stood and stared at Twilight. She trotted over to the table and started to stroke the thing that was covered in sheets. "Here she is! My love, my bride... I will bring her together, I will merge the pieces back to one, and I will give her the life bringing kiss of a 30 million voltage thunderstorm! And then...She will come back...to me..." Spike just couldn't believe his ears or eyes. He felt disgusted with the bare thought of her actions, but he couldn't really bring himself to fully understand what she just said to him. THIS is what she's been doing the weeks I thought she recovered? And...if the thing lying on the table is...WAS Rainbow Dash...then...Oh Celestia, what is it that she has done? "Twilight... you dug her up?" "Yes! It took a while... and the decomposing had already started. But the spare parts are easy to find. And the brain and her heart are intact. She only needed a new leg, a piece of liver..." "Twilight...listen to yourself! This is...this is crazy! It's impossible!" "No it's not! It has been done before..." She presented Spike with a book. "How I did it... by Victor Frankenpony?" "A true genius, Spike! A pony, for which nothing was impossible, or unbendable against SCIENCE! For whom the mere limits of our existence was only small obstacles. For whom death...was just a part of the equation that simple could be ruled out! He created a creature from dead matter...And he gave it LIFE!!" Spike couldn't do anything more than stare. Something had snapped in Twilights brain, and apparently broken a few threads in her heart as well. "I have done everything by his instructions... and with your help...my masterpiece will soon be complete." Twilight walked over to the table and stroke the corpse with a loving touch with her hoof. "My love...will come back...and I will at last...be happy." Twilight looked with her eyes full of love on the body on the table. Spike stared at her, and he knew there was only one thing to do. To make an end for all this. "Twilight, this is just...stupid. I'm going to tell our friends and then...." Spike tried to move, but he was stopped by Twilights magic. "What are you trying to do, you worthless little piece of spit? Are you going to betray me? Do you DARE to cross my plans? Do you have the insolence to smash MY DREAMS?" "Twilight, this isn't a dream, it is...madness." "YOU STAY HERE!" A chain magically appeared and spun itself around Spikes neck. The next he knew, he was stuck, and a whip appeared in twilights hooves. "Perhaps I need to teach you who is the mistress here...I'm gonna need a lot of help. And who'd be better than my faithful first assistant? He just need to get his priorities right..." ... It wasn't a day’s work, but mixing extreme violence with electrical chocks, Twilight managed to break down Spike. Two days, and he was all "yes mistress". He had been most helpful. And now...Two days after schedule, it was time to cook... There had been a Thunderstorm scheduled for today, and it was a real beauty. At around 7.30 pm its epicentre would be straight over the castle. So 7.33 pm was the time. They had been preparing the whole day. The electrical devices had been meticulously aligned and the body of Rainbow had been wrapped in bandage. Why that was necessary, Spike didn't understand, and Twilight couldn't really explain it either... it just said so in the book. Just for safety, the body was strained to the table with leather straps. Just for safety. In the end, Twilight put on a white robe, and so, everything could begin. Twilight placed herself on platform the operating table stood on. She and Spike removed the sprints that held it to the floor. Spike pulled a lever, the low buzzing of an electrical motor was heard, and the platform started to move upwards, towards the hole in the ceiling. Right into the centre of the thunderstorm. Twilight felt almost like she was being named a princess. This moment demanded a speech! "You know, spike! From that first day when stinking bits of slime first crawled from the sea and shouted to the stars, "I am pony.", our greatest dread has always been the knowledge of our mortality. But after tonight,death will no longer be the final limit of our meek harmless existence! Tonight, we shall hurl the gauntlet of SCIENCE into the very face of death itself. Tonight, we shall take aour rightful place, as the true emperor of nature! We shall rule the world! The earth will tremble at our feet! Nature itself will bow for us!" The idea of the resurrection was this. Two lightning conductors was placed on the roof. They were connected with the equipment on the floor, and by pulling a series of levers, the correct, and calculated, amount of electrical power where supposed to stream through the creature, giving every part of the body the spark that would re-animate it. Three strikes would be enough. Well...at least that was the plan. The first strike went as planned, it struck the left conductor, moved down through the equipment, and when Twilight screamed "PULL THE MAIN LEVER" the exact amount of current float through the creature exactly like planned. Twilight could see some twitches in the body, but no movement that equated as life. Unfortunately, Twilight hadn't thought about the fact that an electrical current will always take the shortest way from minus to plus. The second time the lightning hit the conductor alright, a gigantic spark jumped over directly to the table, making all the manometers to jump over the read mark and strike bottom at the same time. Twilight was almost thrown over the edge of the platform, but she was by miracle, left unharmed from the electricity. She could see how the skeleton of the creature glow in the dark and the whole platform was shaking. "GET US DOWN!" she shouted. And Spike obeyed. The whole laboratory smelled like someone had made one ton of sausage. Twilights legs quivered when she walked of the platform. "Twilight...how are you?" "I failed... I failed... there is no way that could have worked. I burned her, Spike. I burned her to death." "Twi...she WAS already...never mind." "How could I be so...what was I thinking...HOW..." Twilight was heading for a corner of the room, where a pile of hay already was prepared. Spike, however, couldn't take his eyes from the...thing that lie on the table. And then... His eyes couldn't get bigger than they already was. "Twilight...I think you may want to look at this..." "Don't bother, Spike, it's...It's...WHAT!" Twilight turned around. The creature was moving its front hooves! And the wings was spread out! Twilight quickly grabbed a stethoscope, and ran for the table. She listened...Yes! There was a heartbeat! "She's alive...SHE'S ALIVE! SPIKE! I DID IT! SHE'S ALIVE!" "Oh, sweet Celestia..." "OH SWEET CELESTIA, NOW I KNOW HOW IT MUST FEEL TO BE CELESTIA! SHE'S ALIVE!" Twilight went on, forcefully removing the bandage from the body. The creature was moving, but it had yet to open its eyes. And when it did, the first thing it saw was Twilight leaning over it. "Hello beautiful!" she said. The creature opened its mouth...and screamed. Author's Note AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! With thanks to Mel Brooks and James Whale. Oh... I think I might need to apologise a bit for "dr Frankenpony"... but...No, not really.
3. What the hay is that? Whatever Twilight had been expecting, it wasn't this. The creature stared in panic, and started to twist on the table. The whole time it screamed, or groaned, or both. "Spike! Quick! I need to give her..." RRRRRRIIIIP! The creature had ripped of two of the leather restrains. Twilight got dead with silence and fear. This could not be! She wasn't supposed to be...strong...not like this! Could it have something to do with the overload of electricity? Spike was staring with fear and loath at the thing on the table. It did look like Rainbow...but it had black hair, grey fur and... The left wing was a bit bigger than the other one. It had a big scar, drawn together with at least 25 stiches over its stomach. A similar scar was placed right over its right flank. It looked...monstrous! And howcome they still looked like wounds? Dead tissue doesn't heal, of course, but Spike never thought of that. Now, at least, the ability to speak had returned to Twilight. "Spike! The sedatives! On the drawer there! Bring me..." RRRRIIIPP! The last of the leather restrains broke, and the creature took its first unsteady steps on the floor. It was trembling, but it had at least stopped screaming. Now it was...just grunting. Spike and Twilight both noticed with fear that the creature’s eyes were green. And those green eyes looked...not that friendly on them. Not at Spike at least...but then it looked at Twilight. It started to move towards her. "Mmmmmm?" Twilights fear was immediately replaced with another. Pride. Mothers Pride. She had created this herself, and with no bloody stallion involved! She had the right to be proud of her work! "Come here...come here!" She encouraged the creature to keep moving. " Yes...one more step, good girl! Good girl!" The creature’s movement got steadier with every step. And it also looked more and more confident. And then it all broke. Spike never repulled the first lever and therefore, when the lightning once again struck one of the conductors, the energy flew through the equipment once again and from there it went through the contracts. That was a big part of Dr Frankenponys project, the parts where the electricity would go into the body. Twilight thought the original design was practical, but much to big to be discreet. So, instead she put the cathode and anode to be mostly hidden by the skin, and the contracts were to be inserted rather then stuck on. The contracts were pretty small, and shaped like triangles. But since they were no longer attached to the creature, they just lay on the table, two meters apart. Which ment, that when the lightning struck, a spark of 2000 Ampere filled the room with bright light and there was an enormous BANG. The creature got terrified, and screaming wildly, it knocked Twilight over and ran in panic out of the laboratory. Spike held the sedative in his claws, but the spark made him thrust the needle into his own knee... And so, the creature left the castle, leaving behind a sleeping dragon and a knocked out Unicorn. Not that it knew that. But it was a fact nevertheless. … Only discord knows what can be found in the mind of a new existence, and in this, a semi-new existence, he would probably dived in head first. However, Discord was still captured in stone for the second time at this very moment, so no one was there for the poor creature. And that was probably for the best. For the first hour of existence, it had felt pain, fear, rain, cold, loneliness, panic and finally, hunger. Running through the everfree forest in the middle of the night, in a Thunderstorm is NEVER a good idea. Unfortunately, it did not know this. But when you are about one hour old, I guess that can be excused. The creature had stopped running. The thunderstorm was moving away, as it walked through the forest. Everything was new, and scary, and exciting. It tried to eat things. Bark tasted nohing. Leaves were ok. Grass was divine but Dandelions were heavenly. Not that those words meant anything to the creature, but it was so it felt. The creature was so very hungry, that it didn't notice it wasn't alone anymore... ... Back in the castle, Twilight had reagined consiousness. She tried to wake spike, but the sedatives were strong. It would be some more hours. But every hour was precious. Where were her creation? All alone in the forest with noone to supprt or encourage her...Twilight started to cry when she thought of her poor lonely creature. There was no time to wait for Spike. Twilight placed him on her back, an left the castle, heading east. ... The creature looked unsteady at the Timberwolves. It had no idea what they were, but it had at least realized that they were dangerous. It treid to offer them some dandelions, an offer which the wolves ripped apart. They started to howl. a