Windows of the Soul

by MellowSoul

Rating: teen
Tags: Spike, Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad
Length: 8590

Spike helps Twilight begin changing her perspective.

Spike helps Twilight begin changing her perspective.

Published 2020-03-01 11:30:02 UTC
Last updated 2020-03-09 00:52:32 UTC

Next World

Author's Note

If you're confused about something, ask me in the comments. There were things that were intentionally omitted to create a sense of mystery.

Next World

Twilight veered skywards from beneath the tree her body rested against. A powerful gust of wind pulled the decaying leaves of the season from their branches. Though their shared shade of orange represented a cyclical ending, she found the way they fluttered gently about in the air before falling to the earth intriguing and beautiful. The secluded sounds of the woods surrounding her home brought her a certain comfort she found difficult to achieve elsewhere. She returned her attention to the notebook settled atop her lap. Rather than use her magic to jot down her personal thoughts, the Alicorn instead preferred to harness the limbs attached to her torso.

"The scars of the past run deep. They have seared themselves onto the hearts and minds of us all. From them, anger has been born, and anger, we have been consumed by. How should we proceed, so as to mend our wounded hearts? What must we do? What path must we tread? Our bitterness has blinded us. Our sorrow has haunted us. Where is the hope we once glimpsed through the seemingly endless gray? Where is the peace we so desperately desire? In the depths of my subconscious, I have seen it. I know of a future where the bitter sting of salt and lemon no longer constantly torment this plane, yet outside myself, such a future appears dangerously out of reach, and I still fear...Oh, high redeemers, how I still fear..."

A tall shadow veiled Twilight in darkness. She looked up for a second time. Spike stood in front of her with a blank expression on his face; an expression which was betrayed by the warmness in his voice.

"Working on the script for the next Butterfly Effect movie?"

"I think we know how that would turn out."

"Yeah, really."

"You wanna' sit down?"

"Sure."

Spike settled himself next to his sibling. He joined her in the serenity of natural solitude.

"What ya' writin'?"

"I'm not really sure, myself."

"Mind if I take a look?"

"I don't see any harm in it. It's not really much of a diary, anyway. More like a journal."

"Phew. I was worried it would be full of girly stuff."

"Something tells me it wouldn't bother you very much if it was."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"If you say so."

Spike read passage after passage within the confines of the paper sheets. Many of them pertained to Twilight's view of life, her hopes, dreams, and desires, and her fear of death. Others contained sketches next to lyrical quotes originally penned by various metal and hardcore artists who shared her sentiments.

"Ya' know...At some point I figured out this kind of stuff was bothering you."

"Yeah?"

"I guess I was never really able to find the right time to bring it up."

"What are your thoughts?"

"I agree with every word. Believe me when I tell you I feel the same things you do."

"I'm surprised. You always seemed so happy and upbeat. I guess I thought you were able to ignore this stuff in a way I couldn't."

"I did what I could to accept it. Stewing in it and being petrified by fear wouldn't have really accomplished anything. This was a case where I had to try to rationalize everything to find some peace of mind. I suspect you're after the same thing."

"You wouldn't be wrong. I just don't understand what's happened to the world. Things didn't seem this terrifying when we were little."

"Our perception became sharper. There was always fear and chaos in the world, we just didn't notice because everyone was trying to protect us from it. It's insidious. It sneaks up on us when we aren't expecting it."

"You know what the weird part of all this is? I knew what death was, and I was accepting of it. I didn't used to be afraid. It wasn't until the thought of dying violently crossed my mind that I started feeling anxiety about it, and when religion got involved...Well...You know the rest."

"You know, I did study religion myself at one point."

"Really...?"

"When I realized everything was weighing on your mind, I had what I believed to be a moment of clarity. There were still so many secrets and mysteries left to be discovered. I started becoming more in tune with my own inner world. The idea of something beyond this plane was really exciting and interesting. The promise of a paradise in exchange for the temporary tribulations of this one seemed like a pretty good trade."

"But the strict rules and constant threat of eternal punishment for breaking them turned you away."

"Maybe to some extent, but it was an audio recording that convinced me to more extensively rethink my position."

"An audio recording?"

"It was ripped from an old cassette tape from the early 90's. The guy on the recording claimed he had been temporarily trapped in the underworld. In his account, he recalled each torment he endured over a period of twenty-three minutes: suffocation, disembowelment, you name it."

"Well, that sounds fun..."

"But what caught my attention was a question he asked near the end of the recording. He said 'would you rather the savior suffer in your place the way he intended, or would you rather take it on yourself'. In my mind, I responded with another question: what if you actively chose to alleviate his suffering? Wouldn't that in itself be considered an act of selflessness?"

"That's beautiful, Spike."

"I learned from the best."

Twilight chuckled.

"Anyway, this led me to explore a number of alternative ideas."

"What were they?"

"The first one follows a linear pattern of logic. We've technically experienced a form of death before: the time before we were born, or pre-existence to put it in technical terms. We don't remember anything from before then, so whatever we experienced couldn't have been that terrible."

"True, but that leaves the possibility that other forms of death exist."

"Which leads me to my second theory. Suppose that the religious texts are actually correct. That's a very dangerous game for the evil forces of the underworld to be playing."

"How so?"

