Darkshine

Chapters

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 4

Part 1

The pen, held in a magical grip, scratched its way across the paper. Twilight Sparkle sat with nose close to the page and eyes fixed on the looping, crossing, dotting progress of the nib.

She finished the paragraph she was writing, uttered a sigh of satisfaction and laid the pen down. She had reached a state of satisfied fatigue – equivalent to what a distance runner might feel at the sight of the finish line. In half an hour, or so she estimated, her concentration would falter and it would be time to call it a night. Better review progress so far.

Twilight sat forward. The pen swooped in, poised to correct any abuses of style, grammar or spelling (not that she ever made any of those).

Thus, examination of metamagical themas confirms 3 (three) distinct philosophical approaches or schools to practical thaumaturgy.

Twilight hummed softly to herself. She lived for moments like these; for the thrill of intellectual fulfilment.

Time will reveal which one of these schemes becomes dominant...

Time.

The pen shattered in Twilight's grasp. Her pupils shrank to panicked pin-pricks. Quickly she looked around the library which lay beyond the lighted pool of her writing desk.

The sky, as seen through the round high windows, was velvety indigo. Twilight's heart shrank to a ball of ice in her chest. 'SPIKE!'

The little green and purple dragon stuck his head round the door. 'Something happened?'

'Spike! Time!'

'Oh, right. Just a minute.' He disappeared while Twilight fretted. Several minutes later he returned. 'Ahem.' he cleared his throat. 'It's... half past seven!'

'Yes, I know.'

'Then why did you...' he shrugged. 'Whatever. What's so important about the time anyway?'

'Pinkie Pie's party, Spike. It started an hour and a half ago. You were supposed to remind me.'

His forehead creased with childish confusion. 'You said not to disturb you. On no account, you said.'

'Ugh! Spike, you should know by now when I mean that and when I'm just saying it.' Twilight started pacing.

Spike eyed her back-and-forth progress. 'This may seem like an obvious question, but is there some reason why you can't just go there now?'

'Spike! You know how seriously Pinkie takes her parties. She probably hates my guts right now.'

'She's kind of getting better about stuff like that. But you could always, you know, apologise.'

Twilight didn't appear to hear. Her eyes had acquired a febrile gleam. 'There's a way out of this. Come on, Twilight. Think.'

Spike raised an eyebrow. 'Apologise?'

'Nuh-uh. Not disappointing my friend like that. No way.'

Spike shook his head in despair.

'Magic,' said Twilight suddenly with the calm of deep inspiration. 'Magic will save the day. All I need is a spell to...' her face lit up. 'Send me back in time!'

'Messing with causality, Twi? Isn't that kind of dangerous?'

'You're right, Spike.' She hung her head. 'Hey! I could just, you know, tell her I got stuck in time or something.'

'You're talking about lying.' He crossed his arms and gave her a look of profound disapproval. 'Twi, Rarity can get away with shenanigans like that. You can't.'

Twilight sighed and nodded. 'The first plan was the best.'

'You mean you're going to apologise?'

'No, I'm going to use magic.' Spike slapped his forehead. Twilight trotted over the the bookshelf and extracted an old and disreputable looking volume. 'Aha! Perfect. Listen to this: to reverse the flow of time. Warning: this incantation may cause total existence failure.'

He snatched the book out of the air and closed it with a snap. 'Twilight, it's no big deal, honest. Just go and tell them all you're sorry.'

There were some moments of silence. Then: 'Spike, I'm scared.'

He frowned. 'Scared? Of your friends?'

'No.' Her head drooped. 'I'm scared because I screwed up. And when I screw up it feels like everything falling apart.'

He watched her for a moment, then sat down beside her. 'Twi, I don't know what to say.'

'There's nothing to say, Spike.'

He gave her a gentle pat on the neck. 'Get over there and apologise. It's all you can do.'

Luna's night was bright with stars. Overhead, the constellations sparkled in familiar profusion. Twilight could name them all and recount their histories and even list the spectral types of their constituent stars. And yet, tonight of all nights, the knowledge gave her no joy.

She trotted along Ponyville's main street, maintaining a perfectly straight course, ignoring the other pony folk who were abroad. She was wearing a heavy travelling cloak, one of Rarity's gifts, with the hood raised. It seemed appropriate somehow. Her mind was occupied with a singular question:

Why do I do this to myself?

I could have told Spike it was important.

I could have set an alarm.

I could have doodled a note in the margins. I never ignore those.

But she hadn't done any of those things. It was almost like... and here Twilight Sparkle shivered with a sense of deep foreboding. It was almost like she'd done it deliberately. Self-sabotaged. Created a crisis where none existed before.

It would certainly explain a lot of what was wrong in her life.

Now she had reached Sugarcube Corner. Twilight stood staring at it with the hood pulled up to hide her face. The rococo building was softly grey in the dusk. Upstairs, the nursery windows were dark – the Cake twins had evidently been persuaded to go to sleep. But downstairs, the yellow rectangles of light beamed cheerfully out into the night. And inside them...

inside, her friends were at play. Bounce, bounce, bounce went Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash buzzed after her. The crown of Applejack's hat briefly appeared.

Twilight absolutely did not want to face them. She'd have given anything to slink away into the dark. But no – that would have made things even worse.

Watch me ruin the mood. She gathered the threads of her courage, walked forwards and knocked. Filled her lungs and opened her mouth ready to apologise.

The door flew open. She's here, they yelled, all five of them together. The heat and light and music hit her in the face. The buttery scent of fresh baking flowed all around her. Eager hooves grabbed hold and dragged her inside.

'All right!' Rainbow Dash gave the air an emphatic hoof-punch. 'Now we can really get started.'

Applejack peered at her with fuzzy-round-the-edges bonhomie. Evidently the XXX cider had already been cracked open. 'Twilight, y'all are gonna hafta party extra hard to make up for bein' late.'

She tried to apologise but Rarity reached up and shut her mouth with the deft nudge of a hoof. 'Twilight darling, we've known you for how long? Whatever it was kept you away must have been desperately important.'

'Rarity, I just feel so...'

'Never mind about that now. Here have some cider cocktail. I urge caution.' Rarity turned to fill a glass. Twilight was at last able to edge close to Pinkie Pie. 'Pinkie, I am so, so sorry. I just plain forgot...' Twilight managed a weak smile. 'Well actually it's a little more complicated than that.'

'Huh?' The party pony gave her a stare of round-eyed incomprehension. 'You're apologising to me for being scatterbrained? Disorganised? Forgetful? Huh? Huh?'

'Pinkie, you never forget anything.'

At that moment Rainbow Dash dropped from the heavens and draped an arm around both their necks. 'Girls, I am soooo lucky to have you guys as friends...'

Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy lay on Pinkie Pie's sofa with their foreheads resting together. Both were staring up at the ceiling.

'It just tears me up inside.' Twilight sighed and wriggled into a more comfortable position. 'When I do stuff like this.'

'Twilight.' She could feel, as well as hear, Fluttershy's voice vibrating through her skull bones. 'You want to know what I think?'

'Always.'

'I think that if you try too hard to change you might end up not liking yourself. I should know.'

'I guess.' Twilight gave a heavy sigh. 'Maybe I should try and go a little easier on myself.'

By now Pinkie's party was winding down. All six had things they needed to do tomorrow. Responsibilities, those handmaidens of maturity, had been creeping up more and more of late.

Twilight trekked thoughtfully home under a sky now completely dark. The cider cocktail, which she had indulged in without really meaning to, was sloshing around inside her. It was all right, wasn't it? She'd worked herself up over nothing, hadn't she?

And yet, she was consumed by thoughts of what her friends might have said if it wasn't. The disdain. The disappointment. Stinging words, harsh rebukes. Heavy and dull-eyed, she made her solitary preparations for bed (Spike had long since retired to his basket). She lay under the blankets in her loft and waited for sleep to come. Thoughts bobbed around in her mind like rubber ducks in bubblebath. The need to be perfect. The ever present fear that she would get it all wrong. She rolled onto her front and lay with rump in the air and chin resting in her forehooves. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she just be happy?

Then she heard the voice; faint, as if from a great distance. It was the low and desolate weeping of a filly in distress. Help, please help me...

Twilight sat up in bed.

Here it came again. I'm lost and alone and scared. Please, someone help me.

Twilight's ears twitched. 'Is somepony there?'

please

Twilight lit her horn. A cone of lilac radiance sprang out, painting the room in sharp-edged shadows. 'Where are you? Are you somewhere nearby?'

lost and alone

Twilight's beam swept across the walls. 'I can't help if I don't know where you are.'

The door opened. Spike came in, rubbing his eyes. 'Twi, what's up? I heard your voice, and... what's going on?'

'Shhh, Spike.' She waved a hoof. 'I heard something. A filly, crying in the night.'

'Well do you hear it now?'

She glared at him. 'Obviously not with you talking.'

'C'mon, Twi. It was a dream.'

'I think,' she countered with dignity, 'I know the difference between dreams and reality.'

'Whatever.' He yawned, concealing his modest fanged gape behind a hand. 'I bet in the morning you won't even remember.'

Twilight Sparkle sat brooding at the breakfast table. A cup of tea stood untasted by her elbow. Today's checklist lay before her, unconsulted. She barely noticed as Spike came in, bustled about and set a fried dandelion sandwich before her.

'Sorry, Spike.' She gave a start. 'You were saying?'

He place his hands on his hips and peered at her. 'I said, you look pensive. What's up?'

'The voice,' she said without preamble. 'I recognised it.'

It took him a moment to remember. 'What, from last night?'

'From last night. It was me, Spike. My voice.'

The two stared at each other. Morning's sunbeams, those bright ambassadors of Celestia's grace, advanced across the floor. Yet somehow they lacked warmth.

'So,' said Spike at last. 'What are you going to do about it?'

'I don't know.' She remembered the tea and took a sip. It was lukewarm. 'Wait and see if I hear it again I guess. Or...' she got a faraway look in her eye. 'Maybe this is something which can benefit from further research.'

Spike's eyebrows drew together. He tapped the checklist. 'You're giving a talk to Cherilee's students today, remember?'

She leaped up from the table. 'Sweet Celestia, I had completely forgotten! And I have...'

'15 minutes.'

'Just enough time, then. Twilight Sparkle super study mode, activate!' She bounded to the centre of the library. Books whizzed off the shelves and were scan-read, whilst the quill raced across a waiting scroll. In short order Twilight had summorised the theory and practice of spellcasting, together with a brief précis of magical history. She dotted the final I, crossed a stray T and rolled up the scroll with a flourish. 'Ta-da! Spike, time check?'

'5 Minutes.'

'Five minutes.' A gleam of triumph shone in her eyes. 'Which gives me time to get to the schoolhouse with 30 seconds to spare. By Celestia, I'm good.'

As it turned out she hardly used any of it. Ponyville's colts and fillies had no interest in the theory of anything. They only wanted to hear about the legends of the ancient days, of which there were plenty. Twilight Sparkle found herself recounting the tales of the Founding of Equestria, of the deeds of Celestia and Luna, of their battle against the Crawling Chaos.

Wonder lit in the infants' eyes. Twilight found her own heart answer it as she assured them yes, the ancient battles and glories were not myths, that these events had all really happened.

Then of course they wanted a practical demonstration. She responded with some flashy conjurations, basic stuff but it elicited plenty of oohs and aahs from her audience. A brief Q&A session followed, and Twilight was surprised to find that an hour and a half had passed.

She trotted home, an exceptionally red and shiny apple, courtesy of Applebloom, nestling in her saddlebag. She breezed into the library in the highest of spirits. 'Spike, it went fine. I told them all about the... what are you doing?'

He was sweeping the floor with curious diligence. A frown of concentration sat on his brow.

'Spike?'

He pointed upstairs. 'It's her.'

'Her? Who is her supposed to be? Honestly Spike, half the time I have no idea what you're on about.' Twilight opened the door to the library proper and saw the rich bluish glow reflected on the polished wooden floor. Her jaw dropped. She looked back at him. 'It's her.'

'That's what I was trying to tell you.' He made shooing motions. 'Go in.'

Yet still she paused at the door. She wasn't nervous – not exactly anyway. This was Luna after all. But it wasn't an everyday occurrence either. The Princess of the Moon didn't just drop in. Twilight made a deliberate effort to quell the rampaging speculations of her brain and went inside.

The immortal co-ruler of all Equestria was standing in the corner of the library. She was examining, in idle fashion, the titles on the shelves. Luna's element was night, when her powers waxed strongest. Seen like this, in the light of noon, she seemed not diminished, but maybe a little closer to common ponykind. A little easier to deal with. If you could get over the wings plus the horn, and the dark floating plume of the mane.

Luna's ear twitched. She turned hastily round. 'Twilight Sparkle.'

Twilight bobbed her head. 'Princess Luna.'

The two studied each other. Luna was waiting for something, or so it seemed. What could it be? In a flash of insight Twilight realised that, whatever else she was here for, Luna desired to be treated as a friend.

Twilight smiled with unfeigned warmth. 'Princess, it's good to see you.'

Luna's manner softened. 'Twilight Sparkle, I am making efforts, that is to say I am taking steps to appear less formal.'

'Maybe you could take a few more? Steps, that is?'

There were some moments of silence.

'Would you like some tea, Princess?'

'Luna, please.' The Princess of the Moon inclined her head with Canterlotian courtesy. 'A brew would be most welcome.'

'There you go, Princess.' Spike set forth the very best tea set, complete with sugar bowl, tongs, saucer of sliced lemon and milk jug. He made a thorough production of pouring tea for them both.

He never does that for me, thought Twilight Sparkle as she dropped sugarcubes into her own tea. 'So, Luna. How can I help you today?'

'It concerns Night Mare Moon.'

Twilight's mouthful sprayed all over the table. Luna regarded the resulting russet sprinkling impassively. 'Night Mare... uh...' Twilight dabbed ineffectually with a napkin.

'I am troubled in my mind.' Luna looked down. Her hooves rubbed nervously together. 'I have felt a presence, again.'

'Spike,' said Twilight. 'You have something to be getting on with, I believe?'

'Nope.' He shook his head.

Her eyes narrowed. 'Are you sure?'

'Yes of course I'm sure...' he caught her look. 'Tell you what. Why don't I go and tidy the sock drawer?'

'You do that.'

He sidled out, pausing at the door, eyeing them both before leaving.

Twilight took a deep breath. 'Luna – you were saying?'

The Princess nudged a teaspoon with a fore-hoof.

Twilight tried again. 'What exactly did you mean by felt a presence?'

Luna frowned. 'I am not sure.'

'Try to be more precise. This is important.'

'I remember, Twilight Sparkle. What it was like when I was...' Luna paused. 'When I was possessed. When my soul was infused by that spirit of hate and darkness. There is a very distinctive... flavour associated with it.' Luna's forehead wrinkled. 'A mental and moral coldness, if you will. It is unmistakeable. And it is back. I know it.'

'Have you told Celestia about this?'

'No!' Luna reared back, shocked and angry. 'No.' She made a visible effort to calm herself. 'My apologies. But I don't want to disappoint my sister.'

Twilight frowned. 'Disappoint?'

'The wrong word.' Luna shook her head. 'Forgive me. But some things are hard to talk about – even after a year has gone by. Even to the person you are closest to in the whole world. This is... something that is specific to me. I want to solve it myself. Deal with it. Exorcise it.'

I can understand that, thought Twilight. She drank a steadying sip of tea. 'So how can I help?'

'I would like you to go to the Royal Archive at Canterlot Castle,' resumed Luna calmly. 'In the archive there is a hidden section. It contains various tomes and grimoires. Volumes that have to do with all manner of wicked and perverse practices. There is information about Dark Magic. About binding it – countering it.' Luna's face radiated calm but implacable purpose and Twilight was reminded yet again that this was a goddess who spoke. 'You, Twilight Sparkle, can research the nature of Night Mare Moon, and devise a defence against it.'

'This may seem like an obvious question, but why don't you do it?'

'Tia can't know!' Luna slammed a hoof down on the floor. The tea things rattled. 'If she catches me poking around in the black archives there's no telling what she will think. I don't want to... I will not give her any reason to doubt my intentions. You, Twilight Sparkle, have the magical and academic skills to accomplish this task. And I believe I can trust you.' Luna gave her an awkward, hopeful look. 'We are friends, or so I would hope.'

Twilight leaped up from the table, ablaze with purpose. 'Have no fear, Luna. I've got this. I'll solve your problem, all right.'

Luna voiced a great sigh of relief. 'Thank you. I cannot express how much this means to me. Now, we must get you into the Royal Archive. It will be necessary to devise a plausible... pretext.'

'Excuse,' Twilight suggested.

'Fib,' Luna qualified.

'Lie.'

'A lie in a good cause, Twilight.'

'But a lie nonetheless.' They both studied the table in silence. At last Twilight stirred. 'She won't be mad at us, will she? When she finds out.'

'My sister does not get mad, Twilight. She gets angry. You have seen her when she's angry.'

Twilight remembered; not the fear she had felt, so much as the corrosive and consuming sense of guilt. She realised she was doing that thing when she stroked her tail, back and forth, back and forth...

'Twilight.' She dropped the tail with a start. 'Why did you send Spike away?'

She hung her head. 'He'd tell Celestia all about this. Maybe he'd be right to.'

Luna gazed at her forlornly.

'I guess... this time, the right thing to do is the wrong thing.' Twilight forced a smile. 'Let's write a letter, shall we?'

A letter was duly composed and sent. The reply came back in moments: my most favoured student, you are always welcome here in Canterlot. C. Twilight lay in bed that night, tossing and turning. Guilt had grabbed her and was squeezing her in its talons.

The lilac unicorn sat up, anguished and fuzzy-headed. She couldn't do it. She couldn't lie to Celestia. She would write a letter, explain everything and take the consequences.

Please, I'm lost and alone.

Twilight cocked her head, listening.

I'm afraid.

'Afraid? Afraid of what?'

Of her. Of the Sun.

'Who, Celestia?'

She mustn't know about me. She'd destroy me. Help me, Twilight. I'm lost in the darkness and I can't find my way back to the light. A knife of pity twisted in Twilight's guts.

Part 2

She was at the train station the next morning, earlier than was necessary. One by one her friends arrived to see her off. Twilight was in a dark mood. Surveying their earnest faces as they wished her success, she felt...

She felt isolated.

Yes, that was it. As if the whitest and most well intentioned of lies had cast her out of the circle of friendship.

She pushed the silly thought away and put on a smile. Really, it wasn't a big deal, she told herself as they crowded round; it was just for a few days.

'Got yer some apples.' Applejack passed over a saddlebag bulging with scarlet fruit. 'I ain't sayin' that there Canterlot cuisine isn't fine in its own way. But sometimes you just get a hankerin' for plain old fashioned fare.'

'I got nothing but an awesome bro-hoof!' Rainbow Dash advanced, foreleg in the ready position.

'Ow.' Twilight waggled her traumatised limb. 'Rainbow, that bordered on the painful.'

'I brought you this, darling.' Rarity arranged a travelling cloak around Twilight's withers. 'Hm...' the white fashonista stepped back with an assessing frown. 'Is that really you? I could add some frills... maybe some brocade work...'

'Rarity, it's fine. It fits me like... well, like new horseshoes.'

'As well it might.' Rarity's answering was self-satisfied. 'I have everyone's measurements committed to memory.'

Pinkie Pie appeared in front of Twilight, bouncing up and down on legs which seemed elasticated. Pinkie's grin widened.

Twilight's off to Canterlot

To do some stud-y-ing

'Cos she will never be content

'Till she knows ev-ry-thing!

Confetti exploded in the air above Twilight's head. Pinkie produced a party horn and blew a long, piercing note.

Twilight shuffled her hooves. 'Thanks, Pinkie. You, um... you're absolutely sure you're not mad about the party?'

Pinkie gave her a look of perfect guileless bewilderment. 'Why, what happened at the party?'

'Pinkie, you are spoiling my attempts to apologise.'

'Apologise for what?'

Spike gave Twilight a rueful look. 'I wish you'd let me come with you, Twi. Who's going to keep you supplied with ink and scrolls and quills and tea and remind you to take a break...' he ticked the points off on clawed fingers.

'Spike, we discussed this at some length. I need somepony in charge of the library. Someone I can trust. Who better than my number one assistant.' Not to mention, she didn't want him finding out what she was up to. He swelled with pride, as she had known he would. Her conscience squirmed.

'Um,' said Fluttershy. 'Twilight, is everything OK?'

'But of course!' Twilight gave them all a gleaming, brittle smile. 'Why shouldn't it be? I'm just off to Canterlot to do some research for entirely innocent purposes. Nothing sinister about that at all. Nuh-uh. Oh my gosh, look at the time. Got to rush, girls.' She galloped off up the platform, leaving the others staring at each other.

Applejack frowned. 'Now what the hay was that all about?'

Spike shrugged and circled a finger near his temple.

The train got underway. Twilight's mood lightened. There was something about travelling which always lifted her spirits. Maybe it was the anticipation of new things even if, in this case, it was the well-known sights of Canterlot made unfamiliar through absence.

The engine puffed away up front. Equestria's green and pleasant fields raced past. Twilight gazed out of the window and dreamed. Off to Canterlot, once more! Off to wander at will in the Royal Archive. To poke through dusty old books in pursuit of ancient mysteries. To see Celestia again. To deceive her mentor and benefactor.

Twilight's mood spiralled downwards like a pegasus with a gammy wing. She huddled on her bench seat as darkness seeped in the corners of the carriage. Why did she have to be this way – ever at the mercy of her own thoughts? Why did she have to make such a big deal out of things?

It would have been nice to be calm and steady like Applejack. Or pathologically self-confident like Rainbow Dash. Or clinically insane like Pinkie Pie. But no – poor Twilight had to suffer through these mental events. She curled up even more, like a turtle drawing into its shell.

The guard came knocking at the carriage door. Get it together – she had to get it together. Hand over the ticket and act normal. Don't let him suspect anything! He punched her ticket and went away, and she was left alone with her thoughts.

The train pulled into Canterlot Main Station and she was able to occupy herself with the mechanical business of getting her luggage together. Fully laden, she trudged up the familiar road which led to the castle. The white ramparts, the sparkling fountains in the emerald lawns, the flags waving in the golden afternoon towered above her but she was in no state to appreciate any of it.

The castle guards let her through with a nod and a familiar word. Once more she stood within the walls of the supreme palace in all Equestria. She stood quite alone, shuffling her hooves in the cool expanse of the entrance hall. There was unpacking and settling in to do but she postponed them. Inside her was a need, almost a compulsion, to get to work.

She took the well remembered route via back ways and service corridors. Polished marble gave way to plain dressed granite. Crystal lamps were supplanted by iron lanterns. Twilight Sparkle turned the final corner and walked through a simple stone archway.

Words surrounded her.

There were books on every side of her. They were shoved into shelves, stacked in teetering piles, clinging to revolving stands. And beyond them were more and yet more shelves, stretching away into cool dusty silence.

The Royal Archive! Historian's heaven, researcher's playground. What could one say? It was... unique. The best and most complete historical source anywhere in Equestria. Twilight walked forwards. Her clopping hooves barely disturbed the hush. Slanting sunbeams from small high windows crossed her path. Part of the archive's charm lay in the way everything was mixed up together. No less than three separate classification systems had been imposed over the centuries. Needless to say they disagreed with each other. It made finding anything a chore. But if you went looking for a book you were sure to find another even more interesting. And as everypony knew, serendipity was the researcher's best friend.

