Author's Note

Hey all! I’ve been itching to get back to this story for ages! Lucky me I found a couauthor to help, so if you like this chapter send a hug to Rebellious Rainbow!

And as always a bit thanks to my Patreon Patrons!:
-Steel Fist
-footto (Who is also my Beta Reader)

Thanks for your continued support, you all rock!

Chapter 2, A Thousand Years of Death & Darkness

Present Day…

Not once in 1,000 years has the sun-kissed the surface of Equestria. From this the world exists in a perpetual ice age, the only civilization to be found in metal towers or domes of a contained climate. These are scattered throughout the land of the pony nation, many of which are responsible for the making of food. Though few structures exist outside these domes only one is expected to last.

In the heart of the Everfree region a monolithic structure towers, casting a stark shadow on the icy landscape in the light of the moon. Its angular features resemble a blade piecing up from the tundra. This is the Sith Academy, founded by the Lunar Empress Nightmare Moon as a place of molding magically gifted unicorns to her bidding. And it is here that the tale of one such unicorn destined for greatness begins.

At the base of the academy, a wall surrounds the grounds for about a mile in every direction to shield the grounds from the majority of the winds, but this is no place for comfort. Most of it is empty space, but between the entrance to the academy and the gates outside is a courtyard with a wide metal walkway. Halfway across is a pillar of jet black obsidian with a square base, ending in a pyramid, the top of which that glows in deep red. On each side of the pillar, the same words are carved into the surface.

Peace is a lie, there is only Passion.
Through passion, I gain Strength,
Through Strength, I gain Power,
Through Power, I gain Victory,
And through Victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall set me free.

The code every student, and teacher of this academy lives as well as often dies by. Around the base of the pillar is a pit, and in this pit lie dozens upon dozens of skulls, a testament, as well as a reminder of the academy's failures. A fate of any who do not pass their Trials.

There aren’t many figures out and about in this climate, most of the students are inside learning under the Taskmasters. One student, however, is pausing to take in the sight with a stoic expression. Under her black hooded cloak is the traditional uniform of the Acolytes here. Black robes tucked into black boots at the ends of the sleeves. Her lavender muzzle pokes from under the hood, and lilac eyes stare from the darkness within. Her mane is a straight cut with two highlights just to the side of her horn.

She releases a slow breath that creates a steam cloud before her, and she watches it blow away in the abnormally gentle winds. Looking over her shoulder she quietly says, “Spike, did you bring my datapad?”

“Datapad,” Spike quickly finds what he was looking for and then pulls it from saddlebags, one of several that he had on his back “Okay here you go! Um, would you like anything else, Master?”

“I’ll let you know after I find out if the Taskmasters have any messages for me,” she replies evenly, clicking on the tech tablet as she takes it in her magic. Many of the Acolytes have some form of assistant, though most seem to prefer a protocol droid with hidden weapons. Twilight Sparkle, however, isn’t a mare who has gotten where she is now by doing anything the easy way. So when given the option she had decided taking a Slave would be more of a challenge, and test of her skills. When given an egg to hatch she had taken to the challenge with gusto… perhaps a bit too much. The headstrong unicorn had been determined to hatch him on the spot, and the first pony to try getting in the way of that had needed three weeks of recovery in the hospital.

In truth, she finds his near complacent servitude a bit disappointing. When she had heard the egg was a dragon egg she had been expecting a vicious little predator to be making nearly constant attempts on her life. But at least she has competent assistance in the form of what will one day be a dangerous beast loyal to a fault.

Twilight brushes these thoughts aside as she finds no messages have been sent to her and instead checks the schedule Spike had composed for her. “Hm… Seems there isn’t much need to be done apart from a new power cell for my training saber. I suppose that means another day in the archives with the data terminals. I wonder if any new holocrons have been recovered.” She passes the datapad back to him as she starts to make her way to the Academy, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he is following.

Spike waves a claw to her as if to show that he is aware of a possible mind game that she might be playing with him, but he never needs it to tell her that. Instead he just obediently follows her to The Academy.

Stepping into the entryway she walks around a wide wall as thick as three ponies and feels her clothes quickly warming to a more tolerant level. Sith are trained to be powerful enough to take any environment on, and so the academy itself has no life support apart from what thick metal walls and the lighting can provide. Some of the lower levels get a bit warmer, but everywhere else is only warm enough so they wouldn’t freeze to death.

