Jet Force Twilight

The stars of the night sky casted shiny reflections in the blue eyes of the white unicorn. One of them sparkled more than the others. Zion System C was it called, although that was something that Rarity did not know, what she did know though was ponies. The star seemed so lonely in the sky, like if its light was trying to reach for somepony lost a long time ago.

Why did friends and family tend to gravitate apart from each other? The truth caused a burning sensation in Rarity’s throat. She heard Apple Jack behind her.

“Will it ever be the same again?” Rarity asked.

“Say what now?”

“Our friendship.”

“If this is about Rainbow Dash and Twilight again, I’m sure they’re just caught up in the heat of recent events.”

“It’s not just them.” Rarity turned to Apple Jack. “It’s all of us. You, me, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Pinkie Pie.”

“What about us?”

Rarity recalled the feeling when she looked at the stars. She had no explanation yet, but for some reason it felt like that a big piece had just been ripped out of her heart.

“I don’t know Apple Jack, but something tells me that, when all this is over, when we get back to Equestria again, our friendship will never be the same again.”

Apple Jack sighed. “Maybe It’ll be a tad different, but we’ll always be friends.”

“Oh, I know that, I have always known that. But with Starlight Glimmer gone, the Wonderbolts burdened by memories of war, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash possibly gone or scarred for life, and Twilight Sparkle?

Apple Jack walked up to the fashionista. She gave her a smile. Rarity returned. Both hugged each other under the starry sky outside the window.

“Our lives may change but our friendship will stay the same. As for Rainbow and Shy, I just know they’ll pull through.”

“Thank you, Apple Jack.” Rarity felt better, but not at ease. In her mind she went through the events of the last weeks of which had passed. She faced away from Apple Jack, who studied her unicorn friend.

“Something is wrong.” Rarity mumbled out loud.

“Our friendship is never wrong.”

Rarity looked passionately again at her country friend. “No Apple Jack, all of this. Mizar, Fernando, Jeff, Vela and the Gemini squadron, Floyd. Everything, it is all wrong.”

Apple Jack seemed to think for a moment. “You know what Rarity? - Everything about these Juno, Vela, Lupus and Jeff fellas have seemed strange ever since that rundown with the Tribals at Rith Assa.”

“Rith Essa.” Rarity corrected.

“Yes. I don’t know what though.”

“For a start, about Jeff’s brother, Barry.”

“What about him?”

“I can understand why he would blame Twilight for Mizar and how that would allow him to avoid guilt, but do you remember how he screamed at Twilight after she told the Tribals about Mizar’s fake identity?”

“You mean when Twilight told them about Mizar calling himself Floyd and he said: That is a lie, that cannot possibly be true?”

“Yes.”

Apple Jack grumped. “Yea. That deluded Tribal can scream all he want about Twili.”

“But why Apple Jack? I know he’s wrong, but he seemed so certain when he said it.”

“He’s obviously a liar.”

Rarity’s eyes trailed away. Apple Jack could hear a slight mumble from her.

“Do you think he and Mizar are in cahoots?”

“I don’t know.” Rarity said Ominously.

It had been hard for her to focus for the past few days. Twilight still had a lot on her mind, or at least that was how she thought she felt. The only thing that was clear to her right now was that Mizar would pay for his crimes, for the sake of Celestia and all the ponies in Equestria. The abdicated alicorn princess figured she needed a break from all this, her emotions needed to be laid to rest. There was only one pony that could lay her to rest, on the floor or in bed didn’t matter. She reached out her hoof and knocked on the door to the hut. Its pink habitant opened.

“Hey Twilight.” Pinkie Pie said tired.

“Hello Pinkie. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh. You neither?”

Pinkie made eye contact with the lavender pony. Twilight’s lips rose into a smile.

“Can I come in?”

Pinkie Pie let her previous worries run through her mind. It couldn’t affect her answer.

“Yes. Sure Twilight.”

Both walked into the hut. Twilight closed the door with her horn magic. She didn’t waste any time rubbing her muzzle with the pink pony.