Twilight snagged a volume off a shelf. It was the dimensions of a brick and almost as stiff. Greedily she scanned the crinkly pages. A receipt book from the mid 14th century. How amazing, to glimpse the lives of pony folk from so long ago.

But Twilight was here on business, not pleasure. With regret she replaced the volume on the shelf. The first thing to do was establish a study plan. And that depended on Luna getting her into the forbidden section...

'Twilight Sparkle,' said a voice behind her.

Twilight uttered a small scream and turned round. She gazed up at the white-gold presence towering over her.

'My apologies.' Princess Celestia lowered her head so that her magenta gaze was level with Twilight's. 'I never meant to startle my favourite student.'

'Not at all! It was my fault for, er, not anticipating you'd appear out of nowhere.' Twilight offered a nervous grin.

Celestia cocked her head, interested-like. 'You are doing some research for Luna, or so I understand.'

Alarm bells rang in Twilight's brain. Keep calm now. Just repeat the cover story you arranged with Luna. 'It's... er... historical. Luna wants to catch up with everything that happened while she was away. She asked me to prepare a historical précis. Here, I can show you if you're interested...' she fumbled with her saddlebags, trying to drag out the plan she'd prepared and making a complete mess of it.

Spare nibs and envelopes spilled over the floor. Celestia didn't appear to notice. 'I was expecting you to come see me when you arrived.'

'Just eager to get started, I guess.'

'Twilight Sparkle, what have I told you about spending time away from books?'

Twilight's smile grew sickly. 'Yes. Erm. Sorry?'

'Is something wrong?'

Celestia was close now. So close that Twilight could feel the warmth of her and hear the tiniest whispering sounds of her floating mane. All at once she remembered; as a filly, leaning against Celestia's side, feeling safe and warm and loved, knowing nothing in the world could hurt her.

Tell her, tell her, tell her everything.

And yet, a voice in the night was crying and lost and alone and she'd promised. 'No.' Twilight looked away. 'Nothing's wrong.'

The warmth withdrew as the Princess raised her head. She nodded, apparently satisfied. Then she wandered away amongst the stacks. Twilight's gaze followed the royal flank as it gracefully paced along the shelves, shedding its subtle light, the reflected radiance of the imperishable sun. From where Twilight was standing she had an uninterrupted view of the imperial buttocks, adorned with the shining disks of the solar cutie mark.

Celestia paused with a considering look. 'Time was, I had read every volume here. And I knew where they all were. Nowadays, of course...' she let the sentence trail off.

Her mentor was in a rare confessional mood. Twilight was conscious only of the desire to keep her talking. But what about? Books... that was safe ground. 'Do you... have any favourites?'

'I like receipt books.'

Twilight's jaw dropped.

Celestia looked over her shoulder. 'You look surprised.'

Surprise didn't cover it. Mortified paranoia was more accurate. Why had Celestia said that? Was she a mind reader? Or perhaps she had been here all along... watching... observing her student...

'Well you shouldn't be.' The mildest of frowns appeared on the royal forehead. 'Receipt books remind me of times gone by. They reconnect me with the ponies I used to know.'

Twilight was more confused than ever. This was like being in a maze deep underground, groping along with failing magic. In desperation she searched her paltry stock of conversational gambits. 'Was there... anypony special?' Twilight winced. What an absolutely stupid thing to say.

'They were all special to me, Twilight Sparkle.' A typically Celestian answer; and a signal that confession time was over. Twilight hung her head.

Celestia raised an eyebrow. 'You yourself love books.'

On safe ground, once more. Twilight nodded, a little too emphatically. 'Oh, yes. I really, really do. Love books, that is.'

'I wonder if you love them as much as you think you do. Let me see, now.' The Princess closed her eyes and swept her horn back and forth in a searching manner. 'It should be around here if I recall correctly, and I invariably do. Ah, yes. Here we are.' The tip of Celestia's horn glowed. There was a low rumbling and a patter of displaced grit. Before Twilight's astonished gaze, two sections of bookshelves slid slowly apart. A small alcove was revealed behind them. Resting in the alcove...

Twilight Sparkle voiced a Fluttershy-like squeak of dismay. Because resting in the alcove was the mummified corpse of a unicorn. It had been placed upright, braced on withered forelimbs, so that Twilight had an unwilling view of the desiccated face. The eyes had long since shrivelled and fallen in, so that nightmarish pits of blackness seemed to stare at her. The lips had dried and shrunk, revealing bared and brownish buck teeth. A robe of some kind had been draped over the deceased forequarters, now devoured by time, so that it resembled rotted corpse-rags.

A musty smell entered her nostrils. She took a step backwards.

Celestia however was gazing at the repellent object with the fondest of smiles. 'Dear old Ivory Towers. He loved the archive so much he desired his mortal remains be interred within it. A request I saw no reason to deny. What do you think of that?'

I think I want you to close it up, thought Twilight. Even though it was just an old dead body and could hurt no-one.

'I call it a real love of books.' Celestia nodded in obscure satisfaction.

'What's it like,' blurted Twilight.

Celestia gave her a sharp look. 'What is what like?'

Twilight squirmed under the royal gaze. 'You know. Living forever.'

'I have not, and I will not, live forever.'

'That wasn't what I meant.'

'Then what was?'

Twilight stood rooted to the ground, lost for words as the Princess turned the full force of her stare on her. 'To live a thousand years, Twilight Sparkle? Was that your question? To endure the passage of the decades and the centuries, to see the future stretching away into an endless waste of grey nothing?' Celestia's voice had grown cold and distant. Twilight felt an icy fist grip her heart. With a might effort she tore her gaze away and dropped her head, touching her horn to the floor in supplication.

'Please forgive me. I didn't mean any harm.'

'Twilight, look at me.' The command was soft as it was irresistible. 'I might feel that way – if I was merely very, very old. But I am not. My sister and I – we are immortal. We walk in eternity. Time can never touch us. A single instant or a thousand years, they are one and the same to us. Do you know what keeps us tied to the cycles of the world?'

Twilight shook her head dumbly.

'It is you, Twilight Sparkle.'

Twilight's lower lip trembled but no words came out.

'You, and others like you. You mortal ponies have your brief moments on the stage of the world. You receive the plaudits or the derision of the audience and then time swallows you up. And yet, you burn so fiercely, with such a constant light.' Celestia smiled and it was like she was raising the sun for a perfect day. 'You are amazing- indomitable. And that is why I cherish all of you. Each and everypony.' Celestia nudged her pearly muzzle against Twilight's own. The royal scent, akin to fresh baked bread, washed over her and Twilight felt a hot shivery flush go right through her.

'Now... you have work to do, I believe.' The Sun Princess turned and trotted away, tail swishing behind her as if absolutely nothing had happened. Twilight followed, or attempted, on legs which felt like jelly.

Celestia paused at the archway. 'Come see me before you leave.' And just like that, she was gone. Twilight tottered towards the nearest chair, missed and settled for the floor. Her tongue hung out as she panted lungfuls of dusty air.

She did it to me again. She's just so... overwhelming.

Princess Luna emerged from the shadows.

Twilight leaped to her feet. 'Luna! How long have you been there?'

'Long enough.' Luna reared up and rubbed her hooves together in glee. 'Twilight, we've done it. We've got away with it!'

'I can't do this.' The words burst from Twilight's very heart. 'I can't go on lying to her. I'm sorry, Luna.' She paced in a tight, anguished circle. 'I'll tell her everything. Yes, that's what I'll do.' She raised her pleading gaze to Luna. 'I have no choice.'

'No-one's forcing you to do anything.' At that moment the Princess of the Moon seemed very lost and alone. But it was the way she sounded which gave Twilight pause; defeated, and friendless.

She sighed and hung her head. 'Forget I just said that. Let's just get this over and done with, shall we?'

'You mean you won't tell?'

'I won't tell.' I made a promise.

'Thank you, Twilight.' Luna, restored to full dignity, nodded. 'This means so much to me. You just might be the saving of me.'

'Regard the patterns on the floor.' Luna's voice spoke close to Twilight's ear.

'What, the little suns?'

'The little suns. Just so. Observe how they they repeat.' Twilight looked. The stylised solar emblems on the floor had probably once been a vibrant shade of terracotta but time had long since worn them to a muted russet.

There was something odd about them. Something about their spacing. It appeared regular yet at the same time it clearly wasn't. Twilight frowned.

'Walk forwards the distance of three suns. Then stop and make a quarter turn to the right. Walk forwards again...' guided by Luna's instructions she wended her way across the archive floor until the Princess told her to stop and look up.

She was somewhere else.

It was a dingy grotto, almost a cave for books. The cramped main chamber, shaped like an igloo, had smaller nooks and corners leading off it. Crazy time-worn old books were piled everywhere. Twilight looked behind her. She could see, through the door of the igloo, as it were, the hushed expanse of the main archive.

Luna appeared beside her. 'Invisible and inaccessible – unless you walk the path. All thanks to a subtle spell of misdirection – the kind of thing the ancients delighted in. what do you think?'

Twilight's eyes, as they peered shiftily about, perceived great numbers of a particular kind of book. A kind she as a librarian knew well. Her heart sank.

Luna was watching her closely. 'Is there something wrong?'

'Look at these, Luna.' Twilight waved a hoof. 'That one right there has fake bat wings stuck on it. That one is decorated in pony skulls. And this one down here... was it really necessary to stick glass eyes on a book?'

'I'm sorry. I don't understand what you're saying.'

'I'm saying we're likely to find that most of these are... well...' Twilight wobbled her head from side to side. 'Fakey-wakey,' as Pinkie might say. Maybe this was Ivory Tower's idea of a joke.'

Luna looked hurt. 'When I first came here, this place had power.'

'That was a thousand years ago, minimum. A lot can happen to an archive over the centuries.'

Luna was silent.

'Might as well get started.' Twilight shuffled forwards, trying not to trample on the odd loose page adrift on the floor.

'You don't think much of this place, do you,' said Luna in a flat voice.

Totally failing to pick up on the change in the Princess's tone, Twilight pulled out a plain looking volume. Dust puffed everywhere as she levered the heavy covers open. 'I'm not hopeful, to be honest.'

'There is no point to this, then.'

'I wouldn't go that far. Oh, what's this?' Twilight scanned the ancient pages, scrawled all over with cramped minuscules and spidery diagrams. After a while she realised that Luna had said something. 'I'm sorry, what was that?'

The Princess was watching her with an earnest expression. 'I said, do you need any help?'

'Luna, you are not even supposed to be in here.'

'I know that. I just thought... maybe...'

Twilight was about to say no thank you, I work best alone, when she stopped and thought about it. Luna was a powerful spellcaster in her own right – more powerful than Twilight herself. And she could do things no mere unicorn ever could. 'Thank you – I may well take you up on that offer.' Luna's expression softened. 'But in the meantime I need to work out what we have here. And that means...'

'That means you would prefer to be left on your own. Well and good.' Luna stepped backwards and disappeared.

That night Twilight retired to her former tower room. She sat at her old desk, scratching away in her commonplace book.

Achievements to date. Twilight wrote in a cipher of her own devising. Identification of various issues concerning manipulation & control of Element of Darkness. Much hearsay amongst middle period sages. Woolly thinking and supposition. Twilight frowned and underlined the last four words.

Suggestion in the writing of Mirage the Mystic that the Dark (hereafter understood as the Infection or Possessing Force which transformed PL into NM) is cyclical in nature. Fated to return to trouble the lives of ponykind. Twilight shivered and put the pen down. She glanced around the room which had been her home for so long. How unfamiliar it seemed now. And without Spike around, how empty.

She sighed, focussed her fatigued eyes on the page and wrote again: lesson for today: home is not a place, it's people. She frowned and crossed that last part out. Her mind was wandering. She had intended to outline a programme for tomorrow's day of study but clearly it was time to call it a night.

She blew the candle out, climbed into the no longer entirely familiar bed and waited. Almost immediately it came to her; the voice. You shielded me from her. Thank you, Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight sat bolt upright. 'All right. I've had just about enough of this. Who are you? And why are you speaking in my voice?'

I can't tell you. You'd hate me.

'Well you'd better. Because I'll go to Celestia. Believe me, I will.'

So. The word was a soft hiss of insinuation. Twilight Sparkle, you wish me to be revealed. I will need a portion of your power.

'Nuh-uh, don't think so,' said Twilight in a brittle sing-song.

Then you will never know. Are you not the least intrigued? Does your curiosity bump not itch?

'I'll find out about you in a book. Yep.' She nodded emphatically.

No book can contain what I am.

'Maybe not. But I'm not about to give any of my power to something I don't even know the name of.'

Then forever wonder.

'Fine.' Twilight hunched on the bed, scowling thunderously. Silence ensued. She glanced around the room. 'Hello?'

There was no answer.

'All right! All right. I'm doing it. Just the tiniest little bit, mind you. What do you want me to do?'
Merely manifest your magic. The tiniest little bit.

'All right, then. Here goes.' Twilight concentrated. The tip of her horn glowed. 'How was that?' There was no reply. 'Excuse me? Hello?' Silence answered her. 'Oh... what a frost.' She kicked the headboard, hard. 'I don't believe this.'

The next morning Twilight awoke from uneasy dreams. She rolled over to glance at the clock. The hands stood at 10:30.

She stared in disbelief. That simply wasn't possible. She always woke at 8 on the dot without even needing an alarm. She rolled out of bed, landing on the floor in a heap. Half the morning gone, already! Whole hours of study time, lost forever. She bolted her breakfast, hardly tasting the exquisite castle food, and headed out.

An air of oppression hung over the castle. The sunlight peering through the high windows seemed harsh and blinding. The shadows were dark and dense. As she trotted through the marble corridors commonplace sounds made her jump. Why did she feel so tired, why was her head filled with cobwebs and lint? Why was there a raw, sore feeling in her eyes?

Luna was already in the archive, horn pulsing gently as she leaved through a tome on magical theory. Her glance flicked disinterestedly over the pages. Clearly she was only pretending to read.

'Twilight, I was beginning to think you would never show.'

Twilight stopped dead. A black knot of annoyance tightened in her chest.

'Hmmm?' Luna looked up. Her sapphire glance was clear and lucid. 'Did you say something?'

'No... I didn't say anything.' Twilight offered an insincere smile. 'Let's get started, shall we?' Though why would she say that? Why we? Luna wasn't doing any of the work.

She trotted over to the bookstand where Concordance of the Sages was open at page 1005. It was her intention to cross reference the information in this invaluable tome with the illicit notes she'd taken yesterday.

She started to read, her muzzle close to the paper. Words, words, words had ever been her refuge in times of trouble. The crabbed old script slanted across the page. For some reason, today it was so hard to concentrate. Twilight let out a jaw-cracking yawn.

Luna looked up. 'A late night last night?'

'Something like that.' Twilight went back to reading, but the words weren't forming sentences she could understand. Her eyelids drooped...

She jerked upright with a start. Luna was staring at her with a lost, hurt expression.

'What's the matter, Luna? Did I do something wrong?'

'No... no.' Luna shook her head. 'It's only right that you be told. What you have to realise about my sister is...'

Your sister, thought Twilight. Woah there, what did I say?

'She does whatever is necessary to preserve the safety of the realm, no matter the cost. To her, or anyone else around her.'

'Er, Luna...'

But the Princess of the Moon was not listening. 'You know sometimes when you try to talk to someone, and you just can't?'

Not really, no, thought Twilight.

'You know sometimes when you try to say something and it just comes out all wrong?'

Can't say I do, thought Twilight.

'She... she sent me to the Moon.' Luna took a great shuddering breath. 'I know why she did it but even so... her little sister...' She whirled around and fled the archive. Beyond the arch her footfalls broke into a canter.

Part 3

That went well, thought Twilight in the sudden gloom. She looked down at the book. The words pursued their uncaring, spiderish course across the paper. She tried to continue her researches but it was pointless. Her mind ran constantly in tight, obsessive circles. What had she said to Luna? What to do about it? She expected Luna to return at any moment, or even worse, Celestia to appear because she was Very Disappointed. Magic Kindergarten for you, Twilight Sparkle.

The shadows thickened, the sun's light reddened. A sudden flight of birds coming home to roost above the window made her nerves jangle horribly. She retired to bed without talking to another living soul. Only the servants were about, gliding on noiseless hooves, and who paid any attention to them?

She tried to write in her commonplace book. Research for today: inconclusive. Something is wrong. Ruin awaits all Equestria... did I really just write that?

The candle burned low before she retired. She lay in bed, desperately tired but knowing sleep would never come.

I warned you she was dangerous.

'You again.'

She sent her own sister to the Moon.

Twilight leaped out of bed, horn ablaze. 'She had to do it! She had no choice!'

That's what she wants everyone to think.

Twilight's anger faded. 'I was there when Luna came back. I saw how she was. The tears in her eyes.'

Can you so easily know the mind of a goddess, Twilight Sparkle?

'She's wise. And good.'

And prepared to do anything for Equestria. Anything. Luna herself said so.

'How do you know what Luna said? What are you?'

Are you sure you really want to know?

Twilight stood silently for a time. Then: 'I'm not afraid.'

So be it. Go to the corner of the room.

'Erm... OK.' Twilight advanced on suddenly shaky hooves to the empty corner furthest from the bed.

Not that corner. The other one.

Twilight turned to look – even though she knew perfectly well what stood in the other corner. 'No.' She shook her head. 'Nuh-uh... no!' Her voice rose to a shout.

I warned you, Twilight Sparkle. Now it's too late. You cannot unlearn what once you have learned. Her hooves moved of their own accord, or so it seemed to her, inching her over the polished floorboards towards what stood so innocently in that corner.

A mirror.

As she approached the polished surface of the glass she saw it reflected the most terrible thing in the world. Herself. The other Twilight – the one in the mirror – stood with head bowed and unwilling. The indigo fringe had fallen down over her face. As the real Twilight shook her head in jerky denial the reflection looked up. The eyes opened. They were purest blue with cat-slit pupils. Night Mare Moon's eyes.

Twilight Sparkle let out a wail of horror. She scrambled across the room and threw herself onto the bed. That thing in the mirror – it could still see her. She curled up, squashing herself down into a ball, anything to get out of sight of the eyes. But she couldn't stop the voice in her head. So now you understand. I was Night Mare Moon. But above that I am the Dark. I am forever and everywhere. And I am you.

'Luna,' stammered Twilight. 'She broke free of you. She'll know what to do.'

You drove her away, remember? With your foolish and insensitive questions.

'Celestia... the Princess...'

Little fool. You know what she'll do to you once she knows I am inside you. You're not even her sister.

'The others.'

What others? What foolishness is this? The voice of the Dark dripped with scorn.

'My friends. The Elements of Harmony.' Twilight uncurled and got to her feet. 'Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Rarity and Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie.' The mere sound of their names made the darkness seem less absolute.

They can't help you.

'I'll go back to Ponyville, first thing tomorrow. We'll figure out what to do.' Twilight's heart quickened with joy. She jumped off the bed. Packing – she had to do some packing! She trotted round the room, taking things out of drawers more or less at random.

You're not their favourite, you know.

Twilight Sparkle came to a halt. 'What? What do you mean?'

You remember that business with the photographer last year? Rarity and Fluttershy – they've been close since then. Have you noticed how often they hang out together at the spa?

'But, I... see them all the time.'

You see them as part of the group. How often do you do anything with them?

'No,' stammered Twilight. 'No, that's all wrong. And anyway. What about Applejack and Rainbow Dash...'

I think, mused the voice of the Dark, those two are a little closer than friends. If you know what I mean.

Twilight sank to the floor. A knife of envy twisted in her guts. It wasn't fair. Why could she never have that? She was the only one who...

'Pinkie Pie,' she gasped.

You were late.

'I apologised for that!' Twilight struck herself on the temple, hard. 'And she said she didn't mind...'

Pinkie Pie is everyone's friend, continued the Dark with merciless insight. She said so herself. You're not special to her. And now she's got the twins to take care of, she doesn't need you at all. Twilight crouched on the floor, trembling as the Dark drove icy nails into her heart. You're the outsider. The least best friend. Every group has one. You know that, Twilight Sparkle.

It was true.

They let you hang out with them because they're too polite to shake you off. But to they ever come to you unless they have a problem?

And yet.

In her innermost heart she knew she wasn't going to stand for this. 'They're my friends,' she whispered. 'I love them.' Slowly she got to her feet. Some of the coldness ebbed away. 'I am going back to Ponyville tomorrow. And then we'll see.'

The next day she was on the first train back to Ponyville. Her head was fuzzy and aching, her thoughts sluggish. Her mane was doing that strange messy thing it sometimes did. She was choosing not to dwell on the consequences of running out of Canterlot without a word to anyone. Ahead, like a shining beacon in her mind, lay Ponyville. How foolish she had ever been to leave!

The little engine puffed round the final bend. She leaned her head out of the window, keen to blow away the cobwebs with fresh clean air. Ponyville came into view. She was not expecting to see the column of smoke rising from the Town Hall.

She leaped out of the carriage before the train had a chance to stop. With reckless speed she raced to the centre of town. The square was packed with ponies. Emergency teams were shoring up the still burning shell of the Town Hall. Mayor Mare was directing operations, megaphone clutched in one hoof. The normally trim pony's glasses were askew on her muzzle. She had a sooty smudge on one cheek.

Twilight galloped to a halt. 'Mayor, what happened here?'

'There was a fire. We still don't know how it started.' The mayor resettled her glasses. 'It's been burning all night. And this... just after we got it repaired after the last disaster. I really don't know what we've done to deserve this.' She shook her head.

Twilight looked up. Teams of pegasi were shepherding clouds into position. As she watched a streak of multicoloured power braked to a halt, brandishing a small but heavily laden cloud.

The mayor raised her megaphone. 'Get it close to the seat of the fire as you can, Rainbow Dash.'

Dash threw a quick salute. 'Gotcha, Mayor. Oh hi, Twilight – come to join in the fun?'

Fun was the last word Twilight would have chosen. Her pegasus friend was smudged all over with smoke. Her wing feathers were singed, eyes reddened from constantly diving through choking fumes.

Twilight looked again at the Town Hall. The fire had done terrible damage but the shell of the building was standing – it was still worth saving.

She flipped through her mental card index of spells. Energy manipulation – too complicated. Repair – not really. Environmental control... yes. 'Stand back, everpony. I'm going to try something.' She closed her eyes and concentrated. The metamagical formula for sucking all the oxygen out of the building shook shape in her mind. Her horn glowed...

'No,' yelled Rainbow Dash. 'Twilight, don't!'

The moment the spell began its journey to reality she knew something was wrong. The magical surge, which should have been precise and controlled, was wild. She tried to abort the casting, too late. A wave of purplish magic sprang from her horn.

There was a sound like an enormous wet blanket dropped from a great height.

There was a prolonged splintering crash.

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. The irony of it was, the fire was still burning. But the Town Hall – or what was left of it – was an imploded heap of smouldering rubble. A few ponies had been caught in the wreckage and were struggling feebly to free themselves.

'Twilight,' yelled Dash from above. 'What did I just say?'