pony, anlone in the middle of the night. This would make an easy snack... When faced with extreme danger, the basic routines of the brain kicks in. The first one should be hiding or running. The creature looked around. No, no opportunity for that. For what it was worth, fighting was the only solution. So, the creature threw itself forward, and charged right into the timberwolf pack, with it hooves stretched out in front of it. The sound of wood breaking filled the woods. The creature hadn’t charged THAT much, and still, it had defeated its first threat. The leader of the Timberwolve pack were now only a pile of cracked wood and the others were a shaking mess, curled up against each other on the other side of the pile. The creature looked at its hooves, then the pile of wood, and then the hooves again. Then, it looked at the rest of the wolf pack, and grunted, low and aggressive. The wolfs scrammed. The creature looked after them. This was a very special moment. It was the first thing the creature had learned about itself. It was strong. It could hurt things. It could break things. It could scare things. The creature gave out a victorious roar, then it charged on through the forest. For the one being strong, there was always food. Somewhere. ... "Twilight, this is impossible! We will never find her!" "We must find her, Spike! If someone else finds her first...They will take her away from me!" "Twilight...is that REALLY the biggest issue?" "YES! Now keep looking!" ... The night slowly erutpted into day. The creature had fed, it had slept, and now it was exploring. It was making its way through the forest rather violently, because it only knew how to awoke fear, and it didn't want to meet any more opponents. Pretty soon, it had moved out of the everfree, and walked over to a smaller forest, that were under ponyvilles jurisdiction. There it stopped. Next to a small brook sat a small thing that looked like...the creature. It was Pound Cake, the Pegasi son of the owners of Sugercube corner. What was he doing out here all alone? Oh, he wasn't alone. He had been playing with his sister and parents. But Cup managed to trip over a stone, making a wound on her hind leg. So, her parents took her in to care for her and to put on a plaster. Pound didn't want to go in. And since nothing really dangerous was around, he was allowed to stay. Of cource the creature didn't know this. It just saw a little samethingasme throwing things in the brook. It started with grass, and then it went on with flowers. The creature decided to take a closer look. Pound Cake turned his head. He did not recognize this pony, but it looked funny. Not scary. So, he giggled. The creature liked that sound. It wanted to hear it more. So, it sat down, next to Pound, and tossed flowers. There they sat for a while, in peace, united in giggling and grunts. The creature could not giggle. But it wanted to learn. Now it new more about itself. It liked giggling. It liked small samethingasmes. And it enjoys wet things that streamed. It sounded soothing. But then.... The creature noticed that they were out of flowers. Well, at least if you didn't want to walk some distance. So, was there anything nearer? Yes...those little things on the back of the small thingy looked a bit like petals. Those would probably be good! The creature grabbed pound and started to tear of the wings. Well, at least it tried. But they did not come off! The creature charged more, but they still was stuck, though they were quite wibbly. Pound was screaming with pain and terror. The creature got afraid again. Why was the little samethingasme screaming? They had been playing, right? There were still playing, right? So why was the little samethingasme screaming? WHY? The sound irritated and frightened the creature. It wanted it to stop. It held its hooves in front of the muzzle, but that didn't help. In panic, the creature threw the little on into the brook. Poundcake couldn't swim. After all, he was only three. Very soon, the little pegasi foal were floating, face down in the water, lifeless. The creature liked the fact that it was silent. But it was bad the things on the back didn't come of. It sat itself down againg, looking at the things that floated in the brook. "Pound! Where are you?" Sounds. Lound sounds. Sounds of what could be biggerthingslikemes. The creature didn't like them at all. Perhaps the wanted to fight? The creature probably could scare them. "POOOOUUND! WHERE AAARE YOUUU?" To much noice. The creature didn't want noice. It wanted to go home. So it turned back into the everfree. There it was silence. There it could be alone. There it was the ruler. Mr and Mrs Cake just got a small sight of the creature as it ran off. "What the hay was that? And...where is pound?" They looked down in the brook. Then they screamed. Author's Note Oh shit.
4. Mommy? Spike and Twilights search through the Everfree was resultless. In the end, they went to Ponyville where the commotion was at full throttle. They hadn't heard the news about Pound of course, but they wouldn't be held in the dark about that for long. Everypony in the village was talking about the attack on Pound Cake. The minute thay stepped inside, ponies where asking them "have you heard..." or "Do you know that...". The big question on everyponys lips was 'who would commit such a terrible deed' ? The attack seemed totally pointless and incompressible cruel. The crowd demanded blood, Twilight could feel that. And she also had a pretty good idea who the villain was... No, she knew. Something grey with a black mane, the rumours was. To the villagers, there could have been any type of creature, but Twilight knew there could be only one. Her Rainbow. But why? Why? The only reason Twilight could see, was that her creature must have been scared but... how could Pound scare anypony? How could a small foal scary a full-grown pegasi mare? The explanation to that wouldn't be simple. Well, whatever the reasons would be, the crowd would show no mercy. If they would find her first.... Luckily, some rumours also said that it had glowing eyes, was fire breathing and had three big horns poking out of its nose. Well, that could save her love a bit longer, if anypony decided to start looking for her. If Rainbow only was careful and tried to behave like a normal pony... no, that was not likely. They would Catch her at once. But there was also another danger which she started to realize. She had been away without any explanation for almost a week. What if someone asked? What kind of explanation could cover it up so nopony suspected HER? First they would ask questions, ten they would find the castle, then the laboratory, than they would know Everything and just... Twilights mind started to run amok. "Twilight, please... calm down!" Spike realized the danger they were in, and Twilight behaving like this was bound to draw suspicion, but he had no idea how to calm her. "I can't Spike! What if they find her? It isn't very likely that anyone would take me bringing back my dead marefriend to life with a shrug of shoulders! What if they find me? They will kill her! They will kill me! They will destroy all my work! They will..." Spike quickly opened his bag, found an apple, and thrusted it into Twilights mouth. Her Eyes were still large and filled with panic, but she stopped screaming. Apparently, in all the other commotion and screaming, nopony had noticed what Twilight was shouting. Something good, at least. "Alright Twilight, this looks bad. But one thing at time! First, we need to..." "FIRST WE NEED TO FIND HER!...if I can get to her first...and work with her. Give ponies some time to cope with it...see our love...my love... they might understand. I need to get back. " "Twilight... no..." Spike facepalmed. "She must have ran to the Everfree. But how to get back there without raising suspicion? ”Twilight mumbled to herself. Spike just shook his head even more and was about to say something but he was interrupted. Because luckily for Twilight, fate played her hand. Mrs Cake came running to her. She was crying, and her voice was desperate. "Please Miss Sparkle! You must help us! You have heard what happened to my poor little foal? What kind of demonic creature could have done such a thing? Please Miss Sparkle, you are the wisest one around here! Please tell me you can solve this! Search your books! You must find this...beast! The thing that did this... it wasn't natural! " "You're right about that..." Spike mumbled. That comment would earn Spike a meeting with the whip back at the castle, for now, all Twilight could do was to smile sheepishly and try to comfort the poor mare. "Why...yes Mrs Cake! I will at once go... to... the castle of the two princesses! I assure you, I will find the fiend who did this! She must be in one of my books!" "Thank you! Thank you!" Mrs Cake was unable to speak anymore, and she leaned her head onto her husband, who also had come forward. Twilight turned around, when she heard a familiar voice around her. A voice who spoke words she didn't want to her at the moment... "We will come with yer. It's not safe for yer to go alone into the Everfree forest!" Applejack and Pinkamena. They looked at Twilight with genuine concern. Normally, Twilight would have loved the idea of having her best friends with her. But there was no way she wanted to explain anything to them now. She needed to get them of her back. "NO! I mean... its better if you stay here. You need to guard Ponyville. I...can take care of myself. " "But Twi..." "NO! Thank you, I understand you are worried. ..but I can use my magic. Better you take care of the town." And with that, she left in a hurry. Pinkamena and AJ kept their eyes at her as she exited the town. No reason to run after her. But still... "She was weirder than she was a month ago." "Yeah... and why the hay did she say... Ah don't think Twilight is telling us everything there is here...." Twilight and Spike searched the Everfree forest for three days, and no sign of the creature. To make sure no more suspicion was aroused, Twilight came into town at least once a day, but she felt eyes upon her every time. She never saw anypony specifically looking at her but she couldn't shake of the feeling. Maybe it was just paranoia, maybe somepony actually was looking. Nevertheless, Twilight had to come back. She also had realized that whenever they would catch the creature, they wouldn't be able to keep her at the castle for long. The princesses would definitely search that place. Luckily, they rarely went into the Everfree, and perhaps they would keep out...but she needed to find her fast anyhow...you never know when somepony actually...well. They needed sanctuary, but the tree wasn't safe either, not with all the commotion around. Luckily, Pound cake had been found in time. The colt’s life could indeed be saved, and the wings were examined, with the positive outcome that they would rebound. That cooled down everything with the major population. And so, Twilight started to give her basement a makeover. It might come in handy...someday...if they wanted to keep something very strong locked in. Well, they did need to find her first. But no traces at all. And with no traces, there was only one thing to do. To ask the one pony who lived in the forest. Twilight wasn't very keen on letting Zecora into this, but it was probably necessary. And then she realized, she had nothing to be ashamed of or was to be doing anything that would catch ponies’ suspicion! She was searching information about the attacker for Mrs. Cake! She could talk to Zecora as much as she wanted! And Zecora must have heard some things! Being the only pony living in the Everfree, that made her a superior source of knowledge in the matter. So, on the fourth day, they visited her. Twilight did some small talk, but eventually, she had to come forward with her questions. "You wonder if there may have been some monstrous things that I have seen. I have to say in simple word, I have not seen, but I have heard." "What have you heard?" "The trees are whispering