Is Immortality Really Worth It?

Chapters

How Dare They
A Sweet Homecoming
Of Mares and Memories
Dreams of Blood and Pain
The Monster of the Mind
That Trapped Within
Lights in the Dark
A Sea of Grass
A Sweet Reunion
Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie
This... isn't what it looks like
By Moonlight and Starlight
Waters of the Moon
Fear
Gathering Threads
Confrontation
Warp and Weft
The Fraying Edge
A Tapestry of Memory... and Tragedy
Heralding the Dawn
Darkness Falls
Starfall
Memories of a Flower
A Shaman's Sight
The Morning After
Sunrise
Immortalis, Finalis
Time to Wake Up
The Dichotomy of Power
A Goddess's Wrath

How Dare They

Is Immortality Worth It?

“I- I love you Princess.” Twilight whispered, her mouth a hair's breadth from Celestia’s ear, the sweet words and warm breath sending a shiver down her spine.

“Twilight. My Faithful Student. You know that I can’t love you as anything more than my dearest friend. You are like my daughter, and I will always treasure you, but I,” She broke off, pulling her long head back. She had to look into her eyes. This would hurt her poor student more than anything, but it had to be said. Celestia would make herself watch, and feel her own heart break with her dear student. “I cannot love you.”

No justification, no pleas for forgiveness. No anger in Twilights eyes, not even surprise. There was only a confirmed sadness, the look of a pony who had her dreams shattered, before she even realized they existed. “I know Princess. I think I’ve always known. That’s why I never told you, because you would say no. Just tell me, could you love me, if you never had to lose me?”

“I- Twilight that. You can’t. I-I don’t know.” The Princess stammered. She knew that she loved the little mare, and loved her deeply. But long ago she had sworn to never again fall in love, the pain of separation was too great. As a friend, she loved all her little ponies, as family, she loved many. As confidant, she loved Luna, and Twilight and her friends. But as the other half of her soul? She refused to even think about that, it brought back too many old pains.

“Thank you Princess. That’s all I needed to know. Would you like a report on this?” The mare never took her eyes from the immortal Princess, the pony who had raised her, had taught her so much, and who had loved her. She just, hadn’t loved her the same way. It was her fault. It always was. From the first time she had tried to levitate a rock, and set the courtyard on fire, to staying in bed, crying herself to sleep over her parents, she had never been more than a bother to Celestia. She had been a horrible student, and a worse friend. Students learned from their mistakes, and proved themselves to their teachers. Friends stood by, and helped each other, not simply steal from one, like some sort of leech.

There was no sadness in Twilights eyes, no anger. There was nothing, nothing but a disappointment so deep it was etched into her bones as she stood, perfectly still. She looks, empty. The word sprung, unbidden, to Celestia’s mind. It was the only word to describe the mare, her eyes unmoving, face still, staring into her eyes. Nothing stirred behind those eyes, the mind perfectly mirroring the still, rigid body, unmoving, unfeeling, uncaring. Tears flooded Celestia’s eyes, the golden liquid flowing slowly down her face. “No. NO my student. I think I can remember.”

“Very well. I beg pardon for the intrusion, Princess. I shall show myself out.” The unicorn turned, body still ramrod stiff, and walked slowly to the door.

“Twilight.” Soft and heartfelt fell from her lips before Celestia could stop them, or even think about them. The name flowed off her tongue like sweet honey, smooth, delicious, but with the sting of the bee at the attack on its home. A needle pierced her heart at the sound of the name, so delicate, being uttered.

Twilight looked back over her shoulder, and for the briefest instant, Celestia saw the mask slip. Pure, cold, calculating hatred stared back at her. There was no anger there, there was no sadness, simply the truth, that Twilight would never speak to her willingly again, would never write to her, save to fulfill her royal duties. There would be no more cheerful recounting of the antics of her friends, no more letters in the middle of the night about how much she missed her old library in the Canterlot Castle, and her worries over fitting into the next celebration. The lavender mares eyes, so often the color of thistle, the softest, lightest purple, now shone differently. Deeper, more volatile, they now gleamed in the light. They almost looked black, the color of the berries of belladonna. Tingeing the edges of her iris, crimson streaks, blood vessels, had burst, deepening the contrast. Those eyes promised no more than the berries. Death for all who consumed them, even the one from which they came. “Goodbye Princess. I apologize again for the… inconvenience.”

Light encircled the door handle, and the unicorn slipped out, without another glance, the door shutting softly behind her. There was a brilliant flash, and the heavy scent of ozone. The unmistakable whiff of magic told her, if her aching heart had failed, that Twilight was gone, and she would never return.

“Sister?” The call came from the balcony, where Luna stood, bathed in the light of the dying sun. “Celestia, is all well?” Worry colored her tone, and she folded her wings, trotting over to her sister.

“She will never come back. I- I failed her Luna.” Celestia said, the last rays of the setting sun striking her body. The Princess of the Sun, of Light and Life, was always beautiful. The radiance, the glory of her star shone through her every movement, her very presence. But sitting there, in the glorious sunset, she was stunning. No pony will ever see a picture more perfect, a pony more glorious than Celestia in that moment. To the outsider, flying high near Canterlot, returning to his house after a long journey to Cloudsdale, the Princess almost seemed to glow golden, rather than gleaming like the finest white marble. The guards, drilling even at the last light of day, paused, glancing at her, seeing the radiant mane, shimmering and sparkling, waving in the soft solar wind.

But Luna saw even more. She saw the beauty of her sister in that moment, and was as awed as the others. But she was still more. She saw the single tear roll from her sister’s eye, shining not golden, nor even white, but a deep, blood red. Her sister had been wounded, her heart screaming in agony, but not a sign left her, not in her voice nor her carriage. But that tear, that single drop of moisture, showed the heart within, the heart bleeding for the pain that it had caused another pony. More than that though, it bleed for having hurt Twilight, the pony, the sweet filly, that she had raised, had taught and nurtured. The pony that she had loved.

Twilight looked out at the small town of Ponyville. When she had first seen the town, pulled by a pair of Royal Guards in a chariot of gold, she had been consumed by worry, fearing for her mentor, her Princess. She had known that Nightmare Moon would escape, and would try to take back control from Celestia, the true Princess of Equestria. Stymied at every pass by ponies determined to become her friends, and by the negligence of the town to heed the peril she saw, she had had no choice but to wait for the inevitable.

Then Nightmare Moon had stolen away the Princess, and she had panicked. It wasn’t until later, when she saw the Princess greeting her returned sister, the Princess Luna, that Twilight had realized why. It wasn’t that the Princess had told her, in more words, to leave and make friends. It was that the Princess, her Princess, her mentor and parent, her closest friend and confidant, had told her to leave. The pain of being told that she was unwanted, the agony of realizing that she was not worthy of her teacher, that was when she had realized the true depth of her feelings for the ruler.

Now she looked out at the small town, the town she had chosen to remain in, in part to show Celestia that she could handle herself without the alicorns guidance and protection. But more than that, she had said that foolish statement, in the hopes that the Princess would ask her to return to Canterlot. But she hadn’t. She had told Twilight that she should write reports on friendship and the magic it held. She had finally made friends, like she had always secretly longed for, but she had lost her teacher, her mother.

And so, she had done as she was bid. Every week, without fail, she had strived to learn, to prove herself to her friends, to herself, and to the Princess. Every week, she learned more about friendship, and every week she had become more used to not seeing the Princess, of not running to her whenever she had a question. Then came the catastrophe at the Grand Galloping Gala. She remembered her excitement, and remembered explaining it away to her friends, telling them that she was so happy that they would all enjoy themselves. She had run into the palace, bumping into nobles and commoners alike pushing her way through the crowd. Then up the stairs she had run, halting at the throne. And the Princess had looked at her, and smiled.

That smile had reminded Twilight of all that she had walled away, and the unicorn had needed to force herself not to begin weeping in joy at the sound of Celestia’s voice. She would stand with the Princess all night, and they would finally talk, about her friends and her lessons, about herself and the Princess, but they would talk at last.

But then the endless line of nobles had come. The sycophants and suck-ups, the rich wanting to charm their way into more, and the glory-hounds wanting to be seen near royalty. That night had been hell. It had taken all of her self-control, all of her will, and the sad gentle, apologetic smile that Celestia would give her whenever there was a moment’s pause to keep Twilight in line. That night, she had wanted nothing more than to destroy those useless, annoying, stupid ponies. She had needed to lower her head, afraid of what the Princess would think, seeing the rage in her eyes, barely contained. “This isn’t what I hoped.” She had murmured, looking at the ground, the Princess greeting yet another fool with a smile on her face, seeming as overjoyed at seeing whoever the useless stallion was as she had been on seeing her student.

Then, just when she thought that the night could get no worse, her friends had managed to not only ruin their evening, but had destroyed the party. The ponies that she, Twilight Sparkle, had commended, recommended, and advocated, had destroyed statuary, offended minor royalty, interrupted and offended the musicians, had nearly assaulted several ponies in an attempt to garner attention, and worst of all, one had even destroyed a section of the Palace wall. And there stood Twilight Sparkle, next to the Princess she had shamed, staring at the mess that her friends had caused, because she had wanted them to come. Tears had stung her eyes, and she had run from the party the moment the Princess had taken pity on her. Taken pity? More likely, she was so ashamed of us that she had wanted us gone as quickly as possible.

The bitter thought interposed itself between Twilight and the rest of her memory, leaving glistening tracks of raw fury gleaming from her eyes. Yes Princess, She thought, venom laced through every mental syllable. I was a failure, wasn’t I. I never lived up to your wishes, you expectations. I tried so BUCKING HARD to be perfect, to be like you, but it was never enough, was it? After all, I’m not the only student you have had, I wasn’t even the only one you had while I was there, you had many. How could one little, insignificant unicorn possibly hope to capture your attention, much less your approval.

Nopony was good enough for you were they? I was the best, and everypony knows it. I was the most powerful unicorn since Starswirl the Bearded. But even then that power wasn’t enough to capture your attention. No matter how hard I tried, I just… I just couldn’t do it. You were too perfect. I could never match up to you, no matter how hard I tried, how long I studied.

It was night now, and a chilly breeze wrapped around her, sitting alone on that mountain. Where she had seen Fluttershy, timid little Fluttershy, face down a dragon. A smile twitched the corners of her mouth at that memory, before a sneer replaced it.

Yes, timid little Fluttershy. The scared little pegasus who wreaks hell when she doesn’t have whatever she wants. How pleasant it was to know that one of her friends could stare down a cockatrice because it disagreed with her.

Rainbow Dash was no better. Fast, agile, and determined, yes. Stubborn, intractable, and stupid were also words that fit her. That mare was so obsessed about proving herself to her precious Wonderbolts that she ignored everything else. As if that were even a challenge. Rainbow had been training since she moved to Ponyville to become a Wonderbolt. Twilight had trained, studied, worked and learned for years just to have the Princess LOOK AT HER.

Applejack was obsessed as well. Everything, every single thing she did had to be about her farm, her apples or herself. She never lies, that was true, but only because she is either too thick to know how, or so, mind numbingly, cripplingly stupid, that the only thing she even knew about were her stupid trees.

Pinky is the same way about parties, if you added in the fun aspect of her bipolar idiotic attempts to gain attention. Cele- heavens forbid, she not be the center of attention.

And finally, Rarity. Rarity, the ever Generous. Rarity, the Fashion Queen of Ponyville. Rarity, the Dressmaker. Rarity, the Master Seamstress. Rarity, the Lady. Rarity, the Drama Queen. Rarity, the Snob. Rarity, the Social Climber. Rarity, the Gold-digger. Rarity, the Self-Obsessed. Yes, Rarity was unflinchingly generous. When she saw a benefit in it for her, or if it was the loss of something she simply didn’t want

Stupid stupid stupid “STUPID BUCKING PONIES!” She screamed at the night, the force of the shout tearing at her throat, bringing tears back to her eyes. “Why does everypony have to be better than me? They are all so… stupid. So inept, so… weak. Not one of them could even start to work as hard as I did to be like Her.” Twilight growled, the last word dripping with hatred, pain, and fear. “But according to Her they are just as good. Ha! Like they could EVER be as strong, as determined as I was.” She felt the cold air curl around her, flowing through her mane, ruffling the soft, short fur on her sides. “I’ll show Her. I’ll show them all. I will become so strong, not even She can ignore me anymore.”

Twilight felt her eyes close, worn out from the long day, and even longer night. And that night, for the first time in years, she dreamed. Not of love, and not of accomplishment, not of praise nor yet of passion. She dreamed of fire. Of the night that her parents had died, only hours after she had been accepted into Celestia’s private tutelage. She had always thought it was an accident. But now, in her mind’s eye, it was her. She set the fire, she felt the magic pulsing through her horn, and heard her parents screaming. They were in the way. They would keep her from the Princess, she knew it. They thought they needed her. So she was making them not need anything anymore. And over in the corner, a small filly, light purple coat covered in soot, and brand new Cutie Mark covered in ash, sat curled into a ball, watching her parents die, slowly, painfully. And every single scream only made the darkness inside of her grow stronger, to hunger for more.

Second story. Yay. Anyway, please review, and tell me what you liked/didn't like. Hugs and kisses.

A Sweet Homecoming

Twilight woke on the mountainside, shivering in reaction. She had thought that the dream had left her long ago. Ever since their deaths, Twilight had dreamed of that fire. She had been so happy when she had been accepted, she had felt as though nothing could ruin that moment. And in the contrary nature of life, it had done its damnedest to prove the filly wrong. Her parents had died, immolated in their home, leaving their young daughter alone in the world.

She had been curled in a corner while the fire raged, forced to stay there. In a tight ball, burned and in agony, listening to the last moments of her parent’s lives. Their cries as the flames licked at their hides. Even more than their screams though, she remembered the smell. The scent of cooking flesh, almost wet under the rancid, bitter odor of burnt hair had almost made her mouth water, desperate for the sweet cool rush of water that the smell conjured from her memory.

It had taken her years before she could even be in a room with a fire, afraid that the wretched force would somehow take her Princess from her. The moment that she had set the courtyard alight, she had panicked. Damping fire, cutting off its source and draining its power, had been one of the first lessons she had learned under the tutelage of the Princess. Even now, a small smile broke onto the unicorn’s face at the memory.

“Now Twilight, you have to learn to take the power you use from something that doesn’t need it. Have you ever wondered how we stop fires? You know by now that fire burns magic as well as physical objects, and so using magic on it directly doesn’t work. Instead, unicorns use one of the most basic lessons, they drain the power of the fire, take the energy. When the fire has no more energy, then it simply dies, cooling so that you can touch the place a fire raged only a few moments before.” The memory spoke, looking down at the filly Twilight.

“But why didn’t my parents stop the fire? Why didn’t any of the other unicorns? Were they just not strong enough? Is, is that why they, why they-“
“Oh Twilight, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.” The Princess had said. Now though, Twilight could pick out details. When the Princess had spoken, she had not been looking at Twilight, but rather at a place off to her left, refusing to make eye contact. And now Twilight realized what she never had before. The Princess had intended to hurt her, to make her think about her parents. Maybe she thought that she was helping Twilight, helping her cope with the loss. Or maybe, just maybe, she had done it to try and force Twilight to try harder, and not sit around, crying about her dead parents.

That was why she had frozen when the fire had blossomed on the soft grass in front of her, the small stone ball glowing a molten red, setting all the grass near it aflame by simple heat. Magic had poured from the young mare, and with nowhere to go, it fed the fire, until what had been a small flame burst and grew into a firestorm. Every unicorn knew that magic was energy, and that any excess energy would manifest as heat and light. In her headlong rush to please the Princess, she had poured her heart into the small granite sphere. In her fear and regret, she had lost control.

The Princess had saved her, saved them both. Twilight knew that part of her fear had been the memory of her parents, but she now knew the rest. It was the fear that the flickering light would take away the last pony she had, the only friend, her only parent.

That fear had coursed through her, sending magic that she had not known she even possessed into the stone, until the small sphere exploded from the building heat. A shard of the half molten rock had cut a narrow path along her flank, scoring her side deeply, breaking her out of the trance, and at the same time, Celestia drained all the force of the blaze, focusing it into a healing spell, soothing Twilight’s burn.

She had been afraid the fire would take her Princess, and it nearly had. She had thrown herself on the ground, sobbing. She had ruined the Royal Courtyard, and put the Princess herself in danger. She would be lucky to escape prison, much less stay on as the student of the Princess. In her fear of loss, she had nearly lost the Princess, only Celestia’s laughter had calmed her beating heart.

Now though, it was not fire that had stolen from her, but ice. The cold dispassion, the singular lack of emotion that always made the Princess seem so serene, so logical, now showed the true face of the diarch, passionless, afraid of pain, and unwilling to risk her own feelings to return another mares heartfelt pleas for love. And nopony, not she, not even the Princesses could take from ice and make water. . There was no energy, no heart there to steal the power from. Not even the magic of Friendship and Love could change ice.

Twilight growled under her breath, grinding a hoof into the rocky soil that covered the peak. No. Anger won’t help anything. Anger leads to fury, and in fury, mistakes are made. I will show her. I will MAKE her acknowledge me, to accept me. But anger isn’t how to do it. I- I need to go and find my friends, she thought, calming herself as she had long since taught herself, forcing the feelings away by sheer force of will. Emotions wouldn’t help her right now, she needed to think. Her friends would be sympathetic, and would try to help.

A flash of memory sailed before her eyes, and she remembered her thoughts of the night before. Shame filled her, nearly bringing her to tears again. Her friends didn’t deserve that. It wasn’t just mean, it was cruel. Her friends loved her and supported her; they would never let her down. But she couldn’t tell them about what had happened. It was too fresh, she needed to heal first. Shaking her head to rid herself of the unworthy thoughts, a glint caught her eye.

She turned around, looking into the dragons cave. Deep within, something glittered in the light. Piles of gold, glittering in the dim morning light that filtered through the winter clouds. The dragon had left its entire hoard when it had flown off, and the treasure had lain undisturbed since, no pony willing to climb the dangerous path to the mountain peak, even with the allure of golden riches as enticement.

Twilight wandered into the cave looking at the piles. Most of the contents of a dragons hoard were coins, mostly golden bits. Dotted among the piles, occasionally another currency shown in varnished silver. Twilight dimly recalled the reason for the large quantities of coins being both vanity and metaphysical, as the bed of coins and jewels aided the dragons growth into adulthood. Form one pile she caught sight of the armor of one of the Palace Guards, sans pony, gleaming in the light.

To her left was a large pit, from which a truly foul smell emanated. The rotten corpses of half eaten creatures littered the bottom of the pit, along with the… byproducts of the dragons eating. Skirting the edge of the pit, Twilight saw a golden sword, blade buried deep in the pile of sapphires it stood vigil over. From near the hilt, all the way down, even coating some of the glorious gemstones, was a fine coating of blood, still gleaming with moisture, enchanted to show the blood of every creature the evil weapon had ever slain.

Nearly an hour later, Twilight left the cave, a small sack of gemstones for Spike around her neck. The cave was filled with treasure, but Twilight could almost smell the protective spells that covered every inch of the treasure. Woe betide anypony who actually tried to steal anything. It had taken her almost half an hour to remove the spells that protected just the small gemstones she had taken, and another few minutes to be sure there was nothing left active on them. She smiled, thinking of how happy her assistant would be when she gave him the present. She would have to remind him not to eat them all at once though. She shuddered remembering the last time that the baby dragon had attempted to eat a ruby and an emerald at once. It had taken a week to get the smell out of her coat.

With a quick thought, and a flash of magic, Twilight found herself at the door of her library. The light of the rising sun glinted off the door and windows, giving the young unicorn pause. Then she shook herself, and walked forward, into the door. Note to self, Open door first. She groaned softly, rubbing her head.

On her second attempt, she opened the door and walked through the entryway. The inside of the Library was dark, and quiet. Too dark, and far too quiet, usually when she got back, Spike came running over to greet her. There was a flurry of noise as she turned the lights on, and confetti began to rain. Even half expecting the surprise, Twilight still jumped, heart racing at the sudden assault. The words “TWILIGHT’S BACK!” were scrawled across the banner that hung from the ceiling, and all six of her friends stood there, huge smiles on their faces, Spike perched on Applejack’s back.

Twilight returned the smile, happy to see that her friends were there for her. She honestly didn’t know what she would do without them. Live at the Palace, and be close to Her. Not like that matters though, does it? The nagging voice returned, putting paid to the joy of the reunion. No. They are my friends, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. She thought, ferociously attacking the black tendrils of doubt that were working their way through her mind.

Twilight looked back up, scuffing a hoof on the floor. “Thank you, thank you all. But… can we celebrate later, please?” A sheepish smile made its way back to her face. “I, I need to unpack and stuff.”

“Oh, but of COURSE Darling. We should have known. We’ll all meet up later then? Maybe have another pet playdate?” Ever the socialite, Rarity jumped in to catch the proverbial ball. A quick glance from the azure eyes silenced the grumbling that issued out under the farmers breath.

“That sounds great Rarity. I’ll see you girls then, alright?”

A chorus of goodbyes and best wishes assailed her as the five mares walked, or in one case flew, out her door. Spiked hopped off AJ’s back as the orange mare left the room, and the small dragon walked over to his friend.

“Hey Twilight, you okay?” The little dragon had seen Twilight upset before. Not often, he had to admit, but he had seen it, and he knew what to look for. She was avoiding eye contact, and did an almost comical little dance, shifting from hoof to hoof, over and over again, flicking her bangs.

“Wha-Yeah. Yes Spike, I’m fine.” The smile was bright and cheerful, and to any mammalian eyes, it would have seemed as honest and open as Applejack. Her only tell was the tension in her spine, and the slight darkening of her eyes.
“Okay. But Twilight, you know you can talk to me about anything, right? Even stuff you don’t want to tell the girls. You’re more than a friend, you’re family.”

“I know Spike. Thank you. I, I just need some time to think first, okay? Hey, can I have a few pancakes? Please?”

“Sure thing, you need help with your stuff?” The dragon asked, gesturing at Twilights neck.

“Wha-Oh! Here, I found some stuff I thought you might like.” She tossed the small bag over to the dragon, spilling the contents on the table.

“Is that what I think it is?” The dragonet asked, eyes widening to a near comical state.

“Yep. A heart sapphire. You like the present?”

“But, how did you get it. These are one of the rarest gems! It must have cost a fortune.”

“I found it. I hope you enjoy it. But this time, don’t give it to Rarity, okay? She might make you wear it. Well, don’t you worry about that, just enjoy it. Nothing is too good for my number one assistant.” Twilight said, walking up the stairs, and into her room.

Spike looked up at the unicorn’s room, hearing the soft thump as she dropped onto her bed. She had to have worked hard to get those gems. Even Rarity hadn’t found them while she was out looking for them. He chuckled to himself, imagining the taste of the crunchy, sweet gemstone.

He walked over to the pantry and started mixing up the pancake batter. He wasn’t hungry anymore, so he only made enough for Twilight. Into the batter, he threw some daisy blossoms, a few stalks of grass, and, checking that the unicorn was still firmly ensconced in her room, opened a pantry, and took out a single rose bloom. Tearing off and sprinkling the petals of the delicate red flower into the batter, he stirred the concoction.

Ten minutes later, a stack of perfectly prepared pancakes stood, a bottle of syrup standing next to them in a clear glass bottle, the very top stoppered with an ornate glass pinecone. “Twilight!” Spike called up the stairs, somehow managing to sound affectionate, annoyed, and bored all at once. There are some mysteries in this world that none but the young can conceive of, and this sound was one such.

The mare appeared at the top of the stairs, salivating at the scent of the delicacies before her. She hurried down the stairs, and past the young dragon, who had positioned himself ever so casually against the banister, certainly without the intention of being praised for his effort.

“Wow Spike! These look great.” Twilight gushed, pouring syrup lightly over the stack, holding back a moan as she took a bite. Spike looked the other way, hoping that the goofy grin he couldn’t seem to get rid of had gone unnoticed. He needn’t have worried though. Nopony in Equestria could resist the siren’s call that was his pancakes.

As the young unicorn took a bite, she froze for an instant. There was something, off, about the pancakes. “Spike?” She asked, voice quiet, trying to remember what that taste was. It was sweet, very sweet, with a slightly bitter tang, set off wonderfully by the savory daisies. “Did you do something to these?”

“Huh?” he asked, slipping from his casual lean on the banister. Picking himself up from the floor, worry crossed his small face. “Yeah. I um, I added a rose. You really liked those when we were at the castle, and since you were so nice and stuff I thought… Do you not like them? I can make some more.” The worry had morphed into something more akin to alarm by the end of the question.

“No, no they taste wonderful. Thank you Spike.” And again, Twilight cast that sweet, almost cheery smile at her young friend. Then she turned her head back to the floral plate, and took another bite, the once adored taste now sitting heavy on her tongue, almost too sweet to swallow.

Of Mares and Memories

“Oh hey Rainbow, what brings you here? Not looking for a book are you?” Twilight asked the cyan mare, who had just flown in the open window, miraculously having not crashed into anything. Yet.

“Yeah, right. The Dash doesn’t spend all her time reading Twilight. That’s for eggheads like you. No, Rarity said that she wanted us all to meet up at her store for lunch. Hey, do you have that new Daring Do book in yet?” Rainbow asked, zipping around the bookshelves, searching for the rather distinctive series.

“I thought you just said only eggheads read? No, it isn’t in yet, I’ll be sure to tell you the moment that it is though.” Twilight replied, turning and dusting the top shelves of the bookcase she had just finished reshelving. The likelihood of there actually being anything for her to dust was slim, but it had been almost three days since she had last dusted, it needed to be done.

“No!” The pegasus yelped, flushing a gentle red. “I said that only eggheads read all the time, but reading is like, cool, if you do it every now and then. You just go overboard. Too much like… work. You and AJ need to relax every now and then, you know?”

Twilight grinned, biting her lip to keep the chuckle silent, amused at her easily flustered friend. Yes, it takes such a razor wit to go hoof to hoof with “The Dash”. Try as she might, a giggle escaped her. Rainbow thought Pinkie was random, but she wasn’t exactly stable either. The Element of Loyalty must change her mind about as fast as she flies.

“So is there anything else you want? There are books that have educational value as well, not just adventure novels.” Twilight let the teasing enter her voice, knowing that of all ponies, Rainbow would take the jibe in stride. Or would that be in flight?

“Yeah, there are, but they are so NOT cool. I don’t do not cool. Heck, I’m like twenty percent less cool just being in here.”

“Oh really? So if I were to have, oh I don’t know, maybe a copy of Spitfire’s autobiography-“

“WHAT? GIMME!” Rainbow shrieked, voice cracking.

“I don’t know Dash, it is kind of valuable. I mean, she only signed five copies…” Twilight trailed off, simply adoring the look on her friends face. Well, she enjoyed it for the half a second before Rainbow’s lack of flying sent her plummeting to the wooden floor. Her face was a study in how a pony looks when two aspects of her life which she never thought could ever mix, were combined into a four hundred page narrative of pure, unadulterated awesome.

“Fine, I’ll let you borrow it.” Twilight finally relented, starting to wonder if her friend was even breathing. “Just make sure that it stays… clean? It really is valuable.”

“You know Twilight, I was wrong. You aren’t a totally lame egghead.” Rainbow gushed, before catching herself and adding “But you’re still an egghead!” And, stupid smile plastered on her face, she flew out the window, holding the bright blue book
before her like her firstborn foal.

I wonder what Rarity wants? She thought, flicking an imaginary mote of dust from the gold bound copy of “The Collected Writings of Star Swirl the Bearded”. It can’t be urgent or dangerous since she isn’t coming around herself. Maybe she wants to make dresses for us again? I can’t imagine what for though; we don’t have any parties coming up. Well, whatever Pinkie throws together, but no REAL parties. Maybe she just wants some ready? I doubt it, but she might want to put on another fashion show. That would make sense.

“Spike, have you got that book order in yet?” She called, placing the duster on the table next to the window.
“One, one second. This stuff is really, urp, big.” The dragon panted from around the corner, a loud belch and a gout of green flame interrupting him. The last time she had checked, almost half the delivery had been sent, and Spike was resting his sore neck on the growing pile of books.

“Next time,” The dragon began, his annoyance probably clear to the ponies on the other side of town. “Have the Pegasus Express deliver it.” He grumbled, before another belch landed a copy of Modern Numerology and Astrology at Twilight’s feet. “I can’t feel my stomach.” The dragon ended lamely, whining as he rubbed his stomach.

“Well, when we’re done you can help me practice a new spell.” The unicorn said brightly, grinning at the young dragon.
“Oh yes, that will help so much.” Oh, you could almost taste the sarcasm on that one. Twilight giggled to herself, looking off to the side abashed.

“Oh well, I guess you do deserve the day off then. I mean, I think I’ve already finished everything I need to do today. Just leave these here; I’ll put them up when I get back, okay? You have fun now.” She called, trotting over to the door. The dragon had been astoundingly helpful this last week. Ever since she had gotten back from Canterlot, her little assistant had been waiting on her hand and hoof. If she so much a thought of something, the dragon somehow had it waiting for her.

As Twilight walked out the front door, locking it behind her, she wondered at that. Maybe he just feels grateful for the sapphire? It wasn’t that unreasonable a thought. Those gems were very rare, and very powerful. She could swear that Spike had grown almost an inch right in front of her when he ate it. None of her books had ever said anything about the effects of different gems on dragon growth, beyond the general statement that as a dragon consumed more and more gems, they grew, similarly to amassing their hoard. She should probably make a note of that, if that single gem had made so much difference.

Walking through the town, Twilight was lost in her own thoughts. By the time she barely avoided introducing her nose to Rarities door, she had the essay on dragon growth already outlined. Now to somehow control and measure the growth with the consumption of certain gems. Maybe if I-

As she walked into the room, she noted that all of her friends were already there, with a very impatient Rarity tapping a hoof on the tile. “Oh finally. I was worried that you would never show up Twilight. You shouldn’t keep company waiting, it’s so rude.”

“Aw cut ‘er some slack Rarity. Ah just got here a few minutes ago, an’ you didn’ bite MAH head off, no did ya?” Applejack asked a bizarre mixture of challenge and amusement flavoring her voice.

“Yeah, I mean, none of us really got here on time Rarity. It’s not like we don’t have anything else to do.” Rainbow said from her seat, more of a perch really, on top of the lone bookshelf. She flicked her tail, glancing back out the open window. Someone wants to read that book. Twilight hummed in contentment, glad that at least one of her friends was excited about reading.

“I. Well. Fine. Far more important than a little tardiness,” The Fashion Queen said, flipping her mane, and ever so slightly emphasizing tardy. “Is that I realized something. None of you have any kind of wedding dresses. It is simply unacceptable.” She said somehow expanding the last word into three.

“Whoa whoa whoa. I am NOT wearing another dress. Remember what happened last time?”

“Ah hafta agree with Rainbow on this one, Sugarcube. Dresses just don’t suit me.”

“Applejack, you are wearing a dress. Even if I have to tie you down, you. Will. WEAR IT!” Rarity growled advancing on the orange mare, horn glowing menacingly. The last words came out in a mangled screech. As the unicorn fumed, Twilight tried not to grin. Typical Rarity. Typical AJ for that matter.

“Oh Rarity, that sounds simply wonderful.” Fluttershy gushed in the ensuing silence, swiftly locking the unicorn into a discussion involving such arcana as hoof polishing, stitch types, coloring, a spa appointment for the entire group, and Twilight could have sworn she heard the word glitter in there.

One thing that did stand out to Twilight was the lack of energy from a certain pink pony. Said pony also appeared to have evaporated, as she was no longer anywhere in the shop. Over in a corner, Applejack and Rainbow were conversing in hushed tones. Every few seconds one of them would send a look at the two in the light, and on any lesser pony that look would have been called fear. The two Iron Ponies couldn’t be afraid of Miss Prissy who was afraid to walk outside because dust would ruin her coat, and the panphobic pegasus. Could they?

“Ah’m telling you Dash, we need to move. Fast.” Applejack’s whispered carried over to the middle of the room, turning Twilight’s head.

“Darling, you wouldn’t happen to know where my rope is, do you?” The white unicorn’s smile was sweet as any that had graced the lips of the Canterlot elite when she asked Fluttershy. As she turned to face Applejack though, the smile changed. It now bore more than a passing resemblance to a spiders, spotting not a fly, but a particularly juicy beetle.

“Um, rope? Why do you need rope?”

“Because, Fluttershy dear. I meant every word I said, and I said I would make Applejack a dress. Even if I have to tie her down to do so. Twilight dear, can you please come over? I would like to talk to you. Besides, if someone makes a run for it, you can help me get them back.”

Twilight chuckled as she walked towards her home several hours later. After the white unicorn had taken all of their measurements, they had sat down for a quite lovely little lunch. After lunch, Rarity had treated them all to a spa trip. Applejack and Rainbow had promptly avoided the trip, claiming work or in the case of the pegasus, a nap.

The look of annoyance on Rarity’s face had been slightly marred by the small grin she hadn’t been able to contain as she watched her friends trip over themselves to escape. It had really been a fun day, and the spa twins really knew their stuff. Twilight finally felt like she could relax.

“Spike, I’m back.” She called as she opened the door to the library. It was almost nightfall when she had left the spa on the other side of town. Admittedly, it wasn’t a bustling metropolis, but walking clear across it had taken her from twilight to dusk. She looked around, wondering if maybe the young dragon was already asleep, or maybe lying in wait for her. Closing the door, she noticed a note pinned to the back of it.

Twilight. I finished bringing all the books over, and I stacked them in your room so you can go through them in a little while. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle asked me if I wanted to stay over tonight, to fill in for Scootaloo, so they can try and be Cutie Mark Crusader Dragon Tamers. Pretty funny huh? Well, I should be back in the morning, if I haven’t been caged and taught to jump when they move their hooves.

Spike

P.S. Oh. A letter came for you just as I was finishing with this. I left it on the table for you. See you tomorrow.

A letter? Twilight thought, the memories of her night in Canterlot flooding back into her mind. As she sat there replaying the memory, she felt the tears return. But on the heels of the tears was hot, boiling anger. How could she do this to me. After all of that she decides to send me a LETTER? I serve my heart up on a gilded bucking platter, and she spits on it. And a bucking letter is supposed to make everything better? She fumed, tears still flowing. Her anger acted as her shield against the onslaught of pain, but every shield has weaknesses.

“Twilight when you build a shield, you have to remember that magic isn’t solid.” The voice from a lesson long past raised its head, scenting the air. The alicorn looked down at her student, almost disappointed. “You can do better, we both know that you can. You have the power to make some of the best shields I have ever seen, but you keep them too rigid. A good shield, one made correctly, flows and bends.” the princess reprimanded softly, ramming home the fact that Twilight had failed. “Think about them like water. If you have a lot of water, then the fire can’t get to you, correct?" At a nod from the young teenaged unicorn, the Princess continued.

“But if it is rigid, like wood, then the fire will consume it, and burn you along with the defense.” Of course she would bring that up, again. She never had seemed to let go of the fact that while her parents had been screaming and dying, Twilight had been curled in a corner instead of helping them.

“I’m sorry Princess, I was with Emerald. She said that our studies could wait and that we should-“

“Twilight Sparkle.” The sharp tone bit into her side like a whip. “Do not lay blame on others for your own lack of focus. You have to learn how to protect not only yourself, but others from your magic. You are simply too strong to not guard against yourself!”

“Yes Princess.” The pubescent mare had looked down, eyes watering once more. She had only been trying to make friends. Nopony wanted to be her friend, they all thought she was strange.

“Now, try again, and this time make the shield flow.” Twilight hauled herself from the depths of memory, ending the sentence for the Princess. That had been the only time she had ever tried to make friends before she moved to Ponyville. It had made the Princess disappointed in her, and after a night of sobbing to Smarty Pants the girl had sworn that she didn’t need friends, that her studies were more important. That had been the only time the Princess had been failed by her student, the only time Twilight had shown anything less than the complete mastery of anything.

As she thought and remembered, she let the anger go. It helped nopony, and like all those years ago, it was rigid. Anger was a shield yes, but one that left more exposed than guarded. And if water could protect all sides, then what could ice do? Twilight looked up from the floor, all traces of pain vanished behind the mask of frigid indifference. Walking over to the table, she picked up the letter.

Dearest Twilight Sparkle,

Tonight I write to thee in the hopes that I may plead an audience. After my long sojourn upon the moon, as you must know I have been deprived of a large portion of modern Equestrian social conventions and practices. My sister tells me that in the time that I was otherwise engaged, a new form of recreation was developed. During my night, rather than sleep, some ponies would stay awake. They would talk to their friends and accomplish little with the intent so, and occasionally would play games involving the exchange of challenges and the understanding that one must accomplish these challenges or forfeit.

Needless to say, I find myself interested in any aspect of ponies and my night. I find both peace and joy in the thought that while I was away, they have found a manner in which to not only admire my night, but enjoy it. So I find myself tonight writing both in hope and fear. May I bequest you and your friends allow me to partake and join of one of these “sleepovers”? I wish not for this to be a formal request, far less a formal appearance, as my sister tells me that a sleepover is about enjoyment rather than politics.

May I join you of an eve? Would your friends be able to accompany us in this venture? I spend little of my time away from my sister, and you are one of my only friends. You and your friends need feel no obligations to me, either with regards to rank nor to our putative friendship. If you are not busy however, may I join you?

I also would ask that I be allowed to properly thank the young pegasus, your animal loving friend. Her advice has served me well in the time that I have walked in the Palace, and I have yet to thank her for her aid.
Yours in trust and faith,

Princess Luna

Twilight read the letter several times. So Princess Luna wanted to have a sleepover? Well, she was sure something could be managed. If she moved her library cleaning back one day, then she would be fine. The extra day on her calendar marked “Friendship” had come in handy once more.

I spend little of my time away from my sister. The line from the letter returned to her, biting at the edges of her thoughts. Twilight shook her head, and began to plan out the sleepover. She would need to ask her friends first. That would have been easier to do today, as they had all been at the boutique at Rarities behest. Now though, she would have to track them all down. Fluttershy would be easy, all Twilight would need to do was mention that Princess Luna wanted her there and the yellow pony would cave, joining them. The rest of her friends were slightly more problematic. Rarity would be busy with the dresses, and Twilight expected her to be working at odd hours, crafting one of her ~IDEAS~. Applejack would be slam drunk tired. She, Big Mac and Caramel were the only farmhands left, and they needed to keep the trees from freezing. Rainbow had to keep the weather in check, which would be exponentially more difficult in the winter with so much more ground to cover. Figurative ground anyway. Pinkie was out, there was no way Twilight would let the Party Pony spend the night in her library. She simply could no risk the “Party Cannon” spewing cake batter all over her books.

You need feel no obligations to me with regards to rank. Yes, well not all ponies can take that attitude now can they? Even if you can Luna, some ponies feel the weight of their crown, reveling in it. Someponies go out of their way to remind others of their crown. And SOMEponies use it as an excuse to sit by and watch the pony who offered her heart up. Then they spit on the poor mare, and tell her that she doesn’t even matter. The mare thought. She wasn’t angry, not how other ponies were. There was no heat to her thoughts, simply a cold hard edge.

With that same impassive look, she wrote her reply to be sent in the morning. She would accept the Princess, it was an obligation whether the innocent young mare realized it or not. One does not turn out royalty. More than that, she wanted to ask Luna a question, and the alicorns was one of the two beings in Equestria that knew the answer. Satisfied that her letter was both respectful and inviting, she placed it on the table. As the mare walked up the stairs though, she turned her head. Looking at the Princess’s letter she wondered.

I spend little of my time away from my sister. Twilight’s eyes narrowed to slits, and her horn glowed. The parchment bearing the royal bequest exploded in flame, held suspended in the air. As the smoke curled around the ceiling, a small smile played near the edges of the unicorn’s mouth.

Dreams of Blood and Pain

***Okay guys, there is a reason this story has both dark and gore ratings***

Twilight screamed in the darkness on the mountainside. She screamed and screamed, only stopping when she tasted blood, her throat scrapped raw in her endless, violent need to vent her emotions. She was in the remains of the dragon's hoard on the mountain near Ponyville. The area was now unrecognizable though. Once glistening piles of coins and jewels sat, standing proud and tall above the plebeian sight of the town beneath them. Now, the gold, silver, copper, and many more precious metals lay in pools and puddles.

The enchanted sword had been the first to suffer her fury. Twilight had leveled her horn at the bloody sword, and unleashed a bolt of unrefined power at the weapon. The wards on the blade shattered like so much glass in the onslaught of the unicorn’s blast. As the wards shattered, like always, the magic became heat. Blobs of molten gold were sent careening in every direction, one even scoring a long streak on Twilights side, leaving a thin, long line of burnt hair in its wake.

The rest of the cave quickly met a similar fate, as the unicorn broke through wards the dragon had spent years methodically crafting, breaking each one. The dragon often spent years preparing their slumbering caves, to protect their hoard in their slumber. The truly terrifying aspect of this attack was not its rage, nor even the sight of the gold turning into slag. It was that the unicorn wasn’t even trying to break the wards. The magic was not shaped and honed to pierce through the invisible bubble that surrounded the gold. The mare was simple slamming into them with a force strong enough to make the fluid shields, designed specifically to be unharmed by such an attack, shatter as though so much spun sugar. The only analogy that can be made is that of breaking water, by dropping a mountain on top of it.

The heat of the repeated strikes swiftly destroyed the hoard, obliterating any recognizable feature save color as the molten metals ran and flowed into each other. The heat generated by the magical attacks had long since reduced the coins to so much slag, and much of that same substance now coated the floor, filling in the deep rents the heat had split into the side of the mountain face.

Now though, the unicorn stood still, panting, as blood flowed into her mouth from her torn throat. The mad glint still held her eyes, but behind the insane rage, there was something that could almost be sadness.

“Twilight, why aren’t you sleeping well?” Luna had simply asked, out of the blue. Up until that point, Twilight had been fine, she had even been happy to have company at night. With that one question though, she remembered. She remembered why she had incinerated the letter that Princess Luna had sent her. She had remembered why Luna had come. It wasn’t from some platonic interest, nor was it simply to spend time together. It was because her sister wanted a spy.

“I sleep quite well. Why do you ask?” Twilight had said, matching the alicorns stare for impassive stare. Fluttershy sat in the corner, crouching slightly in an attempt to avoid the coming conflict.

Luna raised one regal eyebrow, a look so poignant that she scarcely needed to speak. “Oh? Then why have you refused to let yourself dream?” The immortal looked cooly at Twilight, knowing that she had caught the unicorn.

“Because, because I don’t like what they show me.” For the first time since Luna had arrived, hesitance and uncertainty claimed Twilights voice.

She had been dreaming of Celestia these last weeks. She had dreamed of the flowing mane, the gentle smile. They had walked, just the two of them, through fields of swaying grass, without duties or responsibility. They would speak with each other, of this and that, and nothing much at all. Then a touch would linger, and a glance would turn their heads. Celestia would bend her neck, reaching down from both the literal and metaphoric heights she ruled from, and nuzzled the unicorns neck. She would sigh as she felt the Princess’s soft lips on her mane, playing with her fur. Every time, she would lean back, face close to the ear of her beloved, rubbing her face against her mentors. “I love you, I will always love you.” The words would spill from her mouth, like rich honey, hot and sweet.

But then Celestia would jerk back as if stung, and glare at Twilight. Her horn glowed and Twilight found that she could not move. Slowly the Goddess would walk to her, her face contorted in cold fury. “What do you know of love, little mare, little foal? I have lived for centuries. I have seen ponies love, and loved myself. Then I watched them die. I swore never again to love, never again to feel that pain.” Then the Princess reared back, slamming her gold shod hooves into Twilights extended forehoof. With a sickening squelch and a snap, the alicorn’s powerful frame drove the hooves through Twilight’s leg, breaking through the bone and crushing their way through the flesh.

Twilight screamed, pleaded with the Princess to stop. It never worked, and the Princess looked up from the leg, severed on
the grass, splintered bone visible in the flesh. “I think, my faithful student, that it is time for your last lesson. Today, I believe I shall teach you about pain. So that you may feel a fraction of my pain as the ponies I have loved have been torn from me. Then you can tell me you love me."

The dream would blur then, and Twilight only remembered the agony, not the details. A snatch of the dream would surface, such as Celestia biting a large piece of meat off of Twilight’s body. Most of the dream was blissfully blank though. But the end was clearer than any crystal. Celestia stood over her pupil, horn dripping blood down the regal face. Long stains on Twilight's coat, what was left of it, showed where the horn had gored the young mare. The mingled look of fury and pain was still in Celestia’s eyed, though she was calmer now. “Now you know how I feel. Every single time.” She would whisper, gentle tears falling onto Twilight, stinging as they touched the raw flesh, and burning as they fell on the open slashes.

“I- I said.” Twilight said, chocking the words out with blood. Her lung had been punctured at one point, and the effort of speech was almost unbearable. “I will always love you.” With the last of her strength, Twilight would lift herself up, and look at her Princess. Her teacher would stare back, tears in her eyes. He enemy would look back, fury present once more. But her Princess, the Real Princess would look back, eyes glowing with joy at the words. Twilight would dry her tears, rubbing against the soft fur of the Princess’s face one last time, before death swooped in on tattered wings, taking her forever from her love.

