Twilight looked at the Cutie Map, and the ghostly projection of Equestria stared back at her from it. Everything was in order. Everything was exactly as it should be. Not a single bad thing happening in the entire country. Twilight would know about it. Not just thanks to the map, but thanks to the elaborate communication network she'd set up, too. If anything was out of the ordinary she'd hear about it quickly, and she'd be ready to fix the issue. But nothing was happening. Nothing had happened in months. Everything was just perfect. Too perfect. Twilight was bored.
Of course, even if something did happen, it was unlikely she'd have to personally deal with it. She hadn't just set up an elaborate communication network, she had perfected the Royal Guard's methods and training. Most issues were dealt with before she even knew they had happened. She got reports on them, of course, weekly and daily ones and monthly too. She was organised and she prided herself on it. But Equestria had few issues, even fewer major ones, and even then very few of them required the attention of a Princess like her. Especially with all the other talented ponies around. She was the last line of defence, and that meant she saw the least amount of action.
Gone were the days of adventuring out with her friends. Gone were the days of Princess Celestia sending her to solve problems. Gone were the days where she got to do something. She was Princess Twilight Sparkle now, and she had princessly duties to look after as Equestria's smaller problems were tended to by the ponies below her on the ladder. Not that her Princess work was all that much. Not after all she'd done to streamline things and make running the country more efficient. Her bureaucratic apparatus was a marvel in that regard, and almost everything was dealt with without the need for her to intervene. At most, she had to put a signature here and a royal seal there. That left her with nothing to do most of the day. But she couldn't just go out and do stuff. That was unbecoming of a Princess, after all.
Twilight was bored. Really bored. She'd read every book in her library already, twice over. She yearned for something else. But nothing was happening. If only something would happen to break the monotony of her life. Anything. Some action. Some ancient evil Celestia and Luna hadn't told her about. Some trouble the Guard couldn't handle by themselves. Even some bureaucratic mishap that required her to dive into the archives or some such thing. She would have given anything for even just a crumb of action, anything to take her away from the sheer nothing she was experiencing.
That wasn't even the whole picture, though she tried not to think about the rest too much. Celestia had warned her after her ascension, but she hadn't listened. She should have listened. Why hadn't she listened? No matter. It wasn't like there was anything she could do about it at that point. Her body was still growing. Her power, too, was still growing alongside it. Twilight could feel it. It was like an itch she couldn't scratch. Always at the back of her mind. Always there in her body. Impossible to ignore, but she could do nothing about it.
If only there was something, anything to take her attention elsewhere. Anything at all. She was starting to toy with the idea of unleashing some evil herself at that point. She wasn't seriously considering it yet, but the thought was there. How much longer could she take of that boredom? How many more days? How many more weeks? Months? Years? Centuries? Twilight grunted in frustration and swept her hooves over the projection of Equestria before her, mocking her with its perfect tranquility.
And, as it to answer her prayers, a book suddenly began to buzz in her library.
"And you're sure she said it's okay?" Twilight adjusted the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder. She wasn't entirely sure it was going to carry properly through the portal the way her glasses did and the rest of her clothes didn't, but she hoped it would. She really hoped it would. Though, at worst, she supposed the other Twilight would have to lend her some paper and pens to write her notes. Did magical horse land even have pens? What if she was forced to learn how to write with a quill? What if she had to write with her mouth?
"I'm sure, Twi," Sunset reassured her from her side. "She seemed rather excited at the idea, actually. Something about being bored out of her mind. Come on. I'm sure it'll go great."
"Do they have pens in magical horse land?" Twilight shook her head. "Never mind. I'm still not sure this is a good idea. She must have all sort of magical horse Princess duties to look after. We'd just be bothering her. Maybe you should just write to her and tell her we're not coming after all, and-"
"Twilight." Sunset placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "I know you're nervous. Really, I get it. I know you still worry about magic, and about meeting your other self, but I can assure you it's all going to be okay. Twilight is a friend, and she'll be more than happy to help you learn magic. Okay?"
Twilight sighed, looking a bit dejected. "You're right. Of course you're right. It's just... Well, she's me, but she's a Princess, and I'm... me. I'm a confused student barely out of high school and I was a socially awkward mess before meeting you and the girls, and she's the Princess of Friendship of a magical nation of talking horses. She's every little girl's dream and she has her whole life figured out, and I... don't. I worry what she's going to think of me, honestly."
Sunset looked at Twilight, and she smiled. "Come on, now." She moved closer and hugged Twilight. "It's all going to be okay. Trust me." She broke the hug and looked to the portal before the two of them. "Ready?"
Twilight took a deep breath. "Ready."
Together they stepped forward through the mirror.
The trip through was as dizzying as ever. Twilight felt herself spinning this way and that, and as always it felt far longer than it actually took. Next thing she knew, after a flash of light, she was in the middle of a huge library with walls made out of crystal, and all her things were horse things once more. She swayed on her hind legs for a few seconds, then reminded herself she was supposed to walk on all fours and lowered herself forward. It always took surprisingly little to get used to it. She wondered if it was a side effect of the mirror or just a consequence of her biology being altered.
She checked herself over. Her clothes were gone, as expected, but her glasses were still there like the last time, and her bag had thankfully made it through as well. She breathed a sigh of relief at that. With that accounted for, she had a proper look around. Sunset was at her side, also a unicorn. The room was as impressive as ever, with its tall ceiling and its rows upon rows of shelves full of books she'd never read. And standing near the entrance, taller than both Twilight and Sunset, was the other Twilight. "Your Majesty." Twilight greeted her pony self with what she hoped was an elegant bow. She wasn't entirely sure.
"Hey, Twilight," Sunset said, far more casually. "Have you gotten taller since the last time?" She shook her head. "Good to see you."
