Author's Note

As some of you already know, this was originally supposed to be a longer chapter that would slowly bring the story to a close. I have decided to split this chapter into three parts. (Spike, Friends and Celestia) One part will be published today, one tomorrow and one the day after tomorrow. Hope you enjoy what I have in store for you.
Don't forget to let me know your opinions and thoughts in the comments (only if you want to, of course). Ok, see you tomorrow then.

Spike

“Twilight!”

I froze. The sound of my name pierced me like a dagger, halting my steps in their tracks. Slowly, I turned, the knife still suspended in my magic, scanning the street for the source of the cry. And there he was. Spike. Standing in the middle of the road, trembling, eyes wide as if he were staring at a monster—a monster I couldn’t see.

“Twilight…what…what are you doing?” His voice shook, each word heavy with terrible apprehension, as if he didn’t want to know the answer. His gaze met mine, filled with confusion, searching for…for something I couldn’t name. But then he flinched, as though startled.

A strange feeling gripped me, an unexpected need to protect him. I ran toward him, my steps heavy, as though I were wading through thick fog wrapping around my legs, trying to hold me back. Just a few steps away from him, I stopped and looked down.

“Spike…” My voice sounded so strange, so foreign. Was that really me speaking? “What are you doing here?” I swallowed, trying to calm the sound of my voice. “Why aren’t you still resting in the library?”

He trembled even more and took a tiny step back. A bitter feeling rose within me, and I couldn’t quite identify it. Anger? Sadness? Concern? “I…I’m worried about you,” I muttered at last, my voice tighter than I’d intended.

Spike stood still, staring at me with a mixture of fear and confusion. “I…I woke up to screams. Somewhere outside, on the street.” His voice was unsure, as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was saying. “The library…was in flames, with thick smoke rising above the roof. I…I ran out to get help, but…all around, ponies were panicking.”

He paused, his eyes flickering to something I couldn’t see. “I ran through the streets looking for you,” he continued. “There were burning houses everywhere. I saw ponies, Twilight. Dead ponies…burned ponies…others just lying there.”

He stopped, as though he needed a moment to process what he’d seen. His gaze fell on the knife, still hovering beside me, stained with blood.

“Then…” He swallowed, taking a shaky breath. “Then I heard Apple Bloom’s scream. I ran toward it, and…and that’s when I found you here, with that…that eerie glow around your horn and this knife beside you.”

His voice faded, and he simply stood there, unable to tear his gaze away from me. A heavy silence settled between us, broken only by the faint crackle of flames flickering around us. Shadows danced over Spike’s terrified face as his words echoed in my head.

And then, suddenly, a giggle escaped me. It started as a small, controlled giggle, but it soon grew louder and deeper until it became a wild, guttural laugh. A sharp pain twisted through my chest, and I clutched a hoof to my stomach as I doubled over with laughter.

After a while, I calmed down, the laughter fading, and I straightened up. A wide grin spread across my face as I looked at Spike, who appeared even stiffer and paler than before.

“Phew, Spike,” I said, wiping the last tears of laughter from my eyes. “You really gave me a scare! And here I was, foolish enough to think something terrible had happened, that you were in danger.”

Spike blinked a few times, seemingly unsure what to say. Perhaps he hadn’t expected me to take his little joke so well. Silence fell over us once again, but this time it was a pleasant stillness.

Eventually, Spike broke it. His voice didn’t match the relaxed mood I was feeling. “Twilight…this isn’t you.” His words were shaky, but there was a touch of determination in his gaze. “The Twilight I know…couldn’t hurt a fly.”

I raised my eyebrows, a bitter smile playing on my face. “Oh, really?” My voice was sharp and mocking, almost scornful. “So now you know better than I do who I am, huh?”

He swallowed, tears forming in his eyes, but he took a step toward me as though he wanted to remind me of the Twilight he thought he knew so well. “The Twilight I know is a good pony,” he began, his voice soft but full of conviction. “Yes, sometimes she’s a bit grumpy or cynical, but she has a big heart and only wants what’s best for everypony. The Twilight I know loves reading, learning, and experimenting. She stays up late just to finish a new book or complete an experiment, and she loves watching the stars on clear nights.”

He paused, his voice trembling slightly, but he pressed on. “She’s always a little nervous and tense and takes everything way too seriously. She loves pancakes and sandwiches, and sometimes, when she thinks I don’t notice, she reads romance novels in secret. She loves giving lectures and sharing her knowledge—even when nopony asks her to.” A faint smile crossed his face, quickly overshadowed by worry.

“The Twilight I know is always there when you need her. She protects me…comforts me when I’m scared.” His voice almost broke, but he held on. “The Twilight I know isn’t a monster.”

I recoiled. My legs felt heavy, and my magic wavered. His words sent fleeting, sharp pains shooting through my head. I clutched my temples, pressing my cold hooves against my head, feeling salty tears burn in my eyes. A part of me, hidden deep within, wanted to believe, for just a moment, that what he was saying was true. But the thought dissolved as soon as it took shape, like a mirage that vanishes when you get too close.

