Multiversal Voyage

Chapters

His Kingdom
Kindness' Fall
The Night's Pupil
Apple Industries
For Science!
Mourning
Hay Flambé
Home Sweet Home
Cyborgs, Pranks, and Swarms
The Rainbow She remembers
Harmony's Judgment
Slumber Party And Stories
The Familiar Town
Diamond Dogs
The Hexstone
The Everfree Forest
The Resistance
Training
Applebloom
Grover's Jewel
Reunion
Thunder Factory
Curse
Love Letter
Fears and Mother
The Truth
A True Pegasus
Invasion
A Small Memory
A Silver Tongue To Rule Them All
VS 100 000
Together
Goodbye
Remember
Familial Bonds
No Good, No Bad
A New Beginning
Epilogue 10328
Epilogue 31870
Epilogue 99999
Epilogue 19884
The Hexstone's Archives
Prologue
The Council of Harmony
The One With The Most Love
A Light Shining Bright
Epilogue 25197

His Kingdom

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Kindness' Fall

Universe 99999

Fluttershy let out a pained squeal as she collided with the ground, her body hitting the floor with a resounding thud. Rolling for a few meters, she felt disoriented and woozy, struggling to regain her bearings. As her vision cleared, she recognized the familiar cityscape surrounding her—it was Baltimare. The buildings' top reached higher than the ones in Ponyville, that was for sure, but it still wasn’t on the level of Manehattan or Fillydelphia. What was she doing here?

At least, the world didn’t seem to be in danger or anything… It seemed that the stone Twilight had been studying had transported them to different locations. If it was simply a teleportation, then that provided some relief. Fluttershy tried to reassure herself that her friends would be able to find their way back to Ponyville without too much difficulty... unless, of course, they were no longer even in Equestria. Given the challenges they had faced in the past when venturing beyond their homeland during the Storm King's invasion, she couldn't dismiss the possibility that their journey back might prove arduous.

The best course of action would be to seek assistance from Princess Celestia in Canterlot. However, something peculiar caught Fluttershy's attention. Everyone around her was dressed in a uniform, all wearing the same navy blue attire with pale blue shoulder pads and buttons. The uniform featured a symmetrical pattern of small doves facing each other. What truly astonished her was the embroidery on the uniforms—an exact replica of her own cutie mark, as well as those of her friends. Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie—all of their cutie marks were intricately embroidered around the doves.

Was that a new style that was trending that she wasn’t aware of? Did Rarity design them? She nearly forgot she had been teleported just a second ago, but before she could even remind herself of departing for Canterlot right away, she finally noticed something else. Everyone was staring at her. Nervously, she swallowed and shied away as she scanned the onlookers, wondering what could be causing such a reaction. While she was aware of her growing fame for her heroic deeds in saving Equestria, she had never experienced this level of scrutiny before. Many faces displayed shock and surprise, which she anticipated. Some were in complete admiration, too. However, what truly made her step back was how some of them seemed terrified of her, which they didn’t let show on their face. So much so that they didn’t dare meet her eyes, but still stared at her legs. If one looked into their eyes, they would, quite easily, find out they were afraid.

As for their expressions… They were all smiling. Many of them were obviously fake, considering some barely hid their fear of her. Why were they smiling so widely? It reminded her of Starlight’s town in a way…

Suddenly, as if their brains finally completely registering who they were staring at, they broke out of their trance and bowed. Fluttershy breathed out in surprise as her eyes darted from side to side.

“L-Lady Fluttershy! We are honored by your presence!” One of the ponies exclaimed with his head low, unwilling to meet the pegasus’ eyes.

“Uhm…” Fluttershy uttered in confusion, blushing nervously since she wasn’t used to getting so much attention so suddenly. “You… Don’t have to bow…” She managed to mutter, which the pony who spoke to her managed to hear.

“I-I thought this was standard protocol… Did we do something wrong, my Lady?” The pony asked in confusion, sweat rolling down his cheek as Fluttershy stepped back.

“P… Protocol? I… No, you didn’t… I-I have to go!” The pegasus replied before taking off the ground and flying away as fast as she could.

The ponies on land stood up, watching her go before looking at one another.

“That was scary… Never saw one of them for real…” One of the ponies mumbled while wiping sweat off his forehead.

“She was pretty…” A female unicorn added dreamily while staring into Fluttershy’s back.

“That’s weird… Why wasn’t she wearing that element of harmony thing?” Another pony inquired, confused.

“Who knows, but if one of them is here, then I bet there’s another Equestria-ending threat! And it’s right here! I’m getting out of the city until it’s taken care of!” A stallion shouted before running off.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy breathed out in relief as she sat on a rooftop, finally feeling far enough from these weird ponies. She knew they had fans, but she never received a welcome like that! Sure, she was flattered, but mostly embarrassed more than anything. Although their uniforms may have been for a parade or an event. Which was what she thought before seeing all the other ponies in the streets dressed the exact same way. What was up with all of them? Yet again, she wondered if that was a Baltimare tradition.

“I shouldn’t waste so much time thinking about this. I can talk to the others about that later,” Fluttershy muttered before noticing a small bird flying past her and landing behind. “Well, at least you’re not wearing anything weird, Mr…” The yellow pegasus giggled as she turned around to look at the bird, only to gasp in surprise.

All this time, she had been standing in front of an even bigger building than the one she was sitting on. However, it wasn’t the building itself that shocked her, but the gigantic painting on the wall. It was a painting of Twilight, as a unicorn, and the rest of their group of friends. All six of them wore their elements of harmony and were standing tall while looking into the distance. They were framed in a light blue rectangle with the words “Harmony. Security. Happiness” hanging above their heads.

She shook her head in disbelief and incomprehension, then flew somewhere else until she saw similar paintings and posters in smaller sizes. One of them depicted Rainbow Dash, looking serious and pointing at the viewer as “We Want You in Equestria’s Air Force” was written under her in bold letters.

These in themselves weren’t scary or anything like that, yet they sent a shiver down Fluttershy’s spine. When were these made? And why? She ignored the looks ponies were giving her and the way they were bowing to her, then swiftly flew in a random direction until she came across another poster. This time, the posters were of Pinkie. She was smiling as widely as ever, which was usually a good thing when it came to this earth pony in particular. However, the message written on her posters was a little bit… unsettling. “MUST! SMILE!”

She took a few steps back only to feel her hindquarters bump into an object. Startled, she turned around to see what she had bumped into. It was a statue of herself! A fountain to be more accurate. As she struck a pose, water sprayed from her mouth, accentuating the confident gesture of her hoof raised towards the sky, gripping a statue of a majestic bird. There was an inscription on the fountain too. Bold letters saying “KINDNESS TO ALL CREATURES”. Well… That was actually a nice message! She liked the statue but honestly didn’t think she needed one. Moreover, it was slightly embarrassing. And again, she wondered when this was built.

She tried to look for posters and paintings about Rarity and Applejack but found none. Maybe they had statues, like her, but if there were any, she hadn’t seen them. There were some posters with only Twilight in them, but she didn’t bother reading what was written on them. What surprised her was the fact that her friend wasn’t depicted as an alicorn even once.

She had been one for years, so she doubted some ponies didn’t get the memo yet. Furthermore, in every depiction of her and her friends, they were wearing the elements of harmony, which was something they hadn’t held for quite some time now.

“This… I’m starting to think this isn’t the Equestria I know… But this would be silly…” Fluttershy whispered to herself as she decided to fly in the direction of the nearest train station while avoiding crowded places. She didn’t want a repeat of what happened earlier. Her main plan was still to go to Canterlot. However, the moment she flew off after making sure no one was around, a net was launched from below and caught her as if she was an animal. “Kya!” Fluttershy squealed as she held onto the ropes until she hit the floor.

“Shouldn’t have gone off alone and without your element!” Someone shouted as the yellow pegasus swiftly surveyed her surroundings in panic while she struggled to get free.

“Quick! Get her!” Another pony yelled as multiple earth ponies tried to hold her down.

“No!” Fluttershy managed to kick one of them as she finally took a good look at her ambushers.

There were four ponies, all earth ponies, and stallions of varying colors. Unlike the rest of the ponies she had seen until now, they didn’t wear a uniform. Their eyes only held hostility and anger, as if they had been planning on killing her. She didn’t want to stay here to find out if that was true.

The stallion she kicked away rubbed his snout in pain as the others attempted to get a hold of her wings. Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t as easy as it sounded or looked. Fluttershy didn’t seem like a strong and athletic pony, but after everything she went through, four ponies wouldn’t be enough to restrain her. Even with a net.

“Let me go!” She shouted as she struggled against the net, managing to get her wings out of the way of their hooves and even kicking one of them again. As quickly as she kicked him, she successfully got all her limbs through the net’s holes and ran ahead to headbutt another enemy in the chest.

“You little-” The one she didn’t hit yet groaned as he dashed in her direction and jumped to tackle her. Still, Fluttershy wasn’t a huge fighter, so she did the first thing that came to her mind… She charged at him. The stallion was thrown against a wall after their heads collided.

“Don’t underestimate her! She’s a member of the Council of Harmony, after all!” One of them shouted as Fluttershy rubbed her head in pain.

“The council of what?” She questioned with a raised eyebrow before quickly moving out of the way to dodge another stallion trying to catch her. “Y-You mean, bad ponies!” She cried, then flew away, escaping with success.

She was still trapped in that net, but as long as she had her limbs out, she could fly and run away. The element of kindness had no idea who these ponies were supposed to be or what they wanted with her, but she was unwilling to fight and get the truth out of them. They mentioned something strange, too… The Council of Harmony. She never heard of that. Maybe that was what they called her and her friends?

“Oh, hey!” She exclaimed as she noticed a bird perched on a nearby roof. Thankfully, her soft and gentle voice had attracted the bird’s attention without frightening him. “Do you think you can help me out of this?” The yellow pegasus gestured to the net she was trapped in. However, instead of responding in agreement, the bird chirped loudly and flew away. Fluttershy had no time to ask herself what happened before something slammed into her back. “Oof!” She breathed out in pain.

“Where do you think you’re going?” A gruff female voice asked. It was a pegasus!

Fluttershy wanted to chastise herself for not checking if she was being trailed or not! She shouldn’t have assumed they didn’t have pegasi helping them! Both she and the pegasus that slammed into her plummeted on the rooftop, sliding on it and badly grazing Fluttershy’s belly. She couldn’t help but release a distressed grunt.

“S-Stop! Please!” Fluttershy pleaded as the enemy pegasus wrapped up her wings with a rope. “You’re hurting me!” She added with teary eyes as the other mare showed no mercy.

“Oh, so you’re beggin' now? Not so high and mighty anymore, are you?” The mare questioned as she tightened Fluttershy’s bindings. “Do you know how long we’ve waited for an opportunity like this? Until one of you was alone and without your elements? That was pretty stupid of you, by the way. But I guess you finally got too arrogant!”

“Somepony… Help! Rainbow Dash… Twilight… P-Pinkie!” Fluttershy desperately cried out as the other pegasus wrapped a rope around her mouth, too, muzzling her.

“Nope! You’re not calling for your little council friends!” The mare yelled, finally tying up the yellow pegasus so much that she couldn’t even move a muscle. “Now… To make you sleep,” Those were the final words Fluttershy heard before receiving a hit on the top of her head and being surrounded by darkness.

All she could do was hope and pray that her friends would somehow find her and get her out of this before… Before it was too late. What did she even do to be so hated by ponies she had never met before?

The Night's Pupil

Universe 31870

How long had Rarity been falling? It was undoubtedly like a lifetime had passed. As if the strange place she and her friends were in earlier had no concept of time or space for that matter. There was no ground to walk on or air to breathe. Then, when she finally hit something, she returned to another tunnel-like realm. Her vision distorted, and her mind turned upside down… Her perception of time was altered so much that the one second she spent in there felt like an eternity.

Her existential dread came to an end as quickly as it appeared as she finally exited through the other side of the mirror she entered and crashed into a library. An exasperated "oof" escaped her lips as her back met a shelf, causing a cascade of books to rain down upon her, completely engulfing her in a pile of them. Silence settled over the stack of books until Rarity let out an annoyed groan and gingerly poked her head out from beneath the small avalanche.

“Alright… Now I know how Rainbow Dash feels after a bad landing…” Rarity rubbed the top of her head before cracking her neck and walking out of the pile of books. “Now, where am I?” Her eyes wandered through the room, taking note of its appearance.

The stone must have transported her somewhere, but she had no idea where she was since the mare couldn’t recognize this place at all. Simply judging the room’s appearance would be difficult enough considering it was pretty dark and only dimly lit thanks to a few nearly-burned-out candles. Rarity would have thought it was a night out if it weren’t for the small sunray passing between the slightly opened curtains.

If the books weren’t indication enough, the many other shelves filled with them confirmed that she was in a library. Whether it was a public or a private one was a different matter. In one corner of the room stood an enormous hourglass, towering even taller than Princess Celestia herself. But what truly captivated Rarity was the grand holographic display positioned at the center of the chamber. Emitting a mesmerizing blue glow, the hologram seemed to materialize from a crystal embedded in the floor. Upon closer inspection, Rarity realized it depicted a detailed map of Equus. She had to admit she had never seen anything like this until the Cutie Map, but even then, it wasn’t as glamorous as a magical holographic globe.

The library was also impressively organized… well… Before she “bumped” into one of the shelves. The sheer volume of books stacked before her eyes made it difficult to fathom how anyone could locate a specific tome amidst the vast collection. She did wonder for a second if there were any fashion magazines here, but maybe now wasn’t the best time to look for them. She was still in a stranger’s home! As the unicorn was about to search the room, a threatening glow suddenly appeared behind her as the heat from magical energy washed over her body. She could almost feel a horn ready to poke her in the neck. That was how close the stranger’s horn was.

“You better stay still… Or the next thing you’ll hear won’t be a warning… But the sound of your own brain popping,” A familiar voice, which Rarity couldn’t recognize under the pressure, threatened her.

The white unicorn gulped, freezing immediately.

“I-I’m not moving! See? Perfectly still! Oh, dear… I’m sorry if I trespassed in your home, but it was an accident!” Rarity swiftly justified herself as the unicorn behind her scoffed.

“A likely story, and not one I haven’t heard before. Now… You’ll turn around. Slowly. And no sudden moves. Or you’re dead,” The second unicorn ordered as Rarity gulped and hesitantly nodded before slowly turning around.

The white unicorn widened in eyes in shock as they finally landed on the pony threatening her. It was a copy of Twilight! Except she didn’t have wings, her horn wasn’t as long and she wasn’t as tall as she had been recently getting. She wore a dark blue cape adorned with a starry night sky motif and embellished with a star-shaped insignia around her neck. Those traits were strange, sure, but not as much as the glare Twilight was sending her way. It was a cold gaze devoid of any trace of the love and affection Rarity had come to expect. It seemed as though Rarity had become a complete stranger to her! Still, Rarity didn’t pay much attention to it, mostly overwhelmed by the reassurance of seeing a familiar face.

“Twilight! Oh, I’m so glad to see you! B-But what happened to your wings?! Did the stone do that to you?” Rarity exclaimed happily, at first, then worriedly as she tried to approach Twilight only for the other unicorn to flare up her horn again.

“No sudden moves, I said!” She warned again as she changed her stance, ready to fight if needed. This was enough to make Rarity pause and step back in surprise and fear. “Alright… I don’t know who you work for, but they must not have been pretty smart if they hired somepony that doesn’t even know what I look like,” Twilight narrowed her eyes as she glared at Rarity. “For your information, I’ve never had wings. I’m a unicorn,” She added with a humorless chuckle.

“Never had… O-Ok. Something is not right. You don’t have wings. You don’t know me… Darling… I think I traveled to the past!” Rarity shouted in realization as she kept herself from fainting.

“Traveled to the past? Are you trying to make me believe you’re from the future? And what? That you’re one of my best friends or something?” Twilight asked with an eyebrow raised as Rarity eagerly nodded, only for her hopes to be washed away as the other unicorn laughed. “Now that’s one I’ve never heard before! I admit it, I haven’t laughed in years! But enough playing,” The lavender unicorn got serious and glared again as purple translucent chains trapped Rarity’s legs.

“Hey! I-I’m not joking!” Rarity complained as she tried to free herself from the restraints, which was a useless attempt. “I really am your friend! From the future! Ask me anything and I’ll-”

“I do not have friends, and never will. And even if I did, this nonsensical lie wouldn’t work on me. Now… Who do you work for?” Twilight replied, cutting her off and threatening her again with her horn pointed at her face.

“L-Let’s calm down. Oh, I forgot how unsociable you were before meeting us…” Rarity muttered as she also looked over Twilight’s cape. She was aware she was in danger and now wasn’t the time, but she couldn’t help staring at it. It was quite beautiful and certainly suited Twilight well. She didn’t know her friend ever wore something like that before coming to Ponyville.

“Excuse me?” Twilight exclaimed, quite clearly offended while Rarity was looking around.

“What year is it exactly? And when are you planning to leave for Ponyville?” The fashionista inquired, totally ignoring Twilight’s offended expression.

“2798. And what does that backwater town have to do with anything?” The lavender unicorn replied with confusion.

“2798? Wait… But that’s the present…” Rarity muttered, more confused than ever as Twilight stomped the ground in annoyance.

“Enough with this charade! Didn’t I make it clear already? Your lies will take you nowhere! Now… Who do you work for, assassin?” Twilight questioned again as she shoved her horn even closer, pushing Rarity against the wall.

“Wait! Wait! There’s obviously something wrong here! I’m not an assassin! Why don’t we talk to Princess Celestia?” Rarity suggested as Twilight looked perplexed yet again.

“Celestia? Who… Wait… You mean Daybreaker? So that’s it, huh?! You’re one of her cultists!” Twilight accused Rarity, who scoffed.

“A cultist? I am nopony’s cultist! Wait, you don’t know who Princess Celestia is?” The white unicorn asked in surprise.

“Of course, I know. She was Princess Luna’s sister. A mad mare who received a well-deserved banishment to the sun. Somepony who doesn’t deserves the title of princess anymore, so I suggest you choose your words wisely, cultist,” Twilight responded, turning Rarity’s world upside down as she widened her eyes.

She wasn’t in the past. That much was already obvious after Twilight said the year it was earlier. Moreover, Princess Celestia was called Daybreaker, and was banished into the sun! She remembered Twilight talking about alternate timelines after Starlight became their friend. Many of them were radically different from their own, so… Could it be possible that she was in another world? But wait, did that mean her entire world was changed into this or was she simply transported into another one? She wasn’t sure which one was scarier…

She reviewed the tidbits of information Twilight had given her. This one had a bit more of a fashion sense than her own, for starters. She was a lot more aggressive, too. That was for sure. However, most importantly, Princess Luna was the one ruling while Princess Celestia was the one that went crazy! But that was strange. Princess Celestia, or rather, Daybreaker was still trapped in the sun while Nightmare Moon was released years ago. Did her imprisonment last longer than Luna’s? Why didn’t Twilight go to Ponyville yet? And she also knew that Daybreaker was Princess Luna’s sister, didn’t she? She sounded surprised when Celestia called her sister back in her original world…

“A-And you know that Pr- I mean, that Daybreaker is Princess Luna’s sister, right?”

“Well, of course, I know! I’m her trusted student. Princess Luna tells me everything! There is no pony she trusts more than I…” Twilight replied before gritting her teeth and glaring daggers at Rarity. “Which is why little pests like you are out to get me,”

Rarity quickly needed a couch because she desperately wanted to faint right now. And it wasn’t because she was looking to emulate cheap drama this time! This was actual drama!

“Listen, Twilight, darling…” Rarity began, stammering with her shaky voice as the other unicorn raised an eyebrow at the way she was called. “I was a bit confused, but I think I get it now. This may sound crazy… But I’m from another world,” She revealed while the lavender unicorn rolled her eyes.

“Another cheap lie? This one is even worse than the last! Do you take me for a fool?” Twilight waved her horn at Rarity, making her sweat nervously.

“I swear it’s the truth! It’s hard to explain… I wish I was Pinkie because she would fare so much better, but here goes… In my world, Princess Luna was overtaken by the nightmare and became Nightmare Moon! She was then banished to the moon by her sister, Celestia. Then you came to Ponyville the same day Nightmare Moon escaped her banishment. You became friends with me and a few other ponies; we defeated Nightmare Moon and brought Princess Luna back. Then the two sisters ruled together; we fought bad guys,” Rarity began explaining while Twilight seemed to be listening with disinterest. She was obviously not buying any of it. “Then you came across a glowy white stone and decided to experiment on it! And it sent us to a weird place, and now I’m here. Do you have a stone like this here?”

Twilight suddenly froze, her eyes narrowing as she looked away for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, then glared back at Rarity again.

“Never heard of this stone before. And traveling to different worlds seems quite far-fetched. Any other lies you can think of, assassin?” She interrogated her as the white unicorn gulped.

“Ask me a question about yourself, and I’m sure I’ll be able to answer it! Probably… Unless your foalhood is different here…”

“Maybe I’ll do that once you’ve answered my first question. Who do you work for?!”

Then, out of nowhere, a white light burst into existence between them, blinding them both. Twilight nearly zapped Rarity to death before stopping herself at the last moment when the light changed shape and turned into a portal-like mirror. And Rarity’s original Twilight appeared!

“Twilight! Thank goodness, you’re here!” Rarity exclaimed joyfully.

“Me?” Unicorn Twilight asked out loud while looking into a near reflection of her.

“Oh, I hope this works… I-I don’t know if this message will reach you or when it will reach you, girls, because… Time is all messed up in this place! Broken and unrepairable! And I’m not sure I’ll ever manage to get back without you, but listen carefully!” Twilight frantically shouted while seemingly running from something.

“You can’t escape!” A distorted and almost demonic voice screamed from behind the alicorn.

“Oh, my Celestia! What is happening over there? What is this?” Rarity attempted to see what was chasing her friend.

Meanwhile, Unicorn Twilight tilted her head in wonder while staring at her other self. This was clearly her… But she was an alicorn! She also looked a bit taller! What was this? A trick? An illusion?!

“The stone is… some kind of magical artifact that allows… multiversal travel!” Twilight shouted between breaths before shooting a beam of magic at something out of the picture’s range. “Basically, you are all in different worlds! Okay? This is not the Equestria you know! No matter how nice or how bucked up it seems… Just remember that! Luckily… I have… Found another stone in the universe I’m in… Ah!” Twilight screamed in pain, seemingly hit by something, but kept running.

“Twilight!” Rarity gasped as she put a hoof up to her mouth, barely able to contain her worry while looking at her friend running for her life.

“We’ve traveled together, so that means we’re still connected… I don’t have… Time to explain it fully, but find another stone! No matter… How the universe you are in is… The stone will be there! It always will! Once we’re all holding on to it at the same time… We’ll go back ho-” Twilight explained before the portal was suddenly shut, and the light faded away.

The two unicorns remained silent as they stared at the empty space left behind by the projection. Rarity looked understandably worried and appalled, completely forgetting she was currently shackled as she held back her tears. Twilight, on the other hand, was still uncertain about how to proceed or even act in this situation. She was still doubtful any of this was real.

“She was an alicorn…” She simply stated, attracting Rarity’s attention back to her.

“That’s because the princess had been planning on making her one to-” She started only to be interrupted.

“I know that! Why do you think Princess Luna took me as her student?! The end goal of my apprenticeship is for me to be an alicorn and rule by her side!” She snapped as Rarity winced, unused to Twilight shouting at her. She also had to admit that this Twilight was right. Princess Luna really did tell her everything! “What confuses me is the fact that… if this was just an illusion, then how did you come to learn what Princess Luna had been planning for me?” Her horn glowed again.

“I’m not getting off easy, am I?” Rarity inquired as she sighed.

Apple Industries

Universe 25197

Applejack yelped as she hit something hard and finally came out of the portal, only to sink into an unknown container. The earth pony groaned in pain as her head spun around, feeling as if she had been hit on the head by a brick. The mare put a hoof on her forehead and looked around, realizing that she was stuck in a dark and cramped place.

"Where in tarnation am I?” Applejack muttered as she moved her hooves around, feeling the fabric around her. It seemed she was surrounded by plastic bags… And it stank! She gagged in disgust as she quickly escaped the container and jumped out of it. Looking back confirmed it. She had been in a dumpster. “Great. I sure do enjoy gettin' teleported right into them trash bins!” She grumbled sarcastically as she noticed her hat was missing. She looked at the dumpster and sighed before sticking her head inside and finding her hat. “Now that’s better!” She exclaimed as she put it on.

Her eyes scanned the area, inspecting where she had landed. She seemed to be in a small alley, dirty and cramped. Not as much as the dumpster she was in before, but still. Well, she wouldn't complain. Ending up in a dumpster was better than being vaporized by a magical stone. She also noticed that she was between tall buildings, which meant that she had probably been transported into a big city somehow.

However, before she could ask any more questions, a white light flashed in front of her and turned into a portal-like mirror, revealing Twilight's face.

“You can’t escape!” A distorted and almost demonic voice screamed from behind the alicorn.

Applejack simply fell silent after witnessing this display. Her mouth was agape, seemingly ready to let flies fly in as she struggled to find the words. The earth pony closed and opened her mouth, only to close it again as she facehoofed.

“So not only am I separated from my friends… Ah’m stuck in a whole dang different world? I just got here and you give me all of that to digest?” Applejack complained as she rubbed the back of her head. “How in tarnation am I s'posed to find that stone?”

She figured she should start by figuring out where she was and what kind of fucked up world this was. Because there was no way she was going to miraculously end up in a nice place. That would be too easy! She walked to the end of the alley to see what the outside world looked like, narrowing her eyes as the sunlight blinded her. She let out a scream as the state of the world confronted her... Then she stopped when she finally got a good look at it. It was a city, Manehattan to be exact. She screamed louder.

This forced several ponies to turn around and give her a few glances, but they quickly looked away, unwilling to meet the eyes of a maniac. A few seconds later, Applejack finally calmed down and walked away.

“Ah reckon this world doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would… Well, Twilight did say it might be a nice universe, too,” Applejack talked to herself while looking around. She didn’t really go to Manehattan a lot, but it seemed to be approximately the same as it was back in her original world. “Should I look for this world’s versions of ourselves? Might be the only way to get back home, ah suppose,” She added as she inspected herself. No saddlebags and no clothes, which meant no bits on her. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any under her hat either.

Taking a train to Ponyville or Canterlot would be difficult without money. Though, worrying about that made her notice some of the looks she was getting just now. They were different from the ones she had gotten earlier when she had screamed like a mad mare. Most indicated that the ponies were surprised to see her there, while others were in awe. Well, that wasn't so unusual since she had saved Equestria and all, which must have been true for this version of herself as well. But being stared at like that was a rare occurrence. She wondered what she and her friends were doing in this world, or if everything was the same.

Luckily, she came across some free newspapers. This was the perfect opportunity for her to see what was happening in the world lately. First of all, today's year was 2800, which meant... Actually, she didn't know what it meant. Was she two years into the future, even if this was a different world?

She read the headline and immediately raised an eyebrow.

PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE AND HER FRIENDS DEFEAT THE PONY OF SHADOWS!

The following text named every one of them and explained how they’ve beaten the pony of shadows, even if it wasn’t totally accurate. Why did they defeat only now in this world? Shouldn’t that have happened two years ago? There were several other articles on them. But wait, she only now noticed something… strange. She didn’t appear in any of the pictures with them! Her name wasn’t mentioned either! Applejack carefully inspected the articles and the pictures again, then widened her eyes in shock.

Someone else… Someone else was the element of honesty. Someone else became friends with Twilight and the others. Someone else helped them and lived the happiest life she could imagine, one surrounded by outstanding friends. And that someone else… was Lyra. Lyra replaced her?! What the hell?! Why wasn’t she with them?! Did she not go with them in that forest that night? Did Lyra go instead?

Or did she die against Nightmare Moon and they just went “Buck it! We’ll find a replacement!”

She reread the articles, hoping to be wrong, but it was useless. No matter how much she read it… She still wasn’t mentioned once. She knew this wasn’t her home, and that she shouldn’t care because she was friends with all of them in her world. They lived those things together and that was all that mattered. Nevertheless, thinking that there was a universe where she wasn’t friends with them kinda hurt. Especially if she was replaced by Lyra. She didn’t hate her, but still… There were better options, surely!

At least, they looked happy. Maybe that universe wasn’t so bad… She read a few other headlines out of curiosity.

SCHOOL OF FRIENDSHIP: SOON TO OPEN!

FLIM AND FLAM BROTHERS CORPS NEAR BANKRUPTCY: STOCK FALL BY 80%

WONDERBOLT RAINBOW DASH BEATS ALL SPEED RECORDS! IS SHE EVEN A PONY?

DRAMA AT ANNUAL SUGAR-EATING CONTEST: 3 INJURED! HERO OF EQUESTRIA, PINKIE PIE, REFUSES TO COMMENT!

PRINCESS LUNA AND TWILIGHT VELVET? WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?

Applejack's eyebrows furrowed as she tossed the newspaper away. This would serve as a friendly reminder to avoid reading the magazine in her universe. There were no articles about her, so she figured this version of her was probably not famous or anything. Well! As long as she was happy back on the farm and her family was well, Applejack was delighted.

Her train of thought was abruptly cut off when she was faced with something unusual. Not unusual per se, but something she was sure wasn’t supposed to be in Manehattan. A remarkably tall and fancy-looking building. What shocked her was what was written on it in huge letters: “Apple Industries”. Was… Was that just a coincidence? Was there someone from her family that had a huge business?

Staring at the great tower, she didn't notice the two unicorns (apparently security guards) whispering to each other and glancing in her direction. Suddenly, someone burst out of the front door and muttered orders at them, to which they nodded.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” One of the security guards called out to Applejack, attracting her attention.

“Our boss would like to see you,” The second one explained as the earth pony raised an eyebrow.

“Can I know why?” She inquired as the guards looked at each other. Considering she was in another world, she didn’t want to waste time getting into trouble with someone from this place. Moreover, she found it too suspicious that someone would want to see her when she just got there. Unless…

“Our boss says that you will be interested in meeting her since… You are new here,” The security guard replied as the other soon joined in.

“You have a familiar face,” He added.

Unless the owner of this building actually was her alternate self. If anyone could help, it would be herself, right? Still… That remained suspicious. Why wasn’t she friends with the others?

“Alright… Lead the way,” She conceded as the guards nodded and walked back toward the building, closely followed by Applejack.

To say she was impressed was an understatement. This tower had up to 18 floors, and the elevator they took was transparent, so she could see what each floor looked like. There were so many desks and ponies working behind them, she couldn't even count them all! It made her wonder if she was wrong, and that this wasn't actually being run by a version of her. She knew she would never work in such an environment. And she wasn't sure how any of this helped sell apples.

Finally, they reached the last floor. The security guards led her until they reached a single door at the end of an empty hallway.

“Boss is waiting for you inside,” One of the guards said as Applejack nodded and walked in without further due.

The room was spacious, with a few bookshelves and certificates on the walls that she didn't bother reading to see what they were about. There was a large window in the back that offered a great view of Manehattan. But what caught her attention was the large desk and the chair behind it, facing the window.

The moment she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, the chair turned to face her... and she was met with an identical copy of her face. As expected, another Applejack was sitting behind the desk. She was not wearing a cowboy hat, much to Applejack's dismay, but had a gold necklace with a red gem pendant. She was also wearing a business suit.

"Well, well, well. It wasn’t just my impression! You sure do look like a spittin' image of me, but Ah reckon you ain't no changelin', now, are ya?" The splitting image of Applejack exclaimed as she got off her chair and walked to the original Applejack.

The outworlder widened her eyes as they landed on the other Applejack’s cutie mark, which wasn’t apples but stacks of bits.

“How do ya know I ain’t a changeling?” She asked with suspicion only for the second Applejack to chuckle.

“'Cause you sure ain't the first one to come from some other world and landin' right on my doorstep! And looking at ya… Ah suppose your life took a different turn from mine,” The other Applejack replied as she looked over the original, noticing her cutie mark. “Ah already know what yer looking for. First, some presentations are in order, aren’t they… Other me?” She added with a small smile.

Applejack gulped as she stared at her with apprehension… She already saw those looks on other ponies… On ponies, she would rather avoid.

The earth pony was starting to understand why her other self wasn’t friends with the others, and saving the world with them.

Author's Note

Hope you liked it!

For Science!

Universe 10328

Pinkie groaned as she attempted to stand up only to fall back on her butt. She. Was. In. Pain. As if she had fallen off a roof. And she knew how that felt because it had already happened to her. Three times, actually. But to be fair, all those happened because she attempted to do the impossible, every prankster’s dream… Prank themselves. She was still thinking about how to prank herself, but she was close! She could feel it!

More importantly… Where was she? She blinked several times as she managed to successfully open her eyes and inspect her surroundings. She was… In Ponyville. Oh! That weird stone thingy must have thrown her out of the window or something! All she had to do was return to the Castle of Friendship and see if the others were fine!

“You okay, there, Pinkie?” A female pegasus interrupted her thoughts, a pegasus she immediately recognized: Heavy Breeze! “It looks like you had a pretty bad fall,”

“I’m extra okay! No worries!” Pinkie jumped up and landed on her hooves, only to nearly lose her balance and collapse on the spot. Her head hurt, too. Maybe a concussion? Eh. She’ll be fine.

“Well, whatever you say! Wouldn’t want one of our best protectors to not be at their best!” Breeze exclaimed before flying away, making Pinkie raise one of her eyebrows.

Since when did Breeze call her a protector? She was sure no one ever called her that before. But she shrugged it off, then walked away in the direction of Twilight’s castle.

“Hey, Pinkie!”

“Hey to you, too!” She replied joyfully while waving at the pony that greeted her.

“Pinkie! Hi!”

“High hoof!” The pink earth pony responded as she high-hoofed the other earth pony that greeted her.

“Loved your pancakes yesterday, Pinkie, bestie! It rhymes, too!” A pegasus shouted eagerly as they passed by.

“Thanks! And you’re my bestie, too!” Pinie waved and didn’t even question the fact that she didn’t even make any pancakes yesterday that the pegasus could compliment.

“Look, Pinkie! Isn’t my smile getting better?!” A delighted earth pony called out to her while smiling so wide you could see all their teeth.

“You betcha! Nearly bigger than mine!” Pinkie retorted happily.

“That’s what he said!” Another pony interjected as they passed by.

“Good one!” Pinkie Pie laughed as she high-hoofed them, too.

“Oh! Nice tattoos, Pinkie!” Another pony complimented her.

“Thanks!” She answered while trotting forward.

Everyone greeted her like she was their best friend in the world. And she did the same to them. Which was exactly her daily routine, so that was nothing out of the ordinary. Although… there was something strange… She hadn’t seen a single unicorn! And the last pony she had seen should have been one! But instead, he looked exactly like an earth pony! Did he lose his horn? Now that she thought about it… She didn’t have any tattoos either, so what was he talking about?

That was when she noticed that none of the ponies she came across had any cutie marks! Her heart skipped a beat as she hastily retrieved a pair of binoculars seemingly from thin air and looked for Twilight’s castle… But it was nowhere to be seen. The pink earth pony wasn’t able to hold back her gasp, then everything clicked.

“The stone Twilight found was actually a magic thingy that can transport us to other universes and I’ve landed in a universe where magic doesn’t exist while the others are separated in even weirder universes like Dashie in a universe where Tirek won and Applejack in a universe where she’s filthy rich!” Pinkie Pie shouted so fast no one would be able to understand her, then turned to face an invisible camera. “No correlation with the pony, Filthy Rich,” She added in a whisper, then panted heavily as if she was close to having a panic attack, only to immediately stop and breathe in relief. “Well, that makes a ton of sense! I was almost worried, there,” She laughed to herself as she wiped the sweat off her forehead.

Shouldn’t she be worried at least a little bit?

“No siree!” She replied eagerly before looking around in confusion. “How am I supposed to go home?” She asked out loud while scratching the back of her head.

Don’t ask me! I’m only the narrator!

Still, her confusion was expected. She was stranded in a whole different universe (if her instincts were right) and had no way of going back because she simply had no knowledge of magic! Could she find the stone here, too, and use it to go back? Would it even exist if magic didn’t in this world? Eh, she was probably wrong about this world having no magic anyway! It was silly to think about! How would the sun move without any magic? Ah! It wouldn’t!

And it was definitely moving right now! Or was it? She stared at the sun intently, as if engaged in a fierce staring contest with the celestial body, determined to detect even the slightest hint of movement. The intense gaze made her feel as if her eyes were about to melt, but she persisted, unwilling to let go. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she believed she witnessed a minuscule shift, an inch perhaps. At least she thought it moved an inch or maybe her eyes actually got damaged from that…

Suddenly, something poked her in the side, making her wince in pain as she looked at her butt to see a dart protruding from it.

“Hey! That’s not… Nice…” She mumbled weakly before collapsing, falling asleep nearly instantly.

The last thing Pinkie felt as the world faded into darkness was being dragged on the ground by something cold with an unyielding grip around her neck.

The pink earth pony groggily opened her mouth as she groaned tiredly, then attempted to stand up, only to fail. She swiftly opened her eyes in panic before looking down and checking her hooves. She was strapped to a steel table with straps that seemed even tougher than the table itself. Looking up, she was tempted to cover her eyes as she realized she was in a beam of light, making her unable to see anything but shadows beyond the edge of the table.

She blinked a few times until her eyes adjusted a bit and allowed her to see a bit further. Fortunately, she didn’t need to focus much since a few more lights began blinking. It seemed she was in some kind of laboratory straight out of a comic book!

“Anypony here? Is it a surprise welcome party? Because you really outdid yourself with the surprise factor!” Pinkie sniggered joyfully until pounding footsteps made the ground shake.

“A party? Hardly,” A familiar voice replied as the footsteps got closer and closer. Finally managing to pinpoint where they were coming from, Pinkie looked up to see someone climbing down the walls from above.

The voice was familiar because it belonged to someone she knew very well: Twilight Sparkle! However, she was much different from the one she knew. This Twilight had no horn or wings. She also had a lab coat and glasses. The most shocking aspect of her was also the fact that 8 mechanical tentacles seemed to be coming out of her back. The scariest part about them was the claws at their end, which looked like they allowed Twilight to easily climb up and down the walls.

“Twilight!” Pinkie exclaimed happily, reassured now that she knew that it was one of her friends.

“Yes, yes, you know my name! It doesn’t sound like you fear it, though! Very stupid. And also stupid of you to turn into one of my friends, changeling,” The lab Twilight replied while shaking her head. “You could have been sneakier, you know?”

“What? I’m not a changeling! Besides, they’re the good guys, now!” Pinkie retorted in confusion as Twilight scoffed.

“Do you think I’m an idiot? Still… There is something strange about you…” Twilight mumbled while moving her face closer to Pinkie’s, narrowing her eyes as she studied her face. “No matter how many analyses I make, I just can’t find any proof that you are a changeling!”

“Because I’m not, silly! I come from a parallel world!” Pinkie responded excitedly as Twilight didn’t seem to react in any way. Instead, she used her mechanical arms to move around the room some more, looking at various screens out of Pinkie’s field of view. The pink pony did notice that her fellow earth pony still haven’t stepped foot on the floor even once.

“If I had a bit every time I heard that excuse… Well, I would have two bits, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice,” The lavender pony chuckled as she lowered herself near Pinkie’s level again.

“But it’s true! I’m super friends with you! And we saved Equestria more times than I can count! And beat bad guys, too! Then you became an alicorn! Then we had an alicorn party! And flash forward to earlier, a magical stone crashed in Equestria, then my Twilight did something to it and I got here! See? Pretty easy to understand, right?” Pinkie wiggled her eyebrows as Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Oh, please. Magic doesn’t exist, unlike what Trixie Lulamoon will try to tell you,”

“Oh, yeah? Then how come pegasi fly?” Pinkie asked in a challenging tone as Twilight deadpanned.

“With their wings, duh!”

“Okay… Well, who moves the sun and the moon?” Pinkie inquired further as the lavender unicorn paused, then burst out laughing.

“What kind of question is that? Oh, this is hilarious! The sun doesn’t move, dummy! Equus does! Equus is located in the sun’s orbit because of the sun’s powerful gravitational pull. As Equus moves in its orbit, it also rotates on its axis, causing day and night. The combination of Equus’ rotation and its orbital motion around the Sun creates a cycle of days, months, and years. The moon follows the same principle by rotating around Equus. That is something even children know!” Twilight explained while shaking her head in amusement.

“Well. That is stupid!” Pinkie commented as Twilight sighed.

“Onto more serious matters… There is one thing that keeps me from getting rid of you. I’m not actually completely positive that you are a changeling,”

“See? I told you!” Pinkie proudly stated while Twilight huffed.

“That doesn’t mean I believe any of your nonsense, and it might actually be worse for you,” Twilight snickered before approaching the party pony. “The changelings’ anatomy allows them to shift their bodies as they please, down to their bones. You could say that their original form is actually that of a blob or a bag of meat due to its malleability. Because of that, when they replicate someone, they become identical. You could cut them open and you would see no differences with the pony they have changed into,” Twilight started saying as Pinkie fought the urge to fall asleep.

She didn’t want a biology lesson! Yet another difference with her world since changelings used magic to turn into someone else. Not whatever Twilight was explaining.

“Meaning you cannot make any tests based on appearance to discover a changeling. However, you are clearly not identical to Pinkie Pie. First of all, you have the same amount of fat, but your bones are thinner. You have those strange tattoos on the sides of your flank,” Twilight stated as one of her claws poked Pinkie in her foreleg, then moved to grab her skull. “Your cranium is also a bit larger. Ironically, your brain is smaller,” She snickered as her claws let go of the party pony.

“Hey! That’s not nice! I’m a big brain!” Pinkie argued offendedly, then huffed.

“And you act a lot like Pinkie, too! Which makes me think that you are perhaps not a changeling. Spike! What are the results!” Twilight asked with a yell as a claw with a red glowing lens in its center came out of one of the walls.

“Blood results: negative. Brain waves: negative. Body also refused to process a piece of meat. Likely scenarios: not a changeling, allergy, stomach problems. Subject also seems to have heavy addiction to sugar, which is highly toxic to changelings,” The claw replied while a holographic screen appeared out of its lens, showing it to Twilight.

“Spike?” Pinkie muttered, which was totally ignored by the other pony and the individual claw. “Ah! It’s a robot!” She shouted… And was ignored again.

“The exact same results as earlier. You are not a changeling. So… What are you?” Twilight inquired while swiftly walking around Pinkie’s strapped form with the help of her claws, making loud clanking sounds with every step. “Some kind of defective clone? Or maybe you’re a hidden twin… Her evil twin! Or an advanced bio-droid made to look like Pinkie,” She added excitedly as Pinkie shook her head while smiling.

“Nope! I’m from another world! But being a robot would be really cool!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed while laughing. “What is this?” She pointed with her snout at a random object in the room.

“Why, a particle accelerator, of course!” Twilight happily answered.

“And this?” She pointed at something else.

“The Harmotron 4000!”

“Oh, oh! And this?”

“That’s a coffee machine… Powered by a nuclear reactor!”

“Awesome! Even if I don’t know what that is!” Pinkie laughed while the second pony was swiftly nodding.

“You are so fascinating! I can’t wait to study you!” Twilight said excitedly as one of her claws adjusted her glasses.

“Study me? You can’t study me, silly! You can’t study ponies! You’re supposed to study books! Come on, you’re supposed to be the smart one, Twilight,” Pinkie snickered, making the lavender unicorn chuckle.

“It seems you don’t get it. That’s okay! I’ll put it in a way you can understand!” Twilight smiled widely as she used her claws to climb on the wall. She had moved with those mechanical arms so fast that she almost seemed like a gross bug, which nearly made Pinkie gag. “With a song!” The lavender pony shouted as she pulled several levers, turning on music.

“I love songs!” Pinkie wanted to clap her hooves, but considering she was strapped to a table, she was unlikely to succeed.

Time for my introduction!
I am Twilight Sparkle, the most brilliant scientist in Equestria
And former apprentice of Chancellor IX Celestia
But most of all known as the Master of Destruction!

“Just kidding! But I wouldn’t mind if someone called me that,” Twilight giggled as she hung from the wall with the help of four of her claws, then pointed one of the others at Spike. “Your turn, Spike!”

The robot made a sound akin to a sigh before nodding.

Created for the sole purpose of serving
If I had a soul, I would think that’s a bit unnerving
But I’m an A.I., so who the hell is gonna ask my opinion?
The name’s Spike, which stands for Smooth
Popular
Irresistible
Kickass
Enigmatic

Spike sang in a robotic voice, which sounded like it was adjusted to make the best voice possible for singing, but held nearly no emotions.

“Actually, S.P.I.K.E stands for “Super Processing Intelligent and Knowledgeable Entity”, but shush,” Twilight whispered to one of her cameras, then sang again.

Enough playing!
On this operating table, you will be staying
To study you, I will take out your brain
Although there’s not much I will gain

Twilight laughed again and Pinkie just knew she was referring to the size of her brain again! She was so offended that she missed the part where Twilight said she would cut out her brain.

But first! There need to be more experiments!
And this time, nothing as simple as taking your measurements
Maybe we’ll try some dissections
See how your body reacts to one or two injections

Twilight happily sang as she ran around her lab with the help of her claws, which moved a few things out of the way to show various experiments of hers. There were many tanks filled with green liquid and creatures in them. Thankfully, none of them were ponies, but the state they were in wasn’t really reassuring. Some were missing limbs, others were missing heads. One was clearly a bunny, which seemed to have mutated into a pony-sized meat-eating monster. There was also some kind of tall hairless monkey (which kinda looked like a pony she knew) with four arms.

Now I know I sound crazy
But I’m simply a respectful mad scientist
Would you rather have one that’s lazy?

“If you still don’t get it, time for the refrain!” Twilight shouted as she landed with her tentacles on the wall facing Pinkie.

To study you, I will take out your brain
Although there’s not much I will gain
Maybe we’ll try some dissections
See how your body reacts to one or two injections

You’ve probably noticed,
But I love experimentation!
There is nothing greater than scientific gratification

At least, this is what I’ve been told
Ever since I was small
Now behold!

Twilight jumped and landed right in front of Pinkie, her tentacle claws slamming against the ground and the table, holding it in place as the lavender pony showed off two of the metallic appendages.

Electrification
Decapitation
Radiation
Experimentation!

She finished excitedly as all of her claws suddenly turned into different tools, one of them being a circular saw.

“I-Isn’t that a bit too close, Twilight?” Pinkie chuckled nervously while the saw was dangerously approaching her head.

“Remain calm and everything will be okay! This is for science!” Twilight exclaimed, ready to cut the pony until she suddenly stopped.

“Twilight!” Someone shouted in annoyance, making Twilight’s tentacles turn back into claws.

Pinkie breathed out in relief as the sounds of ponies rapidly approaching stopped the lavender pony in her tracks. The doors of the lab were slammed open as several ponies came in, all of which Pinkie recognized! They were her friends! There was even a version of her! Except they had no cutie marks and Rarity was an earth pony.

“Girls? What are you doing down there? And why did you take the stairs?” She inquired in confusion.

“Because the elevator’s broken again,” Rarity replied as the other Pinkie ran past her until she stopped in front of the original Pinkie.

“Oh, hey! I didn’t know I had a twin sister!” No magic Pinkie greeted her double strapped on the table.

“Hi!” Pinkie greeted her back.

“The real question is what are you doing here? We were supposed to have a double date with Rarity and AJ! Don’t tell me you’re making clones again!” Rainbow Dash stomped the floor in annoyance as she noticed the second Pinkie Pie. “Don’t you remember what happened last time?”

“Oh, come on! It’s not like we never dealt with that much collateral damage before! I’m not making clones anyway! This is different,” Twilight argued stubbornly as the blue pegasus rolled her eyes.

“H-Hey! Wait a second… Did you say… Double date?” Pinkie, the one still strapped on the table, asked with her legs shaking.

The other ponies looked at one another, mostly hesitant if they should answer since they didn’t even know what kind of experiment she was. However, Twilight did not seem to care much about answering or not while she pouted.

“Uhm, yeah?” Rainbow replied while putting a foreleg over Twilight’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, Rarity was awfully close to Applejack, which didn’t go unnoticed by the second party pony. Finally, after several long seconds, Pinkie put two and two together while staring at the two pairs.

She couldn’t stop herself from screaming.

Author's Note

Hope you enjoyed it! I struggled HARD to write that song, and I don't even know why I'm torturing myself with this, but please go easy on me. The only songs I ever wrote were for fanfictions about MLP (3 in total excluding this one).

This chapter is a bit longer than the previous ones, which were kind of short because they served as an introduction to each universe. Not saying the next chapters will be super long since I don't know how long I'll make them, but I'll stop trying to make them short because they serve as introduction, at least.

Next chapter won't be about Twilight. I plan for each chapter to follow a different pony, and I wanted to do it in the same order I wrote these first chapters, meaning the next one should be Rainbow Dash, then Fluttershy etc... Unless there is a universe you are more excited for. You can tell me about it, and I'll think about changing the order if it pleases me too.

As for why I won't do Twilight yet, it's because I think I'll keep her for very last. Meaning when the adventures of the others are finished or nearing the end because her side of the story will explain a lot of things, and I want to keep that mystery until the end.

Thanks for reading!

Mourning

Universe 19884

Absolutely everything hurt, but it honestly didn’t feel as serious as you would think. At least, it didn’t feel like anything was broken. Her skin slightly burned, too. She didn’t receive that many cuts, did she? Why did she have scratches again? What was she doing earlier? Memories slowly started flooding back into her mind… The timberwolf attack, the stone, and Twilight’s message. A whole new world… and Applejack.

She needed to wake up! Rainbow Dash groaned, her head throbbing with pain as she struggled to regain consciousness. The world around her felt hazy like she was trapped in a foggy dream. With great effort, she managed to pry open her heavy eyelids, only to be greeted by a disorienting blur. The room spun before her, leaving her feeling dizzy and disoriented. She could sense the softness of bed sheets beneath her, their comforting touch reminding her that she was lying down on a mattress. Maybe taking a nap wouldn’t be too bad…

There were voices around her, most of which she recognized. If what Twilight said earlier was true, then she already had an idea who these ponies were. Now wasn’t the time to sleep, was it?

Rainbow Dash groaned as she forced herself to open her eyes, and from the sound of it, attracted everyone’s attention to her.

“She’s waking up!” Applejack’s voice pointed out as frantic footsteps approached Rainbow Dash’s bed.

“Dashie!”

“Rainbow…”

The blue pegasus blinked rapidly, her vision sharpening as she focused on the figures surrounding her. As expected, it was her friends! Or at least, versions of her friends… Most of them were teary-eyed, clearly holding their tears back. Although Fluttershy made no effort to hide them. The clearer her vision became, the more heartbroken she was. All of them seemed devastated and so, so tired. Unfortunately, not simply tired physically.

Pinkie’s mane was deflated and straight, and that was enough to tell Rainbow Dash that she lost her smile. The one thing everyone wanted to protect about her. Her hooves bore the undeniable marks of hard labor—dirtied and cracked, a testament to the arduous manual work she had undertaken. A quick glance at Applejack revealed a similar condition, indicating their shared toil. The other ponies, while also displaying signs of strain on their hooves, showed less severe wear and tear in comparison.

Some feathers were missing on Fluttershy’s wings, which looked like they hadn’t been used in a long time. For pegasi, regular flight was essential to maintain the strength and health of their wings. The lack of flight not only weakened the muscles but also caused the wings to become thinner and more fragile. It was akin to someone being bedridden for months, forgetting how to use their legs. Fluttershy’s wings were thinner and seemed weaker. Rainbow couldn’t remember the last time she saw a pegasus in such a condition.

Rainbow Dash turned her gaze to Rarity, taking note of the disheveled state of her usually impeccable mane. Although it was not as bad as how Applejack’s mane became (which wasn’t even tied in a ponytail anymore). She couldn’t help but wonder if this Rarity even bothered styling up her mane and tail in recent times, which was something someone like her would never forget. However, what truly caught her off guard was the sight of Rarity wearing a tattered and worn-out dress.

The only ones missing were Twilight, Spike… and herself. The “herself” of this world. That was so weird to think about… That she had a double somewhere. Even the ponies around her weren’t technically the ones she knew, but they looked… approximately the same. And seemed as worried as her own friends would have been when seeing her in such a devastated state.

And their cutie marks. Oh, Celestia… Their cutie marks were all gone.

“Where am I?” Rainbow Dash finally dared to ask before putting a hoof on her forehead as her head suddenly throbbed in pain. “That’s right… I’ve landed in Ponyville, didn’t I?” She grumbled as Fluttershy quickly approached her, keeping her from sitting up.

“Stay in bed! You have to rest if you don’t want to reopen your wounds,” She ordered softly. Her tone alone made Rainbow lay down, unwilling to upset Fluttershy.

“Applejack told us you’ve been attacked by timberwolves apparently, dear… Is that true?” Rarity asked hesitantly while the other ponies remained silent as if keeping themselves from talking about the elephant in the room. Obviously, she didn’t know what the elephant was since she wasn’t from here, but this was… strange.

“Yeah… There were so many of them. And since when do they fly? Why the hay did they have wings?” The rainbow-maned pegasus replied while looking herself over, noticing there were bandages all over her body.

“Tirek infused them with his magic and turned them into some kinds of demonic pets. They're out there huntin' down any hint of magic that he might've overlooked,” Applejack decided to be the one to explain. The others stayed still. Clearly, they weren’t even sure if they should talk.

All of them seemed in disbelief, and about to break down any second. Rainbow Dash wasn’t an expert, but even someone as oblivious as her could see it. The fact that this was another world was still a bit hard to accept, but she trusted Twilight’s message. Considering Tirek won here, and she along with Twilight and Spike were missing… She was fearing for the worst. But then again… Should she care? Those ponies… It wasn’t like they were actually her friends… Just variations of them. Wasn’t it like the duplicates from the mirror pond Pinkie Pie used? All she had to do was ignore their worries for a little bit, get information on this world, find that stone, and go back home! Yet… When she looked at them, she didn’t see duplicates or fakes. And deep down, she also knew they were as real as her own friends.

What was she thinking? Even if it was a whole other universe, they were still her friends, weren’t they?! Forget asking about Tirek! Now she needed to know what happened to the rest of their group!

“Okay, I can tell you want to say something, so just say it,” Rainbow finally broke the silence as the ponies looked at one another.

“Are you real?” Pinkie Pie inquired, making the pegasus widen her eyes in surprise.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She asked as Fluttershy stepped forward.

“Because… Because you’re supposed to be dead. We saw you die with our own eyes, Rainbow…” She answered as Rainbow gulped.

So that was it. Her counterpart died. Is that why Tirek won? Why? Why did she die here? Did she make a mistake or do something dumb? She couldn’t have, right?! She couldn’t just die and let her friends behind like this!

She swiftly noticed that the others were expecting her to respond, so she broke out of her thoughts, reminding her to feel guilty (for her counterpart’s failure) later.

“I’m real,” She simply said, and everyone immediately ran up to her. She was quickly trapped in a tight embrace between the four ponies, slowly squishing her. “Girls, can’t breathe…” She muttered while they openly cried just as Applejack did when they met.

“I don’t know how! I don’t know what miracle made this possible! And I don’t care as long I know you’re real!” Rarity wept while hiding her face in Rainbow’s neck.

“Please, don’t leave us again!” Fluttershy added while holding on to the other pegasus’ wings.

“We gotta have a welcome back party!” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, getting her mane inflated for a second before it became straight again.

“Come on, girls. Let her breathe a bit,” Applejack sniffled as she and the others stepped back.

Pretty much everything was clear to Rainbow Dash now. They’ve just confirmed that her counterpart died and that… That Tirek reigned over Equestria. She still had no idea what happened to the rest of their group, but before asking further questions… How would she proceed? They truly believed she was their Rainbow Dash! They didn’t even check to see if she was telling the truth and immediately assumed she somehow came back from the dead! Because… They were that desperate to think that their friend was actually back.

Should she tell them the truth and break their hearts? Destroy their hopes? She could just say she didn’t know how she was back, then they would work together to beat Tirek. Maybe the chest at the Tree of Harmony didn’t open because she died in this universe, but now that she was here, she could save this world. She still had to look for that magic stone, too. Yes, the stone… They would discover the truth once she obtained the stone and had to leave. She would break their hearts, then. Worst of all, she would have lied to them the entire time. They would have felt used… She knew she would if she was in their boots. How could she do that to them?

No, she had to tell them the truth now. They had to know that she wasn’t their Rainbow Dash. That she would have to leave eventually, and that their friend… wouldn’t be coming back. She breathed in and out a few times before finally getting the courage to talk.

“I… I’m sorry,” She decided to start by apologizing, getting confused looks from her friends. Before any of them could ask anything, she continued. “I’m not the pony you think I am,” She revealed as any happiness they had shown until now immediately vanished.

“W-What do you mean? No pony looks exactly like Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy softly inquired with distinct fear in her tone.

“Unless you’re a changeling,” Rarity mumbled with uncertainty.

“But that ain’t possible,” Applejack added as Rainbow Dash sighed. Yeah, this was going to hurt.

“You’ll think I sound crazy, but… I am Rainbow Dash. I’m just not the Rainbow Dash you know. I’m from another universe,” She admitted as the other ponies stayed silent, shock visible on their faces.

Suddenly, Pinkie let out a clearly forced laugh, bringing everyone’s attention to her.

“T-That was super funny, Dashie! But it’s not time for jokes, you know?” She snickered nervously.

“I wouldn’t joke about that, Pinkie. Especially when it seems like things aren’t great,” Rainbow retorted. “We… Twilight was experimenting with something, and it sent us to different universes, I guess. She sent me a message earlier, telling me what I need to do to go back home. That’s the gist of it,” She insisted. She wasn’t even sure if she explained it well or clearly enough for them to understand. Honestly, she really wished she didn’t even have to considering their reactions were exactly what she was expecting.

“I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true,” Applejack muttered with her legs shaking and her teeth gritted. She was shaking in anger, that was certain. However, it seemed she was keeping herself from screaming.

“Another universe? But that’s not possible, is it?” Fluttershy asked with a trembling voice.

“Hey! Don’t lose hope now, girls! Dashie’s obviously kidding! Come on, tell them! The joke’s been going on long enough!” Pinkie exclaimed as Rarity grabbed her before she could run up to Rainbow Dash.

“I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. I-I’m not happy to tell you this, believe me,” The blue pegasus stammered as Applejack suddenly kicked one of her chairs and broke it into pieces.

“Then leave! Do whatever ya have to do, and go back to your home!” She shouted with tears threatening to fall.

Rainbow jerked her head back, dumbfounded at Applejack’s sudden snapping. She went from being calm to destroying furniture in only a mere second.

“Applejack!” Rarity admonished her as the earth pony turned around to face her.

“What? Ah knew it was too good to be true! Ah told you there had to be a catch!” Applejack hid her face behind her hat. “Almost wished it was a changeling…” She muttered just loudly enough for them to hear her.

“So… It’s true, then? You’re not joking?” Pinkie asked, still not fully convinced of what the blue pegasus said.

“Yes. I’m sorry, Pinkie,” Rainbow uttered. She was aware that telling the truth was the right thing to do, but she never thought it would hurt this much.

Pinkie lowered her head, hiding her face behind her mane while the others looked completely downcast. It was as if they had simply shut down, making it known that any attempt at starting a conversation would end up in failure on her part. And who could blame them, she gave them a false sense of hope (admittedly not on purpose) and took it away instantly.

Fluttershy held on to Rarity for support while the unicorn rubbed the pegasus’ back. Meanwhile, Applejack sulked a bit further away. It seemed that she calmed herself enough to avoid breaking the furniture further. Rainbow Dash was hesitant to talk now… She couldn’t find that stone without any help, but she felt like asking for help now would be inconsiderate. Yet it wasn’t as if she wouldn’t help them, too. There was no way she would leave this world into the hands of Tirek! And she still had to find out what happened to Twilight. Did she die, too?

Suddenly, Pinkie lifted her head and smiled, making Rainbow widen her eyes in surprise.

“Then we’ll help you!” She declared joyfully and eagerly.

“What?” Everyone in the room spouted.

“Excuse me, Pinkie… But don’t we already have our own problems to deal with? No offense, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity pointed out while Applejack nodded in agreement.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love the help, but why? I told you I’m not your Rainbow Dash. You technically don’t even know me,” Rainbow commented as the others quieted down to listen to Pinkie’s response.

“It wouldn’t be the first time we help somepony we don’t know. Besides, no matter the universe, I’ll always be Rainbow Dash’s friend. And that includes you, too! And I think the others can’t deny that either,” She explained as she looked at her other friends.

Applejack sighed, then finally approached them again.

“She’s right. As disappointed as this whole ordeal makes me… I just can’t let down a friend. Besides, knowin’ RD’s one-track mind, Ah’m sure you ain’t that different from her,” She said reluctantly.

“I don’t think I could ever live with myself if I ever let somepony down when they really need help,” Rarity agreed, standing up with more vigor than before. Fluttershy’s eyes traveled from friend to friend until they settled on Rainbow Dash, and gave her the strength to stand by Rarity’s side.

“Rainbow has always been there to help me when I needed it… Maybe this time, it’s my turn,” She spoke softly.

Rainbow Dash couldn't contain her smile as she felt the unwavering confidence emanating from her friends. Doubts that had clouded her mind dissipated as she realized that no matter the circumstances or location, her friends would always be there to offer their support. Even if in the shape of alternate selves.

“Alright, I’ll tell you everything about the stone that brought me to this place, but in return, you tell me everything that happened here! I won’t go home until I’ve helped you defeat Tirek!” Rainbow declared proudly.

“Finally somepony with optimism around here! I love that!” Pinkie remarked with a wide smile.

“Exactly as I said…” Applejack shook her head in amusement. Even if it wasn’t the real Rainbow… Seeing her smile and hearing her voice… Was enough to make her feel hope again.

Rainbow Dash didn’t tell them her whole life story to compare the differences between this world and hers. She immediately got to the point and told them about the stone and Twilight’s message. They were all shocked, understandably, since they didn’t even know there were other universes. Well, Rainbow didn’t know either before getting here, but she did wonder if the princesses knew about it.

“A stone from space? That’s freaky!” Pinkie commented as Rarity put a hoof on her chin, suddenly reminded of something.

“You know… That reminds me of something. Didn’t a meteorite crash nearby a couple of months ago?” She inquired as Fluttershy widened her eyes.

“Right! But nopony had the opportunity to check it out because timberwolves infested the crashing site,” She responded as the white unicorn nodded.

“If it’s really a magical stone, then the timberwolves must have taken it to Tirek,” She theorized as Applejack groaned.

“Exactly what we needed!” She complained in annoyance.

“Nah, that’s great! I won’t have to look for it around the world, at least. And I already said that I would help you defeat Tirek, anyway. We might as well hit two birds with one stone,” Rainbow Dash interjected, making Fluttershy squeal at the mention of hurting birds.

“I like your optimism…” Applejack started weakly before being interrupted.

“What did Tirek do to Equestria? What happened after he won?” The blue pegasus questioned as the ponies shifted uncomfortably.

“He stole all the magic in the world, of course,” A calm and familiar voice answered Rainbow Dash’s question, making her look at the doorframe, where Discord was standing. However, he seemed as downcast as the others, and as bruised up. His fingers and feet bore the telltale signs of dirt and grime, akin to someone accustomed to toiling in laborious tasks.

“Discord?”

“The one and only,” He answered as he walked in. Now that was something she rarely saw.

“We told him to wait outside in case…” Fluttershy began nervously.

“In case you were still angry at his betrayal and blamed him for your death. But considering you’re not exactly the same… I suppose it’s fine,” Rarity explained.

“What about you? You forgave him?” Rainbow asked in a curious tone.

“We’re still workin’ on it,” Applejack answered while Discord awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.

“Ever since Tirek stole all the magic in the world. Equestria had been in decline. Earth Ponies can barely tend the land, which isn’t enough to prevent the plant life from slowly dying as you have seen. Other races that didn’t need magic in the first place send us supplies, but that is not enough,” Discord continued somberly.

“Pegasi can’t take care of the weather. They can’t even access cloud cities anymore, so there are places where it hasn’t rained in years and other ones where there’s a huge storm every week. We’ve lost so many ponies already… And Tirek, ever so hungry for power, infused the timberwolves with his magic so that they chase and bring him anypony with magic left,” Rarity added while shaking her head.

“Wait! What about my parents? They lived in Cloudsale! Are they okay?”

“They’re fine. We found them a place to stay here in Ponyville. Ah didn’t call them because I wasn’t sure… That you were you,” Applejack replied, making Rainbow breathe in relief. Again, they weren’t technically her parents, but she was still worried about them. Maybe visiting them wouldn’t be so bad?

“This… Is a lot to take in,” Rainbow commented as she slumped on the bed. “How did he win? Also w-what about Twilight and Spike? I haven’t seen them and you haven’t mentioned them even once,” She inquired, making them all silent. Everyone in the room except for her shifted nervously, unwilling to answer. Ultimately, Rarity sighed as she stepped forward;

“Twilight…” She began before closing her mouth and looking away.

“Don’t tell me she’s…”

“She isn’t dead! At least, as far as we know, she isn’t,” Rarity quickly reassured Rainbow Dash before taking a deep breath. “I think all of us can vividly remember that day as if we just lived it…”

Suspended in the air, Twilight’s friends and Discord were trapped inside bubbles as the alicorn glared at the one that imprisoned them, Tirek.

“Well? Your magic in exchange for your friends’ lives! This seems like a fair deal to me, Princess Twilight,” Lord Tirek suggested as Twilight’s angry glare wavered, her eyes shifting toward her friends.

“No! Don’t do it, Twilight!” Applejack shouted in panic.

“Just kick his butt!” Pinkie added wholeheartedly.

“We’re not worth it…” Fluttershy whispered with a trembling voice.

“Oh, but you are, Fluttershy. You are the pony that taught me that Friendship is Magic. I had friendship and magic, and now I have neither…” Discord interjected as he hid his face between his hands.

“I…” Twilight’s breathing fastened, and her legs shook. It seemed the whole world was blurry and buzzing, making it near impossible for her to even hear what the others were saying. What should she do? What was she supposed to do? What was the RIGHT thing to do? But the more she worried and the more she agonized over this choice, the harder it became to breathe.

“Don’t worry about us, Twilight! We’ll be fine!” Rarity assured as Twilight hesitantly looked up.

“But…” She was ready to argue, only to be stopped.

“She’s right! That guy wouldn’t be enough to take us out! You can trust us, we’ll be fine!” Rainbow Dash added with confidence.

“I–I can’t just risk it!” Twilight stammered as her friends continued crying to her to fight. She couldn’t… She couldn’t!

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash called out to her, meeting her eyes. “You can beat him before he even does anything to us! I know you can! We all do!” She assured her.

The alicorn looked at all her friends, and she could just feel the trust they had for her. They thought she could win and that she could save them without giving up on her magic. She was their hope… She couldn’t let them down, could she?

“Enough blabbering! Have you made your decision yet?! If you haven’t, then I will pick one of them and…” Tirek began threatening her until he was suddenly hit by a gigantic blast of magic, and pushed back several meters away.

“HYA!” Twilight yelled before releasing another stream of magic, willing to completely obliterate Tirek if it was what it took to stop him.

The centaur barely had any time to react and was unable to counter her attack as he was thrown back again. With blood running down his chin, he growled at the sight of his bruised and bloodied body. However, to him, that was only a minor setback. He quickly snapped his fingers, stopping Twilight in her next attack as the alicorn widened her eyes and glanced at her friends.

Two blades suddenly came out of the bubble and stabbed the rainbow-maned pegasus in her neck and stomach, spilling her blood under the ponies and the draconequus’ horrified gazes.

“NO! Rainbow!” Twilight screamed just as her friends did before flying toward the bubble, which popped a second later and dropped the pegasus on the ground. Thankfully, the princess was able to catch her before she could reach it. “R-Rainbow! Oh, no! Oh, no! It’s gonna be okay! I-I’ll heal you right up!” Twilight assured her as she began looking over the fallen pegasus’ body. What spell? What spell could she use? What could produce a big enough miracle to save her friend’s life?

Fluttershy held her mouth with her hooves to stop herself from screaming even more while tears streamed down her face. Spike looked ready to puke while Rarity wasn’t faring any better. Even Applejack was slamming her head against the bubble, desperately trying to break it.

They were all desperate, and they were all acting like Rainbow Dash was already dead! Why would they do that?! Twilight couldn’t understand as her eyes traveled all over Rainbow’s body while she went through all the spells she knew.

Rainbow’s heart had stopped, but that didn’t mean she was gone yet! F-First, she needed to do a cardiac massage! With all her magic, it should be easy! Her eyes watered as her horn lit up, forcing Rainbow’s heart to beat again by using her magical grab. Still, she knew that wouldn’t be enough! There was already so much blood lost… If she could just close the wounds, then they’ll get her a blood transfusion! Easy!

Even in the face of something so gruesome, which she had never witnessed before. She didn’t relent once! She wouldn’t give up on her! Yet, no matter what she tried… Rainbow remained with her eyes closed. Even when Twilight’s hooves were covered in the pegasus’ blood, she continued to hope it was only a minor loss and that they could fix it later.

Her friends shouted and called out her name, but the alicorn couldn’t hear them. She couldn’t just stop and listen because if she did, then she wouldn’t save Rainbow!

“C-Can you hear me, Rainbow?! I’ll stop the bleeding soon, I promise! S-Somehow! Say something! Let me know you’re conscious!” Twilight cried desperately. “Please! Please, say something! It’ll be fine! L-Look! You’re not bleeding as much!” She begged her to respond while the centaur smirked.

To him, that was a pathetic but satisfying display. Watching her try to save that pony was enough to make the beating he took worth it! He wasn’t worried that she would save her either. He knew how to kill, and he could say for certain that this pegasus died instantly once she was skewered.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s all my fault, but it’ll be fine now! Please, just say something…” Twilight pleaded again as she held Rainbow’s body in her hooves. The pegasus had gone pale, making her heart beat by force didn’t even do anything anymore, and… Twilight choked as tears dropped over her friend. Finally, she stopped trying to reanimate the pegasus and gently placed Rainbow’s body on the ground before clenching her teeth and turning around to face the centaur. Her horn flared with a powerful light as magic burst out of her body and completely surrounded her. “TIREK! I will KILL you!” She screamed, full of rage.

Tirek grunted in worry. This was a bad sign and he didn’t need to be a genius to figure out that avoiding the fight might mean a better outcome for him.

“Do as you wish, but know that the instant my heart stops, so do theirs!” He retorted as he snapped his fingers again and the bubbles the others were trapped in glew orange. This was enough to immediately stop Twilight in her tracks.

“Wait!” She shouted as the light from her magic died down. She looked at her friends, all unwilling to meet her eyes as they either cried or bashed their heads against the bubbles to get out. She looked down in defeat. “You win. Please, release my friends and you will have my magic in exchange,”

This time, none of her friends protested. She doubted it was because they wanted to live more than to save Equestria, but because they still couldn’t process what happened to Rainbow Dash.

“Good. Finally some common sense,” Tirek smirked as he let Spike and the others, except for Discord, out of their bubbles.

They dropped to the ground, yelping in pain before they all quickly ran up to Rainbow’s body. Although, the little dragon decided he wasn’t ready for such a sight and stayed behind. Twilight fought back against the rising bile in her throat and glanced at the remaining bubble, still floating in the air.

“Release ALL of my friends!” She ordered while pointing at Discord, who didn’t dare look her way.

“You still consider him a friend?! Even after he betrayed you?! Even when he is also responsible for your miserable little friend’s death?!” Tirek hollered in incomprehension as the alicorn glared at him.

“RELEASE HIM!” She stomped the ground. “There’s been enough death today…” She added a little quieter.

“As you wish, princess,” Tirek mumbled in annoyance before letting Discord out of the bubble. “No tricks. If you try anything, I can still kill your friends,”

“Thank you… Twilight,” Discord thanked her weakly.

“Now to take my prize,” Tirek smiled widely and excitedly before opening his mouth.

Agonizing cries escaped Twilight's lips as she felt her magical essence being mercilessly drained from her horn. It was as if her own soul was being torn apart! As the seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity, the last traces of her magic were forcibly extracted. She collapsed to the ground as the centaur grew larger and stronger, becoming more powerful.

“Yes! HAHAHA! Finally!” The centaur celebrated before shooting a gigantic orange beam and annihilating an entire mountain in the distance. He left soon after to wreak more havoc, uncaring of what the ponies he just defeated were doing.

Twilight released a pained grunt as she stood up again, struggling to lift her own weight now that she had nearly no strength left anymore.

“Twilight! Are you okay?” Spike ran up to her.

“I’m not the one you should ask that, Spike…” She replied, showing Rainbow’s blood still staining her coat. Meanwhile, the others were sitting around the pegasus’ body. They exchanged no words, but they didn’t need to. The despair in their eyes was palpable, and their cries easily tore at Twilight’s soul.

She did this. It was her mistake. Her mistake cost her one of her dearest friends. She nearly choked on her spit as tears threatened to fall again, but held them back. She couldn’t just cause someone’s death and cry right after doing so.

Discord hesitantly approached her, holding the medallion around his neck in his hand.

“Twilight… I… I’m sorry,” He said as sincerely as possible, to the point that she could finally tell for certain that Discord was genuine for once. “I thought Tirek could offer me something more valuable than friendship, and I was wrong. I realize that now. There is nothing worth more, but because of my selfishness… I,” He looked down in shame. “And even after what I’ve done, you still called me your friend. Thank you,” He managed to utter before taking the medallion and putting it around Twilight’s neck, while she stared at him in confusion. “Tirek told me that this was given as a sign of gratitude and loyalty, only to betray me… But when I tell you that this is a sign of our true friendship, I am telling the truth,”

Twilight remained silent and closed her eyes, keeping her tears from spilling out. She did consider him a friend still, but if she were to talk to him now, then there was a high chance she would say something she regretted.

The draconequus averted his gaze once more, his expression filled with shame and regret. With a heavy sigh, he turned and began to walk away, sensing his presence was no longer desired or welcomed. Not a single soul made an attempt to halt his departure, as they were consumed by their own grief and sorrow. In solemn silence, he left them behind, leaving them to their mourning and allowing them the space they needed.

Twilight breathed, then walked in the opposite direction, not intending to look back… Until she was stopped by her friends’ voice.

“Twilight! Where are you going?” Pinkie asked in confusion, her eyes red from crying.

The alicorn turned around as the earth pony was joined by her other friends, looking expectantly at Twilight. The lavender pony glanced one final time at Rainbow Dash’s body before looking into her friends’ eyes.

“I’m leaving,” She simply answered, making them gasp.

“But where?” Rarity inquired while Twilight looked away.

“I don’t know. Somewhere. Does it even matter where?” Twilight wiped tears away. “We lost. It’s over, and… I killed my best friend. I can’t stay here any longer, so… Goodbye,” She said before turning around and walking away.

Fluttershy raised her hoof, ready to call her name and stop her, but lowered it a second later with her mouth shut. Spike quickly ran after Twilight, following her on her departure while the rest of their friends stayed behind, unable to say anything.

“When she left… None of us tried to stop her. I suppose that… That a part of us blamed her for your death. It’s been 2 years now, and we haven’t heard from her since then,” Rarity finished her story while Rainbow’s jaw dropped.

“Are you serious?!” The pegasus snapped, as she punched the bed, ignoring her injuries. “How could you just let her walk away when she obviously needed you?! Worst of all, you blamed her?! You know it wasn’t her fault!” She shouted as the four other ponies looked away in guilt. Pinkie even lost the cheery attitude she had a few minutes ago.

“Rainbow Dash, you hafta understand…” Applejack began as Rainbow glared at her.

“Understand what?!”

“We were sad and angry! We saw one of our closest friends die!” Rarity cried, making Rainbow silent.

“Not just a friend. You were like family,” Pinkie added while rubbing one of her forelegs.

“I think we blamed the whole world, Discord, and ourselves, too,” Fluttershy said as Discord stepped back in shame. “But you’re right. We should have been there for her, and we hated ourselves the next day. We never found her, never even knew where to look. It wasn’t exactly easy to think rationally at that time considering the circumstances,” She added as Rainbow Dash calmed down.

“She must have taken it the hardest. Not only 'cause she felt guilty, but also because ya two were so close,” The orange earth pony stated while Rainbow breathed out, thinking about how relationships back in her universe. Yes, she could imagine it. She could imagine the pain. At least, a fraction of it.

“We want her to know that we’re here for her. To let her know that it’s not her fault and that she can mourn with us,” Pinkie declared. The pegasus had to admit that she rarely ever saw her so serious. “So, what should we do?”

“Well… That’s easy! Let’s start by finding Twilight,” Rainbow decided with certainty.

Hay Flambé

Universe 31870

“Wait! I know more things, okay?! Uhm…” Rarity shouted while her eyes nervously traveled from left to right, avoiding the light from Twilight’s horn. “You have a doll -that has a lovely mane by the way- named Smarty Pants!” The white unicorn said while the lavender one raised an eyebrow. “And… And your brother is Shining Armor! Your parents are Night Light and Twilight Velvet! Y-You also love dancing and Daring Do!” Rarity started listing the things she knew about the other unicorn before looking into her eyes pleadingly. “Please, don’t kill me,”

Twilight stayed silent for several seconds, staring into the diva’s eyes as if studying them. Those seconds were probably one of the most agonizing and scary of Rarity’s life, precisely because she risked getting her head blown up by one of her best friends! Suddenly, the light from Twilight’s horn died down as the lavender pony sighed.

“Alright. As far-fetched as your lie may seem… I suppose that you telling the truth isn’t impossible. I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt,” Twilight admitted as Rarity breathed in relief.

“Thank Celestia…” She mumbled to herself as the other unicorn suddenly glared at her.

“Thank who?” She inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“T-Thank Luna!” Rarity quickly replied as the lavender pony nodded in satisfaction. “So… What now?” She asked, and someone knocked on the door before Twilight could even answer.

“Yes?” She yelled, letting the pony on the other side know that they could come in.

As the door swung open, a bat pony clad in gleaming armor and wielding a spear stepped into view. His eyes locked onto Twilight, and he promptly snapped to attention, offering a crisp salute before assuming a rigid posture.

"My Lady, Princess Luna has summoned you. She also requests that you bring the anomaly with you," he reported, his attention solely fixed on Twilight. Rarity couldn't help but sense that she knew precisely what "the anomaly" referred to, although the guard seemed to dismiss her presence entirely.

“Thank you for telling me, I’ll be coming right away. Looks like you have your answer,” Twilight replied, then addressed Rarity, referring to her previous question. Seeing the lavender unicorn walking away, the fashionista figured it was her cue to follow her. “Oh, and one more thing… I absolutely hate dancing,” Twilight added, giving one last look over her shoulder before being on her way.

Rarity chose not to reply and simply followed. She was tempted to tease her about the fact that she likely didn’t know how to dance, which was why she didn’t like it, but she refrained from doing so. She knew that the Twilight from her universe would take it well (because she was already aware she was a terrible dancer), but this version of her friend seemed much more… dangerous to anger.

The Canterlot Castle looked approximately the same as the one from her home universe. Except it was a bit darker and had more black decorations such as the curtains or statues. It was undoubtedly Princess Luna’s influence. Moreover, the stained glass windows didn’t show Princess Celestia even once, only depicting Luna instead. Rarity knew Celestia was the bad guy here, but seeing the difference between the two worlds was a bit shocking, to say the least.

Finally, after walking in silence and having to endure Twilight glancing her way every second, they reached the throne room, which was guarded by two bat ponies. The lavender unicorn simply nodded at them before they opened the door for them.

Rarity gulped as she came in. She didn’t remember Princess Luna being so intimidating… The alicorn was just like the one in her universe, albeit slightly taller. She bore a hardened look while her dark mane flowed over her right eye. A violet crown also sat on top of her head. Twilight kneeled first, then Rarity followed suit.

The white unicorn dared take a small peek at the princess sitting on the throne, and couldn’t help but slightly smile when Luna’s look immediately softened once her eyes landed on her student.

“You can raise your head, her most loyal and precious student,” Princess Luna said as Twilight raised her head. Having received no sign that she could raise her head too, Rarity was tempted to continue kneeling but decided against it. If Princess Luna was like hers, she was sure she could forgive her for such a small transgression. Thankfully, the princess didn’t seem to mind. Looking at the lavender unicorn, she didn’t seem as serious as before. instead, her eyes twinkled with admiration. “Luna has felt a great disturbance in your quarters. It was some kind of anomaly that shook her to the very core. Since she told you to bring it to her, is she right to assume that this is the origin of the disturbance?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow at Princess Luna’s way of speaking. Was… Was she talking about herself? Who was “she” supposed to be here?

“Why is she talking in the third person?” She couldn’t help but mutter out loud, which obviously didn’t go unnoticed by the lavender unicorn. Twilight glared at her while seemingly holding back a shout.

“For your information, this is the royal way of speaking, which is to be used by any and all princesses! I, myself, am training to talk this way for when my time comes,” She whispered angrily, a bit too loudly since Luna looked like she heard their little conversation and cleared her throat. “I, uhm, apologize, Princess. She isn’t very well-mannered, so I was simply giving her a light scolding,”

Rarity nearly wanted to gasp. Since when was she the one without manners? She was simply asking a question out of curiosity, and who wouldn’t when another pony spoke by referring to themselves in the third person? This Twilight was kind of… Well, she didn’t like saying it, but she was kind of a bitch! Although, if that version of Twilight respected Princess Luna as much as her Twilight respected Princess Celestia, then she could understand she would get offended on the princess’ behalf.

“Luna sees… But she still hasn’t heard you explain this anomaly to her,” Princess Luna said as Twilight slightly bowed her head.

“I apologize, Princess. I found her in my room, which shouldn’t have been possible considering all the magical protections in place. She claims to come from a different universe because of a strange magical stone. I had a hard time believing her,” Twilight explained as Luna slightly widened her eyes, but quickly got back to a more impassive look.

“This does seem… Far-fetched, but Luna wouldn’t say it’s impossible. As you know, precious student, there are many powerful artifacts in this world. Who knows what all of them can do?” Princess Luna replied as Twilight bowed her head in agreement. Rarity swiftly noticed that Twilight was much more tempted to agree with what the princess said, even if it seemed outlandish. Suddenly, the monarch glanced at the white unicorn. “What is thy name, young one? Speak it aloud so Luna can hear you,”

“It’s Rarity, Your Highness,” Rarity stepped forward and bowed her head.

“Tell Luna if what her student said is true. You claim you come from another universe?” Luna asked as Rarity nodded in response.

“She also received a message from another Twilight. I’ve witnessed it myself,” Twilight interjected as the princess hummed.

“Another Twilight?” She whispered. “And what was she like?” She questioned her student, who seemed hesitant to answer.

“She… She was an alicorn,” The lavender unicorn finally answered, making Luna raise an eyebrow in surprise.

“Did she complete her training? Did Luna from your universe help her ascend?” She asked Rarity, who looked even more hesitant than Twilight was.

How would Luna react to knowing that it was actually Celestia who took Twilight under her wing? That Princess Luna was the one who welcomed the Nightmare?

“Actually… You didn’t teach my Twilight… It was your sister. Princess Celestia. In my universe, you became Nightmare Moon and wanted to make the night last forever. She had to banish you to the moon for a thousand years. When you came back, Twilight and our friends… made you see reason,” Rarity explained as Luna remained impassive. Her facial features and her body language didn’t betray any emotion.

“So that’s how it is…” Luna whispered to herself, then smiled, surprising Rarity. “Thank you for telling her this. Hearing that there is a universe where Celestia is as bright as she was in the past fills Luna with joy… and hope that her own sister will also see the light and return to her old self one day,”

“Princess Luna… I’m sorry if I overstep any boundaries, but may I know what happened with your sister in your universe?” Rarity inquired, making Twilight widen her eyes in astonishment at her boldness.

“How dare you? Don’t you see it’s a sensitive topic?” The lavender unicorn scolded the fashionista and made her step back as Luna raised a hoof, immediately calming Twilight down.

“Don’t worry, dearest student. Luna is not offended. She supposes there is nothing wrong with telling you if what you said is the truth,” Princess Luna said before sighing. “Luna’s sister had always been… so bright. She was naturally talented in everything, and always outshone Luna. But that was okay, she loved Celestia more than anypony in the world and didn’t mind remaining in her shadow if it allowed the citizens of Equestria to truly appreciate her sister’s light. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. It was never enough. Celestia always wanted more and more. The fact that her citizens loved her sun wasn’t good enough. She wanted them to worship it. She wanted it to remain in the sky forever. She… She wanted to be worshipped,” Lune told her story as Rarity released a small gasp.

“Oh, my…” She mumbled. She didn’t expect this Celestia to be like this. She could never imagine a pony like Celestia craving for ponies to worship her or treat her like a goddess!

“The power she had got to her head, and she began thinking that it was only natural for the world to belong to her. Of course, this also meant that only one alicorn was allowed to exist. She… She thought that her sister was in the way…” Princess Luna stammered, her voice beginning to crack. As stoic as she seemed when she first started telling that story, it was now clear that she was hurting much more than she let on. Twilight ran up to her teacher’s side.

“Princess!” She laid a comforting hoof on one of her wings. It seemed to have worked since Luna sniffled and quickly wiped off the small tears around her eyes before giving her student a reassuring smile.

“However, Celestia knew she loved Luna too much to hurt her. So she did what she thought best to accomplish her goals. She used a forbidden spell and ripped out all the good in her soul… Leaving only her darkest and most evil desires. She transformed into Daybreaker and immediately tried to kill her sister,” She told Rarity as the white unicorn put a hoof on her mouth. “Luna managed to imprison her into the sun and reigned over the day in her place. She now holds the control of both the moon and the sun. Still… She believes that her sister can be saved one day, and she will come back to her senses,”

“Maybe… Maybe with the elements of harmony,” Rarity suggested. This universe was obviously quite different from hers. She understood Luna and Celestia swapped roles, but why didn’t Twilight go to Ponyville? Why didn’t Celestia come back and forced Twilight and the others to collect the elements to bring her back to normal and save the day?

“So you know about them, too. Another bit of evidence to prove your claims Luna supposes, but the elements are another matter entirely,” Princess Luna answered before clearing her throat. “Assuming you are telling the truth. Do you know how to go back to your world?”

“I think so. Twilight -well my Twilight- told me I needed to find this universe’s stone. Once my friends and I all hold it together, we should be brought back home,” Rarity explained as Lune nodded along. “It’s a small stone, but it shines brightly and is white,” She described the stone before Luna could ask her to do so.

“Very well. Equestria shall help you find this artifact. Luna will have to do some research, so it would likely take several days before she finds any clues. She hopes this doesn’t bother you,”

“Of course not, Your Majesty. I’m glad you even decided to help me in the first place!” Rarity assured her while Twilight nodded approvingly at Rarity’s way of speaking to the princess.

“While Luna is doing this, she suggests you stay in the castle as she doubts you have any other place to go,” The moon princess offered as Rarity grinned in gratitude.

“I would be honored!” She quickly said. She knew she already had a throne all to herself in Twilight’s castle back home, but getting to live in the Canterlot Castle of all places was not an opportunity she would pass up!

“Naturally, you must also understand that Luna cannot simply let you go and do whatever you wish since the possibility that you are deceiving her still remains. Which is why you will sleep in the chambers of one of her subjects, who will keep an eye on you during your stay. That somepony will be her most loyal student, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna announced, dashing away Rarity’s hopes of having an easy time here.

“What? Me?! But she will distract me from my studies, Princess!” Twilight complained while Luna shook her head.

“Luna has no doubts that your studies will not be impacted in any way. Moreover, you are the only one she can trust with this, do you not think so, dearest student?” This was enough to make Twilight stammer and stop her before she could make any complaints.

“I-I won’t disappoint you, Princess!” She assured her mentor, who only grinned and nodded in response.

“Luna is certain you won’t. You may leave now, Twilight. She trusts that you will not let Rarity out of your sights,”

Rarity could also trust that Luna would look into it and search for the stone. She was still worried about Twilight and her friends, but there was nothing else she could do but wait for now. At least, she could enjoy some relaxation time in another Canterlot. This would be like discovering the city all over again!

Unfortunately, what she didn’t expect was to be stuck in Twilight’s room while the lavender unicorn was quietly reading a book. As Luna had said, Rarity couldn’t leave Twilight’s sight, and that meant she was to stay with her.

She had been in that room for an entire hour! And Twilight was unwilling to make any small talk! Even when Rarity tried to ask her about her hobbies, she didn’t answer! She was so focused on that book. Granted, Rarity was pretty sure she could figure out her hobbies and likes since that was Twilight Sparkle, albeit a different version of her.

Was Twilight like this before she met her and the others? Did she constantly have her face stuck in a book and absolutely refused to talk or socialize? That couldn’t possibly be healthy! Rarity could have just stayed quiet and tried to pass the time another way until Luna found something about the stone. However, she felt a bit bad for this Twilight. What would happen if Princess Luna never sends her to Ponyville, and Twilight doesn’t make any friends? Ever?

“So…” Rarity began, willing to try talking to her again.

“We’re not going out,” Twilight coldly replied before Rarity could continue her sentence.

“I wasn’t going to suggest that! I was simply wondering what you were reading,” The white unicorn retorted as Twilight’s eyes left the book to focus on Rarity.

“You’re interested in my book?” Luna’s student raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be, darling?” Rarity responded. Twilight didn’t talk to her much about the books she read or the things she studied. The alicorn mostly talked about these things to some of her other friends, but that didn’t mean Rarity had never been interested in them. She did always love hearing someone talk about something they were passionate about.

“It’s just… Forget it. I suppose I can tell you about it, but it’s probably not to your liking,” Twilight answered. “It’s an old book about medical procedures,”

“Medical procedures? I wasn’t aware you were interested in medicine,” Rarity said, which seemed to slightly unsettle Twilight. She was probably not used to being with a stranger that seemed to know so much about her.

“It’s not the medicine itself that interests me, but these procedures in particular do. A unicorn in the past thought about combining magic and medicine together. While magic is still used by doctors today, it’s never for direct healing. Actually, there are no spells that heal deep wounds, only bruises. This unicorn had a theory about creating spells that would act like surgery or accelerate someone’s healing. Many of his theories were far-fetched and were based on a lot of assumptions, so they were discredited and abandoned. I’m thinking of studying them, coming up with my own theories, and trying to see if I can make any of these spells work,” Twilight explained while flipping through the book. “If I succeed, this could be a revolution for modern medicine. It would be so good for Equestria,” She added with a small smile, which Rarity almost missed.

The last words were said with a hint of love and made Rarity realize that this Twilight maybe wasn’t so different from hers. She wasn’t doing this for her friends, but it still was for the good of someone else, not simply because she wanted more knowledge or to flatter her ego by accomplishing something great. Perhaps this Twilight wasn’t so bad after all.

“For Equestria, huh?” Rarity muttered as Twilight nodded.

“Of course. I love Equestria, and I will have to rule it by Princess Luna’s side, one day,” The lavender unicorn replied with confidence.

“You know… You weren’t so talkative before, but the moment I asked you about this book, you turned into a chatterbox,” Rarity grinned as Twilight blushed in embarrassment and realization. “Did my charms finally get to you, darling?”

“D–Don’t get the wrong idea! I’m not trying to make friends here! I just… I was just explaining this book after you asked me to because it would have been impolite if I didn’t!” Twilight argued stubbornly before looking back at her book.

“Well… I’m sure you’ll figure it out!” Rarity exclaimed as Twilight widened her eyes in surprise.

“Really?”

“Why yes! You did things even Starswirl the Bearded couldn’t do in my universe! I’m sure you are just as good,” Rarity assured her.

“Oh… W-Well, thank you,” Twilight replied bashfully, then lowered her eyes back to her book.

Was she perhaps not used to ponies believing in herself? Rarity couldn’t really tell, but simply because she was Princess Luna’s student didn’t mean she had to be confident even when she had every reason to be. She remembered how anxious and easily stressed out Twilight could get while under Celestia’s tutelage. Even her Twilight didn’t always believe in her capabilities.

“Maybe we could talk about some other things… If you are willing that is. It’s obvious you aren’t happy about having to keep an eye on me, but if we could get to know each other, then it would make things easier,” Rarity argued while Twilight looked uncertain.

“You sound like you know a lot about me already…” She muttered dismissively as Rarity sighed.

“I know things about my Twilight. But I also know that you aren’t the same pony,” She said while Twilight eyed her carefully. “Besides, wouldn’t you like a friend?”

“I don’t do friends,” Twilight quickly answered.

“Why not?” Rarity inquired as the other unicorn looked away from her book, harboring a somewhat sad expression. Rarity wasn’t quite sure herself of what Twilight was feeling. She wasn’t usually hard to read, but that was a different Twilight, after all.

“It’s a waste of time,” Well. Now that was something the old Twilight would have said.

“Alright then. We don’t have to be friends, I suppose. But we can still have lunch together, can’t we?” Rarity suggested as Twilight opened her mouth to respond only to be interrupted by the rumble of her stomach. The lavender unicorn blushed embarrassingly before clearing her throat.

“Fine. Let’s have lunch, then. Since you’re a guest, I will let you decide whether you wish to eat here in the castle or outside,” Twilight offered. Rarity put a hoof on her chin while thinking about it.

“Let’s eat outside. I am wondering if Canterlot is different!” She finally decided after a few seconds.

It was not different at all. Actually, there were a few differences, but it was nothing major. Moreover, everything that originally depicted Celestia in her world was now replaced by something depicting Princess Luna instead.

Naturally, Twilight didn’t make any attempts at small talk. Rarity still tried and was slightly more successful than before considering the other unicorn was a bit more talkative. She hoped that the lunch would make her talk a bit. She was surprised to see that the Princess’ student led her to the Hay Flambé restaurant. Rarity heard about it, but never actually went there in her universe.

“Do you like this restaurant, Twilight?” Rarity asked as they sat across each other, waiting for a waiter.

“You can say that…” The lavender unicorn responded hesitantly, making Rarity wonder what she could possibly be hiding that she would be nervous about this restaurant.

“So, let me guess, dear… You will order a hayburger, am I correct?” Rarity attempted to guess as Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“No? I was going to order a mushroom curry. Why would I want a hayburger?” Twilight answered while pointing at the menu.

“My Twilight loves hayburgers…” Rarity muttered, making the other unicorn frown.

“Well, I’m not your Twilight. And I’ve never tasted hayburgers before,” She replied in annoyance.

“Never?”

“Maybe I did when I was a little filly, but I don’t remember the taste since it was so long ago,” Twilight shrugged, which reminded Rarity that she still hadn’t heard of Shining, Cadance, or Twilight’s parents.

“I apologize for assuming,” Rarity apologized as Twilight’s eyes traveled over her body as if studying her.

“Apology accepted,” She simply answered. There was still some tension in the air, but it was thankfully broken when the waiter finally arrived.

“My Lady! It is an honor to have you in our establishment!” The waiter slightly bowed his head, then grinned at the two mares. “Have you and your… Date? Friend? Made your choice?” He asked as Rarity chuckled at his assumptions.

It was only natural that when a pony as beautiful and sophisticated as she was seen with other ponies, it would be assumed that she was being wooed. Beauty could certainly be a disadvantage, couldn’t it?

“Neither,” Twilight replied coldly, which was quick to bring Rarity’s mood down.

“Pardon?” The waiter uttered in confusion.

“I said she is neither my date nor my friend. Simply an acquaintance. As for what I’ll order… I want a mushroom curry, please,” Twilight clarified while the waiter nodded awkwardly.

“And I’ll have a… hayburger,” Rarity ordered before giving the menu to the waiter, who smiled.

“Good choice,” He complimented them before walking away.

“You looked really offended at his suggestion there… Am I not to your liking?” Rarity fluttered her eyelashes.

“As I said, friends and dates are a waste of time. I have too many responsibilities for this kind of nonsense,” Twilight rolled her eyes while fiddling with the napkin.

“But doesn’t it feel lonely?” Rarity inquired, only for Twilight to look away. That was one other thing she noticed that was different from her version of Twilight. This one was much harder to read. Her expression didn’t betray any thoughts or feelings, which made it seem like she truly didn’t care about being lonely. However, Rarity refused to believe that this Twilight actually was happy about the way she lived. “Friendship is a valuable and essential aspect of life. Friends are always there to support you and help you when you believe you can’t do something alone. Together, there is nothing you can’t accomplish,” Rarity tried to explain, but she knew she didn’t have a way with words when it came to friendship speeches, unlike Twilight. “And I would say that romance is quite similar, too,”

The other unicorn seemed to consider her words, slowly losing herself in her thoughts. Who knew what she could be thinking in that head of hers, but the fashionista was hoping she was at least seeing her point. Again, Twilight did the best she could to hide her feelings and show no emotion or expression on her face.

“No. I don’t believe that. Friends, lovers, families… I think they are a waste of time, and I won’t change my mind. Let’s talk about something else,” Way to go Rarity. Definitely ruined the mood there. Twilight seemed to be a bit more cheerful when she talked about that book, but all of that was gone now. The white unicorn also couldn’t help but notice how Twilight also mentioned family. Did something happen with hers? She would rather avoid questioning her about it.

“As you wish. I can tell you about myself if you want,” Rarity offered as Twilight sighed.

“If you really want to, then go on I guess,” She accepted in a clearly non-genuine way.

“See? With that attitude, you would have a hard time making friends,” Rarity pointed out while the lavender pony furrowed her brows.

“Not the first time I heard that,” She mumbled something under her breath that was too quiet for Rarity to hear.

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing. I would actually like to know more about you, Rarity,” That… That was the first time she called her by her name, wasn’t it? Maybe she was making progress!

“As you know, my name is Rarity. I have my own shop and work as a fashion designer and seamstress. I do not like boasting, but I run quite a successful business! I even opened a shop in Canterlot!” Rarity stated proudly, and it actually seemed to slightly impress Twilight considering her eyes lit up a bit. “I don’t suppose that my counterpart did the same, did she?” She asked nervously.

“Unfortunately, I have never heard of a boutique in Canterlot belonging to a pony named Rarity,” Twilight replied, making the white unicorn sigh in disappointment.

“This is a shame. I wonder why she didn’t realize her dream…” Rarity had an idea why. Maybe the Rarity from this world simply didn’t have friends as great as her back in her universe. She likely didn’t create any strong enough bonds and couldn’t accomplish her dreams alone with no support. Rarity wondered if the same happened to her other friends. The Twilight of this universe still wasn’t an alicorn nor a princess, after all.

“Your orders, my ladies,” The waiter announced as he placed the plates of food in front of them. “Bon appétit,” He added before leaving.

“These look delicious!” Rarity exclaimed eagerly as she admired their meals.

“They do look good…” Twilight muttered while staring at her curry.

However, Rarity couldn't help but notice Twilight's snout twitching as if it were drawn to a delightful scent. She also observed the lavender unicorn stealing a few glances at the hayburger, even though she was already enjoying her curry. The way she tried to hide she was actually curious about the hayburger was cute in a way.

“Do you want to try it?” Rarity offered as Twilight raised an eyebrow in surprise. “This could be a good opportunity to have a first taste of hayburger,” She added while Twilight looked uncertain.

“But that’s yours… It would be less food for you, and won’t you feel grossed out that I took a bite of your meal?” The lavender unicorn argued while Rarity shook her head in amusement.

“Do not worry about me, dear. I have a strict diet, you know? So I wasn’t planning on eating all of it. Besides, I am used to sharing my food with my sister and my friends,” Rarity reassured her.

“I suppose I can have a small taste…” Twilight muttered as a lavender glow surrounded Rarity’s hayburger and made it levitate toward her. She looked at the white unicorn, hesitantly, who nodded in response. Finally, she took a bite of the hayburger. “Mm,” She chewed, barely hiding her enjoyment.

Rarity was happy to see that Twilight was clearly loving it!

“So? Do you like it?” The white unicorn asked, making Twilight widen her eyes and quickly give her the hayburger back.

“I-It’s not bad… I like it… a little bit…” Twilight answered bashfully while Rarity chuckled. “What is it?” She asked somewhat offendedly.

“Nothing! It’s just… You don’t have to hide your feelings, you know? You can just say you love it,” Rarity replied.

“If I do that, you’ll think I’m the same as your Twilight again. I also have other reasons, but… Just so you know, whoever you think I am… I’m not that pony,” She explained, making Rarity nod with a wide smile.

“Oh, I know that now! And I understand perfectly!” She assured her, which finally genuinely made Twilight grin.

“Good! Then let’s have an enjoyable meal, and you can tell me more about yourself!” Twilight said as she took a bite of her mushroom curry.

“Yes, let’s!” Rarity agreed happily before eating her hayburger.

This led Rarity to contemplate many thoughts. Whether she had ended up in this universe by accident or by destiny, she wasn't quite certain. However, one thing was clear in her mind: there was a purpose for her presence in this realm.

She was going to teach this Twilight Sparkle the magic of friendship!

Home Sweet Home

Universe 25197

“Yer obviously Applejack, aren’t ya?” The alternate Applejack guessed as the original hesitantly nodded.

“And Ah guess yer Applejack, too?” She scrunched up her nose, having a hard time believing this was another version of her. Not only because of the business suit and the red shirt but also because her mane was tied up like those rich ponies she saw in Manehattan during her childhood.

“Yup, but ya can call me Jackie. It would make it easier,” with a serene smile, displaying admirable ease in accepting the existence of her doppelgänger from another world! Wouldn’t any regular person freak out?

“Is that what your friends call you?” Applejack inquired while Jackie chuckled.

“Ya could say that,” She replied while walking around Applejack and inspecting her body. “It’s funny. Yer another Me, but you’re so different,” She said in a curious tone before scoffing. “Kinda look like a peasant,”

“Ah thought you would be more weirded out by this…” Applejack commented, letting her last comment slide since she preferred avoiding getting into trouble now of all times.

“As I said, you ain't the first outworlder I've come across. You're actually the second one, but you're the first Me I've encountered,” Jackie responded in amusement as she put herself in front of Applejack again.

“And what happened to the first one?” Applejack narrowed her eyes, suspicious of her counterpart.

“She went home. Ah gave her what she needed. The stone! That what yer lookin’ for, aren’t ya?” Jackie explained as Applejack stared at her in silence. “Ya don’t trust me,” She stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Can ya blame me? I’m stranded in another universe! Apparently, Ah’m not even one of Twilight’s friends, and Ah am the head of some huge corporation?!” Applejack argued while Jackie was still smirking, completely unbothered by her speech.

“Yer friends with a princess in your universe?” Jackie questioned, seemingly not surprised, but slightly impressed.

“Ah don’t like bragging as much as Rainbow Dash, but yah. I am the element of honesty, so crossin' paths with a version of myself that doesn't embody honesty make it mighty hard to put my trust in ya. How do ya even have that stone?” Applejack kept her eyes narrowed.

“Congratulations for havin’ friends in high places, sugar!” Jackie laughed, which absolutely didn’t make her sound genuine at all. “Tell me, sugar, what happened in your universe? How did ya get yer cutie mark?”

Applejack opened her mouth and paused… Should she tell her? She really couldn’t trust her because of all the big villain vibes she was getting from her. However, no way in Tartarus revealing how she got her cutie mark would put her in a bad spot. How could something like this be used against her?

“Ah was in Uncle and Aunt Orange’s apartment, looking out the window and thinkin’ of Ponyville. Ah… missed it so much that Ah went back there and got my cutie mark. Ah hated Manehattan,” She admitted, while making sure to avoid mentioning the sonic rainboom.

Jackie nodded along her story, seemingly interested until Applejack finished. The business mare scoffed.

“So that’s the difference! Unlike ya, when Ah was looking out that window… Ah closed the curtains. Ah thought to myself that Ah had no place in Ponyville. Of course, Ah was right. Ah slowly got used to Uncle and Aunt Orange’s lifestyle. Ah listened and learned what they were teachin’ me. With those skills, Ah opened a gem mining company, which is how Ah found the stone, then Ah rose above my competitors,” She explained smugly as Applejack widened her eyes. Was that what she would have become if she didn’t look out the window that day? “Ah am pretty much the most successful pony in Equestria! It is only natural since it is my destiny,” She added while pointing at her flank where her cutie mark was. “As for the name of my enterprise… Well, Apple Industries doesn’t sound like a minin’ company, but it’s a brand! Makes it easier to recognize who it comes from ‘cause the name’s Applejack,”

“Yer tellin’ me you’re rich?” Applejack raised an eyebrow.

“Got no benefits by lyin’ to ya, sugar. Also, it means you have no choice but to trust me since Ah have what yer lookin’ for,” Jackie assured her as she walked behind her desk, then spun her computer around so that Applejack could see it. The alternate Applejack made a few clicks before the computer showed a dark room with only a pedestal and the stone floating above it. “Nopony but me knows where it is and that it exists,”

“Great! Then that means ya can give it to me now!” Applejack exclaimed, only for Jackie to scoff and turn the computer around again.

“Ah, ah! Ah could, but Ah won’t. Not now, at least,” The business mare chuckled while shaking her head in amusement.

“There it is! The villain speech, am I right? So what do ya want? Conquer Equestria? Destroy the world?” Applejack began listing the possible plans most of the villains she fought had.

“Now, hold on a second! Nothin’ like that! All Ah want is get richer and richer while buyin’ other companies until… Ah have the monopoly over everythin’. It would be perfectly legal, of course! See, the first outworlder that came in here had to work for it. All Ah need is for you to do me some favors! Nothin’ too big!” Jackie retorted calmly while Applejack still seemed uncertain.

The parallels between Jackie's plan and the schemes of Flim and Flam were not lost on Applejack. While Jackie may not be as inherently malicious as their other adversaries, her monopolistic ambitions raised serious concerns. However, Applejack couldn't afford to dwell on the situation for too long. Her priority was finding a way back home as quickly as possible. Perhaps accepting Jackie's deal and playing the long game could offer a solution. Once she obtained the stone, she could use it to warn this world's Twilight about Jackie's true intentions. With the support of her friends, they would surely put a stop to them.

“What kinda favors?” Applejack finally asked.

“Nothin’ morally questionable if that’s what yer askin’. Believe me. Once you accept our deal, Ah’ll tell you about the favors Ah need. And when you fulfilled your end of the deal, I’ll fulfill mine. Know this: Ah never go back on mah word,” Jackie assured her while Applejack bit her lips.

“What’s stopping me from telling the princesses that ya have this thing? They could just give it to me afterward,” Applejack pointed out, making her Double roll her eyes.

“Please, you’ll have a hard time convincing them you come from another world. Especially since Ah don’t have the best reputation here. They sure won’t believe you’re their friend. Besides, they can’t just come to ma property anytime they want to if they fear my lawyers,” She scoffed. “The princesses, including Twilight Sparkle’s friends, are nothin’ to me. Ah could buy their whole castles if Ah wanted to!” Jackie laughed, mocking Equestria’s rulers without a hint of fear.

If she was telling the truth, then Applejack really was in deeper dung than she thought. The main problem wasn’t even her lawyers and her money (at least in Applejack’s opinion), but the fact that Twilight and the others may not believe her at all! Maybe accepting her deal was the better plan for now…

“Fine. I’ll take your deal. What do ya want?” Applejack conceded, making Jackie smile in satisfaction.

“Now we’re gettin’ somewhere! First, Ah need you to get a nice suit, then change your mane style, so it at least looks a bit like mine. We’ll have to hide your cutie mark, but don’t worry, Ah know a wonderful artist who will give ya a temporary tattoo. It’ll be useless if your cutie mark looks nothin’ like mine, after all!” Jackie explained as her eyes trailed toward Applejack’s cowboy hat. “The hat will have to go too, sugar,” She remarked as the other earth pony stepped away.

“Oh, no! No way in Tartarus I’m lettin’ go of my hat! And why do Ah need to look like you?” She held a hoof over her hat protectively, making her counterpart roll her eyes.

“Fine, the hat stays. As for why yer doing this… Ah need you to visit ma family in Ponyville. Since ya lived there, unlike me, you probably already know them. Ah want ya to reforge our bonds with them! Specifically, Granny Smith and Bic Macintosh ‘cause we grew apart so much, and I’m really saddened by all of it!” Jackie retorted… while not looking saddened at all.

“And why don’t ya go do it yerself?” Applejack questioned her while puckering her lips together, attempting to decipher her game plan.

“Ah would love to! However, I’m quite busy. A company that big doesn’t run itself, and ‘cause of that, Ah just can’t get any free time,” Jackie sighed while pretending to wipe some tears away, which were clearly not meant to fool anyone. “But seriously, Ah have duties Ah can’t miss, and Ah also want to improve ma relationship with ma family,”

“And yer idea is to convince the element of honesty to lie and take yer place?” Applejack accused her while Jackie gave her a flat look as if the answer was obvious.

“Indeed. Ah would suggest ya don’t back down after already acceptin’ the deal. Besides, do ya actually believe tellin’ the truth would lead to the best outcome? Not only they may not believe ya, but Ah am sure they will chase ya out of Ponyville. Then they will be heartbroken and disappointed that their real Applejack couldn’t come,” Jackie retorted with narrowed eyes and a threat left unsaid. “Ah don’t know what ya have against me or why ya think I’m up to somethin’, but Ah don’t want to hurt ma family’s feelings either,”

Applejack bit her lower lip as a sea of thoughts began clouding her mind. The weight of the decision burdened her, leaving her uncertain of which path to choose or what words to speak. Trusting her counterpart still seemed like a stretch, but options were limited. The thought of deceiving her newfound family, even if they hailed from a different universe, pained her deeply. Yet, if it meant shielding them from harm and preserving their feelings, perhaps she could entertain the idea of temporary deceit. Only until she secured the stone and put an end to Jackie's nefarious plans, whatever they may be. Once that was done, she would tell them the truth… Because they deserved it.

Now, as Applejack pondered further, a troubling realization struck her. Jackie hadn't made any mention of Apple Bloom. Did her counterpart not know about her younger sister? Or worse, did Apple Bloom not exist in this universe at all? It also made her wonder if there were worlds where certain ponies existed, whereas they didn’t in her universe. If there were universes where her parents… There was no point in thinking about that! Not now!

“Alright. Ya win, Ah accept yer deal,” Applejack finally decided as Jackie nodded in approval.

“Good! Finally, some common sense! Ma bodyguards will escort ya to the artist Ah was talking about earlier, then to a tailor, so you put on some decent clothes. And change your mane style, too, of course!” Jackie grinned happily before slowly walking behind her desk and grabbing something from a drawer. “Take this!” She instructed as she threw the object at Applejack, which she easily caught. It was a silver necklace with a green gem in it. “This will allow us to communicate whenever we need it,”

“Ah suppose it’ll be useful,” Applejack muttered as two bodyguards entered the room.

“Now run along, sugar! Ah will get ya a train ticket for Ponyville, and ya should depart in a few hours if all goes well,” Jackie notified her as the other earth pony stayed silent.

Just as she planned, Applejack would avoid making a fuss for now. It was better to let her think she was playing right into her hooves. And maybe, just maybe… She was wrong and Jackie was actually decent. She hoped, at least.

As Applejack left the office, Jackie straightened her suit with a self-assured smile. In her mind, this encounter with the second Applejack was nothing short of a stroke of luck. It reinforced her belief that the universe was aligned in her favor, conspiring to grant her every desire. To Jackie, it seemed as if her path to success and prosperity was predestined, with the world bending to her will. Fuelled by this conviction, she felt invincible and ready to seize every opportunity that came her way.

“She’s gone,” Jackie pointed out before the sound of flapping wings made itself known.

A male pegasus with a brown coat and a maroon mane touched down in front of Jackie. His cutie mark showcased a winged briefcase. The pegasus appeared visibly shaken, constantly glancing over his shoulder in the direction Applejack had just departed.

“Happy Feather… What’s gotten into ya? It ain’t the first time you’ve seen somepony from another world,” Jackie snickered as she went back behind her desk.

“Yes, but this time, it was you! The resemblance was uncanny!” Happy commented in shock, making Jackie roll her eyes in annoyance.

“So?” She inquired with nonchalance.

“That means she is as good as you, doesn’t it? She could be dangerous for our plans!” Happy argued as he flapped his wings so hard that he rose from the ground.

“Ya worry too much,” The mare scoffed in amusement as she grabbed a cigar from the drawer and placed it between her lips. After taking a lighter, too, she motioned for Happy to come closer. Knowing what was demanded of him, the pegasus quickly flew to her and lit her cigar, from which she immediately took a puff. She didn’t even bother waiting for him to walk away before blowing smoke into his face.

“Koff Koff!” The pegasus coughed as he put a hoof in front of his face, shielding himself from the smoke as much as he could.

“Ya saw what she looked like! And ya heard her dumb little story. She’s a failure of a peasant who chose to stay on a stupid farm with stupid rednecks rather than live the big life in Manehattan. We’re clearly not of the same breed. She doesn’t have what it takes to go against me or even possibly get to where I am! She doesn’t have the guts, at least. That much was obvious,” Jackie explained as she took another puff of her cigar. “And if she’s anything like the heroes of Equestria from our world…” She started while looking at a newspaper folded on her desk, showing a picture of Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Lyra, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. “Then she’ll be easy to use. These idiots can’t do anything besides fighting off supervillains with bullshit friendship magic,” She mocked with a shake of her head.

“But what if she goes against us? What if she gets the bright idea to try and call for the princesses anyway?” Happy asked with shaking legs.

“Will ya stop worryin’ already, ya big doofus!” Jackie slammed her hoof on the desk, making him jerk back in fright. “If she tried to go against me anyway, I’ll have a quick way of persuadin’ her. A peasant like her will fold at the first sight of bits! Ma wealth will take care of things, as usual,” She rolled her eyes as Happy breathed out.

“I don’t know… She doesn’t look like the type who would fold for money…” Happy muttered with uncertainty.

“Happy… Ah thought Ah taught you this, didn’t I? There is nothin’ in this world that money can’t buy,” Jackie assured him. She stared at him in silence with a serious face for a few seconds, then smirked. “Ah bet that with enough money Ah could even make you eat yer own feathers!” She sniggered while Happy chuckled nervously.

“C-Come on, Boss. You know it would take more than that,” He mumbled, only for Jackie to throw a bag of bits on her desk. “T-That looks like a nice sum, but I know you, Boss! You would be so disappointed in me if making me do things was so easy! You taught me that…” He rumbled on as Jackie threw another bag, making him shut up. The pegasus gulped while his eyes were stuck on the two small bags of bits. Suddenly, he sighed and removed several of his feathers with his mouth before munching on them.

“Next time ya question me, Happy… Ah am making ya eat yer own dung, got that? And ya won’t get any money in exchange,” Jackie warned him.

With feathers stuck between his teeth, and having a hard time swallowing any, the pegasus could only nod in silence with a silent tear dropping from his eyes.

The more time passed, the more stressed Applejack was getting. Disguising herself as Jackie was already annoying enough since she needed to wear a suit, replace her cutie mark with a temporary tattoo and style her mane like she did when she lived in Manehattan.

Yet, the most challenging part still lay ahead. She would have to deceive her own family, making them believe she was someone else entirely. While Applejack acknowledged that she and her friends had embarked on some extraordinary adventures, she couldn't recall a situation quite like this before. It seemed that life had a way of becoming even more unpredictable and chaotic as if there was no limit to the challenges they would face.

Now that she thought about it… Was Ponyville going to be different, too? Did the ponies there know her? Did they like or hate her? Should she be ready to receive scorn once she got there? Were her friends’ counterparts currently in Ponyville? Maybe it was best to avoid them for now…

It took her several hours to get ready, then two more hours to arrive in Ponyville by train. The subsequent train journey to Ponyville seemed uneventful, as she gazed out the window and observed a familiar landscape that appeared unchanged from her own world. It made her ponder the role she played in the grand scheme of things. Did her absence make no difference? Was she so easily replaceable that even a pony like Lyra could effortlessly fill her shoes? Again, she had nothing against Lyra… But that still hurt.

She sighed. Thinking about this would just bring her mood down. And being in a bad mood wouldn’t help her at all when in Ponyville.

“We are delighted to inform you that the highly anticipated express train will be arriving at Ponyville shortly. We kindly request all passengers to gather their belongings and prepare for disembarkation,” The train conductor announced as Applejack grabbed a single piece of baggage, which was the only thing Jackie gave her as belongings, and walked toward the door.

Finally, the train stopped and the doors opened. She couldn’t help but wonder if her family would be waiting for her. Jackie told her that she notified them she would come, after all. The first thing she did once she came out was look around to search for them.

“Applejack!” A voice she recognized well called out to her.

She barely had enough time to turn around before someone nearly crushed her into a hug.

“Big Mac!” Applejack exclaimed as the larger pony stepped back, a wide happy smile on his face.

“It’s been so long, AJ!” Big Mac commented happily.

“Is Granny Smith here?” Applejack inquired as her brother nodded.

“Eeyup,” He confirmed before pointing over his shoulder. Granny Smith was slowly approaching them.

However, her gaze was far from the happy one Bic Mac was giving her. If anything, Granny Smith seemed resentful. Applejack couldn't help but wonder if Granny Smith's reaction was due to Jackie's sudden departure and failure to return. The thought brought a pang of guilt, as she recalled her own departure from Sweet Apple Acres in the past. Was this how her own grandmother had felt when she left the farm behind?

Jackie must have done something for sure! However, she decided to set aside her concerns about Granny Smith's gaze for the moment. It was not the right time to address any potential tension or start unnecessary drama. After all, her frustration was primarily directed toward her jerk of a counterpart, not her. Applejack resolved to find a moment alone later to reflect on the situation and process her emotions.

Looking down, Applejack also noticed something else: a small bundle of yellow and red hiding behind Granny Smith’s leg. It was Applebloom, who was peering from behind Granny Smith. She never saw the little filly be so shy around her.

“H-Hey, Granny Smith,” Applejack greeted her while the older pony narrowed her eyes.

“Ah am surprised you still remember my name. Never sent a letter, never replied to ours. And years later, ya finally remember us?” Granny admonished the other earth pony, who could only look down in shame.

It reminded her of when she left all over again. She never wanted Granny Smith and Bic Mac to think she rejected them or didn’t want them as her family, but this was NOT the same world, and she needed to remember that. She came back. Jackie didn’t. It also confirmed that Jackie didn’t even know she had a sister. If they truly never communicated, then that meant Granny Smith never told her about Applebloom. Did that mean Jackie didn’t even come for her own parents’ funeral?

“I… Ah am sorry, Granny Smith. Ah know Ah screwed up, but Ah came here to make amends. Ah really did miss yall when Ah was in Manehattan. Ah love ya, and I’m sorry if Ah never told you,” Applejack apologized as Granny Smith stared at her for a few more seconds, then her expression slowly softened as she heard the pony’s honest tone.

“Ah guess we can give ya another chance…” The older mare began before closing her mouth, uncertain of how to continue. Big Mac wasn’t helping either since he stayed quiet and awkwardly stared at them. Finally, Granny Smith gave up on saying anything else about Applejack’s leaving. Although, the element of honesty had a feeling they still weren’t done talking about it. “Ya missed a few things, including your brother’s wedding. And… Applebloom, ya can stop hidin’ now. She ain’t gonna bite,”

The filly gulped as she stopped hiding behind Granny Smith’s leg and revealed herself to Applejack, who softly smiled. She was exactly like the Applebloom from her world, with the cutie mark and all. Yet, the filly was acting as if they had never seen each other before, and it wasn’t that far off the truth.

“Hey there… Applebloom, right?” Applejack asked, pretending she didn’t know her while the filly nodded.

“Y-You’re my big sister?” Applebloom shyly inquired as the older mare chuckled.

“Ah guess Ah am,” She confirmed, making the young filly smile as wide as she could.

“Ah have a big sister! Ah have a big sister! Ah have a big sister!” Applebloom trotted around Applejack before jumping on her back and hugging her from behind while Big Mac and Granny Smith watched with loving eyes.

“Whoa, there! Ya sure are full of energy, aren’t ya, kiddo?” Applejack laughed as Applebloom’s jumping untied her mane, letting it down. And honestly, she didn’t care about not looking like a rich pony from Manehattan right now because she had never seen Applebloom so happy to see her!

“We’re gonna have so much fun! Tell me everythin’ about you! Oh, and you gotta meet my friends! We’re the cutie mark crusaders, and we…” Applebloom was ready to tell her whole life story until Granny Smith cut her off.

“Now, now, honey, let her breathe a little or you’ll scare her at this rate! Ah bet she’s tired from that journey. Ya can talk and play with her once we go home,” She assured her as Big Mac nodded in agreement.

“Eeyup!”

“Oh, alright! Let’s get home quickly, then!” Applebloom conceded as she jumped off Applejack’s back while Big Mac grabbed his sister’s luggage.

No wonder they thought she was tired considering it was twilight. With nightfall approaching, that also meant they would have to sleep soon. Although the journey didn’t last the whole day, Applejack was still tired from everything that happened since she landed there.

“Ah hope she didn’t scare ya,” Granny Smith teased her while watching Applebloom run around and nearly bump into everyone they passed by.

“She’s really excited, ain’t she?” Applejack commented with a small chuckle.

“Ya haven’t seen her when Ah told her you were comin’! She went and told the entire town you’d be here! If Pinkie Pie was there, you would have had a huge party ready already!” Granny laughed before shaking her head in amusement. “Ah didn’t expect her to be so happy to have an older sister. We rarely talked about ya, and she never asked us about ya. Ah guess she’s just happy to have somepony else to look up to, and not just Big Mac and an old granny like myself,” She explained.

To think Jackie had never come here. Had never even appeared once in Applebloom’s life. It was strange to think about. It made Applejack wonder how she would react if she met Big Mac for the first time only once she was ten or something. Would she be as excited as Applebloom was? Now that she saw her sister and the rest of her family so happy to see her, she couldn’t disappoint them now! She would make sure to be the best sister and granddaughter the world had ever seen!

It would only impact Jackie’s life, really, and Applejack wasn’t sure if she deserved it. However, maybe she could fix their relationship. And maybe, they could be a happy and united family again? If she could accomplish this, then she would return home with a feeling of fulfillment.

Once they were finally at the farm (which looked the same as it did in Applejack’s universe), Big Mac moved her luggage upstairs to the guest room where she would be sleeping. They had a nice apple-based dinner while Applebloom talked about her life in Ponyville. Big Mac and Granny Smith occasionally did the same. And they weren’t even the only ones! Sugar Belle was there as well since she lived with Big Mac at the farm now that they were married.

She mostly let them talk about their lives and tried to evade all the questions about her life as much as possible. She knew nothing about how Jackie lived, and lying wouldn’t get her very far. Mostly because a lie would lead to another lie, then another, and another until she was stuck in a web of them and stopped making sense.

Still, there were a few differences from the lives of her original relatives, which made sense considering she didn’t live in Ponyville here. Applebloom extensively talked about the cutie mark crusaders and told her she would love to show her to them, which Applejack gladly accepted. Of course, her friends’ names, the other elements, were mentioned a few times, too.

As expected, she couldn’t go to bed right away since Granny Smith wished to talk to her and led her to the porch.

“Ah suppose ya know why Ah wanted to talk to you,” Granny remarked as Applejack sighed.

“Yeah… Ah’m sorry, and Ah know apologizing will never be enough,” The granddaughter responded as the older mare sighed.

“When ya left, Ah was sad, but Ah thought you would be happier in Manehattan,” Granny Smith started, recalling the day Jackie left. “And Ah was fine with it, so Ah don’t want you apologizin’ for leavin’. What Ah am mad about is that ya never bothered to talk to us ever again after that. Ya even ignored my letters! Do ya know how heartbroken Big Mac was? It made us feel like ya didn’t consider us good enough for ya!” Granny stomped the ground in anger. “We began losin’ hope of ever seein’ ya. That’s why we barely even talked about you to Applebloom. Sugar Belle didn’t even know that you were Big Mac’s sister, and they’re married!”

“Ah… Ah know, Granny Smith. That’s why Ah want to make amends and apologize for it. Ah was dumb, and Ah didn’t realize what Ah was doing to you and everypony else,” Applejack apologized yet again. Although she was mad about apologizing for something she didn’t cause. Apologizing on someone else’s behalf. Didn’t Jackie know how much she had hurt them?

“And Ah see that. Ah am happy that you finally got some sense and decided to come here and reconnect. But ya have to prove yerself. Ah want you to work like everypony else here. And I’m tellin’ ya, the farm life will be hard and nothing like it is in the city,” Granny Smith warned her while Applejack nodded along.

“Ah understand, and I won’t let you down, Granny! Ah promise Ah will do my best!” Applejack assured her with confidence.

“Good! And ya better not let Applebloom and Big Mac down! Especially the little one. She had been idolizin’ you ever since she heard about ya, especially since you’re the CEO of Apple Industries. Said something about braggin’ to another filly that her sister’s rich,”

“Ah promise,” Applejack said, feeling like she had an idea who that other filly was.

“Well… Ah guess we’re done here,” Granny Smith uttered after a small pause. Her granddaughter, unsure of what to say, simply nodded and turned around to leave. “Wait. One more thing,”

“Yes?” Applejack turned around.

“Despite everythin’, I’m still happy that you realized yer dream. Ya said that the life in the farm wasn’t for ya… and you were right,” Granny Smith slowly breathed out as she approached Applejack. “Ya did everythin’ you set out to do. Ah am not sure a mining company was yer dream per se, but you still have your own business! It’s known across all of Equestria, and ya probably have enough money to buy all of Ponyville! Ya can’t believe how proud Ah am of yer success. And Ah am sure that yer parents would be every bit as proud as I am,” Granny put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder as a small tear rolled down the old mare’s cheek. “Even if Ah was angry, know that every time Ah saw you on the news or heard about ya, I was so relieved to know that you were doin’ okay! Because no matter where you are, you will always be ma granddaughter,” Granny hugged her tightly while fully shedding tears, now, which was enough to make even Applejack cry. “Thank you for visiting, honey,”

And even after Granny had left to sleep, Applejack stayed outside, watching the stars. She couldn’t help but wonder… Did Jackie even realize how loved she was?

Author's Note

So, this one was bit hard to do because of Applejack's confusing timeline. She didn't mention her parents in her story about how she got her cutie mark, but there was no Applebloom either!

So, in this story, this is how it went: Bright Mac and Pear Butter left for about a year to go on a road trip around Equestria (to have a vacation between lovers), and Applejack left for Manehattan a few days after they started their road trip. A couple of months later, Pear Butter got pregnant, but they only came back in Ponyville once she had to give birth to Applebloom. Then, they passed away several weeks later in an accident. In the original timeline, Applejack was gone for only about a week, so that explains why her parents weren't there to meet her once she came back from Manehattan.

Obviously, in this other universe, Applejack never came back, so she never learned about Applebloom and didn't even meet her parents one last time before they passed away.

Hope it helped with any confusion, and hope you liked the chapter!

Cyborgs, Pranks, and Swarms

Universe 10328

“Why are you screaming?!” Rainbow Dash yelled as Pinkie finally shut her mouth, stopping her ear-piercing screams.

“Why am I screaming? Why am I screaming?!” Pinkie Pie repeated in shock as the other ponies looked at each other in confusion, except for the other Pinkie who simply laughed, and Twilight who stared flatly at her test subject. “I can’t react any other way when you guys tell me you’re dating! Don’t you understand? This changes our whole dynamic! Everypony thinks we’re just friends! Best friends in the whole world! We’re equally friends with each other, but if two of us date, then that means there is an unequal relationship! You would always choose your special somepony over a friend!” Pinkie Pie spoke with barely any pauses as if she didn’t even need to breathe. “We could do super ambiguous hugs with secret implications behind before, but now it’s impossible ‘cause four of you are dating! How am I supposed to hug any of you in weird places, now?!” She finally finished, breathing heavily.

They were still staring at her, unsure of what to say or how to react to her colossal rant. To her, everything she just said made sense. They wouldn’t be able to hang out as much if Rarity and Applejack also had dates to go to! She wouldn’t be able to hug Rainbow Dash’s flank if she had a special somepony now! They would all be lovey-dovey during their parties even though parties were for having fun, not eating each other’s faces! Although, she was still pretty happy for them. But that wasn’t the point!

“Heh. Didn’t Pinkie Pie have the same reaction?” Fluttershy inquired with a raised eyebrow, which immediately caught Pinkie’s attention. She only spoke once, but that was enough for her to notice that the way she talked was different from the way her Fluttershy did.

“Well, Darling… I must say that I am impressed. This looks like a successful clone!” Rarity exclaimed while Applejack tilted her head.

“That supposed to be a clone? Ah don’t know… She seems a bit different from our Pinkie Pie,” Applejack commented as Twilight finally walked forward with her claws and sighed.

“Because it’s not a clone. I thought it was a changeling, at first. However… There are a lot of things that disprove it. Besides, I don’t know what she is talking about. I may be dating Rainbow, but I like every one of you the same,” She said, only for her Pinkie Pie to laugh.

“That’s because everyone is a meat bag for you, Twilight! Besides, of course, she isn’t a changeling! She’s from another universe! Come on, girls, that should be obvious!” She stated as they all looked at her.

“W… How do you know that?!” Twilight questioned frustratingly as one of her claws slammed the floor in annoyance.

“It’s Pinkie Pie. At this point, are we even surprised?” Rainbow Dash shrugged before widening her eyes in realization. “Wait… Another universe?! Didn’t you talk about that, Twi?” She inquired her marefriend, who nodded in response.

“I did, but the existence of the multiverse has never been proven! I mean, it’s just one theory after the other, and Pinkie’s word certainly wouldn’t be proof enough…” Twilight began only for white light to suddenly appear above the original Pinkie Pie.

It soon turned into a portal-like mirror, revealing Twilight's face. Pretty much everyone in the room went silent, except for the two Pinkies who smiled and waved happily. Well, the alternate Pinkie waved her hoof while the original waved her mane as it was the only thing she could move due to her binds.

“Oh, hey, Twilight!” They both greeted her cheerfully.

Now that got the original Pinkie Pie worried while the other ponies looked even more confused.

“You can’t escape!” A distorted and almost demonic voice screamed from behind the alicorn.

After several seconds of silence, the original Pinkie finally spoke up.

“Oh, well that makes sense!” She exclaimed as the scientist Twilight’s jaw hit the floor.

“Spike… Does she have any technology that could receive or at least create such a message? Search for nanobots, too, if you have to,” She asked her A.I. helper who quickly shook its claw.

“Negative. This pony appears to be as naked as the day it was born. Except for a crayon in her mane and her incredibly high cholesterol for such an age, nothing is unusual about her,” Spike declared under Twilight’s bafflement.

“What does that mean, then?” Applejack asked in confusion as their Twilight suddenly began shaking.

All of them, Rainbow being the first, stepped back as her claws slammed into the floor again.

“Don’t you realize what this means? Do you even know the theories about the multiverse! If they are true… That means there are infinite possibilities, and endless variations of reality waiting to be discovered. Each universe, a tapestry woven with its unique set of laws, characters, and stories. We were already only mere specks of dust in the confines of our universe, and that would mean that our universe is also an insignificant portion of a much bigger world! To begin with, the realization that our lives are absolutely worthless and meaningless in the grand scheme of things would break anyone’s mind!” Twilight exclaimed as two of her tentacle claws began loudly clapping. She didn’t look at all disillusioned at the revelation.

The second Pinkie raised an eyebrow before tapping the side of her head in confusion.

“Nope! Doesn’t sound broken!” She commented as her Twilight continued her rambling.

“In some universes, I might be a daring adventurer. In others, I might be a socially inept bookworm stuck in her house all day. And in another, I could be a psychopathic warmongering maniac hellbent on conquering the universe! The possibilities are truly endless!” Twilight shouted excitedly as one of her claws ran up her mane and adjusted her glasses. “In some, ponies might not even exist. Instead, there could be creatures we have never even dreamed of, with their own unique societies, cultures, and histories! And you’re telling me you discovered this thanks to a stone of unknown technology?! A real portable device allowing multiversal travel?!” She shouted as two of her tentacle claws grabbed the table Pinkie was on and pulled Twilight awfully close to her. “Tell me everything!”

“Nuh-uh! It’s a magical stone, you silly!” Pinkie replied as Twilight laughed out loud while Applejack facehoofed.

“Ya just had to mention magic?” The apple pony remarked in annoyance.

“Magic is simply science we don’t understand yet,” The scientist retorted as she pulled herself away from the original Pinkie.

“Do you think you can build a machine to help her go back to her own universe without having to use that stone?” Rarity asked with curiosity as Twilight hummed, one of her claws rubbing her chin.

“The real question is: Should I help her?” She snickered as everyone in the room stared at her.

“Come on, Twilight. She’s an alternate version of our friend, don’t be a dick,” Fluttershy uttered, which shocked Pinkie Pie to the core. So much so that she nearly lost her voice there!

“Alright, alright! Although trying to build a machine will be so much riskier,” Twilight rolled her eyes in annoyance since they clearly weren’t enjoying her jokes. “I mean, think about it this way: Imagine if our universe was a balloon filled with air. The inflation outlet of that balloon would be the multiversal travel device, the stone, and so slightly opening it would simply deflate the balloon, which can be fixed any time! Now, if you try to open another way in, like with a second machine, for example, it will go boom,” She explained in a scholarly way before her tone turned somber. “For our universe, the results would be even worse! Think about it! Recklessly opening a hole in the universe could potentially lead to the creation of a gravitational pull stronger than that of a black hole right on Equus! It could also cause unprecedented consequences on the very laws of physics! Such a disaster would undoubtedly puncture a hole in reality and destroy the fabric of space and time before eventually tearing our whole universe apart!” She shouted without even pausing once and didn’t even seem out of breath. “This. Is. AMAZING!” She squeaked with excitement before clapping with her claws again.

“You’re a nerd, egghead,” Rainbow Dash flatly stated. “And a sociopath who doesn’t care for her own safety. I love that!” She added flirtily, to which Twilight smirked.

“I know you do,” She said as the original Pinkie’s eyes darted around.

“Wow, you girls are weird!” She commented while chuckling.

“Please, don’t lump me with those brutes!” Rarity groaned with a foreleg over her forehead. “I am a sophisticated lady who despises violence! Although, I do enjoy making ice sculptures out of people,” She added the last part under her breath, which didn’t go unheard by the original Pinkie.

“Oh, so instead of taking ponies’ measurements for dresses, it’s for ice sculptures!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as Rarity seemed confused.

“Taking their measurements? But I don’t need… Oh! Right! Yes, I make ice sculptures in their own image! Although, I make dresses, too. And I would have a lot more time to make them if a certain someone wasn’t always fighting for my attention,” She replied while throwing a few glances at her marefriend.

“Don’t pretend you don’t like it,” Applejack snorted as the white pony huffed, unwilling to confirm or deny anything.

“Flutters is a bit bolder here, too…” Pinkie muttered under her breath while looking at the yellow pegasus, who looked exactly like the one she knew on the outside.

“Say what you want to say to my face instead of whispering my name, bubble gum,” Fluttershy responded in annoyance.

“See? Exactly like I said!” Pinkie shouted happily.

“But seriously, are we gonna help her?” Fluttershy inquired as Twilight stopped her flirting session, adjusted her glasses, and sighed.

“I would really love to study her,” She began, only for Rainbow Dash to put a wing over her back.

“Twi…”

“I guess we’ll help her find that stone. Besides, it will be beneficial for us, too! I mean… A multiversal traveling device… What a dream!” Twilight conceded as both Pinkies frowned.

“That’s like three times you’ve missed the opportunity for a title drop!” They both said at the same time. Unfortunately, they were promptly ignored by friends that seemed way too used to Pinkie’s antics.

“Oh, dear. Shouldn’t we give them different names, though?” Rarity commented with a hoof on her chin.

“Oh, it’s easy! You’re Pinkie 1, and she’s Pinkie 2!” Rainbow Dash interjected as she pointed at her universe’s Pinkie Pie, then at the one strapped on the table.

“What?! Why am I Pinkie 2?” The original Pinkie Pie complained.

“It’s her universe. Of course, she is Pinkie 1,” Twilight argued as the strapped Pinkie Pie shook her head.

“Yes, but readers will get confused if I’m not Pinkie 1!” The pink pony countered.

“There are no readers. We are not in a show or in a book, you just have psychological issues,” Twilight deadpanned.

“Wait! I agree with her! It will be less confusing if I am Pinkie 2,” Their version of Pinkie interjected, making Twilight sigh.

“Just let them have this,” Applejack commented tiredly.

“Fine. You will be Pinkie 1, and our Pinkie will be the second one. Happy?” Twilight questioned as the two Pinkie nodded and smiled in response. “Great! Let me free you of these!” She said as her tentacles extended and pressed a button, which immediately freed the party pony.

“Finally free!” Pinkie jumped off the table as Pinkie 2 ran up to her.

“So, wanna be my twin sister?” She asked nonchalantly.

“I was about to ask the same thing, sis!” Pinkie replied excitedly. It didn’t take them a long time to celebrate with a dance and a song, making the other ponies roll their eyes.

“Ah am happy for them, but this is gonna get tirin’ real fast,” Applejack remarked as Rainbow Dash interjected.

“Tell me about it,”

“So, how will we help her exactly?” Rarity inquired.

“Obviously, we have to find the device… And I may have an idea how!” Twilight responded. “If I can somehow harvest the energy inside her that she calls magic…” She began explaining, pausing to snicker at the last word. “Then I can potentially make a radar that will track similar energies. Tracking the device should be easy because it’s probably going to be the only thing in the world using that energy,” She stated excitedly, making Applejack raise an eyebrow.

“And you ain’t gonna dissect her to harvest it?” She questioned. Twilight rolled her eyes and pouted.

“I’m not that bad! I said I won’t do it, so I won’t!” She promised with frustration.

“Alright, Ah believe ya!” Applejack raised her hooves in defense.

“I guess I should start working on it now. Pinkie 1, you’ll have to stay with me,” Twilight called out to her, stopping her dance with her twin.

“But I want to explore outside! Technically, I don’t know anypony in Ponyville right now, so that means I have the biggest party to organize yet!” She answered with excitement.

“What about our double date? I waited for days for this!” Rainbow Dash complained.

“Hey, you’re the ones who wanted me to help her! I was perfectly fine with experimenting on her!” Twilight retorted before addressing Pinkie 1. “By the way, you can still volunteer for this,” She whispered to her, then turned her attention back to her marefriend. “Anyway, you can stay with us if you want, Rainbow Dash. We don’t need to be on a date to have fun,”

“Okay, I’ll stay… But it’s not like we can have fun anyway while she’s here…” She grumbled under her breath, sitting on the ground with her forelegs crossed.

“While you are doing this, Applejack and I will enjoy a nice day at the spa! Alone…” Rarity notified them while fluttering her eyelashes at the orange pony.

“Are we really going to the spa or is that a hidden message again?” Applejack rubbed the back of her head in confusion while she was led toward the stairway leading out of Twilight’s basement.

“Of course, they get to enjoy their day!” Rainbow groaned as one of Twilight’s mechanical arms grabbed her by the back and made her sit beside her.

“Shush, you’re the one who said you’ll stay, so no complaining!” She said while petting her head with one of the claws. “What about you Fluttershy? Pinkie 2? Want to stay?”

“Stay with a stranger wearing one of my best friends’ face? No, thank you. I would rather jump in a pool of lava. No offense,” Fluttershy calmly and coldly replied before flying to the exit.

“Well! Guess I’ll leave, too!” Pinkie 2 exclaimed happily, making the first Pinkie widen her eyes until they were as big as sausages.

“What?! But we would have had so much fun! Stay! Pretty please!” She begged before diving down and grabbing onto Pinkie 2’s legs.

“Sorry, sis! But once you get used to Twilight’s lab, it gets sooooo boooring!” Pinkie responded as she threw her head back. “Honestly, I would rather have fun outside! If it makes you feel any better, maybe I’ll throw you a welcome party!” She added before pulling her legs out of Pinkie’s grasp and walking away.

“You girls are no fun!” Pinkie 1 sighed before collapsing to the floor out of pure boredom. There was no way this Pinkie Pie was the same as her! If she was, they would have gotten out of that lab and thrown the greatest party the world had ever seen! Then she would go back to her world and save the day as usual.

“Cheer up, Pinkie. All I need is to harvest some of your energy. Once it’s done, you can go out and play as much as you like until I make the tracker. Although, you’ll have to make sure not to get into any trouble unless you want to die,” Twilight attempted to cheer her up.

Pinkie Pie completely ignored any mentions of killing as she stood up with a jump.

“Okay! Then let’s finish this quickly!” She exclaimed.

“Good! Then don’t touch anything and wait until I get my machine prepared! You can have some fun with Rainbow here,” Twilight instructed as she crawled a few meters away.

Don’t touch anything? They really didn’t want her to have fun, did they? Granted, she wasn’t sure if touching stuff would be safe in this lab. Not only many things seemed dangerous, but there were also one or two creatures floating in weird tanks. What if she ended up like them?!

Nonetheless, scientist Twilight’s basement was so much more interesting than the original Twilight’s! There were so many machines and contraptions! This world was obviously more advanced than hers. It created so many opportunities! If she worked with this world’s versions of her friends, Pinkie Pie could help Equestria make many technological advances, change the world for the better and have a technological revolution!

…

Nah, that was boring! She should check on Rainbow Dash instead! And if she was with Rainbow, then she could interact with some of the stuff here without being in danger. Turning her head around, Pinkie noticed the blue pegasus staring at Twilight’s flank.

“Hey, Dashie!” Pinkie shouted as she appeared behind her, making the pegasus yell in surprise.

“AH! Damn it! I hate it when you do that!” Rainbow Dash breathed out while holding her chest. “One day I’m going to kill you by accident, Pinkie! Oh, wait… You’re not my Pinkie. Well, be careful!” She warned her.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine!” Pinkie waved her hoof in dismissal. “So… What were you thinking about?”

“As you probably saw, I don’t spend as much time with Twilight as I would want any more. Sure, I can visit her anytime, but I’ve got a job, too. That double date was a super opportunity before you came and screwed it up!” Rainbow Dash accused Pinkie while pointing at her. “So now I’m thinking of a nice date idea that she can’t possibly pass up!” She explained. “Although the fact that it’s a date with me is already awesome enough,” She proudly added.

“I can totally help you!” Pinkie Pie offered ecstatically, which only served to make Rainbow frown.

“Um… No offense, but my Pinkie doesn’t know much about romance. I mean, a mare literally killed herself on their first date with her! What makes you different?” She asked, clearly doubting the pink pony’s abilities.

The multiversal traveler chuckled, choosing to completely ignore Rainbow Dash’s little fun fact.

“Because I know Twilight, silly! I’m sure she must not be that different from mine! Even if our group dynamic is all ruined now,”

“Let me guess: You think I should throw her a party,” Rainbow stated flatly.

“Yes!” Pinkie perked up. “How did you know?”

“Eh. Had a feeling,” The blue pegasus shrugged dismissively.

“You two should totally dance! Like those romantic dances! I have no idea what they’re called,” Pinkie suggested as the other pony raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not sure you’ve noticed, but she can’t dance with those mechanical arms!” Rainbow Dash pointed at them over her shoulder.

“I was wondering about that. What’s up with those things? Is she paralyzed or something?” Pinkie arched an eyebrow in confusion.

“Paralyzed?” The pegasus scoffed, then shook her head. “Nah. She said her natural limbs were obsolete since she made new and better ones. I literally never saw her move her legs since I’ve known her. I’m starting to think she doesn’t even know how to walk anymore,” She exclaimed. “Although she uses those things as if she was born with them,” She said, giving Pinkie a sly smirk. “She gave me some augmentations, too! I’m kind of a cyborg,” She added arrogantly while pointing at herself.

“You’re some kind of robot pony? So cool!” Pinkie gushed over her new friend.

“Heh! I know! I’m awesome!” Rainbow Dash puffed up her chest.

She had always adhered to a philosophy of embracing her natural abilities, eschewing the notion of augmentations. Her desire to become the fastest flier in Equestria relied solely on dedicated training. However, everything changed when she crossed paths with Twilight. In fact, it was through receiving augmentations from her that their romantic relationship blossomed later on. While Twilight had given her multiple augmentations, the most notable ones were her wings. Though not necessary since she only broke them after a bad crash, they could have healed in under a few months.

