Author's Note

Third Times The Charm...

Legend of Everfree - The Devotion Arc

"Twilight! If I burst into that room unannounced and you're still in bed, I'm shoving my foot so far up your ass, the doctor-"

"Noah! For the love of it all, must you be so loud?!"

"Shut up, Betsey Johnson!"

Twilight groggily rose from the warm comfort of her bed and rubbed her eyes. Utterly disconcerted and disoriented. She raised an eyebrow as she listened to multiple voices behind her door.

"Who the hay is Betsey Johnson?"

"It's a comparison, Old Town Road. Legit like what I just did now!"

"Oh! Does she also do fashion?!"

"No Pinkie, she builds race cars for deformed soda cans."

"I'm pretty sure soda cans can't drive or are even alive."

"No, really Flutters? I'd no idea!"

"Hey! Only I get to call her Flutters!"

"Take a hike, Dash!"

"Guys! Shut up!"

"Who you telling to shut up, Kid?"

"You, dipshit!"

"Uh, guys? If your intentions were to wake me up, I'd say you succeeded," Twilight spoke up from her side of the door. Giggling as the voices of petty arguments promptly came to a close. Noah sighed from their side of the door.

"Well then, allow me to be the first to say..."

"Say what-"

*Slam!*

"The bus to Everfree leaves in ten minutes, nerd!"

Twilight felt her eyes turn whiter than Rarity's skin as she realized what day it was. Panicking, Twilight shot up from her bed and began digging through her closet to find her luggage. Noah and the others stepped through the door first and Noah quickly approached Twilight to help.

"You had one job, four eyes, one job! Set an alarm! Wake the heck up! Take a shower! Get washed up while in the shower! Get out of the shower! Get dressed! Eat a breakfast sandwich, and come to school! Where did you go wrong!?"

"I-I don't know! I just-ah!"

Twilight, terrified, scooted away from Noah and rested her back against her bed. As the other Rainbooms zipped about her house, Sunset approached her, perplexed.

"Twilight? What's the matter?"

"Noah! H-H-He, H-H-He-"

"He what?!"

"He has a beard!"

Sunset turned back to Noah and as plain as the nose on one's face, was a rather scruffy and unkempt beard around his mouth. Judging from its style, it'd been growing for at least half a year, and nearly covered Noah's entire mouth. Twilight questioned if he even noticed it.

Noah's face fell flat, "Twilight, we're gonna be late for some dumbass camping trip that, might I add, you pestered me into going, along with the rest of my stupid friends, and you give a crap that I have a beard?!"

Twilight cringed and held her hands close to her face, "It just looks so... unnatural!"

Noah rolled his eyes and threw the luggage at Twilight's feet. "Get your crap together, and head downstairs!"

Noah itched at his newly grown beard as he made his way downstairs. Leaving Twilight with the rest of the girls. Sunset sighed at Noah's behavior and lifted the suitcase onto Twilight's bed.

"Don't worry about him, we'll help you get ready."

Twilight stood up and away from her bed and searched her closet for her towel. All the while, Rarity and Applejack helped pack her clothing for the trip. Rarity being, well, Rarity, as she revealed a grand dress for Twilight to pack. Irritating Applejack, just as expected.

"We're gonna be out in the woods. When the hay is she gonna need to wear that?"

Rarity scoffed, "If we were going to the moon, I'd insist she'd packed an evening gown. One never knows, darling."

Twilight finally found her towel from her closet, but Rainbow Dash put a hand on her shoulder. "Forget showering! We only have like eight minutes left! Just pick an outfit and change!"

Twilight blushed, "I-In front of you guys?"

"Twilight, it's just like gym class! Now hurry!"

Grabbing a random set of clothes she hoped would work, Twilight dashed to the mirror of her room and began changing. As she removed her shirt, Twilight spotted something odd in the mirror.

Rising from her sides were two black, with glowing cyan outlines, wings slightly comparable to an eagle's. Twilight dropped the shirt and stepped back, bewildered and frightened at the same time.

"What... What is that-"

Faster than Twilight could comprehend, two beams of pure light impaled both Rarity and Applejack's chest. Twilight turned around and felt her pupils constrict to the size of a pin as Pinkie shrieked in sheer horror.

