Harmony Divided

Chapters

Sunday: Lifeless Sand
Monday: The Silence of Laughter
Tuesday: A scratch in the Diamond
Wednesday: Truths within lies
Thursday: Half of the story
Friday: Friends and foes
Saturday: The New Monarchy (finale)

Sunday: Lifeless Sand

The sun rises. The windows light up and the ponies of Ponyville awaken. Twilight gets out of bed, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She looks around, still getting used to the new castle. Standing up, she walks around and makes a cup of tea to wake up even more. "Morning Twilight." Spike says walking by.

"Good morning Spike. How was your first night sleep in the new castle?"

"Same as the library, it just feels a bit more, I don't know, empty I guess." Twilight can't disagree. No books, no shelves, bigger building, it all seems like it grew overnight.

"Well, I think that-" banging comes from a window. Twilight opens the curtain and jumps back.

"Twilight! Town square, now!" Rainbow Dash flies off.

"Wait, why?! Ugh, Spike, I'll be back." She runs out of the house and into the square. Coughing and gagging, she looks up to only see a cloud of smoke. "Oh no." She sees ponies throwing water on the building. "Applejack!" She pulls her aside. "What's going on?"

"Twi', you've got to help. This building caught on fire. We thought it was cleared out but there is a filly inside screaming. RD flew in to save her but she hasn't come back out. We don't-" a crack comes from the building. Wood falls to the ground and a dusty, grey and partially burnt Rainbow Dash flies to the ground with a bundle of wood in her hooves.

"T-this isn't her?! No! Sky!" She gets in the air but is knocked back down onto the ground. The building collapses and the fire spreads across the grass. Rainbow sits there, her mouth wide open and eyes huge. Applejack runs over.

"RD, RD snap out of it! Rainbow Dash!" Applejack slaps her face. Rainbow flinches, but just barley.

"She, she's gone. She's gone and, and it's, it's all my fault."

"Rainbow now listen, I don't know what went on in there but you have to forget about it, or at least for now. Help us get this fire out and we will talk about it after." Applejack runs back over to help Big Mac.

Twilight trots over. "Rainbow, you need to get away from here. Just go and take a minute to yourself." Rainbow doesn't move. "Fine." Twilight levitates her to her own house. On the way she sees ponies with buckets of water running in the other direction, back to the fire. She puts her on the floor and Rainbow just sits there silent. "Rainbow, are you ok?"

"She, died. I failed her, I didn't save her. I could have but, but I, I didn't."

"Rainbow, please, what happened inside?" No response. "You don't need to tell me everything, just please tell me what happened in general." Rainbow takes in a slow, deep breath, then let's it out.

...

Rainbow flies into the building through a window. "Hello?!" She begins coughing and tearing up from the smoke. Flames surround the exit.

"Hello?" A quiet, small voice calls out.

"Where are you?!"

"The closet near the stairs." Rainbow walks over to a set of stairs and opens the door beneath them. Inside is a cyan-blue, red hair and tailed pegasus filly. "I'm scared, what's happening?"

"N-nothing, I'll get you out, I prom-" a pice of wood falls in between them. "Ok, ok, uh... think Dash think, ok. I'll..." She trails off, coughing and crying from smoke. "What's your name?"

"Sky falcon."

"Do you have a cutie mark?"

"Yes, it represents art and drawing."

"Alright, Sky, once we get out of here you can draw to your hearts content, okay?" She nods. "Just keep thinking of that picture, how about a nice scene with trees, and, and grass! Yeah, grass and birds." While talking, she moves wood out of the way to get to the filly. "Ok, now I need you to-" smoke is blown upwards and into her eyes. She is forced to close them. "Get in my hooves!" She closes her eyes which are now filled with tears to the point of zero visibility and are severely stinging. She feels something in her hooves after a crack. "Ok, here we go!"

"Wait!" Rainbow flies off, crashing through a wall. "No!" She crashes into the grass, coughing and wiping away her tears. She opens her hooves and wood falls onto the grass. It fell into her hooves from the roof after the crack.

"T-this isn't her?! No! Sky!" The building collapses.

...

"Sky! Sky please! Sky!"

"Rainbow!" Twilight yells near her ear. Rainbow's hearing goes for a second but returns.

"Rainbow, there was nothing you could have done. It wasn't your fault, don't blame yourself." Twilight sits across from her. "You could have died trying to save her, there is no shame in any of this."

"Except for the fact that I traded wood for a pony."

"But you tried, and that's more than anyone could have asked of you."

"You weren't there Twilight! You didn't hear her screaming as you left, and just kept going because you thought she forgot a teddy bear or something, just to find she was screaming because you forgot her!" It goes quiet. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"No no. It's fine, I understand. Just, please Rainbow, don't-" The door opens and Applejack walks in.