She walks through the atrium of the academy where stairs lead down underground, and up to the second level. Beyond that, the academy is reserved for Acting Lords who have passed the trials of the Academy. Everypony knows there are only truly two Sith Lords in the Lunar Empire; Empress Nightmare Moon, and her Starkiller.

Twilight looks up at the massive carving of the human who originally carried that name, and she feels an unnatural chill go down her spine. Legend says after the Empress rose to power he had been responsible for the downfall of every enemy that dared try to rise up. When the Rule of Two had been established there had been many hoping that they could beat him, and it was only Time itself that eventually did him in. She hears the bloodbath to decide the next Starkiller had been a sight to behold, and now the only way to become the new Starkiller is to kill the current one.

She lowers her eyes as she approaches the hallway at the back of the Atrium where the workshop, cafeteria, and archives are located. Her first stop is to the Workshop where students can make repairs to their equipment, and in her case replenish the power of their weapons. She had long since graduated from the basic Vibrosword that the newest one Acolytes are given and as the result she had been given a training saber to her for her trials.

Using her magic she pulls it out from her hip and inspects it. She regrets she can’t make adjustments to it as it belongs to the Academy, but once she’s earned the right to construct her own Lightsaber she can do with it as she pleases. But for that, she needs an Acting Lord to take an interest in her, and be willing to put her through her final Trials to make her an Apprentice.

Oh, how she longs for that day…

“Ahem, you are in the way of the Great And Powerful Trixie! Are you going to daydream or what?” Foolish, yes it is foolish to antagonize Twilight Sparkle, but as far as Trixie is concerned it would be worth it at the end of the day.

Twilight has a faint smirk as she tosses back her head, letting her hoof fall back as she turns to face the academy braggart. “Oh, my apologies,” she says coolly. “I was lost in thought of the day when I could remove the heads of annoying ponies with ease. Even a novice like you knows a training saber may not be as potent as a genuine Lightsaber, but with enough effort, it may get the job done.”

Trixie thinks it’s time for Trixie to go back into a cooldown mode before Twilight ends up making good on her threats. For now, though Trixie pretends to look bored. “Excuse me, for Trixie must go and sharpen her own vibroblade. I am afraid it's going to take forty or so hacks to do so otherwise! Unless of course, you would prefer it that way!”

Twilight sniffs with a roll of her eyes before fixing Trixie with a mild glare. “This is why you’re weak Lulamoon. You’re as quick to run your mouth as you are to run away. A true Sith doesn’t cower, they crush what stands in their way.” She shakes her head slowly, “Sith like you are what is ruining the Sith Order. It’s been over a decade since there was even an attempt to replace the current Starkiller because they’re getting complacent. They sign up for the academy, and once they’re out there just happy to sit in their seats of power to live their lives as they settle for second best… No ambition anymore.” With a frown, she looks to Spike, “Did you get that power cell yet? I don’t need you to deal with my peers.”

“You mean this one, Master?” Spike quickly passes her a fresh power cell that he found just mear moments ago when his master had been distracted by that loudmouth. “I live to serve, Master!”

“Of course you do,” Twilight says offhandedly as she walks over to a workbench with the new power cell in her magical grip. Then she gathers the tools needed to open her training saber, clean it, and then replace the power cell. Once done she ignited the blood red blade of energy, smiling at the soft humming it makes. She gives it a few slow swings before deactivating it and clipping it to her hip beneath her cloak. “Item one on the schedule, check!” She glances over her shoulder to make sure Spike is doing his job with the datapad.

Spike notices that his master is looking back at him, “Is there anything you need, Master? I was just about to finish my assigned task anyway!”

She thinks for a moment and then says, “I suppose I could use some refreshments. Head to the cafeteria, and fetch some rations. I’m going to the archives to return the holocrons I borrowed, and settle down for some studying. Afterwards just make sure I’m not bothered by the other Acolytes.”

Spike salutes her and goes to the cafeteria section of The Academy. When he finally arrived he took the required rations and then hurried back up to the chambers of his master where he then stood guard right by the heavy metal doors.