“Mmmm?” Twilight asked and kissed her.

“Mm.” Pinkie replied.

Both ponies knew the other so well, both physically and mentally, which meant that things happened fast. The warmth of their bodies became one. Twilight went gently most of the time. Pinkie Pie asked if they could lay down in bed. Twilight obliged. She had her eyes closed as she felt Pinkie’s tongue dare going everywhere it wanted. While lying in bed Pinkie Pie briefly lifted her head to look into Twilight’s eyes. But the pony she slept with now wasn't Twilight. Starlight Glimmer returned Pinkies look with a half-smile.

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked worried as she felt the movements of the pink pony fade.

“Sorry. I’m just tired.” Pinkie Pie lied and cuddled herself into Twilight’s hooves.

Twilight proceeded kissing her on the neck. “We can rest for a while, if you want to.” She said.

Both ponies fell asleep for a short while. Now and then one of them awoke and gave the other a kiss.

“Hmm, yea.”

“What?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight made a pleasuring sound. “Nothing. I just love laying here with you.”

“You do.” Pinkie wasn’t asking.

“Yes. And…”

“And you love me?”

Twilight laughed and exclaimed. “Mare, we just fucked!”

Pinkie Pie returned Twilight’s laughter hesitantly. She had no idea why that statement sounded familiar.

“Pinkie?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

Twilight laid her lavender hoof over Pinkies belly and hugged tight. She rested her muzzle over her ear and let her heart mumble out loud.

“I want this moment to last forever.”

“It won’t silly.”

“What?”

Realizing what she just said Pinkie Pie looked up and saw, not Starlight, not just Twilight, but something more.

“I said, it will.”

“You did?” Twilight asked confused.

Pinkie Pie smiled while the tears of joy of started to form in her blue eyes. She kissed her before Twilight saw them.

“I love you Twilight.”

Pinkie Pie was lost in the moment, but that didn’t mean that her mind wasn’t absent. Inside her head Pinkie Pie spotted a scene.

Inside the scene was Twilight Sparkle. She was wearing a Grand Galloping Gala dress. She was having her hooves and face buried inside the coat of a lifeless pony. Her body bumped up and down as she was crying.

The coat of the dead pony was pink.

“…Forever, Twilight.”

The rest of the night the two ponies spent sleeping. Despite being really tired Twilight decided to head out early and watch the morning sun rise. Before exiting she looked back at Pinkie Pie. She had her pink hooves spread where Twilight had recently rested in them. They seemed to reach for her.

“Hm, Twilight?” Pinkie Pie mumbled sleeping.

“I’ll be right back, Pinkie darling.” Twilight said before heading out.

The Goldwood forest spread around the Tribal village. Twilight found herself on the balcony overlooking it. It was free of Tribals, meaning a lot of them was probably still asleep. Twilight took a deep breath, feeling the clear air fill her lounges. She hoped it would clear the maddened mind of Jeff’s brother too.

“I know you’re not Keshi.”

Twilight turned toward her addresser. The Tribal girl was standing on a nearby balcony. She had her hands on the wooden handle. Twilight thought she had seen her before.

“I’m sorry, have we met?”

“No, we haven’t, but I remember you from Rith Essa, before Jeff brought his people back here to Goldwood.” The Tribal girl had a soft voice, almost like Fluttershy. She had a beautiful face and a red fly tied to her hair. Her face lowered in sadness. “I am so sorry for how the rest of my people treated you back there.”

“Who are you?” Twilight asked

“My name is Carla.”

“Carla? now, there is a name that I have heard.”

“You may remember my boyfriend. His name is Max.”

Twilight remember now. “So, you were a couple?”

“Not really, more of a childish romance. We’ve broken up several times but Max has his wits and he always manages to win me back again.”

The joking way Carla explained something so personal impressed Twilight. She smiled.

“Sounds like Max is a real charmer then.”

