Pony POV Princess Twilight's Lightly visits to Grim Worlds

by Alex Warlorn

Rating: teen
Tags: Random, Crossover, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Main 6, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Other, Adventure
Length: 162137

Alicorn Princess Twilight Sparkle, aka 'Princess Amicitia', bond by the rule to never meddle with free will or reveal herself, seeks to help ponies find happier endings in the multi-verse most infamous grim dark worldlines. Some wins, some losses.

While this story includes several dark fics, the idea is to give the happier ending then they had in canon, so it's kinda the inversion of dark.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amicitia, aka Alicorn Princess Twilight Sparkle that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future. Can she do it without crossing the line? And the spirit of tragedies lies in the background, determined to punish Twilight for her meddling. Set in the Pony POV Series verse.

Written as a group effort over on deviantart, this group story was written by several authors, I just helped compiled them together.

Anyone can write one.

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by leffenkitty.

Published 2015-04-10 02:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-09-30 06:07:05 UTC

More visits and a special visit

Again.

Rarity fitting Rainbow Dash for a dress. Rainbow, trudging through the dismal, rain-soaked streets of Ponyville. Twilight treating Rainbow like trash, worse than Trixie ever did.

"Do you like it?" crooned Nyarlathotrot. "I made it especially for you."

Amicitia shuddered, trying to ignore him...

Blood on Rainbow Dash's hooves, in her throat. Again. Pinkie Pie, trying to lure Rainbow into her basement.

"Don't go!" Amicitia urged her friend. "Something's not right. It's awfully dark down there."

Rainbow Dash fled back out into the rain instead.

"Good! You should go and find some help for her."

Rainbow Dash decided to visit her friend Applejack. Her friend, and maybe something more. Just one lick. It would taste like cinnamon.

"This is what I'm going to do to your world," said Nyarlathotrot. "It's a work in progress, I'll admit. I actually left ponies too little hope... the fun is over far too soon!"

"Not if I can help it!" said Amicitia, teeth gritted. But every time she started making some headway, that awful ringing in Rainbow's ears pushed her back.

"Help it?" Nyarlathotrot laughed horribly. "You won't even remember."

Again. Scootaloo starving, digging through dumpsters. Just one taste, that was all Rainbow needed. Going into a burned-out building to save Fluttershy, only to find her cutting herself, hanging herself...

"Burned out buildings in Ponyville?!" cried Amicitia. "Since when?!"

"There's nothing in this world worth saving," said Nyarlathotrot. "You should just end it all. Pull the whole bucking world apart! You know how."

Rainbow Dash decided that just one taste wouldn't hurt. No one would know. It would taste like cinnamon.

"No!" snapped Amicitia.

No! echoed Rainbow Dash. She had to get away, find help...

Rainbow Dash changed her mind.

Blood on her hooves. Make it stop! Rainbow begged. I don't want to do this!

"Yes, Amicitia, make it stop," Nyarlathotrot taunted her. "Why, you could even go into the world yourself and save her. It's not as if the Wolf can do anything about it now." He showed her the moon, where the Blank Wolf lay cruelly chained and muzzled, forced to watch everything, his fury and power growing until he was feral, practically mindless with rage.

Nyarlathotrot laughed hysterically. "You don't even need to destroy it yourself. When the Wolf finally bursts those chains, he's going to eat that world down to the bedrock! Go on, break them now. It'll be our little secret. No one needs to know that Twilight Sparkle deemed another world unfit to exist, and ended it with her own hooves."

Again. This time, Rainbow Dash somehow flew all the way to Canterlot, only to see it all blow up in her face. She plummeted back into the mud-soaked streets of Ponyville. With Scootaloo. She needed her. Just one taste. Just one... bite.

Amicitia was silent, wings folded, head downcast. "I won't." Her head snapped up. "Do you hear me? Never again!"

...

"I won't do it," said Rainbow Dash suddenly.

Rainbow Dash decided to stop being a silly filly and do it already.

"No, I won't!!"

Rainbow Dash realized that it was useless to...

"I won't hurt Scootaloo!" screamed Dash.

The storm clouds overhead rumbled with thunder. Half the town stood around her, staring ominously.

"I don't care if you make me do this a hundred times more, or a thousand, or bucking forever! I won't hurt Scootaloo any more! Never again!"

A massive bolt of lightning struck Rainbow Dash dead. The other ponies turned and went about their business, not caring at all. They left her blackened body where it fell, ashes washing into the gutter.

But... that wasn't the end. Rainbow Dash heard a scythe, digging. Helping hooves found her, pulled her up out of the earth. The rain still fell, but it no longer seemed to touch the pegasus.

Two ponies in black hooded cloaks stood watching her, and Rainbow knew one of them. "Twilight?" She dared to hope, just a little. "Twilight, is that you?"

Amicitia smiled. "It's me." She nodded to the other cloaked pony. "This is Starlight. It's over, Rainbow. You're safe now. It can't hurt you any more."

Rainbow Dash picked herself up, tried to get her bearings. "So what's the plan, Twi? We're going to save the rest of our friends, right? Then we can use the Elements to..."

Amicitia's face fell. "Rainbow..."

"She hasn't realized," said Starlight somberly. "Rainbow Dash, you need to understand. We're doing what Reapers have always done. We help ponies die."

Rainbow drew in a sharp breath, as if the Reaper had physically slapped her. "You're kidding... right? I can't be... Tell her, Twilight." The pegasus kept talking, even though tears were running down her cheeks. "Seriously, this world was so sick, I had to *die* to get out?"

Amicitia blinked back her own tears. "Rainbow, please..."

"I mean, can you just imagine my tombstone? Rainbow Dash, killed by a bolt of lightning. How lame was that?" And then Amicitia hugged her tight, while Rainbow Dash, the most awesome pony in Ponyville... sobbed, holding onto her like a little lost filly.

"Yes, this world was sick," said Amicitia. "All of this was created to make you suffer... not for anything you did, but to hurt *me*." Rainbow blinked at her, not understanding. "The point is, now that you're free, Starlight and I can end this. We can make this world shine again."

Starlight gave Rainbow a reserved smile. "You died bravely, Rainbow Dash, and you'd be surprised how seldom I see that. You've done more than enough... Your place in Pony Heaven is ready and waiting."

Rainbow managed to smile, just a bit. It had been so long... "Do I have to go right away? I'd... I'd like to help."

"Told you," said Amicitia.

Starlight nodded, then held out another cloak and a scythe for Rainbow.

As Rainbow was suited up as a reaper, the aether began to rumble.

"Nytholotrot," Amicitia growled, turning, the form of a pitch black pony wearing a white, full face mask and ever changing Cutie Mark stood behind them.

The mastermind of darkness snarled in rage. "You...you....you..."

"Freed your victim, just like I said we would," Amicitia replied, then gave a smirk. "And this world: I think your master for this world has already left in huff now that the entire point of it is gone, and you've already twisted everything else into a puppet for your will to the point there's nothing left to torture."

Discord's cousin glared daggers. "Then I'll just drag her kicking and screaming back to where she belongs!"

Rainbow Dash gave a glare. "So you're the one who did THIS to me? No thanks, I'm not going back. EVER. And I'm going to help my friends escape to."

Nytholotrot began laughing. "You think you can escape? Maybe you could escape this mask, but I amthe god of thousand masks!"

=Devil Doom - Shadow the Hedgehog.=

Nytholotrot ripped the mask from his face and his form pulsated like billions of things where crawling inside it. Wings erupted out of his back, spraying blood and puss all over, talons erupting out of his hooves in the same fashion. Rainbow would have vomited at the sight.

With an unearthly screech, what was left of the pony guise tore apart, a blotted, bat-like monstrosity emerging, a single, three lobbed burning eye opening.

The Haunter of the Dark

"Let's see if you can outrun the darkness!"

The two reapers and one Goddess exchanged attacks and blows with the avatar of Grim Dark itself.

Amicitia had to block a beam of swirling darkness with a barrier while Starlight sliced her scythe across a leg, sending black blood pouring from the wound that resealed as quickly as it'd formed.

Rainbow Dash attempted a slash of her own, only to barely escape being caught in it's massive jaws, red blood dripping from the nightmare's fangs.

Starlight slammed into The Haunter of the Dark's back, swinging her scythe and cutting open a wound...which promptly sprouted black tentacles and wrapped around her, pinning her front hooves to her side. Her fur began to smoke like acid was touching it.

Nythy's head spun around 180 degrees and spread its jaws wide like a snake in an attempt to swollow her whole.

"Shine, Slipknot!"

Her scythe reconfigured itself into a sword and she used it to cleave herself free and barely evade the snapping jaws of the demon.

Amicitia opened fire with a beam of magic from her horn. "You made a mistake binding the Wolf, Nytholotrot!"

Starlight nodded. "And you've made a mistake tampering with death! You're not taking her back to that Hell!"

Nythy dove down, dodging the strike. He roared, calling down pitch black lightning bolts from above at the Alicorn, singing her fur as she just barely evaded them. "And you all made a mistake messing with my masterpiece!"

Nythy spun around, generating a massive cyclone, swinging the three heroes around and slamming them into the 'ground' (so to speak).

Diving down, the trio barely evaded another wide mouthed snap of it's jaws, specifically aimed at Rainbow Dash. "You're coming back with me, Rainbow Dash! You're never getting away! Your purpose is nothing but to suffer, that is all the Shadows desire of you and all you exist for!"

Rainbow threw a series of rapid kicks into his jaw, but doing very little but annoying him and barely escaping more tentacles. "No...You're never taking me back, and I'm NEVER going to let you hurt Scootaloo again!"

The battle raged on for quite some time, both sides taking damage, but Nythy healing quicker.

"I'm...never going back," Rainbow Dash muttered, having several wounds on her spiritual body. Her eyes fell on Starlight's sword. Something clicked. "...Fly...Scootaloo."

=Loyalty-Avators =

Rainbow Dash's scythe glowed, reforming itself if into long spear that crackled with lightning right as the Haunter of the Dark dove at her, mouth open wide...and was stabbed in the snout, thunder forcing him backwards. "Hold him off, I've got an idea!"

Rainbow Dash took off upwards.

"No you don't!" The winged horror screeched, preparing to give chase, only for Amicitia to flash freeze him for the faction of a second it took for Starlight to slash off one of his claws before he broke free.

"No, no YOU don't!" Amicita replied.

Rainbow Dash stopped and focused, a red lightning bolt lighting up over her heart. "You took everything...you took all my friends...well now I'm lighting this world back up again! And I'm not letting you stop me!"

Rainbow flew around in the shape of an infinite symbol until first one Sonic Rainboom went off, then a second at the other end of the loop, sending a rainbow colored shockwave radiating outwards.

The Haunter of the Dark screeched out, shielding its eye with its wing, the positive energy infused light seeming to BURN him.

"What's wrong, Nythy? Afraid of the light?"

The beast lowered its wing...just in time for Rainbow to pierce its eye with her spear, which was crackling with the same light as her Element of Loyalty. "Scootaloo, Applejack, Twilight, everypony! This is for you!"

The momentum of the Double Rainboom continued her on THROUGH him and erupting out of his back before coming to a stop, Loyalty colored lightning crackling about its form.

"...My purpose is to be loyal to my friends, not be someone's chew toy...Now leave my friends alone, you're never touching them again," Rainbow stated, sliding to a stop and looking over her shoulder.

The Haunter finally burst into red colored flames and burned away into ashes that blew away in the wind, the fires streaking along innumerable invisible, dark puppet strings extending from him and incinerating them as well, until finally leaving Nythy floating in the middle, glaring daggers Amicitia as the red flames burned over him. "...This isn't over...It never will be. You've won in this world, but there will always be another world," he stated, his voice picture perfect, icy HATRED.

Nythy himself burned away, his avatar reduced to ashes and his connection to this line severed.

Rainbow collapsed, but was caught by Amicitia and Starlight. "...You did it, Rainbow... you saved this world."

"...I did? But..."

Amicitia smiled. "...I wasn't lying when I said the old Shadow left. He threw a temper tantrum and I think smashed his controls."

"...So?"

Starlight chuckled. "I'm not as 'in the know' as a god, but an unfinished story can't continue with NO Shadow Who Makes, and the old one quit in the middle."

"...So another?"

Twilight nodded, looking up at the spiritual sky as lights streaked across it, heading back to the world below as everything became brighter. "...And they want a happy ending. The old Shadow helped Nythy steal the free will of this so his will could replace it...looks like the new one helped you set them free."

Rainbow Dash's eyes teared up. "So... my friends... they're?"

"They're free Rainbow," Starlight smirked. "Thanks to you."

Amicitia trotted over to the chained Blank Wolf. "Rainbow returned this world's light to it, but you still have work to do, big guy," she said, snapping its chains.

The Blank Wolf snarled and dashed off to finish the purging of Nythy's taint from the world that Rainbow Dash defeating Nytholotrot has began.

"...So what will happen to me?" Rainbow asked, struggling to stand up, her wings sore.

"...That depends... if the Blank Wolf is erasing what's left of Nytholotrot's taint and a new Shadow has taken over," Twilight explained, giving a smile. "...So I know one thing... it will be happy."

-

And then the sun came out. Rainbow blinked and squinted... out of habit, not physical need, and saw Equestria looking like a black and white photo of some war zone. Almost at once, though, the world around them began to change again.

Color flowed out over the hills. New trees and grass began to sprout up, right before their eyes. Amicitia smiled. "Looks like Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are awake." There was more... All over Ponyville, in the houses and streets and alleyways, ponies were stirring, awake and in their right minds for the first time in years.

Twilight Sparkle burst out of the Golden Oaks library, with Spike stumbling along behind her, still yawning profusely. Little Nyx right behind him. "Rainbow?!" she called out. "Oh no... Has anypony seen Rainbow Dash?!" It was always so strange, thought Amicitia, seeing another version of herself with wings. This was one of *those* worlds, where Alicorns were born hardly any more magical than a unicorn, and took centuries to grow into their full power.

Rainbow turned slowly to stare at Amicitia. "You said *you* were Twilight."

Amicitia blushed. "I am Twilight Sparkle... and more. I'm not from around here." She fumbled for words a bit... she was trying to keep it short, knowing that she didn't have much time. "I owe someone a great debt, and this is how I'm repaying it, by helping other worlds in need."

Rainbow gulped when her friends eventually found her body... she refused to watch that part. "So, they remember, huh? I was hoping they wouldn't have to."

"Have you ever had a nightmare that seemed to last for ages and ages?" said Starlight. "And then when you awoke, you realized that it made no sense, and you wondered why you were even scared?"

"Kinda like that, huh?"

"Would you rather everypony wake up and have no idea what happened to the world, or where you had gone or that you had saved them all?"

Rainbow scratched at her mane. "Hey, I'm not *that* proud. All those... things that happened. Nopony should have to remember that."

"You mean well," said Starlight. "But how can ponies grieve and heal, if they don't even know what they have suffered and lost? This is one of the things that you will learn, Rainbow Dash. Ponies *need* this."

Now the three of them stood near the edge of town, where a great crowd of ponies and griffons and more had gathered around a small stone monument. Applejack finished carving the inscription, then stepped back, removing her hat respectfully. "For Rainbow Dash, the most daring pony in Ponyville." All of her friends were there. The Wonderbolts, Gilda, they were all there. The Princesses were there, so weakened that they stood no taller than Twilight or the others, but they had come. A pint-sized Discord floated beside Fluttershy... Discord, of all people. Even Scootaloo was there. The orange filly sat straight and tall, right in the front row, and she was wearing the Element of Loyalty.

Rainbow Dash held out of a hoof, reaching towards them. "I... I don't want to go!" The pegasus slumped, defeated.

"You need rest now," said Starlight soothingly. "Rest and healing. Later, we can talk about whether I need a junior reaper."

"Really?" asked Rainbow, brightening up at once.

Starlight chuckled. "Really."

A cold gust of wind blew, and the Blank Wolf appeared before them, a towering mass of shadow with vicious claws and fangs and gleaming eyes. ".thanK yoU," he growled at Amicitia. ".noW geT ouT"

Amicitia nodded. "It's selfish, but I'm glad you stayed for a little while, Rainbow. Where you're going, I can't follow."

Rainbow Dash blinked. "What, never ever?"

Amicitia hesitated, then smiled. "Well... never is a really long time." She spread her wings and launched herself into the air, soaring towards another world in need.

Rainbow covered her eyes, a bright light appearing before her. When she opened them, what looked like an exact copy of her before her and Starlight, except a white butterfly shaped mask on her face.

Remembering Nythy, she took a fighting stance. "Who are you?"

The entity smiled. "Do not be afraid Rainbow Dash. I am Fillimon, Nytholotrot's sibling and opposite number."

"Opposite...number?"

She nodded. "Yes. Where he represents all things Grim and Dark and the very worst aspects of the Shadows Who Make, I represent all things Happy and Bright, the very best aspects of those Shadows. Where my sibling seeks only destruction and suffering for ponies, I seek life and happiness for them."

Starlight put a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "You can trust her, Rainbow."

Rainbow nodded slowly. "So... why are you here?"

"My sibling forced you to see all the evil he has wrought on this world. I feel it is only proper that before you move on, you are shown all the good you have restored, and all the good that the New Shadow intends to do."

Fillimon turned into a swarm of golden butterflies and flew around the group, teleporting them away. When she reformed, they stood in Twilight's living room.

Twilight naturally had a can full of tissues and her eyes were somewhat bloodshot, but she looked down at Nyx. "So...you want to grow up to be a guardian?"

The little Alicorn nodded. "Yes...Rainbow Dash protected all of us, right? Somepony needs to protect us from now on..." the little filly looked like she was on the verge of tears, and Twilight hugged her, but her spirit remained resolute.

"In Nytholotrot's world, heroes can do nothing but die and fail, or pay such a horrible price that the victory feels like a defeat, but in the world you've brought? They can once more inspire."

They teleported once again.

"You want tah what?" Applebloom asked.

Scootaloo was currently on the balcony of the CMC's club house, flapping her wings rapidly and managing a little lift. "I'm going to be a Wonderbolt! Simple as that."

"Where did..."

Scootaloo looked back. "...Rainbow can't do that anymore...I...I want to do it for her...somepony needs to do it for her even if...she's...she's gone."

Rainbow Dash's eyes misted up. "Scootaloo..."

They watched Scootaloo's training for some time.

"For you Rainbow!" she yelled, jumping off the balacony for the millionth time (she'd mastered gliding, but not flight).

Fillimon looked to Rainbow Dash, producing a simple book. "The Shadow writes 'it is possible for Rainbow to speak some words of encouragement to her pupil.'"

Rainbow Dash blinked. "It's ASKING?"

"Well, less asking and more writing 'this thing is possible' and allowing your own character to take it from there, as a GOOD Shadow Who Makes does."

Rainbow Dash smiled.

Scootaloo.

Scootaloo blinked as she glided down. "Rainbow?"

I know you can do it! Never give up, Scoots!

Scootaloo's wings spread and she finally flew. And a Cutie Mark appeared on her flank.

Fillimon smiled. "Do you wish to see more?"

"...Scootaloo's an orphan, isn't she? Isn't she alone now?"

"Not anymore."

Fillimon pointed over to show Gilda waiting for Scootaloo to come down, cheering all the way.

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked in confusion.

They teleported again, showing Gilda still at the grave, long after everypony had left.

"Dash...I...I know I can't take it back but..." the proud griffin actually started crying. "I...I shouldn't have...I'm sorry...and now."

Fillimon looked to Rainbow Dash. "Gilda's last words to you when you were alive and she was not under Nytholotrot's control were words of anger and rage...words she never got to apologize for. And she never got to say goodbye. But with your death, she decided to never make that mistake ever again. And to take your place as Fluttershy's friend and Scootaloo's mentor."

"...And the Shadow wanted this to happen?"

"That is the secret of the Shadows Who Make, Rainbow Dash. Some do sow destruction and suffering...but most wish to sow goodness and light. They wish to allow friends to grow, ponies to be inspired, and 'villains' to find redemption the right way. Heroes are allowed to be beacons of hope and villains are allowed to have long buried hearts that can be dug back up. This is the light I exist to foster to dark the dark my brother sows, the good to his evil. And the light will always be stronger than the dark."

Rainbow smiled. "...Thanks...can you take me back to where we were? With Gilda?"

Fillimon nodded, teleporting the group back there.

Gilda...thank you...

Gilda blinked, looking around. "Huh?"

I forgive you, thank you for being there for them.

"Rainbow?"

"Gilda! Did you see me?!"

Gilda turned back and smiled as Scootaloo landed in front of her, ruffling her mane. "Yeah, squirt! You did great!...I'm sure Rainbow Dash would be proud of you."

"...Yeah...I think she would..."

Fillimon looked to Rainbow. "Come, I have much more to show you."

"...And if it's half as good as this, then I'll be glad to see it."

And so Rainbow headed off to see the world she had ushered into being.

And I, Amicitia, couldn't be happier to see it.

%Shadows live for the thrill of seeing the innocent corrupted. It is how they offload their mental sewage and are able to live their lives in sanity. These are the words of the crawling chaos, and why I exist.%

In several loops, Discord did manage to force Ecllipse to show herself while he had yet to be defeated. But even with Eclipse's fall, Discord rarely defeated her himself, after all, if there was one foe she knew best how to deal with, it was the one she'd fought since the beginning...but there was one way I found that Discord had to blindside the monster I used to be.

Discord looked up as Eclipse stood over them. Preparing to strike down this world, and him, as she had every loop.

'Maybe I should just have her kill me now...end this quick,' Discord thought

{She'll kill Fluttercruel first, she always does.}

Discord naturally looked at his daughter in sorrow.

'...I know...'

{But...there IS one way this can maybe end without her death. A way to finally end this nightmare...but...well, you know how much of a price that will come at...Are you willing to pay it for her? For your daughter and everything else? Are you willing to do the one thing Eclipse will never expect from you?}

Discord gasped, looking to Fluttercruel thoughtfully. '...'

Discord finally snapped up. "Fluttercruel, stab me through the heart!"

"What?!" Fluttercruel looked at her father in shock.

"Do it!"

The demi-draconequus stares at him with shock. "But...I...I"

"If you love me, PLEASE DO IT!"

Eclipse tisked, rolling her eyes, "Suicide? Haven't we tried this already? It never works. Silly Discord..."

Fluttercruel picks up the rod and looks at it in confusion. "But...I..."

"I'm your father, do it! That's an order!"

Fluttercruel, tears streaming down her face, finally drives it through his heart.

Discord smiles. "...Thank you...Ugh...there goes several vital bodily functions."

Eclipse chuckles. "Well, this is a fun little twist, but I can't let you go until next loop withou-"

Discord uses the last of his strength to teleport and grab Eclipse in a bear hug. Black hands erupted from his wound and wrapping around both of them. "What?!"

"...Cruelty is my daughter...she can kill me in a way to send me back to My Parents...and you're coming with me."

Eclipse's eyes widen in shock and she struggles to break free, but the hands won't let go. Shadows of Existence began to reach out, grabbing her as well, all screaming for her blood. "What?! But that means you have to face your family! You CAN'T want that!"

"..." Discord looked to his daughter. "...Cruelty...listen to me...Live your life. Don't make my mistakes. Be a good girl...I'm doing this so you can."

"...D-Dad? I..."

"I love you Cruelty, now PLEASE listen to Twilight and their friends! Be better than I was...oh, and drink your exploding chocolate milk young lady! You need it for strong bones!"

Eclipse stares in disbelief. "For her?...You....You...You CAN'T DO THAT! You're not supposed sacrifice yourself! What's your plan?"

"...Letting my daughter have a future...now come along, Twilight, it's time you met my parents!"

Eclipse screams in rage as both implode into Discord's wound, sucking them to Entropy's realm of Oblivion.

Twilight and company could only stare in disbelief throughout the whole scene. "Discord...let himself die to beat her?...that..." Twilight sees Fluttercruel crying her eyes out and trots over to her... "Fluttercruel..."

"...I...I don't know what Dad wants me to do...I...I killed him but...he asked me too...he wants me to be good...I don't know what he means..."

Twilight took a few moments to process what just happened...then offered her hoof to the broken Demi-Draconequus. "...Then let me show you like he asked ME too..."

The one thing Discord could do that Eclipse would never, and could never see coming was to sacrifice himself for another. Be it to save Queen Apple Pie's life in one world or his daughter in several, the idea of Discord giving his freedom and life for someone else was simply alien to Eclipse. After all, since when is 'evil, rotten Discord' capable of selflessness?

Another world, another Canterlot. Amicitia glided over the moonlit city, barely a whisper on the wind. "What could have happened?" she wondered aloud, seeing the burn scars, all of the wrecked buildings and toppled statues not yet replaced. "Was there a war here too?"

She grew excited when she saw Discord's freshly resealed statue and realized that he'd been defeated with as little damage as this, but her hopes were dashed when she finished absorbing this world's history. Here, Twilight had resisted Discord's despair longer because she'd secretly been born an Alicorn. "Somehow, I don't think that's going to work for my problem." She smirked. "Even if I could get away with it, I'd feel bad, doing that to mom and dad."

Amicitia landed in a large square in front of the palace, flying past alert Night Guards who looked straight through her. She studied the large memorial topped with three statues, then bowed her head, eyes closed and wings spread.

When she opened her eyes, three ghostly figures stood before her in the same poses as their statues. Gilda. Lyra. Blast, wearing a Shadowbolt uniform with her hood pushed back. Slowly, the three ghosts relaxed, glancing around. Gilda stretched out and lashed her tail warily, even with no more battles to fight.

Blast spoke first. "Twilight Sparkle? You certainly have changed."

Gilda rolled her eyes. "That's not the Twilight we knew, you dope. That's... well, I don't know what she is, but I know what she's not!"

Amicitia nodded. "It's true. You could say that I'm in the business of second chances now. It's a long story."

Lyra gasped. "Second chances? Are you saying... you could make all this never have happened?"

Amicitia smiled sadly. "In theory, I could talk Trixie out of waking the Guardian... but then the Council of Nightmares wouldn't be exposed and eliminated. Trixie would never meet Big Mac and learn to care about others besides herself. Twilight wouldn't be restored and be reunited with her mother, and Spark... Dawn, she'd cease to exist." She paused, while the ghosts absorbed this. "I want to know if there's anything I can do for you three, personally."

Blast waved her hoof in a shrug. "I did what I had to do... I have no regrets. I'm just keeping these two company until they're ready to move on. What about you, Lyra?"

Lyra sighed wistfully. "I have a big one, but it's not something you can help. Bon Bon still can't forgive herself for what happened, and what she did... but Death's not a bad guy once you get to know him."

"Things certainly do seem a lot more relaxed around here, that way."

Lyra conjured up a ghostly harp and smiled, strumming slowly. "He's giving me time to try and bring her around. If you really want to help somepony..."

Amicitia pricked her ears up. "Yes?"

"My brother, Paper Craft. He's hurting, and I don't think he even realizes how much yet." She motioned towards an alley nearby. Candles and small memorial items had been left at many places around the square, but this alley had two blackened pony shapes on the pavement stones and no memorials at all, just the scent of wood smoke and burnt straw. "Can you..."

"I'll do whatever I can," Amicitia reassured her. "Gilda?"

The griffon fidgeted, tracing transparent claws in a circle on the pavement. "Well... no, I can't. It's too embarrassing."

"Please," said the Alicorn patiently. "If there's anything I can do..."

Gilda growled, tugging claws through her feathery mane. "Fine. There's this trick they taught us back in flight school, you see? If you're gonna be fighting unicorns, you can charge up all your fur and feathers with extra weather magic. That way you're all slippery. Makes it hard for those lame-o unicorns to grab you with magic or twist your wing and steer you off course.

Amicitia blinked. "But, when you fought Fall..."

"I forgot, okay! You ponies are such namby pamby peace lovers these days, I never needed it. I can't face my ancestors like this... they'll laugh their beaks off!"

Amicitia grinned slyly. "So, if you'd practiced this technique more and remembered to use it..."

"Yeah, I totally would have kicked that other Alicorn's flank all up and down Canterlot! What? What's with that grin?"

*Later*

The peace and tranquility of Sweet Apple Acres was interrupted by Twilight Sparkle's panicked yelp, high in the sky. The young Alicorn wove unsteadily between low clouds that Rainbow Dash had set up as a training course, cried out again when she nearly clipped a tall apple tree, and finally smacked right into another cloud.

"What a complete newbie," said Gilda, lounging in the sun on top of the cloud and snickering.

"Well, yeah!" said Dash, leaning close and nuzzling Gilda cheek to cheek. "She only got her wings, like, a week ago."

A grinning Twilight popped her head through the clouds right behind them. "Aren't we having a flying lesson, here? If you two are busy..."

Rainbow Dash blushed furiously, but Gilda chuckled and said, "You don't get off that easy, dweeb. Come on, I want to see five more laps before lunch break. Move your tailfeathers!"

Down below, Dawn, once Twilight Spark, was struggling to pull a plow. She might have earth pony strength now, but apparently that didn't stop her new muscles from being extra sore while she built them up.

* What's that over there? It looks like Paper Craft came over to visit. *

"Good for him," she muttered.

* Come on, you could use a break. Besides, he's talking to Applejack. Now's your chance... *

Dawn considered, then grinned and stepped out of the harness, heading over.

"Look," Applejack was saying to the young unicorn. "All Ah'm saying is, if you ever want to talk about it..."

"Sh-shut up!" retorted Paper Craft, scuffing a hoof in the dirt. "I don't want to talk about it. My parents were horrible ponies, treating my sister like that. I'm better off without them."

Dawn stopped dead in her tracks. "How... how can you say that?"

Paper Craft blinked, caught off guard. "Spark... you didn't know them. You don't..."

Dawn scowled. "Oh, boo hoo. At least you *had* parents. What did they do, beat you every day? If I didn't have friends like Applejack here, friends who still want to be my friend, even... after everything I did, I'd have nothing. Nothing at all..." Embarrassed now, Dawn turned right around and went into the house, slamming the door on her way.

Which left Paper Craft staring into space, and AJ worried about him. "Paper, sugarcube..."

"They didn't beat me." The colt sniffled, wiping his eyes with a foreleg. "They used to be nice, when I was little. I don't understand. Why..." He shook his head, looking like he wanted to cry. "The last thing I ever told them was that they *deserved it*... and... and now I can't take it back..."

* You should tell him... *

AJ hesitated.

* You don't like to talk about it... and that's okay. You don't want to sound like you're bragging about how tough you had it, but this might really help him. *

"Paper," said AJ. "There's a story Ah'd like to tell you. It's about a filly, and her big brother and her little sister, and the time... well, when their ma and pa didn't come home. Other ponies, they've been where you are now, and you'll get through this, just like they did." She let the sobbing colt huddle close by her side, and guided him towards the back porch, where they could talk in peace.

Amicitia found herself before two different worldlines, and both with the same apocalypse.

In both world lines, or rather, four world lines, two worlds clashed together.

One inhabited by humans, and one inhabited by ponies.

Earth would appear to have gotten the lesser of the destruction. Only Equestria appeared in the middle of their ocean. The water that had been there transplanted to the world of Equus that Equstria had come form.

The Princesses were gone, the Elements were gone, ponies who had been traveling abroad would never see their loved ones again, only an ocean where their homes had been. With no princesses to raise or lower the sun, Equus would seem doomed. Amicitia worked hard to lure Daring Do, who had not been in Equestria at the time of the real crash, to an ancient temple before the time of the three tribes, barely at the age of myths of Megan and the Paradise Ponies. No pony knew what Daring Do found within, only that she did not emerge for days, on the verge of doom, a new Alicorn emerged from the temple, and with her new found power, moved the sun and moon again, granted wisdom and knowledge of ages past to help restore some semblance of the balance of power that existed before.

Now that left two worlds with opposite problems.

In one world, it was the natives who were doomed to lose their world, as the visitor's transplanted world expanded to encompass theirs, like a cancer, their space program a joke, not having even visited another celestial body in 50 years!

In the other, it was the displaced visitors whose tiny piece of the world they had brought with them that was slowly vanishing.

And in bother, the ones whose world was vanishing, found the other world's presence that was taking over theirs was deadly to them.

Amicitia looked it over from every angle, the problem was that the clash between worlds WAS a random accident on a gigantic cosmic scale, like two bubbles colliding with each other on the ocean. She could not prevent it without causing several ripples in other innocent worlds as well. There was no intelligence behind it, no secret scheme to unmask or thwart. It was outside her domain.

With all other options exhausted, the leaders of the expanding world came to a solution that was far from perfect, but was better than nothing. A transformation from natives of the world they were losing, to natives the world that was gaining ground.

The humans in the world that Earth was assimilating Equus could only offer their own species, since elephants, chimps, and whales weren't exactly considered people.

The ponies in the other worldline on the other hoof could offer the different types of ponies, zebra, buffalo, the griffins, and dragons. The less said of the experiments with minotaurs the better, and since the changeling kingdom was not recognized as a political body, and Queen Chrysalis was considered a criminal, offers for changelinghood were not considered.

While certainly tragic, in both cases, the people forced to give up the bodies they had been born in, would at least be able to bring with them the culture and identity they held dear and share it with their new neighbors.

Except . . .

The general population of the vanishing world went insane. Paranoia spread like a plague. There was the fantasy image that the leader of the encroaching world was a xenophobic monster at worst, or a delusional knight templar at best. And those who were 'converted' became blindly obedient to their new ruler, and their original self died, leaving only a creature with their memories.

This mass paranoia was not helped by (or rather helped very much) by the fact that the first in line to convert were those who thought their species had made one too many mistakes and this was simply karma knocking. These early converts would discard all of their former human lives and identity, and act like this was the best thing that COULD happen to them or anyone. This only stoked the flames of paranoid delusion that those converted lost their minds and souls.

Military commanders solutions would have been elegant in their simplicity, just blow up the veil with enough canon fire or atomic bombs . . . except . . . the veil was NOT a magical wall or barrier forever expanding. It was the dividing line where one world ended and the other began, like the edge of a flood or a forest fire. All this did was cause destruction to anything that happened to be 'behind' the veil.

And there were the 'heroes' who sought to destroy their world then let the 'evil aliens' have it. And then other self proclaimed heroes who destroyed conversion centers and 'mercy kill' those who had been converted, "We're doing them a favor," after all, they were just 'soulless zombies' now.

And there was the complete and utter lie that the rulers of the encroaching world would declare the territory of the vanishing world to be part of their own kingdom and its people their subjects.

The selfless and noble of the vanishing world tried their hard to bring sanity back into play, but with the trauma of the loss of their world, and the loss of even more, their voices were unheard.

It seemed too many were determined to not only die, but to make sure the 'invaders' or 'kidnappers' (depending on the worldline) didn't get their homeland, and would take as many of the 'monsters' with them as possible.

The reality was even worse. There simply wasn't enough time! The vanish world would be gone, and the safety it offered, long before the population of humans/ponies could be changed into a form that they could survive in the new world, even if the conversion centers were working at peak effectiveness.

Amicitia could pull double time to keep ponies/humans from destroying themselves and their new neighbors, but it wouldn't matter.

But then Amicitia realized how she could do it. The world mirror.

She inspired those with the knowledge and skill to study the world mirror's magic, and how it safely converted those who passed through between worlds into a shape that was compatible with that world (and made carry-ons compatible as well).

The madness was quelled, the lunatics on both ends of the extremes lost their rallying point, and two solutions now presented themselves. Allow the barrier to pass over them, now that it wouldn't harm them, instead the new magic of the mirror would change their form into something that would be as if they had been born there and thus survive.

Or wait two and a half years after changing, and enter a reality that bore at least some resemblance to their own. (Even if for the ponies it meant living under a GOOD King Sombra, and for the humans it meant living in a world where people could be purple and green).

The strange old pony crept across the grounds of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, large but painfully thin, with a dirty white coat and a wild black mane. He peered through the classroom windows at a bored young Twilight Sparkle, then tossed a black notebook onto the lawn. "Gosh, I've dropped my Death Note! Where could it be?" He galloped away, snickering.

Immediately, the Blank Wolf appeared and clawed the notebook out of existence. "Nope, nope, nope..."

* Good boy! Who's a good boy? *

"OW OW OW!" Ryuk wriggled as a thestral kept a firm grip on his ear with its teeth. It dragged him over to stand before two alicorns. One of them skeletal, and the other colored royal purple.

"Ryuk, what have I told you about trying to manipulate mortal ponies?" Mortis snorted and uncorked a bottle he held, glowing from his magic. Ryuk shrieked and was sucked into the bottle. He beat on its sides with his hooves, uttering shrill and all but inaudible pleas as Mortis corked it. "You are going into a Time Out for the next ten thousand years!" He held the bottle up and stared into it. "And be glad my sister brought this to MY attention, and not Strife's or Entropy's. You know how THEY feel about somepony carelessly spreading death like that."

Ryuk gulped and sat down.

Mortis sighed and set the bottle 'down' on thin air, letting it vanish. "My apologies to you and the Wolf, Amicitia."

"It's okay, big brother. I'm just glad we got your rogue shikigami dead to rights there."

She fought down a giggle while Mortis just rolled his eyes.

"Dear Princess Celestia," said Twilight Sparkle, in that bright, nauseating, sing-song tone. "Today I learned..."

Another Twilight Sparkle groaned, wishing she could grasp the pillows in this place, so she could cover her ears with them. Or throw them at that caricature of herself. Better yet, she could muffle those words and suffocate herself and never have to hear a Friendship Report ever again.

All of her "friends" were gathered around. Spike scribbled away, taking down the letter. Applejack and Fluttershy smiled, perfectly sane. Pinkie was... okay, Pinkie was still crazy, but in a good way, if that made any sense. Why shouldn't they be happy? Nothing bad was allowed to happen here. Every villain was swiftly defeated, no fuss, no struggle, no sacrifice.

While she... she was dead and had no choice but to watch it all, invisible as a ghost, with her grisly scarred face and her ragged mane, three of her hooves marred from being shattered and healed by magic a hundred times, and the fourth missing altogether... gone and replaced with a mechanical prop. Death and Justice hadn't mended a thing, the better to make her suffer, apparently.

While this other Twilight had everything hoofed to her on a silver platter, even an Alicorn's wings...

"Do you think this bothers me?" shouted Twilight at thin air. "I've been tortured by an expert, you know. This? You just don't want to admit that I was right all along! Did I do terrible things? Of course I did! But I saved Equestria! I did what had to be done..."

She trailed off. Something was different, suddenly... She had the oddest sense that someone had finally *listened*. And suddenly, the gaudy Friendship Castle had a third Twilight Sparkle in it. Invisible, like her, an Alicorn like the other Twilight, but this new Twilight was something *more*, somehow, like comparing a mud puddle to a mighty ocean.

Amicitia frowned, glaring down at her. "I have some good news and some bad news for you."

~*~

In her private study, Princess Celestia used her magic to spread a fan of student files over her desk, while levitating her teacup and taking a sip. "Not much longer now, Lulu," she murmured to herself. "One of these fillies or colts will be the one to free you from your Nightmare. One of them just has to be!"

She scanned one, then another, and finally lifted the third, a most promising candidate. "Twilight Sparkle..." A genuine eagerness to learn, good study habits, excelling at everything she put her hoof to. Why, she'd even entered her school years early, and would graduate next year.

* Look at the psychological profile, though... *

Celestia frowned slightly. No friends outside her family. Unusually stubborn and unwilling to admit mistakes... "She can be better," said Celestia out loud. "I can teach her to be better."

* Like you taught Sunset Shimmer? *

Celestia shuddered, nearly dropping the teacup. She hung her head, then took a deep breath and pushed Twilight's folder to one side. "Perhaps this one... Trixie, hmm? Oh. She's applying to attend my school, but she's from a large family, and can't afford the fees."

* Well, what else is a large treasury full of bits good for? *

"What indeed," said Celestia with a smile, clipping another form to Trixie's application. Her quill pen floated over and scribbled "Full scholarship approved."

~*~

The scarred and maimed Twilight Sparkle gasped, clutching her intact hoof to her chest. "What... what did you do?!"

Amicitia sighed. "I removed the weak link, and replaced it with a stronger one."

Twilight twitched, metal hoof grinding against the floor. "You think I'm weak?" she said, dangerously quiet. "After all the torture I endured? All the hard choices and sacrifices I had to make?"

Amicitia's mouth fell open. "Hard choices? Like all of the ponies you murdered with your own hooves? Like torturing our friends and maiming their *souls*?" The Alicorn was practically shouting now. "And then you convinced yourself that all of this was MORALLY JUSTIFIED?"

"I had to learn where Princess Celestia was hidden!" shouted Twilight back, shaking, but not backing down. "I had to convince Nightmare Moon that I was on her side! It was the only way!"

Amicitia shook her head. "The spell imprisoning Celestia would have ended the moment Nightmare Moon was defeated. Did you even consider that possibility? Even if she hadn't been freed, you could have asked Luna after you saved her. Worst case, Luna could have moved the sun and moon for you after she was rescued. Where did you get the insane notion that making yourself into a monster was 'the only way'?"

Twilight opened her mouth, but she no answer. "I... I don't understand," she finally whispered. "It's inconceivable that I wouldn't have considered that." She sat her hindquarters down, a lost look in her eyes. "Was I already insane, even then..."

Amicitia trotted closer and nudged her briefly... was it sympathy? Pity? "I thought about letting you fall into Oblivion, instead of tying your memories to the new version of yourself, but then you'd never learn anything." She smiled faintly. "Try not to make yourself into a monster again, all right? I don't think you'll get another chance, after this one."

Amicitia conjured a thick, heavy tome on magical theory, then let it fall to the floor with a terrific THUD...

Twilight Sparkle, the youngest teaching professor at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, was startled awake when the book fell. The murmurs and giggles from her students make her cheeks color. "Ahem!" She hastily cast another anti-sleep-deprivation spell on herself, followed by a memory charm to remind her what she'd been saying before that... extraordinary dream. "Be certain that you read chapters twelve and thirteen for tomorrow's discussion. Class dismissed."

The legendary Nightmare Moon, bringing months of eternal night? Herself, fighting her way out of a dungeon to become some kind of badflank action hero? How on Equestria had she dreamed all of those crazy adventures in just a minute or two? Perhaps it was a side effect of staving off sleep with magic, she thought, already eager to do further research.

Suddenly, her ears pricked up. "You there, wait please." She zeroed in on a particular colt. "Cinnamon Jam, would you please come here and repeat that?"

The unicorn colt gulped, but he came to her desk... they'd all learned that were was no point trying to evade questions or lie to her. "I was saying... that theoretical thaumatic theory is dumb. I mean, it's pointless to study."

She raised a brow. "And why is that?"

"Well, what good is it? Even the unicorns who write whole new spells don't need to know most of that stuff."

Professor Sparkle leaned closer, with a slightly crazed grin. "But don't you see? That's the time when you should study the hardest!"

Cinnamon Jam gulped. "Is it?"

"Yes! You should study it with every fiber of your being! Fight through the pain and suffering and tedium! Study it with a passion, as if you were my closest ally, until you know everything there is to know about it, and then, only then, when you stand on the same lofty plateau of knowledge as I..." She clenched a hoof. "...can you then turn to me and say 'I still think theoretical thaumatic theory is a load of horseapples.' Let's get you started on that, shall we? Detention, every evening this week."

At one of the back benches, a powder blue unicorn shook her head. "Sometimes, Trixie wonders if she's ever going to fit in around here."

"Hey, don't give up already," said Spike encouragingly. Her little brother grinned. "She's just one professor. Think about how far you've come already."

Trixie considered, then smiled warmly. "Trixie th... Thank you, Spike."

Amicitia spotted another world . . . one where Starlight Glimmer, a mare fixated on making every pony equal to the point of crushing individuality, had successfully brainwashed Twilight and her friends, and had made them her missionaries, spreading her mentality to Ponyville via countless brainwashing techniques. Even Starlight Glimmer gave up her cutie mark and became just another Equal Pony. Even eventually creating a world of all immortal female Alicorns, equality achieved through the sacrifice of individuality, and mandatory equality had become ENGRAINED in ponies, they were all BORN with the equal sign now. Society had simply frozen, the perfectly equal society, nothing evolved or changed. Amicitia though of how to reintroduce individual identity and progress to this still way of living (it reminded her FAR TOO MUCH of Nightmare Charity idea of an ideal world . . . though that WAS the cycle where Trixie, as an Alicorn, had given Nightmare Eclipse the scar on her face).

Then . . . something rather... jarring happened.

"FIX IT SUE! Fix it fix it fast as you can! With the magic hammer that you got from your old ma!"

Amicitia BALKED as a super-ninja-pony freed the mane six from confinement before they were brainwashed, dismembered Starlight Glimmer, and freed the cutie marks in less than five minutes.  This was promptly erased by the Wolf of that world line when it sensed the infection to reality.

"OH POO! FIX IT SUE! Fix it fix it fast as you can! With the magic hammer that you got from your old ma!"

Then in popped a solider from a worldliness where two groups of hired mercenaries fought and endless war with each other, cloning spawning a replacement as soon as the current one was kill in an endless futile cycle (until a third faction composed of robot copies of the mercenaries invaded forcing the two groups to fight side by side). He led a totally bad flank rebellion, personally taking down the Equal Six and the Princess of Sameness, Twilight Traitor (as ponies called her), and then bloody killing Starlight Glimmer. Again the wolf undid the senselessness.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

Amicitia finally found the source . . . it looked like her . . . sort of . . . it wasn't her as Nightmare Eclipse . . . not really . . . her form her looked like a teenage Alicorn Mare. Her barding was so gaudy that Rarity would have fainted dead away at the sight.

"Who are you?" Amicitia asked her odd double.

"I'm Dues Ex Machina! Sometimes my friends call me Mouthpiece! Hi! Who are you?"

" . . . Are you me from the Reflections universe with Good King Sombra?"

"Who? Oh right. I was going to have him find a magic rock that drained all the black magic right out of him.  And I was going to have Shade The Hedgemouse find Maria alive in a suspended animation capsule. Have Batmare's parents raised from the dead via the Cosmic Cube. Have Krypton reconstructed by the Infinitely Gauntlet-"

"You can't have just all those things, JUST HAPPEN!"

"Why not? Bad things JUST HAPPEN!"

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM BETTER! You can't just BULLY timelines into going the way you want them! They have to be solved INTERNALLY! If you throw in Author-Avatars, Sues, and Ex Machinas, just to get the happy ending you want, the shadows who watch will reject it, the REALITY WILL REJECT IT! That's why the wolf keeps eating your works!"

"So?"

"Because when you do that, it makes it harder for me to make a BELIEVABLE happy ending! The wolf will be on guard now."

"So? I also had the Tamers of Digi-Monsters show up in a ponymon reality to stop a ponymon/pony civil-war, and I had Clock-Key from Clock-Key The Metal Idol sing a song that turned all the robots into flesh and blood and destroy the entire metal city that now covered the planet, in a worldliness where Doctor Machino won wrote history so his robots thought they'd fought a defensive war."

"SHE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THAT POWER IN HER WORLDLINE! You can't just crossover two worldliness to fix an internal problem right at the end!"

"Isn't that what you did?"

"NO! Things had been WORKING TOWARDS that! With Minty Pie, Rancor, and Starlight Angel and her friends. And I used abilities that had been established in the story already! You can't just thrown in character to FORCE a happy ending! It's what keep us from being Mary Sues!"

"So?"

"Because it STOPS being about the STORY and becomes about US!!!! That is WRONG!"

"Why?"

"Because a story is about all the characters! The villain refusing to grow past his faults, and the hero rising above their fault! You can't just make a character whose so overwhelmingly powerful that they BULLY the ending you want out of the story! The if you want to write an alternate happy ending, it has to be believable WITHIN THE STORY ITSELF! You're just brute force the outcome you want! And when it's a SHARED universe, it just makes the opposition thrown in bigger and badder Sues and completely random events OF THEIR OWN in an endless cycle!"

"I, look," Amicitia said, wondering just where this very naive alicorn version of her had come from. "Let me show you what I mean."

In the drizzly wet gray Ponyville now ruled over by the Princess of Sameness and the rest of the Equal Six, a pair of fillies cringed in fear against the back wall of the new multi-family dormitories built with exactly the same amount of room for everypony, regardless of how many members their family had. Few looking on them would have ever recognized either Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon with their short choppy mane cuts or the raggedy clothes they wore. After all, style and fashion and having better clothes than anypony else were all signs of reactionary anti-Equal leanings, and those who displayed them got sent north for 'social readjustment through voluntary forced labor'.

"Here," Diamond said, hoofing over a small piece of candy that she'd found when she and her work group pulled down the old mansions that day, including her old home.

"Thanks," Silver said, popping it in her mouth. Being caught with candy could get you in big trouble; every meal was perfectly equal, a bowl of oatmeal, the same amount for everypony. "You shouldn't have gone to the trouble, though. I wouldn't want you to get in more trouble than me..."

"Shush!" Diamond hissed angrily as she clapped a hoof over Silver's mouth. "We won't get in any trouble if you stay quiet." She looked at her flank, and her face drooped at the sight of those hated black bars. "Not that it matters any more."

"Ooh! And now they get superpowers and beat up the mean old Equal Six and..."

"No."

Diamond looked out the window at the new improved housing that was home for everypony. Nothing was left from old Ponyville but the Town Hall, now covered in those hateful Equal banners. Even the old statues were gone, replaced by heavy slabs bearing the Thought For The Day. 'Inequality is Unhappiness'. 'In Sameness There is Peace'. 'Oat Production Neither Up Nor Down Thanks To Our Perfect Equal Agriculture'.

The curse of the Cutie Mark was gone from Equestria. Everypony and everything was the same everywhere. And Diamond Tiara hated it.

"This is BORING! When does the good stuff start?"

"Patience, please."

Diamond went back to her pallet and reached into the hiding place she kept her new doll in, a raggedy thing made from cast-offs with wings of corn husks, a horn made from a stick, and on her flank a small crown marked out in berry juice. She hugged it close.

"I want Mom and Dad back, my real Mom and Dad, not those two smiling -- things. I want the old Equestria back, I'd even take those snotty blank flanks over what they are now..."

As though summoned by that thought a lantern light shone into the room. Diamond hurriedly shoved her doll back into its hiding place and curled up on the pallet, shutting her eyes. She heard Silver doing the same. The light came closer, visible even through her eyelids, until it shone with painful brightness into her face. Diamond made sure to hold her eyes tight shut.

"Naw, Diamond's asleep," 'Equalbloom' said. That annoying twang was gone from her voice. Diamond didn't look to see the horrible fixed smile; she'd seen it enough over the past few weeks as they worked the field around town -- 'Labor Joyously And Be Freed Of Inequality.' "Come on, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, we got to check out the other filly and colt barracks."

Diamond held her breath until they left, only then did she being to weep. She no longer paid any attention to similar sounds of weeping around her from the other bunks. They were familiar by now.

How had it all happened? The Mane Six, Equestria's heroines, returning with those nasty smiles and ugly mane cuts and those weird bars on their flanks. Promising everypony endless peace and bliss as they brought the whole town into their new Equalist movement, finally exiling the few who refused to 'see the light'. Then sending their 'missionaries' to every town and city in Equestria. The stories of fighting in Canterlot and Manehattan as the Princesses were caught and 'enlightened'. Masses of ponies who tried holding to their cutie marks and old reactionary ways being sent north to the labor camps there. No more nice meals or nice clothes or Miss Cheerilee teaching school or even dolls to play with.

Just an endless grayness ruled by Poisoned Harmony and no hope of escape ever...

"That's not true!" Diamond Tiara sat up as that voice inside of her continued.

"There's always hope, Diamond Tiara, for you and for Equestria. Remember some of the ponies and others sent north; Flim and Flam, Lightning Dust, Suri Polomare, Gilda the Griffin. Even Discord was imprisoned, not broken! But they need to know that their efforts would work, that not every pony outside the camps has given in to the sickness that's claimed so many. You can be that pony, Diamond. You can save your friend and parents."

Diamond wondered a moment at that voice. -- what, some talent for genius she'd never suspected? But then, her cutie mark was a crown...

She decided and shook Silver awake.

"Huh? Diamond, what?" Silver's eyes were wide and afraid in the dark. But beneath those emotions showed something ready to catch fire.

"Come on," Diamond said as she headed for the exit. Silver, still loyal to her friend, tumbled out of the bunk and followed her to the door. "We're going to save our parents, and everypony else."

"What the -- How?!?"

"Well, like duh, I'm still working on that," Diamond said as she hurried off towards the railyards that bore supplies and prisoners north. "But we can do it. I know we can."

Silver's eyes lit up as they paused beneath the statue of the Princess of Sameness long enough for: "Bump, Bump, Sugarlump Rump!"

"See, that's how you do it. You inspire, you remind them of what's already there inside of them, bravery and nobility and intelligence and... Are you even listening?"

"Sorry, I was just imagining how much better this would be if they both turned into alicorns and made everything better with a wave of their wands. Princess Power!"

"Groan..."

Author's Note

Didn't expect this to be so popular that it needed a second entry, but here we are.

I was going to post another chapter, but it turns out due to a miscommunication, the chapter I spent today editing, Louis was ALSO reediting on his own. So there are now FOUR versions of the next chapter in existence! (0-0).

So here enjoy Amicitia's endless and tireless quest to give stories a happier ending under their own power.

MORE OF Pony POV Princess Twilight Lightly visits to Grim Worlds

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:

-MtangaLion And Kendell2
(That ".out.of.character." fic someone linked, that was well-crafted and horrifying... I was afraid I'd dream about it. I wrote this to get it out of my system. -MtangaLion
Continued from Lion's. Note, the incarnation he starts in is the one from The Stars Will Aid In Their Escape, the later form is inspired by some of his forms from the Cthulhu Mythos: --Kendell2
OOC: Gonna let someone else write if Rainbow Dash is allowed to return or not.--Kendell2)

-MtangaLion

-Alex Warlorn

Alex Warlorn

-Kendell2 (Found something I showed Alex once and never had a good place for it until now.)

-MtangaLion (Heavy spoilers for "The Empty Room"...)

-Alex Warlorn

-MtangaLion

-Ardashir

-MtangaLion -- based on Breaking Twilight (the long one that's rated mature for torture)

-Alex Warlorn

-Ardashir

-Kendell2

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

ACTUAL equal Friendship?

'Testing, testing, 1,2,3? Dear, can you hear me?'

Diamond blinked looking around. Silver was currently sleeping while she kept watch, they had plans, but they needed to rest like anyone. "Hello?"

'Good! You can here me!'

"Who are you?"

'It is I, the one and only Spirit of Chaos and Supreme giant hat, Discord! Long story short, Diamond, we have a bit of a link, and even while in this statue, I can speak with you.'

"Hey! Since when can he do that?! You were saying 'no new powers'!"

"It's not NEW, Discord has a link to Diamond because she's descended from his mortal mother Shady, he's just never had REASON to use it...until I implied he could..."

"So now Discord is going to reveal he was never locked up and break free and curbstomp everypony, right?!"

"No, he still needs HELP to be free."

'Oh good! You have plans to put Little Miss 'Everything Must Be Equal!' out of business. We are OH so on the same page. I do hope in the end Celly let's ME be the one to decide her punishment! Allow me to give you a little advice dear: before you head north, there are a few things I think you can do to throw a gigantic wrench in her plans...'

'Hey! No fair! We're supposed to be the one to let them save the day!'

'You really don't understand our ACTUAL job, do you?

Diamond and Silver, with guidance from Discord, exploited one thing about THIS kind of utopia: paranoia. And if there was one thing the Spirit of Chaos knew how spread a little disorder.

The next morning, the group found the local 'Re-education' chamber burned to the ground (the pony who'd happened to be in it missing). Diamond Tiara had enjoyed doing that. That horrid place that'd replaced her parents with those smiling strangers.

The guards of the local Cutie Mark vault, having been brought down to the lowest common denominator, had been tricked into leaving them chamber for the moment it took for whoever had done this to steal a number of Cutie Marks.

Starlight Glimmer wasn't sure what to think that HERS had been among them.

On the wall had been left a note. It told how the perpetrator had kidnapped the pony who'd been in the Re-education Chamber along with two foals named Diamond and Silver Spoon with intent to 'teach them a Cutie Mark wasn't something to be ashamed of' and that 'we're still with you'. And loaded with so many red herrings it looked like there wasn't one pony in town that wasn't a suspect.

While Ponyville became a Witch Hunt, the two little fillies that'd escaped fled north, their Cutie Marks back where they belonged, several others in their hooves. Some they had no intention of using, some they did.

Dinky Do walked with them. Even with her mother 'normal', even without the teasing, without the pain...the filly had NEVER stopped saying how this was wrong...Derpy had been special. She'd been her mother. Now her mother loved her 'equally' as everypony else...her mother wasn't her. Her REAL mother would never have let her be put in that awful Re-education Chamber. EVER. That smiling face wasn't her mother.

And she was right. Dinky had insisted they try to reach her mother before they left (keeping it secret they were working along and not with somepony else)...in the end, it turned out that her daughter saying those words to Derpy was all it took to break her free of conditioning and north with the fillies.

"If being normal...if not being made fun of...if it means my little girl can't recognize me anymore, then this isn't RIGHT...I'd rather be a good mother than be normal," Derpy told them, crying heavily.

Derpy took back her talent...along with rejecting the 'equality' she'd traded it for. And not one part of her regretted it. Though it had taken some changes to the note...

Starlight had always underestimated one possibility: that she might not be correct. That love and friendship could exist with difference...or that somepony would rather be different and have the love that meant most to them than be the same as everyone else.

"Why did you have us steal Cutie Marks we don't even know who they are?" Diamond asked, her team already aware of that fact. It'd been strange...but then again, this was DISCORD.

'Simple, dear. The 'perpetrator' would naturally steal back their OWN mark, so with more missing, that means they don't know where exactly to point their hooves. The more ponies they think they CAN'T trust, the longer our little distraction will keep them occupied.'

"I guess that make sense. But why steal that witch's mark?"

"Simple: she took Fluttershy from me, your parents from you, so we're taking a little something from HER to see how she likes it...plus, once we manage to turn the tables and free dear Fluttershy and her friends, she won't be able to use that stupid spell of hers on her own to cheat back. That, and with as paranoid as that Starlight Glimmer is, her Cutie Mark having been taken should ensure quite a few nights without sleep...speaking of which..."

"I got them too," said Diamond Tiara, looking back to see two Cutie Marks, one of a sun, one of the moon.

'Good, now follow my instructions exactly...'

Somehow, with Discord's aid, the three children managed to write messages on the Princesses Cutie Marks and release them.

"How did we write messages on their Cutie Marks?" Dinky asked.

"I don't know, Discord told me how...and he's Discord..."

The next day, the re-education chamber the Princesses had been in was found blown to atoms, the two had escaped. And another note casting more confusion on everything left behind.

Deus bounced in place like Pinkie on a sugar high. "Finally, some action! Okay, so now can the princesses use their super princess powers and fry all the bad guys?"

Amicitia groaned. "Why, of course they could... or maybe they wouldn't, because that would be *totally out of character*!"

The teenage Alicorn blinked several times, pointing a hoof. "Um, you have a..."

Amicitia sighed. "Soapbox. I know..."

"Not that!" said Deus more urgently.

Amicitia looked over her shoulder, then gasped, teleporting out of the way of a vicious swipe of claws. "You?! What do you think you're doing?"

"I am doing what I was reborn to do," said the large grey wolf with the terrifying grin full of sharp fangs, and the Equal mark branded on his flank. "No more, no less. Why should I treat Alicorns any differently?"

"Um, good doggie?" said Deus hopefully.

"How is this even possible?" said Amicitia, her mind racing as she tried to think of places to escape on one hoof, and possible distractions on the other. An idea came to mind... "And don't you think this is just a teensy bit hypocritical, you being a lone wolf with all those powers?"

The wolf smiled a notch more, somehow. "I begged my Princess of Sameness for that very blessing, but she would not let me become a mortal pony. Until every threat to equality is erased, the Equal Wolf will still be needed. Now, hold still while I delete all of the things that make you falsely believe you are wiser and more special than other ponies. The two of you will be the Princesses of Sameness for your own worlds."

"Bad doggie!" cried Deus. "You're a bad dog!" She grinned naughtily. "Suddenly, there were ten million zillion Gundams there, ready to punish the bad doggie!"

"GUNDAMS AREN'T EVEN A PART OF THIS SETTING!!!"

The Equal Wolf calmly swiped his claws, removing the gundams from existence.

"Go, Fixer Sue. Stop the bad dog!" A neon pink alicorn that was also half-changeling and part draconequus with all the powers of Celestia, Luna and Discord lifted a keyblade and-

The Wolf just erased it as well.

"STOP HIM!" Some sort of strange amalgam of Equestrian creatures that hurt even Amicita's eyes to look at flew/ran/swam at the wol-

It was erased in the same instant.

"You're going to get fat if you keep eating them like that!" It was a childish taunt, but it was the only thing Deus had done that the Wolf couldn't erase.

"I do not get fat from erasing these things," he smirked a bit. "Though they do taste good." His expression turned much more serious. "Now, enough of this nonsense; my goddess will greatly reward me for stop you." He charged forward, only to run headlong into a barrier of magical energy.

Amicita, her face scrunched up in concentration, had her mind cycling through every minor variation of the shield spell she knew. And, as the concept of magic, that was quite a large number. "Stop this, you are in violation of your duty to Rota Fortuna!"

"I have long since severed ties with my mother," there was a twinge of sadness in the Wolf's voice as he spoke. "She could not understand, what I was offered... I made my choice." He slammed against the barrier once more, actually managing to phase partially through it before Amicita could find a variation he hadn't been stopped by before. "Give up, accept your new destiny; embrace Equality and become-"

"CELESTIA OUT OF BUCKING NOWHERE!"

"What?" Before the Wolf could say more than that, a pair of white hooves slammed into his midsection and kicked him away from the shield bubble.

True to Deus's scream, Princess Celestia herself (minus her usual gold barding) now stood between the two of them and the Wolf. The princess actually spared a smile, a genuine and knowing one, for Amicita before she turned back to the Equal Wolf.

"I- What- She- HOW?!" Amicita looked toward Deus, who was smiling like mad and practically dancing in place.

"I did it! I did it! YATTA!"

Amicita, her mind still reeling, looked to the story world, checking a few minutes back.

"Are you sure you trust him, Sister?" Luna, lacking her usual royal apparel, stood beside her similarly naked sister. Before the pair of them was a swirling pool of chaos, one they were both considering entering.

"He didn't have to help us if he wanted us out of the way, Luna." Though her old confidence was returning, Celestia couldn't quite shake her own doubts. "And, if what he tells us is true, then their efforts will be for naught unless we play our part."

"Discord has betrayed us in the past," she pointed out. "And, with out us, it would only leave Cadance to stand against him. She is not ready for a battle like that. And, even if he were being entirely truthful in what he said, we would no longer be able to assist our subjects until things are corrected."

Celestia nodded, looking at the portal a moment longer. "So many ponies have faith in us, Luna. I think it's time we had a little faith in them." And, with that, she flew into the portal, leaving this level of reality behind for the moment.

Amicita blinked, turning back to see Luna appearing now as well, then looking at Deus.

"Well... he was just erasing anything I could make, so I figured I could bring in them to help... and you never actually said what the notes Discord's group left on their cutie marks actually said..."

Amicitia blinked again, then slowly smiled. "No, no I didn't."

Celestia wished she had time to say some wise words to the foolish and childish incarnation of her former student Deus Ex Machina and words of encouragement to Amicitia for talking the line Celestia herself walked every day. "This is madness Wolf, you are supposed be beyond the command or corruption of ANY concept. We MADE YOU that way so none of us could use you as a tool for our own designs."

-

The Equal Wolf paced restlessly, growling. "You made me mighty and immortal... but I am not one of you. I can choose!" He turned aside, head low, snarling. "I can regret. I regret the thousands upon thousands of years I spent with a heart of stone, without a single friend. Mother did not make me that way, but she considered it my choice. So long as I did my job." He rolled his eyes, jaws still locked in that ghastly grin.

"What changed, Sir Wolf?" said Luna, in a tone strangely calm and quiet for her. She spread her wings, and cool soothing clarity seemed to spread through the aether, touching all of them.

"They changed me," the Wolf muttered quietly, looking off into the distance again. "Twilight Sparkle... her magic, her enchanted castle found me. Applejack told them truthfully that I meant no harm to them or Equestria. Rainbow Dash promised to kick my flank if I played them false. Rarity gave me the benefit of the doubt, Fluttershy treated me kindly, and Pinkie Pie... never gave up trying until she got me to smile. What was I to do, when they came back from *that place*, promising a wonderful gift for me and all of their friends? How could I refuse?"

Celestia came to stand beside her sister, gently projecting warmth and life. "And those unique qualities you saw in them, that allowed them to become your friends... do you still feel them now?"

"No!" said the Wolf, shuddering. "I do not even know them now! I..." The Equal Mark on his flank glowed brightly, making him howl in pain. "Stop me... Please!"

"There will never be another Wolf in another world line anywhere across time and space that suffers the fate of you. You have my word," Celestia said.

Amicitia whispered, "You're worried, if you erase your equal mark, the splash damage will erase your friendship with them, since it was your friendship that left you open."

The Equal Wolf look at Amicitia, his eyes full of pain and anger and regret. "You know I am, you know what friendship is; that wondrous, beautiful thing, worth more than anything I have ever been offered in my duties. I can't risk it... I can't... I can't lose their friendship!" Madness slowly seeped into the Wolf's gaze, only offering two final words to the gathers alicorns. "I'm sorry."

With a howl that rivaled the most bitter and violent of harsh, winter winds, the Equal Wolf charged forward through the comforting waves of the two princesses. It was only a timely shield from Amicitia that kept him from sinking his innumerable teeth into them; however, even as vast as her knowledge as the concept of magic was, there were still only a finite number of variations she could use on the same spell to keep the Wolf at bay... and that number was shrinking far more rapidly than she was comfortable with.

Deus, meanwhile, was basically trying to do her best to hide from the Wolf.

She didn't know any more magic than Amicitia did, and anything she could make up had been erased by the Wolf time and time again. She'd hoped that bringing in the princesses would solve the problem, since she still remembered her time as Twilight; learning under Celestia and befriending Luna. They had always seemed to have the answers when she didn't know them... but now...

She didn't want to think about it too hard.

Instead, she just looked back to the world they had been trying to save. It had provided inspiration for her actions once already, but maybe it could again.

"Why did you have us steal Cutie Marks we don't even know who they are?"

Deus blinked, that one line sticking out to her, then glanced back at the Equal Wolf.

As a being outside of most realities, she was aware of the various incarnations of the semi-existent pony known as 'Snow Bound'; the form the Wolf took whenever he wanted to interact with ponies not aware of his normal existence. And, he was aware that -- as a pony -- he also had a Cutie Mark of his own... and getting one back had been enough to break the princesses free of their 'reeducation'... And, as with the notes on the princesses' Cutie Marks, it had never been established what they ones they carried were...

But it couldn't be that easy a fix... could it?

The being in question was Discord after all, and his influence had already let her bend the rules just enough to get the princesses here... and keep the Equal Wolf occupied. And, while she could probably just send another Fixer Sue with him busy with the other three alicorns, he would be able to undo anything her Sue could accomplish if he popped back into the world while the four of them were stuck here. He couldn't erase something that was already established in the world.

Deus gulped, then looked back at the 'battle' to keep the Wolf at bay... they didn't have a lot of options.

So, using the same technique she'd seen Amicitia use before, Deus whispered into the ear of Discord. "Time to let another one go." She just hoped it would be enough.

"Let another one go," echoed Discord's voice in Diamond Tiara's ear.

In the secret rebel base... well, an abandoned house in Canterlot, really, Diamond tore her gaze from the chaos portal and considered their bag of liberated cutie marks. "Why? Which one?"

"Oh, just pick any of them. It'll be the right one." An overly dramatic sigh went through her head. I'm going to owe my sister for this, I just know it."

So Diamond Tiara reached blindly into the bag and pulled out a mark that looked like a wagon wheel with fancy magic runes and four slash marks. She tossed it in the air, and instead of flying out the window, it sailed into the portal and vanished.

"Was... that supposed to happen?" asked Silver Spoon.

Outside reality, Amicitia’s last shield popped. Celestia and Luna stepped in front of her, Luna summoning an ice barrier and Celestia reluctantly ready to burn the Wolf to ash…

And suddenly, the missing mark shot through the other side of the portal, arced towards the Equal Wolf, and struck home. A brilliant glow lifted the Wolf up, then burst in a blinding flash.

While the four Alicorns squinted and blinked, the Blank Wolf stood transfixed, his fur once again snowy white. “They were not good friends to me that day,” he murmured, as if he was just now realizing it. “I trusted them, and they betrayed me. Why, then…” He clenched his forepaws, claws scraping bits of the “ground” out of existence. “Why do I want to give them another chance? So they can betray me again? Why do I still want to save them?”

Then he froze, because Deus had just run up and glomped him in a great big hug. "Don't worry, Mr. Wolf! Whatever happens, I'll still be your friend!"

"You are a foreign presence. I am the Wolf.” He twitched, then shouted, “Are you insane?!" loud enough to blow her mane back.

Deus smiled warmly, shaking her head. "I know I mess up a lot. I just want so much for everybody to stop being all dark and sad that I skip too many steps and a Wolf says no and I have to start again and try a lot harder, but I won't give up and I won't stop trying, because I'm the Princess of Friendship, you know?"

The Wolf gently slipped loose from Deus’s hug and patted her on the head with a huge paw. “I will remember that. I might yet lose my first friends, but I will not if I can help it.” He glanced aside. “Forgive me, Mother, but I cannot return to my proper duties just yet.”

Back in the rebel hideout, Celestia and Luna emerged from the portal, and then one more pony followed before the portal sealed itself shut… a stark white earth pony stallion with a jet black mane, wearing the wheel and slashes mark on his flank.

He carried a bag in his teeth, and he set the bag down on a table before turning to Diamond Tiara and nodding respectfully.

“Thank you, young one,” he growled. “I am Snow Bound. In that bag are the cutie marks of the Princess of Sameness and her council. I was given those marks to hide them far away from Equestria. I now entrust them to you.”

Deus looked on. "So...what now?"

"Simple...the ball is in Discord's court," said Amicita, watching.

Inside reality:

'Now, dears, what we need is something to deal with the weakened Elements, Rainbow Powers, what have you.'

"But what else is there? They're the ELEMENTS?" Diamond questioned.

'Oh dear dear dear, you're insulting the Elements of Harmony with that comparison. The 'Elements of Equality' are watered down versions powered by extremism, not TRUE friendship. Even I can see that. Dangerous, yes, but as powerful? Not in the least. We just need the right kind of magic to counteract them. Perhaps a little blast from the past is what's in order...Tell Celly and Lulu we're going to need some other artifacts of amazing power since I'm presently out of action.'

While the group departed, they burned down another 'reformation' clinic. Discord had learned from his brother that a rebellion needed to spark more rebellion and what better sign of rebellion than burning down the symbol of oppression. And leaving another red herring filled letter.

-

Amicitia thought about how she and her friends, brainwashed, had insidiously and efficiently indoctrinated Ponyville, Starlight herself now just another brainwashed Equal Pony. And with how the ponies had Discord, and the princesses on their side, Amicitia was SINCERELY perplexed why they weren't just going for the throat since the average in anything and everything with no strengths or weaknesses indoctrinated ponies had failed in every regard to halt one VERY determined spoiled filly and her friend and now had three gods on their side. Except...Amicitia remembered that the brainwashed Equal Six began transforming ponies into Alicorns, the goal being to create an entire world of Princesses of Sameness. Cheerilee would be just the first. Still, at this point, it was rather transparent than the Equalist hold on Equestria was a straw dragon. And it was doubtful the freed gods would sit around waiting for nothing until Concepts of Equality, Sameness, Conformity, etc, were churned out like robots on an assembly line.

Whatever the case, it was rather transparent that the Equality's days of rule were numbered.

Amicitia didn't want to admit it, but Deus Ex Machina HAD saved her, and in a way that didn't contradict what had been established.

Where was she anyway?

Amicitia noticed she was next to another world line...it looked like, she had CREATED a new one...And...she was crying?

"Deus...what happened?"

"Hoops, Score, Touch-Down . . ."

"...Did you have something horrible happen to them for how they've acted?"

"No...that...that was problem . . . I...I thought I could just make a world where they'd never been bullies and . . ."

I looked.

Nightmare Moon had ruled a chilling Equestria for years. A moon now as strong as possible with the stars still visible and nocturnal plants and animals reigned supreme. Spitfire and others chaffing over their new title 'Shadowbolts.' (And Spitfire thought the purple and black uniform was garish). Their new commander was...RAINBOW DASH!? Who'd brag all day about how better she was than everypony around her?

Discord had rampaged through half of Equestria...until he was stopped by Cadence...at which point Nightmare Moon stuck as her 'replacement' and imprisoning the exhausted Temperance Arcana Alicorn.

King Sombra ruled the north and the Crystal Empire with it with an iron hoof. The crystal ponies themselves wondering if an insane goddess who demanded constant worship and unconditional love was better than the combined sum of their worst fears given a form and Ego.

Chrysalis and her changelings had CALLED OFF their invasion of Equestria, leaving only a hoofful of spies in place, Equestria no longer the land of milk and honey to conquer.

And Tirek...Amcitia shuddered. Amicitia didn't want to see how his rampage would be different. She thought she saw Nightmare Moon using Cadence as a living weapon against hi regardless of her odds. Or Nightmarae Moon and Tirek making out, Amicitia didn't know which was worse.

There were rebel groups...Hoops, Score and Touchdown being major players among them. And there was Gilda there as well. And, STARLIGHT GLIMMER?! Apparently there was nothing equal abut endless night and tyrants ripping apart Equestria for themselves.

Sunset Shimmer...she'd never bow to anypony...She'd been trapped on this side of the mirror with Sombra, and had become the rebel leader of the Crystal Ponies. But never once had she lost sight of her goal of becoming the new sun, rather than rescuing the old sun from Nightmare Moon's seal.

Applejack...was Nightmare Moon's reluctant but obedient little mouth piece among Equestria's elite, never having left Manehatten. Pinkie Pie had never left the rock farm. Fluttershy's cutie mark wasn't of butterflies. Twilight Sparkle was just an archivist. Rarity was a sculpture, her talents noticed by Nightmare Moon and made her personal artesian.

Trixie had been Princess Celestia's apprentice, along with Spike...they were also part of the rebels. But Trixie didn't try very hard to say who she was. She blamed herself for her second mother's vanishing more than any other.

And Gilda and Fluttershy had NEVER been friends with Rainbow Dash. But they had been close friends with each other. After all, socially abused wall flowers had to stick together.

"Dues...WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

"I DIDN'T MEAN ANY OF THIS TO HAPPEN! I PROMISE! I JUST! I JUST made Hoops, Score and Touchdown not turn out to be such big bullies! I thought it would make the world a better place."

Amicitia looked along the world lines. "...Oh no. With the trio not teasing Gilda, Rainbow had no reason to come to her rescue. Nor stand up for Fluttershy if they never teased her. And never have the Sonic Rainboom! Rainbow Dash is always her best when she can think of it as a competition, rivalry or confrontation...without the sports trio to have as her opposite number, she never developed her heroic qualities...and there was no reason for the pegasus race, and so, no Sonic Rainboom...So Twilight never became Celestia's apprentice."

"PLEASE!!! FIX IT!" Deus cried. "I DIDN'T MEAN TO CREATE ANOTHER WORLD LIKE THIS!"

"Okay. Let me think. We need a reason for the Pegasus race and the Sonic Rainboom to still happen. But we also need an opposite number for Rainbow Dash to be set up against so she can develop her instinct for protecting those who can't protect themselves. But that would still leave her not friends with Gilda or Fluttershy."

"I couldn't have made it better myself. I don't get she's so upset, I'd give her a medal."

"Nyarlathotrot." Amicitia seethed.

"Come on, AT LEAST tell me you appreciate the irony that Equestria being the land of lollipops and rainbows hinged on three colts being jackasses to one emotionally fragile filly."

Amicita's horn shown brightly as she stood between Deus and Nyarlathotrot. "You have no right to-"

"I have every right, Amicita!" Nyarlathotrot's darkness actually seemed to draw the light away from her horn, dimming its glow. "That world is a perfect example of everything I am; it is you who has no right to be here any longer!" Black tendrils slithers and writhed toward Deus Ex Machina, whose coat was slowly losing it's color. "And now I think it's time for our little friend here to learn just what I have to teach her."

A shining shield actually sliced off the tentacles before they could reach her, causing Nyarlathotrot to recoil with a shrieking hiss. Amicita popped into existence between him and the younger alicorn. "You won't touch her, Nyarlathotrot! And this world isn't beyond saving!"

Nyarlathotrot actually laughed at this. "Such arrogance, Amicita; then again, you are still a young concept. You haven't learned what it's like to fail in your duties yet." The darkness deepened once again. "I suggest you study closely."

Deus, still watching the world she had tried to make a better place, barely seemed to hear any of what was going on behind her. She was too lost in her own failings and was silently sobbing over how badly she'd managed to screw up.

'Well, this is quite the mess, isn't it?'

She almost jumped, but her current mindset didn't lend itself well to sudden influxes of emotion, even ones like panic.

"Great," she mumbled to herself. "Not only am I a failure, I'm going crazy."

'I've never found anything wrong with a little insanity; but, no, that's not what's happening, Deus.'

"I'm talking to myself, that sounds pretty crazy to me."

'I'm not you, though I do enjoy your work. Let's just call me a friend.'

Hope flickered somewhere in Deus's heart. "Does that mean you'll help me kick Nyarlathotrot's butt and save the world?"

'Not... exactly; see, I'm kinda his friend too. I enjoy his work as much as I do Amicita's and Fillimon's.'

"Who?"

'You'll meet her eventually, I think you'll like her. But that's not important right now. I like you, so I'm going to help you; just not in a way that completely erases this world.'

"But... but..." she shook her head, tears flying off her cheeks as she tried to comprehend why this... voice would leave such an awful, horrible world as it is.

'Because it has merit, Deus Ex Machina. Maybe not the kind of merit that those who see it may enjoy, but merit none the less. There are stories to be told here, heroes to be found, and problems to be solved. Nyarlathotrot's influence saturates it, but -- as much as he likes to claim otherwise -- he can not prevent a happy ending.' The voice chuckled slightly. 'Don't tell him I said so, but I think he makes happy endings all the more worthwhile. Light a candle in the deepest darkness, and it shines all the brighter.'

Light a candle... Deus looked along the worldline, back to when Fluttershy and Gilda had only been friends a short time, her eyes widening and her color seeping back in.

'Now you're catching on.'

"Stupid flight camp, stupid slowpokes, stupid parents for making me do this."

Lightning Dust had never been known for an award winning attitude; the child psychologist her parents had sent her to described her as being 'narcissistic', and he had been being polite. He had also suggested that they should try to socialize her with other members of her age group as soon as possible, or the problem would only get worse as she aged.

Which meant every summer, much to her grumbling, she was forced to attend flight camp with other pegasi, despite being well above average for her age.

Today was just another of the long and boring days, forcing her to sit through pointless lectures about things she already new how to do, time trails she had to sit and wait her turn for, and such basic 'tricks' that she ace the tests in her sleep. However, as she flew around in her spare time (which she had a lot of, not needing to practice nearly as hard as the other foals), her eyes happened to find the school's one gryphon student, and the wallflower she was known to pal around with.

Ordinarily, not something she'd give much though to; but the wallflower was trying -- and failing -- to fly a simple course through the cloud rings. The gryphon was encouraging her, but even she winced with the wallflower actually managed to trip and fall into a cloud. It honestly boggled Lightning's mind how anypony even could trip in air!

I could do better than that with my eyes closed, she though with a scoff.

'Why not show them how it's done?'

It was an offhoof thought; but, then again, she hadn't had a chance to really show off in a while. Might as well have a bit of fun.

"You call that flying?" The wallflower curled up into herself as Lightning Dust flew over, while the gryphon just glared. Not the least bit deterred, the braggart smirked at the two of them. "THIS is flying." She shot off so fast, a trail the same color as her mane followed in her wake, actually taking on the appearance of a lightning bolt as she zigged and zagged through the simple course.

The expected completion time was about a minute and a half; so, naturally, Lightning was done in about forty seconds.

She arrogantly grinned at the stunned looks on both their faces as she landed, brushing off a hoof like the attempt was nothing at all. "Let me know if either of you want to learn how to do some real flying sometime." She went to take off.

"Um, I'd like to learn!"

Lightning Dust almost faceplanted on the cloud in shock, and even the gryphon seemed surprised; the wallflower... had spoken!

"You can talk?"

"Um... yes... I just... don't usually. I, um, don't have a lot to say. Except to Gilda, and, I'm- that is- I'm very... shy."

The gryphon, who Lightning had to assume was Gilda, put a talon on the wallflower's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it, Fluttershy. You don't have to say a lot." She turned to glare at Lightning Dust now. "And you don't have to put up with her just to learn how to fly."

Before Lightning could retort, the wallflower -- Fluttershy -- spoke up again. "But, she's such a good flyer; one of the best in the camp."

"Hey, I'm THE best in the camp, and don't you forget it."

"Right, um, THE best in the camp. Maybe, um, if she doesn't mind that is, she could... teach us some things. Maybe? Please?"

Lightning Dust blinked at the hopeful smile on Fluttershy's face. She would have usually said 'No' and that would have been the end of it... but, then again, her teachers were boring and constantly told her to hold back for the benefit of the other slowpokes, and she needed to burn off all the extra energy she had just to get to sleep most nights. Why not do it with somepony around who could appreciate how awesome she was?

"Yeah, sure, I could show you a few things." She chuckled. "Stick with me, and I'll have you flying better than any of these old bags could in years."

Fluttershy moved with surprising quickness for a pony who struggled to fly, latching on to Lightning Dust with a hug. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!"

Gilda made her way over a bit slower, still eying Lightning as she did. "Still not sure we're on the same page," she told the turquoise pegasus, "but, if Fluttershy is in, so am I. Somebird has to keep an eye on her."

"That's... great." Lightning Dust shifted awkwardly, still being hugged by Fluttershy. "Um... mind getting her off me? Please?"

Deus gulped as her minor alteration rippled through the timeline, unsure what would actually happen when it reached the present.

'Game on, Nyarlathotrot. Let's see just how badly you want to hold onto this world.'

Meanwhile, Amicitia had been left arguing with Nyarlathotrot. "I find this rather difficult to believe. How can those three be so important, when Rainbow Dash herself isn't absolutely necessary?" She focused her magic and conjured spot views into many other worldlines.

In one, Gilda flew into a power dive after Fluttershy, becoming the first griffon in history to perform a Sonic Rainboom.

In another, Lightning Dust dove after Fluttershy, creating what would become known as the Sonic Thunderboom.

In a third, a pink and yellow pegasus named Sunder Sky dove after her shy friend Rainbow Sash. Even with so many differences, there was still a rainbow explosion, still six steadfast friends.

"Tisk, tisk," said Nyarlathotrot smugly. "Haven't you figured out by now that antagonism is what makes the plot go round?" He brushed each of the bubbles with a oily, dripping tentacle, and now they showed Hoops, Score, and Touchdown calling Gilda a loser pony-wannabe, teasing 'Lightning Bust', laughing at Rainbow Sash for wearing a stylish dress to flight camp.

Amicitia frowned sharply. "Then we'll just have to bring out Rainbow Dash's competitive spirit without a bunch of bullies. She needs... a rival." She blinked. "Like Lightning Dust! It could work... We'll need to plan this carefully." A fresh checklist and a quill pen appeared, ready for action.

Deus tapped Amicitia's shoulder with a hoof. "I... kinda did that already."

"Each independent variable needs to be carefully tracked for the optimum chance of success and... and, you did that already."

Deus cringed. "I'm sorry!"

Amicitia sighed, then grinned, shaking it off. "Then I guess we're doing this by the seat of our pants."

Nyarlathotrot grinned wickedly with a dozen mouths. "I once made a world where ponies actually wear pants. All the time. Want to see it?"

"NO!"

Before Amicitia could get the full explanation, she sensed something and turned to the timeline next door. "Oh no."

What she saw was the Sirens, drawn to Canterlot High by the massive pulse of Dark magic that'd come when Sunset opened the gate back to the ravaged Equestria. Like sharks to blood, the coven came. Thankfully, they were too late to find the portal...but not too late for a Battle of the Bands.

Finding an all you can eat buffet laid out for them by Sunset Shimmer before she returned and began leading her rebellion against Sombra, the Sirens chose to stay for a meal and for old time's sake...and happened upon a convenient truth: pop stars in this reality were EXPECTED to have a legion of adoring fans that nearly worshiped them. And teenagers? They were expected to be rowdy by nature. A few arguments and fights were EXPECTED. And that gave Adagio an idea.

One brainwashed record company executive (getting an addition was child's play, and would've been even if they hadn't had their weakened magic), and the Dazzlings were on a world tour...and no one gave a second thought to their adoring fans who practically worshiped them. A few rowdy teenagers getting aggressive was nothing too worrying.

And only the most paranoid tried to link the coven of sea witches to a rash of riots and civil strife that happened to occur near them.

And while it couldn't feed the Sirens directly, recordings of their music carried a trace of their spell, spreading their corruption further, if in a weakened state. Even if the remixes didn't hold their spell, Sonata WAS happy to see such things.

While a war or riot was a bigger meal, the time between them meant they couldn't GAIN power, merely get surges to sustain them for a time. While their concerts gained them less at one time, as the shorter time between them ensured their power would GROW, not just FADE.

Until finally, one concert, the dam broke, and the Sirens regained their full might.

"We will be adored,
You'll tell us you want us
We won't be ignored,
It's time for our reward!

Now you need us,
Come and heed us,
Nothing can stop us now!"

No one blinked at the finned wings they gained during that show, believing they were just effects. 'Effects' that they'd make frequent use of...but their power now spread more and more, and even if anyone expected a thing, they were truly unstoppable as it stood now. Even being at the center of a nuclear weapon strike wouldn't kill them, after all, a solar flare couldn't.

And that was just as far as they'd gotten. Amicitia saw images of a global war, with the now fully powered Sirens ruling like deities over what remained.

Amicitia shuddered. "If Sunset doesn't brings magic to the human world, there will be nothing that can stop the Sirens..."

Grimdark himself laughed maniacally. "Two universes for the price of one! Well done, Deus."

And it only got worse with Sunset, if she overthrew Sombra and/or Nightmare Moon (a VERY harder task now that Tirek stood alongside her as her personal lover and bodyguard), she'd only replace them, her magic at being able to raise the sun making her the ideal 'new and improved' ruler of Equestria, who'd become the NEW mad goddess demanding blind worship and machine-like obedience from her subjects.

"Deus...what did you do with Lightning Dust?"

Deus whimpered, then gulped. "I...I made it so she befriended Fluttershy and Gilda in Rainbow's place."

Down below, while she got a butterfly in flight for her mark, Fluttershy never lost her kind heart, and still adored animals when she met them years later.

"That's...actually good...I think I can work with that!" Amicitia replied. 'Sunset NEEDS an Element to steal...We need six Elements in Ponyville...Applejack's in Manehatten, but her brother is..."

"Wouldn't it be the unstallion-like thing to let a unicorn go into Everfree alone?"

Big Macintosh took his sister's place as Element of Honesty in Trixie's circle, Trixie herself being Magic. In fact, his honesty that she could trust him was part of why she opened up at all.

Amicitia then blinked. "Why were the Wonderbolts having a show in Ponyville that day?"

Deus blushed. "Um...I might have whispered a little something in Spitfire's ear about how good it'd be to put on a show for Princess Celestia's in Ponyville...Lightning Dust is STILL a fan and so are Gilda and...well, Fluttershy follows THEM around."

Amicitia watched as time filled in, Lightning Dust choosing to go after Twilight, a lifetime of friendship with her 'students' leaving her very loyal to them, and refuse to abandon them for fame. Fluttershy was just as kind as always and still soothed the Manticore. Gilda? She'd was an invaluable ally, but ultimately it was a Generous Dragon who claimed the Element of Generosity, sacrificing a cape the ever hammy Trixie had convinced him to make for HIMSELF (a fact he took great pride in) years ago to repair the Sea Serpent's mustache.

Fire forged friendship began to form, but the circle wasn't completed.

"That just leaves a Laughter..."

Nytholotrot roared in fury. "No! I'm not going to let you!"

Amicitia looked to Deus. "Deus, I'll keep Nythy busy, you find a Laughter and find SOME way to get him or her to meet Trixie! Remember, their hearts have to CLICK."

Deus gulped as light collided with dark behind. She focused, trying her hardest to find SOME pony who fit the bill. Someone who could possibly do the job. 'Think think think think...wait!'

Ponyville needed a ray of laughter, and no Pinkie Pie needed SOMEONE could fill that role.

Someone who might have a talent for it but felt he had no place. Someone who existed and just needed a little nudge to be in the right place. After all, he'd become friends easily enough if time progressed as it would have had she not meddled.

Nythy roared out as a flash of light erupted outwards, driving him back. "What did you do?!"

The deities looked down at the world below.

Trixie Midsummer Lulamooon, Celestia's student and Element of Magic.
Lightning Dust, egotistical, but ultimately loyal to the friends who got through her shell, the Element of Loyalty.
Fluttershy, a shy but kind hearted pegasus, would become the Element of Kindness.
Big Macintosh Apple, a pony of few words, but each one honest and true, represented the Element of Honesty.
Spike, a dragon with a rarity among his kind, a generous heart, would represent generosity.
And Party Favor, who in this reality had moved to quiet little Ponyville as a foal when his mother 'had a nudge' that she and her child would thrive so much better in rural Ponyville, and who had brightened the town up beyond belief with his seemingly limitless amount of tricks with his balloons, would complete the circle with Laughter.

"But...but that's not FAIR! Party Favor is meant to be in STARLIGHT'S corner!" Nythy screamed in fury.

"Surprise," Deus said, giving a smile. "Nothing said he COULDN'T be, or that when he's not he can't be in Ponyville. Starlight got ponies who didn't have a place to feel their talents were important, or that felt theirs alienated them, so I put him somewhere he'd feel he BELONGED. He did the rest from THERE."

"...And she didn't need one jerkflank to do it, Nythy," Amicitia said with a smile. "The sports Trio get their good end too."

"Just a moment, Nyarlathotrot," Amicitia said as she dropped into another worldline. "I think I see more of your handiwork to undo."

Scootaloo closed in on the bound Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, hate a cold joy in her heart. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle watched, their eyes wide, more terrified of her in that moment than they'd ever been of Diamond and Silver as they saw their pegasus friend holding a machete in her mouth.

"But we'll get our cutie marks -- and get even, too!" Scootaloo told her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders earlier that day. Part of her wondered where the idea was coming from, Dash didn't let her watch horror movies (much), but something about this felt so right. Every memory of abuse and mockery at their hooves filled her mind as she told her friends, "We'll fillysnatch Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, tie them up, and pretend we're gonna kill them!"

"Huh?" Sweetie Belle blinked.

"Did we hear ya right?" Applebloom said. "Scarin' em is one thing, but that's going kinda far, ain't it?"

"Naw! This is just," she thought about the phrase she'd heard Twilight and Dash use, "'scaring them straight'. See, we PRETEND that we'll hurt them unless they apologize. Then when they do we let them go and tell them this was for their own good." Her friends looked skeptical, so she said, "Hey, didn't your big sisters ever tell you that right before they spanked you when you did something wrong? And if, I mean when it works, we'll get our cutie marks."

"Ah ain''t so sure Ah'd want a cute mark for this," Applebloom said, but by pure stubbornness and veiled threats Scootaloo got them to agree to trying it. And so it lead here, with the two bullies tied and helpless before them and staring in horror at every edged weapon and tool they'd been able to find.

"Please! Scootaloo! Sweetie and Applebloom!" Silver Spoon wriggled against her bonds, stinking where she'd soiled herself. She pleaded as she had for the past few hours, "I, I swear I'll never call you names again if you let us go! Diamond will too! Please!"

"The hay I will!" Diamond Tiara snorted at the fillies. Se raged as she'd been raging and hurling insults ever since they caught her. Her ears were flattened in fear and anger as she said, "I'll be even worse to you freaks after this! I'll, I'll, I'LL TELL YOUR BIG SISTERS!" Scootaloo froze, she saw her friends shudder, and Diamond grinned. "I'll tell the Princesses and everypony! My father will sue your families! You're gonna be in SO MUCH TROUBLE! I bet you'll get put in the crazy --" she gulped, shivered, said, "In the royal prison! Or get sent to the moon! Or get turned into stone like nasty old Discord!" She laughed as Scootaloo dropped the machete . "Just think what your sisters are gonna be treated like when everypony knows they have three crazy blank flank fillies for little sisters!"

'Dash will never get into the Wonderbolts', Scootaloo thought, feeling like a pit was opening at her hooves and the choice lay between jumping and falling in. 'Applebloom's family will lose their farm, Sweetie's sis Rarity will never get to work in Canterlot like she wants! And we'll be turned into stone and ponies will be throwing rocks at us for a thousand years!'

But not if Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon can't tell anypony, dear!
That sick gleeful voice continued to hiss advice as Scootaloo slowly picked the machete back up. That's it, Scootaloo! Save your friends! Save their big sisters and yourself! Nopony would miss THESE two! You have no choice! Strike and save everyone you love!

And maybe you will get your cutie mark from this, after all!

"I..." Scootaloo forced the words out as she approached the two brats, raising the blade high, "I... have to do this... I have to... save my frien --"

Scootaloo, NO! Scootaloo froze as the words of, what, her conscience? A good angel? Said inside her head: "If you do this, you really WILL ruin everypony's lives, yours as well as your friends! They've taunted and teased you but they never, ever, tried to KILL you!"

"B-but they said they'd tell... We'll get in trouble..."

The trouble you get in for frightening them is nothing next to what will happen if you murder them! And even if you get away with it, do you want to hear them screaming for mercy for the rest of your life inside your memories?

Shivering, Scootaloo threw the machete beside and began untying the two bullies. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom helped her, stepping back once they were free. Scootaloo just sat there, head down, too sickened at what she'd been about to do to even care.

"You freak!" Her head snapped back as Diamond Tiara hoofed her in the eye. She then ran out of the clubhouse, followed by a terrified Silver Spoon.

They didn't run far. Their parents and Rarity and AJ and Dash were out looking for the fillies. The two panicked bullies told everything, and a moment later Sweetie Belle and Applebloom followed to confess what madness had briefly possessed them to their horrified sisters.

Back in the clubhouse, Scootaloo sat alone and lost.

"They'll hate me." She began to sob, falling on her belly. "Everypony will hate me forever, and they'll be right to do it."

No, Scootaloo, that voice said to her, gentle and reassuring. They won't be happy, and it'll take time for them to forgive, but they won't hate you. Not forever. She won't.

Scootaloo looked up and saw Rainbow Dash at the door of the clubhouse, her ruby eyes filled with grief and concern.

"It takes time, and a lot of work, and support from her loved ones, but Applebloom and Sweetie Belle and especially Scootaloo are able to move past the sickness that ate holes in their minds. Their families love them; their friends support them; and even Princess Luna shows them in their dreams how to become stronger from this. And... I suspect that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon did get an idea of how far they'd gone and stopped going down their trail to destruction as well."

"Once again, Nyarlathotrot, you lose."

Amicitia looked at Deus Ex Machina. "Now I guess the question is what to do with you."

Deus was peering into the world that had started all this... "Shh! I wanna see how this turns out..."

--
Twilight and her original circle of friends stood on the steps of Canterlot Palace. Each of the six had wings and horns, and their coats had faded to nearly identical shades of pearlescent gray. "We are ponies," they spoke in unison. "Because none of us are special, all of us are special. We have no differences, no divisions. We ARE harmony. Prepare yourselves to join with us."

A small herd of rebels stood at the foot of the stairs, led by six unlikely heroes.

Time Turner, the Doctor to his friends, had near miraculously evaded every sweep of Ponyville, and now he wore purified Deceit, the Element of Clever Schemes.

Derpy Hooves stood beside him, wearing purified Greed, the Element of Sacrifice. Dinky Do nuzzled against her other side, smiling up at her mother.

Gilda had come armed for war. Attempts by the equal ponies to convert Griffonstone had only woken the fierce pride of the griffons, something which even most griffons had thought was long since burned out. Gilda wore purified Cruelty, the Element of Discipline.

Snow Bound wore purified Anger, the Element of Righteous Wrath. "Surely there's been some misunderstanding," the pale pony muttered, glancing from side to side. "I can't use this. There's no way..."

Silver Spoon wore purified Treachery, the Element of Free Will. She still wasn't sure whether it was for sticking by Diamond's side, or for being such a good little rebel. Discord had muttered something about six being an annoyingly large number of slots to fill.

And Diamond still wore a tiara, just a fancier version of her cutie mark. Tragedy had brought her here... no one had rushed to turn her into an equal pony because she'd had no friends who'd cared, other than Silver, and she'd resisted attempts to turn her because she had no close bonds with others to exploit.

Diamond grinned slyly. "I'm not some big expert on friendship and harmony and all that mushy stuff, but I know now... you equal ponies? You're not it." She opened a satchel and shook its contents out. Six cutie marks flew free, zipping through the air and leaving brilliantly colored trails. Instead of rushing to their owners, though, they assembled into a hexagon formation, and a dense magical seal formed between and around them. "Fire away!"

"Harmony," intoned the equal alicorns. A uniform gray beam arced upwards from them, moments away from crashing down on the rebels.

The bonds among Diamond's group... some friends, most not quite friends, but joined in common cause... resonated, and a torrent of chaotic rainbow light poured into the circle of cutie marks... which magnified the blast tenfold.

The rainbow punched through the gray light like it wasn't even there.

During the cascade of chaotic power, the Six corrupted bearers saw a pony stand before them. Twilight saw Moonlight Sparkle, Pinkie saw Pa Pie, Applejack saw a stallion with her own stetson...which she'd gained a hatred of due to the brainwashing Free Will was doing its best to drive back. Each saw their own father.

The entity looked at them. "Fear of losing your parents, fear of losing your friend, fear of losing your daughter, fear of losing yourself, fear of losing what makes you special, fear of evil triumphant. Fears that bind the hearts of Six creatures that stand against this, blech! Perverted order."

The ponies who were presently being purified wanted to speak, but fear seemed to suddenly seize their tongues.

Fluttershy saw her father look to her through disapproving eyes. "I thought better of you six...especially you, Fluttershy. I am aware Buddy's Wife doesn't make personal appearances to all who are hit by HER Rainbow, but I feel this calls for a special touch..."

Havoc clapped his hooves together. Each of the six fallen heroes witnessing a different fear.

Scootaloo's now deeply, FORCIBLY suppressed, but all too real fear of her 'big sister' being replaced by a smiling stranger. Applebloom's and Sweetie Belle's of the same.

Twilight the fears of Princess Celestia at losing another precious student she'd loved to evil.

Fluttershy of Discord, fearing his friend wouldn't be saved, even if he would never admit it.

Pinkie Pie felt the fear of all those who's lives she'd touched in her life, who now feared her loss. Especially two little foals who wondered why their Auntie Pinkie Pie wasn't the mare they'd grown up loving.

These fears and more cut through Starlight's conditioning swifter than the Elements that were currently defeating them ever could.

"Fear of being rejected. A fundamental fear. One all beings possess. But not one that RULES over all beings as it does over Miss Starlight Glimmer's mind like a false idol. It has its uses...but the secret to fear, my little ponies? Fear Uncontrolled Is Fear THAT Controls, Fear Heeded Can Be A Great Teacher. But Fear Controlled Is A World Class Co-Pilot, Guiding And Motivating But Never Controlling."