Nevertheless, Twilight possessed a distinct mindset when it came to injuries healing naturally over time. She openly expressed to Rainbow and their friends that she only viewed ponies as things that could be broken… and rebuilt. Her passion resided in constructing and mending objects. As soon as Twilight beheld Rainbow's wounded state, she swiftly embarked on a mission to persuade her companion to embrace augmentations and transform into a cyborg. Naturally, extensive discussions ensued before Rainbow ultimately made a decision.

The scientists more or less told her that wings were fragile flesh bags and that robotic ones would be better. Rainbow Dash mulled over it for weeks but ultimately accepted Twilight’s offer. She still got new upgrades and augmentations to this day. She wasn’t a total robot, of course. Her wings and legs were the only parts of her body that were completely metallic.

“You know, you could get some augmentations, too,” Rainbow suggested as Pinkie Pie pondered about it.

“Does Pinkie 2 have any?” She asked, curious.

“Nope! The other girls aren’t interested in it. They don’t know what they’re missing, though!” Rainbow Dash kissed one of her forelegs.

“I’ll think about it,” Pinkie Pie shrugged, still smiling as Rainbow Dash stopped kissing her leg and smirked.

“You know what? Here, I’ll show you something,” She said as she flew up and grabbed a bracelet from a shelf, then threw it at Pinkie who managed to catch it just in time.

“What’s that? A bracelet?” She asked while turning it over. It looked like a plain black metallic bracelet. The second she put it on, it expanded a little, and a few wires connected with Pinkie’s hooves. “Wow!”

“That’s a gun,” Rainbow Dash revealed as a gun came out of the bracelet. “It just connected to your brain, right now. So whenever you want to shoot, it’ll shoot,” She explained as Pinkie tilted her head.

“Shoot what?” The pink pony inquired before a shot suddenly rang out.

“AH!” Rainbow Dash screamed in pain before spitting out blood and collapsing to the floor.

“W-What?! What happened?!” Pinkie shouted in panic as she looked at the barrel of her gun, where smoke was coming out.

“Y-You fucking shot me! Why did you do that?!” Rainbow hollered while holding her chest to stop blood from pouring out.

“I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!” Pinkie shouted as she threw the gun on the ground and kicked the bracelet away before running up to the pegasus, tears threatening to fall.

“Oh, God… I’m bleeding to death!” Rainbow clenched her teeth in pain.

“It’s gonna be alright, Dashie! Twilight! Help! Help!” Pinkie called for the lavender earth pony while Rainbow Dash slowly closed her eyes.

“Pinkie… I don’t have much longer… I need to tell you something…” She muttered through the pain.

“Yes?” Pinkie asked with a shaking voice and moved her head closer.

“I… I gotcha!” Rainbow suddenly laughed as if it was nothing, making Pinkie yelp in surprise and back away.

“W-What? What’s happening?!” Pinkie’s eyes darted around in confusion while the pegasus was still laughing.

“It was a prank! HAHA! You totally thought you killed me, didn’t you?! Should have seen your face!” Rainbow Dash laughed so hard that she had to hold her sides.

“A joke? It was… a joke?” Pinkie repeated in shock, still finding it unbelievable. “But the blood!” She pointed at all the blood on the floor and the one Rainbow Dash.

“Oh, that’s nothing! Twilight set up something so that my heart would make blood faster. That way I can never bleed out. I only use it for pranks, though,” The pegasus responded dismissively.

“I thought… I thought I killed you… And you’re telling me it was… a prank…” Pinkie summed up the situation.

“And it was really funny, too!” Rainbow Dash commented until they were interrupted by the sound of Twilight crawling.

“The machine for harvesting should be ready, and what’s happening here?” The lavender pony gave them a quizzical look before a flash of recognition lit up her face. “Wait, don’t tell me… You did the gun accident prank, right?” She snickered while adjusting her glasses.

“Yup! And she totally fell for it!”

“Really? It’s a classic one, though!”

Pinkie gulped nervously as she pretended to laugh, her eyes traveling between Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

“Haha, it was really funny… A good one, girls…” She muttered as the scientist turned her attention to her.

“I know we may not be your friends, but I am overjoyed to see you already familiarizing with us!” She said as one of her claws extended and caressed Pinkie’s neck to comfort her. Unlike Twilight’s warm and affectionate hugs, Pinkie could only feel cold and emotionless metal with this one. “I’m sure we’ll have a lot of fun until we help you leave,” Twilight softly said.

“So much fun!” Pinkie celebrated while trying to sound as genuine as possible. The two other ponies snickered while staring at her, totally missing the rising fear and panic in her heart.

As the three ponies engaged in their discussion, an inconspicuous fly clandestinely observed them from within one of the vents. After a few shakes of its tiny head, it promptly took flight, tracing the intricate network of vents until it discovered an escape route.

Ascending higher and higher, the insect soared until Ponyville vanished from its line of sight. In a terrifying transformation, the creature underwent a metamorphosis. Within the expanse of the sky, it morphed into a swirling mass of ebony flesh, seamlessly shifting its form with disgusting fluidity. Gradually, it emerged as a majestic brown eagle, spreading its wings wide as it continued its journey.

Its speed increased as it followed a precise path, straight to the Badlands. Embedded in a mountain in the far reaches of the Badlands was a gigantic black and green nest. As the eagle approached its destination, it underwent another transmutation, reverting to its true form. Unveiled before the towering nest was a changeling, although noticeably lacking a horn.

The changeling’s wings were large. Its exoskeleton exuded an inky black hue, while its chitin exhibited a jagged and coarse texture. Bulbous and oversized, the creature's eyes featured multiple layers, devoid of pupils. Its limbs appeared angular and disproportionate, culminating in dagger-like claws capable of rending through steel with ease. Atop its head, long and slender antennae gracefully extended, aiding the changeling in perceiving its surroundings with uncanny precision.

The hive was filled with changelings looking nearly exactly like him, yet all of them could differentiate from one another.

“Mother,” It spoke in a low voice as it landed in the center of the hive. The changeling received no immediate answer as its mind was slowly probed, then shared across the whole hive.

This extraordinary feat was made possible by their mother, the illustrious queen who presided over them all. Suspended from the ceiling, a colossal mass of obsidian flesh dangled, emitting a viscous green ooze from various apertures. Slowly, the form shifted, morphing until two discernible eyes and a mouth took shape. This was their revered mother, Queen Chrysalis. From her form, a dark tube materialized, descending to the ground before expelling a green egg enveloped in the same glistening ooze. Yet, it was not an isolated occurrence. In truth, the center of the nest was adorned with a multitude of eggs, adorning the ground, while the walls and ceiling teemed with the presence of the swarm's devoted members.

“Good. New. Opportunity. Children,” Chrysalis spoke in a loud and raspy voice, with acidic goo pouring out of her mouth. “Our. Time. To attack. Soon. Ponies lead. To stone. We find,” She explained as the changeling that brought her the news stepped forward.

“What… What then… Mother?” It asked as Chrysalis clicked her tongue multiple times, spitting out even more venom.

“Swarm outnumbers. Their armies. A hundred to one! We find stone. Magic Stone. Is power. I get. Power. We kill. We invade. Pony lands. Ours. Ponies. Ours,” Their mother replied as several spiked tentacles suddenly shot out of her body and impaled multiple changelings. She quickly threw them in her mouth and bit into them with no hesitation, spilling their green blood as she chewed on them.

“I grow. Tired of. Cannibalism,”

Author's Note

I wonder what the Chrysalis we know would think of her counterpart?

The Rainbow She remembers

Universe 19884

“Do we have to do this?” Rainbow Dash grumbled as Applejack sighed.

“Ah understand yer impatience, Sugarcube. But ya can’t look for Twilight in that state! Rest for at least two more days, then we’ll look for her,” Applejack responded as the blue pegasus still lied on the bed with her forelegs crossed.

“I know! But we have to stop Tirek, and what if Twilight…” Rainbow Dash started in annoyance, only to be cut off by none other than Discord.

“Tirek has ruled over Equestria for more than 2 years now. I honestly doubt he would suddenly cause any more world-ending danger. I would say the same goes for Twilight. If she had been safe for that long, then it’s unlikely she’s in peril,” the draconequus argued calmly, which astonished Rainbow Dash. That counterpart of Discord was so much… tamer than the one she knew.

“I just… I just have a bad feeling… And don’t forget I need to get that stone. My Twilight’s in danger, too,” Rainbow Dash grumbled while the other girls looked at each other awkwardly.

“Nevertheless, there are matters to attend to here before we go anywhere, dear,” Rarity pointed out as Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Your parents. I’m sorry, but we just can’t keep an alternate version of their daughter with us and never tell them anything,” she explained.

“I don’t know… It’s gonna be awkward, isn’t it?” The blue pegasus rubbed her foreleg nervously as Pinkie Pie, with her mane still straight, approached her and placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder.

“Dashie… Losing you broke them! It was so sudden… They never even got to say goodbye to you. And from what they said, their last conversation with you ended with a stupid petty fight,” she uttered in such an uncharacteristic way that Rainbow Dash nearly forgot this was an alternate version of Pinkie.

Rainbow Dash herself was well aware of the fight Pinkie referred to, recognizing its similarity to one she had experienced in her own universe. She could acknowledge that it was indeed a petty disagreement, all because she had chosen not to attend a family reunion. She could empathize with the pain of knowing that such a trivial exchange would be her last interaction with her parents. However...

“But I’m not her! Will they really be satisfied… Or happy to talk to me if I’m not even their real daughter? Even I don’t know how to act around them. I get I’m the element of loyalty, but it’s not like I actually know these ponies! I mean, I do, but… Ah! This is so complicated!” Rainbow Dash slapped her forehead. “You know what? Just do it. Bring them here, and we’ll see how it goes,” she finally conceded.

The other ponies appeared somewhat hesitant, sensing Rainbow Dash's lack of contentment with her choice. They couldn’t deny that they partially forced her hoof, but they couldn't simply disregard the opportunity to provide a semblance of closure for her parents.

“Uhm… I’ll go over to their house and talk to them if none of you mind. I’ll explain the situation and bring them,” Fluttershy nervously volunteered to go to them, which didn’t receive any opposition from her friends.

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity thanked the yellow pegasus.

“I’ll go with you,” Discord offered as he moved closer to Fluttershy.

“Are you sure? I’m not sure how they’ll react,” she warned him as the draconequus looked down in shame, then nodded.

“Yes. I think I should be there when you tell them about our new guest,” He answered while scratching the back of his neck.

“Okay… If you need this, too, then I will gladly let you accompany me,” Fluttershy smiled before motioning for him to follow and walking out.

Once more, a palpable silence enveloped the room, stretching out for several lingering seconds. The mounting tension became almost tangible, escalating with each passing moment. Until Rainbow Dash decided to put an end to it and broke the silence.

“What was that about?”

“Well… We couldn’t really hide the fact that Discord helped Tirek with his plans. I’m certain that all of Equestria knew about it. He is partially responsible for you… You know. It was the first time I saw your parents and I never thought they could be so angry at somepony. Your father was ready to tear Discord’s head off,” Rarity explained while looking in the direction Fluttershy and Discord left. “Now they can be in the same room as him as long as they ignore his existence,”

“What about you?” Rainbow Dash asked abruptly.

“What about us?” Pinkie Pie arched an eyebrow. While she had a vague inkling of what Rainbow Dash was alluding to, she was far from inclined to discuss the matter. The Pinkie of the past would have never fathomed the possibility of harboring a grudge for such an extended duration. She likely never envisioned that forgiveness could prove so arduous to attain.

“Applejack said you didn’t forgive him yet. That true?” Rainbow reiterated as Pinkie sighed and looked away.

“It’s… We’re trying,” Rarity simply responded. Before Rainbow Dash could ask further questions, Applejack stepped forward.

“He’s far from earnin’ our forgiveness yet. Discord made a lotta stupid mistakes for stupid reasons, and we forgave ‘im every time. Every time. But… But you died because of him. That’s not just a stupid mistake. We lost our best friend! He can’t get off easy and we can’t just pretend that we forgave ‘im because… at the end of the day, we didn’t. Ah still wish Ah could let all ma anger out on ‘im, but Ah know it wouldn’t fix anythin’,” Applejack uttered, her anger rising. It was clear as day that she was still holding back plenty of resentment and anger toward the draconequus, but if Rainbow Dash was to guess, the earth pony likely wanted to avoid causing more drama. “Even Fluttershy hasn’t forgiven him yet. That’s sayin’ somethin’,”

“Yeah… I guess I wouldn’t forgive him so easily either,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

Reflecting upon it, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but acknowledge the immense fortune she and her friends had experienced in their original world. She never imagined the possibility of things going so horribly awry. The mere contemplation of whether they could have found themselves in a similar predicament sent a chill down her spine. Was… Was she also Tirek’s first target in their own world if Twilight refused to cooperate? It greatly put things into perspective to think that they were so close to losing. The fact that Tirek had stolen all of their magic was often overlooked because she only replayed the moment they won against him. Perhaps it was better to stop thinking about it for now.

However, being alone with her thoughts was almost better than trying to talk to the others. She had been in this room for hours, accounting for the time she spent slumbering, and it was evident that none of them had grown accustomed to this unfamiliar situation. The presence of a clone of their departed best friend seemed to overwhelm them, making it apparent that they were struggling to cope. Moreover, it was unlikely that they had forgotten Rainbow Dash's previous reproach, admonishing them for allowing Twilight to depart.

Twilight... Rainbow Dash acknowledged the importance of contemplating what she would say to her counterpart's parents upon their arrival. However, diverting her thoughts toward anyone else proved challenging when her own Twilight appeared to be imperiled in a different universe, and this world's Twilight faced her own set of challenges. The uncertainty surrounding her well-being only added to the weight on Rainbow Dash's mind. Furthermore, the other girls had each other for solace and support in their time of mourning, but Twilight had no one except herself and Spike. If she had to hazard a guess, the young baby dragon was likely too inexperienced and profoundly disheartened to provide much assistance to Twilight.

Wait… What if that world’s Twilight wanted to end things or something? What if she was hesitant for two years, then decided she would… end it tomorrow? They couldn’t just stand there!

“I can’t lie there and do…” Rainbow Dash began ranting, only to be cut off by the opening of a door.

“Rainbow Dash?” Someone hesitantly called out to her, making the blue pegasus pause.

It was her parents. Or rather, their counterparts. Was she stuck in her thoughts that long? Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles were standing in the doorframe, looking just as bad as Fluttershy did. Their wings were nothing like Rainbow Dash remembered them, and their hooves were as dirty from manual labor as the others were. Bow, her father, even seemed to have lost some weight. Their daughter’s clone wasn’t sure how she was supposed to react.

Usually, she would be annoyed with her parents, but still somewhat happy to see that they were doing fine. However… These versions of them were… drastically different. Their cheery, positive, and supportive attitude was gone. Their eyes only held sadness and despair, so much so that even an oblivious pony like Rainbow Dash could see it!

Windy made the first step, slow and nervous. Then, she suddenly broke into a run and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow Dash, trapping her in a bone-crushing hug.

“My sweet baby!” the mother cried, letting her tears freely fall down her cheeks while Bow slowly approached them.

“Is what Fluttershy said true? Are you really…” Bow hesitantly began asking while Windy let go of her.

“Yeah…” Rainbow Dash nodded reluctantly.

“You look exactly like her…” Her father commented with awe and melancholy.

“I don’t care; I’m just happy to see your face!” Windy hugged Rainbow Dash again and nuzzled her cheek.

The embodiment of loyalty, Rainbow Dash, regarded her mother with a perplexed expression, grappling with uncertainty over the appropriate course of action. Her gaze shifted to her father, who, while not physically embracing her, exhibited a similar emotional impact. Witnessing her family in such a vulnerable state began to take its toll on Rainbow Dash, unaccustomed to witnessing them in such distress. After contemplation, she made her decision. Rainbow Dash returned her mother's embrace, enveloping her in a heartfelt hug, reciprocating the same intensity that Windy had shown her mere seconds before.

“Oh, look at you! Your wings seem so strong!” Windy remarked while wiping a tear from her eyes.

“Y-Yeah! They have to be since I’m a wonderbolt back home!” Rainbow Dash revealed. She was still a bit unsure about how much Fluttershy explained to them. Moreover, she also thought about how long she avoided telling her real parents that she became a wonderbolt because she didn’t want them to embarrass her. It was so easy now, but then again… would they care if it wasn’t their real daughter?

“O-Our… Daughter… Is a WONDERBOLT?!” Bow stammered before crying out in shock.

“Our daughter is a wonderbolt!” Both of Rainbow Dash’s parents screamed as they hugged the injured pegasus at the same time. Meanwhile, the rest of her friends simply fondly looked at each other as they witnessed the scene.

“I knew she could do it! I knew it!” Windy cried happily.

The others knew how much Rainbow Dash’s parents believed in her and supported her, but they never expected them to be so overjoyed! They were rarely happy lately! Although, pretty much their whole group was rarely happy…

“That’s my daughter! She-She really is the best at everything!” Bow added while crying as much as his wife. Nevertheless, they could still perceive a hint of sadness in his tone and voice.

This time, Rainbow Dash wasn’t embarrassed at all. She would rather let them have this than ruin what is likely one of their rare moment of happiness. They were starting to get her emotional, too! She was about to be until she remembered that her original parents never lost her.

“I know, I’m the coolest. But that’s only because I’ve got the coolest parents,” Rainbow Dash mumbled while folding her wings around them.

“My Rainbow Dash… I’m so proud…” Windy muttered affectionately, crying a bit more silently. Soon enough, the mood changed and her husband noticed it nearly immediately as the older mare sniffled into her daughter’s counterpart’s neck. “I wish… I wish I could have seen it…”

“Honey…” Bow whispered, biting his lower lip as he broke the hug and gently caressed his wife’s back.

“I wish my Rainbow Dash…” Windy began before choking on her tears and breaking away. Fortunately, Bow Hothoof was quick to catch her in a comforting embrace.

“There, there… I understand…” He calmly whispered while nearly looking in an even worse emotional state than her. Tears were streaming down his face, too, except he made no sobbing sounds as loud as Windy’s.

Now out of her hooves and wings, Rainbow Dash could only stare at the two of them. Everything was so overwhelming that she didn’t even know what to say, what to feel, or how to react. However, a sudden pang of pain pierced her chest, constricting her throat and threatening to unleash a torrent of tears. Seeing them like this… Hurt. Hurt more than anything she had experienced until now. She hated this. She hated this bleak and miserable world! She wanted to go back home! But she couldn’t, could she? Not only because she didn’t have the stone, but also because she couldn’t turn her back on them. Spouting about loyalty was worthless if she couldn’t back up her words.

“Are you… I’m sorry I’m not…” Rainbow Dash stopped herself before she could say ‘Your real daughter’ because she had a feeling this would just hurt them more than anything.

“It’s okay… We’re fine…” Bow struggled to answer through his tears.

“D-Don’t worry. I just need some time,” Windy sniffled while doing her best to wipe off her tears. “I’m happy to know that there is a world where Rainbow is a wonderbolt. It just goes to show that she had the abilities for it before… Before her life was stripped away by that monster…” She added, clenching her teeth while speaking the last sentence.

“We still can’t believe what Fluttershy told us, but we know she wouldn’t lie to us,” Bow remarked, and Rainbow Dash suddenly noticed that Fluttershy and Discord weren’t there. She figured it wasn’t really the right time to ask about them, especially since her parents apparently had a bad relationship with Discord. “No offense, sweetie… But a part of us wishes that you were the Rainbow we lost,” He breathed out.

“Even if she isn’t from here, she’s still our daughter!” Windy interjected as Bow nodded apologetically.

“I know, I know. But it hurts,” He retorted, which was enough to make his wife look down. She agreed with her husband, of course, but it didn’t change the fact that this was Rainbow Dash. No matter where she came from.

“Believe us, we were quite hurt, too,” Rarity sighed while looking away.

“It gave us false hope, but it’ll be better now! She’ll help us!” Pinkie interrupted as happily as she could, which wasn’t much considering her mane still wasn’t puffy. Applejack remained silent, and only placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder.

“No matter. I’m glad I can see my daughter’s face,” Windy smiled as she ran a hoof across Rainbow’s cheek. “And hear her voice,”

"Mom..." Rainbow Dash murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, before gently taking her mother's hoof into her own. The reality of the encounter proved to be just as challenging as she had anticipated, if not more so.

“Sorry, it must be awkward for you…” Windy chuckled humorlessly.

“No! It’s fine…” Rainbow Dash responded nervously.

“Our daughter is even the best at sparing our feelings!” Bow exclaimed while drying his tears.

"We're just glad you're here, Rainbow," Windy said softly, her voice filled with a mixture of joy and sorrow. "Even if you're not our Rainbow, having you with us brings some comfort"

Rainbow Dash nodded. She never thought she would see her parents this hurt, so it was hard to think of finding the stone and going back home. They needed a daughter, and they needed support! But she couldn’t stay. As much as she wished to help them, she couldn’t stay in this world for too long.

"I... I wish I could stay longer," Rainbow Dash admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I have to find a way back. I have to save my friends and my world,"

Bow and Windy exchanged a glance, their expressions filled with understanding and sadness. "We know, Rainbow," Bow said, his voice filled with a mixture of pride and resignation. "You've always been driven by your loyalty to your friends and your duty. We're proud of you, especially considering you are a wonderbolt!"

“My friends told me that you live in Ponyville, now?” Rainbow Dash changed the subject, wishing to see what happened to them once they had their magic stolen.

“Ah, yes… Without magic, flying and living in Cloudsdale was kinda impossible. The city has been completely deserted for two years now,” Windy answered, making Bow sigh.

“We had to give up on all your trophies since we couldn’t get them! At least, I hope no bad weather destroyed the place…” He added while looking down. Her parents loved her trophies even more than she did! So the fact that they were so disappointed wasn’t surprising. Nevertheless, it looked like they partially moved on after 2 years.

“When that happened, we had no place to stay. Then we remembered you lived in Ponyville and thought about coming here, but…” Windy’s words were suddenly stuck in her throat.

“You learned about the bad news,” Rainbow Dash finished as her mother nodded.

“Your friends helped us a lot, and we did our best to tend the land as well as we could in exchange,” Bow explained as Applejack nodded in gratitude. “We may have lost our home, but we gained a new family here. Your friends have been incredibly kind and supportive, just like you've always been to them. That little Scootaloo, especially, is a real morale booster,”

Right. Rainbow Dash hadn’t thought about Scootaloo. Uncertain of Apple Bloom's whereabouts, she hoped that her absence would prevent any inadvertent disclosure to her friends. She could barely deal with seeing her friends and her parents like that, so she wasn’t sure she would be able to talk with Scootaloo without breaking.

“I promise you, guys. Once I’m done fixing this mess, everything will go back to normal,” Rainbow Dash promised them confidently. Although, she was aware that there were still things she would never be able to fix here.

“We know you will,” her parents said, fully trusting her.

“But you don’t have to promise anything, darling. We know you also need to go back to your own world,” Rarity reassured the injured pegasus.

“And I’ll go back, but not without helping you. Where do you think Twilight is, and where did you look?” Rainbow Dash replied, her eyes going from Rarity to Pinkie Pie.

“Nice try, Rainbow. But as Ah said, ya ain’t goin’ anywhere ‘till ya recovered,” Applejack interjected before anyone could respond to her query.

“Oh, come on!” Rainbow Dash threw her hooves in the air.

“Um… I think we have somepony that can help,” Fluttershy’s hesitant voice came out as a whisper, but still managed to be heard as she came in, followed by Discord.

Rainbow Dash’s parents immediately frowned, looking at the draconequus with disgust for a few seconds before looking away and focusing their eyes on their daughter’s counterpart.

“Where have ya been?” Applejack arched an eyebrow while Pinkie’s face slightly lit up when the next person entered the room.

“We came across somepony that could help,” Discord replied as he allowed the pony, or rather the zebra, to enter.

“Hey, Zecora!” Pinkie Pie greeted her while waving her hoof.

To Rainbow Dash's surprise, the zebra appeared to be relatively unscathed. While she may not have looked as pristine as Rainbow Dash's own Zecora, bearing a slimmer figure, lacking cutie marks, and showing signs of dirtiness, she seemed to have endured manual labor without suffering significant long-term harm, unlike some of her companions.

“Discord and Fluttershy explained your predicament. Perhaps I have a way to ease your ailment,” Zecora began as she reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a few herbs. “I have collected several herbs, which may be useful to craft a potion that will quick the healing process. However, I will have to go back to my hut, and the recovery will still take at least a day, I must confess,”

“Thank Celestia! You’re a lifesaver, Zecora! It’s fine! Waiting for a day is still better than waiting for three or four,” Rainbow Dash breathed in relief as Zecora smiled at her enthusiasm.

“Then I better not make you wait for too long. I will need some help to find more specific herbs, can any of you come along?” The zebra asked as Fluttershy happily stepped forward.

“I would be glad to help if you would have me!” She offered while Zecora nodded in approval. “It hurts me to see Rainbow Dash in bed like that,” she explained as Discord’s eyes traveled across the room, silently glancing at the rainbow pony’s parents.

“Standing around until Rainbow Dash heals is going to get really boring, so… I guess I’ll help them…” He stated nervously before following Fluttershy and Zecora out of the house.

“Good riddance,” Windy muttered under her breath, which was loud enough for Rainbow Dash to hear.

“Err… While you’re resting, how do ya want to do this, RD? Wanna tell anypony else in Ponyville about ya?” Applejack inquired as everyone’s eyes suddenly focused on the injured pegasus.

“Eh, I would rather not. I feel like it’ll make things even more complicated. Even I’m still not used to being in another universe,” Rainbow Dash responded while rubbing her right foreleg.

“I know what you mean. It will bring unwanted attention, and explaining to the whole town everything will be a bother,” Rarity agreed, making Pinkie Pie gasp.

“What?! But everypony will be so happy! And they’ll have hope again! I-I could make a Hope Party or something!” Pinkie complained in sadness.

“Pinkie, they’ll have hope that Rainbow Dash is somehow alive, then you’ll take that away from them once you tell them she isn’t. Have you thought about Scootaloo’s reaction?” Rarity argued as Pinkie looked down in disappointment, but there was an understanding in her eyes.

“We definitely would have been heartbroken if we saw that Rainbow Dash without any prior explanation,” Bow Hothoof added while holding Windy in his forelegs.

“Besides… As much as it pains me to admit it, who knows who could be listening. What if somepony wants to gain Tirek’s favor and tipped him off? Rainbow Dash is already lucky enough to have destroyed every timberwolf she faced, because otherwise, one of them would have informed Tirek,” Rarity continued only to be cut off by her pink-maned friend.

“Fine! I get it! We don’t tell anypony,” she conceded reluctantly.

“If that’s what ya all want, then Rainbow will have to leave ma house. Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Applebloom may come back anytime,” Applejack stated, and Rainbow Dash was almost tempted to ask her where they went in the first place. “The best place would be far from town. Somewhere quiet and a bit recluse. Any idea?” She asked as everyone except for Rainbow’s parents looked at each other.

“Fluttershy’s cottage,” they declared at the same time.

“Are ya fine with that, Rainbow?” Applejack asked the main mare concerned.

“Course I am! Wait, do I have to live with Discord? Is that why you asked?” Rainbow Dash widened her eyes while Applejack blushed and chuckled.

“Eeyup! She is the only one who accepted him into her home, so… still fine with that?” Applejack asked again, which made the pegasus groan.

“It’s the only way to avoid the town, I guess! Besides, it will only be for a day. Yeah, I’m fine with it,” Rainbow Dash slumped against her pillow and sighed. One day was still too much in her opinion, but she supposed she could tolerate it. All she could do now was wait while hoping everything was fine with the others… But also this world’s Twilight Sparkle and Spike.

Twilight softly exhaled as a slow and cool breeze caressed her feathers. Perched up on a small and soft cloud, it was like she could see all of Equestria. The sun bathed the vibrant green trees of the forest with its orange light as it slowly but surely descended behind the horizon.

The heavens underwent a remarkable transformation. A warm glow emanated from the fading sun, suffusing the sky with delicate pinks, oranges, and purples. These gentle tones spread across the expanse of the firmament, creating a breathtaking canvas that seemed to blend seamlessly with the Equestrian landscape.

Every time she witnessed this grand spectacle, she had her breath taken. That time of day was the embodiment of the rule Celestia and Luna represented and what they could accomplish together, the shattering beauty they could create.

As darkness slowly claimed its domain, silhouettes emerged, casting intricate patterns upon the landscape. Trees took on a mysterious allure, their outlines becoming softened against the fading light. Soon, the first stars would slowly emerge and reveal their full brilliance, sparkling with celestial wonder. Soon, but for now, she would completely enjoy this brief transition from light to dark.

Maybe it was only a coincidence, but maybe this small moment truly meant something. When she asked the princesses about her role as a princess of Equestria, was that their answer? Was she the culmination of what they worked for? What Celestia did for her? Was she supposed to be that perfect balance between light and dark? And would her time be just as brief? Just as ephemeral? If this was the grandeur she could show the world… The results of the princesses, her friends, and her efforts, then she was fine with being a simple transition to a greater picture.

However, sometimes… It didn’t feel like it. Sometimes, she was just not up to that task. Sometimes, she just wasn’t good enough…

“What are you thinking of, egghead?” A soft voice suddenly broke her out of her thoughts. The voice of her dear friend, and the fastest flier in Equestria. The pony who taught her to fly and truly experience the sky. Rainbow Dash had been sitting here all this time. It was expected since they were flying together, but she had been awfully silent until now.

“Nothing in particular. Just taking in the moment,” Twilight replied bashfully, a little embarrassed to have likely been ignoring her friend for several minutes. “I thought nothing of it before since it seemed so uninteresting to me... But thanks to you and the wonders you’ve shown me, I’ve learned to appreciate the beauty of nature more. I think this became my favorite time of day,” she explained with a small smile before pouting as her friend chuckled. “What?” she asked offendedly.

“It would have been weird if this wasn’t your favorite time of day since your name is literally Twilight,” the blue pegasus responded, snickering while doing so.

“Haha. Never heard that one before,” Twilight sarcastically replied while rolling her eyes. She wasn’t really mad at Rainbow Dash, and the pegasus knew that. But still… That joke was too predictable.

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna pout on me, Twi!” Rainbow Dash laughed before ruffling her mane. “I’m just teasing you!”

“I know, I know! Just you wait, I’ll have my payback!” Twilight snickered as she pushed Rainbow Dash’s hoof away.

“Well then, you better start getting lessons from Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash smirked.

“Oh, no! I’m fine with just teasing you back because I feel like if I try learning something with Pinkie, I’ll get my brain scrambled! I’ll never understand how that pony’s body works!” Twilight laughed, soon joined by Rainbow Dash.

Silence soon settled between them as Twilight continued to observe the scenery before her. Simply sitting here with a friend could do so much good to someone’s mental state. Indeed, if she was with someone she cared about, then maybe she was allowed to think things weren’t so bad.

“Thank you, Rainbow. I needed this. Not that flying with you isn’t usually enjoyable, but…” Twilight paused before she could finish her sentence, as if unsure if she even wanted to to.

“What’s wrong, Twi?” The pegasus inquired with worry, putting a wing on her friend’s shoulder.

“It’s just… I haven’t been feeling the best lately,” Twilight admitted, looking down as the sun was nearly gone under the horizon.

“Is it because of what you told me? Somethin’ about your role as a princess?” Rainbow Dash asked, making her alicorn friend sigh.

“I don’t know… I thought that was the reason. But I’ve been feeling… empty. It’s like something is missing, and I don’t know what to do…” Twilight explained with a downcast expression, on the verge of crying. “Do you know what I mean?”

“I can’t say that I ever felt this way… At least, I can tell you one thing! Me and the girls will always be by your side, so whatever you think you’re missing, we’ll help you find it. No matter how long it takes,” Rainbow Dash assured her confidently while wiping off a small tear from Twilight’s face with her wing. “And you’re not empty,”

“Rainbow…” Twilight whispered before sniffling back her tears. “I know I can always count on you and the others. M-Maybe I was just tired, and everything will get better soon!” Twilight reasoned as Rainbow Dash smiled and nodded in approval.

Finally, the sun completely disappeared, bathing the two ponies in shadows as the moon slowly rose. Just as Twilight was about to call it a day, Rainbow’s smile dropped.

“Wait a second, Twi. I have something to ask you,” the pegasus said, her tone getting suddenly serious.

“Oh, uhm, okay. What is it?” Twilight inquired, growing nervous for a reason she couldn’t explain.

“Why did you kill me?”

“What?” Twilight widened her eyes as her throat suddenly closed, making it nearly impossible to breathe. Or at least, she felt like it.

“You didn’t hear me? Why did you kill me?” Rainbow Dash repeated with a monotonous tone and impassive expression.

“I don’t understand. I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Rainbow Dash! Y-You’re here!” Twilight stammered while pointing at the blue pegasus. “If this is a joke, it’s not funny!”

“Yes, you do! Stop pretending you don’t remember!” Rainbow Dash stomped the cloud, staring Twilight down with rageful eyes. “What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did you hate me? Or maybe you just didn’t care!” she yelled in anger.

“No, no… That’s not… That’s not how it went… This shouldn’t be happening!” Twilight grabbed her head with her hooves as several images suddenly flashed before her eyes. It was Tirek, laughing maniacally as the alicorn cried over Rainbow Dash’s corpse.

“So, you do remember, don’t you?” Rainbow Dash spoke in a lower and calmer voice. “You remember what you did,”

“No… No! It was Tirek! It was Tirek, Rainbow!” Twilight replied with tears streaming down her cheeks and looked at the other mare with pleading eyes.

“Then why is my blood on your hooves,” the pegasus retorted while pointing at the alicorn’s hooves, who slowly looked down.

Red. That was all she saw when looking at her hooves. They were red, soaked with her best friend’s warm blood. Twilight screamed in horror as she tried to wipe it off. However, the harder she tried, the more the blood spread over her legs.

“Tirek didn’t kill me,”

“No! Rainbow, please!”

“Discord didn’t either,”

“Just listen to me, I beg you!” Twilight cried while Rainbow Dash stared at her with cold and emotionless eyes.

“You killed me, Twi. You did. It was all you,” Rainbow Dash stated, uncaring if Twilight was still crying.

“It… I didn’t mean to! I promise! It wasn’t supposed to go this way!” Twilight defended herself, hiding her head under her hooves. “I thought I could win!” She argued as she finally looked up. Rainbow Dash silently met her gaze before caressing her mane.

“It’s alright, Twi. You can redeem yourself pretty easily,” she softly spoke, making Twilight nod frantically.

“I-I’ll do anything!” she replied as her friend smiled.

“Die,”

“Huh?” Twilight uttered before gasping in agony, pain shooting through her entire body. She lowered her gaze, noticing that a blade had come out of nowhere, and stabbed her in the gut. “R-Rainbow…” She muttered before screaming in pain again as other blades came out from all sides and began stabbing her.

“Once you know what it feels like, I’ll forgive you, Twi,” Rainbow Dash assured her while her fur and skin slowly dissipated, revealing bare bones underneath.

“P-Please! Stop! AH! It… It hurts!” Twilight begged as more and more blades appeared, faster and faster, and going deeper in.

“That’s how I felt when you killed me, Twi!” Rainbow Dash retorted in anger while the alicorn struggled and desperately kicked the air. The pegasus’ gentle face was slowly turning into a cold and decomposing skull.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Twilight repeated as her vision completely reddened, covered by her own blood. Suddenly, one of the blades pierced her neck as all the rest of her body was, yet she could still hear her own voice begging.

“Don’t be sad, Twi! We’ll fly together again! Down there in Hell!” Rainbow Dash laughed while the alicorn’s body fully disappeared behind the stream of blades tearing into her.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she repeated over and over in the hopes of convincing her friend.

But everything she told her was the truth, wasn’t it? That was why she forgave Discord so easily. He wasn’t responsible for Rainbow’s death. She was.

“Twilight!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Twilight!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Twilight!”

Twilight’s bloodshot eyes snapped open. She was lying on a cold floor in the dark. Her hooves shot up and grabbed her head as tears streamed down her face.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she couldn’t stop apologizing. Until she was forgiven, she was not allowed to stop!

“Twilight! It was just a nightmare! Get a grip!” Spike, the little dragon, told her while shaking her as if she was still sleeping. It was useless. The alicorn mare continued to sway her head back and forth, cradling it in her hooves, tears streaming down her face.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she repeated through clenched teeth and trembling lips, her voice laced with anguish.

The alicorn appeared alarmingly emaciated as if she had not consumed a proper meal in weeks. Her once majestic wings bore missing feathers, evidence of malnourishment and atrophy. Patches of her fur were absent, leaving bare spots in her disheveled coat. Her mane was tangled and unkempt, strands of hair noticeably absent, while her tail appeared shortened and torn in half.

“Twilight! Please!” Spike tried to wake her out of her trans, only to fail miserably.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

How could she ever stop when she needed to pay for what she did?

Harmony's Judgment

Universe 99999

Prime Minister Twilight and the other council members advanced purposefully, drawing closer to the corridor's exit. They found themselves in the solemn confines of the Court of Harmony, a place reserved for the judgment of criminals and villains for their transgressions. Unlike a conventional tribunal, this court held no trials; it was a realm solely for passing judgment. Each pony brought before them had already been declared guilty, their fate sealed. Their only recourse lay in pleading for a less severe punishment, though such appeals rarely yielded success.

The Court of Harmony stood as a circular edifice, its roofless design reminiscent of a small arena or coliseum. This architectural choice allowed the public to witness the unfolding judgments bestowed upon the criminals. Twilight knew that some citizens attended these proceedings merely for entertainment, finding satisfaction in witnessing the downfall of those being judged. However, she paid no heed to such motivations. In her heart, she felt no pity for criminals and villains, and she was resolute in her stance. Moreover, she considered it essential for the onlookers to comprehend the consequences of opposing the council, underscoring the futility of standing against their authority.

“Distinguished guests, and esteemed citizens, your attention, please. Announcing the arrival of the Council of Harmony! Our honorable Prime Minister Twilight Sparkle! Minister Rarity! Minister Applejack! Minister Fluttershy! Minister Rainbow Dash, and Minister Pinkie Pie!” Someone announced as the council finally came in, welcomed by heartfelt applause.

As was customary, the stands overflowed with Equestria's citizens, all donning the exquisitely crafted uniforms designed by Rarity, their faces adorned with generous smiles. While some smiles lacked sincerity, many genuinely cheered upon the council's arrival. The pony responsible for announcing their entrance stepped back with a bow, allowing the council members to ascend the elevated judgment platforms. Each platform stood at the same height, looming over the stands in front of them.

As anticipated, Prime Minister Twilight positioned herself at the center of the stage, her gaze stern as she directed her gaze towards the criminal's stand. There stood the one they had been pursuing: Starlight Glimmer, their latest outlaw. Bound by chains and compelled to wear a magic-inhibiting ring around her horn, Starlight found herself trapped and unable to wield her powers.

“The council itself is here for little old me? I’m honored!” Starlight exclaimed sarcastically through her gritted teeth, only for a guard to hit her on the back of the head.

“You may speak only when spoken to, prisoner!” The guard ordered harshly while still smiling.

“My lawyer is a baby dragon, and I can’t even speak at my own trial?!” Starlight retorted as she pointed at her side.

On her left was Spike, who had his own little stand, and was reading a comic. He seemed nonchalant and uncaring about the whole situation as he sat on a chair with his feet resting on the stand. Before the guard could hit Starlight again for speaking out of turn, Twilight raised her hoof, motioning for him to stop.

“He isn’t your lawyer and this isn’t a trial. We are here to pass judgment on you. We may give you a lighter sentence if you are persuasive enough,” Twilight explained coldly while the other unicorn glanced at Spike, who simply turned a page of his comic book.

“And ya better be honest if ya wanna persuade us of anythin’,” Applejack, sitting on Twilight’s left, warned the unicorn.

“And what is my current sentence, exactly?” Starlight frowned while the lavender unicorn’s stone-cold expression remained unchanged.

“That is not something for you to know yet,” Twilight replied before furrowing her brows. “Tell me. Do you know why you are here?” She questioned the other unicorn.

“It would be hard not to when you came into MY town and arrested me for practices every inhabitant agreed on!” Starlight answered as she tried to raise her hoof and hit her stand, only to remember she was chained to the ground.

“Did they really agree to it? Or were they manipulated into agreeing?” Twilight arched an eyebrow, clearly not believing Starlight’s words.

“I have done no such thing!” She retorted in anger, making Twilight sigh.

“You really won’t be truthful, will you? Applejack?” Twilight glanced to her left as the orange earth pony nodded.

"Well now, ya think we just roughed ya up without doin' any proper research? We done interviewed everypony from Our Town. Seems like ya weren't exactly honest with 'em, were ya? They had to give up their cutie marks, but ya could hold on to yours, couldn’t ya?" Applejack reminded her, making the unicorn look away.

“Moreover, you stole cutie marks, which is an extremely serious crime. It is also something quite similar to Lord Tirek’s actions,” Twilight added, furrowing her brows as Starlight gasped.

“It was completely different from what that centaur tried to do! Besides, these ponies volunteered to have their cutie marks removed! They agreed to it!” Starlight argued in anger.

“Oh? So because they agreed to it, this makes it right? It makes it legal? Tell me something, Starlight… If a pony asks you to help them kill themselves, will that not be illegal? If a pony asks you to burn their house down even if it’s in the middle of the city, is this not illegal?” Twilight questioned as the other unicorn immediately shrunk, unsure of what to answer.

“The answer should be obvious, but I don’t think she understands yet, Twi,” Rainbow Dash, who was standing on Twilight’s right, commented while holding back a chuckle.

“No! You… You got it all wrong! This was harmless!” The cutie mark remover shouted as she pulled on her chains, prompting the guard to approach her and hit her on the back of her head again. Surprisingly, she acted like the hit never even happened and continued to yell at the council. “Don’t you see I was doing this to make everypony equal? Ponies having special talents, some more than others, only leads to disharmony! I only wanted to fix it!” Starlight defended herself as Twilight, for the first time since she came here, heavily frowned and glared at her.

Having seemingly noticed this, Rarity, who was right by Applejack’s side, stomped the ground and brought Starlight’s attention to her.

“I would suggest you do not speak lightly of harmony, dear. Not everypony has the fabulous skills to deal with issues such as disharmony. Do you perhaps think you are better fitted than us to do it?” The white unicorn inquired with a distasteful glare.

Rainbow Dash was just about to shout that there was no one better than them, and most of all, better than her. However, right before she could do anything, Twilight’s face softened as she spoke up.

“Minister Rarity is correct. We, the council, are the ones who have to deal with matters of that subject. Civilians like you are simply unaware of what the best course is and the consequences of a potential failure. Simply put, removing a pony’s cutie mark is neither a solution nor a step toward harmony or equality. All you are doing is removing one’s identity,” Twilight inserted with a tone of superiority.

“You’re one to talk! You literally force everypony to wear a uniform and constantly smile in public! How is that any different?! You’re trying to make everypony identical, you hypocrites!!” Starlight hollered in rage.

“Huh? What did you say?” Rainbow Dash slammed one of her hooves on her platform.

“Please,” Twilight simply said as she raised a hoof, which seemed to be enough to calm the blue pegasus. “It appears you are confused. Individuality breeds chaos, which is the antithesis of the harmony we strive for, true. Our uniforms serve to remind the Equestrians of our unity and affiliation with our peaceful and great nation. They are reminded every day that they are not alone, but also that they should not feel above others. No matter their status, if they are out in public or outside of their working hours, they must wear it. This is equality,” She explained before gazing at her pink-maned friend.

“And smiles make everything so much better!” Pinkie Pie shouted happily as she threw her hooves in the air. “When you’re happy, you smile! Right? Then, it only makes sense that if you smile, you will be happy! We want our citizens to be super duper happy! So if you’re always smiling, then there won’t be any reason to be sad!” She said enthusiastically before turning to Twilight, notifying her that she was finished. The lavender unicorn nodded in approval.

“Moreover, we cannot fully rid of a pony’s individuality. Ponies with different talents are important for our society to function, and cutie marks are one of the most efficient ways to show a pony’s calling. We can organize Equestrians better so that our society’s inner workings will be even more operational. If we had an issue with animals, do you think any pony would do? My dear friend Fluttershy would obviously be the best choice,” Rarity interjected as she pointed at the yellow pegasus, who blushed and smiled gratefully. “Ponies are not born equal,”

“Did that clear up any confusion?” The lavender unicorn inquired as Starlight opened her mouth in protest, ready to scream about it not making any sense. She was quickly cut off by Twilight’s venomous tone. “I suppose not. Do you want to know why I am sure of that? It’s because you’ve been lying this whole time. You are a liar, a cheat, and a thief. You’re a pony that was hungry for power because you’ve tasted a drop of it. Your little town was nothing but a way for you to gain that power over others and manipulate them to do your bidding, to adore you. Eventually, you got drunk on it, and I assume your plan was to expand your influence over all of Equestria. You developed a false sense of justice and wrongly thought that you were doing this for some greater good; however, that was nothing but a way to alleviate your guilty conscience,” Twilight analyzed her as Our Town’s leader’s face crumpled. She was about to voice her obvious disagreement but was interrupted again. “Do not try to lie or deny this! If you actually cared about harmony or your principles, then you wouldn’t have kept your cutie mark in the first place!” she accused her.

“No! You’re wrong! I really did want everypony to be equal…” Starlight lamented silently as Twilight paused with curiosity. “I had a friend who meant the world to me when we were just foals. We did everything together, and he was the only one I could trust. Then, one day, he got his cutie mark. He left me and never gave me any sign of life. He abandoned me… And it would have never happened if it wasn’t for his cutie mark,” She clenched her teeth in anger, holding back her tears as someone suddenly gasped in the crowd.

The council paid it no mind, but Starlight couldn’t help but slightly widen her eyes. It sounded somewhat… familiar. Her curiosity piqued, she covertly scanned the public stands while Twilight mulled over her words. There, amidst the sea of smiling faces, she spotted an orange unicorn with a goatee. The lone pony in the audience not wearing a smile, his expression transformed into one of shock as he likely realized his partial responsibility for Starlight's predicament.

To her astonishment, it was Sunburst! Despite the passing years, Starlight could still easily recognize him. But what brought him here? Oh, right... her "trial" had been publicly announced. Starlight could only imagine that he had seen her name in the papers and immediately recognized her, leading him to attend the proceedings. A spark of hope ignited within her—perhaps he had come to save her, to speak up and halt this judgment. He would, wouldn’t he? He was her first friend, after all! Unfortunately, the orange unicorn was swiftly obligated to smile again once a guard passed nearby.

“This…” Twilight began, pulling Starlight out of her thoughts. “Is even worse than I imagined. You were willing to put some ponies, no, all of Equestria in peril because you lost a foalhood friend?” she reiterated in astonishment.

“Y-Yes! And don’t pretend you wouldn’t have done the same if one of your friends left you!” Starlight pulled on her chains again while Twilight’s eyes narrowed in silent anger.

“My friends wouldn’t have left me at all. That’s the difference between the two of us,” Twilight uttered through her gritted teeth.

“Who in tarnation do ya think we are?” Applejack arched an eyebrow as the other council members soon voiced their disagreements with Starlight’s statement.

“Friends don’t abandon each other! That’s the whole point!” Rainbow Dash added with her wings flared up.

“As Minister Rainbow Dash has so well said… If he abandoned you, then he was not your friend in the first place. And if he ever cared, he would be here to defend you. But he isn’t, is he? Your misguided sense of friendship has clearly rendered you delusional or maybe you have always been that way. No matter, I have no pity for scum,” Twilight shook her head with her eyes closed, before opening them again and staring down at the other unicorn. “You are insane and no better than the likes of Sombra, Discord, or Tirek. Simply put, you do not belong in our world,” Twilight declared as Starlight opened her mouth in shock, then quickly looked at the crowd of spectators, hoping for Sunburst to say something or intervene in any way! Their eyes met… And the unicorn looked away with quivering lips, shattering Starlight’s heart. “Do not hope to find any pity in the crowd either. Those are the consequences of your actions, Starlight”

“Please! Help!” Starlight shouted toward the crowd, only to be ignored by Sunburst again. Whether he was afraid to intervene or actually didn’t care like Twilight said, she had no idea of knowing. It also seemed that the council hadn’t noticed that she was talking to someone in particular, and only treated as a desperate attempt at receiving mercy.

“I see no way for a pony as devious as yourself to be rehabilitated into society, especially since not a single soul can vouch for you. You are also too dangerous to remain free or even be imprisoned in the dungeons. Thus, I propose capital punishment. Death by the elements,” Twilight sentenced her, making Starlight’s ears drop as her eyes widened in shock. The lavender unicorn turned to look at the other council members. “All in favor?” She asked before raising her hoof.

“Course Ah am! Ah don’t trust liars, never have,” Applejack raised her hoof while looking harshly at Starlight. The guilty unicorn felt like she was stabbed in the heart as she slowly realized there was little chance for her to escape her fate.

“She wanted to take over our Equestria. You can’t do worse than that!” Rainbow Dash added as she raised a hoof too. Slowly, Fluttershy raised hers without saying a word.

“What she did was simply dreadful, and I hope everypony realizes how serious of a crime it is to steal a cutie mark,” Rarity raised her hoof as all eyes turned to the last council member, Pinkie Pie.

Twilight almost wanted to add that Starlight was also a grave danger because of her magic. Somepony that could steal cutie marks would always have to be under surveillance, after all.

Meanwhile, the cutie mark-stealing unicorn gazed at Pinkie Pie with eyes filled with hope, silently begging for mercy. If they didn't all agree on capital punishment, there might be a chance of avoiding it. However, from what she knew, they rarely ever disagreed on such matters. Pinkie stared back at her, smiling warmly as usual, then… raised her hoof.

“No hard feelings, okay?” Pinkie snickered as Starlight’s face fell.

“It is decided then,” Twilight raised her head high. “Let us not waste any more time. We shall proceed with the judgment, do you have any last words, Starlight Glimmer?” Twilight inquired while Spike closed his comic book and began walking away from the unicorn on the stand.

“Screw you,” Starlight muttered through her clenched teeth as small tear drops rolled down her cheeks.

“Very well, if you wish those to be your last words,” Twilight closed her eyes as did the other council members.

In an instant, a brilliant white light enshrouded them, gradually lifting them into the air, embraced by an overwhelming surge of magic. Even from her vantage point, Starlight sensed the potency of their formidable aura, causing every hair on her coat to stand on end. She… She didn’t want to go out this way! She didn’t want to die like this! Hate suddenly filled her heart as she realized she didn’t want those to be her last words!

“Y-You think you’re so much better than me, don’t you?! But look at you! This is literally your solution to everything, you bucking dictators! You pretend you’re the greatest friends in the world and you feed that crap to everypony in Equestria! You make them believe that you’re just like them and that you can understand their hardships! And they all believe you because they don’t see shit beyond the fact that you aren’t princesses like their previous rulers!” Starlight stomped the ground, screaming and spitting as the council remained suspended in the air and let her rant all she wanted. Thankfully, the guard had moved out of the way and couldn’t hit her anymore. “And you just proved that you can’t… You’re stuck in your own little worlds, thinking that nothing’s good without you! And you, Sunburst! I… I trusted you! I thought we’d always be together! Everything… Everything is your fault!” She screamed one last time as tears spilled from her eyes.

Without delay, the council opened their eyes, revealing completely white pupils. The orange unicorn Starlight had mentioned earlier averted his gaze in shame as a rainbow of magic erupted from the six rulers of Equestria. Starlight's anguished scream pierced the air as the powerful beam struck her head-on, surrounding her in a blinding brilliance. It was as if she was torn apart from the insides by a raging fire! It only lasted about a couple of seconds while small white cracks appeared all over her body, then completely vaporized her, leaving nothing but a scorch mark on the floor once the light faded.

The Council of Harmony slowly descended back to the ground as one of the guards lifted his horn and magic escaped from it. Swiftly, huge words that glowed the same color as his horn appeared above him, spelling “APPLAUSE”, which the crowd quickly did.

“I feel no sympathy for her,” Twilight coldly stated as she turned back and walked out of the Court, slowly followed by her friends.

“Now THAT was some entertainment!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed while polishing her element of harmony.

“Ah still don’t know how come you like it so much,” Applejack rolled her eyes as Twilight stopped walking, prompting them to do the same and surround her.

“What? You girls don’t?” Rainbow Dash cocked her eyebrow. Most of them simply shrugged, not particularly liking or disliking it except for Fluttershy, who sighed.

“I don’t, but I understand that it’s necessary for us to do this,” The yellow pegasus replied in a soft tone.

Rainbow Dash gave no other retort beyond “You’re all just boring” before Twilight lit her horn and teleported them all into the throne room, where two guards stood by the door.

“And as long as we all agree that this punishment is a necessity, we don’t have to like it,” Twilight said before giving Rainbow Dash a smile. “But I’m glad you’re having fun with it, at least! I don’t want any of you to feel like you’re forced to do something because of me,” The lavender unicorn explained as her eyes scanned every one of her friends. “I may be the Prime Minister, but we’re all equal here, never forget it, girls,” She added with a heartwarming smile. Just as they told Starlight earlier, there needed to be different roles for different ponies.

“Aww! We already know that, silly!” Pinkie Pie replied while holding a hoof over her heart.

“Don’t ya worry about us, Sugarcube! Ah think we can all agree that none of us feel forced for anythin’,” Applejack assured her with confidence.

“We wouldn’t have started this if we didn’t want to,” Fluttershy confirmed as Twilight beamed, then lit up her horn and brought them all into a group hug.

“I know I can always count on you,” She stated affectionately as the council members nuzzled each other.

“You’re lucky we’re not in public, egghead. Ponies can’t see the Great Rainbow Dash nuzzling somepony,” The element of loyalty grinned while nuzzling her friends. The guards stationed on the door simply sweat nervously, afraid that she would be capable of silencing them if she wished to.

“Do you have anything else planned for today? I was thinking of finishing up one small thing, then we could spend some time with each other. It’s been so long since we had anything close to a day off,” Twilight inquired as they all separated.

“I told Sweetie Belle I would do something with her today, but I suppose I can postpone it to tomorrow,” Rarity responded as Twilight nodded in approval, then turned to face the others.

“Fortunately, the Wonderbolts have a day off today, and I guess the air forces can train without my supervision for one day,” Rainbow Dash assured as Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applejack also confirmed they had nothing else to do. Although, Twilight wasn’t sure if they actually had nothing to do, or if they flat-out canceled their original plans.

“Perfect! Then…” The Prime Minister began, only to be interrupted by someone knocking on the door. The unicorn sighed and motioned for the two guards to let the surprise guest in. It was another guard. A pegasus who flew in, breathing heavily but still desperately holding on to his smile.

“I have… Urgent news, my Ladies,” The pegasus notified them as he caught his breath. “Minister Fluttershy was seen in Baltimare several hours ago and without her element,” He finally said as the council members arched their eyebrows, then glanced at the shy pegasus.

“Um… I was in Canterlot the entire day,” She said nervously as she placed her wings on her element. “And I would never go anywhere without this,”

“And we believe ya, Sugarcube. Ya sure it was Fluttershy? Who told you that?” Applejack questioned the pegasus guard, whose eyes darted from side to side. He was likely not used to talking to them in person, Twilight deduced.

“Several witnesses as well as a few Baltimare guards confirmed that they saw a yellow pegasus with a pink mane, looking exactly like Minister Fluttershy,” He answered while sweating as Twilight put a hoof on her chin, pondering what he just said. “She also possessed the same cutie mark,”

“This… is troubling…” The lavender mare muttered while still thinking about the pieces of information.

“You don’t think… It’s a changeling, do you?” Rarity spoke up uneasily while looking at their leader.

“No way! We wiped all these stupid bugs out, didn’t we?” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs while hovering.

“What if it’s Chrysalis?” Fluttershy suggested as Applejack shook her head.

“Nah. Nopony could come back from what we did ta her,” The earth pony answered as Twilight groaned.

“Nonetheless, we cannot simply ignore this. It could be something else entirely, but if we missed one changeling, then we missed a thousand,” The lavender unicorn said as the others nodded in agreement. “We have no other choice… I propose we execute order 21,”

“Oh, so it’s serious, then,” Rarity commented as Rainbow Dash scratched her head in confusion.

“What’s this one again?” The blue pegasus asked.

“We’re closing the borders. Nopony leaves Equestria and nopony enters. Guards should be patrolling every city at all times now, and are allowed to check or arrest anypony,” Twilight explained as someone gasped behind her, prompting her to turn around. It was the pegasus guard, who also stopped smiling and brought Pinkie’s silent wrath upon him. “Is there an issue, guard?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow.

“My Lady… Order 21 is to be executed only in case of a coup or a potential invasion aided by infiltrated forces!” He argued, making Twilight frown.

“Oh? And who decided that? Have you forgotten who decides the law here?”

“N-No, but it’s just… Princess Celestia was very strict about each order. This one could cause a mass panic and a lot of confusion among the civilians, it would be…” The guard replied as Twilight’s glare darkened.

“Princess Celestia? You’re arguing with me because of Princess Celestia’s words?” The lavender unicorn inquired, doing her best to keep her anger in check as she clenched her teeth.

“Of course! I understand you have different policies, but that order has remained unchanged for centuries. The princess was adamant that it should only be… used in…” The guard stammered as he finally took notice of Twilight’s state of mind.

The unicorn’s pupils were gone, replaced by a flashing light as a magical aura completely enveloped her. The council members around her stepped back nervously as the heat around the unicorn suddenly went up and her horn glowed more than ever. However, right before anyone could act, Rainbow Dash suddenly zipped past her and punched the guard in the face, sending him skidding across the floor.

Rainbow groaned before jumping on him and dealing a flurry of blows. It seemed she held no mercy for the poor pegasus as she punched and punched until multiple teeth were blown out of his mouth. Soon enough, blood gushed out after each one of Rainbow’s punches connected with his jaw.

The light around Twilight slowly died down as her eyes went back into their normal state, showing her to be much calmer now.

“How many times do we have to say this until you idiots understand? Don’t speak her name!” Rainbow Dash shouted in anger as she lifted the pegasus by his wings. The poor man was unconscious and could barely breathe, likely because of all the blood pouring out of his swollen face. The guards guarding the door were still smiling as if they were statues, but if you looked closely, you would see they were sweating as if they were close to a fire. “What should we do with him, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked as the unicorn sighed.

“I’m in a merciful mood, so I’ll forgive his insolence. Two weeks in the dungeons should suffice,” She replied as Rainbow nodded, then threw the pegasus at the other guards’ hooves.

“You heard her! Get him a doctor and throw him in the dungeons,” Rainbow Dash ordered as the guards bowed and took the pegasus away.

“First the outlaws, then the rebels, and now a clone of Fluttershy. We can’t take a break, can we?” Twilight grumbled in frustration.

Rarity felt a little bad for the pegasus, but frankly, he had it coming. Moreover, he should be thanking them. He didn’t realize it, but Rainbow Dash actually saved his life. Granted, this was probably not what she wanted to do. If she hadn’t intervened, Twilight would have pulverized him on the spot. Not even ashes would have been left.

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight thanked the rainbow-maned pegasus, who nodded with a grin. “As I said, execute order 21, and we’ll talk about our next course of action later. There is something I must do first,” Twilight ordered as she teleported out of the room.

The lavender unicorn walked through the castle’s halls in the direction of Princess Celestia’s personal study. The chamber remained closed and off-limits, forbidden to all, even the guards. Thus, the halls leading to it were completely empty. Once Twilight reached the room, she observed the door separating her from it. Bathed in a faint purple glow, the door was fortified by a spell that barred unauthorized entry. Since Twilight was the one that set it up, dispelling was quite easy.

Once it was done, she slowly entered the room and closed the doors behind her. The unicorn raised her head to admire her work. The room was as spacious as the throne room thanks to the small renovations she did. Positioned at the back was an enormous sphere comprised of flat yellow rings, each adorned with spikes pointing toward the center, giving rise to a mesmerizing ethereal sphere. Inside of it was a known and famous pony… Princess Celestia. The former ruler of Equestria.

She lied inside, leaning against the bubble while trying to stand up with pained grunts. She was disheveled and skinny, her coat was darker and dirtier as if she hadn’t taken a bath in years.

“Twilight… Please... Stop… It hurts…” She begged as the rings of the machine suddenly began spinning. Celestia screamed in agony as electricity escaped from the spikes and coursed through her body. “AAAARRHGG!” She screamed for several seconds before the electricity faded and let her collapse against the bubble.

“My apologies, Celestia. However, the sun must move, and we cannot make it move and let you roam free at the same time. At least, you make a magnificent battery,” Twilight answered as she stared at her creation.

This machine seemed simple as a concept but was so much harder to accomplish in execution. It forced a pony to use their magic by drawing it out of their body. Although, it was more like it ripped it out of them… Nonetheless, Twilight configured it specifically so it would move the sun and the moon. That way, they didn’t need to take unnecessary risks with Celestia by allowing her to use her magic temporarily since she could use it to escape if they used simple magic-inhibiting rings.

“Don’t do this… Anymore… Please…” The princess pleaded tiredly while Twilight stared in silence.

“See… I really hate it when you do that every time I visit you. Trying to guilt trip me. To play the victim…” Twilight began while pacing in front of Celestia’s prison. “You have only yourself to blame for this. You brought this on yourself! Because you thought that you could use me. Because you thought you could manipulate me and stab me in the back. At the end of the day, that’s all you are. A liar, a manipulator, and a selfish monster,” She listed without a shred of empathy.

“And I’m sorry… I hurt you, Twilight…” Celestia apologized as Twilight paused and clenched her teeth.

“Do you think I’m an idiot? You… You’re not actually sorry you hurt me! You’re just sorry because you ended up in this situation, so don’t patronize me!” She shouted, stomping the floor in anger before slowly calming herself. “Let’s not argue now. I came here with good news,” She said a little more cheerfully.

“What?” Celestia struggled to ask.

“You will be relieved of your duties soon,” Twilight declared happily as Celestia arched a doubtful eyebrow.

“How? And why?”

“Well, before I tell you that… I feel like I should inform you of what the girls and I planned next. Let’s just say we will make Equestria greater than it has ever been while under your reign,” The lavender unicorn answered as Celestia looked even more confused. “Since the elements chose us, it was our obvious destiny and duty to strive for harmony. We’ve improved Equestria so much that it is nigh perfect, except for a few… weeds that need to be taken care of. We even killed the Lord of Chaos himself!” She said happily.

“And I told you… That Discord is a force of nature… Killing him will only damage the balance of the world… And put us all in danger,” Celestia muttered. And even if she didn’t say it, the alicorn seriously doubted that society was as good as Twilight made it sound.

“You are only saying this because of your clear lack of success in taking care of creatures like him. Simply put; you and your sister have always been too weak or not good enough to stop these kinds of monsters permanently,” Twilight retorted, making Celestia glare at her at the mention of her sister. “However, while Equestria is grand… The world is still chaotic, and sad, and dangerous. It’s full of savages seeking to destroy and nothing more. We have decided that we will share Equestria’s grandeur and peaceful ways with the world. Make the rest of Equus just as beautiful as our land,”

“You… You’re saying you will…” Celestia widened her eyes, having a hard time imagining her student would have come up with something like this of all things.

“Invade other countries? Take over the world? Not quite. We will try a peaceful approach at first. They shall offer their lands with no resistance and there will be absolutely no bloodshed. With our superior skills, we would make their nations so much better than they were. Everypony would be happier,”

“And if they resist?”

“Then they will have to suffer the consequences. Don’t look at me like that. It will entirely depend on their choice. Besides, I will not let you pretend you have the moral high ground in this, manipulator,” Twilight retorted coldly. “This is where you come into play, and where you are relieved of your duties. Are you familiar with Grogar’s bell?” She asked.

“Don’t tell me… You have it…” Celestia widened her eyes in shock as Twilight shook her head and chuckled.

“I wish, but no. I figured looking for it would be a waste of time and resources. Instead, I have something similar to it,” She replied before lighting her horn and summoning a necklace with a black gem. “This is of my own creation. Unlike Grogar’s bell, it cannot absorb or give any magic. However, it can store nearly as much magic as his bell can, which is an infinite amount,”

“What are you… Planning?” Celestia inquired through her gritted teeth.

“Simply put, I will steal your magic and store it in the gem once I am ready. This should allow the wearer to use your magic to move the sun and the moon. Thus, we wouldn’t need you anymore. However, as you might expect, this is far from being my final goal…” Twilight explained as her expression grew somber. “I will do what you did to me, and use you. Use you to further my goals. Simply put, when I find a way to harvest the magic stored inside the gem, I will take it for myself… and my friends. Do you understand, now?” Twilight said as Celestia’s eyes nearly burst out of her head in realization.

“No…”

“My friends and I will use your magic to become alicorns. Mortality was our main issue because we are the only ones who know how to fix and operate this world efficiently. We are needed to create an age of harmony, but it would only last a century at most because of our fragile mortal bodies. Once we become alicorns, we shall rule over Equus for all eternity, and make it shine brighter than any star in the universe,” Twilight spoke dreamily while looking at the ceiling. “It’s a shame that you won’t be here to see the perfect world my friends and I will make. But, simply put, you do not belong in it,” She added as she teleported the necklace back to where she took it from. “Think carefully of your past sins for the little time you have left, Celestia,”

“Wait…” The princess of the sun called out to her former student, who ignored her and left the room. She may just have created the worst villains in history…

Because as much as she wanted to deny her student’s words… She was starting to believe that there really was nothing in this world that could stop them.

Author's Note

New chapter! Unfortunately, as you have noticed, Fluttershy (well our Fluttershy) does not appear in this chapter. That's because the part about the Council of Harmony was way longer than expected. First half was supposed to be about them, then second half of the chapter, we would have seen what Fluttershy is up to.

Also, I don't know if you noticed, but the story has a new and original cover! You may recognize some of the ponies on it because they are counterparts that appear in this story. (Note that some counterparts are on the cover, but will not appear in the story, so don't worry, there are no spoilers)

Slumber Party And Stories

Universe 31870

“Excuse me, what do you want to do again?” Twilight as she closed the door behind her after Rarity got in.

“A slumber party,” The diva answered, making Twilight arch an eyebrow as if she had just been told a joke.

The first order of business for Twilight and Rarity (along with the others) in their primary universe had always been to save Equestria from world-ending threats. In the present circumstances, however, no such dire peril loomed, and the two of them alone couldn't achieve such a feat. The white unicorn doubted they could defeat someone like Nightmare Moon as they were now. However, among the first activities they had was Twilight’s first slumber party. Obviously, this version of her also never had one, so the first step to teaching her the magic of friendship was to show her what friendship was in the first place!

“We are not having a… slumber party. As Princess Luna’s student, I cannot allow myself to let myself go and waste time. I have very important studies. Besides, lunch and the city tour were enough entertainment for today,” The lavender unicorn furrowed her brows while Rarity bit her inner cheek.

Breaking this Twilight out of her shell sounded like it would be much harder to pull off than it was with her universe’s Twilight. What was so different between the two of them? Maybe it was their victory over Nightmare Moon, but that alone wouldn’t have changed Twilight’s personality that much, would it?

“Those aren’t really things I would consider entertainment, Twilight. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of Canterlot’s ponies think otherwise,” Rarity replied as she thought back to some of the ponies she met at the various Grand Galloping Galas. She knew she wanted to suck up to them at some point, but she quickly realized they were… stuck up. She would use more uncouth language, but she wasn’t as vulgar as Rainbow Dash.

“I care little about what other ponies think,” Twilight rolled her eyes as she lit her horn and levitated a book over.

“Slumber parties are a good way to bring friends closer or make new ones, you know,” Rarity argued hopefully, which made Twilight scoff.

"I feel like I've repeated the same thing a thousand times already; we are not friends, and hosting a slumber party won't change that," Twilight groaned in annoyance, lying down and immersing herself in her book.

Rarity scratched her head in frustration. This clearly wasn’t going as planned and if it continued, she would have to stay stuck in this room, keeping quiet because Twilight would be too absorbed by her book!

“You know, darling… There can be other advantages to having a slumber party…” Rarity began hesitantly as Twilight looked back at her, curious but doubtful. “If you become a princess, I suppose that speaking the royal way isn’t the only thing you should learn, right? You have to know how to interact with regular ponies, don’t you?”

“I am quite familiar with dealing with ponies. I had to lead Princess Luna’s troops multiple times,” Twilight argued proudly.

“Well sure, you can lead troops, but you wouldn’t know how to approach somepony in a casual manner,” The white unicorn countered, making Twilight raise a doubtful eyebrow. “Even if you would rarely do it, as a Princess, you should already have the skillset for it, shouldn’t you?”

“Hmm,” Twilight stared at her, appraising her from horn to hoof.

“I’m sure that Princess Luna would appreciate the initiative! Besides, you could learn more about it. It would be mighty useful if I’m actually a spy…” Rarity continued to attempt to convince her.

Admittedly, suggesting to someone eager to resort to violence for answers that she might be a spy wasn't the most brilliant plan. However, if it led to convincing her to partake in a slumber party, Rarity deemed it a victory worth the risk!

A brief silence fell between them, which Twilight eventually broke with a groan of frustration.

“Fine. Let’s do that slumber party. You had me when you mentioned Princess Luna. I can’t deny that this would be something she would appreciate,” The lavender pony conceded.

“Perfect! Then, we shall start with a mud mask!” Rarity shouted excitedly as Twilight jerked her head back.

“A mud mask? I’m sorry but I am not the kind of pony who desperately tries to make their skin as perfect as they can,” She pointed at herself.

“I’m surprised your skin even is that good, darling. But! It would be so much better with a nice mud mask! Makeovers are something very important in slumber parties,” Rarity tried to convince the other mare.

Twilight stared at the white unicorn with annoyance, appraising her again as she thought about her words. She was going to regret this, wasn’t she? At least, maybe Rarity would leave her alone if she did that.

“Alright, Rarity, I'll give it a try," Twilight said, sighing as she closed her book and levitated it back on one of the shelves. The lavender unicorn lit her horn and summoned various objects that could be of use. “This should be all we need for mud masks, I think,” She stated as Rarity walked around the products she summoned.

Rarity's eyes lit up with delight. "Wonderful! This is perfect!” She declared.

As the two ponies began their impromptu slumber party preparations, Rarity explained all the steps involved in a makeover, from the mud mask to facials and hooficures. Unsurprisingly, Twilight was complaining a lot and didn’t seem to be enjoying it one bit. That was what Rarity thought at first; however, the lavender unicorn became incredibly calm at some point.

During the makeover, they chatted about various topics, and Rarity gently nudged Twilight to open up about herself and her interests. The white unicorn was hoping Twilight wouldn’t just say she studied magic and leave it at that.

Rarity also attempted to ask her indirectly about her family. The lavender unicorn didn’t show any sign that she noticed the fashionista prying into her personal life. However, there was no way she didn’t notice it. Unsurprisingly, Luna’s student dodged these questions and never mentioned her brother or her parents once. Rarity did try talking about her own sister, Sweetie Belle so that Twilight would hopefully open up, but it didn’t exactly work out.

The bearer of the element of generosity talked a lot about her job and her boutique, which seemed to mildly interest Twilight. It was obvious the other unicorn didn’t care about dresses, clothes, or fashion in general. Nevertheless, Twilight still frequently asked her questions about the boutique. Even if it wasn’t her field, the lavender unicorn respected Rarity enough to take an interest in her passions.

Twilight also wasn’t simply interested in magic and studies, apparently. Since she was training to eventually become an alicorn and a princess, she needed to learn to lead troops and make diplomatic decisions. There was also the fact that she was learning the royal speech, and even showed Rarity a small demonstration. Needless to say, Rarity didn’t want to hear Twilight speaking in the third person ever again.

Once they started doing makeovers and mud masks, Twilight relaxed a bit more, which was why she talked more. She wasn’t behaving like a friend would, by any means, but it seemed she trusted Rarity much more than when she arrived.

The white unicorn was also now aware that talking to her about friends was pointless. Twilight didn’t hear any of it, and she was still stuck on the idea that they were a waste of time. Instead of asking her to become her friend, Rarity would let this play out naturally and this meant that she would show Twilight how great friendship was by her actions! Telling her about how friendship saved her Equestria many times would serve nothing unless she did the same things in this universe.

Thanks to these makeovers, Rarity also noticed some things about this Twilight. Obviously, she already figured she was different in personality compared to the Twilight from her universe. However, there were also differences physically. Surprisingly, this one was more athletic. Her legs were obviously stronger, and quite similar to Rainbow Dash’s or even Applejack’s.

That was likely due to the fact that, unlike the Twilight from her universe, this one not only studied and trained in magic but also combat. Most of their group knew how to fight, sure, but they didn’t train for martial arts or any advanced combat training, just enough to fight off hordes of changelings. This universe’s Twilight’s horn also seemed longer and sharper (compared to how her Twilight’s used to look when she was a unicorn). That didn’t seem to be a trait only she had since Luna’s horn also looked like her horn was longer and sharper. Granted, she didn’t really look at the original Princess Luna that much. She was also the exact same height as her universe’s Twilight from the looks of it, which was strange because Twilight was an alicorn and was supposed to be taller than regular unicorns.

After the makeovers were done, Twilight lit her horn and turned them back to normal, saying something along the lines of “What is the next step, now?”. It reminded Rarity a bit of how her slumber party with Applejack and the original Twilight went.

Except, this time, she would actually tell a scary story as opposed to trying to annoy or criticize Applejack. The main issue was that she wasn’t a great storyteller, but also lacked the imagination to craft stories. She hoped the original Twilight would forgive her for this, but she decided to borrow her ghost story and attempt to scare her new friend with it.

“And just when the last pony thought she was safe… There, standing right behind her, just inches away was… The Headless Horse!” Rarity shouted as she finished telling the story.

She did use her horn to try and imitate lightning, but it was a laughable attempt. Moreover, she couldn’t teleport herself or other objects, she had to swiftly levitate the bed sheet to her head. As expected, she hadn’t been scary at all.

Twilight was staring at her with an eyebrow raised, clearly unimpressed.

“That ghost story was supposed to be scary?” She inquired as Rarity sheepishly dropped the sheet on the floor and blushed in embarrassment. “Whoever thought of it certainly had bad tastes,” She criticized it, making the other unicorn huff.

“Well, why don’t you tell a ghost story?” Rarity challenged her with confidence.

“If telling ghost stories is a part of slumber parties, then I suppose I will…” Twilight mumbled before casting a spell that bathed them in complete darkness. Rarity let out a weak surprised squeal before a small light emanated from the tip of Twilight’s horn, allowing them only to see each other’s faces.

“You certainly know how to set the mood, darling,” Rarity whispered quietly while Twilight narrowed her eyes.

“Before we begin, you must know that this is based on a true story,” Twilight warned the white unicorn (who shivered in fright) before clearing her throat. “Our story starts with a small little filly. A unicorn who was, in the past, loved by all. She was always kind to all around her, but she was naive and easily put trust in others. The filly saw the positive in everything and everypony. Unfortunately, her life wasn’t easy. She was an orphan and lost her family early in her life,” She began telling as Rarity listened patiently.

For now, it didn’t sound like a ghost or scary story much, but she was curious where Twilight was going with this.

“One day, she got lucky. A generous old mare found her on the streets and offered her a new home. The old mare was apparently quite wealthy since she lived in a grand mansion. She was also a talented unicorn. The little filly wasted no time in trusting her as the old mare was kinder to her than anypony else she had met until today. The old mare told her this…”

“You can go anywhere you want in this mansion and you can ask for anything you ever want. Everything you desire, I will give you from now on. However, there is one rule you must never break. The one rule if you wish to live here. Never go to the basement. No matter what happens, what you hear, or what ponies tell you… Never go to the basement. Is that clear?” The old mare instructed as the little filly nodded eagerly and happily.

That night, the small filly slept soundly in her new room until she was woken up by strange sounds.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

It sounded like somepony was punching a door repeatedly. The little filly was filled with fear, which mercilessly grasped her heart and kept her from falling asleep again. Hesitantly, she got out of bed, and then out of her room. The hallways of the mansion were cold and dark, and calling for the old mare’s name proved to be worthless. It was as if she wasn’t even home.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

The pounding only intensified, now even louder and more persistent. With each step closer to the basement, the noise grew more overwhelming. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the little filly stood before the door leading to the basement. It appeared like any other door in the house, yet an eerie and ominous sensation enveloped her body as she drew nearer to it.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

Something or somepony was pounding on the door. That much was clear to the little filly. The way the door shook with every hit. The way every hit sounded. It didn’t sound like somepony was calling for help or trying to escape. It was almost… calling for her…

But she remembered the old mare’s words… And stepped back. She went back to bed and tried to sleep as the pounding went on until it chased her even in her dreams. The pounding stopped in the morning. Every day, the little filly lived a dream life. Everything she wished for, the old mare gave her. And every night, the pounding came back. And it didn’t stop until morning.

Night after night, she lay awake in her bed while holding her ears. Sometimes, it was like the basement was right beside her. One night, her curiosity got the better of her. Her heart stricken with fear, kept her from closing her eyes until she knew what was behind that door!

She was back there again. She gulped as a single drop of sweat rolled down her forehead as the door trembled with every slam. Carefully, she finally opened the door. It wasn’t even locked. Behind it was… Nothing. Pitch black. Pure darkness and emptiness.

“YOU WERE WARNED!” A thousand screams echoed in her head as something unseen grasped her little body and dragged her down.

The basement’s door was closed again, and the little filly was never seen again.

The room’s lights were back again as Twilight turned off her spell. Rarity was lying down and hiding under her hooves while shaking. She was trembling with fear ever since the basement was mentioned. But she nearly screamed her heart out when Twilight suddenly turned off the only light and shouted at her that she was warned.

“So? How was it?” Twilight asked while Rarity was breathing in and out, clearly shaken up by it.

“F-Far scarier than mine, that’s for sure! But the jumpscare at the end was a little cheating…” The white unicorn muttered in response while Twilight stared at her in silence.

“There is a moral to this story, you know? There is something to learn from it. Do you know what the lesson is?” She finally spoke up, making Rarity hum in thought.

“I would say not to trust strangers no matter how kind they seem, I suppose,” She replied as Twilight grimaced and looked away disappointedly.

“No. That’s not the lesson at all,” She shook her head and sighed.

“Then… What is, darling?” Rarity cocked an eyebrow.

“There’s no point in me telling you the lesson if you don’t understand it yourself. Forget it; what is the next step to that slumber party?” Twilight responded as Rarity put a hoof on her chin.

The story Twilight told her wasn’t simply scary, it was also strange. Mostly because of Twilight’s questioning at the end. There were no morals in ghost stories usually since their purpose was mainly to scare ponies. What could the lesson be? If it wasn’t to distrust strangers, then maybe it was supposed to teach foals that they shouldn't be disobedient? It didn’t feel like the answer either…

She wouldn’t figure it out, so it was better to avoid wasting time on something like this.

“S’mores! Now we make smores,” Rarity exclaimed happily as Twilight looked surprised.

“S’mores? Is it that exciting?” She inquired in confusion, only for Rarity to nod in response.

“It is during slumber parties! We’ll need crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate! Can you be a dear and summon some, please?” Rarity replied while Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Because you asked nicely,” She retorted before lighting her horn and teleporting the ingredients to her.

“Wonderful! Then let’s get to it!” Rarity smiled before realizing something. “Oh, but we’ll need a fireplace,”

“No, we won’t,” Twilight replied while pointing at her horn. Right. She could probably heat them up herself.

Rarity was pleasantly surprised to see that Twilight didn’t complain much this time, unlike with the makeovers. She didn’t seem happy or overjoyed by any means, but if she didn’t have anything negative to say, then maybe she didn’t think it was that bad.

After putting chocolate on a cracker, Twilight heated a marshmallow up until it melted and carried it in her magical grab before putting it over the chocolate.

“You are doing great, dear! Now, carefully place the second cracker over the marshmallow,” Rarity instructed as Twilight followed the few steps there were to make a s’more. “Good! It looks perfect! Now, you can eat it,”

“Mmm, it’s not bad,” Twilight commented while chewing on it.

“What do you say we make more?” Rarity asked as the other unicorn nodded in approval.

Twilight and she made several other s’mores, which they ate without a waste. Again, Twilight seemed a bit more relaxed, and Rarity was getting hopeful again about the whole ordeal. She wasn’t expecting a great friendship to bloom after that single slumber party, but it was certainly a good start.

The next activity was truth or dare, and Rarity had absolutely no idea how this would play out. She hoped there would be more truths than dares because she wasn’t sure what she would dare Twilight to do. She didn’t want to make fun of her either in case she took it the wrong way and literally blew up her face.

“Truth or dare? How do we play it?” Twilight asked.

"We can ask any question to the other, and they must answer truthfully. Alternatively, we can dare each other to do something, and we'll have to carry out the dare," Rarity explained, prompting Twilight to raise an eyebrow.

"We must? What compels us to follow through, precisely? Is there some kind of spell involved?" Twilight questioned, her confusion evident, causing Rarity to roll her eyes and chuckle.

“No, it’s just the rules of the game. If there is anything you are too uncomfortable to do or answer, then you can say it and I’ll change the question,” Rarity replied while Twilight nodded along, in understanding.

“Alright, I get it,”

“Wonderful! Then I’ll start! Let’s get to the juicy questions first! Were you…” Rarity stopped herself right before she could finish her sentence. She was about to ask Twilight if she was ever interested in somepony, but knowing that mare, the most likely answer was no. So she changed it a little. “Has anypony ever flirted with you?” She finally asked.

“Really? That is the question you want to ask?” Twilight recoiled in surprise and disappointment.

“Yes, it is,”

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes before humming in thought.

“There was one pony, but he was more interested in my status. It was Prince Blueblood. A descendant of Daybreaker,” Twilight replied, making Rarity gasp.

“This muttonhead?! Oh, I’m sorry you had to deal with him, Twilight! He is handsome on the outside, but quite ugly on the inside,” Rarity put a hoof over her chest.

“Well, I personally think he’s ugly in and out,” Twilight muttered while running a hoof through her mane. “I suppose it’s my turn now? Mmm… I know! Are you a spy?” She asked while pointing at the white unicorn, who rolled her eyes and snickered.

“No, I am not a spy,” She answered. “Let’s try another question before doing any dares… Let’s see… What do you think of Princess Luna?” She asked, which served only to help her learn more about Twilight rather than be embarrassing.

"What do I think of her?" Twilight furrowed her brows, deeply contemplating her response. "No simple words can do her justice. There is no pony more intelligent, stronger, or more beautiful than her. Everything that unfolds is but a part of her intricate plans, allowing her to make the most efficient and swift decisions. She is a figure of awe and admiration, an inspiration to all, and particularly to me. Her profound wisdom is surpassed only by her brilliance. Of course, she isn't merely a prodigy; she was born great, I believe, but also worked diligently to surpass any expectations placed upon her. Her breathtaking night sky is a reflection of her true self. All I can do is observe it while silently aspiring to reach it one day. For now, it remains a goal I can only gaze upon with admiration and respect, understanding that nothing in this world can compare to it. As her student, I am eternally grateful that she took me under her wing and made me her apprentice," Twilight spoke with heartfelt gratitude and reverence.

“That… I don’t know what to say,” Rarity retorted, shocked by Twilight’s statements.

The diva never asked the original Twilight what she thought about Princess Celestia, but she couldn’t help but wonder if she did see her that way. From the way this Twilight spoke, it appeared that she was much more in awe of Luna than her Twilight was of Celestia.

Rarity found herself perplexed by Twilight's counterpart. Initially, she had assumed the alternate Twilight would be similar to their original version before they met their friends. Yet the way she spoke, her actions, and her demeanor were markedly different. Once more, she found her thoughts drifting back to the ghost story she had recounted, pondering the lesson it supposedly taught. That wasn’t something she made up on the fly, but a story she was obviously told. Was that something known in this universe? Did it have anything to do with her family? Who was she?

The white unicorn could only wonder because she knew that at the end of the day, Twilight wouldn’t answer her questions. After her little speech about Princess Luna, their truth or dare felt like a blur that passed in an instant. She didn’t remember much, but she didn’t ask Twilight anything worth noting. Her dares were silly and easy to do, but it seemed the lavender unicorn enjoyed some of them. Or maybe that was a trick of the eye, and Rarity never actually saw a smile on the other unicorn’s lips.

Twilight’s questions and dares were even less eventful and made it obvious she was new to this game. Never even once did she think of embarrassing Rarity. Seeing her struggle to understand such a simple game was… Cute in a way. Amusing, too. She thought about doing the pillow fight but swiftly changed her mind after some consideration.

Telling Twilight’s counterpart that she wanted to fight probably wasn’t a good idea. Rarity also had no doubt that she would quickly have a mouth full of feathers if they started a pillow fight. So all that was left was to sleep.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a second bed, so…” Twilight teleported a pillow and a blanket and dropped them on the floor before looking back at Rarity. “I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the ground,”

Rarity grimaced, not looking forward to it at all.

“Are you sure there isn’t a little more room on your bed, Twilight? It’s not that I don’t appreciate your hospitality, but the floor will hurt my back, probably…” Rarity looked at the other unicorn with pleading eyes, hoping Twilight had any empathy for her. “And that story will make it even harder for me to sleep,”

The night’s student stared at her in silence, judging her and thinking about her request. She was no doubt hesitant, and if they hadn’t had this slumber party, Rarity could guarantee that Twilight wouldn’t have thought twice about it before making her sleep on the floor. Finally, after several agonizing seconds of silence, Twilight sighed.

“Very well. I am in a good mood, so I guess I can let you sleep with me, but you better not do anything weird,” She conceded.

“Oh, thank you, darling! Wait… What do you mean?” Rarity jerked back at her statement.

“No offense, but I don’t trust you fully,” Twilight retorted before lighting her horn and making her body shine multiple times in different colors. “I cast a few protection spells on me. I hope you don’t kick while you sleep because you risk losing a leg,” She warned her before yawning.

She didn’t wait for Rarity’s response and just climbed into her bed. The white unicorn stared at her while Twilight slid under the covers and closed her eyes. She lit her horn one last time, and the lights were off.

Rarity finally got out of her stupor once she was submerged in darkness, and joined the other unicorn in bed. At least, her bed was comfortable. Even more so than the one in the library or the castle. Did she use spells to make it that way?

Twilight’s counterpart seemed even more obsessed with magic than the original one! But she guessed it wasn’t such a bad thing. She slipped under the covers, which were large enough for the two of them, as her bed was, and closed her eyes. Both ponies faced the opposite direction, lying back to back. It didn’t take the fashionista very long before falling asleep, but she had to admit this was an agitated night.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

Was she dreaming? Was she sleeping? Was the sound she was hearing happening in real life or was she having a nightmare? She wasn’t sure, but the basement door didn’t stop its pounding.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

She was scared, but she couldn’t wake up. She wasn’t even sure that it was a dream! However, opening her eyes did nothing to change her surroundings. She was in a dark, cold, and empty place. She couldn’t even see her own body. She couldn’t even hear anything besides the pounding on that door.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

That story wasn’t that scary, so why did it affect her so much? Why did it terrify her so much? Why was she dreaming of that sound so vividly?!

She began stirring in her sleep, moaning in fear as she seemingly tried to escape her own body in an attempt to cease this nightmare! Talking in her sleep, she only managed to let out a small fearful “no” before loudly breathing out.

Suddenly, when all hope seemed lost for a peaceful sleep… A faint glow surrounded her. It was warm and reassuring as if someone she loved was comforting her. All the fear instantly vanished as did the sound of the basement door.

The glow around her body lingered for a moment longer before fading away, leaving Rarity to have a calm and pleasant sleep. She didn’t know what in the world allowed this miracle to happen and save her, but she had only two simple words to say as her dreamscape suddenly turned into her boutique.

“Thank you,”

The Familiar Town

Universe 25197

As the first rays of the sun gently caressed her face through the window, Applejack stirred in her sleep, fidgeting before gradually opening her eyes. She rubbed her eyes a couple of times, sat up, and let out a big yawn. Each morning followed this routine for her. Rising with the sun, she embarked on her farm duties, and today was no exception.

That was what she thought before her eyes scanned the room, revealing that it was vastly different from how it was supposed to be.… There were no family pictures and the hair strings she put on her bedside table to tie up her mane and tail were gone. It didn't take long for realization to dawn upon her. She wasn’t home! Well, technically. Her memories from the previous long day suddenly flooded her mind.

Right… She had to reconnect with a family she technically never met and get a magical stone to go back home. She couldn’t help but groan at the reminder. At least, it wasn’t like she was facing the usual Discord-level threat. Unfortunately, that adventure was going to be much more challenging mentally than physically, she guessed.

She breathed in and out, then figured she shouldn’t be wasting more time. She checked through a few drawers and managed to find two hair strings to tie up her mane and tail the way they usually were. She chided herself for not holding on to her old hair strings, but the mane stylist had discarded them after adjusting her mane and tail styles to match Jackie's.

Naturally, she didn’t bother wearing the suit either, opting to be her normal self instead. Naked, which sounded a bit weird when she thought of it like that… At least, she wore her hat!

Nevertheless, she knew that only the fake cutie mark truly mattered to make her look like Jackie. She hoped she wouldn't have to maintain this deception for too long. Lying to her family, even if they were from another universe, was never something she found appealing. However, she couldn't dismiss Jackie's point that telling the truth in this situation might cause more pain and trouble than continuing the charade. Once she stopped whatever Jackie planned and got the stone to go home, she would tell them the truth. They would probably hate her for the lie and the fact that Jackie never planned on coming here, but those were consequences she was ready to face. She thought about taking the necklace her counterpart had given her for a second before leaving the room but decided to leave it on the bedside table instead.

The first thing Applejack saw when she opened the door was Granny Smith’s surprised face and slightly open mouth.

“Oh, you’re already up? Ah was just about to wake ya!” She commented as Applejack grinned in response.

“Of course! Ah told ya Ah would do ma best, didn’t I? Ah’ll help out on the farm as much Ah need!” She replied proudly.

“Ah was expectin’ that a pony from the city would have a harder time wakin’ up that early, but ya proved me wrong, dear! Ya also have the mane and tail of a farm pony! Ah have to say it’s a welcome surprise,” Granny Smith explained as she looked at Applejack up and down.

“What can Ah say? It’s in ma blood, Granny,” The younger farm pony retorted while Granny Smith was nodding along.

“Ah can see that! Well, Ah hope ya will learn to use the tools just as fast,” Granny chuckled before turning around and walking away. “Come! Ah’ll show ya what ya will have to do for today. If ya need any help, ya can call Big Mac or Applebloom,” She added while waving her hoof for Applejack to follow.

That was right! Was she supposed to pretend she didn’t know what to do and how some things worked, now? That was going to be hard since she learned all those things when she was a filly! And it would be embarrassing, too… Sure they may have not known she lived on a farm her whole life, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be embarrassed about pretending to struggle with something she was aware she would easily do under normal circumstances.

“Since it’s yer first day, Ah don’t want ta be too harsh on ya, so Ah won’t give ya too much work fer now,” Granny Smith stated as they went downstairs and into the kitchen. “What do ya usually have fer breakfast?” She asked while looking through the cupboards.

“Uhm…” Applejack hesitated. Since she pretended she was Jackie, did that mean she would also have to lie about her breakfast? She had to think! What did she have for breakfast when she was with Uncle and Aunt Orange? It had to be something that wouldn’t fill anyone’s appetite that was for sure. “A small salad. A really small one,” She snickered nervously.

“Ah thought city ponies would eat more than that… Oh, well! We have cornflakes if ya want! Applebloom loves them,” Granny Smith laughed as she grabbed a box of cornflakes out of one of the cupboards, and then grabbed a box of milk.

“Did somepony say ‘cornflakes’?” Applebloom excitedly ran into the room as Granny Smith put the cornflakes and milk on the table.

“Ah was just about ta go and wake ya,” Granny commented before putting two bowls on the table, one for each sister, lighting up Applebloom’s face.

“Ya like cornflakes, too?!” She nearly shouted in surprise and happiness.

“Ah sure do!” Applejack answered before grabbing the cornflakes and milk while Applebloom suddenly got serious and narrowed her eyes, staring at Applejack’s bowl. “What are ya doin’?” The orange farm pony arched an eyebrow.

“Just checkin’ somethin’,” She simply replied while keeping her eyes on her older sister’s bowl.

Applejack decided to let this go, unwilling to wonder what was going on with her sister this time, and put cornflakes in her bowl, before pouring the milk over it. Appleboom’s face lit up again in joy.

“Yes! Ah knew ma sister would do it right!” She punched the air with pride as Applejack raised another eyebrow.

“Do what right?”

“You put the cornflakes first, then the milk! That’s the way ya should do it!” She clapped her hooves, making Applejack snicker in amusement. That was always how she ate her cornflakes back home, but the original Applebloom never commented on it.

“Well Ah am glad Ah passed yer little test, sister,” Applejack ruffled her sister’s mane while Applebloom was pouring milk over her cornflakes.

“Sister…” Applebloom muttered in glee before chuckling. “Oh!” She suddenly exclaimed as if she just remembered something. “Look at ma cutie mark, sis! Isn’t it cool?!” She said eagerly while showing off her cutie mark. It was exactly like the one from Applejack’s original universe.

“It sure does look cool! Ah reckon ya didn’t tell me what yer talent is,” Applejack complimented her. Of course, she even had to pretend she didn’t know her sister’s talent…

“Ah help other ponies find their talent! And Ah do it with two other friends who got the same cutie mark, we’re the cutie mark crusaders! Ya have to meet them!” Applebloom shouted excitedly.

“Now, now. Ah am sure she’ll love meeting yer friends, but only after you are both done with today’s chores,” Granny Smith interjected, making Applebloom roll her eyes.

“Ah know, Ah know,” She grumbled in disappointment before Applejack ruffled her mane again.

“That just means we have to work even faster, Sugarcube. Ya up for it?” The orange farm pony asked as Applebloom’s face lit up.

“Of course, Ah am!”

“Ah hope ya two won’t botch the job,” Granny Smith teased, already knowing and trusting that they would be careful with it.

“Don’t ya worry, Granny Smith! Ya can count on us,” Applejack assured her nonetheless.

“Good! As Ah said, ya won’t have anythin’ too complicated to do today. First, Ah want ya to pick up the chickens’ eggs, then feed the pigs, harvest two dozen apple trees, water the fields, and repair our metal fence,” Granny Smith instructed, making Applejack arch an eyebrow. Only two dozen? Granny was going really easy on her. “Applebloom will show ya where the chickens and pigs are as well as their food. If ya have any problem with the fence, call for Big Mac. Don’t hesitate ta yell at ‘im if he’s distracted. Ever since he married Sugar Belle, she’s all he thinks about,”

“Ya got it, Granny!” Applejack nodded as she finished her cornflakes. “Well, Ah better not waste any more time!” She exclaimed before standing up and walking out of the kitchen, hell-bent on not disappointing Granny Smith.

“Ah will go with her!” Applebloom added before following suit, having only eaten half of her cornflakes.

As she watched them leave, Granny Smith couldn't help but be taken aback by Applejack's surprising ease in preparing for farm life. She had expected her granddaughter to struggle, given her past reluctance for farming and her extensive time in Manehattan. But now, it seemed as though farming might truly be in Applejack's blood. The thought tempted Granny Smith to assign larger and more demanding tasks during her stay and even entertained the idea of convincing her to come back to live with them permanently.

She quickly shot down that idea before even voicing it. She realized Applejack now also had responsibilities she couldn’t ignore. She had a company to run, which probably had as many challenges as a farm. At least, Granny Smith could proudly state how fine of a mare Applejack became.

“If only yer parents were here to see ya…” She muttered to herself, a small smile creeping up her face.

Applejack was happy to have Applebloom leading her to the chickens, and then showing her where the pigs were. Since the little filly also had chores to do, she couldn’t stay around Applejack too long, much to the little sister’s dismay. Naturally, the older farm pony intended to do things the way she did back home thanks to Twilight and Rarity, but didn’t want to seem too good at it too fast. Because of that, she asked Applebloom a few questions on how to proceed with the chores and what the most efficient ways to complete them were.

She was surprisingly good at lying considering she was supposed to be the bearer of the element of honesty… Eh, better not look too much into it.

Feeding the animals and taking the chicken eggs was easy, just as much watering the fields was. She wanted to interact with Big Mac, too, but it looked like he was trying to finish his chores as quick as possible, so she didn’t bother him. He was most likely looking forward to spending some time with Sugar Belle, which made Applejack grin in amusement. It didn’t look like it from appearances alone, but he was a big softie.

She knew it was part of life, but his getting married still came off as a huge surprise. She was happy for him, but it made her think of her love life, too. She wasn’t sure why fixing a fence of all things would make her think about romance, but she couldn’t help but notice that she literally had no one. Of course, she wasn’t even in her thirties, so she didn’t need to worry that much about it now. However, it didn’t change the fact that nearly no one sought to start a romantic relationship with her. Granted, she wasn’t really looking for anyone either.

Seeing her brother be with his special somepony made her happy, but also a bit jealous because she was starting to want the same thing, she realized. Why did she not even have a single relationship in more than a decade? Was something wrong with her?

Even Jackie, her counterpart, was wealthy and successful but didn’t seem to have any special somepony from what Applejack had seen!

Maybe it should be something to ponder once she got back home… Applejack breathed out as she stepped back and admired her work. It took her an hour, but the whole fence was fixed! Maybe she should really stop even repairing it herself if it made her question her life every time for some reason…

“Now that’s done, Ah guess Ah better start bucking those trees! A two dozen should be easy enough!” Applejack adjusted her hat, then left to pick up two baskets, which she put on her sides.

“Applejack!” Big Mac called out to her just as she was approaching the apple orchard.

“Hey, Big Mac! Need any help with somethin’?” Applejack offered as the stallion shook his head.

“Nope! Granny Smith notice you’ve been quick with yer work, so she told me to tell ya to harvest a whole field of apple trees. Think ya’re up for it?” He asked as Applejack smiled in pride.

“Oh, Ah am! Ah’ll be done with it before she can even say ‘Apple’,” Applejack assured her older brother’s counterpart. That was twice as many crops to harvest than originally planned, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle.

Bucking those trees was easy, which was no surprise. Unfortunately, just like with everything else today, she had to pretend she wasn’t that good. She used less strength than usual and hit bad spots on purpose, so it would take her two or three hits until all the apples fell down the tree.

She wondered how Applebloom was faring and how hard her tasks were. Even if Applejack didn’t want to seem too good at this, she still wanted to finish early so she would spend some time with her sister and have fun.

Nonetheless, she couldn’t fully relax even with that in mind. She still had no idea what Jackie was planning and if she was trustworthy. The truth was that she wasn’t even fully certain yet that she would stop her at all. She was alone in this one, and she doubted her abilities to stop a threat that would possibly need all her friends. Moreover, this wasn’t even her universe, did she really have the right to interfere? The elements of harmony still existed and had bearers here, so her friends… And Lyra… would surely stop Jackie at some point.

Besides, if Jackie was actually telling the truth, then her plan wasn’t that bad… Was it? Sure getting the monopoly over most work fields wasn’t a good thing, but if it was legal, was it really dangerous?

She bucked another tree and let the apples fall in the baskets she carried as she sighed. No matter how much she wanted to get out of this without having to fight some kind of villain, she couldn’t. Not in good conscience, at the very least. She would wait and see if Jackie did anything she couldn’t ignore.

“Are ya almost done?” A small voice broke her out of her thoughts, making the orange earth pony turn around. It was Applebloom.

“Yup! A few more trees and it should be over,” Applejack replied as Applebloom jumped up in response.

“Great! Ah can’t wait! Ma friends and I will show ya around Ponyville!” The small filly exclaimed with joy.

“Ah am sure this is a nice town,” Applejack nodded in agreement before moving over to another tree and bucking it several times.

Since her little sister was actively waiting for her, and likely finished her tasks already, Applejack decided to hurry it up. She wouldn’t be surprised if Granny Smith did something to ease Applebloom’s job so she could spend more time with Applejack.

After she was done harvesting the crops, Applejack could happily say that she was sure she made Granny Smith proud. Now all that was left was to spend the rest of the day with Applebloom. Naturally, she didn’t forget to notify Big Mac that she finished all her chores today.

Applejack stood awkwardly with Applebloom by her side while the two other fillies stared at her. The moment she was done with her work on the farm, Applebloom pulled her along out of the farm and brought her in front of the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, where Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were waiting for them.

“Uhm… Howdy,” Applejack waved embarrassingly since it was the first time Applebloom’s friends ever stared at her that way.

“Your sister is… The CEO of Apple Industries?!” Sweetie Belle gasped with her jaw almost hitting the floor. “This is amazing! And hey! Why did you never tell us you were rich?”

“Ah didn’t know she was ma sister either,” Applebloom shrugged while smiling pridefully.

“She’s cool, I guess. But not as cool as Rainbow Dash…” Scootaloo muttered with her forelegs crossed. Applejack couldn’t help but roll her eyes but still remained amused.

“Ah am happy to meet you too. The name’s Applejack!” The orange earth pony introduced herself and tipped her hat.

“I-I know! My sister always buys so many gems from your company that it would be hard not to recognize you! I am Sweetie Belle,” The small unicorn replied eagerly. “It’s too bad Rarity isn’t in Ponyville right now because she would have loved to meet you! Oh, Rarity is the name of my sister by the way,” She added with a small nervous chuckle.

“Well, maybe she’ll come back before Ah have to leave…” Applejack hesitantly retorted since she still wasn’t sure if meeting any of her friends in this universe was a bright idea. “And you are?” She turned to ask Scootaloo.

“Scootaloo, only one of the three coolest fillies in Equestria,” She introduced herself in a tone that was clearly meant to imitate Rainbow Dash’s.

“That so? It’s mighty nice to meet ya! Is the Rainbow Dash ya mentioned yer sister?” Applejack inquired as Scootaloo instantly blushed, dropping her false confidence.

“You heard that?” She asked in embarrassment and looked away. “S-She’s not my sister… But I’d like her to be…” She answered while shyly fiddling with her hooves. “She feels like a sister, you know…” She added bashfully.

Applejack grinned before noticing out of the corner of her eye that Applebloom slightly winced at Scootaloo’s comment, which swiftly passed as the little filly suddenly hugged one of Applejack’s forelegs. The older mare simply ruffled her mane again and chose not to address it, at least, not yet.

“So, Applebloom said ya wanted to show me around Ponyville?” She asked, making the three of them nod.

“You’ll see, the town is awesome!” Scootaloo smiled excitedly.

“Let’s show her Sugarcube Corner first!” Applebloom suggested, to which the two other fillies quickly agreed.

If you had to ask Applejack, the most logical thing would have been to show her the town square first since it was the center of the town, but she couldn’t blame the fillies for wanting to introduce her to one of the most fun places in town. Unfortunately, it wasn’t nearly as fun when Pinkie wasn’t there.

“Hello there, you three!” Mr. Cake greeted the three fillies as they entered the shop with Applejack in tow. “And I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before,” He told Applejack, who opened her mouth to reply, only for Applebloom to beat her to it.

“She’s ma big sister! She’s visitin’!” She answered eagerly as Mr. Cake widened his eyes in surprise before smiling.

“I didn’t know you had an older sister, but welcome to Ponyville! I’m Carrot Cake,” He extended a hoof, which Applejack promptly shook.

“And Ah am Applejack, nice to meet ya,” She greeted him while smiling. Seeing more familiar faces was pleasant, after all.

“Don’t forget to say she’s from Manehattan!” Sweetie Belle added as she shook Applebloom’s shoulder, making the other filly nod excitedly.

“Oh, really? I hope our sweets will serve as a good presentation of Ponyville! We wouldn’t mind the publicity,” He chuckled while Applejack blushed.

She was embarrassed because she not only wasn’t actually from the city, but she wasn’t even from this universe in the first place. She doubted Mr. Cake would receive any publicity at all from this.

“Do you four want to order something or were you just showing her around?” He asked the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who didn’t answer right away and simply looked at the sweets, then let their pleading eyes wander to Applejack.

“Ah get it, Ah get it,” Applejack rolled her eyes playfully as she took out a few bits from her saddlebag. “Give them whatever they want,” She instructed as she held the bits ready. She was lucky Jackie gave her some money in case she needed it because it would have been really awkward if the supposed rich sister didn’t even have enough change to pay for cupcakes.

“Thank you, Applejack!” Applebloom hugged her sister again.

They had always been close, but this was the first time Applebloom had been so affectionate with her so many times in a single day. And it wasn’t like they grew up together. Applebloom only met her yesterday! Applejack would seriously need to talk to her about this and why finding out she had a sister was so great to her.

She could understand that finding out you had a sibling would come out as a shock and as something positive, but the swift affection was still unexpected.

After they picked the sweets they wanted, the three fillies led Applejack throughout all of Ponyville. The first thing they showed her after Sugarcube Corner was the town hall and the town square, then told her that it was used to host events, weddings, or celebrations and that ponies often gathered there.

Next, they showed her the Carousel Boutique, which was also Rarity and Sweetie Belle’s home. Evidently, it was closed to customers since Rarity wasn’t in town. It hadn’t even been that long since Applejack had seen it last, but it brought a wave of nostalgia nonetheless. Mostly because she knew this didn’t belong to the unicorn she knew. It made her realize just how much she missed her friends but decided not to dwell on it too much. Otherwise, the Cutie Mark Crusaders would quickly notice her discomfort.

After the Carousel Boutique, they led her to the Ponyville Theater and quickly explained that they put on a play there, which was loved by the whole town. At least, according to Scootaloo’s words.

Funnily enough, they totally skipped the spa and immediately showed her the marketplace next. Her little sister told her she sold apples there sometimes. She looked so proud while explaining that there were times she was doing it all on her own. Applejack couldn’t help but congratulate her for it.

They didn’t waste any more time before showing her the Castle of Friendship, and a closed building that they said was going to be the School of Friendship. Applejack was so tempted to just go in there and take a breath to try and feel at home, not that the farm wasn’t already helping. However, she knew she would just end up disappointed. As much as she desired, she didn’t belong there. And if she went inside the castle, she most likely would see Lyra’s cutie mark where hers was supposed to be. What a way to cheer her up, right?

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both bragged about Rainbow Dash and Rarity being Equestria’s heroes and having seats in the castle while Applebloom remained silent. She didn’t seem sad, but she was looking at the castle longingly for some reason.

Applejack figured it was better to leave before both of them broke down for one reason or another. It certainly wouldn’t do any good.

They proceeded to show her many other shops around Ponyville or places to have fun, and the older farm pony had to admit that revisiting these places as if she was just being introduced to them was fun. It was a good reminder of how great her hometown was. From what she could see, Ponyville remained the same as it was back in her original universe.

It wasn’t long before nightfall and the Cutie Mark Crusaders had to split up and go home. Sweetie Belle left with Scootaloo since she was taken care of by the pegasus’ aunts while Rarity was away. Naturally, Applejack was going back to the farm with Applebloom by her side.

They were both tired but had only positive feelings about today. Applebloom asked her older sister what she thought of her friends quite a lot until she abruptly changed the subject.

“Oh, Ah just remembered! Tomorrow, we have to do a presentation in class on a pony we admire! Ah was goin’ to do it on Granny Smith again since Big Mac can’t come because of work, but Ah was thinkin’… It would be nice if ya… Ya know… If ya came with me to talk about what ya do. Ya could be the pony of ma presentation!” Applebloom asked with starry eyes as if already knowing Applejack wouldn’t be able to refuse.

“Ah. Uhm… Ah am not sure…” Applejack bit her inner cheek. What was she even supposed to say at this presentation?! It wasn’t like she actually led a gem mining company!

“Please?” Applebloom begged while making her lower lip quiver, finally breaking her older sister’s spirit.

“Alright… Ah guess a small presentation wouldn’t hurt,” She conceded as Applebloom jumped up in joy.

“Yay! Ah knew Ah could count on ya, big sis!” The small filly shouted before hugging Applejack for the hundredth time today.

“Yup… Just a little presentation…” Applejack nervously chuckled while hugging the filly back. It wouldn’t be so hard, would it?

“Ah am screwed!” Applejack paced in her room while holding her forehead. Why did she even accept it in the first place? “They’re just foals, aren’t they? There’s no way they would see Ah’m not the real deal, is there?” She sweated before pausing.

Her eyes traveled to the bedside table as she remembered the necklace Jackie had given her. There was no other way but to call her to ask for some pointers, wasn’t there? It was either that or exposing herself and breaking Applebloom’s heart. She sighed, quickly coming to a decision before walking up to the necklace and picking it up.

“Alright… Now what do I do?” She asked herself. Jackie never told her how this thing worked. They didn’t even have that in her original universe! How was she supposed to use it? “Hello? Anypony in there? Jackie? Applejack? Ah wanna talk to Applejack,” She told the necklace, which, with no surprise, remained unresponsive.

She grumbled a few words under her breath before shaking the necklace around and calling for Jackie’s name again. Then tried to do it while wearing it before putting it back on the bedside table and punching it.

“Will ya work already?! Ah need to talk to Jackie or Applejack or whatever!” She shouted at the necklace while hitting it several times.

Suddenly, a light escaped from it, nearly blinding Applejack before it reduced its brightness itself. The light flashed a few times, then faded away. The farm pony was about to curse it again until a green smoke came out of it and formed a mirror, showing Jackie’s tired face. It looked like she was in her bed considering the sleeping mask she pulled above her eyes.

“What are ya callin’ for? It’s one in the freakin’ mornin’ for Celestia’s sake,” Jackie groaned while rubbing her eyes. “And ya don’t need to scream either. Did nopony teach ya how to use that thing where ya from?”

“Ya will get over it! Ah need help for somethin’” Applejack demanded while Jackie arched an eyebrow.

“Help? With what? If it’s for family bonding, there ain’t much Ah can help with, Sugar,”

“Ah need to do a presentation on ma work for school tomorrow,” Applejack stated bluntly, making Jackie snicker in amusement.

“How did ya get in that situation?” She laughed mockingly while Applejack rolled her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter. Will ya help me or not? Ah have no idea of what to say out there. What if somepony sees Ah am not the one Ah am pretending to be?”

“Ya think a room full of school foals will realize that?” Jackie cocked an eyebrow as if asking her if she was serious. When she only received a glare in response, Jackie simply rolled her eyes and groaned. “Alright. Ah guess Ah can help ya with that, at least. Grab some paper and a pencil, and start writin’ what Ah’ll tell ya. Ah’ll just give ya some points to go over and what Ah do in ma daily job, and ya will take care of the speech, okay?” She conceded as Applejack nodded, then looked through the drawers to find what she needed.

“So, how do I start?”

“Ya introduce yerself, doofus. Next thing ya should do is talk about what Apple Industries strives for,” Jackie replied before further talking about her company.

Applejack sighed as she figured this was going to be a long night and an even longer day next. She could only wonder how the others were doing in whatever universes they ended up. She hoped it wasn’t anything as challenging as lying to copies of her friends and families at least.

Author's Note

Something I posted in a blog for those of you who may have missed it:

There’s something I’ve been thinking for quite some time now. I like pretty much all the universes I wrote in Multiversal Voyage, so writing another story (after Multiversal Voyage is over of course) about one of those universes is very tempting.

It would basically tell the universe’s backstory, how it became what it is and why its characters are that way and it would also be about their past adventures and future (so events if the original mane 6 didn’t get in this universe).

I wouldn’t have the strength to do that for every universe since it would be long stories. I don’t know what universe you would like to see the most, but I personally have a preference for the Council of Harmony. I think all their adventures would pretty interesting, especially because of how different they are.

What do you think?

Diamond Dogs

Universe 10328

As Pinkie Pie rocked back and forth on a chair, Twilight was engrossed in her task—constructing a tracker to locate the stone responsible for her presence in this world. Utilizing a part of Pinkie's magic that she had harvested with the help of an existing machine, she only needed to develop a device capable of detecting a similar magical signature. Unfortunately, Pinkie still wasn’t allowed to go out.

She didn’t whine about it, though. Honestly, how could she when her friends’ counterparts seemed so crazy? Still, they weren’t all bad! Cyborg Rainbow Dash kept flirting with Twilight, which mostly grossed Pinkie out, but it was cute… She guessed. Actually, sometimes she wasn’t even sure they were flirting at all.

Suddenly, a tiny spark of flames flew out of Twilight’s workbench, making her click her tongue in annoyance.

“Careful there, Twi. Wouldn’t want you to catch on fire,” Rainbow Dash snickered as the lavender pony took off her welding goggles with her claws and put back her regular glasses on.

“You know it would take more than a little fire to hurt me,” She replied cockily.

“Oh, I know! Only I can,” The cyan pegasus smirked while giving her a… flirty look?

“I will rip out your legs, Dashie-Dash,” Twilight laughed while ruffling her girlfriend’s mane with one of her claws.

“You can always try!” Rainbow retorted in a sing-song manner while stretching out her legs and wings.

Pinkie couldn’t help but grimace. Was that flirting? Seriously, was this how ponies flirted in this world or was she the one going crazy? While these alternate versions of her friends were undeniably entertaining, an undercurrent of unease still lingered. Despite their assurances that they meant her no harm and would treat her like a friend, trust was a challenge. And honestly, could anyone blame her for feeling this way?!

No! Wait! They were her friends! Technically… So there was nothing to fear, was there? Honestly, even if they allowed her to explore Ponyville, she wasn’t sure she wanted to at this point. What kind of other freaky stuff awaited her there?

“Damn it… Looks like I will need a gem, after all,” Twilight commented while looking at the machine she was holding in her mechanical arms. “Spike, bring me a gem, would you?” She ordered her A.I. assistant.

“My apologies, dear ‘Master’, but we are out of gems,” The claw, coming out of a wall, sarcastically replied.

“What? Already? How?!” Twilight exclaimed in surprise.

“If I remember correctly, you used most of them to build the rocket ship that spelled ‘Your gods aren’t real, Trixie, you stupid freaking nerd,’ on the surface of a full moon while you were drunk during one of Pinkie’s parties,” Spike reminded her with a flat tone.

“Ah. Right…” Twilight muttered while scratching the top of her head with a tentacle claw. She did remember doing something along those lines…

“You also added ‘And magic isn’t real either. Signed -Twilight Sparkle’ a few hours later, using the last gems we had left,” Spike added, making the lavender pony groan in annoyance.

“Alright! We get it! Why the hell didn’t you tell me we were out of gems earlier?” She questioned with frustration.

“You didn’t ask,” The A.I. replied, and Twilight could just feel the smugness emanating from it.

“You little…” She let out a low growl, knowing that getting mad wouldn’t solve any of this.

“That guy will never fail to make me laugh,” Rainbow chuckled while wiping away a tear with her wings.

“When is our next shipment coming, Spike?” Twilight inquired while holding her face in one of her claws.

“Next week, I am afraid,” Her assistant answered, which was quickly followed by Rainbow’s gasp.

“What? Boooring!” The pegasus complained before falling on her back.

“I quite agree. And I doubt our friend here would be willing to wait a whole week before going back to her friends,” Twilight agreed as she pointed at Pinkie Pie, who frantically nodded.

“Exactly! This can’t wait at all! My friends are waiting for me! Who knows what super duper horrible universe they ended up in?!” The pink pony shouted.

Of course, she couldn’t wait a week! Especially since the last communication she received from one of her friends was Twilight being chased by something trying to kill her!

“I am sorry for not having told you about the gems earlier, Twilight,” Spike apologized while not sounding apologetic at all.

“No, you’re freaking not,” Twilight sighed before facehoofing. “That’ll teach me to make the A.I. as annoying as I could,” She grumbled in exasperation.

“Yeah, I always meant to ask, but why did you make it that way?” Rainbow Dash asked with curiosity.

“I thought it would be funny! You know… Little bot assistant that annoys everyone? It could have been a running gag! At least, hearing it complain about being a slave is still a little fun,” Twilight replied defensively, disliking the possible critique of her work.

“Wow. You really have no idea of what fun means, do you?” Pinkie Pie shook her head in disappointment.

“Guess we’ll have to find these gems elsewhere,” Twilight muttered as she put a claw on her chin. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as if she just remembered something. “And I know where to find them! Spike! Call the others and tell them to bring their armor as soon as possible!” Twilight ordered while her assistant made a sound akin to a sigh.

“As you wish, dear Master,” It responded tiredly before going back into the wall.

“So, where are we gonna get those gems?” Pinkie asked excitedly, fully ready to go on an adventure.

“In the base of the Ice Fangs, there should be plenty considering it’s their main business,” Twilight answered as Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow in confusion.

“The diamond dogs? Aren’t those guys a criminal gang? You have some relation to them?” The cyan pegasus questioned while her girlfriend chuckled.

“I may have had one or two deals with them when I couldn’t get any gems in time. I haven’t talked to them in a long time because I kinda owe them a lot of money,” The lavender pony scientist explained, making the cyborg groan.

“Darn it, Twilight! I thought we said we wouldn’t do anything illegal anymore! We’re Equestria’s protectors, and I really don’t wanna have Chancellor Celestia after my head!” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs.

“Hey! I didn’t say anything when you stole that book the other day! So, please, don’t scold me like I was a filly because of something I did last year! I changed a lot since then,” Twilight retorted while holding a tentacle claw over her chest.

“I stole it because if anyone saw me buying a book, it would totally bring my coolness down to 0,” Rainbow Dash defended herself, only for Twilight to roll her eyes.

Pinkie Pie’s eyes wandered from pony to pony as she listened to their back and forth, unsure of how she was supposed to react or treat this. Were they arguing or was that another weird flirting session? And if they were arguing, should she interject? She usually would have with her original friends. However, those seemed too unstable for her to intervene…

“Forget it. Anyway, we won’t go there to make any kind of deal with them. As I said, they probably won’t be happy to see me,” She said while gears seemed to be turning into the cyan cyborg’s head, slowly helping her come to a realization.

“Wait… Does that mean…” She began with hope, a smile creeping up her face.

“We will take those gems by force! They’re criminals anyway, so we would only be doing our job as Equestria’s protectors!” Twilight grinned maniacally.

“Awesome! I was getting sore from doing nothing all day!” Rainbow hovered and punched the air in celebration.

“Good! I’m sure the others will have fun as well!” Twilight smiled warmly, before remembering they had a guest. The lavender scientist turned around and faced the party pony. “I never asked, but how do you fight? Does your energy, which you think is magic, allow you to shoot laser beams or perhaps make big explosions? Anything useful?” She questioned while Pinkie shook her head in amusement.

“Nope! I’m an earth pony, silly! All my magic does is help me garden! Unless I’m with friends. Then, we can make a hyper rainbow beam!” Pinkie Pie giggled, which seemed to greatly disappoint the scientist.

"I suppose I can provide you with combat armor. Fortunately, I have duplicates of each type, and Pinkie's armor would likely be the most suitable for you!" Twilight clarified, making her way to the computer and tapping on the keyboard a few times.

“Combat armor? What’s that?” Pinkie cocked an eyebrow, then suddenly widened her eyes in glee. “Oh! Am I gonna be a robot?!” She asked excitedly.

“Not exactly,” Twilight simply answered as a metallic box suddenly flew out of nowhere and attached itself to the pink pony’s chest.

“Woo,” Pinkie voiced as the box expanded all over her body, covering every inch of it until it was completely covered in steel except for her eyes, which were protected by a visor. After a few seconds, the armor and visor began changing color until they looked exactly like Pinkie’s coat and eyes. From far away, it would seem that Pinkie wasn’t wearing anything at all. However, from a close-up, it was apparent she was wearing heavy armor. It even let her mane and tail out.

“The armor is made of specific materials that are known to be the toughest in Equestria. As long as you wear it, you’re protected from nearly anything. It resists both cold and hot temperatures and even protects your body from these temperatures. That goes for all combat armor I made,” Twilight explained before crawling around Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie’s armor abilities were specifically made for a pony as unpredictable as her. It’s extremely versatile since it has rocket hooves, machine guns, regular guns, ion cannons, heat lasers, solar lasers, which may not guarantee a kill, but they can give skin cancer,” Twilight listed as Pinkie kept an impassive look, frankly not paying attention to what she was saying because of how boring it was.

“Okay, and how do I use those?” She asked curiously.

“It’s linked to your brain, so all you have to do is wish to use them! It’s easy! Kind of like the gun Dash-Dash pranked you with,” Twilight chuckled at the memory.

Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, could only wince at the grim reminder of what happened earlier. Those were NOT the kinds of pranks she would ever do or enjoy! It was simply mean-spirited and nothing more! She actually thought she killed Rainbow Dash!

Seeing one of her best friends bleeding and shaking on the ground would be forever branded into Pinkie’s memory. Why did her armor even have so many weapons? They weren’t gonna use them, were they? Well… If it was in self-defense and not against friends… Maybe she should just get her special cakes and not think about it.

“The others’ armors aren’t as versatile, but they are plenty strong in their own right. Rarity’s can use elemental attacks such as fire, electricity, and ice, which is her favorite element. Applejack’s can send powerful shockwaves,” Twilight explained further as Rainbow Dash smirked.

“With an additional Pinkie on our team, we should get those gems in no time!” The cyan cyborg assured confidently.

“Right. The gems! We get them! We get the magic stone! Then we party!” Pinkie Pie punched the air while Rainbow Dash snickered.

“There ya go! That’s the Pinkie Pie I know!” She stated while pointing at the pink pony.

“Twilight, it seems the others are waiting for you outside,” Spike notified its creator.

“What? Couldn’t they come down here?” Twilight asked in frustration as she used her claws to take off her lab coat and put on another nearly identical to the previous one.

“As I understood it, Rarity and Applejack were busy secretly eating each other’s faces because they are unable to accept the fact that they can show affection in public. Fluttershy said you can suck…” Spike began telling her, only for Twilight to slam a claw to the floor.

“Alright, I heard enough!” She facepalmed with one of her claws. “I love you girls, but you really get on my nerves sometimes,” She said while looking at Rainbow Dash, who simply shrugged in response.

“Hey, at least, I make it up to you the way you like it,”

“So!” Pinkie interjected with a wide smile before they could go on and possibly start another flirting session. “Are we going out or not?”

“Right, let’s go,” Twilight said before crawling toward the elevator nearby.

“Ahem. Doesn’t work! Remember?” Rainbow Dash called out to her while Twilight was impatiently clicking on the button to call the elevator, which never came.

“Grrr, what the hell do you do to break that thing every time? Spike! Repair it while we’re out!” Twilight ordered in annoyance before crawling toward the stairs, followed by her girlfriend, and Pinkie Pie.

“Yes, dear Master,” Spike sighed while staring at their backs as they left the lab.

“Ah! I forgot how the sun felt!” Twilight complained in pain as she adjusted her glasses with one of her claws.

“You wouldn’t have to worry about the sun if you got out of your house more often,” Rainbow Dash commented as she landed beside her girlfriend.

“You know, I was kinda expecting Ponyville to be a little different from mine. What with the technology and all,” Pinkie Pie interjected while looking around them.

“What did you expect from this crappy backwater town?” Fluttershy, who was accompanied by the others and Pinkie 2, responded with a flat tone.

“Oh, hi, girls!” Pinkie 1 waved as her counterpart returned the wave.

“There’s also the huge nuclear plant right there!” Pinkie 2 pointed at something behind Pinkie 1, prompting her to turn around and finally see the nuclear plant standing as tall as the Canterlot Castle in the distance.

“Huh. How come I didn’t notice that sooner?” Pinkie 1 asked herself while holding a hoof on her chin, then ran up to the other Pinkie. “And hey! Why did you leave me down there?! We could have had so much fun together!” She pouted as her counterpart giggled.

“Didn’t you have fun with Twilight and Dashie?” Pinkie 2 replied, still keeping her smile while Pinkie 1’s expression turned into shock.

“Fun?! Fun?!” She shouted before moving closer to her counterpart’s ear. “They’re crazy!” She whispered loudly, which was still quiet enough for the others not to hear.

“Sure they are! What’s your point?” Pinkie 2 retorted nonchalantly while the original Pinkie’s jaw dropped. “Aren’t we both crazy too?” She argued, making Pinkie 1 stammer.

“Well… Well… I don’t know?” Pinkie 1 rubbed the back of her neck, unsure of what to answer.

She had been called crazy plenty of times before. Sometimes as an insult, and sometimes as a compliment. She was just different, and if certain ponies didn’t appreciate her the way she was, she was fine with it. She even liked a little bit of crazy from time to time. The type of crazy Pinkie 2 was talking about didn’t seem to be the same kind of crazy, though… But it didn’t look bizarre in their universe. All of them acted like there was nothing wrong, and they were still seen as heroes.

Hey! That was it! Maybe she just had to look at it from another point of view! Just because she thought they were crazy didn’t mean they weren’t nice ponies!

All she had to do was socialize with them! Then when they helped her get that stone, she would celebrate with her biggest party yet! By going as far as inviting her original friends in this universe!

Pinkie 1 swiftly ran up to Fluttershy, nearly slamming into the poor pegasus as she stopped right in front of her impassive face. Now that was weird. Fluttershy’s counterpart was usually frowning from what Pinkie had seen… Oh, there it was! The frown!

“What do you want? Get out of my face! I can’t see a thing, bubblegum,” Fluttershy complained as she pushed Pinkie’s face out of her view.

“Twilight didn’t talk about your armor, so I was wondering what you could do. That’s all!” Pinkie 1 responded while smiling as widely as she could, intending to show this Fluttershy that she was fully accepting how she was.

“Oh, she’s not wearing any armor!” Rainbow Dash interjected as Fluttershy clicked her tongue or at least sounded like she did. “She doesn’t like going outside, and she hates leaving Ponyville. That’s just a drone that looks like her that she controls from her home,” The cyborg explained as she put a foreleg around Fluttershy’s, or rather, Flutterbot’s neck.

“Also helps me avoid smelling your gross breath,” The yellow pegasus grumbled under her breath.

On the edge of Ponyville was a small home belonging to a well-known pegasus. Down in her basement, Fluttershy was sitting on a chair on her haunches, leaning on the backrest. The only thing she wore was a headset with multiple wires connecting it to the ceiling. In front of her, several screens displayed what her drone was seeing. Like everything else, she only needed her mind to control the drone, which required great focus and training. Something easily achievable for someone like her, of course.

“More chips!” She called out to someone while waving her hoof. A second later, a small hovering robot brought her a bowl of chips and a can of soda with a straw. She used her wings to take a handful of chips and throw them in her mouth before taking a sip of her soda. “Ah… Now that’s life!” She breathed out happily while sitting back in her chair. It was a shame she had to go back to work.

“If you’re done with your pointless exposition, Dashie-Pie, I’ll tell them about our next operation,” Twilight interrupted their discussion, making Rainbow step away from the Flutterbot as the latter grimaced, perfectly imitating a pony’s expression.

“Now wait a darn minute! What’s this about our armors? Did ya tell Pinkie 1 about what we could do or somethin’?!” Applejack cut Twilight off, making the scientist groan in frustration.

“Do you actually care?” She responded with a cocked eyebrow.

“Of course, Ah do! She coulda seen ma awesome armor in action first!” Applejack complained while Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

“You would have been overshadowed by yours truly anyway, you know,” The cyborg remarked arrogantly.

“I do agree with Applejack. A warning would have been nice,” Rarity interjected while holding a hoof over her chest.

“You agree with anything she says,” Fluttershy commented flatly.

“I do not!” The white earth pony retorted offendedly.

The four continued to argue while Twilight sighed and adjusted her glasses again, watching the scene unfold in exasperation.

“See? That is some good fun!” Pinkie 2 noted while snickering.

Meanwhile, Pinkie 1 raised an eyebrow, hesitant to question any of it. No. As she decided earlier, she wasn’t gonna judge! And she would be the best friend they would ask for while she was in their home universe!

It took a bit of time, but they did calm down enough for Twilight to talk about their operation against the Ice Fangs. Understandably, the others were surprised and curious about the reason for their attack. However, after a quick explanation, all of them understood that it was to help Pinkie Pie return to her home universe and to avoid the boring wait. Moreover, Rarity also had something to settle with them since she had some deals with them too.

Unlike Twilight, she was forced into those deals, and they only benefitted those dirty diamond dogs as she recounted. They swindled her out of her money multiple times and even attempted to do worse than that. Something that they would have gladly done to a gorgeous pony like Rarity. She didn’t go into vivid details, but luckily, the white earth pony escaped without any harm.

Naturally, her friends were even more determined to attack the diamond dogs’ gang now. Especially Applejack, who was so furious that they felt like the ground was shaking beneath their hooves.

Even the original Pinkie Pie’s anger rose while listening to Rarity’s tale. Although, she was far from having murderous intent like the others were. What started out as a mission to steal some gems suddenly turned into a revenge plot.

Twilight checked one of her metallic tentacles as it opened up and showed a screenpad. With a few clicks thanks to her other arms, she communicated with Spike and instructed it to send a plane. Pinkie 1 had no idea what an airplane was, but from what she understood, it was a flying machine similar to a zeppelin, but way faster!

She wasn’t completely wrong since the thing arrived in only a few seconds and flew by so fast she thought she would be thrown off her hooves. It landed in the middle of the town as if there were no buildings around, and no one seemed to care. If anything, the other ponies were in admiration of it.

It was all black and looked sturdy, understandable since it was made of metal. It was also large enough to host ten ponies, so there was enough space for all of them. Rainbow Dash did complain since she wanted to fly by herself, and she could keep up with the plane, but Twilight refused.

The scientist said something about wanting to have her ‘Cutie-Dashie’ with her if Pinkie 1 heard any of it correctly. At this point, she wasn’t even sure. She wanted to be happy for them, but they ranged from an overly cute couple to what a toxic relationship between Sombra and Chrysalis would look like. And Pinkie 1 didn’t even know how she came up with that comparison!

Applejack and Rarity weren’t that bad, at least. But she really wanted to know why they acted like their relationship was a secret and only kissed when they thought no one was looking…

“You think they will detect the plane if we land it here?” Rarity inquired as Twilight landed the plane on a high cliff, which was right above the diamond dogs’ base, the old mines.

“Rarity, they’re diamond dogs. They barely know how to wipe their asses, so I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine,” Twilight bluntly answered, followed by an eye roll. She slowly crawled toward the edge of the cliff and looked down. The mines’ entrance seemed to be guarded by two diamond dogs with guns strapped on their hips. “Oh! Looks like Larry is guarding the entrance this time!”

“Great…” Rarity replied sarcastically.

“Let’s get down. My little Rainbow and Fluttershy can fly down, but I’ll have to hold all of you. I don’t want them to sound the alarm if they notice we’re wearing combat armor,” Twilight explained as her claws grabbed all the earth ponies in the vicinity.

“Ugh… You know I hate being manhandled in such a way, darling!” Rarity complained as a claw wrapped around her body and pulled her down with the others.

“Ya don’t complain when Ah do it!” Applejack chuckled, making Rarity blush at the same time. Meanwhile, Twilight’s other mechanical arms helped her crawl down the wall.

“Applejack. TMI,” Fluttershy muttered with a groan.

“See? I told you the dynamic would be weird,” Pinkie 1 celebrated for having been proven right. Naturally, she was promptly ignored.

The diamond dogs guarding the base’s entrance immediately sneered as soon as they saw them but didn’t draw their guns. Clearly, they recognized some of them and their gazes focused mostly on Twilight and Rarity. As soon as they reached the ground, Twilight dropped her friends on their hooves while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy landed beside her.

“Larry! Long time no see!” Twilight nonchalantly approached them first, slowly followed by her friends.

“The pleasure ain’t mine,” The diamond dog, most likely the one named Larry, crossed his arms in annoyance.

“Aww! You aren’t happy to see us?” Twilight retorted in fake disappointment.

“Ain’t no way I would be happy to see you! Did you already forget what you owe the boss? We’ve been expecting a payment for over a year, ya know?” Larry responded in anger and clenched his fist, then turned his eyes to Rarity. “Although, seeing you is nice, Miss Rarity,” He added lecherously.

Rarity simply shivered and stepped back in disgust.

“Well, I’m here, now!” Twilight said, making Larry shake his head.

“And ya sure took your time, didn’t you?! I hope ya got the money. Boss will be glad you finally pay him back. I hope for you, you won’t be punished severely,” Larry replied before grabbing his radio, likely ready to call his boss.

“Wait a second. You didn’t sound the alarm or anything like that, by any chance?” Twilight inquired while adjusting her glasses with one of her claws.

“Huh? Ya think I’m stupid or somethin’? I wouldn’t make everyone panic just ‘cause ya got there!” Larry snickered while shaking his head.

“Great! Then I can do this!” Twilight exclaimed eagerly as one of her claws grabbed the second diamond dog’s face, who swiftly grabbed a hold of the claw and attempted to pry it open in panic.

“What the…!” Larry shouted in surprise. However, before he could do anything, another claw wrapped around him and stuck his arms against his body, keeping him from taking his gun or using the radio. “What the fuck are you doing?! Graah!” He screamed as Twilight tightened her hold around him, breaking his bones.

Meanwhile, Pinkie 1’s face fell as she stepped back, surprised by the sudden violence. She thought they would resolve this peacefully since Twilight seemed to have a good relationship with that diamond dog!

“Sorry, Larry. But I’m not here to pay you guys back. It’s nothing personal, okay?” Twilight apologized as her mechanical tentacle spun around and threw Larry behind her so high that he went over the cliff and disappeared into the sky. “He’ll survive if he’s lucky enough. Maybe,” Twilight shrugged.

Suddenly, a blade came out of the other claw, which was still holding the second diamond dog, and skewered his head. Unsurprisingly, his struggle ceased immediately and his arms fell to his side as blood dripped down his body. After the deed was done, Twilight nonchalantly dropped his corpse to the ground.

“Uhm… Pinkie 1? You alright, there?” Pinkie 2 giggled while waving a hoof in front of her counterpart’s shocked and frozen face.

“Y-You… AH! Why did you do that?! You… You killed him!” Pinkie 1 screamed as she stepped away, breathing heavily while staring at the diamond dog’s corpse. Suddenly, her stomach turned as if she swallowed something disgusting. Before she could even comprehend what was happening, she threw up all over the ground.

“Alright. What’s wrong now? Did you never kill someone in your universe or something? Because that would be pretty…” Rainbow Dash started with an arched eyebrow.

“Lame,” Applejack finished her sentence, which earned her a hoof bump from Rainbow Dash, only to receive a hit on her flank from Rarity.

“I already told you to stop touching that pegasus brute, dear,” Rarity admonished her, making her girlfriend roll her eyes.

“Stop joking around already!” Pinkie 1 suddenly shouted as she wiped off the vomit from her chin. “Why are you all in a good mood after… After that?!” She screamed again before pointing at the Twilight’s bloodied claw and the corpse.

“Yeah, I still have no idea what we’re supposed to react to,” Fluttershy deadpanned in boredom.

“Is your universe devoid of violence?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow as she adjusted her glasses.

“Well… N-No. But my friends and I don’t kill ponies!” Pinkie 1 retorted in shock, slowly beginning to get used to the dead body nearby.

“Look…” Twilight rubbed her forehead with one of her mechanical arms. “I don’t know how your world is, but this one is merciless and cruel. There is no room for pity. Do you know what diamond dogs do?” Twilight suddenly questioned as Pinkie hesitantly shook her head. A tentacle claw grabbed the diamond dog's corpse by the head and showed it to Pinkie 1.

It was as gruesome as she expected it to be. There was a large hole in the center of the dog’s face, from which blood was still pouring out. His jaw hung low just as his tongue did out of his mouth. His eyes were wide open and completely blank and lifeless. It made the pink mare shudder.

“They regularly kidnap and rape our kind because ponies are, unfortunately, quite compatible with diamond dogs. Because they have a low birthrate of females, we are prime targets, and the only reason they haven’t tried attacking me until now was because I can defend myself,” The scientist explained as she threw the corpse away as if it were trash. She began pacing around Pinkie 1, almost like she wanted to start a lecture. “Griffons see us as an inferior race and tried to enslave us multiple times in the past. And they would have succeeded if it weren’t for our much superior minds,” Twilight added harshly. “Changelings love consuming our flesh and will try anything to use us as cattle. Sometimes, they even keep their victims alive to use them as nesting grounds. Do you really think we can peacefully talk these things out with them? We’ve fought wars over these issues! That’s why we’re Equestria’s protectors. Because we’re its best soldiers,”

“I… I didn’t know…” Pinkie 1 muttered defeatingly.

“I think all of us have been in a couple of wars,” Rainbow Dash commented with a shrug.

“Which were all in self-defense, I might add!” Rarity interjected hurriedly.

“Not for all of us. I mean, if I have to be honest, sometimes I just killed for experiments!” Twilight giggled at the memory. “Opening up someone and studying them to change them is wonderful!”

“Then you wonder why I never want to sleep near you,” Fluttershy mumbled in frustration. “Could kill us anytime…”

“And I love it!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed excitedly while clapping her hooves.

“Oh, I know, you suicidal adrenaline junkie!” Twilight ruffled her mane before focusing her attention back on the pink earth pony. “So. Do you understand now?”

Pinkie 1 remained silent for several seconds. This was hard to take all at once. Seeing her friends act this way and… And kill was horrible! Why did she have to be the one to end up in that universe?! She wouldn’t be surprised if she got the worst one out of all of them!

However, she couldn’t completely deny what Twilight said. If that was how their universe worked, then… Who was she to judge, right? Did she have any right to judge? Did she? She had absolutely no idea!

Nevertheless, she already told herself she wouldn’t see them as completely crazy… They were simply different!

Pinkie 2 was giggling to herself, which reminded Pinkie of what to do in these situations… Laugh! So that was what she did! She laughed and earned the smiles of her friends’ counterparts. They were likely thinking she understood what they meant! She supposed that if she was in another universe, then she needed to adapt! After all, when in Griffonstone, do as griffons do! That was the saying, right?

“Alright! I get it! Sorry, I was a buzzkill, girls! I’m ready!” Pinkie 1 exclaimed excitedly as the others nodded in satisfaction.

“Great! Then let’s kick some ass!” Applejack slammed her hooves together.

Author's Note

New chapter! Hope you enjoyed it! I kinda like writing about this universe because it's fun, but also because I usually write it after I've had a few drinks lol

The Hexstone

Universe 47931

Twilight let out a pained grunt as she emerged from the portal, crashing onto the ground. She barely had a moment to regain her footing before the portal sealed shut behind her, stranding her in an unknown location.

“Ouch…” She rubbed the back of her head while slowly standing up. “Where am I? Girls?” She asked herself as she finally opened her eyes and looked around, and instantly gasped.

One thing was certain: she wasn't in Equestria anymore. The ground beneath her was an immaculate white, emitting a faint and eerie glow. Strangely, it possessed a translucent quality, as though it was both tangible and ethereal simultaneously. Yet, she could stand firmly on it. As for the rest of the environment…

The surroundings were starkly barren. Scant patches of dirt hosted a few odd trees and rocks, but even these elements seemed anything but conventional. Strangely, the tops of the trees and rocks were undergoing a bizarre transformation, shifting into an inky, liquid-like substance that levitated in the air. This puzzling sight drew her gaze upwards, revealing a sky that defied all comprehension. Absent were the sun, the moon, and the stars. Instead, an abyssal expanse of unfathomable darkness stretched out, a black empty void.

No, there was one more thing. The sky appeared to be unraveling itself, unveiling immense fissures in the fabric of space itself. These rents in reality unveiled a torrent of vivid blue energy crackling behind them, an enigmatic phenomenon that defied explanation. She had absolutely no idea what those tears were; however, it didn’t seem like they could reach Equus since some kind of purple field separated the sky and the ground.

“What is this?” She wondered in horror. While she had no idea what it was, she could feel an extraordinary power emanating from the force field. As for the fissures in space… They were clearly things she wouldn’t dare approach.

With renewed determination, she set her sights on the distant houses and set off towards them with powerful wingbeats. Ascending into the sky, she maintained a careful altitude, not soaring too high, but being in the air allowed her to see even more of her surroundings. It was mostly exactly like the place she found herself in earlier. White endless ground with barely anything on it. Maintaining her steady flight, she couldn't ignore the strange transformation occurring around her. The structures she could see were slowly being consumed by an ominous blackness, vanishing into the sky itself.

Unfortunately, once she landed in the town, she realized not much was different. Some houses were even halfway gone!

“Hello? Is somepony there?” Twilight shouted as she walked around the houses, checking her surroundings, only to see that she was alone. “Anypony here? Girls? Are you there?” She continued to call out.

*Krrr*

Something moved. She turned around, her attention pulled toward a nearby house. The floor creaked as if someone just walked on it. It had to be another pony… However, the dread in her heart made her freeze.

“Is… Is somepony in there? I’m Twilight Sparkle!” She introduced herself to the house. It remained silent while the alicorn gulped, staring at it with apprehension. Seeing as she was going nowhere with this approach, she moved closer to the house. “Hello? What happened here? Where am I?” She asked.

The floor emitted another ominous creak as she cautiously approached the house. However, her steps were abruptly interrupted as the wall before her shattered, large fragments falling away to reveal a massive black hand bursting through the breach. A gasp of fear escaped Twilight's lips, her instinctual reaction driving her to leap back in a desperate bid to avoid the crushing grasp of the clawed limb. She lit her horn, ready to counterattack if need be while the unknown creature came out of the house.

The princess of friendship instantly paled as she laid her eyes on something she had never seen before. That monster was bulky and easily twice as tall as Celestia. It was all black with some kind of blue crystals growing on its back. These crystals possessed an unsettling quality, their surfaces swirling and churning as if they held the essence of a whirlpool within their depths. Its dark green eyes nearly burned her soul once she looked into them.

The scariest parts were probably the ones that would help it kill her the easiest way. Towering claws adorned both its forelimbs and hind limbs, their imposing size a testament to their deadly capabilities. Its maw, lined with massive, razor-sharp fangs, jutted out with a sinister gleam, some of these formidable teeth extending beyond its mouth. The creature maintained its stance on all fours, poised for a deadly lunge on the terrified alicorn.

“I-I don’t know what you are… But I’m sure we can talk this out!” Twilight offered, only for the creature to roar and jump toward her. “Ah!” She screamed as she flew out of the way and shot a beam of magic right into the monster’s side. Unfortunately, it only managed to knock it a few meters away without doing any significant damage.

“GRAH!” It roared again before trying to swipe her to the floor with one of its hands. Twilight flapped her wings in a panic, avoiding the hit as the hand slammed into the ground and created rubble out of it.

She had held her power back earlier since she didn’t want to hurt the monster too much, but it looked like it could tank hits well. So she charged up more magic in her horn and fired another beam, this time blasting the monster right in the face and making it fly backward and crash into another house.

“Alright. You don’t want to talk. Not sure if you even can actually,” Twilight exhaled as the beast broke the house apart and charged at her again. Naturally, the alicorn teleported out of the way and blasted it again in the back, making it eat the ground. “Stand down!”

Another roar came from behind Twilight, alerting her just in time of an incoming attack as she teleported out of the way again. She gasped as a second monster, albeit a smaller one, punched the floor. Where did it come from?! This one even had a long tail with a sharp stinger at the end!

“Ah!” The alicorn hollered as the tail nearly went through her head. She didn’t even have time for a breather as the first monster attacked her again. She grunted in annoyance before releasing a powerful magical wave from her body, knocking back the two monsters. This time, the attack made them bleed.

She locked her gaze onto them, her eyes narrowing with determination, while her horn began to radiate a menacing glow. The leading creature mirrored her expression, its own eyes narrowing in response as if it wished to imitate her before it crouched into a predatory stance. The swirling crystals adorning its back emitted an intense luminosity, energy crackling and surging around them. In a disorienting instant, before Twilight could fully grasp the situation, a powerful punch connected with her face, propelling her backward with tremendous force. Her eyes widened in a mixture of astonishment and bewilderment as blood gushed from her snout upon impact.

Once more, her response was cut short as the creature lunged at her, its movement startlingly swift as it delivered another punch, this time aiming upward and striking her in the stomach. If not for her immediate reflex to conjure a protective barrier after the initial blow, her insides might have been ruptured. Still, despite her efforts, a spray of blood escaped her lips as she was flung high into the air, the impact far less devastating than it might have been. However, her respite was brief as the monster followed her trajectory, closing the distance in a matter of heartbeats. Its colossal fists collided with her, a thunderous blow that sent her hurtling back down to the ground, the impact creating a sizable crater upon her landing.