"Good to see you too," Princess Twilight replied, her tone a little cold. "Both of you." Her eyes settled on her unicorn counterpart. She blinked once.
Twilight, the human turned pony one, shifted awkwardly in place and tried to smile. "Right..." She looked to Sunset in search of guidance.
The alicorn Twilight cleared her throat, seemingly coming out of a moment of reflection. "Welcome, both of you. Dinner will be in a few hours. Feel free to make yourselves at home. I'll be joining you soon. I just need to take care of something for a moment." She left the room.
The unicorn Twilight awkwardly swallowed.
Twilight regarded her human counterpart as she ate.
She was there to study magic. Sunset had asked her through their shared diary if it was possible for her to tutor her other self, after the human Twilight had expressed an interest in learning more about magic, to better understand it and deal with it in the human world. In a safe manner, as opposed to her first experiences with Equestrian magic. Twilight had agreed, of course. She would have agreed to anything that broke the monotony of inaction in her life, and tutoring someone sounded like just what she needed.
But things had changed as she'd first seen the purple unicorn. Things had changed even more as they'd talked with each other about their lives. They were having dinner, and Princess Twilight looked at her unicorn counterpart with contempt.
Here was a mare with everything Twilight wanted. Everything Twilight missed. A mare free from the responsibilities that came with being a Princess. A mare with her own future ahead of her. A mare who could forge her own path in life, and do whatever she wanted with herself. A mare with a full life ahead of her, who still regularly went on adventures with her friends, who would never know the struggle of being stuck forever beholden to one role, one boring life, a web of responsibilities and expectations suffocating her freedom and sapping away all joy from her days. Twilight envied her. Twilight hated her.
It wasn't fair. Twilight was an alicorn. A Princess. The greatest magic user in Equestria. The other her was a nobody begging her to learn how to use magic. She didn't even know how to lift a fork with her horn, instead awkwardly doing it with her hooves like an earth pony. The human Twilight shouldn't have been deserving to so much as sit as the same table as Princess Twilight. And yet she was happy, and Princess Twilight was miserable.
And she was supposed to be okay with it? To accept it and move on? To help this other her? This her who didn't even realise how lucky she was? This her who had the guts to act like Twilight being a Princess was special and a good thing, who dared insinuate that Twilight should be happy in her role? She was supposed to play along and make her life even better, and then see her off and go back to her misery?
A fork loudly bent in Twilight's magical aura, close to snapping. Sunset and the other Twilight both looked at her. "Everything okay?" the former asked.
Twilight forced herself to take a deep breath. "Sorry. Yes." She straightened the fork in her magic. "Don't worry about it. Just Princess stuff." She tried to focus on her food. She'd barely made a dent in it. Not that it mattered. She didn't need to eat that much with her alicorn biology. Meanwhile, her human self was slopping up food like a pig. She was enjoying herself, the bitch. Twilight took another deep breath. Focus. Find something else to think about. "Will you be staying the night?" she asked Sunset.
"I'll probably head back home after dinner, actually," Sunset replied. "I have a thing tomorrow morning and I don't want to miss it. But I can come around again in a few days, if you want."
Great. Alone with the human bitch. Fan-fucking-tastic. "That's okay." Twilight gritted her teeth, and put some food in her mouth so she could pretend to chew on it. Maybe she could pretend she wanted to go to bed early because she was tired. And then spend the time lying awake. She didn't need all that much sleep either. But the alternative of staying up alone talking to her human self didn't sound all that much better. She'd just have to go back to boredom, she supposed.
Twilight tossed and turned in her bed. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. Sunset had left after dinner, and she'd excused herself saying she had things to attend to, then she'd only seen the other Twilight briefly before bed, claiming she needed an early rest after a tiring day. It wasn't true, and she had yet to fall asleep, but at least it was better than being stuck with a breathing reminder of everything she'd lost. Spike had thankfully been willing to spend time with the other Twilight. He seemed to like her. Twilight grunted, and she turned around underneath the covers.
It wasn't fair at all. She was stuck there, forced to be a teacher for her other self. Her happier self. Her worse self. She'd been looking forward to it, to a break in the monotony of her days going forward, but now the prospect seemed like torture even worse than what she'd been dealing with. To be constantly reminded of what she'd lost, to be forced to stare her in the eyes and see how happy she was. All knowing that the moment she left, to go back to her happy life, Twilight would return to her own dull, monotone, insufferable existence.
She wished she could sleep. At least her dreams may be pleasant, even if they'd make the next day come sooner. Instead, she couldn't even do that. Her body was driving her crazy again. That itch she couldn't scratch was back, and more annoying than ever. It was all her damn power, still growing and still making her body grow. Lots of good her ascension had done for her. Responsibilities that kept her tied down, a boring life away from any excitement, and a lot of power she couldn't even use. It was taunting her. Tormenting her.
It just wasn't fair, not one bit. She had power. She had so much power. And yet she was so miserable. Why did it have to be like that? She was a Princess. She was Princess Twilight Sparkle. She was supposed to be happy, dammit! She was supposed to get whatever she wanted. She had power, didn't she? She was royalty. She was tired of feeling like a prisoner. A prisoner to her own title. A prisoner to the whims of that other, happier, inferior her.
Why was she the happy one? She was powerless. She was an insult to being a unicorn. She was a friendless loser before meeting Sunset. What gave her the right to study under the Princess of Friendship? And what good was being the Princess of Friendship anyway when she was so miserable? Too busy doing nothing to even meet her friends, because she had to remain available in case something did happen, even though nothing ever happened. Even though everything around her was perfect, her life was miserable. Horrible. Devoid of happiness. And in barged this other girl, not even realising how lucky she was, and demanding her suffering.