"Once we begin examining our own consciousness, we realize our ingenuity and knowledge are limitless. Even though the evil ones have more experience and power, their security has likely made them overconfident, which in turn has made them more likely to slip up."

"Are you saying...We could defeat the devil...!?"

"At the very least, we can make his job extremely unpleasant. Without a second enlightenment, I have serious doubts this life will last much longer. We should start preparing for whatever's coming next."

"Do you really think we can...?"

"It's worth a shot. We'll wage war on hell ourselves. With any luck, those who were wrongfully denied happiness will be drawn to our cause."

Twilight smiled for the first time since she could remember.

"Yeah...Let's do it."

The two sat in a momentary pause of reassured silence. Twilight was the first to speak this time around.

"...A lot of this may go back even further than I realized."

"Huh?"

"We were still kids when Shining Armor joined the guard. I remember a conversation I had with mom about three years ago. She told me about the surge of serial killers that sprang up when she was little. A lot of them were involved in politics and guard service. Some part of me might have always wondered...What if Shining discovered he actually liked killing...?"

"Those guys were screwed up in the head long before they got involved with that stuff. I haven't seen any red flags that indicate Shining's gone cuckoo quite yet."

"I believed in Celestia..."

"She was a good actress. I was completely oblivious until near the end."

"Yeah..."

"What happened to those kids wasn't your fault, Twilight..."

"When she was cleared of all those charges, I felt sick beyond understanding. I still can't believe people turned such a blind eye."

"I wanted to tear her apart and use her legs and head as Halloween decorations. She was a vile monster with no regard for life, and remains so to this day."

"All that fiasco told me was that we were headed for certain doom. Now it looks like we're inching ever closer to that final hour."

"A world of compassion, peace, and happiness might be possible, but not here...Not in this place..."

"The final nail in the coffin for me was when Pinkie almost died from that infection."

Twilight sniffled.

"I saw the life fading from her eyes. If we hadn't taken her to the hospital, she would've..."

"But she didn't. She made it through and fully recovered, and it was because we gave enough of a shit to actually do something. If that was the norm, most of the world's problems would be severely mitigated, if not gone altogether."

"Let's make a vow. Anguish will become our sword, and sorrow will be our shield. We'll pay evil and despair back tenfold for what they did to us."

Spike took his sister's hoof in his claw.

"It's up to us now."

Ticking

Twilight teleported her notebook away. She and Spike faced each other.

"There are three kinds of strength you need to develop in order to defeat the underworld," the dragon informed her, "physical, mental, and spiritual. Physical strength will allow you to more easily attack and defend. Mental strength will make you more resistant to any mind games it would try to throw at you and let you quickly percieve a threat. Spiritual strength is the real table-turner. It revolves around the deeper truths of existence and emotional clarity. If your mind and heart are clouded by fear and uncertainty, you're leaving yourself wide open. Every aspect of your being must be safeguarded at all times."

"I understand."

"Let's start with a mental exercises. I want you to close your eyes."

Twilight nodded. She did as she was instructed.

"Now, take a deep breath."

The mare inhaled softly and slowly. She felt the tension in her muscles begin to ease.

"Think about the timeline of events that has led us to where we are now. What do you see?"

"I see...Me...As a filly...Before you were born..."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm playing with smarty pants in the kitchen. I think I'm trying to have a conversation with him, but my speech is garbled by infantile impediments."

"How do you feel?"

"...Happy..."

"Happiness is an emotion that's been mostly lost in the modern world, but there are those who still remember what it was like, and even more rarely, those who still experience it now. It's important to remember that life wasn't always grim. The ultimate goal in death is to create a new world where it can be felt again. What do you see now?"

"I see us when we were kids. You were such a goofball back then. We used to bicker all the time. I remember when I got annoyed because you kept stealing all the cookies. I was being so hypocritical, too. I used to do the same thing to Shining."

"Those were tasty."

"You dick," Twilight laughed.

"From there, we can clearly recall where things seemed to go wrong. With the internet and social media growing at an extreme rate, more negativity was being put out into the world than ever before. We started to understand that resources people depended on were running short, and the economic and geopolitical climates were worsening with no signs of improvement. Things like death, crime, and drug abuse were more visible to the public. It created a sense of hopelessness among the younger generations. Many people even began to celebrate it. A whole subculture that worshiped chaos and destruction was created, and the people involved with it adopted an altered notion of nihilism. To put it in layman's terms, they gave up on life and wanted to let the world know it."

"That explains the increases in suicides and murders over the last decade."

"Open your eyes."

Once again, Twilight followed the directive given by her brother.

"Now you know exactly what caused the world to corrode into the state it's in now. It was rife with conflicting ideologies and division about how obstacles should be handled. There wasn't an opportunity to find a real solution because people were too busy fighting. That's why we have to be ready to wage the final war. The only thing that will bring us together is standing against something truly evil."

"I'll do whatever it takes."

"We'll start by doing twenty push-ups. We'll follow up with twenty crunches, and end the basic warm-up with a twenty lunges."

"Why do they all have the same number of repetitions?"

"If you overtrain one muscle group and undertrain another, it can cause muscle imbalances which will impair your movement. Equally balanced muscles are the key to true physical strength."

"Makes sense."

"We'll divide each exercise into four sets of five repetitions with a thirty second rest period in between."