As the beams dissipated, Rarity and Applejack fell to their knees as blood flowed out their mouths like melted ice cream, but it was nothing compared to their wounds. The beams had left nothing but gaping holes in their chests where their hearts used to be. Blood poured all round the holes and promptly soaked their clothing in dark red.

Twilight turned back to the mirror and saw her levitating just above her head. The one Twilight hoped she'd never have to see or become again. The one who could've taken everything.

Midnight.

Twilight slipped on a soda can and fell on her back out of pure shock. It didn't take long for tears to befall her cheeks. "Stop! Leave us alone! Why are you back!?"

Ignoring her, Midnight teleported behind Rainbow Dash in the blink of an eye and shoved her entire hand through Rainbow Dash's throat like a knife through a hairless cat!

Twilight and who remained screamed, petrified, as Rainbow Dash choked on nothing. The hole in her throat rendered her speechless as she couldn't even gasp for air. She just scratched at what was left of her windpipe and wheezed incomprehensible words before falling face flat on the floor. Blood gushing out of the hole and staining Twilight's carpet.

Midnight raised a hand towards Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. They then flew out of the room through the window so fast, Twilight swore they were flung faster than the speed of light!

Twilight shut her eyes as Sunset slowly backed away. Noah burst through the doorway, and It didn't take long for him to see what was all the commotion. Midnight made a move for Sunset, but Noah pulled and pushed her into the hallway.

*Crash!*

Twilight opened one eye and cried at the top of her lungs as Noah hung limp in Midnight's grasp. Judging by the position, Twilight could only assume that Midnight had crushed Noah's air pipe like a lightbulb. And in her other hand, Sunset laid limp by her right arm. Only, her head rested near Twilight's feet. Her eyes' more soulless than a shark on the first day of June.

Twilight shut her eyes closed and covered her ears as a waterfall of tears poured out her sockets. She tried to act like it was all a dream. Act like she didn't just witness every single one of her friends savagely murdered in seconds. She couldn't even fathom what happened to Spike.

It's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real-

"Oh, but it very much is."

Despite covering her ears with all her strength, Midnight's voice echoed and rang inside her head like a sinister church bell from Hope County. Twilight opened her eyes and found herself in a pit of unadulterated darkness. She turned around on her knees and felt her heart stop.

Midnight strolled forward without a care in the world. Leaving a trail of fire and destruction as she approached Twilight. As Midnight neared ever so closely, Twilight got a good look at her attire.

Instead of what she wore previously, Midnight was wrapped in dark armor like a black knight from the Underworld and was drenched in blood from head to toe. But what truly caught her attention were the accessories.

Upon her armor, several severed hands and feet hung from her wrist, chest, waist, and ankles. She was astounded that she didn't notice earlier. But it got even worse from there.

Each hand and foot belonged to one of her friends. She could see it from the colors and what was last left in or on their hands. Or at least, what was left of their hands.

Twilight shouted at the top of her lungs, "Why are you back?! What have you done?! Why won't you leave me alone?!"

"Isn't it obvious yet, Sparkle?"

Twilight shrunk like a child at Midnight's voice. Dark and deep as if she was the devil himself. Only, with breasts.

"I had everything. I had magic beyond belief. I had more power than the Princess of Equestria. I even had Equis, both of them, in my grasp. And I lost it all because of some nigger and his whore girlfriend.

"Then I lost it. All of it. But I didn't give up. Not for a fucking second. I still have your weak-minded head, that I, both fortunately and unfortunately, am a part of. Do you know what that means?"

"Please... I-"

"It means I can break you. Take what pathetic excuse of a conscious you have and tear it in half like a phone book. Twisting and pulling at your head until you can't even think straight. So utterly lost and broken that I can take control.

"And good luck getting rid of me, because I'm no psychological illness or a form of PTSD. I am you. Your true self, if I may. Slowly picking at your innocence until there's nothing left.

"I can never leave, and I can never die. It's only a matter of time until you see the truth at hand, and just, give, up. Opening the closet to let the monster inside. So tell me, Twilight Sparkle.

"How long do you want this charade to go on?"