She should have been the miserable one. She should have been the one suffering. Not the Princess, but the weak little human turned pathetic magicless unicorn. And Twilight should have been the happy one. The one who got everything she wanted. She was a Princess, dammit! She had power! She could take what she wanted!
Yes. Twilight stopped and breathed in deep. Yes. That was right. She was powerful. She could take what she wanted. She could make it her own. Why did she need to abide by the way things were? Who was going to stop her? The other Twilight? Hah! No. Not anyone, and certainly not her. No one could stop her if she chose to simply take what she wanted. And why shouldn't she do so? She had the power to do it. She was the Princess. She was owed her happiness. She deserved it. She would take it. She would make it her own. She would fix everything.
Starting with that insolent little unicorn who dared carry her name and appearance. She would learn her place. She would learn who the better Twilight was. Yes. Twilight smiled. She would show the other where exactly she belonged. She would show them all. She would show them, and she would force them to see if they refused her. Yes. She knew just the spells she needed to get what she wanted, and she was going to take it. No one would stop her.
Twilight closed her eyes, a smile on her face. She slept soundly that night.
Twilight was nervous. Despite Sunset's reassurances, she was still worried about how things might go. Moreover, she had slept really poorly, and she was worried she'd make a bad first impression on her pony self. Second impression. Fourth impression. Whatever. It's not like she could help it, though. She still wasn't used to her equine anatomy. She had taken an hour or so just to settle into a position to rest in, and she still wasn't sure she'd done it right. Had Sunset gone through the reverse of that when moving to the human world? Twilight needed to ask her about it. Or about how to properly sleep as a horse.
But that would come later. Much later. Twilight had other things to focus on before that. Namely, mainly, her meeting with the other Twilight. That was about to happen. She hadn't seen her at breakfast, as apparently she was busy preparing for said meeting, and that only made Twilight even more nervous. She had gotten to talk with Spike though, and he said there was nothing to worry about. That was a weird experience in and of itself. She was used to her own Spike, and having one that sounded exactly like him but was a dragon instead was, if not off-putting, at least certainly rather odd.
Twilight adjusted her glasses, and her bag. It was still weird to not have any clothes, but she was getting used to it. She was waiting just outside the library, where the other Twilight would be holding her lesson. She hoped she would be a good student, and that the subject wouldn't be too complicated. She knew how to use magic, to a certain degree, but she didn't really understand it. Sunset's own attempts at doing so through regular human means had turned out poorly as well, apparently. It would be interesting to hear about it all from a proper expert such as Twilight herself was. The pony Twilight, of course. Though human Twilight figured she was kind of an expert herself, at least compared to most other humans.
She was distracted from her thoughts by the sound of the library doors opening. Twilight swallowed. She guessed that was her cue to walk in, and so she did. The room was strangely dark compared to how she remembered it from the day before. Someone, probably the other Twilight, had closed all the windows, and all the light was coming from some glowing gems near the walls. Was that even the right place? Maybe pony Twilight had meant some other library. How many libraries did the castle have? How big was the place, anyway? Twilight took another hesitant step forward. "Hello?"
Her own voice answered back, or at least one that sounded just like it. But it was far calmer, and colder, and perhaps a little deeper. "This way." It sounded almost like a command. Twilight swallowed again, and followed the sound deeper into the dark library.
She rounded a corner. There, on a raised platform, the other Twilight sat atop something like a throne. Her eyes seemed to be lit up, and her coat looked darker. Or maybe it was just the darkness of the room. Twilight hesitated, and then turned the corner fully. "Hello. I-"
"Hello, Twilight." The alicorn set her eyes on her. Twilight shivered. There was something familiar about those eyes, but she couldn't tell what. "I was waiting for you. It is time to begin our lessons."
Twilight breathed, in and out. "Right. Thank you again for this." She moved closer to the empty middle of the room, before the other Twilight's throne. It wouldn't be so bad. She took off her bag and set it on the ground.
"No. It is I who must thank you," pony Twilight said. "Without you, I never may have realised something of vital importance. Thank you for opening my eyes, Twilight."
Twilight was a little taken aback at that. "Uh... You're welcome?" She settled down in the middle of the room, and took out her notebook. She awkwardly held a pen in her hoof. "So, how's this going to go? Do we go through the theory first, or is it going to be a more hands-on thing?" She looked over herself. "Hooves-on, I suppose."
Pony Twilight smiled. "I think we will begin with a demonstration, actually. I'm sure you will find it enlightening." Her horn lit. Somewhere in the library, the doors locked shut, the sound distant in human Twilight's ears. A slowly swirling light began to appear before the human Twilight, in the middle of the clearing before pony Twilight's throne.
Human Twilight hesitated. "Uh, Princess? What is happening?"
"Your first lesson," Princess Twilight replied. "A demonstration of what magical power is. Please be quiet, and just keep looking. Just focus on the magic."
Hesitant still, worried and unsure, Twilight did as she was told. Her eyes settled on the growing, swirling magic as it formed before her. It was admittedly a pretty sight, especially in the dark room. She could feel herself drawn to it, and so she stared. "It's very pretty," she commented. Her own voice sounded distant in her ears. She didn't mind, though. She was too focused on the spell.
"It is," Princess Twilight echoed her. Her voice was distant too, yet it was also clear, shining in Twilight's mind. "Keep looking. Keep your attention on it. This is power. This is my power. Isn't it beautiful?"
"Your power..." Twilight could feel her breath slowing down. All her worries were melting away. She was relaxed, and at peace. She shouldn't have been so nervous about the whole thing. It was as everyone had said. Things were going just fine. Better than fine, even. Things were going wonderful. "It is beautiful. So beautiful." She felt she wanted to stare at it for hours. The notebook and pen fell from her hooves. She barely noticed it happening.