"Right."

Spike descended to the ground. He showed Twilight the proper form for the first of the three exercises.

"You want to keep your forelegs spread around shoulder level and keep your back and hips straight. This is called the plank position. If you do it correctly, it'll reduce the resistance to a more sustainable level. I think the world record for holding this position is eight hours."

"Impressive."

"We want to at least triple that number. Fighting any supernatural entity requires strength and speed far beyond the average person's capabilities."

"I figured."

Twilight mimicked her brother's pose.

"Like this, right?"

"You got it. Now let your chest fall to within an inch of the ground, then slowly raise yourself back up."

Twilight accomplished the first push-up with relative ease.

"Now I get it. By repeating the process, the tension and lactic acid will build up and make it more difficult."

"Each day we practice, we can increase our sets by one repetition. Over time, we'll be able to reach an insanely high set and repetition count. I kept it low today so I could ascertain what your limits were. Once we know, we can make any necessary adjustments."

"How will I know what my limits are?"

"The easiest way to tell is by training until your muscles stop cooperating, which will make it physically impossible to do another repetition. This is called training to failure, and it's a major component in determining your overall strength and endurance. Because you're new to this level of pressure but still use your forelegs on a regular basis for walking, twenty is probably about the right amount for you."

"Let's keep going."

Spike nodded.

Shift

"I just thought of something," Twilight mentioned.

"Shoot."

"Descriptions of demons vary between belief systems. One common idea I've heard claims they're made out of stone. No matter how strong we get, we won't be able to break through something that sturdy. There's also a good chance my magic won't work in hell."

"You can't kill a demon, but that doesn't mean they're invincible. I'll show you the secret to beating them when we get to combat training, but in the meantime, I want you to study up on something. Fifty years ago, there was a martial artist by the name of Fei Lee Jun. He was a dragon, just like me."

"A dragon martial artist?"

"He learned several styles of martial arts when he was young, but he felt they were too limiting on their own. Instead, he developed his own philosophy of fighting focused on predicting the enemy's attacks. He called it the Way of the Intercepting Fist."

"He turned his opponent's offense into his defense..."

"Exactly. Once they dropped their guard, he would take advantage of their weak spots."

"But how will it help us?"

Spike gave a sly smile.

"You'll see. Let's just say I have a couple ideas of my own."

Twilight huffed in annoyance.

"Meanie."

"Don't go all anime girl on me."

"I won't even dignify that with a response."

"Suit yourself."

"I don't have a suit."

"If I'm the dick, you're the smartass."

"Fair enough."

"So we start training for real tomorrow?"

"Yeah. There's a specific order I've seen people recommend. We should do one day of cardio, one day of strength training, one day of combat training, and one day of rest so our muscles can recuperate. We'll get on track tomorrow."

"We should probably make a diet plan, too."

"I was just thinking the same thing. Nutritional foods will help better circulate blood to the brain, which means faster anticipation and response time, not to mention if we lose weight, there'll be less resistance to hinder our movements."

"I always thought bigger muscles were stronger?"

"There's some truth to that, but there are different types of muscle. What you get from eating a caloric surplus is called bulk muscle. Bulk muscle is great as far as boosting raw power goes, but it's noticeably slower than what we're after."

"Which is?"

"Lean muscle."

"Lean muscle?"

"Basically, it's muscle built through the training process alone. In exchange for less power, it offers speed. That's where the cardio comes in."

"Of course! Speed, stamina, and technical knowledge will make up for the lack of power!"

"Yahtzee."

"...I feel better now."

"Huh?"

"I wasn't sure how well this would work when we started, but now I see there's a method behind the madness."

"We'll get 'em. Trust me."

"I do."

"Come on. Let's go inside."

"Yeah."

Twilight and Spike jammed along to the metal band Dry Kill Logic until the sun finished setting.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," Spike said.

"I hear ya'."

"I was thinkin' maybe some chicken and lettuce wraps."

"That sounds awesome."

The pair headed to the kitchen. Twilight chose another band to listen to while they were cooking.

"Heads up."

Spike tossed the lettuce to his sibling.

"I thought I'd be to worn out to even lift my legs, but it wasn't as bad as I thought."

"The soreness doesn't always set in right away. You'll definitely know when it does."

"Oh, good. I was worried about that," Twilight replied sarcastically.

"Smart. Ass."

The brother-sister tag team quickly scarfed down their meal. Despite her soreness having been delayed, Twilight's appetite was quite the opposite.

"Hey, Twi, do you have any cash on you?"

"A little. Why?"

"We need to start building up our training equipment. Anything that can help us get stronger should be taken into consideration."

"What did you have in mind."

"I want to pick up a jump rope. They're really useful for stamina and coordination training."

"How much are they?"

"The one I'm considering is a seven-foot rope. It's nine bucks plus tax."

"I'll give you the money tomorrow."

"Cool."

Spike bought the jump rope at one of the shops in town the next day. He was grateful to return home, away from all the hustle and bustle. He met Twilight near the entrance of the woods.

"Here."

"This is the one?"

"Yeah. You should probably start with a few warm-up stretches to loosen your muscles."

"Okay."

