The sun was just coming up through the window of her room, Twilight Sparkle started stretching herself awake to shake off the sleepiness still lingering on. She didn't like that part where you would be awake and couldn't do anything because of how groggy she was, but she wasn't going to dwell on it today. After all, who knows if today was even going to happen again. That had happened, it had happened quite often actually. So instead, she decided to go ahead and get up, so she could go ahead and do what needed to be done.

First, she opened the curtains so that the light came into the room, and she could see the weather outside. She saw the clear sky, which was a relief after the last few days of rain that made everything seem gloomy. Without weather ponies to manage it anymore, she still wasn't used to such unpredictability. At least she could count on something nowadays. She trotted to her wardrobe to grab her saddlebags, and as she opened the door she saw her name on it. Even that was good to see. Her name, at least on one thing in this world could remain hers. But she shook the thought off. It was a silly thing to think about, and if she was being honest, she probably wouldn't have noticed it at all if it weren't for the fact that everything around here seemed so foreign. She quickly got ready, not really caring if there were any rules or restrictions about what she was supposed to do or not. Then she took a moment to look in the mirror to make sure everything looked alright.

It didn't take her long to realize that her mane was a little disheveled, so she brushed it out. The whole process of getting ready took ten minutes, and she knew it wouldn't do much. That wasn't even the most annoying part about the situation, though. It was the fact that she would never get her mane back. Her mane, had been cut short, and there was nothing that she could do to change it, or at least there used to be.

But Twilight decided to shake that off too. After all, who cared about her mane if she could be alive to see another day? At least it wasn't as bad as Fluttershy's situation, since she had to have her mane and tail trimmed much shorter than most, regularly at that. And she decided she should stop thinking about it. She had more important things to think about, like how to get through this day alive.

She trotted out of her room and down the hall. Her hoofsteps echoed on the wooden floors as she made her way to the kitchen, where she found Spike sitting at the table with his back turned towards her. "Hey Spike," she said as she entered. He turned around and smiled at her when he saw her.

"Hey Twilight. Did you sleep okay?" he asked her. She shrugged.

"It was alright I guess." She walked over to the counter to get some oats for her and him to eat. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Spike sighed. "The same as every day. Go to the market, buy supplies, come back here and make lunch."

Twilight nodded as she filled their bowls, adding hay to her own portion of oats. She sat down across from the young dragon and started eating, and they ate in silence. After about ten minutes, both of their bowls were empty, and Spike pushed himself away from the table and got up. "Well, I guess I should get going then." Twilight nodded, and watched as he walked back to his room, probably to go get something before he heads out into the market. The sound of his claws clicking against the floor was soothing to her, and she let herself relax a little bit.

A couple of minutes later, she rose from her seat and entered the living room. Taking a seat on the couch, the only furniture in the room besides the coffee table, she smiled to herself. It was just the two of them, and she was content. It allowed for more time together, a thought she wouldn't have dared to entertain before. But now, that was all that truly mattered.

She laid her head back against the cushions, and closed her eyes. She didn't feel particularly exhausted, but it felt nice to lay down for a moment, so she did. As soon as her head hit the cushion, she felt herself being pulled down, and the next thing she knew, she was falling through space, her hooves flailing about her as she tried to get her bearings. She looked up and saw the ceiling disappearing above her, and she reached out towards it, hoping that she could catch onto something.

…

With a gasp, she bolted upright, panting heavily. It took a few moments for her breathing to settle. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the dizziness that was affecting her vision. She blinked a few times, and everything finally started coming back into focus. She saw Spike standing at the end of the hall, and she knew that he was staring at her. She stood up on her hooves, and brushed off her coat as best she could.

"I'm fine, Spike. You don't need to worry." He nodded slowly, then turned and walked away from her, towards the front door.

The day trotted on like any other, Twilight spending her time gazing into the enchanted crystal ball, which was full of nothing but propaganda about how great their world was now, and how everypony should be grateful that this new government had taken over. After that, she decided to do some tidying around her home, which wasn't hard considering there wasn't much to clean anymore. Then she spent an hour or two outside in the garden, trotting around and admiring the flowers and the trees. She came inside for lunch, where Spike served her a platter of hay sandwiches and daisy salad.

After that, they went back to their routine. Twilight laid back on the couch, trying to relax. But her thoughts were racing through her head again, wondering how things got this way. It seemed so easy for them to take over, and she didn't understand why no one was fighting back, or why the Princesses didn't step in.