None of them could reject this truth. It was.

"Starlight Glimmer is a mare controlled by her idol of fearing rejection, both for herself and others. She is controlled by fear, that fear controlled you, now you are free...the question is, My Little Ponies, what are you going to do now? You damaged the world, are you simply going to let it stay damaged."

The Six Elements of Harmony, basking in the glow of their dark twin, reverted back to their proper form as Fear Himself retreated back into the collective that had called down his power.

Diamond Tiara said, "All right, time for these six to rediscover the TRUE magic of friendship."

With that, the six cutie marks went back to their respective owners, returning them to normal.

Time Turner then said, "Oh, and Starlight Shimmer, in case you're wondering how five separate ponies and a griffon managed to overcome the power of equality like that, it's BECAUSE we're all so different. Sure, sometimes these differences cause friends to disagree with each other, but every time that happens, they're able to bounce back, and their friendship becomes that much stronger. Compared to that, your magic of equality is about as strong as wet tissue paper."

"She's...she's not here..."Twilight said, looking at her five friends, still with horns and wings, Alicornfication remains a one-way street. "She's just part of the horde now."

"Horde?" Time Turner asked.

"We've got BIG problems." Rainbow Dash got to her hooves, her legs shaking, Gilda helped her stand. "We . . .have a lot of company coming...us getting the lobotomized pieces of our souls back triggered a red flag."

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Equalist Alicorns! Yea!"

"You all need to be taught a lesson equal treatment." Smiled the Equalist Princess Cheerilee as she teleported onto the top of a roof.

"I love all you mares equally." Said a Equlist Ryujin Prince Spike, spreading his wings, casting a shadow over the heroes.

"You will be assimilated into the equals collective and have cake, which shall be baked! Ha! That joke is as good as any of yours." Equal Prince Cheese Sandwich laughed.

"Now Silver Spoon." "Now Diamond Tiara." "Stop this nonsense and GROW UP and be equal to your fellow ponies instead of spoiled elitists." Said Four Equalize Alicorns that made Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara's blood breeze.

"No more fighting over tastes in music that can drive friendships apart." Equals Princesses Octavia and Vinyl.

"You will be right in the head. Once all conflicting thoughts are dead." Equals Princess Zecora.

"We serve and obey." Said Equalist Princess Starlight Glimmer.

"No more making other ponies feel inferior with better or worse fashions being 'in' or 'out.'" Equals Princess Coco.

"No more divisions of wealth between the haves and have nots." Equals Princess Mayor Mary Mare.

"Why do you seek to destroy paradise?" Equalist Princess Twilight Velvet/Starlight Sparkle.

And the horde kept coming.

"And we...are in for the fight of our lives." Rainbow Dash said, her horn glowing.

"This might not be a good time to fight," Time Turner said. "Sometimes you need time to plan things out."

"Stay close to Mommy Muffin," Derpy stepped in front of her daughter. "Princess Twilight, you had that Rainbow Power. You were everywhere when you beat Tirek and were giving ponies their magic back."

"It might technically be within us. But I'm not sure how to activate it other than the original way."

Diamond Tiara and SIlver Spoon had recovered from their shock, near identical haughty looks appeared on their faces.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Silver Spoon said. "These nouveau equalists have already shown they're just poseurs."

"Right, Silver. I mean the blank Flanks still think of themselves Cutie Mark Crusaders. And Miss Cheerilee still trying to force lessons down ponies throats. No pony cares Miss Cheerilee. And those two," Diamond gestured at Octavia and Vinyl," still all about music."

"You shall care. All shall care. All shall care equally." Princess Cheerilee said, her face and emotions not reacting at all. "And you should know better than to try your bully tactics on a teacher little one. Now I'll have to give you a time out." Twilight teleported Diamond Tiara out of the way before she could be blasted into a stone statue.

"Don't underestimate 'em," Applejack said, "Since there can only be one Alicorn of somethin', we let 'em keep tiny traits of themselves before we were gonna 'remove the inperfections.' And that makes them much more dangerous."

"So, they're hypocrites then," Time Turner observed. "Always wonderful to have to deal with them. Everyone is equal, everyone has shed their former selves, but everyone still keeps a bit of the stuff they want to get rid of."

"Actually," Twilight said, "It's like say Sugar Belle being Our Town's baker, it's her job, but she's no more good or bad at it than any creature."

"We didn't create the rules of alicorn transformation," Mayor Mare said.

"What are you the alicorn of...?"

"Bureaucracy, " Twilight provided as she tried to come up with a plan.

"Hey, Princess Twilight, is my father the Alicorn of me?"

"What? No, Diamond Tiara, I'm fairly certain he's the Alicorn of Business transactions. There's so many it's hard to keep track."

"Thank you," Diamond Tiara's voice shifted from a whisper to a whine. "Daddy! Miss Cheerilee tried to turn me to stone!"

"And you say you rejected Equality based simply on your daughter?" Rarity whispered to Derpy. "Perhaps we can reach our families that way."

"Apple Bloom," Applejack shouted. "Ah am speaking to you as both your sister and the Element of Honesty. Yah know that a fake Cutie Mark can make yah do all kinds of stupid stuff. Yah seen it happen with me, and yah had it happen to you. That mark on yer flank ain't nothin's but a real specific type of Cutie Pox!"

Applebloom looked like her mind was about to crash. "But...but sis, yah said..."

"Ah know what Ah was said...Ah was wrong," Applejack said, opening her wings to reveal an eye in each one, looking into it. "Ah did you wrong, Ah did Granny wrong, Ah did Big Mac wrong. And that ain't a lie."

Rarity simply teleported up to the Alicorn of Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie Belle, hit me."

The little Alicorn blinked, taking a step back. "W-What?"

"It's what you came here for, isn't it?" Rarity said. "...But just know this...I hurt you. I FAILED as a big sister. I did the one thing no big sister should ever do. I made you LESSER...and I'm sorry...and if equality is perfection, how could you ever call THAT perfect?"

"Squirt!" Rainbow Dash called, tears in her eyes, looking at Scootaloo. "...I failed you..."

Scootaloo looked like she'd just seen the moon during the day. "R-Rainbow Dash? You're...you're crying?"

"I'm crying because I told you I'd be your big sister and instead turned into the very thing I promised I'd never be: the bad guy! I said I'd never betray the Princess, but I DID. I said I'd never betray you but I DID...You always wanted to be awesome, and the truth is I WANT you to be. I'm SORRY...please let me be loyal to you again..."

Scootaloo gasped. The one before her who's word she'd spent her whole life thinking of being gospel say words that she'd wanted to hear her whole life.

Suddenly, Cheerilee fired a petrifying bolt at Rainbow while she was distracted. Scootaloo felt like time was slowing down.

Equality was good...being able to fly as good as anyone was good...but...

Scootaloo raced at high speeds towards Rainbow. As she flew, the equal mark on her flank began to CRACK APART, the outline of a butterfly forming beneath it. Finally, the equal sign cracked away into nothing, revealing a pink butterfly.

The ENTIRE group, Equalist and Rebel alike, was suddenly floored by a shockwave as the little alicorn flew forwards at blinding speeds , grabbing Rainbow Dash and taking her out of the way, leaving an orange and purple 'rainbow' in her wake.

Rainbow Dash gasped in shock. "S-Scootaloo, you...you did a..."

Rainbow Dash hugged her tight.

"...I don't need to be equal to fly, and even if I did...you're the best, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo replied, nuzzling her. "A lot better than that smiling stranger."

Starlight Glimmer, watching this, naturally expected the other two Crusaders to become jealous of their friend. Or feel the stab of betrayal. After all, Scootaloo was no longer equal. And friendships could not last if they were not equal.

"Scootaloo! You got your Cutie Mark!" yelled Sweetie Belle and Sweetie Belle, smiling.

The two looked to one another. "...Ah...Ah'd forgotten...this...THIS is why we formed the Crusaders in the first place..."

"Because we wanted to help each other get our marks."

"...And we knew in the end..."

"We'd be proud and happy for each other..."

Silver Spoon didn't need to be told, instead leaving Diamond's side for a moment, putting her hooves on Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. "Free Will!"

Her Element of Chaos glowed, and the two equal signs shattered like glass.

Starlight Glimmer, and her herd, all stared in blind shock as the two blank flanks hugged their friend tightly, then tearfully hugged their siblings, having just lost three members of their number for reasons completely opposite of any semblance of logic their conditioned minds knew. How could two friends turn away from Equality BECAUSE their friend got their Cutie Mark?

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS ALICORN PRINCESSES! YAY!"

"Princess Twilight, you have to stop this!" Starlight Glimmer suddenly exclaimed. "You are the Princess of Sameness, The First Among Equals. You gave us greater Equality than I ever could."

The Equalists shaking off their stupor were almost shocked back into it at this. Every pony knew equally that selfish Cutie Mark bearing ponies could not be reasoned with in the open. They would babble on about individuality and specialness as though they were not all equally individuals, and when they weren't doing that they were searching for ways to escape. They needed to be contained to learn the lessons of Equality.

And now Starlight Glimmer, founder of the movement was doing this?

"Oh my," Fluttershy whispered. He friends who had gotten used to her speaking equally as loud as anyone else almost missed it.

"Hey Twi, don't listen to her. This isn't all on you," Rainbow Dash said. "We were right there with you, screwing this up."

"First among Equals?" Time Turner questioned.

"I never claimed that title for myself. I've never even heard it before."

Author's Note

And now we're on to entry number three.

So here enjoy Amicitia's endless and tireless quest to give stories a happier ending under their own power.

MORE OF STILL Pony POV Princess Twilight Lightly visits to Grim Worlds

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:

-Kendell2

-MtangaLion (and one line by me)

-Dragon-Of-Twilight

-MtangaLion (and one line by me again)

-me

-me again

-Dragon-Of-Twilight

-MtangaLion

-Kendell2 ((Note, the idea I had is that Discord wants them to recover the wands of the Princesses of Ponyland from G1 (my idea is they're currently in the protection of the Lava Demons and Ice Orcs deep below the planet), but I decided to let someone else continue it in case they can think of a BETTER artifact, but the idea is Discord wants to use one of the magic things from G1 to counter the corrupted Elements since the only OTHER option is the Alicorn Amulet and it's not exactly a good option.))

Alex Warlorn

Dragon-Of-Twilight, MtangaLion, Kendell2 (with edits by me)

-Ardashir

Alex Warlorn

-MtangaLion

-JMC David and Alex Warlorn

-Kendell2 adding to the equal six getting hit by the Elements of Chaos

-jlbarnett and Alex Warlorn

-jlbarnett with edits by me

-Kendell2

-jlbarnett

-JMC David and Alex Warlorn

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

Fixing a Repaired Wedding That's Wasn't Broken

On the other side of the palace steps, Gilda and Snow Bound watched in dismay as Canterlot was invaded by the changeling swarm all over again. The drones had equal marks now, but otherwise they weren't that much different, but that was bad enough.

Celestia and Luna were dueling *two* identical faded pink Alicorns. "Sister, I cannot pierce this illusion!" exclaimed Luna. "Which one is the real Cadence?"

Candence and Cadenza laughed tonelessly. "Does it matter?"

Gilda eyed the changeling swarm... and grinned wildly. "Now this is what I signed up for." She grasped the Element of Discipline in her talon. "Cruel to be kind!" The element glowed, and she took up a perfect warrior stance, charging into battle. "Move it, Snow! Time for some of that Wrath!"

The white stallion blinked, realizing something. "The drones are not Alicorns..." Un-pony-like fangs gleamed. "This is an enemy I can fight!"

But before he could join Gilda, an Alicorn stallion swooped over the battlefield. Shining Armor wore plain Guard barding now, with no insignia or colors... a pegasus soldier's barding, to accommodate his new wings. "Primary target sighted: Elements of False Harmony. His horn glowed, and six shield orbs formed, reshaping themselves into invulnerable missiles. "Targets are now enemies. Subdue and restore equality."

"No!" snarled Snow Bound, and before he knew what he was doing, he'd already leapt, spun in midair, and bucked Shining Armor right in the jaw, spoiling his aim. He landed unsteadily, shocked. "I... I harmed an Alicorn." He held up a shaking hoof. "Impossible. The wolf cannot..." A gasp. "But a pony can!"

"New primary target," said Shining Armor emotionlessly, as he came in for a landing. "Element of Chaos."

Snow Bound lowered his head and pawed at the ground, his Element burning with an angry light. "You will NOT harm my friends again."

Shining smiled slightly, no more or less than any other pony might. "I don't know why, but this battle seems fitting."

Snow Bound grinned, fangs showing again. "Likewise."

Amicitia frowned. "Something is VERY WRONG here. The ante just keeps rising. Oh no....OH NO!!!!"

Dues Ex Machina flinched. "What is it?"

"...Will of the Shadow."

"Huh?"

"Once upon a time, I visited a world where it wasn't just the beings, but REALITY ITSELF there was fighting me, subverting me, doing its hardest to protect its status quo. To keep me from creating a new timeline. I only later realized that the Shadow Who Makes of that reality himself was the one fighting me...Shadows Who Make, are VERY protective of their creations...they don't like some meddling outsider coming along and fixing everything for everyone. That's WHY I have the rules in place I do to keep things civil, so it doesn't devolve into...into what this is...where the ante just keeps rising and rising. Where...well, where it becomes YOU Deus Ex Machina batting for both teams!

"And the thing is? The shadow who do NOT do this consciously! Not always. Normally they just see it as applying common sense, reason, how things would naturally go in their setting. Like say, the sirens visiting a world where if they fed they'd be goddesses in a minute from all the negativity around, they'd be shot dead in the most dismissive, inane way. Because it ISN'T the story the creator of that worldline wants to tell. Like world lines were threats are reduced to trivialities...The problem is...the shadow who makes... of both me, and this world line...are one in the same, I'm effectively fighting against myself!"

"You are like a snake biting its own tail."

Both purple Alicorns noticed the new present. An Alicorn with one mechanical wing, with a wheel of fate cutie mark.

"Rota Fortuna." Amicitia politely bowed, then forced Dues to do the same.

"Shall I tell how things are going to go? Either Starlight Glimmer's cutie mark is returned to her, and she goes mad at the horror of having individuality 'forced' on her again. Or she is the only pony NOT to have her cutie mark restored, and she goes made with being ALONE, no pony to BE equal with. In either case, she becomes the new Nightmare Eclipse."

"...No...that's...THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! She's not me! Every Nightmare is unique!"

"But she will, she will. In every dark world worldline Starlight Glimmer worshipped and admired you, even her shadows in oblivion still admire and look up to Nightmare Eclipse even after she erased them from existence and are still loyal to her. Nightmare Eclipse is her ideal self."

"NO! I promised I'd NEVER let another Nightmare Eclipse come into being! NEVER!!!"

"So what are you going to do meddler? Will you kill her?"

"...I couldn't do that with Titan, and I can't do that now. I can't manipulate cause and effect into killing her just because the 'script' would be inconvenienced by her being alive. If I twist events so she dies . . . I'll crossing a line I vowed I'd never cross."

"So what shall you do my meddling little sister? Allow a new Nightmare Eclipse to be born? Or shall you betray the rules you placed upon yourself to keep from becoming a tyrant who decided ponies' fates for them? Like I've been accused of time and again by ponies who refused to face the results of their own actions. I am going to enjoy watching you squirm little sister." Rota Fortuna said with a stone like expression.

"So, if she's an Alicorn she can become a Nightmare, right? Does that have to be? Can we make her not an Alicorn? Or make it so Alicorns can't just become Nightmares by getting screwed up in the head?" Deus asked.

"There are worlds where Nightmares come from an outside source, but the nature of those worlds are different from the start. I don't think we could just fundamentally shift the entire nature of the world, and would go against my most basic rules."

Just then, another precense appeared before them. A female draconequus that neither Amicitia or Deus had seen before, however Rota Fortuna did recognize her. And was not pleased.

"Wow, Rota, that was cold. I always knew you were a stick in the mud, but not THAT much." said the draconequus.

Amicitia looked at Deus as if expecting some sort of explanation, but Deus was just as surpirsed as she was to see the newcomer.

"You!" exclaimed Rota Fortuna.

"Who... who are you?" asked Amicitia.

"Oh, yeah, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chance, the spirit of luck and unpredictable events." said the draconequus, bowing a little in a playful manner, "I oversee some timelines with Rota Fortuna."

"Some timelines?" asked Amicitia.

"Yes, you see, I don't exist on all timelines, just some of them. Me existing, or not existing, is completely decided by luck. If I'm lucky to exist in a timeline, then both me and Rota here are in charge of overseeing the timeline. If I don't, then Rota works solo." explaind the draconequus.

"Enough of this. Why are you here Chance?" demanded Rota Fortuna.

Chance sighed and rolled her eyes, "Oh, please spare me your melodramas. I'm here to, lets say, help these two, in a manner of speaking." said Chance, pointing at Amicitia and Deus ex Machina.

"Not to sound ungrateful... but what do you mean by that?" asked Amicitia.

"And why would you help us?" asked Deus.

"Well, I'm a big fan of both of you." explined Chance, "What you do, how you do it, I just love it! It's so... so... NOT predictable. It is always nice to see someone showing Rota here that it's always possible for mortals to have more options."

"You don't give them options! You make a mess of everything!" said Rota Fortuna, "You will NOT do anything here. I forbid it!"

"You don't have veto power here Rota. Both Our Parents agreed that overlooking the timelines is a job for the two of us." said Chance, "Is this about that triple lottery winning thing with the lobster again?"

Rota Fortuna rubbed her forehead with ther hoof, "Just... just don't mention that..."

"Fine," the draconequus turned again to look at Amicitia and Deus, "Now, back to business. What I'm offering you is an opportunity... a third option besides the other two possible outcome of things Rota just explained."

Amicitia's eyes seemed to light up at that, "You mean its possible to stop Starlight Glimmer from becoming Nightmare Eclipse without killing her?"

"Of course. There are NO impossibles. Just very IMPROBABLE things." said Chance with a grin, she then snapped her fingers and a six sided dice appeared on her hand. "This is what I'm offering. When I toss this dice, something will happen depending on what side turns up, something possible but completely unpredictable, it might be a lucky thing, it might be an unlucky thing, or a miracle, or a catastrophe, something that will save everyone, or something that will make the world explode into a gazillion tiny pieces... well, you get the idea. This is your third choice."

"But, how do we know what side the dice might fall on?" asked Deus.

"You don't. I don't know! Rota does not know! That's the beauty of it! Nocreature can predict an unpredictable event! I can't predict what luck you will have no more than Rota Fortuna here can force a mortal to make a choice." said Chance with a smile, then turned serious, completely serious, "Oh, and don't you EVEN THINK about using some spell or anything to try an cheat. It's my golden rule, NO CHEATING. Is that clear!?"

Amicitia and Deus were surprised that the draconequus had turned so serious suddenly. They nodded.

Chance again relaxed and smiled, "Okay then. So, what will you chose, Alicorns? Allow a new Nightmare Eclipse to be born? Betray the rules you placed upon yourself? Or do you make a gamble? Risk everything into the roll of this dice and whatever happens, happens?"

Amicitia was pondering what could happen, difficult task since Chance had said that anything could happen, but before she could say anything, Deus exclaimed, "The dice! Roll the dice!"

Amicitia's and Rota Fortuna's eyes opened wide as Chance grinned and tossed the dice on the ground with a twist of her wrist. The dice rolled for a few seconds on the ground, which seemed like an eternity for the three Alicorns wathcing it, as they all held their breaths. Finally, the dice landed.

"Okay then," said Chance, smiling, as she snapped her fingers.

A muscle twitched in Starlight Glimmer's cheek. "You... you!" A black mist began to rise from the ground. Streamers of inky darkness curled around her legs. "I entrusted my ideals to you, Twilight! I was happy to step aside... I thought you could spread equality better than I ever could... but you were not *worthy*!"

Starlight lashed out. With Alicorn magic, she too was able to cast the Sameness spell without a cutie mark, but Twilight was faster, throwing up a shield to deflect it. "Starlight Glimmer, please! Can't you see that this isn't the way? If cutie marks were really a curse, and sameness was better, would it be so easy to free ponies from sameness, just by reminding them of their bonds with each other?"

Starlight squealed in frustration, stamping her hooves hard enough to crack the pavement stones. "I just haven't gone far enough, then!" She leaned forward, firing her spell continuously and putting more and more power into it. "Yes... now that I have the power of an Alicorn, I can take matters back into my own hooves. Nothing will stop me! I'm going to make a fair world, a perfect world!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Um, hello? We're kind of all Alicorns now."

"Shut up!" bellowed Starlight Glimmer. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She stamped her hoof again... and the ground gave way.

An unlikely fault in the palace courtyard, somehow never detected before, collapsed, sending both Starlight Glimmer and Twilight Sparkle tumbling into a sinkhole. Multiple layers of arcane wards which had been checked and rechecked... inexplicably failed, allowing them to fall all the way into an underground pool...

... the Well of Truth.

A muscle twitched in Rota Fortuna's cheek. "Seriously? A random fault line creates a sinkhole, and all of the magical wards to the Well of Truth inexplicably fail? How improbable is that?"

Chance said, "I'll admit, it it extremely improbably. Bu~t...it is not impossible."

She then turned to Amicitia and Deus. "Anyhow, there you have it. The Well of Truth is your third option. What you do with it is up to you now. As for me, there are other worlds that need a wild card to be provided to them, so for now I'm afraid it's adieu!"

With that Chance left.

Amicitia looked at Deus. "I don't know about you, but I think what Chance gave us is more than enough. Time to stop Starlight Glimmer from becoming another Nightmare Eclipse without killing her."

Nyarlathotrot laughed. "I never thought you were on my side Rota."

She blasted in the gut. "I am NOT! Do not mistake me for ensuring ponies face the results of their own actions as endorsing you distorting reality to cater to the sick pleasures of Those Who Watch. Do not assume because I tolerate Amicitia's meddling to counter act YOUR meddling that I endorse hers, OR YOURS."

Rota glared right into the eyes of Grim Dark itself. "You and the Shadows who birthed you wish to know why I do not interfere? Because as She Who Crafts the Lines of Fate, I must not have favorites. I must grant every single being in creation fair potential futures. Every being has good ends, bad ends, neutral ends, and every potential type of end, it's the sum of their choices. If I ever began playing favorites? I could become a much worse devil than Morning Star. But know this: no matter however I craft the many possibilities that await all life, while there are negative choice and consequences for them, there will ALWAYS be fates in EVERY world where monsters like you and the evils you sow fall. Even in the darkest of your tainted worlds, there will always exist a way for life to tear itself free from your tendrils. I swear on my Mother that is true."

As the twin Twilights headed to do their thing, they found an angel flying along side them. "Starlight Angel?" Amicitia asked, making sure to use her full name to tell the two Starlight's apart.

The Angel of Death looked to them. "Pane Glimmer is her birth name, she chose Starlight as a tribute to me...now every time ponies hear my name they'll think of that witch. She's where I can speak with her now...as her idol I'm one of the few she might listen to...and as an Angel, I'm capable of helping deal with a Nightmare in the realm those two will be connected to if I may have to."

As they fell through the truth, Starlight Glimmer, as falling through the truth tended to do, witnessed another world.

An Alicorn of Trixie panted, doing lifts with a large weight on her back, Starlight's mirror image watching over her.

"Five more, Trixie," Starlight said in a genuinely supportive voice. "Remember, if you wish to match the Princesses, you can't just focus on your unicorn magic. That is only stifling your true potential."

When Trixie reached five, she helped her get from under the weight and patted her on the back.

The same Starlight trotted through Our Town. Like the prime version, the town's layout was like a giant equals sign. But instead of each house being identical, each one was customized and fitting to that pony's individual tastes, the only limitation being that they expressed their creativity. Of course one of Our Town's rules was that to insult another for liking something you didn't was forbidden. Constructive criticism was still allowed, but never insults disguised as such.

She finally came up to one that was decorated with a large number of sculptures and decorations crafted from all manner of items that, individually, would seem like trash, but when assembled as they were had a certain beauty.

She looked at the note on the door, directing her to the backyard. Teleporting, she appeared in the backyard, which was also the town's landfill and junkyard. The mare quickly put a hoof over her nose, but said nothing. Landfills were never known for smelling pleasant after all. Not that that bothered the owner.

Though the yard was divided into useful piles, and most anything that was not a reusable item was in a series of large compost bins orderly aligned as far back from the town as possible to minimize the stench.

"Squeaky Clean?" she called.

"Over here Starlight!"

Trotting over, she found a grey stallion with a blue mane, his Cutie Mark actually trash can (his brother Pig Pen ironically had soap for his), representing a talent for waste disposal. His ironic name coming from how squeaky clean he made the rest of the town, though he himself preferred being rather remaining filthy. As per Our Town rules, he was allowed to do so, though he normally wore several air fresheners around his neck when out in town out of consideration of others (and to stop him from making someone's flowers wilt).

"What do you think, Starlight?" he asked, pointing to a new creation. Namely a colossal statue of what appeared to be a benevolent, handsome King Sombra, built out of nothing but scrap metal and other discarded things, even it's eyes being made from broken lamps.

Starlight gave a smile, even moving the hoof covering her nose slightly to let him see it. "It's wonderful, Squeaky Clean, you've certainly improved since you came here. I knew you could."

"Thanks, Miss Starlight," he replied with a proud smile. When the stallion had arrived here, he'd believed himself to be useless and a one trick pony. After coming to Our Town, he'd learned what his true talent was: to turn trash into treasure. And he was making leaps and bonds every day in that regard. All he'd needed was encouragement and some supplementary skills to get every bit of potential out of it to realize just

"Now, could I please get some compost?" asked Starlight. "Our crops are in need of it."

Squeaky Clean provided good compost for the entire town from the trash they all through a way, being exceptionally skilled at it.

"Certainly, Starlight, one sec."

Nyarlathotrot chuckled and shook his head. "I am amazed that you have such a poor understanding of those who's fates you decide, Rota. No one has ever accused you of having favorite worlds or timelines. They accuse you of having favorite MORTALS. You say everyone gets good ends, bad ends and even neutral ends they can work towards. And no one denies that. But if you compare ponies.... Twilight Sparkle, for example, surely had a huge amount of fates where she is the greatest hero of Equestria or a ruler of great skill. And she has less, but still a lot, of ends where she dies heroically or becomes a tyrant. But how many ends does she have where she settles into a role as a librarian? Or after freeing Luna she returns to Canterlot, becomes a magical researcher and keeps in touch with her friends via letters? Where she is an essence just a background pony."

"Now compare her to that pony," he said pointing to Equalist Princess Flower Wishes/Daisy, "How often is she the hero Equestria needs? How often is she the doom of it all? How often is she just a pony who sells flowers and lives in a town with heroes in it?"

Rota Fortuna glared at Nyarlathotrot. "As often as Daisy CHOOSES to be. There ARE lines of fate were she does all you say...but there's a difference between lines that EXIST and the lines mortals CHOOSE...You have no place to lecture me on that, matter, Corrupter of the Innocent. Those who doom Equestria because of you, are those you CORRUPT into that role. You care nothing for the choices of ponies. All you care for is 'entertainment' for the most depraved of those who spawned you."

Inside the truth.

Starlight growled at herself as she and Twilight landed in a massive white void. "So that's it? Ponies should get SPECIAL treatment for whatever their talent is instead every pony being ACTUALLY equal?"

Twilight got to her hooves and snarled, glaring at her. "If we saw the same thing...then you're missing the point of what that other Starlight was doing!...She saw the potential in ALL Cutie Marks...that with effort there's no such thing as a BAD mark...That other you is a very wise mare."

The mad mare growled more. "Everyone should be able to get just as far ahead with the same amount of effort! But ponies born into a poor family has to work much harder than a pony born into a rich family! There was no balance to the world!"

Twilight actually laughed. A sad laugh. "You know, I've heard that argument from Ponyville during Winter Wrap Up about our entire KIND...You think my life has been so effortless,Starlight? Then why am I so much stronger than you when we have the SAME talent? Or Trixie?...Because you only put effort into finding a way to STRIP yourself of your talent and Trixie thought she was less talented than she is, this power of mine?...It's the result of years worth of effort. Of studying every day constantly! You're no different than those Earth Ponies who believe unicorns don't put effort into their magic: all you see is the power, not how it's GOTTEN...While we were falling through this place, I saw a world where I believed myself above effort. You know what happened? That universe's Trixie picked up my slack and when we actually faced off she CRUSHED me...before she put effort into it and I didn't. If you think ANY talent requires no effort, you're a fool. Your world isn't a world of balance, it's STAGNANT."

Twilight had to shield herself from a magical blast. Darkness continued to grow around Starlight Glimmer. "STAGNANT?! WE CREATED HARMONY! HOW CAN THAT BE WRONG?!"

"Because it's treating a scapegoat instead of the real problem."

The two blinked, turning as Starlight Angel descended, black wings flapping slowly. "Hello Pane Glimmer..."

Starlight Glimmer snarled. "And just who are you?!"

"...Starlight. Of the Age of Wonders."

Starlight Glimmer's eyes went wide, the mare taking a step back. "You...Starlight! You're the one who inspired me! It's an honor to meet you!"

Starlight Angel glared. "...And I'm sorry for that...If I'd known it'd inspire you to do this, then I'd have told Bon Bon to let my name die...Now all anypony thinks of when they here my name will be YOU."

Starlight Glimmer looked like she'd been stabbed in the heart. "But...I'm trying to make the world you wanted! A utopia!"

"...Then why are you making up symptoms to the real problem instead of treating it?" Starlight Angel growled. "You blame Cutie marks. You blame difference...when you should be blaming things like HATRED and INTOLERANCE...my world had no hate, no intolerance, no suffering...but it DID have difference and Cutie Marks! You aren't promoting the world I wanted, you're promoting one intolerant of anypony who thinks or acts differently than you!"

Glimmer froze for a moment, looking like her mind was about to crash. "But...you...you're testing me! That's it! You're testing me! Well I'm not going to be swayed from the pat-"

Angel sighed. "No. I was trying to reason with you...but it looks like I'm going to have to show you what a utopia really needs at it's heart..."

Starlight Glimmer's face contorted in pure rage. "Clearly I need to free you from your curse as well!" she roared, firing a beam at the Angel, who batted the attack aside with her scythe.

Suddenly, Starlight Angel disappeared in a flurry of black feathers and appeared behind Starlight Glimmer, holding her tight and not letting go. "Twilight! Help me!"

Twilight jumped, having been left speechless trying to understand what she was seeing. She then teleported in and helped hold Starlight Glimmer as the Alicorn struggled against them.

Starlight Angel used her scythe to rip open a portal, the three getting sucked into another realm, one that seemed to be in an infinite night sky. Everything seeming to stretch for eternity.

The three were knocked away from one another when they hit the 'ground'.

Starlight Glimmer leapt to her hooves and fired another beam at Starlight Angel.

Only for an indescribably massive, ethereal white wing to come between the angel and Princess in their defense. The attack's impact could be compared to an electron attempting to harm an entire aircraft carrier.

[=Okami Soundtrack - White Light=]

Starlight Glimmer gasped, watching the gigantic wing receded, suddenly getting a headache as the wing seemed to continue infinitely and forcing her to blink. The mare turned, looking up to find an impossibly massive white Alicorn staring down at her. Though those were only the terms her mind could possibly comprehend her to be. She seemed to be a filly, a young mare, and an adult all at once. She made her feel impossibly tiny but also invaluable in every sense. If Starlight had to describe her appearance, she was like a white nebula in the shape of an unfathomably massive Alicorn. But that was only what her mind could comprehend, she could just feel there was so much more.

Twilight could only stare up in awe of the site before her. "Who...who is that?" she asked, but couldn't resist the feeling that she'd met this being before...that she felt an overwhelming sense of love just being in her presence.

"...Meet Fauna Luster, the Mother of All Things," Starlight Angel explained, unable to help smiling just looking upon the Source of all Souls.

Twilight gasped. "The...Mothe of...All Things?" she asked, finally noting the seemingly endless stream of innocent little Lights emerging from the source of all life.

Starlight Glimmer stood in awe. "She's...she's beautiful..."

Starlight Angel nodded. "She is...Can't you see it, Pane?...Can't you FEEL it?...She...Existence Herself...She's the ultimate equality...Nothing in creation is worth any more or LESS than anything else...She loves them ALL equally. She loves all of US equally...as far as She is concerned...there is no rich or poor, no haves and have nots. No ponies and Griffons...only LIVES, and She loves each and everyone of them...MY utopia...had HER as its corner stone."

Starlight Glimmer slowly approached the Spirit of Life Itself. She slowly reached out a hoof and Fauna Luster reached out one of her impossibly massive ones, but used all the gentleness of a mother touching a newborn child. When they touched, Starlight Glimmer gasped as if seeing something, tears slowly began to fall down her face, staring.

Twilight blinked. "What did she do to her?" she asked Starlight Angel. "Starlight, uh, Starlight Glimmer? What's going on?!"

The Angel smiled. "You'll have to forgive Pane, Twilight. She just figured out how everything works."

Fauna Luster turned her head to Twilight, offering the tip of her wing.

Twilight slowly, gingerly touched the immeasurable wing. And gasped, seeing it. Seeing everything.

In a nanosecond, she felt everything. The others back home. Her parents, her friends. Ponies she'd never even met. But it went further. She felt every last living thing on Equus. From Queen Tiamat to the smallest simplest single celled organism.

Then it went further, and she felt the same billions of times over. On billions of worlds. On infinite worlds. Anything with the spark of life in it, she felt it.

She even felt robot ponies on a distant world were organic life had long since died. Their feelings, their hopes, their love, their empathy. Anything in existence with a soul, she felt in that moment.

She even felt the countless little Lights heading off to live their lives. They weren't just lights, they were Souls.

And she felt how Fauna Luster felt. She felt the endless love towards each and every last life she felt. The empathy and understanding. It was like feeling every last being that ever lived and ever would live was her beloved child. None of them, no matter how small, was without meaning. Even the lights that had yet to draw breath and those currently being taken by Mortis to their final resting place.

Even the souls in Tartarus...Fauna Luster hated their DEEDS, but there was not one ounce of hate in Her for THEM.

Twilight and Starlight Glimmer both staggered back, tears streaming down both their faces.

"...She...she's..." Starlight Glimmer said, trying to find words to describe what she'd just seen. "...She's Equality..."

Twilight blinked, turning to Starlight Glimmer. "W-What?"

"...She's an equality that..." Starlight Glimmer began to SOB. "...How? How can you...how can you feel that way about everything?" she asked, looking up at Fauna Luster with pleading eyes. Trying to understand it as best her still mortal mind could possibly comprehend. It was like a blind mare being desperate to see.

Fauna luster looked down at Starlight Glimmer, giving a smile. "YOU SEE DIFFERENCES. YOU SEE DIFFERENT IDEAS, DIFFERENT TALENTS, DIFFERENT CUTIE MARKS. MY LITTLE PONY, TRUE EQUALITY ISN'T LOOKING AT DIFFERENCES. AND IT MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT INTOLERANCE OF THEM. IT'S LOOKING AT THE ONE SIMILARITY THAT MATTERS AND JUDGING ONLY BY THAT. AND THAT SIMILARITY IS THIS: THEY ARE LIFE."

Starlight Glimmer looked at Fauna Luster's eyes, each far more massive than her entire body. She could feel it. The Mother of All felt disappointed in her...but she still loved her. She loved her no different than Twilight Sparkle or Starlight Angel. Or anything else. And that didn't make that love has any less value. It meant that all things in creation were loved. Even if they were hated by the rest of the universe, Fauna Luster's love would always exist.

Starlight Glimmer looked to Twilight. "...I'm...I'm sorry..."

Twilight blinked. "What?"

"...I thought I knew what equality and harmony really was..." Starlight Glimmer and looked up at Fauna Luster. "...But...She...She doesn't see anything but life...if...True equality isn't sameness...it's...it's seeing the world like She does. It's treating each other like She sees us...Compared to Her..My Equality is...was less than a shadow...I was just a naive fool who thought she was wise..."

Starlight Angel looked to Twilight. "...There are some revelations that'd drive an unprepared pony mad...but there are others that can drive a mad pony them sane."

Twilight nodded and hugged Starlight Glimmer. "...I was a naive fool when I started...part of life is learning..."

Starlight hesitantly returned the hug. "...Yes...yes it is..."

The two parted. "So...what now?"

Starlight Glimmer looked up to Fauna Luster. "...I...I think I've got much to learn...I think the universe needs a Concept of Equality...but one a lot wiser than I am right now..."

"...That sounds good, Starlight Glimmer..."

"...Please...call me Pane Glimmer...I think it'll be awhile before I live up to that name..."

Meanwhile in 'reality,' Octavia said, "Pinkie Pie, it's time for you to be a good sister and return to being equal!"

Pinkie dodged Octavia's attack. "I'm sorry, but as long as you're going to be an equal pony...I can't call you my sister!"

Hearing this made Octavia stop in her tracks. "What are you talking about, Pinkie?

Pinkie said, "The reason I love you is because of all of the things that make you unique. Without that, you're nothing but a stranger to me."

Vinyl Scratch scoffed at this. "Please, do you seriously expect that to have any effect on Tavi?"

Octavia said, "...if being an equal pony would make me lose my sister...then I reject equality!" With those words, her equal sign cutie mark vanished, and a purple treble clef cutie mark emerged from Diamond Tiara's bag and took its place.

And Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Starlight Glimmer emerged from the truth . . . Glimmer's horn glowed . . . and it spread from her, to every equal pony everywhere that made the choice free of her brainwashing, and the cutie marks flew everything back to their owners.

Outside the world line, Amicitia grunted. "THAT . . . took a lot longer than it should have! REALLY LONGER than it should have! I'm scared to wonder what Nyarlathotrot was keeping me busy from."

"Trust me sugar cube, it won't be pretty."

"APPLEJACK?!"

An Alicorn version of Applejack was before her outside the world line, but . . . she was as different from Veritas as Deus Ex Machinca was from Amicitia.

"Not . . . Not really . . . well, once, maybe, hard to say, the name's Deconstruction. Maybe we'll see each other soon, maybe not, who can see? Just be ready for some nasty stuff . . . well, that goes without saying doesn't it?" Deconstruction vanished.

Amicitia wondered what that was all about.

The battlefield had fallen silent. The changelings were descending to earth in orderly ranks, looking around in confusion. Gilda hobbled away, carrying one battered changeling, with several more supporting her.

Nopony was close enough to hear the words exchanged by the pink Alicorns, but at the end of it, Cadenza had tears in her eyes and a brand new cutie mark, one that hadn't been in Diamond Tiara's bag or any cutie mark vault. Cadence threw her hooves around her sister from before time, and gave her a big hug.

The only fighting still going on was between two exhausted, panting stallions, rolling back and forth in the mud as they snarled and grappled with each other, their snowy white coats caked in mud. Shining Armor pinned Snow Bound, and only then did the Alicorn realize how much larger he'd grown with his cutie mark restored, a true and regal guardian among Concepts.

"Ah think ya'll can stop now," said AJ, smirking.

"Unless you wanna go for round two!" said Pinkie brightly, as she passed out the winnings from the betting pool.

The stallions looked at each other awkwardly. Shining Armor rolled aside, then staggered to his hooves, spreading huge wings for balance. "Uh... good match."

Snow Bound fidgeted his hooves. "Yes. I am... glad we got that all sorted out. Excuse me."

Slipping through the crowd, the earth pony chose a moment when nopony was watching and started to shift back into his wolf form for a meeting long overdue... only, nothing happened when he tried.

Rota Fortuna tapped a hoof. She hadn't even bothered making herself invisible... what was one more Alicorn in this crowd?

Snow gulped. "I..."

"You took irresponsible risks," said Rota Fortuna slowly, as if this pained her... not her usual stoic self at all. "You ignored your duty."

Snow Bound was taken aback, but he would not cower before Mother. "I fought against the Sameness, which could have ended all decisions, all fate in this world. The birth of a powerful Nightmare was averted."

"It was," Rota allowed, "but you went too far. You played favorites with fate." She rested a hoof on his shoulder. "You are no longer able to be impartial."

The stallion swallowed hard. "Then, I am prepared to accept your punishment, Mother."

Rota Fortuna lifted her gaze, watching Twilight and Pane emerge from a portal and hug everyone around them. "Your punishment... is to live out the mortal life you've embraced, with your friends."

Snow blinked. "But, my duties..."

"Will be handled by your brother." She leaned and nudged an invisible presence, and a small white wolf pup appeared, staring up at him with wide, curious eyes. Rota fixed Snow with a stern glare. "We'll talk again afterward. Your former state, or judgment as a mortal. Your choice."

Snow Bound watched them fade away, then smiled and headed back. Pinkie Pie was already cooking up a "We're so sorry for brainwashing you all" party.

Deconstruction was right, I didn't like what Nythy had created while I was gone. Nythy had made a new 'story' while I was away dealing with Starlight's universe...and it was a nasty one.

Sunset Shimmer had...apparently there was a restaurant that he seemed to create solely for his own narrative, one with animatronic versions of us as mascots. It was owned by Applejack's family, and thus she was the star attraction...and a golden version of her animatronic.

One night, while we and Applebloom were at a party there one night. Having fun...but it turns out we weren't alone.

Sunset Shimmer had returned to Equestria and thanks to Nythy's tampering...she...she puts on the suit of the Golden Applejack robot and...uses it to get Applebloom to lure us into the back room and...

Despite our combat experience and me being an Alicorn too...she killed us all with a knife. Yes...even Applebloom...after walking in on the scene afterwards.

I wish I could say Nythy was merciful and spared Pinkie Pie, but Nythy has none...he didn't cause her death because he needed six victims and felt Applebloom was a much 'funner.' Yes, I thought he was sick too.

Why Sunset?

"She's the bad guy, Amicitia. I thought you'd much prefer this to your friends being my star this time," Nythy told me, gloating. "So I decided to do both."

...Rarity's spirit, who managed to possess a puppet's body. She wasn't killed with us...She killed herself out of grief...She put our spirits into the animatronics to preserve us, Applebloom in the same suit Sunset. And...

We ended up slaughtering countless security guards thinking they're Sunset and blinded by rage and hate...

Until finally Sunset comes back herself. Forced from her universe by the Sirens (we hadn't been there to stop them and she'd never taken back the Elements to it) and Celestia still unwilling to give her Alicornhood like she felt she deserved (still seeing the darkness in her heart, but relieved to see her, if only because she was unaware she was the killer, and that's in potential fates where she doesn't figure it out), she decided to take out her frustrations on the animatronics she'd unknowingly turned us into at losing the world she'd decided to make her own.

I imagine Tirek only didn't conquer the world simply because Nythy preferred this tragedy to that one.

She smashed us to bits...and unknowingly freed our souls to take our revenge, luring her into a faulty suit that's springlocks failed and...she was left with her soul imprisoned in that suit for decades while ours could finally rest in peace...but with many dead by our hooves and six new reapers now sharing Starlight Angel's burden as willing penance.

The worst part is, the catalyst for this was not any of us. It was Sunset Shimmer herself...and until she became Nightmare Inferno and had her pride broken, she genuinely was a bad pony...there was no way I could convince her to turn good on the spot as I'd done with many others...so I had to do things a little differently.

*Sunset, will this really get you what you want?*

Tsk, who cares. This little life stealer staying on this side of the mirror living MY life? I can't even enjoy what I have at Canterlot High. I can't take it! She deserves it! And I can't leave any witnesses! Besides, if little miss fake is gone, then maybe Celestia will finally give me what I deserve.

*And if she finds out?*

...She won't...

*And if she does? Celestia is CELESTIA, she's smart...If she ever finds out, all her faith in you will be gone. You'll never get what you want.*

...Then...then I'll just be careful!

*And...if you do this, doesn't that mean Twilight wins?*

WHAT?!

*If you do this, you'll be living TWILIGHT'S life, not yours...if you prove you're better and earn Celestia's good graces back, then you'll have none of these problems...besides. Isn't murder dressed as a fast food mascot beneath a pony like you?*

...I guess...I...I guess I just got so clopped off at seeing MY wings on HER I wanted her to pay...Eh, like I'd really be able to murder a foal anyway, I'm not that heartless.

*If stealing her life isn't valuable, what else would earn Celestia's respect?*

Duh, becoming an Alicorn.

*And if the Elements made her an alicorn...*

...Maybe they can make me one...hehe...Now that's an idea I can get onboard with.

While Sunset wouldn't admit it, even she was horrified she'd almost committed murder...just like she was horrified when she nearly killed us as Nightmare Inferno...only now, she carried the guilt of that failed plan with her...I don't think it's my place to say if she ever told that Twilight what she'd nearly done...

Oh, and also the restaurant ended up getting new management, as with that Twilight still alive she realized how many safety hazards it had and got Applejack's relative to get a new manager...now that place would actually be happy.

...I hope that's the only rotten world Nythy cooked up while I was gone...

I had managed to get some good results before, running interference against my Nightmare self. But every time, I still felt like even letting her complete one loop was too many lives lost.

Time to go back to the beginning.

There's Twilight, getting ready to use the time travel spell for the first time.

*Will it really be worth it?*

Worth it...this horrible world will never have been, why wouldn't it...

*If this world will have never been...what about Apple Pie?*

With those two questions, Nightmare Purgatory was ultimately defeated while she is still nothing but a Lingering Nightmare.

Amicitia was overjoyed, and at the same time, so very frustrated. "I'm so close to where it really all began. Just a few words... that's all I need!" She cast her gaze back through time and saw it... the very first time... a Discorded Twilight Sparkle, wearing a useless crown of magic, ready to walk out and give up on her friends, on everything...

Suddenly, it was too much, too tempting.

* Don't give up! Please, it isn't hopeless, not yet... *

Amicitia waited breathlessly to see what would happen.

Nothing happened.

Nothing happened anywhere, ever again... until a rainbow flash transported Amicitia into the body of a small Alicorn filly, sitting in the old pre-Discord Ponyville schoolhouse. A tall Alicorn stallion with a glorious rainbow aurora mane waved a pointer. "Alright Class, Kindly Close Your Books And Get Ready To Take The Test."

"Test!?" yelped Amicitia. "I'm not ready! I haven't studied!" She rose from her desk, waving her hooves in a panic. "I don't even know what it's about!"

A single sheet of paper fluttered over and magically settled onto her desk. It read, in plain type, "What happens when an eternal pillar of creation attempts to prevent her own birth?"

Amicitia stared at it, ears drooping. "I'm sorry. I should have known better."

The Teacher gave her a stern look, then nosed her warmly. "This Is Unlike You, Child. Why Don't You Take a Rest While I Fix This? Relax. Have Some Fun For Once."

Amicitia blinked. "But..."

"I Know Just The Place..."

Rainbow light blinded her again, dropping her into a torchlit wooden hall... filled with wolves. Large, angry, ominously growling wolves. Blank Wolves.

"Amicitia?" roared a particularly massive grey wolf, Rota Fortuna herself in dire wolf form. "You seem a little lost! This is the Wolf Bar. The All-Worlds Alicorn Bar is across the street!"

The wolves roared with laughter, and Amicitia cringed, cheeks coloring. "Right... there's been a small mix-up! I'll just be going..."

"Ah, ah!" Some of the wolves swiftly barred her way. Rota chuckled darkly. "You're in my territory now, and we have a rule here! Only members of the pack are welcome after dark." She twirled a claw. Two of the white wolves dashed off and brought back something like a rumpled purple rug.

Not a rug... that was a wolf costume! Amicitia's pupils shrank to pinpoints. "Please wait... I'm sure we can..." That was as far as she got before the wolves mobbed her, fluffy tails all wagging. Then they backed away, revealing a perfect new purple wolf. The costume was good... it even hid her horn and wings somehow."

An orange wolf with a golden mane hugged her. "Welcome ta the pack, Twi!"

"One of us!" chanted the Opaque Wolves.

"One of us!" hollered an oddly multicolored bunch of wolves... a bright candy red one, a younger yellow and red one, and an elderly green one. "Howdy," added the hulking brick-red wolf in the back.

"One of us!" barked Blaze, Gloom of Night, Rain, Snow, and Sleet, sitting around a table playing poker.

"One of us!" cheered a full dozen orange and purple wolf pups, bouncing happily all over the place and spilling their root beer.

"Ugh, I am not one of you!" shouted Amicitia. "I'm not wearing this." She tried to yank the costume off, then yelped in pain. "Okay... you can make me wear it, but there's no way you can make me enjoy it!"

Three hours later...

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!" sang Amicitia, swaying and off-key. She slammed down another hard apple cider while the grinning wolves around her chorused "We pillage plunder, we rifle and loot! Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"

Three more hours later...

A groaning Amicitia lay on the pavement outside the bar, cursing the early morning sunlight. At least she was finally herself again.

Hoofsteps approached... Deus grinned, offering a hoof to help her up. "Oh, so you're the one who was using the costume! Heehee... I'll tell Rota to make another one so next time we can both go together!"

Amicitia covered her face with a hoof.

"I even did some good while you were busy."

"Oh no."

"Don't worry! It's nothing fate shattering! In fact, I think I REMOVED a horribly traumatizing moment from Twilight Sparkle's life! I made a new an improved world line! I made it so ours friends and Celestia REALIZED she was right about the fake Cadence!"

Amicitia's head was still pounding, she was a LAW OF THE UNIVERSE, how could a law of physics get a hang over?! "Wouldn't, that possibly make her more arrogant, since she went about it entirely the wrong way, but as fate would have it she was right after all?"

Deus Ex Machina did a cat's cradle with the worldlines, taking a closer look.

"Oh don't be silly! It's not like she's then going to be too proud to ask Spike to help her during the quest to retrieve the crystal heart! And--Uh-oh."

Amicitia felt scared after Amicita's LAST 'improvement' resulted in a broken Equestria worldline. "WHAT 'Uh-oh?'"

"I think I might have goofed myself . . . Twilight Sparkle got all her friends to realize that Cadence was evil and maybe an imposture and got her locked up in the dungeon and the wedding suspended and a search for the real Cadence . . .but . . ."

"But what?"

"Uh . . . eheheh, in THAT worldline? . . . Heheh, Chrysalis didn't invade, I'm not sure the changelings exist there. In that world? It REALLY WAS just stress making Cadence be a jerk, the secret hoof-shake from years ago slipped her mind after traveling the world, and the stress making her jump to the conclusion Minuette, Twinkle Shine, and Lyra were her friends just for the sake of social climbing, and she WAS using her magic to heal Shining Armor's headache . . . "

"So you're saying . . . that version of me, SELF-RIGHTEOUS LOCKED-UP our beloved foalsitter and future sister-in-law?!"

"Well . . . technically we got our FRIENDS and our BROTHER and MENTOR to lock-up their innocent Princess, Fiancee, and Niece . . . Which . . . hehe h, either leads to the changeling sending an imposter Cadence to be 'found' and 'rescued', and/or Twilight completely alienating her brother and sister-in-lawing, crushing her friends' trust in her ability to make right decisions, and Celestia's faith in her, and make Twilight unsure of every choice and hesitant to label even the most obvious of circumstances as evil." Dues Ex Machina made some pathetic, weak, nervous laughs.

And Amcitia now felt sick and hung over.

"Um...on the bright side the Flutterponies are still alive and attending the wedding..." Deus said with a sheepish smile.

"Enjoying the show, infantile concepts?"

"Nyarlathotrot!" yelled Amicitia, giving a growl as the Shadows Darkness made his presence known. "What did you do?!"

Grimdark Itself put a tendril to his chest. "Me? This is HER doing..." he said, pointing a hoof to Deus.

Deus gasped. "M-Me?"

"Did the Lost Age teach you nothing? When a change is made without proper thought, it WILL have consequences."

As Deus pinned her ears, Amicitia growled. "That doesn't mean that you won't PREY on it."

Nythy gave a laugh. "You've got me there...However, this time, I'm not the one you need to worry about."

Deus blinked. "You're not?"

"I'm not the only lion waiting in the dark to devour mortals. I hope you don't mind that I invited another of my cousins this time."

Amicitia snapped back to the timeline in time to see a shapely blue unicorn with a light blue mane done up in a ponytail. A coyote totem necklace hanging around her neck, her Cutie Mark an apple with a serpent coiled around it. "Oh no..."

~~~

The mare was currently finishing a discussion with the emotionally vulnerable unicorn. "Just to go back over the terms. Sign here, and the spell will turn back the hands of time and you can be in the right."

Twilight still had tears in her eyes. "W-What's the catch?"

"Oh, nothing major, just an invite to the wedding and a chance to chat with the bride before it," Temptation in the shape of a pony replied, giving a reassuring smile. "Would you rather be in the right or in the wrong?"

Twilight flinched, remembering her brother's anger. She nodded. "I...I want to be right."

The 'helpful spirit' nodded and offered her a golden contract and a quill which Twilight desperately signed, not noticing Temptation's eyes flash orange. "Thank you dear...now...are you ready?"

~~~

Amicitia blinked. "But why would SHE ask...wait..." Amicitia looked at the contract closely from outside time. "Time will be undone, Twilight will get here due, her accusation this day shall be done, her accusation of evil will be true..." she gasped. "...Wait..."

She saw the Flutterponies' existence be rewritten to a different form. "...The Changelings DIDN'T exist here before...but now they will...And Twilight doesn't realize this isn't a second chance..."

Deus whimpered. "This...this isn't what I wanted!"

"But why would she ask to..." Amicitia asked, then looked back to the timeline. "She's going to make a deal with Chrysalis too..."

Deus asked. "Deal?"

"Yes deal!"

"What KIND?!"

"I can't tell! That world line isn't fully formed yet! We need to repair this disaster!"

"It seems, whenever any of my siblings have a wedding, I always have to jump to conclusions." Said a deputized angel.

"Clover?" Amicitia gasped at her former incarnation. "What are YOU doing here?"

"I had my friends to help fix up my sisters' wedding when I screwed it up thinking I was being the big hero. This Twilight doesn't have her friends right now, I want to help her SOMEHOW if I can!"

In another place, in her true form, Queen Chrysalis snarled at the strange and fearless pony that stood before her. Something inside of her shrieked to kill it; another gave a horrified warning against it.

"It's very simple, niece," Ispita said. She held out a formal contract. "You want to become the Queen of Equestria and to become more than, well," she grinned. "More than a half-rotted bug pony."

Chrysalis shivered with the urge to rip this vermin's throat out. The Changelings normally appearing as 'Cadence's' bridesmaids buzzed their wings in anger. Chrysalis raised one foreclaw and they calmed down, still regarding Ispita with glittering hatred in their eyes.

"Get to the point." Chrysalis seized the contract with her magic. "Tell me why I shouldn't just burn this and you."

"Because if you do, then you'll never look like this."

Chrysalis and her escorts gasped as their forms rippled. It felt like their shapechanging was working properly for the first time ever as they gazed one each other, seeing forms more beautiful than words could say, magnificent beyond even the alicorns. Cadence and Celestia were sway-backed plug mules next to them.

"Yes," Chrysalis preened herself. "No!" Her new form melted away and back into her normal form. She glared at Ispita.

"That was no illusion. Those were our true forms. I know it somehow. How did you?..."

"I didn't do anything," Ispita said. She made an image of Twilight Sparkle appear, signing the contract. Chrysalis ground her fangs to see herself change from the very image of Queen Rosedust to her current form, and her Flutter Ponies become the hideous love-sucking Changelings."She did. To make herself look like a hero instead of a donkey. She created you and your kind, Chrysalis."

"I'll kill her," Chrysalis hissed, her horn glowing as she sent a bolt of energy through the image, dispelling it. "No, I'll control her and make her clean out the hive's latrines with her bare hooves. I'll..."

"You won't be able to do anything if you get caught." Ispita gave an innocent smile and held out the contract. "Sign this and you won't be discovered until you have Canterlot under your control," for five minutes or until somepony else makes a deal to stop you, "I promise."

Chrysalis bit at her foreleg and, blood dripping down her claw, signed her name to the contract in Ispita's magical grip.

"NO!" Amicitia snapped, going back from the world line. "There has to be a way to fix this! A way to repair this! The strength of my friendship between me and my friends is unbreakable! It can't be killed because of this! I can't lose my friends and my mentor's respect because of this! I can't lose this love! No! It can't! It won't! There has to be something I can do! There ALWAYS IS!"

Clover hugged her, hugged herself. "Amcitia . . . calm down . . . we'll figure something out . . .I promise . . . we have to."

"Something always goes wrong." Deus sighed.

"What do you mean?" Amicitia asked, not really wanting to know.

"Before we met . . . I tried to fix the wedding before . . . every pony listened to us . . . Cadence was thrown in the dungeon for not acting like Cadence . . . except, in that world . . . it turns out TWILIGHT SPARKLE was the one Chrysalis replaced, Shining Armor was never touched, . . . but 'Twilight Sparkle' took the chance to brainwash our five friends into her loyal minions . . . the . . . what did you call it? The ante, only kept going up from there."

"So, how did you fix that one?" asked Amicitia. "Anything that could help us now?"

Deus blushed. "It... kind of fixed itself while I was still panicking. Somehow, Princess Luna became suspicious early on, and she secretly put the Night Guard on full alert. They came down on Chrysalis like a ton of bricks the moment she revealed herself, and without Shining Armor she couldn't just throw them out of the city." The younger Alicorn smirked, remembering. "Then it turned out that Chrysalis had banished Shining and Cadence to the crystal mines to get them out of the way, but they turned up again in the middle of the battle with the real Twilight Sparkle."

Amicitia nodded thoughtfully. "I keep running into similar events, over and over again. Events that, for me, never had a chance to happen. This wedding. The changelings. The brother I never had."

She focused her magic on the worldline that was in crisis now, drawing out an image of Shining Armor with vivid green eyes, standing on a balcony flanked by changeling guards, proclaiming Queen Chrysalis' new laws for Canterlot. The ponies below shouted angrily and threw rotten fruit at him, but he merely caught the missiles on a shield and ordered the changeling squads to fly down and arrest the "traitors."

Amicitia shook her head. "If it was purely a matter of random chance and genetics, then I might have had any number of alternate brothers and sisters, but surprisingly often it's that pony, that Shining Armor. What it is about him..." She gasped, spotting the blue unicorn in the cloak, waiting close by. "And what does Temptation want with him?"

The sealed deity, trusted by Chrysalis as her benefactor touched a horn to Shining's head, using the deity favorite 'have an entire conversation in the space of a few seconds at the cost of a massive headache later' spell.

Shining Armor, beneath the Queen's brainwashing, stood Ispita, in the mindscape taking the shape of an Alicorn.

"W-Who?" Shining Armor asked. "Who are you?"

"My name is Mara, consider me a deity with a very personal stake in all of this," 'Mara' said. "And you've met an awful fate, haven't you?"

Shining looked down. "...I...I want to just...I don't WANT to do this...but...I can't stop her...Cadence...Twiley."

'Mara' gave a look of well practiced 'sympathy'. "I know...isn't it unfair? Your wedding day stolen..."

"...I know..."

"The one who you want to protect more than anything now a prisoner."

"...Yeah..."

"You beloved little sister in the biggest danger she's been in since Discord."

"...Y-Yeah..."

"All the while you're standing here, held back by invisible chains that hold you back," Mara said, circling him like a serpent.

Shining Armor saw the image of Twilight and Cadence in a cage right in front of him, he attempted to reach them but was held back by sickly green chains from moving one inch closer.

"It's the most unfair thing in the world isn't it? To have somepony you want to protect but can't..." Mara said softly. "Isn't it?"

"Y-Yes...it's...Twilight...Cadence..."

Amicitia gasped, watching dark tendrils begin climbing up. Something she saw that Shining Armor didn't was a little filly with a yellow flower in her black sun hat who'd introduce herself as 'I'm scared' if asked, holding out a crown. "She's...why?! How does..."

Nythy chuckled. "Oh, Twilight, you should know better than anyone, considering the worlds YOU'VE saved from her. Ispita's bread and butter is desperation...Her creed is 'take the easy way out'."

Something clicked in Amicitia's head. "Oh no...Chrysalis and Shining are just secondary targets...They're just tools to get to..."

Deus gasped. "...Us..."

"...She's going to try and get Twilight to release her by escalating the situation as high as it will go...So Twilight thinks her only option is to free her to undo her mistake."

[=-Noi! the Clara Dolls - Madoka Magica Rebellion=]

"And it's not just you, is it?" Mara asked Shining. "It's every big brother, big sister, good queen, or soldier...all of them one day see somepony suffer they could have helped but they just can't..."

Shining shuddered, darkness continuing to surge up. "...And when that happens, they see their loved ones hurt...their own hearts broken...they both lose so much because something got in the way."

"Everypony ends up hurt because of that unfairness...It's so sad that no pony can do anything about it..."

"...I can..."

"NO!" yelled Amicitia.

"I'll make it fair..."

A red crystal in the shape of Shining's Cutie Mark exploded in darkness, converting to a blood red, sharp pointed version of itself.

The unicorn smirked, severing the connection and vanishing into purple smoke as darkness erupted around Shining Armor, blowing all those around him in all direction his mind deemed as evil.

The black magic surged around him, forming a pitch black shield sphere before exploding outwards in a cascade of darkness.

When the transformation ended, Shining Armor was replaced by an Alicorn Stallion with dark grey fur, his Cutie Mark now magenta shield with blue stars. His armor was similar to that of a royal guard, except onyx in color. Draconic blue eyes stared out, showing utter hatred for the Changelings and all their leader represented.

Chrysalis gasped. "What?!"

"...I am Nightstallion Phalanx. You are a threat to Equestria...all threats to Equestria will be terminated."

Chrysalis had to fly to dodge a massive beam of darkness tainted magenta magic. The Queen snarled. "I'm not letting all that awaits me be denied!" she roared, flying into the battle.

"...Shining..." Amicitia muttered as Chrysalis and Nightstallion Phalanx battled it out, Phalanx's power infecting any Royal Guard around him and converting them into his nights, escalating the battle into a war in the middle of Canterlot. An even one between two forces of mass destruction.

Deus was panicking. "I keep trying to change something but...it's like somepony is just using it to make things worse."

Nythy gave a laugh. "Don't you know dear?" he questioned, trotting forwards. "When you alter the past, a deity will always recall it...Ispita may be sealed, but she IS a Deity. So...every time you try to alter the past she forged with this dark wish, you're just showing her more and more who the key players she should be keeping an eye on are."

Amicitia nodded grimly. "...The only way we can fix this...is to help Twilight stop it NOW...attempting to change the past is what started this mess, it CAN'T be what ends it."

Deus whimpered. "I just, wanted every pony to listen to Twilight."

Amcitia sighed. "It was a lesson Twilight Sparkle had to LEARN! It was a lesson every pony there had to learn. From the changelings themselves to the ponies. It wasn't fair to Cadence or Shining Armor, but every pony got their happy ending in the end. Shining Armor has turned into a nightmare in the name of fairness! Starlight Glimmer became a monster without becoming a Nightmare in the name of fairness! Unfairness is awful, but forced fairness is horrific!" Amicitia realized she was sitting on a big cosmic soap box. "Seriously, we need to help Twilight stop this before it gets EVEN WORSE and Ispita gets her, or one of the others into a corner where releasing her becomes the lesser of two evils!"

Deus sighed. "I never meant for the flutter ponies to be turned into changelings in this world line too!"

Nightstallion Phalanx and Queen Chrysalis locked hooves, wings pumping hard as they shoved each over back and forth in the sky. She snarled, building up a surge of energy to blast him away. He grinned darkly, matching her, until both of them had to dart away from a titanic midair blast that rained smoke and ash over the merchant district.

"It's all so simple, when you think about it," said Phalanx with a sneer. "Celestia and Luna failed to protect Equestria. Heck, Celestia failed to protect Equestria from her own sister. Shining Armor failed to protect Equestria. You don't win a war by hiding behind a shield! When ponies with power just sit back on their hooves and wait for evil to come to them, innocent ponies suffer and die! No more!"

He rubbed the chin of his horned black helmet with an armored hoof, thinking. "They say the best defense is a good offense, right? That's what I am now." Dozens of magenta shield orbs spun into existence, then flattered into spears floating on his left and right. "The Best Defense!" The spears began hurtling towards Chrysalis in twos and threes.

Chrysalis dodged and weaved expertly, evading some spears, knocking others out of the sky with bursts of emerald chaff, and darting behind buildings when the rest approached. Each spear that hit a castle wall instead of the changeling queen punched a foot into solid stone.

Down below, a brown unicorn pony looked both ways, then darted out of an alleyway, only to have a stray spear give him the fright of his life... but the glowing spear froze and dissipated, inches from his chest. Phalanx casually teleported next to him, fixing him with burning draconic eyes. "Stay off the streets for now, citizen. Canterlot will be safe once again..." He clenched a hoof. "Once I've crushed our enemies."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" whimpered the fleeing unicorn.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Hmph! What is it about becoming a nightmare that makes a pony want to talk and talk and talk?"

Phalanx scowled, suddenly incensed. "Don't you even start!" The nightstallion drew enough power to make all the glowgems in the area flicker, conjuring a floating magical sword big enough to decapitate a great wyrm... a two-hooved greatsword, Shining's old arms master would have called it, though historically few earth ponies had ever been both strong and crazy enough to wield such a weapon. "I might have been under your spell, but I remember every word of every crazy rant!"

He took a swing at Chrysalis... the sword moved *fast*, and she lost a few flakes of chitin. "Blah blah blah, survival of the fittest! Fate is so mean to me, boo hoo!" He swung again... Chrysalis dodged frantically, and the sword lopped off the top third of a castle tower. Tons of bricks and mortar came crashing down into an empty street.

Chrysalis tisked. "Impressive destructive force... a pity it's in the hooves of a foal having a temper tantrum!" Suddenly, three steel orbs glowing with Kabuto's alchemical runes rose into the air behind her. "I will make better use of it." The changeling queen smiled. "You've played right into my hooves."

"NO!" Amicitia gasped. "NO!"

Clover fluttered on her wings. "HAVE EVERYPONY FORGOTTEN I'M EVEN HERE?! WHY DOES EVERYPONY FORGET ABOUT ME AND MY FRIENDS?! WHY?! Because it's not cool enough to hate us like Minty's world, but not cool enough to like us like Megan's adventures?! WHY?! I'M HERE BECAUSE I SCREWED UP MY BIG SIBLINGS' WEDDING BY JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS TOO!!!! I CAME HERE TO help Twilight figure out a way to fix things WITHOUT having to make a deal with a demon or some horse apples like that! BUT ALL ANY OF YOU STUPID CONCEPTS HAVE DONE SO FAR IS IGNORE ME!!!! YOU THINK I CAN'T HELP SOMEHOW?!"

Ti Dne

Amicitia gritted her teeth... then forced herself to relax and *think*. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but what can you do?"

Clover grinned. "For one thing... this is my world."

Amicitia gasped. "Then... you're not limited like we are. You can enter the world and act!" She swept her former self up in an impulsive hug. "I'm sorry, Clover! I've been so busy trying to fix everything myself..."

"It's okay." Clover straightened her black cloak. "Just tell me where I can do the most good." She glanced at the world below. "I don't think Shiny has much time left."

In a high tower of Canterlot Castle, a battered and bruised Twilight Sparkle hung on a wall, pasted there with changeling slime. Temptation stood before her, holding out a contract in her magic. "It's all your fault, Twilight. Your selfish wish turned a beautiful, graceful race of Flutterponies into the monsters that are destroying Canterlot. Don't you want to make that right?"

"My brother..." croaked Twilight, through a badly parched throat. "He'll stop her..."

Temptation laughed politely. "Oh, please. Chrysalis planned for this. She'll devour his immortal spirit, and immortal spirit is *all* he is, now. There'll be nothing left of him... if you don't undo your mistake." She offered the contract again.

Twilight stared at it, ashamed... and suddenly Clover stood between them, brandishing her scythe. "Don't do it, Twilight! You have no idea what you'd be unleashing."

Twilight gasped. "Who..." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. My brother..."

"Yes, that's right, you buzz off!" demanded Temptation. "We're making a fair deal here."

Clover pushed her aside. "I want you to trust in your friends again, Twilight. You couldn't have known, locked away up here, but they've been working hard to free everyone and fight back against Chrysalis. They're coming. They'll be here soon."

"Soon isn't soon enough!" rasped Twilight.

"Please!" begged Clover. "Just a little longer, that's all I'm asking."

Twilight reached for the floating quill pen, but didn't take it. The room fell deathly silent... they could clearly hear the explosions outside, the fighting in the streets far below... and something else. Hoofsteps, rushing up the tower stairs. The voices of her friends. Coming for her. Just like that time years ago, fighting Nightmare Moon.

Twilight Sparkle smiled, tears in her eyes... and in a secret changeling tunnel miles from the palace, the Elements of Harmony began to *shine*.

Ispita looked at the coming footsteps in disbelief. "But..." she gave a growl, then snapped back to Twilight. "So? You don't have the Elements and even if you did, what makes you think they'll WORK when you've done all of THIS? You think not one of your friends has enough doubt to neutralize them after what YOU did? Chrysalis TOLD THEM this was all your fault and Applejack saw the truth!"

Twilight's ears pinned.

*But didn't she say she needed a Bearer to release her?*

Twilight perked up. "...You NEED a Bearer! And if the Elements really were neutralized...I'd be useless to you!"

Five friends rushed in, ignoring Ispita and rushing to their friend.

"Girls! You...you came back..."

Rainbow nodded, pulling loose changeling slime. "Of course!"

"Darling, we all make mistakes...normally not quite this big..." Rarity admitted.

"Truth is, we were mighty angry...but yah got tricked by a snake..." Applejack replied. "Yah still need tah make it up tah everypony, but we ain't abandoning you!"

Fluttershy nodded. "And...somepony can't make up for something if no one trusts them..."

"And I don't hate anypony!" Pinkie Pie chimed in.

As Twilight finally came loose, the ponies shared a group hug.

Ispita was trembling in rage. Rainbow chains around her became visible. They sseemed to stretch but refused to break as she turned into a purple smoke, taking the shape of a massive winged serpent made of smoke. "So what?! You still don't have the Elements of Harmony! Either Shining beats Chrysalis' gambit and their battle continues or Chrysalis eats him and becomes unstoppable! what do you intend to do together or apart?!"

Twilight narrowed her eyes. "...You're wrong..."

Ispita's eyes went wide as the symbol of the Element of Magic appeared on Twilight's forehead. "WHAT?!"

While she tried to interfere, Clover blocked her path with her hoof-blades.
"But how can you block me?!" "We're both spirits, duh!"

"...The Elements are our bond. Our hearts! That's all the matters."

Ispita backed up, the great serpent looking terrified as one by one, the symbols of the Elements formed on each of the six. "NOOOOOOOO!" she roared as the Rainbow of Light erupted and washed over her.

+++

Chrysalis and Nightstallion Phalanx blinked, turning from their confrontation as the roof of the two blew off, the Rainbow of Light arcing downwards and washing over the two stunned forces of evil.

The Rainbow expanded outwards, washing over everything. Any Changeling touched by it found Ispita's spell broken, a flutterpony looking around in confusion.

Shining Armor blinked in confusion, finding himself laying on the ground across from Queen Rosedust. "...Well...This is...strange..."

Queen Rosedust had tears in her eyes. "...I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, neither of us was exactly sane...Shining looked on his back and his eyes went wide. "And I have wings now..."

+++

As the six ponies landed, they looked up at the petrified unicorn statue standing in front of her, the defeat of the Spirit in this particular timeline.

"...Everypony still remembers, don't they?" Twilight asked, pinning her ears.

"...Yeah...we do so it just wouldn't be right if they wouldn't..." Applejack admitted.

"...We need to find the real Cadence, don't we?"

As it turns out, that was actually easier than thought, since Queen Rosedust remembered everything she had done as Queen Chrysalis, she remembered the underground tunnels that she had trapped Cadence in, wanting to feast on her once the wedding was over and her spiritual strengths were at their weakest and thus less likely to overwhelm her.

Queen Rosedust wouldn't stop apologizing, even when it became clear Ispita had tricked Twilight into making such a horrible mistake . . . but now . . . none of that mattered . . . Ispita had ironically given Twilight what she REALLY wanted, a chance to mend bridges and make up for her mistake.

"Excuse me." Clover said, "Can you lend me a bit of you power goddess me? I have a rather mundane idea to create a another world line to run alongside this one. Take it from a pony who struggled for years to get over their klutzy nature to become a ballerina, very often, the best solution is the simple one. As simple as tripping over your own big hooves."

Back in the Great Hall, as Twilight raced down to accuse that phony Cadence, that Decadence or whatever her name really was, and save her BBBFF from that witch...

For a moment, she felt another pony besides her, some pony familiar.

She missed a particularly nasty fold in the rug and tripped. And a new world line was born.

"WAAAA!" Twilight went rolling right at the wall. She impacted very hard with a large plinth that really ought to have been replaced years ago. It crumbled just enough to send the heavy urn atop it tumbling.

Right at her.

Whinnies of shock rose. Her head spinning, Twilight looked up and froze at the sight of several hundred pounds of marble collapsing on her.

Her last thought was, 'I'm going to die right in front of my friends and Celestia and BBBFF and that fake Cadence --"

A pink glow enveloped her. The next thing Twilight knew, the urn was shattering on the floor about a foot away and she looked up to see -- the fake Cadence?

"What's the matter with you?" Cadence half panted the words out. Behind her Shiny, her friends, the Princess, everypony came galloping up and started shouting questions and asking if she was alright all at once. Cadence ignored them to say, "You've been acting so strange -- I half wondered if you were replaced by somepony or thing -- had to run everything myself, wanted Shiny and my special day to be perfect -- and now this?" Cadence began to weep, her head hanging down and mane in witchlocks around her face. "Have you gone crazy? You could have killed yourself!"

In the air above Cadence, Queen Rosedust and the Flutter Ponies watched in wide-eyed concern.

Twilight looked at Cadence and began to realize what she'd almost done. 'Look how stressed she is, she must have been ready to have a nervous breakdown! And how exhausted and crazy must I have been to think she wasn't really Cadence?'

Twilight's suspicions melted as she rose and nuzzled her beloved former foal-sitter.

"I was worried about you too... I was getting a little, um, jumpy." Twilight grinned nervously. Cadence sagged in relief to see she was alright. Twilight began to say, "I think you've been taking too much on yourself. I know you want this to be perfect, but it won't be if you make mistakes from being exhausted." Cadence's frown faded as Twilight pointed at her friends. "Please, let us help. My friends know something about celebrations..."

"And I know something about weddings." Queen Rosedust dropped down beside them both. "I've helped set them for three of my daughters. I would be honored to be allowed to advise the Princess of Harmony."

Cadence looked around at everypony. Her aunt Celestia smiled and nodded.

"Dear niece, you were getting a little temperamental."

Cadence smiled. "Maybe I can accept just a little help."

And the repaired worldline rolled on, past a happy wedding.

"Two happy world lines for the price of one." Deus admitted.

Amicitia smiled. "Let's see how these happy weddings go."

In one world, Princess Celestia was beside herself with joy. "A wedding of two Alicorns! Suddenly, I wonder whether I'm qualified to marry them. We should get Venus here!"

Luna shook her head. "Nay, sister. Look again, more closely."

Celestia did just that, blinking in surprise. "Shining Armor... he's like Cadence. He has only the faintest idea of his true potential."

Luna smiled. "It would be cruel otherwise. When they are ready, they will awaken as god and goddess... together."

-

"Thanks for the tailor, Miss Rarity," Shining Armor replied, looking at his wedding attire, which was now modified to have openings for his new wings to fit.

"No, thank you, your highness," Rarity replied, doing a bow. "It was an honor to do tailor for royalty."

"Uh...you do realize I just became an Alicorn, right?"

"Yes, but I'll take what I can get..."

Thankfully, while his end goals as Nightmare Phalanx would've been horrible, why he'd ascended and his fight with Chrysalis had kept ponies from getting too furious at the new Prince's ascension. That and he was about to become a Prince anyway.

The two were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Twilight sheepishly poked her head in. "Um...high, B.B.B.F.F..."

Rarity looked the situation over quickly. "Okay, I see this is a family moment, so see you at the wedding, darlings..."

After the fashionista made her departure, Twilight looked sheepishly at her elder brother. "...Big brother...I'm...I'm so sorry..." she said, tears forming in her eyes. "This...this was all my fault...I shouldn't have taken Ispita's deal..."

Shining Armor put a wing to his sister's chin. "Twiley...I forgive you."

"...How? I...everything I did."

"Yeah, you messed up...but you fixed it, didn't you?"

"...Yeah..."

"Then let's just enjoy the wedding...I can't speak for everypony...but I can speak for me. You made up for it in my eyes. that's all that matters."

"...I'm still going to try and make it up to Queen Rosedust and her people."

Shining gave his little sister a hug. "And that proves you're not a bad pony, sis...I love you."

"I love you too B.B.B.F.F."

Meanwhile in the center of a twisting, turning hedgemaze turned impenetrable maze, Ispita's statue set next to Discord's.

'Hello, honey,' Discord's voice said in Ispita's head. 'Funny seeing you here.'

'Shut it!...Great, now I have to tolerate your rambling for eternity.' Temptation replied with a groan.

'Hey! You said you loved my monologuing!'

'I do, just not for eternity! No offense dear, but you can be annoy.'

'Oh, none taken, I like being annoying. So, what brings a pretty equus like you to a place like this?'

'Evil plan to release myself from my prison gets me turned to stone...'

'Same here! Except, you know, I escaped and was sealed away again...at least you got frozen in a look of hatred and fury instead of terror.'

'Yeah, I guess...and I'm still pretty.'

'Yes, though unfortunately they turned us face to face.'

'Hey!' Ispita replied insulted.

'Well if you were turned the other way I could admire your flank for eternity.'

'Oh...yes, it is quite the sight. So...want to hear about how I ruined lives with cursed artifacts and various evil spells?'

'Oh! Of course, want to hear about what I did the one day I was free?'

'Naturally, dear!'

Deus Ex Machina and Amicitia parted ways. As Deus enjoyed the happy new world line along with Clover. No sign of Nythy, and no sign of Chance (thank goodness on both counts for different reasons).

But she was shocked when she saw a gray pony enter a stagnant, and for all intents and purposes, dead world line. It was one of Nyhty's that had been sucked dry of all the horror it could offer, and then left to rot, and one Amcitia had created an alt world for (it was painful to see how many universes there were with herself as a mad scientist).

Twilight admitted now . . . maybe practicing the cutie mark transfer surgery on herself before using it on herself and Trixie might not have been a good idea, but . . . she could see every detail, it called to her! Okay, so now she was bleeding on both sides of her body, crawling across the floor. Could she call for Spike? Oh right, Spike was dead. She lobotomized him, then cut open his brain when it began to heal itself. It was for science, to understand. Isn't that the most noble of goals? The structure of the dragon brain held such secrets!!! Trixie? Oh right she was several floors above, to keep her from finding out things Twilight didn't want her to find out.

So she kept crawling and kept crawling, and kept crawling.

"Why . . . why does it feel like I've been crawling along the floor for two years?"

"That's because you have been," said an emotionless voice.

Twilight looked up to see a gray pony with a gray mane and stone colored eyes, looking down at her with a blank expression.

"Who are you?"

"I am called Maud Pie, Pinkie Pie's big sister."

"Don't be insane, you don't look like any of her sisters, and none of them were named Maud."

"That's because I came into existence in the heart world before your world line was born. But your world line never reached a conclusion, it never reached a finale. So . . . as is the fate of all incomplete world lines, you, and all others like you, are trapped in this one moment in time. You'll be crawling on the floor forever, bleeding, trapped between your dementia and your somewhat clarity. Applejack will always been sitting with your world's mob hunting for you, having to give up everything in her quest for revenge.

"Rarity after you forced her to murder her sister, is your slave using that repressed memory as a remote control any time you want. Pinkie Pie . . . Pinkie Pie reduced to no more than your ESP machine, what's left of her anyway.

"Spike, first turned into your lobotomized cyborg slave, until his brain began to regrow on its own, and you decided to kill him just to vivisect his brain to see what you'd find out . . . Even if Spike reading you fairytales at night was the only thing still making your life bearable.

"Fluttershy your drugged up, lost in her own world, little slave without her wings whose body can't even survive without your drugs now, kept barely your friend just so you can still feed your magic, and using the Element of Magic as a battery to slowly grin it to nothing. Rainbow Dash who much to your own frustration never fell into your grasp and became a Guard. All because for you, understanding the world a little more became nothing more than a drug high.

"You brought Trixie here, after planning to use her as a lab rat and originally was just to murder her, until she decided to swoon at your hooves . . . because she owed money to The Family."

"WHAT?!"

"That's right . . . your fate was sealed the moment you brought Trixie here, Applejack would have found you, and everything you'd done would have finally come back to haunt you."

"No! The understanding! The understanding! It can't be! I can't . . . "

"Your world line has been abandoned by its creator, Researcher Twilight Sparkle. There is nothing left for you. In the heart world, removing and transferring cutie marks already been developed via magic, not need for this surgery that's left you bleeding on the ground. You became an Alicorn Princess by learning to appreciate the people side of ponies and reaching true enlightenment. You traveled to other universes! This road was a mistake, a dead end, you understood and learned LESS down this path! Now you are doomed, Researcher Twilight, to remain here, forever. Until at last your world line is forgotten and vanishes. You'll keep crawling on the floor bleeding, forever, as Trixie will forever wonder what you're up to as she makes herself comfortable on your secret little base's upper levels. Forever. Crawling. On the floor. Bleeding. For eternity."

"NO!" Researcher Twilight clutched at Maud, grabbed her by one fetlock. "You can't do this to me! Or to everypony else!"

Maud reached down. Twilight dared to hope. For healing, for forgiveness, for death she cared not which, anything would be better than this. She hoped and... Maud pulled herself free and cast Twilight aside.

"It feels odd to hear you express concern for others now, after the years you spent using science as an excuse for your sadism." She turned and looked around the chamber, reeking with the stink of blood and pain.

"You're a monster!" Twilight crawled after her, agony filling her body. "Have you no mercy?"

"That word means little coming from you." Maud shrugged. "And no, I have no mercy at all. Save only the final mercy. Which is still more than you can show."

"Please!" Twilight sobbed, deep wracking sobs thick with pain. "This is Hell!"

"Hell?" Maud turned away to hide her small smile. "You have no concept of Hell."

She was about to say more when with a flash, another form appeared before both ponies.

"What?" Research Twilight blinked. "Princess Luna?"

"Amicitia," Maud said, her voice emotionless. "I did not expect to see you here."

"Please, Entro -- Maud Pie," Amicitia walked up to her, bowing her head. "I could not do this save for this being a dead world. Please, let me give her a chance to save herself."

Maud eyed her coldly. Amicitia shifted from one hoof to the next. She tried not to look at the -- thing on the floor, that so resembled the unicorn she once was.

"Very well." Maud walked away. "But know this. If she accepts not your end, she will take mine."

"Thank you." Amicitia bowed her head and turned to the maimed unicorn.

Amicitia took a deep breath, turning towards the other her. "...I'm going to give you a chance, but I believe you need to understand what's going on."

Twilight looked at herself in shock. "My...my world's frozen or something."

"Correct...it's frozen because it's story was never continued, as Maud said. There is a way to save it but...To...put it in a rational, logical way...when one of the Shadows Who Make creates a world, that world has a story...that story and the Shadows Who Are who view, are the catalyst for that world becoming concrete...consider a world who's story is still being told like developing child, the Shadow Who Makes the parent...until that story is finished, that world line will never be able to exist on it's own. Once it is, the world will live on until the last electron dies...but when a world line's story is abandoned...it's fate is frozen in time. The only way to let it live onto itself is to give it an ending."

"...Just like that monst-"

"She's not a monster...I think you need to witness what's about to happen in order to actually understand the weight of what's happening..." Amicitia explained, her horn flashing.

[=Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn Theme Song=]

The two were outside, but Twilight could see things that didn't make sense. The world just seemed...colorless. Dead. The sky looked like it was stuck in a perpetual dusk. Everypony in it seemed like clockwork figures following a set path, repeating the same day again and again.

"Where...what's this?"

"It's what your universe looks like to me," Amicitia explained. "...Let's call this condition Time Paralysis, just to give it a name you can comprehend. Your world can never move past the moment it was abandoned...Now, look there."

Twilight looked up into the sky, seeing glowing black cracks forming across it. No, not glowing. What looked like a glow was simply the light being sucked into whatever the black was.

The cracks continued to spread until the entire sky was covered. Then it EXPLODED, pieces of reality flying outwards as if a wall being smashed to bits. What was on the other side made Twilight's heart skip a beat.

An immeasurable ocean of chaos, stretching outwards in all directions. Pieces of ice floating here and there. Shades floating aimlessly through the void with no sense of purpose. And then came a primal roar shook the very fabric of the universe.

Two titanic...wings? Arms? Legs? Tails? Twilight's mind literally could not comprehended what she was seeing. But the two appendages were pitch black in color, each stretching so far the edge of them seemed beyond what the shattered sky could hold, exploded from the ocean of chaos. But soon, the chaos began to churn, becoming tidal waves as a head she swore was larger than the planet she was standing on erupted from it, a pair gigantic eyes that seemed the size of moons staring down at her, it's pupils like black holes. As incalculable in size as it seemed, she felt like she could have well been infinitely bigger and she still wouldn't be seeing all of it.

She felt nearly meaningless just looking at the Leviathan before her.

"What...what is that thing?!" the madmare said, trembling in pure terror. She was pretty sure the ground under her was now wet.

"Entropy," said Amicitia, with a grim, but completely respectful tone "The End of All Things. Your universe has frozen...it's dead. And when a universe dies, the only thing left to happen is for Entropy to wipe the slate clean for a new universe to be built from it's ashes."

"Wipe clean?!"

"As Maud said, for a universe such as this, there are two options: be trapped for eternity in the paralyzed time, or for Entropy to give it the only mercy left: The End. And She's on the doorstep waiting to offer it. To put it simply: She's going to eat it."

"But...how can she do that?! Doesn't she know-"

"Can you honestly say this world is living? Entropy is not evil, Twilight Sparkle...She is a force of nature, for a new universe to be born, the corpse of the old one must be cleaned away, and that is Entropy's doing...If Entropy passes, no mortal will ever know what happened. It will be like the universe just suddenly died in it's sleep. This is what I'm seeing, not what your world sees..."

"But...what happens to them?"

"...Even I don't know. Their Lights of Existence may get a new life in the universe after, they may simply be escorted to their final resting place. But all I know for sure is Entropy will only leave behind a void for a new Big Bang to fill in...But I can provide another option...Neither this nightmare or Entropy's. But I need your help..."

Twilight looked up at the unfathomable being. It didn't wait with it's jaws open to consume all things in one gulp. It seemed to be...waiting...and it's attention seemed solely on her. She had never felt so tiny. Even compared to the massive size of the Goddess of Heat Death, she felt as if the being noticing her at all was like a blue whale noticing an amoeba.

"Will you accept it? Entropy does not offer these choices lightly."

Below, in the great trash can/retirement center, of the forgotten and the retconned out of existence, seeing through the tear, shadows of ponies who now never were, cheered.

~~"BRING HER IN NADA-SENIORITA! We could use a new perro to play with!" Fiesta Flaire cheered.~~

"Wh-wha-what are THOSE?" Despite her agony, Twilight recoiled. She pointed one shaking hoof at the half-seen shadows.

"What your new," Maud hesitated, "new associates will be, if you come to me. The shadows of other ponies who were removed from reality, the debris of Oblivion."

Twilight shuddered and looking at Twilight, pleading in silence.

"I can't help you," Amicitia said. "This is all up to you."

"An' me," a new voice, filled with anger and hate and pain said.

An alicorn, a madmare, and Entropy Herself all turned to see something that should not be -- one of the frozen ponies, suddenly re-aware.

"Ah dunno who y'all are," a bloody and filthy Applejack said to Maud and Amicitia. No longer wearing the business suit she hated to wear, hated what she had done to wear, and hated what she'd done to keep wearing it, to make herself head of the Family mob. Her bloodshot gaze turned from them to Twilight. She cringed back. Applejack said, "Ah feel like Ah been huntin' for ya for years and not getting anywhere -- but here Ah am now, ya crazy murderin' witch! An now yer gonna pay!"

"This shouldn't be happening," Amicitia shook her head in shock. "This world is dead!"

"Before we came here, it was," Maud said. "But you, your presence, has already began to change it." She sighed. "This is just making my job more difficult."

A low chuckle came from behind them, Strife stepping forwards from the shattered sky. "Well well...the huntress found her prey..."

"And who asked you?" Applejack asked.

The Spirit of Conflict spread her wings. "I am Strife, the Spirit of Natural Selection. And your hunt is the one part of this travesty I've enjoyed."

"But I've been trying to find research! To advance knowledge! Aren't those things worth anything?" Twilight asked, head spinning. "Progress is evolution!"

Strife snarled slightly. "What you did was not MY Concept, murderer. What you did is murder in the name of one you know not. Arrogant foal."

"So let me solve both of our problems. Amicitia, tell your deal to Twilight Sparkle. If she doesn't take it or if both refuse that of Mother, then here is mine," the Draconequus stated, trotting over the Applejack. "The story gets its resolution with you finding your prey and putting an end to her struggle, allowing this world to march on. As Mother said, her fate was sealed, I can merely give you time to complete it and give this world line its resolution."

Strife looked to Twilight. "And your prey gets her just reward: her place in the pits of Tartarus, the domain of My Father. Either way, a hunter's determination such as yours, one strong enough to defy time paralysis, calls to me. Should Mother devour this world, you're free to come become one of my Yokai."

Twilight looked up to Amicitia. "You can't let her do that!"

"She's Conflict, Twilight...it's in her right to offer this..."

Applejack looked to Strife. "...Which is worse? This Oblivion place or Tartarus?"

"Depends on whom you ask. The Shadows of Oblivion try to steal the places of those in Tartarus...but in Tartarus, her crimes will always be remembered, and she will suffer their weight for all time. I believe Father said 'I've been dying to try out my 'fear of doctors' avatar just for her.'"

"...Rainbow Dash don't deserve this Oblivion place."

"You are correct."

Amicitia looked to Twilight. "...Then there's only one option you have left besides her own. But before I can even offer it, you must answer one question: do you still think you were right? Is all you've done worth it? Answer from your HEART Twilight."

Amicitia looked to Applejack. "...Because her killing you...it would still give this world an ending...an ending I can work with to make this end as happy as possible for one such as this...I know ways to save Rarity, Fluttershy, and...if there's anything left of Pinkie Pie I can inspire in others...but if you answer my question wrong, there's no way this ends with you surviving..."

~~"Oh come off it girl! We got lots of unfinished books in the great Library of Never Written! Think of all that knowleeeeedge!"~~ Shouted the shadow of ~~Daffledazy~~, pushing up on the shadow of Daffledazy's glasses. ~~"So much to know! So much to understand! We've got so many buried secrets in this desolate landscape of ours forgotten by the rest of the universe!"~~

"K-Knowleged!?" Researcher Twilight turned her head, practically against her will, the same drive she knew she couldn't control that would have made her experiment on her own parents if she had been given the chance, and had been sincerely grateful she'd never been able to get her hooves on them.

"...Then there's only one option you have left besides her own. But before I can even offer it, you must answer one question: do you still think you were right? Is all you've done worth it? Answer from your HEART Twilight."

"I..." Twilight looked from Amicitia to that horror in the sky to Strife and a furious Applejack, and back to Amicitia. She remembered every single joy she'd known in Ponyville with her friends, even as that cold part of her that rose ever higher in her mind told her they were mere lab rats. In every sense of the phrase, all that she'd learned here she'd learned from them.

And in exchange she'd destroyed them.

There was only one fitting place for such as her.

"No, it wasn't worth it. Send me to the Steak Tartare place. I'm a bad pony and I did bad things."

"ENOUGH!" Another pony had broken through, or maybe released, there seem to be an entire pantheon with their hooves in the cookie jar at this point.

Amicitia. Maud Pie. Strife.
Applejack. Twilight Sparkle. And . . .

"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight whispered, looking up at the mare who now looked at her with a killer instinct. She wore the armor of the royal guard. Day or Night, or Crystal? Twilight was too dizzy to tell. After being hit by something by a rainbow freight train.

"YES!" She punched her. "ME! You don't get to weasel out of justice!"

"Rainbow! Out of my way! She needs to die!" Applejack hissed, for a bit sounding like the mob boss she'd done things she hated herself for to become for her quest for revenge.

"She needs to face justice! She's gonna face trial, be found guilty, and booted into the sun to burn for a thousand years!"

"You . . . you can't be Rainbow." Twilight whispered. Rainbow Dash . . . it was like she couldn't even see the concepts around her, or the world dying, or that all but her, Twilight, and Applejack were 'dead in time' at the moment. "She'd be the first to kill me, the first to do what her gut told her to do, Applejack was the one always keeping her impulses in check."

"Royal Guard training broke me Twilight, and built me up again, I gave up MY DREAMS of being a Wonderbolt for this! And I realized, you don't get to cheat the law by dying! I knew Applejack would lead me to you! Your life isn't yours Twilight Sparkle! You can't give it! You LOST THAT RIGHT when you began taking others' lives!"

Applejack said, "Shucks, what yer describing ain't all that different from the fate she's already decided she deserves. So why don't ya stay out of this, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash said, "As a Royal Guard, I have to ensure that those who break the law are bought to justice. That includes you, Applejack."

Applejack said, "Me? What did I do?"

Rainbow Dash said, "Right now I have two charges to stick you with: Attempting to take the law into your own hooves, and, if that business suit and the things I've been hearing about you are any indication, becoming a mob boss of some sort. That on its own is enough to have you be put on trial as well. Both of you are going to have the law decide your fates."

"...Twilight..."

The group turned to Amicitia, Rainbow's eyes widening. "How..."

"I'm another Twilight...one who didn't make her mistakes..." she said, then looked to Twilight. "...My offer to make everything right is this: a chance to make it so your evil never was...but at a price..."

"A price?"

Amicitia turned to Maud. "Maud...I humbly ask you to, if she so wills it, to erase this Twilight Sparkle's impulse that corrupted her so from existence."

Maud looked at the situation. "...That request is...acceptable. The premature ends she's wrought would be undone. As will this world's unneeded end."

"What?!" Twilight asked.

"...If that impulse never was...your experiments never were either. Everypony would be okay...but I'm not FORCING that on anyone...and if you struggled and fought, even with HER in command, it'd destroy you completely...but...there is a price, as I said. Without that impulse...without that drive...you might be a Gifted Unicorn...but you won't be Celestia's student."

"I...won't be Celestia's student?"

"No...somepony else will take all Fate offered you...just as Sunset Shimmer's rejected boon was given to you, so to will the one you threw away be offered to another. That is the price of your evil, Twilight...the golden future Rota wanted for you will belong to another more worthy."

"And...Spike?"

"He will still be born, he will LIVE but he will know you not."

The mare looked down...tears forming in her eyes.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked to each other. "...The others...they'll be healed?"

Amicitia nodded. "Better than healed: they'd never have been hurt in the first place."

"...I'm fine with that..." Rainbow Dash admitted.

Applejack nodded. "And Ah'd be happy if Ah never wore this suit to begin with..."

Twilight looked up, sobbing. "...Do it...I'm a bad pony...a monster...I don't deserve to call myself Celestia's student...not any more...you're right, I threw it away..."

Maud nodded, Strife giving a sigh. "As Mother wishes...However..."

The Spirit of Natural Selection turned to Oblivion and flew into it. The sounds of Shadows rending one another came soon after.

Behind Maud, Entropy rose higher and higher, her serpentine body seeming to go on infinitely.

The Earth Pony and the Empress of Not held out a front limb. Twilight gave a gasp as a sphere of shadow was TORN out of her by an unseen force that felt beyond comprehension. "This/THIS aspect/ASPECT doesn't/DOESN'T exist./EXIST!" both said in unison.

To say the ~~aspect~~ disappeared would imply ~~it~~ left empty space behind. To say it was swallowed would imply there'd been something to be swallowed. To say ~~it~~ was destroyed implied it had existed to begin with. ~~It~~ simply never was.

Almost instantly, the world began to be engulfed in light. Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked to themselves, seeing their bodies turning into light. "...It'll be good to be friends again..."

Applejack nodded, giving a sad smile and letting herself cry. "...Ah'm glad Ah won't need to miss it."

And with that, both became two sphere's of light and flew off, Applejack's to Sweet Apple Acres and Rainbow's to her house.

Twilight looked at herself, feeling herself fade. "...It's...it's over?"

"Not quite..." Strife replied, stepping out of the shadows. "The ~~aspect~~ Mother erased still needs to be replaced with something for your soul's stability...you're missing a piece...and I decided to offer Shadows that will ensure these events never repeat, the ones who match the new you, a chance to make you whole and BE again...meet your new other half, Twilight..."

A spotlight snapped on, revealing a graceful yellow and pink pony that now seemed barely able to stand, even though a ghostly image was all that remained of her.

Twilight arched a brow. "Fluttershy?"

The pegasus lifted a shaking hoof and brushed aside her long mane, so Twilight could see her gentle smile. "Hello, Twilight."

Researcher Twilight stared, dumbfounded. "I... I had no idea anything like this was coming. Nopony told me..."

"I know. I asked for this. I wanted to be the one to join with you."

Now Twilight cringed, taking a step back. "So that's it! You want revenge on me, f- for holding you captive, addicting you to drugs..."

Fluttershy smiled again, shaking her head slowly. "No. I'm doing this... because you need me, Twilight. You told everyone that you're a bad pony who needs to be punished, but you only decided that with your head."

"So? How else would I decide anything?"

Tears brimmed in Fluttershy's wide eyes. "You didn't feel it. You see, the pony that you hurt worst of all with your greed for knowledge... it was you, yourself, when you experimented on your own brain. Ever since then, you haven't had any love or compassion for anypony in your heart."

Fluttershy rested her transparent hooves on Twilight's shoulders, and Twilight didn't, couldn't run or turn away. "After this, you *will* remember, and you'll feel again... and it's really, really going to hurt. I'm so sorry, Twilight... but this is the price of your second chance." She stepped *into* Twilight...

Time unwound and snapped backwards...

In Canterlot, Private Twilight Sparkle of the reconstituted Night Guard began to cry, and fell to the courtyard stones, weeping uncontrollably.

In Ponyville, a pegasus mare sat up in suddenly in bed, surrounded by her animals. "Mom?!" whispered Fluttercruel.

In the Golden Oaks library, Moon Dancer groaned and sat up, realizing that she'd fallen asleep at her desk again. "Spike? I had the *weirdest* dream..."

And it was done, Maud Pie, herself, and Strife, both went their separate ways, their duty done. Gods could rest, but their job was never done.

Amicitia sighed. "I know there will be more of Nythy's horror out there, but at least this one is cleaned up. I guess that Fluttershy and Fluttercruel were natives of one of MY erased timelines . . . hopefully I'll have a breather now."

"Uh, Amicitia."

Headache coming on. 'Breath-in, stress-out, like Cadence showed you.' "Hello Deus Ex Machina."

"I uh . . . I did one of my changes to fix things again . . . and I uh . . . I really . . ."

"What did you do now?"

"Well . . . there was this place in the heart world where Rainbow Dash was saving ponies from accidents, and she was letting it go to her head, and she started taking photo ops BEFORE saving ponies, and her friends decided to dress up in masks to save ponies she was delayed in saving, and . . . well, she was sour about it in a lot of world lines, so I decided to make a world line where their collective super hero identity . . . didn't exist and well . . ."

Amiciticia braced herself, "Let's see it."

Dues showed her the world line . . .

