A Darkness...

Princess Twilight Sparkle paced uncontrollably around her personal train car. She had just received a letter from Princess Cadece that said:

Dearest, Twilight

Something of extreme importance has come up, and I need you to be here as fast as possible.

See you when you get here.

Yours, Cadence.

Twilight had gone into 'Super Ultimate Panic Mode' after she read this. She kept stating her worries to Spike, some included: "What if Sombra is back?! What if Cadence is having trouble with her foal?! What if..." Twilight couldn't seem to come up with other things that she was extremely worried about. Spike had started to grow weary of Twilight's constant

sentences including the words: 'What if'.

Spike sat at the window, staring at the scenery shooting by. A loud clip-clop of hooves could be heard, even over the loud train sounds. Spike couldn't take it any longer.

"TWILIGHT!!!" The baby dragon yelled.

The lavender alicorn froze, staring at him. She made no movement for a minute or two before she glared coldly at him. "What?!"

"Would you pleeeeaaaase stop the pacing?" Spike complained.

"Spike! There is something extremely important, and very bad going on in the Crystal Empire! I can't help but worry about Cadence, I do hope she's not already having trouble with her foal." Twilight sighed. "She's only two moths along, I would hate for something to happen to ether of them."

"Twilight, what did I tell you?" Spike asked. "If there's something wrong, we'll cross the bridge when we get to it."

"Okay..." Twilight said. The alicorn took a seat next to Spike, her heart pounding so hard she swore he could hear it. Suddenly, she realized something.

"Spike! It has to be her foal! She didn't ask of my friends to come, which means it's a family thing!" Twilight exclaimed.

Spike slapped his claws to his face. "Oh! I give up!"

The train suddenly came to a screeching halt...literally. Twilight raced out of the train, looking around madly to try and find Cadence. Spike raced after her, only to slam into her hind leg. Twilight raced throughout the crowd of ponies and toward the castle, Spike struggling to keep up.

"Twi...light...wait up!" Spike huffed from behind her.

Twilight levitated the dragon onto her back and continued her gallop. She skidded into the thrown room, only to be surprised by the sight of Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Harmony. Along side them was Shinning Armor and Discord.

"Huh?" Twilight said as she trotted up to them.

"Twilight, um..." Cadence stuttered. "how about you walk with me?"

"Cadence! Is the foal fine? Are you having trouble? What's the extremely important emergency?" Twilight panicked.

Cadence giggled. "I'm fine Twilight, there nothing is wrong with the foal."

Twilight let out a long and relived sigh. "Okay."

"Come walk with me Twilight." Cadence said. Twilight joined her sister-in-law as they exited the room.

The mares stopped at there castle balcony. Cadence smiled at Twilight.

"Tell me Twilight...what do you see?" Cadence asked.

Twilight looked around the entire Empire before turning back to the pink coated alicorn. "I see a kingdom who's ruler cares about everypony, and wants everyone to be happy."

"Look closer." Cadence instructed gently.

"Twilight looked down beneath them. She saw ponies leaning happy lives, in harmony with on another. Something that caught the most of Twilight's attention, was a crystal pony couple walking side-by-side. The smiles on there faces put a warmth inside Twilight's heart. A warmth that felt so familiar.

"I see a empire filled with Hope and Happiness and Love." Twilight as she watched the couple blissfuly.

Cadence could tell that her point was beginning to sink in. "I know... watching them makes you feel so warm, doesn't it?" She asked.

Twilight nodded. She knew this feeling all too well...in a good way. She knew it all.

The silence. The feeling. The warmth. The sound of two hearts beating. Sometimes the silence was awkward. Sometimes the feeling was that of embarrassment. Sometimes the warmth made your heart melt. Sometimes the sound of two heart beating...was the sign of Light and Love.

Twilight shook herself out of her stupor. "Anyway..." her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Why the questions."

Cadence wrapped a wing around Twilight. She pulled the alicorn into a tight embrace. "Twilight...?"

"Yes?" Twilight replied with a smiled.

"Listen." Cadence said. The pink alicorn gestured to her chest. Twilight genlt placed her ear against Cadence's chest and listened.

Heartbeat.

"It's your heat." Twilight stated simply.

"Yes, it is." Cadence said. "Oh! Now what do we have here?" The alicorn placed a hoof over Twilight's chest and felt her heartbeat.

"Your heart beats too." Cadence said. She smiled as Twilight suddenly looked confused.

"I know but...what point are you trying to make?" Twilight asked.

"Let me answer with a question." Cadence said. "Look at my cutie mark, and tell me what you see."

Twilight looked at Cadence's cutie make for a few seconds and then looked back up at her sister-in-law. "A heart."

"And what are heart usually use to symbolize, Twilight Sparkle?" Cadence asked.

Twilight thought for a minute. "Love?"

Cadence smiled and nodded. "Love." The alicorn pointed the couple Twilight seen. "Twilight...I know many ponies who have the wonderful gift of Love. But out of all the ponies I know, only one does not."

"Who?" Twilight inquired.

Cadence turned to Twilight with a look of seriousness. "You."

"Me?" Twilight repled. "I have Love."

"Yes Twilight you do. But are we talking about the same Love?" Cadence asked.

"I..." The lavender alicorn's cheeks turned a bit red.

Cadence giggled a little before turning back out to the Empire. "Twilight...do you love somepony?"

"It depends on what kind of Love, because-" Cadence gave Twilight a knowing look. "No" Twilight simply responded.

"Now here's another question: Do you Love somebody?" Cadence asked.

"No" Twilight replied. The lavender alicorn didn't look like she was kidding.

Cadence frowned at this. "Are you sure?" She asked worriedly.

"Yes." Twilight replied.

"Oh." Cadence sounder a little depressed. "Okay then." Cadence's head hung in defeat. She know it was too late for Twilight to Love someone.

Twilight stared as Cadence walked to leave her alone on the balcony. Twilight suddenly gasped in realization with a happy smile gracing her lips. "Cadence!" She called.

"Yes?" Her sister-in-law replied with a twinge of hope in her voice.

"Actually...I do Lov-URG!" Twilight suddenly cried out in pain as she collapsed on the floor, her eyes wide.''

"Twilight!" Cadence exclaimed. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Twilight winced strongly as her coat faded from lavender to a menacing purple. Her cutie mark changed as well; the beautiful pink six-pointed star that once occupied her flank, was now a deep red with five lavender stars surrounding it.

Twilight cried out as her wings became that of a bat pony. She winced again, tightly shutting her eyes but when she opened them, they flashed red before retuning to normal.

"Cadence! What's happening to me?!" Twilight cried out in agony.

Cadence gasped "I was right... it is too late.