After lunch, Twilight, Celestia, and Luna retreated back to Celestia's chambers. Cadence was asked to join, but declined to accompany Ember and the others, for whatever reason.

Twilight began her tale again, "Where was I?"

"The meeting with Deathwing."

"Oh, right! So, we had the meeting with Deathwing and briefed her on the plan. She agreed, and I switched some attributes of Monotone and Deathwing, namely, Deathwing's strength. After that, Monotone dropped the college she was attending in Canterlot and moved to Cloudsdale, where she was accepted into the flying academy. I'll be honest: We didn't really have a reason for giving Monotone Deathwing's strength. I guess it could have been to ensure that Princess Celestia would accept 'Fluttershy' as one of my friends."

Celestia was offended. "I-I... am I really that predictable... that... you could plan on me sending you to a town to make friends... before you were even my student... before we even met..?" she said with a sad look on her face.

"I... I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better, no, we could not predict that far ahead. It was probable however, that if I was an introvert, which I was, that you would eventually send me away to make friends," Twilight said with a straight face.

Celestia pouted at this.

"I'm... sorry, I guess, but back to the topic at hoof..."

I still remember it like it was only but a year ago; it was a clear morning, with wispy clouds floating high in the mesosphere. To the south, way, way, off in the distance there was a front, but it was moving east. I remember the early morning purple-orange twilight, and seeing a flash of lightning off in the south from the front. I woke up extra early that day, just to be sure that I didn't miss entry exams for the School of Gifted Unicorns. Getting in that... fine establishment was not my goal, however.

So, there I was, waiting for my turn to, well, get the Princesses attention. I knew, that, if I displayed my magical capabilities, I would have very good chance of getting your attention. The biggest problem with showing off my true capabilities is that it was far beyond what was needed to hatch the egg, and I would need an excuse.

So, again, waiting. There were two ponies ahead of me, and I was starting to feel a bit nervous. I had to think of an excuse. I sat there, thinking, while glancing at the clock every few seconds. The door opened, a pony walked out, and a voice spoke from inside the room, "Sand Myriad." The next pony in line trotted into the testing hall. One more, then it's me! I thought frantically. What... do... I do? I sat, starring at the floor, exclaiming to the crevices in the tessellation on the ground. I thought the test was going to be harder! No, I can't think about that now; what do I do?! I examined the tiles some more, hanging my head low, letting the blood rush to my forehead. Wait, that's it. Okay, I go, act nervous. Something drops on the floor, it spooks me, I freak out. Maybe I can try out that transmutation spell on some actual ponies. I had a plan that I was happy with, so I developed some of the finer details. I can use the spell, but I have to make it reversible. I don't want anypony to die... yet.

Sand Myriad walked out of the room, leaving one more pony. "Grey Fog, please come in." I'm next. I began to get nervous again. I know I can pull this off, so what am I nervous about? Agh! I hate this body. Someday, I'll transcend you. You'll see...

It was a nervous, brain aneurysm inducing wait. "Twilight Sparkle." I walked in and shut the door behind me. "Well, Ms. Sparkle," A pony with a light pink mane and yellow beige coat prodded. Okay, I need to fake a struggle. I tilted my head toward the egg and shot some magic sparks out of my horn. I added silent grunting and eye clenching for "special effects". It was quite a performance, if I do say so myself.

Boom! All the instructors looked up from their papers and out the windows above my head. It actually startled me; a lot. The shocked forced a wave of energy through my horn. It's funny, because this hadn't been part of the plan. The pony that caused this will pay severely, someday. If I live, I thought, even through awful pain in my head.
"How... coincidental?" Luna stated.

"Heh, yeah," Twilight said.

I casted so many muscle-memory spells at once that my forehead felt like it was going to explode. But, at the same time, it felt, to my disgust, good. I had power in that moment.

I was feeling weaker and weaker by the centisecond. The spells were draining all my energy, and I was close to collapsing. This is it.... I tried, at least. I think I left my top drawer open... darn. I guess I'll be remembered as that pony.

Before I knew what happened, I was being soothed by the princess herself. Little did she know, she was falling right into our plan.

"I... I... I feel so..." Celestia scowled in sadness.

"I-I know... I'm sorry..." Twilight frowned. "And... you really did save me that day.... I am eternally grateful, honestly. Besides, I really have missed you, all this time. Part of me--not even a deeply buried part--was hoping that Ember failed, so I could come and see you. Again, I'm so sorry for the things I've done to you..."