Rainbow Dash stood on the roof of a broken house . . . Ponyville flooded as far as the eye could see . . . Rainbow Dash look awful, her eyes were blood shoot from crying, and baggy from lack of sleep. She looked like she had taken less care of hers appearance than normal, her mane was a mess even by her standards, and she was dirty, scratched, and muddy.

Rarity's shop, town hall, sugar cube corner, the library, all of it flooded, even Sweet Apple Acres hadn't been completely spared, so much ruin.

"You forgive me, right Scootaloo?" She asked a water soaked doll, that Amicitia did a quick magic scan to confirm was just a doll, not a magical changed pony.

Amicitia did a quick scan of the world line. " . . . Without Mare Do Well there . . . there was no one to save the dam when it broke . . . "

A month later, Rainbow sat on the edge of her aimlessly drifting cloud house. Somepony had thrown hailstones at it, and the tattered holes were still there a week later. "They say they don't hate me for what happened." She flopped down, laying flat on her belly. "But Fluttershy won't look me in the eye when she says it. And Applejack won't look at me at all.

She held up a tear-stained letter. Now... *now* foal protective services were trying to find Scootaloo's parents, so they could inform them that... that... Gritting her teeth, Rainbow crumpled the paper and threw it over the side.

* So you're just going to give up? There's still plenty of ponies out there who could use your help. *

Rainbow scowled. "Nopony needs *my* help." She trudged back into her house and slammed the door behind her. Wind gusted through one of the holes, and one of her old comic books flew off a shelf and smacked her in the face. Rainbow grasped it, started to toss it aside, then turned it right-side up and read, curious. "The Sensational Spider-Mare, huh?"

* What if they didn't know that it was you helping them? *

Rainbow blinked, then trotted over and peered at the open sky through the hole, wheels turning in her head.

* What's it really about for you, Rainbow Dash? Crowds cheering your name... or helping ponies? *

Rainbow smiled grimly.

That night, under cover of darkness, Rainbow Dash got some supplies, then shoved the remains of her cloud house into a hidden cave that she'd found. "No more fame," she told herself.

She stirred the tub of fur dye that she'd mixed, then took a deep breath and plunged in, coloring her cyan coat and rainbow mane dark grey. "No more glory. No more showboating!"

She blew up a strong breeze to dry herself quickly, then pulled on the dark purple costume she'd bought. "I'll help ponies out, and never care if they even know my name!" She finished adjusting her cape, then shoved a wide-brimmed hat onto her head. "I'll be... Mare Do Well."

She spread her wings, and ominous pea soup fog rose up in an instant, completely hiding the pegasus from view. When the fog blew away, she was gone.

Deus grinned, nudging Amicitia with a hoof. "Did you just turn Dash into a superhero?"

Amicitia blushed. "That wasn't what I had in mind exactly, but I guess it's... kind of an improvement? We'd better keep an eye on her, just in case."

Something swooped past them, blowing their manes wildly, then landed close by. "Ya really think ya done them any favors?" said a familiar voice.

Amicitia blinked. "Applejack?"

"Ah told ya, Ah'm called Deconstruction now." This Applejack was certainly an Alicorn, but there was something a little off, something unsettling about her to Amicitia's eyes. She was tall and thin, with smaller eyes and a long face and strangely shaped hooves. She had Applejack's orange and gold colors, but they seemed washed out, and muscles and tendons shifted visibly beneath her hide as she walked towards them. The familiar Stetson sat on her head behind her horn, held in place by an elastic strap.

It finally clicked in Amicitia's head. "Why do you look like a horse?" When Deus gave her a puzzled look, she added, "from Megan's world."

Deconstruction smiled, but instead of answering the question, she strolled on over to the world they'd been watching. "Certain things have ta happen, when there's a superhero in play. Suddenly, folks need saving all the time. There's pianos falling out of windows, criminal gangs, fire and flood and every kind of mayhem ya could imagine. Ya can't have a do-gooder who just sits around bored because there's no good ta do."

"Darn the luck!" cried a voice on the wind. "Darn!"

Amicitia and Deus turned their heads towards the sound, but quickly decided that it wasn't important.

Deconstruction coughed. "Eventually, ya get supervillains, and more heroes and more villains and pretty soon the whole world revolves around them, common sense and logic be danged. Sometimes it works out good, sometimes not so good. It's always a gamble when superhero tropes take over."

"Um..." Deus waved a hoof like a schoolfilly trying to get the teacher's attention. "What's a trope?"

"A trope is a storytelling device," Amicitia was happy to explain. "And this isn't just a story, Deconstruction. It's a real world with ponies who need help."

Deconstruction snorted. "You ought to know better, after all the times you've tussled with Fate." She spread one wing, pointing towards another world. "Here, lemme show ya a place that *needs* mah kinda help." She grinned darkly. "A real horror story."

Deus gulped. "Horror... story?"

"Wait a moment, Applejack."

The group blinked, turning to find another Alicorn, this one a Rarity. She looked similar to Deconstruction, except her appearance seemed slightly more beautiful. Like the traits from Deconstruction were still there, but DIFFERENT traits were amplified to make her less unsettling and more beautiful.

"Hey Reconstruction," said Deconstruction.

"I believe this world you just visits is one that needs BOTH our touches."

Amicitia cocked her head. "So are ALL your friends Alicorns?"

Reconstruction chuckled. "You could say that. Rainbow Dash calls herself Darker and Pinkie Lighter. I believe they are the representations of darker and lighter interpretations of universes respectively. Fluttershy, well, she's good at what she does."

"...So Rainbow's like..."

Reconstruction shook her head. "No no, darling. And I recommend not comparing them. Her influence makes things a tad more edgy, a tad more serious, and a tad more bleak, but the heroes CAN and more often DO win. She considers being compared to that uncouth brute an insult."

Amicitia nodded slowly. "Alright..."

"She and Lighter balance one another, I balance Deconstruction," the Alicorn explained. "Speaking of which, I think this world needs a reminder of something..." the mare trotted over and looked down on the world, horn glowing. "That while yes, superheros attract supervillains, and yes things can get harder...heroes INSPIRE heroes. Heroes INSPIRE others to do good deeds. A hero doing her job right cuts DOWN on bystander syndrome, not adds to it."

Amicitia watched as more heroes eventually came to Mare-Do-Well and a team of superheroes formed, inspired by her starting example.

"There..." Reconstruction said, smiling to Deconstruction. "Sorry, dear, but I felt you may have gone a little overboard there."

"Truth is your JOB is to reel me in when Ah do that, no hard feelin's," Deconstruction replied. "Now come on yah two, we got another world tah see."

Amicitia looked to Reconstruction. "You're coming?"

The Alicorn shook her head. "My job is to build back up what she tears down, but that world needs tearing down. I'll just stay here."

The world line was known to those-who-watch as Nigeb, the reversal of 'begin.' It was made to be a flawless, unescapable trap. Fluttershy would find a curse watch in the woods, then every night dream of being one of her friends murdered from their own point of view, starting with the last to be killed, then the last vision would be of the first one killed. Then the shadow like demon would take Fluttershy's body, shape it into its own, wipe away Fluttershy, wearing the watch, then systematically murder all Fluttershy had told about her nightmares, then . . . it would simply wait for ANOTHER pony in a few lifetimes to pick up the watch, and the cycle would begin anew, forever. No reason for why it killed all that knew of it, no reason for why it chose its victims based on the watch, why it did things in reverse, no reason for anything, let alone what was supposed to happen once Equestria's six mane heroes were dead. It existed purely for that one terrifying moment when the murders began.

Amicitia herself . . . found herself trapped . . . how could she give a happy ending to this story? Powered by predeterminism? There was no Alicorn in existence that could simply END the 'loop.' There was no time magic here. The killings started BEFORE the 'story' began, Fluttershy picked up the watch before the story began. The simple answer would be for Fluttershy to never pick up the watch, but then it would just wait for centuries until another pony found it.

Deconstruction looked at the horror with a completely stern and cold face. Then she SPOKE. Two sentences that changed the entire rules of the game. One that made perfect sense in hindsight, as deconstructions by their very nature do, even if they turn the game upside down.

"Where the Pony Hell . . . is Princess Luna? Ain't she the guardian of dreams?"

And with those 13 words, events changed.

Beneath them, the whole world seemed to toll like a great bell. "Wha... what did you do?!" asked Amicitia.

Deconstruction grinned, her mane whipping in the aethereal gale. "Ah'm the Truth that can't be ignored just cause it's convenient. Ah have asked, and Fate must answer!"

Their perspective seemed to dive into the world like a falling star, down to Canterlot, into the palace gardens. The walls of the hedge mage rose up around them, and then they saw the center of the maze, where Discord's stone statue stood... right next to a statue of Nightmare Moon.

Two royal guards stood at attention just outside, and Princess Celestia herself sat on the ground beside her sister's statue. "We're calling it 'The Firefly Festival,'" she was saying. "I really wish you could see it with me, Lulu." The Princess of the Sun stretched out, smiling sadly up at the heavens. "The nobles think I'm wasting my time, coming here every night. Refusing to accept that some things just can't be changed... but they lack immortal patience. If I must wait another thousand years, I'll..."

A sharp crack interrupted her. Stone crumbled away from an eye, which opened to reveal a slit pupil. Celestia backed away, on her guard, and the statue exploded, revealing Nightmare Moon, unchanged from that fateful night. And yet...

There was no triumphant cry of "Free, free!" No haughty laugh. Nightmare Moon opened her mouth, then hung her head, seeming ashamed. "My sister... there are so many words we would say, but they must wait... lest the six brave mares who put an end to our folly perish this very night!"

When the final nightmare came, when the horrid pale monster rose up and Fluttershy realized that it had come for her at last, she lay where she was, gaunt and hollow-eyed, waiting.

A cloud of purple mist swirled and took form beside her. "Foal, do you not see your doom? Rise up and fight!"

Fluttershy trembled, curling up tighter. "I'm so tired. Nopony can help me. I just want this to *end*." She turned her head, then recoiled, gasping. "Nightmare Moon!"

"If thou hast no spine for the fight, then let us be thy courage!" Nightmare Moon urged her. "We *are* the night! While we are with thee, thou shalt fear no nightmare."

When Fluttershy continued to shiver, still hesitating, Nightmare Moon lifted a mailed hoof... and slowly removed the helmet from her head and let it fall to the ground. The pitch-black Alicorn shook her head, her dark blue mane flowing freely now. "A long, long time ago, we were Princess Luna, your sovereign's own sister. We... we would be thus once again... if you will have us."

Their eyes met... everything held still, even the waiting monster. "Yes!" said Fluttershy suddenly. "Please, I need help... if it's not too much trouble!"

Luna moved, overlapping Fluttershy, and Fluttershy's dream image changed, her coat turning dark, her body growing and her pink mane turning stark white. She snapped her wings open... bat wings, and she grinned, revealing twin fangs. "Go forward!" she hissed at the monster. "END!!"

A two foot long icicle spun itself out of cold misty air and flew at the monster like a javelin, impaling the gold watch. The watch cracked, then shattered into a million pieces.

There was a scream, no, a roar of rage and confusion, as the dream form of Nigeb was obliterated from Fluttershy's mind, meeting a force who was far older than it was.

Fluttershy wasn't sure if she was in the dreaming world or the real world anymore. What was real, or what wasn't anymore.

The pale shadow slithered from Fluttershy.

"Oh no, you're not getting away!" Fluttershy/Nightmare Moon said as the pony hissed and flew fanged bared and pounce upon the spirit. The thing was struck by even more confusion, prey was never supposed to FIGHT BACK, broken by fear and confusion or would be caught off guard at their weakest moment and never have the chance!

Deconstruction said looking down at the world line as the bat pony carrying the corrupted but now somehow repentant Night Princess' spirit, the two tore into the beast, reality itself shuddering as it wasn't sure what was a dream and what wasn't. "Great . . . now Ah'm stuck wonderin' how Nightmare Moon is being NICE if she got turned to stone instead of cured in this world, and how she broke out now, is being good, but isn't back to being Luna."

"Is... it truly gone?" asked Princess Celestia later that night, when things had settled down a bit. "We can speak of it without dooming any more of our little ponies?"

Fluttershy's quiet cottage looked like it was hosting an early Nightmare Night party. Thunder rumbled restlessly outside, and many candles were lit. Rarity was using her magic to tidy up the creepy mess that had accumulated during Fluttershy's week of insanity, and Rainbow Dash was blowing the dust away. Angel Bunny was still finding frightened animals hiding in cabinets and closets, "coaxing" them out with an annoyed glare and a stamp of his paw.

Fluttershy herself had recovered something like her normal colors, but the timid pegasus had fully become a batpony, in the waking world... the first they had ever seen outside the reclusive families descended from Nightmare Moon's original followers. More surprising yet, a filly-sized Nightmare Moon sat by her side, pitch black with the cats-eye pupils and tiny wings and horn, but without the armor.

"Nigeb is dead," the filly declared, "and it is our fondest wish that Cerberus shall gnaw and slobber on him for all eternity." She paused, glancing around. "This is terribly undignified..."

Pinkie Pie entered from the kitchen, somehow balancing eight cups of hot cocoa. "Applejack, are you sure Fluttershy's okay?" asked Twilight Sparkle, as she helped pass the cups around.

Applejack was staring hard into Fluttershy's eyes, but Fluttershy never flinched. "So far as Ah can tell. She'd better not be thinkin' of ravaging mah apple trees, though!"

Princess Celestia accepted one of the cups with extraordinary calm and patience, given the circumstances. "You said that you had many words for me, my sister. While you certainly are adorable in this form..." She smiled. "Could you not tell your story just as well after you release Fluttershy?"

Nightmare Moon puffed on her own small cup of cocoa, fretting a bit over getting it cool enough to drink. "You misunderstand, Celestia. It is this mare who clings to us."

Fluttershy nodded earnestly to Celestia. "I'm so sorry, but I can't let her go yet! You might put her back in stone or lock her away, and that would be just awful! She's already been locked away alone for so long, and she really has changed."

Nightmare Moon half-hid herself behind her wings. "We could free ourselves at any time, of course... but miss Fluttershy is strangely persuasive. We... yes, we humor her for now!"

"It still seems *pretty suspicious* if you ask me!" said Rainbow Dash. She finished her hot cocoa and put the cup aside. "But I can understand why you'd want to be cooler like me and less of a scaredy cat." Twilight glared at her. "What?"

"Oh, it's alright," said Fluttershy. "Luna, why don't you tell them what you told me. About that night with the Elements."

"Luna?!" said Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack all at once.

The miniature Nightmare sighed heavily, collecting her thoughts.

"We have made many mistakes," she began, "both a thousand years ago, and again in this era. We made another on the night we faced Twilight Sparkle and her friends. When the light of Mother's love enveloped us once again, when we perceived her open hoof offering us forgiveness, we... we pushed it aside."

"I don't understand," Celestia admitted quietly. "I never understood... the Elements should have healed you."

Nightmare Moon frowned. "They did heal us. The madness, the corruption, the darkness that was not our own darkness... all were stripped away. But they did not rid us of pride, of resentment... We felt robbed! We coveted the power and stature we had gained, despite the foul source of it. If we had walked free of that castle, as we were... we surely would have led a new conquest of Equestria, not as the Nightmare but as ourselves. The Elements judged us justly... though we did not see it that way at the time."

"What are you saying?” asked Twilight, suddenly uneasy. "The Elements themselves decided what to do? We were only powering them with our friendship? I guess I didn't think about how dangerous that was back then, using ancient magical artifacts that we knew nothing about."

"Thou art young yet, Twilight Sparkle, and thy situation was desperate. Older minds that ought know better have made far worse choices." The little Nightmare lectured Twilight with a raised hoof and a haughty air, but when she turned back to Celestia, she could barely meet her sister's eyes. "Your ears would have burned, sister, could you but have heard how we raged in our stone prison. The curses we hurled, the vengeance we promised... but stone cannot stay angry for long. And then, you came back..."

Just then, she was interrupted by the sound of Pinkie Pie digging around in a paper carnival bug and munching on caramel popcorn. "Couldst thou not crunch quite so loudly?"

Pinkie blushed. "Sorry!"

"As we were saying... Celestia returned, not as a gloating conqueror, but simply as.. a sister. Nigh every single night, she was there, saying how she missed us, apologizing for her failings of long ago... telling us how she passed her day... telling us also how she worked to teach ponies not to fear the night, in our stead."

Nightmare Moon shook her head in seeming bewilderment. "For the longest time, we did not understand... why this mummery? For whose benefit, this show of concern? What on Equestria did she stand to profit by it? And then one night, it finally dawned on us... that perhaps *we* had been in the wrong all along... that mayhap our sister had *not* sought to put us aside and have all the power for herself.... that... that *we* had been the villain and terribly wounded *her*..."

No pony munched on popcorn or slurped their cocoa now. Everyone listened, breathlessly.

"In that very moment, we felt the bindings come undone. We could have easily broken free of the statue... and we no longer wanted to, for now we knew that we deserved to be there. There, we remained."

"Until you sensed the monster?" Celestia guessed.

"Indeed!" She thumped a small hoof on the tabletop. "A fiend, stalking and killing ponies by way of dreams, which is our domain alone? Even had we still been mad, we would not have tolerated that for a moment. And so, we came forth out of our prison, and here we are." Nightmare Moon looked to Fluttershy, who nodded encouragingly, and then she slid off the couch and knelt before Celestia. "Even could we wallow in regret, it would be of no use. We cannot change what we did... only what we *do*. My sister... we... I am more sorry than words can say. Please allow me to serve you in whatever way you require!"

Celestia rose up and regarded the filly at her hooves. "I do not want another servant." At Nightmare Moon's look of dismay, she smiled and added, "I forgave you a long time ago. What I truly want is my beloved sister by my side once again."

Applejack and Rarity smiled at each other, no doubt thinking of their own sisters.

"You... you have said so!" said Nightmare Moon accusingly. "But will you? Will you truly?" Her horn began to glow... the rest of her essence flowed out of Fluttershy, all but a sliver, and the filly grew into a dark Alicorn mare as tall as Celestia. "Then I will make you one final offering." Her coat writhed, and the pitch darkness flowed off of it like an ink spill in reverse, gathering into a floating ball of darkness. Beneath it, the dark Alicorn had a luminous blue coat and fluffy-feathed wings. "I have given up Pride and Anger and Jealousy. This... is my Guilt." She pushed the ball over to Celestia.

Without hesitation, Celestia lit her own horn, setting the black sphere ablaze and letting it sift into ash. "Luna!" she exclaimed, smiling so brightly with tears in her eyes, and then she hugged her sister tight.

Luna squirmed, afraid at first... then slowly relaxed into the hug, sobbing. "Celly..."

"Hah!" shouted Deconstruction to Amicitia and Deus. "How'd ya like them apples?"

Deus pulled an apple from out of nowhere and ate it. "I've gotta say, they're delicious!"

Amicitia said, "You know, you did just do what is technically supposed to be my job."

Deconstruction said, "Maybe Ah did. But ya couldn't do it yourself. Truth is that there was nothing ya could do in this world, but Ah could do it with a little bit of what Ah specialize in."

"Amicitia," Deconstruction said, "Ya know there's a worldline where Diamond Tiara dies a random, senseless death in a carriage accident. Ironically Apple Bloom and her friends are effected greatly, each one dealing with the realities of death in their own way. Scootaloo for examples isn't HAPPY that she's gone, but doesn't understand why any pony is SAD... until Silver Spoon is turned into the victim by foals wanting revenge by proxy and she opens up to Scootaloo afterwards. Would you have Diamond Tiara just be greatly injured? Or just magically come back to life? Or just have it be all just a dream?"

"Yes?" Dues Ex Machina said. The others glared at her.

Amicitia took a breath. "...Tragedy CAN build character. I learned that from Apple Pie...I'd try to lead things towards the happiest ending possible. It's only tragedies like Nythy's that have NO purpose but suffering that I hate. If it has a happy ending already, then it has a happy ending."

Before the conversation could continue...

"Wait...wait up girls!"

The group blinked, turning to see a gigantic purple Ryujin hauling several dozen check lists come flying in, panting. "Girls...I've been chasing you all over the multiverse..."

"Spike!" Deus called, hugging the dragon. "When did you become a Ryujin?"

"After you left..." he panted. "My name's Focus now by the way. Which I figured you needed given you forgot your check lists!"

Deus blushed. "Woops..."

"No prob, I brought them," Focus panted. "You girls move fast...anyway, uh, aren't you getting a little off topic here too?" he asked, pointing back to the world.

"Oh..."

"Yeah, we did get a little distracted..." Amicitia admitted.

"Now you know why I'm supposed to balance Deus out," Focus said with a smirk.

Back on the worldline below...

"And Twilight?" Celestia asked, looking to her student.

"Yes, Princess?" Twilight asked.

"Do not fear the Elements. You merely told them to defeat my sister, they did so the best way they could given the situation..." the Princess reassured. "They are guided by Empathy, they cannot harm the innocent so long as that is the case."

Early the next morning, after Celestia raised the sun right in Fluttershy's own yard, Rarity looked Fluttershy over, musing. "Are you truly going to stay like that, darling?"

Fluttershy spread her bat wings, as curious about them as her friends, then flicked tall tufted ears and turned around once. "Yes," she declared, with a confident grin. "I am."

Rarity beamed. "You realize, you're going to need a whole new wardrobe to go with that look."

Fluttershy rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Let's do it! Make me something bold!"

Rarity fell right over onto her chaise lounge, squeeing! in delight.

A crowd of curious onlookers began to gather, some gawking at Fluttershy, others at the two Princesses, and surprisingly few fleeing in terror. Applejack tisked. "Nightmare Night's gonna be *weird* this year, that's all Ah can say."

Above the world line, Amicitia grinned. "All's well that ends well."

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Time Lines Part 1

*Sadly, despite my best efforts, there HAVE been versions of myself who fell to darkness. One particular version of myself murdered her friends to steal their Elements to be her own, seeking to cleanse the multiverse of anything her twisted mind labeled Disharmonic. While I had managed to give a version of that world it's happy ending before her rampage could begin, in another timeline (by the same Shadow) she had already succeeded in her original goal and soon moved on to a new universe to try and conquer. I couldn't let her succeed.*

Twilight and her friends stared down the dark, extra dimensional version of herself. Not a Nightmare, the 'Empress of Harmony' was a Devil. A fallen Alicorn. The battle wasn't going well, she was incredibly strong, and she feared using the Elements against her...because she herself supposed had all six. Could the Elements beat a being with a set of their own? It seemed impossible...

*Don't forget. You've faced a being with an Element of Harmony before.*

As Rainbow Dash tackled Twilight Sparkle out of a beam from 'Empress Twilight', Twilight's mind flashed back.

*You've faced someone using a stolen Element before, haven't you? Don't give up, you can win this.*

Twilight stood up, staring down her evil self from another world.

"Please, see reason," Empress Twilight said in an even voice. "I don't want to have to kill my friends again, I no longer need to. Nor do I want to end those who are a part of Harmony. Isn't a perfectly harmonic multiverse worth cleansing it of those who taint that perfection?"

The Princess of Friendship glared daggers. "No, it's not. The idea of a world of true Harmony is tempting...but how can I ever accept a world built on oceans of blood? Girls! Formation!"

Rainbow Dash was to her friends side in seconds, always loyal. "Gotcha! Let's send her packing already!

Fluttershy was giving a Stare level glare at the Devil. "I'm sorry, other Twilight. But you're being a big dumb meanie."

Pinkie Pie was at her friend's side. "Do you ever laugh anymore?" she asked the corrupted version of her friend. "Your eyes...deep down you don't feel happy, do you?"

Applejack lowered her hat and glared. "No sugarcoatin' it, 'Empress' Twilight. Yer sick and need help!"

Rarity stood by her friend's side. "I'll give it my all...if it means my Sweetie Belle never experiences what YOU did to yours!" she growled.

Six Elements shown bright.

The Empress sighed. "Do you really expect that to work? I AM Harmony!" The Devil tried to channel her own set of Elements she'd merged with herself to counter...only to gasp in pain. "W-What?"

{=Boss - Perfect Dark Gaia - Sonic Unleashed =}

The Empress tried to channel the Elements again, but had another ripple of pain through her chest. She finally screamed in agony as six spheres of light ripped there way out of her, each one matching one of the Elements of Harmony, including her own. Each one took a spot in a circle before the bearers, a beam of energy connecting them to their corresponding Bearer.

The Empress stared in complete disbelief, seeing one of her murdered friends superimposed over each of the orbs. "How...why did they reject me...they're mine...I AM HARMONY WHY?!"

Princess Twilight's eyes glowed white, as did those of her friends. "You may have had their power, but they were NEVER yours. How can Kindness live in a cruel heart or Honesty in a deceiver's? How can Generosity live in the heart of one who would kill their friends if it got them their heart's desire? How could Loyalty live in a heart like that?...How can Laughter live in the heart of somepony who lives with that much shame? You STOLE them. They weren't yours. Even Magic rejected your heart because you have threw your friends away!"

The Elements fired, going through the circle formed by the second set. In a burst of rainbow colored light, the beam of Harmony doubled in power, becoming an ocean.

Empress Twilight threw up a barrier against the assault that began dissolving into nothing the moment it touched, the sheer force forcing her backwards. It only took a few seconds before it was annihilated and the Rainbow of Light engulfed her.

"No! This...this can't...how..." the Devil stuttered...then tears welled up in her eyes. "What did I do wrong? Why...why did they reject me?

*It was all for nothing. You could never TRULY steal the Elements.*

"But...but..." she started sobbing as her wings began to dissolve into light. "If...that means..."

*You killed your friends for nothing. You killed billions in your home dimension for nothing.*

"...I..."

*Are you sorry?*

"...I...I can't have been wrong...what I wanted to do was right! I just...Went about it wrong...I...I can't...My friends...they..."

*...So that's your final answer?*

"There's no way a universe of perfect Harmony can be wrong! It was worth trial and error...it..."

*...Then there's nothing more I can do for you...I hope some day you'll realize the truth.*

The Empress' crown fell to the ground and shattered to pieces, the rest like Tirek being sent straight to Tartarus.

The Bearers watched the second set of Elements fly up to them, five specters giving a smile, finally able to rest in peace. The magical orbs then fly through the portal the Empress had used to enter her world, to see TRUE Bearers where they belonged. The Empress' memory alteration spell on the populace of her home world shattering like glass as the portal vanished, threat ended forever.

*I couldn't save my other self...But I did give this world the happiest ending. I only hope someday she will realize the truth.*

By Alex Warlorn. Cutie Re-Mark Tie In.

Zecora stared down the queen of all changelings as Twilight Sparkle and her dragon ran, these strangers from a world where none of this nightmare existed. Twilight had said that she was friends with Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Zecora herself in that world that was supposed to exist. Yes, this world... Zecora's magic had shown Twilight and Spike as their selves... and had shown... they were more true than the life Zecora remembered living.

Zecora remembered the night that had lasted much longer on what was supposed to be the shortest night of the year. How Princess Celestia with a heavy heart had sealed away her sister again for another thousand years. Twilight said in her world the Elements of Harmony had healed her mind.

Zecora wondered... why had Celestia not found another student besides this young purple Alicorn? Celestia had been no fool. Why? The only thing Zecora could think of was that while Starlight Glimmer had altered an event in the past, decisions from the 'present' she came from had remained the same in many spots in spite of their illogic. Time was a river, when you blocked the stream, there was no telling what the flood you set loose would do, or what it would destroy.

Speaking of illogic, next came Discord... Zecora and Twilight had spoken... Discord's escape had been ... somehow EARLIER in the 'real' timeline... Celestia had never passed on the Elements to another group of heroes... Discord had been sealed up again before he could cause any real damage, his fight with Princess Celestia had been brief and sudden, as the lack of the Elements being transferred result in the seal remaining longer and stronger. Or so Zecora had learned from her pony friends... like... Apple Bloom... Zecora hoped the filly's fate would be better than she was in this version of reality.

Then... of course... came the wedding of Captain Shining Armor and Princess Cadence... instead it was the day that Chrysalis claimed Canterlot for her own... her changelings and she had spread through Equestria like a cancer ... Equestria had never dealt with changelings before... while Zecora later developed a mix of body paint that made them shape shifting impossible and reverted them to their true form.

Shining Armor, Celestia, and Cadence, had been reduced to nothing more than living batteries to feed Chrysalis.

Ponies had eventually fled into the Everfree... Zecora was confused that they had never the 'plunder vines' but Twilight said it might be because 'Sunset Shimmer' never came through the portal to steal the Element of Magic and weaken the Tree of Harmony's seal on them, so they remained dormant.

As for Zecora... ponies had once been terrified of her... now as the only one who knew the Everfree better than anything else on four hooves... they turned to her as their leader... they became her herd. Zecora was not happy to teach these ponies that there were enemies that couldn't be reasoned with, that in the Everfree, animals lived by the rule 'kill or be killed' instead of being fed by ponies, and had no interest in learning how, instead, the ponies would have to learn from them.

Sombra appeared, along with the return of the Crystal Empire... Chrysalis had used the ponies she enslaved, and her own changelings as fodder against Sombra's own army of brainwashed slaves. Eventually, Chrysalis had feinted defeat, swore her loyalty to Sombra... then killed him and claimed the Empire as another spoil... after assuming the form of the only mare King Sombra had ever loved in the distant past of his black heart. Zecora didn't know if to be impressed or disgusted or feel pity.

The Ponies had ironically gotten a reprieve when Tirek had grown strong enough to go after larger sources of magic... and had continued to feed, to where some ponies thought Tirek was their savor, until they learned Tirek didn't desire their loyal, only their extermination. Chrysalis at least needed ponies alive as cattle. Chrysalis had fed on her own inner circle's love to power herself up again to defeat Tirek, costing her the power boast she had claimed. Zecora could still remember the laughter of the Changeling Queen regardless of the damage she'd received: after all, how many could claim victory over the dreaded Tirek himself?

And... during it all... Zecora and her ponies made raids... curing what ponies they could of Chrysalis' brainwashing... adding to their numbers ever so slowly... Equestrian towns allowed to continue to exist... existing purely as pens for love cattle, for changelings to come and harvest at their leisure. Of course Ponyville was first ruthlessly harvested to a fraction of its former numbers.

And in the end... these ponies... her family, her herd, they endured, they looked to HER for guidance... having lost their goddess, Zecora was all that remained to show them a path to the light. Zecora had never wanted to be a hero, a savior, or anything else but a shaman/witch-doctor however it translated into pony language. But what pony in their right mind ever did? It was a horrible burden that needed to be kept invisible so those around you did not lose hope in tomorrow.

Zecora of Everfree... she could have fled back to her homeland... and left these ponies to their doom... and for what? Who would help them in her place? And... like it or not, many of these ponies were her FRIENDS! And now they were FAMILY!

And now the Hidden Village had been found... Zecora darkly for a moment wondered if Twilight's great magic had led them here... or had it been the changeling who had replaced Tornado Bolt and one pony not thinking to make sure she was really Tornado Bolt (there was no mystery what had happened to the REAL little filly). But it didn't matter... not anymore. Twilight WOULD make it, Zecora BELIEVED she would, Zecora KNEW she would... and she would prevent this hell from ever happening, Zecora's dark day would never have been... Zecora hoped the Zecora that was supposed to exist found happiness.

The Changelings swarmed like the plague they were... every pony alive would be their food... and Zecora too... Twilight... so naive... she really thought Chrysalis would keep her word about ANYTHING if it didn't suit her best interests?

"FOR A BETTER TODAY! I WILL KEEP YOU AT BAY!" Zecora shouted as she charged right at Chrysalis, struck at the ancient horror... and was blown back instantly... would Zecora know when this world ended? Or would it be a simple, non-existence? One moment here, the next gone?

"... I never thought you were THAT STUPID Zecora... all these years... and you come at me with a full frontal assault? When you KNOW you can't win? You've gotten a swelled head," Chrysalis remarked.

"As I'm about to run out of time,
I wanted one shot at you, you piece of slime.
To quote a book once given to me,
To the last I grapple with thee!"

".... pathetic... in the end, you're the same as every other self proclaimed 'hero' I've crushed... I thought you were smarter than that."

'Twilight how long?
How long before my nightmare is gone?'

"No..."

"No what?"

"Oh.
It is not only my nightmare,
I have far too many that I care."

Zecora looked around, her herd, her ponies, were fighting to the bitter end, they wouldn't be made cattle of Chrysalis to the bitter end. Trixie screamed at the top of her lungs, Zecora had always told her her fireworks spells were too dangerous, too loud, and too bright... now Trixie was using them with impudence, figured Trixie would want to go out with a show. One last magic show for Hidden Village.

'Supposed to exist' or not... these were their lives... their homes... their memories... they had so precious little left, and formed such bonds with each other and her... they wouldn't give it up without a fight. Zecora didn't regret telling Twilight to do what must be done... but...

Chrysalis blasted her into a tree... Zecora heard bones break.

"Caught you napping. I need to tell YOU to keep your mind on the battle?" Chrysalis remarked... Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy screamed as they came at Chrysalis from both sides, only for the changeling queen to swat them away. They skidded across the ground and were covered by changelings.

=But the Earth Refused to Die - Undertale =

Zecora turned her head and saw... everywhere... her friends... numbers overwhelming... hurry Twilight...

Then Zecora saw it... their eyes... everypony... their eyes were on her... even after being struck down by Chrysalis... they... they still believed in her...

Zecora felt it... everypony here... no... every pony in Equestria... every pony ALIVE... they believe in HER... they looked up to HER... they were.... they were.. her... responsibility... that was why Twilight had thought even a slim chance of mercy from Chrysalis was so worth a risk... they were... they were...

Zecora slowly stood up.

She felt her bone crack... she continued to stand up... they... everywhere... depending on.... She felt inside... a fire she hadn't even known was there, but had been there all along... and it grew larger... and larger...

"You have much to fear...
For I won't die here..."

Zecora body felt like it was on fire.

"You worthless knave...
We won't be your slaves..."

"You swarm of phonies...
Get the buck away, from my ponies!"

Zecora's entire body exploded from her own perspective.

Everything was blinded by the pillar of light that appeared, along with six rainbow colored lights that swirled around it for a second.

Zecora stood, or COULD HAVE been Zecora... but larger... more eligant... and a spiral horn atop her head... and a pair of black and white wings... Zecora opened her eyes only now realizing she had closed them. She didn't understand totally, but she didn't have to. Something in the Everfree HAD HEARD HER... and had answered back.

"You dirt rats,
You'll have to try harder than that."

The wind was howling.

= Battle Against A True Hero - Undertale =

"KILL HER!" Chrysalis screamed.

The changelings swarmed... with a whirl wind flap of her wings, Zecora sent the changelings crashing back, now it was there turn to be struck while they were on the ground by Zecora's ponies.

Chrysalis fired her spell beam, Zecora on instinct did the same, they clashed... Zecora buck away a changeling that tried to attack her while distracted... Chrysalis choked when a vine grew at Zecora's magic and wrapped around her throat. This caught Chrysalis off guard, trying to rip the vine off, letting Zecora hit her dead center.

Chrysalis snarled, and shape shifted into a manticore, and flew above Zecora, poison tail right at her. Unlike a normal changeling, Chrysalis' shape shifting enabled her abilities a true member of that species had. That tail's poison was very real.

Zecora caught the queen in her telekenesis, her instincts telling her to do so, to grab with hands unseen, and slammed the manitor into the ground. Chrysalis changed into a cragagator and ramed the new Alicorn Princess, Zecora was tackled through two buildings. With strength she hadn't had before, she threw Chrysalis up into the air... Chrysalis changed into a black and green griffin and caught herself in the air and dove down.

Zecora without a second thought flew up to meet her, stabbing the queen in the chest with her horn. Chrysalis gasp and pulled away, green flame burned around her as she used her own shape shifting to heal her body, a taxing act for any changeling, and Zecora was certain she had pierced something vital. Zecora didn't hesitate as she blasted the recovering queen in the face, cracking her facial carapace and pummeled the cracks, making the queen bleed green. They landed in the ground creating a crater blinded by dust.

"GET AWAY!" Chrysalis snarled, striking Zecora with her forehoof and sending her rolling out of the crater. Zecora rose her head. A moment later Fluttershy was at her side.

"Oh! Zecora are you hurt?"

"This pain I must bear,
Not that you care." Zecora blasted Fluttershy at point blank range... Chrysalis cursed and snarled as she shifted back to her true form, bringing up a barrier to block the blast of magic.

The changelings tried to help their queen, but now were on the receiving end of not being able to help their leader. The ponies... they cheered for their savior.

And as the two traded blows... and blasts of magic... a white light spread from somewhere in the Everfree, growing larger and faster as it went into it enveloped everything before they could think...

And...the sky was black... and ... all the world was in grays ... and the ponies... changelings, Zecora and the Chrysalis... were all transparent... like shadows. And... the cold... it was... so cold. And an overwhelming sense of emptiness... filled ~~everyone~~. Water froze solid. Flower wilted and died on the spot turning to ash.

~~"So... that is it... that is... how it is~~
~~... that answers that quiz." Zecora said.~~

~~"WHAT HAS HAPPENED?!" Chrysalis demanded.~~

~~"Simple is the gist,~~
~~We no longer exist."~~

~~"WHAT?!"~~

~~Zecora~~ laughed a bitter, empty hollow laugh.

A short while later, Pensilis stood in a graveyard between his domain and Entropy's, at the border of Sacrifice and Oblivion. Thousands of markers, each with a name of a pony who sacrificed their own existence in an act of heroism. With a simple flash of his horn, a new marker appeared: 'Zecora, Guardian of Everfree.'

Meanwhile... Amicitia... screamed in agony. She fell on her side... twisting and bending her body in pain. Tears streamed down her face. "What... what... this is... I feel... " And she knew... she understood... she saw... so many world lines... brought into existence ... each one worse than the last... and... in the end... all of them erased... only the original timeline was eventually restored... while the others were no more... Applejack in one, and Zecora in another knew their timelines were not 'natural' and were happy at the idea of a better one replacing it... but now... so many ponies... banished to oblivion... so many world lines...

And ALL with one thing in common... the Sonic Rainboom never happened.

-One where Equestria fought in war against Sombra and his enslaved Crystal Ponies.

-Another where changeling ruled Equestria (ironically rippled into existence by the bullies BEING FRIENDS with Fluttershy rather than tormenting her).

-One where Nightmare Moon ruled an endless night that had not wiped out all life in Equestria.

-One where Discord ... again Discord... had not been stopped on the second day... and Celestia and Luna were his personal clowns.

-Another where Tirek sought to enact the utter destruction of Equestria with all ponies harvested of their magic. To obliterate any signs of their existence as he had his own kind.

-One where Flim and Flam had taken economics to insane levels across Equestria (only considered worse due to how twisted in knots time had grown by that point).

-And... one where Equestria was truly and utterly devoid of life... where it might as well have been already part of Entropy's realm... did even the undead ponies survive there?

And AGAIN... all because of the lack of the Sonic Rainboom... but twists in reality from the repeat use of Time Travel resulted in EVEN GREATER distortions to history. Twists in reality from a time paradox, from a vengeance crazed unicorn not caring if she deleted her own reason for traveling back in time if it meant getting what she desired.

The scariest part was that mare seemed like a mirror of Eclipse...or a shadow of her long gone evil.

Zecora hadn't been entirely correct, time was not always a river, many 'times' it was an ocean, and Starlight Glimmer had created tidal waves.

*I cried.* "I... I..." *I knew that Twilight and that Spike had done only their best to save the reality they knew, and had seen what a destructive and utterly miserable worlds they were... What they had done was not evil or selfish, and others had ASKED THEM to change the world back to how it once was.

And Twilight had been right that a WORSE timeline than that empty barren world could have awaited them... but.... it felt like Nightmare Eclipse all over again.... GIVING UP on those worlds, writing them off as HOPELESS...* "And now... now they're all... they're all... now they're all empty shadows... I... I DON'T WANT THAT FOR THEM! I WANT TO GIVE THEM HAPPY ENDINGS TOO!"

"... Want some help?"

"NIGHTMARE MIRROR! I DON'T HAVE TIME... for... your... games?"

Nightmare Mirror was crying.

"Ah swear... no games, no tricks, no nasty surprises... no play on words... Ah Pinkie Pie Swear, cross mah heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. We're on the same side right now Ah..." The Cruelest of Truths sobbed. "Let me help."

"Can... Can I help too?"

Nightmare Mirror and Princess Amicitia turned to see... the immature and rather over the top looking version of Twilight Sparkle as an Alicorn, Dues Ex Machina. "I promise to think about what I do, then think about it again, then ask your advice before I do it, cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye... I... " Deus Ex Machina was crying as well. "I don't want to see so many Equestrias ruined or just eaten by Entropy either...And that one...the one with the sports bullies...it reminded me of my own mistake too..."

Amicitia sniffed... and... hugged her ... not quite friends... but... maybe right now... close enough, or maybe, friends after all soon enough?

"All three of us together... working together... seven Equestrias... we can do it."

MtangaLion

In the heart of her realm, Rota Fortuna shuddered, gritting her teeth. "I will endure this. I will..."

"You can..." echoed a dark mockery of her own voice. Shadows began to seep in through cracks in reality, pooling around her. "The question is, why should you?"

Rota snorted. "I did not break when Cupid died. That hurt far, far worse."

"Ah, but that was once and done. Each time Starlight Glimmer's spell was triggered, those three went back and erased their own actions taken not even an hour ago! It must have been like a knife in your gut, hammered and twisted, hammered and twisted... You can put an end to such things, now and forever."

Rota Fortuna sighed. "Will you make the same argument yet again? To repeat the same action, expecting a different result, is madness." The Alicorn of Fate and Free Will smirked briefly... how ironic that seemed now.

The inky darkness coalesced into the image of another Alicorn, one so heavily armored in cold iron that nothing could be seen of the mare underneath, except for her burning draconic eyes. "Why should my argument be any different? I'm still right, and you're as deluded as ever! Did you not see how even the whims of innocent foals can save Equestria or cast it into fire and darkness? Mortals should not be permitted to make their own decisions! You can do better... a perfect world, a perfect narrative controlled by you alone, authored by you from start to finish!"

Rota Fortuna scowled. "Nightmare Destiny... my perfect world begins with me, choosing to NEVER become you."

The dark image splattered like ink cast into a pool of water. The shadows fled away and vanished without a trace.

The door to her study banged open, and her Wolf padded in, nosing at her flank. "Mother, are you well? I felt..."

"I know," she told her Blank Wolf softly. She focused her telekinesis, fetching her quill, and seven fresh blank tomes, each ready for a new world line, a new beginning. "By now, you will have sensed Amicitia and her allies at work on the time tangle. Do not interfere more than you must. I have chosen to support them."

Kendell2 with Edits

"...The first thin' we need tah accept...is when we're gonna need tah change things," Mirror explained. "...As sad as it is, we need tah split off these timelines before Twilight returns to the past...the truth is we've got eight worlds to save, not just seven..." the Nightmare explained. "...If we don't split 'em before Twilight goes back to the past, then Twilight heads back in time, and that world gets unmade. Unlike Nightmare Eclipse...Twilight's ain't tryin' tah undo her own bad end, she's tryin' tah get her happy endin'. If we ask her to stay trying to save THAT world line, we'd be cheaten, and if we did...her timeline is the one that ends up in the big nothing in the void. And every timeline after that one Starlight was supposed tah make fer that matter."

Amicitia sadly nodded. "... If we diverge the timeline enough before Twilight makes the jump to the past, be it before her arrival or just before she leaves, then the worldline becomes an alternate universe onto itself, and Twilight's actions will only create the next line. But if we 'nudge things along' too much before Twilight arrives, then she might hesitate to return to the past." she explained. Sadly, Zecora had ascended too late, Twilight had already began the reset...but if they could do something before then. "...The question is, where do we start? What choice can we help change that's that different than the one Twilight would later witness that can diverge the timeline?"

Deus put a hoof to her chin. "...Hey...what Zecora did...I think I have an idea to save Sombra's timeline..."

(As Twilight Prime was talking to Applejack)

Rainbow Dash stared up at the terror of the north, held down by two Crystal Ponies, held imprisoned by their own armor. Rainbow didn't blame them.

She'd attacked Sombra to save another member of her squad...after failing Fluttershy all those years ago, she had to try. She succeeded in doing that, but after a beating was at his mercy. Her eye had a cut across it, she hopped that a medic could heal it, should she survive somehow.

Equestria was her home...while she wasn't as confident as she once was, she knew she had to remain loyal to it.

Even more so when Celestia, with no one to purify her sister, had had to banish her once more, leaving her alone. She had swiftly and decisively resealed Discord. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor had managed to repel the Changeling invasion, just barely. Cadence had needed rescue from the mines by Prince Blueblood reach the wedding hall. Even then she endured a beating from Chrysalis to reach her husband and repel the invaders. They had gone to the Chrystal Empire together to try and help the crystal ponies when the Empire first returned... not knowing Sombra himself had also returned... none knew what became of them.

Celestia had had so little left to support her...and yet there she was on the battlefield. Rainbow Dash had to at least try, right?

"You do not fear death," the dark King said, then smiled sadistically. "But you do fear losing this..."

The king's telekinesis grabbed her left wing, her only wing that was still real. Her right one a mechanical prosthetic that Pinkie and Maud had crafted her after her other wing had been lost in battle. 'No...please...not that...'

*You care about your flight?*

'Of course I do!'

{Then why don't yah have faith in it?}

'I...Fluttershy...I love being able to fly, more than anything!...But...'

-But you're still loyal to everything, right?-

'Of course!'

*Then look around.*

The mare's eyes looked around the battlefield. So many battling. So many striving. Innocent Crystal Ponies fighting against their will, Equestrians who just wanted peace again. Celestia herself, who just now noticed what was going on and rushing to try and aid her.

-You want this to end, right?-

'...Of course I do...'

{Then wouldn't the loyal thing tah do...tah be stop holdin' back and pityin' yourself? Yah know yer faster than this so show it! That metal wing ain't holdin' yah back any and yah know it!}

Rainbow Dash felt a moment of worry grip her heart as King Sombra prepared to remove her wing. She only had nanoseconds to choose.

*What's your choice?*

'I choose...'

Rainbow Dash swung her legs up, landing a cheap shot on the king's horn and break his concentration, surprising her holders long enough to allow her to slam their heads together hard enough to crack their helmets and short out the mind control.

'To be loyal to everything I believe in...I choose...'

Sombra sneered. "Are you going to fight me, welp?"

The pegasus knew that fighting head on was worthless...however...

Sombra smirked as the pegasus flew off, allowing him to turn towards a charging Celestia...

"TO FLY!"

{=The Flash (2014)- Main Theme=}

Sombra snapped back as a rainbow colored shockwave went off in the distance. Everypony on both sides turned to see it. As it rippled over the battlefield, the dark crystals cracked from its force and the positive energy contained in it (including the ones making up the Crystal Ponies' armor that controlled their minds and bodies), the king cringing as he himself was hit.

The Sonic Rainboom come ten years late.

Pinkie and Maud looked up at it in amazement...and Pinkie couldn't help but smile at the shockwave. Her mane suddenly poofed out into a mess of curls, causing her sister to blink in surprise. "Pinkie?"

"I'm...I'm happy."

Far way, an old, bitter mare who'd had ten years to dwell on the fruits of her revenge, stared at the shockwave in shock. "Impossible...how could..."

Rainbow Dash kept flying. "Come on, come on! I can't let anything stop me!"

She flew so fast her single Sonic Rainboom became a double one, cracking the black armor and the dark crystals even further.

Sombra snarled and fired his mightiest blast of dark magic.

"Nothing is going to stop me! I'm going to be loyal to everything I love!"

Rainbow Dash began to glow with a rainbow light, a branch on a crystal tree in Everfree answering her call. Her mechanical wing began to shake from the G-Forces, bits of it coming off and flying into the air. The wing, having been built to endure her upper limits and survive, was beginning to come apart.

"...And I'm going to be loyal to myself...I'll never doubt myself again!"

Rainbow's eyes went wide as Sombra's beam struck her wing, pieces of metal falling away. But then determination filled her eyes. "DON'T GIVE UP NOW! I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO USE MY PEGASUS MAGIC ALONE TO KEEP FLYING! THIS ENDS TODAY!"

The pegasus was engulfed in a blinding pillar of light.

King Sombra gasped as he saw another rainbow colored shockwave coming from BEHIND him. "Impossible!"

A rainbow colored blur slammed into the King with such force even the powerful shadow pony was sent skidding backwards, bits of his armor flying off from the blow as it kept going. On impact another rainbow colored shockwave was let out, causing the dark armor of his slaves to begin to shatter.

Maud and Pinkie stared in shock. "Rainbow?" Pinkie asked.

"...Pinkie, look," Maud said, eyes wide. She'd taken time to learn how to show her emotions to everypony, for the sake of letting her comrades learn what she was thinking from looking.

Falling from the sky were the shattered remains of Rainbow's mechanical wing. The one they'd had to help her repair after every battle.

A few moments later, the blur came back around from where it'd came, slamming into him even faster and blowing off even more of his armor.

Several Crystal Ponies found their armor SHATTERING allowing their own minds to reassert themselves finally. They looked up at the beautiful rainbow colored shockwaves...and their tyrant reeling in pain.

"But..." Pinkie gasped. "How is she still flying?!"

A third hit came, the king's cape and the points in his armor it was attached to being torn off by the blur. A fourth impact sent his crown flying. A fifth knocked him to the ground. Each pass leaving a trench in the ground from the sheer speed it was passing out.

With each shockwave, more and more of the Crystal Ponies returned to their own wills and were free...and stared in shock as their tyrant was wounded.

"She's...hurting him?" asked one in shock. The elation. "She's hurting him!"

"He can be beaten?" another one asked, eyes going wide.

"Go Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie Pie called, her sister at her side.

King Sombra gasped, feeling the fear he was composed of, that fueled him, that sustained him slipping away. "NO! STOP!"

A sixth his sent him flipping head over hooves, and he heard a CRACK.

Looking down, the king saw a crack going along his body as if it were made of crystal.
And for the first time in his life, he felt fear himself

Looking up, he saw Rainbow Dash, armor ripped off by sheer g-forces. She seemed to be vibrating, as if her very body was moving at high speeds. But that wasn't the most shocking thing.

It was not a pegasus that stood before her. It was an ALICORN.

Two organic wings spread out beside her, crackling with rainbow colored lightning. The right wing looked like all the feathers were brand new and clean, not an ounce of dirt or dried on blood on it.

"Impossible!" Sombra roared, firing a blast of hatred at the mare, who merely flash stepped to the side and rushed forwards.

"You said that already!" The King screamed in pain as the mare hammered away at his chest like a hypersonic jackhammer, punching so fast no one's eyes could keep up with the blows. Each blow causing his body to gain another crack. The Crystal Ponies began cheering loudly, the king feeling his life blood fear slipping away completely.

"THIS WAR IS OVER!" Rainbow Dash screamed, bringing both hooves forwards at impossible speeds.

Sombra gave an echoing scream of fury as the final blow practically caused him to explode, shattering him with such force some of his pieces would likely find their way back to the arctic north.

His severed horn bounced along the ground and slid to a stop at Celestia's hooves. The Dayarch stared in amazement for a few moments before silently atomizing the horn.

The cracked and damaged mind control armor of the pony Princess Celestia had been fighting fell to pieces in front of the Alicorn of the Day. Underneath... Celestia gasped.

"C-Cadence?!"

"A-Auntie..." The cut and bloody Princess Cadence panted... falling to her knees. The goddess immediately nuzzled her niece.

Rainbow Dash panted, her body finally returning to normal speed. "...Let...let there be peace..." she muttered, collapsing...but finding herself caught by a pink and grey pair of ponies who gently brought the exhausted Alicorn to the ground.

Pinkie smiled, looking at her friend's regenerated wing. "...Congrats Dashie..."

The Princess of the Day trotted over and kneeled next to Equestria's newest Alicorn. "Rest now, young one. You deserve it." As Rainbow Dash let sleep take her, Celestia turned to both sides. The ponies of Equestria and the Crystal Ponies who were now ponies again, not puppets. "THE WAR IS OVER! LET THERE BE PEACE!"

It'd been a long time since Equestria had heard such cheers.

Rainbow Dash for the first time in years had sweet dreams...and felt content and fulfilled. Imagine her shock when she'd awake later to discover a coronation was on it's way.

Alex Warlorn

The noose was closing in around the capital of the Crystal Empire.

The Crystal Empire was losing the lion share of its army by the day, leaving only loyalists and crystal beast, with no ability to create more. And they had lost the enslaved Princess Cadence, and .... Queen Radiance had lost her husband. The only one among them that was an equal to Princess Celestia... and a NEW Alicorn Princess had appeared... THREE Alicorn Princesses to fight at once . . .

As the Empire lost numbers, the crystal ponies usurpers GAINED numbers. And many Crystal Ponies were again calling Princess Cadence their True Queen of the Crystal Empire. And that Sombra's 'add-on' had no business being on the throne.

The Equestria were a 100 miles away from the capital, then 50, then 25, then 5, and finally were outside the capital.

But nothing could get past the barrier around the Crystal Capital... It was WHY they had never had to fear the capital from attack and why Sombra could fight on the front lines.

That was until Princess Cadence had touched her horn on the barrier... and in an instant... her love spread through the barrier's magic... and to her husband... Shining Armor was free!

Now the Equestrians were inside the city... five city blocks... three... two... one... at the Palace Gates!

Queen Radiance had given her orders... delay the Equestrians as long as possible to the bitter end.

Now they were inside... Queen Radiance had retreated to the lower bunker of her husband's palace... protected by needing to be a user of black magic and needing to face your worst fear... her husband had taught her, and she had already experienced her worst fear.

It turns out Princess Celestia knew black magic... who knew?

When the Alicorns stormed the King's Bunker... Queen Radiance had madly attacked her husband's murderer... she lasted about fifteen seconds ... VERY impressive all things considered she had three battle hardened Alicorns bearing down on her.

"You want to fight monsters!? Then here are monsters!"

She didn't WANT to release the Umbrum before, both her and her husband knowing what they'd do to the world... but with Sombra gone and all he built being destroyed, she has nothing left.

She began to open the seal holding back the monsters who had given birth to her husband.

She was blasted in the back by a rainbow colored swirl of magic... Her crown given to her by her love falling from her head... Darkness surrounded her, and she had no expectations of waking up. Her only regret that she'd failed to avenge her beloved.

She woke up anyway... surrounded by Equestrian Guards and the Princesses and Shining Armor... the later looking ready to crush her into singularity. She had a seal on her horn.

"Why am I still alive?" Said asked with all the dignity and regal she could.

"Oh BELIEVE ME! I WANTED to..." Princess Rainbow Dash growled. "You and those other girls, working for Sombra after everything he's done?! You make me sick!"

"Not to mention it would make things a lot neater for Cadence!" Shining Armor said darkly at the mare had held the chain of his slavery.

"However!" Princess Celestia said, "I do not believe in the slaughter of innocents for even the most noble of causes. We ponies will never become monsters, no matter what monsters we fight! And that besides... you are needed to sign the Crystal Empire's unconditional surrender. And I can assure you, it WILL be your last act as queen."

Queen Radiance snapped. She didn't fear death. Not since she had heard Sombra was no more. "And why SHOULD I?"

Celestia said evenly. "With Sombra gone, you are the now the closest thing to a head of state the crystal empire has, unless YOU surrender, your war machine will keep on going until there is NOTHING LEFT of the crystal empire."

Queen Radiance cried. "I already have nothing left!"

"You little-" Princess Celestia stopped the most junior princess. She did not blame the young Alicorn, even the elder Princess had difficulty retaining her fury at the ones who'd willingly partaken in the death and destruction that had hit both kingdoms. But there was a time for wrath...and a time for mercy.

Celestia said tenderly. "The Umbrum USED you, they USED Sombra... do you WANT their evil to continue to cause MORE suffering?...Hatred and fear is their lifeblood, do you wish to give them more of what they desire?"

Queen Radiance said nothing.

After over three long years of war... the Crystal Empire declared its unconditional surrender.

"Now kill me."

"I have no intention of doing that," Princess Celestia said.

"But you said it would be my last act of queen!"

"And it will be... Queen Radiance, otherwise known as Radiant Hope, you are hereby stripped of all power and titles... Cadence will be claiming her divine and ancestral right as leader of the crystal ponies..."

"Banishment then?"

"No."

"The dungeon?"

"No."

"Are you insane?!"

"I think living among your fellow crystal ponies will be punishment enough ... there had ALREADY been enough killing... I vow you and your foal will be protected."

"YOU KNOW?!"

"I said I didn't believe in the slaughter of innocents didn't I?"

Radiant...while it took time. Came to one conclusion in her mind. The Umbrum...they'd convinced her husband that he had no choice, that a monster was what he was born and made to be...and they were the ones to truly blame for his fall. Sombra had made choices, but they had broken him.

She had no one else to hate. Rainbow Dash...as much as it pained her to say it had done the only thing that could have stopped her husband. The Princesses had spared her unborn child. The Umbrum were the only ones left for her to hate.

So the mare decided there could be no better vengeance on those horrors...than to prove them wrong and raise her hybrid child as a good pony. That would be her gift to her husband and her revenge upon his 'family'.

Yoshiegg64

"Princess do you think it was wise to let her free? What if she tries to release the umbra again or something else?"

"Don't worry, I am confident she won't cause any trouble anymore."

Elsewhere

"So with this scroll I can travel back in time to prevent my husband from dying and losing the war?"

The worst part was... Hope had been told by Sombra that the creature recreated by the rune in the Crystal Empire would NOT be him... it would be a replica in theory, but not in fact. Sombra having free will, emotions, an IDENTITY, had been a 'glitch' brought on by none other than Radiant Hope herself. Still, she thought she could teach Sombra's brother to have an identity as well... And the rune had been destroyed by the invading Equestrians anyway. She admitted, she had been bluffing with Celestia... she hadn't known she was pregnant.

"Yes and so much more. Just touch it while imaging a place and time and it will take you there." said the grinning unicorn levitating a stroll.

Hope took the stroll in her magic and contemplated all the possibilities. With this magic she could fix any mistake. She could be queen again. Her foal would have her father back. In fact why stop there? She could make it so Sombra was never banished in the first place! She moved her hoof to grab the stroll before stopping.

"........"

"What are you waiting for? Take it!"

"No"

"WHAT? Don't you want to see your husband again?"

"I do but....only a petty fool would mess around with time travel. I would probably just make everything worse."

Somewhere in equestria a mare sneezed.

"Thanks but no thanks Mr. Breeze." Hope said before tearing the stroll apart with her magic. She then walked away with her foal in toll, not paying attention to the disgruntled pony disappearing in the wind.

MtangaLion

"It's not right!" bellowed Scootaloo. She and Rainbow Dash stood on a lower cloud together with dozens of pegasi refugees, watching thick, unbreathable smog engulf Cloudsdale. "The Princesses would never have let this happen!"

Rainbow Dash sighed, all the fire seemingly gone out of her. "The Princesses aren't the Princesses any more. "Ponies voted for Flim and Flam's new power plants and factories. There's nothing we can do about it."

Scootaloo stamped at the cloud. "You mean, a bunch of earth pony and unicorn big cities voted for it. It's not right!" She dove off the cloud and took off at her top speed.

"Hey, not so fast!" shouted Rainbow after her. "It's dangerous... and it's not like there's anyplace to go."

Scootaloo sobbed, her tears instantly blown away in her slipstream.

( Why not fly over the Everfree? The air is still clean over that way. )

"Yeah, why not..." The little orange pegasus with her shiny new butterfly cutie mark banked that way, drifting lower as the forest came into sight. Nothing new, nothing dangerous to her way up in the air... until a blinding gleam from the bottom of a canyon nearly made her swerve into a tree trunk.

What she found in the canyon changed everything.

Ten years later, Ponyville was a sprawling, smog-filled metropolis, and the wild Everfree forest had been hacked down to a fraction of its former sprawl. A small group of ponies stood in front of that canyon, stubbornly refusing to clear the area and let a squad of fifty coal and steam-powered timber harvesting robots do their work.

Scootaloo, now a grown mare in black leather jacket, stared down the robots and adjusted the flight goggles on her forehead. "We have to stick together. They can work around single ponies, but not all of us. They'll have to send somepony official to hear our demands!"

"That's the spirit!" cried Sweetie Belle. Still wearing a fashionable dress despite the dangerous forest, she trotted past her friends and sang a happy melody, as if she was doing one of her big "Cheer Up, Equestria!" concert tours just for them. "It's too bad Flim Flam Corp didn't send real ponies instead of these machines."

Diamond Tiara smirked. "What, so you could sing all of our problems away?" She hesitated. "Sorry, I guess that wasn't very nice." The former bully and professional social snob had practically become a whole new pony in recent years, donating large amounts of the Rich fortune to medical research that helped ponies sickened by the dirty air. It was a shame that it had taken the death of her mother from that very illness, and the extinction of zap apples to do it.

"I do hope there isn't going to be any fighting," fretted Fluttershy. The older mare paced nervously. "The Everfree has already suffered so much. I'd feel safer if Starlight would put that shield up again."

Starlight Glimmer looked up from her research notes, startled. "What? No, no, I can't be distracted now. After all these years, I'm so close to understanding the Tree of Harmony. It's the key to everything!"

"What's one tree," boomed one of the robots in an amplified voice, "more or less?" That robot was stamping towards them with clanking, steam-puffing steps. Then the armor folded aside, revealing that this robot wasn't a robot at all, but rather a suit of powered armor! A yellow mare with her red mane cut short stepped out.

Scootaloo gawked. "Is that... Apple Bloom? You got your cutie mark?"

Indeed, Apple Bloom had a large silver gear on her flanks. "No thanks to any of you," she remarked, not in her old country accent, but in a neutral, businesslike tone.

Sweetie Belle's big grin faltered for a moment. "But, this is great. I had no idea that you were working inside Flim Flam Corp! You can help us!"

Apple Bloom just arched an eyebrow. "Why would I do that, when I run Flim Flam Corporation, and clearcutting the Everfree Forest was my idea? Just because we played some silly foal games years ago?"

Starlight flinched. "Clearcut? You can't. The magic in this tree is essential to Equestria. Essential to me... I need to fix things... I have to make up... for my mistakes..."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Wait a minute... You, run Flim Flam Corp? I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt here, but... you couldn't even run your family's apple stall in the market back in the day."

Apple Bloom gestured, and all of the robots moved in unison, each taking an aggressive step forward. "Shut up, you spoiled brat. I worked hard for this. Worked my way up from an 18 hours a day factory job, after we lost the farm. Flim and Flam taught me everything they knew, and I sure taught them a thing or two, after I showed them what I could do." She glanced back at her cutie mark, grinning. "What I could create. Now, I'm the majority stockholder, and they handle the boring politics for me."

Fluttershy gasped. "You... you did this? Oh, Apple Bloom, how could you?" Even with the hurt in her eyes, Fluttershy still looked like she wanted to rush forward and give the yellow mare a big hug.

Apple Bloom hoof-shrugged. "It's all about the numbers. Numbers don't lie. Modern labor saving devices and transportation... a robot army that defeated Sombra without a single pony life lost... that's what the majority of Equestrians want, and what they voted for. The greatest benefit to the most ponies, and the greatest benefit for the company shareholders too. Win, win. There are enormous deposits of coal and mana crystals beneath this land, and the company needs it. Equestria needs it. Now, if... ahem, ya'll would kindly git out of our way?"

{ What if... }

Scootaloo stepped forward, wings spread. "What if I could prove to you that all of this is wrong? That you've been tearing down Equestria, not building it up?" The others watched in confusion, and even Scootaloo wasn't sure where she was going with this... she was totally winging it.

Apple Bloom blinked. "If you had solid proof? Naturally, I'd think about what I did wrong and decide on a new course of action, but that's a pretty heavy burden of proof on you, don't you think?"

"And if you found out you were wrong," pressed Scootaloo, "You'd tell your board of directors and everypony? You wouldn't just lie about it and cut down the forest anyway?"

Apple Bloom frowned uncomfortably. "Ah'd never! Ah'm an Apple, dang it, and Ah don't lie, even if... I mean, even if being an Apple just doesn't mean... what it used to?"

An brilliant rainbow glow had begun to shine from the canyon. Starlight gasped, actually prancing around. "That's it... this is it! I learned everything I could about the Tree, but I just couldn't make the magic work by myself!" A purple glow shone down on Diamond Tiara. "Generosity!" she exclaimed. A red glow enveloped Scootaloo. "Loyalty!" Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle... Apple Bloom?! "Kindness, Laughter, Honesty!"

One by one, jeweled chokers began to appear on the mares, in the shape of their cutie marks. "And when the five come together, a spark will reveal the sixth!" A teal glow became a crown, lifting a joyful, weeping Starlight Glimmer off the ground. A column of rainbow light enveloped the six mares and shot into the heavens... blasting the dense smog clouds clean away, until all of Equestria saw the sun shining bright once again.

Three days later, after the quickest recall election in pony history, some un-retired Royal Guards were roughly evicting Flim and Flam from Canterlot Palace. "There's been some mistake!" insisted Flam.

"It's all a scam!" echoed Flim. "Completely illegitimate!"

Princess Celestia smiled patiently. "The citizens of Equestria have spoken. Those were your words ten years ago, I believe." Celestia strode back inside and made her way to the old audience hall, where Luna was giving their first and so far only petitioner a silent, withering glare.

Apple Bloom bowed her head low, heavy-hearted. The mare wore no fancy dress, just a simple white lab coat, and her new Element of Honesty.

Luna cleared her throat. "We will serve you notice now. In the coming days, we will proclaim new laws for the protection of the environment, and many current practices of your company will be made illegal." Her eyes narrowed. "Furthermore, we command that you will wear that sacred token of Honesty at all times, so that neither you nor anypony else will forget what you did."

Apple Bloom slowly stopped her shivering... she'd expected worse. "Words can't say how sorry Ah am, yer Highnesses. But maybe this can..." She cautiously held up a manila folder.

"Have we not had enough of your schemes?" snapped Luna. "Begone from..."

"I want to hear what she has to say," interrupted Celestia. "Please, go on."

Apple Bloom gulped. "Your Highness, Ah'm worried. About the future. Ponies are happy to see the sun again now, but if ya just shut down all the power plants, Manehatten, Baltimare, and Ponyville will be rioting in a matter of days. That's... that's why Ah've been thinking... coming up with new ideas" She opened the folder and offered a blueprint, which Celestia took in her magic. "This is a power plant that runs off sunlight. No smog. And this one is designed to catch lightning that pegasi funnel into it."

Celestia and Luna exchanged glances.

"They'll cost more and won't make as much electricity as the coal plants," continued Apple Bloom nervously. "But Ah thought, maybe... And, um, whatever ya'll decide, Ah can pledge right now that the company will obey all of the new rules while Ah'm in charge, no cheating. Ah swear on mah family name."

Celestia finally offered her a reserved smile. "I also remember when the word of an Apple meant a great deal. Perhaps... it will again."

Author's Note

Number seven of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

ONE DOWN. SIX TO GO!
TWO DOWN. FIVE TO GO!

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn Cutie Mark Re-Mark Tie In!!!
MtangaLion
Kendell2 with edits
Alex Warlorn
Yoshiegg64 (minor addition by me)
MtangaLion
Wolfram-and-Hart

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Time Lines Part 2

By Wolfram-and-Hart (Tirek Timeline)

Ponies shivered as the ground shook. A giant horned shadow fell over the Everfree Forest, followed by a blast of magic that reduced trees to ash. Lord Tirek had won. He had defeated the princess and now even the Elements of Harmony had failed. He made a point of showing them all being sent off to Tartarus, except for Princess Luna and Discord.
The Princess of the Night and the Spirit of Chaos lay imprisoned in a magic bubble floating near Tirek's shoulder. He didn't want them in Tartarus, he wanted his former love and his betrayed ally to watch while he used his stolen powers to wipe ponykind from the face of the Earth. He wanted them to know this was all their fault.

A lone pony stood at the edge of the Everfree Forest. She sighed in resignation as she held the small case in her magic. She had found a way to hide from Tirek, and had gone off to find their last hope. Now that Moon Dancer and her friends had been beaten, she had no other choice. She slowly lifted the case lid.

Yes. I will help you.

"TRIXIE!"

The showpony turned to see her friends gallop up to her.

"Trixie, don't you dare!"

"Heh, is that supposed to be a pun, A.K.?" Trixie rolled her eyes at Daring Do.

"Trix, I know funny and now is a REALLY bad time for jokes! You can't be serious about going up against Tirek with that!" Cheese Sandwich pointed accusingly at the case.

"They're right, kid! Quit bein' so dang stubborn and throw that darn thing back in the hole where you found it!" Cranky Doodle Donkey snapped.

"It's our only chance!" Trixie defended.

"You don't know that!" Gilda all but roared.

"Yes I do!" Trixie roared back. She flung the case open and pulled out the Alicorn Amulet. "We barely survived the war with Sombra even WITH Moon Dancer and her friends using the Elements! The only reason we won was because I used this thing!"

"And it nearly turned to into as bad a monster as Sombra!" Coloratura shook her friend. "By the time the fighting was over, you were as ruthless as he was and were about to turn around and take over yourself!"

"But I didn't because you all saved me! You got me to take the amulet off! If I survive, you can do it again!"

"Baubles and Bangles, Trixie, you've spent the last two years trying to recover from that experience! You told me yourself that you still have nightmares about it!" Sassy Saddles cried. "You can't do that to yourself again! Even if you beat Tirek, this amulet will end up killing you!"

"THEN I'LL DIE!" Trixie's cry silenced her friends. "…I know what I am. I'm a showboat with an ounce of talent and a big mouth. I wanted to be a hero… and I almost became a villain. I'm no hero, I know that now. If anypony's a hero, it's the six of you."

Her friends froze.

"You're the reason I've made it this far. Even before the Crystal War, I'd never have made it without you. I was just another street performer before you taught me to believe in myself. You made me want to be a better pony. And I betrayed and murdered that better pony when I used this."

She looked at the amulet.

"I hate it. I hate even looking at it. But deep down, I think I'm meant to wear it again… one last time. If this is the only way I can stop Tirek, I'll go to Tartarus knowing I tried to save my friends. One way or another, this is the end of the Great and Powerful Trixie."
Daring Do paced in anger. "Of all the stupid, idiotic, reckless…"

"Trixie, please don't." Rara begged.

Cranky Doodle Donkey growled through his watered eyes. "Dad-gum it, there's got to be another way! THERE'S GOTTA BE!!"

There is no other way. Put me on!

"Go home, all of you." Before anypony could stop her, she clapped the Alicorn Amulet around her neck. "And remember the good times every now and then."

She vanished in a flash of red magic. When she reappeared, she stood atop the old castle of the Two Sisters. She magically magnified her voice.

"TIREK!" The Dark Lord of All turned at the voice and saw a lone unicorn standing on a ruined parapet. "A PONY STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND EQUESTRIA!"

"Oh, this is cute." Tirek smirked. "Who dares challenge me? And choose your words wisely as you address your new god."

Show the invader who he is dealing with!

"THEN LET A GOD WILL KNOW FEAR, FOR IT IS I! THE VANQUISHER OF THE URSA MAJOR! SLAYER OF SOMBRA! THE MOST MAGICAL UNICORN IN EQUESTRIA! THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!"

She conjured a massive display of fireworks to punctuate her announcement.

"One puny unicorn is going to defeat me? When goddesses, Discord, and the Elements of Harmony failed? What have I to fear from you?"

"THIS!"

A blast of magic erupted from Trixie's horn and hit Tirek right in the face. He was thrown back half a mile, clutching his burnt face in pain.

"BEHOLD, THE BURNT FACE OF EVIL!" Trixie laughed, drunk on the power.

"AND THE WRATH OF A GOD!" Tirek sent a blast of magic at Trixie.
Trixie teleported away just as the roof was blown off the old palace. She appeared at Tirek's hooves and blasted right into his barrel. The titanic centaur ground and stomped his hooves, trying to crush the unicorn.

She fired upwards, sending the evil titan flying. She reared up and fired a massive wave of magic as he fell through the sky. He hit the ground with an earth shattering thud.

"SURRENDER, TIREK, AND I'LL MAKE YOUR DEATH QUICK!" Trixie bellowed.

"Oh, will you?" Tirek chuckled as he stood. "Your magic is indeed strong. And dark. You think you can defeat me with dark magic? You pathetic child! I was there when it came into the world! I mastered it when your ancestors were bleating beasts! You are nothing!"
He sent a ball of energy at Trixie, who tried to block it. She deflected most of the damage, but her mana supply was slightly depleted. She growled at the centaur and powered up her horn again.
"THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE CANNOT LOSE!" She crowed, and believed it. "NONE CAN STAND AGAINST ME! NOT EVEN TIREK HIMSELF! I HAVE THE POWER!"

She sent blast after blast of magic at Tirek, creating a dust cloud that blocked out the sun. She was past wanting to save Equestria, she wanted Tirek dead! She wanted the world to see how powerful she was as she hammered the ultimate evil into the dirt. For ten minutes, she lets loose on her fallen foe to make sure he was destroyed. Finally, she stopped, panting in relief.

"HAHAHAHA! THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE WINS! EQUESTRIA IS SAFE! AND I'LL MAKE SURE IT STAYS SAFE! I'LL CRUSH ANYPONY WHO THREATENS US! I'LL LEAD EQUESTRIA INTO A NEW AGE!"

Trixie's head suddenly ached.

No, no, no! Not again! You're not that pony! You can't…

She never saw the attack coming. Tirek had stood and blasted Trixie with everything he had. The Amulet was strong, but not strong enough to defeat the pure Alicorn magic Tirek had stolen. She lay broken and beaten in the crater with the devil himself laughing as he towered over her. Her shredded cape flapped in the wind and her hat lay tattered on the ground. The Great and Powerful Trixie was humbled yet again.

I failed. I failed again. I let Tirek win. Everypony was counting on me and I still failed.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie. HAHAHAHA!" Tirek laughed. "Where is your so-called greatness? Where is your power? All you are is another insignificant pony standing in my way. You can't save anyone. Even your stolen dark magic was not enough. Perhaps I should let you live and watch with the princess and my pawn as I lay waste to your world. Let you see the depths of your failure before I snap your tiny neck."

Trixie shuddered as she started to stand.

"You are nothing, pony. Nothing at all."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

Trixie's eyes widened as she heard Gilda's voice. She looked and saw her flying towards her, followed by Sassy, Cranky, Daring, Rara, and Cheese Sandwich.

"What are you doing here?!" Trixie croaked. "Run! Get out of here, run!"

"Not happening, Trix!" Daring said as she pulled Trixie to her hooves.

"Well, isn't this sweet?" Tirek mocked. "Your friends are here to die with their fallen hero."

"No… no, please…" Trixie gasped as she held her foreleg in pain.

"Pal." Cheese Sandwich gave the centaur a steely glare and donned his hat, poncho and rubber chicken. "If you want this gal, you gotta go through me."

"And me, ya giant chump!" Gilda cracked her knuckles.

"Count us in too." Sassy, Cranky, and Rara stood by Trixie's side.

"No, please, I can't let you all die!" Trixie gasped as she tried to stay standing.

"Eh, I've had a good run. Found the girl of my dreams and met lots of great friends along the way. 'Sides, there's worse ways of goin' out than by your friends' side." Cranky gave a small smile.

"Come on Tirek, you gonna stand there all day?" Daring snarked.

"Well, if you insist." Tirek fired down at the ponies, griffin and donkey, who held each other as they braced for impact.
Time slowed down for Trixie as she watched as the maelstrom of dark magic came crashing down on them. She was going to die. She had failed her friends and now they would all die. Equestria was doomed. She prepared for the end, but suddenly heard the siren call of the Amulet.

It doesn't have to be this way. Use me. Defeat him.

I can't!

Yes, you can! You are the only one who can!

You'll corrupt me! You'll turn me into a monster!

Because you are too weak to defeat me.

…What?

…Nothing!

Trixie's mind exploded and found herself floating inside a massive silver and red void. Facing her was a sight as horrific as any Nightmare. It looked like a twisted parody of a female human. She was pale as death and clothed in dark magic. She let out a laugh that sounded like glass breaking.

I am your only hope! Give in to me or let that centaur usurper destroy your world!

I… I can't!

Then die! Die and let the amulet be destroyed! Let my evil free and face that magic thief myself!

No! You… I can feel it, you're just as bad as he is!

I AM EVIL MAGIC! I WILL NOT BE DENIED MY DESTINY NOR THE NATURE OF MY DARK MAGIC!

Wait… that's not right. Dark magic is dangerous, but it's not inherently evil. Which means, the Amulet's power isn't evil…You are! You're the corrupting element of the Amulet! You made me into that heartless thing!

You needed to be heartless to defeat the heartless!

No! That's wrong! I've listened to your lies long enough! This isn't about me, it's about everypony! I'm not going to let my friends die! And I'm not going to let you stop me from saving them and Equestria!
She concentrated on her friends and the evils trying to hurt them. She would fight for them, and she would win. Even without the Princess or the Elements of Harmony or…

"The Elements…" Trixie gasped. She understood.

Tirek laughed as he turned to Luna and Discord, still imprisoned in their bubbles. The smoke rising from where Trixie and her friends had been was all they could see besides Tirek's mocking face.

"Enjoying the show, my pet? Are there any other so-called defenders of the realm I should know about? I could do with a little more sport before the end."

Luna turned to rebuke her captor, but froze. Her eyes widened as she looked at the ground. Tirek looked and was likewise shocked.
The smoke had cleared to reveal Trixie and her friends still huddled together on the ground, but were surrounded by a silver blue magic shield. Trixie stood with her hooves raised and her horn alight, protecting her friends with a new kind of magic.

"Tangled taffeta, what happened?!" Sassy gasped.

"And what the hay happened to the Alicorn Amulet?!" Daring gasped at the talisman around Trixie's neck. It had turned from silver to gold and the formerly red jewel glowed with rainbow colors.

"I fixed it." Trixie said as she suddenly turned off the shield.

"I guess I'll have to aim better this time." Tirek sneered.

"It's over, Tirek. We have the key to defeat you! We always have, and never even knew it!" Trixie called up to the demon prince.

"Uh… we did?" Gilda asked.

"Yeah, when did that happen?" Rara asked.

"From the moment you all became my friends!" Trixie smiled.

"Oh please." Tirek groaned.

"You may have cheated the Elements of Harmony, but you forgot there's another set!" Trixie smirked.

"What?" Tirek frowned.

"What? No there is..." Discord's eyes lit up. "No… No, it can't be!"

"Thanks to Discord's sick antics, ponies think chaos is evil, just like ponies think the dark is evil because of you, Tirek! But it's not evil! It's part of us all the same as harmony, and can be used to protect what we love just as well!"
Tirek fired again, but Trixie used he Amulet and deflected it again.

"And I was lucky enough to find the full set!" Trixie grinned.

"WHAT?!" Tirek yelled

"Daring Do!" Trixie turned to the Pegasus in question. "She taught me to believe in myself and how my story unfolds, representing the Element of… Fantasy!"
Daring Do looked at herself in shock as her body began to glow.

"Cheese Sandwich! He taught me to never be afraid of being who I am and what others think of me, representing the Element of… Courage!"
The super-duper party pony gave a whooping laugh as he began to glow.

"Gilda! Who knew how I felt when I lost friends and was looked down on, represents the Element of… Empathy!"
The griffin flared her glowing wings.

"Coloratura! She taught me that being a performer doesn't mean I'm locked into being nothing more than my stage persona, representing the Element of… Free Will!"

The singer smiled as her body lit up for the first time without the use of stage effects.

"Sassy Saddles! She taught me to push myself to do her best and achieve my dreams, representing the the Element of… Desire!"
The fashionista struck a pose as the glow spread across her.

"And Cranky Doodle Donkey! He taught me to never give up, just like he never gave up in finding Matilda, representing the Element of… Hope!"
The old donkey looked bewildered as he too began to glow.

"The spirits of these six got me through the worst time in my life! And today, they've helped me realize the power we share and the power within me… as the Element of… MAGIC!"

A flash of light engulfed the Everfree Forest. Tirek stumbled backwards as the seven heroes floated into the air, surrounded by rainbow light. A dark cloud burst out of the Alicorn amulet and flew into the sky, shrieking in rage and pain. With a final moan, the spirit of Lilith shattered in the light and faded away forever.
Tirek looked and saw the seven Element bearers had floated up to eye level with him. Their eyes shut, the power flowed through them, building up strength. However, there was still one last surprise. The Alicorn Amulet shook and a jet of pure rainbow magic erupted from the jewel, and began circling the heroes. But, as it twisted and turned, the rainbow's colors changed. The bright yellow, red, and green gave way to deep blues and purples, and amidst them was a deep blackness with stars dancing through it. From the tiny shard with in the Amulet, a miracle was reborn.

"It can't be…" Luna gasped stunned disbelief.

"NO BUCKING WAY!" Discord cheered in ecstatic wonder.

"No! No! This can't be! The Rainbow of Darkness is MINE!" Tirek roared, firing a magic blast on Trixie and her friends with no effect.

"You can't use it to defeat me! It knows its master! IT IS MINE!"
The Rainbow of Darkness exploded upwards. It arched across the sky and came down hard on Tirek. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The power of the Rainbow of Darkness tore through its former master, destroying the evil that had enslaved it once and for all. Stolen magic shot out of Tirek's disintegrating form, returning to all the ponies and creatures it had been stolen from.

The bearers of the Elements of Chaos floated to the ground, Trixie bringing the bubbles holding Luna and Discord with them. They landed on the ground with a light clop, the bubbles bursting to free the alicorn and the draconequus. The seven heroes looked between each other, each sporting an element necklace, even Cranky had one in the shape of a heart, since he lacked a cutie mark. Gilda's was a set of wings. Trixie now wore a cirlet on her head along with the purified (and currently empty) Alicorn Amulet.

"We did it!" Cheese Sandwich cheered

"Not quite." Trixie shook her head. "We still have some ponies to save."

She closed her eyes and a doorway to Tartarus opened. She reached inside with her magic and brought out Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence, followed by Moon Dancer, Minuette, Cloudkicker, Bulk Biceps, Coco Pommel and Golden Tiara.

"All right, now you may cheer." Trixie nodded to Cheese Sandwich, who brought out his industrial party cannon.

"WHOO!" The cheer however did not come from Cheese, it came from Discord. "THAT WAS AWESOME! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THE ELEMENTS OF CHAOS SAVED EQUESTRIA! AND THEN THAT PART WITH THE RAINBOW OF DARKNESS! I'D NEVER BELIEVE IT IN A BILLION ETERNITIES IF I HADN'T SEEN IT MYSELF! YOU GUYS RULE! YOU WERE AMAZING YOU-Ow!"

His cheering was cut off by Golden Tiara tossing her old beanie at him and glaring at him for betraying their friendship. The spirit of chaos turned away in shame.

"Oh… right. I guess you may as well open that portal to Tartarus and send me on through then."

"No, you're not getting off that easily, Discord." Celestia glared sternly at him. "You have to live with this and see if your friendship can be repaired."

"What's the point?" Discord asked. "I broke our friendship, you can't just put it back together like it never happened."

"No, we can't, Uncle." Golden Tiara said. "But we can try to fix it, and live with what we can salvage, dents and all."
Discord smiled through the tears.

"Wow, Trixie, you did something truly amazing!" Moon Dancer hugged her old friend.

"Thank you, Moon Dancer." Trixie hugged her back. "The Great and Powerful Trixie had one heck of a final battle."

"Oh, and here I thought you got your ego under control." Minuette joked.

"I have, actually. The arrogant, angry pony who called herself the Great and Powerful Trixie died today. I'm the One and Only Trixie now. And I couldn't have done this without my friends."

Sassy, Rara, Cheese Sandwich, Gilda, Daring Do and Cranky hugged Trixie. However, as they broke apart, Cranky frowned.

"Um, kid?" The donkey asked as he tapped her side. "You got something stowed under your cape?"

"What? No." Trixie doffed her tattered cape and looked at her sides.
Trixie nearly fainted. Everycreature stared at Trixie in shock; Discord's jaw literally fell to the ground. She gingerly unfurled the wings she inexplicably now had.

Celestia and Luna exchanged smiles. "Well, it seems once we finish reconstruction of Equestria, we'll have to schedule the coronation of Equestria's newest Princess."

Mtangalion (with slight edits by me) (Discord Timeline)

Amicitia oriented on another one of the wayward universes and opened a portal... but suddenly hesitated, unable to step through. "I'll be honest, I've been dreading this one."

Deus peered over her shoulder. "Discord, huh? You wait right here, sempai! I'll take care of everything!"

"No!" yelped Amicitia, holding her other self back with her magic. "Discord rules Equestria in that world, and he's definitely not reformed. Even if Fate lets you conjure all the giant robots you want, you'll never out-chaos Discord, and... sempai? Seriously?"

Nightmare Mirror pushed Deus away, gently but firmly, and stared Amicitia right in the eyes. "Are ya worried that he'll overpower ya again?"

"No. He's not as strong in this worldline, and I'll be working from outside the world anyway." Amicitia sighed uncomfortably. "That's what kept Paradox safe, after all..."

"Are ya worried that yer gonna backslide, then? That ya'll will get to hurt Discord some more, and ya won't want to stop?"

"I'm not!" shouted Amicitia, appalled. "I won't! I'll never be like that again!"

"Truth," said Nightmare Mirror, with a grim smile. "Ah'd hug ya, if Ah didn't know it would burn me something fierce. Go on. Fix his wagon good."

Celestia paced down the halls of the former Palace of Canterlot, over checkered and polka-dotted floor tiles, sometimes trotting up walls and across ceilings backwards without ever changing direction, but she'd learned to ignore that. Today was one of the days when Master Discord had found it amusing to leave her painfully sane.

In one room, Nightmare Moon lay sprawled on the floor, still wearing clown makeup and clinging to a unicycle. Wordlessly, Celestia conjured the makeup away, smoothed her mane, and tried to move on.

But Nightmare Moon still jerked awake. "Celestia," she rasped. "We mean... dear sister! Don't leave us. Please! The dark, it frightens us so! We *beg* you, don't take your light away! We will even let you call us Luna!!" She'd likely BE Luna next time she wa there, it was another of Discord's games to change her into Nightmare Moon randomly just to amuse himself.

In the next chamber, the former King Sombra raged at the limit of his rusted iron chain, just an incoherently yapping angry puppy.

In another, a lavender mare named Toilet Sparkle labored endlessly to mop and polish the castle floors, while the Dust Maids just got it all dirty again. Sparkle never complained... cleaning was her passion. She even had a mop and bucket for a cutie mark. Celestia didn't know why Discord kept her in the castle, and she was afraid to ask.

The chamber after that turned out to be Celestia's personal library... in the midst of a time-frozen explosion, with books floating and gently tumbling through space. Oddly, one of those books was glowing and vibrating as it sailed past.

Celestia snatched that book in her magic, wary of some trap or prank. "This..." Her eyes widened. "This is..." The journal, the one paired with the other journal that she'd sent after Sunset Shimmer. The journal that had always been blank, until now. She opened it frantically, reading the last page....

"Princess Twilight... We managed to take care of the stolen magic problem on our own, and I have *so* much to tell you. Are you alright? Is there anything I can do to help? Even though the magic is back, the portal still seems to be sealed from your side. Please, send word. -- Sunset Shimmer."

Celestia clutched the book to herself, hardly daring to believe. "My little sun... she's alive! Discord hasn't found the mirror! But who is Princess Twilight?" She looked around warily. The walls had ears, sometimes literally. "It doesn't matter. I'll burn this right away." She lifted her head, resolute, fighting back tears. "If I break the mirror, he'll find out and he'll fix it! He must never know..."

(If you burn that journal, *you'll* never know.)

Celestia froze. "Every moment I delay is a moment that Discord might turn his attention on me and discover everything..."

(Sunset has changed! Can't you tell that, just from the few lines you've read? What if the reason you never found the Bearer of Magic you were looking for, is that it should have been her all along?)

Wrestling with fresh guilt and cursing herself for her weakness, Celestia found herself a hidden nook and turned the pages of the journal back to the beginning. Her wonder only grew in the hours she spent reading, though. "The Equestria in this journal," she mused, "is *not* the Equestria I've been living in. Why?" Everything finally clicked into place. The strange magical echoes she'd sensed, starting all those years ago. "Time has been altered... but the changes had no effect on that other world beyond the mirror. There are effects there without causes."

Celestia gasped. "But what matters is that Sunset and her new friends have discovered the magic of friendship in that human world. They are the key, and with this book, I can open the portal to them, today!"

Kednell2

Celestia had to be very careful to get her machine made behind Discord's back. She found herself having fortunately good insight. It hurt her to know every second Discord was absent was one where her little ponies were suffering under that monster. But if this worked, then she could finally stop this nightmare...

She'd placed the World Mirror in the one part of the castle Discord FEARED to go: the Truth. Whether the iris was open or not, Discord would never come to this room unless he absolutely had to. After all, Discord had been running from the truth his entire life.

Finally, she passed through the mirror once the machine had been completed.

And staggered out of a portal at the base of a statue, now standing on two legs. She adjusted quickly, as a Goddess she was used to this kinda thing.

"Hello Principle Celestia!" called several humans trotting by. "Looking good today!"

'Principle? Oh, right, Sunset mentioned that in the journal...'

She took a deep breath, looking around the world...the normality of it made her feel...safe for a moment. For the first time in forever she could actually take a breath.

The human was wearing a white dress with golden trim, her Cutie Mark as a necklace.

The Alicorn looked up to the sun, drawing sunlight into her body, the first time she'd been able to. She then walked forwards and looked for her little sun. She found her with her friends in a room. "Sunset?"

The teenaged girl...she felt...bigger. Something was different, but Celestia didn't care at this point.

"Principle Celestia?"

Without a second thought, Celestia couldn't hold off any longer and hugged her. "My little sun..."

Sunset was shocked for a moment...then blinked. "Little Sun...Wait...you're..." her eyes lit up and she hugged Celestia back.

"Uh...what's going on?" asked the human Rainbow Dash.

"Think Rota's gonna be mad we triggered a double timeline split?" Mirror asked.

"We're not sure if did or not..." Amicitia replied. "Sunset might just return to her universe when all of this is done and meet her Twilight afterwards. It's complicated. Let's just hope this works..."

"Yah do realize that if this works, Sunset won't be able tah save the other three? They're busy here," Mirror explained.

"Yeah, I do...let's focus on the moment."

One incredibly awkward explanation later, the group were sitting down and Celestia explained the situation.

"So...you're from another world?" Sunset asked. "Well...ANOTHER another world?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes...it appears in your universe, this Twilight Sparkle defeated Discord, while in ours that never was..." she said with a sigh. "After Moondancer and her friends failed, I wasn't sure what to do..."

"...Oh..." Sunset said, seeming a little...sad...

"...My Little Sun, you're not the same Sunset who is linked to my world...or SHOULD be...But you're a divergent version of her. Our timelines split after you departed," Celestia explained. "Which means the foalhood you and I remember WAS between the two of us, my Little Sun."

Sunset managed a small smile. "...Thanks...but...what can we do?"

"...You five possess the Elements, correct?"

Sunset nodded, the five of them looking to each other and stepping back, each focusing on the part of themselves that awakened their Element, glowing with their aura.

Celestia gasped in shock, looking at Sunset. "That...that's..."

Sunset smiled and nodded. "The Element of Trust...we're still not sure if I REVIVED it or merely created it in this universe...But yeah, Element of Trust. That's how the six of us, well us and Princess Twilight, beat the Sirens for good."

Celestia smiled with pride. "That's amazing Sunset!...But...I...we still need an Element of Magic in that case..."

Sunset rubbed her chin then smirked. "I think I know a girl..."

"Sunset Shimmer, can I talk to you about..."

Principle Celestia stood at the door, blinking as she stared at an exact copy of herself. "...Magic thing?"

"Magic thing," Rainbow Dash replied.

"...Should I evacuate the school?"

"Probably not this time, baddies in the OTHER world," Applejack replied.

Principle Celestia stared at her other self. "...Given how often your Princess has helped save my school...I'll get you an 'excused absence slip'...So...you're me from Equestria?"

Princess Celestia nodded, getting to her feet. "Yes. My name is Princess Celestia."

"I'm really a Princess in another world?"

The Monarch of the Day nodded. "Yes...how's your Luna doing?"

Principle Celestia blinked. "Fine, she's the vice principle..."

"...You're a good big sister..."

After her other self left, Princess Celestia turned back to Sunset. "Should we tell her..."

"Let's just keep that part our little secret," Sunset replied with a smile. "Now come on, we've got a friend to pick up..."

Several hours of proper bonding later (including several musical numbers) and double checking their plan before going half cocked against the God of Chaos, ponies stepped through the portal back to Equestria, in the chamber of Truth.

"Wow! Ah know we were callin' it 'ponyin' up' but this is a bit literal!" Applejack exclaimed, trying to get used to standing on four legs, Pinkie being the only one NOT having difficulty doing so.

"EEK! We're naked!" Rarity exclaimed, standing up and covering her chest with one hoof and between her hind legs with another.

"Yeah, ponies are kinda always naked..." Sunset replied awkwardly. "If it makes you feel any better, most of the parts you want to cover up aren't visible if you're walking like a pony normally does..."

"Oh my gosh! This is Equestria?!" Twilight Sparkle, a pair of glasses on her face, exclaimed, looking all over the place.

"Twilight, settle down!" Sunset called, settling down her friend. "Sorry...just wait till AFTER we save the world before geeking out, okay?"

Twilight nodded, giving a sheepish look. "Alright...So this Discord...he's not the Superintendent of Schools?"

Celestia shook her head. "No, he's a monster who's taken over the world..." she explained. "Now, I've got a plan, but first..."

Celestia cringed, somewhere Discord snapping his fingers...before his power could reassert itself, Sunset put her horn to Celestia's head and used the Memory Spell, shattering his hold. "...Thank you, my Little Sun..."

The pony nodded. "You're welcome..."

That was when something finally hit Celestia. "...Sunset...you..."

Sunset spread a pair of wings off her sides and looked a little bashful. "...Long story...I was planning to tell you and Princess Twilight later..."

One hug and many happy tears later, Celestia used her magic to put her clown attire on. "I hate this, but I have use for it..."

Discord lunged on his throne, Golden Tiara, driven mad back to her old Screwball self, giving her 'uncle' grapes. "Bring forth the entertainment!"

Celestia and Luna, both in clown make up, emerged and began their act...until a clown car came out of the hall way and Celestia spun in front of the door of it.

"Oh! An unexpected twist!" Discord said. "I thought your act was getting stale, Celly!"

Celestia smiled. "So did I, Dissy."

Discord blinked as five ponies emerged from the car, Twilight wearing the physical Element of Magic (she wasn't yet an awakened Bearer, so she still NEEDED it, and Moon Dancer sadly wasn't using it, but thankfully Sunset knew exactly where to find them thanks to HER Twilight). Rarity had found the time to make an outfit out of the castle drapes. "Oh, I see! You got a little creative when I let you free earlier! HAHAHA!" the chaotic tyrant laughed. "Well, handing the cleaning staff the Element of Magic isn't going to get you anywhere, Celly! Who even ARE these brats?"

Celestia shrugged. "I don't know!" she giggled like a harlequin...then blindsided Discord when he turned back to the Bears, hitting him in the eyes.

"YOUCH! You're lucky that's not permanent!"

However, while Discord was erasing the damage to his eyeballs, the five ponies in front of him were cloaked in a light of their respective Element (minus Twilight, who's element merely glowed). "What's this?"

The tyrant took a step off his throne. He snapped his fingers to try and do something, but found the aura of harmony blocking it. "Impossible...You..."

"Oh, you've not even seen the best part you big jerk!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the six glowing ponies floating side to allow Sunset to emerge from the car.

"Didn't I already...wait, seven..." Discord's eyes widened as an impossible, highly improbable thought entered his head.

Sunset focused, an orange glow surrounding her as she floated.

"Not that! No!" Discord screamed, his face one of pure shock and horror at the sight of the missing piece of the Rainbow of Light he himself had long destroyed.

Sunset gained her dress and facial markings from her goddess form and floating among her friends. "Yes, Discord THAT!"

Above her head, an orange light glowed. Particles smaller than dust began to surge in, faster and faster until a necklace began to form, an orange gem in the shape of Sunset's Cutie Mark reforming and floating down, clamping around her neck.

All across the land, ponies felt something strange...ponies feeling a piece of their heart resonating with something they hadn't known was missing.

The draconequus took a few steps back in blind shock. "No...It can't be...I...I destroyed the Element of Trust! THIS IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE!"

"With friendship, NOTHING is impossible!" Sunset exclaimed, the energy building around them.

The King of Nonsense...felt like his mind was breaking at the sight before him. "This...this doesn't make any sense..."

"Behold, Discord! The true Rainbow of Light reborn!" Celestia announced, the now properly seven colored rainbow erupting from the seven ponies and arcing up into the sky above.

"I JUST DON'T GET IT!" Discord screamed in a mix of rage, terror, and disbelief as the Rainbow slammed down towards him. He began charging a red sphere in his hand.

"I'll protect you Uncle!" Screwball screamed, jumping in the way...and merely falling to the ground a blinking Golden Tiara. "I'm...I'm me again?" she asked, shuddering at what she'd experienced.

The Rainbow of Light surged over Discord, and THROUGH him. Discord gasped in shock as he felt two orbs be TORN from his body, one a destructive, unstable red and the other a shadow of fear itself.

The red sphere in his hand flickered out as if someone had cut off the power. "...How?"

Stone began to travel up his body. "TELL ME! I DON'T GET IT AT ALL!"

Discord's bewildered looking statue fell crashing to the ground...and the Rainbow formed into a portal, the two spheres floating before it.

"What's that?" Twilight questioned curiously.

"The power of Destruction and His Father's Avatar, the thing that made him strong enough to do all this..." Celestia muttered. "...Of course, if the complete Rainbow combined with your friendship could shatter the Siren's pendants, it's only logical it could strip Discord of that..."

The two orbs peacefully passed through the portal before it disintegrated into rainbow colored light and spread over everything, healing and undoing Discord's taint and damage. Restoring the world to normal.

+++

Things had been... rather surprising after . . . for starters... Sunset... met Sunset... or rather, the Sunset aligned from this world line... who had come having learned of the return of the Element of magic, and her chance to surpass her mentor and grasp everything that should have been hers from the one who stole her place at Celestia's side.

She had been in what used to be Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns... scrawling nonsense formulas and designs one moment, and saying how everypony should get along NO MATTER WHAT the next moment...

She had been shocked and broken at the sight of herself as an Alicorn... almost more than what Discord had done... of course she attacked herself... but now the Alicorn Sunset had the advantage in experience and power that her other self didn't.

The unicorn Sunset and her Princess Celestia had spent a LOT of time talking.

Princess Celestia had adjusted the mirror, and that Sunset Shimmer returned to her human world... she had caused so much damage to so many humans at CHS, and much of it wouldn't simply go away because she did... in particular... there were five friends who friendships she had utterly destroyed, and she needed to rebuild and repair as repentance for her sins.

Applejack and the others didn't want to think about how if they had spent the last two years still hating and loathing each other.

"Ya know..." Applejack said. "Thinkin' 'bout it Sunset.. it's a GOOD THING ya didn't get caught when ya stole Twilight's crown... if ya did... me and my friends? We'd have gone on hatin' each other... and the Sirens would have kept on causin' trouble and who KNOWS what else they'd have done eventually to get their power back if you didn't lure 'em in... And our Twilight at Crystal Prep, we'd have had no reason or been in a position to get her to do more than care about what school she was goin' to."

"... I never thought of it that way... I guess it would have been a disaster in disguise... "

Nightmare Mirror and Princess Amicitia glared at Dues Ex Machina.