whit fear about a danger that appeared It walks the paths, hidden by night, is dark and strong, keeps out of sight. The Timberwolves, they run with fright, from evil pony of the night It’s dangerous to them, they know, it killed their king with just one blow And I myself have heard the hoooowl of pony living without soul" Zecoras melodic voice made Twilight shiver. Her unsatisfying rhyme made it even chillier. "Where did you hear it, Zecora? Where?" "The precise spot I do not know, but traces can be found to show It wanders down to shady well, to end its thirst I pray to tell. The Shady well! Twilight knew exactly where that was, and a little too close to Ponyville... Action was needed, fast! "Thank you Zecora! We must go there at once! But you've been most helpful, now..." Zecora held up her hoof. "Just one last word, my dear dear friend, it looks to me, this is the end The path you walk, it will not end with joy and glee, do not pretend!" But Twilight was already out the door. "Such haste. Such waste. " Twilight and Spike hade made themselves a hide close to the Shady Well. The name came from the fact that the surface was pitch black. Although the water was clean and tasted really pure, (and actually was transparent if you put it in a bottle) you would never see the bottom... The well lay in the middle of a glade, with at least ten yards to the woods. A perfect place for hunting creatures. It was some hours waiting for the evening, but as soon as darkness fell, they were rewarded. The few birds in the forest were dead silent, and soon they heard the gruntings of the creature. It moved fast towards the well, but not fast enough to escape its hunters. They had taken precautions, and had converted a crossbow into shooting a syringe with sedative. Once they got a clear view of the creature, they shot. The silence of the woods was immediately broken with the screaming and grunting of the creature. It fought, some kind of invisible enemy, and three times, it hit the ground, only to rise again and make a run for the surrounding forest. But the sedative was strong enough, and pretty soon the creature was tied up, and teleported to the castle. The reconstructions of the library wasn't finished yet, besides, the castle had better cells. The same night, the creature awoke to found itself in a cell. Well lit, and with lots of fresh water, and dandelions. But locked in. It started to charge at the door, then the walls... nothing. Solid stone. The creature fell asleep again, to awake some hours later. But now, it wasn't alone... Spike had been reluctant letting Twilight do this. But she was determined, she would go into the creature alone. It needed love, she said. "I need to go in there. By myself, to show that I mean no harm and that she can relax!" "Twilight, I don't really think that will work. I think you're getting yourself killed" "Then, so be it!" "Twilight...don't be stupid now..." "I need to do this. For me. For her. For us" Spikes other objections were overruled, and so, she went inside. The creature saw a face looking at it from across the room. It remembered...sort of...pain...opening eyes...and then...this face! This face, looking sortalikeme was the one responsible for the biggest pain the creature ever felt. Probably everything that the creature had experienced over the days was sortalikeme's fault! And now it was back? To torment the creature more? The creature got angry, and charged at the face! Twilight was regretting her words, in these exact moments. The creature had apparently learned things about survival in the woods, and now it tried to scare her. It made itself look bigger. It made some lunges at her, incomplete, but enough to show this...sortalikeme...what it was capable of. And when Twilight saw the anger that filled the creature’s eyes, she became afraid, and sad. This was a mistake. A huge mistake. Why didn't she recognize her? Why didn't she remember? "Rainbow, please! Don't do this! Stop! Don't do this to me! I love you...I..." The creature stopped its movements. It had heard that voice before. At its awakening, yes, that must be...no...someplace else as well. That had nothing to do with pain. And in some part of the creature’s brain, a memory erupted. Of a sunny, beautiful day... Rainbow, stop tickling me! Stop...sto...o...op! You know, you really are beautiful, you know that? I am so lucky I have you Yes...that voice...and that face... The memories blurred, but the creature suddenly felt a warm feeling inside. It wasn't sure about why or when, but it knew it actually liked sortalikeme. Very much. Although the pain, it really really liked sortalikeme. The creature walked forward and started to stroke her mane against Twilight. "mmmmmmm" Twilight, stroke her creature over its mane and sighed calmly. This was progress! ... A couple of days later, Twilight wasn't so sure about the progress. She had been trying to communicate with the creature. But no development had occurred yet. And what did she really know about her creature? Well, it liked hugs. And it liked to pick flowers...but except for that, nothing. And it didn't like Spike at all. Think, Twilight, Think! There must be a solution! There must be a way... You can never bring her to Ponyville in this condition! But why won't she listen? She's just...running away...or she just sits there...Staring out of the window. Does she want to go out? I can't let her. Not after what happened with Pound. I hope Spike stays silent...one word and they will come to get her. They will take her away. I WILL NOT ALLOW THAT! Twilight sighed. Well, feeding time. "Come here, Dashie...come here..." The creature, turned her head and looked at Twilight. Twilight held out a mug with milk. The creature happily jumped of the chair, grabbed the mug, and started drinking. "My little Dashie...My darling Dashie...What shall I do with you... you are like a child." The pony computer registry, as Rainbow used to call Twilights brain, suddenly bursted with activity! Those words, she had read! And in a context that was very relevant to this matter! "...a...a child! That must be so! That must be... And I read it so recently! How could it have slipped my mind? Now let's see..." Twilight turned to the bookshelf, and soon enough she found dr Frankenponys book. "Now let’s see...chapter...13..." Thursday, the 15. To my great surprise, my creation still does not speak. The chock of awakening must have dozed off by now, and still no sign of it what so ever. I have spent some time examining him, and all the vital and necessary limbs are intact and functional. I must dig deeper into this. I will not do with the explanation that he plainly is stupid. Saturday evening, the 17. Today, Ygor was tossing a ball. He's such a simple mind. Though, without hesitation, my creature started to play with him. It is the first time I've seen him happy. Strange. What can be so interesting with a ball? He don't like the concept of snooker... Wednesday night, the 21. I finally cracked it! It took me a few days, but with the help of Ygor, I made my breakthrough. My creature behaves like a child because he IS a child! His brain may be at an estimated age of 29, but that has no significance, because the electrical forces set it back to zero! My creature is virtually an infant, with the strength and the body of a full-grown man! This is a most ground-breaking discovery! And it means, I have to teach him. I have to train him. I need to raise him...like my own... Like my child. Like my child. And now Twilight realized what her creatures first words, Mmmmm, was supposed to sound like. Mommy. Author's Note A sweet, touching chapter. And you know what happens after those chapters? Thats right, EEEEVIL!
5. Exodus! Whether it was by pure luck or whatever, Pounds life were able to be saved. But that didn't put an end to the talking. The question on everyponys lips was "What kind of freak of nature could there be that could do this to a small, innocent filly?" However, after some weeks, the commotion died down. Everything went back to normal. The society talked about it for a while, then it was forgotten. The kids were the first to forget. To them, there never was a threat, really. And for a kid, life is eternal, and death is unthinkable. And who really knew what happened? It was summer! No pony wanted to waste valuable playtime! Now, their parents did not forget that easily. They kept their fillies and colts under severe supervision for a couple of days, but finally, they had to let them out again. They had to be honest with themselves, nothing had happened after the attack on Pound. So there was not very much they could do, other then to let them run free again. The Princesses didn't forget, even though it might have looked that way. They were still searching for the explanation. They were investigating but time erased the tracks. Nature, and dead Timberwolves, were very bad witnesses. There was somepony who didn't need to forget. Because she was finally happy again. She brought her love back from the dead. Sure, she behaved like a three year old. But Twilight had no problem with that. She was there, together with her again. And for Twilight, that's all that was necessary. But if one would think everything was nice and happy, one would have to think again. Because there was somepony else who did not forget. The one who promised her friend to always be there. The one who felt like she betrayed her friend when she couldn't be strong for two. The one who remembered a certain desperate cry... Applejack couldn't sleep. That was really painful, because for the last weeks she had been deep down it work. She needed her sleep so she could work as hard as she needed to distract herself and she needed that distraction because she didn't like the thoughts she was having whenever her mind wandered. And she hated what she was thinking. She hated the fact that she had doubts in a friend. But she couldn't deny her feeling that something was seriously wrong. Twilight was behaving strange, and the attack on Pound was not something you took easy. But she couldn't really put her hoof on it... And as the night rolled on, there was not very much to do, than to give in. Oh, sod! Sleep can wait. Let's think this through, maybe it will go away then... Now, there isn't very much to go on. ...there are four things, but.... 1. Twilight was working on a way to get Rainbow back. I know Twilight. She never gives up. Not even when she faces the impossible. 2. "SHE must be in one of my books." Not it. She. Why "She?" 3. Twilight has been much happier in the last weeks. Now, unless you’re Pinkie, you don't change your mood so quick. And even Pinkie didn't change back that fast, she is still Pinkamena for most of the time. So Twilights behaviour is really strange.... And she hasn't talked about Rainbow Dash at all... No no, Jaqueline Apple. This is just your imagination and paranoia that plays with you! These are no facts to rely on at all! Everything has a perfect, natural explanation...except for one thing... 