For the next half hour, Twilight focused on increasing and decreasing her heart rate through strenuous cardiovascular activity. She spent ten minutes using the rope, ten sprinting, and the last ten combining jumping jacks, push-ups, and mountain climbers into a single extended exercise. Just as she had done with her strength training the previous day, she took a thirty second rest between sets. By the end, she was practically wheezing to catch a breath of air. Sweat glistened across her fur, reflecting the rays of the sun from her body.

"I'm wiped."

"You did good. I'm impressed. Keep it up and you'll be as strong as a dragon in no time."

"And I still won't be strong enough."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"What about you? What are your limits."

"You'll probably see soon enough. I want to train with you, not above you."

"That's probably for the best."

"Let's chill out for a bit. If we catch a second wind, we can practice some more later."

"Right."

Close and Personal

Author's Note

Before anyone thinks I'm attacking religion, what I'm actually attacking is what made religion what it is in the current world: Fear. People have been so afraid of hellfire and damnation that they've failed to realize the devil is a glorified bogeyman who feeds on their fear. If we weren't afraid of him, he and his army of demons would lose all reason for tormenting us. If I recall correctly, there's mention somewhere of a final conflict between heaven and hell. What if the conflict didn't start with God or Jesus, but us? What if we fought back?

Close and Personal

Spike woke up earlier than usual on the third day. Before he and Twilight could commence their combat training, there were a few tools he needed, and he knew just where to find them.

"Applejack should be up by now."

The dragon opened the only door leading outside the house he shared with his sister. He placed a set of earbuds into his ears before flying off without a moment's hesitation. The playlist on his phone was randomly shuffled. It ended up landing on Katatonia's Dance of December Souls tune Tomb of Insomnia.

Applejack was already tending the fields of the farm when Spike arrived. Truth be told, she was somewhat surprised to see him. Neither they nor their friends really saw much of each other these days.

"Hey, Spike! How's it goin', partner?"

"It's goin'. I actually stopped by to ask a favor."

"What do ya' need?"

"It's kind of a long story."

"I've got some time."

"Well..."

Spike told Applejack everything: Twilight's descent into depression, the discussion of religion and the afterlife, and the solution they believed could permanently alter the perception of death.

"Sounds like ya'll were in a pretty dark place there for a while."

"Religion has evoked an extreme sense of terror in people who were just trying to live their lives freely. The holy texts completely ignore the moral complexity of the modern world. With all the stuff going on in the world, why are we deriding people who are seeking peace? Because they love someone of the same gender? Because they feel uncomfortable in the body they were born in? Because an unexpected pregnancy resulted from a lack of education about contraceptives, or because a contraceptive failure happened? Those texts were written before we understood the things we do now."

"The people who wrote 'em were probably afraid themselves, sugarcube. Many of 'em had visions about the stuff they wrote about. Like ya' said, they didn't know the same stuff as us. I know a little something about what you and Twi are proposin'."

"You do?"

"It's basically Reverse Armageddon. 'stead of waitin' for the underworld to reign over us and claim our souls, we strike first and give 'em what for."

"I've been wondering if anyone else thought of the same thing ever since we brought it up."

"Anything's possible. Most of us aren't able to see Heaven or Hell until it's our time to go."

"That's what I'm worried about. That time might come sooner than we think."

"I'm gonna' tell you somethin' Granny Smith told me once."

"Granny...?"

"She said 'Hell preys on your deepest fears and vulnerabilities, but ya'll youngins done already lived 'em. There's nothin' they could do to ya' down there that ya' ain't already seen.'"

"What do you think she meant?"

"Sounds to me like she was sayin' there's nothin' left for Hell to prey on."

"Does that mean...We have a chance at winning...!?"

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet. They may not be able to get to ya' in your noggin, but they can still try to demoralize ya' and beat ya' down."

"That much, I already assumed."

"Long as you keep your head on your shoulders and stay on your guard, I don't see why a few changes couldn't take place."

"So...About the guns..."

"Follow me."

Spike and Applejack entered the barn. There was a sizable worktable with tools scattered about. In the center, there were two firearms.

"This one's a P092-MN semi-automatic nine millimeter pistol capable of firing a full clip of ten armor-piercing rounds. This particular model's pretty old at this point, but it'll get the job done."

"How old is it?"

"2005, I think."

"Still not bad."

"I doubt it'd pierce solid stone, but it'd definitely surprise 'em."

"What about this one?"

"That's ol' Bessy. She's a standard M209-SM twelve-gauge pump action shotgun. Ya' see these models a lot in rural areas. This one's even older - 2003 if I'm rememberin' right."

"You can definitely tell it's packin' some power."

"At this point, I'm about ready to retire 'em. If you want, ya'll can take 'em."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. We don't really hunt much no more. Deer population's subsided since about '06 or so, and we ain't gotta' worry about cattle."

"Thanks. I really appreciate this."

"I've always believed weapons are dictated by the conscience of the person who uses 'em. I know these are in good hands."

The companions shared a tight hug. Considering the enemy he and Twilight were preparing to face off against, Applejack's words meant a lot to the dragon who embraced her.

"Ya'll take care, now. Don't push yourselves too hard."

"We won't."

Applejack sent Spike off with a tin box filled with ammunition. Half of the bullets were live rounds for combat. The other half were blanks for training.