Twilight is inside lying on her cot with her Datapad propped up against her cloak which is now folded in front of her. With her nose she scrolls down the page every so often, eyes flitting across the text. “...Hm… Interesting. Seems like Darth Reign has been killed by his apprentice, I thought she might never get around to it.”

“Good for him! For dying that is! Do you suppose we should send her a gift basket or something? Like maybe, ‘Congratulations from your secret admirer?’ ’What do you think?”

Twilight gives him a hard look, “First of all don’t congratulate the dead on being a failure, you little simpleton. If he had been a successful Sith he would have had to wait for old age to take him like Starkiller the 1st, and at least make some noteworthy contributions to the Sith Order. And second as odd as Apprentice Pie is said to be I fail to see how that would benefit me in any way apart from seeming like some stalker. Honestly, Spike, that sounds like something Trixie would think up… She probably will too.” She smirks as she looks back to her datapad, “What I would give to see the look on her face when-“

Twilight is cut off when an icon signaling she has a message appears, and she taps it, reading it carefully. “...By the stars, and shadows…”

Spike was about to apologise when he noticed Twilight’s reaction, “Is something wrong, Master?”

Twilight leaps off her head with a worried look and looks herself over in the mirror. “Oh boy, ooohhhhh boy… Spike, I need to look my best, I’ve been summoned to the second level by Apprentice- I mean- Darth Pie! She wants to see me right away! Oh, I can’t mess this up, this is finally my chance to graduate to an Apprentice!”

“Oh of course! First of all take a deep breath in, and then breathe it all out! It would be for the best if you didn't show any fear in front of her, that would be bad!” Spike enters the chambers and tries to calm Twilight down. “Don’t mistake me trying to care for your wellbeing as a weakness, master! I simply want to ensure that my master wouldn't drop dead from a heart attack!”

Twilight puts a hoof over his mouth to cease his rambling, and with her ears folded back, she takes a few slow breaths. “Right… yes, of course, a Sith is the Master of their emotions, we embrace them for the power they give, but in no way should they control us… Time to show the Sith Order that Twilight Sparkle is the best Acolyte to ever set hoof in this academy.”

Using her magic she unfolds and smooths her cloak before looking to Spike. “Now let me be absolutely clear Spike. You are not to speak there unless spoken to, and when you do speak you are to simply answer the questions presented, nothing more. I do not want this ruined for me because a little idiot didn’t know his place well enough.”

“As you wish, Master!‘ After saying that he stands by her side, waiting for her to move to their next destination.

Twilight quickly trots out, and following a map on her Datapad, she heads up to the second level of the Academy. She’s never been up here since it is reserved for Acting Lords, and their Apprentices, and so she needs the map to find her way to the office chambers of the newly minted Darth Pie.

Once there she is taken aback when she sees she isn’t alone. Seven other Acolytes are assembling there, one of which she instantly recognizes as the loudmouth herself Trixie Lulamoon. Twilight only gives her a glance through before turning her attention to the Acting Lord behind the desk on the opposite side of the room.

Darth Pie is an oddity in the Sith Order. For one she’s an Earth Pony, and while it isn’t uncommon to find Force Sensitive Earth Ponies as well as Pegasus Ponies it is increasingly hard for them to match up against Unicorn Sith. What is more, she isn’t the cold, harsh sort of pony a Sith usually aspires to be. She’s almost always smiling, but that’s almost more disturbing. Word has it that she was an Apprentice her first day in the Academy has taken a Lightsaber off of one and killed him with it on the spot.

And so now here she sits as a Lord, dressed in black Plasteel armor highlighted with pink, her straight mane almost covering one side of her face as baby blue eyes roam over the eight assembled Acolytes. She rubs her hooves together with glee as she smiles wide. “Wow, you all came right away! I’m so proud~!”

Darth Pie steps out from behind her desk to pace in front of them, her tail swishing like a playful cat. “So… Have any of you ever been bowling?”

Um, Trixie is confused, is she talking to me? Wait, I better remain silent! No! Wait, I better answer something. Trixie suddenly became a few shades paler. Calm down, Trixie! “As a matter of fact, I have!”

