“Twilight! NO!” She heard the shout but it was too late, Twilight knew her decision to open the device was the wrong one as soon she did so.
But it was too late, she couldn’t move her hands away, they were holding onto the magic like magnets and she only could watch as the power knocked everybody away in a brutal manner.
The next thing Twilight knew was that she no longer had the ground beneath her feet and was slowly rising in the air. She could feel the immense power that was unleashed, feel how the world around her could not withstand the force of an energy that should not exist in it. And Twilight was right next to the epicenter.
What kind of stupid idea was this anyway, to use an unknown energy source to win some insignificant school contest, yet that essentially is what she just did. Why? Why did I do something like that! Please, I just want to survive this!
But it was far too late for regrets or bargenings, for the magical energy started to expand and encircle her. Twilight looked back at Principal Cinch and the other students who convinced her to do this, she knew she should currently hate them but right now Twilight only wanted someone, anyone! To get her out of this nightmare.
“Help me!” Twilight screamed out while tearing one of her hands away with all her might, but nobody dared to move a muscle all just watched and some backed away as Twilight was fully embraced by the magic.
Then the pain started.
Everything around her was fire, she felt as it crawling over her skin, entering her body through every way it found and pulsating like the blood through her veins.
‘You are supposed to be so smart…’
‘I am not.’
’..., but did you ever think that you shouldn’t be messing with things you don’t understand?’
‘I thought about it too late.’
These were her last thought before her world turned white.
Sunset could only watch as Twilight absorbed all the magic and started getting changed by it, ‘This is what it had to feel like when I became a demon.’ Sunset knew what was currently running through Twilight, that amount of raw magic messes with your head really bad, she would act out on every tiny little emotion, it wouldn't even matter what emotion, every one could lead to Twilight destroying her surrounding, be it out of rage, jealousy, fear.
And the worst thing was that they had no way to stop her.
She could only watch as the magic started to change her, mold her, burning away her clothes and replacing them with garbs worthy a queen, how feathery, black as night wings sprout from her back and a long crooked crystal horn completed the transformation.
Just watching Twilight felt wrong, it was like looking at something that should not be and it made her skin crawl, it was wrong, it should not be, eldritch. Sunset knew that she had to do something.
At first Twilight was confused, what had happened? How was she still alive? What did the magic do to her?
She didn’t know, SHE DIDN’T KNOW!
This could not be, she was Twilight Sparkle. She had to know everything
And now she had the power to do so.
It felt as if pure euphoria was rushing through her brain. There was nothing that she couldn’t do, all of creation would be used to fuel her knowledge, she would… “Twilight!” Someone screamed out her name?
Twilight turned around and there she was, Sunset was her name, that girl that had knowledge that Twilight didn’t possess, she had spoken of places she didn’t know, concepts she could not grasp, Yet.
“Twilight, I know what is currently running through your head” Sunset spoke looking up at her floating form. ”The rush, the power, as if the whole world is at your fingertips.”
Yes, this was exactly how she felt, but how could this girl know that?
“But you have to believe me, the price you pay for that power is way too much.”
Price? There was no price that was too high for her now. “Hahahaha, no, You can’t pay it, Me? I am all powerful now, and with infinite knowledge in my grasp there is nothing that will stop me!” To demonstrate her power she widened her senses, Twilight could now feel magic and how the source of it seemed to come from the statue, she charged energy from her horn to her hand and...
“Law of conservation of energy!” What? Twilight stopped her hand before releasing the power. “Think about it, energy can not be created nor lost, therefore neither your power nor your knowledge can be infinite, so please listen and learn, because the things you have to give up for it you will forever regret loosing.”
“Oh, really?” How dare this little insignificant human to lecture her. “And how would you know that?”
“Because I have been where you are now, I know how it fills you with false determination and believe me at the end of this road there is only pain, no matter if you succeed or fail.”
Been where I am now? Interesting, she could not see the girl lying...
This required some investigation.
Twilight tore open a rift and reappeared in front of Sunset before placing her hand on the other girl's forehead, why should she ask questions when she could just take what she wanted.