'Rainbow, I'm so sorry,' Twilight stammered. 'It shouldn't have done that. Maybe I could just...'

'No, don't bother. Now I gotta go find another cloud. Sweet Celestia.' Dash flew off.

Twilight turned to the mayor. 'I am so sorry! I have no idea why that happened. Let me just...'

'No! No thank you, Twilight Sparkle.' The mayor controlled herself with a visible effort. 'I think you've done enough.' She probably hadn't meant it to come out like that but it cut Twilight to the heart. She backed away as the mayor embarked on a new, terse series of orders.

'I was only trying to help...' but nopony was listening.

So I messed up, thought Twilight. So Rainbow Dash is mad at me. Well she has every reason to be. And friends don't stay mad at friends. A little shiver of anguish went right through her.

At least Pinkie Pie would be pleased to see her.

She knocked on the door of Sugarcube Corner, the venue of so many happy gatherings of yore. As she waited, Twilight wondered what in Equestria she was going to say. Oh hi Pinkie. Guess what, I seem to have been possessed by an ancient spirit of evil...

But she waited, and she waited, and nopony came. Maybe Pinkie was helping out at the Town Hall, but there hadn't been any sight of her. Twilight knocked again, harder.

The door opened. Pinkie appeared, wearing an ominous frown. 'Will you please just keep the noise down... oh hi, Twilight.'

Twilight shuffled her hooves. 'Pinkie, I need to talk to you about something really important. Can I come in?'

Pinkie looked shiftily left and right. 'Well all right. If you promise to be quiet as...' she thought about it with narrowed eyes. 'Quiet as a dropped cornflake.' She stood aside to let Twilight pass.

'I thought you might have been at the Town Square,' said Twilight as they tiptoed through the house.

'I've been up all night. I went out for a bit. But then I came back.'

'You must be tired, Pinkie.'

'I'm fine,' said Pinkie Pie with uncharacteristic terseness. 'Not worried at all.'

'What would you be worried about?'

The curve of Pinkie's back tensed. By now they had got to the back of the house. The Cake Twins were both asleep in their cots. Twilight recognised the grumpy, pinch-faced slumber of sick infants. The thermometers stuck in their little mouths confirmed it. 'Oh my gosh. What's wrong with them?'

Pinkie extracted a thermometer from Pumpkin Cake's mouth and peered at it with fierce concentration. 'We're not quite sure. Some kind of a fever. It came on very late last night. Mr and Mrs Cake have been frantic. I only just got them to go to bed.'

Now here was something she knew about. Here was a chance to help – to make amends for the débâcle with the town square. Twilight's heart lifted. 'I've studied specialist care for infants. Have you thought of... er...'

Pinkie turned to stare at her. 'Twilight, are you suggesting I can't take care of them myself?'

'No, I wasn't...'

'We have had this conversation before, if you recall.'

Twilight gave a small panicked laugh. 'I just meant, if you need any help...'

'Well I don't,' said Pinkie with finality.

'Pinkie!'

'SHHH,' went Pinkie, with unwarranted harshness, in Twilight's face.

'OK, then. I'll just go.'

'Okie-dokie-lokie.' Pinkie set to quietly fussing around the sleeping foals.

Twilight retreated towards the door. 'Maybe I could come back later...'

Pinkie waved a hoof in dismissal.

Fluttershy – the Element of Kindness. She'd listen to the story from beginning to end. She wouldn't interrupt and she wouldn't judge. And she'd know what to do.

Except that Twilight Sparkle had been standing outside the cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest for five minutes and Fluttershy had not appeared.

Twilight hesitated. After all, Pinkie Pie had reacted badly to loud knocking. Then she administered a gentle, Fluttershy-like tap on the door.

Still nopony answered.

Twilight dithered, then opened the door. 'Hello? Fluttershy? Are you there?' No reply. A cursory inspection of the cottage revealed no sign of the yellow pegasus or anypony else. The back door stood open. Twilight went out into the garden. Normally the carefully tended green space would be filled with the twittering of birds. Bunnies and whatnot would be hopping around. The chickens would be scratching in their run. But today the garden was silent.

Twilight saw that the doors of the hutches, and the chicken runs, stood wide. Somepony – or something – had evidently opened the enclosures and for good measure driven the animals away.

Twilight eyed the dark eaves of the Everfree Forest, mere metres away. Fluttershy was sure to be in there somewhere, searching for her friends. She likely wouldn't be back for hours. Twilight turned and walked away with heavy steps. It felt like her horizons were shrinking by the moment.

Rarity, then. Surely the smart and perceptive white unicorn would give her the time of day. Even if she was best friends with Fluttershy and Twilight was a distant fifth in the rankings...

but no, she couldn't be thinking like that. She couldn't be giving in. Handing victory to the Dark. Twilight Sparkle was no pushover! Boldly she tapped on the door of Rarity's boutique, as one who had every right to demand some attention from her friend.

There was no answer. Twilight experienced a sickening second of deja vu. Then Rarity's clear soprano called out come in.

Twilight opened the door. The boutique was in chaos. Bundles of fabric, buttons, zippers and the like were strewn everywhere in great heaps. Rarity's mannequins were in an embarrassing state of undress. The fashion designer herself was seated at her work table. Sweetie Belle crouched nearby, looking for all the world like a sprinter poised on the blocks.

Twilight had seen Rarity at work many times. Always it had been with an expression of abstracted bliss as she did the thing she loved most. Now however Rarity sewed with grim concentration, hooves shuttling as she fed fabric through her machine.

Twilight picked her way through the coils of ribbon and pincushions on the floor. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask what in Equestria had happened. But no; she had vital concerns of her own.

'Ah, Twilight.' Rarity barely glanced in her direction.

'Rarity, I need to tell you... well I need to tell somepony about something really important...'

'Sorry, can't talk right now.'

The sting of betrayal was painful and immediate. 'But... why?'

'Twilight,' cried Rarity. 'Have you no idea of the magnitude of the disaster?' She spread her arms wide.

'I agree Ponyville's had a rough night. But I really don't think...'

'Sweetie Belle,' sang Rarity. 'Diamante ribbon, if you please.' Immediately her little sister sprang to her feet and dived into the pile of fabric. The multicoloured jumble swayed to and fro. Sweetie Belle emerged, bearing the ribbon between clenched teeth.

'That is spangly,' hissed Rarity. 'I specifically asked for diamante.'

'OK! OK, I got it, sis.' Sweetie Belle resubmerged, reappearing with a ribbon which, in Twilight's eyes, looked identical. She dropped in on the work table and stepped back with an anxious smile.

'Thank you, Sweetie Belle,' Rarity trilled. 'That is just what I wanted. Anyway... I wasn't talking about Ponyville.'

Twilight blinked. 'Not about Ponyville?'

'I was referring to my latest collection.' Rarity did something complicated with ribbon and thread. The sewing machine started up again. 'What did I find this morning? All the stitches in all the dresses had been unpicked. I simply can't imagine how it happened. But that is the situation we have to deal with.'

Twilight felt a surge of irritation. 'Ponyville's taken some hard knocks, Rarity. I must say, I think this crisis of yours is, in comparison, kind of trivial.'

The sewing machine whirred to a halt.

'Trivial,' repeated Rarity with ominous calm. 'Trivial, did you say, Twilight?' Her voice rose. 'For your information I spent most of the night and the entire morning helping with the cleanup in the town square. Only now do I...' she glanced at Sweetie Belle. 'Only now do we find the time to work on this extremely important commission. I don't think trivial enters into it.' She stood with legs set and sapphire eyes blazing, daring Twilight to come back at her. 'Now will you please leave. We have a lot of work to do.'

Maybe I can help... but the words died stillborn in Twilight's mouth. She knew better than that. She walked out under Sweetie Belle's disapproving glare. Glancing back, Twilight saw Rarity bent once more over her machine. She had already forgotten Twilight was there.

Twilight trotted distractedly along Ponyville's main street. Afternoon was by now fading into evening. The townsfolk, many of whom had shared in the day's labours, were making their grateful ways home. No-one paid any attention to her.

What was going on? What was the matter with her friends? Why were they acting as if...

acting as if they didn't need her?

Twilight came to a halt. 'Stop that! Don't think like that.' An aquamarine earth pony paused, gave her a funny look, then hurried on. She paid him no heed. 'There's still Applejack. She'll be honest with me. Yep.'

Sweet Apple Acres was not far. Its occupants however were not at home. 'Oh, this is ridiculous!' Twilight looked around. There was no sign of anypony. A premonition stirred. She trotted through the orchard, making for the barn.

Twilight went slowly now and her steps were heavy. A coldness had taken hold of her. The barn emerged from behind the apple trees. It had clearly suffered near catastrophic damage. It appeared to have been picked up, shaken violently and put down again. Its uprights leaned outwards at drunken angles. Its roof had sagged.

The Apple family were at work trying to salvage their property. They had set up a complicated system of pulleys and guy ropes. Applejack was pacing backwards with a rope clutched in her teeth.

Capable, dependable AJ! Why had Twilight not gone to her first of all? The unicorn's eyes brimmed with tears. Applejack would listen. She had to.

Deftly Applejack wound the ropes around the horns of Big Mac's collar. 'All set there?'

'Eeyup.'

'Then git.' Lightly she swatted his flank. He set his teeth and pulled. Applejack grabbed hold of the rope, and then Granny Smith. She was a tough old mare. Even Apple Bloom joined in. Together the four of them heaved. The barn emitted a mournful creak.

Applejack spat out the rope. 'OK, hold 'er right there!' Big Mac uttered a groan of relief. Strong as he was, he was clearly near his limits. 'Just let me take a look at the north side here.' Applejack backed away from the barn, waggled her eyebrows and peered at it with a surveyor's eye. Then she looked around her with a frown. 'That's weird... there's something mighty queer hereabouts...'

Twilight stepped out of the shadows. Applejack gave a yell of alarm, then took off her hat and fanned herself. 'Gosh darn it, Twi. Why'd you have to startle me like that?'

'Applejack, sorry. But I need to talk to you. Please.'

A pained expression appeared on the earth pony's face. 'Sorry Twilight. But you see the barn, there? The way it stands now a breath of wind could knock it clean over. Can't it wait?'

'But... I can fix it!'

A wary look appeared in Applejack's eyes. 'Say what, Twi?'

'Precise and carefully applied unicorn telekinesis. It can stabilise the barn.' Twilight glanced up at her horn. She'd have to guard against the wild magic surge she'd experienced earlier. Luckily there were ways around that...

'Now hold on there.' Applejack held up a hoof. 'Are you suggestin' we can't fix it ourselves? Is that what you're sayin'?'

No, no, no it was all going wrong again... 'AJ, magic is a tool like any other. Doesn't it make sense to use it?'

'See here.' Applejack settled her had firmly on her head. 'I heard about what you did down there in the town square. I'd prefer it if you kept that horn o' yours under control, if it's all the same.'

'But... magic...'

'Ah said no, Twilight. Now if you'll just excuse me.'

'Applejack, please. Don't turn away from me...' but the earth pony was already heading back to the barn. Twilight stood for a while watching the Apple family at work. Applejack had a swift conversation with her brother. He nodded then raised his head. Another rope was attached and pulled on. The barn groaned as its angles became a little more parallel.

Twilight felt that strange premonition again. I've been here before, she thought. I've seen the barn like this. She looked again at the structure. On closer inspection it appeared to have been blown up from within. And yet there were no scorch marks or burns. What could do that to a barn? Nothing – apart from from powerful and destructive magic.

There was a grassy rise a little way to the north of the building. It was just where you'd stand if you wanted a commanding position for a casting. Twilight paced slowly up to the top. There, at the crest of the rise, clearly imprinted on wet grass, was a pair of hoofprints. Twilight placed her front feet in them. The prints were a precise match for her own hooves.

Part 5

The Bearers of the Elements hung suspended, confined in bonds of azure energy, helpless as newborn fillies. Darkshine paced back and forth beneath, finally coming to a halt in their midst. The Avatar of Darkness looked up, the moonlight gleaming in her sapphire cat's eyes. 'Finally awake, I see. Perfect. Now I can begin...'

Fluttershy stirred. Her wings fluttered uselessly. 'Twilight...'

'Don't call me that.' Darkshine's horn crackled with energy.

Fluttershy gave her a gentle smile. 'Twilight, you're my friend.'

Darkshine took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Then she looked up at the yellow pegasus. 'You stupid little filly. Twilight's gone.'

'Twilight... I don't believe you'll hurt me.'

Darkshine's horn flared. Fluttershy screamed long and loud as sapphire lightnings raced up and down her body.'

'Stop it!' Applejack struggled in her bonds. 'You just stop that, right now.'

'If you insist.'

Fluttershy went limp. Weakly she raised her head. Blood trickled from a bitten lip. 'Twilight, you're in such torment... inside. We can help you.'

'I should hurt you again. Maybe that will shut you up.'

'You'd just be hurting yourself.'

There was another crackle of power from the ebon horn.

'Hey! Stop that, you bully.' Rainbow Dash writhed in midair. 'Just let me get out of this, and I'll...'

'You'll scream in agony just like she did. Don't insult me, Dash.'

'Hi, everypony.' Pinkie Pie came bouncing into the clearing. 'What are you all doing out in the middle of the... oh.' Round-eyed, she surveyed the tableau. 'I knew something was up, but this? My expectations are vastly surpassed. Twilight, why do you have eeek...' Pinkie was grabbed, effortlessly subdued and bound with the rest. She shook her head to clear it, glanced round at the others, then gave Darkshine her familiar grin. 'Hey. I just bet this is like one of the stories in the books you read. You know the ones – where the protagonist or whatever gets possessed by an evil mind force.' Darskhine's eyes narrowed. Pinkie Pie didn't appear to notice. 'But her friends stick together and show her the error of her ways and she's sorry and everypony forgives everypony else and they all live happily ever after. Isn't it? Huh? Huh?' All Pinkie's joy melted away. 'Please, Twilight, let this be a story like that. Don't let it be a sad ending. I couldn't bear it.' Tears brimmed in the Party Pony's eyes. 'You know me, Twilight. How often to I get serious about anything? Cos I'm serious right now.'

And now Rarity stirred and tossed her mane out of her eyes. 'Twilight, darling. Please listen to me. You told me it's too late, but it simply isn't. In fact it's never too late. Believe me, I've been there and I know...'

'Enough.' Darkshine's roar was reinforced by a pulse of dark magic. It shut all five of them up. 'I'm angry.' The Avatar of Darkness swept her head back and forth, tearing up the turf with a forehoof. 'I'm so... bucking... angry right now I can hardly speak. I can hardly even think. You... all of you with your stupid little obsessions, living your selfish little lives. Did any of you think to take a good hard look in the mirror? Did you?' Her voice rose to a harsh screech. 'You have no idea what it's like to be me. To be the one on the outside, looking in. To never, ever belong. Of course you don't. You can't feel what I'm feeling, right now. And there's nothing you can say to me.'

Rainbow Dash gave a contemptuous midair shrug. 'Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah, whatever. You figured out what you're going to do with us, yet?'

'I'm very glad you asked me that.' Darkshine's reply was calm, almost conversational. 'I'm going to cast a spell. It's going to suck the life right out of you. All of you. Slowly.'

'You'll have to watch, Twilight,' said Fluttershy softly. 'Watch us die... slowly.'

Suddenly Rainbow Dash jerked upright. 'Yeah! So just get on with it. What are you – chicken?' Applejack exchanged a look with her. What the hay are you doing? If we keep it up maybe she'll get so mad she slips up... is that wise? Do you have any other ideas?

Applejack filled her lungs. 'Twilight Sparkle, you're borin' us!'

And the others got it! Thick and fast the invective flew. Swot... creep... egghead... nerd... filly fooler.

'Oops.' Pinkie Pie put a hoof over her mouth. 'I didn't mean that as an insult, honest I didn't.'

But Darkshine didn't slip up. Instead she lowered her head and began a casting. As fingers of dread wormed their way into her soul Applejack felt a terrible cold calm. Sweet Celestia, I never thought she'd actually go and do it. This, I suppose, is it. The end. Well now, I guess I get to see what lies beyond...

The aching coldness, the pins and needles, faded. Applejack blinked the nightmare away. Still alive, then – but why? Had Darkshine had a change of heart? She struggled to focus blurred eyes below.

Spike was standing in the clearing. He had placed himself between them and Darkshine.

'Spike, what are you doing here?' Just for a moment, a flicker of the old Twilight appeared.

'At a guess? Saving the day.' He sighed and shook his head. 'Oh, boy. This is bad.'

'Spike, get out of the way.'

He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her.

Darkshine levelled her horn. 'I'm warning you.'

'Uh-uh. Dragon.' He wagged a didactic foreclaw. 'Resistant to magic, remember?'

Applejack saw the power gather in Darkshine's horn. She yelled a warning but Spike just stood there with eyes screwed shut and an expression like he was about to step into a cold shower. The blast of magic caught him square in the chest, sent him sliding backwards.

'Twilight no,' wailed Applejack. 'Why'd you do that?'

'AJ, he'll be fine.' Rainbow Dash's voice was high and anxious. 'Our little Spikey's tough.'

Tough he was. He stood swaying and gently smoking. 'Oh, buck.'

'Spike,' gasped Rarity. 'Language!'

'Sorry.' Then he fell over.

Darkshine lowered her head, flanks heaving. 'Don't want to have to do that again. Now, as for the rest of you...'

'Darkshine, cease!' The voice boomed through the clearing. 'Release thy companions. Return to thy senses. Thy Princess commands, and so it shall be.'

Darkshine did not respond; merely stood waiting, silent and expectant. Princess Luna strode into the clearing. Her horn was already charged with magic. Azure lightnings sparkled from her hoofprints. On her brow, the ebon points of the Crown of Night gleamed.

The Avatar of Darkness and the Princess of the Moon faced each other. The clearing in the orchard became very still. Wordlessly they studied each other; a silent mutual assessment.

Darkshine spoke first. 'Princess Luna. My former host.'

Luna inclined her head, almost respectfully. 'And the one who knows you best.'

'You were not a worthy vessel, Luna. You were weak and frightened.'

Luna did not answer.

'Do you think to try your powers against mine again? To face me, one against one?'

Luna lifted her head. The silky veil of her mane floated free. 'The moon is bright tonight.'

'So it is. But the darkness is deep, Luna. It is endless. It will swallow you up and take your soul. Is that what you want?' Princess Luna hesitated. The watching Elements saw, just as Darkshine surely did,that for all her millennia of life Luna was still so very young. Her powers, untested and immature, surely could never prevail.

'Princess,' yelled Applejack. 'It's too durned dangerous. Get out of here – go warn Celestia. It's your only chance.'

'Hay, no. Don't listen to her, Luna.' Rainbow Dash struggled to make fighting gestures. 'Go get her. You can take her, I know you can!'

'Hey,' said Pinkie Pie brightly. 'You two are friends, right? So just sit down and have a friendly discussion!'

Applejack tried to plant a hoof on her forehead and failed. 'Will you all please just shut up?'

'I will defeat you, Darkshine.' Luna's reply was soft but very certain.

'And how will you do that, Luna? With your magic? I don't think so. Or maybe with the power of friendship?'

'Yes. With the power of friendship.' Only now did the ponies notice that Luna had brought something with her. It was resting on the ground just beyond the circle of her aura. A travel case of plain and sturdy design.

Luna's horn flared briefly. The lid opened. The light from within lit up the night. Darkshine took a stumbling step backwards. 'You can't do this. The element of magic is mine!'

'It is yours no longer.' The pieces rose from the case; the gems bearing the apple, the bolt, the butterfly, the gem and the balloons. They spun in space then oriented towards their true homes, their bearers. Applejack felt the scarlet diadem settle on her chest. There was a scent like spring blossoms, like a breeze on a hot summer's day, like freshly squeezed apple juice. Peace and a marvellous sense of rightness flooded her being. She looked across at her friends and saw the pure white radiance gathering in their eyes.

And now the final gem emerged; the Element of Magic. The tiara floated towards Luna's forehead. Darkshine's voice rose in panicked fury. 'Luna! What do you know of friendship?'

'I know what you taught me. All of you. Now, Twilight Sparkle, be healed and rise again.' The tiara touched Luna's brow. Its form changed, merging with the Crown of Night to make a new, greater whole. The six Elements joined together in one supreme purpose. The rainbow sprung from their hearts. It bore down on the being which had called herself Darkshine, transfixed her, shone into the black and bitter depths of her.

Darkshine's catlike pupils shrank. Twilight Sparkle's eyes looked back at them all, then fluttered closed. The smallish lilac unicorn collapsed in a senseless heap. The rainbow faded. The pony friends dropped to the earth. They stumbled, then as one galloped towards her. Twilight got shakily to her feet. She shook her head. For a moment she looked puzzled. Then she yelled in sudden fear; 'No! Stay back, all of you!'

Applejack came to a sudden halt. Rarity ran straight into the back of her. That brought down Pinkie and Rainbow Dash for good measure. Fluttershy rose gracefully over the pile. 'Twilight, can you tell us what's wrong?'

Twilight grimaced and swung her head back and forth. 'Darkshine's not gone. She's still here. I can feel her.'

'What? Where?' The pony friends looked in all directions.

'She's in me. Still in me.' Twilight opened her eyes.

'Oh come on now,' Applejack yelled. 'That just ain't fair.'

With a single wing-flap Luna bounded over them and landed facing Darkshine. 'What have you done?'

'Why, I made sure I couldn't be defeated in the same way twice. With Twilight Sparkle's help, of course.' Darkshine gave a cocky smile. 'I'm actually very proud of myself...' then the gloating grin was wiped off her face. 'Curse her. The little filly's still fighting me.'

Her friends yelled fierce encouragement. Fight her, Twilight... come on... we know you can do it...

And then the whole clearing lit up with the light of Day. In dead of night it was too painful to look upon. The ponies covered their faces. The light descended. Four gold shod hooves touched the ground, gently as fallen snow. The great wings folded.

Twilight stumbled forwards to kneel at Celestia's feet. Her small frame was wracked with tremors.

The Princess lowered her head. 'Alas, Twilight Sparkle.'

Twilight looked up and briefly she was as she had been – a young yet strong and resolute unicorn mare. Her eyes, quite normal, expressed an aching sorrow and a terrible resolve. 'Princess, I won't be me for much longer.'

Celestia tilted her head in puzzlement; or maybe not wanting to understand.

'Princess, you have to send me to... to that place. To the moon.'

'I will not do that.'

'Celestia, please.' Tears were pouring down Twilight's cheeks. 'You must. There's no other way.'

Celestia stood like a statue as the others shouted in denial. The hateful, mocking laughter rose in Twilight's throat. 'You fools. She's mine, forever!'

Spells of immense power and complexity coalesced around Celestia's horn. Magical formulae formed and changed lightning-quick. The Sun Power spoke, and Twilight was taken. A column of rainbow magic roared skywards. The trembling and shaking of the earth receded. On the face of the moon, a new pattern mistily formed. It was a weeping unicorn mare.

Silence and peace reigned once more.

Princess Celestia turned to look at her sister. Luna had a wavering frown on her face. Her tiara, now the merged Crown of Night and the Element of Magic, gleamed in the darkness.

Celestia opened her muzzle to speak. But it seemed she could find no words.