Twilight has to fight not to roll her eyes as she watches Darth Pie. The pink earth pony stops in front of Trixie with a smile, “Yeah? It’s fun, right? You got a biiiiiiiiiiig Ball, and you roll it to knock down lots of pins!” She stands on her rear hooves, whirling a hoof, and almost looking like she was pitching a baseball with a windup. Then she rolls the imaginary ball before dropping back to all fours. “One after another pins go down… just like hoof fulls of Acolytes, and Apprentices at this academy.”

Going back to her pacing she says, “It’s always Everypony for themselves, looking out for number one. And you know what I noticed? How many ponies die that way rather than when they team up with their silly little plans.”

She looks at them and stops to study them. “That is why Lords usually don’t have a lot of Apprentices. They’re afraid those Apprentices will kill each other off to further themselves, or even team up to kill the Lord first before they turn on each other. But you know… I’m giving this a chance. That’s why I called you all to me today. You are all getting the same Trial, and if you pass then you all are promoted to my Apprentices.”

Twilight flicks her ears, working hard to control the muscles in her face to stay stoic. Part of her wants to jump in glee, but she squashes that urge right away. Darth Pie hasn’t even mentioned what the Trial is yet.

It’s up to the Now Brave and Foolish Trixie to threw herself as a sacrifice, okay here it goes... “My apologies, but what kind of trial would that be?” Trixie then glared at Twilight for absolutely no reason.

Darth Pie giggles, and declares, “You have to construct your very own Lightsabers! Duh~! Every Apprentice has to do that… The only catch is you have to find your own Kyber Crystals.”

Twilight frowns a bit at that and narrows her eyes a bit. Something about that request strikes her as odd, and then when it hits her she can’t help actually rolling her eyes. No one apart from Trixie, or Darth Pie seems to notice though.

One of the other Acolytes asks, “And where can we find them Darth Pie?”

“Oh, they’re known to pop up anyplace reeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally strong with Magic, I mean The Force,” Pinkie replies with a smile. “Oh, and the catch is that you have to construct your Lightsabers by tomorrow, or you fail. Also, teamwork! You can be in any arrangement you want, but Everypony has to have a partner! That is all, your time starts now!”

Twilight just moves off to a side of the room as the six nameless Acolytes scramble for the exit. Her lips are pressed together as she fights a smile, but Pinkie is openly snickering into a hoof. As soon as Twilight, Spike, and Trixie are the last ones left apart from herself Pinkie bursts out laughing.

Trixie hears Darth Pie laugh and then smiles to herself. After a short while, she starts to whistle an Imperial March. She sees Twilight and her dragon pet, she just thought that maybe she would just leave alone. She could always find somepony else for a partner if she wanted to.

Pinkie eventually stops laughing, and pants, “Oh those idiots… We got them good, huh girls?”

“Yes, Darth Pie, most amusing,” Twilight agrees. Then she looks to Trixie, “To be honest I’m surprised you knew that only Jedi use the naturally growing Kyber Crystals in their sabers. I was told students weren’t told until they earned Training Sabers.”

“Uh yes, of course, Trixie is not a complete imbecile, Trixie knows that Sith prefers to go to the…” Trixie sighs, “you know, downstairs!”

Twilight’s jaw drops, “Wait… you… You mean you just guessed?!”

Pinkie chortles again as she steps behind the desk, “Looks like I got the cream of the crop. One who is smart, and the other is perceptive enough to know it! You two are going to make a great team… But yeah, the crystals in our Sabers are artificially synthesized, meaning they’re machine made.” Reaching under the desk she produces a small bag with a few dozen crystals, passing it to them. “Twilight I’m sure you’ll teach Trixie how it’s done? After all, if one of you fails you both fail.”

Twilight feels her eyelid twitch, “...Yes, of course, Darth Pie…”

Trixie nods, she then trots next to Twilight and whispers “I guess you are stuck with me, huh?” she then puts on her best smile and then turns to Darth Pinkie politely bowing her head in Darth Pie’s direction.

After Twilight, and Trixie leave the chambers Twilight’s cool expression breaks into a scornful glare at the floor as she stomps down the stairs to the first floor. “This is the epitome of unfair!”

“Trixie agrees with that statement, however, she must obey, for now! Now then mark my words we are going to win!”

“We? For once Trixie didn't speak in the third person,” Commentates Spike.

“Fine, just this once Trixie will make an exception!” Trixie went silent.

“...And?”