Twilight was trapped. There was no way around this, and there definitely wasn't a way through it. She was doomed to suffer the rest of her life with a demon who wanted nothing more than to see her explode like a star going supernova. She stuttered as she had cried all of her tears until nothing but dust remained.

"I... I... I-I..."

"Leave me alone!"

"Twilight! Shut, the actual fuck, up!"

"H-Huh?!"

Twilight opened her eyes out of confusion and examined her surroundings. She was standing tall on a school bus, surrounded by all of her closest friends, with Spike just beside her. Her luggage was at her feet, and she was fully dressed and cleaned.

Her best friends, along with the other students on the bus, stared at her as if she was a mental patient. Twilight's cheeks reddened, embarrassed, and she slowly slid back into her seat.

Turning her attention to whom had shouted directly after, Principal Celestia spoke up. "Rictorshine, you're aware I have to write you up for shouting curse words, aren't you?"

Noah crossed his arms as his friends, both guys and gals, giggled and snickered, "Oh come on! I saved the galaxy for Christ's sake! Not to mention I've been trying to cut back on the cursing. Can't you cut me some slack?"

"Rictorshine, I'm quite sure I gave you my thanks for saving my school and students. Did I not?"

Noah smiled, "Oh! Yeah! I remember that. Nevermind, Tia! Write away!"

"Tia? Last time I checked, you're to refer to your Principal properly. Not, give nicknames to them."

"I know, heh heh, but I'm incredibly appreciative of your thank you gift. I'm sure anyone would be!"

Celestia rolled her eyes and her face fell flat as students began asking and guessing what had happened that fateful day. Noah smirked and slid back into his seat as Celestia's sister, Vice Principal Luna, poked her arm and mouthed the words, "I told you so."

As Noah returned his attention to his friends, he was met with several stares of disconcertion, except for Sunset's whose glowed with resentment and face clearly read, "Go fuck yourself with a fork."

Noah chuckled, "Yes yes, I'm aware, I'm a negro of many mysteries, or whatever the phrase is, but that's besides the point. Twilight, why in God's name were you over there, standing all tall and what not, screaming bloody murder?"

Twilight was fiddling with her fingers ever since she slid down. She explained timidly, "I-I, uh... Noah had a beard in a nightmare I had!"

"...what?"

All of Twilight's friends' faces fell flatter than paper. Especially Noah's. The girls attempted to understand the fear, while Noah's older friends could barely contain their laughter. Effectively pissing him off.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "That's silly Twilight! Noah already has a beard!"

Pinkie Pie was correct, outside of whatever Twilight's nightmare had been, Noah had grown a beard. Although it definitely wasn't as scruffy and vast as the one in her dream, it still creeped her out a tad.

Noah rolled his eyes, "It's not even really a beard! It's just some facial hair that's been growing for a month because I just got lazy and curious at the same time! What, can a black man not grow a lil something-something on his face?"

Twilight cringed, "Eh... I-I'd rather you not, but you're probably not gonna listen to me, are you?"

Noah smirked and folded his arms, "We've only known each other for a month and you already know me so well! Besides, it's just some hair around my mouth. I mean, look at everyone else!"

Applejack raised an eyebrow, "What about us?"

"You dipsticks have these things that are several times worse than my beard. You all have tufts of hair that hang from the rest! Especially you, now that I mention it."

Reaching over his seat and into Applejack, CJ, and Rarity's, Noah played around with the piece of hair that hung off of Applejack's scalp and seemingly floated in mid-air.

Applejack frowned and furrowed her eyebrows, "Noah, one: That's not called a tuft of hair, it's called a bang."

"Same thing."

"Two: Keep touchin' mah hair and I'm gonna sock you in the goddamn mouth."

Noah stuttered, "I-I, w-what, you don't even know what, "goddamn," means!"

"I know enough from you that it's not a very good thing."

Rarity giggled, "Though I don't agree with what he's doing, your hair hanging off like that is indeed somewhat cute Jackie."

Applejack rolled her eyes and folded her arms, but you'd have to be dumber than a sack of bricks to not see the obvious blush on her face. Sunset pulled Noah back into his seat rather aggressively, and Noah chuckled nervously.

She sighed, "Regardless of beards and bangs, whatever happened to you Twilight must've been horrible and we're all sorry you had to go through that."