“Koff Koff!” She coughed as she looked up and noticed the monster descending toward her. She clenched her teeth and glared at it before lighting up her horn and teleporting away just before the beast slammed its claws where she was previously lying. “These things… They’re dangerous…” Twilight breathed heavily as she wiped the blood off her nose with a wing. The crater the monster left behind once it crashed down was even bigger than hers. It still wasn’t done with its attack as it turned to look at her and opened its mouth wide. The princess widened her eyes as it gathered magic inside it and created a blue orb. “No!” She shouted as she put a shield right before the orb was fired as a large magical beam.

Twilight gritted her teeth, channeling every ounce of magical energy she could muster into her horn within the limited time available. The resulting beam of energy met her hastily erected shield, exerting a force that forced her back slightly. The impact caused the energy to fragment into smaller beams, which scuttled across the surface of her protective barrier. Thankfully, her shield held firm, absorbing the onslaught. The creature, now realizing that Twilight had weathered its attack unscathed, snapped its massive jaws shut, a growl of frustration emanating from its throat. The crystals on its back darkened as if drained of their previous brilliance.

The lavender pony’s heavy breathing didn’t relent in showing how much effort she just used to avoid taking as much damage as possible. That creature... It punched as hard as Tirek! And its magic was as strong as Chrysalis’! No, wait. She shouldn’t panic. Fighting off two of those would be hard but not impossible.

After all, it wasn’t like it had Tirek’s impressive physical strength when he had the magic of Equestria, right? She had every alicorn magic at the time, so obviously, she didn’t feel Tirek’s blows as much. If she fought him as she was now, his hits would turn her into a smear on the ground!

She reassured herself as much as she could because she really didn’t want this situation to seem hopeless. Unfortunately, she wasn’t really battle-hardened. While she knew how to fight and even learned the basics of some martial arts, she wasn’t focused on combat magic as much as other unicorns. Granted, she was working on improving that aspect of hers lately, but she wasn’t confident in her abilities yet.

She was suddenly broken out of her thoughts once she heard the sound of something crumbling under her. The lavender pony quickly widened her eyes as she looked down, seeing the floor cracking beneath her hooves. She didn’t think twice about flying out of the way as another black hand came out of the ground. Soon enough, another monster dug its way out.

This one, unlike the other two, possessed much bigger arms and claws, making it resemble a giant mole.

“Another one!” Twilight grumbled before landing a few meters away. You know what? Maybe running away was the best option…

The first monster that attacked her growled before raising its arms, ready to launch itself toward the lavender alicorn. However, before it could even move its arms down, a purple beam went through its chest, killing it instantly.

Twilight widened her eyes in surprise while the creature collapsed to the ground with a gaping hole in its body. Her eyes quickly wandered in the direction of the beam’s origin. Unfortunately, she was unable to clearly perceive her savior as they quickly flew toward the beast with a tail.

The creature’s crystals crackled as it opened its mouth and fired a beam in the pony’s direction, who easily countered it with a beam of their own. In fact, their attack was strong enough to push the monster’s magic back and strike them in the shoulder, disintegrating it and making the beast cry out in pain. It launched its tail forward but the unknown pony simply made a much smaller beam, slicing the tail along with its owner in half.

Twilight couldn’t help but gasp at such a violent display, especially when the monster seemed to massively bleed black blood. The last creature attempted to dig down, and likely try a surprise attack, but Twilight’s savior wasted no time in grabbing it in a magical grab.

No matter how much the beast struggled, it was unable to escape the magical hold before it was squished into a ball of flesh and crystals.

Twilight gagged but managed to keep herself from vomiting as the figure landed in front of her, finally revealing who they were.

“You… You are…” Twilight stuttered as she looked at the newcomer from head to toe.

“You? Yes. In a way,” The other pony replied. Standing in front of her was an exact replica of Twilight herself! It was as if a changeling had taken her appearance, yet, it somehow felt… different. “I suggest you follow me if you care about your safety,” She stated before taking off without even waiting for the original Twilight’s response.

“H-Hey! Wait! You can’t just say that and leave!” Original Twilight shouted as she flew off and followed after her counterpart. “Who are you? And where are we?”

“I’ll tell you everything you want to know once we’re somewhere safe!” The alternate Twilight responded as she was focused on flying forward.

“Can you at least tell me what those monsters were?!” The original questioned as her counterpart remained silent, seemingly pondering the question. After a few seconds, she spoke up.

“I guess, I can. They are time paradoxes and believe me, there are way more than three of them!” The counterpart answered, making Twilight arch an eyebrow.

“Time paradoxes? But a time paradox isn’t something physical! It’s a contradiction created by traveling in time! Those were actual monsters!” The original Twilight argued in confusion.

“Have you ever done something that resulted in a time paradox?” The other Twilight simply asked.

“Well… No… I think? I time-traveled before, but I’m not sure I created any paradoxes since I had no ever-lasting issues,”

“Then how can you know what a time paradox is beyond theories you’ve studied in books?” This question made the original Twilight pause. “Although you aren’t completely wrong. A time paradox isn’t entirely physical or abstract. These beasts are simply a physical manifestation of the time paradoxes, so you can say they are only one half of a bigger picture, the other being the abstract form of a time paradox,” She explained as the original nodded in understanding.

“This is fascinating…” Twilight mumbled under her breath. “I would really like to know more about these and what happened here, or even where is here,” She spoke up to her counterpart.

“And I will tell you everything you wish to know. I promise! However, as I said, there are many more time paradoxes around. We’ll have to go to my castle! It’s the only place that’s completely safe and protected from what’s happening,”

“O-Okay! I trust you!” Twilight called out to her clone, really hoping she wasn’t making a mistake.

Honestly, she was completely lost and didn't know what to believe. She felt like her counterpart was telling the truth about the earlier subject, but what about everything else? What was she? She couldn’t be a changeling considering the level of magic she used when she saved her. It was impressive because Twilight herself wasn’t sure she could accomplish what that other Twilight did!

Her counterpart seemed to smile at the words, likely happy that she had Twilight’s trust. They didn’t fly for very long before Twilight saw the castle her clone mentioned earlier. It was the castle of friendship! And it looked exactly like hers! Now that was getting even weirder!

Moreover, she still had no idea where her friends were… Maybe the second Twilight knew something about her friends too…

It seemed the castle was surrounded by a similar shield to the one around Equestria. Was the other Twilight the one who created it?

“Don’t worry, you should be able to go through the barrier without any issues,” Twilight 2 remarked as she went through the barrier, slowly followed by a hesitant Twilight.

“This is like my castle…” Twilight commented as she looked at the exterior while following her clone, who chuckled in response.

“I’m not surprised,” Twilight 2 replied lightly as she went into the castle.

The original Twilight somehow found a way to be surprised again once she followed her in because the inside of the castle was also the same as her own! Well, the structure was the same. The decoration differed a bit though.

“Looks familiar?” The other Twilight inquired as the original slowly nodded, then explored the throne room.

“This is so bizarre…” She muttered before turning to look at a nearby door, which she recognized as a room she used often. “How is the lab?” She asked herself before walking to it, only for her counterpart to teleport in front of her, stopping her before she could go in.

“Unfortunately, the lab was damaged before I could protect it. You can go inside, but you’ll likely have your existence erased,” The counterpart grimaced as she explained the laboratory’s situation.

“Oh. Wait, my existence? W-What is happening here?”

“Yes, I suppose it’s time I finally tell you. Look up,” The clone replied as she raised her eyes toward the ceiling, encouraging Twilight to do the same while her counterpart lit her horn.

Twilight widened her eyes in surprise as a familiar stone descended from the ceiling until it was a couple of meters above the cutie map. The white stone that she wanted to study, and that likely brought her here after separating her from her friends.

“I am sure you recognize it. I call it the Hexstone,” Her counterpart declared as Twilight stared at it, dumbfounded.

“Hex…” She repeated in a soft tone.

“Since you don’t know what happened, I suppose you aren’t aware of the power this artifact possesses. It will be hard to believe, I’m sure, but the Hexstone has the power to transport anyone into a whole other universe,” Twilight’s counterpart revealed as she looked into the original’s eyes. “You are in another version of your universe, and I am another version of you. I am as much Twilight Sparkle as you are,”

What? Did Twilight hear her right?

“Another… Another universe… I’m in another universe…” Twilight mumbled as she stepped back, looking with wide eyes.

“Alright, I see that you’re starting to freak out… But everything will be fine,” The second Twilight raised her wings, trying to calm the original Twilight down. “Keep calm and you’ll get through this. Your friends have been transported to different universes, but there is a way for all of you to get home,” She reassured the first Twilight as the latter’s face lit up in realization.

“That’s right! My friends! Oh, no! I hope they’re alright! They’re probably stuck who knows where because of me!” She held her head in her hooves and slumped to the ground in despair.

She selfishly thought she could toy with a magical artifact she knew nothing about, and her friends were going to pay for it! If the theories about the multiverse were true, then who knew where they ended up?! She would have lamented even more if it weren’t for her counterpart putting a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.

“Stand up, not all hope is lost. As I said, there are ways for all of you to go home,” The counterpart calmly said.

“Really? How?” Twilight asked, getting her hopes up as she stood up again.

“The Hexstone is a powerful object with an unknown origin. I am unsure if it is natural or was created by something… However, it is exceptionally well-built. Every universe has a unique magical signature, just as ponies do. If you and your friends have traveled together, then that means you are still connected by that magical signature. The Hexstone’s failsafe should automatically transport you all back to your home universe once all of you hold a version of it at the same time,” Her counterpart explained while Twilight was nodding along.

“But that means they’ll have to find a Hexstone in every universe they ended up in. If we’re all completely split up, then that means every single one of them will have to look for one!” She exclaimed. That was a risky plan, especially because her friends likely didn’t have someone to explain this to them. That meant they didn’t even know they had to look for the Hexstone! “What if there isn’t a Hexstone?”

“Believe me, there is. The Hexstone will always reach Equus at some point or another. However, using that method will indeed be complicated, even nigh impossible to accomplish. There are many different universes. Some are much more dangerous than others. Luckily, there is a Hexstone right here, and I’ve studied it for a long, long time,” Twilight 2 pointed at the stone floating above the cutie map. “I think I can find a way to get you all home. And as a bonus, I will even teach you everything I know about it. What do you say?” She offered as she lifted her hoof to shake Twilight’s.

The original stared at it, skeptically at first, since she was in an unknown world after all. However, this was a version of her and she saved her life too! Distrusting her would have been rude on her part. She didn’t even have any reason to distrust her. Still, she would be careful, but until now, her counterpart had been nothing but helpful. She shook her hoof.

“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met you,” Twilight breathed out in relief.

“I’m just doing the right thing,” Twilight 2 nodded with a grin.

“So! Are you going to find my friends with that magical signature you mentioned earlier and teleport them here?” Twilight inquired as the two alicorns approached the Hexstone.

“Unfortunately, that’s impossible even for me. There are infinite universes. Even if I have your universe’s magical signature, it could take me several lifetimes to find all of your friends. By the time I do, they would have probably died of old age… Even if time passes differently in some universes…” Her counterpart shook her head in sadness, making Twilight sigh in disappointment.

“Figured it wouldn’t be that easy…” She muttered as her ears suddenly perked up in realization. “Wait, infinite? I know some theories say as much, but are there actually so many universes?”

“Of course. As I said, I’ve studied the Hexstone and many other universes for a long time. I know for a fact that there are infinite universes; however, I do not know how they came to be or why, so don’t bother asking me if God exists,” Twilight 2 chuckled while glancing at the original.

Twilight didn’t even think of asking her that, but it was an interesting thought. She was aware that many citizens thought the princesses were goddesses, and maybe to a lesser extent, they were; however, they were far from having as much power as the people thought. Celestia and Luna didn’t create Equus or the whole universe. She certainly didn’t do it. There were theories as to how the universe came to be, but were they true? What about the multiverse? What created it? Was it natural or did someone do it?

It almost made her forget the situation she was in because she desperately wanted to learn and know more. This was such a great opportunity to learn more about the world! However, she couldn’t forget about her friends.

“I do know something that may interest you, though. During my studies, I’ve learned that there is one universe that was born before every other one. That universe was used as the blueprint, and all subsequent universes were fashioned after its design. In many worlds, the theorists dub it the Prime Universe, the one that is the origin of everything,” Twilight 2 said, making the original arch an eyebrow.

“The Prime Universe…” She repeated. The one that started everything. Did that mean it was more important than the others in the grand scheme of things? Could she be from the Prime Universe? A part of her wished that was the case. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because it made it feel like she and her friends would always be fine thanks to fate or something.

“Everypony thinks they are from the Prime Universe. That is often not the case,” Twilight 2 voiced as if she read Twilight’s thoughts.

“Even you?” Twilight inquired with a raised eyebrow, only for her counterpart to laugh.

“No. Look at the state of my world. Do you really think someone would use it as a blueprint for the multiverse?” She asked, making Twilight look down in shame as she was reminded of the dreadful state of Equestria. She still didn’t know what happened here. “There is no way to know what the Prime Universe is. I do not even know what the criteria are. Will that universe have the strongest versions of ourselves? Or maybe the ones who represent the elements the best? Or is it something that has absolutely nothing to do with us? Maybe our friendship doesn’t even matter in the wider view of the world,” She shook her head. “Nonetheless, with the Hexstone being the only artifact allowing multiversal travel, finding out the answers will be impossible,”

“What about the mirror and the human world?” Twilight perked up at the last sentence. She didn’t want to think about the friendship she had with her friends being possibly insignificant. It mattered to her, and that was enough.

“The human world… It’s been so long since I’ve been there last,” Twilight 2 mumbled, seemingly reminiscing about something. “I’m so happy to have met you! I missed teaching somepony!” She exclaimed eagerly while clapping with her hooves. “The human world and the mirror are other things entirely. I’ll show you,” She said in a tone that Twilight knew very well: the start of a lecture.

“Alright,” Twilight nodded, getting serious as she always was when receiving a lesson from someone. Her counterpart also reminded her of Celestia in some way.

“Imagine this is the multiverse,” Twilight 2 spoke as she lit her horn. Suddenly, the throne room was filled with thousands of small purple transparent orbs, making the original Twilight’s eyes lit up with wonder. “Let’s say this is your universe,” She added as a random orb suddenly grew in size, as if they zooming on it. “The Hexstone allows you to travel to other universes, meaning to different orbs. However, inside a universe, there are dimensions,” She explained as several horizontal and vertical lines ran across the orb. “There are a hundred of them on average per universe. The human world and our world, where ponies and other magical creatures reside, are only two of those hundred dimensions,”

“How fascinating…” Twilight commented as two red dots suddenly materialized in two of the squares created by the lines her counterpart made. She felt like she was learning more than she ever had on the human world and her own! Not even Celestia knew any of this! Not even Starswirl or any other unicorn before! She was the first! Well, the first in her universe. The fact that someone already knew those things kind of bummed her out, but at least it was one of her counterparts!

“I know!” Twilight 2 responded excitedly while nodding. “Sometimes, natural, but rare, occurrences can create a path between two dimensions and suck ponies in or out of them. Good luck returning back to your dimension after that. Some ponies have strong enough magic to create those paths themselves. Sometimes, they create artifacts capable of making a permanent path between two dimensions. Usually, Celestia’s mirror always leads to the human world dimension because it is the closest one,”

“The closest? Aren’t they all just next to each other?” Twilight pointed out with curiosity.

“Eh, not really. I used this imagery to make it simpler, but each dimension is gigantic in size. They are as big as what you thought was the whole universe, complete with stars, galaxies, etc, etc… If I had to measure the average distance between two dimensions, then it would be something around billions of lightyears,”

“That much?!” Twilight shouted while shaking her head in bewilderment.

“I was impressed too when I learned that for the first time. Nonetheless, changing dimensions is much easier than changing universes,” Twilight 2 grinned as she turned off the light from her horn, making the holograms disappear.

“But how do you know so much? I don’t get it. Nopony in my universe ever came close to learning any of this!” Twilight raised her wings, dumbfounded.

“The Hexstone,” Twilight 2 smirked as she pointed at the magical object. “It’s not simply a tool for travel. And I can teach you to use it another way,” She responded as she lit her horn, hitting the stone with her magic. The original Twilight widened her eyes as several light beams suddenly burst out of the Hexstone and made thousands of minuscule orb-like structures around the two alicorns. “It can glimpse into other universes. Their past and present except for your own or the one you reside in,” She said as the original Twilight’s jaw slightly dropped as she looked around the room in wonder. “There are only a few thousand here, but I’m sure you’ll find something interesting. Take a look if you want,” She motioned at the small mirrors.

Twilight gulped, looking at them hesitantly as her eyes wandered around the room. Seeing other universes was not something she thought she would ever do. A part of her was scared of what she would see, but another begged for a pen and a notepad to write down everything she was about to learn.

Finally, she moved to a random universe and put her hoof on it. Suddenly, her eyes turned white as her vision changed. The throne room was replaced by a completely different place, which she was seeing from the sky as if she were in the air.

This was another room. The Crystal Empire’s throne room. Sombra stood with his head high in pride and arrogance while staring down at his defeated foe. It was Twilight herself! Except she was only a regular pegasus! Seeing herself as a pegasus was so strange… But it was no time to think about that! Pegasus Twilight was bruised and hurt while a smug Sombra was taunting her!

“To think a mere pegasus would attempt to fight me! The most powerful unicorn to have ever lived!” Sombra laughed with arrogance before sneering at the fallen pegasus. “Does Celestia underestimate me that much? Does she really think a… a pegasus would beat me? What else? An earth pony?!” He stomped the floor in anger. “She will pay for her arrogance. As for you… You will die without your teacher, alone,”

“She is not alone,” A voice spoke with confidence as an orange beam of magic hit Sombra right in the chest, pushing him back.

The dark unicorn grunted in pain before glaring forward, hate directed at the new arrivals. A pegasus Rarity landed protectively in front of Twilight as a unicorn Applejack ran soon after. A unicorn Pinkie Pie also teleported beside the three friends while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, as earth ponies, ran in and helped Twilight to her hooves. Even Spike, the baby dragon entered a second later, helping the earth ponies with the lavender pegasus.

“You defeated my guards?!” Sombra growled in anger.

“Of course, we did! Our friend needed us!” Pinkie Pie declared with a wide and confident smile.

“I’m sorry… I left you behind because I thought Princess Celestia would be… would be proud of me if I won alone. I’m a bad friend. I don’t deserve you, girls,” Twilight teared up, regretful.

“You think one mistake would make us abandon you?” Fluttershy’s lips curled upwards reassuringly.

“I’m just happy I’m not the one with an ego problem for once! Maybe you aren’t as much an egghead as I thought,” Rainbow Dash chuckled as Twilight’s eyes wandered from one pony to the other.

“Girls… Thank you,”

“Now that we’re all here, darling. Why don’t we take care of that ruffian?” Rarity glared at Sombra before unfolding her wings.

“Ah’m ready whenever ya are!” Applejack shouted enthusiastically.

“You think that just because you outnumber me, you will…” Sombra started with frustration before being hit by another beam of magic coming from Applejack’s horn, this time hitting him in the face and blinding him as well as interrupting his monologue. “Grah!”

That was the cue for all 7 friends to run or fly toward the dark unicorn, launching their assault.

“Pegasus that, unicorn this! Who cares about who you are?” Rainbow Dash shouted as she jumped and landed on Fluttershy’s hooves, which she used to throw the cyan mare forward. “We’ve already fought a ton of enemies just like you!” She added as she punched the unicorn with full force right in the belly, making him spit out saliva. She didn’t stop her assault there and kicked him so hard he was sent flying up in the air.

“And we won every time because we’ve fought together every time! Isn’t that right, Twilight?” Rarity added as she flew at full speed toward Sombra and slammed into him, pushing him further up, and punching him multiple times.

“Of course. I’m sorry… I ever doubted you!” Twilight responded before taking off just as Rarity kicked the unicorn down toward the floor. The latter was quickly intercepted by the lavender pegasus before he could do anything and was kicked again and again. “Where would I be if it weren’t for you?”

“Fighting us was yer mistake, Sombra! We ain’t the elements of harmony for nothin’!” Applejack declared as she lit her horn and fired yet another beam while Sombra was in the air, hitting him right in the chest.

“RAH!” Sombra screamed, getting enraged. His horn gained a dark glow as a black barrier expended out of his body and hit the two pegasi, launching them away from him. He managed to land on his hooves but was forced to rub his eyes because of Applejack’s first hit.

“And don’t forget about me!” Spike shouted as he pumped up his chest, then breathed a stream of green fire aimed at the dark unicorn.

Sensing the oncoming heat, Sombra put up a shield. Unfortunately, some embers still managed to land, burning his fur and making him cry out in pain. He clenched his teeth, then fired a magical beam through the flames. Spike was just about to be hit until Pinkie teleported in front of him and created a shield, protecting him in time.

Dark crystals appeared around Sombra, likely to protect him until he fixed his eyesight. However, the bearers of the elements didn’t relent. Every single one of them landed multiple hits on him, either by running or flying by and dodging his magical attacks right after they hit him. They were coming from every side!

“We know making Princess Celestia proud is your dream, so…” Fluttershy started as she headbutted Sombra in the head.

“Just ask us to help you next time!” Rainbow finished the sentence as she kicked Sombra in the chest with both of her hind legs, propelling him against his throne. “Yah!” She shouted before running toward him, followed by the rest of her friends.

“Enough!” Sombra screamed as a wave of dark magic escaped from his horn, throwing all his enemies away and breaking his throne. “I’ve had enough,” He spoke in a low tone while dark miasma was slipping out of his body. “Enough talking about dreams and emotions,” He spat the words with disgust before opening his red and green eyes, surrounded by purple magic. “It’s time to face reality now. The Crystal Heart is destroyed. You cannot harm me! You do not have anyone with strong enough magic to defeat me. Not here! Not anywhere in Equestria or Equus! I’m the strongest!” He declared with pride. “I will make all of you my slaves, and toy with you until you die or I grow bored!” He laughed as black smoke surrounded his body. His horn glowed red, and dark magic burst out of his body, creating dangerous winds all over the room.

The Twilight watching this began to grow worried. Especially since the bearers from this universe were lying on the floor, hurt by Sombra’s previous blast. They all looked at the dark unicorn, in fear, losing hope. But then, they looked at each other. They weren’t alone, and they weren’t dead yet. There was hope. And there would be hope as long as they lived.

Applejack grabbed Twilight’s hoof, smiling reassuringly at the pegasus. The lavender pony looked down at their interlocked hooves with curiosity, then smiled through her tears. She quickly grabbed Rainbow’s hooves, who then held on to Fluttershy’s. Rarity and Pinkie Pie swiftly joined in, ignoring Sombra’s mocking laughter as they held Applejack and each other’s hooves.

Suddenly, a bright and powerful light emerged from them, strong enough to blind an entire kingdom, and radiated with immense power. Spike, still on the ground, could only watch with wonder as the six ponies began rising into the air.

Sombra looked in disbelief, unable to process what was happening to them. However, he swiftly regained his senses at the reminder that they were his enemies and attacked them with all the magic he had been charging up, only for it to be completely nullified. He widened his eyes in shock and fear as what he thought was an unstoppable blow had done nothing. From the light, the six ponies emerged. All of them bore new limbs. Limbs made of pure light, in the colors of their coats. The pegasi now had not only wings but horns too. The unicorns now had wings. And the earth ponies had both.

“What is this! What happened to you?!” Sombra demanded as he stomped the floor in anger.

“This is your reality,” Twilight simply spoke as the light surrounding them changed into a powerful beam and blasted the dark unicorn head-on.

No amount of magic protected Sombra as he screamed in agony while his body slowly burst apart, being reduced to nothingness.

The Twilight watching smiled warmly as the six ponies turned back to normal and hugged each other in celebration. Having seen enough of that universe, Twilight let go of the orb.

She blinked a few times as she realized she was back in her counterpart’s throne room, not that she ever left in the first place.

“This looked so… Real,” Twilight muttered. Those ponies were like her friends, but… still different, obviously.

“Because it is real. Want to see another one?” Twilight 2 suggested.

The original Twilight looked around, then put her hoof on a random universe again.

This time, she was faced with a quite familiar scene. Celestia was standing up to Nightmare Moon! Not again! Twilight didn’t wish to see that event for a second time, but she stayed still, hoping that something would go different in this universe.

“Luna! You must lower the moon! Please! I do not want to fight you, so do not make me!” Celestia begged her younger sister, only for Nightmare Moon to laugh in mockery.

“Luna is no more! We have stayed in your shadow for far too long, Celestia! If the ponies of Equestria refuse to love us and our night, then the night shall last forever! Your selfish sun will remain in the dark from now on,” Nightmare Moon sneered as Celestia looked heartbroken.

“Is that what you want? You want to fight me because the citizens do not love you?” She questioned in despair.

“Indeed. You, who have only cared about basking in your own glory, shall pay for your ego!” Nightmare Moon declared before lighting her horn. “Now fight! We will take the throne by force if we need to!”

“I see… I understand why you are in pain now…” Celestia whispered through her tears. She lit her horn too. Nightmare Moon charged an attack, ready to counter whatever the other alicorn was going to send her way.

However, against all her expectations, a beam of light burst out of Celestia and flew into the ceiling instead. Nightmare Moon covered her eyes until the light subsided. Her sister was lying on the floor. She wasn’t hurt, but her cutie mark… Her cutie mark was changed! Her sun was now in chains! Nightmare Moon widened her eyes in realization.

“You… You sealed your own magic?! You fool! Do you not realize what you’ve done? Unless someone, as strong as you, unseals it, you can’t use any magic!” She shouted at her fallen sister. “You can’t possibly defeat me this way!”

“Because I don’t intend to defeat you…” Celestia muttered tiredly while slowly standing up again. “I would rather lose my throne than my sister. If ruling Equestria and controlling the sun made you turn on me, then I’m giving up on it right here and now!”

“What? What are you talking about?” Nightmare Moon inquired incredulously.

“I’m saying that you can have the love of all Equestria’s citizens if you want. Be the sole ruler. All I ask of you is to move the sun and the moon as we did until now… And to remain my sister,” Celestia explained while Nightmare Moon stared at her in disbelief, then slowly smiled before she broke into full-blown laughter.

However, the alicorn of the night suddenly screamed in pain.

“What are you doing?! Stop fighting back, you fool!” She yelled as white cracks began appearing over her body. “We’re about… To have what we wished for!” She screamed again while Celestia looked at her sister with confusion and worry. “You will become a weakling again without me! No! NOOOOO!” She let out one final scream as her body burst apart, nearly blinding Celestia with a dust cloud, which slowly dissipated to reveal.

“Luna…” Celestia whispered as her little sister, back to how she was before becoming Nightmare Moon, breathed heavily while looking at the ground. “Sister!” Celestia shouted before running to her and embracing her.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, sister!” Luna cried as she returned the hug.

“I’m sorry too. I promise I won’t ignore your pain anymore. I promise,” Celestia whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she caressed her sister’s head. “Everything will be okay from now on,”

Twilight stepped back after letting go of the orb. She started crying too at the end because of how nice this one was! To think there were universes where Celestia and Luna immediately settled their differences. How did that universe progress next? She was sure she looked into its past but not the present, mostly because she was just working on instinct when checking those universes.

Her counterpart likely understood that those were tears of joy rather than sadness since she didn’t say anything and simply smiled instead.

Twilight didn’t speak, and moved to another orb, then touched it. How interesting, this one was about a universe where Princess Celestia adopted Rainbow Dash and made her a princess!

She quickly changed to another orb, looking forward to seeing how different the others were. This one didn’t look very happy… Equestria seemed desolated as if it had gone through a massive war! There were some kind of huge green monsters with claws and ponies wore strange armor! She shook her head and went for another orb.

Huh, this universe didn’t seem special. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were just happily dancing while baking cupcakes! It didn’t look that interesting. Unfortunately, she didn’t know how to view other places in that universe, so she moved to another orb.

Now that was something else! It was a world where every villain they fought was reformed! Celestia was even having tea with Chrysalis! Tirek was bonding with his brother and Fluttershy! How did their counterparts accomplish this?

How about that… Everyone had their gender reversed in this one. So that was how she would look as a stallion? The events didn’t seem to change much. She decided to look into another universe.

As she watched what was happening in the next one, her eyes suddenly grew wide and she instantly stepped away from it, her cheeks red and her wings completely unfolded. Twilight 2 glanced at her, a small smirk on her face.

“Did you see something interesting?” She asked with a small snicker.

“No, no, no! Nope! Nothing at all!” Twilight laughed nervously before clearing her throat and moving to another orb.

Better forget she saw anything. Oh, she prayed she wouldn’t dream about any of this! Who knows what Princess Luna’s reaction would be if she stumbled on it!

The next universe seemed just as strange but not in the same way as the previous one. In this one, humans and ponies lived in the same dimension, and for some reason… Equestria was turning humans into ponies? She didn’t listen to this version of Celestia’s explanation about these events and moved to another universe.

She wondered if she could find her friends this way. Would it even be possible? Looking through other universes, she was disappointed to see that the next one didn’t have two versions of her friends. It was about Princess Celestia going undercover in Ponyville as a pegasus. She wondered if her Celestia had done this before, but she didn’t recognize ever seeing a pegasus like that.

What about this one? Wait, something was happening…

Discord was laughing while Twilight’s friends were looking away from him with worry. All of them wore their elements of harmony. Was this when Discord was freed? The thing they were staring at was Twilight! As a unicorn. The element of magic lay on the ground nearby while the lavender unicorn was screaming in pain and holding her head with magic crackling around her. Her eyes and the inside of her mouth were pure white, reminding original Twilight of when she obtained her cutie mark.

“Haha hahaha! How cute! Looks like it’s the first time she used so much magic in her life! I know you expected to beat me but come on, only foals go through a flare like that!” Discord laughed. From what he said, it seemed this version of Twilight attempted to fight him directly. Was she insane? Even Celestia and Luna weren’t strong enough for that!

“T-Twilight! Are you okay?” Fluttershy tried to fly to her, only for a magic beam to shoot out of her body and narrowly miss the pegasus. “Eep!” Fluttershy shouted in fear.

Those weren’t the only beams! Many more of them kept shooting out of Twilight. Fortunately, her friends were quick enough to dodge them.

“G-GIRLS!” Twilight screamed in agony as her magic increased in intensity.

“So much drama! And only because you’re going through a flare,” Discord shook his head mockingly before snapping his fingers and making a bubble around Twilight, keeping her magic inside it. “There! No more stray blasts! Although, seeing you hurt your friends would have been hilarious!” He laughed while clutching his stomach.

“Twilight!” Seeing that she was in a bubble and that her magic wouldn’t reach them, Rainbow Dash and Applejack ran up to her and put their hooves on the bubble, trying to see what was wrong with her.

“You okay, Twi? What do we have to do to help?!” Rainbow Dash asked in a panic before punching the bubble, which remained intact.

“Ya just got us our memories back, Sugarcube! It’s our turn to help ya,” Applejack added, only for Twilight to scream in pain again, desperately clutching her head.

“PLEASE…” Twilight screamed in response while gasping for breath.

“What did you do to her, you brute?!” Rarity demanded an answer out of the laughing Discord.

“Moi?” He asked, putting a hand to his chest and pretending to be offended. “Nothing, dear! She is the only one at fault! Trying to fight me when her body can’t handle her own magic! But a flare only happens to foals, she will be fine! Unless I release her and watch how much she hurts you…” Discord paused in his tirade as if he just realized something was wrong. Even more magic was crackling around Twilight, getting more and more potent. “That’s… That’s not a flare?”

“PLEASE… RUN!” Twilight managed to scream as her body suddenly burst apart, exploding with magic. She was completely annihilated from the inside, and she wasn’t the only one.

Discord’s bubble wasn’t able to contain the explosion and broke as quickly as Twilight’s body did. The nearest ones to this, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, only had enough time to widen their eyes as they were instantly disintegrated.

“Barrier!” Discord shouted before creating a barrier around him as fast as he could. He only had a second, and a second was not enough for him to think of teleporting somewhere. His barrier didn’t even last a full second as it was blown away and his body obliterated. If something like this was enough to kill him, no one but himself knew.

The rest of Twilight’s friends weren’t any luckier. The explosion of magic first burned away all of their flesh, leaving only their bones behind, which were swiftly reduced to dust soon after. The explosion continued to grow in size, more and more until it wiped out all of Ponyville. Once it was done, only a gigantic crater remained, with no signs of life.

Twilight gasped for breath as she let go of the orb and collapsed to the ground, then caught her head in her hooves. She never sweated as much as she did now. She didn’t even notice the tears rolling down her cheeks while she desperately tried to breathe. She didn’t even think she would have been able to catch her breath if it weren’t for the second Twilight putting a hoof on her shoulder.

“Not every universe is a happy one,” She somberly stated as the original Twilight was still shaking.

Her friends. She just saw her friends die. A horrible and gruesome death. Even Discord. Why? Why did that happen? Could it happen to her? Would it happen to her? Why were they dead? Why were they dead? No! She didn’t want to look at those things anymore! All she wanted to know now was one thing…

“What happened? What happened to your universe? Why is it like this? Where is everypony? Tell me now!” She shouted. This wasn’t a question anymore, but a demand. The other Twilight stepped back and looked down, displaying deep sadness.

“In all of Equus, I am the only one who remains. I’m sorry, but… You are in a dying universe,”

Author's Note

We finally see Twilight's side!

Also check out my new story: Our Happy Ending!

The Everfree Forest

Universe 19884

Finally! Rainbow Dash was finally well enough to leave! She was thankful to Fluttershy for taking her to her cottage while she recovered. The cyan mare even discovered that Fluttershy cared for her counterpart’s pet, Tank. The poor little guy was overjoyed to see her again.

It was unfortunate, but Rainbow had to cut the reunion short. She couldn't linger in this world for too extended a period, and she had a sneaking suspicion that Fluttershy's ploy of showcasing Tank was a subtle attempt to prolong her rest.

She appreciated their concern, although they technically didn't know her. Nevertheless, other ponies needed her assistance more urgently at the moment. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but wonder if the delay in the others' arrival at the cottage was yet another tactic to encourage her to rest a little longer. However, her injuries had never been too severe to begin with. All she had at this point were a few minor scars and some cuts that hadn't fully healed yet.

“The others should be here soon,” Fluttershy remarked as Discord joined them from the garden, carrying two spears on his back, and an axe in his hand.

“Uhm… What’s this for?” Rainbow Dash asked with an arched eyebrow as the draconequus handed Fluttershy the axe. She was surprisingly holding it without much difficulty, but it was so unusual for Fluttershy to carry a weapon like this, that it only made her adorable instead of threatening.

“Well, we don’t really have magic anymore like you do, so we have to use those weapons to fight if we’re attacked by anything,” Discord explained. Again, this version of him was eerily calm and… un-chaotic if Rainbow Dash had to put it into words. It was strange.

“Right. That makes sense,” The cyan pegasus felt dumb for asking now.

“I can still give you an axe if you want?” Discord offered, only for Rainbow to shrug.

“Nah. I’m sure I would look badass with it, but that’s not how I fight. I’m a black belt in karate, you know?” She replied as Discord chuckled.

“Random and unnecessary bragging too? You really are like our Rainbow Dash,” The draconequus whistled while his yellow friend looked away at yet another mention of her original best friend.

“It wasn’t unnecessary,” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs stubbornly. Just as she was about to retort something else, she was cut off by an abrupt sound of knocking.

Knock knock knock

Without waiting for a response, the ponies behind the door barged in. As expected, it was the other girls, each armed like Discord and Fluttershy. Pinkie had a sword strapped to her back, while Applejack wielded a substantial hammer, which likely would have been even larger if she hadn't lost her earth pony magic and, consequently, her strength.

Lastly, Rarity carried a mace on her hip. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but wonder who had crafted these weapons, as Ponyville was the last place one would expect to find such items. In fact, Rainbow Dash was quite certain that weapons would be scarce no matter where in Equestria she looked.

“Are ya ready?” Applejack asked as the two ponies and the draconequus came out of the house to join the others.

“Ready as I’ll ever be!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed enthusiastically. “So, let’s get serious. Where did you look for Twilight already so we can cross those places off?” She inquired as everyone else fidgeted nervously, unwilling to respond. “What’s wrong?”

“We… kinda… only looked around Ponyville and the Everfree forest,” Pinkie Pie admitted as Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped.

“What the hay?!” She slammed her hooves on the ground before hovering up. “Were you seriously looking for her or just pretending?! There are like a million places where Spike and her could be!” She angrily yelled at them, making Pinkie flinch and look away.

“No, there ain’t. Actually, we think we know where they are. It’s just… we have no way to confirm it,” Applejack retorted as Rainbow landed back on the ground, a bit calmer but still glaring at them.

“Okay? Then why didn’t you go there already?” She questioned impatiently while tapping her hoof on the ground.

“For the same reason we only searched Ponyville’s close surroundings,” Rarity responded before Applejack could, making the cyan pegasus raise an eyebrow.

“When Tirek obtained all the magic in Equestria, he… did some damage the next day. So much so that the land's structure was changed. Some mountains are further apart. Some towns are split in two. Baltimare and Appleloosa are literally next to each other as if they formed one city,” Fluttershy timidly explained.

“Let’s just say that Tirek couldn’t resist the temptation to test out his newfound power and went a bit overboard. Talk about ego,” Discord interjected with his arms crossed.

“And I guess the place where you think Twilight is hiding is further away, right?” Rainbow asked.

“We don’t think so. We know so. It was already hard to access initially, but the land changed to the point that the journey is even longer and more tumultuous. With the timberwolves to the mix, traveling there was simply impossible… until you arrived. With you, darling, we should be able to reach Twilight and Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity answered while Rainbow Dash was slowly nodding along.

She completely calmed down after hearing their explanation. Still, she couldn't help but think that this wouldn't have deterred her if she were in their situation. She would have faced any danger head-on to help her friends, regardless of how reckless and perilous it might have been. Perhaps that was why Twilight had advised her to think more rationally.

“Okay, I guess I can understand. So where do you think they are and why are you so sure they’re there?” Rainbow sighed.

“Like Ah said, we ain’t completely sure, but we think they’re in the Castle of the Two Sisters,” Applejack said, then locked eyes with Rainbow Dash before the pegasus could ask why. “It’s the place where we all became friends, after all,” She explained with sadness-filled eyes.

Silence settled among them as none dared to speak at first, seemingly trapped in a reflective trance. It continued until Rainbow hesitantly broke the silence.

“I’m sorry for being hard on you,” She apologized to everyone’s surprise, then raised her head confidently. “Will you help me find our friends?”

The others exchanged looks, then grinned with the same energy as if they were suddenly filled with hope.

“Of course, we will,” Rarity confirmed while the others nodded in approval.

Meanwhile, Discord couldn't suppress the warm smile that adorned his face as he observed the little ponies. For the first time in two years, he was witnessing his friends behaving somewhat like their usual selves.

“Let’s go,” Rainbow said before pausing. “So, wait, does that mean the castle isn’t in the same direction?” She asked as Pinkie cringed.

“Unfortunately, we still have to go through the Everfree forest. You know, the scary and dangerous forest full of meanie animals and magical timberwolves?” The pink pony stated, making Rainbow sigh.

“Of course, we do,” She deadpanned.

“I just want to say that the animals aren’t mean, just misunderstood…” Fluttershy interjected in a whisper.

“Do you know where the castle is though? If the land really changed that much, then unless you guys saw it yourselves, you probably aren’t even sure where it is, right?” Rainbow Dash questioned as Rarity made a so-so motion with one of her hooves.

“We don’t know exactly, but thanks to the calculations of one of Dr. Whooves’ inventions, we know its approximate location,” The white unicorn replied while the others nodded along.

“Okay, I’ll let you lead the way then. Hope we won’t have to take too many breaks. I have a bad feeling about this, and I’d rather we find Twilight and Spike quickly,” The cyan pegasus stated. Naturally, she had concerns for her own friends, who were likewise trapped in alternate universes. However, she didn't want to burden their counterparts with these worries, as they were already contending with their own problems.

“And we want the exact same thing,” Applejack agreed as everyone began walking toward the Everfree Forest, except for Rainbow Dash, who was hovering. “Oh, right, RD. Better not fly for now. We don’t want ya to attract too much attention. Only do it when necessary, alright?” She instructed as Rainbow furrowed her brows. She didn’t like to be told she couldn’t fly, but she supposed it was understandable in this situation.

“Okay,” She sighed before landing back on the ground and walking alongside them as she was closely followed by Fluttershy, who had gone back inside the cottage to take two saddlebags with her. She was probably carrying a few supplies along with her axe.

In the Canterlot Castle, with shattered windows, cracked walls, and missing pieces of the roof, the ruler of the world occupied a throne suitable for someone of his immense size.

Lord Tirek, at the pinnacle of his power, had ascended to heights beyond the reach of any other living creature in the world. Unbeatable, unstoppable, and insurmountable, no one could challenge his might.

He should have been the size of a mountain, but he had absorbed not only all the magic in Equestria but also in Equus. For someone like him, adjusting his size was child’s play. Yet, his horns nearly reached the castle’s ceiling. After draining the alicorn's magic, his next target was his brother and the rest of his kingdom, which he effortlessly subdued. He could only revel in their demise.

His dreams and ambitions had been realized. After all, the sun and the moon moved according to his will. The universe obeyed his every whim. Equus survived only by his unrivaled mercy, and the life span of its inhabitants depended on nothing more than his mood.

He had acquired everything he desired, and no one could ever take it back. He was, by all means, a god. However... He was still not satisfied. He greatly appreciated his new gifts at the start but grew bored only a year later. He wanted more. He desired more. He needed more. He knew that there were things beyond Equus, beyond the stars, and that there was more magic for him to rightfully take.

His destiny was to have all the magic in the universe, he just knew it. And the strange white stone that he wore as a necklace was only further proof of that. He lowered his gaze and held the stone in his hand as he stared at it. It crashed in Equestria, from outer space, weeks ago, and it was brought to him by timberwolves he had enhanced.

He could feel an inexhaustible well of magic emanating from it. Naturally, his initial impulse was to absorb it, without pausing to question its nature or function.

Regrettably, he soon discovered that such an endeavor was beyond his reach. Completely unaware of its intended purpose or potential, he chose to wear it as a necklace, a constant reminder that he would keep it until he unlocked its hidden powers.

“I don’t suppose any of you changed your mind? Ready to tell me what this is?” Lord Tirek questioned in a bored tone, addressing someone beneath him.

“Even if I knew what it was… I would never tell you, Tirek…” Someone responded with venom through their clenched teeth.

It was a figure well-known to the denizens of Equestria: Princess Celestia. Or rather… The former princess. She was not alone, however. Tirek held in his other hand a collection of chains, each attached to iron collars encircling the necks of three alicorns and the Queen of the Changelings. They appeared like mere pets, and to someone of Tirek’s grandeur, they were.

The three alicorns and the former queen were starving, barely eating a meal a day. Even this meager sustenance was granted only by Tirek's questionable benevolence. Devoid of magic, deprived of food and water, and denied access to even the most fundamental necessities, they had withered away, and their once resplendent beauty and power diminished. In their disheveled and forlorn state, their presence was no longer a display of their former grandeur.

To Tirek, this was simply a game to showcase his power and dominance over the land. They should have even thanked him he decided to use them this way instead of what he did to some of his other enemies. For instance, his own brother, Scorpan, and even his parents had met gruesome ends, their heads displayed on spikes just before his imposing castles. Countless other rulers from various nations found themselves in equally dire circumstances.

The severed heads of many of Chrysalis' changelings were even placed at the boundaries of Equestria, serving as a gruesome introduction to Tirek's private domain for any daring souls who ventured near. Of course, he treated the whole world as his kingdom, but Equestria was somewhat of a resort for him currently.

He may have been a bit harsh on Chrysalis, but she shouldn’t have resisted. If she had been more intelligent, she would have willingly given all of her hive’s magic.

“The fact that you think you even have any say here is amusing, ‘Princess’,” Tirek chuckled with a snarky smirk. He wasn’t surprised to see Celestia glaring at him a second later. It wasn’t like she could do anything to him.

“If we knew that thing existed, we would have used it against you already, believe me,” Luna clenched her teeth while glaring at the centaur.

Cadance didn’t seem like she wanted to add anything to the princess’ comebacks. No one could blame her considering the state she was in, and the depression that overcame her. The issue wasn’t physical but mental. She hadn’t seen her husband in two years and had no idea if he was even alive. Actually, none of the princesses even knew who lived or died, except for… the elements. Tirek brought them out of Tartarus and bragged about how he succeeded and acquired all the alicorns’ magic. By killing one of the bearers of the elements, Rainbow Dash. They were heartbroken, but they couldn’t imagine what Twilight and the rest of Rainbow’s friends were feeling.

“You two have always been quite deceitful. I know better than anyone not to trust someone as old as you two,” Tirek smiled before pulling on the chains, making his ‘pets’ collapse on the floor. Chrysalis even muttered something under her breath but held her tongue. “Maybe I could look for Princess Twilight. As new and inexperienced as she is, she will talk. Or maybe, making her suffer will make you talk? Anyway, I do need another pet to complete my collection, don’t I?” He snickered in amusement.

“Don’t you dare!” Cadance screamed as if life was infused back into her. Although Celestia and Luna didn’t voice it, their threatening glares were enough to send the same message as their fellow alicorn.

“I-I can help!” Chrysalis shouted from where she sat, making her chain rattle as she stood up with trembling legs. Tirek raised a curious eyebrow while the former princesses glared at the changeling queen.

“Oh? And how do you plan to do that? I don’t recall any of your plans succeeding in taking these ponies down. You think you could capture an alicorn?” Tirek mocked, making Chrysalis blush with anger and embarrassment.

“She and her friends don’t have any magic anymore!” She replied before collapsing to her knees. Without her magic, she was also love-starved for two years.

“And you don’t either,” The centaur retorted with amusement.

“Well, I’m sure it won’t take me more than a few hours to get them all here if you give me back my magic! We can work together!” Chrysalis argued as Celestia gulped. Twilight and the others had already suffered enough, and Chrysalis would be nothing but bad news if she went after them. Besides, the sun princess was certain that her little ponies had some kind of plan to take down Tirek. A plan… that took two years to make, but that would surely allow them to come out on top!

“Nice try, but no,” Tirek laughed as an orange orb of magic appeared between his horns. He extended a finger, causing Chrysalis to ascend swiftly until their faces met. “I would have considered it if you had surrendered quietly two years ago, but you opposed me, thinking you could defeat me. This is beyond laughable! Still, I don’t need any help. And looking for that petty alicorn is no priority of mine. I’m still not sure if she even knows what this stone is. I’ll leave her some more time to enjoy her freedom while it lasts, then I may pay her a visit,” He laughed before dropping the changeling queen on the floor, making her grunt in pain.

“You shouldn’t underestimate my former student or her friends,” Celestia warned with narrowed eyes.

“Even without their magic, they’re stronger than you could ever be,” Luna added as Tirek sighed, looking more bored than ever.

They were empty threats without logic or reason. Their arrogance and false hope simply spoke for themselves. They couldn’t truly comprehend the level he reached, after all. He could erase all of Equestria with a single thought. The whole world was in the palm of his hand, so why should he have been worried about a few magicless ponies?

They weren’t simply magicless, they were nothing. He saw the look in their eyes, in Twilight’s eyes when he killed her little pegasus friend. Sure, they were filled with anger and hate towards him, but there was also despair. She was broken. That much was certain. Possibly even broken beyond repair. Paying her a visit and killing one of her friends again right before her eyes could be amusing. Or maybe even all of her friends? It would entertain him for a little while. And once she was broken completely with no will of her own whether it was a will to fight, resist, or even live, she would be hollow and empty inside like a wooden puppet. A perfect pet and trophy to show everyone that no one could oppose him.

He was Lord Tirek, and he could confidently say that whether it was in this world or the next, he stood above all other living beings.

“I can’t wait to kick that stupid Tirek’s ass!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she slapped a tree branch away, only for it to come back and whip her cheek. “Ouch!”

“Yeah, there ain’t much of a clear trail anymore,” Applejack commented as she pushed several branches out of the way. Pinkie was currently leading the way by using her sword to cut some of the obstacles in front of them and make a path.

Unfortunately, according to them, this was currently the safest and easiest entry to Everfree Forest. Considering what the others said, branches and annoying bushes would be the least of Rainbow Dash’s worries though. While the magical timberwolves were the most dangerous creatures in the forest, some of the animals also turned ferocious and wouldn’t hesitate to kill them either to satisfy their hunger or for entertainment. Tirek turned this world into a world with nearly no magic whatsoever, so it wasn’t surprising that it broke the balance of it.

Fortunately for them, after several minutes of walking through the trees and the bushes, they came across a clear path. From what it looked like, the trail seemed to be leading in the direction the Castle of the Two Sisters should be.

“Oh, finally! I could barely breathe in there!” Rarity exclaimed in relief as she quickened the pace toward the trail.

“Wait!” Applejack stopped her with a hoof over the mare’s chest right before she could take another step. Before the white unicorn could even question her, the farm pony pushed some bushes out of the way, revealing that right before the trail… there was a rift in the ground as if the earth was opening up. They could jump over it, but if they happened to fall in, then… They probably wouldn’t come back considering it was so deep that Rarity only saw pitch-blackness. “Just as Ah thought,”

“How did you know?” Rarity questioned, curious as the others joined them, looking at the rift.

“When ya tend the lands all yer life, ya kinda get to feel these kinds of things. Even without magic,” Applejack responded as Pinkie nodded in approval.

“I was the exact same way on the rock farm! Except I could talk to rocks just like Maud! Can’t do that anymore, though,” Pinkie shrugged.

“You think you can jump on the other side with the weapons you’re carrying?” Rainbow Dash interjected. The jump shouldn’t be difficult, but the problem was that some of the things they held were likely heavy.

“We lost some of our strength, but we shouldn’t have any issues,” Applejack replied before bending her knees, jumping above the rift, and successfully landing on the other side despite the hammer on her back.

“Here I go, I suppose…” Rarity muttered before jumping to the other side, slowly followed by the rest.

“Uhm… I wouldn’t mind a little help… If it’s not a bother…” Fluttershy whispered timidly toward Rainbow Dash, who simply smiled in response.

“Sure!” She said before hovering up and grabbing Fluttershy to carry her to the other side.

“She just got here, and you’re already making her pamper you, darling?” Rarity cocked an accusatory eyebrow.

Fluttershy looked away in embarrassment but didn’t retort anything. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash furrowed her brows in confusion, wondering what was all that about. Perhaps her counterpart had a really soft spot for Fluttershy or something? She had always been softer with Fluttershy even in her own universe, but it wasn’t to the point that someone would make this kind of remark.

“Let’s just not waste any more time,” Discord broke the silence before walking forward. After the ponies came out of their stupor, they quickly followed after him.

Rainbow decided not to address Rarity’s comment earlier since she really didn’t want to cause even more trouble, especially since they grew a bit closer. The unicorn’s tone wasn’t even that harsh, anyway.

The start of the journey still wasn’t too hard, at least not to the point that they faced immediate danger. The first rift they came across was only the beginning, and Rainbow shouldn’t have been surprised to see more of those. Some were bigger while others were smaller. But any fall in them would likely mean death since they were not only deep but also had sharp rocks at the bottom.

Rainbow helped Fluttershy cross most of them, and some had holes so wide that she had to carry everyone to the other side. Even… Ugh… Discord. Yes, she had a good relationship with the Discord of her universe, but they weren’t best friends either. She sure wasn’t going to start nuzzling him, for one!

The edges of those crevasses were also quite fragile, and she had to save Pinkie from falling off a couple of times because she got too curious and the ledge broke under her hooves.

Thankfully, they hadn’t come across any dangerous animals yet, but Rainbow wasn’t too optimistic about it.

She was right not to be when they suddenly heard rustling behind a nearby bush. They couldn’t even see anything beyond it because of the shadow the trees cast above it. Even through all the devastation caused by Tirek, the Everfree Forest held strong when it came to danger and scaring ponies that dared journey through it.

Of course, when in a situation like this, many ponies’ first reflex was to attack and ask questions later, which was what Pinkie Pie did right after releasing a war cry and jumping toward the bush with her sword.

“Stop!” Fluttershy suddenly shouted as she stepped into the way and Pinkie managed to stop her sword inches away from the pegasus’ face. “Look,” She pointed at the bush as it finally stopped rustling and a small bunny jumped out of it. “It’s just a poor little bunny. I bet it was just scared…” She explained before lowering her head to the bunny’s level. “Come here, little guy. Everything will be okay,” She reassured it as she held a hoof out.

The bunny seemed to smile with trust. However, just as it bent its knees to jump on her hooves, powerful wooden jaws lunged out of the bush and closed on the small creature, instantly shredding it to bloody pieces and making Fluttershy scream in surprise and fear. The yellow pegasus couldn’t stop herself from stumbling back and pushing Pinkie away so hard she fell to the ground.

The others had only time to gasp as the timberwolf that just killed the bunny jumped out from the shadows of the trees and pinned Fluttershy to the ground with one of its paws, digging its claws into her belly. While they weren’t deep inside, its claws still drew blood. Even though Fluttershy was its first target, the timberwolf immediately turned its eyes to Rainbow Dash.

“Let go of her!” Discord shouted as he impaled the timberwolf in the side with one of his spears, pushing it away from the poor Fluttershy.

“HIYA!” Pinkie screamed after getting up and slicing one of its legs off with her sword.

Applejack wordlessly attacked too and crushed its head with her hammer. Like most animals, the timberwolf ceased moving without its head as the little magic it had dispersed into thin air.

“Flutters, you alright?” Rainbow asked as she flew to her fallen friend, followed by Rarity, and helped her to her hooves.

“I…I’m fine,” Fluttershy replied while wincing.

“Let me have a look, dear!” Rarity said in a soft and worried voice as she inspected the pegasus’ wounds while the latter was wincing in pain along the way. “Just minor scratches…” The white unicorn remarked before embracing Fluttershy in a warm hug. “Thank Celestia you’re okay!” She whispered as Pinkie and Applejack soon joined in on the hug.

Discord kept his distance while Rainbow Dash watched with compassionate eyes. The experiences they went through these last two years only strengthened their bond, it seemed.

“We just started, but one of us is already hurt… Ah hope we didn’t make a mistake…” Applejack muttered as she stepped back, breaking the hug.

“It’s okay! It got me by surprise, that’s all,” Fluttershy interjected. None of them wanted to give up so soon, after all. Moreover, this was perhaps their unique and last chance at saving Equestria and defeating Tirek.

“Ah think it’ll be safer if RD leads the way with me. If we get attacked by surprise again, she’ll have a better chance at dodging,” Applejack remarked as the others looked in Rainbow’s direction.

“What do you say?” Rarity asked as the pegasus looked as confident as ever.

“Got no problem with that! I’m kinda the strongest here, so it only makes sense,” Rainbow replied.

“Are ya sure? Ah thought ya would be scared of those Timberwolves a little ever since yer encounter with ‘em,” Applejack commented as Rainbow scoffed dismissively.

“I’ll be fine! I’m not easily scared, you know,” Rainbow stated while waving her hoof, then walked past Applejack, following the trail toward the castle.

“Well, if you’re sure…” The earth pony smiled before following after her.

As the ponies and the draconequus continued on their journey, the trees slightly rustled behind them while they remained completely unaware of it. Blue eyes opened, silently observing the small group as they walked forward, carefree as if they hadn’t been attacked by a timberwolf already.

The figure, much smaller than a magic-induced timberwolf, narrowed their eyes and then smirked. This was finally their chance to fix everything. To have a better life. The former heroes of Equestria would be a good ticket to an easy life, wouldn’t they? Especially since they were clearly planning something.

Suddenly, behind the figure, multiple other pairs of eyes opened all over the trees and spied on the bearers of the elements.

“Lord Tirek will reward us greatly, won’t he?” One of the shadows grinned in excitement.

First, they would observe, then when the time was right… They would strike.

Twilight lay on the cold stone floor while miserably whimpering and holding her head. Her eyes were bloodshot, wide open, and unfocused as she stared ahead into nothing.

“Twilight? Here. I got you berries. Can you please eat something?” Spike, the little dragon, said as he dropped several berries in front of the alicorn, who only shook her head in response.

“I’m not hungry…” She muttered. Her stomach disagreed nearly immediately by releasing a draconic growl. Of course, she was hungry! Spike would be blind not to notice how skinny she was! It looked like she had been starving for months! He could only that an alicorn body, even without the magic, was more resilient.

“Even so, you should still eat something,” Spike argued. Ever since they got here, he was the one getting out to get food since he had usable wings and was in a better mental state. He was smaller so finding something to fill him up was easier than finding food for Twilight, but since she was a pony, even simple grass was enough for her. “Please?” He added, only for Twilight to quickly shake her head.

He sighed and backed away before wincing in pain as something stung his foot. Looking down, he noticed he stepped on one of Twilight’s feathers. There weren’t that many left on her wings either… He was certain that she didn’t just lose them naturally! That must have meant she began tearing them off again!

The little dragon balled his fists, ready to scold or admonish her, but held back. Now wasn’t the time.

“Twilight… It was only a dream. A-A nightmare!” He argued, referencing the way she woke up earlier.

“No… No, it wasn’t! Don’t you get it? She’s… She’s sending me messages from beyond! Because I killed her! She wants revenge! She wants to kill me! And… And I deserve it!” Twilight shook her head violently.

“This is insane, Twilight! Rainbow wouldn’t do that!” Spike denied, only for Twilight to shake her head again.

“No, no, no, she would… She would… The others. The others, the others. They hate me too, don’t they?” Twilight began while looking around as if to check no one else was in the room. “Everything happened because of me! So they, they, they hate me. They’ll kill me! Because I have to, I have to pay for what I did, right? It makes sense, right?” She said frantically.

“Just… Calm down,” Spike instructed in a soothing voice as he held out his hands to the shaking alicorn to comfort her.

Unfortunately, Twilight swiftly slapped his hand away before he could.

“No! Don’t touch me!” She shouted before standing up and limped away as fast as she could. It was like she hadn’t walked in weeks. She didn’t get very far before slamming head-on into a chair and collapsing to the floor with it.

“Twilight!” Spike shouted, ready to run to her.

“No! Get away!” She screamed, standing up and falling nearly immediately again. She rolled and crawled as if her life depended on it and reached one of the corners of the room, then hid herself behind her hooves and wings. “Don’t come any closer!” She shouted at him. Even when she was already against the wall, it looked like she was still trying to back away.

“I… Okay…” Spike reluctantly accepted, staring into Twilight’s eyes. He only saw terror directed at him, or maybe it was directed at literally everything in the world.

He feared the worst. He feared that… Twilight wouldn’t last much longer.

She was slowly killing herself.

Author's Note

And we're back with Rainbow Dash! We also get a look at the Tirek from this world. He succeeded in everything he wanted to accomplish. He looks like the kind of guy who would even look down on his canon counterpart, huh?

The Resistance

Universe 99999

Fluttershy never thought she would find herself in an underground rebel base one day, yet it already happened twice, and there she was. Spitfire had let her go and instructed Braeburn to show her around the base. She didn’t know what she expected, but the place was gigantic! It was large enough to accommodate small houses, and from her initial observations, it appeared to be bustling with many ponies. It resembled a thriving underground town.

This wasn’t built in only a couple months, that was for sure. It must have been done in a year or two, and that meant it didn’t take long for citizens to create a rebellion against the Council of Harmony. Considering that Shining Armor and Spitfire were also there and seemingly had responsibilities in the outside world, she doubted most ponies lived here without ever getting out on the surface.

It made sense since their plan was to take down the council, not make a whole other society. There were many ponies she recognized here, likewise, there were also many faces unfamiliar to her. If she was the same Fluttershy as before, she would have probably tried to make herself small and avoid the looks every passerby gave her.

“Don’t worry, we warned a few individuals about your situation. Although, many still have a hard time believing it,” Braeburn commented, pulling Fluttershy out of her thoughts. The earth pony’s words were confirmed when the pegasus saw a mare hiding her filly behind her as she passed by. “Ah doubt many would think you’re the real deal,”

They even gave Fluttershy a cloak so she could still hide her appearance. It was better to avoid any commotion. Thus, only the ponies closest to the yellow pegasus could see her face.

“What is this place?” Fluttershy inquired while still looking around.

“Our base. It was a small cave at first, but a dedicated group of earth ponies expanded it to flee the council’s regime. One day, Spitfire and Shining approached them and offered to create the resistance and to use this cave as a safe haven for those who want to fight the council,” Braeburn responded as Fluttershy widened her eyes.

“Shining Armor is one of the founders?” She questioned in surprise. “But he’s Twilight’s brother,” She added. Braeburn nodded solemnly.

“It was only a year after they proclaimed themselves the rulers of Equestria. Shining didn’t explain much about his choice, but he said they needed to be stopped. Something they did must have pushed him to betray them,” Braeburn explained, shaking his head from left to right. “Maybe Spitfire noticed his loyalties wavering then. All Ah know is that she suggested they fight against the council and their regime. He accepted. After that, the resistance discreetly found supporters among those who were oppressed by their rule or opposed to it,”

“Did they… Did they hurt many ponies?” Fluttershy hesitantly asked. Braeburn sighed, looking down.

“They did. Their loyalists will tell ya they only hurt those who deserved it AKA executed the wicked. Their judgments are only the tip of the iceberg,”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked in fear. After all, hearing that her friends (and herself) were bad and hurting ponies in this universe was hard to swallow. She never imagined herself doing anything evil.

“They got completely rid of the noble system. All the nobles who opposed this decision were arrested and sentenced to life in prison without a trial. They have done the same to their families, and if they had any foals, they put them in an orphanage,” He began, making the pegasus gasp in horror. “They wanted to remove all the systems put in place or supported by Celestia. Nobility was part of it. Ah suppose they also feared that some noble houses would use their influence to create their own factions and usurp their position. Their reason doesn’t excuse what they did, though,” He explained.

“To go as far as to do this to foals?” Fluttershy whispered in shock.

“Speaking against their rule is also strictly prohibited. Many have been arrested for it,” Braeburn furrowed his brows. “They don’t have pity… Even if it’s their own family who’s speaking against them,” He clenched his teeth.

“Is that why you decided to fight?” The pegasus inquired in curiosity.

“Applejack… She changed or maybe we just didn’t know who she was. It tore our family apart,” He responded with chagrin. “Some were in favor of their rule, while others weren’t. This caused a huge rift between us. Ah don’t know about her family in Ponyville, though. Ah never tried to recruit them,”

“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy apologized, only for Braeburn to shake his head.

“It ain’t your fault. They restricted trade unions and any other civil organization that could undermine their authority since they even had control of private companies. The worst part about this is that many of their decisions actually benefitted Equestria in the grand scheme of things. The problem is that they sacrificed the livelihoods of the few for the many,” He explained while motioning at the ponies around them. “Some lost their homes because they were forced to sell them to expand agricultural lands. But ya aren’t here to talk politics, Ah guess,”

“No, it’s alright… This world is so much different than mine. I was hoping I could talk to the council, and make them change their ways, but now…” Fluttershy trailed off, uncertain.

“There ain’t no talkin’ to them. As Ah said earlier, even their own families tried. It’s useless,” Braeburn shook his head.

“Still… I would like to try if I have the chance,” Fluttershy responded, much more uncertain than she was at the start.

“Well…” Braeburn began, only to cut himself off when he seemingly noticed something in the distance. “Oh, good timing! Let me introduce you to somepony!” He exclaimed before speeding up, forcing the yellow pegasus to do the same.

Fluttershy was about to inquire about the specific individual Braeburn was referring to when her eyes landed on the pony he was running to. In fact, there were several ponies, but she had a hunch about whom he meant, as these ponies were queuing up in front of a particular figure. Squinting her eyes, she identified Ponyville's most renowned mail pony, Ditzy Doo, who some ponies affectionately referred to as Derpy.

From what the pegasus could tell, Ditzy was distributing food, which seemed to be soup. She was even helped with another pony Fluttershy didn’t recognize.

“Hey, Derpy!” Braeburn called out to her from behind the crowd. The grey pegasus’ face lit up before she turned to the pony who was helping and told her something. The other pony simply smiled and nodded, much to Derpy’s delight who didn’t waste any time before flying over the crowd to the earth pony.

“Braeburn! You’re back! How’s the farm… Ah!” Derpy yelled out in surprise once she laid her eyes on the pegasus accompanying her friend, and fell on her butt.

“Um… Hello, Ditzy…” Fluttershy mumbled timidly. Who wouldn’t be timid when the one you’re conversing with reacted like that after seeing you.

“Y-You’re… Minister Fluttershy!” Derpy stuttered fearfully. Fluttershy bit her lower lip, unsure of what to say until Braeburn intervened by putting a hoof on Derpy’s shoulder.

“It’s alright, Derpy! That ain’t the minister, didn’t ya hear Spitfire’s announcement? It was literally fifteen minutes ago,” Braeburn explained calmly. The grey pegasus’ eyes went from Braeburn to Fluttershy, who waved with a blush.

“Oh… Right. Yeah, I remember now. I thought that was just a joke,” Derpy snickered sheepishly. “Sorry about that. I’m Ditzy Doo,” Ditzy held out her hoof, which Fluttershy shook.

“And I’m Fluttershy, but you probably already knew that,” She introduced herself with a small smile.

“This is so weird. I never thought I would shake one of the ministers’ hooves…” Derpy commented with a grin.

“Didn’t ya live in the same town as some of them?” Braeburn remarked as the grey pegasus scratched the back of her head.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t like I was friends with any of them,” She shrugged dismissively. “Although, I did go to flight school with Rainbow Dash,”

“How did you, if you don’t mind me asking, join the resistance?” Fluttershy suddenly asked.

She wasn’t super close with Derpy in her own universe either, but she had to admit she was surprised Derpy would be a part of a resistance. Not that she thought the grey mare wouldn’t fight for what was right or that she wasn’t strong enough to, she simply never imagined it before. It made more sense once she remembered she was among the pegasi who tried to fight Tirek. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if something happened in this universe.

“Why? Well…” Derpy bit her lower lip, prompting Braeburn to put a hoof on her shoulder.

“Ya don’t have to talk about it if ya don’t want to,” He assured her. Derpy shook her head and sighed.

“No, it’s fine. If she is going to help, then she should know about it,” Derpy decided while looking down. “It happened a few years ago. The Council of Harmony had been ruling Equestria for a year, I think,” She began telling her story, suddenly seeming more somber than earlier. “Members of the council themselves came back to Ponyville unexpectedly, accompanied by a bunch of guards. It was Minister Rarity and Prime Minister Twilight, and they came because somepony had been speaking against the Council,”

“That’s the only reason they came back?” Fluttershy asked in surprise. She was expecting they wouldn’t personally show up somewhere for something so… so trivial. But it was clear ponies weren’t allowed to have their own opinions anymore.

“Apparently, they had an informant in Ponyville. The informant told them someone had been tearing off the posters praising their new regime, and replaced them with crude drawings criticizing it instead. Everyone knew about them, of course. It was hard to miss, but most of us didn’t know who was doing it… Well, actually, only I knew,” Derpy admitted bashfully. “They were just three little fillies; I’m sorry, I can’t tell you their names. I kind of promised them I would keep it a secret,”

“It’s alright, I understand,” Fluttershy responded calmly. “What happened next? If you don’t mind talking about it,” She asked.

“The council gathered everypony in the center of town and said they were here to arrest the culprits. Prime Minister Twilight said that if they confessed, they wouldn’t be executed,” Derpy recounted, making Fluttershy gasp in shock.

“Executed? They wouldn’t really do that, would they?” Fluttershy inquired worriedly.

“You’d be surprised,” Braeburn commented bitterly.

“At the time, they may have been bluffing, but none of us were sure. We didn’t doubt they would find the ponies they were looking for, though. We already knew they had an informant, so it was only a matter of time…” Derpy sighed.

“What did you do? Did… Did something happen to those fillies?” Fluttershy questioned with her worry increasing. She didn’t want to hear about alternate versions of her friends executing poor little fillies, but it was something she needed to hear if she still wanted to talk to them.

“I did the only thing I could,” Derpy firmly answered. That day, she would never forget.

“So none of you are going to confess to the charges? Do you mean to tell me that none of you did it?” Prime Minister Twilight paced back and forth in front of the crowd of ponies while Minister Rarity stood nearby, accompanied by guards. “Rarity, can you please remind the culprits of what they risk if we find them?” She asked tiredly.

“Certainly,” Minister Rarity stepped forward while the crowd remained as silent as ever; although, their shaking knees were hard to miss. “For speaking against Harmony, peace, love, and equality, for spreading hate against the ones who uphold and protect these values… those proven guilty will face the punishment of death. Only an execution would be most appropriate for such a devious act,” The unicorn declared, making several ponies gasp and shout protests.

“You can’t do this!” Someone yelled in indignation.

“They were just posters!”

“This is outrageous!”

As the crowd’s angry shouts and indignation grew larger, so did the evident anger on Twilight’s face, who clenched her teeth.

“Silence!” Prime Minister Twilight screamed, successfully silencing them all. “Whether you think this is right or not is inconsequential. As you’ve heard Minister Rarity, only death awaits the culprits… Unless they confess immediately. In such a case, we will show leniency," the lavender unicorn continued in a calmer tone, her gaze sweeping across the faces in the crowd, including the anxious expression on Derpy's. "Now, I am addressing the individual or individuals behind this. You have a choice: the easy path of admitting your wrongdoings, and, as promised, we will be merciful. Or, you can choose a foolish course of action and put your life, or lives, in jeopardy. Simply put, we will thoroughly look for the one who is to blame, and I can assure you, we will find a culprit. We will execute somepony by the end of this,” She declared in a stone-cold tone. “It’s your choice to make,”

The crowd was deathly silent. Derpy could even see the mayor was hesitating, wishing to stand up and tell Prime Minister Twilight off, that what she was doing was wrong. Instead, she remained stuck in place. The pegasus couldn’t blame her, though. Who wouldn’t be afraid of confronting the council directly? Even after several seconds, nearly a minute after what Prime Minister Twilight had said, no one made a move. The lavender unicorn’s glare hardened. Derpy glanced at the three fillies who were responsible for all of this. They didn’t think it would go so far, but it seemed they were beginning to feel too much guilt. As evident by the looks on their faces, they were ready to confess.

Suddenly, Twilight stomped the ground in anger, attracting Derpy’s attention back to her.

“So you want to play at that game, huh? You want us to use the hard way?! Very well! No matter what happens next, don’t blame us for the consequences you will face because of your actions!” Twilight snapped before turning to her unicorn friend. “Minister Rarity, I want you to…”

“It was me,” Derpy suddenly stepped forward before the three fillies could, making Twilight pause. The lavender unicorn turned around to meet her eyes while Rarity widened hers in surprise. “I tore off your posters and replaced them,” She stated. The three fillies looked at her in shock, grateful, but shocked. The ponies around Derpy were even more surprised since they never imagined she would do something like that.

“See? Was it so hard?” Twilight mused in amusement, then narrowed her eyes in barely disguised anger while walking up to the grey pegasus. “Tell me… Why did you do this? Did you think it would be funny? Did you think it was a joke? Or maybe, you simply thought it was edgy and cool? Was it worth it?” Twilight chuckled humorlessly with her face only a few inches apart from Derpy’s.

Minister Rarity and the other ponies there had to admit that it didn’t sound like Derpy at all. She wasn’t the kind of pony to make these jokes or even try to be edgy. The grey pegasus, on the other hand, was unsure of what to reply. One of the reasons was that she was lost in the Prime Minister’s eyes. She knew that even if she avoided execution, Derpy wouldn’t come out of this unscathed because there was no trace of mercy in the lavender mare’s eyes. None at all. There was nothing but blind anger and hate. It didn’t seem it was all directed at her, but Derpy wasn’t exactly smart either, so she couldn’t be sure.

“I was sick of seeing your propaganda everywhere. That’s all,” She admitted with as much confidence as she could pull off. Twilight furrowed her brows and clenched her teeth.

“Then maybe you need to be educated,” Prime Minister Twilight stated before backing away. “As promised, you won’t be executed since you confessed. Guards! Take her away,” She ordered before walking away, without even sparing a single other glance at Derpy while she was grabbed by two pegasus guards and led away.

“P-Please, Prime Minister! Give her another chance!” Mayor Mare attempted to plead for Ditzy, who turned her head to share a thankful nod to the older mare.

Twilight ignored her, simply walking to the flying chariot, led by two pegasi.

“Do pray tell, Mayor. If a princess had come to take away a criminal, would you have tried to stop her?” Minister Rarity inquired with an arched eyebrow. Mayor Mare remained silent, opening her mouth only for no sound to come out. “That’s what I thought. Know where your place is,” The white unicorn added before following behind Twilight.

“After that, I was taken to the dungeons and spent months down there,” Derpy recounted with a shiver. “I would often be taken somewhere with other prisoners, and a member of the council would force us to watch some propaganda one of them animated, or force us to write essays about how their rule benefits Equestria. They even gave us history lessons to tell us Princess Celestia’s reign was imperfect and based on lies and manipulation, or that the non-Equestrian races aren’t trustworthy… Compared to that, having one meal a day wasn’t even that bad…” She added. Fluttershy put a hoof to her mouth and gasped. Braeburn just hugged the grey pegasus with one foreleg over her shoulders.

“This is horrible! I-I’m so sorry, Ditzy!” Fluttershy apologized, only for Ditzy to shake her head.

“No, you aren’t the one who did this, so don’t apologize. When they deemed I was ready to rejoin society, they released me. I couldn’t… Just go back to my old life,” She rubbed one of her forelegs. “Somepony I knew from the dungeons invited me to the resistance. Now I use any income I have to buy provisions from ponies who can’t live in the outside world anymore,” She explained while motioning the stand behind her, where ponies were eating soup.

“And we can’t thank you enough, Derpy,” Braeburn assured her.

“I’m just doing what I think is right. Besides, I don’t think I do that much compared to you and all the supplies you bring from Appleloosa,” She denied with a smile.

“Every action matters,” He retorted.

“Anyway, it looks like those ponies are really happy, Ditzy,” Fluttershy interjected while looking at the ponies behind the other pegasus.

This version of the pegasus definitely earned her respect. Most of all, Fluttershy was ashamed of her own alternate version. She understood they weren’t the same ponies, and she remembered the things the others said about them, but to hear that story from Derpy… What pushed them to do this? What made them into the ponies they were now? She just couldn’t comprehend what would have to happen for her to do something similar… To be so cruel to another creature, let alone another pony. No. Whatever their reasons were, they must be stopped!

Glancing at Derpy, the bearer of the element of kindness’ heart couldn’t help but twist at her sight. It was as if the pain she went through was still visible in her face. So the yellow pegasus did the only thing she could, and embraced her in her forelegs and wings, surprising both Derpy and Braeburn.

“I really am sorry,” Fluttershy whispered shamefully.

“Hey. I said it’s okay. It’s not your fault,” Derpy responded while rubbing the other pegasus’ back.

“You didn’t deserve this,” The yellow mare retorted warmly. “I promise I’ll make it right, and help any way I can,”

Derpy smiled happily and with teary eyes. They stayed like this for several more seconds before breaking their embrace. Before they could say anything, Braeburn placed a hoof on their shoulders.

“Ah think we all need to take our minds off things a little,” Braeburn suggested. “Cheese Sandwich should be holdin’ a show, right now,”

“Oh, great! He always gives away muffins at the end of these!” Derpy clapped her hooves together excitedly before grabbing Fluttershy’s wing and pulling her along. “Come on! You gotta see this!”

“I-I’m coming! I’m coming!” The yellow pegasus replied quickly, nearly tripping over her own hooves. Meanwhile, Braeburn grinned in amusement before running after them.

Fluttershy didn’t expect to find Cheese Sandwich here, but he was so much like Pinkie that she shouldn’t have been surprised he would be in a resistance group. By following Ditzy Doo, she noticed yet again the way the base was constructed. Braeburn and Ditzy didn’t live here from what she understood from her conversations with them. However, there were definitely some ponies living in this underground base rather than in the outside world. She wondered if they were forced because they lost their homes as other ponies did, or because they simply didn’t want to live in the council’s world anymore.

She realized they were getting there soon once she noticed the huge tent several meters away, which reminded her of a circus. Many ponies surrounded the tent, all talking with each other.

“This was hilarious! I didn’t even know a pony could do that!” One stallion exclaimed while his partner, a mare laughed in agreement.

“The part with the balloons was so fun!” She added cheerfully, making Derpy’s ears fall once they reached the tent.

“What? We missed it?!” Derpy threw her hooves in the air.

“I-I guess so…” Fluttershy breathed out, panting thanks to how sore her legs were because of Derpy’s pulling.

“That’s my bad. Ah should have told you girls earlier. Ah didn’t think it would end so soon,” Braeburn commented.

“Oh, well. At least, you can still meet Cheese. He should be around here somewhere,” Derpy told Fluttershy before looking around to find the party pony.

“Did somepony say pancakes?” An orange earth pony with a puffy mane suddenly appeared between Derpy and Fluttershy and wrapped his forelegs around their necks to bring them into an embrace.

“Cheese! We were just talking about you!” Ditzy grinned happily while Cheese looked confused. Fluttershy didn’t say anything, but she did blush because of how close he was. She wasn’t as socially awkward anymore, but still…

“Wait I thought you were talking pancakes?” He arched an eyebrow. “Oh, and you! Nice to meet you!” He shook her hoof frantically.

“Hi?” Fluttershy chuckled nervously.

“Ah reckon ponies liked your show,” Braeburn interjected.

“Well, I sure hope they did! Wouldn’t be much of a show otherwise! Did you three enjoy it? I didn’t see you in public,” Cheese asked as he let go of the two pegasi.

“Ah wish we did, but nah we just got there,” Braeburn shook his head, only for Cheese to wave his hoof dismissively.

“No big deal! You can always see it next time! It’s not like this was your last opportunity!” The party pony laughed. “This was not a foreshadowing for your death, by the way,” He added more seriously, earning worried glances from the other ponies before he burst out laughing.

“That’s… yeah,” Braeburn licked his lips in embarrassment.

“What’s foreshadowing?” Derpy inquired quietly to Fluttershy.

“Uhm. I’ll explain later,” The other pegasus responded.

Their conversation was abruptly cut off by the cries of a little foal, barely audible, yet it somehow reached their ears. Turning around, they noticed a pegasus mare who seemed to be comforting a small filly by patting her back. The poor filly’s little tears pinched Fluttershy’s heart. She wanted to go there and see what was wrong to help and comfort her. However, she wasn’t sure how they would react if they saw the face of one of their enemies.

“That’s Berry Shake and her daughter Dazzle Twist,” Braeburn brought her out of her thoughts. “The father… Died in the war against the changelings. Because of that, they had no income for months and even Berry’s new job wasn’t enough to support them both. Eventually, they lost everythin’. Ah met them in Fillydelphia and brought ‘em here,” He explained sorrowfully.

Whatever Fluttershy was about to say was cut off by Cheese Sandwich walking up to the two ponies.

“Hey there!” The earth pony greeted them. “Sorry for bothering you, but I just couldn’t ignore this cutie pie! What’s wrong, kiddo?” Cheese asked in a softer tone, prompting the filly to look up with her eyes partially hidden behind her hooves.

“I-I…Sniff… I missed your show, Mr. Sandwich…” The filly sniffled while trying to wipe away her tears. Fluttershy and the others stayed closely behind the puffy-maned earth pony, simply observing the scene.

“It’s alright, Sweetie. I’m sure Mr. Sandwich will have another one, soon,” Berry reassured her. Cheese’s eyes didn’t leave the crying filly.

“Is that the only reason you’re crying?” Cheese questioned. Dazzle sniffled again, watching him intently before shaking her head.

“No… I miss my dad, too,” She admitted, making her mother bite her lip and look away.

“That’s perfectly understandable. I miss my dad too, sometimes,” Cheese revealed, earning a curious glance from Dazzle.

“Your daddy went away too?”

“Yep! On a very, very long trip. I still miss him from time to time,” Cheese grinned.

“Did you… cry too?” Dazzle asked shyly, her eyes still tearful.

“Oh, sure I did! But not anymore,” He shook his head.

“How did you stop?”

“I did things that made me happy!” Cheese exclaimed before abruptly standing up and smiling. “I played with my friends outside! Danced and played music!” He listed off as he danced comically, on his hind legs while holding a clarinet and playing it. After only a few seconds, he slipped on a random banana peel and fell on his back with his legs up in the air, making the filly giggle. “And even made other kids laugh by slipping on banana peels,” He added in amusement.

Dazzle hid her mouth behind her hooves as if she had been caught saying a bad word, and looked up at the earth pony while he was walking back to her.

“Sorry,” She apologized timidly, only for Cheese Sandwich to ruffle her mane.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for! All you did was laugh! There’s nothing wrong with a bit of laughter here and there! If you’re laughing so heartedly, then that means you’re happy! Isn’t it great?!” He inquired excitedly. Dazzle slowly uncovered the mouth and hesitantly nodded with a smile creeping up her face. “Here! Take this!” He suddenly said before pulling out something out of his mane and blowing into it. It was a long pink balloon, which he swiftly tied into a dog, and then handed to the small filly. “Every time you feel sad, that will help you remember this lesson. You can always even ask your friends for help,”

“Thank you, Mr. Sandwich! I love her!” Dazzle hugged the balloon, careful not to hold it too tight.

“Hey! How did you know it was a girl? I didn’t even tell you yet!” Cheese laughed.

“Thank you for your help,” Berry thanked him, slightly bowing her head before addressing her daughter. “Come on, let’s go home. I can cook you a carrot soup, your favorite,” She smiled as Dazzle nuzzled her side and walked away with her. Naturally, the filly didn’t forget to wave goodbye to Cheese.

“This was amazing, Cheese Sandwich!” Fluttershy exclaimed in awe once Cheese walked back toward them.

“Oh, it was nothing! You kinda have to be good with foals if you want to have a job like mine,” Cheese laughed, waving his hoof dismissively.

“At least, ya’re better than ma old man. If he was there, he woulda started a philosophical talk with the kid or somethin’,” Braeburn snickered.

“I can teach him to tie a balloon if you want!” Cheese laughed before settling his eyes on Fluttershy. “So is it true? What Spitfire said?”

“Uhm. If she said I’m from another universe, then yes it’s true,” Fluttershy confirmed with a nod.

“Oh, this is so exciting! You have to tell me how different it is!” Cheese clapped his hooves.

“Now?” Fluttershy looked around in surprise since she wasn’t sure now was the best time. Especially considering how different it was; it would take a long time to tell him about everything. Thankfully, she was saved by the bell. Literally. The sound of a loud bell attracted everyone’s attention to the ceiling.

“I want to see all the commanders in the war room, immediately,” Spitfire’s voice came out of several megaphones over the ceiling.

“Ah, dang it! Well, the fun’s over!” Cheese laughed.

“What’s happening?” Fluttershy asked as Cheese and the other ponies with her began walking away.

“As you’ve heard, we gotta assemble with Spitfire,” The party planner responded cheerfully. It was strange since a room named ‘the war room’ didn’t really sound welcoming.

“Ya should come with us. Ah have a feelin’ Spitfire wants to see ya, too,” Braeburn motioned to Fluttershy to follow, which she did without asking too many questions.

“You’re a commander, too, Ditzy?” The yellow pegasus inquired.

“Eh, yeah. I’m kind of their messenger,” She replied with red cheeks.

It took them a few minutes to get there, but the path was familiar to the yellow pegasus. The war room was near the interrogation room where Fluttershy talked to Spitfire and Shining Armor. It wasn’t that much more spacious, but at least it was more illuminated. The Wonderbolt leader was already inside, and by her side stood Shining Armor. They weren’t the only ones inside since Soarin, another wonderbolt, stood near Spitfire.

Actually, these weren’t even the only wonderbolts there since Fluttershy recognized a couple more of them! Were all the wonderbolts in the resistance? A few other ponies, she could recognize, such as Flash Sentry, Trixie, Jack Pot, Night Glider, and Raven Inkwell. The rest, she wasn’t familiar with.

“Sorry we’re late,” Derpy apologized as she approached the center of the room, where stood a large table with a map of Equestria.

“It’s fine, the others just got here,” Spitfire motioned at the rest of the ponies.

Fluttershy tried to make herself seem small, hiding behind Braeburn as she entered the room. Unfortunately, her presence didn’t go unnoticed.

“So. This is the one who’s supposed to help us?” Jack Pot arched an eyebrow toward the yellow pegasus, making her yip in surprise. “All of you are buying her story?” He gestured at the ponies in the room.

“Dad! I told you I used the lie detection spell on her! Don’t you trust Trixie?” Trixie stomped the floor in annoyance, making Jack gasp.

“I-I… But of course, I trust you, sweetie! It’s just… Forget I said anything…” Jack Pot retreated, grumbling under her breath.

Fluttershy gave her a thankful nod, to which Trixie replied with a prideful smirk. From the little she’d known her, the pegasus interpreted that as a “You’re welcome”.

“I understand some of you have doubts about this, but we don’t have any time to waste. This is our greatest opportunity to strike yet,” Spitfire declared.

“What do ya mean?” Braeburn stepped forward.

“My sister executed order 21,” Shining stated. It didn’t take more than a second before the room burst into an uproar.

“What? Why now?”

“Has she gone crazy?”

“Are we being invaded?”

“Huh? Excuse me, but what is order 21?” Fluttershy questioned Cheese Sandwich.

“Oh, nothing serious! It’s basically in case of invasion with the help of inside forces. Borders closed, guards everywhere, freedom super limited! You know? The usual!” Cheese shrugged.

“We don’t know why they decided to execute the order, but that matters little now. As I said, we have to strike!” Spitfire declared with confidence.

“Why would order 21 help us?” Night Glider inquired with a puzzled expression.

“Because their resources will be spread thin. With guards patrolling all of Equestria, they’ll have limited forces in Canterlot. That order was made to remove traitors or infiltrators as quickly as possible, not fight off a direct invasion,” Spitfire explained before Shining stepped forward.

“This would allow for another country to launch an invasion. An army of pegasi and unicorns could easily traverse Equestria and reach Canterlot with minimal losses. An army like Cadance’s for example,”

“You want us to launch an invasion, now?! Are you insane? Do you want the resistance to be destroyed?” An earth pony with a pink coat and blue mane shouted.

“It wouldn’t be now!” Spitfire refuted with a glare. “Obviously, we need to tell Princess Cadance to get the empire’s forces ready. We also need to take care of Rainbow City’s Thunder Factory,”

“This will be our final operation,” Trixie said as Shining nodded in confirmation.

“What is that now?” Fluttershy asked out loud, bringing everyone’s eyes to her.

“I am guessing Rainbow City doesn’t exist in your universe considering the circumstances?” Spitfire questioned, to which the pegasus nodded. “It’s a city they founded between Baltimare and Canterlot. It was a thunder factory and it’s their ace in the hole in case an enemy army makes it to the capital. It’ll release massive thunderclouds that will travel to Canterlot and strike anypony,” She explained.

“But what about the civilians? And their own soldiers?” Fluttershy gasped with her wings over her mouth.

“Civilians will have evacuated a long time ago by then. As for the soldiers, they all wear special uniforms with magical crystals inside imbued with a lightning protection spell. Unfortunately, I can’t smuggle these uniforms to us without being found out, so our only solution is to destroy the factory itself,” Shining responded.

It eased Fluttershy’s worries, but it didn’t seem like something safe. The council couldn’t surprise her any more than it already did.

“We’ll have to send a small team to destroy the factory. Once it’s done, we’ll send word to Princess Cadance that she can launch her attack. If everything goes right, we should defeat the council in one fell swoop,” Spitfire declared, her eyes traveling across the room.

“I don’t like this… It’s too risky. What about the council’s elements?” The same pony as earlier grumbled.

“We have a way to take care of that. Shining Armor and Trixie will be the key to it,” Spitfire replied as Trixie puffed up her chest with pride in response. “So… Any volunteers for Rainbow City?”

Everyone stayed silent. So much so that you could hear a hairpin drop. It wasn’t that they were afraid, they were simply uncertain. However, after only a few seconds, someone raised a hoof.

“I will do it,” Fluttershy stated confidently, more confidently than she had ever been since she came here, at least.

“I didn’t expect any less,” Spitfire nodded. She was one of the ones who approved of Fluttershy being here, so it was only expected that she would be proud to see that she made the right decision. After all, she also expected Fluttershy would be at least as strong as the one in the council.

“I’ll go, too!” Cheese suddenly raised his hoof to everyone’s surprise.

“Are you sure, Cheese? You’re the only one of us who can predict Pinkie Pie and match her in randomness,” Soarin questioned.

“I can’t let Flutters here go alone, after all,” He shrugged.

“But why? We just met,” Fluttershy argued, only for Cheese to laugh.

“So? It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other when it comes to friendship! I decided you’re my friend, now, so I won’t leave you hangin’! Besides, you sound like a really fun gal to have at an end-of-dictatorship party!” He responded.

A smile slowly crept up Fluttershy’s face. Even in another world, she had friends she could count on. Before she could even thank him, two other ponies raised their hooves.

“Well, Ah can’t just sit back and let y’all do all the work,” Braeburn remarked, locking eyes with Fluttershy. “And Ah guess Ah can’t let friends down either,”

“You too, Ditzy?” Spitfire asked in surprise. Indeed, the second pony with a hoof raised was the mail pony herself.

“I want to be useful. Besides, I feel the same way as Braeburn,” She replied.

Fluttershy exchanged looks with each of them, growing slightly nostalgic as she was reminded of a similar event that changed her life then, too.

“Thank you. All of you,” She bowed her head.

“All of you still need somepony competent, so it can’t be helped. Trixie will accompany you. Besides, she doesn’t want the newbie to steal the show,” Trixie announced with a smirk.

“You? Honey, please! It’s too dangerous!” Jack argued, only for his daughter to immediately shut him down.

“Oh, please! You don’t need to babysit me, Dad! Trixie knows what she is doing!” The blue unicorn retorted while Spitfire sighed.

“I’d really rather you stay here, but I gave up on trying to make you change your mind on things a long time ago,” The wonderbolt captain grumbled. “Is that all?” She asked the remaining ponies.

“I’ll go, too,” Shining suddenly interjected to the pegasus’ shock.

“Are you sure? That’s extremely risky. If someone recognizes you, they’ll realize you’re a traitor,” Spitfire inquired. The white unicorn nodded solemnly.

“Yes. I need to do my part… and pay for what I did. You know as much as I do that they’ll need my protection spells,”

“Very well,” Spitfire sighed. “Then you six will be our team of hope. This operation counts as much as the invasion itself. If it fails, then the resistance itself could collapse,” She stated, which was enough to make Fluttershy sweat.

“No pressure,” Cheese chuckled.

Shining Armor put on a confident face as he looked ahead. This was their last chance at saving Equestria, and perhaps the world. Soon, it would finally be time for him to confront his sister. And… He wasn’t sure he was ready.

Meanwhile, in the Canterlot Castle’s vault of relics, one particular object shone in the middle of the room, floating in place.

The Hexstone pulsed.

Training

Universe 31870

Rarity's eyes twitched open slightly. In an attempt to sleep again, the fashionista extended her limbs, nestling against her pillow... Until she noticed there was no pillow! She muttered something under her breath as a cold breeze shivered her body, pushing her to draw the sheets up. Unfortunately, the pillow was not the only object that had gone missing. She couldn't reach the bed linens no matter how far she stretched one of her hooves. She had had enough and fully opened her eyes, expecting to find herself in Twilight's chambers. Instead, she was floating above the floor, glowing lavender.

It took her brain one second to grasp that she was no longer in bed. She screamed in surprise, drawing the attention of everyone in the room, including several royal guards and Twilight herself.

“Oh, you’re awake,” The lavender unicorn remarked, the glow in her horn fading away.

“Oof!” Rarity yelped in pain as she collapsed to the floor. “Where am I?” She rubbed the back of her head before standing back up.

“You’re in the guards’ training room. I needed to wake up early to train them on Princess Luna’s orders,” Twilight explained before turning her gaze to the guards. “What are you gawking at? Training isn’t over yet!” She shouted, prompting them to swiftly return to their training and avoid the princess’ student ire.

From what Rarity could see, most of them were sparring against each other. However, some were casting spells at training dummies. It looked like this version of Twilight was quite adept at fighting, so much so that she even trained the royal guards. Nevertheless, that didn’t explain what Rarity was doing here.

“Alright, I can see that you’re very dedicated to your duties, but… Uhm… Why was I sleeping in your magical grab, darling?” Rarity questioned.

“I must stay with you and assure you’re not a danger,” Twilight answered, throwing her a dismissive glance. “And I couldn’t wait for you to wake up,”

“I… understand that,” Rarity responded carefully, but still dumbstruck at the other unicorn’s reasoning. “But couldn’t you have woken me up?”

“I could have. Admittedly, not hearing you complain was a nice change of pace,” Twilight replied, keeping a straight face while Rarity gasped offendedly.

“You don’t mean that!” She exclaimed, only for the lavender mare to shrug her shoulders in response. Instead of letting it offend her too much, Rarity decided to use another tactic. “Oh, I see…” She grinned, nodding in understanding. “You didn’t want to bother my beauty sleep, but since admitting this would make you a big softie, you came up with an excuse! I know your types,” She smirked teasingly, reminded of Rainbow Dash.

“W-What?” Twilight stuttered with reddened cheeks. “I just told you it’s because I find your complaining annoying! There isn’t anything more to it than that!” She shouted, earning the glances of a few guards nearby.

“Sure, sure. That’s not it at all,” Rarity smugly repeated with half-closed eyes. “Your first slumber party was so good that you couldn’t help but consider me your best friend already! And you didn’t want to wake your new best friend too early!” She added, her grin only growing larger.

“You… Where did you get that idea from?! You know what? I won’t waste my time on this. I’m better than that,” Twilight shook her head, still blushing before looking away and focusing on the guards’ training.

There was a pregnant pause while Rarity simply observed the second unicorn watching the guards, and sometimes yelling out instructions or corrections. Rarity was in no way a fighter unlike some of her friends, even if she had some experience with it, so she wasn’t really entertained by quietly watching this unfolding.

“So, one of your duties is to train the royal guards?” Rarity asked, deciding to strike up a conversation.

“Indeed. I was personally trained in combat by Princess Luna since I was a filly. I am an elite unicorn, actually,” Twilight answered, still keeping her eyes on the guards.

“Elite unicorn? I apologize, but I’ve never heard of elite unicorns before,” Rarity replied in confusion.

“Does the title not exist in your world?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow, turning her head in Rarity’s direction.

“I don’t think it does,”

“How strange… Well, Princess Luna is the one who came up with it, and considering her circumstances in your universe, I’m not surprised it doesn’t,” Twilight began, suddenly sounding bitter at the reminder of how Luna and Celestia’s roles were swapped. “Basically, an elite unicorn is a unicorn who learned at least a hundred spells and is proficient in combat. Once you meet these two requirements, you must also pass a series of tests to earn your title,” She explained.

“A hundred?!” Rarity loudly exclaimed, making Twilight jerk her head back in surprise. “I didn’t even know something like this was possible! Even my Twilight only knows about fifty!”

“Isn’t she an alicorn?” Twilight asked in confusion.

“What does it have to do with anything?” Rarity inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“Alicorns have more magical reserves, and their magic is more potent. Princess Luna alone is far above an elite unicorn like myself. I would expect an alicorn counterpart of myself to be at least twice as strong as me,” Twilight explained.

“Strength never was Twilight’s priority…” Rarity mumbled to herself in defense of her friend. “Is Princess Luna really that strong?”

“Of course!” Twilight retorted as if it was obvious. “She’s the most powerful and beautiful pony to have ever lived,” She said dreamily while staring at the ceiling. That reminded Rarity of herself when she was thinking of her imaginary Prince Charming. “I don’t think I could ever be like her. She’s literally perfect,”

She thought her Twilight overadmired Princess Celestia sometimes, but that was something else! Rarity was half–tempted to bring it up and question the lavender mare about it, but probably wouldn’t receive a satisfying response. She expected something along the lines of ‘Isn’t it obvious?’ Instead, she was curious about something else.

“And how many elite unicorns are there? Do you have an idea?” Rairyt questioned, which successfully brought Twilight out of her daydream.

“Hn? If I remember correctly… Including me, there would be ten in total,” She responded with a hoof over her chin. “Today’s standards for top unicorns are much higher than in the past though. Perhaps you’ve heard of Starswirl the Bearded?” The night’s student asked Rarity who simply nodded. “Well if he was somehow transported to our era, he likely wouldn’t make it as an elite unicorn. He was a hero who certainly knew how to fight and knew many spells, but he was still quite limited when it came to quantity and diversity. I doubt he could even pass the trials to become an elite unicorn. I am wondering if my counterpart is… no offense, weak because those standards didn’t evolve with time,” She further explained before nodding to herself. “An interesting theory… I have heard of the butterfly effect, but to see it in action is something I never expected. The fact that Princess Luna is the one who went rogue changed many things but also proves that an Equestria that she doesn’t rule is simply not up to par with one where she does!” She concluded proudly.

“That’s… I can’t argue with that!” Rarity chuckled nervously. Yes, she could. She could. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t. “Anyway, do you do something else?”

“Something else? What do you mean?” Twilight inquired, snapping out of her thoughts again.

“Well, I know you’re training to be a princess and a strong pony. You train the guards, too. Do you do anything with the nobles?” Rarity clarified.

“I learned diplomacy,” Twilight simply answered.

“Are you invited to galas or parties?”

“Of course! As Princess Luna’s student, it’s my duty to meddle with the nobles. Even if most of them are pompous and too arrogant for their own good,” The lavender unicorn nodded.

“This is wonderful! Oh, but that means you must be a wonderful dancer! At least compared to the Twilight I know!” Rarity exclaimed, smiling ear to ear. “She’s sweet, but dance is really not her forte,” She snickered, remembering how Twilight danced to the various parties Pinkie organized. Meanwhile, Twilight just looked confused.

“Dance? Excuse me, but I don’t dance,” The unicorn scoffed in amusement. “I converse with the other guests, but that’s all,”

“So, you don’t know… How to dance?” Rarity hesitantly asked.

“I… Does it matter?” The elite unicorn sputtered in offense.

“But of course, darling!” The fashionista exclaimed before walking around Twilight. “I’ve actually had some experience with nobles back in my universe, and I can assure you that appearances are quite important as well as reputation is. Being strong, beautiful, and a good flatterer isn’t enough,”

“This is not what Princess Luna taught me,”

“That’s because Princess Luna has nothing to prove,” Rarity retorted. “I am certain the nobles will have a better opinion of yourself if they think you are as elegant as they are,”

“I don’t need elegance,” Twilight shook her head as the white unicorn stepped in front of her.

“Maybe I could teach you a thing or two,” She offered. “Knowing how to dance with a partner is a necessity when it comes to galas,” She added, making Twilight stare at her impassively.

“Very funny,” The mare replied sarcastically. “I don’t need that,” She shook her head.

“Is it because you’re scared you can’t learn?” Rarity retorted smugly.

“Me? Scared? Please. How hard can learning to dance be?” Twilight scoffed mockingly, only for the drama queen to smile in victory. Oh, yes, she knew how to deal with her types!

“It can be quite hard, Twilight. Especially for somepony who never tried to learn before. You’ve likely been so focused on magic that learning something entirely different must be difficult for you, so I don’t blame you,” She pushed forward, challenging Twilight’s ego and confidence, which seemed to be working considering the blood rushing to the other unicorn’s face.

“Very well, then! If you need proof of my capabilities, then you’ll have it! Let’s see how easily I will learn to… dance,” Twilight conceded, bitterly muttering the last word.

Yes! Rarity knew this delightfully devilish plan would work! Honestly, knowing how to dance wasn’t so important, especially since Twilight could afford not to care about the nobles’ opinions due to her position. However, she did always want to teach the alicorn (well unicorn in this case) to dance and spare her the embarrassment of showing her ungraceful moves to a whole crowd of ponies.

This was also the perfect opportunity to bond with her friend’s counterpart and teach her the magic of friendship! She would have to talk about the magic of friendship, at some point… Unfortunately, that version of Twilight didn’t seem to be in the mood yet. Maybe it was worth trying to discuss this with Princess Luna too since she was the only one who could convince Twilight of anything. The princess must know about the magic of friendship, but why didn’t she teach it to her student?

“There is one condition,” Twilight suddenly pulled her out of her daydreaming, ruining any plan Rarity may have had.

“Okay? What is it?” The fashionista wondered, hoping it wouldn’t be something too bothersome for her.

“I have to teach you something, too,” The lavender mare said to Rarity’s surprise.

“You want to teach me? But why? And what?” She questioned. She didn’t mind getting a lesson or two from a friend, but she had to admit it rarely ever happened.

“I don’t want to owe you anything. Also, since we’ve been talking about it earlier, I’d like to teach you a couple of spells, and combat. Looking at your stance, it’s obvious you have very little experience. It’s a wonder nopony managed to take you out by surprise yet,” Twilight gestured to all of Rarity.

“C-Combat? Me? I can fight a few changelings on my own, isn’t that enough? Besides, I really am not the scholarly type, darling. The only spell I have that can help me in a fight is a shield spell, and small magical beams here and there,” Rarity argued.

“Unless those changelings were fully fed on love, then no, it’s not. Moreover, I am a good trainer. Even you can learn a thing or two with me,” The second unicorn retorted. Rarity felt really patronized suddenly. “Or we don’t do that. But then, I also refuse to learn dancing,” Twilight added, making Rarity sigh.

She didn’t have much of a choice, it seemed. Besides, training with her might also be a good way to bond. They could both share one of their passions with the other.

“Alright. You win, Twilight,”

“Good! Then we’ll start with the training,” Twilight declared.

“Dancing would be much more simple as a start,” Rarity countered.

“If we start with that, how do I know you won’t back out when we begin training? As for me, I am a mare of my word, so you can be sure I won’t change my mind concerning your… lessons… after we are done with mine,” She retorted, making the white unicorn roll her eyes.

“Then, I believe you,” The fashionista sighed. She honestly didn’t want to do any kind of training, but she wouldn’t waste an opportunity such as this Twilight actually accepting to do something with her in only a slightly reluctant way.

“Good. Then let’s start now,” Twilight nodded, making the second mare widen her eyes.

“Now? But aren’t you busy?” She gestured to the other guards.

“Please,” Twilight huffed, eyes rolling as she lit her horn and a duplicate suddenly popped in a white flash by her side. “The duplication spell,” She stated as her clone nodded.

“A classic,” The second Twilight confirmed. “I’ll train the guards. You two can begin your own training in the meantime,” Her clone said.

“Thank you,” The original thanked her duplicate before turning her attention to the white unicorn. “There is a special training room an elite unicorn would use. We shouldn’t be too bothered,” She stated.

“Great! I don’t want anypony to see me embarrass myself,” Rarity breathed in relief. “Are you going to…” She began, only for the two of them to be wrapped in a flash of light and reappear somewhere else. “Teleport us? Never mind,” She finished, then widened her eyes in awe.

The room they were in was gigantic, so much so that even an adult dragon could likely fit inside. There was no furniture inside, and the walls as well as the ceiling were completely white. The only thing with color was the grey door behind them.

“This is a training room? What do you do in there? Summon meteors?” She gasped while slowly spinning around and inspecting the room.

“That would be overkill. But rooms like this are made to handle strong spells,” Luna’s student replied. “We won’t be doing anything too difficult, though. You said you know a shield spell?”

“I do,” Rarity confirmed before lighting her horn and creating a magical shield that looked like a white gem.

“Fitting,” Twilight uttered while Rarity’s shield faded.

“I also have a gem-finding spell, but I doubt that will help me in a fight,”

“Hn?” The lavender unicorn arched an eyebrow. “I’ve never heard of such a spell before,” She admitted.

“No wonder, I came up with it!” Rarity retorted, harboring a large smile on her face.

“Color me surprised, I didn’t think you would create a spell. I’m impressed,” Twilight admitted. “Can you show me?”

“Of course,” Rarity responded before lighting her horn in a blue hue. “Once my horn is close enough to buried gems, it will show me their location and even make the ground or wall translucent for a second,” She explained while Twilight approached her, inspecting her horn more carefully.

“How interesting… Right now, from appearance alone, it just looks like your horn glows for a simple levitation spell. However, the feeling is much different,” Twilight commented. “I wouldn’t mind getting a magic lesson myself to add another spell to my repertoire,” She added.

“I suppose I can do that. I already taught it to my Twilight once, after all,” Rarity accepted.

“First, I want to see what you’re capable of with your magic offensively,” Twilight told Rarity before lighting her horn and materializing several copies of her around them. The difference between those and the copy from earlier was that they were transparent and pink. “Consider them your targets,” She gestured to them.

Rarity nodded and concentrated her magical energy. With a flick of her horn, she created a glowing white projectile, which she aimed at one of the transparent copies of Twilight. She didn’t argue much about the fact that she had to train now, choosing not to waste time complaining. The beam hit one of the copies straight in the chest, making it disappear.

"Good start," Twilight remarked, watching as Rarity's magical prowess destroyed one of the copies. "Now, try to hit the others as well. Feel free to use any spells you're comfortable with."

She charged up another beam, then shot it in the direction of a nearby copy, only for it to jump aside and easily dodge it.

“Hey! It moved!” Rarity pointed out, making Twilight chuckle.

“Of course, it did. It would be too easy otherwise. You can move too, if you want to, but do try to hit all the targets,” The lavender unicorn commented right before the copies began moving, all running around the room. Some even levitated in the air!

The white unicorn didn’t say anything and focused on the task at hand instead. The copies weren’t doing any unpredictable moves and ran in predetermined directions. So it was easy for Rarity to figure out where she needed to shoot in order to hit them. Suddenly, one of them shot a light magical beam in her direction, making her widen her eyes in surprise before quickly summoning her shield and protecting herself. The copy’s blow was clearly not meant to harm, simply to stun, but the white unicorn would still rather avoid taking hits.

“Good job! You protected yourself just in time,” Twilight remarked while Rarity began running around, too, choosing to avoid most hits rather than use her shield spell every time.

Rarity continued to adapt to the new challenge by incorporating movement into her strategy. As the copies moved and fired their own spells, she weaved through the magical attacks with agility, narrowly avoiding being hit. Her magical projectiles and beams, however, were precise and on target, steadily reducing the number of copies in the room.

“Good! Very good for a beginner! Remember, the key is to strike a balance between offense and defense in battle,” Twilight observed the white unicorn with satisfaction. “I have a good idea of your current level, now,” She said before lighting her horn and making all the copies disappear.

“Finally,” Rarity fell back on her haunches, catching her breath.

“It’s not over yet, but you can rest for a couple of minutes. Before teaching you any spell, I want to teach you a few moves. Some of yours were sloppy,” Twilight said, only for Rarity to groan in response. “You didn’t think it would be over so soon, did you?” She cocked an eyebrow in amusement. “If you don’t know how to do it yet, I’d also like to help you make concentrated beams of magic,” She added.

Twilight's training was systematic and comprehensive. She executed each magical battle maneuver flawlessly, demonstrating the fluidity and grace of her own magical talents. Rarity couldn't help but admire Twilight's ability and knowledge of the arcane arts as she watched.

Timing was also an important consideration. Twilight highlighted the significance of precisely coordinating spells and actions, ensuring that each action occurred at the appropriate time. In a heated magical confrontation, timing could mean the difference between success and failure.

While doing so, the lavender mare even showed her several close combat techniques she practiced herself. They would be most useful whenever Rarity was either out of magic or forced to fight in closed quarters. Flexibility and strength were an important part of that. Naturally, a mare as elegant as Rarity was already quite flexible. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much physical strength. That wouldn’t have been an issue if she was an earth pony since they naturally had supernatural strength. Moreover, she never trained in a way to build muscles before like Rainbow Dash or Applejack had. She wasn’t athletic.

Twilight told her some experienced unicorns could use magic to strengthen themselves, but considering the fashionista didn’t have much knowledge of magic and didn’t possess massive magical reserves, this was not an option for her. Thus, the lavender pony taught her to use an opponent’s strength against them instead.

“Generally, big brutes will try to finish the fight quickly, unless they’re sadistic, or perhaps they don’t know how to hold back. That means they’ll put all their strength and weight into every hit,” Twilight explained before grabbing one of Rarity’s hooves and lifting it under the other unicorn’s curiosity-filled eyes. “Now. Slowly, do the motion as if you’re punching me. And put your back into it,” She instructed.

“Alright,” Rarity nodded, then raised the hoof Twilight held earlier a bit higher and shot it forward, putting her weight behind it, which forced her to lean forward. Suddenly, Luna’s student’s eyes gained a glint.

Twilight moved her face out of the way and swiftly approached the white unicorn, then put one hoof under Rarity’s foreleg and one on her chest. “Stronger opponents mean more muscle mass and more muscle mass means bigger opponents. It’s not always the case, but when it is, then those guys should be slower than you. You take advantage of that difference in speed to go under their hit. Since they put their weight into it, as you just did, they don’t have any balance anymore, which would help you do this,” She explained as she pulled Rarity along and threw her over her shoulders, making the other unicorn yelp in surprise, only for Twilight to light her horn and make her levitate before she hit the floor.

"Thank you," Rarity said once she was on the floor and able to stand. “Rainbow Dash actually told me about some of those things, but she never showed them to me. Honestly, I didn’t even bother trying to learn,” She stated.

“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow quizzically.

“One of our friends,” The unicorn responded.

“Our friend. Right…” Twilight trailed off, suddenly getting quiet. Before Rarity could say anything, the lavender mare cleared her throat. “Anyway, shall we get on with the rest of the training?” She offered while Rarity slowly nodded.

“Sure,” She mumbled, making the lavender unicorn smile. Huh. She didn’t see that Twilight smile often. Maybe the idea of bonding over this worked.

They resumed training after that. Twilight taught her many other defensive and offensive techniques, some Rarity would need to practice often if she wanted to be good at them enough so she would efficiently use them in combat.

Surprisingly, Rarity even began enjoying it. Twilight wasn’t too harsh on her, which she didn’t expect considering their first meeting and the other unicorn’s overall personality. She repeated her explanations multiple times if needed and demonstrated techniques multiple times, ensuring that Rarity had a thorough understanding of each concept.

Things really started getting complicated once Twilight wanted to teach her new spells and how to use her magic more proficiently, notably during a fight. And of all the things the lavender pony wanted to teach her, it just had to be the teleportation spell! Sure there were also the more concentrated beams. However, those basically only required more focus and power. It was easier said than done, but it was, most of all, easier to understand than a teleportation spell.

From what the more experienced unicorn said, the teleportation spell was the basics when a unicorn wished to delve deeper into the chasm of magic. Compared to the duplication spell, which could be learned by only a handful of strong enough unicorns, it was foal’s play.

Truthfully, even if it was much harder, a part of Rarity also wished to learn the duplication spell since it would have been so useful when she was running out of time for deliveries or any project, really.

“The easiest way is to picture the place you want to teleport to, or at least the approximate location,” Twilight instructed to a Rarity who had her eyes closed. “Most of all, you must focus. If you don’t focus, then you either teleport somewhere else or don’t teleport at all. This is exactly like any other activity that requires focus,” She explained, to which the other unicorn nodded.

“Like when I make dresses,” Rarity whispered, making Twilight raise an eyebrow with curiosity. “If I get distracted even a second, I could mess a single detail up and it would ruin the whole dress,” She said.

“Yes, like dresses. Think of it that way if it helps you,” Twilight approved. “Next, you’ll want to make your magic flow from your horn through your whole body. In case you need to teleport other ponies or creatures, then your magic will have to surround them, too. Otherwise, they won’t come with you. Naturally, the more there is, the more magic it takes,” Twilight explained.

“I don’t think I ever did something like this…” Rarity whispered while she attempted to do as instructed. Concentrating magic into her horn was something she did naturally, like all unicorns, so to try to make it travel through her whole body was foreign to her. Although, from what Twilight said, she wondered if it was like having something in her magical grab?

“Once that is done, you need to expel some of that magic out of you. Not everything. Only a small portion, right where you pictured the place you want to teleport to,”

Rarity didn’t answer, picturing the place again with her eyes closed, which was behind Twilight. Then she was back to her earlier thoughts. Clenching her teeth, she made her magic flow through her as if she would have done to an object when grabbing it. Suddenly, she felt lighter.

“Did I do it?” She asked with her eyes still firmly shut.

“Uhm, no. You’re just floating,” Twilight giggled as the white unicorn opened her eyes in a panic, noticing she was floating above the floor.

“Ah!” She flailed around before falling flat on her face when the magic around her disappeared.

“Maybe we should stop for today. We’ve been training for hours already,” Twilight grinned while Rarity stood up with a pained groan.

“I agree…” She muttered before suddenly staring at the lavender unicorn as if she just realized something.

“Is something wrong?” The unicorn inquired, breaking Rarity out of her thoughts.

“No, no. It’s just… It looked like you really had fun,” She commented, making Luna’s student blush with embarrassment.

“Fun? No. No, I… Uhm…” Twilight stammered, thrown off by Rarity’s remark. “Why would I have fun? It’s ridiculous,” She chuckled nervously.

“There is nothing wrong with having fun with friends, darling,” The white-coated unicorn assured her.

“I don’t have friends,” Twilight furrowed her brows, all the amusement from earlier now gone. “We had enough training for today. Let’s go, my duplicate will fade soon,”

Rarity wanted to sigh out loud but held herself back as she observed the other unicorn walking toward the exit door. That was a bit disappointing, but at least they made some progress. Nonetheless, it still wasn’t over.

“Wait a second, Twilight. We aren’t done yet,” She called out to her, prompting Twilight to turn around and raise an eyebrow. “Did you already forget your end of the deal? I have to teach you how to dance now,” She reminded her.

“Right. Actually, I didn’t expect you to accept my offer to train you, but since you did… I am a mare of my word. Let’s begin,” Twilight sighed. Either she was awful at hiding her annoyance, or she simply didn’t care at all about offending Rarity.

“Wonderful! Since you never danced, let’s start with the basics!” The fashionista didn’t let it deter her and kept her enthusiasm.

Somewhere in Equestria, a masculine equine shadow brushed its mane for a few seconds before sitting down behind its desk. A light surrounded the hand mirror on the desk as the male pony inspected his mane and face, likely checking if he had done a good job.

However, while something like this would have taken only a few seconds for some ponies or even a couple of minutes, the stallion didn’t let go of it for the next ten minutes. Perhaps he admired his own beauty. He would have surely continued for even longer since the guards in his room didn’t interrupt him in any way if it weren’t for the two newcomers.

Two unicorns suddenly teleported a couple of meters in front of his desk. They weren’t basked in the shadows, unlike him, which allowed everyone in the room to see they were two mares. Ironically, they seemed far more intimidating than him.

“Did you learn it?” One of them questioned while the stallion checked his mirror for a few more seconds, then placed it back on his desk.

“Of course. I am a genius, after all,” He scoffed with arrogance.

“I hope this is a fair assessment of your abilities, otherwise the whole plan will fail. When can you start? And will you have enough time?” The second mare retorted, making the stallion roll his eyes.

“Stop worrying already. I can do it next week, and I’ll have plenty of time for it. I am the one who came up with this plan, so it is only natural it succeeds,” He responded. “I only hope the money I have given you is enough to secure your loyalty,” He added in a lower tone.

“Money is good, but you know this isn’t what we’re after. What we want is a privileged place in your new kingdom,” The first one replied smugly.

“Your titles will become official once we celebrate her death. Once that miserable Princess Luna dies, we will earn everything we wished for,” The stallion stated.

“And we’ll welcome our prince,” The second mare added in amusement, only for the stallion to laugh.

“Not prince. I will be king. As I was always meant to be,” He declared with a wicked grin.

Applebloom

Universe 25197

“So… Do ya have any questions?” Applejack asked with a nervous smile to the classroom full of foals. Applebloom was right beside her, smiling from ear to ear while looking at her big sister.

“Don’t be shy, children. I’m sure Miss Applejack here would love answering any questions you may have,” Cheerilee stated from her desk.

After several seconds, one of the foals raised their hoof. Applejack recognized the filly nearly instantly since Applebloom complained about her a lot in the past. It was Diamond Tiara, and once her little sister had noticed the other filly’s raised hoof, she immediately grinned maliciously.

“Yes?” Applejack pointed at Diamond Tiara while attempting to ignore Applebloom’s strange look.

“Uhm, how much do you earn a year?” The pink earth pony questioned, prompting Applejack to clear her throat.

“How much? Right… How much…” She repeated under her breath. How much did Jackie say again? This was one of the things she didn’t write down. Thankfully, her memory wasn’t as bad as Granny Smith’s yet, so she was able to remember it. “3 billion bits on average,” She finally answered.

Unfortunately, it seemed her response wasn’t quite satisfying enough? At least, that was what she supposed considering the little filly was as immobile as a statue, with wide eyes and her jaw nearly touching the floor. Before Applejack could even ask if she was alright, Diamond Tiara fainted on her desk.

“Ah! Diamond Tiara!” Silver Spoon shouted as she ran to the filly’s side.

“S-Silver Spoon…” Diamond Tiara coughed while she was held in her friend’s hooves. “Did I just hear… That Applebloom is… richer than me?” She asked with heavy breaths. She shouldn’t have even been surprised. The moment she heard that the CEO of Apple Industries was Applebloom’s sister, she should have known. However, it was such a difficult fact to accept.

“No! You just… You heard it wrong, I swear! Don’t go into the light!” Silver Spoon replied while shaking her friend, who seemingly passed out again.

“Okay. Silver Spoon, take her to the school nurse, please,” Cherilee instructed the grey filly. “I’m sorry you had to see this,” The teacher turned to Applejack to apologize while Applebloom triumphantly bragged with a victory dance to the two fillies exiting the classroom.

Even some of the other adults, who accompanied their foals for their presentation, suddenly felt inadequate compared to the Apple family.

“It’s alright,” The older Apple sister retorted before looking at the class again. “Any other questions?” She asked again and was met with silence for a second time until another foal raised their hoof. “Ya there,”

“Do you know who your best customer is?” The white foal with brown spots questioned.

“That would be the Dragon Lands. Ah have a fruitful partnership with Lord Ember; she let me set up ma gem mines in her lands in exchange for a discount any dragon from her lands can benefit from,” Applejack answered with as much confidence as she could muster. The foal seemed satisfied with this response. “If y’all… excuse me, Ah think Ah’ll need to go to the restroom,” She smiled nervously before swiftly bolting out of the classroom.

“It’s alright, I think we were done anyway,” Applebloom replied while Cheerilee wrote down some notes on her clipboard, then gazed at the little filly.

“This was an excellent presentation, Applebloom! First your grandmother, now your big sister, your family is full of surprises, isn’t it?” She cheerfully congratulated the little filly, who punched the air in victory.

“I know, right?!” She responded before being suddenly joined by her friends, the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“You sister’s awesome!” Scootaloo commented excitedly. “Not as awesome as Rainbow Dash, but still!” She added as the three fillies slowly went back to their seats.

“Do you think she’d like to meet Rarity? My sister always wanted to have a line of gem-based dresses,” Sweetie Belle mentioned, to which Applebloom eagerly nodded.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t she? I’m sure she must have heard about Rarity! Oh! Maybe we could get her to meet the others, too!” She responded. The others she referred to were the rest of the bearers of the elements of harmony, and she had no doubt that they would be overjoyed to meet her sister. Maybe she could even become one of their closest friends!

BLECH

“Celestia, please… Blerrr!” Applejack barfed with guttural and pained sounds in the restroom while desperately holding on to the toilet seat as if her life depended on it. “Ah never… Bu…” She began saying, only to be interrupted again by the vomit begging to exit her throat. “Ah never had… To lie so much in so little time… Ever,” She finally managed to utter with snot running down her muzzle. If anyone were to come here and see her, then would probably think this was a pathetic sight for someone who claimed to be the CEO of Apple Industries.

They would be right since she was NOT the CEO of Apple Industries! Screw that multiverse dung! Why did it have to put her in this position?! How did it come to this? She already has an idea of how this would evolve. She would have spit out even more lies, soon! Of course, a school presentation wouldn’t be the only problem she would encounter!

The only thing she didn’t lie during that whole thing was about her family and her name! Actually, no. That was a lie, too! Not only because this wasn’t her original family, but also because she told them her friends called her “Jackie”! Who the hell called her that?! No one! No one did!

That wasn’t even the worst part. Oh, Celestia! Why did Applebloom look so proud and overjoyed?!

“Ah’m a fraud! Why is she proud of a fraud?” Applejack slapped her own face.

Well, technically, she was proud of Jackie’s accomplishments and that pony wasn’t a fraud. Nonetheless, she didn’t deserve the credit! All of that for a stupid stone she could just… Steal somehow! Just after resorting to lying, she would have to steal, too? That stupid messed-up world was making her betray everything she believed in!

That world! That world… Wasn’t really messed up… After all, it looked peaceful. Everyone looked happy. Even her family! Indeed, their relationship with Jackie was strained, to say the least, but they were still happy! Her counterpart certainly was. It only reminded her of how little it seemed she mattered. She wasn’t the element of honesty here… Yet, everything was fine. The world was still there. No powerful villain had taken over it either.

She thought her bond with her friends meant something! That it was not only the greatest thing that ever happened to her, but to them as well! Even if she got the stone and returned home, how could she ever forget there was a universe where she was replaced by Lyra of all ponies and it barely changed anything?!

She wanted to see her friends again. They would know how to help. She wouldn’t have to lie, cheat, steal, or anything! She bet there was a peaceful and easy way to resolve this. Unfortunately, she had no idea what she was doing.

“Sis? Are ya okay?” Applebloom’s voice reached Applejack’s ears while the little filly knocked on the restroom stall’s door.

The older sister widened her eyes and swiftly wiped her face clean before flushing the toilet.

“Y-Yeah! Ah’m comin’!” She shouted in a panic, desperately trying to hide the fact she wasn’t feeling well.

“Ya’ve been in there for a long time!” Applebloom exclaimed with a bewildered look once the orange earth pony came out.

“Really? How long?” She asked, genuinely curious since it didn’t seem she had been in there for too long.

“Well… Class is over,” Applebloom revealed, nearly making her sister choke on her own spit.

“What?! That long?! What have Ah been doin’ in there?!” Applejack grabbed her head in shock before realizing what she just said to the little filly, who could only stare at her with an eyebrow raised. “Ah mean… Ah really must have eaten somethin’ bad before comin’ here,” She corrected while rubbing her belly.

Yet another lie, and just as she predicted, they would keep piling up more and more until their weight finally crushed her.

“Okay…” Applebloom drew out her response before lighting up. “Well, if ya feel better, follow me!” She shouted, grabbing one of Applejack’s hooves and dragging her along with her.

“Whoa! Where are we goin’?” The older Apple sister inquired.

“Ya have to come with me! Ya gotta play with me and ma friends! Ya only got to talk to them, but you’ll see, they’re awesome at games, too!” She responded eagerly.

Applejack simply grinned warmly in response. Of course, she already knew who Applebloom’s friends were, but she guessed there was no problem playing with them again as if she had never done before. Moreover, she wanted to do her utmost to please her sister. Not because Jackie asked her to, even if she may have come here because of that, but because seeing the little filly so happy was actually heartwarming. Even if she wasn’t exactly the one she knew, she still loved her, so lying to her was gut-wrenching. At least, making her happy would be a good way to partially atone for her mistakes.

Even if… Telling the truth was the right thing to do…

“Hey… Wait,” Applejack suddenly stopped, pulling Applebloom back by surprise. “Ah have to tell you somethin’...” She began much to her sister’s confusion.

“We can talk later! Come on! Ya gotta see the girls!” She cut her off and pulled her along the way again.

“But, wait! It’s important!” Applejack tried to argue, only for the filly to shake her head.

“Ah’m sure it can wait, sis! Let’s just go! Ma friends will be so jealous when we beat them!” Applebloom countered as excitedly as ever.

For once, Applejack decided to finally question her about her strange adoration for her. Ever since she got here, it looked like this Applebloom loved her even more than hers!

“Just, wait!” Applejack pulled her hoof away, making the filly pause and stare back at her. “Ah love spendin’ time with ya, but Ah gotta know… Why are ya so happy Ah came here? Why are ya so excited? It’s not like we met before… Right?” This was a genuine question considering she really didn’t know if Jackie and the filly ever met before, but it didn’t seem to be the case.

Applebloom looked down, downcast as if she was reminded of a bad memory. Applejack instantly felt bad about making her feel this way since it must have been a sensitive subject. However, before she could apologize and tell her to forget about it, the filly finally answered.

“Ah always wanted a sister,” She revealed shyly, lightly kicking the ground. “Havin’ Big Mac and Granny Smith was nice, ‘specially since Ah don’t have memories of Mom and Dad… But it’s not the same as havin’ a big sister. Sometimes, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would be busy with Rarity and Rainbow Dash, and Ah’d be all alone,”

Applejack softly nodded. Scotaloo and RD didn’t have blood relations, but they may have as well. They acted like two real sisters would. As far as anyone was concerned, they were family. Even a blind pony could see it. Moreover, Applejack may have not seen Rarity and Sweetie Belle interact much, but she was certain their relationship was similar to hers and Applebloom’s.

“Ah wasn’t mad at them for leavin’ me to be with their family, but… They always look so happy when they do, and… Ah was jealous.” She admitted shamefully with her eyes closed. “Scootaloo will do tricks with her scooter and Rainbow Dash will be here to congratulate her, and cheer her on. She always tells her she’s the most awesome filly ever; oh, and Ah always see her givin’ her pointers for her tricks when she teaches her to fly! It looks like they have so much fun!” She smiled a little, perking up as she seemingly got more cheery as she remembered the two ponies. “Sweetie Belle’s sister is so cool, too! Our school had to prepare a play once, but Snips and Snails, those dummies, ruined all our costumes!” She snickered.

Actually, Applejack remembered something like that happening in her own universe. How did they resolve it again? She knew Applebloom told her…

“Everypony thought we’d have to cancel the play, but then, Rarity came out of nowhere and fixed it all up for once! She even made new costumes for us! All that in only a few hours! Sweetie Belle called for her help right away when she saw the state of our costumes, apparently,” She smiled fondly.

Right, now she remembered. Since it was before Twilight came to Ponyville, she didn’t have a great relationship with Rarity yet. So when Applebloom told her how cool the unicorn was, she was a bit jealous. Now… Now it seemed something so childish and trivial to be jealous about.

“Sometimes, we play outside, so we get all dirty,” Applebloom kicked the ground again, averting Applejack’s gaze. “Every time Rarity sees us, she scolds Sweetie Belle. Nothin’ too serious or anythin’! She’d get a towel and she would clean her up super easily! She sounds harsh, but it’s so obvious Rarity likes a lot! She buys her everythin’ and on her birthdays, she makes her toys herself! Ain’t that awesome?” Applebloom asked, to which Applejack smiled and nodded. “Sweetie complains she acts too much like she’s her mom, but… that ain’t so bad, is it?” She inquired. “It just means she likes her a ton! Rarity also wants to teach her to make dresses from time to time… Ah am their friend, but these two are their best friends,”

Applejack was tempted to interject and tell her that it didn’t change the fact she was their closest friend outside of their family. No matter what happened, they were the CMCs and they would always be together. However, she doubted this was the answer Applebloom wanted to hear. She wasn’t sad because she felt left out. She was sad because they had something she didn’t. So, instead, she remained silent.

“Granny Smith and Big Mac are always so busy, and they don’t understand me… Ah just wish Ah’d have somepony to cheer me on, too. A pony who would teach me things, play with me, or help me go back to sleep after a nightmare…. A pony who’d help with ma school projects. Ah wanted to know what Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle felt like! Ah tried to hang out with Sweetie Belle’s sister’s friends… Like Scootaloo does with Rainbow Dash. But it never worked out. Pinkie and Fluttershy were too different, Ah didn’t have fun with them. Lyra is always with her marefriend. Twilight already has Spike, Shining Armor, Cadence… She has so many siblings already!” Applebloom sighed, feeling more and more miserable.

Well, now Applejack felt bad for asking.

“Sometimes… They talked about ya. Granny and Big Mac,” She stated, making Applejack perk up. “It was never in detail, though. They didn’t want ta say much. But Ah wasn’t deaf! Knowing Ah had a sister was nice, but… Ah always thought ya didn’t like me,” She admitted, much to Applejack’s shock. “Ya never came to Ponyville before, and they never talked about ya comin’ anytime soon. Maybe ya didn’t like us or we weren’t important enough. That’s what Ah thought,” She sniffled and wiped away the small tears in the corner of her eyes.

“Applebloom… Ah…” The words were stuck in Applejack’s throat. They simply refused to come out because no matter what she said next, there would be nothing good about it.

“But Ah was wrong! Ya do care!” The filly jumped and embraced her big sister in a hug, suddenly feeling upbeat. “Ya’re here! Really, really here! And you’re awesome!” She added eagerly.

Way to go Applejack. Now tell her you’re not her sister. It should have been easy. The truth was her whole business, after all. It was time to reveal her true identity to the world and stop this charade once and for all! It would also ruin whatever stupid plan Jackie may have had! It was a win-win outcome! So… Why… Why wasn’t her mouth moving like she wanted it to? Instead, the orange earth pony’s lips quivered while small tears trickled down her cheeks. Before she could stop herself, she returned the hug.

“Yeah! Yeah, Ah’m here! We’ll have a lot of fun, Ah swear!” She promised the little filly. “Of course, yer big sister wouldn’t forget about her family!”

You coward. You absolute coward.

She wasn’t proud of herself. How could she be? She knew the repercussions would likely be even worse in the long run if she didn’t stop this in time, but… She didn’t have the strength when Applebloom took her to the other Cutie Mark Crusaders, so they could play.

They wished to play volleyball since one of them always had to be the referee, but now that Applejack was here, they could play in teams of two. Apparently, Rainbow Dash had set up a net between two trees for them at the request of Scootaloo one day.

Naturally, Applebloom’s friends found it unfair that she would have an adult on her team, but they didn’t protest too much when they saw how happy the filly was to be with her sister. Still, she wanted to be fair play, so Applejack agreed she would only hit the ball to either protect their side or pass it to her sister.

“Here, Applebloom!” The older Apple sister exclaimed as she headbutted the ball and sent it toward the smaller filly.

“Hiya!” The filly shouted as she jumped and kicked the ball over the net.

“I got it! I got it!” Scootaloo retorted while running to where the ball should land, only to trip and fall pathetically on her face. However, right before the ball touched the ground, it was surrounded by a blue hue which made it levitate.

“Oof, that was close,” Sweetie Belle breathed out in relief. “Take this!” She exclaimed as she used her magic to throw the ball over the net.

“Hey! Usin’ magic is cheatin’!” Applebloom complained. Fortunately, she didn’t have to move from her spot once she noticed Applejack running toward the ball. The older mare jumped before kicking the ball with her powerful legs and sending it flying to the other side.

“RUN!” Scootaloo ordered in fear and ran off to avoid the oncoming missile, who loudly bounced off their side of the field and flew into a tree.

“You said you wouldn’t do that!” Sweetie Belle yelled after running off from behind the rock where she was hiding.

“Sorry, kids, but if ya want me to play fair, ya gotta do the same,” Applejack smirked until Applebloom suddenly jumped on her back.

“That’s 10 to 0! Haha! No one can beat us!” She rejoiced, reminding the losing team of the difference in points they had.

“You two are lucky Rainbow Dash isn’t here because the two of us would have totally ruled,” Scootaloo crossed her forelegs smugly.

Applejack’s competitive side nearly pushed her to retort it wouldn’t change anything because she would easily kick Rainbow Dash’s ass. Then she remembered that the Rainbow Dash she knew wasn’t actually here… In fact, the pegasus from this place wouldn’t even know who she was, probably. Worse, she knew Jackie and hated her. Another reminder she didn’t have her trusted friends by her side.

She was beginning to think this world was some kind of illusion made to torture her. Could you blame her? She betrayed her principles and lied to everyone around her, she was replaced by Lyra, and she didn’t have friends. At least, she could try to be a good sister to Applebloom.

A fake sister.

“We should probably go back to the farm. Ah reckon Granny Smith might need our help,” Applejack uttered, making Applebloom sigh.

“Okay… Stupid chores,” She mumbled in annoyance which didn’t go unheard.

“I guess we’ll see you maybe later today?” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“I gotta work on my scooter tricks anyway,” Scootaloo added.

“We really have to train for the Ponyville’s Junior Race, too. We only have a couple of days,” Sweetie reminded them.

“It’ll be fine! We’re so ready!” Applebloom called out to her while departing and taking one last look at her friends.

“What’s this race about?” Applejack questioned since she never heard of it in her own universe.

“It’s somethin’ Mayor Mare wanted to do because some foals said they wanted to have a kind of Running of the Leaves for foals. The Cutie Mark Crusaders have been trainin’ to get in the top 3. Ah plan on bein’ first place!” Applebloom responded excitedly.

“And Ah’m sure you will,” Her big sister assured her.

Thus, Applejack began doing what her sister needed of her.

Teaching her.

The older Apple sister pulled a cart full of apples, which she just bucked out of a few trees. She would have taken them to the barn immediately if she hadn’t stopped to watch her sister buck a tree. Unsurprisingly, she managed to make quite a number of apples fall. However, it would take her multiple kicks to get all of them.

“Ya sure have a lot of strength!” She complimented before letting go of the cart and approaching the small filly.

“Thanks,” She blushed at her sister’s praise.

“But yer stance isn’t quite perfect yet,” Applejack revealed. “Your forelegs are too close to each other. Ya don’t have a good balance, and without a good balance, ya won’t have enough strength for a good buck,” She instructed while showing Applebloom the correct position of her hooves.

“Like this?” Applebloom inquired, imitating her sister’s stance.

“Yup! Try it out, now!” The older sister replied.

The redhead obliged and bucked the tree as hard as she could! As if it was a magic trick, all the remaining apples fell off its branches and inside the basket the filly brought.

“Woah! Ah did it!” Applebloom celebrated. “How come Big Mac never taught me that?”

“That’s ‘cause he’s a big boy with big muscles. He don’t need no stance!”

Indeed, this was a technique she had to come up with on her own when she was a filly because Big Mac simply didn’t need anything more than his raw strength. Granny Smith had her own method, but Applejack never liked it much. Now she was as strong as her brother and didn’t really need any technique anymore, but she still did it nonetheless.

“Ya already know so much about buckin’ trees! It’s like you’ve been on a farm yer whole life!” Applebloom said with admiration.

“What? Me? On a farm? No… Nope!” Applejack chuckled nervously. “That’s just ma Apple blood wakin’ up!”

What a horrible liar. You’ve spent your whole life on a farm, and you weren’t even proud enough to say it?

“If ya say so!” Applebloom giggled before putting the two baskets on her back.

Applejack looked away, sighed, and followed after her. This wasn’t what she intended. She didn’t want it to be this way! They would understand, wouldn’t they?!

BLECH

Applejack shed tears with her head down the toilet as she released her lunch down the drain.

Playing with her.

“What? Ah’m goin’ to jail again?!” Applejack groaned after reading her card. She rolled her eyes and simply moved the small boot on the prison spot. She was about to voice her displeasure again before being stopped short by Applebloom’s giggling across her. “What’s so funny, little missy?”

“You! Ya really are bad at this game,” She snickered while hiding her mouth behind her hooves.

Yeah, Applejack couldn’t deny she was. It wasn’t her fault, though! She didn’t understand a thing about it! It didn’t even exist in her universe! At least, she didn’t think so. They were in the living room, playing a board game called ‘Monopoly’. The rules sounded simple when Applebloom explained them, but that little filly was… some kind of genius or something because she was rich as hay! Meanwhile, Applejack had to beg her a few times for some money.

Naturally, the little tyke was acting all smug about it. Nevertheless, the older sister didn’t blame her considering how competitive she, herself, was.

“Ah’m surprised, though. You’re the one who made it,” Applebloom shrugged before rolling the dice and moving her carriage forward.

“Huh? What?” Applejack muttered in shock. Jackie made that game?! No wonder it didn’t exist back home, then! “Right. Yeah… Just ‘cause Ah made it… Doesn’t mean Ah am good at it,” She laughed weakly.

“Ah guess so,” Her little sister answered dismissively.

You forgot to mention one small detail. You weren’t the one who made it, were you? Wonder what she would look like once she learned the truth?

Applejack shook her head, dismissing those thoughts before noticing Big Mac grabbing a box of milk and drinking a few sips of it. One of Applebloom’s problems was that Granny Smith and Big Mac didn’t understand her. They were too busy to spend time with her, so maybe… She could help with that?

“Hey! Big Mac! Get over here and come play with us!” She ordered, getting the stallion’s attention and surprising Applebloom in the process.

“Ah don’t know… Ah thought Ah would hit the hay. Work’s been rough,” He replied, obviously tired. However, Applejack was well aware he could handle much more than that.

“Only one game! Ah am sure Applebloom wouldn’t mind, right?” She insisted. Her little sister nodded immediately.

“Of course! Won’t ya play with us?” She asked her brother and did her best to put on the best puppy eyes imaginable.

Big Mac could do nothing but sigh in defeat. How could he resist?

“Alright, alright. Ya know she always wins that game, right? Playing this against her sure is painful,” He said as he sat at the table with them.

“Oh, Ah noticed! She sure is cunnin’! Ah owe her at least twice as much money as I started with!” Applejack laughed while their little sister snickered pridefully.

“That was your first mistake, borrowin’ from her,” Big Mac grinned before picking the piece he would play as, which was a bicycle.

“Since Big Mac’s joining us, let’s start a new game!” Applebloom stated before distributing back the money she had taken from Applejack and returning some to the bank.

Applejack nearly forgot about her worries as she played with them. It was as if… It began feeling like home. However, she knew the truth. This could never be her real home, and not just because she already had one to return to. She was aware she didn’t really deserve to stay here after everything.

“What? Ya can do that? Since when?” Big Mac exclaimed, flabbergasted. It seemed he forgot some of the game rules, apparently.

“Yup! Since Ah am bribin’ the City Hall, Ah’m basically the mayor! If Ah can raise the taxes once every two turns, and take one of your possessions for free!” Applebloom cheerfully explained before grabbing something out of the box. “Ah’ll take yer farm, and place one ma factories instead!” She decided after kicking away Big Mac’s little house piece and putting a factory instead.

“My farm! It’s ma family home! We lived there for generations!” He shouted with horror. Yeah, for some reason, he liked roleplaying.

“Oof, that’s a tough one, Big Mac. Hang in there,” His other sister patted him on the back. “Ah could let you borrow some money, but… Ah really don’t wanna lose the little Ah have,” She chuckled.

“Ya shouldn’t laugh too soon, sis ‘cause it’s yer turn, next!” Applebloom warned her, much to Applejack’s terror.

“Huh, What did Ah do?!” She retorted while Big Mac burst out laughing. While he was in a dire situation, he knew it wouldn’t take long before the older Apple sister ended up in the same predicament.

Their little sister simply snickered without a care in the world as if she enjoyed the suffering she brought them. What a little devil. Yet, Applejack couldn’t help but laugh along with them after only a few seconds.

Meanwhile, Granny Smith peeked at the three of them from behind the wall. Perhaps, she was awakened from her nap by the sound of laughter, or she simply wanted to check on them, or even give them an additional chore. In the end, the reason didn’t matter anymore as she laid her eyes on the joyful scene. Unwilling to interrupt them, she just smiled and walked away. She never thought she would hear Applejack’s laughter again since that day, but she supposed every prayer would come answered at some point.

BLECH

“Why… Why?” Applejack puked again behind a tree, crying at the same just as she did the previous times. “Ah’m sorry!”

Telling bedtime stories.

“You fought over that?” Applebloom questioned in disbelief.

“Yup! Ah was real silly back then, but it was ma first slumber party with the three of them! Ah hated how pompous she was!” Applejack softly laughed, recalling her slumber party with Twilight and Rarity. Naturally, she made sure to avoid mentioning their real name because Applebloom would catch on quickly.

She really had no shame.

“She sounds like Sweetie Belle’s sister,” Applebloom sniggered, tightly wrapped under her bed covers.

Once the night had fallen, the filly had convinced Applejack to tell her a bedtime story, which she nearly immediately accepted to do.

“Ah wouldn’t mind meetin’ this Rarity, one day. At the end of the party, we made up and both apologized, of course. It was… It’s a nice memory… Ah hope ya have plenty of them, too,” Applejack whispered before realizing that her sister had already fallen asleep. “Good night, sis,” Just as she turned around to leave, her sister spoke.

“Sis… Love ya,” The redhead filly mumbled in her sleep, making Applejack pause. She couldn’t look at her.

She loved her sister. The one in Manehattan. Not you. You were an impostor, a fraud, and a liar.

Applejack didn’t reply back. Instead, she simply left the room without a word.

BLECH

“Ah’m… A bad pony…”

Cheering her on.

“Go, Applebloom!” Applejack shouted from the side as her little sister was nearing the finish line, closely followed by the other CMCs along with Pipsqueak trailing right behind them. “Kick their ass!” She cheered the small filly.

“Ah… Ah…” Applebloom breathed heavily when the finish line finally got in sight. There were quite a lot of adults gathered around, each cheering for different foals. She didn’t need to look behind her to know there was likely a horde of ponies running behind her, but she would make it through this! She only needed a little push!

“You’re nearly there, Applebloom! Ya can do it!” Her older sister yelled from the sidelines. Somehow, this allowed the school filly to muster even more strength in her legs and propel herself forward until she finally reached the finish line, probably a second before Scotaloo did. “Yahoo! Ya did it!” Applejack cheered as did many other ponies when the other foals arrived, then ran up to her sister who couldn’t stand on her legs anymore.

“Ah… Ah did it?” She asked herself while looking at the sky, her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

“You sure did! I was so close to being in the first place! So, so close!” Scootaloo replied, panting as much as the redhead did.

“I don’t think I can move my legs anymore,” Sweetie Belle added from the ground she was lying on.

“Congrats, ya three! Ya won!” Applejack came running with pride before picking Applebloom up from the ground.

“You’ll have… To carry me home, Ah think,” The smaller pony mumbled while lying on Applejack’s back. “Oh, and… Thanks for watchin’ me,” She thanked her.

“Ya really think Ah wouldn’t have?” Applejack grinned warmly and ruffled her sister’s mane.

You shouldn’t have. She was not your sister, you liar! You were faking it! You couldn’t be happy while going on with this joke! Liar! Liar! Liar!

Helping her with her homework, buying her gifts with Jackie’s money, and helping with the chores more and more. She had been the ideal sister and daughter this past week. She did everything she could to make them happy and their life easier. However, in the end… It didn’t change the facts. To them, she was a stranger who took the place of someone they cared about, of someone they loved. They just hadn’t noticed it yet. What she wondered was… When had she become such a good liar? Maybe she always had the potential to be one.

“Ya okay, Applejack?” Granny Smith pulled her out of daydreaming.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I am. Why?” Her granddaughter answered tiredly.

“Applebloom told me ya’ve been goin’ to the restroom an awful lot, lately. It’s been the second time ya’ve been in there this past 30 minutes,” She explained worriedly. “Ya look a bit pale, too,”

“Oh, it’s… It’s nothin’. Ah’m tired, that’s all. Not used to the farm life, ya know? Nothin’ serious,” Applejack lied as naturally as she breathed.

“If ya say so… Anyway, Ah came here to talk to ya about the past week,” She responded, making Applejack arch an eyebrow. “Ah gotta say ya fulfilled the end of yer deal perfectly. Ya pulled yer own weight! Ya did every chore and more. Ya bonded a lot with Applebloom and Big Mac. Ah am so proud,” She explained before putting a hoof on the other pony’s shoulder. “Ah know ya were sincere when ya said ya wanted to fix what we had. Ah always believed it, but Ah’m glad ya confirmed it. Ya always cared, even if we were far apart, and that’s enough for me,” Suddenly, she embraced her. “Ah know you’ll have to go back to Manehattan, but know that this will always be yer home,”

“Granny… I…” Applejack’s words were stuck in her throat. Why? Why couldn’t they kick her out?! Couldn’t they scream at her and tell her how much they hated her?! “Thanks… Ah’m tired, so Ah think I’ll rest in ma room,” She said before breaking off the hug and walking away with her head low.