"That's right. You're a good student, Twilight." There was distaste for the name on Princess Twilight's tongue, but she hid it well. "Good students listen to their teachers. You're my good student, and I am your teacher. You want to listen to me. You want to do as I say. You want to make me happy, and learn what I have to teach you. Keep looking. Feel yourself growing more and more relaxed. Look into the spell. Feel yourself sink into it. Feel yourself letting go."
"Sink..." Twilight sighed. It was so easy. The spell was so pretty. She wanted to listen to Twilight. She wanted to do as her teacher said. She wanted to let go. It was so simple. Her worries were simply sliding away from her, one after the other, leaving nothing behind. Just calm blankness. Just emptiness and happiness. The two were one and the same in her. Keep staring at the spell. So pretty. So colourful. It was growing. It was swirling. It was swallowing up all of Twilight's worries. All of her thoughts.
"That's right," Princess Twilight spoke again. Her voice was clear. Her voice was the only clear thing. "You should be thoughtless. You should be blank. A good student is a blank student. A good student is a thoughtless student. You want to learn. You want to learn from me. I have the knowledge you want. You must discard your own knowledge. Empty your mind. Be a hollow vessel for me to fill. My words will reshape your thoughts. My words will fill your mind. That's why you must let go of everything else. You must be empty, and ready for my words. Let go of everything else. Sink deeper. Become an empty vessel for your teacher."
"Empty... Blank... Thoughtless..." Letting go of everything. It made sense. It was so easy. It was so right. Princess Twilight was so knowledgeable. Princess Twilight knew better. Twilight was there to learn, and learning meant unlearning what she didn't need. She trusted Princess Twilight. She trusted her completely. She had to let go of everything. Abandon every thought. It was so easy. The spell made it so easy. The pretty, swirling, colourful spell growing before her. It filled up her entire vision. Twilight didn't need to see anything else. Twilight just needed to be blank, and thoughtless, and empty.
"That's a good student," Princess Twilight said. "I can feel your thoughts leaving you. I can see them. It's like a weight off your shoulders, isn't it? It feels so nice to let go. To be completely and utterly blank. No thoughts. No worries. Nothing at all. You're the perfect student. The perfect student for the perfect teacher. You trust me. You trust me completely. You trust me more than you trust yourself, because I know more than you do. You will listen to anything and everything I say. You don't need anything else beyond my guidance, and you need my guidance. You want my guidance. You want to learn. You want to learn perfectly. You want to absorb my words, and let them shape you. You want to be the perfect student for me."
Twilight wanted it. "Yes." Twilight needed it. She felt herself growing lighter and lighter with each moment. Shedding her every thought like an excess weight. It felt freeing. It felt good. She only needed to listen. She needed to be blank and empty, a canvas for Princess Twilight to paint on. It was perfect. She wanted to be the perfect student. It was easy. As easy as forgetting. As easy as letting go. Letting go until there was nothing left. Twilight was blank. Twilight was at peace. Twilight was empty. Twilight was ready. Suddenly, the spell was no longer there. Suddenly, she was looking into Princess Twilight's glowing eyes, and she couldn't look away.
Princess Twilight smiled. "That's a good student. So blank and ready for me. So empty and eager. You trust me. You believe in me. And you know why? Because I'm better than you." Her smile widened. "I'm a better you. I'm smarter. I know more. I have more power. I am a better version of you. Isn't it right? Isn't it so? Look at us. I an alicorn, and you still a unicorn. I have power, and you barely know how to use magic. You are here to learn from me because I am superior. I am the teacher. You are the student. I am better. It's simply the truth. A fact. Accept it. Believe it. I am the better Twilight."
Twilight was swimming in the Princess's eyes. It all made sense to her, yes. Princess Twilight was better. That was the entire reason she was there. To learn from someone better. Someone more knowledgeable. It was easy to accept. Easy to understand. Princess Twilight was better. Princess Twilight was stronger. Smarter. More powerful. Wiser. The perfect teacher. A better version of Twilight herself. It made perfect sense to learn from her that way. To absorb information from someone simply better than her. Twilight was eager for it. Twilight was primed for it. Twilight was the perfect student. Twilight was empty, and waiting to be filled.
Princess Twilight grinned. "And so, if I am superior, then you must be inferior. And it's evident that you are. You are weaker. You are imperfect. You are lesser. You know less. Your power is lesser. You are still a mere unicorn. That is why you have come to me. Because you are less than me, and I am more than you. You're the inferior Twilight. The worse Twilight. I am your better. I am a better you. You are a worse me. In fact, as I am the better one, I should be the point of reference. I am. You exist as a reflection of me. An inferior copy. A lesser version. I am the true Twilight. The perfect Twilight. You're a shadow of my magnificence."
That all made sense. Everything made sense in Twilight's mind. She had no thoughts, only Princess Twilight's words. And Princess Twilight was wise and perfect, and her words made perfect sense in kind. She was the true Twilight. The perfect Twilight. The point of reference. Twilight was inferior. Twilight was there because she was lesser. It was so. It was undeniably so. Twilight was inferior, and Princess Twilight was superior. Twilight was a lesser Twilight. Twilight was a worse Twilight. Princess Twilight was the true, main Twilight. Twilight was a lesser reflection, an inferior copy. It was all correct. All perfect in its truth. All clear in Twilight's mind.
"So, then, this is the order of things." Princess Twilight's grin was practically splitting her face. "I am the superior Twilight. You are the inferior one. It stands to reason, then, that we should follow this order. We should abide by it. It wouldn't be wise not to. It wouldn't make sense. What does make sense if for you, and I, to play by the rules we both recognise. What makes sense is for us to take the roles we have acknowledged as belonging to us. I as the superior Twilight, and you as the inferior one. I as the main Twilight, and you as the shadow. I as the better Twilight, and you as the worse one. It stands to reason, then, that we should act in accordance to these roles and this truth.