"Hey, Spike," Twilight greeted. Almost immediately, she noticed the weapons captive between his claws, "Where'd you get those?"

"I asked AJ to borrow 'em for practice. She ended up giving them to me."

"Why do we need them?"

"You'll see in a bit. First, though, we need to start conditioning our bodies for close-quarters combat."

"How?"

"By using the Muay Thai method."

"Muay Thai?"

"It's a martial art centered around strength and endurance. By toughening up your legs, you can resist pain if you have to block a direct attack."

"Sounds useful."

"Let's go back to the tree we were at the other day."

Twilight nodded.

"The first two techniques you'll want to practice are basic punches and side kicks. These will callous the muscles and bones under your skin and make them harder."

"Makes sense."

"Give it a shot."

Twilight faced the tree. The task before her was admittedly intimidating, but her desire to overcome the hardships of the next world far surpassed her fears. She stood upright on her hind legs.

"Here goes."

With one swift motion, she used her hoof to strike the tree with a mighty *THUD*.

"Huh. That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Not bad. Try upping the speed a bit.

Twilight did as she was told.

Twilight successfully performed fifty punches and kicks with each limb.

"I'm gonna' be sore after that."

"You're bleeding."

"Don't worry. It's just a scratch. We'll clean it when we're done."

"Guess you're more like Shining than I thought."

"I love Shining, but unless he was legitimately angry, I could mop the floor with him easily."

"Don't you think that's a little presumptuous?"

"Not with him. Ever since he and Cadence started dating when they were teenagers, I could tell there were times when he would think too much with a part of his body that isn't particularly helpful in a life or death situation."

"Oh...Oooohhhh...!"

"Yeah."

"But...What about you and Flash?"

"Flash is very kind and loving, but he's oblivious to the state of the world. He can let his anger go and enjoy life, but I...I just can't..."

"You shouldn't stress so much about it. It'll only kill you faster."

"I know. I just need to get stronger..."

"And you will. In fact, I'm ready to teach you the secrets to defeating demons."

This caught Twilight's attention.

"This is what all the other training will be leading up to."

"Show me."

"From what we've assumed already, punches and kicks won't be able to inflict damage, but there is another method of fighting: grappling."

"You mean the wrestling technique?"

"The very same."

"I don't follow."

"If you catch an enemy in a hold, you can turn the environment against them. Take the lake of fire, for example. If you push, pull, or throw a demon in it, chances are they'll feel at least some amount of pain."

"That's pretty clever."

"You can do other stuff, too, like slamming them to the ground or smashing their heads together. Do it hard enough, you could potentially break their limbs and heads, essentially rendering them unable to retaliate."

"Crippling a demon. That's definitely a new spin."

"I'm going to attack now. See if you can block or evade."

Spike rushed towards Twilight at full speed. Right as he approached her, he struck her in the snout. Her hind legs scraped against the ground as she attempted to stop herself from falling over. She was successful...In that at least...

"Holy shit! Are you alright!? I didn't mean to hit you that hard!"

Twilight inhaled, then exhaled. She raised her skull.

"I'm okay..."

For that one split second, Spike's ocular function deceived him. He could have sworn the light played a trick on him. Deep within Twilight's retinas, he witnessed something he had never seen before - a deep, dark blue hue which temporarily overtook his sister's entire irises before vanishing altogether.

"What...Was that...?"

Spike loaded the pistol with blank rounds.

"How can you distinguish between the live rounds and the blanks," Twilight questioned.

"AJ painted the blanks so I could tell which were which."

"Guess that'd do it."

"The main focus here is learning how to avoid and utilize weapons. Projectiles are the most dangerous because of their range."

"How can I avoid them?"

"The most effective method I know of is running, rolling, or flying sideways. If you can keep on the move, your opponent won't have the chance to steady their aim."

"What if they've set traps?"

"Traps?"

"Stuff like motion-sensitive explosives."

"The best thing you can do in that situation is stay on solid ground and keep an eye out. Never go in liquid spots where they can be hidden."

"I hear you loud and clear."

"Ready?"

"Go for it."

Twilight ran in a semi-circular pattern. Harnessing his genetic perception, Spike followed her movements.

"She's quick. Gotta' concentrate."

He fired the first round. The cartridge hit Twilight's tail, but the rest of her was unfazed. She doubled back.

"Keep it up," he encouraged.

One after another, Spike fired each blank until the clip was empty. When the pistol ran out of ammunition, he retrieved the shotgun. Using his index claw, he sawed down the barrel to a significantly shorter length.

"Applejack told me this would make the shotgun easier to move around. Maybe Twi can better cover her weak spots with a free hoof if she doesn't have to hold it with both..."

Thanks to the shotgun's distance limitations, Spike was able to fire more freely. The only issue was, without an active shell, there was no way to help them practice avoiding projectile spread.

"I'll have to ask Twilight if we can use live shells once she's become accustomed to this."

Later that night, Spike began testing his endurance, checking to see how long he could hold a plank before his body gave out. During this process, his mind began to drift. He recalled one of the passages in Twilight's journal. It described a string of serial killings and rapes that occurred when Twilight's mother was a teenager. Around that time, Velvet was living in the city where those crimes occurred. Twilight confided in Spike regarding the terror her mother felt, always looking over her shoulder and wondering if she would be the next victim...