“What else do you want from Trixie? I’ve only told you that I will do it once!”

Spike rolls his eyes. “Whatever you say, Trixie!”

Twilight whirls on the both of them, and points at Spike. “Alright, you, hush.” She jabs a hoof into Trixie’s chest, “And you… Darth Pie is the only thing stopping me from putting you outside with the other failures. Unlike you, I actually worked my flank off to earn this honor, whereas the meaning of it clearly goes right over your head. As far as I’m concerned you have no room to talk about anything being unfair when your graduation is being hoofed to you on a silver platter!”

Trixie pushes away Twilight's hoof from herself, she then stays silent for several minutes. “I do not just receive everything on a silver platter, sweetheart! Now, are we going to argue or do our job? Trust me we can always murder each other later.”

Twilight takes a few deep breaths before she responds. “...If there is any consolation to be had here it’s that all I have to do is keep you from making your Lightsaber blow up in your face. After that, it’s only a matter of time before you get yourself killed.” Then she turns, storming off for the workshop. “Come on, all the parts we should need are in here.”

Trixie and Spike follow Twilight into a somewhat small room. There they both see it, all of the instruments as well as everything else that they needed. Crystals, power packs, some other important junk. Probably important, Trixie just doesn't care. She trots right next to the equipment and then starts to assemble the basic parts.

Twilight frowns at her and rolls her eyes as she grits her teeth. “Trixie… How about you stop so I can show you how it’s done, and you don’t have to spend a week in the medbay getting a leg replaced along with half your face?”

Trixie grimaces, “Fine! Trixie is paying attention!”

Twilight sighs, “This is what I mean by you not understanding the honor of making your own Lightsaber. The crystals inside it don’t just focus the beam, they hold a deep resonance to The Force. So just having a Lightsaber greatly increases your capacity to tap into it, and so to create the most effective saber you can get for yourself you can’t just follow some blueprint… You have to trust your own connection to the Force to decide everything from the style to the pieces used, and so forth. That’s why ponies, and humans that aren’t Force Sensitives can’t make them, let alone use them without amputating themselves.”

To demonstrate she closes her eyes and bows her head. Magic glows faintly around her horn as she starts using meditation breathing techniques, her stern expression setting as around the room seemingly random pieces float from their places to hover before her. From the bag of crystals Pinkie gave them three crystals emerge, and float in the air in front of her with the rest of the pieces of metal, and wire. She furrows her eyebrows as the pieces slowly start to connect, and line up with the crystals in one end, the power cell in the other. Then with a series of clicks, the pieces start closing together into a simple yet beautiful Lightsaber hilt with a somewhat rounded pommel at the bottom of the handle.

Opening her eyes Twilight reaches out and takes the saber from the air with a hoof. “Moment of truth… if the blade starts to flicker then take cover, it’s going to go off like a Thermal Detonator.”

Trixie and Spike nervously glance at each other, then both of them jump back about thirty hoofs radius from Twilight.

“Whenever you are ready Twilight, we both believe in you! So yeah, just in case, it was nice knowing you and everything.” Trixie cheerfully half-yells to Twilight.

“Thank you, Trixie,” Twilight deadpans, and then she closes her eyes as she presses the button, igniting the burning red blade. The hum is much louder than a training saber, the blade twice as bright. Twilight can feel the power of the saber and slowly smiles as she flourishes it with a laugh. Then she holds it up and smiles at the other two before deactivating it. Putting it on her hip she tosses her old training saber to Spike. “Go return that while I help Trixie.”

Spike takes the training saber, nods, and then exits the room. He probably should just go and put it to the armory or something.

Twilight turns her attention to Trixie, “Alright, come on Trixie. Just don’t try to force anything, trust your instincts. I’ll double check it for you before you put it completely together so it won’t blow up on you.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Trixie then closes her eyes and then tries to focus, slowly but surely her own parts starts to levitate and then connect with each other. Several crystals flew out of the bag and then had been clicked into place, each one on separate ends of the half-constructed weapon. Then two seconds later the final part flew up. The casing lines up next to the hilt and then clicks shut, closing it.

Trixie opens her eyes and then she places her new saberstaff on the floor. Satisfied with her work she then gestures Twilight to take a look at it.