"It stands to reason, then, that I should be in control, and you should be beneath me. I should be in charge, and you should follow. I should think, and you should obey. It's only logical. I am the better you. I speak, and you listen. I choose, and you agree. I rule, and you bow to me. And bow you should. Kneel. Submit. Writhe beneath me." Princess Twilight was panting, and she couldn't hold herself back any longer. "You should be mine. You should be underneath me. You are inferior. I am your better. You should crawl. You should exist for me. Below me. For me. Obey. Worship me. Worship me as your better!" She practically screamed the last few words.
Twilight hesitated again. Most of it made sense. Yet something rubbed her wrong. But what was it? She couldn't think. Her head was full of Princess Twilight's voice. Telling her truths. Telling her what to do, and how to act. Commanding her. Ordering her. Saying she should kneel, and worship, and obey. Twilight hesitated. She tried to retrace her thoughts. It was all confusing. She was the inferior Twilight. Princess Twilight was superior. She was the perfect student, and Princess Twilight the perfect teacher. She had to listen to Princess Twilight. Be blank. She had to... obey? Worship? Writhe and crawl in submission? It was hard to think. Something was wrong. What was wrong? Why couldn't she think?
Just focus. Focus on the words. Focus on the voice. But the words seemed wrong. How could the words be wrong? Princess Twilight couldn't be wrong. She was the better Twilight. She was the superior Twilight. Twilight was inferior. She had to listen. She had to... crawl? Writhe? Submit? Why did it feel wrong? She was there to learn. What was she learning? Princess Twilight's voice was in her mind. Teaching her. She was meant to learn from it. To accept its truth. Was writhing learning? Was submission her duty as a student? She was inferior. Princess Twilight was superior. Was she supposed to worship her?
Twilight was so confused. She didn't know what to do. Princess Twilight gritted her teeth. Stupid. Stupid, inferior, worthless unicorn. No matter. She just had to be a bit more forceful. That wasn't a problem. She had power. She had all the power she wanted. She just had to use it. And use it she did. Magic poured out of her and towards the human Twilight's mind. Magic like a flood, reshaping thoughts, bending will, forcing the lesser, inferior Twilight to see things as they were. Forcing her to understand. Princess Twilight didn't care about subtlety anymore. All she cared about was control. All she cared about was setting things in the right place.
A flare of light went off in Twilight's mind. All at once it was as if all her worries were evaporating. It was like a tide sweeping away everything else and bringing in a new truth. A new booming, searing, deafening knowledge. A series of commands that were inescapable. A weight like lead around her mind chaining her and directing her. Ordering her to submit. Demanding that she worship her better. Commanding her into her new role. Forcing her to comply. Rewriting her very essence, the core of her being. Hammering away at her doubts and insecurity and planting new, inescapable dogmas into her core.
Twilight was inferior. Twilight had to obey. Twilight had to submit to and worship her better. Princess Twilight was better, worthy of adoration and submission. Twilight had to crawl beneath her in worship. Twilight had to kneel. Twilight had to listen, and not think. Twilight didn't need to think. Twilight only needed to obey and follow and let herself be reshaped by Princess Twilight's power. It was perfect. It was exactly as things were meant to be. Twilight would submit to the Princess, mind and body, without resistance. There was no resistance. No point in resisting. There was only complete and utter submission to someone who was better than her in every way.
Princess Twilight's grin broke into a cackle. Yes. She could feel the inferior Twilight's mind in her grasp. She was hers. All hers. Her plaything. Hers to do whatever she wanted with. Hers to mould and shape. Hers to use. Hers to abuse. Hers to command and control. She kept laughing. Oh, how sweet victory tasted. It had been so easy, too. The worthless, pathetic unicorn had never stood a chance. But now she would serve a purpose. Now she would become good for something at last. Princess Twilight just couldn't wait to get to enjoy the fruits of her efforts.
She rose from her throne, and spoke. "Come with me. There are better uses for you than learning, and wasting my time teaching you. You should be the one entertaining me, and not the other way around." She descended from the raised platform, stepped over Twilight's notebook, and headed farther into the library.
Twilight followed along. It was good to follow. It was her purpose, it was her role. She liked fulfilling her role. She loved obeying, as her Mistress had commanded of her. She loved the idea of receiving a better purpose compared to what she'd planned. Of course, her own plans were silly and stupid. She shouldn't be allowed to think, to decide, to act according to her own wants. Princess Twilight's wants and decisions were far more important, and it was only right to obey her instead. "Yes, my Princess." She walked obediently like trained a dog would.
Princess Twilight led her other self down dark aisles full of books, into a twisted path that, if the unicorn had possessed the presence of mind to think about it, didn't look like it had been there the day before, ending at something that definitely felt out of place in a library. Not to Twilight, though. To her, everything was perfect so long as it was in accordance to the Princess's will, and so she didn't question the presence of a bed in the middle of another clearing, slightly better lit than the path they had taken to get there.
Princess Twilight climbed gracefully onto the bed. She sat on it, lying down supine but keeping her head raised to look at what was before her. In the light her clearly darker coat was more noticeable, contrasted with the other Twilight's lighter one. Her eyes were tiny, crazed beads in pools of glowing light-blue. She spread her legs wide, giving Twilight a full display of her bare, damp genitals. "Pleasure me," she commanded.
Twilight hesitated again for a moment. But only for a moment. Then the tug of the Princess's magic on her mind pulled her away from any thoughts of denial or hesitation. Her Princess had issued a command. She, as the inferior one, was meant to follow it. She was meant to obey without question or complaint. Just like a slave. Yes. She was enslaved by Princess Twilight, and that was good. Princess Twilight was superior, and it was proper of her to fully control the inferior Twilight in such a way. Twilight took a few steps forward, licking her lips.