Besides Noah's older friends, who were busy looking at fairly inappropriate images on their phones, everyone nodded and agreed enthusiastically. Sharing the same sympathy for Twilight as Sunset did.

Twilight smiled a tad, "Thanks girls."

Noah waved nonchalantly, "Uh, don't forget boy! You know, the one that threw you at a school bus at a hundred miles per hour, effectively knocking you unconscious so we could have things return to normal?"

Twilight giggled, "Especially you, Noah. How could I ever forget."

Noah smiled and muttered as the girls giggled along with Twilight, "Damn straight."

Jain raised a finger casually, "So uh, when we get to this Everfree place, what are we supposed to do? Make a campfire, roast some marshmallows, go fishing, or can we just stay in the tent and sleep?"

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, "You wanna sleep through the entire trip?"

"What else have I got to do, Dash?"

Pinkie peaked over into Jain and Rainbow Dash's seat, "We are gonna have so much fun! We're gonna roast marshmallows, we're gonna eat marshmallows, and we're gonna sleep on Marshmallow pillows!"

"So, basically the second thing I said, only high as hell off of heroin?"

"What's heroin?"

"Good talk."

Rainbow Dash snickered, "Yeah, we're probably not gonna do that."

Pinkie Pie giggled and revealed a rather large and tight plastic bag full of different colored marshmallows, "Maybe you're not..."

Jain perked up, "W-Wait, you have heroin?" and Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"Jain!"

"Sorry..."

"Attention students!" Called Principal Celestia from the front of the bus. Promptly grabbing everyone's attention as they ceased their conversations and turned their attention to her.

"We're almost at our destination. But before we arrive, we just wanted to say how proud we are of you for raising enough money to go on this class field trip."

"When we were your age," Vice Principal Luna added, "We made some of our favorite memories in these woods. And we're positive you will as well."

"Now then," Celestia continued, "Who's excited for-"

"I have a question," Noah interrupted.

Celestia and her sister's face fell flatter than a folder as Noah raised his hand and spoke up. Luna rolled her eyes, but Celestia groaned practically comically out of annoyance. It wasn't her fault, of course. Though Noah saved the school and more, twice, it didn't mean that Celestia had gotten over his antics, old and new, which efficiently drained her very life force.

"Yes, Rictorshine?"

"So, uh, we had to raise money for this trip, correct?"

"That's what I said."

"So, would you say we had to do so because we wasted, at best, seven hundred fifty grand on a prime concert stage and one point two million on an obstacle course? Along with four extra thousand on four dirtbikes and an extra five hundred on a wrestling ring?"

"...yes..."

The students on the bus snickered, giggled, and chuckled as Noah embarrassed both Celestia and Luna like seventh-grade weeaboos in New Orleans. Although, it wasn't like he was in the wrong, of course.

"Huh. You know, it probably would've smarter if we-"

"Rictorshine, I know where you're going with this. Just be quiet, and enjoy the ride. We're almost there."

Noah shrugged, "A'ight holmes."

"Thank you."

Noah slid back into his seat and was met with his older friends silently dying with laughter while his newer friends glared with slight irritation and faces that read, "Did you seriously just do that?"

Sunset folded her arms, "Why do you do that when you know how annoying that is to them?"

"I've been fuckin' with those two ever since I first stepped foot in this school. I get way too much joy out of it to just stop all of a sudden. Regardless, it's not like I was wrong."

"But didn't Celestia give her, "thanks," to you already? Isn't that enough of a reason to stop fucking with her already?"

"Yeah, but I also do it because of what Princess Celestia did to you."

One would believe that to be a touching moment. Even if the Celestia he spoke of was a princess that ruled over technicolored, happy-go-lucky horses in another world and banished her own flesh and blood to the moon for her own mistakes. Sunset thought differently.

"Noah, they're from two different planes of existence."

"Interdimensional is close enough for me."

Sunset rolled her eyes, "Oh, shut up and stop being a prick."

"Stop being a hypocrite. You know, I've only said two swear words this entire time while you're basically just going willy-nilly."

"Noah."

"What?"

"Stop being a prick."

Noah sighed, ”This is gonna be a fun trip...”