Twilight is honestly stunned at her performance and carefully picks it up. Turning it over she says, “So… That is where your strength lies… Truly the Force works in mysterious ways.” She briefly doubles checks the insides and then passes it to Trixie with a faint smile. “If the implications of this construct are correct then I might be willing to admit I misjudged you, Trixie. Assuming you don’t end up cutting yourself in half with this anyhow, this style of saber is known to be just as dangerous to the user as it is to one’s opponents. Maybe you might never make the accomplishments of Sith Sorcery as many famous names, but if the Force saw fit to make this your first saber then perhaps you have untapped potential in saber combat nopony might expect.”

Rubbing her chin she says, “Activate the saber, see if it works first before we put the cart before the pony.”

Trixie cracks a small smile, and then puts her left hoof in front of the lightsaber she then gestures it up causing saber to levitate. She relaxes slightly and then with another hoof gesture she activated the saber. First the beam on the left activated, and then after a few seconds, the second beam followed the first one. Just out of curiosity she flicks her hoof sideways, which then causes the saber to rotate a few times. After a few more seconds Trixie deactivates the saber and gestures her hoof back down which then causes the weapon to fall with a small clanking noise. Trixie picks it up and then attaches it to her belt.

“Trixie fears that at worst she is going to be reassigned to the bomb-making squad, at least anything that I would of be making would have been useful for the military.”

Twilight looks off to the side with a thoughtful look. “...Trixie, would you mind joining me in the archives before we go back to Darth Pie? There’s something I think I should show you.”

Trixie nods back at her, “Trixie accepts the offer with gratitude. I mean, yes, I would like that very much.”

Twilight trots out of the workshop with her, and to the archives with a faint smile on her face. Once there she leads her into the back, and to an open area where statues of a few humans stand in Sith robes.

Twilight stops in front of a statue of a human with his hair pulled back in a ponytail, a strange mark branded on his forehead, and an amulet replicated on his left hand resembling a metal fingerless glove with a large jewel dominating the space on the back of the hand. Held in his right hand is a Lightsaber of a bit more crude design, but sports an emitter for a blade on either end although in scale the real saber would be half the length of typical Stall style Sabers.

Twilight smiles as she looks him over, “Trixie… I won’t be surprised if you don’t know who this is, but this is a man you ought to know about.”

“Trixie would guess this person would be Exar Kun, or maybe perhaps Starkiller himself!” Trixie throws an apologetic smile at her companion. “Sith history wasn’t Trixie’s strong suit...”

Twilight rolls her eyes softly, “You had it right the first time, the Lightsaber he carries is a dead giveaway. Exar Kun used to be a Jedi in his youth and excelled at saber combat to the point no one could rival him. But he wanted more power, and in time broke away from the Jedi entirely. He nearly orchestrated the assassination of the entire Jedi Council, and was, in fact, the inventor of the style of Lightsaber you carry on your hip.”

“Trixie just had a somewhat brilliant idea, perhaps someday when Trixie will get an opportunity to run from this frozen wasteland of a nation, then maybe she would steal this lightsaber as well. It would be in a true Sith fashion for me to do so!”

Twilight sighs, “That won’t ever happen, Trixie… Maybe this is why we’re stuck with each other if I’m the only one of us that paid attention to any lessons outside of Saber Dueling. You see Exar Kun’s time was long, long ago. Before the likes of Darth Bane, or even my idol Darth Revan. There isn’t even a body for Exar Kun let alone his Lightsaber… But I suppose I can help you modify yours to replicate his over time. I studied the tales hard enough I think I know his style fairly well.”

“It was foolish for Trixie to assume that they still have an original, but very well everypony makes mistakes, it's just when we do it then it's lethal for us to do so.”

Twilight nods slowly, “...Trixie, I know we haven’t gotten along. Realistically we probably never will… I just want you to understand me, and what I stand for.”

She turns, walking down the row of statues, looking them over with a fond smile. “Every one of these Lords has one goal, the growing power of the Sith. They may have had different ways of going about it, but that is what I am loyal to. If you hate me then good, maybe it will push you to surpass me as it is with anger, hate, and rage that Sith grows more powerful. It is why I don’t go around killing everypony that stand in my way, I let my hate for them push me to surpass them, and live as an example of what it really means to embrace the Dark Side.”