"Twi', the fire was started by a pony." Twilight slowly stands.

"Wait, what? But, how do we know for sure?" She asks.

"There is a trail of burnt grass going all the way back to the woods. At the end is a giant circle of burnt grass and dirt. A pony started this fire, and I intend to find out why. We have a murder mystery on our hands."

Monday: The Silence of Laughter

Twilight wakes up, pushing the sheets off of her. Yesterday felt like a nightmare to everyone, but especially Rainbow Dash. She stayed at Twilight's for the night and began going insane, yelling "Harmony is dead" and "I've broken loyalty", so needless to say it wasn't an easy night sleep.

Twilight tip toes out of the house and begins walking to PinkiePie's. She should be trying to find out who started the fire, but instead checks on her friend first as Pinkie doesn't do well with sad things. She knocks on the door which opens on it's own. "Hello?" She walks in and immediately trips on something. She looks back to find a pan and moldy cupcakes on the floor.

She wipes off the cupcakes and mold and continues. Walking in a bit further, the room becomes darker and more depressing. Food litters the ground, pots and pans are scattered everywhere, and no light switches are responding. She walks over to the stairs. "Pinkie? Are you there?" Still nothing. Twilight slowly goes up the stairs blind, holding onto the wall as the railing is slippery for no obvious reason. She gets to the door and slowly opens it. "Pinkie?"

Inside is black as night. The windows are blacked out with masking tape, the lightbulbs are all broken in one corner, and gummy is asleep under multiple clothing assortments. In the background is a noise of nonstop, inaudible mumbling. There is a moving lump of sheets on the bed that seems as though it is going with the noise. "Pinkie, it's me, Twilight, are you ok?" No response, but the mumbling increases. "Hello?"

"T-they didn't care about her. They, they didn't try to save her. I tried, oh I tried, but I-" "Shut up you worthless pony, you didn't try, you wanted this to happen." "No I didn't, I honestly wanted her to live, I-" "You saw him, you knew what he was doing, you didn't stop him at all, you just allowed him to go on with his Mary way." "I didn't think he would really do it though." "Yes you did, don't lie to yourself."

Twilight stands at the door, steadily becoming unnerved. She walks over and pulls the sheet off the bed. This reveals a pink pony rocking back and forth, her hair a mess, her body covered with pastries and condiments, and her eyes going in and out of focus. "PinkiePie, look at me, are you ok?" Pinkie looks at her, making Twilight flinch. Her eyes are clouded and her hair is both fuzzy and straight, half and half.

"Twilight?" Pinkie stares at her, a mess of emotions showing on her face. She doesn't say anything else, just stares.

"Um, are you f-felling ok Pinkie?" Nothing. "Listen, if you-"

"I don't know who did it!" Twilight jumps.

"O-ok, I'll just-"

"He was making a circle, a circle! And then fire encased him but he got away, he got awaaaaay." She breaks down into tears. Twilight quickly stumbles out of the room and then the building, tripping and stepping over all the junk littering the ground. She slams the door behind her, breathing heavily and shaken up. She takes a minute to recuperate, looks back at the happy-looking building, and just walks away.

"I bet Pinkie isn't the only one." Twilight says to herself. Walking through the Town square, it looks as though the town is abandoned. All of the windows are closed, the doors are partially open and the streets are dusty. Of the very few ponies she sees she only recognizes one, and that one barely looked like themself. The population of Ponyville has dropped by seven percent which, in the long run, affects the town is almost every single way.

Opening the door to the castle, Twilight sees Rainbow Dash carving lines into the side of a wall. Instead of getting mad, Twilight looks closely at the lines. Slowly she realizes that the lines are making a building. The building is the one that burnt down, and to the right of the building is a X. Rainbow continues carving for the rest of the day.

Twilight walks back out, letting Rainbow continue carving in peace. She walks to the trail of burnt grass, sneaking by all of the ponies mourning over the building that's now a pile of ash. Remembering the X in the carvings, she walks to the right of the building and follows another trail. It isn't burnt grass, but rather coal on the ground, just small enough to not be easily noticed. She follows the coal to a cave with a gate blocking it off. She removes the gate using her magic and enters.

Walking through the cave, her bravery quickly escapes her as the eerie sounds and feelings get to her. "Come on Twilight, just keep walking." She says to herself, hearing what sounds like whispering and breathing. Hearing a voice that is almost perfectly audible she stops walking. Sitting for about a minute she takes a rest and then continues. "Finally." She sees the back of the cave and finds a diamond. Then two more after that and she recognizes the shape of them. She skips a breath, shocked.