“Sunset!” Came the scream of five distinct girls as they watched Twilight throwing a torrent of magic at their friend. One of them tried to ram Twilight away but a simple barrier prevented that.
Sunset herself could feel as Twilight smashed away every mental defence she had, she was powerless and completely at Twilight's mercy and could only watch as the demigoddess opened up every memory analyzing it down to the very emotion she felt during it.
Twilight saw as the student was chosen by a god, she saw as the student grew arrogant and bitter, she felt how denied Sunset felt, how betrayed when she left and how clouded her mind was with vengeance. How she struggled to adapt in an alien world after she left and how glorious it felt to manipulate everybody and take what she wanted, Twilight didn’t understand, if she knew how good it felt then why wouldn’t she want it? She dug deeper and discovered how Sunset planned to get back on all those she betrayed her, how she stole the crown from a princess, a crown so powerful that it brought magic into a world that was barren of it. How Sunset hid it and fought over it and when she succeeded and placed it where she thought it rightfully belonged.
Oh and how right Sunset was, it felt exactly how Twilight felt right now, yes this girl, Sunset Shimmer, knew exactly what she was speaking about.
But… why was she afraid then? She saw when Princess Twilight was about to be destroyed, felt the satisfaction and watched as Sunset failed and the Rainbow energy was coming upo…
‘Please stop!’ Sunset mentally screamed out but Twilight didn’t listen, it would be the last time that she failed to do so.
Ṕ̛͖̰̥̜͓̫̫̪͕̲̗̟a̸̧̟̲̣̲̻̩͉̲͖̬͚̪͉̥̱ͅͅà͏͎̜͔͎͔͘͞ą̷̮̗͉̪͈͉̜͟͜͞a͘͏̱͙͚̮͠ͅą̶̛̠̼͍̪͙͉̗͓͔͉̗̩i̡̥͕̭̙̼͔͓̯͍̟͘i̧̢͎̰̞̜̝͎̟͓̪͠͡i͏̨̪̖̗̹̟͎̗̭͉͇̣̪ͅį̬̤͎̭̖̭̤̖̖́͞i̢̢̜̪̪̞̘͇̪̣̯̤̰̬͡ͅn̷̵̡͓̳̖͈͈̱̝͈͡͠ǹ̨҉̸̶̬̙̮͔͉̯͍͓̮͙ņ̟̮̯̙̬͈̭̕ņ̶̭͔̺͖̯̠ǹ̩̯̥͚͍͓̣̭͢ͅ
All and everything Twilight knew for a few split second was pain, she felt every betrayal rammed into her like a knife, every creature hurt would burn her like the inferno of the sun and every crime committed was crawling on her back like insects and each was more poisonous and painful then the last.
She screamed out to the heavens, the Devil, to God and everything that existed. Every piece of glass around her shattered as the magic amplified her voice as she lived through a punishment that was never meant for her.
At the end, as she cut off the connection, she was in the same state Sunset was in after it. Tears were streaming down her face as she was sobbing into the girl's shoulder, holding onto her for dear life with both her arms and wings, she was holding onto her so badly that it hurt.
Sunset wasn’t in a much better state, but she at least knew what was about to happen, Twilight was unprepared and didn’t deserve that she had to live through all of that in just a few moments.
Twilight understood now, but she wished that she never did.
All this suffering that was and could be caused, the power that was filling her with utopia now only felt like poison, she didn’t want it, not if it would lead to this.
All because of Cinch and these stupid friendship games.
Cinch, she got her into this position, she was the reason Twilight opened the stupid magic absorbing device she regreted making, threatening her with taking away her future over some senseless rivalry.
Twilight wouldn’t let her get away!
“Twilight!” Again she was stopped by someone shouting her name. And again it was Sunset, this time she was holding onto her midriff and trying with all her might to prevent Twilight from eradicating the principal. “Pleas Twilight, stay calm.” Sunset said while slowly taking Twilight's hands and lowering them. ”I know you want revenge, but it will not help you.” Yes, Sunset was right, this would not help her at all.
Twilight again started to cry and grabbed the girls arms holding them tight. “S-Sunset I am scared.”
“I know Twilight.” Sunset reassured her while barely preventing herself from quivering from the shear strength Twilight was applying to her arms. “Right now you just have to rest, I promise you tomorrow will be better.”