Twilight's gaze drifted to Spike, who was now busying himself with organizing a stack of scrolls on the nearby desk. Each one represented a failed attempt to reach Princess Celestia. She'd sent dozens of messages through Spike over the past few months, hoping for any response, any sign that her mentor was still out there.

But every time, the scrolls just... vanished. No reply ever came.

At first, Twilight had been frantic, sending multiple messages a day. She poured her heart out, describing the situation, begging for help or guidance. As the weeks dragged on with no word, her messages grew shorter, more desperate.

"Princess Celestia, please respond."

"Are you there?"

"We need you."

"I need you."

Eventually, she'd stopped trying altogether.

Twilight's ears drooped as she stared at the scrolls. What had happened? Where was Celestia? Luna? The royal guards? Anypony who could help?

Maybe the magic that allowed Spike to send messages was being blocked somehow. Or perhaps Celestia was in hiding, unable to respond safely.

"Spike," Twilight called softly. The dragon looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "Do you think... do you think we should try again?"

Spike's shoulders slumped. He knew exactly what she meant. "I don't know, Twilight. It's been so long..."

"But what if something's changed?" Twilight pleaded. "What if she's finally able to get a message through?"

Spike shifted uncomfortably. "I... I just don't want to get your hopes up, Twilight."

Twilight sighed, burying her face in her hooves. He was right, of course. She should stop acting like a stupid foal.

"Maybe you're right," she mumbled into her hooves. "It's just... hard, you know? Not knowing anything, not being able to do anything..."

He shuffled closer and nuzzled her gently with his snout. "I know, Twilight. I miss her too." He glanced towards the window. "I think I'm gonna go for a quick walk, clear my head a bit. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Twilight nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She watched as Spike headed out of the front door for what felt like the millionth time.

Twilight sighed and shook her head, deciding to get up and go to her room, where she could spend some time reading a book. She grabbed a random volume off her bookshelf and sat down on her bed, opening it to the first page. It was a story about a young princess who had to save the world from a terrible villain, and she started to read, letting the words and pictures carry her away into another world for a little while. After a few hours passed by, she heard the door open and close downstairs, and she knew that Spike must be home.

She put the book down and walked out of her room, heading towards the kitchen to see if he had any news or not. He was sitting at the table eating oatmeal, so she sat across from him. "Anything happen today?" she asked him, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice.

He shrugged. "Nothing really. Just the usual. I went to the market, picked up supplies, then came home." Twilight nodded slowly.

"That's good," she said quietly. She tried to think of something else to ask him, but nothing came to mind right away, so they sat in silence for a minute before Spike spoke again.

"I did hear somepony talking about how there's going to be a new thing coming soon, though." Twilight sat up a bit straighter, feeling a tiny bit of excitement at this news.

"What kind of new thing?"

"I don't know what it's called, but it apparently makes you better in every way, but also keeps you equal." He paused, then looked at her curiously. "I'm not really sure what that means."

Twilight opened her mouth to answer, as was her academic habit when Spike or anypony else asked her a question, then snapped it shut again as she really thought about what he'd said. It made no sense. If something made you better than some pony else, why would it also make you equal? They were already equal, and now they wanted to be better in every way too? How could something be better if it made everyone the same?

She didn't understand it, and she was starting to get a little frustrated with the situation. It was like the new government was intentionally trying to confuse them all. She decided to push that thought aside for now, though. Maybe she'd figure it out later, or maybe it was just some pony being a fool by not knowing what they were saying.

She shook herself off and got up from the table, walking into the living room and flopping down on the couch. Spike joined her a moment later, sitting down beside her.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?" he asked her.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. "Nothing interesting." They sat there in silence for a few minutes, until Twilight finally decided to ask him the question that had been bugging her. "How much longer do you think this will last, Spike?"

He shrugged again, his usual response. "I don't know, Twi. They never said anything about how long it would be for. Maybe they'll just keep going until we die?"

Twilight shuddered at the thought of having to live like this for the rest of her life. She didn't even know how long she would live under these circumstances. Would she grow old, or would they kill her off if she started to get weak? Or would she just stay the same age forever? She shook her head, deciding that it didn't matter. All that mattered was getting through each day, and that was all she could really focus on right now.