It was the end of the dream, that final thought of never being able to see the Princess, to talk to her, to seek her advice, to cherish her love that made Twilight so upset. The dream itself was unpleasant, and Luna had obviously seen most of it judging by the look she cast at Twilight, speculative, worried, and frightened.

She thinks that I’m insane. The thought came to her in a rush, nearly knocking her over with the force of the realization. She was afraid that Twilight had lost her mind, to succumb to such vile thoughts of Princess Celestia. No pony in Equestria could even consider the idea of their Princess being anything but kind, still less could they ever imagine their beloved Princess horribly torturing and cannibalizing them.

Since the first dream, Twilight had always managed to wake herself before the pair of them said their final goodbye. Luna had not seen that. She could not have. The Princess may have been the Mistress of Dreams, but she simply could not monitor every dream every pony has had. She had noticed when Twilight had stopped sleeping shortly after leaving the Palace, and taken a special interest when the she saw her own sister brutally torturing the mare in the dream, the very thought of such a thing so abhorrent that she had closed herself off from the dream completely.

“And why do they show you those... things?” The question was delicate. It was not demanding an answer, nor was weak, it was simply a question.

“You tell me, you are after all, the Mistress of Dreams and the Maiden of the Mind.” The reply came out stiff, forced. The alicorn had rattled the poor unicorn, making her relive in her waking moments the pain and horror that lurked in her dreams.

“It means that you are afraid. Of what, I do not know. But the very thought that anypony could imagine my sister doing such… evil things. What is it about my sister that has you so bothered. You have not slept deeply or well since you left the Canterlot Palace, and hardly at all since you began having this dream. What happened there that has made you so… lost?”

“I, I can’t talk about that.”

“Twilight, you need help. If you will not let me help you, then at least let your friends. They would all willingly give you of themselves to ease your pain. Let them. You are hurting them. You are hurting yourself. And you are hurting my sister.”

“And you are hurting my sister.” The words echoed from the memory, bringing a fresh wave of pain to the unicorn, both from the ache in her heart, and the blood on her tongue as she began to weep. After Luna had spoken, the unicorn had simply walked out the door and teleported away. The Princess’s words brought too much pain. Soon, that pain turned to anger, and the anger into hot, destructive rage.

She had removed herself from society, knowing that soon she would not be able to think. The cave on the mountain had suffered the full extent of her unbridled choler. The lights that had exploded from the peak had been dazzling, nearly blinding Princess Luna and Fluttershy as they looked for Twilight. Even from the town, the sheer overwhelming force of Twilight’s magic had reached Luna. She had extended a wing, sheltering the fearful pegasus.

“W-what is that?” The quite voice asked, trembling as the yellow mare shuddered unto the warm comfort of the alicorn’s wing.

“Twilight.” The royal mare softened her tone, determined not to upset her friend. “She is… hurting. Bleeding on the inside. I fear for what will become of her without help. But I cannot help her. You must, you and your friends. I shall speak with my sister, and keep speaking to her until she relents. Whatever it was that passed between them, it hurt them both.”

“We should go and help her now.” The pegasus ducked out from under the wing, moving towards the mountain peak still bathed in light.

“NO!” She said, forcing the smallest slip into the Royal Canterlot Voice, just enough to halt the mare. “That light up there, that is pure magic. There is no control, there is no protection. If you go up there now, you may well die, if not from the magical exposure, then because Twilight will not recognize you. She needs to calm herself, and there is a far better place than here. Imagine that power in the center of town. Let her rage, then rest. But go and see her in the morning, and talk to her. Make her tell you, and your friends, what is wrong.”

“Oh my faithful student, nothing is stronger than a parents love for their child, than my love for you. Except maybe the love of a mare and a stallion. You will know that love when you are older, and you will see.” The Princess had said long ago, after a question from Twilight. The filly had asked her what love was, and how you knew if you loved somepony. Even then, as a filly that barely reached the knees of the Princess, Twilight had known.

“Love is simply the most complex thing in our world. There are many kinds of love. The love of ones friends, the love of ones family. The love of a parent and child, the love of teacher and student. There is even a special kind of love between a mare and a stallion, and that is the most beautiful love of all.” The kind smile graced her lips, and Twilight smiled back, even as her brow knit in puzzlement.

“But what about other kinds of love? Cloud Mail and White Fire say that they love each other, and they're both stallions.”

“I suppose you are right. Well, let me put it this way. Someday, you will meet a pony. You will see them for the first time and think that they are wonderful. You will befriend them, and later, you will learn what love is. Love isn’t something that happens in an instant, not even in books. I don’t think you can explain love in words, except to say that when you are with them, you always feel warm inside. You can love anypony, as long as they love you back.”

“I love you Princess.” The filly said, curling up next to her mentor and sighing happily. The steady, deep breathing of the alicorn pillow calmed her, and she felt safe and happy once more.

“You are my student Twilight, and the daughter of my heart. I love you too, and I always will.”

“Princess.”

“Yes, my little pony?”

“You make me feel warm.” The soft chuckle never left her mouth, but the unicorn felt it beneath her head, and gently fell asleep.

The memory brought fresh tears to Twilight’s eyes. Until that horrible day in the throne room, that had been the only time she had ever told Celestia. The obsessive work, the rejection of friends, the overwhelming need for the Princess’s approval had taken every waking and sleeping moment of Twilight’s life. She had known then that she loved the Princess, and would forever. But she had also known that the Princess saw her as a child, and a student. Not as a mare loves another, or a stallion loves a mare. Twilight had thought, had hoped and dreamed, that if she simply tried harder, then eventually, the Princess would see.

She hadn’t. Even after Twilight had left the Princess for the first time in years, obeying the orders she was given, Celestia hadn’t seen. Not until Twilight had told her in the light of the dying sun, and had felt her heart ripped in two as the Princess denied her. She would apologize in the morning. In the morning. Tonight though, tonight was hers, to shed the tears she constantly fought, and to try and move on.

The Monster of the Mind

“Well my dears. I have an announcement. I think that I shall be married.” Rarity said, breaking the quiet peace of the group. There was a collective gasp, and almost a look of pain on Applejack’s face. The group was huddled around a small tablecloth Spike had laid out in the field behind the Library. Every week, they made absolutely sure that they would meet at least once, all six of them, and just talk. Everypony fell silent at this announcement though, Spikes carefully prepared lunch falling forgotten to the wayside.

“Why?” The quiet voice came from the orange mare. Nopony heard her in the ensuing ruckus, mostly composed of Rainbow’s screaming “WHAT?” and Pinkie’s ecstatic grin, as she threw confetti into the air.

Twilight’s eyes widened, surprise evident, but lurking somewhere behind the shock was something deeper. Deep within the mare, something stirred. Something that had lain dormant in the unicorn for years was awakening. Burning with a frozen light, the monster’s eyes shone from Twilight’s own. Nopony saw the gleaming light of the… thing, the light forced back into the small corner of her mind. The creature growled in frustration, before curling up, settling to wait its chance to attack.

“Oh my gosh, this is so great! Oh, I know, I can host a party! But what kind of party? I could throw a marriage party, oh and a reception. And a bachelorette party. Oh! But how am I supposed to prepare for this. Who is the lucky groom? Oh, do I know him. I need to have everything color coordinated so that I can-“

“WHAT!” Applejack stood, towering over the unicorn. Rage and hurt warred across her face, tears streaming from her eyes.
“WHAT THE BUCK! HOW COULD YOU!” She screamed, thrusting her face into that of the unicorn. Applejack was panting from the effort she farmer was expending simply to stand there, without breaking down in tears, or throttling the little whoring chit in front of her.

“A-Applejack, whatever is the matter? Come darling-“

“Don’t you ever call me that again! So how long ago did you meet this ‘perfect’ stallion? Couldn’t wait to raise your tail and spread your legs for anything that moved after your Prince could you?” The mare screamed in her friends face. Rarity’s
eyes clouded, tears flowing at the harsh words.

Rainbow slammed into her friend, knocking her away from the unicorn, afraid that true violence was about to ensue. “AJ, what the hell.” She asked, shocked by her usually stoic friend almost attacking the unicorn. If there was one thing that Rainbow would not stand for, it was watching one pony attack another, not after all the years she had spent suffering under the thumb of others. “For Celestia’s sake, calm down!” She shouted, holding the mare in place by main force.
“YOU LIED TO ME! EVERY TIME, YOU LIED!” The farmer screamed, the words broken by sobs.

“But… I didn’t. I would never lie to you Darling. You have to know that.” And Twilight understood. In an almost literal flash of understanding she knew. She leveled her horn at Applejack, and a blast of magic silenced the mare. The orange mare continued sobbing, though no sound came from her.

“APPLEJACK!” Twilight shouted, drawing the earth pony out of her misery for a moment. “Shut up and listen to this. Rarity, who are you marrying?” She asked, turning to the still sobbing mare beside her. Pinkie had wrapped a leg comfortingly around her friend, and the fashion princess was almost hiding beneath it, quivering.

“Applejack, Darling, you. I was asking, you. Please, don’t be angry. I, I should have asked you in private, I know, I just… I thought it should be better if everyone finally knew about us. Please, my love, don’t be angry.” Rarity stood, head to the ground. Applejack knocked Rainbow off her and slammed into Rarity. Rarity went down, hard, beneath the orange ponies weight, grunting as the near wall of hardened muscle slammed into her side, bearing her to the ground. She landed with a hard thud, her weight pushing most of the air from her lungs. She was almost glad of the attack, glad to finally share some of her beloved pain. What she had not expected though, was the shower of soft kisses that met her on the ground, rather than the crushing weight of Applejack’s muscled form.

Twilight watched, lifting the spell on AJ, letting the mares stammering, broken apology be heard, interrupted by the almost constant kisses that continued to rain down on the mare beneath her. The group watched, tears in every eye at the sweet scene. If Pinkie and the Cakes could manage to bake something like this, they would be rich beyond the wildest dreams of a dragon.

From the back though, different tears fell. Yes Princess. This is the terrible fate you wanted so desperately to avoid. How could anypony ever want a love so pure and sweet in their lives? It seems to horrible, I am ashamed I ever thought you could ever want such a thing for yourself. Why? Why is it so wrong for me to love you? Why is it good for every other pony, but not for me, not for us?

Twilight bit her lip, hard, to stop the sobs from escaping. She tasted the metallic sheen of blood on her tongue, but didn’t stop, only biting harder as her shoulders shook in silent agony. While the others crowded around the happy new couple, congratulating and commiserating over the misunderstanding. Among the well-wishing and happy talk of the upcoming event, nopony noticed as Twilight slipped away, tears slowly following their familiar track down her face.

The door to the library shut almost silently. Twilight leaned back against the door, resting her weight on the oak wall she had made her life inside. There was little to be said about the mare. She simply appeared empty, as if only the barest hint of life still stirred within her. A nearly overwhelming, physical force of her sadness washed over the area. For once, no tears were shed. The mare was tired of crying. It never helped, it only made the pain worse. She simply sat there unmoving. Each breath came out short, cut into a fine edge from the internal war she was waging.

For hours, Twilight sat there, staring blankly ahead. Every now and then, her body would act, drawing in a fleeting breath, letting the air flow out her nose once more. Her eyes shut and reopened in precise movements, completely without thought. Blink, breathe, blink, blink, breathe. Over and over, the pattern flowed, the only constant in her life. For much of the time, the mare simply sat there, unthinking, and uncaring. Every so often though, a thought shattered her serene peace.

It must be you.

Every other pony can find happiness. It can’t be that you are a mare.

Or maybe, that was just an excuse.

How many times do you think she has taken a student under her wing?

How many times did a student fall in love with their teacher?

How many times had Celestia been in love? Could there only be one true love in a life, even an immortal one?

Is there some rule I broke?

How long has she sat waiting to hear a confession from her students?

Does she see me as anything more than a child? Or am I just a pet?

Why doesn’t she love me?

Is there somepony else?

An unknowable time passed between each thought, much of it spent in a numb haze. Exhaustion bit at her, stinging pain lancing through her body. It was protesting, vociferously, at the strain it was under. It needed sleep, it needed to rest, it needed to not be locked into a single position.

But that last thought was different. It wasn’t sad, it wasn’t lonely. Unlike all the others that had passed into her mind over the time she sat there, this one was not frozen.

No. There is nopony else. The Princess said that she couldn’t bare to lose another love. That’s all. There isn’t another pony. THERE ISN’T!

But there could be. After all, who knows how the alicorn mind works? She could have a covey of lovers waiting on her beck and call. Compared to that, what is one insignificant little mare. You are barely more than a foal by any standard, and compared to hers, you must seem barely weaned. Who’s to say she even needed to hide them. She could be using the Palace Guard. All those nice strong stallions, trained to endure rigors and hardships, to be able to do anything. I doubt it would surprise you much to find she took a few to bed her every night, spreading her legs like some common who-

“SHUT UP!” Twilight roared, frozen apathy instantly changing, becoming black fury. “SHE DOESN’T! SHE WOULDN’T!” The mare screamed at the empty library, her horn spitting off random sparks of energy in her anger.

Oh no? Then why does it make you so angry? You are afraid that she does. You are afraid that she doesn’t want you because she can find true satisfaction elsewhere. What can a little mare like you give her that a nice big stallion can't give her, and more besides? Or maybe she doesn’t raise her tail for the commoners. Maybe only her sister can see her writhing, panting and moaning under her.

“Even by your faulty logic, that doesn’t work. Luna’s been gone for a thousand years, so she can’t be sleeping with her.”

And what is to say that the ever noble Princess Celestia wouldn't go to the moon every now and then to... reinforce, her sisters punishment? More to it than that, they are immortal. Time matters little to them, and they do say absence makes the heart grow stronger. But you must admit, now they have a lot of quality time to catch up on. I mean, you have so much more control over your head. That long horn must be able to reach places no stallion could with his mindless humping into her, trying to dominate her, force her to bear his children. They could go for hours on end, never stopping. Horns don’t go limp after She’s forced it into her enough times.

“What do you want? Why are you insulting her? I should kill you for even thinking things like that.”

Ha. As if you haven’t dreamed about it while you lived there. A little adolescent filly, alone in a tower. So secluded. You dreamed of plenty of nasty things didn’t you? You are almost as much of a slut as your Princess. You just used you hoof while you thought about your Princess bound and gagged, raped over, and over, and over again. Ponies taking turns, until the noble Princess of the Sun was lying in a crying heap.

“Shut up.”

Then her dear Twilight Sparkle would reach out to the beautiful Princess, removing the gag.

“I said shut up.”

But instead of freeing her Princess, she would force the ruler of Equestia between her legs. Force the noble, beautiful ruler of the country, a virtual Goddess, and use her like some common toy.

“DAMN IT!” Twilight screamed, tearing her throat open once more. The wound had barely closed the night before but in her anger the little mare simply didn't care. The pain would come, and she would revel in it. As the blood flowed into her mouth once more, she stalked forward. Across from her was a mirror. Mocking laughter echoed from nowhere as she approached the mirror. “I will kill you, you pathetic monster. I will rip you in half. I will shatter every bone in your body, and let the shards fester. Then when you have had so much pain that you can’t even remember your own bucking NAME, I will kill you. Slowly. I’ll tear your legs off, snap your horn, destroy your wings. Whatever I have to do, you sick little foal, I will make you suffer. I will throw you on a fire, and roast you slow.”

Oh dear Twilight Sparkle. Don’t you know yet? Ahh, what a pity. And I thought you were so clever. Maybe that is the trouble though. You are too clever, too wise and smart to see what is right in front of you. How do you think I know so much about you, you silly little foal? Why do you think I speak only to you?

Twilight stood before the mirror. She simply stared at her own reflection. She had been sure that the mirror would show her who was speaking. It had too. Everything pointed to the mirror. Mirrors were always the answer. In every book, the hero looked into a mirror and got help, or some insight that let them win. They never looked in and saw… nothing.

Maybe you should try True Sight? I hear the spell is so uplifting, seeing oneself for what they truly are.

Twilight closed her eyes, and fed power into her horn. She had no idea why she was listening to the hated voice, the evil monster that lived inside her. She touched her horn to the mirror, and the surface of the reflection shimmered, like a pool of molten silver disturbed. She pulled back, and looked.

Inside the mirror, the library looked the same. Books and shelves, and the soft tone of the woods, the gentle colors calming as ever. The background was expected, even comforting. What stared back at Twilight was not.

The thing looked like her. It was her height, and looked identical in every aspect. Save that the mare in the mirror was darker, almost violet, not the gentle sweet lavender of her own coat. The creatures horn was jet black, twisted to a cruel point, jutting from her head, the white gleam of skull showing from the base, the skin torn away from the bone. Large portions of flesh had been simply been ripped away, leaving the muscle and bone showing clear in contrast to the dark coat. The mare’s eyes were the masterpiece. They were black, pitch black, without even a reflection of light within them. And from the bottoms of those deep wells, blood slowly trickled, leaving tracks of crimson on the dark coat, staining it black.

“Dearest Twilight. I am you. The real you, not that sad, weak, foolish little mare that you show the world. You lived the lie for so long, you started to believe it didn’t you? Take a good look. This is who you are, but these,” she gestured at the holes that littered her form “Those are from your darling Princess.”

*************************************

Okay, I think this needs to take a break for a little while. Both because I'm playing with another idea, and because I think I need to get things straightened. It just seems (with this chapter especially) that the quality of the chapters is getting erratic. I'll come back to this later, both to revise and continue this, but right now, I think it needs a vacation. If it takes longer than a month for me to get back to this, someone smack me and make me work,okay?

Hugs and kisses.

That Trapped Within

Rain pelted Twilight as she stood on the mountain once more. It was no natural storm, nothing so powerful and malevolent could be thought of as natural. It was the raw, primal fury of the world. It was nature lashing out, chaffing under its constraints. The sharp crack of thunder roared an instant after the flash of the lightning struck, the storm raged and ranted in a demented frenzy above her.

How fitting. I suppose that is as good an analogy as ever I shall receive. Twilight thought, idly flinging a stone out into the raging wind. The wind hurled the rock ahead, and in another brilliant flash the rock was shattered by a falling bolt of electricity.

Oh, stop being so… pessimistic. After all, you’ll never be alone again. You have me, so why do you need any of those idiots? Twilight blinked slowly, ignoring the nagging voice. It had been almost a month since the voice had finally been given a body, and in that time, Twilight had thought. Mostly, she had raged and ranted over the unfairness of life, and the cruel treatment that Celestia meted out to her when the only thing Twilight had wanted was to be loved.

But she had also thought about that thing inside her. It was an anomaly, a parasite. It hid in the dark corners of her mind,
feeding off her doubts and fears, her anger and her sadness. Every tear she shed was only a drop to whet its thirst, and her cries were a symphony. Of course, the others had noticed. Even as unobservant as they could all be at times, and with the looming nuptials, they could hardly help but to notice. The events of the last month flashed by, each event highlighted in her memory.

Fluttershy had been the first to suspect something; she had never really forgotten the events of the ill-fated sleepover. She had done a sterling imitation of one of her hawks. The little pegasus would simply stare at Twilight, worry and a deep heartfelt weariness evident.

Every now and then, Fluttershy would catch her speaking to herself. Her face would blanch slightly, looking away and biting her lip. Once or twice, her other friends had noticed, and they had stared. But none of them had said a word, never mentioning their observations. Until the night of the wedding, where Princess Luna had ambushed her. For a moment, the monster had thrashed, its vile words washing over her like the tide of fetid pus from an infected wound.

Twilight had shaken her head, and by sheer willpower, banished the voice to the dark corner of her mind in which the vile thing lived. “Twilight Sparkle, we would have a word with thee. Would thee consent to walk with us?” Twilight hadn’t missed the reversion to the more arcane method of speech, and the anxiety of the speaker.

“As you wish my Princess.” Her soft voice rang out, barely audible over the boisterous party behind them, courtesy of Ponyville’s Premiere Party Pony. Luna turned, and with Twilight walking calmly after her, set off away from the party. Somewhere in the thronging crowd, Celestia was doubtless once more congratulating the happy couple.

Twilight shied away from the thought, the memory still a gaping wound in her heart. The sweet smile, the sparkling joy in the ancient eyes. "Nothing brings joy into life like sharing it with the pony you love." Twilight had frozen, every muscle locking into place at the words. Pained disbelief, fear, and an almost uncontrollable hatred battled within her mind, tearing her heart to shreds. The thought that the Princess, her Princess, could say something so cruel hurt the mares battered soul. If She thought that to spend life with the pony you loved was the greatest joy life could bring, then why was Twilight not enough? Why was she, the Element of Magic, the single most powerful creature in Equestria barring only the Goddess diarchs, not enough for Celestia?

“Twilight Sparkle, We can see that something is bothering you nearly to distraction. We ask of thee, speak. Tell us what is wrong?” Luna stopped, only a few feet from the Everfree Forest. Somewhere, deep in those trees, stood her ancient home, the seat of the Royal Sisters powers. It had been abandoned, but even now, almost a thousand years after it had entered its sleep, power still echoed through the stone halls.

What’s wrong? How about the little fact that your sister treated us like we were dirt. Evidently we were only good enough to be a student, but it would seem that having actual importance is just beyond us.

Quiet

“Dearest Luna, whatever could you mean. I am as well now as I have ever been.” The soft ring of truth echoed behind the words to Luna’s senses. It was a little known, if commonly assumed, fact that an alicorn could almost taste deception. Twilight knew that fact well after living with, and observing, Celestia for years. No matter how trivial, the Princess always knew when a falsehood was spoken. It only stood to reason that her sister would share the talent. However, the simple inability to lie did not preclude the misdirection of the immortal. For example, though Twilight was in a state of almost constant mental torment, and engaged in a very real battle to retain the control of her on mind, her physical body was quite well. In fact, the constant mental exertion had sculpted her body, shaving away the excess mass that had stubbornly clung to the mare.

“Are you sure Twilight?” Luna asked, her voice losing a great deal of the stress and with its departure, so too did the formal tone dissipate. “We, my sister and I, are worried about you. Your friends worry as well. You have been… distant. The few times that you have been seen outside your room these last weeks, all have noticed your… increasingly erratic behavior.”

Well, that’s a very nice way to tell someone that they are insane, don’t you think?

How often do I have to tell you to be quiet?

Well, since you know I’m right, why should I stop telling you? It won’t change what has happened.

Silence. You may inhabit my mind, creature, but you are not me.

As you wish master. The voice disappeared, its subservient tone a mocking reproach to the little unicorn.

“Erratic behavior? Oh no. I have merely taken to speaking to myself to help clarify ideas and study the thoughts in a different manner. While not normal, it is not necessarily erratic either. It is not without precedence, nor is it behavior that I have not exhibited before.”

“Twilight.” The worry in the Princess’ tone was what tipped her off. Princess Luna was a trickster, a patron of the arts, the mind, and dreams. While she didn’t delight in the difficulties of others, nor did she particularly concern herself with them. This wasn’t Luna. “Please, tell me what happened in my sister's audience that affected you so greatly?”

Oh, now that is a very good trick. We almost didn’t see through it.

It would have been far simpler without having to listen to your inane babbling at the same time. Now though, if the Princess wants to play like this, then I suppose I must oblige her.

We. We must.

I am in control here. You are merely an annoying parasite that I cannot spare the time to deal with for the moment. Now be silent.

“Would your sister not tell you? Then I suppose that I must. It is simple, in truth. I was a fool. In my ignorance and hubris, I sought to dethrone one of the mighty gods. Silly of me really. In the thousands of years that she has lived, how many times has a pony told her of their love? There must be dozens, perhaps hundreds. Why would one orphaned little mare be any
more important. I was but a child to her, not a pony in truth, just a project, a toy for her to play mother to.”

“Twilight, I truly doubt that she ever thought such a thing. It would be beyond cruel to treat another pony in such a way.”

“No. It would be cruel to not see how much it hurt me to bare my soul. Compared with the difficulty, the pain of rejection was negligible. I never expected the Princess to care, to think of me as anything more than a filly to cuddle up to and comfort. Even if I waited years to tell her, what does that matter? It must pass like the batting of an eye to you. You are immortal, how could you ever notice the fleeting lives of the ponies near you? We are but blades of grass to you, aren't we. I must go, but could you take a message to your sister for me? It will be the last intrusion I make upon your time and mind.”

“I, yes. I will take her your message.”

“Good.” Twilight leaned in. The Princess froze, body tensing as Twilight pressed their lips together. The kiss was brief and gentle, no urgency or passion. There was only the bitter taste of sadness on her lips, and the Princess tasted that clearly. Twilight pulled back a moment later, then leaned forward to the ear of her beloved. For a moment, her will failed her, and Twilight caved. As she buried her head in the soft, billowing mane, a tear rolled from her eye. "Goodbye, Princess Celestia."

A gentle whisper of power washed through the clearing, and Twilight disappeared. The teleportation spell was neat, no excess energy was used, no blinding flash of light. One moment she was there, soft breaths washing warm and sweet over Celestia’s ear, and in the next, she was gone.

It was the guise Celestia had taken that had given Twilight the idea. Everypony knew that emotions affected magic, it was the first lesson that any unicorn learned.

“Remember Twilight, if you do not control your emotions, then they will control you.” That was her first lesson under the care of Princess Celestia, and it was the spark that ignited the idea. There was no need for her to even have the wretched little things. If she didn’t then she wouldn’t feel like her heart was being ripped out of her chest whenever she heard Her name.
Twilight looked out at the small town below her. Then she turned to the north, facing the ancient forest that bordered the town. Pines and old growth oaks, they were old. Very old. The trees had grown there since long before the Sister’s Palace had been built, and stood to this day. Nopony ventured into the deep woods of the Everfree, all feared the wild things and dark things that stalked through the trees.

From the petrifying cockatrice to the rampaging manticore, dragons, basilisks and the horrors that ponies only whispered of. Ponies feared that even the naming would call up terrors that they hoped with all their hearts didn’t truly exist. Twilight grimaced in distaste, knowing exactly the creatures that lived there.

Focusing once more, Twilight began to weave her teleportation spell. With her emotions kept firmly in check, her precision increased. There was no flash, no power lost. Twilight used only what was needed to move herself through the space between worlds, no power wasted, coming off as heat and light. Celestia had finally taught Twilight one final lesson. When you are in control, you waste nothing.

She materialized just outside the boundaries of the old Palace, the wards and shields around the old fortress making any magic useless. The spell would wash against the shields, breaking like waves on the shore. They would also mask any magic’s within the walls from outside senses. No matter how strong the magic was, nopony outside the walls of the palace would know what happened within.

She reached the Hall of Harmony, facing the central dais. On the dais was a mirror. A massive sheet of silver gilded glass, without mar or blemish. The old mirror was part of the reason for the dark nature of the forest, and the reason the old Palace had been abandoned. The mirror would capture the spirit, the essence of a pony, rip it from their mortal body. They would be bound, eternally, to the mirror, kept in immortal torment.

Then why would you go there you fool? You can’t hope to control the mirror. Even if you could, it’s too powerful, it would destroy you.

Why, yes, it will destroy you. I however, will be quite happy on this side of the Veil.

What! The voice nearly shrieked in panic, suddenly afraid of the unicorn It lived within. Twilgiht walked to the mirror, slowly drawing closer and closer to her goal.

NO! The voice screamed, writhing at the chains that bond it within Twilight. The unicorn let the creature free itself, opening her eyes. A voiceless scream echoed through Twilights mind, the creature within being forced from her body.

Twilight turned from the mirror, as the creature fell into the well of darkness. The creature had been everything she hated, her fears, her anger, her love. Every fleeting emotion, every pointless yearning was gone. Cold reason stood in its place. If Celestia would hide her feelings behind a wall of ice, then Twilight would simply have to shatter that wall.

“Princess. I will make you mine. Mine for all of eternity.”

Lights in the Dark

The Great Hall remained much as Celestia had last seen it, almost seven centuries before. A soft light radiated from the alicorn, shedding golden light about her, banishing the shadows. Celestia's light gleamed in the reflection of her frozen breaths. She shuddered slightly as she continued down the long, windowless hall. Nothing moved, not even the small pests that infested the ruin were to be seen. Either they had been driven out by the instinctive fear of the flames, or else by the far older instinct telling them to flee the malevolent magic that permeated the ruins.

As she walked farther, her hoof sunk into something wet and soft. Looking down, she jerked back. As she pulled the hoof up, a considerable portion of the rat followed, dripping from the golden armor. Face contorted in disgust at both the needless death, and the general revulsion everypony feels while dirty, she skirted the corpse.

As she continued down the passage, Celestia began to notice more subtle signs of what had happened. The ground was littered with the remains of insects, both old and fresh. Cobwebs were strung about the hall almost like streamers at a Ponyville celebration. From hall to hall the Princess walked, and no new horrors met her. This was something new, and something wrong.

Even the Batwings didn't wantonly destroy everything. They killed ponies and bound their souls, but this is... messier. The creatures have all been killed, and judging by the sheer amount, they all died almost simultaneously. What could profit from such mayhem? Discord? No. He remains imprisoned in Canterlot, I would know at once if he were free. Besides, this isn't his style. He may be mad, and powerful, but he isn't evil. He simply has a deluded idea of fun, and the power to force his idea on reality. This is wrong.

Twilight looked at the massive city. Huts made of sunbaked mud stood in layered circles, rings that reached ever higher. This city was built on a large hill, grass showing between the shacks. Zebras could just barely been seen at this distance, small discolorations moving about the hill. Twilight's goal was at the peak of the hill, looking out over the Plains. Terranis, the Earth King, sat upon a thick rug, a deep crimson stain on the bare earth of the peak of the hill.

Twilight drew the spike from the ground one final time. Aiming along the spine, she sent it rocketing forward once more. This time however, she layered moisture along the leading edge of the cone that formed around the speeding projectile. Hard as the gemstone may be, slamming into hardened mud at half the speed of sound would shatter the crystal instantly. More importantly, it would release the power that was contained within, an explosion that would destroy the surroundings. Not the most diplomatic solution. The moisture, infused with her will, would soften the mud, and the ruby would punch through, losing speed and landing on the interior of the palace.

One the hill, one of the walls disappeared in a blinding flash of energy. Apparently she had thrown it too hard. Her eyebrow raised slowly, a quiver on her mouth almost a smile. "Oops." More than the actual crystal, the explosion gave Twilight a firm spot to move to with her teleportion though, and the mare capitalized on the circumstance. If diplomacy wouldn't work, then a show of force would have to do.

She appeared in the center of the crater that had once held a wall, the grass on the rim of the scar flickering with flames. Rather than suppress her magic though, Twilight added more, drawing lightly from her pack to fuel the appearance. A spark of lightning struck down, the electricity drawn to the charged field the teleportation spell created. The report of the super heated air sounded, almost deafening at point blank range. Twilight walked from the cloud of smoke curling from the burning grass, and her hooves clopped on the tiled interior.

Whatever was lacking in the exterior of the Palace was more than accounted for inside. The minimalism of the Zebra art, combined with their characteristic lean, sharp edged style lent the impression of the building itself being a warrior waiting to attack. Rugs covered the tile, forming an orange and black pathway to the throne in the center of the circular room. More mats covered the floor, leaving only small paths between the rugs in which to walk. Zebras sat in all manner of shocked silences, many mouths simply hanging open at the sight of the purple mare's advance.

"HALT!" The shout was followed by the leveled tips of three spears. Creatures Twilight hadn't even heard of from Zecora held the spears before her. They were huge, almost three times her height, and stood on two legs. Rather than hooves, their limbs ended in dexterous appendages which were wrapped around the hafts of the weapons. Their skin was black, and a thick mat of shaggy black fur covered their entire body, leaving only the odd protrusions on their arms bare, and most of their face. "Who are you?"

"I request a private audience with your King."

"The King does not speak with assassins. Begone foul creature, before you leave here in pieces." The creatures were intelligible, though only barely, their voices gruff and strained. Leaning to the left, Twilight could see the throne. There was no King there, there was only a young mare sitting upon the throne.

"Then I desire to speak with whom soever holds the greatest authority here. I would assume that to be she on the throne."

"Leave!" The tip of the spear jutted forward threateningly once more.

"Will you not cooperate?"

"No! Begone. NOW!" The creature ended in a roar, baring long dangerously sharp teeth. It began to lumber forward, spear inching closer to her face.

Her horn glowed, and the spears of all the creatures were ripped from their grips. They crumbled to powder under the force of the unicorn's telekenetic prison. The assembled stared in surprise as the weapons simply ceased to be. Roaring once more, the group charged, now moving with all four limbs on the ground, throwing themselves forward with their thick forelimbs. They slammed into a wall of energy, and fell back howling. The acrid smell of burnt hair washed over the area as the creatures rubbed at their faces, whimpering at the pain of their burns.

"I asked for a private meeting." The calm voice came from beneath the menacing glow of her horn, and the room emptied with a most gratifying haste. Of course, as everywhere, they had their own concepts of nobility and propriety.

"Excuse me. There is a protocol for such requests. You must await your rightful place before addressing her-"

"Harlorn, be silent. Leave us, now." The command was sharp, a bark of orders that the zebra obeyed, albeit will ill grace. Muttering small, self assured curses under his breath, the zebra exited the room.

"What are you?" The mare on the throne asked, the pose and words those of self assured royalty, the quaking voice that of a scared filly.

"You need only concern yourself with one thing. Telling me where the King is."

"He is dead. I am now the leader of these people. What is it that you wish?"

"I want to know who holds Prophecy. And then I will make them help me."

The mare looked shocked, almost stunned at the request. She held herself with a grace rarely seen, more akin to that of the true royalty than the gawky movements of mares her age, she was barely old enough to even be thought of as an adult, much less the leader of a nation. It was a shock to Twilight, as it would be to any pony, to think of a ruler as young. Rulers were meant to be ageless, ancient beyond time, and powerful beyond imagining.

For a moment Twilight stood there, awaiting the answer, and simply looked at the young queen. Like Zecora, and every other zebra she had ever seen, the queen looked like an earth pony with stripes. Light muscles that can only be obtained through the grace of birth rippled along her spare body, the skin hugging close to that hidden strength. Her eyes were a beautiful gold, almost the color of thick honey, and they held an almost predatory ferocity as they looked on the unicorn.

Where a cutie mark would be on a pony, a tribal tattoo stood scared into the queens flank, some strange design. What appeared to be a circle, encircled by seven triangles, all facing away from the circle. It was also the sickly redish purple of a new scar. They had cut the mark into her flank, and left it to heal, unaided. Barbarians

"I hold that power. What need is there for you to come to my home and assault my subjects?" The golden eyes narrowed, glaring at Twilight.

"Because I want you to answer my questions."

"What are your questions Twilight Sparkle. Ask, then leave my realm."

Twilight raised and eyebrow, looking at the zebra. Apparently she had Knowledge as well as Prophecy. Interesting. "I want you to tell me how to obtain what I desire."

"I need more-"

"Don't lie. We both know that you don't need any more detail. Tell me."

"As you wish then. I shall need time to prepare."

Luna found her sister in the Hall of Memory, rooted in place. Before her sat a mirror, one that had plagued the alicorn's dreams. That mirror, for her especially, was a presence both malign, and darkly seductive. From the depths of the vile thing, amid the swirling images of the minds of ponies truly gone mad, a single, reptilian eye stared at her.

So you have returned at last my child. It warms my heart to see you once more. The mental presence broke into her mind like a foal destroys a block castle. The demon sent a feeling of contemptuous amusement pulsing along the forced rapport.

You have no heart.

Oh dearest Luna, you wound me. All I have ever wanted was to aid you, to give you whatever you desire. I could tell you what is happening now, for example.

"Sister, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Luna tore her eyes from the mirror. They found the white glowing form of her sister, her mane still flowing in the celestial wind. There was a tension in her back, the great wings mantled about her. Luna walked around the marble pillar that her sister had become, attempting to see into the difficulty that her sister faced. She froze.

Her sister terrified her. There was a cold, intense hatred burning behind her eyes. Almost tangible waves of power, rage, and bitter sadness rolled off of the ancient creature. There were things moving deep in the pits of her eyes, the usual lavender hue turning into a molten silver. The last time such a look marred the serene being that sat rigidly beside Luna, her sister had singlehoofedly obliterated an entire species. She had wiped them not only from the face of Equestria, but from the very pages of history, the echos of time itself.

Reflected in the silver eyes, was an image in the Mirror. Twilight Sparkle sat curled into a ball in the Mirror. Chains of fire were wrapped around the mare, writhing and sliding along, hideous burns gaped in the wake of the flames. The Mirror Twilight twitched once more, her bonds tightening, searing their image into her flesh once more. Within the Mirror, the proud, capable Twilight Sparkle sat cowed, beaten and broken. She was the closest thing to Celestia's daughter, and if the image seared its pain into Luna's heart...

"They will die."

"Sister, you must not-"

"Silence." The command came out in a harsh whisper, stinging Luna like the bite of one of the ethereal chains binding Twilight.

The plains, even while remaining still indoors in the shade, were almost deadly in their heat.

"What you ask of me is impossible!" The zebra queen, Nolux, growled at the unicorn.

"Don't be foolish. Try again." The mare sat, unruffled at the most recent outburst. The last hour had seen five, the hour before that two more. "You know as well as I that Prophecy is never false."

"Damn it! Don't you get it? There is no Prophecy. The future is muddled, there are hundreds of futures branching out from each other. All I see are a white and black creature with a horn like yours and feathered wings, you, and a mirror. Those are the only constants in the sea of possibilities. I can't tell you what you want to know, because I'm not even sure which you I should be looking at! Why do you think that I could not install greater defenses? I knew that you may have come here, but amid the different places you could have entered, the cities you might have destroyed, I could not spare the guards to my people." The queen growled in frustration. It was hell, to know all of the horrors that could befall her subjects, and knowing that nothing she could do could stop it. To know that there was an equal chance of her blood staining the rug beneath her once more, as each of her predecessors had met their own end.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Hundreds?"

"At least. Its a muddled mess, you can't know anything, because all of those futures are fluid, constantly changing, but none of them ever becoming nonexistent. Time is about to branch off enough to look like a shattered glass, shards and chips everywhere. If it doesn't simply fall apart, then it will be distorted by the cracks running through it. Not only that, but you aren't the only one who is going to make choices that alter reality. Small stones continually appear, a statue, even those two creatures, they are all going to affect the future, and until it is happening, there is no way for Prophecy to work. Until that time, there is nothing I can do to help you, because there will simply be too many possibilities." Nolux said, her voice edging back from the almost frenzied frustration of a moment before to one more akin to awe. Never had any creature held as much sway over the future as the little purple creature before her. "There is only on constant I see, at the end of the branches."

"You just cannot understand. You, all ponies, just don't get it. You think of time as a linear construct, a simple chain of event to event, cause and effect. What you don't understand is that everything that we do, every choice we make affects the future. If I were to decide between a salad and a sandwich for lunch, that single decision would break the flow of time, making two, entirely separate timelines. You think of time as linear because in your memory, one thing leads directly to another, because in your reality, in every reality, it does. What you don't see is that right next to you are hundreds, thousands, millions of different yous. Each choice breaks time, yes, but they are minor, maybe a single hair is a different color, or something minor like that. You though, you are straining the, the stuff of time by your very prescence. You are putting too much strain. If I were to die, here and now, then there would be little change in the outcome of the future, maybe a slight crop decrease or something. The amount of power you hold over others has a direct link into the amount of change the future would have. You though, every choice you make will lead to a distinct future, entirely seperate from, well, everything. They will create and shape their own timelines. But what is truly terrifying is that they will never rejoin. Reality will become separate, apart from itself, based on the choices you and those two other creatures make. You are going to shape the world Twilight Sparkle, and in most, you shall not shape it for the better. There is only one constant in the times I can see."

"Oh?" The eyebrow quirked once more, Twilight's ears flicking to face the queen. The tirade, almost an attack, caught her off guard. Until this point, the queen had been calm, composed and only angered at Twilight's intrusion. Now though, she was near tears, the frustration and helplessness of her position hitting home. There was anger, hot blazing fury in her eyes now.

"Your death."

A Sea of Grass

"Again." The quiet command was followed by a small woven cloth ball being sent flying through the air. The ball flew swiftly, the sharp bucking kick of the zebra rocketing it through the soft peace of dawn. Twilight aimed carefully, and a bolt of energy slammed into the ball, sending it hurtling towards the ground once more. Twilight's brow cleared, the small furrow that had been plowed there by the force of her thoughts smoothing over and the creases near her eyes vanished. A few inches above the ground, the ball slowed, its power vanishing as it barely tapped the ground before ceasing all motion.

"Again, two." The first night, Twilight had inadvertently buried one of the cloth balls under almost five feet of dirt. She had always been powerful, but even then she had been merely a unicorn. There was a limit to her abilities. Of course, there was still a limit on her abilities, however that limit was now levels of magnitude above anything she could even fantasize having before. She could still use every spell she knew, and many more besides, but they were often well beyond her direct control. Gaining so much more power so soon had resulted in a loss of precision, she couldn't control the bursts of energy that accompanied her magics. So now here she was, her unbidden companion pressed into service.

Nolux lifted both balls and set them on the rock pillar the unicorn had pulled out of the ground itself for the purpose. The sides of the pillar and its cap were all perfectly smooth, except for three small indentations, in which Nolux placed her burdens. Aligning her shot, she frowned in concentration, and let fly. With the innate precision that all ponies have, some holdover of a bygone age where bucking had been a defense against predators, both hooves slammed into the sack balls. She had, as instructed, knocked both projectiles on different arcs, one shooting high into the sky, the other much shallower.

Nolux could not use magic the way that the powerful young unicorn could, but she did have the Sight, and a very powerful variant of that latent magical ability. But she could perceive any of the multitudes of possible future, and see the essence of magic. To her, the unicorns magic appeared as a smooth honey gold, with amethyst flecks coursing through the gelatinous mass. Earlier, while plucking the ball from the air, a thick column had extended from the mare's horn engulfing the rough sphere. Now though, two whip-like tendrils extended, wrapping around each ball.

They began to pulse, thickening with each glowing wave of energy, the glow in Nolux's vision growing brighter and brighter. Then one link weakened, and fell away from the still moving ball. The energy snapped back to its fellow, the cable connected to the skyward ball suddenly thickened, and the additional energy sent it slamming into the ground, a plume of dust marking its landing.

Twilight stood panting, beads of sweat coating her small, shivering frame. Nolux let her Sight fade, and the cocoon of golden energy that had hidden the unicorn vanished. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Nothing a little sleep won't cure. We need to talk though."

Amusement and caution warred on the face of the young zebra, her head tilted to one side and eyebrows asymmetrically raised. "About what?"

"Why you are following me."

"Sister, this is madness!" A blue hoof slammed into the tiled floor of the Palace in frustration, a web of cracks spraeding through the octagonal tile of the Old Palace.

"Luna, she was never meant to be taken and corrupted. That mirror was meant as a prison for the truest evils that plague the world, not an innocent little mare. You saw what had been done to her. I could not leave her there." The voice was as implacable as the rising sun, and very much colder. Lavender eyes narrowed in concentration and annoyance at the continued obstinacy of her sister. Of all ponies, she should be leaping at the chance to help save another from that pain.

"Even assuming that you could make that spell work, Celestia!" The cold eyes flicked back to the smaller alicorn briefly, then returned to their focus. Before her, stood Twilight Sparkle. Not the true Twilight of course, but a facsimile, an abomination.

A body is simply a collection of proteins and minerals, elements and compounds. There was nothing special about a ponies body beyond the mass, nothing that truly set it distinctly apart from that of a squirrel or a rabbit. You could create a pony body out of nothing, simply drawing the disparate materials together, aligning them and combining them.

The difficulty, and the reason for the blanket ban on all research in that field, arose from the simple fact that all you would create is a body. No soul, no spirit, all of that energy, time, and material is effectively wasted to create a perfectly healthly, lifeless body. And so, after the work and care taken in creating the body, invariably ponies tried to give it life. They would take the souls of those dead, or sometimes even their own, and thrust it into the body they have created. The results were... horrific. They were less than animals, they were mindless things, devoid of any purpose, and without any mind.

And Celestia planned to create another one of those things, another monster without mind or reason. Granted the spell head never been attempted by an alicorn, nor with a soul that had already been rent from its body. Even so, the very idea of such a thing was repugnant. For the first time in over a thousand years, Luna turned her back on her sister, leaving the chamber.

A flash of pain crossed the face of the white alicorn, before the brows knit once more in concentration. Luna would see. She would make this work, she had to. She couldn't lose Twilight, not again.

"It's simple really." Nolux was curled up in the shade of an acacia, head on her hooves. A short ways off, outside of the paltry cool the shade offered from the boiling sun, Twilight lay on the grass. All about her the grass was sheathed in frost, a sight that had nearly made Nolux bolt the first time she had seen it, almost a week before.

In the time since the unicorn left the hilltop town, Nolux had accompanied her. When she had first appeared alongside the little purple mare, there had been no questions. A simple statement of intent, that she would be left behind if she slowed, and the pair had begun their journey across the Sarahi.Now apparently, was the time deemed fit for questions, however, and the young zebra settled in to answer.