"Twilight?" She looks behind her then back at the diamonds. In fear she hides behind a rock. "Twilight darling? It's me, Rarity, where are you?" Rarity walks in front of the rock. "Twilight? Rainbow told me you're hear." Twilight's hoof slips on a rock. Rarity looks over. "Twilight?" She walks towards the rock but hears a sound behind her now. Then multiple rock fall around her. "I'm just going to guess Rainbow lied." She trots out of the cave. Twilight stands up and looks at the diamonds again. She walks out of the cave, both scared and intrigued. Did she really do it? Could Rarity really kill?

"There's only one way to find out. Rarity!"

Tuesday: A scratch in the Diamond

The sun rises. Two days have passed since the incident. Twilight opens her eyes, pushing branches out of her way. She fell asleep in a bundle of bushes near Rarity's house just for the sake of not having to walk in the morning. She stands, multiple bones popping into place. She walks to the door but is immediately hit in the nose by it swinging open. "Twilight darling! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. What brings you here so early?"

"Rarity, we need to talk."

"Um, ok, come in come in." Rarity holds the door and shuts it behind them. Twilight skips a breath out of surprise. The room is cluttered with clothing articles that litter the entire room. The floor that was here is no longer visible, being replaced by multi-colored shirts that either have no neck hole or several extra holes for the wearer.

"Rarity, what happened?" Twilight asks, clearing a pile of clothes to sit on a couch.

"It's been, hard, in recent days. I've had so many orders requiring articles of clothes in memory of Sky that I've been struggling to get even one done, and if I do get it done then it's done wrong because I'd think I'm working on another order rather than that one. It's been, difficult to say the least." Twilight finally sits.

"I came over to talk with you about Sky actually. Are you aware that someone started the fire?" Rarity drops the needle that she is holding.

"Someone purposely killed her?"

"Yes. And I'm trying to find out who." Rarity walks over. "Have you heard about a cave to the right of the building that was burnt down?"

"Why of course, that's where I found my first diamond to decorate some of my first clothes, why?" Twilight starts pacing.

"I was there yesterday and I found something of interest." Rarity goes to talk but Twilight immediately cuts her off. "There were three diamonds in the cave. They weren't anything special, just three, simple, little, innocent diamonds." She walks up to Rarity. "In the shape of a certain cutie mark I know." Rarity processes this.

"W-wait darling, you're not accusing me of anything, are you?"

"I never said that, but you just did." Tension builds in the air.

"You can't be serious darling, I would, no, could never do such a thing. To take another living life? It's just, just-"

"Sensical?" Rarity gasps. "It would only make sense for you to burn it down, regardless of life. The building was selling clothes, albeit with other accessories, but still had a much better business than you. And it would be such a shame to loose business over a single family making a great living, so why not take out the competition?"

"I can not believe you Twilight Sparkle! Accusing one of your best friends of murder, I can not believe it! This is not how Princess Celestia taught you!" Rarity tenses up.

"And this isn't how I had hoped this conversation would go. You're guilty, admit it!"

"The only thing I am guilty of is being friends with a cynical vigilante!" Rarity uses her magic to throw kitchen supplies onto the ground. She throws a costume on Twilight and rushes out the door.

"Get back here!" Twilight yells, chasing after her. They run through the town, one chasing another, knocking over ponies and stands with items being sold on top of them. Twilight uses her magic to drop multiple barrels in front of Rarity, but Rarity just teleports to the other side. Twilight does the same, gaining ground slowly. They run to a cliff, stopping in their tracks. "Not guilty?! You are going to have a lot to answer for Rarity, a lot."

"I am innocent, you're chasing the wrong pony!"

"If you were innocent then I wouldn't have to chase you! Admit you killed Sky!"

"It wasn't me! It was-" she cuts herself off.

"What? Too afraid to admit it?"

"N-no, it's just, it wasn't me!" She kicks up dirt and begins to run. Twilight grabs her tail and pulls her to the ground. She blinks away the dirt but is bucked off and Rarity runs away.

"Wait, no!" Twilight looks around the area but to no avail. She sighs. Maybe Rarity really didn't do it, maybe she was framed. But why would anyone frame her?

"Twilight." Twilight turns and flinches. In front of her is Rainbow Dash, her coat different shades of blue and her mane almost completely black.

"Rainbow, you look awful. You should be-"

"I know who did it, and you just let them get away." Rainbow stands still, staring with cold, dead eyes.

"How do you know she did it? It could have been a pony that looked like her, or-"

"No, trust me, she did it. I saw her run away when I dropped to the ground, I tried calling to her but she just kept running. Her tail was partially burnt but I thought it was because she was too close to the building. I was wrong."