“Rest well,” Granny Smith said softly while watching the younger pony walking up the stairs.

Applejack sighed. No. She needed to end this once and for all. One week here was already too much. Right on cue, the necklace Jackie gave her was blinking as she entered the room. How long was she calling her? Well, better not make her wait.

Going over to it, Applejack picked it up and placed it on the bedside table as Jackie’s face appeared above it. She seemed to be in her office.

“Howdy there, partner! Ah hope ya weren’t ghostin’ me,” Jackie grinned smugly.

“No. Ah was talkin’ with Granny Smith, sorry,” Applejack responded.

“Oh? So, Ah’m guessin’ your bondin’ is going well? They love ya, Ah mean, me a lot?” She asked while lighting a cigar as her counterpart nodded. Jackie didn’t notice how depressed her nodding was, though. “Good, good. Ya only have one more thing to do, and that would be the end of yer deal,” She revealed, making her counterpart perk up.

“Really?” Applejack asked hopefully. Yes! It would be over! Maybe she could even get to tell them the truth! Finally! Yes, they would hate her, but that was what she deserved! She wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if they didn’t hate her!

“Yup!” Jackie took a puff of her cigar. “Ah want ya to make them sell their farm to me,” She instructed.

“What?” Applejack muttered in disbelief. “What do ya mean… Sell?”

“That ain’t clear enough?” Jackie raised an eyebrow. “Ah want their land. There are tons of gems under there from what my experts said. There’s a lotta profit to be made, here,” She explained nonchalantly.

“But… They live there! That’s their home! They can’t just leave!” Applejack argued astonishingly.

“Do Ah look like Ah give a shit?! They won’t complain once they see the check, anyway,”

“But ya already are rich! Why do ya want more money?!” Applejack shouted aggressively, only for Jackie to suddenly look more serious.

“Only the rich get wealthier, Sugar,” Jackie scoffed with narrowed eyes. “Seriously, what are ya pullin’ here?”

“No. No, Ah’m not doing that! Ah am not tellin’ them Ah’ll buy the land!” Applejack stomped the floor in anger.

“Excuse me? Are you actually trying to defy me, here?” Jackie questioned. Applejack widened her eyes as she realized her counterpart suddenly dropped her accent. “You’re literally this close to having what you want! Now you choose to fight back? What? Do you want money, too?!” She slammed her desk.

“No! Not everythin’ is about money! This is just wrong! Ya just want to emotionally manipulate them to buy their home!” Applejack retorted, waving her hooves around.

“Oh, I see. You’re that type,” Jackie leaned back in her chair while her counterpart looked confused. “The fake hero type. Frankly, I’m tired of that bullshit. Let’s get one thing straight, you don’t give a shit about any of these ponies,” She stated plainly in boredom.

“Huh? Where did ya get that from?”

“Isn’t it obvious? They’re not your family, they’re mine. Your real family is from another universe, where you belong. Not here. These ponies, you met them last week,” Jackie rolled her eyes.

“Ah still care about them more than ya do!”

“Oh, please! No one believes that! You fuckin’ hypocrite!” Jackie snapped, making Applejack jerk her head back. “You sure didn’t mind lying to them and manipulating them to get what YOU want! The stone. Everything you did was for your own selfish gain to get that stone, and you felt no remorse for doing it! In the end, that’s the only thing that matters, doesn’t it? That’s all you want, so stop pretending you actually care about these idiots,” Jackie rubbed her forehead before taking another puff of her cigar. “I know what I’m talking about. You’re me, after all. An inferior and stupider version, but you still have the same potential,”

Applejack’s lip quivered, her anger building up while her eyes got wetter and wetter.

“Pretend? Pretend?! Ya think Ah pretended?! Ah was happy with them! But every time Ah had to lie to their face… Ah felt like Ah was crushin’ ma heart! Ah felt like a monster!” Applejack cried while Jackie looked bored, rolling her eyes during her counterpart’s tirade. “Ya don’t realize how much they care! They care about ya! And all ya think about is money this, and money that! For Celestia’s sake, they need ya, here! Applebloom needs ya!” Applejack finished.

Jackie just stared at her, her stern expression unchanged. She crushed her cigar in the ashtray, and then leaned back.

“Who the fuck is Applebloom?” She asked. Applejack remained quiet, unable to answer the sudden question. “I’m not going to waste any more time. Get them to agree to sell their land. Otherwise, I’ll come here myself. Oh, and of course, you’ll have to say bye-bye to your stone,” She ordered before hanging up.

Applejack remained still as a statue. Before she realized it, she was already lying on the floor and crying while holding her head.

It was only a matter of time. Welcome to reality.

Author's Note

There you go! New chapter!

Grover's Jewel

Universe 10328

“To be or not to be? What is the purpose of living and why has equinity come to be? Such questions have been pondered for generations. In reality, the answers are simple. There is simply no reason. The cause for our existence is a mere coincidence brought up by the cogs of a machine all creatures like to call Fate. Indeed, lives are fleeting and serve no purpose beyond the search for a purpose. In that case, could we really consider life valuable? Certain lives have more value than others, but who can judge their worth, really? It would be a higher power for those who believe in them, but then, you would have to ask yourself…”

“Oh, for the love of God! Can you shut up?!” Fluttershy’s voice came from her drone as it smashed a hoof through the body of a diamond dog.

“Abu!” The diamond dog spat out blood in pain before collapsing to the ground.

“Excuse me? Don’t you see I’m in the middle of a lecture?” Twilight retorted in annoyance, adjusting her glasses with one of her claws while choking a diamond dog with another.

“Nobody cares! Literally. Nobody. Cares,” Fluttershy responded, and even if her robot replica was currently expressionless, they could all somehow feel her deadpan stare. Twilight simply rolled her eyes before returning to the diamond dog she was choking.

“Anyway, what I’ve been trying to say is sorry, but there’s nothing personal,” She concluded as the diamond dog drew his last breath.

Meanwhile, the other girls were faring just as well. Rainbow Dash’s superior cybernetics easily overpowered their enemies’ guns as she massacred them without receiving a scratch. Applejack reduced their bones into dust with a single thrust of her hooves which sent small but powerful shockwaves through the dogs’ bodies. Her girlfriend, on the other hand, calmly shot waves of wind so cold that it froze them before they could even counterattack.

Pinkie 2 gleefully riddled them with bullets before mercilessly cutting them in half with extending blades. Even the ones who were already killed by the bullets weren’t spared. The diamond dogs fought as hard as they could, but they knew who they were up against. Equestria’s protectors were ruthless war machines who, when deployed on the battlefield, massacred the enemy soldiers as easily as killing puppies.

Chancellor IX Celestia preached to her soldiers to get rid of their emotions to truly be victorious in times of war, but these six girls seemed to be the only ponies who succeeded.

The seventh member of their group seemed a bit… different, though.

“S-Sorry!” Pinkie apologized as she tased a diamond dog until he fainted. Luckily, she had found out there were tasers on these armors, which allowed her to fight without having to kill anyone. She made sure she didn’t hurt the dog too much, but she mostly hoped the others wouldn’t notice.

“There were more door guards than I expected,” Twilight commented while dusting herself off. The door in front of them was massive and made of thick steel. Behind them, the entrance of the mines was littered with bodies.

“They definitely sounded the alarm, now,” Pinkie 2 snickered, seemingly not bothered by the blood dripping down her face. It was mostly because she had armor, but it was still gruesome to Pinkie 1.

“So much for trying to be sneaky,” Rarity sighed while shaking her head in disapproval.

“Oh, I’d like to see you plan for everything without any issues!” Twilight yelled in response, adjusting her glasses again.

“Hey! Don’t scream at her!” Applejack came to Rarity’s defense.

“Thank you, dear,” The white earth pony nuzzled her as thanks. Their lavender friend rolled her eyes in annoyance but didn’t comment anything beyond that.

“If they know we’re here, let’s just go in and shoot everything that moves,” Fluttershy grumbled with her wings crossed.

“Or maybe we could just talk to them?” Pinkie 1 suggested, earning silent glances from the other girls. They stared at her for a good second before immediately turning their attention back to the matter at hand as if she hadn’t said anything.

“It always ends up like this,” Twilight shook her head and sighed. “Very well, let’s break down this door. Oh, right. We’ll be in mines, so don’t use explosions or huge shockwaves. You know who I’m talking to,” She instructed as her cyan girlfriend stepped up.

“Alright, make some room. I’ll blast that door open,” She cracked her neck. After all, for someone like her, reinforced steel was nothing.

The original Pinkie looked down in defeat. This was way more than she could chew. Sure, she managed to befriend many creatures, some so unlikely to befriend, too. However, this was a whole different challenge. She never had to face… Murder before! Yes, their enemies tried to kill her and her friends before, but they never did anything like that themselves. Actually, did they kill Sombra? She would rather not think about it. These ponies may have looked like her friends, but they were nothing like them! Even her counterpart was completely insane!

She couldn’t help but ask herself: what would the others do? She was also worried about them. Her Twilight seemed in danger, too. She almost wished she was allowed to sulk in the corner, but the loud banging of the steel door being blown apart brought her back to reality.

“Hello there!” Rainbow Dash smirked, stepping on the door.

As they expected, what awaited them was a horde of diamond dogs, armed to the teeth and with their machine guns aimed at them.

“Gun those bastards down!” One of them ordered with a shout as his comrades immediately obeyed.

Before any of them could even understand what happened, Twilight’s mechanical arms reacted at lightning speed and placed themselves in front of the cyan cyborg, shielding her from every bullet while doing the same with their creator. Still, as a cyborg, Rainbow Dash was mostly bulletproof anyway, but she liked the gesture.

“Let’s get this party started!” Pinkie 2 let out a war cry before jumping in. The first thing she did was swipe one of her hooves to the right, shooting a pink laser out of it and cutting several diamond dogs in half, ignoring their pained cries while she laughed joyfully.

“Leave some to us, Sugarcube!” Applejack grinned before punching away a diamond dog who was about to grapple the pink pony from behind.

She didn’t use any firearms unlike most of her friends, but with every hit, she propelled small shockwaves through her hooves. The weakest of them sent her enemies flying backward with their bones broken while the strongest made them burst apart like fragile flesh bags. For someone who wasn’t used to seeing guts getting spilled everywhere, this would be enough to make them vomit. That was why Pinkie 1 stayed back, holding her stomach with her face green.

The upper body of one of the Ice Fangs members was propelled away and dropped at the feet of one of his comrades, desperately trying to reach the foot of his fellow, likely hoping for help.

Said fellow’s eyes burned with rage as he watched his companion pass on in agony, then looked back at his executioner. He threw his gun away and quickly took out his plasma sword, igniting it in a blue hue before running toward the orange earth pony.

“You’ll pay for this, you mother…” He began screaming. However, just as he raised his sword to cut the invader in half, she turned around and delivered a weak punch in his direction. Everything happened so fast that his brain couldn’t even process what happened. Her hoof stopped an inch away from his face, and less than a second later, his broken skull was ejected from the back of his head.

“Nice try,” Applejack chuckled.

“Careful, honey!” Rarity suddenly called out to her as she jumped in front of her girlfriend and sent a wave of frost over to the other sword-wielding diamond dogs, turning them into ice statues. “Don’t let your guard down,” Her eyelashes fluttered while she looked back at the orange pony.

“Well, I know you’ve got my back,” Applejack answered as she nuzzled her, uncaring if they were in the middle of the battlefield. Suddenly, both circled each other and took out the opponents who were about to strike their partner in the back.

“Ugh. Gross,” Fluttershy muttered after watching their interaction. The robotic replica opened its mouth and breathed fire into the nearest diamond dog, before holding out one of its hooves and shooting a volley of bullets all over the body of another enemy.

“Is this a gang or an army?” Rainbow Dash shouted as she sliced through multiple diamond dogs thanks to her sharp blade wings. All she needed to do was fly straight through them, and they would be cut in half like butter. For those who had the misfortune of standing right in front of her, they were simply smashed apart by her hooves. “Not that I’m complaining!” She grinned.

“They must have been recruiting a lot recently!” Twilight responded while impaling several dogs with the blades at the end of her tentacles. Others were gunned down, crushed or even swiftly choked to death. Even during all this, her mechanical arms reacted fast enough to block any incoming bullets. She grabbed another diamond dog in her titanic grasp. Before he could even plead for mercy, her eyes glowed a sinister red before shooting two lasers that burned straight through his head and left her glasses intact. One of the gang members couldn’t help but drop his weapon at the sight. Feeling that they had no chance of winning against those monsters, he tried to make a run for it, only for the scientist to notice. “Where do you think you’re going?” She questioned as a tentacle shot up toward him and grabbed his leg, before throwing him back in Fluttershy’s direction.

“Ha! No, no!” He screamed while flailing his arms around. The pegasus’ back opened up, revealing several small canons, which shot plasma bullets in rapid fire, reducing his body into nothing but a red cloud.

While the six girls were enjoying their battle as if it was a game. The original and lovable Pinkie was surrounded by all sides, desperately shielding herself from the barrage of bullets flying in her direction, and occasionally the plasma sword-wielding diamond dogs.

“Wait! We can talk this out! I… I don’t want to hurt you!” Pinkie shouted as she tasered the nearest dog, making him faint. It wasn’t the first time she had to fight someone, of course. However, she couldn’t possibly fight normally and without a care in the world while her friends’ counterparts were murdering everything that moved! She wished to avoid further bloodshed.

“You think you can just waltz in here and do whatever you want? No one messes with us!” A diamond dog stated while wildly swinging his sword around, trying to cut the pink pony to pieces.

“What? No! I’m just… Ah!” Pinkie yelled, dodging his sword at the last second. “I just want to see my friends again!” She responded before punching him so hard he flew back and crashed into the wall. Fortunately, this hit was enough to put him out of commission without killing him.

“Damn it! Bullets won’t work on them! Just overwhelm her!” One of them instructed before dropping his machine gun and taking out his plasma sword, which many of his comrades did, too.

“Oh… Oh, no!” Pinkie widened her eyes before trying to fly away with her repulsors, only for a diamond dog to jump on her back and grapple her with his arms around her neck. Many others quickly followed suit, but instead of simply grabbing onto her, they proceeded to attempt to stab her or even slice her. Luckily for her, her armor was tough enough to sustain hits from plasma, but they were slowly overcrowding her! She couldn’t even see anything beyond them! “P-Please! Just stop!” She pleaded, teary-eyed.

So overwhelmed by the situation, she hadn’t even noticed her mane was slowly getting straighter, less puffy, less joyful, and vibrant. The more they attacked her, the more she was curling up on herself, protecting her head with her forelegs. She completely ignored the flashing and loud warnings in her vision and ears, telling her the armor was reaching its limits. It was like she was fully ready to give up and die!

“Finish her off! Take… Gah!” One of the diamond dogs shouted, only for a blade to go through his throat. He was immediately thrown off the pile of diamond dogs as more of his comrades were killed.

A few were riddled with bullets, some have been decapitated in an instant with their expressions frozen in shock. The rest were blown apart as if they exploded from the inside. It didn’t even take more than a few seconds for Pinkie 1 to be freed and safe. Her savior had been none other than the yellow pegasus she was so accustomed to seeing as someone timid and introverted.

“You okay?” Fluttershy asked while helping her stand up. She seemed impassive, ignoring the corpses surrounding them and the blood dripping down her face.

“Y-Yeah… Thank you…” Pinkie 1 thanked her before putting a hoof over her mouth, holding her lunch back in her stomach as she tried to look away from the bodies.

“Yo, Pinkie 1! This is another universe! It’s okay to kill them! It’s okay, you can kill them, here!” Rainbow Dash called out to her as she dropped a dead body to the ground.

Everything had gone silent, prompting the original party pony to look around. There were no enemies in sight anymore, at least not live ones. The mines’ hallway they were in was littered with corpses that were either mangled, frozen, torn to shreds, or even reduced into mush.

This was like nothing she had ever seen before. How was she even supposed to react to that?! Positive! She needed to remain positive! Pinkie was always upbeat and optimistic, right?! Just had to be happy and crazy, and everything would get better! All she needed to do was celebrate and throw a party out of the blue! That was what Pinkie was supposed to do, right?!

“No. No, no! This is not okay!” She suddenly snapped, yelling at the top of her lungs and pulling everyone’s attention to her. The worst part was that they had the gall to look like she was the one who was acting crazy! “I’m not a murderer, and I’m not gonna kill those guys! No way! No how! Just take those gems you need, let’s go back to the lab, and help me go back home!”

There was a pregnant pause, which only made Pinkie 1 madder. They stared at her, looking incredulous while glancing at one another from time to time. Finally, Fluttershy spoke.

“Well, personally, I think everyone should be allowed to kill at least one pony in their life without any repercussions. Think about the benefits,” She argued while Pinkie 1’s eye twitched.

“Aww, look at her!” Twilight adjusted her glasses before crawling toward her. “She has morals! How adorable!” She chuckled as she used one of her claws to boop the earth pony’s nose, making her step back in surprise. “But seriously though, we are helping you! I simply decided to help myself, too while I’m at it!” She shrugged before turning her attention to the others. “Let’s just end this once and for all. The Ice Fans overstayed their welcome here,”

Pinkie 1 rubbed her muzzle with a frown. Only her friends were allowed to boop her nose, and no one else! These insane ponies were starting to get on her nerves, which was something she never thought she would think about someone.

When she got here, she began to think she could become friends with them, and even change them. However, now she had no idea what to think. It wasn’t like they were villains either, so she couldn’t reform them! Could she? All Twilight ever told her about reformation was that she wasn’t allowed to use mind control magic to get the bad guys to go to her parties. In her opinion, this would have prevented a lot of disasters from happening if Pinkie could do that! She could already imagine Chrysalis and Tirek playing “Pop the Balloon” and “Tart Fight”!

“Hey! If you’re done daydreaming, hurry up!” Flutterbot shook her by the shoulder to pull her out of her thoughts. Pinkie 1 shook her head as she realized the others were already going ahead.

“Oh! Sorry! I was thinking of pancakes!” The pink earth pony sheepishly laughed before trying to follow after the others, only for the Fluttershy replica to grab her by one of her legs. “Huh? What’s up?” She asked, praying to Celestia that she wouldn’t say something freaky. She didn’t want to hear anything freaky coming from Fluttershy’s mouth.

“You were looking weird back there, so I just wanted to make sure you weren’t up to no good,” The pony drone stated, much to Pinkie Pie’s confusion. “I can see that, even if you resemble Pinkie Pie, you two aren’t the same. Obviously. I may hate these girls, but they’re still my friends, so don’t think of betraying them, got it?” Fluttershy jabbed Pinkie in the chest. “Or else… You know,” She ended with a threat before walking away with a disgusting crunch once she stepped on a diamond dog’s head.

Pinkie stayed back for a few more seconds, flabbergasted and bewildered.

“Did she just say I was the evil twin?”

It was just an additional confirmation that she was in a crazy universe! Who would call that adorable face evil?! She grumbled but didn’t reply to Fluttershy, and simply followed after them. Of course, she wouldn’t betray them! She wasn’t that kind of pony! She couldn’t use their insane armor correctly because she didn’t want to kill anybody. She didn’t even want to wear it.

“Stupid meanie armor! Wish I could burn you!” She insulted her armor with furrowed brows.

“Self-destruct engaged,” It suddenly stated coldly, sending a shiver down Pinkie’s spine as she widened her eyes in terror.

“Ah! No! Cancel! Cancel!” She shouted while punching herself as if this would somehow make the armor cancel it faster.

“Self-destruct aborted,” The armor stated, making the pink earth pony breathe in relief. Well, that was one disaster avoided. Why did their armor even have a self-destruct function?! Were they suicidal or something?!

Nevertheless, her previous thoughts did bring up something she was worried about, too… What assurance did she have that they wouldn’t betray her, either?

Grover, the leader of the Ice Fangs gang, grinned with pride as he lied back on his comfy chair, which served as a throne. He was a tall and large diamond dog with white fur with two handguns strapped to his hips by a leather belt.

All the way to the back of the mines, there was a massive room with gems poking out of all of its walls. There, were several crates filled with gems which would either be sold to the highest bidder or used by the diamond dogs for their own weapons. This part of the mines was also where the leader resided and oversaw the gang’s work. It was only expected that it would be guarded by his strongest and best-armed men. Surprisingly, he wasn’t the only creature sitting on this throne.

At his side was a pony, a mare to be more accurate, with a blue coat and a silver mane. The pony had multiple necklaces made out of gems around her neck, as well as bracelets just as valuable and shiny as the gems around her neck. Her name was Jewel Digger. Considering how she was leaning on Grover, and the bedroom eyes she was giving him, they were likely close.

“Are you sure this is fine, dear?” Jewel asked while caressing his chest while the sound of rapid fire was getting louder and louder from outside their room. Since the reinforced steel door was closed, they couldn’t exactly see what was going on, but the leader seemed confident.

“I told you, babe. It’s probably bandits or mutant moles again. Those little shits are persistent, but the issue should be resolved any time, now,” Grover responded with an arm around her back.

“But still, I’m so scared,” She replied while giving him puppy eyes. “You’ll protect me, right?” She asked as she waved one of her hooves around, making her bracelets clink.

“Of course, I will, babe! Look, I even made you a present with the new gems I collected,” He retorted before gesturing for one of his men to come closer, which he quickly did while carrying a necklace of gems, which somehow shone even brighter than the ones she was already wearing. “Every time you feel in danger, just look at these and remember I’m here, babe,” He grinned.

“Oh, honey! They’re majestic! I love you so much!” Jewel declared, swiftly snatching the necklace out of his hands and putting it over the ones she already had. “How do I look?” She asked while waving her necklaces around.

“Like a princess!” He praised her, much to the mare’s delight.

“You are such a gentleman, honey. Unlike those brutes,” She said while nuzzling him, making the diamond dog gang leader blush.

“Hehe, I know. Don’t wanna boost my ego, but I’m kinda the smartest diamond dog, here. These guys have no idea how to talk to a woman!” He laughed. Fortunately, it seemed she snickered along in total agreement.

A bit further away, two of his men watched with a downcast look as their leader conversed with the mare, completely ignoring the commotion happening outside of this room.

“The boss is so lucky! I wish I had a mate like that!” One of them sighed while looking at them longingly.

“I know, right? I would die happy if I found someone who could get me in heat as much as the boss is, right now. Never seen him act this way!” The second guard commented before crossing his arms grumpily. “That’s so unfair! He could share, at least! It wouldn’t be the first time he did!” He complained before the first one immediately shushed him.

“Not so loud! Boss probably wants to keep this one to himself, and that ain’t surprising. He really hit the jackpot! She’s so pretty,” He stated. “Do you think they could make a female diamond dog? This would be awesome,”

“Eh, I wouldn’t bet on it,” The other responded, shattering his companion’s dream.

Female diamond dogs were a rarity, something they loved even more than gems. Because of that, they were forced to mate with other races, most of the time. It was mostly with ponies since they were the most compatible with them. The problem was that there wasn’t much demand from the ponies for diamond dogs, so they had to… resort to unsavory methods. Well, they weren’t unsavory for them, but they sure were for the ponies! It wasn’t their fault! They had to preserve their race! This was how they usually responded.

Whenever a female diamond dog was found, though, they would treat her the complete opposite way compared to the mares. They didn’t want to lose someone so rare and valuable, so instead of forcing her to do anything, they would treat her like a queen until she accepted to mate with one of them. Moreover, they would also always treat someone of their own race better than creatures from another.

The fact that their boss was treating that pony this way likely meant he was fully smitten by her. Some of the other gangs or tribes would have already removed their leader and taken the female pony by force because of it. However, this particular band was loyal to a fault, and wouldn’t betray him this way. It wasn’t like he never rewarded them, after all.

“I could never get a mate like that,” The first guard lamented. His comrade patted him on the shoulder reassuringly.

“Well, it’s not like we’ll get mates delivered on the spot. But for what it’s worth… I believe in ya, buddy,” He smiled.

“You really do?” The other suddenly teared up. He opened his mouth again, about to say something else and thank him, only to pause as they noticed the shootings had stopped.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Finally! What took these idiots so long?” Grover rolled his eyes, pulling Jewel closer. “See? What did I tell ya? Problem solved!”

“Oh, honey,” Jewel began.

BANG

Grover narrowed his eyes, then gazed at the door. There were two dents in it as if someone just punched it. Before he could say anything, the door was hit a third time, and collapsed, crushing one of his elite bodyguards under its weight while the others reacted quickly enough to dodge it.

“What the…” He exclaimed in shock while his 17 remaining guards prepared their weapons. Several claws slammed on the door, and Grover immediately recognized who it was. “You!”

“Indeed,” Twilight smirked as she entered the room, followed by the six other ponies.

“What are ya waiting for?! Shoot them!” He ordered his men as he pushed Jewel off of him. The mare didn’t need to be told anything before quickly hiding behind his chair.

The diamond dogs jumped into action the moment he barked his orders, instantly targeting the lavender pony with their firearms while some of the others used two plasma swords to attack the others.

Just as easily as before, Twilight blocked every hit without a care in the world before crushing her enemies in her claws. While the ones wielding the swords were much better than the diamond dogs they fought previously, since they actually seemed to know some martial arts, this wasn’t enough to get the better of the Equestria’s protectors.

“Swinging those toys at me… How shameful!” Rarity declared before freezing one of the gang members, locking him with his arms and sword in the air.

“You, slut!” His partner insulted her while dashing in her direction.

“No one calls my girlfriend a slut!” Applejack suddenly jumped in front of him and swung her hoof down, tearing the dog’s arm off his body and making him scream in pain. He looked at his bleeding stump in shock, realizing that he had no weapons anymore. The orange pony left him no breathing room before thrusting her hoof forward and blasting a hole in his chest with a shockwave.

“I love the way you protect my honor, dear,” Rarity smiled as she froze the head of another opponent, who directly desperately clung to it before falling on it and shattering it to pieces on the ground.

“I try,” Applejack smirked.

The rest of them were just as good as they were before and swiftly dispatched most of their enemies, which didn’t stand a chance. This time, Pinkie 1 stayed behind and didn’t even attempt to fight. She wasn’t going to kill, and she didn’t want to get overwhelmed like she did earlier, either. She only hoped it would be almost over. All they needed was a few gems, then they would build that radar, find the stone and she would get home. She could forget about this home ever existing. She already started erasing it from her memory, actually!

Soon enough, only two of Grover’s underlings were left. It didn’t take a genius to know that they were outmatched, so they did the most logical thing and dropped their weapons before raising their arms.

“W-We surrender!” One of them declared, only for two of Twilight’s mechanical arms’ blades to skewer them through the chest and throw them in the air. They died before they landed.

Down at the throne’s feet lied Grover, who clutched his bleeding side. It looked like he had been shot by a stray bullet. The diamond dog leader growled while Twilight crawled closer and closer, followed by the other girls.

“You… Fucking bitch! We had a deal!” He spat at her, only for the pony to adjust her glasses.

“The deal’s off,” She aimed one of her mechanical arms at him.

“W-Wait! Wait!” He repeated loudly before being mercilessly riddled with bullets, dying on the spot.

“At least, he died as he lived,” Twilight sighed, seemingly remorseful. At least, that was what the original Pinkie hoped. “As a blabbering cockroach,” She finished. Well, never mind.

“NOOOO!” Jewel screamed, running out of her hiding spot to throw herself on the leader’s chest. “My Grover! How could you do this?!” She shouted at the 7 ponies before holding her beloved in her embrace.

The ponies seemed unaffected by her outburst. Instead, Twilight simply looked around, before her eyes settled on a random crate. One of her tentacles plunged into it, and came back a second later with… A shining diamond between its claws!

“Being the Ice Fangs’ captor must have been terrible. Here, a compensation for what you went through,” She said as she handed the precious stone to her. Jewel’s eyes widened, her tears fading away in seconds as she dropped Grover’s body.

“He had a diamond and didn’t even tell me?!” She exclaimed, then gazed down at the dead gang leader. Suddenly, she kicked him in anger and jumped on the diamond, embracing it closely to her chest while shedding painful tears. “Oh, God! You can’t imagine how horrible it was! The things those… Monsters did to me! I-I don’t know how I could ever live like I used to! T-Thank you for saving me!” She cried.

“There, there. I’m sure you’ll get through this. Now, go while we take care of the rest,” Twilight instructed while patting her with one of her claws.

Jewel didn’t even try to argue. She clutched her diamond as tightly as ever and ran out without looking back. Pinkie 1 could almost bet that she saw the mare smiling gleefully while running out.

“So, do you have enough to make the thingie to find the stone?” Pinkie 1 asked, desperate to finally go back home.

“With all those gems around? Of course, I do! I even have the radar with me right here!” Twilight declared as she pulled what looked like a watch out of her coat pocket. It was circular but seemed incomplete since the back was open. “All I need is laser two gems to pieces for my last components and it should work out fine!” She grinned, taking hold of two gems from the many crates scattered around.

“Two?” Pinkie 1 repeated, her left eye twitching. “We did that… All of this… For two gems?!” She screamed while holding her head.

“Obviously, the two gems are only for the radar. The rest are for my personal projects, so no, we didn’t do this for only two gems,” Twilight rolled her eyes as if she were talking to a child.

Pinkie 1 didn’t relent, going on a tirade like she never did before, only to be mostly ignored by the others; While they were arguing, a single rat watched them from afar, hiding beneath a corpse. His green eyes twinkled as he recognized the words they spoke.

Soon, they would go to the magical stone, and the Mother would be happy.

Reunion

Universe 19884

“S-Somepony help!” Rarity screamed while sliding down nearly as fast as she would have if she was in a free fall.

She didn’t know what happened. One second, she was walking after her friends in the general direction of the castle of the two sisters, the next she was falling to her death! Figuring out what occurred wouldn’t have been difficult if she was in her right mind, though. They needed to go through many obstacles to reach their goal. One of them was to walk around a nasty mountain. They weren’t at its base, which meant there was a risk of falling off the ledge… Which was barely wide enough for one pony to walk on. Unfortunately, it was also severely fragile and seemed it would crumble at any second.

The smartest action to take would have been to find a safer detour; however, they couldn’t afford to waste time or risk getting lost. By Dr Whooves' calculations, this was the fastest way to Twilight’s possible location.

Ultimately, this was also the most dangerous route, especially for magicless ponies. Before the white unicorn even realized it, the ground eroded beneath her hooves. As Rarity was tumbling down toward the spiky rocks at the bottom of the mountain, her life was about to start flashing before her eyes… Until two powerful hooves grabbed her by the forelegs.

“I got you!” Rainbow Dash shouted in relief before swiftly flying her up toward their friends.

“Oh… Oh… Thank you, Rainbow…” Rarity panted, in disbelief at the fact that she survived.

The others were leaning on the wall, doing their utmost best to stay as far away from the ledge as possible after seeing Rarity nearly fall to her death. The fact that they were four-legged creatures made it harder for them to be safe in this situation. Only Discord and Rainbow Dash could walk on this path without any issues. The former because there was enough room for his body, and the latter because she could fly.

“Ya alright, Rare?” Applejack asked worriedly. Thankfully, the unicorn only had a few scraps and bruises but was otherwise fine physically. Mentally, on the other hand, she was still a bit in shock.

“I… I am. Just… Wasn’t expecting this fall. I really thought it was the end,” Rarity responded while holding her chest after swiftly grabbing onto the wall of the mountain.

“Thank you for saving her, Dashie!” Pinkie exclaimed happily.

“Don’t worry, girls. As long as I’m here, you don’t have to worry about falling down,” The cyan pegasus assured them confidently. “Just… Make sure none of you fall off at the same time ‘cause I’m not sure I could carry more than two of you at the same time,” She added nervously, rubbing the back of her neck and flapping her wings at their side.

“Ah don’t plan on fallin’, ya can be sure of that…” Applejack muttered, gulping in fear as she looked down. She never had a fear of heights, but… She had to admit this was terrifying.

Sure, having magic wouldn’t have saved her either if she fell off a mountain, but… she still felt safer when she had magic. They all had so little strength now. At least compared to before. They became so fragile, almost like porcelain dolls. Applejack was unable to carry things she could easily throw before. She couldn’t break rocks with her bare hooves, nor tend the land as easily. She never felt so weak as she did during those past 2 years.

She couldn’t even imagine how it must have been for a pegasus or a unicorn. They both had limbs they couldn’t even use anymore. Some pegasi’s wings even died because the muscles hadn’t been used at all. She and her friends didn’t talk about this often, nearly never, so she never asked them how they dealt with it. It wasn’t because she didn’t care, of course. They simply… Didn’t want to talk about it. Losing such a fundamental part of yourself was difficult. Not just physically, but mentally as well. They weren’t complete without their magic.

Some of them also didn’t complain because… Well because there were ponies who had to live like this for years already. Pegasi who lost their wings, or unicorns who broke their horns. They didn’t get to cry because they couldn’t use magic for two years when some ponies hadn’t used it for over a decade. It still hurt, though. It hurt a lot. The ones who suffered the most were the old folk like Granny Smith but even she kept up her spirit, hopeful that they would save the day. Many of their families did.

Applejack was glad someone believed in them, at least. Hope was something they personally gave up some time ago. However, that hope came back with Rainbow Dash’s return. They could still win, and fix things. They could still take back some of the things they lost. Keyword: some.

The earth pony’s eyes traveled to the cyan pegasus flying at their side. They were all aware she wasn’t their Rainbow Dash, and that she would eventually leave. She didn’t doubt some of them, particularly Pinkie, secretly wished she would stay. But that was impossible, which was why none of them voiced their thoughts. This was the closest thing they had to bringing Rainbow back from the dead, and they had to let go. She wondered how Twilight would take it once they found her.

Honestly, she wasn’t looking forward to that. They had no idea what state in mind Twilight was in. If Spike and she never met anyone, then it would also mean they only had each other during those two years, so she doubted they were mentally well. Even if a part of her wanted to see Twilight again to make sure she was alright and safe, and because she wanted her friend back; she was also terrified of the other mare’s reaction upon seeing Rainbow Dash was back, only to shatter all her hopes by revealing this wasn’t the friend she knew.

However, perhaps thinking about all of this now wasn’t the best idea considering they were in a life-threatening situation. A single misstep could spell their doom. What nearly happened to Rarity just now was proof enough that they couldn’t have possibly done this without their friend’s alternate version.

“Finally some room!” Discord exclaimed joyfully as he ran ahead, the moment the floor got wider.

“You weren’t that bothered by it in the first place, you know?” Rarity commented, breathing in relief as she joined the Draconequus.

They didn’t have to stick to walls, thankfully, and they also didn’t have to fear falling to their death at any moment either.

“Still, it’s not like I could do anything if the ground crumbled under my feet for no reason,” Discord argued with a shrug.

“I’m just happy we’ll finally get down this mountain,” Fluttershy remarked, looking at the trail descending the mountain toward the Everfree Forest. It took them an hour to get there, but they would have needed three times that much if they had gone around the mountain.

“Are we still far from the castle?” Rainbow Dash inquired as Applejack took the map out of her saddlebag, checking the castle’s location.

“It should be two hours from here,” The earth pony replied, causing the bearer of the element of loyalty to sigh.

Frankly, she could probably fly there in a matter of few seconds. However, she couldn’t afford to leave her friends here, especially since she didn’t know what she would tell Twilight once she got there. After all, this wasn’t the same pony as the one she was familiar with. As much as she wanted to remain confident, she wasn’t a miracle worker.

“I hope Twilight and Spike really are in the castle, at least,” Rarity mumbled worriedly. Pinkie wrapped one of her forelegs around her neck, pulling her into a side hug.

“I’m sure they are! They must be waiting for us, so we better not slow down, girls!” She reassured them before skipping ahead. Seeing that the pink pony wouldn’t wait for them, the others followed after her. Rainbow Dash, begrudgingly, landed back on the ground and followed them on foot.

At least, Pinkie Pie was still somewhat positive. As agreed previously, Rainbow Dash and Applejack caught up to the other earth pony so that they could lead the way and protect the others from any incoming attacks. They hadn’t seen any other timberwolf since that first one when they entered the forest, but they didn’t let their guard down.

As long as Rainbow Dash was careful, no timberwolf should detect her magic or notice her flying. Nevertheless, many of them still lurked in the forest’s shadows. Any of these beasts could jump out of the bushes and strike them as they did with Fluttershy. A single distraction could lead to their deaths. Not to mention the forest itself may have had a few surprises left in store for them. There was one thing the pegasus was thankful for, which was the suspended bridge. The first time, it was broken and she needed to attach it back across the massive gap so that her friends could cross it.

However, this time, there was no gap at all. The two ends were slammed against one another and the bridge was crushed between the two mountains. To be honest, Rainbow couldn’t tell if this was the same bridge since the layout of the land changed so much, but she was pretty sure there weren’t a lot of suspended bridges in the Everfree Forest anyway, so it was unlikely that she was wrong.

Conversations helped alleviate the minds during their small voyage. It certainly allowed them to think about other things than threats and dangers lurking around. What she didn’t expect was for Discord to suddenly come up to her as Applejack stepped back, likely letting them talk alone while she discussed with the others.

The draconequus remained silent for a full minute, at least. Rainbow Dash usually wasn’t the brightest light in the room, but even she could see he was obviously wanting to say something. She only hoped it wasn’t a dumb joke or anything of the sort. She wasn’t in the mood for his shenanigans.

“So… What’s up?” The cyan pegasus asked, wanting to get it over with.

Discord looked around, unsure, then finally opened his mouth.

“I didn’t get to ask you, but how is your universe?” He inquired, to Rainbow Dash’s surprise. Now that was a question she wasn’t expecting.

The pegasus had no reason not to answer or lie about it. The fact that Discord was the one to ask her was what surprised her, but she expected the others to be curious about it first. Nevertheless, she told him a few things. Obviously, she couldn’t tell her whole life story nor every single change she and her friends had made. She only went over the major points… As well as what happened against Tirek in their world.

The draconequus was quiet through all of it. He didn’t react in any way to her words. He didn’t seem surprised that her Twilight’s role was that of the Princess of Friendship. In retrospect, this was something easy to guess.

“So, they really forgave my other self?” Discord questioned, slightly surprised but also teary-eyed.

“Yep. We consider you a good friend, and Fluttershy has a lot of tea parties with you,” Rainbow Dash responded. The lord of chaos looked down, a small smile creeping up his face. The pegasus was aware this didn’t happen here because of what the others had said. They didn’t forgive him. She couldn’t blame them. She tried to imagine how she would have felt if one of her friends died that day… She wouldn’t have forgiven him, no, she would have hated him. “But that’s not the case here, right?”

“I’m not stupid,” Discord scoffed in amusement. “I can see how they all look at me. Even Fluttershy. They haven’t forgiven me, and they probably never will. It’s not like I deserve forgiveness, anyway,” He shook his head.

“Why are you helping then? I thought you were doing it to earn their forgiveness,” Rainbow cocked an eyebrow.

“Earn their forgiveness? Nothing of the sort. I want to fix my mistakes, that’s all. I don’t think… I can live with what I’ve done…” Discord replied, looking down with an unamused smile. “Ironic, isn’t it? Discord, Lord of Chaos, so ashamed of his actions that they’ll haunt him for the rest of his life?” He scoffed. “Even if I don’t deserve it… Do you think they’ll ever forgive me?” He mumbled in a quiet voice, almost afraid of the answer.

“Discord…” Rainbow Dash began responding, unsure of how to continue. “You betrayed them, and their trust. It wasn’t even for an understandable reason either. You did it for power, like an absolute ass,” The pegasus admonished him coldly. “You thought only of yourself and were ready to enslave all your friends. The worst part about it? You felt no remorse until Tirek betrayed you,” She glared at him, making the draconequus look away in shame. “We forgave you back in my home because, at the end of the day, no one was seriously hurt. Here? Somepony died. If it were me? I would hate your guts until the end of time, and no amount of apologizing would change that,”

She was blunt, but she was honest. She wasn’t Applejack, but she could give the truth, too.

“But they’re not me,” She added with a sigh before Discord could reply. “They’re their own ponies, so you never know. They just might forgive you… One day,” She reassured him. It seemed to relieve him a little, at least.

“Thank you,” Discord whispered with a quivering lip. “And… I’m sorry. I really am,” He apologized. It was sincere from what Rainbow’s guts were telling her.

The draconequus clearly needed that talk. No matter how much he stated that he didn’t deserve forgiveness, he obviously wanted it. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help him with that. She was here to help them save the world, and find what she needed to go back to her friends. Whether or not the ponies here forgave Discord only depended on them. The Lord of Chaos would also have no right to complain if they refused to give it to him after everything he had done.

Talking with him made her forget her worries for a time. She didn’t fear for her original friends’ lives, and recounting the events that followed Tirek’s defeat greatly helped her remember everything they accomplished. She knew that no matter where they were, they would be alright and overcome any challenges they faced. Nonetheless, she hoped they didn’t have to go through anything as bad or worse as she currently was.

Fortunately, they managed to avoid almost dying during the rest of their trip. They didn’t meet any other timberwolf except for the first one. It was suspicious, sure, but they chose to remain hopeful and consider this was a stroke of luck. Perhaps, the timberwolves simply weren’t in the area anymore.

Any time a wild animal suddenly jumped out and tried to attack them, Fluttershy stepped in and deterred them as she usually did. Naturally, when soothing them didn’t work, she used “The Stare.”

Lord Tirek’s actions had heavily disrupted the ecosystem, so the animals weren’t even the only dangers.

“What the hay is that?!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she took off the ground, dodging a massive carnivorous plant right before it could close its maws around her.

“I don’t know… Ah!” Fluttershy responded in panic, cutting one of the plants at its base and spilling its green juice around. “But talking to them doesn’t work,”

“Hya! Ha!” Applejack slashed several plants across. Not only they were much bigger than they should have been, but they were also ferocious.

“This must be… Tirek’s doing!” Discord grunted as he plunged his spear into one of them. Unfortunately, it proved not to be enough to kill it as it roared at him. Before he could step back, several roots came out of the ground and wrapped around his legs, entrapping him. “Oh, no!” He exclaimed.

“Coming!” Pinkie Pie notified him before bringing her sword down and cutting the plant’s head off. Its green juice immediately poured out of it, covering some of Pinkie’s face. “Hey, that doesn’t taste too bad,” She said as she licked her lips.

“R-Rainbow!” Fluttershy called for help as a plant had completely wrapped her in vines, and slowly pulled her toward its mouth. Her axe was lying on the floor nearby, rendering her defenseless. The others were still busy fighting against their own green enemies. Rainbow Dash was, too. However, she couldn’t simply ignore the second pegasus’ call after hearing it!

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Rainbow shouted at the plant as she flew into its head and burst out of the other side. The plant promptly collapsed, releasing Fluttershy from its grasp.

“T-Thank you… Rainbow…” The shy pegasus mumbled shakily before retrieving her axe.

“It’s not over yet…” Rainbow Dash clenched her teeth, her gaze wandering around them. There were movements everywhere from the shadows. More and more plants were coming out of the ground, and even the trees began changing. “I’ll open a path for you and make sure they don’t catch up to us. You, run as fast as you can,” She instructed the others, who were quick to protest.

“We ain’t leavin’ you behind, Sugarcube!” Applejack affirmed confidently.

“You’ll have to make us leave,” Rarity insisted, to which Rainbow simply groaned.

“I’m not staying behind! But you girls are much slower than me. I’ll catch up to you with no problems, and those stupid plants won’t be able to do anything!” She assured them before pouncing on a nearby plant and killing it with one blow. “Just go!” She ordered while numerous other roots and vines burst out of the ground all around them.

Fortunately, they trusted her enough to listen to her. They began running in the castle’s direction as Rainbow Dash used her incredible speed to tear a path between the plants, shredding them into pieces. Battling them alone next was no fun at all, but she managed. As promised, she also swiftly caught up to the other girls and Discord.

No wonder they didn’t wish to go alone in this forest and look for Twilight if those were the dangers they faced! Ever since they got into that forest, Rainbow Dash had to save one of them from death at least 4 different times! Of course, if they had their magic in the first place, they wouldn’t have needed any saving. It served to prove how much weakened they were.

After those plants, they were forced to go around a massive swamp once they noticed a manticore falling and sinking in it, unable to pull itself out as if the swamp was devouring it. They didn’t want to risk going in there. It was quite ironic how removing all the magic in Equestria made the Everfree Forest even deadlier.

Landslides, steep mountain edges, ravines, magic-enhanced timberwolves, living swamps, and giant carnivorous plants, everything was out to kill them! They wished to say that coming out of those challenges alive was a blessing, luck… But they knew they wouldn’t have come all this way if it weren’t for Rainbow Dash. They owed her a lot already.

Nevertheless, the closer they got to the castle, the more hope they had. Soon, they would fix everything and save Equestria, no, the world. As they traveled deeper and deeper into the forest, a lone timberwolf watched them from afar.

Unlike its brethren, the creature was frail and small, yet the wings on its back proved it was infused with Lord Tirek’s magic, too. These wolves got slightly smarter when they had grown stronger, so it knew it didn’t stand a chance alone against those 6. Especially against the cyan pony. However, the magic emanating from her was exquisite, something that couldn’t be ignored. If the Timberwolves couldn’t handle the job, then only one creature could.

With a low growl, the timberwolf took off with one flap of its wings, propelling itself above the trees and flying in the direction of Canterlot, to its master.

Unaware of the now ticking clock above their heads, the friends made their way into the Everfree. After what felt like an eternity, they were finally able to see their first signs of hope.

“Isn’t that…?” Rarity narrowed her eyes, looking up. Suddenly, her face lit up. “It’s the top of the castle! We’re here! The castle is right ahead!” She exclaimed joyfully before running forward.

“Hey, wait for us!” Pinkie laughed before running after the unicorn.

Even though most of them were exhausted and panting a second ago, they instantly regained their spirits as if energy was infused into them while they ran toward the castle. Rainbow Dash couldn’t fault them for that, especially since she wished nothing more but to fly there as quickly as possible.

At least, the castle didn’t look on the verge of crumbling. It was as old and broken as it was when she first laid her eyes on it. Now, all they needed was to find Twilight and Spike.

They decided not to split up since they didn’t know what could be hiding inside. After all, they weren’t even sure their friends were in there. Fortunately, it didn’t take them too long before hearing something… Familiar. Something that sounded like a pony. Cries. Someone was crying, and Fluttershy was willing to bet she could also hear Spike’s voice in the distance.

“It’s coming from this room,” Discord pointed ahead to a slightly open door. Just as Rainbow Dash raised her wings to fly to it, Applejack put her hoof on her chest, stopping her in her tracks.

“Wait! Ah am happy as you are, RD, but Ah think ya should wait before going in,” Applejack stated. From the way her legs were shaking, it seemed the earth pony was using all her strength not to run to the door and barge into the room. They clearly wanted to see Twilight and Spike, so why were they wasting time, now?!

“What? Why?” Rainbow arched an eyebrow in confusion.

“We don’t want to overwhelm her. What will she think if you just barge in with no warning?” Rarity argued. The cyan pegasus had to bite her lower lip to avoid yelling at her because as much as she wished to deny it, they had a point.

“Don’t worry, we’ll tell you when you can come in as soon as we can,” Fluttershy reassured her.

“Alright…” Rainbow Dash sighed. What else could she do? She trusted them, but she still couldn’t deny that she needed to see the other alternate versions of her friends now. She was afraid to see Twilight’s current state.

The others looked at each other, seeming hesitant for a few seconds. With a determined nod, they slowly approached the room where they hoped they would find Twilight and her dragon assistant.

Fortunately, the moment they came in, they laid their eyes on their two missing friends. They found them. After all this time, they were finally seeing them again! However, any joy they could have felt immediately faded away as they took in Twilight’s appearance and gasped. Spike looked clean and in good health, but the alicorn was a mess. Her wings and hooves were like theirs, atrophied and filthy. If only these were the only issues. Patches of fur and feathers were missing all over her. Her mane and tail were the same as if her hair were pulled off or torn in half. From what Rarity could see, it seemed the lavender pony hadn’t taken a bath in months… Maybe more. Likely more.

She was lying on the cold floor, shivering pathetically and hiding her face behind her hooves while Spike was gently stroking her mane. He spoke reassuringly while the alicorn wailed desperately. The two of them didn’t seem to notice the new arrivals.

Honestly, the 5 of them weren’t sure of what to do or even how to approach them. It was supposed to be a happy reunion! The first one to move was Pinkie Pie. She accidentally kicked a small rock with her first step, quickly attracting Spike’s attention to them while Twilight’s face remained hidden.

“G-Girls?” He asked, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief. It seemed this one word was enough to stop Twilight’s wailing, even though she was still hiding behind her hooves.

“Hey, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity smiled warmly while the small dragon’s lips quivered in an attempt to resist the urge to cry. “Come here,” She gestured to her, already knowing this was everything Spike wanted.

The bipedal dragon dashed forward, crying all the way before throwing himself at her foreleg and hugging it.

“Y-You can’t… Believe how I missed you all! Y-You’re… You’re okay!” Tears streamed down his face, which was buried in Rarity’s leg. The unicorn didn’t mind the tears soaking her coat as she caressed the top of his head.

“Of course, we’re okay. We’re the ones who should be happy to see ya are doin’ fine,” Applejack uttered, glancing at Twilight from the corner of her eye.

“She needs help, please! Twilight needs help… She… I don’t know what to do! I tried to help her, but I just kept screwing up,” The dragon wheezed. “I’m a horrible friend!”

“It’s not your fault, Spike. No one could do it alone, I’m sure,” Fluttershy comforted him in a soft voice.

“Please, don’t leave,” Spike pleaded, still holding onto Rarity’s leg.

“We ain’t leavin’. We’re here for our friend, after all… That’s somethin’ we learned together, Twilight. Didn’t we?” Applejack responded, looking at Twilight, who lightly flinched once she was addressed. The alicorn slowly raised her head until her red and bloodshot eyes met her friends’.

“Is that really you?” She asked hesitantly with shaking legs. Pinkie Pie took another step forward, making Twilight back away in fear, which didn’t go unnoticed by her friends. Spike seemed downcast, but not surprised. “You’re not here to hurt me?”

“Of course not, silly! Why would we hurt you?” Pinkie immediately answered.

“Because of what I’ve done,” The lavender mare looked down, tears ready to flow again. “Don’t you want to avenge Rainbow Dash? I…” She stammered, the words stuck in her throat.

“No. Oh, no, darling. What happened was in no way your fault,” Rarity shook her head, a hoof over her chest. “Was that what you thought these past two years? That it was your fault?” She questioned, only for the alicorn to remain silent. Meanwhile, Discord stood awkwardly a bit further away from them, rubbing his arm.

“If anyone is at fault, here. It’s us,” Fluttershy added as the others nodded in agreement and shame. Twilight simply looked at them with an inquisitive stare, not understanding what she meant.

“The truth is that we blamed ya for this. It may have been only for a few seconds, but it was seconds too much. Ya never should have been blamed, Twilight. We’re sorry,” Applejack stepped forward with teary eyes. “Ya lost a friend, too. And we acted like ya meant for this to happen… Ah am sorry,” She sniffled. Even Pinkie’s enthusiasm died down while the pink pony wiped her tears away.

Twilight, on the other hand, bit her lower lip. There was no relief in her eyes. To her, their words meant nothing. She would always hate herself, and blame herself for what she had done. No words or apologies would ever change that.

“It doesn’t matter what you think, girls. The reality is… That her blood was on my hooves,” The alicorn looked at her hooves. Red flashed all over them, reminding her of Rainbow Dash’s body slowly growing colder in her forelegs. “We lost, and there is nothing we can do about it. I… Have no reason to live anymore,” She stated, much to everyone’s shock. Especially Discord’s. “All I want is to die in peace, now,” She turned around, ready to go back into her corner and curl on herself.

Even when he toyed with their memories and destroyed their friendship, long ago, Discord had never seen Twilight this way. No matter what defeat they might have faced, at no point the lavender mare was this broken. Lord Tirek did it. He crushed any fighting spirit there was, leaving only an empty shell of her former self. With no hope, even her friends couldn’t bring out her light. Even if they stopped her from blaming herself… She simply wasn’t willing to fight anymore.

Yet, no matter what happened, her friends would help. Discord had seen it time and time again. They weren’t the type of ponies to give up on each other. They never would be. Applejack stepped up, confidence was evident in her demeanor.

“But there is hope. We haven’t lost yet, Twi,” She assured her friend, who weakly turned her head toward her.

“How? We have no magic. We lost Rainbow Dash. We lost everything. I’m tired… I’m just… So tired, Applejack,” Twilight sniffled.

“We should hear them out, Twilight! Maybe they have a way to beat him!” Spike argued, only for Twilight to ignore him and walk away.

“We do,” Pinkie uttered firmly before turning to the door. “You can come in!” She loudly notified.

Twilight turned to look at the entrance along with Spike, wondering who they could have brought. Nothing could have prepared her for the answer because what burst through the entrance was something she hadn’t seen in two years. Bright blue wings and coat, along with a beautiful rainbow mane and cerise-colored eyes. It was Rainbow Dash in the flesh!

“No… No… This is a hallucination… Not again. No!” She shouted while carelessly backing away until she slipped and fell on her butt, only for her to crawl back. The others were dejected, but not surprised by her reaction. “Get away!” She shouted at the cyan pegasus, who softly landed near her.

“W-Wait, Twilight. I can see her, too! She’s… She’s real? I think she’s real!” Spike pointed at the pegasus with a shaking finger.

“What?” The lavender mare paused. “You are?” She questioned the clone of her friend.

“I am. I promise,” Rainbow Dash responded reassuringly while carefully approaching her. “Everything’s going to be okay, now, Twi,” She affirmed, outstretching one of her hooves in Twilight’s direction, so she would take it.

“I-I’m afraid that… If I touch you… You’ll disappear,” She gulped in fear.

“I won’t,” Rainbow shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere or my name isn’t Rainbow Dash. You trust me, don’t you, egghead?” She asked with a sincere smile.

Twilight looked into her eyes, and as much as she sought it, she found no trace of deception. If this was another illusion, a part of her wondered if she was allowed to pretend it was real. If she was allowed to forget about everything else and enjoy the moment… To feel happiness again. Did she deserve it? She didn’t know anymore. Slowly, she extended one of her hooves. Even when she was filled with so much fear and pain, she chose to trust her.

Softly, their hooves brushed against one another, and the warmth she felt all these years ago reminded Twilight of every moment she ever had with that cyan pegasus as if it happened yesterday. She didn’t disappear. She didn’t fade away. She was still here, smiling. So the alicorn allowed herself to hope once more. Before she even realized what she was doing, she jumped on the rainbow-maned mare, hurling them both to the floor.

Rainbow Dash didn’t mind at all as the lavender mare wrapped her hooves around her and cried into her chest. Warm tears freely streamed down the alicorn’s cheeks, accompanied by loud and powerful wails.

Every day for the past two years, Spike listened to her cries, unable to do anything to stop them or comfort her. No matter how much he tried, Twilight wallowed in her misery, going down deeper and deeper in her pit of self-loathing. However, those tears weren’t of despair or sadness. He could feel it in his bones. They were of joy. She was happy. For the first time in years, she was happy.

“Don’t leave! D-Don’t leave, please! Rainbow!” Twilight begged her, burying her face in the other mare’s coat while the others held back joyful tears, too.

“I’m not. I’m real,” Rainbow Dash snickered with a sniffle before wrapping her hooves and wings around the crying alicorn. “There, there,” She was not used to comfort a pony in such a way, but there were always exceptions.

Slowly but surely, the others quietly joined in, wrapping their forelegs and arms around the two ponies to make a group hug. Discord, on the other hand, stayed back, watching the display with a small grin. Perhaps, there was still hope for this, if only a little.

Author's Note

There was supposed to be a scene of Twilight freaking out when seeing Pinkie's sword because she had a flashback to Tirek's blades. I removed it because I thought it would be a bit redundant when she panicked again after Rainbow Dash's arrival. Hope you liked the chapter!

Thunder Factory

Universe 99999

Fluttershy sighed while she stared at the wall. Tomorrow, they would attack the Thunder Factory in Rainbow City and this night was their last opportunity for rest before beginning the operation. She was nervous, of course. It made it hard to sleep, especially since she wasn’t even sleeping in her own bed. Not only that, but her friends weren’t there, either. She felt so alone…

Fortunately, she wasn’t without company. Spitfire had offered a free room since their base was made to house thousands of ponies. Fluttershy would have accepted, albeit reluctantly since she was perfectly aware that she was at risk of having a panic attack at any time. She improved greatly, and her friends helped her through many of her past issues. She was more assertive, less timid, and less prone to stressing out in crowds or in new and unknown places. However, she couldn’t simply say those problems were all resolved. Ultimately, she was still Fluttershy, so these things will always be a part of her, even if it is a much smaller one…

Because of that, she was afraid that she might freak out in the middle of the night all alone in her room. Not only because she was in a new place, but also a completely different universe, and without her friends. She would even have to go on a potentially dangerous mission the day after.

Then a miracle happened. As if Cheese Sandwich had read her mind, he stepped in and suggested something else: Put mattresses and blankets in the meeting room so that she and her teammate could all sleep in there. He said it would be a good way to bond, but also discuss the plan again if they needed to. While sleeping in the meeting room was probably unusual, Spitfire wasn’t opposed to it. Thus, Fluttershy, Shining Armor, Derpy, Cheese Sandwich, Trixie, and Braeburn all slept in the meeting room together. She had to admit it was reassuring, especially since those were still familiar faces. She was grateful but felt like Cheese likely didn’t even want her to thank him.

Even so, the stress was still weighing on her mind. This time, it was because of the attack they were going to perform tomorrow. They would leave in the morning and would reach Rainbow City at noon since it wasn’t too far from their position. The trip was going to make the stress even worse. At least, that was what she thought. Some of her hoped she would muster up the courage to let go of her fears for once.

The pegasus thought back of the plan. Maybe if she revised it again, then she would be more confident. First of all, that factory was operational 24/7, so there was no point attacking in the night since the night team was as large as the day team.

The factory was filled with various machinery, things even more complex than the rainbow factories in Cloudsdale. Twilight invented them with the help of the brightest weather scientists of Equestria, who still worked at the factory for the most part. Because of the complex mechanisms, many engineers and scientists were needed to either operate it, keep it running, or simply repair it. Shining never went inside, but from what he was told, Twilight took advantage of having so many scientists inside to make a section that would focus on any research related to the weather.

Unfortunately, there were just as many guards posted there. It was a crown-owned facility, but also the Equestria’s last trump card if Canterlot’s defenses were breached. It would be foolish to leave it undefended.

However, there was one way to leave it inoperational for at least a month. Unless there was extensive damage, most of the machinery inside could be easily repaired within a week at most. However, the whole factory relied on one essential component to function: the generator. Fluttershy didn’t know much about weather science, or even weather at all, quite ironic considering she was a pegasus. Of course, she wasn’t a stranger to it, but she knew less than someone like Rainbow Dash.

Nevertheless, from what she understood, the factory first used the humidity in the air outside to create clouds. Those clouds were harmless, and you would think they were the exact same as the ones you would find in your regular weather factory. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. They were harmless and didn’t look unusual, but any pegasus would immediately notice they were different. Because of the new machines they used to create those clouds, they weren’t considered… Normal. For some reason, Twilight refused to tell Shining Armor anything about the machine's process of creating them. She simply told him they should be considered artificial clouds, unlike the ones made in weather factories. Because of their properties, pegasus’ magic… Didn’t work on them! No pegasus could interact with them.

It was likely to prevent anyone from stopping their trump card with magic; however, Fluttershy had a hard time believing that clouds like these were even possible. Clouds you couldn’t interact with were such a foreign concept to her. Still, those clouds remained harmless and behaved like any other… Until the next step. After being created, the clouds were moved throughout the factory, and compressed until they were turned into thunderclouds. The thunderclouds were then processed and infused with magic by several unicorns, making them deadlier and much more powerful. It was rumored they were as black as the night. When it was all done, they were expelled outside. Many wind generators on the roof would then push them to Canterlot.

Naturally, the factory only had artificial clouds at the ready because keeping thunderclouds inside would be too dangerous and unstable. It didn’t change their problem since making those thunderclouds only took a few hours, and they would need only minutes to reach Canterlot.

The key to stopping this was the generator. The generator was the machine that manufactured artificial clouds and stored them. It was the first step in this operation, and so it was the most valuable. That device was also the most complex, precisely because of the way it generated those clouds, which was why repairing it took so long.

Unfortunately, the council thought ahead. They knew it was the most vulnerable piece. Thus, they made two backup generators in case the first one broke or was destroyed.

It was a good thing they were a team of six since that meant they could split up into three groups of two and destroy those generators at the same time. Fluttershy would go with Shining Armor to take care of the south generator. Derpy with Trixie for the north generator, and Braeburn with Cheese Sandwich. for the west generator

Fluttershy and Shining Armor would use an effective but risky plan: go through the front door. To these ponies, the pegasus was a member of the council and one of their rulers. Shining was the former captain of the royal guard, but also the husband of the ruler of the Crystal Empire, Equestria’s ally. They were known and respected, so they would be let in if they had a good enough excuse.

Trixie and Derpy would infiltrate the factory with magic. On the other hand, Cheese told them that he had a perfect solution to get inside, but didn’t wish to reveal anything, saying something along the lines of “trust me.” Shining didn’t question him too much. Apparently, he trusted him enough to know that Cheese’s confidence wasn’t misplaced. She trusted him, too, but… It wasn’t quite enough to fill her with confidence.

She sighed. She wanted to go home.

“Psst. Psst,”

Fluttershy’s ears perked up in confusion. What was that sound? Was it just her imagination?

“Hey! Psst!” This time, it was louder. Definitely not a figment of her imagination, then. Fluttershy turned around to face the bed only a couple of feet away from hers. The one calling her was the pony lying on it, Trixie. “Can’t sleep?” She inquired once she noticed the pegasus’ gaze was on her.

“Uhm, no. How did you know?” Fluttershy timidly responded. She wasn’t that close to Trixie back in her original universe, so you could imagine how awkward it was to speak with a version of her that she was even less close to.

“Kinda hard to miss it when you sigh every two seconds,” Trixie shrugged before yawning. “I’m a light sleeper, so it woke me up,” She explained while rubbing her eyes.

“Oh, huh… Sorry. I’ll try to wallow in my misery more quietly,” The pegasus replied without an ounce of sarcasm in her tone. Before Trixie could answer, she turned around and faced the wall again.

The blue unicorn rolled her eyes but didn’t comment on her retort. Instead, she whispered back.

“Any particular reason why you can’t sleep?” She asked, waiting for the mare to reply, only for her to remain silent. “Maybe I could help,” It seemed enough for Fluttershy to turn around.

“It’s just… I’m scared something goes wrong,” The winged mare admitted with a downcast expression. “My friends and I never had to launch assaults like that,”

“If it makes you feel any better, Trixie never did either,” The unicorn replied which, in fact, didn’t make the other pony feel better. Fortunately, the blue mare seemingly noticed it. “But hey. Did you look at our team? We have Shining Armor who’s nearly as good with magic as Trixie is!” She gestured herself. “Braeburn can casually wrestle with bears, so I doubt a bunch of scientists will be an issue. Cheese Sandwich can… Uhm… Well, I’m not sure either, but I saw him gobble up sea urchins once and he seemed fine. That could be useful,” Trixie nodded, slightly uncertain. “And we have you. Aren’t you a hero back home?”

“I-I am, but I wasn’t alone. I’ve always had my friends,” Fluttershy sighed defeatingly.

“You’re not alone now either. You’ve got the others, and from what Trixie had seen, they’re your friends,” She gestured to the other team members, all soundly sleeping. Since their mattresses were close to one another, Derpy ended up sprawling all over hers and accidentally shoved one of her hooves in Cheese Sandwich’s mouth.

Fluttershy’s eyes softened. Indeed, they decided to stick by her side after she volunteered for this mission. They already considered her a friend. They even reminded her of the ones she cared about so much. If there was anything the other girls taught her, it was that friendship could overcome anything if the bonds were strong enough. Friendship could emerge anywhere.

“What about you?” She suddenly asked. Trixie arched an eyebrow. “Are you my friend?”

“Me? I… Uhm… Am I?” Trixie inquired in surprise.

“Personally, I see you as a friend, but it looks like you’re not so sure…” Fluttershy softly spoke.

“It’s just… I never had a friend,” Trixie admitted with a shake of her head.

“But what about them? Or anypony from the resistance?” Fluttershy questioned, making the unicorn shrug.

“I don’t know. I don’t think they are. Ponies usually don’t like Trixie,”

“Have you ever asked them?” The pegasus inquired. The other mare simply shook her head in response. “If they weren’t your friends, I’m not sure they would have trusted you enough to let you accompany us. When I saw their eyes… Well, it just looked like they held you in high regard,” She explained, much to Trixie’s shock.

“Really? I never thought about it. Trixie never paid attention to how they looked at her…” The unicorn replied in a small voice. “I didn’t think they cared that much, honestly,” She muttered.

“Believe me, they do,” Fluttershy assured her. It seemed her words greatly touched the other mare. It was ironic considering that Trixie wished to reassure her at first, only for Fluttershy to reassure her. Nevertheless, it also helped the pegasus. She enjoyed comforting ponies and making them happier than they were.

She did wonder what happened to this Trixie. Obviously, she was still prideful and had an ego. However, it didn’t seem as serious as it did in her original universe when she first met the unicorn. This Trixie almost seemed more vulnerable. It was kind of strange to see someone who always acted and sounded so confident… Look so anxious.

“If you don’t mind me asking… How did you join the resistance?” Fluttershy dared to ask, making Trixie flinch and waking her from her stupor.

“My father came in contact with them through one of his connections, and we decided to fight for the cause,” Trixie responded before turning over to lie on her back. “But I’m guessing you’re wondering why we joined in the first place?” She asked, looking back at the pegasus who simply nodded. “Trixie was a performer and a magician once. A great and powerful one. She went from town to town, city to city in her caravan, and impressed anypony who spectated her shows. Usually, I wouldn’t perform with an assistant, but my father suggested a partnership for a special occasion,” She recounted while Fluttershy carefully listened.

The pegasus couldn’t quite figure out where the unicorn was going with this since it had nothing to do with the resistance or the council for now.

“It was the birthday of one of the council’s members. Minister Applejack, I think? Minister Pinkie Pie organized it and she wished to have show ponies perform for the party. With an opportunity like that, Dad wanted to go all out, which is why he called me, too. Let’s just say that… It wasn’t a bright idea,” Trixie cringed at the memory. “They weren’t impressed, and after Trixie boasted about how great and powerful she was, they ridiculed and mocked me. So I… I know it was stupid, but I blew up at their faces. Trixie told them they were wrong, they were idiots who couldn’t see true talent, and many, many other bad words that foals shouldn’t hear,”

“I assume they didn’t take it well?” Fluttershy asked.

“Not particularly, no. Especially after I challenged Prime Minister Twilight to a magic duel. Before I knew what was happening, I was in chains, thrown into the dungeons. When I asked what I did, Prime Minister Twilight got livid and said I ruined her friend’s birthday,” Trixie shivered. “Trixie stayed in there for a few weeks,”

“What?” Fluttershy nearly shouted but managed to keep it to a whisper. “For weeks?”

“I’ve seen things. Seen how they operate,” Trixie explained with a somber tone. “Trixie wasn’t the only one in the dungeons; there was a good view of the other cells. Some prisoners received some kind of enchanted food, which would taste foul and as disgusting as garbage unless they praised the council. False praises wouldn’t work either. It had to come from the bottom of the heart,” She revealed with disgust. “I was lucky not to go through that, but seeing a pony praising somepony so desperately wasn’t pleasant. They even used magic to remove some prisoners’ senses depending on the offense they committed,”

“This is horrible! Ditzy didn’t tell me anything about this,” Fluttershy mumbled in horror.

“I couldn’t believe magic could be used so maliciously or cause so much pain. To me, magic had always been for shows and entertainment,” The unicorn explained. “I realized not everypony thought the same. After that, I took magic more seriously, bought a lot of books, and learned as much as I could,”

“It did look like you know more spells than the Trixie of my universe,” Fluttershy confirmed.

“I’m happy to know that,” Trixie chuckled in amusement. She had to admit that she improved a lot in the past year. Nonetheless, she likely was nowhere near the level of the prime minister. “You know… Talking to you was nice. Surprisingly,” She admitted, making the pegasus cock an eyebrow.

“Thank you?” She responded in surprise.

“But I feel like I didn’t help you much, did I?” Trixie inquired, which seemed she hit it right on the nose.

“It’s not just about tomorrow I’m worried. I miss my home,” Fluttershy sighed in sadness. The unicorn looked down, uncertain of how to proceed. After a few seconds, the blue mare suddenly stood up.

“Make some room,” Trixie instructed while pushing the pegasus to the side, and sliding under Fluttershy’s blankets.

“Oh, uh, okay,” The other mare replied without protesting. Before she could even ask what Trixie was doing, the unicorn lit up her horn and created blue ethereal constructs above them in the form of Fluttershy’s friends.

“Is that what they look like?” Trixie asked while the yellow pony blinked several times, unsure of how to react to this.

“Uhm, yes. Twilight also has wings, though,” She pointed out as the unicorn immediately corrected the projection. “Oh, and her horn’s slightly longer, too. And Pinkie’s tail is puffier,” She added. Trixie, again, changed the projection to make the horn longer and Pinkie’s tail puffier. “There! That’s perfect!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“Great! And what are they usually doing?” Trixie inquired as the projections began moving around.

“Well… If Rainbow Dash isn’t taking a nap, then she would be planning pranks with Pinkie or she would be flying around the town. Applejack should be working on the farm,” Fluttershy told the unicorn who immediately moved the projections according to what the pegasus was telling her.

This went on for several minutes as Fluttershy recounted all her friends’ habits. Trixie was more than happy to make it as realistic as possible until it actually looked like a window to the pegasus’ original world. Before she even realized it, a wide smile crept up Fluttershy’s face while she watched her friends, slowly falling asleep when the sadness she felt earlier slowly faded.

The projections vanished as Trixie’s eyes closed, and her head fell on Fluttershy’s pillow.

Several hours later

Minister Rarity admired herself in the mirror. brushing her mane delicately and carefully. In front of her was a vanity table with a large mirror, and various makeup accessories on it. Lying nearby was also her element of harmony. She had just finished polishing it, so the early sunrays passing through the windows made it shine all the brighter.

Setting aside her brush, she leaned closer to the mirror, inspecting her face while moving her fur. She slightly widened her eyes.

“Oh, no, no, no!” She shook her head in disdain before grabbing some finishing powder and swiftly applying it to her face. “A wrinkle! This is unacceptable! I’m not even in my thirties yet!” She groaned while meticulously powdering her face. “I do hope Twilight quickly makes us alicorns. You never know how badly you need eternal youth until it’s within your reach,” She mumbled to herself while turning her head from left to right to check on her face again. “Now that I think about it, I should start designing more appropriate dresses. None of the ones I have will fit when I get my wings,” She added, running a hoof across her back.

Knock knock

“Yes, I’m up, I’m up! Wait a moment!” Rarity glanced at the necklace on the side. Twilight had been clear that no one was allowed to see them without the elements. They had to wear them at all times in public, even in the castle, but they could relax once they were in their rooms. She quickly put the element of generosity on, then checked herself out in the mirror again, this time with her necklace on. As usual, it fitted her perfectly. Unfortunately, she was interrupted by the sound of knocking again. She sighed in annoyance. “It’s open! You can come in,”

The moment those words left her lips, the pony behind her door opened it, revealing Applejack. She expected it was one of her friends since the guards usually didn’t dare knock at their doors. If they did, they told them why they were looking for them before even coming in.

“Still gettin’ ready?” Applejack arched an eyebrow.

“It’s 8 in the morning, Applejack. I need to be perfect after my beauty sleep,” Rarity scoffed before tearing her eyes away from her mirror. “How do I look?” She asked, fluttering her eyelashes in the earth pony’s direction.

“Like regular ol’ Rarity?” Applejack answered, which sounded more like a question than a statement.

“Gorgeous, then! Thank you, darling!” The unicorn grinned in satisfaction. “You don’t usually come looking for me so early. Did something happen?” She inquired.

“Eh, nothin’ too serious. Twilight said we should stick together for a while ‘cause of the rebellion and that Shy situation,” Applejack explained while Rarity nodded along. “Ah can’t find RD anywhere. One of the guards said she left earlier this mornin’. Any idea where she went?”

“Now, why would I know where Rainbow Dash went, dear?” The white unicorn softly chuckled.

“Oh, Ah don’t know… Maybe ‘cause yer her friend?” Applejack suggested, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“You’re right, which is why I do know where she is!” Rarity retorted in amusement, getting off her seat and walking out of her room… Without saying anything else.

“And? Where is she?” Applejack asked, slowly getting frustrated. Sometimes, that unicorn would really get on her nerves.

“Applejack, Applejack… Why so impatient? There is nothing urgent, is there?” Rarity shook her head, grinning in delight while the earth pony followed behind her. “Maybe if you had noticed what I’ve done to my tail, I would have told you. Do you like it?” She smirked, running her tail along the mare’s neck, and playfully flicking her with it. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to amuse the farm pony.

“It looks the same! Now can ya tell me where RD is already? Ah ain’t here to play games!” She replied before stomping the floor out of frustration.

“Boo hoo, you’re no fun, Applejack,” Rarity retorted, acting like her feelings had been hurt beyond repair. “I’ve used a new shampoo for your information. It makes my tail look more vibrant,” She stated, disappointed that the orange mare hadn’t complimented her on it. “Oh, and Rainbow Dash left for Rainbow City half an hour ago,” She added dismissively. “She bothered me while I was putting on some makeup just to tell me, and didn’t even knock. Would you believe that?” She huffed. Of course, the cyan pegasus hadn’t noticed any changes to her tail either!

“Why in tarnation did she leave for Rainbow City?” Applejack questioned, happy to finally have an answer to her inquiry.

“How should I know that? You know how much she loves hanging around that statue of hers. It does wonders to her ego, after all,” Rarity rolled her eyes, the two ponies approaching the council’s court.

“It woulda been nice if she waited for our opinion before doin’ somethin’ for once! She knows we’re all under stress!” Applejack complained as they entered the council’s court, where they held their reunions but also when someone asked for an audience with them. “Especially Twilight,” She added in a whisper, sounding worried.

“Speak for yourself. I am perfectly calm. You should know that stress is horrible for your body!” Rarity retorted as the two of them came across Minister Fluttershy.

The pegasus was seated in her chair, reading the journal while drinking a cup of coffee with a beautiful pink-feathered bird on her shoulder.

“Good morning, you two!” Minister Fluttershy greeted them. “Oh, Rarity! Your tail looks marvelous today!” The mare perked up once her eyes landed on the unicorn.

“Why, thank you, my dear. I am glad somepony appreciates art,” Rarity flicked her mane with a smirk, eliciting an eye roll from Applejack, who chose not to say anything.

“Did you find Rainbow Dash, Applejack,” Fluttershy softly inquired.

“Well, Ah know where she is. She’s out there doin’ somethin’ stupid in Rainbow City!” Applejack gestured out the window.

“I’m sure she is only taking a nap somewhere, darling. Don’t be so dramatic,” Rarity chuckled. She would have snorted but stopped herself right before doing so. Snorting was un-ladylike, after all. “Just say you are worried about her,”

“Huh?! Me? Worried about this show-off? Nope!” Applejack vehemently denied it while blushing. The other two ponies simply stared at her in silence, not believing a word. “Ah tell ya Ah’m not! Twilight’s the one that said it’s dangerous! It’s safer here!”

“I think there is nothing wrong about being worried for your friend, Applejack,” Fluttershy smiled warmly, ignoring the earth pony’s grumble of denial.

“Oh, please! What could possibly happen? All of you worry too much,” Rarity replied dismissively.

She wasn’t wrong, not totally, at least. They had been in power for years and no one ever put them seriously in danger. They overcame every challenge easily. It was thanks to this that they proved to their citizens that Equestria was in good hooves. They could afford to be careless from time to time.

This was it… The factory was in sight, and it was even bigger than Fluttershy anticipated. Rainbow City was a fairly small town, approximately the same size as Ponyville. Because of that, a few structures stood out. The factory, obviously. Appearance-wise, it looked like the weather factory in Cloudsdale, only larger and with wind generators on the roof. Moreover, there were no openings, windows, or even rainbow fluids oozing out of it.

The second structure was the magnificent palace standing in the center of the city, which wasn’t too far from the factory. It was slightly larger than Twilight’s castle back home and possessed two towers, one reached much higher than the other. That palace was also covered in rainbow patterns and Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark on the front door, which was massive. This was undoubtedly the cyan pegasus’ abode.

However, the most eye-catching thing in the city was the structure standing in front of the castle. It was a gigantic statue, even bigger than the thunder factory. Unsurprisingly, it represented Rainbow Dash. The stone pegasus was only wearing the element of loyalty but held a flame in a hoof raised up above her head. Her wings were also spread as if she was about to take off. Did they make the statue accurate to her ego size-wise?

“I can see the factory,” Shining stated while staring at it from behind a tree. The six of them were in the city’s outskirts on a good vantage point since it was high enough to see the whole town, but also to hide thanks to the shadows cast by the forest trees. “We should split up now and find different entries. As I already said, Fluttershy and I will go in through the front door,” The white unicorn gestured to himself and the pegasus.

“Roger, Roger,” Derpy saluted. She was slightly excited because this was her first mission in the field.

“You guys will have to hurry up because Derpy and I will be done in only a few minutes,” Trixie proudly stated, side-hugging the grey pegasus.

“Ah sure wouldn’t mind if everythin’ goes without a hitch,” Braeburn responded, not denying what the unicorn had said.

“The fake element of kindness Cheese made should help a lot,” Fluttershy noted while touching the necklace. Since they needed to pass her off as Minister Fluttershy, they couldn’t let her go without a replica of the artifact constantly around her neck. The element itself was actually just a candy, but unless someone licked it, it wouldn’t be noticeable. “Thank you,”

“No problem!” Cheese grinned joyfully.

“Let’s go,” Shining instructed Fluttershy before turning to the others. “Let’s meet here after we’re done unless you can’t lose any potential pursuers. If that’s the case, hide wherever you can and lay low until you can meet us back at the base,” He told them. After receiving nods of confirmation, he walked away accompanied by Fluttershy.

The others waited behind so that they wouldn’t all get into the city at the same time, but also take small detours and enter from other sides.

The city was calm enough since there weren’t many ponies outside. However, because of order 21, there were many more guards than usual. Naturally, every pony they met was quick to bow to Fluttershy, including the guards. Their only saving grace was that the guards were too afraid to question the pegasus about her unannounced presence here. Then again, they were used to Minister Rainbow Dash coming without prior warnings and doing as she pleased.

Fluttershy still felt awkward about it, but she handled it better than when she first got into that universe. Having ponies bow to you in such a way was strange. Mostly because it was unprompted. Some ponies did it even in her world, but only on unique occasions or special events organized in Canterlot. Unfortunately, she was unable to dwell on these for much longer as they were reaching the factory’s entrance.

The two guards at the front instantly recognized one of the council’s members. Before Shining and Fluttershy even got within their reach, the guards bowed, looking at the ground, and remained in this position until the pegasus and unicorn were close enough to talk to them.

“You-You can raise your heads,” Fluttershy stated, slightly stuttering. She needed to get into character and quick! Otherwise, they could get discovered before even getting to the generator.

“Minister Fluttershy! Captain Shining Armor! It is an honor to meet you! But… We weren’t told you would be visiting,” The first guard said with a clearly nervous tone.

Shining opened his mouth to reply, only to be suddenly interrupted by the pony at his side.

“I don’t remember needing to warn anypony before going anywhere I please in Equestria,” Fluttershy sweetly retorted. She knew how to act because she was told how her counterpart was.

Minister Fluttershy was extremely kind to her friends, refusing to use any harsh language or any action that could be interpreted as aggressive. Even offending them was something she absolutely despised and avoided at any cost. She held wild animals on a similar pedestal somewhat; they were still beneath the council in her hierarchy. However… She was often passive-aggressive with other ponies. She would sound sweet and kind, but her eyes would be filled with disdain. The distaste she possessed for other ponies couldn’t even be hidden behind that fake sweetness of hers.

“O-Of course not, my Lady!” The guard swiftly replied, already sweating bullets. “We are simply surprised,”

“Consider this an inspection. As you know, the resistance has been getting more troublesome and dangerous lately, and we may need this thunder factory more than ever. You wouldn’t want it to break at the worst time, would you?” Fluttershy smiled with a tilt of her head. “Who knows what would happen to those who were in charge of protecting the factory?”

“This…” The guard gulped, sweating bullets while his colleague didn’t seem to be doing any better. “You’re right, my Lady! I’m sorry for wasting your time like this! Please, go in. I’ll notify somepony of your arrival,” The guard declared as he moved out of the way to let them pass as he reached for his walkie-talkie. Meanwhile, the second guard quickly dashed to the code pad nearby to open the door for them.

“Boy, you’re good!” Shining whispered to Fluttershy.

“Thank you. I had practice,” The pegasus smiled, recalling the time she worked in Rarity’s store.

Once they walked in, both diverted their attention back to the thunder factory and widened their eyes in awe at the sight of its interior. It was spacious, but filled with ponies. Many of them were patrolling in military uniforms. The rest were dressed in lab coats and seemingly worked on different machines. Most of these machines weren’t used in the creation of thunderclouds from what Fluttershy could see.

One group of two scientists was studying a glass container, holding a strange purple plant with soil of the same color. The pegasus had never seen this in nature, but then again, she wasn’t an expert on plants. Not too far from that group was one unicorn taking notes on a… single apple? The unicorn suddenly put the clipboard down and then put her horn inside a hole in the machine she was working with. A second later, an arc of magical electricity was shot out of the metal rod pointing it at it. After the electricity hit, the apple vibrated violently.

The unicorn took out her horn, looking at the apple with hope-filled eyes… only for it to burst into pieces. Thankfully, the scientist was protected by the glass separating her and the apple, but it was still enough to give her a downcast expression.

Fluttershy didn’t get to check out many more of them before a researcher suddenly ran up to them.

“My Lady! Shining Armor, sir!” The researcher exclaimed before swiftly bowing down. “I was just informed of your arrival, so I apologize for not meeting you sooner. I’m afraid that my colleagues might be too occupied to come and bow, so I apologize for it also,” He rapidly explained, certainly nervous.

“It’s okay. We would rather not waste time, anyway,” Shining Armor assured the stallion.

“We’re here to inspect the generator,” Fluttershy informed the scientist.

“Ah! Naturally! Which one?” The stallion quickly regained his composure. He was aware that it was best not to show too much fear since talking to someone constantly stammering wasn’t pleasant for anyone.

“The south one,” The yellow mare responded confidently.

“Very well, I’ll lead the way! I can even give you a small tour while I’m at it if you’d like to know about our progress!” The scientist declared, gesturing for them to follow. “My name is Light Steel, by the way, my Lady,” He eagerly introduced himself.

“Why not? I’m sure my sister would love to know if you had any recent breakthroughs,” Shining replied, much to the researcher’s apparent glee.

“Oh, she will! We are making steady progress on the crops multiplying spell!” He gladly stated.

This was good. If he kept talking, then there were fewer opportunities for him to ask Fluttershy something she wouldn’t have an answer to even if she should. They only had to get to the generator and get out before anything crazy could happen.

They did wonder how the others were doing, but they trusted them not to have any issues.

“So. How are we doing this?” Braeburn inquired from his hiding spot, looking at the factory from behind the corner of a house.

“The obvious way, of course! Like real spies!” Cheese replied as he pulled out two uniforms. The first one was a simple lab coat respecting the council’s regulations. The second was a guard’s uniform. “Tada!”

“How did ya… Where did ya get this?” Braeburn asked incredulously.

“I made them! I knew we would need it! Don’t worry, I made sure they’re the exact same as the real ones,” Cheese grinned proudly.

“Ah get that, but where did ya keep ‘em?” The farm pony inquired, only to shake his head. “You know what? Just forget it. As long as it works,”

“I also got fake IDs,” Cheese added before throwing the guard uniform along the ID in Braeburn’s face.

“Are ya sure it’ll work?”

“Braeburn, please. You know me,” The party pony snickered while putting on the lab coat. “Charisma is everything,”

“Well, Ah trust ya,” The farm pony grumbled. Cheese Sandwich had the ability to make the impossible possible sometimes.

On the north side of the factory, two guards made rounds in the facility’s perimeter. Since attacks could come from anywhere, you needed ponies to guard every side. There were many responsibilities, but it wasn’t as hard as you would think it was. No one dared attack this place. Equestria didn’t even have enemies, so it was a job with little to no trouble.

Nevertheless, this was a great opportunity for anyone. The moment this facility opened, Straight Arrow applied for a job as a guard. His position wasn’t high since most of the security was inside, but he didn’t mind waiting for promotions. This was only the start because, with enough time, he would-

A beam of magic hit him in the sides, sending him flying until he was slammed against the wall. He fainted before he even touched the ground.

“An… An atta-” The guard nearby tried to shout, only to be interrupted when an unknown object fell on top of him, nearly planting him inside the ground.

“Did I… Get him?” Derpy asked, her head still spinning from the fall. She rubbed the top of her head, wincing in pain until she noticed what she was sitting on, an unconscious guard. “Oh! Yeah, I did!”

“Good!” Trixie stated while calmly walking up to the pegasus. “Now, time to go in. If the information we got is accurate, then the generator should be nearby,”

“Are you going to teleport us inside?” Derpy inquired.

“Of course! It’s the easiest way to get in! No breach, no detection!” Trixie puffed up her chest with pride. “Let Trixie show you how it’s done,” She raised her head, ready to light up her horn and teleport them inside… Until she remembered something and turned to look at the other mare. “Since I’m the one who got us in, I’ll let you break the generator if you want,” She muttered in Derpy’s direction, who simply nodded in response.

Unless they had countermeasures for teleporting, they should be able to go in undetected. Even with all the progress they made in the fields of science, and magic, such a thing didn’t exist yet. To her knowledge, at least.

They had been walking for 15 minutes, easily, and they were only getting to the generator now. Fluttershy still could hardly believe this facility was this massive. Luckily, Steel explained everything they encountered quickly and without dumping too much information, they wouldn’t even understand, on them. Thanks to that, they didn’t waste any time standing around an experiment.

Steel likely also knew he shouldn’t get on their bad side, at the risk of ending up in a dungeon. Everyone was well aware of the risks of offending them, after all.

“Ah! There it is!” Steel exclaimed before stopping in his tracks.

Finally, Fluttershy and Shining could take a good look at the generator, which was guarded by stallions in uniform. It was much bigger than a pony. The machine had a metallic framework, looking robust and tough to break. There was a control panel in the middle with dozens of different buttons and a keyboard. Above it was a massive glass dome with a huge tube going to the ceiling, and several smaller ones traveling to other parts of the facility. There were even several clouds inside the dome already.

“It looks… In good shape,” Shining commented while looking at the clouds inside the dome.

“And we’re doing our best to keep it that way! Still, if you want to check if all systems are fully operational, you will have to use the control panel,” He explained before turning to Fluttershy. “All yours, my Lady,” He smiled and gestured at the generator.

The pegasus just stood there, dumbfounded. What did he just say? Glancing at Shining, the unicorn just shrugged with a nervous gaze, which went unseen by the scientist. Fluttershy gulped before finally walking up to the panel. Alright, they were here. What did they need to do now? Should they just attack it now?

“Why don’t you show us if everything’s okay?” Shining suggested, only for the scientist to widen his eyes.

“Oh, my goodness, no! I’m only a class 3! I’m not allowed to touch that,” Steel shook a hoof. “Unluckily, all our class 1s are occupied, so I apologize,” He lightly bowed his head after his apology. “Fortunately, Prime Minister Twilight taught every council member how to use them, so I’m sure Minister Fluttershy will have no trouble!” He grinned in Fluttershy’s direction.

“Right… She did teach me that,” She mumbled under her breath. Well, it seemed she had no choice. Turning to look at the control panel, she wondered what her next course of action should be. Should she give the signal for Shining to break it? If the others didn’t get inside the factory yet, it could potentially prevent them from fulfilling their part of the plan. Perhaps, she could find a way to sabotage it? It wouldn’t be as loud or as obvious.

“Take your time!” Steel smiled widely, unbothered by the mare’s hesitance.

Fluttershy figured she might have as well stalled for time until she was certain the others were inside. If they got in, then any commotion they caused now could be a good enough distraction for them to destroy the other generators. With a confident nod, she began pressing random buttons. Of course, it couldn’t be that easy.

“Hey… This is-” Steel exclaimed before cutting himself off once the clouds inside the dome began spinning around, then were projected into the small tubes coming out of it. “You just turned it on to make thunderclouds, my Lady!” He pointed out while the pegasus stepped away from the machine with a worried expression. “Did you-”

He was once again interrupted when loud alarms suddenly blared with a red blinking light, pulling his attention away from the minister.

“What’s happening?” Shining Armor questioned the scientist, who could only gulp.

“T-There’s been a breach! Somepony teleported inside the facility!” The scientist responded in a panic.

Evidently, he wasn’t the only one in such a state. Scientists and researchers were running as fast as they could in nearby rooms, likely used to hide in case of attacks. Guards, on the other hand, were all dashing in the same direction. There was no doubt they were hurrying where the factory had been breached. Whoever teleported inside would be surrounded by every guard in the facility!

“Then I guess it’s time to go!” Shining nodded in Fluttershy’s direction. With no other warning, he raised his horn and lit it before firing a vertical blue magical blade that tore the generator in half.

First sparks, wires, and metallic parts flew out of it, and black smoke soon followed. It wouldn’t take long for a fire to start, but the damage he dealt was already enough.

“What are you doing?!” Steel shouted as he fell on his hind legs and crawled back while the guards around him froze, unsure of what to do.

“Let’s go, Fluttershy!” Shining yelled at his partner.

“Right behind you!” She replied before they took off running, leaving a perplexed Light Steel behind.

Shining wished there was an easier way to escape, but the issue was that he wasn’t proficient enough in the teleportation spell to teleport two ponies at the same time. He wasn’t planning to leave Fluttershy on her own by staying behind or even worse, escaping without her. Still… He was hoping the others were doing fine. They should break the other generators soon. Especially if the one that sprung the alarm was Trixie since it meant she teleported near the generator.

A couple of minutes earlier…

“This is it…” Cheese Sandwich whispered from where he stood. By his side was Braeburn, wearing a guard uniform. The generator was only a few feet away from them. Unfortunately, there were several guards around it. Cheese could try trying his luck again and use his disguise to approach them, but it seemed it was a restricted area even for scientists. “What’s the plan? I distract them? Or better yet, I talk them into joining us, making them allies and friends, potentially even family?!” He excitedly questioned the other earth pony.

“Eh. Ah have a better idea,” Braeburn shrugged. Unfortunately, the party pony didn’t quite have the time to ask him about it since the tough stallion released a battle cry and raced to the guards.

“Huh?” One of them arched an eyebrow in surprise before receiving a powerful kick to the face. He was thrown against a nearby wall with enough force to put a dent in it and make him pass out.

“Guess we’re doing this, then!” Cheese laughed as he took off his lab coat and threw it away, accidentally hitting a nearby scientist in the face with it.

“We’re under attack! Sound the ala-” One of the guards began ordering the others, only for the party pony to cut him with a good punch in the guts, nearly making him spill out his lunch.

“Ya aren’t doin’ anythin’!” Braeburn yelled, using the tremendous force given to him by earth pony magic, and throwing the guards in every direction. Most of them were pegasi, so the only advantage they would have would be in the air. Unfortunately for them, there wasn’t much space for flying in this place.

“A little help?!” Cheese requested as he was stuck in a magical grab. Braeburn cursed himself once he noticed the origin of it. Of course, there would be unicorns, too!

There was one thing he knew, and it was that unicorns required focus. A single look around was enough for him to find a way to take care of this, and any other unicorn that might show up! With a yell, he kicked the nearest stone pillar, shattering it at its base. Cracks swiftly spread up until the whole thing was broken off the ceiling and began collapsing in the unicorn’s direction, shattering the tubes in the air in the process.

The guard widened her eyes in shock before dropping Cheese Sandwich to the ground and immediately using levitation magic to stop the stone from crushing her. Understandably, she clenched her teeth, holding the pillar up with shaking legs.

“Thanks for the save,” Cheese uttered, rubbing his head. It was at this moment that the alarm sprung alive, revealing to the whole facility that they had intruders. Of course, it was already too late.

“No problem,” Braeburn smiled. With no other warning, he ran up to the generator and rammed it with all his might. Against the strength of someone from the Apple family, a mere piece of machinery stood no chance at all! He didn’t just put a dent in it, he tore it apart! “There! If they can fix this, then Ah’m a princess!” He exclaimed as pieces of the control panel fell to his hooves.

“The council is gonna kill us…” One of the guards lying on the floor muttered as he watched the destruction of the generator.

“Now… How do we get out?” Cheese asked nonchalantly.

“Think ya can give me enough time to make a hole in that wall?” Braeburn inquired. The party pony looked behind him. As expected, dozens of guards surrounded them.

“Should be easy enough,” He smirked. Without hesitation, he charged at the crowd with a battle cry, imitating Braeburn’s.

The farm pony simply grinned. Unwilling to waste any more time, he kicked the nearest wall.

How was she supposed to know they actually had a way to detect teleportation magic?! She didn’t know this even existed! Granted, she should have been more careful, but still! Even Shining Armor wasn’t aware of this! No matter, she still had only one job, and she wasn’t screwing it up! Thanks to Shining’s directions, she knew where she needed to teleport. Thus, she was only feet away from the generator. Swiftly, she lit her horn to fire at it, only for someone to tackle her to the floor.

She winced in pain as her face hit the cold and hard ground. Unfortunately, even more ponies jumped and piled up on her as if every guard in this facility was thrown at her!

“Intruder apprehended!” One of the guards shouted while holding her down.

“Derpy! You do it!” Trixie shouted at the pegasus who was debating over whether she should help Trixie or go for the generator. Nevertheless, the unicorn’s voice was enough to wake the mare out of her thoughts and encourage her to make her decision.

“Right on it!” Derpy yelled back before taking off and flying at top speed toward the machine.

“Stop her!” A scientist barked at the guards who weren’t already busy with Trixie.

“By order of the council, stop!” A guard ordered her while trying to grab onto her.

With incredible agility coupled with a quick reaction time, Derpy dodged them along with every other guard that attempted to do the same. Some even crashed into each other. Just as she was closing in on the generator, she began… seeing two of them! Rubbing her eyes didn’t help her at all as it kept multiplying, making her unsure of where it even was anymore!

“N-Not now, you stupid eyes!” She cursed them in anger. With her teeth clenched, she pulled one of her forehooves back, ready to punch it. All she could do was hope she would get the right one!

Her head crashed into the control panel.

Derpy fell on her back, her head spinning as if she was seeing stars. Her skull was so thick it even left a mark behind! This caused every nearby employee to pause.

“Did… Did she do it?” A guard gulped, scared of the answer.

“Uhm…” A scientist looked closer. “It looks fine!”

Sparks flew from the control panel. A moment later, the generator burst open, spilling out black smoke. The small explosion sent the scientist flying, and it seemed Trixie also grew tired of being handled in such a way. With a grunt, she lit up her horn and blasted all the guards off her.

“This is not how you treat a Trixie,” The blue unicorn wiped some dust off her. “Hold on, Derpy, I got you!” She reassured the pegasus, who still wasn’t in the right mind yet, and grabbed her with her magic. The researchers were hopeless as the two mares left in another flash, just like the one they came in with.

“Oh, no, no, no! Could this get any worse?!” A scientist unicorn asked himself, trying to operate the remaining half of the destroyed control panel while occasionally protecting himself from the sparks flying out of it.

“S-Sir!” Another researcher ran up to him, sweating so much he looked like he had fallen into a river. “There’s been a spill! Someone turned on a generator, there are thunderclouds inside!” He gestured behind him.

Just as he said, thunderclouds were forming high on the ceiling, getting darker and darker as more of them were poured out of the broken tubes. It didn’t take long before lighting struck randomly and indiscriminately, barely missing the running ponies. Unfortunately for them, any missing strike hit one of their machines instead, burning any research it contained.

“Then what are you waiting for?! Activate the emergency protocol and get them out as soon as possible!” The first scientist hollered at the second one, who was quick to obey his orders and run to execute them.

The ponies still conscious ran away, either to turn on the emergency protocol or simply to leave the factory as it was obviously not safe. Meanwhile, the first scientist stood there, watching as a piece of metal fell from the ceiling, and other machines burned. They had worked here only a few years, yet they made so much progress that they could safely say they would have been a hundred years in the future compared to the other nations. For some of them, this was their life’s work! The generator’s destruction was a problem, but if they couldn’t get those clouds out… Then they would lose all the progress they made! It would all go to waste!

This couldn’t happen!

“And nothing suspicious going on either?” Minister Rainbow Dash questioned, relaxing on a cloud with a drink in her hoof.

Not too far from her stood a male pegasus. His name was… She forgot, actually. But it probably wasn’t important anyway. She just knew she called the “report guy” since he was the one she was assigned to give her reports of anything happening in Rainbow City. Usually, it was done in the castle, but she preferred doing it in her favorite napping spot. No chair was as comfortable as a cloud. Especially a cloud that was near her statue.

She loved to bask in her glory! Could you blame her?

“Nothing so far. I’m happy to say that Rainbow City has a 0% crime rate. Lowest in all of Equestria,” He responded with pride.

“Yup! It makes perfect sense! Considering it’s mine, ya know,” Rainbow Dash took another sip of her drink. Lowest crime rate, most beautiful, and most lively. Her city was the best in every way! Honestly, she was starting to wonder why ponies weren’t praying to her statue at this point!

BOOM

“Huh? What’s that sound?” Rainbow cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

“It’s the factory, my Lady!” Report guy pointed at the facility. Thunderclouds were coming out of it! Was Canterlot attacked? No, there was no way! It looked like an accident more than anything else judging by the way smoke escaped from the factory, and also by the lightning strikes hitting the nearby buildings.

“What the hay’s going on?!” Rainbow Dash questioned with a frown. Did she need to take care of this? It wasn’t like she caused it. Nonetheless, Twilight wouldn’t be happy about this.

“What should we do, my Lady?” Report guy inquired in a panicked tone, which she brushed off. There was no need to worry as long as she was there, after all.

She fully intended on helping… Until lightning suddenly flew in another direction. This time, it wasn’t just any house or building. No, it hit the statue straight into one of its forelegs! Rainbow Dash widened her eyes, staring at the spot that was hit. A small crack appeared, then another, and another. They only grew bigger and bigger until the leg broke! With no forelegs to support it, the statue began falling forward.

“Oh, no… no, no! Please!” Rainbow Dash begged any higher force that existed but in vain. It collapsed on the road, shattering to pieces, and throwing rubber everywhere while the pegasus’ decapitated stone head rolled away until it crashed into a house, causing even more commotion. “My statue…” Her lower lip quivered while she watched in disbelief.

“My Lady?” Report guy asked with shaking legs.

“Those…” Rainbow Dash furrowed her brows with a murderous look. The pegasus near her stepped away in silence. She clenched her teeth, holding an expression of fury like she never did before. “What did those eggheads do?!” She fumed. With a single wing flap, she took off toward the factory, blowing the cloud she was sitting on away.

She didn’t bother going through the door. Oh, no, she wasn’t in the mood for manners. She did much simpler. She flew through the roof, bursting it open and going through the thunderclouds without a care in the world. It was only natural. She was Rainbow Dash! Nothing in this world could scare her!

“You… What are you idiots doing?!” She roared in rage, hovering closer to the floor.

“M-My Lady! You have to help quickly! The exit is blocked!” Light Steel suddenly grabbed her by the foreleg.

“Don’t touch me, nerd!” Rainbow Dash bellowed before slapping him away so hard he was slammed against another machine, electrocuting him in the process. Totally uncaring about the body dropping on the floor, the cyan pegasus was still fuming. “Help? You think I’ll help after you break my statue?! Oh, no… I’m here to make sure you don’t break my castle, too. You morons just ruined my record!” She roared before flying through a nearby stone pillar.

Not just pillars, She flew straight through everything she laid her eyes on, without a speck of mercy, breaking every piece of equipment in the process. She broke holes in the ceilings just to fly around the factory and accumulate some speed to cause even more damage. It only made the fire worse, and it didn’t take long before the facility was filled with smoke. She wasn’t even affected by it since she needed only a second to go out and get some fresh air.

With a rage that went beyond anything they imagined and deadly eyes, the pegasus looked like a beast.

Even the civilians outside weren’t doing any better as they fled the vicinity of the factory as fast as they could. All they knew was that the perimeter was dangerous.

“What’s happening?!” One of them shouted, looking back at the building.

“Just run! Minister Rainbow Dash is going on a rampage again!” Another screamed back, dashing past them.

Running was indeed the right call. Only a few seconds later, the factory was riddled with chain explosions until a gigantic blast tore it apart in flames. Pieces of burning metal and stones rained over the city like meteors, crashing into houses and setting them ablaze.

The thunderclouds dissipated quickly, replaced by black smoke thick enough to hide the sun. There were no signs of life around the facility… until a rainbow streak suddenly shot out of the smoke, rushing toward the sky.

Minister Rainbow Dash stopped, hovering in the air once she was finally out of the smoke and what remained of the burning factory. Against all odds, there wasn’t a single scratch on her, nor dirt on her. Her wings were pristine just as they were when she woke up. Her body was completely unscathed. Yet, even after letting all her anger out, she was still fuming.

Her beloved statue was in ruins because of them! Did they know how long she made ponies work on it to build it? It took months! Watching around, she also noticed all the ponies running. They looked like they were safe, so she didn’t feel like she needed to save anyone. Nevertheless, her eyes were like a hawk’s, and something she didn’t imagine she would see here caught her eye. It was Fluttershy and Shining Armor! They were running toward the forest on the city’s outskirts.

Twilight’s words from yesterday echoed back into her mind. She knew for a fact that Fluttershy was still in Canterlot when she left this morning. It was also impossible for the bearer of the element of kindness to be here in such a short time. She glared in the imposter’s direction. This was their fault, wasn’t it? It couldn’t simply be a coincidence!

Minister Rainbow Dash shot up toward them with speed rarely ever seen. She wasn’t willing to spare any mercy for either of them! Whether Shining Armor was an imposter or a filthy traitor didn’t matter. She would beat him to a pulp!

As if sensing she was coming, the stallion turned around. Before he could even react or defend himself, she slammed her forehooves into his head, burying his whole body into the ground with a cloud of dust. That hit alone was enough to put him out of commission. It could have even been fatal, but Rainbow Dash honestly didn’t care. Instead, she turned to glare at the imposter.

“Wait,” Fluttershy said, only for the cyan pegasus to kick her in the face with no prior warning.

All Fluttershy could see was darkness as she lost consciousness.

When was the last time one of her friends punched or kicked her? It never happened, did it? Seeing one of her friends’ enraged faces as they attacked her was something she never thought she would go through in her life. The pain in her heart was worse than the one she got when she was punched, though. She could feel herself stirring awake at the sound of… screaming?

Her eyes fluttered open; the first thing she saw was the bars of a jail cell. She groaned in pain as something rattled with her movements. It was iron shackles. She was bound to a wall!

“Where is your base?” Someone questioned in a cold tone.

“I told you already… I’m not talking,” A stallion replied in pain. Fluttershy looked in the stallion’s direction. Shining Armor was there too, shackles like she was and with a metal ring around his horn.

“Why are you so stubborn?”

Electricity shot out of a horn, hitting Shining head-on and electrocuting him. The poor stallion howled in pain, a guttural scream escaping from his throat, which was enough to fully wake Fluttershy up.

“What are you doing?! Stop!” She screamed. From the looks of the burns on Shining’s body, he had been tortured for quite some time, now!

“Oh? You are awake,” The pony that tortured him turned to look at the pegasus. Much to Fluttershy’s horror, it was someone she knew well: Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn was accompanied by Applejack. The two of them wore their respective elements. “Maybe you’ll be willing to talk, unlike my brother?” Prime Minister Twilight suggested.

“If you want to torture somepony… Torture me,” Shining Armor grunted with a glare.

“I’ve tried doing this for the past twenty minutes. Perhaps, she’ll be more cooperative?” Twilight didn’t bother glancing at Shining Armor. “So. Who are you? What are you? You aren’t a changeling,” She interrogated the pegasus.

Help[

Fluttershy threw a look at Shining, who simply stared at her in silence. She was faced with another choice. Should she tell the truth? Ever since she got here, she had been thinking of talking to her friends’ counterparts. If they truly were versions of her friends, then there was still hope for them. They had the potential to do as much good as the ones she was familiar with.

Every challenge they faced. Every accomplishment. Every lesson she learned with the other girls replayed in her mind. She couldn’t give up on the council when she had a lifetime of good memories with ponies wearing their faces and names.

“That’s because I’m Fluttershy from… From another universe,” She revealed, only for Twilight to raise a dubious eyebrow.

“Very funny. But I’m not in the mood for jokes,” Twilight furrowed her brows.

“It’s not a joke,” Fluttershy retorted. Before the lavender unicorn could say anything, the pegasus recounted how her Twilight studied the strange stone that crashed into Equestria, which led them to be thrown into other universes.

She told them about other events that happened back in her own world and even said things in her private life only she and her closest friends should know. She had no doubt that her counterpart told them about these things, too. Twilight and Applejack were silent through it all.

“That stone… It sounds like…” Applejack muttered.

Help

“The one we found,” Twilight finished her sentence. Fluttershy immediately perked up.

“Did you find it?” She asked hopefully.

“This isn’t for you to know,” Twilight replied. “But what you told us is intriguing,”

“Do ya believe her?” Minister Applejack arched an eyebrow.

“I’m not denying the possibility that she is telling the truth. From my investigation… Multiversal travel may be real. I’ll have to think about my decision concerning her,” Twilight explained. “But if this is true, then think of what we could accomplish. We could get their help. Equus will be easily brought to heel under our rule. Not just Equus, but every world out there,” The unicorn could already see it. Entire universes where harmony reigned supreme. Peace like no other.

“No!” Fluttershy blurted out before she could stop herself. She didn’t mean to be so blunt, but the moment she heard them talking this way, she felt the need to stop them. Couldn’t they see all the harm they would cause?

“No? What do you mean… No?” Twilight questioned, baffled.

“This is wrong. This isn’t harmony or friendship. Don’t you realize how many ponies you hurt?” Fluttershy responded with a shaky voice. “My friends and I have been all learning about friendship. Sometimes, it’s hard to understand. It could even get you into arguments… But it’s something that should never be used to hurt somepony else. If you want, you can come to my world and see for yourself,” She continued, pleading.

Help

“Is that what you were told about us? That we were hurting ponies?” Twilight clenched her teeth. “Why can’t anypony see the big picture?!” She stomped the floor in anger. “The only ponies we hurt are the ones who deserved it! All we ever did was for the good of Equestria. Without us, this kingdom would have been in ruins multiple times!” She shouted. “All we want is to make the world a better and safer place, can’t you understand that?” The unicorn inquired in a seemingly saddened tone.

“You’re a liar,” Shining muttered. Immediately, his sister glared at him with hatred. Undeterred, the stallion glared back. “You have never cared about the world. Not even once. You just don’t like the way it is. You can’t accept the way things are,” He breathed out in pain.

“That’s an interesting theory, brother. Where did that foolish thinking come from?”

“Since you were a filly, all you cared about was magic and studies. I would have noticed if you had any sense of justice,” Shining Armor spat. “What you actually want is… control. You think nothing goes right unless you’re the one in charge, and you won’t be satisfied until it’s perfect,” The white unicorn wheezed. “But this is the thing, Twily… Nothing’s perfect. You’ll never be satisfied. I’ve been wondering why you were so obsessed with this…” He whispered while Twilight glared silently. She looked like she wanted to begin torturing him again! “It’s because of Princess Celestia, isn’t it? You’ve always wanted to make her proud, and now you want to prove you’re bet-”

“Don’t speak her name!” Twilight suddenly snapped, putting her horn on the cell bars, and making electricity course through them. However, her brother didn’t relent.

“I know Princess Celestia hurt you… But you can’t take it out on the whole world,” Shining spat out blood. “Please, stop this madness,”

“You… How dare you?” Twilight nearly growled. Applejack simply placed a comforting hoof on her back but remained silent. “You betrayed me? And you dare beg me, now?! You beg me as if I was some kind of supervillain?! Is this a joke?!” She nearly electrocuted him again. However, her friend’s warm hoof was enough to keep her grounded. She couldn’t lose her temper. She couldn’t lose it! “After that stunt, you pulled?! You and the terrorists you call friends have destroyed the entire Thunder Factory, ruined lives, and even taken some!”

“The resistance did none of that,” Shining retorted with a glare. Their only plan was to destroy the generators and potentially bruise some guards if it was needed. Nothing more. There weren’t supposed to be casualties.

Help

“No, not a resistance! A rebellion!” The lavender unicorn corrected him.

“You and I both know Rainbow Dash was the cause of that. She did this because of a tantrum, and she would again,” Her brother continued. This seemed to set the female unicorn off.

“That’s Minister Rainbow Dash to you, you scum!” Twilight hit the bars with her magic again, causing sparks to fly everywhere. Some even nearly landed in Fluttershy’s eyes. She had never seen Twilight like that. She actually looked like she wanted to… murder her brother. But she wouldn’t go that far, would she? “And she wasn’t! You don’t know anything about her! She’s hard-working, and kind! She cares so much about her friends, but pretends she doesn’t as to not look soft! She’s a pony who loves her city, and wouldn’t let anything happen to it because when it does, she actually hates herself for days! She cares so much about my feelings and my opinion of her that she can’t forgive herself if she fails a task I give her! She’s easily one of the most compassionate ponies I know, but there’s always somepony to set her off! There’s always somepony who looks down on her, and hurts her! This is what happens when we aren’t here to protect her! Ponies like you take advantage of her, and you set her off today. Because of what you did, she destroyed the whole facility! Can you imagine the pain you’ve caused her?!” Twilight finally finished her tirade, breathing heavily while Applejack patted her back.

That… Certainly wasn’t something Fluttershy expected… Twilight definitely still cared about her friends. However, there was something wrong here… This painted a completely different picture from the Rainbow Dash she heard of until now. The resistance absolutely did not view her in such a light.

Shining, on the other hand, looked flabbergasted. It was like his jaw was about to hit the floor. The shock in his eyes was obvious, but Fluttershy even detected a hint of realization.

“Oh, my Celestia… You… You’re delusional,” Shining Armor slowly shook his head. “You actually believe this… This isn’t even a lie… You’re 100% convinced of everything you just said…” He gasped. His sister glared at him silently, deciding not to entertain him by giving him a response.

Twilight wasn’t surprised by his reaction. No one could understand her and her friends. They couldn’t see how much they cared about each other. They had no one to love so strongly. She knew her friends. She knew them better than anyone in the world. They were compassionate souls, but they had been beaten down by life in the past. Because of that, they could lash out or make irrational decisions. However, it wasn’t their fault! The unicorn had seen the real them and had seen how much they were affected by the mistakes they made. That was why she could forgive anything for them.

Rainbow Dash destroyed the Thunder Factory, their last defense? She was already forgiven. The ones to blame were the rebellion. When Minister Fluttershy killed that guard because she thought she saw him killing a little bird? She was forgiven. It was the guard’s fault for acting suspiciously.

They could even kill foals, and she would find a reason to forgive them. Because she knew they wouldn’t be at fault.

Ponies always pushed them around, and when consequences hit them, they blamed her friends. How was it fair?! Why was it so strange for her to defend ponies she cared about?!

“Rainbow Dash is just a murderer, Twilight!” Shining shouted.

“Don’t you badmouth her!” She yelled back. “Not her. Not any of my friends or I will kill you,” She threatened in a cold tone, which was enough to send shivers down Fluttershy’s spine.

“Your own brother?” The stallion questioned in disgust.

“Don’t you dare weaponize our blood relations! You still don’t get it, do you? My relationship with the girls goes far deeper than ours ever did. You couldn’t possibly understand,” Twilight leaned in closer, her face nearly touching the bars. “I would gladly sacrifice thousands of you to save only one of them. Especially now that you’ve thrown your lot with our enemies,” She spat with hate.

“You made me do this, Twily,” Shining gulped, suddenly reminded of why he was in the rebellion in the first place.

“Oh, and pray tell why? You have a wife. You rule a kingdom alongside her. You have status and a loving family! You protect Equestria, the greatest nation in the world! So what could I have possibly done to turn you against me?! Let’s hear it!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “What? Did I hurt your little feelings?! Tell me why!” She demanded an answer, screaming so loud that she made Fluttershy flinch.

“The attack we led against the changeling after my wedding,” Shining suddenly answered, looking down as he nearly choked on his spit.

“Huh?” Twilight stepped away, looking more confused than ever. “Our war with the changelings? That’s it? What, did your precious soldiers get PTSD? Is that why you’re mad? You don’t like war?” She gritted her teeth. “We didn’t have a choice! They launched an attack first! They declared war when their queen tried to invade Equestria!”

“A war? You call this a war?” Shining Armor uttered incredulously. “Twilight… It was a massacre. Don’t you even realize what we’ve done?” He questioned, sniffling as tears threatened to fall. Fluttershy had never seen Twilight’s brother look so… Broken. “We’ve killed so many… Indiscriminately. It was a slaughter and a blood bath. I’ve had nightmares about that day every night since it happened, and I still do… I didn’t know how to look at myself in the mirror anymore,” His voice cracked.

“This was a war, Shining Armor! That’s what happens in wars!” Twilight stomped the floor.

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“Did you forget already?” He questioned her, baffled and horrified. “We committed a genocide, Twilight! We wiped out an entire species, and burned their homes! We killed CHILDREN!” He let out a guttural scream. The revelation nearly broke Fluttershy’s mind. No… They didn’t… They didn’t, right? It nearly made her puke! The faces of the changeling students she taught at the school of friendship flashed through her mind as she thought of them and their families. “How could I believe in our cause after that? How could I fight for you? I… I could barely live with myself!” Shining Armor openly cried, not caring about his pride or any other trivial things anymore. “I wish I could have ended it… Free myself from those nightmares… But I realized that living my life was a better atonement. That’s all I can do… Live with the weight of my sins until I die,” He continued to cry, shedding tears while looking down, refusing to meet Twilight’s gaze. “My sins… Are all I have…”

“You betrayed me… Because of those bugs? Because you felt bad for them?” Twilight uttered, unable to understand her brother. No, it simply made no sense to her. “Those monsters wanted to invade and enslave us. Their nourishment was our love! How could you feel bad for them when they simply got what they deserved?!” She screamed. However, Shining remained silent, unwilling to talk any more than he already did. “You betray your own sister for the enemy, then you use your position to help them. You use my kindness to help them… You used me. You used me like Celestia did… Just like everyone wishes to. Everypony wants to hurt me…” Twilight uttered, looking like she had been stabbed in the heart. “And I won’t let you hurt me anymore,” She stated with a decisive tone. Her eyes suddenly glowed in a bright white light with a pinkish aura around the corner of her eyes. Her horn was surrounded by a violet hue, sparking with arcs of magic.

Fluttershy froze, filled with a sudden sense of dread. It was like she was staring at death! Minister Applejack widened her eyes. To the pegasus’ surprise, she grabbed Twilight’s head.

“Twilight, no!” The farm pony shouted as she pushed the unicorn’s head away just as she fired her magical beam. It was potent and larger than she had seen from any unicorn Fluttershy had known. While the beam didn’t hit their cell, it followed the path of Twilight’s move, pulverizing the cell beside theirs.

“No!” One of the inmates shouted in fear before being enveloped and reduced to dust by the spell.

Once the light in Twilight’s horn subsided, and the dust created from the blast faded, the damage done to the dungeons was fully visible. There was a massive horizontal trail dug in the walls of the cells while the bars were melted off. Any prisoners inside those cells were dead in an instant.

“Ah know ya want to kill ‘im, Sugarcube, but think of the rebellion! He’s our only link to them! If ya kill him, then we’ll be back to zero,” Applejack argued, patting the unicorn on the back. It seemed her words were enough to calm her friend down.

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“I… I’m sorry, Applejack. You’re right… I’m glad you’re here,” Twilight conceded before glaring at the two ponies in the cell. “One week. That’s all I’ll give you, Shining Armor. If you don’t tell me anything by that point… Then I’ll have to tell Mom and Dad that you died, bravely fighting the rebels,” She spat. Clearly, lying to keep him in a good light to her parents seemed to disgust her. The female unicorn glanced at Fluttershy. “As for you, I hope you’ll make your decision quickly. If you’re anything like the Fluttershy I know, then you know we are doing the right thing,” With that said, the two mares walked away, leaving their prisoners alone.

Fluttershy sighed, still having a hard time breathing after everything she had seen and heard. It was certain, now. There was no talking to them.

“Will ya be alright, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked the lavender unicorn as they walked away, ignoring the scorching path Twilight left after her attack.

“I will. Thanks to you,” Twilight responded with a confident expression. “I was just reminded again that you and the other girls are the only ones I can ever count on,” She affirmed.

No matter how. She would end this rebellion and make sure these terrorists wouldn’t hurt anyone anymore. She was done playing nice.

Curse

Universe 31870

“You’re getting better!” Rarity proclaimed with a proud smile. Meanwhile, the pony she was speaking to was sitting on the floor, her eyes covered by her hooves.

“Please, you don’t need to sugarcoat it,” Twilight lamented with a groan. “How many times did I step on your hooves?” She asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“Not too many times!” Rarity was quick to reassure her, only to chuckle nervously. “Only 10 or 20 times…” She added. The lavender unicorn just deadpanned in response. “But you are getting better, I can assure you!”

“Why did I start learning to dance, again?” Twilight sighed, rubbing her nose with an annoyed groan.

“Because I have been learning how to teleport, and improved my combat skills in exchange for teaching you the art of dancing, dear,” Rarity placed a hoof on her chest. She hadn’t been silent about this training these past few days as she didn’t fear voicing her pride for every achievement she accomplished. It wasn’t really bragging, she actually surprised herself with her progress since she had no idea she even had the potential to improve in such a way. Quite frankly, she couldn’t wait to show her improved skills to the original Twilight and Starlight. She likely would never stand in the same realm as them when it came to magic, but she would still be better than she had been before landing here. “Now, do you want to have another try at it?” The white unicorn raised a hoof in the lavender mare’s direction.

“Why did it have to be this kind of dance, too?” The other unicorn grumbled under her breath as her eyes remained focused on Rarity’s extended hoof. After a few seconds of uncertainty, Twilight sighed and took her hoof, standing up again.

“For events significant enough to occur at the castle, like the Gala, dancing with a partner is the most common necessary skill for a pony to have, Twilight,” Rarity explained with a calm smile. Twilight had been her only company ever since she got in this world, so you would think she was growing tired of hanging around with her 24/7, but that wasn’t actually the case. She was still different from the Twilight she knew, so it was like meeting a new pony. Also, she had to admit she was having fun with her. Unlike the one she knew, this unicorn was totally clueless about friendship! Teaching was actually quite fun!

“Well, you definitely made more progress than me,” Twilight grumbled. “Moreover, I’m not the kind of pony who likes… physical contact. This is embarrassing,” She rubbed her forehead.

The fashionista arched an eyebrow in surprise. Again, she compared the other unicorn to the Twilight she was most familiar with. Her Twilight frequently nuzzled her friends, they all did actually, some more than others. Even if she understood this wasn’t the same pony, noting the various differences between them still came as a shock.

“Why didn’t you say so? We could have taken it easier,” Rarity noted worriedly.

“I can’t take it easy. As Princess Luna’s student, I can’t afford to be lazy,” Twilight shook her head.

“You are way too hard on yourself,” Rarity lightly admonished her. “You need to relax a little. Personally, I usually spend a day in the spa. It helps so much for the muscles, but most importantly, your hooves, mane, and tail!” She suggested eagerly. “Look at my mane. What about the tail? Don’t they look fabulous?” She flaunted them. “Daily care brings you wonders,”

“Uhm,” Twilight backed away, uncertain. “They look… Good? I guess?” She tilted her head, inspecting the assets the unicorn was the most proud of. “I only ever cared for my horn, really,” She added, which was expected from most unicorns. It wasn’t just important esthetically, but for one’s health, too. A unicorn’s horn was as important to them as the wings were for the pegasi.

“We’ll have to remedy that at some point, but maybe we can try something? We could take a break,” Rarity stated.

“What do you suggest?” The lavender mare cocked an eyebrow.

“Oh, this will be so exciting! First, we have to leave the castle!” The fashionista replied. The eagerness in her tone was enough to send chills down Twilight’s spine. Luna’s student had a feeling she wouldn’t like this…

“I’m not coming out,” Twilight firmly declared from the changing room, hidden behind a curtain.

“What are you afraid of, darling? I am sure you look amazing!” Rarity reassured her confidently. “The dress I picked out for you should be perfect for your measurements as well as match your colors!” She added.

“Of course, you know my measurements…” Twilight mumbled in defeat. “Very well, I’m coming out,” She reluctantly decided before opening the curtain with her magic.

Finally, the white unicorn could witness the beauty of the dress she laid her eyes on earlier, worn by someone. As expected, it suited Twilight perfectly. The bottom was a dark purple, of a semi-transparent veil-like cloth riddled with small white stars. It almost looked like a dark sky sprinkled with jewels. The top was deep blue with short lavender double-sleeves and a large white star in the middle. Now if only the other mare had gotten a restyle for her hair to best fit the overall look, it would have been perfect! Nonetheless, this change of looks remained a success.

“Oh, my! What did I say? You look fabulous, darling!” Rarity exclaimed with a wide triumphant smile.

“T-Thanks,” The second unicorn looked away.

“I knew this store would be the right place for this,” The fashionista commented happily.

She was lucky their universes were so similar because she had no idea where she would have gone shopping if this store, La Couture de Dazzle, hadn’t existed here. It wasn’t exactly renowned across Equestria, specifically because it only had two stores. One was located in Canterlot, the other in Fillydelphia. Nevertheless, it still had a good reputation to its name, and was the most popular brand in Canterlot. Because of that, the store they were in was fairly big, twice the size of the shop she had in Manehattan.

“I suppose I’ll buy it, then,” Twilight sighed as she lit her horn. Instantly, a plastic bag flashed before their eyes. With another flash, her dress was suddenly teleported above her head inside her magical grab. Carefully, she folded it, and then put it inside the bag. “There, we can go to the counter, now. I still don’t understand how shopping can be entertaining,”

“Well, if you are on your own, it can get quite boring,” Rarity conceded. “But you weren’t alone. Don’t you think looking for dresses with a friend is fun?”

Twilight looked down at the question. She was expressionless for a couple of seconds, but after thinking Rarity’s words over, she gave her a small and barely perceptible smile.

“Yes, it is,” She admitted before looking at the bag. Did she ever even go shopping with anyone in the past. Not from what she could remember, at least. Dresses were also something she never thought about. She was aware she would have to wear them on some occasion after her apprenticeship and becoming a princess, but still… Apart from armor, she never even wore clothes at all ever since she began learning under Princess Luna.

The small trip ended up being pleasant for both of them. Frankly, Rarity enjoyed getting out of the castle once in a while since she had been in this universe for days already. Princess Luna had promised her she was doing everything in her power to find the stone, and she trusted her… But it was starting to take an awful lot of time. The only thing keeping her from worrying to death was hanging out with Twilight’s counterpart here. Nonetheless, she didn’t how long that could occupy her. She also hoped she would manage to teach her the magic of friendship in time.

With these thoughts swirling in her head, and the dress packed, Rarity left the store along with Twilight. Now they needed to find something else to do for the rest of the day. As the fashionista began mulling over it, a feminine voice suddenly called out to them.

“Twilight! Is that you?” It came from behind, sounding cheerful.

Before turning around, Rarity glanced at Twilight, checking if the other unicorn recognized that voice. However, the lavender mare simply froze in confusion. The small pause lasted only for a second, barely perceptible before they turned around. Once she laid her eyes on the mare, though, the fashionista quickly identified her. It was one of Twilight’s old friends from Canterlot, Minuette.

“It is you!” Minuette exclaimed joyfully before trotting toward the two mares. “I haven’t seen you in years! How are you doing? Is Princess Luna treating you well?” She bombarded her with questions, which Twilight seemed to be hesitant to respond to. “You remember me, right? Minuette, we were in the same class in magic kindergarten,”

It was obvious that from the look on Twilight’s face, she had no idea who this pony was. It wasn’t surprising if they only knew each other from magic kindergarten. Minuette would also have a much easier time remembering Twilight considering she was famous and known as Princess Luna’s student. Nevertheless, this was the perfect opportunity! Rarity and she had only been spending time alone, but now that Minuette was here, the fashionista could help Twilight make another friend. It was much easier to understand the magic of friendship if you had multiple friends.

“Oh, I think Twilight mentioned you once or twice!” Rarity interjected, stepping in to help her friend.

“Well, I’m flattered! I didn’t think I left much of an impression on you,” Minuette chuckled. Meanwhile, Twilight threw an inquisitive look at Rarity. “And you are?”

“Rarity. A friend of Twilight,” She introduced herself.

“Nice to meet you! I’m Minuette,” Minuette replied. “I’m surprised to see you here, Twilight. Most rumors say you rarely leave the castle unless it’s for something official,”

“Those rumors are false,” Twilight remarked without expanding on it any further. The lavender mare kept her mouth shut in a thin line. Minuette waited for her to continue, expecting that she had more to say, only to be met with silence. Rarity was forced to ease the tension by clearing her throat.

“We were just coming back from a shopping trip,” She stated, acting all natural.

“I hope you bought yourself something nice! I was actually going to work, my shift starts in half an hour,” Minuette replied, smiling. Rarity wondered if she didn’t notice Twilight’s reluctance to speak or was simply unbothered by it. Unfortunately, seeing as the other unicorn wasn’t saying anything, Rarity would have to keep this conversation alive.

“What is your profession if I may ask?” The fashionista questioned.

“Nothing too fancy, I work at my parents’ bakery until I can open my own restaurant,” Minuette replied. Before Rarity could tell her she hoped she would succeed in her aspirations, the other unicorn continued. “Well, I know I don’t need to ask Twilight,” She chuckled. “But what about you, Rarity?”

“I am a proud fashion designer from a remote town, and I came here to see if I could open a boutique in Canterlot,” Rarity responded. Of course, she had to lie a bit because spouting out the truth would only make matters more complicated. Meanwhile, the lavender mare at her side seemed to be getting more irritated by the second.

“A fashion designer? I’m guessing that would be your second store?” Minuette asked in surprise, to which Rarity nodded. She really wanted to brag about the fact that she actually had three stores, but she would just sound like a more sophisticated version of Rainbow Dash. “This is amazing! No wonder you and Twilight are friends! You both are on the road to success! Congrat,” She congratulated them.

“Why, thank you, darling!” The white beauty thanked her with a small, flattered smile while her lavender friend’s eyes wandered to her.

She didn’t mind conversing with Minuette, but this was going nowhere. Twilight couldn’t really learn the magic of friendship if she wasn’t even willing to make friends. Rarity started wondering how she even managed to befriend her in the first place. Sure, they were stuck together, so the lavender unicorn didn’t have much of a choice once Rarity pestered her, but still.

“I’m sorry to cut this conversation short, but we must go,” Twilight suddenly interjected in a flat tone.

“Oh, well maybe we could meet up later for my lunch break? We would have more time to talk. My treat,” Minuette offered.

Now that was a great opportunity! Rarity opened her mouth to reply, eager to agree. Unfortunately, Twilight was faster.

“I’m sorry but we can’t. As Princess Luna’s protégé, I can’t simply do whatever I please. It should be obvious,” She coldly rejected her offer. Rarity nearly facehoofed.

“Oh, maybe another day, then?” Minuette suggested, slightly disappointed.

“Sorry, but no,” Twilight retorted, then turned around. “Farewell,” She stated before walking away.

“I… I am so sorry. I’m sure she’ll visit your bakery once she has enough time,” Rarity apologized in embarrassment. “Goodbye!” She added as she trotted after the lavender mare, who left without her.

Minuette stayed behind, dumbfounded and confused.

“But… I didn’t even tell her which one I work at,” She muttered. However, they were already too far away to hear her.

The first thing Rarity wanted to do once she reached Twilight was to admonish her, nay, to scold her like a filly. She had been so rude! Even though, Minuette tried to be sweet! Regardless of that, the fashionista stopped herself. Yelling at Twilight would obviously do no good except to potentially cause drama. Instead, she did something quite simple.

“What was that, Twilight?” She questioned, her brows furrowing.

“What do you mean?” She inquired innocently.

“Why did you run away like this? Why were you so distant with her?” Rarity gestured behind her.

“Please, she obviously didn’t want to talk to me either,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “It’s just common courtesy to greet somepony you know. Since she didn’t want this either, I figured I wouldn’t put us through this, and put an end to it,” She explained.

“What? No! She looked like she was happy to see you,” Rarity arched an eyebrow, confused by her response.

“She wasn’t. We barely talked to each other when we were fillies… Probably… I can barely remember her. There is absolutely no reason for her to want to talk to me,” Twilight shook her head in denial.

“Maybe because she doesn’t need a reason to talk to you? She may have only wanted to catch up with you because she considered you a friend,” Rarity suggested hopefully. Yet, Twilight remained adamant.

“I refuse to believe that. I don’t have friends. And I don’t want friends,” She declared with a sense of finality.

“You keep saying that,” Rarity mumbled, nearly groaning. “Am I not your friend?” She questioned the other mare, which actually made her freeze.

“I already told you. It’s not the same. It isn’t the same thing!” She looked away, unwilling to meet the fashionista’s gaze.

“I can’t understand if you don’t explain it to me, darling,” Rarity attempted to push for an answer. Twilight stood in silence for a couple of seconds. Finally, she breathed out.

“Just forget it,” She shook her head before finally meeting Rarity’s eyes. “Let’s just go back to the castle,” The lavender pony decided.

“...” Rarity stared at her in silence but ultimately followed her without protest. “Very well,” She conceded. Now wouldn’t be the time for discussion, it seemed.

“By the way, do you call everypony darling?” Twilight asked seemingly nonchalantly.

“Huh? Maybe? Saying it has become somewhat of a reflex at this point,” Rarity shrugged, surprised by the sudden question.

“Hn,” Twilight didn’t retort anything beyond that.

Not willing to drop the subject just yet, Rarity opened her mouth to ask about the reason for Twilight’s inquiry. Unfortunately, right as she was about to speak, a loud voice cut her off.

“Captain Twilight! Finally!” A guard came running toward them, looking as panicked as ever. “We have been looking for you everywhere!” He panted once he stopped in front of the two unicorns.

The lavender mare arched an eyebrow, seeming much more serious than earlier. The guard sounded like Canterlot was under attack, but clearly, there were no current dangers outside. Most likely, it had something to do with the castle. Nevertheless, Twilight couldn’t bring herself to worry since the castle was under Princess Luna’s protection. There was no way the alicorn would let anything happen to it.

“What is wrong?” She asked calmly.

Indeed, as long as Princess Luna was there, no one would…

“It’s Princess Luna…” He began speaking between two breaths. “Something happened to her! You must come quickly!”

Twilight’s heart nearly stopped as the mare froze, her eyes slowly widening in shock and sudden realization. Princess Luna was in danger?

She ignored everything the guard and Rarity spoke to her while they ran through the castle’s halls. She didn’t need reassurance nor did she need to hear a guard’s message about what exactly happened to Princess Luna. She needed to see it for herself. She needed to be by her side. Only then she would be able to do something. Anything! If she couldn’t help the princess, then… Then she didn’t know what she would do. She would be… Nothing.

With one flick of her horn, she flung the doors to Princess Luna’s bedroom. She did not care for proper etiquette or respect. Two measly doors were nothing compared to the princess’ life! Unfortunately, even after making all this way to her bedroom, she still couldn’t see the princess with her own eyes. Her bed was surrounded by guards and doctors. With gritted teeth, she strolled forward.

“Everypony, out! Out, now!” She ordered without a hint of willingness to hear back talking, or compromise. No one was allowed inside except for her. The ponies inside swiftly scurried off, unwilling to test her patience now. Even the guard that notified her stayed outside the moment she raised her voice. She was now alone, except for Luna lying on her bed, and Rarity standing next to her.

“The doctors, too?” The fashionista inquired while looking at their backs as they ran off, closing the doors behind them in the hopes of avoiding further wrath.

“If Princess Luna is suffering from something, then it wouldn’t be a simple disease or injury. They will be of no help,” Twilight responded with a tone that left no room for discussion.

Unfortunately for them, she was right. Once Rarity finally laid her eyes on the princess of the night, she gasped in horror at the sight. Luna was moaning in pain, seemingly in her sleep. There was a black mark on her neck with some kind of dark smog exuding out of it. It wasn’t even simply a mark; some nasty bubbles were popping all over it.

“What is this?” Rarity inquired, holding back her disgust in her throat.

“A curse,” Twilight replied with furrowed brows.

“A curse?” Rarity repeated. But curses weren’t real, were they?

“A kind of magic,” The lavender mare clarified. “The caster inflicts a curse on someone, which will act like some sort of magically induced disease that spreads all over the body. Of course, all ponies die before it can even spread that far,” She explained grimly. “It takes longer than a full day for the curse to appear on the skin like this, but since it affects the victim the moment they were inflicted with it, acting on it then is too late. It’ll kill anypony in less than 12 hours,”

“What?! But this is horrible? How can you even defend against such a thing?” Rarity exclaimed in shock.

“You can’t. That’s the point of a curse. There is no counter spell, which is why Princess Luna tried to eradicate every tome teaching that magic. Still, it’s not something easy to cast. You need to be near the victim for nearly an hour without any interruptions, but the upside is that the unicorn shows no signs it’s casting it in the first place,” Twilight uttered, feeling like her throat was closing in. “Nopony in this world, except for me and another alicorn, can get this close to Princess Luna for so long… unless it’s for special events,” The lavender unicorn drew a sharp breath. “It must have been during the ball yesterday…” She muttered.

Rarity wanted to ask about it since she wasn’t even aware there was one in the first place. However, now was not the time. Moreover, she had a feeling she wasn’t told about it because she wasn’t supposed to be in this universe. She didn’t feel like it was a problem until now, but Luna may have thought otherwise.

“Shit!” Twilight suddenly lit her horn and threw some of Luna’s furniture against the wall, startling Rarity in the process. “I can’t possibly find out who the culprit is with so many suspects!”

The white unicorn flinched at the raised voice but kept quiet. While she wanted to go and reassure Twilight, her eye caught something else. There was a strange and weak orange light under Luna’s wing. Hesitantly, she approached the alicorn.

“What is this?” She asked, pointing at the wing, which served to slightly calm Twilight and bring her attention back to the princess.

Twilight wordlessly walked up to the bed before lighting her horn and lifting Luna’s wings. Rarity widened her eyes while her friend’s expression of anger was replaced by one of sadness. Once Luna’s wing was moved aside, Rarity could finally see more than a peek of the orange glow. It was a gash, a few inches long, which looked like it had been carved in by a blade made of magma. The fashionista could feel the warmth it emitted simply by standing close to it. Despite the look of it, no blood was pouring out of the wound. It was a scar, even if it did not look much like it.

“A curse would be deadly to most ponies, but it has slimmer chances of working on an alicorn, and especially Princess Luna. Unfortunately, that injury weakened her so much that she couldn’t even fight the curse back,” Twilight explained.

“I… Still don’t understand. What happened?” Rarity shook her head.

“Most ponies greatly value Princess Luna, her strength, wisdom, or just in general. She is respected by many, yet nopony ever takes me seriously when I say she is the best pony I know, or the strongest, or the prettiest… alicorn,” Twilight began expressing, her eyes slightly shifting from left to right. “No matter how much the kingdom loves her, most of them just think I’m biased or fanatical,” She rolled her eyes.

While Rarity didn’t think that way, she didn’t deny that she was surprised by how much Twilight’s counterpart admired Princess Luna. Even more so than how the original was with Princess Celestia.

“But I’m not exaggerating when I say those things. Because I’m the only one who knows her true self. Before becoming Daybreaker, Celestia was a prodigy, a genius like no others. She excelled at everything and was given everything because of her prowess. Once she and Princess Luna became alicorns, all her abilities increased tenfold. She defeated Sombra in a single spell and saved the Crystal Empire before his army could even leave its borders. She repelled the second queen of Changeling’s invasion on her own. She defeated Tirek and Scorpan the moment they set foot in Equestria before they even had the opportunity to start their nefarious plans. And when the lord of chaos, Discord himself, showed up, she destroyed his physical body and trapped his soul in an enchanted crystal,” Twilight recounted all of Celestia’s counterpart’s accomplishments. Each one shook Rarity to the core because… Well because this version actually managed to deal with these enemies permanently! “Not only that, but she also raised the sun. It’s no wonder some ponies began treating her like a goddess. She was Equestria’s greatest hero,”

Rarity attempted to imagine such a situation. Many treated the two sisters the same back in her original universe in the past, too. However, as more threats arose, she and her friends arrived at the forefront of everyone’s mind when they mentioned heroes in Equestria.

“At some point, she became known as the strongest pony in history. For many today, she still is,” Twilight continued, frowning as she was reminded of those damn cultists. “You know who her greatest admirer was?” She asked, but the white unicorn shook her head. “Her sister, Princess Luna. The princess loved and valued her more than anypony. Because of that, she trained and studied every day so she could live up to Celestia’s name. She did it just so she wouldn’t embarrass her by having such a weaker sister, and because she wanted Celestia to be proud of her. It was all she asked for… And when put by her sister’s side, she may have been non-existent, despite raising the moon,” Twilight chuckled dryly, shaking her head.

Now that was something Rarity was familiar with. In her universe, Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon because of that treatment and the pain she endured.

“So… Can you imagine how painful and hard it was for her when she had to fight her own sister? When that same sister tried to kill her?” Twilight questioned, and Rarity could not answer. “When Celestia became Daybreaker, anything that made her hold back in the past was gone. She fought fiercely and mercilessly, aiming to kill. She would have stopped at nothing to reach her goal. Nonetheless, Princess Luna fought her. At that time, nopony would have believed the small, weak, and unknown sister could have won. Nopony. But she did,” She said, her eyes shining with a deep sense of admiration. “Against all odds, Princess Luna went far and beyond and beat her. She defeated her! Can you believe how amazing that is?” She declared, only for her brows to furrow. “But Daybreaker wounded her to the point of giving her a mark that would never leave as long as Princess Luna lives. Every year, it had weakened her. Nevertheless, she still stepped up to rule Equestria. Even after having to banish her sister, she was aware of the responsibilities she needed to bear. To this day, she is still in pain for failing to bring her back to the right path. How can anypony hate her when she had suffered so much already?”

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Rarity replied, unsure of how to even process this.

Even after everything she had done for this kingdom, ponies still made attempts at her life. Not just ponies either, but creatures from other nations, too. To Twilight, most of her enemies were nothing but power-hungry scum who couldn’t possibly comprehend how worthless their lives were. They lived mere decades. They were only specks of dust compared to Princess Luna, so they couldn’t understand how lonely and futile holding power was.

“I can’t allow her to be in pain again, Rarity. The only way to remove a curse is to make the caster dispel it or… To kill them,” She revealed. “So I will find who did this, and I will tear them apart, limb by limb,” She gritted her teeth in rage. Oh, no, they wouldn’t get away with it.

Even if Rarity was aware that killing wasn’t quite noble, she also couldn’t deny they were in a drastic situation, and it required drastic measures. She couldn’t blame Twilight for this. As a friend, she felt obligated to support her in this matter.

“Then, let’s do it together,” She grinned, surprising Twilight. “When we cure her, we can practice our dances and teleportation again while Princess Luna searches for the stone that brought me here,”

While seemingly happy, Twilight remained silent for a few seconds, taking in her words. She looked like she was conflicted; however, her conflicting feelings faded from her expressions as quick as they appeared.

“I’ll have to properly apologize to you once this ordeal is over,” Twilight nodded with confidence. The fashionista raised an eyebrow in confusion. “For now, let’s care of this,” She looked back at Princess Luna.

Noble Stingy glanced at his watch, arching an eyebrow in confusion before looking out the window. The sun was still high in the sky, even though it should be setting.

“Princess Luna is usually never late when it comes to the sun, but nothing will surprise me from her anymore,” He sighed before closing the curtains with his magic.

He would have been plunged into complete darkness if it weren’t for the warm glow of the fire in his chimney. While it wasn’t cold, he loved sitting by the fire in the evening, enjoying his time off as much as he could. Politics could get so exhausting, after all. With a relaxed humming, he carefully turned on his turntable, which played classical music. It was his favorite artist, too.

Indeed, Octavia truly understood the intricacies of art, playing music that could touch the hearts of all those who heard it. He would dare say she was the only one in the world who could calm him down in any situation he found himself in. Perhaps, he could hire her for a private show? Having her play only for himself would be an honor. They could share a drink and talk about their passion for music? Maybe they could even do more, but he wouldn’t get his hopes up. He was not the richest in Canterlot.

Spinning around, he inspected the room. With the curtains closed, and the fire glowing, it felt like the sun had set. Was that not proof that he didn’t need Princess Luna to enjoy the night or the day as he pleased? With a satisfied nod, he turned to his bookshelves, his own little library.

Tapping his chin, his eyes wandered over the numerous books displayed on the shelves. After some consideration, he picked one, titled “The Rise and Fall of Griffonstone Vol.1”, and sat on his favorite armchair. He still hadn’t finished reading that one. He even bought the second volume a few days ago.

Unfortunately, right when he got his butt in the armchair, someone knocked at the door of his private room.

“Dinner will be ready soon, Dear!” A mare called out to him on the other side. Noble furrowed his brows in annoyance. They had been married for years, and she still didn’t know he was having his private time at this hour?!

“I am not hungry! You can eat without me!” Noble shouted back, trying not to show any anger in his voice as he knew she would only stay longer if he did.

“Oh, alright! Do you want me to keep your food warm? I prepared an exquisite soup with exotic ingredients from Yakyakistan!” She responded happily, which only served the annoy Noble even more.

“Whatever you wish! I am busy, so please don’t bother me for now, Dear,” He rolled his eyes, spitting out the last word. It seemed she got the message and left since he didn’t hear her reply.

Finally, some peace. He would kill his father if the old coot wasn’t already dead. It was all his fault for arranging that marriage! If only he had chosen a mare that could understand him, but he supposed finding someone with tastes as refined as his, was hard. He bet Octavia shared his tastes.

Opening his book where he left off yesterday, he resumed his reading. It didn’t take him long to scoff.

“It’s no wonder their civilization is gone. Those dirty feather-bags must have the brains of birds, too,” He chuckled mockingly. You wouldn’t see that happening to Equestria!

After several seconds, he turned the page. Just as he did so, his windows loudly shattered, glass flying all over the room. Noble released a high-pitched scream as he fell off his chair. Pegasi dressed in royal guard armors burst through the broken windows, landing in front of the bookshelves.

The noble pony cried again before turning around to run out of the room. Unfortunately, Earth Pony guards blasted the door off its hinges and entered the room with fierce looks on their faces. To top it off, three unicorns teleported around Noble Stingy, blocking every remaining escape route.

“What is this? What is happening?!” He frantically looked around, demanding answers. Unfortunately, instead of receiving any, pink magical ropes suddenly popped out of the ceiling and bound Noble’s hooves together before lifting him off the floor. “Ah! No!” He shouted while struggling against the binding. He could already feel the blood rushing to his head.

“Don’t play dumb, Noble!”

The hanging pony widened his eyes as he recognized the voice that spoke to him. He managed to pivot to look at the front door, only for his expression to turn into a glare. It was Twilight Sparkle, calmly walking into his private room with additional guards and a white unicorn he had never seen before!

“Captain Twilight! What is the meaning of this?! I demand an explanation!” He barked at the unicorn. Unfortunately, she wasn’t in the mood to deal with his tantrums.

“As I said, don’t play dumb!” She shouted, leaning toward him with her horn sparking with electricity. That seemed enough to intimidate Noble and put fear back into his body. “Princess Luna has been cursed during the ball, and you’re our prime suspect!” She explained to him.

