Black Sun

"I-I panicked, okay?" Aurora stammered, holding his head in his hooves as he leaned back against the wall, hyperventilating slightly. "Nothing was coming together, I just I, I had to get her out and the first place that came to mind was here."

"Hey, listen to me, it's fine," Peace Walker told him, her hooves on his shoulders as she tried to look him in the eye. "You were up against a monster in there. Two of them. You did what you had to do."

"Did I? I abandoned the others to do this. Bounty was already gone but how many of the others did I leave to die. Two? Five!? Six if Rarity..."

"Get it together kid," She ordered firmly, but catching herself after a moment and softening her tone. "Look, I know it looks bad. But you did manage to get her to good hooves. Ponies who do know what to do. At least somewhat anyway. As far as panic responses go, you did better than most would have."

Aurora raised his head slightly and looked back over toward the Tree of Harmony. Rarity was still lying where she had since they teleported in. As the only ones present with any real medical knowledge, Zecora and Quick Fix were doing what they could for her. Though considering all they had to work with was his free time learning, whatever she had in her robe and the few supplies Aurora had brought with him, everyone knew it wouldn't be much. Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were watching with concern. Spike was hanging back with Deep Note, both of them looking like they were trying to calm the other down to avoid freaking out themselves.

"Maybe, but I still could have teleported straight to a hospital or something. That's twice in a row I've made such a stupid mistake now." Aurora admitted, shaking his head. He still looked rattled, but sounded slightly reassured. That was probably the best she was going to get out of him right now.

"Well, as long as you don't make it three, nopony will remember." Peace told him before looking back over at Rarity. "At least it's going okay now...Right?"

"We've done all we can, as I hope you can see," Zecora replied, sounding disheartened as well. "But fixing this is simply beyond me."

"Good news, it's not getting any worse at least," Quick added, looking over at Aurora. "You probably did the best possible thing for a horn break on this scale. There was probably no stopping a full magic discharge of some kind, but in this case it went for the strongest focus of magic within reach.

"You mean, my teleportation spell?" Aurora asked cautiously, glancing up at his horn.

"Exactly. Rarity's uncontrolled magic basically powered that spell in this case. Probably part of why you're so jumpy at the moment, you're still adjusting to the energy you thought you'd used."

"So, Rarity's gonna come outta this alright?" Applejack asked hopefully.

"Well at the least, it's not going to be fatal," Quick admitted as he stepped back. "There's always going to be some damage from uncontrolled magic though and the fact she's still unresponsive is...Well, she should probably get checked by somepony with actual medical gear. Aurora?"

Aurora nodded and pushed himself back to his hooves, taking a slow breath to steady himself before trotting over. Rarity looked a lot more peaceful than she had prior to teleporting here, laid out as though she were merely sleeping. The cracks in her horn had been coated with a makeshift mix of crushed leaves that Zecora had been carrying, keeping them protected. Nothing could be done about the shattered section though, thin sparks of blue occasionally emanating from the damaged ends of the magic nerves within.

"Yeah, I'll take her back to Ponyville," He said quietly, looking over at the others. "What about you all though?"

"We'll head straight back. We got what we came for." Fluttershy told him, looking down at the element in her hooves.

Aurora nodded and his horn glowed again before he placed a hoof on Rarity's side and teleported the two of them out. Everypony else remained in place for a moment before passing the elements to Pinkie for safekeeping. There was nothing worth staying for now and they started to make their way out. Spike followed at the very back, taking one last look back. Although his old flame for Rarity had simmered down long ago, seeing her in such a state was hurting more than he cared to admit. He wasn't sure what worried him most, the nagging sensation that she wouldn't be the last casualty of the crisis, or Twilight's reaction when she found out.

Grief. Disbelief and pain, but primarily grief.

Aurora looked down at his hooves as his sensory magic faded. Normally he felt calm when using it, but the emotions around him were overwhelming at present. Seeping into him like water filtered through ice. It didn't help that there was nothing to see outside. Only Ponyville draped in night, rain thundering down the only thing visible from the window next to him. He knew the pegasi had a schedule but still would have preferred if they'd held off until the mood was a little lighter. With nothing out there, all he could do for now was look upon how each of his friends were handling the situation.

