After calming down Twinkle exited the room with Flash, Starlight and Sunset were sitting outside of the doorway and got up and went over to her side.

“I’m so sorry Twinkle, this never would have happened if I didn’t let him in,” Sunset said.

“I convinced her to let him in so it’s really my fault-”

“Girls, there’s no need to apologize, what’s done is done, let’s get back to work,” Twinkle said.

“Ok,” The others said, but as they turned to head back down to the library they heard another knock.

“...I swear if that’s him again I’ll-” Starlight began.

“I got it,” Flash said and he walked ahead of the others and he cautiously approached the door and opened it.

And saw Charity and an unknown pony.

“Huh? Charity? And who are you?” Flash asked.

“Can we come in please?... Ponies are staring,” Audacia asked.

“Ok,” Flash backed up and the two ponies entered and closed the door and locked it behind them.

“I didn’t know there was another alicorn, who are-” Flash began to ask but the others came down the stairs.

“Who was it?” Twinkle asked before gasping as she saw Audacia.

“Before you all panic, I am Audacia, and I am a fourth personality that emerged from the near fusion of the CMC, and no, I don’t know how to unfuse,” Audacia said and Charity looked a little guilty when she said that.

“Uh’m about that… can I-”

“This is amazing, did you really reemerge from a fusion of the CMC?” Twinkle asked darting up to her.

“Easy, I don’t know what I am capable of,” Audacia said.

“Ok, you said you don’t know how to unfuse, just out of curiosity what are your thoughts on unfusing? I am personally frightened by it, but what about you?” Twinkle asked.

“Wow, she’s already asking her questions,” Starlight said.

“Twinkle is made of two curious ponies,” Sunset said.

“I… am personally not afraid I think, I feel like I can exist anytime I want,” Audacia said.

“We gotta research her,” Twinkle said.

“We just met her,” Flash pointed out.

“So? At my request I want to study you,” Twinkle said.

“Sure,” Audacia said.

“That easily?” Sunset questioned.

“Yeah, I’m what you call a risk taker,” Audacia said with a very Scootaloo-like glint in her eyes..

“Ok…” Starlight said.

They stood in Twinkle's basement lab and studied her through various means while Audacia lay on a metal bed.

“So… Audacia, was it? You aren’t a jumbled mess of minds like before, you have your own mind now, right?” Starlight asked.

“Yes,” Audacia replied.

“And you said you can, hear them? The CMC?” Sunset asked.

“Like echoes in my mind, I’m not sure how but I think they are still around,” Audacia said looking around at the others.

“And how did you end up like this? When did you come into existence?” Twinkle asked sitting beside her.

“Last night, the CMC fell asleep together and… then I was me,” Audacia said wondering if that made sense.

“Fascinating!” Twinkle scribbled on her notes again.

While they were asking questions Charity sat off to the side and Flash sat beside her.

“Why are you over here?” Flash asked.

“I… said something mean to Audacia and I want to take it back,” Charity said.

“What did you say?” Flash asked.

“I asked first and foremost if she knew how to unmerge, I feel as though I made her feel rejected…” Charity said.

“I’m sure she knows you didn’t mean it like that,” Flash said.

“I’m so ashamed of myself,” Charity said.

“Don’t be, did she get mad?” Flash asked.

“No… but she did playfully tell me off… I feel like a small part of that was hurt feelings though,” Charity said.

“You are truly the elements of kindness and Generosity,” Flash said with a chuckle.

“Huh?” Charity said.

“You feel so distressed but she didn’t even get mad at you, don’t worry, you can ask her later and clear it up, but for now she needs you,” Flash said.

“...Your right, I should go to her,” Charity said as she got up and approached the group surrounding Audacia.

“How much magic do you possess? What’s your athletic ability now? Do you still admire Zap Apple?” Twinkle asked in rapid-fire.

“I don’t know, I was literally born last night…” Audacia sighed before wincing as a small pain flashed in her head.

“Alright, next question-” Twinkle was going to ask another question but Audacia suddenly looked like she was wincing from a headache or something.

“Sorry, I guess I’m running on and on aren’t I?” Twinkle said.

“N-no… somethings… AH!” Audacia suddenly winced and clutched her head.

“What’s wrong?” Sunset asked getting up from her chair.