“What?! Our beloved princess?! I have no reason to do that! I love my kingdom! I sing to our flag every night before going to bed!” He swiftly replied, already sweating bullets. “B-Besides, if it was during the ball, then how am I the prime suspect? Anypony could have done it!” He continued to defend himself.

“You know why! Three months ago, Princess Luna said she would take your land right outside of Equestria to welcome the refugees from Hippogriffia and give them a temporary home! You couldn’t accept that. You know that if she dies, Equestria will need to close its borders until it has a new ruler, and every plot of land acquired by the princess in the year prior to her death will be returned to its former owner. The new ruler will have to make a new decision concerning these plots of land, and you were sure you could beg the new princess to reconsider Princess Luna’s decision, especially since it would be too late for the refugees anyway by that time,” Twilight explained with a glare that could freeze the pony’s heart. “Moreover, guards had seen you have a private reunion with Princess Luna during the ball. It lasted a whole hour, plenty of time for you to curse her,”

“T-That’s preposterous! I’m innocent! Do you even know what that reunion was about?!” Noble defended himself.

“Does it matter?” Twilight arched an eyebrow, making the other unicorn gulp.

“Yes, it does, captain! We were precisely discussing my land and the refugees. Princess Luna has agreed to pay a monthly fee to me for every refugee we admit there! We came to an agreement, and there is proof! She put it in writing!” He shouted. Unfortunately, Twilight’s glare didn’t soften. “P-Please, believe me! The only magic I know is levitation! Please!” He whimpered, tears rolling down his face.

“You…” Twilight muttered, unsure of what to do. She didn’t want to believe him because he was their only lead. Before she could make a decision, Rarity put a calming hoof on her shoulder.

“I think he’s telling the truth, Twilight,” She shared her thoughts. The lavender unicorn glanced at her. “I’ve seen a lot of liars, and while he’s a scoundrel, he doesn’t look like he could lie to save his life,” She argued.

“Yes! It’s the truth, please! As I said, you can check the documents yourself! The princess signed them herself!” Noble shouted desperately, feeling himself getting weaker as more blood rushed to his head.

“He’s our only lead… The only one with a motive,” Twilight clenched her teeth, glaring at the noble unicorn. “But you’re not completely wrong. That spineless cur couldn’t possibly be good enough to use curses,” She finally conceded with a sigh.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Noble breathed in relief, turning his head to thank Rarity. Unfortunately, he couldn’t even get the words out before the magical binds disappeared and dropped him to the floor with a loud thud. “Ow!” He yelped in pain, landing face-first.

“And we’re back to square one. The only way is for us to interrogate every guest one by one, but this will take too long,” Twilight shook her head.

“Shouldn’t finding a motive be easy? Princess Luna has a significant position, so it wouldn’t be surprising if someone tried to assassinate her to take her place as a ruler,” Rarity suggested. The lavender unicorn shook her head.

“That wouldn’t work,” She scoffed. “Princess Mi Amore de Cadenza is the next in line after Princess Luna. And if she were to die, too, then I would be the one to inherit the throne. Whoever did this would not only have to kill the three of us but also every noble wishing to take the throne. Their plot would be discovered by then, and the guards would not accept him, especially not the Bat Ponies. So you would have to take control of them, too. Moreover, Princess Luna is friends with a few elite unicorns, and they would not accept that either. This plan is senseless and doomed to fail. Even a foal would see all the holes in it!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “You would have to be a complete moron to even think this might work…” Her eyes suddenly widened in realization. “I know who it is…” She declared.

“Who?” The white unicorn inquired as she personally had no idea how Twilight even came to a conclusion.

“I should have realized it sooner! Of course, it would be that idiot!” The elite unicorn slapped her forehead before looking more determined than ever. Her eyes held deep and burning fury that promised pain. She was livid. “Prince Blueblood,” She hissed in rage.

Love Letter

Universe 25197

Applejack lay awake in her bed, the sun shining over her eyes. She barely slept, so frankly, the sun didn’t bother her. As you might have expected, going to sleep after yesterday’s discussion with Jackie was difficult. She had been such an idiot and only had herself to blame. Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she suffered through the night.

Thankfully, Applebloom and Big Mac weren’t home, and Granny was sleeping, so there was no one to see her pathetic state. However, that was no excuse to stay in bed and lament her fate. The earth pony needed some fresh air to think.

Unfortunately, she had nearly no resolve, so she weakly removed the bed sheets, groaning before stepping off the bed, grabbing her hat alongside a rope and a hat, and putting them on her head. The hat was something she always wore. As for the rope… Well, you never knew when you need one. Although, she almost wished she could use it in a very specific way, right now.

She wondered if Rainbow Dash would laugh at the morbid joke… Once she stepped outside and fully woke up, the realization of her situation set again. Applejack had no idea what happened to her friends. Her real friends! They could even be dead! And what had she been doing all this time?! She had been lying to ponies she cared about for a week, pretending everything was fine in the world while a stupid jerk used her like a tool!

The farm pony seethed, wanting to pulverize the nearest boulder. However, she only had time to raise her hoof before her rage subsided. The orange mare sighed, then sat against it instead. Again, there was no need for fury. She was the one to blame.

Applejack was fooled because she was too trusting, but also because… Because Jackie had a point.

The mare wanted to find that stone as quickly as possible, so she took the easiest path and accepted Jackie’s deal. She went against her own principles and everything she believed in to get that stone. She lied. Not just to anyone, mind you. She lied to her family. Even if they were only alternate versions of them, that was no excuse.

Applejack had been selfish, and she realized at this moment that she… That she hadn’t changed. All the friendship lessons, all the things she learned thanks to her friends had been for naught precisely because she went against her ideals. While she was angry at Jackie, mad even, her guilt greatly overshadowed that. She let everyone she loved down.

Why? Because she wasn’t planning on doing what Jackie wanted her to. This meant that she wouldn’t get the stone. Her friends couldn’t return home because of her. Twilight would die because of her. That also meant that all the lying was for nothing. Once her family’s counterparts would learn the truth, they would be heartbroken and shun her. And it would all have been for nothing.

She really had been an idiot.

A part of Applejack wanted to stand up and charge to Manehattan. She wanted to kick Jackie’s butt and take the stone by force. However, she… couldn’t.

Coward.

The truth was… That she was afraid. She had no plan. Absolutely no plan in mind. Most of all, she was alone. Her friends weren’t there. The mare was at her weakest, and she was certain that if her friends had been here, they would have words of comfort and reassurance for her. They would find the right things to say to get her spirits and willpower back up.

She needed their support now. How strange. There was a time she didn’t even know any of them. There was a time when they were simple strangers to her, and she lived happily then. Now? Only one week away from them, and she was already lost. To be fair, her chances of ever seeing them again were dwindling by the second, but… She missed them.

Applejack missed her friends. She needed their help. Firstly, they would scold her as they should, and that would alleviate the guilt she was feeling. At least, a little bit. Then they would march with her to beat the bad guy.

They wouldn’t think about the difficulties they could possibly face. They wouldn’t worry about their counterparts thinking they were villains attacking Jackie. They wouldn’t worry about any of that because they knew that nothing was impossible for them.

But that was only because they were together. What could Applejack hope to accomplish alone? The once strong and confident mare was now a miserable crying mess who had lost all hope, and who went against what she represented best.

She did try to imagine what they would say to her, but coming up with ideas was hard when you were wallowing in your misery. In the end, there were no words for her. The mare had only one path to walk on, and it was the one leading to Jackie’s office. There was no other way. She couldn’t do what the other mare ordered her to do, and she couldn’t give up on the stone.

The reason she was so hesitant to the point her legs trembled with cold fear was due to the fact she had no idea what Jackie had in store for her. Applejack was also terrified of the prospect of facing her friends’ counterparts. After all, what prevented Jackie from calling the bearers of the elements from this world and telling them she was an imposter coming to steal her life?

The farm pony’s legs were like jelly. This was why she needed her friends! At least, she wished she could talk to one of them!

“Maybe you can talk to me,” Someone suddenly spoke beside the orange mare, making her yell in fear, and jump right on her hooves to strike whoever spooked her. “Woah! Careful there!” The voice snickered as he dodged Applejack’s kick.

The element of honesty froze, blinking. He? Wait, she recognized that voice! Applejack shook her head and settled her eyes on the one who cut off her swirling thoughts from making her even more anxious.

“Discord!” She shouted, unsure whether she should be happy or angry. Instead, she chose to be confused.

“In the flesh!” The draconequus exclaimed with his hands in the air. He looked exactly like the Discord she knew. “Now, don’t look so surprised! Why do you think you’ve been hearing that nagging little voice at the back of your head constantly belittling you?” He asked, snickering with a hand covering his mouth.

“Huh? That was you?! You arse! Ah thought it was ma conscience!” Applejack stomped the ground in anger.

“Oh, but it was! I simply made it louder,” He shrugged, not affected at all by her outburst.

“Well, ya didn’t need to do that. Ah already hate myself plenty,” Applejack mumbled dejectedly before going back to sit against the boulder, frowning. “Ah messed up big time. Ah wish Ah could blame someone else, but it’s clear who’s at fault, here…” She sighed while looking down.

“Making that deal was kind of stupid, so I would say you have the right idea in hating yourself,” Discord shrugged casually. “Though, let’s not pretend our friend Jackie isn’t partly responsible either. She is quite scummy,” He stated while looking at his nails.

Applejack blinked a few times as her brain registered and processed what was said.

“Wait a second… How do ya know about that?!” She shouted on the defensive.

“I felt your presence the moment you showed up in this universe, so I thought I could observe you for a while,” Discord responded with honesty.

“Then why didn’t ya do anythin’?” Applejack questioned, glaring daggers at him.

“Firstly, because I needed to know if you were dangerous,” Discord lifted a finger, ignoring her glare. “Secondly, this isn’t my business,” He added casually.

“What do ya mean ‘not yer business’? If ya aren’t turned into stone, then that means yer friends with the girls, aren’t ya?” Applejack inquired. Discord simply nodded along, confirming her assumption. “If you’re a hero, then ya gotta help me!”

“It seems you are confused about something,” Discord grinned. However, instead of explaining immediately, he covered his mouth with one of his hands, snickering. Applejack rolled her eyes. “I am no hero! Sure, I’m friends with Fluttershy and the others, but unless they are in danger, I don’t feel like helping you. Hello! Lord of Chaos, here! You’d have more chances of convincing my cousin!” He laughed.

The farm pony ignored the last bit about his cousin, too mad to even ask herself more questions. Instead, her blood boiled with righteous anger. It was always the same thing with Discord! No matter the universe, he would never help, and would only cause problems instead. He was nothing but trouble, and sometimes she wondered why she even considered him a friend. She didn’t hate him, but he was beyond annoying.

“Ya don’t want to help me take down Jackie, probably won’t talk to the girls, Ah guess ya can’t even help me and my friends go back home!” She yelled at him.

“Well…” Discord rubbed his chin, seemingly thinking carefully about it. “I do have the power to travel to other universes. Unfortunately, I have no idea where your universe even is, nor where your friends are located,” He explained, making the farm pony look even more downcast than earlier. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t help. Sorry,” He shrugged.

“Yeah, Ah heard it all. Ya ain’t no hero, Ah get it. Ya don’t even care if Fluttershy’s in danger,” Applejack scoffed, letting her anger vanish. Arguing with him was useless. Discord would never change.

“The Fluttershy I’m friends with is not in any danger. She is actually having tea with Celestia in Canterlot,” The draconequus retorted, only to earn a glare. “But this time, it has nothing to do with my reluctance in hero-ing. I am simply not allowed to interfere with multiversal shenanigans,” He revealed, much to Applejack’s shock.

“What do ya mean yer not allowed?! Ya were just braggin’ about bein’ the Lord of Chaos!” She gestured to him.

“Of course, I am! Which is why I don’t take orders from unadorned ponies like you, but there’s always a bigger fish somewhere,” Discord nonchalantly replied. “To make it simple to understand, let’s just say there are higher beings with power that even you couldn’t imagine, and they love keeping their so-called balance. Seriously, they love that thing,” He rolled his eyes. “Now, a mortal like you could easily get away with hopping universes or even destroying some. After all, you’re nothing but an ant or a mosquito that occasionally flies near your ears. You’d be an annoyance to them at worst,”

“Hey!” Applejack took offense to that.

“Unfortunately, a Lord of Chaos such as myself has many more restrictions, so I can’t do whatever I want outside of this universe. Isn’t that unfair?” He crossed his arms and pouted. “I wouldn’t even do anything bad! I’m reformed, after all!”

“Grr! Ah don’t care about yer universe stuff and higher beings! Ah’m not even religious!” Applejack shouted, cutting off his tirade after growing tired of it. “If ya can’t help, then just leave!” She shooed him away before going back to the boulder she was leaning on.

His stories would probably be very interesting to Twilight, but she wasn’t the alicorn and she didn’t care about studying. Especially not now when all she needed was to go home. The one familiar face who could potentially help had to be an asshole, huh? Shit, she had enough of everything. Most of all herself. It wasn’t the first time she learned this lesson, and she still fell for the same mistake again. At this point, she wondered why and how the elements chose her to represent honesty. There was no one worse!

The only reason Applejack wasn’t currently weeping was because Discord hadn’t left yet. The mare refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

The draconequus silently observed the little pony, who had her back turned to him and was lying against a rock. She didn’t need to openly cry for him to know how she felt. He had to admit he did feel slightly bad for her situation.

“Applejack. Do you know why I’m here? Or why I even made you more aware of your feelings during your stay? It wasn’t for a prank, just so you know!” He asked, quickly raising his arms defensively after the last sentence left his lips.

“How should Ah know?” She replied bitterly. He couldn’t blame her considering he was the Great Discord. Who could ever predict his actions?

“Even if I don’t want to play hero, I still wouldn’t mind seeing your oh-so-marvelous counterpart go down,” He admitted, prompting Applejack to turn around and look at him with surprise. “Even I have standards, you know? I gotta say, this Jackie sure is scummy, but since I never cared enough to intervene, I just let her be. Perhaps, it’s not a coincidence that you’re here,” He suggested.

“Ah didn’t know ya believed in destiny, Discord,” Applejack arched an eyebrow.

“I don’t,” He scoffed in response. “I’m not like Princess Celestia. I simply think it may not be a coincidence,” The draconequus affirmed. “But enough about me. I can see you’re too deflated and weak in the knees to stand up to her, which is quite pathetic,” Applejack opened her mouth to argue and snap back at him, only to close it again once she realized he wasn’t wrong. She had been so dejected and mad at herself that she lost all will to fight. She couldn’t even trust herself! How could she? After lying for a whole week?! “That’s why I’ve prepared something that may get your fighting spirit back up,” He declared before summoning a pony-sized mirror in the air and two popcorn boxes. “Popcorn?” He offered the mare.

“Get on with it!” The farm pony snapped.

“Geez, you have no patience,” Discord rolled his eyes before looking back in the mirror. “Now… How did that thing work again? Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” He asked, sounding as serious as he could.

“Discord!”

“Oh, alright! I’m getting to it! Did your universe not invent humor yet?” Discord crossed his arms, offended that the pony didn’t even smile once. “At least, Fluttershy appreciates me,” He mumbled under his breath before waving his hand in front of the mirror.

Applejack narrowed her eyes suspiciously, not knowing what to expect. A purple cloud-like substance suddenly appeared in the mirror, swirling in a circle until it slowly opened up to reveal several shapes. The farm pony leaned closer to get a better look at whatever Discord wanted to show her. However, as soon as the image became clearer, she stepped back with a gasp.

“W-What in tarnation is goin’ on?” She muttered in horror.

“Yes, I suppose the working conditions aren’t up to par. At this point, I would rather even work in a fast food restaurant,” Discord replied with boredom.

“Shut up! Ya think now’s the time for jokes?!” Applejack yelled back at him, getting tired of his shit.

Screw feeling sorry for herself. Screw planning ahead or even fearing the consequences. She had made a mistake, and she would pay for it later as she deserved. Right now, all she could think of was busting into Jackie’s office and busting her teeth out of her mouth! The feelings of self-depreciation she had earlier were slowly being replaced by the searing fury of a forest fire, ready to burn everything to the ground.

The fact that she had been used only served to ignite these first embers that would fuel her current rage. Discord’s words had been an understatement. Jackie wasn’t simply scummy, she was a disgusting piece of pony garbage. For the first time in her life, Applejack’s eyes burned with hatred toward someone.

What could have possibly provoked such a reaction? What Discord showed her wasn’t anything random. He gave her a good view of the insides of one of Jackie’s numerous gem mines. The sight was… atrocious. The mines’ main tunnel was large, but the ones spreading out on its sides were much smaller. The one thing they had in common was that they were filled with ponies digging with pickaxes.

They were all dirty and covered in mud, not only because they were throwing dirt around while looking for gems, but also because rainwater had entered the caves! The protection was minimal as most of them only wore helmets and the pillars holding the ceiling seemed to be made of fragile wood.

All ponies looked miserable, and tired from what she could tell by the bags under their eyes. They weren’t even angry or sad… Their eyes were vacant and empty. It was as if they had accepted their fate and that there would be no escape from it. Every shred of hope and emotions had been drained from their bodies, leaving only empty husks and shells of their former selves. This wasn’t a way to live. No, she couldn’t even call it living. They were no better than slaves, something that Equestria had abolished several millennia ago.

Nevertheless, somehow, this wasn’t even the worst she had seen in that place. No. There were foals. Children. Fillies no older than Applebloom. And they had been working in the same conditions as the adults.

Applejack didn’t care how Jackie did that or even why. It didn’t matter. She could have the most tragic life story in history, and she would still not care. What if Applebloom was there? What if Granny Smith and Big Mac were? Could this happen to them if they refused to sell their home? The farm pony clenched her teeth. Even if it couldn’t, it didn’t change the reality that some ponies had to live through this.

At this moment, Applejack decided that no excuse Jackie could present would save her from her wrath. Enough of playing Jackie’s game for a way home. She would beat her to an inch of her life, even if she had to give up on the stone to do it. Her friends would have the same.

“So…” Discord turned his eyes to her. “Think you can talk to her or do you need the violent option?”

Applejack drew one of her hooves back and punched the boulder nearby, shattering it to pieces to the point it would make Pinkie and Maud proud.

“Does that answer yer question?” She coldly asked the draconequus. “Can I ask for a favor? The least ya could do if ya don’t want to help,”

“Sure,” Discord shrugged dismissively.

“Can ya teleport me to Manehattan?” Applejack inquired, confidence emanating from her body. Oh, she was ready for a fight.

“I guess I can do that,” He replied, ready to snap his fingers.

“Gotta do one last thing first though, so wait for me here,” The orange mare interjected before he could teleport her away. She didn’t even wait for his reply before running to the house.

There was nothing she needed to take. Nothing in this house belonged to her, after all. What she had to do was finally tell the truth. Unfortunately, because she wished to go to Jackie as soon as possible, she couldn’t afford to wait for everyone to be home. It was the coward’s way out, she knew that much, but she would have to leave them a note. If they hated her after this, she wouldn’t blame them. Honestly, if she couldn’t get the stone even after beating Jackie to a pulp, Applejack would probably come back here just so they could vent all their anger and pain on her. It was a price she was willing to pay for atonement and to apologize for what she did.

Once she was faced with that piece of paper, Applejack simply wrote from the heart. Gone were the lies. She didn’t need to think about what to say when all her family needed was the truth. Naturally, she wouldn’t try to beg for pity either. Telling she had been used and lied wasn’t necessary when she was the one to blame in all of this. Even if she hoped to reconcile Jackie and them at the start, this didn’t matter either. In the end, it would have been a relationship built on lies. Now, she was going to kick that mare’s ass.

With the note written, she gently dropped it on the kitchen table, where she was sure it would be seen. Quickly after this, she walked up the stairs and grabbed the necklace her counterpart had given her.

After a few attempts, Jackie’s face appeared above it. She was wearing her usual attire and hairstyle, so pompous and arrogant Applejack wanted to kick her teeth out for that only.

“What is it? It’s nearly noon, ya know?” Her counterpart asked, mildly irritated. Was it already that late? Applejack hadn’t realized she had been brooding for so long.

“It’s done,” Applejack simply spoke, trying to hide the edge in her voice.

“Already? Ya work quick, Sugar! What did they say about the price?” Jackie exclaimed in surprise. She suddenly seemed much more content to hear about her counterpart.

“That’s somethin’ ya can talk about with them. Ah want the stone,” The farm pony glared, not willing to discuss any further. Jackie seemed to notice that, so she only rolled her eyes.

“Alright. Ah still have to confirm the deal, then Ah’ll give you the stone. Meanwhile, ya can wait for it in my mansion. That works for ya?” She offered. Once she received a nod, she continued. “Great, then. Ah’ll send you tickets for the train,”

“No need. Ah am already on ma way,”

“Very well. I will be waiting,” Jackie stated after a small pause before hanging up.

Honestly, Applejack didn’t care if the other one bought her bullshit. She could be waiting for a whole army for all she knew, and she would still charge ahead without hesitation. Ultimately, there was one thing she knew. She wouldn’t be alone. Maybe physically, but her friends would accompany her in her heart. Even if it wouldn’t have taken them a whole week to stop this charade, they would have done the same thing she was doing, and knowing that she would have had their support was all Applejack needed to confront Jackie.

With a determined gaze, the earth pony walked out the door and didn’t look back. It was now or never.

On the kitchen table, lay her note.

Hey. If you’re reading this note, then I’m in Manehattan. The first thing I want to let you all know is that I’m sorry. I’ve lied to you. I’ve lied to you ever since I met you, so I understand if you find what I’m about to say impossible to believe. The truth is that I’m not your sister or granddaughter. I am Applejack, but I come from a different universe. In my universe, when I left to live with Uncle and Aunt Orange, I stayed in Manehattan for a short time before returning to the farm. It was the best decision of my life. I have an amazing family and wonderful friends.

The Twilight from my universe, who is one of my best friends, was studying a magical stone. Before we knew it, we’ve been all scattered across different universes. I ended up in yours. Twilight somehow sent a message to me, saying I needed to find another version of the stone here, and once my friends and I would all hold them at the same time, we would return home.

This led me to Apple Industries. The CEO, the Applejack who originates from this world, approached me. She told me she had what I needed, but if I wanted her to give it to me, I would have to accept her deal. It was simple, I was supposed to pretend I was her and come here to Ponyville to reconcile with her family. You. I accepted. This whole week, I pretended I was my counterpart. I pretended I founded and led Apple Industries. I pretended I wanted to fix my ties with the family I supposedly left all those years ago. Yesterday, your Applejack called me to tell me the wish to reconcile was only a facade. All she wanted was to buy your land to mine for the gems under it. She was just too lazy to do it herself, so she sent me to gain your trust.

Obviously, I couldn’t do that. I’ve decided to go back to Manehattan and kick her ass and take back the stone by force.

Now that you know the truth. I’m sorry. No apology will probably ever be enough, but I really am sorry. I never wanted to hurt anypony. I thought if I could fix your relationship with your Applejack and also get the stone, it would be a win-win for everyone. I was wrong. Not just because I was tricked, but also because a plan based entirely on lies would never work.

I’m sorry for having lied to you, and I’m sorry your Applejack never cared. It’s harsh, but it’s the truth. She never cared, Granny Smith. She never planned on coming back. You deserve a better granddaughter. Big Mac and Applebloom deserve a better sister, so please, don’t be sad that she never cared. You are better off without her. When you trusted me so much, Granny Smith, it made me realize how lucky she was to have you in her family. If she can’t see that, then she’s not worth your care. I’m not worth it either.

Big Mac. I know you like being tough, but I’m sure that will hurt you a lot, too. What I said to Granny applies to you, too. I’ve seen how you are with Applebloom and Granny Smith, you guys have a wonderful relationship. Applebloom considers you her hero even if she never admitted it, I can see it in her eyes. So believe me, you don’t need my ungrateful counterpart’s love. Especially since you have such a lovely wife. You already have everything you need.

And Applebloom. I’m sorry. I lied to you the most because I spent time with you the most. You’re an amazing filly, and you don’t need a big sister to know that. You do deserve a better sister than the one you have or me. Being with you all and acting naturally had been so easy because I’ve lived with you in my universe my whole life, and I didn’t realize how much I would hurt you. You’re already perfect the way you are with amazing friends and a family that loves you. Never forget that.

There is one thing I want to make clear, though. Even if I pretended to be somepony I wasn’t, the emotions I felt with you weren’t lies. I really did have fun with all of you. I enjoyed every second of all the games we played together, Applebloom, and Big Mac. I loved hearing about your lives, even if they were similar to the ones I was familiar with, I was always happy to notice the differences between them.

I treated you all like I treated my original family. So whenever I said that I love you, I meant it. These moments weren’t a lie. Still, you can hate me. Celestia knows I deserve it. I’ll be ready to hear you out and take anything you throw at me if it makes you feel better. For now, I’ve got a meeting with your sister and granddaughter, and I’m going to kick her ass so hard she won’t be able to sit for a week.

Love ya,

Applejack

Fears and Mother

Universe 10328

Now back in their plane, Twilight used the resources on board to complete the scanner she was making. It only needed a bit of tinkering as well as adding one of the gems she had just collected from these low-life gangsters.

“Almost… There…” The lavender mare muttered, looking over her tentacles’ work.

Pinkie Pie 1 stared at it expectantly, hoping and praying to whatever deity existed that this would work. She was so close to finding that stone and returning to her friends. It filled her with joy. However, she couldn’t deny the rising fear in her gut. Because of the previous events, she lost much of her trust in her friends’ counterparts.

The party pony still believed in the goodness of their heart, but that belief was wavering by the second. She began doubting they would keep their word and give her the stone when she needed it. The pink mare may have been usually optimistic, but even she couldn’t be sure that any kind of redemption was possible for them. Yes, they were the heroes of Equestria, and she understood that this world abided by different rules, but she couldn’t condone murder! This was insane! She had never seen so many corpses in her whole life! She hadn’t even ever seen one before today!

“Is it done yet?” Rainbow Dash asked, boredom dripping from her tone while she leaned on one of her hooves. One of Twilight’s tentacles waved dismissively her way.

“Please, Dashie, you must understand that the delicate intricacies of technology require patience and a strong will. You can’t simply rush to the completion of a new invention. After all, I am the first pony ever to build something capable of detecting the energy Pinkie 1 displays, and I am also the first to discover it in the first place. Something like takes time and consideration,” Twilight spoke with confidence, puffing up her chest with pride. “You must treat your technological babies like you would treat women,” She added, making Pinkie 1 raise an eyebrow in confusion.

“With care, finesse, passion and love?” Rarity suggested apprehensively.

“Something like that,” Twilight retorted, glancing sheepishly at the white earth pony before focusing on her radar again. Suddenly, she slammed it on the plane’s control panel a few times. “Come on! Work, you stupid thing! What’s the issue, now?!” She yelled at the contraption, still hitting it until it beeped, calming the lavender mare instantly. “Oh! There we go!” She exclaimed in relief. Pinkie didn’t know much about finesse and passion, but she doubted Twilight did either… “Now to link it with the plane…” Twilight mumbled while placing the radar on one of the open slots of the control panel. She connected a couple of wires to it, which turned the machine on and projected the radar screen on the control panel. “Voila! That’s what I call a superb job!”

“That looks cool,” Rainbow Dash remarked, nodding towards the control panel. It was sleek black with multiple concentric green circles, gradually increasing in size, and straight green lines emanating from the center of the screen to its edges. There was a small arrow in the middle and a blinking sphere at the edge of the upper-right side of the radar.

Pinkie 1 had to say it did look cool. She also figured they were supposed to be the arrow while the sphere represented the stone. A technology like that didn’t exist in Equestria, so she couldn’t help but marvel at it. However, from everything she had already seen until now, nothing would surprise her anymore.

“I specifically designed it to look cool because I know you like it!” Scientist Twilight declared with pride, giving her the exact desired result.

“You know me so well, Twi!” Rainbow Dash side-hugged her, giving her a dumb grin. Rarity rolled her eyes.

“Rainbow Dash like cool things?!” Pinkie 1 whispered to Fluttershy’s drone, only for the machine to reply with crunching sounds. It looked like the pegasus was still eating chips on the other end of the line.

“Not to interrupt your cuddling session, but is the thing we are looking for far from here?” Rarity inquired, pushing the pegasus and earth pony away from one another.

“Rarity, dear, did you forget where we are?” Twilight used her claws to gesture to the plane they were sitting in. “It could be on the other side of the planet and we would still get there in no time! Strap in, girls! It shouldn’t take us too long! My little baby already pinpointed that stone’s location. Quite accurately if I do say so myself,” She added before putting on her seatbelt. Obediently, the others did the same.

Pinkie 1 sighed as the plane slowly took off. The pink pony glanced one last time at the place they just left, the caves the diamond dogs used as a lair. Pretending she was fine wasn’t difficult when the ponies around didn’t care at all about you. She wondered if she could pretend to be fine or if there was any point in doing this once she came back home. How would the others even help or talk to her? They didn’t see what she saw.

There was blood everywhere… There was even some on her armor! She was pretty sure she had to remove pieces of brains from her armor after exiting the caves! The mare had to swallow back her own vomit several times since they came out because she didn’t want to puke in front of the others too many times. What if they didn’t see her as an ally anymore because she wasn’t… Like them?

She never thought she would ever be scared of her friends one day, but here she was. Her hooves were trembling at the sight of them. Obviously, she knew these weren’t her real friends, simply alternate selves. However, they still wore their faces, so it was disturbing that they would instill such fear in her.

Pinkie wanted to laugh and forget that fear, but it was easier said than done. She wasn’t facing scary trees this time! Those were bloodthirsty maniacs who spilled guts everywhere a few minutes ago! The worst part about it was that she helped them, and assisted in their killings. How could she go to sleep after that? If only she could at least cry, but even doing that could potentially be too dangerous. How she wished to see her real friends again…

The moment they found that stone, she would jump and tear it off their hooves. She would run off with it until it activates and brings her home. She wasn’t willing to waste more time nor to take the risk of being betrayed. Distrusting her friends was scary and shameful in her opinion, but she couldn’t consider those ponies her friends. Never.

From what she had seen, those six still cared about each other to some degree, so there shouldn’t be a reason for Pinkie to doubt that they would keep their word about the stone if that care also extended to her since she was one of their counterparts. However, she couldn’t deny they were horribly cruel to their enemies. Even if she never went against them or threatened them in any way, they were still a danger to her.

What she needed was to form a plan! Right now, they were flying toward the stone. Once there… What should she do? She tried to imagine one of the others holding it. Maybe she could snatch it out of their hooves? If the girls were already all holding the stone, then it would turn on instantly and she would be sent back home! Oh, yes! That would work! She was a genius!

Wait… What if the others didn’t get a hold of their stone yet? Perhaps she could make a run for it? She was a pretty good runner, especially if she had some sugar beforehand. No, wait, they had super armors that would likely catch up to her. Their Rainbow Dash was probably quick, too. Nothing like the one she was familiar with, of course! But still…

Pinkie Pie tapped her chin, frowning undecisively. She was already out of ideas. Planning was such a bore! Where was Twilight when you needed her?! Oh, right… Maybe she could bake them a pie? Let’s see… How would that go?

Step 1: Bake a pie
Step 2: ?
Step 3: You have the stone
Step 4: Go back home

The party pony nodded with consideration. That didn’t sound too bad! This was something that could get her home! Although she felt like something was missing… Dang it! She didn’t have the ingredients! She cursed her own hubris for already celebrating! How could she be so confident as to not go on a voyage without the necessary ingredients to bake a pie?

Maybe she could ask Twilight’s counterpart for a plan? She was certain that she could twist it enough that the lavender mare wouldn’t even notice she was helping a potential enemy!

“Hey, Twilight!” Pinkie 1 called out from her seat, prompting the lavender earth pony to turn her head her way.

“What is it?” Twilight inquired, taking off her eyes the radar so uncaringly that she even let go of the plane’s controls. At her side, Rainbow Dash stiffened in panic before grabbing them and keeping the plane from rocketing down.

“I have a question for you! About a hypothetical situation that has nothing to do with ours!” She stated cheerfully.

“Oooh! I do love hypothetical scenarios! It is one of the fundamentals of science!” The other mare exclaimed while rubbing two of her mechanical arms together.

“It is?” Applejack turned to ask her girlfriend, who simply shrugged in response. She didn’t know much about science, either.

“Great! So let’s say you’re looking for something,” Pinkie 1 started describing the context, to which Twilight nodded for her to continue. “That something happens to be in the hooves of ponies you know. They may or may not be your enemies, but they act friendly, but they’re also scary, but they do think you’re their friends, but you don’t think so. You think they’re bad, okay?” Pinkie rambled, which was enough for everyone other than Twilight to tune her out already.

“Yes, yes, go on,” Twilight encouraged her to continue her story.

“How would you take it back from them and get away with it?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh, that’s easy!” The lavender mare snorted, waving one of her tentacles in dismissal.

“It is?” Pinkie 1 arched an eyebrow.

“Of course! For me, anyway! I am a genius, after all,” Twilight proudly declared with a mechanical arm on her chest. “How many of them are there?”

“6,” Pinkie plainly responded while Twilight put a claw on her chin.

“I see… Are they fighters? Are they strong?” The mare inquired, making Pinkie nod.

“Yup! They’re pretty strong! Like, really, strong. And smart, too!”

“Smart? How much?” Twilight leaned forward.

“Eh, I’d say genius-level smart,” Pinkie replied, shrugging.

“Oh, this is mighty interesting…” Twilight hummed while stroking her chin. “I suppose I could play the long game. I would gain their trust, make them believe I am their closest friend, and once they have their guard down, I take them out. The easiest way would be while they sleep or by poisoning unless they have immunity to poison. But then maybe you wouldn’t want to wait or perhaps do not have time to waste,”

Pinkie frowned as the other mare began listing all the ways and plans she could use to get the item she was looking for. Sure, this was what she asked for, but all of these schemes involved murder! How was it so hard for them to understand that she didn’t wish to kill anyone?! Seriously, why were they all okay with this?! Yes, Twilight already explained it. However, Pinkie Pie refused her explanation. There was no justification for cold-blooded murder! None!

Unfortunately, Twilight didn’t stop even after Pinkie stopped listening. It was as if the mare loved hearing herself talk. She certainly loved boasting about her intelligence. Nevertheless, she didn’t look like she was going to stop anytime soon. Pinkie’s plan worked too well! Because of that, it even bothered Rainbow Dash since the cyborg was forced to fly the plane in Twilight’s stead.

“So… Why do you keep making weird faces since we entered the plane?” Fluttershy’s drone questioned the pink pony sitting at her side. “Our Pinkie usually does that when she’s out of juice. Ya need some?”

“Do you have some on you,” Pinkie 1 asked excitedly.

“No. I was just asking to be polite,” Fluttershy shrugged, making Pinkie’s ears fall.

“Oh. Thanks for asking, I guess,” Pinkie thanked her with little to no enthusiasm. “Do you want to know why I was making weird faces? Are you worried about me?” She asked hopefully. Maybe they weren’t so bad, after all.

“No, I don’t care,” Fluttershy dismissed coldly.

“I’ve been thinking about a lot of things lately,” Pinkie looked down.

“And you’re telling me anyway,” Fluttershy sighed. She couldn’t wait to arrive at their destination. Oh, no, this wasn’t the first time she had to deal with one of her friends complaining to her about something. Admittedly, this Pinkie Pie wasn’t a friend, though.

“Have you ever missed your friends?” The pink mare inquired.

“Not really. These bastards won’t leave me alone,” Fluttershy replied with a groan.

“It’s not like I miss my friends, ya know? It’s mostly cause I’m worried about them. My Twilight seemed to be in trouble, so I was wondering if the others were, too,” Pinkie explained. Of course, she wasn’t going to talk about how she was worried that the ones on the plane would betray her.

“Why would they be? You ended up in our universe where you’re perfectly fine, so I don’t see why they wouldn’t have the same luck,” Fluttershy shrugged. Pinkie Pie grimaced, not sure about this one, but kept the remark to herself. Even SHE couldn’t believe it! She kept a comment to herself for once.

“I can’t know that for sure! Besides, I’m the element of laughter! They could be both in danger and bored out of their mind ‘cause they can’t enjoy their adventure! Can you imagine?” Pinkie gasped. Finally, she realized the other implications that came from being separated from her friends! Maybe they were with her counterparts, but considering the psychos she was traveling with, she doubted the Pinkie Pies they were with were much fun. Oh, no, what would Twilight do without Pinkie to keep her brain from going overly Twilighting? Who would entertain her and alleviate her worries if not her?!

“The element of what?” The pony on the other end sounded confused even if her drone showed no expression. It seemed that she could choose whether or not her robot showed emotions or not. “Never mind that…” She shook her head, figuring this was just Pinkie being Pinkie. “You don’t trust them?” Fluttershy asked.

“Huh? ‘Course, I do!” Pinkie retorted, almost sounding offended. Scratch that, she was offended! You couldn’t simply accuse her of distrusting her friends!

“Then why the heck are you worried? Personally, I’d be pretty confident,” Fluttershy shrugged before glancing at the other ponies in the plane, her friends. “I know these bastards won’t die easily. They’re tough to the point I doubt anyone would even bring them down,”

Pinke had to admit the show of trust was kind of cute. She still didn’t trust them, but she could imagine they cared for each other, at least. She may have misjudged them slightly since she wasn’t even sure their bonds were real. However, she began asking herself one thing about this version of Fluttershy.

“Why are you so cranky, anyways?” She asked, confused. While the others were mad and psychotic, they were jolly and mostly in a good mood.

“I’m not cranky,” Fluttershy denied the mare’s claim. “I just want to be left alone. This whole ordeal is boring as hell,” She explained with crossed forelegs. Pinkie Pie didn’t feel offended. Not at all.

“Didn’t you have fun earlier?” Pinkie questioned, surprised. The others certainly didn’t hide their enjoyment while mercilessly slaughtering their enemies, so the party mare assumed Fluttershy had fun, too.

“Fun? Ha! Now that’s a good joke. Don’t I exist in your universe? You should know me already. Nothing I do with someone else is fun. The only fun I can have is when I’m alone,” The not-so-shy pegasus muttered.

“Yes, you do, but you kinda love spending time with us! We’re super duper friends!” Pinkie exclaimed, throwing her forelegs in the air. Fluttershy had the opposite reaction as the party pony thought she would have. Her drone had a horrified and disgusted expression, and she could just tell that Fluttershy’s actual body wanted to barf.

“Oh, God... What life does she live?” She gasped, feeling sorry for her counterpart.

“I’m pretty sure it’s a great one!” Pinkie grinned.

“This was a rhetorical question. I know it must be miserable,” Fluttershy deadpanned.

“Your Pinkie really does a bad job turning that frown upside down…” Pinkie 1 mumbled quietly enough that Fluttershy didn’t hear it.

However, her counterpart, who was sitting in the seat in front of her, suddenly turned her head around to look at them.

“Did someone say my name?” Pinkie 2 asked with her grin reaching her ears.

“No one did,” Fluttershy grumbled dismissively.

“You sure?” Pinkie 2 asked again as she slipped her head between the seats and leaned close to Fluttershy’s face.

“Yes, I’m sure, now get out of my face,” The pegasus ordered. Pinkie 2 just giggled but didn’t move from where she was. In fact, she only got closer.

A shiver went down Pinkie 1’s spine while she witnessed the display. Her counterpart was pretty scary, too. It wasn’t her mannerisms’ fault, but more so the aura she was giving off. She felt as twisted as the others. The multiversal traveler could probably give up on having a celebration party with them once this was all over. That ship had sailed an hour ago, at least.

“Girls! Pay attention! Looks like we’re finally here!” Twilight announced as her tentacles took back the command of the plane as soon as she noticed they arrived. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash breathed in relief, wiping off the sweat that amassed on her forehead. The pegasus had no issues flying on her own, but flying a plane was another matter entirely.

The original Pinkie Pie looked out the window to check where they were and was surprised to see a massive desert extending to the horizon, leaving only the occasional rocks and small mountains in sight. Was the stone really there? Did the radar get the location wrong?

“Hey, what’s the deal Twi? It’s boring here! There’s literally nothing apart from rocks and stupid sand,” Rainbow Dash remarked while her girlfriend focused on safely landing the ship on one of the dunes.

“Don’t be like that, Dashie! You can have a lot of fun with sand, you know?!” Pinkie 2 commented cheerfully. “Personally, I love swimming in it!”

Pinkie 1, on the other hand, had some bad memories with sand. Mostly due to when they had to travel through the desert to reach Hippogriffia. She prayed to Celestia that they wouldn’t have to do that again. Although there would be no reason to considering they had a plane, right? That thing still fascinated her. She wished there could be a way to replicate it back home because the potential for fun was overwhelming.

“The stone is likely buried under the sand, my Little Feather,” Twilight responded with her tongue out and her mouth closed, still handling the controls to land safely. Before any of them could respond, the bottom of the plane rammed into one of the dunes, making all the ponies that weren’t wearing seatbelts fall off their seats. Luckily, Pinkie 1 respected the safety instructions… Unlike Fluttershy’s drone which just hit its head on the back of Pinkie 2’s seat. “Oops! Well, at least, we landed!” Twilight chuckled before ripping the radar out of the control panel with one of her tentacles. “Let’s go! I should have exactly what it takes to find the stone. We won’t even have to dig ourselves!” She stated while the plane ramp touched the ground, letting them get off.

While Twilight was the first one to come out, the others followed shortly after her, each one of them taking in their surroundings. Just as expected, apart from sand and rocks, there was nothing else in sight. There weren’t even vultures, which Pinkie was certain were a must for a desert. Because of the way her vision looked distorted when looking at the horizon, the party mare supposed it must have been a hot environment, which again wouldn’t have surprised her since it wasn’t her first time in a desert. However, she wasn’t affected by any heat. Actually, she was even cool. It must have been the properties of the armor she was wearing.

“The desert?” Applejack muttered nervously from behind Rarity. “Are we sure we’re still in Equestria? Don’t wanna go to war with the buffalos…” She gulped while her eyes darted around.

“The buffalos are extinct, AJ,” Fluttershy rolled her eyes.

“What? But ma parents said we made peace with them!” Applejack gasped in shock.

“And you believed them?” Rainbow Dash snorted in mockery, shaking her head as she kept a steady pace beside her girlfriend.

Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment anything. What the heck happened to the buffalos?! She wasn’t even sure she wanted the answer… She was kind of afraid of the answer, to be honest.

Thankfully, she didn’t need to ponder the question for long since Twilight suddenly stopped after only walking a few feet.

“The stone we’re looking for should be… here,” She pointed at the sand. As predicted, the artifact was likely buried. One of the lavender mare’s tentacles came in front of her face. “Spike, get me the retrieval drone from the plane,” She spoke to the tentacle.

“As you wish,” It responded to her. Pinkie widened her eyes in surprise! Apparently, she could also communicate with those things! She didn’t know which was cooler; that or sending letters through a magical fire!

“Now we wait,” Twilight stated while looking at her radar.

Several minutes earlier…

Deep within the Changelings' nest, the Queen clicked her tongue in satisfaction. The scent... Ah, the sweet aroma of flesh, a precursor to the grand feast awaiting them. As the Queen and Mother of the swarm, their thoughts, emotions, and senses were all shared with her. The children she sent were on the ponies’ tails. While she couldn’t read their thoughts accurately because of the distance, she could still make out what they were telling her. They were near the source of power they needed to win.

Chrysalis growled with hunger. A stream of green and fuming ooze escaped her mouth and the other holes in her massive body, covering the eggs below with her acidic spit. The unborns died. A pity, but she did not care. The hunger clouded her mind and judgment completely.

“Time. Has. Come,” The Mother spoke with her raspy voice, releasing a putrid breath. Every single Child in the nest crawled out of their cells, their claws sinking into the walls while their wings buzzed louder than a gigantic swarm of mosquitoes. Chrysalis knew not to underestimate the ponies. Even if they were only six, she called for all her forces. The sentinels left the nest unprotected, abandoning their posts. The Keepers and Feeders hurried to the exit first, followed by the Donors. Her strongest children, the Warriors which were larger than the regular Changelings, were the last in line. “Must. Take. Magic. Stone. We. Feast. On pony… Flesh,” She licked her lips, revealing a purple tongue covered with blisters.

Abruptly, the entire nest trembled as if gripped by a powerful earthquake. The last remaining Changelings scattered hastily toward the exits as their mother finally stirred. Chrysalis growled in agony as colossal claws slammed into the floor below. Slowly, she peeled herself from the ceiling, leaving her resting place for the first time in centuries. The Queen disregarded the acidic bodily fluids she spilled along the way, smashing through the exit. Due to her size, she could only rupture the walls to reach the outside world.

Outside the Hive, the swarm that had managed to escape in time waited anxiously for their Mother as she finally tore her way out into the sunlight. Now fully visible to the world, Chrysalis unfurled her wide, transparent, perforated wings. Her disfigured face, previously stuck to the rest of her body, was now free as she extended her neck. Her forelegs were long with paws as large as a house, sporting fangs sharper than blades. Her hindlegs, comparatively tiny, struggled to support her weight, forcing the Mother of Changelings to rely on her wings to avoid tumbling down the mountain where their hive resided. Her tail, used for laying eggs, lazily hung behind her. As for her body, it was bloated like a balloon on the brink of bursting, with several holes oozing her mysterious bodily fluids.

She was an abomination; an affront to nature itself. She was the Queen and Mother of Changelings: Chrysalis.

“Children…” She wheezed as she barely managed to remain in the sky, batting her wings so hard that even some of her own were swept away by the wind she generated. “Attack,”

Author's Note

Can you guess what role each sub-species of Changeling has based on their names?

The Truth

Universe 47931

“You’re getting the hang of it,” Alter Twilight remarked, her voice slightly coarse.

“Thanks,” Twilight mumbled, removing the magical orbs she summoned with the Hexstone. She was getting better at using it, but she still clearly had much to learn. The lavender mare would have to study it more once she was back in her universe. Now that she knew how it functioned, she wouldn’t make the same mistakes twice.

“This…” Her alternate version breathed out, grunting as the light faded from her horn. “This was the last session. The spell is complete… You’re linked to my stone now, which means I can get you and your friends home,” The alicorn revealed, seeming even more strained than before. That spell certainly took a lot of effort out of her, but any worry Twilight might have had for her vanished once her brain processed the words she spoke.

“Really?!” The original Twilight jumped to her hooves excitedly, spreading her wings. “You can take us all back home?!” She beamed, getting into her alternate self’s face too close for comfort.

“Yes, yes, I can,” Alter Twilight gently pushed the original away. “I’ll need one last break, though. Linking you with the stone took its toll, and I was already worse for wear because of the shield I’m keeping up. I’ll need to be in good shape and able to focus for what I’ll have to do. If I’m not… Then everything will fail,” She explained, standing up with a groan.

“Oh! Of course! I’m sure my friends can wait for a few more hours,” Twilight nodded in understanding while her counterpart put back the Hexstone where it originally was and walked up the stairs to go to her room.

Ever since they started this, her alternate self needed to take naps and relax because of the spell. Since time was dead, Twilight had no idea for how long they had been doing this, but it must have been hours, maybe even a couple of days? She wasn’t sure how long she had been in this world.

Nevertheless, she wasn’t just training to use the Hexstone while her counterpart worked on the spell or slept. The conversation they had, and the situation with that universe weighed on Twilight’s mind the whole time. It gave her a lot to think about, so she did. She had been contemplative every time she could. Several things bothered her about her current situation. Yes, the universe’s end was horrible, just like what happened to her counterpart’s friends was, too. However, she couldn’t help but notice a few odd details about her alternate version. It was mostly about the things she said.

How did she know? It was something she didn’t even think about pointing out when she met her; she didn’t even notice it until she began recounting the past events and contemplating them! How did Alter Twilight know that her friends had been displaced in another universe, too? From the moment she met her, Twilight didn’t even mention her friends being sucked in along with her by the stone even once… At least, not until her counterpart already talked about it, first. Somehow, she knew that Twilight had been sucked in with all her friends and that they had been split up. So… How did she know?

It was after that realization hit Twilight that she began questioning even more things about her alternate self. Why was she so against helping that other universe when she could easily fix their Tirek problem? Twilight would have understood if she was a version of herself who didn’t help anyone or who was so obsessed with finding a solution to her problem that she didn’t wish to waste time helping. However, that didn’t keep her from helping the original Twilight!

Then there was also the fact that she apparently found a way to remove all the time paradoxes and repair time itself, but she always refused to elaborate once Twilight asked her for more details. Her response would usually be “You don’t need to worry about it” or “It’s my problem” and other various excuses.

Now, Twilight wasn’t usually distrusting by nature, especially if the other individual was an alternate version of herself. However, some of the things her counterpart had been too cryptic for her liking, and her general secrecy did not alleviate the alicorn’s worries. Thus, once her alternate self left for a nap, she decided to do something she normally disliked: snoop around.

Even if her counterpart refused to answer anything, that didn’t mean there weren’t answers to find. If she had been working on the stone for so long, there must be a research journal of some kind or even a diary. No one could live alone for so many years without having someone or something to talk to, after all. Beyond journals and diaries, there must be other clues scattered around the castle. Twilight even wondered if her counterpart kept one of the time paradoxes here for study.

While she wasn’t the type to imprison a creature to study it, she couldn’t deny that time paradoxes were an intriguing phenomenon. Quickly, she set out to the closest bookshelf and grabbed several books in her telekinetic hold, checking the cover of each one. Unfortunately, most of them were books she knew quite well since she owned the same ones. Just in case something was hidden inside them, she flipped through the pages before turning her attention to another book. At this point, she may as well go to the castle’s library, but she began to think that her alternate self wouldn’t hide a diary there.

Still, she probably would have to take a look at it once she was done checking all over the rest of the castle. Even if the design was the same, the internal configuration was foreign to her. Some rooms were changed and many items were missing. She should have expected it, but it still came as a surprise, and it made it harder for her to look for anything out of place. She was starting to think it wasn’t such a good idea. She would lose the other Twilight’s trust without even getting to know a single thing about her.

Unfortunately, the library wasn’t much help either… Most of the books were scattered all over the floor, burned and torn apart. The books weren’t the only things damaged as the shelves collapsed and were reduced to pieces. Scorch marks spread over the floor and the walls. It was like a fight broke out here… That also meant that her hours of searching came with no result. She didn’t find anything in the entire castle! The only room she didn’t look through was the one her counterpart was sleeping in, which was the most likely place to find what she was looking for, and… the lab.

Alter Twilight told her it was gone because of the events outside, but it still bugged her a little… Why would the lab be damaged first? She couldn’t believe that the top of the castle would be left untouched when Equus’ surface and the stars faded first according to her counterpart, but that the lab would be gone completely.

The lavender alicorn could go there and investigate, but… if her counterpart was telling the truth, then it would be dangerous. Twilight shook her head. No, there was a barrier protecting the rest of the castle, which meant that she didn’t necessarily need to go all the way down to check the state of it. As long as she was inside the barrier, she should be protected. Moreover, her alternate self could wake up any moment now, so she couldn’t waste time questioning her next course of action. She would trust her counterpart’s word if the lab was truly gone. She wouldn’t have much of a choice because of the situation.

Hesitantly, the lavender mare looked around, checking if her alternate self was anywhere near her, awake. Luckily, it seemed her nap still wasn’t over. Taking a small breath, Twilight hurried to the lab, replaying the other alicorn’s words in her mind. A growing sense of unease threatened to make her puke the little amount of lunch she had. For some reason, her counterpart didn’t have much food in there. She only had a small garden that logically couldn’t supply a full-grown pony. Yet, she seemed in great shape.

Now that she was finally standing at the door, a sudden coldness swept over her, making her shiver. She couldn’t go back now after she just made up her mind. Twilight finally opened the door. The other side seemed… Normal. The staircase leading down, and the walls didn’t seem affected by what was happening outside. Moreover, the barrier’s wall still wasn’t visible, which meant she could go further down.

The alicorn lit her horn and created a light orb to lead the way and let her see in the dark. A chill ran down her spine as she approached the bottom of the stairs, still not seeing the barrier’s bounds. The lab was even darker than the staircase, so she sent the ball of light to the ceiling and expanded it until it was enough to illuminate the whole room. The instant she could see what was inside, the mare gasped, quickly covering her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

Bones. Bones everywhere. More accurately, there were piles and piles of skeletons, filling the now much bigger lab than the one in her universe. Most of these bones belonged to alicorns, some to unicorns or earth ponies. She would have never figured out who these bones belonged to if it weren’t for several still-decomposing corpses present at the base of the piles. It was a unicorn version of herself, lying on the cold floor with lifeless eyes and missing spots of flesh all over her body.

Twilight nearly puked on the spot, holding her mouth with her wing to keep her lunch and digestive fluids down. Turning around, she spotted another counterpart. This one was an alicorn and in an even worse shape than the previous one. Her eyes darted to the right, a changeling Twilight. Everywhere she looked, she could recognize herself. A humanoid counterpart, a dragon with lavender scales, an alicorn Twilight in a royal dress, a Princess Luna.

"What... is this?" she stammered, her legs trembling as she backed away. Ragged breaths nearly choked her, the air feeling thin and suffocating. What snapped her out of her trance and panic was nearly tripping over something on the ground. “Ah!” She shouted, jumping back and collapsing to the floor once she realized what she nearly fell on. An old and shriveled-up body. The body of Tirek. “Tirek?” She narrowed her eyes, confused.

“He comes from a world where he bears the element of magic,” A cold, calm, and collected voice responded to her wordless question. The alicorn widened her eyes and swiftly turned to look at the top of the stairs, where stood her counterpart. “I haven’t exactly been truthful, Twilight,” The other alicorn revealed casually.

“What is the meaning of this? What did you do?” Twilight gulped, uncertain if she should step back or not considering the piles of corpses right behind her.

“I already told you most of the truth, you know. I wasn’t exactly subtle about it since betrayal still gives a sour taste in my mouth. I admit I did lie about what happened to Starlight,” Alter Twilight explained while the original alicorn remained quiet, listening carefully. "She didn’t vanish because of us playing with time. I may have lost most of our battles, but since neither of us could permanently disable the other, we were trapped in an impasse, destined to fight indefinitely. That's what I anticipated. However, I began to realize that I was changing. As alicorns, our power grows with age. It's not something you notice day-to-day, but over the years, the growth has become significant. While I grew stronger, Starlight’s aging was slowed because of the time spell. She may have remained young, but she was losing the struggle,”

“Where are you going with this?” Twilight inquired, sweat rolling down her temple.

“I’ve been angry before, but Starlight’s actions made me feel something else. Rage. Hate. She hurt not only my friends and I, but also the whole world over and over. I wanted to get rid of her… for good. I killed her,” She revealed, much to the shock of the first alicorn. “Then, I did it again, and again, and again. I used the time spell to go back and kill her as many times as I wanted to, and… It brought me more pleasure than anything I’ve ever had before,” The counterpart gave the other mare a bittersweet smile. “Unfortunately, the damage was already done. Starlight and I strained the muscle, and I tore it once I started reveling in my enemy’s blood, time began dying. It was a slow process, though,”

“What do you mean?” Twilight gulped.

“The universe tried to fix itself as much as it could, so it shifted, and changed things and events before the day we got our cutie mark. Some ponies weren’t born, others would have additional siblings. The world was trying to fit in with the changes Starlight and I made to avoid making more time paradoxes. This was heavily damaging to the world I knew… Too different, so I went back in time to put everything back to normal like it should have been. It only got worse and worse until time ultimately died,” Alter Twilight explained somberly. “I didn’t even notice when Spike disappeared until it was too late,”

“So… You did this?!” Twilight questioned, referring to the end of the world. “You destroyed everything?!” She shouted with an accusatory tone.

“Did you not listen to anything I said? I may have dealt the final blow, but Starlight was the precursor. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for her,” Alter Twilight spat in disgust. Even after all these years, the hate she held for the unicorn was still fresh and palpable.

“Does it matter who the blame lies on when this is the result?!” Twilight gestured around her, but her counterpart didn’t answer, simply narrowing her eyes instead. “And what is this?”

“Haven’t you figured it out still?” Alter Twilight hummed with a raised eyebrow.

“You brought me here,” The original alicorn accused the other mare.

“That much is obvious,” Alter Twilight scoffed. “Didn’t you think it was weird that the stone would react only when you and your friends were together when it has no relation to the elements? Were you so conceited that it only made sense that everything would revolve around you?” She shook her head in disappointment. “I’ve observed your universe and waited for an opportunity to fling all of you across the multiverse by using your stone from here,” She explained.

Twilight widened her eyes, stunned. Her counterpart was actually good enough to affect a Hexstone from several universes away from her?! This was insane! However, she still couldn’t figure out why. Why did she do this?!

“Where are my friends?!” Twilight demanded to know, stomping on the floor.

“Who knows? I’ve thrown them at random. They may be in a peaceful world just like they could have ended up in a hellhole. Doesn’t matter. You were the only one with a predetermined destination. This universe,” Alter Twilight replied. “Believe it or not, this isn’t personal by any means,”

“What is it for, then?! A-Are you some evil me who wants to destroy other worlds?!” Twilight questioned, glaring at the other alicorn.

“That’s the best you could think of?” Alter Twilight scoffed; she was not amused. “I’ve studied the Hexstone for millennia, which allowed me to discover a way to save my home and everypony I love,” She responded. “If I connect somepony from another universe with my Hexstone, I can link their world with mine and absorb it along with them. Doing so would grant me access to the stone’s limitless supply of magic, but I can also use that universe’s essence to rebuild mine. The one who holds the Hexstone holds dominion over their whole universe. I am not some petty villain looking for world destruction or conquest. I only wish to save,”

“So… These ponies,” Twilight gestured to the corpses and remains.

“Most are counterparts of ours. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. The other universe needs to be compatible if I want to use it to fix my own. The bodies you see here come from universes that couldn’t help me, and so they simply died after their essence was drained. I’ve tried looking for the Prime Universe because I was sure it would be compatible; however, I never found it,”

Twilight remained speechless for a time, not even sure how to respond to such a confession. No… This couldn’t be an alternate version of herself! It was impossible! She would never think of doing something like this! This was a nightmare!

“How… How could you resort to this?” Twilight’s voice trembled. “Infinite universes are open to you! Why didn’t you ask for help?!” She yelled.

“Even after seeing those other universes, you still don’t get it?” Alter Twilight sighed. “By the time I knew how the stone functioned, I’d already witnessed horrors beyond what you’ve already seen. The multiverse is nothing but despair and misery, an endless cycle of suffering. Because it is infinite, you will have as many desolate and terrible universes as there are good ones. How can I trust anypony even if I can see their whole life play out with the Hexstone? If I’ve learned anything, it’s that there is evil in everypony. Even inside the counterparts of the ones I love. Moreover, it is my duty to do this. How could I call myself the Princess of Friendship when I can’t save my universe and my friends myself?”

“That’s your excuse?!” Twilight exclaimed with boiling rage. “Do you really think that leaving a mountain of corpses behind you is any better? Would your friends approve of this?! What would they think?!” She screamed, wanting nothing more than to attack her counterpart right here and now, but she held herself back.

“Do not speak of things you don’t know. You have no idea what my friends were like… But you aren’t completely wrong. It doesn’t matter, though. They won’t know the things I did when I fix everything,” Alter Twilight glared at her doppelganger. “You’re my salvation, Twilight. I can say for certain now that you and your universe will save mine,” She smiled. It wasn’t an evil smirk or anything. No, it was sweet and gentle like she received a gift from a friend. However, Twilight stepped back all the same.

“Why? What’s so special about it?” Twilight gulped nervously.

“Your universe is nearly identical to mine until our confrontation with Starlight. Do you know how rare that is?” Her replica replied happily. “There is no way our universes aren’t compatible,” She explained, taking a step forward.

The original Twilight breathed out, not knowing how to proceed. She was tempted to beg for her life, but she doubted that would work. The only way for her to live was to escape, but what would she do next? Her friends had no way of knowing they needed to get the stone, and she would have to run and fly around Equus until they found the stone on their end. Could she reason with her alternate self? She killed so many, maybe even destroyed entire universes… She wasn’t sure there was any way to reason with someone who caused so many casualties with their actions.

“You don’t have to do this. We don’t need to fight,” Twilight attempted to stay calm as she spoke. Her counterpart arched an eyebrow, which immediately turned into a frown after Twilight’s next words. “I understand your pain, but this is going too-”

“Silence,” Alter Twilight growled with her teeth clenched, making the original lavender mare shut her mouth. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You’re not the only one who did this,”

“Did what?” Twilight asked, confused.

“To say that you understand. All the other ones that do are like you, so I don’t believe any of their words just like I don’t believe yours. After all… How could you possibly understand?” Alter Twilight glared at her. “You’ve lived a life of privilege. You don’t know pain and loss. You’ve never had to sacrifice anything or anyone! You’re surrounded by loving friends and family, and you have never lost any of them!” She screamed. “So how could you understand what I’m going through? How many of your loved ones have died? Huh? How many?!”

Twilight looked down, staying quiet. She had a feeling her counterpart already knew the answer to that.

“None,” The other spat with anger. “Meanwhile, I’ve lost everything I held dear. I’ve been alone for millions of years… Feeling like I might go insane. Oh, I’ve wished to end it all so many times, but I held onto hope. I kept thinking of the ones I loved and of the world that counted on me, and it kept me going. It gave me strength,”

Was she right? Could Twilight truly not understand her counterpart? It was true, she didn’t lose or have to sacrifice much. Nevertheless, she knew that she would never do something as outrageous and monstrous as what her alternate self did! It was inconsiderable! One of the things the other Twilight said also intrigued her. With a careful gaze, Twilight looked up at her replica again.

“But how? H-How did you survive for so long?” She inquired, astonished.

It seemed the question was enough to calm the other Twilight down.

"I suppose it’s time to end this masquerade," she replied. "Very well. I will show you." The alicorn ignited her horn, enveloping herself in a faint purple glow that quickly dissipated. Suddenly, she grew taller, matching Celestia’s height, and her horn elongated. However, this wasn’t her most shocking feature. Her coat was somber, having lost some of its color just as her mane and tail did. A piece of her chest was gone, flesh and all, revealing bare ribs. Her right eye was white, blank. Was she blind? The other eye, however, was gone along with the left side of her face, leaving only the bones. “I’ve learned the hard way… That alicorns do not live forever,”

“Oh… My Celestia,” Twilight whispered with a hoof over her mouth. Her counterpart’s whole body looked rotten and decomposing like a corpse!

“I’ve aged and aged, and one day… My heart stopped beating. My organs failed, but I remained standing. Because I’ve been too focused on the Hexstone, I noticed that my body also began decaying too late. Fortunately, I managed to cast a spell to preserve what remains,” She explained, gesturing to herself. “One day, I figured out what happened. Even if my physical body died, the other half of my being keeps me alive. Something intangible. Something whose existence has been debatable for a long time. My soul,”

“T-That’s not possible…” Twilight shook her head in disbelief.

“Yes, it is. You know why. I already told you. Think about my words. I am made up of two parts. One half is physical: my body; the other isn’t: my soul. My nature is what sustained me until now, it’s what prevented me from ceasing to exist,” The alternate pony explained. Twilight put a wing to her chin, pondering everything her counterpart said until she finally came to the realization, and widened her eyes. “Yes. You finally get it, don’t you? Tell me, Twilight. What am I?”

“Y-You’re a time paradox,” Twilight stuttered fearfully.

“Indeed, I am,” The other alicorn confirmed. “It is a painful existence, but it kept me alive to save the ones I love,” She began going down the stairs. “For what it’s worth, I will not enjoy what I do to you and your universe, but it is a necessary sacrifice,”

“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?” Twilight asked in a surrendered tone.

“I’m afraid not,” Her alternate self grimly chuckled. Suddenly, pain shot up in her head, making her grunt as she placed a hoof on her forehead. Taking advantage of the distraction, Twilight unfolded her wings and flew toward her replica, only to teleport behind her at the last second. Alter Twilight remained in the lab, holding herself while her skin trembled, slowly swirling and rippling as if it was changing shape. However, it abruptly stopped followed by another of Alter Twilight’s grunts. “Keeping this shape… Is difficult,” She panted, her voice coarser, before looking behind her shoulder. “Are we playing tag now?”

Twilight flew into the throne room and snatched the Hexstone before teleporting outside of the castle. She didn’t care about the dangers waiting for her outside or the other time paradoxes because she absolutely couldn’t stay in that castle if she wanted to live!

“I need to get out of here! I need to get out of here! I need to get out of here!” She repeated while clutching the Hexstone to her side. Think! Think! Think! What should she do? Simply running away wasn’t the way, right now! She also couldn’t fight her alternate self. The difference in power was too grand! She needed to tell her friends to find the stone in the universes they landed, but how?

Twilight rummaged through her head, thinking back on all the lessons she had with her counterpart. Right! She told her it was also a way to communicate! However, she never taught her how! It had only been a passing comment, so Twilight didn’t pay attention to it because of Alter’s original promise to help her. She also told her that the Hexstone responded to the user’s attentions… Could she send a message to her friends if she somehow transmitted those feelings to the stone? She couldn’t do it unless she tried! She needed to focus.

Unfortunately, just as she was about to, two hooves stroke her in the back, making her plummet to the ground. The alicorn grunted in pain every time her body bounced off the floor while she desperately held onto the Hexstone.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Alter Twilight growled in a distorted voice, a purple light coming out of her empty eye socket.

Twilight managed to catch herself right before being struck by one of the second alicorn’s beams, and ran ahead, ignoring her counterpart’s words. Focus. Focus. She had all the tools she needed. She was taught how to use it, and this was her counterpart’s biggest mistake! Even if she was forced to dodge the incoming attacks or create shields, she was saved a few times by the fact that her alternate self was slowed down by her headaches.

The alicorn of friendship breathed in and out, communicating with the Hexstone. With a hopeful gaze, but a worried expression, she lit her horn and activated the magical artifact. A white light shined out of it. It was the first time she had seen the stone do that, but hopefully, it was doing what she wanted it to. Alter Twilight’s growl took her out of her stupor. She couldn’t waste any more time!

“You can’t escape!” Alter Twilight growled in rage. The moment she had noticed what the original Twilight was doing seemed to fill her with even more anger than previously. Her blood was boiling with hate!

“The stone is… some kind of magical artifact that allows… multiversal travel!” Twilight shouted between breaths before shooting a beam of magic in Alter Twilight’s direction. Unfortunately, her counterpart did nothing but scoff and redirect the beam in the sky with a wave of her horn. “Basically, you are all in different worlds! Okay? This is not the Equestria you know! No matter how nice or how bucked up it seems… Just remember that! Luckily… I have… Found another stone in the universe I’m in… Ah!” Twilight screamed in pain. In response to her earlier attack, her counterpart responded in kind. Luckily, it looked like she was holding back. She needed Twilight alive!

“We’ve traveled together, so that means we’re still connected… I don’t have… Time to explain it fully, but find another stone! No matter… How the universe you are in is… The stone will be there! It always will! Once we’re all holding on to it at the same time… We’ll go back ho-” Twilight was suddenly cut off when an even bigger magical beam connected with the ground, causing an explosion that sent her flying forward. The alicorn yelped, skidding across the ground until she hit a stone.

“You fool. Even if you learned to communicate with them, time is broken here! That message could reach them the moment they arrive in that universe just as well as it could in a thousand years!” Alter Twilight clenched her teeth while slowly walking up to the fallen alicorn.

Twilight pushed herself up and fired a beam of magic right into the enemy’s chest, who used a shield to protect herself. The lavender mare teleported behind her and used her telekinesis to slam the nearby stone on top of the alternate pony, only for her to blast it to pieces.

“I doubt they could even find those stones,” Alter Twilight snarled, grunting in pain.

“I know they can! Nothing can stop my friends!” Twilight retorted confidently.

“Such misplaced arrogance,” Alter Twilight sent a magical blade in the other alicorn’s way, who dodged it just in time by leaping to the left.

“Just because you couldn’t save your friends doesn’t mean I’ll make the same mistake!” Twilight shouted back at her. She was aware it may not have been the best response in this situation, but she was angry, too. She hated everything about her counterpart! She couldn’t even comprehend how she could become like this!

“You…” It seemed Twilight’s words hit a nerve. It almost sounded like her teeth would break as she clenched them. “How dare you, you brat!” She hollered, charging another magical attack until she suddenly stopped to hold her head. “Shit… It’s… It’s coming…” She whispered in pain while her body shifted again.

Twilight fearfully stepped back, watching as her counterpart grew larger and taller, groaning all the way while she transformed.

“What… What have you become?” She inquired, clutching the stone tight to her chest, looking up at Alter Twilight’s new form.

A True Pegasus

Universe 19884

12 years ago

“Why are we stopping?” A little filly questioned as she stepped on a cloud, looking up at the stallion who accompanied her to the sky.

The gentle breeze and clear skies provided ideal flying conditions. Yet, after just 20 minutes of flight, her father instructed her to land on a seemingly random cloud in the vast sky. Frustration brewed within her. Every minute spent standing around was a minute she could have spent practicing. After all, she couldn’t become a Wonderbolt if she wasn’t the best, could she?

“I thought we could use a break. Especially me,” Her father chuckled, gesturing to himself. He didn’t look old, which wasn’t surprising since he was only in his early thirties. His brilliant amber mane and his blue coat were well-maintained. However, you couldn’t say the same for his wings. While one appeared ordinary, the other bore a deep scar. “I can barely fly for half an hour with that stupid thing,” He pointed at his scar; however, his daughter simply rolled her eyes as if she had heard him say that thousands of times already. The stallion sighed. “Look, kiddo… Truth is… I didn’t bring you here for practice,” He admitted.

“Of course!” The daughter threw her forelegs in the air in frustration before crossing them and sitting down. “I should have figured when you offered to train me instead of Mom!” She huffed, turning his back on him.

"Yeah... Your mother has always been an exceptional flyer," The father murmured to himself. His daughter stayed in place, still avoiding eye contact. It was no secret she preferred practicing with her mother, so her lack of response didn't surprise him. "I wanted to have a chat," He admitted.

“And we couldn’t do that at home?” She grumbled.

"Don't you think the sky's much better?" Her father gestured all around him, but his daughter remained unmoved. "Lightning, please," He sighed. She had always been evasive when she sensed trouble, aptly living up to her name, Lightning Dust. She was as swift as lightning, leaving only dust behind when she needed to fly off somewhere. However, her mother likely hadn't anticipated the name would suit her that way.

“Can you stop beating around the bush already? I know what you wanna talk about! Mom told you, didn’t she?” Lightning snapped at him before turning away again.

“I just want to know why. I don’t remember teaching my little girl to start fights,” Dad put a hoof on her shoulder.

“I’m not the one who started it! The others did!” She denied it, but her father already knew the truth. She threw the first kick from what the school said. “They were making fun of me,”

“Why?”

“Because I won the race we were having, obviously! They were saying I got lucky or that I didn’t deserve the win…. Or that I cheated!” She retorted, fuming. Her father could see that she wanted to jump on her hooves and yell at the world. Thankfully, she contained herself.

“Why does that matter? If you won, then just ignore them! How is getting into fights going to prove anything?” Her father inquired, almost offending the small filly with his question.

“It matters ‘cause I wanna be the best! How can I prove that I’m the best if they won’t even admit it?” She argued, making her father shake his head.

“I… I understand that you’re proud of your abilities, and believe me, I’m proud of you, too,” He softly said to her, slightly calming her down. “I know joining the Wonderbolts is your dream, but don’t you think it would be even better if you had fun along the way?”

“Not this again,” Lightning Dust rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“I know you don’t want to hear the boring old man talk, but I’m only speaking from experience,” He explained, much to his daughter’s curiosity, perked up once he finished his sentences. “I was just as good a flyer as your mother back then, but ten times more competitive,” He smiled with nostalgia.

“So you were cool?” Lightning widened her eyes, flabbergasted.

“Maybe. I’m not sure if being cool is all that great anymore,” He admitted. His daughter gasped in horror, unable to believe her own father would say something like that. “I wanted to be a Wonderbolt, too, actually,”

“No way,” Lightning shook her head in disbelief. She simply couldn’t believe that her father was anywhere good enough to join them.

“My talent is flying, so I’ve always been boastful about it. I loved being the best in every flying competition or even in school,” He reminisced with a faint smile. It wasn’t pride or joy. He simply remembered simpler times when he was still young and foolish. Her father looked down in shame. "I... Haven't always treated other ponies kindly, especially those I considered beneath me," he confessed. Lightning arched an eyebrow but maintained a stoic expression. "I was mean, I mocked and ridiculed them. Anytime somepony would talk behind my back, I would just… Just fight. Fight like an idiot. I was a bully, and I don’t want you to follow the same path,”

“What?! You think I’m a bully? J-Just spare me the lecture! Mom already gave me one!” She suddenly snapped before crossing her forelegs again. “I just taught them a lesson, that’s all!”

“Please, sweetie. Just let me finish,” He gently patted her head. “I only looked out for myself, and starting fights for something so petty was the first step. Even my parents didn’t know what to do with me,” He sighed a tinge of sadness in his voice. “Then one day… I decided to up my training. I wanted to be sure to be the best at the Wonderbolts Academy. One accident led to another and I broke my wing… badly,” He said as he unfolded his scarred wing. “I thought it would stay broken forever,” He wasn’t completely wrong. Even if he could fly now, that wing suffered damage that could never be repaired, limiting how much time he could fly without breaks. “As you might expect, I missed the tryouts,”

“What are you getting at?” Lightning mumbled while looking down.

“After that accident, I couldn’t fly for months,” Dad answered, folding his wing again. “The ponies who I thought were my friends left me once they assumed I would never fly again. The ones I bullied constantly stopped fearing me. Instead, they either pitied me or mocked me. I couldn’t blame them. It was only fitting after what I put them through,” He shook his head. Of course, at the time, he was mad at everyone. He hated them. It was only later that he understood why they even did that in the first place. It was because he did the same to them every day before that. “You know what was the most painful about that injury?”

“No,” Lightning shrugged. She wanted to answer that it was the bone breaking out of the wing, but she had a feeling she was wrong.

“Not being able to fly. I was stuck on the ground for months. It wasn’t the competitions or the races. It wasn’t to prove something. I just… missed flying,” He declared. “When I finally got to fly again, I had to take it slow. I still do. That was when I actually opened my eyes and paid attention to my surroundings. I watched the world through another lens,” He explained before walking forward. “And this is what I saw. Open your eyes and look, Sweetie,” He gestured in front of him.

Lightning Dust glanced ahead, her attention still somewhat distant from his words. The sun dipped toward the horizon, casting the sky in an orange glow that mirrored the descending celestial sphere, making space for the rising moon. Several small clouds were scattered across, capturing a saturated version of the sun's hue as if they were reflecting its light. The warm gentle breeze from earlier had turned into the cooler embrace of dusk. The ground soaked in the amber hue, a stark contrast to the verdant green of the trees and grass. To their left, the clouds of Cloudsdale took on the same amber tint as those scattered across the sky.

To the older stallion, it was the very definition of beauty -though he would consider it a synonym for his wife- which he loved and tried to witness every day. Unfortunately, Lightning Dust didn’t seem to have the same outlook. Once he turned to her, he expected her to be awed or emotionally moved. However, she bore an unimpressed expression, seemingly not caring at all about what she was watching.

“Boring!” She exclaimed, drawing out the word. “I see that every time I practice with Mom! There’s nothing special about it, Dad!” The filly snapped, her patience having been worn out. “I don’t care about those stupid old stories!”

“All I want is for you to do something you love. If you don’t love flying or witnessing sights like these, then what’s the point of flying at all? What’s the point of being born a pegasus?” Her father calmly explained, which only earned him a glare.

“To be the best, duh! To be a Wonderbolt!” His daughter retorted, stomping the cloud under their feet.

“And you do not need to get into fights for that. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did,” The stallion replied, still somehow keeping his calm demeanor. “Most of all, I don’t want you to suffer the same thing I did to learn,” He said as he massaged his damaged wing.

“I’m a good flyer, Dad. I’m not going to get into a stupid accident like you,” Lightning Dust narrowed her eyes. “You’re just saying all that because you could never be a Wonderbolt! You can barely get off the ground!” She pointed at his wing. “I’m not gonna waste time sightseeing when I can practice!” The filly shouted before turning around, ready to fly off. However, right before she did, she glanced at her father in disappointment. “The guys I beat up were right… You’re just a loser,” She muttered, then unfolded her wings and took off before the stallion could stop her.

"Wait!" He reached out with one of his hooves, but she had already vanished. Swiftly, he unfurled his wings to pursue her, only to wince in pain as his damaged wing protested. Right... He needed a longer break. Her father peered over the edge of the cloud, gauging the distance to the ground, and sighed before settling back down. He gazed in the direction Lightning Dust had departed. “Maybe you’ll understand when you’re older,” He whispered, a sense of dejection in his voice. “I won’t always be here to help,” He added, taking another look at his wing before gazing toward the sun again.

Present Time

“I haven’t seen her sleep like that for so long…” Spike commented as he watched the lavender alicorn sound asleep in the cyan pegasus’ hooves. The group of ponies, dragon, and draconequus were sitting on the floor because of the general lack of chairs. Nevertheless, it didn’t seem to bother Twilight at all considering the way she calmly breathed into the other mare’s chest, softly snoring as she could finally enjoy a good sleep.

“Poor dear… She looks dreadful,” Rarity whispered in shock. She still couldn’t believe the state one of her best friends was in. The lavender mare had been sleeping for an hour, and the others mainly remained quiet during that time, wanting to let her rest while Spike asked how things were in Ponyville.

“What happened to her?” Fluttershy inquired while the others remained silent, choosing to listen to the dragon without interrupting him.

However, Rainbow Dash dedicated half of her attention to the sleeping mare in her hooves, holding her as if she were a precious but fragile jewel.

“As you heard earlier, Twilight blamed herself for… uhm… your death all this time,” The little dragon replied, throwing a look in Rainbow Dash’s direction. “I told her it wasn’t her fault, but she wouldn’t have it. We went directly here after leaving Ponyville, but it was supposed to be a short break since Twilight wanted to get away as far as possible. Then Tirek messed everything up. Because the castle was moved so much, she thought nopony would come looking for us here, so we stayed,” He began recounting. “She must have left the castle only a few times these past two years. She refused to go out or even do anything. I had to go out and look for food for both of us. As time went on, she talked less and less. She became more fidgety… like she was scared of her own shadow. Then the nightmares began,”

“The nightmares?” Applejack arched an eyebrow. They all had nightmares after what happened, so the fact that Twilight was affected, too, didn’t surprise her. She was mostly wondering how serious hers were.

“There wasn’t a single night where she could sleep longer than three hours. She would always wake up screaming and crying… and I didn’t know what to do,” Spike said, his face in his claws in shame. “Nothing I said got through to her. She was convinced you girls hated her because, in her mind, she’s the only one responsible for Rainbow Dash’s death,” He explained.

“But she isn’t! Tirek did that! If anyone should be punished, it’s him!” Rainbow Dash hissed, trying to keep quiet so as to not wake Twilight up. Naturally, the others agreed with various ‘yeahs’ while Discord stood in silence, looking away with guilt.

“I know that! I told her that. But she wouldn’t listen. For some reason, she even thought you would go on a revenge quest and kill her!” Spike gestured to the sleeping alicorn.

“This is ridiculous!” Rarity placed a hoof over her chest in shock.

“We could never hate Twilight this much,” Pinkie exclaimed, her mane switching from puffed up to straight.

“Even if we did blame her for Rainbow’s death, killing is…” Fluttershy muttered as if she was scared to finish her sentence.

“A mighty strong word,” Applejack interjected before shaking her head. “Oh, Celestia… What kind of nightmares did she have?” She wondered.

“Not just nightmares… Hallucinations, too. After that, even eating got hard for her. I was so scared… I had no idea how to help her. I was a horrible friend,” Spike rubbed his forehead, sniffing back his tears.

“Oh, no! Don’t ya dare say that!” Applejack quickly reprimanded him. “You’re the only one who stayed with her and even tried to help her. We’re the ones who gave up on her. If there’s a horrible friend in this story, then it’s us,” She gestured to herself and the others.

“No, you had your own problems to deal with,” The dragon reassured them. There was no way he would blame them for anything after everything that occurred these past years.

As he said that, Pinkie Pie suddenly remembered one of the things Twilight mentioned before falling asleep. Her brain didn’t quite register it at the time, so she didn’t even process it. However, now that things calmed down, the reminder of these words sent a shiver down her spine.

“Spike… Earlier, Twilight said that she wanted to… to die in peace… What did that mean?” She inquired with a trembling voice. She already knew the answer, of course, but she was hoping -no, begging- that Spike would give her a different answer.

“She… As I said… Things have been hard. Her mental state wasn’t… ideal,” The dragon looked down, refusing to elaborate further.

Cold wind washed over the ponies and the draconequus, their fears confirmed. There was no need for further explanation; the issue was that they didn’t even know how to respond or to help. Of their whole lives, the challenges they faced after Tirek’s arrival were the worst. Before Rainbow Dash’s ‘return’, they didn’t even have hope anymore. Even if they weren’t as distressed as Twilight was… they may have wished for death, too, in a few more years. When they were all broken to this point, how could they possibly help fix someone else? It was even worse for Discord because he was partially responsible, and the guilt would follow him until the end.

Thankfully for them, they didn’t need to respond. Rainbow Dash sliced through the silence with a single sentence.

“We’ll fix everything. Now that I’m here, Tirek won’t stand a chance!” She confidently assured them. While it gave the others hope, Spike gazed at her quizzically.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, but how are you back?” He asked skeptically. He had never heard of anyone being revived except in fictional stories, so it was understandably hard to believe. The others weren’t exactly fond of the truth either. They would have preferred if Rainbow Dash did come back from the dead with no explanation. They wouldn’t have cared for an explanation. “Did he have something to do with it?” He questioned with spite, glaring at Discord. The Lord of Chaos couldn’t even exchange glances for longer than a few seconds before looking away.

“No… It’s more complicated than that. The truth is… she isn’t our Rainbow Dash,” Rarity finally revealed, replacing Spike’s hateful glare with a look of confusion.

“Huh? What do you mean?” He inquired.

The ponies looked at one another, silently agreeing that it was time to reveal the truth. Applejack was the first one to speak, telling him how she found Rainbow Dash and the state she was in after fighting the Timberwolves. The cyan pegasus then explained who she really was and where she came from, including how she got here in the first place. Understandably, Spike didn’t know what to say at first. He knew there was no point for them to lie like this to him. However, the existence of multiple universes was difficult to believe. It was just like those special issues in the Power Ponies comics!

“That’s… a lot to take in,” Spike’s claws were shaking. He was disappointed this wasn’t the Rainbow Dash he knew and befriended. He had a hard time not thinking of that version of her as a stranger. Most of all, he was afraid of Twilight’s reaction. Couldn’t they have something good happen for them for once? “So, what now?”

“Well… We’ll wait for Twilight to wake up and tell her about Rainbow Dash. Then we’ll finally deal with Tirek,” Applejack replied.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Spike scratched his right arm. “Maybe we should wait before telling her? Let’s take care of Tirek first,” He suggested, making most of them gasp.

“What the heck are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow. She didn’t look happy at all.

“That’s not a detail you can just mention later, Spikey-Wikey!” Rarity reprimanded him.

“Look, I know! I know! Lying is bad! But think about her!” He gestured to the sleeping alicorn. “If she realizes that Rainbow Dash is still… gone… Then the last bit of remaining fighting spirit she just got back will get snuffed out! I’m not sure she’ll get back from it this time,” Spike explained. The others understood the implications of his words well. However, they were still having none of it.

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to protest, only to be interjected by another mare.

“No,” Applejack’s voice was firm. “There has been enough pain. Ah can assure learning the truth when RD has to leave will hurt her a lot more than if we tell her now,” She affirmed, unwilling to argue about it.

Spike was quiet. Once Applejack spoke in such a tone, you knew there was no room for discussion. Moreover, he couldn’t deny she was right. No matter how much he wished to protect Twilight’s feelings, he couldn’t do it forever.

“I suppose we should wake her and tell her, then,” Fluttershy concluded. Before any one of them could reply, another voice cut in.

“You don’t need to tell me,” Someone coldly spoke. It was Twilight! The alicorn glared at her friends before pushing Rainbow Dash off her and backing away hurriedly, nearly tripping on her tail.

“Twilight! How long have you-” Spike asked, only to be interrupted.

“Long enough!” She shouted back with her lips quivering. “I should have known. I should have known it was too good to be true,” She clenched her teeth, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. “Nothing will change the reality… I…” Twilight stopped herself as the cyan pegasus was suddenly covered in blood, glaring at her with hate-filled eyes. The lavender mare averted her eyes. “Rainbow is dead… It’s over…” She turned her back on them. “Please, leave,”

“So you could kill yourself? No way!” Rainbow Dash yelled.

“Why do you care? You’re not even my Rainbow Dash. You’re not my friend,” Twilight muttered.

Rainbow Dash carefully walked up to her while the others stayed back. If there was somepony who could get through to the lavender mare, then it was the pegasus.

“That doesn’t matter. I could be in any universe, and I would still be your friend,” The pegasus affirmed. “No matter the universe, Rainbow Dash will always be Twilight’s friend, and Applejack’s, and Fluttershy’s, you get it! No matter where I am, I’ll always help you,” She declared.

The others smiled softly at her words. Applejack could tell the cyan mare was telling the truth. No matter the version, they fully believed that they would have her in their corner. Twilight finally turned to look at her, tears streaming down her face.

“I don’t get it,” She shook her head. “How can you be so confident? How can you be so sure? You don’t have a shred of doubt in your voice…” She sniffled.

“Because I mean it, and because I know we can win. As long as we’re together, there’s nothing we’ll lose against,” Rainbow replied. Twilight wanted so badly to retort that they already lost. Even though she and her friends were together, they lost. However, she didn’t find the strength to as she gazed into the other mare’s eyes. “We can stop Tirek,”

Twilight’s eyes shifted to the weapons they carried, watching them with disdain.

“Is that why you have those… horrid things?” She questioned, glaring at the blades. “You’re the only one who even has magic, so how do you expect to win?”

“I’m not the only one. You know that, Twilight. We have pretty strong magic when we’re all together like this,” Rainbow Dash retorted before pointing at the medallion around the alicorn’s neck, the one Discord gave her so long ago. “This will help us. It’s the last key to the chest in the tree,” She revealed, much to the mare’s surprise.

“That’s a reminder of my failures. It is no key,” Twilight shook her head. Before the others could protest, she continued. “I’m not as brave as you. I… I can’t leave. If we go out, Tirek will find us. He’ll come,” She shook her head, trying to wipe her tears with one of her hooves. “And one of us will die again, or maybe all of us. Please, I don’t want to lose anypony again… I don’t want to… Don’t make me, please,” She whimpered, stepping back in fear. “Maybe we can all stay here!”

“You know I can’t, Twilight. I have friends I need to go back to,” Rainbow Dash responded. The lavender alicorn lowered her eyes in defeat.

“We know you’re scared, Twilight,” Pinkie Pie stepped forward, a bittersweet smile across her lips. “So are we. Maybe if we go all together, we won’t be as scared… Maybe we can laugh like before,” She suggested.

“But you hate me. You hate me because I killed Rainbow Dash,” Twilight whimpered, struggling to stay up.

“If anyone here is responsible for her death, it’s me,” Discord declared with shame. “I’ve been selfish because despite having everything, freedom, and friends, I gave it all up for power. I gave it up to join that monster, Tirek. I hurt countless ponies, and… I’m as responsible as Tirek for Rainbow Dash’s death. I’m the one who told him about your friends in the first place,”

The alicorn shook her head frantically.

“It doesn’t matter… You still hate me! I know you do!” She yelled.

“It’s thanks to you that all of us became friends. Our lives only changed for the better the day we met. I have so many wonderful memories of us, and if it weren’t for all of you, I would probably be working in my boutique 24/7 just for the chance to go to Canterlot one day. I’ve learned a lot thanks to you and the girls, and I couldn’t have asked for a better life. You are one of the best friends I ever had or will have,” Rarity grinned, standing by Pinkie’s side. “We could never hate you,”

Twilight’s lower lip quivered again while she held back another wave of tears.

“Even if you forgive me… Even if you never hated me in the first place… You can’t say the same for everypony else! Because I gave Tirek all the alicorn magic, I ruined the lives of everyone!” The alicorn argued desperately.

"Well now, if anypony's pointin' fingers at ya for this mess, then that's their own loss. But let me tell ya, Twilight, Ponyville knows ya. All our other friends know ya too. Ain't a single soul in Ponyville holdin' any grudges against ya. Ah can tell ya for sure, my family sure don't. You and the rest of the gang have helped us so dang much, I reckon Granny Smith might even consider y'all as family." Applejack interjected confidently.

“But… But… I’m a failure. Why should I go with you? If all you need is the medallion, then take it,” Twilight stammered. “I’ll only hold you back,”

“I thought the same thing about myself, Twilight,” Fluttershy admitted softly. “Before becoming your friend, I could barely hold a conversation for longer than ten seconds. I thought I couldn’t do anything right besides taking care of animals. You girls proved me wrong, so let us prove you wrong, too,” The shy pegasus smiled.

Twilight sniffled back her tears. Everything she said, her friends had an answer for. The fear that gripped her heart, the fear that Tirek instilled inside her… was wavering. She was beginning to believe them. She started to believe that they may have been right. Nonetheless, that fear remained as did the guilt. Could she truly move forward when her whole being was trapped in Tirek’s clutches?

“We don’t stand a chance. Even the magic of friendship can’t defeat Tirek,” She whispered.

“Now, I know even you don’t believe that,” Rainbow Dash snickered in amusement. “This time, Tirek doesn’t stand a chance. Trust me. Trust us,” The pegasus gestured to the group of friends behind her, each bearing a confident expression. Pinkie’s mane even turned back to its usual puffed-up self. “If we go down, at least we’ll go down together. Better than being alone, isn’t it?” She asked. Twilight was unresponsive, staring into the cyan mare’s eyes before nodding. “Besides, you must have missed a lot of ponies, didn’t you?”

“I miss my parents,” Twilight admitted, her eyes stinging because of her previous tears. “I miss my brother. I miss Cadance, and I miss Ponyville. I… I missed you,” She finally looked at her friends, her eyes slightly brighter. Maybe, she finally had hope again. Small claws patted one of her legs, lowering her gaze to Spike.

“Then let’s finish this once and for all, and let’s go back home,” The small dragon declared with a small smile.

The alicorn blinked a couple of times, then breathed out.

“Okay,” She finally decided.

Instantly, all her friends jumped on her, trapping her into a large group hug that filled her with warmth. The alicorn cried again. However, this time, they were tears of joy. She was happy for the first time in 2 years! Of course, she couldn’t say she was completely confident. She honestly wasn’t even sure they would win. However, she was willing to try.

After a couple of minutes, they broke the hug. Rainbow Dash was the first to break the silence.

“Let’s find that tree and open the chest,” She declared.

“That I can help with,” Spike interjected immediately. “I’ve been flying around for the past 2 years to look for food every day. I found the tree only a few weeks after we got into the castle,”

“Good! Is it far?” Rarity inquired happily.

“It’s only half an hour away, but it’s out of the forest, now. That means, if there’s any timberwolves flying around, they’ll spot us instantly,” Spike warned them.

“That’s fine. We’ll take care of them! Our priority is to get to the tree,” Rainbow Dash affirmed before turning to Twilight. “So? Ready to leave, Egghead?”

Twilight smiled faintly.

“I am,”

Then it was time to go.

They swiftly left the castle, not wanting to waste any time. The group needed to go around the castle since the Tree of Harmony was further down that path. It was quickly apparent that Spike had been telling the truth as the trees were becoming scarce. Spike was the head of the formation since he was the one guiding them. Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow were right behind him while the others watched their backs.

“Are you sure ya don’t want a weapon?” Applejack questioned Twilight as they marched behind Spike.

“No, I really don’t. I’m sorry… I just can’t,” The alicorn shook her head. She could barely look at their weapons without flinching, so there was no way she could hold one.

“I understand. Ah just want ya to stay safe,” The farm pony replied with a hoof on the alicorn’s shoulder.

“I know, but I doubt a weapon will help considering the danger there is,” Twilight retorted while glancing to their right. They were on the edge of a cliff because the ground had been lowered after Tirek’s rampage. While the bottom led to mostly dead trees, there was also a dark ravine right under the cliff. With no magic and no way to fly, if she fell and Rainbow couldn’t catch her, then she doubted she would survive. Unfortunately, this was the quickest way to the tree.

“Don’t worry! If you fall, I’ll be there to catch you!” Rainbow Dash assured her while flexing with her wings. Before Twilight could respond, someone else abruptly interjected.

“I’d love to see you try, Rainbow Crash!” A feminine voice mocked.

“That voice…” The cyan pegasus perked up as the others looked around in surprise. Suddenly, a metallic wire planted itself in one of the trees behind before something zipped right after it.

A hoof slammed right into Rainbow’s jaw, making her bounce off the ground multiple times before landing at Spike’s side.

“Rainbow!” Her friends shouted, astonished by the sudden attack. The pegasus grunted, holding her jaw and checking if it wasn’t broken.

The group brandished their weapons at the sudden attacker, poised to strike back, while the alicorn took a few steps back, startled by the enemy's sudden appearance right in front of her. The air filled with more whirring sounds, causing the others to whirl around as three additional figures zipped past them and perched on the trees nearby.

“What in tarnation is going on?!” Applejack yelled, brandishing her hammer.

Rainbow Dash glared at what appeared to be the boss of the band.

“Lightning Dust,” She spat with anger.

Indeed, it was none other than Lightning Dust in the flesh. She, along with the other pegasi accompanying her, appeared just as worse for wear as the other ponies Rainbow had encountered since arriving in this universe. However, what set them apart was their attire. They were mostly unclothed, save for the leather harnesses encircling their torsos. Each harness sported two holes on either side, from which protruded sharp-tipped metal wires. It seemed they used those to move around considering how they arrived here.

The pegasi accompanying her were also ponies neither Rainbow Dash nor Fluttershy weren’t fans of. Hoops, Dumb-Bell, and Score. Their former bullies.

“Missed me, Rainbow Crash? Last I heard you were supposed to be dead,” Lightning sniggered, ignoring the threatening stances the ponies around her took.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” Rainbow questioned with gritted teeth.

“We’ve been looking for an opportunity like this for months! Someone who still had magic. I didn’t expect we’d find something even better!” Lightning responded excitedly. “Once we take you and the others to Tirek, we’ll be rewarded handsomely. We will finally get our magic back in exchange for giving him yours!” She revealed, pointing at the cyan pegasus.

“Do you really think Tirek would accept a deal like that? He’ll just take me! There’s no way he’s returning any magic!” Rainbow shouted. Twilight wanted to agree. She wanted to voice her opinion, too. She wanted to convince them to stop this madness. However, her voice was stuck in her throat. Her heart was pounding. Her breathing was getting ragged. She was scared… She watched those ponies, and fear gripped her heart as she was reminded of his laugh. She… She needed to breathe.

“We have no other option anymore,” Lightning replied, clearly refusing to talk any further.

“As if we’d let ya!” Applejack suddenly cried out, lifting her hammer right above her head with the clear intent of crushing Lightning’s skull. When they were so close to fixing everything, she couldn’t pull her punches. They were faced with threats actively looking to harm them, so even if they were ponies, she wouldn’t hesitate to take that life! Unfortunately, her strike had been cut short when a kick nearly broke her neck and sent her flying against a nearby boulder. Score had zipped right in time to save his comrade.

“Sorry, but my fight’s with Rainbow Crash,” Lighting chuckled dismissively before shooting her wires and flying toward the cyan pegasus.

“C-Can’t we talk this out?” Fluttershy proposed fearfully.

“I’ve always wanted to do this!” Dumb-Bell laughed as he shot toward the quiet mare and punched her in the guts. The poor mare yelled out in pain as she was thrown back, spitting out saliva and dropping her axe.

“Don’t you touch her!” Discord thrust his spear toward the male pegasus, who swiftly dodged it by jumping back and then using his harness to throw himself forward again.

Pinkie attempted to slice one of their wires with her sword, only to be met with a ‘cling’ as the blade bounced off the metal. The others faced similar issues, either unable to hit them since they were so quick on their feet and because of their tools or their weapons could not damage the cables they used to move around.

Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, was faring much better. She still had her magic. She could still fly. With her superior speed and strength, Lightning had no way to hurt her. In fact, the cyan pegasus only avoided her attacks and kept dealing blows at a minimum.

“Come on, Lightning! We’re just about to beat Tirek!” Rainbow Dash attempted to convince her.

“Like you did two years ago?!” The opposing pegasus growled with rage. “You had your chance, and you blew it! Now all of us have to deal with it! I’m getting my magic back and no one’s gonna stop me!” She screamed before shooting one of the cables toward Rainbow’s wings, which she expertly avoided without breaking a sweat. Lightning shot herself forward once the cable hit the wall behind the cyan pegasus and tried to swipe at the other mare’s throat.

“Damn it!” Rainbow dodged again before countering with a kick to her face and sending her enemy to the ground. “It’s obvious you’re outmatched, so just stop!”

“Never!” Lightning glared. No, as long as she breathed, she wasn’t giving in! She refused to give in after coming all this way! After having lost so much, she was finally close to getting back the one thing she cared about the most in this world, and she wouldn’t let Rainbow Dash get in the way! Why couldn’t she just surrender and let Lightning capture her? It would be so much easier for everyone!

Even if the pegasus couldn’t use her wings nor hurt Rainbow Dash, she still showed great skill at using that strange harness. She used every breeze to propel herself and gain more speed. Every maneuver she used to circle her enemy or to attack her were flight techniques that she adapted to the harness. Only someone with intensive knowledge of flying and the weather could use this tool as skillfully as she did. The cyan pegasus had to admit Lightning’s moves impressed her. However, they were ultimately inconsequential. While they would be enough to defeat any magicless pony, it couldn’t give her the edge over a Rainbow Dash who still possessed her magic.

“YAAG!” Someone screamed, getting the flightless pegasus’ attention. It was Dumb-Bell, pinned to the wall with Discord’s spear planted in his chest. The pegasus spat out blood, though it was nothing compared to the amount spilling out of his wound.

“I… really didn’t want to do this, for the record,” Discord muttered guiltily. Fluttershy, who was standing only a meter away, averted her eyes.

“Can’t… end… like this…” The pegasus breathed out.

“Shit!” Rainbow Dash cursed, slightly queasy about the blood spilled. “Please, just give up!”

Lightning clenched her teeth. What should she do? She… She couldn’t give up, now. She couldn’t…

“Fuck!” Score narrowly dodged Applejack’s hammer, which cracked the ground once it hit. He was immediately forced to roll on the dirt to avoid having his brain thrown out of his skull by Rarity’s mace. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He shouted with every roll. They weren’t simply outnumbered. They were outmatched, too!

Lightning and her gang were good, but they weren’t the best. They had been training and trying to hunt any trace of magic for months so that they could offer it to Tirek with the hopes of him giving back what they lost as a reward. Even if they hadn’t found anything until today, they still faced several threats that only made them stronger. Whether it was natural disasters or wild and dangerous animals. Unfortunately, none of it prepared them to face the bearers of the elements of harmony, even if they were magicless.

Hoops kicked Pinkie Pie twice in the face, dodging her sword strikes, before shooting both wires into her gut, spilling a pained scream out of her. He zipped forward, using her body to propel himself toward her and deal a blow that would take her out permanently. However, the pink mare suddenly bent down just as an axe flew above her head in the pegasus’ direction. The stallion widened his eyes but had no time to react as blood poured onto the ground and a lifeless body followed behind.

“Thanks, Flutters,” Pinkie meekly said as she pulled the sharp ends of the wires out of her. The yellow pegasus could only sniffle in response before looking away. The party mare couldn’t blame her. Even if the world got crueler after Tirek’s reign began, and ponies formed groups of bandits, she and her friends never had to take another pony’s life. They all knew it could happen, but were they truly prepared for it? They only told themselves that they were ready, but nothing else.

“You’ll pay for that!” Score screamed from his spot the moment he noticed his friend’s life fading. A mace was slammed onto the ground, right between his legs, which forced him to crawl back in a panic.

“Will ya give up now? Please!” Applejack begged him. No matter how scummy he was, she didn’t want to hurt him… or worse.

“I… I…” Score stuttered, his eyes shifting between his friends’ corpses and Lightning Dust.

His leader was in a much similar dilemma. Even with her arrogance, she had a hard time envisioning victory in their current situation. Maybe brute force wasn’t the solution. Perhaps she could trick them?! Instead of surrendering right away, she attempted to imagine a scenario that would favor her. A tactic that would lower her enemies’ guards. However, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud cry.

“Lightning, look out!’ Score screamed, pointing a the large shadow rising behind his leader.

“Huh?” Lightning uttered, turning around. A massive winged timberwolf had landed right behind her. Before she could even make a move or speak, the creature swiped at her with its claws, slashing her stomach open and letting her blood flow freely out of her body. She was thrown against a nearby rock, breaking most of the bones in her back. The pegasus gasped for air, staring in terror as even her guts threatened to spill out. “N…No…” She spat out in pain.

“Lightning!” Rainbow rushed toward the fallen pegasus, hoping to help her. Unfortunately, with her guard down, the large timberwolf struck her out of the sky with a single paw strike, making the cyan mare bounce off the ground multiple times.

“Oh, no… There are more of ‘em!” Applejack pointed out as several more timberwolves flew down. It seemed they weren’t as big as the one who attacked Rainbow Dash, but they weren’t sure if they could deal with all of them without the mare’s assistance.

“Then we fight them!” Pinkie swiftly threw herself at the nearest monster and planted her sword in its head. It didn’t kill it, but it certainly hurt it… and royally pissed it off.

The others were quick to wake out of their stupor and counterattack these monsters before they could hurt any of them. They couldn’t lose when they were so close to saving the world! Surviving alone wouldn’t be enough! They needed to kill them all, too! If even one of them reported to Tirek, then he would get here before they could reach the tree!

Discord and Fluttershy fought one of them in a 2vs1 with the battle going in their favor. The timberwolf couldn’t focus on them both. Somehow, Pinkie had found herself straddling the back of the one she began fighting earlier, wiggling her sword inside its head to kill it once and for all.

“N… No way! I’m getting the heck out of here!” Score screamed in fear before using his harness to propel himself away. With his maneuvers, he dodged the timberwolves’ strikes, swirling between them to try to get away.

“Ya damn coward!” Applejack shouted in his direction as she crushed the paw of the timberwolf she faced.

Rarity also would have loved to give him a piece of her mind if she weren’t already busy fighting the monster currently trying to eat her alive! Luckily, Spike’s fiery breath greatly improved her odds of survival.

Miraculously, Score disappeared back into the forest after successfully avoiding the timberwolves’ attacks. Whether he lived or died, they wouldn’t find out unless they went after him. Of course, none of them were going to do that. They couldn’t care less about his fate, now!

While most of them were fighting to the death. Two ponies were out of the fight. Rainbow was only now trying to stand up, groaning in pain while doing so. The other one was Twilight, who was frozen in horror. The massive timberwolf stood in front of her, growling. The alicorn’s lips quivered while her hooves were stuck to the ground, preventing her from moving from this spot.

The creature slashed upward. At this moment, the alicorn cried out before falling on her butt. The claw was only an inch away from her face. It didn’t injure her… However, her medallion was sent flying into the sky. She didn’t care. She didn’t even see it go. Instead, the mare was still frozen.

Timberwolves weren’t supposed to look like that! They weren’t supposed to be so big! Then she sensed the fire burning inside them, something familiar… It was something that belonged to him. Tirek. It was with this realization that Twilight understood… This was another hallucination! It was!

“Y…Y-You aren’t real… No… You’re not real…” Twilight screamed, her voice shaking with fear. She wasn’t brave. She was a scared little pony, who had no will to live left earlier… But at least, she could confront that thing, couldn’t she?! “You are NOT REAL!” However, the monster did not care for her outburst or her words. It needed her to be gone.

“He IS real, Twilight! Get down!” Rainbow Dash suddenly came shooting straight into the creature’s chest, sending it to the ground. The timberwolf roared in anger and pain. It raised its paw while the pegasus consecutively punched it in the guts. Perhaps if she wasn’t so panicked and in such a hurry to kill it, she would have used more sense and flown away to deliver an attack with more strength. However, she remained on its torso, dealing little damage. Ultimately, the monster pinned her down with a single strike, trying to crush her under its palm. Rainbow Dash used her four hooves to push against it. While she wasn’t flattened, she couldn’t push it back completely either. If this went on, she would lose all her strength… The mare turned away to call for assistance, but just as she opened her mouth, she noticed something else. “Twilight! The medallion!”

“Huh?” Twilight uttered as she looked in the same direction. The medallion had been thrown on the edge of the cliff, threatening to fall. Because of the deep ravine, they had no idea if they could get it back if it were to fall down there. Every earth shake caused by the massive timberwolf only made it closer to the edge. “B-But what about you?!” Twilight screamed in panic. Even if she wasn’t battle-hardened, it was obvious even to her that Rainbow Dash was losing strength and that the rabid creature was gaining ground. If nothing was done, the pegasus would be flattened!

“I’ll be… fine! Just grab it before it’s too late!” Rainbow Dash ordered, making the alicorn freeze.

It was as if the world paused and time stopped. Twilight’s eyes shifted between the medallion and the struggling pegasus. She only had a second to decide, and it was the hardest choice she had to make in her whole life after the bargain Tirek offered. When she had the choice between the world and her friends, she chose the world, only to lose both. Now she was faced with the same choice again. She wished she died so that she would never have to be in this situation again, but it seemed the universe loved to torture her. However, this time, she had a clearer picture of the possible outcomes. She already lost one of her best friends once, and it left a gaping hole inside her heart that would never be filled. Maybe this would end the world… but if she could wake up next to her friends tomorrow and for the remaining of their lives, wouldn’t that be worth it?

Twilight gazed at the pegasus again. A rainbow suddenly flashed into the princess’ eyes as she finally made her decision. She narrowed her eyes with determination.

“Let her go!” The lavender mare released a war cry before charging head-on toward the timberwolf. She was filled with terror, she still wasn’t even completely sure this monster was real in the first place. She didn’t fully believe she would accomplish anything. She was a failure in every way and doomed everyone in Equus including the ponies she cherished the most, so she had no expectations. Nevertheless, nothing counted but saving her friend! The alicorn slammed her head into the timberwolf, getting it off Rainbow Dash as it crashed to the ground.

The medallion was thrown over the edge. The instant the pressure was gone, Rainbow flew off the ground and rushed high in the air before bursting ahead with renewed speed. The monster, which was about to slash Twilight’s body open, held no resistance against the rainbow cannonball flying toward it. The pegasus ran straight through its head, killing it in a single blow. Instead of stopping there, she used that accumulated speed to go after the medallion before it could disappear into the darkness.

“Ha!” Applejack shouted, slamming her hammer over the timberwolf’s head and blowing it to pieces. “That… was the last of ‘em,” She remarked, panting with exhaustion. The others didn’t look much better.

“Thank Celestia, it’s over,” Rarity whispered as she and the farm pony were joined by the rest of the group.

“Are you alright, Fluttershy?” Discord inquired silently while walking beside her. The timid pegasus nodded but gave no audible reply. He already knew what that meant, and if he ever got his magic back, he would use his whole eternal life to comfort her. Unfortunately, for now, they needed to move. They were so close…

While Pinkie didn’t comment, she did put a foreleg over Fluttershy’s shoulder, bringing her into a side hug.

“Ya okay, Twilight?” Applejack turned to look at their alicorn friend, who nodded with a trembling body.

“I… I am. I just want this to be over,” She responded.

“I got the medallion!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, landing among them. The cyan mare turned to Twilight. “Why did you help me instead of taking it? We could have lost it,” Her tone wasn’t admonishing. She didn’t wish to scold her friend. All she wanted was an explanation. They were so close to losing it all. The other ponies and draconequus glanced at the alicorn, some of them having noticed the dilemma she was faced with earlier.

“I’m… sorry, but I’ve already made this mistake once. I will always choose my friends over anything else,” Twilight replied, her eyes wandering over the five ponies. “I love you all too much… If I were to lose any of you again… I don’t think I could ever live with it,”

“Aw… We love you, too, Twilight,” Pinkie declared with a small smile. The others didn’t need to say it, but their expressions conveyed the same meaning Pinkie shared with her words. Love, mushy as it was.

“Geez, always using the big words, egghead,” Rainbow Dash grinned warmly. “I saw you back there. Your legs were shaking so much I was surprised you could even stand. You were about to piss yourself, but… you charged into that thing despite that. You didn’t even have magic or weapons. That takes serious guts,” The pegasus complimented her. “No matter what happened in the past, you’re a good friend, Twi. You always have been,” She stated before putting the medallion back around the alicorn’s neck. “Don’t lose it this time,”

Twilight glanced at the necklace before looking into the other mare’s eyes. “I won’t. I swear it,” She smiled back at the pegasus. Just as she was about to throw her forelegs around her and embrace her friend, a wheeze pulled all their attention away. It was Lightning Dust, spitting out blood while desperately holding her organs inside.

“Lightning!” They rushed to her side, Rainbow Dash being the first in line. “I… It’s gonna be alright!” She reassured her while looking the other pegasus over.

“Damn it… Shit!” Lightning Dust spat out blood. “I’m not an idiot… I know it looks bad…” She glared at the group surrounding her, her breathing getting ragged. “Fuck… I don’t wanna die…”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t attacked us!” Rainbow Dash accused her, earning her looks from the others. Even if the mare was an enemy, they weren’t looking to attack her physically or verbally as she was bleeding out.

“Shut up! I… sure as hell… wasn’t going to trust you to take care… of things… You had your chance 2 years ago…” Lightning sniffed, attempting to keep her breath steady and her shaking at a minimum. Even in this situation, she didn’t wish to appear weak. She refused to!

“We have a way to win! We can fix everything!” Twilight interjected, making Lightning’s glare shift to the alicorn. If she had to rank who she hated the most, then the pegasus would definitely say the princesses were on top of that list, even above Rainbow Dash. They were the ones whose duty was to protect the kingdom. “I know it’s hard, but you needed to hold onto hope…”

“Hope? Hope?!” Lightning gritted her teeth. “Don’t talk to me about hope… All my friends left me, and I just lost… my new group… One of them left me to die without even… looking back. I lost my home… my magic… My mom, my only parent left is gone because of that bastard, Tirek… I have NOTHING! So… don’t give me that shit about hope,” She spat with fury.

“And ya still try to earn a favor from ‘im,” Applejack remarked. To everyone’s surprise, Lightning paused. Her lower lip quivered, but her hardened gaze remained.

“Yeah, I did… I’m a piece of shit, right?” She sniffled. This time, she was unable to hold the tears down as they sprinkled the corners of her eyes. Rainbow Dash’s expression slightly softened.

Twilight, who held no animosity toward the other mare in the first place, looked down in shame. No matter the circumstances, the alicorn was still convinced everything happened because of her. Because she wasn’t good enough. Whatever pain Lightning suffered through, it was due to Twilight’s weakness.

“Why? Why did you do it?” Rainbow whispered.

“I thought I told you already…” Lightning muttered in response. Her glare was nearly gone, slowly replaced by guilt. They had no idea whether that guilt was due to what she tried to do to them or something else in her life, but they knew they could hardly blame her for the anger she held against them. “It was to get my magic back… Even if Tirek were to steal it again… I would have been fine with it if I got to fly one last time…” She revealed, tears finally freely streaming down the mare’s face as she struggled to speak. “I missed my wings so much… I missed being in the air so much… It’s horrible, Rainbow Dash,” She cried, coughing out her life juice. The cyan pegasus placed a hoof over Lightning’s in a comforting manner. She couldn’t say she understood as she had never been grounded for 2 years, but she could imagine the immense pain. The sky was her life, and it was likely the same for Lightning Dust. “Only once… If I could back up there at least one more time… I would have been fine with letting Tirek keep my magic,”

Rainbow Dash remained silent, watching her former rival weep, something she never expected she would be sad to see. Her friends didn’t seem to be doing much better. They didn’t know Lightning Dust enough, so they had no words to comfort the mare. Instead, they could only despair over letting another pony die without doing anything to help them. However, to everyone’s shock, the cyan mare did something unexpected. Carefully, she slipped her forelegs under Lightning Dust and lifted her, carrying her in a bridal style while ignoring the blood staining her coat.

“What are you… doing?” Lightning questioned.

“What do you think? You said you want to fly, didn’t you?” Rainbow Dash replied before glancing at her friends. “I’ll be right back,” She told them, to which they nodded as their friend flapped her wings and rose in the sky, slowly going higher and higher.

“You don’t have to…” Lightning began wheezing.

“Sit back and enjoy, alright? I don’t give a joyride to just anyone, you know?” Her rival chuckled.

Lightning figured arguing was useless. Instead, she preserved her strength. The higher Rainbow Dash flew, the less Dust seemed to be worried. It was like her fears were alleviated and sent away. The cold from the blood loss was soon forgotten, replaced by the sun’s warm sun rays. Was she truly warmer? Or was she simply losing her mind because she was so close to death? She didn’t know. Instead, she just opened her eyes and watched as Rainbow finally stopped.

The sun dipped low, enveloping the world in its familiar orange hue. Equus had undergone significant changes since Tirek's reign began. It bore little resemblance to the world she remembered from her youth. Much of the once-thriving forest had vanished, leaving behind dry, barren land that stretched to the horizon. Not a single cloud marred the sky. Yet, against the odds, the sun's radiant glow persisted, as resplendent as ever. No matter how miserable the world below looked, the light shining from above seemed to cleanse it of its ugliness. She was reminded of that scene she witnessed so long ago. At that moment, she couldn’t help but think…

“It’s beautiful, Dad,” She whispered with nostalgia, a small smile spreading across her lips. One last tear rolled down her cheek before she addressed the mare carrying her. “Hey, Dash,”

“Yeah?”

“Make that bastard pay,”

“I swear on my life that I will,” Rainbow assured her confidently.

Lightning Dust closed her eyes, the last bits of light finally fading from them. The bearer of the element of loyalty flew back down to where her friends stood.

“I may not have liked you… but you were one heck of a flyer,” Rainbow Dash commented as she laid the mare down on the ground.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight mumbled as she placed a hoof on the cyan pegasus’ shoulder. “We’ll give her and the others a proper burial once this is over,” She assured.

“Nah,” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “She was a pegasus through and through. She wouldn’t want to be stuck in the ground,” She replied, letting out a tired breath. “Let’s get this over with,” She declared with a determined gaze.

The others nodded, just as determined. They wouldn’t let anyone else lose their lives because of Tirek anymore. Today was the day they would put an end to his reign and fix what he broke.

They placed the bodies beside one another, reminding themselves to come back for them and bring them to their families once this was over. After that, they wasted no more time and hurried to the Tree of Harmony. It was only minutes away!

“There! It’s in this crevice!” Spike pointed toward the ground, which seemed split in half widely enough to let ponies pass through.

“Seriously? Another ravine?” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as they all ran up to it.

“I can see there’s a cave in the wall. I guess the cave the elements were in fell to ground level after Tirek’s doing,” Twilight theorized, making the others exchange looks.

“Is it safe, then?” Fluttershy inquired worriedly.

“Don’t worry! I went in once, but I can say for sure nothing collapsed in there!” Spike confirmed with a smile before taking off the ground, flapping his wings excitedly. “Come on! Let’s get in already!”

“Now wait a second, Spike! You and Dashie might be fine, but we can’t get in there!” Pinkie nervously peered over the edge. Maybe they could jump down and try to grab on the ledge of the cave?

“Obviously, I am going to carry you all down, don’t worry,” Rainbow Dash assured her friends while flexing her wings. “I haven’t been hurt enough to need rest,”

“Ah guess we should leave our weapons here to make it easier for ya, then,” Applejack nodded, dropping her hammer. “We won’t need them anymore, anyway,”

Oh, Rainbow Dash could confirm they wouldn’t need them considering the magic in the chest. The others, just as determinedly as Applejack, all dropped their weapons to the ground except for Discord, who watched as the cyan pegasus took each pony down to the cave one by one. After a couple of minutes, only Fluttershy remained on the surface. The pegasus turned to look at the draconequus as the rainbow-maned mare joined them.

“See you down, Discord,” Fluttershy said as Rainbow placed her hooves under Fluttershy’s armpits to lift her off the ground.

“No, you all go in without me. I don’t think I deserve to be inside after everything I did,” Discord shook his head, much to Rainbow’s surprise since she didn’t expect him to be so thoughtful suddenly.

“But…” Fluttershy tried to protest, only for the draconequus to head pat her.

“Don’t worry about me. It’ll take you, what, a minute to do this? You’ll all be back before I can even blink,” He snickered carefreely, ruffling the pegasus’ mane. “It’s best if one of us stands guard here in case of danger. I can defend myself, so I’ll be safe,” He argued.

Fluttershy bit her lower lip, looking thoughtful… until she seemed finally won over by his words. The mare wrapped her forelegs around him, giving him a light embrace before breaking off.

“I’ll see you soon, then,” The pony smiled warmly at her friend. “And… thank you for everything, Discord. You helped us so much… I’m sure the others will forgive you soon. I hope,”

“I don’t need forgiveness. Now, go,” Discord shooed her away in amusement. “I can’t wait to see you kick that centaur’s butt!” He laughed as Rainbow Dash grabbed Fluttershy and flew her down into the crevice.

Discord watched them go with a bittersweet smile, not noticing the gigantic hoof that touched the ground a few meters behind him.

Author's Note

A longer chapter than usual, I hope you enjoyed it! We're approaching the thrilling conclusion to Rainbow Dash's side, but how will it end?

Also, ekdeans made an awesome fanart for the story! You can check it out here! Give them a lot of support!

Invasion

Universe 99999

Princess Celestia grunted in pain, her legs wobbling as she tried to stand, only to collapse against the bubble trapping her. The alicorn was breathless, clinging to life through sheer willpower. She knew the machine wasn't designed to kill her; however, each use inflicted a level of physical suffering she had never experienced before.

She had tried countless times to escape, but every blast of magic she conjured dissipated before achieving anything. When she attempted to teleport, she was shocked to the bone until the mere thought of escape was driven from her mind. After so long... even if those countermeasures were deactivated, the tall mare doubted she had enough power left to break free. She was… nothing more than a living battery.

The machine suddenly activated, its internal cogs turning loudly enough for Celestia to hear. Had an hour passed already? The alicorn braced herself as the bubble lit up. She screamed in sync with the crackling electricity surrounding her, her cries almost as loud as thunder, while her magic was forcibly expelled from her body. The sun... moved. Only then was Celestia able to breathe again. The cogs stopped, and the electricity faded, leaving the poor mare lying down miserably.

How many times had she endured this? Was there any end in sight? Would someone save her? Could anyone stop the council? Was it even possible? Celestia whimpered, scratching the bubble's surface with one of her hooves. Luna... If only Luna were here. She longed for her sister's return. But it was too late. Luna had been gone for over a thousand years, and any hope of bringing her back vanished when the council killed Nightmare Moon.

She had despised Twilight ever since the day of her imprisonment. However, over time, she began to question her own role in these events. Twilight had claimed it was because she manipulated her. Celestia started to accept that perhaps she did. Maybe she had used her. Nevertheless, it was all for the greater good! Luna would have been freed, and eventually, Twilight would have become an alicorn! Why couldn’t she see that? If everything had gone according to plan, Equestria would have been ideal by now! Everyone would have achieved their dreams!

Twilight certainly wouldn’t have needed a coup to obtain the throne! Simply thinking of the unicorn and how much she had trained her made Celestia’s anger bubble back to the surface. Oh, if she could strangle that filly, she would. Who could have even imagined she would become such a monster?!

Nonetheless, no matter how grand her hate was, Celestia lost. That was an undeniable truth. Her will to fight was already gone in the blink of an eye. Her hope was already lost, too. She… even started considering swearing fealty to the council, promising that she would raise the sun and moon willingly if they let her out of this machine. Unfortunately, she doubted they would accept.

“How are you this fine day, Celestia?” Twilight’s mocking voice suddenly cut off the alicorn’s train of thought. The lavender mare closed the door behind her, slowly marching into the room.

“Twilight,” Celestia hissed, rising to her feet to stand as proud as she could. However, nothing she could do would hide her weakness. Her legs were barely holding her up, and Twilight saw that as clear as day. However, the alicorn did notice something about her former student. The unicorn’s man was disheveled and her eyes carried large bags. “You look tired,” The alicorn remarked in a flat tone.

“Do you know what happened, Celestia?” Twilight promptly ignored her remark. “No, of course, you don’t. Since you’re trapped in here, you have no way of knowing what goes on in the world… unless I tell you. Simply put, I’ve been the only face you’ve seen these past few years, haven’t I?” She chuckled, shaking her head.

“What is it?” Celestia clenched her teeth, her patience running teeth. The moment Twilght’s gaze met hers, though, the alicorn instinctively jerked her head back. Her former student’s eyes were full of hate.

“The rebels destroyed a whole factory. They killed hundreds,” The lavender mare revealed, making the princess gasp in disbelief. “All because they’re dissatisfied with us, and with our way of ruling. Aren’t they selfish, Princess?” She spat out the last word.

“This… I don’t know what to say…” Princess Celestia whispered. Of course, she took everything Twilight said with a grain of salt since it wasn’t the first time the unicorn spoke about the rebellion, and the alicorn slightly doubted that they would begin bombing innocents.

“But this wasn’t even the worst of their crime. They… They hurt one of my friends,” Twilight choked out, trying to hold back her tears. “They tore down her statue and made her… do things she regrets,”

“Her what?” Celestia blinked, flabbergasted by the other mare’s words.

“She feels like she disappointed me. Can you imagine that?” The younger mare rubbed her eyes. “I could never. You know I could never… but these dirty and despicable scumbags actually made one of my friends feel like I would be disappointed in them!” She screamed in fury, her teeth clenched. The little tears she had in the corner of her eyes went up in smoke nearly instantly. “How outrageous! This is unacceptable! That I would feel any form of resentment, disappointment or even any negativity at all toward them is unthinkable!”

“Friendship doesn’t mean loving unconditionally… It doesn’t mean you have to forgive anything they do,” Celestia said, panting. She had already figured that Twilight’s friend wasn’t blameless in this affair.

“I don’t expect you to know anything about love, Celestia. Especially after the way you banished your sister,” Twilight snorted in contempt. The alicorn suddenly slammed her horn against the bubble, as if trying to impale the unicorn from where she stood. “Violence doesn’t suit you,” She spoke fearlessly.

“Don’t you dare speak about her!” Celestia ordered, baring her teeth.

“If you had truly loved her, then you would have let Nightmare Moon do as she wished! This is why my friends and I have such a strong bond. It’s because we fully support each other no matter what we do,” Twilight shook her head in dismissal before walking around, tinkering with the machine. It looked like she was slowly activating another mechanism. However, Celestia was far too busy processing her former student’s words to worry about that.

“This is not love, Twilight,” The alicorn firmly spoke.

“Enough!” Twilight suddenly snapped. “I am not here to talk philosophy with you! In fact, I doubt we will talk ever again after this,” She declared as she lit her horn, summoning the pendant she had shown Celestia before. The alicorn widened her eyes, realizing what that meant. “I have been working day and night these past three days because of those rebels. Finally, it is ready to store your magic. Soon, you will have no power at all,”

“Twilight. Please. You do not know what you are doing,” Celestia begged, her anger now subsiding instantly.

“Oh, but I do,” The unicorn quickened the pace, pulling a few levers and turning on the machine before walking up to a control panel and clicking several buttons. “The council made this kingdom greater than it has even been! We saved it countless times! And this is how they thank us?!” Twilight spat out, her fury was as palpable as ever. “They even make us lose face in front of the other kingdoms! How could I expect them to pledge their nations to us in this situation?! It would be foolish on my part, wouldn’t it?!” Twilight questioned out loud. Still, Celestia doubted any kingdom would have let themselves be invaded by Equestria even before the rebels’ actions. She had more than a thousand years of political experience while Twilight barely had any. The alicorn simply understood how the world worked better, and she was aware that no leader would give their nation simply to avoid a war. “We gave them security and peace! More freedom than they could ever hope for! Most of all, they are happy! And they repay us with nothing but malice!”

“Twilight… Whatever you are about to do… Don’t. I beg you,” Celestia tried to appeal to the unicorn’s equinity again.

“My friends had been too kind. Equestria took advantage of that kindness. They took advantage of mine,” The lavender mare clenched her teeth. “Simply put, we need harsher measures. I’m done being kind. The changelings weren’t enough. Those bugs were supposed to serve as an example, but it seems the world needs another one to understand,”

“No… We can still fix this,” Celestia stated as a small pillar with a glass container suddenly rose from the ground.

“Oh, I agree. There is an easy fix for this,” Twilight carefully walked up to the glass container. “Once I extract your magic, the pendant will allow me to control the sun and the moon. We will not need you anymore,” She beamed before putting the pendant inside the container. “Once I find a way to transfer that magic to me and the girls, we will become alicorns. We will be the only ones with the power to move the sun and moon. The whole world will need us, but they’re arrogant,” She whispered with contempt. “They will fight back because they simply cannot see the big picture. The first ones to make that mistake will experience what the changelings did, then perhaps they will understand the power of harmony,” She went back to the control panel after closing the glass sphere. “But since they’re fools, they won’t, so we’ll have to do it again until they do!”

“They will only grow to hate you! Do you truly believe this will accomplish anything? It will be a bloodbath!” Celestia tried to argue. Even if she couldn’t save her life or her magic, she was hoping she could at least talk some sense into the unicorn.

“I have already told you. I am not here to talk philosophy with you,” Twilight shook her head. “I am wondering, though. What should I do with you once I extract your magic? Do I kill you? It would make me happy, certainly,” She mused. “But that happiness is ephemeral, and your misery will end there. On the other hoof, I could keep you as a servant. A magicless jester, perhaps? Or a maid? With your own eyes, you will see the perfect world my friends and I will build. Unfortunately, with no immortality, you will not experience much of it,” She hummed, nodding her head at her own indecisiveness. “I could brainwash you. Wouldn’t it be ironic if I turned you into our most loyal adoring follower?” She chuckled in amusement, however, before Celestia could get a word out, the unicorn finally activated the machine. “We shall decide after the extraction,”

Celestia screamed in agony as thunder roared around her, clasping her entire body. She wasn’t sure if it was only mental, but she was certain whatever it was doing to her was tearing her apart!

“D-Don’t!” The alicorn cried, which fell on deaf ears. Shortly after, the older mare’s screams ceased, and the machine’s lights slowly went off.

Twilight stood there and watched as her former mentor collapsed, unmoving. The unicorn walked up to the amulet and inspected it. It was different from before, that much she could tell. It radiated power. When she placed it around her neck, she could finally conclude that it was a success! Her relentless efforts hadn’t been for nothing! She was one step closer to ridding herself and her friends of their mortalities. Soon, they would be assured to reign over Equestria for all eternity, and make it a kingdom grander than anything Celestia could have possibly accomplished!

Speaking of the alicorn, perhaps it was time to finally release this glorified rat. Twilight lit her horn, and the bubble opened a second later, letting the alicorn drop to the floor with a loud thud.

“Your torment is over, Celestia. You should be happy, you know. Simply put, you aren’t our battery anymore,” She stepped up to the fallen mare; however, her jeers were only met with silence. The lavender unicorn quirked an eyebrow. Did the extraction affect her more than Twilight thought? Celestia’s cutie mark was gone, which wasn’t a surprise. This was a possible side effect of losing your magic. The unicorn looked over her former mentor’s body, using her magic to turn it over and even lift her eyelids to inspect her eyes. How… troublesome. “It seems you’ve been more weakened than I thought. You didn’t survive the extraction. This is regrettable,” She coldly spoke, seemingly caring little about the alicorn’s demise. “It seems fate has decided for me, in the end. Goodbye, Princess,” Twilight breathed in disappointment, then turned around.

As the unicorn walked away, she lit her horn and manifested red flames over the princess, letting them consume her body.

“I had thought that I would at least shed a tear. This… is disappointing,” The unicorn whispered to herself before exiting the room and closing the door behind her, sealing it so no one would ever come in again.

The council of Harmony was seated at the round table, all discussing with one another. No guard stood in their room, and most seemed quite laid–back. You wouldn’t guess they were dealing with a growing rebellion in their own kingdom if you were to watch them now; however, they were certainly not in the same state of mind. While Minister Pinkie Pie smiled as wide as ever, laughing out loud while talking to Minister Fluttershy, Minister Rainbow Dash sat with her forelegs crossed, and unwilling to converse. If her frown was any indication, it was likely that she didn’t even want to attend this meeting at all.

“Still mad about what happened in Rainbow City?” Applejack inquired, cutting off the cyan pegasus’ brooding.

“Of course, I am!” Rainbow Dash threw her hooves in the air as if it was obvious. “They broke my statue! And my record! We had a 0% crime rate, Applejack! If only these nerds were better at their job!” She gritted her teeth, almost growling at the reminder.

“Can ya blame them? They thought one of us was visitin’,” Applejack argued for them, which merely made her friend scoff.

“That’s not an excuse! If these idiots can’t even recognize their rulers, that’s on them!”

“Well, they sure won’t be makin’ the same mistake again since they’re all dead!” The earth pony rolled her eyes.

“Pfft, so what? Twilight said I made the right call, anyway,” Rainbow Dash shrugged, unbothered.

“She says that about every stupid thing ya do,” Applejack deadpanned. What she was mostly concerned about wasn’t the lives lost, but the knowledge. The farm pony didn’t know any of these ponies, so she cared little about their well-being, but they were their main source of scientific knowledge! They were the ones to advance Equestria’s technology and place it above the rest of the world! They would have had a great advantage! All of those were things Twilight said, of course. Unfortunately, one of Twilight’s flaws was that she forgave everything when it came to her friends.

It wasn’t a problem for Applejack and most of the others since she rarely made mistakes, especially stupid ones at that. However, Rainbow was another matter entirely. That mare had no reservations and did as she wished. The farm pony simply wanted her to have better control of her emotions. However, someone walked inside the room before she could explain that to the pegasus.

“Twilight!” Pinkie happily greeted their friend, jumping on her chair. The other mare simply giggled as she stopped in front of the table to give everyone a good view of what was around her neck.

“That’s…” Minister Fluttershy pointed at the pendant.

“The thingy! Magic-stealing thingy!” Rainbow Dash added, instantly letting go of her earlier anger.

“Indeed, it is,” Twilight confirmed.

“Then that means… We’ll be alicorns, soon?” Applejack questioned apprehensively. After all, she never imagined that she, of all ponies, would ever become an alicorn. She didn’t even know if it was possible.

“It is the next step. All I need is to learn how to proceed with it,” The lavender unicorn cheerfully replied.

“YAHOO!” Rarity suddenly jumped on the table, much to everyone’s shock. Not only did she display unladylike behavior by jumping on here, but she even began a celebration dance! While most of her friends laughed, Fluttershy only smiled, and Twilight giggled. “Goodbye, wrinkles, and welcome, eternal youth!” She shouted. “Oh, to think my beauty will remain forever,” The white unicorn whispered dreamily.

“Actually, as an alicorn, you will likely be even more beautiful than you currently are. Even if to me, you are already perfect,” Twilight interjected coupled with a wide smile.

“Oh, Twilight, you know how to flatter a lady,” Rarity chuckled, waving her hoof in amusement. “I still think the alicorn look will be a nice bonus, though,”

“Pfft, everypony knows I’m the favorite,” Rainbow Dash scoffed, Applejack, who was right beside her, rolled her eyes but didn’t comment.

“Now, on to more urgent matters,” Twilight suddenly gained a serious look. That alone was enough to get everyone on the same page, calming them down. For Rainbow, it even made her forget her earlier troubles. “Has Shining Armor said anything these past days?” She questioned Applejack, who shook her head as a negative.

“All he and the other Flutters talked about are mundane things,” The farm pony hissed in annoyance.

“It was to be expected,” Twilight clicked her tongue. “Shining Armor knows their cells are being watched even where there are no guards around. He won’t tell us anything about their plans. All we know is their target was the Thunder Factory,”

Rainbow Dash grunted at the reminder, which didn’t go unnoticed by the lavender unicorn.

“I’m not mad at you, Rainbow. I know it wasn’t your fault,” Twilight assured her before turning her attention back to Applejack. “Did the other Fluttershy say anything? Is she willing to work with us?”

“Nope. Ah tried tellin’ her everythin’ you told me, but she wasn’t havin’ it,” The earth pony shook her head.

“This is disappointing,” Twilight clicked her tongue.

“I say it’s her loss, Twilight,” Minister Fluttershy interjected with a small smile. “If she can’t see all the good you did –we did- then she’s the only one to blame. Maybe her friends from her world will understand,” She reasoned hopefully.

“Perhaps, but we can’t exactly contact them for now. All we can do is fight back the rebellion,” The lavender mare paced in thought. “Since their target was the factory, then that must mean there is a potential army looking to invade Equestria,” She concluded.

“But what kingdom would be willing to work with them?” Rarity questioned in confusion.

“None. Except… The Crystal Empire,” Twilight replied bitterly. “I don’t want to imagine Cadance betraying us, but it is quite likely considering Shining Armor’s actions. However, I already posted several units of soldiers on the border. If an army comes from the empire, we will know. We are already spread thin as it is because of order 21, but it would take days for an army to reach Canterlot from the border, plenty of time for the guards to regroup,”

“What if the rebels attack us themselves, then? They probably have a bunch of ponies in their team,” Rainbow Dash argued.

“That is why I executed order 21 in the first place. No matter where it happens, they won’t be able to regroup without a guard spotting them, and they won’t reach Canterlot without being spotted either,” Their leader explained.

“Still… I have a bad feeling about this,” Fluttershy muttered nervously, eliciting curious looks from the others, encouraging her to go on. “It seems strange that there hasn’t been any attempted rescues yet. The rebels have always been so careful that we’ve never captured a single one of them before. Would they really let Shining and the other me in the dungeons for so long?” She questioned before noticing they were all staring at her. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” She apologized.

“It’s alright, dear. Your remark is most welcome,” Rarity reassured the yellow pegasus. On the other hand, Twilight tapped her chin, pondering Fluttershy’s reasoning. Suddenly, the lavender unicorn frowned.

“They’re preparing something big,” She muttered in realization. “We must move Shining Armor and the other somewhere else!” She shouted. Unfortunately, before anyone could execute that order, the castle suddenly shook, as if hit by an earthquake.

“What the-” Pinkie exclaimed as she slipped off her chair and fell to the floor face–first. Nevertheless, she retained her smile.

“Don’t tell me…” Rainbow Dash whispered, almost afraid to finish her sentence. Another quake shook the castle, confirming her fears.

“My ladies!” A guard suddenly burst into the room, slamming the doors open. In any other circumstances, such actions would have been drastically punished; however, every single member of the council guessed what was likely happening. Thus, they couldn’t waste time on such trivialties. “We’re under attack! A whole army of crystal ponies is invading Canterlot!” He revealed.

“What?! That’s impossible!” Twilight screamed in shock and disbelief.

“No guard would miss a whole army! They couldn’t have come here without us knowing!” Rarity exclaimed, as incredulous as the others. The lavender unicorn ran to the large windows and pressed her face against the glass, widening her eyes at the sight before her.

Crystal ponies, their usual shiny and gradient glow missing, marched toward Canterlot, visible even from the castle’s windows. Above them, pegasi flew in unison, heading in the same direction. It would take only a few minutes for the entire group to pass through Canterlot’s grand doors, gaining easy access to the city due to the sparse number of soldiers posted nearby. However, what shocked Twilight the most was the sight of what followed that army.

“No… This is absurd. Cadance has never been such adept at magic! She couldn’t have possibly created a spell so intricate!” She stomped the floor, her anger slowly replacing her disbelief.

The rest of her friends simply watched ahead, amazed that even Twilight was left dumbfounded by another pony’s magic, something they had rarely seen until now.

A few minutes earlier, in the dungeons…

Fluttershy sighed, licking her lips.

“You alright, Fluttershy?” Shining asked next to her. They were both still shackled to the wall. Ever since that torture Fluttershy witnessed, Prime Minister Twilight hadn’t come back once. The guards also only interacted with them when they were to give them food and water. Naturally, they couldn’t help but stare at Fluttershy for a few seconds every time, which wasn’t surprising since she was a perfect copy of one of their rulers.

“A bit thirsty, but overall fine,” The pegasus answered. Her throat was a little dry, but it was nothing she couldn’t manage. She was more worried about the outside world, and her friends. She had been imprisoned here for days! Maybe her friends already found their respective stones and only awaited Fluttershy, who wasn’t even close to getting out of there!

“I’m glad to hear it,” Shining smiled despite it all. How could she forget the stallion’s tears after he revealed what they had done to the changelings? She didn’t wish to imagine going through such pain. Nonetheless, he continued to act strong to avoid worrying her even more. Of course, Fluttershy could tell. He wasn’t the first she had seen do that. However, what he said next truly surprised her. “Thankfully, it will be over soon. You know how Spitfire said Trixie and I were essential for this? All we need is Trixie here, and my sister’s reign will end,”

“Wait, is it alright for you to tell me that? Won’t they be listening?” Fluttershy inquired in panic. One of the first things Shining told her once they were left alone was that they couldn’t talk about any of their plans since Twilight would undoubtedly eavesdrop on them.

“They won’t have time to listen to us. Not now,” Shining shook his head, smiling confidently. “The cavalry is here,” He declared just as the ceiling suddenly shook.

“W-What is happening?!” Fluttershy shouted worriedly as prison guards began filling the hall, all running upstairs.

“3 days. 3 days is what it takes for Derpy to reach the Crystal Empire. It was a good thing that we were the ones captured… because of that, Derpy was able to fly all the way to the empire and tell Cadance that Canterlot had no more defenses!” The unicorn proudly revealed, beaming at the sight of all the running guards. “The Crystal Empire’s army should be right on Canterlot’s doorstep!”

“But… how? I don’t know much about war, but shouldn’t it take them days to get here?” Fluttershy questioned, only for Shining to simply turn to her and smirk.

“My sister has read about nearly every spell there is. Nothing would surprise her… except a spell that didn’t exist until a couple of years ago,” He said before looking up. “Cadance has been training, too. Don’t underestimate my wife,” The stallion proudly declared.

A spell that had been in the making for years, ever since Cadance knew the council would have to be stopped someday. Beyond Equestria’s borders, and right on the edge of the Crystal Empire’s main city, Princess Cadance stood tall, her horn shining bright. Several unicorns were lined up behind her, holding a similar pose and with magic surrounding their horns as they focused all their energy on maintaining the spell.

Their army advanced into a purple-swirling vortex, which only seemed to lead to complete darkness. This was one of the Crystal Empire’s greatest achievements: a portal. A spell capable of transporting an entire army all across a kingdom, and it only needed a few handfuls of unicorns.

“Can you hold the portal on your own?” Cadance asked the unicorn closest to her, to which they nodded confidently. “Good, then I have to leave. I have a husband to save,” The alicorn announced, turning off the light around her horn and taking off toward the portal at full speed.

Whether she would come back to her kingdom alive or not… was another matter. Nonetheless, she would make sure the council pays for everything they did.

“No, no, no!” Twilight hollered, nearly about to tear her mane out. This couldn’t be happening! They… They were… “We’ve been outplayed?! This is nonsense! I refuse to let them ruin everything when we’re so close to perfection!” So close… Oh, so close to finally making a move to heal the whole world and not just Equestria. The lavender unicorn turned to look at her friends. “Applejack, take the east route. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, take the west one. All three of you go and check on the dungeons and make sure they’re in the cell,” In case they were already freed in some way, it was better for her friends to split up and make sure Shining Armor and the other Fluttershy wouldn’t be able to reach the throne room by blocking all their paths available. She had no doubt that her brother would attempt to take her out.

“What do we do if we find ‘em?” Applejack questioned while the other two ministers, who were already about to bolt out, waited carefully for Twilight’s answer.

“They had their chance,” The unicorn answered, which was enough for them to understand her orders. Her friends only nodded in response before running out. “Rainbow Dash,” Twilight turned her attention to the cyan pegasus… just to see that she wasn’t there anymore.

“She left as soon as they came out of the portal, darling,” Rarity calmly explained.

“Good,” Twilight nodded. She already knew the outside battle was in good hooves. Applejack would have been a good bonus, but she couldn’t leave Shining Armor any chance of escape. “You stay here, Rarity. I may need you,”

“Of course,” Rarity smiled. Unfortunately, her expression swiftly turned grim once her leader suddenly gained a stern look.

“Stand back,” The lavender unicorn ordered, which the other mare executed immediately. Twilight backed away, too, as if sensing oncoming danger.

She was proven right only a second later when Princess Cadance herself suddenly teleported inside the throne room, aiming her horn at Twilight’s chest. However, the unicorn reacted in the blink of an eye and blocked it with her own horn, keeping her former foalsitter to a standstill.

Both gritted their teeth while pushing against one another, each trying to gain the upper hand over the other, only to be separated by a blast of magic they conjured up at the same time. Cadance landed only a few steps away while Twilight remained in place, watching the alicorn scornfully.

The princess of love looked more like a warrior than a lover with the way she wore that steel armor; the official royal armor from the Crystal Empire. Twilight would have almost felt honored to be taken so seriously if it weren’t for such a betrayal.

“Cadance,” Twilight coldly greeted the alicorn while Minister Rarity stood nearby, her horn at the ready to help her leader in case she needed it.

“I suppose talking you into giving up the throne is useless, isn’t it?” Cadance glared. However, before the unicorn could even answer, the Crystal Empire’s ruler’s eyes settled on the pendant she was wearing. A single glance was enough to sense the magic it emitted. “How did you… What did you do? You said Celesita died fighting Nightmare Moon, so what-”

“This may be a stupid question… but what did you come here to do?” Twilight cut off the princess’ bothersome interrogation. Perhaps in the past, her younger self would have been worried when meeting Cadance’s hateful gaze; however, even with all the fury in the world held into the alicorn’s eyes, Twilight didn’t move an inch.

“To put an end to this!” The alicorn responded and launched herself forward.

Twilight surrounded herself with a magical barrier, expecting another horn attack, only for Cadance to light it instead and encompass them both into a swirling vortex. The unicorn blinked in confusion, spinning her head around, only to see that no matter where she looked, there was only darkness.

“What is this?!” She demanded an answer from Cadance, who stood only a couple of feet away.

“A portal with no destination. As long as I keep it up, you’re trapped here. There’s no one to intervene in our fight,” The alicorn explained. Twilight merely scoffed. Cadance had never been a fighter! She wasn’t scaring anyone. Nevertheless, something else made the unicorn’s blood boil. “Where is Shining Armor? Did you hurt him?” She interrogated impatiently.

“You…” Twilight whispered with rage. “I offered you the Crystal Empire. I let you keep your title. I let you befriend my friends… All because I trusted you… And you betrayed me… or perhaps you never were on my side in the first place? You used me. Just like Princess Celestia… You used me,” Her lips quivered as she talked, barely holding herself in check as small arcs of lightning cackled around her horn. “You hurt me,” She choked back.

Cadance’s composure nearly faltered as images of Twilight as a filly flashed back into her mind, reminding her of the innocent pony she once was. The alicorn would have felt bad for her if it were in other circumstances, but… the innocent filly was gone, and the adult mare had hurt countless innocent creatures already.

“What did you do to Princess Celestia? What did you do to Shining?” Cadance asked again, only to step back in shock as purple flames suddenly burst out of the corners of Twilight’s mouth. Flowing and burning light emanated from around her horn as those same flames erupted out of various spots on her body.

“Does it matter?!” Twilight raged with never-seen-before wrath. Her voice roared like thunder, capable of even splitting the sky. or at least, that was how Cadance perceived it as the other mare glared at her, her eyes shining with a blinding white light. “I’ll send you all the same hell!”

Cadance steeled herself with resolve, standing her ground. Whatever happened next… it would decide the fate of the world.

On the outside of the portal, Rarity tilted her head, unsure of how to act. Twilight told her to stay back, but that was before getting trapped inside that strange spell. And if she needed help, then it was perhaps better for Rarity to help her from outside instead to avoid getting trapped, too.