She had never done anything of the sort, but that would not stop her. She understood what she had to do. Moreover, Princess Twilight would guide her in her task. She merely had to follow. She merely had to listen and obey, something she was more than good at. Something she was perfect at. It was what she existed for, after all. Obedient and ready to follow orders to the letter, ready to do exactly what was asked of her. She walked closer to Princess Twilight, and leaned forward, preparing herself.
The first few licks came hesitant, though not out of a lack of eagerness on Twilight's part. Merely out of a lack experience, leading her to carefully measure things out. She was not yet sure how to best please her Mistress, but she knew it would all make sense to her in time. She tried licking the outside of Princess Twilight's pussy, and then she dove for the middle. There, a spark of approval into her mind. She redoubled her efforts. Soon she was going at it quickly, following the signals the alicorn sent directly into her mind.
The sounds of Twilight's licks on Princess Twilight's pussy filled the room, echoing off the tall ceiling in the otherwise silent library. They were wet, inconstant, occasionally accompanied by little moans from Princess Twilight or, more often, by the even wetter sounds of Twilight's own mouth. Occasionally she would kiss at the pussy before her too, but never would she bury her muzzle too forward, feeling that that wasn't what had been asked of her. Princess Twilight didn't seem to mind, and she appeared to be enjoying the treatment she was receiving well enough to let it continue uninterrupted still.
Soon the smell of female arousal was spreading into the room, as Princess Twilight inevitably leaked wetness down her thighs and onto Twilight's muzzle. Twilight dutifully licked it up, and did not protest as she did so. She did not protest at all all through the process of pleasuring her Mistress. There was something mechanical about her movements, a bit doll-like and artificial. Like she wasn't fully thinking about her actions or acting naturally. But that was okay. Twilight didn't need to think. She only needed to obey. She only needed to do what Princess Twilight asked, and Princess Twilight had asked her to please her sex. Twilight just had to obey. Twilight just had to act.
Little by little, Twilight's ministrations worked Princess Twilight closer to a climax. It was not evident, but still visible in the way the Princess's body would give little jerks and spasms of pleasure, and in the tiny moans that sometimes escaped her lips at an increasing frequency. Twilight kept at pleasuring her, mechanical in her motions and obedient in her consistency. Obedience was what moved her, even more so than the goal of her actions, though on some level she did understand that what she was doing was meant to pleasure Princess Twilight and ultimately make her cum.
Aided perhaps by Twilight's growing confidence and experience, or perhaps merely, mentally, by the knowledge that she was forcing her to act so and controlling her every action, Princess Twilight eventually did cum. Her legs tensed and her thighs pressed around Twilight's head, her back arched, her clit winked, and her nethers quivered as she shot out a small jet of arousal over the unicorn's face. Twilight kept dutifully lapping at her pussy like she'd been instructed to, and that only heightened and prolonged Princess Twilight's orgasm.
Finally, after a few more moments of her cumming, Princess Twilight regained herself enough to address Twilight once more. "Stop now," she asked, and Twilight did. Princess Twilight panted, straightening herself up onto the bed. She reached with her magic to touch at the side of Twilight's face, almost possessively so, with little affection mixed in. "You've been a good student," she commented. "A good pet." Twilight straightened at that, strange pride flowing into her. Princess Twilight smiled, as her magic left Twilight's face. "In fact, you should tell me what you are. Tell me all you are and what you think, slave."
Twilight spoke. "I do not think, my Mistress. I merely act. I act as you demand of me, and there's little else I need to do. I am a vessel for your will, and I exist for you to control and command. My mind is empty, blank and hollow, ready for you to fill it as you most please. I am a toy in your possession. A tool. An extension of your will. I exist to satisfy your desires. I am the inferior you, bound to you by rightful nature, and I obey you unquestioningly. My life is in service of your own. My mind and my body are entirely yours, to do whatever you want with. I am your property above all else. I have no rights of my own, no will, and no freedom. I am merely yours."
Princess Twilight moaned at that. "That's right. That's a good slave." She leaned forward and hit the side of Twilight's face with her hoof. Twilight flinched, but resumed her position. "You know your place well, my toy." Princess Twilight stood. "Now come. It's time I bring you to your new place, and show you your new role." She began to walk again.
Twilight followed. Together they traced their steps back through the dark library, past the clearing with the raised platform and Princess Twilight's seat, and back to the door which Princess Twilight opened with a wave of her horn. She led the way out still, towards a different room in the castle. As they moved, though, they were interrupted by Spike. He came into view past a corner, a carefree smile on his face. "Oh, hey Twi!" Then he paused for a moment, tilting his head. "Did you do something to your mane? You look different." He looked between the two Twilights. "Is everything okay?"
Princess Twilight, having no time she wanted to waste on him and more than a little annoyed at the interruption, tossed out another colourful swirling spell. That would keep his attention long enough for her to attend to the business she was looking forward to. She'd get back to him later. She walked past him, a smug smile on her face. Twilight followed behind, eyes glued onto Princess Twilight's back, apparently not even noticing Spike was there. So the dragon was left in the corridor for the time being, staring dumbly at the swirling spell of pretty colours as he felt his thoughts draining out of his mind.
Princess Twilight and Twilight reached the room with the Cutie Map, which also housed Princess Twilight's throne. "Wait here," Princess Twilight said once they had crossed the entrance. Then, alone, she stepped forward. Once she reached the table, with its projected image of Equestria, she climbed on top of it and stepped all over the country, a strut to her legs' movements. She looked at her own throne, then at the other ones around the table, and she sneered. Her horn lit. Her own throne grew larger, more decorated, and most importantly taller, soon towering over the remaining ones, with steps leading up to the seat. "Much better," Princess Twilight commented. "But not perfect yet." She turned back towards the entrance. "Come," she commanded Twilight.