Twilight believed her and slowly weakened her grip.
She was so confused, all of today was just one big mess, all the stress of the tournaments, the arguments, being threatened and finally all the magic, it simply was to much, she just felt so tired and Sunsets body was just so comfortable, she thought while slowly sliding down to the ground.
Before she knew it, her whole body was limp and she was snoring lightly.
Sunset for her part was relieved, she didn’t expect that it would actually work but it did, the dimension was still intact, no one was hurt and a completely power overloaded demigoddess was currently asleep in her arms.
She waved her friends to come to her. “Girls, please take her to the infirmary.”
AJ, being the strongest, placed the sleeping Twilight carefully onto her back to not wake her up.
“Can someone explain me what is going on here?!” Came the shrill voice of principal Cinch.
There was a point where everybody, be it ex-pony or human, had enough and Sunset reached that point when that witch decided to show her face after all this and started to demand explanations.
Sunset delivered said explanation with a fist to Cinch’s face.
Naturally, that got the bulk of both schools to gasp in shock.
“How, How dare you young...” Sunset learned that punching things was really satisfying, although she probably shouldn’t mention this in her next letter to the princess.
Sunset and her friends were all in front of the infirmary door, also present were Principal Celestia, her sister and Dean Cadance.
“Normally I would just sweep this under the rug because if I were to report this I simply would get committed.” Celestia explained with a sigh. “I don’t think I need to tell you why that is not possible now, do I?”
“Because Sunset bashed in the face of that meany principal?” Pinky jumped in.
“While I hardly can support that particular action, at worst that would get Sunset suspended and with a fine.” Celestia retorted. “This time the problem is the winged student that has magic powers and has a horn on her forehead.” She said while looking at Twilight through the fanlights, who was tucked in on one of the beds, sound asleep with with her wing spread and with a pillow impaled on her horn. Celestia still wasn’t over how strange that sounded.
“How did you manage to cover all the crazy last times, anyway??” Rainbow asked.
“Purchase a few adobe programs for the computer club and in return make them claim the copyright and tell it was a project.” She answered plainly.
“Well, Cinch can eat a horseshoe for all I care.” Sunset said. “For now I think the only thing we can do is cover this up as best as possible, the biggest problem is that the portal is still closed, and I don’t even know if the book still works.” Sunset was frustrated.
“I honestly would like it if someone explained everything from the start.” Cadance threw in while looking around helplessly.
“I think it is for the best if we just all take Sunsets advice and sleep a night over this.” Luna said. ”I will explain everything as best as I can, Cadance.”
“I will stay here with Twilight, she may have calmed down but there is absolutely no telling what the magic is doing to her.” Sunset added.
Rarity got a thoughtful expression at that. “Let's just assume that she was one of your kind, what would happen to her?”
Sunset thought a moment before answering. “Well first her body needs to get off the magic high and get used to the enormous power that got pumped into her system.” She thought about an abt comparison. “Imagine someone who never had any alcoholic drink suddenly chugs down a barrel of hard cider. It’s not that extreme and her head should be more or less back to normal when she wakes up.”
Cadance, for her part, simply was way too confused to keep up with anything, Their kind? Magic? What was going on, Alien Wizards? Speaking of drinks, she could use one right now. “Lets just continue this tomorrow.” She then turned to Luna. “And you owe me more than just one explanation.” She at least had the decency to look embarrassed.
“My parents are probably starting to get worried.” Fluttershy said and all of them started to go on their way.
Principal Celestia stayed behind. “Will you be ok, Sunset?” She asked concerned.
“Yes, I need to be there when she wakes up.” Sunset answered while suppressing a yawn, the day finally catching up to her. “Not like I have someone at home who would be worried.”
Celestia winced slightly at how easily Sunset said something like that but chose to not comment on it, instead she wished her a good night and went to her office.
Sunset for her part quietly opened the door to the infirmary to not wake Twilight up, walked to one of the beds, took off her boots and jacket and laid down.
Her head was swarming with possibilities as she looked to the sleeping Twilight.
But for now she managed to push her worries away as she went to the land of dreams.
