Pure Twilight was scrounging around in a forgotten cart as another dust storm roll by. She was hoping to find some food the parasprite had missed on their rampage but was finding none. She had mange to escape the horde when they started to turn on the ponies themselves to keep on eating. She believe that they either starve themselves out or move to different part of Equestria. Either way, her main concern was finding enough food to survive.

“What the point?” She thought as she pull out a camera she found in the remains of the cart. She sat down and hold the camera in her hoof. “Even if she did find food, why should she survive? She was, as far as she knew, the last pony on the planet. She had nothing to protect her from the elements. She really need a cloak.” She reach in her pack and pull out a skull of her only friend in the world, Moon Dancer.

“So, what do you think I should do Moon Dancer?” She ask the skull. She then press the skull to her head and started nodding on and off. “Yes. That make sense. True. Alright, but where will I find enough poison to make it quick?” This conversation continue until she hear thunder. “Thunder? But only Pegasus can make storms, so that mean…” She jump to her hoofs and quickly pack her bag. In her haste, she pack the camera into her bag.

She ran to the sound of the thunder to only see two pony in the distance, yelling at each other on top of some stone table. They were unicorns, so not the source of the thunder. . She hid behind a lone dead tree and listen to what they were saying.

“Like I said, everything in the past affects the future, even the tiniest act, and what you’re doing leads here.” One of unicorns said. Pure Twilight couldn’t see much of this unicorn, only that it look similar to her. She then notice the wings and realize it was an alicorn.

“She must be the last royal pony in Equestria. She’ll know what to do.” Pure Twilight thought and was about to speak when the other unicorn spoke out.

“Change my mind!?! You don’t know anything about me! I was perfectly happy before you and your friends ruined what I built!” She shouted causing the alicorn to step back.

“How dare she talk to royalty this way!?!” Pure Twilight thought angrily. But she stay hidden because of what they said earlier. “What did she mean, “cause this.”?”

“I don’t know what happen that led you to make you village without cutie marks. And I’m sorry my friends and I had to take it away.” The alicorn said, trying to calm her down.

“You want to know what happen to me!?! I’ll show you!” The unicorn shouted, causing Pure Twilight to drop her bag in shock. The camera roll out and flash as unicorn cast the spell. The alicorn and unicorn got stuck in, along with some lizard creatures. Pure Twilight try to dive after them but just struck hard rock instead. She cry out in pain and started pounding on the stone.

“No! Come back, COME BACK!” She scream into the stone. “I can’t live in this world! I can’t live with what I had to do to survive! Just COME BACK!” She stay there for a while, crying into the stone table in hopes they would come back. Suddenly, the thunder noise happen again and a portal open up above her head. She look up in hope but her face fell as a piece of paper drifted out of the hole.

She grab it and was about to rip apart but stop when she saw what was written on it. It was a spell that was supposed to help you travel through time. It was a very complex spell but she thinks she could cast it. But before she would cast the spell, she need to get one thing. She jump off the table and pick up the camera. A picture was flapping in it, still waiting to be pull out. She pull it out and look at it.

It was blur but it caught the face of her target. She put it into her pack and grab Moon Dancer’s skull, lifting it into the sky.

“I swear on your life and on Celestia soul, I will hunt down this pony who cause this pain upon us and I will make her pay.” She cry into the sky. With that, she put the skull into her pack and summon all her power to cast the spell. And in a flash she was gone.

(Now)

Twilight was still in shock at this version of herself. The Pure Twilight was getting a little impatient.

“You know, all the other version of us at least ask a question by now.” Pure Twilight said. This finally snap Twilight out of her daze. She try to think of just one question but all of them seem to want to be answer at once. Finally, one that seem more important than rest came out of her mouth.

“How did you get so strong?” She ask, trying not to reveal her fear. Pure Twilight smirk at that.

“You are the fifty version to ask me that. That and how did I get here? I learn a spell on the third world I landed on that allow me to absorbed magic from other pony and after a while, other things. Soon, I was able to absorb the gods of those worlds.” She said with confidence. Twilight looked with complete horror. “Oh, don’t shed any tears for those worlds. One was a world fill with a bunch of cannibals who eat the flesh of the pony they murder in cupcakes. Another one where we killed a bunch of pony in order to “preserve” friendship. I take out Tirek, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra and even Nightmare Moon. I defeated them all almost a hundred times and it all ended the same.” Twilight notice she forget Discord but continue to stay silent.

“I destroy almost all the time line I’ve been to. Not just kill our alter self, not slay a few ponies. I destroy worlds.” Pure Twilight said, relishing ever word. “I made the gods themselves fall to their very knees and made them beg for mercy. It was the fifth time this happen, I realized that I could finally make the one who cause me so much pain and misery. That I could finally hunt her down and make her feel the thousands of deaths she cause.”