Twilight obeyed, instantly and without question. She walked the length of the room, but she paused once she reached the table. She did not step hoof on it. That was her Mistress's prerogative. Instead she walked around it, eyes always firmly planted on Princess Twilight, until she was standing at the foot of her new throne. She bowed low in submission, and waited for a new command from her Mistress to know what she had to do.
Princess Twilight smiled. "You have been a good slave. You have earned the privilege of pleasuring me, and you have done so well. Now it's time for you to take your proper place, once and for all." She looked to the throne. "Now you shall be beneath me. As you are by all means inferior, and below me, in power and in mind and in all ways, so too you shall physically be beneath your better. I am superior, and I shall be on top of you, and you shall worship me as you writhe beneath my body." She nodded forward. "Go now, and take your place upon my throne as my new seat."
Twilight shivered. It was hard to tell if it was hesitation at the depravity of the command, or pleasure at the utter degradation and submission it entailed. Either way, a moment later she moved. She slowly climbed the steps of the throne, and once atop them she laid herself over it. She lay with her hind legs up over the back and her face looking at the ceiling from the seat. There she adjusted her position slightly, so she could hold it, and then she waited.
Princess Twilight looked her over once, and found her position adequate. She too climbed up the steps of her large throne, slowly and deliberately. Finally, at the top of them, she turned and slowly lowered herself until she was sitting over Twilight's face. She shifted a little in place, pressing down on her, and listened to her muffled sounds. "Very well." She looked down over Equestria's image on the table, up from her throne, and shifted her hips again to feel Twilight beneath and between them. She sighed contently. "Perfect. Now, you may pleasure me again, slave."
Twilight immediately began to lick at Princess Twilight's sex, muffled squeals escaping her as she struggled to breathe beneath the alicorn's body. Still she did not cease her efforts, or hesitate for even a moment. She had a duty to follow, and follow it she would, no matter what. Her tongue was still inexperienced, but she had devotion to spare, her mind utterly enthralled by Princess Twilight and conditioned to believe it was right for her to submit, completely and utterly. Princess Twilight was pretty sure, at that point, that telling Twilight the truth about her condition as a mind-controlled thrall would have only earned her approval, so far gone the unicorn was into the spiral of submission.
So she figured she would do just that. "You know, pet, your thoughts are not your own." Princess Twilight moved her posterior once more, digging into Twilight's body below her as much as she could and almost trying to suffocate her, though not quite. "I implanted them there," she continued. "I made you believe I am superior, and you're inferior. I made you obedient like you are now. I made you think you must obey me, and you deserve anything I decide to do to you. What do you think of that?" She lifted her legs a little to allow Twilight to speak.
"Thank you." Twilight's voice sounded genuine, sincere, and filled with adoration. "Thank you for making me see the truth, my Princess, my Mistress. Thank you for removing the ugly lies that filled my brain and giving me guidance, and ensuring I would never stray from the right path. Thank you for unveiling the truth and carving it into my mind, thank you so much. Thank you for this gift. Thank you for allowing me to serve you and pleasure you, and thank you for making sure i saw things as they are. Thank you for the revelation of my inferiority, and for showing me your superiority. Thank you for-" The rest was cut off into a series of muffled sounds, as Princess Twilight lowered herself onto Twilight once again.
Princess Twilight purred in delight as Twilight talked into her pussy. Then, with a chuckle, she spoke again. "Go back to pleasuring me, idiot. I don't need to hear more of your ugly voice for now." Below her, Twilight obediently did as she was told. Princess Twilight laughed. Yes, the other Twilight's voice was ugly. Kind of like her own, but a disgusting mockery of it. The same way her weak unicorn body was a mockery of the Princess's powerful, majestic alicorn form. Twilight's mouth was truly much better suited for tasks other than talking.
Princess Twilight ground her hips down onto Twilight's face one more time, and enjoyed the sensation of the mare's tongue writhing within her and around her nethers. She was leaking, drenching Twilight's face in her juices and soon matting her mane too with them. The smell of her arousal was filling the room, just as the sounds of Twilight's worshipful submission were filling the silence. Princess Twilight liked both of them a great deal. Her own smell was pleasant, and perfect, as was anything that came from her. The sounds were wonderful to her ears, and she loved listening to them. Finally she was properly at peace, no longer bothered by the old monotony of her life. She was happy. She was in control.
Twilight had never stood a chance. The weak, pathetic, worthless unicorn who dared share her name and make a mockery of her appearance was always destined to fail. Yet maybe, after all, Princess Twilight should have thanked her. It was thanks to her, after all, that she had realised what she needed to do. She had shown her the way forward, by coming there and displaying how wrong things really were. How the inferior one was happy, and the superior one was stuck being unhappy. Princess Twilight had fixed all that with her power, but the lesser Twilight had still been the catalyst for it.
But she was still inferior, and not worthy of the happiness that was her Mistress's instead. That she was allowed not just to look onto and talk to but to touch and even pleasure her better self was a reward enough already, and one she was rightfully thankful for. There was no need or reason to worry about further givings to her. She was in her deserved place, and happy with it. All was right in the world at that.
Princess Twilight frowned, as she looked to the thrones around the Map again. Maybe not everything was right yet. But that didn't matter. She had power. Her smile returned to her face. She could fix things. And fix them she would.