“YAAAAAH!” A feminine scream suddenly pulled Rarity out of her thoughts. It even seemed to be getting louder!

“What is it, now?” The fashionista inquired before taking her eyes off the portal and gazing at the window… just in time to see it shatter to pieces as a grey pegasus burst through it. Rarity raised her horn to cast a barrier but was far too slow to react.

Derpy slammed her head against Rarity’s, making them barrel away from the portal, both grunting in pain. Yet, even after being so disoriented, the mail pony managed to see well enough to confirm her target. Without hesitation, she tried to pull the necklace holding the element of generosity off the white unicorn’s neck.

“Don’t touch that!” Rarity screamed, suddenly regaining her senses. Her horn blared to life before blasting the pegasus away and sending her flying through one of their thrones.

“Ow!” Derpy cried, hitting the wall and falling to the floor with pieces of the throne all around her. “My back…” She moaned while rubbing her back. “I thought that stupidly charging head first would work,” The mail pony grunted while standing up.

“You… You’ll pay for this,” Rarity gritted her teeth. “You just messed up my mane!” She shouted before conjuring another beam of magic around her horn.

“Uh oh,” Derpy muttered fearfully, slowly backing away. Well, she could only hope the others were faring better than her, at least.

“What do we do?” Fluttershy asked the stallion, who seemed to be waiting for something. A few minutes had passed since Shning told her of what was happening, and all she heard were several explosions from time to time, but nothing else.

“Considering all the shaking there’s been, I’m willing to bet unicorns and pegasi have been hitting the castle. It’s only a matter of time before someone comes to rescue us. Right now, the defenses are down, and I doubt my sister is in any position to put them up, which means there’s no active teleportation preventions,” Shining Armor explained. If everything went well, then Trixie should be here soon.

The stallion was proven right only a couple of seconds later when two guards flew down the hall and crashed in front of their cell.

“Right on cue,” Shining grinned.

“Think I heard Shining in here!” A stallion cheerfully exclaimed as multiple footsteps quickly approached the cell they were in. Once the other ponies showed their faces, Fluttershy couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

“Braeburn! Cheese Sandwich!” The pegasus shouted.

“We’re here to get ya out,” Braeburn answered before pulling his forehoof back and punching the cell door open as if it was made of cardboard. He swiftly did the same to their shackles, then pulled the ring off Shining Armor’s horn, finally allowing him to use magic.

“Is Trixie with you?” Fluttershy inquired while the white unicorn rubbed his hooves, which undoubtedly felt sore after being in shackles for so long. From what the pegasus saw, she didn’t seem as tightly bound as she was, likely because she was a counterpart to their friend.

“She teleported us here, but she’s still outside. She needs to make sure there won’t be any barrier spell put in place until most of the army gets into the city. She’ll join us as soon as she’s done with that,” Cheese explained, to which Shining nodded in understanding. It was to be expected, and it was one of the things they planned for when strategizing about this invasion.

“That’ll give us some time to get to my sister, then. She should be in the throne room,” Shining explained; however, his expression quickly turned into one of concern. “Problem is there are 2 main paths to it. She could try to trap us in a pincer attack if one or more of the ministers come from behind,” He voiced his worries, only for Braeburn to put a reassuring hoof on his shoulder.

“Then ya three will take one route, and Ah’ll pick the other. Unless Ah confront Minister Rarity, then brute force should be enough,” The farm pony affirmed.

“Alright. I’m counting on you,” Shining Armor declared without hesitation before turning to Fluttershy and Cheese Sandwich. “We should hurry. This way,” He gestured to the other side.

“Be careful, Braeburn,” Fluttershy gave him a quick hug, which was also a way to thank him for the rescue before running after the white unicorn, followed by Cheese Sandwich.

“As soon as we’re done with this, we’re having the biggest party to date, buddy!” The party pony shouted, looking back at the other earth pony while he ran after the others.

Braeburn shook his head in amusement, adjusted his cowboy hat, and then ran to the opposite side. He ignored the prisoners in the cell and climbed up the stairs. Even if the imprisoned ponies could have been useful, he couldn’t afford to waste time by freeing them. Moreover, he doubted they would be much help considering they already had an army. At least, they’d be free by the end of this whole ordeal.

“Stop this instant!” A guard suddenly ordered, standing at the top of the staircase with two other soldiers.

“No thanks,” Braeburn retorted punching the first guard in the snout and knocking him unconscious instantly. The second attempted to bash the farm pony’s head with a shield, only for him to kick it into pieces.

The third guard, a unicorn, lit his horn. However, before he could grab Braeburn with his magic, the second guard was thrown against him, sending them both barreling down the stairs.

Braeburn ignored the numerous pained yelps and ran swiftly ahead. If he followed this path, he would quickly reach the throne room. With any luck, these three guards were the only obstacles on that route; however, that would mean Shining Armor and the others would have the most trouble. Should he turn back and follow them? He also couldn’t afford to arrive in the throne room first. He took pride in his strength; he was an earth pony and a farmer, after all. However, he knew he stood no chance against Prime Minister Twilight.

The others, he could see himself getting a victory through perseverance and luck, but against her? No way. Fortunately, he didn’t need to mull over it for long. Bad news, however: he had a bigger fish to fry than mere guards.

“Ya dirty sewer rat!” Minister Applejack yelled from the other end of the hallway, quickening the pace toward her cousin.

“Just ma luck,” Braeburn muttered, charging ahead without stopping. Fighting a relative wasn’t something he wanted, either. However, no pain he could feel now would be on par with what Shining went through all this time while betraying his sister. The farm pony didn’t get to complain!

“Hiya!” Applejack brought her foreleg down, intending to break Braeburn’s skull in a single hit. The stallion jerked his head back just in time as his cousin’s hoof missed him by an inch and hit the floor instead, creating a large fissure across the hall. Applejack clicked her tongue. if she hadn’t held back before punching the floor, then she might have made them both fall underground. “Ya wanna explain yerself before Ah bash yer head in?” She hissed while her cousin backed away.

“If Ah do, will ya surrender and give up your reign over Equestria?” Braeburn snickered, already knowing the answer.

“Stop joking around! Why in tarnation are ya with the rebels?!” Applejack questioned angrily.

“Because it’s the right thing to do. Please, Applejack, Ah’m sure you’ve seen how many ponies you and your friends harmed. Ya can’t tell me ya actually believe in throwin’ ponies into prison ‘cause they disagree with ya!” Braeburn attempted to reason with her.

Applejack looked down, seemingly in thought, then raised her head with no self-doubt visible in her eyes.

“Maybe Ah didn’t in the past. But that has changed,” She declared. “If we don’t keep everypony in check, then you get ponies like Starlight! Or worse, villains like Tirek, or Discord!” Applejack hissed, recalling her encounters with them.

“That doesn’t explain any of yer absurd laws! How many of our own lost their farms?!” Braeburn yelled back, stomping the already cracked floor. “Ah may not know a lot about economy or-or politics, so maybe this is better overall for Equestria somehow, but Ah care about all the Apples who lost their homes because of it! Don’t ya care about yer family?” Braeburn questioned, hoping to get through to the mare.

Applejack stared at him pensively, her anger slightly subsiding. However, only a few seconds later, it returned with full force.

“Twilight once told me the world needed order. Ah choose to believe in her,” She declared confidently. “Not just her, but all my friends,”

“What? B-But why?!” Braeburn interrogated incredulously, unable to comprehend how she could have possibly grown to trust them so much. To the point of choosing them over her own family. “Why do ya believe in them that much?! What do ya see that Ah don’t?!”

“Yer really startin’ to bother me, here,” Applejack sighed, growing annoyed with all the questioning. “Ah don’t deal in mushy feelings like Twilight and Fluttershy do, but if ya were to ask them, they’ll probably tell you it’s because of… Love. There’s no deeper reason than that,” The mare revealed, much to Braeburn’s confusion.

“Wait… Which-” He was suddenly cut off by a kick to the face, making him stumble back before being knocked back by a punch, throwing him back hard enough to make him bounce on the floor until he landed on his stomach.

“Enough talkin’!” Applejack snorted, her patience gone. “Ah’ll bring ya to Twilight, now. She’ll need a pony to make an example of,” She sneered.

“Ok… That’s going to be harder than Ah thought,” Braeburn whispered before wiping blood off his snout. “Ready when you… OW!” He was interrupted mid-sentence again when his cousin delivered a kick in his stomach and launched him against the ceiling.

The stallion fell to the floor again, and just as he tried to stand up, pieces of rubble collapsed over him, eliciting multiple grunts of pain. Maybe she had a point… Less talking, and more focusing on the fight.

Fluttershy, Shining, and Cheese Sandwich hurried toward the throne room, ignoring the various magical blasts and pegasi flying on the other side of the window showing Canterlot. The yellow pegasus’ heart squeezed on itself as she imagined how scared the citizens must be; however, she was aware this was the inevitability of this war. It didn’t make her feel any better, however.

Luckily, there were no guards on their path yet. She supposed they were occupied with the sudden invasion, which would have made it easy for them to reach the throne room. It was only natural that something wouldn’t go right.

“Uh oh! We’ve got some company!” Cheese Sandwich pointed ahead. Sure enough, two ponies stood in their way. None other than Minister Fluttershy and Minister Pinkie Pie. While the former looked furious, the latter had a wide smile drawn over her face as if the attack on the capital didn’t bother her at all.

“It’s three versus two. We can take them,” Shining Armor assured confidently, taking a combative stance.

“I don’t like fighting, but I’ll do my best,” Fluttershy whispered, trying to imitate the stance Rainbow Dash had taught her. Meanwhile, Cheese simply stood straight, observing the other two ponies.

“You’re the imposter, aren’t you?” Minister Fluttershy narrowed her eyes. “Twilight told me you’re among the ones who hurt Rainbow,” She stated bitterly, making the other pegasus’ expression waver.

“It wasn’t my intention… I just want to help, maybe if we…” Fluttershy spoke, only for her counterpart to slam her forelegs on her throat and throw her out of the castle through the window, shattering the glass in the process.

“Fluttershy!” Shining screamed worriedly as he spun his head in their direction; however, they had already gone too far for his magic to reach them. He was sure only Minister Rainbow Dash had any kind of notable speed! And because he underestimated the other pegasus on the council, he let his guard down! This was a rookie mistake he should have never made!

“Shining. Calm down,” Cheese’s calm voice cut off the torrent of thoughts swarming his mind. The white unicorn glanced his way. “Fluttershy will be fine, believe me. You need to get to Prime Minister Twilight, so go. I’ll hold this one back here,” He gestured to the pink mare.

“Are you sure?” The other stallion inquired.

“Yes, I am, now go!” Cheese affirmed encouragingly. Shining nodded before running ahead, intending to pass by Pinkie Pie.

“Now wait a second! I’m not letting you go that easy!” Pinkie laughed, ready to grab Shining Armor and stop him, only for a pie to fly into her face, throwing her back and letting the white stallion pass. The party pony quickly regained her senses and licked off all the pie on her face with a comically large tongue. “Apple pie! I like chocolate better, though,” She giggled. However, Cheese left her no rest and immediately threw multiple other pies, all of which landed on the pink mare. She took them all head-on, then suddenly shifted focus into running toward her opponent, opening her mouth wide and swallowing the pies instead. “ Now that’s better!” She exclaimed, the taste of chocolate running down her throat.

Cheese Sandwich breathed out nervously. He had never been a fighter, but ever since he joined the resistance, he trained himself to become stronger. He was also aware that he would have to fight Minister Pinkie Pie, one day. Not only because they possessed similar abilities, but also because he had his own bone to pick with her.

She was an affront to everything he believed in. While her parties and celebrations were great, the happiness that came from them was… false. It was forced. The simple fact that she forced ponies to smile was horrendous! You couldn’t force happiness! It needed to come from the soul. To be genuine. Of course, their rule was horrible overall, but anything that concerned Joy made him especially upset. He could not fall back, now!

The stallion gritted his teeth, then dashed in the pink mare’s way. Minister Pinkie Pie’s smile remained, unbothered by his sudden charge. Instead, of readying herself to fight back, she stopped in her tracks and stood straight.

Cheese pulled his hoof back, and punched her in the face with all his might. The mare’s head was thrown back, but her body stayed in place. Less than a second later, Pinkie moved her head where it was, still grinning wide, only for Cheese to punch her again. She repeated the process several times as if she was completely unfazed by the numerous hits the stallion dealt to her. And it seemed it was getting to him.

“Stop. Smiling. Already!” He accentuated each word with a punch, suddenly reminded of the many foals he talked to after his shows. “Do you know how many foals lost their parents because of you? You don’t get to smile as if you didn’t care!” He shouted, delivering yet another punch, mustering as much strength as he could. Unfortunately, the other party pony brought her head back again.

Her face was bloody, and he could swear she had even lost a tooth. However, the reason he could even make the second observation was the wide, toothy grin she had on her face. She didn’t care at all for the red liquid running down her nose or the little scraps spread across her visage. Cheese paused, breathing heavily.

“Are you done? Are you satisfied?” Pinkie inquired in a sweet tone. “Are you happy, now?” She asked. However, Cheese barely managed to open his mouth before the party mare backhanded him into the wall on their right, throwing him through it.

Cheese Sandwich yelped in pain before his body was slammed against another wall, then slowly slid down until he fell to the floor on his butt. He held his head, making sure she didn’t split his skull with that punch while he looked around. The wall he went through had a big hole now, with small pieces of rubble falling from the top and a dust cloud hiding the hall he was in a second ago.

There was a table in the middle of the room, and various other pieces of furniture that would fit in a kitchen… Wait… he was in the kitchen! There were two furnaces nearby, as well as a dishwasher and two fridges. It was quite spacious, which meant he’d at least have some room to move in here.

“You okay in there?!” Pinkie called out from the dust cloud. “I’ve got a duper surprise for you~!” She said in a sing-song voice.

Cheese Sandwich widened his eyes as the pink mare pushed a party canon out of the dust cloud, and he had a feeling it wasn’t loaded with confetti. Minister Pinkie laughed before pulling on the cord and firing the canon. Much to Cheese’s dismay, he was right! What came out of it were knives and forks, all flying at high speed toward him! The stallion jumped to his hooves before expertly dodging each utensil, with surprisingly good agility, and contorting in unbelievable angles. One knife cut a few strands of his mane, but ultimately, they were all embedded in the wall behind him.

Pinkie didn’t let her failure deter her and bounced on her tail in the stallion’s direction, spinning one of her forelegs to maximize the power of her next punch. Once Cheese’s survival instincts flared up, everything that happened next seemed like a blur. He dodged every punch and kick like a single hit could cost him his life, and considering the amount of damage Pinkie dealt to the furniture, he didn’t doubt that gut feeling.

He tried his best to unpredictably, even using balloons as a weapon, either by shaping them into sticks as hard as wood, or even by tying up the mare’s limbs. Every exchange of blows sent an object flying in the air, powdered sugar, flour, or even milk. You would have thought it turned into a food war with everything they were throwing. Miraculously, Cheese was doing better than at the start since he still hadn’t lost any teeth yet.

Cheese lodged a hindleg into Pinkie’s gut, throwing her on top of an oven. The mare giggled, uncaring of her own injuries, and opened the oven door. To the stallion’s shock, it spewed out a torrent of flames, which he was able to redirect to the ceiling with a large silver tray.

“Is that an oven or a flamethrower?!” Cheese cried out in shock, the tray heating up so much it began burning his fur. Thankfully, the fire quickly ceased, much to his relief. He dropped the tray, just as all the ingredients that had been thrown in the air earlier landed back on the floor… as a cake with icing and a cherry on top! “Huh?”

Pinkie calmly jumped off the oven and trotted over the cake. She acted like she wasn’t even in a battle?! So carefree that she didn’t spare a glance Cheese Sandwich’s way. The mare slipped a hoof inside the cake, taking a small piece of it before tasting it.

“Uhm… Needs more sugar,” She noted carefreely.

“Wait… All this time, you were making a cake?” Cheese questioned in confusion.

“Yup,” Pinkie Pie nodded.

“But… Weren’t we fighting?”

“Nope! Just wanted to make a cake,” Pinkie shrugged.

“Oh,” Cheese muttered. “Oof,” He gasped as the mare suddenly launched herself forward and headbutted him in the stomach, throwing him through another wall. Thankfully, the stallion didn’t land against another wall this time, or on the floor, but on a soft and comfy bed instead. The room he was in was filled with balloons of various types as well as sweets. “Your room is beside the kitchen?” He asked, his head still spinning from the impact.

“Yup!” Pinkie nodded happily, entering through the hole she made by bouncing on her tail.

“That’s… cool, actually,” Cheese sincerely remarked, only for Pinkie Pie to rush at him, jumping high in the air and with her forelegs raised above her head. “Wait, wait!” The stallion panicked in vain.

CRASH

Help

Fluttershy was punched in the face again, bursting blood out of her snout as she managed to catch herself in the air by flapping her wings. Her counterpart looked furious! And Fluttershy didn’t doubt she was considering how hard she hit her! She didn’t even have time to get a word in before the other pegasus pummelled her.

“Please! Can’t we talk this out?!” Fluttershy tried to plead with her other self.

Unfortunately, she was out of her element, here. Because of all the intense yelling and battle sounds from the war going around her -ponies fighting to the death, pegasi falling from the sky, unicorns blasting magic, and earth ponies shaking the ground- she was forced to scream for her counterpart to hear her. Moreover, she had to fight, too! She knew some techniques, sure, but she wasn’t Rainbow Dash. Of all her friends, she was the one with the least experience, even less than Pinkie Pie, strangely enough considering you’d have a hard time imagining that mare fighting anyone as she would rather make them her friends.

“No,” Minister Fluttershy sternly replied before flying straight at her enemy.

“Ah!” Fluttershy yelped as she moved aside with quick flaps from her wings, only for her counterpart to spin around and slap her with her tail. The original Fluttershy recoiled from the hit, her cheek burning with pain. Unfortunately, her counterpart did not stop there and delivered a roundhouse kick on her other cheek. That… would leave a bruise. “I’m sure we can talk this out,” She rubbed her hurt cheeks.

Help

“You’re stubborn, aren’t you?” Minister Fluttershy scoffed. “Once somepony hurts my friends, I don’t forgive them. Never. There’s nothing to talk about! I’ll kick your butt, then I’ll bring you to the others, so they can decide your fate,” She glared at the other pegasus.

“Is this how you see it?” Fluttershy questioned, dumbfounded. “My goal wasn’t to hurt anyone; I’m just trying to help innocent ponies. Shining told me that… you killed many changelings, even children. Do you think that was right?” She inquired. Her counterpart merely continued to glare, unresponsive. “Do you believe this is kindness?”

“My kindness only extends to my friends and innocent animals,” Minister Fluttershy retorted. “Kindness doesn’t mean you let everypony walk over you. The changelings were guilty,”

Fluttershy was left speechless. There was no point in arguing with her if she truly believed that, and from the look in her eyes… she did. Her counterpart as well as her friends’ counterparts were too far gone. Nevertheless… There was still something strange she couldn’t put her finger on.

“Then…” Fluttershy spoke in a resolute tone. “I will stop you,” She declared and flapped her wings as hard she could, rushing at her counterpart. Minister Fluttershy didn’t move from her spot while the original delivered a punch in her cheek with all her weight behind it! Yes, this was THE moment she couldn’t afford to be soft, so there was no holding back permitted! Not only to help the friends she made in this world but also to help the friends trapped in other universes! This was a grand moment… only her counterpart didn’t move an inch.

“Please,” Minister Fluttershy scoffed mocking. She front-flipped in the air and slammed her heels on the back of the other pegasus’ head, sending her down.

Help

Fluttershy grunted, but couldn’t catch herself in time. She fell through a roof and landed on a wooden table, breaking in half in front of what seemed to be a terrified family from the sound of their cries. If she had looked on her right, she would have seen it was two fillies, and their mother; however, she couldn’t afford to do that. Her other self was diving in her direction, and she wasn’t fat enough to do anything to stop her.

Minister Fluttershy landed on top of the second animal lover and began pummelling her mercilessly. Each punch was dealt with all her weight behind it, helped by the fact that she was on top of her. The other-worlder was unable to do anything apart from trying to desperately scratch her counterpart’s face, which only resulted in an even harsher assault.

Once the blood stains were visible on the more aggressive Fluttershy, the minister grabbed her counterpart by the throat and threw her out the window. The pegasus’ body rolled over the floor before coming to a stop a few feet away, glass shards embedded on various parts of her body.

The bearer of the element of kindness coughed in pain. Fluttershy tried to push herself up and stand again, but the damage she suffered was worse than she thought. That version of her had no pity. Every hit felt like it was aimed to kill. Admittedly, she had never been in such a fight before to know what it would feel like, but the force behind them as well as the look in Minister Fluttershy’s eyes was enough to tell her everything she needed to know. However, more than being physically hurt, she was saddened by it. Why? Why were they like this? She couldn’t get it. How could she and her friends ever become like this?!

Why did she have the feeling that someone needed help every time she looked at them? The pegasus finally stood on her hooves, shaking like a leaf because of the earlier assault while she watched her counterpart flying out of the house she had been thrown in earlier.

Help

Again, a small and faint whisper, that should have been drowned in the sea of the battle around, miraculously reached her. Her eyes settled on her double. She couldn’t help but recall the lessons she had learned with her friends and everything they had been through together since they began bearing these elements. They were the things they thought connected, and held them together… until they also learned that they didn’t need those objects to remain friends. On the other hand, their versions here only held contempt for everything and everyone but each other. Even if they still somehow represented their elements, they used them out of anger, and to hurt. She even doubted they would even believe their friendship would be safe if they got rid of them considering how much they had abused their power and their friendship.

Then, she finally realized. Fluttershy widened her eyes. Perhaps all she needed from the start was to confront them. She gritted her teeth, waiting for her counterpart’s next assault. Maybe she couldn’t win this battle. No, she wouldn’t win, but she didn’t need to. At that moment, she was certain that no matter what would happen, the council wouldn’t come out on top! With even greater resolve, she ultimately charged forward, willing to fight the other pegasus head-on.

A few minutes after the invasion started…

Minister Rainbow Dash slammed both her forelegs into an invader’s head, making them plummet to the floor and crash with a loud thud. Considering the bleeding from their head, Rainbow doubted they survived. She didn’t waste any more time on him. Instead, she flew away, leaving a rainbow trail behind, and went from invader to invader, punching and kicking every enemy pegasus out of the sky.

Not only was she battle-hardened, but her speed was such that all they could see was a blur before being knocked out or outright killed. While her kicks weren’t as powerful as Applejack’s, they were still strong enough to shatter bones and she put all her speed behind it.

“You, scum!” Rainbow Dash flew to a nearby pegasus and grabbed him by the collar. The poor fellow widened his eyes in fear as she punched his spear out of his grasp. She pulled his face close to her and sneered. “Coming in OUR city?! Attacking US?! Are you that stupid?!” She shouted in his face but didn’t let him answer before diving toward the ground with him still in her grasp.

“Let me go!” The pegasus cried as he punched her in the face, but much to his terror, the mare didn’t even flinch.

“The nerve of you all!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she slammed the pegasus on the ground, likely shattering his spine. The soldier gasped for breath, only for the minister of Defense to fly while still holding him to the ground. He screamed in agony while the cyan pegasus flew faster and faster, skinning his back against the stone under him and leaving a trail of blood. She did this for several dozen meters before flying up again. The soldier’s cries had stopped, and with his bones visible, she doubted he was still alive. “That’s why you don’t go against us. Eh, I’m the best,” She smirked, dropping the corpse. She didn’t care where it landed as long as it was close to the enemy soldiers. They needed to know the consequences of fighting the council, after all.

“Minister Rainbow Dash!” Spitfire suddenly flew up to her and saluted. “What are your orders, my Lady?” The wonderbolt leader inquired, still holding her salute.

“Isn’t it obvious? Fight the enemy!” Rainbow Dash growled in annoyance. Was she the only one here who knew what she was doing? Really, they were lucky to have her.

“Fight the enemy, huh?” Spitfire repeated with a smirk. “Alright!” She shouted before suddenly latching onto the cyan pegasus.

“What the-” Rainbow gasped as another pair of legs grabbed her in a chokehold, and then another pony threw themselves at her, restraining her like the others. The pegasus swiftly recognized them. “Soarin? Fleetfoot? What the fuck are you doing, you losers?!”

“What does it look like? Stopping you!” Soarin replied, tightening his grip on the mare’s throat. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings as hard as she could, trying to shake them off while Fleetfoot grabbed her necklace and attempted to pull it off her neck.

“Quick! Get it off!” Spitfire ordered as another member of the wonderbolts grabbed Rainbow Dash by the hind legs.

“You…” Rainbow choked, fury burning in her eyes. “Filthy traitors everywhere,” She snarled before successfully spinning upside down. She dove toward the ground, the fastest she could while the wonderbolts still held onto her.

“Hurry up!” Spitfire cried with panic as they approached the ground dangerously quickly.

“I’m trying!” Fleetfoot retorted, worry evident in her tone.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Rainbow Dash slammed herself and everyone grabbing onto her to the ground, creating an explosion that left a rainbow-colored mushroom cloud behind, and even shook the houses around it, nearly making them collapse on one another. This attracted the attention of most of the ponies currently fighting, wondering if there even was anyone left alive. After a few seconds, a red trail burst out of the dust, bringing several ponies to cheer as they seemingly recognized Spitfire’s color.

However, the figure suddenly spun around, throwing all the blood off its body and revealing Rainbow Dash underneath, as clean as she was before being attacked. She looked pissed. The cyan pegasus twirled to a nearby Canterlot guard, a pegasus, and addressed him.

“New orders! Kill every last wonderbolt!” Rainbow Dash barked in rage. “Those dirty traitors don’t deserve to live!”

“W-What? But what if some of them are still loyal?” The guard argued but was quickly shut down by a single glare.

“There aren’t! Unless… you’re a traitor, too? You want to protect them?” The cyan pegasus sneered.

“No… no! Of course not, my Lady?! I wouldn’t dare!” The guard quickly denied her accusation, whether it was because of his loyalty or because he feared for his life, he fearfully puffed up his chest and saluted. “I will transmit your orders to the others immediately!”

“Good,” Rainbow nodded before letting her gaze wander around. Because their forces were spread thin across all of Equestria, they were greatly outnumbered by the Crystal Empire’s army. More and more of their soldiers fell to the attacks of their enemies. The unicorns on both sides tried to deal the least collateral damage they could, but a few houses caught on fire nonetheless. If this went on, their army would lose… She needed to regroup with the others! If they entered the battle, then they would put an end to it as quickly as it began! However, before she could even fly to the throne room, her eyes spotted a certain someone running in the hallway, which she recognized instantly. Shining Armor. “That traitor isn’t dead yet?!” She clenched her teeth, then dashed toward him.

Unfortunately for her, he seemed to sense her coming. The moment she broke through the window, he turned to her and conjured up a magical barrier she crashed into. Nevertheless, the strength she mustered still managed to break Shining Armor’s magic shield and throw him against the wall. The cyan pegasus rubbed her head in pain, hissing in the process while the unicorn grunted.

“You’re not… supposed to be here,” Shining groaned, standing up with his head in one of his hooves. “What happened to Spitfire and the others?” He asked. If Rainbow Dash was here, then she must have discovered Spitfire betrayed her. What he feared, though, was the pegasus’ fate.

“What do you think? I executed them, of course!” Minister Rainbow Dash declared smugly. “And you’re next!” She announced.

“You… YOU, MONSTER!” Shining Armor screamed, lighting his horn with a burning blue light. He raised it in an instant, creating a magical slash with that move. However, it didn’t travel fast enough to hit the target of his ire.

Rainbow Dash flapped her left wing and stepped away from the flying blade before kicking the air and propelling herself toward the white stallion. He couldn’t put up a barrier in time and was punched in the chest, and thrown back as the pegasus continued her assault by kicking over the head. Rainbow lifted him up, then threw another punch, and another. He understood right there and then that she wasn’t even planning to take him to Twilight. She was going to kill him, here! Her punches and kicks would have already shattered his bones if he was any other stallion.

The look in her eyes was telling. They held no sympathy. They weren’t devoid of emotion either… No, the pegasus was enjoying it. She loved every second of it. She reveled in the suffering of others, and the more blood she spilled, the happier she was. And… He sent Spitfire and her team against that monster. He was indirectly responsible for their deaths. Just like many others, they amounted to another sin that would follow him all his life. Nevertheless, the hate he had toward himself was easily overshadowed by the one toward Rainbow Dash. How many had perished by her hooves?

The pegasus raised her hoof again, ready to strike him; the moment he saw that opening, Shining clenched his teeth and summoned his willpower back into his horn before firing a powerful blast of magic, blowing Rainbow Dash off him. The mare rolled on the floor, discord marks over her chest, only for the unicorn to fire another, weaker beam, which successfully struck and electrocuted her.

“YAAH!” Rainbow yelped in pain before collapsing on her stomach, yet her forelegs still held her up, keeping her from collapsing completely.

“What did they do to deserve this?! Huh?! Why couldn’t you just knock them out?!” Shining hollered with rage, spewing blood out of his mouth in the process. “Are lives that inconsequential to you?!”

“They broke the law. They deserve death. All criminals do,” Rainbow clenched her teeth, slowly standing back up.

“Law this, law that… As if you gave a shit about that! None of you respect your own laws!” Shining Armor retorted. Rainbow Dash paused, and for a moment, he believed he had somehow talked a tiny bit of sense into her. However, instead of replying… She laughed out loud.

“You, moron! WE are the Law!” The pegasus suddenly flew to him with a burst of speed. The stallion fired another blast, which was dodged by an impressive air maneuver. Rainbow kicked him in the temple, but not hard enough to bring him down as he used that opportunity to strike her again.

One kick to her stomach, then a magical beam aimed at the chest. Unfortunately, it hit her element, which protected her from a direct hit. He clicked his tongue. This wasn’t good… He needed to save his energy. This was why he avoided teleportation in the first place! He needed to be ready to confront Twilight! Even if he beat Rainbow Dash, he wouldn’t be strong enough for the next part of the plan!

His thoughts were suddenly cut off when Rainbow kicked him in the neck and then punched him in the throat. Her assault was unable to go on longer once Shining created another barrier around himself.

“Get out of here, coward!” Rainbow Dash ordered as she began pummelling the barrier. Shining gasped for breath, barely holding it up.

“As you wish…” He muttered tiredly. With a sudden battle cry, the barrier shifted until it turned into a ball of magic and slammed into Rainbow, shocking her with electricity again. “GRAAAH!” He shouted as a blue hue surrounded the wall and the ceiling. He brought his horn down, tearing them off the castle with one clear intent in mind: to kill that pegasus.

Just as Rainbow Dash tried to get back on her hooves, she raised her head to see the debris falling toward her. Not just the wall, and ceiling, but the floor began crumbling under her hooves, too!

“S-Shit!” She put her forelegs in front of her, desperately attempting to protect herself, only for the rocks to slam into her from every side.

Shining stood back while the bearer of the element of loyalty was quickly buried under the rubble of the castle. Not only by the pieces he tore off himself but also by one of the towers, which had no more support and collapsed on itself, and the pile of debris he already made.

The stallion panted, watching as everything stopped moving, the rockslide finally over. There were no signs of life as far as he could tell, so he allowed himself to relax.

“Well… That’s one sin that won’t keep me up at night,” He whispered to himself. Shining shook his head. He couldn’t waste any more time. The unicorn turned around and then ran to the throne room. Whatever would happen next… It would be the end of it.

The white stallion reached the doors several seconds later. He released one last heavy breath, then blasted them open.

“TWILIGHT!” He shouted at the top of his lungs, willing to end it all here.

However, all he could do was widen his eyes in horror. Derpy lay against the wall on his left, holding her side in pain and gasping for breath. Blood was running down her chin and her chest, but she was alive and conscious. Not too far from her was Cheese Sandwich, lying on his back and facing a hole in the wall near Derpy’s body as if he had been thrown through it. He was bloody, but still breathing. He looked in a better shape than the grey pegasus since what seemed to be holding him down was his mental state rather than his physical one.

Braeburn was on his knees, spitting out a broken tooth while his cousin stood only a few feet away from him. Applejack seemed rather fine if only a little bruised. Pinkie’s face was bloody, and Rarity didn’t have a scratch on her. Fluttershy was covered in bruises and scratches. Even her wings seemed to be broken! She wasn’t too far from Derpy either. Her counterpart, Minister Fluttershy didn’t seem to have suffered any damage.

Finally, in the middle of them was Twilight, the light of her horn dying down. In front of her was Cadance, whose legs were shaking, and it was no wonder. She was covered in scorch marks!

“I’m… sorry… But, she’s… too strong,” The alicorn whispered to her husband before collapsing on her side. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she fought, her battle left no mark on her enemy.

“You disappoint me, Cadance. You knew you weren’t a fighter, so why even attempt it?” Twilight scoffed before finally noticing her brother. “There you are, Shining Armor. We were just about to execute your friends,”

“I…” Shining was speechless. No. They couldn’t lose, could they? Not like this! It couldn’t happen like this! He was sure his friends could have won, but… they didn’t? He made another poor decision, didn’t he? And it would cost them their lives. Tears would have rolled down his cheeks if it weren’t for the sudden blue flash of light.

“Not if Trixie has anything to say about it!” The blue unicorn had teleported inside the room, blasting a beam of magic in Twilight’s direction, who quickly raised a shield and protected herself. “Nicely done!” The blue unicorn complimented her as she landed on her hooves.

“Foal’s play,” Twilight simply answered dismissively. Another flash blinded the corner of the unicorn’s eyes; however, this wasn’t an attack. Instead, Trixie teleported Cadance to Shining, prompting the stallion to catch her in his hooves.

“Cadance!” The white unicorn exclaimed while holding her body. “Are you alright? Please, say something!”

“Honey…” Cadance gave him a crooked and pained smile. “I couldn’t do anything to her. I had one job, and I failed. Miserably,” She laughed at herself.

“No, no! You did the best you could! And that’s enough for me! Please, don’t blame yourself. We… all failed,” He bit his lower lip in defeat. A feeling of warmth caressed his cheek and filled his heart.

“Not yet. We haven’t failed yet,” She caressed his cheek. “My husband isn’t the kind who gives up so easily, so don’t underestimate him,” The alicorn of love smiled.

“Cadance…” Shining sniffled.

“How heartwarming,” Twilight sarcastically said. “Be reassured. You will be all together,”

“Now hold on! I’m your opponent!” Trixie proudly declared, only for Twilight to raise an incredulous eyebrow.

“You? The fake magician? We fought before, didn’t we? In that magic duel… Quite a pathetic display if I say so myself. You have no talent or worth, so don’t even try anything stupid. Simply put, you are outmatched,” Twilight scoffed. However, the blue unicorn’s confidence remained. “If you surrender now, I may let you live and make you our jester,” She suggested mockingly, which did get a laugh out of Pinkie Pie and Applejack.

“No, thank you,” Trixie replied.

The blue unicorn teleported again, making Twilight’s eyes narrow as she immediately began scanning the room. The moment Trixie appeared, she fired a spell, which the prime minister countered with one of her own. Both collided in the middle, creating a small explosion. Trixie landed on her hooves and sprinted forward, dodging a purple beam that had been shot out of the lavender unicorn’s horn just after the explosion. They exchanged various spells in such a way.

Trixie dodged either by running, jumping, or even teleporting. Then, she would cast a spell. It would either be purely offensive or weaken the other unicorn. She tried freezing her, burning her, and Twilight always responded in kind. The difference was that Twilight didn’t even move from where she stood ever since this duel started. She would only move her head and cast whatever spell she needed, which was quite volatile as she would cast lightning once, then fire shackles another time. Shining Armor’s jaw dropped, he had never seen Trixie move like that before!

Sure, he was aware she had been training, but she made so much progress that even he wasn’t sure he could take her! She didn’t let a single movement go to waste, and even if her opponent was barely trying, every one of her spells was carefully cast for maximum optimization. Twilight couldn’t afford to let a single one of them hit her!

When had the blue unicorn improved so much?

Twilight clicked her tongue with growing annoyance. This was going on for too long! Just then, Trixie teleported in the air and fired another blast in the lavender unicorn’s direction. The Prime Minister lit her horn and created an ethereal rope, binding it around Trixie’s waist and slamming her into the floor so hard it cracked.

“There,” Twilight exhaled.

Trixie spat out drops of blood, groaning in pain. Sharp rocks were lodged into her back, so she doubted she could use the same agility as earlier. If this fight continued… it would only end in a loss.

“Looks like I’m out, too,” Trixie muttered as Shining gently set Cadance down and ran up to the blue unicorn to check on her.

“Now, where is Rainbow Dash?” Twilight questioned frustratingly. “So we can get this over with,”

“Nah, we don’t need the elements for these guys, Sugarcube,” Applejack spoke out arrogantly while Pinkie Pie punched her hooves. “Rainbow’s must be wasting time doing something stupid, again,” She rolled her eyes, whispering the second sentence.

“Yup! They aren’t really tough! More like squishy plushies, you would kick around for fun,” The pink mare snickered in amusement.

“You’re right,” Twilight nodded before raising her horn, ready to blast them all to smithereens… which she would have done if only it weren’t for Trixie’s sudden and obnoxious laugh. “What is it, now?” The lavender unicorn asked, annoyed with the disturbance. “Are you having a psychotic break after realizing your own mortality?”

“You called Trixie a failure, don’t you remember?” Trixie laughed, getting back to her hooves. Her smile was strained because of the pain, yet she looked happier than ever. “You said I wouldn’t accomplish anything. Ever. As you beat me into the ground that time. I couldn’t even do a teleportation spell! But look at me, now…” She chuckled, then gestured at the lavender mare’s face. “Trixie made you bleed!”

Twilight widened her eyes, just as her friends gasped. Something warm flowed down her right cheek. No… She didn’t. Yet, there it was. Drops of blood ran down the unicorn’s cheek. She… had actually been hurt by that failure of a unicorn?

“Twilight!” Rarity gasped, in shock.

“No. This couldn’t have happened. Even Cadance couldn’t hurt me, so how could you possibly… A fluke,” Twilight shook her head. “A fluke! A fluke! A fluke! It must have been a fluke! A lucky shot!” She repeated in disbelief.

Seeing as they were too absorbed by Twilight’s sudden injury, Trixie grinned in victory and raised her head.

“Shining, now!” She shouted.

The stallion immediately lit his horn. The council couldn’t even react as blue bindings suddenly shot out of the floor and wrapped around their limbs and necks. Arcs of lightning pulsated around their bodies, squeezing cries of pain out of them. Twilight attempted to cast a spell or even teleport, only for the binding to pull her head back and shock her even harder. It was as if all her nerves were being burned! This was pure agony!

“What… is this?!” The unicorn screamed.

“My new… spell,” Shining gasped, his horn shining brighter than ever. His friends joined him, limping to his and Trixie’s side while the latter raised her horn, seemingly charging up a spell.

“Even Ah can’t break through it!” Applejack yelled, unable to move either even with her strength.

“So, this was your plan,” Fluttershy noted as she watched Shining Armor and Trixie’s team effort.

“They’re going to end this,” Braeburn nodded in confirmation.

Shining had been attempting to create such a spell for months, one that would freeze them in place and make them unable to use their magic. Unfortunately, it required a great deal of strength and focus on his part. The more they struggled, the harder he needed to keep the spell up. That was why they needed to do this quickly. What Trixie had been charging until now wasn’t a huge blast. No, it was slightly more complicated.

She wasn’t powerful enough to go completely through Twilight’s protections, even with her magic suppressed. However, if she could concentrate all of her magic and power into a small, needle-sized beam, then it would slice through anything. The blue unicorn had been specifically learning anatomy for that purpose. Her target was the heart. Once it was punctured, nothing would save Twilight, and the council would lose their leader. They would be unable to use the elements. But for that, she needed to be accurate with her aim.

“No…” Twilight seemingly realized what was happening. The unicorn widened her eyes with… fear. Indeed, Shining could see it, even through the strain he was under to maintain the spell. He had already seen this look before, but not in his sister. It had been in every criminal’s eyes the council had ever judged. All the fear Twilight inflicted upon them was now reflected in her own eyes. For the first time since she met her friends, she was truly faced with Death… and she was afraid. “They’re going to kill me, Shiny! Stop them! Please!” She begged her brother in a broken voice. “Don’t let them kill me! Shiny, I’m your little sister! D-Don’t let your sister die, please! I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!” She tried to break her bindings again, only to be shocked again. “W-What would Mom and Dad say?! Shiny! I’m scared, big brother!”

However, Shining averted his eyes, unwilling to meet his sister’s look. Fluttershy watched her friend’s counterpart plead for her life but didn’t move from her spot. As much as she wanted to find a peaceful solution, there wasn’t any. Instead, she sniffed back her tears and closed her eyes.

“Don’t you dare cast that spell!” Minister Fluttershy screamed at the blue unicorn, who… just smiled.

Trixie exhaled, preparing herself to end this once and for all… then shot.

A Small Memory

Universe 31870

“Prince Blueblood?!” Rarity repeated in shock. Of course, she was perfectly aware of how scummy the stallion was; however, she never imagined he would ever resort to murder. Then again, she didn’t know him that well beyond their first encounter… She still couldn’t help but be doubtful. “Are you sure?” She voiced her concern.

“If I were, I’d be at his throat, already,” Twilight sighed, clicking her tongue. “The issue is that I have no evidence. I can’t afford to risk wasting even more time running after an innocent, even if I don’t like them,” She muttered the last part to herself.

“There must be some clues… or witnesses,” Rarity tapped her chin while in thought. Since Princess Luna had been cursed at the ball, then investigating the ballroom was a priority. Unfortunately, the hesitance in Twilight’s gaze told her otherwise.

“We should… but I can’t, in good conscience, do that if it doesn’t guarantee results,” The lavender unicorn shook her head. Clearly, the situation was getting to her considering how much she was sweating. Rarity noted another difference between this counterpart and her Twilight.

The one she knew would have been quite vocally nervous and would have been running around with panic-induced ramblings every step she took. This one, on the other hoof, desperately tried to hide her fears and keep them buried deep within her. Now, this issue was bringing them all out. Beyond the sweating, Twilight was tapping her foot, biting her lower lip. Her breath was even getting ragged.

“And you have a witness, right here!” Noble suddenly spoke up, having finished dusting himself after the fall.

“I do not trust a witness who would be happy to see their ruler’s demise… even after they made a deal,” Twilight spat, making Noble gasp and recoil as if every word she spewed was laced with venom.

“I resent this accusation! I love my country! Just as I love our princess!” The noble defended himself, puffing up his chest. His words only managed to get an eye-roll from the unicorn.

“I am sure everyone here believes that,” Twilight nodded mockingly. Meanwhile, Rarity watched their back and forth, wondering if she should intervene.

“Look, why do you keep refusing my help? Don’t tell me… Are you still holding a grudge because I flirted with you last year?” Noble asked. While Twilight didn’t answer directly, she scoffed and looked away, which seemed enough of an answer for the unicorn noble. “I already apologized for that!” He stomped the floor.

“Did you apologize to your wife?” The lavender unicorn bit back, making the other unicorn huff.

“Do you want my testimony or not? Because if you don’t, I’ll kindly ask you and your men to leave!” He gestured to the guards, who tried to look impassive as they witnessed their bickering. Before Twilight could answer, Rarity finally stepped in.

“Please, can we stop fighting during such a crisis? We are in a hurry,” The white unicorn reminded them, silencing them both. Twilight breathed out, grateful for her new friend’s interjection.

“You’re right, Rarity… I’m sorry if I was being rude,” Twilight apologized to the noble with a strained and forced smile… and didn’t say anything else. It was obvious she was waiting for an apology from him, too, but since he didn’t look like he wished to say anything positive, the mare simply rolled her eyes and spoke again. “Can you, please, tell us what you have seen?” She questioned.

“Of course, helping a lovely lady such as yourself will be my pleasure! Nothing strange happened during the ball from what I’ve seen. However, something did happen, which may go your current lead’s way. I’ve noticed Prince Blueblood speaking to the princess that night,” Noble recounted the night’s events.

“The prince talking to his aunt? I am impressed, Noble! This will be a valuable testimony, to be sure! It may even be all the evidence we need!” Twilight sarcastically commented, much to the other pony’s chagrin.

“Oh, please, captain! You are smarter than this! A mere royal guard may think nothing of it,” Noble argued, earning a few looks from the guards surrounding them. “But you and I know better. Their relationship has been strained for years! Ever since it was declared Prince Blueblood has no possibility of claiming the throne. He never talks to the princess unless it is absolutely necessary!”

Twilight remained silent. Rarity couldn’t quite figure out what was going through the other mare’s head, but from what she could deduce by her expression, it seemed Twilight discerned truth in his words. She was aware of Blueblood and Luna’s relationship, too.

“That may be, but this isn’t evidence. I can’t go on a wild goose chase over this,” Twilight mumbled before pacing. There had to be something else. Anything! It was a wild guess, but perhaps a guard noticed something? She wasn’t an expert on curses, but sometimes, spells would leave residual magic. That residual magic would have been gone by the time she and Rarity arrived to check on the princess, but it might not have been too late for a guard to see. “Who discovered the Princess, first?” Twilight asked out loud. Every guard present in the room was a royal guard stationed at the castle, he was bound to be here.

“It was me, captain,” A female guard stepped up. “Princess Luna wasn’t waking up or responding, so I went to check on her. That’s when I called the castle’s doctors,” She explained.

“Have you noticed anything strange about Princess Luna? Apart from the curse, of course,” Twilight inquired. The female guard hummed, recounting this morning’s events. Noticing the guard’s pensive and unsure expression, Twilight lightly pressed her. “Any detail at all. Anything that’s out of place. Was there… an aura around her or…”

“There was something… unusual,” The guard hesitantly spoke up.

“Yes?” Twilight perked up hopefully.

“Maybe it’s nothing, but the princess…” The guard’s eyes shifted to Rarity, then to Noble. The stallion rolled his eyes and backed away out of earshot. “Didn’t have her usual blankie. Instead, I found this at the foot of her bed, I thought it was a mistake but I noticed her state before I could throw it away,” She explained before pulling out a white cloth out of her armor.

Twilight eyed it curiously, then grabbed it in her magical hold, bringing it closer to her.

“Princess Luna sleeps with a blankie?” Rarity muttered in surprise.

“Indeed, she had it ever since I’ve known her. This obviously isn’t the same one since hers is colored like the night sky,” Twilight responded, looking over the cloth. Rarity narrowed her eyes, taking a closer inspection.

“Can I see this?” She asked. The lavender mare handed it to her without hesitation. “This isn’t a blankie. It’s a handkerchief,” The fashionista stated while inspecting it. It was made from soft material, and she quickly recognized it as silk. Specifically, silk from Saddle Arabia. Blue embroidery spread in a line across the piece of cloth’s edges. Now, this pattern she recognized. “I think this is from Equestria Elegance. It’s a store in Manehattan,”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked in surprise.

“Of course. I’ve collaborated with them a few times and am intimately familiar with their products. They do dresses, suits, handkerchiefs… This embroidery is their trademark,”

“Then, all we have to do is contact them and ask which of the nobles brought this handkerchief!” The guard exclaimed in realization. However, Rarity narrowed her eyes, still closely inspecting the piece of cloth. She had seen this somewhere… She turned it around and widened her eyes as images flashed through her mind… images from that first Grand Galloping Gala… and the first time she had seen this handkerchief… all those years ago.

“No,” The fashionista interjected before Twilight could order them to go ahead. “This is custom-made. As I said, I’m familiar with all their products, and I know this particular handkerchief isn’t in their catalog,” Rarity explained and showed them the back of the cloth, revealing another embroidery on its center, depicting a tall blue unicorn surrounded by a sun of the same color. “And I’ve also only seen one pony in possession of this… Prince Blueblood,” She muttered disappointingly. She knew he was a jerk, but she never thought he would stoop this low. She disliked him, of course, but she couldn’t help being disappointed over this.

“I trust you,” Twilight declared calmly, looking back at the handkerchief. “But why did Princess Luna have this? Did she take it to lead us to the culprit? This… This is absurd,” The lavender unicorn shook her head nervously. “How did she know she was put under a curse? How? And how did she know it was Blueblood? No… If she knew… then why didn’t she do anything to stop him?! Why didn’t she tell me anything?! This doesn’t make sense!” Her breathing quickened as she backed away.

“Twilight!” Rarity quickly snapped her out of it, grabbing her shoulders. Now, this was a reaction she could recognize from the Twilight she knew. “Whatever the answer is, we’ll know it once we save Princess Luna. Until then, let’s focus on the task at hoof, alright?” The white unicorn gently soothed her. The other mare’s breathing slowly became more regular, processing Rarity’s words.

“Right… We need to take care of this…” Twilight agreed, a lot calmer than a second earlier. “Thank you for the testimony, Noble,” She thanked the stallion, who proudly puffed up his chest. Then, the lavender mare turned to the guards around them. “This is likely our last chance. If Prince Blueblood isn’t the culprit either, then we’ll lose our princess. I want you to follow the same plan. Pegasi, you go through the windows. Unicorns, put up a shield around the house to prevent everypony from going in or out. Earth ponies slam the front doors open with me,” She ordered.

The guards all nodded in response. Now it was time for the moment of truth. They couldn’t afford to be wrong now. Not again.

Only an hour later, everyone was in place. Unicorn guards had already put in shields to surround the Blueblood mansion. Pegasi hovered above it, waiting for Twilight’s signal to bust in. The earth ponies stood by the two unicorns’ sides in front of the door.

“Prince Blueblood! We just want to ask some questions! Please, come out so that we can resolve this peacefully!” Twilight lit her horn and shouted, seemingly using a spell to amplify her voice. “We have confirmation that you are inside! Consider this your last warning!” The lavender mare warned him. However, they received no response. “Very well,” She sighed before turning to the Earth Ponies. “Blast that door open,” She ordered before firing a flare from her horn, signaling for the pegasi to break through the windows.

“Yes, ma’am!” An earth pony replied. He and three other stallions lined up before the large wooden doors. On the count of three, they slammed their hindlegs into them, breaking them to pieces. As soon as the first splinters touched the floor, several magical beams hit the guards in the back. They howled in pain before falling to the ground and allowing the unicorns from the mansion to shoot at the rest of them.

Twilight quickly jumped in front of them, followed by Rarity as they both used their magic to create a barrier and defend against the enemy unicorns.

“Take your shields and attack as soon they take a breather!” The lavender unicorn ordered the earth ponies behind them.

Thankfully, the shields the royal guards carried held a special resistance to magical attacks. It was the best way for non-unicorns to defend against enemy spells.

She was aware Blueblood had guards, but she never expected there would be so many. Even when the earth ponies managed to get in, they still had to fight non-unicorns on top of the horned ponies that attacked them earlier. Rarity could already handle herself in a fight before, but after the training sessions and sparring she had with Twilight, she felt unbeatable. None of the ponies attacking them could even land a hit as she blasted them away with magic or by slamming them with a magical shield.

“Captain! We can’t find Prince Blueblood anywhere,” A pegasus landed beside Twilight as she wrapped a magically created rope around a pony.

“What do we do, now?” Rarity asked worriedly.

“Don’t worry,” Twilight assured her before lighting her horn. A wave of purple magic pulsed through the mansion, highlighting every door surrounding them. “This spell reveals all doors… including hidden ones,” She explained, her gaze locking onto the floor. A pink square shone through a nearby carpet, prompting the unicorn to walk up to it and lift it. As expected, there was a large trapdoor. “The coward must be hiding down there. The guards will take care of the commotion here, we should deal with Blueblood,” Twilight spoke to Rarity and the guard. The pegasus nodded and went back to his duties while Rarity used her horn to lift the trapdoor, revealing seemingly an endless amount of stairs, leading to pitch-black darkness.

“This looks scary,” Rarity commented, slightly afraid. She was used to worse, so she wasn’t terrified or anything, but she wasn’t totally serene, either.

“No need for a flashlight,” Twilight responded, conjuring a small ball of light, which hovered between the two of them. “Let’s go!”

Rarity took one last look at the mess in the mansion, the guards rounding up Blueblood’s employees, then turned around and followed Twilight. She had a bad feeling about this situation. The more they went down, the worse that feeling got. Especially since they couldn’t even see the bottom of this staircase. It was cold, too.

“Everything will be fine, right, Twilight?” Rarity asked, her breath halted.

“Of course, why wouldn’t it?” The other mare put on a reassuring smile before closing her mouth and letting silence set in. The only sound reaching their ears was their footsteps against the cold steps of the staircase. A few seconds later, though, the lavender unicorn spoke again. “I just wanted to say… I had fun these past few days,” She bit her lower lip.

“I… Had fun, too,” Rarity answered hesitantly. “But I’ll have to leave, eventually. And I need to know that you’ll be fine,” She admitted.

“That I’ll be fine? Why?” Twilight arched an eyebrow.

“Because… I want to make sure you’ll have friends. Now, I know what you said, darling, but you can’t be alone all your life… This will be devastating,” Rarity explained. Twilight, on the other hand, remained silent. “If you run from everypony like you did with Minuette, then you’ll always remain lonely, and I don’t want that for you,”

“Why?”

“Because I’m your friend,” She replied, and for once, Twilight didn’t object to it. “I want the best for you, and I wish I could teach you everything I’ve learned with my friends, but… I can’t stay here for too long. They need my help, too,” The fashionista looked down.

“I… I’ll try, ok?” Twilight finally spoke, to Rarity’s surprise. “I’ll talk to Minuette, and I’ll try. I really will. Maybe it’s time I change some of my views,” She muttered. “I may have been wrong about some things,” The unicorn admitted.

“Really?” Rarity uttered, surprised.

“Of course. I don’t make empty promises,” Twilight replied. Though, Rarity could feel there were other things she wanted to say, but kept quiet instead. The fashionista wished her friend would open up her heart a bit more, but she figured they made a lot of progress already.

“You know… When I got here, I wanted to teach you the magic of friendship. I think we’ve made a lot of progress,” Rarity admitted, which only confused the other mare.

“What is that magic?”

“Exactly what it sounds. It’s friendship, and… it’s complicated and confusing, but it does make one quite happy,” Rarity softly explained while Twilight focused all her attention on the white unicorn’s words. “I have years of lessons ingrained in my mind. It’s something you learn throughout your whole life, and it’s never too late to start,” She added, remembering when she became friends with the girls. She remembered that fateful night that changed her life forever and for the better. “I’d say there’s nothing stronger than that in the whole world. When I saw that a Twilight Sparkle didn’t learn it yet, I couldn’t help myself. And yes, I know, you’re not my Twilight, but you’re still my friend. It’s probably why I managed to improve so much during my stay. Because it was with you,” She declared, smiling warmly at the other unicorn. “Did you feel the magic of friendship at any point during my stay?”

“I…” Twilight didn’t respond. Instead, she looked ahead, thinking deeply about the mare’s question. “I don’t know. I wish I could say yes, but I just… have no idea. I really do want to know what this magic is like, but I can’t even tell my feelings. I feel…” She paused, looking for her next words, only to cut herself off as they finally reached the bottom of the stairs. “We’re here!” She exclaimed before hurriedly running forward, followed by her friend. They didn’t need to go far because they were met with a steel door only a few meters later.

It looked sturdy if anything. They could easily break through it, but it wasn’t needed. After all, that door could easily be a trap. Maybe teleporting inside was a better idea, especially since she had a feeling she knew what was behind that door.

“Get ready. We’re likely to face some resistance,” Twilight warned the other unicorn, who nodded. With a raise of her horn, they were both teleported inside.

As expected, it was a training room. It was so large you could fit the entire Canterlot Castle inside, the walls, floor, and ceiling were white with black lines set in a check pattern. In the center of the room stood Prince Blueblood. So, he prepared a battlefield? That could only mean he had help. Even if he could use curses, he wasn’t stupid enough to believe he could win against an elite unicorn… was he?

Rarity glared at him. He looked exactly the same as he did the time she had met him at the Grand Galloping Gala. There even was that smug smile adorning his face. She wished she could say she hated him, but she didn’t. Yes, he was rude and a self-centered jerk, but he wasn’t evil either. He never attempted murder, so she had already moved on from how he treated her years ago. However, looking at this version of him… repulsed her. It was a strange feeling.

“Oh, captain Twilight. What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” Blueblood inquired with a small smile. “And who might this beautiful lady be?” He asked, turning his gaze to Rarity, which only earned him a glare.

“Cut the pleasantries! You’re suspected of placing a curse on the Princess! Your response to our investigation tells us enough!” Twilight shouted back.

“I don’t know how you came to suspect me, but it doesn’t matter. Your fight is not with me, captain,” Blueblood smirked. Suddenly, two flashes made themselves known in front of him, a clear sign of teleportation. Twilight expected to face more enemies, but once she had seen the faces of the new arrivals, her body froze in shock.

“Sunset and Starlight!” Rarity gasped, as shocked as her partner. While she had little interactions with Sunset, she was quite familiar with Starlight. Nevertheless, neither of them was the type of pony to murder someone! At least… not in the current time… Not like they were in the past…

“I see our reputation precedes us,” Sunset grinned proudly.

The two unicorns looked the same as they did in Rarirty’s original universe, except for the golden leg guards they were wearing. While the mares stood flabbergasted, Blueblood quickly retreated toward the back of the room.

“What… What is the meaning of this? What are you doing? Why are you helping him?” Twilight questioned in confusion.

“Oh, many reasons, really,” Starlight chuckled.

“You’re familiar with them, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“The three of us studied under Princess Luna until…” Twilight began speaking, only to be interrupted.

“Until she ultimately made you her apprentice,” Sunset completed her sentence.

“So that’s your motive? Revenge?”

“Of course, not. Although it’s a nice bonus, we figured that the two of us had a lot of potential together. With Princess Luna out of the way, Equestria will belong to us,” Starlight retorted, much to Twilight and Rarity’s shock.

“So you became Blueblood’s mere henchmen?” Twilight spat with disgust.

“Oh, please,” Sunset scoffed, rolling her eyes. “See, the issue is that we want to take over the world, but have no care for politics. In fact, we don’t want anything to do with it. Blueblood is a dog. Who do you think holds the leash?” She explained, narrowing her eyes. “But how can you say you are any better? You are always in Luna’s shadow, trailing behind her like a little lost puppy. Quite obedient, too. Face it, you’re nothing but a puppet with no will of your own,”

Twilight opened her mouth to argue. Of course, she had always been obedient, it was her duty! It was also what she wanted. She cared for the princess and was ready to fight for her no matter the circumstances. However, before she could say that, Starlight cut her off.

“But you can change that. Join us. Together, we will be unstoppable. Our only obstacle is the princess,”

“Twilight, you…” Rarity turned to look at her lavender friend, worried. However, Twilight gave her a reassuring smile before looking back at the other two unicorns.

“You think I’d sell my soul so easily? Princess Luna taught us to use our powers responsibly! How could you fall so low?!” It seemed Twilight’s answer didn’t please them, but it didn’t look like it surprised them, either. If anything, they were expecting it. Sunset watched the lavender mare with disappointment.

“You’ve always had such a misplaced sense of justice. That’s probably the one thing I hate most about you,” Sunset frowned before getting into an offensive position, which Starlight quickly did, too.

“Rarity, go and take care of Blueblood. I’ll deal with them,” Twilight stood on guard.

“What? No! Look, there’s two of them, one for each of us. We can take them!” Rarity argued.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t. They’re both elite unicorns. That means they’re on the same level as me. Individually,” Twilight furrowed her brows. Her nervousness was on full display, which prompted Rarity to protest. However, the other mare spoke before she could. “Please, trust me. Your words from earlier? I’ll keep them in my heart for as long as I fight. I promise,” She affirmed, now sounding much more confident.

Rarity remained conflicted, but she could hardly distrust her friend when she was spoken to like this. How could she? Maybe it was a terrible idea. However…

“Okay. I’ll deal with him. Be safe,” Rarity finally said resolutely. Twilight raised her horn and teleported the white mare near Blueblood before focusing on the two elite unicorns standing in her way.

The moment Rarity was teleported, which she expected, she fired a magical beam in Blueblood’s direction. She wasn’t aiming to kill, goodness no. However, she was going to make sure she was out of commission for when Twilight would make him dispel the curse. Unfortunately, it seemed the prince was prepared for it. With a single move of his horn, he blocked it with a barrier.

“I’ve seen everything! To think a peasant would try to harm me,” Blueblood shook his head in amusement. “I’ll have to teach these two a lesson for letting you pass so easily,” He glared Rarity’s way.

“Don’t worry, my prince. I will try not to damage your mane too much,” Rarity replied mockingly.

The comment ticked off Blueblood since he quickly resorted to lashing out with a magical beam of his own. Rarity conjured up an ethereal shield, shaped like a gem and deflected it just in time. Seeing that Blueblood continued with a relentless assault, she waited for the best opportunity to sidestep and get out of the way. Thanks to the things Twilight taught her these past days, she could carefully analyze the stallion’s moves to determine what his next course of action would be. Unfortunately, she could also see that Blueblood wasn’t a pushover unlike the original. When he finally needed to pause, Rarity sidestepped and took another shot.

The stallion cried in pain, the tip of his ear smoldering a piece of it had been blasted off by the fashionista’s hit. It seemed he tried getting out of the way, but only managed to change the target of her beam.

“You… You’ll pay for this!” Blueblood clenched his teeth as he charged toward, lighting his horn at the same time.

Rarity stood her ground, ready to take him on without fear.

While the two were focused on their fight, it was difficult to ignore the struggle occurring behind them. A large ball of light violently bounced off the walls and ceiling before dissipating in thin air.

The three unicorns fought fiercely and mercilessly, using a different spell with each attack. Ever since Princess Luna became the sole ruler, unicorns fought to perfect their craft and discover the limits of magic as well as its origins. Countless unicorns sought to be the strongest, to learn the most spells, and to discover all the secrets of magic. That was why the number of spells was a requirement to become an elite unicorn. Every time a unicorn would create an offensive spell, another would make a counter to it. Sometimes, the original unicorn would create one themselves! After all, what if someone used their own spells against them? They needed to be ready to counter them. Thus, nearly half of the spells an elite unicorn learned were counters to other spells they knew.

When Sunset summoned a sea of flames, a torrent of water would spray out of Twilight’s horn. When Starlight conjured up a wave of acid, the lavender unicorn froze it. When Twilight tried to trap them in stone, they liquified it. Every spell was launched instantly after the other, while constantly moving and avoiding the enemy’s attacks.

The fact that the training room could hold these natural disasters colliding without breaking was a miracle in itself. Even if the three of them were rarely hit, the unicorns were aware it didn’t mean anything. A single misstep would cost them their lives. Even if Sunset and Starlight outnumbered her, they knew better than to underestimate Luna’s student.

As a beam of light dangerously approached Twilight, the mare raised her horn. Just as she did so, Starlight lit her own, generating a magical pulse out of it right when the lavender unicorn teleported. Starlight instantly looked up to her right to see a pink spot in the air and shot a magical spear at it. The spell to detect the destination of a teleportation was one of the handiest when it was created as any unicorn who thought they could escape would be cut off right at the end. Because they couldn’t focus instantly after teleporting, they were vulnerable.

The spear hit its mark the instant Twilight appeared, impaling her in the gut. However, once she was hit, she dispersed into particles! A duplicate! A second later, the real Twilight came out of the spot Starlight shot at.

“Delayed teleportation!” Starlight spat in annoyance. Right. When the spell to detect the destination of a teleportation was created, another unicorn thought of a counter by making a teleportation spell that wasn’t instantaneous. Twilight replied by firing blue needles at her. Starlight widened her eyes and lit her horn, only to be hit in the chest by the needles. Her body quickly turned to stone, starting from the spot where she was hit; however, the mare suddenly came out of her own shadow while her statue crumbled to dust. “That was close…” She exhaled.

“We don’t have to fight,” Twilight tried to reason with them as she landed, panting. They were all tired, but the other two unicorns still had an advantage over her.

“Spare us the lecture. It’s a shame you’ll never change, we could have accomplished so much together,” Sunset shook her head while Twilight narrowed her eyes. “You can’t even see that Princess Luna isn’t needed anymore! If she wasn’t so weak, then she wouldn’t be dying of the curse right now!”

“Don’t you dare talk of her that way! You know how much she lost!” Twilight shouted in response, glaring.

“And that’s what I was talking about,” Sunset whispered in disgust. “Look at you. You’re pathetic. Luna shaped you like a doll with no feelings of her own, a doll devoted to her, and her alone. Ever since we’ve studied with you, we haven’t seen you with any friends or family! Your life is empty and meaningless!” The amber unicorn yelled before releasing a torrent of little stars made of light in the other mare’s direction. Twilight, who was taken aback by the last remark, noticed it just in time before light enveloped her hooves and allowed her to jump high enough to dodge.

“That was my own decision, and I hated myself for it ever since! Don’t speak ill of my teacher!” As Twilight shouted this, she stopped herself before she could launch another spell.

The student of the night’s eyes wandered to Rarity, who was still fighting against Blueblood. The mare and stallion were still engaged in their fight, but thankfully, the prince looked more damaged than the fashionista. Twilight bit her lower lip. Sunset wasn’t wrong. Of course, Twilight knew she didn’t have anything or anyone. She decided to dedicate her life to Princess Luna and become a worthy student… The best unicorn there was! She thought she was ready to sacrifice anything, yet… Years later, she lived the same mundane, empty life. Training, studying, training, studying. Even if she believed in what she trained for and who she fought for… This world was so lonely. She couldn’t even make friends. She didn’t even know how to talk to ponies without barking orders.

Every day, she wanted to reach out to her family. Every night, she dreamed of doing it as if they came knocking into her head, crying for her to come back. And every day, she thought that if she did reach out, she would lose what she obtained since studying under Princess Luna, that her sacrifices would have been for nothing.

Ultimately, her choices led her to fight these two unicorns, and most likely, her death. Was there any meaning at all to a life so empty?

Yet, it persisted. Her will to live. As long as she wasn’t certain that Princess Luna and Rarity were all alright, she couldn’t afford to lose!

“Not so fast!” Starlight shouted as green tendrils wrapped around her horn. She fired them only a second later, shooting them at such a speed that the lavender unicorn couldn’t have enough time to teleport. Instead, she lit her horn with a blue light, which vanished right before she was hit in the head by the other mare’s attack.

“Huh? What? Where am I?” Twilight staggered while holding her head.

“It’s over!” Starlight shouted as she fired a beam of magic even bigger than herself. However, Twilight’s horn flashed blue again. Her eyes regained focus and understanding, allowing her to create a shield just in time.

“Memory wipes won’t work on her!” Sunset admonished Starlight. The spell to protect oneself from memory-wiping magic would copy the user’s mind and store it before giving it back to them once they were hit with the memory-erasing spell. “We should assume that every spell we know, she knows, too! Forget versatility! We need to beat her with pure power!” She explained. It wasn’t quite a bad strategy. The two of them combined certainly had enough power to take her down, and there was nearly no spell to make up for that power difference.

Twilight clenched her teeth as both unicorns fired a beam of magic at the same time. Both beams merged, making a bigger and more potent one with shades of red and blue. The lavender mare quickly created an ice wall, which was obliterated in less than a second, but that gave her enough time to jump and avoid their combined attack.

The student of the night brought her horn down, firing a spinning purple disk. The advantage of it was the way it moved since it didn’t go in a straight line. Instead, it veered right to attack Sunset from the side and not the front. The unicorn raised a shield at the last second but was still thrown back so hard the air was expelled out of her lungs, causing her to skid across the ground.

“You little…” Starlight glanced at Sunset before glaring at Twilight. She let out a battle cry and shot another beam of magic. This time, however, the captain of the royal guard was prepared. She answered with a beam of her own, which was about the same size… only a little more potent. The moment the beams clashed and burst with various colors, Starlight grunted, feeling much more pushback than she expected. It would have made an impressive light show if only it weren’t for the danger of death lurking above their heads. “No… No…” The unicorn uttered nervously. Finally, Twilight’s attack won over hers. Starlight could only widen her eyes and jump back as quickly as she could before it could land. The ground exploded, blowing a dust cloud and throwing her back.

“Damn it, Starlight! I told you we need to attack together!” Sunset scolded her. Multiple small beams flew across the air, each taking a random path ultimately leading to the amber mare. The unicorn’s moves were swift and precise, knocking away every beam with her horn before creating a single barrier to deflect the last three. As she skidded across the floor, her eyes slightly widened in realization once they landed on her attacker. “An opening!” She raised her horn, conjuring ethereal threads and wrapping them around Twilight’s legs.

The night’s student didn’t have enough time to react before being slammed to the ground to the point she was certain some bones cracked.

“Immobilize her!” Sunset commanded her partner, who barely managed to go back to her hooves.

Starlight cast her spell without leaving any room for Twilight to breathe and preventing her from escaping. The lavender mare gasped, her body suddenly freezing as if it had been wrapped by an invisible force. She knew that spell. It only prevented her from moving and teleporting, but she could still use magic! Unfortunately, she didn’t use its counter. She had no other choice but to make a barrier around her to block the torrent of flames Sunset expelled from her horn as well as the lightning bolts coming out of Starlight’s. Not good. Not good at all! She was stuck! She needed to find a weak spot and quickly!

Rarity barely deflected one attack before doing the same to another one while slowly being backed into a corner.

“What is wrong? Getting tired?” Blueblood mocked the panting mare. Though, he didn’t seem in great shape either by his ragged breath.

“Not at all,” Rarity shook her head, trying to keep a confident smile. Blueblood furrowed his brows.

“Who even are you? A guard? Did Luna employ you? No matter how much they’re paying you, it can’t be enough to risk your life in such a way, can it?” He sneered.

“They’re not paying me anything,” Rarity glared, disgusted by the prospect alone.

“What is this? Charity?” Blueblood laughed. He could only wonder what hit that mare on the head to cause her to do something so unreasonable.

“I don’t need to be paid to help a friend!” Rarity shouted with indignation.

“What nonsense. There is no point in doing something with no benefits in return,” Blueblood shook his head, then lit his horn, boredom visible on his face. “I will finish this farce,”

Rarity tried backing up again, only for her butt to hit something. She spun her head around and realized with dread that she was against the wall. Then, there was only one thing she could do…

The unicorn tried to remember Twilight’s words and the training they went through for her to learn to teleport. However, the more she focussed, the more the instructions she was given… became clearer as they were mixed with all her memories of this version of her friend. If she failed here, then she wouldn’t only lose her life, she would fail Twilight, too. They would both die! She had been scared when she arrived in this world; more than anything, she felt alone. While she was relieved to see a familiar face, she quickly understood that this Twilight and the one she knew were not the same… yet, it didn’t deter her. This counterpart had her own feelings, thoughts, and fears, some similar to her original Twilight while others couldn’t be more different. She had to grow that bond differently. Ultimately, Twilight slightly made this world feel like home.

She couldn’t let her efforts go to waste! With revived confidence and determination, Rarity finally cast her spell and… disappeared in a bright flash – a flash so strong it blinded Blueblood for a second.

“Teleportation?!” The prince cried while rubbing his eyes. Rarity reappeared behind him, breathing heavily.

“I did it… I did it? I did it!” The fashionista celebrated, jumping up and down excitedly.

“Not so fast!” Blueblood turned around, ready to fight, only for the mare to create her gem-shaped shield and slam him against the wall with it. The stallion huffed with the air knocked out of his lungs.

“You were saying?” Rarity raised a mocking eyebrow while the prince struggled to stand up.

Twilight was not in a better position. In fact, it was much worse. Even if she protected herself from the flames and lightning, the heat was still getting to her! Because of it, she couldn’t even focus on that counterspell. Instead, she was focused on other things.

“I had to shut down my lungs because of the smoke and to keep them from burning, but I don’t know how long I can keep up without breathing!” Twilight thought, trying to look for any opening that might give her the edge, but there was none!

The heat was unbearable! She couldn’t even sweat because the water just evaporated nearly instantly, and she felt like her coat was on fire! Her vision was getting blurry as if her eyes were covered with tears, and her horn was close to bursting from overheating. It was like… It was like she was in…

“Using that barrier was a mistake, Twilight! Don’t you realize what you’ve done? You made a giant oven!” Sunset shouted, grinning like a madman.

“You’re being cooked alive!” Starlight finished her partner’s sentence, snickering at the sight.

No, no! She wasn’t! Was she? Twilight frantically looked around, fighting to find a solution somehow! if this continued, she might actually burn alive! Her nerves were already going haywire! Something was… Suddenly, blood burst out from various spots all over her body and flowing over it. Her blood somehow burned her even worse! She was an idiot! She quickly cast another spell. She needed to give up on the lungs. They could be restored later, anyway. What she needed to protect was the heart and the brain. If she lost them, then it was all over!

“Even your blood is boiling!” Sunset remarked pridefully. “Wouldn’t it be easier to give up? Wouldn’t you like to end this pain?”

Blood poured out of Twilight’s mouth while her vision reddened. Maybe she was right. She couldn’t fight anymore. She was barely conscious. All she had to do was remove the barrier and she would be vaporized in an instant. After all, there was no point fighting back, was there? She couldn’t find an opening here, and even if she survived… She would only go back to that meaningless life. She was sure Princess Luna would survive on her own, anyway. The princess… never needed her.

Twilight began closing her eyes, getting weaker by the second. Even the pain started fading away. Maybe this wasn’t a bad decision… Twilight. A soft and elegant voice spoke her name. The lavender unicorn opened her eyes wide as Starlight finally faltered even if only for a second. There it was! The opening! She used that single second of movement to light her horn and fire a wide-range spell all around her, and mostly at the unicorn who held her down until now.

A dust cloud formed as Sunset was pushed back again, and Starlight screamed in pain before she could defend herself.

“S-Shit! My eyes! My eyes! Sunset, I can’t see!” Starlight screamed with her eyes closed and bleeding, waving her horn around in panic. The mare clenched her teeth and began randomly blasting destructive spells around her. “Where are you?! D-Don’t get any closer, Twilight!” She yelled, continuously firing spells around her, even at the risk of hitting Sunset in the process, who kept dodging every time. Unfortunately for them, even in her current state, Twilight could dodge them, too. After all, there was no thought or logic behind Starlight’s random attacks.

“Calm down, would you! You’ll get us both killed!” Sunset shielded herself from a beam with a barrier. And Twilight was getting closer and closer! “Use the Sight spell, idiot!” She hollered.

Having finally heard her, it seemed Starlight came to her senses and raised her horn to cast the spell… but was too late. A small red laser sliced through her diagonally before vanishing. The mare stood in place, the light in her horn fading away. Then, slowly, and with a spongy sound, her head slid off her neck.

Twilight breathed heavily from behind the unicorn’s headless body, who soon collapsed with blood erupting out of her neck.

“You… You’re going to pay for this!” Sunset screamed in rage. Twilight, who was beyond exhausted at this point, rushed forward while charging every bit of magic she had left in her horn. However, before she could even do so, she was blown away and sent flying in Rarity’s direction.

The lavender mare skidded to a stop, groaning in pain with every spot of her body hurting with agony, as if it had been torn apart.

“Oh, my Luna! Twilight!” Rarity immediately rushed to her side. “What happened to you, darling?” She asked, helping the other mare to her hooves.

“Did you take care of Blueblood?” Twilight inquired with a croaky voice.

“I knocked him out,” The fashionista gestured to the unconscious stallion several meters behind them.

“Not killed?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow. The user needed to be killed for the curse to be dispelled forcefully.

“I… Don’t do that,” Rarity shook her head, looking over the unicorn’s body. She had never seen such injuries before. She didn’t even know how she managed to stand the sight. She was more worried than disgusted. Twilight was covered in blood, and not because of cuts, but rather as if her blood vessels blew from the inside. Her coat was darkened as if it suffered burning, and her mane was a mess. Her hooves were cracked with some blood spilling out of them.

“Heh. It would be a shame to dirty your hooves, anyway,” Twilight weakly snickered, only to be interrupted by a cough escaping from her throat. Rarity patted the mare’s back comfortingly. “I’m sorry. I failed. I couldn’t beat them both. I only have enough juice in me for one small beam, and that won’t take her down,” She explained. Sunset barely had a few scratches, too. She was still in nearly peak condition. The student of the night knew when a cause was lost.

“No! You did more than enough! Look at you! I don’t think I could even stay awake in such a state!” Rarity reassured her. However, Twilight couldn’t get to respond before Sunset spoke out.

“What a shame. If you had joined us, the three of us would have conquered the world already!” The amber unicorn sighed. “No matter, with you and Luna out of the way, I can deal with the other elite unicorns. No one will stand in my way when I take over Equestria. You did delay my world domination plans for a few decades, though,” She glared before magic crackled around her horn. “I’ll have to repay you in kind,”

Twilight glanced at Rarity. The fashionista didn’t even look afraid. Before she could speak up, the white unicorn stepped forward.

“It’s alright. I’ll fight you,” She stated resolutely, much to the surprise of everyone.

“What? Rarity, you have no chance!” Twilight argued. However, the other mare didn’t reply. Instead, she gazed at her, as confident as always. “You already know? And you’re still willing to try? You’re willing to sacrifice your life for me?” She gasped.

“Of course,” Rarity nodded.

“But what about your friends?” Twilight questioned.

“You’re my friend, too,” The fashionista retorted as if it was obvious. The lavender unicorn’s breath nearly froze in her throat. She didn’t know, but somehow she managed to keep her tears from coming out to the surface.

Twilight sniffled and put a hoof on Rarity’s chest, pushing her back, much to the mare’s confusion.

“Run. I’ll hold her off as long as I can,” She declared before stepping in front of the white unicorn.

“Now, you know I’m not letting you do that!” Rarity immediately argued. “I will…”

“You were pretty impressive back there,” Twilight interrupted her.

“Huh?”

“I saw what you did. That teleportation was pretty cool. You’re a quick learner,” Twilight praised her before turning her back to her and focusing her gaze on Sunset. “I have a lot of things to thank you for, or to talk to you about. You can’t believe how much I wish we could talk every day, actually,” She let out a weak snicker. “You… my only true friend. But I doubt she’ll give us much time,” She gestured to Sunset with her head. The other unicorn smirked confidently, seemingly not bothered by their little conversation. “So, I’ll just say this… Thank you,” She choked. Even if her face was hidden from view, Rarity could almost hear the tears the lavender unicorn was sniffling.

“What are you two blabbering about over there? Don’t tell me you’re about to beg for your lives,” Sunset mocked, the light in her horn growing brighter and bigger.

“Twilight…” Rarity spoke softly, coming to face the other mare. As expected, some tears were rolling down her cheeks. “This is really stupid,” The fashionista gave her a small smile.

“What?” Twilight uttered in shock.

“I told you already, I’m not leaving you behind. Not for anything, so whatever you want to say, you’ll say it once we’re out of here,” Rarity assured her, making Twilight shake her head in disapproval. “We’ll fight her together, then”

“No! I told you! I can’t fight anymore! I’ve used up all of my magic, my horn can’t take any more!” She argued, only for Rarity to put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.

“You’re never out of magic when you’re with a friend. This is one of the things I learned back home,” The white unicorn stated. “If we do it together, I know we’ll win. Though usually there’s six of us, I think I know how to make this work with only the two of us,”

“Rarity, I…” Twilight didn’t know what to say. This magic of friendship… She never even thought something like this existed, but could it work? It seemed surreal to even think such a thing would be enough to take down an elite unicorn. Yet, she wanted to trust her friend. No, she felt like she could believe in her no matter what. “I trust you. Besides, I suppose that dying would be better if I’m not alone,” She weakly joked. Rarity could only roll her eyes at the absurdity, but she smiled nonetheless.

“Huh?” Sunset arched an eyebrow. Just as her spell reached its peak, which would have blasted a hole in the training room and vaporized the two unicorns down to their atoms, they did something strange. Twilight and Rarity closed their eyes as their horns suddenly touched, and then to Sunset’s disbelief, tendrils of magic began spinning around them. They grew stronger and stronger until the two mares were slowly lifted into the air. “What… What is that spell? I don’t recognize that magic?!” She blinked, confused. What was going on? She had a bad feeling about this! She needed to end it here! Quickly, she shot her spell in their direction right when they opened their eyes; revealing pure and bright whiteness. Her spell vanished as if it broke the moment it made contact with them. “No way!”

Before the amber unicorn could even react, a pink beam of magic charged at her, hitting her head on, and squeezing a guttural scream out of her. The elite unicorn couldn’t even do anything as she was shot to the ceiling. It pressed her harder and harder while burning her back until it broke through, shooting her through every floor until she reached the inside of the mansion and even went through the roof. With her broken body, Sunset could only scream while flying higher and higher in the sky… until the beam stopped and blew her to dust.

Sunset Shimmer was reduced to nothing.

It was warm. Incredibly so. She never felt anything like it before. It was so… serene and calming. Twilight found the feeling soothing and was slightly disappointed to see it end so soon once their hooves touched the floor again.

“This… Wow, I never felt so strong before… A different kind of strength,” Twilight whispered while Rarity smiled in understanding. “It felt weird. The good kind,” The lavender mare clarified, letting out a weak snicker. “Better deal with Blueblood and finally save Luna,”

“Will you be alright?” Rarity asked worriedly.

“I’ll need to go to the hospital after this, but I’ll live,” Twilight gave her a small smile. Suddenly, something crackled, instantly catching her attention. Twilight swiftly pushed Rarity out of the way and shot a single beam in response to another that was about to hit the fashionista before she stepped in.

“G… Argh…” Blueblood gurgled with blood gushing out of his sliced throat. It seemed the elite unicorn’s spell had hit its mark. However, for some strange reason, the stallion smirked in victory before collapsing to the floor, dead.

“That was close,” Twilight breathed in relief, turning to check on Rarity.

“Thank you -OH, LUNA!” Rarity screamed, covering her mouth with her hooves. Twilight arched a confused eyebrow, then lowered her eyes to gaze at herself.

“Oh,” She could only utter when she witnessed the hole in her chest. The poor mare spewed her life juice out of her mouth, unable to stand on her legs anymore, she fell to the ground.

“No, no, no! Stay with me!” Rarity yelled, rushing to her side and holding up Twilight’s head. The unicorn already looked out of it!

“In retrospect… I should have seen this coming,” Twilight chuckled, only to nearly choke on her own blood.

“Don’t talk! We’ll get you someplace safe!” Rarity said as she tried to lift the other unicorn.

“Don’t, please. It’s… I know when I’m out for the count,” Twilight coughed, struggling to breathe.

“How could I look anyone in the face if I give up on you? How would your family feel?”

“Don’t you get it yet? I don’t have a family,” Twilight sniffled, trying in vain to hold back her tears. Rarity widened her eyes in surprise. She did wonder where they were and why Twilight never talked about them. “When I was chosen to study under Princess Luna, I abandoned them because I thought they’d hold me back. I even avoided making friends… I haven’t talked to them in years. The more time passed, the more I was afraid of doing it,” She admitted, choking on her tears.

“You can do it once you recover from this! I’ll even help you if you want! I’ll be there, okay?” Rarity reassured her, desperately hoping Twilight would cling to life. The fashionista could feel tears streaming down her face, slowly realizing there was nothing she could do. “Why did you even take that hit for me? I know killing Blueblood and saving Princess Luna was essential, but-“

“Rarity. Don’t be silly. I did that for you,” Twilight revealed, her eyes faltering and her voice growing weaker. “I have always been ready to give my life for the princess. To me, it was natural. It was my duty as her student, as the captain of the royal guard, and as a citizen of Equestria. I never imagined I would do it for someone else,” She spoke slowly, any hint of her earlier strength gone. “Back there, I got these flashes of my life. Most of the good memories… were about you,” She admitted.

Rarity widened her eyes in shock. Was that true? No, why would she lie about this now? But… Twilight had lived decades, so to think most of her good memories were about her touched Rarity at her soul, which was further breaking her heart.

“I had fun. Lots of fun. I guess I just thought that… I couldn’t have the strength to live if I watched you die,” Twilight smiled, barely perceptible. “Sorry I was rude to you when we met… sorry about everything I said…” Tears ran down her cheeks again. “I wish we would have had more time,”

“We do! Just hang on, okay?!” Rarity immediately interjected. The fashionista didn’t even know how to handle this! This was the first time in her life she was losing a friend in such a way… and she couldn’t even do anything to help! She was powerless! “Princess Luna needs you!”

“She never has. She had countless students over the centuries, I’m only one of many,” Twilight retorted. No matter how much of a prodigy she was, Luna had seen thousands of geniuses live and die before. She wouldn’t be an exception. The princess would find a replacement eventually. Twilight wasn’t even mad about it. This was something she was already aware of. What brought her closure and peace of mind was something more intimate than a simple teacher-student relationship. “I can only hope that you… won’t forget about me,” She tried to smile, only to have no strength left and fail.

Oh, well. She said what she wanted to say. She was fine with this if a memory of her, no matter how small, lived on in Rarity’s mind, no matter how deeply buried it was. As long as Rarity, even subconsciously, remembered her, she was okay with it.

“No! Stop talking like this! Please, Twilight! Please, somepony help! Someone has been injured!” Rarity begged her, and the lavender mare truly wanted to answer her prayers. Unfortunately, she couldn’t keep her eyes from closing.

This was so different from earlier when she was dying to Sunset and Starlight. It was agony, and filled with despair then. She was dying with regret. This moment felt… colder. But the gentle warmth around her made up for it. Sure, she had quite a lot of regrets even now, but for some reason, she had an easier time letting go of them. It wasn’t so bad, after all.

As the ringing in her ears muffled Rarity’s cries, it still allowed the student of the night to hear her voice. As her vision blurred, she could still see the other mare’s face as clear as day. That was when she realized something else. Twilight always believed that Princess Luna would be the last face she’d see and the last voice she’d hear. As darkness enveloped her, she snorted.

Huh. She supposed this sight wasn’t bad either.

A Silver Tongue To Rule Them All

Universe 25197

“She’s comin’ here quicker than expected. A few of ma men just confirmed her location,” Jackie furrowed her brows, looking down at her desk.

“That’s good, right? It means we can get this over with soon,” Happy Feather asked in confusion.

Jackie had called him for a meeting as soon as she was done with her call with Applejack. While the businessmare didn’t look worried, she still seemed apprehensive and questioning the other pony’s intentions. Happy Feather usually easily trusted every business partner they dealt with, never seeing any ulterior motives from them; however, Jackie was quite paranoid in contrast. It was that same paranoia that kept her from falling into any traps. For her, the world bent over backward to give her everything she wished for, so it was only natural other ponies would aim to take her gift. Since everything always went according to her will, they always failed. This would be no different.

“She has a shit poker face. Ah could be wrong, but just in case, Ah want ya to get the stone she’s lookin’ for,” Jackie ordered, to which Happy quietly nodded. “Maybe she’ll be smart, accept her payment, and leave quietly without making a fuss. Though Ah want to see if she succeeded in the first place before giving her anything. In case she tries anythin’ and Ah don’t come back in an hour… Ah want to destroy the stone,” She explained, making the pegasus’ eyes widen.

“What? Why?! Isn’t that thing valuable, Boss?” He questioned. Jackie never got rid of anything valuable unless it would earn her something even better. A magical artifact that allowed travel between worlds sounded priceless!

“Only if ya don’t hear from me, which would mean she did somethin’. If that happens, Ah’d rather the stone’s destroyed, that way she can’t have it. Nopony can,” Jackie explained before jumping off her chair and walking to the door. “Ah’ll entrust ya with that, so don’t disappoint me. Ah’ll meet with that farm pony and get this over with,”

“But… How am I supposed to break it?” He arched an eyebrow while Jackie paused right as she opened the door.

“It’s a stone, idiot! Just use a big hammer! And if ya can’t, find a volcano to throw it in!” She rolled her eyes after a sigh and left the office.

Happy Feather remained standing alone in the office. The stallion looked around and sighed with a downcast expression.

“Of course, she’d forget my birthday,” He quietly lamented.

Applejack couldn’t believe it. She thought Jackie, in true villain fashion, wouldn’t even want to see her as she wasn’t even planning on keeping her word before sending an army of goons. Not even because she didn’t believe Applejack kept her end of the bargain, but because she simply figured being a selfish prick and betrayal were much more fun alternatives. Yet, there she was riding in a carriage drawn by two stallions dressed in suits. They looked more like bodyguards than chauffeurs considering their builds. A stallion dressed similarly was seated by Jackie’s side, who had opened the door and gestured for the farm pony to come in.

“What are ya waitin’ for? Get in,” Jackie smiled while holding the door open.

“What are ya doing here? Thought ya’d be waiting in yer office…” Applejack cocked an eyebrow in suspicion.

“And let ya walk for miles? Nah, ya did me a favor, so Ah could at least drive ya to the stone, though there’s somethin’ Ah need to show ya first,” Jackie explained cheerfully without a beat.

Applejack narrowed her eyes. She… Couldn’t tell if the other mare was sincere or lying through her teeth. She was usually pretty good at telling when someone was lying. However, the farm pony wouldn’t be surprised if her counterpart was a much better liar than she was. Her blood was still boiling with anger because of what Discord had shown her, but also the betrayal Jackie wanted Applejack to commit against her family. The first instinct she had when she saw her counterpart’s face was to kick her teeth out.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t let her anger or urges overwhelm her. She had learned a lot thanks to her friends, and thinking before you’d act was one of them. Not only was she in public, so guards would probably intervene and then she’d have to deal with Equestria’s justice system… Which was great thanks to its wonderful rehabilitation system, seriously, the kingdom was quite lax now that she thought about it, but she’d be stuck there for at least months and she had no time to waste. No more than she already had anyway. Moreover, Jackie would get away scot-free. The other reason she couldn’t attack her now rather than later was the possibility that her counterpart would lead her to the stone. It was a slim chance, but if Jackie actually planned on keeping her word, then Applejack would get the stone and stop her once and for all in one swoop.

She could also lead her to a quiet place where Applejack could freely punch her lights out and make her spit out where the stone was before throwing her at the princesses’ hooves and making her confess every crime she committed.

“Ugh, fine. But let’s hurry this up,” Applejack ultimately conceded and jumped inside the carriage, sitting across the other mare. Once Jackie closed the door, the two stallions departed, driving them to wherever Jackie wanted to take her.

“Hope yer little vacation went well,” Jackie chimed, a small smile gracing her lips. Now that was as fake as shit, and Applejack could tell.

“It did. Ponyville is an amazing town,” Applejack answered in a low tone, though her counterpart didn’t seem to pay much attention to it. Choosing to keep her smile instead of making any remarks. Applejack purposefully kept quiet about her family, wanting to see what Jackie would say. She was disappointed, but not surprised.

“Ah’m sure a lot of them will be happy to look for a job in ma mines once ma company begins excavating!” Jackie commented, reminding Applejack of what she was planning to do with their family farm. Even when she was face to face with her, she couldn’t see a single hint of remorse. What was even worse was imagining the ponies she knew working in those mines, treated like slaves and overworked. Applejack had no idea how Jackie accomplished something like this, forcing these ponies to work there without anyone’s knowledge, but she wasn’t willing to find out.

“Aren’t ya gonna ask about yer family? Don’t wanna know how they feel? How they fare?” Applejack narrowed her eyes.

“All Ah wanna know is how they feel about sellin’ their farm,” Jackie rolled her eyes.

“And ya already know that. Ah told ya they accepted, now Ah’m sure ya want to know how they’re doin’, right? Ya haven’t seen them in so long, after all,” Applejack clenched her teeth, doing her best not to pounce on the other mare.

“Ah still need to make sure yer tellin’ the truth,” Jackie scoffed, dropping her cheerful façade. “Also, Ah thought Ah made it clear Ah don’t give a rat’s ass about them. This is all about money, Applejack. It’s what the world revolves around… When it doesn’t revolve around me, of course. That’s the first thing ya learn in Manehattan,”

It wasn’t what Applejack learned when she came here as a filly, though her aunt and uncle did teach her how to behave in high-class society. The farm pony knew arguing was useless, there was no way her counterpart would see reason, yet, she tried anyway.

“Granny Smith really loves ya, she missed ya a lot,”

“Look, Love doesn’t pay the bills, Sugar,” Jackie rolled her eyes. However, before Applejack could argue further, the carriage suddenly stopped.

“We’re at our destination, Boss!” One of the stallions from outside shouted, making Jackie breathe in relief.

“Finally. Come on, follow me,” Jackie instructed her counterpart before opening the door and jumping out of the carriage.

Applejack looked around, slightly surprised. They were surrounded by large and long buildings, which seemed to be factories, as well as various utilities such as power lines. There were even a few cranes spread around the area. Were they in an industrial zone? She had never been in that part of Manehattan before…

“A warehouse?” Applejack asked out loud as she noticed where Jackie was leading her, still accompanied by her three bodyguards.

“Yup! That’s one of the ones where we store our equipment,” Jackie answered, gesturing around them.

Applejack slightly widened her eyes as soon as they entered. There were wooden boxes everywhere, and the ceiling was quite high, despite that, some of those boxes weren’t too far from reaching it. The farm pony didn’t know what was inside those boxes, but there must have been thousands of them, and this was only one of their warehouses?! No! The mare shook her head. Not the moment to be impressed, especially since she acquired all of this on the backs of ponies she forced to work under atrocious conditions.

“Here we are,” Jackie suddenly stopped, nearly making Applejack, who was still looking around, run into her.

The cowgirl looked ahead and nearly gasped, her eyes traveling upward to take in the full view of what her counterpart was showing her. The first thing that struck her was its sheer size—a machine so massive that it would easily tower over two Celestias stacked on top of each other. It stood on two legs, with wide feet and limbs slightly thicker than a pony’s. Its body was a metallic cube with rounded corners, and at the top was a cockpit that likely served as its head. The cockpit was mostly glass, framed by yellow-colored steel. From her angle, Applejack could just make out the shadow of a console inside. The scariest part was the arms, though. The right arm ended in a massive claw with four sharp prongs, while the other arm featured a giant drill in place of a hand.

“What is that thing?” Applejack muttered in astonishment.

“A marvel of technology. The masterpiece of ma best engineers. A claw strong enough to carry boulders with ease, and a drill that could dig through even diamond,” Jackie replied with pride. “As soon as Ah can mass produce them, they will be used by ma best employees in the mines. Of course, Ah also plan on selling them abroad to whichever kingdom is ready to pay the price,” The businessmare explained. “Ya kept yer end of the deal and helped me with ma family, so Ah thought… What if Ah offered ya a position in ma company?” She revealed, much to Applejack’s shock.

“What?” She uttered. It was probably the last thing she expected, though, in retrospect, it made sense the bad guy would try to convince her to join them.

“We are the same pony, we’ve got the same strengths. Ah believe we could accomplish a lot together if we become partners. Of course, you’ll be fairly compensated. More bits than ya could even fit in your whole house!” Jackie clarified.

Applejack froze, her brain barely processing it all. She couldn’t be serious, right? Did she actually believe the farm pony would accept that deal? Not only would she be giving up on her friends waiting for her, but also on everything she believed in! If… what she did until now wasn’t already bad enough.

“Are ya serious?!” She stomped, snapping before she could stop herself. “All Ah want is to go back home! Ma friends are waitin’ for me, and Ah won’t give up on them for a piece of dung like you!”

Jackie’s smile fell, replaced by a disappointed frown. The moment her expression fell, her demeanor changed, making the guards accompanying her gulp nervously. Nevertheless, the three of them tensed their muscles, ready to intervene if need be, which didn’t go unnoticed by the farm pony.

“Oh, well, Ah suppose not everypony wants success. Very well, Ah’ll give you the stone and ya can be on yer way,” She shrugged nonchalantly.

“And then ya’ll turn yerself in,” Applejack added with narrowed eyes. She wasn’t stupid, the moment she felt the mood shift, she knew her counterpart wouldn’t give her the stone, and she wouldn’t fall for empty promises any longer.

“If there’s one thing Ah hate, it’s jokes, partner,” Jackie furrowed her browns. Instead of verbally responding, Applejack slightly bent forward, seemingly ready to charge at her. “I’m guessing you didn’t do shit to convince Granny Smith to sell the farm, did you?” She inquired, her accent suddenly gone.

“Of course, not,” Applejack scoffed as if it was obvious.

“Alright, boys. Teach her some manners,” Jackie turned around and walked away, leaving her bodyguards to take care of her enemy. Three strong stallions against a simpleton of a farm mare? The outcome was already decided, she snorted. A guard’s body flew past her and crashed into a random box with a loud crash. “What the?” She gasped, taking a step back.

Of course, the farm mare would win.

Jackie swiftly turned around, widening her eyes in horror as she witnessed both her guards getting slammed around. Every time they would try to land a hit or to grapple her, Applejack would outmaneuver them and kick them in the guts or in the face. In both cases, they would either spit out blood or a tooth as they were flung away.

“Ow! Shit! Doh!” One of them squealed in pain after each kick, one in the legs, the other in the stomach, and the last one in the… Jackie couldn’t help but wince, alright, she had to admit even she could feel that. Nevertheless, she couldn’t simply stand there while the third and last bodyguard was getting his ass handed to him! She was far too rich to face any consequences!

“Ugh… I’m not getting paid enough for this shit…” The last one grumbled as he collapsed to the floor, with no strength left in his limbs.

“Alright, Jackie! Yer turn!” Applejack shouted, determined to teach her counterpart a lesson. “Where is she?” She arched an eyebrow while looking around. Oh, crap, did she let her escape?!

“Right here, peasant!” Jackie revealed her location, which was in the cockpit of her new machine, with her hooves on the console! The businessmare carried a confident smirk. “Now… How do I turn on this thing… Ah, right! Here!” She said before pressing a couple of buttons. Unfortunately for Applejack, the other mare guessed right since the machine turned on immediately after, its engine roaring while steam was ejected out of a pipe on the back of its body. Then… She stepped forward. Slowly. Too slowly to worry Applejack.

“Oh, wow, Ah’m terrified,” The farm pony snickered. Suddenly, the claw shot out of the arm, attached to it by a steel cable, flying at Applejack faster than she could have predicted. “Crap!” She yelped as she managed to jump out of the way just in time.

The claw slammed into the boxes behind, reducing them to pieces and making a tower of them collapse, releasing various contraptions Applejack had no time to observe. Unfortunately, simply jumping out of the way wasn’t enough as Jackie moved a lever to the right, swinging the claw toward the farm pony.

CRASH

The claw along with the steel cable ripped through multiple other towers of boxes in their path to the cowgirl.

“Ha…” Applejack breathed out, throwing herself to the floor to avoid the cable by an inch. The air it produced would have knocked her hat off her head if she hadn’t held it firm with her hooves.

Jackie retracted the claw back into the machine’s arm before quickly making it advance forward, its steps making the floor shake. Applejack widened her eyes once the drill on the other arm roared to life, spinning faster and faster.

“Uh oh,” She gulped, swiftly jumping to her hooves.

“I’ll make mince meat out of you!” Jackie laughed sinisterly, a crazed look in her eyes. The farm pony gritted her teeth, she could finally see her counterpart’s real self; it was uglier than she could imagine. She reeked of cruelty and selfishness. Usually, Applejack wasn’t the one who’d believe in the goodness buried deep inside someone else. She was like Rainbow Dash in that way. However, she doubted even her friends would find an ounce of good inside that pit of greed. Just as the drill got closer, Applejack jumped back, allowing it to burrow the floor instead, ripping pieces of cement out and flinging them in every direction. “Why don’t you stay put?!” She hollered in anger while the farm pony was jumping back.

Jackie clenched her teeth and punched another button. Again, the claw flew out of the machine in Applejack’s direction; this time, the businessmare didn’t even bother aiming it right as it shot past the other pony without her even needing to move.

“Ugh… Boss, I-I think I’m fine! D–Do you need help?!” The first thrown bodyguard jumped to his hooves, holding his head in pain. However, as soon as he lifted his head, he was met with a giant metallic claw slamming into him. The poor stallion was thrown back to the end of the warehouse, meeting the wall with the sound of a familiar CRUNCH that he also heard when the claw hit.

“Crap… I better avoid getting hit by that thing…” Applejack muttered before slipping behind some boxes. Thankfully, the dust produced by Jackie’s attack was enough to make the cowgirl sneak away, though the business mare didn’t even look fazed after hitting one of her own men.

“Damn it! Where are you hiding?!” Jackie screamed, hitting the console in anger. Without even thinking twice, she pulled the lever again, flinging the claw across the warehouse and destroying even more equipment. Yet, Applejack still wasn’t in sight. “Don’t you dare make me destroy even more of my belongings, you filth!”

Applejack allowed herself to take a breather. Alright, she needed to find a way to deal with that thing. This was made for the mines, not for fighting, so it should be easy. The issue was that this thing was a massive piece of metal, which Jackie could fling around as she pleased, while Applejack was made of flesh and blood. How was she supposed to break it? Maybe she could wait for it to run out of power? Though she didn’t know what powered it. Perhaps she could make it waste its energy…

“All of that could have been avoided if ya hadn’t been a greedy bastard!” Applejack called out after cupping her cheeks.

“Shut up!” Jackie turned her machine where she thought she heard the voice come from before shooting the claw again, only to be disappointed after not seeing any trace of blood. “Nothing wrong with putting your interests first! Money makes the world turn, Applejack!” Jackie grunted, her eyes darting around the warehouse to catch any sign of the other mare.

“Who the hay even taught ya that? Sure as heck wasn’t Granny Smith!”

“Who do you think, moron?! Uncle and Aunt Orange, of course! They raised me here! They taught me how to survive in Manehattan! They taught me how to behave in this high society! How to build a business! This is a sea of sharks! No place for bottom feeders!” Jackie answered proudly. “You need to be ruthless!”

Applejack’s will slightly wavered. They did? She had spent quite some time with her Aunt and Uncle when she had left for Manehattan, but they only ever taught her how to behave properly. They never attempted to teach her anything remotely close to that. Maybe the ones from this world were different. Perhaps, if those teachings hadn’t been ingrained in her, then she wouldn’t have turned out so bad… Maybe, there was still hope? Was she allowed to believe that? Could she afford to believe that?

“Is that why you’re even willin’ to hurt yer own family? To leave Granny Smith and Big Mac homeless?!” Applejack shouted, her tone wavering as the giant claw swiped across an arch again, destroying even more equipment. “Ya don’t have to listen to what they’re sayin’! Ya can be better than Aunt and Uncle Orange!” She attempted to convince her. To her surprise, Jackie paused while the claw slowly retracted back into its arm.

“Wait… You think I’m… What? A victim?” Jackie questioned, utterly confused. Applejack held her breath, wondering how she was going to respond. The businessmare’s laughter echoed around the warehouse. “HAHAHAHA! Are you serious?! Have you still learned nothing?! These ponies still taught me their worthless values of family! They taught me how weak it made them! Do you really believe I could be shaped by anypony else but myself?! It’s that weakness that got them buried!”

“What? What are you talking about?” Applejack asked in a shaky but loud voice. This time, though, Jackie didn’t blindly throw her claw into the walls of boxes surrounding her. Instead, she carefully inspected her surroundings, her eyes slowly traveling across the room.

“Since you need a lesson, I suppose I’ll do you a kindness and teach you. They taught me how to open a business, and how to run. They helped me run it while teaching me all of their tactics and strategies, things I would later use to grow bigger and bigger. See, Equestria is known for its unity and for its values, there’s something nifty that other kingdoms don't have,” Jackie calmly explained, catching her breath after her intense yelling.

Meanwhile, Applejack carefully sneaked behind the various crates, trying to get behind her counterpart in silence.

“Including the possibility of making a company with a familial contract. Basically, your relatives will have the role of shareholders. The best part was the fact that they could choose to own 0% of the company while retaining their roles! Of course, sweet Aunt and Uncle Orange wouldn’t want their poor little niece to owe them anything,” Jackie explained in a fake cutesy voice at her last sentence. “They thought freely giving me their money to operate my company without even bothering to set up any interests. Every time I needed money, I’d ask them for more and more while promising to give it back. Once I did, I put everything in writing. Honestly, those contracts were bullshit only idiots would sign, but when you believe your niece wouldn’t do anything to you, you sign away like an imbecile. The more I gave, the more they owed me. At some point, they were so much indebted to me that they had no possible way of paying me back… Unless I put them to work,”

Applejack froze at the implication. She couldn’t be talking about the mines, could she? No… No, she wouldn’t put them through that hell! Even she had to have limits!

“I don’t know how, but somehow, you found out about the working conditions of my mines, didn’t you? The ponies working there… They’re either desperate or fools who owe me, so why should I make it easy for their kind? Unfortunately, hard labor had never been Aunt and Uncle Orange’s forte. They handled it for a couple of years, then… Well, I don’t need to draw you a picture, do I?” Jackie chuckled.

The farm pony’s breath was caught in her throat. She didn’t have limits. Of course, she wouldn’t. Why would she? The fact that she could do that to them with no remorse didn’t spell anything good for Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Applebloom. Imagining them in this situation made her furious! Not just them! Even if she wasn’t close to her Aunt and Uncle, they didn’t deserve that!

“You… Ya monster! How can you?! All that for money?!” Applejack screamed, not caring that her counterpart would figure out her position.

“That money was important for the start of my company, but you’re actually starting to piss me off… I just told you my life story and you still don’t get it?! It’s not JUST about the money! It’s about pride! And respect! I had to show everypony looking down on me that I wasn’t playing around! I need to show everypony their place! What’s the point of living if you can’t show everyone else that you’re better than them?!” Jackie scowled, gritting her teeth with anger as her machine spun around in another direction. “I thought we had the same gift, but I realize I was wrong, otherwise you would have understood… Everything goes according to my will! The only reason this ball of dirt spins is because I was born on it! Nothing else matters! If you had worked with me, you would have seen it, too! The worst sin you could have committed is disobeying me! How dare you… How dare you refuse my offer as if you’re better than me! Looking down on me! That’s the reason I’ll kill you today!” Jackie screamed.

CRASH

The claw broke through another wall of crates, making them collapse as their base was reduced to pieces. Jackie clicked her tongue, retracting the claw back to where it was.

“Of course, Ah wouldn’t join ya! Ya cheat, lie and use everypony around ya! You’re insane!” Applejack loudly retorted. No matter what her counterpart said, there was no way she would understand any of the things she was talking about! Never! She was aware she had problems with pride before, but it never was anything close to that extent!

“Don’t you lecture me, filthy hypocritical peasant! You sure didn’t give a shit when you had to lie to your supposed family when you had something to gain! See? We’re not so different, you and I! Oh, but I guess I’m the evil one!” Jackie responded, fuming even more as seconds passed. She was getting tired of chasing the cowgirl around!

The other mare looked down, downcast. She was right about one thing: she lied. She lied to ponies she cared about. Again.

“Ah know… Ah know. Ah’m stubborn as a mule. No matter how many times it happens, Ah just don’t keep that lesson in mind, and everypony gets hurt. If Ah actually frankly spoke to them… Maybe this would have been over already,” Applejack held back her tears.

“No!” Jackie slammed a hoof on her forehead, frustrated beyond belief. “That’s not the lesson you should have learned, you imbecile! It’s the guilt you should throw away! You can’t begin to understand the power there is in a silver tongue! If you had cheated and lied your way through life, stepping on others, then you wouldn’t have ended up here in the first place! You would have had a business empire! And the fact that one of my counterparts is so inferior to me disgusts me!” Jackie spat. This time, Applejack didn’t respond. She could hardly strategize while her feelings overwhelmed her. Jackie, on the other hand, smirked. “And if I carefully followed your steps and your foolish yelling, then you should be… HERE!” She shot her claw out again in Applejack’s direction; however, this time, the prongs were open.

“GAH!” Applejack shouted as the claw suddenly blew through the crates behind her and slammed into her back. She wasn’t able to escape in any way when the prongs promptly closed around her, keeping her trapped. Nevertheless, she attempted to push against them, slamming her four hooves into the claws on both of her sides while she was pulled back toward her counterpart. The claw was slightly open, so maybe if she pushed harder…

“Gotcha!” Jackie celebrated cheerfully, a crazed smile spread across her lips. “Now time to get crushed!” She announced happily, clicking on several buttons. As soon as she was done, the claw attempted to close again, this time with much more force. Applejack grunted, barely pushing it back. It wasn’t open enough for her to slip out of! Moreover, if she let go of it even for a second, it would clasp around and crush her! “Y… You’re holding off pretty well… Surprisingly… But no matter! It’ll be over soon!” Jackie remarked nervously, surprised by Applejack’s strength.

“In yer dreams!” The farm pony retorted through her clenched teeth.

“It’s so funny… To think I’d meet two otherworlders and that I’d get to kill them both! Isn’t that proof enough that the universe itself wants me to succeed?” Jackie snickered pridefully.

“Gugh… What? You said… You helped them go back…” Applejack said between grunts.

“I lied, of course! Still, who would have thought that both of you would be friends with the princess of friendship? And heroes of Equestria to boot, too? Is the universe trying to send me a message?” Jackie mused in amusement.

“Huh? Who… guh… Who are you talking about?!” Applejack couldn’t help perking up at Jackie’s words. Not a lot of ponies fit the criteria she just mentioned, so…

“Oh? It was one of the pegasi. Don’t remember the name. Flutter-something, who cares. She was sweet and oh so trusting. Especially since I was her friend back in her universe. Apparently, she ended up here ‘cause of a unicorn. Didn’t care then, don’t care now. She was useful for a time, but she got smart at some point, so I had to silence her… Permanently,” Jackie honestly answered. Applejack gasped, her eyes watery. No… Not Fluttershy, too… At this point, she didn’t care about that multiversal bullshit. Fluttershy was her friend, no matter the universe! And that… That scumbag dared to hurt her! “Do you finally get it? Other ponies only exist to entertain me or be useful. Once they can’t do that, they die… or become slaves. Too bad you pissed away your gift before realizing that, thanks to your pathe… What?” Jackie widened her eyes as Applejack actually began opening up the claw, slowly pushing the prongs further away from her.

“Jackie! Ya better kill me now, ‘cause otherwise… Ah’ll make ya pay!” Applejack declared, glaring into her counterpart’s eyes.

“No… No! Full power!” Jackie, panicking, pushed a lever, increasing the force of the claw, which began closing in on Applejack again. However, before Jackie could breathe in relief, a dent appeared in the outer layer of the claw. And another! With every kick, Applejack made another dent. Alarms suddenly blared inside the machine’s cockpit, notifying her that the claw was unable to close.

“Ah won’t let ya hurt anypony else! GRAAAH!” Applejack roared as she delivered another kick. This time, it broke straight through one of the prongs, then she punched and followed with another kick, shattering the rest of them and ripping them off the machine’s arm. The pieces of machinery crumbled to the floor, sparking with the damage Applejack caused as the farm pony landed in the middle of them less than a second later.

“No way… S-She broke the titanium claw!” Jackie exclaimed in horror. “She’s strong! But… But I’m not strong… Stronger? She’s stronger? She’s stronger than me? Better than me?” She muttered to herself, her eyes darting in every direction and her breathing accelerating. “No, no, NO! You’re not allowed to be better than ME! Your… YOUR WHOLE EXISTENCE IS AN AFFRONT TO ME! JUST DIE, ALREADY!” Jackie growled with fury. Her drill roared to life again as she blasted it in Applejack’s direction, ready to turn her into a gory mess!

With her cowboy hat thrown to the side, Applejack lifted her head with a determined gaze and a rope between her teeth, a rope she had hidden on the very top of her head. With a single leap, she was above Jackie’s drill. As for her rope? Its noose was wrapped around the machine’s arm, right under the drill’s base. The farm pony landed on top of the machine, then jumped behind it, pulling the drill with her with all her strength. Jackie widened her eyes in realization too late as the drill slammed into the machine’s body and drilled through it!

“The power core!” Jackie cried in panic as the energy levels were quickly depleting. She began hurriedly pushing every button and pulling every lever, trying to find any way to fix this, only for sparks to flow out from every direction. She shielded her eyes, hoping it would be enough, but when the fire started… She knew there was nothing else she could do. Quickly, she jumped out of the window. A second later, the cockpit exploded, flames bursting out from every side of the machine’s body as it collapsed into a heap of debris. Jackie coughed out the smoke she inhaled before checking on what was left of her masterpiece. Her eyes twitched in anger, which she instantly directed to the other orange mare, who was slowly walking closer to her. “You… You filth! Do you know how expensive that was?! Look at what you did!”

Applejack didn’t say a word. She didn’t feel like talking. She didn’t even know what to say. Yet, despite the current situation, Jackie still rambled, shouting about all the bits she invested in this glorified excavator.

“You wouldn’t even afford one in your entire lifetime, you pathetic-” Jackie was cut off when Applejack’s hoof met her face.

“SHADDUP ALREADY!”

“Abwa!” Jackie yelped as she skidded across the floor, blood spurting out of her nose and mouth. She eventually crashed into a crate, preventing her from flying any further. Applejack walked past the fallen tooth covered in blood and lying on the floor, going to where Jackie had landed. “Ugh…” The businessmare groaned, slowly reaching for her face. “HA! It hurts! It hurts!” She cried, holding her face while kicking the air and writhing all over the floor. “I’m bleeding!”

Applejack silently grabbed her by the collar of her suit and punched her again. Jackie yelped in pain and then was punched again. With both hits, more of her blood was punched out of her mouth and cheek. Nevertheless, the farm pony was willing to continue if it weren’t for Jackie’s… pleading.

“Stop! Stop! Please! Don’t… Don’t hit me anymore… Please…” Jackie begged with a swollen face, tears streaming down her face. It made Applejack pause. “Ah’m sorry, please, stop… Don’t hurt me… *hic* It… hurts… Please, Ah’m sorry. Ah’ll give ya anything!” She cried while protecting her face with her hooves.

The bearer of honesty panted, slowly catching her breath as she took in her counterpart’s words. She remained silent while the businessmare continued to cry in her grasp. Applejack’s silence only made Jackie beg harder. The once confident mare was nothing but a bumbling mess of tears and blood. The farm pony slowly looked down at her hooves, which were covered with the same warm liquid pouring out of Jackie’s face. She was faintly reminded of her friends. They… Likely wouldn’t approve of that.

“Yer pathetic,” Applejack dropped her counterpart to the floor.

“Ah’m sorry… Ah’m sorry… Don’t-Don’t hit me anymore… Please…” Jackie wept while holding her head.

“Give me the stone, then ya’ll turn yerself in,” Applejack ordered.

Jackie had no decency or redeeming qualities, so Applejack had no reason to feel bad for her or mind her words. She wouldn’t hurt her anymore because her friends wouldn’t like it, but that didn’t mean she had to be gentle with her! That scumbag had probably never been gentle with anyone in her life.

Something suddenly closed around Applejack’s throat, making her gasp for breath as she was pulled back to the ground. Her hooves swiftly shot to her throat to realize a rope was around it! Before she could do anything about it, another rope wrapped around her limbs, keeping them spread and restricting her.

“No worries, Boss! I called for backup!” One of the earlier injured bodyguards declared with pride as he ran up to the businessmare. Indeed, Applejack was surrounded by dozens of stallions, most of which were pegasi. Several of them were holding her down with ropes!

“Hold her down! She’s strong!” One of the pegasi shouted, gritting his teeth and pulling on the rope harder.

Jackie’s cries slowed down, turning into sniffles until…

“Ha… Ha ha… HAHAHA!” She laughed out loud, cheerier than she had ever been as she wiped off her tears and snot. “I win! I knew it! The world does everything according to my will! I knew the universe would make me win as it always has! You pathetic worm… have lost!” She declared pridefully.

Applejack could only grunt, slowly feeling her consciousness slipping away as the rope tightened around her throat. Was she… going to go out this way?

VS 100 000

Universe 10328

“Oh! It’s coming!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, witnessing the sand beneath their hooves slowly shifting.

“Indeed, it looks like it’ll come out of the sand in a few seconds,” Twilight confirmed while looking at one of her claws, which displayed a holo-screen depicting the drone’s position. “It took it two whole minutes to retrieve that stone, so it must have been buried deep. Either that or it’s big and hard to carry,”

“Oh, no worries! It’s not big at all! If it’s anything like the one I’ve seen, anyway!” Pinkie 1 reassured them just as the drone finally burst out of the sand.

It looked slightly bigger than a pony’s head, and its top was shaped like a drill. The lower end had spider legs-like claws, which held a white, and shiny stone. Pinkie 1 immediately widened her eyes in joy, excited at the sight of the familiar artifact. Yes! It was exactly what she was looking for!

“This is it! This is it!” She bounced up and down excitedly, which was quite impressive considering they were standing on dunes.

“So, this contains… Magic?” Twilight arched an eyebrow as one of her tentacles grabbed the stone from the drone before Pinkie 1 had the chance to take it. “Magic, or most likely, science you can’t explain yet,” She clarified before examining the stone closer. She adjusted her glasses while her eyes changed color, taking a green hue. The original Pinkie couldn’t tell what she was doing, but she seemed focused on it. The others were pretty relaxed too. Should she try to take it by surprise and run? Or should she trust them, and wait for Twilight to return it?

“It is even shinier than expected! Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have a jewel like this!” Rarity commented, making Applejack raise her eyebrows.

The orange pony quickly looked to her right, where Fluttershy’s drone stood and leaned toward her.

“You absolutely gotta remind me to buy her a diamond later,” She whispered to her hurriedly. “As… As a platonic gift of course,” She quickly added with a flushed expression.

“Oh, for… Everyone knows you’re dating! You literally announced it years ago,” Fluttershy grumbled in annoyance.

Before Applejack could say anything in her defense, Twiligh’s voice suddenly cut in.

“Incredible… I have never seen anything like it,” She whispered in awe, her eyes burning with passion. “The energy it emits is off the charts. Even my scanners aren’t strong enough to detect its limits, I’d need to use the ones in my lab to check its full potential,” She revealed, turning the stone around to see all its sides.

“Your scanners aren’t strong enough?! But that means that little thing alone has more power than a power plant!” Rainbow Dash shouted in shock. Pinkie 1 still didn’t know what a power plant was, but it was probably a lot of energy if it got that kind of reaction from the pegasus!

“Uhm, well, before you do that! Don’t you guys forget that I have to go home! Just let me borrow the stone for a second, and I’ll be out of your mane in a doozy! I’m sure my friends are already holding theirs and waiting for me! Bet they’re getting bored of waiting!” The original Pinkie interjected before they could do anything with the stone or leave. They could study it all they wanted for all she cared, as long as she got to go home first.

Twilight’s eyes turned to her. Just as the lavender pony was about to answer, she paused the second she opened her mouth. The mare suddenly narrowed her eyes in suspicion, as did everyone else except for the original party pony.

“What’s with all the buzzing?” Rainbow Dash uttered in confusion. Everyone was frozen in silence, their eyes darting in every direction.

A deep, throbbing drone pierced the silence, increasing in intensity until it filled the air like a foreboding wave. It wasn't long until the noise intensified into a distinct, rhythmic buzz, similar to the approach of hundreds of flying insects. The tremor seemed to travel across the dunes, causing the sand to move.

“Wow! Look at those black clouds! A huge storm must be coming!” Pinkie 2 suddenly exclaimed as she turned to look at the horizon.

Indeed, the sky was blackened with a buzzing darkness, which was quickly approaching them. However…

“Those aren’t clouds,” Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth, lowering her stance as if she were about to rush at the approaching threat.

“Girls… Prepare for battle,” Twilight ordered, swiftly gaining a more serious tone compared to earlier.

“Those are…” Pinkie 1 uttered, recognizing the creatures from a distance. Despite their differences with the ones from her universe, she could still tell those were…

“Changelings,” Fluttershy grumbled in annoyance.

“A lot of them. My scanners picked up thousands of them, and that’s only a small part. Why would they launch a full assault now?” Twilight wondered out loud, a small smirk gracing her lips while the vast army was quickly approaching them. “Good! This may be more entertaining than Rarity and Applejack’s little one-on-one sessions, at least,” She declared before adjusting her glasses.

“Wait what?! Are you spying on us?” Rarity exclaimed in shock.

“Uhm, girls? They’re getting closer,” Pinkie 1 warned them nervously, gesturing at the approaching army.

“Not you specifically! I’m spying on everyone! Makes for good study for my research on psychology and behavior,” Twilight answered casually.

“We should really get ready!” Pinkie 1 added, sweating profusely now.

“Yeah, I’m not even surprised. Why do you think I always check for cameras before I take a shower?” Fluttershy scoffed.

“But… We’re always naked anyway,” Applejack arched an eyebrow in confusion.

“GIRLS!” Pinkie 1 shouted, only to be ignored again… Until Rainbow Dash suddenly shot forward, soaring through the air with incredible speed. “What the…” She uttered in surprise, not expecting the abrupt attack.

A flurry of bullets tore through the sky from behind her, following Rainbow Dash’s target as they struck the flying changelings, making them fall like flies. Pinkie Pie turned around to see that the girls had stopped bickering and launched a counter-assault. Twilight was firing hundreds of bullets rapidly from her mechanical tentacles, helped by the party pony’s counterpart whose armor seemed to hold the same firearms. Fluttershy, on the other hand, had flown up to join Rainbow Dash in the sky.

The cyan pegasus used her wing blades to fly through the swarm of enemies and slice them apart while Fluttershy fired missiles from her back. She didn’t even need to be accurate because of how piled up their enemies were. A single explosion took out more than a dozen of them.

You’d think the changelings would stop their charge and attempt to take out the two pegasi first; however, many of them ignore the two ponies to soar toward the ones on the ground instead.

“They’re coming!” Pinkie 2 announced as she left Twilight’s side to charge forward. A tentacle with a canon at its tip came out of her side, before firing a large laser beam that cut through multiple changelings at once. Unfortunately, many of them were able to dodge it as they slammed their bodies into the party pony.

“Stone!”

“Get stone!”

“Stone for mother!”

The changelings chanted while trying to tear Pinkie 2 apart, only for the mare to be surrounded by light, which turned into a powerful blast that vaporized every one of them holding onto her.

Nevertheless, their shouts didn’t go unnoticed by the leader of Equestria’s protectors.

“The stone? They’re after it too? How did they even learn about it?” Twilight questioned in surprise as her tentacles ran through every single changeling attempting to reach her without her even needing to glance at them.

The fact they knew what the stone was, was worrying. However, the lavender mare wasn’t worried. They would never be able to harness its power with their bug brains. Nevertheless, she couldn’t allow them to take it. The claw that held the stone buried itself in the sand, hiding away from their gazes as the changelings began raining on them. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy weren’t enough to prevent them from getting to the ground.

“Oh, well, that makes it even more fun for us,” Twilight commented as she was suddenly surrounded by dozens of changelings, all snarling at her.

All of them pounced on her at once, baring their claws and fangs to tear her apart. However, before they could even get close, her tentacles spun wildly around her like the blades of a blender as she tore her enemies to pieces. Those who came too close were either sliced apart with the blades coming out of her mechanical arms, or crushed to death. As for the rest, she let her bullets and beams of light do the job. Even though they were astronomically outnumbered, changelings mainly fought up close, which made them much easier to kill as the ponies didn’t need to worry about projectiles.

“HAHAHA! How do you like that, filthy bugs?!” Twilight laughed hysterically as she slaughtered them one after another.

“Glad one of us is enjoying themselves…” Applejack grumbled in annoyance as she punched forward, emitting a strong shockwave from her hoof. The air pressure alone crushed the changelings in front of her as they were flung back, crashing into their brethren before they could even reach the orange mare.

“I’ve got the perfect weapon for you, uncivilized fellows!” Rarity shouted, back to back with Applejack, shooting a torrent of flames from her hooves every time she waved them. The changelings that weren’t burned to a crisp had their wings set ablaze, causing them to drop like flies. They would have been fine, in the soft dunes, if it weren’t for Applejack’s powerful blows destroying everything in their path.

All of them were in the same situation, whether it was on the ground or in the sky, they were attacked from all sides by the changeling army. Just like a swarm, they had surrounded them with no plan of giving them any break. Despite that, the ponies fought without worry, as if their lives weren’t in danger. None of their expressions bore a sense of fear. They had a crazed smile, or an excited grin, or even a stoic face, but no fear at all.

Even in the heat of battle, Rarity and Applejack used their respective blasts all around them, yet not once did they accidentally hurt one another amid battle. Rarity slammed her hooves in the dune, expelling a wall of fire in front of her, which consumed the first layer of approaching changelings. Instead of following up with another attack, she leaned down, allowing Applejack to roll across her back and stand in front of her before blasting the second layer of changelings off with a shockwave. On the other side, Rarity burned the enemies Applejack had left until they were scorching.

“Actually, Rarity, they are cold-blooded! So your usual element should be perfect against them!” Twilight pointed out as one of her blades cut off a nearby changeling’s head.

“Oh, is that so?” Rarity perked up with a small grin. She clapped her hooves together, a wave of cold bursting out of her armor and enveloping everyone around her. Even if Applejack wasn’t already cold-resistant thanks to the armor she was wearing, it would have only been chilly air for her. However, for the changelings? The closest ones to them were slowed down to a crawl, shivering with that single attack. “Now, you’re done for!” Rarity exclaimed before punching the one closest to her, sending a wave of ice at the same time and freezing him completely, only for her blow to tear off his head.

Of course, there was one pony who didn’t partake in their idea of entertainment. Sure, Pinkie had thrown punches and kicks here and there, but since she didn’t want to go on a killing spree, none of her hits were lethal. Thus, the changelings always came back for more, which led to the situation she was currently in.

The original party pony was curled up on herself, protecting her head with her forelegs as she was swarmed with changelings, all trying to claw their way into her armor and into her flesh.

“S-Stop! Just… Just hear me out!” She shouted her pleas, which were promptly ignored, or perhaps drowned in the sea of snarls surrounding her. This was much scarier than the diamond dogs, who at least talked, swore, and insulted them… Or even mocked her when they saw her as the weak link. The changelings, though, attacked her like mindless beasts, driven by hunger. Yes, she could see it. The way they clawed at her, the way they bit on her armor, they wanted to eat her! “Stop! I-I know you aren’t bad guys deep down! I bet Ocellus is there, right? Or… Or maybe Thorax!” Pinkie released a nervous laugh, eyes brimming with tears. They were there! They had to be! And if they were there, then… Fighting back would mean she’d kill them… They’d die without… Without ever being given a chance to be better…

Pinkie’s pleading slowly ceased as she closed her eyes, unable to make a decision. If she didn’t want to fight, then what other option was there? What other option than… Give up? What about her friends? If she died here… She would condemn them, wherever they were. They could be in as much danger as she was. They could… They could die because of her…

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she finally conceded.

“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry,” She apologized before thrusting one of her forelegs forward so hard it ran through one of the changelings’ chests. She yelped, throwing the corpse off her foreleg before shooting a wave of bullets all around her, followed by a beam of light slicing through the ones who weren’t hit by the firearms on her sides. “I’m sorry!” She repeated before blasting away several changelings with an explosion coming from her hooves.

She did her best to ignore the green blood, gore, and ripped-apart corpses surrounding her. But everywhere she looked, she was met with the sight of war and death. The party pony looked down at her hooves to see them covered in green blood. Her breath was caught in her throat while she resisted the urge to vomit. Her whole body felt foreign to her, shivers running through her being. This… What was she doing here?

“Deja vu much?” Fluttershy suddenly charged out of nowhere, slicing apart the changelings that were about to pounce on Pinkie Pie again. “That’s the second time I’m saving your ass! What are you doing? Are you just gonna stand there and die?!” The pegasus snarled at the shaking mare.

“They… They tried to eat me…” Pinkie mumbled while Fluttershy continued to slaughter the enemies around them, having no other choice since they didn’t stop coming.

“Of course, they did! They eat meat! We told you that! They won’t even leave your bones if they get you!” The pegasus admonished her until she suddenly paused once she laid her eyes on Pinkie’s armor. There were… Visible cracks and scratches. “Hey… Where did those cracks come from? This is supposed to be the toughest metal in Equestria! Don’t tell me…” She whispered, only for the pony drone to receive an alert for an oncoming attack. She quickly turned around, barely avoiding a long tail with a spike at the end of it. Unfortunately, it did manage to pierce her shoulder, pulling circuits out of Fluttershy’s drone. “Damn it… This is a breeder!” She exclaimed.

The changeling in front of her had a slightly bigger abdomen than the normal ones. However, its most striking attribute was the long and sharp piercing tail it had. Unfortunately, it wasn’t alone. Several other breeders joined it, landing right by the first one’s side.

“Are you gonna fight or not?” Fluttershy glanced at Pinkie 1 from over her shoulder. The party pony sniffled, but ultimately quietly got back to her hooves. “Good. I’m not worried since I’m just controlling a drone, but if I were you… I would avoid those tails. Seriously, you don’t wanna know what happens if they stab you with them,” She warned her before looking back at the breeder changelings again. “The fact that they can go through armor is worrisome…”

Twilight stabbed a changeling through the gut before firing two lasers from her eyes, and lobotomizing two other bugs from a distance. She dodged one of their blows by leaning back, then opened her mouth to reveal the barrel of a gun, shooting a bullet so powerful it tore right through the changeling’s skull.

“Twilight. We may have a problem,” Fluttershy’s voice suddenly made itself known in her ears. “I don’t know how, but those guys somehow developed strong enough claws to go through our armor,” She notified, much to the scientist’s shock.

“That’s impossible! They were made to handle bullets!” Twilight retorted before turning her head to look at one of her mechanical tentacles, which had impaled a live changeling. The creature clawed at her claw to pull itself out, though it didn’t need to as the lavender mare pulled it out herself, tearing its insides out at the same time. She looked down at her tentacle and noticed clear claw marks. “That’s… troublesome…” She mumbled before immediately activating her communicator. “Girls! Looks like we’ll have to be more careful, otherwise, these bugs will actually tear through our armor and get to us!” She warned them.

Whatever answers they were going to give were immediately cut off by the sound of a loud rumble. The swarm of changelings buzzed with delight as if they were cheering, making the ponies pause. Their worries only grew as their gazes fell upon the reason for the changelings’ celebration. It was a giant monster whose shadow would have likely covered the whole battlefield if the swarm hadn’t already hidden the sun. It was the queen, with a body even more grotesque than they imagined.

“Oh, they brought the big guns… The queen is here…” Twilight murmured, a little more worried than earlier this time. “Perhaps a retreat should be in order…” She added, only to be swarmed by changelings again. “If I could even see anything!”

Rainbow Dash flew through dozens or maybe hundreds of changelings, either by slicing them with her bladed wings or by blasting them away with her other weapons. Seeing Chrysalis’ giant body, she descended toward her, firing multiple missiles into the queen’s head. It didn’t even dodge them as they hit their mark, making her scream in pain as she jerked her head back. Nevertheless, it didn’t seem it did much damage, only leaving light scorch marks behind. With acid dripping out of her mouth, Chrysalis outstretched multiple tendrils in the pegasus’ direction, which she dodged one by one, some even by a hair as they skewered the changelings behind.

“She’s got a tough shell!” Rainbow Dash notified everyone, ready to soar in Chrysalis’ direction. Just as she was about to propel herself forward with her wings, a hulking changeling slammed into her, driving the wind out of her lungs. A blade, burning with volcanic heat, slid out of her hoof before she stabbed the changeling with it. It screamed in pain but didn’t let go of her. The pegasus widened her eyes as another changeling wrapped its legs around her, snarling at her face. “Get… Off me!” She screamed as more and more of them grabbed onto her, all weighing her down. The mare began glowing as one of them raised its claw, aiming it at her face. Just as it thrust it forward, Rainbow Dash expelled a powerful blast out of her body, nearly vaporizing them all.

“Dashie! Are you alright?!” Twilight inquired worriedly the moment she had witnessed the explosion.

“Fuck! Fuck! I let my guard down and look what happens?!” Rainbow Dash yelled while holding a hoof over one of her bleeding eyes. “They took out my real eye, for God’s sake!” She clenched her teeth.

“What?! I let you keep one because I didn’t want to lose that vibrant color of your iris! They’ll pay for this!” Twilight screamed while her tentacles did all the work in suppressing the enemies surrounding her. The lavender pony glanced at the rest of the team to see how they were doing.

Applejack and Rarity were still fighting, stepping on countless corpses and ice statues while they slaughtered multiple enemies at once with single attacks However, that didn’t mean they were doing very well either. Both of them were panting, getting increasingly tired against the constant stream of changelings.

“We gotta do somethin’! At this rate, Ah reckon we’ll be toast!” Applejack warned the other ponies as another shockwave made the air ripple and blasted changelings away. “There’s no end to them!”

“We’re literally walking on bodies!” Rarity added, freezing at least ten other bugs in the air. They crashed into their dead comrades, shattering to pieces as they did. She paused, taking a breath while her sore forelegs throbbed painfully. A changeling with a long tail suddenly snarled, noticing her moment of weakness.

“Look out!” Applejack notified her, punching the changeling in the face, and sending him flying before he could hurt the white earth pony.

On another part of the battlefield, Fluttershy growled.

“Hey! Pinkie’s counterpart! What. The. Fuck… Are you doing?! Help already!” She screamed as her limbs were held by several hulking changelings, slowly pulling her apart.

Pinkie 1, on the other hand, blasted away every enemy in her way while she swiftly began running away from the pegasus, leaving her to face that predicament alone.

“I’m sorry! I really am! I can’t!” Pinkie shouted as she killed someone else, her eyes wide in horror at the sight of her own massacre. She couldn’t even look back as she left Fluttershy’s drone behind.

“You little bit-” Fluttershy couldn’t finish her sentence as the tail of a breeder impaled her stomach, shredding her circuits apart while the bigger changelings tore her limb from limb, starting with her head. The pony drone was broken to pieces, its internal workings spilling over the sand as the changelings tried to devour what they assumed were its organs.

Very far from the battlefield, in Ponyville… Fluttershy stared forward in shock, her mouth agape as her screen displayed a large “GAME OVER!” She had thrown the helmet connecting her to the drone the moment it was destroyed, disbelieving this even happened.

“Did she seriously abandon me?! What the fuck?! I know I didn’t technically risk my life for her, but it’s the thought that counts!” She slammed her hoof on her desk, spilling the bowl of chips she brought. “Well, screw them! They’re all gonna die without me!” She crossed her forelegs, scowling at her hooves.

“Would you like a ‘Get Well Soon’ cake?” A small robot asked while holding a silver platter.

“Shut up, Angel,” Fluttershy muttered.

“Alright, time to get the big guns,” Twilight crawled as fast as she could toward the plane they landed in. While she used two of her claws to crawl to it, the rest disposed of every changeling getting too close to her.

As if sensing the pony was preparing something nefarious, or perhaps because her swarm told her the stone was in the mare’s grasp, Chrysalis began pulling herself toward Twilight, spilling acidic spit everywhere she passed. The others, too occupied with many other changelings, couldn’t move a hoof to stop her. That was until an explosion erupted on the queen’s head.

Chrysalis screamed, making her swarm weep with every hit she received as many more explosions occurred all over her body.

“Too. Much. Pain! Pain! Ponies. Pay! Will… Will. Pay!” Chrysalis roared, flailing wildly like a savage beast. A pink blur flew off her gigantic body to avoid being thrown off, flying into the sky with the thrusters on her hooves.

It was Pinkie 2! Smiling wide as she watched the changeling mother wail in pain. At the same time, Twilight managed to reach the plane and go in, quickly shoving most of her tentacles in holes around the control panel.

“That’s for Dashie’s eye!” Pinkie 2 shouted gleefully as her hoof turned into a large cannon, shooting a beam of light right into Chrysalis’ left eye, blowing it up with a fiery blast.

“GRAAAH! Cursed. Ponies!” Chrysalis clicked her tongue, shaking her head as her blood streamed down like a waterfall.

“Come on! Give me a smile!” The party pony laughed as she propelled herself forward with her thrusters. Two long blades came out of her forehooves, which were ready to be stabbed into the queen’s skull.

“Fuck her up, Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash shouted while decapitating one of the bigger changelings.

The party pony soared without pausing, fully intending to end this in one blow. Of course, those weren’t regular blades. The moment she would stab Chrysalis with them, they’d flow right out of her hooves and plunge into the queen’s brain before blowing themselves up.

So close. She was so close that she could almost smell the creature’s breath… Until she felt nothing at all. Chrysalis suddenly opened her mouth wide and bit into the pink mare with fangs powerful enough to dig their way through the armor and reach her body. The changeling queen shook her head in every direction until Pinkie Pie’s lower body was sawed and thrown off into the air. Several changelings rushed to pick apart the body, quickly digging into its flesh while Chrysalis threw her head back in a swallowing motion.

“Sweet. Pony. Flesh. Sweet. Sweet. S-Sweet!” She reveled in it, licking her lips with joy.

The ponies could only watch in terror as their friend’s corpse was mercilessly defiled.

“What? N-No way… This… You… YOU’RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!” Rainbow Dash screamed, her body glowing brighter and brighter. She spread her wings wide as hundreds of small luminescent orbs were conjured across them. Without any further warning, they were all shot out into concentrated beams all around her, easily piercing any obstacle they came across before ultimately exploding in a colorful and shining blast.

With every hit, she would make another orb to replace the one that was shot, taking down more and more enemies. Naturally, most of these beams’ target was Chrysalis herself until she was covered in it as if an entire battlefield was present on her body.

“Protect Mother!”
“Protect Mother!”
“Protect Mother!”

The whole swarm chanted as they made a wall to protect her, only to be quickly slaughtered with Rainbow’s attack. However, soon after their formation, the pegasus’ blasts stopped. The light around the cyan mare faded, leaving her looking exhausted. She desperately tried to catch her breath, but with no power in her wings left, she could do nothing but let herself plummet. Right before her body would take up speed due to her freefall, a massive metallic hand caught her in its palm.

“Ow,” Rainbow yelped as she landed in it, but allowed herself to smile nonetheless. “Thanks for the save, egghead…” She breathed out, looking up. “Avenge Pinkie, got it?”

The plane was nowhere in sight anymore. Of course, since it had transformed into a real weapon of mass destruction. A gigantic mech, one that didn’t quite rival Chrysalis’ side, but was still massive for creatures as small as ponies. Once a sleek, high-speed plane, the machine now bore the unmistakable silhouette of a humanoid titan. Its wings had shifted into broad, angular shoulders, the tips folding inward to form weaponized gauntlets bristling with missile launchers, energy cannons, and likely even more.

The cockpit, only visible through a small window of reinforced glass, housed Twilight. The mare’s tentacles were plugged into various spots of the cockpit’s insides, except for two of her claws, one of which still held the Hexstone.

“Oh, don’t worry, my little feather. Pinkie will be avenged, but don’t think I’ll let any of you die so easily. All I need is to grab her brain before it’s digested, and I will be able to preserve her conscience,” Twilight assured the pony in her hand before gently dropping her between Applejack and Rarity. “Protect her, you two,”

Pinkie Pie, the original and living one, gulped as Twilight’s mech suddenly bathed the swarm with a sea of flame from one of her arms. The torrent of fire lasted for about a minute before the lavender earth pony switched to firing multiple missiles bigger than a pony, bursting at their first impact.

Everything in their path was blown to bits, allowing Twilight to finally have Chrysalis in her sights. The mech trotted to the massive creature and delivered a powerful punch in her jaw, busting gigantic fangs out of her mouth.

“Protect Mother!” The changelings chanted again while crawling all over the immense robot, attempting to claw their way in even if they had to break their limbs to do it.

From inside the cockpit, one of Twiligh’s tentacles twisted on itself inside the hole it was plugged it. Immediately after, an arc of electricity pulsed throughout the entire structure, frying the changelings on it like mosquitoes.

“My. Swarm!” Chrysalis screamed, slamming her body into the plane-turned-robot, nearly making its legs buckle as it had to hold her weight. Her body began shifting, growing more ferocious as her claws sharpened and began digging into the mech, with numerous more tendrils coming out of her back.

Twilight grunted as two sleek canons sprung on the mech’s shoulders, a blue hue traveled through the barrel as if it was charging, energy slowly building up at their tip. Finally, just as one of Chrysalis’ claws managed to breach the mech’s defenses, the canons shot a precise blue ray of energy which sliced her tendrils along with one of her forelegs like butter.

“GRAAAAH!” Chrysalis wailed, crawling back with agonizing cries. “Give. Magic. Stone! GiVe! GIve! GIVE!” She ordered desperately.

Twilight glared as a giant blade sprouted out of her mech’s right fist. With a battle cry, she began punching Chrysalis with her left fist.

“Magic. Doesn’t. Exist!” She shouted with every punch before stabbing the mother of all changelings in the neck. Without giving her any respite, she plunged it deeper and deeper, only to slide it up, successfully decapitating Chrysalis.

The queen’s head dropped to the ground, her body following soon after in a pool of green blood. The remnants of the swarm screamed in unison as if they had been cut down as well.

“Mother perished!”

“Mother!”

“Retreat! Retreat!”

The changelings chanted, quickly fleeing from the battlefield as quickly as their wings could carry them. It was no surprise. After all, if the queen were to perish, their duty was to use all of the resources they could to ensure the next one would be born. It was an extremely arduous process since a queen was only supposed to be born once every millennium. Their priority shifted to preserving as many changelings as possible now, something they couldn’t do if they faced off these ponies.

Twilight didn’t even attempt to stop them as they fled, knowing it would only cause even more trouble.

“Good riddance,” She spat, looking down at Chrysalis’ corpse. Once she was sure, the changelings were gone, she slowly changed the robot back into a plane.

“Huff… Huff… That was a close one…” Applejack muttered as she collapsed on the pile of bodies they were standing on.

“Close one? Pinkie is dead!” Rainbow Dash punched the sand, trying to stand up again, only to collapse on herself. “And I lost an eye to boot too!” She mumbled with her eye socket still bleeding.

“And Fluttershy’s drone was destroyed… If only somebody was here to help…” Rarity grumbled, visibly fuming as she glanced at the original Pinkie Pie. The pink mare was still shaking, staring off into the distance. “Seriously, to flee like a coward in such a-” She began admonishing her, only for Twilight to cut in suddenly.

“Spike, send a drone as fast as possible and find Pinkie’s upper body!” Twilight ordered while crawling toward them.

“Master, if I may point out… Pinkie Pie has already been in the queen’s stomach for a few minutes. By my estimations, it isn’t very likely that her brain was preserved enough for…” The little robotic assistant’s voice spoke from one of Twilight’s tentacles, making the mare groan in annoyance.

“Just do it! Don’t you know what an order is?! I probably could restore her even with a single piece of brain left!” She snapped back at her tentacle as she adjusted her glasses with another one. “I can’t believe this! How could we fall so low?!”

“We’ve never had to fight an entire army by ourselves before, dear,” Rarity uttered while turning on the armor’s massage feature.

“These guys didn’t even fear death,” Applejack added. “I don’t even know how we managed to survive,”

“Speak of yourself! Pinkie’s dead ‘cause you two were busy fighting small fries! It’s the queen we should have attacked!” Rainbow Dash admonished the two mares.

“You mean the queen who had literally thousands of soldiers backin’ her up?! Are ya insane?! Some of us had to do crowd control!” Applejack retorted, springing to her hooves while the pegasus glared at her with shaking legs.

Pinkie noted they must have been exhausted. All of them. She was too, but considering she tried to avoid fighting as much as possible… She also had a better physique than them because of her earth pony magic.

“Will you stop your senseless bickering? Pinkie will be fine! There’ll be more battles and more wars, even greater than what we just fought. Those were mere bugs! Next time, it could be Griffons, and they will be armed with the most advanced weaponry available!” Twilight interjected with a glare as the claw that was holding the Hexstone tightened its hold over it. “You said these animals didn’t fear death, right?” She asked Applejack. “Then stop fearing it as well. As long as I am alive, consider yourselves immortal. Even if you’re blown to pieces, I’ll put you back together. As many times as it takes. Forever and ever. End of discussion. Pinkie. Will. Be. Fine. Got that?” The lavender mare clenched her teeth. “Now… For the OTHER Pinkie. The one who got luckier than ours,” She spun her head to look at the party pony whose face didn’t reflect any joy or fun. So, so unusual to see someone who wore Pinkie Pie’s face look so miserable, Twilight mused. Ultimately, these two weren’t the same, were they? The Pinkie they knew would have been quite entertained by this massacre.