'Hey.' Rainbow Dash broke the silence. 'What about Twilight?'

Instantly the others joined in. 'Is that thing still inside her?'

'You sent her to the moon, didn't ya. Well I'm guessin' you can get her back.'

'This is simply awful. We must know what happened to her.'

'Um...'

'Be at peace.' Celestia's command shut them all up. 'All things will be returned to their proper places and the former states. I will make certain of it. Luna.'

The Moon Princess gasped.

'Luna, we must return to Canterlot immediately. Attend me.' Celestia launched herself into the air – oblivious, or so it appeared, to the cries of entreaty from below. Her mighty wings caught the air and she was gone. With a helpless look at the others, Luna followed her sister. The five companions, who should have been six, were left staring at each other, bereft.

'Whut.' Applejack screwed up her face. 'Whut jus' happened?'

'It just came on so quick.' Pinkie blinked in bewilderment. 'One minute it was oh I'm just off to Canterlot to do some studying and the next it was zap pow I'm going to kill you all.'

'It's bucked up.' Rainbow Dash kicked an apple tree, hard. 'The whole thing. Totally bucked up.'

Rarity attempted a consoling smile. 'Rainbow, it wasn't your fault.'

Dash rounded on her with a snarl. 'The hay it wasn't. I could have done something. Any of us could have.'

Rarity backed away, giving Dash a sad look. 'I tried to reach her, Rainbow. But she simply wouldn't listen.'

'Oh, hay.' Rainbow Dash's face crumpled. 'I'm sorry, Rarity. I shouldn't have yelled at you.'

'Hush, darling. Don't even mention it.' The two friends nuzzled each other.

'It's so like Twilight.' Fluttershy hung her head. The silky pink mane fell down to cover her face. 'To get really really worked up about a thing and not tell anyone. I think we can all agree on where we went wrong.'

'Celestia's gonna get her back,' said Applejack in a small voice. 'She said so, and we trust her to keep her word, don't we?'

'She's Celestia.' Rainbow Dash leaped into the air and hovered there with hooves thrust out. 'She can do anything. And she's got Luna helping her. I bet there's nopony alive who knows more about dark magic.'

'You betcha, Rainbow. And we're still together. We're friends.' Pinkie thumped a hoof down on the turf. 'Right, girls?' They came together in a group embrace, to soothe the jagged hole which had been ripped inside them. It was a while before anypony noticed that Spike had vanished.

The night sky above Canterlot was rent with two flashes of magic. Celestia folded her wings and dived straight for the balcony. Her hooves clanged as they struck stone.

Luna touched down a moment later.

The Sun Princess thrust the balcony doors wide open. The throng of guards and courtiers, who had gathered in her absence, turned as one. The crowd got a look at her face and, without a word, gave way before her. The Captain of the Guard, a little braver than the rest, hesitated; but even he backed away with the others. Celestia strode into the throne room. She walked through their midst, looking neither left nor right.

Luna had only witnessed this behaviour a very few times but she knew what it meant. It was a sign that the Princess of the Sun could not trust herself to appear in public. That the persona of wise and kindly ruler could not be maintained. Luna gave what she hoped was a reassuring nod and smile to the assembled throng. 'My sister is indisposed. She will be unavailable for a while at least. Please see to it that she is not disturbed.'

Vambrace swallowed. 'Princess Luna, if I could just...'

'Excuse me.' Luna hurried after her sister. Celestia had halted at the doors which led to their private apartments. Her horn flared, the doors opened. In she went. Luna followed, closing the doors behind her with the thrust of a hind-hoof. 'Tia?'

Celestia had gone to the far side of the exquisitely furnished room. She was standing facing the mirror. Her reflected face was an unreadable mask. 'Luna, I'm sorry.'

Well that was unexpected. 'Excuse me?'

Celestia turned. Swiftly she sank down at Luna's feet. 'Luna, I deserve neither your friendship nor your forgiveness for what I said to you today.'

'But, Tia. You must have known I would figure it out.'

Celestia remained prostrate.

Luna bent down to nuzzle her sister's mane. 'You sent me away because my magical presence would have overwhelmed your spells of detection. You could not let me know for fear that Darkshine would guess your suspicions. You unlocked the Elements of Harmony because you knew full well I would put the pieces together.'

'Oh, Luna. Is this what I've become?' Celestia rose. Her hooves slid and scraped on polished granite as she roamed around the room. 'A player of games... a manipulator of ponies' lives...'

'Tia, you had faith in me. It was rewarded.'

Celestia gazed at her, forlorn; then she smiled, and the relief and joy was like lying in the sun on the first really warm day of spring. And yet, Luna found that she could not meet her sister's gaze.

Celestia nudged her. 'Luna, what is it? What's the matter?'

Luna nerved herself to speak. 'It is my fault that Twilight Sparkle was taken. I should have come to you earlier with my suspicions.'

Celestia was silent for a moment. Then she gave a sad smile. 'Then perhaps it is my fault you didn't. Come, sister. Enough of this. Exchange forgiveness with me.' They brushed muzzles and it seemed to Luna that things had returned to the way they had been in the elder days when the world was new, and they had just made up after some childish spat.

'All those years,' murmured Celestia. 'Night and day, I thought of you. I never stopped trying to get you back, little sister.'

'Tia, don't speak of it. It's finished.' After a while Luna drew back. 'What are we going to do about Twilight Sparkle?'

With a problem to focus on, Celestia was all business. 'The chains of hatred and ill-will which bind her are heavy and hard to break, as we know well. You, sister, must find away to overcome her ensorcelment.'

Luna blinked in astonishment. 'Me?'

Celestia nodded. 'You. My powers are greater than yours but I am attuned to the day. The night and the darkness are your realms, Luna. This is a task for you alone. Go down to the black archive. Finish what Twilight Sparkle started.'

Luna placed a hoof on her chest. 'You would trust me with that knowledge?'

Celestia smiled briefly. 'I have always trusted you.'

Overcome, Luna looked away.

The Sun Princess gave a sigh of uncharacteristic heart-heaviness. She went to gaze out of the window. Below the castle, Canterlot drowsed, unaware of the tragedy which had lately played out. And yet, the newly marred Moon was already telling its tale. Ponies would be wondering.

'Luna...' Celestia's voice was soft and hesitant. 'Do you remember when we were young – when one of us needed comfort for whatever reason – we would sleep together?'

Luna felt a quickening of joy. 'I couldn't forget that.'

'Could we do that tonight, please?' Celestia looked round, her eyes full of hope.

'Of course we can, sister. Of course, of course.'

Darkshine stood with legs splayed and head down. Clouds of moondust puffed up from her hooves. She opened her mouth to take a furious gasp of air – but there was no air to be had. Her white teeth snapped shut on vacancy. Her pupils shrank in panic, before she realised that air was no longer necessary.

She was of the Moon, now. She didn't need to breathe.

Darkshine raised her head. Wide-eyed, she gazed around her. The first impression she received was one of absence. There was no colour here. There were no living things. There was only the cratered plain and the jagged lunar mountains, peaks which wind and rain had never weathered.

And yet, it was beautiful. The aching clarity of the distant peaks, the black-grey-silver of the curving land was beyond anything she could have imagined. Deep inside, Twilight Sparkle's interest stirred. How fascinating to see the lunar surface with her own eyes – to finally know what it was like...

Then she saw the pale blue-white gem resting on the inky pillow of the night. A snarl gathered in her chest. How dare it hang there in the sky, mocking her. Everything she hated was back there, everything she needed too, the whole mass of want and fear and misery tangled up inside her like a knot drawn ever tighter. Darkshine felt a howl of torment rising in her throat.

'Looks like a sapphire, doesn't it.' The voice close beside her was the single most shocking thing which had ever happened to her. She spun around, kicking up more moondust.

'Kind of tasty, too.' The little purple and green dragon ran a forked tongue over his lips.

'Spike,' she managed at last, her voice no louder than an astonished squeak. 'What are you doing here?'

'I hitched a ride.' He shrugged and kicked at a moon pebble. 'When the Princess cast that spell I dived in too. So here I am, I guess.'

'But why? Why would you do that?'

'You need someone to take care of you.' How serious he looked; old beyond his years. 'You need me, Twilight.'

Darkshine flinched, then lowered her horn. Its tip crackled with dark magic. 'Don't call me that.'

'Ahem.' He put a fingertip on her horn and moved it aside. 'Watch where you're pointing that thing.'

'You're not scared. How come? How is it I don't scare you?'

'Because I know who you are, deep down.' Spike drew himself up to his full (not very tall) height. 'You're Twilight Sparkle.'

She sank down to the ground and buried her muzzle in the moondust. 'Oh, Spike. What have I done?'

Gently he patted her flank. 'Hey, now. It's not too late to go back.'

'It is.' Her voice was a broken whine. 'I can't face any of them. Not after the things I've done.'

'Great Celestia.' The little dragon slapped his forehead. 'Not this again. Twi, you are allowed to make a mistake every once in a while.'

'Not me. I can't go back. It's too painful. In fact... I won't.' She got to her feet. A harsh blue light flared in her eyes. Was it imagination, or had she just grown larger? 'Not until I can make all of them pay.'

'All right!' He raised his hands. 'All right. I won't mention it again.'

'You had better not, Spike. Now if you want to be of use... help me find a way out of this.'

'Whatever you say, Twi... I mean Darkshine.'

Part 6

The five friends had gathered as usual in Sugarcube Corner. Music of a soft and soothing kind played in the corner. Pinkie Pie was standing over a plate of freshly baked cupcakes. The Party Pony had a spatula clenched between her teeth. She surveyed the frosting with peculiar intentness.

Pinkie put down the spatula, licked her lips and rubbed her hooves together. Then she picked it up again. Her eyes narrowed with atypical concentration. 'If I fape fome offa here... an puf if on vere...' she started scooping and redistributing the frosting.'

Fluttershy came over to see what she was doing. 'Oh, Pinkie.' She smiled fondly. 'I don't think anyone will really mind if the frosting is just a bit, um, unevenly distributed.'

Pinkie gave her a full on Pinkie glare. 'Itf fopp...' she spat out the spatula. 'It's what she would have done.'

Fluttershy sighed. 'I know, Pinkie.'

'Is it so wrong to want things back the way they were?'

'Of course it isn't.' The two pony friends leaned together, sharing comfort.

Rainbow Dash was lying full length on Pinkie's couch. Her wings fanned gently. Her hooves were behind her head. Her eyes were pointed at the ceiling yet her gaze was directed inwards. 'She was the smartest pony I ever knew.'

Applejack nodded. 'Uh-huh.'

'You could ask her anything and she'd know. Or she'd read it up in a book. Or she'd go and find out.'

'That she would.'

'And she always knew what to do – well most of the time anyway.' Rainbow smiled fondly. 'And she was never afraid of anything. Except that one time when she thought she was gonna be late with the Princess's letter.' The pegasus's smile faded. 'I guess we let her down then, as well.'

'Hey, now.' AJ nudged her shoulder. 'We've been over all that. There ain't no call to go reopenin' old wounds.'

'Maybe I want to. Maybe I like it.' Dash scowled and rolled onto her side.

Fluttershy sighed. 'I've been thinking a lot about death, recently.'

Rarity raised a doubtful eyebrow. 'Fluttershy, whatever prompted such morbid imaginings?'

'My little animal friends don't live very long. They pass on all the time. I guess I'm just seeing the skull beneath the skin a lot more than I used to.'

The room filled with a lack of conversation.

'Cupcake anyone?' Pinkie Pie presented her creations with a smile of triumph.

'Why Pinkie darling. I could murder one.' Rarity took a sniff. 'These look simply divine. Have you been experimenting?'

'Sure have.' Pinkie nodded. Her curls bounced up and down. 'New re-ci-pe,' she sang. 'Strawberry fondant and vanilla essence.' Everypony crowded round, glad of the distraction. And the confections were indeed delicious; Pinkie's burgeoning skills were a welcome source of joy.

While she was eating Applejack remembered the news. She glanced at her friends. Everypony was so happy and involved with the cupcakes, was now really the time? And yet, as Applejack reminded herself, it didn't do to go concealing things and letting them fester. 'Everypony, I was talking to Miss Cheerilee today.'

Rarity, with cupcake magically suspended before open mouth, raised an eyebrow.

'It seems that Canterlot's sendin' us a new librarian.'

Rarity's cupcake plummeted with an audible splat. 'I say. They can't do that.'

'Damn right they can't,' said Rainbow Dash. 'That's Twilight's job.'

'I am one hundred percent with you there, Rainbow. But y'see... it's been gettin' on five months, now.'

'Um... I don't think it's right to deprive the colts and fillies of a librarian.' Fluttershy swung a hoof back-and-forth. 'Not at this crucial stage in their education. Sorry.'

'To hay with it.' Rainbow Dash punched a pillow.

'I pronounce my new recipe a positively brilliantly unqualifyedly successful success.' Pinkie Pie smiled a brilliant smile.

Princess Luna paced a nervous line back and forth in front of Sugarcube Corner. She didn't care that she was causing the folk of Ponyville to stay away in trepidation.

She had fought Discord. She had been possessed by the Dark and come back. She had stood at her sister's side on countless battles in the Elder Days. So why so nervous?

What was scary about 5 perfectly ordinary pones, even if they did bear the Elements of Harmony? Especially as she now had the sixth. Luna stamped an emphatic forehoof on the ground. She was an immortal princess and by Equestria she was going to act like one. Then she knocked, very timidly, on the door.

Pinkie Pie stuck her head out. 'Oh hi, Princess. Cupcake?'

The five of them sat together, facing her with hooves placed primly together. 'Good news everypony,' she began. Instantly their ears pricked up. 'As you know, I have been working in the Black Archive for some time now. I believe I have outlined a method to free Twilight Sparkle from her current possession by the Dark.'

Rainbow Dash sprang into the air. 'Best news ever! Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get her.'

Luna took a step backwards. 'No, you misunderstand me. The research is in its very early stages. I have defined the theory – the application is yet to be determined.'

Just like that, the life and the joy went out of them. Rainbow Dash, once more earthbound, shuffled back to sit dejected with the rest. 'Oh. Right. We misunderstood. But we thought...'

Pity tore at Luna with claws. 'I am sorry you are all disappointed. But it is definitely positive progress. I thought you should know.'

'Thank you kindly,' said Applejack with great formality. 'We 'preciate you taking the time to keep us in the loop, Princess.'

'Luna.'

'Luna. Sorry, Ah keep forgetting.' This was not going anything like she'd imagined. Did none of them understand what she'd done? The magical theoretical work, it was groundbreaking, possibly revolutionary. But no. Looking at them all she saw they didn't understand and they didn't really want to. It was Twilight Sparkle they were interested in.

An interval of silence, awkward looks and shuffling hooves ensued. Luna's gaze wandered around the room. 'Oh. Are those cupcakes?'

Pinkie Pie stared at her, unblinking. 'You just had one.'

'So I did. I, er... wondered if this was some kind of celebration. A party.' Luna gave her a weak smile.

'We don't really have parties,' said Fluttershy. 'Not any more.'

'Not in the mood, I guess.' Rainbow Dash flopped back onto the couch.

'I do them quite a lot,' added Pinkie brightly. 'For other people. Over at the foal's hospital, mostly.'

'It is not good for you to mope like this. You should have some fun on occasion.' Luna almost added your Princess commands it but stopped herself just in time.

'Ah, shoot.' Applejack gave her an apologetic look. 'It don't seem right somehow. Not when there's just the five of us.'

'But there are six, now.' Luna blurted the words. She couldn't help herself. And now they were all staring at her, as watchful and expressionless as that creepy owl Twilight had insisted on keeping around the place. Luna felt her cheeks burning with shame. 'I ask your pardon. I see it was crass of me to expect to replace Twilight Sparkle in your hearts. Crass, and foolish.'

'Beggin' your pardon, Luna,' said Applejack. 'We don't want you replacin' Twilight. We just want you to be you. That'd be fine.'

'This was a mistake. I should go.'

Fluttershy started forwards. 'Princess, er, Luna, you don't have to...'

'Excuse me.' Luna turned, thrust the door open and stepped outside. She leaped into the air, spread her wings and was gone.

Stupid Luna.

The Princess of the Moon slammed the bedroom door behind her. With a flare of her horn she sealed it with a triple ward spell. She didn't want anyone coming in right now, not even Tia.

She stood in the middle of the room. Her wings were trembling, her dark elegant form was shaking all over. She'd been doing so well. She was getting to know the folk of Equestria – they'd stopped being afraid of her (mostly). Things had been going great with Tia, really great. And now this happened and she was back to square one.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks.

Stupid, stupid Luna. To imagine any of them would actually want to be friends with her.

It was times like these...

Luna took a deep trembling breath.

It was times like these she just wanted everything to stop. She wanted to disappear.

Rage boiled up inside her. She destroyed a couch – blasted it to atoms with her horn. With a lash of magic she splintered a mirror into countless shining fragments. Her fury mounted. She shredded the appointment calendar on the bureau. Then she leaped forward, thrust the point of her horn right through a cushion lying innocently on the bed. It stuck there. She whirled around and around, rearing and bucking, trying to throw the stupid thing off.

There was a knock at the door. It was not a servant's knock and it was not Tia's. Luna came to a total stop. She stood in the exact centre of the room with the pillow still transfixed by her horn. It appeared to be snowing. After a moment she realised it was torn shreds of the murdered appointment book, still whirling in the air.

Luna felt both completely insane and perfectly calm. It was surprising to her that such a thing was possible. She certainly didn't care if anyone saw her with a pillow stuck on her head. She dismissed the wards and opened the door. SURPRISE, yelled Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity.

'Um,' said Pinkie Pie into the silence. 'What's that?'

'That?' Luna looked cross-eyed at the object dangling about level with her eyebrows. 'It's a pillow.'

Pinkie Pie appeared to give this the the deepest and most serious consideration. 'Okie-Dokie-Lokie. Makes perfect sense to me. Anyway – PARTY. YAY.'

What followed was kind of a blur. Pinkie Pie produced something she called a 'party cannon'. Luna had memories of dancing in a line with the others, of flying, whirling round and round in midair, her hooves joined with those of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. And how free she felt, how joyful, just Luna again, the filly who had run through the long grass chasing butterflies. A thousand years of history become as light as air. Truly back to square one.

Then the servants turned up to see what was going on, as servants would, and the told them they all had to join in – a royal command, no less. And they did, especially when they saw their Princess just wanted to have fun, nothing more. And some courtiers and guards stuck their heads round the door, and they ended up joining in too. And somewhere, Luna knew, in a high tower, her older sister was watching over all with loving kindness.

Magic, Princess Celestia had once told her faithful student, was in essence the exercise of the imagination. Darkshine had been putting that assertion to the test. The Avatar of Night stood with hooves firmly planted in the powdery lunar soil. She closed her eyes. A frown of concentration appeared on her forehead. Her horn-tip glowed, its radiance faint in the naked sun's glare.

Ponyville Library formed mistily around her.

The lines of shelves, the cubbyholes filled with scrolls, the writing desk, even the clutter and heaped books she had not got round to tidying up, all of it faded into material existence. The illusion wavered, then stabilised. Darkshine looked around and gave a little hiss of triumph.

Owloysius, sitting on his perch, turned his head to stare at his mistress with unblinking eyes.

Darkshine's smile became a petulant snarl. The owl vanished. Satisfied, she trotted over to examine the shelves. Illusory volumes sat in their places, just as she had remembered them. She levitated out the hefty and ancient Concordance of the Sages. The pages riffled past her eyes. Each one was filled with dense, crabbed, faultlessly recalled and visualised text. Darkshine jiggled her hooves up and down in triumph. Everything had been imagined into its proper place now. Surely it was merely a matter of time.

She went to her writing desk. It was covered in books which had been marked with various sticky bits of paper. There were also manuscript pages covered in her own precise cursive writing. She had been working at this since her exile. And now, with her powers of recall tuned to their present high pitch, she believed she could at last complete her research.

She swept away a few stray chewed quills and flipped through the manuscript pages. They had been divided into three headings: 1) on physical displacement over planetary distances. Fairly self explanatory, that. 2) circumvention of the Solar Magic. Bound to come in useful when she faced Celestia again. 3) The Final Night. She frowned. It was still not clear what that was all about. Sometimes she felt like two people sharing a single body. But Darkshine had told her...

She frowned and shook her head. Enough of this. There was still plenty to be getting on with. 'Spike!'

There was a prolonged clattering. The door opened and the little dragon appeared. He had a mop and bucket in hand. 'I'm kinda busy right now.'

Darkshine rolled her eyes. 'Spike, what are you doing?'

'Cleaning the place up,' he said, like it was the most obvious thing imaginable.

'Spike, that's not necessary. The dust isn't real. Just like everything else here.'

'It sure feels real.' He swiped a claw across a nearby shelf and examined his fingertip. 'Looks real, too. Besides, I... er...' he sighed. 'I like to do domestic stuff. It makes me feel like things are back the way they were. If you know what I mean.'

Darkshine was silent.

'It's not like there's a lot to do around here...' he nudged the bucket with a foot.

Guilt worried away at Darkshine's soul. She shook it off. 'Never mind about that. Spike, I need the Pervulsions of Themyscra. Has it shown up yet?'

'Pervulsions of Themyscra. Hmmm.' He placed a clawtip on his chin and thought about it. 'Ah-hah!' He reached into an untidied pile, extracted a wormy old volume and brandished it in triumph.

Darkshine rubbed her hooves together. 'Bring it here.'

'Uh, sure.' He placed the imaginary object on the imaginary desk. 'Need anything else?'

'No, I need to work. Be elsewhere.'

'OK then.' His footsteps receded. 'I'll just go take a nap, then. In my imaginary basket. Which, I might add, is very soft and comfortable. So thanks for that.'

She waved a hoof without looking up. So – the Pervulsions of Themyscra. The familiar academic mindset settled over her, like an old overcoat, as she scanned the pages. It was just a question of joining the dots, filling in the blanks, making the parts into a whole. The sort of task Twilight Sparkle had always excelled at. Though she still wasn't sure about the Final Night...

Our powers burgeon. Here it came, as always; the inner dialogue. The voice which was her voice. Yet you are troubled.

Twilight scowled and hunkered down over the desk. 'Maybe we aren't as close as you seem to think. Maybe I'm still me.'

You don't like the power? The Dark sounded surprised, even hurt.

Twilight sighed and hung her head. 'Of course I like it.'

Then you should know what we are going to do with it. It's only fair.

'I thought we were going back to Equestria.'

Of course we are.

Twilight felt a terrible cold sense of foreboding. 'Night Mare Moon wanted eternal night.'

The Dark laughed and it was like pins pricking her. Luna was weak and foolish. She would not permit herself to understand. What is eternal night, Twilight Sparkle? It is Darkness... the ultimate isolation. Loneliness which lasts forever.

Twilight took a deliberate step back from the desk.

But see for yourself. And now she had reason to curse her strengthened powers of visualisation for she saw now with the eyes of the heart, so keener than the ones in her head. The Darkness spread. It crept over the face of Equestria. It was clearly in no hurry. The towers of Canterlot dimmed and disappeared as they were swallowed up. The high rises of Manehattan were next. The Everfree Forest was darkened for good. At last the tide washed over Ponyville. She was forced to watch as the places she had loved faded to nothing.