Carla giggled. “Yea.” She looked at Twilight, then at the half open door behind the lavender unicorn. Twilight looked shamefully toward the ground.

“What is it?”

“Oh, no. Nothing, I just. Well…” Twilight hesitated.

“Did I hear you?”

Twilight looked pleading at Carla, who made a cute giggle. “Don’t worry, lavender unicorn. I won’t tell anyone about you and the pink pony.”

“Thanks. They’re bound to find out sooner or later though.”

“Do you love her?”

“I think so.” The unicorn and Tribal exchanged smiles. “Do you love Max too?”

Carla’s eyes filled with doubt and certainty at the same time. Her face contorted with conflicting feelings. She nodded.

“Well?”

Carla giggled. “Well, what?”

“Well? Go and tell him.” Twilight urged.

“I can’t.”

“Come on, now you’re being a pussy. He seems like a good Tribal to me.”

“It’s not that. He’s gone.”

“Gone?” Twilight smiled nervously, not sure what ‘gone’ really implied.

“He’s been kidnapped.” Twilight’s face froze. Carla’s face filled with sadness. “Didn’t Jeff tell you about the drone docking ship that we encountered on our way to Goldwood?”

“No, he didn’t.”

Carla told Twilight about what happened after Jeff and the Tribals left Rith Essa. Their ship was captured by a hunter cruiser named Deep Star 2, or more commonly known as Sekhmet. The entire Tribal people would have been imprisoned or worse if it hadn’t been for Max, Joseph, Konrad and Isak holding of the drone boarding party and giving King Jeff enough time to disable the mechanism that kept them bayed. After an intense fight they eventually managed to escape without any Tribal dying. Max and his Tribal friends couldn’t make it though and was captured.

“I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

Carla’s mouth rose sideways in a display of disingenuous laughter. “It is funny, isn’t it? – When you’re so uncertain what to do next and you try to make up your mind and then, when the moment finnaly come and you make up your mind, the opportunity is taken away from you and you’re back at square one.”

Twilight didn’t know what to answer. In an event of dark irony, once she finally decided how to approach the situation, Carla turned around and walked inside.

“It’s been nice talking to you, Twilight Sparkle.”

The morning light gaped through the half-drawn curtain made out of hanging fabric with brooded red patterns. Pinkie Pie saw her marefriend stand outside on the balcony. She appeared to be talking to the neighbor.

“It was fun while it lasted.”

Pinkie looked toward the end of the bed. Starlight Glimmer was lying over her, giving her the same smile as before.

“Starlight?”

“Hi Pinkie.”

Pinkie’s face twisted in anger. She whispered aggressively. “What are you doing Starlight!? I can’t be seen fucking a ghost or everypony will think I’m crazy!?”

“Me? What about Twilight? You’re not just fucking her while thinking of me, do you?”

“Argh! Maybe? I don’t know. Maybe if you stopped showing up in my bed like The Grudge ponified I would be able to give a satisfying answer to that!”

“Remember when we watched that VHS movie together, Pinkie Pie? That one was scary.”

“Yea.” Pinkie’s angry face contorted into sadness. “I do remember everything.”

Starlight and Pinkie Pie exchanged looks, only one of them smiling.

“Why did you have to die Starlight? I needed you.”

“You don’t need me.” Starlight moved closer to Pinkie’s face. “You need Twilight, and Twilight needs you.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” A voice asked.

Pinkie Pie fixated her eyes. Twilight Sparkle was lying over her, about to kiss her.

“Damn you Starlight! Why do you always turn out to be Twilight in the most inconvenient situations!” Pinkie Pie scolded.

“What?!” Twilight laughed. Pinkie Pie suddenly turned regretful.

“I’m sorry Twilight. I think I’m crazy.”

“You were always crazy.” Twilight moved in and kissed Pinkie. “Mm.”

“Mm?”

“Mm, and I like you so.”

“Hm, yes?”

“Yes.” Twilight replied before letting go of her morning horniness. She then fucked the energetic pink pony like the universe depended on it.