“I’m sorry for your loss. Anyway, give me the stone now, so I can go home,” Pinkie spoke quickly before attempting to swipe the stone out of the mechanical arm’s hold, only for Twilight to pull it back at the last second.

“Now wait just a second! You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you?” The other mare hummed, her brows furrowed.

“W-We had a deal!” Pinkie protested with clenched teeth. Of course! She knew it! She knew they were bad news! They slaughtered without a care in the world. They held no remorse for the lives they took, so of course they lied to her to boot too! Still, she hoped she would be wrong, at least…

“The deal’s off,” Twilight shook her head. “I’m not about to let go of such a wonderful specimen when I can study and learn so much more from you. Don’t you understand? You are a wonder of this world. Your body must hold so much knowledge, and so many secrets waiting to be discovered. My scientific mind simply cannot pass up such an opportunity. Of course, you have proven to be quite a coward back there. I can’t let that go,” She grinned, her claws digging into the sand and lifting her up. “Most of all, if Pinkie’s brain is… Missing some parts, then I’m sure you’ll be kind enough to donate some of yours,” One of her claws adjusted her glasses.

“Please… Just… I’m tired. I just want to go home,” Pinkie’s legs buckled. She didn’t want to fight anymore. She couldn’t. There was so much death already. So much death… Because of her. Because she got them on this quest to help her. Oh, Celestia, she killed other creatures! She was a murderer! The changelings’ blood was still on her hooves! How could she even face the others back home after that?! How would they… How would they look at her when she would tell them what she had done?! “Please…” She choked on her spit as small tears ran down her cheeks.

Twilight and the others looked at her in silence, their expressions unreadable. They showed little emotion. Ultimately, the lavender earth pony sighed.

“Girls, don’t hurt her too much. I need her body to be intact. It is a priceless piece of research,” She finally spoke in a neutral tone.

Author's Note

Yo! New chapter! Finished it later than anticipated, but it was because I wasn't satisfied with the battle. Honestly, I'm still not. It's not exactly how I envisioned it (The climax of each universe is something I had in mind since I started this story), and I've always had more affinity with magic than technology. Nevertheless, I hope it wasn't too disappointing.

Now next chapter will be focused on Twilight's universe... And I will be writing something else I don't have a huge affinity with :pinkiesad2: I'll try to write a song (again). I don't know why I'm subjecting myself to this lol

Together

Universe 47931

Every time her body changed, it made her nerves go haywire. It was strange since her nerves shouldn’t have even been working. Maybe the pain was more profound, only psychological, or perhaps it wasn’t even real. She couldn’t differentiate real from fake often, to be fair. She had been alone for so long… At some point, she just started talking to herself out loud just to have a semblance of interaction with someone, anyone. She couldn’t deny that it sometimes brought unpleasant results on herself.

Even though her mind was… impacted, to say the least, she didn’t let that stop her. She still remembered her mission. She needed to save her universe. Even if everyone hated her, even if she was to be haunted by the ghosts of the ones she sacrificed for that, she would save it.

Despite being the last survivor, she wasn’t spared from the horrors of this world. She was disfigured, an ugly and terrifying walking corpse. What would her friends think if they saw her like this? They would be disgusted, wouldn’t they? Her parents would despise her. The princess would certainly be disappointed in her. But they would understand, eventually. They would forgive her after she would save them. They had to! She needed them to… Because once she would save her universe… She wouldn’t be able to sleep ever again until they would forgive her.

Because of her new nature, her body was unstable, its shape always shifting unless she willed it to stop and control herself. Seeing her counterpart step back in horror as if she had never seen a monster before was amusing. She was a monster. Yes. She had no issues admitting that. She didn’t hold the destroyed universes on her conscience since it was simply a consequence of the Hexstone (even if she caused it), but even then, she had left behind piles of corpses in her quest to save her universe.

Alter Twilight released a guttural roar as she attempted to swipe at her little counterpart, who flew away as fast as she could. She could feel her bones shaking from here!

She didn’t blame her counterpart. Alter Twilight went through a drastic change, after all. She was a massive mass of rotten flesh, her limbs were fat and grotesque imitations of human hands. Her big wings, missing most of their feathers, and her long unicorn horn were the only features that would make one think she had been a pony once. Her head looked more like one of a beast, with ferocious fangs.

It would make anyone tremble with terror, but this was just another day for her. You would think that after eons, her memory would start getting hazy, but that wasn’t the case for her. No… She remembered every single day.

She couldn’t pinpoint which one was the worst. When she realized her universe was dying? When she realized her friends ceased existing? When she realized she changed?

It was terrifying. At first, she had been blinded by her hate for Starlight, and what she had done to her friends. For what she had done to prevent their meeting. Of course, she was happy to finally kill her. She… Still was. However, she couldn’t say it had been worth it. Sure, she was rid of a threat, but in turn, she lost everything. She had destroyed everything.

When the Hexstone had landed in Equus, even after all the stars in the sky vanished, she had believed it was a sign from a higher power; an artifact with a mission. Of course, she couldn’t tell what it was. At that point, she had already lost all hope. Most of everything on Equus was gone, and she was the only living being apart from the other Time Paradoxes. Right, she still didn’t know she was one of them at the time.

Once she unlocked a glimpse of its power, she began looking through the multitude of universes she believed impossible. Even after everything that happened, her scholarly mind was still as active as ever, pushing her to learn everything she could about it. She studied and learned the basics on her own, then witnessed more of its abilities from watching other universes. However, the moment she saw what she realized was her salvation: the Hexstone’s ability to harvest another universe’s lifeforce to shape another one as the user sees fit.

This was it! This would save her universe! Her family! Her friends! However, the stone required a sacrifice. An entire universe, and a soul to serve as the link between the two. Rationalizing that the only one she was killing directly was the poor soul she would bring here since… Well, she wouldn’t witness the universe’s destruction -it would be lost in the infinity that was the multiverse- was difficult at first.

However, she understood that sacrifices needed to be made. What she had seen during her many years of watching through the multiverse was nothing short of horrifying. Pain. There was only pain and sadness. An endless cycle of misery. She had witnessed countless destroyed universes; and had watched herself and her friends die an immeasurable number of times. Eventually, it was all she could see. Every “happy” universe she would come across likely had ephemeral peace, she reasoned. One of their enemies will either win at some point, or one of her friends will turn out evil. It was an inevitable outcome. Why? Why was there so much pain? Why was there so much despair? She couldn’t wrap her head around it. Until she remembered her universe.

She caused this. Her battle with Starlight had brought this upon them. Her unchecked emotions had unleashed this fate. Hatred and spite had become her undoing. Those feelings burned fiercely across every universe. And even if they didn’t, the ultimate destiny of all life would still prevail: Death.

She couldn’t ask for help, she couldn’t talk with the ponies from other universes because… Because they were afflicted with the same thing. That ugly, and detestable scourge called emotions. For one reason or another, they would betray her. They would ruin her chances of saving her universe. The universe she loved so deeply. She couldn’t take that risk.

Of course, she couldn’t. She came to understand that for every path she chose, somepony else walked the opposite one in another world. She realized there were countless other universes with Twilights facing the same grim reality: alone in a dying world. Some would make the agonizing choice to scatter their friends' counterparts across the multiverse in a desperate bid to save their own, either succeeding or failing, while others would resign themselves to perish alongside their crumbling universe.

So, she began her work. She started kidnapping Twilights from other universes, scattering their friends across the multiverse to make sure her counterparts wouldn’t escape. She didn’t hold their rage against them when they found out the truth and attacked her. Their anger was understandable. However, she was doing this for the ones she loved, and she couldn’t allow herself to hesitate or feel sympathy. The guilt would always remain, that should be enough for them.

That selfishness would save her friends. That was why she couldn’t allow her to escape with it!

“GIVE ME BACK THE HEXSTONE!” Alter Twilight roared with fury, crawling after the flying Twilight while swiping at her with her arms. Several purple magical beams were launched out of her humongous body, destroying everything in their path, including Time Paradoxes. However, Twilight avoided them all.

None of it mattered. If there were so many universes, so much pain, so much death, then what was the point? She already mourned her own universe, so why would she care about the other ones? They would end the same way. They didn’t matter. She didn’t matter. Her family, her friends…

She had wanted to die for so long. She hoped for the release of death as she worked tirelessly to find another solution, even if she didn’t even believe in herself anymore. If those universes didn’t matter, then didn’t that mean she could just… Use them?

Nevertheless, some made it quite easy to throw the guilt away. They weren’t all heroes, saviors of Equestria. There were monsters among them too. They were either corrupted by the Nightmare or driven mad with a lust for power. Some were simply born a changeling, aiding their mother, Chrysalis, to conquer Equestria and feed on its citizens’ love. Some had no sense of rhyme or reason. They even gladly gave their life to her just so she could destroy their universe. Unfortunately, it was all in vain as they weren’t compatible anyway. They made her sick… But was she any better? After everything she had done, wasn’t it hypocritical of her to attempt to take her moral high ground?

Ultimately, she closed her heart to that question. Morales didn’t matter anymore. Faltering wasn’t an option. She kept her one goal in mind, only thinking of herself and her friends.

Of course, consumed by her endless inner philosophical debates, she failed to notice that, despite the loss of time as a concept, she was still aging. Her body was dying, rotting while she stood. That was when what was only a theory was confirmed: she was a Time Paradox. When did it happen? When did she become one? Why? Why only her? Granted, she killed Starlight, but Spike traveled through time as much as she did, so why wasn’t he one too?! Why was she like this? Why was her body breaking? Why couldn’t she just die?!

The more these questions multiplied and swarmed her mind, the more plausible one of her theories got… What if… What if she wasn’t Twilight Sparkle at all? What if Twilight Sparkle had died along with Spike? What if, somehow, a time paradox had absorbed her memories and deluded itself into thinking it was Twilight Sparkle, that it had a life prior to this, friends and family it wanted to save? Who was she? What was she?

She was so scared of the answer. Scared to know that she was right… That nothing mattered. That it was all in vain.

But then, when she had been ready to let herself decompose and let her universe disappear… She was reminded of her friends again. They flashed into her mind; perhaps it was life flashing before one’s ultimate demise. Maybe nothing mattered in the grand scheme of things, but they mattered.

They mattered to her. She loved them. They were her universe. Everything she was came from them. She needed them. There was no point in the world existing without them. She had to save them. And if she needed to extinguish every light in the multiverse to accomplish that, then so be it. And so she resumed her crusade.

“Is all of this worth it?! Look at you!” The original Twilight screamed, firing a pathetic beam into Alter Twilight’s body, which did no damage. “You’re insane! You’ve lost all of your equinity!”

Unfortunately for the monster, the bigger she got, the slower she was. Her magic was unstable, shooting waves of energy all around her and destroying even more of Equus. Nevertheless, she couldn’t hit Twilight with it. Her rotting, furry arms couldn’t land a single hit. The wind waves they made with every move only served to throw Twilight further away as the alicorn used her wings to stabilize herself.

“On the contrary, my alternate self! I am saner than I have ever been!” Her distorted voice was raspy, having lost any semblance of resembling Twilight. “Soon, I will save everypony!”

“By taking billions of lives?!” Twilight retorted, flying above her monstrous counterpart, and shooting a beam of magic into her remaining eye. Her counterpart growled, finally managing to slap Twilight out of the sky and making her crash into the ground. “When… When will the killing stop?!” The alicorn still tried to lecture her.

“It stops when you give up your life! I finally understand my mistake! I’ve been too naive! Too kind! And because of that, evil destroyed the world! When I use the Hexstone, I won’t simply fix this universe! I will shape it as I see fit! No more anger! No more sadness! No more death! Everyone will know eternal happiness!” Alter revealed, growling in frustration. “Wouldn’t you wish for a world like that? Your sacrifice could make it a reality! What do you think will happen if you miraculously escape? Your world will suffer the same fate eventually!”

“You don’t know that!” Twilight screamed as she was thrown back by a shockwave made by her counterpart’s hand slapping the ground.

“I’ve studied countless universes! There is nothing but pain and misery! If Starlight doesn’t end your world, then Discord will, or Tirek! Maybe even yourself! Eventually, you WILL lose your friends! It’s inevitable! At least, by giving yourself to me… Your insignificant life would have a purpose! It will save lives!”

Several Time Paradoxes suddenly surrounded the lavender pony, all thirsty for murder. Twilight clenched her teeth, not ready to fight them all while dealing with her counterpart. Fortunately for her, Alter Twlight shot a wave of purple crystal, all brimming with magic as they impaled every Time Paradox around the original. However, she was still forced to jump out of the way when one of them was also flying at her legs, likely in a way to incapacitate her.

Alter Twilight threw her head back and opened her mouth. However, this time, it wasn’t a roar that came out.

“Only one foe to sever,
Only one life to take,
Only one soul to break
And once I kill you, my torment is over.”

Her singing voice sounded like a mix of several thousands of Twilights singing at the same time, mixed with other ponies. Alter Twilight’s body shifted again, growing a clawed hand that stretched in the original Twilight’s direction so fast that she could barely perceive it. The lavender alicorn yelped in pain as she jumped back, a massive claw nearly gouging out her eye as it scratched her face instead. It was only a minor wound. Nothing big enough to satisfy Alter Twilight. She would break her body and paralyze her if she needed it to use the Hexstone on her.

“Endless pain, countless deaths,
Running out of time, running out of paths.
Only one more life to take
One last step is to BREAK!”

The monster opened its mouth wide, firing a powerful blast of magic out of it. Anything in its path would have been disintegrated, including Alter Twilight’s counterpart. Of course, she couldn’t do that. She needed to sacrifice Twilight to the Hexstone, not pulverize her! However, she could barely contain herself! Even as Twilight teleported out of the way, Alter Twilight wanted nothing but to crush her! How could she dare take her friends’ death lightly?! How could she dare blame Alter Twilight for this?! How… How could she dare deal her that pain when Alter Twilight already agonized over this every single day of her life? It needed to end. She had to put an end to that pain once and for all, and to save her universe. The only thing that mattered.

As the annoying lavender fly stayed out of reach, occasionally attacking Alter Twilight back. The gigantic Time Paradox howled again, only making more dust clouds every time she tried to splatter her on the ground. She wanted to wail while watching her counterpart escape her blows. Her salvation was right there! However, before she could roar in frustration again, a woman she distinctively recognized hummed in her ears. It wouldn’t be the first time it happened. Yet… She was left with a profound emptiness every time because she knew it would end. Her cold, and dead body, felt warm again. It was as if joy had found its way back into her heart.

It was Pinkie Pie. Of course, who else would it be? That mare would always be with her when she needed it. When she was sad, it was her who responded to the call! Alter Twilight couldn’t… She couldn’t fail her now! Pinkie’s hum slowly turned into a song, touching the monster’s very soul.

“No more sadness,
No more cries,
I'll make you smile,
Once you kill her, it's party time…”

Yes. Yes. This Twilight was the last one. The corpses in her castle were proof of her past failures, but she knew that one was the answer! She was the only one who needed to die! When it would be done, then everything would go back to how it was! She could see it already! She envisioned it so many times! She would be surrounded by the ones she loved, living happily ever after without ever thinking about her past mistakes! Alter Twilight swiped her arms in an arc, razing the ground and the few town debris spread around, flinging them into the sky; yet her counterpart jumped high in the air, taking off with her wings higher and higher. She believed she could escape just because Alter Twilight couldn’t fly?!

Alter Twilight opened her mouth again, focusing her magic inside it again; this time, expecting a smaller power output to avoid vaporizing her target. Just like earlier, another voice made itself known from inside Alter Twilight’s guts, pumping her up with more energy than ever before. It was Applejack, who else? She always felt so strong around her, like the alicorn was actually worth something! Applejack sang. She sang to make her understand how valuable this Twilight was… To make her understand that this was it. Now or never.

“No more pain,
No more lies,
If you fail now, it's over,
You have to kill her.”

She would kill her. Then she would be done with it. She wouldn’t have to lie or trick anyone ever again! She fired the concentrated beam of magic out of her mouth in Twilight’s direction, hoping this would finally incapacitate her. However, the alicorn created a shield just in time, causing a great explosion upon contact. Alter Twilight followed a trail of smoke coming out of the blast, realizing it was her counterpart… Flying away! This time, Rainbow Dash’s voice filled her with confidence, encouraging her to pursue the attack without giving her any respite!

“We’ll fight by your side,
So don’t slow down,
Attack from every side,
Put her down,
And we’ll fly together again.”

The sun was gone, but she swore that as soon as she would activate the Hexstone, she’d bring it back! They would watch it set while flying like they did before! It would be like nothing changed! So she growled furiously while her hands attacked Twilight from every side. She was big and slow, but she would corner her counterpart like a little mouse and take her out! Finally, Twilight found herself between the monster’s two hands, ready to clap her. The lavender mare raised her horn high, and blasted the two hands away, making some of their fingers crumble away. Alter Twilight screamed with rage. Her body… Her body was decomposing again! The spell protecting her body was getting weaker! She needed to calm herself! She needed… A wave of warmth washed over her again, calming her down. She found comfort, like a child being embraced by their mother. Rarity… She softly whispered the unicorn’s name.

“This is the final light,
The one you’ve always sought,
The key to your salvation,
Darling, end this now, or all is for naught.”

Of course, she would end this now. If she didn’t, then all the deaths she caused would have been for nothing. But most of all, she would never see her loved ones again. It seemed that even though Twilight had blasted the Alter’s hands away, she had still taken a bad hit. The alicorn crashed into the ground, still gripping the Hexstone with all her might. She wasn’t allowed to do that! It didn’t belong to her! Alter Twilight quickly crawled toward the fallen mare and raised one of her hands the moment she was within reach. She would crush all her bones now, and make sure she wouldn’t fight back anymore! Nevertheless, something made her pause at the last second. A soft, and quiet voice sang into her ear. It was barely perceptible compared to the other ones, yet, it still reached her ears. Even though various other Time Paradoxes surrounded them, growling with hunger. She could still hear it.

“What if there's another choice?
What if the bloodshed isn't fate?
What if kindness is the way?
For the ones you love, please… end this now.”

What… Nonsense.

Alter Twilight’s voice echoed across the desolate world as she sang once more, in unison with her friends.

“Only one foe to sever,
Only one life to take,
Only one soul to break
And once I kill you, my torment is over.”

The vibrations caused by her voice blasted everything around her away, including the monsters which were quickly vaporized by small magical blasts. The original Twilight was hurled across the ground, tumbling several times before coming to a halt amidst the debris. Despite the impact, she clung tightly to the Hexstone in her hooves. She just wouldn’t let go.

Nevertheless, Alter Twilight regained her senses, knowing that this would only make her spells even more unstable. She couldn’t let her body die. Even if she remained as a soul, she couldn’t do any magic without a horn, thus the universe would still come to an end. This wasn’t allowed to happen.

The hulking mass she called a body began shifting again, shrinking on itself until she was back to herself. Her half-rotten self, but still. The taller alicorn calmly walked toward her counterpart, who still seemed to be conscious. The original Twilight grunted while lifting herself to her hooves.

“Sorry for losing my cool…” Alter Twilight apologized in a strained voice. No matter how much she wanted to hide it, the anger her counterpart got out of her had been bothersome. Keeping emotions in check was difficult, even after all this time. No matter… Soon, she wouldn’t have to worry about any of this anymore. “This wasn’t supposed to be such a drawn-out chase, or rather fight. I am tired of fighting. Do you understand? This ends now, my other self… Thank you for your sacrifice“ Just as she was about to light her horn and be done with it, weak whimpers came from the original Twilight. Were they whimpers? Alter Twilight couldn’t tell as she could barely hear her, and the face was hidden behind her mane. Did the other Twilight finally understand her time had come? However, much to Alter Twilight’s shock, her counterpart, with her face filled with tears, raised her head for their eyes to meet.

“You were right…” She suddenly said between cries, making Alter’s eye widen.

“What?” She uttered, confused. What was she talking about now? This must have been some kind of trick to buy time or distract her. Not that it mattered, no one would help Twilight now. Her friends could never possibly find the other stones in their respective universes. At least one of them should have ended up in an apocalyptic world if not all of them. After all, there was nothing but pain in this miserable existence…

“About what you said earlier…” Twilight weakly clarified, standing up with shaking legs. “I am privileged. I have a loving family, I am a princess, and most of all, I have wonderful friends without whom none of what I’ve accomplished would have been possible… I’ve truly been blessed… I have an amazing life! So, no, I couldn’t possibly understand what you went through or how much you suffered,” The alicorn said with a weak smile. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry you had to go through that!” She apologized, tears streaming down her face.

Alter Twilight froze. For a second, she believed her counterpart was pitying her, but no. Her eyes told a different story. Rather than pity, it was sympathy. Twilight genuinely hurt for her. Why? She was trying to kill her! So why did she feel bad for Alter?! She should hate her! Why?! She couldn’t understand. What was wrong with her?! Why did she shed tears for her?! It was as if the raw emotions, the magic slipping out of Alter’s body, connected with Twilight and shared her pain with her. Or perhaps the alicorn was simply moved by the sadness in Alter’s voice once she sang. Theory after theory flashed before Alter Twilight’s mind, but still… The reason didn’t matter, did it?! No explanation would satisfy her anyway because…

“This… This doesn’t change anything,” Alter Twilight muttered in disbelief. She was still killing her, no matter what. She lit her horn, only for her other self to speak again.

“I know, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” Twilight wiped her tears away. “Let’s save our friends together, then go with me,”

The light left Alter’s horn again.

“Huh?” She uttered in shock.

She couldn’t be serious. She wasn’t actually suggesting for her to… Go live in her universe, was she?

“Even if I don’t understand your feelings, I know it must have been painful… Because I can’t imagine a life without the ones I love,” Twilight explained softly. “It must have been unbearable, but it doesn’t need to be. Come with me! You don’t have to be in pain anymore! You don’t have to be alone anymore!” She offered, extending a hoof toward her.

“This…” Alter Twilight shook her head, confusion, and disbelief written all over her rotting face. It was absurd! “After everything I’ve done?” She questioned.

“You wouldn’t be the first pony I offer redemption to. Discord was accepted! So can you!” Twilight retorted, making Alter shake her head. “You did things that you can never take back, so atone for them. Atone for them by protecting lives,” By protecting Twilight’s friends.

“Look at me,” She coldly replied. “I am blind, yet I can see. My heart doesn’t beat, yet I live. My lungs decomposed, yet I breathe. My muscles are rotten, yet I can walk and fly… I am an abomination—a monster. Nature itself would reject me. Do you believe they could accept something as putrid as…”

However, Twilight stepped forward before Alter could finish her sentence, cutting her off.

“Do you think they’d care? Mom and Dad would see you as a second daughter! Shining would see you as a second sister!” She retorted loudly and firmly, believing in every word she spoke. “Our friends…” She said more softly. “They wouldn’t care. They would accept you, and welcome you as another friend. Don’t you want that? You can have a family again! You can have friends again! You… You don’t have to be scared anymore,” Twilight extended her hoof again, staring at her counterpart with a hopeful gaze. “Let’s go home. Together,”

Alter stared at the outstretched hoof with an unreadable expression, contemplating the choice presenting itself before her.

Author's Note

Yo! Surprise update! The moment I finished the song, I started working non-stop on the chapter all day! It really inspired me to write it, and that's the full song by the way, think of it as a musical song:

Only one foe to sever,
Only one life to take,
Only one soul to break
And once I kill you, my torment is over.

Endless pain, countless deaths,
Running out of time, running out of paths.
Only one more life to take
One last step is to BREAK!

(Hallucination Pinkie's part)
No more sadness,
No more cries,
I'll make you smile,
Once you kill her, it's party time…

(Hallucination Applejack's part)
No more pain,
No more lies,
If you fail now, it's over,
You have to kill her.

(Hallucination Rainbow Dash's part)
We’ll fight by your side,
So don’t slow down,
Attack from every side,
Put her down,
And we’ll fly together again.

(Hallucination Rarity's part)
This is the final light,
The one you’ve always sought,
The key to your salvation,
Darling, end this now, or all is for naught.

(Hallucination Fluttershy's part)
What if there's another choice?
What if the bloodshed isn't fate?
What if kindness is the way?
For the ones you love, please… end this now.

(Everyone minus Fluttershy)
Only one foe to sever,
Only one life to take,
Only one soul to break
And once I kill you, my torment is over.

I did my best guys

Goodbye

Universe 19884

“Yep… Looks exactly like the one back home,” Rainbow Dash commented as she and her friends approached the Tree of Harmony.

The tree stood tall, shining bright as the six ponies and the little dragon entered the cave. The Elements of Harmony were still inside, just as they left them two years ago. Naturally, the chest at the foot of the tree remained with 5 keys already inside.

“It hasn’t been touched at all…” Applejack remarked as she watched the tree. Except for some rocks around the cave, signaling that there may have been a light collapse, the rest of the cave was unaffected.

“As if it was stuck in time,” Rarity nodded, approaching the chest with everyone else.

“So… All we gotta do is put Twilight’s medallion and we’ll have the last key, right?” Pinkie Pie asked, glancing at the medallion around the alicorn’s neck.

“Yeah, then we have to turn the keys at the same time,” Rainbow Dash confirmed as they surrounded the chest. Huh, now that she thought about it, she and her friends also needed to touch the stone simultaneously to go back home…

“Okay, then! Let’s do it! We gotta beat Tirek already!” Spike exclaimed, making the ponies nod.

“Right! Let’s not waste any more time!” Applejack declared before placing her hoof on her respective key, an action the others did too… Except for one of them.

Twilight’s key was still missing. Pinkie raised an eyebrow in confusion, then looked the alicorn’s way.

“Hurry up, Twilight! You still haven’t put the thingy in!” The party pony gestured to her medallion, only for the lavender mare to slowly shake her head.

“No… I’m sorry… I can’t…” She stammered with wide fearful eyes, stepping away. “I… I’m really sorry… Ah!” She almost tripped on a rock while walking backward, nearly falling on her backside.

“What?!” Spike, who had been watching from the sidelines, shouted in incomprehension.

“What are you talking about, Twi? What’s wrong?” Rainbow Dash inquired as softly as she could, which could be understandably difficult knowing her temper sometimes.

“Y-You don’t get it… I’m scared. I’m scared that this isn’t gonna work…” She shook her head, tears already in the corner of her eyes.

“Is it because Tirek has all the magic in the world?” Rarity questioned.

“Sure, he’s probably stronger than he was in my universe, but I’m sure we can still take him,” Rainbow Dash assured the alicorn.

“No, no, no. It’s not about that! Don’t you get it?! This medallion won’t do anything!” Twilight snapped, tears spilling free this time. “It worked in your world because… Because I chose my friends over the magic of Equestria. But I didn’t here… I chose the opposite! I abandoned you! And because of that… Because of that… I killed you,” She whimpered. “I’m not a good friend, and the tree will know that…”

“Twilight…” Pinkie whispered sadly.

All of them realized it already, even after they convinced her to come, they knew it wouldn’t be so easy. Because unlike them… She hadn’t moved on. Pinkie and the others had each other, and the rest of Ponyville. They relied on each other and worked together to survive in this desolate world. Even if they could never forget what happened, and hated themselves for failing Equestria… They accepted what they lost. They grieved together and moved on together. Eventually, they were ready to live in this world despite their losses, without losing the hope of making life at least bearable for the ones they cared about. When they reminisced about Rainbow Dash, they would be sad, of course, but not filled with despair or horror. They didn’t think of her last moments, but rather of the life she lived.

That wasn’t the case for Twilight. She and Spike had been alone all this time. You couldn’t expect a baby dragon to take care of an adult mare successfully, especially when he had his own issues to deal with. Ultimately, she hadn’t moved on. And because they had taken so long to get to her, maybe she never could.

Perhaps that was why they fell silent, unable to find an adequate response. After all, what could they say? Yet, Rainbow Dash stepped up.

“Twilight… This is horseshit,” She bluntly declared.

“What?!” All of them exclaimed, not expecting such an answer.

“I told you already, you didn’t kill me! Well, the other me!” She stepped forward, making the alicorn flinch. “You fought a guy that could obliterate mountains! Someone who could toy with the princesses, I bet! He even stole Discord’s magic! And you still fought him head-on! How many ponies could have done that?! And maybe you would have even won if he didn’t take us hostage like a coward!” The cyan pegasus reminded her, much to her confusion.

“I… I don’t understand…”

“What I’m saying is, you did your best! Nopony else could have done better! And remember, we’re the ones who told you to keep fighting and give up on us! It was our choice! If anything, we’re to blame for this!” Rainbow Dash added fiercely. “But the other me’s killer is still Tirek! I could never hate you, and I know damn well, your Rainbow Dash didn’t blame you for this. If anything, I bet she was mad at herself for being taken out so easily,” The pegasus placed a reassuring hoof on the alicorn’s shoulder. “Twilight, you showed time and time again that you’re a good friend. One mistake won’t change that. You’ve gotta forgive yourself,” She spoke softly.

“No… If I forgive myself… Then that also means I have to accept that you’re gone,” She cried as Rainbow Dash gently embraced her with her wings, furling them around the alicorn’s body.

“I’m… Not good at these kinds of speeches. So I’ll do it in a way we can both understand. Do you remember the third volume of Daring Do?” Rainbow Dash asked while the mare was still in the warm embrace of her wings. The others looked at each other, wondering where she was going with this. “Doctor Violet was dying, and I remember I even felt sad while reading it,” The pegasus released a weak snicker, which actually managed to get a small smile out of Twilight. “Do you remember what Violet told Daring Do?”

“I won’t die… Because my spirit will live on… Through your memories of me,” Twilight softly recalled Violet’s words.

“Yeah, it was something along those lines,” Rainbow smirked, slowly pulling away from the other mare. “Now, can you think of your Rainbow Dash and tell me if she would blame you for this?” She inquired. Twilight lowered her head, and it was enough of a response for the pegasus. “You can’t fix what happened, and that’s okay. But we can avenge her now, and we can put an end to Tirek,” She added determinedly.

Before Twilight could give her answer, a rumbling made the entire cave shake as if an explosion occurred nearby.

“Something’s happenin’ outside!” Applejack voiced everyone’s thoughts worriedly.

“Yeah…” Rainbow Dash looked at the ceiling, then turned her attention back to Twilight again. “Are you ready, Twi?”

“Rainbow… I’m terrified of being right,” She sniffled, wiping away her tears. “If I am… Please, please, don’t…” She began to beg, only for the pegasus to cut her off.

“I won’t leave you, I promise. None of us will,” Rainbow confirmed, gesturing to the others, who all nodded in agreement.

“If that doesn’t work, then we’ll kick Tirek’s arse without our magic!” Applejack assured confidently.

“Gonna stick my party canon where the sun doesn’t shine!” Pinkie added with a seemingly sadistic grin?

“A bit crude, but I agree with them. Look how disastrous my hooves got because of Tirek! Now, there’s no way I’ll let him get away with that!” Rarity smiled.

Naturally, they knew that if they fought Tirek without their magic, they wouldn’t survive, let alone win. However, this time, they would all fight together, and if that meant dying together, so be it. It would be worth it if they could stick it to Tirek one last time at least and show him the stubbornness of ponies!

Twilight’s eyes watered again, though the mare shook her head to throw off any other tears. Slowly, she took the medallion off her neck, looking at it hesitantly. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on it. The alicorn weakly widened her eyes and looked up to see her other friends doing the same, each putting a hoof on the medallion.

“If you’re still scared, then let’s do it together. If that stupid thing doesn’t accept the medallion when we put it in as a team, then it doesn’t know anything about friendship,” Rainbow Dash affirmed, meeting Twilight’s gaze.

“Girls…” The alicorn whispered. After a few seconds of silence, she finally nodded, a small smile creeping up her face.

Thus, they marched toward the chest. Together.

A few minutes earlier, on the surface…

Discord turned around in shock once something heavy made the ground shake from behind him. No! Of everyone, why did it have to be him?! Lord Tirek stood before the draconequus, a smug smile across his lips. He wasn’t as tall as he expected, but Discord didn’t let himself be fooled. He knew that this size was only what was convenient for the centaur. In reality, he was as big as a mountain! Of course, the white stone around the Tirek’s neck was hard to miss. It looked like how Rainbow Dash described it. This was her way home!

“What a surprise! Discord! I didn’t expect to see you here!” Lord Tirek exclaimed, clearly faking surprise, in a mocking tone.

“What are you doing here?” Discord questioned, clenching his fists.

“Well, a little birdie told me I missed a spot, that there was still someone with magic nearby!” The centaur replied as a timberwolf revealed its presence, climbing off Tirek’s back. “And since I remember taking your magic, I know you aren’t the one I’m looking for. Where are they hiding?” He asked, still smug as ever. It pissed Discord off even more.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! You stole all the magic in Equestria already!” The draconequus retorted, making Tirek sigh in disappointment.

“You are making this so much harder than it needs to be… Old friend,” He crossed his arms, allowing the timberwolf to do its job.

The moment it jumped down, flying in Discord’s direction, the draconequus reached for his spear and quickly ran it through the beast’s skull, killing it in one blow.

“Too afraid to face me on your own?” Discord snarkily remarked. While he displayed a confident exterior, he was shaking in his boots! He had no chance of winning here! However, all he needed to do was buy time until the chest was open, and then Tirek would be dealt with.

“How pathetic. You resort to using cheap weapons? You have fallen quite low, Discord,” Tirek chuckled.

“If only someone hadn’t taken my magic! Think you can give it back, so we can actually see who wins in a fair fight?” Discord suggested though he didn’t expect any success.

“That is laughable! Once I have taken magic, I can’t give it back, I grow too attached to it too quickly,” The centaur laughed. “Your magic has become quite a good friend of mine!” He joked, stomping closer to the draconequus.

Discord snarled, gripping his spear tighter, then charged forward. Tirek’s grin left as quickly as it came as he watched his enemy desperately run toward him.

“Hya!” Discord lunged forward, raising his spear to stab Tirek’s leg with it. However, the centaur casually grabbed it between two of his fingers, then shook it hard enough to throw Discord away. He broke the spear in half as the draconequus landed on the ground with a thud.

“Enough playing around. I don’t know where she found magic, but this must be the princess and her friends! No one else would be foolish enough to defy my rule now!” Tirek stomped the ground.

Discord grunted while grabbing one of the weapons the girls left behind, and taking Pinkie’s sword.

“Shut it! I won’t tell you anything, and I certainly won’t let you leave anytime soon!” He shouted at the massive magic stealer.

“Are you seriously going to fight me? Without magic?” Tirek questioned, unamused. Frankly, he felt insulted that Discord even believed he had a chance.

“Whether I have magic or not doesn’t matter!” The draconequus shouted, charging at the imposing centaur. Tirek lifted one of his hooves to stomp Discord like a bug, only for the lord of chaos to jump aside and plunge the sword right under the centaur’s nail. Lord Tirek screamed in pain, lifting his leg to take out the sword buried inside. “I’ll fight for my friends until my last breath!” He declared before running to take Rarity’s mace, and Fluttershy’s axe, holding one in each hand.

“You little…” Tirek growled, snapping the sword to pieces in his fist after he had taken it out of his nail. “I could erase all of Equestria with a thought! I’m just toying with you, you realize that, don’t you?!” He shouted as he tried to crush Discord under his palm. “I could squash you like a bug!”

The draconequus miraculously dodged again; however, before he could attempt to hurt Tirek’s hand with either weapon, the centaur swiped left, knocking him off the ground. With a snarl, Tirek lit up his horns and melted the weapons he previously held, as well as Applejack’s hammer lying nearby.

Discord grunted while trying to lift himself up. It was only a little swipe, yet, Tirek had certainly broken one or two bones. He couldn’t believe how weaker he was without magic, and how much more powerful the centaur got.

“You have no pride, do you?! First, you betray them, and now that you’ve lost your magic, you’ve gone running back and sucking up to them? This is pathetic, even for you, Discord,” Tirek scoffed before quickly wrapping his hand around the draconequus and lifting him to his eye level. “Are you hoping they’d get you your magic back? I didn’t know you could be so desperate, but that works even better for me! If you tell me where they are and what they’re doing, I may be lenient on you,” He smirked.

“You’re wrong about one thing… You’re right that I betrayed them. I’m scum, I don’t deny that…” Discord clenched his teeth as Tirek’s hold slowly tightened around him. “But… I’m not doing this to have my magic back. Even after everything I’ve done, they kept me around… I couldn’t have blamed them if they kicked me out of Ponyville, yet… They didn’t! And I see the looks they give me… So much anger, and they’re still willing to try for Fluttershy’s sake…” He stammered between breaths as Tirek squeezed him, making the draconequus yelp in pain.

“What are you blabbering about? If this is an attempt to gain sympathy, you should know how foolish it is, Discord,” Tirek scoffed, disinterested.

“If they still try to forgive me even after I tried to selfishly throw their friendship away, then they’re so much… more than I deserve… The only way to repay them is to fight by their side until the end… And I REFUSE to betray their trust again! All I want… All I want is to be allowed to call them my friends again,” Discord declared proudly, making Tirek flinch in disgust.

“They really have you whipped!” Tirek slammed the draconequus on the ground so hard the crash made cracks around him. Discord coughed out blood but was unable to do much of anything else. He grunted, trying to will himself to stand up, but in vain. As he moved his hand around him, he felt a sting on his finger. After probing more carefully, he realized it was the tip of the sword Tirek snapped. With a determined groan, he clutched it in his hand so hard it drew blood. “Tell me where they are or I will turn you to dust!” The centaur screamed, leaning down to do it in Discord’s face.

“Right… Here!” Discord shouted before throwing the blade as hard as he could and successfully stabbing Tirek in the eye with it.

“GRAAH!” Tirek stepped back, screaming in pain as his hand shot up to his bleeding eye. “M-MY EYE! HOW DARE YOU?!” He continued to wail while holding his injury.

“Ha ha… Ha…” Discord weakly laughed, his hand falling by his side. He was completely drained, but at least, he left a mark. “That will… Certainly… make your perception checks harder…” He joked with heavy breaths.

Tirek’s remaining eye burned with the fury of an entire army as he glared at the draconequus. With his injured, bleeding eye tightly shut, he let out a low, menacing growl.

“Enough games! Since you will not talk, I will vaporize all the surroundings!” He yelled before lighting his horns in an orange, threatening glow.

“Hmpf… Even if we don’t stop you… Someone else will, Tirek,” Discord grinned confidently through the pain. It only made the centaur rage harder. It was utter nonsense! He had all of the magic in Equus! No one could stop him, and no one ever would!

Suddenly, a gigantic pillar of magic exploded out of the fissure behind Tirek. The centaur widened his only eye in shock, spinning around to face the pillar of light. From the fissure, came out a ball of swirling magic, inside of which were six ponies.

“What? None of you should have magic!” Tirek exclaimed. After all, the timberwolf had told him only one pony had magic, and there were six of them! Not only that, but they were ponies who he stole magic from!

The mane 6 had changed drastically, their manes and tails growing wider, with different streaks of colors over their bodies, matching their original color schemes.

“Y-You! You’re the pony I killed! That’s impossible!” Tirek stepped back, actually feeling fear for the first time in 2 years.

“It takes more than killing me to kill me!” Rainbow replied, making Spike arch an eyebrow as he watched from the ground.

“And her name is Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie added fiercely.

Discord smirked, watching from where he lay as the girls were ready to bring Tirek down. He could feel himself getting weaker. He supposed his injuries were worse than he thought, or perhaps, he was never meant to live that long without magic. He closed his eyes to enjoy the centaur’s cries as he was to be defeated; however, a light suddenly flickered around him. Discord hesitantly opened his eyes to see the light was coming from the six ponies! The magic surrounded him, empowering him as he was lifted off the ground.

Tirek took a step back as the foe he had been relentlessly pummeling suddenly joined the other ponies, beginning to transform as well. Discord’s body stretched longer, his claws sharpened, and another, broader horn sprouted out of his forehead. Streaks of brown and green appeared in his mane, which grew longer and wilder.

“This doesn’t change anything! I’m still the strongest!” Tirek’s horns glowed in a vivid orange light while his body grew bigger and bigger. However, before he could even do anything or reach his real height, the orb of light the ponies and discord were in exploded in a blast of colors, emitting a light so bright that it could be seen across all of Equestria.

Lord Tirek let out a deafening scream, his body consumed by searing pain as though he had been cast into the sun itself. Desperately, he raised his arms to shield himself, but it was futile. The unknown magic coursed through him, relentless and unyielding. To his horror, he watched his arms grow thinner, his once-mighty frame shrinking and withering, wrinkles etching themselves across his form. He… He was losing his magic! Tirek released one final, anguished roar before he reverted to his frail, former self... and then encased in black stone, turned into a statue.

The ball of magic shrunk as 7 streaks of different colors shot out of it, flying around the globe while returning the magic Tirek had stolen. In less than ten minutes, all magic had returned to Equus.

Creatures all around the world would say that Tirek’s reign seemed endless. After 2 years of pain and terror, which no one believed they could ever escape from, a mysterious light suddenly flew through the sky, unstoppable and filled with hope. Just like that, they were given their magic back as if it had never been stolen in the first place. Whoever these saviors were, they earned eternal gratitude from millions of creatures.

Just like in Rainbow Dash’s universe, the Chest of Harmony flew to Ponyville and created an entire castle made of crystal. The six ponies, the draconequus, and the little dragon watched the castle in awe while the powers they received suddenly vanished. It seemed it had even healed their injuries, along with their atrophied muscles.

“A castle!” Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing in place.

“Yeah, that’s what happened in my world too after we opened the chest,” Rainbow explained with a nostalgic tone.

“But… Whose is it?” Twilight inquired curiously.

“Twilight, it’s ours. Well, yours,” Rainbow gestured to the ponies before turning to the alicorn. “You’re the princess of friendship, Twi,” She smiled.

“But… What? No, there’s no way I can live in that,” Twilight immediately shook her head.

“Sugarcube…” Applejack placed a hoof on her shoulder, already knowing the alicorn had too much guilt to accept such a title. The earth pony looked at Rainbow Dash, seeking any words that might help from the pegasus.

Ponies always relied on her, but they wouldn’t do it often if they needed help on the emotional side. Rainbow always had an easier time expressing herself through actions rather than words, so having to be so… Delicate with words was strange. Boosting someone else’s confidence at such a rapid rate was strange too. Honestly, she didn’t think she was any good. Fluttershy would have been better for this, but she couldn’t let them down. She did manage to convince them to fight, at least. Right as she opened her mouth to reassure the alicorn, a shout cut her off.

“Rainbow!” Her parents yelled in relief, running up to her. Before she could even say anything, they slammed into her to embrace.

“You did it!” Her mother ruffled her mane proudly while Bow quickly moved behind Rarity and Pinkie and pulled them into a hug.

“Oh, you won! You won! I knew you could do it!” He exclaimed, nearly choking them with his forelegs.

“Can’t… Breathe…” Rarity choked out while Pinkie giggled.

“Of course we did! This time, Tirek had to fight us fair and square! He stood no chance!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed pridefully.

While they celebrated together, Twilight still couldn’t take her eyes off the castle, wondering where she would go from there. So much had happened… Did she deserve such a thing? She wasn’t allowed to go deeper into her retrospection as two flashes materialized nearby, revealing… Princess Celestia and Princess Luna! The lavender mare widened her eyes, her lower lip weakly quivering.

“Princess!” She screamed, pulling the attention of everyone else to them. Without warning, she ran up to both of them and threw her forelegs and wings around them. “You’re okay! Y-You’re safe!”

“Of course, and it’s all thanks to you and your friends,” Celestia softly whispered while caressing her former student’s mane.

“We never stopped believing, Twilight. Not even once,” Luna assured the younger alicorn, returning the hug.

“Glad this hasn’t changed…” Rainbow whispered to herself. She had been wondering if Tirek had hurt the princesses here or thrown them in Tartarus as he did in her world.

“W-Where is Cadance?” Twilight pulled back worriedly.

“Don’t worry. She had left to check on your brother, but she’s fine too,” Celestia quickly reassured her, making the young mare breathe in relief.

Luna looked back at Ponyville, noticing several ponies approaching them with curious and awed stares. Some were still crying tears of joy and relief, others laughed cheerfully. It was as if everyone lived the best day of their lives, and perhaps it was. However, they would need to settle some matters privately first.

“We should talk in the castle, sister,” Luna suggested.

“Yes, I feel my little ponies have a lot to tell me,” The sun sister’s eyes wandered over the ponies who welcomed them.

They quickly entered the castle, though Celestia made sure to tell the ponies outside that she would talk to them as soon as possible. As they wandered the halls of the castle, the bearers of the elements finally told them how their first encounter with Tirek went… How they lost, and how one of them died. Then, how 2 years later, a Rainbow from another universe appeared and led them to victory.

It was… A lot to take in.

“Rainbow Dash… Passed?” Celestia uttered in shock. All this time, she believed in them, believed they would be fine, yet… They suffered such a loss. Of course, she was hurt by the pegasus’ death too, but she had lost countless ponies. It was something she could heal from because she already had it thousands of times throughout her life. But she couldn’t imagine the suffering her little ponies went through. Was it her fault? Was it because she hadn’t come up with a better plan than to trust Discord?

“She was killed,” Twilight somberly corrected. Wordlessly, Celestia pulled her to her side with her foreleg.

“I’m so sorry,” She whispered.

Noticing the cold and somber atmosphere emanating from the other ponies too, Luna tried to deviate from this conversation.

“Multiversal travel, we hadn’t thought it possible. It has always been beyond my sister and I’s power,” She stated.

“So, you knew there are multiple universes?” Rarity inquired in surprise.

“Indeed. Starswirl the Bearded had told us some things about it. He developed a way to glimpse into other worlds,” Luna clarified.

“Could we have used that to get some help? Like Rainbow over there,” Applejack questioned; however, the alicorn shook her head.

“Unfortunately not. As we said, we never had enough power for such a feat. Moreover, Starswirl seemed to fear all the possibilities he witnessed while looking into them,” The alicorn of the night explained.

Finally, they reached the throne room. The room was spacious, with six large thrones encircling the center, with a smaller throne positioned beside the one bearing Twilight’s cutie mark.

“Thrones!” Windy pointed out, noticing they bore different cutie marks.

“Yep. It would be weird if the princess of friendship ruled alone,” Rainbow Dash explained before Celestia could even speak. However, there was one glaring detail that the pegasus would have missed if a certain draconequus hadn’t pointed it out.

“Is this… My throne?” He slowly approached it, running his paw on it. It was undoubtedly his since his face was on it. However, it was also where Rainbow Dash’s throne should have stood.

“He’s got a throne?” Bow arched a disbelieving and critical eyebrow. He didn’t seem too happy about it, but Rainbow couldn’t blame him. That did prove one thing, there was someone to take the Rainbow Dash from this world’s place. As long as she was certain her friends would be fine, she was happy. However, that also meant it was time for goodbyes. The pegasus looked at the stone around Discord’s neck, which he took from Tirek after he was turned into a statue.

“I think he earned it,” Fluttershy softly said, smiling at the draconequus.

“A-Are you sure?” Discord questioned, wondering if this was some kind of illusion. After what he did… He was considered for such a seat?

“Of course,” The yellow pegasus assured him as he pulled her into a hug.

“I’m with Rainbow’s dad on this one,” Spike muttered, though he didn’t complain much since the timing likely wasn’t right. Also because he had a throne too.

“Hate to bring the mood down again, but… I think it’s time for me to leave,” Rainbow spoke up, attracting everyone’s eyes to her again.

“What? So soon?” Pinkie exclaimed disappointingly.

“Can’t ya stay to celebrate, at least?” Applejack asked.

“I’ll even cook you your favorite pie!” Windy added, only for Rainbow to shake her head.

“Sorry, but I really can’t. I’ve got friends who need saving too,” The pegasus refused. However, before she could take the stone from Discord, she paused. Leaving in such a hurry would leave a bad taste in her mouth. However, she had no idea what kind of final words she could possibly give to them. After all, they would never see her again, probably.

“Perhaps… This could be an opportunity for some closure,” Celestia suddenly offered as if she had read the pegasus’ mind. They looked at the tall unicorn curiously, waiting for her to explain further. “Many things were left unsaid. After all… Rainbow Dash was taken from you all so suddenly. If you have any final words you wish you would have given to the one you knew and cared so deeply about, now is the time to share them,” She gestured to Rainbow Dash.

All of them understood what she meant. Essentially, they act as though she were the Rainbow they already lost, to tell her how much she meant to them, and hope those words would reach her, wherever she was. It would be difficult, but necessary.

“I don’t mind,” Rainbow lightly nodded her head. No matter how strange it would be for her, she understood the importance of it.

“I suppose now is a better time than any,” Rarity whispered, her voice slightly cracking.

Naturally, the first ponies to step forward were her parents. Rainbow braced herself, expecting them to go on a gigantic tirade, talking about how great she was, how she was the best at everything, and how…

“We’re proud of you,” They stated in sync, making Rainbow freeze in surprise. “We’ve always been, and maybe we were expressing it a little too loud before,” Windy chuckled.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better daughter, and it’s not even because you’re a hero or because you saved Equestria multiple times, or that you’re a great flier… Even if you are all those things,” Bow snickered, ruffling Rainbow’s mane. “It’s just because you’re our pride and joy. Every day we spent raising you was the best years of our life, you were the greatest source of our happiness,”

"And we would have loved you, no matter who you became. You’ve been the greatest gift life could have given us,” Windy added softly.

Before she even knew it, Rainbow sniffled back tears, quickly wiping them away with her hooves. She knew it wasn’t directed at her! Yet why did it make her so happy?! And of course, her parents found nothing better to do than pull her into a group hug.

“That’s our mushy daughter!” Windy joked as they pulled back a few seconds later.

“I’m not mushy!” Rainbow rebutted stubbornly, making everyone snicker.

“Let’s not take more of her time, dear. I think her friends will have a lot to say,” Windy told her husband as they moved away, giving room for the next pony to step up. This time, it was Fluttershy.

“So… This is goodbye?” Fluttershy asked hesitantly. Rainbow Dash simply nodded solemnly. “You’re my oldest friend, Rainbow Dash. You’re the only one who ever took my side and helped before we came to Ponyville, so much so that I didn’t think I deserved it,” The yellow pegasus smiled, recounting those years. “Actually, I wanted to be like you back then,” She revealed, making Rainbow’s eyes widen in surprise. “You always seemed so brave, to go against anypony to defend your friends, so fierce. Oh, and you were loud, and it didn’t look like there was an end to your energy. You were such a good flier too. You just seemed to be my opposite. I thought if I was more like you, I’d be more popular. Then we met everypony else,” She gestured to their friends. “Oh, don’t get me wrong, I still admired you, but you and the girls made me understand that I didn’t need to be you, or anyone else. I can just be… Me. Thank you, Rainbow Dash. For everything. For being my friend, my protector, my inspiration. I love you, and I always will,” Fluttershy choked on her tears. “Sorry, I wish I could say more, but I don’t want to take up the others’ time,” She apologized through her tears.

“Oh, come here, Flutters,” Rainbow Dash’s wings wrapped around the other pegasus.

The others also hardly held back their tears as they watched their small moment. They were aware they had to contain them because it would be their turn soon to say goodbye. After a few seconds, Fluttershy nuzzled the cyan mare, then stepped back making room for the others.

“Dashie!” Pinkie immediately pounced on her, hugging her firmly.

“Pinkie! Too… Hard…” Rainbow Dash choked out, making the party pony snicker.

“Sorry!” She giggled before backing away. “It’s… Well, it’s kinda the last hug we’ll have so…” Her expression quickly turned downcast. “Anyway… You’ve been the best prank buddy anypony could have asked for! You could always keep up with me, and I thought that was so cool! You were one of the most fun ponies I knew! Who else would challenge me to a cupcake-eating contest and actually keep up with me? But you weren’t just cool, Dashie… You could make so many ponies happier than ever. At least, you made me happier than ever… You stood up to one of your oldest friends because she was a bully to me,” She softly remembered, her voice wavering. “I’ll never forget you, Dashie. You’ll always be my friend, my prank buddy! And don’t worry, I’ll make the biggest, greatest, coolest, and most awesome party in your honor, so… Thank you for everything,” She wiped a tear away before leaning down to whisper one last word in the pegasus’ ear. “Also, you’ve always been Best Pony to me, but don’t tell that to anypony,” She winked before stepping away.

“My lips are sealed,” Rainbow whispered back with a small smile.

“Rainbow Dash,” Applejack walked forward with a serious expression.

“Applejack,” Rainbow retorted with an equally serious face, only for it to break a second later when they both snickered. “Come on, lay it on me,”

“You’ve been a stubborn mule for as long as Ah’ve known ya, and a show-off. Ya think ya have to be tough, that ya aren’t allowed to be a softie, and ya always wanna come up on top,” The earth pony ranted. The other ponies looked at each other in confusion while Rainbow Dash grinned. “And Ah guess that's why we always bickered for the smallest things or had to compete in everything,” The farm pony added with a small smile. “Because you and I are the same in that aspect. I wish we wouldn’t have bickered so much for so long; it was so stupid when I think about it, so… Ah just wanna say Ah’m sorry,” She apologized with a slight bow of the head. “Ah’m sorry we fought so much, and Ah wish we could have spent more time with each other. Still, Ah reckon yer one of the best friends Ah could have ever asked for. Yer one of the strongest ponies Ah know. Ah could always count on ya, and for that, thank ya. You’ll always be like family ta me,”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes softened as she gazed upon the other mare.

“Wow, Applejack… Can’t believe you managed to hold your tears, why do you wanna be tough now?” The cyan pegasus teased with a light chuckle.

“Oh, shut up, ya,” The earth pony rolled her eyes amusedly before giving the pegasus a quick hug. “Ah guess Ah’ll see ya on the other side,” She muttered.

“Feel free to make her wait, though,” Rainbow whispered back, patting the farm mare on the back.

After Applejack backed away, it was Rarity’s turn. The graceful unicorn quietly approached her, already sniffling tears away. Rainbow Dash grinned, but she couldn’t call the unicorn a drama queen this time, those tears were warranted;

“If you had told me we would have been such close friends before, I likely wouldn’t have believed it,” Rarity began speaking.

“Gee, thanks,” Rainbow playfully rolled her eyes.

“We’re very different, you and I, darling. Your boldness, your athleticism, your... unique sense of style. Frankly, I do not know what kind of dresses you would have been wearing if I hadn’t been here,” Rarity quickly stated in the last sentence. “But maybe it’s those differences that made our friendship so strong. We could tell what the other thought with a glance. It was the first time I’d grown so close to a group of ponies… and you’ve left a mark on all our lives, on my life. A mark I could never forget, that I would never want to forget. Your undying loyalty was an inspiration for me too, Darling. I wish I could have told you that earlier, but still… Thank you for everything,” Rarity embraced her in a warm hug, small tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I’m sure she knew it, Rarity,” Rainbow said softly as the unicorn pulled back. The pegasus breathed out, barely containing her own sadness before glancing Twilight’s way, the alicorn was looking down, clearly hesitant to step forward. However, before Rainbow could call out to her, something little pulled on her leg. “Hey, little guy,” She greeted Spike.

“I know I wasn’t as close to you as the others, but you always made me feel like I belonged like I was part of the team, especially since you would include me in your and Pinkie’s pranks,” The little dragon rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Honestly, I kind of wanted to be like you sometimes. Brave. Cool. The kind of friend who would stand by others no matter what. So, I guess I’ll try to be! For everyone’s sake!” He pumped up his fists determinedly.

“I don’t doubt you will, Spike,” Rainbow Dash patted him on the head, making him grin.

The dragon suddenly seemed to catch something in the corner of his eyes, prompting him to run up to the others and give the approaching pony some space.

“Twi…” Rainbow whispered.

“I…” Twilight started to speak, only to close her mouth again. “You’re one of the first ponies I met when I came here, and it was also the first time I’ve been in awe in so long… I mean, I learned under Princess Celestia, and you still impressed me more than you can imagine when you showed your speed. I’ve replayed those memories so many times in the past two years, along with every minute we spent together, with our friends,” The alicorn quietly recalled. “When I saw you do a Sonic Rainboom. When I caught you liking Daring Do. When you chose your friends instead of winning. When you taught me to fly. When we watched the sunset together on the clouds… I could never forget any of those, and more,” Twilight softly continued. “But I don’t want to remember them with sadness. I can’t just… Accept that you’re gone. I thought I’d never lose my friends, that we’d always be together… You were supposed to be my side forever!” She exclaimed, looking at her other friends with tears swelling up in her eyes. “Until I… I ruined everything. I never wanted any of this pain! W-Why couldn’t it be me instead of you? It’s not fair! You’ve had a wonderful dream, and you would have been the best Wonderbolt there ever was! You’ve had so many ponies who cared about you, and it’s no wonder! You don’t let them down. You’re kind, and strong, and thoughtful, and… And… Don’t leave! Please, please, stay here!” She suddenly begged, openly crying this time.

“Twilight… You know…” Rainbow Dash shook her head sadly.

“I’ll throw you the best party you ever had if you stay, Dashie!” Pinkie interjected, crying just as much as her alicorn friend. Unfortunately, it wasn’t getting any easier as her other friends couldn’t hold their emotions down anymore, spilling tears without stopping.

“Ya’ll be the first to get our cider, and our best apple pies!” Applejack exclaimed.

“I’ll make you the finest dress I ever could for when you become a Wonderbolt!” Rarity added.

“Uhm… I will find Tank a little girlfriend…” Fluttershy offered hesitantly.

Rainbow Dash’s gaze shifted from one pony to the next, overwhelmed by their sudden begging while the other occupants of the room could only watch.

“See? We all want you to stay! Please, don’t go!” Twilight pleaded.

“I-I’m sorry, girls. But you know I can’t stay. I can’t let my friends down,” She firmly declared, making their ears drop. They continued to cry quieter while the pegasus barely held her head up. It was hurting her too, but she couldn’t imagine how much worse it was for them. “Besides, those words weren’t meant for me,”

Her friends looked up in confusion, slowly understanding what she meant.

“What Rainbow Dash is trying to say is that even if she stays, you’ll be the ones who notice most that she isn’t the pony you knew. You’ll be the ones who feel the pain most deeply,” Celestia thankfully put it into words.

“Exactly,” Rainbow nodded as the others rose to their hooves again. “Though, I wish I could, I don’t know, be in two places at once. That I’d stay here and also…”

“It’s alright. I know you do, Rainbow,” Twilight softly interrupted her. “I suppose it was worth a shot, though… I never expected you to accept. Princess Celestia has a point,” She slowly nodded before meeting Rainbow Dash’s eyes again. “Your friends are lucky. I guess I can only say goodbye,” She sniffled. “I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for your death, but… I will try. I’ll try for as long as I live,” She assured the pegasus.

“You’ve got nothing to forgive yourself for, Twi, but I’ll hold you to that,” Rainbow smiled wholeheartedly, using one of her wings to wipe the alicorn’s tears away. The pegasus paused, taking in their faces one last time, then breathed out. “Well, I guess this is it. Discord? Hoof over the stone,”

“Here you go, and… Thanks, Rainbow Dash,” Discord whispered as he threw the stone to her, which she caught in her hoof. The pegasus nodded in acknowledgment, and closed her eyes, ready to be transported back into her universe… Only for nothing to happen. She hesitantly opened one eye before looking around.

“Oh, well… This is awkward. I thought I’d be the last to hold that thing… Guess I’m not,” She mumbled awkwardly while looking at the stone in her hooves. “See, ‘cause we’re all supposed to hold it at the same time, then it’ll turn on or something and… Yeah… Wanna go for lunch, maybe?” She chuckled nervously.

Twilight’s expression softened as the stone suddenly began to shake, which didn’t go unnoticed by anyone.

“Goodbye, Rainbow,” Twilight finally said as the stone rose in the air. A radiant burst of light erupted out of it, tearing through the air to form a shimmering portal behind Rainbow Dash.

Without warning, the pegasus was yanked inside with a startled yelp. Her final glimpse was of her family's and friends' smiling faces before the portal sealed shut. She found herself once more in the strange realm where her multiverse journey had first begun, soaring past countless mirror-like swirls, each reflecting a different picture, a different universe.

Again, she couldn’t control where she was going, yet, she could feel she didn’t need to. She was pulled exactly where she needed to be.

“I’m coming home,” She whispered, closing her eyes and allowing herself to be pulled.

Back in the universe she had just left, silence fell over everyone as they watched the portal snap shut, the cyan pegasus vanishing from sight… forever.

“She’s really gone now, isn’t she?” Twilight weakly questioned.

“Yeah… She is, Sugarcube,” Applejack replied, matching her tone. The five friends wordlessly embraced each other and cried, letting their emotions out without restraint.

Perhaps they would never truly heal. Perhaps this world, ravaged by Tirek's destruction, was already beyond saving. Perhaps nature would continue to wither, and ponies would gradually lose themselves to despair. Perhaps the bearers of the Elements of Harmony would remain consumed by grief, unable to find solace.

And yet, they would try. No matter what the future held, they would fight—for a brighter, more hopeful tomorrow. They would honor the memory of the friend they lost to the tyrant known as Lord Tirek.

Author's Note

It is done. This was the final chapter of Rainbow Dash's side of the story! What a ride, huh? For those who expected a more exciting fight against Tirek, sorry, but he just stood no chance against the Rainbow Power (talking about the chest here, and not Rainbow Dash, though I guess she can apply as well haha).

This chapter was meant to focus on their farewells more than anything. This won't be the last we see of this world, though, once every side is done, there will be an epilogue separated into different parts (so not in one chapter), each focusing on a different universe. You'll see how this world progressed after Rainbow left, but you'll have to wait until we get there! Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this universe as well as Rainbow's adventure. It ends on a hopeful note, at least!

Remember

Universe 31870

Rarity’s breath was caught in her throat. She… She couldn’t breathe… Why couldn’t she breathe? She was barely injured, so why… Why did it feel like she was dying? The unicorn’s body trembled as if it was freezing as she fearfully lowered her gaze. Her hooves were stained with red. This shouldn’t have been here. Why was this color on her hooves? Why… Was it getting colder? Why was… Twilight’s body getting colder?

The lavender unicorn lay there, speechless and unmoving. But she was speaking a few seconds ago. She was still standing too. This didn’t make sense! A pony wouldn’t go from standing and talking to… to… To being dead in a matter of seconds! Right? This couldn’t happen!

“T-Twilight…” Rarity stammered, slowly regaining her breath as the other mare’s last words replayed in her mind. “Darling… Please… Just talk to me… Anything. Tell me anything… Please, just say something,” She begged shakily. The fashionista didn’t notice the tears freely spilling out of her eyes, her gaze and attention fully focused on the body of her friend. “Somepony… Do something… Please…” The mare fell to her knees, her voice breaking. She was unable to take her eyes off Twilight, praying that this wasn’t real… But she knew the truth. And the flashes of the time she spent with this Twilight along with the one she was most familiar with going through her mind only served to squeeze her heart harder than it ever had been. “Don’t let her go…” She whispered. Twilight was dead. She was dead? She… Let one of her friends die?

An orb of darkness suddenly materialized in the air behind her, quickly revealing the shape of Princess Luna as it dissipated. The alicorn’s eyes immediately focused on her student’s body as she landed, widening once she appraised the condition she was in.

“No… Luna is… I am too late…” She whispered in shock, hesitantly approaching the crying unicorn. “Twilight…” The night alicorn gazed upon her precious student. Twilight was covered in injuries, bleeding from every side, scorch marks across her body, and a mane seemingly shortened by fire. The worst of all was the hole in her chest, which was still fuming. Luna’s gaze shifted to the white unicorn. The otherworlder was still on her knees, crying that would only stop for a moment so she would hiccup as she stared at Twilight’s body.

“She… She’s the one who got hurt… So why… Why am I in such pain?” One of Rarity’s hooves shot up to her mouth to hold back a choked sob. She had never lost a friend. Not like this. And even if she wasn’t the Twilight she had met first… Rarity was dealt a pain just as deep. Her heart felt like it would burst!

A memory suddenly flashed back at the forefront of her mind, the first night she spent in this world…

She was stirring in her sleep, moaning in fear as a nightmare haunted her dreams, a nightmare of such intensity that she wanted to escape her own body. Talking in her sleep, she only managed to let out a small fearful “no” before loudly breathing out.

The glow around her body lingered for a moment longer before fading away, leaving Rarity to have a calm and pleasant sleep.

She could still feel the faint warmth of Twilight’s magic, desperately keeping it in her heart because if she didn’t… She would forget it… She would never feel that warmth again. Despite the pain she was in, Twilight’s laugh came back to the forefront of her mind, reminding her of their training together.

“Uhm, no. You’re just floating,” Twilight giggled as the white unicorn opened her eyes in a panic, noticing she was floating above the floor.

“Ah!” She flailed around before falling flat on her face when the magic around her disappeared.

When he friend had allowed herself to smile and enjoy her time. When Rarity started to go through to her… Right before she taught her how to dance.

“Rarity, I’m…” Luna cut the unicorn’s memories off, just as she was about to remember when they went shopping together. It was like every memory she had of Twilight was rushing back to the surface.

“Did you know?” Rarity whispered after sniffling her tears.

“What?” Luna uttered in confusion.

“Did you know that you would be cursed? And that it would be Blueblood…” Rarity clarified, her voice colder. “You had his handkerchief,”

“I… I knew he was preparing something, and I’ve had… A prophetic dream about it. So yes… I knew,” The alicorn revealed as Rarity slowly stood up, her back still facing Luna.

“You knew… You knew and you let Twilight… You let her risk her life for you. You let her…” Rarity choked on her words, unable to finish her sentence. “You could have avoided all of this,”

“It wasn’t supposed to go like this, Rarity. I promise. A curse shouldn’t have put me in such a state, but I’ve been more weakened than I thought. It was supposed to…” Luna weakly defended herself.

“Let me guess!” Rarity suddenly sharply spun around, finally facing the alicorn and allowing her to see her expression. It was filled with tears, and pain like she had been stabbed in the heart. “It was a test, right?! It always is! Test here! And test there! And Twilight’s health never matters, right?!” She shouted, glaring daggers into Luna’s very soul.

“I… Yes, it was. The last one before she was ready to become an alicorn,” Luna conceded reluctantly. “But I do not like your implications. My beloved student’s life has always been my top priority,”

However, Rarity’s glare didn’t relent, if anything, it only seemed to grow more ferocious.

“Then… Why aren’t you shedding a single tear for her?!” She stomped the floor. Luna flinched at the unicorn’s words, but they rang true. The alicorn didn’t shed tears. She didn’t seem close to crying at all. “Is that the extent of your love for her?” Rarity questioned.

“She was like my daughter,” Luna sternly responded, refusing to have anyone question her intentions or feelings. “But I’ve had hundreds of students over the years, and they were all like my children. I know you’re not a mother, Rarity… But could you imagine losing hundreds of your foals?” The alicorn asked. While the other mare’s eyes slightly softened, her ire didn’t fade. “I cannot allow myself to mourn and cry for all of them because if I do… I will not survive. I will break,” She shook her head.

Rarity remained silent for a couple of seconds, studying Luna’s face.

“No. That’s not an excuse,” The unicorn finally responded. “She had no one. No one but you. She didn’t have a family or friends because of you. There’s no one else in this world to mourn her, so… You better cry for her right now…” Rarity stepped up to the alicorn, her face only inches away from hers. “Or I’ll make you,” She warned through clenched teeth.

“Rarity…” Luna spoke softly as she backed away. “You’re angry. You’re grieving. I understand that. You’re looking to blame somepony, and I won’t deny you that because you don’t know who to direct your anger to, and I don’t blame you for this… But…” As expected, it didn’t quell Rarity’s rage at all. “I have never forced Twilight to forsake her family or the idea of friends. Most of my students were that way, either because they were orphans or because they sought to avoid all distractions, and… She likely wanted to follow in their footsteps. I’ve always prided myself in giving my students the freedom of choice, she…”

“She was a child! She was just a filly who didn’t know any better!” Rarity snapped, veins bulging on her forehead as she leaned forward, likely doing her best not to actually attack Princess Luna. “You’re the adult! You had to be the one to be responsible! You should have told her she didn’t need to forsake those things!”

“Princess Luna is literally perfect!”

Rarity paused, remembering Twilight’s words, which only served to add fuel to her already infernal rage.

“But I suppose that would have been too inconvenient for you, right?” The unicorn questioned with narrowed eyes. “Having a student completely devoted to you is much easier, after all! You’re the only one she has to think or care about, isn’t that right?!” She accused the princess.

“I told you. If there is one thing I refuse to let you doubt… It’s my intentions. I considered her my daughter,” Luna retorted, giving the other mare a light glare. The only reason she hadn’t hurt Rarity by now for her words was because she understood that the unicorn was in pain, maybe even in more pain than she had ever been before. However, Luna refused to have her feelings questioned.

“She thought she was expendable… That you could just replace her,” Rarity responded weakly, her glare slowly turned sorrowful. “She died believing no one loved her. She didn’t deserve such a cruel fate,” She revealed, making Luna slightly widen her eyes. Yet, the alicorn couldn’t help checking Twilight again, specifically her facial expression. The lavender unicorn… Looked peaceful. Despite her injuries, it was as if she had died in her sleep. Not only that… She was smiling. A smile filled with warmth. At that moment, Luna doubted that Twilight truly died believing no one loved her, or perhaps, her student had discovered in her last moments something even more powerful than being loved by someone. “So, I’ll ask you again… Cry for her. Now,”

“I’m sorry,” Luna quietly apologized while looking down, yet… No tears came. “This pains me. You have to believe me. But I can’t mourn, Rarity. I just can’t. Not after everything I’ve already lost. It always… turns out like this… My beloved students grow strong and healthy, they study, they do their best for Equestria, they fight for me, but… It always ends the same way… They die for me too,” She declared in a strained voice. “I wish I could change that. I wish I was stronger. I wish for so much… But I’m not a goddess, and I don’t have…”

“No,” Rarity lightly shook her head. Luna looked up in confusion. “She didn’t die for you. She died for me,” The unicorn revealed, lowering her gaze. “She… Gave her life for me. I don’t know what I did to deserve it, but I’ll never forget this, so if you won’t at least mourn her… I hope you remember as well,” She looked up again, meeting the alicorn’s eyes. “She didn’t die as your puppet,”

Princess Luna looked at her student again as Rarity sniffled back tears; the unicorn turned around to sit by her student’s side, softly caressing her mane and wiping off the blood on her face.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Luna quietly conceded. “She may have found… Something worth dying for. Something… That mattered to her more than I did,” She added while observing the gentle way the white unicorn handled her beloved student’s body.

“I can’t look at your face. I want to leave. I want to see my friends again because if I don’t…” Rarity muttered with conflicting emotions on her face. It was a mix of anger and sadness. She still, undoubtedly, wanted to hurt Princess Luna, but the agony brought by Twilight’s fate kept her in place.

She wanted to see her friends embrace them, to seek comfort in their hold. However, it also meant leaving the friend she just lost. Twilight died, and the only pony who cared enough to cry for her was to leave this world completely. How was it fair? What did she do to suffer such a fate? How was it fair that after the battles they’d just been through and won, she had to die? If only… If only Rarity had killed Blueblood… This wouldn’t have happened! If she had done what needed to be done, then she and Twilight would have been laughing about this whole ordeal by now! Maybe they’d treat her injuries first... Then, they’d have a nice dinner in a tranquil restaurant before finishing the night with another slumber party or even… Or even… No, these hypotheticals didn’t matter. It didn’t change reality.

“I understand,” Luna nodded, finally showing something akin to sadness on her face. Rarity spun her head to look at her, just as the alicorn lit her horn and made something teleport to her. The unicorn widened her eyes in realization as she noted the object’s appearance. It was the same stone that brought her here!

“This is…” The fashionista began hesitantly.

“Indeed. It’s the stone you’ve been looking for. I’ve had it this whole time… I’m sorry. I wanted to make sure you could be trusted. Please, don’t blame Twilight for keeping it a secret, she was only following my orders,” The alicorn explained regretfully. Of course, now that her student gave her life to save that unicorn, she felt remorse for ever doubting her.

Rarity’s mind flashed back to a previous memory again at Luna’s words, finally coming to an understanding.

“I’ll have to properly apologize to you once this ordeal is over,” Twilight nodded with confidence.

So that was it, huh? Rarity didn’t know what Twilight had been talking about at that time, but it was suddenly much clearer. Even though she only followed Luna’s commands at that point, she still wanted to apologize for it? How silly… A bittersweet smile rose up her cheeks.

“You never had anything to apologize for,” She whispered fondly. Princess Luna arched an eyebrow in confusion. However, that small, bittersweet smile vanished as soon as it came as she looked at the alicorn princess again. Rarity wrapped the stone in her magical grab and took her from Luna’s. The unicorn levitated the stone close to her, looking it over. “How can I be happy with this when I… Failed so miserably?” She muttered, still not taking the stone.

“I wish things were different… I… Didn’t want any of this to happen,” Luna argued weakly as Rarity finally touched the stone, though, it didn’t activate yet. “I simply wanted… Twilight to make the world better with me…”

“I don’t think I can forgive you for this… You’re partially to blame, Princess… And you sound like you don’t care,” Rarity softly spoke, glaring at the unicorn princess.

Princess Luna didn’t respond immediately. Of course, she blamed herself. This wasn’t her original plan. She had been weakened by her injury much more than she thought she was. Originally, she should have been able to move and cast spells even through the curse’s effects. She would have observed Twilight from far away and would have saved her if needed. The bond Twilight created with Rarity, along with overcoming her limits to save Equestria was the last element she needed to become an alicorn. Twilight would have become Luna’s equal, and would have reigned over Equestria by her side. She would have created more bonds, and made even more friends until… She was ready to defeat Daybreaker once and for all.

Perhaps, her emotions over this matter were finally visible on her face since Rarity’s glare slightly softened… Only to return in full force. The fashionista just lost a friend, and she wasn’t going to stop blaming herself or the one who could have stopped all of this before it started. As far as she was concerned, Twilight partially died because of Princess Luna’s selfish agenda. She cared more about what she considered the greater good than her supposed daughter’s life. Just then, the stone finally activated, shining bright as it floated out of Rarity’s hoof. The unicorn’s gaze briefly shifted to the stone, which began creating a portal.

“I don’t know why your sister tried to kill you,” Rarity stated as the portal fully opened. The unicorn scowled at the ruler of the night one last time. “You two would have made a great duo of tyrants,” Those were her last words as she was pulled into the portal, which promptly closed as soon as she went through.

Luna widened her eyes in shock, but she remained in place. She didn’t move from where she stood as the stone dropped to the floor and turned off. No one had ever spoken to her in such a way. She should have been enraged to be put on the same level as what her sister had become… Yet, Rarity’s pain was clear, and she could hardly blame the unicorn for her words. She had made too many mistakes in her life.

The princess slowly approached her fallen student and lowered herself beside her. With great care, she enveloped Twilight’s lifeless body in her magic, lifting her gently into the air. Drawing her close, she wrapped her wings and hooves around the lavender mare, tenderly cradling her.

Princess Luna quietly whimpered into her student’s cold neck.

Author's Note

Yep, this one ends on a sad note. Equestria may have been saved again, but not without losses. Rarity lost a friend she grew very close to in that short time. Luna lost a daughter. And Twilight died right as she started to live again...

This Princess Luna will return in her respective epilogue.

Familial Bonds

Universe 25197

“How strong is that pony? We can barely hold her!” One of the bodyguards exclaimed while the rope between his teeth threatened to rip them out of his mouth. That was due to Applejack, still struggling to free herself from the binds she was trapped in.

Multiple bodyguards pulled on her four limbs with ropes tied on each of them. Her legs were all being pulled apart as if they wanted to stretch her to death. While that was painful to her, the worst was the rope around her neck, barely allowing any oxygen to pass through her throat. The pony choking her could likely kill her by pulling harder; however, he didn’t. She guessed it was because Jackie hadn’t ordered her death yet. Despite that, Applejack still fought back with the little strength she had left.

“Boss! What are your orders!” One of the many bodyguards present asked Jackie.

Indeed, even if Applejack took out the ponies holding her, many more were around her, all working for Jackie. It was like a whole platoon! Maybe instead of pulling on every leg, she should try to free one foreleg first. It would make freeing the other limbs easier. Unfortunately, Applejack could barely think; her breath was scarce, and her neck was somehow not broken yet.

“Isn’t it obvious?! Keep holding her like that!” Jackie loudly ordered, her voice slightly cracking. She could hardly keep her composure, which didn’t go unnoticed by the ponies protecting her.

“Uhm, are you alright, Boss?” One inquired while Jackie swiftly turned away, sniffling as she wiped the traces of her tears.

“Of course, I am!” The business mare retorted angrily. She breathed in and out, seemingly keeping her temper in check before her gaze landed on Applejack again. Jackie grinned excitedly, showing a toothy and crazed smile. “Your existence is offensive to me… I should have done this from the start,” She said, looking around until she noted the presence of a hammer nearby. It had been on top of one of the crates they destroyed in their battle. “Don’t let her move, alright?” She ordered her bodyguards and picked the hammer up with her teeth. “I’m going to bash her skull in, and after that… I’ll use her body parts to feed my dogs!” Jackie barked, and while the ponies under her command followed her orders, most of them couldn’t help exchanging looks. They had never seen her behaving so unhinged before. “Ready to die, filth?”

“Ah know ya… want me to beg for ma life… Dream on. Ah ain’t begging to the likes of ya!” Applejack managed to declare despite the rope strangling her.

“It’s too late to learn the importance of pride, Sugar. No matter! I’ll make sure you scream loud and clear for me when I blow your brains out!” Jackie raised her hammer as high as she could, ready to bring it down with full force. She could have asked one of her men to do it, and they likely would have used even more strength than her, but she wanted to do the deed herself.

Applejack didn’t close her eyes, stubbornly staring down at her counterpart and refusing to bend. If she was going to die like this, then she would meet that fate head-on! However, just as Jackie began bringing the hammer down, the front wall of the warehouse suddenly exploded, throwing most of them off their hooves. Jackie yelped as she collided with a nearby crate.

The blast threw the bodyguards of Applejack as the mare skidded across the floor, though this small bit of pain was nothing but a relief. She could finally move her limbs! Without wasting any more time, she untied the rope around her neck and took in a deep breath the moment it was freed. Oh, she had missed the sweet taste of oxygen!

“What was that?!” A bodyguard questioned between coughs, placing a hoof over his snout to avoid inhaling the smoke.

“All of you are under arrest!” A familiar voice exclaimed. Applejack widened her eyes in recognition and relief. Oh, she couldn’t be any more grateful for their timing! When the smoke cleared, it revealed not only Princess Luna and the royal guards but also her friends! Along with Lyra… “Come quietly, and no harm will come to you,” Princess Luna instructed, her horn glowing.

“I-It’s the princesses!”

“W-What? Why? Why are you here?!” Jackie’s reaction was the total opposite of Applejack’s, her eyes wide with fear and fury. Just as she was about to kill the one who offended her, they had to show up out of nowhere! “This is my private property! You’re trespassing! Whatever your reason is, I’ll sue you if you don’t…” She began threatening them, only for Twilight to smirk.

“We’re here because a friend asked us for our help,” The lavender alicorn simply replied as someone else walked up by her side.

“Applebloom!” Applejack shouted in surprise. Why was she there? After the lies, she told everyone, her sister should have given up on her already!

“Applewho?” Jackie cocked an eyebrow. The mare shook her head, dispelling her confusion to glance at her bodyguards, who seemed frozen in fear. “What are you all waiting for? Attack them already! T-This is just self-defense!” She sputtered nervously.

“B-But…” A bodyguard stammered, unsure of how to act. Sure, Jackie was paying them, but these were princesses and heroes of Equestria they were up against!

“Surprise attack!” Lyra suddenly jumped into the fray, kicking the stallion who had just spoken, in the neck.

“Gah!” He gasped as he was slammed into one of his colleagues.

That hit alone was enough to spur the rest of the bodyguards to fight, charging at the heroes of Equestria and the princesses. Luna lit her horn, blasting various bodyguards away and trapping some of the others in magical binds. Her royal guards met the opposing side with full force, pegasi against pegasi, unicorns against unicorns, and earth pony against earth pony. Not only did the royal guards have the numerical advantage, but they were also more experienced and proficient in combat than mere security. With the addition of the element bearers, Jackie could only watch with shaking legs as her men were beaten down and thrown around like bugs. Pinkie Pie bounced from crate to crate, jumping on the head of every bodyguard she laid her eyes on like she was in some kind of video game.

Fluttershy would cower in fear, only to suddenly go out of control with a flurry of surprise attacks when the stallions approached her. Lyra would pounce on a random enemy, attacking him like a rabid dog while he screamed and flew all over the place.

Even Applejack was back on her hooves, fighting alongside them, kicking away any bodyguard daring to come too close to her.

“Damn it! What are you idiots doing?!” Jackie screamed, nervously stepping back as her eyes drifted all around the room, only witnessing defeat everywhere she looked. “This isn’t… This shouldn’t be happening! Do ya have any idea who I am?!” She opened her mouth to scream again, only for Rainbow Dash to suddenly rush forward and kick upward. The business mare could only widen her eyes as she was kicked in the chin, more teeth and blood spurting out of her mouth. “Dabu!” She yelped as she was thrown across the room, and slammed into a wooden crate head first. “G… Gaaah!” She held her face while kicking her legs in the air. “They’re… They’re still hitting me! They keep hitting me! My face! H-How dare you hurt my face!” She seemingly convulsed in pain, still pathetically kicking around.

“Yeah, yeah, keep crying, you big baby. I barely touched you,” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

Jackie’s little tantrum ended abruptly when she was surrounded by a magical bind, forcing her to hover straight over the floor, her limbs stuck to her body to prevent her from escaping. Most of her bodyguards were in the same situation, and the ones to blame were none other than Princess Luna and Twilight, as seen by their lit horns.

“Y-You’ll pay for this… Guh…” Jackie sputtered painfully.

Applejack turned to look at her counterpart’s state, hoping she was hurt a lot by what she had done. The farm pony was glad to see that was the case. Jackie’s face was swollen and riddled with bruises, her snout visibly broken and bleeding.

“Well, now that’s over,” Princess Luna calmly stated before turning to Twilight. “Twilight, if you may?”

“Of course!” The lavender alicorn nodded with a smile as she flew up to Applejack, closely followed by Applebloom, who ran after her. “You’re the Applejack we came here to rescue, right?” Twilight asked, to which Applejack weakly nodded. It was weird to see one of her best friends talk to her as if they were strangers, and… Well, in this case, they were. “I believe you were looking for this,” The princess said, lighting her horn and summoning the familiar stone that threw her into this world.

“Yes! That’s it!” Applejack exclaimed just as her counterpart widened her eyes.

“What? How did you find this?!” Jackie questioned furiously.

Princess Luna kept an impassive expression, and instead of answering verbally, she simply lit her horn, using her magic to throw something on the floor… Or rather someone. It was Jackie’s assistant, Happy Feather! The pegasus was tied up in the same way as the others, though he didn’t have any visible injuries.

“Feather! You dirty traitor! You sold me out?!” Jackie growled, making the pegasus whimper fearfully.

“I-I had three princesses staring me down! Give me a break! What was I supposed to do?!” Happy Feather defended himself while glancing nervously in Luna’s direction.

“Who cares about them?! I could buy their whole castle if I wanted to!” Jackie shouted, struggling against the bindings she was trapped in.

“This is getting quite sad,” Luna sighed, shaking her head. “Guards, take them all away,” She ordered. The royal guards nodded wordlessly as they began carrying the prisoners away, much to Jackie’s displeasure.

“You think this is over?! Wait until my lawyers hear about this! I’ll milk you dry! Leave you bitless!” Jackie threatened, still unable to do anything to free herself as she was taken away along with her bodyguards and assistant.

“Well, I suppose I should help them with that… Also, check if there’s anything illegal here,” Twilight uttered before looking at Applejack again. “I’m sure you can’t waste too much time, so… I’ll leave this to you,” The alicorn stated, letting the stone out of her magical grab. It hovered silently in front of the farm pony, waiting to be held or activated as Twilight nodded and walked away.

“I…” Applejack raised a hoof to keep the alicorn from leaving immediately, only to pause. Her eyes scanned the rest of the room. Her friends’ counterparts either helped the guards take Jackie’s men away or looked into the crates filling this room. None of them even glanced her way… Right… She wasn’t their friend here. However, that didn’t mean she had no one else to talk to before leaving, so she let the stone hover in place… And turned to look at Applebloom. It seemed the little filly hadn’t only come with reinforcements. “You… You’re here too,” The cow mare whispered as Granny Smith and Big Mac joined her little sister.

“Of course. We wanted to say goodbye,” Big Mac was the first to talk, making Applejack wince.

“Ah’m sorry… Ah lied to ya,” She lowered her head. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if she could say anything at all. They had every right to hate her after this whole ordeal. Instead of a harsh reprimand, she was met with a comforting touch upon her shoulder. She hesitantly looked up to see it was Granny Smith. “Granny…”

“Yer already forgiven,” The old mare softly said, a weak smile across her lips.

“That easily?” Applejack arched an eyebrow in surprise.

“Ya may have come on the farm with selfish intentions, but the effort ya put in was real, and Ah could see that. Ya truly cared about us, didn’t ya?” Granny Smith asked as the farm pony immediately perked up.

“Of course, Ah cared! No matter the universe, Ah always care about mah family! Ah would never wish to hurt them!” She quickly assured them.

“That’s already more than what we can say for our real Applejack,” Big Mac mumbled, gesturing to Jackie with his chin. The business mare was still screaming and arguing with Princess Luna, threatening her over and over with pointless threats. “Ah never thought she’d turn out like this,” He sighed dejectedly.

Applejack’s gaze returned to Granny Smith, remembering how her grandmother’s counterpart greeted her and how happy she was that her granddaughter came back after all these years.

“Ah tried to make her change her mind. Ah really did, but she truly didn’t care, Granny. Ah’m sorry,” Applejack apologized again. The old mare watched her real granddaughter from afar. Jackie hadn’t even stolen a single glance in their direction. Applejack wasn’t surprised. She doubted there was any room for decency in that cold heart of hers.

“Ya shouldn’t apologize for somepony else’s actions, dear,” Granny sighed, shaking her head. “Don’t worry, she’ll get a stern lecture from me. The least she deserves,”

“Eyup,” Big Mac affirmed. His eyes wandered all over her body as if appraising her. “Ah guess Ah know why ya were so good at the farm for a pony who hadn’t worked there in years,” He concluded. Indeed, now that they had seen Applejack and Jackie in the same room, the differences in their physiques couldn’t be any clearer. Applejack’s legs were much more fit in comparison.

“Y-Yeah… That’s the difference between us, she stayed in Manehattan, but Ah didn’t,” Applejack revealed.

“Then Ah suppose my initial assessment wasn’t wrong,” Granny Smith softly smiled. “If yer parents are in any way like the ones here, then Ah have no doubt they are proud of the pony you’ve become,”

“Granny Smith…” Applejack whispered, teary-eyed. Even after everything, even though she wasn’t her real granddaughter… Granny Smith was willing to say those words to her? Sometimes, she felt like she really didn’t deserve the family she had.

“Ya made us feel like a whole family for a week, and ya showed me the great mare ya could have become. Always remain true to yerself, and fight for what ya believe is right, as long as ya do that, then yer exactly the pony yer parents wished you to become,” Granny Smith placed her hooves on Applejack’s shoulders. “You’ll always be welcome here, just… Don’t pretend to be somepony else, next time, alright? Ya can always ask for help directly,”

“Eyup,” Big Mac nodded. “Ah’d love to have a contest of strength with ya, one day,” He grinned.

Applejack wiped away small tears, fondly smiling. They were an amazing family, no matter the universe. However, there was still something missing. She wasn’t the only one to know something quite important.

“Now, there’s one pony ya haven’t talked to yet,” Granny Smith let go of her granddaughter’s counterpart, leaving room for Applebloom to step forward. The filly looked at the floor shyly, refusing to meet the older farm pony’s gaze. “We’ll leave ya to it,” Granny whispered, patting Applebloom on the head as she left with Big Mac.

“So…” Applebloom trailed off, unsure of where she was going.

“Yup… Ya must be furious, or… Or sad… Ah don’t blame ya if ya are. Ah should have never lied. Ah never wanted to hurt ya, but Ah did the exact opposite, didn’t I?” Applejack quietly apologized, looking even more ashamed than she had been in front of Granny Smith and Big Mac. “Ya don’t have to forgive me… Ah…”

“Ah don’t care!” Applebloom suddenly exclaimed, much to Applejack’s confusion.

“What?”

“Ah don’t care if ya pretended to be mah sister! Ya were still the best sister Ah could have hoped for even if ya aren’t from here! A-Ah had so much fun with ya! B-But if ya want me to forgive ya, then ya have to stay here!” The little filly demanded with a shaky voice. Her lower lip quivered as she tried holding back her tears.

“Oh, Applebloom… Ah can’t… But Ah’m happy that despite the… Lie, Ah made ya happy. Listen up, yer an amazin’ filly, and ya deserve the best sister in the world, but ya don’t need one,” Applejack ruffled her sister’s mane “Ya don’t need Jackie, and ya don’t need me,”

“B-But Ah do!” Applebloom argued vehemently.

“Ah know ya feel lonely at times, and there ain’t any miracle solution to it. Havin’ a sister sure ain’t,” Applejack chuckled softly. “Ya have Granny Smith and Big Mac. Ya have amazin’ friends. Yer already a great filly, and all ya need now is to let yerself believe that ya ain’t ever truly alone. They’ll always be there for ya, unlike… Her,” She gestured to Jackie in disgust. “Look at her, she’s got no one, despite everythin’ she had,”

“But still…” Applebloom muttered, closing her eyes. It wasn’t only about loneliness. She was happy because she had finally someone to look up to. Big Mac always seemed too different from her, and Granny Smith was never someone she aspired to be like, despite how great she believed her grandmother to be. She would watch Sweetie Belle and Rarity, along with Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, and she’d see their bond. She wished to share something similar. To have someone to admire and to help her become who she wanted to become, even though, she didn’t know who she wanted to be anymore. “Ah don’t want to lose ya,” She looked up.

“Ya ain’t losin’ me. That week we spent together was real, and that’s somethin’ ya can always remember when ya need to. Ah’ll always be yer sister,” Applejack affirmed confidently.

“Ya mean it?” Applebloom sniffled hesitantly.

“That’s the one thing Ah’ll never lie about,” Applejack responded firmly before pulling the filly into a tight embrace.

“Alright… Then, Ah believe ya… Big sis,” Applebloom whispered in a bittersweet tone. They remained in each other’s embrace for several seconds until the younger sister finally let go, allowing Applejack to step back. “Ah guess that’s it…”

“Yup,” Applejack gently nodded as she walked up to the stone. She extended her hoof, ready to take the stone, only to pause and look back at Applebloom, Granny Smith, and Big Mac. She gave them one final smile. “Oh, and… Ah love ya,” She declared before finally touching the stone. The instant she made contact with it, a bright light burst out of it, making the stone hover up higher in the air as it spun on itself. After a couple of seconds, a portal opened behind her, immediately pulling her inside before she could say or do anything else.

Applebloom ran after her, stopping right at the entrance of the portal. The filly took in a deep breath before releasing a loud shout.

“Goodbye, big sis! Ah promise… Ah promise ah’ll make ya proud! Ah’ll never forget!” She declared, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gave her older sister a bright smile.

The last thing Applejack saw when the portal closed was her sister waving at her, looking happier than ever. The farm pony smirked.

“Ah don’t doubt that,” She whispered confidently. Finally feeling at peace, Applejack breathed in relief and allowed herself to be pulled where she needed to go: Home.

Author's Note

I haven't gotten a wink of sleep; I feel like dying :fluttershbad:
But it felt good to write this chapter despite that. The next two are Pinkie Pie and Twilight's conclusions. I'm pretty excited, especially for Twilight's part.
You can guess the order in which each mane 6 got to the stone by looking at how long it took for the stone to activate once they held it

No Good, No Bad

Universe 10328

“Are you serious?!” Pinkie exclaimed while slowly backing away. “Why can’t you just let me go?!”

“Oh, but we’ll let you go… Once I’ve dissected you and learned everything I could from you, I’ll put you back together and give you the stone,” Twilight smiled casually, adjusting her glasses with one of her claws. “I promise it’ll be painless if you don’t resist,” She assured the party pony.

Pinkie Pie continued to step away, nearly tripping on a changeling’s body.

“No! Why are you girls so mean?!” The party pony shouted, her eyes darting from mare to mare. She couldn’t believe this… She had seen they were ruthless with their enemies, and she feared they would stab her in the back, but she didn’t think they’d do it so easily and without remorse! “You… You jerks are irredeemable! I never should have hoped to be your friend!” She glared at them as she stopped backing away, getting ready to fight for the stone instead.

“Alright! She isn’t surrendering, so I’m taking her down!” Rainbow Dash suddenly took off at full speed, spreading her wing blades to decapitate the enemy standing before them.

Pinkie Pie widened her eyes as she threw herself down, the pegasus’ blades cutting a few hairs off her mane. The party pony reacted at lightning speed and countered Rainbow’s sudden attack by kicking upwards, right into the cyan mare’s stomach.

“Gah!” Rainbow Dash gasped, spit flying out of her mouth as her back cracked. Pinkie’s blow was so strong, unusually so even with the help of the armor, that it went through every protection the pegasus had inside her body to the point the force reached her back. She was blown into the air, even unable to use her wings as she quickly began falling down again. Her friends watched in shock when she hit a pile of corpses. She was alive, as evident by her groans, but wasn’t standing back up. “That… Bitch… I can’t feel my spine,” She grunted with a blazing pain in the guts and back. Luckily for her, morphine was promptly injected into her by her cybernetic enhancements, yet, it didn’t help her to her hooves.

“Dashie!” Twilight screamed, her cheeks reddening with anger.

Applejack jumped forward before slamming her forelegs together, sending a powerful shockwave in Pinkie’s direction. The party mare activated the thrusters in her hooves, soaring into the sky and thus avoiding Applejack’s attack. Pinkie aimed her forelegs at the trio, shooting multiple white beams in their directions, each swerving in different ways to hit from every side.

“Get down!” Rarity instructed her friends before waving her hooves in front of them and creating a wave of cold that instantly froze the air into a thick ice wall. The frozen mass shook under Pinkie’s firepower, various pieces of it dropping before them, only for Rarity to form more layers of ice. Just as they thought it stopped, the wall was suddenly blown to pieces from the base. Rarity widened her eyes, noting the one who broke it was Pinkie Pie, using her hooves. The party mare used the thrusters in her hind legs again, launching herself in Rarity’s direction as she cocked her hoof back. Pinkie’s hit was aimed at Rarity’s face, and it may have landed if it wasn’t for the mare’s girlfriend throwing her out of the way. “Darling!” Rarity shouted as the otherworlder’s punch threw Applejack back, nearly shattering her jaw.

“Girls! This is highly unprofessional! Why are you struggling against one pony?” Twilight harshly berated them before aiming most of her opened claws at Pinkie and shooting a volley of bullets like a machine gun. Pinkie hurriedly jumped back, running as fast as she could while Twilight’s bullets followed closely behind her, spewing out changeling blood and sand as they hit the ground. “So? Not gonna try to talk us down like you did with the others?” The scientists hummed amusedly.

“Nope!” Pinkie replied, her tone suddenly cheerful. “And I won’t feel bad about hitting you girls either!” She clarified, jumping above another one of Applejack’s shockwaves, and punching her on the top of the head. The other mare was launched down until her head was completely buried in the sand, elevating a large dust and dust cloud. Despite that, Twilight could still perceive the party mare with her various enhancements. “Back in my world, I fought a ton of bad guys! Sometimes, we can talk to them and make them our friends! Sometimes, we can’t!” She added before running in Rarity’s direction again. However, before the pink pony could take another step, an orange whip wrapped around one of her hind legs. It was Applejack! The farm pony clenched her teeth, pulling as hard as she could and launching Pinkie Pie back. However, she surprisingly quickly shook it off, despite bouncing off the ground multiple times… Though it shouldn’t have been physically possible because of the environment. “I finally get what you girls have been trying to tell me since I came here!”

“Oh? And what is that? I do love it when my students learn something from my lectures!” Twilight questioned, this time shooting beams of light, which Pinkie craftily reflected away thanks to a mirror she had on her.

“There are no good guys or bad guys here! You’re all horrible ponies who care only for themselves!” Pinkie Pie giggled before slamming her hooves into the ground, creating a massive wave of sand in Applejack and Rarity’s direction. The two mares used both of their signature attacks, blasting the sand away before it could hit them. “You aren’t my friends! And I don’t want you to be my friends!” Pinkie Pie rushed the couple again.

She didn’t care anymore. She didn’t care about this world or its inner workings anymore, and she didn’t want to understand any more than that. All she wanted now was to see her real friends! Not these horrible imitations! Though she appeared cheerful, her smile wasn’t quite real either. No, it wasn’t sadness anymore. She was enraged. Enraged because of all she went through here! Enraged because she had to kill! Her friends may have been in even deeper problems, facing even worse trials! Maybe they didn’t even have anyone to help them! So she wasn’t going to throw herself a pity party any longer! She was going to kick each and every one of their asses, and get out of here!

“Do you think now is the time to talk philosophy and morals?” Twilight chuckled at the party mare’s words.

Rarity stood before Applejack, summoning lightning out of her body, and shooting it straight at Pinkie Pie. The mare grinned. As if a bit of lightning was going to scare her! Rainbow Dash pranked her enough with that already! Thus, she continued to charge head-on, bending over in a spherical shape. The lightning slammed into her. Much to everyone’s shock, instead of stopping her right there, the lightning surrounded her, clearly damaging the armor even if Pinkie didn’t appear hurt at all. Instead, the ball-shaped pony was still hurling forward!

“How the-” Rarity uttered in confusion before quickly shaking off the surprise. Her expression hardened into anger, her armor reddening with heat.

“My armor shouldn’t be doing that…” Twilight mumbled while watching Pinkie, wondering how the earth pony was even doing this.

As Rarity’s armor gained a fiery red shade, it expelled a powerful wave of flames. The mare grinned confidently, knowing this would stop their enemy for sure. All their armor was heat resistant; however, they had limits… Except for hers, which was made to handle the harshest temperatures, whether freezing or burning. Pinkie would be cooked alive! Rarity already saw herself celebrating their victory!

That was until Pinkie hurled out of the fire, still in a ball and surrounded by both lightning and flames.

“Oh,” Rarity mumbled before the mare slammed into her, rendered even more painful and deadlier with the elements enveloping her. The white earth pony was launched backward, slamming in turn into her girlfriend, who didn’t expect her attacks to fail either.

The two fell into a dune, blowing a large sand cloud into the air when Pinkie landed on her hooves as if nothing happened. The party pony shook the fire and lightning off her, then focused her attention back on Twilight again.

“This is… Upsetting,” The scientists whispered, hesitant to crawl away. Pinkie was armed with the same weapon as her friend, but she didn’t fight the same way. Oh, sure, both were unpredictable, but… this Pinkie was still different.

“Wanna give me the stone, now?” Pinkie asked with a proud grin.

“Hmm, let me think…” Twilight cupped her chin with one of her claws. It gave the pink mare some time to check her last opponent’s weaponry. Twilight had 8 of those mechanical tentacles, each equipped with weapons. She used them to crawl around and fight, but Pinkie supposed she only needed two of them to stand. Perhaps even one would suffice, but two was likely better. She also held the stone in another, and that tentacle was definitely out of the fight. This meant Pinkie would only have to deal with five tentacles at once, and then take care of the rest once that was done… “I refuse!” Twilight finally declared, shooting at Pinkie Pie again.

“Alright!” Pinkie retorted casually, a wide smile across her lips before she jumped into action. The party pony dodged the relentless wave of bullets, either by sidestepping or jumping out of the way, no matter how narrow the dodge was. The most humiliating part for Twilight was the way she did it! Pinkie would front flips, or even cartwheels while cheerfully giggling as if she was mocking her!

When Pinkie got too close, Twilight widened her eyes, extending one of her tentacles in her direction. A sharp blade slides out of the claw, threatening to impale the otherworld, who simply punched it down effortlessly.

“Let’s see what you do against all of them then!” Twilight shouted, using five of her tentacles to attack. Some claws would try to grab Pinkie, others would try to slice or skewer her while some would attempt to wrap around her.

Anything was worth a try if it was going to keep that mare down! She was getting dangerously close to besting them, and Twilight couldn’t allow that! It would bring nothing but shame to Equestria’s protectors! Oh, and they could die too, she guessed… At least, she should stall until the others would get back!

Rarity and Applejack were running back to them, their armor damaged by Pinkie’s blows. They seemed to be in pain too. If a hit in a vital area hurt Rainbow Dash this much, Twilight didn’t doubt they would be harmed even with normal blows. Speaking of which, her girlfriend was still trying to stand up, lifting herself off the ground with shaky legs.

However, leaving them all dumbfounded, Pinkie ran up Twilight’s tentacles! How? Somehow… That unpredictable pony had tied the five tentacles into a knot!

“H-How?!” Twilight uttered, her eyes wide while her tentacles desperately tried to untie themselves. The scientists growled angrily, shooting two more tentacles Pinkie’s way… Only to realize they were the ones holding her up in the first place. She yelped the moment she touched the ground while the party mare destroyed one tentacle with a single punch, then snapped the other in half. “D-Damn it! Gotta run!’ Twilight exclaimed, attempting to stand, but her legs refused to obey. She... she could barely move them! Each attempt to rise ended with her collapsing back to the ground. R-Right... It had been years since she’d last walked on her own flesh-and-blood legs! She still had one tentacle left, but this one held the stone, and she wouldn’t let it go!

"Yah!" Pinkie suddenly rocketed out of her armor at incredible speed, hurtling straight toward Twilight's final tentacle. The maneuver allowed her to snatch the stone away! Where did her armor go? Well…

Twilight could only grunt helplessly as Pinkie’s armor wrapped its legs around her, keeping her trapped in a tight hold… Not that she could move anyway.

“Self-destruct engaged,” The armor suddenly spoke, making Twilight freeze. There was no way… Right? Pinkie Pie’s counterpart didn’t actually do this, right? “In 10 seconds. 9,”

“Uh oh! A little help here?!” Twilight screamed fearfully. Her only remaining claw desperately attempted to get the armor off her, though when self-destruct was engaged, she couldn’t just destroy it or it would blow up instantly!

Pinkie Pie didn’t look back as she ran ahead, carrying the stone against her chest. All she needed to do was wait for it to turn on, right? Then she’d be running until it opened a portal and got her out of there!

“We’re coming!” Applejack shouted, dashing toward Twilight as quickly as she could while Rarity followed suit.

“6. 5,” The armor continued to count down. It caused the lavender pony to panic even more, desperately struggling against her doom. Applejack and Rarity were still too far!

“Abort! Abort!” She attempted to cancel the armor’s self-destruct protocol, even though she knew it wouldn’t work. It would only follow the wearer’s commands. She programmed it that way. She never thought this would be used against her one day!

“4. 3,” It spoke in a monotone voice.

Miraculously, Rainbow Dash managed to stand on her hooves again, despite the fact that her back had multiple sparks bursting out of it. Oh, it was broken, without a doubt. However, she couldn’t just stay down white her girlfriend was in danger! She took off as soon, and quickly as she could, flying toward Twilight.

“Rainbow! Hurry up and save me already!” Twilight screamed, her eyes widening as the armor enveloped around her began to glow.

“2,” It counted. Rainbow Dash was getting closer! She was there! She was almost there! “1,”

Right at the same time, Pinkie’s stone glowed, shooting out of her grasp, much to her surprise.

Applejack paused, hearing the countdown even from where she stood. It was as if time had frozen, allowing her eyes to scan the environment in a split second. Their friend’s counterpart was standing in front of the hovering stone, which was spinning on itself. Twilight was trapped by a self-destructing armor, and Rainbow Dash was two seconds away from getting to her. The farm pony and her girlfriend were getting close too; however, she could tell… In that split second… what choice she needed to make.

“Get down!” She shouted as she pushed Rarity to the ground and pinned her down with a hoof. She raised her other hoof, from which a wide round shield formed, protecting them both.

“What?” Rarity could only utter in confusion before she was hidden in the shadow of the mare’s shield.

At that exact moment, a portal materialized in front of Pinkie. Her grin widened in triumph as she glanced back at the others one final time before being pulled inside.

“Congratulations You are now deceased!” The armor spoke in a cheerful tone.

Twilight gulped.

The armor burst apart in a massive explosion that made the ground shake and blew the nearby dunes away. It was a blast so powerful that it could likely be heard from miles away, and Pinkie certainly would have been affected if the portal hadn’t closed in time.

Most of the changeling corpses were blown away by the shockwave like the dunes, mixing with the sandstorm it created.

Applejack clenched her teeth, using all the strength she could muster to push against that shield and remain on the ground, praying at the same time that her armor wouldn’t break. Rarity held onto her like she held onto dear life. The white mare was tempted to add more protection with an ice wall but wanted to avoid taking any risks. She had no idea how it would hold against that explosion nor if it would be created successfully. They could barely even see anything with all the sand blocking their vision.

Fortunately for them, it settled down after a few seconds, sparing their ears from more harm.

“Is it over?” Rarity asked, shakily, still holding onto Applejack. The other mare hesitantly put the shield down to see there was a massive black cloud at the center of the explosion, but their friends were nowhere to be seen… Until Rainbow Dash’s body dropped down several feet away from them.

The pegasus was scorched black, her left wing missing as well as the left side of her face, revealing a steel jaw. Her four legs… Were blown off.

“Ow… I think… I… Broke my everything…” Rainbow whimpered agonizingly, totally unable to move.

Various other pieces of metal fell from the sky, including some of Twilight’s tentacle claws, which dropped like flies.

“Is…” Applejack muttered, only to be cut off when a tentacle fell right in front of her.

The couple observed closer and noted it held something in its claws: A pair of broken glasses.

Author's Note

What? A new chapter already? It kinda helps that they aren't 6k words long or more, to be honest haha. I've had a lot of free time lately, so that helped. I doubt I'll get Twilight's chapter as quickly, but we'll have to see.

Anyway, this is the end of Pinkie's story, she's finally out of there! Will she be okay mentally? Eh, probably not. What about her friends' counterparts? Who knows? Well, we'll probably check on them again once the epilogue's out. Just know that the next chapter is the last chapter before the epilogues

A New Beginning

Universe 47931

Alter Twilight was frozen, speechless when faced with her counterpart’s proposal. She had been doing this for… billions of years, ruining lives, taking them. She had become the worst monster one could be… For the sake of her friends. Until now… The only ones who gave her such a choice were few, and liars who only tried to trick her. Yet… The light of sincerity shone in Twilight’s eyes. She was being truthful.

“Do you realize what you’re asking of me?” Alter Twilight softly asked, still staring at Twilight’s outstretched hoof. “You’re asking me to give up on them. You’re asking me to give up on my friends, my family, my whole world. If I leave, my barrier will leave with me, and this universe will cease existing. There will be no other way for me to take it back… They’ll be all gone,” She quivered fearfully.

“Yes. I’m sorry. I wish I could help. If only my life was enough, then I would have helped, but I can’t sacrifice my friends or my world,” Twilight lightly shook her head, saddened by her counterpart’s dilemma. Of course, even if this wasn’t her world, it hurt Twilight too. The fact that she finally realized how her counterpart’s words earlier rang true about her privileged life and how blessed she was made it even worse. However, she couldn’t perform miracles and the only way she found to help the other alicorn… was to give her a new home. She wasn’t an idiot, she was aware it would be difficult, and her friends wouldn’t immediately see her as their best friend just because she was another Twilight, but she had hoped they would eventually close. No, she knew they would.

“I love them,” Alter whispered, lowering her gaze. The older alicorn was reminded of the times she spent with her friends. She replayed them every day. Every time she wasn’t looking at other universes, she would think of the ones she lost. “I would have given my life too if that was enough to save them…”

“If you love them, then you have to let it go,” Twilight hesitantly stated, slightly afraid her counterpart would snap. “You know they wouldn’t want this. You know they wouldn’t accept being brought back at the cost of millions upon millions of innocent lives sacrificed. They would want you… to move on, and be happy,”

“Happy? Happy?! You think I deserve to be happy after everything?!” Alter suddenly shouted, clenching her teeth. If she could cry, she would, but her tear glands had stopped working long ago. Nevertheless, the pain was still there. “You’re asking me to replace them! To replace my family too! How could I be happy?! How could I possibly do that?! Could you?!” She leaned forward, baring her teeth at the original Twilight.

“I already told you… I can’t possibly understand what you’ve been through, yet… No. I could not replace them,” Twilight shook her head, to Alter’s surprise. “But I’m not asking you to replace them. My friends won’t be replacements for yours. See them as new ponies. As ponies you’ll slowly get to know. As ponies that could… one day, be considered your best friends,” Twilight argued softly.

Of course, they could never replace Alter’s friends, and Twilight knew she could never demand that of her. However, they could be new bonds. They could still learn from each other like she did when she met them for the first time, and maybe… Alter would eventually learn to love them too.

“If I leave now, then all I’ve done will be for nothing,” Alter’s voice was shaky as she spoke. All the lives she had taken… They would be lost in vain.

“And that’s something you’ll have to atone for too… But taking more lives won’t fix anything. It’s time to stop the bloodshed. Please. For my friends, and for yours. Give yourself another chance,” Twilight pleaded, still holding her hoof extended for Alter to take it.

The older alicorn considered it. She considered it so much. To live in an undamaged world, surrounded by her friends and family had been her dream for so long. She… had nothing. Could she take that hoof? Was she allowed to? Was she allowed to hope that she would be okay? Was she ready… To give up on the goal she fought for for so long? She already knew what her friends would want her to choose, but… Did she want that too?

Suddenly, the Hexstone, which was still under Twilight’s wing, burst out of her grasp and hovered in the air. Much to their surprise, it shone brightly like a star, its light enveloping their views as it spun on itself. They partially shielded their eyes with a hoof, shocked to see the stone activate out of nowhere. Yet, it was true! Slowly but surely, it started opening a portal in front of them!

“That’s…” Alter uttered in shock, trembling at the sight. It couldn’t be. This had never happened before. Never!

“They did it… They did it! My friends did it! They found the stones!” Twilight cheered, spreading her wings excitedly. She was elated to know they succeeded, and that they would go home. Most of all, she was relieved to know that they were all okay! They were okay… They were safe…

“But that’s impossible! I flung them across infinity!” Alter exclaimed, looking up at the stone as the portal fully opened.

“I told you, didn’t I? I will always believe in my friends!” Twilight grinned proudly as an invisible force suddenly began pulling her inside the portal. However, the alicorn remained on her hooves, resisting the pull. “Now… Come with me!” She shouted, extending her hoof again.

“What?” Alter breathed out, still indecisive. This… This was her last chance, wasn’t it? She could take her hoof, and begin a new life. She could have new friends and a new family… Or she could stay here. With Twilight gone, so was her last hope, and that meant this world would end along with herself. In both cases, her universe would die! Was she… Brave enough to live despite that?

“You’ve been wishing for happiness this whole time, haven’t you?! You don’t want to be alone anymore, do you?! So take my hoof before it’s too late!” Twilight screamed, using all the strength in her hooves and wings to remain here long enough for Alter to join her.

Even now that she had the opportunity to go home and leave Alter to her fate for everything she had done… Twilight was still offering her the choice to come? If she truly was allowed to hope again. If she truly was allowed to be happy again… Her friends would tell her to take that hoof, wouldn’t they?

At last, the older alicorn lunged forward, grasping Twilight’s hoof. Twilight’s eyes widened at the touch of her counterpart’s cold, lifeless hoof, but a soft smile soon spread across her face. Tears welled up as she pulled Alter into a tight, warm embrace.

The magical barrier surrounding Equus gradually faded as the two alicorns were drawn into the portal. With every moment the portal shrank, the ground fractured and crumbled, breaking into fragments that floated briefly before vanishing as though they had never been. Thousands upon thousands of Time Paradoxes gazed upward, only to dissolve into nothingness. The portal sealed shut, and in an instant, darkness consumed the world. All that remained was an empty void, with the Hexstone standing as the universe’s final remnant before it, too, disappeared into nothingness.

In the space between universes, a bright lavender light burst out of Universe 47931’s mirror, which shattered a second later. The light resembled a beam, flying in curves, avoiding impact with any other mirror that could prolong this story more than it needed to be. It was fast and powerful, but most of all, it refused to stop. That light was headed to a single, clear goal. It didn’t know what awaited it. It didn’t know how its future would play out or the challenges it would face. However, whatever awaited it… It knew it wouldn’t face it alone. Not anymore. Not ever again.

Finally, the light gazed upon the mirror it had been heading to this last minute. It depicted six friends; six ponies standing in a group hug. Just as the lavender light approached the mirror, five other ones joined it, each of a different color. Blue, orange, pink, purple, and yellow, all reaching their goal at the same time, meeting into a vortex of rainbow and going through that mirror.

Universe 00013

CRASH

Starlight jumped back as multiple ponies were suddenly thrown out of the portal and crashed near the Cutie Map. Spike, who was reading a comic book on a throne, fell on his butt in surprise. It had been four days since their friends were pulled into the portal created by that stone. During that time, Starlight, Celestia, and Luna had been researching the stone to discover what it was and how to bring the ponies that disappeared back. However, they didn’t have much luck and settled on waiting for Twilight and her friends to find a way back on their own instead. They trusted the six ponies enough to be confident that they would return without help… And from the looks of it, they were right!

Lying on the floor were the element bearers! While Starlight and Spike were focused on their friends, some of which looked injured and dirty, they didn’t notice the seventh shape lying a little further away.

“Guys! Are you alright?!” Spike immediately rushed to them, helping Rarity to her hooves.

“Ow… I think I hurt my head, but I’m fine… Wait… Spikey-Wikey?” The fashionista asked, narrowing her eyes, only to widen them a second later. “It is you! Starlight! You’re here too! And you’re not trying to murder me!” Rarity exclaimed as her gaze shifted to the other unicorn, who arched an eyebrow.

“Uhm… Thanks?” Starlight stood there awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.

Rarity immediately looked around, her expression brightening as she laid her eyes on her friends, nearly all of which were standing up. They looked like they all fell on their heads when they landed, but they seemed alright apart from that!

“Girls!” She shouted, holding herself back from jumping into a group hug. Oh, she just suffered so much pain, but seeing them again warmed her heart and eased that pain a little.

“Rarity…” Rainbow Dash whispered hesitantly in recognition as she looked around. “We’re back!” She grinned widely, spreading her wings in celebration.

“Oh, thank Celestia. Ah missed hearin’ ya scream in my ears,” Applejack teased after regaining her senses.

“I missed that too, believe me, AJ,” Rainbow Dash breathed in relief, gazing upon the earth pony as she remembered the other Applejack’s words before she left that universe.

“Girls! You can’t believe how happy I am to see you!” Pinkie Pie suddenly jumped between them, wrapping her forelegs around Rainbow and Applejack’s necks and pulling them into a bone-breaking hug. “Don’t ever, ever leave me stranded in another world, alright?! Or… Or… Oh, I’m just happy to be back!” She declared, teary-eyed as she tightened her hug around them.

“Pinkie… You’re killing… Me…” Rainbow managed to sputter out, though she was glad to feel Pinkie’s usual energy. Applejack was mostly happy that they all knew who she was.

Rarity chuckled at the display of affection, expecting something like this from Pinkie. Still, the party mare seemed quite affected by what she went through. The fashionista hoped it wasn’t too… Serious… like what she went through… Twilight. Right! Where is her Twilight?! She turned to see Fluttershy watching the hugging trio, seemingly considering joining them in the hug.

“Fluttershy! Darling! Are you okay?” Rarity ran up to her, drawing her into a brief hug before pulling back to push Fluttershy’s mane out of her face and check on her. The pegasus didn’t seem to have any injuries, though there were traces of dried blood on her cheeks.

“Yes, I am. Now that I’m here, I can’t be more okay than that, Rarity,” Fluttershy smiled wholeheartedly. The pegasus swallowed her spit, looking like she was holding back tears. Of course, Rarity wasn’t blind. Whatever her pegasus friend had to fight through wasn’t pretty. Rarity knew exactly what she had to do. She hugged her as firmly as she could, comfortingly rubbing her back. “Y… You’re you…” Fluttershy whispered in relief.

“Yes, I am me. And that won’t change anytime soon,” The white unicorn snickered softly. “Where is Twilight?” She asked with a slightly more worried tone. Of course, it also broke everyone out of their cheerful and celebratory mood once they were reminded of who told them to look for the stone in the first place as well as the pony who was seemingly being chased by a monster. However, they didn’t have to look too far.

“Right here… You’re kinda hurting me…” Twilight muttered painfully. The poor alicorn, who was covered in cuts and bruises, lay right under Rarity and Fluttershy’s hooves.

“Yip!” Fluttershy jumped back bashfully.

“Darling! I am so sorry!” Rarity helped Twilight stand up. The moment their gazes met, the unicorn gulped, thinking back to the Twilight she left behind. The alicorn’s battered body reminded her too much of her.

“Twilight!” The rest of her friends shouted as they crowded her.

“Are ya alright, Sugarcube?!”

“What the hay happened to you, Twi? Oh, it better not have been Tirek!”

“Please tell me you aren’t replacing your wings with robot ones!”

“Maybe we shouldn’t crowd her… Do you want a glass of water, Twilight?”

Twilight’s gaze shifted from friend to friend, studying each of their worried expressions. She already knew they had just been through hell, or something close to that. They likely suffered a lot, and yet… They still have enough energy to worry about her… The alicorn could only smile lovingly.

“Girls,” She cut them off with a calmly-spoken word. “I’m okay. I’m here… And you’re here! We’re all here! I… missed you so much,” Twilight’s lower lip quivered while she allowed herself to cry. Of course, she let herself cry! Those were tears of joy! The others were in a similar situation, barely holding themselves together…

“We missed you too!” They suddenly shouted. Without further due, they threw themselves at one another, meeting in a big group hug, holding each other as tightly as they could while they cried joyfully. They spoke at the same time, drowning each other’s sentences in a cacophony of voices, which were made even harder to understand through their tears and cries.

They were all undeniably happy, for sure! However, Starlight and Spike, who were still here… Were left dumbfounded.

“I have no idea what is happening right now. What happened these past four days?” Starlight questioned, cocking her eyebrows in confusion.

“Yeah, we’re the ones who are supposed to be relieved. You guys disappeared in a weird portal!” Spike reminded them, just as confused. Even if he looked like he was admonishing them, he was mostly wondering what adventure they had been on this whole time.

The girls paused, looking at each other. They had no idea where to begin. Twilight could only let out a soft chuckle.

“Oh, Spike. You have no idea. I think this is gonna be a long story, but first… I wanna tell you girls something, then… I want to introduce you to somepony,” Twilight turned to her friends, who exchanged glances, wondering who she was referring to. “I just want you to know that… That I really care about all of you. And… I don’t think I would have made it out of where I was if you weren’t in my heart. None of this would have been possible without you… Thank you. I… I know that as long as we have each other… There’s nothing we can’t overcome,” She said, holding her chest caringly.

“Twi,” Rainbow Dash was the first to speak. The pegasus had a small smile, but it was probably one of the most genuine she ever had. “I think it was the same for all of us,” She gestured to the rest of their friends, all of which nodded in agreement. And just as they were about to speak too, the Hexstone suddenly pulsed with waves of light.

“What is that dang thing doin’ now?” Applejack inquired, clearly exasperated by that stone.

The Hexstone whirled through the room, leaving a shimmering white trail behind it before finally reaching a stop above the Cutie Map. Gradually, it descended, hovering just inches above the map's surface. Several glowing white tendrils emerged from the map's edges, reaching toward the Hexstone and entwining around it. The tendrils faded slowly, as though the magical artifact had become tethered to the map by invisible threads. To the girls and the dragon’s shocked eyes, the Cutie Map changed. First, it depicted an Equestria made of pure gold, only to change again and show an Equestria seemingly much more modern with skyscrapers reaching the clouds. The map changed once more, this time depicting a land nearly the same as theirs, except for the giant heart on the now-pink Canterlot Castle. The map changed several times quicker and quicker, showing a different Equestria nearly every time… until it finally returned to normal.

“What happened? Why did it do this?” Fluttershy asked as her friends looked at one another just as confused as she was. Twilight, however, narrowed her eyes, pondering the meaning of it.

“I think I know…” The alicorn whispered, carefully approaching the map. “If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say we all accomplished something where we were sent to,” Her gaze wandered across from her friends, who nodded in confirmation. “I believe this means that the Cutie Map is going to work in tandem with the Hexstone, and… that we will have to resolve friendship problems… across the multiverse,” She revealed her hypothesis.

“What? Are you telling me we could get called to a whole other universe?! But we just got back!” Rainbow Dash sighed, dropping to her haunches.

“Does it matter, Dashie? It’s not like we can’t take care of it even if it’s in another universe!” Pinkie shrugged nonchalantly with a wide smile.

“I guess that’s true. Besides… Some of those places really need our help…” The cyan pegasus conceded, remembering her own adventure.

“Universes?” Starlight mouthed to Spike questioningly.

“I have no clue what they’re saying,” The dragon shrugged in response.

“Ugh…” Someone suddenly groaned. Everyone quickly spun their heads in the groan’s direction, pondering who that could be considering no one else should have been here but them.

Twilight already knew, of course.

A form rose from the floor, holding its head in pain. The figure stood as tall as Celestia, though… It was far from being majestic. In one word: monster. It was the first thing that popped up in most of their minds. This looked like an evil clone of Twilight, only because of her color scheme, though it was somber, and… her remaining facial features. Her ribs were visible through a large hold in her chest, missing its flesh and fur. Her right eye was white with no iris, and the other one wasn’t even there. The left side of her face was gone, showing her skull. Alter watched them worriedly, remaining silent.

“AAAAH!” They screamed in terror, nearly falling on their butts. Spike hid behind Twilight’s leg, clutching her as hard as he could.

“W-What’s with the zombie?!” The little dragon asked shakily and bluntly.

“T-Twi? Who is that?” Rainbow asked, having a feeling the alicorn might know. Fluttershy was hiding behind her pegasus friend and Applejack. The toughest of their groups were standing straight, though they were clearly afraid. Strangely, Rarity appeared less fearful than them, but… sadder. Pinkie didn’t seem to care at all. Her initial fear had vanished, leaving only curiosity.

“Oh, her?” Twilight smiled, casually walking up to her counterpart. “That’s my sister,”

Without another word, Twilight wrapped a leg around Alter, bringing her into a side hug. Indeed, as long as she had her friends… There was nothing they couldn’t overcome.

Author's Note

So... There it is. The end of their adventure! They really went through some things, didn't they? As you can see, this story isn't marked as complete. Of course, as I've already talked about, there will be five epilogues, each one centered on a universe they've been in. They probably won't be in the same order depending on which note I want to end this story on. You can consider it an epilogue divided into five parts, I guess.

Anyway, IMPORTANT announcement! This doesn't mean it's over! There will be a SEQUEL! A... Short sequel. Multiversal Voyage: Aftermath. Basically, it's going to be six chapters long, each one focused on a mane 6. They will all deal with the events they lived through during those chapters, either by reflecting on what they've seen or did, or... Well, I'll keep it a surprise. I could have put it in the same story, but I would rather not. This story had its plot, or rather plots, and this sequel will have its own. Now that they're back home, they reflect on their experiences in their own way. Honestly, I'm pretty excited about it. I've already got a plot in mind for each of them!

Well, I hope to see you there once that new story is posted. Until then, you may enjoy the coming epilogues.

Epilogue 10328

Universe 10328

A few hours after the Badlands’ great explosion.

“Ugh…” Rainbow Dash groaned, clenching her teeth as sparks flew out of her back. Various mechanical limbs were welding cybernetic enhancements into her back as well as the rest of her body. She was still charred black, suspended in the air while Twilight’s lab worked to repair her. A replacement wing blade sat nearby while the lab was currently building her new legs. Unfortunately, because of the damage her skin suffered, it would have to be replaced too. “Can’t this stupid thing… give me anesthesia, at least? Fuck!” She gasped in pain.

She, Applejack, and Rarity were back in Twilight’s lab. They had used the plan to return to Ponyville. Of course, S.P.I.K.E had also pulled Pinkie’s upper body out of Chrysalis’ stomach. The party mare had only been partly digested, but apparently, her brain had been untouched. Applejack and Rarity had to carry the bodies of their friends, along with the magical stone, and hurry to the town, which was made easier thanks to their leader’s super fast plane. They left Pinkie’s body to Spike, though they had no idea if anything could be done for her, especially since Twilight… wasn’t there anymore. Apart from some cybernetic parts present inside her, the rest of her body had been vaporized by the explosion. It was a miracle Rainbow Dash was alive in the first place.

The pegasus grunted, burning pain in her haunches while the welders replaced her skin and fur with metal plating. At least, it was the same color as her fur… She glanced at a nearby screen, wincing in displeasure.

“Look at that! Arg! It’s… It’s saying my body’s gonna be 85% robot! C-Can you… Ugh… See that? 85%?! That’s most of it! I can’t even call myself a cyborg at this point! I’m just a robot!” The cyborg complained painfully. “I still like my body, you know?! I’ve got no eyes, and no legs anymore! How am I supposed to live like that?! It’s weird!”

“RD… For the love of God, can ya stop whinin’ for more than a second?” Applejack sighed, facehoofing tiredly. She was sitting by Rarity’s side, rubbing circles on her back while the white earth pony was sobbing in her hooves. “Ya were already half cyborg anyway! Ya should be thankful to be alive in the first place! It coulda been worse!”

“Worse?! How!” Rainbow snapped, nearly falling out of the lab’s grasp. Thankfully, they kept her suspended despite her kicking around, and worked on her. “Twi and Pinkie are both dead! Fluttershy doesn’t even wanna get out of her house!” She screamed, making Applejack wince, and Rarity sob harder. They not only lost friends, but this was also a great humiliation for their team. Chancellor Celestia was going to blow a fuse! “Arg! And why the fuck is that thing… Grr… Not giving me anesthesia yet?! This hurts like a bitch!” The pegasus complained about the robotic limbs working on her again.

“Oh, but you know I’ve always found your pained screams… exhilarating, my sweet, sweet, Dashie,” Someone interjected. The three ponies froze. The voice was feminine and undoubtedly familiar, but it was impossible. It echoed throughout the lab as if coming from the speakers scattered around. That voice belonged to a dead mare.

“T-Twilight?” Applejack asked hesitantly, sweat running down her forehead. Rarity seemed just as nervous, to the point she stopped crying.

“Indeed,” The voice spoke again, sounding elated.

“But you’re…” Rainbow uttered, unwilling to finish that sentence.

“Dead? Hmm, no. I am not alive either. I… just am,” Twilight responded while humming.

“That… Doesn’t make any sense,” Rarity uttered, her eyes wandering to her friends in confusion.

“Flesh is limited. Bodies are obsolete. I… have been experimenting for quite some time. More specifically, I have been researching Chancellor Celestia’s most advanced technological marvel… Immortality. To preserve one’s consciousness even after the physical body’s demise,” Twilight revealed, much to everyone’s shock.

“Wait, you’re telling us the chancellor is actually Celestia?! I thought it was just an AI she built a thousand years ago!” Rarity exclaimed.

Indeed, more than a thousand years ago, Celestia, a young earth pony, discovered a great marvel: science. She had a gifted mind, and with it, she rose to the ranks of pony society. She rallied pegasi and earth ponies against their common enemies and natural predators, the changelings and griffons. The young filly began a new age of technology, pushing the boundaries of what was possible after uniting her race, and earning the ponies’ rightful place in the world. They soon became one of the largest powers in Equus, and Celestia was chosen to be its ruler. However, the more she aged, the more she realized the fragility of their mortal coils. If she were to perish, ponies could return to their warmongering and infighting ways, they could fall prey to their enemies again, and they could lose their technological advancements. Celestia’s brain was a marvel of knowledge, thus, as she neared death, she constructed a replica of herself.

It was an AI that possessed Celestia’s knowledge and personality. It was to serve as Equestria’s new ruler, transferring its data from body to body until the current one: IX Celestia. Of course, everyone believed that it was all she was… An AI, and that the real Celestia had died long ago despite some conspiracy theories saying she lived on… Inside that robotic replica.

“Everyone thought so. That was the point, after all. She shared with me a glimpse of her knowledge, and from it, I learned to replicate her technology. My computer has been downloading copies of my consciousness every 30 seconds for a couple of years now,” Twilight explained further when a wall opened, from which a flat screen came out. It was all black except for a lavender line in the middle of it, it depicted the waveforms from Twilight’s voice as she spoke. “I had no way of knowing if it worked unless… I died. Naturally, I didn’t want to attempt such a thing, so I simply planned on living until dying of old age. As you can imagine… That explosion changed my plans. Nevertheless, my experiment is a success,”

“Thank God, you’re okay. Oh, Twi… I thought I lost you!” Rainbow Dash sounded like she was sobbing, though considering she lost half of her face in that explosion, and it wasn’t repaired yet… It was hard to tell. “Arg!” She grunted in pain again. “H-How are you feeling?”

“Feeling? Oh, you’re so cute, love. You’re the only one feeling anything, right now. You shouldn’t worry about me,” Twilight snickered before a claw came out of the wall, gradually extending until it reached the cyan pegasus and stroked her remaining cheek. Applejack and Rarity found the sight quite strange, specifically because one pony didn’t have a body, and the other nearly completely lost hers. “My eyes are open to a whole new world. I am able to perform approximately quadrillions of calculations in a second. I perceive every radio wave surrounding us, the air of your lungs, the sulfur inside your body. The power of a supercomputer combined with my intellect allows me to see every intricate detail of your bodies and their insides with a single scan. My mind… seems endless. I’ve always known flesh was a weakness, but this is so much more than I could have ever imagined. Death is a state of being that can be fixed… I have no need to fear it anymore,”

“Well… That was interesting… And scary. Quite scary, might I add,” Rarity gulped while more claws began poking her and Applejack.

“Ya listen here, missy! Ya better not go all cuckoo on us and try to turn us into robots or somethin’!” Applejack threatened, kicking one of the claws away.

“Hey, AJ! She’s still my girlfriend! You don’t need to kick her like that!” Rainbow Dash yelled from her spot. The farm pony rolled her eyes but didn’t bother responding.

“Oh, don’t be so scared, girls. I wasn’t planning on forcing you. I’ll only do that when you’re close to dying of old age, you still have all the time in the world. Forgive my excitement. I am simply exalted to explore a whole new world,” Twilight hummed amusedly. “In any case, Fluttershy will come back once she reads my message. As for Pinkie…”

A wall opened up to reveal a vat filled with a green liquid, though what interested them the most was the pony inside. It was Pinkie Pie, floating inside the large tube, wearing a breathing mask. To their surprise, her lower body had already been replaced, as seen by her grey metallic limbs. It seemed Twilight applied colors to them yet.

“Will she be okay?” Rainbow inquired hesitantly.

“It’s… the first time any of us have died before. Are you sure you can fix something like this? Unless you have a copy of everybody’s consciousness?” Rarity questioned while looking at the party mare’s broken body.

“Of course, I can. Her lower body wasn’t salvageable, but that hardly matters. Whether she lives or dies, her brain still retains its data. This is what matters the most. If a computer breaks and its hard drive is intact, then you can retrieve all of its data. Ponies are computers made of flesh, oh, they’re old models certainly. They are obsolete, but they function the same. I will simply repair that computer. In the worst case, I will copy her consciousness before the brain gets any damage and introduce her to my world,” Twilight casually explained.

“Thank God,” Applejack dropped to her haunches, letting out a strangled breath. She was so relieved she could cry.

“So… What now?” Rainbow asked. Sure, it looked like they all survived successfully, but it wasn’t without suffering a lot of damage. Pinkie wasn’t even a cyborg in the first place. She didn’t want to have her body parts replaced and was fine wearing armor. Now, half of her was metal! Twilight didn’t even have a body! Though, the pegasus supposed this didn’t bother her girlfriend too much. Rainbow kinda minded, you couldn’t cuddle with someone who didn’t have a body! Not like she could feel any warmth anyway… When most of her body was cybernetic! It fueled her body with rage as she thought about the alternate Pinkie.

“I have studied the stone we found in the Badlands,” Twilight replied as her screen showed the Hexstone. It was contained in a room with bulletproof glass. “It is even greater than I first believed. After my calculations, I can say with certainty that this holds an infinite amount of energy. It could power all of Equestria for all eternity. I have never seen anything like it,” The bodiless pony gushed over the strange artifact. To her, it was probably a wonder of the world!

“Then let’s use it! Open a portal or something, let’s find the Pinkie who fucked us up… And let’s blast her to pieces!” Rainbow shouted, glaring at the stone. Oh, she was roaring for revenge. The pegasus believed her girlfriend was dead until a few minutes ago, and it was all because of that magic pony!

“Hmm…. No,” Twilight responded after several seconds of pondering.

“What?!” The three of them yelled simultaneously. Their leader was usually ruthless! Why would she refuse to fight back?!

“I find that revenge can be… quite distasteful,” Twilight simply replied, though their silence pushed her to expand upon her reasoning. “The way in which she disposed of us was… cold. Ruthless. I do admire that. Moreover, wasting time searching for her isn’t something we can afford. We have better things to do… and Chancellor IX Celestia is open to suggestions, aren’t you, chancellor?” The scientist said as her friends froze. She didn’t actually mean that IX Celestia had been listening to them, right?

The main screen, which was massive and embedded in the wall, suddenly turned on to show IX Celestia’s face. At first sight, you would think she was a white pegasus with a flowing pink mane. However, if you looked closer, you’d note her skin was metallic and so were her wings. She was a robot, one that resembled a pony quite well.

“Indeed, I am,” IX Celestia smiled softly. “I was disappointed to hear about your defeat, Twilight, but that stone should make up for it,”

“Since when has she been listening in?” Rarity whispered sneakily to her girlfriend.

“Since you got here, Rarity,” Their ruler answered as Rarity yelped in surprise. “To think a single pony could defeat you… It was quite shocking. At least, I can see that you are adapting to your new nature quite well, Twilight,”

“More than well, chancellor. You have my eternal gratitude,” Her student thanked her. “I still have to build myself a body, but that can wait. I propose we study the stone as soon as possible and begin researching ways to use it for weapons more powerful than ever. Finally, we can bring destruction to the vile griffons,”

“Destroying our enemies should be our priority, and I’m sure your friends would agree,” IX Celestia agreed. With a single glance in the other ponies’ directions, they all nodded their head vehemently. It wasn’t that they feared her… It was just that Celestia was seen as a legendary heroine. One of the greatest gifts from above to Equestria. They believed her dead and replaced by a machine, and yet, there she was.

“However?” Twilight asked, sensing a but.

“However, could it perhaps power something else instead?” IX Celestia inquired curiously. Twilight stayed quiet for a couple of seconds.

“I see. I believe this stone would be the ideal tool for you, chancellor,” She finally responded. Her friends exchanged confused looks, wondering what the two scientists were talking about.

“Am I right to assume you have finished the construction of my new body? This one has started to grow quite rusty,”

“Naturally. I’ve only been missing a stable enough energy source,” Twilight affirmed.

Right, IX Celestia’s new body, which would be known to the public as X Celestia. Deep, even deeper than Twilight’s lab, lay the construction site for the chancellor’s form. Twilight was tasked with building it this time.

The new body was a towering giant, easily larger than any castle. Its design resembled a massive, bipedal dragon, standing on two powerful legs with razor-sharp claws that could tear through anything. Spiked shoulders gave it an intimidating edge, and its wide wings stretched out like an unstoppable force. Its long tail rested on the ground behind it. The head was ferocious, with ferocious fangs. The entire body was pure white, and a wild rainbow-colored mane cascaded down its back, reaching midway.

“I call it Gargantua,” Twilight revealed while her screen showed the body to everyone in the room.

“Bears the name of a god. Fitting,” IX Celestia mused. “Yes, I believe it should be… plenty enough to destroy Equestria’s enemies,”

Author's Note

First epilogue done. They shouldn't be too long as you can see, so the others will probably release quickly. Well, actually, one of them might be longer than the others... You'll see once you get to it, but overall, they should be short

Epilogue 31870

Universe 31870

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“I don’t know what I would do without you,” Princess Luna softly smiled and gave a light bow of the head. After that, the alicorn of the moon sipped tea before putting the cup back on the desk.

“No, no, Princess! I should be honored you asked my advice concerning Zebra relations in the first place!” Twilight quickly waved her hoof.

The two were in Twilight’s personal study, a room with wide and full bookshelves up against every wall. It was like a library. They sat across each other at a desk that had various papers on it. Usually, Twilight would reserve that space for her own research papers; however, she had moved them out of the way to leave room for Luna’s paperwork.

While Twilight’s study, previously in the Canterlot Castle, was nearly always plunged in darkness with rare sightings of the sun, this one was bright. With the curtains open, the sunlight freely entered the room to bathe its occupants in its warmth. The best, though, was the sight. The window gave them a view of a majestic landscape, green hills covered in bright and colorful flowers.

Twilight unfurled her wings shyly as she was tempted to hide her face behind them when her mentor gave her an amused look. However, she folded them back just as quickly to avoid embarrassing herself.

“Twilight, there is no need for that. You aren’t my student anymore. I always value your opinion,” Luna placed a warm hoof on the lavender mare’s shoulder, making their gazes meet. “You are my equal now. Even then… You were never simply a student to me… I’ve always seen you as a daughter,” The moon princess caressed the mare’s cheek.

“I… Oh, Prin-I mean-Luna. I don’t know what to say…” Twilight stammered, struggling to find the words. How long had she hoped to hear those words? How long had she dreamed of this? It wasn’t something she wished for out loud in the past, but it had always been one of her deepest desires.

“Darling! Lunch is ready! Oh, and your family is here!” A feminine voice called out to them, interrupting Twilight’s whirlwind of emotions. “Take a break in your work!”

“We better not make her wait,” Luna nodded as she got off her chair.

“Coming!” Twilight loudly responded as she glided to overtake Luna and exit the room first. The moon alicorn playfully rolled her eyes but didn’t comment on it before following her former student down the stairs. The mare that had called them, Rarity, stood at the foot of the stairs to greet them with a smile. The moment Twilight got to her, the two softly nuzzled. “What did you prepare?”

“Stuffed sweet potatoes, chickpea stew, carrot salad, lettuce pie, and your favorite, hayburger,” Rarity listed happily as Twilight perked up in surprise.

“That’s certainly a feast! What’s the occasion? It must be special if my whole family is there too!” She inquired curiously, making the fashionista giggle.

“Oh, dear! You must have been really occupied with your research if you forgot what day it is today,” Rarity grinned before leaning forward and nuzzling the lavender mare. “Come, your family is waiting for you before they start eating, and I have a feeling your father is going to starve,” She chuckled before leading Twilight and Luna toward the living room.

Rarity the unicorn… She hadn’t changed much. She held herself gracefully, remaining elegant no matter the situation. She would always find a way to brighten Twilight’s day as she was present with her in every moment of adversity. If there was one pony Twilight knew she could always count on, it would be her. Despite the fact that the fashionista had opened boutiques all over Equestria, she rarely ever showed up to work, mostly delegating her tasks to competent ponies in favor of spending time at home with the lavender alicorn. Yes, even if Twilight had duties as an alicorn now, she chose to let Luna rule Equestria instead, as well as give her job of captain of the royal guard to someone else. It wasn’t that she was ungrateful or that she didn’t want to work hard now that she completed her studies.

Instead, she wanted to focus on personal research and have the role of a consultant. Most of all, it gave her the opportunity to spend more time with Rarity, here, at home.

Once they entered the living room, they were greeted by the dining table, where lunch was already served. Of course, Twilight’s family already sat there. There was her father, mother, and even her brother. Instead of heads, they had round white spots with random scribbles swirling over them as if they were an incomplete drawing.

“Sorry, I would have greeted you at the door, but I didn’t know you were coming!” Twilight apologized sheepishly before sitting at the end of the table, with Rarity sitting to her right, and Luna across at the other end.

“It’s alright, sweetie! We know how you get when you’re discussing diplomatic matters with the princess!” Her mother answered, her head still blank.

“Besides, we’re happy to get any time with you, sis,” Her brother added.

“R-Right… I am still so sorry I never contacted you during my studies under Luna. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I promise I’ll make up for the time lost,” Twilight affirmed remorsefully.

“No need to apologize. We completely understand. I mean, this is the princess, after all. We’re just happy that your studies have ended, and you came to us,” Her mother quickly reassured her.

“And I assure you that your daughter has been exemplary. She has outdone herself in every assignment I have given her. I am very proud of her,” Luna grinned, glancing at her former student.

Twilight smiled in response, feeling content with the praise. She had never believed Luna and her family would come together one day, yet they had done so several times already, and it was always such a pleasure. She was nearly overwhelmed with the amount of attention and love she received.

“Hmm!” Her father suddenly voiced while stuffing himself with pie. “Oh, Rarity, you are quite a cook! My daughter is so lucky to have you!” He praised the white unicorn. “I am telling you, my wife here didn’t know a thing when we started dating, and neither did I! We had to go out to eat most of the time because her cuisine was just terrible!” He laughed amusedly.

“Oh, shush you,” Twilight’s mother elbowed him in the stomach, nearly making him choke on his pie… Though, it wasn’t quite visible since their faces were completely blank still.

“I would say I am the lucky one, actually,” Rarity waved her hoof, smiling wide. “Your daughter has been my sweetest source of joy ever since we met,” She rubbed the alicorn’s shoulder.

“Pfft, no, I’m not…” Twilight looked away sheepishly with reddened cheeks. The sight made her family laugh wholeheartedly.

“Come now, sweetie! Even after all this time, you’re still so shy! There’s no need to be embarrassed!” Her mother reassured her. “I’m sure my daughter thinks the same of you, Rarity, but she has no idea of how to convey her feelings,” She snickered, placing her hoof against what seemed to be her chin.

“Mom! I-I know now!” Twilight’s blush deepened as she hid her face behind a wing.

“Now, now, let’s not tease her too much! Especially on this day!” Rarity intervened amusedly.

“Right. What day is it? Not that I’m not happy my family is here, but there has to be a reason,” Twilight cleared her throat shyly.

“See? I knew sis would forget,” Her brother chuckled while the lavender alicorn could only look around, perplexed.

“It’s your birthday, sweetie!” Her father clarified, making Twilight’s ears perk up. “Rarity here called us so we can celebrate it together!” He gestured to the white unicorn.

“That’s… You remembered my birthday?” Twilight questioned the other mare.

“Of course, I did, dear,” Rarity cheerily confirmed, nuzzling the lavender pony’s cheek. “Once everyone has their fill, I’ll bring the birthday cake, and not to brag, but I believe I have outdone myself!” She proudly exclaimed.

“I’d be fine with anything you cook, Rarity… Ugh!” Twilight suddenly clutched her head, doubling in pain. Something suddenly rattled her brain as if she had been hit.

“Are you okay, darling?” Rarity worriedly held onto the lavender alicorn, patting her on the back.

“Y-Yess, I am… Don’t worry. Just a headache…” Twilight shook her head. While her family’s faces were blank, she could still perceive the worry their expressions housed. They cared about her so much, and to think she believed they wouldn’t accept her…

“It must be my fault. I’ve been overworking her, lately,” Luna lightly reassured everyone.

The former student simply nodded, wondering what this was truly about. Her vision had gotten blurry too when that headache had suddenly hurt her. Not exactly blurry… More like static…

“I told you plenty of times to take breaks, dear,” Rarity smiled.

“You’re right… I’ll be more careful,” Twilight replied.

The lavender alicorn looked ahead, slowly forgetting about that headache in the first place as they resumed their discussion. They talked of mundane subjects, their daily lives, and whatever major may have happened lately. Rarity would talk about her and Twilight’s vacation plans. Twilight’s mother would mention some gossip she heard. Her father would make crude jokes, much to Twilight’s embarrassment as Luna would surprisingly laugh at them.

It was peaceful. It was… Nice. No, it was better than that. Twilight didn’t want to sound ungrateful… In fact, she was filled with joy so pure that it warmed her heart like the sun. She felt like this was truly where she belonged, surrounded by ponies who loved her, and who she loved in return.