At last the black was absolute. It was an absence so intense it made her eyes ache. But now a flash of the most brilliant colour came flying out of nothingness. It was Rainbow Dash. Her teeth were clenched, her eyes streamed with effort. Her wings were a blur, sending her faster than any pegasus had ever flown before – all to find the light. But no escape was possible because the dark was everywhere and it was eternal.

Pinkie Pie was curled in a ball, rocking back and forth on the featureless ground. Her eyes were empty. She was uttering an endless, mindless giggle.

And now Twilight heard a hopeless, broken hearted weeping. And that of course was Fluttershy, mourning the day which would never return.

Applejack was pounding her hooves uselessly into the ground until they bled. And Rarity was galloping over the darkling plain, calling out in despair; is there anyone there, oh can anyone hear me at all?

All her friends were locked in their prison cells. And this was forever.

They don't deserve this, thought Twilight Sparkle.

Deserve has nothing to do with it.

'You can't do this,' said Twilight clearly.

I can do it. I've done it before. They were a clever people. They walked upright on two legs. Their skins were pink and brown and yellow and red. See, and understand. There was a sudden blinding, soundless flash. A moment later Twilight heard a roar like the whole world crying out in pain. A cloud rose and swelled in the distance. It was glowing with its own internal fire. Its top spread out, reminding Twilight of something. A mushroom. Its light crawled over the faces of the cities and shone through the gaps in the buildings. And the works of a wondrous race were snuffed out in less than a day.

The fire came, Twilight Sparkle. And then winter and snow and freezing darkness. Famine and plague extinguished the last flickering remnants. And they were not even the first. There were others before them. Would you like to see?

Twilight's horn burst into life. The purple light shone out, tearing the vision to shreds. Once more she stood in the library at Ponyville. Her eyes rolled. Her breath came in short panicked gasps. Please, let this all be a dream. Sweet Celestia, let me be back with my friends. It's all I want.

Yet outside the library there was no kindly blue sky and green fields – merely the cold and barren acres of the moon. And inside there was the tightening spiral of horror and madness. The dark laughter slashed at her. Pain squeezed her temples. 'Spike,' she yelled. 'Spike, get in here!'

Spike stuck his head round the door. He took one look at her, then ran to her side. She leaned against him, gladly breathing in the dry dragon-scent of his scales. 'Stay with me. Don't leave me.'

'I won't, Twi. Ever.' He linked his arms round her neck.

Twilight Sparkle raised her head. Her voice rang out, astonishingly loud and fierce. 'Darkshine! I reject you. I don't want anything more to do with you. Leave me be, you hear? Go away!'

It is too late for that. The voice was everywhere, it seemed to emanate from the very stones of the moon. The force of it drove her to her knees. Spike sank down beside her, a fingertip stuck in one ear while the other hand clutched her mane. You placed your hooves on the path of your own free will. There is no turning aside.

'You're lying.' Spike clambered to his feet. 'You don't understand anything. You just know about lies and hate.' There was a thunderous scowl on his face like the dragon he was. 'There's always time to change.'

Not this time. I am sorry. Darkshine's voice was softer, almost regretful. The library darkened all around them. The gilt titles on the books gleamed briefly then vanished. And now, visible before them for the very first time, stood Darkshine herself. She was like Twilight, yet unlike. Her limbs had lengthened, making her taller and more elegant. The lilac of her coat had darkened to a velvety blackness. There were streaks of purple visible in the inky cascade of her mane. Her back bore no wings but her horn was longer and sharper. Her eyes were a pitiless blue, the pupils dark blades. And yet, she was translucent; the horizontals and uprights of the bookshelves clearly visible through her.

Darkshine opened her scarlet mouth. Her teeth were a predator's fangs. 'What will you do now, Twilight Sparkle? Will you call out to your Princess? She cannot hear you. Will you beg your friends to forgive you? They will not.'

'Neither.' Twilight snorted through her nostrils. One hoof pawed the floor. 'I'm going to fight you.'

Darkshine was silent for a few heartbeats. Then she laughed; a musing, gentle sound at first. It quickly climbed to a brittle shriek of mockery. 'You, fight me? Are you jesting with me? Luna tried to fight. Luna – an alicorn with the tides of eternity flowing in her blood. She failed. What are you? A lowly unicorn mare with a flair for petty conjuration. I will consume you utterly. I will burn you up. There will be nothing left of you.'

'Maybe not.' And it was the old Twilight Sparkle returned once more; the favoured student who had read all the books, who knew what she was doing, who Had A Plan. 'You see, I've been doing a little research, here and there, when you weren't around.' Twilight looked very serious, in full-on lecture mode. 'The old sages... Starswirl the Bearded and those guys... they knew a thing or two about the Dark Magic. They knew how to fight it. How to counter it. I was able to build on their work just a little bit.'

'That is your answer? You think to use the risible tricks of a gang of dusty old fools? That is your plan?'

'Pretty much, yes.' Twilight's horn lit with an even purple glow.

The Avatar of Night took a single step backwards. 'I know this magic. I encountered it of old. It failed then, it will fail now.'

'Quiet. I'm concentrating.' Twilight screwed her eyes tight shut. The glow of her horn strengthened. The illusory library burned away like tissue paper in a bonfire. All three of them stood once more on the barren lunar plain.

'Why are you doing this, Twilight Sparkle?'

'I want to be back with my friends.' Twilight's voice was harsh with effort.

'Are you sure?' Darkshine's voice took on a silky, invidious quality. 'I think you want to hurt me, Twilight Sparkle. You want to punish me for all the things I made you do. It would certainly be easier than facing your friends again, wouldn't it?'

A frown appeared on Twilight's brow. 'Twi, don't listen to her.' Spike hugged his adopted sister close. 'Just cast the blasted magic, like we planned.'

'What, and pass up a chance for lovely, lovely revenge? I'm laughing at you, Twilight Sparkle. I'm scorning you, you pointless little filly.'

Twilight opened her eyes. An ugly snarl twisted her muzzle. 'You want to fight? Because we can. If you like.' Her magic beam darkened and narrowed. Purple edged shadows raced across the lunar surface.

Darkshine let out a scream and slammed her hooves into the dust. 'It is on!'

Part 7

Princess Luna wandered on unsteady hooves out onto the balcony. Her head was swimming, her stomach was sloshing back-and-forth inside her. Hard partying would do that to anypony, even an alicorn with a magical metabolism. Luna stifled a wine scented belch and gazed, with benign fuzziness, over the greatest city of her kingdom – or rather her and Celestia's kingdom, she reminded herself. Her heart went out to her ponies. Right now she loved them all, each and every one of them, even if she didn't know them personally, even if they thought she'd turn back into Night Mare Moon at the drop of a horseshoe.

Luna's eyes wavered in her head. A silly smile formed on her muzzle. Below her, Canterlot. Above, her moon in the starry heavens. All of Equestria was at peace. She couldn't ever remember being this happy.

Pinkie Pie was lying on the balcony, on her back with all legs pointing straight upwards, gazing at that very same sky. 'Hi, Luna. I'm glad you came out here because I was all alone and it's not a good idea for me to be on my own for too long. I start to get all sorts of weird thoughts in my brain.'

Luna stifled another belch. 'You too.'

Pinkie frowned with great seriousness. 'I get to thinking I'm the only pony left in Equestria 'cos everypony else has vanished. And there's no such thing as cheese.'

'Cheese,' Luna stated, 'Is eternal. It will always and has always exist. Ed.'

The party pony's eyes narrowed. 'Say. What's that?'

'What is what?'

'Up there. On the moon.'

'The moon is my domain.' Luna reared back, with some care, to look into the sky.

'Cos you love Blue Blood...' a raucous voice floated out from the castle behind them.

'I most certainly do not,' stated an answering voice with prim certainty.

'You want to kiss him.'

'The very thought. Ugh, those slobbery lips.'

'And have his babies.'

'You obviously get your ideas from the... the silly ideas factory.' Rarity emerged onto the balcony. She had the glassy-eyed look of advanced inebriation. As she walked she placed each hoof on the ground with exaggerated care. Rainbow Dash flew out behind her. The cyan pegasus's wings were buzzing rapidly. She was moving through the air with a list of about 17 degrees. Dash bumped into a pillar and dropped to the ground with a curse followed by a giggle.

'Ah tell ya...' the new voice boomed out behind them, its drawl more pronounced than usual. 'This so-called Canterlot wine is weak as piss-water. Why it's verchally a soft drink. It ain't got nothin' on that there down-home apple brandy we cook up down on the farm. That's real liquor for you. Puts hairs on your chest I tell ya... shoot. I believe I've come over a trifle dizzy. Jus' need me some fresh air.'

'Um, Applejack, the balcony is that way. Sorry.'

'Oh, right you are. Thanks.' And now Applejack appeared. A deep orange blush had risen to her cheeks. Her freckles stood out like sunspots. Her green eyes were crossed and half shut. Fluttershy trotted out behind her. In contrast with the rest she seemed a model of sobriety. However she appeared to have trouble moving in anything other than a perfectly straight line.

'Ah, tha's better.' Applejack rolled her hat back on her head and let out a belch of astonishing resonance. Rainbow Dash, not to be outdone, wobbled to her feet and emitted an eructation of her own.

'Shut up, you guys.' Pinkie Pie executed a perfect somersault and landed on her hooves. 'Check out the moon. Something's going on.' And sure enough the moon's dark limb showed brilliant purple flashes of light. A moment later the purple was answered by a coldly glowing beam of blue, sweeping back and forth. The clouds dispersed as a new emotion, combining hope and dread, seized hold of the watchers.

'Those purple flashes – that's Twilight's magic,' said Rarity. 'I'd recognise that anywhere.'

'The blue is the magic of the Dark,' Luna stated. 'I should know.'

Applejack reared up to plant her hooves on the railing. 'Gosh darn it. It's a fight, that's what it is.'

'Twilight's up there.' Rainbow Dash went to stand by her friend. 'We have to help her. Come on everpony, what do we do?' The friends exchanged glances and a single thought coalesced between them.

Celestia.

The Princess of the Sun reclined on royal pillows. A cup of flower tea stood cooling beside her. She was not thinking about financial strategy or diplomatic relations with other nations or reorganisation of the executive branch. In fact she was not thinking anything at all. Merely to sit in silence, as passive as a plant or sea anemone, to deny Equestria's demands, even for a little while, was a luxury. Something which needed to be wrested from the gluttonous jaws of the day.

And yet, even in the fullness of her repose, something came to trouble her. Pebbles were dropping into the still waters of her consciousness. Ripples were spreading.

Somewhere there was a magical disturbance. Somewhere was an exchange of energies so intense she was aware of it even without looking for it.

It made her horn itch.

A frown appeared on the ageless white of the crown-bearing forehead. Equestria, why do you trouble me so? Can you not give me a moment's peace? What makes you so jealous of my time?

The Sun Princess rose in a smooth motion. She shook out her mane so that it floated in a glowing cloud around her head. A moment later the doors of the royal apartment crashed open. Luna galloped in and skidded to a halt in front of her. The five Elements followed in an unruly scrum.

Off their faces, all of them. Absolutely wankered. Pissed as newts. Celestia raised a royal eyebrow. 'Luna, my sister. My little ponies. You have been partying hard, I see. To what do I owe the pleasure of this interruption?'

Luna stood before her with flanks heaving and head down. 'Tia, the moon.'

Celestia's pupils shrank. She remained motionless for a shocked second. Then she thrust open the drapes on the window.

The battle was fiercer now. The purple and blue flashes were painting the streets and buildings of Canterlot with razor sharp shadows.

'It's Twilight, ain't it,' said Applejack quietly beside her. 'Twilight and that... thing. They're fightin', sure enough.'

'No.' Fluttershy shook her head. 'Twilight's fighting herself.'

'Celestia,' said Luna, low and urgent. 'You can bring her back.'

How hopeful were their faces. How intense their expressions, urging her to action. She stood as if carved from stone, gazing at the moon. Then she looked back. 'No.'

Shocked disbelief stared back at her.

'I am sorry. It is too dangerous.'

Rainbow Dash scowled in outrage. 'Too dangerous for who?'

'If Twilight Sparkle falls to the force you know as the Dark – if she returns as Darkshine – she could cause untold destruction.'

'We stopped her before, didn't we?' Applejack stamped a hoof on the floor. 'We got the Elements, ain't we?'

'The Elements will not work. I am sorry.' Celestia turned away.

The friends exchanged glances. What now? 'Dearest sister,' began Luna in that Celestia-please-listen-to-reason voice she almost never had to use. 'Have you considered...'

'You, Luna, have not found a method for freeing Twilight Sparkle.' Celestia's eyes narrowed. 'Ponies' lives are at stake.'

'No.' Rainbow Dash punched the air in fury. 'No, no, no! You're supposed to be wise, and good, and smart, and you're asking us to watch while Twilight has the fight of her life.'

'What if she looses,' cried Pinkie Pie. 'I just couldn't bear it.'

'I have made my decision.' There was an edge of anger in Celestia's voice. 'I'm disappointed that you do not accept my reasons. But it changes nothing.' The moon over her shoulder flared cold and blue. For a moment the Princess was transformed into a silhouette of absolute blackness.

'Oh, it's getting worse.' Fluttershy went to the window and peered yearningly upwards. 'Twilight, I wish you could hear us!' Celestia looked over her shoulder at the strobing disc in the sky. She reached out with magical senses but no magic was necessary to read the ferocity, the desperation of that lonely struggle.

'Tia.' Luna spoke close to her ear. 'She's our friend.'

'It's what we're supposed to be about, ain't it? Friendship,' declared Applejack. 'We believe in it, don't we, girls?' There was a chorus of agreement from the others.

Luna moved in closer and pressed her neck against Celestia's. 'Friendship has never failed us, my sister. It brought me back to your side.'

Luna, more precious to me than my own flesh. You just had to bring that up, didn't you? And I have no defence. 'Very well.' Celestia paused. She still couldn't believe she was going to do this. 'We must go to the throne room. Quickly now.' Celestia launched into a full gallop. She left their babbled thanks behind as she fled through the doors and down the royal staircase. Metal shod hooves struck sparks from the stone. The echo of her hoofbeats raced ahead of her through the vaulted spaces of the castle.

She slowed to a walk as she entered the empty throne room. Calm now, she needed to be calm in order to cast the enchantment required for the retranslation. And she needed to be prepared, in case...

The Princess shook her head. This was madness.

The six elements bundled in behind her. They clustered around her, demanding to be told what to do. Sometimes, she reflected, the supreme ruler was no longer the master of events but their servant. 'All of you, go and arrange yourselves over there.' She pointed with a hoof. They all made a great production out of who was supposed to go where until she told them all to be quiet and let her concentrate.

The throne room fell silent. Celestia blanked everything from her mind. With her horn she assayed the first of the temporal-spatial translations. Wheels of magic spun and interlocked in her mind. A ring of light formed on the floor. The solar magic rose from its rim in little drops and streamers of gold.

A shape took form in the ring.

Its head was down, horn almost touching the floor. Its legs were splayed. Vapour rose from its flanks.

Fluttershy took a step forwards. 'Twilight?'

The creature looked up. The pupils of its eyes were blades of dark malevolence. 'I consumed her. She's gone. Better believe she never existed.'

'I don't believe that.' The smallish yellow pegasus took another step. Unafraid, she gazed up at the Avatar of Darkness. 'I know my friend is still in there. Fighting to get out.'

'I told you she belonged to me. You didn't listen. I grow tired of this. You bore me, all of you.' Darkshine's horn glowed. Her friends yelled at her to get back but Fluttershy remained motionless and resolute.

There was a second smaller flash of light within the circle. Spike tumbled to the ground, then clambered to his feet. Naked shock appeared on Darkshine's face. 'Spike!'

The dragon dusted himself off with some dignity. 'Twilight.' His voice made her flinch. A blast of magic shot my accident from her charged-up horn. He yelled and leaped aside as the section of floor he'd been standing on disintegrated.

'Spike, I'm sorry. I didn't mean...'

The baby dragon raced across the throne room. In a smooth motion he leaped onto Luna's back. She reared in shock. 'Spike! What are you doing?'

'Luna, stop bucking. We need to go.'

'Go? Go where?'

'Ponyville Library of course. All of us. Come on, you guys.'

'Spike,' wailed Darkshine. 'You said you wouldn't leave me. You promised.'

'I made that promise to Twilight, not you.'

'The final betrayal.' Darkshine's voice dropped an octave. 'That makes what I'm about to do so much easier. Thank you, Spike.' The throne room shuddered from the roots of its columns to the heights of its vaulted ceiling. A musical sound of splintering glass filled the air as ancient filigree windows shattered.

And suddenly Princess Celestia was standing between Darkshine and the others. 'Go, all of you. I will deal with her.' Spike dug his heels into Luna's sides. She whinnied, wheeled round and fled the throne room. The rest galloped after her.

'Ugh.' Darkshine rolled her eyes and hung her head. 'What a fiasco. I'll just have to deal with them all later.'

'Darkshine. You are paying attention to me, now.' It was no longer the wise and kindly ruler of Equestria who spoke. The mare who shepherded the sun and attended ponies' tea parties was nowhere to be seen. In her place was Sol Invicta, the Unconquerable Sun, deathless warrior of light, pale and inviolate in the gathering darkness.

Celestia spread her wings. Her mane floated free. Motes of power crawled over her hide and gathered in the tip of her horn. Darkshine was smaller in stature but she was black as eyeless night, and she was unafraid. 'Let me guess. You want to surrender to me? Am I right?'

'I want to stop you.'

'You want to stop me.' Darkshine responded with a foalish giggle. 'Oh, Celestia. I believe the aeons have finally addled your wits.'

'It doesn't work like that, Darkshine.'

The Avatar of Eternal Night danced with joy. 'I'll be sure and make this quick. Or maybe I'll keep you around as a plaything. Yes, that's what I'll do. How does that sound, Celestia? How would you like to writhe and gasp as the dark power takes you?'

Celestia's reply, when it came, was soft and musing. 'I have to be so... careful. This land of mine is fragile. My ponies' lives can be snuffed out so easily.' She began to circle; each hoof placed casually down on the floor. Darkshine turned to face her. 'Usually I can only exert the tiniest, most carefully rationed fraction of my power.' Celestia smiled faintly. 'Usually.'

Darkshine bared white teeth in a grin of hate. The dark magic lashed out, sudden and deadly. Celestia quenched the dark bolt with a casual wave of her horn.

Darkshine smirked. 'An impeccable defence, Celestia. But maybe you have forgotten how to fight.'

'Remind me.'

Dewey System held the duster between her teeth. Lovingly she brushed its feathery head over a stretch of already immaculate shelving. She stepped back to admire her hard work. On every side the bookshelves gleamed. The gilt titles of the volumes shone. Dewey's nostrils flared as she inhaled the aroma of freshly applied wood polish.

Tomorrow was the grand reopening of Ponyville Library. It would also be the biggest day of her life so far.

Well maybe grand reopening was a bit of a misnomer. Ponyville's board of commerce had not warmed to her idea of staging a parade. And the Mayor had declined her request to hold a reception and gala. Perhaps that last refusal was no bad thing, with the town hall in the shape it was.

Nevertheless Dewey was determined to make a go of it. It was uncommon to say the least for an earth pony to go into a literary profession. Usually unicorns, who everpony knew were smart and studious and academic, did all the book-work. But Dewey had been resolute. With pen clenched between her teeth she had worked her way through school, university and post graduate studies.

She glanced down at the list of class marks blazoned on her rump. If you had a dream – if it got hold of you and wouldn't let go – then the only thing was to follow it to the end.

Dewey did a brief tap-dance of joy. Her hooves clip-clopped on the library's parquet floor. What plans she had! Literary courses and read-a-thons and book clubs and story hour for the colts and fillies.

This was going to be so much fun.

Dewey paced along the shelves, intent on eliminating more invisible dust. As she did so she glanced around the library, checking once more that all the piles of books which had accreted, like strange literary coral reefs, in various corners, had been tidied away. Dewey admitted some curiosity about her predecessor – what was her name? Sunset Spork? Clearly a brilliant mare – smarter than Dewey herself, there was no sense in denying. And yet, with strange and obsessive patterns of thought. There had been endless lists of irrelevancies scattered all over the place. Books had been shelved according to some idiosyncratic classification system which doubtless made sense to a brain more refined than Dewey's. And the writings – reams upon reams of hastily scrawled magical formulae. Treatises from everything from the motion of the stars to treatment of ingrowing hooves. And the letters – some of them with many crossings out and rewritings, decorated with hearts, linked horseshoes, flowing manes and long horns.

Dewey hadn't read those. Everypony deserved some privacy.

She had bagged up all the papers and after some thought put them all in the 000 general section.

And Celestia alone knew who – or what – was supposed to sleep in that wicker basket.

A flash of magic shone through the library windows. Dewey paid it no heed. She was already inured to the weirdness which was Ponyville. A moment later the door crashed open. Princess Luna galloped into the library. She had what appeared to be a baby dragon perched on her back. She was followed by five distinctive, to put it politely, ponies. Dewey's gaze darted from face to face. White unicorn, pink earth pony, orange earth pony with hat, cyan and yellow pegasi... who were they? And more to the point, what were they all doing in her library?

The dragon tumbled off the Princess's and landed on the floor. At once he dropped to his knees, gasping. Instantly the yellow pegasus and white unicorn were at his side.

'Spike, my darling. Are you all right?'

'Spike, oh my. Can you tell us what's wrong?'

'I'm OK.' He waved a clawed hand. 'Just getting used to breathing air again. I'll be fine.'

'Hey, y'all.' The orange earth pony – the one with the hat – had a powerful voice which carried. 'Is everypony OK? Didn't leave anypony behind, did we?'

'Guys, guys, guys.' The sky blue pegasus hovered in midair. 'She's gonna be here any minute. Or had you forgotten?'

'For heaven's sake, Rainbow Dash.' The white unicorn scowled and flipped her mane out of her eyes. 'No-one's forgotten anything.'

'Everypony.' The little dragon seemed to have got his breath back. 'You gotta listen to me.'

'Is that right.' The pegasus – evidently Rainbow Dash – planted hooves on hips. 'Well maybe, Miss Rarity, you'd care to tell us what the plan is, because I am fresh out of ideas.'

'Humph.' Rarity turned her nose up with a marvellous look of disdain. 'Miss Rainbow Dash is out of ideas. What a stupendous surprise.'

'Both of you.' Princess Luna stamped a hoof on the ground. 'This is not helping.'

The dragon – Spike – jumped up and down. 'Tell you what. You guys totally ignore me and I'll just babble to myself. How about that?'

Dewey System cleared her throat. 'Excuse me.'

It was like magic. All seven of them turned as one to stare at her. She felt a nervous grin form on her face. ''The library's closed. If you want to borrow a book you can come back tomorrow.'

The yellow pegasus swung a hoof back and forth. 'Um... who are you? If you don't mind me asking, that is.'

'Oh my gosh!' The pink one's eyes boggled in their sockets in precisely the way that normal ponies' didn't. 'You must be the new librarian from Canterlot.'

'New librarian, huh.' Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed with menace. 'Trying to take Twilight's place, huh.'