"I have seen many futures. None of them are quite... pleasant. There are multitudes of possible paths through this corridor, each leading to a slightly different end. Many are essentially the same, with only the sense of the time of the vision being altered, and then only by the slightest margin. The thing is, there are some futures that are radically different. There are comparatively few of them, but they do tend to stick out."

"How is this relevant?"

"Oh, that's simple, but you need to understand how the Sight works."

"You can see the future."

"Well, yes and no. And I can see magic if I try, but that's not impor... you okay?" She interrupted herself, at the wide eyes the unicorn. "What? Its not all that special, I mean, I can't use magic can I? Anyway yes, all of the Shamans, the zebra with the Sight, they can all see the future. But I'm special. I have one of the rarest kinds of Sight, my tribe hasn't been so blessed in almost five hundred years. Oh, right. So, all Shamans can see the future, but they only see the most likely future at that moment. So if nopony changes their mind before whatever they see is supposed to happen, then it will happen exactly like they saw it, you see?"

"Such an ability would be fraught with disabilities and uncertainty. If so much as one pony directly involved, or those who are involved indirectly with those involved, then the entire event can change, radically. The distortion effect would only worsen the longer the time between the vision and the event. How would you be able to predict with any realistic accuracy?"

"Exactly, you have no idea how nice it is to have somepony to talk theory too. Don't get me wrong, the other Shaman are smart, usually, but they don't like to think about their Sight, they think that it'll go away if they question it. Silly huh? So, they are only accurate in the short term, part of the reason we're not allowed to gamble. Well, my Sight is different. I don't see the most likely future. I see many permutations of the events, and only major events. Normally a Shaman can tell you what kind of sock you'll wear tomorrow, but I would only be able to see that if the socks were enchanted, and you seduced a Prince or something. Really big, important events to a large number of ponies. Usually, I can see almost every permutation of the event, because it is so large that there is a very low chance of those involved to change their mind. You though, you have hundreds of different futures hinging on minutia. Basically, anything that can affect you at all, help or hindrance, or one of the others that compose part of this, and each influence will create a slightly different future. Which means either you are easily swayed and have the willpower of a straw-" An insulted quirk of the eyebrow replied fully "Or else you, and everypony involved, is so important that any minute changes in your behavior will make a noticeable change in time."

"I might be flattered, but I have the feeling that such is decidedly not good." A movement, so slight as to be one that could easily have been imagined, quirked Twilight's lips into a smile. "That is all well and good, but it is also not what I was asking. Why are you, personally, following me."

"Oh! That's easy. I wanted to join you. Mostly because I've seen the futures where I go with you, and they tend to end better as a whole. So, here I am. Of course, the fact that it looks like it'll be fun doesn't hurt the prospect." Nolux giggled. "You are fun to be around Twilight, you just need to loosen up, enjoy life a little. The constant," she pulled a serious face, a comical depiction of Twilight's impassivity. "gets a little boring. Smile every now and then, or frown, or do something. It's... wrong... to sit around and bottle up everything you feel and pretend that it doesn't exist Twilight."

"Why are you, as a queen, abandoning your people?"

"Queen? Oh, you mean because I was on the throne? Twilight, the Zebra haven't had a king in longer than anypony can even remember. That was where I knew you would appear, so that's where I was. And everypony else were acolytes. I figured it had to be pretty accurate to fool you. I suppose it was a little rude of me to simply play on your assumptions rather than just tell you. I'm sorry Twi." A cheeky grin split the young mare's face, and the mare cocked her head. "How about I make it up to you?"

For a moment after the spell, there was perfect silence. Then the screaming began. Celestia's eyes snapped open from the haze of exhaustion in which they had drooped. Her wings mantled in instinctive defense against the threat, before her rational mind regained control. She rushed ahead, placing a restraining hoof on the thrashing shoulder.

The mare beneath her writhed, still screaming. Every nerve in her body was being connected at once. It was like being born, thrust abruptly from nebulous thought and ideas into the instantaneous overload as every sense came online. Unfortunately, Twilight had access to magic as well. Apparatus flew about the room, crashing without prejudice into everything unfortunate to intersect their orbits.

"TWILIGHT!" Celestia yelled over the screaming mare, barely audible even to her own ears above the cacophony beneath her. "TWILIGHT CALM DOWN!" Five minutes later, repeated shouts in an attempt to sooth the mare, and four growing bruises from impact trauma, and Twilight lay still and silent.

"Princess! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to- I mean I would never have- Are you okay?"

A soft chuckle greeted the inquiry as the sides of the alicorn trembled slightly. "I am now, I am now. It is good to hear your voice once more my faithful student."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

So like her. Always asking questions, always curious.

"Twilight, dearheart, you've been attacked. You were forced out of your body, trapped in a mirror." The great white head lowered, and Celestia wrapped her long neck around her students. It was good to have her back. "I, I had to save you, no matter the cost. I'm sorry for our recent history, it was far beneath me, and nowhere near what you deserve my faithful student. I shouldn't have done it, but I, I couldn't leave you there. I couldn't lose you, not so soon." The tear that fell on the back of the trembling unicorn was different. The golden drop signaled not sadness, not regret. It showed joy, the joy of a heart finally made whole.

A Sweet Reunion

“Horsefeathers!” Applejack swore, straining once more against the harness of her cart. The cart was Big Mac’s and it was barely within the straining muscles of the farmer mare to pull. It was piled high with gorgeous red apples, freshly bucked from the trees at Sweet Apple Acres. She rushed forward once more, face screwed up with the pain of the harness straps digging deeply into her shoulders.

“Applejack Applejack APPLEJACK!” The farmer turned, and barely managed to avoid being bowled over as a pink ball of pure energy slammed into her. “Twilight’s come back, she’s coming back. Here, we’re having a ‘Welcome-back-from-your-super-duper-extra-long-trip-that-you-forgot-to-tell-us-about’ party tonight. At nine. Don’t be late!” At some point during the speech, Pinkie had managed to unharness Applejack, and only when she was let go and an invitation was shoved into her hoof did AJ realize that they had been bouncing while the exuberant pony had hugged her.

The orange mare wobbled, juggling the invitation and attempting to avoid falling into the mud nearby. Rarity would kill her if she came home muddy. Again. Today. By the time she stabilized and looked back around, there was no trace of the party pony, though her cart had miraculously been moved to the stall she had been pulling it to. Chuckling and muttering “Pinkie Pie,” AJ tucked the invitation under her hat, and went over to make the farm, and herself, enough money for Granny Smith to finally get that new hip she’s needed for years. The dirt road to town seemed to have had its mud vanish in an instant as well.

Meanwhile the pink mare with the flare was skipping about town as she made her way to the Boutique. Over the past month, ever since her wedding, Rarity’s little business had really taken off. Fancy Pants had finally gotten enough financial backing to help her business grow, and now she was making clothes for the fashionable across Equestria. She was doing so well, she even had an assistant, a young colt named Stitch who helped her in assembling some of the less intensive products. Currently though, Stitch was gone, removed forcefully so that the unicorn mare could “Find Inspiration”.

Rarity was currently in her Inspiration Room in point of fact, the blue glow of her telekinetic grip on a length of green fabric, draping it over the back of a ponikin. “Whatcha doing Rarity?”

The unicorn screamed, whirling and dropped the fabric. The green cloth fell on her, wrapping her legs and sending the white mare sprawling. “Pinkie! How many times have I asked you not to do that?” The whine came from beneath the tent, and several seconds later, Rarity’s head popped out from within, her expression a confused jumble of exasperation, amusement, and mild annoyance. Honestly, considering how often she does it, it shouldn’t surprise me anymore.

Pinkie only giggled, tilting her head at the unicorn. “Hey that looks like fun.” And into the new tent she dove. Sighing and hanging her head, shaking it and smiling, Rarity retreated back within the cloth, to find herself nose to nose with Pinkie. “So you want to come to Twilight’s ‘Welcome-back-from-your-super-duper-extra-long-trip-that-you-forgot-to-tell-us-about’ party? Have and invitation. Oh. Since you and AJ make smoochy faces together, should you only get one. Oh, but if you have two, then they can make smoochy faces together too. OW!” The erratic thoughts were interrupted by a set of claws digging into her flank.

“Opalescence! Behave yourself.”

“Ow ow ow. That really hurt. I know what your upset about Opal!” Pinkie dug in the saddlebags draped from her sides, and produced a letter identical to the one that had found its way into Rarity’s hoof. “Here, you can come too. Hey Rarity? If you and AJ are together, does that mean Opal and Winnona are-OW! Sorry Opal, I forgot. Are you and Winnona making kissy faces together like Rarity and Applejack? I don’t know how you would though, you both have a lot of scary sharp teeth. Like, if Gummy had teeth, I wouldn’t ever want to kiss him, because he might try to kiss back like he always does, but if he had teeth then that would hurt a lot, not feel funny and giggly while he tries to hold on.”

“Pinkie, Darling, why do you think Twilight is coming home today?”

“She’s not silly. She’s coming home tonight, so I need to go and give out the rest of the invitations before then. Oh, and make the cake. And the streamers. And the punch. Hey, do you think Twilight will mind if I put hot sauce in the punch again?”

“I think you had better not. Of course I’ll come, but I will need to finish this design first.”

“Okie Dokie Lokie.” Pinkie pulled herself out of the cloth and bounced away, mane and tail bouncing even more than the pink body beneath them.

“But, what if they…notice.” Twilight's voice was soft, quiet and afraid. Tears rimmed her eyes, and she shot a worried look at the alicorn beside her.

“Twilight, beloved, you are still you. You just have a different body. They are your friends, and they will always love you, just as I do.”

“But what if they… don’t?” Celestia cringed at the sadness, the dejection that consumed the little mare’s voice. It had been three days since the very abrupt, painful awakening of Twilight to her new body, finally letting the poor mare feel again in more than memory.

Twilight turned her head, nuzzling the soft white fur covering lean, strong muscles. “I’m sorry Princess. I know you have so many things to be worried about, and I’m not helping at all.”

“Don’t!” The sharp tone caught both teacher and student off guard. Taking a slow breath, Celestia continued. “Don’t you ever feel sorry for what happened. It wasn’t your fault, no matter what happened. If any pony is at fault, then it is me. I didn’t realize just how much you were, and are, until I saw you trapped in that prison. You have only done two things wrong Twilight.”

The saddened look vanished, replaced by near panic. “I, but I, what?”

“First of all, you insist on calling me Princess, when I do believe I told you several times that my name is Celestia.” A smile flitted across the wise face, and an answering grin broke the storm clouds that had been stirring on the lavender mare’s face. The next sentence wiped the grin away like oil in water though. “And second, you fell in love with the worst pony in Equestria.”

Steel glinted in the purple eyes, and Twilight butted her head into Celestia’s chest, hard. “No. You aren’t. You are the most beautiful. Most wise. Most kind. Most… everything pony I have ever met. Or will meet.” A soft kiss punctuated each sentence, the lips of the young mare ghosting, warm and sweet across the tense white body. Tension simply melted away from Celestia’s body under the attention, flowing from of her like water through a sieve.

From an overhanging balcony, Luna glared. She didn’t trust Twilight. There was something wrong with the mare ever since she had been pulled from the mirror. Luna wasn’t even sure that the mare had ever truly been trapped in the mirror. Yes, something had been locked in that mirror, and the mirror would show you the true nature of those within. Whatever it was, that thing was Twilight. A piece of Twilight. They had left the Old Palace in the Everfree forest three days ago, baring that thing with them. Now her sister sat there, cuddling it like a favored teddy bear.

Tears welled in Luna’s eyes as she watched the scene below. The incipient sobs had plagued her since she and her sister had returned to Canterlot. Now, even the thought of her sister and Twilight was enough to make her eyes water in reaction. It didn’t make sense. She should be happy for her sister, happy that she had found love, no matter what was done to preserve it.

Oh come now dear host. It matters little when you admit why such a sight pains you, as a dagger in your breast would. You see what you desire, held before you. Tantalizingly near, with the only barrier that keeps your hearts-desire is your Sisyphean fear. I could help you master your fear, once more dear child.

Acshina, I abandoned you. You lied to me, betrayed my trust, and stole my mind. Why would I allow you access once more?

Because you still lust, dearheart. Still you yearn for affection, for a sister who would recognize you, accept you. You hate that she still looks on you with disgust for falling so.

Who wouldn’t be ashamed of their sister listening to some evil creature?

Oh dear host. It is not me that she despises. It is you. You who sought to control her precious dear ponies. You who behaved in such an… inappropriate fashion. You who lusted and lusted. For attention, for power, for love. But most of all, she is ashamed of the fact that you, her sister lusted after her. Siwwy wittle Woona. Did you ever think that she would, or even could, love you in such a disgusting manner? The noble, beautiful, kind, wise Princess of Equestria, savior and leader to her ponies, be caught in flagrante delicto? Poor, dear, sweet, stupid Luna. Even now, after I was ‘banished’ she doesn’t trust you. A simple mare less than a hundredth your age, who has only known your sister for a bare score of years, is still closer to her than you can ever be.

That won’t work. One blue eye closed, the warm tears burning a path through her fur. Not this time. I won’t let her down.

Chilly laughter resounded in the echoing hallways of the Princess of Dreams’ mind. Oh sweetest, most innocent Luna. Do you not see my mark on the young one? Are you not certain that I am once more trying to capture your beloved, to steal her away from you.

No. I know you Acshina, and I will not let your lies corrupt me.

The specter of Acshina appeared before her, an amorphous ball suspended in the air, a single, reptilian green eye glaring from the depths.

Oh, but dearest Luna. You know what I am. I only grant the power to my hosts. It was you who controlled Nightmare Moon, I was merely… fuel. Another cold laugh echoed, and for a moment, Luna was the scared little filly she had first met the monster as. Then the moment passed. She wasn't that filly any longer, she was a strong, confident, ancient ruler, with millennia behind her, and millennia more ahead of her.

She turned once more, eyes clouded with tears. But now, below the sadness was an abiding fear. Something was very wrong.

“Come on. You have to get hungry. Everypony gets hungry. How can you not want food?"

"Because I don't need to eat."

"I know, you've said that six times. And you've been looking at those eggs almost since they were cracked. You want them, admit it."

"If there is no need to eat, then eating would be a waste of energy."

"Twilight, come on." Nolux had degraded into simple whining, trying to get the headstrong unicorn to bow to biological necessities and eat. They both knew that she was hungry, she hadn't taken her eyes off the food since it had been made. "It can't really hurt to eat. Just a little bit? Please? One bite. Besides, I owe you for earlier, and this is how I'm making it up."

"One bite." The grudging tone couldn't hide the avarice in her eyes, or the manner with which she descended on the food. Starving lions in the Arena had nothing on her.

"Twilight, when was the last time you ate?"

"Hmm?" The grunt passed the overstuffed mouth, and the unicorn swallowed."A month."

"That is more than a little creepy you know?" The zebra was sitting on the dusty grass beside Twilight, head cocked to one side as her brow furrowed. In response though, Twilight merely arched an eyebrow, as if daring her companion to explain. "You don't act like you have any life in you. You move around and talk, but its like there's nothing there. You act like a foal that doesn't get a new toy."

The arched eyebrow lowered, slamming down into a glare. The zebra bit the bottom of her lip, but she didn't back down from the gaze. "So what is your problem? You always act like you don't care about anything, but you still do. You react, just not as much as other ponies would. Like how your starting to get angry. And there you go, you just make it... stop. The anger just... goes away."

"Don't worry about it. It doesn't concern you." The icy gaze once more locking on the zebra. This time though, Nolux met the frozen stare with her own, concern and anger burning in her sapphire eyes.

"Your right, of course. I abandoned my home, my people, my life, all so that I could go with you and at least try and make a better future than the one that you arrogance is leading you too. It isn't my concern is it? Let me tell you Twilight Sparkle. It is my concern, because if you don't fess up right this second, then you really are just a scared little filly, one whose teacher just pitied, not a mare that can prove herself the equal to the divine itself. Start. Talking."

A huff ended the echoing growl that emanated from the zebra, and hot air washed over a stunned Twilight. For a second, one single moment, her mask fell away. The pain of her love rejected, the sorrow of her own inadequacy, the fury at Celestia and Nolux, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, everypony for just leaving her alone, letting her bleed out from the gaping hole where her heart used to be. All were there, and for a moment, they were clear to all. But below that, there was fear.

Fear that even now, even her new power, even her plan would be useless. The fear that she was still not even worth the notice of the beautiful, wise, kind Princess that had extended a friendly smile, and captured a filly's heart. The forced wall of apathy that had held her in control, had made her strong, shattered. It disintegrated, leaving that young mare shivering in reaction to the cold air of reality.

Nolux stared in horror at the unicorn before her. The words she had used had been angry, frustrated, violent even, but she hadn't intended to hurt Twilight. Now though, her friend...was Twilight her friend? Now Twilight sat there, head hung, and the cold, impossible mare broke into a dozen pieces. For a moment, she stood as frozen as Twilight had pretended. Then she surged forward, and her strong legs wrapped tight around the unicorn.

They sat there for a time, while Twilight finally let go, finally found a comforting shoulder on which to cry. A mare who didn't know her, a mare who wouldn't judge her was safe. That mare could see her cry, could hold her in her weakness. Just like another had done, so long ago.

Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie

"Oh, I'm so excited. Aren't you excited Gummy? Twilight's going to love the party, I just know it. Now, since we don't have Twilight here to do a checklist, it looks like I'll have to do that. Cupcakes? Check. Tasty Cupcakes? Mmmmm, Cerk. Super duper tasty cupcakes? Check, check and check. Hey Gummy, have you seen my checklist?" Pinkie was talking to herself, and/or Gummy, as she bounced about the room, going over all the preparations once more. "Twilight had been gone forever, and her welcome home party would be the best. Thing. EVER! Oh, Hello! I'm Pinkie Pie. Who are you? Wow, there sure are a lot of you, aren't there. Why are only some of you wearing clothes?" The pink pony bounced in front of the blank wall, staring intently at scenes only her imagination could paint on the white painted wood.

"Uh, Pinkie Pie. Why are you talking to the wall?" Applejack walked into the small room above Sugarcube Corner where Pinkie lived. To call it chaos may have been introducing a little too much order to the space, but there are only so many polite words for the mess that was there, heaped in piles, strewn about the floor, and somehow hanging to the ceiling. I guess Twilight was wrong. All things are not prone to entropy, unless that was fancy for "being collected and put in Pinkie Pie's room". Was that... yes, that is the old switch Ma used to use on me. Why in the world would she want to keep that?

"Oh, hi AJ. How are you. Come on, you can help your Auntie Pinkie Pie set up for the party." Pinkie bounced over to the wall once more, inspecting the wood. "Oh! No fair, they left when you turned up. Here, go out of the room, I want to see if they come back." She twisted her neck, grinning over her shoulder at the farmer

"Uh, Pinkie." As usual, attempting to talk to Pinkie was an exercise in futility. She just kept going. And going. AJ sighed, hanging her head low on the strong neck. An observer might have noticed the flicking tail, or the twitching muscles of the orange ponies body as she tried to contain a mixture of outrage, amusement, mirth and annoyance.

"I have all of thiis stuff I need to go through a checklist for. And first on the checklist is write a checklist. Haha. See, I'm already turning into Twilight. Its a good thing shes coming back, because otherwise I'd have to dye my mane and tail and stuff. And get a baby dragon. Oh, but Gummy's green, and a lot of dragons are green. Maybe if I gave him a lot of hot sauce he cou-"

"PINKIE! Tarnation girl, calm down. And your parties a mite late. She's already here. Hold this." The farmer whipped off her Stetson, stuffing the brim into the open mouth before her. Pinkie clamped down, gently, on the beloved hat. The mixture of emotions left the farmer in a sigh, and she cracked her neck before once more opening her eyes in the blissful silence. She patted her blonde mane, then shook her head once. "Thank you, can Ah have it back now, please?"

"What are you talking about AJ? Of course she isn't." The exuberant mare paused mid bounce, hanging in the air for one second of physics defying impossibility, face contorted in confusion.

"And hows that? You've been stuck up here all day. A parade could have gone by before you'd notice." The farmer grinned, raising one eyebrow.

"Oh don't be silly. My Pinkie Sense would have told me about when she was getting back and it hasn't said anything. And my hooves sweated, tail twitched and I sneezed, but that means that there a really big surprise coming, not a parade silly. A parade is twitchy tail, sneezy nose and shaking right hooves. Unless, OH! Maybe the surprise is Twilight's bringing a parade!" Pinkie landed, finally, and began bouncing around the room once more. Random oddments seemed to float about the pink pony, though there were far to many to be held. Unless she had six hooves, but that was... exactly what was going on. AJ sighed once more, and grabbed the bouncing mare on her second circuit of the room.

"Yeah. Well, maybe the surprise was that Twilight is waiting downstairs for us right now. Come on Sugarcube, your freaky Pinkie Sense can't be right all the time."

"But she isn't here." Pinkie was now truly puzzled. Her Pinkie Sense was never wrong. Ever. And it would have told her when Twilight was coming home. Although, come to think of it, it hadn't given her any of the "coming home letter" signs before the letter had come. "Oh, but you can help me make a list. But I need paper. Can you go get some?"

"How about this sugarcube. You come with me to go get the paper, then I'll help with that list. Fair deal?"

"Okie Dokie Loki." And without any protest, the pink mare skipped out of the room. AJ sighed, shaking her head at the antics of her friend. It was so... Pinkie. And if she kept shaking her head, she would end up with neck problems. She groaned as she rubbed the sore muscles, hoping Rarity would be up to a massage before bed.

Applejack followed the exuberant mare down the stairs, making up for lost time by the expedient fact that Pinkie was standing still at the base of the stairs. "You see, I told you she was here."

"You should have TOLD ME! Oh, this is so wonderful. Now we can have a twins party. I've never had one of those before. Would you need to have two of everything, or one but make everypony share? How many twins are there in Ponyville anyway? Aloe and Lotus, but they don't look the same. What do you think? Oh, that was silly of me. Hi, my names Pinkie Pie, and I LOVE parties. I hope we can become good friends. Whats your name?" She bounced over to the newcomer, and grabbed one hoof between two of hers, shaking firmly. "Oh wait, I forgot my party cannon, we can't have a twins party and a welcome home party and a welcome to Ponyville party all at once without a party cannon. AJ, did you see that in my room somewhere? I can't remember. It's either there, or in Froggy Bottom Bog. That hydra was really surprised by the cake and confetti."

At the foot of the stairs, just inside the doorway of the confectionery, Twilight stood stock still. Her hoof waved up and down as the pink pony who had first gasped and thrown together a surprise party for her when she had come to Ponyville. It hurt that Pinkie would play a trick like that when she was finally back from her... trip. Sojourn would be a better term, but... trip. And here was Pinkie, acting like she was a complete stranger once more. The crowd of ponies stood still for a moment, and slowly Pinkie's shaking slowed, until eventually Twilight's hoof dropped from between the pink mares two extended ones.

"Pinkie, darling, that's Twilight." Rarity tilted her head, leaning into the soft fur of Applejack's shoulder. In the time since their marriage, the company had become accustomed to the small intimacies that the pair of them shared. It would have been hard not to, newly weds and all that. Luckily, Sweet Apple Acres was a very large farm, and Rarity seemed to have no problem with hay, as long as Applejack was already in it. Now though, her face showed only confusion at her friends antics. "We saw her arrive, with Princess Celestia, it must be her."

"No, that's not Twilight. I mean, sure she looks a little like Twilight, but we all know Twilight. I mean, she looks completely different if you look. I mean, that stripe in her hair? Everypony knows that Twilight uses magenta, not fuchsia." She ran a hoof through the specified streak of color running down over the unicorns forehead. At the time, the bangs hung away from her face, the slope of her downcast gaze letting gravity play with the silken strands.

For a moment, every eye was locked on the little pink earth pony. And so, only Pinkie was looking at the purple unicorn in their midst. She saw the eyes widen in pain, then well with tears. When the others turned, shock written plain on their features, the tears were all they saw.

"PINKIE!" Applejack shouted, outraged that her friend would play such a cruel prank. "You apologize right this instant. That there's Twilight. We watched the Princess drop her off, and don't you think she would know the difference?"

"Well, maybe the Princess was confused too. I mean, they look a lot alike, but they aren't the same. That isn't Twilight."

"Yes it is!" Earth ponies have a reputation for being strong of mind and body. They were capable, resiliant, and had a strength as deep and great as the roots of a tree. However, less charitable, though no less accurate, ponies have also likened them to rocks. Not for lack of brains, but because they could out-stubborn the very earth they walk on. Now, Applejack was living up to that less than kind comparison, face set in a firm scowl.

"Everypony, please calm down. I don't want to cause trouble for any of you. She can play her game if it makes her happy. I'm just happy to see you all." Even at the words, tears ran down the pained expression of the unicorn. Even if it was a game, that was a horrible thing to say.

"No Twi, its not okay. That was mean Pinkie Pie. You apologize."

"AJ's right Pinkie, not cool."

"I must concur, that was in very poor taste darling."

"But, I wasn't being mean. That's not Twilight." The Party Pony's head hung low as her friends assailed her. She wasn't lying, it wasn't a trick. Did they really think her that shallow, that mean? Tears fell on the floor of Sugarcube Corner as Pinkie fled, and not all of them were from a purple unicorn.

That had felt so... good. Twilight smiled, her lips parting as a warm tongue traced over her lips, like a pony trying to chase the last flecks of chocolate from her mouth. Her eyes glazed over, and her legs trembled. The anger, the disbelief and hurt as her friends turned on Pinkie. It was delicious. Far beyond anything she had ever felt, the energy, the power that flowed into her was pure bliss. But it was trivial compared to the ecstasy that racked the small body as Pinkie left the room, head hung and hooves barely clearing the floor as the slid forward.

No. Twilight, it was wrong. Are you such a bad friend that you are happy when your friends are hurt?

Yes. It was... most satisfying. After all, she was so cruel to you, wasn't she. After all that time apart, she chose now to play a foalish prank.

"We're real sorry about her Twilight. You really don't need to be playing her games right now. Twilight? Are, are you okay there Sugarcube?"

"Huh, oh, oh yes, I'm fine." Think, think. You need to cover. "I'm just glad to see you all, its been so long."

"Yeah, it has. Ah'm sorry Sugarcube, but we have an early day tomorrow, so Ah need to hit the hay. Care to join me Rarity?"

"Oh! Yes, well, I am terribly, but I must be going as well. Goodnight all. And Twilight dear, we're so very happy that you've returned."

"Can you believe those two? I mean seriously. They just up and bailed. Not cool, so not cool. But they have a point, sorry Twi. You don't get to be as awesome as the Dash without a lot of sleep. Maybe I'll show you some time."

And with that, the room emptied. By door, and window, her friends left, new and old together. Except for one. "Fluttershy, are you okay?"

"Oh, yes. I'm wonderful Twilight, I just wanted to talk to you. But it can wait if you need sleep or... something." The little yellow mare had become so much more confident than the pegasus was teaching birds to sing for the Summer Sun Celebration. There was almost no stutter in her voice, and she would speak before being spoken to now. Say what you will about his personality, Iron Will really did know his business.

"I'm fine Fluttershy, really. What did you want to talk about?"

"You."

"What about me?"

"Well, you were acting um, strange, right before you left. I, I was wondering if you needed somepony to talk too."

"Oh, that." The cheer, the simple happiness that had filled Twilight at the sight of her friends, even after the incident with Pinkie, evaporated. In its place, the gnawing pain of rejection bared its fangs. Worry over Celestia's well being, and her honesty, rose from the dark places in her heart, throwing visions of torment, rejection, and scorn into the young mind. "I- don't worry about it."

"No." The answer was shocking. Was little Fluttershy, the doormat, saying no? This must be a dream. "Twilight, you need to talk to somepony. It doesn't have to be me, but somepony. You were hurting, none of the others noticed, but you were hurting. Please, what was wrong?"

Well, why not? Tell her. Maybe this can be turned to your advantage.

"I, I don't want to be a bother. Just, let it go?" Rather than the firm dismissal of the subject, the tone was almost a plea to continue, and one that Fluttershy could never have denied.

"No Twilight, you need to talk. What happened."

"Have you ever loved somepony Fluttershy? Loved them so much you would do anything for them?"

"I, um, no. No I haven't." The question caught the pegasus off guard. "Is... is that what... what's been bothering you?"

"How did you know?"

The silence of the dawn was broken only by the susurrations of the knee high grass, the bone dry blades stroking themselves in the gentle breeze. They had been walking through the night, the only time the heat of the sun wasn't bordering on fatal. Though, since the unicorn had sniffed, wiping her eyes with one hoof , they hadn't said a word. No mention of her weakness, nothing was said of her change.

"I knew because you are my friend Twilight. I care about you, and I want you to not have to hide behind yourself forever. You looked too calm. You had to be hurting, nopony is that calm. Not all the time anyway."

"Not... that. I meant how did you seem to know so much about my life, what I did, what I thought? That's not possible."

"Oh, that? You think that I can only see the future? There isn't much difference between seeing the past and the future. The past is the future that already happened. In fact, its comparatively soothing. Its more like listening to professional quartet, not every untrained foal on the planet playing at once. There's only one, you know? So I can focus on that one sequence of events, not sit there and try and figure out if it's even feasible."

"So you know all of my past?"

"Pretty much. Since you're a friend, and because you are so impossibly important, yeah, I know most of you life's history. You shouldn't have let Big Mac take Smarty Pants though, he was so adorable." The zebra smirked at the raised eyebrow. Twilight was in control once more it would seem. It had been nice to see the real Twilight for a while though, even if it was only while the mare sobbed into her shoulder.

"What happened the night my parents died?" The grin died, replaced almost immediately with an expression of furtive worry. Since the time that Twilight had met the zebra, Nolux hadn't shown anything that could honestly be classified "uncomfortable". There was always the little smirk, the subconscious idea of her own superiority had cloaked her. The mare wasn't arrogant, but after so many years of never being wrong about anything, she had become confident. Now though, that was stripped from her, leaving only the inner core of her being, divested of its shield. She was scared.

"I... I'm not sure."

"Nolux, what happened?"

"I, I really don't know, I can't tell! It was... horrible."

"What was? Their deaths?" The purple face cocked in confusion as the unicorn stopped, turning to look at her motionless companion. Nolux stood there, facing the now turned Twilight, rigid, and staring at a spot to the unicorn's left. As she stood there, she shivered once, before her eyes snapped closed, then returned to her friend.

"No Twilight. By then, their deaths were a relief. There was something... evil there. I don't know what it was, and I don't want to. It was... wrong. It stopped my Sight, it just blocked it. And even then, I could still feel it. Imagine cold slime covering your body, all over you. Up your nose, in your mouth, everywhere. Its like that, but... not just feel. It tastes like that, smells like it. It... was wrong." She trailed off, the silence weighing heavily in the air between them, a behemoth that would need to be slain. Eventually. Now though, it was dawn, and they needed to find somewhere to rest for the day. Twilight could just barely see the dim haze on the horizon, one that her instincts told her was the forest, HER forest.

"Oh Twilight, that sounds horrible! How could that even happen? Why would the Princess be so... mean?"

"Mean? She wasn't being mean Fluttershy." Twilight said, looking away from the yellow pegasus. "She just, she couldn't even think of me as... as more than her student. She wasn't being cruel, she couldn't be cruel. She... didn't mean it."

Fluttershy actually stamped a hoof, and the bittersweet symphony of the gentle pity sharpened into the spicy bite of outrage. "No! Twilight you deserve love just as much as... as Applejack and Rarity! She didn't have a problem with them, did she? Its not fair that she could be so mean to you! I just, she, I- AAAGHHHHHHHH!" Even Twilight, lost in the rapture of anger she felt from Fluttershy was taken aback. The pegasus who would apologize for whispering too loudly had just screamed, a real, throaty scream of anger.

Well now, that is interesting. One must wonder as to why she would be acting so anomalously. But that anger is delicious, isn't it? Let us see...

Fluttershy was still panting after her... exploit, feathers bristling and wings mantling her body. The anger vanished, and with it, so did her calm. Tears nearly flew from her eyes as she rushed towards Twilight, knocking the unicorn over, and hugging her tight. "I'm, so sorry Twilight, I just, I was so angry, and I... can you forgive me?"

The pink mane swung forward, hiding her face as Fluttershy buried her head in the soft purple shoulder, sobbing in reaction. It was too much, the anger, the sadness, the... everything. It hurt so badly, it made her want to start screaming all over again. But she couldn't. It would hurt Twilight. She couldn't do that, not again. Not like... She had.

"Shh, hush little one. Everything will be all right. You'll, we'll, be okay. I promise." Twilight wrapped a leg around the pegasus, pulling her in closer, squeezing the mare against her own body.

This... isn't what it looks like

HEY!!!

Okay, so for those of you who still have not cottened on, I took downt he two chapters that I put up, partly because of fallout, but mostly because of the poor quality. Just pretend that they didn't happen, or failing that, let your own wicked imagination lead you down paths as you read. I know mine is.

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"Ah don't get it. Its Pinkie Pie, Ah understand that, but Pinkie isn't mean, not ever. A little stupid sometimes, but not mean."

"Darling, don't be harsh. I believe innocent would be a better term for Pinkie. She never really grew up, she's just like a foal. But foals can be crueler than anything else. They just don't know not to." Rarity sighed, leaning back from her sewing machine. Tilting her head slightly, she peered over the rim of the ruby red glasses that perched on her nose. In front of her, in the middle of the circular Inspiration Room, Applejack was pacing back and forth. "Dearest, please calm down. You'll wear a rut in my floor if you keep that up." The blue eyes narrowed, half in pout, half in a smirk that Rarity worked furiously to conceal.

"Ah know, and sorry Rare, Ah'm just. Ah'm worried." Applejack stopped, looking down at the floor where there was, indeed, a scuffed trail in the floor from her restless movements.

"Applejack, dearest, please stop. I finished an entire order while you were pacing. How about this? Aloe and Lotus are done for the day, but I'm sure I can get them to work on us. What do you say?"

"Ah don't know Rare. The spa is your thing. And they don't like me. At all. Remember that time I got mud all over their tub? They still hold that one against me, Ah swear." Through her protests though, Applejack had to suppress a shiver at the memory of the eminently pleasurable skills of the twins. How many twins are there in Ponyville anyway? Aloe and Lotus, but they don't look the same.

Aj felt her teeth grind together as the insensitive words of the pink pony came back to her in a vivid rush. It was so... infuriating. In a sudden surge, the rage that Rairty had smoothed returned in a violent rush.

"I'm sorry to intrude, is this a bad time?" The orange head swung to the side, looking in incredulity to the intruder. The unicorn who had been the locus of the recent troubles stood in the doorway to the boutique.

"Oh, hey Twilight, what brings you out to our neck of the woods?"

"I just wanted to talk to you all. I, I'm sorry about what happened earlier." The unicorn blushed and looked away from her friend as she spoke, her discomfort once more as apparent as the horn on her head.

"Don't be silly Twi, you didn't do anything wrong. Pinkie was just... she was-"

"What AJ means Darling, is that nothing you did was wrong. We are both so very happy to see you back again. Oh, speaking of which, are you staying for any time? I'll go get tea started." Rarity cut off her lovers fumbling explanation as smoothly as the blue hue of magic lifted the ruby spectacles from her eyes as she rose. With a flourish, she draped the cloth, a startling affair of burgundy and aqua that drew the eye like a quill draws a line. It was like the dress she had long ago, or not that long ago, made for the Grand Galloping Gala, but softer, more gentle.

"Oh, that sounds great Rarity, thank you."

"Ah wouldn't go thankin' her just yet Twi. She drinks stuff that makes our hard apple cider look like water."

"Applejack!" The fashion princess pouted at the farmer over her shoulder, eyes twinkling in response to the grin that slid into place under blonde forelock. "How can you say such things in front of a guest!"

"Well, Ah could tell her about that one time when you drank some of that apple cider. That was a fun night."

"APPLEJACK!" Both unicorns squealed, blushing and giggling as they looked at one another.

In the dawn light, Twilight rose. Nolux lay asleep, curled around the space which had recently been occupied by Twilight herself. The zebra was amazingly cuddly, always sliding up against the flank of the unicorn, or attempting to snuggle in beside her as they slept.

Now though, the soft body rested its head on the hooves, and a sigh sounded about the small knoll. They had finally reached the edge of the Everfree, Twilight was finally nearing her new home. They didn't need to sleep by day any longer, the punishing heat of the Sarahi was left behind them, but long habits died hard, and the pair had walked all night to reach this clearing by the forests edge.

"You called?"

"Yes I did. But what are you? Are you an innocent mare, stripped of a portion of your mind against your will? Are you merely a fool who harmed herself in the misguided pretense of stopping the pain by amputation? Or, as my dear sister believes, are you a monster from an age past who ripped out and tortured the soul of a mare so you could use her body as a puppet?"

"Oh come now Princess. You know as well as i that you cannot hide in dreams. You lay yourself bare, and I could only know to meet you here if I was indeed the Twilight you contacted yesterday. Of course, you don't have any doubt of that, you would never have revealed yourself at such a disadvantage if you had any doubts. What you want to know is whether or not I am capable of piercing your deceptions. Have I passed your test, my Princess?"

A laugh resounded in the empty trees as the stentorian bellow erupted from the dainty throat. Princess Luna strode forward from the line of pines, eyes still sparkling with mirth. "Oh Twilight Sparkle, it does please me to see you once more. I would ask after your health, but I suppose that would be quite rude of me under the circumstances."

"You may ask as many and as varied as you like, but I may well not answer you. Why did you call me here?'

The laughter died away, as did the twinkle. Instead, steel glittered behind the midnight eyes, and the stars of her mane flared into sudden brilliance. "Twilight, you no longer bear that name alone."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that we, my sister and I, found whatever it was that you placed in that mirror. Celestia, she... well she took pity on the thing, against my council. I bade her to leave it there, to let sleeping dogs lie as it were. But the thing... it, looked like you Twilight. But beaten, broken. Covered with blood, and screaming in pain."

"She took it out of the mirror." Twilight winced, and shut her eyes. her eyes stung in reaction to her thoughts, and tears were trapped behind the shuttered lids. Why Princess. Why do you now decide to care? Was I not good enough until then?

"TWILIGHT! Don't you think that! Don't you ever think that. She... she doesn't love easily. She never has." For a moment, Luna was gone. Locked in a memory of a time so far in the past that Twilight couldn't even be sure of what Canterlot looked like. Then she was back, and tears glistened in her eyes as she looked back at Twilight. "She, she loves you Twilight. I can tell. She loves you too much, and it is making her blind. She can't see the monster that she has created. It's... wrong Twilight. I don't know what it is, but it isn't you, not really. She, Twilight, I think that my sister will defend that creature with her life if needed. You need to help her. You have too."

BUt why should I? After all those years of slavish devotion, and only now does she fall in love? Not even with me, but some mutilated husk I tore out of my mind. She loves that thing, not me. "I'll, think about it. Good bye Princess."

Fluttershy woke to the sound of birds chirping. She moaned, shifting her weight on the bed, moving the beam of sunlight from her neck to her cheek. Then she lay there, content in the slow, strong heat of the light of dawn. She could feed Angel later, he would still be asleep now. She could lounge for the moment. Slowly, the yellow mare drifted, not quite to sleep, but she was in nodding distance of it.

More rustling sounded, and her eyes snapped open. Deep violet eyes stared back at her, a lazy grin tracing its way across the unicorns mouth. "Good morning kitten. Did you sleep well?"

"Eeep!" Fluttershy squeaked, flinching away from the mare, only realizing now that their hooves had been wrapped around each other. As she struggled to disentangle her limbs, Fluttershy felt and unaccustomed... something. Then Twilight moved, flipping over the pegasus until Fluttershy lay beneath her, forelegs like pillars of granite next to the pink maned head.

"I know I slept very well. Thank you. I really did need somepony to talk to." The unicorn didn't relax her posture, standing on the coverlet that still contained her friend, hooves and weight pinning the mare beneath her to the bed. Slowly, Twilight bent her knees, sinking lower and lower towards the yellow pony.

Fluttershy's next squeak died halfway through her throat, and a heartfelt moan drifted out in its place. Again, but even more powerful, that strange, foreign feeling shot through her. It was something she had felt before, though she couldn't recall where. But it was intense, like a line of fire as it passed through her body. Racing along nerves, tensing muscles, and filling her belly with a hunger that instinct told her food would to nothing to assuage.

"I really should thank you again, little one. I, no. NO! This is wrong!" Twilight froze, then leapt off the bed, leaving Fluttershy panting under the blue star-strew bedding. "Oh no. How could I have been so, so STUPID! I- I'm sorry Fluttershy. About last night. I, don't know what came over me, I just... I'm sorry." Tears welled once more in the lavender mares eyes, flowing out silently as she paced across the room, needing to release the pent up tension.

Fluttershy slipped from the bed silently, and walked over to the unicorn. Then she caught the mare as she passed, and spun her. Their lips met once more, a mirror to the events of the night before, and Fluttershy felt that sensation dissolve, the waves of need rolled through her once, shaking the light boned frame. Oh, that was what it was. The passing thought rebounded off her mind, leaving no impression on the sensations that were everywhere. The taste of Twilight's lips, the feel of her hooves on her wings, the smell of their mingled desire.

Then even Fluttershy's resolve broke, shattering like a glass fallen to the ground. Fluttershy collapsed, falling to the wooden paneling on the floor, grunting as the air was knocked from her. As she fell, she pulled Twilight down with her, and the unicorn landed with a muted thump, still locked in the embrace. The wings of the pegasus flared once, then began flapping frantically as Fluttershy pulled her in closer, legs beginning to ache with the force as she held their bodies together.

Twilight's horn glowed, and sensation flooded the pegasus. It felt like thousands of minuscule feathers were dancing across her body, touch light and fleeting, leaving only a tingle in their wake. The touches ghosted across the shivering body, and Twilight pulled her head back. Freed from its bondage, Fluttershy's head tilted back, arching with the line of her back. Twilight kissed a slow line along the proffered throat, then biting down on the pale skin. She didn't bite hard, but even the light touch of her teeth as they held the flesh sent Fluttershy into paroxysms.

Fluttershy was in bliss. There were no annoying thoughts to trouble her, no nagging fears and worries. Time didn't matter. Rules didn't matter. Angel could wait. This mattered. This mattered in ways that the pegasus never even knew existed.

By Moonlight and Starlight

Twilight sighed, the exhalation rushing warm and wet from her nose. She moved her head back and forth, burrowing further into the warm mound she was encircled in, feeling the white sides tremble with soft laughter. The soft fur felt slick as she rubbed her face along it, the lavender and white fur sliding over each other in a silken touch.

"Come now Twilight. You can't hide there forever." The voice, laced with the soft laugh of the Princess of the Sun, rang out across the grassy field. Twilight shot out of the small pile of books and fluffy blankets she had been buried under. As she did, the book fort collapsed when the blanket caught between the pages of "Advanced Magical Theory and Practical Applications" snagged on one hoof. The filly went tumbling out of the fort, barely ahead of the collapsing structure. She landed in a sprawl, rolling a few times down the gentle slope, the white blanket trailing behind her.

"What was my most faithful student doing?" The filly rolled to a stop, bumping into the marble pillars that were the legs of her Princess. Twilight rolled once more, getting her hoofs beneath her before springing up. The bright light of the rising moon reflected from the magenta eyes, as they lit from within from the fevered excitement of the unicorn.

"Princess! I was waiting for you. Did you see it?" The filly stood before the regal monarch, bouncing with happiness, her short legs barely clearing the grass with each bounce. Her eyes were not the only things that seemed to glow about her, even her fur seemed to emit a soft lavender glow, similar to that which Celestia herself knew shone from within. Perhaps it was a side effect of the extreme magical energy that lay dormant within the filly, as in the mentor. Or perhaps, like the mentor, the pupil shone with an inner beauty so pure it pierced even her skin with its radiance. Celestia liked that thought immensely.

A sweet smile graced her lips as the regal mare bent closer to the filly, her long neck placing her nose almost level with the bouncing face. "Did I see what? And what was that strange building I saw you in. It almost looked like a pony, but lopsided." The soft smile didn't change at the words, but a light danced in the eyes of the Princess as she teased her student. Forgive an ancient, if not yet decrepit, old mare her fun.

"PRINCESS! That was my book fort. I made it special. I wanted to impress you. I even used my magic to put it together." The filly had stopped bouncing, now looking down at her hooves in the tall grass. "I... I thought you'd like it."

The face of the alicorn was a slate of unmarred surprise. The mouth that had a moment before held a smile hung slightly agape and the eyes flickered between emotions. Regret over teasing her student, when she knew that Twilight never did anything without a purpose, warred sheer astonishment that a filly, barely old enough to enter magic kindergarten had constructed a rather large creation using her magic and a few heavy books. "Oh, Twilight, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you. I thought it was very nice, and if you did it all by magic, then it was very impressive."

"You really mean you don't hate it?" The sad voice bounced off the ground, aimed perfectly at Celestia's throat. It was hard to even breath around the lump the hurt tone shoved down her throat, but Celestia swallowed and spoke.