"And how do you know you were wrong?" Rainbow hands her a picture.

"This is the picture from the newspaper. Look in the bottom right corner." Twilight squints at the picture. There is a steady, small flame going to the right. Near it is a white blob with purple on top and behind it.

"I can't believe it. I've seen this picture a thousand times, but I never looked there before. She really did it."

"Yes, yes she did. But I can almost assure you she didn't work alone. Rarity doesn't have the backbone to just kill someone for biussness." Rainbow walks forward.

"Do you know who made her do it?"

"No, but I know how we can find out. How about we go serve some justice?"

Wednesday: Truths within lies

"Rainbow, please, we have been looking all night, I don't think we will find her." Twilight says, sitting on the grass. Rainbow continues walking.

"No, we can find her soon. Just keep going." Rainbow bucks a bush, knocking off a few branches.

"No, I'm done." Twilight flops over. "No one has seen Applejack all day, looking for her is pointless. I think calling it quits after looking for twelve hours is warranted."

"Fine, do what you want, but I refuse to give up. We need answers and Applejack is the only pony we can trust. She'd never lie." Twilight sighs. As much as she would hate to admit it, Rainbow is right. She gets back up and walks north. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"To her barn." Rainbow double backs at the bush then runs to catch up with her.

"We've already checked there, what else is there to do at the barn?"

"Question the others." They get to the door and knock. Applebloom opens it.

"Howdy Twilight! Hey Rainbow Dash! How..." She stops after seeing the mis-colored Rainbow. "Are you ok Rainbow Dash?"

"I'm fine kid, may we come in?" Applebloom opens it fully and walks to the side. The two mares walk in and start looking inside of hay stacks and barrels.

"What are you two doing? Did you loose something?" Applebloom asks, wanting to help.

Twilight walks up to her. "Have you seen your sister Applejack lately? We need to ask her some questions."

"Why? Did she do somethin' wrong?"

"Actually the opposite, she can help us with an issue we have."

"Oh! Oh! I can help!" Applebloom yells, making Twilight jump.

"No, sorry, you can't." Applebloom frowns. "But what would help is if you told us where she went."

"And that would help you? So that means I'd still be helping?"

"Exactly." Applebloom smiles hugely.

"Ok, wait here." Applebloom runs out the barn.

"Well while you handled that, I found this." Rainbow tosses a bucket to Twilight. It falls over and coal spreads around the bucket. "Ring any bells?"

"But, but it's Applejack. She would never do that. Right?"

"Twilight, in times like these, everyone is a suspect. Everyone." Twilight stares at the black dust surrounding the bucket. Rainbow's words echoed in her mind, "In times like these, everyone is a suspect. Everyone." Does that mean even Rainbow is a suspect? What about herself? Will others look at her as a suspect of murder?

"The Everfree!" Applebloom yells, running into the barn. She trips on the bucket and rolls, getting covered with black dust. "Oops." Twilight smirks.

"Thank you Applebloom." She stands and salutes. Twilight salutes back, calls over Rainbow Dash and heads out. They get to the edge of the Everfree when they hear a scream. "What was-" a tree lands in between hem. Rainbow goes to fly but Twilight uses magic to stop her. "We need to see if we can wait this one out." Another scream comes from the forest. Twilight lets go and they dart in and find a Hydra chasing something, knocking over trees and heading towards them.

Rainbow flies into the air without hesitation and grabs the Hydra's attention. Twilight runs in and sees Applejack running. "Applejack! Stop!" She bumps into her side, making her loose her balance. Applejack falls but hits a slope with a rock at the end, coming to a slow stop. Twilight scrapes out and hits into the side of a boulder, knocking her unconscious. Rainbow leads the hydra away.

"Twi'? Twi' where are you?" Twilight slowly sits up, her head ringing. "Twilight! Are you ok sugarcube?"

"I'm fine. Do you mind telling me what in the world you were in the Everfree Forest?" Applejack freezes up.

"I, I uh, I needed to go see Zecora! Yeah, and she needed some supplies so I got them for her and I gave them to her." Twilight scowls.

"You're a bad liar." Applejack flinches.

"I ain't lying, I'd never-"

"How are you connected to Sky's murder?" Twilight asks furiously.

"I ain't connected what so ever! I'd never harm another pony, ever! Besides, Flutters was forced to do it, she had no choice! It was either Sky or her, and even though she wanted herself, Sky was next in line to die and that saved Fluttershy, so don't go dragging me into this!" Twilight feels her jaw drop by itself.

"Fluttershy? She did, what?"