Enormous beads of sweat were now running down Dewey's forehead. 'Um. Er. Sorry?'

'I'll make you sorry.' Rainbow Dash flexed a bicep.

Applejack stamped a hoof down on the pegasus's tail. 'Just ease off there, sugarcube.'

'Everypony.' The dragon's yell was surprising for one who appeared so small. 'Be quiet and listen!'

'Oh my goodness, Spikey.' Rarity rushed to his side. 'It's all right now, darling. You're home now. You're amongst friends.'

His eyes brimmed with tears. 'Rarity, I missed you so much.'

'Just as I missed you, Spike.'

He threw his arms around her neck and buried his face in her mane. 'I had to watch while she did terrible things to herself. I thought if I loved her enough I could change her back.'

Applejack sighed and shook her head. 'It don't work like that, Spike. You can't make folks do anything they don't wanna.'

The little dragon gulped down a sob. 'But why... why would she act like that?'

'There's a little darkness in everpony,' said Fluttershy quietly. Princess Luna looked like she was going to add something but she remained silent.

'You got that right.' A fresh storm of weeping took hold of him.

'There, there, Spike. Let it out. It's all right.' Rarity turned her head to hide the tears in her own eyes.

'No. no, it isn't.' He took a deep breath and ran a hand, paw-like, over his face. 'We don't have time for this. We need to complete the spell.'

Princess Luna raised an eyebrow. 'The spell.'

'Yep.' Spike got to his feet and looked around the room. 'Up on the moon, Twilight... when she wasn't being Darkshine, she was working on a spell against the Dark.'

'That will not work, Spike. Everything that Twilight knew, Darkshine will know as well. She'll be able to counter any such spell.'

'If anyone has a better idea,' he replied with wonderful patience, 'now's the time to suggest it.'

'That'll be a no, I'm guessin'.' Applejack tilted her hat back, all business. 'What do we need, Spike?'

'Books. I remember where to find them.' Spike rubbed his hands together. His gaze alighted on the empty space where a random pile of books had lately resided. 'Uh-oh.'

'Oopsie. I know a bad uh-oh when I hear one,' said Pinkie. 'That was a bad uh-oh.'

'You tidied up, didn't you? Didn't you?' Spike advanced on Dewey System, suddenly alarmingly toothy, angry and sharp-clawed.

She backed away from the little monster. 'Er. Sorry?'

'Spike, take it easy.' Rainbow Dash put a restraining hoof on his shoulder. 'We can all look, can't we?' The others chorused agreement. 'What were the titles, Spike?'

'That's just the point. I know where they were better than I know what they were called. Now I gotta think.' He pounded his forehead. 'The... Perversions of the Moose Cow?'

Dewey raised a timid hoof. 'Maybe you mean the Pervulsions of Themyscra.'

'It was on the top of the pile. Right there, for crying out loud.' He waved a frantic arm.

'I know where that is!' Dewey cantered over to the shelves and pulled the volume out. She advanced nervously, holding it before her like an offering.

'OK, so we're getting somewhere.' Eagerly he snatched it from her hooves. 'I just need to remember the rest, now.'

White feathers drifted through the scorching air. The very stones of the throne room, tortured beyond endurance, glowed with heat. Dirty orange smoke clouds billowed overhead, their bellies painted by the fires of the burning castle. Princess Celestia's flanks were heaving. A sheen of sweat made her coat reflect the yellow gleam of dancing flames.

Darkshine staggered. Her pool of black power wavered. With a visible effort she forced herself erect. Once again her horn crackled and crawled with evil energy. A beam of concentrated malice shone forth. She swept it back and forth like a searchlight. Where it touched the stones it blasted them to fragments. Splinters of white-hot marble sprayed everywhere. Celestia's answering fire met the darkness midair. The duelling energies of light and dark blasted in all directions. Behind Celestia the wall of the throne room collapsed. She paid it no heed. The Sun Princess's brows clenched with effort. With a roar and a slam of her hooves she thrust the darkness back.

The solar power enveloped Darkshine's black aura. It sizzled and screamed but it could penetrate no further.

The Avatar of Night swayed, then steadied herself. Her answering smile was cool and mocking. 'Celestia, you have grown more powerful. I honestly didn't think that was possible.'

Celestia snorted steam from her nostrils. One gold-shod hoof pawed the scorched flagstones. There was a light in her eyes which had not been seen in Equestria for a thousand years.

'But that's the problem, isn't it?' The ruined walls of the throne room twisted around them before snapping back into shape. 'You see that? The fabric of reality is beginning to fail. The world cannot bear your power. Expend much more and your precious Equestria will melt away like frost in the morning sun.'

The light went out of Celestia's eyes.

'Whereas I simply don't care. Destroy Equestria or warp it to my wishes, it is all the same to me.' Darkshine laughed and danced a jig of sheer joy. Suddenly and without warning she projected a cone of inky power. It struck Celestia amidships. The Princess was swallowed by a coiling cloud of ultimate night.

'Humph.' Darkshine came to a halt and studied the cloud with a sceptical eye. 'Surely not. Come on now. Don't disappoint me.' Celestia's cutie mark shone out, a sun so bright the eye could not bear to look upon it. The cloud blew away in tatters. Celestia shook her pastel mane free of the final inky shreds.

'Perhaps we'll try that again.' Once more Darkshine sent her power forth. This time Celestia was driven to her knees. Shakily she got to her feet. Wisps of smoke were rising from her hide.

'Come on, Tia.' Darkshine's voice was a mocking croon. 'Strike back at me. I know you want to. No-one else suspects but I know how much you love a good fight.' Another bolt struck Celestia's withers, spinning her round. Golden hooves scrabbled over the ruined floor. The Princess shook her head to clear it. 'Twilight Sparkle...'

'Don't! Don't call me that. Don't you dare compare me to that buttoned up, tied down wallflower.'

Celestia bared perfect white teeth. 'Twilight Sparkle, you're a vulgar little upstart.'

Darkshine reared up in outrage. 'You! Take that back, right now.'

'I'm very disappointed in you.'

'You? Disappointed in me?' Darkshine's voice rose to a harsh screech. 'You sent me away. Did I do something wrong? You told me I had to learn about the magic of friendship. What does that even mean?'

'And stupid with it.'

Tentacles of night writhed up from the floor. They coiled around Celestia, lifted her into the air. The tentacles pulled. Celestia's wings were pried out from her flanks. The coils of blackness tightened their grip. There was a creak of protest from stressed tendons and straining muscles. Celestia's long neck drooped. Her mane floated down to cover her eyes. On her mouth, the ghost of a smile appeared.

The very tip of her horn glowed. A crack of golden fire creaked open on the wall beside her. It raced downward and all the way across the floor, bursting wide open beneath Darkshine's hooves. Light streamed out. The Avatar of Night screamed in agony. The dark power shrivelled and vanished. Celestia stood before her, wings spread, powerful and terrible and renewed.

'You,' spat Darkshine. 'You tricked me. This was a delaying tactic. The others – what are they planning?'

Celestia merely smiled.

'I'll be back to pluck your feathers, Princess.' Darkshine blazed with blue fire and disappeared.

Celestia formed a message in her mind and sent it on wings of thought to that dear presence. Luna, I couldn't beat her. It's up to you now, and our friends. I love you, little sister.

Part 8

Princess Luna glared at the page. Her teeth were clenched and her brow furrowed. A bead of sweat ran down her nose. The quill raced across the paper, trailing little spots and splashes of ink. Spike was hovering by her left shoulder. He rose on tiptoes to peer at the scrawled script which was sprinting down the page. 'That bit, right there.' He tapped with a concerned foreclaw. 'I don't think she wrote that. In fact I'm sure she didn't.'

Luna threw down the quill. 'Spike, you are not helping!'

'OK, OK, sorry.'

'I am trying to reconstruct a complicated spell based on what I think Twilight Sparkle's intentions were. All this, with minimal data. Of course it won't be the same.'

He raised his hands. 'I was just trying to...'

'Spike.' Rarity gave him a kindly smile. 'Come over here and let me mother you.'

'Don't want mothering.'

'SPIKE!'

'Fine, OK. I'm coming.' He slouched over to Rarity with visible ill grace.

'Now then, Spikey.' She fussed over him with magically brandished flannel. 'My my, did they not have any water on the moon? No, I suppose not. I've never seen such a dusty dragon. Oh, would you look at that. I seem to have made a clean patch.'

Luna shut the chatter out. Concentrate – she need to concentrate. Her gaze darted between the various spell books, all propped open with paperweights and teacups. So difficult to read these ancient magical formulae. Harder by far to weave them into actual usable incantations. Hardest of all to guess Twilight Sparkle's original intention.

The nib snapped. Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I can do this.

I must do this.

Rainbow Dash was flying tight agitated circuits of the library. 'I hate this. I hate feeling so bucking helpless.'

You and me also, thought Luna.

'The Princess,' said Fluttershy. 'She's going to be all right, isn't she?'

She just needs to buy us some time, thought Luna.

Dewey System raised a hoof. 'Who is this Darkshine you ponies keep talking about?'

'She's the ponification of all darkness, hatred and betrayal.' Pinkie Pie bounced over with a helpful smile. 'She wants to bring eternal night to all Equestria.'

'Oh, thanks. I was worried there for a while.'

'You're welcome.'

Princess Luna kicked the table. 'Will you all please shut up...' she dropped the quill again. 'Tia... she's here.'

It started as a dimming of the lights. Then it was a breath of evil sucking the warmth from body and soul alike. Everypony felt it. Round-eyed, they crowded closer to the pool of lamplight round the writing desk.

Applejack looked quickly back and forth. 'Where the hay is she?'

'Everywhere.' The low, treacly voice spoke in everpony's ear. Fluttershy gave a squeak of horror. Poor little Dewey System fainted clean away. And now they saw a silhouette of absolute blackness, like a window into the freezing depths of space, take form not three pony strides away. The body was featureless – only the eyes were visible, and white pointed teeth behind night black lips.

'Surprise,' said Darkshine.

'Form the circle,' ordered Luna. For once the others didn't argue. All six Bearers raced to their places, joined their hooves together, felt the warmth kindle in their hearts, the light strengthen to drive the darkness back.

Luna formed the initial thought-symbols. The transitions spun and interlocked. The master incantation, the sovereign weapon against the dark, powered by the passion of pony friends who had fought and suffered together and would not give up hope, took shape.

It's working, thought Luna. I did it. Straight off the page.

The ebon shape turned fully to face them. 'You've been busy, I see.'

Luna could barely hear above the surging magic in her horn and the humming in her skull and the music playing in her ears.

Now we unify the forces. Now we get our friend back.

What came next felt like a steel hawser snapping in her brain. Pure agony lashed across her temples. Luna fell to the floor. She lay twisted and helpless, horn smoking. Dimly she perceived the others whimpering in pain. It was fortunate that she had borne the brunt of the backlash. The force of it would have killed any of the mortal ponies – blasted them to atoms.

The Avatar of Night's hooves clopped to a halt by her head. 'I'm surprised.'

Luna pawed feebly at the air.

'You actually thought that would work. You seriously expected that I, Darkshine, would not have devised a defence against a spell that I myself created. Incredible.' Luna felt herself lifted up, as limp and helpless as a sack of Sweet Apple Acres' mouldy old windfalls. All around her friends were slackly hanging in midair, barely conscious. Spike was nowhere to be seen.

'I was going to cosign you all to eternal night but instead I've decided to be nice to you. I'm going to spare you the torment and just kill you all now. Myself. No, don't bother to thank me.'

Applejack stirred feebly.

'AJ,' cried Darkshine in a gloating sing-song. 'You can be the first.' An invisible fist closed around the earth pony's body. Bone ground against bone. Applejack's eyes opened, then bulged. Her jaws worked as she tried to force words out.

'Muh-muh-spuh.'

Pinkie Pie sprang to life. 'Huh? Huh? What was that? AJ, speak up.'

Applejack's eyes appeared to drift to the opposite corners of her skull. Her ribcage groaned as it was squeezed in on itself. She was now a shade of deep orange. 'Muh-muh-spuh!'

'Oh, I get it.' Pinkie's brilliant smile beamed out. 'She said: memory spell!'

Spike popped up from behind the desk. He filled his lungs and belched a gout of green fire. The flames enveloped Darkshine, crawled over her mane and body. The Avatar flinched and shook her head. The flames couldn't really hurt her but they certainly distracted her. Darkshine's control weakened the merest fraction.

It was enough. Applejack's hind legs – those mighty appendages forged by year upon year of apple bucking – lashed out with the force of pistons. Her hooves struck Darkshine square in the forehead. The black mare stumbled backwards, landing square on her ass. 'You horrible little bag of horse apples. For that, I promise, you die screaming!'

And suddenly Pinkie Pie was right in front of her, bouncing up and down on elasticated legs. Darkshine's eyes went round with shock. 'How did you manage to... oh, of course. You're Pinkie Pie.'

'The one and only party pony. And guess what else. Blubbel-ubbel-ubbel-ubbel,' went Pinkie's tongue directly in Darkshine's face. The black mare reared up and stamped a hoof down on Pinkie's neck. Pinned and helpless, Pinkie attempted to grin ingratiatingly.

Darkshine bared predator's fangs. 'I wonder how you'd look in red.'

'Not on my watch!' Rainbow Dash slammed into Darkshine's flank. The Avatar oofed and took a stumbling sidestep. Dash rebounded and flopped to the ground, pawing at the floorboards in agony. 'Sweet Celestia. You must be made outta granite.'

Darkshine loomed over her with wings spread.

With twin yells Fluttershy and Rarity sprang onto Darkshine's back. Applejack, Dash and Pinkie piled in as well. Darkshine was borne to the ground. The pyramid of squirming, struggling ponies swayed back and forth and was still.

'Let go of me!' A wave of force blasted everypony to the far corners of the library, sending them crashing into things. Darkshine leaped to her feet and shook her wings free. 'Will you all just die, already?'

And then Princess Luna hit her right between the eyes with the memory spell.

Darkshine could see Twilight's friends. They were crowding round, tears in their eyes, mouths working as they called to her – but their voices never reached her. It was like a bubble of smoked glass had formed all around her.

The memories. She squeezed her slitted eyes tight shut and tried to stem the flood. But the river had burst its banks and there was no stopping it – not with words or wishes. Terrible things. All the terrible things she had done came back to her. All down the aeons, the lies and betrayals and wicked suggestions and poisoned whispers poured into the ears of the weak and the wounded.

It had been their choice, in the end, hadn't it? To betray and cause untold pain to the ones they loved?

But none of it would have happened without her.

Why were these most recent memories the most painful of all? Before there was any such thing as the entity Darkshine there had been Twilight Sparkle. All Twilight's less than stellar actions – all the petty selfishnesses and jealousies and wounding words a young unicorn was capable off – all of it came back to her. The strange thing was, Darkshine wanted to tell her come on Twi, don't be so hard on yourself. You're not as bad as you think. Not compared to me, anyway.

And now a figure came walking towards her over the darkling plane of her mind. It was a diminutive lilac unicorn with an indigo fringe and a star on her rump. Darkshine turned to face her. 'Little ghost. What do you want, little ghost?'

Twilight gave a diffident bob of her head. 'I thought maybe it's time to put a stop to this.'

'What? You mean to fight me again? Don't bother. I would master you in an instant.'

Twilight shook her head. 'Not going to fight you. Nuh-uh.'

Darkshine turned away. 'Then stop wasting my time. Go away. Leave me in peace.'

'I've been in here, with you, all the time.' Twilight's voice followed her. 'I saw how my friends fought for me – how they never stopped believing.'

'Deluded fools, all of them.'

Twilight teleported directly in front of her. 'This isn't about them. It's about me – us.'

'Is there some point to this?'

'I have the Dark inside me. I know that now.' Twilight sighed and pressed a hoof over her heart. 'But my friends have helped me overcome it.' She brightened up. 'I'm reconciled. I'm not afraid of you – my own personal darkness. I accept you. You're a part of me.'

Seeing that guileless face with open smile Darkshine felt the first stirrings of alarm. And now an extraordinary thing happened. Darkshine found herself a good hoof-length closer to the ground. She stared down at her limbs in shock. Shrinking – she was shrinking. No, not exactly. She realised the answer as she surveyed the altered proportions of her limbs. She was regressing – getting younger by the moment. The first real fear she had known in aeons of time took hold of her. 'Little ghost, what have you done to me?'

'I guess... I've healed you.'

'No. That is not possible.' Now she was a whimpering foal, huge-eyed and clumsy. 'Look at me. I'm fading. I'm sinking back into the cold and the lonely nothing.'

'Shush, it's OK.'

Darkshine raised her pleading gaze. 'I don't want to go back to the dark. Twilight, please help me.'

Twilight knelt down and touched her muzzle to the infant's forehead. 'You're not going anywhere. You're staying right here with me.'

'Promise me, Twilight. Promise you'll keep hold of me and never let me go.'

'Of course I promise. After all – you're me.'

Darkshine was a helpless newborn – and then she was nothing at all. Only Twilight Sparkle remained. She looked to her friends with a smile of triumph. The bubble of smoked glass melted away and then they were all around her and their voices were in her ears and their warmth pressed against her body and their wings embraced her and their scents were in her nose. And she cried gentle tears of joy.

A healing light filled the library. 'Let me go,' she gasped. 'Please, girls. I love you all but will you just let me go?' They drew back with a murmur and all of them, Applejack and Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, knelt in homage. Only Luna stayed on her feet with tears running down her cheeks.

Twilight Sparkle went to Princess Celestia and hung her head. 'Princess – I'm ready.'

'Ready for what, Twilight Sparkle?'

'For whatever punishment you decree.' There were soft voices of protest from behind her.

'Twilight, look at me.' At last Twilight looked into the face of the Sun. How beautiful Celestia was – of course she knew that, everypony did. But it seemed as if she was seeing the goddess, really seeing her for the first time. Where had these new eyes come from?

'And why,' said Celestia, 'should I punish you?'

'I let the darkness in,' said Twilight simply.

'My most favoured student.' Celestia gave that familiar chuckle, at once loving and sly. 'You have done what I could not. You have put an end to a great evil which has plagued creation for countless cycles of time. You should not be punished. Rewarded, maybe. Celebrated...'

'No.' Twilight shook her head. 'No, that would be too easy. I can't go back to the way I was. Not after everything that's happened.'

'Twilight Sparkle, what do you wish?'

She thought for a moment. 'To make amends.'

'Very well. Since you are so eager for judgement, my doom is this. You are to repair what Darkshine marred. Where Equestria has been hurt, you will heal. Where Equestria has been damaged, you will repair. You will find the peace you seek, Twilight Sparkle. I will make sure of it.'

The moon was sinking towards its bed in the West. Two companions sat on the hill just outside Ponyville, gazing at its unmarked face.

'It was like a dream,' said Twilight Sparkle.

Princess Luna nodded. 'Very like a dream.'

'It wasn't cold up there.'

'Indeed it was not.'

'It wasn't really warm either.'

'I remember it well.'

Twilight's brows drew together while her wide open eyes tracked the sinking disk. 'At first I though there were no colours at all. That it was just black and grey and silver. But then I started to see reds... yellows and browns...' Twilight's voice took on a dreamy quality. 'But no blues. And never any greens.'

There was silence for a while as both of them revolved their own thoughts. Then; 'Twilight Sparkle,' said Luna. 'You should not be ashamed of your feelings.'

'My feelings.' Twilight gave a nervous little laugh. 'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'I am referring to my sister.'

'No.' Twilight shook her head vigorously. 'No, no, no! That wasn't me. That was Darkshine.'

'All Darkshine did was express what was hidden inside you. That's how you defeated her... isn't it?'

'Ugh.' Twilight hung her head with a sigh. 'She's the immortal ruler of Equestria and I'm just her student. A straight 'A' student but one nonetheless.'

'You came back from the moon, did you not? You defeated the most terrible enemy Equestria has ever faced, did you not?'

'I kind of had help.' Twilight gave a wry smile. 'But when you put it like that...'

'I would say that after all that, anything is possible. Wouldn't you?' Luna extended a wing and Twilight leaned gratefully against her.

'Maybe I'll... write her a letter.'

But she never did.

The ancient legend haunted city of Inverneigh brooded beneath a dark storm-wracked sky. Its grim old buildings loomed blackly against racing clouds. Here and there yellow squares of lighted windows gleamed like watchful eyes.

This habitation of ponykind dated back to the founding of Equestria, when fell creatures had come from the Northern Wastes. Then a great fortress had been built to guard the high passes, and a city had grown up around it. The monsters had gone, but Inverneigh remained; a place on the edge, forever looking into the lonely wildness.

The oldest district of Inverneigh was the High City which clustered around the foot of the castle. Here the town houses jostled together, their upper stories almost touching over the narrow cobbled streets. Gas lit street lamps shone out here and there, their light mostly serving to make the shadows darker. The few townsfolk brave enough to be abroad were bundled up against the blustery wind. They did not linger, but hurried to their destinations.

In a secluded court there was a domicile of sinister antiquity. This house, if such a jumble of roofs and turrets and tiny windows could be called such, had sagged and settled over the centuries. Now, with its drunken uprights and not very level stories, it seemed to glare at itself.

A faint gleam of light could be seen from the leaded windows. The house itself was empty but an oil lamp flickering in an alcove told of current occupancy. A steep and narrow flight of stairs led down to the cellar. This was the most spacious room of the edifice. Its vaulted ceiling was high enough for a unicorn to wander at will without bumping her horn. There were bookshelves full of magical tomes. Benches were laden with all manner of magical paraphenalia.

A stone pedestal stood in the centre of the room. A brass bowl had been placed on top. The bowl was full to the brim with oily liquid. Green flames flickered on its surface. Standing facing it was a unicorn mare. She was wearing an oversized floppy wizard's hat. Her cutie mark was concealed by the star patterned cloak draped over her hindquarters. Her blue coat appeared greyish in the pallid light.

'Ahem.' The unicorn cleared her throat. 'You spirits of fire, hear me.' The oily liquid stirred in its bowl. 'You elements of the upper air, heed me.' Emerald flames kindled at the bowl's rim.

'You heralds and messengers of the secret world, attend me!' There was a liquid whoosh as the flames caught. The unicorn reared onto her hind legs and pawed the air. 'My hooves stand below the deepest abyss and the point of my horn rises above the brightest heaven. By the secret names written in my book of power I command you. Appear to me and do my bidding. I command!' The fire grew bright, then painful for the naked eye; yet it gave no heat. Shapes took form in its depths; a circling cavalcade of wild-eyed feral horses with streaming flames for manes. Then the light dimmed to a fitful glow. The unicorn dropped to the stone floor. The corners of her mouth quirked up in a smile. 'A little theatrical, maybe.'

'Maybe.' A figure stepped out of the shadows, wearing a heavy travelling cloak. The hood was raised to hide its face. 'How did you know I was here?'

'Do not underestimate The Great and Powerful Trixie,' said Trixie, thoroughly rolling all the 'r's. 'Her powers continue to grow.'

'So it seems.'

'She has a good teacher.' The two ponies fondly rubbed their muzzles together. 'You are staying with us long here in Inverneigh?'