The white letters ‘Deep Space 2’ covered the red surface of the giant military cruiser Sekhmet. The inside housed many functions and social opportunities. One of these were Fernando’s suite where a yellow pony pegasus felt like she was floating into space right now. She still remembered those lasers. The thought made Fluttershy stare dead into the air.

“She’s dead.”

Fernando lit another cigar. He took a deep breath as he inhaled the one thing that kept his mind focused.

“She is not dead. I told you Fluttershy, you have my word.”

“I should have been there for her. I should have helped her, tended her.”

“I said, she is fine!” Fernando boomed.

“You’re a liar. You work for Mizar!” Fluttershy cried.

“Mizar works for me! That robot is nothing without me.”

“You tricked the Tribals because you thought they were weak! You helped Mizar because you thought that the others were weak! You favor the strong and care nothing for friends and family!” Fluttershy ranted.

“You’re damn right pony!” Fernando’s booming voice caused Fluttershy to gasp. “I favor the strongest, and right now, I’m not so sure Mizar are. Why do you think I kept you alive?”

“So that you can use me to gain the favor of my friends and our princess to use Equestrias magic to conquer the universe. - FORGET IT!”

“I don’t need your stupid magic.” Fernando motioned the Sekhmet suite. “All of this is mine, payed with my money. If I want to conquer the universe now I can do that, no problem. But there is one thing to conquer the universe and another to keep it from tearing itself apart after you’ve done that.”

“So, you want to conquer it?!”

“I want peace.”

“You make money of this conflict!”

“Geezer made the money, but all I have done since signing that stupid contract with Mizar is losing money, that stupid robot is an even worse business partner now than before. Do you want to see your rainbow friend again or do you want me to toss both her and you into space!?”

Fluttershy calmed down. She ruffled her wings.

“What do you want?”

“Your friend is the princess of friendship.”

“Was. She abdicated.” Fluttershy informed.

“She’ll be again. Trust me, after my good for nothing partner is gone I will talk to Celestia and get her to square things with Twilight, make her believe in friendship again.”

“What about Mizar?” Fluttershy didn’t sound angry anymore. “Twilight will never be princess again if she manages to kill him.”

“I’ll handle him.”

“Twilight will never stop chasing him.”

“I’ll kill him myself, don’t worry. I’ll show Twilight his metal carcass when it’s done.”

Fluttershy looked at Fernando. Her eyes slowly filled with interest. “What will you do?”

“After I kill Mizar I will need someone charismatic to be the face of peace and prosper in the galaxy. I will make use of my contacts to spread Twilight’s message and make her, not just the princess of friendship in Equestria, but the princess of friendship across the entire universe. I keep the order and she keeps its habitants from fighting, it’s as simple as that.”

“But only Twilight can kill Mizar. With his metal rock and…” Fluttershy was cut when Fernando’s laughter filled the suite.

“I am Fernando! For Fernando there will always be a way. Do you want to see your rainbow friend again or not?”

Fluttershy sighted. “What do you need?”

Fernando inhaled another big doze of Tawfret weed. It stimulated his braincells and left them just enough dead that he felt calm but enough alive for him to be game.

“Let’s get back to that hard drive of Diamond Geezer again, shall we?”

“What about it?”

“Where is it and who has it?”

Fluttershy’s face formed in suspicion. “What is it to you?”

“It contains information, codes that is better if it stayed out of Mizar’s robot hands.”

“Why?”

Fernando laughed. “Information for information, my little pony.”

“I’m not your little pony!”

“Wo there. Calm down. You know, you’re angrier that you look and sound Fluttershy. Be careful with that alter ego of yours?” Fernando joked.

The yellow pegasus held her answer at first, but eventually she knew why her feelings couldn’t agree with one another. She really did need the fat mole, whether she liked him or not

“And I am sorry if I was rude before, but I really need to find my way back to Twilight again.”

“Geeee! Wrong answer.” Fernando mimicked a buzzer. “First rainbow pony, then princess of friendship.”