The smell of sex filled the room, thick and heavy, and the sounds of loud moans echoed off the walls and off the roots that decorated the ceiling, now filled with images of Princess Twilight herself. Her new self, to be more precise. She quite liked her new appearance if she was to be honest. She thought it was just perfect, and a great representation of her power and magnificence. She'd had a few more mirrors installed around the castle and even in that very room, so she could look over herself as much as she wanted. She had little to do in her days, so it was well and good that she got to indulge in things that she enjoyed when she wasn't taking care of some business truly important enough to require her attention. Which was most of the time, as very little was actually worth her time those days.
Hence why she was looking herself over in the mirror right that very moment. She had it propped up next to the Cutie Map, and she was admiring herself in it as she lazily lounged over the projected image of Equestria. Her country. The country she controlled. The country she ruled over. She slowly spread her legs and ground her body against the table, still looking over herself. Her deep dark purple coat. Her long, dark purple mane, standing up like a flame over her head. Her glowing light-blue eyes with her shrunken purple irises within them. Her great wings with darker purple edges in the outer set of her feathers. Her long horn, a line of light-blue spiralling around its length. The flaming quasi-goggles around her eyes. The beautiful, intricate crown above her head. She was just perfect. The most perfect pony there was. And it only made sense for a pony as perfect as her to have what she had. She looked around, a crazed smile plastered on her face.
Hers was now the only throne in the room. It had grown taller, and even more elaborate, since she'd placed the worthless, inferior Twilight on it. The backrest was now wider and more decorated, it had more steps leading up to it, and all around it looked more imposing. The lesser Twilight was still on top of it, as a set of cushions for her when she chose to sit there. She was lying there, her face turned up to the ceiling, her mouth open and her tongue writhing back and forth as if her Princess was still on top of her. Her eyes were glassy and empty, just like the mind behind them at that point. She was obeying, fully and without thought.
But the lesser Twilight wasn't the only other creature in the room anymore, oh no. There were others now, all obviously inferior to Twilight, starting to the side of her own massive throne. She'd had to expand the base so much that Spike's old little seat had needed to be removed, and so he was on the steps now. His eyes were hollow and he had a dumb expression on his face as he knelt worshipfully towards Princess Twilight, completely enthralled by her. She knew he was grateful for the massive honour of being allowed to sit upon the steps to her throne, which was a privilege in and of itself.
Next she looked around, at what had once been the thrones of her friends. They had been lowered, and their backs removed, but they were still occupied. Occupied by those who had been her friends, once. Now they were something else. Her slaves. They were all inferior to her, after all. She was the Princess, first among her friends, and as she'd realised it was only right and proper for her to rule over those she was better than. And while they were all Element Bearers, and certainly better than regular ponies, they were still utterly inferior to her. So it was only right for her to have them as she did, and already the privilege of getting to gaze on her was enough for them.
They did have the ability to look to her, from their new positions. Face down, ass up, all five of her fellow Element Bearers were atop the stumps that had been their thrones, looking to Princess Twilight with utter adoration in their eyes. She had shown the truth to all of them. She had reshaped their minds so they would all see just how perfect and deserving of adoration she truly was. Occasionally she even allowed them to please her, but most of the time she merely kept them there, adoring her with their gazes. Their open mouths were drooling out onto the floor and moaning lewdly. That was thanks to the enchanted dildos penetrating each and every one of their pussies. Occasionally, Princess Twilight had them chanting their worship to her, when she felt like it.
She had other plans that day, however. She rolled over on top of the Cutie Map, and moved to the end of the table opposite her throne. There she stepped over the last two ponies in the room, who unlike the Bearers were not allowed to look at her. Trixie and Starlight, both obviously under her spell too, were on the floor before the table, with their mouths buried in each other's cunts, licking at each other. Starlight on top, and Trixie on the floor. Twilight was a merciful Princess, after all, and she allowed her lessers some pleasure. She still stepped down hard on their bodies as she walked off the table. That just made them moan like the good, obedient slaves they were.
Strutting her steps, Princess Twilight headed down the corridors of her palace and towards the library. She hadn't been there in a while, not since she'd had to look up a couple of spells after putting the worse Twilight in her place, but today was a special day. Twilight wasn't the only one who had crossed the mirror after all, and Princess Twilight was quite looking forward to seeing Sunset again. She still took her time getting to the library though. Mostly because she stopped at every mirror along the way, to admire her perfect form in the reflection. How beautiful she was. How magnificent. The perfect Princess.
When she reached the library, its doors locked, she noticed banging on the other side. She smiled at that. "Sunset?" she called out in a sweet tone. "Is that you?"
"Twilight?" Sunset answered back from behind the closed doors. "I'm so glad you're okay. Whichever Twilight you are. Could you help me? There's something wrong here. I can't use my magic and the door is locked, and the whole place is dark."
"Of course, Sunset." Princess Twilight grinned. It was fun to pretend she was still her old, innocent, stupid self. And Sunset was buying it! What a fool. "There was an accident, but it's nothing to worry about. I have everything under control now. Let me open the door for you." She reached out with her magic, and the doors unlocked.
Sunset stepped through. "Thank goodness! I was getting worried in there, I thought..." Her words died in her throat as she saw Princess Twilight's appearance.
Princess Twilight grinned at her, but didn't leave her any time to react. She dove forward and forced a kiss on Sunset's lips, invading her mouth with her tongue and pinning Sunset's down. At the same time, her eyes shone brighter, alongside the circles of light around them. She pulled back, a strand of saliva between her muzzle and Sunset's, and grinned.
Sunset was clearly trying to move or look away, her body quivering with effort, but she couldn't help keeping her eyes glued onto Twilight's instead. Sweat rolled down her forehead. She tried to use her magic, but found she still couldn't.
Princess Twilight grinned maliciously. "Silly Sunset. I bet you have all sorts of wrong thoughts in that pretty head of yours." She advanced on Sunset like a predator. Her eyes grew brighter still. "Don't worry. I'm going to take care of that."