4."We saw it! We saw it! It looked like a pegasi! But...weird. ”Number 4. The big one. Something that looked like a pegasi but weird. A pegasi back from the dead would be quite weird... Not that I don't miss her... but that's not the way I want her back... Applejacks heart went up in her throat. All her vague ideas did not jump to a conclusion, but they were pointing in a direction she didn't want to go. Perhaps I should tell Princess Celestia... No! Not now! I don't have enough evidence to tell the princess. But enough to go for a walk around Twilights tree and just...check things up. "Ah better bring Pinkamena. Ah might need the company..." ... At the Golden oak library, everything was calm and in order. They had successfully moved the creature here some days ago, and things were going rather well. The days had been filled with studies and playing. Twilight actually did enjoy to have a...well sort of a foal around her. Spike had to be reminded not to talk about private matters in public sometimes, but that was working out as well. She really was getting good at using the whip. This was a nice little evening routine to give him a piece of the whip, just to make things sure... Right now she was reading a bedtime story for Dashie. Twilight wasn't keen on those ones normally, but the joy in Dashies eyes every time she red to her was well worth it. "Mummy! More!" "Oh, no Dashie. Now it's time to sleep!" "No. Mummy. Read." "Well, ok. One more. But just one more!" The creature looked eagerly onto the book. The ugly duckling. That was her number one favourite. "It was so beautiful out on the country, it was summer- the wheat fields were golden, the oats were green, and down among the green meadows the hay was stacked...." It did not take very long until she heard a familiar snore. As Twilight looked at her sleeping Dashie, she felt calm and relaxed. Finally everything went as planned. The days had been wonderful. They had begun training her speech. Now, at the moment she only talked in two- or three word-sentences, but Twilight had decided that this was to be considered as just "cute". She had lectured her in reading. She was far from reading the latest Daring do, but fairy tales and comics was good enough. She had lectured her about the land they lived in, the three...four types of ponies, and what they did and their types of magic. "You are going to be so beautiful...Everypony's going to love you, just like I do. Everything will be just as before. They will perhaps be a little startled at first...and we may have to dye your mane... but they will love you, just like before. Just like I love you, so will they." Twilight let out a comfortable sigh. Everything was going to be just perfect. She could see herself surrounded by her friends. They would cheer with joy...The whole town would there to greet her...and Princess celestia would also be there...to congratulate her...for achieving the impossible. Twilights dreams were painted in pink and light blue. She didn’t hear the door to the library open. She didn't hear the steps in the stairway. She didn't hear how the door to the room crack open. But she did hear the scream. "AAAAAAAHHH!" Actually, two terrified screams came from the door. Applejack and Pinkamena was standing there, staring at them. "Twilight...what exactly is...that?" Twilight looked at her creation. She was awake now, and looked, in her special little way annoyed and disturbed. The creature hated loud sounds. It wanted to make them stop. It wanted to get back to sleep, but if those ponies, as mommy told here they were called, would keep screaming, that wouldn't happen. She wanted to just make them shut up. But mommy had also teached her that ponies wanted to be friendly. And if she wanted ponies to be friendly, she also had to be friendly herself. Now they had stopped screaming, at least for a while, so the creature decided it was time to try. She just did what mommy had teached her to. She started to walk towards the two now deadly frightened earthponys. ... The sight of the creature was so disturbing that Applejack really couldn't get her mind straight. She knew that it must be Rainbow Dash, but she looked so crooked and different from the Rainbow Dash she remembered that there was no way that she would accept that they were the same pony. The green fur, the black mane... the eyes... And the way it walked...The creature was walking with a small limp, caused by the fact that the leg Twilight found was just half an inch too short. And it was even more prominent when the creature walked slowly. The fact that the scars on the flank was clearly visible didn't make the impression better and to round it all up, the creature didn't really know how to smile. Rainbow Dash had never been good a smiling without a smirk face, and the creature smiled the same way. But with her features, it actually looked like she was going to eat them. Applejack wasn't the world’s most conservative pony. She had no problem with her friends being gay, she was pretty open to different religions and she sure as hay wasn't a racist pony. But...the idea of reanimating dead things? No. That was something Nightmare moon would do. Things that came back from the other side were nasty, evil creatures, that was Applejacks belief. And even though this was something her best friend had done...no, it couldn't be excused. This was wrong. Just wrong! The ponies, as mommy called them, was shaking. Well, they were at least silent. But shaking. Was that good? The creature wasn't sure. But, mommy was supposed to be right, wasn't she? And so, she stretched out a hoof. "grunt...frieeeeends?" "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" This would have been a great time if Fluttershy had been present. She would have seen through the creature’s scary features, and... Who am I kidding? She would have done the same, screamed from the top of her lungs, and running away. "Yer keep yer hooves to yerself yer stinkin' devils seed!" Applejack placed herself in the "fighting position". Head low, all four legs steady on the floor. Nopony, not even dead ones, would have a chance to get to her. While Applejack watched the creature, Pinkamena stared at Twilight. " Twilight... why? Why? This is...this is...disgusting! This is...not fun at all!" "Pinkie...It's...She's not..." "She? Are you calling it she? This is not a pony! This is some kind of... Monster! This is disgusting! This is...hey! Come back here!" Twilight didn't say very mych, but it was enough to make Applejack snap at her. And the creature didn't understand what was going on. It got scared. And so, she resorted to the only thing she could do. She ran. She jumped over the two earth ponies, out the door, and out of the library. The only thought was to get away, the rest...was to be taken care of later. But Applejack wasn't going to let her get away that easy! "Pinkie, yer stay here and make sure Twilight doesn't go anywhere. Ah will get that...that...thing! ... The creature ran the streets of Ponyville. She didn't really know where to go, and her mind didn't get a chance to easy either, whit Applejack showing up almost every time the creature though she lost her. Why did that pony chase her? Why? She hadn't done anything! "Yer stop right there, yer freak!" More loud sounds. And she had thought that this pony looked nice? Now the creature got angry! Well...If they couldn't be friends, the creature decided to try something she knew would work. She was strong. She could scare things. She could brake things. And she could hurt other ponies. So she turned around, and charged at Applejack. Applejack didn't know anything about the creature’s strength, and so she ran straight into her. The creature stretched out her hoof, causing Applejack to fly some ten feet back. The hurt she felt when she hit the ground made here even madder, and she was quick up on her hooves. If this thing wanted to fight, she wouldn't back down! And neither would the creature. She pawed the ground with her hooves. So did Applejack. She lowered her head and snorted. So did Applejack. They circled around each other for a while, waiting, studying the other. Was there any weak spots? Where to put the first blow? They looked deep into each other’s eyes. The creature saw hatred, anger, disgust and determination in Applejacks eyes. She felt a pain inside her that was stronger than any emotion she had before, and she quickly turned that emotion into anger fuel. Oh well, if that's the way you feel about me, let’s have it, then. You shall not live to see me face again Applejack didn't care about details. She just saw a monstrous creature that once perhaps had been her friend but now, it was just a varmint you needed to exterminate. "If yer ever think Ahm gonna let yer live yer wrong! Yer going down!" Now they were still. Everything was still. And then, simultaneously and with synchronized roars they charged at each other. Applejack managed to get a grip on the creatures head, and doing a backflip, she managed to throw the creature onto the ground, but she didn't release her grip. The creature managed to get up, and raised her hoof to struck a blow on AJs muzzle, but the blew was not hard enough to make Applejack lose her grip on the creatures head. So the creature locked a grip on AJs head as well, and then, using her full strength, she hurled them both into a nearby wall. The wall cracked, and some of the brimstones fell to the ground. That made Applejack loose her grip, and the creature took her chance. She gripped Applejacks hindleg and started to wing her whole body around, and sending it right into another window. It took some time for Applejack to come out of the house she was thrown into, but the creature was waiting for her. Applejack seethed with anger. Her eyes became a fiery white and though it felt like she had broken a rib and was bleeding from multiple places of her body, it didn't slow her down, and soon, she charged back at the creature almost at once, and managed to get her down on her back. Applejack raised her hooves and struck blow after blow onto the creatures head. The creature did feel the pain, but she also felt the electricity build inside her. She did get hurt, but mostly she got angrier! She raised her hoof, making a stop for Applejacks hoof right in the middle of a blow, and again she summoned all her strength into her backhoove, sending Applejack seven yards into the air, and then she crash landed on the ground head first. Applejack lay still. She breathed, but she had nothing left in her. She had used all her energy, and that hadn't been enough. She started to drift away. Now, the creature wasn't finished. She threw herself on top of Applejack, first making her face her. And then, she struck her head with a blow. And then another one. The creature was basically beating the shit out of applejack. There was more blood now, so much you could hardly see any part of Applejacks face. The Creature didn't notice her hoof become bloody, nor did she hear the blows become wetter with each hit. Not much life left in her now. And finally...the final strike of mercy. Then, something happened that the creature never expected. Applejack opened her eyes. And she spoke. Softly. "I'm sorry Dashie...I didn't want to end it...like this..." The creature was dumbstruck. This pony was sorry? Sorry for what? Sorry for...trying to hur her? And then, there was a sudden light. And another one. And another one. And voices. Voices, voices came from everywhere. "It's the monster that molested Pound!" "And now it has taken Applejack!" "It killed her! It killed her!" "No, it is not too late! She's breathing! Look, she's breathing! GET OF HER YOU FREAK!" "KILL IT! KILL IT! We must get rid of it! It's a danger to us all!!" Apparently, most of Ponyvilles population had awoken by the fight, and now, the creature faced almost 99 very angry ponies. She backed away from the wounded Applejack and the crowd. Some ponies rushed forward to take care of Applejack, the rest of them armed themselves with whatever they could find. Cricket bats, pitchforks, torches, donuts, scythes... And they were closing in on the creature. The creature didn't feel any anger anymore. It was just afraid. And so, the creature did something she hadn't tried before, and because she was raised by a unicorn, she didn't know she could do it either. She flew. She flew like a drunken crow, up, down, sideways. But since she had the muscles and the wings for it, it actually looked like she was attacking the mob with her uncontrolled moves. The thing that in reality was really clumsy navigation looked to the ponies on the ground like random charges against them. And that filled the mob with fear, and a whole group of feared ponys was like a grupo of sheeps. So, in spite of their large number and weaponry, they pretty soon ran in panic in every direction. "It's dangerous!" "It's crazy!" "It will kill us all! RUN FOR YOUR LIFES!" In the end, the creature was alone. At least, she had learned to fly roughly. But she was sad. Nopony wanted to be friendly with her. They were just angry, or