“Needed some time away?” Rarity asked as she joined Twilight outside. The alicorn had sat outside at the back of the house, watching the sunset. Even occupied by the festivities, Princess Luna didn’t forget to move the sun.

“Just a breath of fresh air. Besides, I knew you’d come,” Twilight smiled warmly as the unicorn snuggled up by her side.

“So, it’s not that you needed time away… But time alone with me,” Rarity chuckled, resting her head on the other mare’s shoulder.

“You could say that,” Twilight nodded innocently. “Thank you for the birthday party. You didn’t need to throw anything. I mean, I didn’t even remember to celebrate it,”

“Don’t be ridiculous, darling,” Rarity scoffed. “You always remembered mine. Besides, making you happy makes me happy. We’re both winning here,” She declared.

Twilight hummed quietly, closing her eyes as if she was dozing off. She was taking in the moment, enjoying it. She was bathed in the unicorn’s warmth coupled with the setting sun’s. This was a tranquil atmosphere, one she got to experience and appreciate every day, yet, she considered it a precious moment every time.

“I could stay like this forever,” Twilight murmured. Intense pain shot up to her head again, hitting harder than ever. “Ah!” She cried, clutching her skull with a hoof as she stumbled away from Rarity. It was much worse than earlier! Rocks smashed up against her head like a constant torrent of onslaught.

“Twilight! What’s wrong?!” Rarity jumped to her hooves, quickly running after the alicorn, who groaned painfully.

Images. They were blurry images going through her head, forcefully breaking into her skull and mind! Twilight witnessed Rarity’s crying face, blood, and… As she looked down, a hole in her chest flashed through her vision.

“Darling? Please! Talk to me! What’s going on?!” Rarity grabbed her by the shoulder while Twilight breathed heavily, looking horrified.

“Huff… Huff…” Twilight’s legs shook, her eyes wide. “Rarity…” She uttered shakily. “Where am I? W… What is this place? And… Who are you?” She slowly backed away while the unicorn’s expression softened, gaining a sad glint.

“Twilight… I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry,” Rarity shook her head, downcast as if she received terrible news.

“I died. I know I died. I know,” Twilight’s breath was caught in her throat. She hesitantly looked down, only for her eyes to quickly shoot up again. “Is this the afterlife? Is that what this is?” She questioned hurriedly.

“It’s… an afterlife. Unique to each creature,” Rarity confirmed without mincing her words. “It’s… Your ideal world. How you imagined your perfect life in your last moments, constructed from your deepest desires,” She explained softly while Twilight looked around.

It was a peaceful Equestria, glorious and beautiful. No… This wasn’t the ideal part of this world. This was simply the cherry on top. Her deepest desires resided in this house with her. Princess Luna loved her and treated her as a daughter. Her family welcomed her with open hooves. Rarity chose to stay with her.

“Why… Do my parents and brother not have faces?” Twilight inquired in confusion.

“You don’t remember them,” Rarity answered.

“And who are you?” The alicorn asked hesitantly.

“I am sorry, but I cannot tell you that,” Rarity, or rather who wore Rarity’s face, replied reluctantly.

“So… This is fake… It’s an illusion… My family isn’t really there, nor is Princess Luna or Rarity, or anypony for that matter! I’m still alone!” Twilight yelled, tears prickling her eyes.

“It’s paradise, designed to bring eternal happiness for all who are resting. It was made so you wouldn’t know of its nature, that you died at all,” Rarity explained.

“But then… Why do I know? Why am I remembering?” Twilight asked fearfully.

“For the same reason that I cannot tell you who I am…” Rarity sighed sadly. “Because you are about to leave this place,” She revealed. "Paradise stops being paradise once you know its true nature,"

The alicorn’s eyes widened in incomprehension.

“Leave? But I died! I can’t possibly leave!” She argued. As far as she was aware, she didn’t have the power to return from the dead! She doubted anyone did!

“Luna has assembled the most powerful artifacts at her disposition to bring you back. The Alicorn Amulet, the Bloodstone Scepter, nectar from an Eternal Flower, Prismia’s Necklace, the Hexstone, and finally, one of her feathers,” Rarity listed, much to Twlight’s shock.

“She’s bringing me back? Using all of those resources? But… Why? I am just a student! She can replace me at any time!” Twilight argued.

You would have thought Twilight wouldn’t have been questioning it. That she would have accepted it and rejoiced because Luna proved how much she cared for her, but also because she escaped death… Because she would also leave this fake world… This illusion to enjoy the spoils of her real life instead! However, her feelings went in the opposite direction. The reason was simple and understandable. It was because…

“Luna believes you still have a destiny to fulfill, and that a disaster only you can prevent is coming,” Rarity said.

“What? What is coming?” Twilight questioned. The alicorn could barely stand on her feet as the world turned red. The sky and the ground were bathed in the color of blood as the sun rose high in the sky, burning with might.

“HA HA HA HA HA!” A loud roaring laughter echoed throughout the land, making Twilight’s whole body shake with fear. Her fur stood on end. This was no mere fear. It was guttural. Her body was screaming at her to run and hide. Her survival instincts were begging her to move. However, she was frozen. She was frozen as charred corpses of screaming ponies surrounded her, all stuck in agonizing expressions of torment and despair.

“A world of fire. A world of death,” Rarity stated with a pained expression.

“Daybreaker,” Twilight breathed out as if the name itself struck fear into her. The alicorn desperately shook her head before opening her eyes and inspecting her surroundings again. The fire was gone, and so were the corpses. The world returned to what it was tranquil and beautiful.

“When Daybreaker returns, her power will know no limits. Her fury and her hatred will burn the very fabric of reality,” Rarity gazed up. “It was foretold in the stars long ago… Her endless lust and greed will bring an end to this world,”

You would have thought Twilight would have understood why Luna was bringing her back, and that she would have accepted her destiny… To fight alongside her and defeat Daybreaker once and for all. However… She felt the opposite… Because…

“I… I am no one. How can I help? What am I supposed to do? Princess Luna is an alicorn who has lived for over a thousand years! I didn’t even live to my thirties!” Twilight argued while shaking her head, her eyes watering. Rarity could only watch on with sadness. “I want to stay here! B-Besides, it’s not like you’re going to allow this!”

Because Twilight had seen Paradise.

“I do not reap souls. I only welcome them with joy,” Rarity shook her head. The reason why Rarity apologized earlier wasn’t because Twilight was deceived, but because the ‘unicorn’ knew that Twilight would be forced to leave. “I have no power over you nor Luna,”

“But… I don’t want to... I don't want to leave...” Twilight uttered with pleading eyes. “You don’t understand. I’ve never felt so loved before!”

“This world is made of love. It is Love,” Rarity smiled mournfully.

“And-And… I’m the happiest I have ever been!” The alicorn continued to argue desperately.

“The happiest you ever will be,” Rarity could only confirm while Twilight’s expression fell in realization.

The horizon grew darker, slowly pulled into a seemingly endless darkness.

“Please…” Twilight begged quietly, falling to her knees and bowing her head.

“I am so sorry,” Rarity gently caressed the top of the mare’s head as a beam of light shot down from the sky, slamming right into the alicorn.

The effect was immediate. Twilight threw her head back, screaming in agony. It was as if her soul was being torn apart! And she couldn’t do anything to stop it! The darkness from the horizon approached closer and closer the more the alicorn’s body was being disintegrated as if she was beamed up in the sky piece by piece. She wouldn't simply return, she would ascend.

Immortality was often a cruel fate in itself. However, Twilight’s case, especially, was quite horrific. Those who were granted such a gift would never die of old age but in exchange… They would never reach the afterlife, even if they died. Twilight was given a taste of paradise, only for it to be ripped out… And she would never get it back.

‘Rarity’ smiled wistfully while her body turned into darkness, leaving nothing but an endless and silent void.

Author's Note

And so it ends, or rather begins, for this Twilight. Damn, was I too cruel? Maybe. Maybe... I can only wish her good luck

Epilogue 99999

Universe 99999

20 years later

“So… Today’s the day…” Shining Armor whispered contently, gazing up from where he sat. It had been 20 long years since they beat the council, hadn’t it? The stallion was noticeably older by the looks of his numerous wrinkles. Age had worn him down; however, he still considered himself a strapping young man. Currently in his late forties, his body was still well-built and sturdy. Around his neck was… the element of loyalty. “We’re stepping down,” He revealed.

The unicorn was in the Canterlot Castle’s garden, specifically the one behind the castle. It had been open to the public in the past, but not anymore… because of what could be found there. A wall and a magical barrier surrounded the garden, only allowing certain individuals to go in or out. It was an additional measure to prevent some ponies from escaping that garden… or to prevent someone from coming in and finishing the job. Indeed, Shining Armor had been talking to the statue of his sister and her friends. The Council of Harmony was still frozen, their expressions stuck just as they were 20 years ago. Nothing had changed except the moss and vines growing over their statues. No one bothered cleaning them, and frankly, why would they?

Shining Armor had been coming here regularly to talk to them, specifically to his sister. He didn’t know if she could hear him or not nor if he even wanted her to hear him.

“You know… We were so afraid we would turn out like you at some point… When we were told we should rule as a council like you because we bore the elements, we were scared we wouldn’t want to give up on the power once it was time…” Shining muttered, recalling how it went. At first, ponies suggested offering the throne to Cadance, making her the princess of both Equestria and the Crystal Empire. However, others argued it wouldn’t be a good idea to put in charge a princess who sat idly by while the Council did whatever they wished. Instead, they needed a new council, one who would listen to the citizens, and who better than those who defeated the previous rulers? Nevertheless, Cadance was still given a seat in it as the element of Kindness. “It was surprisingly much easier than I thought it’d be…”

It was always meant to be temporary as Equestria had always been a kingdom. Ultimately, it would need a princess to lead it. When they were chosen to be the rulers of Equestria, they all knew they would have to give it up eventually. Of course, they weren’t the only ones who feared the power would go to their heads. Many citizens believed they would be just like the Council of Harmony, and that they would use the elements to shape the world in any way they liked.

Yet, they remained incorruptible. They tore down the massive statues of the previous council, their posters, and propaganda. They removed their ridiculous rules, such as the constant obligation to wear a uniform or to smile in public. The ponies who had their whole lives scheduled were suddenly free to do as they wished of their work hours.

Even then, there was still much to be done to restore Equestria to what it once was, or at least, a semblance of what it was. Some things were now a part of their history and they couldn’t do anything to change it. The Council wiped out all the changelings and used their lands to expand Equestria. While some nations had friendly or neutral relations with the Council, many had negative opinions of them, and they included Equestria in their spite. Rebuilding those relations was difficult, but they persevered.

“So much has changed, hasn’t it?” Shining Armor asked with a faint smile. “Since Cadance hasn’t needed the amulet containing Princess Celestia’s magic to move the sun and the moon in years, she has been wondering if she should destroy it or hide it somewhere. It’s ironic, we had the same idea, actually,” He chuckled lightly. “She… She doesn’t talk a lot about you. I can understand why. Mom and Dad are still heartbroken,” The stallion lowered his gaze. “Mostly about the fact we fought each other, how you’ve changed, how… They’ll never see you talk or walk again,”

Calculating the Council’s crimes and their sentence was harder than they believed it to be. Some things were obvious, sure; however, others were more ambiguous. Shining firmly believed the genocide they committed on the changelings should be added to their already immense sentence, but many ponies, even among the rebels, thought otherwise. Changelings weren’t liked or even welcomed in Equestria, and many didn’t consider their young would be any different, so the killing of children didn’t affect their opinions. It was argued that it was a war so it couldn’t be helped. However, Shining considered there was a difference between soldiers and the whole swarm.

However, it was ultimately decided that the Council of Harmony would remain in stone for at least 1,500 years. It was a lot, but the least they deserved. That also meant he nor his parents would ever talk to Twilight again as if she were dead. The same went for the rest of the Council’s families. Sweetie Belle had broken down, blaming Shining and the others for her sister’s imprisonment, which she believed wasn’t deserved. While Sweetie was against many of the council’s policies, she never wished for her sister to be hurt, simply assuming that taking their power away and giving them their old life back should be enough. Her friends believed the same. Unfortunately, the three fillies were still too young to understand why such a punishment was dealt.

“Anyway… Now that we’ll have more free time, Trixie opened a school for gifted unicorns. You know… Since you closed Princess Celestia’s,” Shining stated awkwardly. “I bet you’d be still wondering how she even managed that, but… I think I can safely she’s getting better than you. Sure, it took some time, but… She is. To think you didn’t believe her capable…” He mused. “You didn’t believe much in anypony really, now that I think about it. I mean, except for your friends, of course,” He gestured to the other stone statues. “You all probably want to tear my head off right about now,” The stallion chuckled. “As for your cousin, Applejack… He’s been doing his best to give the relatives who lost their farms back to them, and the same for their lands. You’ve done a lot of damage to your family and even other farmers, but they’ve received a lot of help from Canterlot. In a few more years, maybe things could go back to the way they were for some of them,”

Braeburn never hated Applejack for helping their friends, but he still couldn’t forgive her. All he could do was keep the Apple name from being tarnished any further. The Apple family as a whole had faced a divide since some had been on Applejack’s side, and while Braeburn had fixed a few bonds over the years, a handful of them were still bitter and didn’t wish any contact with the rest of the family.

“That’s only for the material damage though. The lives lost… We can’t ever bring them back. Derpy and Cheese’s charities and shows helped, of course, but… Some things will never be healed. The scars will remain. Still, those two ponies have tried, alright? Derpy has spent most of her personal funds setting up orphanages, and centers to help single mothers, and those still stand to this day! They still help ponies in need! And Cheese hasn’t lost any of his optimism throughout all we lived through! Even after everything, he can genuinely smile and make ponies happy!” Shining rose to his hooves. “And you thought those ponies were worthless, that they didn’t have a place in your Equestria! I… I just… I wish I could understand why… Why did you do this?”

He had asked that question to himself more times than he could count. The six of them became monsters, the likes of which Equestria had rarely seen. What could have pushed them to this? Even if his sister had always been different, she had never done anything so vile in the past. Even after the ordeal with the changelings, he had witnessed her do unspeakable things while she didn’t even bat an eye!

“Did Princess Celestia hurt you THAT much? Was your hate so great that you were willing to sacrifice anything to satiate your need for revenge? Or what… Was it really because you thought the world was broken? That you were its only hope somehow?” Shining questioned, knowing she couldn’t answer him anyway. “I… I just can’t wrap my head around it. I don’t think I’ll ever understand, but… I’m done searching for an answer. I visited you every day for 20 years. I… Still love you, but it’s time for me to go now. I have a life to live, or at least, the remainder of a life… And my place is with my family,” The stallion looked down dejectedly. He started to get old, and he also began thinking that he couldn’t let Twilight hold any power over him anymore. No more guilt. No more shame. His sister would remain in stone until he died, so his time should be spent with ponies, not statues. “I am not getting any younger… I’ll live out my life by my wife’s side, so… This is goodbye, Twilight,” He sighed, accepting this was the last time he’d see her. “I don’t know when you’ll get out of here… Maybe in 2,000 years, or maybe even ten thousand, but I hope that the world you wake up to is one that you and your friends will finally accept,”

Shining Armor stood proud, not shedding any tear. His sister wasn’t dead, but it made little difference considering his situation. He refused to mourn her any more than he already had.

“Dad!” A voice suddenly cut him out of his thoughts. Shining turned around, facing none other than his daughter: Flurry Heart. She had grown into a fine mare, who inherited traits from both her mother and father. Her pale pink coat looked like it was shimmering, and her tail and mane were a mix of lavender and blue waves. Of course, her most prominent features were her horn and wings. She wore an elegant dress, made up of various pieces of jewelry. It looked more ceremonial than something you would wear at the gala, though. His daughter would be 20 in four months, which meant she was an adult and ready to handle what the Council of Friendship had been preparing for. “Are you still talking to Auntie Twilight? You’re going to miss my coronation talking to a statue that can’t even answer, you know?”

“I know, I know. Don’t worry. I’m just finishing up some things here. Daddy would never miss his little princess’ coronation,” Shining Armor grinned playfully, enjoying the sound of the groan coming out of his daughter’s throat.

“Can you please not call me that, Dad? I’m an adult now,” Flurry rolled her eyes.

She was an adult, and that meant Equestria would finally have a princess as its ruler again. That was why the Council of Friendship was stepping down.

“You’ll always be my little princess, you know that,” Her father chuckled before walking over to her. As he said, he wouldn’t miss her coronation for anything.

“We’ll see if I’m still your little princess when I decide to reform them,” Flurry Heart smirked confidently as she walked by his side, gesturing to the statues behind them.

“We’re not doing this bit again, Flurry,” Shining warned her.

“Fine, fine… I’ll wait for a few decades,” The alicorn smiled amusedly.

“Flurry!” Her father narrowed his eyes, clearly no joking.

“Fine, fine! I was just joking, Dad,” Flurry playfully rolled her eyes. “Besides, it’s not like I can do anything without those,” She used one of her wings to point at his element. “I still doubt they work, by the way. You… aren’t going to wear that at the coronation, right? You rarely take it off, so it’s probably not very clean,” She recoiled, slightly grossed out.

“Oh? That old thing?” The stallion held the element of loyalty as if it were a mere trinket. “Nah. I think I’ll just throw it in the basement or something. It’s about time,” He casually declared.

“Good. It really doesn’t fit with your suit,” Flurry nodded approvingly as Shining Armor laughed.

The elements were too dangerous in the wrong hooves, so they would be placed in the Canterlot Castle’s deepest and most protected safe, where they would remain until someone deemed it fit to finally release the Council of Harmony. Why would they place them there instead of finding new bearers? After all, those were Equestria’s most powerful weapons…

It was obvious, wasn’t it? They weren’t needed. Flurry would now protect Equestria alongside her mother even after Shining was long gone, and he trusted them with every ounce of his soul. His friends believed the same. As long as ponies remained united, and didn’t forget the past, they would overcome any threat they faced.

As for the elements? Shining and his friends only used them once. And in the last 20 years since then… They were never used again.

Author's Note

There is only one chapter remaining! Only one chapter and this fic will end!

Epilogue 19884

Universe 19884

5 years later

“Thank you,” Discord nodded as he was handed a cup of tea. He looked down at the cup, hesitant to take a sip.

“Discord. It’s alright. We told you already, you’re welcome here,” Fluttershy reassured him, making the draconequus look up.

He and the other element bearers were all sitting on a blanket, enjoying a tranquil picnic. Even after defeating Tirek, Discord had worked tirelessly to regain the ponies’ trust. He always used his magic responsibly now, limiting its chaotic effect and his random shenanigans as much as he could. It was as if he had gained decades worth of wisdom, finally understanding how precious life was. He had helped restore Equestria’s landscape to what it once was and offered his assistance for even smaller tasks, such as helping Applejack on the farm when needed, or even handling Rarity’s boutique if she was away. Even after all this time, they never explicitly told him they forgave him. Moreover, he was also awkward for an additional reason.

“I know, but I feel bad for being here while Twilight is over there,” Discord gestured to the alicorn, who sat several feet away from them. The mare didn’t randomly decide to avoid them, of course.

She sat before a large statue of a familiar pony: Rainbow Dash. This statue also served as her grave. She wasn’t buried there since pegasi were most commonly cremated to have their ashes spread, but ponies wanted to have a place where they could visit her. Twilight had been one of her most common visitors, coming here every day. After all, this was Ponyville, and so it was close to her home.

“She still needs time. She didn’t process it like we did,” Rarity explained. Twilight would usually come here and do nothing. Most of the time, she’d cry, but she had been reading a few books on occasion, mostly Daring Do books.

“At least, Sugarcube could finally grieve,” Applejack added. Their alicorn friend had been doing that for the past five years, but they agreed to give her as much long as she needed, and that they would support her this time. Discord didn’t look convinced, looking back at Twilight painfully. Guilt was written all over his face.

“Hey, Discord… It’s okay,” Pinkie lightly reassured him, a comforting smile spread across her face.

“We know you still blame yourself, but… We don’t anymore. You don’t have to feel guilty anymore,” Fluttershy clarified as she placed a hoof on his shoulder. “You’re our friend,” She grinned.

Discord gulped, feeling a lump in his throat while his heart swelled with warmth. You couldn’t imagine how much he held back his tears. You couldn’t imagine how long he had hoped to hear those words, how much he had hoped that they wouldn’t hate him for what he did for the rest of their lives. However, he couldn’t allow himself to cry, not because he was Discord, the lord of chaos! Because someone else here had forgiven him long ago… And chose to blame themselves instead. Twilight… Still blamed herself, even after all this time. The draconequus could only wonder what was going through the mare’s mind currently.

And the mare’s mind was swirling with various emotions while she stared at the statue of her dear friend. For once, Twilight wasn’t in tears. Instead, her eyes trailed over the big statue, inspecting its every detail. There was a message engraved on its base:

“Here lies Rainbow Dash
A hero, a daughter, a friend”

The statue itself depicted the pegasus standing tall and proud, smirking defiantly. How could she ignore the most heartwarming part, though? Ponies wouldn’t look at what was initially engraved on the base, but rather on the messages others had added over time. Many ponies, either who had known Rainbow Dash, or who had been changed by the pegasus, came to engrave their own messages in honor of the fallen.

There were notably her parents, Scootaloo, a few Wonderbolts, and even Princess Celestia. Obviously, her friends had left messages of their own. There was Pinkie Pie, who engraved ‘And Best Prank Buddy’ near the initial engraving.

Applejack had written something short ‘See ya later, partner’ and was the only one not to openly cry when she engraved her message, saying it was because she was crying on the inside.

Discord’s was just slightly longer than theirs, but sweet nonetheless as he apologized for what he did and promised he would protect their friends with his life from now on. Twilight couldn’t hate him. After all, she was the one who refused Tirek’d deal…

Rarity’s message read: ‘I will always miss you and your “keen” eye for fashion’
She didn’t really understand this one since Rainbow was never one for fashion… But that was probably why Rarity put quotes on the word keen.

Fluttershy wrote that she promised she would take care of Tank, and added in smaller letters that Rainbow Dash would always be her best friend. It was… They were nice messages…

What about hers? Well, there was still an empty spot where she was supposed to engrave a message of her own, between her friends’ messages. She didn’t know what to say.

What could she say? Rainbow Dash and her friends had brightened her world more than anypony else, and she never imagined losing one of them before Tirek came. She never imagined she’d have to write any last words to them. She never imagined she’d be the one to blame for their death either…

Nevertheless, for once… She didn’t shed tears. No, she had said five years ago that she would try to forgive herself for what happened. There hadn’t been a single day where she didn’t hate herself as she tried to respect what Rainbow Dash would have wished for her.

During those years, she also tried to find the correct words for the pegasus. What could she say to a pony who had made her life so much better? What could she say to a pony that filled her with so much warmth? What could she say to a pony who made every day worth living? One with each she had been able to share her passion? Rainbow Dash had been more than a friend; she’d been a force of nature, a light in the darkest moments, the embodiment of loyalty itself.

Twilight wouldn’t have become who she was without Rainbow Dash and their friends. This world wouldn’t have been saved without them either. She mourned for so long, and maybe… It was finally time to forgive herself. Could she do that? Did she have the strength for it? Rainbow Dash believed she did, and perhaps she was the origin of that strength…

Time had softened the sharpest edges of her pain. Through the years, her friends had reminded her of the love they still shared, of the strength Rainbow Dash had given them all.

After five, long, and agonizing years, Twilight finally knew what to say. So the alicorn stood up from her spot and lit her horn, using her magic to engrave a new message on the empty spot. Once it was done, she looked at the message and nodded.

Twilight slowly walked up to her friends, all of which turned to look at her nervously. The alicorn took a deep breath, small joyous tears on the corners of her eyes.

“Girls… I think I’m ready to move on,” She declared followed by a light sniffle. Her friends wordlessly sprung to their hooves and embraced her. This time, if she was going to cry thinking of Rainbow Dash, she wanted them to be tears of joy.

On Rainbow Dash's statue, a new message was etched into the stone, just two words, carrying the weight of a lifetime.

‘THANK YOU’

Author's Note

It's over, guys... That's the end of the story. It was one hell of an adventure, and I hope I'll have you on the sequel!

What was your favorite universe? Your favorite characters? Favorite conclusion?

The Hexstone's Archives

The Hextone’s archives, where the data of every universe is stored and numbered. With an infinite amount of them, there is also an infinite amount of knowledge.

Universe 10328

Where most universes shine by their abundance of magic, this one doesn’t. In fact, this universe doesn’t possess any magic at all. The origin of magic remains a mystery to all and is something creatures searched for an answer to for eons. So, in most circumstances, it is impossible to know why a place would be devoid of magic while another wasn’t.

Whatever happened to give birth to magic didn’t happen here. Unicorns do not exist, and powerful creatures such as dragons are only myths and legends nearly all lost to time.

Before Equestria came to be, ponies were a divided race, engaged in conflicts over their differences and the competition for resources. Unfortunately, they were as primitive as their natural enemies, the changelings and griffons, who only wished to use their lands and inhabitants for their own gain.

Pegasi, who considered themselves lords of the skies, were nothing but toys to the Griffons’ superior teamwork, and larger and stronger bodies that made them the peak predators. They could do nothing to fight back the invaders coming from the other lands as they were taken out of the sky, and their spears and swords made no difference.

The earth ponies, busy coming up with strategies to counter their mortal enemies, the pegasi, didn’t pay attention to the monsters lurking in the shadows. The massive bugs known as changelings infiltrated their midst and captured them faster and faster.

The ponies were not only enslaved but also preyed upon and used as nesting grounds or food; their kind neared its extinction.

However, one young earth pony made a great discovery: science. Celestia, who possessed a gifted mind like no other, created such advanced technological marvels that those around her believed they belonged in the realms of the gods. With her inventions, she united the pony race under her banner, becoming chancellor, and fought back against their invaders.

Overwhelmed by their technological marvels, the griffons’ bodies rained down on the ponies’ lands, forcing them to retreat back to their own nation. The changeling imposters were swiftly snuffed out and peace was brought back to the ever-expanding land that is now known as Equestria.

Fearing that her kind may lose her technological advancements to time and go back to warfaring as they used to, Celestia beat all odds once again and constructed the first robot in history, and programmed it to be an exact replica of herself along with her personality and knowledge, giving it near sentience only a few days before she passed away. The chancellor may have died, but her construct still remains, transferring its data from body to body to upgrade its model every century.

1000 years later, IX Celestia discovered another gifted mind, one earth pony by the name of Twilight Sparkle whose genius exceeded all her peers. The young Twilight Sparkle was originally sent to Ponyville to upgrade its defenses but has remained once she discovered friendship. The chancellor and she may be extremely different, but it seems they fight for the same goal.

Nonetheless, one legend says that the original Celestia somehow cheated death and gained immortality through a robotic body; that somehow… her spirit remains inside the cold machinery that composed her greatest creation yet. No one may ever know.

Universe 19884

In many universes, Twilight and Tirek’s battle goes down as one of the greatest element bearers’ victories. Not in this one.

Encouraged by her friends, Twilight Sparkle refuses to bow down to Lord Tirek’s demands and decides to fight him before he can hurt her friends. With a single snap of his fingers, Rainbow Dash draws her last breath and marks the end of the world as we know it.

Finally understanding the threat, the alicorn surrounded and gave him her magic in exchange for her friends, granting him access to unfathomable power. With her spirit broken, Twilight leaves Ponyville with Spike to never come back again while their friends struggle over hardships, forced to live and adapt without magic as Equestria crumbles around them. Discord, who has not been forgiven, does everything he can to one day pay for his mistakes.

Lord Tirek quickly set his sights beyond Equestria’s borders, first proposing Chrysalis, the changeling queen, to surrender, which she refused. In retaliation, Lord Tirek massacred her army, stealing all their magic in the process alongside hers, and made her nothing but a pet just like he did with the three princesses of Equestria.

Seeking revenge against the brother who betrayed him, Lord Tirek easily outmatched him and mounted his head on a spike before doing the same to their father. Nothing in the world could stop him as he drained Equus of all its magic and permanently changed its shape.

Now, the entire universe moves at Lord Tirek’s whims, and even the magic of friendship proves to be too weak to stop him. All hope seems lost.

Universe 25197

A universe much like the one we know, except for one crucial detail. The story has a familiar beginning.

One talented unicorn named Twilight Sparkle and her assistant Spike, sent by Princess Celestia, go to Ponyville to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration while fearing the return of the vile Nightmare Moon. There, she meets five unforgettable friends.

Lyra, a unicorn, is the first to meet her the moment Twilight steps foot into Ponyville and quickly introduces her to anypony she needs to see for the celebration’s preparations. Before Twilight even realized it, the other unicorn had managed to strike up a conversation the lavender pony didn’t mind being part of, nearly forgetting about Nightmare Moon as she slowly came out of her shell. Once the mare on the moon returned, Twilight, Lyra, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy ventured into the Everfree Forest to find the elements and defeat her.

With the magic of friendship, Nightmare Moon was destroyed and Princess Celestia’s sister, Luna, came back. The six ponies are now hailed as Equstria’s heroes.

In the past, a little filly without a cutie mark looked out the window from her home in Manehattan. In another universe, that pony would see a magnificent Sonic Rainboom and return to Ponyville before acquiring her cutie mark. In this one, she looks away and turns her back on it.

Applejack slowly adapts to life in Manehattan and overcomes every obstacle that comes her way. She learns her way with words, the art of negotiations, and even manipulation to the point she can even decide whether she wishes to speak with her accent or not. Soon enough, no pony around her can hide their weaknesses well. There is nothing in this world that money can’t buy, with those words and her growing hunger for bits, Applejack eventually starts her own business in gem mining.

She now owns the most fruitful business in all of Equestria, if not the world. Applejack, who says her friends call her Jackie, hasn’t seen her family since she left the farm and even missed her own parents’ funeral. She has no idea she has a little sister.

Universe 31870

In a time long past, two alicorn sisters ruled over Equestria. Princess Luna, who controlled the moon, and Princess Celestia, who controlled the sun. Both were adored, but Celestia was even more so. Her radiant light seemed to melt the hearts of every pony in the land.

Indeed, she was drowned in constant admiration. Ponies lined up in front of her castle to see her raise the sun, they sent her love letters every day, and even made works of art in her name. Celestia loved the attention, she adored it… She craved it.

In another universe, Princess Luna would grow jealous, and saddened by being overshadowed and forgotten by her subjects. She would feel unloved and unwanted. Here? She was one of Princess Celestia’s greatest admirers, praising every single one of her sister’s actions. She could safely say that she loved her more than anything in the world.

Unfortunately, Princess Celestia realized she wanted more. Admiration and love letters were great, and paintings were even more so. However, where were the giant statues? Ponies believed her to be a goddess, but where were the religions around her? She wanted to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

In every competition and contest, she wanted to be the winner without even participating. She wanted her portrait to be in every house and every room. She wanted ponies to whisper her name every time before they went to sleep. She wanted to be in their hearts and souls.

She wanted more and more. She wanted to be worshipped. She wanted her sun to shine brighter and eternally all around Equus, defying every law of the universe. She wanted all of Equus to be the same as Equestria.

She wanted to be the only alicorn to ever exist…

Just as she was about to kill her beloved sister in her sleep, her own bleeding heart stopped her. She couldn’t hurt her little sister as much as she wanted to. She loved her too much, and that… made her weak.

Celestia used an ancient and forbidden dark spell and ripped out every single trace of goodness inside her heart before burning it with her darkest and vilest desires. With that done, she transformed into Daybreaker and rose in the sky to announce her eternal sun as well as the start of her new empire in which she will be worshipped as a Goddess.

Before she could strike the infidels who refused to submit, Princess Luna intervened, crying for her sister to stop. She was long gone.

Using a powerful ritual coupled with a spell of Starwirl’s creation, Princess Luna managed to accomplish the impossible and imprisoned her sister in the sun, casting her out of Equus indefinitely.

A thousand years later, the princess had taken in a student named Twilight Sparkle. With the intent of training her to make her an alicorn one day, the two of them fought off every new and old threat that came to invade Equestria, growing stronger with every encounter.

A part of her still hopes that Celestia isn’t truly gone. That somewhere, deep inside her heart, the love she held for her sister still remains. To this day, Luna remains her sister’s greatest admirer.

Universe 47931

This seems to be a dying universe where only a single survivor remains: Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship. In the confines of her castle, she studies the powers of the mysterious Hexstone while battling the many monsters known as Time Paradoxes.

Universe 99999

Once the bearers of the elements meet Nightmare Moon, they not only destroy the Nightmare but also kill Princess Luna in the process, leaving no trace of her body behind. Princess Celestia, free from where Nightmare Moon imprisoned her, realizes in horror what has transpired.

When Twilight thinks she will be congratulated by the princess, she receives nothing but her ire. Celestia’s bubbling rage at having lost her sister made her admit what her plan for Twilight was all along. She was to meet friends, destroy the Nightmare, and bring back her sister. She would choose to remain in Ponyville and learn friendship lessons, then she would be made an alicorn to eventually replace Celestia on the throne.

The unicorn’s worldview is shattered as she realizes her life has been a lie. She was only a tool to be used so Celestia could accomplish her goals. Not only that, but she also endangered all of Equestria simply by betting that the six of them would succeed in defeating Nightmare Moon.

When Princess Celestia attempted to take her back to Canterlot and punish her for the murder of her sister, Twilight’s new friends intervened and protected her. That was when she realized the value of friendship. With the powers of the elements, they turned the princess to stone.

They couldn’t simply stop there. Equestria needed a fair ruler and someone who would fight for the greater good. Someone who wouldn’t use others as tools. They decided to become what Equestria needed. They marched to the castle, and using Celestia’s authority via Twilight, they took control of Canterlot. No one could oppose them when they had the elements.

Naming themselves the Council of Harmony, they wished to shape Equestria in their image so it would be perfect. Their duty is to spread harmony and friendship, and they will do it at any cost.

Other Universes:

Universe 58277

A universe where most ponies swapped races. Unicorns become pegasi, pegasi become earth ponies, and earth ponies become unicorns. Sombra, the greatest unicorn to have ever lived, hid in the shadows after losing against the two alicorn sisters until his full powers returned.

While on his way to conquer the Crystal Empire, he destroyed the Crystal Heart, which would have doomed all of Equestria if it weren’t for Celestia’s student and her friends.

By the power of Friendship, and against all odds, the six of them blasted Sombra to dust and made sure he would never come back.

Universe 17097

Luna grows jealous of the adoration her sister receives and becomes Nightmare Moon. However, instead of fighting her and using the elements to banish her to the moon, Celestia willingly seals her own magic and gives up her power to prove to her sister how much she loves her.

Before Nightmare Moon can strike her down, the echoes of Celestia’s sacrifice reach Luna deep inside Nightmare Moon’s heart and help her escape her grasp.

Now with a much stronger bond than before, the two sisters rule Equestria side by side. This time, no one is left out as Celestia gives Luna her due.

Universe 94091

In this particular universe, Twilight was born with much more potent magic. So much so that her body could barely handle it. At any point, she could grow unstable and release magic at random, causing destruction and transmutations everywhere she went. However, that also meant she naturally had much more power.

Under Princess Celestia’s guidance, she learned to control her magic, so it wouldn’t go out of control. The key to it was to control her emotions and keep using minimum levels of magic at all times. By becoming an alicorn, Twilight’s body would have adapted and stabilized her magic, allowing her to use it as freely as she could and without doing any damage. Celestia also hoped she would grow so strong no one in the world would dare face Equestria. Unfortunately, this never came to pass.

During their fight with Discord, Lord of Chaos, Twilight’s friends’ lives were in peril, causing her to use too much magic. Ultimately, her body couldn’t handle it and was overwhelmed. Because it was too unstable, it destroyed her from within and everything else around her. Discord was killed down to his very soul while Twilight’s friends, along with Ponyville, suffered the same fate.

The future of this Equestria is uncertain.

Author's Note

Hey! Sorry, not a new chapter, but I'm currently writing it! Why did I decide to write this, though? I thought it would be nice to post something that would help the readers understand the universes a bit more. It's basically their backstory. Some of it is a recap from the chapters, and some of it has context that will not be present in the story chapters.

That's because it would just be exposition dump in the regular chapters and those would only serve as a backstory for the universe, but wouldn't play a part for the ongoing story. I didn't want to simply leave things unexplained. I also like doing those kinds of things, having a trivia of sorts. I hope you like any new info there might have been!

Prologue

Author's Note

Give it a try!

Prologue

“How peculiar… To think even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wouldn’t know anything about it…” Twilight whispered as she examined something carefully. “That would mean I would be the first ever to study it! A magical artifact from space! How exciting!” Twilight exclaimed eagerly as she spun the stone in her magical grab.

The stone was of a pearly white color and shone brightly -although not enough to hurt anyone’s eyes- but the fact that it was glowing at all was already strange enough in itself. Some stones were naturally made of magic, so it wasn’t that surprising or rare to find one. What was special about this one was that it came from space, but also it radiated immense magical power even though it was barely the size of her hoof.

“That’s great, Twi, really. But why do we have to be there, too?” Someone asked, breaking the alicorn out of her thoughts.

Right. She was currently studying the artifact, not in her basement (like she usually did). Instead, she had chosen her castle's grand throne room as the setting for her examination. Suspended by the power of her magic, the stone levitated above the cutie map, while her faithful friends, excluding Pinkie Pie, occupied their designated thrones.

“Ah reckon Starlight would be more useful than us when it comes to studyin’ something magical considerin’ she’s nearly as good as you,” Applejack added while Starlight blushed at the compliment.

“Well, personally, I don’t mind at all!” Rarity interjected as she eyed the stone with glimmering eyes. “You know… I wouldn’t mind taking it off your hooves when you’re done experimenting on it…” She suggested while not even bothering to look at the alicorn.

“Sorry to break it to you, Rarity, but I don’t think she is gonna do that. She got really mad when I tried to eat it,” Spike mumbled in annoyance while rubbing the top of his head.

“I wouldn’t have been mad if your first instinct after seeing something fall from space wasn’t to eat it. Seriously? It doesn’t look like a gem that much,” Twilight complained while rolling her eyes.

“You still didn’t answer, Twilight… Why do you need us here?” Fluttershy inquired with her curiosity piqued. Most of them weren’t really interested in magic, so for Twilight to call them like this was unusual. Not impossible, but unusual.

“It wouldn’t be the first time magical artifacts react to our strong bonds. I was kind of wishing it would do something if we were all together… And in the throne room of the literal castle of friendship,” Twilight explained as she spun the stone around again, the light growing brighter at regular intervals, then going back to normal. “When we were all together earlier, I think the stone… pulsated. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I’m sure there was a reaction coming from it. Where is Pinkie?” She added as she looked around.

Suddenly, the doors were slammed open as Pinkie walked with a food trolley, carrying food.

“Who wants cheese fondue, and some nice grassballs?” The earth pony shouted in a singing speech.

“There it is again!” Twilight exclaimed as the stone released a small magical pulse. “Did it do anything?” She asked as the others started looking around. Spike only shrugged while Starlight shook her head.

“Can’t notice anything different,” Rainbow Dash answered, bored and poking the cutie map.

“Drat,” Twilight muttered as Rarity raised her eyebrows in realization.

“Wait, Twilight. Have you tried using it?” The white unicorn inquired as Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

“Using it?” She repeated with uncertainty.

“Have you tried to activate it with your magic? You know, like you would do with other items fueled by magic? Or better yet, like the elements of harmony!” Rarity explained her reasoning as Twilight widened her eyes.

“I-I suppose I didn’t think about it, but that might work. And using it like the elements of harmony… Rarity you’re a genius!” Twilight complimented her while Rarity flaunted with pride.

“Why thank you, dear,” She replied happily as Pinkie put a plate of food in front of her.

“Girls, I think we should try treating this like one of the elements and use it the same way,” Twilight suggested as she pointed at the glowing stone.

“Doing magic? Now we’re talking! Too bad we don’t have any bad guys to shoot at,” Rainbow Dash pumped her hoof up in excitement.

“Ah guess it’s worth a try,” Applejack agreed as Rarity and Pinkie nodded along. Meanwhile, Fluttershy seemed hesitant.

“I don’t know… That stone looks suspicious. Is it safe?” The pegasus asked with uncertainty.

“I’m with Fluttershy with this one,” Starlight added before grabbing Spike and pulling him back. “Let’s give them some space just in case,”

“Don’t you worry! I promise it is perfectly safe! Probably,” Twilight assured confidently, muttering the last part under her breath. “Ready?” She asked as the others nodded in confirmation.

Twilight closed her eyes as lights of different colors surrounded her and her friends, slowly glowing brighter as they were lifted above their thrones. Suddenly, the lights turned into beams and burst out of their bodies until they merged into the stone, which shined even brighter. After a brief moment, the radiance subsided, and the six ponies gently descended to their thrones, their connection to the lights momentarily severed. Meanwhile, the stone remained suspended above the map, its mystical aura undiminished.

“That’s it? Nothing happ-” Rainbow Dash started only to be interrupted when magical power suddenly exploded out of the stone. “What the hay?!” She shouted as something akin to a wormhole appeared in the middle of the throne room.

“Hold on to something!” Twilight screamed as the portal-like light began pulling them in so hard it seemed like a tornado popped up inside the room.

“Oh, no! What do I do?” Starlight yelled as she planted her hooves on the ground and used a spell to stick them to it while holding Spike. Both of them looked safe enough, but the other ponies in the rooms were screaming their heads off.

“Twilight! Do something!” Applejack shouted while holding on to her throne as if her life depended on it.

“I wish I knew what!” Twilight shouted in response only for the portal to pull even harder. This was too much! They couldn’t hold on anymore! Just as the stone pulled harder, they let go of their respective thrones and were sucked into the portal under Starlight and Spike’s terrified eyes.

“Where the heck are we?!” Rainbow screamed as she and the others were still being pulled.

The expanse they found themselves in resembled an immense torrent of magic, spanning far and wide. The entire realm appeared bathed in a vivid blue hue, hurtling forward with an unimaginable velocity, carrying the six ponies along its ethereal currents. To Twilight, this felt like plummeting horizontally. There was no air blowing in her ears! There was no air to breathe! But she could still hear, and she could still breathe! The blue stream of magic wasn’t even producing light, but she could still see it. There was no darkness. And how did she know it didn’t produce any light? That… She wasn’t sure of herself. It was as if nothing in this place made sense.

However, the most bewildering aspect of this realm was the abundance of mirrors that populated its expanse. Mirrors of various sizes and shapes adorned the surroundings, each reflecting different scenes and places. Were these mirrors showcasing locations within Equestria? She wasn’t sure. It was going too fast for her to see anything! And there were countless mirrors! There was no end to them!

“I can’t-I can’t fly!” Fluttershy shouted as she attempted to move her wings.

“I can’t either!” Rainbow added while waving her legs and wings around in panic.

“This is so cool!” Pinkie Pie laughed as she tried to make a swimming motion only for her body to spin around.

Applejack and Rarity weren’t fairing any better as they did everything they could to take control of their bodies.

“Girls! T-Try to hold on to each other! Or else we’ll…” Twilight began while extending her hooves to her friends until they were all suddenly hit by a seemingly invisible projectile, splitting them off. “Be separated! Girls!” She screamed as they were all sent in different directions.

“S-Stop… Spinning, body!” Pinkie ordered her body as she was flung into a nearby mirror, which depicted six ponies together, two of which were pegasi while the rest were earth ponies. The moment she went through the portal, her voice died down as she disappeared.

“Better brace yourself, AJ!” Applejack told herself as she laid her eyes on a mirror depicting a city with tall buildings. Was this Manehattan? She had no time to think about it as she put her forelegs in front of her face before falling into the portal.

“Where did they go?” Rainbow Dash asked herself as her heart beat faster and faster. She got hit by something and by the time she got her sense back, everyone else disappeared. While she was busy looking for her friends, she didn’t notice herself approaching a mirror depicting Lord Tirek, smiling triumphantly in a devastated land. She disappeared as quickly as the others did as she was thrown inside the portal.

“I knew this was a bad idea…” Fluttershy got teary-eyed while looking for the others. Unfortunately, she was just as alone as the others while plummeting in one of the mirrors’ directions. She had no time to think about what she should do as she fell into one of the portals.

This particular mirror emanated a radiant glow, showcasing a vibrant spectrum of colors akin to a majestic rainbow. In the center of the mirror stood six ponies, their heads held high with an aura of pride and unwavering confidence. Behind them, a towering castle loomed, exuding an air of regality, surrounded by a multitude of ponies adorned in impeccable uniforms.

“S-Stay calm, Rarity… Breathe in! Breathe out!” Rarity hollered while hurling towards a portal herself. The only thing she managed to see before falling in was Princess Luna, surrounded by shadows while a small unicorn stood by her side.

As Twilight continued to descend, her surroundings rapidly blurring with each passing moment, she cast anxious glances in every direction, desperately trying to make sense of the enigmatic realm she found herself in. Yet, the chaotic nature of her descent left no room for understanding or discernment. Frustration welled up within her, and a single tear escaped her eye, tracing a delicate path down her cheek, as the harsh reality settled in—she was utterly alone, separated from her friends, and stuck in the abyss.

“I’m sorry, girls… This is all my fault…” She whispered. Still, she believed they were fine. Wherever they ended up… They would find each other and go back home. As long as they trusted each other, they could accomplish anything… Right?

Twilight closed her eyes in a small prayer as she fell into a portal too. The portal was cracked while a dark miasma was escaping from it. What it depicted was a seemingly empty grey land with a single purple light cloaked in darkness.

The Council of Harmony

Universe 99999

“But you have to believe me, please!” Fluttershy begged as she attempted to approach the bars of her cell, only to be yanked back by the chains tightly securing her hooves.

“Sure, I’ll believe you! You’re from another universe and bla bla bla,” The pegasus guard outside the cell laughed. "And of course, right when I step away to use the restroom, you conveniently receive a message from your Twilight. How perfectly timed!" He added while shaking his head in amusement.

Fluttershy slumped against the cold wall, her head hanging low in defeat. She didn’t remember much but knew that she was running from evil ponies until they knocked her out. She woke up in a cold, dark cell guarded by the pegasus who just talked with her. AHours had passed, yet no one had provided her with any information or introduced her to their leader, assuming they even had one… The yellow pegasus was understandably terrified, but there was nothing she could do, except hope for a rescue or that the ponies that captured her weren’t all bad.

Fluttershy's thoughts were abruptly interrupted when she received the message from Twilight, revealing the truth about her presence in another universe. The concept of multiple universes was difficult for her to comprehend, stretching the limits of her imagination. However, it provided an explanation for the peculiar statues, posters, and other unfamiliar sights she had encountered in Baltimare—they were representations of her alternate friends. Apparently, they’ve made some enemies considering she had been captured because they mistook her for this world’s Fluttershy.

Unfortunately, her jailors didn’t believe her and kept her imprisoned. She could only hope that she would be able to reason with their higher-ups.

She really wanted to go home… To see her friends again instead of being stranded in an unknown land with ponies hating her! She didn’t even know where she currently was.

“Uhm… Excuse me, sir. But where am I?” She dared to ask the guard outside her cell, who merely scoffed.

“It’s confidential. Wouldn’t want your buddies to storm this place somehow,” He replied while refusing to look at her.

“Am I under Baltimare?” She asked, which was simply a guess since that was where she was caught. The guard immediately tensed up before turning around and staring her down.

“How did you know?! Who told you that?!” He questioned as she looked away nervously.

“You just did,” She answered as he paused, then slapped himself in disappointment.

“Oh, man! Why do I always fall for this?!’ He complained, then shook his head before glaring at her. “Anyways, this won’t help you at all! So I suggest you shut your mouth and stop talking to me,” He ordered before turning around to stare forward.

Fluttershy hung her head low. He was right that it wouldn’t help her. Moreover, she would prefer to avoid testing his patience.

Suddenly, her cell door creaked as another guard opened it.

“They’re ready to see you. Stand up and no sudden moves,” He ordered as he took out a key and opened her cuffs.

Fluttershy didn’t fight or try to escape, knowing that it would only bring even more trouble to her. Moreover, she probably wouldn’t be able to escape anyway. It was better not to antagonize her capturers if she wanted to reason with them.

The pegasus winced as a guard behind her forcefully shoved her forward, urging her to quicken her pace. Reluctantly, she complied, walking briskly as she followed the lead of another guard. She had no clue where they were taking her, but the corridor she found herself in was narrow, offering little opportunity to get a proper sense of her surroundings.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem she was led in a nicer place than her cell since she was pushed into a small room and immediately thrown on a chair before being cuffed to it. Her small cry of protest was met with an eye roll as the guards stepped back. Before she could even say anything, she was surrounded by a blue aura, which dissipated a second later.

“Doesn’t feel like she’s a duplicate,” A familiar voice stated, making Fluttershy turn her head around and widen her eyes as she recognized the speaker.

“Trixie?!” Fluttershy blurted before she could stop herself.

“Huh? You know me?” Trixie raised an eyebrow, then widened her eyes. Suddenly, a smirk crept up her face. “Well, it is only natural as I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She announced proudly as silence settled.

One of the guards coughed awkwardly.

“Unless we have a spy, which I doubt, then the fact that she knows who you are is concerning,” Someone else said as they came out of the shadows and revealed themselves. Fluttershy recognized her immediately, too. Spitfire! “Glider, can you repeat what you told me a few minutes ago?” Spitfire addressed one of the guards standing near the door, still not talking to Fluttershy directly yet.

“Minister Fluttershy has been sighted in Canterlot one hour ago,” He answered impassively as Spitfire sighed.

“That’s what I thought, too,” She muttered loud enough for Fluttershy to hear. “Somepony reported to me that story you told, and I have to admit that it has some merits if we take into account various elements,” She said, finally talking to Fluttershy, then faced Trixie. “Cast that lie detection spell on her. As long as she isn’t Prime Minister Twilight, then she shouldn’t have protections against it,” She ordered the unicorn, who nodded in response.

Trixie lit her horn as someone else entered the room; another face she recognized: Shining Armor!

“Are you sure it’s safe for me to show my face?” He asked nervously as he came in.

“Even if she is the real deal, she wouldn’t be able to do anything with that information. Besides, you’re not the only spy to out themselves right now,” Spitfire answered irritably. “Now, why don’t you tell us that story again?” She suggested as Fluttershy gulped.

“A-As I said…” She began timidly. No, now was the time to be more assertive, wasn’t it? If she couldn’t even talk to these ponies, then how could she possibly convince them of anything? At least, they were familiar! “I come from a different universe, where Twilight found some kind of stone and experimented on it. Next thing I know, I was sucked through a portal and landed in Baltimare,” She explained as Spitfire and Shining Armor glanced at Trixie.

“Trixie detects no lies for now,” She assured them as they returned to listening to Fluttershy’s story.

“But it was nothing like the Baltimare I knew! There were statues, paintings, and posters of my friends and me everywhere. Some ponies attacked me and threw me in a cell. Sometime later, I received a message from Twilight telling me that I was sent into another world,”

“As weird as it sounds, Trixie still detects no lies,” The blue unicorn said with her horn still lit.

Spitfire and Shining looked at each other in surprise, unsure how to proceed. The wonderbolt suddenly stepped forward.

“And how did she send that message exactly? If what you’re saying is true, then that means she somehow communicated with you even though she wasn’t in the same universe,” She questioned as Fluttershy looked away.

“I don’t know… Magic? I don’t have knowledge of magic. All I know is that I need to find a similar stone here to go back home,” She responded as Trixie shook her head.

“Still no lies,” She confirmed while Spitfire rubbed the back of her head.

“This is getting weirder and weirder. I would understand if they tried to infiltrate us, but why send one of their core members? Especially with such a bold-faced lie?”

“My sister can be tricky sometimes, but she wouldn’t do something so risky. Then again, she changed so much, so I don’t know anymore…” Shining sighed as he put a hoof on his chin, likely thinking of Twilight.

“She’s afraid of quesadillas!” Fluttershy suddenly blurted as everyone turned to her in confusion. “Twilight… Uhm, she is afraid of quesadillas,”

“Well… That’s true, but… Why are you telling us this?” Shining confirmed as Spitfire raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. Quesadillas? Really?

“You said your Twilight has changed, and… She is probably much different from mine, too. Do you think this world’s Twilight would have told me this? Oh, and I also know about Smarty Pants,” Fluttershy reasoned as Shining nodded hesitantly.

"I suppose she wouldn't be the type to divulge such information... But I find it difficult to believe your story based solely on that. She could have easily told you that just so you could use this reasoning to make us believe your story,” He answered, making the yellow pegasus’ ears drop.

What could she say more? If this world’s Twilight and Fluttershy were both great friends, then she couldn’t just use facts about Twilight! She needed to say things about the ponies in this room, who didn’t share any secrets with Twilight and the Fluttershy from this world, but who did with her in her original world! And they also needed to have the same secrets because they could have been different here, and all of this was so complicated! She didn’t consider herself dumb, but that was really scrambling her brain right now.

Was there something she knew about Shining Armor that he didn’t tell Twilight? What year was this? Maybe Cadance and he didn’t have Flurry yet, so she could tell him that Cadance was expecting. Would it suffice? Moreover, she didn’t check the date closely but it seemed to be the same as back home.

“Are you and Cadance married, Shining?” She suddenly inquired, making him look confused.

“Yes, we are,” He confirmed as Fluttershy nodded. At least, this didn’t change.

“Are you expecting or do you already have a foal?”

Shining widened his eyes in surprise at that while Spitfire glanced at him.

“She is four weeks pregnant, but… That’s something I haven’t told Twilight yet…” He furrowed his brows in contemplation. Meanwhile, Fluttershy smiled wide, thinking she was soon to succeed to convince them.

“I knew that because, in my world, you have a foal! A little filly called Flurry Heart!” She stated excitedly as Shining shook his head.

“No, actually, we were going to call her Fluffy Armor,” He refuted as Fluttershy’s ears dropped.

“Okay, I think she’s talking bullshit right there, Shining,” Spitfire declared while the unicorn sighed.

“I wish I could believe her… Having somepony as strong as them in our team would be so beneficial,” He stated with uncertainty.

Fluttershy’s lips quivered as she began losing hope. What else could she say to make them trust her? She couldn’t do well under pressure and without her friends!

“Ah believe her,” Someone suddenly spoke up as they entered the room, making Spitfire roll her eyes.

“Braeburn, how many times have I told you not to come in here while we’re interrogating somepony?” She said as Fluttershy widened her eyes. Braeburn? Wasn’t that one of Applejack’s cousins? She only met him a few times, but he was the last pony she expected to help her. “And you believe her?”

“Do ya believe Trixie ain’t capable enough to cast a good lie detection spell?” He asked with a smile as the blue unicorn smirked in pride, happy to have someone’s trust at least. “Besides, Ah just don’t feel like she’s lying. It really doesn’t seem like a secret plot from the Council. They never did anything like this before,” He explained while Spitfire sighed.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this…” She muttered as Shining finally conceded, too.

“I guess we can hear her out,”

“T-Thank you,” Fluttershy stuttered before hesitantly looking at Braeburn. Why did he help her? Why did he even believe her? Everyone in this world gave her pretty bad first impressions so far, so she was worried that it was an act. “Why did you…” She began before being interrupted.

“I’ve already seen Minister Fluttershy before, and while you seem the same on the outside… You’re mighty different on the inside, believe me. Ah understand you’re afraid if you’re from another world, but do ya think you can trust me enough to see that I’m telling you the truth when I say that I believe you?” He replied as the yellow pegasus’ eyes traveled down.

“I trust you,” She finally said while looking up.

“For the record, Trixie also totally believed her story!” The blue unicorn mentioned as every other pony in the room decided to ignore her.

“If your story is true, then tell me how you met my sister in your world,” Shining ordered as Fluttershy nodded.

“It was the day of the Summer Sun Celebration. She came from Canterlot on Celestia’s orders to prepare the celebration in Ponyville. That night, Nightmare Moon came back intending to make the night last forever. Me, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack all went looking for the Elements of Harmony to defeat her,” Fluttershy explained.

“That’s how it went here, too,” Spitfire commented as she motioned for Fluttershy to continue.

“We used the elements to turn Nightmare Moon back into Princess Luna, then Princess Celestia came back and told Twilight to stay in Ponyville so she could learn the magic of friendship,” She told as they all looked at one another.

“Princess Luna? There was no Princess Luna here…” Spitfire mumbled, making Fluttershy’s eyes widen in surprise.

“I heard of her. She was Princess Celestia’s sister. We don’t exactly know what happened in our world. However, Twilight and the others came out of the forest with the elements, but no Nightmare Moon or Princess Celestia in sight. They soon left for Canterlot and named themselves the new rulers. With the power of the elements, fighting them was useless,” Shining explained while Fluttershy shook her head in incomprehension.

“But what about the sun, then? If Princess Celestia never came back, then how is it moving?” She inquired while Shining shifted uncomfortably.

“I’m ashamed to say that I have no idea. The night lasted for several months after Nightmare Moon’s return, but one day, Twilight managed to find a way to move the sun and the moon. All I know is that she and her friends killed Nightmare Moon that night she came back from the forest, but she never told me anything about Princess Celestia,” Shining responded as Spitfire stepped forward.

“What is your world like currently?” She questioned as Fluttershy hummed in thought, thinking about every change they’d made since Twilight came to Ponyville.

“Princess Celestia made Twilight an alicorn, which doesn’t seem to be the case for yours,” She answered, shocking the ponies in the room to the core. She couldn’t blame them if their Twilight was so different from hers. “She became a princess and got her own castle, which belonged to all of us. Oh, and she has a wonderful school of friendship! I am a teacher there. Rainbow Dash is a wonderbolt, and Pinkie…” Fluttershy stated as Spitfire cut her off by raising her hoof.

“Alright, I heard enough. Everything is different, basically,” She sighed. “In this world, you and your friends called yourself the Council of Harmony and decided that you alone knew what was best for everypony. Being forced to wear a uniform in public and always smile are some of the rules they thought of,”

Fluttershy looked down in shame. Despite her not being directly involved, she couldn't help but feel a sense of personal shame that a version of herself would be associated with such actions. There was also disbelief. She couldn’t believe that her friends would ever do this.

“My sister is the Prime Minister and leads the council. They make decisions together, but she gets the final say if there is a tie in the voting process. She is also the Minister of Home and Foreign Affairs,” Shining added.

“Rainbow Dash is the Minister of Defense; and General of the Equestria’s Air Forces,” Spitfire revealed as Fluttershy nodded, not too surprised by this particular development.

“Applejack became the Minister of Agriculture and Economy,” Braeburn stated. Fluttershy wasn’t surprised that Applejack would be taking care of agriculture, but the economy was unexpected, to say the least. “She is also General of Equestria’s Land Forces,”

"You, or rather your counterpart, holds the position of Minister of Ecology. Although her primary focus is on wildlife and the preservation of animals rather than the environment as a whole,” Spitfire explained as Fluttershy nodded. Well, this was a nice title!

“The unicorn Rarity is the Minister of Justice and Education,” Well now that was a surprising one.

“The last one, Pinkie Pie, is the Minister of Health and… I can’t believe I’m gonna say that… Fun. Yup, Minister of Fun is something that existed apparently. That’s what we have to deal with,” Spitfire grumbled in annoyance. “They probably wouldn’t even have been bad rulers if they weren’t absolute tyrants. No offense,”

“It’s alright,” Fluttershy answered. It wasn’t like she knew these particular ponies, after all. She knew her friends, and she was aware that they would never do that, just like she wouldn’t either.

“Apparently, Prime Minister Twilight is also looking to have a Minister of Science, but we have no idea which one of them will take that role,” Trixie interjected as Spitfire nodded in confirmation.

“They’re all trained fighters, too. I guess they were prepared to fight enemies hoof to hoof if ever need be,” Shining Armor added.

“There are some other things, but that’s the gist of it. As you have probably guessed, we are the resistance. The only ones who are willing to fight their reign. Unfortunately, the other nations, except for the Crystal Empire, aren’t going to help us and likely never will,” Spitfire explained as Fluttershy frowned.

Why wouldn’t the other races even help? There was a literal dictatorship on their doorstep! Weren’t they worried about that? Wasn’t it the right thing to do? Maybe she just didn’t understand politics…

“What do you need to go back to your world?” Shining asked as Trixie quickly stepped forward.

“And I am certain that Trixie would be the perfect help! With knowledge in magic as deep as mine, it will be a piece of cake!’ She interjected as Fluttershy shook her head.

“I’m not so sure. Sorry… My Twilight told me that I need to find a version of the stone that brought us here. When my friends and I all hold it at the same time, it will bring us back to Equestria. But I don’t even know where to look… And she also seemed in danger, so every second counts!” Fluttershy exclaimed worriedly.

“Alright, alright! I wouldn’t want my sister to get hurt, even if she’s from another universe. But what does that stone look like? I would have remembered seeing a magical artifact capable of transporting ponies to other worlds. Is it an Element of Harmony or… The Crystal Heart?” Shining suggested as Fluttershy shook her head.

“No, it’s shiny, bright, and all white,” She responded as Shining mulled over it, but really didn’t remember seeing any stone fitting this description.

“Looking for that thing will be hard in our circumstances. And if you’re telling the truth, then you can’t be seen in public. Why don’t you help us? Join the resistance, and fight by our side, so that we can overthrow the Council of Harmony. Once it’s done, we’ll use all our resources to help you find the stone,” Spitfire offered as Fluttershy seemed uncertain.

“I would love to help you, but wouldn’t it take too long? Twilight and the others need me, so I can’t be here for too long. When I go back to my Equestria, I promise I will tell the others about this place, and we’ll find a way to come back and help you!” The yellow pegasus responded, making Spitfire sigh.

“As I said, we can’t possibly look for that stone safely until we’re not rid of the council. Believe me. Especially when they’re not our only enemies since they have solid loyalists among the general public. The stone could even be in the castle if they found it first,” Spitfire argued while their prisoner looked away, pondering. “Besides, we’ve recruited a lot of ponies, and have the backing of Princess Cadance and the Crystal Empire. A few more missions, and we’ll be ready to launch a surprise attack on Canterlot. You’ve come right when this struggle is about to end, so this is the perfect opportunity! We can’t waste it!”

Fluttershy remained silent. She was hearing her, but she still wasn’t sure. Her friends were counting on her. On the other hand, Spitfire wasn’t wrong either. Moreover, it was hard for her to turn her back on them when they requested her help so desperately.

“We promise you that we’ll do everything in our power to get you back home after this is over, Fluttershy. Please,” Braeburn assured her with pleading eyes. She couldn’t say no after that, could she?

“Okay, I’ll help,” She finally decided, lighting up their faces.

“Great! Then I’ll introduce you to our main members and our base, but… We still have to keep a close watch on you. Hope you don’t mind,” Spitfire smirked as she opened Fluttershy’s cuffs, finally freeing her.

“Oh, I understand,” The yellow pegasus smiled as she rubbed her hooves, delighted to finally be able to move them and her wings freely.

Far from Baltimare…

In Canterlot, the capital of Equestria, stood its great castle. Once inhabited by Princess Celestia, it was now home to its new rulers: the Council of Harmony. The city was as glorious and as beautiful as it was in the past, if not even more so.

The buildings were slightly taller but more decorated. Vines cascaded down the walls, adorned with blooming flowers that added a touch of natural beauty. Detailed sculptures of historical figures graced the facades, showcasing the rich heritage of the city. Embedded within the architecture were gemstones, each store displaying its own unique arrangement, with some adorned with a trio of sparkling gems while others showcased a single, captivating jewel

The streets were paved with rainbow-hued stones, their glossy surface catching the sunlight, albeit not as brilliantly as the gleaming gems adorning the buildings. There were posters similar to the ones in Baltimare plastered on public buildings such as the library. Just like in Baltimare, ponies traversed the streets donning their distinctive uniforms, creating a sense of order and unity in the bustling cityscape.

However, the most captivating sight that captured the attention of all who beheld it was undoubtedly the grandeur that stood before Canterlot Castle: six statues, towering over the ponies below. These majestic figures depicted the council, standing tall and united, adorned with the iconic Elements of Harmony. Their imposing presence served as a constant reminder of the strength and unity that defined this remarkable city.

The city looked and sounded peaceful with its citizens going through their day while bearing wide and happy smiles on their faces. However, what truly mattered was the scene taking place within the castle’s walls. Celestia’s throne was no more, and the room was renovated to hold a large round table with several different seats made of crystal and each bearing their owner’s cutie mark. Something that the council had voted on, so they could all have a seat representing them and signifying that they were irreplaceable.

All of them were gathered around the table, engaged in their respective roles. Twilight focused her attention on several papers, diligently reviewing the details before her. Meanwhile, Pinkie indulged in a bowl of ice cream, savoring each spoonful with delight. Rainbow Dash adopted a casual pose, lounging on her throne with hindlegs propped up on the table and forelegs comfortably behind her head. If anyone had seen these two, they wouldn’t think they were leading a nation. Fortunately, the rest of them were normally seated.

Just like they were depicted in their paintings and statues, all of them wore their respective element of harmony.

“The Wonderbolt Special two days ago was a dashing success! As usual,” Rainbow Dash bragged as she put on sunglasses while Applejack rolled her eyes.

“There were also many ponies at the Apple Fair last week. We’ve got a lot of positive reviews and Bit income,” The earth pony said proudly. “We could make it a yearly event,”

“Do we need to? Wonderbolt shows should be enough, honestly,” Rainbow Dash shrugged arrogantly, making Applejack huff.

“Ponies will get sick of ya and those shows if that’s all we do,” Applejack retorted. The pegasus furrowed her brows, ready to reply, but was interrupted by Twilight.

“I’ll have to think about it, Applejack. Rarity already forwarded her proposal for a fashion month every year. Pinkie’s giant parties were already hard to plan, but if we have too many events a year, then no matter what income we have, it wouldn’t be enough to organize them all,” The lavender unicorn explained as Applejack nodded. “I’m also still thinking about Equestria’s name. I’m not sure if we should change it or not…”

“It’s okay. I understand, Sugarcube. Ah know it’s been hard lately,” Applejack softly reassured her.

“Speaking of Equestria’s new name, I was thinking of…” Rarity started before being interrupted when Rainbow Dash excitedly slammed her hooves on the table.

“Oh, oh, I know! RainbowLand! Or maybe, Dashia or something like that!”

“Rainbow Dash, we already named like three cities after you. How are you still not satisfied yet?” Rarity raised her eyebrow while Pinkie nodded eagerly.

“Yeah! I only have a street named after me!” She complained while Fluttershy fiddled with her hooves.

“Well, personally, I’m fine with only having a forest named after me,” She whispered, thinking of the Flutter Forest in the Badlands.

“Come on! A kingdom named after me is the least I deserve since I’m so awesome!” She argued in annoyance.

“Girls, please. We will not name the country after either of us. Moreover, we won’t have to decide that until we took care of our… Problem,” Twilight interjected, immediately putting a stop to their argument.

“The resistance? Those losers can’t do anything to us! Ah!” Rainbow laughed as Twilight groaned.

“Please, don’t remind me of their stupid name. They are a rebellion, not a resistance! Can’t they see the difference? Words have meaning!” She complained, completely frustrated. “And they are really starting to annoy me…”

“Let’s talk about something more positive!” Rarity suggested as she grabbed a sheet of paper. “We’ve got the results of our popularity poll! For the second time now, Pinkie Pie ranks first. I come in second, Rainbow Dash third, Fluttershy fourth, Applejack fifth, and Twilight last,”

“What? That’s bull! How come I’m behind you?” Rainbow complained, which made Rarity roll her eyes and groan while Pinkie celebrated.

“I’m not the one who voted, Rainbow Dash. Besides, we’re all really close when it comes to the number of votes. There are literally only a few hundred points between Pinkie and Twilight,”

“I still think I should have been first, “ The pegasus sat back in her seat and crossed her forelegs stubbornly.

“I’m just happy I’m somepony’s favorite pony,” Fluttershy mumbled happily before being hugged by Pinkie Pie.

“Oh, Flutters! You know you’re my favorite pony!” The pink earth pony said as Fluttershy giggled.

“Thank you, Pinkie,”

Meanwhile, Twilight remained silent, her eyes focused on the papers on the table. She wasn’t reading them nor was she actually interested in them at the moment. The reason she was staring at them was simple: she was lost in her thoughts and her worries grew. Ruling a kingdom was far harder than they imagined, but they could manage. The issue was the ones fighting against their rules. Couldn’t they see the big picture? Why couldn't they comprehend that their actions were intended for the greater good of the world and Equestria, in stark contrast to their former ruler's reign?

Celestia had been a liar and a manipulative monster, playing with ponies’ feelings so that they would do her bidding. But no one ever opposed her, did they? And now that competent ponies stepped forward to lead them, they found no better way to thank them than by attempting a coup?

Still… The worst was to come. And the council couldn’t afford to dwell on these futilities. She already knew there were traitors among their troops. All they needed to do was find them and weed them out! Then they could start their biggest operation yet.

Once they succeed… Equus would finally be perfect. A realm with no chaos and only harmony and happiness. No villains trying to destroy the world. No more of it.

“Twi?” Rainbow Dash called out to her, bringing her out of her thoughts.

“Ya alright there, Sugarcube? Hope you weren’t hurt by the poll results. It’s all in good fun, you know? But if ya want, we can stop doing them,” Applejack said worriedly as her other friends nodded in agreement.

“It’s okay. It’s not about the poll. Frankly, I couldn’t care less. I’m thinking about our next grand operation, that’s all,” She sighed while adjusting the crown bearing the element of magic on her head.

“Are you perhaps…” Rarity began.

“Having second thoughts?” Fluttershy finished.

“We can delay it a bit if you’re worried,” Rainbow Dash suggested as Twilight shook her head.

“No, it won’t be necessary. I am worried, but… I’m mostly worried about ponies’ reactions. They’re just so… They don’t understand!” She explained in frustration.

“Don’t worry. We understand, and that’s what matters the most, doesn’t it?” Fluttershy argued, her words managing to comfort Twilight.

“You know we always got your back, Twi. Besides, it’s not like the public even has a choice in the matter,” Rainbow assured her, earning a heartwarming smile from the lavender unicorn.

“You’re right, girls. Thank you for being there. We’ll proceed as planned. Once they see how much better Equus will be… So much better that it will shine brighter than any star in the universe, they will thank us,” She confirmed as they all nodded in approval. “I think that’s all we had to discuss during our meeting. What’s next, Rarity?” She inquired as the other unicorn looked over her notes.

“Starlight Glimmer. Oh, I forgot it was today,”

“Right! Her trial!” Pinkie exclaimed as Twilight stood up from her seat.

“There will be no trial. We are here to pass judgment,” She scoffed as Rainbow Dash sniggered.

“And I sure love passing judgment!” The pegasus laughed while caressing her element of harmony with her hoof. “Let’s go!”

They all walked toward the exit, leaving for the upcoming “trial” while Twilight smiled. At least, she knew there were ponies she could count on. The only ponies she could trust in the whole world. They had been together for years. They had fought side by side for years. She wouldn’t even let death separate them. So how could she possibly be worried about losing? The only thing making her anxious was the opinion of those who couldn’t see the bigger picture.

The six of them were Equestria’s saviors. Its heroes. Its champions and rulers. They defeated gods! Did regular ponies really think they could win simply with a rebellion of all things? How laughable!

Twilight already knew how it would end. They all did. The rebels will face Equestria’s heroes, and just like everyone else before them…

They will try.

They will fail.

And they will die.

The One With The Most Love

Universe 47931

The original Twilight blinked a few times, too baffled to say anything while staring at her counterpart’s downcast expression. Of course, she realized the world she was in was… in complete desolation. Everything was just… Gone! She was too afraid of the truth to ask about it earlier since she didn’t wish to hear the fate of her loved ones’ counterparts. However, this was of a magnitude much higher than she imagined.

“What did you say? It’s… It’s dying? This universe is dying? How is that possible?” She asked her counterpart.

“A universe isn’t as hard to destroy as you would think. No. I would say, worlds are quite fragile,” Her counterpart sighed, her eyes wandering out the window to the black torn-up sky.

“How did it happen? Where is everypony?” The original lavender alicorn questioned with a breath nearly stuck in her throat. Again, she was afraid of the answer, but considering the universe she had just seen, she could likely handle it.

“They aren’t dead if that’s what you’re wondering,” The other Twilight stated plainly. Twilight felt like her counterpart attempted to sound and look confident, only for her to bite her lower lip and shake her head. “You could say… They never existed at all,”

“This doesn’t explain anything,” Twilight uttered with a shake of her head.

“I’m sure you are familiar with Starlight Glimmer,” Her counterpart assumed, making the original nod in confusion.

“Yes, I am. What does she have to do with this?” She asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“Everything. How did you deal with her?” Twilight 2 responded with narrowed eyes.

The original alicorn backed away in surprise. She certainly wasn’t expecting this line of questioning since she couldn’t understand what Starlight had to do with anything. Nevertheless, she answered anyway.

“I showed her the consequences her actions could bring. A barren Equestria. A land just… Utterly destroyed,”

To Twilight’s shock, her counterpart sniffled, desperately trying to hold down her tears as she hid her face behind her hooves. The lavender alicorn wanted to comfort her, of course. However, she wasn’t even sure how. This wasn’t just any pony, but someone literally identical to her. If there was anyone she should have known best, it would be herself. Yet, she had no words to express. Instead, she began walking toward her to put a hoof on her shoulder, only for the second Twilight to look back at her again.

“So simple… It was that simple? Not that the answer satisfies me…” She wiped her tears away. “As you might expect, things went differently here. I have never thought of doing that. Instead, I simply fought Starlight as many times as I needed. Unfortunately, she was too strong, and I lost every time,” She explained. “An alicorn? Celestia’s prized student? What a joke. I couldn’t even defeat another unicorn,” She scoffed in shame.

“It’s not your fault! Starlight was just… Much stronger than we thought. Even I couldn’t win,” The original Twilight placed a comforting hoof on her counterpart’s shoulder.

“Oh, but it is my fault. At least, partially,” Her counterpart argued. “The more I lost, the more I turned back in time and tried to stop Starlight. We fought so many times that I lost count, and I just couldn’t match up to her. At some point, I stopped paying attention to my surroundings, only focusing on her instead. If I hadn’t done that, maybe I would have noticed what happened to Spike,”

“What happened to him?” Twilight inquired with a shaky voice.

“He stopped existing,” Twilight 2 revealed, making the original poney’s eyes widen. “Messing up with time doesn’t kill anypony. It’s not something as simple and as… fixable as that. It erased them as if they were never born. The more timelines we created, the more entangled they got. Eventually, the same thing happened to Starlight. At some point, she just… Didn’t go back in time with me,”

Twilight wasn’t sure what to say at first. Something so drastic could have happened in her universe?! Oh, Celestia. Her friends could have stopped existing?! She felt sick to her stomach, nearly throwing up at the realization that she was close to losing the ones she loved. Still, not all her questions were answered. Spike and Starlight were apparently erased from existence, but how did her counterpart survive that? Was it simply luck?

“How… How are you still here? And I understand messing with time was dangerous, but how could it possibly lead to all of this?!” She gestured to her surroundings, pointing at the tears outside the castle.

“Time is like a muscle that Starlight and I strained so much we eventually tore it apart. When you create so many time paradoxes, erase so many creatures as if they never existed, do you really expect the universe to handle it well?” The second Twilight asked rhetorically. “To put it bluntly, we screwed around with forces we couldn’t comprehend so much that the whole universe wasn’t enough to process all the massive and straining changes occurring in it. It just… Fell apart,” She explained.

“And you’re the only one left?” Twilight gulped in horror.

“Apart from time paradoxes, there isn’t a single living creature alive in the universe. Even then, I wouldn’t call those things ‘alive’ per se,” The other responded. “The universe’s destruction started slowly, so it gave me enough time to grow in power. I was strong enough to protect Equus, but as you can see it is the only planet that remains, and it is fading away as well. Everyone I ever knew… Was just gone in the blink of an eye,” She looked down.

“B-But how long have you been doing that?” Twilight asked in shock. Naturally, this wasn’t her only question since she was also wondering how this version of her even got so powerful in the first place?! She was sure she couldn’t do that if she was in a similar situation!

“Time is dead, Twilight. It has no meaning, anymore,” Her counterpart shook her head. “But still, if I had to calculate… Probably more than a billion years. It has…” She began before clutching her head in pain. The original alicorn, in shock at hearing how long she had been doing this, unfroze to rush to her counterpart’s side. “It’s alright. As you can imagine, this is a lot to handle. The shield protecting Equus is draining most of my magic,”

“No wonder! I’ve never seen a shield so big it surrounded an entire planet!” Twilight exclaimed while holding the other Twilight.

“I’ve been trying to find a solution for all these years. Something… That will fix everything and bring everypony back,” She breathed out before sitting down.

“I’m guessing going back in time and preventing your fight with Starlight from happening wouldn’t work?” Twilight suggested, making her counterpart sigh.

“You guess right. As I said, time is dead. Whether you go back to the past or the future, you will always end up in the same destination: the present. If you can even call it that. Even if I could, the Equestria of the past would look exactly like this one. It would be a barren wasteland,” The second lavender alicorn grabbed her head with both of her hooves. “Everypony… None of them were even born! Even our parents! I don’t even have ancestors; I shouldn’t exist! This doesn’t make sense!” She shouted in anger, tears streaming down her face. “Do you understand now? Why this is so hard, so impossible to fix?”

Twilight opened her mouth, only for her words to be stuck in her throat. What could she possibly say? The reality of the situation was finally setting in after she tried to avoid it ever since she got here. She always had a fear of losing the ones she cared about, and she was certain everyone had that fear, but this was actually real! The one thing she feared the most happened. It didn’t happen to her, exactly, but it was enough to remind her that this was a possibility and worse than she could have imagined.

It wasn’t just family and friends that were gone. Everything was! It helped her realize something else. She and her friends had been solving friendship problems all over Equestria, saving ponies, and doing good. However, they never had to deal with mortality. They never had to comfort someone in grief or someone who had no one. If this was a friendship problem, she would have found the right words. Since she learned so much, she was certain she knew what to say when it came to the usual problems she faced. But this was so much more than she could chew.

What could you tell someone who had no one? Someone who had been alone for even longer than you lived? She wasn’t even sure how she would have dealt with this situation if it happened to her! She was afraid that she would have given up if it did, so how could she possibly talk to the other Twilight? She never pretended to be all-knowing or that she could solve and fix anything. After all, there were many things she knew nothing of yet. Parenthood, romantic love, grief, yet she still felt incredibly bad for being unable to help.

“Can I do anything? Maybe if we work together, we can fix this,” Twilight suggested. She was completely dedicated to helping if her counterpart accepted it, but truthfully, she had no idea what she could do to possibly fix time or a whole universe. They weren’t empty words, but they may as well have been.

“No. Believe me, you don’t want to help me,” The second alicorn shook her head, then walked away from the original lavender pony. “Besides, I’ve had a breakthrough recently. I know how I can fix everything… I’m only a few feet away from the solution to every problem I’m currently facing,” She sighed before turning to look at Twilight 1. “Let me help you, instead. You’ll need it if you want to get back to your original universe, and your friends,”

“T-Thank you… You already have so much to deal with. I feel bad to have you help me and do nothing for you in return,” Twilight put a hoof on her chest.

“You being here is enough. I haven’t seen anypony’s face in such a long time,” The alternate Twilight reassured her before gesturing to the Hexstone again. “To avoid getting lost in other universes, I’ll also teach you everything I know about it. That way, you can use it, too,”

“I don’t know what to say… I know you said you had a solution, but I do feel bad to leave without helping you,”

“As I said, don’t worry about it,” The second Twilight put a hoof on the first one’s shoulder, then led her to the stone. The original alicorn seemed downcast for a second but lit up quickly after. If her counterpart was sure of herself, then she would trust her. Maybe she could even come back here with her friends once everything was fixed and she knew how to use the Hexstone. “Do you remember about the stone’s failsafe I talked about?”

“Yes,” Twilight nodded. “If my friends and I all hold onto it, then we’ll be brought back to our universe thanks to our magical signatures,” She recalled.

“Indeed, but this failsafe isn’t perfect. For example, it won’t work if you or any of your friends spend more than a month in the universes you landed in. The Hexstone will think you decided to permanently migrate and will see no need to activate it. Your magical signatures will slowly adapt, too,” Her counterpart explained, much to Twilight’s shock.

“What?! It won’t take us more than a month, right?” She questioned in a panic.

“Time is dead, here, so you won’t have to worry about being here for longer than a month. Who knows how much time has even passed for the others at this point? But don’t panic,” The second Twilight raised her wings to calm the first one down before she could freak out. “As I said, the failsafe isn’t perfect. I can forcefully activate it from this Hexstone,” She explained.

“Oh, thank Celestia,” Twilight breathed in relief, wiping away the sweat on her forehead.

“You and your friends are all linked to each other and your home universe. If I link you to my Hexstone, I should be able to use it to forcefully transport every multiversal traveler that comes from your universe back to it,” The alternate Twilight explained while the original nodded along. “However, the spell isn’t easy, especially since I’m already so drained. We’ll have to take a few breaks while I’m performing it, which is why I wanted to teach you a little,”

While the second Twilight was casting the spell, the original one could use this as an opportunity to learn more about the Hexstone and how to use it. She was quite fascinated by the prospect of studying the entire multiverse.

“So, how do we start?” She asked as her counterpart made the Hexstone levitate between them.

“First, let’s sit across each other. I’ll begin the spell and I’ll tell you more about the stone,” The alternate alicorn instructed before sitting down, which Twilight did too. “As I already said, the Hexstone isn’t simply a tool for travel. It can also glimpse into other universes, which you already experienced. However, you can also use it to communicate with them, to communicate with anypony as long as you are connected or know their magical signatures,” She explained while gesturing to the stone.

“I’m guessing there is more?” The original Twilight arched an eyebrow. She had a hunch that this stone was even more powerful than she thought, and she doubted these were the only features.

“There is,” Alternate Twilight nodded before lighting her horn. The original Twilight was suddenly surrounded by a weak lavender aura, which was slowly making a string of light connected to the Hexstone. This was likely the spell her alternate version was casting to activate the failsafe. “Even I don’t know the full capabilities of the stone, but I’ve watched several universes where it was used in different ways. Some used it as a power source since the magic it holds is infinite,”

“That small thing? That has infinite magic?” The lavender alicorn cocked an eyebrow as she pointed at the Hexstone.

“It has, but it’s hard to harvest. I only know of one way myself. Unfortunately, for me, it’s impossible considering my situation,” Alternate Twilight shook her head. “I’ve also seen a few ponies take the appearances of their alternate selves,” She added to Twilight’s confusion.

“This is… Is it useful? Do they just look like them?” She cocked an eyebrow.

“It’s possible they could eventually copy their power, too. However, I’ve never seen it or tested it, so I can’t say for sure,” Alternate Twilight replied before grabbing her head in pain, the aura around Twilight flickering.

“Are you alright?” She inquired, ready to stand up if it weren’t for her alternate self gesturing for her to keep sitting.

“Don’t worry. First, try to use the stone to look into other universes while I’m casting this spell,” She instructed while pointing at the white stone.

“Okay. How do I do that?” Twilight questioned.

“This is going to sound difficult to do, but it’s actually nothing too hard,” Alternate Twilight stated. “The Hexstone isn’t just like any other magical objects, which only need a bit of magic leaking into them to be activated. You must connect with it, and it will be even easier to do since I’m casting a spell to link you with it. Close your eyes,”

“Close my eyes…” Twilight whispered as she did as instructed.

“Have you ever tried meditation?” Her alternate self inquired. The original Twilight simply shook her head in response. “It’s something similar to meditation. As you know, everyone has a magical signature. It’s like a second set of hoofprints,”

“Yes, I think a few machines can record them, but I’ve never used them,” Twilight responded with her eyes still closed.

“Indeed, but some ponies can feel those signatures. Strong creatures like Discord can, too. You have to learn this,” Alternate Twilight revealed, nearly making Twilight’s eyes widen in surprise.

“But I thought you had to be born with that skill!” She expressed in shock.

“Some are born with it, sure. I thought these ponies were the only ones who could do it, but training yourself to learn this is possible. The mind has several walls that keep us from reaching our potential; meditation can be a great tool to break them. This can be a long process, so I’ll help you,” Alternate Twilight explained before casting yet another spell.

Since the original Twilight didn’t see her counterpart hold her head in pain again, she focused on her mind instead, which suddenly felt much lighter. It was like the doubts and fears she had earlier were gone.

“I feel different…” Twilight whispered with curiosity. She wasn’t familiar with whatever spell her other self cast.

“Meditation should be much easier. Now, I want you to open your mind. Forget everything else, and focus on yourself. Empty yourself of thoughts,” The other alicorn spoke in a soft voice.

Twilight silently nodded as she listened to the instructions. Perhaps, she had done meditation in the past, but it was nowhere as seriously as now. She was so used to having her mind be orderly and organized that she never tried to empty it. Mind played the biggest part when it came to magic. Someone random like Pinkie, for example, wouldn’t use magic properly if she was a unicorn. Instead of casting spells in a controlled fashion, she would throw them at random. A transfiguration spell instead of a freezing one, or levitating instead of teleporting. Even she could make mistakes when she was freaking out.

For a unicorn to fully empty her mind, and make herself vulnerable; it was unthinkable. Yet, she did it. She let go of her thoughts. First, she didn’t feel anything. She was in complete and silent darkness. She felt… Alone. It didn’t deter her, of course. She understood it was part of the experience. Suddenly, something flickered. It was weak, at first. However, the more time passed, the stronger it got. It was… It was magic. She would recognize magic everywhere!

“You feel it, don’t you? The magic around,” Alternate Twilight asked softly.

“Yes. It’s so wild… It’s coming from outside. I-It’s like torrents, huge waves crashing down against mountains,” The original Twilight explained.

Not just waves, it was as if a deluge was happening inside her mind! Powerful slashing winds coupled with burning hellfire. The earth was opening itself up beneath her hooves, she was ready to open her eyes and collapse to the floor, but she held on.

“What you’re feeling is the universe breaking apart. It’s only a glimpse, but you must ignore it. Focus on the stone. Feel its magic,” The second alicorn ordered as Twilight nodded.

She attempted to cut herself off from the devastation occurring outside and focused on the castle’s interior instead. She could still feel the destruction, but it was getting weaker, now. The stone. The stone. Twilight needed to focus on the stone, but she couldn’t feel its magic! That was until something caught her off guard.

“There’s something else…” The lavender pony muttered in a shaky voice. “It’s massive! And… So cold,” She added, trembling while describing it. “It’s like a black hole,”

“This isn’t the Hexstone, Twili-” The alternate alicorn began speaking, only to wince in pain. She gritted her teeth, holding her head while the light around her horn flickered and the aura around Twilight started fading away. “We’ll have to take a break, soon… Until then, forget about that magic. Don’t think about it. Focus on the stone. Even if its magic is infinite, it’s hard to… detect,” She uttered through the pain.

She understood what her counterpart was saying, but ignoring such tremendous magic was difficult. Still, even in this cold aura, she focused on the stone levitating between them. It was… Faint, but she could definitely feel something. It was small but warm and welcoming. It was almost like a little heartbeat. The more she focused on it, the larger its presence grew. Finally, it flooded her mind, completely warding off all the magic she felt earlier, including the universe’s.

“I feel it,” Twilight finally spoke.

“Good, now reach for it,” Alternate Twilight said with a strained voice. Suddenly, the stone shone brighter, its light expanding until it created multiple tiny orbs around the two alicorns, filling the whole castle. “You did it. You activated it!”

“Really?!” Twilight exclaimed in surprise as she opened her eyes, which immediately wandered around so she could fully appreciate what she had done. “You were right! It was easier than I thought it would be!” She added before noticing her counterpart’s weakened state. “Hey! Are you okay?! You look like you’re about to collapse!”

“It’s fine… As I said, the spell is tiring because of the circumstances,” She replied while breathing heavily. “I’ll have to take a break, soon. But I’ll get better, don’t worry,” She panted, the light around her horn still flickering. “You should be proud of you. Now that you know how to feel magical signatures, you can easily activate the Hexstone whenever you please,”

“It looks exactly like how you did it earlier… You said I could look into the present and the past of any universe except my own and the one I live in, right?” The alicorn asked as her clone nodded. “When I watched some of them earlier, were they…”

“It wasn’t the present. Well, it could have been, but not for all of them. Somepony inexperienced will only watch random moments in time. It’s more likely you’ve glimpsed scenes from the past. Do you want to learn how to navigate a universe’s history?” The second Twilight inquired, still breathless from her spell.

“Of course!” Twilight happily replied.

Even if she was glad she got to learn so much and study something no other pony or creature in her world ever studied so closely, she still wanted to be careful with it. Even if those were different universes, she wanted to make sure to respect other creatures’ privacy. She would rather avoid having a similar accident as earlier… As informational as it was.

“Very well. Pick one of the random orbs,” Alternate Twilight gestured to the room full of tiny orbs.

The original Twilight’s eyes wandered around, inspecting every orb they landed on until she noticed one that seemed quite peculiar. Unlike the others, which were plain blue, there was a pink aura emanating from it. Not only that, but it also looked like small ethereal confetti and cake were bursting out of it? The lavender alicorn narrowed her eyes before making the orb levitate to her.

The second Twilight slightly widened her eyes as she realized which orb the original picked, and raised her hoof to stop her.

“Wait…” She began weakly before holding her head in pain. Twilight 1 didn’t hear her as she glimpsed into this universe.

The first thing Twilight saw was… Pink. The sky was pink, the floor was chocolate cake, and the houses were made of candy. If only there was nothing strange going on beyond that. Unfortunately, many houses were floating in the sky. Some were upside down! Random statues of ponies made out of candy and other sweets littered the floor. Meanwhile, very much live ponies were running around screaming. Some were chased by gigantic whipped cream monsters, while a few others were drowning in strawberry jam.

Twilight was beyond shocked, of course. Especially since many other random events continued to occur everywhere at once. The first culprit she thought of was Discord, naturally. However, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest once she saw the poor draconequus being flung around in a gumball machine. He seemed in pain, too.

Nearby, her friends along with an alternate version of herself were bouncing back and forth between multiple giant balloons, unable to do anything to stop themselves. Half of them were green, seemingly holding down their vomit. The only one who was missing was… Pinkie Pie.

Until her voice reached Twilight’s ears.

“HA HA HA HA! Look, girls!” A booming laugh made Twilight’s eyes gaze to the side. There stood a gigantic version of her pink friend, her mane swirling in every direction while arcs of pink lightning surrounded her. What… What happened to her? “I’m a god, now!” She laughed before breathing literal ice cream out of her mouth, blowing Princess Celestia and Luna out of the sky.

How did this happen? What kind of magic was Pinkie using? Why was she even doing this?! Regardless, the lavender alicorn couldn’t question it any longer when Pinkie Pie suddenly looked up, locking eyes with her. Wait… Did she notice her? Was that possible?

“Hey! Is someone watching me?!” Pinkie’s right eye suddenly expanded to an abnormally large size, nearly bursting it out of its socket as she stared at the place Twilight watched from. “Come to my party instead of sitting back!” She laughed as she held out one of her hooves, which grew bigger and longer, reaching for Twilight.

“Get off, you idiot!” Alternate Twilight shouted, pushing the other alicorn out of the way with a magical push, nearly making her fall on her back. It seemed she got her out of that universe just in time. “Even if you’re not… Physically there… Some have a way to sense you,” She breathed out tiredly. “She nearly pulled you in,”

“What… Was that?!” Twilight shouted, her heart beating so fast it nearly felt like it would burst out of her chest.

“From the looks of it, Pinkie Pie went mad with Discord’s chaos magic,” Alternate Twilight replied, slowly catching her breath.

“How did she even get it?”

“I’m not sure. I haven’t checked this particular universe, but it’s not the only one like this. The others I’ve seen, she got it thanks to Grogar’s bell,” Twilight 2 explained.

Twilight blinked a few times, unsure of how to even answer or process that. How did Pinkie even come across Grogar’s bell? Why did it have Discord’s magic? Most of all, the bell existed? She thought it was a legend! But then again, the mare on the moon was known as a legend, too.

“I was curious because this orb looked different,” She pointed out apologetically.

“I know. Some of them have auras. Usually, it’s because those universes are dominated by something. For this one, it means chaos reigns supreme,” Alter Twilight pointed at the orb Twilight just witnessed. “If the aura had been a rainbow, then that means harmony in that universe is powerful. Usually, it happens when our alternate versions are so close with their friends that they act like they’re in symbiosis. A black aura usually means the universe is full of negative emotions. That’s… uhm, not very good. There are more, but let’s keep that for our next lesson,” She looked down.

“I’m sorry. I should have been more careful. Let’s try with another one,” Twilight suggested hopefully.

“Be my guest,” Alter Twilight gestured to the orbs.

The original Twilight looked around again, and this time made sure she wouldn’t pick any weird-looking orb. The mare breathed in and out, then grabbed the nearest one.

The first thing she laid her eyes upon was… White. Pure white. She realized she was on a snowy mountain. Naturally, she didn’t feel the cold at all, but she did wonder what she was doing here. Nothing interesting was going on here.

“The Hexstone showed us and our friends before because I was the one who activated it, and programmed it to do that. Since you’re the one who activated it now and are inexperienced, it just showed you a random place,” Alter Twilight explained when she noticed Twilight’s confusion. They were both viewing this universe and even though their bodies weren’t really there, her counterpart could somehow see her. Twilight was unable to do the same, but she assumed it was because she was inexperienced at using the stone. “You have to move,”

“How?” Twilight asked in confusion. She still didn’t have a body, after all. Everything she had witnessed until now was displayed like a play she looked at from a theater seat.

“The Hexstone responds to your thoughts. That’s why you must be in sync with it. Simply imagine yourself moving, but be careful. It has no notion of speed, so you could spin around Equus, and I don’t want to clean up if it makes you throw up,” Alter Twilight replied, making the original blush in embarrassment. “And it looks like you’re in the present here too,”

The mare did as instructed, focusing on her moves and making sure she wouldn’t shoot up in a random direction. Fortunately, it seemed she got the hang of it. She flew past the mountain, noticing she had been somewhere north of the Crystal Empire. She almost flew to the palace to try and find Cadance, but stopped herself dead in her tracks when she realized yet again that this would probably count as a breach of privacy? If there was anyone she should be looking at, it should be herself… Right?

Quickly, quicker than she ever flew, she reached Ponyville. Surprisingly enough, there was no friendship castle. Instead, her library was still there, undamaged. It nearly brought a nostalgic tear to her eyes as she stared at it. She almost envied her other self. Speaking of, it seemed voices were coming out of the library.

Going in through the wall, she saw an identical version of herself lying under a blanket and reading a book. However, she wasn’t alone. Pinkie Pie was there, too.

“Come on, Twilight! Come on, come on!” She repeated while jumping around, making the second Twilight roll her eyes.

“Pinkie, I would love to spend some time with you, but I really want to finish this book. I haven’t had the chance to read it for weeks!” She responded. Her pink friend’s ears dropped.

“Please, Twilight! This is a limited-edition cake! They won’t make any other after today!” She begged while giving the alicorn puppy eyes.

“But why does it have to be me? I’m sure anypony would like to go with you to Canterlot. I’m busy,” The lavender pony pointed at the book, desperately trying to avoid Pinkie’s eyes. She knew if she looked into her eyes, she would feel so bad she would accept whatever the earth pony wanted.

“But I want to go with you! The others don’t care about cake as much as we do!” Pinkie argued. The other mare arched an eyebrow in confusion.

“I like cake, but I don’t have any particular love for it, you know? I’m sure I don’t love it as much as you do,” She replied.

“I still want you to taste it! Come on! We’ll have so much fun! You can finish reading your book later!” Pinkie retorted as the lavender alicorn sighed, looking down, uncertain. Noticing that she was close to breaking, the party pony jumped closer to her. “Please? For me? Wouldn’t you do it for your bestest friend in the whole world? Pretty please, Twilight?” She gave her yet another set of puppy eyes, which made Twilight bite her lower lip.

“Alright! You win,” Twilight finally conceded as she closed her book and removed the blanket over her wings. “Let’s go,”

“Yay! I knew you wouldn’t let me down!” Pinkie Pie celebrated before pulling her friend into a hug.

“Choking… Me…” Twilight breathed out while holding Pinkie’s foreleg.

The Twilight watching smiled at the scene, which was so much better to see than what she witnessed earlier with the Chaos Pinkie or the universe where she blew up.

“Since you learned to move around. Try to go to the past, now,” Alter Twilight suggested. Before Twilight could even ask how she continued. “This is a little more complicated, but the fact that you have already time-traveled multiple times will make this easier. It’s similar to it. Again, the Hexstone should react to your thoughts, so you have to imagine going back to the past. Personally, I visualize a clock, which I rewind,”

“Alright,” Twilight nodded. She didn’t expect to learn so much during this entire ordeal. She was nostalgic again because she was reminded of her time as Celestia’s student when she was still learning magic. So much has happened since then. Yet, she still had so much to learn. Maybe she could teach the other princesses about the Hexstone once she returned to her world! Imagining the others as her students was certainly something.

“Don’t feel down if it’s hard, though. Mastery over the Hexstone takes time, even if using it isn’t as difficult as you would think,” Alter Twilight informed reassuringly.

“How do I know if I am in the past or the present, though? It’s as if you can immediately tell,” The original Twilight inquired.

“With enough practice, you can simply feel it. You can use the Hexstone as if it were one of your limbs,” Her counterpart answered. It seemed it was enough to satisfy Twilight’s curiosity as she focused back on the magical artifact.

It took her a few tries, but Twilight managed to use the stone to see the past. However, she wasn’t sure how much she rewinded. Unlike her counterpart, she still didn’t have a feel for it yet.

She was in the library again, which made sense since she hadn’t moved from that spot. It was nighttime, and Spike was seemingly asleep in his basket. Her second counterpart, who was a unicorn now, was walking up the stairs to go to bed. At least, that partially answered her question. It was happening before this version of her became an alicorn.

“It feels weird to sleep in a whole new place,” Twilight commented, followed by a yawn as she slowly slipped under her bed covers. “It’ll take some time getting used to,” She added while fidgeting, trying to get comfortable. With another yawn, she closed her eyes, ready to sleep.

“Psst, Twilight,” Someone whispered in her ear. The young unicorn blinked a couple of times, shaking her head. She must have misheard it, right? She glanced toward Spike, but he was still asleep. Yeah, she imagined it. So she closed her eyes again. “Hey, Twilight,” The voice murmured again. This time, the lavender mare gulped, realizing she wasn’t alone. Slowly, she turned around until her vision was invaded by blue eyes. Pinkie Pie was only a few inches away from her. “Surprise!” She exclaimed.

“AH!” Twilight screamed in horror, widening her eyes in surprise as she jumped out of bed and fell on her back.

“SURPRISE!” Dozens of ponies shouted excitedly as party cannons shot in the air, and someone turned on the lights. The library was filled with ponies!

“What’s happening?! Who am I?!” Twilight asked while looking around, looking disoriented. Once her eyes finally got used to the sudden light, she turned her attention to Pinkie, ignoring the rest of her friends who were already setting up party decorations. “Pinkie! What are you doing?!”

“Can’t you see? It’s ‘First Night in Ponyville Party’! I wanted to surprise you since this is your first night, here! Are you happy?!” The pink earth pony giggled in joy, missing Twilight’s bloodshot eyes twitching.

“Do you have a party for everything? It’s not even my first night here!” Twilight shouted while the other ponies were settling in without a care in the world, chatting with each other.

“Sure, but we spent the whole first night chasing Nightmare Moon, so it wasn’t really, really your first night, you know?”

“It’s 4 AM, Pinkie!” Twilight threw her forelegs in the air.

“Because I wanted to surprise you! Are you surprised?!” Pinkie asked as she gave the mare a bone-breaking side hug, much to the lavender pony’s annoyance.

“Oh, I am,” She muttered.

“I don’t throw these parties to just anypony, Twilight!” Pinkie grinned. Twilight, on the other hand, raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “From now on, you’re my bestest friend in the whole world! That means we’ll be friends forever! We’ll stay together forever, and ever, and ever!” She happily announced as her friend widened her eyes.

The word forever continuously repeated itself inside Twilight’s mind as her shoulder got heavier and heavier, the sounds around her fading away. All her mind could do to protect her was to shut down.

The original Twilight had to admit it was pretty funny, watching this. Nonetheless, she was glad Pinkie didn’t throw her one of these when it was her first night because she wasn’t sure she would have handled the surprise well.

“Oof,” Something suddenly pulled her out of her thoughts. The alicorn stopped watching and swiftly turned to look at where the sound came from. It was her counterpart! She didn’t look like she was feeling well.

“Oh, Celestia! Are you okay?” Twilight ran up to her, holding her so she wouldn’t collapse to the floor.

“Just tired. I need a break. I’ll have to cast the spell a few more times until you’re linked to the stone,” Alter Twilight responded, panting in pain.

“Here, let me help a bit,” Twilight uttered before casting a healing spell on her counterpart’s head. She also cast a cooling spell. She didn’t need to touch her horn to know that the other Twilight was overheating. “Should we stop using the Hexstone?”

“No, no need. You’re the one who is using it, so it doesn’t affect me at all. As I said, I just need some rest. Besides, you still haven’t learned… How to go from the past to the present,” Alter Twilight exhaled.

“If you’re sure… I’ll check one last universe, then,” Twilight said. She could take a break, too.

Again, she picked a random orb, and her vision changed. What she saw was Sombra trying to take back the Crystal Empire. She didn’t need her alternate self to tell her she was in the past. She visualised the clock again, but this time instead of rewinding back, she attempted to make the needles turn faster and faster. Still inexperienced, she dashed toward the present, nearly missing all events that transpired between Sombra’s attempted take-over and the present.

Unfortunately, the sight wasn’t as positive as the last one.

Tirek was standing tall with a victorious grin while an alternate version of herself and her friends were sprawled on the ground. The land around them was devastated. The ground was open, the remaining trees were on fire, and the sky was black from storm clouds. Twilight widened her eyes in terror. Those counterparts weren’t in a good state either. They were injured and bleeding with cuts all over their bodies. Rarity’s horn was cracked, but luckily not broken.

One of Rainbow Dash’s wings was bent the wrong way, but it was the least of the pegasus’ worries since she was barely conscious thanks to the blood dripping out of her head. Pinkie lied in a hole with her eyes closed, her chest barely rising as she breathed. Considering Tirek’s size, it also looked like he absorbed the princesses’ magic, except Twilight’s since she still had her cutie mark as well as her friends.

“And here I gave you a fighting chance by letting you all keep your magic! You barely scratched me!” Tirek laughed in Twilight’s face. The alternate alicorn spat out her life juice as she glared at him in defiance. She wasn’t faring much better than the others. All of her limbs seemed broken. The centaur likely had no mercy to give her. “Even in this state, you think you have the luxury to glare at me?” Tirek grinned in amusement, then spun around. “Let’s see how you react to this,” He gazed at another pony.

Fluttershy, who was bleeding from both of her hind legs, was attempting to crawl away. As if she noticed his stare, she looked behind her in fear.

“What? No! No!” Twilight shouted at him, only to be ignored. Tirek simply marched forward, slowly while the yellow pegasus desperately tried to flee. “Please, don’t! Do whatever you want to me, but don’t hurt my friends!” She begged with tears spilling out of her eyes.

The original Twilight nearly choked on her spit but managed to control her breathing before losing her mind.

“What… What is going to do?!” She asked the counterpart who was in the room with her.

“Kill them, most likely,” She plainly stated.

“What?! We have to stop him!” The original lavender mare yelled hurriedly. Unfortunately, her alternate self didn’t seem to agree.

“We can’t,” She shook her head.

“What?! Why not?! You can’t open a portal to them?!” Twilight questioned in shock.

“I can, but this is their world, Twilight. Not ours,” She simply replied, much to her other self’s confusion.

“Why does that matter? We can’t just stay back and watch!” She argued before looking back at the battlefield, hoping it wasn’t too late.

“Tirek, please!” Twilight pleaded as Tirek raised one of his hooves above Fluttershy, ready to stomp her.

“No… No…” The pegasus mumbled weakly.

“This is how heroes end in my world,” Tirek smirked before lowering his hoof. Both Twilights screamed, only to realize something blocked the centaur’s hoof right before it could reach Fluttershy. It was… Applejack! She was on her hindlegs, pushing against the bottom of his hoof with her forelegs, keeping Fluttershy safe. “Still alive?” He asked in amusement, pushing his hoof down.

“Gah!” Applejack grunted in pain, her bones cracking.

“Applejack…” Twilight and Fluttershy both muttered.

“S-She bought us time! We have to act, now!” The original Twilight cried with a shaky voice.

“I told you! We can’t! I’m not happy about it either!” Alter Twilight responded.

“But why? They’re just there!” Twilight pointed at them. However, her counterpart didn’t want to hear any of it. Instead, she shook her head resolutely.

“Fluttershy… Ya can still use your wings,” Applejack mustered enough strength through the pain to talk. “Run. Fly away. As far as ya can… Leave… You’re the only one who can… Survive right now,” She muttered, crying as Tirek pressed on his hoof harder.

“Huh? No! I’m not leaving without any of you!” Fluttershy retorted, teary-eyed.

“If you’re identical to me, then you won’t let them die! Please, do something!”

“Flutters… Ah wish Ah could follow ya… But… Look!” Applejack said through her gritted teeth. She gestured at the rest of their friends with her chin. “None of us can! It’s better if… At least one of us… Lives,”

“What’s the point of living if I give up on you?” Fluttershy yelled back.

“Please, Twilight! Teach me how to open a portal to them, at least!”

The alternate Twilight sighed, looking conflicted. The words of the alternate versions of their friends seemed to cut deep inside her, too.

“How touching,” Tirek chuckled. He pushed even harder to crush these little bugs. However, to his surprise, the earth pony still held on. How could she push back his hoof like that? Suddenly, lavender magical bindings appeared around his body, trapping him in place.

“Applejack is right, Fluttershy!” Twilight declared, her horn glowing weaker than ever. “It’s my fault, anyway… That we’re in this situation… If I just had more confidence, and… Accepted to take the others’ magic… Instead, I was just a coward, and look where it got us!” A few tears rolled down her cheeks as her eyes met Fluttershy’s. “I’m sorry. I’m the only one who should pay for this, but I got you in this mess,” She apologized from her heart.

“It’s not…” The pegasus began to say.

“I wish the six of us could have spent more time together…” Twilight interjected before the other mare could finish talking. The little strength she had left, she would use it to help Applejack hold Tirek back.

“We can still save them! I beg you, I don’t want to watch my friends die again! Please!”

“But they’re not your friends, they’re only… Alternate selves,” The other argued, biting her lower lip.

“Fluttershy… GO!” Applejack howled as her forelegs cracked even louder. Tirek was stomping with more strength into it; it seemed the earth pony couldn’t handle it for much longer.

With a resolute look at her last conscious friends, Fluttershy released a few more tears, then turned around and flapped her wings.

“I’m… I’m sorry!” She apologized loudly while flying away as fast as she could. Applejack and Twilight just smiled in relief as they stared at their friend’s back.

“As if I’d let that happen!” Tirek grunted before grabbing the pink bindings around him and tearing them apart with his bare hands. The other Twilight gasped in pain while the centaur charged a magical orb between his horns.

“Twilight, please! Do you really want their universe to end up like yours?!” The original Twilight screamed. It seemed this was enough to reach her alternate self’s heart.

“Shit… Out of the way!” Alter Twilight cursed before pushing her counterpart away from the stone and making her unable to see this universe. Her horn lit up as a portal suddenly opened in front of the stone. In an instant, the second alicorn launched a charged magical beam inside the portal before closing it immediately, making sure no one from this world would notice anything.

“Did you… help them?” Twilight asked hesitantly while the Hexstone slowly deactivated.

“Yes,” The other replied without expanding any further.

Twilight blinked in confusion as the orange magic building up between Tirek’s horns faded away. The centaur stared forward, his eyes open wide. Blood streamed down his chin from the gaping hole in his forehead. Someone, somehow, had defeated their enemy. Her brain wasn’t even able to process it until his corpse collapsed to the floor, letting Applejack go while all the magic he absorbed was slowly released back to their original owners.

What… Could have possibly happened?

“Thank goodness,” The original Twilight breathed in relief. She panted for a few seconds, thankful the other mare listened to her. However, she quickly glared at her once she remembered how hard it had been to convince her. “Why were you going to let them die?”

“I don’t expect you to understand. I’ve watched scenes like this thousands of times,” Alter Twilight pointed at the Hexstone. “There are infinite universes like this one. They’re sad and miserable, and the ones we love have a bad ending. It doesn’t matter if you save one world that isn’t even yours,”

Twilight shook her head, baffled at her alternate self’s reasoning.

“So just because it happens everywhere, you wouldn’t do anything?” She argued.

“Look at my universe! I already have enough problems to deal with! I can’t go around saving worlds! Most of all, saving all of them is just impossible!” The alter alicorn sighed while rubbing her forehead.

“I can understand that, but they were just here! We were watching them anyway, so why wouldn’t you save them when they’re so close?” Twilight stomped the floor in anger. She knew her alternate self lived through a lot, but she refused to believe she would ever lose her sense of justice like that!

“Twilight, you have to understand that these were not your friends nor mine. Merely versions of them,” Alter Twilight replied calmly. “The ones who matter the most are the ones we know and care about! I understand it must hurt seeing these ponies harmed, but you have to keep that in mind. There are some universes out there with… fucked up versions of them!” She snarled, surprising Twilight. It looked like she was recalling things she had seen.

“Fucked up versions of her friends? I don’t believe it,” Twilight denied.

“Yet, they exist. A Rarity who is the complete opposite of the one we know. A greedy pony who thinks only of herself and got wealthy by scamming and lying to everyone,” Alter Twilight began telling without missing a beat. “A version of Rainbow Dash who loves herself so much that she can’t handle not being praised every ten seconds. Other ponies are tools for her! And you know what’s funny?” She asked her counterpart, who could only weakly shake her head. “She took advantage of our alternate self. She was new to Ponyville and didn’t know anypony. She didn’t know how to talk to others or make friends, or anything! That was an excellent opportunity for that world’s Rainbow Dash. She gained her trust, manipulated her and that version of us is nothing but a groupie who is dependent on her!”

“I… uhm…” Twilight stuttered. She didn’t even know how to respond to that.

“Don’t get me started on the version of Pinkie who is a complete psychopath!” Alter Twilight sneered in disgust. “She pretends she’s everyone’s friend during the day, but the moment night falls… She kidnaps ponies…. Ponies who trusted her. She tortures them. She kills them. She enjoys every second of it,” She recalled, which made the original alicorn shiver at the prospect of Pinkie ever being that way. “I was beyond disgusted. In the end, she got careless and died in a ditch once she bit more than she could chew,”

“This…” The words were stuck in Twilight’s throat. She couldn’t even speak.

“Fluttershy. Poor and innocent Fluttershy. A version of her was mutated by Discord’s chaos magic during their first encounter. She became some sort of… Monster who looked nothing like her. She ate her own friends. Alive,” Alter Twilight continued to talk, nearly making her counterpart puke. “Would you consider those versions of them your friends? If not, then why would you treat the ones we just saved any differently?”

Twilight remained silent. She wasn’t expecting this question. Honestly, she wasn’t even sure she wanted to answer it. The truth was that she couldn’t answer.

“I don’t know…” She finally replied, her head down.

“That’s what I thought,” Alter Twilight firmly said. “My world simply matters more to me than any other. Do you get it? I can’t afford to help everypony I come across! This isn’t what I studied the Hexstone for!” This last sentence did make Twilight perk up.

“Then why are you helping me?”

“Huh?” Alter Twilight muttered in surprise while the original lavender mare stared into her eyes. It seemed the first alicorn had come to her senses as her eyes seemed to bore into her counterpart’s soul.

“Why are you helping? Why didn’t you just let me die to those time paradoxes? Why didn’t you just throw me into a random universe? If nothing else matters… Why did you decide to help me?” She interrogated.

Her alternate self didn’t speak nor change her expression. They remained motionless, in a staring contest as if they were waiting for either one of them to break. After a few seconds, Alter Twilight turned around, breaking contact.

“I told you. I’m just doing the right thing. That’s all. Take a break. I’ll start the spell again soon,” She answered, then walked away without turning around.

Twilight stared forward, standing and unmoving from her spot. She had a lot to think about.

A Light Shining Bright

Universe 99999

The Council of Harmony. Only a few ponies or creatures knew where it came from, how it was born, and the reason for all of their actions. They were shrouded in mystery. To many, their members were benevolent rulers, ponies that surpassed all expectations and rose even above the former ruler of Equestria to become its saviors. To some, they were goddesses. However, to most, they were the biggest mass murderers in the history of Equestria.

They were feared throughout the world, and known as ruthless tyrants, willing to wipe out an entire species to protect Equestria. Regardless, there was one thing none knew: how this story started.

This story started with one little filly, as innocent as any other. Unfortunately, she had an issue no one in Equestria was ever faced with… She was born empty.

The ponies of Equestria were different from the other races inhabiting Equus, they were naturally full of life, wearing their heart on their sleeve at all times. It had been much easier for them to express their feelings. It was biological, ingrained in their DNA. Their social upbringing could change that, of course, but that genetic component was always supposed to be present. Yet, the filly’s heart was like the void, lacking all emotions. Joy, sadness, or even anger were foreign concepts to her. The most she could do was pretend, and imitate what she witnessed around her. However, she could never return the love her family gave her. Even something as pure as loving someone was lost to her.

She was simply born this way, and no one knew how to help her. The filly buried herself in studies, searching for a purpose, or to understand the mind of others… How differently they worked compared to her.

Then, one day… She had seen the light. It was a light so powerful that it chased away the darkness and coldness of the world. It made her heart flutter as if it were beating for the first time, blood rushing to her head. For the first time in her life, she felt… Joy, excitement… Love. For the first time in her life, she gazed upon Princess Celestia, and her form was majestic. If that was Equestria’s ruler, then it only made sense the kingdom was prosperous! The whole world should have belonged to her! She knew that if Celestia were in charge, everything would be perfect. She was… Flawless…

She wanted to learn from her, to be with her, to be by her side for as long as she could. She was ready to fight for her. She was willing to do anything for her. Because that emotion shouldn’t have existed in her heart, it only made sense that her love was the purest. It defied all logic. And deep down, she had hoped Celestia would return those feelings, that she would understand the weight of them. Her loyalty and devotion to Celestia knew no bounds at the time. She… Wouldn’t have let any harm come to her.

Of course, she would kill the sister that tried to hurt her. The sister who wanted to plunge the world into an eternal darkness.

Then Celestia revealed her true colors… She was but a beast, hideous and evil. She had revealed to that filly, now a mare, that she had been using her all this time. Using her to save the evil sister, using her… For her own goals. It didn’t matter that she would have become an alicorn and spent all of eternity with Celestia!

Celestia had lied to her. Her life had been a lie. Celestia… Shattered her heart and stepped on it. She dealt a pain to her that could never fade. At that time, that mare learned a new emotion: hate.

And when these other mares stepped up to protect her against the deceiver, Twilight knew that she had been chasing the wrong light all this time. They were her true lights. They made her heart beat faster than the alicorn princess ever could. She realized that her love would be returned, and it would be true. They would be by her side for all eternity, holding her anytime she needed to… Or wanted to. They were hers. Unlike the alicorn, their hearts belong to her and no one else.

But her heart was still broken by the deceiver. It was something that couldn’t be written off. It was a pain so deep it left a gash upon her soul. Twilight swore that she would destroy everything Celestia had built, that she would rid the world of any influence the alicorn might have had or anything she touched! She would remake Equestria, no, all of Equus in the Council of Harmony’s own image! She had seen what true perfection was like, and the world would only be flawless by adhering to it. When Celestia would have seen this, and what Twilight accomplished, she would have realized the mistake she had made.

Twilight knew that she was in the right. Her love was pure. Her cause was pure. She was good. She and her friends were heroes. So why… Could no one see it? Why couldn’t they just understand? Why did they have to always hurt her so much? It wasn’t fair.

Spurts of blood dropped to the floor, shaping into a puddle of red under their hooves. Minister Rarity watched in horror as Twilight’s body spasmed, coughing out a wave of blood as she still had her head held up by Shining Armor’s spell.

“Twilight!” The four other mares screamed worriedly while their leader’s lower lip quivered. Oh, she wasn’t dying, much to their relief. Instead, the lavender unicorn was clenching her teeth, shaking like a leaf with small tears running down her cheeks.

“No… My spell didn’t reach her heart…” Trixie gasped, barely standing. She was weakened even more than expected, but this wasn’t the reason why she missed. It wasn’t because of Shining Armor either. Despite his current struggle, he kept the council firmly tied up. “If only… If only she…” She panted heavily.

“You hurt my friends… You hurt me… I hate you… You’re savages… And evil…” Twilight began lowering her head, fighting against Shining’s spell as she glared ahead. Another spray of blood hit the floor, but this time, it didn’t belong to the unicorn.

“If only she hadn’t been there!” Trixie shouted angrily, finally falling to her knees.

Standing in front of Twilight, having slowed down Trixie’s spell with her own body was a battered Rainbow Dash. She was covered in bruises and cuts, with disheveled fur, mane, and tail. Her head was nearly split open, blood running over one of her eyes, which looked like it had been hit with a heavy blunt impact from the looks of her swollen brow. One of her wings was even broken, hanging at her side.

“No! Where did she come from?!” Braeburn exclaimed, glaring at the cyan pegasus.

“You… Huff… Stupid… Morons… Huff… You think a bunch of rocks can… Kill me? I’m THE Rainbow Dash! I’m unstoppable!” She declared at the top of her lungs, which was quite impressive considering she just survived being crushed.

“Can’t… Hold on anymore!” Shining grunted as Twilight’s eyes glowed bright. She finally managed to lower her head just as the other members of the Council did the same, tearing through the magical bindings the stallion had created. The male unicorn yelped, promptly collapsing to the floor as Cadance caught him in her forelegs.

“You’re absolutely… Right, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight huffed tiredly, spitting out a small amount of blood still stuck in her mouth. “For a moment there, I believed my time had come. But you saved me. Thank you,” Her eyes softened as she gazed at the pegasus, who was barely standing. Despite her condition, Rainbow stood straight, holding her head high.

“As long as I’m around… Huff… I won’t let anyone hurt my friends… Especially not these filthy traitors,” Rainbow Dash panted, still glaring at the seven, defeated ponies. They seemed defeated both in body and mind, either looking down on the floor or barely standing on their hooves. They had given up and realized that they missed their last chance of winning. Of course, that didn’t mean Rainbow lowered her guard.

“You alright, Twilight?” Pinkie inquired worriedly, still smiling wide as the unicorn nodded.

“Don’t worry about me… It takes more than that to kill me,” She weakly responded before looking at their enemies. “I should have known you and Cadance would be just like Celestia… That all you sought was to use me… Manipulate me… You got your empire, and immediately betrayed me…” She spat with hate. “Though… This doesn’t hurt as much as Celestia’s deception…”

“You’re paranoid, Twilight… You know why we did what we did…” Shining lightly shook his head, too tired to argue.

“No, I don’t care anymore. I don’t need you. I don’t need anypony but my friends. They’re the only ones I can get close to. Everypony else will just hurt me… And I won’t let them do that anymore,” The unicorn whispered, her tone dripping with exhaustion. “I was too merciful. Rarity already told me that, but I didn’t listen,” Twilight added as the other unicorn placed a reassuring hoof on her back. “We will judge you with the elements now. Once the rest of your rebels are defeated, we will hunt down their families. Their friends. Anypony that has been friendly to them, and we’ll judge them too,” She decided.

“What?!” Shining Armor raised his head in horror. “Are you insane?!”

“You can’t do that! Their families have nothing to do with this!” Cheese Sandwich screamed. The original Fluttershy looked just as appalled as the rest of them, to think her friend’s counterpart could get any lower.

“They have everything to do with it,” Twilight responded calmly. “They betrayed us for them. Ultimately, they’ll be another example. Slaughtering every changeling like the filthy animals they were wasn’t enough. Maybe once the pile of pony corpses reaches the clouds, Equestria’s citizens will finally understand not to oppose us,”

“Twilight… Please…” Cadance began pleading from where she stood, still covered in the injuries of their earlier fight.

“If you have any sense left, or love for me, please… Don’t do this. If you have to punish someone, punish us, but leave innocent ponies alone,” Shining begged along with his wife. Twilight tiredly stared at them, breathing in and out as if she were attempting to control her temper. Her friends stole glances at her apprehensively while keeping their guard up around the rebels in the room.

“We are the saviors of Equestria. We are its heroes. Without us, Equestria, nay, the whole world would be doomed. You need us, so… Why does no one get that?” The lavender mare replied. “And you still…”

“Equestria faced threats long before you, and it will even after you. It still stands, and it always will. You have never been this world’s saviors, Twilight,” Shining retorted, narrowing his eyes at his sister. “All of this went to your head… You were already… Vulnerable, but now… You’re just insane. We can still help. We can still get you help,” He added as Rainbow Dash glared, ready to pounce on him, only for Applejack to hold her back with her forelegs around her neck.

“And you still talk to me like I’m a villain… A villain as bad as the ones we defeated,” Twilight sighed, still looking down at the floor. “I’m tired of talking. I’ve had enough of it. Let’s get this over with,” She looked at her friends, who all nodded in agreement and support. “Oh, and for the record… I never held a shred of love for you, brother. You’ve always known that. I suppose that’s why you had an easier time betraying me,” She added as she got into position with the others, lining up in front of the rebels, ready to blast them with the Elements of Harmony.

“I guess this is the end, then…” Braeburn whispered, a small smirk creeping up his face while Shining and Cadance embraced each other.

“It was fun while it lasted,” Cheese chuckled, only to cut himself off with a grunt, holding his ribs. The Council of Harmony closed their eyes and raised their heads, preparing themselves.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t get you home, Flutters…” Derpy apologized to the yellow pegasus, who looked ahead. Surprisingly, she didn’t seem to be filled with fear or acceptance like the others.

“It’s my fault. I wasn’t good enough,” Trixie reprimanded herself by Fluttershy’s side.

“No,” The pegasus firmly stated. The confident tone made them pause, and realize… That nothing happened.

Minister Applejack hesitantly opened an eye to look around the room, noting they still hadn’t vaporized their enemies.

“Uhm, what’s happening? Isn’t this thing supposed to rainbow blast these traitors?” Rainbow Dash questioned while tapping on her element.

“Something is wrong…” Twilight fearfully uttered while looking up at her crown.

“It’s… It’s alright, dear! I’m sure it’s only a small glitch! We can kill them without the elements!” Rarity was quick to reassure them, though she didn’t seem to believe it herself.

“It’s just as I thought… It wasn’t a dream,” Fluttershy mumbled, attracting the attention of everyone around her. Her voice was quiet, but understanding, as if she somehow knew the issue the council was currently going through.

“What are you talking about?!” Minister Fluttershy shouted.

“When I met you… I thought I heard somepony calling for help. At first… I believed it was all of you. That maybe you were controlled by something. I still wanted to hope you were good,” Fluttershy calmly explained, her eyes wandering from one mare to another. “But it was the elements. They talked to me. At least, I think so,”

“Nonsense! The elements aren’t alive! They’re mere stones! We were chosen by Harmony to wield…” Twilight was quick to refute, only for Fluttershy to cut her off.

“You’re wrong… And ever since they were created, they’ve been used out of anger, sadness, and hate. They’ve been in pain this whole time, forced to obey the ponies who represented their elements the best. At the time, you were the best candidates they had, but they don’t have to listen to you anymore,” The pegasus explained while Twilight opened and closed her mouth multiple times in disbelief. “That’s what they told me themselves,” She smiled, watching the elements around their necks and on Twilight’s head.

“This is preposterous! They don’t talk! You’ve simply lost your mind! The elements are…” The lavender unicorn argued again, only to freeze once she heard a crack. Fearfully, she slowly looked up. The element of magic suddenly burst into pieces, and the others followed suit, crumbling to the floor and turning grey as if they were robbed of their colors. “No… No, no, no… This can’t be happening…” Twilight shook her head wildly, her breathing quickening.

“My necklace! My precious necklace!” Rarity wailed, falling to her knees and trying to assemble the pieces again.

“I don’t get a single thing that’s happening!” Pinkie yelled, her smile suddenly looking strained as she nervously looked at the remnants of her element.

“Twilight… What do we do?” Applejack mumbled, watching their leader from the corner of her eyes.

“We can still kick their butts!” Rainbow Dash interjected though she didn’t look too serene either.

“The elements… They’re broken… They’re gone,” Twilight breathed out desperately.

“No. The elements aren’t destroyed. Their spirits are… right here!” Fluttershy smirked confidently, making the lavender mare widen her eyes.

“Those words…” She gulped, shaking like a leaf. “No... You’re not allowed to use them…” A rage-filled rasp came out of her throat through her clenched teeth.

Suddenly, a bright light enveloped the rebels in the room, minus Cadance, slowly lifting them off the floor as colored pieces of stones began spinning around each one of them.

“Braeburn, who believed me when everypony else was in doubt represents the spirit of Honesty!” Fluttershy declared while Braeburn slightly widened his eyes, noting the spinning stone pieces around him while he floated in the air. “Me, who represents the spirit of Kindness!” She said, still staring down at the council while the stones spun around her too. “Cheese Sandwich, who brought joy to everyone you’ve hurt represents the spirit of Laughter!” Stones continued to spin around Cheese as the stallion laughed excitedly, looking all around him. He didn’t know what was happening, but it was fun! “Ditzy, who sacrificed her own way of life for others represents the spirit of Generosity!” Derpy watched the stones curiously, her eyes barely following them. “And Shining Armor, who wouldn’t sell out his friends even in the face of danger represents the spirit of Loyalty!” Shining nervously hovered in the air, disbelieving this was actually happening while Cadance watched him with fascination.

“No… This can’t be…” Twilight shook her head in denial. That only left one element, so who would… No… That fraud?! That fraud would hold her element?!

“Twilight! Let’s cast a protective spell, quick!” Rarity yelled, lighting her horn to create a magical barrier around them. However, the other unicorn remained unresponsive. “Twilight! Hurry!”

“And finally… The element of Magic! For Trixie, who struggled, fought, and created a new spell solely for the sake of her friends!”

Trixie watched the stones with awe while the light around them brightened. In an instant, the six ponies wore the new Elements of Harmony, each bearing their respective Cutie Marks while the council was frozen in fear. Rarity continued to beg their leader to put up a barrier with her, to protect themselves as much as they could.

Yet, Twilight didn’t budge. Her eyes were wide as she watched their light. It was just like hers. It was that just like the light that stole her heart all those years ago, and that taught her the concepts of happiness and love. That same powerful light, which destroyed the darkness in the world and warmed her cold heart so deeply.

The rebels’ eyes shone bright as a beam of rainbow shot out of the orb of light they were in heading straight for the council. It shattered Rarity’s barrier upon impact, not slowing down for a second. Celestia’s form flashed back into Twilight’s mind as she stood there, frozen, with a single thought going through her.

So majestic…

The beam reached its marks, hitting the members of the council with full force and enveloping them in its light.

“NOOOOOOO!” Twilight’s anguished scream echoed alongside her friends’ cries, but there was nothing they could do. One by one, their bodies were consumed by the cold, ruthless grip of stone, leaving them frozen in silent screams and expressions of pure anguish. As the light slowly dimmed, a single tear traced its path down Twilight’s lifeless, petrified face.

“It’s over…” Cadance whispered, limping her way to the six statues while the new element bearers were lowered back to the ground. “I’m sorry it had to be this way…” She said, staring into Twilight’s lifeless eyes before she tore the pendant holding Celestia’s magic off her neck.

“So… It’s finally done? We really beat them?” Braeburn inquired, his injuries seemingly healed.

“Not yet,” Shining Armor muttered before walking to the balcony, where all of Canterlot could be seen, along with the two armies fighting each other. The other ponies followed suit, realizing what he wanted to do. The moment he was out, he took in a deep breath. “ENOUGH!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, making his voice echo with a spell. “The Council has lost! The battle is over! Stand down!” He declared, making most of the soldiers freeze, whether it was the council’s or the rebels.

“What? The council lost?”

“That’s impossible!”

“They’re trying to trick you! Don’t believe a word they’re saying!”

Many of the Canterlot guards voiced their thoughts while the rebels and soldiers from the Crystal Empire already began celebrating, cheering for the tyrants’ downfall. Of course, they were. They were the first to see what Shining Armor and his companions wore around their necks! And the Canterlot Guards soon noticed it too, widening their eyes in disbelief.

“Throw down your weapons! There is no need for more bloodshed for leaders that lost!” Shining barked.

The guards looked at one another before gazing upon the elements the rebels bore. They believed the council to be invincible, some even believed them to be deities! If the council lost, then what chance did they have? The first ones to throw their weapons down and give up the fight were the least loyal guards, followed by the more reluctant ones. Seeing they would be completely outnumbered, even the most faithful ones finally dropped their weapons and surrendered.

Shining Armor exhaled a deep breath of relief and turned to meet Cadance’s gaze. The alicorn gave him a warm, reassuring smile and a nod, silently affirming what he dared to believe—at long last, they had won.

Fluttershy wiped the sweat off her forehead. She may have sounded confident, but she had been the opposite. She was so stressed when they came so close to losing. The pegasus released a yelp as Trixie and Derpy suddenly pounced on her, nearly throwing her off her hooves in a bone-crushing group hug.

“You should be happy. Not just anyone gets a hug from Trixie!” The blue unicorn grinned pridefully, earning a small chuckle.

“I know,” Fluttershy simply responded, snickering before looking back at the castle. Well, now, all that was left was to get the stone…

“Can’t you see you’re letting your emotions cloud your judgment?!”

“I know it may look like it, but I’m not! You have to trust me on this!”

Fluttershy watched on the sidelines as Shining Armor and Blaze, a member of the Wonderbolts, argued. They had found the stone she was looking for in under an hour, hidden away in the lower floors of the castle. Of course, she held it, but nothing happened. She was aware that she needed to hold it at the same time as her best friends, so she supposed some of them didn’t get to their respective stones. She wasn’t worried. No, she was certain it was only a matter of time for them to find the stones. Besides, she doubted they were in more trouble than she was. She had to fight evil versions of them, after all!

She had been carrying the stone under her wing, waiting patiently for it to turn on, for more than an hour now. She used that time to help her friends from this world to organize everything. They kept their elements with them, but she removed hers and gave it to Cadance in case the stone activated and transported her back home since she didn’t want to take the element with her. Not only did they decide they should throw a kingdom-wide celebration, but they had also been deciding on a provisional leadership until they could agree on something more permanent. However, there was nothing concrete yet. Another issue was the Council’s loyalists, who were still present everywhere in Equestria. They hadn’t figured out what to do with them either, which was understandable since they seized power barely three hours ago.

Unfortunately, they didn’t go over those issues for too long since they had been arguing about something else for two hours now. The Council of Harmony’s fate.

“Rainbow Dash killed the captain! Soarin and Fleetfoot too! They deserve justice! They and everypony who’s been hurt by these monsters! Let’s break those statues! Reduce them to dust to make sure they don’t come back!” Blaze demanded, stomping the floor with righteous anger.

“You want us to start a new reign with an execution?!” Shining Armor barked back, still shaken up by the earlier events.

“What Shining Armor is trying to say is that if we kill them now, we won’t be any better than they are,” Derpy interjected.

“What? That’s ridiculous! They deserve this! How would we be as bad as them? Makes no sense!” Another rebel retorted, glaring at the stone statues. Shining sighed, getting tired of this argument already. Unfortunately, Cadance wasn’t present since she needed to be treated for her injuries.

“Don’t you think that’s exactly how the council thought too when they started those executions?!” Shining shouted, silencing everyone. “How long until we start executing anyone that disagrees with us? Wake up, for Celestia’s sake! You even talked about executing their loyalists! We dethroned them because we wanted to STOP the bloodshed!”

The ponies looked down shamefully. While they didn’t fully agree with what he said, they couldn’t refute it either.

“What should we do, then?” Cheese inquired. Again, they looked uncertain. Fluttershy wondered if she should speak up; however, someone beat her to the punch.

“Just leave them like this,” Trixie shrugged, making everyone turn to her in confusion. “Being turned to stone should be punishment enough. It’s not like they can escape or do anything. It’ll be like a prison sentence,” She suggested.

“I guess that can work…” Blaze muttered, joined by the quiet murmurs of many other ponies in the room.

“What do ya think?” Braeburn asked Fluttershy, who gulped in surprise at being so suddenly addressed.

“Well… I think it would be appropriate. Discord was trapped the same way for a thousand years, and I doubt they can escape as he did,” Fluttershy shared her opinion.

“Alright, but what about the sun and moon?! What do we do about that?! How was the council even making them move?” A pony suddenly questioned.

“We will deal with that in due time,” Shining groaned, unwilling to deal with multiple problems at once at this moment.

“Maybe we should take a break…” Derpy offered when a white light suddenly burst into existence behind her. All ponies shielded their eyes hurriedly, reaching for their weapons as they looked at the source of light.

The stone that Fluttershy had been carrying under her wing all this time suddenly hovered in the air, shining like a beacon.

“I… I think it’s time for me to go!” The yellow pegasus exclaimed, feeling a weak pull on her back.

“What?! But we didn’t even have time to say goodbye!” Cheese remarked as a portal opened behind the pegasus, trying to pull her inside. However, much to their surprise, Fluttershy clenched her teeth, resisting its pull.

“We still can…” She gasped. She knew she needed to hurry, but she couldn’t leave so quickly either! Fluttershy still needed to talk to them! To share proper goodbyes!

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Derpy softly called out to her. “It’s alright, you can let go,” She reassured the other pegasus.

“Huh?” The element of kindness uttered in confusion.

“You don’t need to say anything. We already know whatever you’re thinking of,” Cheese added with a small nod. “After all, we’re friends, right?”

“What he said,” Braeburn grinned. “Besides, why would we need goodbyes in the first place? How do ya know we’ll never see each other again?”

“We’ve suffered heavy losses, but ultimately, without you, we wouldn’t have succeeded. Thank you, Fluttershy,” Shining smiled wholeheartedly. “I know my sister and your Twilight are different, but please… Take care of her, will you?”

“I… I promise! Of course! She’s one of my best friends!” Fluttershy assured him, finally feeling the pull to be too much! Just as her hooves were pulled off the ground, Trixie suddenly wrapped her forelegs around her, keeping her from being thrown into the portal.

“I guess Trixie can give you another hug,” The blue unicorn whispered into Fluttershy’s ear. “Trixie doesn’t need postcards or for you to visit, just promise you won’t ever forget about me, alright? If you do ever come back… You’re welcome to one of Trixie’s shows!” She grinned before looking around, then leaning down again to make sure no one else would hear. “Oh, and thank you, of course. Trixie never believed she would have close friends before, but you proved her wrong,”

“Trixie… You guys…” Fluttershy weakly murmured while the blue mare finally let go of her, allowing the pegasus to be pulled back. “Even if we’re from different worlds, you’ll always be my friends!” She swore as she passed the portal, which slowly closed, allowing her one last look at the ponies she befriended in that world. The pegasus could only sigh before gazing ahead, passing tens of thousands of mirrors as she was pulled forward. “Even if I’ll miss them… I hope I’m finally coming home,” She whispered, closing her eyes. She felt like she could finally relax.

This world had lost its saviors, or perhaps gained new ones… Who could tell what would await them? Who could tell how that universe’s future would turn out? The battles fought, the choices made, and the scars earned had all led to this moment, a fragile peace, stitched together by courage and hope. The journey had changed them and carved lessons into their soul that would never fade. This story started with a simple heartbreak, but it ended with a newfound friendship and the beginning of a new journey. The tides were always shifting, and so only the future could perceive whether these new saviors would be the hope of Equestria, or its downfall.

One shy pegasus personally believed… that they would be just fine.

Author's Note

It's done! Fluttershy's side of the story is over, friends! Now that was something else! The Council of Harmony has been defeated! I think I've hinted at Prime Minister Twilight's condition once with one of Celestia's dialogue? She never truly understood what love entailed or how to interpret it. To her, it was absolute devotion, regardless of your morals. This chapter kinda reveals how she ended up that way, but as you can see, she was already different from our Twilight from the start. Killing Luna wasn't the only difference.

Of course, it's the same for the rest of the Mane 6. They all have been distinctively different mentally from their original counterparts. It's something I would have love to explore more in detail, but it's not really the focus of the story. Still, who knows, I could always write about it in the future.

Anyway, here are a few glimpses of their differences:

In this world, Rainbow gladly accepted her parents' over-cheering, in fact, she loved it. Because of that, she thought herself the absolute best... Until reality hit her. When she actually went to school or participated in competitions, she realized she was far from being the best. Of course, the bullying and mockery only made it worse. It nearly destroyed her self-esteem, but made her bitter. When she meets Twilight, and becomes friends with her and the others. Twilight actually praises any of Rainbow Dash's actions, and considers that she can do no wrong. RD finds the same feeling from her childhood again when her parents would cheer and praise anything she did. She felt strong again. She felt unstoppable again. She believes she's perfect again and gives absolute loyalty to the Council of Harmony, the only ones who would make her feel that way.

For Fluttershy, she was a troubled filly, who would sometimes lose her mind and hurt other pegasi when she would see them harm innocent animals. Those bouts of anger and violence were something she couldn't control, not that she tried to control them. There was nothing more precious to her than her animal friends, and she would give them absolute kindness, which to her translated to protecting and nurturing them no matter what. When she meets her friends, and see that they accept her despite what others saw as flaws, she begins seeing them the same way as her animal friends, especially since Twilight would let her set up any law benefitting the fauna that Fluttershy wanted. Ever since then, she would have urges of violence every time she would see her friends harmed or disrespected.

Anyway, I'll stop here, but basically, they already all had issues when they were fillies. Of course, I want to pinpoint those are issues that could have been dealt with, but weren't. They weren't BORN evil, just to clarify. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that universe!

Epilogue 25197

Universe 25197

A few days after Applejack’s arrest.

“You have ten minutes,” The guard stated as he let Granny Smith through.

The old mare glanced around, noticing only one vacant seat amidst the others, which were occupied by visitors conversing with prisoners through gem-infused phones, the two separated by sturdy glass. Without a word, she sat on the vacant seat and waited as a guard let a prisoner in on the other side.

Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, which was a good match for the mare, Applejack sat on the other side and immediately picked up the phone. Granny Smith took a second to study her granddaughter. Her mane was disheveled, and the heavy bags under her eyes indicated she didn’t have much sleep. Of course, the most prominent feature Granny could see was the glare upon her grandaughter’s face… as well as the bruises that were still present from the hits she received the day of her arrest. Finally, she picked up the phone on her side.

“I can’t believe this… I can’t believe I’m here… Using the phones MY engineers came up with to… Ugh…” Applejack immediately complained. Granny Smith raised an eyebrow; that was the first thing her granddaughter had to say? Still, it was true gems had greatly aided the world in advances in technology, such as these phones, or the communication amulets.

“Are ya alright?” Granny asked, even if she was tempted to antagonize her instead. Her granddaughter should have known why she was in this place.

“Am I…? What do you think?! I’m in prison! I don’t belong here! But I’m telling you, this isn’t over! My lawyers are working on my case as we speak! The princesses had no right to trespass on my grounds! This was an unlawful arrest, and I’m gonna prove it in court!” Applejack shouted so loud that Granny Smith wondered if she even needed a phone for this.

“Ya enslaved ponies, Applejack,” Granny sternly reminded her, which seemed to make her granddaughter pause.

“I… Well… Pfft,” Applejack sputtered incoherently before shaking her head. “It was no slavery, alright?! That’s a serious accusation you’re throwing! Moreover, they had no evidence of that when they arrested me!” She defended herself.

“They arrested ya for an attempted murder,” The old mare narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, please! She came from another world! You can’t even consider her a citizen of Equestria or Equus at all! This is very ambiguous legally, and I won’t stand being falsely accused!” Applejack replied defensively. The old apple sighed, losing even more hope in the younger mare. She had hoped this experience would have brought back her senses. “Anyway, look, I need your help, Granny,” Applejack suddenly leaned forward, whispering as if she was plotting something. “I talked to my lawyers, and they’re gonna mention that unlawful arrest I talked about, but it’s not gonna save me, so… They’ve suggested I go for an insanity plea. We’re gonna pin everything on Happy Feather, my assistant, and spout some bullshit about how he manipulated ‘cause I was vulnerable or something. I need you to testify in court and tell everyone I had mental issues since I was a foal. Don’t hold back on the waterworks, alright? You say I was always a troubled filly, that I never got any treatment ’cause we were poor… My lawyers will brief you on what to say, anyway, just trust’em. And don’t worry about the diagnosis, I already have a doctor in my pocket,”

“What? Applejack, no,” Granny furrowed her brows in disbelief. This was ridiculous! Her granddaughter didn’t really expect her to lie like this, did she?

“Huh? Why? Oh, right. I didn’t talk about the payment. You can figure this out with my lawyers since I don’t really have access to my money at this moment,” Applejack waved her hoof dismissively.

“This ain’t about the money! Have ya even seen yer lawyers?” Granny retorted offendedly.

“Why is that important? Yeah, I talked to them the first day I got here,” Applejack answered in confusion.

“Then, they may have some news for ya… Ah really didn’t want to talk about that now, but… Ya desperately need a wakeup call,” Granny sighed, shaking her head sadly.

“Seriously, what is this about?”

“Ya started yer company with a familial contract, didn’t ya?” Granny reminded the other pony, who wordlessly nodded, still having no idea where this was going. “Well, since yer in prison, the ownership of yer company will go to yer closest relative, namely, me,” She revealed, making her granddaughter widen her eyes in shock. “Honestly, Ah made only a few decisions, all of which Ah ran by Applebloom. That filly has a gift for this,”

“A-Applebloom? The filly? The tiny filly?!” Applejack pressed her face against the glass, eyes wide with fear.

“Yer sister,” Granny corrected her.

“B-But that’s mine! That’s my company! I built it from the ground up! Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed?!” Applejack hollered obsessively.

“Yer aunt. Yer uncle. Yer family. Yer decency. Everythin’ ya inherited from yer parents. Ya’ve become a monster, and for what? Money?” Granny shook her head.

“No, no… You don’t get it. You don’t get it! I-I needed to do that! The whole world revolves around me! I had to succeed, no matter the price! It’s not just money, it’s pride! The world is full of sharks! How do you expect to win if you’re not ruthless, Granny?!” Applejack argued ferociously. “Use the money to help me! Pay whoever you have to, and get me out of here! I can’t let my empire end this way!”

Granny stared at her granddaughter in silence, looking downcast. Was there anything she could even say? No, even if she had nothing to say… It was her duty to remain by her granddaughter’s side. It was her responsibility to help her. And the first step to helping her… was to do the right thing.

“Yer money will be used to pay back everypony ya’ve hurt. All the ponies ya forced to work in yer mines,” The old mare revealed as Applejack fearfully shook her head. “Ah still can’t tell what happened to make ya this way… Maybe it was ma fault. Maybe Ah shouldn’t have let you leave the farm, or… Maybe there was nothin’ we could have done to change this outcome. However, Ah still love ya. And Ah’ll do everythin’ in my power to help ya become a better pony, someone yer parents could hopefully be proud of,”

“No… No, Granny! That’s my money, Granny! You can’t do this! You can’t give it away to some filthy peasants!” Applejack screamed, suddenly savagely punching the glass separating them. “It’s mine! It’s mine! You have no right!” She glared hatefully at the older mare when two guards pounced on her, grabbing her by the legs and dragging her away.

“Alright! Visit’s over!” One of them shouted, grunting as Applejack kicked around.

“It’s my money, Granny! You can’t let me rot in here!” She continued to scream until she was out of view, yelling obscenities at the guards, Granny Smith, and even the other prisoners. Maybe the mare would never change, but… Granny still wanted to try. It didn’t change the fact that Applejack would never get out of prison for her crimes, but she at least wanted her granddaughter to change. It was the least she could do as her grandmother.

“Ah will see you next week,” Granny sighed before standing up. “Goodbye, Applejack,”

Author's Note

Yup, this one is pretty short! Most of the others probably will be too, maybe slightly longer. I can't tell for sure, but this one only focuses on the discussion between Granny Smith and Jackie.