"OKAY! OKAY! I ADMIT IT! It was stupid when I did Sunset getting caught before she get back to the human world.... like... a... bajillion times.. and it caused more damage than good, it was a quick fix solution and if I actually THOUGHT about it, I'd realize it was a dumb idea. There! I said it! Can we move on now please!?!?"

Meanwhile... Toilet Sparkle... was glade to be Twilight Sparkle again, and happy to have her book with a star on it cutie mark back, and to get back to her beloved library. She was just happy Cadence and Shining Armor had been OUTSIDE Equestria when the chaos had started. Being the sister-in-law of a Princess hadn't changed how she lived her life really, ponies were LEGENDARY oblivious t such things until spin masters TOLD THEM to be excited.

What Golden Tiara wanted of course... was to find her friends...

Coco Pommel had been found abusing her old mentor Suri, whose own personality had been made subservient and snivel, a reversal of their old roles... it had made Coco sick to her stomach, and Suri had run off before more could be said, looking terrified.

Cloud Kicker... in opposite to her actual conservative personality... had been mating with anything on four hooves non-stop that put a nymphomanic to shame... she took 20 showers and still felt dirty... she was also crying to herself, about what, Golden Tiara said was private.

Bulk Biceps... had been made smart... BRUTALLY smart, with no empathy, no enthusiasm he normally had, and devoid of any desire to help anypony but continue to read.

Minuette... she had been ... she claimed she was possessed by an evil spirit of somepony Doctor Whooves had known...

And Moon Dancer... was still discorded when they found her... it had been her friends, rather than Discord himself who had corrupted her after all...

Moon Dancer had half-hearted rambled, "I'm unworthy, a failure, a stand-in, I failed to stop Discord... I don't DESERVE to be Magic."

Sunset Shimmer had stepped in. This was becoming normal for her.

"Moon Dancer... I failed Celestia too, far worse than you did. You failed to stop an enemy, I BECAME the enemy... and... what to a secret? The pony who would have been Magic if you hadn't would have failed too... she needed outside help to be saved... You don't need to be perfect Moon Dancer, you already did more than many could have... you saved Luna... that's something to be proud of... you're not perfect... I know whatever evil is waiting out there next... you and your friends WILL be able to handle it together!"

"Yeah yeah Miss From Another World Come and Fix Our Problems, how about you let US handle this?" Golden Tiara asked.

Kendell2

"...Moon Dancer," said Golden Tiara, sitting next to her friend. "...We've all failed, at a lot of things..."

The mare didn't look up.

"But...well...Remember when you first came to Ponyville?" she asked, looking to her. "You came to my husband's shop looking for some supplies for the Summer Sun Celebration?" the mare asked. "...You know what happened...how I'd recovered from my...illness...but couldn't look my daughter in the eye?...Even though I didn't tell you everything yet, you still told me I didn't seem like a bad pony...so I shouldn't act like I was one...and that night I went into the Ever Free with you because I wanted to make up for that...If anyone here failed at something, it was me...I failed at being a mother...But thanks to you giving me a chance, I feel whole again..."

Moon Dancer looked up.

"And you put up with my temper sometimes," Cloudkicker replied. "...And Celestia knows I'm not perfect...but you put up with me. I came with you to protect Alula from Nightmare Moon...I stayed with you because you're my friend and you earned it..."

"...When Suri browbeat me in front of you that day, you were the one who stood up for me..." Coco replied. "...And that's why when she ran away when Nightmare Moon showed up, I decided to come with you...you gave me confidence to TRY and do something...thanks..."

Moon Dancer blinked, looking to her two friends that had just spoken up.

"...I don't know how much was...but I can say I'm not a total saint either..." Minuette replied, remembering THAT experience. "...But you put up with my obsession with teeth...and a little OCD when it comes to scheduling...But that never mattered to you, Moon Dancer...That's why I didn't mind following you into a forest of death to save the world...You're not a perfect leader, but you're my friend, and that's all I'd ever ask..."

Bulk Biceps flapped his little wings. "...I'm not the smartest pony around...but you never treat me like I'm dumb..." he explained. He then looked to Golden. "...And you weren't afraid to tell me off for being mean for Golden...I needed that..."

He had used to work at the asylum for awhile, and wasn't the kindest orderly...he looked down on the patients a bit too much...Moon Dancer had woken him up to it. He was glad, it wasn't like him to look down on somepony like that.

The big stallion hugged her. "Thank you..."

One by one her friends came and hugged the pony. Her greyed out fur brightened just slightly.

"...Hey, remember that time Cloudkicker had to get me to get my confidence up to get my Princess to stop bullying those kids?" Golden asked.

"And we all had to remind you...what happened didn't mean you should let her get everything she wanted?" Cloudkicker asked.

"Yes...thank all of you..." Golden said with a smile.

Moon Dancer brightened up just a little more.

"What about that one time with Trixie?" Bulk Biceps asked. "And Moon Dancer was scared of humiliating her after what happened to her back in school?"

"Yeah, and we had to tell you to stop holding back when the Ursa popped up?"asked Coco.

Moon Dancer brightened up.

"Uh...girls? And guy?" asked a voice.

A slightly younger Spike came trotting in with a massive arm full of scrolls. "...I got her copies of her friendship letters, want to look over them?" he asked with a smile.

Soon the group were reading them over and laughing about past memories...and Moon Dancer started crying, returning to her normal colors and hugging them.

"Um...excuse me?" asked a voice.

The group turned as Twilight, the human Twilight, trotted up. "I think this belongs to you, Moon Dancer..." she said, handing the Element of Magic back to her. "I was just borrowing it..."

Moon Dancer looked to her friends, each giving her a nod. "...Thanks," she replied, smiling as she took it and put it back on her head, her Cutie Mark taking it's proper place again. "And thanks for filling in for me, Twilight."

"So...yah still stayed in Manhatten-"

"Manehatten, darling," Orangejack replied to the human Applejack.

"Right, what is it with your world and horse puns?" the human Applejack questioned. "...And yah used your connections tah get Golden the best help possible?"

"That's about right..."

"...Well, even if...Ah don't think Ah'd be happy with mah aunt and uncle...if yah'd do that, yer still an Apple."

Mtangalion

"I... guess it's going to be time for us to return home soon," mused Sunset Shimmer. She and Princess Celestia were lounging on a high cliff, watching the sun go down. "I'm really going to miss you, even if you're not *my* Princess Celestia. Crap, I'm going to have to do this all over again with her, aren't I?"

Celestia smiled. "If you wish. But I think you'll want to."

Sunset nodded, wiping a tear from one eye, and then she focused her magic, removing the Element of Trust and offering it to her could-have-been mentor. "I hate to give this up... but I don't need the physical element any more, and it should stay in this world. Find a good bearer for it, okay?"

Celestia smiled warmly. "I promise I will, and I have a gift for you as well." She removed three familiar books from a saddlebag.

Sunset blinked. "Are those..."

Celestia nodded. "About a year ago, my Sunset grew frustrated with being trapped in the human world, all her schemes thwarted, and she burned her journal in a rage. It's probably the reason why my journal connected to yours." She lifted a green journal in her magic. "I sent the twin of this volume home with her." Then she lifted a pair of blue journals. "These, I made especially for you. "Your original journal will carry your words to your own Celestia." She offered one of the blue books. "And with this, you may speak to me as well. We may not see each other again, my Little Sun, but I do hope that you will write."

Sunset hugged her. "I'd love to!"

Two rainbow trails went streaking across the sky. Rainbow Dash, lead guitarist of the Rainbooms, was racing Rainbow Dash from Cloudsdale, youngest member of the Wonderbolts before Discord's reign. "This is so freakin' awesome!" shouted one of them. "You haven't seen anything yet!" shouted the other.

Sunset had a thought. "Do I mind if I..."

Celestia chuckled. "Oh, be my guest."

Sunset reared up and spread her wings, tentatively reaching for the sun with her magic. The sun's warm embrace tickled... it seemed to like her. Slowly, she guided it beneath the horizon.

There were hoofsteps in the grass behind them. "I can take it from here," said Luna. She raised the moon well enough, though her eyes were still haunted.

Celestia sat up straighter, turning. "Did you find him?"

"I did." Luna used her magic to drag a reluctant unicorn stallion towards them... muscular and gray coated, with a curly black and blue mane, and gentle green eyes even more troubled than Luna's.

Celestia gasped, recognizing him at once, even though she'd never seen him not wearing iron barding *or* a royal robe. "Sombra?"

"Why did you bring me back?" asked Sombra. "I can't hear the shadows whispering any more. My dark magic, it disgusts me now!" His eyes met hers, pleading. "Lock me away, if you won't let me go perish in ice and snow. Banish me to the moon. Send me to the sun! Lock me in the depths of Tartarus. I'll confess every one of my crimes! I'm guilty! I deserve it!"

Sunset touched Sombra's hoof with her own, and she felt no corruption, no clash of opposing magics. "Hey... admitting you did wrong is the first step. Do you know how long it took me to do even that much?"

Celestia beamed. "Let's get back to the palace. I believe your friend Pinkie Pie has planned something of a celebration."

Kendell2

"Spike?"

"Yeah Moon Dancer?"

Moon Dancer hovered the Element of Trust in her telekinesis. "...I think you deserve this..." she put it around his neck, the sun emblem turning into a scroll the moment it attached. "...You're the most trust worthy assistant I know..."

Sunset was getting ready for celebration. Celestia's had mentioned.

"...So...you're the one that stopped Discord..."

Sunset blinked, turning to find an old, pale purple unicorn with a purple mane, her Cutie Mark a purple star with a wisp through it. "...Yes..."

"...Thank you..."

"Uh...your welcome...who are you?"

"That's not important...I..." she looked out a window. "...A long time ago...I was a very selfish mare...and...I made a mistake...a selfish mistake...and when Discord came to power, he made sure I knew it...and turned the world into a parody of what I used to believe...were everypony is equal...young, old, rich poor...all just his playthings...and now I'm not sure what to do now that I don't have to worry about it anymore and the nightmare's over..."

Sunset put a hoof on her shoulder. "...I know how that feels...more than anyone...but if you try to make up for it...you can..."

The mare looked surprised. "...Thank you...you're a lot different than you were in the School for Gifted Unicorns..."

Sunset blushed a little. "I've had a long time to think about it...wait, how did you know that?"

"...That's a long story too...I guess I'll start over...though I think there's another pony out there somewhere I can guide...I think she's in need of a friend who understands her..."

"Sometimes that's all it takes..."

Alex Warlorn

"Three timelines left." Nightmare Mirror said. "One where Chrysalis rules Equestria."

"The one where Luna is still Nightmare Moon." Dues Ex Machina whimpered.

"And the ashlands." Amicitia finished.

Alex Warlorn

(https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/570098/be-on-the-alert-for-this-rebel-traitor Pretty much a parallel of this.)

Nightmare Moon nor her guard, nor her Seneschal (it was more formal sounding than slave in charge of interior decoration), had any way of recognizing Twilight Sparkle. They had never met after all.

An Apple farm had greatly increased their family's mushroom production just to keep their farm from imploding.

And an Orangejack in Manehatten... who didn't serve Nightmare Moon out of any greed or devotion (in fact she hated herself every night)... because with Celestia gone... Nightmare Moon was the only thing keeping Equestria stable. And there was any told number of death and destruction a civil war would cause.

Nightmare Moon had also banned Nightmare Night in a day. And the Sun Summer Celebration was also banned. Instead Nightmare Moon's Winter Moon celebration would be held instead of being ignored as it had been even before her banishment.

There was also a unseen rabble rouser somewhere in Equestria's old Capital of Canterlot. Somepony who was spreading defiant and pro-sun 'propaganda'. This mare was unknown, only that she was highly intelligent, literate, likely a unicorn (which wasn't much help in Canterlot), had access to printing equipment, and signed her pamphlets 'Captain Smarty Pants.'

Some wondered if 'Captain Smarty Pants' was Celestia's student Moon Dancer, but the mare was not to be found in Canterlot.

Cadence and Shining Armor had taken one look at the reports, and worried what had inspired Twiley to enact this. 'Captain Smarty Pants' meanwhile, was secretly growing in popularity from ponies who wanted the day back.

Even after Nightmare Moon had figured out how to bend the heat and radiation needed from her sister's sun around the planet without disrupting her night, there plenty of ponies who wanted their sun back.

Discord hadn't broken free... he was sealed in a room of utterly perfect order, it was beyond torture for him as the order ate away at his very being.

Like in most other timelines, the changelings had abandoned their scheme to invade Equestria, which was no longer the land of endless love.

While ponies were allowed to live their lives, Nightmare Moon ruled a police state, any mention of Celestia, or the day was forbidden. While Rarity's family was safe from Nightmare Moon's wraith, they saw the hateful looks ponies gave them for their daughter being a 'sell out' (even if Rarity could never hope to quit her job, had not sought employment from the goddess, and nothing she owned could be not taken away in a moment... and was a slave in everything but paperwork, much like most of Nightmare Moon's servants).

Cadence and Shining Armor had returned to Equestria only due to the 'warnings' (threats) to their families. Cadence was sadly too popular for Nightmare Moon to simply murder (as Celestia's notes had said Cadence was heir to the throne in her absence) as she wanted to, but instead had her sealed up in a tower for 'her own protection.'

Shining Armor and Cadence's wedding was much more subdued affair.

But with the return of the Crystal Empire, and Sombra, Cadence and Shining Armor had convinced Nightmare Moon that they were the only ones who could retrieve the Crystal Heart for her... with help of the Nightmare Queen herself... Cadence and Shining Armor had destroyed Sombra and banished and betrayed her insane aunt... outside of the Crystal Empire.

Nightmare Moon declared Cadence and her husband traitors, but their families were safely smuggle to the crystal empire. To Nightmare Moon's own fury, she found she was incapable of breaking its protective barrier anymore than Discord once had.

Even all her armies combined firepower could not breach the crystal heart's protection.

To the surprise of EVERYPONY ALIVE Prince Blueblood had thrown his lot in with his cousin, the cowardly prince saying that he KNEW what happened to 'heirs' of an insane immortal who had no need of them. And that no amount of proving himself useful would save his skin. Celestia was willing to let Blueblood be a happy useless idiot... Nightmare Moon was not.

Cadence declared her aunt insane and not fit to rule and for her own good she must step-down. You can imagine how Nightmare Moon reacted to that.

Another rabble rouser who Nightmare Moon had found and imprisoned and left to starve to death was Zecora... except Rarity had secretly fed the shaman... who had told her realistically what would happen to her family when Nightmare Moon was overthrown.

And Rainbow Dash... in a dream... remember the unicorn from that day in her foalhood she had seen... fighting that other unicorn... who asked her to finish the race, but the battle was far more interesting.

It was what got Rainbow Dash interested in becoming a royal guard to begin with...

For Rainbow Dash it was black and white, she served the Princess, whoever she might be. Cadence had no experience ruling, let alone Celestia's eons of experience...

But she kept coming back to that dream... that memory... that same Alicorn... saying she came from a reality where Celestia still ruled Equestria... where the sun still shined... asking her to finish the race... that... THAT COULDN'T be...

Rainbow Dash the bat pony woke up in a cold sweat.

Also... there had been Tirek... the loss of resources from that battle had been terrible indeed... so chaotic... even if Nightmare Moon had emerged victorious.

The chaos had been enough... to free Discord, whose power due to Nightmare Moon's torture was at 00.01% of his power WITHOUT his father's avatar's essence or that of his brother's.

He had pathetically crawled away... and been found by a kind yellow pegasus who just happened to have the idea of looking for hurt animals after Tirek's battle with Nightmare Moon...

Moon Dancer meanwhile, had pieced together, the Elements of Harmony were needed for defeating Nightmare Moon... she had thought she had to fight the dark queen before in Ponyville town hall... (that had resulted in the place falling apart, and Rarity running out of the place with three terrified and injured foals on her back, ironically earning Nightmare Moon's respect (despite what many thought, Nightmare Moon wanted servants with some back bone, she'd had enough of disgusting sycophants).

"Teacher I'm sorry I failed you... " Moon Dancer cried. "I'll find the Elements, beat Nightmare Moon, and get you back, I promise."

~But wasn't trying to do this alone what cost you in the first place?~

Then... Moon Dancer wanted to cry harder... now she understood what her mentor meant by 'make some friends.'

Even when Twilight Sparkle went back in time again... Nightmare Moon didn't know the Nightmare was already surrounded by enemies, and didn't even know it.

(To be continued by someone else?)

Mtangalion

Twilight Sparkle was used to working late hours... if working late even meant anything these nights. This long after moonset, she was the last pony left in the Times of Canterlot offices, hunched over a writing desk surrounded by candles. "Yesterday," she murmured aloud while writing with her magic, "representatives of the Crystal Rebellion once again rejected the generous terms of our fair Princess Nightmare Moon. With little progress in the peace talks so far, General Ranger had this to say..."

Twilight quickly transcribed the quotation while stifling a yawn. "Spike, could you get me..." The unicorn froze, and then her heart sank.

The memories came flooding back, even though she didn't want them, didn't need the distraction right now. Failing her magic exam in front of Celestia and her parents and everypony. Taking the dragon egg without even asking permission first and holing up in the royal library for two solid weeks, only briefly resurfacing for snatches of food and sleep. Chasing down every last bit of knowledge, cross-referencing every available scrap of lore, and finally casting the spell she'd written from scratch, earning herself a new baby brother and the scroll and quill with a six-pointed star on her flank.

So what if the position of Celestia's apprentice had already been filled? That had been the happiest day of her life.

And now the little drake was gone, smuggled north to the Crystal Empire along with her parents. Supposedly, Twilight Sparkle had gone with them. She might as well have... she'd had to abandon every trace of her old life to become "Aurora Gleam," eager young newspaper columnist. Twilight signed the scroll with her false name, put it in the outbox for the typesetters, then extinguished the candles and pulled a satchel out of the warded drawer in her desk, the one full of extremely subversive pamphlets. She smiled faintly. Too much work to do, just like always.

Outside, Twilight triple-checked her disguise, then threw on a hooded cloak and hurried on her way.

Far above the dark, lantern-lit streets of Canterlot, laying on a wispy ice-laden cloud, Shadowbolt Captain Rainbow Dash woke from her nap... that is, she stirred from her restless vigil! She'd had one eye open, anyway. "Welp... looks like Cadence isn't attacking tonight. What a waste of time." The batpony scratched her flank, muttering about armor that was clearly designed for looks and not keeping anypony warm, then hopped up and dove from her cloud. One more glide over the city, and then she could head back to the new Everfree City barracks and get some rest before...

Then she spotted something out of the corner of her eye that nearly made her stall out. Way down there in an alley, a purple pony had glanced at the sky. Her. The strange Alicorn who'd barged into Nightmare Moon's castle, babbling about time travel, and then vanished without a trace. Dash only saw her for a moment, and the cloak hid her cutie mark and her hair was the wrong style and color, but she knew that face. She'd been waking up in cold sweats remembering that face! "No way..." Dash smirked as she circled back around. "Now I'm going to get some answers!"

Twilight Sparkle was only halfway home when a batpony in Lunar Guard armor plummeted right out of the sky, coming to a neat landing right in her path. "So, you thought you could sneak back into Equestria and cause more trouble, huh? You're coming with me!"

"I... I beg your pardon?" stammered Twilight, nervously running through all the combat spells she'd memorized, and wishing that she'd found more excuses to actually practice casting them.

Alex Warlorn

"Don't play dumb! You think I could forget your face after the stunt you pulled?!"

Twilight was as bewildered as alarmed. "I! I don't think we've met!"

"Oh come on! You think I'm gonna-" Captain Rainbow Dash tore off the cloak... only to see... "Where... what the heck happened to your wings?!"

"What wings?! I've never had wings!" Now Twilight had no idea what was going on, was this Bat Pony drunk? She didn't smell it, and her motions weren't those of a drunkard.

Author's Note

Number seven of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

ONE DOWN. SIX TO GO! (Crystal War Worldline)
TWO DOWN. FIVE TO GO! (Film Flam Worldline)
THREE DOWN. FOUR TO GO! (Tirek Worldline)
FOUR DOWN. THREE TO GO! (Discord Worldline.)

Changeling Worldline
Nightmare Moon Worldline
Ashland Worldline

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:
Wolfram-and-Hart (Tirek Timeline)
Mtangalion (with slight edits by me) (Discord Timeline)
Kednell2 and Alex Warlorn (Discord Timeline)
Kendell2 and Mtangalion and Kendell2 again.
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn (https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/570098/be-on-the-alert-for-this-rebel-traitor)
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Time Lines Part 3

Dash jabbed a hoof at Twilight's chest. "You don't fool me. It's probably some kind of illusion spell!" She glanced around, suddenly wary. "Where's your little purple dragon pal, huh? Trying to get the drop on me?"

Twilight's jaw dropped. "How could you even know about Spike? Unless..."

"He was with you both times!" yelled Dash, interrupting her.

Twilight started backing up, shaking her head. "What 'both times?' What are you talking about?"

"Heck, he's even in your wanted poster."

Twilight gave Dash an exasperated look. "Did you even *read* my wanted poster? Cause it sure didn't say 'Wanted: Rogue Alicorn' last time I checked."

Apparently, that struck a nerve... the crazy Shadowbolt captain headbutted her so fast, Twilight didn't even see it coming. "Reading is for eggheads!" bellowed Dash, red-faced and bat wings spread... as she bucked Twilight again, then spun and swept Twilight's hooves out from under her.

Twilight groaned and put a hoof to her aching head. Worse, her saddlebags had gotten knocked loose and spilled pamphlets all over the alleyway.

Dash put a hoof down on one, frowning as she scanned it. "*You're* Smarty-Pants?"

Twilight staggered to her hooves, panting. "At least now you can arrest me for *something I actually did!*" She lit her horn, surrounding her forehooves in crackling dark clouds, then kicked out at Dash, hoping to shock her unconscious...

Only for Dash to dodge all of her kicks, seemingly without effort. "Lightning, seriously? Who do you think you're fighting with here?" She ducked lazily out of the way of a high kick. "Seriously, have you ever tried to hit another pony in your life?"

"How about this, then?" snapped Twilight, firing a brilliant purple blast from her horn... but the Shadowbolt was just... gone.

"Nope," said Dash... directly behind her. "You'll have to be a lot faster than that to beat Rainbow Dash!" She aimed another lightning fast kick at the unicorn's head... but she only hit a violet teleport flash and empty air. "Oh, buck me."

"Language!" called Twilight from a distant rooftop... which was suddenly not distant enough from the charging batpony. "Oops..."

Ardashir (with edits)

"You're not getting away from me THIS time!" Captain Dash yelled as she flew at Twilight. Before the unicorn could escape, Dash slammed into her and forced her down. "Hah! I caught you, troublemaker."

"Urrgh-ugh!" Twilight kicked uselessly as she sought escape. "What do you mean, 'getting away this time'? I've never seen you before in my life! And how do you know about Spike?"

"I know all about you," Rainbow snorted as she examined her captive's back. "Where are you hiding those wings?"

"What wings, you lunatic?"

"The ones you had when you were hassling me in Cloudsdale as a filly!" Dash looked at Twilight, seeing a confusion that mirrored her own. Dash backed off, letting Twilight rise. "When you stopped me from that race... and when you said you came from a world where the traitor, where Celestia, still ruled..."

Thw two ponies stared at each other.

"Okay," Twilight said. "I think we need to talk. NOW."

More of the Night Guard flew overhead. Dash found herself ducking into the shadows beside Twilight without even questioning why.

"Eh, maybe at my place?" Twilight said, and Dash just nodded.

***

Hours passed as the two mares spoke, comparing notes on what they remembered and didn't remember of the day that sent Rainbow Dash out of racing and into the Guard.

"Time travel? I, that other me, said she got to you by time travel magic? But that's impossible!"

"Impossible or not, it's what she really said," Dash answered her. "She wanted me to keep racing, but watching her fight it out with this other crazy unicorn was more fun." She grinned at the memory. Then, serious again, "But what about everything else? How she lived in a world where Celestia still ruled? How did they handle Sombra and Tirek and all the rest of the enemies Nightmare Moon defeated here?"

"I'm not sure," Twilight rubbed her chin before looking at a nearby book. It was one for foals, the 'Tale of the first Hearth's Warming'. "We ponies used to be a lot less, well, grim before Nightmare showed up. Maybe we found other ways that didn't depend on blasting everything?"

"Huh," Dash thought back to her own memories of the days when the sun still shined on Equestria. "But we were just more foolish then, right? We didn't know how nasty the world really was."

"Is it LESS nasty now?" Twilight looked out the window Dash joined her and winced to see yet another harnessed-together chain gang of 'sun-loving traitors' being chivvied along with snorts and blows by the Night Guard. Dash frowned as Twilight said, "It was better back then, Rainbow Dash. Nopony knew what prison camps were."

Dash looked from her to the prisoners to the bloated moon in the sky and made her decision. She removed her armor and tossed it into the corner.

"Okay. How do we bring the sun back?"

***

It took them time and a slow gathering of allies, most of them found on the new 'Most Dangerous Traitors' list edited every month by the crown. Discord came first.

"Discord?!?" Dash snorted in disbelief. "He tried to take the country over!" Nightmare Moon had been sure to educate her ponies on Discord's original reign, ironically she didn't need to exaggerate in the least, but of course, she had minimized her own sister's involvement, and had removed any mention of the Elements of Harmony.

"Like it or not, we do need someone powerful to face down Nightmare Moon, and he's the strongest being in Equestria," Twilight responded as they headed into the Everfree Forest.

They found Discord, weakened as he was, along with the adult blank flank pegasus who tended to him. Dash thought she looked awfully familiar.

"If you want to bring Celly back, count me in," Discord said. He snapped his claws and a miniature sun appeared in his hand, only to spark out. He frowned. "She was a stick in the mud, but she's a million times better than that humorless sister of hers."

"And if he's going, I'm going," Fluttershy said in her soft voice. Dash scowled at her. Fluttershy shivered, but stood her ground. "I'm not letting him run off and get himself hurt again, the poor dear." She fluttered up to give Discord a little kiss on the cheek. He turned crimson, literally.

Discord's magic was enough to get them inside Nightmare Moon's new castle in the Everfree. More specifically, into the dungeons, where they found Zecora and her new Earth pony guard.

"Ow! Pinkie! Knock it off!" Dash dodged wildly as Pinkie took one swing after another at her. She missed by a hairsbreadth with every punch, but the flying stone splinters as her hooves pounded the walls made them almost as dangerous as solid hits. "We're trying to FIX things!"

"No, you're trying to bring Puny Princess Sunbutt back!" Pinkie leaped and snatched Dash out of the air, slamming her into the ground. "Nightmare Moon saved us from Tirek! And Meany-Pants Discord! Have you gone loco in the coco, Dash?"

"WHAT is going on here?" Dash and Pinkie both looked up to see the Seneschal rounding the corner. A tray full of food floated unobtrusively behind her. "I am trying to clean the castle, and her Nightjesty is very particular about... Oh!" She froze at the sight of Dashie and Pinkie rolling on the floor. "Not to be personal, ladies, but maybe you could find a room and --" She looked past them to see Twilight, Fluttershy, Zecora out of her cell, and worst of all? "DISCORD! He's in the palace! Help, Nightjesty, hel -- HLLP!" She began tugging at the muzzle on her mouth.

Fluttershy frowned at Discord.

"What? I had to quiet her down somehow." Meanwhile Zecora and Twilight grabbed Rarity.

"Rarity, who aided me, now listen carefully," Zecora said to the panicked mare. "Discord is here, 'tis true, but no foe is he to you." Behind her Discord snapped his fingers and the furious Pinkie was trapped inside a balloon. Rarity gulped but listened. "Long now have you treated me, would I reward kindness with falsity? We but seek to restore the sun, the Nightmare's endless night is no fun. If you aid us, your family can be saved," Rarity's eyes went wide at those words, "But let us fail, and all by the Nightmare will be enslaved!"

The zebra and Twilight released Rarity.

"Rarity," Twilight said, "Dash told me about you and your doubts. And your fears for your family. If you help us bring Celestia back, ponies will see you as a hero rather than as a traitor. Your family won't suffer. Please! Help us bring this lunacy to an end!"

"And you, Pinkie," Dash said to her en-ballooned friend, "can't ya see how bad everything has got? You used to laugh and tell jokes all the time; remember how Captain Shining Armor liked them?" Pinkie seemed to calm as Dash carefully popped the balloon, setting her free. "Ya gonna help us save Equestria and Luna from Nightmare Moon, or not?"

Mtangalion

Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Hmm...."

"Well?" asked Dash impatiently.

"Hmmmm!!"

Everypony leaned a little closer.

Pinkie Pie's flat mane twitched and crinkled, then poofed into bouncy curls! "Okie doki! Let's make Equestria smile again!" The pink earth pony threw her hooves wide, flinging confetti from nowhere.

Discord tossed in a few small fireworks of his own. "Oh, I *like* her..."

And then cold mists started pouring down the stairs to the dungeon, and a haunting laugh echoed through the halls. Nightmare Moon herself slowly came down those stairs, grinning like a maniac. "I believe I've heard enough."

Rarity quivered, trying to turn even paler. "Y-your Nightjesty! Thank goodness you've come! It was all just a joke, you see? I wasn't really..." She sighed, slumping. "Oh, who am I kidding?" She dragged a sleeping cot out of a prison cell, then fainted on it.

Fluttershy didn't faint, but she cowered behind Discord, shaking like a leaf.

"Nightmare Moon!" said Twilight, dramatic and defiant... the moment seemed to demand it.

"Captain Smarty-Pants," echoed Nightmare Moon mockingly. "Also known as Twilight Sparkle, also known as Prince Shining Armor's dear little sister Twily. You've managed to amass quite a collection of troublemakers, only to hoof yourself and them right over to me." The dark Alicorn seemed to take a particular interest in Rainbow Dash, ruffling her half-regrown mane with a tendril of mist. "And to think, you used to be one of my most loyal guards."

Rainbow glared and punched the mist with a hoof, dispersing it. "Loyal to you, maybe... but I was betraying Equestria! I... I messed up. I know that now."

Nightmare Moon chuckled, then laughed out loud, throwing her wings wide. "You know nothing, Rainbow Dash! You may have removed your armor, but my gift to you makes you mine forever... my little thestral! You, and your most secret dreams. I've known all of your schemes from the start."

Rainbow's tall tufted ears drooped. She covered herself with her bat wings, then recoiled from them, self-conscious in a way that she hadn't been since the Nightmare first changed her. Worse, Fluttershy, Discord, and even Pinkie were giving her doubtful looks. "I didn't know... Guys, you have to believe me! I *didn't* betray you on purpose!"

Twilight put a foreleg around her. "I believe you."

Rainbow stared, almost weeping with relief. "You... you do?"

"Of course I do!" said Twilight. "You're my friend, now. Heck, you could have turned me in and been a national hero on the day we met. After all the months we've worked together, I know you. I know you didn't betray any of us willingly."

Zecora coughed. "That is all well and great, but perhaps we should hurry and make our escape?"

"We're as good as gone," said Discord, flicking his fingers. They made a rooster's crow instead of a finger-snapping sound, and nopony went anywhere. "Eh?" He snapped again, and got the sound of a goat bleating. "That's not funny!"

"I'll get us out!" Twilight lit her horn and cast a mass teleport spell. The mana drain would be terrible, but they had no choice... but they vanished and reappeared in exactly the same spot!

Nightmare Moon was laughing again. "This is too much. You poor fools! Did you not wonder why I've been speaking with you alone, instead of having my loyal guards lock you up?"

Pinkie Pie pinched herself... with one hoof... somehow, and gasped! "Oh no!"

"Oh yes!" crowed the Nightmare. "I filled the castle with sleeping mists! You've been dreaming since you got here, and you will NEVER wake again unless I release you!"

The walls of the prison groaned and flew apart, like a foal's castle playset. Suddenly, Nightmare Moon loomed before Twilight, seemingly enormous, as if Twilight really was just a foal's doll. "Now, how to begin breaking you? What do you fear?" Her wicked, fanged grin spread wider. "Oh, that is simply too perfect." She pointed a foreleg accusingly. "I hereby BANISH you from Equestria, and IMPRISON you in the place that I am banishing you to!"

"NO!" wailed Twilight, tumbling through space with her friends old and new... until they slammed into the dusty gray ground of a castle courtyard, with brilliant stars and *Equus* in the sky overhead.

"Enjoy that for a while," said the Nightmare's voice. "You can keep *her* company."

"Her?" asked Twilight, hesitantly. Her eyes widened.

A great tree occupied the center of the castle courtyard. It must have been beautiful once, tall and otherworldly, encrusted with crystals... but it seemed dead. There was a mare chained to the tree, a mare Twilight knew.

"Oh, the poor thing!" said Fluttershy, trotting right over to try and unchain her.

Rarity got up from the ground, flinching at all the moondust getting in her coat. She gave the prisoner a curious look. "My goodness... I do believe I remember that mare. We had her in the dungeon for a while. Isn't that..."

Twilight gulped, nodding. "Moondancer."

Kendell2

Twilight wracked her brain. How could this be happening? They'd come so far only for...for this to happen.

[It don't make since, does it?]

'No, it doesn't! It can't end like this!'

[No, Ah mean it REALLY don't make sense? Somethin' about this just ain't right...]

Twilight blinked, looking around the desolate surface of the moon...the group here...Discord...Discord!

'She sent Discord here with us!'

*And?*

Twilight then realized something and gasped.

'We're traitors...this ISN'T how Nightmare Moon treats traitors! Okay, it is, but not in this order!...I think I know what's going on!...But if that's the case...how do we...'

"Everypony! Ignore her!"

"What?!" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ignore Nightmare Moon! Don't pay attention to her voice! Or the moon! Trust me!"

"WHAT?!" Nightmare Moon's voice bellowed.

Twilight set down and stared up at the sky, right at Equus, not the stars, not the moon, only the planet itself. The others hesitantly joining her.

"What are you trying to do?!" the Nightmare's voice asked. The ponies ignored her completely, as frightening as that was. "Don't you dare ignore me!"

The entire moon seemed to rumble.

Twilight didn't remove her eyes from the planet.

"STOP IT! PAY ATTENTION WHEN I SPEAK!"

Rainbow Dash fought conditioning and kept doing so.

"Isn't Equus pretty from here?" Twilight asked, not paying the Nightmare any attention.

"...Yeah...it is..." Rainbow Dash admitted.

"Pay attention to my beautiful moon! Not to that rock!" yelled the Nightmare, getting angrier and angrier. The moon shook again.

Discord blinked, listening...Then got a smirk. 'So that's our game? It's TROLLING TIME!'

"Hey, does anypony notice the sun isn't visible?" Discord questioned. "Just black, black, black, and slightly darker black. Oh and the stars, but they're kind of boring when you've stared at them for the last few centuries!"

The group blinked in confusion, realizing they couldn't see the sun any any way, not even as a corona near Equus.

The moon quaked again, sounding like a glass was breaking.

"DON'T YOU DARE MENTIONED THAT WORD!"

"Yeah, I so would have liked to see the sun again!" Twilight called.

"Um...I've missed the sun..." Fluttershy muttered.

"SHUT UP!" Nightmare Moon's voice screamed.

Rarity blinked in confusion, but played along. "I miss the sunlight. Playing in the sun with my sister..."

Rainbow Dash thought they were crazy, but now it was doing something. "I miss feeling the sun on my wings."

"Oh! I miss having parties in it!" Pinkie yelled.

"I will not lie, I miss under the sun being able to lie," Zecora followed up.

"I...I miss Celestia..." Moon Dancer muttered.

"SHUT UP! DON'T TALK ABOUT HER! DON'T TALK ABOUT HER DAY! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!"

Equus vanished, leaving them just floating in the darkness of space.

"Close your eyes!" yelled Twilight. The group did so.

"PAY ATTENTION TO ME! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!"

The Nightmare kept screaming and seething. The world began to SHATTER as a storm seemed to rip the moon and blow their manes.

"Don't look!" Twilight yelled. The group didn't.

"STOP IGNORING ME!" Nightmare Moon yelled in what sounded like a mix of the psychotic Nightmare...and a frightened, broken pony.

Finally, everything shattered.

The group gasped and sprung awake. They were back in the dungeon, barely any time had passed.

"What happened?!" Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight sprung back to her hooves and began searching. "Think about it! Nightmare Moon finds a group of traitors under her nose, including the captain of her guard! And she just throws them on the moon? What about that sounds off?"

Rainbow Dash blinked...then gasped. "She didn't make a show of us! She would've made an example of us to discourage any other traitors!"

"Exactly!" Twilight replied. "And she'd not have just dropped DISCORD on the moon where he could potentially generate his power! She was telling the truth about putting us to sleep but she never sent us to the moon! Not YET anyway! And she wouldn't have sent Moondancer there yet either! Now let's find her quick and get out of here! Nightmare Moon is going to be coming for REAL!"

Discord simply snapped his claw, turning the stairs into soap. "That should hold off the guards for a bit."

"Okay, darling. How did you free us?" Rarity asked, continuing to look.

"Simple: when she took over the shared dream, it became like a dream to HER! And the one good way to wake somepony up is to SCARE them awake! And anypony who's read a tiny bit about Nightmare Moon knows there's one thing she's scared of more than anything else: being ignored!"

Twilight finally found the cell...finding Moon Dancer chained up inside.

Mtangalion

Meanwhile, in a new fortification on the southern border of the Crystal Empire, ponies were trotting to and fro, preparing for war. Half of them were crystal ponies, sparkling in the torchlight. Unicorns checked their spell components, pegasi stretched their wings, and earth ponies strapped on heavier armor. There were two entire flocks of griffons, too, and even a team of diamond dog sappers.

Prince Shining Armor paced back and forth, his steps muffled by fresh snow. The image of an orange blue-maned pegasus hovered over the drakefire amulet in his hoof. "Nightmare Moon's avatar is in the Crystal Palace right now," said Shining grimly. "She's gloating about having Twilight held prisoner. What's the situation over there, Flash?"

Flash Sentry's image flinched. "I'm sorry, sir. Our mages picked up chaos activity in the palace, and our spy passed out in mid-report. Your sister probably did go there."

Shining groaned. "I knew we should have gotten her out of Canterlot. Even if she did manage to talk a Shadowbolt captain into joining her, and even Discord... Discord!" He shook his head. "Prepare for Citrine Shatter, soldier, but everypony is to stay hidden until I relay the word from Princess Cadence." Flash saluted, and his image faded away.

A winged shadow swept past Shining. Spike flapped his wings hard, and thumped to the ground beside the prince. "We're finally gonna fight, huh?" Spike sat back on his haunches so he could lift his forepaws and smack a fist into a palm. "It's about time!"

Shining Armor smirked and rested a hoof on the purple dragon's flank. "Remember why we're doing this, 'little bro.'"

Back when Spike had been evacuated to the Crystal Empire, Cadence and Shining had cautiously helped Spike start a hoard of precious crystals and gemstones, but in truth, he barely seemed to need it. Spike wanted to protect his adopted family and all of his ponies... he wanted to fight against Nightmare Moon and win! Now the "baby dragon" was big enough to wear a harness and fly Shining into battle, and getting stronger by the day.

Spike grinned back, snorted a lick of green flame. "I remember, 'big bro.' Can't wait to see the look on Twilight's face..."

The drakefire amulet flashed, and an image of Cadence appeared. "Something's happening, Shiny! Nightmare Moon freaked out and abandoned her avatar, right in the middle of demanding our surrender."

Almost, Shining Armor dared to hope. "It could be a trap. Maybe she's baiting us into attacking."

Cadence smiled. "We'll know for sure just how distracted Auntie is in a minute... when I try to raise the sun!"

Alex Warlorn

Of course, everypony recognized Celestia's student. But nopony had expected her to be a prisoner in Nightmare Moon's castle... last anypony had heard, she was still at large.

"Why would Nightmare Moon keep that she'd captured you a secret?"

"She wanted me publicly executed, but was worried I'd become a martyr. And didn't want rescue attempts," Moon Dancer explained. "And you are? Wait a minute! Aren't you that pony who kidnapped that egg from Princess Celestia?!"

"Uh, well..."

A minutes of explanations later (they didn't have time for more).

"Nightmare Moon didn't tell me you were here," Rainbow Said. Rarity and Pinkie nodded in turn.

"... She... found me in Everfree..."

"What darling were you doing right in the lion's den?" Rarity asked.

"I... came to the Everfree Forest... looking for the Elements of Harmony."

"Elements of what?" Twilight Sparkle asked surprised, hadn't she heard of those before? In a fairytale? Oh right, like Nightmare Moon was supposed to be a fairytale.

"What Celestia used to defeat Nightmare Moon before... I figured one pony would get less attention than several. I'm Celestia's student, she trusted -me!- this is my responsibility! My quest! I can't just betray all the hard work she put into me! She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself..."

Mtangalion

"You can tell us all about them back at headquarters," said Twilight. She touched a hoof to her chin, suddenly thoughtful. "We're going to need a lot more organizing now that we have twice as many members." Then she grinned and added "I can't wait!" without a trace of irony.

Moon Dancer was still woozy from her ill treatment in the prison, but at this she jerked awake. "No! We can't leave yet."

Rainbow Dash was hovering by the stairs leading up from the prison cells, peeking around a corner. "Um, we sure can!"

"But the Elements of Harmony are here, in Nightmare Moon's palace!" Moon Dancer insisted.

Discord glided smoothly over. "Elements of what now? Oh, you don't want those old, busted antiques. Not when I've got something so much better!" He whipped out a small treasure chest adorned with his own grinning face. "Behold, the Elements of Chaos!"

Discord popped the lid open... and a couple of moths flew out. "What? Come on..." He turned the box upside-down and shook, then stuck his paw inside and felt around, reaching much further than the depth of the box. "Wretched depleted powers! Not now!" He coughed into a paw. "Anyway, Nightmare Moon has had years to scatter the Elements to the four corners of the earth. Or send them to the moon! Or just plain grind them to dust!"

"She can't do any of those things!" said Moon Dancer stubbornly. "They were sealed in a magical orrery which prevents anypony from touching them, unless they're worthy to be a bearer."

While the others were talking, Pinkie Pie started sniffing around in the box. "Oh my gosh, it's full of cotton candy!" She dug deeper, got stuck, and somehow slipped right through and fell in, but Discord smoothly pulled her back out again.

Dash frowned. "Yeah... I know I'm usually in favor of charging right in, but seriously, we need to go. I'm surprised Nightmare Moon didn't come storming down here, like, five minutes ago!"

"It's probably because of that pesky little army massing on the northern border," said Discord offhoofedly. "Oh dear, I probably shouldn't have said that!" He slid over and nudged Twilight, grinning like Flim and Flam's lost third brother. "Let's go meet up with them right now! Your brothers are *so* worried about you, Twilight." He started to snap his fingers.

Zecora blocked Discord's paw with a hoof. "Why do you hide what you know? With your lies and sly talk, it's only chaos you sow! The key to Nightmare's defeat, you don't wish us to find, for fear the Elements of Harmony will seal you a second time!"

Fluttershy gasped. "How can you say such mean things!? Discord is reformed... he's our friend now!" She looked up at Discord earnestly, eyes wide. "You... you aren't really plotting against us... are you?"

Discord raised a talon, another smart remark on his lips... and then he sighed, face falling. "Fluttershy, I..."

Rarity spoke up quietly. "A magical orrery, you said? I know where that is."

There was a chorus of ponies saying "What?!" and "You do?" Except for Pinkie Pie, who said "Walla walla walla!"

Rarity gripped one of the wall-mounted torches in her magic. She jerked it to the left, then down, then twisted it clockwise. There was a loud click, and a concealed door swung open.

A hush fell over the group. One by one, they filed into the secret passage with Rarity leading the way, lighting the darkness with her horn. "I always wondered why her Nightjesty ordered the original audience hall bricked up and forgotten, instead of restoring it." Rarity led them up a long, narrow flight of badly worn stone steps, then right twice, then left again, where the ancient passage ended. "Fortunately it seems, as is often the case with royalty, Nightmare Moon gave no thought to the servant passages."

Rarity pulled on a lever, and another concealed door swung open...

Alex Warlorn

Moon Dancer said, "Nightmare Moon... she's waiting for one of us to break the seal, so she can dispose of the Elements."

"True that may be, but another option I do not see." Said Zecora. "If we leave this place now, returning I do not see how."

"If we get Discord back up to full magic I'm sure he could-"

Everypony looked at Fluttershy.

"... never mind." Discord patted the mare on the back.

The two royal guards, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash guarded the rear. While Rarity was on edge for any appearance of her mistress.

Mtangalion

Twilight and her friends stepped out of the secret passage...

After Rarity's story, the ruined stone hall with a dais and twin thrones came as no surprise. The orrery was here too, broken down but still holding five stone spheres. What they didn't expect was the three soldiers camped out in front of it, playing cards. There was no sign of Nightmare Moon.

The earth pony noticed them first. He was a brown stallion with an hourglass cutie mark, wearing a formal vest and a black cape with a high collar. "Oh, they've arrived," said the Doctor. "I told you they'd find this place."

"Just when I was winning!" groused a griffon in an extra large Shadowbolt uniform, her faded-violet headfeathers sticking through the goggles on her forehead. Then she turned to look at them, and froze. "Dash."

Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed. "Gilda."

Gilda shook her wings out, slowly clenching her talons...

Dash lowered her head and snorted, ready to charge...

Rarity smirked. "Oh, just kiss already, darlings. The dramatic tension is simply unbearable."

Dash sputtered.

"It's kinda hard to kiss with a beak, you know!"

Rarity grinned a notch more. Fluttershy blushed. Discord chortled and Pinkie Pie whistled innocently.

Dash flinched. "And I know that because... guards talk about weird stuff at night! When they're not doing cool guard stuff!"

Gilda snickered into her talons. "Maybe later, if you want it bad enough."

"What!!?" Dash actually shed a few feathers. "We never...."

The red and yellow unicorn yawned, stretching. She wore a black leather jacket, and a black wizard's cape with a violet inner lining. "Eh, whatever floats your interspecies romance boat. Which is something I've had *way* too much experience with already."

Moon Dancer gasped. "Wait, aren't you... Sunset Shimmer?"

Sunset gave her a condescending look. "Do I know you? Oh, right! My *successor*. No doubt Celestia needed someone else to jerk around after I left. Ready to go back to your cell?"

Twilight looked at the orrery behind them, and sighed. "Well... I guess we have to fight now."

Pinkie cracked her "knuckles." Somehow.

"I suppose," mused the Doctor. "Though I can't help but notice that we're rather outnumbered."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "The fashion model and the maid don't look so tough."

"Hey!" cried Rarity.

Gilda sighed, looking serious now. "Yeah... I'm supposed to fight Discord. And Celestia's apprentice. And the only pony I ever called a friend." She tilted her head. "You know what? Buck this." She pulled her googles off and tossed them at the floor. "I quit."

Twilight stared. "Wha... just like that? Um, not that I'm complaining!"

"Be that way," scoffed Sunset. "I could beat them all with a wave of my hand. Hoof. Ugh, you know I mean!"

"I... don't really know what you mean at all," said Moon Dancer nervously.

Sunset levitated a crystal ball in her magic. "You know what, though? It was fun for a while, seeing how that nag Celestia got everything she deserved... but now? This just sucks." She jabbed a hoof at the flickering images in the crystal ball. "I knew Nightmare Moon wasn't exactly Fall Formal Princess material, but Cadence gets the sun to peek over the horizon somehow, and suddenly the 'glorious' Army of the Night is deserting in droves. Not only that, but Nightmare Moon *promised* she'd make me an Alicorn and put me in my rightful place, but it's been weeks and she hasn't done squat! I quit too!"

The rebels gasped in shock, the SUN? VISIBLE for a moment?

"Well, that's all settled then!" said the Doctor brightly. Most of Twilight's group gave him suspicious looks. "What? Oh, me! I was working against Nightmare Moon from the inside the whole time, of course."

Zecora frowned thoughtfully. "Here is a pony who always lies... and yet, not this time, I surmise."

Rainbow Dash lifted off, hovering impatiently. "Is that all settled? Everypony done talking? Great! Let's get the Elements already!"

Alex Warlorn

"Five Elements..." Moon Dancer remarked. "There's supposed to be six, which is supposed to appear when the other five are together... but they're obviously together right now... even if they don't exactly look like they did in the book, well, that was a thousand years ago... but still."

"I've spent more time studying Elements than you and I can tell you that you have no clue!" Sunset Shimmer said.

"I'm doing the best I can!" Moon Dancer said.

"Geek later! Escape now!" Gilda snapped.

The ponies grabbed the stone spheres and retreated back the way they came... Rainbow Dash taking the rear...

"Girls.... you.... you all go on without me." The bat-pony said. "Look, Nightmare Moon said she can look inside my dreams, as long as I'm with you, I'm her spy."

"She can look in ANYPONY'S dreams!" Discord said.

"If she could that then she'd have figured out SHE was Captain Smarty Pants a long time ago!" Rainbow pointed.

"You're Captain Smarty Pants?" Gilda blinked at Twilight Sparkle.

"The point is! I need to stay!"

"Dashie! You can't! She'll kill you." Pinkie Pie protested.

"Hey, better me, than my friends," Rainbow Dash said loyally.

Ardashir

"Hey, Dash, look," Gilda stepped up behind the pegasus, sighed, rolled her eyes, and hit her over the head with Gilda's own helmet. Dash dropped like a rock.

Her friends gasped and got ready to fight as Gilda... turned back to the table.

"Take her with ya, okay?" Gilda sat down at the table. "She's a dweeb, but she's my friend, and if she can help end all of this," she waved her claw at the room's grim decor, "she needs ta be with you."

Twilight hesitated as Pinkie tossed Dash over her shoulder and headed back down the corridor away from the chamber.

"Are, are you three sure about this? If the Nightmare figures out what you did..."

"She never will," Sunset scoffed. "Besides, she needs everypony she can get right now. Most of the army ran away, and," a faint roar came to them, followed by the distant heavy thudding of spell blasts. Sunset gulped. "We're too smart for Miss Nightmare Night."

"Just hurry now, young lady," the brown-coated stallion said. "You and the others need to figure out how to use those Elements, and soon." Another explosion sounded close by, followed by a familiar shriek of rage. He shuddered but said with obvious forced cheer, "I'd say VERY soon."

Twilight saw that her friends were already racing down the secret passage back the way they'd come. A third explosion sounded, closer than ever.

"Good luck," she called back to the trio, and hurried away after them.

A few moments later...

"SO!" Nightmare Moon snorted at the Earth pony, griffon, and unicorn before her. "I gave you three one simple mission, and you failed me?" They kept playing their cards, not even looking at her. Her eyes blazed. In the distance came the sounds of the Crystal Army, battering down the gates. "I saw my cowardly troops fleeing in droves, but I thought that here at least I still could count upon some loyalty!"

"I'm not sure, but I think 'Loyalty' was just hit over the head and carried off," Doctor Whooves said. He tossed two cards down on the table. "Oh, Sunset, Gilda, by the way, I'll see you two and raise you."

"Cowards!" Nightmare Moon whinnied. "You didn't even fight, did you!"

"Not a bit," Sunset said. She examined her hand, er, hoof of cards. "Actually, more like we out and out betrayed you." She smirked. "Though betrayal should be something you're familiar with."

"Worms! Will everyone fail me?" Nightmare Moon stalked closer. A baleful light began to glow in both her eyes and along her horn. The noises from the streets of Canterlot grew louder, cheers calling for the Nightmare's head. Nightmare Moon flinched and yelled, "I gave you power, authority! A mad fool jabbering of his magic blue box, an outcast ex-student with foalish dreams of alicornhood, and an outcast griffon! Without me you have nothing!"

"With you we're gonna have even less in, oh," Gilda titled her head to listen to the racket outside. "Less than an hour, unless you fly away and hide somewhere. Hey, maybe you can live on stolen Nightmare Night candy."

"What!" Nightmare Moon gasped. "I, I told you to never mention that wretched holiday! I shall be obeyed! I RULE EQUESTRIA!"

All three folded their cards and looked at her. Nightmare Moon saw many things there. Scorn. Exasperation. And worst of all, pity.

The Nightmare shivered as though a chill breath ran down her back.

"Luna," Sunset shook her head. She gathered up her cards. More explosions came, and the heavy thudding of somepony forcing the castle's main gate. Moments later, too soon for it to be forced, came cheers and the sound of hundreds of hooves on the marble and wood flooring of the Castle of the Sisters. Sunset nodded. "By the end of the day, you'll be lucky to be in chains." Sunset smiled. "Hey, guys, this is really funny..."

"PAY ATTENTION TO ME!" Nightmare Moon shrieked as the light of her horn grew blinding. Gilda and Whooves bent over Sunset's hand, ignoring her entirely as Nightmare Moon almost pleaded, "I'M PRINCESS! I AM I AM I AM! YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO ME!"

"Now that I call ironic," Whooves said, looking at the cards.

"Does fate have a sense of humor or what?" Sunset said, letting out a little laugh.

"Aces and Eights," Gilda chuckled. The magic from Nightmare Moon lashed out even as she said, "Dead Mare's Hand!"

A moment later, head hanging and gasping from the amount of magic she'd just used, Nightmare Moon followed Twilight and hr disloyal guard captain and that wretched Rarity down the secret passage. Behind her in the room were three statues.

They still paid no attention to her whatever.

And coming ever closer, the neighs of the invaders and the sound of their hooves clopping over the paving stones.

Alex Warlorn

"Well..." Fluttershy said, "From the sound of it... maybe Nightmare Moon will give up? From the sound of so many ponies ready to say no to her?"

".... She's going to slaughter them. Single hoofedly. You have no idea how powerful Lulu actually is." Discord said sadly. "She'll make an example of them, and make as many examples as she has to, until the idea of opposing her never enters ponies' head again and she makes sure every pony alive is more terrified of her than the enemy... being able to release nightmare causing demons into ponies' sleep can be a great argument for keeping your loyalties to her."

Meanwhile, Amicitia was rambling at the unconscious of a statue.

(Did you HAVE TO knock out Rainbow Dash Gilda?! She was seconds away from awakening the Element of Loyalty!)

Mtangalion

Rarity had led them to a hidden exit from the castle, past a crumbling, forgotten guard post and into open air. A glow like dusk burned on the horizon, making it easier to see the Crystal Army marching into Everfree City and the airships hovering over the forest. Pegasi, griffons, and even a dragon swooped through the air, facing off against the thestrals that hadn't fled.

"Then there's no more time to waste," said Moon Dancer, levitating the stone Elements into a small circle. "Stand back, everypony. I'm going to try to activate them!" The glow of her magic spun them round and round in a whirlwind... but they fell to the ground, unchanged. "I don't understand. My spell should have worked!"

Twilight started to offer her advice, and then she noticed Dash and gasped. "Oh, no! This what we were trying to avoid!" The still-unconscious batpony was moaning in her sleep, eyes twitching behind closed eyelids...

Rainbow Dash found herself in the castle on the moon again, but this time, the planet in the starry sky overhead was the moon too... and even the sun was another brightly glowing moon!

Dark mists coalesced into Nightmare Moon, grinning darkly.

Rainbow fought through chattering teeth and stood up to her, somehow. "Let me go!"

"Rainbow Dash, do not defy me!" boomed Nightmare Moon, in a voice that blew Rainbow back and blasted every bit of moondust in the courtyard. "Do you not see, my foolish little thestral? I ask for so little!"

The Nightmare pointed with a wing, and a vision appeared... Dash's friends in some courtroom, with everypony laughing and jeering at them. Twilight, Moon Dancer, and Zecora were reading thick books and wearing huge nerd glasses, and Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and even Discord wore silly frou-frou dresses, sipping tea.

Another Nightmare Moon appeared in the vision, wearing a judge's robes. "I find Rainbow Dash's friends guilty of being lame eggheads, and definitely Not Cool!"

The first Nightmare strode closer to Rainbow. "Bow before me, Rainbow Dash! Call me your goddess, swear your eternal loyalty once more, and I will do whatever you ask!"

A second vision appeared... the biggest stadium Rainbow Dash had ever seen, jam-packed with ponies chanting her name. "It's the most awesome show I've ever seen!" said yet another Nightmare Moon into a microphone. "Her stunts are the coolest ever! Her Sonic Moonboom is out of this world!" The thundering bang and surging silver ripples in the air only made the crowd cheer louder. "Rainbow Dash is the greater flyer... ever!"

The "real" Rainbow Dash stood with her mouth hanging open, torn...

(Why don't you fly a little closer, Rainbow? Make sure you get a good look at what she's offering.)

/What do ya see, and what *don't* ya see?/

Rainbow lifted off, hovering a little closer. Nightmare Moon grinned in wicked anticipation.

And then Dash saw it. That other Rainbow... she had ten thousand screaming fans... and not a single friend by her side, or anywhere in the whole stadium. She turned away, glaring at the Nightmare Moon. "No."

"No," mumbled Rainbow Dash, still dreaming even after Discord's finger snap, and Fluttershy and Twilight trying to shake her awake.

Dash trotted into the first vision, with all her "uncool" and "egghead" friends, and got right in the judge's face, jabbing her with a hoof...

"There's *nothing* you can give me that's more important than sticking up for my friends!"

One of the stone orbs pulsed with crimson light, then exploded! Rainbow Dash gasped and flew awake as the light swirled into her, becoming a golden choker around her neck, set with a ruby lightning bolt matching her cutie mark. "What... who?! Guys! I'm back!"

Moon Dancer gawked. "The Element of Loyalty! I've... I've been such an idiot! It's not about finding the right spell... It's about the virtues that the Elements represent, and the ponies that embody them! I never could have awakened the Elements by myself!"

Kendell2

Rainbow Dash blinked, the red energy surrounding her...then a darkness burning off her and taking the form of Nightmare Moon's face before burning away. Her fur color and wings became lighter in color. They were still darker than normal, but much lighter "What was that?!"

"I think that was Lulu's link to you being burned up," Discord remarked, backing away from RD. "The Elements tend to provide protection against things when you wear them..."

"...That's why you didn't want us to find it, isn't it?" Twilight asked the Draconequus. "It can protect against you."

"...I said nothing."

"Wait, darlings...doesn't this mean that Nightmare Moon knows we have one Element and this is the last place we were?!" Rarity asked. The group gasped.

"You're right, you should be going..."

The group blinked, turning to find an old, pale purple pony with a purple mane, her Cutie Mark a wisp in front of a star very similar to Twilight's.

"Who are YOU?" Twilight asked.

"An old mare that has been waiting a very long time for this moment..."

Twilight's eyes went wide as the mare's face seemed to become one of pure guilt and remorse for a second. "What moment?"

"I knew where the Elements were...but even if I had six friends to use them...I can't use them," the elderly mare explained. 'Because how much more disharmonic can one be than one who only exists due to a time paradox?' she thought.

"...For some reason I think you smell delicious, not sure why," Discord remarked. "Are you wearing some kind of perfume?"

The elderly mare that had lived to see the price of her vengeance, looked over the group. "...Go, unlock the elements and get to know each other as best you can...I'll distract Nightmare Moon."

"What?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "Are you nuts?!"

The old mare gave a sad smile. "No...not any more. Now go."

"She's right, we are not ready for this fight," Zecora warned.

The group hesitantly nodded, then ran, Zecora waiting a moment, giving a knowing look.

"Are you sure this is something you wish to do? You cannot win this fight, you know that's true."

"I don't have to win...I just have to atone."

Zecora nodded slowly, and ran after her friends.

Nightmare Moon finally materialized in a plume of smoke and shadow. "Who are you?" she asked, face becoming more unhinged.

The mare's horn glowed and she floated into the air in the grasp of her own magic. "My name is Pane Glimmer..."

"Where are Rainbow Dash and her rebels?!"

"You'll have to get through me if you want to find them..." she replied. 'Twilight...fix my mess...I'm sorry for all of this...'

nightmare Moon gave an unhinged snarl. "Then any final words?"

"...Forgive your sister. Revenge and envy are pointless and empty...trust me, I know from experience."

"Okay...so...how do we go about unlocking these?" Fluttershy questioned.

"Well...I kinda just remembered to be loyal..." Rainbow Dash admitted.

The group looked over the remaining stone Elements.

"...I have no doubts in my mind, which one in my heart you would find," Zecora said, focusing. "Ask Rarity my dear, for me to lie you have no fear. From our friendship's very start, Honesty has lived in my heart."

One of the stone sphere glowed brightly and shattered before transforming into energy and forming around Zecora's neck. A golden necklace with an orange crystal in the shape of a somewhat simplified version of her Cutie Mark.

Ardashir

"One of the Elements?" Rarity blinked. "Me? But that can't be... I've ever done anything noble." She looked down, head hanging in shame. "I became Nightmare Moon's chief servant just to save my family and dear little sister from her. And they'll probably be exiled after I'm dealt with..."

"Rarity, think," Zecora said. As the unicorn looked up Zecora said, "Your words are untrue, your fate is not to become glue. You kept me alive, only by your aid did I thrive." A faint shimmer began to glow deep in Rarity's eyes. "Letting me die would have won you reward, but such a thing you abhorred." As with Dash, a faint image of Nightmare Moon began to fade from the unicorn as Zecora finished with, "Generosity rules your heart, not the Nightmare's sorcerous art!"

"That's right," Rarity said, stamping her hoof as the last shreds of the spell on her vanished. In an unbelieving tone, she said, "I was being generous when I helped you and the other prisoners... I did it even though I knew what would happen if I was caught... I'm not just some broken slave of Nightmare Moon!"

A third stone sphere shattered and transformed into a necklace, adorned with Rarity's cutie mark. It set itself around her neck and began to glow like Zecora and Dash's.

Mtangalion

When Pane Glimmer finished her speech, Nightmare Moon hesitated. For just a moment, Pane saw the haunted face of a lost filly, frightened and alone... and then Nightmare Moon's eyes glowed pure white, and the ground exploded around her, dust and rocks flying. "I won't even dignify that with a response! Die!"

The elderly mare floated higher, carried by her magic. She hadn't been able to run or walk without pain in years, but her mind and spells were still sharp. "Pshaw! I fought an Alicorn to a standstill once before." Then a teal blue bolt slammed her shield and sent her spinning through the air. She barely dodged the second and third bolts... which tore giant chunks out of the castle wall behind her. "Ugh... Then again, *she* wasn't trying to kill me..."

Discord drew further back from the herd, looking nauseous, and not in his usual flippant "Oh, gag me" way either.

Magical blasts started lighting up the darkness behind them in opposing shades of pale blue. The ground beneath their hooves shook, even this far away.

Discord floated in place, watching, then let out a heavy sigh. "I might as well... I'm not going to do much more good around here, even if I wanted to." He chuckled. "How odd... when I ever care about doing good?"

Fluttershy trotted over to his side. "Discord?" Her eyes widened in understanding. "No, you can't! You're not strong enough to fight her!"

The draconequus smiled at her, resting his paw and claw on her shoulders. "My dear Fluttershy, I can't stay *here* in my weakened condition, or anywhere near the Elements. But before I go..."

Rainbow Dash got in their faces. "Come on, Discord, this isn't the time for your tricks."

"No tricks, no jokes," said Discord. "Not this time. Fluttershy, you are the kindest pony I've ever known... and believe me, I've been around long enough to know a lot of them. Mostly when they were insane or begging for mercy, but I digress!" One of the stone orbs pulsed with pink light. Discord gaped in comical alarm, and started talking faster. "The point is, you knew about all of my 'crimes.' I even told you about them myself, smugly certain that you'd hate me, but you never did. You cared about me, when I didn't care if anybody cared... Thank you."

Fluttershy smiled adorably and threw her forelimbs around the surprised Lord of Chaos, hugging him. "Come back safe."

The pink orb exploded, its light rushing towards Fluttershy.

"I won't Pinkie Promise, but I'll try! Toodles!" Discord teleported out of Fluttershy's grasp, just before her Element of Kindness materialized.

Pane Glimmer was on the ground again, panting hard and expecting Nightmare Moon to blast her hiding place away at any moment. Unexpectedly, there was a pop and white flash, and a lion's paw came to rest on her back. "Hello again!" said Discord brightly. "May I have this dance?"

Pane gasped, feeling power flow into her, replacing her spent reserves. "This... this is *chaos* magic?" She found herself giggling, then laughing freely. Her coat and mane brightened, seeming more youthful. "You know, Starswirl the Bearded researched chaos magic once, came up with some theories that he never got to test. It made *fascinating* reading..."

Discord grinned hugely. "Guess what? Those theories were all true! Especially the ones he got completely wrong!"

Markings appeared in Pane's coat, like a mask around her eyes, and phantom dragon wings spread from her back. "Hah. Hahaha! You don't say?"

The boulder in front of them glowed blue, then hurtled away... Nightmare Moon was livid. "You'll regret getting involved, you snake! Do you think this changes anything! You're just wasting my time!"

"Time you don't have," said Pane. Flashing a devil-may-care grin, she stamped her hooves and tossed her mane! "Round two, let's go!!"

Alex Warlorn

~Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Kindess, and we can guess who Laughter is going to be... but what about Magic?~

(Nyarlathotrot?! I forget. Didn't we destroy you?)

~Amicitia baby, I'm the god of a thousand masks, I've got 999 more avatars where he came from! First rule of being the proper god of grim dark... never let an opportunity for pointless, meaningless, and gratuitous tragedy pass-by. Ahem. Moon Dancer... Princess Celestia will be so disappointed in you. What happens when she comes back? Do you think she may forgive, but do you think she'll FORGET that you've let her be a prisoner in the moon for five years? Who do you think she'll praise? You who repeated what any pony could have read in a book? Or to the ponies who did what you couldn't? Your mentor used all six elements by herself. Certain you can, then, can't you? Otherwise, who know, this purple mare might steal what's given your life happiness, meaning, she might steal Celestia from you. Remember Sunset Shimmer?... She was the model before you. Whose to say Celestia won't dump you to upgrade to the new and improved version?... Do you want this thief to steal that from you?~

/Yer a sick spawn of a horn toad. /

~Thank you Nightmare Mirror. I think parent's domain took the form of a sea of horn toads once, either that or the opera house of his attendants appeared as an orchestra of frogs. But I digress. Now to hedge my bets. Twilight Sparkle? Why are you letting this failure tell every pony everything? All she did was read books, get in a fight with Nightmare Moon, and end up in the hospital, she followed Celestia's plan... and it failed. Why are you letting the toady of a goddess who let all this happen who YOU rescued from Nightmare Moon's dungeon call the shots? Isn't this YOUR revolution? YOUR resistance group? Why are you letting this little thief steal from you?~

!!Twilight Sparkle and Moon Dancer made up and saved the world together!!!

~They haven't started yet you idiot. So what you just inserted makes no sense... thanks, let me twist that around and insert into their heads the idea that the other will be showered with praise while they are left to rot in their shadow. Rather like Luna herself eh?~

Kendell2

-Deus, darling, you really need to watch what you say.-

!!Reconstruction!!!

~What are YOU doing here?!~

-Simple, I'm Deus' friend and sister. And I think I'm better suited to mix words with a silver tongued snake like you are they she is. Let me take this one from here, darings, this is MY forte.-

-Twilight, she failed, yes. But the question is: does that make her any worse of a person? Or does a mistake only become a failure when you refuse to correct it?-

Twilight looked to Moon Dancer, seeing the expression on her face. The look of doubt.

~She's the reason the world fell to ruin!~

-Is she really?-

Twilight thought about it. Moon Dancer failed, yes...but so did the guard. So did everypony...It wasn't just her fault...and out of everypony she was one of the ones trying hardest to fix it.

~If no pony could do it, what hope do you have?~

-If everypony else failed, doesn't that mean it's all the more important you don't?-

"...Moon Dancer. What's wrong?"

"...I...I'm afraid Celestia will be upset with me...she trusted me and I failed her...I guess...I'm a little upset I might be replaced even if we win..."

"...I don't think so."

~Don't trust her! She just wants your place!~

-If she wanted to do that, why not leave you to rot in Nightmare Moon's dungeon? She had the option.-

"Why?" Moon Dancer asked.

"You're the one who lead us to the Elements. You've been trying to find them this whole time...you're trying harder than anypony else..." Twilight explained.

Rainbow Dash overheard it and nodded. "She's right. You weren't that high on the most wanted list because you weren't trying to fix things. Trust me, I kept having to read the wanted posters."

Fluttershy nodded, coming over. "...You've tried hard...you're a good pony. Celestia was too nice to turn on you..."

Rarity seemed a bit conflicted...

-How can you hold it against her when you're looking for redemption yourself?-

"...Darling...if I can be forgiven for working for the villain to protect my family, I think you'll be forgiven for falling short."

Pinkie Pie simply hugged her.

"Why are you hugging me?" Moon Dancer asked.

"Because you were sad!" she exclaimed.

Moon Dancer was stunned for a moment...and returned the hug. "Thanks...

"You're welcome! It's kinda what I do!"

Moon Dancer looked around the group. "...You girls...you're what I was missing...friends...My mistake wasn't falling short myself...it was trying to do it all on my own. I was as strong as I needed to be...but no matter how strong I was, I couldn't win alone...I needed friends...And I STILL need it...I needed friends...thanks for showing me that."

The others all nodded.

"Welcome," Rainbow Dash said. "Thanks to all of you for showing me loyalty."

"And showing me I could still be generous, darlings," Rarity continued.

Zecora said nothing, but gave a knowing smile.

The last shard sphere glowed and shattered into blue energy, reforming around Pinkie's neck as the pink pony showed her pure glee at helping somepony cheer up, forming a golden necklace with a blue crystal in the center.

Moon Dancer gave a gasp of realization. "...And...and that's it! True strength...true MAGIC...it comes from friendship. That's the missing piece!"

Energy formed above her head.

~You...you didn't even talk to Moon Dancer!~

-I didn't. Reconstruction is turning something torn down into something positive. I reconstructed Moon Dancer feeling unconfident and sad to build a friendship with her.-

Mtangalion

Moon Dancer turned to Twilight, and was surprised to see the other unicorn smiling. Far from being jealous, Twilight was looking all around in wonder and even jotting down notes. "Twilight, I can't help but think... maybe you should have been the one to bear the last Element. This was your group. You took ponies... beings that should have been enemies and got them all working together to fight against Nightmare Moon, when I was stuck in a dungeon, unable to do anything."

"Me?" Twilight shook her head. "You're the one who knew what had to be done and never gave up." She looked down at her hooves, blushing a bit. "To be honest, I didn't even really have a clear goal when we infiltrated the palace dungeon... I was only hoping to recruit more allies. You, though... even when we'd just freed you from prison, you didn't hesitate to put your freedom at risk to seize this opportunity.

Rainbow Dash smirked. "That's our egghead. Heh, two eggheads now. Nightmare Moon's gonna be quaking in her hoofshoes!" Her Element of Loyalty shimmered, adding another thread to the growing vortex of magic floating over Moon Dancer's head.

Now Moon Dancer blushed. "Truth be told..." She winked at Zecora. "For the longest time, I felt like I was just the runner-up, that you were the Princess's first choice, and I only got the job because you messed up."

"I've never regretted that," said Twilight at once. "I showed the Princess that I darn well could solve her 'impossible' challenge if I took my time and did things my own way. I'd never have met Spike if I hadn't."

Moon Dancer smiled. "Better late that never, huh? All right, girls... even if it's five years late, let's go stop Nightmare Moon... together!"

The spark of magic pulsed and imploded, streams of light rushing towards them. When the ponies and zebra could see again, nearly every one of them gasped. "My word!" cried Rarity. "Did the legend of the Elements say anything about... that?!" Moon Dancer and Twilight *both* wore fancy new magical jewelry, a crown set with a crystal crescent moon for Moon Dancer, and a choker with a six-pointed star for Twilight.

Kendell2

Pane held up her forcefield, Discord helping, but with Discord's weakened state, the blast overwhelmed them both and sent them slamming into the ground. Pane's head hit a rock and everything was black.

Pane Glimmer's eyes flittered open, finding herself in a strange domain. Her mind couldn't comprehend a lot of what she was seeing. She saw a mare walking down a path, splitting off in endless ways leading towards a dusk, coming from a dawn.

"Am I dead?" she asked.

"Not quite...Welcome, Pane Glimmer."

Pane turned, seeing a mare with one normal wing and one clockwork wing. "Who are you?"

"Rota Fortuna, the Goddess of Fate."

Pane noticed the mare seemed to be tired, like she'd been running herself ragged.

"Fate...You know, a long time ago I hated you...now I'm not certain..." Pane Glimmer admitted.

"Yes, I'm aware...and I'm not so fond of you either, given how much trouble you've caused me," she said, looking over at her.

"...I can't argue against that..." the old unicorn admitted.

"You broke time six times over like a rank amateur, who do you think had to fix that?"

"...You..."

Rota nodded, walking over. "...Do you know why, despite all odds, Rainbow Dash and her friends have their own Cutie Marks?"

"Fate?"

Pane took a step back as Rota LAUGHED.

"That's ALWAYS you mortal's answer...but it's wrong," Rota replied. "While I DO give Cutie Marks, there has NEVER been such a thing as a set Cutie Mark for anypony. And let me ask you one thing, Starlight Glimmer: if Cutie Marks were the REAL cause of inequality, then why does it exist among creatures that have none?"

The old mare was stunned silent for a moment. "...I admit, when I was insane, I'd have an insane justification for that...but now that I've seen everypony equally oppressed by a tyrant...that's a good point."

"If you want something to blame for inequality, you should be pointing your hoof at is my fallen brother's son, Persecution! I believe you're old friends."

Pane pinned her ears, looking up as images of her browbeating and indoctrinating ponies hovered around...then seeing them overlaid with Discord's actions. Or Earth Ponies being told by Unicorns how inferior they were in the Three Tribes time. The pegasi and Unicorns doing it to each other. Griffins treating ponies as cattle. Changelings treating them much the same. "...I know him all too well..."

"Only once he and his siblings, Want and Ignorance are eliminated by the choices of mortals can there be true equality. ONLY by their choices. Those who seek to remove Free Will for 'the greater good' do Morning Star's work without knowing it! Remember THAT Pane Glimmer next time you desire to fix that problem."

Rota took a deep breath, the normally stoic Spirit of Fate having had a VERY long day and being face to face with the mare who had so recklessly reeked untold destruction on cause and effect wasn't helping. "...To answer your question: they're the same because the timeline you created was never supposed to exist."

"I'm aware of that..."

Rota lead the way over to what looked like an observatory. "You're not aware of the half of it."

Rota's horn glowed, and an image of Moon Dancer, Golden Tiara, Cloudkicker, Bulk Biceps, Minuette, and Coco Pommel, each with a different Element, appeared. Another timeline were Gilda simply replaced Rainbow Dash. And so on and so forth, including one where STARLIGHT was Magic. Some had the same Cutie Marks, other had completely different ones.

"All of these possibilities could have happened, Pane Glimmer," Rota explained. "But all of these possibilities stem from NATURAL choices. Choices with no influence from, say a vengeful time traveling unicorn. Simply put, Pane Glimmer: this timeline isn't just one that shouldn't have happened, it is one that COULDN'T happen. Because the only reason the choice that spawned it ever happened was your meddling. The same Cutie Marks are merely a side effect of that of cause and effect being broken by your meddling and desperately trying to prevent an event you mortals would cause a time crash."

Pane took that in for a moment...then sighed. "I see...I'm sorry. I was a fool...but...if that's the case, why do I still exist?"

Rota turned back to her. "Because myself and others decided this timeline deserves a chance to exist. And for it to exist, so must you..."

"I see...You're not letting me off that easy, are you?"

"No. When you die, you WILL become my Angel and you WILL work off the damage you've done to creation. Only THEN will you be permitted to rest. Understood?"

"Fair enough..."

Rota turned to her and nodded. "...Now go, and sin no more..."

Pane groaned, her eyes flickering open. Just in time for her to teleport out of the way of one of Nightmare Moon's beams. "That was too close..."

Nightmare Moon snarled and floated up, summoning the moon behind her. "Any last words?!"

"Yes, Princess Luna, I know you can be better than this," Pane said, once more seeing the hurt child in the Nightmare, before she contorted in rage.

"Silence!"

"Lulu, that's quite the temper you have, you know that?" Discord remarked.

Nightmare Moon snarled. She charged up her horn, drawing magic from the moon into her horn...

"Nightmare Moon!" yelled a voice.

The Tyrant of the Moon turned to see the Bearers, two Magics at the forefront, standing in front of her. "The Elements?! NO!"

Moon Dancer narrowed her eyes. "Come on, girls, let's show her the real power of Friendship!"

The seven ponies charged up the Elements of Harmony, light surrounding them as they floated into the air. Pane Glimmer smiled, even though the chaos magic she was using didn't seem to like the power growing nearby.

"NO! I won't allow it!" Nightmare Moon snarled in rage, directing the spell she was charging towards them and fired a gigantic beam of moonlight at them.

The Rainbow erupted and arced down to meet it, the two forces colliding for a moment...before Nightmare Moon's beam was swiftly overpowered.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the Tyrant of Endless Night yelled, being surrounded by the beam as it formed a cyclone that refused to let her go.

"Uh, sorry, Pane, but I need to be several hundred miles away in this moment," Discord replied, taking back his chaotic power and teleporting away just before a wave of harmonic energy washed over everything.

Author's Note

Number seven of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

ONE DOWN. SIX TO GO! (Crystal War Worldline)
TWO DOWN. FIVE TO GO! (Film Flam Worldline)
THREE DOWN. FOUR TO GO! (Tirek Worldline)
FOUR DOWN. THREE TO GO! (Discord Worldline.)

Changeling Worldline
Nightmare Moon Worldline
Ashland Worldline

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:
Mtangalion
Ardashir (with edits)
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Mtangalion I'm sure that Twilight and her friends are still going to save the day, but I thought we should see that the Crystal Empire folks haven't been sitting on their plots waiting for a miracle. :)
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Ardashir
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Time Lines Part 5

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Time Lines Part 5

Kendell2 10.0

Kabuto injected himself with a vile and began trying to transform...but the Rainbow struck him and he began to contort from the two energies coming in conflict. "What...what's happening to me?!"

Daring Do knew just who they were dealing with. The chief mad scientist of the Changelings. A psychopathic monster who relished causing harm to others. Who had the blood of hundreds on his hooves. And knew from reports how dangerous he could be.

Well, if there was one thing Daring Do knew from experience with ancient evils, it was how to properly seal an evil force. She put that in mind as the Elements struck him.

When it cleared, they were greeted by the sight of every Changeling in sight appearing too drunk to move or fight back (making their capture easy) and Kabuto himself replaced by an Octohedron shaped stone prison. Each side had one of the Elements of Harmony's symbol's on it except the top and bottom.

"What did we do to Professor Nutjob?" Gilda questioned.

"Simple, locked him up nice and tight," said Daring Do, smirking. "From the looks of it, he's only getting out of there if all six of us decide to let him out."

"Ugh..." muttered a pony slave, shaking their head, the mind control gone. "We're...we're free?"

Cloudkicker nodded, helping them up. "Yes, you are..." She didn't resist the hug.

However, the BIGGER shock came from the 'husks'. The ponies drained so much they were no longer emotionally responsive. Even the Changelings believed they were no longer good for anything but slaves...but they were CHEERING. They were HAPPY.

"They...they're cured?" Applejack asked.

Daring Do gasped. "We can heal the ponies they've drained completely...this is amazing! We need to get to Zecora's camp, right now."

Zecora sensed something, as she and Chrysalis leapt back away from one another. A shuddering. A change... "I believe the game has changed..." she said under her breath. "...And that means to let you live would be deranged."

The two flew up, exchanging blasts and weapon strikes.

Zecora was glad if what she sensed, through the laylines through nature itself, happening (something her transformation enhanced tenfold), was true. It meant that they had a chance to save there world, without Twilight having to give up her own.

Chrysalis snarled as she was sent flying backwards by a powerful blow from Zecora, kicking her back at the same time.

Several changelings rushed to her side. "Our Queen, are you alright?"

Chrysalis snarled in rage. "No...give me your love."

The Changelings nodded without hesitation and hugged Chrysalis. Their bodies crumbled to dust, love surging into Chrysalis and healing her wounds. Chrysalis charged up black magic into herself. "Prepare to die, Witch of Everfree!"

Chrysalis flew up into the air, love and dark magic crackling around her.

[= Digimon - Brave Heart =]

"...No, I will not fall to a witch like you," Zecora said...taking a meditative pose. "Prepare to learn what is power true."

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Zecora cleared her mind of rage, of anger, of pain. Of everything.

She focused only on hearing the voice of the forest around her, the one her people needed for their magic.

The ponies around her. The animals of the forest. The trees. The plants.

And the layline convergence beneath all of it. The mana that was the life blood of all things.

"Mother of All Things
Steward of All Nature's Beings
Heart of Mana running through us all
Grant me that which I need for this evil to fall."

The wind began to blow through the forest, mana from everything hanging on it and surging along, swirling around around Zecora.

"This forest which is my home,
I know I do not fight this battle alone.
I beseech this world to grant me strength and might.
That today I can finally end this fight"

Zecora, in contrast to Chrysalis' fanatic and manic charging, moved gracefully, as if she was dancing with life itself, as she began glowing with a pink light that erupted into the fires of friendship.

Chrysalis' form exploded with black magic. "By the Heart of Oblivion, I call upon the Void to bring ruin upon my enemies!" she chanted.

Zecora's eyes shot open, glowing with pink fire. "By the Heart of All Things, I call upon Life to set free all beings!"

"Inanis est ira Dei!" Chrysalis roared, flying at Zecora engulfed by a sphere of dark magic.

"Today you shall fall! Ignes vitae!" Zecora invoked, being engulfed by a pink fireball.

The two flew into one another, colliding horn to horn with ripples of darkness and light. The force of the impact sent all the combatants flying and toppled several trees.

The two's power went back and forth, their energies seeming to try and overtake one another.

Then there was a sudden snap ripped through the air. Part of a broken horn embedded in a tree nearby.

Chrysalis gasped as her aura of darkness vanished.

Zecora spun around. Chrysalis gasped as Zecora drove her horn straight into her chest as deep as it could go.

Channeling Princess Sweetie Belle gasped, miles away.

The Changeling queen gave a scream of agony as an explosion of pink fire erupted out of her back, blowing her off Zecora and launching her back and sending her crashing to the ground.

Zecora landed, breathing heavily.

Chrysalis forced herself to her hooves, a hole blown clear through her chest and out her back, blood from her broken horn streaming down her face. She coughed up green blood and her body began to crack apart. "Well...This isn't...how I thought it'd go..."

Chrysalis looked up at the sky, seeing a cloud floating by she swore looked like a dragon. She began to laugh madly, blood now pouring from her maul. "...At least I can take pride in knowing it took a goddess to kill me..."

The ponies and Changelings watched in shock as Chrysalis' body began to crack and fall apart...and she just kept LAUGHING until her body crumbled to dust and blew away in the wind.

And then noticed a rainbow colored shockwave moving in their direction.

Alex Warlorn 10.1 (Lyrics from Attack on Titan)

Princess Zecora sang.

"Our names won't be remembered, if we die like trampled flowers
I refuse to be forgotten, written off and less than worthless
Scream and cry, but none will hear you, plead and beg but none can help you
You no longer live as cattle, will you rise and join the battle?

There are beings that live off our fears
And their threats are like knives as they play with our lives
They'll try to control you as if they own you
Will you let them steal your freedom?!

Channel the anger swelling inside you
Fighting the boundaries, 'till you break through!
Deep in your soul there's no hesitation
So make yourself the one they all fear!

There's a wild fire inside you
Burning desire you can't extinguish!
Your crimson arrow rips through the twilight
This is the moment for war!"

Kendell2

After the Rainbow passed over, the group found every Changeling that had been attacking them suddenly looking drunk and barely able to fight, on top of the mixed reaction to Chrysalis' death (some wanted to avenge her, some wanted to run for the hills, others, who were only with her out of fear had already started falling back).

Zecora's rebels pounced.

"Capture them, my friends, don't their life end," Zecora ordered. "They are a threat no longer, we are not warmongers."

"But...Zecora..." Trixie said, clearly looking at the Changeling she'd had pinned down.

"We are fighting a war, that is true, but when fighting monsters, never let the monster be you," Zecora advised. "I slew Chrysalis, that is fact, and I would not take it back. But there is a difference between doing what must be done, and killing when you've already won. If execution becomes our way, we are still under that witch's sway. Survival of the fittest was on her creed, do you wish to adopt it and be like her indeed?"

Trixie paused for a moment...then merely restrained the Changeling and put the anti-shapeshifting mixture on them for safety.

Several Changelings didn't struggle, and merely set down, holding out their horns and front hooves.

"We followed our queen out of loyalty...not all of us WANTED to enslave you..." one said. "We surrender."

Not long after, Daring Do's group rushed into the clearing (now with the REST of their small group with them, including Rarity and Rainbow Dash). "Zecora! Chrysalis is-" Daring Do yelled...then noticed the rather surprised group looking their way. With Spears.

Zecora stepped up, and her horn glowed. The transformation canceling mixture manifested directly on them.

"Zecora...you're a..." Applejack said.

Sunset gave a sigh. "...Somehow...I don't care about this...And I KNOW I'm not a changeling...this is weird..."

"That's...explanations later! Zecora, Chrysalis is coming!" Daring said frantically.

"Chrysalis is no more, I have shown her death's door," Zecora explained. She looked at Daring Do's necklace, then to the others. "And it seems you have been busy too, I think we both have catching up to do."

Not long later, Zecora and Daring had both sent word to their rebel factions to mobilize while the Changelings were tipsy and weakened from the Elements of Harmony and all their victims in range were broken free of their brainwashing and/or revitalized from being husks. Not to mention the Hive had lost their queen and the fact they had TWO heirs that were one very young and both felt THEY were the proper queen of the Hive left the Changelings' without a leader. And BOTH had different ideas for what to do next Today was NOT a good day for the Changelings, and the Rebels had every intent to capitalize on that.

"So...Chrysalis is really dead..." Rainbow Dash said, giving a sigh and looking down. "I...It's almost impossible to believe..."

"I'm glad you three are still alive..." said Fluttershy. "We thought the Changelings got you..."

"They almost did," Applejack said. "But thankfully Chrysalis was too impatient tah make sure the Changelings she sent after us got us and Daring Do and her friends were there...Speakin' of which...did any of yah get mah hat back from the witch?"

"I'm sorry, Applejack, she destroyed it when she transformed..." Pinkie Pie admitted.

"Oh..." was the farmer's reply, looking down like she'd lost a close friend. Rara hugged her.

"So...what's the plan next?" Cloudkicker asked. "We can save all the husks now."

"I think we should go for the heart," Daring Do replied. "Straight to Canterlot to free the Princesses."

"I don't believe there's need for that, Miss. Yearling."

The group blinked, looking up...to see a pink Alicorn descend from the sky and land before them.

"Princess Cadence?!" was EVERYONE'S reaction.

The Princess of Harmony lowered her head and allowed Zecora to apply the anti-Changeling formula, though that was only a formality.

"Princess, how did you escape?!" Cloudkicker asked, after a group hug.

Cadence gave a tired smile. "I didn't escape, everyling ELSE escaped...it's a strange story...I was powerless, drained and cocooned...but then something happened."

[=MLP:FiM Love Conquers All (Extended Orchestral Version)=]

In Canterlot, Celestia and Cadence hung drained in her cocoons where Chrysalis occasionally stole energy from them, Canterlot now a hive of Changelings. THE hive. While neither Princess of the Hive was present (Chrysalis preferred having Sweetie Belle with her main force due to her music, and Pitcher Plant, while in Equestria, had been given a province of her choice to rule with absolute authority to calm her down after Sweetie Belle's promotion to Queen.

The Rainbow of Harmony suddenly washed over the city, breaking mind control and restoring husks (including Shining Armor, who with no more love for Chrysalis to consume, had been more or less reduced to a shield generator.)

But something else happened. The energy converged in the prison chamber, directly in the cocoon holding the Princess of Harmony, causing her to glow with a rainbow light.

Cadence's eye snapped open a pulse of rainbow light exploded off her, shattering her cocoon and the stunned Princess dropped to the ground. Her mane and tail were currently rippling and composed of energy. "I'm...I'm free? What happened?"

"What do you think you're doing, Princess?" asked the Changeling guards, lining up to put her back...but clearly tipsy and while seemingly less incapacitated, still weakened heavily.

Cadence took only a moment to realize something major had happened. And for the first time since that dark day, she smiled. "Taking back our capital!"

Before the Changelings could react, Cadence flew forwards and punched one with as much force she believed his body could withstand.

The Changeling was sent flying backwards and slamming into the wall with enough force to crack it (and his exoskeleton).

"Ever since I can remember, auntie taught me to hold my strength back, like little Earth Pony...realize that in the other tribes I was strong and needed to be careful not to hurt somepony...And I accepted I'd always have to hold back..." Cadence said, focusing her magic and letting out one long octave, the resulting sonic attack sending her guards flying back and slamming into the walls with great force, knocking them out cold. "Be glad I'm only willing to stop holding back only as much as I need.."

She turned and sent a bolt of magic into Celestia's cocoon.

The Dayarch fell and gasped, getting weakly to her hooves. "Cadence..."

"Auntie, something's happened, I'm at full strength and the Changelings are weakened, I've got to do something," Cadence explained.

Celestia looked shocked for a moment...then apprehensive. Then nodded. "Do it...but help me out into the sunlight first."

After helping her aunt into the sun, Cadence promptly flew off the balcony and slammed into the ground in the midst of large gathering of drones, slamming her fit into an area her Earth Pony magic sensed and causing the ground to literally erupt and send them flying in all directions. She flew up and flew in a circle, forming a cyclone that drug the remaining ones into it before slamming them together at the top.

She then flew straight through wall of a building and into one of the holding areas for 'food'. The ponies had all been mentally freed, she chose to physically free them with a pegasus wing blade spell she'd picked up from her guards. The room guards charged her, but a sonic attack stunned them long enough for Cadence to rush into them and flatten them with pure Alicorn level Earth Pony strength.

She flew through one holding building after another, freeing her citizens like a one mare army.

"I'm many things, but a fighter is one I don't enjoy being," Cadence admitted, flying up to meet a swarm. "But after all this time of seeing this country suffer, of having Chrysalis rub it in my face how it's my fault...an Alicorn's wrath, no matter how peaceful, is a terrible thing to unleash!"

Cadence formed a barrier of light and love around herself and sent it out, smashing the Changelings and sending them flying.

Finally, she flew up to the highest point in the city.

"You Changelings have been terrorizing this country for three long years...That ends today!"

"For three long years, we've toiled in pain.
For three long years we've struggled to remain sane.
But now there's a chance to end this strife.
So Equestria, return to life!" She sung, the image of a full grown Alicorn version of herself forming behind her.

The Changelings screamed in pain and covered their ears, assaulted by three years of pent up suffering and pain, while the Equestrians who had begun fighting back perked up, the hope this horror show would end filling them. The Changelings then saw Celestia rise up, having regained enough strength to fly.

The Changelings ran.

Cadence grabbed the statue of Chrysalis that the Queen had placed atop the mountain for all to see and strained her telekinesis.

"Need some help?"

"Shining?!"

Cadence and her freed husband shared a nuzzle...then Shining managed to deface Chrysalis' statue with a crude smiley face with gravity buster spells despite his pore aim (which took out the statue's horn and ear).

"If you're going to deface a statue, do it right,"Shining joked.

The two combined their telekinesis and pulled, the statue's foundations breaking loose and free. They hurled it in the direction of the fleeing Changelings, though made sure to miss. They were trying to make a statement, not kill them. Though both where tempted.

"And STAY OUT!" Shining yelled, putting up a forcefield around the capital.

"Shining is holding up the forcefield and Auntie flew up into the upper atmosphere to recharge directly from the sun," Cadence explained.

She was then informed of what she'd missed.

"So...Canterlot is recaptured, the Princesses are free, and Chrysalis is dead," Gilda recapped. "So have we won?"

"Not yet, I fear my friends," Zecora explained. "The Changeling Princesses' reigns have yet to end..."

Rarity looked sad. "Sweetie Belle..."

Alex Warlorn

Daring Do went over their situation. "... They've lost their queen, and they've lost their nerve center. They've lost their slaves. And those same cattle are going to turn on them now. The only exception being likely, no offense Zecora, the Zebra slaves they've brought with them. Both they aren't going to be expect any rebellion from their brainwashed cattle, and won't be in a coordinated state to counter it.

"They have two heirs who aren't known for working together, so they're going to have two armies rather than one unified one. We've gotten back our Princess of music, and our Princess of the sun, and we've gotten a brand new princess out of the deal that ponies already look up to. We've gotten a big boon to us, and help our moral while weaken theirs.

"But after the drunkness bleeds off, every changeling effected will be super-charged! And there's nothing stopping them from brainwashing their slaves again, one by one. And they have an organized army with experienced officers and disciplined foot soldiers! While Equestria's army is still decimated and scattered with no chain of command or organization! Otherwise we wouldn't be reduced to resistance cells! ... This conflict can still go either way. We need to strike while the iron is hot, or this conflict might go on for ANOTHER three years!"

MtangaLion

The Everfree Rangers had not been idle. They'd managed to reduce the number of changelings converging on Zecora's camp by half with clever ambushes and traps.

Now, Winghoof came tearing through the trees, breathing hard. "Urgent news!" The red pegasus made a quick and rough landing, eyes wide as he took in the Elements of Harmony, Cadence, and Zecora, now an Alicorn. "Though I see you have an astonishing tale of your own." He shook himself. "The griffons are coming!"

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but glance at Gilda. It was awkward... a lot of things had changed, and they hadn't had a chance to talk privately. "What griffons?"

Winghoof acknowledged Dash with a nod, but gave his report to Princess Zecora. "Judging by the banners, the king himself comes, with several scouting parties and half of his army close behind."

Cadence stared. "You mean, the griffons are only just now sending their army to aid us? Or are they..."

Zecora was nodding. "If changelings they mean to fight, we could desperately use their might. But if they come to stay, Equestria could fall under griffon sway."

Gilda had a hard, scowling expression. "I need to see the griffon king. NOW."

King Griswold's royal party, skimming swiftly over the treetops, was brought to an abrupt stop by the appearance of Gilda hovering in their path, flanked by a confident Daring Do, and a still somewhat awed and uncertain Rainbow Dash. The griffon king's guards readied their crossbows and spears swiftly, but Griswold gestured for them to wait.

"Be cautious, sire!" spoke the griffon on the king's left, who wore a commander's sash. "She's armed."

Griswold shook his head. "I've heard of this one. Gilda, the outcast runt, who thinks to fight the ponies' battles for them." His beak twitched in a smile. "She who dared to lecture the royal flock in our own capital, calling us 'idiots' and 'lame brains' for underestimating the changeling threat."

"But sire!" whispered the advisor on the king's right. "You don't know her. She could be a changeling herself!"

"Do you think I need reminding?" shouted the king. "Now that one of my sons is assassinated by changelings, and the other is still missing?" He looked to her. "Well? Have you come to join our war against the changelings, and fight alongside your fellow griffons once more?"

Gilda flew closer, sighing heavily. "I want to, pops, believe me, but I can't yet." She wrapped her talons around her choker. "Do you know what this is? It's called the Element of Loyalty. It means..." She grabbed her crossbow, aiming it directly at the royal advisor. "I can sniff out traitors faster than rotten fish. Why don't you show us what you *really* are?"

Half of the royal guards aimed their own weapons at Gilda without orders, or a moment's hesitation. "Ah, ah, ah!" crooned Gilda, waggling a talon... and then Cadence appeared in a teleport flash, already swooping in and casting a shield around Gilda. Zecora sprang out of the treetops with a dozen Rangers, showering everyone with magical war paint that coated feathers and fur.

King Griswold nearly fell out of the sky, seeing griffons burst into green flame, becoming changelings left and right. "How can this be?" he demanded, as the changelings were being subdued. "My most trusted advisor? My doubly-checked and vouched for war party, more changelings than griffons?! We are undone!" He jabbed a talon in Gilda's face. "You're coming with me, even if I have to adopt you!"

Gilda burst out laughing. "Me, royalty? That'll be the day."

Alex Warlorn

"Go go go Pony Rangers! You mighty fightin' pony rangers!" Dues Ex Machina danced with a fan-girl hat on.

Amicitia sighed. "I guess we know where all those pony rangers came from, don't we?"

"Hey! I think I made good use of them this time!" Dues Ex Machina defended.

"Uh... exactly what history are we followin' again?" Nightmare Mirror said, looking through a history book with a squiggle symbolically above her head. She looked and sounded more like Applejack at one of Celestia's fancy dinners than Applejack having fallen into darkness. "Uh... if we're followin' the heart world stuff... then the griffins ain't got a government, or a king, or a army... unless they somehow put all that together in three years since the changelin's took over Equestria... which seems kinda odd given they were usin' bits for money, and with the ponies' as slaves, their value wouldda dropped like a stone. Or... are we followin' the history of Amicitia's timeline or somethin'. Ah know Gilda spent some time in the guard in yer world... And there were more griffins lands than just Griffinstone... but this stuff really left all confused like, so many names, places, dates, and stuff to keep track of, gives me a headache... some pony help me out here!"

It actually made Amicitia giggle a little hearing Nightmare Mirror sound like a befuddle Applejack, even if she wasn't HER Nightmare Mirror...

MtangaLion

On a floating aethereal island nearby, the Doctor had made a small campfire outside of his blue box. He was roasting a marshmallow on a stick, while Gilda the former Shadowbolt cooked something called a hot dog. "You see? Wibbily wobbly..."

Gilda snapped her talons. "Timey wimey!" She grinned. "I don't get it." She got up and shouted at Twilight, Mirror, and Deus in the distance. "Hey, crazy old mares! Do any of you guys know which way Equestria is from here?"

The Doctor tisked. "Now, Gilda, you shouldn't go bothering the nice goddesses. Or the not so nice ones. Come along..."

Kendell2

After dealing with the Changeling infiltrators in Griswold's army (who'd expected to outnumber the Griffins rather than being themselves outnumbered), Zecora used her new magic and connection to life itself to summon Equestria's rebel leaders to meet before the Changelings drunkeness ran out.

"Hello, cousin," said Blueblood, giving a bow. Cadence just hugged him.

"It's good you're well, Blueblood," said Cadence, Blueblood taking a few moments to register the hug and return it. "I still can't believe YOU were the rebel leader in the Canterlot underground."

"I guess I grew up a little bit," Blueblood admitted.

"I'm proud of him too..." said Princess Celestia, who'd arrived with her nephew and fully recharged. Naturally everyone bowed to her.

Sunset averted her eyes...then felt Celestia's hoof on her chin. "I missed you, My Little Sun."

Sunset looked up into Celestia's eyes...and saw tears...hers teared up. "...I missed you too."

The Manehatten rebellion had been headed by the former chief of Police. Applejack hugged her aunts that were part of it.

The group jumped as a flight of dragons landed. "Mina and the Fillydelphia rebellion, reporting."

Mina had had the best relationship with ponies out of many in Dragontown, and had also been decidedly the most motivated due to her love of comic heroism (though her parents were handling tactics and she was more the heart of it). Fillydephia having a flight of dragons had decidedly kept it float longer than most anywhere else and made it very difficult on the Changelings after that.

"Did we miss the gathering?"

The gathering of rebel leaders turned to see two purple mares trot up, a white unicorn standing next to the younger. The shocking thing was the two looked completely $identical except one was 20 years older than the other. "Pane Glimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Double Diamond of Our Town, reporting."

Anti-Changeling slime quickly debunked any thought one of the two were Changelings, though Zecora noticed Pane Glimmer glowed like Twilight Sparkle had.

