Redemption or Corruption

by Timeman202

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, King Sombra, Adventure, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Death, Alternate Universe
Length: 1138

Make your choice

Redemption or corruption? What will Twilight choose when the choice is presented to her?

A/N: The linked story is actually completed, but this story is the start of the collab between both me and Gatolover909. This one-off point is meant to serve as a prequel to the real story which is divided into two different paths. The paths are based on the choices to the linked story's sequels https://www.fimfiction.net/story/155941/path-of-redemption and https://www.fimfiction.net/story/155949/path-of-damnation but are being given their own spin with some help. This whole choice thing is why I ran that poll, and starting next week, the results of that poll will affect which path will be getting work done on it first. For now, enjoy this one-off brief story.

Rated teen for implied death.

Published 2022-01-09 14:30:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-01-09 14:30:00 UTC

The Choice

Twilight's P.O.V.

So...um...hello there. My name is Twilight Sparkle but you probably already knew that. Listen, I...need your help. I need your help to choose.

Let me set the scene for you, it's been nine months since I battled my now former mentor Princess Celestia because she wanted to get rid of my coltfriend the one and only King Sombra after he had helped me master Dark Magic. It...caused some problems that forced me to choose him over her. I honestly don't regret that choice as I have grown to love King Sombra with all my heart.

I just wish she hadn't have basically given me such an ultimatum but that's neither here nor there for now. During the nine months I've been gone from my home and my old friends; if I can hopefully still call them that; me and Sombra have been growing ever closer to one another.

During all this time away, Sombra has been teaching me more and more about Dark Magic. It's allowed me to come up with spells I would've never thought possible. I've even managed to allow him to test some of the spells I've come up with on him. One such spell allows me to restore things to their original shape so long as they are made of bone. With some help from him, I've been able to confirm that I can restore pegasus wings and even unicorn horns. If needed to, I can even restore a pony's missing legs and eyes too.

This would help in gaining Rainbow Dash back as a friend if nopony else. She seems so broken right now, and I have the means to restore her to her former glory.

But where I go after that? Now that's where I need help.

After nine months of intense training from Sombra, he led me to the Shadow Realm. I was confused as the place was actually beautiful beyond words. Sombra then explained to me that the realm reflects itself on those that enter it, and because he's been here before, it's focusing on me. I had asked him why I was here to which he pointed me towards a cave. He told me he would not be able to come with me; I had to do this next part alone. All he told me was that I wouldn't come back the same or at least I wouldn't be divided on what I would do after I came out. He did tell me before I went in, no matter what, he would love me all the same. That made me smile. He's such a gentle colt.

Entering the cave, I found myself in the Golden Oak Library, but there was another me there. She somehow had the power to turn books into tools and was trying to complete this bone collection by just outright killing ponies. She told me she was me, and that Sombra was not only our equal, but also quite the handsome stallion. It pissed me off to hear Sombra being called that from someone besides myself so I called her off of that to which she only laughed.

That's when she said something that made me flinch.

"Please, can't you tell who I am? I'm you. I'm a representation of your darkest thoughts. Everything I am is derived from your own darkness."

This made me lash out at her further. I would not stand for this imposter's words but...I was having trouble trying to defeat her no matter what I did.

She managed to get me to agree to a truce for now, and helped me understand where I really was. While the background was indeed the Library, it was a window. A window into how a part of me viewed the world around me. And she was a representation of that part of me. In fact, she went onto explain that she was just as much of a part of me as the children growing within me.

Yeah, that's something else I should mention is that I'm pregnant. Due in two weeks at that.

This other me was just as smart as me it seems. Making me realize that fighting outright was going to get the both of us no where as this was not about fighting one another. It was about coming to a consensus, and to stop being divided. She told me that right now, what I was trying to do by fighting her, was only one side of the picture, so she made me see the other side.

Through the illusion's window this other me made me look at a scene where a pony was outcasted for being different. She ran away due to being such an outcast. It was implied that that said pony was being outcasted because she had lost her horn. The other me explained that this pony was named Fizzlepop Berrytwist, and what I was witnessing was an event that occurred under Celestia's own nose. Fizzlepop Berrytwist was a unicorn who became outcasted due to an Ursa Major destroying her horn. I decided to make it my mission to find her and restore her horn if I could ever find her.

This other me told me that I could do that no matter what path I chose. Because at the end of the day, I must either seek forgiveness from everypony I ran away from, or make them all pay for abandoning me in my time of need all over again. This made me bite my lip. I told this other me that they were ordered to do so by Princess Celestia, and that if they didn't want to defy her. To which the other me responded simply.

"Exactly my point."

That's where I realized, if it weren't for my currently former mentor, my friends could've helped me. They had no choice should they wish to remain free. It was all coming together.

But...I can't just want celestia dead because of that...right?

My mind wondered who else was being outcasted. What would happen to all those ponies under Celestia's reign?

What do I do to stop all this outcasting? Do I use the dark magics I've learned for good and convince Sombra about my mission? Or do I upend Celestia's reign and create a new one where no one will ever be outcasted again by listening to the dark voice within?

I...I just can't decide on my own...I need help...

That's why I've contacted you.

Please...help me...

Help me decide...

Author's Note

It should be noted that the poll for the decision has already been run and ended. I am making this author's note late because I originally didn't think it was necessary. So please, do not make comments about paths on this one-off story; they will mean jack squat.