“M-my head! It hurts all of the sudden!... I- AAAAAHHH!” Audacia screamed all the sudden and her eye lit up before her horn glowed green and she saw something.

Dusk stood upon yet another town, it was on fire and fused ponies brainwashed to serve him surrounded him as a crowd, any who weren’t were being carried in by fused ponies to be merged and subjugated.

Two female earth ponies were being dragged by a group of fused ponies and were placed in front of Dusk.

“Please! I have children!” A cream-colored mare with a purple mane cried.

“I don’t wanna die!” Another blue and grey mare sobbed.

“Oh don’t worry,” Dusk knelt in front of them “You won’t die, they will be taken care of by the new pony you two will become,”

“Screw you! I want out of here!” The blue mare tried to resist the burly pony behind her but couldn’t.

“Now now, no need to get spiteful, you two will help towards a future where the strong rule and the weak… don’t exist,” Dusk said with a chuckle and he lit his hands and sent his green tendrils to grab them, he lifted them as the two mares thrashed desperately in his grasp

“NO NOOOO!” they cried.

Suddenly Audacia’s arms raised up and she summoned green tendrils out of her hands.

“HUH?!” Everypony in the room jumped back in surprise as the tendrils began lashing about trying to grab them.

Flash tackled Charity and Twinkle down as one tendril lashed at them, the tendril then lashed at Sunset who raised a shield but the tendril bored through it and grabbed her.

“AH!” Sunset cried as she was lifted.

“No!” Starlight shot the tendril with a magic beam and it hit the tendril and destroyed it but another one shot out of Audacia’s hand and grabbed Starlight.

“NOO!” Starlight cried and she was raised up with Sunset.

“LET ME GO!” Sunset tried to fire off her magic but it wasn’t working.

“I can’t teleport!” Starlight cried.

“NO! AUDACIA STOP!” Flash yelled and he leaped forward and grabbed her arms and tried to force them down but a magical shockwave sent him flying into a wall.

“FLASH!” Twinkle cried and she got up and ran to his side as Charity ran over to Audacia and slapped her in the face.

“Wake up! AUDACIA! We need you to wake up!” Charity cried.

Dusk was laughing as he raised the two mares to merge them when suddenly he staggered as he felt an invisible slap to his face.

“Huh?... what just…” Dusk looked around.

“Who did that?” Audacia asked sounding irritated.

“What?” Charity asked.

“Red Hammer was that you?” Audacia looked to her left.

“What is happening?” Charity asked.

“Whatever, let’s get back to business,” Dusk raised the two mares who cried out for mercy.

“Whatever, let’s get back to business,” Audacia raised the two mares who were struggling against the tendrils.

“NO! Stop!” Charity grabbed her arms and forced one away and the result was Sunset being slammed against a wall.

“OW!” Sunset grunted.

“Sorry!” Charity said.

Dusk was about to slam them together when his arm was wrenched by an invisible force and he swung the blue mare through the air.

“Boss, you ok?” A burgundy mare asked.

“I don’t know… something isn’t right…” Dusk said before he swung his arm upwards.

Charity stumbled back as Audacia struck her across the face.

“I gotta stop this!” Twinkle said as she took to the air and lit her horn.

“No more distractions, merge already!” Dusk slammed his hands together and the two mares screamed as they were slammed and merged.

Twinkle tried to fire a beam at the tendril to knock Starlight out of the air but another tendril had emerged from her palm and blocked it.

“NO!” Twinkle flew forward to save her student and friend but she was too late.

Despite their struggles Sunset and Starlight were swung together.

“NOOO!” Starlight cried.

“NOT LIKE THIS!” Sunset cried.

They impacted eachother and a glow overtook the room.

“NO!” Twinkle cried

A blue earth pony with a purple mane was freshly brainwashed and Dusk stood by while the fused ponies gathered up the next ones.

He rubbed his cheek and stood there in thought.

“What just happened?... I need to find out,” Dusk said before turning to resume building his army.

Audacia’s eyes stopped glowing and she tumbled off the metal bed and landed on the ground.

“Oooh… what… happened…?” Audacia looked up to see a pinkish-purple unicorn mare with with a purple and yellow mane she slowly got up and rubbed her head.

“Oooh…” She groaned and opened her eyes, revealing her aqua-green eyes.

