Failed to see the light

It was nighttime in Pony. Every resident was asleep. Everyone, of course, except Twilight. She trotted around her room, alone, afraid, and still bewildered. She could still not believe the atrocity she had done. She had committed a spell she promised she would never do. A forbidden spell that would put somepony behind bars for life. But then again, what other choice did she have?

Suddenly, a little tap was heard at her chamber door. As the courteous pony that she was, she slowly opened it. And there she was, the great and powerful Princess Celestia, along with two other guards, presumably ready to take her away with whatever punishment she saw fit. Twilight bowed her head in shame, yet surprisingly, her princess ally lifted her head up with a smile bestowing her face.

"Why must you look at me so lightly your majesty?" Asked Twilight as her eyes filled with tears. "Don't you realize what I had just done?"

"Yes I do." Answered the great and powerful leader. "Spike explained everything, and you have nothing to fear."

She gave the guards a nod, to which they nodded back and backed away, leaving the two to their privacy.

Twilight stared at the magnificence and radiance that was Celestia, feeling unworthy to stare at her elegant beauty.

"That Starlight Glimmer must have been pretty powerful from what I have heard." Celestia stated. "Almost as powerful as either me or my sister, or maybe Cadence."

"She obviously had more magic talent than almost any pony I've ever encountered." Twilight replied solemnly. "My magic couldn't stop her, I even tried to convince her to stop on on her own. But she was in far too much pain and anguish to have her mind changed. So I was forced to use a spell I promised I would never use, not even on her."

Tears streamed down Twilights cheek as she started to sob profusely.

"And...because of that." She continued as she gathered whatever strength she had left. "I...I killed her. I killed her with my own bare horn."

She bowed her head once more in shame, as Celestia looked down at her. Then she ran towards her dresser and took out her royal crown, presenting it to Celestia.

"Here." Twilight said. "Give this crown to somepony more worthy."

"What?" Celestia asked in confusion.

"Didn't you hear the whole story back there?" Twilight asked bitterly. "I don't deserve to be the Princess of Friendship. Not after what I did. Because of me, somepony is dead. I am a murderer. Don't you get it? Starlight Glimmer is Dead! What kind of Alicorn does that and gets away with it. I just want to except my punishment and denounce my position. Because no friend should kill another pony, even if Equestria is at stake. I am a stone cold killer and I...I...."

She couldn't think of the right words to say next. So much anguish, so much hurt, and so much self loathing had built up inside her. Now she knew how Starlight felt, only this time, it was on her.

"I deserve to be locked away." She finished. "Tartarus Here I come."

Then she threw herself on the bed and started packing with her suitcase as tears fell down her cheeks. Meanwhile, Celestia, feeling remorse for her former student, walked over and sat beside as she gently dried her eyes with her wing.

"Twilight." She began after a few brief moments of silence. "Remember when I said that we are all students to you as you were to me?"

"Yeah." Twilight replied quietly.

"Well, you taught me something today. A very difficult lesson to be exact."

"What? That you overestimated me and that someponies just don't deserve what was thought of them?"

"No." Celestia replied with a chuckle. "You taught me that when somepony is too powerful to be stopped, and in too pain to be persuaded, you must do what is necessary to end their suffering, even if it means ending them."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked as she wiped what was left in her tear ducts. "I was so close to helping her. So close to having her see the error of her ways. I could've shown another way out. I could've done something, and I failed."

"I know, I know." Celestia replied as she rubbed her back with her wing. "You keep thinking: If only I could have done something different. If only I could've redeemed her. But there was nothing else you could do. There was nothing else anypony could do."

Twilight looked up to her former tutor and leaned her head against her long swan like neck.

"We can only hope you will never have to use that dark magic on anypony again." Celestia continued.

"I feel so ashamed." Twilight said under her breath.

"Don't be. You had no choice. And as far as I know, you have saved Equestria. Only this time, it came with a price. Just like me when I was forced to banish my sister."

"But Starlight isn't like Luna." Twilight replied. "She's not coming back. She's dead, and there's nothing I can do about it."

Celestia thought for a moment.

"Maybe in this life. But I have heard of a spell that may give her a chance in another."

"What do you mean?" Asked Twilight.

"Come."

And with that, the two princess flew out of the castle and into the field, with the guards trudging right behind them.