violent...or both. And loud. Extremely loud. And they had fire. She didn't like fire. And mommy wasn't there. The creature flew towards the Everfree. There it at least could be alone. As she flew, she spotted a small light in the middle of the forest and a chimney with smoke coming out of it. She had seen Zecoras hut some times before, but never been inside. In her mind, a small memory of a rhyme came up. Yeah, she had some memories of the whiteandblackthingy. Was she nice? The creature memories were blurry, but she had some remembrance of Zecora helping...something with wings... A last attempt. And...Mommy had been talking about Zecora, how she helped ponies and that she was welcoming to all. A nice pony. Just what the creature needed. Zecora was meditating. But the harmony she felt was ruzzled, something was disturbing her peace. Three hard knocks on her door. And when she opened...well, she was a bit startled, but even though she had never seen this creature, she immediately knew what it was. Black mane, one wing larger than the other, green fur...two scars. Actually, even more when she looked close. Zecora was in this way different from the other ponies. She didn't see a freak or a monster or a varmint. She just saw two sad eyes, filled with sad and desperate hope, and a poor miserable creature who desperately needed help. "Frieeeend?" it said. "Friend indeed, my lonesome child, come in, come in, exclude the wild” Zadora wasn't afraid. She had seen some broken spirits in her days, so this was not a new experience to her. Whether she did recognize Rainbow and understood what she had become was unimportant. She knew what this pony lacked, and she knew what was needed to change her. "Oh you poor thing without a goal, things might improve if you got a soul" The creature grunted. Soul? No word that mommy had taught her. What was a soul? Was it a good thing? Mommy only thought her good things...Well, mommy had also said that ponies wanted to be friendly... At look how that turned out. No, she decided to trust this blackandwhitestripedthingy. She seemed nice. Soul was good. Now, the creature found Zecoras hut to be a good place to stay for a while. Zecora gave her something to eat, and water. She lit up the fire, to make the creature warm, and then, she started to do her magic. Well, it wasn't really magic, it was just her knowledge of nature’s own medicines and healing herbs. But it could achieve things that felt like magic. Zecora had a vague idea what to do, and she had to dig deep in her papers to find the potion she was looking for. It was a potion for restoration of the mind. She was a bit hesitant. Now, it was not an advanced potion, it was basically a very rough mix of five very bitter herbs. But...she never really tried it on anypony. And the brief records she had upon its use, the only thing she knew was for the effects to be a bit uncertain. However, this creature was in desperate need of help. Something must be done, and... There was no danger in trying. So... "Drink this my newly born friend, it will do you good in the end" It did taste extremely bitter but the creature drank it all. Pretty soon it started to feel dizzy. The potion did a re-boot of her brain, her soul and her memories. The process was extremely painful. Her heart felt like it was going to explode and her stomach was burning with a pain out of this world. And the creature knew pain. And then, it was like she was being drenched by a tide of time and memories. She could not breathe, she was drowning. And the memories just kept coming. It hurt, it hurt so much she wanted to rip her hearth out of her chest. And then everypart of her body started to ache, especially the backhoof and wing that didn't originally belong to her. She was laying on the floor, twisting, her legs pulling back an forth in spasms. And for every spasm, a new tide of memory fell over her and drenched her. This was not a thing the creature wasn't prepared for. It felt angry again. This was not a nice pony either! She wanted to hurt her, to make her feel the same pain the creature did. The creature had troubles concentrating, but she finally made her eyes steady enough to look and aim at Zecora. The creature groaned, got up on her legs, wobbled for a bit...and charged with its hooves. But, dizzy as she was, she didn't remember her strength. The next second Zecora was lying on the floor with her head crushed and blood and body fluids floating on the floor. The creature was roaring, but very soon, the roaring changed to words. Full sentences. The creature was no longer a creature. It was a pony again. "What have I done....what have done! Please! Please...Ze...Zecora! Please! Don't be..." The pony once known as Rainbow looked at the dead zebra on the floor. She recognized Zecora. The events of the evening came back to her like a kick in the head. She had almost killed one of her friends. She had scared the life out of ponyville. She had killed Zecora. "Oh no... Oh no....OH NOOOOOOOO!!!" The pony once known as Rainbow was in a great state of chock. For a while, she just sat there in the hut. The actions that she had committed, and which felt extremely logic at its time, now felt like barbaric, extremely unnecessary and stupid. What was she really? She needed answers. She couldn't go back to twil...mommy? No....She had another memory. It was a little vague, but she knew the right direction. She went for the castle. Author's Note "The author rolls hirs eyes with a smirk, tilts hirs head to te left, where a small red flag, with the words "OH HOW EEEVIL!" printed on it emerges.
6. Just a nice little chat!6. "Pinkie...please...let me go. She needs me!" Twilight had been begging Pinkie to let her out of the golden oaks library for more than an hour, but the Pink earthpony had no mercy for her. "YOU'RE NOT going anywhere. And you don't have the right to call me Pinkie. The name for you is Pinkamena Diane Pie. Miss Pie for you...miss Sparkle...if I have to be polite. I can't believe you to do such a monstrous thing. It's just...just...I don't know..." Pinkie went back into silence. Her hair was straight again. Yep, this was Pinkamena alright. Twilight couldn't think of anything to do, and she became desperate. The only thing that was on her mind at the moment was to help Dashie. Ok, She was strong...but an angry Applejack was a tough opponent. And then there was the townsponies...they might see her... and without Twilight there to explain.... She needed to get out. She closed her eyes. It might have looked like she was in dispair, but in reality, she was thinking. There is a chair in the hallway...If I can get Pinkie to put all her concentration on me... but no, this is PINKIE...she will see through a lame gambit... but on the other hand...This is Pinkamena...she MIGHT be easier... Worth a try at least Twilight started to sctrach herself. This was not anything particulary suspicious, but Pinkamena took no chances apparantly, and she immidiately started to stare her down. This was the chance! Twilight levitated a chair from the hallway behind Pinkamenas back, still scratching her back.. Pinkamena was staring at her and it was a tough task not to look like there was something suspiciuos behind her... But Twilight had trained enough to levitate objects without looking at them. Just a bit more...Don't move..don't move...THERE! And so, she knocked Pinkamena to the floor. But she also needed to take care of Spike. Or, to make sure he didn't snitch on her. They had a stash of sedative at hand in the basement, just in case, and now she went for that. She took a syringe needle as well and went into spikes room. The dragon was still sleeping, in spite of the commotion. How that was at all possible she couldn't say, but she proceeded with her plan. She gave Spike the sedative. Now, he would sleep for the rest of the day. Hopefully. And she could make her escape. And save her creature from Applejack. Or the other way around. The latter was the more probable. She sneaked out of the library. The whole town was awake apparently. Twilight decided to stay out of the open, but it was not hard for her to hear the shoutings. She heard everything. "We must track down that monster!" ""We must find the one responsible" "We just found Zecora...Dead! The moster took her!" "Who can it be, that is responsible for this?" "Applejack murmured something about Twilight Sparkle!" "If Twilight Sparkle is responsible for this, we must get her! NOW!" Twilights brains first thought after those rants (and those printed above was only a handful of them) was that there was no logic between "maybe Twilights responsible " and "lets go get her" but she pretty soon realised that this was an angry mob...there were no thinking... just a thirst for revenge. Alomst like a stampede... Oh my celestia...Applejack...what did she do to her?... and Zecora...dead? No...NO... NOOO!!! ...They hate me...they will find me... They will fiond Dashie... NOOOO! She suddenly felt apathetical. Nothing else. She fell into a heap on the ground. The creature approached the castle. The memories of its new existence were blending with old ones and it was all just very confusing. What was she? Who was she? Who was Mommy? was she Twilight Sparkle? She had remenessing about that name. She felt that name to be important. And during the fight with the pony with the hat, some other things had surfaced. She had remembered the face, and in the end she felt like she finally was winning something. And yet, she also knew there was a deeper connection between them as well. Well, one thing was for sure. She did NOT like this state of mind. The creature walked over the bridge to the castle. Now, since she was practically newborn the first time she was here, she had no real idea where to go. The castle was big, and it was mostly a ruin which made it even harder to navigate through. But she took her time, and eventually she found the right door. The labaoratory smelled like it hadn't been cleaned for half a century, but she stepped in nevertheless. This was the first place the creature remembered. This was the place where she would find the answers. No matter how much mom...TWILIGHT said she loved her, she didn't really trust her telling the truth when asked anymore. Suddenly, a new wave of memorys came upon her. She fell on her hooves, backwards to the floor, while the tides of time floated over her. It was a bit blurry, but...there was names. Shouting. Rainbow, wait! Don't do it! I have to, I need to...there is nopony else. Be careful! I love you, please make sure you come back. The voice. That was Twilight sparkle. And then there was...foals? Foals. And a falling rock. And then... this other, strange memory. It couldn't really describe it, other than that it was beautiful. Then it remembered pain...and sudden lights... and the face of mom...Twilight. Mommys face looked like Twilight. Alright, mommy was Twilight. And she loved Twilight Sparkle. And Twilight Sparkle loved her. That was good then? On a table lay a book. "How I did it". The creature glanced through it. This was a really strange book. Something about...bringing dead things to life? Yuck! Who reads this stuff? Then her eyes fell on a pile of paper that were spread all over the same table. The creature hadn't even started to read the text when she recognized the handwriting. This was a document written by somepony the creature knew well. This was Twilights handwriting. After glancing through, she noticed that the papers were numbered and that there was an actual cover page. She arranged the pages in order and looked at the cover. Project New Rainbow. A study in the possibility of reanimating lifeless matter and turn a dead mind back in consciousness. The creature had a really bad feeling about this, but she sat down, and started to read. Twilight Sparkle awoke in the same position she fainted in. Apparently noone found her. But the commotion was still att full throttle. Now they seemed to aim all their anger at her... Twilight needed to step back and think, easier said than done.. What had really happened? Pound was hurt, Applejack was beaten to a pulp and Zecora was...dead? And who got the blame? she did. All because of her... all because of her...creature? That couldn't be! That just couldn't be! She had been acting out of love! And nothing bad comes out of love! She got angry all of a sudden. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT US! AND YOU HAVE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF LOVE YOU IGNORANT..." Seconds later, she had teleported her way out of ponyville. If Spike had been here, he probably would have said something about it being bad giving away your position to an angry mob by screaming at them but what did he know anyway? Luckily it would take the townsponys some time to wake Spike to make him tell where she had gone. Though, some part of her mind told her that this wasn't right. She should not treat ponys like this. She shouldn't leave her friends bleeding in the towns square, or beting them with a chair. But that part was very soon gagged and put in a cell back in her cortex. She hadn't done ANYTHING wrong! THEY were wrong! And she was going to show them just HOW wrong! And her poor Dashie...Where could she be? The castle. That was the only solution. She had trained her herself. After Zecora, there was now way she had stayed in the everfree. And so Twilight ran for the castle. ... She opened the door to the laboratory. The creature sat at the table head in her hooves. She did not raise her head when Twilight entered. She just stared blankly straight forward. "Dashie?" No response. Twilight walked up to her, and now, the creature did look at her. "Dashie, what..." "Why, Twilight? Why?" "What?" "Why did you do this to me?" "Do what?" The creature stared at Twilight for some seconds, then it took a piece of paper and started to read. " 'The left hindleg was to badly decomposed to be reanimated. I made a visit last night to the morgue, and after two hours I found a earthpony with almost the same color and height. From the same body I took some part of the intestinal system that also needed replacement.' Oh, but wait, this is getting better. 'Since the right wing is to badly damaged to recover, I will haveto track down a pegasi with almost the same height. Since it is of most importance for the wing to be fresh, I will need the donor to be alive at the moment of donation." The creature put down the paper, and looked at Twilight. "What have you done to me? This is not my body. I do not want any other body than mine!" "Dash...this is your body..." "It is not! My fur was blue! My mane and tail were rainbowcolored! My eyes were red! I had the cutie mark of a cloud with a rainbow bolt. I was the fastest flyer in Equestria! I was the Dash! Popular! Lucky! Free! ...happy. I was not...like this... " The creature paused, a very pregnant pause. "NOT...like this" "You...you can talk? You remember?" "THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT! Do you realize what you have made me into? I am a creature that no pony can love! You know what I did? YOU KNOW WHAT I DID? I almost killed a foal beacause it was TO LOUD AND HIS WINGS DIDN'T COME OFF! and just because I was shaped this way, My BEST FRIEND wanted to KILL me, and I WANTED TO KILL HER!! I almost did...Do you realize how much that hurts? And...the one pony who saw beyond that...the one who gave me back my memorys...I killed her...with my own hooves...because it was to painful..." "Dashie...I love..." "YOU DON'T LOVE ME! You loved the feeling, you loved to be loved by me. You were more in love with love than with me! If you really HAD loved me, you wouldn't done THIS to me!" The creature rose from the chair, and walked towards Twilight. For every step, she deliberately showed every scar on her body. She overdid the limp slightly, and she precipitated her odd pair of wings "I was only a freaking experiment to you! Just a fun little thing so you could have something to play with! Did you ever ask yourself if I WANTED to come back like this? I DON'T! I DON'T! I don't want to live like this! The pain...Do you understand the pain I feel every second? To know that I can never be one of you...to remember something that was me, but never again will be me?" Twilight stayed silent, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "Do you realize how it feels to remember how it was to be among friends, then wake up, understanding that those friends will never come back! Never look at you like they did before? Never treat you as an equal again? They called me a monster. They can not see how I could be anything else!..." The creature was silent once more. She continued to look at twilight. "Not that I don't agree with them. I AM a monster! And YOU were the one who turned me into a monster! I hate you! No... I don't hate you! I despice you! I Loathe you! I hope you end up in tartarus for this...you freak!" Twilight was still crying, she wasn't even looking at the creature. So, she went over to Twilight, took her face in her hooves and looked her in the eyes. Twilight turned away her eyes. She knew what was coming, she waited for the blow. Which never came. "You think I'm going to hurt you? Kill you? Make you pay? Treat you the way I treated Applejack, cause that's the only thing you deserve? No. Oh no, that is to easy for you!" The creature pulled Twilights face closer to her own. It was almost like she was going to kiss her, but she didn't of cource. She resumed her speaking, but now in a low voice, dripping with hate and bitterness. " This is my punishment for you! You shall never leave my side! You will stay with me as an outcast, as a pony non grata and you will see me everyday as a rememberance of what you've done. Everywhere we go, they all shall now what you did! And the only one who will talk to you is me...to spend your whole existence with the creature who hates you most of them all!" She let go of Twilights face, and turned away from her. She couldn't bare to look at her maker again. The creature walked out from the laboratory. She had no intentions of mercy, she just had decided that the pain would sink in a bit more if Twilight were allowed to be alone for a while. But partly, she also felt the pain herself. Every word she had said was true. Her life was pain. Endless, unbearable pain. And the worst pain was tha fact that she actually had hopes that it would have worked. Because down in her heart she still loved Twilight. But that love could never be. And that was the biggest reason for her to hate Twilight. For making her never be able to love her again. She went for her saddlebags. She had prepared thier egress even before Twilight arrived, because she knew there was no toher way out of this than to leave ponyville and Equestria for ever. When she returned to the laboratory, Twilight was still laying on the floor, but now on a heap of dry hay that by some reason was placed in a corner. "So...Twilight Sparkle. Are you ready?" "Yes...Yes..." "Hmm? No begging for mercy? No speach about how 'this was all I could do' or 'It was for love'? Hmm? No attempt to persuade me?" "No...No...I can't. I won't...please...I want to...stay with you." "What?" "I am...also a monster. They think so...they all think so...They want to get us both...they don't understand...They hate me as much as they ...hate you...I think..." The creature couldnt believe her ears. For a moment, she was wondering if that was a part that had been replaced as well. Twilight looked at her with tearful eyes. It was pathetic and meek, but still. "Dashie...What you just said...That's everything I want. Thats all I want. I don't care if nopony loves me, I don't care if they all hate me. I don't care if you hate me...just don't ever leave me. I can't live without you. Even if you deny me your love and only give me your hate...I will live with that, I will take the pain... But please don't leave me. Ever again." That moment, the creature did realize the depth in Twilights feelings. Alright, it was a very twisted love... but it was love. And she loved HER. The creature wasn't really sure how she felt about this, but, by pure instinct you might say, she walked up to Twilight and put her wings around her. And for a moment, there was just silence and comfort. One of those moments you wish would last forever. Then there was an explosion. And a Voice. A big voice. "TWILIGHT SPARKLE! With all the authority that has been given to me by the people of Equestria, I demand you to come out here and face your crimes!" Celestia. Oh Celestia. Author's Note “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Isaiah 43:25 "YEAH RIGHT" Celestia.
7. In other words It is well known that desperate actions very seldom leads to anything good or productive. When you, in Hockey for example, decides to change your goalkeeper for an extra forward, it usually ends with the other team winning with 5-2 instead of 3-2. Therefore, it is always better to have someone watching your back than driving forward. It is also a good idea to be prepared or at least have a discussion about which way to run or decide who takes the lead. Well, if you want to stick together, that is. Sometimes you want that, sometimes you don't, but if one of you wants that, and the other one is a bit uncertain, there will be some unncesarry screaming. Which might lead to the ponys that looking for you, easily finds you directed by your voices. You can never predict how you are going to react in a stressful situation. That's why "Know thyself" is so very important. The more you know about yourself and you abilitys, the more unpredicitve situation you can deal with. If, by chance, you fall, or slip over an edge, and you have wings, it is not a big problem, you can always fly. However, if you tend to forget that you have wings, or haven't grown used to them, you probably will fall to your death. Well, you might remember eventually. But that is probably to late. If your fall is combined with you being hit by the magic beam from a unicorns horn, the chock will extend the time it takes for you to regain control. Remember: always keep your calm. Some ponys might use your anger, confusion or despair against you, but the most common problem is that your own conciosness and ability to make decisions is darkened by this, usually without any onter ponys involvement. Especially if there is a matter of life or death, depending of your choice. It is worth saying; she who fights and runs away may live to fight another day. There is also the matter of pride. Pride is mostly a rather stupid thing, making ponies do things they don't really must do, or mostly, really can't do, but still aim for because if they don't,people might think they're loosers. Mostly, this is more of a problem for the pony herself, and not her surroundings. They mostly think that doing something out of pride is stupid. Bullies often use this method, to make their victims humiliate themselves without the bullies themselves really doing anything. How the horn of the unicorns physically makes magic is not fully reasearched, but one has gotten as far as knowing the horns consist of a blend of sub-cellular structures that each one creates high, but raw magical energy. The tip oft the horn is able to focus this ambient magical energy in a way that actually makes is useful. When fully concentrated, it can be used for the purpose of attack. However, as I said, calmness is necessary for any sucessful achievment, both went it comes to the aspect of actually hitting your target, but, wich is often sadly overlooked, also the fact that you forget your own defence. It is also a matter of training, knowing how to aim, but that's pretty much what everypony understands. Or, in other words: The creature and Twilight made a desperate run for escape. They argued where to run, and Twilights yelled that the creature must wait. However, since they didn't look behind them, a shot from Celestias horn makes the creature slip and fall down into the abyss. The rest is silence. The only sound is from the fire, eating the castle. Author's Note Sometimes, less is more.