"Oh, Twilight, I thought it was wonderful. I'm sorry that I- Why you little minx! Come back here you." The apology died, fading off into helpless laughter as the Princess chased her student around the tiny hill. Halfway through her apology, Twilight had raised her head, the wicked glint of mirth flashing across her face at the sight of the saddened Princess. Now they ran, both laughing, about the remains of the book fort, Celestia's tiara held in Twilight's teeth.

After a time, Twilight began to tire. Celestia could have caught her long ago, but chose now to swoop in and claim her prize. The powerful hind legs curled, the strong muscles tensing like coiled springs. Then the alicorn surged forward, jumping slightly. She landed in a roll, the filly giggling and clutched close to her chest, thrilled to be held while the Princess rolled down the hill, sheltering the little body as she did.

"Ha! I caught you Twilight. You know what that means!" The filly had dropped the tiara when the Princess had grabbed her in midair, the circlet of gold falling from her shocked lips. Now, the Princess sat on the ground, body curled around the filly she still held close to her. The long neck descended, and the white head tilted, one eye dancing with happiness as she stared at the filly.

"NO! Princes- ahhhaha, no plea- ha, stop, oh he stop, hehe please." The soft white lips press against the taught little belly, blowing noisily against the filly. Over the sound of the exhalation and the unicorns screams and giggles, she could barely hear the broken pleas for release.

Eventually though, the Princess relented. A still giggling Twilight relaxed back into the comforting warmth of the Princess, tears welling in her eyes from her laughter. The filly began to purr softly as she snuggled in closer to the firm warmth of the Princess' body. Celestia laid back on the grass, sighing in contentment as her protege slid off of her stomach to land softly on the grass. The lush green blades were more akin to downy feathers than the dry prickly hay it would resemble in only a few days. But now, in the closing days of summer, the night was warm and the grass was soft. Only a fool would sleep indoors.

Twilight curled her legs under her in the grass, the soft green a blanket below and about her, and leaned her head into the Princess. A hoof extended, draping itself along the soft body as tension eased and sleep neared. Twilight snuggled her head closer to the warm shoulder of her Princess, resting her cheek on the strong neck. "Princess?"

"Yes, my faithful student?"

"Thank you."

"Go to sleep little one. Would you like me to sing for you?" A great white wing covered the small body, leaving only the head and neck exposed. A slow nod ruffled the fur of her neck, and Celestia smiled, leaning down and kissing the filly's forehead gently.

"Hush now, quite now." The purring grew fainter as Twilight began to nod off, knowing that the warm body beside her would keep her safe.

"It's time to lay your sleepy head." The soft snores of the filly sounded in the night air, and Celestia found herself smiling once more. Twilight was so cute, so alone, so... so what? Clingy? Desirous? No, those weren't right. They didn't fit the filly at all. She was always so serious, determined to be the best and show everypony who asked. She wasn't so petty, so foolish to only want others to think it, she wanted to be better than anypony in history. Celestia had never seen the serious young filly even smile unless she was reading a book, or talking to Celestia herself.

She was... she wanted to be loved. That's all she want's all she ever wanted. And Celestia was the only pony she had met who was willing to care for her since her parents had died. Maybe that's why it felt so wonderful to have her lying there, cradled against her for the night.

"I love you, my little pony."

Fluttershy sat curled on her bed. Amid the cluttered mess of the small cottage, shoved into a corner amongst spotless perches and floors, the little wooden construction simply sat there. Often, while she its mistress was away on an errand, or simply enjoying a spare moment with her friends, the bed was occupied by a small white rabbit, of a foul temper and a sweet nature. Indeed, even now, the rabbit sat on the bed, the tiny white paw rubbing slow circles on the yellow flank.

A blanket shrouded the mare from view, a soft sheet of cyan cotton. Fluttershy had knit it herself, in the last few days she had been in flight school, in fact, the blanket was what she had intended to bequeath unto Rainbow after her race. What with the Sonic Rainboom, and Fluttershy’s own discoveries of that day, the plan had fallen through.

The fact that she had quite literally dropped out of the sky had meant that all of her belongings had remained in their shared room in Flight School, so at least Rainbow had gotten her blanket. Years later, after she had been assigned to Ponyville by the Weather Patrol, Rainbow Dash had sought her out the moment she discovered her existence. The first thing she had done, well, the first thing Rainbow had done was pull her behind a group of trees, and into a deep kiss. The phantom memory of that embrace graced the mind of the little pegasus for a moment, lips tingling in remembered sensation.

However, after that embrace, and several lesser iterations, Rainbow had shot off, determined to return the blanket to her old friend.

Since that day, they had not been… with each other. She wasn’t in love with Rainbow. She couldn’t be. She loved Twilight, knew she loved her. After all, she had been Rainbow’s friend for years, and they had only kissed once. Within a few hours of her return, Twilight had her on her back, legs slightly parted and tail tucked neatly under the tight rump. She couldn’t be in love.

Then why does it hurt so much?

Because hurt it did. The sight of the pair of them, smiling and laughing at whatever prank Twilight could think up had hurt more than anything Fluttershy had ever felt, even the day her wing had been broken, almost in half, by a bear. But that… today had been pain beyond her wildest imagining. Her darkest nightmares had nothing on the searing empty agony that had stolen her heart. Stolen it, then slowly, painfully slowly, devoured the still beating organ, blood flowing from the thick muscle as sharpened teeth sank into it, held before the maw of some horrific beast.

The one thought that pierced the black quag her mind slogged through, one single ray of light. It wasn’t the happy light of hope, the pure, luminescent beam of a thought of varied custom or accidental contact. Fluttershy wasn’t stupid, she knew what a kiss looked like. No, the thought was a red, throbbing light, pulsing with seething fury, deadly light pouring over the landscape of her mind, I wasn’t enough.

What pained her so was not merely the thought that she had lost the pony she had come so swiftly, so deeply to love, but the sense of failure. Failure was a pain that never lessens, and one Fluttershy was long since acquainted with. She knew, she had always known, that Twilight didn’t love her. Twilight loved her Princess. With every fiber of her soul, Twilight loved Celestia. Fluttershy had never been more than a replacement, an excuse. But she could live with that, the cold knowledge that she wasn’t the one her partner dreamed of. She could be happy as an excuse.

But she had failed. Maybe she had been too scared, too stupid to see something, some cue that had hurt the unicorn. But there had been none. Twilight had been happy since her return, almost jubilant.

…Which was unlike her. Twilight was not beyond emotion, but she had always been about peace and thought. More like Fluttershy herself, as content to be lost in her books, as the pegasus was to be lost with her animal friends. But since she returned… well, since she returned Twilight had been almost as exuberant and outgoing as Pinkie usually was.

Which is wrong. All wrong. This is what it feels like when your love leaves you. It hurts so much. You can’t smile while you bleed inside. Which means…

Which means that something was wrong, with Twilight, Celestia, or Fluttershy herself. Twilight should be locked in her room, sobbing into a pillow if her story was true. Fluttershy… had been used. And every time they had been together, something had happened. Once, it was simply a foal being bullied in an ally, and another time it had been a fight between lovers. Every time there was something wrong, every time any bad emotions were near, Twilight had seemed to glow. Her fur became glossy; she laughed and smiled at nothing. She kissed like it was all she could to keep herself from burying her face between Fluttershy’s legs. She became… more alive. Like she was battening off of the pain of others, their sadness and regret.

And once, it was when everypony got angry at Pinkie. You know how she looked then.

As the Party Pony had slowly walked off, head hung almost to the ground, a trail of wet drops marking her path, Fluttershy had seen Twilight’s face. It had been unlike anything the mare had seen on her friend before, indescribable. Now she had seen Twilight on the brink of complete bliss, and the face was the same. Eyes half lidded, a deep smile bracketing the slightly opened mouth, head thrown back and a quiet whimper escaping her. She glanced around, still in a haze of avid desire, searching for her bunny. Angel was gone though bored with her lack of attention. Or maybe he was frightened by the noise his pet was making. Just like when the bad one slept in his house last night.

Another surge of heat flashed through the pegasus, reddening her cheeks… and other parts of her anatomy. Hooves rustled the soft cloth of the bed as she pulled the blanket tighter against her chest, trying in vain to ignore the growing passion flowing through her. Even as horrible as she felt, the memory of that face, cheeks red and soft pants escaping the lavender throat, she was becoming excited.

“Starting without me?” The voice made Fluttershy jump, spinning around to face the intruder. One hoof still held the blanket, the other, slick and shining, pressed against the mares mouth, silencing any sounds that might have escaped. It also left a most becoming dark sheen on the fur, the fluid coating the hoof shinning in the fur near her lips.

Slowly, sensually, Twilight walked forward, hooves resounding gently against the boards of the cottage. Her hips swayed as she moved, drawing the blue eyes of the pegasus to them again and again. Twilight prowled ahead until her nose pressed gently into the blanket that still hung loosely around the pegasus, her teeth gently pulling at the skin beneath.

“Sweetheart, why did you leave earlier? Rainbow was simply put out when you didn’t stay to chat.”

And suddenly, lust wasn’t the only cause of the flush that suffused the yellow mare. Wrath bubbled and boiled as she fought it back, tears leaping from the cauldron to her face, slipping hotly down her face. Each one left a trail of moisture in its wake, burning against the flesh of the hurt mare.

Neither pony remembered quite what was said. Twilight didn’t bother to deny the accusations, so the argument was little more than a tirade by Fluttershy, culminating in more tears as her will broke once more. She collapsed, sobbing to the bed once more, eyes closing in a foolish attempt to hide her tears.

“Fluttershy, sweetheart.” Twilight came up behind her, placing a gentle hoof on the shoulder of her friend, watching the hair on the pegasus straighten in reaction. Once more, a wave of lust crashed over the mare, but this time, she fought. Planting her hooves firmly, she pulled herself away.

“Go away Twilight. I don’t want to see you ever again.”

For a single, tear sodden moment, there was silence. Then a sharp crack sounded as a lavender hoof slammed into the side of the Fluttershy’s face.

The pegasus was propelled forward, her head meeting the wall of the cottage, stars bursting into life about the stunned mare. Blood began to trickle from a gash a splinter left above her eye. Twilight walked forward, and calmly lifted Fluttershy to her hooves. Then another hoof smashed into the side of the yellow face, leaving a cut along the cheekbone as the hoof skittered off the hardened bone and sheared away the flesh.

Blood began to ooze from the wound after a moment, and once more, Twilight’s face changed. But this was more even than when Pinkie had been driven away. This face was that of Twilight’s afterglow, the only time the mare would cuddle in next to Fluttershy sleeping with her head resting softly on the yellow fur. And Fluttershy could feel a dim echo of her lovers ecstasy wrack her small frame, a surge of raw, animal need coating her thighs as she stood.

“Twilight, this is… strange.” Nolux shifted to her left half a step, sidling ever so slightly closer to her friend. It wasn’t intentional, simply the reaction every herd animal has to fear. Find another body, a warm, moving body, and stay with it. Protection in numbers was effectively nonexistent while exploring a half decayed ancient castle in the middle of an oppressive, forbidding pine forest, but the instinct remained.

In fact, traveling in groups is a horrible idea in this situation, the increased mass, energy, and heat would draw the attention of anything that may live there, as well as increase structural stressors.

None the less, Twilight felt the same instinctive comfort of having another so near her, one she knew and trusted, one who wouldn’t attack her. It made her feel… safe. Warm, almost happy to know that there was a pony beside her, although one of different stripes.

“It is safe, the Castle was build long before we even had history, and has stood since then. I doubt anything could destroy it, much less the steps of the pair of us.”

“No, look up there, on the third level.” Nolux pointed to a window, a large one that spanned half the length of the room. A small balcony projected from the window, and from it one would have an excellent view of the dawn. It was the same balcony from which Twilight had looked out at Canterlot the day she set out.

The heavy curtains, thick velvet preserved through the careful spells that coated much of the Castle. In fact, the same spell covered almost the entire castle, including the massive library that housed tomes on lore that history had long forgotten, and spells so powerful they defied the current knowledge of magic.

It was the ancient abode of the alicorns, from the dawn of time to the ancient war. From that war, all creatures that now lived limped away, either having hidden as the ponies had at the outset of combat, else they were those who had survived, dragging their half dead species from the ruination of that horror. The alicorns had stood and fought, and they had driven out the evil that had infested the world.

But evil is strong, and the toll had been incalculable. Countless species had died in that combat, incinerated by the sheer force of the colliding wills of the two sides. Celestia and Luna had been the only two to escape that inferno alive, while reality itself began to collapse. The embers of that conflict still burned, horrific scars that rent the land and boiled the sea. Until the Princesses had calmed that wrath, nothing had been safe; not the water, not the ground, not even the air.

Twilight had learned much during even her brief stay at the castle, lore and knowledge that hadn’t been wielded by a mortal since Star Swirl had begun his final shaping. Now though, something was moving. Nothing lived in that Castle, not since she had drained away the energy of the insects and rodents, and nothing had dwelt there which could move the thick velvet in more than a millennium. This was something new.

“We’ll find out. Now come on, I’m sure whatever it is, it doesn’t want to be kept waiting for very long. Besides, nothing comes into my home without my permission.”

Waters of the Moon

"Twilight, did you see that?" Nolux turned to the unicorn, only to find her friends head bowed in thought. For the first time since they had met, Twilight didn't answer. Somehow, that struck the zebra. Even when she was angry, direct, even nearly cruel, Twilight had never once failed to respond when Nolux spoke. This... stillness, like she was withdrawn from the world, it was far more alarming than anything the stone edifice could contain.

"Twilight!" Panic edged the voice of the mare, the sharp tang of fear lending it an edge that it would never have otherwise contained. Yet still, the mare didn't react, she didn't even seem to have heard Nolux's plea. Her brow furrowed, as if in an attempt to drag some lone memory from the depths of the path, a memory which feared the light of day.

Then her eyes opened and her head lifted. Her gaze passed over Nolux, focusing on the castle. And suddenly, she was glad that the unicorn had no attention to spare for her. Even that glance, looking past her at the castle beyond, had been terrifying. There was nothing on the mare's face, only that same calm mask. But within the eyes, something stirred, almost like some deep emotion struggled with the unicorn, only to be held firmly in place.

Then Twilight's horn flared with a brilliant light. The normally violet hue of the magic was lost in the outpouring of energy, lost into a silvery white luminescence as brilliant as the noon sun. There was a similar light, this time a globe of blinding energy, which appeared several inches above the ground, heat pulsing out from the sphere in time with the throbbing light. There was the sharp cloying scent of ozone, and the light, and heat, vanished. In their place, a pink pony with a fluffy, curly mane and tail was held suspended. Then, just as the brilliance faded, she fell.

Pinkie landed on the ground before Twilight with a grunt, the air knocked from her lungs as she impacted. The soft grass kept her from any real damage, but at least for the moment, Pinkie couldn't say anything. Neither could Twilight. She just stared at the Party Pony in shock, violet eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

Nolux was however under no such constraints. "Twilight. If you would be so kind, who is this, why are they here, and what in the name of the Holy Ancestors did you just do?"

"Yeah Twilight, what did you do? I knew you could do some super duper cool magic stuff, but that was even cooler than I remember!" Pinkie had regained her breath, and bounced from the ground as if nothing had happened. Still hopping, she turned to Nolux, smiling with white teeth the apparent size and shape of tombstones. "Who are you? Oh, I thought I knew the only zebra around her. Guess not though. Do you rhyme too? Oh! Can you make a rhyme with orange? I tried that with Zecora once, but she gave up. I think she cheated, she added a word and then rhymed boat with coat. Oh, but maybe you're one of Twilight's new friends? I'm Pinkie Pie, and I love to see you smile. Come on, show your Auntie Pinkie those pearly whites."

For a moment, Nolux stared at the mare, still bouncing in place before her, the white smile drawing her eyes with it. Her head bounced in time with Pinkie, and after another long second, Nolux let out a fillyish giggle which swiftly became a choked laugh. Below Pinkie, Twilight's face showed a clear annoyance, only making Nolux laugh harder.

"Pinkie. Get. Off." Purple light, now returned to its usual half murk, enveloped the mare, and her hooves paused a moment before they would have once more landed on the unicorn's back. "Now, why are you here? How did you find me?"

"Find you?" Pinkie asked, suspended upside down in the air by Twilight's spell. "I didn't find you. I didn't have to. I just waited for you. I was going to throw you a Super-Awesome-Welcome-Back-Twilight/Clean-And-Fix-Your-Scary-Castle-In-The-Woods Party, but I ran out of banner to write on. So instead, I just made it a Super-Awesome-Welcome-To-Your-New-Scary-Castle Party. I have all the cakes and cupcakes and punch and balloons laid out and a bunch of other stuff too. You want to come and see?"

"Twilight, is she always like this?" Nolux strode forward a step, cocking her head to the side as she stared at the Earth Pony. There was something funny about her. Something... different, but Nolux couldn't quiet put her hoof on it.

The annoyed unicorn sighed, ending the spell and letting Pinkie drop once more to the ground, albeit much more softly this time. "Yes. Now Pinkie, what are you doing here. Where are the others? Is, the Princess with you?"

Nolux looked over at Twilight, catching the stutter in her voice. That's what she's afraid of, isn't it? This Princess. She was afraid, she was here.

"I simply do not see why it is appropriate for you to approve of Red Gala's irrigation proposal, while denying my bid for shipping lanes." Luna hung her head, closing her eyes and breathing slowly. Once more, a pony from the seemingly unending line before her had an issue with her policies.

"As I told you Carnation, there is a definitive need for irrigation, with the erratic weather. A shipping right to you simply to send flowers about is of far less importance than ensuring that everypony can eat." The golden mane scythed through the air as the pony flipped her head to the side, the long straight hair the same color as ripe grain whipping about. An annoyed huff came from the mare as she paced away from the throne, an expression bridging the gap between a snarl and a pout clearing a path before her. As she watched yet another tantrum, Luna sighed heavily.

"Sister, I need you."

"Beg pardon, Majesty?"

"Oh, hello Fancy Pants. I apologize, I was thinking." Before her, the stallion stood, seeming almost to be missing a part of himself without the elegant Fluer draped over his back. Now though, he wore only the black suit he had tailored for court, the golden chain of a watch looping perfectly into a pocket. He stood the very picture of aloof arrogance, as if none of the proceedings could possibly be of interest. He was, without a doubt, the greatest ally the Princesses had among the nobles.

"Well, if you are quite finished woolgathering, I have a proposition before we close for the evening." He was a very clever pony, Luna could almost hug him for that. Now she only had to listen to him and then she would be free.

And then I will have several very harsh, very direct words with my dear sister. The blue eyes flashed and darkened, the hue nearing black as Luna once more fought back the tide of anger, frustration, and fear.

Now, why bother fighting it? You know that you are correct, and that your sister has unleashed evil. Why not stop her? Unless... maybe there is still a part of you that wants her to come to harm?

Be quiet, you senile crone. I do not have time to argue with you while talking to the nobles. The soft touch of that creature's mind departed, like a feather falling from her back, only noticeable when it was gone. Luna was the Princess of the Night, and the Mistress of Dreams. By her very nature, she was a past master of the mind, both her own, and others. She could invade any mind she chose to, up to and including spying on her sister's deepest thoughts. Acshina though, she was something else. She was too old, too powerful, too different. Luna had tried, tried so many times she had literally lost count, to break the mind of that vile thing, but not once had she even been able to locate the mind.

But crones are wise dear child. Though I suppose I shall depart. Your sister is far more entertaining at the moment.

"And so, Princess, I petition the crown for a sum of no less than ten thousand bits, to match my own contribution to the education system. As I stated, both I and the crown can easily afford the cost, while our future may not be able to account for the massive damage such rampant under-funding is causing our foals."

"I shall need time to consider. Perhaps you would care to join me for luncheon and tell me more of this plan?"

Steam curled from the cup before Luna. Within the cup, swirling herbs, their scarlet hue a striking contrast to the midnight black of the tea. Even in the warm afternoon, the fireweed sent curls of heat radiating from the cup. Across the blackened iron table, Fancy Pants placed a cube of sugar in his coffee. Luna remembered the vile brew, she had tasted it soon after her return. Apparently, in her absence, it had become very popular, though the bitter tang and caffeine combined on her pallet in a horrendous fashion.

"Please Majesty, how may I help you?" Fancy Pants leaned in closer to the Princess, lowering his voice. There was little chance that their voices would carry in the hedgerows, but the overgrown foliage could also hide ponies virtually next to them, and they would have never known. White marble statues dotted the Garden, hidden artfully within the overgrowth, just enough to hide the full splendor from view, not enough to lose yourself within. "I simply ask that you tell me what ails you. And Princess Celestia."

"Please, I... My sister has not given me leave to speak of her difficulties. I am not allowed to tell you, though I do wish a favor from you."

"Anything Majesty." The haughty, bored look left his face, and Fancy Pants sat there, calm calculation evident. She was grateful that the stallion was an ally of the crown, without his aid the political camps within court would have attacked her long ago.

"I need you to incite more fighting. I need them to be distracted, at least for several days."

"There are those who enjoy the game of deceit, and betrayal of course. However, some may find it to their mutual advantage to ally themselves, in an effort to overcome a greater foe." His tone was casual, and he glanced at his coffee as he took a sip from the china cup. But before that, his eyes had flashed like singing steel, anger lighting them with a pale sheen.

"White Mane, Jade Helm, and Bountiful Harvest?'

"Quite, Majesty. They seem to have scented blood, and like beasts, they are seeking it out." The three ponies were as close to evil as a pony could become. They were rude, selfish, hedonistic, spiteful, and corrupt, but they were also filthy rich, influential, and had the support of fully more than half of Court between them. They were horrific, their only redeeming factor was that they spent more time bickering than accomplishing anything. they could cooperate though, Luna had seen them do so twice since her return. Once, they sought to divert a tax which would have penalized all ponies, including the crown, above a certain income level, while the second time, they had forced through a petition which effectively let them line their pockets from any stipend the crown issued, such as those to schools. And young unicorn librarians without any family.

"Will you be able to disrupt whatever they are planning? I need to adjourn session for the next week, but I would like at least some time before they know. And if you are able to occupy them for the duration, I would be most grateful."

"My command is but your desire, Majesty." Fancy Pants bowed slightly over the table, drank the last of his coffee, and departed. As he did, Luna leaned forward, resting her head on the cool metal table. She sighed, and a tear fell onto the iron, easily lost on the polished surface.

Fear

"But it hurts." Fluttershy whimpered, pressing herself tight in against Luna's warm body. The yellow pegasus still bore the injuries of the night before, the heavy bruising along her jaw and flank burning with every movement. Even so, her chest heaved with sobs as Luna held her, her strong leg holding her, letting her know that she wasn't alone.

"I know it does, but you have to bear it. You can't give up Fluttershy." A far cry from when they had last met in the flesh, on Nightmare Night, Luna's voice was now a whisper barely louder than Fluttershy's own whimpering voice. At times, the strong alicorn mare was far more like her sister than any pony seemed to recall.

"Why? What did I do?"

"Shh, nothing Fluttershy. You did nothing wrong. Just rest dear one, you're safe here." Luna leaned down, pressing her soft lips against the Fluttershy's jaw. The gentle mare slowly relaxed at the contact, closing her eyes to the world as she inhaled. Luna smelt of jasmine and aloe, the gentle scent lulling her into a state near sleep as she rested her head on Luna's shoulder.

As Luna drew back, her chaste kiss took with it the bruise on the poor mare, her pain and her suffering. For a time at least, Fluttershy could forget herself, forget her troubles. She could sleep in peace.

Luna sat there, smiling as Fluttershy rested against her, pale yellow fur pressing against midnight blue. Luna sighed quietly, and for a moment the smile faltered. How many times had she dreamed of this? Sitting beside a lake, watching the stars. For once, to not be here... alone. But there was too much to do in the day, and the night was for rest. It had always been that way.

Then why make it so beautiful, if none are there to witness it?

Why indeed. Fluttershy herself was little more than a construct in this place. Her mind was freed from the shackles of her body, for a time at least, but there was nothing which would keep her here. Nothing that would ensure that her night would be loved. Nothing to stop her from leaving, and leaving her all... alone.

I could though. I could keep her here. Keep her mind from her body.

It was a simple spell, if a powerful one. All she would need to do is make the sleep permanent. Then Fluttershy could be free. She could follow Luna, live with her, love her night right alongside the Princess. It sounded like a dream come true.

One little spell, and she could be yours.

Yes. One spell. Celestia would never have to know. After all, dreams were her's, here nothing could contest Luna's might. Nothing could oppose her. And nothing could leave, if she but wished it were not so.

Never be alone.

She could be together once more. Even banished to the moon, a millennium of sleep, Luna would not be alone. She would have Fluttershy with her. Somepony to watch the stars with her, to read with her. Somepony... to stay beside her. Forever.

Luna paused, only for the briefest second, and a smile touched her lips. It wasn't a smile of joy, but one of heartrending sadness, one of a loss that few can claim, and fewer still claim and survive. A loss that drove ponies mad, to choose death, by their own hoof if needed, rather than live without.

The long, delicate, wickedly sharp horn flared with a black energy, a magic meant to sever the bonds of mind and body, to free Fluttershy from her pain. To free Luna from her own. Energy swirled about her, the ephemeral magic taking shape in the realm of dreams. Black wisps of energy began to form, coalescing into greater and greater waves, until a sphere of energy swirled about Luna, black and flecked with corpse-light stars.

Luna felt the spell prepare itself, settling onto her lips, setting the sensitive flesh alight with tingling pain. As the spell fell on her body, so too did the darkness enveloping the pair. Luna's fur stained a black as deep and lifeless as the void between stars, silver armor appearing.

Luna smiled, this time a smile of malicious pleasure, as she gazed upon her target. Fluttershy lay there, unaware of the evil that stared at her. Luna closed her eyes, and Nightmare Moon opened her reptilian gaze. The green eye focused on the pegasus, and hatred for one who had banished her flared.

Serve her right, banishing you. You only wanted to show them how much like your sister you were. Now we will show them once more.

Luna leaned in, and as she did, the silver helm appeared over her face. Then she froze.

What? Finish the spell. Kiss her. KEEP HER!

No. No this is wrong. The mantled head pulled back, and once more Luna stared out through the eyes of the monster. Before her sat Fluttershy. Not the peaceful Fluttershy she had soothed the hurts from, but the battered bruised mare who had first come to her glade. As she watched, the cut on her cheek reopened, and a trickle of blood matted the pale fur a deep crimson. Purple bruises darkened the fur along her flank, and a similar aberration discolored her cheek below the cut.

"NO!" Luna shied away from the injured mare, rearing back as her armored hooves slashed at the air before her. "ACSHINA!"

The Princess of the Night whirled, banishing the accursed armor, feeling herself grow smaller, weaker. More vulnerable. Nopony, nothing challenged her here. Dreams were hers and anything invading her realm would suffer.

I hardly think so, little pony. You can have no idea how weak you are, lest such threats would not be made.

The darkness of before once more swirled through the gentle glade, sending shivers down Luna's spine. That power was evil, evil in a way that went beyond the understanding of any living creature, immortal or not. Slowly, the black mist resolved, and a creature like a pony stepped from it. To say that Acshina, or her chosen body, was that of a pony was to say that a rapid wolf was the same as a tamed pup.

She towered over Luna, her jagged horns extending from above her eyes. Great wings, each larger than Luna's entire body, flared behind the creature, and the wind they blew forth stank of decay and death. Scales covered the body of the creature, small and black, leaving the monster with a glossy skin which reflected the lights of Luna's night thousands of times. Her entire body was desiccated, decayed and battered. The pale gleam of bone could be seem through the rents and tears in the creatures body, blood oozing from the wounds as she stood there.

Worst of all were her eyes. They were black, blacked even than the night far between the distant glimmers of millions of stars. her eyes were a void, a place of nothingness. Those were eyes which had watched as uncounted billions suffered and died, leaving them to be swallowed by that yawning void. Those were the eyes which had stolen Luna's mother, stolen everything she had known. They were what even the Mistress of Dreams had nightmares about.

Is it truly so bad, dear Luna? To take a pony with you, to have her forever? After all, the only one you can rely on to stand beside you is your sister, and she already proved that you mean less than nothing to her.

"You're wrong. She loves me!"

But only as a sister. Can you really live like that? Always second, always after. Never loved as you want, never seen by the one you love more than any other?

"She... she is my sister. We will always have each other. Even when you put your filth in my mind, she never left me."

No, she banished you, sent you to a barren rock for a thousand years. Rather more harsh than she needed to be wasn't it?

"Not if it got rid of you."

Got rid of me? Hardly. My dear, we are, after all, having this conversation in your mind. In a dream no less. Could I really have entered without your notice, unless you brought me with you? No dear, stupid little Luna, I am still very much alive in you. And you cannot bring yourself to excise me, can you? You want to have someone beside you forever, one who sees you as more than a younger sister.

"Shut up. Leave this place."

Oh, poor Luna. You say that, but you don't mean it. You want me here. You want me to tell you what to do. To tell you to do what you want.

"I said LEAVE!"

CHILD! The soft amusement of the ancient god vanished, and now her voice roared through Luna's mind. DO NOT SEEK TO COMMAND ME! I SLEW YOUR KIND FOR SPORT, STUPID GIRL! YOU HOLD NO DOMINION OVER ME!

"Yes. I. DO!" Luna screamed back at the beast, as she did, the stars above erupting into brilliant light. This was a dream. This was her dream, and nothing held sway here that Luna did not wish. She called down fury on the monster, felled stars and burnt mountains. And she drove that monster from her mind, casting it into the abyss of her darkest dreams.

Then she turned to Fluttershy.

Nolux walked through the passages of the great castle, her soft steps sounding echoing clops as she paced along. The smoothed granite floor extended ahead of her into utter darkness, and the small jewel she carried cast only a sallow light on the hall. The jewel, a small trilliant sapphire, glowed with an inner fire of purest blue, a gift from Twilight. The mare had given her the gem, and given Pinkie one just like it, though a ruby, bidding them to explore her home.

And so both ponies had wandered off, walking through the halls of the great palace. Along the way, Pinkie had regaled the zebra with tales of what she and her friends had done, including some rather terrifying moments, such as their assault on the Draconequss. But then something happened. Pinkie had frozen in place, staring ahead at the blank wall. Her mane had altered, lying flat against her neck, and she had simply turned, walking back down the passage they had come from.

Seeing Pinkie, usually so exuberant, almost annoying, so broken was... scary. Nolux had been afraid when she saw the sad little not-smile on the pink face, even more than when she took the Rites of Initiation to become an acolyte. It just seemed as if something could be so terrible that even Pinkie could find no joy, then it would drive her mad.

But what had she seen? Or was that how the mare was all the time? Broken, bleeding inside, but smiling all the while, determined to make another's life better than hers. Could she really be that selfless? Or was she simply insane, only able to hold the mask for so long, before it began to slip?

Along the wall, sconces which once held torches hung in rusted ruin, the walls above them stained, even after a thousand years, with the smoke of their fiery burdens. Dotted along the walls, spaced between the torches, the tattered remains of tapestries hung, now reduced to ragged threads trailing from their wooden cores. Once, these halls must have shone with a wealth and beauty unmatched, its ancient power and unrivaled glory a testament to the ones who built it so long ago.

The she found something strange. The light from her amulet began to change, seeming to grow brighter. The glow moves up the wall she could barely see before her, the stone appearing green in the wisp light. It was not the wall which caught her attention however. In the center of the wall, there was a door. In all her time in the Castle, the only door Nolux had seen was the massive slabs of oak which guarded the entrance. This door was something new, and it was meant to, at least symbolically, prevent anyone from entering. Or anything from leaving.

She shouldn't open the door. Nolux knew that. She could not see the future, had seen only occasional glimpses since she began to travel with Twilight, and none at all since they left the plains, but she could remember what she had already seen. Many futures, many places, she had seen herself, battered and injured, struggling to escape some calamity. In some, she had even seen her death.

Never before, in this world or the one she could only see in flashes, had she seen this door. Nonetheless, the sight filled her with a nameless worry. Not a true fear, she could feel no evil from the door, but a significance. As if the door could lead either to harmony, or chaos. She should turn away, she knew that. She walked forward, and opened the door.

She stepped into a world unlike anything she had ever seen in her waking life.

Torches blazed merrily in their gleaming iron holsters, the walls behind them shining white and polished to a smoothed finish. The tapestries she had seen lying in broken ruin before now hung in all their splendor, their myriad colors dancing before the zebras astonished eyes.

More than the ancient things, once fallen into disrepair, made new and whole once more, Nolux was shocked by the inhabitants. She stood in the entryway to a grand dinning hall, a small arched hall which lead to the cavernous main room. The ceiling, three stories above her head, vaulted into vagueness, the light of the many torches not reaching the lofty heights from which stared the dim shapes of carved statuary.

Below that great ceiling, the walls were ringed by ornate carvings, bas relief and statuary both, of every creature imaginable, and many the likes of which even songs and stories had forgotten the shape of. Great whales gallivanted among crashing waves near one torch, while the next one found itself in a wooded glade, while small creatures played in the shadows of the great trunks. Yet another boasted a creature out of nightmare, its serpentine necks leading to heads which were little more than maws, gaping and filled with rows upon rows of teeth, its body fading into the dimness of the cave behind it.

The firelight danced and played upon the carvings, making them seem almost as alive as the creatures beneath them. For creatures there were. Long tables, made of stone slabs worked to a mirror sheen, lined the capacious room, and hundreds of creatures Nolux believed only myth walked between them, tasting this and that dish laid out on the stone. Long manes trailed on the floor, while folded wings hugged sides. Graceful horns glowed throughout the room as the creatures talked and ate.

"Alicorns." Her eyes tracked the graceful movements, the courtly manners, and ancient speech of the great rulers, watching them as they ate their grandiose meal. But the ancient creatures were not alone in that hall. Dragons nestled in corners, and gryphons perched above, nibbling on tidbits and bones, kept like hounds.

There was one other creature in the room, one which did not belong to anything, myth, legend, or tale, which Nolux had heard. The creature sat on the throne at the far end of the hall, lounging against the granite wall as though it were down cushions. Long pale limps sprouted from a malformed chest, and a shock of scarlet hair trailed its form in a long braid which brushed the ground as it leaned back on the seat. The odd mane seemed to be the only hair on the creature, the rest of its body, from the nape of neck to the tips of long digits, was a pale skin, the color of milk. Blood red lips curved into an elegant aloof smile, and a tall, slim glass of wine twirled in one outstretched limb. It was clothed in a loose gown of grey fabric, seeming to shimmer and move in the moving light.

"Bring it here." The creature said, and Nolux abruptly realized it was female, beckoning to one of the alicorns near the throne. The alicorn, a slight green individual, shuddered, but pulled a chain from the wall beside him. Emerald light surrounded the chain, and it snaked about the neck of one of the roosting gryphons, the beast croaking as the lead tightened. It came to the floor, pulled from its perch, and landed roughly before the granite throne.

The creature stood, the shimmering dress sliding against her skin as she did so, bearing one fleshy mass on her chest, small pink nipple making the center. "For feeding young." Nolux whispered, transfixed by the strange beauty of the creature, and by its bizzare movements. It reared back on its lower limbs, standing erect on only its hind legs, leaving the others, with their longer digits, free to move about.

The creatures lips quirked up at the sight of the struggling gryphon, and she bent down. Nolux watched as the thing gently laid its lips against the great beak of the gryphon, and the beast quieted at once. Almost as if it were asleep, it relaxed on the floor, its muscles slowly falling from their rigid terror. The creature smiled, stroking the soft feathers near its beak, tracing them along its face, and down its neck. Once, twice more she followed the feathers, only to begin her motion again. But on the third stroke, her second limb rose, touching along the bottom of the raptors jaw, following the strong lines of the hollow bone. Her digits curled, grasping the jaw firmly, while the others lay flat against the mighty shoulder.

Then the head was torn from the body. Blood arched through the air, splattering across the green alicorn still standing by the throne, and covering those seated near the head of the tables. The powerful pony forbears began to laugh riotously at the thrashing body of the gryphon, only to find their mirth redoubled as one wildly flailing foreleg slammed into the green alicorn, scoring a deep ragged slice along his flank.

Turning, their ruler hurled the severed head to one of the dragons curled behind her throne. The great mouth opened, and the head, eyes still darting about, vanished within. Then the dragon turned its head, and a jet of fire cooked the still moving body of the dead gryphon. The acrid stench of burnt feathers reached Nolux even where she stood, and black smoke curled from the corpse.

The fires died, and the creature reached down. With another twist of one limb, she ripped the leg from the carnivore, and torn a bloody piece of meat from the charred limb. Crimson ichor dribbled down from her mouth, dripping onto the floor beneath her as she smiled once more.

"Bring me the twins." Her voice, her voice sent chills coursing through Nolux's body. It was too calm, too careless. She had just ripped the head off of an intelligent creature, then begun to eat it. And there was no remorse, there was no regret. It was almost as if it didn't even matter to her that the great raptor had died in her embrace, as if it had been nothing more worthy of attention than a loaf of bread. It was sickening.

There was a shuffling sound, and Nolux turned to see another alicorn, this one a red haired female, leading two of her young towards the throne. One was white, just like her mother, though her mane was wavy and pink, rather than the straight crimson of her mother. The second could have been no less like their mother if her sire had been a dragon. A blue so dark that it bordered on black, her coat seemed to swallow the light near her, her silver-blue mane hanging in straight spikes along her side, curling at the tip.

They were lead to the throne, which Nolux now saw was on a raised dais, where the creature once more lounged, the bloody leg still being nibbled upon. The pair stood before their queen, trembling in fear at the sight of the ruined body beside the throne.

"Ahh, my Princesses. Dear Luna, sweet Celestia."

"Acshina, please do not do this. They are foals."

"Silence." The creature moved, her body blurring with the speed of her movement. The blur of color slammed into the jaw of the great alicorn, sending her sprawling. "They are mine! Just as you are mine. Do not forget that."

"Mommy? Where's Discord? Why are we here?" Luna asked, her voice edging towards tears even as her body edged towards her sister.

"Shush, it'll be okay baby. Mommy won't let anyone hurt you. Mommy has to leave now, but... be strong, my little ponies."

"The half-breed is not permitted here, fool, and never shall he be. Now, for business. Are you girls happy to be Princesses?"

"Yes ma'am, very much so." Celestia stepped in front of her silently crying sister, shielding her from the cold stare of the creature.

"Good, there is only one more task." She raised one limb, digits clawing into a gesture as the limb was thrust at the tall mare. The white mare vanished, to be replaced by a small form. A purple alicorn, slightly older than the pair standing, lay bound on the floor. "Kill her."

Then the eyes of the creature flickered. For a moment, they changed, from the deep blue of before, to a deep, emptyness, a void which seemed to suck the life from the hall. The raucous laughter died away at once, and even the whimpers of the injured alicorn quieted.

"Twilight, sister?" Celestia spoke, as if stunned by the sight before her. The bound filly squirmed, and a small scream could be heard from behind her ethereal gag.

"I would hurry, were I you. The jennarina will feast on her in a moment. They will consume her slowly, savoring every morsel. First her magic, then her mind, then they consume the body, ensuring they keep their prey alive to scream while they do. You, my dears, would be the kinder end." Then those empty pits moved, and Nolux could feel her own soul laid bare before the monster.

Acshina, apart from all else, could see her. And the monster smiled.

Gathering Threads

"Pinkie, I am Twilight, this is the real me. This is what I am always like. That... The Twilight you knew wasn't me, not really. It was me, and there was something else. Something less... just less. It was a parasite, living inside me for my entire life."

"How can I know that you aren't that parasite yourself?"

"What did you think when you saw the Twilight in Ponyville? What was the first thing you thought?"

"That isn't Twilight. But neither are you."

"Well, how do you feel? Which one of us do you think is real?"

"Twilight, you just said that this thing can control you. You think that it can change the way you feel, so how I feel about it isn't something I can trust. Both of you aren't Twilight, and I don't know which one is the real you. Or if there is a real you left."

"Would the imposter have told you all of that?"

"Yes. They could be trying to confuse me by telling me, or they could be lying right now, and trying to confuse me that way."

"Well, that is amazingly sharp."

"That's why you aren't her."

"I- I'm sorry?" Twilight flinched, backing away from her friend. She had been perfect, she had only said what she would have before. What did Pinkie mean?

"That's how I know you aren't Twilight. Twilight... would never be that mean. She would be cruel."

"Pinkie-"

"STOP IT! I'M NOT A FOAL ANYMORE!" Pinkie's head snapped up, and she stalked forward. Her large cyan eyes, so often full of laughter, and more recently of tears, now steamed. It was as if her rage was a physical thing, boiling away her sorrow as she approached the unicorn. "I'm not a foal, I am not stupid. I act that way because it makes ponies happy, do you understand? I'm always trying to make everypony happy, no matter what. Even if I have to act silly to do it. I'm not stupid Twilight. I just... want to see them smile. You just don't get it. You're too busy trying to save everypony, do everything. When is the last time you did something for somepony else, personally?"

"Pinkie, I don't understand what you mean. I'm always trying to help ponies." And it was true. All her life, Twilight had been helping ponies. Saving them. Nightmare Moon, Discord, every single time something had gone wrong, she had been there, helping others, stopping evil.

"No, you try and help everypony. You think that if you help them all at once, then nopony will notice that you don't do a thing for them personally. Twilight the Savior, Twilight the Powerful. Twilight the Element of Magic. But how many knew the real you? How many of them have actually talked to you, even in Ponyville?"

"What do you mean? I talk to many of them. All the time."

"No. You speak with them. How many of them have ever talked to you? Six? Eight of them in your life? Lets see. Me, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Luna, and your precious Princess Celestia. That's it. Seven ponies, and all of them, all because you were told to. By her. Always her."

"I- No. Pinkie, no. I'm not."

"Shut up Twilight. You need to hear this for once. So for once in your life, be quite, and let me talk. You are not a kind, you are not generous. Everything that you do, every single thing you have ever done, is because you want something. You are greedy. You are arrogant. You are a foal. You think I'm stupid, you think that I can't do anything. But the truth, the truth is that you are scared to do anything yourself. You're afraid you'll mess up. That she won't like what you've done."

"I, no I'm not. Don't say that. You don't kn-" Twilight stammered, sliding down the wall. She had backed away from the enraged earth pony, one step at a time. Now she was trapped, backed into a corner.

"SHUT UP! All you've done is run away from your problems, the only time you do anything is when you have other ponies there to take the blame, so your Princess won't be angry at you. It was always about making sure you were pure, you were innocent, and that you are perfect. What would you do if she could see you now. Afraid of everything, just because you are afraid of her. Afraid of failing. Her."

"NO! Pinkie, that's not it. Thats, not..." Her voice shook. She could feel the moisture as tears began to form, welling up from that dark place in her soul, the place she buried her concerns, her feelings. Her love. She had taken them, and buried them deep within herself. And the pink mare had torn down her barriers, letting the pent emotions flood.

"Yes Twilight. It is." Pinkie's voice softened. The fury, that blazing anger, just died. Muscles thrumming with violence barely contained slacked, and Pinkie seemed to deflate even further as Twilight watched. "You ran because you were afraid, and now something... something is using you to hurt our friends. Can you really think anything is more important than that? Than our friendship?"

"... Yes. Pinkie, Pinkie I love her. I love Celestia, more than anything else, even more than I love my friends. I'm sorry but... well, I'm sorry."

"It's okay Twilight, I know you love her. But you need to stop that thing. The thing in Ponyville. Twilight, its hurting our friends right now, eating them like they were some sick food. She's tearing us all apart Twilight, and nopony else sees it." Pinkie's eyes began to water as she she spoke, and a single drop fell from her cheek, landing with a soft splash on the stone floor. "If you are anything like the real Twilight, you can't let her do that."

Pinkie rushed towards Twilight, her head down as the tears fell like a sudden rain on the tiles she flew past. She sped across the few feet now separating them, and slammed into Twilight's shoulder. Pinkie bore down, and both mares ended lying on the tile, as Pinkie sobbed into the purple fur.

"Shh, it's going to be okay Pinkie. I'll... I'll see what I can do about her. Whatever she is." At the words, the choked sobs eased, and Pinkie began to simply weep, all of her anger, her fear, and her sadness leaving her. They left a clean mare behind them, one with the scars of the battle etched over her heart, but clean nonetheless.

"Fluttershy, are you there? Come on, you said you'd help me with practice today. Fluttershy, open the door. Open the door or I'm coming through the window." The banging on the cottage door stopped, and Fluttershy could hear the flapping of wings as Rainbow took flight. Just beyond the door, the small pegasus sat cuddled in a blanket. Cowering beneath may well have been a better way to describe her, as she sat shivering, the ugly marks marring the shy beauty of her face.

The cut along her cheek throbbed with each and every beat of her heart, the bruise below it a steady ache whenever she blinked. And with the tears threatening revolt, blinking had been little more than a constant flutter of her eyelids. The pain would have been unbearable, but for the fear which gripped her mind.

Fear of the pain, fear of Twilight, and fear of herself. That last was the one which horrified her. The pain, that was nothing, after treating injured animals, Fluttershy was used to a random swing of a bears great limb breaking a bone or two. Pain she could handle. Nor was it the fear of Twilight which so rattled the mare. That was at least a fear she could understand, even if she could not control it. Twilight was a known entity, and one who Fluttershy could, in theory, avoid.