"Oh, you didn't, know that, she... huh." Applejack blankly stares at Twilight before bolting the other way. Twilight shakes her head then runs after her.

"Wait! Come back here!" Applejack turns a corner but is knocked over by a branch that flew inwards. Rainbow walks from behind a tree. "Good job Dash. Now as for you Applejack, what did you mean by Fluttershy doing something?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all! I lied!"

"And why would you lie?"

"I didn't!"

"You just said you did."

"I-I don't, we didn't, she never, get away from me!" She kicks up and knocks Rainbow over, then bolts past them. Twilight goes to run but is stopped by Rainbow Dash.

"Twilight, I think we need to go see Fluttershy instead." Twilight looks at Rainbow then back to Applejack.

"Fine, good idea. But may we please get some sleep first?"

Thursday: Half of the story

Twilight sits up, rubbing her eyes and smelling the morning air. "Hello?" She calls out, not expecting an answer. Spike went on a trip to Canterlot on royal duty so the castle should be empty, herself not included. She gets up and steps on the floor. It's softer than normal, almost like fur. She continues walking to the kitchen, but the more she walks the more the floor starts feeling like it's moving. She gets halfway but stops, seeing the shadow of a pony in the doorway. "Excuse me, is there something I can help you with?" The shadow doesn't move. Twilight slowly walks forward.

"No! Stay away, please!" She turns and starts running in place, still a shadow. Twilight walks up to it and puts a hoof on her. The pony is light up and she stares at Twilight. Twilight starts yelling as the moment she touches the pony her hoof caught on fire. The pony walks towards her.

"S-sky?!"

"Why didn't she save me? She killed me! Killed me! Killed me! Killed-"

"Twilight!" Twilight jumps, falling out of bed. She stands up, her eyes out of focus and her mouth dry.

"W-what happened? Where is she? Where did she go?"

"Twilight, who are you talking about?" Twilight slows down, looking at the door way. "Look, it was a bad dream. Now can we please go to Fluttershy's?" Twilight stares at the room.

"Alright, yeah ok, let's go." Twilight pushes past Rainbow and out the door.

"Well you're excited." Rainbow says, keeping up with the trotting Twilight.

"I need to figure this out. If we don't get the killer by the end of the week, I don't think Ponyville will survive."

"Well, in that case we only have three days, and that includes today."

"I know." They trot past Pinkie who is arguing over fruit with the pony who is selling it. Rainbow looks back but puts it out of her mind. They reach the cottage, Twilight going to open the door but Rainbow stoping her.

"Wait, are we sure we want to interrogate Fluttershy? I mean, she wouldn't last very long under accusations of murder." Twilight just looks at her and opens the door. "Alright, but I warned you."

"Fluttershy?" Twilight asks, walking into the nearly abandoned cottage. The floors are all dusty, there are no animals walking in the house, it is extremely quiet and on top of it all the door to Fluttershy's room is open. Twilight enters, Rainbow close behind her while trying to find any sign of life. The bed is ridden with messy sheets and droppings from wild life. "Where could she be?"

"I don't know, but right about now i don't exactly want to find out, let's come back later." Twilight hesitates but agrees, there's no point in chasing a ghost in a forest. They go to leave but hear a noise in the living room.

"I'll go check it out." Twilight slowly heads down stairs and into the room, peaking around the corner.

Inside of the room is a red, hysterical Fluttershy rushing around the room clearly looking for something. "Mice!" Twilight jumps, thinking she referred to her. "Mice! Wake up! Come on, we need to hide this, now!" Fluttershy shoves something brown and red through the small Mouse hole. "Keep it there and don't let anyone, and I mean ANYONE see it. Got it?! Good." Fluttershy turns and sees Twilight. "NO!" She goes to fly out the window but Twilight manages to hold her with magic.

"And what exactly should we not see?"

"N-nothing, ha, haha, nothing! Nothing and you have no proof! None! Haha!" She begins laughing uncontrollably.

"Fluttershy! Snap out of it! Fluttershy!" A blue hoof comes from the left and smacks the yellow Pegasus.

Rainbow picks her up. "What do you mean no proof? Tell me!"

"I did it, oh yes, I did it. But I had reasons, reasons that you, and you, neither of you would ever understand. And once I got the feeling of power, of being able to have a direct impact on another life, I wanted more. I needed more, more power, more fun, more struggles, just more. And in doing so, I have learned that some of my animals are Carnivores, preferring meat to regular plants. So go ahead, throw me in jail. Throw me in the deepest, darkest, most demanding parts of Hell that there is, but just know that i didn't work alone. Bonnie had Clyde, Jefferson had Hamilton, Celestia had-" A second slap interrupts her.