8. You never walk alone. Twilight looked over the edge. There was no sight of her love anywhere. She turned around to face her former teacher and her former friends. Nopony said anything, and when Twilight finally broke the silence, her voice was totally emotionless. "You killed her" Celstia looked her student in the eye. She was worried, cause she saw nothing. No emotions, no crasiness, nothing. She could only hope that her neat and faithful student was still in there somewhere. And she also felt, that she didn't really need to ha a reason for her doings. "Twilight...it was necessary. She was a threath" Again silence. Twilight didn't even seem to listen. Her eyes were locked onto Celestia. And her voice had that same empty tone even this time. "You killed her. You killed my love. Now I am alone. Again. Why did you do this to me?" Celestia took a step back. This wasn't good. If sane Twilight was somewhere down there inside crazy Twilight it wouldn't be easy reach through... If she...tried to show interest then maybe she could reach through? Mad scientists seamed to be easier to deal with when you showed them proffessional interest. There was only one problem. The pony best equipped to do that type of talk was Twilight sparkle... "Twilight, please listen! It was really an impressive study! It is...really... an...extention of the knowledge about...ponys and...their lives...and..." "How?" "Sorry?" "How? In what way is it an extention of the knowledge about ponys and their lives? Is it the part about the measurement of electric amplitude in the sinoatrial node? Or the experiment on the recovery of transplated skin tissue from another host?" Now there was emotion in Twilights voice, but the emotions was superiority and contempt. "Please explain to me, oh great and powerful princess! What do you understand? The scientific profe of life? The process regaining activity in a recently inactivated hypothalamus? Cause believe me, you don't. None of you do. I am the only pony that has this knowledge! You don't understand a bucking THING! Because if you had, then you wouldn't have KILLED HER!" This was another real feeling, but to see a total lack of emotion change into a down right furious pony was no improvement. Twilights horn glow, and her mane started to burn. "Twilight, please! Listen to me! This was ..." "It was MY creation! MY love! You are not allowed to speak about it!" ""Twilight...she killed Zecora! She almost killed Applejack and Pound!" "She told me she was sorry! It was an accident!" They all looked at Twilight with sadness and a bit of disgust. She had to be taken into custody, which was painful enough for Celestia, but if this could be solved without any more violence it would be the best. She looked into Twilights eyes. They were almost completely black. But there was one last chance... If Celestia choosed the right words... "Well...say it was a accident! How long would it be before the next accident? She would be equally sorry, but that wouldn't help!" "So you decided that KILLING her was the best thing?" Celestia closed her eyes. There was nothing left to do but play the game to the end. She opened her eyes, raised her head, and spoke with the regal voice. "Twilight, her existence was an insult to life in equestria. She needed to be terminated." "You ...are calling... MY creation...MY Rainbow... an insult to life?" Twilight got more and more angry. She started to glow white. This had only happened once before, but her friends remembered it. Twilight really frigthened them now, even Celestia. Twilights fur was now glowing white, and her mane was burning flames. Her eyes looked like a well right down to tartarus. "If... she... was... anything, she was a CELEBRATION of life! HOW DARE YOU CALL HER A MONSTER? HOW DARE YOU! DIE, I TELL YOU! DIE, YOU FUCKING DICTATOR!" Twilight charged her horn with magic, and shot at Princess Celestia. She was fast, and she did hit her former teacher pretty bad, but when she prepared for the next blow, Pinkamena charged into her right side. However, though Twilight had fallen over, her magic and concentration was unbroken, and Pinkanmena soon found herself floating in the air, with a magical grip on ther troath that shut of all air. Rarity and Luna combined there forces in a single thrust against Twilight. It didn't hit, because Twilight dodged it, but she let go of Pinkamena. However, the short moment of distraction was enough for Celestia to regain all her power, and she charged her horn. Fluttershy saw this, and she started to fly around Twilight as another distraction and when Twilight finally got suspicious, it was to late. Even though she channeled all her power into a powerful blow, the combined forces of Luna, Celestia and Rarity was to much for her. Her defence broke down, and the final blow was bulls-eye. Twilight fell lifeless to the ground. Rarity, Pinkamena, Fluttershy, Celestia, Luna and Spike all formed a ring around the fallen Twilight Sparkle. None of them spoke, and most of them were crying. The Castle was burning thoroughly now, the explosion and the fight had destroyed the remaining towers and everything was now in flames. Celestia was the first to break the silence. "My faithful student....I did not lie to you before. Actually I am jealous. You searched for knowledge, and you did indeed gain a deeper knowledge than me. You have indeed given us a deeper understanding of the limits of life. Your work will not be in vain. But still..." She made a pregnant pause. "Still... what you did is...unforgiveable. You don't play with life like this. Your body will be taken to canterlot for cremation. I can not assume anypony in your family or in this community would wan't anything to do with you. And... "Then let me have her!" Everypone looked up. Who was that who dared to interupt the princess? Everpony turned around to see...the creature. She was, beyound all reason, still alive. She was burned, and bruised, but she was alive, and apparently very angry. "Give her to me. I can take care of her. I will give her... what she deserves." "Stand back, you monster! If you value your life, you..." Rarity lovered her horn, and it sparkled with magic, but she was interupted. The creature charged at her, struck her in the flank, and before anypony got the chance to react, she grabbed Twilight and flew away with her in the distance. "Where is it taking her?" Luna. "I don't know... I can't see..." "It flew into the castle!" Pinkamena was obeservant. "The castle...we must stop it!" They ran trough the burning castle, and the saw the creature standing in front of the gate into the main hall, where the fire was at its peak. It still carried Twilight, and it walked slowly, but determined towards the flaming gate. "Stop! Stop! RAINBOW, STOP!" Fluttershy called out. The creature halted. "What did you call me?" "Rainbow...Rainbow Dash...That's your name, is it not?" The creature seemed to think. "It was my name. Once. Not any more. I am not the Rainbow you remember. Perhaps I once hoped that I could become her once again. But it is impossible. I know that. And for your information...Twilight is not dead. At least not yet." "Put Twilight down, you freak! Or else..." That was Pinkamena. "Or else, what? You think you can scare me? With what? Magic? I'm still standing, in spite of your efforts. Punishment? I suffer, every moment I suffer the pain of being alive. You think you can do worse? Death? Don't you realize...I've seen death. I've been to the other side, and returned." The creature paused. The other ponies were silent. The words of the creature had to sank in. "I know death. And I prefered it. I have no fear, I know what awaits me. And I'm going back to it. I am going to my death, without fear." "We will let you die, but leave Twilight." "No. If you want to kill me, you are welcome. But then...you must kill her aswell" Again there was silence. This time, it was broken by Fluttershy. Her voice shivered with despair and crying over the creatures cruelty. "Why? Why do you want to do such a thing to her? What makes you think we could do that? Why do you hate her so much that..." "I do not hate her." The creature interupted Fluttershy. Then she looked at Twilight with eyes that were almost tearful. "...I love her." You could have heard the dropping of a pin in that moment. "Yes, I love her. That is the grandest thing I remember from my other existence. Her love for me. And her love has been the same towards me in my new existence. I do not wish her to go away." "But if...why are you going... into the fire?" "Didn't I say, I know death? Didn't I say that I know what's on the other side. It's a place where I and my love can be together. Forever. Where I can still be hers and she can be mine, and NOPONY can stand in our way!" The creature paused briefly, but continued before anypony could say anything else. "What can you give her here? Punishment? There is nothing in this world left for her. You have all abandoned her, followed her like a prey, treated her like a paria. I know. I've seen you, I heard your last words to her...Princess." The creatures words, especially her adressing Celestia drooled with bitterness and contempt. "...I know how it feels. I will take her to a place where nothing more can hurt her!" And with those words, The creature that once was Rainbow walked into the flames. Soon, they were absorbed by them. Pinkamena and Luna was on their way to run in after them, but the second after they had dissapeared into the flames, the walls fell in, and blocked the way. There was now no way in getting them out. All they could do was watch as the flames grew. ... Rainbow...is it you?" It is, my love. Have you come for me? I have. Promise you never leave me? I will never leave you. Do you see it? I see. It's beautiful. Is it for us? It is. I made it for us. Do you want to have a closer look at it? Yes. Yes, I want that. Then come with me. This is for only you and me, and I promise...it is forever. I love you, Rainbow Dash. And I love you, Twilight sparkle. .... Although their was an immediate gathering of the wonderbolts to create a rainstorm over the fire, there was nothing to do. The fire continued trough the night, and The bodies were found two days later. There was no skin, no hair and no flesh. Only two burnt skeletons lying under a cracked wall, but Rainbow had apparently held on tho Twilight into the very end. It sort of looked like a groom carrying a bride to a wedding. Author's Note I DARE anyone to try to make a sequel out of THIS! Now, for further watching, this is the original Frankenstein, and this is the mother of all nightmares! No, not really... but this is the movie that made the monster what it is today. HOWEVER... The inspiration to this...thingy...comes mostly from the movie Young Frankenstein which I highly recommend. First of all, it is really funny, and it actually is pretty much the same plot as the original, so you will get it even if you haven't seen that one. The other inspiration comes from a Swedish book aimed for children, called "The aunt of Frankenstein". If you can read swedish, find a copy. It's hilarious. Now, this story is pretty dark, and if you wonder where i got THAT from, then you must read "Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus" by Mary Shelley. That's THE book, yes. It's gothic, its grim...it's good. Yeah...and the end...If you have read some Astrid Lindgren you might recognize it. That's all. Now i must clean my apartment.