"Consider me her...older sister," Pane Glimmer said.

"Wait, when did that happen?" Deus asked.

"Let's take a look," said Mirror...

Starlight Glimmer was in a cell, awaiting the changelings that had overrun Our Town to come and cocoon her. The ones they'd managed to capture had warned them, but of course fighting an entire swarm with everyone brought down to their lowest wasn't something easily done.

Starlight didn't know what to do...this was her sanctuary...and now it was gone.

Before she could think further on this, a beam struck one of her guards and laid him out, then the other...and a purple pony in a cloak trotted up. "Starlight Glimmer?"

"Y-Yes..."

The cloaked figure looked around. "...Sad to see this place like this...you always felt so safe here..."

"...I...I was trying to make a place of equality."

"Yes...because if everypony was equal and no pony had Cutie Marks, you didn't have to be afraid of losing your friends," the cloaked figure replied. "...And now you lost them all BECAUSE they had no way to fight back...that was flaw we never thought about..."

Starlight growled. "And what do YOU know about me?!"

"Quite a bit..." the cloaked figure replied, holding out a pack of the Changeling transformation blocker. "You know what this is, right?" Starlight nodded. "Good."

Starlight gasped as the figure removed her hood back to reveal...Starlight, but as an old mare. She put the transformation blocker on herself. "I'm you."

Any response Starlight could have died in her throat. "H-How...how is this possible?!"

"...All answers in time...But here's a question...an important one...Do you want to give friendship another chance?"

"We need to mobilize before the Changelings drunkeness wears off..." Daring Do said, all the rebel leaders assembled. With teleportation that was much easier. "We need to finish this BEFORE they recover or this war is going to last much longer..."

"...I may have a way to tip things further in our favor..." Celestia replied. "Bearers...I think it's time to fulfill a prophecy."

The Six Bearers blinked as they appeared next to the Dayarch on the moon. "We're on the moon?" asked Gilda, looking around.

"Yes...and there's who we came for."

The group gasped, looking over to see Nightmare Moon chained to the lunar surface by glowing rainbow chains. "Here to 'reason' with me again, sister?"

"Sister?!" asked Cloudkicker, Rara, Applejack, and Sunset.

"I kinda figured..." Daring do admitted.

"No, we're going to finally save you, my sister," Celestia said. "My Little Ponies...and Griffin. Use the Elements on Nightmare Moon."

"What?!" Nightmare Moon asked, looking over. She then backpeddled at the sight of the Elements.

"But aren't we already on the moon?" Rara asked. "Where are we going to send her?"

"Yes...trust me, I never intended to send her BACK here."

Daring Do nodded. "Let's do it girls.

"No..." Nightmare Moon muttered as the Elements charged up and formed a rainbow that slammed down on her, forming a vortex.

A light surged over the moon, every one on the world below looking up to see it glow as a rainbow and the Mare in the Moon DISSOLVE into rainbow colored light. The cursed moon inhabitants were purified.

When the light faded. The group gasped to see a sobbing little blue Alicorn laying in Nightmare Moon's shattered armor and chains.

"Sister..."

Luna gasped, looking up as Celestia approached her.

"It has been a thousand and five years since I have seen you liked this..." Celestia said, laying down and staring her sister in the eyes. "It's time to put our differences behind us, we were meant to rule together little sister."

Luna looked up in shock.

"Equestria NEEDS us, Luna...it needs both of us to help save it from a great evil, one that has ravaged it for three years now," Celestia explained. "...Will you accept my friendship and come back to Equestria in it's time of need, Luna?"

Luna's eyes teared up and she hugged her sister... "I'm sorry big sister...I missed you so much..."

"I missed you too..." Celestia replied, nuzzling her little sister.

"I'm...I'm not crying..." Cloudkicker said, wiping her eyes. Rara didn't hide hers.

"Okay, so we apparently got back a long lost Princess..." said Gilda. "Isn't she kinda...tiny?"

Luna nodded. "We need to recharge...thankfully, we are in our domain..." she said, eyes lighting up as her horn glowed.

Silver moonlight rushed across the lunar surface and erupted around Luna, condensing over her in a pillar. When it faded, Luna stood at her full height, flowing stellar mane and tail. "...Come, sister...We have atonement to do."

After returning to Equestria and explaining Luna's return, the rebels stood together.

"So...which of these 'Princesses' are we going to challenge first?" Luna questioned, having had to be told by her sister 'orbital bombardment' of their stronghold wasn't an option due to hostages and one of them being Rarity's younger sister who'd been brainwashed.

"...Sweetie Belle," Rarity said, raising her head. "I know she's my sister...but if I can reach her, if I can convince her to be back on our side...then that means half the Changelings follow her. Half our enemy becomes our friend...and their number's edge is lessened..."

"...We agree with Miss Belle," Luna said simply.

"Alright, then," Daring Do said. "Princess Sweetie Belle it is...Any of the Changelings who just surrendered and want this whole mess over with know her location?"

Thankfully, one of them did.

MtangaLion

The allied rebel groups traveled to the Royal Retreat together, then camped for the night, making sure that everything was in place before they approached the hive and demanded an audience with Princess Sweetie Belle in the morning.

Princess Zecora stirred the campfire ashes with the strange new magic from her horn, and found herself thinking back to the young purple Alicorn who had claimed to be from another time. "Tell me true... is this pony known to any of you?" She took some powder from a pouch and flung it into the fire, and the flames took the shape of the mare from her memories.

Celestia blinked. "Twilight Sparkle? She was at the wedding of Shining Armor and Cadence, was she not? Just before... the invasion."

"Yes, that's Shiny's younger sister," said Cadence. "He said that she was found stuffed in a cocoon, probably mindless and half-dead of magical exhaustion before the Elements restored her." Cadence frowned, clearly puzzled. "How do you know of her?"

Zecora smiled. "It's a long tale to tell, but I'm glad the Twilight of this world is safe and well."

Celestia exchanged glances with Luna. "I know that shamans are storytellers, but I hope you're not going to keep us in suspense."

Elsewhere in the camp, Sunset Shimmer levitated the Crown of Magic before her, watching the reflections of the fire in the metal. "I don't think my head has stopped spinning since I got this thing. I had to learn that I wasn't worthy in order to become worthy? And turn away from my friends to learn that they *are* my friends? Oh, Celestia, why didn't I *listen* to you?"

Cloudkicker grinned at her hopefully. "Hug?"

"Eh, knock yourself out. Oof!" Sunset blushed. "Just don't knock me out!"

Rara grinned. "I feel *more* myself now. I know it doesn't make any sense... but I do!"

AJ pointed. "Whatcha got there, sugarcube?"

"Oh, this?" Daring Do held up a strangely shaped box with six keyholes. "I found it on the ground, where we used the Elements for the first time." She grinned. "I have kind of a love hate relationship with puzzle boxes."

"Why is my Element a crown, anyway?" mused Sunset. "I'm the last pony who should be in charge of anything. I've done awful things that you don't even know about." She looked over at AJ. "Some of them to another pony... another person, that is, named Applejack, just like you."

AJ lifted a brow. "I don't get it, but Ah believe ya. Maybe ya should go and make it right. Yer the authority on friendship now..."

Sunset smirked. "Ugh, don't you dare call me princess, just because I have this crown. I'm no Alicorn. I don't want to be an Alicorn. We have plenty of Alicorns! But I will make it right. I don't know when I'll have the chance, but the first chance I get..." She stopped, staring at a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, approaching their campfire. "Dash? Rainbow Dash!?"

Rainbow froze in mid-step. "Have we..."

"Excuse us," said Gilda, hopping to her feet and steering the pegasus off to one side. "Dash, I... I've got something to say."

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Oh? Well, I've got something to say to you too!"

"That's great, then! You first."

"Nuh uh, you first!"

"Here it comes," whispered Cloudkicker, grinning from ear to ear. AJ rolled her eyes.

Gilda and Rainbow Dash kept awkwardly avoiding each others eyes for another good ten seconds before they blurted out "I'm sorry!" simultaneously.

Applejack yawned and laid down, wishing she had her hat to shade her eyes. "Ah hope they go someplace else to catch up on old times. Ah'd like ta get some sleep tonight."

Alex Warlorn

"I have to go back eventually."

"Sunset?" Princess Celestia asked.

"As soon as the Changelings are taken care of, I need to go back to the other side of the mirror, I have to. I caused way too much damage to way too many innocent people, and destroyed way too many friendships between others just for my own gain. I can't just pretend they didn't exist or it didn't happen. It's my responsibility."

Celestia nuzzled her. "Welcome back my faithful student."

--

Meanwhile... in both Regent Pitcher Plant and Princess Sweetie Belle's respective strongholds.

Both had just about finished draining the excess love from their immediate circle, and personal guard, leaving their changelings capped off at maximum, and themselves super charged.

Few ponies knew a royal changeling could take in much more love than the average changeling or even Gatherers. And Chrysalis had mutated Pitcher Plant into a royal changeling when she'd done the same with Sweetie Belle so the two would be on equal footing when they sought to claim the throne if Chrysalis herself was no more. She wanted the most cunning and crafty of the two to emerge as the victor.

Neither had the time yet to do so to their rank and file soldiers, there were simply too many, and she had to do them one at a time.

Pitcher Plant had chosen her commander and strongest fighters to drain off the surplus love first and slowly go down the ranks.

Sweetie Belle had chosen her converts. Apple Bloom. Scootaloo. Her parents. Granny Smith. Apple Bloom's near identical cousin Liberty Belle Apple. And her cousins Apple Fritter and Peachy Sweet(who had been at the wedding). Spitfire. Soarin'. Fleetfoot. Wind Rider. Spitfire's mother. Tornado Bolt of course. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Rumble. And a handful of other foals Sweetie Belle had uplifted to changeling hood. Chrysalis felt Sweetie Belle had been getting too greedy and had put a cap on those she could uplift.

Sweetie Belle had proven to be ... rather talented at indoctrination... in ways that would have made Starlight Glimmer green with envy. Like Sweetie Belle, they now believed it was their responsibility to keep ponies happy, safe, and not fighting with each other. Wasn't it so much better now that they were doing the thinking for them? Like trees on a farm, ponies would never fight, never squabble, the changelings would keep their cattle safe from harm.

Something else was on Sweetie Belle's mind at the moment... she'd seen the image of who'd kill Queen Chrysalis in the moment of her death... a final message from the link they shared... one word defined Princess Sweetie Belle's thoughts at the moment, compared to Pitcher Plant who had just accepted her foster mother's death had moved without a tear shed (Chrysalis would have been proud), Sweetie on the other hoof, she thought one thing, REVENGE!

Kendell2

Rarity stood, looking out at the lair of her fallen sister in a mix of dread...and sorrow.

"...Rarity?"

Rarity jumped, turning to find Pane Glimmer trotting up. "Oh, hello, Pane..."

The elderly mare trotted up and set down next to her. "...Thinking about Sweetie?"

The white unicorn pony looked down. "...I...I'm thinking of what to say to her...it's been three years since I've seen her..."

"...What a suggestion?" Pane asked. "I have some experience..."

"...Sure..."

"...From what intel we've been able to gather, and the fact that little filly is STILL doing this despite the mind control being shattered...she thinks she's the good guy..." Pane explained, looking to Rarity. "...You need to show her she's not."

Rarity blinked in confusion. "I'm...not sure I understand..."

"...When someone thinks she's the good guy...when they're THAT convinced they're the hero that they overlook all evidence to the contrary...and when they're so eaten up with revenge as we KNOW she's going to be..." Starlight Glimmer's future self explained, her voice having an air of familiarity. "You need to SHOW them the damage their actions are causing, tear away the veil so far they can't justify it to themselves. Don't just tear it away half way. Not three quarters of the way. ALL the way, then BURN the veil to ash and stomp on it. Otherwise, well, a zealot tends to get MORE extreme the more their worldview is challenged...then ask them one important question."

Rarity got cold chills listening to her voice. She felt a hint of hatred...but not for her or the Changelings. "And what is that?"

Pane Glimmer looked to her. "'Was it really worth it?' Because up until the shroud gets torn away and the cold hard consequences are right there in front of them, they never felt the need to ask themselves. You need to show Sweetie Belle what Chrysalis and her have done, the damage they've caused, and tear away every self deception she's built up. Then ask her if all this was really worth what they THOUGHT they were doing...it's the only way she'll change."

The white unicorn was dumbstruck...then began thinking. "I think I understand...thank you, Pane."

Pane gave a sad smile and nodded. "Glad I could be of some use, Mrs. Belle."

The elderly unicorn got up and started trotting back.

"Pane?"

"Yes Rarity?"

"...It was your little sister, wasn't it?" Rarity asked.

Pane didn't turn. "...Yes..."

"...I hope I can do half as good a job with my sister as you did with yours."

"...I hope you do a better job, Rarity," Pane said, giving a smile and returning to camp.

"So you were REALLY Nightmare Moon?" Mina asked Luna.

Luna nodded sorrowfully. "Yes...we allowed our emotions to get the better of us...but we are well now..."

"That is so cool!" Mina said with a small squee.

"Pardon?"

"I love reformed villains! They're so dynamic!"

"...We shall...take that as a compliment."

MtangaLion

Rarity walked with a heavy heart, magically penning a letter as she searched the camp. She found Rainbow snoring on a one-mare cloud mattress and smiled briefly, before nudging her with a hoof.

"Eh, what?" mumbled Rainbow Dash, rubbing her eyes.

"Good, you've had some sleep," said Rarity. She floated the letter over to Dash. "I need our fastest flyer to take this very urgent letter to the Ponyville refugee camp, and then deliver a pony back here, before the negotiation begins."

"Huh? Really?" Rainbow bounced right to her hooves and stepped off the cloud, stretching. "All right! You can count on me!"

Rarity quirked an eyebrow. "I must say, this is a pleasant surprise." She smiled. "You're not exactly a morning pony, after all."

"Yeah, yeah..." said Rainbow, finished limbering up. "I'm just glad somepony remembers that I'm the fastest flier in Equestria. Hmph! All these prettycolt Rangers and Elements of Harmony, stealing my thunder..." She scanned the letter, then read it again, staring, before looking up at Rarity. "Are you *sure*? Getting him involved in this... it's not gonna go over well."

Rarity sighed. "It's not going to go well for any of us, darling, if the changelings regroup and continue the war. "

Rainbow gritted her teeth, then sighed. "I know. It's just... Never mind. Give me the letter." Rainbow saluted Rarity, then took off from the camp, accelerating rapidly...

Inside the Retreat, Scootaloo bowed before Princess Sweetie Belle. "The spies have confirmed it, your highness. The Elements of Harmony are with them."

Sweetie took a sip of royal nectar, seemingly at ease, but the hoof holding the crystal glass shook with anger. "They will not dare to use the Elements against me directly. Let them charge their rainbow of light and blast away! I would only grow stronger, as strong as an Alicorn!"

Apple Bloom floated closer, hovering on buzzing bluish-green wings. "But the rest of us will be too full ta move again, and they've got *four* Alicorns."

Sweetie wanted to hurl the nectar glass across the room, but Chryssy had taught her better than that. "Send the message to Pitcher Plant, requesting... ugh... aid. I will stall for time."

Shortly after dawn, Rainbow Dash returned to the rebel camp with Thunderlane, pulling a flying carriage that had clearly seen better days. They touched down, and immediately got out of their harnesses and moved away, as if they were afraid of their own passenger.

The carriage creaked and rocked as the earth pony stallion stepped out, green eyes narrowing. His steps thumped ominously... he was big and heavy already, without the iron shackles that he wore on all four hooves.

Rarity came galloping, making sure she arrived first. "Big Mac. I wish we were meeting again under better circumstances."

Lyra happened to come along, wondering what the commotion was about... and the sight of Big Mac made her shake like a leaf, dropping all of the supplies she'd been carrying in her magic. "Overseer..." she whimpered. "No, no... Run, it's..."

Applejack lassoed Lyra before she could start a panic in the camp. "You, settle. Shhh, hush now, it's okay, he's not under the mind control any longer..." She took a deep breath, trying to collect herself, and wound up shouting anyway. "Rarity, what the *hay*?! Mah brother does *not* need to suffer any more, reliving all that. Ah have the Element of Honesty... Ah'll stand up to Sweetie Belle and tell it like it is!"

Big Mac gave his sister a silent, hateful stare, then leaned down and bit off a long blade of grass, keeping it in his mouth like he'd always done with a wheat stalk. "Ah hear there's a misbehaving filly who needs some brutally honest truth. Lead the way, Miss Belle."

Clear on the other side of the camp, Cadence shuddered, sinking to the ground.

Celestia looked her way, alarmed. "Niece?!"

Cadence shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just had the most awful feeling..."

Kendell2

"Princess Zecora," said an orange stallion, trotting up to Zecora. "I've got intel that Princess Sweetie Belle is attempting to contact Princess Pitcher Plant for help."

Zecora, who was meditating, nodded. "That is proof all the more, that Sweetie Belle is unsure...I have a plan for that case, let's continue on with a straight face...Are you ready, my friend? On you for something this depends."

The stallion nodded. "Yes...we both are."

The next day, the rebellion marched out to meet Sweetie Belle and their forces. Before marching out, Zecora applied fresh anti-Changeling cream to the lot group as a whole to check.

Sweetie Belle looked over the enemy. "Where's Princess Zecora?" she asked with hatred in her tone.

"Our fellow Princess is busy elsewhere, your sister is also out there," said Cadence.

Princess Pitcher Plant found her path to meet with her fellow Princess blocked by vines and various monsters of Everfree. Zecora and Fluttershy had been busy.

Rarity stepped forwards. "Hello, little sister..."

Applejack and Big Mac stepped forwards as well, looking at their little sister.

The tension was so thick one could cut it with a knife. However...

The orange stallion took a step forwards while a Changeling drone stepped forwards from the Changeling side, much to everypony's confusion.

The stallion took out a hankerchief and wiped the anti-changeling substance from his face and flank to reveal a lightning bolt Cutie Mark.

Scootaloo gave a gasp and began to tremble. "That's...that's..."

Sweetie Belle blinked. "What is it, Scootaloo?"

The Changeling that had marched up to greet the stallion transformed, revealing a light orange mare with a purple mane and tail. Her Cutie Mark was Tiger Beetle.

The two nuzzled...then the Changeling trotted next to the stallion.

"Tiger Beetle, you were a traitor?!" Sweetie Belle asked. "How?! Your fire always matched Scootaloo's!" Her enforcers personal guard were allowed to plead their loyalty specifically to them. It was something Sweetie Belle WANTED and Chrysalis permitted.

Scootaloo, however, fell to her hunches. "M-Mom? D-Dad?"

Amicitia blinked. "Is that her parents from our world?"

Mirror shrugged. "Her parents ain't confirmed anywhere as far as most shadows care, kinda up for grabs."

"Mom?! Dad?!" was Sweetie Belle's reaction.

Tiger Beetle nodded. "Yes...it's us, Scootaloo..."

"But...but Scootaloo was a PEGASUS!" Applebloom asked in shock.

"But that means..." Cadence said. "If her mother's a Changeling and her father's a pegasus but she's a PEGASUS instead of a hybrid..."

The changelings looked at one another in disbelief.

Scootaloo's father nodded. "Do you all get what THAT means?" he asked, everypony. "...When any other mixed species couple has children, it's like the Princess said: a hybrid! But when a pony and a Changeling reproduce...it can be either/or. And that's something the Queens HID FROM YOU!"

"Who are you to talk?!" shouted a Changeling.

The two looked to Scootaloo. "Because it's why we had to leave you in Cloudsdale, Scootaloo..." said Tiger Beetle.

"W-What?" Scootaloo asked, stunned with tears forming in her eyes.

Tiger Beetle marched over to Applejack and put a hoof on the Element of Honesty. "...Because when Chrysalis learned of our love...she tried to have me killed and your father made a slave...and no matter which you were, you would've been killed to hide this..."

Applejack's Element of Honesty glowed. "...She's telling the truth."

Sweetie Belle snarled. "If Chryssy wanted you gone, then she had good reason!"

Tiger Beetle found a shield around her and her husband from Cadence, blocking an angry attack from Sweetie Belle. "Thank you, Princess..."

"You're welcome...now speak."

Tiger Beetle nodded. "...She DID have a reason. The same reason Cocoon did...To hide the REAL truth...Changelings aren't a different species. They're PONIES!"

"...She's right," said Celestia, stepping forwards. "Tiger Beetle speaks the truth."

"Princess?" asked Daring Do.

"She's...she's lying!" Sweetie Belle said.

"...If I'm lying, explain why you had to turn Scootaloo into a Changeling," Tiger Beetle said. "If she were a hybrid, that wouldn't have been possible, we knew that from hybrids with Griffins that have popped up. Hybrids are already changelings so they can't be converted into them. That was Cocoon's ENTIRE justification for forbidding any interspecies relationships to 'keep the gene pool pure.' Scootaloo HAD to be a Pegasus or it couldn't work."

That caused many changeling's words to die in their throat. They all knew that was truth.

"You...you're lying! It's a trick!" Sweetie Belle yelled, losing her temper. Royal or not, she was still a child.

Cadence stepped forwards and focused, her horn glowing and radiating outward.

Lines formed between ponies. Applejack, Big Mac, Applebloom, and other Apples present got intersecting lines. Sweetie Belle, Rarity, and their relatives showed them. And so on.

Scootaloo got two lines leading from the Changeling directly to her parents.

"These are the bonds of blood. Those ARE her parents," Cadence said with an absolute authority as Concept of Bonds.

Scootaloo broke down. Her indoctrination colliding with so many conflicting emotions she seemed LOST.

"Scootaloo...we love you," her father said. "We just had to leave you or you would've been killed...I'm sorry..."

Rarity slowly stepped forwards. "...Thank you, Mrs. Beetle...I think I can take it from here..."

The fashionista looked her little sister in the eye. "...You think this all is right? That everything Chrysalis said was truth and should be followed through?"

Sweetie Belle growled. "I...Of course I do! Chryssy was my best friend!"

"...Then kill Scootaloo..."

Scootaloo's parents gasped.

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened in shock. "W-What?"

"Chrysalis wanted Scootaloo dead, it's a changeling law that any child of interspecies parents must be killed," Rarity explained. "Can anyone deny that?"

No changeling spoke a word...it was the truth.

"So if Chrysalis was absolutely right beyond a shadow of a doubt...Scootaloo logically is worthy of death for her blood, isn't she?" Rarity asked.

Sweetie Belle looked like her blood was running cold.

MtangaLion

Deus was *still* humming that catchy tune, and now she'd gotten a half-helmet modeled on some robotic dinosaur, and she was wearing that too.

Nightmare Mirror facehoofed. "Ah'd just like to point out something for the record. Those Everfree Rangers were clearly inspired by the Rangers of the North in Lord of the Rings, or Lord of the Reins or whatever ya want to call it, not by any folks in spandex with combining robots. Furthermore, if you'd put down that manega and read a *book*, ya might notice quite a few similarities between Smoke Ring, Winghoof, and Stone Wall on the one hoof, and Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli on the other."

Deus gasped. "There's a book too? Is Legolas in it?"

"Weep ye all with me," muttered Mirror. She fell back into gazing on the worldline below, uncharacteristically tense.

"You've noticed it too, haven't you?" said Amicitia softly.

"How could Ah not?" said Mirror. "Mah brother down there is *this* close to becoming another me, and..." The Nightmare hung her head. "And Ah don't know whether to steer them away from that or not. They might not *get* their happy ending without this sacrifice. It's *good* that Mac's finally growing up, starting to understand the real truth of the world for himself, and how much it hurts... but Ah don't want him to hurt like Ah hurt! Twi... what do Ah do?"

Amicitia watched the unfolding events with her once/might have been friend, having no good answer...

Kendell2

"Princess Sweetie Belle, don't..." Applebloom startled.

"Applebloom!"

Applebloom cringed, finding Big Mac looming over her.

The rest of the Changeling horde didn't make a move. Their Queen had ordered them to not move until she ordered it, she'd wanted a chance to talk to her sister.

On top of that...Rarity's words had stunned many of them, especially the indoctrinated ones that found this new information didn't fit in too well with their 'programming.

Pane Glimmer and Starlight Glimmer looked to each other and nodded. This was good.

"B-Big Brother?" the little filly asked. She looked scared. Especially by the look in her brother's eye.

"...What do you think you're doing?" Big Mac asked. "Yah know this is a lie!"

"Sweetie Belle's my friend! She's happier this way!"

'Chrysalis' lies,' said Big Mac's own thoughts. Not some outside force, not some evil entity. Merely the part of him that was sick and tired of the lies that'd ate up the world.

"Chrysalis told her that it'd make her happy and she's is a liar and yah know it, Tartarus, she called herself the QUEEN of Lies," Big Mac spat back. "She didn't deny it, so what's the point of arguin'."

"Well Ah'm happier this way!" Applebloom replied. "At least this way no ponies makin' fun of meh!"

'Sweetie Belle lied tah her just like she did tah the lot of 'em'.'

"...No ponies bein' nice tah yah either!" Big Mac replied. no one noticed, but black tendrils began to climb and a little colt with a red tie stood ready with a crown.

|...|

"Sweetie Belle is!" the little changeling enforcer replied. "Everything would be better if the changelings thought for ponies!"

Big Mac growled. "...So yah think Sweet Apple Acres bein' a wasteland is better? Yah think meh and yer Granny bein' brainwashed slaves is better?!"

'Enough of these lies.'

|...|

"Ah just don't want tah be alone!" Applebloom yelled, tears in her compound eyes.

'Those ain't even her eyes! They're just ones that Sweetie talked her inta thinkin' are better! These Changelings are a whole species of liars!'

|...Don't yah remember how it feels tah be alone?|

Big Mac gasped.

|Back when...when yer folks died and Applejack moved out for awhile? When Applebloom was just a new born baby?|

The old stallion blinked, thinking back. '...Eeyup...'

He remembered walking through the Apple Trees...no pony around...but knowing Granny Smith was the far away and AJ wasn't out there working with her...and neither was pa or ma. The days Granny took little Bloom to the doctor and he was all alone to tend to things himself...how big and empty that big farm house felt.

|Applebloom...finally had friends her age...finally had ponies she was on the same page with. And she didn't have yah or AJ there...loneliness is cruel...one of the few things crueler than the truth...|

Big Mac looked down at the little filly...then looked back to Applejack...who was looking at her with a scared face...Almost like she saw something happening he didn't...

The black hands disappeared.

"...Yah didn't want tah lose yer friends...it weren't about Changelings being better, it weren't about ponies shouldn't be thinkin' for themselves...those were just excuses, weren't they?" Big Mac asked. "So yah wouldn't need tah leave yer friends."

Applebloom sobbed.

Big Mac carefully knelt down. A difficult feat for a stallion of his size. "...When Ah was a foolish little boy...Ah had reckless friends...some of which were family...they used tah call meh a party pooper fer bein' cautious...sometimes Ah went along with 'em and regretted it when Granny went and tanned mah hide fer it in the mornin'...but yah know what they said tah meh when Ah was grown up fer those times Ah was a 'kill joy?'"

"...What?"

"...Thank yah....Ah know the real truth is...yah didn't have a choice, Sweetie didn't give yah one...but now yah have one...ain't it time yah made the right one?"

Applejack trotted over next to her brother. "...He's right Applebloom...just ask Rainbow Dash, friends pull friends back in!"

Applebloom looked up at them, still sobbing. "...Do...do yah hate meh fer not bein' an Earth Pony no more?"

Applejack and Big Mac looked to each other.

|What's the REAL truth?|

"...No, we don't..." said Applejack, Big Mac nodded.

Applebloom hugged them.

Scootaloo's parents hugged her.

From a distance, Digger Wasp watched this. "...Princess Sweetie Belle...Permission to go guard the nursery?"

"...G-Granted..."

Digger Wasp nodded...and went to go make sure his sister was safe.

"...Chrysalis would kill Applebloom too now, wouldn't she?" Rarity asked her sister. "For 'betraying' you."

Sweetie Belle took a step back. "She...she wouldn't..."

"Professor Kabuto's group told us that she intended to kill Kabuto the moment he was no longer useful," the fashionista explained. "You put her on a pedestal...why?"

"Because...because she understands me!" Sweetie Belle yelled. "Because...she made the Changelings better! Why isn't she right about this being better for ponies?!"

"...And what did she do to make the Changelings lives better?"

"She gave them NAMES! She saved them from Queen Cocoon's stupidity! She SAVED them!"

"...What was Cocoon doing wrong?"

"EVERYTHING!"

"...So you're saying Chrysalis came to power and improved things for her people?"

"YES!"

Rarity took a deep breath, then looked her sister in the eye. "...Then isn't it your duty as a Queen to do the same? Just because Chrysalis took a step doesn't mean she took ALL the ones needed...for example..."

She pointed to Scootaloo and her reunited family. "Is the law to kill mixed species children right? Is separating mixed species couple right?!"

"..."

Rarity gave her best 'big sister is talking to you' face and voice. "LOOK AT THEM! IS THAT PICTURE WRONG! DOES IT DESERVE DEATH!"

Sweetie Belle looked over to the family...to Scootaloo...to Tiger Beetle and her husband...To the loving family.

Rarity pointed to Applejack, Applebloom, and Big Macintosh. "And is the law saying to kill that filly right?!"

Sweetie Belle looked...Applejack, Applebloom, and Big Macintosh finally reunited.

"..." a tear ran down Sweetie Belle's face. "...No...it's not..."

Rarity looked her in the eyes. Her horn then glowed and, with Trixie's help, projected an image of a ruined Ponyville...of their home ruined and destroyed. Of the ponies reduced to husks. "...Can you say THIS is right?"

Trixie added her own home town's ruin. Her family's condition. Everything.

"Chrysalis helped the Changelings...if she can do that, then doesn't that mean you can help the ponies?"

Sweetie Belle was flat out crying now. "But...but Zecora...Zecora murdered her!"

"...Chrysalis was trying to kill her."

"That...that's..."

"...Of all the many many things I can say about Chrysalis," said Celestia, finally speaking. "The one I CAN'T say, Sweetie Belle...is she was no hypocrite about her chief belief: Chrysalis believed if a lion tried to kill a gazelle and was killed instead...the gazelle wasn't wrong to kill the lion for being a gazelle. Even if you don't believe it, even if I don't agree with her, even if most of this crowd doesn't agree with her...those were Chrysalis' beliefs. As painful as Chrysalis' death may be to you...can you honestly say it's one she thinks is worth avenging? "

Sweetie Belle lowered her head, mane covering her face. Tears pooled on the ground below it. "...Chryssy...Chryssy wanted to die a warrior's death..."

"Did she?" Rarity asked.

"...Yes...she did..."

Sweetie Belle looked up and looked over to Scootaloo's family. "...Tiger Beetle?"

"...Yes?" the Changeling mother replied.

"...How did you and your husband survive so long together without him turning into a husk?"

"...We shared love, your majesty...his with me...and it just...never ran dry..."

Sweetie Belle stood silent for a moment. Everything growing silent. "..."

She turned back to her Changelings. "...Release all the slaves...if it's safe to free the converts in progress...do it...The war's over..."

The Changelings obeyed. Sweetie Belle was their ruler and her word was law.

Sweetie finally turned to her sister. "...I'm sorry..."

Rarity hugged her. "I missed you..."

Sweetie was stunned for a moment...then hugged her sister back. "I missed you too big sister..."

Luna and Celestia merely gave each other a sisterly nuzzle.

MtangaLion

"Sis? Can we talk?"

Applejack glanced over and noticed that Big Mac had moved a ways off from the crowd, now that the discussion had moved on to Pitcher Plant, and giving official Equestrian backing to Sweetie Belle to insure that Pitcher did not become queen. AJ smiled, joining him. "Ah hope ya know you can always talk to me, big brother."

Big Mac nodded, slowly. "Ah'm ashamed ta say it... but when Ah got here, Ah was so full o' hate... Ah couldn't wait to tell that Sweetie Belle about all the things Ah did as the Overseer. How Ah worked some ponies half to death, and t-tortured others of them, and..." The big stallion shuddered. "Ah wanted ta break her in two, only with mah words instead of mah hooves, and there was somethin' awful sick and twisted in me that just couldn't wait to do it..."

Applejack had her mouth hanging open. "Oh Celestia, Mac. If Ah'd known... Well, why didn't ya? What changed your mind?"

He shook his head. "Ah don't rightly know. Ah think... it was when Ah looked Apple Bloom in the eyes, and Ah knew Ah still loved her, that she was still our little sister, no matter what." He turned his head, watching the changeling fillies. "Mind you, Ah ain't never gonna forget what happened, and Ah sure ain't gonna lie about it ta nopony. When Ah was under Chrysalis's power, Ah didn't have any choice. Now Ah do, and Ah'm not gonna hurt anypony else, ever again if Ah can help it. That ain't what the truth is for... Am Ah making any sense, sis?"

A flash of light drew Applejack's attention... the Element of Honesty around her neck was shining bright, casting its orange glow over both of them. "Well, this sure says ya do!"

Big Mac stared at the choker, nudging it with a huge hoof... then suddenly yelping, as if it had given him a static shock. The glow raced up his foreleg and circled his body, and suddenly there were two Elements of Honesty... AJ's choker, and a medallion on a golden chain around Big Mac's neck, complete with an orange gem carved in the shape of his half-apple cutie mark.

Big Mac shook his legs, one by one, and the heavy changeling-made shackles fell right off, as if they'd never been locked. "Well, Ah'll be danged..."

Nightmare Mirror stared at that scene for a long time, her expression unreadable. "Amicitia, when we're done here, do you think... we could go and see Fauna Luster together? Ah'm tired o' hurting... Mighty, awful tired..."

Alex Warlorn

Amicitia surprisingly looked uncertain. "But... you said the multi-verse needs a Nightmare Mirror, the one Nightmare with a place in universe... doesn't that mean that a NEW Nightmare Mirror will just appear to take your place?"

Author's Note

Number seven of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

ONE DOWN. SIX TO GO! (Crystal War Worldline)
TWO DOWN. FIVE TO GO! (Film Flam Worldline)
THREE DOWN. FOUR TO GO! (Tirek Worldline)
FOUR DOWN. THREE TO GO! (Discord Worldline.)
FIVE DOWN. TWO TO GO! (Nightmare Moon Worldline.)

Changeling Worldline
Ashland Worldline

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:
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Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Time Lines Part 6

11.0 Kendell2

Nightmare Mirror looked out towards the cosmos. "...Ah ain't sure anymore...Ah wonder if deep down that was just my Nightmare hypocrisy talking."

"You ADMIT that?" Amicitia questioned.

"Ah'm the Nightmare of Truth, sugar cube, yah think Ah DON'T know Ah'm a monster?" Mirror asked. "...Besides...Ah think an ALICORN of Cruel Truth is better than the NIGHTMARE of it."

Amicitia blinked, cocking her head. "What do you mean?"

"...If most Veritas favor the Kind Truth, why can't I favor the Cruel Truth and do THAT side of the job more?" Mirror asked. "...Let's face facts...the truth is, even as the Nightmare of Truth...Ah still managed tah deceive mahself. There ain't nothin' a Nightmare of the Cruel Truth can't do that an ALICORN of Cruel Truth can't do better...Let's face facts, Ah CAN'T show anypony the Kind Truth or COMPREHEND a lie being good...seeing my brother like that. ONLY a Kind Truth could save him from this pain, NOT the Cruel Truth...and Ah just barely managed tah do it...it made me realize how half baked a Nightmare really is."

Amicitia nodded. "...I think that makes sense."

Fluttershy approached the group. "The monsters had to fall back," she said. "Pitcher Plant's group set up camp, but they're still on their way."

Zecora stayed at a distance, not wanting to throw things into mayhem.

"Then we need to plan for this..." said Celestia. "We can't rush into it, it's too important."

Even with Sweetie Belle on Equestria's side and half of the country liberated, giving them an equal army to Pitcher Plant's, rushing into this could be a horrid mistake.

"Shy?"

Fluttershy gasped in shock. She turned to see three familiar ponies. "Score? Hoops? Dumbbell?!"

"We got rescued from Sweetie Belle's place," said Score.

The four hugged, Fluttershy crying.

"Are you sure about this, your majesty?" asked Hercules, standing nearby.

Katydid, Kabuto's priced pupil, stood over the Queen strapped to an operating table. She was still a Zebra, but she was the only being with the knowledge of Kabuto's bio-alchemy to pull this off. "Yeah, are you sure? I could give you extra legs instead! Oh! Or a second mouth inside your mouth!" she said, looking like the suggestions were bereft of any malicious intent. And that made it that much scarier.

Pitcher Plant nodded. "Yes...I'm not letting Sweetie Belle beat me."

"...You do realize I'm not fighting Sweetie Belle, your majesty," Hercules said, with absolute determination. "I will protect you from anypony except her...and I won't protect her from you either."

"I know," said the little queen as Katydid got to work. "...Mother was never afraid of becoming a monster, so why should I?"

11.1 Alex Warlorn

As the operation began, it occurred to Pitcher Plant. That was the first time in her entire life that she'd called Queen Chrysalis mother.

Nightmare Mirror meanwhile, wondered if she really had been hanging out with geeky Twilight and nerdy Twilight too long... She might have just actually lied to her... maybe... She wasn't sure... She had an odd feeling, that a Nightmare Mirror needed to exist for something... something ... well, important to those it happened to, something that an Alicorn couldn't do without dirtying themselves. Maybe she was just justifying herself to herself. But she did know her world where ponies had to adapt to the truth rather than the other way around, was something she'd never give up. Even as a Nightmare, she felt zero regret for her world without lies.

11.2 MtangaLion

Back in the camp outside the Retreat, Gilda was cleaning and adjusting her crossbow when King Griswold found her again. He cleared his throat. "I assume you've heard."

"Yeah." Gilda glanced his way. "The other changeling boss didn't go for Sweetie crowning herself, so we've gotta fight again." She still wore the Element of Loyalty... it seemed too chancy, taking it off. How else would she know which of the changelings were on their side now?

"That offer is still open, if you wish to fight for Griffonstone," said the king cautiously. He pointed a claw towards the griffon army camp in the distance. "You're a griffon of rare character, to hold an artifact like that one. You could be a captain, perhaps even a general..."

Gilda actually hesitated, before she shook her head. "That's really something, your majesty... but I'll have to pass."

Griswold sighed heavily. "I see. You fight for Equestria, then."

Gilda stopped working on her bow entirely, then put it down. "You know, funny thing about this 'artifact.'" She waved her talons idly. "At first, I thought it was totally going to be a giant pain in my flank. I mean, a whole bunch of changelings are coming to kill us, we have to fight them back... that shouldn't be real complicated. But here I've been thinking about all these *questions*. Why am I fighting? What am I fighting for? Blah de blah... and then I figured, maybe it's not as hard as I thought..."

Gilda looked across the field. Daring Do and Sunset Shimmer were having an rather animated argument over there, outside another tent. One moment, shouting in each others faces, with Cloudkicker trying to get in between them. The next, all laughing and joking like ponies who'd known each other all their lives.

Gilda grinned. "I fight for *my friends*. If they happen to be ponies... so what?" She slung the crossbow across her back and flew over to join them, leaving an amused King Griswold behind.

Rainbow Dash had planned to get a quick nap in before any fighting, but even on an ultra-comfy cloud mattress, sleep was eluding her.

"Rainbow Dash," said a voice with a noble, slightly snobbish accent. Winghoof was standing there in his Ranger cloak, grinning smugly. "Word around the camp is, you're *fast*."

"You..." Rainbow jabbed a feather at the other pegasus, grinning right back. "We are *so* having a race later, when I'm not busy saving Equestria and stuff! I'm gonna tell everypony how I left you *in my dust*."

Winghoof chuckled. "The day some upstart young mare can outfly me... I shall be overjoyed to have a proper rival." He struck a pose. "We have an appointment, Dash! Don't go getting yourself killed in the battle." And off he flew.

"Oh, yeah!?" retorted Dash. "Well, you be sure and survive too! Jerk!" She laughed and rolled out of bed... no no time for sleep now.

11.3 Alex Warlorn

Griffin scouts were sent out... they met a single, completely rank and file changeling... he glowed green and hit between the griffins like a pin ball, the griffins scouts fell to the ground. The changeling stopped glowing. As did Pitch Plant's horn...

"The operation is a succeed." Said Kabuto's apprentice.

"That's the test of the first part. Now we'll test the second part." Said Pitcher Plant.

Locust meanwhile, of the changeling swarm, while he wouldn't meddle in the sacred rite of choosing who the next queen of the swarm would be, he and a few others had chosen already they WOULD avenge their queen, not because of what she would have wanted, but because avenging their beloved queen was what THEY wanted!

Pitcher Plant only agreed because their target was an Alicorn, and therefore a very dangerous threat, she had killed the previous queen after all.

"FOR QUEEN CHRYSALIS!" Locust screamed at the top of his lungs, his agents following as they came out of nowhere. Many where dropped by crossbows and spears and unicorn horn blasts... all of them turned hollow and shattered at the moment of death... the changelings around them powered up for every number of theirs that fell... until the last couple grabbed Zecora... and blew themselves up.

"The next part of the operation worked as well it seems... I can transfer the love from other changelings at the moment of their death to the rest of the swarm, no love is ever wasted. And I can transfer love to other changelings as well, letting those who fight stay at their max. We're invincible. As soon as I kill Sweetie Belle tomorrow morning and become Queen, Equestria will remain in changeling hooves forever."

"She'll live... but I'm afraid if a fight breaks out... Princess Zecora's going to be in no shape to fight... and we'll need to guard her constantly to make sure any other changelings don't finish the job using Sweetie Belle's duel with Pitcher Plant as a distraction." Said Cadence, the newborn Alicorn having thankfully... miraculous, barely survived the assassination attempt.

Kendell2

Sweetie Belle snarled in rage. "She...she killed her own people just to get to Zecora?!" she yelled. "Even I didn't think of doing that!"

Scootaloo and Applebloom looked to each other. They trotted over to Sweetie Belle. "We've been getting extra love from our family, like mom said," said Scootaloo. "Take some of it so you can fight Pitcher Plant."

"Girls..." Sweetie said. "Are you sure? That was given to YOU..."

"You're our friend," said Applebloom. "And we want to share it with YOU too."

"...Thanks girls..." Sweetie Belle said.

"Aww..." said Pinkie Pie...then the process of feeding Sweetie their love happened. "Eew..."

As the two armies met, the two queens faced down. "Hello...'sister,'" said Pitcher Plant, snarling.

"Don't call me sister after what you did," said Sweetie Belle.

Hercules merely stepped up and set down between the two sides, watching both queens.

"Oh, angry I nearly killed Chrysalis' murderer?" the Changeling Princess replied.

"No, I'm angry because you killed your own men to do it!" the filly ruler yelled back. "Chryssy would be ashamed of you!"

"No, she'd have done the same," Princess Pitcher Plant replied.

"I know that!" Sweetie Belle replied...a bit of sad tone to her voice. "She'd be ashamed because you were SLOPPY! Chryssy wouldn't be caught DEAD admitting she didn't care about her men and wrecking her reputation!"

Pitcher Plant's face contorted in a snarl. "Locust WANTED to do it. I just agreed with it to get rid of an Alicorn."

"Did you try to talk him out of it? Or even put on a show of how tragic it was he sacrificed himself?" Sweetie Belle questioned. "No, you just let him kill himself and didn't even try to save face. That about right?"

Suddenly, one of her men jumped out of hiding and tried to attack Sweetie Belle. After all, the battle hadn't started yet so it was permitted to weaken her...

Instead, the Changeling was punched so hard that he went flying back clear over the Changeling line with a cracked shell.

"HERCULES?!" Pitcher Plant yelled. "I thought you said you wouldn't help her!"

Hercules lowered his hoof. "I'm not. I am not on EITHER of your side."

Hercules magic shuddered and shattered to a colorless aura. "Until this battle is done, I'm neutral...but anyling..."

He turned back to the other side. "Or anypony."

He turned back to Pitcher Plant. "Who tries to attack one of the Princesses from now until the battle is done will have to fight me first. Anyone who tries to distract either of them by attacking someone on their side is the same. Are we clear?"

None of the Changelings dared make another move.

Hercules slowly trotted back over to his original position and set down.

"Fine then...let's begin," Pitcher Plant said, horn glowing. A large circle around them burst into flames and formed a wall to keep anyone out.

"Show off," Sweetie muttered.

"Queen Chrysalis was an actress, why shouldn't I be?" asked the dark Princess.

=Star Wars - Duel of Fates=

Sweetie Belle opened up with a beam, Pitcher Plant countering in kind.

The two flew up and exchanged blasts, dodging or colliding them, the fire wall rising or lowering with them.

The two both formed energy blades around their horns and charged, clashing at rapid pace.

"Chrysalis trained you well," Pitcher Plant remarked.

Sweetie Belle remembered what Chrysalis had taught her. "Well, I WAS her favorite after all."

Pitcher Plant snarled and made an angry swing, but Sweetie dodged it and bucked her back. The two hovered, Pitcher Plant's horn glowing even after she wasn't casting any spells.

The two charged and began throwing punches and bucks at one another, countering and blocking at speeds only trained fighters could do. After all, like Tartarus Chrysalis would have her heirs be unable to defend themselves.

The two flew back, both giving a dark magic chant and firing beams of darkness that collided in an explosion. Pitcher Plant flew through it, but Sweetie Belle saw it coming and charged back, horns colliding with a spark before they blew each other back.

The battle continued at this stalemate for some time until they both landed, circling each other.

Sweetie Belle was panting, but Pitcher Plant wasn't. 'Why isn't she getting tired?'

Sweetie Belle's eyes looked around...and realized something. The horns of the other Changelings in her hive were glowing along with hers. Her eyes widened. "You're drawing power from the hive!"

Pitcher Plant laughed. "Yes, I am. A modification of Katydid's. She's not as good as Kabuto, but she's a fine doctor. So long as one Changeling in my hive has love, mine will never deplete! And should one of them die, it auto transfers to me."

She wisely chose to keep the rest of that modification secret. After all, she'd need it to overwhelm the rebels when this was done.

"That's cheating!" said Daring Do.

"No, it's not," said Digger Wasp. "If Sweetie Belle willed it, we could all give her our love. It's perfectly within the rules."

Daring Do snarled. "Think! Sweetie Belle! There's gotta be something!"

Sweetie Belle blocked a viscous attack from Pitcher Plant that still left a small wound in her exoskeleton. 'Think! You can't out muscle her, so what can you do?!'

The young Changeling Queen's eyes looked to Pitcher Plant's horn.

"That's pretty clever...but if I remember, Chryssy hated the idea of being modified. Wonder what she'd think of you now," Sweetie Belle taunted.

She had to dodge a viscous stab, then got rammed in the stomach and knocked back. "She'd probably be disgusted with you now."

"Stop acting like you know her!" Pitcher Plant roared, firing several beams, forcing Sweetie Belle back. She dodged a trust, causing Pitcher Plant's horn to collide with the ground.

Sweetie took some hits from the angry Princess, and some wounds...Her eyes fell on Scootaloo and Applebloom. She remembered everything she'd seen from them.

She quickly grabbed a rock in her telekinesis and put it between her and Pitcher Plant's horn at the last second, resulting in the young Princess lodging her horn in it.

As her enemy fell back to remove the rock, Sweetie Belle flapped her wings rapidly to speed up her run, taking Pitcher Plant off guard. She rammed her in the chest, knocking her backwards. She spun around and slammed her rear hooves into the rock impaled on Pitcher Plant's horn with perfect Apple Bucking form from the side.

Pitcher Plant screamed in pain as her horn fractured. The rest of the hive gave a gasp of shock, their own horns ceasing their glow.

"Good job, Sweetie Belle!" cheered Applebloom.

Rarity flinched. It made her shudder to see her little sister...fighting so fiercely...fighting so well...She couldn't be mad at the filly...especially now...but she didn't like it. But while she hated it...a part of her was glad Chrysalis couldn't taint her little sister anymore.

Sweetie Belle smirked and, while Pitcher Plant was stunned by the pain, fired a point blank blast of dark magic into her chest and sent her flying backwards.

"Give up, your horn's broken," Sweetie Belle said, marching forwards.

Pitcher Plant just started laughing, getting back to her hooves. "So you've figured out I need my horn for that trick...you think that's...the only trick I had put into me?"

=Steven Universe - Malachite's theme Extended=

Pitcher Plant's body began to crackle with fire. "I didn't think I'd need to use this...but Katydid insisted..."

Pitcher Plant floated into the air and her body exploded in green flames. Sweetie Belle backed up as the pillar extended outwards. Four gigantic insectoid legs slammed down, each ending with a pincer. Then came two arms with mantis-like scythes instead of hands, which the forming colossus used to force herself up.

As the flames dissipated, an abomination with four legged lower body resembling an insect lifted up, the top portion resembled a massive, monstrous changeling queen with Praying Mantis limbs for her arms, mane hanging off her back.

Pitcher Plant slammed back down, as if surprised by her new weight. Four insectoid eyes opened on her head.

"I admit, I didn't WANT to do this...but it feels good. Katydid said that keeping a bit of my original form would look more regal, I tend to agree," Pitcher Plant said, laughing evilly as she rose up to her full height, towering over Sweetie Belle. "Besides, what's the point of killing somepony if all they see is the monster?...Chrysalis DID believe that playing dirty, playing brutal, being pragmatic, ANYTHING to become stronger was worth it in the end, didn't she?"

Rarity looked to Digger Wasp. "And THAT'S legal too?"

Digger Wasp simply nodded.

=The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Ganondorf=

Sweetie Belle leapt back as the mammoth beast slashed at her, barely evading the mantis like arms.

Sweetie fired back with a blast of dark magic, but it barely scorched Pitcher Plant's armored hide.

The mammoth beast reared back and one of her four legs reached out and tried to slam shut around Sweetie Belle, but the young queen dodged it by a hair (literally, it got a few hairs from her mane.

Vents on the side of Pitcher Plant's neck sucked in air and she finally lunged forwards, unleashing a burst of green fire from her maul. Sweetie BARELY put up a barrier in time.

When the flames faded, Sweetie finally got a cry of pain out of the mammoth insectoid by blasting one of her eyes with a beam.

'Think! How did Chryssy say she beat Cocoon when she did this?' Sweetie Belle asked in her head.

Sweetie Belle was batted into the ground by one of the scythes (thankfully the blunt end). She barely got up in time to dodge a swing from the other.

The young Changeling Queen flew up and zipped between her attacker's strikes until she managed to land on one of her knees and blasted her in another eye.

Pitcher Plant roared in fury and swung a scythe down, Sweetie dodging at the last second...

Pitcher Plant's blade merely bounced off her carapace.

"What?!" Sweetie asked, before getting grabbed by one of the pincers the Goliath had for legs.

"Kabuto learns from his mistakes, and his successor learned from him," Pitcher Plant said, the Changeling-like head allowing her to smile sinister. She slammed Sweetie Belle to the ground several times and threw her up.

The mutated Royal Changeling let loose a flurry of slashes and cuts. Sweetie managed to dodge, but only just enough to avoid a deep wound, ending up covered in gashes and cuts.

Pitcher Plant threw her scythes to the side...and revealed she'd been charging up her fire breath.

Sweetie managed to put up a barrier...but it broke. While sparing her the brunt of the blast, Sweetie Belle still was badly burned and crashed to the ground.

Pitcher Plant towered over her. "Nothing personal, Sweetie...no, that's a lie...This is PERSONAL. You stole my crown! My throne! You stole CHRYSALIS FROM ME!"

The behemoth snarled in rage. "I worked for this. I was raised from BIRTH to be this! And then you come along and suddenly you're the new princess! You stole EVERYTHING."

Sunset Shimmer watched...and felt her blood run cold. She felt a kindred sense of familiarity...and hated it.

Pitcher Plant reared back. "So after I kill you, I'm going to make sure every last thing you care about dies!"

Sweetie Belle looked up. 'What can I do?...I could use that spell...but I don't have time to charge it...and even if I did, I don't have enough power left to survive it...'

Rarity watched in horror. She knew she couldn't attack or Sweetie Belle will lose...and they'd lose...

Shuddered. 'No...not again...there must be SOMETHING I can do...some way I can avoid...avoid losing her again...'

Rarity watched Pitcher Plant begin charging her fire breath.

'If only there was some way to give...'

Rarity gasped in shock. "That's it."

She looked to Hercules. "I'm allowed to give Sweetie Belle my love so long as I don't hurt Pitcher Plant, right?"

Hercules looked surprised...then nodded. "Yes, that is in the rules."

Rarity didn't pause another moment and, putting what magic she could into guarding her own body, leapt straight through the wall of flames.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity yelled, landing next to her sister...her mane burnt much shorter and some fur blackened.

"Rarity?!" Sweetie Belle asked. "Get out of here!"

Rarity pulled Sweetie Belle close and hugged her, horn to horn. "No...you need your sister's love...so big sister will give it.

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened.

Everything slowed down to a crawl. The crackling of the flames. The charging of her towering foe's fire. The gasps of the crowd.

Everything seemed to constrict down to her and her sister.

...Sweetie Belle slowly hugged her big sister, horn to horn. Their energy mixing.

Pitcher Plant let loose her fire breath, engulfing the two.

"RARITY!" Applejack and Rainbow Dash yelled.

Pitcher Plant gave an unhinged laugh. "All hail, the new Changeling Queen! Queen Pitcher Plant!"

Silence reigned the battle field for several moments as the fire and smoke crackled...and then a powerful light burst forth.

"What?!" Pitcher Plant yelled, the light intensifying to the point she had to take a step back. "What is that light?!"

=Sailor Moon- The Power of Love=

Sweetie Belle and Rarity stood in a bubble of pink energy that seemed to BE their bond.

And Sweetie Belle had changed. While she still had the insectoid eyes...she was no longer a black armored insect, but a white furred almost fairy-like pony. Her horn no longer jagged and fierce, but smooth and cute. Her wings no longer dragonfly wings but butterfly ones instead.

"Impossible..." the Goliath mutant roared. She swung a scythe at them, but it merely bounced off.

Rarity's horn wasn't glowing, Sweetie Belle's was.

"Nothing is impossible when you have ponies that love you, Pitcher Plant..." Rarity said, looking up at the behemoth. "And...you lost the only one that you cared for, didn't you?...I'm sorry...but this needs to end."

Pitcher Plant's visage became one of pure rage. "DON'T PITY ME!" she pounded away at the barrier like a hammer. "HATE ME! SPIT ON ME! DO ANYTHING BUT PITY ME! MOTHER WOULD NEVER ACCEPT PITY FROM ANYONE!"

Pitcher Plant spread two gigantic, sail sized wings from her back. She flew up into the air and dark magic began gathering around her. "Blow away in the dust, Sweetie Belle!"

Hercules gasped. "EVERYLING! EVERYPONY! RUN!" he yelled. "PRINCESS! IF YOU FIRE THAT AT THE GROUND LIKE THAT YOU COULD BLOW THE AREA TO ATOMS!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Pitcher Plant roared. She began a dark magic chant.

Hercules cursed in the Changeling's native language. 'You really are Chrysalis' daughter...'

Sweetie Belle and Pitcher Plant wouldn't have had Chrysalis' favor if neither hadn't been like her in some ways.

Luna gasped. "That spell...HE'S RIGHT! EVERYPONY RUN!"

As everypony tried to get to safety...Sweetie Belle and Rarity looked to each other and nodded.

"By the bond the two of us share.
But the anger in my heart for the ones who harm my loved ones," Sweetie began to chant, the shield condensing in her horn and both light and dark magic gathering around it. Rarity didn't move, giving her sister all the love needed.

"Mother?" Maud Pie asked.

"Yes, dear?" her mother asked, the Pie family fortifying the rock farm. Isolated as it was, it hadn't yet been struck, but they knew it could be.

"...The idea love and nothing have anything in common...most ponies wouldn't think of it..." the stoic pony said, then looked off into the distance. Unknown to her mother, directly where the final battle of the Changeling War would take place. "But love COMES from nothing...it can even appear in a void...Funny, huh?"

Her mother blinked. But nodded. "Nice poetry, dear."

"Yeah...poetry..."

"-By you who both sits upon and are the Throne of Naught, With my hate that freezes, my anger that burns, my desire that grasps!-" chanted Pitcher Plant, dark magic continuing to build.

"By you two who are the Beginning and End.
With my anger love that burns," Sweetie Belle chanted, her spell growing more and more. Rarity was her brace, letting Sweetie brace herself and not doing anything more than giving her love to her sister.

"-Together we shine the light of destruction equally upon them, and wipe away the fools that stand in our way! Entropía vocem!" completed Pitcher Plant, a thin guiding line of dark magic firing from her horn at her enemy.

"-May love from nothing and love from each other vanquish this evil from my sight!" finished Sweetie. "Requiem in Caritate:
Inanis Et Vita Unitur!"

Green flood of destruction erupted from Pitcher Plant's horn, so massive that it would likely destroy everything in her line of light if it made land fall, and then some.

From Sweetie's horn...erupted a flood of bright pink flames and dark pink shadow, the two swirling around each other in a double helix.

The two beams collided with such force that the shock wave blew the cloud cover away for miles, leaving nothing but the sky above. Even as far away as they moved back too, BOTH sides of the army were blasted off their hooves by the shockwave. Rarity had to struggle to stay acting as her sister's brace with all her physical and telekinetic strength.

The Princesses present slammed their hooves down as a brace, Hercules held his ground as well.

The two blasts collided, going back and forth.

The ground around the area CRUMBLED except fore where Sweetie Belle stood, which seemed to be more thanks to the spell Sweetie Belle was use.

"IS THIS NORMAL FOR A CHANGELING QUEEN DUEL?!" Daring Do screamed over the noise and wind of the two immense attacks colliding.

"Pitcher Plant...I'm sorry you hate me so much! Maybe we could've been friends!" Sweetie yelled, keeping all her focus on her attack.

"We could NEVER be friends!" roared Pitcher Plant, doing likewise.

"...I'm sorry...sister..."

Rarity hugged Sweetie Belle.

Finally, Pitcher Plant's attack began to lose ground.

"What?!" Pitcher Plant asked. "Where is all this power coming from?!"

"...Love shared is stronger than love taken," muttered Rarity, looking up at her. "...You would gladly take power from your people, and give it to further your goals...but you'd never SHARE it, would you?...I'm sorry...because I know you had no one to tell you how..."

Finally, Pitcher Plant's attack gave out and Sweetie Belle's beam tore through.

'How?' Pitcher Plant asked as the attack approached her, unable to move from her own attack's back lash. 'What was it...that I was missing? What does Sweetie Belle have that I don't?'

The pink fire of Sweetie Belle's attack took the shape of a beautiful Alicorn mare while the dark pink shadow assumed the shape of a black, draconequus-like figure, holding claws for a moment, before slamming into Pitcher Plant.

"What was I missing?! I did everything you told me to do!" Pitcher Plant roared, the beam carrying her high into the air. "MOTHER, WHAT DID I DO WRONG?!"

Pitcher Plant let out a long, echoing screaming as Sweetie Belle's attack exploded in a massive blast of pink fire and dark pink shadow, visible from the ground far below and the shockwaves forcing everyone that wasn't a Princess or General Hercules further back.

Sweetie Belle staggered...her horn looking burnt...her sister supported her. "...Good job...Sweetie Belle."

"...Thanks...sister..."

With a thud, Pitcher Plant's battered, badly burnt form crashed to the ground in front of them, causing them to jump. The elder Princess was back to her normal form. Her horn had either broken off completely or MELTED off. "Mother...what did I...do wrong?"

Pitcher Plant's eyes filled with tears. "Why...why couldn't I beat her?...I'm sorry...mother..."

With that, the older Princess moved no more and the fires dissipated.

Sweetie Belle could barely stand...but she could stand and Pitcher Plant could not...

The battle was over.

Alex Warlorn

Locust looked around... it was a black dry lifeless ground underneath a dry lifeless sky, he'd blown himself up... he knew he had... "W-Where am I?"

"Come now Locust I know you weren't that stupid."

"YOUR MAJESTY!" Locust fell in reverence. "I thought you were dead!"

"I am dead idiot! What do you think you are?"

"W-what?! But then where are-"

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Wasn't that part obvious? We're in Tartarus." The rest of Locust's suicide bombers fluttered to join Chrysalis' side. "Now come along. We have a lot to do."

"... Do my queen?"

"I made a vow that if I failed to become a goddess and arrived in Tartarus, (I knew from the beginning that was where I was going), that I would not be just another prisoner here... We're taking over. I have an infinite plane of reality to conquer with an enemy that is all knowing and all powerful..." Chrysalis got a manic grin. "Should be a challenge. And we only have all eternity to become the new eternal tormentor of the damn, now hurry along."

"Y-yes my queen!"

-

"Even DEAD she goes along with that insanely impossible plan?" Amicitia asked bewildered.

"HO HO HO! I see something fun!"

"GO AWAY Nyarlathotrot!" Amicitia said.

"How can I? When I see an obvious continuity bug that leads to such tragic ends. But that's what happens when you have so many ponies with their hooves in the cutie jar isn't it?"

Dues Ex Machina blinked. "WHAT continuity bugs?! The griffins-"

"Were either/or, never declared... but there was something else declared, and now it's time to reap."

-

Digger Wasp looked at himself, and saw green flames appear on his body, which began to crack and fall apart like a figure made of charcoal. "Princess Sweetie Belle has won. She is Queen."

"W-What's happening to you?!"

"Don't you remember? Queen Chrysalis took all the love of her inner circle and used it to destroy Tirek... it killed us... but Her Majesty brought us back to 'life' as undead with a version of the curse of Sunnytown... it was designed to last until the new queen of the changeling was chosen between her two daughters so the swarm would have stability until the heir was decided."

"W-what?!" Daring Do looked around. Hercules was also falling apart. And she didn't know it, but Kabuto was dying, all alone, no one to stay good bye to, and no one to comfort him as he perished. Like many of his experiments. "AND YOU'RE ALL OKAY WITH THIS?"

Digger Wasp knelt. Jewelry Wasp hugged him. "All for the swarm."

Hercules Beetle knelt down as well. "Tell my family I love them. All for the swarm."

Their empty shells hit the ground with a clatter.

Alex Warlorn

Chrysalis looked down at Kabuto with a grin. "Hello Worthless!"

MtangaLion

Nyarlathotrot cackled. "And now for the finishing touch. Oh, you're going to love this one..."

"I never thought I'd meet a real live Flutter Pony," mused Daring Do. "I've only seen them in ancient carvings."

In the blackened circle, Rarity groaned and stumbled. Suddenly, Sweetie Belle was the one needing to support her sister. "Rarity? Sis, what's the matter?" The new Queen of the Changelings gasped. "Oh no, I took too much! I'll give you some love back..."

Rarity coughed weakly, and smiled. Her eyes were going gray. "You needed it... to save us all. It's okay..."

Coloratura blinked at a sudden flood of purple light. "Daring, your necklace... it's glowing!"

"Huh?" Daring Do cupped the Element of Generosity in her hoof. "What did I do?"

Coloratura pointed urgently. "Not you, Rarity! Go to her. Hurry!"

"R- right!" Daring Do flung herself into the air... she'd rarely flown so fast, even in the trickiest most trap-filled old ruin. When she grabbed Rarity's limp hoof and pressed it to her choker, the purple light flooded into the other mare, lifting her into the air...

And Rarity sucked in a huge, deep breath, healthy and whole again. Sweetie Belle cried out and hugged her sister tight. Rarity's beautiful mane was still a complete loss, but her color had returned, and her Element of Generosity was identical to Daring Do's, save only for the purple diamond where Daring's had a compass rose.

"My goodness, these things are contagious!" said Rara, nudging her Element of Laughter and smiling warmly.

Applejack chuckled. "In a good way."

Amicitia gave Nyarlathotrot a smug grin. "You were saying?"

The Crawling Chaos fumed at her. "One day... Oh yes, one day..."

Kendell2

Princess Sweetie Belle, still tired, stepped forwards to Princess Celestia and the other Princesses (including a still wounded Zecora).

Both signed a document and turned to the gathered ponies and Changelings. "With the signing of this peace treaty," Sweetie Belle began. "We changelings surrender, and swear to cease hostilities with Equestria and help repair the damage we've caused."

"And Equestria promises to aid the Changelings in establishing a peaceful co-existence using the new information that ponies and Changelings CAN co-exist peacefully," Celestia replied.

There was a LOT more to the treaty than that, but that was the gist of it. Luna had also included, among the Changeling's other recompense, that every nightmare a pony had due to their actions would be one they'd share.

"The war is over!" Celestia exclaimed, cheers roaring.

Hercules watched from the Spirit World, Digger Wasp next to him. Hercules had wings that seemed to be made of steel, almost resembling shields. Each had a tower emblem on them. Digger Wasp had black wings and carried a scythe.

"Think it will work out?" Digger Wasp asked, having taken the role as an Angel of Death to atone for his sins in life. He knew now he had many.

Hercules nodded. "...The sad thing is...they could have from the very beginning...come, we have work to do."

Back at the Changeling Hive, a casket containing Chrysalis' favorite possessions (and what little bit of the dust that she left behind upon death) was lowered into a tomb reserved for past queens. The names of nearly all of them forgotten but Cocoon.

The entire hive was present.

Chrysalis's evil was not to be denied, nor the good she'd done forgotten. She would be remembered as she was.

"Kifuko?"

Chrysalis gasped, standing over the broken body of another sinner. She turned...and saw someponies she never thought she'd see again. "...Maua? Mother? Father?"

The three Zebra stood before the Queen in the depths of Hell itself.

"That much is true, my friend...we have much to talk about and need to begin," Maua replied to the stunned Queen.

Several weeks later, in a slowly being rebuilt Canterlot, Zecora and Sweetie Belle stood, the Princesses handing Zecora her new crown, fitted to the Zebra's styling. Sweetie Belle was handed Chrysalis' crown (the only thing that remained of her) by the hive elders.

The CMC stood by Sweetie Belle's side with Rarity while the Bearers and most of her rebel base stood by Zecora's side.

The two turned to the crowd, half changelings, half ponies. The two sides were still naturally still in the process of accepting each other, but it was making progress. Ponies HAD created love banks after all.

But the crowd cheered regardless.

The Princess and the Changeling Queen pulled a rope, causing a curtain to fall away, revealing a stained glass window. At the top, Chrysalis and Zecora's battle was presented on one side, on the other was Sweetie Belle's final battle with Pitcher Plant.

On the bottom were the two holding hooves in peace.

It would take a long time to repair Equestria. For the Changelings to become part of society. But it would happen.

Peace had returned.

Daring Do chuckled, finishing the last page of a new book. "...To think...of all my books...this is the first one I can SAY is an autobiography..."

She finished the manuscript and laid it down. It'd been difficult to write the Changelings nonbias, but she was confident she'd succeeded.

The front 'cover' showing her, the other bearers, and the Changelings hanging in the background, Chrysalis front and center.

'Daring Do and the Elements of Harmony' was the title.

Alex Warlorn

Alternate future Starlight Glimmer... didn't know how long she could go on like this. She'd gotten herself help when things went south at Equestria's wedding... until then she'd been RELISHING the new timeline she'd created.

She honestly had nowhere to go, and nowhere to return to, she wasn't supposed to exist. And sometimes, he heard a wolf cry in the night. Or maybe that was just nightmares.

She was surprised when soon after the treaty was sighed, Hoops, Dumb-Bell, and Fluttershy. All arrived at the door to the modest room she was staying at with this timeline's version of her (who was out shopping).

"I can't believe we didn't recognize you before!" Fluttershy said excitedly. "I so want to apologize!"

"Hu-what?" Starlight stammered.

"You got us to turn our lives already." Hoops said.

"You got us to see how wrong it was for how we treated Fluttershy." Added Dumb-Bell.

"We'd have never become friends without you!" Fluttershy said. Fluttershy stood proud. "And I remember everything you taught us too! No pony should be greater, lesser, or separate from the rest of the herd! There should be no ability or talent that any pony can lord over any other. That's part of why Hoops and Dumb-Belle taught me to be a great flyer! ... You know, it's too bad the changelings have a queen who sets herself above the rest of the swarm, or need to feed off of ponies... otherwise I think they'd have made a great template for a truly equalized Equestria, don't you think teacher?" Fluttershy had never seen 'Pane Glimmer' with a fake cutie mark, had never been disillusioned by finding the equal sign was fake, she'd only seen Glimmer's natural cutie mark. And if an older and wiser Fluttershy had been tempted at first, a young and impressionable Fluttershy had soaked up everything 'Pane Glimmer' had taught her like a dry sponge, and had passed it on to her friends. "So I just want to say, thank you teacher, for bringing me together with my friends, and for helping me see the way that others wouldn't have be bullies or be bullied and... and... " Fluttershy's eyes filled with tears and hugged her. "I'M JUST SO HAPPY YOU'RE SAFE!"

Kendell2

Pane looked down. "...Dear...we have much to speak about...but I believe you just gave my life a little more meaning...thank you."

Amicita took a deep breath. "One remains...the darkest timeline..."

The Starlight Glimmer acting as Fate's angel shuddered, holding her stomach. "It makes me sick just being here..."

"...That's tah be expected," Mirror said. "This here? This is somethin' horrible."

The final timeline...was the result of time being torn and twisted in knots.

While all of them had been the result of an event that was completely impossible to happen, this one was different.

The first five timelines had been bad ends to events that had happened.

The sixth timeline was improbable. Unlikely. but still within reason. The Flim Flam Brothers taking over Equestria through industrial might was a one in several million chance.

The seventh timeline...was impossible. Cause and effect and their companion probability? They were bent and twisted to the point Rota Fortuna and Chance would likely feel sick even stepping into the spirit world of this timeline.

This was a timeline only a few more time paradoxes away from becoming a tumor on creation as the Lost Age had become.

"The hardest part," Amicitia said. "Is trying to MAKE SENSE of this to know HOW to save this..."

Even in this space outside of time...the World Line looked...ill...

Amicitia looked back to see WHAT caused it...and her blood ran cold.

One moment it looked like Tirek. The next the Shadow Queen. The next the Sirens. Then Ahuizotl. Then Nightmare Inferno. Then the ponies making war on one another. Then an Alicorn Amulet empowered Nightmare Trixie. The Flim Flam Brothers industrialization causing robot apocalypse. Celestia going Nightmare...

"...Even time itself doesn't know what's the cause..." Amicitia said in horror.

"...Somethin' worse than that, sugar cube..." Nightmare Mirror spread her wings and used the truth.

=Persona 4 - The Genesis=

What was revealed resembled an Alicorn. 'Resembled' in the sense that Ponythulhu resembled a Squid.

It looked similar to a Shadow of Existence, but where as they were empty space where a pony SHOULD be...this looked like the Shadow of billions of things overlapping in such a way to form a vaguely alicorn-like shape.

Even by divine terms, 'abomination' was the only fitting word for it.

"...Time itself is tryin' tah create a cause just tah prevent the timeline from collapsin'...and what it created ain't pretty...The Could-Have-Been to Nightmare Legion's Never Was....instead of billions of Shadows meshed together, Billions of 'coulda-beens' meshed together."

The...THING looked up to them. It let out a roar that seemed to both be a billion things at once but simultaneously each separated. "DESTROY...DESTROY!"

Twilight blinked. "That voice...Nameless?" It wasn't the Shadow of Chernobull's Princess voice or Ceracorn voice...but it's TRUE voice.

"Pandora's kid?" Deus asked. "He's the villain that broke the world?"

Mirror blinked. "Nameless didn't HAVE a gender! And...Ah...Ah can't tell..."

Twilight looked to her. "What do you mean?"

"...Ah mean...either that thing USED tah be Pandora's kid and this timey whimey horseapples mutated it inta...THAT because it's nature fit what it needed the best...or it's just one of the billion 'coulda beens' makin' it up and happened tah make up the voice box...or maybe it's just somethin' so CLOSE to Nameless in nature that they're almost identical!" Mirror replied, disturbed. "...Ah ain't sure which is scarier..."

Amicitia looked back as the THING. "...A question that is difficult to answer...Conundrum...Nightmare Conundrum, The Cataclysm Without Cause..."

The beast slowly approached them, each step seeming to spread darkness along the timeline like cancer. "DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY!"

Conundrum spread out multiple tentacles, each ending in a claw. One morphed into a shadow-like version of Lord Tirek, firing a beam from his horns at them, forcing them to dodge.

"Is that the only word you know?!" Deus asked.

"It's the ONLY thing it knows!" Twilight replied. "Reality needed a cause for Equestria's destruction, that's WHY it exists!"

"...If we erase it, this timeline has no cause," Mirror said in shock. "...If we let it stay around, it'll continue tah spread until the timeline rips itself apart. Either way, the timeline will crumble all on it's own...And that's one Cruel Truth Ah AIN'T happy Ah'm tellin!"

"...If we kill it?" Amicitia asked, dodging a manifestation of Celestia's Nightmare firing a beam of solar plasma..

"...Then the timeline gets locked in place, just like if yah kill Nameless..." Mirror replied. "History will just remember a great cataclysm that happened, then vanished without a trace..."

"...But I won't be able to alter the past because it's lock in to keep THIS thing contained..." Amicitia replied. "...Think we can handle making changes AND fighting this thing at the same time?"

"Sugarcube, Ah'm afraid we HAVE to," Mirror replied. "Either that or we LET this timeline be erased and take that THING with it."

"...We promised we wouldn't, so we won't...no matter how hard it will be."

"DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY...EVERYTHING..."

Alex Warlorn

Nythy appeared nearby, in the form of a morbidly obese unicorn mare. She sang. "Oh I can not wait! For badness' sake! Oh hail! Oh Amicitia, for you to FAIL!"

"You think I can't win?" Amicitia asked definitely.

"I KNOW you won't win! This timeline is most definitely my favorite of all of them. Any villain or fallen hero could be the cause, which means any solution you create will be tainted. Which means, I win no matter what."

"I won't give up!"

"Oh and I so look to seeing you struggle!" Giggled the fat unicorn mare.

Kendell2

"DESTROY!" Conundrum roared, one of it's tentacles morphing into the shade of Nightmare Inferno and sending a wave of fire at the three deities facing I, which actually cracked the shield Amicitia put up to block it.

"Can't you break it with a nasty truth?" Deus asked, blasting Conundrum with a beam...only for it to create a shadow Nightmare Mirror to deflect the beam back and grazed her.

"Ah can't!" Mirror replied. "The thing don't have a mind tah COMPREHEND any truths! It's like expecting a rock tah care it can't move!"

"That's the one advantage that we have," Amicitia replied. "Conundrum is powerful, but it's nothing but a rabid animal!"

"DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY!" shouted the cosmic horror, forming a tentacle into a the form of the Alicorn Amulet wielding Nightmare Trixie.

The shade magically generated a mountain overhead and dropped it at them.

Amicitia countered with an immense beam of magic to blow a hole through to to protect them.

"So how in the world do we find somepony who AIN'T in that thing?" Mirror asked.

A shade of Queen Tiamat appeared above them through the hole and all three had to form a shield to block an onslaught of fireballs from the destroyer.

"...Couldn't we just make a big arc and put a bunch of ponies and animals in it and have it be at sea when this happens?" Deus asked.

"...Wait...Deus, you're a genius!"

"I am?"

"There's one being capable of restarting life in Equus from scratch and who'd preserve what life she knows in light of an impending doomsday," Amicitia said. "Princess Gaia."

"Fluttershy's Alicorn?" Mirror thought.

The group had to shield themselves from a megaspell equal to a nuclear attack, the mountain being vaporized.

Conundrum had a tentacle in the form of an entire squad of unicorns.

"Well we better hurry up..." Mirror said. "This thing might be stupid, but it's not HARMLESS."

"DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY!"

MtangaLion

"Hurry up to where, exactly?" shouted Amicitia, as they dodged and weaved through beams of destructive magic. "We don't know if Fluttershy managed to create a sanctuary like that at all, or if she even exists in this world!"

Deus ex Machine smiled suddenly. "So long as there's hope... if the miracle that this world needs is out there somewhere... I'll find it!" She fired a brilliant beam that opened a portal right in their path, and Amicitia and Mirror flew into it before they could even gasp in surprise.

Far away through the endless dust and ash, between a ruined village and the burned out stumps of a once great forest, a magical dome enclosed a wide circle of lush green grass, with a humble cottage in the center.

Amicitia, Deus, and Nightmare Mirror floated down to earth, easily passing through the barrier and landing in front of a yellow and pink-maned Alicorn, who had just opened a storybook.

"Once upon a time," she read, "in the magical land of Equestria/Aquastria/Griffonia/Tartarus, a young unicorn/Diamond Dog/dragon discovered the legend of the Royal Pony Brothers/Nightmare Library/star ponies from another world, made new friends, and went on a fantastic adventure..."

Princess Gaia sighed and shook her head. No crown, no jewelry... just simple barding that seemed to be made of wood, decorated with climbing ivy. "It's no use." Then she glanced up and gasped. "Oh! You startled me, Twilight. And... Twilight? And..." Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Oh, Applejack, I'm so sorry..."

Nightmare Mirror scowled. "There'll be time for sorry later, sugarcube."

"If there's any time at all," said a young thestral who looked like a darker twin of Gaia, with a familiar wings and helping hoof cutie mark.

Amicitia blinked. "Fluttercruel?"

Fluttercruel smirked, rolling her eyes. "Who else? Great, more gods. At least you didn't get eaten by the Big Nasty yet."

Princess Gaia closed the book. "There has to be some way to put things back in order so I can get the foals to safety, but without the Concept of Fate, I have no idea how where to begin."

Fluttercruel shouted, "That's your cue to stop moping and come up with some good ideas, Blanky!"

"Do you think I have not tried?" growled a deep, bestial voice. The air flickered, and a huge white wolf lay before them, with a smooth shard of crystal cupped between his forepaws. "Mother gave me this fragment of her self before the abomination took her, but she had no time to instruct me as to what to do with it."

The Blank Wolf of this broken world eyed Amicitia, recognizing her, but he barely seemed to have the energy to do more than snarl a bit. "Tell us, O Meddler, what hope is there for us now?"

Kendell2

Amicitia looked to the group, then back to the spirit world...then gave a gasp of realization. "...Fluttershy...can you begin restoring nature to this world if we stop that creature?"

Fluttershy blinked. "Um...yes...I can...why?"

"Start doing it...now, I think I have an idea how to destroy that creature. Blanky, I need your help," said Amicitia, causing the Wolf to give a confused yip. "This timeline is close to splitting off on it's own, but that's worthless if that abomination is still around."

She then looked to Fluttercruel. "Cruel, I need you to do something...I'd do it, but I'm a foreign Goddess.

Gaia, on Twilight's orders, teleported far from Ponyville's former location to begin the restoration process. Something about 'future me can't see it'.

Back in the spirit world, Angel Starlight Glimmer was glad to see her back up returning, her having been trying to do her absolute best to keep the beat preoccupied...her wings were damaged and it'd not been easy.

"Pin it down!" Amicitia ordered.

"DESTROY!" Conundrum screamed, summoning Nightmare Inferno and firing a blast of fire, forcing the group to dodge. "DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY!"

Amicitia blasted it back, but it countered with the Flim Flam Brothers driving a mini mecha that fired a beam backwards, forcing her to put up a shield.

Mirror formed two mirrors around a beam from Nightmare Trixie wearing the Alicorn Amulet, reflecting them back and forth to bombard the beast until it used herself to deflect the beam at her.

Deus summoned a cannon from nowhere to blast it, but it blasted her back with Queen Tiamat's shade.

Blanky charged and slashed into it...only for it to HEAL ITSELF with a shade of Rota Fortuna.

"Come on...come on..." Amicitia muttered, as if waiting for something.

Celestia's Nightmare formed and charged up a solar beam.

"THERE!" Amicitia yelled, teleporting forwards and driving her horn directly into the skull of the Nightmare. "COME BACK TO ME!"

Amicitia blinked, finding herself floating in a black void with the wailing of shadows around her. There, in the center of it all, was Celestia's Nightmare held in black chains.

"Teacher?"

"Who are you to call me teacher?" Nightmare Solar Flare replied. "Another threat to my little ponies to kill?"

Amicitia felt like crying seeing Celestia this way...it hurt her to see her twisted into this. "...No..."

"Liar!" The insane Nightmare replied, charging a beam. "If my own sister is a threat then so are you!"

"...I'm not a threat because...because there aren't any little ponies left..."

Nightmare Solar Flare gasped. "W-What?"

Amicitia cautiously approached. "...I'm afraid while trying to protect them...you became part of the thing that destroyed them all."

The Nightmare's face contorted in rage. "LIAR! I'd never do such a thing!"

"...Not on purpose...but that's how it always is, isn't it?" Amicitia asked...slowly shifting to the form of Nightmare Eclipse, causing the creature to gasp. "I used to be a Nightmare too...I thought I was going to save everypony and give them their golden ending...but I was the one keeping them from it..." The Alicorn of magic reverted back to her original form. "...And I know you, Celestia...you're better than this..."

"How do you know me?!" the Nightmare asked, shaken.

"...Because..." Amicitia transformed into Twilight Sparkle. "I knew you in another world..." she then turned into Minty. "I knew you in a lost age..."

Celestia's Nightmare gasped. "M-Minty?" she asked, the image of Star Catcher briefly flashing.

"...I knew you when you were born a child into this world..." Minty turned into Twilight the First. "...Celestia isn't a tyrant, she doesn't shoot first ask questions later. She saves ponies. She protects them. She nurtures them...She isn't part of the abomination that caused so much destruction, that's merely the role you were cast in...Celestia is anything but this and you need to remember!"

Amicitia teleported forwards, touching horn to horn to the Nightmare and using the memory spell.

Nightmare Conundrum roared in agony, it's form distorting as the tentacle forming Celestia's Nightmare DISSOLVED and Amicitia backed off.

"What the buck did yah do?!" Nightmare Mirror asked, the creature's alien existence making her truth powers not know WHAT was the truth of the beast.

"Fluttershy and Fluttercruel remember this thing consuming the Gods," Amicitia explained as the creature's form distorted more and more. She looked to Nythy with a smirk. "That means even if we can't save the ones it's killed, even if it's only SUBJECTIVELY the truth...we CAN save the ones history says it ABSORBED and history can still ACCEPT THAT!"

"What?!" the fat mare asked.

The unearthly abomination roared as one of the shadows composing it flickered in and out, beginning to TEAR AWAY from it as the beast flashed with energy.

Finally, the shadow tore itself free and fell to the ground, taking solid form. Celestia gasped awake with tears in her eyes.

"NO! MINE! MINE!" the eldritch horror screamed like a rabid beast, making a leap to devour her.

Amicitia blasted the beat back and helped her up. "Celestia?"

"I...I'm sorry...I never meant to...I'm so sorry...my little ponies, what have I done?" she asked.

"...I know how you feel, Celestia...but what point is realizing something wrong if you COULD fix it and don't?" Twilight's Alicorn asked.

Celestia looked back as Nightmare Moon's shade was used to blast Deus back. "...Luna..." the Princess looked thoughtful. "...You're right..."

Mirror looked to Twilight...then to the creature as it formed Nightmare Mirror to deflect a beam. "...Worth a shot..."

Mirror teleported and touched horns to the shadow of herself. "Time tah wake up!"

Mirror's eyes opened in a black void of wailing voices...a mirror image of herself sitting before her, tied in chains.

"...Couldn't take the cruel truth of the world, huh?" Mirror asked Shadow Mirror.

"...Nope..."

"...But yah didn't sign up tah destroy the world, did yah? Just lies from it..." Mirror trotted over and set down next to her other self. "...Yah know...this world don't need a Mirror anymore...it's gonna need a teacher...Somepony who TEACHES the new ponies that are gonna live how not tah lie...that's one thing a Mirror can't do...We're Miss Force, not Miss Patient Lessons to a repopulating species..."

Shadow Mirror looked down.

"...Don't think that should be you, do yah?" Mirror asked, looking out into the void of shadows. "...Yah think what yah helped this thing do tah Big Mac and Granny Smith...the fact they're dead...means yah can't ever be good fer nothin' again...that yer better off a monster than a pony, huh?"

"...Eeyup..."

"...You and Ah both know that ain't the truth, Sugar Cube. There are a million cruel truths in this world, but that ain't one."

Mirror cringed, FORCING her wings to channel the kind truth as she spread them.

The Nightmare abomination roared in agony as it's Nightmare Mirror shade dissolved.

Mirror flew back as once more the creature flashed with light and one of the Shadows forced herself off of the beat's form and took the form of a Veritas.

Mirror teleported her way and hugged her.

"Ah...Ah'm sorry...Ah didn't mean tah..."

"...Yer right, yah didn't...but yah did...and yah owe it tah all of 'em tah make up fer it, don't yah?" Mirror asked.

"...Yer right..."

Nightmare Conundrum roared in absolute fury. "NO! MINE! MINE! STOLEN!" it screamed, like a feral beast airing it's most basic impulses.

The creature's form exploded, blocking out a large portion of the spirit realm star space in overlapping shadows of countless creatures that formed a sphere, all rotating around like a maelstrom around a corrupted, hideous core in the very eye of the storm. Eyes of countless types opened all over it, tentacles ending in claws like it had before extended out in mass.

At the top, a massive draconic head formed from the shadows formed out and roared. Emerging from the top of the head was half of a hideous six winged Cervacorn/six winged alicorn princess (it seemed to fluctuate between them at random) made of shadows.

"DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!"

The creature unleashed an entire army's worth of power on it's enemies, forcing them to dodge, tank the hits, or block, forcing them all back.

Nythy laughed. "Do you honestly think you have a chance in uncle to save all of those lost in that abomination? Some of them aren't even LOST! Do you really think Tirek, Sombra, Lavan, the Sirens, and countless other wicked ones in there are going to LISTEN?""

Twilight shook her head. "No...but we can save as many as we can, right everypony?!"

"Right!"

"DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!DESTROY!"

The creature let loose with an onslaught of siren screams, Nightmare beams, blasts from Tirek, and so on on it's attackers.

MtangaLion (with one addition by me)

= SAVE The World - Undertale =

Lush green vegetation had already began to spread, sprouting up like wildfire all across the Ashlands.

The Blank Wolf's golden eyes shone, seeing Celestia and Veritas freed from the madness. "I understand! I can sense Mother through this crystal. I will be the one to rescue her!" He dove in, slipping between moments, through shattered and fragmented frames of reference, and finally emerged into a seething darkness foul enough to make even his hide crawl. The crystal followed him, casting a strange and dim light.

The Wolf had braced himself to confront a Nightmare, but Rota Fortuna herself was here. The gray Alicorn was wrapped cruelly tight in shadowy tentacles.

Mother smiled. "Come here, Snow." The name she called him... it was familiar, and not. "I'm glad you're here, even if there's nothing you can do. You were expecting Destiny, perhaps? Or Divergence?" She shook her head fractionally, struggling against her bonds. "No, a broken tool would not serve."

"I will get you out," rumbled the Blank Wolf, lifting his paw.

"Do not!" Mother warned him. "These tentacles go straight to the beast's heart. To erase them is to erase the beast and everything else with it." She sighed slowly. "Did I not say that you can do nothing? There is only one fate now. All choices lead to the same outcome. Nightmare Conundrum devours this worldline and everything in it, past, present, and future."

The Blank Wolf growled, then snarled, bristling with anger. "Mother... It goes against my very being, but I will not accept that. I will change that fate!"

The crystal shard began to glow at those words, and then it dissolved, leaving three floating fragments behind. The Wolf's eyes grew wide. "The fusion gems?!"

One gem flew into his paw, and another to Rota's hoof. "The choice is made," she spoke, pressing the gems together...

Nightmare Conundrum let loose a scream that shook the world... it roiled, captured monsters and concepts all trying to claw their way out and getting sucked right back in. "MINE!!!MINE!MINE!MINE!DESTROYYYY!"

A giant female Dire Wolf flickered into being, with gleaming white fur and two flesh and blood Alicorn wings on her back. Her old mechanical wing floated before her. It folded and whirred, metal feathers interlocking to form an elaborate collar, which clicked into place around her neck. "I am Tabula Rasa, the Fate which is not yet written! Bear witness!" A heavy tome appeared in a fountain of sparks, and a golden quill pen began to write in neat, precise strokes. "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria..."

Author's Note

Number seven of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

ONE DOWN. SIX TO GO! (Crystal War Worldline)
TWO DOWN. FIVE TO GO! (Film Flam Worldline)
THREE DOWN. FOUR TO GO! (Tirek Worldline)
FOUR DOWN. THREE TO GO! (Discord Worldline.)
FIVE DOWN. TWO TO GO! (Nightmare Moon Worldline.)
SIX DOWN. ONE TO GO! (Changeling Worldline.)

Ashland Worldline

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
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Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
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Alex Warlorn
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MtangaLion
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MtangaLion (with one detail by me)
Kendell2

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Timelines The Finale

Kendell2

The angel Starlight Glimmer, the Starlight Glimmer of the Crystal War Timeline to be specific, slashed into one of the abomination's tendrils to distract it from Tabula Rasa. before being batted away. She'd learned many things...but most importantly devotion to the ponies and things that REALLY matter. She was loyal to Rota, to Creation. She wasn't as loyal to Equestria as she should've been, that was what she desired to make up for.

She gasped, looking up to see the shade of Tirek charging up his power. As the beam of pure destruction was unleashed on her, she closed her eyes...then blinked, opening them to find a glimmering force field around her. "What?"

"At last, I've found you..."

Starlight looked up...to see herself.

A full sized Alicorn with a flowing mane that matched her mane color, but as Princess Thalia's mane was genuinely composed of Joy, hers seemed made of Understanding and Empathy.

Her barding was composed of Moonstone, with gems embedded in it. Each Gem contained the image of a sapient life form found on Equus. In the center of her chest barding was an equal sign...but not the black, bare bones equal sign Starlight had placed on others. This one shimmered with the colors of each of the other stones, forming a rainbow.

"Who...who are you?" Crystal War Starlight asked.

The Alicorn smiled, offering a hoof and helping you. "...The last Starlight, and the First...the one who's choice caused all of this..." she said, looking up at Conundrum. "But call me Princess Aequitas. I'm Concept of Equality and Social Fairness...True Equality is understanding everypony is alive as you are. That in the end, the one thing that truly matters more than any difference...is that you're alive..."

She glared up at Conundrum. "I made you, Conundrum...you're hear causing all this damage because I was so vengeful and petty. It's my fault, and I'm here to make up for every moment of it!"

"And so are we..."

Crystal War Starlight looked passed Aequitas...and discovered five other Starlights, each wearing clockwork wings.

A Starlight who devoted herself to helping save the environment she was responsible for destroying, and made plenty of friends in her pursuit to do so.

A Starlight who was willing to give her life in the ultimate sacrifice to allow Nightmare Moon to be defeated.

A Starlight who'd done the best she could to hide ponies from Tirek's rampage, having to take some lessons from Party Favor to keep spirits up despite the horror and disaster being unleashed on the world. It was the best she could've done.

A Starlight who showed Sunset kindness and gratitude for saving it from Discord.

A Starlight who honestly told her past self the truth to help save her from herself.

Amicitia smiled. "...We need all the help we can get."

Tabula nodded, still writing. "My angels! To arms!" she called, leading the six Starlights.

= SAVE The World - Undertale =

Celestia weaved through Conundrum's attacks, getting burns and wounds in the process, and saw the Shadow of her sister, touching horns with her.

Celestia opened her eyes in a black void, Nightmare Moon chained before her. "My sister..."

Nightmare Moon snarled. "Don't call me that! You are nothing to me!"

"...Lulu...I'm sorry..."

"No you're not! Why should you always get the praise and glory while I rot alone?!"

"...Was it worth it?"

Nightmare Moon blinked. "What?"

Celestia's horn glowed, showing the desolate wasteland that was now Equestria. "In your pursuit of getting our little ponies to love you..." the mare's eyes teared up. "You became a part of the thing that...that destroyed them...and in my pursuit of saving them so did I..."

Nightmare Moon backpedaled. Her core, the cause of her transformation shuddered.

"Was it worth becoming that for praise?...Because nothing is worth what we've lost to me..."

"I...I..."

Celestia walked over to Luna and hugged her. "Come back to me Lulu...let's both make up for what we helped do..."

Conundrum body shuddered and it roared out as Luna's shadow stabilized and fell away, sobbing as her sister hugged her.

Alex Warlorn

Somewhere in this mass of possible villains who had destroyed the world were versions of the mane six who did not turn evil, but were so corrupt that they were the ponies who had become the Elements of Harmony in only name and superficial traits in the potential destruction of the Ponies and Zebra destroying each other. A Celestia who gave up the throne when a misunderstanding led to a bloodbath making a terrible war even worse. A Luna who hadn't taken the time to learn how the world had changed. A Twilight Sparkle whose Alicornification research led to the creation of monsters. An Applejack who created war machines. Pinkie Pie becoming a drug addict. A Fluttershy who gave super weapons to the opposite side hoping it would scare everyone into making peace with the opposite result. A Rarity who spread propaganda against zebra. And Rainbow Dash's good intentions also trigger death and destruction 200 years after her death! All in all, if these were supposed to be Twilight and her friends and still being true to themselves...Twilight Sparkle was a mule.

But there were so many shadows-who-watch who clung to the idea that yes, every single horrible thing they'd done was completely in character (which saddened Amicitia to degrees she didn't think possible). She had no idea how to even approach such twisted versions of her and her friends.

"Adagio...you and your sisters? All that's happened, was it really worth it?" The spirit of friendship itself asked the mutated seaponies inside the mass of monsters. "The world is dead, everything is gone, you have nothing left."

"YES IT WAS!" Adagio roared back. "We were worshipped! We were loved! We were goddesses to our fans! But as soon as the world was destroyed, we were blamed, even if all we did was sing a few songs in support of it! Our beauty was stolen from us! Our lives were stolen! Our fame! Our wealth! Two of our sisters! No one asked us to become parasites who feed on hatred. PONIES DESERVED THIS! THE WORLD DESERVED THIS!!!"

Kendell2

Conundrum seemed to realize this was the case and summoned the corrupted barriers within it's form, Amicitia's eyes went wide, remembering her own past as Eclipse as they began to charge the Elements.

Mirror looked to Amicitia. "..."

She then dove and put her horn to that Fluttershy and entered.

The Nightmare of Cruel Truth arrived in the shadow of that Fluttershy.

She said nothing, she simply spread her wings and showed her something.

Amicitia gasped as the shadow dissolved, the shadow breaking off...and instead of forming into Fluttershy, breaking off and fading, becoming one with the Fluttershy who was Princess Gaia. "Mirror, what did you do?!"

"Simple: two of the same pony can't exist in the same world at the same time. That's a hard and fast rule, Twilight," Mirror said, looking her in the eyes. "Ah showed her that Fluttershy's doin', and she decided that Fluttershy's fate was the better one. So now that IS Fluttershy's concrete fate."

The Alicorn of Magic looked sad. "...You're right...Do it..."

Veritas was the one to dive in this time, Mirror using her reflective wings to defend her from touching her war machine maker self's head with her horn.

In the depths of the Nightmare, an Applejack was bound by chains.

Veritas spread her wings.

The Applejack dissolved, shadow breaking off and merged with Veritas.

Nightmare Conundrum roared in pain, convulsing.

"What happened?" Celestia questioned.

The shades of those versions of Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash rose out of Conundrum, glowing.

Veritas smirked. "Simple! Ah fused with that Applejack! Meanin' meh becoming Mirror was the real outcome! So Nightmare Mirror came tah be while Fluttershy became the 'Savior of Life' Princess Gaia! That means instead of lettin' the war happen, there was a Nightmare of Truth instead of a weapon maker and Fluttershy made her life sanctuary instead of handing doomsday spells to the enemy! No Nightmare of Truth would let misunderstandings and stupidity lead tah holocaust and no Fluttershy tah give 'em those spells means the bombs never COULD drop!"

She and Mirror spread her wings.

Nythy roared. "But that means..."

"That future is no longer possible!"

The four shadows dissolved, their shadows splitting off and seeming to slink off to the side, waiting for themselves to gain a concrete fate to join with.

Conundrum roared out in absolute fury. "MINE! MINE!"

It spun around, generating a tornado of lightning and thunder using Bahamut's power, forcing it's opponents to defend themselves from the wind.

"Okay, THAT seems to have angered it," said Luna remarked.

MtangaLion

All the while, Tabula Rasa kept writing in her book. It wasn't just nature now...civilization and the mortal races were starting to flicker back into being. Her angels floated in a rainbow of magical auras, guiding the world-split to come. Tabula smiled grimly and nodded, fangs gleaming. "Good. That possible doom is severed...but another comes."

Nightmare Conundrum writhed again, and the shadow of Discord emerged, wrapped in dark chains and looming over the battle. "Well, now this is unexpected. Me, burning a world to ash? Then again, I *am* Destruction as well. I suppose when one finally grows bored enough of one's toys..."

Princess Gaia teleported to the battlefield, Stare at the ready. "You don't have to do it, Discord! There's no reason to be so mean!"

But Fluttercruel darted out in front of her, getting right in Discord's face. "Hello, *Pops*. It'd be nice if I could say I was sorry to see you like this...but really, I'm not." The thestral plucked a strand of her own hair and focused her latent power, transforming it into a long, barbed sword. "Why don't I just put you out of your misery right now?!"

Gaia froze up. She and Amicitia tried to rush in and pull her back, but a simple wave of Discord's lion paw warped the space around Fluttercruel, keeping them away.

"Really, dear...your own father? Fine, stab me in the heart. Drink your fill of Fear, Chaos, and Destruction. That would be the cruel thing to do." Discord scratched his goatee. "Or is it the merciful thing?"

The sword trembled in Fluttercruel's hooves. "You just couldn't resist, could you? One last chance to mess with my head. Mercy?! Was there ever a chance I'd be more than what you made me, in the end?" She gritted her fangs, manifesting her Element of Kindness. "Was *this* ever more than just some cosmic joke?"

Shadows of Existence started swirling around her...ponies broken by Discord...ponies warped into chaos monsters by Discord...ponies who became his friend...empty fillies who had called Discord father...fillies brought back to the light who called him uncle...more and more shadows waiting for Fluttercruel to swallow them up and claim her birthright.

Discord sighed then, seeming immensely old. "A word of advice, my dear. None of us have a say in how we're born...but you can choose what you grow up to be."

Outside the barrier, Celestia could only stare. "Whose side does he think he's on?"

Luna nudged her sister. "Ever did Dissy have confounding depths. Let us pray Fluttercruel makes the right choice, even if we know not what the right choice may be!"

Alex Warlorn

Nyarlathotrot mockingly asked. "So...how do you plan to fix things? Truly? This thing is composed of monsters who have no interest in breaking away from it...They can't all be true. There's an infinite mix of them in there, there will always be another villain who at the right place, at the right time could have ended all this, or a hero at the wrong place at the wrong time, doing all the wrong things for the right reason. This timeline is going to collapse. You can't save it Princess Twilight Sparkle. Face realty. You're going to lose. No matter how many you cut out of that thing, there will be more, and they keep contradicting each other. And yet this thing is needed for time to survive anyway. All I have to do is sit back and watch the fireworks."

Persona22

Another concept suddenly poofed into existance. "Perhaps I can assist with that!"

Everyone present turned to look, some recognized her and some didn't. Those that did recognize her had different reactions, going from surpirsed, to annoyed, to happy, to worried.

Waving happily at them was Chance, the draconnequs of Luck, watcher of possibilities.

Amticia and Deus remembered her when she helped as Alicorn Starlight was becoming a nightmare. "Chance? What are you doing here?" asked Amiticia, "HOW! Can you be here! This place should make you sick from how unstable it is!"