Almost everypony had reconvened at Ponyville Hospital, to confirm each other's safety and tend to the wounded. Most of them were still here in the emergency ward waiting room. Applejack had remained stoic after learning of Bounty's death, but it was clear she was taking the loss of a pony she had feelings for very hard. Even now she was sat leaned against Deep Note, hat off and mane unkempt, the pegasus attempting to comfort her as best he could. Fluttershy had briefly returned home to check on her foals but was back now, talking with Pinkie Pie in an effort to pass the time. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had gone to fetch food for everypony. Peace Walker was sat alone by the door, staring at Pinkie with a disgruntled look.

A flash in the middle of the room drew everypony's attention as Twilight teleported in. She looked as though she'd been struggling not to cry even harder than Applejack, her movements tense and a forced smile on her face. On seeing the faces of everypony she slowly walked over to an empty chair and leaned against it, letting the smile fade as she placed a hoof over her eyes.

"Twilight?" Pinkie said softly, looking even more deflated at the sight of her friend so worn down. "It's okay to let it out."

"I'm okay for now. I'm okay." Twilight replied, taking a long, shuddering breath and straightening up again.

"So, it's all done?" Fluttershy asked, fidgeting slightly in her seat..

"It's done. The element of magic is safely with the others at the castle. Spike's making sure they're all secure right now. Quick Fix isn't coming either, said he needed some time alone."

"I'm not surprised. He must have been under a lot of stress after what happened," Peace commented. "I've seen his type in the EDF, they don't adapt well to sudden change."

"He did his best, more than anypony else could have," Twilight admonished her before sighing and turning back toward her friends. "...Have we heard anything more about Rarity?"

"Sweetie Belle is by her bedside right now. She'll let us know when everything is settled," Aurora told her. "Trixie is with Starlight too."

"I almost wonder..." Twilight started before pausing and sucking some air in between her teeth. "No, that line of thought wont help right now."

"You're still doubting her?" Aurora asked cautiously, knowing that she hadn't seen what he had in the heat of the battle.

Before she could reply, the waiting room door opened and Apple Bloom walked in, saddlebags full of food and cider bottles. Scootaloo followed her in, soaking wet, wings waterlogged and mane weighed down over her face. While it was expected with the weather outside, seeing her in such a state did little for everypony's spirits. Twilight quickly lit her horn up, her purple aura covering Scootaloo. After a few moments it lifted the majority of the water off her and carried it over to the window as she quickly opened it and dumped it outside.

"Thanks. That was uncomfortable." Scootaloo said as she flexed her wings out, shaking out what droplets remained on her feathers.

"What happened? I mean it's bad out there but you weren't gone that long." Peace asked as she got up and looked through the bags to see what was available.

"It's worse when you're actively putting yourself in the downpour. We just grabbed some things from my place since it was closer, then I flew above Apple Bloom to shield her from the worst of it."

"Mighty kind of ya." Applejack commented.

For a few minutes the conversation trailed off as everypony got something to eat or drink. While there was less of it going about now, any discussion was more light hearted than it had been before. Something as simple as a quick, fulfilling distraction and the bonds of friendship could work wonders. Even Twilight seemed slightly less worked up as she settled down with the others. Eventually the door to the ward opened and Sweetie Belle stepped in. She looked composed but worn down, somepony who wasn't crying because she had shed all her tears already. The more relaxed atmosphere in the room instantly froze over as everypony saw her. Reality was about to come down on them again.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle." Twilight said gently, standing up since she was the closest. "Are you holding up okay?"

"Well, I just spent hours waiting to learn that my sister is still in a serious condition. So yes, I'm just fine." Sweetie replied flatly. As she finished speaking she brought over a spare bottle of cider in her magic, opened it up and drank the whole thing without stopping.