No, it was herself she was truly afraid of. The other fears made sense. Fear of pain was natural, something eveything has. Fear of Twilight came from that natural fear, since it was the unicorn who created that pain. What scared her more than anything else, was that she hadn't run. She hadn't even called for help. Because she had loved it. The burning pain as her cheek was split, the warm feeling of the blood dripping down her face. She had been hungrier, almost to the point of physical need, after Twilight had attacked her, and would have done anything the unicorn asked, if only she would bring Fluttershy the relief she craved.

But now that the night was over, now that Twilight was no longer standing beside her, her normal reactions to blood and pain surfaced. The instant the mare had left the door, Fluttershy had gone into convulsions. Her stomach had heaved, her gorge rising at the hot metallic scent of blood. She couldn't vomit, but her belly tried its very best to convey what should be done. She had curled into a tight ball on the floor by her bed, simply dropping to the ground where Twilight had left her.

She had dreamed there, on the hardwood floor of her small cottage, far away from anypony to see her unconscious tears, or hear her whimpers and sobs. She had been taken away in her dreams, stolen from the dank crypt her own mind had locked her in, and taken to a quite glade. And she hadn't been alone. There had been a strong, warm body with her, somepony for her to cry on, to sleep beside.

That had been wonderful, to feel safe once more. But it had been cruel beyond belief. To finally feel that peace, Fluttershy had never wanted it to end. She almost wished she had died, that she had been trapped in that dream, in that quiet glade forever, alone but for that warm body, and comfortable silence.

The pain had returned with the morning light, and Fluttershy had awakened with tears tracing along well worn paths. Somehow, drawing strength she didn't think she had, she had pulled herself to her hooves, and set about her daily routine. She had fed her pets, and watered her garden. She had fixed a light breakfast for herself, and knowing that she needed to eat, had forced the toast down. Then she had pulled the small blanket off of her sofa, and wrapped it around herself. Then she sat there, on the hard floor.

Since that morning, she hadn't moved from that spot, hadn't spoken, hadn't even cried. She hadn't so much as twitched an ear when Rainbow had begun banging on her door, shouting about needing to see her. She heard a loud banging from the second story of the small cottage, and rattling glass.

"Fluttershy? Are you in here?" A soft thump came from upstairs, Rainbow alighting on the bedroom floor. "Fluttershy? Are you ok- FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow interrupted herself, whipping around the door and speeding down the stairs. She stopped at the foot of the stairs, scanning the small room of the lower floor for her friend.

Eyes wide in panicked fear, she began to move into the darkened space, trying to avoid the many cages and feed bags which littered the inside of the cottage. The room wasn't large, but beneath her blanket, Fluttershy looked like nothing so much as a covered cage in the darkened room. She might have gone through the entire search unseen by the frantic pegasus, save a chance trip on behalf of Rainbow Dash, which landed her neatly on Fluttershy's back, sending the mare sprawling.

"Fluttershy! Are you okay?" Rainbow grabbed the smaller mare, shaking her softly. Even in the dim light, she could make out the outline of the gash over her cheek, and the discoloration of her jaw where the bruise lay throbbing. "Oh, Celestia Fluttershy. I was so worried." She pulled the yellow mare in, pressing the soft hair of the pink mane against her own multi-hued mess.

Confrontation

A/N: Okay, I may have said this before, but I absolutely detest author notes. I personally feel that they should only be used to disclose information which the author is incapable of conveying in their work. However, I am willing to make an exception in this case.

I am leaving this here because I hurt someone very much, without meaning to. For that, I would foremost like to apologize once more. I am sorry.

For those of you, pretty much everypony save he and myself, Genjen was the first person to take a serious look at my work from a proofreading/editing standpoint. I don’t know what he does for a living, but judging by the quality of his reviews, I would expect a student of English grammar, or maybe even a professor. He is the reason why most of, well, this story, is intelligible.

Between his amazing help with my absolutely appalling grammar, and his thoughts and opinions, ‘Is Immortality Really Worth It?’ grew wings. Originally, it was meant to be a short series, in which a disgruntled Twilight kills Celestia after her rejection, before taking her own life. I wanted to show the way that I, personally, feel about true love, that it is not something you are willing to die for, but to kill for. It was never meant to be a happy story, but along the way, it took off. Characters like Nolux and Empathy (my name for the Twilight simulacrum) were heavily influenced by what he said, and they have become an integral part of the story.

But I hurt him. I never thanked him for editing, I just took it in stride. In part, it was because of how I feel about editors myself, that they are an invisible hand holding yours. But thats no excuse for forgetting him. He helped me more than anyone else in, well, kicking my ass into high gear.

So, Genjen, I am sorry for what I did. I didn’t mean to hurt you, I was just a stupid foal who wasn’t thinking about anyone but herself. I was greedy, self assured, and an idiot. I wish you well in whatever you do with your life, and I am appalled that I caused our relationship to end on such bad terms. This isn’t a plea for your return. This is a plea for undeserved forgiveness, and to finally show, both you and everypony else, just how much your support meant to both this story and me personally.

Nolux woke on the cold stone of the deep passages in the Castle. Her body ached, her muscles locked in place after the long rest on the granite. Groaning, she slowly sat up, looking about her. The stone passage was just as she remembered, stained and dark with ages of neglect.

There was no longer any sign that there had ever been the kind of opulence she had seen in her.. dream? Was it a dream? It had felt so real, and the way that thing had looked at her...

Nolux shuddered, remembering the bloody gaze of the pale creature, and the way she had casually held court over slaughter. At the memory of the violent death of the gryphon, Nolux struggled to calm her stomach. Her gorge rose against her will though, and the zebra shuddered.

Then she shook herself, shakily levering herself to her hooves. Her body protested loudly, her stiff muscles making their discontent quite clear. She had grown up on the harsh grassy plains of the Sarahi though, and she had suffered far worse pain. Gritting her teeth, she set off, knowing that as she moved, the tight joints would slacken, and the pain would lessen.

“Who’s there!”

Her voice cracked as she whirled about, trying to find the source of the flicker of motion she had seen. Behind her though, nothing stirred. The passage was just as empty as it had been when she had first arrived. The doorway framed the desiccated husk of the hall where grisly feasts had once been held, but inside the large space there was still not even the slightest movement.

Gritting her teeth, knowing that it might very well show her something she would have nightmares about for the rest of her life, Nolux invoked her Sight.

The sight that met her was a shock. While the stone walls of the hallway were the same as they had ever been, the doorway shone a blinding white light. Its brilliance sent Nolux ducking behind one of the broken remnants of a statue, hiding behind the stone edifice. Peeking a single eye around what looked like the shattered torso of a dragon, Nolux squinted.

Though the light was still brighter than the sun, it was no longer quite as overwhelming as it had been a moment before. Through it, Nolux was just able to make out a vague movement, like the sight of a shadow passing the doorway, a flickering vision of the past.

Nolux ducked back behind the statue, panting. It was real, everything she had seen, it was all real. Her breathing became even more erratic, as the horrific visions of her ’dream’ swam back to the surface of her mind. Blood, so much blood.

Nolux slammed her head against the wall, trying in vain to block the repeating cycle of vile memories. The pain seemed to alleviate pressure, but there was no blocking the memories. So the shaman did what anypony would. She went to look for her friends, to find help through this nightmare.

That same morning, as dawn broke, Luna came tearing through her sister’s window. The younger pony had very nearly broken through the windows itself when she landed, her momentum too much to stop with metal shod hooves on slick stone. The crash had brought Celestia out of her bath in a moment, her horn already leveled at the intruder.

“Luna? What do you mean by this?” Celestia demanded, lifting her horn and letting the accumulated power begin to dissipate.

“We could ask you much the same, sister.” Luna growled, pushing into the room. Her midnight blue wings were flared around her, making her seem much larger than usual. It was a sign of blatant anger, and not one that Celestia missed. “For instance, what were you thinking, bringing that thing into the world?”

The golden light of Celestia’s magic began once more to slowly gather about her, though now it began to encase her entire body. The last time, the only time, that she had ever seen Luna this angry, the mare had attacked her. That had begun the long, spiraling descent into the monster that came to be known as Nightmare Moon. That same light of self-righteous fury burned in the teal eyes, and Celestia was forcibly reminded of just how powerful her sister could be at need.

If she wanted to avoid another similar conflict, then she would have to proceed carefully.

“What do you mean Luna? Bring what?”

“That thing you pulled out of the Mirror.”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed, and her tone became something ice could learn from. Her head arched back on the long neck, cocking to the side as she glared haughtily at the smaller alicorn. For a moment, even Luna’s fury broke, seeing the glare her sister shot her. She was not one to be dissuaded though, and took a step forward.

“You know what that Mirror holds sister. You know the evil we trapped their. Even Discord was not fool enough to break the seals. But after a single look in it, you disregarded everything we ever swore to each other. You brought something out.”

“You were there Luna. You saw what was happening to her. You know what she looked like. She was in torment sister, did you expect me to ignore that? To walk away?”

“YES! WE SWORE SISTER! We swore to never break the seals. Do you really want that evil to escape? Even a moment is all she needs, and then the Queen will rise once more. Nothing is worth risking Equestria sister. Nothing. You didn’t even bring your precious student back.”

At this, at the infuriating, mocking tone, Celestia sped forward. Before Luna could even register the movement, the white alicorn had slammed into her, knocking her to the floor with a thud. Whipping her head about to find her sister, Luna felt a red hot point pressing into her neck.

“Don’t you dare. You are never to speak of her that way, do you understand me, little sister? Sending you back to your precious moon is a parlor trick by comparison to what I will do if you EVER speak ill of her again. Do I make myself clear?”

With each snarling sentence, the tip of the solar mare’s horn pressed harder into the blue throat. Luna could smell the soft sizzle as her skin torched under the extreme heat of her sister’s ire. This was a side to Celestia that Luna had never seen. Even as Nightmare Moon, Celestia had always looked on her with kindness and respect. There was no softness there now. Only the black fury which threatened to immolate the Princess of the Night.

With a flash, Luna disappeared. The teleportation was sloppy, and with an even bright flash and a muffled bang, the mare reappeared a few feet away. Rubbing her neck gently, she winced. Her hurt gaze made Celestia relax slightly, her body losing the pose of imminent execution.

Taking slow, deep breaths, both Princesses calmed themselves as their mother had taught them so long ago. After a few second, they both looked up from the floor. The energy suffusing the room began to fade as the volatile emotions of the pair calmed, and as they looked at one another it vanished entirely.

“Luna I, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Are you badly hurt?”

The white mare stepped forward, but Luna held up a hoof to stop her.

“No. Tia, I have to ask you something. And you must swear you will answer me truly.”

“I swear.”

“What does she mean to you?”

The question made Celestia pause, thinking hard. It was obvious who Luna meant, but it was not nearly as easy for the Princess to identify just why the little purple mare incited such reactions. In the thousands of years that she had lived, nothing had ever caused her to behave like this. Not Luna, not their mother. Not even that evil thing had inspired her so much.

“You risked the world when you took her out of the Mirror sister. You attacked me for even suggesting that you shouldn’t have saved her. I only want to know... Celestia. Do you love her?”

Post Scriptum:

Sweet Light, I can’t believe how long it has been since I touched this. I swear to you, I will never let it go this long without an update again. Well, I hope it won’t. If it does, either my computer destroyed itself, college is as nightmarish as I think, or I’m dead.

If you are wondering, this chapter is more to get the characters moving once more, so I actually remember who they are and how they act. Don’t expect anything steller for now. (Granted, you are reading this fic, which was not that great to begin with).

Again, I would like to apologize for the wait, and hopefully promise updates on a semi-regular timetable. Until next time I suppose.

Post Post Scriptum:

If you want to blame somepony for the revival of this monster, I will nobly point my finger towards crADHD for you to burn at the stake now.

Hugs and Kisses

Nadake

Warp and Weft

“Rarity!” Applejack shouted, her normally relaxed demeanor beginning to crack. “Ah swear if you don’t give me back mah hat right this instant, Ah’m gonna hogtie ya, and leave ya that way all day.”

“Oh, well now, that does sound like it could be fun, doesn’t it,” Rarity murmured, rubbing against her wife’s side. “It might lead to some awkward questions once Sweetie Belle came home.”

The farmer turned, grinning evilly at the unicorn. Her long blonde mane hung loose by her side, still wet from her bath. She had been… distracted in the bath, and at some point in the proceedings, the white mare had hidden her hat. Now though, it was time for revenge, and no threat would work on her quite like this one.

“Well, that may be, but Ah reckon you’ll crack first. After all, you wouldn’t like bein’ left on the side of road now would ya? Muddy, ya know?”

“You. Wouldn’t. Dare.” Rarity glared at her, hunching down like a puppy. Her tail flicked slowly back and forth as she watched her lover.

Applejack matched her grin for grin, hunching down across the opulent bed from her. Her wet tail whipped through the air with a thwap, and for a moment Rarity’s gaze fixed on the wet hair.

“HA!”

AJ pounced, tackling the unicorn to the ground, holding her in place with a hoof on her chest. Rarity winced, mentally cursing herself for being so easily distracted. Even though they both knew just how much she liked that tail…

Curling her legs close to her chest, Rarity tilted her head to the side. Her lower lip quivered as she looked up at the farmer. Batting her long lashes, Rarity pouted.

“Uh huh, you know that won’t work on me sugarcube. Now,” Again her tail whistled through the air. “Where was it you said mah hat was?”

With a heavy sigh, Rarity’s head flopped back onto the floor. Grumbling under her breath, she pointed off into the corner of the bedroom with a hoof. Applejack smiled, helping to pick her wife off of the floor. Swatting her white rump playfully, AJ chuckled as she trotted off to retrieve her prize.

Muttering dire threats under her breath, Rarity flounced away. Reaching to door to the bathroom, she looked over her shoulder. Behind her, Applejack was rummaging through the collection of items in the corner, searching for her faithful hat. The unicorn cackled quietly, the blue glow surrounding her horn a mirror of the one lifting the Stetson from the bathroom floor.

“RARITY! WHERE’S MAH HAT!”

AJ’s head whipped around at the soft laugh, her newly-bond mane swinging through the air like a pendulum. The farmer leered across the room, prowling forward. Her tail swished back and forth, her rump swaying high in the air.

Rarity’s bemused squeal was cut off as AJ pounced.

“Oh dear. Rainbow Dash, whatever happened to her?” Rarity whispered, turning away from the pale form still huddled over a long cooled mug of tea. Out of the corner of her eye, she could still see the slight shaking of Fluttershy.

For her part, Rainbow Dash looked like she was fighting back tears, unable to tear her eyes away from her oldest friend. The pegasus had crashed through the bedroom window of Rarity’s Boutique little more than an hour ago. The abrupt entrance of a third party had sent Applejack and Rarity rocketing away from the rather indelicate position they had been occupying.

The look on the cyan mare’s face had killed the offended protest before it had reached Rarity’s tongue though. Rainbow had looked almost panicked when she broke through the window, and after only a moment both mares’ blushes at being caught in flagrante died away, replaced by worry.

Rainbow Dash had only insisted that they follow her, refusing to tell them anything until they did. Had she not seen the fear in her eyes, Rarity would have brushed it aside as just another moment when Rainbow Dash sought attention.

Now though, Rarity resented every moment that she had tarried before following her friend. They had arrived to find Fluttershy just as Rainbow had left her, wing tucked tight in against her body, holding a cup of tea between her hooves.

Fluttershy hadn’t reached to any of them when they entered the cottage, nor their quiet inquiries. She just looked into the cup of cold tea, as though that might hold the answers she desperately needed.

“I don’t know. But…”

“Yes? What is it?” Rarity prompted, seeing the mare trail off.

Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip, glancing at Fluttershy for a moment. She still hadn’t moved from where she had been when Dash had let go of their awkward embrace the night before. She hadn’t resisted when Rainbow pressed the hot drink into her hooves, but nor had she reacted to anything her friend had done.

Were it not for the occasional tear that would roll heavy and wet down her face and the quick, shallow breaths catching sporadically in her throat, Rainbow might have thought her dead.

“Well, I… Rarity, when I came by last night there was…”

“What? Rainbow Dash, anything you remember might help us now. We need to know. She needs to know.”

Rainbow’s eyes flicked over to Fluttershy for the millionth time, before she nodded. “There was, a lot of blood Rarity. Look.” Her hoof stretched out, pointing to a brown stain on the pale blue wood of the floor. “And… here.”

Rainbow gently took the blanket that she had wrapped around the yellow pony away. Rarity’s look of disgust became one of equal parts horror, and black rage. Slashes of dark red covered the mare’s flank, large mars in the smooth coat. The curved incisions brought to mind a particularly careless carpenter, ruthlessly hacking away at a block of wood.

Her gorge rose at the sight, and her eyes watered in sympathy with her friend’s pain. She turned away suddenly, taking several deep breaths to quiet her rebellious stomach.

Looking back, she saw that Rainbow looked on the verge of tears. Rarity’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, and she slammed a hoof down. She could feel her own eyes well, even as her lips stretched in a ferocious snarl.

“I am going to have a very long, painful talk with the pony that did this.”

Rainbow’s head whipped around. Her eyes bulged. “Rarity, you, you think a pony could do this?”

Rarity tilted her head to the side, pointing her horn at the wall behind Fluttershy. Blue magic flared, and Rainbow turned. On the far wall, a curved line was cut deep into the wood.

“Every unicorn knows how to cut things. Threads, ropes, celery, its easy.” Rarity’s voice was cold, and the mare only seemed to notice the fact when Rainbow glared at her.

“Then how do I know that it wasn’t you that did this to her?”

Her voice was low, and filled with as much threat as Rainbow could muster. The pegasus had crouched slightly, angling her body to dive aside at a moments notice. Her blue wings were flared behind her, half furled and ready to surge back.

“Because, I’m sure that if it were me, then she would have reacted to me being here. You can’t just forget somepony who does this to you.” Rarity’s hoof moved to her side, and her expression flickered for a moment. “Now, AJ should be back with Twilight in a moment.”

“I’m sorry Princess Luna, I haven’t seen her since yesterday.”

“No, that is quite alright. Please, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Think nothing of it Princess. I only wish that I might have been of more help.”

“You have helped more than you know my friend. Now please, I may only abscond with you for a time. We both have duties we must return to. You have my thanks, Vigilance.”

The guard bowed her head in a gesture both of sincere regret, and deep respect. Then her head came up, and the sole member of Princess Celestia’s honor guard smiling at Luna gently. Then with military precision, she spun on a hoof and trotted to the door. Turning once more at the door, the mare threw a glance over her shoulder, examining the Princess.

She shook her head, not voicing whatever thought had halted her progress. Then she was gone, the echoing hoofbeats retreating through the halls of the Canterlot Palace.

Once the unicorn was out of hearing, Luna snorted explosively and stamped a hoof. The action sent a loud cracking echo resonating through the empty chamber, and the Princess shuddered as it reverberated back along her leg.

Looking down, Luna grunted. The jet stone which formed her personal chambers was almost impervious to casual damage. While nothing about an enraged alicorn was casual, Luna had still expected to see only slight damage to the stone. The miniature crater her blow had left behind was a rather noticeable change though, showing as it did the far more abundant marble which formed the majority of the Palace.

As she continued to watch and deliberately change her focus from her anger, Luna saw black powder fall from the air above the hole. It settled into the declivity, and the surrounding area like some madmare’s idea of back rain. After a moment of thought, Luna realized that the powder was the stone that had once filled the hole, now airborne.

With a sigh, Luna flicked her horn. Midnight blue magic flowed through the air, shepherding the powdered jet back into the hole. With anoher grunt, the light of the magic intensified, until it was indistinguishable from the dark stone surrounding it.

When the magical energy faded, the hole was once more filled with jet, the powder reformed into whole stone by the Princess’ magic. There was still a small dip in the floor where hole had been a moment before, but not only was the decline far smaller, the jet once again covered the white marble.

Luna shook her head, once more calmed.

Standing, the dark alicorn looked around her chambers. From the large, soft bed that dominated the majority of the room to the small tble where her tiara and silver adornments rested. Celestia had given her the room the night after her return from the thousand year torment that had been Nightmare Moon.

Sister, we would trouble you by asking for a small place to sleep. We would verily dislike inconveniencing our most noble family, but after nigh one thousand years, we have little left which is known to us.

Her sister had smiled at her, before asking her to follow. Then the white alicorn had asked her to close her eyes and opened the door.

When Luna had seen the room, her room, she had been speechless. So many conflicting emotions had flown through her that she could hardly begin to separate them. Joy that her sister still wanted her to stay at the Palace. Fear that she wasn’t worthy of such kindness.

Many more flitted through her mind, but they were so vast, so complex, that Luna could never have begun to articulate them. Instead, she had asked the one question that sat at the heart of her problem.

”Sister? After all this time...” Her sister had waited while Luna stammered and halted. Her benign smile never left her white face as she stared at her younger sister. “After... In one thousand years sister, and you have taken nothing from our chambers? Nothing has been moved, nor replaced?”

“I always knew you would come back Luna. I never for one moment doubted that you could be saved, that you would be by my side again. That darkness has left you now my sister. Let us resume our lives as they were before the shadow took you”

Luna felt her eyes water at the dear memory, before blinking them dry again.

Then the mare stood, suddenly sure where she would find her sister.

The Fraying Edge

A/N: Before I begin, I would like to thank Midnight Herald, who has assumed the dubiously honorable position as my editor in chief. As such, I would like you to direct all complaints to him.

...

Fine. You could at least play along you know. Oh well. ON WITH THE SHOW! ROLL THE CLIP PINKIE!!!

*****************************************************************************************

Twilight had taken up residence once more in the ancient library buried deep within the old castle. Deep within the Everfree Forest, the books and tomes held within the stone walls had been untouched for almost a thousand years. Or they should have been.

When Twilight had returned to the claustrophobic room, she had found it largely as she had left it. However, she would have been far more surprised had there been nothing changed upon her return. After all, one does not burn the corpses of nearly five hundred birds and expect the ensuing smoke to be unnoticed.

Some of the books had been moved, then carefully replaced. When she had walked in, Twilight’s contemptuous smirk had spoken for her. The books had been replaced in the same seeming piles that they had been left in, but Celestia of all ponies should know that Twilight was first and foremost, a librarian. She had the order of the books memorized, and it had taken only moments to determine that the piles she returned to were similar, but different from those she herself had stacked.

After a moment of internal gloating though, Twilight had set about to ensure that none of the texts had actually been removed from the room. To her relief, none of them had been taken, and for the most part they had all been returned to their general position. After straightening the room a little and reorganizing the books, Twilight had lit several small candles placed around the small table she had summoned.

The table gave her a queer turn of the stomach. She hadn’t seen the battered little table in years, not since the day she had left for Ponyville originally. The little table had been one of the few furnishings in the cavernous room Princess Celestia had given her in one of the towers of the Canterlot Palace. Save a small bed in the far corner of the room and a small basket for the newly hatched Spike, the table had been the only thing in the room that was truly hers.

She had done everything on the small table. It had held the unending stream of books she obsessively read in her free time. It had held the books Celestia had assigned her for her homework, and had even hosted a solitary board game or eighty. It had seen her crying into the wood late at night, convinced that she wasn’t good enough; and it had been witness to her jubilation whenever she found out how well she had done on any given test.

Now the table stood in the center of the musty room, its scarred face supporting five small candles and a truly massive tome. The old book’s cover was peeling away at the corners, the smooth skin tearing away to reveal the rough leather beneath.

While the cover of the book was decaying, the interior was still protected by the heavy enhancements which had preserved most of the books in the library. Somepony, doubtless a very powerful unicorn indeed to cast a spell that had lasted for several hundred years, had made sure that the books would be guarded against the ravages of time.

The book was a treatise on the uses of crystals in magic, largely theory based. After all, very few unicorns had the time or inclination to spend their lives researching the ways energy can be stored within a crystalline matrix, nor how the differing shapes and cuts of gems can be used to focus and store magical power differently. Luckily, there were a few, and somepony had compiled the research of those ponies into this book.

Twilight hummed to herself as she read the passage, her lips moving in silent mimicry of the words she was reading. Occasionally she would mutter an interesting line or two aloud, running her hoof along beneath the faded letters.

“The crystal lattice stores energy... forming a matrix, which can then be utilized to power... Crystals can then be used to support powerful magical workings, by providing a constant supply of energy for the spells. As the energy flow does not experience fluctuations, finer workings can be accomplished, and spells which require large stores of energy to sustain will remain active longer.”

They were dealing with gemstones though. A sapphire, a ruby. Sure they might have been big gems, and they held a lot of power, but that was still only one gem. There are entire caverns beneath Equestria filled with energized crystals.

Twilight continued to mumble to herself as she lost herself in through around the small table. With only the occasional rustle of a turning page, or the mare shifting to a more comfortable position, her mind wandered. Ideas flickered behind her eyes, a machine powered by magic, which would let anypony fly like a pegasus, and another which would let ponies communicate over long distances instantaneously.

But the one image that continued to replay itself was the one that she had first seen when she had learned of the caverns. The simple image of the sun rising majestically from behind a bank of clouds, shedding morning light across the land.

She had to try it, try wresting control of the sun from Princess Celestia. If only she could do that, take away that responsibility, then maybe, just maybe, the Princess would accept her.

“Tch, just another test.” Twilight scoffed, resting her forehead on the table before her. She could feel her eyes watering from the confused slough of emotions suddenly assaulting her at the thought. Hope, fear, disbelief, and that overwhelming sense of failure that had haunted her since her private audience with the Princess.

She let the tide of emotions wash over her; the suppressed feelings too powerful to resist. Like the shore, she let the painful waves crash over her. It hurt, it hurt more than Twilight would ever let anypony see. But it was endurable. Twilight could take the pain. She refused to let it sweep her away.

The table met her tears with the same stoic comfort it had always given her. It didn’t pat her back, and assure her that eventually everything would be alright. It held her though, as steady and strong as it had always been. She had set the table on fire more than once, had accidentally carved deep furrows in its face, but the table still held her. It still forgave her.

Some time later, Twilight lifted her head. With a sniffle and a last ragged breath, she shook herself. “Pull yourself together, girl. You’re almost done. Then you won’t have to cry anymore. One way or another.”

“What do you mean?”

Twilight’s head snapped around, looking for the source of the soft words. Slowly, the striped face of Nolux walked into the soft candlelight. Her head was tilted to one side as she looked at Twilight, her large brown eyes shining with concern.

“Twilight, what did you mean? One way or another what? You aren’t... Twilight, please tell me that you aren’t thinking of... of anything rash.” The zebra stepped closer, eyes narrowed as she inspected the unicorn’s face. “You are important, Twilight. Your life is important. You can’t just... throw it away.”

“What are you talking about? You don’t... You think I’m planning to kill myself?”

“There’s no need to sound so indignant. You were being rather pessimistic.” Nolux’s tongue peeked out from between her lips, and her eyes closed in a silent laugh.

“You were-”

“Oh lighten up Twilight. You really are far too serious. I really do think that you should... should...”

Twilight looked up as the zebra’s voice pettered out. “Should what? Nolux?”

The eyes of the striped mare had glazed over, fixed on a point far distant from the library surrounding them. After a moment, Twilight noticed that the shaman’s eyes had begun to glow, the light shining from within the brown orbs shedding an amber glow around the pony.

“NO!”

Two ponies voices were raised in the same, panicked denial, and Nolux collapsed. Only a moment later, the door to the dark library burst open. Pinkie rushed in, just as Twilight knelt down next to her friend.

“Pinkie, I need you to help-”

“Twilight, we have to leave, now. No, sooner, come on.”

“Pinkie, I need your help, we don’t have time for your games right now, Nolux might be hurt. She just had a vision and-”

“Twilight! Twilight come on. Our friends need us. They are all in really bad danger, and you have to save them. Twilight please.”

Twilight froze at that. Her hoof was held above Nolux’s chest, checking to be sure that she was breathing normally. At Pinkie’s panicked statement though, she stopped, looking up at her normally exuberant friend.

There was nothing of her normal cheer to be seen in the party pony’s eyes. The seas of cyan were wide, and fearful. “Pinkie, she needs us here.”

Twilight’s voice was steady, even as her eyes narrowed in calculation. She could get to Ponyville in a few moments if she had to. If she had to, and was willing to tap into the power she had accrued underground, she could bring the whole castle, and everything in it, with her to Ponyville.

She wasn’t about to risk Pinkie on anything though, nor was she willing to risk Nolux’s safety, and possibly her life, by taking the pink mare with her.

“I’ll go to Ponyville Pinkie, but you have to stay here. I need you to keep an eye on her.”

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know darling. You need to calm down though, you are scaring the animals.”

“So?” Rainbow Dash snapped at the unicorn, before turning sharply and continuing her pacing.

Beside her, sitting on the small blue couch absolutely covered with animals, Rarity shook her head gently. Her hoof continued to slowly stroke the soft fur of a raccoon who had become the current owner of her attention.

The furry critter’s amber eyes turned to Rainbow Dash when the mare let out another annoyed huff, before closing sleepily under the gentle strokes of Rarity’s hoof through his fur. Perched on the arm of the couch beside her, Angel Bunny was keeping a gimlet eye trained on a trio of young, and perforce foolish, bucks.

Rarity followed his gaze, and narrowed her own eyes when she saw the trio edging closer and closer to Rainbow. Even from here, the mare could see the mischief in their eyes, and the large carrots they had held behind them.

Normally, she wouldn’t have had a problem with watching, or even abetting the attempts to prank the pegasus. It would serve the mare right for all the tricks she had pulled on her friends. Just at the moment however, it would likely result in serious harm to at least one of the rabbits, and to most of the room.

As Rainbow spun about for another pass in her endless pacing, and the three bunnies bounded into the space she had just left. Angel thumped his foot hard on the sofa, startling not only the three would be pranksters, but startling the raccoon from its perch next to Rarity. Like a scared cat, the coon shot off of the bed, leaving Rarity’s side chilly where his fur had been pressed.

The three bunnies promptly followed suit, disappearing almost too fast to be seen. Angel’s head shook in smug contempt for the three, before looking at the corner of the room. Seeing his friend and occasional owner still shaking, staring at the ground between her hooves, the his small smile faded. He looked over at Rarity, and the small family of birds that had taken the raccoons place, and gestured at the mare for the umpteenth time.

“She’ll get better. I know she will. But until then, she needs our help. You need to make sure all the other animals behave themselves.”

Angel scowled at her, pointing to Fluttershy violently.

“Wouldn’t Fluttershy want you to make sure all of her other friends are okay?”

Angel smacked his forehead with a paw, nodding, before pointing to the yellow pegasus once more. This time, Rarity followed his paw, while her hoof gently stroked the delicate feathers of a bluejay’s head.

“Rainbow Dash!”

“Huh?” Rainbow grunted, whirling in an instant at the sound of her friends tight, controlled voice. Then her eyes fell on Fluttershy as well, and her body achieved new levels of tension. Her teeth gritted together as she growled.

Fluttershy had moved, for the first time since the pair had entered the cabin. The pink maned head had shot up, and her eyes had focused on the wall beside her. The pupils of her blue eyes had contracted to almost invisible points, and her shaking had ceased. All movement in the main room of the cottage had ceased as well, every eye trained on the mare’s sudden fear.

Her breaths came out in short, sharp pants as her head slowly turned, following something none of the others could see.

“Darn it girl, come on. Ah don’t care about your silly experiment. Your friend needs you, and here you are complaining?Yer work can wait!” Applejack’s voice drifted through the air, raised in agitation. Something that Rarity had noticed about her wife that brought her no end of amusement was that whenever the farmer was tired, stressed, or right after she had... well, taken leave of what pleasures Rarity could provide, the orange pony’s accent would thicken.

It wasn’t a sparkle of remembered happiness that shone from Rarity’s eyes as she tracked the voice of her lover. It was adamantine fury. Errant sparks fizzled from the end of her horn as Rarity met eyes with Dash. A similar cold light gleamed from the prospective Wonderbolt, and her lips pulled back in a snarl.

As one, the mares turned the angry gaze to Fluttershy, still trapped in whatever nightmare gripped her waking dreams. Their eyes followed the lines of her wings, now flapping in the bodies instinctive preparation to flee. The movements had torn open the cuts lining her body, and now the hot metallic scent of blood filled the air.

“Magic.” Rainbow whispered.

Then the pair turned to face the door, and prepared to do what they feared they must.

They prepared to confront their friend of torturing Fluttershy.

A Tapestry of Memory... and Tragedy

Do you love her?

Did she? Could she? Did she even deserve to love? Celestia didn’t know; she wasn’t even sure whether or not she could even look behind the walls she had long ago raised to shield her heart.

It was her burden, her curse. To be an immortal, to wield all of the power of the sun itself. She was stronger, faster, and more magically potent than any mortal pony. To even compare the pair of them, herself to anypony other than her own sister, would be like comparing a spark to a raging, cataclysmic firestorm, likely giving far too much credit to the abilities of the others.

Celestia had felt her heart torn into shreds longer ago than even Equestria had existed. She had loved, and lost, and loved and lost again. Over and over, and each time, she had thought that her heart would be stronger this time, that she wouldn’t be hurt. The only pony she had opened herself to in thousands of years had been her sister. Her dear, beloved sister.

Luna had been with her through everything, since the beginning. The other alicorn had stood by her, no matter how foolish Celestia had been, no matter how much the other Princess’s heart had ached for a love she could not allow herself. Then even Luna, her dear, kind, sweet little Luna, had betrayed her.

Celestia had known the reasons, known the hurt her sister had suffered. Luna had opened herself. She had broken their promise, to never let themselves love. Celestia had watched her sister fall, fast, hard, and so deeply in love. But she hadn’t said a word, even knowing the doom looming before her sister. Celestia had been so happy to see Luna happy, to see her finally dropping her stoic, wise mask.

She should have warned Luna. Celestia had seen the danger, seen the obvious conclusion to her sister’s romance. When Winter Light had fallen suddenly ill, far from Canterlot, even the pervading sight of the sun had not told Celestia of the peril. Word had reached them days later, that Winter lay bedridden, her last moment’s nearing swiftly.

Luna had nearly lost control at the news, and only Celestia’s hasty defense had stopped the shellshocked alicorn’s magic from immolating the entire court. Even the might of the sun had been strained then, battered not only by the strength of the moon, but the furious, staggering intensity of Luna’s terror.

When they had finally reached the house of the small family who had found Winter, collapsed in their fields. To her great regret, it was Celestia who had forced them to wait, to stop Luna from haring off after her beloved. She had forced Luna to pause, and think about her actions.

It had been the worst decision she had made in centuries, before and since. Because of her, when they had reached Winter’s bedside, they had only had time for the mare to smile weakly at the Princess’s, and to whisper something in Luna’s ear. Then she had pressed a last, feather light kiss to the Princess. Then she was gone.

That had been where Nightmare Moon had first struck. Where her reign of terror had begun, and where her first victims, kind ponies whose only crime had been compassion, trying to save Winter’s life, had been destroyed.

Celestia hadn’t even had enough time to protect them; Nightmare Moon had struck so swiftly. The small cottage, all those dear souls had had in this world, had simply vanished. In an instant, the quiet fields surrounding the home had been full of comfortable, warm life. In the next, the cottage, the fields, every living thing and every inanimate object within a mile had dissolved into nothing more than a smoking crater.

It was magic the likes of which Celestia had never seen. There had been no heat, to burn the matter away. There was no residue of power, as though they had been only transported to somewhere far distant. There had only been a moment of mind-numbing power, and the vague sense of pressure as something dark and enormous and very, very powerful had rushed past her, then there had been nothing.

Celestia had felt something then, something she had not felt in eons. She had felt small. Small and weak; mortal. Celestia had been nothing to that power, as much of a resistance to it, as air was to water. She couldn’t stop that power, she couldn’t even slow it. She had failed to protect those kind ponies.

Nightmare Moon had screamed her rage, her pain, to the sky, before vanishing into the mist. All that had been left behind, when the mist had cleared, was a crystal dome. Winter rested within, peacefully held within the timeless space. A soft smile, her last smile, touched the mare’s blue lips.

To this day, Winter rested within her crystal prison, her body preserved eternally. It had taken on a life of its own in Nightmare Moon’s banishment. The soil had slowly filled in the crater, and soft green grass eventually springing up upon the untouched dirt. Then, when Celestia had very nearly forgotten about the glade, noticed by all only as an oddity, a circle where trees refused to grow, and wildlife would not stay. Until, one day, a spire of that same, clear crystal thrust out into the sky, a jagged testament to the mare resting beneath its soil.

Princess Celestia hadn’t spoken of Winter’s Tower to anypony, and would never tell her sister where it lay. The Mistress of Dreams had already suffered enough pain from her love of another, Celestia couldn’t bear the thought of returning that grief to her.

Do you love her?

Celestia sighed, letting her head droop on her long, powerful neck. One golden shod hoof flicked the water, sending a light spray skimming out over the surface of the pond.

She didn’t deserve even friendship, did she? Nopony had caused the heartache, the pain and sorrow that she had. Even the Scourge of Nightmare Moon hadn’t hurt others as she had. Celestia had commanded armies in times of need, sending thousands of good ponies to their deaths. For a good cause, to protect their friends, their families, but to their deaths all the same.

She had hurt others time and again, each time she had spoken softly to a young foal crying in the night, her kind words comforting the sweet thing. But foals grew older, remembering her soft words, her warm embrace. They remembered how the Princess had scared their fears away, replacing the darkness with her own, gentle light.

They fell in love with her, those stallions and mares. They grew to love her, not only as a kind, wise ruler, but with all of their hearts. A love she never could return. How could she? Knowing all the time that they would die, in little more time than a blink of her eye. How could she let her heart go out to them, when she knew that they would be ripped away, taking a piece of her heart with them?

So she hadn’t. She had let those ponies suffer in silence, never speaking of their confessions of love, never letting her own shield falter. She hadn’t let herself grow to love anypony as anything more than an acquaintance.

Except for one little filly, whose power had erupted from within, stronger than anything she had felt since her sister had been banished. She had seen that filly, and felt the power radiating from her. And she had felt the filly’s fear. Of failure, of disappointing her family. Most of all, the fear of herself.

Celestia couldn’t stand by, she had to act. She had broken the wild power flowing from the filly, releasing her from its embrace. Then she had done something she shouldn’t have, something she knew she had sworn to herself she would never do again. She had come to care for Twilight.

She had taken the young mage under her wing, literally and figuratively. She had opened her heart to a new friend, to a pony who felt as alone as the Princess herself. She had known that Twilight had grown to care for her, she had seen it in the way the unicorn beamed at even her smallest compliment. She had told herself that it was nothing more than awe, that the growing mare was only attached to her as a filly to her mother, or a student to her teacher.

She had been wrong. Twilight loved her as both of those things, but beneath them both, buried away in a dark corner of Celestia’s heart, she had known that the purple mare had loved her as deeply as any could. And Celestia had broken that battered, fragile heart.

Celestia had been everything to Twilight, her only family and her only desire. She had crushed the mare, when she had uttered those horrible, terrible words. She had told her that she couldn’t love her, as though Twilight wasn’t worthy of it.

Do you love her?

“Yes. Yes, I love her.”

“So what are you waiting for?”

“Tisk tisk,” Twilight murmured, circling the trio bound before her. “Honestly, Rarity, I expected more at least from you.”

A muffled grunt came from the white unicorn, struggling against the off-white threads binding her. The spell Twilight had cast, a variant on an ancient spell used to hold prisoners in times of war, had send thick, sticky strands of silk. They were made to cling to anything, holding whoever or whatever they attached to fast against whatever surface they were touching.

The added benefit that the wrappings provided was that they were indeed silk, and would dampen any magic that its captive might use. With as much silk as Rarity was bound by, Twilight herself would struggle to overcome the resistance it would offer. The fashion diva would have no chance against it.

“Did you think that I, when confronted, would just meekly comply? If I were guilty, which I am, by the way, that I wouldn’t try to subdue you? I expected the brash actions of Rainbow Dash,” Twilight giggled to herself. “She never could think before she acted. Poor little Applejack was never the brightest star either, and she didn’t even have warning. All that leaves is you.

“It isn’t a very powerful spell, in all honesty. You just can’t throw enough power at it to break through a decent shield without dissolving the silk itself, so even the most basic preparations would have spared you a few moments. Not an option now, of course, I simply thought you might like to know how and why you failed so utterly. Can’t blame you though, what I am... well. You can’t really imagine the power I’ve wielded before, the sheer enormity of my magicks.”

Azure eyes glared out over the tight binding, boring into the aloof, reptilian gaze. Aqua-green orbs quirked at the corners as Twilight smirked to herself, before turning and walking slowly through the cottage, humming to herself.

Once the mare had left the room, Rarity’s burning gaze shifted, softening as she looked at the rest of her friends, likewise bound.The only difference between them was that unlike Rarity, the others were unconscious, out cold when the force of their own silk bindings had slammed them into the walls.

Belatedly, Rarity noticed that somepony was missing. Fluttershy was nowhere in sight. Vaguely, Rarity could remember a flash of yellow and pink as the door to the cottage opened. Her blue eyes roamed back to the corner where Fluttershy had cowered since Rarity had arrived.

It was empty, without even a mound of webbing to signal the location of the buried mare. Nothing. Fluttershy had vanished at some point between the opening of the front door, and Twilight’s almost instantaneous attack.There had been only a few seconds between the two events for Fluttershy to have run, when Rainbow had screamed her accusation at Twilight.

After the pegasus had finished her screech, Twilight’s face had morphed almost magically. Surprise, shock, and alarm had flickered across her face in the span of only a few heartbeats. Then her face had cocked to the side, speculation entering her eyes. Flicking over the room, her lavender eyes slid around the room.

Now Twilight, and Fluttershy had both vanished. The cluttered room was in near total silence, only broken by the soft sighing of the other’s unconscious breathing. Rarity grunted, struggling against her restraints once more.

There was still no give in the tight silk, and she knew that it would be both excruciatingly painful, and utterly useless to try another spell. She was trapped here, in the same cottage where her friend; her loyal, kind, sweet friend, had tortured a pegasus. Rarity felt fear now, its chilly claws biting hard into her belly. It seeped in through her rage, through the indignation and disgust, settling like a weight inside her.

Heralding the Dawn

When Twilight stepped out of the air in the library, she had expected to be greeted by the shocked yells of her #1 assistant, of at least once more be enveloped in the soft scent of warm, worn parchment. The library she entered ,though, was something very much not the same library she had last visited.

The most immediately obvious difference was the lighting. While when she had left, Twilight hadn’t been the most... vivacious mare, she had still clung to some of the more obvious trappings of her life. The most important of those were the almost unimaginable store of candles that lit the library in perpetual glory, alleviating at least some of the strain on the young pony’s eyes as she read the small print.

During the bright days of summer, Twilight and Spike and Owlicious would throw open the windows, and let the sunlight pour into the room. Often until long past the time the sun set, Twilight would leave the glass panels open, allowing Owlicious easy access to the library, and letting the warm breeze that came from the west to play through the rooms. Even in winter, though the windows remained tightly shut, Twilight would make sure that the colorful curtains arrayed around the room would be pulled back, letting the colder, whiter glare of the sun to shine into the tree-house.

The library Twilight stepped into was dark, with every curtain pulled tightly closed and not one of the many candles in place and stored on shelves and in closets lit. The only time Twilight had ever seen the place so dark was upon her arrival in Ponyville, when they had intentionally darkened the room to hide her surprise party.

The thought interrupted Twilight’s careful analysis, and she felt a smile tugging at her mouth. The events of that day and the following showdown with Nightmare Moon played through her mind in sporadic flashes. Rainbow Dash tornado-drying her hair. Pinkie gasping and running off. Her belly ached in the memory of the deliciously full feeling she had walked away with after her first encounter with the Apple family with, stuffed to the gills.

There wasn’t the unnatural quiet in the room now, and enough light filtered in through the closed curtains to give Twilight just enough light to see that nopony was crouched in the dim corners of the room. This wasn’t a party in waiting, this was what the library looked like when it was abandoned.

Twilight bit her lip, and took a few steps towards the front door. A single beam of light, broken by the wooden supports holding the clear glass. The light fell golden on the smooth wood of the floor, with its small black cross the only break in that perfect square.

Suddenly, the space seemed to close in around her. The darkness was suffocatingly, agonizingly close. It pressed against Twilight’s sides, crushing her lungs and making her breaths came out in pained gasps that swirled the thin layer of dust. Twilight’s eyes were squeezed tightly closed as she blindly hurried to the door, scrabbling for the doorknob.

The brass knob twisted after a moment of panic, and Twilight fell through the opening and into the street.

Her landing sent a cloud of dust puffing out around her, and Twilight huffed as she tried to catch her breath. Then, squinting against the sudden glare of the midday sunlight, She pushed herself to her feet slowly. Shaking herself as she rose, Twilight wiped the dust off of her coat, looking around.

Ponyville’s town square was almost unchanged since she had last seen it, with only the slightly dreary aura hanging over Sugarcube Corner as a sign that she had even left the quiet little town. Here and there, ponies went about their daily business with their usual cheery demeanor, wandering from stall to stall in the little farmer’s market, chatting with their friends.