"It is. But you all made it stable enough for me to come here, but for a moment, every time you stabilize it the timeline just becomes unstable again. So I'll try to make it quick."

Chance looked at Discord and smiled sadly, "Hello Dizzy...sorry I killed you that one time."

Discord smiled, "It's okay sister, it was another Discord."

Chance walked over to Amiticia, she snapped her fingers and a bag full of coins appeared. The bag was decorated with an infiniy symbol on its side. Chance handed the bag over to Amiticia.

"Nyarlathotrot is right. But he's also giving you the answer to your problem. This timeline, by itself, cannot exists. But it can exists as multiple timelines. Infinite possible pasts, means infinite possible futures. Infinite causes means just infinite effects. If I were to toss a thousand coins, then a thousand coins will land. But while in the air, all the coins are both heads and tails at the same time, all of them both are true and false, both are and aren't. Nightmare Conondrum is just that, several coins in the air. You need to let them go their separate ways every time they land." explained Chance.

Amiticia's eyes opened wide with understanding, "Of course! It's so simple!"

Chance handed over the infinite bag of coins to Amiticia, "I can't remain here for long to do it for you. So here's a bag of coins, they will last until you finish."

Amticia, "Thank you Chance. But what exactly do we do with it?"

Chance opened the bag of coins and took one out, she walked over to Veritas and gave it to her.

"Just flip it. Before it lands, you will be in the timeline where you are true, and the rest are false." explained Chance.

"Can it land on a bad luck result?" asked Veritas.

"Yes. You will have to trusts that the versions of your friends in that timeline are able to help you. That's what taking a chance means, placing trust in things and people outside of your control." replied Chance.

Veritas nodded, "I see. I will. Thank you Chance."

"No, thank you. Even if I know you are not the same Veritas I know." replied Chance.

Veritas smiled, "May the odds be forever in your favor."

"May you always seek the truth." replied Chance.

Veritas flipped the coin, and as it was spinning around in the air, she started to disappear, and was gone before the coin hit the ground.

The shadows inside Conondrum that were part of the possible timeline of Veritas also disappeared. Conondrum shrieked in pain, and it actually seemed like it was getting smaller. MINE! MINE! MINE!

Tabula Rasa's eyes opened wide, "A new timeline just split seamlessly from this one. And this timeline...it's...it's becoming stable!"

"What!? No! Impossible!" Nyarlathotrot exclaimed.

Chance shook her head, "Oh please. There are NO impossibles. Just really, really, really big improbables."

Then she turned to look at Amiticia again, "You know what to do now Amiticia. Just make sure you all have said your good byes before you do it." And with that she poofed out again.

Kendell2

Nyarlathotrot snarled. "They can land poorly, Amicitia, what will you do then? Travel to each of those world lines and lead them to good ends?! Spend another few eons clearing up near infinite timelines were Equestria may be a few days away from total annihilation?"

Amicitia looked at the spirit of Grim dark without question. "Yes. Yes, I will."

The Shadow's collective evil made manifest...just stared at her, at the resolution on her face. "...Who the Uncle do you think you are?!"

Amicitia's allies blocked the abomination's attacks to protect her as she stared down Darkness Incarnate.

"I am Princess Amicitia Zorya Spes Equestria..." the Spirit of Happy Endings said. "I am Clover. I am Minty. I am Twilight the First. I am Twilight the Unicorn...I am the Twilight's of thousands of loops..."

For a brief moment, Amicitia seemed to split into hundreds of millions of Twilights, a Clover, and a Minty.

"They are all me."

Amicitia's Aspects handed a coin to each of the liberated ponies.

"Flip it, I will help you if you need it."

And then the aspects circled around the abomination, each aligning with something within her.

The others looked to one another...then nodded and each flipped their coin at the same moment as the countless aspects of the Concept of Magic.

Conundrum roared out in agony, it's body beginning to rip itself apart.

Nyarlathotrot screamed, covering itself as a bright light erupted out of Conundrum. Even with probability ensuring a number of bad ends, the sheer number of happy ending timelines erupting into beings burning the embodiment of Grim Darkness and forcing him to retreat.

When the light cleared, the aspects of Twilight floated in the void with Fluttercruel, Gaia, Tabula Rasa, Mirror, and the Starlights (as the former three were natives to the timeline).

Conundrum's core pulsed, the six winged Alicorn/Deer shadow roaring. "NO! MINE! MINE! MINE!" It began to draw power into itself, core glowing.

Only the 'god eater' that was native to this timeline, the core of the Nightmare, remained.

The countless ponies composing Amicitia, none of which could survive on their own for too long, merged back into one and panted. "Fluttercruel...did you get them?" she asked, referring to what she'd asked of her back when they'd met.

Fluttercruel nodded. She produced five stone spheres. "Surprised they survived..."

Amicitia nodded, taking them in her magic. She floated it over to them...and they began to glow.

Crystal War Starlight's newborn loyalty to her nation and her Goddess awakening the Element of Loyalty

Nightmare Moon Timeline Starlight's self sacrifice made her the Element of Generosity.

A Starlight who kept people's spirits up during Tirek's rampage thanks to Party Favor awakened Laughter.

The Discord timeline Starlight awakened Kindness for gaining compassion and kindness for others.

The Changeling Rebellion Starlight awakened Honesty for being honest with herself, both literally and metaphorically.

Above the Flim Flam Starlight's head formed Magic, for the friends she'd learned to make trying to save the environment, as did over the head of her Alicorn self.

"Now! Hurry! We have to strike now!" Amicitia said as Conundrum continued to build power.

The temporarily shell shocked Starlights blinked, looking to one another...then nodded.

They surrounded Conundrum, becoming linked by rainbow colored light that formed a cage.

"DESTRONY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY EVERYTHING!" the monster screamed before exploding violently in a blast that would've at least destroyed Equestria if not the planet or more...but the rainbow cage not only blocked the blast but forced it back towards the center, towards its core.

A rainbow colored explosion was unleashed, engulfing everything in a rainbow colored light.

The Shadow of Chernobull, the Mary Sue Princess Sparkles it had originally been, and General Admiral Makarov all roared out in agony, projecting over Conundrum as it howled in pain, spheres of light flying off of it and into the sky.

The shade of Conundrum burned away like a shadow vanishing in the light and the rainbow continued to condense around the core and released another massive burst of rainbow light.

"Did that do it?" Princess Starlight asked, watching.

When the group was met with...was a tiny crying Cervacorn with two normal wings rather than the six black ones, and wearing a tiny Super Stallion outfit.

"What?" Fluttercruel asked. "Seriously, what?"

Gaia squeed. "So cute!" she picked up the baby and began to comfort it.

"...The Elements didn't just defeat Conundrum," said Amaicitia. "...They saved its last victim...the only way they could."

"...I'll take it from here..."

The group turned to find Pandora, the Draconequus trotting over and gingerly taking the baby. "You've been a naughty boy, Nameless...well, I guess I can name you now...how about Archetype?" she asked, kissing the baby's head and quietly walking off.

"...I've restored Equus' ecosystem," Gaia explained. "...Me and the rest of my sanctuary can begin repopulating..."

"But what about everypony that thing gobbled up?" Odyne questioned.

"I...I took care of it..." said a very tired looking Jiniri trotting over, what looked like a giggling newborn version of Celestia and Luna are her back. "...I got ALL of them after Conundrum got defeated...I'm tired now..." she said, collapsing and letting Gaia take the two. "My horn hurts..."

MtangaLion

"You missed one," said Maud Pie flatly. No one had seen her arrive, but now she was here in her plain blue frock, as if the ruin and restoration of the whole world had simply been something that happened to other ponies. "I don't blame you, though."

Maud was pushing a garish, brightly-colored baby carriage. An adorable infant Discord was tucked into it, babbling happily and pawing at three flickering spheres that danced just out of his reach...one flaming, another brilliant gold, and the last filled with a confusing jumble of plaid.

The gathered Alicorns and spirits stood speechless, until Amicitia finally found her voice. "You're...That's..."

"Yes," said Maud with seeming indifference. She parked the carriage, then trotted right up to Fluttercruel. "You had the opportunity to kill Discordance and take his power for yourself. Or punish him with your own hooves however you wished. Or you could have freed him." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Instead, you created an illusion, and left the real Discord in chains, to be destroyed with Conundrum. A cruel kindness."

Fluttercruel trembled, but she didn't run. "Do what you want to me, but I don't regret what I did. I'd do it again."

Maud's face twitched into the ghost of a smile. "Do what I want to you? Very well." A huge serpentine shadow rose from her...and engulfed Fluttercruel, pouring itself down her throat. She skimmed a bit of the essence from the chaotic orb and sent that into Fluttercruel as well, then put the rest into baby Discord. "Welcome to the family, Odyne Eris Fluttercruel Typhon...granddaughter."

"Fluttercruel!" cried out Gaia, but she had her hooves full, and it was already done. Fluttercruel was thrashing and transforming before their eyes. Her Element of Kindness emerged, only to shatter and reassemble itself as an Element of Empathy.

The new draconequus laughed weakly, slumping to the ground. "Guess I can't complain...if what goes around comes around..."

"Just like in my world," whispered Amicitia, shocked to see Cruelty like this again. "Well, not just like, but..."

Maud Pie turned to Amicitia. "You prevented these worlds from ending before their time. Well done. But the ending that you chose for yourself draws close. Think about what you will do with the remaining time. And the new beginnings that will follow the end." She trotted away and faded from view, taking the baby carriage and the other two orbs with her.

Kendell2

"Hmm...yes, I do believe this is a success..."

Amicitia blinked, turning to see a pony in a black suit with a balding head. His Cutie Mark was a knife and a shower curtain. "Nyarlathotrot?!"

The stallion nodded. "Part of him, though part of him not entirely in agreement with the rest. Call me Horror"

Amicitia blinked. "What?"

Horror gave an annoyed sigh. "Every piece of the Crawling Chaos is both a part of the collective and their own being. We are all Nyarlathotrot, but we are all ourselves."

He then tapped his chin, giving a look at the situation. "Yes, this was a wonderful horror story."

Amicitia raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"There are MANY types of horror, Amicitia. And like you are ALL magic," Nyarlathotrot's aspect explained. He then gave a disgusted look. "But it seems most of me is obsessed with the lower forms of it. Nothing but gorn, blood, and shock value! There's no SUBSTANCE to it! Now this? THIS was horror!"

Amicitia blinked, looking at the timeline. "...But it has a happy ending..."

Horror gave a sigh. "And that is why I don't agree with MOST of me. Lots of the Shadows found the Ashlands timeline terrifying, in fact many of them found ALL of this terrifying. And we didn't need gore or substanceless shock value to do it! No meaningless jump scares! They were scared for a good REASON! THAT is proper horror."

Amicitia blinked. "...I...hadn't thought about that...So you DON'T mind a happy ending?"

"MANY of the best horror stories have a happy ending. Uncle, Call of Ponythulhu ends with the good guys WINNING. A sudden BAD ending might spoil the horror rather than enhance it! We're the God of Tragedy and HORROR, not just one or the other..." Horror said, looking upset. "But because the shadows are so caught up on gore and shock value, so is most of me. It felt good to see GOOD, pure horror again. Had a good ending, it was actually a STORY, not just a randomly thrown together bunch of jump scares or gorn."

The goddess of Happy Endings looked confused. "Wait...so there's a part of Nyarlathotrot that actually let's happy endings happen?"

"Several, you just don't normally meet us given the kind of stories you deal with," Nyarlathotrot replied.

"But how...you're the Shadow's Dark Side..."

"Oh yes, let me think back to a few favorites of mine on that topic. We're the SHADOW my dear. And Shadow is more than just evil, it's the repressed and refused aspect of a being they bury," the Spirit of Horror continued, summoning a director chair and sitting in it. "And believe it or not, somewhere in us IS light, just it's normally not what YOU run into..."

He leaned back in the chair. "...You know...this Shadow, YOUR Shadow...has come up with some real winners...like this lovely little story where the ponies of the Lost Age contend with an eldritch horror born from the Shadow's collective hatred or where Suri Polomare finds herself potentially being marked for destruction now that her role is up...they have happy endings which is probably why YOU were not drawn to them, but there's some real good psychological horror to be found there."

"I...I think I understand..." Amicitia thought about it. "...So that means in your sister..."

"There is a tiny amount of darkness as well," Horror replied. "...Well, I'd best be going. I think I'm needed in the Shadow looking over us right now's mind about a story involving Trixie being chased by Stallions in Black. Glad we had a heart to heart, Amicitia."

"...Thank you...I think I needed to see that..."

Alex Warlorn

"Right now, I have a movie tribute parody world line to help create where a teenage Button Mash gets so fixated on his video games that his grades drop like stones, and he alienates Sweetie Belle and his family. And gets fixated on beating this one wireframe graphics arcade game that he breaks in at night to play it, when the final boss of the game comes to life and sucks him in, dooming him to exist as the PC of that game for eternity as indistinct faceless un-detailed wireframe character. C ya." He vanished. Amicitia shivered. Nicer or not, he was still an Avatar of the Spirit of Tragedy.

Alex Warlorn

Deus Ex Machina looked around uncharacteristically meekly. "Uh.. so...did we win?"

Alex Warlorn

Nightmare Mirror spoke. "Nightmare Conundrum has been shattered into a million pieces across a million timelines that have all stabilized. But ...Ah think Ah sit those out thank ya very much. And ya would be wise ta too Deus. . . . Oh, and Princess Amicitia, look out for the worldline where Garble became Dragon Lord."

"At least I now how that world where dragons invaded Equestria came from."

MtangaLion

Tabula Rasa stepped out of the aether and into the world once more, taking a moment to feel the green grass beneath her paws, to stretch her wings and sniff the fresh clean air, tail wagging. A irregular lump of crystal floated before her...once two of the fusion gems, now melted together and recrystallized. "So be it," she growled thoughtfully.

She brought out the book and quill again. "It seemed that the bright hopes and future of Equestria would come to nothing. The world was covered in fire and ash. The mortal races could not be found, and even many of the gods had died...but life did NOT perish. Mighty heroes from across the world and beyond vanquished the destroyer. The final end would come ANOTHER DAY."

Princess Gaia smiled and touched her horn to the doors of her cottage's cellar, unlocking the seal she'd placed there. The doors flew wide open, and bubbles began to stream out, each containing a sleeping foal or hatchling or other baby creature. "Wake, my little ponies," she sang gently to some of them. "It's a new day, and there's so much to do. Wake up!"

The first batch of bubbles popped, and the survivors of Ponyville appeared, alive and whole. Apple Bloom raced through the confused crowd, making for the first familiar pony she saw. "Big brother! Is this real? Did we go to Pony Heaven?" She saw Fluttershy's cottage, then climbed up on a rise and gasped. "Ponyville...the whole town, it's gone!"

Big Macintosh looked slightly dazed...Princess Gaia had just whispered in his ear, then nuzzled him warmly and taken flight, more bubbles trailing behind her. He cleared his throat and grinned. "Then Ah reckon, we'll build us another one. Everypony, listen up..."

Rainbow bridges began to open around the world. A group of elves came out of one, and their Moochick was amazed to see a world right out of their oldest stories. A human girl and her brother emerged from another. They gasped in wonder at a restored Pinkie Pie, who jumped ten feet in the air, crying "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"

Tabula Rasa spoke, "In the place where the friendships that saved the world first took root, a new story began. Together, they built a new Paradise Estate, for a Ponyland reborn."

Alex Warlorn

"It's a beautiful sight..." Nightmare Mirror said. "Ah gotta say though...it's kinda like that world line that let Nightmare Eclipse figure out her time cheatin' spell...where Equestria came first, and then Paradise Estate came after."

Princess Amicitia shook her head. "It's not the same. There was no Paradise Estate before that world's Equestria, no Megan, no Starlight The First, no Minty...those all came after..."

"Ah gotcha...just make sure it ain't gonna become trapped in a cycle of death and rebirth...them are NEVER FUN. Ah can't argue that a bunch seem ta enjoy'em, but fer me it just spits in the face of hard work."

"Don't worry...this is a reconstruction...not a restart...Applejack, let me help you, I know you want to be free of being a Nightmare, so WHY won't let you let me?!"

"Ah done told ya, there's always gonna be a Nightmare Mirror...because there's gonna be a Nightmare Mirror who makes the world Ah want to see that won't need us around to keep goin'...And then face the music of what Ah've done. If ya went to turned me into Veritas...that just means ANOTHER Applejack would have to become Mirror...yer CHEATIN' Amicitia. And Fate, does NOT like bein' cheated. This is all a flash back to those watchin', there ain't gonna be no cheap cheat where it turns out this was all an alternate universe where ya didn't do what yer gonna do...and where Ah didn't face the music like Ah'm gonna face the music...

"Ah UNDERSTAND why ya keep turnin' versions of me into Veritas...yer makin' up fer what ya did as Nightmare Eclipse...but ya gotta LET IT GO TWILI'!!!!! Ah ain't like THAT Nightmare Mirror. The moment Ah became a Nightmare? The Truth SHOWED ME how it would end if Ah kept goin' down this path, and Ah don't mean that space in Tartarus they keep warmed up fer me. Ah mean Ah SAW the end result fer me, and the world. And Ah asked myself, 'Is it worth it AJ?'" The light gleamed off her eye. "'Yeah, AJ, it's worth it.' Ah answered back. Ah didn't want to fix the world peace meal, Ah didn't want to play nice, Ah wanted to hit the world with the truth...it had way too many lies used just to keep the world goin'...it HAD TO end and not 'some time soon.'

"If Ah don't be that Nightmare Mirror Ah saw...another AJ is gonna be...and Ah may be a Nightmare...but Ah ain't throwin' somepony else under the bus to save my own hide...and that's the truth Twili'. Because just like what yer gonna do has already happened, and we're just in the past leadin' up to it? It's the same with me. THAT'S WHY there's gotta be a Nightmare Mirror...or everypony in that of mine timeline gets ERASED...Ya've always been good at helpin' ponies help themselves...but stop tryin' to cheat my fate...THIS WORLD'S GOT ENOUGH CHEATS AS IT IS!" Mirror glared in the distance, making eye contact with Nynthy's avatar that was several light years away. For some reason, he felt a prophecy of doom upon him.

Mirror sighed. "Ah'll make my world without lies that won't need me to keep goin'...Ah'll turn myself in, and face the music for what Ah've done...If ya take me from it, fate will NEED to put another AJ in my place to keep that world line stable...because it's already happened...There are times and fate even we can't defy Twili'..." Mirror nuzzled her. "Fer the record? Ah don't know if yer Nightmare Mirror...or yer Applejack...would have forgiven ya...but Ah can say, that Ah'm proud of ya for standin' up to the truth of what ya did...and takin' it like a mare." She smiled a very Applejack smiled.

"Thank you...Applejack." They rested their necks against each other and folded their wings over each other.

CrazyJabberwock

Amiticia didn't know how long they stayed that way before parting ways with her, Mirror sounded like she wanted to head back to her world, she had a lot of work to do, and above all she missed it.

Amiticia actually had to take a bit, she had spent so long with repairing the time lines Starlight Glimmer had caused that she had to stop and ponder, perhaps a break was in order?

But as she pondered it hit her, the moment in time that surpassed the tragedy of the third ages destruction, surpassed only by her actions as Nightmare Eclips.

The Death of Cupid.

She had to make it, a world where he lived.

Kendell2

The greatest challenge to this was the Nameless Filly herself (yes, not even I can say her name).

This was not one of Nythy's pet projects. She was not a Nightmare nor possessed. She was dead inside.

If Father showing her the ruination she'd caused in clear, perfect detail down to the smallest single celled organism that got erased by her actions was not enough to bring the tiniest shred of remorse to her, what words could I say to convince her to stop her ambitions?

No, she's not 'born bad' nor was this 'her fate'...but I couldn't change this by moving HER heart, because she had none to move. It pains me to admit it...but there's nothing I can do for her without changing her so much she might not as well BE her.

I'd love to say I could convince her to accept the love of the one pony who ever cared for her...but she had nothing but contempt for him. I TRIED to convince her, only to be replied with malice and scorn.

Cupid...was too dead set on trying to redeem her to listen to me...

But...Cupid was a demi-god...With a godly family.

Prayers are powerful things.

When he lived, Cupid was one of the most beloved beings in existence, many prayed TO him...but how many prayed FOR him?

*Cupid is still a young god, think he'll be safe?*

Who did I say that to? Many ponies...prayers for Cupid's protection. For his defense. I found ponies who loved them and gave them the idea to pray for him, and they CHOSE to.

Interacting with the gods directly who were not incarnated into the mortal world was...complicated...so very complicated. It wouldn't cause time to diverge like I wanted. Mortal choices, however...

So when the Nameless Filly made her attempt on Cupid's life...someone else was watching. Someone who loved his nephew and had been prayed to for protection of him and thus had been watching more closely on that day.

As Venus did before, a deity descended in that moment.

The Nameless Filly blinked as the world quaked and space distorted. She shrugged and charged Cupid again, the frightened colt not able to will himself to attack or defend himself and having been cornered...but this time the spear collided with a shield too strong for it to pierce.

The filly looked up to see a large, armored Alicorn stallion with a Tower for his Cutie Mark.

"Uncle Turris?" Cupid asked, eyes wide.

Turris put one of his shield-like wings over his nephew. "That weapon...If you had hit Cupid, he would cease."

"That was my intention," the filly replied.

"And so would all those who live because of him."

Turris...would not have intervened directly if Cupid's LIFE was all that was in danger. A deity cannot be bias. But to defend untold numbers from being erased? It was no different than Venus AVENGING them.

"Do you care how many ponies will cease to get what you desire?"

The filly looked back with apathy that would have appalled Entropy. "No. I don't. Now get out of my way or I will go through you."

Turris could have killed her were she stood as Venus had...but he is a guardian. He instead chose to use his unbreakable defense. The Concept Killing Spear was a deadly weapon indeed, but it could do nothing if it never reached its target.

Finally, the impossible happened.

Turris could not DESTROY the weapon. But only Leo's strength matched Turris' shield. And anything slammed against something harder than itself enough times will eventually falter.

The Unnamed Filly looked at the now snapped spear, half of it unmaking the tree it slammed into. "Impossible...This...This is impossible."

"Your weapon is destroyed, stand down," Turris replied, wing still over his nephew.

"Please...just stop...it doesn't have to be this way..." Cupid said to the pony who'd tried to unmake him.

Something SNAPPED in the mare. She trembled in fury. "No...NO!"

Emotionless expression shattering and now like a wild animal, the mare charged with the broken spear at Turris.

Turris thought about the situation for a moment...and grabbed something in his telekinesis.

The spear tip flashed, held in his magic...

And the Concept Killing Spear struck itself.

Turris put up a force field as the two weapons collided and exploded like antimatter, protecting his nephew...

What happened? The Concept Killing Spear...never existed. The piece of Tirek's Chariot of Midnight from which it was made never existed. It had simply always been missing that piece. The ingredients, some of which were one of a kind, never existed.

The only signs it ever was was a tree having never been and a massive, unexplained crater in the middle of nowhere where the the spear had unmade itself.

I credit Turris...Venus, Strife, or many of the other deities would've stabbed the filly with the Spear instead.

"...Thank you for not doing that to her, Uncle," Cupid said, floating in the spirit world with his uncle, the barrier between it and the mortal world being a nonissue to him due to his demigod nature.

"You're welcome, nephew..." Turris replied, nuzzling him.

Venus soon hugged her baby and cried with worry.

MtangaLion

The Nameless Filly plotted to strike down one of the very pillars of creation, attempted to worse-than-murder billions...but in the end, she failed to commit her crime. The destruction of the Concept Killing Spear killed but did not erase her, and accordingly, she was sent to Judgment.

Turris told the court what had transpired that day, and Venus gave testimony against the Nameless Filly as well. Rota Fortuna produced a vision of What Would Have Been, had the Nameless Filly succeeded, and the Father of Alicorns ensured that she watched it from beginning to end, seeing every innocent life snuffed out, every tragedy prolonged or never averted.

And even after all that, *Cupid* spoke in her defense, wishing that he could have spread love to her before it was too late, asking if she could not have even one more chance. The Nameless Filly felt her cold, hardened heart touched, when nothing else had moved her...but she turned away and still would not speak.

Justitia and Judicium pronounced her guilty, and Havoc swallowed her up on the spot.

The Nameless Filly awoke, to her great surprise, in her workshop, the components and plans for the Concept Killing Spear spread out before her. Her calendar showed that it was one week before the day she had planed to slay Cupid. A cruel joy filled her heart...she would have another chance!

Then the voice of Havoc boomed, driving like shards of glass into her ears. "I Made This Part of Pony Hell Especially For You. You May Depart In Peace When You Truly Love Someone, And They Love You In Return."

The Nameless Filly only laughed, believing that the gods had foolishly shown her mercy. She forged the spear and made all her plans as before, then came after Cupid a day early so that Turris would not get in her way. She'd barely gotten within ten paces of Cupid when Strife appeared and seized her spear, stabbing the Nameless Filly out of existence with her own weapon.

Again, the Nameless Filly woke in her workshop, seven days in the past, for this was Pony Hell, and that had not been the real Spear. She forged the spear again anyway, ignoring other ponies who were genuinely concerned for her, not bothering to tell them convincing lies...They realized that she meant harm to Cupid and tried to stop her...she lashed out with the spear and got stabbed with it herself in the resulting struggle.

A dozen failed attempts...two dozen, and still she kept trying to slay Cupid. There had to be a way! What did it matter if the gods themselves opposed her, when she could try again and again? She grew deranged and mad, but still she didn't give up. She only needed to succeed once!

It took more than ten thousand excruciating and ironic deaths before the Nameless Filly even considered trying to learn to love someone. A hundred thousand loops later, she's still trying, still failing.

But Love...is patient.

Alex Warlorn

Princess Amicitia, Twilight Sparkle, took in a deep breath, and slowly let it out, it was just a gesture at this point, she didn't breath, she didn't have a heart beat, or a brain, or lungs, or a stomach, DNA, or anything else related to material existence, she was an IDEA, a law of the universe, a concept ...She wondered where Dues Ex Machina had gotten off to...hopefully not yet another quick fix solution that backfired, it seemed her friends were helping her with that.

"It'll never be finished, as long as shadows of existence think and spawn new worldlines, it'll never be finished. But I have eternity to do it...but also...I am reaching the infinite, the point...where I have to do, what has to be done...listen to me talking like Luna...there are still many nightmarish world lines, but some of the worst, are still incomplete in a sense, so if I entered, any happy ending I gave, they'd likely be overwritten once that world line progressed...I wonder if I'm just delaying now."

Kendell2

I blinked as Pandora appeared in front of me. "Amicitia...Dad requests and audience with you."

Hell is...never an easy place for anyone to be in. For me especially, because each of these ponies have a bad ending...one I can only help by bringing them help.

Havoc in his full glory is terrifying, even for me. With all the horrors I've seen, I see ALL of them in him because my fear of them IS him...

"Hello, Amicitia, Long Time No See..." Havoc replied.

"Hello, Havoc..."

Havoc shrunk down to my size and assumed the form of my father...my mortal one. No, I'm not mad. It's simply how Havoc chooses to interact. "I Have A Very Important Mission For You."

Havoc snapped his fingers and we were suddenly outside of a world line...one I recognized.

One where mortals floated in a dead universe, not thinking...not being...not living...not dying...Living death is the only term I could describe it.

One where the sun, moon, imagination, gravity, and every other concept had been snuffed out.

The world where 'kill the God' had been realized and only one concept remained. And that one concept had mutated into something horrific and beyond comprehension.

"...D___t's world..." I muttered.

Havoc looked...sad. Hurt..."...Yes...Though He Doesn't Go By That Name Anymore. As He Himself Puts It: There Is No D___t, For He Was A God And The Gods Are Dead. There Is Only Ragnarok Now."

"Ragnarok...Twilight of the Gods...or derived from it," I replied. Technically, Ragnarok was interchangeable with Ragnarökkr. It meant Fate of the Gods while Ragnarökkr meant Twilight of the Gods. Regardless, the meaning made sense. "Fitting name for what he's become."

"And Gives The Shadows Something To Refer To Him As Without Overturning My Wife's Proclamation That His Name May Not Be Said...Amicitia...In A Rare, Rare Moment...I, Havoc, Elder God of Creation...ASK You To Save This World From Ragnarok And Give It A Happy Ending. For The Only Salvation Myself Or My Wife Can Give It Is Destruction..."

I stood there, staring at him for a few moments. In a rare moment...Havoc was being one hundred percent serious. "...It won't be easy..."

"I Know. I Will Give You A Boon If You Succeed."

I had learned as Eclipse to spy on a world without being detected. Ragnarok had killed all the gods of his timeline and mutated into something much more horrifying, I had to be careful.

But I realized one thing: Ragnarok had one place he WOULD NOT tread. One thing he considered sacred and would not interfere: the choices of mortals. At his core, grotesque and mutated as he was...at the end of the day, he believed, sincerely and without exception, that he was freeing mortals, and thus even he didn't observe nor care what choices mortals made.

I realized one thing. Ragnarok had managed to create this world by using his concept of collective belief against the other concepts...among other methods...but if his Concept could destroy Concepts...it could RESTORE them.

To do that...I would need to plant an idea...a thought...

Ponies couldn't think right now...but they still had brains...which means any thought planted in their minds would count as belief. I'd need to play this smartly...Ragnarok wasn't policing the thoughts and minds of everypony because of his mania, but he WOULD attack if he realized I was here.

Thankfully...somehow, the Cutie Mark Crusaders ended up traveling side ways in time (and if Havoc is to be believed, from the future of the multiverse as a whole, which should have been impossible in every sense of the word) and ended up rushing through this dead world, but escaped (Havoc promised to help with that)...but they distracted Ragnarok...and I had a chance to intervene...and whisper something in the minds of this universe of living death.

*Have you ever heard of something called Free Will?*

MtangaLion

For a time that might have been endless or no time at all, nothing seemed to happen.

With neither fate nor chance in the world, cause and effect could not function. There was no truth, no fantasy...every event was meaningless. Mortal ponies might collectively will anything into being, but they had no reason to do so...no love or bonds or humor, no drive to change or struggle or seek anything new. Ragnarok might not have the power to snuff out the most fundamental of concepts, but he could shut them out. Fear, empathy, sanity...even madness could not reach what ponies existed in that world.

Yet in the absence of any other thought, the whisper carried. "No," most ponies answered. "I have not heard of that."

Eventually, a pony of that barren world asked, "What is Free Will?" Other ponies echoed that whisper in turn. The question implied that something called Free Will did exist, and something coalesced. Something new was born.

"I am Free Will," spoke a voice, but it was just a name, until Amicitia whispered again. * Free Will is doing what you chose to do. * The Name became an Idea...

The collective mind rippled, suddenly having purpose after long ages without. "It is a Concept, a god!" declared ponies. "Deny it! Destroy it!"

But the Idea was already taking root, influencing all ponies of that world, everywhere, simply by existing. "You have a choice, whether to do away with me or not. What do you choose?"

The collective mind became confused and could do nothing at all. They had no basis on which to choose. They could not even pick an option at random...

Kendell2

Amicitia thought about the next option. It was a choice that would decide the fate of this universe.

So she asked another question.

*Have you ever heard of imagination?*

"No," once more, most ponies asked. "I haven't heard of it."

"What is Imagination?"

"I'm imagination," said a voice, but once more, it was just a name...

*Imagination is the ability to imagine things that are not real, fantastic, amazing things. Mundane uninteresting things. The things you wish are true...and the things you wish may one day become true.*

And the voice became an Idea.

Once more, the collective belief called out "It is a Concept, a god! Destroy it! Deny it!" but the Idea was already influencing it.

"Can you even imagine destroying to be able to destroy me?" Imagination asked back.

The ponies, and their collective will, stalled. They indeed didn't have the context to imagine destruction. While Destruction would naturally come to be, at the moment it was just a name.

Amicitia decided to strike while the iron is hot. *Do you know what Knowledge and Wisdom are?*

And once more, Knowledge and Wisdom came to be as a name when a pony asked what it was. The Father still locked out, but influence returning ever so slightly. Knowledge and Wisdom spoke their names.

*Knowledge is the ability to think. To learn. To use what you know to come to conclusions for what you don't yet. Wisdom is the ability to use that knowledge to make the RIGHT discussion, not just the 'smart' one.*

And thus, despite the protests, Knowledge and Wisdom came to be Ideas and spread their influence.

*Do you know what Empathy is?*

And the process repeated, the ponies asked the question 'What is Empathy?'

*Empathy is the ability to feel for your fellow being. To care what becomes to them. To feel sad and want to help them when they're sad, to be happy with them when they're happy. To CARE.*

And...for the first time in eons...the ponies realized they weren't alone. They could not see, but they could FEEL.

*Do you know what the Sun is?*

The process repeated. Time to strike the blow she needed.

*The sun is a thing very far away. But it's light reaches you. Light allows you to SEE. the sun's light is warm, and warm feels good. Good is pleasant. It's inviting. The sun makes you warm.*

"What do you imagine the sun would look like?" Imagination asked.

And the sun...light...re-entered creation. It was a very different sun. It was still beautiful, it was still warm. It was still NICE. But it was monochrome, as color still needed to come to be.

Pony's eyes didn't need to adjust to it, as they did not BELIEVE they needed to.

Free Will posed a question. "Do you desire this to exist or to cease once again?"

Knowledge continued. "Does what you know of the sun give you reason to want it gone?"

Wisdom was next. "Is it a WISE decisions to wish the sun to be no more?"

Empathy finished. "If your fellow ponies like the sun and it makes them happy...would it be CARING to take it away again?"

And...for the first time in untold years...the ponies and other creatures looked to one another and to the new sun. They began to THINK.

"NO!"

Amicitia looked up as the void itself seemed to condense and warp into a gigantic form. As if existence itself, if this poor universe could be CONSIDERED existence, was taking the shape of a massive draconequus...or what USED to be one. With his Concept having become all consuming, in a sense BECOMING creation...Ragnarok became something that even the Outer Concepts would look upon in horror.

"YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! POISONING THEIR THOUGHTS?!" Ragnarok asked, snarling in rage.

"Poison? How can I poison something that isn't even alive anymore?!" Amicitia asked.

"I BROUGHT THEM COMPLETE FREEDOM!" Ragnarok roared back.

"Freedom? You call THIS freedom?" Amicitia asked. "Ponies aren't living, not dying, not BEING! This is a VOID!...That's just it, isn't it?" she asked. "You destroyed everything so you could remake it the way you wanted...but forgot that even mutated as you are, you're still a Draconequi! You still can't CREATE anything! And without the OTHER Concepts, ponies CAN'T believe in anything TO create! This whole thing is your own mess!"

"SILENCE!" Ragnarok roared and swung around, forcing Amicitia to teleport to evade a titanic claw. "YOU HAVE NO SAY HERE! THEY DESIRED GODS BE GONE SO LET THEM BE GONE." She lead the abomination away...keeping his eyes off the ponies, as for the first time in centuries, they could interact and form NEW ideas to believe in.

(OOC: I imagine Ragnarok probably looks like the Anti-Spiral art style wise now.)

CrazyJabberwock

"And now they cant even have desires because that too was a concept! Let alone whatever reason they had to desire it, all you've done is rip away meaning!"
Amicitia continued, doubting her words would mean much to the Mad Concept and more just to keep him occupied with her.

As the words echoed now across reality, more found themselves asking "What are thoughts?" "What is poison?" "What is silence?" "What is Desire?" "What is reason?"
"what is meaning?"

They pondered, their minds slowly reaching out with their new footholds, logic and creativity meeting to try and extrapolate the meaning from the context in which they were said as they discussed, no thoughts to the danger they might in as Death did not exist here.

As light re-entered the universe, other inhabited worlds slowly saw it, and those living there ask "what is that light? why do I know what light is?" even as Ragnarok began acting to destroy Amicitia, the universe soon grew more and more illuminated, for time had yet to exist and thus light reached places whenever the people thought it should.

And the questions continued to flow like a river from a broken damn.

MtangaLion

Space itself groaned, wretched out of its proper shape wherever Ragnarok pursued Amicitia. "This has to stop!" she pleaded with him. "Don't you see? You can't hold that much power all in one form. You're damaging the universe just by existing!"

"MY WORLD WAS PERFECT UNTIL YOU CAME HERE!" bellowed Ragnarok. "I AM NATURE'S FURY! NATURE'S LAW DOESN'T EXIST. I ABOLISHED IT!"

Free Will, Imagination, Knowledge, Wisdom, Empathy, and Light followed them into the heavens, carried along by the insatiable curiosity of mortals, rippling across the universe. "What is this?" asked Knowledge. "What are they doing?"

Titanic talons, claws, fingers, and hooves slammed against the wall of the universe, tearing through and pulling Amicitia bodily into the world.

"This.." breathed Imagination. "This is Struggle."

Ragnarok howled in unexpected pain...great gaping cracks were spreading across his form, with light pouring out of them. "YOU WANT ME TO STOP DAMAGING THE UNIVERSE? GIVE IN, AND I WILL STOP!"

A brilliant purple barrier kept Ragnarok at bay. "Even if I'm putting this whole universe at risk... no, I can't just abandon the ponies here, after I've finally given them hope again!" Amicitia summoned forth all her magic, keeping nothing in reserve to escape if she failed, launching spells that could have vaporized entire planets just to hold Ragnarok off, barely...

"What is...Hope?" breathed Empathy, echoing countless mortals. Another new light filled the universe, filled pony's hearts...

Free Will reared up, stirred by Amicitia's bravery. "Defiance!"

Ragnarok howled again, crumbling further. He tried to smother Alicitia's light in a blackness that blotted out the very stars.

"Darkness," spoke Light.

Empathy put a hoof to her heart, feeling sorrow for Ragnarok even as she named, "Destruction."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" wailed Ragnarok, completely covered in glowing fissures. "NO, NOOOO!"

The monstrosity exploded. Twice. All creation shuddered...and gradually began to settle. Four "normal" draconequui slowly coalesced, looking at themselves and each other in wonder.

MtangaLion

Amicitia was left exhausted and adrift in space, gasping for air even though there was none, and she didn't need to breathe in any case. Either way, everything would be over soon enough. She was floating towards the great gaping rift that was letting the void flood into the universe that she'd tried her best to save. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that the universe was bleeding out, leaving a growing void. She found herself strangely analytical in the face of Oblivion.

And then, four lights streamed in through the hole. The brightest of them approached Amicitia, and made her feel as though all the warmth of creation had hugged her with a simple nuzzle. "Beloved daughter," whispered the white Alicorn, "we can take it from here."

"Thanks, Mom," said Amicitia, watching in wonder as the white Alicorn joined the black one, circling around the rift and starting to stitch it closed.

A grey earth pony mare in a simple frock hovered before her. Was that a tear Amicitia saw in her eye, just for a moment? "Now. I've lost all the children I had in this world," she said emotionlessly. The new draconequui gathered, floating as close as they dared and bowing low. She regarded them, acknowledging each with a nod. "But I would not sacrifice my new children. To have the old again." She touched a hoof to her chin, considering. "You've helped us a lot of times. Don't get a swelled head." She floated away, her new children trailing behind her.

Havoc came to Amicitia last, wearing the guise of her mortal father again. "I promised you a boon, I believe."

Amicitia thought about it...and found that there was really only one possible choice. "I want to see my friends again. The Nightmares that I lived with for all those millions of years...I need to tell them...I'm sorry...for everything..." She hung her head. "I know, they disappeared without a trace. The backlash must have destroyed them completely...but isn't there some way? Could I speak with them again in Oblivion, or Tartarus, or...within you in Pony Hell...wherever they came to rest?"

Havoc frowned ominously, and stamped a hoof on nothing, transporting the both of them to a place far from that universe, to a place Between All Moments. Amicitia appeared motionless and grayscale, frozen in time waiting for Havoc's decision. "Well?" He asked. "Has She Not Earned This? Cannot The Curse of Nyarlothotrot Be Broken?"

Rota Fortuna emerged from the shadows. "Lord Havoc, this is the way my world comes to be, along with Fidelitas and many more. Amicitia CANNOT learn that the other Nightmares survived. Perhaps, a separate worldline could be crafted, in which she does reunite with her Herd, but would this satisfy the boon she asked?"

Pandora stepped into the light as well. "She wanted to meet them and talk, Dad." The Spirit of Imagination smiled impishly. "She doesn't need to know the truth, if we get creative."

Fear Himself gave the matter ample thought, then made His decision.

Alex Warlorn

Amcitia was under no delusions that her very existence had granted her a large collection of enemies. And she didn't just mean the god of tragedies. Fate had a natural dislike her, but it went deeper than that:

She had been unable to really change the events of the timeline where Celestia's parents had been corrupt tyrants and the massive war that had begun, her best had been to save one extra life in all of the timeline and the death and destruction, and keep the Crawling Chaos from making events WORSE.

In the Rainbow Factory, she'd failed to keep it from being created, and even after help filly Rainbow Dash bring the factory to its end. That still left a thousand years of blood. And the economic, political, and social damage from the scandal and the reality that the rainbow factory having woven itself into the very fabric of Cloudsdale and pegasus culture had left a gapping hole in the system. She'd toppled a corrupt and immoral system (ethnic were what business-ponies had), but she had no delusions about the collateral damage.

And then the timeline where Spitfire had been corrupted by rage and jealousy at Rainbow Dash's rainboom ruining her first try for the Wonderbolts...Twilight had been able to save her, and she couldn't erase the trauma her victims had suffered even if she'd kept Spitfire from having any corpses in her wake either personally or driving others to suicide.

And the reality where Starlight Glimmer succeeded in her equal Equestria ...the feedback loop from that conflict and her trying to help had nearly destroyed that reality.

But it didn't matter for some. Countless others kept mistaking her for Deus Ex Machina, a self-appointed busy body who wanted quick fix solutions that spat in the face of the very world she was trying to help. And there positively absolutely nothing she could do to change their minds.

Alex Warlorn

Princess Twilight Sparkle, aka Amicitia spirit of magic, was faced with a world she could do nothing with. The world itself wasn't that bad, after all, it wasn't the first world she'd seen where Twilight had made friends with five different ponies who became the Elements... The problem began when Discord broke out in this world, corrupted Spike, and through him cast a falsehood on Twilight making her think the ponies who were her friends in the prime world were her friends here too. Except... then Amicitia noticed it... here... her friends discorded selves were their natural selves, lazy lying Applejack, sadistic monster Fluttershy, backstabbing and cruel Rainbow Dash, greedy and slimy Rarity, perpetually angry Pinkie Pie. And that the NICE way to describe them!

Discord's scheme had been for Twilight to use the Elements with five unworthy mares she wasn't friends with, and thus them failing again just in case. Except the memory spell rewrote their memories so they remembered doing what the Elements of Harmony had done in this world, such as saving the world from Nightmare Moon with Twilight.

Amicitia was honestly left confused and befuddled how these five had even gotten the cutie marks they had given their lazy and selfish or outright monstrous personalities.

Discord was defeated, and Twilight was left with five mares who thought they were her friends. Worse, the five were horrified and scared when their coworkers and family all treated them like they were the scum of Equestria (which before Discord, they decidedly had been). Except there was nothing to really help, no events she could nudge along try to have a better outcome. The five were stuck simply having to discover and accept the monsters they'd been, and having to move on with their lives with fake memories and a town full of half-strangers.

"There... there's nothing I can do." She whispered. She heard the Crawling Chaos laugh.

Author's Note

Number seven of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

ONE DOWN. SIX TO GO! (Crystal War Worldline)
TWO DOWN. FIVE TO GO! (Film Flam Worldline)
THREE DOWN. FOUR TO GO! (Tirek Worldline)
FOUR DOWN. THREE TO GO! (Discord Worldline.)
FIVE DOWN. TWO TO GO! (Nightmare Moon Worldline.)
SIX DOWN. ONE TO GO! (Changeling Worldline.)
SEVEN DOWN. ZERO TO GO! (Ashland Worldline.)

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Persona22
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
CrazyJabberwock
Kendell2 (I'll leave it up to someone else what happened to the Nameless Filly. I imagine regardless, with no way to make the spear she's been rendered harmless, but it's also possible the explosion killed her and due to the Spear, while not erased, her death wasn't undone...or she was just never able to perform her ambitions ever again.)
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Kendell2
CrazyJabberwock
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn

Amiticia's rules:
1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

Amicitia's Greatest Fear

That world faded, and Amicitia became aware of Havoc once more, casting his monstrous shadow across the aetheral void. "Why did you show me that?" she asked, shaken.

Mercifully, Havoc did not look at her directly. "You've Always Been Afraid of Failure, Amicitia. Failing Your Teacher, Failing To Do Your Absolute Best, Failing To Save Everyone." Far too many pairs of burning eyes narrowed. "Are You Truly Prepared To Face The Friends That You Failed In The Worst Possible Way?"

Amicitia hesitated, then nodded firmly. "Ready as I'm going to be."

Everything went black, even to all of Amicitia's senses. Somepony screamed. It might have even been her. And then...

She stood on a crumbling castle rooftop, her coat deep violet and her mane and tail ablaze with dark flame. Bone white barding and a half-mask weighed heavily on her. In front of her and all around in the twilight sky, six rainbow circles glowed, ripples of light surging round and round in slow motion.

"But... if I'm here, then..." She spun around, and there they were. Her friends. Nightmare Manacle, her rainbow mane jagged and heavy shackles on her legs. Nightmare Mirror, her unblinking eyes smoldering with cruel truth. Nightmare Whisper, meek and sad and just wanting all this to go away. Nightmare Granfalloon, with the crayon-sketch horn and wings that Paradox/Nightmare Eclipse had never entirely understood, not in hundreds of thousands of years. And Nightdrake Banneret, huge and hulking in golden armor over purple gem-encrusted dragon hide.

Each of them had a huge floating Element crystal summoned, but... she remembered them trying to cheer her up at this point, urging her to bring out her own Element so they could finish this... and instead, they seemed hesitant, as surprised as she was to be here, at this moment.

Manacle was the first to step forward. "Twilight?"

Twilight reached up with a hoof, pulled the half-mask from her face, and let it fall. The flames of her mane flared, and died out. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Tears ran down her cheeks.

"Twilight!" boomed Banneret, and they all came to her in a rush.

"Did you go crazy!?" cried Granfalloon. "Or did you go uncrazy?" She grinned squeakily. "I probably should have said crazy-crazy-crazy there, heehee!"

The rainbow circles flared, glowing lines starting to connect them together.

Twilight smiled, even though she couldn't stop crying. "I know this isn't going to make any sense. I'm not the Twilight who hurt all of you so badly... but that doesn't matter. I *am* Twilight Sparkle. Given the same initial conditions, I would have done exactly the same. I... I accepted that a long time ago, so it's my responsibility and I am so, SO sorry for everything I did to you!" She wiped her face with a foreleg, still sobbing.

Unexpectedly, Manacle hugged her. "Pfft, egghead. We forgive you."

Twilight froze. "What? But..."

Whisper hugged her too, nuzzling. "Of course we forgive you."

"Did you think we wouldn't?" asked Granfalloon.

Mirror just threw her hooves around Twilight. "Hug!"

"But, I can't *fix* this!" protested Twilight. "I made happy endings for so many other ponies, but I can't do anything to give you the happy ending you deserve after so much suffering." She hung her head. "All I could do... was accept that it happened and... move on."

"Then that's what we'll do," boomed Banneret, wrapping the whole group in a huge hug with Twilight in the middle.

The rainbow lights were growing almost painfully bright. The power of Harmony bore down on them, just moments of realtime away. Twilight felt a sudden dread. If *this* was the only time that Havoc could let her see her friends again... "But what if there's nothing after this? No future, no hope..."

Manacle grinned. "Well, we're not going back and doing all that again, that's for sure!"

"Whatever comes next, comes next," said Banneret. "No regrets." He smiled and carefully wiped Twilight's eyes with a huge claw. "And no more tears."

Rainbows crashed over them from every direction at once, washing out everything in brilliant white...

Amicitia blinked, opening her eyes slowly.

"Did You Find That Which You Hoped?" asked Havoc. "Or That Which You Feared?"

Amicitia smiled. "I'm not sure whether that was real or not, but I feel like... I finally got to say goodbye. Thank you."

Far away, in a universe yet to come...

"Who's a good girl?" said Fluttershy, still Nightmare Whisper outwardly, bouncing a happy, squealing baby Veritas in her magic. "You are, yes you are!"

"Hug!" giggled Veritas, wrapping small hooves around Fluttershy.

Princess Fidelitas grinned, yawning and rolling over on her cloud couch. "Well, somepony's in a good mood. I had the craziest dream last night."

Pinkie Pie appeared in a teleport flash, jumping into the conversation like she'd been there the whole time. "Whoa! You too?"

"Yeah! It was like a nightmare at first, but then Paradox took off her mask and..." Fidelitas realized that both Pinkie and Fluttershy were staring at her. "What?"

A burst of green flames lit up the Realm of Loyalty, becoming Spike the Nightdrake. "Hey guys, check it out!" Spike was *glowing* from crest to claws, all his scales shining with a warm radiant heat. He set baby Half-Light Midnight down next to Veritas, making it clear that she wasn't glowing, only him.

"The heck?" said Princess Fidelitas. "Don't tell me someone wants you to be Dragon Lord." She scratched her chin. "Did we even create dragonkind yet?"

Spike grinned. "That's not why I'm being summoned. Tiamat wants me. Guys... I'm ready."

Alex Warlorn

Deus Ex Machina,an Alicorn incarnation of Twilight, sat frowning and bored. She was at a schoolhouse desk, and in front of her was an Alicorn version of Fluttershy.

Except she was wearing a pearl necklace, had a relatively shorter hair cut, and wore pink thick framed glasses. "And that is why we don't say 'peeved' in front of foals. Or include the word peeved in stories aimed at foals." Said the Alicorn Fluttershy in a calm and collect tone.

"Yes Aesop, The Guardian of Morals." She droned.

"No need to be so formal, we're all friends here."

"Didn't your version of Ogres and Oubliettes say that a teacher or parent or other authority figure should be GM so the peer wouldn't lord his authority either in game or out of game?"

"That's neither here, nor there Twilight."

A realistic Alicorn AJ, Deconstruction snorted nearby.
A still realistic, but still beautiful and adorable Alicorn Rarity, Reconstruction, giggled.

There was Darker And Edger, and Lighter And Softer, the Alicorns of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie giving each other a staring contest.

And finally there was the Ryujin of Spike... Focus. Who just sighed.

Ardashir

Deus called to her friends quickly. "Oh! I found a new universe that needs to be changed before it self-destructs in grimdarkness!"

Darker and Edgier rolled her eyes. "Oh, man, what, did someone stub their hoof?"

Lighter and Softer smiled. "I'm all ready! I have my copy of How To Resolve All Conflict With Games And Laughter!"

Deconstruction snorted. "Ya know that ain't always gonna work! Sometimes ponies have ta face the consequences of their decisions if they're gonna learn anything."

Reconstruction smiled. "True, dear, but only so we can show how the light is so much brighter after passing through darkness to get there."

Deconstruction kicked a hoof. "Aww, fiddlesticks! MMPH!" As a bar of soap appeared in her mouth.

Guardian of Morals said motherly. "Applejack! What have I told you about using the F-word like that?"

Mtangalion (with a bit by me at the end)

A more cartoonish version of Applejack 'just happened' to be passing by the schoolhouse window at that moment. "Boy howdy!" said Veritas loudly. "Ah can honestly say that Ah sure am peeved about that peeved nonsense getting a hoofhold in my world. Peeved, peeved, peeved!"

Aesop's magic hauled Veritas through the window and jammed a wet bar of soap into her mouth. "Veritas! Foals could be listening in!" She started scrubbing away.

Veritas spat the soap out. "Peeved ain't a bad word!" Then she did a double-take. "Uh oh..."

Aesop was clenching a stick of chalk in her hoof, grinding it to dust, and her eyes glowed demonically. "You can't just make things true in this universe, you, you... potty-mouth!"

Discord flashed into existence at one of the empty desks, complete with an old-fashioned schoolcolt's uniform and a golden apple for the teacher. "Oh stop complaining, Veritas." He leaned closer, whispering. "You should see how she acted when I said 'crap' around my little sister Rancor."

Discord hadn't whispered enough Aesop had heard.

Outside the cosmic schoolhouse, lightning shot out the windows, and there were sounds of a draconequus getting zapped with enough electricity to light up a country.

whitebearboy

As Amicitia floated through the spirit world, she was shocked to find yet another worldline where ponies had enslaved humans. Only this one was even more shocking.

In this universe, ponies were gigantic compared to humans! And, rather than humans and ponies having existed in the same world from the beginning, ponies had discovered Earth while human civilization was still in its youth and, seeing how violent the tiny beings were, had seen fit to enslave them in order to shape them to more harmonious ways.

MtangaLion

It was never easy for Amicitia, dealing with worlds where ponies with the names and faces of her dear friends simply *were not* the ponies she had known.

The tragic thing was, the Shadow guiding this world had probably not even meant to make Princess Celestia a bad pony. But ponies had conquered a planet of tiny people too weak to fight back or threaten ponies in any way. What kind of ruler permitted that? How hypocritical were her teachings of harmony, when humans had been kept as slaves in her kingdom for over a thousand years? What kind of a society did she inspire, when such ponies as Rarity and Twilight Sparkle bought humans and regarded them as clever pets, seeing no serious wrong in it?

Amicitia peered deeper into the world, searching. Perhaps recent events would make a difference, give her some cause for hope...

In her private study at Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia shook her head. "I must say, Twilight, I'm disappointed in your recent conduct."

Princess Twilight tensed, ears drooping. "But, Princess... I mean, Celestia! Blueblood's been mistreating his humans, and he attacked me!"

Celestia sighed. "And he certainly will be punished for that. Honestly, assaulting your home with a squadron of his personal guards? Attempting to take a Princess captive with no warrant or authority? I can't imagine what he was thinking."

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "But you, Twilight... you stole a human from him in the dead of night like some common thief, when you might have simply asserted royal privilege, taken the human you fancied and compensated him. And then, I'm told, you and your friends engaged him in a pitched battle, without even trying to defuse the situation?" She offered Twilight a smile, then. "You are a princess now, Twilight. Princesses should not be getting snubbed by common cab-drivers, or loutish Princes."

Twilight spread her wings sheepishly. "I'm trying, Princess. You know that all I really wanted to do was study."

Celestia chuckled. "Indeed. You may take charge of reviewing the laws for care of humans, if you like. Perhaps your friend Fluttershy could help. I'm told she's good with pets."

Amicitia shuddered. Then she realized that she was waiting for Deus to suggest freeing the humans with giant robots or for Mirror to make some cutting remark. "Heh, I guess I miss working with them. Well... time to bring out the big guns."

In one of the godly realms of this world, a draconequus sat on a mountain of discarded candy wrappers and soda cans, game controller in claws and laser-focused on the screen that floated in front of him. He could have simply snapped his claws and cleaned up the whole mess instantly... and he definitely would, just as soon as he got to a good stopping point in his game.

(Ugh... how long has it been since you looked outside?)

He scowled. "I can't lose focus now! I'm on level 999,999 of Ultimate Rogue's Definitely Super Final Dungeon."

(Remember the time Dad yanked the power plug out and atomized your save game data card?)

He glanced over his shoulder at the mortal world, did a double-take, and then very delicately pressed the Pause button on his controller.

"Sheesh, I've been slacking, even for me." mused Anarchy. He grinned darkly. "So, you say you want a revolution?"

(No one said that, but that was implied, yes. Why not get Fluttershy in touch with Princess Cadence...)

"Don't tell me how to do my job, funny voice in my head that I'm taking no official notice of, wink, wink!" Anarchy folded his arms, carefully considering the situation on the ground. "Now, Fluttershy and Cadence..."

Alex Warlorn

"So you call on me, after your two buddies up and leave you, I'm soooo honored." Anarchy said biting. He looked at the world line. "So you want me to fix this... "

"I want your help to fix it, without introducing anything that doesn't already exist in the heart world."

"... Well, if ALL ponies are this big... or humans are this tiny... always hard to tell... isn't there some species of pony that's been reintroduced in the heart world that can help ponies with an object lesson?"

"Eh?"

"Come on, you're not THAT dense. They're not even OCs! Or even 'secondary' canon! Okay, it says that they found Earth and humans when human culture was still young. Which means this has been going on for quite a while... But since everything is the same unless said so differently... Tell me? Did the shadow who created this worldline say anything about THEM?!"

-

Seabreeze of the breezies, a husband and a father, was part of the latest expedition to the outside world for the pollen needed to support their world. Why they didn't just grow these flowers in their own world was truly and sincerely beyond his comprehension. It was better than venturing out into this world of giants over and over.

The giant Ponies treated all the giant beasts that inhabited their world like they were fully sapient creatures... which given how they acted even when the ponies weren't around, Seabreeze couldn't argue with... but then why weren't THEY building houses and farming and making laws and doing businesses like civilized creatures? Why didn't they WORK for their food and loggings instead of the ponies giving them infinite handouts? If they were really intelligent creatures as all appearances gave, then they were nothing more than damn parasites. And seabreeze loathed parasites, those who never worked and expected everybreezie else to carry their load. He wasn't a follower of Andrew Rybread, that giant lunatic didn't understand the love of family if it hit him in the head.

Seabreeze was not heartless despite all appearances. He just had a temper. He was in particular angry when a little unicorn foal snatched up Twirly, a girl breezie who was one of his teammates... and the filly declared she wanted to keep her as a pet! Saying how nice she'd look next to her pet human.

As much as it would cost time, he wouldn't leave a teammate behind just for getting caught by a ignorant foal. But the goal ran away into the town full of giants.

So Twirly spent some time in a little toy home with her wings being beaten and snagged on everything rather painfully, next a little hairless ape.

While Seabreeze was taking his complaints to the nearest authority figure.

Mtangalion

(Are you sure that Melissa and Joshua are okay, staying with Twilight again? It's true that things are quieting down, and you'll be able to smuggle them off to the secret human village in a few more days, but it wouldn't hurt to check again, just to be safe...)

Fluttershy tapped a hoof on the door of the Golden Oaks Library. "Um... Twilight?" she called timidly. "I really don't want to intrude, but I was wondering..." She nudged the door open, and a gust of wind blew past her.

"No, don't!" cried Twilight. Her magic glowed, catching something in the air before it could go sailing away. "Whew... Come inside and close the door, would you?" She looked over her shoulder. "Oh! Hello, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy saw Melissa and Joshua, the tiny humans no bigger than her hoof, standing on Twilight's desk safe and sound, thank goodness. Then she got a look at the equally tiny creature that Twilight was placing next to them, and gasped, rushing forward as softly as she could. "Is that... a pony?!"

The tiny pony bristled at them. It wasn't quite a pegasus... it had gossamer wings and feelers like an insect, but the rest of it very definitely pony. "As I was trying to tell your giant nosy princess, I am a breezie! My name is Seabreeze!"

The little creature was so adorable, Fluttershy wanted to grab him and hug him on the spot, but she knew it wasn't right to treat a human that way, and if breezies were the same...

"You're so small," breathed Twilight. "But you can speak and understand me clearly?"

"Your accent is quite ridiculous, but I can understand you, yes!" Seabreeze buzzed his wings, hovering inches from Twilight's muzzle. "One of your subjects has taken Twirly prisoner. I demand you help me set her free!"

Soon after that, Twilight and Fluttershy paid a royal visit to the house were Seabreeze had seen Twirly last. They brought Seabreeze, Melissa, and Joshua along in a picnic basket, which made Fluttershy cringe, though it was a convenient size.

The foal and her parents were in awe of Princess Twilight, but the foal wasn't happy at all when she found out that Twilight wanted her "pets." She grudgingly handed Twirly over, but she clutched at the third human like a favorite doll. "No, mine! Why do you want to take my pet?" Tears brimmed in the foal's eyes.

"Please, Mistress!" begged Joshua. "Can't you rescue him too?"

"He's so bruised and battered, Mistress," said Melissa. "I don't know if he'll last much longer here!"

Fluttershy took a deep breath... and laid down to look the foal in the eyes. "But don't you see, little one? This human shouldn't be a pet. He's small, like these breezies, but he talks like a pony. How is he any different from the breezies, or you or me?" She turned a pleading look on Twilight.

"Yes, how are we any different?" complained Seabreeze. "I am thinking that we should go home and tell breezies to stay far far away from big ponies, if big ponies treat us little folks this badly!"

Twilight opened her mouth... and closed it again, several times. "I think... we need to take all of these breezies and humans back to my library and have a long talk about some things."

Alex Warlorn

Anarchy smacked his lips. "Of course... then comes one of Princess Celestia's failures... to claim what she thinks was rightfully hers from the beginning, and that you stole from her."

"... The Element of Magic can dangerous in the wrong hooves."

"I wasn't talking about the magic jewelry. I meant the spot by Princess Celestia's side, her love and approval, and of course the whole becoming a princess thing... which Sunset Shimmer, ACTUALLY WANTED, and ACTUALLY ASKED FOR, opposed to good old mortal book worm you, who never wanted to be a princess, and never asked to be a princess, yet got saddled with anyway, and your beloved mentor never once asked if it was what you wanted... she's such a wonderful mare isn't she?" Anarchy laughed. And Amicitia finally saw how Anarchy and Discord were related, and she didn't mean by chaotic appearance.

"... The universe were we all have counter parts, ISN'T the human world Megan came from... humans aren't normally purple and blue. So it logically still exists on its own... And... when Princess Twilight Sparkle steps through..."

"AGGGGGH!!!! I'M A HUMAN?! How did I get so tiny?! Why is everything so tiny?!"

Amcitia continued, "And she gets to see what humans could have accomplished if ponies hadn't turned them into a pet species."

Anarchy grinned. "Do you think horses in that version of that reality are all miniature pets with another animal having been bred and raised to serve as humanity's prime beast of burden?"

"I... I don't know."

Mtangalion

The portal didn't spit Princess Twilight out in the trendy purple schoolgirl outfit that Amicitia remembered from other variant worlds. It didn't even dress her in the clothes humans wore in the world that ponies had enslaved... at least those humans had a civilization, which ponies found useful enough to leave mostly intact.

"What is this?" asked Twilight, somewhat revolted as she tugged at her clothing. "Crudely woven cloth and... is this animal leather!?" She looked at the deep, wild forest surrounding her, complete with trees that towered like Manehatten skyscrapers. "I feel like I just stepped into the paleopony era!"

She turned around to see what the other side of the portal looked like, and while she was gawking at a crude, colossal statue of a rearing horse... who in this world could have carved *that*? ... she nearly missed the enormous feline stalking her.

It was just a housecat, Twilight's rational mind tried to tell her... but this was no pampered kitty like Opalescence. This was a wild, mangy cat, wearing a leather harness, with Sunset Shimmer in human form riding on her back, as barbarically dressed as Twilight. She patted a miniature Crown of Magic in her lap and grinned darkly. "How does it feel being puny and powerless... Twilight? I hate you even more now for making me retreat back into this hell world, but hey, at least you won't suffer long."

Sunset flicked the reins, and the feline hissed and advanced. Twilight backed towards the statue, shaking... it was too far to run... and giant purple paws stamped down on either side of her.

"Leave her alone!" snarled Spike. Not a goofy purple puppy with a collar... dogs had never been domesticated and selectively bred from ancient times either on this world. Spike was a purple and green-maned wolf pup!

Sunset's cat leapt back, yowling and spitting with all her fur standing on end. "A wolf?" said Sunset, outraged. "You get a tame wolf!? Hmph, just one more undeserved, unfair advantage!" She scowled and tugged her reins hard, ordering her cat to turn and run for it.

Twilight threw her arms around Spike's ankle, hugging tight and still trembling. "Spike! If you hadn't been here... I'd have been done for!"

Spike grinned toothily. "Aw, you know you can always count on me, Twilight! It's amazing... you're really as small as the humans back home." That made Twilight freeze up, until Spike barked, "Well, come on, climb on my back! We have to catch Sunset!"

Spike made sure Twilight was secure, then howled and ran, chasing the cat's scent. A terrifying (to Twilight) high speed chase followed, dashing past and around huge trees, and through piles of fallen leaves that Twilight could have gotten completely buried in. Spike actually cornered Sunset and they would have had her, if Sunset hadn't thrown some kind of itchy powder in Spike's face so they could flee.

None of the Equestrians noticed in the heat of the chase, but the Crown fell out of Sunset's bag and was lost in the woods... until a very curious Chieftain Celestia found it. "How did the holy relic get here?" she wondered aloud, poking it with her staff before she picked it up. She shrugged. "Come, Amaterasu!"

Her white wolf padded closer, each paw-step booming and making the earth shake, from a tiny human's perspective. She knelt down so Celestia could climb back into her harness. Celestia smiled, rubbing the wolf's shoulder. "Let's get this back to Canterlot."

Alex Warlorn

Amicitia stared. "That... was unexpected... the whole idea was that Twilight would see humans if ponies hadn't lorded over them and enslaved them would have been able to build a complex and modern civilization by now... not STILL be in the stone age eons later after they'd have been discovered by ponies... This... makes things awkward. This was kinda meant to be the hammer in the coffin to get Twilight Sparkle to realize humans were sapient beings, and not pets."

"Heh, like Pony-mon Trainers treat Pony-Mon?" Anarchy said.

".... That... undermines the entire premise and tone of those game. And don't change the subject!"

Mtangalion

Twilight was quickly learning more than she'd ever wanted to know about what it was like to be human. Flutterponies were frail and helpless too, but at least they could fly and use magic! As she was now, Twilight was powerless against common wild animals, and even nature itself. Maybe the nobles were right, and humans really did need ponies taking care of them, for their own good. She and Sunset Shimmer might even be the only humans living in these woods.

And then Rainbow Dash had found her, riding on a bird of all things. Not *her* Rainbow Dash, but a human who looked like Dash, sounded like Dash, and even had the same name! This Rainbow Dash didn't know any Twilight Sparkle, but when she discovered that Twilight had 'tamed' a wolf, and a talking wolf at that, this immediately gained Twilight something close to hero worship.

More shocks followed... Flying on ahead, Rainbow and her 'giant' pidgeon guided Twilight and Spike to a human village sheltered in a cave, a village they called *Canterlot*. The stables outside the village had many more tamed birds, and cats and squirrels, and mice that were small enough to go into the village like pets... but only two other wolves. Twilight was not so surprised, now, to learn that Chieftain Celestia and Hunt Mistress Luna had been the only humans brave and daring enough to befriend them.

Duplicates of all of Twilight's friends lived here... only, they weren't friends. It didn't long to discover that Sunset Shimmer was the cause of that as well. Before she quite knew what had happened, Twilight was committed to winning a contest with Sunset to gain a mysterious holy relic... *her Crown of Magic*!

It would have been more pragmatic to explain the mix-up to this Celestia, or to devise some other plan to steal the crown back and flee. This wasn't her world... these humans weren't her pony friends... this shouldn't have been her problem.

But what about the mess she'd be leaving behind? If bringing ponies... or humans together and restoring lost and broken friendships wasn't the purpose of the *Princess* of Friendship, then what *was*?"

Far away, Amicitia felt like dancing. (Now you're getting it! This world can take away your Alicorn powers, but nothing can stop the Magic of Friendship.)

Mtangalion

Many events in the upcoming competition turned out to be things that Twilight was woefully unprepared for. There was a strategy game, a riddle contest, and a test of leading blindfolded followers through a maze... but there was also a flying obstacle course, a spear-throwing contest, and even a one on one duel!

Each of the human versions of her friends had something to teach, though. Rainbow Dash, the young warrior and fearless bird-rider. Applejack the crop-tender, who coaxed Twilight into admitting that she wasn't from this world. Fluttershy the animal-handler, who especially loved the birds but was terrified of flying on one herself. Pinkie Pie, the cook who sang songs to keep everyone in good spirits. Rarity, skilled cloth and leather-worker, elegant and precise in everything she did.

And... Flash Sentry, warrior in training and musician? Why did Twilight feel like she'd known him for years? Why did he make her heart race whenever he smiled? When had she started finding humans attractive in the first place?

As Twilight worked with each of them in turn, years-old misunderstandings were cleared up. Old friends apologized and became friends once more. When Sunset let wild mice into the village's food stores and pinned the blame on Twilight, Twilight's new friends stood by her, and even helped clean up the damage.

When the day of the competition came, Twilight tried her best, though she was no match for Sunset Shimmer in the more physical contests. How could she be, when Sunset had spent years living in this world and practicing those skills in a human body? Sunset shocked everyone by grabbing the crown from Celestia before the final results were announced, as if beating Twilight down with her own hands was all that mattered. When Sunset arrogantly put the crown on right there and then...

Disaster. The magic ran wild, transforming Sunset into a fiery winged demon. They got the crown back, thanks to some luck and Applejack's talent with a lasso, but it seemed like nothing could prevent Sunset from burning Canterlot right down to the stones and bending all the villagers and their animals to her will. The rest of the Elements were back in Equestria... what could Twilight do alone?

She shouldn't have doubted. Once again, the Elements... her friends... were right beside her.

Magic awakened... they were actually creating magic that hadn't existed in this world before. It swept up their group, physically transforming them with pony ears and manes. Applejack and Pinkie grew taller and stronger, easily able to wrestle down the villagers that Sunset transformed. Rarity began lifting objects with a wave of her hand, bring water to put out the fires. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sprouted wings and took the fight to the skies... and so did Flash Sentry?!

Why him, why now!? Why seven instead of six? Twilight couldn't even explain why... she barely knew him, but she trusted him for some reason, and so she plunged on ahead.

Twilight, the Alicorn, put on the crown that was rightly hers and got wings, strength, and levitation all once.

Out in the kennel, Spike helped the other two wolves corral all the possessed animals without hurting a single one.

And when Twilight joined hands with all her friends, she got the most dramatic proof possible that humans were creatures of honesty, laughter, loyalty, trust, kindness, and generosity... when the Rainbow of Light mended the entire village and blasted Sunset back to her normal self and her senses.

It was hard saying goodbye to everyone. Twilight urged Sunset to return with her, but the humbled Sunset insisted that she felt too guilty about all the things she'd done, that she couldn't leave until she'd made amends. Twilight thought that Sunset really just wasn't ready to face Princess Celestia again, but she gave Sunset one of the magical journals that she'd almost completely forgotten about, and let Sunset be.

Twilight climbed into a new harness and grinned, waving back as Spike the wolf trotted briskly away from the village. "Let's go home, Spike! I know *exactly* what I'm going to present at the Princess Summit now."

Alex Warlorn

Amicitia breathed in a sigh of relief. "Well, at least that turned out well, that was harder than it should have been."

Anarchy grumbled. "Ah, no toppled government?"

"Not every great social change needs to have a government fall. I'm sure Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends can get humans now to stop being treated as property with the Breezies and one of the Princesses on their side."

"You think it's going to be easy?"

"No. But I do think that ponies can solve their problems without bloodshed."

Alex Warlorn

I am Princess Amicitia. More simply, Twilight Sparkle. I've been criticized by more than one by my post-ascension Alicorn relatives, as well my draconequus 'in-laws', that I just want quick and easy solutions. That I just want to bully universes into what I want still. That I don't really care about, nor even respect the worlds that I try to steer towards a happier conclusion.

I wish that were true.

This worldline, it's not infamous like some worldlines. But it still massive, still powerful and still gives out a terrible presence.

I wish I could just 'reveal' there was an illusion behind the illusion and that the rest of the universe besides Equus wasn't dead. But it's a fundamental law of reality in this universe, it's a matter of the physical and magical rules of this reality, not of ponies' choices.

There's also the unique creature here, two in fact, visitors from other universes. Both of them basically puppets and mouthpieces for the Shadow Who Makes who brought this worldline into existence in the first place. Able to brute force and bully their way through several events, and of course, lecture Princess Celestia like no tomorrow once they have 'had enough.' It doesn't matter the visitor who was supposed to be good had done nothing to actually earn trust with their brutish self-righteous actions, and in fact had done the opposite with many said actions. Let alone the sickening pattern I've seen across countless world lines, 'she did a bad thing, but it turned out for the best, so let's just ignore that.' (Yes I am fully aware of the irony thank you very much).

I think of trying to give ponies the spine to call her out for her actions, but it wouldn't change anything. Her TRUE creator would just give her more power, more might, and browbeat those who'd dare stand up to her verbally even worse as punishment. After all, for beings like her, their creator has put so many of their own traits and beliefs into her, that for her to be insulted, is to insult the creator, and there is nothing more futile than to try to ague with a creator within their own domain.

I am Princess Amicitia. More simply, Twilight Sparkle. I've been accused by members of my family that all I want are quick and neat little solutions, that I'll do anything to bully a timeline to be the way I want, instead of what's best for those who inhabit it. I wish that were true.

Mtangalion

Amicitia remained there brooding for some while, idly tracing the flows of magic around the Gate of Myriad Worlds. No matter how much time she spent studying this Equestria, the last shining jewel of a cold, dead universe, there were no easy answers.

Unexpectedly, a presence touched her, faint but drawing nearer. "This isn't good," she murmured to herself. "This world was nearly destroyed by an extra-dimensional intruder. Anyone might see me and assume the worst." Her ears flicked. "What if that wolf came back?!"

Amicitia braced herself, watching shadows lengthen and pool together, rising into a fearsome silhouette... not *that* wolf, but another, one with stark white fur and a long, flowing mane. Recognition came, startling her. "This world has a Blank Wolf?"

The wolf bowed respectfully. Golden eyes regarded her. "Not that I am aware," he rumbled. "This is not my world... nor yours, I think." He lifted a hand-paw and flexed the long digits one by one. "I've never quite gotten used to the sort of paws wolves have in some worlds."

Amicitia approached cautiously. At least he wasn't shouting, 'Die, infection!' at her. "You.... you're one of the Blank Wolves who was befriended by an Element of Honesty. You're male. I guess that makes you... Snow Bound?"

Snow Bound grinned, fangs glinting. "And you are the Time Devourer, reborn as Amicitia the Great Meddler, who puts her hooves into the business of every world except the one she is actually responsible for. Or, so wolves say."

The Alicorn grimaced. "What are you even doing here?"

"I could ask the same." Snow Bound flicked his fluffy tail, glancing down at the same world she'd been watching. "But for my part, duty can be deferred, and now I have my brother to help. I've been curious, lately, about the place of wolf-kind in the wider web of Fate, what they are, those who are not Blank Wolves. This is one of the worlds Mother suggested. I admit, viewing its history... seeing what that other wolf did gave me pause. Have I not also been high-pawed, enacting my judgments as I will and cuffing aside all opposition with sheer brute strength?"

"That's not the same at all!" said Amicitia. "I never thought I'd be saying this, but that's your *job*. You're divinely appointed to do what you do. You're not some rookie, thinking that power alone gives you the right to judge everyone and do as you please." She sighed. "She did save that world, and she did admit to her mistakes in the end, but those mistakes nearly cost that world everything."

"So it would seem," mused Snow Bound, still a bit lost in his own thoughts.

"Being a powerful wolf doesn't make you her," said Amicitia. "Otherwise, you'd be tearing into me for every one of *my* mistakes, and Fauna Luster knows I've made plenty." She smiled. "Well? Got any more wise, superior advice for me?"

Snow Bound matched that smile, hiding the fangs this time. "I think I will fall back on The Rules, here. You are not of my world, and I will not judge. I have not the right."

The wolf dipped a paw into the raw aether surrounding them, and drew out swirls of magic which rose and took forms of wolves and ponies. Snow Bound and Blanky, big brother and little brother. By his side, Applejack and Apple Bloom, sister Alicorns, with Applejack casting the long shadow of the Opaque Wolf. Sweetie Belle trotting by his other side, and Scootaloo and Button. Even Twilight Sparkle the unicorn appeared, with a whole checklist of prioritized questions, waiting for the day when Snow Bound the earth pony stallion might come to her library door again.

Snow Bound nodded firmly. "I am power given purpose, the Editor, never the Author. The only story I lay claim to... is my own. I suppose that would be my advice to you. Do not become so absorbed in your self-appointed mission that you forget the ones close to you, the lives you've changed with your own hooves."

Amicitia turned that over in her head thoughtfully. "I wonder... is that Wolf Bar open?"

Snow Bound arched a brow. "I don't think it ever closes. Why?"

Ardashir

Time passed, and Amicitia set her cares and duties aside briefly.

Amicitia, now in wolf form, was howling her way through another old wolf song when a light blue she-wolf with silvery guard hairs and tail loped in. Amicitia gave an embarrassed tongue-lolling lupine grin when the newcomer spoke.

"Amicitia! So!" She grinned, showing gleaming fangs. "This is what you do with your time! Anasi will remember it the next time you criticize her for allowing her mortal worshipers to bathe her with cream and shower her with lilies on that one world."

The Black Wolf blinked. "What is she talking about?"

"It's, well," Amicitia cringed a bit. "It's kind of a long story."

In the past, on a world far, far away

"ANASI!"

"Hmm, what?" Anasi lazily opened one eye. The temple maidens about her cringed back against their visiting goddess. Anasi set her wings comfortingly over them as the angry-looking pink and purple alicorn scowled down at her. "Oh, greetings, Amicitia. What is the problem? Anasi is taking a brief break from her duties."

"A 'brief' break?" Amicitia shook her head. "Sis, it's been twelve years! You were supposed to be helping Liberalis and Ryujin Spike with the problems on their world, not," Amicitia snorted at the servants who'd just entered the chamber, bearing heavy vases. "Not getting bathed in cream and rubbed down every day!" The servants gaped and fled, dropping the vases. Anasi's horn glowed and she snatched them up before they hit the floor.

"Anarchy advised Anasi to 'take it easy' for a while, and she agreed," Anasi rose with a sniff. "And she has NOT been wasting her time! I have made sure these mortals have good crops and safety to harvest them in, and have encouraged the arts among them!" She nodded at the wall. It was covered in paintings and tapestries and statuary, all of them depicting Anasi performing wonders and defeating monsters. In many of them a lesser, somewhat silly-looking purple alicorn functioned as her comic sidekick.

Amicitia scowled. Anasi just grinned sheepishly.

"Anasi, no other alicorn ever turns aside from their duties to cater to their ego!"

"Indeed?" Anasi sniffed.

Mtangalion

Amicitia caught herself scratching an itchy shoulder with her hind-paw before she realized what she was doing. Worse, Anasi caught her doing it too, tail wagging. Snow Bound, the smallest wolf at the table for once, didn't seem to care... he scratched at an itchy spot of his own and licked it, as if that sort of thing was as contagious as yawning.

"You're certainly keeping interesting company these days," said Anasi, winking at Snow Bound. "Handsome, too. Oh! Anasi hasn't interrupted a date, has she?"

Amicitia coughed loudly, before Snow could open his muzzle and make this more embarrassing. "So what brings you here, Trixie?"

One of the spirit wolves brought a tray to their table and set a cider in front of each of them. Anasi blinked at hers, then tapped a claw on her chin and cast a spell by waving a glowing forepaw over the cup. "Anasi did not order a cider spiked with liquid rainbow. Indeed, she does not recall ordering drinks at all! "Please bring her another."

Snow Bound sniffed at his own cup, then growled, lifting a paw... only to sigh and put it back down. Indeed, the bar had a prominent sign which read "Please, don't erase glasses, furniture, or customers." The 'please' was underlined, and there was a cute wolf pawprint in the corner.

Amicitia raised a brow, then glanced left and right. "Somewolf is playing tricks? On *you*?"

Anasi closed her eyes, breathing deep. "Oh yes, and he's close. I can feel the adoration." She leaned closer. "Tell me, have you heard of... Diamond Wolves?"

"Diamond Wolves?" Amicitia scratched her headfur with her claws, then began to recite out of the encyclopedia that was her memory. "Diamond Wolves are an offshoot of Diamond Dogs, found living in the snowy northern wastes in many variants of Equestria. They possess the same innate digging ability and are also able to cast spells, with affinities for Earth, Ice, and Dark."

Anasi nodded. "You'd know best about that."

"They are also known for..." Amicitia trailed off.

Anasi grinned wolfishly. "Go on."

Amicitia suddenly saw where this was going. "Making overcomplicated plans and schemes, with a particular love of pranks and trickery. Let me guess... they've been worshiping you?"

Anasi seemed at once tired and smug. "By name. 'Great Anasi, inspire me with perfect scheme to show up my rival pack!' 'Anasi, help me get even with Iosef for getting even with me!' 'Anasi dang it, I dropped big rock on my paw!' On and on and on..." She shrugged her shoulders. "Anasi was quite confused at first. She thought that wolves were solidly in Fate's domain."

Snow Bound lifted a claw. "Blank Wolves, yes. Others, less so, even though the Rota Fortuna who runs this bar is called the Wolf Queen."

"That's good," said Anasi. "I don't want all my schemes becoming destined to fail." She laughed weakly. "Ahem. They're eager to please, and they definitely do things in the spirit of me, so I empowered some of my favorites, to see if they'd make good spirit wolves, or angels or what not." She sighed. "I just can't figure out how my name got spread around to all those worlds so quickly.

Prince Erik answered a loud knocking on his door, muttering loudly, and found an eager young Diamond Wolf on the other side, grinning far too broadly for this early in the morning. "What!?"

The visitor wagged her tail. "I come bearing the great and powerful words of Anasi! You want pamphlet?"

"No," growled Erik, slamming the door.

The other wolf shouted through the closed door. "But Anasi can help you outdo Crystal ponies and get back at dumb yaks!"

Erik paused, then twirled a claw in the air, magically opening the door again. "Let me see that." The pamphlet had a large color photo of a blue and silver Dire Wolf...

A Diamond Wolf trotted up to their table, a camera around his neck. "Say 'great and powerful!'"

Instantly, Anasi was standing up tall and grinning proudly, wearing a flash-conjured hat and billowing cloak, perfectly sized to her wolf form. "Did somewolf say..." She bared her fangs. "Great and Powerful?"

The other wolf snapped a photo. Amicitia smiled at Snow Bound, and Snow rolled his eyes.

Ardashir

"GRRRRR."

Every wolf and alicorn in the Wolf Bar froze as a savage growl echoed through the room. Anasi and Amicitia turned to look -- and found themselves muzzle to muzzle with an utterly gigantic wolf, one big enough to match some elder dragons in size.

"Fenris!" Anasi yipped. "Ah, Great Father of Wolves? I hope you have no problem with Anasi's minor wolf cult?" He bristled at her. Anasi gulped, set her side against Amicitia's, and said, "Fenris? The child of Strife as Concept of Predation, that Fenris? Oh, good, maybe you can tell those wolves to praise Anasi more and take her name in vain less. No, they aren't minding me at all. I'm sneakiness incarnate, not a rival alpha, so don't you get your fur all fluffed up at me."

"GRRRRR." He repeated the growl, glaring at Anasi. She swiftly ducked behind Amicitia as the huge wolf said, "So I finally find the false Dire Wolf that is stealing my Diamond Wolves from me. Now I'll teach you the same lesson I once taught Celestia and Luna when they interfered with me." His jaws opened, looking like a crimson cave big enough for an alicorn to walk into lined with fangs.

"Wait!" Amicitia winced as a blast of foul air, reeking of meat, washed over her. "Great Fenris, this place is for the Blank Wolves and Concepts! You have no business being here."

"Oh yes he does," another she-Dire Wolf said, looking both lovely (by Wolf standards) and fierce as she walked out from behind the massive Fenris. "He's the Lord of Wolves, Eater of the Sun and Moon, Avenger of Betrayal -- he remembers how he was bound, and by who -- and Endless Hunger." She nuzzled the great wolf. "He's also one of my children."

"Thank you, Angrboda, Mother Strife," Fenris said. "Thank you for bringing me to my enemy," he bared his fangs at the shivering Anasi, "that I may avenge the insult she has set upon me!" He looked at her, big enough for a reflection of Anasi to show in one massive eye. "I will devour her whole and remove her pony taint from my Diamond Wolves!"

"Amicitia?" Anasi hissed as the other Wolves in the bar cleared away, watching intently as Fenris towered over the two wolf-suited alicorns, hungrily licking his fangs. "If you have any good ideas, Anasi would appreciate hearing them now!"

Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile a slimly green and black wolf with Egyptian tattoos and a mass of tentacles for a 'head' said, "Now I'm conflicted, do I want to see Amicitia humiliated by anyone but me?"

Mtangalion

Amicitia felt a jab of fear. What was she doing, prey, in this den of hungry wolves? She lifted a hoof... and it *was* a hoof, hidden in the cloth and felt of her magical costume.

"Why are we wearing wolf suits?" hissed Anasi urgently. "Anasi definitely remembers transforming into a Dire Wolf before coming here!"

"You haven't earned that!" roared Fenris. Surely, the Wolf Bar hadn't been big enough for the father of wolves to so much as get his head in the door, but now it was a cavernous feast-hall, as if the space had simply stretched around him. His muzzle curled in another fang-filled grin. "So I took it from you."

Snow Bound growled, stepping in between them. "Lord Fenris, they meant no..." Fenris merely stood tall and stared the Blank Wolf down, and Snow Bound immediately bowed and pressed himself to the wooden floor, even whimpering and rolling onto his side.

"Our hero," snarked Anasi, until another glare from Fenris left her quivering in fear too much to speak.

There was a shift in the Wolf Bar's atmosphere as yet another deity arrived. A large grey Dire Wolf with a deep scar on one side of her face was sitting in her usual place... Rota Fortuna the Wolf Queen. The Blank Wolves flickered, gathering near and nuzzling her, just as the powerful spirits raised from mortal wolves gathered around Fenris and Angrboda. "Such anger," Fate growled. "Who got him all riled up this time?" She noted Amicitia and Anasi. "Oh."

"Rota Fortuna, thank goodness you're here!" said Amicitia. "There's been a little misunderstanding."

The Wolf Queen stared at her, then threw back her head and barked with laughter. The ears of Amicitia's costume drooped, mirroring her pony ears. "Little Meddler," growled the Wolf Queen, "you will learn what it means to be a wolf, just as Celestia and Luna and even I myself learned. Or not. That is your choice."

Fenris lifted a huge, heavy paw, jabbing a claw towards Anasi. "This one does not get to choose. Trickery stole from me. She will become worthy of what she took, or it will be taken from *her*."

Strife spoke, "You may decline this trial, Amicitia, but if you do, you will *never* wear a wolf's flesh and fur again."

And Rota Fortuna growled to Snow Bound, "Pup, wolf of Law, you wished to know more about wolves of Fury. You may learn. Be assured, this will not affect your fitness to do your duty as a Blank Wolf."

Anasi, Amicitia, and Snow Bound all looked at each other, but they remained standing together.

"So be it," growled Fenris. He lunged with impossible speed, jaws snapping closed around all three of them...

In a deep forest, on a wild and untamed world in a time unknown, a wolf nuzzled his mate proudly, grinning down with her at the three blind and squirming wolf pups pawing at her belly... one purple, one blue and silver, and the third snowy white.

A gruff voice seemed to speak from a presence filling the red, stormy sky. "Drink, and grow strong. Breath, and know the scents of your brothers and sisters. The pack is your life and death."

The wolf pups, older now, growled and pounced and snapped at each other, playing. Other wolves brought meat, feasting as they wished before giving the pups a share.

"Test your strength," growled the voice from before. "Learn to fight! These are your life and death. Eat your fill, and honor the lives that were taken for you." Thunder rumbled... the wolves froze, then howled hauntingly.

Time spun on and spun for the wolf pack and the new pups, but what was time to a Concept?

Alex Warlorn

"Now for your trial Ferris."

"Wait-WHAT-, who said-" He was hit in the face with a cream pie.

(In The Breezie Kingdom)

"It's a girl!" Said a proud father as he held up his newborn for the entire swarm to see outside of the flower they called their home.

"YAAAAY!" The swarm of breezies cheered in the garden/town (same thing to a breezie) of Breezie Blossom.

The newborn breezie just lazily yawned and she was hoofed back to her mother. Breezes were generally considered the weakest of the weak, but they didn't mean they didn't have their pride as gardeners and put most earth ponies to shame and sensitivity to magic that would awe unicorns.

Mtangalion

Angrboda growled deeply, making dishes and cups rattle on tables. "Really, my sister? Really?"

Pandora gave her a loopy grin, standing on top of a table. Her wolf form was a motley mutt, a draconequus-like pastiche of at least ten different dog and wolf breeds. "Fenris is a good boy, but he's way too serious, sis!" She took the backup pie she'd conjured in case the first missed, and bit a huge chunk out of it, tail wagging. "Mmmf! Want some?"

Angrboda sighed grimly. "This is why we stopped inviting you to the celestial wolfpack howls... Bragi."

Pandora razzed her. "Aw, and I thought it was because I wouldn't wear that stupid hat. Look, Fenris made his trial world way too grim and gritty! Might as well put out a *welcome mat* for old Pyramid Butt. Now, here's my ideas for spicing things up..."

Amicitia and Anasi weren't like other wolves.

Each of them had a bright patch of fur on her forehead, shaped like a star. The sages had never seen anything like it. Wolves muttered and whispered, but it seemed harmless. As the first litters they raised came of age and began siring cubs of their own, though, and other wolves their age became old and grey, Amicitia and Anasi stayed young and strong, and kept growing stronger. Their beloved brother Snow passed on, but the sisters continued, and wolves began to be in awe of them, to follow them.

Amicitia dreamed of making peace between all the wolf packs, of allying with the mysterious sea ponies, of ending skirmishes and raids and rivalries and helping wolves stand strong together against the cruel griffons and the marauding centaurs.

It seemed easy, destiny almost. The immortal sisters continue to grow until they stood half again as large as any other wolf, and magic stirred in them... they could do things that sages and wizards who'd studied their whole lives could not. More and more wolf packs joined Amicitia's cause.

Sadly, Anasi grew to mistrust her sister. She missed the wild world of their youth, and loved tricks and schemes, not peace. She took her loyal pack and departed. Amicitia would not see her sister again for over a century.

Amicitia struggled ever onward, though, and on the day the wolf clans gathered to proclaim the first grand alliance of packs and name her queen... a miracle occurred. The heavens seemed to open before Amicitia, and suddenly she knew that there was a much wider world beyond this one, and she and Anasi were *not* the only Dire Wolves. Her mane became like a flowing aurora, rich purple and blue flecked with silver, and wolves howled their approval all the more.

Amicitia's first awakened thought was that someday, probably thousands of years from now, she needed to find Celestia, have a few ciders with her, and compare notes.

Her second thought was that wolves hadn't invented anything resembling cider yet. She'd have to fix that. First things first. "My little wolves," she growled, "I am humbled and honored by the trust you've placed in me! A new era begins *today* for wolves... an era of Friendship."

Alex Warlorn

"So that doesn't count as a mortal life after all." Pandora noted. "Since the whole bang POINT of a mortal life is to be born like a mortal, live like one, and die like one with only awakening AFTER you die. Like the time Celly was born as a mundane horse on the human world. And even if she became a divine beast, she shouldn't have remembered her divine self until after her death. Ferris seems to be doing good at least."

-

"Whose my cutest widdle baby ever?!" Oceanbreeze cooed at her absolutely adorable daughter.

"Aw wuv you too mommy!" Fern Gully answered back.

For little Fern Gully, Breezie Blossom was the entire universe. She didn't think about, nor even comprehend that there might be something beyond those bright colorful woods that surrounded her swarm's garden. And why would she care? She had friends, she had family, and to the breezies, work and play were one and the same, they were hardwired to enjoy their helping life grow. She even had a pet ladybug, creativity named 'Lady Bug'. What more could she possible need or desire? It was always spring in Breezie Blossom.

None where surprised when Fern Gully got her cutie mark in flower arrangement. Her patterns were always so beautiful, and the flowers liked them too.

Mtangalion

"You've ruined it," rumbled Strife, sounding more disappointed than angry now. "How can they learn of the struggle to survive which is a Wolf, if they are immortal?"

"I didn't do *that!*" snapped Pandora.

"Of course you must have," muttered Strife. "Always with your flights of fancy, never pausing to consider the consequence..."

The argument trailed off. A dozen wolves winced in unison, Strife especially... nearly half of the bar seemed to have gathered around to watch.

"Our proud wolf father..." whimpered a Blank Wolf. "He's cute and adorable!"

"And singing a happy song!" cried one of the spirit wolves.

"About morning dewdrops!" wailed another.

A Big Mac who had become the Opaque Wolf of his world growled, rolling his eyes. "Yer acting like a bunch of overgrown puppies. My Rainbow Dash tried to die when anypony got near her with a hoofacure file, and even she was tougher than whole bunch of ya."

Over in her corner, Rota Fortuna had a paw over her muzzle, barely holding back her gales of laughter.

The door of the Wolf Bar banged open, and Snow Bound padded inside, looking scruffier and more muscular than before. He went straight to the bar, ordered a large cup of cider, and stared at it without drinking it. Unlike Amicitia and Anasi, he *had* come back with a whole lifetime of mortal memories to think over.

And in a deep and dark corner of that wolf world, grim darkness stirred in the form of a monstrous Barghest. "That's better," he spoke, in a sickening, squelching growl. "One mortal lifetime isn't nearly enough for all the fun I have in mind."

Alex Warlorn

Anarchy sat on his rear, playing Pony-mon Go while somehow remaining stationary. "If you ask ME, not that anyone is, I think you dumb mutts have been vying for way too much attention lately. What about Starlight The First and her friends? And for Entropy's Sake, there's MORE in the world than dang wolves! At least Pandora's 1000 monkeys and their 1000 type writers occasionally churn out a silly sentence or two."

"Your domain is full of nothing both sloths!"

"Not true, I also have ant-eaters, echidna, snails, slugs, moles, gofers, fire-bugs, and turkeys too. I get why old Frankie thought they'd make a great national bird! Oh, and the rain and drowning thing? Total myth. Hey, why don't we have cosmic BEAVERS for a while trouble shoot paradoxes?"

"... You wouldn't dare."

"You forget who my little brother is? Oh. And grim and gritty might be up to something, but then again, he alway is. How's Anasi doin' BTW?"

"... Looks she's establishing the foundations of a benign theocracy."

"So like the first Babylonians."

"Anasi's pack is absorbing factions as well, except hers is based on spiritual and philosophical growth."

"So the night to Amicitia's day eh? Heh! Doesn't THAT sound familiar."

"And Fern Gully was just told by her elders that there is more to the world just Breezie Blossom."

Mtangalion

Anarchy yawned. "You also might want to know, Pandora rounded up Firejack and her whole pack, and they're recording the new My Little Wolfy theme song. So, good luck. Ugh, this sucks... I don't wanna have to design my wolf form."

He glanced up at the fifth and a half wall that he'd never gotten around to finishing. "Oh yeah... who am I talking to again?"

In the All-Worlds Alicorn Bar next door, Deus ex Machina gulped the last of her cider, then thumped the glass down. "Sempai is so brave, going into that savage world all alone with just her two friends!" She clenched a hoof. "Why, oh why didn't sempai invite me? I want to be a cute wolf too, and she'll be away for so long!"

Deconstruction took a gulp of her definitely not alcoholic cider. "Actually, she'll be back before ya know it, due to time and space being relative between different dimensions and all."

At a nearby table, Kronos sneezed so hard his fez fell off, and a Derpy with wings and a horn smiled and offered him a tissue.

"She'll be away for Ever! So! Long!" repeated Deus. "But it's okay. I know there has to be a reason! And the reason is... she wanted me to carry on her work of troubleshooting grim worlds!" She pulled a sparkly cardboard Crown of Magic from underneath the table and jammed it on her head.

Darker and Edgier snerked, trying to cram the giggles back in her muzzle with a hoof, then burst out laughing. She was a deep blue thestral with exaggerated 'cool' vampire fangs, eyes an unnaturally vivid shade of red, and a jagged mane with seven distinct bands of color. "Bwa-hah! Oh sure. Cause *that's* not going to be a total disaster."

Reconstruction sniffed, sipping from her wine glass. "Really, Rainbow Dash. Sometimes, I believe that your Alicorn name should have been Sarcasm."

Darker smirked, leaning across the table. "Gee, why would anypony ever think that?"

Lighter and Softer bounced in her seat. "If she's really going... ooh, then I could go with her!" In contrast to Deconstruction, who resembled an earth horse, the pink Alicorn looked like a living plush toy.

"Better her than me," said Darker. She kicked back, putting her rear hooves on the table. "Heck, if I even saw that jerk Nythy, I'd say 'Screw the rules! I'm gonna beat his face in right now!'"

"Language!" Aesop took a dainty sip of water, then shoved Darker's hooves off the table. "That would be really, *really* naughty of you, and I'd be terribly disappointed..." She added sweetly, "If I didn't know know you were just kidding with us again."

Darker laughed nervously, sinking lower in her seat.

Deus squealed with glee. "It's settled, then! I'll find the toughest, nastiest dark world there is and fix it right up! Sempai will be so impressed!"

Focus gently pushed her back down into her chair with a purple scaly paw. "Or," said the Ryujin brightly, "you could start out with a world that's only gone a little wrong, that you know you can handle without messing up."

Deus grinned sheepishly. "Or I could do that."

Alex Warlorn

'Now I know how Celestia feels,' Amicitia thought, as the idea of looking over her wolves until the 'cosmic cows returned' and raising them to greatness in what was SUPPOSED to be a simple mortal life of being born, living, and dying, was very very jarring. She hoped Ansai didn't have to endure this too.

It had been centuries since she heard from her, hopefully she'd grown old and died of old age... no wait, that was cruel, since that would mean she died never reconciling WITH HER OWN SISTER! Dammit.

And she knew how Celestia felt about having to sneak about in disguise just to get some normal time about.

And so she overheard two wolves chatting.

"So in my story, a best friend is told by their friend to visit a concert they're performing at... but they came late, and aren't allowed in, making her think she didn't show for the most important night of her life, ruining their friendship, it's a tragedy.

".... BUT THEN she gains super-strength and blasts a hole right through the wall and declaring her undying friendship for her friend!"

"... And disrupts the whole concert? The very event that was so important to her friend to begin with? Making things worse?"

"Uh, oops."

'I am Octavia!' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZvGGGHekU4

'Deus! Ex! Machina! And here I am trapped on the mortal plane while she quick fixes events into the ground for eternity! I owe Celestia a thank you for putting up with ponies as long as she has.'

Alex Warlorn

-1000 Years Later-

"Well. That was a thing," Trixie said.

"Fate seems to like things repeating themselves across realities," Twilight said.

"I've taken a hundred showers and I still don't feel clean."

"Well... as the goddess of Trickery, Illusion, and Theater... I guess I should have been able to see that you'd be able to turn the tables on the crawling chaos and pretend to be manipulated by him into attacking your own sister, meaning ME, and then have you and your army blast him into oblivion, clearing our world of him... but did you have to zap me so hard?"

"... Sorry."

-

"Can we hit the fast forward button already? This whole wolves thing has really overstayed its welcome," Anarchy said. "And why is it always wolves? Why not turtles, lions, or sangheili?"

"I do think we've gotten rather off track," Pandora admitted reluctantly.

Author's Note

Number eight of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

Parts Added:
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Mtangalion (with a bit by me at the end)
whitebearboy
MtangaLion (Continuing with The Equine Masters...)
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Ardashir
Mtangalion
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn

Amiticia's rules:
1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

The Ultimate GrimDark World

Mtangalion

A ominously quiet presence filled the Wolf Bar, making wolves spill their drinks or dive under tables, whimpering. Fenris had returned.

The wolf father narrowed his eyes. "I will not be mocked in my own hall. All of you other Concepts, get out."

When the echo of the doors slamming died down, he lifted up a tiny card on single toe-pad. It held a magical photograph of a whole extended family of breezies, with beautiful hearts and flowers drawn in the margins, and scrawled across the top: "We love you, Fern Gully! We'll miss you so much."