'No. I have to leave in the morning. I just came here to check up. In case... you know.' With a toss of her head Twilight Sparkle shrugged off the hood. Seen in the fitful greenish glow of the bowl, she had the body of an athlete. All excess body fat had long since been pared away. Lean muscles flexed beneath her hide. However it was the body of an athlete who habitually pushed herself to exhaustion. Too well did Trixie read the signs of exhaustion; the tremor of the knees, the drained sagging of the neck.

Twilight's once guileless face was marked by a jagged scar running down over one eyebrow. Her eyes gleamed with a hard and adamant purpose. Trixie tsked as she noticed the latest change; a streak of white just above the left temple.

'You have been busy, I assume.' Trixie tried to sound casual.

'You haven't read my letters?'

'I read them when you bother to send them – which is less than you should and even less frequent of late. Where is young Spike?'

Twilight looked at the floor. 'I left him in Ponyville. He needed to rest.'

Oh, and you don't? Trixie gave a considering frown. 'Twilight, how long is it since you've had a decent sit-down meal?'

Twilight shuffled her hooves. 'I honestly don't recall.'

'Then it is decided.' Trixie assumed her most imperious manner. 'You will accompany The Great and Powerful Trixie to the kitchen, immediately.'

Trixie watched Twilight eat her way through a second plate of hay fries. The lilac jaws ground in mechanical circles, displaying little sign of enjoyment. Twilight finished and drained a glass of milk.

'Twilight, must you leave so soon?'

Twilight swallowed mightily and wiped her muzzle. 'Yes. New leads.'

'Which will lead nowhere.'

A shrug of the lilac shoulders. Clearly it was of no consequence.

'Trixie is concerned.'

Twilight stifled a belch. 'What about.'

'Look at yourself. You turn up on my doorstep with the appetite of a famine victim and saddlebags under your eyes. Your health is clearly suffering.'

'What about it.' Twilight shrugged. 'This is more important.'

'Trixie does not think so.'

The fire blazed up in Twilight's eyes. 'We aren't safe! What if it comes back?'

'Could it, Twilight Sparkle? Come back?'

'No. The Dark rests easy. That battle's been fought and won.'

'Then I fail to see...'

'I said it wrong.' Twilight shook her head. 'What if something like it appeared in Equestria? Something my Princess couldn't put down? We've travelled far, Spike and me. We've seem more than anypony should. There is terror in the dark spaces. Terror and death. There are things asleep, but they could awaken. My poor ponies would burn like stubble in the fields. I have to go on.' Twilight's head drooped. 'I have to.'

'Five years, Twilight Sparkle.' One of Twilight's ears twitched. 'Five years you have schooled Trixie. Had her searching the realm with all the might of her magic. Straining her senses for the faintest hint of the things you fear. And what has she found? Nothing.'

'Then you're a bad student. Or maybe I'm a bad teacher.'

'Trixie is not finished. Five years, you yourself have been searching. What have you found? Some poor deluded diabolists. Would-be necromancers afraid of their own shadows. Lackwits ready to cast their horseshoes in fright at a bump in the night. Folk more deserving of pity than censure.'

'Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence,' quoted Twilight with little conviction.

'Twilight,' said Trixie with slow force. 'It is over.'

'I don't think so.'

'Stop punishing yourself.'

'I'm not... aargh!' Twilight waved her hooves in the air.

' The Great and Powerful Trixie would not see you destroy yourself.'

Only now did anger kindle in the purple eyes. 'Is that what you think is going to happen?'

'It is.'

The two glared at each other over the table. It was Trixie who looked away first. Twilight shrugged and fell to licking the last fragments of hay fries from the plate. Trixie adjusted her hat to a businesslike angle and went to prepare more food. 'Trixie.' The voice floated over her shoulder while she was flipping the skillet. 'I couldn't wish for a better friend in all Equestria.'

And don't I know it. Trixie smiled wryly. 'I have heard that this year Princess Celestia will perform the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville.'

'Is that right.'

'Your friends will all be there. Your friends.' She emphasised the last words. 'You should go to them.'

There was half a minute of silence. And then: 'I'm tired,' said Twilight faintly. 'I'm so tired.'

Trixie turned from the sizzling skillet, only to see Twilight slumped across the table, peacefully asleep.

Part 9

Princess Celestia stood still and silent on the podium. Above her head the banners whispered in the pre-dawn breeze. The entire population of Ponyville was watching her, enraptured.

Twilight Sparkle watched with the rest. But she was not a part of the crowd; instead she occupied a vantage point halfway up the hill, well hidden in the shrubbery. From her hideaway she had watched events as they unfolded from earliest morning. She had seen the townsfolk walking out from Ponyville; tasted their excitement as they took their places for the ancient, life affirming event. She had seen the Princess glide down from the sky. The old feeling had kindled inside her, undimmed by the passage of years.

Celestia looked at the sky. Her mane drifted in a cloud of pastel colour.

She is beautiful, thought Twilight Sparkle.

At some signal only she could perceive the Princess spread her wings and soared. And the sun rose to meet her. Twilight's eyes filled with tears and her heart overflowed with joy. Like a second sun hidden in her chest it beamed its rays, bidding to outshine Celestia herself.

I love her. Now and for always.

Celestia blazed skywards, far above the crowd, far above the waving banners and flags pitched on the field. The oohs and aahs of the ponies were drowned out by the joyous song playing in Twilight's mind. Celestia floated in the upper air, her wings outspread, a cruciform shape eclipsing the disc of the sun. She hung there for an exquisite instant while the world turned into light. Then in a streak of power she ascended and vanished.

I know where she is going now, thought Twilight. For I have followed her with the True Sight. She is going where she thinks no-one can follow her. She will be at play in the fields of light. Her friend the Sun will bring forth mighty streamers and ribbons and fountains of fire. She will dance through and round them, trailing her golden light behind her.

I know this is your special time, a thing you mean for yourself alone. Forgive me for spying on you. But know this – the secrets of your heart I will keep as closely as my own. My lips will never tell to another soul.

She will never love you back, Twilight Sparkle. Not in the way you want. Was it The Dark who spoke now? Maybe, but it didn't make it any less true. So instead Twilight sang a snatch of song which had just that moment popped into her head:

You are beautiful, yes you are beautiful.
But it's time to face the truth; I will never be with you.

Celestia's glory had faded into the light of common day. On the field beneath the banners the Midsummer Feast was under way. The townsfolk criss-crossed between the tables laden with Ponyville's finest produce – modest fare all of it, but good nonetheless. A cyan pegasus did overhead barrel rolls to applause of stomping hooves. A pink earth pony bounded from table to table. A yellow pegasus was introducing the colts and fillies to her animal friends. A white unicorn held court, glass of sparkling cider clutched in hoof. An orange earth pony was ladling out that same cider.

Twilight settled into her nest in the shrubbery. It was enough to see them – to know they were all here and she was keeping them safe. It would have to be enough.

But now Applejack had put down the ladle. Applejack was advancing up the hill towards her, hooves thumping sturdily down on the turf. The earth pony came to a halt not 15 paces away from Twilight's hideway. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the shadows beneath the trees. 'Twilight? You in there, sugarcube?'

Twilight retreated further into the gloom.

'Twilight,' said a voice behind her. A leap turned her round to come face-to-face with Fluttershy. Her friend smiled a smile of perfect joy. 'Twilight! I heard... I mean I was hoping you'd come. And now here you are. I'm so happy and excited I can hardly speak.'

'Fluttershy. Er, hi.' Twilight backed up a pace. 'Actually I was just leaving. Yes, that's right. Just leaving.' She checked quickly behind her for signs of imminent Pinkie attack.

'You can't leave.' Fluttershy shook her head in sorrow. 'Not until you've said hello to everypony.'

'Aren't you going to say if you don't mind?'

'Not this time.' Fluttershy applied her forehead to Twilight's rump and pushed. The unicorn was urged irresistibly out of the shadows. Her friends had gathered to meet her. She faced them all with an awkward smile and butterflies in her belly.

'Suh,' she managed. 'Suh-suh-sorry.' They didn't say a word. In turn they kissed and briefly nuzzled her. She stood perfectly still, dumbfounded by the love as the threads reknit themselves.

Rainbow Dash was the last. 'Twilight. If you really want to leave, we won't try and stop you. But we want you to stay more than anything.' Dash looked so sad. Twilight's lower lip trembled.

'It might be the midsummer party. But really it's your party. Yep-yep-yep.' Pinkie nodded, making her geranium curls bounce.

Rarity spoke last. 'Twilight my darling, you are loved. Never ever forget that.' How simple everything was, in the end. Her friends shepherded her gently down the hill to join the party.

They clopped their way homeward from the feast. One by one the pony friends peeled off; Applejack to her family, Fluttershy to her friends, Pinkie Pie to her niece and nephew, Rainbow Dash zooming up to her cloud palace. At last Twilight and Rarity were left. With the others departed Rarity's stock of gossip, long hoarded, was set loose. 'It seems our yellow winged friend is seeing a certain mighty red earth pony.'

'Fluttershy and Big Mac? Really?'

'My dear. He simply has the flanks of a god. Don't tell me you hadn't noticed.'

I don't notice things like that, thought Twilight.

'I'm hoping our two lovelorn lovebirds come to their senses...'

'Applejack and Rainbow Dash.' Twilight smiled fondly.

'What in Equestria is up with them? First they were going out with each other, then they weren't, then they denied they ever had. It is too too adorable – but also rather sad to see them do the tongue-tied tiptoe around each other.' Rarity's diction was spot on even after many glasses of cider. 'Element of honesty, indeed.' She flipped her mane in magnificent hauteur.

'Pinkie Pie?'

'She knows what love and romance are all about.' Rarity frowned. 'I just don't think she gets the point of them.'

'And what about you?'

'Moi?' Rarity fluttered her eyelashes and gazed at Twilight through only slightly smudged mascara. 'Well as it so happens...'

'Let's hear it.'

Rarity's playfulness vanished. 'Whenever you're back in Ponyville which isn't very often, and whenever he's free which is even less, Spike and me – we like to spend time together.'

Twilight came to a halt. 'What exactly are you saying?'

Rarity halted beside her. 'I don't know what I'm saying! All I know is, we make each other happy.' The white unicorn spoke with slow bewilderment. 'He's always been old Spikey-Wikey. But he's just smart and funny and kind. And honest. And fierce as well, when he feels the need. And wise. Dear me, what a catalogue of virtues. I sound like I'm in love.'

'Maybe you are.'

'But, but...'

'Rarity, two of my dearest friends have chosen to start something. Do you honestly think I'm going to be a neigh-sayer?'

'Thank you, Twilight.' Rarity's eyes brimmed. 'I just knew you'd say the right thing.'

'You're welcome.' Rarity hugged her impulsively. Twilight hugged back, unprepared for the fierce, protective love which rose up inside her.

The two unicorns resumed walking and soon reached the boutique. 'Well, this is it. I would invite you in but...' Rarity executed a gaping and unladylike yawn. 'Goodness me, do excuse me. We'll see you tomorrow, yes?'

'Oh, about lunchtime, I expect.'

'Promise?' Suddenly Rarity was dead serious. 'You won't go sneaking off in the middle of the night like last time and the time before that?'

Twilight thought about it. 'I could Pinkie Pie swear, if you like.'

'That involves sticking a hoof in your eye. Don't do that, dear.'

'Goodnight, Rarity.' Twilight made to move away but Rarity put out a restraining hoof.

'Twilight, wait. All this talk of our love lives but none of yours. Is there something you want to tell me? Anypony special?' Rarity fluttered her eyelids.

A knife twisted in Twilight's guts but she mastered it with the ease of long practice. 'Oh, you know me. No time for that sort of thing. Always rushing off all over the place.' She jogged from side to side. 'Never sleeping under the same roof twice. Hardly conducive to a successful love life, is it? Ah-hah-hah-hah.'

Rarity's answering smile was sad. 'Never forget that you are loved.'

'That's just the point.' Twilight hung her head. 'I had forgotten.'

'Silly Twilight.' Rarity's lips brushed her ear. 'Sometimes love comes looking for you.' And with that she turned, flicked her tail and disappeared into her boutique to dream of haute couture and a certain purple and green dragon.

So it's just me, then. Business as usual. But no. Twilight shook her head. It was not business as usual, not any more. She paced the final few steps to her library tree house. By Celestia she was tired. But this was not the customary leaden burn of abused muscles. Instead it was a replete warmth suffusing her body.

There was a glow of lamplight from the library windows. Twilight frowned. Now who could possibly be up at this hour? Oh, of course. Forgot I asked. She opened the door. The entire lower story was lit by hanging oil lamps. Spike and Dewey System were sitting together on the floor. They were sorting through a sizeable mound of paperwork. Several neat stacks had already been assembled. A map of Equestria had been put up on the wall. Clusters of push-pins had been stuck all over it.

Spike didn't bother to look up. 'I expect to hear you had a good time.'

'It was...' Twilight took a deep breath. 'It was the best night ever.'

He darted her a look of surprising penetration from his jade coloured cat's eyes. 'That actually sounded sincere.'

'Good, because it was meant to be.'

He went back to reading. Spike, she thought. I couldn't do any of this without you. Since this was a day for experiencing things afresh she took a really good look at him. He'd changed all right – almost entirely lost his baby proportions. His chest was deeper, his limbs longer. His muzzle had grown and become streamlined. So not the same old Spike, not at all. Yet another reminder that you could not hang onto the past.

There was a minuscule throat-clearing beside her. Twilight turned with a frown. Dewey System stood at something approaching attention. Her eyes, as they watched Twilight, had gone very big and round. A flush of pink coloured her cheeks.

'Yes, Dewey?'

'We, er, um.'

Twilight nodded encouragement.

'We've received a lot of communication from our sources all over Equestria. Most of it wasn't very helpful.' Dewey winced, clearly not wanting to be the bearer of bad tidings. 'Ponies reporting strange dreams and disturbances in the night. Or telling us about people in their communities they're suspicious about. That sort of thing. Sorry.'

Twilight scanned the fresh heap of reports and letters and scrolls on the table. Once she would have dived into them in a spirit of grim, clear-eyed dedication. Now the thought of all those words induced in her a state of weary disgust.

'So, anyway. We went through the lot and we think we've identified some probables. Potential cult activity, necromancy and the like. We summarised the results in a digest.'

'Dewey there did most of the hard work,' Spike added.

There was a fat and densely written scroll occupying pride of place on the table. Twilight's heart sank – but she really couldn't blame Dewey for exceeding the brief. 'Well done, Dewey. I'm impressed.'

The smaller earth mare flushed an even more intense shade of pink. 'Than-than-thank you, Twilight.'

'Don't mention it.' Twilight went to give the scroll the once over – more for appearance's sake than genuine interest. She scanned the first roll. Strange lights seen in Trottingham. Weird comings and goings in Appleoosa. A whole herd of cows going sick. Why did ponies bother to send this stuff in? Were their lives really so devoid of interest? All the while Dewey System was standing expectantly beside her. Twilight frowned to herself. Here at least was a genuine mystery, one which had been bothering her for quite some time. Luckily the solution was also at hand. 'Dewey, do you mind if I ask you a question?'

'Oh! Anything. Ask me anything you like.'

'Why do you hang around?'

Dewey System made a tiny sound. On the other side of the table Spike dropped his scroll.

'This report.' Twilight tapped the scroll with a hoof. 'I'm guessing it's fourteen thousand words if it's a paragraph. You do so much hard work for me for precious little recompense. I'd really like to know why.'

The air thickened with tension. Dewey blinked several times. 'You... you really want to know.'

'That's kind of why I asked.'

Dewey gulped audibly. 'It's because... because...'

'Yes?'

'Because I luh... erm.'

'You luh erm?' Twilight frowned. 'Is that some foreign language? I know quite a few.'

Spike winced and slapped his forehead. Dewey was now trembling all over. Her eyes brimmed with tears. 'I luh... sorry. I'm so sorry.' She turned and fled to her small bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

'Ugh.' Twilight hung her head. 'What did I say?' Spike raised an eyebrow. 'Spike, you're waggling. Don't waggle at me like that.'

'Twi, when are we leaving?'

'Leaving?' Twilight blinked, caught off guard by the non sequiter. 'Soon.' She gave an emphatic nod. 'Yep. That's it. Just as soon as I figure out where we're going.'

Spike gave her a long look, then jerked a clawed thumb towards the corner of the room. 'That arrived this afternoon. Express delivery. It's addressed to you.'

A medium sized box rested on the library floor. It was of strong yet plain design with a robust lock. Twilight examined the shipping label. 'It's from Princess Luna. I wonder what on earth Princess Luna is sending me?'

'There's an obvious way to find out, Twi.'

'Right. This is a magical lock. Let me see, here...' Twilight concentrated. The lock opened with a click. The lid of the box swung back. A gentle radiance streamed out, filling the library with a perfect light – a light which Twilight had never hoped to see again.

A tide of memory rose inside her; of six pony friends who had stood together and used love to conquer hate. Of six hearts which had beat as one. But she didn't move; confusion had her in its grasp and held her tight. It was Spike who reached into the box and lifted out a gem-studded tiara of simple yet elegant design with a star set in its crown.

'The Element of Magic.' The dragon spoke with soft wonder. 'Luna sent it back to you.'

'But it's not mine. I can't have it. I don't deserve it.'

'Luna doesn't think so.'

He gazed at her, so serious, with the brilliant thing held in his claw. And it came to her, all in a rush; what a fool she'd been. Deep inside her the ice cracked. The black waters boiled up from beneath. The jagged fragments tilted and slid into the darkness. Twilight Sparkle sank to her knees. Her horn bumped against the floor. Instantly he was beside her, his arms around her neck. 'Hey, Twi. It's OK. You got the Element back – that's a good thing, right?'

But she was not listening. She was thinking about the years gone by. The barren friendless pointless waste of them. And she realised; she couldn't do it any more. 'Spike – we're not going anywhere.'

'What...' realisation dawned. 'You mean – never ever?'

'Never ever, Spike.'

He sat back to stare at her in shock. 'You mean it's finished? We're not going to chase any more leads which go nowhere? We're not going to spend months in the wilderness on the off chance that some crazy story is true? We're not going to...'

'It's what you wanted, isn't it?'

'Of course it is.'

She tried to smile at him. But the fault lines were still spreading. The edifice of Twilight Sparkle the pitiless seeker after truth was cracking like the shoddy and wicked sham it had always been. The cold inside her was reclaimed by the warmth. Only now could the healing tears begin. Twilight Sparkle wept, great shuddering sobs which made her face burn and her flanks ache. All the while he just held and rocked her back and forth.

'I've been such a fool,' she gasped.

'Easy, now.'

'I thought I was making Equestria safe. All I was doing was punishing myself.'

'I know, Twi.'

'Was it really that obvious?'

'Hush now. It's over. It's finished.'

'Do you think the others will even want me back?'

'Hey now,' he chided gently. 'I thought we were done with the self punishing.'

She was silent for a while, letting her grief run its course. Then; 'You know you said you'd never ever leave me? You'd stay with me forever?'

He sighed and shook his head.

'It's not true, is it.'

'A dragon has a dragon's way, Twilight. But when I go it will be a time of joy. Everybody will be singing.'

'You almost make me look forward to it.'

'That's the way it ought to be.'

The door of the small bedroom opened. Dewey System edged out into the library. Twilight turned towards her, bursting to share the good news, not caring that her eyes were red and her cheeks were wet and she probably had snot running down her nose. 'Dewey, guess what. We're giving up the search. Isn't that fantastic?'

Dewey stared at her, stony faced.

'I'm not leaving, Dewey. I'm staying right here. This means you won't have to write any more of those dreadful old reports.'

Dewey sniffed, swallowed and nodded jerkily. 'I guess that means you won't need my help any more. I'd better just... pack my bags. I can be gone in the morning. I'll stay a few more days in town if that's OK...'

'Whatever for? There's plenty of room here.' Twilight waved a magnanimous hoof. 'Stay as long as you want. In fact I'll be glad of your help. I have a lot of sorting out to do.' Mentally Twilight was already compiling a checklist of Annoying Things to forbid Dewey from doing, including but not limited to midnight sniffles, longing looks and hearts doodled in margins.

The smaller earth pony stood as if thunderstruck. The stages of realisation, clearly written on her face, arrived at last at transcendent joy. She galloped over and planted a kiss right on Twilight's lips. 'Thank you... oops.' Her hoof flew to her mouth.

'Dewey, go to bed.'

'Of course, right away. Thank you again. I luh erm.' Dewey walked backwards all the way to her room, finally disappearing inside.

Spike exhaled through pursed lips. 'What now, Twi?'

'Tea please, Spike. For the love of Equestria. Ugh, what a day.' She pressed a hoof against her temple. 'My brain hurts.'

'Coming right up. Would you like a hoof massage too?'

'Stop being so spooky. When you anticipate my needs like that it's like you're... I don't even know.' Twilight collapsed into the brand new recliner (yet another of Spike's innovations). The kettle whistled, the water glugged, the library filled with the ambrosial scent of brewing tea. Twilight ran a hoof over her forehead. 'Tell you what, Spike. Take the day off tomorrow. I think Rarity would appreciate some company. Why not head over to the boutique?'

'I was intending to.' His strong clever dragon thumbs commenced an insistent kneading of her hoof soles. Twilight Sparkle fell, as if from a great height, into the deepest sleep.

Princess Celestia stood alone on the balcony. The noise and heat of the midsummer gala floated through the open windows behind her. How characteristic of her to slip away from an event held in her honour and let Luna handle it. It was something she found herself doing more and more of late.

Celestia's magenta eyes scanned the ramparts of her rebuilt castle. The finest artisans in Equestria had come together to restore it. The craftsponies had worked with tireless industry, each striving to outdo the others. And yet, had any of them really questioned why they were doing it? Did they really believe it was for her? Did they think she'd be pleased?

Just like those ponies indoors. All of them talking, talking, talking, and really saying nothing. Their voices combining to form a dull thunder over which the band had to labour to make itself heard. All of they shyly or slyly asking for one or other little favour. As if she cared.

The god queen of Equestria's hide steamed faintly in the cool air. Her wings folded tightly against her sides. Her head sank down until the tip of her horn rested on the balustrade. She made no sound or sigh, but her posture conveyed better than words the weariness that only an immortal being could experience.

The faintest of noises drifted up from the city below. Trotting hooves, a voice raised in a snatch of song. Celestia's ears twitched. She looked up, intent on seeing which of her subjects was so carefree, so in love with life. But whoever it was they were hidden in the tangle of streets below.

Canterlot lay beyond, its myriad roofs and turrets and towers sprinkled with lights shining out fit to match the stars above. Celestia's mental gaze roamed further, across the plains and through the high passes, to encompass in thought all the towns and villages of her kingdom. Countless thousands of ponies, too many for even an immortal being to know. All of them living such ordinary little lives. And yet, each one of them possessed the most precious miracles the universe had to offer; minds which thought and hearts which felt.

Princess Celestia felt the inner fire rekindle. Her mane rose and the gorgeous spread of her wings floated free. This was a good world – and what was more, she was going to make sure it stayed that way.

Part 4

Applejack did not hear the distant wail of despair. And she did not see the flash of magic as a certain unicorn mare teleported herself away. She was concentrating too intently on securing her property.