"Err...Ah don't think that's gonna help." Apple Bloom said as she moved over to her fellow crusader.

"Yeah, even if it's the non-alcoholic kind." Scootaloo added, joining the others as well.

"Oh I know, I was just thirsty." Sweetie sounded a little better as she put the bottle down again, managing a small smile at her friends. "I appreciate it though. So, I'm just going to get the bad news out of the way first."

"Take your time, if you need to." Fluttershy told her, the others nodding and voicing their agreement. Sweetie looked down and rubbed a hoof along the floor for several long seconds before taking a deep breath and looking back up.

"Okay...Although it could have been much worse, Rarity did suffer some brain damage from her magic going wild. She's been left in a coma...With no exact idea when she'll wake up. She's under constant monitoring but, there's not much else anypony can do..."

Sweetie's ears folded back and she looked away sadly, not wanting to continue. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo immediately moved closer to comfort their friend. Twilight remained rooted in place as she took in the news, squeezing her eyes shut. Applejack looked on the brink of tears. Fluttershy gave a quiet whimper as she looked down in shock. Pinkie Pie stared straight at the wall opposite her with a fearful look in her eyes. Peace Walker placed her head on her hooves and shook her head sadly while Deep Note attempted to push his own sadness down and keep supporting AJ.

"So, what's the good news?" Fluttershy eventually managed to ask as she looked back up at the others.

"The good news, is that sis could still wake up," Sweetie said, leaning slightly on Apple Bloom. "The doctors said that her brain could use that same magic to try and repair itself. If it manages to do that, they could try to bring her round. It's nothing but a waiting game but, it's something to keep looking forward to. Hope's all I've got at this point."

Everypony relaxed slightly at that news. Applejack was still fighting back tears but she was managing to smile slightly. Twilight took a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding and opened her eyes again. A sizeable part of her deeply regretted the fact that this was the happiest everypony had been since they had left the castle that afternoon. The knowledge that all the casualties, the death, were on her for bringing everypony into this left the weight of guilt draped over her. At this point, as insignificant as it would be, the least she could do was apologise for what she had wrought.

"I'm sorry if it's too soon but, can we see her?" Twilight asked, straightening herself up. Sweetie Belle did the same and nodded.

"You're all free to if you feel up to it. I'd, like to go with just Twilight first though. There's something I need to show her while we're there."

Twilight looked round at the others curiously, each of them wondering what it was about too. Now wasn't the time to press for answers though. She simply nodded and followed Sweetie through to the emergency ward. It was quiet inside, with only three of the two dozen beds occupied. Starlight Glimmer was visible at the far end of the room, her upper torso covered in bandages and Trixie by her bed. Another bed partway down was occupied by a silver stallion, but Twilight's attention was on the closest bed just to her right. Even laid out in a hospital bed, hooked up to life support machinery, Rarity looked as composed as ever. Seeing it for the first time, discovering just how serious it was, hurt Twilight more than she could remember for decades. On top of that, there was the knowledge of how much it would affect her when she woke up. This wasn't like past incidents where Rarity's magic had been stunted by some outside influence. She was going to be permanently affected by the damage. If she woke up from it.

"Hi, Rarity," Twilight said quietly as she moved up to the bedside. It felt a little weird to be talking like this, but all her research on subconscious indicated she could be heard. Hopefully it was all right. "I...I don't really know what to say, other than I'm sorry. I underestimated the danger again and this time it made you all pay the price. I don't expect you to forgive me but, I promise you, and everypony else, it won't be for nothing."

"We'll all make sure of it," Sweetie Belle added. "I'll step up and help find a way to save Equestria...Just like you always did."

It may have been Twilight's imagination, or a trick of the dimmed light, but she could have sworn she saw a ghost of a smile on Rarity's lips. It was enough to boost the princess' spirit again, for now at least. She placed her hoof on Rarity's and gave it a small squeeze, holding the moment for several long seconds.

"I'll keep you updated on how things go. Just focus on getting better, old friend," She finally said, letting go and looking back over at Sweetie Belle. "I can't even imagine what you must be going through right now."