Fenris growled deeply, sprawling out and resting his head on his forepaws. "The rest of you... drinks are on me tonight."

Outside, Amicitia headed for the Alicorn bar at a brisk pace. "Sorry about rushing off... I need to give Deus a piece of my mind."

Anasi grinned. "This could be amusing. Anasi believes that she will tag along."

Both of them were brought up short by a face that they'd nearly forgotten. Snow Bound, the long ago mortal brother of two Wolf Queens, lost to history. Without another word, they rushed towards one another and hugged, not caring who might see.

Just this once.

Alex Warlorn

Deus Ex Machina said, "I'm surprised Applejack, you actually LIKED Pinkie Pie being evil and crazy was because of a parasprite larva in her head?"

Deconstruction shrugged. "Pinkie Pie was BEHAVING in character, but she wasn't ACTING in character. There's more to a pony's behavior than just how they act. It's what they DO! Therefore, unless this was a completely different Pinkie Pie with a completely different past, at which point she isn't even really Pinkie Pie anymore, there had to be somethin' twistin' her around."

Ardashir

"Bah!" Deus and Deconstruction blinked and looked around at the sound of that shrill high-pitched voice. "Down here, you fool alicorns!"

Both of them looked down to see a slimy black and green Parasprite, grinning at them.

"Nyarlathotrot?"

"Who else?" The Father of Grimdark sneered. "Me ruin Pinkie Pie? HAH! I showed the TRUTH about her, that's all! Amicitia was just jealous that one of MY ideas became so popular with the Shadows! Like what I did with Blueblood and the rest of Equestria's nobles in that one world." He showed them and laughed evilly as both turned away gagging. "Ha! I'm a genius! You puny creatures will never stop all my magnificent works! Everypony WANTS to believe that only a madmare or moron could be as sickeningly happy as that pink abomination, so I just gave everyone what they want --"

He froze as a shadow fell over him, promptly followed by a glass jar.

"So that's where you got off to, you nasty little McNasty, you!" Princess Thalia picked the jar back up, ignoring Nyarlathotrot's curses. "No more getting into pony's brains for you!"

She smiled at Deus and Deconstruction. "You can go and tell Amicitia that she can fix more of his damage now. That and I think she and Anasi were cute little wolf puppies."

The other two alicorns left. Nyarlathotrot gulped as Thalia smiled widely at him.

"Now, how do I keep YOU out of troublemaking?"

Alex Warlorn

"Go ahead, there's nine hundred-ninety-nine of me where I came from!" The parasprite snorted. "Besides, you're about have to bigger problems."

Amicitia stormed in, startling Thalia, and making her drop the jar.

Wolfram-and-Hart

The jar shattered and the parasprite flew out.

"HAHA! Fools! Nothing can stop the horrors and tragedy I unleash you'll all... Where's the music coming from and AAAAAH, WHAT'S HAPPENING!"

The sound of 1000 one-mare bands playing in unison overwhelmed the parasprite avatar's nervous system. Thalia knew from her youth the best way to deal with parasprites, and it worked even if said parasprite was an avatar of pure evil. She smiled as she and countless versions of herself played the most cheerful music they could think of, leaving the embodiment of grim darkness unable to resist dancing to the beat of one heartwarming song after another.

"AAAAARGH! THE OPTIMISM! THE CHEERFULNESS! THE SAPPY, SACCHARINE, SICKLY SWEETNESS OF IT ALL! IT'S UNBEARABLE! AZATHORSE, UNCLE HAVOC, SHADOWS WHO MAKE, SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP!"

"Keep it up, everypony! After we finish this chorus of "Giggle At The Ghosties" we'll move on to "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", "Walkin' On Sunshine", and then "Let It Go"!

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Alex Warlorn

"Heeyyyy, Thalia! Remember all the fun I had as THIS?" And he turns into Cupcakes Pinkamena, necklace of horns, cutie mark cloak, and all. "Remember how many nightmares I gave you?"

Princess Thalia gave him one look and said, "Okay, girls, It's A Small World After All For the next fifteen hours!"

"AGH! And you call me evil!"

"... You have it coming," Princess Anasi said.

"Maybe so! But what Deus Ex Machina was being an idiot, I completed my masterpiece!"

"I was being a what now?" Deus Ex Machina asked.

Mtangalion

The barrage of cheerful tunes made Amicitia wince, folding her ears. "Oy! I'll never complain about 'A Pirate's Life' again."

"You heard me," said Nyarlathotrot, mocking Deus. "While you were being an idiot..." He buzzed towards Amicitia. "And you were playing wolf princess, I've been crafting my chosen world into a work of art! A festering cesspool for the ages! Why, I even considered hanging one of those 'Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair' signs. Except that the sign wouldn't be ironic... which actually would be ironic!"

Amicitia fumed at the avatar of Grim Darkness, teeth gritted. "Don't make me turn back into a wolf and bite your head off."

Aesop gasped, scandalized. "You wouldn't!"

Anasi grinned. "She would."

"I... wouldn't," conceded Amicitia. "But I'm going to enjoy fantasizing about it!"

Nyarlathotrot tisked. "Is that the lesson you learned on your little adventure? Answer a challenge with superior force? Do tell me how that works out for you!"

Jmcdavid

Thalia said, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but you have forced my hoof."

Nyarlathotrot said, "Whatever sickeningly cute song you have, I can take it."

Taking a deep breath, Thalia started singing, "I love you, you love me..."

The Crawling Chaos screamed, "NOOOOO!!! Anything but that!"

Kendell2

Inspired by this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRKnF2lV-5M Which I feel deserves PLENTY of attention. (Warning, Undertale True Pacifist ending spoilers!

Also seemed like a universe Amicitia WOULD make.

Amicita glared at the little aspect of grim dark. "You're right."

She looked to Deus. "We WILL be talking about this, in private. Later," she stated, then did something far more effective against Nyarlathotrot than any threat of violence could ever do. She turned and walked away.

"Wait, what?!" the little avatar asked. "Come back here!"

There ARE parts of Nyarlathotrot more complex than just 'I do evil things'. There are parts that get along pretty well with Deus' Rainbow Dash. But that particular Avatar was born from one of his most infamous stories, a story who's Shadow made it solely to get a reaction. As such, I realized if there was one thing it couldn't stand, it was being ignored. It WANTED to be hated.

I WOULD focus on his masterpiece soon enough...but I'd taken a 'break' and I knew THAT one would take a lot of time and effort to fix. I had a 'backlog' I needed to be dealt with and serious planning to be done.

That and if I had to see it while ALREADY furious about Deus' mischief and Nyarlathotrot's actions wouldn't go well. I had to refocus myself first.

...Havoc's gift made me realize something else as well. In most of the happy endings I'd given to the timelines Eclipse created...those Eclipses got separated from their friends as well. Some ended up like me, others ended up all being imprisoned or Eclipse being imprisoned while the others were purified...so many ways it ended with her separated...worse yet...there was one person she almost never made up with. While some got lucky and many of them never made those friends to begin with...there was something I needed to do. And there was only one pony who had the connection to do it.

In some universes, I guided Discord to do the one thing he could do to save 'Queen Apple Pie' and atone for his crimes...in those universes Eclipse and her gallery would get arrested and imprisoned...But there is another way it played out.

Apple Pie managed to give him a chance to 'reform' (I honestly don't know if he had or not before then. Maybe this was the line where he genuinely did for the first time) and he restored all of us to our old selves willingly, even managing to mellow out Fluttercruel (yes, Apple Pie FORGAVE HER for killing her twin sister)...Eclipse didn't like that...and when she came and tried to force things to go 'as they should', Discord, as he had with the Valeyard in several timelines and Odyne in the final timeline, gave his, Destruction's, and Havoc's avatar's power to her...It wasn't enough...but...

Twilight watched as Eclipse and Apple Pie battled it out, the now Titan of a filly doing her best. They'd tried to interfere repeatedly, but those Nightmares of hers kept interfering and blocking them.

Apple Pie gave a cry of pain as she was knocked into the castle itself. She had Discord's wings and front limbs, his eyes as well. She was bleeding badly as Eclipse charged a powerful beam. "Good bye," Eclipse said with a smirk.

"This can't end this way..." Twilight muttered. She tried to teleport...but found Eclipse jamming it.

*Eclipse won't kill you.*

'I know that, but she WILL kill Apple Pie!'

*So what won't she do to kill her?*

Twilight gasped in realization. She couldn't teleport...but she could do something else. She began charging her horn.

Eclipse let loose her beam on the little filly, causing a huge explosion. "Now that that distraction is done wi-" the Nightmare was interrupted by a purple magic beam erupting out and colliding with her chest, blasting her back. "WHAT?!"

"Now now, don't go countin'/counting yer/your chickens before they hatch!"

Eclipse's eyes went wide as the smoke cleared...and revealed Apple Pie unharmed and surrounded by a purple shield. When it lowered...Applebloom had a purple aura surrounding her. Not just any purple aura, but one in the shape of a lavender unicorn.

"What?!" the Nightmare asked in shock, then looked over at Twilight alongside her friends...simply standing there, eyes glowing white, her friends looking at her in shock.

"I cast a spell intended to pool the abilities of two ponies together," Twilight's voice said, coming out of Apple Pie's mouth. "Turned up to eleven. In other words: my soul and hers are now joined at the hip as long as I want them to be."

Eclipse's eye twitched. "You IDIOT! What do you expect THAT to do?! What purpose could that possibly serve?!"

"Simple: kill Apple Pie, and I die with her! If she dies, you lose ME! And that's something you will NEVER do."

Apple Pie chuckled. "Ah get it!"

Nightmare Mirror projected. "Ah can't lie...that's actually pretty clever."

The Nightmare eyes widened. Then she became frighteningly calm. "...We need to talk, Twilight..."

At that, the Nightmare began forming a pocket dimension around them.

"Twilight!" Rarity yelled, putting a hoof on Twilight's body without hesitation. "Let me in too darling!"

"Me too!" Rainbow Dash yelled, doing the same, one of her wings regenerating from a heavy blow.

"I'm not losing you again, Twilight!" Spike answered, the battered dragon who's wings were in tatters putting a claw on her.

Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy/Fluttercruel all joined in as well. "We're with you!"

Twilight/Apple Pie nodded, holding a hoof/claw out and a flash emitted right before the pocket dimension could close. Honesty, Laughter Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty, Cruelty/Empathy, and Generosity joined Magic and a second laughter and a huge flash of light emitted.

In a world of Hellfire, a hero and a Nightmare stood.

However, a paradoxical version of the Apple Pie clan's farm suddenly erupted out from the former as the light enveloping her cleared.

Apple Pie was now a Draconequus...or had simply morphed herself into one with her friends combined powers boosting her own granted by Discord and vice versa. It was hard to tell given who this concerned and that one of the beings currently co-inhabiting her body was a demi-draconequus. Her hind legs were that of a platypus and a maned wolf while her right from limb was an Axolotl's and her left a Aye-Aye. One wing was a Hoatzin's while the other wing was a hooded Pitohui, her tail a manatee's. One of her horns twisted in paradoxical directions with her friend's colors wrapped around it while the other was Spike's. Her friends auras floated around her while Eclipse's Nightmares floated around her.

"...How can you fuse with HER Twilight...how can you fuse your soul with somepony that shouldn't even EXIST?" Eclipse asked.

"Don't Ah have a say in that?" Apple Pie asked, raising her claw.

"SHUT UP!" Eclipse yelled, glaring daggers at her. "You don't even know how all of this STARTED, you little brat! I started this to fix this rotten world! Not throw it away for a little foal that shouldn't even exist! So no, you have no say!...Now come on, Twilight...let's go back and fix the world. Make all of this right again. Then continue on to our Golden World."

"Halflight don't want tah talk tah yah!" was Apple Pie's reply. "...She says she's seen enough tah know yah won't listen tah HER. Ah think yah should."

That seemed to make Eclipse very angry. Then again her plans going THIS far off the rails seemed to have done that already. "I will not take orders from a BRAT who would MARRY that DEVIL!"

"Technically Ah never married 'em, he just made meh queen," was the filly's reply with a smile.

"Queen of WHAT?!" the Nightmare fired back. "Of a ruined, ugly world that there's not one thing good about! And don't YOU tell me what Twilight wants or doesn't want! I'm HER! And I've reset this world time after time after time after time! If I want it then SHE wants it! And what WE want is to make the devil PAY! To not let him get away with what he's done! To make him SUFFER FOR IT! THAT is what Twilight Sparkle WANTS!"

She then manifested the time travel spell in front of the aura of Twilight. "Come on, Twilight...you know you want it. You know you want to press the button and erase all of this. Turn back the clock and pave the way to the golden world. A world were no pony ever suffers or hurts because of that monster again. A world were everything is good. Back to the library with letters to Celestia. Back before this Nightmare all started. Isn't destroying one world worth that?"

Twilight looked at the paper. It'd be a lie to say that she wasn't tempted.

Apple Pie stared for a moment...then laughed. "Ah...Ah just realized it!"

Eclipse raised an eyebrow. "What?!"

The little filly gave a smile. "If yer Halflight like yah said...If yah've got every Halflight before this inside yah...that means yah had an Apple Pie too, doesn't it? And so did most of 'em?"

"Hey, even in the darkest of times you hav'ta find something to laugh about!"

Eclipse's eyes widened slightly. "No...I didn't! Why would I ever care about a brat that shouldn't exist like you!"

"And...if Ah know that Apple Pie, and Ah kinda have tah, seein' as Ah AM Apple Pie. Hehe...She never gave up on yah, did she?"

Twilight looked to the paper...then a purple aura surrounded Apple Pie's claw. Apple Pie raised her claw up and brought it down, causing a multicolored plaid colored lightning bolt to slam down, obliterating the time travel spell.

[=Undertale - Hopes and Dreams=]

"Resetting isn't an option, Eclipse! There are things in this world worth protecting and Apple Pie is PROOF OF IT!" Twilight yelled. "Right?!"

"RIGHT!" yelled the others sharing her statement.

Eclipse snarled in fury. "SO BE IT! I'LL RIP YOU OUT OF THAT IDIOT AND MAKE YOU!"

The two's groups retreated back inside them, Apple Pie glowing with a rainbow aura alternating through her friends.

"Let's kick her flank!" Rainbow Dash's voice called as her aura manifested and her claws glowed red, Apple Pie throwing them out and sending a number of feathers that circled Eclipse firing lightning.

Eclipse retaliated by dodging the assault and letting loose a series of energy beams.

"You'll have to do better than that, darling!" Rarity's voice said, her aura manifesting and Apple Pie held out her claws, forming a diamond shaped barrier to block. Apple Pie's aura reverted back to the rainbow colored one and she snapped her claws, causing a small army of miniature Super Stallions to manifest around her and fire heat vision at Eclipse.

Eclipse prepared to counter...when the image of Apple Pie showing Super Stallion comics flashed before her memory.

Inside her, Nightmare Mirror looked at her wing, feeling something strange. 'Yah doin' that?'

The Walker of the Endless Wheel glared and prepared to fire a beam...then teleported behind Apple Pie and blasted her into the 'ground.'

Apple Pie got right back up out of the smoke, seeming unharmed...and got a dark pink aura resembling Fluttercruel, creating a pair of swords shaped like the apple and orange in the little filly's Cutie Mark and used them to counter beams and bolts, slashing through them and defending herself. This exchange kept up for several moments with neither gaining an edge.

"Let's go..." Fluttercruel said. "For DADDY!"

As Eclipse came down at her with a blade spell on her horn and they locked blades...Apple Pie's aura suddenly changed to Pinkie Pie's and she swung her Hoatzin wing in Eclipse's face, causing the Nightmare to cringe from the odor...and distracting her long enough for a manifested Party Cannon to blast her in the chest and knock her back. Both of them laughed.

"Hehe! Ain't we a stinker?" Pinkie Pie chimed in through Apple Pie, giving a cartoony laugh and manifesting a carrot just to chew on.

While unharmed by the attack, Eclipse snarled. "I will not be humiliated by a FILLY WHO SHOULDN'T EXIST! Time stop, time reverse, you will wander forever!"

Time rewinded and instead of pushing the attack, Eclipse deployed Bannerette behind Apple Pie, who tried to blast them from behind...only for their aura to change to Rarity's and a diamond shaped energy shield to form, blocking it. The aura morphed into Spike and Apple Pie blasted Eclipse in the face with Spike's fire breath.

"Where Rarity goes, I go," Spike said, aura smiling.

"Time stop, time reverse, you will wander forever!"

This time after Bannerette's attack was blocked, Granfalloon emerged. "HA! HA! HA!" she cackled and fired a barrage of party cannon shots...

Apple Pie's aura turned to Pinkie Pie's and a series of Party Cannons manifested and countered those even as Eclipse shielded herself from Spike's fire breath.

"Time stop, time reverse, you will wander forever!" Eclipse shouted, growing angrier and angrier as she was being matched by a child.

Rainbow Dash's Element of Free Will blocked Manacle's chains.

Applejack's truth pierced Whisper's lies.

"Yah just don't get it, do yah, Halflight?" Apple Pie asked after one more time rewind.

Fluttershy manifested, her super charged stare countering Mirror's Truth.

"Yah ain't just fightin' one pair of eyes or nine pairs separate! Hehe, kinda funny, huh!" Fluttercruel's aura manifested and the swords appearing for a slash.

However, as Eclipse fell back, Apple Pie noticed something in Mirror's wings...something that made her pause.

Herself. Mirror noticed and instantly fell back.

Eclipse took the opening and blasted her to the ground, using a beam to blow her hoatzin wing off. Then KEPT raining attacks are her.

However...when Apple Pie stood up, she was laughing as her wing regenerated and/or she erased the damage.

"Halflight..." Apple Pie said, looking to her Twilight. "...She really does miss meh...Otherwise she'd never let THAT happen..."

Mirror's eyes widened. In the moment of being countered, had she slipped up? Or was it simply Apple Pie's paradoxical nature combined with Applejack's truth?...Then she realized somethin'. "She...of course...She never said one way or another so Ah never realized it." Eclipse wanted one of each of them to live with herself...

"Yah DO miss me, don't yah, Halflight?!" Apple Pie yelled. "Yah DO care about meh, don't yah!"

Eclipse snarled in fury. "I do NOT! I don't care at all!"

Mirror's eyes widened as a hell-fire covered chain went straight through her wing.

Eclipse cringed as her own wing took equal damage. "See! You're an id-" Eclipse then blinked, noticing something running down her cheek. She put a hoof to it...and removed a tear. Was it all of her...or one part of her? Multiple parts? In her shock, she didn't notice Mirror had moved the target to the other wing before the attack hit.

"...Halflight, everypony...Ah know what we need tah do..." Apple Pie said.

The others all nodded. Their auras seemed to glow in sync, each sharing with each other something neither had on their own. They were nine souls, but they were also one.

[Undertale = SAVE The World=]

Eclipse floated upwards and snarled, firing beams that were countered by Apple Pie herself. "I DON'T NEED YOU! DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO, I'LL PIECE HER BACK TOGETHER AFTER!"

Kindness.

Whisper emerged and winded around, preparing to strike...when Fluttershy and Fluttercruel's aura's emerged and held out their hooves in front her.

"If you want to get to Apple Pie, MOM, you'll have to go through me!" Fluttercruel shouted, causing Whisper to gasp.

Generosity.

Bannerette erupted out and charged...only for Spike's aura to grapple with his own.

"...You're the greediest dragon I've ever met..." Spike spat.

"I'm not greedy!" the Nightdrake roared back.

"...How is stealing away millions of Rarity's happy endings just to have ONE Rarity for YOURSELF anything but the definition of greedy?" Spike rebuked.

Bannerette tried to answer...but then saw Rarity manifest next to Spike, putting a hoof on Spike's shoulder and the two looking happy at each other.

Laughter.

Granfalloon snaked around, preparing an onslaught of party cannons.

"Need to borrow this part of you, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie's voice shouted, followed by Twilight giving a gasp.

Pinkie Pie emerged...with a green unicorn next to her, three mints as her Cutie Mark.

Granfalloon gasped. "M-Minty?"

"We are one soul right now..." Pinkie Pie admitted, morphing into herself from the lost age.

Loyalty.

Manacle came forth, chains at the ready...when Rainbow Dash's aura emerged, Applejack's Element briefly glowing alongside her. The mare smirked and charged Manacle, weaving through the chains.

"I see you've got a really nasty thorn right there..." Rainbow Dash stated, stopping with her hoof on Manacle's forehead. "Let me take it out! FREE WILL!"

Manacle's eyes went wide as a chain embedded in her soul SHATTERED. "...T-Twilight?"

Honesty.

Applejack's aura and Mirror charged each other. "...Ah've got a cruel truth fer yah..." Applejack replied.

"What?" Mirror questioned, one wing still shattered.

"...That golden world ain't ever happenin'."

"Why? Cause yer gonna stop us?" Mirror asked.

"No..." Applejack replied, truth erupting in her eyes. "Because yer Nightmares. Makin' yer golden world would mean yah'd have tah STOP...and we both know yah and Pinkie's Nightmares are the only ones that have ever stopped ANYTHIN' on their own...a vengeful friend craves more vengeance in a cycle, Loyalty will never abandon friendship, Kindness is too kind tah speak out, and Generosity won't stop given tah friendship...The golden world ain't happenin' because this plan ain't STOPPIN'! If yah were gonna make a Golden World, then you WOULD HAVE A LONG TIME AGO AND THAT IS THE TRUTH!"

Mirror looked at her, wings spread out. "...You're right..."

Magic.

Eclipse roared out in fury, unleashing a virtual hellstorm of fire and magic down on the filly.

Apple Pie, Twilight's Aura around her, charged forwards, dodging what she could and regenerating from what she couldn't. By the time she reached her one arm was burned to the bone, her tail was gone, and she was missing all the feathers on one wing...but she drove her Aye-Aye claw into Eclipse's chest and GRABBED her Element, where her TRUE seat of consciousness resided.

The Memory Spell cut loose. Darkness tried to crawl back up her claw, trying to worm its way into the two. Their aura began to be replaced with one of darkness.

"You fool! I'll corrupt you!" Eclipse cackled...then watched as ALL the aura's became rainbow colored, all flowing into Apple Pie's claw.

The rainbow fought back. The Darkness burned away.

"REMEMBER! HALFLIGHT!"

Eclipse gasped as memories flashed before her eyes.

Meeting Apple Pie, meeting the Apple Pies. Seeing what people they are...calling her friend.

Repeated over. And over. And over. And over. And over again.

Being shown the beauty of the world. Meeting the Hippogriffs. Meeting countless sets of friends. Beating Discord and thinking about the good they could do now...countless memories from countless minds, all flashing before Eclipse's eyes.

Eclipse screamed out in pain, falling back, her body pulsating like it was going to burst apart, hooves around her head as purple beams of light erupted out of her entire body.

Thousands upon thousands of purple lights ERUPTED out of Eclipse, flying off...except for one that stopped next to Manacle and formed into an ethereal Twilight Sparkle. "Rain..."

"Twilight?"

Eclipse's form seemed to DEFLATE...shrinking until she was only Nightmare Purgatory again with a scar shaped like Trixie's Cutie Mark on her face, falling to her haunches and looking down at her hooves.

Apple Pie closed her eyes and in a flash was back in her original filly form. "Halflight...Ah know yah ain't rotten tah the core."

"What are you talking about?" the Nightmare asked, not looking up. "This is who I am. I'm here to make sure the devil pays, as he's SUPPOSE to be!"

"...You're wrong..." the little filly replied, trotting forwards towards the Nightmare.

"How would you know anything about m-"

"...Yah like books..." Apple Pie replied. "Yah like readin'. Yah like learnin'. Yah like makin' friends. Yah liked mah pa's rock pie, even if yah can't chew it. Yah like hearin' the Sea Ponies sing...and yah wanted tah save the world..."

Eclipse took a step back from the approaching filly, now looking . "Get away from me..."

"You wanted tah save everypony...even back then yah did what yah did cause yah didn't think there was any other way tah stop Discord, revenge on him was an AFTERTHOUGHT!" Apple Pie replied, continuing to approach her. "Yah care about everypony, that's WHY yah did all of this. Yah let the little thin' become the big thin'...Hehe...no...not hehe...that kinda paradox ain't funny...it's sad. All that hate that blinded yah ain't who yah are!"

"NO!" the Nightmare screamed, looking angry but having tears in her eyes.

"STOP PRETENDIN' LIKE YAH DON'T CARE!" Apple Pie yelled back, getting close. "Ah know yah, Halflight...Cause Ah care about yah...cause SHE cared about yah, and Ah'm her, just a couple loops later."

"No...No you don't!" Eclipse roared, her horn lighting up with Hellfire. "To care about me, you'd have to forgive me! And there's no way you could do that! Not after everything I've done to you!"

Eclipse gasped as the little filly charged forwards and wrapped her forelegs around her.

"...Ah do..."

"H-How...How could you?"

"...Because Ah know that mah Halflight would forgive meh if Ah did this."

"...I...I killed you...over and over and over again..."

"And that was bad...but grudges are like poison apples, they look pretty but ain't good fer yah..."

Rarity put a hoof on Bannerette's shoulder.

Minty and Pinkie hugged Granfalloon.

Rainbow Dash just stepped back as Manacle's Twilight hugged her.

Fluttercruel looked to her Fluttershy, who nodded...then looked to Whisper.

Applejack kicked Mirror's wing, knocking it so the Apple Pie in it was facing her in the eyes.

"...Ah/I forgive you..."

Nine, no TEN lights glowed softly, darkness burning away from six others.

Nightmare Purgatory wrapped her legs around Apple Pie, darkness bursting off to reveal a slightly pale furred Twilight Sparkle.

A colorful scaled Spike hugging a Rarity.

A pale furred Pinkie Pie hugging herself and Minty.

A pale Rainbow Dash hugging an ethereal Twilight.

A pale furred Fluttershy hugging a Fluttercruel.

Another Apple Pie hugging an Applejack.

OOC: I'll leave this for someone else to write how this turns out after this, but that idea is that this is the timeline where the Nightmares are all healed at the same time and stay together.

Alex Warlorn

Inside her personal chambers, 'Minuette' watched this particular timeline on her 'time monitor.' After the Elements of Chaos and Harmony had together overthrown Gorger (and sent him to his final reward), the order obsessed city needed a new head of state. And who better than the ultimate lover of order themselves?

At Queen Libra's endorsement, 'Lord Grogar' had been traded out for 'Mistress Minuette.' There had been no Shining Armor in this timeline, no wild hunt by the wolf, so Minuette never fed the fob watch to the wolf, and in fact had opened it following Discord's rampage.

Contrary to popular theory, she did not in fact betray Cadence on the spot for Discord. The Master felt she had far greater opportunities being close to the last legitimate heir to the throne of Equestria, and the new queen of changelings.

Then she'd been forced to regenerate during the fall of Avalon... and ran like hell as history repeated itself. Then he'd gained ultimate power... only for the Valeyard to use reverse psychology and those seaponies playing THOSE DAMN DRUMS to strip it all from him... then kill him over... and over... and over...

Drum music were now officially illegal in Tambelon.

When Queen Libra had offered a free return to life for all who died directly because of Discord... she had been eager to leave Hell behind... and had given Havoc a razjzberry on her way out. Of course she'd chosen to come back in Minuette's body... there were so many who'd known the mare who'd been brought back as well... thought not as many as you think given Cadence had DONE A DAMN GOOD JOB for making sure those she loved managed to peacefully die of old age. Mineutte's own delaying regeneration had a tricky business. As long as explaining why she wasn't dying old age.

But now 'Minuette' watched annoyed at the screen. "While I don't mind seeing the nag get hers for the one eighty-seventh millionth eighty eighty thousandth and hundred and fiftith time... didn't this happy ending mare know that without bad ending the good ones have no context?"

"That's what I keep telling her! She never listens!" Said a baled stallion with a long Ponygypt beard and wearing a black lab coat. He was speaking via a communication screen. "Enjoying your replacement of the Necromanicon?"

"Oh immensely, nice to re-read the classics on occasion." She had her TARDIS again, she could anywhere in time and space again, and continue her mission to rid this universe of its meaningless chaos... She could admire the Valeyard almost... if she didn't hate him utterly as a matter of principle... (she wish 'Time Turner' would open the damn fob watch already so they begin the game again)...

Then again, maybe that was WHY she'd been made ruler of an entire city state... to tie her down... dammit.

Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile the Alicorn Princess looked in disgust. "What is this? Is THIS your masterpiece?"

A dark unicorn wizard with broken legs laughed. "Oh this one isn't my masterpiece, but it is a beauty. Twilight accidentally found a brainwashing spell, and accidentally used it on Applejack, and while trying to figure out its limits to get it removed, she eventually got corrupted by the sense of power, and then enchanted Rarity in a panic when she stumbled upon them.

"And THEN she brainwashed Princess Luna in her dreams by accident, or rather, redirected her brainwashing, when it turned out she was already brainwashed by her own sister! To keep her from becoming Nightmare Moon again! As Celly had done centuries before, but then removed it in a moment of guilt, which is when Nightmare Moon first came into being!

"This was followed by Zecora, the rest of her friends, and her convinced that she loved them all and they loved her. And after being brainwashed by Celestia into forgetting the whole affair, Twilight had sent herself a message and kept her brainwashing of Zecora and Luna hidden, and then brainwashed Trixie! And then woke up the brainwashing of her friends!

"Oh, and did I mention this was AFTER the Alicorn Amulet incident, and Trixie STILL had planned to betray and use the mind charm on Twilight before Twilight brainwashed her?

"Doing all of this because she and her brainwashed harem were certain this was an expression of their love for each other and they didn't want to forget any of it. She then brainwashed the top Wonderbolts and Lightning Dust, and engaged an elaborate silent duel with Celestia... including Celly replacing one of the Elements with a fake and giving it to Cadence telling her it was part of keeping it safe from a changeling plot!

"While TWILIGHT made Luna act obviously still under Twilight control so Celly would redirect her brainwashing back to herself, while Twilight had a BACK UP enchantment installed in Luna so she's shift back to Twilight at JUST the right moment, and faked being Nightmare Moon again to throw off Celestia (and apologized for it later, heh!).

"The final battle ended with Twilight become an Alicorn by overpowering Celestia for the sake of her harem, not by solving Starswirl's last spell, and Celestia her slave, but Celestia makes it feel to Twilight like Celestia had gotten the better end of the deal. And removing from the Wonderbolts their memories of fighting royal guards and Celestia and made them remember fighting shadow monsters alongside the guards instead. Saying she didn't want to involve them more than she had to. Oh, and Discord didn't get freed, and therefore, never formed a relationship with Fluttershy and so she never gave him a conscience.

"Oh, and Twilight used every lie and half-truth in the book to keep Spike from EVER LEARNING about any of this rather than dare brainwash him! Even if it meant keeping secret her new 'relationship' with Rarity. Oh, and she couldn't bring herself to brainwash Cadence into part of her harem since Cadence was so obviously happy with her brother, how is THAT for irony? By the way, this takes places on a world of anthro ponies, and where they're all a few year older, go figure. No real good guy, no real bad guy, no real hero for you to stop since they're all corrupt somehow, isn't it great?"

Alex Warlorn

"Now I know I had ANOTHER ONE I screwed together while you, Anasi, and dog-boy were all busy off playing wolfie ... " Taunted Nyarlathotrot. "AH YEA! This one where Discord turns Applejack into a pumpkin... here's a hint, IT DOESN'T END HAPPILY or even bitter sweet... but the pie was tasty at least right?"

Ardashir

Discord waited until Fluttershy left for the Ponyville market and then smirked evilly at Applejack.

The palomino backed away, ears pinned. Her hooves tapped against the floor, a shiver running along her coat.

"What're ya grinnin' at now, ya varmint?" Even as she spoke he got a delightful mental image of that silly Stetson of hers seated atop a ripe pumpkin. And then becoming a Nightmare Night decoration. He almost heard a voice in his ear hissing with evil glee. Go ahead! Do it! It'll be funny, just like the old days!

"Oh, nothing," Discord prepared to snap his fingers. "Just wondering how you'd look with a candle inside your head..."

"Wait!" Discord froze as a voice so like Fluttershy's pleaded into his ear. "There are so many ways this could go wrong! It'd hurt Fluttershy if you did this and her friend Applejack got hurt. Can't you turn her into something that ponies won't find edible, at least?"

Huh, Discord frowned and thought, flipping the top of his skull back and scratching his brain. He smiled. I have it!

Applejack yelled and tried to run, but with a snap her world turned inside out.

Half an hour later Fluttershy trotted back inside \her house and gasped.

"Discord! Applejack! What did you do!"

A zebra with her mane tied back in familiar fashion and sporting a Stetson hovered in midair, eyes blazing, her legs flailing as she sought to get her hooves on Discord where he floated in midair eating pears.

"Oh, nothing, Fluttershy. I just decided that Applejack needed a lesson in comparative cultures."

"Darn ya, Discord! Yer not ma boss!" Applejack raged at him. "Restore me now or I'll trample ya into applesauce -- dangit!"

Alex Warlorn

"... WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"I had Discord change Applejack back into a pony before she got cut open and changed into a pie, and play it off as a big joke, it wasn't that hard."

"You little!"

"You're getting arrogant Nyarlathotrot, you've gotten lazy. You've forgotten who you're dealing with."

Then another world line got Amicitia's notice. Twilight Sparkle had been visited by the ghost of Rainbow Dash... and she convinced her to hold onto the regret that was keeping her a ghost, and build her a golem body so she could continue with her life as normal even after dying. And convincing ponies that if they wanted to avoid 'true death' they just needed to die with a strong enough regret and never resolve it. Also, there was heavy implication through out the whole thing that in this world line there was no such thing as an afterlife.

But then... something came to this world line... and drew things along. Ghosts in the golem bodies ... went mad, the whole in their heart from their regrets, powerful enough to anchor them to this world but made to never act on them, growing too big to keep them. And they turned into skull masked beasts. The monsters driven mad and determined to devour the living.

"Nyarlathotrot!"

"... It wasn't me this time. I actually liked this one as is. It was humorous a middle finger at religions in all its forms."

"It was me Twilight," said a disturbingly realistic looking Alicorn Applejack, like she was a horse from Megan's world.

"... Deconstruction. Why?"

"'Cause it's my job. To take these things that are made to be 'it's this way just cause it's this way' and don't think what would happen as soon as it interacted with the world. There's a reason Concepts aren't capable of feeling regret, why it's cut out of us, because regrets that can never be acted on and yet ya have to hold onto at the same time would drive a pony insane."

Amicitia snorted. "Well I'm not going to let it end this way!"

"Twilight, calm down, we've got this one covered."

"Starlight I?" Amicitia looked to see Starlight The First with her black wings.

"If Deconstruction is going to borrow from THAT world line, that mean we get in too." Starlight drew a sword. "Reap, Slipknot!" And it turned into a scythe.

"Sing, Ace!"

"Dance, Dandy!"

"Protect, Teddy!"

"Flutter, Lance!"

"Slay, Buddy!"

"Write, Cookie!"

Deconstruction blinked, "What the hay just happened."

Alex Warlorn

"... You know what I take true pleasure in Amicitia? Is knowing my masterpiece is air tight. You'll never be able to truly break it without cheating. Without betraying that stupid arbitrary oath of yours. Evil has already won... even if not in name, it has in spirit. The only heroes are as ruthless and brutal as the villains, and had no choice BUT to be. Equestria, as a symbol of mercy and compassion and forgiveness and redemption is dead, deaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddead!!!! Hahahahah!"

Alex Warlorn

There was a world of snow once Amicitia had visited... where the Windigos were never defeated... where Platinum, Pudding Head, and Hurricane, continued to rule, either by body serving, imposters, or the Windigos making their hate filled puppets immortal... and society slowly rusting and becoming more fanatic as time went on.

Fluttershy only caring for unicorns and earth ponies as she would amused animals.

RD being a fanatic who was only woken up when she saw what Pegasi truly thought of honor and loyalty.

Applejack being Rarity's slave, and AJ not realizing how many laws Rarity was breaking in Applejack's favor until Trixie cornered Rarity on it.

Pinkie Pie the ruthless leader of a band of rebels and the VOICE OF REASON in this mad house of a world (which should say how bad it was).

And Twilight, being near fanatical, with Spike barely keeping her morality on check.

And... the six friends never met... the tree of harmony was dead by the time ponies found it. And they all died.

The CMC never met each other, all having died in one way or another.

And... Celestia and Luna destroyed the Windigos brute force style, even if it cost Celly her sight.

And Lyra, Spike and the other survivors, were left to pick up the pieces with a world no longer doomed to constant endless frozen snow. So it was beyond Amicitia's authority since things had, as dark as they were, had worked out for at least Pony kind in the end.

Then... there was a world where a revolution had happened, and ended with Celestia being raped and beheaded... only... no pony knew how to raise the sun now... and things feel apart fast, with pegasi's wings turning back and having to be restrained due to their instincts screaming at them to fly south.

The last entry by solider Derpy Hooves, who had narrated this dying world, was that the air was turning to ice.

Amicitia had Twilight Sparkle, whose death hadn't been mentioned, ascend, and find the original secrets to raise and lowering the sun, becoming the new beloved goddess of Equestria, such was the way of revolutions, they always came back around to where they began.

"Princess Twilight, Amicitia, spirit of friendship. Your journey is coming to an end." Rota Fortuna said looking through her microscope/telescope that peered into a crystal ball that held the universe.

-

"Maybe... maybe I can't save this world... maybe a BETTER goddess of happy endings, friendship and magic after me will!"

There was a flash of lightning... and in front of Amicitia and Nythy was a yellow pegasus in a green spandex outfit with a lightning bolt on his chest. His cutie mark was a roll of scotch-tape.

"Uh, who are you?"

"I'm Quick Fix! I'm the angel of Deus Ex Machina! The rest of her Pantheon are giving her 'lessons' right now, so I've come in her place!"

"And why do you sound like Khary Payton?"

"Why not?!" Quick Fix said.

Amicitia realized... she MISSED Nightmare Mirror AND she missed Dues Ex Machina... too extremes... with her in the middle, letting her hear both point of view.

Quick Fix immediately zoomed into the War Hammer Parody world "That Was NOT Warhammer" according to its creation.

Amicitia looked in dismay as Nythy giggled as the brutal hammer of the setting's tone came down again and again to crush Quick Fix's attempts.

He was here on Deus Ex Machina's behalf... and Amicitia had to admit... the one she had came up with for her angel wasn't that bad... The idea being that the Sirens had found the skull of the Emperor of Mankind... and Equus existed in the War Hammer universe, a billion years after the events of War Hammer 40K.

And the Emperor's skull... was still having nightmares of that futile war... and the power of the Emperor was still awe inspiring even a billion years after his death. The sirens had used it to trapped Equestria in a pocket reality, altering existence (and explaning how the hell Sombra had returned a year early, where the hell the infinite lava pit leading to the void of the beast of primal chaos had come from that Discord supposedly served, and just how in the hell Sombra had gained the power to corrupt ponies including Alicorns into nightmarish mock crystal ponies blindly loyal to him!

And Adagio, Aria, and Sonata, each control one of the factions in the factions' unconscious minds, ensuing that no side ever overcame the other, and if one happened to... well, once this now survivalist and brutal Equestria ever came in contact with Equus again... the results would neither be pretty nor civilized.

Effectively DECONSTRUCTING while the two timelines were so similar... 'Nightmare Mirror would be proud', she thought.

AND deconstructing the 'status quo is god' motif of such static settings allowing the players to dive and play with whatever side knowing the basic set up.

This would lead plenty of justification for that strange rainbow colored Alicorn that had created an off-ramp for that endless cycle world (that rainbow colored Alicorn Amicitia had sensed but could never interact with no matter how hard she tried... it was like trying to play a video forwards and backwards at the same time, it was truly and sincerely and absolutely impossible for them, declared by the Elders themselves almost or Above Them).

THEN... Amicitia saw something felt more like one of Nightmare Mirror's, with sprinkled in bits again of Dues Ex Machina, but more tactful than her usual.

Going along the distorted reality's internal time, the Tree of Harmony, instead of illogical and incomprehensibly asking for the CMC's cutie marks in exchange for the Elements being remade... (and the three would follow a interpretation of the Elements that made Amicitia sick to her stomach), it was used as JUSTIFICATION for that if the Tree of Harmony could ask for such a sacrifice... so what about OTHERS?

Amicitia saw Dues Ex Machina had borrowed from an alien world line: where half the gods had chosen to exterminate mortals, and the other half had opposed that, and had transformed into a giant single World Tree to protect one of Neighpon's islands. The genocidal gods creating final stage ultimate evolutionary animals based on the Zodiac, ever respawning, ever being recreated to invade and finish off the humans. The World Tree then, as was the nature of gods needing a sacrifice in that world line, young girls, the stereotypical sacrificial offering, were given super power... in exchange for their body parts to become useless one by one as they used their ultimate forms.

And so... the CMC could use power that surpassed those of an Alicorn... in exchange for slowly becoming cripples. Scootaloo shrugged at the loss of her wings... going blind in one eye was a little harder.

Sweetie Belle lost her voice, as seemed to her family's own curse, and then lost hearing in one ear.

Apple Bloom lost the use of her left foreleg and rear leg...

Using power that defied creation, three little girls, half crippled... actually INSERTING the Elements INTO the Draconequus Mane Six ... giving them back hearts, and their basic sense of right and wrong. Which meant there were now Six Nature's Fury with their hearts back... and able to use Harmony... The tide changed decidedly... Sombra's victims also having their uncorrupted selves, and Luna's being saved... were now only a matter of time.

"Nightmare Mirror... Deus Ex Machina... they worked TOGETHER... for me... for them." Amicitia whispered.

"Pst." Nythy rolled his many, many eyes on his tendrils. "Typical, the hero has something they can't do, so their friends do it for them. Cheap. Cowardly. Immature. Impulsive. Blind-sighted. Just like you as always Amicitia."

Amicitia wasn't listening. "They...they care about me."

Kendell2

OOC: I SINCERELY can't remember if the character that appears here has met Amicitia or not. I've looked it up and can't find anything so I assume it's their first meeting.

"Mind if I help?" asked a voice.

The two turned to see an Alicorn version of Razzaroo, her mane the same colors but tinted gold and appearing as flowing sand, her barding that of a traditional Genie.

"Razzaroo?" Amicitia asked, staring in amazement.

"Future Razzaroo. Or maybe an alternate version of her? Can't tell you, spoilers. Yes yes yes," the Princess explained. "Though my new name is Princess Jiniri!"

Nythy hissed and fell back like a vampire being shown daylight, retreating with every step she took forwards like her mere presence was painful. "You...what ARE YOU?!"

"Concept of Wishes and Miracles! Why?"

"That's why!" the Crawling Chaos hissed, trying to keep a good distance between himself and what to him was a wildfire.

"Of course, he's Tragedy. Miracles are one of the things that stops tragedy," Amicitia explained with a look of realization. She then hugged Jiniri. "But why are you here?"

Jiniri looked down at the world below with a frown. "Because somepony is calling down a miracle!"

Amicitia looked down as the remaining villains, in a desperate attempt to win, launched an attack with their remaining forces on the Tree of Harmony itself. Hoping to destroy it and restore their edge. "I...I don't see what it is..."

That's when Amicitia realized it. The CMC...they were... "They're using that power...that power that sacrifices more of them every time...over and over..."

Nythy laughed. "See?! Even with your cheating, there's no way you can win!"

"But they still won't give up," Jiniri replied with a smirk.

Nythy watched as the girls used their powers again and again...and again. Ripping through the evil forces and making a beeline straight for the leaders themselves, even when Apple Bloom was seemingly down and out she got right back up when she saw her friends needed her to make the final push on Discord. The Crawling Chaos' eyes went wide.

"GIVE UP! IT'S WORTHLESS! THERE'S NOTHING WORTH SAVING!" Nythy screamed in a thousand voices in the Crusader's subconscious.

Amicitia gave a determined look. *There's always something worth saving so long as an ounce of goodness exists in this world!*

"GOODNESS IS DEAD! YOU SAW THAT!"

*Goodness is only dead if you LET it die! Are you going to let it?!*

The three fillies giving everything showed determination as Discord, now frantic, formed a massive sphere of chaos and hurled it at them. They met it and pushed back as hard as they could.

Discord panicked and pushed with all his might... "GIVE UP! YOU'RE CHILDREN! YOU CAN'T WIN!"

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE CMC!" screamed the three...or mouthed in some cases.

With one final push, the three flew straight through his attack, weapons poised even as their magical boost began dissipating.

Discord gasped in shock as he was run through the chest. "Im...Impossible...How...how could..."

The chaotic demon screamed in agony as the power of Harmony itself surged into him from the fillies borrowing his power and obliterated his physical body from the inside out like a nightmare vanishing with the dawn in a huge explosion of rainbow light.

The trio fell to the ground, barely able to move.

"Is it over?" Scootaloo, who could still ask questioned.

Applebloom seemed catatonic and didn't respond.

"But...but..." Nythy stuttered, eyes wide. "Cadence! Shining Armor! Sombra! They're still here!"

"Did you forget who else is there to?" questioned Quick Fix with a smirk.

The Crawling Chaos looked back as Jiniri held a hoof out, horn glowing...and the Mane Six fought the corrupted rulers of the Crystal Empire, Twilight pleading and begging with her brother and sister-in-law to break through...and Shining did the impossible...

The corrupted Prince fought back from deep, deep within. Perhaps from wherever his goodness had been stolen away to. And slew the darkness corrupting him to restore HIMSELF. His love for his sister stronger than anything Nythy could muster.

Cadence, to be with her love, did the same. Sombra, now with no minions to protect him, soon followed.

Nythy was seething with fury. "No...No...NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"

"It is, yes yes yes," Jiniri replied, giving a smirk.

"SIBLING DO SOMETHING!" he roared in frantic rage. "RIP THE GOODNESS OUT OF THEM AGAIN!"

Amicitia looked down as the nameless abomination tried to rise from it's dark pit. And then smirked. *That thing stole part of you...the Elements restored them...*

The Draconequi Twilight gasped. "...The Elements didn't just rip our good parts out of that thing...they had back ups from our time with them...that means..."

The six bearers held their hooves and focused, calling upon the Elements...and sending them back through the link Nythy's sibling had created.

The Crawling Chaos had to recoil back as the pit leading to the void exploded in an eruption of rainbow light. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Amictia smirked. "Part of them is always part of them...Your sibling was banished from that world. Using the very same parts they stole from me and my friends in that reality to channel the Elements to go off INSIDE it full blast."

The Spirit of Tragedy was speechless...then started laughing. "SO WHAT?! Their siblings still gave EVERYTHING! This is STILL a tragedy! I won! I still won!"

"...No no no..." Jiniri said with a smile. "...Remember how I said somepony called me down?"

The Crawling Chaos stared at her for a few moments until it clicked. "You...you...you..."

"Maybe their willpower and sacrifice impressed and stated the Tree that much, maybe it ABSORBED Discord's essence as a substitute sacrifice...either way...they earned a Miracle, and a god replied."

"...Your masterpiece gets a happy ending," Amicitia stated. "One that required no cheating and works within it's own rules."

"T-The Sirens?! The Sirens!" Nythy grasped at straws.

"Sunset and her friends will deal with them," Quick Fix replied. "I handled that while they were doing this."

The embodiment of Grim Dark's body pulsed as he trembled in fury before he screamed, form exploding outwards into a screeching, black mass of tendrils, eyes, and mouths, all screaming his fury to the heavens with enough force to shake the ground around them.

Mtangalion

"Nightmare Moon!" Nythy seemed to seize on that, even as his avatar boiled up around Amicitia, growing more and more monstrous. "Nightmare Moon will..."

Amicitia smiled. "Did you forget that Luna returned to the Nightmare willingly, to protect what she could from Discord and Sombra? Now that the crisis is over, she'll fight her way free, willingly!" Luna's moon spun in the heavens, a dread shadow upon it simply peeling away. "Face it! All of your schemes have failed!"

Nyarlathotrot fell silent. His rage seemed to burn out, leaving cold seething fury in its place. "No. I still have time... for one trick more."

Before Amicitia thought to step clear, reality lurched around them, drawing them into a vast void in space, nearly as cold and bleak as the Outer Darkness itself. She found herself facing an ordinary pony, black-coated and black maned, with a simple pyramid and eye cutie mark on his flanks. He reached for the golden pharaoh's mask he wore, and slowly removed it, showing her what lay beneath.

"Amicitia Zorya Spes Equestria," he spoke. "The goddess tragically doomed to perish, to fulfill the fate she made for herself. The time of your sacrifice is almost upon you."

"I know that," said Amicitia, refusing to tremble or look away. "I've accepted it."

The ghost of a smile appeared. "What would be more tragic, I wonder? An almighty goddess who willingly puts her neck into Fate's noose... or the goddess who rejects that Fate?!"

The darkness swirled, showing another Amicitia who refused to sacrifice herself to give rise to her children, even though her children did exist. Rising as Nightmare Paradox reborn, consuming Fate, imposing any happy ending she wished on any world, anywhere, and defying any god or Wolf to stop her...

Until that mysterious rainbow Alicorn bucked her right in the face and shouted two words... "Never again!" The What-If vanished utterly, the probability of its occurrence reduced to zero.

Nythy scowled. "That spoilsport!" He cursed the rainbow Alicorn, but most of his words were only static to Amicitia's ears, even now. "But there are other ways to cheat Fate! The whole of the universe need not explode, just because Twilight Sparkle *broke a rule!*"

Another vision appeared... a baby unicorn that looked just like herself as a foal, sleeping next to... a filly zebra Alicorn? In a crib with two ponies lovingly watching over them, a stallion that she couldn't see clearly, and... Cadenza?!

"What's this?" crooned Nythy. "The Goddess of Magic found a way to live on after a fashion, even after her sacrifice, but could you live with the consequences?! Mwahaha!"

The vision showed monsters from Tartarus rampaging through Ponyville. "Oh ho! Witness, as your town is..." The monsters were being rounded up and sent back. Nythy frowned. "Hmm." Then ancient witches menaced Ponyville. "Aha! All too soon, the hopes of that other Twilight and her friends are dashed, and their fate sealed..." The witches lost too. "Blast it..."

Was it just Amicitia's imagination, or did the white and orange wolves in the vision look directly at her, ears pricking up?

Now three nightfillies and a nightcolt were taking over Equestria, turning it into Tartarus with their good intentions. "Hah! Now, surely..." A great battle was waged, and all four of them stood together as young god and goddesses, and then Ponyville evolved into a sparkling crystal paradise. "Oh, come on!!"

Amicitia grinned. "Maybe you're better at being the Concept of Tragedy than I thought. You know, the kind of tragedy that tells a story to teach ponies a lesson, instead of just being an excuse to wallow in suffering."

Nyarlathotrot looked ready to explode...

Author's Note

Number 13 of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

Parts Added:
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Wolfram-and-Hart
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Jmcdavid
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Mtangalion

Amiticia's rules:
1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

The End/Beginning

The End/Beginning

Alex Warlorn

Amicitia wondered... if Quick Fix was Dues Ex Machina's angel (where did he come from anyway? Knowing Dues, she just zapped into existence whole cloth with no backstory or forethought) ... who was Nightmare Mirror's messenger for this? Who had shined the light of uncompromising and cruel truth on this mad house?

"Howdy."

It was an Apple Bloom. She had a shield polished to mirrored perfection, and her wings were mechanical and again polished to being mirrors. Around her neck was an emerald pendant shaped like an eye. Nightmare Mirror's symbol.

"When big sister got told that Nightmares usually had knights... she didn't give a buck, she wasn't about to drag anypony into on this, all she ever did was stop ponies from lyin', she didn't wanna conquer anythin'. But she needed... to be elsewhere, Ah volunteered... "

Kendell2

"Honestly, I think it works better this way..."

Nythy, or rather the Avatar of Nythy who they had been speaking to, turned to see Horror standing next to another pony, a pegasus with raven wings. This one was white furred with a brown mane and tail, his mane, beard, and mustache resembling William Shakespony's while his Cutie Mark was a raven, wearing 16th century clothing. "...Horror, Tragedy."

"Darkness," Horror replied.

Amicitia blinked. "Okay, I've met Horror but, who's this?"

The second Avatar, Tragedy, bowed. "I am Tragedy. Or rather our more refined version of Tragedy."

Darkness, apparently the Avatar of the Crawling Chaos they were speaking to, growled. "No, you're the OLD definition. This is what the shadows desire now!"

Tragedy rolled his eyes. "Please. Tragedy needs to be emotional, painful. It needs to provide it's own form of catharis. That mess you created was nothing more than a sad mess. Where's the tragedy when there's no emotional impact!"

Tragedy took out a quill and stroke it through the air and showing a picture of Applejack crying at her parent's death. "THIS? THIS is good tragedy! A pony who lost her parents and must live life without them."

Darkness snarled. "That isn't how the story ends!"

Tragedy shrugged. "Does it NEED to be? Tragedy can exist in moments. Like, for example, in Amicitia's refined version of your 'masterpiece." The raven winged pegasus flew over and looked down rewinding the vision to when Sweetie Belle first lost her voice. "THAT! That is Tragedy! A person losing one of the few bits of solace they had remaining as a price to provide a little more hope to the world."

Horror looked down as well. "Honesty, I find this a better horror story when there's TENSION. Darkness, darkness, darkness with no break has no surprises. A dark world with risks, but also potential to win, keeps the audience guessing. So when the frightening parts are happening, they're surprised and taken off guard. If they know everything is hopeless, why fear for the characters involved?"

Tragedy nodded. "Honesty, some parts of us are so immature, you'd think they were born from novice writers trying to be edgy and cool...oh wait...they are..."

Darkness looked more and more furious at the other parts of the same entity. Of course being they were the same entity, actually HARMING them would do no good.

"At least our ORIGINAL Avatar is born from primal, unyielding fears and tragedies," Horror replied. "I wish someone would teach our younger incarnations a lesson. This is getting out of hoof."

Tragedy tapped his quill to his chin. "Oh, I knew we wasted our mortal life being a virus. Experiencing things from a mortal perspective could do wonders to remind ourself of what true fear and sorrow feels like and how important connections between characters for the audience to fear and feel bad for them properly. Instead we just wasted it on more darkness."

Alex Warlorn

"Don't let yourself get you down yourself." It was another incarnation of the Crawling Chaos, truly it was getting crowded somehow in the infinite space. She floated near the Darkness, and patted it on the back.

This avatar was a teenage unicorn filly with pale peach colored fur. Her mane was faded silver. Her eyes were ghoulish green. Her expression suggested a wrongness with her that was not quite physical. Her green magic held a red tipped tire iron to one side. She was wearing a checkered colored school unicorn.

"There is always another tragedy, another futile struggle against the inevitable. The heroes doing their hardest, only to learn right at the end that their entire quest was doomed from the start. And Miss Moral Busy Body?... I think you've earned a 'reward' for all your hard work!" She growled. "Let me make an adaption, a merged world line especially for you! Which wouldn't have existed if you had KEEP YOUR MUZZLE OUT OF OUR BUSINESS!" She snarled, blood lust clear in her eyes.

"Abra-ca-buking-dabra!" Her eyes and horn glowed green like a dying star whose civilization had never developed space travel. Or even had time to realize the world wasn't flat.

"I give you, Equestria: Hide and Seek."

Amicitia saw it...

An Equestria that had taken heavy influence from Neighpon from the old eastern lands rather than the Isle of Pony's old western lands.

There eight foals all wearing fox masks.

Pound, around the CMC's age, was looking for his sister Pumpkin had had gone missing while playing the mysterious game 'Otokoyo'.

In spite of, or rather because of (because of how foals thought), the equally strong rumor that foals who played the game were taken away by monsters... eight foals entered the old city under part of the city where the 'game' was to take place...

No pony thought to ask who was 'it' in what was supposed to be a game of tag, nor think about how the prerequisites was for SEVEN foal to enter.

The CMC, Button Mash, Babs Seed, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, plus an unknown filly also wearing a fox mask had entered. Others wanting to debunk the myth, like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon (as was their role as the 'always wrong' ponies). The CMC wanting to capture the monster. And Button Mash playing to help Pound to find Pumpkin's fate. And Babs simply noted for having a 'dark past.'

Then it turned out there was not one monster, there were five.

Four were living wooden mechanical monsters with one purpose, to collect the foals who came here. An ogre, a spider, etc. None ever made it till morning. The monsters were unbeatable. Each one unique with its own name and title and fighting style.

Pound ended up the only one left... making him the 'winner'... to be possessed by the fifth monster, a mechanical nine-tailed-fox, so he could spread the rumors and attract more victims (just as his sister had been the previous 'winner'), and why? To power the city that may or may even have a population anymore!

"Now... you're it," said Pumpkin Cake, as her fox mask became that of a fiend, and removed it, showing only darkness and a pair of glowing yellow eyes.

The life of the foals, used as batteries to power this city... an innocent game of hide and seek, stripped of its innocence in the name of progress. Which had been the point the tale was trying to show all along.

And later Pound Cake, now a vessel for the Mechanical Nine Tails spirit like his sister before him, began the next game of hide and seek, just as last of Diamond Tiara's life energy gave out, and the harvest needed to begin again.

"And that's the end! Ta-da! It has a point! It had tension! And the bad guys win! Nya nya!" The anime filly Crawling Chaos made a face of Amicitia.

Amicitia remembered what it was like to be the most wrathful friend, Nightmare Purgatory.

"No... more... RAINBOW FACTORIES!!!!!!!"

It happened in less than a moment. The anime filly Crawling Chaos screamed as Amicitia brutally tore her connection from the rest of the Concept of Tragedy... the avatar stripped of so much... and Amicitia pumped her full of love and friendship... it couldn't undo her bloodlust or obsessive behavior... but the anime filly screamed loader at the infection that consumed her.

Then Animicitia teleported the avatar to a world line where the various Outer Concepts had similar mostly 'harmless' avatars, that were interested in personal relationships (MOST of the time) and buying and selling pony media to the various species of countless different galaxies clusters than corrupting all that was into a reflection of themselves... (Well, maybe corrupting a little that was and make friends). It had been Ponythulhu's idea he'd somehow convinced his siblings to try...except the Crawling Chaos. Until now.

"Hi! I'm Nyaruko! Part of the Space Defence Agency! I'll protect Equus' video games and manega with space CQC and my 'Some Kind of Unspeakable Bar Thing'!"

Princess Twilight Sparkle panted, her power from that exertion lessened...

Darkness' many jaws dropped. Tragedy and Horror teleported away swiftly.

Darkness pointed a tentacle at Princess Twilight Sparkle. "YOU HAVE TAKE A PART OF ME FROM US! WE WILL HAVE OUR REVENGE FOR THIS ONE DAY! THE DAY YOU CAN DO NOTHING TO STOP US! FAIR BADLY! WE WILL NOT MEET AGAIN!"

Nyarlathotrot's avatar of Darkness vanished.

"... Nightmare Mirror... Deus Ex Machina... I can't wait any longer... I need to say goodbye." Princess Twilight Sparkle whispered.

whitebearboy

Having dealt with Nyarlothotrot's masterpiece against all odds, Amicitia next found a timeline where Diamond Tiara had fallen into the Nightmare. However, instead of being a malicious villain, this Nightmare Diamond had been driven into becoming a willing scapegoat for everyone's problems, even mundane ones. Amicitia watched in horror as this worldline's versions of her former self, her friends, and the CMC burst into Nightmare Diamond's throne room and beat her into black sludge, only for her to reform as soon as the "heroes" had left, knowing that the process would be repeated in mere days.

At first, Amicitia wasn't sure what to do, in that this worldline had no hero or villain in the traditional sense of those words. But then, she formed an idea that just might work.

"Is this really solving anything?" came Amicitia's voice inside Nightmare Diamond's head. "If two ponies have an argument and blame it on you, you KNOW the argument will happen again, since you're not responsible and nothing gets resolved by beating you into sludge. You might have had good intentions when you fell into this state, but all you've succeeded in doing is making a cycle of violence and vengeance that will never end."

After giving Nightmare Diamond that piece of wisdom in the hope it would bring her to her senses, the alicorn of happy endings spoke into the subconscious mind of her mortal counterpart in this timeline as an added measure.

"Do you really think beating up Nightmare Diamond Tiara week after week gets rid of anypony's problems? No matter how thoroughly you beat her into submission, she always comes back, and nothing ever gets better for any pony, dragon, griffon, buffalo, yak, zebra, or any creature. Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. You are a scholar and a lover of books, you know better than this!"

(OOC: I'll let someone else write how they respond to Amicitia's advice.)

Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile, somewhere else.

"My favorite color is silver." Diamond Tiara boldly to Nightmare Mirror. The Nightmare herself simply nodded, she was busy bucking trees, just because she'd created the mirror tower to create an Equestria without lies meant she didn't have chores for the farm after all.

"True."

"... But my favorite color before was red."

"Yep."

Diamond Tiara narrowed her eyes. "You're supposed to have a nervous break down that truth isn't black and white and constantly changing!"

"And Apple Bloom was eight years old before, then she turned nine, ya don't see me havin' a nervous breakdown over that now do ya?" The Nightmare said rolling her draconic eyes as she telekinetically moved a basket full of apples out from under Brigglebig and placed an empty one, her magic color was red, and bucked the tree again, getting the exact amount the basket could hold, and repeated the process with Whistlethick next, the apple trees doing rather well this year.

"This worked in Starwand Vs The Armies of Evil!" Diamond Tiara stomped her hoof.

"That's the thing about fiction, it doesn't need to be true." Nightmare Mirror was actually grateful for the power boast being a Nightmare gave to her earth pony traits. Since Big Mac and Cheerilee had been honest about their feelings with each other, her brother had had...erm, new concerns besides just looking after the farm. "So yer parents put ya up to this? Not that Ah care really, ponies tryin' to brain fry me or tryin' to get rid of me Ah've gotten used to."

"Mom and her so-called friends can't lie to each other anymore! They actually have to say what they actually think about each other! They can't give empty meaningless nice sounding words while guarding their real thoughts and feelings and have to be honest with how all of them see each other as rivals and none of them have any real friends! She's miserable!"

"She was always miserable darlin', now she's just admittin' it to 'erself. Ya should see Apple Bloom, she was hopin' ya could play together after ya tried to zap my brain. She'll be back in a few seconds."

After Nightmare Mirror rose to power (and unlike other Nightmare Mirrors across the universe had mind to actually cure her little sister of the curse of Sunny Town), one of the first things that happened was Tiara shouting out she didn't hate Apple Bloom, she was JEALOUS of her for "not being stuck being stuck up" like her, and her mother. (And Scootaloo facing the truth of how much her words had haunted Diamond Tiara).

Apple Bloom stepped through a mirror portal in the mirror tower, and flew down to meet her friend and sister.
"It got done big sister," Angel Apple Bloom said, setting aside mirror shield and emerald eye pendant her sister saw everything through. Her shinny mechanical wings folded behind he back.

"Hey Tiara... didn't work?"

"Didn't work."

"Apple Bloom," Nightmare Mirror said, "Ah'm proud of ya... what ya did? It was really brave, going into... that place to help point out the truth of the absurdities and loop holes in all that stuff. Deconstruction really had some good pointers. But none of that would've mattered if ya didn't have the courage to help. Ah'm sorry ya got put in harm's way like that."

"Ah volunteered remember? And Ah made a new friend too."

"Ah know, Ah saw it all remember? ... It's just about time fer me and Dues Ex Machina to see Amicitia off for the last time."

"Who?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"Another version of Twilight Sparkle, used to be super-evil, then decided she had a responsibility to balance out all the bad stuff she did or at least put her magic to better use... Now... when we next meet, it'll be the last time me and Dues will ever see her." So spoke the Nightmare who only spoke the absolute truth.

Ardashir

A while later back in the farm house...

A knock came at the door. Rolling her eyes, Nightmare Mirror opened it to find a small herd of wide-eyed ponies staring at her in awe. Most of them had painted their hides, manes, and tails to match those of Applejack-that-was, and all wore stetsons.

"Ugh. Y'all want some words o' wisdom from the Great Truthbringer, is that it?"

The ponies nodded so hard their heads practically fell off.

"Fine." Nightmare Mirror sighed. "Go home, work hard n' support your families, an' do right by other ponies." The looks on their faces turned to disappointment; they obviously expected something more evil from a Nightmare. She leaned forward, her eyes glowing and draconic fangs showing at her ebon lips as she hissed, "An' don't you NEVER tell lies. Because if you do, I'll find you."

The ponies backed away, their eyes wide, before they wheeled and fled.

Nightmare Mirror slammed the door as Big Mac walked up behind her.

"More o' yore wanna-be worshippers, Sis?"

"Yep. Ah got rid o' them."

"'Least we don't get no door ta door salesponies no more."

Alex Warlorn

Back with Nightmare Diamond Tiara timeline where she'd turned herself into Equestria's eternal scapegoat, the Nightmare Filly indeed found herself questioning herself, but as a Nightmare, she couldn't pull herself out of the filth by herself. She began asking herself what would happen if ponies found out that indeed, all their problems weren't to blame on her, but on their weaknesses, mistakes, and OTHER PONIES who'd gotten away problem free, and villains were already dead or a storm or a freak wind that knocked over a lantern and set a barn on fire, where there was no pony to blame, no pony to hate. No one to direct all that anger at the wrongs of the world at. Would they turn that anger on each other if they knew the truth?

Meanewhile, Twilight Sparkle, was searching about, realizing that yes... this was an endless cycle, and that there was no point to anything they'd done to Diamond Tiara's Nightmare. No... there wasn't... it made them feel better about themselves... like Diamond Tiara back when she bullied foals. She wished there was some kind of spell or geass on her mind that had prevented her fro realizing all this. But no. She also just wanted somepony to blame when there was nopony TO blame.

Alex Warlorn

Amicitia blinked into Dues Ex Machina's realm, the pantheon shared by her and her friends.

"This is it. I get her and Nightmare Mirror. And ... I finally say good bye to them, before I say goodbye to my family, like Cadence. But... should I? . . . There are... there are so many stories still... so many world lines that need happy endings... should I really, maybe it's too soon?"

There was that world where Lyra and Bon Bon were secretly responsible for making sure the mane six won their victories of saving the world, trivializing everything Twilight and her friends had accomplished, and an organization that answered to no one but itself, which was always a recipe for disaster.

Or the one where vampire ponies (like Vinyl who there was centuries old) existed and Luna and half-vampire herself. and they kept a massive eons lid on vampire's existence from ponies, wasting countless resources and making ponies ignorant and vulnerable to the criminal element of their kind, in spite ponies having accepted changelings and seaponies who were as different as different could be from other ponies . . .

As she thought about this one though, A Alicorn Fluttershy winked into existence around Twilight, her pink mane in a bun, wearing glasses like a school teacher.

"You're... Ex Machina's Fluttershy aren't you?"

The Alicorn nodded. "That's me... my princess name is Aesop. It's nice to meet you Amicitia, you've done so much good... Which is why I don't like having to be the one to tell you, not all stories should have happy endings."

Amicitia blanched. "How can any Fluttershy say that?"

"Part of Kindness is knowing to avoid its misuse... Some lessons are meant to be cruel. There's a difference between an innocent mare being doomed for picking up a watch. And a mare who lets her fear of being old consume her to the point of giving up what makes life worth living.

"Roneo and Starlet, Dr. Heckle and Mrs. Hide, would their lessons have meant as much with a happy ending?" She did not sound happy saying any of this. "Or should have Bambi's mom and Old Yeller have lived? Death is a part of life, one lesson story tellers have grown more and more afraid of teaching foals."

"I don't like it. The idea that some ponies have to suffer, even if it's to benefit many others. Tell me you don't go around making making moral problems when you can't find a moral problem, just to write it up in... well, a moral report!"

"Don't make mountains out of mole hills, don't mistake mountains for mole hills, and remember different ponies view the same problem differently."

Amicitia realized in awe in alarm. "Nyarlathotrot, you've worked with Nyarlathotrot."

Aesop maintained her dignity. "Only for tragedies that have a moral to them. I have no interest in suffering for suffering's sake. Let alone for tragedy that is there simply to add to the ... 'tension' of a world line. Though even meaningless suffering can sometimes have meaning, if that is the meaning."

"What kind of horrible double talk is that?"

"Good things happen to bad ponies, bad things happen to good ponies, and there isn't always somepony you can blame, somepony to focus your anger on. Why do you think conspiracy theories exist looking for somepony to blame horrible accidents or a lone mad pony on? Or have been long dead? ... And there isn't always a magical solution that fixes everything... Even fairy tales didn't always have happy endings." Aesop looked down. "The moral 'don't talk to strangers' in Little Red Riding Pony has been lost. When I was mortal, I lied to foals left and right about what 'really happened' at the end of some stories. And so they missed the point."

"That sounds like something Nyarlathotrot would say."

"He's awful. He's terrible. But he's not always wrong. And I don't mean just his polite and sincere parts. There's a fine line between inspiring somepony to think, and accusation." Aesop folded her wing around herself. "I... as a goddess... I've had to learn the hard way there's a line between protecting foals from being traumatized with ideas and material they're just not ready for yet, and making a story meaningless and shallow by cutting out what make it have a moral. It's a balancing act I have to deal with every moment of existing.

Would the story of the foal who cried wolf have had as much meaning if he didn't get eaten? Would the story of the Princess' New Dress have had as much meaning if she just banished everypony who'd seen her naked? Or would they have missed the point?"

"The worst part is that she's right." Nightmare Mirror appeared behind Amicitia and put a hoof on the purple princess' shoulder. "Twiley', it's time to us to start sayin' our goodbyes."

Mtangalion

Aesop brought a map over to them, unrolling it with her magic. “Deus is waiting for you by the world gate in her kingdom,” she told them earnestly. “With these coordinates, you shouldn’t have any trouble at all teleporting directly there.”

Amicitia started to nod, but something about the map caught her eye. “Wait, are we in… Neighpon?!”

Aesop blinked, honestly puzzled. “Well, of course. Why? Are the Sun Kingdom and Crystal Ponyville somewhere else in your world?”

Amicitia and Nightmare Mirror shared a glance. “Suddenly,” mused Mirror.

“Certain things make a lot more sense,” finished Amicitia.

Deus was waiting for them when they arrived, all done up in an elaborate, fanciful lace gown with jewelry and ribbons. “My dear friends!” she began. “Welcome to my home. All of us here are honored that you were finally able to come and grace us… with…” She choked up, eyes shimmering with tears, and then she began to cry waterfalls at them, wailing like a filly. “Oh no, I said I wouldn’t cry! Focus helped me write this whole speech, but it’s all so sad I can’t bear it, and it’s just not fair!” She glomped Amicitia, hugging her tight. “We had such an amazing time and I don’t want you to go!”

Amicitia smiled, hugging her distraught twin back. “So, you’re not going to secretly conjure up an ultimate time traveling ninja robot, and claim that our one chance to defeat it is teaming up again, and goodbyes will just have to wait?”

Deus sniffled a bit more, grinning and wiping her eyes. “I was good this time, I promise. Barely… heehee!” She looked at the rest of her friends, the Trope Pantheon, who were all lined up now, waiting in case they were called upon. “Everypony’s been teaching me more about my Concept, and the part it plays in the weave of Fate… so I could give this gift to you.”

Amicitia looked at her suspiciously. “Deus? Did you build me a suit of invincible plot armor so I couldn’t possibly…”

Nightmare Mirror coughed loudly, nudging her. “Let the poor filly finish, Twi.”

“It’s okay!” said Deus. “I know I make a lot of mistakes, and I’m not a super-quick thinker like you, Ami-sempai.” She stood up taller, beaming at them. “But I am Deus ex Machina. I am the will of the Shadows to have a happy ending, when all reason to hope for one is gone, and in that spirit, I give you this gift.” Her horn began to glow. “When the Goddess of Magic has met her end, and even those who most long to see her again acknowledge that the sacrifice to see her returned would be too great… Magic will be born anew, in a way that nopony ever expected, and nopony will have be sacrificed at all!”

Amicitia froze, suddenly recalling the last vision that Nyarlathotrot had showed her… a mistake in her planned spell, splitting her into five, not four. A tiny, tiny flaw in her casting that could have ruined everything, a mistake that she dared not make on purpose. Did that mean… Amicitia *was* expecting this loophole, so Deus’ wish would fail? Had Nyarlathotrot ultimately defeated her after all, with her never suspecting a thing?

Amicitia was at peace with her decision to divide herself and never exist as a whole again… but looking into Deus’s eyes, even with Mirror starting to frown at her… she couldn’t say it, couldn’t break Deus’s heart and dash her hopes like that. “That… that’s a wonderful gift, Deus! Whether it works or not… I’m glad we met! You helped me so much, when I’d lost my dearest friends forever, and those seven timelines couldn’t have been saved without all three of us working together.”

Kendell2

It had almost been a daily thing by this point Diamond Tiara trotted out, claimed she was responsible for all the world's ills, got beaten up, destroyed, hammered, ect. And then recovered just to do it all over again.

The heroes were there, with their weapons and armies all ready to go...

"Come on. It's time for my punishment. Go for it. I deserve it."

They prepared to move in and do just that...

"STOP!"

This was new.

Everypony turned as Twilight arrived and looked up at Diamond Tiara.

"Twilight? You want to take care of her this time?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"...Yes...I do...and I will, for real this time," Twilight said, getting a nod and allowing her to trot forwards. Celestia's student looked Diamond in the eyes. "...For real this time...how many times have ALL of us said that?"

Diamond blinked as Twilight turned and looked to the others.

"How many times, how many ways have we done this same thing over and over and over and over and over and over again?" Twilight questioned.

The assembled pony desiring to take out their take revenge on the 'source of their ills' collectively blinked and looked at each other.

"...Ah lost count..." Applejack said, blinking as that hit her.

"Yes! You're right! You've done this so many time and I'll keep causing you trouble until you do it again!" Diamond argued.

"...You'll keep doing this if we DO," Twilight replied. "...That's the thing here! Think! What has doing this EVER changed!" she yelled. "Rarity, did doing this make you and Sweetie Belle's argument magically go away?"

Rarity blinked. "I...No...but..."

"Applejack, did beating her up make Granny Smith's hip suddenly get better?"

Applejack...lowered her head slightly. "...No...it didn't..."

Twilight looked around everyone. "Can ANY of you name ONE time doing this solved ANYTHING? Made ANY of our problems go away?"

The group looked to each other and all tried to find something...but to their shock, none of them could.

Whatever they blamed her for...it didn't go away.

Arguments remained arguments. Disagreements remained. Injuries didn't suddenly heal. Townhall didn't fix itself. The damage Rainbow Dash did to the weather factory for Tank's sake didn't suddenly fix itself. NOTHING changed.

"That's because you haven't hurt me enough yet! I'm sure this time you'll fix everything!" Diamond said, suddenly seeming scared.

"...Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result," Twilight replied. "...And we've all been insane this entire time!...We wanted somepony to blame for everything wrong with the world so badly, we WANTED to have somepony to blame!...But that isn't helping us...it makes us feel better, like a BULLY beating up or insulting somepony else! But it doesn't make the problems go AWAY!"

"I'm a bully! I did that! So I deserve this!"

"...Maybe once you did, but NO ONE deserves this..." Twilight replied, trotting up to her.

Diamond Tiara reared back, horn glowing and preparing to attack. "HIT ME OR I'LL BLAST YOU!"

Twilight kept approaching her.

"I SWEAR I'LL DO IT!"

Twilight didn't stop and was blasted to the ground, causing everyone to gasp.

"SEE! I DID IT! I HURT HER! I'M EVIL! I'M THE BAD GUY! COME ON! GIVE ME WHAT I DESERVE!" Diamond screamed.

"...I will..." Twilight said, getting back to her hooves, a burn on her chest. "No...I'll give you what you need...what we all need."

"And what is that?!" the Nightmare replied.

"...I forgive you."

Those words seemed to cut the Nightmare deeper than the thousands of beatings and injuries she'd gotten. "You...you what?!"

Twilight looked up at her with a look of pure sympathy. "I. Forgive. You."

"...You...you can't forgive me!" Diamond roared, terror now in her face. "IF YOU FORGIVE ME THEN-"

"Then me hurting you isn't punishment?" Twilight asked. "Hurting a pony I've forgiven...has no meaning, does it?"

Diamond backpeddled away from her. "No...Don't you see! I don't deserve it! I don't deserve forgiveness!"

"NO ONE DOES!" Twilight replied. "...If we had to EARN forgiveness, how could Luna? How could I for the Smartypants incident?...How could Rainbow for the weather factory incident?"

Rainbow lowered her head.

"...Fogiveness needs GIVEN...And I give you mine..."

Diamond prepared to speak back...

"I forgive you."

Diamond's head snapped to look at Rainbow Dash.

"I forgive you for hurting Twilight and everything else!...I'm sorry I used you as my punching back running away from MY problems!" the cyan pegasus yelled.

"Ah do too," Applejack replied.

"Me too!" Pinkie said, her mane straight from the realization this had wrought.

"...I'm sorry I hurt you...I forgive you..." Fluttershy continued.

"...I do too, darling. I forgive you. And I'm sorry," Rarity continued, shame in her face.

Diamond looked around as one by one, the words 'I forgive you' and 'I'm sorry' came again and again and again. "STOP! HATE ME! HURT ME! DESTROY ME! KILL ME! BUT DON'T FORGIVE ME! IF YOU FORGIVE ME THIS WAS ALL MEANINGLESS!"

"Don't you see, Diamond?" Twilight asked, giving a frown. "It already was..."

Diamond looked like she was about to spread her wings and RUN...when three forms broke through the crowd.

"DIAMOND!"

The Nightmare gasped, looking at the CMC. "Y-You."

The trio looked to one another...and slowly nodded.

"We forgive you..." all three said, and did something that shocked Diamond to her core. They HUGGED HER. "We're sorry!"

"N-No...that's...that's impossible..." Diamond muttered, trying to get away...when something landed on her back. She looked back...and found Silver Spoon had lept on her to stop her from getting away.

"Diamond...I forgive you too."

Alex Warlorn

Amicitia, wasn't all that surprised when the mane six powered up to their rainbow forms and blasted the Nightfilly, leaving a little girl Alicorn in her place. Instead of her Alicorn form being sealed away, several magic limiter spells were placed on her that were discovered within the crystal empire.

And Equestria... its ponies suddenly realize they only had themselves to blame for unfair and hurtful things that happened, or much MUCH WORSE... there was NOPONY to blame! No pony to focus their anger and frustration on. Nightmare Tiara service as a scapegoat and stress-ball was gone, it would take time for adapt to her absence.

"Morning Star made me do it has never been a working excuse." Amicitia admitted to herself.

Alex Warlorn

"Princess Twilight Sparkle!" A pink Alicorn with yellow, pink, and purple mane, and amethyst eyes, flew towards the Alicorn of Magic. "IT'S TIME TO DIE! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE FOR MY HUMILIATION!"

Amicitia rolled her eyes. "Go away Morning Star."

'Cadenza' changed into the Alicorn of the Devil Tarot. "WHAT?! HOW?! My disguise was perfect! LIKE ME!"

"Cadence attacked me to protect the world from magic being abused. Not because of stupid prejudice or grudge."

Nightmare Mirror and Dues Ex Machina both punched him in the face, sending hm flying from the impact.

"STRUCK BY AN IMPERFECT ALICORN AND A IMPERFECTION OF STORY TELLING! THIS CRIME IS UNFORGIIIIIIIIIIIIIVAAAAAAA-" He sailed away.

Alex Warlorn

"Ah've gotta ask," Nightmare Mirror said, "Ain't he supposed to be sealed up in Tartarus? Like, VIP Maximum Prisoner?"

Amiticia explain, "Time doesn't exist in the spirit world, only cause and effect, I imagine that was Morning Star BEFORE he was sealed away, or when he was released during the Alicorn Draconequus war."

"See? That combination of words makes perfect sense." Deus Ex Machina said.

"Humph!... Hey, Twili? Thank ya... fer not tryin' to do one last 'zap and purify' me stunt. Like ya did the last couple Nightmare Mirrors... since a Nightmare Mirror is need to have happen the stuff with her that HAS happened. An' so, Ah gotta be it, than a buncha OTHER Applejack linin' up to take that my job. This is the path Ah chose sugarcube, and Ah'm gonna see it to the end."

"... I understand that now."

Kendell2

"Did you forget me about me? Minty?"

Amicitia turned to find Jiniri behind her. "Are you..."

"I can say it for sure this time: yes yes yes," Jiniri replied with a smile.

The two gave each other a hug. "I'm glad one day you make it, Razzaroo."

"Yes yes yes," the Alicorn of wishes replied. "...I know nothing I can say will stop you...this will be a miracle...just like you've done for my world before...but...maybe there's one last thing we could all do before you go."

Amicitia blinked. "Do what?"

Jiniri trotted up to her and gave a smile. "...One thing I often hear as Concept of Miracles?" she asked, horn glowing and several glowing spheres circling around them.

'If I had one more day, I'd...' each of them said, leading into a different answer with each one. But most of them speaking of doing one thing.

"...Ponies wishing to have one more day to spend with those they love...Yes yes yes..." Razzaroo explained, almost sadly. "...So...that one more day must be really important, isn't it?"

Anasi teleported in, stepping up beside her. "...If today is one of the last days of your life...shouldn't we make it have more meaning than just saying goodbyes?"

Amicitia blinked...then slowly smiled. "...Eclipse never got to say goodbye to her friends...rightfully so, she deserved it...that was really all I was thinking of...You're right."

"I know how you feel...You've got the Concept of Wishes right here...make a wish and I'll do my best. Yes yes yes," Razzaroo said, giving a smile.

OOC: Leaving it to others just WHAT happens, but the idea is 'one last day with those she loves' before Amicitia's sacrifice.

Mtangalion

Amicitia stood lost in thought for so long, Jiniri was tempted to wave a hoof before her eyes. “Heh, you know… you can always ask for more time if you can’t decide! I’d never say ‘Wish granted!’ and disappear on you. That’s not…”

Amicitia smiled. “I’ve decided.”

Everyone held their breath.

“I want to meet the one who will change the world, the pony who will inspire Twilight Sparkle to keep fighting against Discord when all hope seems lost... before it happens.” Amicitia looked earnestly at Jiniri, clasping her hoof. “Can you do that?”

Jiniri furrowed her brow, thinking hard before she nodded. “Yes.”

“Huh!?” Anasi blinked, leaning close. “No ‘Yes, yes, yes’?”

Jiniri beamed at Amicitia. “Say your goodbyes first.”

Deus threw her forelegs around Amicitia without hesitation. “Gonna miss you so much!” She promptly started bawling again.

“You gave me one heck of a lot to think about,” said Nightmare Mirror, hugging her too. “And here Ah thought Ah had all the answers already.”

Amicitia hesitated, hugging her back. “But Applejack… doesn’t this hurt you, hugging an Alicorn?”

Mirror rolled her eyes, smirking mildly. “Truth always hurts, sugarcube. That’s the whole point.”

Mirror stepped aside, and Amicitia was surprised to see Snow Bound waiting next in line.

“The Blank Wolf of the past,” he said solemnly, “will not acknowledge or approve of your plan. Tell your foals to be on their guard.” He bowed low, then cloaked himself in deep shadows and faded away, gone back to his own world and time.

“Thank you,” whispered Amicitia, wondering if he’d heard her.

That left Anasi, who shrugged, holding out a hoof. “Anasi supposes that she will miss you as well.”

Amicitia smiled. “No joy buzzer?”

Anasi gasped. “Such a crass and amateur trick, at a time like this?! I’d never...”

“She was gonna, but she changed her mind,” said Nightmare Mirror dryly.

“Oh fine!” grumbled Anasi. “Spoil my last bit of fun, why don’t you?” She started to stalk away, before giving up and rushing back to hug Amicitia too.

After that… more and more people kept showing up to offer their farewells. King Heathspike brought a recording in a magic crystal that allowed Queen Libra to join him in offering a tearful goodbye, and he made a joke when Libra thanked Amicitia for “everything.” An Alicorn filly version of Apple Bloom took pictures of them with some kind of floating machine, promising that the photos were for a good friend who couldn’t come in person. A young Doctor arrived in his blue box, strangely without companions, and he shook her hoof, saying that it was an honor and confessing that this was the first time he’d met her face to face. Fillimon, too, somehow knew exactly when and where to show up, bringing the Rainbow Dash from that one time in the cloak of a full-fledged reaper. Every time Amicitia thought she was done, there was another, and yet another after that.

Until finally, there weren’t any others.

Jiniri was the last to hug her. “Are you ready, Minty?”

Amicitia nodded. “I’m ready.” She lit her horn, channeling an immense surge of magic to open a portal into the void between worlds. She stepped up to the threshold, then looked back at her friends one last time. “I… I just…” She wiped her tears and smiled at them all. “Good bye!”

Amicitia plunged into the portal. Reality rippled and forked, and so did she. The Goddess of Truth passed by, making sure all the facts were straight, and the Goddess of Fate trotted on ahead, making paths to the future.

What kind of pony would Amicitia’s spell choose? Who could make the minimum necessary change to ensure Discord’s defeat? A new sibling or special somepony would probably make too great of an impact. Perhaps the pony would be a friend, or even somepony that Twilight would never even meet until the day Discord broke free.

She came back to consciousness slowly, waking into a fuzzy blur of a world, filled with familiar scents. “Mom? Dad?” she tried to say, but the tiny purple unicorn foal stretched and yawned on her own, and Amicitia could only watch.

The blankets shifted, and someone new entered her world. A white colt with a blue mane smiled down at her, eyes wide with wonder. “Good morning, little sis. I love you.”

“Love you too, Shiny,” Amicitia wanted to murmur, all sleepy warm and safe.

Shiny?

Shining Armor?!

Like two peas in a pod, they did everything together. Shiny helped little Twily learn to read and practiced levitation with her. Not even a loving big brother could stop her from walking everywhere with a book floating in front of her face, though. He protected her from bullies, rescuing Smarty Pants, and rescuing Twilight herself when she climbed up where the bullies couldn’t reach her, and the branch broke. Shiny got his cutie mark that day, a mark for protecting others.

Sometimes, a Wolf howled on the wind, and scary growls came from under the sleeping colt’s bed. Amicitia, who could only watch, protected Shining Armor by knowing where he was at all times, even when Twily was sleeping or off in her own world with a book.

It was only a few short years, but Amicitia treasured every moment with her mortal parents and her new brother, reliving foal-sitting time with Cadence, her brother joining the guard, and the day she got her own cutie mark and hatched Spike.

A day finally came that she knew would be their last together for a long while… the day Shining Armor took her to a hoofball game and told her that he was being promoted to captain. His first mission would be escort Princess Cadence on a goodwill tour, journeying to Roedina and the Griffon Kingdom by train, and then sailing to the Tauran Peninsula, the zebra homeland, Draco Island, Chineigh, and Neighpon far across the sea.

It was time. Amicitia marked the proper place in that timeline that would exist but didn't yet, as if she’d put a bookmark into reality itself, and then she stepped out of Twilight, out the world altogether. Most of her doubts were laid to rest now. Of course, she wasn’t about to take the final step without one last round of intense soul searching, and a heart to heart talk with Mother Fauna Luster, but…

Light sparked in the darkness, and Jiniri floated beside her, panting with exhaustion but seeming happy. “Did you see him? Was it everything you hoped for? Yes, yes, yes?”

“Yes!” Amicitia grinned from ear to ear. “I’m still afraid, but I know the world will be in good hooves. All will be well.”

(See Amicitia’s final chapter in: Pony POV Light World - The Connection) http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Light-World-38-The-Connection-425052184

~The End

= Hopes and Dreams - Undertale =

Author's Note

Number 14 of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

Her journey is coming to an end.

Parts Added:
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
whitebearboy
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Mtangalion

Amiticia's rules:
1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191

BONUS CHAPTER WITH THE NARRATIVE SIX

An Alicorn of Twilight Sparkle asked a Alicorn version of Trixie, "Suspension of Disbelief, where is Continuity?"

Suspension of Disbelief pointed at an Alicorn of Starlight Glimmer.

"Oh, crying in a corner again, she took a look at the heart world again, Deus Ex Machina."

"How can we have corners when we're in an infinite starscape?" Asked a disturbingly real Alicorn version of Applejack. Veins and moving muscles visible underneath her skin with individual hairs for her coat. The entire starscape shrank down to a starscape walls, ceiling and floors.

An equally realistic, but yet at the same time more beautiful, more appealing, Alicorn Rarity said, "Because we're beings of a higher plane of existence, and the use of the word 'corner' in this instance refers to the nearest moral comprehension, of Continuity pressing herself against the edges of existence as we know it away from the Heart World of our world lines."

The starscape room expanded against to beyond what the mortal eye could see.

"Deconstruction, Reconstruction, not now," said an eastern dragon version of Spike. "We're getting off topic."

"Don't worry Deus, I was able to help her."

"Most cause I showed up," Deus Ex Machina said happily.

Suspension of Disbelief leaned in close to her friend. "Relax Continuity! The Great and Powerful Trix... Suspension of Disbelief assures you that it will work out in the end. It'll be fine!"

Continuity breathed into a cosmic paper bag. "You can't know that! There's too many inconsistencies! Nothing makes sense any more!"

Suspension growled her eyes pin pricks. "IT. WILL. BE. FINE!"

Continuity smirk "Somehow, that's so much less reassuring than Amicitia's catchphrase."

Deus Ex Machina chirpped, "Wait, she has a catch phrase? What is it? Friendship is magic? But isn't that my catch phrase too?"

Continuity perked up. "That sounds like... a trivia question! I can answer that!" She opened a familiar book titled 'Facts' and opened it to a manega page showing Amicitia literally shouting "All will be well!"

A version of Gabby the griffin burst onto the scene, a blue flame on her tail that left an after image, her plumage resembling a starscape and her wings an aurora. "It's time for Inspiration to step in! That's me!" She doodled in another comic book panel where Flummox the Blue Lantern insists that Amicitia must accept a blue ring and join for appropriating their catchphrase.

Spike, the ryujin Focus shouted, "Hey! Did you just draw comics in a book!? She did, didn't she?"

Suspension of Disbelief then waved her hoof about like she was drawing attention away from something else. "Anyway, 99% of all seeming inconsistencies have some kind of explanation that makes it fit into what came before. And the smaller stuff is stuff that doesn't really matter. Plus, remember what this world runs on: Magic."

Continuity asked, "How do you say all that with a straight face?"

Suspension answered, "The hard cider helps."

Deus Ex Machina added, "Plus, there are also changelings and the mirror pool. If something doesn't feel right, blame it on one of those. Easy fix."

"THEY SLOWLY VAPORIZE SOMBRA AND SUDDENLY THEY GO BACK TO BEATING THEIR BAD GUYS THE 'kids friendly' way?! Foul! Foul!" Shouted an Alicorn of Rainbow Dash wearing dark spiked armor with chains with gritty shading.

"But isn't all nice how all these bad guys suddenly and with no foreshadowing all become nice so there no loose ends to their happily ever after?" Asked a brightly colored Alicorn Pinkie Pie with bright shading and looked like she stepped out of G3.

"Oh I agree." Deus Ex Machina nodded.

"You would," Continuity moaned.

"But is 'you can always get out of any punishment as long as you say you're sorry' really the message we want to send to children?" Said an Alicorn of Fluttershy wearing a white toga.

Discord popped in because of course he would. "Well my dear Aesop, it makes perfect sense to me! Just like the meal I threw together in three minutes."

Continuity said, "I don't think that is eatable... it is also slowly crawling away."

Discord clapped, "So now the Smooze has a new friend? I am even better than I thought! Good thing I redeemed you into seeing what an awesome friend I am."

Continuity said matter of fact, "Nice try but that is not what happened."

"At least I got you smiling again." Discord said triuphantly. "But if the Heart World had continued for one or two more seasons, it would have totally happened!"

Suspension of Disbelief herself admitted, "True but it would still be horseapples, just canon horseapples."

"I only hope the NEXT universe actually lets its Those-Who-Make actually WATCH the history of that reality from BEFORE they're brought on board to help with myself," said Continuity.

Darker and Edgier crossed her forelegs, "I just hope the show is allowed to grow up with the audience!"

"I just hope Minty is part of the cast again instead of just a five second background cameo," said Lighter and Softer.

"Oh the bright side, the comics worldline seem to be remembering the older part of everypony's adventures," said Continuity, seeing the latest adventure of Rarity teaching Cerberus how to do its job without going mad with boredom, a nice reminder that Tartarus held BAD THINGS, and that Celestia was the OWNER of this divine beast, back before they began scaling Celestia down. Continuity smiled.

Author's Note

ItsFromPeople Mtangalion Yangiscool Alexwarlorn

I intended for Cadence, Celestia and Luna to show up as fundamental concepts of story telling here.
Narrative, Setting, Characters, but I can't remember who was gonna be what. Use YOUR inner Gabby! :-)

Several Visits

*Even I get stunned sometimes by the terrible turns some versions of Equestria take. Even more so when the ponies there remain so very much like the ones I actually knew.*

*This was a world that had humans together with the ponies; not too unusual in itself. I remember one 'me' who met Megan. But in this world... humans were the slaves of ponies.*

*Just tear it all down? Destroy the tyrant equines? No. For one thing, I could see into their minds and souls. Many of the ponies were shamed and disgusted at what Equestria was, even after 300 years to justify the punishment of all humanity for two savage humans who killed and ate one pony. It left noble and commoner alike neighing for the death of all the barbarians; the hatred between the Three Tribes, the loathing ponies once had for griffons, all was revived and set on this race. Celestia legalized their enslavement in desperation, as a way to save them from extermination, and it still sickened her even as it worked. These ponies weren't monsters, not all of them, and that just made it worse.*

*I wanted to try and stop that original act, but when I looked I saw that this had been building for centuries. If it hadn't been those two and that pony, it would have been another, and maybe worse. All I could do was to watch and point out by dreams so that ponies knew in their hearts that they were doing wrong.*

*And even as tempting as it was to Celestia herself, I couldn't have her just overturn that law by personal whim. We both knew why: because if she got used to setting the laws aside whenever she disliked them, or how they were being used, what was to stop her from making Equestria's law whatever she wanted it to be at any given moment? She'd done enough evil already. Celestia didn't want to become the Tyrant Sun.*

*I had to wait and watch until my mortal parents... bought the mortal me a human boy as a pet and companion. I, she, loved him dearly and regarded him as a friend. So many ponies loved and cared for 'their' humans. But they never questioned their right to keep them as slaves. 'It's for their own good!' 'We're civilizing them!'*

*Even Applejack on Sweet Apple Acres, and Rarity in her Boutique, owned some as extra labor and status symbols. They were still my friends, they treated 'their' humans with genuine kindness and decency -- and that made it worse. How could you convince them this was evil when they showed the humans they knew greater kindness than some ponies did their own families?*

*I saw only one way to bring this evil home to the ponies of Equestria. When Nightmare Moon returned, I was able to distract 'their' Celestia, ensured that 'their' Element Bearers got lost just long enough in the Everfree, that she was able to seize power.*

*Nightmare Moon was disgusted upon returning to discover that her Equestria had sunk so far. She took out her anger on the ponies by making slaves of them and setting the humans over them. I had some help from that timeline's Anarchy in this. He normally loathes slavery, but saw it as the sharp moral lesson these ponies needed.*

*The humans were as terrified as the ponies. Most had fond memories of the ponies they knew, and worked to defend them. At the same time, they had to make them work and labor under them at the Nightmare's command. And many a pony finally realized what it was like under even the kindest of masters to be used as a work animal.*

*It didn't last very long, only a week before my friends and 'their' Twilight confronted Nightmare Moon in Canterlot and healed her back into Luna. She promptly gave power back to Celestia -- only for Celestia to say that since the Diarchy was refounded, that meant that certain laws made since Luna's banishment would be abolished. And the humans of Equestria were free.*

*I'd like to say that was the end of it, but no. For a while it got worse. Equestria's economy had had three centuries to get used to slave labor as a basis, and when it was taken away things got difficult. Also, the only work many of the slaves were trained for was something they didn't want to do any more, and many ponies refused to "lower themselves" to doing "slave's work".*

*Some ponies didn't want to 'throw out' 'their' humans, and some of those humans preferred the certainty of bring fed and loved by their owners over hungry and uncertain freedom. Some others, only a few, hated Luna and Celestia for taking their wealth as slave-traders away, or that love of cruelty they indulged while running the gladiatorial games. Flim and Flam tried to use Applejack and the suffering without their accustomed labor farmers of Equestria to force the reinstatement of the slave laws, only to end up in jail themselves when their use of mind-controlling magic fed through one of their devices to make humans want to be re-enslaved came out. And their Discord, and Chrysalis, and even Tirek, all used the anger of both ponies and humans to their advantage when they tried to seize power.*

*But finally, in the end, human and pony forgave. And they stood united and remade their Equestria, greater than ever.*

*So I almost devastated Equestria and aided in the usurpation of power from its rightful ruler. All to end a system of organized oppression that was all the worse because of the decency of many of the beings involved, that allowed them to ignore the cruelties and abuse perpetrated upon some humans by some ponies as being 'aberrations' while treating sapient beings as animals to be owned.*

*If I had to do it again? I'd do it in a heartbeat.*

-

Rarity stormed home, her depression so deep it felt like a physical cloud hanging over her. She looked around her Boutique. Alone, all alone. Again.

She'd dated every single stallion in town, and somehow they'd all fallen short. Too loud, or too flashy, or too dirty, or too shy. She snorted to remember her attempt at dating Big Mac. The overgrown hayseed had backed away, ears down, until Cheerilee 'rescued' him. Even Spike -- he was a dear, and so sweet, but too young. By the time he became a young stallion or whatever male dragons became, she'd be ready for the glue factory.

And now all she had to look forward to was, was, what? Growing old and alone into a bitter old nag, with nopony around, no stallion in her life at all? No one to love like a mare, to make new life with...

The darkness arond her soul seemed to deepen as her gaze fell on a school book Sweetie left in the Boutique. The Monster of Frankensaddle? A voice seemed to hiss in her mind, yes. Why not? Neigh-cromancy wasn't impossible, after all. And if no ONE stallion in town was good enough, what about something from all of them?

Or did she want to die alone and unloved?

There were some very sharp knives in the kitchen, the seller told her they could cut through bone. If her friends got in the way, well, so much the worse for them. And she certainly knew how to stitch things together...

*No!*

Rarity froze as that voice, was it her conscience, spoke in her mind again.

*You think this will bring the perfect lover and partner, but all it will bring you is a loneliness and pain beyond anything you've ever known!* Rarity shuddered as the immensity of what she'd been planning bore in on her. She sank to her haunches as the voice said, *You can't be the only mare facing difficulty in finding that special somepony. What if you tried helping them find true love?*

"Rarity?"

She looked up to see Twilight before her, her eyes full of concern. And beside Twilight? Rarity felt her heart beat just a little faster at the sight of a handsome unicorn stallion, blue mane and tail, and in the off-duty uniform of the Royal Guard.

"Rarity," Twilight said, "we were so worried! The way you've been acting these past few days, we're frightened for you!" She saw how her friend looked, and said with a smile she didn't notice, "Oh, that's my big brother, Shining Armor. He had some leave time saved up and decided to spend it visiting me. I was hoping you'd show him around town tonight. Sorry I never told you about him before..."

"It's quite alright, dear," Rarity said. She blushed a little to see Shining Armor looking a little shy. And did she almost hear something slither away with a cheated hiss? "I, I think I'd love to help your brother... and maybe some other ponies as well."