"You will pay for what you have done!" Rainbow brings her face to face. "I will personally find out why you did it, and I will personally see that the punishment fits the crime. You and old Dashie are going to fun times ahead." Rainbow throws her to the ground. "Twilight, we've found the killer. Thank you, from all of Ponyville." Rainbow nods and leaves, dragging a laughing Fluttershy behind her.

"This will only last temporarily! I will be found innocent, and others will be convicted! I am innocent!" Twilight shuts the door, blocking out Fluttershy's laughing and screaming.

"That, that doesn't seem right. No, no there is no way that Fluttershy of all pomies would have voluntarily murdered Sky. Something is going on here, something more that I intend to find out." Twilight stands lost in thought. "I've interviewed all of them. Rarity ran away, Applejack fought to get away, Pinkie never even gave me a chance, Fluttershy admitted to it, Rainbow... wait a minute. Rainbow was never asked any questions, she just helped me. And her mane was completely gray, just like... charcoal. No, no! Rainbow Dash! Get back here!"

Friday: Friends and foes

Twilight runs through town, dogging shadows in the black of night. It has just turned Midnight and Twilight is chasing after Rainbow, suspecting her of having ties with the murder. She runs into multiple ponies and stands, never cutting off her sight with Rainbow. "Stop right now Rainbow Dash, I'm warning you!" Rainbow stays at a steady pace away from her as they go through the town. Applejack joins Twilight, running along side her.

"Twilight! I know what is happening!" They stop, letting Rainbow get away.

"Then what? What could possibly be happening that you would want to tell me after fighting me to keep silent about it?"

"She made her do it! She wanted her to die so she could take her spot!"

"Wait, slow down, who did what because why?" Applejack facehoofs.

"Ok, listen. Rainbow forced Fluttershy to kill Sky." Twilight chuckles.

"Really, why then? Fluttershy would never, ever kill another just because she was told to. Shs may be feeble, but she is not boneless."

"Isn't she? What do you think she was yelling about? Accidentally leaving an animal for dead and having a lust for blood? No, she killed sky and enjoyed the power seeing as though she never has any. She wanted more, so she then killed four pets because of a fi-"

"She what?! No, this isn't making any sense. She wouldn't, she didn't, and she loves her animals. Get out of my way, stop lying, and make yourself useful." Twilight goes to run but is caught on the tail by Applejack.

"Rainbow made her kill Sky because it creates sympathy for her. By failing to save Sky she now looks like a tragic hero who failed the most important task for another pony, raising her popularity by just trying to save her. She expects this to be increased by catching the killer who murdered the pony she failed to save, and in turn see the princesses due to the popularity." Twilight sinks it all in.

"But, if what you're saying is true, then why would she want to see the princesses?"

"She want's to overthrow them and divide Equestria." Applejack jumps, being surprised by Rarity.

Twilight grows angry. "What are you doing here?"

"To tell you that Rainbow-"

Applejack interrupts. "We know, but what does she want to divide Equestria for?"

Rarity walks in front of them. "To create the Pegasi the master race. She thinks that they are meant to run Equestria and make all the decisions. We need to stop her." Twilight hates to admit it, but she needs their help.

"I want to know how you two know all of this later, but right now we need an idea." She whips out a pice of paper and starts drawing on it. "Ok, I have a plan. first we-" She is interrupted by the mayor running at her.

"Twilight Sparkle! You and your friends are under arrest for accompanying a convicted murderer by the word of Rainbow Dash!" Twilight turns, pushes Rarity and Applejack and starts forcing them to run.

"Ok girls, keep up with me and stay close." She starts running ahead of them and disappears into the darkness. Rarity and Applejack run from the mayor who now has three guards behind her. A tree snaps and falls over, blocking the guards and mayor from following them. Twilight rejoins the group. "We need to get to RD, do either of you know where she is?"

"Right here." Rainbow flies in front of them, Fluttershy on her back. "I'm sure they already told you what my plans are, but don't worry, this isn't a cliché movie, I won't kill you. But I can't let you get away either, so pick your poison; do you want me to take you in peacefully, or do you want to make this harder than it has to be?"

"You'll never get away with this!" Twilight runs forward, only to run at Fluttershy who is on the ground. "Wait, where did-" She is knocked to the side, Rainbow slamming into her. She struggles to get up and walks over to Fluttershy.

"Don't worry about her, she isn't hurt... yet." Rainbow runs at Twilight, knocking her over for a second time. "Shame, I thought you'd be more of a challenge. You know, with your super magic and all." She walks twords her but is tripped by Twilight spinning and catching her hooves. She jumps on top of her.

