Equestria's Darkest Shadow

Starlight tackled her brother to the ground. Shooting Star pushed her off and soon an all-out energy blast fight was in progress.

"Bring back memories?" mocked Shooting Star.

"Yes! And all because of YOU!!” roared back Starlight and blasted him through three walls.

Shooting Star emerged from the rubble and charged at Starlight deflecting every blast age shot at him. He punched her though some pillars and into a corner. He was slowly approaching her, preparing to finish her off, when...

"STOP!!" called a voice. It seemed to come from nowhere, but Twilight recognized it instantly.

"Princess Celestia!" she called out. "Where are you?"

"Finally woke up, eh, sleeping beauty?" snarked Shooting Star. He then lifted an invisibility spell that was keeping a caged Princess Celestia out of sight.

"Release me, this instant!" demanded Celestia.

"Not a hope!" replied Shooting Star. "That cage is impervious to every spell an alicorn could use to break out."

Twilight tried to blast Celestia out, but it only bounced off and hit her instead. Shooting Star laughed as Twilight stood up and shook off the pain.

"Why do you insist on spreading misery to everypony you meet?" asked Celestia.

"Because," explained Shooting Star. "I want to show them the world's dark side. Its true self."

"What are you talking about?" quizzed Twilight.

Shooting Star then cast a fantasy projection spell. Everywhere, ponies were at war with other creatures. Sometimes, even other ponies. Many bodies could be seen everywhere on the ground.

"Name a race in Equestria or even the world whose history isn't smeared with war, atrocities, or ambitions for rule and dominance." said Shooting Star.

Everypony was in shock at what they were seeing. Princess Celestia was close to tears as in the past, she had seen war and was not pleased by it.

"This is reality." continued Shooting Star. "Everyone and everything has a giant desire that leads them to becoming evil. They'll do anything they can to get what they want with the right motivation." He presently cancelled the projection.

"But that's only in the past!" insisted Twilight.

"Twilight has shown me that things have gotten much more peaceful with time!" added Starlight.

"But has she shown you this?" asked her brother and cast another projection.

Starlight's blood ran cold. Tens of forlorn and ragged ponies walked through a rotting village. The sky was dark and grey. A house crumbled to the ground. Crying colts could be heard.

"These poor souls have nothing but sadness, hunger, and poverty to live with." explained Shooting Star. "Nopony, not even the richest pony helps them because of their own selfish ambitions. This often leads to misshapen and malnourished children. Some of these ponies are so desperate for food and money, they become savages."

At that moment, a homeless pony with a crazed look in his eye growled at a healthy-looking passerby and leapt at him ready to take anything he had. Shooting Star cancelled this projection as well.

Twilight was shaken up as what she saw. She began to weep. Starlight didn't know what to think. She completely lost her voice.

"Don't listen to him, Twilight!" pleaded Celestia. "He's trying to break your spirit!"

"Shut up, old mare!" barked Shooting Star. "Even you can't deny what I've shown you is fact!"

Celestia sighed. "It is true." she admitted. "I have seen the ugly side of the world and I do not approve of it."

"Then don't deny what is real." said Shooting Star. "I'm here to open your eyes, Twilight."

Twilight wiped her tears away. "Wh-what?"

"You've got the potential to change the world. You've managed to surpass Celestia even before you became a princess. But you need to abandon your morals. You can start by destroying me."

"D-destroy you?" asked Twilight. "But why--?”

"I caused nearly every catastrophe you've encountered." interrupted Shooting Star. "I managed to rob you of your home by releasing Tirek. I'm wanting to destroy everything to ensure there is no more suffering, even if it means destroying myself. So come to your senses. Destroy the monster that robbed you of everything."

"I....I...." quivered Twilight.

"Perhaps you need a more proper motivation." Shooting Star's horn lit up. Celestia strained and groaned in pain. All of her magic was forced out of her horn and formed into a giant glowing ball. She collapsed inside her cage.

"Princess Celestia!" cried Twilight.

Shooting Star then forced Celestia's magic into Twilight. She strained at the massive magic surging into her. She nearly collapsed herself.

Princess Celestia slowly stood up. "P-p-please, n-no more..." she begged weakly.

Shooting Star then zapped a beam of purple light and black lightning at the weakened Celestia. The purple energy lit up the castle. Black lightning surged all over her as she screamed in agony.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” screamed Twilight.

The light faded. Princess Celestia was a grey statue, her face frozen in an agonizing scream. Starlight gasped in horror. Suddenly, the statue crumbled to dust from her horn to her hooves. All that was left in the rubble was Celestia's golden tiara. It rolled out of the cage and stopped by Shooting Star's left hoof

"There." said Shooting Star. "Now you truly have nothing to hold you back." He chuckled evilly as he crushed the tiara with his hoof.

Twilight looked at the ashes of her mentor and then to Shooting Star. Her eyes went from a lovely purple to an angry red. She charged up her horn, ready to blast Shooting Star into oblivion.