The Twilight Prince: Omakes

Twilight Sparkle panted as he hid behind the boulder as the enemy bombarded it with storm cannons. He looked down to his flank, to the ugly black splotch where his Mark should be; never had he felt so powerless, severed from his Mantle, without his Magic.

"COME OUT AND MEET YOUR DEATH, PONIES!"

He looked to the mare besides him, "I don't know what to do." he said in despair.

High Lady Twilight Velvet the Mad, Duchess of Twilight smiled grimly, "I do."

"What?" Sparkle looked at his mother, the mare he hated more than any other, confused at her uncharacteristic lucidity.

"I'll hold them off while you escape."

"But mother you're not ..."

"I'm not powerful enough, aye, but there are ways of solving that problem ... for a time."

"Mother, those cripple ponies."

"Only if done in half-measures." The mare gave a crooked smile.

"Mother ..." Sparkle replied in shock.

"The thing about being mortal is that death comes for us all. Some sooner than others."

Sparkle's eyes widened, "You're di ..."

"Have you ever seen the inside of a cancer hospice, my son? I have ... once, I refuse to ever go back, to rot like that."

"I ..."

"The thing about wrestling with your own mortality is that you suddenly have so many regrets. I'm sorry, my son, I was not a good pony, I was a worse duchess and an even worse mother.

"Mother, you don't have to do this."

"No, I do." Velvet said, lighting her horn, "Now GO, your wives need you, Equestria needs you, House Twilight needs you."

Sparkle felt his mother cast a spell to channel the infinite power of the Thaumic Plane, and saw her ley lines begin to glow - through skin and fur - as her horn begin to burn. The mare before him was already dead, sustained but by Power and Will.

Velvet stepped out from behind the rock, "GO!"

Prince Twilight Sparkle went.