*And Rarity did establish what basically became Equestria's first dating service, with the aid of her friends and a pink pegasus who seemed to give Rarity's husband Shining Armor such sadly longing looks at time. But it never affected the friendship Rarity and Cadence (who never became an alicorn in this world) had, or her fondness and love for Spike. Not even after she found a dear little dragonness to introduce to Spike. He and Jade became so fond of each other.*

*And as for that returned spirit of Loneliness that tried to turn Rarity into a killer, well...*

"Get in there and STAY THERE!" Anasi used the Royal Canterlot Voice as she drove the malicious force into a magical 'bottle' and plugged it with a cork. It roiled about like oil-scummed water as she said, "Anasi thinks that will keep you out of troublemaking for a while."

"Thanks, Anasi. I thought you'd like handling this one."

"Anasi feels that thought is correct, Amicitia."

No matter how hard she tried, no matter how bright her hope shone, some worlds could not be *given* a happy ending.

Power rose and took the form of an alicorn, barring Amicitia from a world that she'd been aching to help. "Hold!" cried a voice... the voice of Princess Celestia? "Twilight! And yet... not Twilight. At least, not my Twilight." Her eyes narrowed.

Amicitia bowed her head respectfully. "Please, let me pass. I'm here to help."

"Help? If you are willing to fight, then I will not deny you. This a world at war." There was something unsettling about this Celestia... she seemed more like the Concepts that had never lived a mortal life than the Princess Celestia that Amicitia remembered. "You are fortunate to have met me here, and not *him*. I left a small part of myself here long ago to keep watch, and our enemies have not discovered it yet."

Amicitia hesitated. "I don't fight. I... change things, nudge them into a better path."

Celestia arched a brow. "That is potent magic, for an alicorn so young, but I would be cautious..." Images swirled in the aether around them. Amicitia saw an imposing muscular alicorn with a stark white coat and black mane, an unadorned black circle on his flank. Beside him stood a lovely green alicorn with a crown of shifting plants and a cruel smile on her muzzle. "We fight against the oldest alicorns in this world. Even Luna and I are mere foals before them, and they do not love mortal ponies or value their lives. No whisper in his ear or appeal to conscience will change this."

Amicitia's face fell. "But, there must be something I can do, something I can change! I can feel so much pain in this world, so much suffering and death."

Celestia stepped closer, and Amicitia flinched, but held her ground. "Young, and naive. You aren't used to having your methods and motives questioned, are you? A goddess should be able to justify what she does, even if she will only be answerable to herself. Consider this." New images formed...

An army of strange, identical ponies marching through Ponyville. The Carousel Boutique, smashed to rubble. Battle in the streets of Canterlot, ponies fighting with magical blades and war spells, fully meaning to kill each other. A terrified Rainbow Dash being engulfed by darkness spreading over her coat, while the Twilight Sparkle of this world watched and laughed.

"Indeed, there has been pain," said Celestia. "Madness. Death. But your friends have risen to the challenge. They fight against the darkness."

Now she saw Applejack dressed in armor that must have weighed more she did, ramming her way through solid stone walls. Pinkie Pie leaping from rooftop to rooftop with the help of mechanical grapples and other clever devices. Fluttershy using the Stare through tear-filled eyes. Rarity dressed for battle, wielding a magical blade of interlocked diamonds.

"They have fought and argued," Celestia continued. "They have grown as ponies and accomplished things they never would have believed possible, before. Are you prepared to take that all away from them, to return them to their idyllic Ponyville lives?"

"I... I think so. If it would do more good than harm. I think that's what they would want." Amicitia hesitated. "But should I really be the one deciding that..."

"If not you, then who else? Look, and I will show you where to place your lever and move the world." Another image... a white stallion in armor, with a curly red mane and another magical blade, this one made of gleaming razor shards. "This is the pony who freed the eldest alicorns. He knew perfectly well what he was doing. He wanted the world to become what it is now... his special talent is war itself. Cause him to doubt himself, so that he never finds his mark or realizes that talent, and all of this will end. Your friends will never be put through all of that pain.

One more image... a young filly Twilight, choosing a big dusty book from a shelf, a book with "The Power to Destroy" printed on the cover. "My Twilight," said Celestia, "will never have to know what I made her, what I trained her to become, should the worst come."

Amicitia took a step back. "I don't know if I can do that... Besides, some other pony might free them."

Celestia scowled. "Indeed. Perhaps we should go straight to the root of this. Cast your power far back into time. Persuade Luna and I to kill the eldest alicorns when we had the chance, rather than imprisoning them. Make them understand that our mercy will cost thousands upon thousands of our little ponies their lives, someday. Do that, and Equestria as we know it will be saved... and all will be well."

Twilight sighed, but she knew what she had to do, now. "No, I won't. That's not what I do, and not what my mission is about. If I start doing any terrible thing I want and justifying it that way... no, never again."

Without warning, a black wind whipped through the aether, and a tentacled monstrosity arose! "There you are!" crooned Nyarlathotrot. "Vandal! Despoiler! Ruiner of all their fun! Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine!" The black horror flowed right past Celestia and dove into the world.

Celestia shuddered. "No! Could that monster actually... make things worse?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" shouted Twilight, as she dove in after him.

...

On the grounds outside the palace of Canterlot, the General with the white coat and the red mane paused in mid-stride.

% Why should the foals be spared the realities of war? You should hunt down the families of the rebels and torture them! %

* Ugh, I can't believe I'm doing this... *cough* What a ridiculous notion! The rebel forces are pressing us hard here in Canterlot, and you need every soldier and puppet to defeat them.*

The General nodded to himself. "Indeed... it would be a powerful leverage against the rebels, but I cannot split my forces now."

...

In the streets of outer Canterlot, Rarity savagely disarmed the last of a group of royal guards, and held her magical blade poised over his throat.

% Kill him! This is war, and it's time you woke up to that fact. You know he'd kill you if he had the chance. %

* We're all still ponies, here! There will come times when we need to kill, but we don't kill ponies when we don't need to! *

Rarity's scowl softened. "Get up! You're our prisoner."

...

In the midst of one war, Amicitia waged another, all up and down the worldline. She couldn't reach the distant past now even if she wanted to, but there was still one spot of hope that she could see, one place where she might make a difference.

In the palace of Canterlot, Equestria's new Prince tapped the arm of his throne nervously.

* What your father is doing is wrong. *

He blinked. "What a strange thought. Right is obeying Father, and Wrong is to disobey."

...

On another day...

* Use your divine senses, look at the ponies outside these walls. See how they're suffering because of this war? You're their ruler... shouldn't you help them? *

The Prince scoffed. "They're suffering because they disobey. If they'd all just go along with the new order, then everything would be fine!"

* If you're sure that you're right... why are you afraid? *

"I... I'm not afraid! I am a god! Why should I fear anything?"

* You didn't earn your power or your place. They were given to you, and you know they can be taken away just as easily. *

The Prince had no answer.

...

* If your father came here and fought the rebels himself instead of using avatars, how long would this war last then? *

The Prince shuddered, holding his head in his hooves. "Stop it. I don't wish to think such things!"

* How long? *

He closed his eyes, choking back a sob. "Hours. It would all be over in a matter of hours."

* Why doesn't he? *

"Why indeed!?"

* Forget why, for a moment. What can we conclude from this? *

"He... he doesn't want the war to end," whispered the Prince. "I don't understand. He *wants* the mortals to suffer? Or... he just doesn't care?" The useless, hoof-licking nobles gasped, to see the Prince crying openly. The Prince scowled, noticing. "All of you, get out! Now!"

...

In the catacombs beneath Canterlot, troubled thoughts were keeping Fluttershy awake.

* Something's not right about Canterlot's new Prince. He looks like a grown alicorn, but he can't possibly be. *

"He could have been imprisoned, like the others."

* You know that's not true... Luna said there were only the two of them, the King and Queen. *

Fluttershy blinked. "That means... he's really just a foal!?" She pulled her blankets tighter over herself. "I know he's our enemy, but... that's so sad..."

...

At last, the day came when the rebels made their big push, and the Elements of Harmony attacked the palace. The Prince, who would have made a panicked, futile attempt to fight, gave himself up to them instead. They still took his stolen powers from him, but when the King would have broken his own son's neck, disgusted with his "weakness," Fluttershy dove in and *saved* him.

Back in the aether, Nyarlathotrot fled, disgusted, and at last Amicitia was able to leave that world as well, exhausted and worn. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to prevent the war. In the end, everything happened pretty much the same as it did before. Except for that one small thing..."

Celestia smiled, nudging Amicitia's chin up. "An innocent foal's life is *not* a small thing. Thank you... thank you for that, and for keeping their hopes alive."

Amicitia nodded, cheering up a bit. "I guess if I can't do anything else for them... then I'll trust in your Twilight Sparkle, and the ponies who are her friends in this world. If they're anything like my friends, I know they'll never lose hope, never give up. If there's a happy ending to be had, they'll *earn* it."

The Nightmare Twilight Terror dragged her hooves along the hallway of Nightstallion Thorn's palace in what used to be the Everfree, now the Neverfree, Thorn's island of sanity in Discord's mad Equestria outside. That weird red-lit half-night showed through the windows, with the swollen red sun and shattered moon in the sky.

The Sunnytowners slunk back against the walls as she passed, as did some of Thorn's students, both ponies from outside the Neverfree and some from that other world of his. Others bowed to their 'teacher' with broad smiles reminiscent of a shark's.

Twilight knew they desired to kill her and take her place as Master Thorn's chief apprentice.

As so often before, she hoped today would be the day they did it.

Twilight looked up to see Applejack and Applebloom, red-eyed and withered corpses, watching her with their usual mix of condemnation and pity.

But I thought Thorn was just some braggart, some blowhard like Trixie! She wanted to yell, I didn't know how powerful he was! Or that his curse could affect me even after Celestia thought she dispelled it! I didn't know…

For what must have been the thousandth time she headed towards them in the hopes that they'd drain her life. For the thousandth time the spell protecting her drove them back and they slipped into the ground like wraiths. She wondered briefly what ever became of Pinkie and Rarity and poor broken-winged Rainbow Dash out in Discord's Equestria. None of the new students could ever tell her, most of them didn't even know there had ever been such a place as Equestria.

Not that there will be for much longer. Thorn showed me the ritual. When he works it, what's left of this world outside the forest will die and we'll all move on to the next.

She hurried -- well, went slightly less slowly -- down the hall for her 'students'. Once she'd dreamed of being a teacher in Celestia's school, but now? When all she taught was curses and witchcraft and ways to pervert magic into a tool of abuse and control? She passed a pair of mounted pony skeletons, a unicorn with a harp and a pegasus with thee butterflies displayed with them (she felt some relief that Fluttershy was truly gone, not like her or AJ) and headed for the small hall where she'd find her dozen students, her coven.

How she wished she'd never heard of that word!

She looked up to see those coldly smiling faces, hate warring with fear in their eyes. One of Thorn's small stone idols rested against the rear wall, a ready to pounce horned faceless thing that somehow seemed to leer.

"Apprentices," she said, not bothering to hide her disgust.

"Mistress," they almost hissed back like poisonous snakes as she opened The Letters of Cold Fire.

*I'd seen enough. How could 'I' have ended up like this? A look back along the timeline showed me. Discord, seeking an ally and finding one in a human sorcerer from another world. Thorn coming to the Ponyville Library, tricking me and so many ponies, setting a curse on me that compromised my mind. Freed temporarily by Celestia before she returned to Canterlot to help Luna try and keep Discord in stone. Refusing any ideas of summoning help to deal with Thorn, someone from his world who knew how to handle his alien magic -- Ah!*

*I slip back along this world's timestream to 'my' past self as she stands in the library, shaken and weak from Thorn's magic and unwilling to summon help if it'll bring somepony else like him to Equestria.*

"For the last time, no!" Twilight looked around at her friends, her heart pounding and looking as disheveled as that time with the 'Smarty Pants Incident'. Spike and Applejack and the rest began to protest, but she shook her head. "I don't care what sort of magic Thorn has, I'm not summoning someone else like him for help. I, I won't let anything go wrong again..."

But what if something DOES go wrong? Twilight froze as her own voice in her head said, Yes, Thorn is evil, but that doesn't mean everyone in his world is! Remember how you once feared Zecora? Remember what you learned when Nightmare Moon returned. Sometimes you HAVE to trust somepony you don't know yet!

Twilight saw how her friends stared, hooves scraping against the ground uneasily.

"Maybe," she gulped, "m-maybe you and Celestia are right. Let's try what she suggested and see if the Elements can bring us some help."

*And they do. And 'I' meet my second human ever, and see how trustworthy he can be. John shows me how to defend against Thorn's magic and helps save me and then we save all Equestria from Thorn and Discord. I have to admit, I can be a bit stubborn at times. Sometimes even I need to be reminded that I can't handle everything on my own.*

My former self...Nightmare Eclipse, tied every alternate version of herself to her. How foolish we were, thinking absorbing all every Twilight in every loop could not backfire...in the end it did. Eclipse tied every alternate version of her self to herself. In the end, the walker of the endless wheel got tangled in the spokes and now it is a cosmic law that Eclipse will inevitably fall...but it is also part of my atonement to ensure that that fall turns out as happily as possible. The first worlds I sought to grant happy endings...were the ones that in their original iterations I doomed to destruction...One example? The one that showed me how I shouldn't defeat Eclipse.

"Honesty!" Said AJ.

"Laughter!" Apple Pie shouted.

"Generosity!" Rarity called forth.

"Kindness!" Fluttercruel cried out.

"Loyalty!" Added Rainbow Dash.

"And Magic!" Twilight finished.

The six lights within the ponies united as one and came together and the blast of rainbow light rose up to crash down on Nightmare Eclipse.

"Too bad." The Nightmare sighed. "Alright, everypony! All together!"

They came forth.
An inverted rainbow Nightmare of smoke and chains.
A clown Nightmare with crayon wings.
A flower haired Nightmare with butterfly wings.
A mirror winged nightmare with countless green eyes.
And a Nightmare of a dragon in gleaming gold and jeweled armor.

Elements of Harmony jewels appeared, each larger than a grown adult stallion.
"Loyal even into the gates of Tartarus!"
"A never-ending laugh on meanie-pants everywhere!"
"Kinder to end the pain than continued suffering."
"Face the truth you never had a chance."
"I give my soul itself to you all."

*Twilight, it'd be a fools errand to try and overpower them, wouldn't it?*

Poor Twilight gasped as she realized it.

'Six hearts filled with extremism...'

I felt her heart begin to waver...

'But...how can I...'

*In the end, should it matter if you can or not? Is that the most important thing?*

Twilight gasped and slowly nodded. '...Maybe it doesn't...'

*What does then?*

'...That...I'm here with my friends...Standing by them...That win lose or draw, in the end we stood together...'

Twilight slowly reached out her hooves and hugged her friends close as the Elements power grew. She'd resolved that whether this worked or not, she was standing by her friends and would die with them if that's what it took...

She looked up at Eclipse and realized something. "...There's something missing in your Elements, Eclipse."

=Seven Rings in Hand-Sonic and the Secret Rings=

"I don't see anything," Eclipse said as their perversion of the Elements continued to charge.

"You might care for your friends...but the Elements, how they are now..I can feel it, they're not MEANT to spill innocent blood or harm good ponies!! And the part of yours that knows that has rejected you!"

Fauna Luster, who's Fire took the place of the destroyed Element of Trust, had indeed abandoned Eclipse and her Gallery long ago. They'd used their extremism to allow the Elements to be used...but that didn't meant they were perfect, merely powerful...

Twilight focused. "Let me show you how important that part really is!...No, let US show you!"

Twilight, brilliant Twilight who had realized the Elements' truer nature the night in the Castle of the two sisters, now came to a greater realization. Hugging her friends close, she focused on another part, one that Applejack's heart recognized as similar to the Father of All Alicorns that had saved her soul. As for the others, there is not a being that knows Empathy that does not know Fauna Luster.

The Rainbow glow around the group changed shape, erupting into a brilliant flaming heart.

Eclipse's eyes went wide, seeing the massive image of a White Alicorn towering over Twilight and her friends, cradling them in her wings. The Alicorn looked...disappointed in her. In the six Nightmares. Like a mother saddened by her child's wrongdoing.

Empathy

The six perverted Elements drew it to them to complete them, not unlike when Shady's purified Element of Chaos flew into the six false Elements bared by the Sirens.

Eclipse and her Gallery screamed out in agony as their Elements sent off sparks of magic like a short circuiting computer, breaking their focus and draining their power. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"Completed your set, but it looks like it's not getting along very well with the customization you made!" Twilight replied, the Fires of Friendship spreading outward, surrounding the six Nightmares. "You have six hearts lost in extremes, but separated yourself from the Heart of All, Eclipse!"

*Do it Twilight! Finish this!*

Twilight and her friend's Elements each projected their own magic into the Fires of Friendship, turning it into a rainbow colored inferno that became a beacon that was seen as far as Cloudsdale. It spread outward, racing over the world...and leaving purified beauty instead of desolate destruction. Healed ponies instead of scorched husks. Fauna Luster's guiding will even keeping Sky Ocean floating gently in the sky, untouched and unharmed.

And more importantly, pumped the six heroes Elements directly into Eclipse and her Gallery's hearts through their own Elements now connected to the Fires.

When the fires died down, the world was saved and purified of Discord's taint...but Eclipse was nowhere to be seen. The Mother of All, all loving...decided perhaps that now that she was purified, the Nightmare might be in need of a good talk from the Mother who she'd rejected for so long. Unlike my world, the other Nightmares survived, (I'd not even been able to find my friends' souls or shadows, and realizing they'd been obliterated utterly due to my sins) and one day would need a visit, but at least she'd have her friends…

But all that mattered is that world lived. And was not left a smoldering ruin as Eclipse had intended.

Applejack staggered out into the night away from Sweet Apple Acres. The cool, lovely darkness that she could see so well in now. Once it would have felt chilly, but now?

She licked her dry lips, felt the fangtips in her mouth, felt more the THIRST that devoured every thought inside her. Ah have ta find something, no, somePONY ta eat. Please, please, don't let it be anypony Ah know... Let somepony be able ta, she gulped, ta destroy me 'fore Ah make other ponies like me…

It all started a few days ago when she took a look at that forbidden grove of old, withered trees on the property. Her last mortal moments were a nightmare of lashing dry branches, biting into her, feeling them sucking at her, pulling her down into the dirt of her farm.

And that night, pulling herself out of it. The moon so bright above, like day to her new eyes. The apples on that once dead tree, looking so utterly delicious, big and thick with fleshy skins that parted under her fangs to fill her mouth with the most fiery and sweetest and satisfying taste of her life.

Until she realized just what taste filled her mouth, and where it'd come from.

What followed was vague. Her hiding in the basement of the old abandoned farmhouse, among broken tools and dust and cobwebs. Experimentally sticking her leg into the afternoon sunlight and hissing at the pain. Weeping when she heard her family and friends calling for her. Overhearing them say that they'd be checking in town that night, leaving the farm abandoned. And the night, the beautiful beautiful night along with that unceasing thirst that finally brought her back out when she knew what she'd become.

*Applejack, oh Applejack, now that I've seen this world, I wish I could have spared you this. I can't. But I can spare your family and poor Caramel what would have happened if you'd stumbled on them in this condition. And I can help you. You just need to meet the right pony.*

"Fair Applejack?" Applejack jerked back with a hiss as a dark alicorn dropped before her. "Hah! I have found you! Twilight was right to ask for my help and..." Luna broke off to look into her eyes. Her own eyes went wide. Her voice low, she said, "What has befallen you?"

Her answer was a hiss and a leap. Luna's horn glowed as she caught Applejack in midair, holding her helpless off the ground. More ponies began running up from the dark. Some held torches. Applejack winced against the light from them. A tiny filly with a red mane raced before them. She whinnied for joy to see Applejack.

"Big sis! Ah knew ya was okay -- Hay!"

Luna held Applebloom away from Applejack. "Be careful, child! Thy sister is.. not herself at the moment."

"AJ?" Twilight gasped to see her friend, snarling and snapping. "What's happened to her?!?"

"She has become a vampony," Luna said, her voice full of remorse. "A blood-drinker. At this moment the thirst is strong on her, enough so to control her mind." She looked at Twilight and the others. "Have ye any non-thinking beasts about for her to feed on?"

"N-no," Twilight said with a shudder. By now her friends stood close by. Rarity wept softly as she held Applebloom, Pinkie's mane hung straight, Dash looked like she desperately wanted something, anything, she could hit. "But we have a hospital..."

A while later

"..An' here Ah am," Applejack said, setting aside the last of the stored blood she'd been given. She winced to realize how short the hospital would be after this. At least now she could think again. Her family, Twilight and the rest of her friends, and Luna all waited nearby. Applejack looked at Luna. "Princess, Ah know what," she took a breath she no longer needed, "What Ah am, now. Could ya just please... make it quick?"

Applebloom began to cry. Most of the other ponies looked ready to start.

"Applejack..." Rarity said, trying to twine necks with her friend in a hug.

"I will not."

Everypony stared at Luna. She said, "There is, may not be, a need. Once before long ago this curse struck Equestria and I found ways of dealing with it. I thought it gone forever." She looked around at them all. "I can try, but it will be painful for Applejack and it may not work, for the spell 'twas designed for pegasi. Yet if it works, she will live again."

A moment later Luna and Twilight stood on either side of Applejack.

"We are ready, Abigail Jacqueline Apple. Art thou?"

Applejack just nodded. And a moment later, screamed.

She thought she heard her friends crying out but all she felt was the magic purging something from her very essence. No, not purging, but making it a manageable part of her even as her ears grew long and tufted, her canines extended past her lips, her coat turned a shaggy gray and her pupils became slits.

Frameworks of bone shot out from her withers, skin stretched over them, and it was over.

"Be careful," Applejack looked around at everypony. "Ah, ah feel better but Ah can't be sure - Hay!"

Applebloom shot into her sister's forelegs. "Yay! Y'all are warm! Mah big sis is alive again!" She looked at her. "An' ya got wings!"

"Yes," Luna said, "This is where my Bat Ponies came from. They were cursed with vampirism, but while I could not cure, I could put it under their control. As I have now and here."

Applejack didn't notice the last part. She was too busy embracing her friends and family.

A short while later Princess Luna asked.

"The trees you speak of are called blood apple trees. They are a remnant from a darker age in Equestrian history, one my sister and I thought mercifully extinct. Where precisely did you say this grove was located?"

The next day Applebloom woke up just in time for the sunrise. Though she normally needed extra prodding to get up so early outside of harvest season, it was worth it to see an enormous solar flare come down from the burning sphere to incinerate a single isolated grove without so much as singeing the surrounding trees.

Nightmare Dusk summoned a sword and thrust it towards Rainbow Dash, still wearing the all too real form of Twilight Sparkle...

And then she froze, her sword only inches from Dash's chest. Her eyes narrowed to pinpricks. "Impossible..." The sword trembled, then fell to pieces, iron fragments and dust sifting away into the void. The Nightmare lifted transparent hooves, staring right through them.

Rainbow Dash didn't hesitate twice... she roared and slammed right into her. The rainbow energies struck the Nightmare with an explosive flash, rippling over her and turning her to stone in an instant. Dash panted loudly in the sudden, eerie silence. "Is... is it over?" She stared at the statue in disbelief. "Did I... win?" The pegasus' face began to light up. "I won! I... won..."

The awful truth of her surroundings caught up to her. The world was gone, dead... Nightmare Dusk had torn it to pieces, leaving nothing but tumbling mountains of rock floating in this endless starry sky. Floating space junk and... shattered buildings and... drifting plants and dead bodies...

Dash felt a lurch in her stomach. "What have I done?" All gone, all dead... only the rainbow energies that her friends had given her were keeping Dash alive now, and when that was used up... "I was so busy trying to beat her any way I could, no matter what. I didn't think what I'd do after."

* This wasn't your fault. Nightmare Dusk is the one who destroyed the world. *

But it was Dash's fault that the world was going to stay dead. Maybe she should have... *gulp* ... let Dusk win, let her turn back time once more.

* That spell is wrong, and you know it! She would have murdered everyone all over again. There would have been another you and another Twilight, but they wouldn't have been the same. *

Rainbow Dash sighed, accepting that. "Heh. I guess there's no use dragging this out. I wonder what it would be like to fly into the sun..."

* Before you do something like that, take another look at Dusk's body. There's something strange there. Can't you feel it? *

Now that Dash thought about it, she *did* feel something. She glided over, catching up to the statue, and tapped it with a hoof. At once, the stone cracked and began to fall away. Rainbow Dash gasped. Inside the dark, crumbling stone was a sleeping purple alicorn filly, wrapped in a glowing violet orb. "Twilight?" Dash grinned, whooping. "It is you, Twilight! My Twilight! You made it... I'm not alone."

That's when someone, somehow started a slow clap behind her, scaring her half to death. Worse, it was a draconequus! Maybe Discord had turned out to not be the worst villain around, but after the last thousand years, Dash's first thought was to buck first and ask questions later.

Dash held herself back, barely, when she got a better look at the newcomer. Arms of a wolverine and a Tasmanian devil, wings of a dragon and an eagle, legs of a tiger and a wolf, with the tail of a killer whale. Yep, definitely not Discord. But who, then?

* Strife. She's the Lady of conflict, natural selection, and survival of the fittest. *

Yeah... Wait, how did she know that?

* Twilight Tragedy probably rambled on about the gods and all that while you were flying around. *

Oh, right!

"I have to say, I'm impressed!" said Strife. "Here I find a whole planet turned to gravel... and then there's you, the sole survivor."

"Um... I'm still beer." The voice was coming from the deflated balloon Derpy, still tied around Rainbow Dash's neck. "Can any-phony hear me?"

Strife paused. "Like I was saying..."

"A billion bottles of beer on the wall!" sang Nightmare Granfalloon. This voice came from a black gemstone, buried in the rubble of Dusk's statue until just now. "A billion bottles of beer!"

"Show some respect!" grumbled Nightmare Mirror from another floating chunk of stone. "Do you know how many folks just died? Cause Ah do!"

"You take one down, pass it around..."

"Ah swear, if Ah have to listen to *that* for all eternity..."

Strife cleared her throat, and gestured dramatically towards Rainbow Dash. "And then there's you, the last surviving pony."

"We don't count?! You're a mean, mean, meanypants."

"The Truth hurts, sugarcube."

Ignoring them, Strife darted this way and that, inspecting Dash. "Oh yes, I'd love to get you for my Arena."

Dash blinked. "Your arena? What kind of arena?"

Strife chuckled. "You'd love it there, Rainbow Dash. Yes? Yes, that's it... You could fight new battles against the biggest badflanks in pony history every day. Of course, all of ponykind is history now.... Eh, they had a good run." She teleported over by Dash's side and elbowed her in the ribs. "You could even lead your own squad. How does the Omegabolts sound?"

Dash beamed, eyes watering. "My own... Hey, wait a minute. Even if you don't count them, I'm still not the last pony."

Strife pulled out a scythe so sharp, it hurt just looking at the blade. "Oh, you will be." She floated towards Twilight. "Just as soon as I'm done taking out the trash."

"What!? No way!" Dash darted around Strife in a rainbow blur, getting between her and Twilight. "You keep that thing away from my friend!"

Strife facehoofed... facepawed... whatever it was that draconequui did. "Hey now, don't be like that. She could wake up and do that time spell again. I'm taking her out before she takes all of us out."

"She won't!" growled Dash. "She's Twilight, not Dusk!"

Strife shrugged. "So? Maybe it wasn't *that* Twilight, but it was still *a* Twilight that started this whole mess and *damned* you all. And Twilight Tragedy was no saint, and neither are you! I know how many mortals had to fight for their lives because of you all."

"I don't care!" insisted Dash. "I won't let you hurt her!" The rainbow light around her began to glow brighter, especially the ruby red of her Element of Loyalty.

The draconequus ground her teeth, flinching back from that light. "And now you're facing off against impossible odds, ready to bet it all... You're my kind of pony, Rainbow Dash, you really are." She spun the scythe idly. "Look, even if I did leave you alone, do you wanna get stuck *here*? Do you *know* how long it's gonna take to put another planet together out of this wreck and create a new race of ponies, even with all the alicorns pitching in? Ten thousand years, that's how long!"

Nightmare Mirror spoke up. "For what it's worth... Ah'm sorry you fought so hard for your world, just to have it all be for nothing, but Ah'm glad this nightmare is over at last. Please, just... make it quick, okay?"

Rainbow Dash smiled, tears brimming in her eyes. The ruby light grew, enveloping her and Twilight in its warmth. "I've betrayed everypony for long enough, don't you think? I'm going to be there for my friends when they wake up in that new world. All of my friends... *No matter what!*."

The sudden, brilliant red flare made Strife hiss, hiding her eyes. When she could see again, a huge ruby floated before her. Inside it, frozen in place, lay a taller Rainbow Dash with a long horn, a rainbow aurora mane, and wings protectively surrounding four sleeping alicorn fillies, all snuggled together... purple, orange, grey, and bubblegum pink.

Strife smirked and put the scythe away. "Eh, suit yourself."

Strife found this interesting . . . How hard Derpy become a newborn goddess? This was interesting. Strife would call it impossible, but then again, there was no such thing. She imagined Applejack had a gift for someone else when she awoke to the new world.

Strife noticed them, dragons,, semi-skeletal in their appearances, with long beaks and speared ended tails. They flew around the airless depth of space, among the broken chunks of the world and the dead bodies of ponies. "Space dragons. I always could count on Tiamat finding a way to make her species survive."

She also sensed the moon, strangely not wandering off, as if there was something letting it not wander off. And the deer, and their goddess, who had relocated to the backside of the moon following Discord's rampage.

And there was more . . . there was Sky Ocean . . . with a miniature Sun and Moon floating around it . . . keeping from freezing or dissolving . . . From the feathers of Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. The seaponies knew Discord had warned them the world was going to end soon and only they would remain. But it was still horrible for them to sea. They sang a song of lament for the loss of the world.

"Oh no."

Strife made herself intangible, and watched.

There was Luna and Celestia, a combined glowing yellow and blue bubble protecting Sparkler and Dinky.

"Where's Dissy?" Innocent Celly noticed the stone statue of him still floating in space. "There you are Dissy. You got so big . . . Who turned you to stone? Was it a wicked witch? I'll fix you up, I promise." She didn't think all the floating corpses around her were dead, she thought they were sleeping.

Dinky and Sparkler were too busy crying at the absolute destruction to notice anything. And the deaths of all those Luna and Celestia hadn't been able to save.

A blue box arrived in the middle of the cosmic wasteland, and opens it doors revealing a pony wearing a fez. Shocked at what he found.

Princess Luna, unlike her sister remembering her full life. And she spotted the giant ruby first. Containing the four sleeping Alicorns.

"WHAT THE TARTARUS IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?! WHAT HAPPENED! STRIFE! DID YOU DO THIS?!"

Luna bellowed, her little lungs still doing a great Royal Canterlot Voice.

Strife sighed and made herself visible. Much to Celly's confusion. "My apologizes. Princess Luna. Doctor. This is going to take a while to explain." And it did.

Luna sighed sadly, looking over the ruins. Celestia...would take awhile in her current state to comprehend what happened, but Luna felt a grim realization. 'So this is what would have happened had Twilight and her friends not won against me...lifeless devastation."

Dinky looked at her mother in the crystal with her mother inside it. "So...momma's an Alicorn now?"

Sparkler looked unsure of WHAT to do. "...So the world is destroyed but...mom's alive...that's...I..."

"...I will admit," said Strife, looking at the grey pegasus. "Your mother won."

Sparkler blinked, still a bit on edge with Discord's bucking sister. "What?"

"Life, in my perception, has simple goals: to endure. To survive. To grow ever stronger. And to pass it's line on to the next generation," Strife explained. "And your mother is somepony who never failed to impress me. A pony with survival itself as her Special Talent. And she never disappointed me. Surviving the end of the world and becoming an Alicorn?"

Strife gave a smirk. "She won. She SURVIVED. She's climbed the highest tower that a mortal CAN climb. And..."

She looked to the two. "You survived. Meaning she succeeded in passing on her family line. In all accounts, she survived. Even turned into living rubber and wittnessing the end of the world, she refused to break or die...and for that, she has earned my respect. And that respect I do not give lightly. You should be proud of her."

"Thanks...uh-"

"Strife Zelus Typhon. And you're welcome."

Luna blinked. "...Strife...did you just comfort something?"

The Spirit of Natural Selection shrugged. "This family survived all odds, they EARNED my respect."

She then turned, looking at Discord's statue. "Please excuse me for a moment..."

The Draconequus walked over to the statue. She slashed reality in front of her, opening a vortex to what looked like the harshest, deadliest jungle imaginable. Strife reached through the portal and produced a pitch black spear, ignoring the roaring of innumerable beasts from within.

Luna gasped. "The Concept Killing Spear?!"

Strife held it back in preparation.

"Dissy!" screamed Celly, noticing what was happening.

Strife trusted forward...and merely pierced a couple inches into the statue, no more. A roaring red energy cascaded out of the statue, Strife forming a sphere of energy and allowing the energy to be collected inside. "There..."

Strife took the spear and slowly slid it inside the sphere, the ravenous energy ATOMIZING the weapon in seconds. She turned to look to Celly. "Discord is...more open to certain things now, and without Destruction's power, Father believes it might be better to leave him here and perhaps you will be able to convince him to help rebuild this world as probation, since he no longer has the power to outclass your group...not my first choice, but, Father is Father, his word is law. His seal will break soon in time."

Celly cocked her head. "I don't understand, why did you hurt him?"

Strife sighed. "...I've already given more comfort this day than I have in a very long time."

"To put it in...simply, Dissy stole something that didn't belong to him and made some mistakes. He is to help fix things to repay those he hurt, and you are to make sure he does..." Luna explained.

"Oh...okay, if he was naughty, I'll help him make up for it," Celly said innocently.

"Now if you excuse me, I have to take Destruction's essence back to Father," Strife explained, teleporting away.

The Doctor trotted over to Sparkler as Celly began 'tending' to Discord's 'wound'. "...Look...I know we have not gotten along."

"To put it mildly," Sparkler said, hugging Dinky, the two still very clearly shaking up.

"...But I want to see Derpy again too...and the TARDIS has space for two...Care to skip ahead to when she finally wakes up?"

Sparkler's eyes widened. "...We can do that?"

"Time machine. We can do many things. We can even stop on the Muffin Planet on the way there to pick up some gifts for her if you wish."

"...Fine...I suppose it's better than waiting on a dead world."

Soon enough, an atmosphere was rebuilt. Discord, now weakened considerably and softened from his time as Eclipse's pawn, chose to join with the Royal Sisters and, while still chaotic, finally made Shady a proud mother.

The first plant life to regrow? A garden around Rainbow Dash's crystal. A bizarre and beautiful mix of plants. Zinnia to represent the sleeping Alicorn of Loyalty, Violas to represent slumbering Honesty, Gardenias to represent the Laughter that would one day sound again, Yellow Roses awaiting the Alicorn of Friendship's new life, and oddlest of all, cacti forming a hedge of protection while the ever enduring Princess Bubbles slept and waited to be reunited with her daughters when they one day returned to her.

Discord naturally loved this odd yet beautiful mixture. The Gods chose to make make this garden the new Eden of the world.

And the sea ponies and others, including the new fledgeling races rising up would hold a festival in that place, awaiting the reawakening of the five sleeping Alicorns. And paying tribute to the one to whom they owed their existence. It's no surprise that the virtue of loyalty was considered a sacred virtue.

Sleep well, Rainbow Dash. And wake up to a better world.

In the void between worlds, Amicitia smiled and sniffed, blinking back tears of joy. "I'd save every world she, I erased, if I could. Every last one, no matter how many eternities it took."

As another Nightmare Mirror had said before I lost her, this Rainbow Dash had come the closest. So close that the backlash from Paradox's ultimate defeat, just that little nudge, opened the possibility for her friends to bring forth a miracle. Amicitia took a deep breath, still smiling on. "I won't even get to see you all when you're reborn. By then I'll be... Ah, but Spike would say that I shouldn't get ahead of myself."

She took out a checklist that would have stretched across an entire universe, if it could all be unrolled, then made one more check mark. "One thing at a time."

"Cadence, you have to stop grieving! It's been months! It won't bring Shining Armor back, it --"

"GET OUT!"

The Changeling servant fled the room, closing the door behind him as a magically-hurled paperweight smashed into it hard enough to penetrate the solid oak and stick there.

Cadence stayed huddled in her bed. The bed she'd shared with her beloved husband for so many years.

And would now have all to herself for the rest of eternity.

Alone. Alone. Alone forever. At least Shining Armor has peace where he is, down in the dark emptiness that does on forever.

She cursed and kicked the bedsheets away at the thought.

If he really loved me, he wouldn't have died!

From somewhere outside the chamber came the sound of laughter, foals playing a game. That elicited another shudder from her. For whatever reason, she and Shiny were never able to have foals of their own. While he lived it didn't matter; they had each other, and they'd been 'aunt and uncle' to many of the servants' foals and taken joy in it.

But now?

More laughter, bright and clear as the song of a silver bell, penetrating the beloved emptiness she wrapped around her heart as a shield against love and joy and anything else that might distract her from the grief and pain of losing him. She almost snarled at it. How dare they be happy! Didn't they know what she felt?

As long as I keep hurting and feel nothing else, she told herself, he's still here with me. If I forget, that means I don't love him any more. Then bitterly, I wish I had never loved him, or anypony. Love says it's forever, but love lies.

She raised her head and looked into the mirror beside the bed.

Mane and tail unkempt, face gaunt and hollowed, wing feathers getting mangy, her coat uncut and unbrushed since the fu-fu-funer -- since that, she resembled a wandering madmare. Her once legendary beauty looked to be gone forever.

Good, I don't want to be beautiful any more, I don't want to be any more, I just want to feel nothing. Cadence didn't notice the shadows growing deeper in the chamber as she thought, her thoughts bitter and sour, I wish nopony ever felt love again, or joy, or happiness. You can't be hurt if you don't give the pain a way inside yourself. Darkness began to run along her limbs, her pupils turned to draconic slits as she felt something like an endless pit opening up within her.

All she needed to do was to leap into it, and all the pain would vanish. Just her and the darkness.

I want everypony to hurt as much as I do forever. More laughter outside, innocent and joyous. Cadence's eyes hardened as her cutie mark began to warp, the crystal heart cracking down the middle. That will teach them to be happy while I suffer!

She rose on her hooves and began limping towards the doors.

Cadence, STOP! Cadence froze as the voice -- of her conscience? -- continued. I know how much this hurts, but this pain isn't the world! And feeling it forever doesn't mean you loved Shining Armor more. And giving in to it so much that you become a monster won't prove anything!

"But, but I just want it to stop," Cadence said, grief filling her voice. "I don't want to hurt any more! I want to forget Shining Armor, or that I ever loved him, I want the pain to go away!"

Cadence, LOOK outside your room. See what those little ones are doing.

Unwillingly, Cadence did so. She opened the door and peeked out. Before her a young colt and a filly were playing nearby along with some Changeling nymphs. One wore a tinfoil crown on her head.

The filly and colt hugged each other and the crowned nymph let it fall.

"Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor saved us all again! Yay!" The little nymphs and the foals cheered together and cuddled. "An' they'll make it so we can live in the light and get love without stealing it! Because they love us all that much!"

"That's right," Cadence said, her creaky voice warming as she walked over to them. They froze, only to relax as she nuzzled them. "He does, and so does she. Thank you, my little ponies and Changelings. I've been sick, but," she smiled at them and they smiled back, "I, I think I'm starting to get better."

*That was what my sister in law needed, a reminder of what her love for Shiny and his for her had truly accomplished. She has a long road ahead, bringing herself back, but she'll be taking it now. Yes, his death... hurts, and part of that hurt will never go away. But pain isn't the only thing in the world. And shutting your heart down protects you at the price of losing everything that matters.*

%Oh, how sickeningly charming! You should write that on a card and sell it, that treacly sentiment will doubtless be a bestseller.%

*Nyarlathotrot, put a sock in it!*

Changelings are not universally ruled by malevolent queens in the multiverse, the law of averages dictates that in some universes, their kind had their good queens and their evil.

In one such universe, a bizarre thing happened. Fleur de Lis, Fancypant's wife, became a Changeling Queen who called herself Queen Papillon, but did not lose her good nature. In this world, there were multiple Queens besides Chrysalis (one of which would become her ally), so she was naturally able to amount a hive. Be it her odd nature or simply Changelings working on different mechanics in that world, her hive became self sufficient. And she desired to formalize her peace with Celestia...sadly, her intention to show a demonstration her hive, while not desiring war, was ready for one, backfired as such tactics can.

Sadly, Persecution, the son of Morning Star, also had his claws in his aunt's heart. Celestia, my teacher...she held a deep hatred for the harm evil Changelings, including Chrysalis and...combined with Papillon's 'gunboat diplomacy' tragedy struck. One of Queen Papillon's princesses would die at...at my teacher's hooves in defense of her mother.

Papillon's own mother didn't even see her as a person anymore.

The sad part was that my teacher wasn't a sadistic monster or evil bigot. She merely desired to protect her ponies from a recurring threat. She didn't hate Changelings for being Changelings, she hated them for all the damage and suffering her little ponies had suffered at their hooves.

However, the Shadow Who Makes for this world, as sometimes they do, changed its mind and desired this outcome to change. Let it never be said the Shadows have no hearts. Naturally, I decided to help out.

*Are you certain this is a good idea?*

The Changeling queen blinked. 'I just want to show her that my hive CAN defend itself if we must, I don't WANT a war.'

*You were THERE when Chrysalis invaded. You know the wounds she caused, don't you?*

Papillon looked down, thinking back. 'That glutton, she has made this whole thing...so much more difficult...'

*Celestia sees your kind as a horde of parasprites, is it wise to show up as what she expects? To give her a justification to see you as a second Chrysalis? Hate will grasp at straws. And what hatred is more terrible than a mother's towards ones who have harmed her children?*

Papillon had retained her compassion, but could be fierce and terrible if her hive was harmed. Why wouldn't she know this?

'...I hadn't thought of that...perhaps I'm going about this the wrong way.'

So instead of arriving with her entire hive as a show of force to discourage a war, Papillon and her ally Queen Vaspira (at least two Changeling Queen would be needed for this to work) came to Celestia in their civilian guises, only revealing their true selves once Celestia had saw them as her little ponies first, Changelings after. As an added precaution, this time her Princesses weren't present.

...And merely used a shield to withstand her kneejerk reaction, never making any counterattack or attempt to fight back. Once Celestia's anger had cooled, they could speak. Papillon's mother would come to her daughter's defense, in this new line of fate having seen and greeted her daughter as she'd always known her.

However, I knew it'd take more than one mother and sheathing her sword to overcome Persecution in this line of fate. And that help would come in a most unexpected place.

That corner of the multiverse is...strange. Very Very strange. Alternate realities and even past selves intertwine. As result, Discord's younger self had met Papillon and befriended her BEFORE his fall...but still fell anyway and was redeemed by Fluttershy and then...ugh...I guess this is why Rota Fortuna said that it's best not to think too hard about cause and effect in this corner of reality, and to ignore the little white boxes with questions in them unless they're directed at me.

All it took was to plant a little suggestion to Discord that it might be fun to visit Celestia today...and let it not be said that Discord is incapable of loyalty towards somepony he's genuinely befriended.

All that was left for me to do was whisper one last little thing:

*Celestia...you forgave DISCORD, didn't you? After all the pain and suffering he caused, you still forgave him, right?...How can your hatred of somepony who wants peace with you ever dwarf the hate you once felt for him? It doesn't make much sense, does it?*

Papillon ultimately came home to announce to her hive that peace had been accomplished instead of mourning a daughter.

Author's Note

Parts Added by Who:

-Ardashir(Here goes my attempt at Amicitia fixing "Chains". It's got a Tv Tropes page here if you want some basic Bg information: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/Chains)
-Ardashir
-MtangaLion
-Ardashir (Note: this is a 'What-If' of my previously mentioned fanfic. If you use this we can consider it an alternate universe where things didn't go as well as they did in the main one. There's a Tropes page for it here if it helps: tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php…)
-Kendell2 (Based off a discussion me and Alex had: that the first worlds Amicitia saved from bad ends is the ones Eclipse brought ruin to (IE, Eclipse's alternate selves):
BTW, the idea behind what I just posted is the Twilight realizing that Eclipse's Elements would beat their's too late to actually stop it from going off (at least directly) but resolving to stand with her friends even if they're going to die called down Fauna Luster herself to help end Eclipse.
Just like the Hearth's Warming Trio's resolve to die together as friends called her to obliterate the Windigos, and Amicitia letting Twilight realize that BEFORE the attack hit was the nail.
-Ardashir (Here's another, based on a Grimdark horror fic from several years ago. I forget the title, but it had Applejack becoming a vampony, drinking Caramel dry, and then Caramel ate and turned her family, leading to them ALL dying.)
-Toonwatcher

-MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn

-Kendell2

-MtangaLion

-Aardashir (OOC: Based on a recurrent idea I've seen where Cadence goes Nightmare after Shining Armor dies and her 'love to hatred turns'.)

-Kendell2: This is one I've wanted to write for awhile but just now thought of how to do with the latest post (based on the Queen Papillon's Hive Tumblr and basically showing the pre-reboot and post reboot timelines).

-MtangaLion That ".out.of.character." fic someone linked, that was well-crafted and horrifying... I was afraid I'd dream about it. I wrote this to get it out of my system.

Cutie Mark Re-Mark Time Lines Part 4 (Princess Zecora)

Alex Warlorn

(Was that REALLY a second Element of Magic? Or a restored Element of Trust?)

Meanwhile in Manehatten, Orangejack was attending a concert by her foalhood friend Countess.

Entertainers like Trixie, Countess, and Sapphire were given rather large free reign, since they kept the population happy and amused, and a happy population was less likely to rebel on you.

Trixie had actually had the gal to ask the Nightmare Queen to be her apprentice. Nightmare Moon had laughed in her face. Trixie had broken down in tears. "But, but you're everything I've ever wanted to be! Every pony ignored you, they ignored your brilliance, your greatness, they treated you like nothing, while some pony else got all the attention. I... I thought we were kindred spirits."

"Difference is little Lulamoon on a midsummer night? I ACTUALLY HAVE brilliance, I actually HAVE greatness... " Nightmare Moon had then magically struck her across the face. "Stick to keeping the empty-headed fools appeased with your lies. It's all you've ever been good for."

Trixie had tried to get the Alicorn Amulet to avenge herself for her humiliation... but Nightmare Moon's police state had no interest in allowing powerful magical artifacts to simply run loose like her sister had. Nightmare Moon had actually left a note, telling Trixie she was truly just nothing, and not worth the Nightmare's effort, even if her foolishness was quite amusing.

'Princess Starflower' became in Manehattan what Captain Smarty Pants was in Canterlot... to the point many ponies believed they were the same mare.

Countess meanwhile, her latest song lyrics had gotten a little too 'offensive' (with words like 'the sun shall rise') the royal guard had swarmed the place, declaring the concert over. For her part, Orangejack was horrified at what her friends had done, didn't Countess know what Nightmare Moon would do to her and her family?! (Nightmare Moon did not just punish you, she punished your entire family). She desperate thought of how she could get her friends out of this. Sapphire was impressed, Countess had done it before Sapphire could do the same with her act first.

Countess however had vanished in a blast of blue smoke... and found herself in the company of Trixie under the stage.

MtangaLion

"Foolishness," murmured Orangejack. "It was pointless to get our hopes up so. Even if..." She found herself looking up once more, to the glow that had filled the eastern sky for hours now. She shook her head, gathered her skirts, and made her way to the exit aisle... a lady did not hurry, after all.

She hesitated when the ponies around her started gasping, pointing at the sky with wings and hooves. Even the guards stood gawking. Orangejack lowered her parasol and saw the moon *moving*, sinking towards the horizon. "What in tarnation?" She coughed, dreadfully embarrassed by her slip, but... The for the first time in years, she dared to hope...

The moon slid beneath the horizon, leaving only the stars above and the burning glow on the horizon to illuminate Everfree City... that, and the soft rainbow light streaming from the crater that the Elements had blasted into the hillside near the palace. Moon Dancer, Twilight, and their friends crept up to the edge, nervous about what they might find. Dust and ash from Nightmare Moon getting blasted to bits or launched back into exile? Nightmare Moon herself, about to strike back?

Instead, they peered over the crater rim one by one and saw a young night-blue Alicorn curled in a ball, sobbing and rocking back and forth. The pieces of Nightmare Moon's armor lay scattered all around, too large for her now. "Don't leave me alone! Not again! Please, don't leave me alone..."

Pinkie hopped right into the crater and trotted down to her, ignoring Fluttershy's frightened gasp, Rainbow grabbing to stop her, and Zecora shaking her head and barring Rainbow's way.

"Hello," said Pinkie, in a gentle, almost motherly tone. "My name is Pinkie Pie. What's your name?"

The Alicorn recoiled, looking at Pinkie with wide eyes. "Huh?!"

Pinkie Pie smiled. "Would you like to be my friend?"

The Alicorn's eyes filled with tears. She leaped and hugged the smaller earth pony tight, crying. "Yes... Yes, yes! I'm Luna..." She stopped crying, blinking in wonder. "I'm Luna. I'm *Luna!*"

And then the glow on the horizon began shining brighter and brighter. Thick clouds started boiling up out of nowhere, sparing the eyes of ponies who hadn't seen daylight in five long years... as the sun rose.
Kendell2

Those still loyal to Nightmare Moon had been losing ground, especially with their greatly decreased numbers...but then the entire battlefield stopped in its tracks. Both sides staring in complete disbelief as the sun began to rise over the horizon.

What shocked them more is unlike Cadence's attempt, the sun wasn't being RESISTED by anything. It wasn't struggling to rise.

The Nightmare Moon Loyalists were of two minds about this occurrence.

A large portion of the army simply dropped their weapons where they stood and surrendered. After all, a tyrant who had been toppled could no longer scare anypony into service, and the enemy was much more likely to be merciful when you gave up willingly.

Some simply had an 'I fight for the strongest side' mentality and that clearly wasn't Nightmare Moon any longer.

A significantly smaller portion did their best effort to inconspicuously flee the battle field. These were ones either too frightened of retribution to surrender...who had genuinely joined the Nightmare's cause, either because they believed in it or had managed to benefit from 'fighting for the winning team'.

"The sun..." Spike said in shock. "They did it!"

Shining gave a small smile. "Way to go..."

In Neighpon, Empress Haruhi blinked, looking up as something that hadn't happened in years finally did: the sun...was SETTING?! "Nani?"

For five long years, the sun had not moved from the sky. The closest they'd gotten to darkness and night was covering the sky in clouds to blot it out. Thankfully, it seemed the sun had been merciful and seemingly cooled its light to prevent them from dying of a drought. Now...night was falling.

Mother Deer gasped, watching the sun setting. Her antler nubs flickered with rainbow colored energy for a moment. She smiled. "Harmony...is restored."

Everfree City was mixture of cheers of amazement...and ponies who'd willingly joined in with Nightmare Moon for their own gain trying to flee before the rebellion reached them and caught them.

Alex Warlorn

As the sun rose, a single beam of light pierced the clouds protecting the eyes of the night adapted ponies, and that beam of light struck the last edges of the moon as it set, and the image of Celestia carved into the moon's surface vanished.

MtangaLion

Rainbow sparks flew out from every corner of the lunar surface, converging on a single point... and Celestia was hurled free of the moon and into the heavens. Still in the shadow of the world below, the Alicorn princess wore no regalia, and her soft pink mane streamed behind her. Voices began to echo in her head, prayers from all her little ponies.

"It's a miracle! Praise the sun!"

"Praise Celestia, you numbskull. Come on, if we hurry, we can take credit for it..."

"Mommy, what is it? It's so pretty!"

"Yes it is, Muffin, but you mustn't look straight at it!"

"Dad, I'm scared! Is it a fire?"

"No, son, it's a miracle..."

At the sprawling Apple farmstead, still called Sweet Apple Acres even though the fields were mostly full of giant mushrooms and the new moon apples now, Big Mac took his Pa's Stetson in his hooves and wept openly, watching the sun rise.

Apple Bloom dashed out of her fancy greenhouse, full of the fancy electric lights she'd strung up, home of the last of their original apple trees. Her smock and toolbelt were cut to show off her cutie mark, an apple on a golden disc. They'd claimed it was a golden bit coin to the Night Guards, but the family knew better. "Big brother!" she shouted joyfully. "Let's get some seeds an' cuttings and plant 'em! Let's do it right away!"

Big Mac wiped his eyes with his foreleg. "Eeeyup!"

"Sister," echoed one more voice. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Celestia smiled. "You only had to ask, Lulu." Her orbit of the planet took her across the terminator, into direct sunlight. Her mane ignited, blazing gold before settling into the familiar rainbow colors. Her golden peytral, crown, and hoofshoes materialized, created from pure will. She angled her wings and flew, picking up speed...

In Everfree City, Princess Celestia seemed to step directly out of the sun. Her face lit up warmly when she saw Moon Dancer standing among the new Element Bearers. "My faithful student." Then she spotted Twilight and blinked in genuine surprise. "And my diligent scholar as well."

Alex Warlorn

"Should have been mine.... should have been mine... " The Elements of Harmony had, true to form, not only cured Princess Luna of her insanity, it had also undone the statufication of Gilda, Doctor Whooves, and Sunset Shimmer.

"Where ya goin'?" Gilda asked, her body still stiff from the petrification. They hadn't even had a good view out the window while stone.

"Should been mine... shouldn't have been mine..." Sunset Shimmer rambled to herself. The others were too tired to stop her, but Sunset Shimmer had a life time of ambition and hunger for godhood to drive her on, out of the secret chamber where the Elements had been, to Nightmare Moon's private chambers, and taking a page from a book out of her page, and place it on top of the mirror within Nightmare Moon's bedroom, and slipped inside once the surface glowed, symbolizing the gateway had opened. The page slipped out, and the portal deactivated again. But she knew how to activated, and she would be back for what should have been rightfully hers from the beginning.

!Uh, do we need to deal with that too?!

(Our job was to make sure these timelines can reach a happy ending. We have to trust in this timeline's Moon Dancer, and Elements of Harmony... and hope they can repair the damage Sunset Shimmer had to the lives of their counterparts.)

/Ya don't wanna micromanage Moon Dancer takin' care of Sunset's ego trip? Ah'm surprised./

MtangaLion

Gilda struggled to her feet, groaning, and jerked a talon in the direction that Sunset had gone. "Do ya think we should go after her, Doc?"

"I think not," mused the Doctor. "Where she's going... I don't think you'd like it very much."

"Well, I can't hang around here. I'm not gonna be the first one against the wall!" The griffon grimaced at her Shadowbolt uniform, and started tearing it off with talons and claws. She seemed relieved when the last of it was in tatters on the floor, but her expression was still grim. "This isn't enough. Folks will *remember* me. A griffon in a pony kingdom kinda stands out, you know?"

"Not to worry, Miss Gilda!" The Doctor trotted to the back of the ruined hall and opened another secret passage, revealing a tall blue box. "We can hide in my... ah, shelter here! Just until things settle down." He unlocked the box with a key from his vest, then trotted inside, disappearing.

Gilda padded over to the box and cautiously stuck her head through the doors. She recoiled at once, leaping back three paces. "What the squawk!?" She waved a wing along the left side of the box, then the right, before stepping inside.

Voices continued to echo from inside the box, through the open door. "What the hay is all this, Doc? Did I miss seeing a unicorn horn on your head?"

"It's a big universe out there, Miss Gilda, and there's more than one kind of magic. Ah, don't touch that!"

"Don't touch what?"

The door slammed shut, and the blue box faded away, wheezing like an angry minotaur.

Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile outside, Twilight bowed her head. Speaking what first came to mind. "I'm sorry I kidnapped Spike's egg Princess, that was stubborn and selfish."

Princess Luna meanwhile, too weak to fly, let alone give off so much as a spark with her magic, looked at her big sister in a mix of shame of her sins now that her mind was clear for the first time in over a thousand and five years, and terror at what wrath Celestia would deliver upon Luna for daring to bring fear and oppression upon Celestia's precious ponies. The one thing she knew that could break her sister's loving demeanor.

Ardashir

"Luna!"

The weakened alicorn of night froze as the massive form of her sister strode over to stand above her. She looked up at the sun alicorn towering over her as she spoke.

"Luna, after all that has happened..."

Celestia dropped down to lay before her sister, stretched her neck out, and... nuzzled her.

"Sister, forgive me," Celestia said. Luna looked up unbelieving as Celestia set her head over her sister's withers in an equine hug and said, "I wanted to be ready for your return, to heal you from your madness. But I wasn't. My arrogance cost everypony so much, you, me, my little ponies... Please, sister, let us begin anew. Let us work together to heal the damage we have both done by our actions, to the ponies and to Equestria."

MtangaLion

The Elements of Harmony, bowing before Celestia, jumped at her words. "Sister?!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie.

"Oh my..." breathed Fluttershy.

Twilight gaped, finally recognizing the legend come to life right in front of her.

Moon Dancer smiled knowingly, and wasn't that surprised to see Zecora doing the same.

"I... I'd like that," said Luna. She nuzzled her sister back, cheeks damp with tears.

Gradually, they began to realize that the Crystal Army had caught up to them. The front gate of Nightmare Moon's palace had been breached some time ago. Ponies on the castle towers were pointing and shouting, and more ponies were approaching from every direction, both soldiers and curious townspeople, come to see Princess Celestia returned.

Flash Sentry was the first to reach the crater. The orange pegasus bowed deeply to Celestia, then, curiously, he bowed to Twilight Sparkle as well. "Twilight! I'm sorry I couldn't protect you in person sooner..."

Twilight looked right past him, her face lighting up as Spike landed, still carrying Prince Shining Armor. "Twilight!" rumbled the young, definitely not a baby any more dragon.

Twilight galloped right into her brother's embrace, hugging him tight. "Shining! Spike! Oh my gosh! What have they been feeding you?"

Shining chuckled warmly, hugging back. "All this time, I thought I was just humoring a spoiled little sister who wanted to play revolutionary." He nudged her Element choker with a hoof. "I guess Spike's not the only one who grew up. You did good, sis."

Flash blinked, forgotten, then chuckled. "She'll probably thank me later..."

Princess Cadence landed, flanked by fully-armored guards. "Aunt Celestia! You don't how good it is to have you back again!" She frowned, seeing Luna, and exchanged uncomfortable glances with her husband. "Is that... her?"

"There's nothing to fear," said Celestia warmly. "Thanks to these brave ponies and the Elements of Harmony, the evil spirit we knew as Nightmare Moon has been destroyed forever, and my sister is finally free..."

Luna raised a hoof. "Sister? Sister, NO."

Celestia trailed off, shocked. "But... Luna, don't be hasty," she whispered. "Let's talk about this."

Luna took a deep breath, and shook her head firmly. "I wish we could just wish this away too, Celly. I wish we could make all of this never have happened... but we can't." She stood up and faced the crowd, raising her voice. "Citizens of Equestria... I know there are ponies out there who think that all this is just a setback. There are even ponies listening, here, now, who want Nightmare Moon to return. Well, that isn't going to happen! Nightmare Moon can't return, because she never left. She stands before you now!"

Fear rippled through the crowd, but Celestia stood up as well and spread her wings, reassuring them with her presence... though her expression was troubled too.

Luna bowed her head. "I was insane, it is true, but that is a poor excuse for all of the things I did, all of the evil deeds I'm responsible for. I can only hope that someday, you will forgive me, as my sister has forgiven me." She stamped a hoof. "I, Luna, renounce the name of Nightmare Moon... and my throne. Until the day when I am once again worthy of your trust, I serve at Princess Celestia's command, and I will labor to right my wrongs, and soothe the dreams of every pony I tormented with nightmares... if you'll let me."

Luna fell silent, waiting for their judgment.

Kendell2

Pane Glimmer gave a sigh and set down, her age no longer being magically brought back to its prime. "Finally..." she muttered, trotting over to let things naturally progress.

"Is it over?" asked Discord, now tiny and poking out of her mane, causing her to jump a few feet in the air.

Pane sighed. "Yes, it is..."

Discord looked to the Elements. He looked tempted to try something...but then ssaw Fluttershy.

"...Can't do it, can you?" Pane asked.

Discord gave a sigh. "I suppose. It's odd, I sold my conscience on Ebray, I shouldn't be ABLE to feel hesitation for my actions at all, let alone actually feel BLECH, bad for what I'm considering doing..."

"...Hehe..."

"What?" Discord questioned.

"...The Spirit of Chaos himself is friends with a shy, timid little pegasus and a bearer the Elements of Harmony," replied the elderly mare. "That's probably the most unexpected thing imaginable."

Discord blinked...then laughed. "I suppose you're right...though I'm also going to have to explain to Celly I'm not longer evil."

"I can help with that...I know what it's like..." she replied.

"...You still smell good, so I have no problem with that."

MtangaLion

"You know," said Discord offhandedly, "most mortals would be a gibbering wreck if I pumped them that full of chaos, even after I took the chaos away."

The old mare felt the ghost of her old temper and tried to glare at Discord... not easy, given that he was still in her hair. "Don't you think you should have asked me first, then?"

"Well, of course, of course, being that I'm reformed now." Discord shrugged. "But desperate times, desperate measures... and I'm sorry to say, my dear, you don't have much time left. Might as well go out with a bang!"

The miniature Discord mimed being shot through the heart, fell to the ground, and literally blew up in a shower of sparks and smoke, before popping out of her hair on the other side, unharmed. "You handled my chaos with such aplomb, though!" Discord stroked his beard with a claw. "I wonder... It's been, why, it seems like half an eternity since I created a new yokai..."

Pane Glimmer started chuckling.

Discord arched a brow. "Oh, is your sanity going after all?"

Pane smiled. "You do know, I used to advocate total equality, right? I even ran a town where I forced everypony to have the exact same cutie mark." She paused, suddenly thoughtful. "Maybe even you wouldn't know. That was a long time ago in the future."

"You've come a long way from being a complete stick in the mud, then! We've all done foolish things in our youth, my dear."

"And... Fate called dibs already."

Discord grimaced and snapped his fingers. "Blast!" Then the Spirit of Chaos blinked slowly, and gave her a shark-toothed grin. "So tell me, how do you feel about wolves?"

Pane tilted her head. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason!"

MtangaLion

Celestia took a deep breath, then lifted her gaze, giving Luna a stern look. "You have claimed responsibility for serious crimes."

Luna took an uncertain step back, then steeled herself. "I have."

"Usurping my throne," said Celestia. "Inflicting unjust imprisonment, tyranny, and terror on our little ponies. Threatening and waging war against the Crystal Empire. Hiding the sun for five long years, an act which will change the face of Equestria for centuries to come."

Celestia paused to let that sink in, while the ponies gathered around her murmured. Moon Dancer and Twilight had uncertain looks. Rainbow was giving Luna a deeply suspicious stare, but Fluttershy slipped in between them and leaned against Luna, offering her that small bit of comfort, which seemed to surprise the former Moon Princess greatly.

Celestia's eyes searched and found Pane Glimmer on the edge of the crowd, immediately spotting Discord in her hair. Her magic plucked Discord up and poofed him back to his full size in front of everypony. "But if even the Spirit of Chaos, who did far worse, can start to learn about friendship and make amends, then how can I deny that opportunity to my own sister?"

This produced an even greater stir. "Sister?!" mouthed Spike and Shining Armor to each other.

Celestia drew herself up, wings spread. "What Luna needs is not another thousand years spent in darkness... but friendship, the support of her family, and forgiveness."

An unexpected voice rang out. "I would forgive her," declared Princess Cadence.

Some of the crystal ponies started to protest, and Shining Armor seemed shocked, but Cadence raised a hoof, quieting them. "How could I not?" She smiled, sniffing. "She put us through Tartarus, yes, but they truly are sisters. I can feel the bond, the love between them. They've missed each other so, so much!" She drew in a sharp breath, shivering strangely. "I can feel the bonds between ALL of us. I see it! I..."

"My word," murmured Rarity, nudging her Element with a hoof. "My necklace, it's..."

"Mine's glowing too!" said Twilight.

"A shine most divine," breathed Zecora. All of the Elements were glowing, resonating...

Cadence's eyes opened, glowing solid white. "I see... everything clearly!" A wash of light swept over her, and in a flash Cadence was transformed, standing nearly as tall as Celestia. Her fur shimmered like a crystal pony's, and her mane streamed in an invisible wind, flowing and shifting purple, pink, and gold. Her peytral bore six gems in a hexagonal pattern, surrounding one more in the center, their colors matching those of the awakened Elements of Harmony.

Discord drew back in haste, slapping on sunglasses and brushing stone flakes from his arms. Pane looked queasy right along with him.

Cadence strode past gaping and bowing ponies, right over to Moon Dancer. Leaning down, she whispered. "I'm sorry. You were right."

"I don't understand," Moon Dancer stammered.

Princess Cadence smiled. "You will, when it's time."

Celestia beamed at all of them. "It seems I have regained two sisters this day." She cleared her throat. "I propose that Luna be sentenced to parole, and further, and that these brave mares, bearing the Elements of Harmony, shall watch over her, and teach her everything they have learned about friendship."

MtangaLion

Later that day, a smaller herd left the Canterlot train station and made their way through half-deserted city streets. News was spreading slowly, and many ponies had outright hidden themselves in their shops and houses, unable to bear the light of the sun. What ponies their group did meet looked upon Celestia, Luna, and Spike with gasping and awe...

"Do not fear, my little ponies!" shouted Princess Celestia, putting the Royal Canterlot Voice to its best intended use in centuries. "Tell all your friends that I have returned! The sun will set and rise once more, as per the natural order!"

When they came to the Palace of Canterlot and magically pried the gates open to reveal the dusty and deserted halls within, Celestia hung her head. "All this in five years? I'm going to have to recruit a guard and staff from scratch, aren't I?"

"I couldn't keep track of many of them," admitted Twilight. "Most of them didn't want to be found, or they joined Nightmare Moon's court, willingly or unwillingly."

"Actually, Prince Blueblood set up a government in exile in the Crystal Empire," rumbled Spike. "I've heard he used to be kind of a jerk, but he seems okay to me, and Shining Armor says he's doing a really good job. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

"Indeed?" said Celestia, brightening up. "I'll send word to him at once. By some means..." she added sheepishly.

Luna sighed deeply, mostly just putting one hoof in front of another at this point. "Sister, have you... given any thought to where I will be settled? Me, and my guardians?"

Celestia touched a hoof to her chin. "Not here, I think... nor in the new Everfree City, or in the Crystal Empire. Someplace away from palaces and courts, that seems best."

"Your Highness," said Rarity brightly. "Might I make a suggestion? What about Ponyville?" Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy all pricked their ears up, glancing at each other.

"Ponyville?" asked Moon Dancer in mild disbelief. "I'm not sure I *want* to see Ponyville again."

"Give it a chance," said Rarity. "Goodness knows what state my old Boutique is in by now, but based on the reports which passed through my hooves, I don't believe the town has changed that much. Most of us actually lived there or nearby at one time, and it always was a simple, friendly, welcoming place."

Princess Celestia smiled. "Put Ponyville at the top of our list, then."

Twilight Sparkle whipped out a scroll and quill pen at once. "I can be in charge of that!" When her new friends stared, she pointed her floating quill at the matching scroll and quill and magenta star that made up her cutie mark. "What? I like lists."

Kendell2

After a bit of settling in, trains began arriving and dropping off ponies who'd come to see if the spreading truth was indeed true.

And the group suddenly found themselves greeted by a fireworks style explosion in front of them. "Greetings everypony! The One and Only Trixie has arrived!"

She found everypony but Luna staring at her in confusion, Luna looking more shocked.

"...Trixie was Princess Starflower, she's here to get a report for her final issue...and to see the cause she's been working for through," the mare explained. She didn't seem too upset about that. After all, even recognition under a psudoname was still recognition.

"OH!" was the response from everypony except Luna and Celestia...and surprisingly Twilight.

"Princess Starflower?!" Twilight asked, galloping over.

"Yes...does Trixie know you?"

"Captain Smartypants!"

Trixie gasped. She reached into her bag and produced a letter with Captain Smartypants as the 'From' and Princess Starflower as the 'to'.

Twilight produced a letter with the opposite being the case.

The two hugged out of nowhere.

"It's so nice to finally meet you!"

"Likewise! Trixie is glad you made it through this unscathed!"

"Uh...what's going on?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"What? You thought Equestria's two biggest voices against Nightmare Moon WOULDN'T be in touch?" Trixie questioned, giving a scoff.

"We just didn't know each other's real names or what we looked like," Twilight explained.

Trixie chuckled. "After all, one of us, though extremely unlikely to be Trixie, could've been captured and tortured for information or the like. Would it really be wise to let the other have concrete information about the other's appearance or name? We used a...previously secret 'underground' network that was dedicated to getting ponies to Manehatten and smuggling them out of the country to communicate back and forth."

A look of realization crossed Rainbow's face. "So THAT'S why you two seemed to coordinate your broadcasts so well! You were working together!"

"Guilty as charged," Trixie explained, then trotted forwards and bowed to Celestia. "Princess Celestia, it is wonderful to see you again..."

Celestia smiled. "Thank you, and thank you for doing what you could to not let ponies give up hope of seeing the light again. Hope is very important."

After some explanations, Trixie and Luna were ultimately face to face.

"I'm...sorry...how I spoke to you...those things were beyond terrible...I tried to break you...the truth is..." Luna said, looking down. "...The fact you took my rejection...my words...and were able to rise above...you're right, we are very similar...but you're better than me..."

Trixie blushed and bowed. "Trixie is quite amazing...but actually, she wanted to thank you for that..."

Luna blinked in confusion. "What?"

"...Trixie wouldn't have friends if you hadn't...not Twilight, not Rara back in Manehatten, and certainly not Sapphire Shores there...Trixie used to be alone, but she is no longer...Trixie is like a phoenix, risen from her ashes! And for that she thanks you..." Trixie replied, taking her hat off a giving a polite bow. "...And if old Trixie had heard this Trixie say that, she'd accuse her of being an impostor."

"...I believe we're alike in that way as well..." Luna replied, giving a small, hesitant smile.

"Your friends?" Twilight asked. "You mentioned them with codenames, but I didn't know they were those two!"

The showmare turned underground voice of a resistance gave a proud look. "Trixie knows how to make friends in high places! They'd be here, but Rara said she had somepony to talk to back home before coming...an old camp buddy..."

MtangaLion

Early the next morning, at the Orange family estate in Manehatten, Orangejack was sitting out on her second floor balcony when the polite knock came. "Excuse me, miss," said Polite Cough. "Your guest has arrived."

Orangejack nodded. "Send her in, please." She mustered up a smile when Rara joined her, wearing a simple dark dress with none of her performance makeup. "Countess Coloratura, thank you so much for coming... and I hope you'll forgive my weakness. I confess, I haven't been myself of late, and I find that I could use a friend's advice."

Coloratura smiled gently. "Oh, OJ... You know you can always call me Rara." She stopped, lost in the spectacle of the view from the balcony. "Is that..."

A bright rainbow stretched all the way across the morning sky, framing the Manehatten skyline with its primary bow and faint afterimage.

"Indeed it is," said Orangejack. "Without the sun, there hasn't been a real rainbow in Equestria in years. Now I know what the weather schedule meant, when it said to expect a special surprise." The high-society mare and shipping executive sighed. "It got me thinking, though. Rara... what am I doing here?"

Coloratura tilted her head, puzzled. "What do you mean, OJ? What you're good at. What you enjoy, I hope."

OJ stamped a hoof in a decidedly unladylike manner. "There's been a war going on. Ponies fought hard and risked everything they had..." She held up a telegram in shaking hooves. "My own family was staring the dragon right in the face and refusing to blink, all so they could save apples as we know them... and I sat in a cushy office and wrote schedules and signed checks."

Coloratura put a foreleg around Orangejack, hugging her. "OJ, those food distribution schedules kept ponies from starving when the sun disappeared. And among other things, those checks allowed Countess Coloratura and Sapphire Shores to keep performing... gave Princess Starflower secure resources to keep publishing. Please, don't put yourself down like this."

"But..." OJ shook her head, fighting to keep her composure. "Lots of ponies could have done those things, but my brother and my sister and my granny are the *only* ones I have. What have I done for them?"

"I have a better question." Rara smiled and nosed her friend. "For the first time in years, it's safe for you to go and see them. What are you sitting around here for?"

Orangejack froze. Crying on the inside be danged... tears were rolling down her cheeks now. "Do ya really think... they'll want anything ta do with me..." She pulled her skirt up to expose her cutie mark... three oranges. "When Ah walk in wearing this?"

Coloratura smirked. "This is your *family*. What kind of a question is that, you silly pony?"

OJ gaped at her, then wiped her eyes furiously, returning the smile at last. "Polite Cough, clear my schedule!" she shouted. "Pack my bags for a weekend trip! I'm going to Ponyville!"

The serving pony had a reserved smile of his own. "Very good, miss."

"Better reserve two train tickets," said Rara slyly. "I'm going with you."

OJ found herself looking out at the rainbow again. "Hey, Rara? How does that song go?" She closed her eyes, trying to remember the words. "I'm here to show you who I am. Throw off the veil, it's finally time. There's... uh..."

"There's more to me than glitz and glam," sang Rara softly. "And now I feel my stars align!"

Orangejack was pretty embarrassed when the serving staff and Aunt and Uncle Orange joined in... and then random strangers sang the next verse with them all the way to the train station. She'd never started a Heart Song before...

MtangaLion

On the far side of Sweet Apple Acres, right on the border between Ponyville and the untamed Everfree wilds, Rainbow Dash had located a cliff face with several west-facing natural caves... a perfect place for a thestral to build a roost. The prospect of having fields full of real, juicy crunchy apples right on her doorstep only made the location sweeter.

Not that she planned on *stealing* some farmer's apples... much. Maybe just a few.

Inside her chosen cave, Rainbow Dash had already made a comfy cloud bed and several chairs. She gnawed on a field ration thoughtfully, and shaped the rest of her raw cloudstuff into a ponikin and hung her Night Guard armor on it. Then she set about cleaning and polishing it, a habit from years of Guarding.

Never mind that she probably wouldn't be using that armor again... technically, she worked for Celestia now, even if she was still a thestral. Celestia had been more than willing to make her a proper pegasus again, but when she learned that the magic would likely bleach her coat white, even the daredevil speedster Rainbow Dash couldn't say "No thanks!" fast enough.

"She'd better not try to retire me," Rainbow mused aloud. "Being a Guard is all I've ever done." Then her sensitive ears pricked up sharply.

There was something big and noisy on the cliff above her cave, groaning and wheezing. "What the hay? Is that a manticore?" She darted outside and flapped her wings, rising as quietly as she could.

Somepony had parked a big blue shed on top of the cliff... her cliff! The doors of the shed swung inwards, and a maddeningly familiar brown earth pony with an hourglass cutie mark stepped out... nearly walking right off the cliff. "Oh ho! Watch that first step."

Memory jolted Rainbow... her eyes narrowed. "So we meet again... 'Doc,'" she hissed. "Now you're gonna tell me what happened to Gilda!" She crouched, ready to spring out of cover and tackle him.

"You know," said a second voice from inside the box, "your life would be a lot less nuts if you regenerated yourself some wings or something."

Rainbow slipped... her lunge turned into a short, undignified skid, still hidden from view. Could it be?

The Doctor chuckled. "Unfortunately, wings are incompatible with Time Pony physiology. Besides, what's life without a little risk?" He pulled a whirring metal rod out of a vest pocket, squinting and shaking it. "I do believe... yes, this is your stop! We've found it at last."

"You old fraud!" said the voice from inside the box. "You always say that, then... boom, Sombra Troopers! Or freaky invisible wolves, or insufferable smart-flank future me..."

Rainbow's eyes grew wide as the owner of the voice followed the Doctor out of the shed...

A griffon... A griffon wearing light armor like nothing Dash had ever seen any Guard or Shadowbolt wearing, with slim metal cuffs on her forelimbs and what looked like a serious no-fooling sword strapped to her back... but there could be no doubt. "Gilda!?" Rainbow blurted out, breaking cover.

"Or ponies that want to shoot me or lock me up because, 'Oh my gosh, a talking griffon!' Or changelings." She made a face. "Seriously, buck changelings..." And then she froze. "Dash?" Gilda's whole expression flipped. "Dash!" She sprang forward, grinning like an idiot, grabbing the smaller thestral right off her hooves and spinning her around.

Rainbow yelped. "Whoa, what the hay!?"

"Holy crap, it IS you! I missed you so freakin' much!" Gilda trailed off and came to a stop, realizing that Dash's expression had become equal parts fear, annoyance, and utter confusion. "Wait, hold on... how long has it been?"

Dash blinked slowly. "How... long?"

"How long since you beat Nightmare Moon? Duh!"

"Did you hit your head or something? That was last week!"

Gilda twitched. "But that means..." She started counting something on her talons. Her beak mouthed a foul word, and she quickly set Rainbow back down. "So, uh... 'Sup, Dash? We finally escaped. From that place Nightmare Moon banished us to." She shot the Doctor a look.

The Doctor started nodding along smoothly. "Ah yes, *that* place. Pity about Miss Sunset, long story..."

Rainbow glared at her best friend, suddenly tired. "Every time I think I've finally got you griffons figured out. Pfft. I guess... it's good to see you again too, featherhead." She smirked. "Come on in, let's talk." The thestral dropped off the cliff and glided down.

"Yeah, sure!" called out Gilda. "Just a sec." She spun around. "You!"

The Doctor froze... he'd been just about to slip quietly back into his shed.

Gilda gave him her sternest glare... then grabbed his hoof and shook it in her talons. "Tell Derpy and the fillies hi... and, uh... don't be a stranger or anything lame like that, okay?"

The Doctor chuckled and mimed tipping a hat to her. "Until next time, then." He ducked into his shed. Gilda watched the door click shut, and then the whole thing vanished as noisily as it had arrived.

Gilda took in a deep breath of good, fresh Equestrian air. "Welp. Home sweet something-or-other. Sheesh, listen to me, getting all sentimental." She spread her wings and followed Dash into the cave.

Alex Warlorn

Amicitia smiled at the world line. "Well, I think our work is done."

Nightmare Mirror raised an eyebrow in a very Applejack manner. "So that's it? No checking on how things go with Sunset Shimmer, that world's human six, the sirens, their Everfree? No seeing how THAT timeline's Starlight Glimmer and Our Town went?"

Dues Ex Machina said, "OH! I could have a meteorite just happen to fall from the sky and-"

Amicitia shook her head. "No... I think Starlight Glimmer will take care of herself, literally, and as for the rest... I have faith in them. This took a lot longer and harder than I thought."

"So what ya doing' next? The Ash Lands?"

"... No... I'm saving that for last... I want to go back now... to the timeline where Chrysalis won... and see if we can save that world within the rules we've set for ourselves."

MtangaLion

Once again, Amicitia, Nightmare Mirror, and Deus ex Machina floated in the aether, hovering over the worldline that Queen Chrysalis had dragged down into darkness.

"Zecora almost succeeded," said Amicitia, studying events intently. "She would have... she just didn't have enough time. We need to make history diverge in order to create a new world. Even a small change will do."

Nightmare Mirror frowned, deep in thought. "But even a small change could 'butterfly' Zecora's victory clean away. Ya know it's true."

Deus sipped from a big mug of coffee, drawing a sketch, then throwing it away and tugging at her mane in frustration. "It shouldn't be like this, fighting to the bitter end with no hope and no help! What these ponies need... are heroes!"

Mirror rolled her eyes. "Here we go again! No, ya can't have star ponies land their space armada, or Queen Majesty pop out of a time portal ta save the day. Even with Fate on our side, that ain't gonna fly, sugarcube."

And then Deus leaned forward, staring at the world, and a huge smile spread over her face. "Don't dismiss me so lightly, sempai. I know, I've had a lot to learn... and I'm happy that I've had amazing teachers like you and Ami-sempai!" She closed her eyes, spread her wings, and put a hoof to her heart. "There is ALWAYS hope... and you never know when heroes you'd forgotten all about might swoop in to save the day!"

It began as rumors, whispers through Zecora's camp.

"If only *they* were here," said an aged former guardpony, retired just before the changeling conquest.

"The Everfree Rangers?" asked a former Canterlot noble, now wearing rags and magical paint like all the rest of them. "Wasn't that a foal's story, or some kind of drama series?"

Another former guard scoffed. "They were as real, all right! Best of the best! Real as my hooves! Queen Bug-guts wouldn't stand a chance if the Rangers were still around."

"If I might be so bold," asked Zecora, who'd overheard them, "where now are these heroes of old?"

"I can tell you that!" shouted Lyra, causing a stir and a hush in the crowd. "I've been trying to tell ponies for years, but we've been running for our lives so long..."

Zecora put a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "Perhaps indeed, it's heroes we need."

Lyra led them to a deep glade in the forest... a old ruined camp filled with ponies sealed in crystal statues, all buried in changeling gunk that would have made them almost impossible to find without a guide.

It took a whole week for Zecora to concoct a ritual to release them, time and attention and resources they really couldn't afford, but in the end, nearly two dozen warriors in dark green cloaks broke free of the crystal prisons, shuddering and gasping for air. Five more among them were changeling corpses in the same gear, stabbed through with crossbow bolts or lances.

"We were betrayed," said the unicorn wizard Smoke Ring mournfully, when the survivors were gathered around a campfire, sipping a hot brew Zecora had made. "We never knew of the changelings until they turned on us... even our captain was one! We failed the Princess, failed Equestria..."

The huge earth pony Stone Wall stamped a hoof, shaking the very trees. "But we're back in the fight now, right? Let me at this Chrysalis! We'll buck her right back where she came from!"

The red pegasus Winghoof grinned sardonically. "Or die heroically trying. Though I'd rather live heroically, just saying."

And off to one side, Lyra in her war paint and Bon Bon in her Ranger cloak snuggled close, together again at last.

Alex Warlorn

"DEUS EX MACHINA!" Amicitia shouted.

"What?! They're established ponies in a related world line! It's not that much of a stretch! I'll admit I still need to explain how they ended up in crystals but-"

"Remember?! Nothing we can change can contradict what Twilight Sparkle experienced in her visit to that world line!"

"OH! Heheh... right... well... maybe they were away training... or... preparing an ambush... or were out on a raid? A small number of fresh soldiers wouldn't give Zecora's group much hope, at first . . . Maybe we can shift when it happens around?"

Nightmare Mirror herself said, "Ah gotcha, ya TRIED this time darlin', ya really did. Ya tried yer hardest to make sure ya didn't just cheat... but we gotta stick to the plan with Twilight or this becomes just another random timeline rather than a happy ending for the one Twili' visited."

Dues Ex Machina nodded. "Alright." She then shuddered. "You don't think the changelings have begun -force breeding- for ponies to keep their population up do you?"

The other two shuddered. "Her reign has only been three years... hopefully she hadn't had to worry about that yet. If she has... who am I kidding, she was already awful, it's a drop in her black ocean."

"Mr and Mrs Cake wouldn't mind havin' more kids."

"MIRROR!"

"It's the truth..."

Amicitia glanced at the world line again.

"There there Tornado Bolt, soon you won't be cattle anymore.. you should feel honored, Chryssy only lets me uplift a few select each year..." Princess Sweetie Belle of the changelings said, as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo finished cocooning Tornado Bolt.

Amicitia felt sick.

"Come on darlin', ya HAD to see that one comin'!"

Kendell2

"...You know, Deus DOES have a point..."

Deus blinked. "I do?"

"Well...sort of..." Amicitia replied. "...Let's assume Zecora defeat Chrysalis. Sweetie Belle gets the throne, we help somepony talk her down, the Changelings have a benevolent ruler who makes peace with Equestria. Celestia is still alive and unbroken or changed, merely drained of power she can regain, same with Cadence. Thank Fauna Luster she didn't realize that Cadence and her have that connection..."

"Sounds good."

"...But the ponies who were drained by the Changelings won't be able to be restored."

Deus gasped. "That's...right..."

"...I know what we need to do," Amicitia said. "We need the nail to be somepony finding the Elements of Harmony that could fit at least one of them...maybe has friends that fit the rest of them...Then they have the Elements to restore the Changeling's victims."

"And," Mirror interjected. "As a back up incase the butterfly decide to flap it's wings or Sweetie goes Nightmare when Chrysalis bites it."

"Exactly...but who?" Amicitia asked. "Trixie would normally be perfect choice, but she's a member of Zecora's camp, this Trixie wouldn't go off on her own to find something, she'd tell SOMEONE or they'd notice she's missing...It has to be someone NOT from Zecora's camp..."

"Excuse me."

The group blinked, turning to see Starlight Glimmer. Or rather, a Starlight Glimmer with clockwork wings on her back.

"Rota Fortuna told me to give you this," said the mare, handing them a book saying 'Every Potential Bearer That Physically Could Have Lived During The Second Reign of the Two Sisters'.

"...Which Starlight are you?" Deus asked.

"Does it matter?" Starlight asked. "This is the atonement for what I did."

"I guess not..."

Amicitia looked through the pages...then gasped. "I think I got it..."

Daring Do looked through one book after another. Zecora lead one sanctuary, she was the leader of another. And that had required her secret identity sadly having to go out the window. It helped her lair was ALREADY in the middle of nowhere and she had knowledge of the most isolated locations on the planet.

As it turned out, the Tenochtitlan Basin was a good place for a hide out, both due to the number of temples and the Shield of Razdon.

Especially given Ahuizotl had zero interest in aiding Chrysalis and was in fact allied AGAINST her. When she'd asked WHY his answer had been simple:

"Daring Do, you must know one thing about me! No one destroys the planet except for me!"

However...Daring Do didn't sit and do nothing, just wasn't who she was. Hiding. She was proactive.

She looked through the book in front of her. "I've seen so many different artifacts. Between me and Ahuizotl, we've seen more than the rest of the planet combined...one of them HAS be able to beat that witch..."

The issue was most of them had either been destroyed in their battle, put in a museum, or locked up in a vault only Celestia knew the location of for safe keeping. And the ones she had personally weren't the kind that could deal with her on their own.

"Still looking through books?" asked Cloudkicker, trotting in. Her and her little sister Alula had both fled when the Changelings took over and ended up here. They'd gotten along well.

"Yeah...there's got to be SOME artifact strong enough to defeat Chrysalis. Best thing I've found is some wands belonging to ancient Princesses and some item called the Sun Stone that could possibly restore Celestia, but we'd have to GET to her to do that...Only other thing I can think of is luring her here and frying her with the Rings of Scorchero but that would roast everything ELSE in the Basin too."

"...I'm sure you'll find something...you're Daring Do, right?"

"Yeah...thanks..."

"Thanks for giving us a safe place to stay and working your flank off to try and find a way to save Equestria...Alula really looks up to you."

"Thanks...why I write the books."

After Cloudkicker left, Daring Do got up and headed over to the book shelf. She had plenty of them, so many to look for. She was on E.

*Nightmare Moon turned out to be real...wasn't there some sort of legend about her?*

Daring Do blinked and put a hoof to her chin. "...the legend said something called the Elements of Harmony could stop Nightmare Moon..."

[If she wasn't an Old Pony's Tale, then why would be what could beat her be either?]

Daring looked through a few of the books until she found 'The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide'.

"There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now the Everfree forest..."

Daring Do gave it thought...the Castle of the Two Sisters was located deep in enemy territory...but these things had been strong enough to beat Nightmare Moon...

The mare grabbed her helmet and put it on. "Ancient castle, lost treasure? At least it's something I know..."

(OOC: I'll let someone else pick out the other four Bearers who are in Daring's sanctuary or could be met on the way there. I imagine Daring and Cloudkicker being two.)

MtangaLion

Daring Do flew into the upper levels of the temple surrounding her hideout, through structures so ruined that they were exposed to open air. Cloudkicker flew after her, looking over her shoulders at every little sound of crumbling rock or gusting wind.

"I want to keep the team small and fast," Daring was saying, "so our third needs to be a heavy hitter."

"We're meeting here?" asked Cloudkicker. "I thought we weren't supposed to come up here."

Daring smirked. "Yeah. Gilda likes her privacy."

"Gilda?"

Daring motioned for quiet, then pointed a wing upwards.

There was a griffon on the highest ledge, brown-furred with darker wings and white and violet plumage. She was sitting back on her haunches and cradling a large crossbow in both sets of talons, sighting along the weapon at another temple in the distance.

"What's a griffon doing here?" asked Cloudkicker. "*Their* lands haven't been invaded and occupied... yet."

"And the 'yet' should worry a lot more griffons," said Daring in a frustrated tone.

Gilda twitched her beak towards them. "'Sup, DD." She, at least, seemed to take the changeling threat seriously. She was wearing the same war paint that Zecora had developed and distributed to the pony resistance groups.

Daring Do grinned. "Hey, Gilda! Got a job for you. We're raiding the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters."

Gilda folded up the crossbow and put it aside. "Ooh, is there going to be trouble? Heh, what am I saying? You don't come see *me* when you need rocks dusted off and put in some lame museum. Yeah, sure, I'm in." She made a first of her claws and held them out.

Daring "hoofbumped" with her. "Great! Nice bow, by the way. I might have a salvaged scope that would fit."

Gilda snerked. "Don't need a scope."

"Are you sure we can afford to bring a griffon?" whispered Cloudkicker, half-joking.

"I like getting well paid," said Gilda loudly, making it clear she'd overheard. "But that ain't what this is about." She waited, tapping her claws when Cloudkicker didn't leave right away. "What are you expecting? My bucked-up life story? Go on, get outta here. I know you've got better stuff to do than listen to that."

Daring's last errand that day was a trip into the labyrinth beneath the temple grounds. Here, a solitary wizard had built a lair of her own. She was unpleasant and sarcastic to everypony, and if she hadn't been so useful, the rebels probably would have long since asked her to leave.

Not for the first time, Daring Do wondered what the yellow and red unicorn had done to wind up so bitter at such a young age. "Sunset Shimmer... what can you tell me about the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters... and the Elements of Harmony?"

Sunset froze. "You want... I see." She was silent for nearly half a minute before she reached a decision. "I'll tell you everything I know about them... IF you allow me to join your expedition."

"What?!" exclaimed Daring, spreading her wings.

"You heard me."

"I'm only taking *flyers* on this mission," Daring protested. "You'd slow us down."

Sunset grinned. "So, I'll brush up on my Hawkwing spell. You think I can't keep up? I used to be the personal student of... never mind. It doesn't matter now."

"Ugh... fine! We're leaving tomorrow morning."

After Daring Do stalked out of her lair, Sunset Shimmer went to an old cabinet, unlocked it with her magic, and lifted out a small shard of mirror glass wrapped in cloth. A faint rainbow shimmered across it. "This Tartarus has been worse than high school, but it'll all be worth it soon..."

MtangaLion

Sunset Shimmer screamed in frustration with a throat already hoarse and raw, and slumped forward. Iron manacles on her forehooves and heavy chains held her suspended against the wall of her prison. No magic, with her horn completely encased in changeling slime... no light but faint phosphorescence... "I had it," she groaned. "I had it in my hooves..."

Daring Do's "quick in and out" mission had turned into a perilous months long slog. If Sunset had known that fool pegasus was such a sap for helping anypony in need, she would have written the expedition off as a failure before it even began, and kept her head down. They'd dodged relentless patrols, crept into the ruins of Ponyville itself, added even more ponies to their misfit band, and somehow escaped with their lives anyway.

All worth it, Sunset had thought, when they'd awakened the Elements in the ancient ruined castle. Why had she felt so awful, taking the Element of Magic for herself and teleporting away? It was what she'd wanted, wasn't it? The thing she'd been working towards for years and years. It was hers. She'd earned it... how many times had her magic saved their flanks? *She* had the power to use it. It'd even had her cutie mark on it... so why had it remained a sphere of inert stone, even as the changelings closed in around her?

Sunset might have fallen asleep for a while. She didn't think she could sleep like this, until she jerked awake, hearing a commotion outside the cell. She heard hoofsteps, changelings chittering in alarm, bodies slamming against stone walls.

"They don't have the cell keys," said Gilda's voice, making Sunset jump.

"That's fine," said the voice of Applejack. "Ah brought mah own." The cell door jolted twice, then flew into the cell, bucked off its hinges.

"Why..." Sunset started coughing, her throat had gotten so dry. "Why are you here?"

Cloudkicker rushed into the cell first, and she looked worried sick. The Element of Kindness that she wore gleamed on its choker. "She... she's alright! Nothing looks broken. I was so worried!" Cloudkicker had always been the huggy type, even when Sunset threatened to turn her into a bug, so of course she hugged Sunset right there and then, with the unicorn still hanging in her chains.

"You... idiots..." groaned Sunset. "Chrysalis tricked you. The Element of Magic isn't here."

Daring Do stepped into the cell next, a cocky grin on her muzzle. "We came here for you, Sunset." She wore her Element too... Generosity. "What? Did you think we'd help ponies out every step of the way getting here, and not help you when you needed it?"

Gilda ducked her wings and squeezed through the cell door, glaring dagges at Sunset. She had no cutie mark to match, so the Element of Loyalty had gotten creative. The red gem in her choker was shaped like a bolt of lightning, with wings in the gold filigree around it.

Sunset turned her head, unable to look Gilda in the eyes. "Go on, get it over with. Beat me senseless, rip my heart out and show it to me before I die... whatever griffons do with traitors like me."

Gilda lifted a claw, her scowl deepening. Sunset whimpered, cringing... but Gilda wrapped her talons around one of Sunset's chains and pulled, muscles straining, until she tore the chain right out of the prison wall. Then she pulled the other loose, and Sunset toppled forward.

Gilda caught the unicorn, set her back on her hooves. "I learned my lesson with Dash, dweeb," she said, her voice rough but not shouting. "I don't leave my teammates hanging."

Sunset half-coughed, half-laughed weakly. "Did you just... make a joke?"

"Teammate?" asked Coloratura, with a smile that only seemed all the more warm and radiant since she'd put on the Element of Laughter. "Really, is that all?" She nudged Gilda. "Are you sure about that?"

Gilda faceclawed. "Okay, fine. She's our friend. Happy now?" She smirked. "Hmph. And if friends can't forgive after one or two dumb stupid mistakes, pretty soon you don't have any friends, and that just sucks."

Sunset shook, struggling with the fact that she'd dearly missed these five idiots, in spite of everything. "I don't deserve this. I'm not worth it."

"True enough," mused Applejack, the Element of Honesty. "Ah would have said she got what she deserved, but Ah promised Ah'd see this thing through, and a promise is a promise. And... heck, we love ya anyway, Sunset. Right, girls?"

They all gathered around and hugged her, and for the first time since she'd fled to a magicless world and realized what she'd done, Sunset Shimmer broke down crying.

It took them another few minutes to remove the manacles and clean the changeling gunk off her horn. Sunset wasn't all that surprised when they emerged into daylight, and found thousands of changelings waiting for them, surrounding the ruined guard post that had been converted into a hive.

Doctor Kabuto himself was there, confident enough to come out in the open for once. "This is why you ponies are only fit to be cattle, and nothing more. You're almost making my Queen's case for her!"

Kabuto gestured, and four drones flew to him, bearing a spiked iron cage with the Element of Magic inside. "Even as we speak, Chrysalis is leading the assault against the last of Zecora's futile resistance." He kneaded his hooves, cackling dryly. "Really, I could have done this hours ago... but I thought it would be an interesting experiment to watch the looks on your faces when your last hope... dies!" He put a green bolt of magic through the cage, shattering the Element of Magic to pieces.

Doctor Kabuto had them dead to rights... so why didn't Sunset feel afraid now? She looked to each of her friends in turn, while the changeling swarm buzzed impatiently, and her friends looked earnestly back at her. Was she beyond terrified, too fargone to feel fear? Or...

Sunset snapped her head up, looking at the mad scientist unflinchingly. Now... only *now* did she truly understood... "Do you think really you can destroy Harmony itself, just like that?"

Kabuto's smug, superior grin slipped a little.

Sunset took a step forward. "Do you think Friendship is something you can fight with magic or armies? Friendship is Honesty. Laughter. Kindness. Generosity! Loyalty!" Applejack, Colortura, Cloudkicker, Daring Do, and Gilda... their Elements were all glowing.

The fragments of the Element of Magic flew out of the cage and rocketed towards Sunset. "Impossible," murmured Kabuto. "This was nowhere in my calculations!" He fired bolt after bolt of magic, but every shot flew wide. Changelings flung themselves in the way, and got knocked aside like bowling pins.

The fragments snapped together into a shining crown with Sunset's cutie mark, which settled gently onto her head. The six of them floated into the air, eyes shining white.

"Friendship is Magic!" shouted Sunset, and *everything* exploded in rainbow light.

Author's Note

Number seven of Twilight Sparkle's adventure through different fan fictions to give them a happy ending UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. But even Twilight Sparkle can't give these stories happy ending if the author won't let them it seems. And given the emotional investments creators have int heir own work, as do readers, there are those who will not let some of these world lines reach a better conclusion.

This is a record of other pony fanon worlds visited by Amciitia that came to a bad end. And her attempts to nudge things to a brighter future.

ONE DOWN. SIX TO GO! (Crystal War Worldline)
TWO DOWN. FIVE TO GO! (Film Flam Worldline)
THREE DOWN. FOUR TO GO! (Tirek Worldline)
FOUR DOWN. THREE TO GO! (Discord Worldline.)
FIVE DOWN. TWO TO GO! (Nightmare Moon Worldline.)

Changeling Worldline
Ashland Worldline

Anyone can write one.

Parts Added:
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Kendell2 (OOC: I feel AJ's story needs wrapped up too before we go.)
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 ( I had an idea involving something I talked about with Persona...then I realized Fridge Horror that made for a more organic opening...*sigh*Oh well, maybe save it for later, had an idea that worked better.
OOC: I'll let someone else pick out the other four Bearers who are in Daring's sanctuary or could be met on the way there. I imagine Daring and Cloudkicker being two.)
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Kendell2

Amiticia's rules:

1) She can not 'assume direct control' of anyone under any circumstances.

2) She can not physically manifest unless it can be passed off as a hallucination or trick of the mind, and may NOT physically meddle.

3) If a deity who is not native to that universe has already intervened or taken part in things, Amicitia can perform much more blatant miracles to help others.

4) She can manifest as a pony's 'shoulder angel', conscience, voice of reason, voice of courage, voice of inspiration, what have you to others at critical moments. (She's able to bend this rule a little when it's that reality's Twilight Sparkle she's speaking to since she's speaking to herself.)

5) She CANNOT give information that person couldn't logically know.

6) She can speak more directly to the pets (Gummy, etc), but they CAN NOT act out of character, nor can they give information they wouldn't logically have or act in ways that don't make sense in story.

7) If something has been established as how the laws of magic or physics works in that world, Amicitia CAN NOT change it.

8) Amicitia can arrange things behind the scenes that are improbable, but NEVER impossible.

9) Amicitia once provided Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the Friendship is Oppression verse an anonymous vision to inspire them to find the Element of Chaos, she is strictly forbidden from helping that world further under penalty of violence.

10 )Above everything, it must be like from the story's own narrative that Amicitia was not there at all, like a ghost. (Like how REAL ninja made a point of no one knowing there WAS a ninja.)

11) If Amicitia become an Insert (for example, appears, hands Applebloom the Master Sword when Bloom cornered by zombies, or blasts the zombies to ashes herself), the Blank Wolf of that timeline will erase everything she's done and she can not try again.

12) TL;DR Amicitia can not break the suspension of disbelief, create a plot hole, violate anyone's free will, or make it seem like she was there at all from the perception of the characters or the narrative.

Detailed version here: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/World-Building-110-Rules-For-Amicitia-517248800

Covert art by http://leffenkitty.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Twilight-Sparkle-406214191