She stops in front of a statue of a man in Sith robes wearing a Mandalorian mask, and his hands folded in front of her hips. She studies him for several seconds before looking to Trixie. “You… might show promise. If you’re as promising as I hope then I want to help you foster that potential, and who knows… you might very well become the next Exar Kun. Not because I like you, or that we’ll ever be friends… but because I believe in a better future for the Empire.”

“Of course, as you say Twilight, Trixie will respect your decision! You probably would laugh at Trixie if she starts sharing her own thoughts on the subject!”

Twilight offers a small grin, “Try me.”

“The Sith are consumed in greed, hatred, and arrogance. Oh, I am really sorry Trixie is arrogant. Trixie was meant to say in negative emotions of the force, and well Trixie recalls some history lessons, the Jedi downfall was due to their arrogance, and I suppose in this way they are no better than Sith that they despised so much.”

Twilight considers this, “...You’re not entirely wrong, Trixie.” She gestures to the statue before her, “Darth Revan once said much the same thing. He believed that greed, an infighting would gradually make the Sith weaker. Many secrets of the Sith were being lost in his time because Sith Lords weren’t keen on sharing them before they were killed. Those with power fear losing it after all.”

She looks to another statue of a bald man with black diamond-shaped tattoos over his eyes. Gesturing to him Twilight says, “Most would associate Darth Bane with creating the Rule of Two when in fact it was Revan who laid the groundwork. Darth Bane was merely the one to enact it. Even to this day with an academy dedicated to training those capable in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force our Empress Nightmare Moon harbors a semblance of that rule in her regime. That is why only she and the Starkiller are allowed to call themselves true Sith Lords, a mantle we as a whole should strive to aspire to.”

Trixie smirks silently to herself. “Foolish, just foolish! The blind are leading the blind,” she whispers to herself her ears twitching a bit.

“Right, of course, Glory to the Empress!” She says the second phrase with slightly fake enthusiasm in her voice.

Twilight doesn't seem to notice, however, merely giving Trixie a faint smile. Turning she moves to leave, “We shouldn’t keep Darth Pie waiting too long. Perhaps one day I’ll bring you back here, show you some Holocrons that the Empress herself donated to the Academy. Memories, and recordings of her time learning of the Sith from Starkiller the 1st. I find they always get me motivated when I’m bored of relearning Darth Revan’s teachings.”

Trixie politely nods back and then they both continue to trot all the way back to Darth Pie’s chambers.

“Do you wish to do the honors at knocking at Darth Pie doors?” Trixie puts on the most innocent smile she can muster, however two seconds later she changes her mind. “You know what? Nevermind that, Trixie will just do it herself!.”

Twilight just gives her a blank look before pushing the door open, stepping inside.

In the chamber, Darth Pie glances over from behind the desk where she studies a datapad. “Ah! Girls! Done already? Good, then we can begin with your first assignment as Apprentices.”

Trixie glances back at Twilight then looks straight into Darth Pie eyes “We wouldn’t be here if we weren't. Perhaps we would have to make a run for it.”

Darth Pie’s smile fades as she glares at Trixie. “Don’t get lippy with me, Missy. I’m still your Master, and I can replace you almost as fast as I can kill you. Understand?”

Trixie slightly raises her eyebrow. Does she realize that we are practically in the same age group? She then mentally groans to herself. After a few seconds she simply says two words, “Yes, Master!”

Darth Pie smiles wide, instantly bouncing back to her cheery attitude, “Goody! Now then, for your first mission…”

Twilight bends a knee, and bows, “What is thy bidding, My Master?”

Darth Pie snickers softly, and replies, “There is a special celebration taking place in the settlement of Ponyville just south of here by about 20 kilometers. I want you both to grab a Speeder, and go there to make sure everything is perfect! The guest list is very high end, and it’ll be the greatest celebration in 1,000 years! I’m counting on the both of you to see it done.”

“As you say, My Lord!” Trixie respectfully bows to Darth Pie, “We will do everything in our power to do what must be done!” She then waits for Twilight to respond, or for Darth Pie to make due on her promises of killing Trixie, whichever comes first.

Darth Pie claps her hooves together with a serious smile. “I mean if you two… I want you to make this the best party the world has ever seen. Organize it like the Empress herself were going to attend…”