Fluttershy’s eyes sparkled with emotions. “She’s really alive?”

“I told you Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash is alive! Hardsoil! I believe I’ve said it a thousand times by now! Help me get that hard drive and I promise you’ll see her again.”

Fluttershy’s face formed in horror. It suddenly dawned for her. “You want me to steal it from Twilight, don’t you?” Fernando took a blow from his giant cigar. “But… What should I tell her?” Fluttershy asked desperately.

“How you get it is your business, delivering Rainbow Dash safely to you upon completion is mine. After that the business is between me and Twilight.”

“Then I tell her that Rainbow Dash is in danger and…”

“Geeeeee!” Fernando’s buzzer became more over the top than Celestia's acting. “Double wrong, your friends can’t know about your mission.”

“But then I have to lie.” The yellow pegasus cried.

Fernando’s mole eyes dug deeper into Fluttershy than any soil would allow. “Consider it a free lesson in space survival, from yours truly.”

“Shining Armor? What are you doing here?”

Spitfire watched the white unicorn tuck in beside her fellow Wonderbolts. Ahead of them laid the Rainy Meadow and Barry’s village. Spitfire glanced back at Thunderlane, High Wind and Fleetfoot.

“I want to see what my sister is up against.” Shining Armor said.

“Its fine.” Fleetfoot said after exchanging a look with Spitfire.

“Yea, as long as you don’t blow our cover.” Thunderlane said, referring to the bushes they had taken cover behind. Spitfire had no idea how the unicorn had managed to keep up with her Wonderbolt spy party but she trusted him enough. Shining Armor turned to the Wonderbolt stallion.

“It’s nice to see you back again Thunderlane. What did you and Lupus investigation of the drone base turn up?” Shining Armor referred to the mission that they were given by Juno after the attack on SS Anubis.

“Worrying. In fact, it’s not very good at all.” Thunderlane answered.

“Why is that?” Shining Armor still hadn’t had time to discuss this with Juno. He noticed Spitfire looking down in sadness. Shining Armor feared that she already knew the answer.

“Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash aren’t dead, are they?” Shining Armors voice started filling with dread.

“We overheard a group of drones with speech necklaces, and I’m afraid that the rumor is that both are.”

“Both are dead?”

“It’s what the intel suggests.” Thunderlane had the voice of a soldier on duty while describing the possible death of Rainbow Dash. Shining Armor didn’t feel as bold. How in the name of Celestia would his sister react to this information?

“Does Twilight know?” Shining Armor asked.

“I don’t think so.” Fleetfoot said.

“I agreed with Juno earlier that he would tell her. I bet she knows it already.” Spitfire said

“I don’t know how she will take it.” Shining Armor turned to Spitfire. “I know you have your fliers to think about Spitfire, but can I trust on your support if I need to keep Twilight from doing something stupid when she finds out?”

“Our survival depends on it. You have my full support general!”

“Thank you, Spitfire, and you will always have mine.”

“Thank you.” Spitfire said hesitantly. For some reason she kept eye contact with him. “Yes, that’s nice to know.”

They broke eye contact, but it had stayed long enough for Fleetfoot and Thunderlane to exchange one themselves, the same thought coursing through their heads. She do know he’s married, right?

It didn’t take long before the trail ahead started filling with Tribals. They gathered around a heap of branches that had been placed to form a balefire.

“What is happening?” Fleetfoot asked.

“Quiet!” High Wind hushed.

The weather was dusky and the ground laid wet from the recent rain. The mud formed clear tracks under Barry as he walked toward the ceremonial event. The gathering Tribals parted way for him. Behind him he had his two bodyguards. They were holding the sacrifice; the same one they had used every time this celebration was underway.

“We’ll make it through this, your highness.” One tribal male said as Barry passed him.

“Your brother will understand one day.” A Tribal woman ensured.

“Keshi will pay for her crimes!” One chant came from somewhere.

Barry approached the balefire. His guards walked ahead of him.