“What happened?!” Audacia said trying to get up.

“Starlight! Sunset!” Twinkle rounded the corner and gasped as she saw the new pony.

“What… they’ve been merged?! How?!” Twinkle exclaimed.

“I-I don’t know, I felt a pain in my head and suddenly I blacked out!” Audacia said.

Flash and Charity rounded the corner and saw what happened as well.

“Sunset!” Flash ran over to her.

“How did this happen?” Charity cried.

“I don’t know!” Audacia said nervously.

Twinkle, realizing this calmed down and approached them.

“I believe you Audacia, but we need to take care of her first,” Twinkle said.

“Thank you,” Audacia said.

“Excuse me, who are you,” Twinkle asked the new pony.

“I don’t know… I… i’m so confused,” The unicorn said sitting up.

“Come with us, we can help you, what do you want to be called?” Twinkle said.

“...I don’t know,” She said.

“How about… Starshine?” Twinkle suggested.

“O-ok,” she said taking Twinkle's hand and standing up as did Audacia.

The group was in the library, Trixie had reacted with surprise when she met Starshine and the group ultimately decided to come to her to relax and figure things out.

It took awhile but she began to remember everything from both of her previous lives as Sunset and Starlight.

She proved to be a genius like Twinkle too, being composed of two highly intelligent mares.

In mere minutes they got farther than before.

Flash however sat off to the side looking depressed, Twinkle noticed this and teleported over to him.

“What’s wrong Flash?” Twinkle asked.

“I already miss Sunset…” Flash said.

“...Me too…” Twinkle said.

“If what happened to her is the same thing that happened to you and the other elements then their definitely gone…” Flash said.

“I disagree, we’re working on something that can hopefully fix everything,” Twinkle said her mane perking up again.

“What?” Flash said looking at her.

“It’s a theory Starshine and I came up with but… if Audacia has Dusk’s powers then maybe with research we can find a way to use this power to fix Starshine up,” Twinkle said.

“But Celestia said-”

“I know what Celestia said, but where there’s a will there’s a way, and the way is working together, and if it doesn’t work then at least we can use this power to do what we can,” Twinkle suggested.

“So there’s a chance to undo the fusion?” Flash asked before quickly adding “N-not that I want it to happen to you,” Flash said.

“Don’t worry, if anything, if I can bring Twilight and Pinkie back in some way, I will,” Twinkle assured him, giving him a peck on the lips before walking back over to the group.

“...” Flash looked down in thought.

Twinkle approached Starshine who was talking amicably with Charity.

“Oh darling, I do so love your mane, I bet a pair of earrings would compliment them greatly,” Charity said.

“I’ll consider that,” Starshine chuckled.

“Ugh,” Trixie groaned in boredom.

“Starshine,” Twinkle called and the unicorn turned to her.

“How certain are you about this theory?” Twinkle asked.

“Well, combining our output with the magic flux will give us an appropriate magical charge to boost Audacia’s power and if she can control it we can see if there is a way she can undo the merge, Celestia claimed it was unfixable but through a series of unexpected events we gained a possible cure to merging,” Starshine said.

“And… are you content with being the test subject?... even though it means… you might die?” Twinkle asked, looking hesitant.

“See I don’t look at it as dying Twinkle, I look at it as living on as two separate ponies, they were here first and deserve to live their lives, you however, can’t,” Starshine said.

“What? Why?” Twinkle asked.

“You’ve been here too long, you have built your own identity, you’ve yet to forge your own path, you are you,” Starshine said.

“B-but so are you!” Twinkle exclaimed.

“I’ve only been around for an hour or two, it’ll almost be like I never appeared, if anything I prefer that to denying Sunset and Starlight their lives, but trust me when I say it, we’ll meet again,” She said.

Twinkle shed some tears and hugged her “Your a good pony Star…” Twinkle said.

“Now, let’s get this show on the road,” Starshine said.

The group went downstairs and cleared a way for the event.

“There’s not going to be any explosions right?” Trixie asked.

“Doubtful,” Audacia said.

“Ok everypony, let’s get to work!” Starshine said and the group gathered behind a couch while Audacia stood across from Starshine.

“Are you certain about this?” Audacia asked.

“Yes,” Starshine said.