"Demons won't be the only things we encounter. I don't know which one of us will find you first, but we're coming for you...Nightstalker..."

Gift

Over the course of the next week, Twilight's power went through an unexpected skyrocket phase. To Spike's shock and amazement, her speed and strength all but doubled. She was able to perform twice as many strength exercises and push herself to a full hour of intensive cardio.

"I might have to start worrying about you punching my head off," Spike teased.

"I'm not quite a super zombie yet."

"I don't know..."

Twilight checked the clock on her phone.

"I'm late for my date with Flash. Can you handle things from here?"

"I've got it covered."

"Thanks."

Twilight turned to fly away, but when she spread her wings, she stopped.

"...Hey...Thanks for being okay with this..."

"Hm?"

"Me and you were always extremely close, so I didn't know what was going to happen when we grew up. Deep down, I was worried something weird would happen between us."

"Ah...I gotcha'..."

"Did you ever...Ya' know...Feel that way about me...?"

"Honestly? It never really crossed my mind."

"I always got this sense you were extremely lonely, but you were hiding it well."

"When I started asking myself what my role in the universe was, it almost immediately slapped me in the face with an answer."

"Why do you think you're here?"

"Like you, I live in the shadows of society and assist the weak, the scared, the broken, and the hungry."

"You mean like a guardian?"

"A guardian...Has a nice ring to it."

"A guardian's life shouldn't have to be filled with empty hours and heartache."

"A spouse and kids would have been amazing, but I had a higher calling. With what we're trying to accomplish now, it would put too much of a strain on everyone else."

"You're willing to sacrifice a life of love and happiness for the good of all equines..."

"There's always the chance things will change in the next world."

"Yeah...I guess..."

"Don't worry about me, Twilight. I know how to be content in my own company. You, on the other hand, are addicted to Prince Charming. Speaking of which, you should probably get a move on."

"I'll be back soon."

"No rush."

Twilight soared into the air. As she did so, the color of her eyes changed again. They were the same mournful shade Spike saw the day she was first given the keys to defeating the hellspawn.

Spike gazed into the woods, lost in his own thoughts. He was admittedly rather uncomfortable regarding his and Twlight's exchange. The thought of her as something other than family truly had never entered his subconscious, and the idea made him shiver with frigid unease. To him, it seemed eerily incestuous, and that was a line he dared not even contemplate crossing; mentally or physically. Nonetheless, he was deeply touched by her concern.

"Guess I should get to Applejack's..."

"Hey, babe," Flash greeted when Twilight approached him in the restaurant. She sat down across from him.

"Hey..."

"I was startin' to get worried. You weren't answering any of my texts or calls."

"I was busy."

Flash held her hoof. It was sturdier than he remembered.

"So...What have you been up to?"

"Just doing some writing and stuff. What about you?"

"Shining's still riding my ass as usual."

"When you phrase it like that, it makes it sound more literal than I think you're intending."

"You're one strange mare, Twilight."

"So I've been told; many times."

"Listen...If something's going on, you can tell me."

"You would probably think I'm off my rocker, and I wouldn't blame you."

"Try me."

"...Spike and I have been getting ready to fight and defeat the devil."

"As in the biblical devil?"

Twilight nodded sullenly.

"That doesn't sound weird to me at all."

Twilight tilted her head.

"It doesn't...?"

"Seventy-five percent of the continent is religious, and kids nowadays are constantly being told every day is doomsday. It only makes sense our focus would turn to whatever comes after this."

"I never really thought of it like that."

"It never crossed my mind until now, but I'm curious - do you think you can win?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"Who's the strongest member of the guard?"

"Don't know his name, but there's a guy in the special forces unit who can lift five hundred and twelve pounds on the bench. Not sure what his hind press weight is, though."

"We need to be at least three times stronger than him without bulking."

Flash's eyes retracted into the back of his skull.

"Come again...?"

"You heard me."

"A civilian multiple times stronger than a guard...Wow...Wasn't expecting that."

"We're talking about a being at least as old as the planet. Even triple strength probably won't register."

"Then...What are you gonna' do?"

"Multiply my strength and speed by the highest possible variable."

"If you're really serious about this, I might have to join in. How long have you guys been at it?"

"A week."

"What's your progress been?"

"We started with twenty strength exercises and a half hour of cardio. We're up to forty and a full hour now."

"At a rate like that, you'll be as strong as Fei Lee Jun within a year and a half or so."

"You've heard of him, too?"

"He's only the most recognized martial artist of all time."

"I went back further and studied the full history of martial arts. The earliest known styles were originally designed specifically for war. Their practitioners followed strict spiritual and moral codes, as the techniques they used and developed were explicitly created for self-defense."

"I know you're well-versed in biology, but I recommend looking more specifically into neurology, muscle memory, and genetics if you really want to boost your speed."

"After we eat, we can meet up with Spike; see what we can figure out."

"Sounds good."

"I want you to keep something in mind, though. This isn't going to be a fun side endeavor where we can flirt 24/7. This is meant to save innocent people who might be being filleted for no justifiable reason from eternal torture. Think of the worst war in equine history exponentiated by a thousand."

"That's a lovely image."

"Trust me: whatever you're imagining doesn't even come close."

Flash resigned from the guard a month later. Twilight's birthday rolled around the following June. She celebrated with Flash, Spike, and their friends.