Twilight remembered how the warm apple pie that the Apples always gave out on cold days would rest, warm and heavy in her belly during the chilly winter mornings, or the sweet, wet tang of the strawberry lemonade that the Berry’s would doll out left right and center during summer. no matter what the season, there was always somepony trying to make things easier, better for others. While Twilight wasn’t quite innocent enough to believe that they did it only out of kindness, she knew that even if they were sliding in a bit of self advertisement, they were nonetheless helping everypony.

She could just make out Big Macintosh slipping a steaming slice of pie onto a small plate for Fizzlepop. The magenta mare smiled, batting her eyelashes as she flirted with the stoic stallion. Big Macintosh seemed oblivious to her charms though, merely bowing slightly and moving to get another slice ready.

Fizzle’s head jerked back, affronted as Big Mac turned away from her, and Twilight knew that if she were only a little closer, she would be able to see tears welling in the mare’s eyes. Then she schooled her face into a cheerful smile, thanked Big Mac, and walked away, taking small, careful bits of her treat as she walked.

With her path thus cleared, Twilight made her way hastily over to the stallion, reaching the booth the Apple family had erected along the side of the street just as the red pony turned back to face outward. When he saw Twilight. he smiled carefully, nodding to his left, where a pie slice wrapped in wax paper rested, waiting for some hungry soul to wander by.

“Yes please. Thank you, Big Macintosh.”

The stallion nodded slowly, eyeing Twilight as he nudged the slice closer to her, then turned to prepare another.

“I was wondering. Have you- Oh sweet Celestia, that is so good.” Twilight interrupted herself, moaning as she took a small bite of the hot dessert. Her eyes rolled back for a moment as she savored the rich, sweet taste, with just enough tang to make it pop in her mouth. Perfection. “Umm, oh yes! Have you seen Applejack recently?”

That made the stallion, who had been quietly smiling to himself as she moaned in delight, look up sharply. The smile was gone now, replaced by something that looked almost like suspicion.

“Why? Ya’ll plannin’ a party?”

“No.” Twilight shook her head gently, taking another small bite of pie. “I just wanted to have a talk with all the girls.”

“You just did.” Big Mac’s soft gaze hardened slightly as he spoke, the suspicion now plain to see. “Applejack took ya ta Fluttershy’s house about two hours ago. Mighty big hurry, too. Somethin’ happen since then?”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and the pie slice slipped from her upraised hoof. It fell on the blue wooden counter of the booth with a warm, wet splat, sending chunks of sugary apple flying. Twilight turning in place, rearing slightly in her need to move.

By the time Big Mac looked up from the now messy counter, he was dazzled by a brilliant flash of light, and as that slowly faded, so too did any trace of the unicorn who had stood before him a moment ago.

After a few seconds of staring off towards the looming edge of the Everfree forest, Big Mac shook his head, and began to clean off the counter. There would be more ponies coming by for a slice of Granny Smith’s famous Triple Apple Surprise Pie soon.

“Oh Fluttershy!” Twilight called, ambling through the cottage. Her eyes flickered around her as she slowly walked, sliding from object to object, looking for where the shy pony might have hidden herself. “Where have you gone dear? Don’t you want to play one last time?”

The silence was broken only by the occasional, broken sob from one of the ponies ensnared in the main room of the small cottage. Twilight lifted her hoof and daintily hopped over a mass of webbing covering one of the many low sofas that cluttered the cottage. The wiry clump of web shook slightly as she passed it, and she could just barely hear the faint gasping as the creature trapped within struggled to breath. It would live through the ordeal, most likely.

“I promise, my love. I won’t hurt you.” Twilight purred, striding past the still comatose form of Rainbow Dash affixed to the wall beside her. Her eyes flicked to the bound mare, before they closed as she breathed a small, evil chuckle. “For long. Who knows, you seemed to enjoy it before.”

She rounded the corner, before setting out up the stairs. The blue wooden stairway resonated with each firm, confident step.

“Oh, I did so love the way you would moan. Like a cat in heat. How each little cut would make you shudder.”

Her taunting continued as she crested the staircase, setting off down the short hallway. The only room left was the mare’s bedroom, soon her prey would be beneath her once again. Her shadow seemed to grow as she walked, a tall, thin shape creeping along the walls behind her.

“Whatever will our little Dashie think?” She hummed, and her hoof reached out, gently pushing open the door. “To see you begging me to hurt you more. Moaning my name.”

The room was empty. The pegasus was gone, nowhere to be found inside the small house. The only sign of her quarry’s passage was the window above the bed, squeaking quietly as it blew to and fro in the wind.

Twilight was growing tired of their little game, though. With an annoyed snort, her horn glowed with a blue green light akin to that of her eyes. The window crumpled into itself, and Twilight snorted in annoyance. Then, with a casual flick of her horn, the cottage was surrounded in a shield. Emerald light glimmered about them as the cottage dimmed, even sunlight unable to penetrate the mare’s defenses.

With only the green light to see by, the creature wearing Twilight’s face shrugged her shoulders. Then she set off down the hall once more, and as she did, her body changed.

Her lavender fur, already a ghastly color in the green light, changed. The murky brown became a gleaming, shining black as she walked, sheathing the mare in fur as dark as her heart. The next thing to change was her horn, the soft, stubby protrusion lengthening, tapering to a razor point where it thrust proudly from her brow.

The shadows of the hall moved then, sliding off of the wood and slithering up her body. They collected around her hooves, her throat, her head, thickening and hardening, until a gleam of metal shone through their darkness. In the space of only a few moments, the thing that had been Twilight leapt lightly from the top of the stairs, landing with feline grace on the wooden floor of the cottage.

Superficially, she looked like Nightmare Moon, though the element of restriant that clung to the evil Princess Luna was gone. Instead of seeming to hold back, this mare fairly radiated pain and despair, and with each step the shadows near her shivered.

No longer contained, the energy this pony wielded began to slough off of her, the excessive power setting the air abuzz with static. Her eyes began to glow as if lit by some infernal blaze from within, and as she smiled, her lips pulled away from a mouth full of sharp fangs.

The monster turned, her glowing eyes scanning the room, and froze.

They were gone. Her prey, all three ponies, had simply vanished. The silken binding had been shredded, as though they had simply been pushed out of the way as the bound ponies were pulled from within them.

She stared at them in a moment of disbelief, before a growl echoed from within her.

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!”

“Is behind you.”

Author's Note

Yup. I'm that evil. Please don't hurt me! This means that serious plotkicking can ensue all next chapter!!!

I would like to take a moment while you are all busy finding/sharpening all manner of pointy objects to thank my wonderful editors and proofreaders. Sasha Nein, Midnight Herald, and Lastlight, you all are absolutley amazing, and I doubt I would have gotten as far as I have without you and Genjen to kick my own plot into gear and telling me to get this done. You may all have exactly two of the cookies on this plate. The other thirty go to the best comments!

See, you wouldn't hurt a mare with cookies, right? Umm. Guys!

Darkness Falls

Applejack woke to the sounds of loud bangings and explosions nearby. In an instant, she went from a calm stupor of sleep, to a sudden awareness. She could hear every crash, and the drawn out, keening scream. Still, even through her panic, it was hard to force her eyes to open. She was still so... so tired.

Slowly, her orange lids rose, and a sliver of her emerald eyes peeked out from between their exhausted curtains. Even that small effort was taxing the mare though, and after a moment they fell shut once more.

With a thundering boom, a wave of heat washed over the farmer though and her eyes snapped open as pain seared her thigh. Jerking upright, AJ kicked her powerful legs, trying to dislodge what looked like the battered remainder of Fluttershy’s cabin door, burning merrily where it struck her. The wooden spar flew through the air as she bucked again. Momentarily steadied by the adrenaline still coursing through her system, Applejack levered herself to her hooves.

She stood in time to hear another resounding crash, and to duck as more wooden splinters shot through the green bubble surrounding the cottage, bursting into fiery life as they touched the barrier. Even crouched low, AJ yelped as another splinter landed squarely on her rump, making the orange mare hop about as she tried to remove it.

Prancing about, kicking her legs out hard behind her, she popped the smoldering plank off of her, where it landed in the grass nearby. With a snort of annoyance and a grimace of pain, AJ shook herself, and froze.

Ignoring the continued tinkle of shattered glass and bright, loud flashes of light that flared from within the bubble, AJ ran over to a patch of grass nearby. Another one of the many bits of flaming shrapnel had landed among the soft green blades, and without a tightly muscled plot to extinguish itself on had set the grass into a cheerful blaze. AJ stamped out the newborn conflagration, dancing atop the grass exactly as she had often teased Rarity for doing when excited, marked by the rapid tip-tap of her hooves as the rose and fell almost too fast to see. Rarity’s little dance was usually punctuated by a smile and a high pitched giggle though, while AJ’s was marked only with a short snort and a wince as her sensitive hooves came down on the fire. After a moment though, the cool, soft grass that had not been lit was trampled as well, shielding her from the worst of the heat.

For a few seconds, the rapid destruction of the small infernos consumed her attention, running from one small kindled fire to another. She stamped on each one until she was sure that it was well and truly killed, before searching for the nearest remaining fire. With each moment, the cheerful little flames grew, fattening themselves on each blade of grass, becoming hungrier and hungrier. With every fire, Applejack could feel the flames gaining heat, finding a firm hold on their new domain.

Then she saw the edge of one white hoof near a blaze, and panic overcame her. She galloped over, ignoring not only the flame she had been smooring, but several other small lights as she ran over to the unmoving body of her wife. Without time to explain or apologize, after a quick assurance that the unicorn was still breathing, AJ smacked Rarity hard across the face.

Azure eyes snapped open as she cried out in pain. Applejack could feel the unicorn’s magic pressing against her in a weak, automatic defense. Still reeling from whatever Twilight had done to them and groggy from her abrupt awakening, the psychic attack did little more than make the earth pony stagger back a step, rather than throwing her several yards through the air.

“Come on, Rarity!” The farmer shouted over another cacophonous bang, darting a quick look over her shoulder to make sure nothing new was flying at them, intent on causing her more pain. However, the coast was clear, and another startling, white burst of light shone from within the dome, shining like a newborn star. “Rarity! Ya need ta move!”

“What?” Rarity asked, sitting up slowly. One white hoof came to gently rub at her eyes as Rarity groaned. Then her hoof slid a few inches lower down the gentle slope of the hill she had been resting on, and came dangerously close to the scintillating grass. With a yelp, Rarity’s eyes widened and she jerked her hoof up close to her chest, pushing herself away from the flames as AJ pounced on the fire that had the audacity to hurt her wife.

“Applejack, what, in the name of fashion, is going on?”

“Ah don’ know! Ah need yer help, so quit yammerin’ and help me stop these fires before the whole forest goes up!”

For a moment, Rarity was frozen, thrown back to the argument that had brought them so close together. The last time AJ had told her to ‘quit her yammering’ had also been the last time the farmer had ever really been angry with her, during that stormy night at Twilight’s...

This was no time to be lost in thought though, and as the farmer whirled to find a new fire to be stamped out, Rarity hauled herself to her feet with the careless grace that came from years of practice. As she stood, she felt sensation returning to her extremities, and more importantly, magic flowing back into her horn.

With perfect timing too, as with another resounding, banging crash, what appeared to be all that survived of Fluttershy’s wall was sent flying through the barrier. When it touched the green wall, the wooden one passed through, an inferno blossoming and consuming it as it flew.

Rarity set her hooves firmly in the soft dirt, concentrating on the incoming pyroclasm. With a grunt, a net of shimmering cyan energy expanded before the hurtling inferno.

The net caught the wall, halting its progress. The force of the impact shoved Rarity to her knee’s though, her hooves digging small furrows in the soil as she was pushed back. Beads of sweat that had nothing to do with the intense heat began to form on her brow as the white mare gritted her teeth, struggling to her hooves again. With a very uncharacteristic grunt, Rarity twisted her head sharply, and the wall was thrown off of the magical net, landing with a crash on the hill before her. Acting quickly, before flames had a chance to take hold on their new surroundings, Rarity brought the net crashing down on the wall, solidifying it and closing the small gaps she had woven into the spell.

A blanket of blue light descended on the fire, forming a smaller version of the same dome that still surrounded the pegasus’ house. Instead of immolating everything that touched it though, Rarity’s barrier was of far simpler manufacture. It was a wall of power, plain and simple, and was as solid as the trunk of a great oak to the touch. It melded seamlessly with the rolling flow of the ground around the remnant of wall that was still merrily blazing away, forming a tight seal around the fire.

For a moment, the fire continued to burn, and tongues of flame licked the walls of the cage. Then, in the space of a heartbeat, the fire vanished, snuffed out as it stole the air from within its prison. With no more air to sustain it, the fire flared once, before dying to smoldering coals.

Ignoring the sharp burning pain as the fire flared up to strike at Rarity’s magical barrier, the unicorn held her spell steady until even the faint red sparks of the live coals died away, leaving only a perfect circle of burnt turf, and the desiccated remains of the wooden structure.

Another bang, this one much louder than before shook the ground around the cabin, and suddenly the green shield fell away. It left a ring of burnt earth where it had touched the grassy soil, but where Rarity’s barrier had followed the undulating flow of the ground it rested on, forming a perfect seal, this barrier had simply ignored such pleasantries. It had eaten away at the dirt wherever it had risen above the line of the shield, leaving glowing slag in its place.

A moment after taking this quick inventory of the aesthetic destruction, Rarity saw a body fly out through the now wall-less cabin. It sailed through the air, rolling as it did, and came crashing down to earth near where Applejack was killing the last little fire.

The orange mare jumped, yelping in shock as the large black body bounced off of the dirt before her and began to roll at her. Taking a few quick steps back, AJ dove to one side as the limp form bounced and rolled through the air once more, before slamming into a tree with enough force to shake leaves from its branches.

There was a sickening crunch as the black body struck the tree trunk, and Applejack felt her stomach attempt to turn itself inside out. The mare, she could only tell by the shape of the body, the poor creature was so badly burnt, was bent about the trunk of the thin pine. Her spine had to be broken, it was bent... wrong. Too far, almost at a right angle.

For a moment, the mare just lay there, still. Then, with an explosive inhalation that nearly gave AJ, and Rarity who had come up beside her, simultaneous heart attacks, the reptilian eyes snapped open. They rolled in their sockets for a second, before locking onto the two ponies nearby. With a weak, evil chuckle, the mare pulled herself forward with her forehooves.

Then, with a scream of pain and another, stomach churning series of snaps, pops, and wet crunches, the creatures spine crackled back into position. With a final pop, the mare stood like liquid lightning, glaring at the pair who were staring at her. Then she tilted her neck to the side, further and further, until with a soft pop, the joints loosened.

She began walking towards them then, taking long, menacing strides.

“You.” She snarled, glaring at Rarity. “You called her here, didn’t you. How dare you. How dare you.”

The light of madness gleamed in her eyes as she took another step towards the frozen duo, and finally the spell broke.

Eyes wide with fear, both mares turned and galloped away from the insane pony walking calmly after them. Then, another bubble of emerald light crashed down around them, consuming grass, soil, and the tip of Applejack’s hat as the farmer skidded to a halt. They were trapped, and the mare was still coming, baring down on them with those same, terrifyingly slow strides.

Then the barrier suddenly lowered, leaving nothing between the madmare and the pair of terrified ponies. Nothing, that is, until a small, purple pony simply stepped out of the air before them. Twilight’s teleportation had been flawless, without even the barest trace of magical power being wasted, without light or heat. She just appeared, walking slowly out of the air and into the material world once more.

“Give up, Acshina. You can’t win.”

The black mare reared, lashing out with her forehooves. The edges of the black hooves gleamed as light rebounded from their sharp edges. They beat at the air inches from Twilight’s face, striking sparks as they bounced off of an invisible barrier that shimmered in the air before the unicorn. It looked no more substantial than air that had been heated enough to dance in place, but Applejack could tell by the way the taller form’s muscles bunched and corded that she must be striking the wall with prodigious force.

Suddenly changing her assault, the mare bent her head and send a burst of crimson flames hurtling towards Twilight. With a small grunt of amusement, Twilight’s horn lit, and once again she vanished. She appeared silently behind the black form, while the bloody flames scorched the earth where she had stood.

Obviously used to the lavender ponies tactics, the black body didn’t hesitate as it lashed its back hooves out, again striking that invisible shield. This time though, the tall pony slammed her hooves into the wall with enough force to send Twilight several inches back, her hooves digging the same furrows as Rarity’s had only moments ago.

Without pause, the mare’s horn burst into crackling life as dark lightning shot from its tip into the sky above. It struck the air above them and clouds began to swirl about them, darkening the sunny day with a sudden, chilly downpour. Then, as one final bolt of power jetted into the cloud layer, and answering bolt of lightning, not the pure, bright white fire of nature, but a murky, black shock of energy, lanced down from the heavens.

It struck Twilight’s sheild, a split second before a bellowing, echoing crash of thunder rocked the world. For a moment, both mare’s were blinded by the brilliant attack, farmer and unicorn alike seeing nothing but a black outline of the lightning strike as they blinked rapidly. Then the world came back into focus suddenly.

The black mare, exhausted from her terrifying display of magic, stood panting on the hillside, staring at the smoking crater where Twilight had stood. Her sides were heaving as she took breath after ragged breath, glaring at the wreakage. Suddenly, her body stiffened and she let out a feral scream, a primal expression not only of defiance, but of utter fury.

Following the monsters gaze, both ponies looked over to the crater, to see a dim black shape materialize through the dust and smoke. Shaking herself off, so that her dun coat once again shone lavender in the returning sunlight, Twilight shook her head sadly.

“You can’t survive that!” Acshina screamed, stamping her hoof against the ground, the tired impact making only a slight thump.

Before her, Twilight’s eyes narrowed as the glared at the mare. Then, her amethyst eyes went to the heavens, as if looking for permission. Then the mare shook her head, and a tight, sad smile stretched her lips.

“You should have stayed in your mirror.” She spoke softly, eyes softening for a moment as she looked at the monster with pity. Then they hardened once more as she saw the singed flanks of her friends. “Now its my turn.”

Twilight set her hooves slowly, and carefully aimed her horn. Then, with her eyes closed, her horn lit, and she sent the same deadly, black lightning streaking through the air, striking the black mare’s horn.

Princess Celestia snorted, stamping her golden hoof and glaring at her guard. Nothing daunted, the white unicorn glared right back at the Princess, the tips of their horns almost touching. “I’m going, Valiant. That is final.”

“The hell it is.” Valiant growled back, taking a tiny step forward, forcing the alicorn to back away the same distance. “Light! You are not going back there Princess. Last time you did, I almost died, and I will not let that happen to you!”

“Precisely. You almost died, Valiant. You can’t stop this kind of magic, and you know it. So stop being stubborn, and let me leave.” Celestia’s voice was soft, and through the clipped words, Valiant could tell that the white mare was struggling to rein in her own temper, even as Valiant restrained her own.

“Sister, maybe you should-”

“Shut up, Luna!” Both mares shouted, turning to glare at the black alicorn in unison. Taken aback by the ferocity of the joint assault, Luna’s head pulled away from them, looking hurt. Quietly, she trotted back to one of the cushions scattered about the room, burying her head in the soft comfort it provided until only her eyes and the crown of her head showed above its fluffy mass.

Both mares returned their gaze to their opposite, and this time they both inched closer. Their horns were only millimeters apart, and red and gold lightning jumped from tip to tip as they glared.

Ducking her head suddenly, and carefully aiming so that her horn didn’t skewer the taller mare, Valiant cracked her head hard against Celestia’s, sending the taller mare staggering back. After a step, the alicorn’s legs gave out under her, and her rump plopped soundly on the floor.

Valiant was no less woosey from the blow, but she managed to remain standing with only a staggering step, before glaring at the dazed Princess. “So help me, Celestia.” She slurred slightly, before stamping her hoof hard against the stone floor. “I will tie you down myself if I have to. You are not going without me!”

Slowly, Celestia staggered to her hooves, blinking rapidly as her pupils contracted. In a flash, her angry glare was reinstated, with interest. Then, with a visible effort, she calmed herself. The lavender eyes closed for a moment, and Celestia took several slow, deep breaths.

“Captain Valiant. I am about to enter a place of extreme danger. I believe that I may... that I have, awakened an evil that should have long ago been buried. I cannot allow you to risk yourself while I confront this creature. It has already come close to ending your life, draining you of so much magic that your body began to shut down.”

“That won’t happen again, I was careless.” The unicorn grumbled, blushing lightly.

“Valiant, that spell was simply the skeleton, the leftovers of a much more powerful working. The creature that cast the spell wasn’t even within the bound of the Everfree anymore. The ghost of her spell nearly killed you. I cannot allow you to risk yourself facing the creature directly.”

Her voice was soft, and her eyes were still closed, but Celestia was pulsing with emotions. It pounded out through the air around her in waves, first a hot flush of anger, then the icy, biting cold of fear, to the crawling itch of uncertainty. Emotions rolled off of her in smooth, controlled waves and the Princess seemed unable to truly dampen the strength of her feelings.

“Princess-”

“No, Valiant. I am not going to let you risk your life. You won’t even slow this, this thing down!” Celestia finally looked at the unicorn again, eyes shining. Her voice wasn’t raised above the same, soft whisper, but her tone was suddenly intense. “You cannot imagine how powerful this creature is. Luna is the only other pony who can stop her, or I wouldn’t be letting her join me either.”

“I know you are powerful, Valiant, and strong and skilled. But this is far beyond anything you can do. I’m sorry, but I need you to remain here.”

“I’m going.”

“Valiant, y-” Princess Celestia began, before the smaller mare cut her off.

“I’m going with you, Princess. I won’t fight, if that is truly what you want. You can force me to remain here, I know that. But I am going to go with you, and help in any way I can. Even if that means that I can only evacuate the town, I’m going to help you, Princess.”

“I think,” Luna spoke quietly, rising from her cushion. She walked slowly towards her sister and the brave little mare. “That you cannot dissuade her, sister. Let her come, she might help calm Ponyville, and ensure that they are safe. We can keep her attention away from Ponyville, but there is a very real chance that they will not be safe from the strength of our spells. Valiant Heart will be able to stop all but a direct attack with ease. You must think of them, sister, of the town that will be in danger no matter what course you choose.”

Princess Celestia looked from her sister, who stood nearby, shifting restlessly from hoof to hoof, to Valiant, who was staring earnestly, pleadingly back at her. With a sigh, Celestia nodded slowly.

“Fine. But you are to evacuate the town only, Valiant. Do I make myself clear?”

“Perfectly, Princess.” Valiant said with a bow.

Then Princess Celestia’s horn began to glow, and a moment later, they all vanished with a flash of light.

Starfall

“NO!”

The broken shout sent ripples through the frigid air of the Castle. Nolux’s large golden eyes snapped wide as she screamed. Her hooves scrabbled for an agonizing heartbeat, before she found her balance and hurled herself upright with an abruptness that echoed through the silent halls.

“Shh, it’s okay.” Pinkie murmured gently, walking slowly towards the frightened shaman. Her hooves were almost silent as she glided closer and closer, murmuring a soft stream of soothing nonesense to her terrified friend. She stopped near the mare, just outside the zebra’s personal bubble, and cocked her head with a small smile. For her part, Nolux stared back, though it was easy to see that her mind was still far from the icy castle. Her pupils had contracted to mere pinpricks, and a sheen of golden light played across their surface. The light flickered and moves in roiling waves, like the dance of shimmering fire.

Pinkie knew without asking that the zebra was still ensnared by whatever vision her gift had revealed. The golden fires in her eyes flickered and shifted as the shaman’s gaze swept back and forth across the room, the light within her green irises moving on its own accord. Pinkie could just make out the faint outlines of what looked like two ponies in the golden light, and stared intently at Nolux.

The mare suddenly saggedand the light flickering in her eyes vanished and her knees buckled, and she was sent sprawling to the floor. As she fell, Pinkie quickly moved to her side, catching the zebra a moment before her head hit the cold stone of the floor. Hauling her friend to her hooves once again, Pinkie smiled wanly.

“Silly, that’s not a good place for a nap.”Nolux chuckled weakly, and though she wobbled again, her legs supported her weight once more. She continued to lean against the pink mare, though, comforted by her warmth.

The zebra was stunned by the sight before her though. She could see a swirling veil of magic that sheathed both of them, a scintillating vortex of small, bright motes of light centered on their bodies. They spun around the two ponies with a dazzling speed, but beyond the whizzing stream of energy, a black cloud hovered with an ominous intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

The motes were warm colors, like the colors of a fire in the depths of winter, a far cry from the icy black power that clouded the rest of their little world. That black shroud was dangerous, Nolux could feel it deep in her bones, and the small grains of power that spun about them with such grace were likely the only things stopping the deadly power.

“Pinkie,” Nolux murmured, still leaning against the earth ponies side. Her voice wasn’t its usual soft, deep murmur, but a clipped tone with a diamond hard edge to it. “We need to leave.”

“Why? Are we going to take a nap somewhere else? I don’t think that’s such a good idea. What if Twilight comes back and sees us sleeping together? I’d have to throw a-”

“Because we can’t stay here. Pinkie, listen to me.” Nolux place a hoof softly against the babbling lips, and Pinkie quieted. “I can see the magic everywhere near here. We are protected by a spell, but not for long. And there is nothing else alive near here. I saw... things. This forest will never live again, it will freeze and it will not thaw until to world ends. If we don’t leave, then we, we will share its fate.”

Even as she spoke Nolux watched as a tendril of that black magic lashed out, licking against the warm barrier. A mote moved to intercept the slithering coil of energy, growing brighter and brighter as it did. Soon, it outshone its fellows, still stalwartly blocking the path of the dark power. Then, flaring brighter than the noonday sun for a brief moment, the mote of light evaporated, and a space opened all around the swirling dome of energy. The dark magic was beaten back once again, afraid to near the powerful enchantment. It was scared for now, but like a foal with a sugarlump in sight, it would keep grasping at them, until finally it consumed the barrier, and then the fragile bodies inside it. Nolux knew that the shield covering her would fail eventually, and that there was never going to be an end to the vile power surrounding them.

Twilight had done something that appalled even the sensibilities of the shaman, a pony who grew up with the hardships of the savannah sun, the blinding heat, and the constant threat of war. Twilight had scarred the very earth itself, perverting nature and turning it into something terrible. Nothing would ever grow here, no bloom either of magic nor warmth. Nothing could survive that evil power, a power Twilight had found somewhere and twisted to her own ends.

Nolux couldn’t believe that Twilight was fully responsible for such utter devastation. For the destruction of hundreds, thousands of small lives, killing animals and plants, insects and fish all with the same callous disregard. Or if this was her doing, her spell, then it must be to protect something, to stop some graver threat. Because Nolux knew, even as Pinkie sobered and nodded her agreement, that there was a darker presence lurking about the woven threads of the great spell.

Both mares set off quickly, determined to leave the deadly embrace of the frozen pines before they joined the countless creatures now stiffening in the fell wind. Yes, something dark was at work here. But nothing, not even the darkest force, would ever leave the icy carcass that the Everfree had become, not once the two mares Twilight’s magic guarded passed its borders.

The black mare, Acshina, screamed when the violet echo of her own black lightning was sent crackling back at her. It flew through the air in an instant, so darkly brilliant that it seared itself into her mind. Blinking her eyes rapidly as the dark pony’s screech of agony died away, Twilight forced the afterimage of the bolt of power from her eyes, and looked at the scarred patch of incinerated ground where Acshina had stood.

Twilight wasn’t surprised to find the mare still standing in the center of the barren circle. Smoke rose in hazy white banners from the edges of the circle, where the grass had been set to smolder by the sudden discharge of heat. It rose in sporadic lines, wavering to and fro, alternately obscuring and revealing the tall black shape in the middle of their ethereal cage.

“You are,” The mare gasped between heavy, panting breaths. “Lucky.”

“I think not.” Twilight called back across the distance between them. While her adversary was distracted, Twilight glanced to her left, and saw her two friends still on the hill where she had left them. They were the only two she hadn’t had time to move to the barn, a stroke of luck as they had most likely saved the town by stopping those fires. Catching their frightened eyes, Twilight jerked her head to one side, indicating that they should go that way. “Or was it only luck that I severed the cord feeding you your power?”

Rarity had stopped shivering while Twilight spoke, and looked up from where her head had been buried in AJ’s shoulder. Her eyes locked on Twilight, and the purple unicorn could see fear plainly in those wide blue eyes. Again, she jerked her head at them, trying to tell them to run, to get to Ponyville and out of danger. Hesitantly, Rarity nodded her head, and whispered to Applejack. Then, as Twilight looked back at Acshina, they scampered away.

The other pony snarled as she looked up. For a moment, her reptilian gaze tracked the two mares as they ran from the warzone, then returned to Twilight. Her legs straightened, and with a swift intake of air at the pain of the action, she returned to her tall, proud stance. She towered over Twilight, both taller than the young unicorn and much higher on the hill. When she spoke again, her voice had calmed, and the ragged panting no longer interrupted her words.

“A lucky guess.”

“Hardly. There were books in the old Castle, and I read quickly. You really shouldn’t have written so much about yourself and the nature of magic. For a madmare, you do possess an impressive amount of knowledge about the fundamentals of magical theory. Like how you can bind two objects together, one drawing power through the connection.”

“I am not mad, little pony.”

“No? You left books detailing your plans, your thoughts, your weaknesses. You tortured others for your own amusment. You killed them. Were you not so obviously gifted, I would call you nothing more than a rapid dog. Mad or not though, you are a monster.”

“Oh really? And what judge are you of monstrocity? You destroyed part of yourself as I recall, rejecting your emotions. You cut away a portion of your soul, and cast it aside. Even I have not sunk so low.”

Twilight almost missed the way the evil pony had been inching her way to one side, trying to subtly aim at the ponies still running helter-skelter for town. When a ball of dark energy shimmered into life at the tip of the mare’s horn and rocketed off, Twilight was wrongfooted. Acting swiftly, she took a step and leapt, intercepting the path of the sphere as it flew towards her friends.

When the expanding ball of energy struck the magical barrier Twilight had conjured about herself, the deadly attack halted in midair. It had expanded as it flew, growing from something no larger than a grain of sand to half the size of Twilight herself in the scant second it had existed. By the time it reached Rarity and Applejack, it would have been too large to dodge, simply plowing a deep hole in the ground that melted before it, taking both mares with it.

When it struck Twilight’s shield, though, it froze into a solid for just a moment. Then, with a stentorian BOOM, the flashfrozen acid exploded.

Her magical defenses kept the last remnants of acid from chewing into her body, but it didn’t protect her from the physical walloping she received. Crashing into the solid barrier of magic, the waves of the exploding material neither burned Twilight, nor crushed her organs with its proximity. What it did do was send the poor mare flying.

As powerful as Twilight’s protective spell was, it simply wasn’t a match for the basic laws of physics. Nor, sadly, was there any spell she knew that would stop the sudden stop at the end of her flight from crushing her. Forcing her mind to clear of anything but the spell, Twilight pulled the threads of magic surrounding her together. Then, with a brilliant flash and a crackling discharge, she vanished.

The teleportation spell wasn’t the clinical, precise motion that had become her trademark. There was simply no time to draw together the concentration required to minimalize the energy lose. So when Twilight reappeared, there was another flash of light and a bang, causing Acshina to whirl.

Twilight was able to reduce her speed when she teleported, but she was still moving fast enough to hit the ground and bounce. She rolled a short ways up the hill, until finally friction stopped her. Her horn flared into light again, and her body disappeared a moment before another burst of obsidian fire erupted where she had lain.

Her power was beginning to flag, the constant drain of repeated teleportation, even pared down to its most efficient form, the spell was taking its toll. She could, at need, draw upon the vast power stored within the crystal caverns beneath her, but that course held its own peril. In doing so, without the proper preparation, she would shatter the delicate spell that held the Everfree, and the full extent of Acshina’s wrath, at bay. She might be able to beat back the evil power’s full strength, but that would probably only send her back into her prison, and would most certainly level both Ponyville, and possibly all of Equestria. She could still fight, she wasn’t out of options.

She was nearing that point though. She was forced to teleport again, still trying to catch the wind her earlier impact had knocked out of her. The spell was still messy, though she was begining to regain control once more. Until she caught her breath though, she wouldn’t be able to react quickly enough to stop the dark pony.

Acshina pressed her advantage, with the light of delighted hatred burning in her alien eyes.

Memories of a Flower

“Again.” Celestia had snapped in a long ago lesson, nudging her collapsed protégé with a golden shod hoof. “That spell shouldn’t have even touched you. Try it again.

“I’m trying!” Twilight screamed, surging to her hooves and glaring up at the Princess. “I can’t do it!”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed for a moment, then softened. “You can do it Twilight. I know you can do this, you have too.”

“Why?” Twilight asked, panting. The fire, the anger, had drained out of her at her teacher’s calm words. In its place, annoyance filled her, and a reluctant shame at having lost her temper with her teacher. “Why are you doing this to me. Princess, I can barely stand.” She ended with a sob, legs quivering.

It was true. They had been locked in this room for almost five hours, hours spent in what seemed to Twilight to be endless, sadistic torment. At first she thought that this would be a new way to learn, a fun method for applying her book smarts to the real world.

The lesson was simple. Celestia had locked them both in a small room, and laid several enchantments on the doorway. Anypony trying to pass through the doorway would receive several unpleasant, but harmless spells sent at them, which they would be stopped by unless they blocked the spells with a shield spell. In practical terms, it was almost exactly like the real world, where many magical effects would need to be contained and blocked while the spell was being used. Twilight certainly didn’t want to have her mane catch fire when she was trying to light a candle.

That was how it had started anyway. But five hours into being shocked, burned, chilled, pushed around, and been given a smart smack or two on the rump, Twilight was revising her opinion. This wasn’t training, this was torture.

“I am doing this because you need to learn it, Twilight. You are just too strong for your own good. If you don’t learn how to make strong, flexible shields, then you risk harming not only yourself, but everypony around you. All you are doing is throwing up walls around yourself, and walls are very strong, but they are rigid. A wall will only stop one thing, one magical effect, one spell. There are hundreds of thousands of different spells, and countless variations on how those spells are used. Tell me, how can you summon flames?”

“Well,” Twilight began, grimacing. “You can call up the fire from the Elemental Plane. You could, draw heat into the object. You could begin to vibrate the particles in the air above it, or in the object itself, depending on what part of it you wanted on fire. If you didn’t want to burn anything, then the easiest thing would be to call up an illusion of the fire, and then layer a geis of pain that gets stronger the closer you get to the fire. If you wanted to, and could control it, you could summon an Elemental itself, a creature composed of pure fire magic, and have it embody a vessel to bring the Plane of Fire to our world for a second or two.

“You could even do some stranger things. You could focus sunlight to create a very hot point, and shift that to start a fire. You would need to make the spell to do it, but you could link an already burning object to a normal one, and then have them share their properties. The first object would cool, while the second one heats, until they are both on fire, and they both heat up again. You could-“

“Stop!” Celestia giggled. She shook her head gently, and pressed a hoof to her protégé’s lips, stilling them. “That is what I mean, my faithful student. You can think of all these ways to start something as simple as a fire. Do you think that you can think of every possible way?”

“No, nopony can. There is always another way to do something.”

“Exactly. Twilight, dearheart, the way you are using shields, that will never work. You can’t think of everything, not even you are that amazing. So you have to stop as many as you can, and make your defenses flexible enough to stop those you can’t think of. Do you see?”

Twilight sighed, and slumped down until she was sitting on the carpeted floor. “I know that, Princess. I am trying, but I can’t do it. And every time it gets harder. Please, can we stop?”

She was begging, and Twilight despised herself for being so weak, but she could barely stand, and the shields she was casting were getting weaker and weaker, allowing more of Celestia’s attacks to break through. The Princess wasn’t impressed by the show of weakness though.

“Get up, Twilight.” She repeated, gently. “You must learn this. Your own power works against you here, there is no way I can let you learn any more powerful magic until you master this. Imagine what would happen if you tried to cast a summoning? If you can’t shield not only yourself, but the area, then you could summon anything, or you could be taken away instead. Teleportation? Without proper shielding you will not be in total control, and you could leave a leg behind, or teleport thirty feet underground.

“Every single spell that you have learned is simple, my student.” Celestia continued, sitting across from her pupil. “How to light candles, how to levitate books. These are basic spells, ones that you mastered without any effort. Your natural grasp of magic is astonishing, and you are powerful enough to rival Star-Swirl the Bearded. He had a problem with this lesson as well.”

“You taught Star-Swirl the Bearded?” Twilight gaped.

Celestia smiled at her student, charmed by Twilight’s obvious awe. She knew that Twilight idolized the ancient stallion, and had even modeled herself after him as much as a filly was able to. “Of course. He was my brightest pupil, until a few years ago. It took him almost six hours to figure out how to weave a proper shield. I think I know a filly who can beat that record though.”

“Who?”

“You, Twilight.”

Twilight closed her eyes, and swallowed. That was… touching. She loved the Princess, she was her teacher, her friend, and almost her mother. To hear the Solar Queen say that she thought Twilight was even better at magic than Star-Swirl the Bearded…

Twilight stood, closing her eyes. Quickly, she deadened everything out, the smells and sounds of the room, the feel of the carpet. Everything. Soon, she stood inside the deep, dark quiet of her mind, staring into emptiness. Then, with deliberate care, she began to mentally flick through the pages of every book she had ever read mentioning shields.

It was all the same. They all described the same image, of constructing a mental wall, an impenetrable barrier around their minds. That is what Twilight had always done, but Celestia said that was wrong. She continued to go from book to book, each one passing in a single steady beat of her heart. Then, a small brown journal came to mind.

Twilight could barely remember when she had read the book, but she knew what it was. It was one of Star-Swirls many journals, records he kept of his experiments and experiences. This was one from near the end of his life, before his epic battle with the evil dragon, Fang. He talked at length about devising a way to stop dragonfire, something that nopony had ever been able to do. He reasoned that by creating a series of walls, weak, thin barriers meant to slow the dragons fiery attacks, would work about as well as a pane of glass worked to stop a stone.

Instead, he had spoken of a different kind of shield. He had talked about a flexible barrier, a bubble made from weaving many very weak shields together. One to weaken the heat, another to catch the magical force, a third to dissipate the collected energy, and more. All of them were simple, weak shields themselves, but Star-Swirl had said that they were like ropes, the more you wove together, the stronger they all became. He said that the way to make a shield like that was to picture…

Twilight grinned, letting magic burst from her horn.

Twilight’s mind conjured up the ghost of that long ago lesson, using it as a shield to distract herself from the blinding pain. It was pleasant, though at the time she had been miserable. She knew that the lesson was to force the students to become tired, to weaken themselves so that eventually, naturally, they throw up many very weak shields, blending them together rather than trying to shove all of their power into one. It was an instinctive defense, when the unicorn thinks that she is too weak to maintain a single shield, and while the technique and applicability of the flimsy defense was nonexistent, it did leave the mare with the knowledge of what a properly layered shield should feel like. While her mind was engage with this though, her body and her magics were acting with swift, deft movements.

It had been Star-Swirl’s writings that had helped her pass the first test, and now they would, they had to, help her survive this trial by fire. The ancient stallion had devised an ingenious method of visualizing the spell, holding a clear image of the way it would work in his mind, which made it infinitely easier. To Twilight sank into the memory, let it sooth her, while in the very back of her mind, the complex, beautiful image of a flower emerged.

The flower was, as it had always been in the recesses of her mind, a soft, pure white, like the paleness of snow, though without the glaring brightness. She had seen the real flower, Sun’s Breath, and knew that it was had amber petals, and a bright green stem that spoke of health and happiness and life. But in her mind, it was white, and it was suspended in a soft, golden shimmer.

It wasn’t simply idle fancy that had called this particular flower to mind. Star-Swirl had mentioned the use of a flower, the more complex the better, as a mental catalyst for shields. Modeling your defenses after the sealed petals, he said, was a perfect way to create many layers, all of which become stronger and less varied the more the outer layers are pealed away. He had also likened it to some of the ancient pony battle armor, and the interlocking scales that protected them, though not even the antiques of his time had survived for Twilight to examine. So Twilight modeled hers after flower buds. The more complex the flower, the more layers her shield would have, and there was no flower larger, more intricate, nor more beautiful to Sun’s Breath.

Layer after layer of magical defenses went up around her, blocking out the power radiating from all sides. Some were targeted at the tendrils of darkness struggling to latch onto somepony before the holy light incinerated them. Some were targeted at the intense white light streaming off of the solar ray, and a few were meant to stop the flames that raged all around her from eating away at the grass about her.

Two things though, deserved the most respect, and the most protection. The first was obvious, the excruciating heat that rolled around her. Outside of the direct path of the attack, Twilight wasn’t in any danger of the focused light so much as the air that was heated by that same light. In the first moment after the light beam struck, there had been a second of emptiness, as all the air was seemingly sucked away. Then, with a boom as Acshina’s body was destroyed, air hotter than a furnace had blasted out from the crater. Twilight hadn’t been able to stop that first assault, and her breaths had been agonizing, so hot that they burned her sides, her mouth, her lungs. That was the first, and most immediate danger.

The second, and far more important one, was not a danger to herself at all. It was a danger to her Princess.

Even from here, far away from the radiant white alicorn, Twilight could feel the sun’s power consuming her teacher. Though Celestia stood with her wings flared behind her, mane whipping through the air and eyes set glaring at the blast zone, her wings were not quite as high as they were a moment ago, nor her mane as magnificent. Even if the sun itself was supplying the power, all of it, every last speck, had to pass through Celestia first, and there was no way anypony, not even a Princess, could stop that much energy. Not without help.

Twilight focused, devoting more and more of her shields to the Princess. It was painful, watching the boundaries of her shield slowly expand, encompassing more and more territory, snuffing out flames and cooling the air as it went. Without a moment’s thought, Twilight layered another spell, a ward this time, on top of her shields, and grinned as her special spell began to siphon off the excess energy in the surrounding area. It ate more and more heat, and fire, and with each lash of the dark tentacles, the shield grew faster and faster.

Twilight had to be careful now. She edged the spell forward, spending more energy holding it back now than she had pushing it foreward. She knew that there was no way she could touch the beam of power though. It was too strong, even for the Princess. To try and absorb all of that power directly would kill her, without even giving her enough time to scream. So Twilight skirted the edges of the attack, then let her spell expand again.

Yes, finally. She thought, a soft smile lighting her serene face. She could feel her now, Princess Celestia, feel her struggling to control the spell, to end it as soon as the darkness was crushed.

Celestia grunted, stamping her hoof hard into the soft soul of the hillside as she felt the disgusting power of the dark mare reaching out of its pit. Again she called on the Sun, disregarding the danger to herself, demanding that it help her annihilate this menace. Acshina had taken everything from her, everything. Her mother. Her sisters. Her family, her friends, her life. She had taken away Celestia’s ability to die, and killed her more surely than had her heart stopped beating. Now, this vile monster, this vessel, nothing but a shadow of its master’s true power, would suffer for its puppeteers wrongs. It was going to be destroyed more fully than anything ever had before.

Then, Celestia felt a cool, soothing sensation wash over her. It was a familiar presence, but not one that she had expected. She knew that Valiant Heart and Luna would try and stop her once they recovered, but this was neither. It was too fine, to complex, and too honest to be either of her beloved mares. This was the touch of a mind she had not communed with in years, and one that had never been so mature, so humble and filled with concern. It was Twilight.

Celestia screamed back, enraged. How could she stop now? The monster was dust, no, less than dust. It was nothing anymore, nothing but the lingering strands of magic that had once held its body together.

Celestia whinnied, rearing back and lashing out with her hooves. Her golden tiara gleamed in the brilliant light, and for a moment she seemed to be recovered. Then, once more, fatigue washed over her like the tide. She came down hard, and her legs collapsed beneath her.

She landed harder, falling onto her side with a grunt of pain. The light was fading too, slightly. The edges of Celestia’s vision grew darker, taking even the purest sunfire with it into the black. She could hear Twilight still, speaking quickly and softly in the back of her mind. So like her, Celestia thought. Always thinking, always planning. Just like her sister. Her older sister.

The world went red. Then grey. Then finally, after an eternal moment filled only with Twilight’s whispered thoughts, and the warm blanket draped over her, it went black.

Author's Note

I'm sorry that this probably isn't even up to its own, low standards. I went through it for grammar and stuff, but my editors kind of in Europe at the moment, so I am quite sure I've missed some. On the up side, this is the beginning of the end, so you shouldn't have to suffer much longer.

Hugs and Kisses,

Nadake

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A Shaman's Sight

Pinkie and Nolux galloped out of the Everfree, both mares bursting through the treeline just as the last of their magical shields crumbled. The motes that had protected them throughout their flight through the dead wood now surged up, a wall of bright light that stymied the dark fingers reaching for them. This time, rather than letting the darkness swallow them, and abating its hunger for a moment, the light darted into the base of the black magic, sinking into the haze, before flaring into brilliant life.

The motes burst within the darkness, and as Nolux watched, the magic disintegrated before her. With each mote’s flare of light, something within the darker magic seemed to splinter, a web of cracks tracing along their lengths, glowing with a sullen red light. The light grew brighter and brighter, as more cracks formed, until the entirety of the tentacle seemed to be nothing but fragments of darkness, held together by the light. Then, only an instant after the mote entered the tendril, the red light would turn a brilliant golden, and with a hissing scream, the grasping magic flew into countless pieces, each one turning to mist, until that too dissipated.