Meanwhile, the ponies were watching from the secure location in the forest.

“What is that?” Fleetfoot asked.

Shining Armor squinted his eyes. He saw Barry’s guards walk up to the wooden pile. He recognized them being the same Tribal warriors that forced Twilight onto the catwalk when they were on Rith Essa. Once again it appeared as if the tribal was holding something by the horn. Both of them went to work on strapping whatever it was onto a pole that protrude from the balefire. Once done they walked away from it, allowing for Shining Armor to see what it was.

It was a unicorn made out of hay. It was tied to the balefire pole by the neck and front hooves. The unicorn’s eyes were made out of two green fruits and the mane and tale were constructed by some kind of string material. It had been dyed purple. On its flank a pink star had been painted. Shining Armor saw Barry position himself between hay Twilight and the Tribal group.

“Fellow Tribals! It was good of you to come this cheerful evening! This is the forth, but god knows, not the last night that we celebrate the new and fresh by casting out the old and oppressive!”

“Yea!” Chants sounded from the Tribal group.

“My brother…” Barry paused for a dramatic effect. “…My brother has gone mad. It is with deep sorrow that I find that he has fallen under the influence of Keshi, the evil horse devil!”

“Death to Keshi!” One Tribal female screamed.

“With the help of her magic,”Barry continued. “Twilight Sparkle, Keshi, has kidnapped my poor brothers mind, just like she gave our old enemy Mizar one in an attempt to scare us into submission!”

“Never!” One Tribal male chanted. Now more and more mumbles started coming from the entire group.

“Yes! Dear Tribals, NEVER! We will never bow down to such a vile beast! The time has come to celebrate the day when we…”

Shining Armor kept listening to Barry’s speech. Even though he was hiding quite the distance away he could still see his hard pupils of Barry shaking, vibrating with true stirrings of the mind. There was no doubt about it. This Tribal was mad.

“Now we Celebrate the day when Keshi’s rule finally ends and we let the fiery gates of hell open up and pull her in! Now we celebrate the day when Tribal girls don’t have to be taken away from their mothers and be forced to watch Keshi as she dances the Pinkie dance, all while the lustful eyes of the devil himself watches!”

Shining Armor watched one of the big Tribals approach the wood while holding a burning torch. The sound of exploding sap jittered the Rain Valley. The two fruits on the Twilight doll imploded by the heat and fell into the rising flames. Shining Armor turned around and walked away.

“I’ve seen enough.”

“I’m not letting you go in there by yourself!”

Juno heard Twilight’s brother scream at her as he approached them. He saw his opportunity to break the news about her friend’s apparent deaths slip before him.

“We can’t risk an open conflict.” Jeff broke in.

Shining Armor turned to King Jeff. “With all respect, your majesty, but this is between me and my sister now. You deal with your own sibling-hood.”

“Shining Armor, now you’re being arrogant.” Twilight scolded.

“I saw the ceremony that the Tribals had. They are going to burn you, Twilight.”

“I have my magic. I can just turn the fire into ice!” Twilight said incredulously.

“Haven’t you walked into enough traps Twili!? It almost killed you on that cruiser. It killed Surprise, Everbold and High on that volcano planet. It killed Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy after that attack on SS Anubis! Am I forgetting anything? Oh, yes…Ao!”

Shining Armor was cut when somepony suddenly punched his flank. It was Spitfire who had flown all the way across the lawn in a flash. “Why did you…?”

“She didn’t know.” Spitfire interrupted Shining Armor.

The white unicorn turned to his sister again, just in time to see her face drop in disbelief. Behind her was Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie and Rarity. Rarity’s eyes started to water. Her cracking voice managed to ask. “What?”

“Tell me you just don goofed Shining!?” Apple Jack demanded.

For a moment Twilight seemed to gain confidence since her brother couldn’t possibly have known that without her also knowing. That was, until she saw Spitfire’s sorry face. Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “No.”

“I’m afraid the intel Thunderlane brought back is clear Twili.”