"You haven't done anything to this Celestia, Twilight." Celestia made an effort to smile, even through the "used" feeling. "At least, not yet... I think."

Twilight smiled as well and continued. "And, so, as you know, I became the princess's student. It was many long years, and in all that time, she took all the bait I laid out. In fact, she was somewhat close to figuring out the plan a few times, but it was quite easy to distract her away, no offense, with all the going-on's in Equestria. I knew that if I were antisocial, the princess would send me away to make friends, where I could more easily carry out aspects of the plan. It worked out though, because I was pretty antisocial already, regardless of the plan. It's almost sad; in all these years, my utterly best friend has always been Monotone, the other extremely socially awkward pony."

I also was aware long before the night I faced Nightmare Moon that there was a second original alicorn, that being Luna. Oh, and don't mention Nightmare Moon around my daughters. The story kind-of got really mangled in the future. Anyway, me knowing about Luna was a very important piece in the plan; that's just some foreshadowing."

After you sent me to Ponyville, I met up with the other participants in the plan Deathwing and Monotone had recruited. Monotone recruited Pinkie Pie, who was commonly called Oracle for her ability to predict events. There is also Envy, who disguised herself as an Earth Pony known as Applejack. She's actually a changeling. She's an expert in manipulation magic. Rarity, who still calls herself Rarity, was actually an expert in enchanted crystals, and, in more recent years has been into smithing enchanted weapons and armor, and was also in on the plan."

Those are the main ponies. But I digress. Sort-of. Okay, I digressed for real that time.

But anyway! That's beside the point. I arrived in pony, as you all know.

When I arrived, in my chariot, I knew the others would be waiting around town. I only knew of Monotone, and Deathwing--
"By the way, what do you want me to call them by?" Twilight asked.

"I'd call them by their fake names... it make's things easier." As Celestia spoke, Luna nodded.

--I only knew of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, so I had to go around town to meet them all. As you know, those were also, conveniently, the ponies that were doing preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration.

When Spike and I arrived, I was quite surprised--and annoyed--to meet a pony by the name of Pinkie Pie, who subsequently gasped and ran off as soon as we spoke.

I first went to the pony known as Applejack. We discussed Summer Sun preparations, food wise, as the princess had told me to do, and ended on me asking her to meet me at the library after Nightmare Moon had returned.

"When will I know when Nightmare Moon has returned?"

"Don't worry, she'll make it obvious. I'm quite sure of that."

Next, I went to talk to Rainbow Dash. After receiving the extra capabilities, she had become quite cocky. "So, Rainbow Dash, aren't you going to clear the skies?" I asked, mocking her.

"Oh no, something something Wonderbolts," she joked.

Later, was Rarity. Not much to say there. Same thing as with Applejack.

Afterwards, I met with Fluttershy. She had a very different attitude than the Deathwing I had met earlier. She was a lot more fragile, having her strength stripped from her.

"So, you must be Fluttershy," I asked sarcastically.

"Yes," she squeaked.

"What was that?"

"Yes..." she squeaked again.

"Uhm..."

"Oh my gosh! Is that a baby dragon! I've never seen one of those before!" she exclaimed excitedly.

I sighed. I waited for a minute before I said anything. Then I leaned over and whispered to her, "He'll be yours someday."

She fell silent. "Meet me at the library after Nightmare is released." I grabbed Spike in my magic and we left.

And so, after Nightmare Moon was released, we all went back to the tree house. When we were all firmly planted, Rainbow Dash asked efficiently and to-the-point, "How do we release the alicorn. By the way, what is her name?"

"We'll find out when we release her, I guess," I stated unsure. "Anyway, though, about releasing her: we'll have to use those gems Monotone told you about. We will receive them when we reach the old castle in the Everfree. They are a necessity for not only this operation, but also others in the future. They channel ambient magic into me; the enchantment is weak, however, so this is why all of them must be gathered, and within short range, for it to be effective. They may also amplify your ability, Oracle, but that is just speculation. Anyway, if we combine all of the magics, I'll have enough power to break the alicorn away from Nightmare moon. Do note, though, and this is really important: do not mention this around Princess Celestia. She still thinks that the gems personify some 'friendship attribute'—and will no doubt make me write a paper about them. So, though, are there any questions?"

