The next day after the Storm King's second attempted invasion, a few minutes after Princess Celestia left

The royal wing in the hospital had remained silent, even after Celestia had left to talk to the leaders, leaving Twilight and the group alone to watch over Shining's coma body.

Just looking at her brother, the Princess of Friendship could not help but feel anger and sorrow. Anger at the Storm King for what he had done and sorrow for her brother who remained comatose after taking a spear to his chest to save Cadance. She was fighting between the two feelings.

"Am I a bad pony?" Twilight broke the silence, shocking the group.

“What?!” Velvet’s voice was filled with shock and disbelief. “No, Twilight, you’re not a bad pony! You’re just looking out for your brother and for Equestria, sweetheart.”

Velvet's reassurances did little to ease the turmoil within her. Cadance stepped closer, draping a comforting wing over her sister-in-law. “Why would you ever say that about yourself?” Cadance asked softly, her tone filled with concern.

The Princess of Friendship sighed and looked at her sister-in-law. "It's just I never been so close on losing my brother. How I saw Shiny took a spear to save you from the Storm King and laid on the ground not moving. And each time I relive it, the anger at Storm King and his army grows a little more. Each time it makes it harder to forgive them for what they done."

Twilight's voice wavered as she continued, her gaze dropping to Shining’s still form. "I’m scared, Cadance. I’m scared that if I dwell too much on this, I might reach a point where I do something I’ll regret. When Princess Celestia mentioned turning the Storm King to stone or executing him for his crimes... I said I wouldn’t let him live. Right now, I don’t know where I stand.”

The Princess of Love tightened her wing around her sister-in-law, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "Twilight, what you’re feeling is completely understandable. You and I have been through so much, and it’s only natural to feel anger and hurt after what’s happened. But you’re not alone. Your friends, Spike, your parents and me are all here to help you through this, and to make sure you don’t lose sight of who you are."

Velvet moved toward her daughter, embracing her daughter. “What matters is that you recognize these feelings, Twily.” She said gently. “You’re not letting them control you. You’re a good pony, a good sister, and a good leader. Don’t doubt that.”

Night Light nodded his head.

Before her friends and the dragon could open their mouths to assure the Princess of Friendship, a voice called out for Twilight.

"Twilight Sparkle." The Princess of Friendship looked up and turned to see Luna with the solar princess behind her.

"I need to borrow you, there's something you and my sister need to see." The lunar princess simply said.

Twilight looked at Luna in confusion, but she nodded her head and followed her.

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Canterlot Castle Interrogation Room, The Next Morning

'Luna found one. She found the hedgehog who worked with Storm King. I could use my magic and break his neck like a stick.' The Princess of Friendship thought.

The royal sisters continued to conduct the interrogation on Grubber. They were either unaware of Twilight's inner conflict, or they chose to ignore it. In truth, she was hardly listening, at least until she heard the location of the Storm King's stronghold.

"So that would explain why our first recon teams couldn't find the stronghold. It wasn't in Equestria, it was just outside our borders." The lunar princess staed.

“There is one more thing.” The hedgehog interrupted. “He will likely have the remaining forces to prepare the defenses and on high alert as a precaution.”

"Thank you for that information, Grubber." Celestia said. "You have been most helpful."

“There is one last thing I want to know..." The Princess of Friendship decided to ask before leaning forward. "Why? Why did you decided to not to go back to the Storm King and his army? What changed your mind?”

Grubber sighed deeply. "It was a lot of things." He responded. "The way the Storm King treated his soldiers was appalling. He saw us as disposable tools rather than beings with our own thoughts and feelings. I followed him out of fear, but it became clear that he was willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to achieve his goals. I couldn't stand by that any longer."

“How about Tempest Shadow? What can you tell us about her?” Twilight asked with narrowed eyes.

The hedgehog sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck. “Tempest... she’s been through a lot. She’s loyal to the Storm King because she believes he can fix her horn, but deep down, I think she wants something more like being accepted. She thinks that by serving the Storm King, she can prove her worth and regain what she lost.”

The Princess of Friendship continued to stare at him before relenting and pulled back to stand aside with Luna, to which the solar princess delivered her verdict, spreading her wings as she delivered it. “Grubber the hedgehog, you shall be imprisoned within the dungeons with Tempest Shadow until both you and her court martial at a later date. We can’t ignore the crimes you two have committed against Equestria and the surrounding lands, but the assistance you have provided today will also be taken into account when judgement is rendered. Do you have anything else to say in your defence?”

Grubber hung his head dejectedly as he stood up. “No. I don’t.”

Celestia folded her wings. “Very well, take him away.”

The two guards led the hedgehog out of the interrogation room, leaving the three princesses alone before Amore and Cadance walked in.

"Celestia..."Amore addressed. "What do you and Luna intend to do now that we know where the Storm King's stronghold is?"

"We need to discuss our battle strategy, but this Storm King and his army must be wiped out soon to prevent another invasion. I do not intend to let him escape, and we must pray that the others surrender to us if they do not wish to share his inevitable fate. Luna and I will be there and I know you and the others will help us too. Though I imagine that Twilight will insist on coming." The solar princess stated.