A sudden thought occurred to her, though. If she stayed alive, and the world continued to go on like this, then there wouldn't be any more foals being born. That meant that eventually, all the ponies in the world would die, and then the only thing left would be a bunch of empty buildings and a lot of dead trees.

She decided not to tell Spike about that particular thought, though. He might get too scared, and she didn't want him to worry any more than he already did.

"Maybe they'll get bored and just leave," he said after a while.

Twilight snorted. "Doubtful." Spike didn't reply to that, so she stood up from the cushion and stretched her forelegs out in front of her before trotting towards the kitchen area.

"Spike, I'm gonna make some tea," she said, walking over to the counter where the teapot was. "Do you want any?" She looked back at him, but he was already walking into his room.

"Nah, I'm good," he called out, shutting the door behind him. Twilight rolled her eyes. Typical. He never wanted to talk anymore. But then again, she didn't really feel like talking either. All she wanted was to drink her tea in peace.

She made herself a cup, and put it on a saucer before carrying it to her room and sitting down at the desk there. She opened her journal to the most recent page and began to write.

Dear Journal,

Today is the 5th month under our new government. It seems as though nothing has changed since last month, or even since last week for that matter. Everyday is the same. Wake up, eat breakfast, have dinner, go to sleep. Wash, rinse, repeat. Sometimes I forget what we ever did before all this started.

I know it sounds stupid, but sometimes I miss those days when I had to study and work hard just to be considered smart enough to talk to a pony without them thinking I was going to explode their brain or something. Now all I do is sit around and try to figure out what my new role in life is supposed to be now that everypony's equal. I guess I should just be grateful that I'm alive to even think about things like this.

But at least I get to spend time with Spike more now. We're always together, and even if it isn't much to look at, I still appreciate having him around. It's nice to have someone who understands what it's like to be stuck in a place like this with no real way to escape, except through sleep. I love sleeping.

I wish I could just sleep forever and not have to worry about anything else, but then again, maybe I wouldn't want to give up all of the good moments I've had with my friends, either. So I guess I'll just keep on living, one day at a time. But please, journal, keep me sane through all of this crap.

Yours truly,
Twilight Sparkle

Twilight shut her journal, picked up her tea, and carried it all into the living room to set it on the coffee table. She sat down next to it, then looked around the room. There was nothing interesting here for her to do, so she decided to go into her bedroom and read some more of the book she'd started earlier.

After a while, she heard a knock on her door. It opened, and Spike stepped inside. The young dragon looked around awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other before speaking. "Hey Twilight, Rarity's inviting you over for tea tomorrow if you want to go," he said. Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out, his claws clicking softly on the floor as he left.

She sighed, feeling relieved that she'd get to visit one of her closest friends. Hopefully they wouldn't just be talking about stupid things like the latest gossip from Canterlot, or how the weather has been lately.

That evening, she ate dinner with Spike, who told her about his day, which sounded exactly like hers, minus the reading part. They went to bed early, as usual, since there wasn't really anything to stay up late for. When Twilight woke up the next morning, she stretched, feeling a bit sore from sleeping in her bed. She yawned loudly, and rolled out of bed, making her way to the bathroom to freshen up. After using the facilities, she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower before heading downstairs.

She found Spike in the kitchen, making oatmeal, which was their usual breakfast.

"Morning, Spike," she said as she walked in, feeling somewhat refreshed after the shower.

"Good morning, Twilight," he replied, not even looking at her as he poured the oats into a pot and put it on the stove.

They ate in silence, and when they were done, Twilight got up from the table. She glanced at her reflection in a nearby mirror, a familiar feeling of sadness hitting her as she saw her cropped mane. After smoothing down her coat, she headed back downstairs, where she found Spike standing by the door. "I'll see you later, Twilight," he said as he trotted out the front door, leaving her alone again in their shared house.

Twilight decided to take a walk around town to pass the time until her appointment with Rarity. The weather was nice, and it felt good to be outside in the fresh air, despite the fact that it still smelled like rain from yesterday's storm.

She passed by several mares, all of them walking around with their heads held high and smiling happily at each other, but none of them actually said anything. Twilight spotted one mare whose mane had been cut so short she was practically bald. It seemed as if everypony had just given up on trying to talk to one another, and instead just kept to themselves in order to avoid having to make small talk with somepony who didn't know how to respond.