"I think, that most everypony here has an idea," Sweetie replied, straightening up. "But we've still got each other, and that's enough to keep me going for now."

"That's a mature way to look at it," Twilight commented. A small part of her still found it hard to remember Sweetie Belle wasn't the small, energetic filly she had once tutored, despite the fact they were almost the same height now. "So is this what you wanted to show me?"

"Hmm? Oh, no," Sweetie looked back down the ward, over toward Starlight's bed. "Just, listen for a moment."

Twilight looked at her in confusion but did so, ears twitching as they tried to pick up anything new. While the sound of the heartbeat monitor attached to Rarity made it hard to hear anything else going on in the ward, with some extra focus she could make out the conversation going on between the two unicorns.

"I've made up my mind," Starlight was saying, sounding weary even for her standards. "Soon as I can, I'm going back to Canterlot and turning myself in. I don't have a place here."

"Wh...Why?" Trixie was pacing slightly, looking shaken as well. "We all saw how hard you were trying today. Aurora trusts you, I'm sure Sweetie Belle does too and you put your life on the line to save me. If you were still a bad pony, I really don't think you'd do that."

"If I wasn't a bad pony anymore, the wrong pony wouldn't have died back there."

"Maybe, but I've been there and-" Trixie paused in her pacing and looked back in dawning surprise. "The...Wrong one?"

"Trixie, don't you get it?" Starlight sighed as she leaned back, looking over at a window and staring into the rainy darkness outside. "For every pony who actually thinks I've changed, there are hundreds who think I haven't and even more who think I never will. As I am, as long as I'm alive, ponies will see me as a danger to Equestria, an irredeemable monster. I could have stopped Sunset right there and ponies still wouldn't trust me. That's why I did what I had to, what would have actually made a difference if it had worked."

From her position, Twilight's expression softened. Even without Aurora's ability to sense emotion, she could tell that every word was genuine. From the look on Sweetie's face, this was the gist of why she had wanted Twilight to come, but even she hadn't expected to hear this. Both of them thought about what had been said in the moment of quiet, how Starlight had been throwing herself into the battle ahead of everypony, and the realisation hit them just before Trixie said it.

"Starlight...You were trying to get yourself killed out there?"

"If I died against a greater threat, trying to save the rest of you, I thought it might convince a few ponies that I really have changed. Even if it didn't, it wouldn't have mattered anymore." Starlight admitted, hunching in on herself only to wince as she compacted her wounds. The angle she was at gave Twilight a look at her eyes. They were empty of emotion, a window into the soul of a broken mare.

"But the mere fact you want to help says so much. Spike trusts you too and...Well that whole thing with Peace Walker was something of an extreme case."

"Princess Twilight doesn't trust me though. The look she was giving me back at the castle, I used it so many times in the past. The look of a pony who's already made up their mind and has no intention of changing it. At this point, my options are to give myself up again and have my darkness be contained, get lucky and stop Sunset Shimmer, or die trying."

Twilight froze up as she listened. The more she had heard, both about the events at the vault and right here, the more she had realised that Starlight Glimmer really had changed over the past few years. The idea of a decent or reformed pony viewing the Princess of Friendship as a figure of fear struck her at her very core. Without thinking she moved forward, knowing that she had to say something, anything to ease those fears. The feeling of a hoof on her shoulder snapped her back to reality and she looked round to see it was Sweetie Belle who had stopped her.

"There'll be a chance to try and help her," She said gently. "But right now, I think what she needs more than anything is somepony she trusts to let it all out on."

Twilight nodded, looking over at Trixie. As uncomfortable as she looked from all this, there was a glint of understanding in her eyes. There was a good chance she had gone through similar experiences after being shown up and wielding the Alicorn Amulet. Leaving the two to air their troubles to each other was probably a better course than marching up to a pony that was seriously injured and scared of her. For now, she simply gave one last look back at Rarity and moved to head for the exit. Everypony else would probably want to see Rarity as well and she was feeling an overwhelming need to rest.