“Ok… Let’s do this,” Audacia said.

“I’ll help,” Twinkle said as she came up behind Audacia and held her head and they closed their eyes and focused their magic and Audacia focused her magic to her hands.

“Good, now remember what you felt that triggered the connection to Dusk,” Twinkle said.

“Ok…” Audacia felt the feeling of power and sense her magical core, Twinkle guiding her grasp and finding the fusion magic she harbors…

Her hands lit up with green magic and she extended tendrils out of it and she focused them up towards Starshine.

“It’s working!” Trixie said.

“Not yet,” Flash intently watched.

Twinkle then poured her magic into Audacia and the tendrils turned purple.

“Now!” Starshine called and Audacia opened her eyes, which glowed with a bright light and the tendrils extend forth.

Dusk was sitting on a rock overlooking Canterlot, meditating.

But then he opened his eyes and looked back towards the direction of all this happening.

“...I knew I sensed something… they found a way…” Dusk stood up glaring.

“I fear this means I have no choice but to move my plans further ahead of schedule,” Dusk said before teleporting away.

The tendrils grabbed Starshine by each of her arms and lifted her and she began to glow.

“Goodbye for now everypony,” Starshine said with a smile.

Then they began to pull…

“I…. CAN’T…. HOLD IT!” Audacia grunted.

“Hold on!” Twinkle strained.

The glow overtook Starshine and she split into two glowing ponies.

“Please work!” Twinkle yelled and a great flash overtook the room.

Twinkle was flat on her back, she looked up and to her surprise, the CMC was laying on the ground in front of her..

“Girls!” Twinkle crawled over to the CMC and checked their pulses, the three alicorns were still breathing.

“Thank Celestia… huh?” Twinkle looked up and saw something to her utter surprise.

“Ow… what happened?...” Starlight groaned as she got up.

“I feel like I was put in a blender or something…” Sunset groaned.

“It worked…. It actually worked! STARLIGHT! SUNSET!” Twinkle laughed as she ran over to the two and hugged them.

“Hey Twinkle… uh, what happened?” Sunset asked.

“You guys were merged! A-and I thought there was no way to get you back, but then your fused self suggested some things and then-” Twinkle spoke almost too quickly to be understood.

“Calm down, please! We can’t understand you when you speak that fast!” Starlight said with a chuckle.

“I’m sorry… but this is just… it’s a big discovery! We can fix everything now!” Twinkle laughed as the others approached.

“It’s good to have you back guys,” Flash said.

“I’m so glad,” Charity said.

Spike wrote down a message to send to Celestia and sent it while Charity took the CMC back with her to the cottage to recover.

Trixie and Flash took Sunset and Starlight over to the couches so they could rest and recuperate.

“Where did you go while all this happened again?” Twinkle asked.

“I was sleeping, I may be a teenager now but I still sleep alot,” Spike said.

“Ah, well you're a heavy sleeper then,” Twinkle chuckled.

“Anyways, I did my part, can I… go hand out with-”

“Sure, but don’t get too close to Charity without talking to Big Mac first, their date is today after all,” Twinkle said.

“Darn it, I forgot,” Spike sighed.

“Go on, you got the day off,” Twinkle chuckled.

“Thanks!” Spike ran out the door.

Afterwards Twinkle walked out to the two resting mares and sat by Flash Sentry.

“So uh, Flash?” Twinkle asked.

“Yeah?” Flash said.

“I want to know… if I were to ask Audacia to separate me into Twilight and Pinkie again… would you want that?” Twinkle asked nervously.

“...I don’t know…” Flash said and when he saw Twinkle looking sad to hear that he elaborated ‘In regards to the fact that Twilight and Pinkie are separate ponies, just like Starshine said, but I… don’t want to lose you Twinkle, you make me and everybody around you happy, in the end it’s up to you though, do you want to unmerge?” Flash asked.

“I…………… don’t….” Twinkle said looking away “I must sound so selfish…” She said.

“I don’t think you are,” Flash said hugging her and she hugged back.

Author's Note

This chapter is an integral part of the story, as it shows the possibilities of the Merge Mirror not being so permanent.

Why does Audacia have Merge magic?

Why was Starshine okay with vanishing?

And will anypony else vanish?

Expect more chapters soon! And hopefully a bit more lore.