"Happy birthday, Twi."

"Thanks, Applejack."

"How's it feel being old," Rainbow joked.

"Feels pretty good, actually. Any other questions?"

"Nah. I'll let you off easy today."

"You wanna' eat or open presents first, Twilight," Spike asked.

"Let's do the presents first so we can clean up before we eat."

"Open this one first. It's from me and AJ."

Spike handed Twilight an elongated, slightly curved object.

"What is it," Twilight inquired with piqued curiosity.

"Open it."

The Alicorn tore through the paper wrapping.

"A sword...?"

"I think you mixed up her birthday with someone else's," Rainbow remarked.

"Twilight's taken an interest in eastern history," the dragon half-lied, "You guys remember that show Samurai X?"

"The one with that wanderer dude who had a reversed sword?"

"The sakabato - the holy reverse blade sword."

Twilight directed her attention towards Spike.

"You and Applejack forged a real reverse blade weapon?"

"I may not look the type, but I got plenty o' metalworking tools."

"Look at the hilt," Spike requested. Twilight complied. Between the cloth wrapping was inscribed one word.

"What is it," Rainbow desired to know.

"It says...Hope..."

Author's Note

"CHRIST'S LIGHT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING, BUT THERE'S PSYCHOLOGICAL STRINGS! YOU'RE AN ALIEN EVER TO MEN! THIS WAS THE DEVIL, THEY SAID!"

-Lay it on the Line, Condemned

Pavilions

The thick cloak of nightfall blanketed over the world. A heavy downpour of divine emotion stung Twilight's skin through her fur. In one hoof, she held a sheath crafted from the highest quality bamboo. In the other, she gripped her weapon of choice - the sword that would be the underworld's undoing. Through the oppressive blackness, her eyes guided her with a gentle blue light.

"Now."

She shot forward. At first glance, it appeared as though her intention was to strike the tree before her. However, the very moment before the blade's impact, she threw it into the air before sliding sideways.

"Still not fast enough."

She picked up her sword and began the process again.

Celestia stared out the window of her office. Ever since the scandal surrounding her broke out to the general public, she had been lost in thought. Up until then, she had been certain about most aspects of her life, but now, she felt she didn't understand anything at all.

"Celestia..."

"Twilight...?"

The political figurehead turned around. She and her former companion stood face to face.

"You know why I'm here...You can't weasel your way out. I saw the records. It was your writing."

"..."

"I want to know why."

"What would be the purpose? What's done is done."

"Closure."

"Much as I hate to disappoint you, there was no real reason. I thought it was normal, and that's all there is to it."

"How could you possibly think molesting and killing children was normal?"

"I never killed them. That was the clients' doing. I had no say in what transpired from that point on."

"That doesn't justify anything."

"You want to know why? Because the sins of the father infect and decay the virtue of the daughter."

"Maybe speak more clearly."

Celestia turned away.

"...I was used in ways you can't even begin to imagine. From the time I was five years old, I was little more than a dumping ground for the depraved desires of my father and his associates."

"You mean...?"

"Molestation, rape - everything you could ever fathom and more occurred between the houses of my neighborhood. Nobody outside of their circle knew what was going on. The only people who knew were the offenders and their victims. Children like you and I experienced tortures that defied description."

"If you knew it was wrong, why did you continue the cycle?"

"Because by the time I knew, I had already developed the same cravings as my predecessors. There were no therapists to help me recover and perhaps live a decent life. I had to deal with it on my own."

"So you thought the best course of action was to gain power and influence to perpetuate further torment?"

"The only art I had ever mastered was deception. There was nothing else to be done."

"Are you sure about that?"

"And what would you have done differently?"

"I dunno, maybe not led the world to the edge of war and extinction for starters."

"You don't have any idea."

"What is it about? Terrorism? Because there are plenty of terrorists here. They're everywhere, scattered around the globe. You might know them more commonly by their street name: sadists - people who kill and destroy without any rhyme or reason except for what they believe to be the truth, and it seems to me despair, rage, and vengeance are the truths which dictate your actions."

"And what makes you any different from me?"

"I have the presence of mind to know who my enemies are and how to handle them without putting everyone else in danger."

"Your actions don't seem to have any foundation in reality from where I'm standing. Why don't you explain to me why Flash Sentry left the guard eight months ago?"

"Because he saw through your surface motives, and he knows who our real enemies are."

"Enlighten me. Who are these so-called enemies?"

"Ourselves and the evil creatures in the world beyond ours."

"You're babbling nonsense!"

"This coming from the pedophile ready to conscript high school graduates to die for nothing. I know about the weapons race going on across the ocean, and I know there are many unstable people in positions of authority. The question is, how unstable are they?"

"So everyone is supposed to bow to your demands?"

"I have a better chance of getting us through the remainder of this century than any of you."

"You accuse me of arrogance, yet make such bold claims."

"At least I'd leave alternatives to torture and death open."

"I've grown weary of this. Leave my sight at once."

"Fine by me. It's clear you have no intention of following my advice, but don't be surprised when demon dogs are mauling your flesh for sustenance because you refused to heed my warning."

"Begone."

With a scowl, Twilight disappeared, leaving Celestia to boil in her own hateful thoughts...