"Yes, I have one. You said the gems channel our energy into you. Will it put strain on us?" Applejack asked.

"As far as I can tell, no, nothing notable. You should all come back alive and well, as long as she doesn't start absorbing my magic."

"And what are the chances of that?" Monotone asked again.

"I can't give an exact amount, but from what the old stories say about this second alicorn, she doesn't appear to be too cunning. I highly doubt she will think fast enough to come up with such a thing. Are there any more questions?" Everyone else shook their heads. "Alright, let's stay close when we traverse the Everfree. The magical residue is dense and very corrupted there."

"I think I can see the castle from here. And it seems Nightmare Moon is here too. Oddly sentimental, don't you think?" Rarity joked.

"Yes, well, she doesn't exactly know about the Castle in Canterlot."

We walked forward and came to a large gorge with a fallen bridge. "Twilight, can you teleport us across?" Rarity asked

"I would teleport, but the air is too thick with magic. It will infuse with us," I explained, "So, Monotone, get the other end of the bridge and fix it."

Rainbow Dash--or Monotone--I'm just going to call her Monotone--flew over where she was met by, some, well, bad thwarting attempts.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash we are the-"

"First of all, Night-Bolt-Bat-Dark's, my name is't Rainbow Dash. Second of all, I will have exponentially more power by simply going on the path I am now than I ever would joining you. Do you even offer eternal life?"

"N-"

"Exactly. Goodbye." She tied up the other end of the bridge and flew back to the ledge where we were all standing. "Sorry about that, Nightmare Moon was trying to get me to break my 'loyalty'."

"Well, she can't just kill you, that'd be too easy," I replied.

We trotted across the rope bridge and into the decrepit main hall of the castle. Fluttershy and Monotone slowly floated the gem-orbs, or "elements", down from atop a pedestal with five arms. Pinkie Pie then noticed something rather trivial but still confusing to the six of us: "There are only five."

"Hm... this is odd. My best guess is that when the five gems are activated, it will catalyze the sixth gem. My guess is that the sixth gem will be made out of pure magic," I theorized.

Just then, Nightmare moon tried to steal the five gems with a direction spell. I jumped into the rudimentary vortex to hopefully thwart her, which I did. We ended up being redirected to the throne room, which, as you know, was a building above the main hall.

She stomped on the gem-orbs and shattered them. It looks like we get to design our own, then, I thought, adding a silver lining.

"You little foal, thinking you could defeat me! Now you will never see your princess, or your sun. The night--will last--forever!"

"You're a joke, you know that?"

"Excuse me?!"

"You're a joke. You're a failure and a joke. I'm sure Celestia just felt sympathy for you because you're such a failure, so she let you play you're little 'I'm an evil overlord' game. I would feel sorry for you too, if you weren't so ignorant and cocky. You make it easy to hate you."

"You-you stupid-"

Just then, the others ran into the room. Rarity used a simple reconstruction spell to reassemble the shards, in the shapes of everyone's visible cutie marks. "Why must you make us do such strenuous work? Magic really takes it out of me, you know."

"But I destroyed the gems! They are unusable if I destroy them!"

"Uhm, no they aren't, moron," retorted Rarity.

"No! That's not possible! How could this be?!"

"It's obvious, idiot. The gems used enchantments based on the substance of the gem, not the volume. The enchantment is bound to the gem, not trapped inside it. I thought someone with your reputation would know that, but seeing as your Celestia's sister, I guess it should just have been assumed," Rarity growled.
"Ah!" Celestia gasped.

"Rarity said it not me!"Twilight defended herself

"Wow, you're more stupid than I had previously thought, Nightmare Moon. But that doesn't matter, the dumber the pawns the better, no? Oh wait, you wouldn't know. You don't have any pawns."

"How dare you speak to me like this! I am the night! I am darkness! I am fear! I am evil!"

"Evil? Don't bother yourself with humoring me, pawn. Luckily, you won't remember this, otherwise I'm sure you'd tell on me to Celestia. Goodbye, and thanks."

"Wha-" Before she could finish her thought, we used the gems to purge the dark magic from her body.

There, before us, laid Luna. I grinned as I saw her, knowing that the my second step to ascension had been complete.

Author's Note

Edit: this story is still alive... kinda. I'm "changeling" a piece of information. Ha.