“You said that you destroy almost every world. What world did you spare?” Twilight ask but felt she knew the answer and if she right, might give her an advantage.

“The first two world were just to heal up from being in a wasteland. Then after I gain enough power to hunt, I stubble on a time line that was clearly a mistake. Day turn to night too quickly and rain chocolate. I left in almost two minutes, knowing that wasn’t the timeline I was looking for. Now that I found it.” Pure Twilight said, look towards the broken window.

“No more talk about the other worlds, I’m afraid.” Pure Twilight said quickly, walking towards the door of the bed room. Twilight notice her wincing as she walked. She saw a shard of glass sticking out of her left shoulder. She was about to point it out but decided against it, it might give her the upper hoof. No such luck as Pure Twilight yang out the shard right in front of her and held in her hoof.

“That really stings, you know.” She said as she wave the shard in front of Twilight. “Okay, so here the deal. You bring me… what her name?” she brought the shard to Twilight’s throat.

“Starlight Glimmer.” Twilight said as the glass press onto her skin. Pure Twilight nodded.

“Starlight Glimmer. You bring her to me at the center of town in about two day or… Well, I’ll show you what I’ll do to your friends with a volunteer from the town folks.” She said and with that, open the doors to the map room. But to every pony surprise, the room was bare.

“Where did they go!?!” Pure Twilight yelled into the empty room.

(Ten minutes ago, Map Room)

A loud crash awoke Vinyl Scratch from her sleep. She remember working on some music for a party but then blacking out. Now she was in some kind of room with a map in the middle. She also felt like she fell out of bed. She started to get up but felt someone laying on top of her. She look over her shoulder to see another pony she knew, Bon Bon, starting to wake up.

“Lyra, leave me alone. I don’t want to get up yet.” Bon Bon mutter drowsily.

“What are you taking about?” Vinyl ask, waking Bon Bon all the way. She went wide eye and look around the room. Vinyl did the same and notice that almost all the pony from town were in this room. Octavia Melody was leaning on a chair while Lyra Heartstrings was helping a couple of other pony get up.

“What happen?” A voice called out in the now rising group of towns folk. Everyone look around confuse and then someone finally spoke up.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie knows who did this to us. It was some stranger who kidnap us and knock us all out cold. Trixie, for one, is tired of always expecting Twilight Sparkle and her friends to saving us. Let find this stranger and make her pay!” Trixie cry out in the middle of the room. The group started to nod and there was a rise of ponies agreeing with her. It was about to go onto full scale mob when they all heard something smash against the wall.

“YOU ARE GOING TO TELL ME WHERE THIS PONY IS OR I SWEAR TO LUNA, I WILL PEAL THE FUR OFF YOUR HIDES AND TEAR YOU IN TO PIECES!” A voice boom from the other room. This silent all talking from the group and every pony was afraid to breath.

“Or…” Vinyl Scratch said in clear voice so everyone could hear. “We could get out of here and possibly get ahold of the princesses.” The group took about to two second before they stampede out of the castle.

(Now)

“Alright, I can’t show you what I want to do and if I do to one of your friends now, you might try to turn on me.” Pure Twilight said, trying to think of a solution. “So here my plan.” She floated the shared to Twilight eye and slowly started to spin it. “You bring me this Starlight Glimmer or I will drain your friend like an ice cold drink. Now, go.”

Twilight felt a force push her out the castle and into the grounds. As she got back up, the doors of the castle swing shut and a red shine started to incase the castle.

“Twilight!” a voice shout and Twilight turn around to see Spike running towards her. She notice the shield was gone and all the towns’ ponies were standing around. They look at Twilight in shock and confusion. The whole town was there, hoping she knew what to do. But she didn’t, she had no idea.

“Twilight, what happen? All I remember was cleaning the castle and then wham! I woke up in the map room with a couple of ponies pile on top of me. What is going on?” Spike said, stopping in front of her.

“That is something we all like to know.” A voice said above Twilight. She look up to see Celestia and Luna flew right above her and landed in front of the group, causing them to all bow to the royal. Twilight saw Doctor Hooves and his friends in front of the crowd, looking a little nervous. Twilight understand that feeling, she was feeling it right now.

“This is going to be a long story.” Twilight said.

“Oh, I love long story. I hope Fluttershy brought some tea, because I’m craving it.” A voice know all too well to everyone in town. Discord pop out of the ground like a worm and slither into a coil in front of the princesses. “Where is Fluttershy? I try to go to her house early but a shield was over the town. Did Trixie go off her meds again?”

