Twilight had made a HUGE mistake.
She had managed to upset the entire town in her attempts to learn a friendship lesson. What's worse is the fact that she let herself get so out-of-hoof that Spike had to send a letter to the princess for help.
The PRINCESS of all ponies.
Of coarse she was understanding after her friends came to explain themselves. But what if they hadn't? What would Celestia have said? What would she have done about...?
"TWILIGHT!" shouted Spike, staring into his closest and dearest friend's blank expression.
Twilight was startled by this interruption in her train of thought. Spike was probably the most worried of the bunch. He had every right to be. She felt sorry for the poor dragon, having to deal with her pointless ramblings and exaggerated fears.
"S-sorry Spike. I'm just a bit burned out from yesterday."
"Twilight," Spike said in an exasperated tone, "the princess was cool about everything. What's there to worry about?"
"Well, what if the girls hadn't shown up? What if Celestia really did send me back to magic kindergarten?"
Just then Twilight remembered her days in that Tartarus of a place called magic kindergarten. Celestia looming over every mistake she made. Sure it pushed her to become twice the unicorn she would've been without the princess' guidance.
"That's a lot of what ifs Twilight," Spike said with a look of annoyance, "we both know Celestia isn't like that."
"But that's just it Spike," Twilight said growing flustered, "we don't know what she would have done, or what she might do in the future!"
Spike lifts an eyebrow.
"She literally said to send letters when, and ONLY when you learn something."
Twilight wasn't listening to Spike's reason. Her mind was rushing with scenarios and events. Kindergarten, Expulsion, Banishment. Her head was spinning with the possibilities.
And then she saw it.
A shadow.
Spike's words were drowned out by a ringing, piercing sound. The aura enveloped the library in a darkness as deep and cold as the night sky. A deep blue figure forms from the swirling smoke.
"Nightmare Moon!"
"Who were you expecting, Steven Magnet?"
"It would be more pleasant surprise."
Twilight tried to be strong but she couldn't help but quiver in fear of the menacing creature before her eyes.
"Listen Twinkle I'll be brief," Nightmare said with a slight grin that chilled Twilight to her core, "The answer to your problem is simple and easy, even for your moronic flank."
Twilight dare not ask, anything from Nightmare's mouth can't be good. But her curiosity got the best of her. "W-w-what do you propose?"
Nightmare drew closer to Twilight until the were nose to nose, "It's simple," Nightmare whispered in her ear, "you get rid of Celestia."
Before Twilight could react she was back in the library, Spike looking scared and worried by Twilight's behavior.
"Please tell me you saw that too." Twilight grasped at reality.
Spike simply shook his head, Just as Twilight fainted.
When Twilight awoke she saw spike sitting by her side.
"Twi? Twilight! Sweet Celestia are you Ok?"
"Spike," Twilight spoke teeth gritted and mane frizzed, "take a letter."
"Clock. Is. Ticking.
She had invited the princess to tea at the library and had made the notice urgent.
Once the princess arrived Twilight bowed deeply, out of habit more than respect. “Greetings Twilight,” Celestia spoke softly, “I got your notice and traveled as fast as I could.”
As Twilight and Celestia entered the library two guards began to follow but we’re stopped by the door as it swung shut. The burst caused by Celestia herself. “I’m sure I don’t need protection on a visit to a friend.” Celestia said with a wink.
A small grin spread across the young unicorn’s face as her mentor blindly led to her own demise. Just as the princess was about to speak a thick board swung from the roof and knocked her mentor in the back of her skull. The last thing Celestia saw before she blacked out was her student's face distort to a look of madness.
When Celestia awoke she found herself chained to a table. She reached out with her magic only to find that her horn was broken at the base. Pain shot through her limbs with the smallest movement.
A figure approached from the dark end of the room. “Twi-”
“I’m sorry princess,” Twilight interrupted Celestia, “I tried to think of a better place to do this but I couldn't risk the lesson being interrupted."
"What's going on Twilight," Celestia said with an heir of confusion mixed with pain, "Why am I here?"
"Oh princess you're here to help me with my newest friendship study."
Twilight pulled a large, covered book from the shelf.
"Social Studies," Twilight's grin grew wider, "in death."
“Twilight, please, come to your senses!” Celestia cried out to her student, but what was before her was not Twilight Sparkle.
Before her was a shell of her student, a single misread calculation leading to a disastrous outcome... Insanity.
"Twilight, or whatever is left of you, please think about this!"
"I have princess," Twilight said softly, "I calculated that my problems all lead back to you. So. The next logical thing to do is cut the problem at the roots."
Celestia didn't have anything to say, she thought to her self "if i'm to die i'll die with dignity" and she was firm with this decision.
A purple glow enveloped her body, then the pain began.
Thousands of quills began digging in to her skin, scribbling crimson words into her white coat.
"I'm so glad I remember all the lessons i learned as your student. Years of wisdom now being inscribed on your flesh.
The pain was unbearable. Each quill dug deeper than the last. And each inching Celestia closer to death, but before it could reach the quills stopped.
"One last letter to send."
Celestia watched as her chest began to glow with a purple aura. And then it split open.
She held on long enough to watch her heart ripped from her chest...
And she was gone.
Princess Luna was pacing the floor in her chambers when a guard stormed inside. "W-we found her."
She was disgusted when she saw the sight of her sister, mutilated into a sick shape similar to a writing desk with a red sheet upon the top.
And a poor baby dragon crying at the hooves of a purple pony suspended at the neck by a length of rope.
"Send thine troops to retrieve the bodies," Luna spoke straining to avoid the royal Canterlot voice, "The drake may be brought to me."
"Princess, this letter was found upon the remains of your sister. It seems to be fabricated from her heart."
Luna looked upon the inscription in disgust but willed herself to read it anyways.
"Dear Princess Luna,
I wish you could have been here to see the conclusion of my experiment, but I have decided to share the lesson I learned with you.
Today I learned that no matter how hard you force yourself to meet the expectations, whether it be a deadline or a title, you will fail. The one thing everypony will succeed at, is death. I'm so glad i could complete this experiment and reach this conclusion and hope my findings help you.
Your dear Friend
Twilight Sparkle, Ex student of Celestia.
Author's Note
This is a collaboration of me and my friend's writing and our first fanfic on this site. Helpful criticism is accepted. Thanks for reading.