After an hour or so, Twilight decided to head home to get ready for her tea date with Rarity. When she arrived back at the house, Spike was already there. "Ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded and followed him out the front door. They walked in silence to Rarity's house, which was only about three blocks away. When they arrived, Rarity answered the door after just one knock.

She greeted them warmly, gesturing for the pair to come in. As Spike wandered down the corridor towards Sweetie Belle's bedroom, Twilight followed Rarity to the dining area. A teacup and saucer were already laid out, awaiting Twilight's arrival.

"It's nice to see you again, Rarity," Twilight said, feeling relieved to finally have somepony to talk to besides herself. Or Spike.

Rarity smiled widely, her eyes darting briefly to the window before returning to her friend. "It's always wonderful to see a dear friend, even in these... challenging times," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Twilight returned her smile, and took a sip of her tea, which was much better than what she normally drank. "Thank you, Rarity."

"You're quite welcome, Twilight." They sipped their teas in silence for a moment, before Rarity spoke again.

"So, I hear there is to be a new thing coming soon," Rarity said, looking at her intently.

"What kind of new thing?"

Rarity smiled mysteriously. "It's called 'Perfect.' Apparently, it enhances everypony's abilities to their maximum potential, ensuring everyone is equally capable." Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"But we're already equal," she pointed out, confused by the idea that they could get even more perfect.

"Yes, well, that's what everyone else seems to think as well." Rarity took another sip of her tea. "I heard it from one of the guards earlier today."

Twilight frowned slightly, remembering that Spike had told her the same thing last night. "I wonder how they came up with this new plan."

Rarity shrugged. "No idea. But it does sound like it will be interesting. Maybe they'll have to cut our horns off again!" She giggled nervously, then looked around to make sure no one had overheard her before continuing in a hushed voice. "Or maybe it won't happen at all and this whole thing is just some stupid rumor that got blown out of proportion."

Twilight nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're probably right." They finished their tea in silence after that, and when the conversation died down completely, Rarity got up and escorted them back outside.

"Thanks for the tea, Rarity," Twilight said, feeling sad to be leaving already.

"It was my pleasure, darling," Rarity replied, smiling at her once more before closing the door behind her and Spike.

They walked back home in uncomfortable silence. The sun beat down on them, making Twilight's coat feel hot and itchy. She tried to brush it off, but it didn't help much.

"What did you and Sweetie Belle even talk about while Rarity and I were having tea?" Twilight asked, trying to break the silence.

Spike jumped slightly, startled. "Oh, uh, nothing much," he mumbled, kicking a pebble down the road.

Twilight stopped walking and turned to face him, her brow furrowed. "Spike."

He sighed. "It was just... weird. She kept asking me about you."

"About me? What about me?"

"Like... if you'd been acting strange lately. Or if you seemed different." He shuffled his feet nervously. "She kept looking at me really intently, too. Like she was trying to read my mind or something."

Twilight frowned. That didn't sound like Sweetie Belle at all. She was usually so bubbly and carefree. "Maybe she was just worried about me," she said, trying to convince herself as much as Spike.

Twilight and Spike continued on their way, moving past two guards in dark armor standing watch outside an unremarkable building. Neither Twilight nor Spike made eye contact.

"Yeah, maybe," Spike said, though he didn't sound convinced.

When they arrived, he went straight into his room, and she went upstairs to take a shower.

Afterwards, she dried her coat and mane, then settled onto her cushion, picking up the book she'd started. She read for about an hour, until her stomach started growling, signaling that it was time to eat dinner. She trotted downstairs to find Spike setting out two bowls of oats on the low table. "Thanks, Spike," she said as she knelt down next to him.

"Welcome, Twi." They ate in silence, as usual, then washed their dishes before heading back to their rooms. Twilight decided to write in her journal while Spike did whatever he usually did when he wasn't with her.

Dear Journal,

Today was a pretty uneventful day. I woke up, ate breakfast, walked around town, then went to Rarity's for tea. It was nice to see her, but she didn't have anything important to tell me, other than that there might be something new coming soon.

Spike told me that Sweetie Belle was acting strange during our visit. She kept asking him questions about me, like if I'd been behaving oddly lately.

I'm not really sure what this new 'thing' is supposed to be, but apparently it's going to make us better in every way, but also keep us equal. That doesn't really make sense to me. How can we be more perfect than we already are if we're all already perfect?