“Hey!” Trixie voice cry out in angry.

“Discord, you need to hear this.” Celestia said. Discord turn around to face her but stop smiling when he notice the sorrowful and scare tone he sense in every pony.

“It started with the time spell…” Twilight began.

(Back in the Castle)

Pure Twilight wander the room, look at the friends of this world’s Twilight. She release them from the spell but warn them that if they try anything, they would regret it. She try tending to her wound in her shoulder but was having little luck as she didn’t know a lot of healing spells. As she try to again, she heard a throat clear behind her. She turn to see the one known as Fluttershy was standing there, shifting on her hoofs.

“Um, Miss Pure Twilight. I notice you have a cut on your shoulder. The animals I watch get hurt all the time and I know a few way to cover wounds.” Fluttershy said. Pure Twilight stare blankly then lay in front of Fluttershy, presenting her wound to her. Fluttershy pick up some cloths and a water bowl. She started to clean the wound, ignoring the hiss of pain that came from Pure Twilight.

“So you are the element of kindness. Even after I threaten your friends and injury them, you are still willing to help me heal. I don’t know if I call that foolish or naive but I will gladly accept your help.” Pure Twilight said.

“You know, it not nice to bad talk the pony helping you.” Fluttershy said, starting to stich up the cut with some thread she had clean. Pure Twilight ponder this and continue to let Fluttershy work. On the other side of the room, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were sitting around the wounded Rainbow Dash, who Fluttershy had patch up earlier. They watch Fluttershy work and wonder if what their next move should be. Hopefully Twilight was coming up with a better plan then them.

(Outside the Castle)

“And she said if I don’t bring Starlight Glimmer in two days, that she going to hurt all my friends or worse.” Twilight said. She try to at least look calm but she was afraid it was clear she was on the brink of tears. Celestia look scared while Luna had a face of deep concern. Doctor Whooves was in complete shock, along with his two friends. The town folk had a combination of scared and worry faces. The only one not showing feeling of fear was…

Discord shot out of the group and was heading straight for the castle.

“NO!” Scream all three of the princesses at one. Twilight cast a spell to hold on to Discord while Luna and Celestia flew in front of him to block. Twilight could barely hold on him as he kept on pushing towards the castle.

“Let me go, Twilight.” Discord growl, showing no sign of humor.

“Discord, we need to think about this.” Celestia started but Discord immediately snap at her.

“FLUTTERSHY IS IN TROUBLE! MY FRIEND IS IN TROUBLE!” He roared. “You wanted me to make friends. Well, now she is in trouble and you are not going to stop me from turning this “Pure” Twilight into dust.”

“Discord, you are not a fighter. You use deception and trick to gain control. If you head first into this battle, you will lose. Fluttershy will lose you.” Luna said as calmly as possible. Discord stop struggling and collapse onto the ground. He breathe heavily as he realized that they were right.

“Don’t lose hope, Discord. I learn something that might help. You.” Twilight said. Luna and Celestia raised their eyebrows. Twilight decided to continue. “She doesn’t know about Discord or what he can do. If we plan this right…”

“We will still fail.” Luna said, landing on the ground. “She claim to defeat Tirek by herself. Herself. Twilight herself couldn’t perform the task with all our magic combine and she did it alone. She defeat the greatest threats of our kingdom without any help and then killed us, numerous times. How are we supposed to stop a threat like this?”

The four grew silent and the feeling of despair wash over Twilight once more. “This is hopeless.” Twilight thought. “But I will not surrendered Starlight to this monster. I will find a way.” Twilight turn to the crowd and motion to Doctor Whooves and his friends to come forward. Record Keeper kept his head level with Twilight while both Sky Watcher and the doctor kept their head bow, advoiding eye contact with the princesses.

“Is there anything you guys can make that could help?” Twilight ask. They all stay silent for a few moment, then Doctor Whooves spoke up.

“There is one thing, a spell that will lock some pony in their own time line for good. But it take time to set up and she’ll notice when we start. If she as powerful as she claims, she could stop the spell in no time. We need to find a way to distract her long enough that she couldn’t stop the spell. Any ideas?” The group look at each other but no spoke up.

“Wait.” Discord said, startling the rest. “I have an idea.” He turn to Twilight. “When she said she taken out all the baddies, did she say if she fight them one at time or together at all?”

“She didn’t get into specifics.” Twilight said. “But she kind of hint that she only fought them one at a time, why?”

Discord started to fiddle with his claws. “I have an idea that might work. It is extremely dangerous and crazy but it just might work.”

Author's Note

Next chapter: Deals with the devil