Season's End

Another year came and went. The chains of reality fully locked themselves around Twilight's mind, along with Spike's and Flash's. Aside from their scheduled rest days, they rarely did anything other than train, eat, bathe, and sleep. In that time, the world became more embroiled in chaos than ever. The total collapse of civilization seemed not far off, though many who felt it teetering still denied it for their own sanity. Shortly after Twilight's twenty-fifth birthday, she and the others set their plan in motion. They paid each of their friends one last visit. Not wanting to alarm them, they spoke of more lighthearted times and events. The day before the start of August, Twilight wrote a letter. It was to be her final message to Shining and Cadence.

"Things really took a strange turn, didn't they? I admit I was trying to hold out for a more hopeful outcome, but things are never that simple. Shining, I'm not sure if I should have told you this a long time ago or if now is more appropriate, but when I was a filly, I was angry about the fact you joined the guard. I was skeptical of your motives because of who you were trying to impress - someone with governmental influence and publicity, but it was your life, and it was your choice to live it how you saw fit. What I hope you understand is, without Spike, I would have been lost, left with nothing but my own deteriorating mental state to keep me company. Other than the few people I knew, my life was empty, and I didn't want to spend it hating you for leaving me behind. Now I'm ready to embrace the consequences our actions have wrought upon the world, and maybe you'll understand where my pain stemmed from. Cadence, you were a very kind and good-natured soul. You, Spike, and Flash understood me in a way no one else really did. In a way, it felt like you were more of a sibling to me than Shining was. Seeing how you kept him in line when he acted more like a teenager than an adult in his thirties eased my mind, because at least I knew someone would keep him from getting too carried away. Unfortunately, none of this is going to matter anymore after today. Even as we speak, weapons of mass destruction are being prepared for deployment. Chances of survival are slim to none. Those who do live through the ordeal will likely starve over an extended period or die of illness as a result of the contamination. I came to accept my fate long ago. I've observed many ideas about the world beyond this one, and we've prepared ourselves accordingly for the worst scenario. Flash, Spike, and myself have taken solace in this preparedness. This is my prayer that you'll end up somewhere better than we did - somewhere far beyond the clutches of evil. We love you. Farewell..."

"Are you ready," Spike asked.

Twilight nodded. She gave him the letter. Using his dragon breath, he deconstructed it, sending the particles to its receivers with a speed equal to that of light. Flash exited the house. He had collected their equipment: Spike's pistol, Twilight's shotgun, and two small boxes filled with ammunition for each of them.

"Got your sword," the dragon questioned his sister. She pulled the sheath partially from behind her jacket.

"I wanna' get this over with," she stated irritably. Flash and Spike agreed. The three of them headed deeper into the woods.

Cadence was experiencing her own anxieties around the time Twilight and the others disappeared. Tensions between nations were higher than she had ever seen them in her thirty-six years of life. She was the one who received the letter.

"Twilight...What did you do...?"

"Mom, is something wrong with aunt Twilight...?"

"Flurry...Let's find your father, okay?"

"Okay."

Shining's patience with his inability to control the increasingly volatile situation was reaching its end. Between Celestia's insistence on striking first and arguments between other commanders, he felt as though his entire nervous system was ready to short-circuit. Cadence and Flurry's appearance silenced them all.

"Hon, what are you doing here!?"

With a stern expression, Cadence handed Shining the letter.

"..."

"You're coming with us," she told him, "This isn't up for debate."

Shining nodded solemnly, the regret in his eyes, clearer than any sky or ocean. He turned back to his former allies.

"I'm not sure who to be more disappointed in - You, the other nations, or myself..."

He inhaled sharply, then exhaled silently.

"This meeting is over...We're all done for..."

The remaining military leaders, and even Celestia lost the will to protest. Shining's stinging words and his defeated glare sewed their mouths shut. He put his forelegs around Cadence and Flurry. Without another word, the three of them teleported away...

Shining, Cadence, and Flurry reappeared at the entrance to the woods near Twilight's old home.

"You guys stay here," Shining said.

"She was my sister-in-law. We're going."

"No, you're not. I'm not going to let this be the last thing Flurry remembers."

"..."

"I'll be back soon. Just...Please stay here..."

The stallion left his wife and daughter. He soon vanished between the trees...

At the heart of the land, where the plant life flourished, there was a flowing creek. The trickling noises it produced around the stones contained within reminded Shining of rain dripping from a rooftop into a ceramic pot. The ironic smile on his face did nothing to hold back his tears. For the first and only time, he unashamedly broke down.

"Twily..."

Twilight felt something cold against her cheek. Her return to consciousness carried the same symptoms as those of a fever: in particular, her low energy and lethargy. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"I guess we were separated after all..."

The mare pushed herself off the ground. It was a dull gray color - nothing like the fiery brown she expected. However, she did experience a strong sensation of heat emanate from nearby.

"The lake of fire..."

She looked up at the lifeless, clouded sky above the dead trees. Truth be told, she was surprised to see one at all. Based on the descriptions and depictions of hell she saw in life, she assumed it would be more like a cave without an exit. Then again, she had always wondered if it could somehow change based on the psychology of its victims.

"There's no point staying here, anymore..."

Twilight retrieved her gun. She cocked the weapon.

"Let's go..."