The shaman sighed, letting her head droop as she panted. Her sides rose and fell in time with her ragged breathing, and she could both hear and feel her heart hammering away, fear and the long gallop through the treacherous woods had pushed her body to its limits. They had stumbled and tripped, falling over themselves as often as not in their headlong flight. Thinking back to her panicked run, Nolux was amazed she hadn’t tumbled off a cliff, or stepped on a rotten tree and broken her ankle. Even getting stuck for a moment would have been a death sentence, but somehow, they had both avoided every injury.

“Well, that was exciting.” She gasped, and she heard a weary giggle from the earth pony. Nolux was still breathing heavily, but the burning ache in her lungs had eased, and she stood a little more steadily.

“Yeah. We should do it again sometime.” Pinkie chuckled. To the zebra’s consternation, the pink mare didn’t even seem winded by the recent activities. She was trotting about the exhausted mare, humming to herself and occasionally stopping to sniff one of the flowers that edged the little hill they found themselves on. Looking out, you could just see Ponyville over the rolling hills covered by a thick growth of apple trees. Off to the left though, there was nothing but the seemingly endless line that marked the border of the Everfree Forest, now a frozen, grey waste.

No, no that wasn’t all. There was something down at the foot of the hill neighboring theirs. It was too far to make out distinctly, but there seemed to be two ponies there, one black, and one purple. It looked, though this was nothing like any of the visions that Nolux had ever seen, it looked as though Twilight was doing battle with the dark creature.

That was... odd, and it chilled the zebra’s blood. She had always seen the dark mare, either battling the young unicorn, or hovering behind Twilight, whispering into her ear. No matter what though, her visions, ever one that showed her Twilight, had shown this monster, and shown either the bloody battle that ended with Twilight’s death as the end of the wicked horn, or in Twilight sucumbing to the darkness, and turning her powers on her kind.

Those visions, the dark ones, filled with violence and rage, had terrified her for years. She had always known, known as surely as she knew her own body, that the violet mare in her visions, whose horn crackled with a crimson lightning as she tore through colts and fillies with glee, was evil, beyond bounds. She had even known that she would one day meet that monster, the one ponies in her visions called “Sun’s Bane”, and she had expected that meeting to end in her long, painful death.

Then Twilight had come to the palace, tearing down walls and tossing aside guards with the same immense power that the shaman had seen from the evil creature she dreaded. It had been Nolux’s nightmares given form when Twilight had strode up to her dias, and demanded her compliance. She had always thought that she would face her death bravely, would hold her head high when her time finally came, and she returned to her ancestors.

She found, though, that she was nothing more than a coward. She had given in to Twilight’s demands, knowing that she was likely doing nothing but aiding her on her path to power. That thought never even crossed her mind, she was willing to do anything to save herself, to stop her mind numbing fear. She hadn’t stopped her assailant, she hadn’t even tried. She told Twilight everything, about her visions, even about seeing the mare’s demise.

It was then that she realized that she was no better than the snakes she had cast out of her realm, the cowardly dogs that would turn on their fellow pony in an instant. She was no better than they, yet she thought to lead her people? What right did a coward have to power? So, without thinking of the possible repercussions she had acted, blurting out a demand before she could stop herself. Cowardice was shameful, but demanding that this mare take the shaman with her? That was foolish, almost suicidal.

She had done it though, and, to her amazement, her gruesome dreams began to lessen. They came less and less often, and even the content of her nightmare’s seemed to grow more gentle. Though the mare in her visions was still violent, killing and maiming, she was no longer cruel, she no longer seemed to take pleasure in their suffering. She seemed, in some of the dreams, to even regret her actions, to do those heinous acts reluctantly, and only at the urging of the dark mare behind her.

Seeing them there, doing battle, for Nolux was sure that they were in a fight to the death, the shaman felt a pang in her heart. She had seen this, more and more often. The setting might change from dream to dream, even shifting and flowing around the combatants before the vision ended, but the battle was always the same. Twilight would fight, fight valiantly, but in the end, she would be no match for the monsters terrible might. She would die, impaled, with her blood flowing down the jet black horn.

Then something happened. Something Nolux, something not even Pinkie could have expected. The clouds that had swirled above suddenly opened, blow away by a great, roaring wind as the heavens themselves were rent asunder, and raw magic poured through. Pure, white light came crashing to the ground, splashing off of the hard stone like a wave against a cliff.

Then the heat came. It seemed to shudder out from the point of impact in a great, invisible pulse, flattening grass. It moved so fast, it was already almost to the pair, and Nolux could only stand frozen, watching as it hurtled towards her. It slammed into her like a wall, and the zebra gasped in shock and pain as the burning wind washed over her. It dried the sweat of her run in an instant, and it left her throat parched and aching as she took a shuddering breath. The shaman grimaced, and squeezed her eyes closed, leaving only a sliver open to see with.

There have been few times in her life that Nolux was thankful for her bizarre, and unique, gift in the Sight. While piercing the Veil and seeing into the misty future was a very rare ability, it was by no means unheard of among the ancient shaman clans. But her ability to see not only the passage of time, but to watch the ebb and flow of magic all around her had made her an outcast, even among the shamans who were her kin. Her mother, her father, even her teacher, they had all feared her Sight, or thought she had lost her wits. The young mare had learned to keep her knowledge to herself, or saying it in ways that would not cause as much alarm. Telling the old warrior that she could tell his leg wound was festering, and would kill him without tending because she had seen it in a vision was one thing. Telling him she could see the dark sludge of power the evil humors exuded was a very different one.

Now though, now Nolux felt blessed to have her Sight. She could see through the flaring light of the spell, and see also the vortex of power that was keeping the beam tightly controlled. It followed the path of the light exactly, perfectly straight as both edges narrowed to a point just above the ground. The golden magic binding the attack was laced with shocks of vibrant red, but even with the murky color of what Nolux knew was rage, the power still seemed kind, and pure.

Nothing like the dark power that stood beneath it. Now, no longer occupied with speech, the black mare had begun to use her own vile magic, throwing a shield around herself that not even the zebra’s eyes could penetrate. It swirled about, black and oily, a thin, low dome that seemed to be all that stopped the attack from immolating her. As she watched though, Nolux grinned. More and more power flowed into the assault, and into the sheild containing it. And every time the light brightened, the darkness beneath it seemed to shrink, growing smaller and smaller, until finally, when the sunbeam was so bright that even her slitted eye was aching, it shattered.

There was no sound, no screams and no curses, there was only the constant, high pitched hum of the spell, still pouring energy against the barrier holding it in place.

The beam wasn’t dimming.

Nolux gasped, realizing what that must mean. Searching carefully, her eyes flicked along the line of the containing spell, looking for a link she knew must be there. After a frantic moment, she found it, a line of gold and red, stretching from the barrier to something small and white on a nearby hilltop. Two more shapes, one white, the other dark, lay on the grassy knoll beside the white figure, where they seemed to have collapsed. With a growing sense of dread, Nolux watched as the beam brightened once more, and a wave of power surged along the length of the chain binding pony and spell. Then she saw the pony fall.

“Winds and Rains!” The shaman gasped, and she heard Pinkie echo her shock. Nolux turned her head, and found Pinkie Pie’s eyes wide with disbelief. Her own couldn’t have been any less wide, but Nolux turned away first, looking down the length of the hill beneath them. She was gauging the danger of running down the hillside, when she saw a pink shape dart along the steep descent. “DAMN!”

The mare shifted back into the ancient dialect taught to every shaman, an archaic form of Equestrian, and continued to swear as the took off after her friend. They had just barely avoided being consumed by whatever spell Twilight had cast on the forest, and now Pinkie wanted to run right into whatever the mare was doing now?

Both mare’s were panting, sprinting down the slope and then up the next, darting left and right to avoid rocks and broken timber. Nolux stayed as close to Pinkie as she could, following the other mare’s path exactly. She knew from experience that Pinkie had a knack for choosing the best course, she had shown as much when they dashed through the forest. Now though, a stumble would do more than twist an ankle, it could mean that they could die, and that others might suffer for it.

Others. Suffering. For an instant, Nolux shook her head, closing her eyes as she did. The brief moment passed as she shook away the approaching vision, fighting the Sight to keep running. If one happened here, now, who knows what could happen, what she would see. Her mouth tightened, and her breaths became pants between clenched teeth as a spike of pain lanced through her skull. “NO! I W-Ugh.”

Her growl was cut short as her chest ran into something small, and very strong. Brought to a halt so suddenly, she didn’t have time to slow her legs, and they slid out from under her, hooves in the air as she thudded to the ground. Above her, the pink leg that had closelined her retreated, replaced by a concerned, serious face.

“Stay here.” Pinkie said, and there was no hint of a joke about her tone. Her eyebrows had knit together in worry, and her mouth was a grim line as her eyes flicked out over the field again. “We can’t help now. We would interrupt her.”

“What? Intterupt wha-” Nolux was cut off again, this time by the same hoof that had dropped her being placed carefully, but firmly, over her mouth.

“Shh.” Pinkie whispered, pulling her hoof away slowly. “Look.”

Nolux twisted, rolling over onto her legs and sitting up. Her eyes roamed the horizon for a moment, searching for their target, before realizing that she should be able to see the sun.

It was still there, high in the sky. A pillar of white light, so intense now that even with her enhanced vision, Nolux had to avert her eyes. To say that the sunbeam was merely bright was like comparing a candle to a forest fire. It was beyond brightness, beyond any description that Nolux could think of. It filled the air with a violent, high pitched keening whine, like metal being torn to shreds. It made her hair stand on end, her teeth set on edge, and she could even taste it, a hot, white, bitter thing on her tongue, the back of her throat. It was so bright, it had so much power surging forth from it that even Nolux’s Sight was beginning to fade away, lost among the other sensations.

The zebra looked lower, searching the base of the hill. They were directly across from it, on the crest of one of the neighboring rises. It surprised her that they had moved so quickly, they had been almost two hills away only moments ago it seemed.

For a moment, staring at the hill, the shaman was confused, though she couldn’t quite say why. She scanned the base of the hill, silently thanking the ancestors for the dimmer view, finally allowed her mind to recover from being bombarded by so much power. That thought passed again through her mind, the shaman slowly turning it over, examining it. There was something there. Something important, and she couldn’t quite place her hoof on it. Something about the light, about it being dimmer.

Her head snapped up, slowly descending as she looked off to the side of the light. “Ancestors preserve us.” She whispered.

There was a clear line in the sky, an invisible barrier where the light seemed unable to cross. It stretched in a high, narrow dome above the hill, and her eyes could just make out the tiniest flickers of a deep, amethyst light trailing to many points of the sheild. Following them, she saw Twilight, standing at the base of the hill, horn burning white with power.

From so close, she could see that Twilight’s head was down, even that her eyes were closed as her lips moved furiously. Chant, invocation or prayer, Nolux couldn’t tell, but Twilight repeated the phrase over and over, each repetition sending a fresh wave of magic through the horn that had barely begun to dim.

Above them, the shield began to shift. Nolux could see the outline of the shield spell now. The wispy purple barrier that shifted like a spider’s web caught in the breeze beneath the mighty assault. She watched as slowly, delicately, the web lifted. Each strand that was bound to the ground moved gently, separating itself from its foothold and curling upwards. More and more strands, until every piece of the web was floating in the air, the dome slowly flipping itself over. The tattered edges, severed by Twilight’s will, began to crawl higher into the air, narrowing themselves into a tight cone around the light. They snaked higher and higher, reaching up into the clouds, always following the line of the light, seeming to touch the deadly ray.

The sun was fighting back though. Angry sparks of a darker white licked out from the pillar, and wherever they touched, the web disintegrated. As though it could sense its coming doom, it fought harder and harder, eating away the web faster. Soon, they reached a standstill, Twilight’s magic no longer able to climb the incandescent wall. Soon, the mare’s strength would fail her, and the fury of the sun would batter down anew, consuming Twilight, her Princess, and everypony with them.

Nolux let out a soundless cry, and tried to run forward, to pull Twilight back, to wake her from her trance before the spell broke. Again, Pinkie stopped her, silently this time, pointing.

A burst of dark magic erupted on the hilltop above Twilight, and something black and furious rose to its hooves. The dark Princess had awoken.

The dark energy radiating from the mare in Nolux’s Sight surrounded its mistress, cloaking her in power, before twisting itself into a long, narrow band. It reached out, touching Twilight, then pressing into her, heedless of the mare’s sudden scream.

Black magic began to pulse along the weave of Twilight’s spell, climbing the vines of her purple magic swiftly. It reached the top, just as another angry bolt lashed out at the spell. Darkness swelled, batting the attack aside contemptuously, and began to climb higher, taking over where Twilight had stopped.

The keening wail grew louder once more, a sound that drove Nolux to the ground, grimacing in pain. It felt as though her ears would bleed, the cry was so strong. The wail grew stronger, for just a moment, and Nolux screamed with it, overcome with the pain. Then the scream, the light, everything vanished.

She felt her head land hard on the soft, cool grass, and heard a soft voice crooning over her. A hoof ran gently along her cheek, and Nolux, like the Princess before her, faded into oblivion.

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The Morning After

“...headstrong BITCH!” Celestia was roused from her peaceful slumber by the shouted words, then forced suddenly into complete awareness as a hoof drove itself hard into her side. The blow was sharp and swift, and it made the Princess roll onto her side as her world spun about her for a moment. “Don’t you ever do something so, so, so pigheadly stupid again! Get up!”

This time, the blow was softer, marginally, and landed squarely on her ribs. The hoof didn’t pull away, another hoof joining it as the Princess of the sun was shoved unceremoniously out of her bed. She hit the hard stone floor with an undignified squawk, landing in a messy tangle of feathers, hooves, and a sharp pain in her hip, where her own horn had poked her.

Still trying to sort out her limbs, her lavender eye cracked open to find a very unappealing vision standing before her. Captain Valiant’s nose, nostrils flared wide as she snorted in fury. Then the nose moved lower, and a blue eye that was positively blazing came into view, Celestia promptly shut her eyes once more.

With another snort, the alicorn heard the soft hum of her bodyguards horn coming to life, magical power glowing at its point. A moment later, with a warm, surprisingly gentle touch, Valiant’s magic wrapped around her, setting her on her hooves and disentangling her from her own body. Once again, Celestia’s eyes opened the barest fraction, but this time, furious unicorn’s were absent from her immediate sight.

“Damn it, Princess.”

Opening her eyes fully, Celestia stretched her wings out. Rolling the joints in her shoulders, wings and rump, she shook her head as she turned to face her little soldier, feeling queerly like a filly. It was a feeling she rather liked, for all that nopony liked being scolded, simply because it had been so many years since she had felt so young. Was she really blushing?

She was, and the realization made her grin sheepishly, blushing harder. “You, um. Is there something you need, Captain?”

Valiant sighed, and let her head droop in resignation. Then, shaking herself, she fixed her Princess with a gimlet eye. “You are never, NEVER to put yourself in danger like that again, do you understand me? Because, I swear by the Light, I will... You won’t like it. I will do something to make you very unhappy.”

“Oh?” Celestia drawled, wry humor back once more. One eyebrow quirked up, and the corner of her mouth tucked in as she tried not to smile. She knew she shouldn’t, but the millennia old alicorn couldn’t resist the urge to needle the irate mare. “And how would you do that.”

The brilliant blue eye of the white mare began to twitch as her face contorted slowly. A hot flush of anger suffused her cheeks, staining them a bright pink that slowly darkened as she began to shake. Sensing an impending explosion, Celestia trained her face back to a a stoic mask, and strode forward. When her charge had begun moving, Valiant’s eyes had closed, and her she fixed her sightless gaze on the floor. Her chest heaved with slow, heavy breaths as she struggled to calm herself.

Celestia walked forward, nearly silent as she came closer to the furious mare. Before her, the white body of her guard trembled, and Celestia winced to see slow, heavy tears fall from her closed eyes. The alicorn stopped in front of the shaking form, and Valiant spoke.

“You almost died. Celestia, I nearly lost you.” She whispered, almost gasping. “I don’t... I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t...”

“Shh.” Celestia murmured, leaning in. She brushed a gentle kiss to Valiant’s brow, and the mare’s eyes shot open.

She stumbled several quick steps back, sitting down suddenly when her butt met the unyielding stone wall. Celestia chuckled, and advanced slowly on the flustered mare. The soft, friendly touch had the desired effect though. While her eyes were still wet, Valiant was no longer crying, and the red tinge to her cheeks was from embarrassment, not fury.

“Captain Valiant.” Celestia smiled, stopping several steps away from her protector. “I have known that you have... certain feelings for me, for some time. I also think that we both understand that I don’t, that I cannot see you as anything more than my dear friend.”

Valiant swallowed, closing her eyes for a moment. She rose from the ground, and took a deep breath, facing the Princess. “I understand, Princess. But do not ask me to stop caring for you. It is my duty, and my pleasure, to see to it that you are safe, no matter what. I... I do not know what I would do, without your light in my life, and I do not like the thought of the mare I would become.”

She paused, and a small smile played around her lips. “I know that your heart belongs to another, and I am glad that you have found happiness at last.” Her smile faded, and a hard gleam came to her eyes. “So help me though, if you ever put yourself in danger like that again, I will not rest until I have personally made your life hell, do I make myself clear.”

It was Celestia’s turn to smile softly, and she nodded her head in silent agreement. “I understand, Captain. But...” She paused, and a confused look clouded her face. “What did I do?”

For Twilight Sparkle, waking up was a much more peaceful ordeal. Though her body ached everywhere, and her throat burned with every breath, she at least wasn’t tossed onto the floor. In fact, despite the pain, she woke to the soft sounds of a whispered conversation.

“Pinkie, I don’t even know what happened out there. You were there too, why am I the one who has to explain everything?” A warm, accented voice whispered, annoyed. That was Nolux, Twilight was sure. Only Zecora had a voice like that, and the speaker sounded more flighty than the grave, graceful shaman.

“Because I can’t see magic, duh.”

Twilight didn’t notice she was smiling until the stretched lips cracked and another little piece of pain jabbed into her brain. The smile faded somewhat, and the mare winced. Her tongue peeked out, thoughtfully tracing the edges of the split in her lip, before returning to her mouth.

“Besides, I was busy trying to find our friends. You wouldn’t believe where they were. I thought it would be someplace obvious, like the hills, or maybe the clouds. I even checked AJ’s barn, and nothing. But of course, they all just had to be hiding outside the barn. I mean, who would look out there? You felt how hot it was outside, anypony would have just gone into the barn where it was all shady and cool.”

A long silence followed the words, and Twilight chuckled weakly. Turning her head to the left, towards the voices, she cracked an eye open. “Don’t ask.” She croaked, looking at the golden eyes of the shaman. “It won’t help. It’s just Pinkie.”

“Twilight!” Another voice yelped. The mare had a stronger, more musical tone than the zebra or earth pony, and Twilight twisted her neck to try and catch a glimpse of the speaker. She had moved too fast though, and suddenly laying still seemed like a very good idea. Maybe then, the ceiling would stop changing shape in such a disturbing manner.

A head popped into existence above her, a pink blob with a wide white slash running across its lower half. A second later, two more heads appeared beside it, first the striped, lopsided cranium of Nolux, then the dark, clearer vision of Princess Luna. It was shocking, the difference between the two mares and the Princess, like the difference between night and day. Where they appeared to be little more than shapeless splashes of color that swam disoncertingly through her view, the dark features of Luna were clear and well defined.

“Come back to us, Twilight.” The Luna head said, smiling down at her. Her voice was distorted, like she was speaking from underwater, thick and fluid. “You need to wake up. There is somepony here to meet you.”

“Mmm,” Twilight groaned, one hoof swiping weakly above her. “Can’t... think.”

Light, even her own voice was muffled. Twilight’s thoughts seemed to be the only things unaffected by the strange distortion, they were crystal clear and moving quickly. Wake up. Luna had said wake up, and the Night Mare would know about dreams, if anypony did. She must be teetering on the edge of slumber, barely awake, but not yet asleep.

With a herculean effort, Twilight sat up, trying to banish the lingering fog of exhaustion as she did. All three heads wobbled, before the wavy outlines blurred together in a gutwrenching mashup, before sorting themselves out once again. This time, thankfully, the colors stayed in the lines though, and each face was steady, even if they were still a little blurry.

Rubbing her eyes, Twilight groaned again. “What happened?”

“Yes, sister.” Another voice called, and Twilight turned to glance at the source. Standing in the doorway, lavender eyes wide with fear, disbelief, or rage, was Princess Celestia. Her sides were heaving, and a slight wince accompanied each inhalation, but the mare seemed hardly to notice. “What happened.”

“Ah.” Luna said, meekly.

“Yes, ah. Now, sister mine, by the Light, what happened?”

“Actually,” Nolux broke in, blushing. “I would like to know that, myself. I saw... well, I’m not sure what I saw, but at the end there was... I don’t know.”

“That was me.” Twilight spoke, quiet. “You saw me trying to stop the sun.”

“What?” The room was silent, save for that one, soft voice. Twilight grimaced at the quiet words, and cast an apologetic look at her former teacher.

“It was killing you, Celestia. I, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t stand there and do nothing.”

“You stopped the Sun?” Pinkie Pie asked, voice flat. Her eyes were wide and very blue. “Like, the big ball of hydrogen fusing, atomic reactor in the sky?”

“Yes?” Twilight asked, confused. What? Hydro... the sun was water? “Nevermind. I made a shield, and used it to stop the sun from feeding off of you, after you passed out. Then I just, I had to hold it until the spell ran out of fuel.”

Twilight’s voice got quieter and quieter as she spoke, four pairs of wide eyes fixed on her. This must be how Fluttershy feels all the time.

“FLUTTERSHY!” Twilight yelped, jerking forward. Her legs got tangled in the soft blankets of the bed though, and instead of leaping from the bed and rushing to find her friends, she tumbled face first into the hard stone floor. Stars burst into life, dancing before her eyes as she swore. Yanking herself free from the sheets she had dragged off the bed with her, Twilight made for the door.

“Twilight, they are fine.” Pinkie Pie said, sliding into the doorway from nowhere. She smiled reassuringly, but held out a hoof to stop her friend. “I found them all, and they are all resting up. Nopony was hurt, and... well, it will take awhile to get Fluttershy better, but all of her injuries were taken care of. Princess Luna brought us all to Canterlot, and the best doctors in the world made sure everypony was in tip top shape. Don’t worry, you can see them when they wake up, okay? They are all going to be okay, Pinkie Promise”

“O-okay.” Twilight panted, reaching a hoof up to press against her forehead. Without the urge to find her friends. to make sure that they were okay, the pain of the sudden movement caught up to the little unicorn. Her head ached at the abrupt movement, and she sat down very suddenly on the floor.

From the floor, she could see the room at last. It was the same room she had lived in for most of her life, the top of the Library Tower, crammed with books, scrolls and tomes. The bed behind her was the one she had slept on, whenever she hadn’t cuddled up with the Princess, or fallen asleep reading on a cushion. The soft purple blanket, the same color as her coat, and the Princess’s eyes, was in a puddle a few feet away.

“Twilight that... I know that your friends are important, but...” Nolux said, then hesitated. She bit her lip though, and finished the thought. “But you stopped the sun? I know I’m not one of you, magical and, kind of scary, but that sounds really difficult.”

“It should be impossible.” Luna said, quiet. Her eyes hadn’t left Twilight’s face, the whole time, and there was a sad confusion in the indigo irises. “It should have killed anypony less than an alicorn to even try, much less succeed. Even with my help, Twilight should be dead.”

“I...” Twilight stopped. She could still feel her connection to the caves, to the vast network of crystals that had hummed with energy. Now, those caves were almost silent. Would they even believe her if she told them? Twilight Sparkle sighed, and began once more. “Its a long story, but it started right after... after the wedding.”

Author's Note

Yeah, I'm not evil enough to leave you with that cliffhanger for two weeks.

... Well, I am, but I had a bunny thumping my skull, so you are spared.

Hugs and Kisses, I'm off to vacation,

Nadake

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Sunrise

“Sister…” Luna whispered, coming to stand beside Celestia, staring out the large window. They were at the top of the library tower, with three slumbering mares curled up on Twilight’s bed on the floor below them. Night had long since fallen by the time Twilight was finished telling her convoluted, impossible tale, and the injured mare had been almost unable to speak for yawning by the end.

Princess Luna had disappeared briefly, at about the time that Twilight had spoken of their short meeting, both to avoid the furious glare leveled at her by both Valiant and Celestia, and to raise the moon for the night. The powerful energies of the spell made all three magical ponies groan in pain, the strength of the magic rubbing along raw pathways. It had been agonizing for Luna, at the epicenter of the emanations, to keep her mind focused on completing the spell. When she had finished and walked wearily back to the small circle around Twilight’s bed though, Celestia just nodded her head, obviously feeling that her sister had already been punished enough.

Now, near midnight, the two sister’s stared out of the window in silence. The gleaming light of a billion tiny stares reflected off their eyes, and the sight made Luna smile. How many years had she spent on the moon, staring out into the void? The stars, her stars, had been her only company on that barren rock, and they would always be her dearest, oldest friends. Even more than her sister, the stars had comforted through the centuries, and they were her greatest gift to ponykind. Now, once again, she sought their silent, unwavering support.

“I knew that she was powerful, Luna” Celestia said. Her voice was quiet, but utterly calm. Tilting her head slightly, Luna looked over at her sister. She could see emotions flickering in her starry eyes, one after another, but Celestia’s voice never wavered. “When I first met her, she was in the middle of her exam.”

“Exam?”

“Hm? Oh,” Celestia winced, and smiled apologetically at Luna. “After you left, I set up a school for gifted unicorns. The entrance exams were notoriously difficult, only one or two students a generation were able to pass it. Twilight was… not doing well.

“She was unsure of herself, I could see that. I could see the magic she was trying to do, the sparks were flying from her horn like a fountain. That exam was particularly cruel, she was given a dragon egg to hatch. Nopony expected any of the hopefuls to actually do it, they just wanted to see the power and ingenuity of the test takers. So I didn’t step in, I just watched her from the doorway.”

Celestia chuckled, and a fond smile quirked her lips. She turned back to the window, and sighed happily. For a moment, Luna wished her sister were asleep, so that she could see the memory that made her smile so sweetly. She didn’t push her though, the dark mare just turned to look over her shoulder, searching for their companion while her sister lost herself to memory.
Valiant was, to Luna’s silent delight, curled in a corner nearby, dozing lightly. Her nose was close to her bright blue tail, and the fine hairs floated gently on the soft gusts of her breaths. It was adorable, Luna thought, to see the usually stoic unicorn sleeping like a filly. She never let herself show any kind of weakness in front of her Princess, but Luna thought that she could forgive the poor mare. After all, Valiant hadn’t slept a wink since Luna had spent them all back to Canterlot. The guard captain had stood vigil over Celestia day and night for almost two days straight, and had nearly taken the head off of the page who came to check on the Princess’s recovery. It seemed that the excitement and sleep deprivation had finally caught up to her though.

“You have no idea how cute she was, Luna.” Celestia spoke, still gazing back through time. Princess Luna’s head snapped back to stare at her sister though, and she waited for the rest of the story. “She was a little filly, dropped off by her parents that morning. Orion was so proud of his little girl, and so was Velvet. That their only daughter was able to qualify for the exam at all was an amazing accomplishment, both for her and for them as parents. I could tell that Twilight would do anything to avoid letting them down.

“So she kept pushing. It was like there was a great wall, Luna. A wall that separated her from the world, and she kept attacking it. Those were her own barriers, the ones she cast instinctively almost as soon as she was born. They were so strong Luna, so strong. She couldn’t tear them down, and it was frustrating her. I could see her crying as she tried over and over, and kept failing. Sparks were flying, but nothing was happening.

“One of the things the examiners do is to never show their approval. The sniff, and act like they aren’t impressed at all, no matter what is done. It helps them see how the foals react to stress and fear. I could tell that they were impressed, I could feel the weight of her magic from the door. That alone would have gotten her in, but they still acted disapproving.”

“I’m sure Twilight took that well.” Luna commented drily, thinking back on her limited experience with the young mare.

“Quiet.” Celestia said, matching Luna’s dry tone and smile. She cut her eyes over to her sister, and the smile widened. “Then she got scared. I found out later what caused it, but at the time, we were all shocked. Out of nowhere, there was a bang, and it made everypony jump.”

“What was it?”

“Rainbow Dash. The filly had pushed herself to her limits, and done something unheard of. She was moving at the speed of sound, sister. It was a sonic Rainboom, like the one we saw at her friend’s wedding.”

Luna winced, remembering the thundering sound as the Wonderbolt had shot overhead, an explosion of light bursting over their head as a rainbow trailed in her wake. The sound was terrific, and had made everypony jerk then too. “Oh dear. How did Twilight take that?”

“She broke through the barrier.”

“What?”

“The shock was enough to let her fear and worry fade away. Without the stress, she broke through the barrier and her spell took form. The dragon egg did more than hatch. She cast a time spell, sister, as a filly. The dragon egg hatched, and then aged into an adult in several seconds, hundreds of years in a moment.”

“Light!” Luna gasped. A time spell, of any kind, was one of the most powerful spells in existence. While technically simple, all you were doing was increasing or decreasing the passage of time in an area, the raw power that the spell took was enormous. You could move a small mountain with the energy that only a few minutes of time travel used. To pass centuries was something that she doubted that even she could do without preparations. “She survived that? That must have gotten their attention.”

“Quite. Spike’s head was about three stories above the roof of the tower.” Celestia chuckled. “They were a little busy though. Twilight wasn’t exactly in control anymore though. They were still trying to figure out why they were potted plants now though, so I guess I can forgive them for not taking notes.”

“What did you do?”

“What would you have done? I walked into the room, and threw a shield around her. When it was curbed, her magic receded back into its usual limits, and then I changed everything back to the way it was. Well, almost everything. I couldn’t bring myself to reverse the age spell completely, so I just turned Spike into a newly hatched dragon. Then I told Twilight she was not only accepted, but that I was going to make her my personal student. But you see Luna? DO you see why, no matter how fantastic her story, I can’t disbelieve her? She was casting some of the most powerful magic we know of as a filly. I don’t doubt that if she wanted, and I taught her how, she could move the sun and the moon herself.”

“Yes, but the spell she cast on the Everfree… Sister, that is black magic, evil magic.”

“No, it isn’t Luna. She wasn’t lying when she told you it was a ward.”

“Sister, I know…” Luna hesitated. She was silent long enough that Celestia once more turned her head to look at her younger sister. “I know you love her. Don’t,” She said, seeing Celestia open her mouth to argue. “I know you do. But love or not, sister, that was not some simple ward. Her spell killed everything in the Forest, except for those two.”

Celestia followed Luna’s nodded, seeing the two mares snuggled up on either side of the pale unicorn. Pinkie and Nolux had crawled up on either side of the large bed a few minutes after Twilight had finished her story, and all three of them had fallen asleep in moments, the earthpony and the zebra slowly inching their way closer to their friend as they slept.

“Luna, it was a ward. It was a spell she created as a filly.”

“She used that as a filly?” Luna gasped, horrified. “And you didn’t stop her.”

“I did,” Celestia snapped, turning to face Luna fully for the first time since they had left Twiight’s bedside. “I made her swear never to use it again Luna. But it wasn’t designed to kill, Twilight made it to power spells.”

“How?”

Celestia sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t know, Twilight never explained the mechanics to me. From what I have seen though, it absorbs any kind of energy that strikes it, and anything inside it. She used it for the first time on Midsummer’s Night, she said it was a present for me. She made a small bubble with the ward, and then told me to wait.” Celestia smiled, remembering. “It was amazing. As soon as the wind picked up, the little ball started to get bigger and bigger. It was taking in the energy of the wind, the force of it hitting the outer layer, and the heat of the air moving. It got bigger and bigger, and I could see little drops of water forming on it. They froze after a second, and fell to the ground as little, perfect raindrops of ice. They were beautiful. We didn’t know what would happen to something living, until a bee flew into it. It died instantly, and froze and fell to the ground. Really, we were lucky, it was only a few feet from where we were, Light only knows what would have happened if it had touched us.”

“But then why would she use it again. If it isn’t black magic, then it is the next thing to it. And this time, she knew that it would kill whatever was in its path.”

“I think… I think she knew that. I think that she did that on purpose. By then she had to know about Her, and she would have figured out the Mirror. Luna, she is so smart, it’s scary sometimes. I think she built the ward as another layer of defense, something to stop any part of Acshina from escaping. It would drain the energy leaking from the Mirror, and anything that touched the barrier. It’s the perfect prison, one for her body, and the other for her power.”

“Oh.” Luna murmured, thinking about it. It was an elegant solution, she had to admit. The energy flow would never be able build up enough to penetrate the thick barrier before the ward itself absorbed the energy. Twilight had finally trapped that beast for good. As much as she hated to admit it, Luna couldn’t deny that even as horrible as it was to kill the Forest, it was better than letting that beast loose ever again. Only the tiniest portion of her power had seeped into Luna a thousand years ago, and it had nearly destroyed Equestria by creating Nightmare Moon.

Both mares fell silent again, turning back to the stars. The moon was beginning to run low on the horizon, and Luna knew that they would need to raise the sun soon. Before she could suggest that they leave the tower, and return to their own towers, something occurred to her.

“Celestia. You said that the ward was draining the power?”

“Yes, of course. What of it?”

“It cannot take much power to maintain the ward, even on such a scale. So where is all the excess magic?”

“I can answer that.” A soft voice spoke, and both alicorns started in surprise. They turned as one, and looked at the little unicorn who had silently appeared behind them. Taking a quick glance over the balcony, Luna inhaled sharply. There was no doubt that Twilight was standing only a few feet away from them. She was also lying peacefully on the bed.

“Don’t worry, I’m still asleep.” The Twilgiht beside them said. “This isn’t really me, it’s a projection of my mind. Kind of like a walking, talking dream.”

“But how-“

“I’ll explain later, Princess.” The Twilight image said, bowing to the startled black mare.

Celestia was surprised as well, but she had long ago stopped trying to anticipate just what her student could do. Instead, she cleared her throat and said, “What is it you wanted to say, Twilight?”

“Oh, just that I was going to explain how the ward worked, on a larger scale. You see, I found something beneath Equestria.”

“The Crystal Empire.” Both alicorn’s said, nodding. Twilight nodded too, smiling.

“Of course you two know it. Anyway, we all know that the Empire died out a long time ago. Their tunnels though, are still fully functioning.”

“You used the gem magicks?” Celestia said, taking her time as she connected the dots. “You were storing the magic for something?”

“Am storing,” Twilight corrected gently. Her dark purple eyes were glowing with excitement as she continued to lecture. “I know you probably remember this, but I’d like to refresh your memory on a few points. There are two kinds of gems, prisms and lenses. A prism is a gem that only stores energy, in amazing quantities. Even a small prism can store as much energy as most unicorn’s use in their lifetimes. Well, the Crystal Caverns as made almost entirely out of prisms. Even almost empty, there was so much power that it could rival one of you.

“The second kind of gem though, is the important one. A lens stone works just like a glass lens, which is where the glass gets its name. It can focus and direct an amazing amount of power into a single spell, or towards a single point. You can even, with a lot of practice, link the lenses, sending energy across enormous distances almost instantly, which is what makes up the rest of the caverns.”

“Okay,” Luna said, obviously growing impatient. “So you are storing the magic? It will take centuries, or millennia, but that is only a temporary solution, Twilight. What are we going to do when the caverns are full.”

“I thought of that.” Twilight grinned, in her element. “I set up one focus, the one underneath the zebra plains, to do something else. It’s a conduit, the focus of a spell.”

Celestia smirked, seeing her sister roll her eyes at the unicorn’s dramatic pause. Eventually, the alicorn took pity on her sister, and asked her student softly. “What spell?”

Instead of answering, Twilight grinned broadly. The smile lit her face like a Canterlot night, and both mares smiled in return. Then, with evident pleasure, she nodded her head, pointing her horn between the alicorn’s, and out the window behind them. A window that showed the eastern horizon. A window that showed a rising sun.

Author's Note

So, today I found out that if you leave me on a plane for five hours, I will get bored, and when I write, so here ya go.

Hugs and Kisses,

Nadake

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Immortalis, Finalis

“Hello Princess.” Twilight said without turning away from the balcony of her old tower room. Behind her, more than a little surprised that Twilight had sensed her presence, Celestia hesitated. Then, with a private smile and a shake of her head, reminding herself never to form any expections concerning the little mare, Celestia strode through the arched doorway.

The open balcony of the Library Tower was one of the few places in Canterlot where one could look out across the open fields and plains to the west (Ponyville is west of Canterlot, right?), up to the rolling hills and colorful treeline that showed the edges of the Apple family orchards. Above the trees, and spanning the length of the horizon, dark stormclouds billowed, flowing endlessly around the now dead Everfree Forest.

The Princess winced at the sight of those clouds, and the faint haze of the constant rain bathing the entire area. In the month since Twilight’s spell had been cast, there had been no end to the drizzle, save the rare moment when the drizzle became a downpour. The captain of Ponyville’s Weather Patrol had been the only one of Twilight’s friends Celestia had met since then, and Rainbow Dash hadn’t been best pleased with the state of affairs dumped onto her back. The white mare chuckled, remembering the soaked pegasus shouldering her way through the crowd of nobles complaining about the various troubles they were having.

Rainbow Dash hadn’t cared who she pushed aside, as long as the silly old goats moved. She had walked up to the throne, shoved an indignant Bootlicker aside with her shoulder, and glared at the Princess. Then, in a loud, clear voice she laid down an ultimatum. “Ponyville is swamped, literally. So either you send every pegasus you can spare to help us save the town, the crops, and the ponies, or you can get off your plot and move the town yourself!”

Her angry words, and their rude delivery, had stunned everypony in the room, not least Celestia herself. The Princess had been fighting to contain an impish grin though, while her Court were trying to mask disgust and scandalization, but that made little difference. Rainbow wasn’t doing it for dramatic effect either, because she immediately started shoving her way back through the crowd, anxious to return to her home before her second in command destroyed the town.

After a few moments of stunned silence, a loud guffaw had sounded through the room, and Spitfire had stepped up, volunteering herself, and her Wonderbolts to assist the town. Not to be outdone, every single noble in the room had immediately crowded in, shouting offers from food to shelter to bits to compensate ponies for their losses. It was touching, to finally see her subjects clamoring to help others, instead of jockeying for position.

Celestia chuckled to herself, and came to stand beside her former pupil. Twilight had accomplished so much in the last few months, from casting spells that nopony had ever dreamed of, to reviving magicks that even she and her sister had almost forgotten. Celestia was truly proud of her student, of her precious little pony.

“Bit for your thoughts?” She said, nudging the little mare lightly with her wing. The touch broke whatever trance Twilight had fallen into while Celestia lost herself in memory, and she jumped a little, turning to face the Princess.

“Oh,” She said, blinking a few times to clear her mind. “I had an idea, and I was trying to figure out whether it’s impossible or not. It isn’t.”

“And the idea was…” She trailed off, smiling as Twilight struggled to return to the land of the living. She could almost see the brilliant little mind trying to pull the mare back into its own murky depths. Celestia chuckled, and trailed her wingtips lightly along the purple flank, tickling the younger mare back to reality.

Twilight giggled beneath the feathery assault, falling over under the force of the attack. She recovered quickly though, and rolled to her hooves before the demonic wings could find a new target. Shaking her head an chuckling, Twilght backed away. “Okay, okay. I give.”

“The idea?” Celestia prompted, menacing Twilight with her wings once more. “Or I will tickle it out of you.”

“I said uncle!” Twilight yelped, jumping back as Celestia advanced. “I was thinking about dreams.”

“Dreams?” Celestia asked, cocking her head to the side. Her lavender eyes still sparkled with mischief, but she lowered her wings, and backed a few steps away. Twilight sighed in relief, but the little mare kept one eye on the Princess as she began to speak.

“You remember the spell I used after everything happened? You and Luna were talking, and I was just there all of a sudden?” Twilight paused, and Celestia nodded politely. The oddity of Twilight’s sudden appearance, while her body was still lying peacefully asleep was something that had quite honestly flown her mind. Seeing the sun suddenly rise without her straining herself to move the heavenly orb was more than a little distracting. “Well, I was wondering what the limits were.”

“I can understand your curiosity,” Celestia began. “But what does this have to do with your idea?”

“What I did then wasn’t much more than a meditation. I cleared my mind, just like you taught me to do before casting a powerful spell. I let myself empty of all emotion, worry, need, even sensations. I was just encapsulated inside my head. Doing it in a dream, when all of my friends are asking me to play Pass the Parcel made it a little bit more difficult, but the premise is still simple.”

Celestia nodded. The Mirror’s Edge, as the particular meditation she had taught Twilight was called, was one of the more complicated meditations, as the entire construct was more than half spell. Fully emptying oneself allowed the mind to expand, filling its confines and then bursting forth. The traditional way to reach that state was to envision a mirror, reflecting you and everything around you in stunning detail. Then, one slowly removed detail after detail, the manifestaions of fears, joys, and anything else that clouds the mind. Soon, only the pony meditating is left in reflected in the mirror, and then they too are clouded in fog as even the sense of self is subsumed by serenity. Complicated, but very effective.

“I finished the meditation, and I was in a sort of mist. It was grey everywhere, but it was moving all around me, over me and past me. Once I got there, all I had to do was to imagine that a spell existed that would let me talk to you. Princess, dreams are more powerful than I think anypony realizes. So much can be accomplished, simply by being sure that they are possible. I imagined the spell, but then I knew it was true, and I suddenly knew exactly what to do. All I needed was to feed power into the spell I basically made up, and poof, I’m talking to you while I’m asleep in another room.”

“That is certainly…” Celestia struggled to find the right words. “Impressive, Twilight. I don’t think even my sister would have been that clever. Were you thinking about what the limits to this ability were? This creativity?”

“In a way.” Twilight said, and Celestia hid her smile. The old Twilight was back; she could see the frenetic light in her amethyst eyes. Twilight was happy, she was learning, she was teaching. If there was any sign that the little mare had been affected by her trials, it was the absence of that spark, the vital essence that made her so engaging. She had been calm, polite, and kind to a fault, but this was the first time since before Twilight had confessed to her that Celestia had seen her pupil so excited.

“It isn’t so much the limits of creativity, I think, as the imagination of the pony in question. I think that as long as you can think of something, no matter how strange, and know it is true, then anything is possible. Princess, if I’m right, if that is how it works, then this would…”

“It would change the face of magic forever.” Celestia ended quietly. The implications were not beyond her, Twilight wasn’t the only scholarly genius present. If this became common knowledge, then it could… but no. Very few ponies had the discipline to achieve that state of inner peace, and that force of character was even rarer in unicorns. Their magical nature made them, and the pegasi, far more flighty and changeable. They just weren’t as naturally gifted at blocking out their own thoughts. “This would certainly make the world a more interesting place.”

“Princess?” Twilight asked, concerned by her teachers sudden silence.

“I’ll be damned.” Celestia muttered to herself, blinking slowly. Her eyes were wide as she looked into the space beyond Twilight, seeing nothing in the physical world. “Discord.”

“What about him?”

“That’s how he does it. Twilight, don’t you see?” Celestia smiled, grinning from ear to ear as she looked at the younger pony. “That’s where his power comes from. I never could figure it out, why he wielded such great, but entirely random powers. He is always in that... that dreamstate. He believes something is true because he wants it, and then click,” She said, tapping one golden hoof to the floor. “He snaps his claws is ‘Make it so.’”

“But,” Twilight’s face scrunched up as she thought. “If he has so much power, why is he so…”

“Random?”

“Not the word I was thinking, but let’s go with random.”

“Twilight, Discord isn’t evil. He is very, very old, and he doesn’t have any morality, but he is a far cry from evil. You’ve stared evil in the face while it tried to kill you. Discord could unmake you, if he wanted, but he hasn’t, and never will. He is completely insane, but he isn’t evil. The sporadic nature of his abilities are more a statement of his mind than anything.”

“That would explain quite a bit.” Twilight admitted. “I never was able to figure out why anypony would think that chocolate milk rain is evil. And Pinkie was right, it was delicious.” Twilight giggled, licking her lips in remembered pleasure. The Draconequess was an excellent caterer.

“I’m sorry for interrupting. You were saying Twilight?”

“Nothing, I was just trying to determine if it were possible to suspend yourself in that dream state.”

“What do you mean?”

“Princess…” Twilight started, then sighed. “Please, can you promise to let me speak? Without interruption?”

“I can.” The confused Princess agreed. With a small surge of energy, Celestia locked the door to the library room, in case of anypony coming in to interrupt whatever it was Twilight was obviously uncomfortable speaking about. With a significantly greater burst of power, she also summoned a hot pot of tea from her study. “Would you like a cup?”

Twilight nodded her thanks, and accepted the teacup hovering before her, smothering Celestia’s golden magic with a film of her own. It was one of the peculiarities of magic, but the more powerful mages had the ability to feel their spells as a physical sensation. For both mares to allow their telekenitic grips mingle around the cup was something extremely, almost embarrassingly intimate, and Twilight was embarrassed enough already. She strengthened her grasp, effectively squeezing Celestia’s spell out, overwhelming it with a small smile.