Another half-hour's sweaty rope pulling saw the barn stabilised. Applejack exhaled through pursed lips and sagged. By Celestia, she was tired. 'Ah reckon that'll do. Say – did anyone see where Twilight went?'

'Nnope.' Big Mac, her mighty and beloved brother, shifted the cornstalk to the other side of his mouth.

'Dang. Guess I'll just hafta head on down to Suparcube Corner.'

'You sure, AJ? You look all in.'

'Heh, I'm fine.' Applejack affected a laugh, whilst trying to suppress the fatigued trembling of her legs. ''Sides, something ain't right here. I need to go consult with mah girls.'

Applejack trotted down into Ponyville proper. She couldn't ever remember being this tired. It was like moving through a grey fog. She had to keep reminding herself that honest old AJ was tougher than tiger spit and didn't stop for nothing, no-how.

Sugarcube Corner was filling up. The company of her friends was the best pick-me-up she could wish for. Rainbow Dash was hovering near the ceiling, demonstrating in graphic terms how she'd wrassled those clouds and shown that fire who was boss.

'Rainbow, git down from there. You don't need to prove to anypony how tough you are. Why, I can see you're fit to drop.'

Dash placed hooves on hips. 'Well you don't look so fresh yourself, Miss Applejack.' The two shared a long look, then Rainbow Dash returned to the ground. They exchanged muzzle rubs, each inhaling the warm, toasty aromas of fatigue from her friend.

'Why Rainbow. You smell of smoke an' ash an' burning.'

'Well shucks. Must be because I'm so darned hot.'

'Hey. Are you two done with the mutual admiration society? 'Cos I wish to announce I'm happy. Happy – happy – happy!' Spectrographic analysis of Pinkie Pie at that point would have revealed she was vibrating at a frequency of 127 megacycles per second.

'Cool.' Rainbow Dash nodded. 'Any particular reason?'

'The twins are fine. I was kind of worried for a while. I think I managed to weird myself out.' Pinkie sighed and stopped vibrating.

'Glad to hear that, Pinkie. I think Fluttershy there has the right idea...' the yellow pegasus was curled up in the corner, deeply and peacefully asleep.

The door opened to reveal Rarity. 'Darlings.' She struck a suitably theatrical pose. 'Look at us all. Simply frightful. I propose a spa visit, my treat. No no, I simply insist.'

'Yep.' Applejack yawned. 'Tomorrow.'

'Tomorrow, naturally.' Rarity responded with a jaw-cracking yawn of her own, daintily concealed behind a hoof. 'Goodness, you've got me doing it now.'

Once more the door opened. Spike came in. 'Hey, you guys. Have any of you seen Twilight?'

There was a sudden silence. Everypony exchanged glances.

'She didn't come to the library. I thought she might show up here.' Spike spread his arms wide. 'Come on, guys. Somepony must have seen her.'

'Well now.' Applejack shifted her hat back on her head. 'She was up by the barn earlier, offerin' to help. I might have been kinda short with her. I freely admit, it's been playin' on mah mind.'

'She came round while I was taking care of the twins. She only wanted to help. I sent her away with a flea in her ear. Not literally, of course.' Pinkie Pie gave an apologetic smile.

'I saw her down at the town hall. Sheesh, what a disaster.' Rainbow Dash shook her head. 'All the same, I don't really think it was her fault.'

'She was at the boutique... I fear I was unconscionably rude to her. And now I feel simply dreadful.' Rarity gave a theatrical sigh.

'I didn't see her at all today.' Fluttershy rubbed her eyes. 'But I think she was in my garden. I found her prints all over. But I was away in the forest rounding up my friends. It's really unfortunate.'

'Right,' said Spike. 'We're getting somewhere. So where is she now?'

'Well we assume she went back to Canterlot.'

'You assume,' repeated Spike. 'You mean, you don't know?'

'Now hold on there, Spike.' Applejack frowned. 'Just what the hay's got you so worked up?'

'I can't say for sure.' He looked at the floor. 'I just know something's not right.'

'Now you say it out loud,' said Applejack slowly. 'She did seem kinda distracted. You know... upset, maybe?'

'Yeah.' Spike nodded. 'We all know how she can get sometimes.'

'Well that's fine then.' Rainbow Dash gave them a smile of pure inspiration. 'We'll just go right on over to Canterlot and make sure she's OK.' She sprang into the air and struck a heroic pose.

'Um, tonight, darling?' Rarity gave her a pleading look.

'Buck, no.' Rainbow Dash returned to earth with a thump. 'Tomorrow. Sweet Celestia, I think my wings are about to fall off.'

Night lay heavy over Canterlot. Luna's Moon had lately risen. Its faced gazed with unconcern at the lives of the ponies below. In the tower apartment a lilac unicorn was huddled in a trembling ball. 'They rejected me. All of them. They didn't want me there.'

You see? The smug whisper of the Dark slithered into her ears. Did I not tell you it would be that way?

Twilight glanced at her hooves; ingrained, she now saw, with slivers of the mud of Ponyville. 'It was me. I blew up the barn. How was it me?'

We are one and the same, you and I.

Yet even now Twilight Sparkle's intellect was at work, and she saw the answer to the riddle. 'It's only when I'm asleep. That's when you take control. That's why I've been so tired lately.'

The Dark gave a silky chuckle. You have to sleep sometime, Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight laid her head on her hooves.

The ones you called friends. You want to hurt them, don't you?

No reply.

You want to serve them as they've served you... deep down... don't you?

'Yesss.' Twilight's answer was a drawn-out hiss.

Then it's time. We must fully become one. Twilight Sparkle must join with the Dark. Only then can we defend ourselves against a world which has hurt and rejected us.

Twilight raised her head. 'I hear you.'

Then agree to become one with me. That is all you have to do.

'No.'

What? The reply was a snarl of baffled malice.

'I said no.' Twilight clambered to her feet. 'I might want to do bad things but that doesn't mean I'm going to. My friends are...' she drew a deep breath. 'They're not perfect, but neither am I.'

Little fool. The anger of the Dark was a lash of pain across her temples. I've offered you power and you refuse to take it.

Twilight shook her head. 'I don't want power.'

Liar. I've seen to the very heart of you. Why else did you hide yourself away all these years, rejecting the very thing you now cling to? Why else – but to make the name Twilight Sparkle supreme in Equestria?

Twilight had no answer to that.

I see that I'm right. I know what you dream of.

'Maybe I do. But not like this – never like this.'

Very well. The Dark's reply was a silky drawl. Maybe I should look elsewhere. Maybe another will not be so foolish.

'You.. what?' Twilight's pupils contracted in panic.

Maybe I should take one of those friends you care so much about.

'You wouldn't.' Twilight backed further into her corner. 'You couldn't.'

Do not deceive yourself. Your mind is clear, Twilight Sparkle, and your will is focussed. Your knowledge is deep and broad. Yet I was able to subvert you with ease. Which one of them should it be, now? The Dark's voice took on the quality of a cat playing with a mouse. Honest Applejack, maybe? Think of her as the master of lies. Or Rainbow Dash, the great betrayer. The images poured into Twilight's mind. Her friends, twisted into shapes of haughty contempt and black malice. Or Rarity. She would enslave all Equestria. Or Pinkie Pie. Think of her as the spirit of madness. Or kindly Fluttershy. She would make the world into her torture chamber. Or maybe... your little dragon brother Spike.

'No!'

Then we are in agreement.

Twilight nodded as the tears poured down her cheeks. 'Spare them. Take me.'

Then say these words...

She screwed her eyes tight shut. 'Just do it and be done with it.' As she felt the first warning coldness seep into her limbs, as her mind struggled like a fly trapped in amber, with the corner of her being which was still free she was thinking: It can't change who I am. Deep down – I'll still be me.

Yet it was not so. She wept in helpless anguish as the compass needle in her soul swung inexorably round, as day turned to night. And all the while the laughter echoed in her ears; hateful, mocking, triumphant.

Luna stood on the throne room balcony of Canterlot Castle as the moon sailed its stately course through the sky. How strange to think of those days, not long past. The Moon had been her prison for a thousand years and yet already her time there seemed like a dream.

More like a nightmare.

As they had so often recently, Luna's thoughts turned to Twilight Sparkle. What a strange yet brilliant creature. Celestia obviously thought the world of her.

Luna's lips thinned.

It wasn't like it had been easy. Finding out just how much things had changed. Dealing with the fears of ponies everywhere. She was trying so hard, why could nopony see it?

Tia wasn't a lot of help.

There, she'd admitted it. Set it out in her mind.

With Tia it was 'always patience my sister' or 'you must have a little faith.' It was not like they'd actually talked. Not like they used to. Before Night Mare Moon came and everything changed.

Luna drummed her hooves on the balcony. She would have to tell Celestia what was going on, sooner rather than later. Well tell her she would – when she was sure of the facts. Thus resolved, Luna felt her spirits lighten. She gazed up at the moon with a benign eye.

'My sister, will you please join me in the throne room?' it was partly a distant voice, partly a mental communication.

'Of course, Tia. I'll come directly.' Luna turned and trotted with equanimity back inside. The moment she set foot on the marble flags of the throne room she knew something was wrong. The crystal lights were dimmed. The guards and petitioners and courtiers were absent. Celestia herself was standing, not on the royal dais but a little to one side, her back turned.

'Celestia, has something happened?'

'Luna.' The golden voice was so cold and distant. 'Luna, you have accessed the black archive.'

A sickening pit opened beneath Luna's hooves. She blinked rapidly, masking her sudden fear with the greatest effort. How had Celestia found out? She forced lightness into her tone. 'So I have. What of it?'

'You have assayed magic to summon the powers of darkness.'

'I admit, it does look suspicious. But sister, I assure you, there is a good explanation...'

'I'm afraid it is too late for that.' Celestia turned to face her. The Sun Princess's face was hardened into that implacable mask that Luna remembered so well.

She took a stumbling step backwards. 'Celestia, what do you mean?'

'For the crime of consorting with the ruinous powers there is only one possible punishment.'

'Tia, I didn't. I wouldn't, I would never...' Luna shook her head. Panic and outrage fought in her heart.

'I wish I could believe you. But for the sake of the realm you leave me no choice.'

Luna took another step backwards. Tears gathered in her eyes. 'Tia, no. Sister, don't do this. I'm begging you.'

Celestia spread her wings. She seemed to glow in the darkness with a pale and merciless light. Blind, stupid justice. 'Luna Tenebra, I banish you. Leave this place.'

It was like a hoof kicking her in the face. Luna's heart froze. She bowed her head to the floor. Then she looked up. Her cheeks were dry, her eyes were blazing. Her voice, when she spoke, expressed a cold fury. 'Very well, Tia. If that is your command.'

'It is. Go, Luna. Go now.'

Princess Luna turned and, with head held high, walked from the throne room. Her hoofprints made a harsh clangour as they beat down on the marble floor. She broke into a run, leaping off the balcony. Her power flared and she disappeared into the night.

Celestia folded her wings. For a time she stood motionless as a marble statue. Then she raised her head. 'Constable, attend me.'

The throne room doors swung open. The Grand Constable of Canterlot, clad in full armour, galloped in followed by a squadron of veteran guards. 'Your Royal Highness, we heard voices. Then Princess Luna just left. Is everything all right...'

'Vambrace.' Celestia cut him off; an uncharacteristic display of rudeness. 'Evacuate the castle. Do this at once.'

The dismay was clear to see on his face. 'But, Celestia. Who is to preserve the safety of your person...'

'Do my bidding.' The command of a goddess, when heard, cannot be denied. Vambrace and his guards wheeled as one and galloped from the throne room. Celestia heard the distant voices and hoofbeats echoing through the castle. 15 minutes, she thought. If the drill was up do date – and she always made a point of seeing that it was.

Sure enough, 15 minutes later the last echoes died away. Celestia gave a great sigh.

Gentle father, loving mother. I need your wisdom now – your strength.

But there was only her.

Celestia left the throne room. Her hooves beat an unhurried tattoo on the stone floor. There was a gallery outside which ran the length of the main hall. Stained glass windows showed scenes from Equestrian history. At its further end was a door, protected by magic that only the Most High could unlock.

Celestia inserted her horn in a socket in the door. There was a complicated series of clicks and whirs. She stepped back, apparently satisfied. This done, she summoned a different sort of magic. The tip of her horn lit with the very subtlest spells of detection. She swept her head back-and-forth, sending the searchlight beam of her magical awareness this way and that.

In the throne room, nothing. In the corridors and chambers and state rooms, nothing. Twilight Sparkle's tower room was empty.

And so, the Royal Archive. A suspicion had begun for form in the Princess's mind. With customary discipline she forced it down. She walked through the plain stone archway. The archive was dark – the only light provided by scattered lamps which cast deep purple shadows. Celestia's muzzle wrinkled, taking in the scent of dusty centuries, and another, much more immediate.

A pool of candle light lay at the far end of the archive. A slight lilac figure was bent over a book, horn aglow. There was an occasional rustle as the pages turned. The Princess advanced. 'Twilight Sparkle, how is it with you?' The lilac figure's ear twitched but it did not reply.

'You did not hear the evacuation order?'

'You know me, Princess. Buried in my books as usual. I guess I just wasn't paying attention.'

'You should not spend so much time studying, Twilight.'

'So you always tell me.'

Closer now, Celestia could see books strewn about the floor. Black books, ancient and evil, taken out of the hidden archive and openly displayed. Celestia's true sight showed something else. There were dozens of magical tripwires, silvery and intangible, criss-crossing the archive floor. No doubt they formed the trigger mechanism for a trap.

She halted, her hooves mere inches from the nearest tripwire. 'Twilight, turn round. Let me see you.'

The lilac unicorn turned slowly. The motion sent her into deep shadow. She came forwards with head down. Then the thing which had been Twilight Sparkle looked up.

The eyes were now cat-slitted, glowing a cold blue.

The Sun Princess gave a great cry and reared, hooves slashing at the air. 'Twilight Sparkle, alas! Why must this happen? Why are the things I love taken by the darkness?'

'I think it's a bit late for regrets, don't you, Princess? That voice... it was Twilight, but twisted into a mockery of itself. The horn and the magic – now that she dared to see with the true sight she could perceive the dark power radiating in waves, almost like a physical force.

'Oh, and it's not Twilight Sparkle any more. It's Darkshine, now.'

Celestia's muzzle twisted in contempt.

'Hmm.' The being which called itself Darkshine nodded, considering. 'I see you dismissed Luna.'

Celestia's eyes narrowed. 'I know what I did.'

'What you did, Princess, was get rid of the one pony who knows me best.'

Celestia was silent.

'She hates you now. You do know that, don't you?'

'Enough of this!'

'Hah, this is fun!' Darkshine took a step forwards. A pale aura appeared around the Princess. It was a subtle glow, merely a fraction of the solar power which was hers to command. Darkshine halted in her tracks. She tilted her head and gave a quizzical frown. 'You actually want to take me on, Celestia? I mean, really?'

'Please may I talk to Twilight Sparkle.'

'She's not here!' Darkshine slammed a forefoot on the floor. The lights flickered.

The Princess stood still and silent, a pale ghost. Then; 'What do you want?'

'You know what I want, Celestia.'

'Monster. You will be defeated, like you were before. I got my sister back from you.'

Darkshine's grin widened. 'But she's not the same, is she? I got inside her, Celestia. What I did to her – is forever.'

Celestia's horn blazed with sudden fury.

'I'd forgotten now easy you were to manipulate, Celestia. I control you through the things you love, yes?'

The solar magic flared, sun-bright. Celestia's vast intellect struggled to reign in the volcanic heat of her anger. It was then that Darkshine made her master stroke. The need-it-want-it spell, cast on the grimoire on the table. You want this, it whispered in Celestia's ear. This book holds the key. The magic spell, the solution to all your problems. You just have to take it.

Celestia's pupils expanded. She took a step forward. Her hoof brushed the tripwire. The trap was sprung. Shafts of darkness caught her, pierced her, held her in place. The Princess hung suspended, flowing mane and tail motionless. Teardrops sparkled around her eyes.

'The stasis spell. I wasn't sure that would work.' Darkshine circled her captive. 'I can't hurt you, Celestia. But I can hold you. You can hear me, can't you?'

The Princess's eyes moved in her head.

'Now I'm off to deal with the Elements of Harmony. Don't go anywhere.' Humming a tune under her breath, Darkshine left the archive.

Rarity surveyed the rack of finished dresses with satisfaction but little else. The fact was, no love had gone into the making of these. It had been a rushed job which simply had to be finished, darling. And by the end of it she'd become thoroughly sick of diamante ribbon.

There were times when The Business simply wasn't fun.

Rarity sighed and arched her back like a cat. There was a series of minuscule cracks and pops as her vertebrae rearranged themselves. One day, she knew, RSI and muscle strain would likely force her to slow down. But that was in the future. Right now, she needed a cup of tea. Something floral.

There was a noise from the back of the work room – a thumping sliding sound. Rarity spun around, round-eyed in the gloom. 'Goodness me, is someone there? Sweetie Belle, didn't I send you to bed an hour ago? Opalescence, is that you?'

Twilight Sparkle stepped out from behind a rack of dresses. As yet, she was deep in shadow. Rarity relaxed with a smile. 'Twilight, darling. You positively gave me the shock of my life. But how on earth did you get in here?'

Twilight cocked her head to one side, like a bird.

'Never mind about that.' Rarity gave a very sweet smile. 'I'm so glad I've finally got a chance to talk to you one-on-one. I simply must apologise for the way I acted earlier. I was under a deadline but that's simply no excuse for sending you away like that...'

'I'm afraid it's too late for that.'

Rarity's smile froze. 'Too late? Whatever do you mean?'

Twilight approached with slow deliberate steps. As she came into the circle of lamplight Rarity saw her eyes. 'Great Celestia.' With a supreme effort the white unicorn mastered her shock. 'I'm guessing this can't be good.'

'Well, you guessed right there.' So like Twilight; yet so unlike.

Rarity was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. Despite the nightmarish shock of confronting such a thing all alone in the middle of the night her wits were very much at work. 'Twilight... is this something to do with what happened... today... with all of us?'

'That's a part of it.'

'Twilight my dear, can't you see how you've been played? All those unlikely disasters – none of that was natural. Somebody managed all of that.' Twilight advanced again. Rarity edged backwards. 'Arranged it all specifically to mess us a around.'

'It was me.'

'Excuse me?' Rarity's rump fetched against the work bench. She could retreat no further.

'Like I told you. It's too late.'

Rarity's horn flared. A pair of scissors leaped from the bench and took up guard in front of her. 'Twilight, I'm warning you!' Then the scissors sank slowly to the floor. 'Twilight, whatever has happened, your friends can help you. We're the Elements of Harmony, remember?'

'Hush now.' Twilight's voice assumed a crooning, almost gloating tone. 'The final night is coming. Nothing can stop it.'

'Stay back... please...' Rarity's shriek climbed an octave and was suddenly cut off.

Fluttershy could feel the animals' fear. The chooks were huddled in their coop, to scared to lay. The woodland creatures trembled in their burrows.

The trees rustled, their branches stirred by a sudden chilly breeze. Fluttershy's eyes narrowed. Whoever – or whatever – was upsetting her friends, she was going to find them and make them stop doing it.

Twilight stepped out from behind a nearby privet bush. Fluttershy turned to face her friend... and froze in place. Not a word was said but the yellow pegasus plainly saw the sickness radiating from what had once been Twilight Sparkle.

'No,' said Fluttershy calmly. 'You don't want them, do you? You want me.' And with a bound she was off – a blur of yellow speed skimming between the trees and rocks. In her mind she had only the vaguest of plans; find the others, make sure they were safe. Then maybe Celestia would know what to do. She had to know.

A bolt of blue power struck her amidships. It sent her crashing to the ground in a senseless heap.

Applejack lay in bed, wide awake. Ponies didn't appreciate that she was the type to worry. But worry she did; about the farm, about her family, and about her friends.

'Gosh-darn it. This is futile.' Applejack clambered out of bed. As ever, when awake at dead of night, the first thing she did was check on her family. She looked in on each of them in turn; her strong and beautiful brother, her shining star of a sister, the grandam who was simply the best and the wisest soul in Equestria. All were deep in honest slumber.

'Just like Ah should be. To hay with it.' Applejack stepped out of the back door. She stood peering into the dark depths of Sweet Apple Acres' orchard while the night air caused the faintest of shivers to run through her hide.

A black shape, no more than a blur against the fainter lightness of the night sky, passed overhead. It was so close she could feel the draught of its passage. She reared up, muzzle pointing skywards – whereupon she was struck in the small of the back. She and her assailant tumbled over and over, coming to rest in a heap.

'Rainbow Dash! You... you...'

Dash got off her with a throaty chuckle. 'Gotcha good, didn't I?'

'Rainbow, this is not the time. What are you doin' so late at night, anyhow?'

'I dunno, AJ.' Dash sank into a crouch and glared around. 'Something just doesn't feel right.'

'You thought so too, huh?' Applejack dusted off her hat.

'The events of today were no coincidence.'

'It's Twilight, ain't it.' Dash looked round in shock and she knew she was right. 'She was acting weird – like she was hiding something.'

'Well maybe she's not the only one. Hiding something.' Rainbow Dash gave her a look. Closer now, she could smell the aroma of Dash's fresh sweat, mixed with bruised grass.

Applejack reared back, suddenly indignant. 'Now what the hay's that supposed to mean?'

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. 'Nothing.'

'You were insinuatin'.'

'Was not.'

' You were suggestin' I'm hiding something.' Applejack jabbed with an emphatic forehoof.

'You said it. Not me.' Rainbow had assumed that familiar infuriating grin.

'Rainbow, I swear, sometimes there is just no talking to you! Am I the kind of pony who conceals things? Who lies about things?'

Rainbow Dash flipped onto her back, tucked her hooves behind her head and hovered in space. 'Well, duh. Yeah.'

'Alright, so there was that one time. But that was a lie of omission which is a totally different thing.'

'If you say so.' Dash shrugged.

'I surely do.' Applejack stamped a forehoof.

'AJ, it is totally possible to lie to yourself.'

'Is that so. Well, you want to start somethin', Rainbow Dash?' Applejack's voice became high and strained. 'That why whenever I come forward you jus' back right off?'

'Hold it.' Dash planted a hoof square on Applejack's mouth. 'I heard something. Did you hear something?' AJ's eyes and cheeks bulged. She shook her head.

'It's over there. C'mon.' And just like that the pegasus was off, flying with reckless speed through the night-time orchard.

'Hold on there. Gosh-darn it.' Applejack launched into a fast gallop. She could just see ahead of her the outline of her friend, an inky blur speeding between the apple trees. Suddenly a lance of blue power knocked Rainbow Dash from the sky, sent her spinning to earth to land with an almighty crash. Applejack yelled in alarm and put on a desperate burst of speed. She found Dash lying on her back, smoking.

'Oh, sweet Celestia... Rainbow...' AJ was too stunned for the moment to do anything more than stare down at her friend.

The pegasus's magenta eyes flickered open. 'AJ, it hurts.'

'Just rest easy there, sugarcube. Ah gotta make sure you're OK.'

'No, you have to get away. AJ, she's still out there.'

'What? Who? Where?' Applejack looked wildly around, then saw the figure watching them from a short distance away. Her eyes filled with tears. 'Great Celestia. Say it ain't so.'