I shook my head, feeling the familiar bitterness spread in my chest, pushing back the throbbing pain in my head. “The Twilight you describe…” My voice trembled, but I forced it back to cold sharpness. “The Twilight you describe was naïve, Spike! She trusted all those ponies, believed they meant well. She was blind to their intentions. But I’m not blind anymore.” I could feel my magic growing stronger again.

Spike looked at me, the pain in his eyes deepening. “Twilight, these ponies are your friends…they only wanted to help you.”

A cold, scornful laugh escaped me, sharp and bitter like a poison clawing at my throat. “Friends?” The word felt like a cruel joke, a vile label forced upon me. “Spike, they’ve ruined my life. They tore me away from everything that ever mattered to me. Made me believe I mattered to them. That this was my destiny. They took everything from me and called it friendship?”

My eyes burned as I looked into Spike’s horrified face, yet it was as if I could see right through him. “Because of them, I’m a failure…a disappointment. Not good enough for anyone, least of all Celestia. They pretended to be my friends but only saw a tool. Nothing but a puppet to use and discard once my purpose was served…it’s all because of them.”

Spike’s lips quivered, and I heard his ragged breathing, but the words poured from me like an unstoppable flood. “Do you really think they care about me? Do you think this is real?” My voice sounded hoarse, trembling with rage. “They took only what suited them. They destroyed everything, Spike, and called it friendship.”

The words made my own inner emptiness swell, that bitter realization churning within me. “What I’m doing is only fair. They should see what it feels like to have their dreams torn away, to feel as if nothing makes sense anymore…when the closest ones turn out to be liars who only used them, played them. I want their own doubts and self-hatred to eat away at them until there’s nothing left.”

Spike’s eyes filled with tears. Without hesitation, he stretched out his small arms and wrapped them tightly around me, his hug warm and trembling. But I barely felt it. The anger had burned everything else away.

“I’ll show them what betrayal feels like.” My voice was now almost toneless, barely more than a whispered echo. “And when they finally understand what they did to me…when they look in the mirror and no longer recognize themselves…when only hatred and fear remain—then it’ll be too late. Only a monster will be left.”

It took a while for me to regain control of my heartbeat. My breathing was still ragged when Spike finally let go of his hug and looked at me, straight into my eyes. “Twilight…I didn’t know you were in so much pain.” His voice was soft and quivering. “No one should do this to you.” His gaze was heavy on me, as if he could see all the suffering inside me that even I barely understood. “But this…this isn’t the right way.”

“The right way?” The words came sharp and bitter from my lips, and my gaze hardened. “What else am I supposed to do, Spike?” A strange pain accompanied my words, a piercing feeling deep inside. “Can’t you see that I’m the victim here? You’re the only one I trust, and even you doubt me?”

The words stung, and I hated myself for the pain hidden within them—for the small part of me that could still feel anything other than anger.

Spike shook his head firmly, tears streaming down his cheeks. But he stayed put, firm and unwavering, and the fear in his eyes mixed with something that almost made me want to falter. “I understand, Twilight…I just want to help you.”

A cold, dark smile spread across my face, and I lowered my voice to a soft, almost pleading whisper. “Then stay with me, Spike. Don’t make me go through this alone.” I looked to the side, letting my head drop, and whispered so quietly that only the darkness could hear. “If you’re truly on my side…don’t abandon me.”

After a long moment of silence, I felt Spike slowly climb onto my back, his small claws hesitantly but firmly clutching my mane. His breathing was shallow and uncertain, and I could feel the desperation in every one of his movements. But it was enough. Step by step, I continued my path through the smoldering ruins of the town, with Spike by my side.

As I trotted through the smoky ruins of the town, I hummed that same cheerful melody that always played in my head. A small smile formed on my muzzle, and an unexpected warmth filled me. At least I had Spike with me. I wasn’t alone.

My gaze shifted to the side as I passed a small puddle of water. The water was dirty, slightly murky, and full of ash, yet it reflected the image clearly enough. Curious, I paused, leaned forward, and stared into the puddle, studying my own reflection.

A face stared back at me from the depths, and for a moment, I held my breath. My face twisted in horror as I recognized the figure staring back at me. My mane stood out in wild, tangled strands, chaotic and unruly, while my eyes, framed by dark circles, glinted like tiny needles. My coat was matted and stained, smeared with ash and dried blood.

My reflection grinned at me, and I couldn’t help but grin back. It grew wider, as if inviting itself to spread fully across my face, and finally transformed into a smile. Contentedly, I exhaled, feeling a dark, strange pleasure fill my chest. Yes…that was me.

Slowly, I straightened up and let my gaze sweep over the debris around me. The remains of Ponyville lay before me like a stage set. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement.

A pale blue pegasus quietly landed, her wings drooping and trembling as she touched down in a narrow alley between the half-destroyed houses. The colors of her mane seemed muted in the ashy light, and her movements were hurried and unsure, as though she wanted to remain unnoticed—or simply flee.

A fleeting smile played on my lips. Rainbow Dash.

I felt my heart beat faster again, this time not from fear or confusion but from a strange mix of anticipation and satisfaction. Slowly, I placed one hoof in front of the other, my grin unwavering as I headed toward the alley.