Celestia smiled in return, and released her spell without a fight. She nodded to Twilight, recognizing the light flush in her cheeks at the touch. Then she settled back to wait, sipping her tea from time to time as Twilight steeled herself to speak.

“Do you remember when this,” She waved a hoof at the clouds surrounding the Everfree Forest. “Started?”

“When you cast the spell?”

“No, I… Right after I left the castle. I told you I loved you, Princess. I meant it, and I meant what I said after that too. It was hard, to admit that to myself, and then to you. I worried about it for weeks, but every time I decided to tell you, I got scared, I kept thinking that you would reject me.”

“Twilight, I would never-“

“Princess, please. Just let me finish?” Twilgiht cut her off, but Celestia nodded agreeably, giving her student a small, apologetic smile. “I was scared you would reject me, up until I actually told you. I was terrified then, but I realized that I needed to know, either way, because living with that hope, and the fear.” She sighed, shaking her head. “It was too much. I needed to know.

“So I told you, and I wasn’t surprised when you didn’t return my feelings. I expected that even if we were star-crossed lovers, that we could never actually be together. I never meant to ask, but… I needed to know all of a sudden, to know whether or not you would love me if you were free.

“I think that was when Her influence started to grow. She is, was, a clever bitch. She saw that my guard was down, and she pounced. Light, I was so stupid. And when you didn’t answer, it just made everything worse. If you had been able to tell me yes or no, then I could accept it. But you weren’t sure of yourself, I could see it in your eyes. So I left, but that planted the idea in my head, Princess. I thought that if I could show you how much I loved you, if I could free you from the sun, then you would return my feelings.

“It took a while for me to think through my plan, but by the time Rarity forced Applejack to propose, I had done it. I’ve known the basics of the Sun and Moon spell since I was a filly, it, well it isn’t really that complicated. All I needed was a huge source of power. I might be able to do it myself, once, but I wouldn’t be able to stand again that day if I did, I needed a permanent solution. Then I remembered the ward I created as a filly, the same one I used on the forest, and everything slid into place. I knew that I could modify the spell, so that it only encompassed the forest, and not an inch more. It… Even though I knew it would mean that everything in the forest would die, I was sure that it was the right thing to do. I had to free you, I had to.”

“Twilight. How could you think that?”

“I don’t know Princess, I really don’t. Thinking back, it sounds so stupid. I really believed it though, then. I’m sure that She had at least something to do with it, but I can’t say that it was wholly Her fault. I was the one who wanted to free you, She just herded me to the method she wanted. Princess, if I hadn’t changed the spell before I cast it, making it feed directly off of her power, then it would have shattered the Mirror, and released who knows how many evils on the world, and brought Her back completely.”

“Acshina was always a master of manipulation.” Celestia said, disgust dripping from her voice. “She was always using everything to her own advantage, pony, gryphons, anything she could get her hands on. I can’t say I blame you for falling prey to her. Even Luna couldn’t resist her completely.”

“That’s no excuse.” Twilight said sharply. Her eyes were narrowed, and she spat the next words. “I was foolish, and weak. I let her in, and I almost ended the world as we know it. If I hadn’t been impossibly lucky, we would all be dead, or worse. I couldn’t bear the pain of what you did to me, so I ripped that part of me out. I was lucky that that part of me is where Acshina was hiding, otherwise…

“It doesn’t matter. There is no point in engaging in hypotheticals what happened is in the past, and I’ve learned my lesson about time travel. In the end, things were less apocalyptic than they might have been, so I guess we should just be happy we are still alive to talk about it. After I excised my emotions though, like I said, She was gone. And with her, the sense of surety. Logically, without the influence of emotions, the plan still made sense. I wasn’t certain though, so I did a little reading.”

Celestia’s teacup had sat, untouched throughout most of Twilight’s narrative. Now though, the Princess took a long sip of the tea. It had cooled considerably while her apprentice had spoken, but it was still a comforting warmth as the spiced cinnamon apple tea flowed down her throat. Twilight paused as well, seeming to remember her own cup with a blush, and quickly taking a sip as well.

“One of the books I read talked about the caverns, and about how the crystal magic worked. But another one was more immediately important.”

“Ah, the Sight?” Celestia guessed. She remembered the book herself, and it would explain why Twilight had come back with a zebra companion. If the mare had been unsure about herself, then it would be natural to consult a seer. She knew enough about the nature of magic to understand that while rare, precognition was easily within the realm of possibility.

Twilight nodded. “I’m afraid I was a little bit less than subtle at the time, both at the Castle in the zebra city. I…” Twilight hesitated. “I assume it was then that you found something in the Castle?”

Celestia winced, berating herself for not expecting the brilliant mare to connect the dots and ask the obvious question. “Yes.” The white mare began. Celestia swallowed, then finished. “I thought I saw you in the Mirror. I freed it, Acshina I mean. I made her a body, and put what I was sure was your soul into it.”

“I thought so.” Twilight said, giving the Princess a small smile. “If you don’t mind, why did you do it?”

Celestia’s reply was immediate. “I couldn’t let you suffer in that hell. I saw… things, Twilight. Horrible things were happening to you, and I could not bear it.”

Twilight nodded her head, obviously hearing the words Celestia wasn’t saying, the riotous emotions that had driven her instant need to save the mare, without thought to the danger. If the Princess didn’t want to say it, then Twilight wasn’t about to make her.

“I got to their capital, and forced Nolux to look into my future. What she said was… less than encouraging. It made me stop and think about what I was doing. I decided I needed to do more research, look into some of the old books. Nolux tagged along, and Pinkie was just randomly in the Castle when I got back.

“There isn’t much more to tell. I looked long enough through the library that I found out what Acshina was, and knew that she was partially free. I changed the spell to drain her power specifically, without damaging the glyphs shielding the Mirror itself, and then the rest of the story you know. Still using the spell to move the sun and moon was something I did more to stop the energy in the crystals from charging until they shattered more than anything.”

“That is… touching.” Celestia said, and grinned at Twilight’s incredulous look. “Not comforting, by any means. In fact, it is more than a little scary the way you were thinking, but it is touching to know what you were willing to do to help me. And I know you truly thought it would free me Twilight.”

Twilight chuckled, then looked out over the balcony again. “Princess?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“What would you do, if I could live forever?” Twilight whispered, keeping her gaze steady on the far off hills. “Would you love me then, if you never had to lose me? Because what I was thinking about earlier, when you came in, I think I know a way it can be done. I can trap myself in a permanent dream, with Luna’s help. Lock myself inside the dreamworld forever. It would be a kind of immortality. I would never age, never grow sick or weary. Every night, we could be together Princess.”

Celestia was silent, stunned by the words. That was... for anypony other than the prodigy, it would be impossible, inconceivable. The sun goddess felt a pang in her heart, remembering the words that had been asked of her. “Could you do it, though? Can you watch your friends grow old and die? For me? Am I worth that, Twilight? Is immortality really worth it, worth the pain?”

“Celestia.” Twilight said, rounding on her. “You are more important to me than anything else in this world, or the next. No matter what I do, I will have to watch them die. We both know that the more powerful a unicorn is, the longer their lifespan. Even if I don’t do this, I will have to watch as they age, while I stay young for decades, maybe centuries! Is that any less painful?

“If I do this.” She said, and her voice was much softer now. Her eyes were glistening with angry tears, but she cracked her hoof against the smooth marble of the balcony and gritted her teeth. “If I do this, if it works, then I won’t have to watch them fall apart. I could do it now, or in a month, or a decade. When doesn’t matter. I won’t even have to leave my friends, not really. Trapped in that state, suspended in dreams, I would be like your sister. I could travel between dreams, from yours to Rarity’s, even to Fluttershy’s. I could still live with my friends for as long as they lived, but I could be with you. If you love me, then I can give up everything I am now, and trap myself. If you love me, it will be worth it.”

Twilight sighed, and sat on the stone. For a long time, both mares were silent, Twilight waiting for Celestia’s response, and Celestia herself struggling to understand the jumble of emotions the outburst had thrown onto her. Did she love Twilight? She had always loved her as a student, and even as a daughter. Both were far from loving her the way Twilight love her though, and Celestia wasn’t sure she did. When she had seen the mare in the mirror, being tormented by evil, she had been convinced of her emotions. There had been nothing but the basic need to protect her beloved. But was that her? Or was it nothing more than Acshina’s trickery?

The sun had set before either mare spoke. The pale orb of the full moon was peaking out from behind the mountain Canterlot was built upon, and both ponies stopped to look at the beautiful object.

“If you think you can do it.” Celestia began, looking at the moon. She couldn’t look at Twilight now. She couldn’t see the hope and the fear in her little face and keep herself from trying to protect the little filly she had met years ago. “If you think that it is worth it, that I am worth it. Then yes, my love.” She said, turning a brilliant, regretful smile to Twilight. “I would love nothing more than to have you in my life, forever.”

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Time to Wake Up

“Will I see you when I awaken?” A deep, rumbling voice asked. A billowing cloud of smoke gusted through enormous golden fangs, and tongues of emerald flames flickered through the haze.

“No, Spike.” Twilight said, looking up into the dragon’s huge, green eyes. They were so different from the wide, innocent stare of the whelp he had been for all of their friend’s lives. Now centuries old, Spike’s eyes had morphed just as much as the rest of his body, narrowing, with the pupils sharpening to reptilian slits. “Or, at least I’m not sure if you will. I don’t know if I will be able to manifest as a corporeal entity once I’m in the dream. If I can, then you should be able to see me, no problem. But if not…”

“You needn’t follow this course.” Her growled, and her emerald eyes flashed a sudden scarlet. “You needn’t subject yourself to such torment.”

“What do you mean?” She took several steps away from the angered dragon, cocking her head to the side. If she had to, she knew that she would be able to defend herself if Spike’s more primitive nature took over, but she hoped it would not come to that.

“I have dreamed for years, Twilight. When that,” He hissed. “Imposter, came to Ponyville, she cast me into slumber for a decade. As well you know.” The dragon’s great head suddenly swooped down, turning on the long neck until he was in profile, and one massive green eyes glared at Twilight.

“Of course I know. We were all so worried about you, Spike.” Twilight addressed the eye, backing further away. The eye flashed again as her blind retreat caused her to stumble on a pile of golden bits, a portion of his draconic hoard. “All of us, even Angel Bunny.”

“Hm?” He hummed, halting his slow advance on the unicorn. His head lifted from the floor, halfway to the high ceiling of the cave as he sat on his haunches. “The rabbit?”

“Yes. Fluttershy never let Angel out of her sight, remember? He even gave you a hug.” What Twilight didn’t mention was that Spike had chosen that moment to snore, singing Angel’s fluffy white tail. The bunny had glared at the sleeping dragon, and given him a sharp kick, before hopping away.

“I… miss them.” He rumbled, and something else flashed in those alien eyes. For just a moment, as Spike sat back in the middle of his cavern, Twilight saw the whelp who had been her assistant, her messenger, and her best friend. In the next moment it was gone though, and the inscrutable dragon was back. “In that time though, I was much as you seek to become. Freed of my body by her black magicks, I roamed. Creatures sometimes exist only in a single cave, where the water falls swift and cold. They are unique, for in all the world, there is only one cave, with one waterfall. Just so, dreams themselves are unique. Once experienced, that experience becomes memory, and can never again become real. You seek to live a dream of life.”

Twilight didn’t immediately reply, thinking about the reptile’s words. Ever since he had awoken from his first sleep, forced to age rapidly while he slept, his mind had developed to a frieghtening degree. While before he had been susceptible to the odd bout of introspection, he woke with the aspect of one of the classical philosophers. Twilight thought she understood what he was saying though, and nodded. “More or less, yes.”

“And what of life itself? Would it not balk at so abrupt a divergence? TO be at once alive in a world apart, but irrefutably conjoined, and yet without a living body is something that I cannot believe will not be resisted.” Spike hummed. He had always enjoyed their arguments, and that was one of the few things that had not changed while he slept. “Even if such resistance might be overcome, at what cost to you, or to the realm you have entered?”

Twilight again paused, cocking her head to the side. She regarded the dragon shrewdly, speaking slowly. “Spike, tell me something. Do you object to this course because you truly do not believe it is possible. Or are you merely upset at the thought that it might not work, and that I will die?”

Spike growled, and more flames burst from his maw. Again his head swung down to glare at Twilight, but instead of retreating once more, Twilight conjured a shield to stop the hear, and glared right back. Spike was her friend, the only one of her friends still alive. She had waited until he was ready to enter his centuries long sleep, where he would mature from this form into his adult body. It had been almost a century since the last of their friends had gone to rest in peace. A few decades later, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had followed their sisters into oblivion, and Scootaloo had joined them soon after. There was nothing left for either of them, nopony to call friend, no great work that needed to be done. Spike would sleep as he grew, and Twilight would pass on, into her endless slumber even as her friend did.

“Well?” She demanded, matching the dragon stare for stare. She was far more powerful than Spike, and they both knew it. Over the last two centuries, even if Twilight’s body showed little wear from the passage of time, her skill had grown immensely. Now she held a formidable array of magic, from the collected learning’s of the greatest mages in Equestrian history, to spells that she herself had created. Had she wanted to, and were she to draw on the well of magical power she had been collecting all this time, then Spike would leave nothing but a large, dragon shaped shadow on the wall.

Spike looked away first, snorting. The jet of fire erupted from his nostrils, shimmering green the color of growing grass. His eyes softened once more, and he sighed, a gentle exhalation that was not accompanied by more pyrotechnics. “I do not want to lose you, Twilight. You are… You are all that reminds me that there is more than possessions, more than gold and jewels.”

“Oh Spike,” Twilight said, and she felt her eyes sting with tears. “That’s the problem. You will lose me, eventually. I age slowly, but I still age. I will die in time.”

“But at least I will know when your time draws near. Like this… I do not want to wake, only to find that you are vanished from my world.”

“Spike, I have to do this. I have waited so long, but I have never stopped wanting this.” Twilight said, and she could see the dragon’s resolve begin to waver. Ruthlessly, she pressed her advantage. “At first, I only wanted to do it because then I… then I could be with Princess Celestia. I love her, Spike, you know that. I loved her enough to give up the rest of my life. She helped me see that I should wait though, not only for you, but for my friends. There was no reason that I shouldn’t be a part of their lives. It isn’t like I was pressed for time.

“That gave me time to think though, about why I wanted this, and whether or not it was something I would live with. I’ve been experimenting, with Luna’s help. I can create a physical body if I want to, and I can do things with magic that are mindboggling. But more importantly, I can feel things, Spike. I can feel it when somepony is upset, or in pain or danger. I can be anywhere in Equestria in moment’s, and I can help them. I can help everypony, from now on. I can, I will, become Equestria’s Guardian. Isn’t that something that is worth risking what will happen in time? Death is inevitable, but not for me, nor you, nor the Princesses. You three are gifted with immortality by your birth. I… I have been given a chance, a means to attain that same longevity for myself. I can do so much more as a dream, than I ever could as a pony.”

Spike sighed, suddenly looking extremely tired. He shook his great, scaled head, and refused to look at Twilight. Instead, he lay himself on one of the high piles of golden coins that littered his cave. “Very well, Twilight. But promise me one thing first.”

“Anything.” Twilight promised, beaming. She had finally won. After spending decades convincing first Luna, then Celestia that her plan was what she wanted, she had convinced her last opponent.

“Remember to visit an old dragon, as often as you can. I wouldn’t want to forget what it means to be kind.”

“I will, Spike. I will.”

“Then sleep well, Twilight Sparkle. Dream of a better world, and help make it.”

“Thank you, Spike.”

“And,” He rumbled, drifting off to sleep. “Love your Princess with all… All your heart.” The last words were barely audible over the dragon’s deep inhalations.

“I will.” Twilight whispered, crying silently as she watched her friend. Lighting her horn, she readied the spell she had been perfecting for centuries. It was time to sleep. It was time, finally, to wake up.

Fin

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The Dichotomy of Power

Twilight stood, looking out of the Palace window. Outside, the sweltering waves of heat the Equestrian summers were known for rolled and boiled. Inside the Palace though, the inside was chilled. Frost rimmed the cracks in the ancient stone, spiderwebs of ice covering the floor. Just outside the window, rain fell nearly constantly. Warm, wet air blew in from the east, but the moment that it neared the Palace, the dome of biting cold ripped the water from the air.

Deep within the Palace, a Working was in progress. Twilight was taking power, any power, and storing it. Beneath the ancient forest was a series of interconnected tunnels, dug by a race long since dead. Now, magic rippled through the crystalline lattice that adorned the underground walls, lighting a path nopony would ever see. She was using anything and everything, from the heat of the summer to the kinetic force of the wind. All would meet the ward she had set in place, and all of that power would be stored. The mystic powers of the Zebra Royalty would face its first opponent in centuries.

Just beyond the Everfree forest, and the ancient races of creatures lived almost unknown to ponykind. Beyond even the forest, were the Plains. They were ruled by a single ancient king, a zebra who had the unique ability to look upon the threads of time. Twilight would speak with him, and gain his aid. Or she would find out if an immortal could die.

A feint buzz sounded, another creature trying to enter her domain. The ward drew energy from anything that it contacted. As it had slowly expanded from its center, a simple rune Twilight had cut into the floor, the pests that had once plagued the ancient halls had fallen silent. Some had fled, the others had become part of the ward. The more power it gathered, the larger the ward, and now nothing moved within forty feet of the Palace. There was power in death, even the death of something as simple and common as a squirrel.

The corpses of birds littered the ground near the Palace, struck out of the air by an invisible assassin, their bodies left, unable to even decay properly. They were piled high, carpeting the ground almost three feet deep across the entire clearing. As Twilight stared, one bird suddenly ignited, greasy black smoke curling from the feathers as they were consumed. The fire spread from bird to bird, the pillar of choking smog growing with the flesh of nature's singers. She tightened her personal shields, the magical defense solidifying to an almost physical state. The magical wall filtered the deadly smoke into fresh, clean air before it entered her lungs.

The fire wasn't natural. It didn't crackle as it slowly consumed the oil coated wings of the many waterfowl and crows that made their home in the forest. There was rarely even the flickering light of flames, just the slow, smoldering decay of the corpse, consumed by growing embers as it flung smoke into the air. The ward around the palace worked on the fire as much as anything else, drawing almost every scrap of energy from it, the blaze barely keeping itself alight. From the heat of the flames to the kinetic force of the rising smoke, the ward stole the power, draining the energy once more into the deep caves that lead to nowhere, but that where everywhere, always underhoof.

From her vantage point atop the Canterlot Observatory, Captain Vigilance spotted the smoke, and alerted the remainder of the Royal Guard. Amid cries of "Fire!" and "Mobilize!" barked by the officers, Vigilance made her way to the throne room. "Excuse me everypony. There is an emergency that Princess Celestia must attend to. Please, leave the Palace for the time being." A chorus of protests, patently voiced only for self gratification, sounded at her announcement.

Once the last pony had left, Fancy Pants had inquired whether he could be of assistance, Vigilance stepped forward. "Princess, you have a standing order to notify you of any strange news about the Everfree. There is a column of smoke coming from near the center of the forest."

"The old Palace?" Celestia asked sharply, eye's widening in shock.

"I believe so. I have ordered the Guard into action, but their orders are only to ensure the blaze does not affect the town. If it does not near Ponyville, then they are to stand guard and keep the peace." Vigilance reported, a glint of pride in the effectiveness of her Guard lighting her eyes.

"Very well done Captain. Please, awaken my sister, and report the situation. Ask her to meet me as soon as she can."

"Yes, Princess." The Guard Captain snapped a salute, then turned and trotted down the entry hall.

Celestia looked over the balcony, facing the ominous pillar of rolling oily smoke billowing from the forest. "What has awakened? So many things are buried there."

"Sister!" Celestia's head snapped around at the voice. Luna galloped into the hall, eyes dilated in borderline panic. "Is it true? Are they back?"

"No little sister. If they were, we would doubtless have felt the vile energy. They aren't back, but something is happening there. Come, we must go and-"

"Not without me. Pardon the intrusion Princesses, but I am accompanying you."

"Captain Vigilance, while we appreciate your aid, we cannot-"

"Again, pardon the intrusion, but you have no say in the matter. I will go with you, I cannot allow you to face whatever is there alone."

"But we-"

"Sister! We do not have the time to argue, either incapacitate her or allow her to join us. We must go now though." Luna walked over to the balcony, watching the smoke. There was no need, no rhyme or reason, but both sisters felt that the pillar needed to be watched. Something might come out. The palace was a crypt to many of the more vile creatures of the world, and civilization as it was known would be erased from history if they were freed. Within the confine of the old building, death was not the end, and for some of those bound within, it was nothing but a momentary sleep. Should they return, nothing short of the direct intervention of the Goddesses themselves would save any remnants of ponykind from complete annihilation.

Twilight looked out of the tallest tower of her palace, watching the edge of the forest. Panning around, she set her sights away from Ponyville, to the barest hint of grass that heralded the great plains of the Zebras. Twilight lifted one of the jewels hidden in her saddle bags, a ruby infused with her magic. Taking careful aim, she launched the small crystal. As the crystal accelerated, a resounding boom thudded in the mares ears. In less time than it had taken to blink, the small gem had breached the sound barrier, its needled cone shape the only thing saving it from shattering under the force.

Twilight closed her eyes and broadened her senses, just as Celestia had once taught her. Because the ruby was charged with her personal blend of magic, she could sense the small gem, and sense its continued movement. Suddenly, the movement stopped. She opened her eyes, and ripped a hole in the fabric of reality. Every book and teacher taught that teleportation was accomplished by moving oneself through space instantly, simply disappearing nand reappearing at very nearly the same time. They were foolish. By linking two portions of space, then tearing matching holes in the reality at both places, she could simply walk between the spots, traveling farther, on less energy.Stepping through, she found herself stepping into the nearly unbearable heat of the Sarahi. The grass plains seemed endless, flat and intimidating.

Twilight winced at the burning pain of the sudden warmth. Quickly, the mare threw another ward about herself, anchoring this one to a gemstone fastened to a necklace. The choker had a set of flawless obelisks of different gemstones, from emeralds and amethysts to quartz and jet. The gems were not keyed to the spell, had no glyph to focus the energies. They would shatter, given enough time exposed to the magic, however that would take quite some time, and by then she planned on being once more ensconced in her new home.

The ward rapidly expanded with the abundant heat providing easy energy for the spell. Twilight ended the enchantment that made the ward grow as it worked, and linked the spell to her other saddlepack. It too was filled with gemstones, though unlike the needles she used to aim her teleportation, these where spheres. They had been made specifically to hold energy, and many already had a sea of power within them. As she traveled, the gems would store more and more power, just as the greater ward at her Palace did, power ready to be used at a moments notice. Raw magical power was one thing that Twilight had in spades. Much more useful was her mind, which allowed her to adapt the basic principles of Zecora's potions to store her magic. She lifted another needle, and sent it rocketing forward at a slight angle, knowing it would land eventually. In the meantime, the chilly breeze was quite comfortable.

A flash gave away the position of the Princesses and their stalwart companion. Unlike the Royals , Vigilance had not spent centuries practicing her magic. Even the relatively short trip from Ponyville was almost beyond the range of her abilities, and she hadn't the concentration to dampen the fallout. While far less than any unicorn she had ever seen, there was still power spilled into the surroundings. With only a gentle pop and a light akin to a flickering candle, Luna appeared beside the Captain.

"We are but a few minutes easy walk from the old Palace. Tread with care Captain." The moon goddess said, before melting away into the treeline. Vigilance followed, moving soundlessly through the carpet of dead pine needles.

Coming out behind the Princesses, at first Vigilance didn't see the source of the smoke she could almost taste. Moving in front of her charges, she gasped. Before her was a sight more grisly than anything the mare had seen in her life. In front of her, at the base of the pillar of smoke, were birds. The corpses of hundreds of birds, from crows to hawks, here and there the easily noticeable plumage of one of the great eagles could be seen. There was more death in this small clearing than the Captain of the Guard had ever seen in her life.

Finally the sight of the Princess of the Dawn drawing near the carnage snapped her out of her reverie. Trained instinct kicked in, and she rushed forward, baring the way. "No! Princess, I will go first. You both stay behind." The Captain paced forward slowly. Her horn was aimed before her, enough magic glowing about it to knock out anypony that it hit unconscious for a nice long sleep.

The power in her horn was the only thing that saved the mare from a very quick and possibly painful death. The tip of the horn met the invisible barrier of Twilight's ward, and a blast of magic sent the unicorn Captain flying. As she had held the spell ready in her horn, all of the unicorns magic had been focused into a single point. Unlike all the creatures littering the floor of the clearing whose magic was spread evenly throughout their little bodies, the Captain lived. The ward ripped the magic out of her, leaving a bleeding hole in her mind where magic had once bubbled. The force of the magic being pulled out of her had thrown the mare back, slamming her into one of the many trees.

Celestia was the first to reach the Vigilance's side, and gasped at the mangled sight of her back. It was a mess, blood and bark coating her hair from the wound on her spine. She had hit the tree hard enough to have the flaky bark of the pine lacerate her back, cutting almost to the bone. Of more shock than the fact of the injury though was its lack of healing. Unicorns, like all ponies, had magic flowing through their veins at least as much as blood. In earth ponies especially, that magic manifested in the almost miraculous ability for a ponies body to heal from injuries. The more powerful the unicorn, the more magic was running around inside them, keeping them hale and hearty. The unicorn Captain was not only strong, she had a natural affinity for both latent and active healing. Even unconscious, the injury should have at the very least stopped bleeding by now.

Celestia's thoughts were interrupted by a brutal shoulder to her side. Luna forcefully pushed her sister out of the way, and sent waves of energy pulsing into the fallen unicorn. The wound began to mend, the sides scabbing, then knitting themselves back together. Celestia began to inspect the mare for further injuries. Save a small burn on the tip of her horn, there was nothing. The Captain would be fine.

She turned once more to the Palace, wary of the unknown adversary now. It had stopped the Captain of her Royal Guard, possibly the best trained pony in Equestria. And Celestia could tell that the attack hadn't even been that. It wasn't even a real defense, it was just a simple ward. Wards were some of the most basic magics, very easy to create and modify, low in cost and when used well very very effective. In fact, most unicorns, Twilight being the only notable exception in centuries, used wards before they even knew what one was. Foals were often set the basic task of levitating a feather or similairly light object. Most often, rather than actually lifting the object, the colt or filly in question would place a simple repulsion ward between the object and the table, and the object would lift itself off the table.

This ward was different though. It was extremely powerful, far too powerful for it to be idle. It would be taking a great deal of a magic to sustain itself. Nopony, not even Celestia herself, could maintain a ward that strong and that large for more than a few minutes.

In which case, it must be drawing power from a focus. Nopony in Equestria knows how to link a spell to a focus though, I ensured that art died with the Batwings. Celstia thought with a grimace. The Batwings were a race of skeletal thin apes with large wings jutting from their emaciated spine. Hard to slay and strong of both arm and spell, the Batwings had delved into some of the darkest aspects of magic. They would bind a dying soul to a focus, granting them the power of that creatures magic for all eternity. That period of pony history was shrouded in mystery, and Celestia had ensured it stayed that way. In the end, she had been left no choice but to call down the stars on the creatures, incinerating them, and anypony they held captive, in a single, glorious attack. The few that had not perished in the assault were captured by Celestia, and the Princess had forced them into their own gems, binding their souls for all eternity. From that well of darkness and evil though, the Elements of Harmony had been born. If one of those monsters has returned to Equestria...

Celestia straightened, cutting the thought off. Pointing her horn before her, she loosed a bolt of concentrated sunlight at the ward. The spell, strong though it may be, was fragile. Faced with the power of the sun, it collapsed upon itself, shattering. Deep in the heart of the savanna, Twilight grunted in pain as the wards power backlashed into her, sending the mare to her knees.

So. They have received the message. Good. The mare stood, pulled the ruby from the ground, and sent it shooting ahead once more.

As the ward broke, a wave of cold slammed into the Princess, sending her back a pace in reaction. "Luna. Take her to a hospital. Stay with her."

"Sister, I canno-"

"GO!" Nopony, not even Princess Luna, could match the Sun Goddess in the use of the Royal Canterlot Voice. When it was rarely invoked, everypony who heard it tripped over themselves to comply, whether they were the target or not. Luna shut her mouth, grabbed the Captain, and teleported away. "Now. What are you?" Celestia whispered to herself, taking the first disgusting step towards the carrion. Stretching her wings, she flew over the pile of corpses, and opened the door to the Great Hall.

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A Goddess's Wrath

It only took a moment for the twin sisters to taste the powerful magic lacing the air as they stepped out of nothingness and into the bright sunshine warming Ponyville. The reek of the spell was almost impossibly potent, and Luna began coughing as it’s stench filled her lungs. More accustomed to controlling her responses, Princess Celestia’s nostrils simply flared wide as she inhaled.

Beside the pair, Valiant was gasping as her stomach churned. She was not quite as sensitive to the delicate natural balance of magic the way the alicorn’s were, but she was very sensitive for a unicorn. The cloying reek of unnatural magic was something that was making even the stoic and magically inert earth ponies of the town nervous.

“Sister?” Luna gasped, lungs empty from her violent hacking and wheezing. Her throat burned when the malignant air struck it, but biology demanded that she breath, and so she choked down a deep lungful. Her hoof came up to massage her throat, and she began to breathe shallowly, evenly, desensitizing herself to the wrongness of the magic. After several minutes, both alicorns were able to breath normally, with only the slight stinging pain of a migraine building, but for the moment suppressed.

Captain Valiant suffered far more than either of her charges, her body simply not as resilient and controlled as that of the alicorn’s. Though she was no longer coughing and struggling to simply breathe, her gasping inhalations were both painful, and sporadic. She wasn’t able to cope as well as the Princesses either, lacking their earth pony resilience and strength. It took her longer to straighten, and even then the burning pain of her gasps was almost unbearable.

It wasn’t unbearable though, and after shaking her head violently from side to side to rid herself of the mental haze her fit had left her in, she looked over at the two mares. They were both standing close together, and both were looking out over the body of the armored unicorn. Their wide eyes were fixed on the forest behind Valiant, and after a moment, she followed their gaze.

When she gasped, she didn’t even notice the pain that burned in her lungs.

The Everfree was... dead. There was no other word for it. A blanket of emotionless grey clouds hovered placidly above the forest, seeming to have collected around some giant, invisible dome. There was no flicker of lightning within the dull shapes, and even though she only had a laypony’s understanding of the way the weather patrol operated, she knew enough to know that so many dark clouds, so close together, would be creating the flicked sparks of ‘heat lightning’, lightning that arced from cloud to cloud, never touching the ground. Heat lightning would have illuminated the hulks though, sending a brilliant blue-white flash through the grey material.

There were no flashes. The clouds were simply resting there, as though whatever life they had had been drained away. Now, lacking the will to move despite the winds urging, they waited for their destruction.

The forest below the clouds was no more active. Every one of the pine trees, which the guard remembered from their recent trip to have been lush and green, if dark and foreboding, were now a uniform grey. Even the color of their dead needles had been siphoned away, leaving only the husk of the once vibrant life to disintegrate. And the forest seemed... separated. Like the trees were part of some other world, visible, but untouchable.

The wind, Valiant realized. The town was touched by a light breeze, stirring the warm air all around them. But the trees in the Everfree were utterly motionless. Not even the dead needles hanging from the branches of the once mighty pines moved with the wind.

“Mother...”

Valiant’s head whipped around, staring incredulously at the Princess. Had Celestia just... Yes. She had just whispered the word. The pain, the loss in her voice made Valiant shiver, suddenly terrified. Even when they had entered that hell within the Forest, the old castle crumbling where it stood, the Princess had not seemed afraid. She was angry, furious both at the blatant destruction that the pile of feathered corpses represented, and at herself for not having forseen the cause.

Valiant knew that something had happened to change the Princess. She had noticed it at once when the young unicorn, the Princess’s protege had left. She had darted into the room, feeling the ripple of teleportation magic in use, and had seen the flash as Twilight Sparkle disappeared. Since that day, Princess Celestia had been distracted, withdrawn, and... in anypony less noble, Valiant would have called her behavior foalish. She had acted like a school filly who had been rejected by her first love, going about her duties with an apathy Valiant had never seen before.

Then they had gone to the castle, and rescued the purple unicorns soul, or essence, or whatever. Luna had explained what happened to Valiant, but the guard was still unsure what exactly they brought back from that vile fortress.

When they had returned though, and Celestia had crafted a body for her beloved student, there had been a flash of such joy on the ancient face that Valiant had felt her heart soar. The Princess had been happy, truly happy, for the first time in so long.

Now this. It was almost more than the soldier could bear. Hearing that pain again, amplified into something with the length and breadth of the ocean, tore at her heart. She loved Princess Celestia. Not as a lover, there was never any hint at a visceral attraction to the alicorn, though Valiant wouldn’t deny her beauty. No, what she had was more pure than that. It was the simple, selfless love for her dearest friend. She would do anything for the Princess, to see her smile again. There would be hell to pay, if she had any say in the matter. Whoever, no, whatever had caused the Princess so much pain over the last months would suffer at Valiant’s hooves.

“Sister!”

Luna repeated herself, more forcefully this time. Rudely, she moved forward, and shoved her counterpart hard with her shoulder. Celestia’s trance broke as she stumbled, catching herself with a grace that was more habit than anything, and righted herself. It took a moment longer for her eyes to refocus though. They finally lost that far away, heartbroken sheen though, and the pupils sharpened as her head snapped around.

Valiant felt like cheering. That was the Princess she knew, the one she had sworn herself to. The mare who was kind, wise, and most of all, wickedly intelligent. Her gaze sharpened in that moment, and Valiant had seen a conviction just like her own there, before the Princess had looked up. A cold, clear fury at the source of her pain, and the determined intellect she had called forth to bring an end to her pain.

“Luna, it’s her.”

“I know, sister. I... I remember the feel of her magic.” Luna nodded towards the forest. “That tastes of her power as well, but it isn’t her working. I think... Celestia, do you think that Twilight bound her magic into a spell? That she could use Acshina to fuel a spell?”

“I know she is powerful enough to bind her magic to a spell. Twilight is more powerful than you are Luna. She could do it. But...”

“But she would have to be mad.” Valiant murmured. Both Princesses’ heads turned, Luna’s with reluctant agreement, but Celestia’s with a fierce denial. Valiant shook her head. “If this Acshina is as powerful as you say, then using her magic to power a spell is dangerous. If there is the slighest flaw, she would break free, and Twilight would have to weaken her prison to drain her magic. That is... madness.”

Celestia looked sharply at the unicorn. “Twilight isn’t mad. She’s confident in her ability, she is capable, and she is eccentric. She can do it, and she is careful. She would make certain that if Acshina broke free, she would be destroyed.

“Luna, does that barrier not strike you as strange?” Celestia’s eyes narrowed, shifting to look at the forest.

“Acshina’s power,” Celestia prompted, hearing nothing from her sister. “None of it is flowing out of the forest. It’s... Oh. Oh Light.”

“What is it, Tia?” Luna asked sharply. Her sister was never one to indulge in casual blasphemies. If she was invoking the Light... Then, Luna heard what her sister had said, and her eyes widened. “That ward, the one surrounding the Castle?”

Celestia nodded her head, still fixated on the silent forest. Her brow was knitted as she looked out over the gentle slopes of the hills leading to the forest, trying to unravel the tangle of magic surrounding the trees.

While the Princess was staring at the forest though, Valiant had recovered herself enough to recall her duties, and quickly scanned the area. They had appeared along a small dirt road leading out of the town, to the large apple orchard nearby she thought, and they seemed to be alone. There were some small flecks moving about the town, ponies going about their business, but none were approaching them. The only other things that moved beyond the stir of the leaves in the wind, were two dots running towards the town from the opposite side of Ponyville.

The white one fell, tumbling, before being hauled to its hooves by the orange one beside it, and taking off once more. They seemed to be in a panic, and from this distance, they couldn’t have been foals playing a game.

“Princess!” Valiant yelped, seeing an arcing crackle of black lightning spark down from behind the hill to two ponies were sprinting away from. There was a mild boom as the lightning struck, and a cloud of smoke billowed up, shrouding whatever was happening. Five guesses where Twilight Sparkle was though.

Both alicorns looked over at the guard captains shout, in time to see the cloud boil for an instant, before being drawn back down into whatever conflict was going on behind the hill. They stared hard at the hill, until the movement of the two ponies on the hill drew their attention.

“That can’t... Sister, are they the-”

“Yes,” Celestia cut her sister off, nodding curtly. Letting a trickle of magic flow through her horn, the ancient mare compressed the air before her, molding it into a smooth lens. Making some minor adjustments to the lens and its angle, she quickly brought the two ponies into focus.

Valiant gasped when she saw them. She recognized both ponies, how could she not? They were two of the Elements of Harmony, and they had saved the Princess when Valiant had failed her. Rarity and Applejack, she thought, but she wasn’t sure of any of their names except Twilight’s.

“Well,” She commented drily. “At least now we know where everypony is.”

Twilight avoided another bolt of sable electricity, and this time landed with her hooves under her. Before her adversary could take aim once more, Twilight flooded her horn with magic, and the dust cloud thrown into the air by the narrowly dodged attack came flying back at the black pony. It tore at the mare’s body as the dust and sand and dirt came flying back down from where they had been thrown.

With a sudden, creative flourish, Twilight set the dust cloud spinning about Acshina. While not nearly as deadly as the black energy being hurled at her constantly, Twilight’s cloud was both painful, and more importantly, obscuring. It gave the flagging mare a moment to breath.

The spell warding the borders of the Everfree were severely limiting the energy that Acshina could send into her vessel, but the energy was never ending. If Twilight didn’t change the situation soon, she would find herself growing more and more exhausted from her magical exertions. After that, it would only take a second’s hesitation to find herself eating one of those black bolts. Either she could risk death by fighting while she could barely stand, or she could risk her entire plan, everything she had spent months orchestrating and tap into the power humming through the crystal caverns beneath her hooves.

She gritted her teeth, letting her upper body fall forward into a light crouch. Before her, the power Twilight had sensed gathering erupted in a torrent of black light, and a vortex appeared within the dust cloud. It spun faster and faster, and soon the inverted cone had gathered all of the small shards of rock and smoke at its apex. Then the whirlwind shifted, folding up upon itself, compressing the minutia it had collected.

Rather than form a loose ball of painful, but essentially harmless flotsam, the particulates began to glow red, then orange, then a bright white. The molten rocks quickly fashioned themselves into a long, pointed shape, and the black mare revealed as the maelstrom died away grinned evilly at Twilight.

With a grunt, she hurled the spear, and tendrils of black power trailed behind it, twisting and writhing as it flew. Ready for the attack, and with the violet magic already wavering about her horn, Twilight vanished. Being trapped in a mystic prison for centuries hadn’t dulled the dark power’s mind though. She had been watching Twilight as the mare shifted and dodged attack after attack, only taking the offensive when she had successfully circumvented Acshina’s own.

She had also found that, now that the damnable unicorn was tiring, her teleportations had begun to follow a pattern, ending about three quarters of the way directly across from where she started. It was a good strategy, because completing the semicircle would quickly become an obvious ploy, and one that could be exploited. However, the last several attacks had been dodged in the same manner, and Acshina was growing confident she could anticipate the mare’s reappearance. So as the unicorn’s eyes shut in momentary concentration, she whirled, and loosed another bolt of energy, just as Twilight appeared.

Twilight only had time to open her eyes before the energy slammed into her, piercing the hastily constructed shield she threw up in its path as though passing through air. The contact sent Twilight flying, bouncing painfully off of the sloping hill once more. With a grin of delighted triumph twisting the madmare’s mouth, she sent bolt after bolt after the small body. Each attack sent another burst of agony through Twilight, and forced her to repeat her bouncing flight away from the black mare.

A final attack hit Twilight in midair, and her limp form fell behind the grassy hill, finally spared the bloody onslaught. The attack sent pain rippling along her spine, and she felt something make a sickening crunch when she landed. She lay there for a moment, struggling to reclaim the breath that had been knocked out of her. She couldn’t keep taking punishment like this, there was a limit to how much she could withstand before something truly irrevocable happened.

“Celestia-” She gasped, struggling to her hooves. Her words were cut off by a cough, and a fine spray of blood misted the grass before her.

Broken ribs. The thought echoed through her mind, calm and detached. Twilight latched onto that, letting the sense of chilly serenity fill her once more, washing away the niggling emotions. You need to find a healer soon, or the holes they tore in your lung will be impossible to repair. You can still use that power. If you die, then there is nothing that it will ever be good for. Better to be set back years than to die.

Suddenly, Twilight’s heart gave a painful throb. The thought of going years without seeing the Princess again...

“I’d rather die.” She grunted, taking a shallow breath. “So hurry up, you stupid mare.”

Her eyes flicked up to the crest of the hill, where a burst of black light signaled Acshina’s reappearance. Twilight couldn’t afford to attack, not as weakened as she was. The assault would drain the last of her strength, and if she died, then the town behind her would fall as well.

The evil pony tossed her head back, and laughed. It sent a shiver through Twilight, recognizing the voice of Nightmare Moon returned.

“You see?” The creature screamed. “You never stood a chance. You’ve weakened me, you filthy pony. You’ve all but severed my power, and you STILL CAN’T WIN!”

“You haven’t noticed?” Twilight grinned, before coughing again. “I haven’t been fighting you.”

“You’re afraid to attack me, as you should be. I could crush you like an insect, and you know it.” The black mare threw her head back, and another spear of power shot into the clouds overhead. The thin grey blanket covering the sky began to spin slowly, darkening as more and more clouds were pulled into the thunderhead.

“Or I’ve been stalling.” Twilight’s grin became something fierce, like a cat that has spotted a particularly fat mouse.

The black mare’s face went blank for a moment, quickly running through and discarding idea after idea. Then she laughed again. “Hardly. You cannot trick me, Twilight Sparkle. I’ve shared your mind since you were a foal.”

“Oh?” Twilight whispered, feeling the long awaited pulse of warm power echo from the town. “You forgot my teacher.”

Celestia had taken a moment to bring them all to the fleeing mares on the hillside, and then taken them back to the farm on the other side of town. She had fretted every moment, but her duty was to her subjects. She had to make sure they were safe first, then she could find the monster attacking her student.

It had taken several long, heart pounding moments to get any coherent information from the panicked Elements. When she had finally gotten a gasping explanation that somepony was attacking Twilight, and that it had been disguised as their friend until recently, Celestia’s blood had nearly frozen. When they had finally caught their breath, and told her what the vile creature had done to them all, and Fluttershy especially, the frozen blood had become a pulsing fire that burned through her veins.

She hadn’t waited for any more explanation from the pair, and her horn had erupted with power. She had transported all four ponies with her, appearing with a muffled boom on the dusty ground surrounding the Apple family’s barn. Their arrival sent a cloud of dust into the air, but Celestia wasn’t paying attention.

Looking back towards the hill near Fluttershy’s cabin, she could see a column of clouds beginning to swirl and boil. Shadowy energy sparkled and crackled through the clouds, and she could just make out a black form far in the distance. Adjusting her aim at the last instant before her spell activated, she directed her power to send her to the crest of the hill as well.

She was going to end this villain, and she was going to do so with the utmost pleasure.

The choking veil of power washed over her again as she appeared on the hilltop, but vastly more concentrated now. Behind her she heard a pair of bodies fall to the ground, and knew that Valiant had succumbed to the miasma, and that her sister was little better. Concern for the pair of them abruptly took a backseat to rage. A black head less than a dozen paces away tilted back in a laugh, and an arc of lightning struck the ground near the base of the hill.

Rage filled Celestia, hearing a scream in the fading echo of the lightning strike. She knew Twilight’s voice, even raised in that agonized tone, and the thought of this moster harming her student, her beloved little Twilight.

It took Celestia a moment to return to herself, lost in the pain of that cry. When she did finally come back though, the rage was gone. As swiftly as closing a valve on a faucet, the burning fury left her, replaced by a frozen determination. Without taking her impassive eyes from the cackling mare, screaming something about being unstoppable, Celestia opened herself to the sun high above.

Then, as the primal energy of that heavenly orb burned its way through her body, Celestia’s eyes opened. The lavender eyes were gone, replaced by a flickering, golden fire. Locking her gaze upon the mare gathering energy to once again attack her precious student, Celestia released the pent up rage, the burning agony and the unstoppable fury of the sun.

In that last instant, Acshina whirled, feeling the sudden rush of power. Her reptilian eyes, the eyes she had given Nightmare Moon when she had corrupted her sister, widened in sudden fear.

The heavens parted above the monster, and she, and the hill she had been standing upon, disintegrated. The fury of the sun lashed out, channeled into a tight beam of holy fire, immolating everything in its path, be it cloud, dirt, or demonic goddess. Celestia glared into that brilliant light, wings flared out behind her. She watched as her enemy, the creature that had caused so much suffering, burned before her, silhouetting her white body like an avenging angel wreathed in righteous flames.

“Stay in hell this time.” She growled, and the light faded.

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