Twilight looked away as the Princess of Love and Amore looked at her in concern.

“Twilight, I know you have every right to harm the Storm King for what he did to Shining...” Cadance started. “But, please be careful not to let your personal feelings get in the way if there are to be battle. They are a very dangerous thing in the middle of battle.”

The Princess of Friendship gave her sister-in-law a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Cadance, I promise I will be fine. The fate of the Storm King’s army is still up to them when the time comes, but the Storm King cannot be alive as he had tortured the captives for fun or tried to train them for combat."

"I can see a lot of your brother in you." Amore said.

"What?" Twilight looked at Amore in confusion.

"You cannot fool me, I know you want him dead just as much as my daughter and I do for Shining Armor, just be careful. Such dark thoughts can lead to much more trouble in the future.” Amore stated in concern.

The Princess of Friendship stared at Amore for a while before nodding. "I understand, but I still want to come."

Both the three alicorns and Amore glanced at each other before Celestia sighed. "Very well, Twilight. I will get the guards to bring you some armor and a weapon.

"I will go and bring the leaders up to date. I imagine they will volunteer readily to come with us." Amore said before walking off with her daughter.

The solar princess left to make preparations with her sister following behind, but not before they glanced at Twilight with concern.

The Princess of Friendship had swallowed her rage before with a purpose, to not upset her friends during their journey to Seaquestria to seek help from the Queen of the hippogriff. But now she had no such purpose, and she needed an outlet.

Twilight stayed in that room for a few more minutes before leaving to meet up with the royal sisters. Back in the room, where the chair had once stood, was nothing more than a pile of broken woods.

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Storm King's Realm, That night

Once the airships reached the drop zone, the passengers disembarked. The Princess of Friendship, wearing a Royal Guard armor lit her horn that illuminated the area around her.

Twilight had never intended to make it so bright, but right now, her fury was barely held back, and her emotions fuelled her magic.

The airships ascended, with the four staying for air support while the three headed for Klugetown, and the raiding army set out.

It wasn’t long before they found their target, a wall surrounding the fortress. And the enemy had deployed a welcome party.

“Your highnesses! We have contacts! What are your orders?!" Hurricane asked Amore.

“Form up behind me, the princesses and the leaders, the Storm King’s fate is sealed but let us give his army a chance.” Amore replied.

The enemy group emerged from the entrance of the fortress, with six airships hovering in the air and some soldiers aiming their bows on top of the wall. At the head of the enemy group, a soldier stepped forward, his armour signifying him as the general. The Princess of Friendship scowled at the general with hatred.

'No, I can't just kill them. They were being used. It doesn’t excused for their crimes, but they should be given a chance.’ Twilight thought to herself as she shook her head.

“Hold there foes! You shall not pass!” The general called out.

Or perhaps not. It's look like they want to die. The Princess pf Friendship thought.

Celestia stepped forwards from the group and walked beside Amore before addressing the army. “Hear me out, this does not have to end in bloodshed. The Storm King has led you astray, but it is not too late to turn back. Surrender now, and you will be shown mercy. Resist, and you will face the full might of Equestria.”

‘Never!” The general shouted. “You will not fool us! His power will grant us even more power!”

“Your loyalty to him has been misplaced,” Luna interrupted, her voice carrying an icy edge. “He cares not for your lives, only for his own power. He will sacrifice you all without a second thought to save himself.”

“Lies! Those are lies!” The general shouted and both the royal sisters and Amore sighed as they knew what was about to happen.. “Soldiers attack! We shall never bow to-”

The rage within Twilight shot up. Within seconds, she channelled all of her anger into her horn, and unleashed a beam of magic.

The general never finished his final order. The beam struck him in his neck, and his head flew through the air before landing in front of his soldiers.

The Princess of Friendship had never wanted to use violence up until now as both the royal sisters and Amore widened their eyes and turned to see her in shock and horror of her action.

And then all hell broke loose.

Throughout the fight, Twilight fired devastating beams with the royal sisters. At her hoof, a lot of the soldiers shared the general's fate.

Amidst of battle, the Princess of Friendship made her way into the fortress and to the throne room where Storm King awaited.

The Storm King was a lot stronger than Twilight thought and would have fallen if it wouldn't for Amore. In the end, it was by the hooves of the Princess of Friendship and her boyfriend, Flash Sentry, that Storm King laid dead.

And when all was said and done, Twilight couldn’t help but feel hollow on the inside. The ride to Klugetown gave her time to think things over.

The Storm King was dead, but now the rage had subsided, the Princess of Friendship couldn’t stop herself from feeling guilt and horror of killing him. She quickly remembered why she did that as she shook her head to compose herself.

Twilight would move past this. It would have taken some time, but she would heal and find acceptance for what she had done.

But what matter to the Princess of Friendship was that she had avenged her brother.

Author's Note

Was unsure how to write, took some time for me to think.