“No!” Twilight wailed.

Rarity broke down into crying. Apple Jack managed to prevent her from falling to the ground. Pinkie Pie’s mane fell toward the ground. Her sad appearance quickly transformed into 007’s analyzing eyes. “Do we know for certain that the intel is correct?” The agent asked.

“Beyond reasonable doubt I’m afraid, agent Pinkie. I’m afraid that the source is… Well?” Spitfire turned to Thunderlane, who answered his commander professionally.

“We overheard a gossip conversation between a Tribal engineer and a drone. The drone worked on a cruiser called Sekhmet and apparently...” Thunderlane hesitated.

“How!?” Rarity demanded.

Thunderlane and Spitfire exchanged nervous glances. They contorted in determination. The truth was better than a white lie.

“The drone was in the room when Mizar interrogated Rainbow Dash. He used Fluttershy to get her to talk. When Rainbow Dash refused." Thunderlane paused, allowing himself to swallow his nervosity. "...He saw Mizar kill Fluttershy with one shot.”

Thunderlane glanced at Spitfire before continuing, as if to ask. Too much?

“Then Rainbow Dash was to be transported to another cruiser. She managed to escape when the drone tazed her at the wrong time and she broke free. The drone passed out after tasering himself. When he woke up again…” Thunderlane hesitated again.

Apple Jack had already given up trying to hold Rarity, who had crumbled to the ground. As for Apple Jack, she was starting to wonder if she wanted honesty this time. Pinkie Pie was no longer an agent. Her hanging mane slowly rose into cotton candy again while her eyes began to water.

“…When he woke up he saw her. She was killed by drones while trying to escape.” Thunderlane ended.

Twilight was in complete disbelief. She couldn’t believe it, she didn’t want to believe it. She thought she saw Shining Armor talk to her behind the blur of her own tears, but his words seemed too hollow for her to pick up. She felt movement by her hooves. It was Lupus. He made mewling sounds while licking her flank.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! It may be highly probable, but it is still just a rumor. We don’t know for sure yet.”

Spitfire’s voice boomed. It reached the ears of everypony present and gave them some hope, all except two of them. Hiding in some nearby bushes the yellow ears of Fluttershy lowered. Her eyes filled with tears while anger bubbled up inside her chest.

Fernando you liar!

Fluttershy felt her hooves walk out of the bushes and show to her friends that, at least, she was alive, but then another thought suddenly hit her.

…Or, you’re not a liar!

The dilemma left Fluttershy paralyzed.

What if Thunderlane’s information was wrong and Rainbow Dash was still alive? Then Fluttershy needed to keep her own survival a secret or else she would need to explain to her friends about Fernando’s involvement and ruin his trust.

Turning the events around didn’t make the situation easier. What if Rainbow Dash was truly dead and Fernando was lying? Then he would probably kill Fluttershy the moment he got his hands on that hard drive.

Fluttershy saw Pinkie Pie walk up to Twilight and hug her. Seeing her friends again was all she ever wanted, but to solve this Fluttershy realized she needed to be colder than that. Fernando was probably a liar, whether Rainbow was alive or dead. He had probably orchestrated this entire thing, from Starlight Glimmer’s murder to this rumor about Twilight being Keshi. Part of Fluttershy still felt like she should tell her friends the truth, but if she was right about Fernando then all of them were already dead if Fernando wasn’t defeated. Mizar was probably just a puppet while Fernando pulled all the strings, deceiving every friend he had in the progress. Fluttershy needed to find a way to outsmart him, beat him at his own game.

Fluttershy looked dead into the air. The realization suddenly hit her.

Mizar was never the villain, Fernando is. Twilight is chasing the wrong culprit!

Fluttershy took another look at her mourning friends. Seeing the usually conscientious Apple Jack cry for her almost made Fluttershy feel like she really was dead, in a way.

“I’m sorry. I'll come back for you later.” Fluttershy whispered before leaving the scene unnoticed.