"Why would you do this?! Why do you want a segregated world to live in?! What would there be to gain in it?" Rarity and Applejack help hold her down.

"You would never understand Twilight, what we go through and what you go through are extremely different, and you have it much better off than you realize. I'm just a messenger, giving this message to you and your princess friends. Play time is over." Rainbow knocks Rarity and Applejack off of her and pushes Twilight to the ground. "Welcome to war." She throws her hood forward, knocking Twilight out cold.

...

The next Friday

...

Rainbow looks in the mirror, making sure her best dress is on right. Today Rainbow goes the castle to meet with Celestia and Luna, her being in Canterlot already makes it all a bit easier. Her fame and popularity lifted her here in a week, this being unheard of happening in such a short amount of time before. Today will go down in history, a day to remember for the great actions taken for the right of the citizens. "I just wish Fluttershy was here to see it." Rainbow says to her reflection. Looking one last time, she turns to only face a picture of all six of them when they were still friends. She becomes infuriated and punches the mirror, leaving the house. This was the last time she left a house as a Pegasus and not a ruler. She left nothing in the house but broken glass and a picture of the six of them, though Fluttershy crossed out in red marker in her wake.

Saturday: The New Monarchy (finale)

Twilight wakes up, hearing the beeping and silence of the heart beat sensor. Looking around the room she feels as though she has been abandoned with cobwebs surrounding her. She slowly gets up, holding onto a pole with wheels at the bottom of it. Moving with this pole, she realizes that there is a wire connecting her to a hanging bag. She walks around the hospital, looking for any sign of life. Constantly calling out names and cries for help, she finds the exit. Pushing the doors open, she is blinded for no more than a few seconds. "Oh Celestia..." Outside looks like a war zone. Buildings are in ash, on fire, or just in a pile of dust. Walking around the town she notices that a brick wall is solid and higher than a normal pony, so she decides to follow it.

Walking for almost an hour she finally finds the opening in it. "Sector three; the Pegasi." She reads off the sign just to the right. She walks through and looks back. the sign on the other side reads "Sector one; Earth Ponies." She explores sector three, looking at the pristine buildings and polished roads. A pony catches sight of her.

"Oh my! You there, you're not supposed to be here. Why aren't you in Sector Four?"

"Sector Four? What's that?"

"What is it? Honey, were you even from Equestria?" Twilight's anger grows.

"Look, I don't know who you are or what this place is, but I just woke up in a hospital. Unless if you are willing to help me, then i must get going." She goes to walk away but turns. "Before I leave, what's today?"

"I-it's Saturday, October."

"Huh, it's been seven months then." She goes to walk away again.

"No! Wait, I, come on, we need to hurry." The pegasus starts running. Twilight follows while pushing the pole with her magic. They get to a building. "In here, hurry." They enter and the male pegasus closes the door. "My name is Spectra."

"My name is Twilight Sparkle, I need help-"

"Twilight Sparkle?!" He closes the curtains and shuts the lights off, lighting a candle. "The stories are true, you really existed. I can't believe that I have the Twilight Sparkle in my house, this is amazing." Steps echo through out the house. "Here comes Remmer, get in the closet, now." He pushes Twilight and her pole with the iv bag into a set of doors and closes them. The pony enters the room.

"Spectra?! What are you doing this early in the morning? I need to work in the factory soon, quiet down!"

"Yes Remmer sir, i'm sorry." Steps echo through the house again. "Twilight, we need to go somewhere else. Do you know any places?"

"Um, Ponyville?" The doors slide open. Spectra stares at her with shocked eyes. This shows his true colors; a blue coat with a red mane and tail. "Wait, I know you. Or, someone related to you."

He coldly says "Sky." Twilight freezes. "Sky was a lost family member of mine, one that none of us consider a family member due to her starting the Rainbow overthrow. She brought great dishonor to our family and should never be considered a Dash."

"Wait, a Dash? As in, Rainbow Dash?"

"Yes, exactly. Sky always preferred the name Sky Falcon because she saw how competitive Rainbow the great was, and she hated it. She wanted nothing to do with her, so she changed her last name to Falcon. We on the other hand believe that it is a privilege to be related to Rainbow the great, and we believe that if it wasn't for her changing her last name then Rainbow would have never left her for dead and used her as leverage for popularity."

"Did you say Rainbow the great?" Spectra sits in a chair. He signals Twilight to come sit with him.

"Aye. Rainbow took over Canterlot, now Sector Four. This is where all the Alicorns live, all except for Rainbow Dash who is a Pegasus, and you because, well, I'll get to that. She lives there because she is the ruler of this land and all four sectors. She chose to be called Rainbow the great because of her power and status." He gets up and begins cooking.