1. A very modest beginning. Applejack slowly walked towards the centre of Ponyville. In her saddlebag she had an old number of Equestria Daily. She always carried that one around to remind herself. It was a tough thing to understand. Her best friend and rival was no more. Death was no a stranger to Applejack, but when it happened to someone close... well... you never can tell how you're going to react. And so, she always carried the newspaper. To remember...and look straight into the face of fact. Rainbow Dash was dead. It was four weeks ago today. Dash had been playing the hero, as always. And, she did save the lives of three foals. But at the cost of her own. Their circle of friends had been split and broken. Pinkie had become Pinkamena and refused to do anything other than funerals. Rarity had taken her marefriend Fluttershy with her and moved to Canterlot. Applejack thought of herself as one pony who didn't let these thing affect her but she had to face the fact that she buried herself in work so she could avoid the truth. So she could pretend it was just...temporary. But she had to come through at some point. And she did. And she started to work on Pinkie. She was coming along a bit. And Fluttershy took care of Rarity. The four of them where on their way back. But...But the worst case was Twilight. Not surprising,being Rainbow Dash's marefriend she would be the one taking the most damage. And to say Rainbow was the big love of her life was the biggest understatement in the world. Rainbow was Twilights life. Alpha and Omega. Rainbow was the one who made Twilight come out of the closet, and she also was her first real lover. She lived, she breathed, and she ate Rainbow Dash and her thoughts and opinion on life. They hadn't understood how much of Twilights view of the world was based on Rainbow. Her whole existence had crashed, along with Rainbow Dash. Applejack hadn't really understood this until quite recently when she realized she hadn't seen Twilight around for some time. Days passed, and a thing that seemed understandable at first became more and more strange and eccentric. In the beginning she had told herself that Twilight was the strong, most sound pony of them all. She would work her way through it all, but... The first time she had seen her at the funeral... Twilight had been a wreck. She had assumed that Twilight wasn't more hurt than any one of them, but as time passed, apparently that was wrong. There had to be no more denial, Applejack had to be honest with herself. Something was wrong with Twilight. Very very wrong. But... after all the trouble she had bringing Pinkie back...she wasn't sure she was as strong as she needed to be to help Twilight. When she realized that Twilight was the most hurt of them all, she felt like she had betrayed her friend. Still, she had kept on, hoping it would pass. But nothing changed, and after avoiding the problem for a few more days, something HAD TO be done, and she decided she needed to pay her a visit. "Ah hope ahm not gonna regret dis now..." Applejack knocked on the door of the library. It took some minutes, then Spike opened the door. He looked extremely tired. And Applejack was ashamed. It was actaully the first time she had visited the library since the accident. And she knew none of her friends had paid a visit either. They only met Twilight at the funeral and even then, she didn't talk to any of them. Not anypony else either. They had abandoned her, but at the same time, she had isolated herself as well. So, what were the first word Applejack choose to sa when she now stood in front of the library, trying to make amends, having not shown herself for almost a month? "Hiya, Spike." "Hi AJ." ... The moment Spike opened the door, Applejack stomach decided to shrink. Now that she was here, what was there to say? She felt the struck of guilt again, but Spike looked at her with his usual expression. That made her calm down a bit, but it didn't really help her finding the words. Well, a direct approach was usually the best, so... "Well... alright, no reason to beat around the bush. Ahm sorry ah haven't been around more. How is she?" "Well, I can't lie to you AJ. She's Bad, AJ...very bad." "Thought so... how long has it been? Two weeks? Ah haven't seen her since the funeral." "Yeah...She rarely was outside before, and she hasn't left the library since she came back from it. Honestly, I never thought she would go at first." Applejack was taken a back from Spikes words. Two weeks...and then two moore. Had it really been so long? But Twilight wouldn't mind, would she? She'd understand that... it takes some time to get yourself together. But on the other hand... with a control freak like Twi thrown out in chaos... no. This was not going to be a smooth affair. "Oh...ehrm...two weeks... ehm...What exactly is she doing in there?" "She's reading." Applejack still didn't know what to say really. But...something...at least? "Reading?...well... that's good isn't it? That's what she usually does." "No, you don't understand. That's the only thing she does. No sleeping, no eating... almost nothing else either. She reads." "Oh for the love of...That's... that's..." "Yep...She's totally lost it." Applejack was a mare of action, and this was a situation that needed a solution quick. "Ah better go in and have a talk..." Spike blocked the door, quickly, nervously waving his claws at Applejack. "Not a good idea, AJ. I know you mean well... but Twilight...can't see anyone. She screams. She fights... She...she almost attacked Princess Luna when she tried to reason with her three days ago. And it's basically only because I promised Princess Celestia to not let anyone near her that she didn't throw her to Tartarus. I don't know what to do right now but to save Ponyville from her!" "But...But...she can't stay like that! She must...yer have to talk to her. Something needs to be done! Doesn't she listen to yer?" "I tried. She won't listen to anypony" "She will break down." "She's already broken AJ. Her eyes are hollow, there is nothing left in there. She's a maniac, she scrools through endless books of magic. And when she finished them all, she started from the very beginning. And now..." "But why? Does she want to keep her mind busy or what?" Spike shook his head. "No. She thinks of Rainbow all the time. She's...researching. She's trying to find a way...to get her back." Applejack gasped. That was the absolutely last thing she expected. And it made her equally sad, upset and urgent to throw up. This was...bizarre. No, it was worse than bizarre, it was just...just... "To...get...her...BACK? But...that's...that’s insane! That's...impossible! That's just...gross!" "Yep. It is." "Does...the princesses know?" "Why do you think Luna was here?" "But... yer must have tried..." "I told you AJ. I have tried. But nothing gets through. She has built her self a wall. She only has two modes, either she's dead silent or..." Suddenly a cry flew through the air. It sounded like a howling, and it was heart-breaking to hear. It was followed by a high-pitched and equally sad sobbing. "RAAA-AAA-AAA-AIIIN-BOOOO-OOO-OOOW! RAAHHHHAHHH-AAHHHHA-AAAHHHH-AIIIN-BOOOO-OOOHHH-OOOHHHHW! " "Was that..." "Yep. That's the other mood. And it means that she dozed off for a minute. And when she does, she always have nightmares. Sorry, AJ, but I have to look after her. And...AJ..." "Yeah?" "It was nice of you to stop by. I really appreciate it. I understand that this is really tough for you to, I don't blame you for dealing with yourself. I just...miss you all. I hope this will soon be over." Spike closed the door behind him. Applejack just stood there, staring at the door. She had come to look after her friend, to try to make amends. Trying to mend some cracks. But Twilight was beyond that. Whatever help she needed, Applejack wan't the pony to give it to her. She had never felt more empty before in her whole life. "Yer know what...Ah doubt this will ever be over. We didn't only loose Rainbow. We lost Twilight as well." ... Coming down to the basement of the library, Spike found Twilight where he left her. She was laying on a pile of papers, hay, and excrements. She looked like she'd been bathing in dust and mud, and she smelled.. I know it's a bad thought, but it's sort of good that she doesn’t eat...change the hay is easier without the manure... "Twilight...I'm here. What is it?" "THERE IS NO-OH-OH-THING in these books! Nothing!" "Twilight...please...you need to..." "I will never give up! NEVER! Giving up is for quitters! She wouldn't want me to be a quitter!" Spike looked at her friend and caretaker. Applejacks words and worried expression flew through his mind. Had he really tried to talk to her? REALLY tried to get through, really trying to break that wall? To be honest, no... He had been grieving as well. He wasn't really a dragon of feelings, and he couldn't handle someponys sorrow, especially when it was as huge as Twilights. He to had hoped that it all would be over soon. But then Twilight started to freak out... and he had been scared. He only wished she would keep calm and silent and not hurt him. He tried to keep her clean, and to make her eat something but that was all. And he saw what happened to others who tried... Luna... He was scared for what Twilight miht do, but AJ was right. Somepony HAD to try to break through. And he was the only one who could. He was the only one she let near her...but what to say? How to start? "...I don't think she would have wanted you to behave like this either. It's not...healthy." "Like I care of my own health..." Spike pulled a deep sigh, and then he began. "Please Twilight...your friends are worried about you." Twilight frowned. "Oh, are they? THEN WHY THE HAY AREN'T THEY HERE TO HELP?" He was walking on thin ice, and he didn't really know what to say. "Well...you never let them in..." "Oh...yeah...right... I LET MY FRIENDS DOWN AS WELL! I AM THE WORST PONY EVER!" Ok, that was a new development... I can't talk to here like this, she needs to calm down" "Now Twilight...try to get some real sleep, ok? I know you want to do your best, but... without sleep, you'll never...get through. If you don't sleep...you...you...you never get the strength to do a proper research!" I can't believe I'm actually saying this to her...But she needs to behave...If I play along, she might actually get better. "Come one Twilight... You need to be strong...for her..." Twilight stopped crying for a while, and looked like she was going to doze off again. Then, she quickly opened her eyes, and rose to her legs. She rushed in panic back and forth over the floor...until she finally ran in to a bookshelf. The books rained down on her and one hit her in the head. "Stupid Natural Science to stand there...what good has science ever done to ponies..." Twilights eyes fixed at one of the books on the floor. The one that hit her head. She took it up, and examined it close. "I heard about this one" she mumbled. "But...hmmm..." Twilight opened the book and read some of it. Then some more. Spike watched her silently. There was a new glow in her eyes. Something was awakening inside of her. For hours she read the same book, until she finally spoke. And when she did, she surpriced him more than he believed was possible. "...you know what Spike? Go outside. You need some air." Spike stared. Ok, that book had made impact, but... "Twi... are you sure...I" Spike stammered. "GET OUT OR I KILL YOU!" ... Spike left the library with great trepidation. Only the fact that Twilight actually held a knife in her magic grip made him to leave. This was just...not strange, totally wacky! He wanted things to change, but this quick? And a total hoofturn? Keeping him close for weeks and then over the course of hours, she changes just to threw him out? Threating him with a knife? He noticed that other ponies avoided him. Not strange at all really, but disturbing. Well, this day had been enough. The emotional rollercoaster was to much, and he couldn't make himself care. Twilight today, Ponyville tomorrow. At least now they had tea again. An even more grotesque and odd view awaited him when he returned. The basement had been cleaned. The books were back on the shelf. No smell, no dirt, no smudged hay... nothing. And no Twilight! Then he heard a snore. He found Twilight in her own bed. She was clean, and apparently she had eaten something. What the HAY has happened to her... you don't change from freaked out to calm just like that...you don't. But if there is something she needs more than anything, there is sleep. I'll talk to her in the morning... And the morning after, Twilight was a different pony. She ate, she washed up, and she went out! Spike could hardly believe his eyes. What in the world had happened? But Twilight didn't explain herself, neither to him, nor her friends. She just said that everything was going to be good again soon. Spike wasn't satisfied with that explanation, but when he had been asking to many questions, Twilight had snapped at him an brought the knife back. So he kept his mouth shut. Applejack had also been suspicious, but she didn't get anything out of Twilight either. And Celestia had paid her visits almost every day to check up on her. But Twilight said nothing further, and everypony was ro reliefed that she was back, so in the end, they just let it go. But Spike soon realized something was wrong still. Not on the surface, she was eating, sleeping, talking to ponies... but there was something. She was... looking for something. She was keeping listas away from him. Going into stores without him. She started to be gone for whole days. She went away in the morning, came back in the evening with no explanation. Just the saddlebags that she never let anypony near. And then she disappeared. They all went looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. They searched everywhere, but she was removed from the surface of the earth, as it seemed. And everypony wondered "Where is she? And what is she doing?" Nothing. No trace. There was some dreadful days for Spike, but he was about to find out everything, in the most horrifying way. Because one night he woke up, Twilight stood next to his bed. Staring at him. With those crazy eyes and the smile of an axemurderer... "Twilight? What is it? Where have you been?" "You know Spike...I was WRONG!" wrong? About what? Ok... lets tag along... that's what they say you shall when you handle lunatics. "Oo..k? So..." Twilight interrupted him "I thought magic was the only solution! That magic was the solution to all life’s problems. But I was wrong. They all were wrong! All the petty little minds of Celestia and Luna..." "Eh...I don't think you should talk about the princesses that way..." "THEY DESERVE IT! THEY DIDN'T DO A THING TO SAVE HER! THEY COULD HAVE...but they just went gibbering about ethics, and the life code and shit. And they said that nothing COULD BE DONE!" Keep calm, Spike, keep calm... "Nothing...can be done. She is dead, Twilight." "Yes...At the moment..." Oh sweet celestia, what has she done... "Twilight...you're scaring me...I don't like that look in your eyes..." "Come with me spike! I will show you..." ... Author's Note *Gasp*! Dun dun DUUUUH!