"So how did she overthrow three princesses?" He comes back and sets down a plate of meat and vegetables in front of her. He takes the packaging and goes to throw it away but instead shows it to her.

"No one knows exactly. The ones who believe in the supernatural believe that she had secret unicorn powers, stronger than Celestia's and Luna's powers combined. Others say that she was taught by Tirek in Tartars, while the scientists say that she used a sonic rainboom to shatter their bones and kill them instantly, leaving Cadence to fall into a deep depression and trauma, leading her to being scared for life."

"What do you believe?" Twilight asks in-between bites, avoiding the meat.

"Me? Well, I believe that they aren't dead. That Celestia and Luna made a compromise with Rainbow the great, allowing her to do all of this while they pull strings in the back. But that also has flaws, like why would they compromise if they could just banish her? I don't know what really happened, no one does, but at the same time, no one knows what happened to the greatest threat Rainbow the great has ever faced."

"And what would that be?" Spectra looks up.

"You." Twilight drops her fork. "Rainbow the great would pay an infinite amount of money for you, more specifically your head."

"But, but why? I never did anything rash towards her before, why would she want me dead?"

"Remember when you walked out of Sector One? Everything was gone, destroyed, burnt and killed? Well there was a war. It is called 'The war of the stars', it took place several months ago, right at the time you were brought to the hospital. It refers to your cutie mark, and it was fought because the Pegasi wanted you dead while the Earth ponies thought you of a goddess sent from heaven to stop Rainbow the great. The Pegasi murdered any and all Earth Ponies remaining, and their homes were all destroyed. Everypony just assumed that you died in the burnings, that your body was with the ashes that lay across the land. Obviously that isn't true, so why exactly does she hate you?"

Twilight slumps into the chair. "I honestly don't know." She says, chuckling. "I tried stopping her, but I failed. She punched me-"

"With a rock."

"So that's why it took me so long to recover. Anyway, Me and my friends tried stopping her but we couldn't, that's all there is to tell." Spectra stays still, looking at her.

"Twilight, know that I am sorry. I have a family, and I need the money." He gets up and opens the door. Standing at the door way is a pegasus that has a deep-crimson and cyan coat, with a multi-colored mane and tail that are dirty colored.

"Twilight, is it really you?" Twilight nearly passes out. Rainbow Dash walks in with two guards behind her. She walks up to Twilight, shocked. "I, I can't, Twilight." Rainbiw runs her hooves through Twilight's mane and coat, touching, feeling, embracing her. "How are you alive?"

"I lived, RD. And you did too, but just barley." Rainbow continues feeling her.

"I just can't, can't believe that you're here." Rainbow slowly backs up. "I have killed the others." She points to the packaging that Spectra left on the table. Twilight looks at the name: 'Fluttershy's organic meats'. "I didn't leave their names pointless, I used them. Applejack Daniels for the liquor, Rarity's Fashion line for the rich, Pinkie's Party Supplies for the poor, Fluttershy's organic meats for food, but I never used your name. I knew you'd live, and I want you." Twilight flinches. "I want you to rule this land, to take my place. Im done, I've killed too many and ruled for too long. I am done, I want you to be the new princess."

"I, I don't-"

"Shhh, it's ok." Rainbow starts a fire in the fireplace. "I'll always be with you, guiding you, helping you." Rainbow backs up. "Goodbye." she walks into the fire. The base of the fire place gives out and she falls through hollow ground, her screams slowly falling silent.

The guards stare at the fireplace, then turn and bow to Twilight.

"What just happened?!" Spectra yells. "Rainbow the great just, died?! Why? What would she do that for? How are you a better leader?" Twilight stares at Spectra.

"She killed herself because she couldn't handle the guilt. She knew that Equestria was going to fall apart soon and that I could save it." She walks forward. "Tell me, how has Equestria held up with being ruled under an iron fist?"

"Um, I-I guess that it works better than democracy. Keeps them in order and all."

"Very well." Twilight turns to the door. "Call me Queen Sparkle from now on, it sounds more respectable."

"Very well, my Queen." Twilight exists the doorway.

"Guards, I'll be right here. Please, kill Mr. Spectra." All three ponies freeze.

A guard walks up to her. "M-my Queen, are you sure? I mean, what if-"

"Thats an order Soldier."

"No, no please don't do this, we can work this out I swear, just don't kill me." He begins crying. "I helped you, Twilight you, you owe me." She walks back up to him and holds his head up. She stares into his eyes, giving him chills. The room falls silent until Twilight cuts the silence with one simple sentence.

"Tell Sky that me and Rainbow said hi."