Anyway, I guess I should just wait and see what happens. At least I'll get to see the rest of my friends again if this whole thing works out the way they say it will. Maybe then things won't be so boring anymore.

Twilight Sparkle

After putting away her journal, Twilight shut off the lights and crawled into bed, falling asleep almost immediately. She dreamed of being back home in Ponyville, surrounded by her friends and family, and waking up every morning to the sound of birds chirping outside her window instead of the quiet of an empty house. When she woke up the next morning, she found herself wishing that it had all been real, but then remembered that she was still living in this horrible place. She sighed heavily as she got out of bed, feeling sad about what she'd lost, even though it hadn't really existed at all.

The next week, Twilight woke up in the usual routine, and walked downstairs to eat breakfast with Spike. Finding that they were running low on food, they walked to the market together to get their supplies for the week.

"Did anything interesting happen yesterday?" she asked him as they walked through town.

He shook his head. "Nah, same old stuff." Twilight nodded, not really knowing what to say to that.

They got to the market and started picking out the oats, apples, hay, and basic supplies they needed for the next few days. After getting everything on their list, they headed home, where Spike put the groceries away before going back in his room.

Twilight settled onto the cushions to watch the latest magical theory lecture broadcast through her enchanted crystal ball. Soon after, the image flickered, showing a yellow earth pony with a cropped mane and tail standing at the front of Canterlot Castle. Twilight's eyes grew wide. She realized the pony wasn't an earth pony at all, but a unicorn with a missing horn.

"Hello everypony! I have a very special announcement for you today," Starlight said into the magical amplification device, smiling brightly at the scrying orb. "Starting today, we are beginning a new program that will allow everypony to become the best possible version of themselves!" She paused for dramatic effect before continuing. "We will be giving everyone a chance to get a Perfect, which is a device that will give them enhanced abilities in everything from magic to athletics!"

Twilight leaned forward on her cushion, trying to listen closely as Starlight spoke.

"We know that this might sound too good to be true, but trust me, it's absolutely real! We've already tested it on one lucky pony here, who now has enhanced magical abilities, better vision, increased speed and strength, and even greater intelligence than ever before." Starlight gestured to the mare standing beside her.

The mare next to Starlight stepped forward, her golden coat gleaming in the sunlight. "Hello, everypony! I'm Honey Bee, and I'm so excited to share with you the amazing benefits of being Perfect!" Her voice rang out clear and strong, but Twilight noticed something odd about her eyes. They seemed to dart back and forth, as if reading from an invisible script.

"Watch this!" Honey Bee exclaimed. She galloped across the stage at an incredible speed, covering the distance in mere seconds. "I'm faster than ever before!"

Next, she trotted over to a heavy-looking boulder. With seemingly no effort, she lifted it high above her head. "And stronger too!"

Honey Bee then turned to face a series of targets set up at varying distances. Her eyes narrowed in concentration, and she began to call out the exact measurements to each target. "Thirty-seven point five meters to the first target, sixty-two point eight meters to the second, ninety-one point three meters to the third!"

Starlight beamed proudly. "As you can see, Honey Bee's vision and mental acuity have been greatly enhanced. She can perform complex calculations in her head and see with crystal clarity at great distances."

"And that's not all!" Honey Bee announced, her eyes once again flicking back and forth. "My stamina has increased tenfold. I can run for hours without tiring, and my immune system is stronger than ever. I haven't felt even a hint of illness since becoming Perfect!"

"And the best part?" Honey Bee added, her lips curving into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm still equal to everypony else. We can all be Perfect together, working in harmony for the betterment of Equestria."

The crowd cheered loudly as the mare finished speaking, then quieted down again as Starlight stepped back up to the magical amplification device.

"I know that many of you might be wondering why we would choose to do this when you are already so wonderful as you are, but think about it: if every single one of us can become perfect in every way, just imagine what kind of world we could create together!" The crowd erupted into applause again at this, and Starlight smiled warmly.

Twilight felt her stomach drop to her hooves as Starlight continued, pausing dramatically before announcing that everypony who received a Perfect would have their horn removed. The cheers died out almost immediately as the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves.

Starlight explained, "The removal of horns is necessary for the Perfect technology to fully integrate with a unicorn's magical abilities, enhancing them beyond their natural limits. I know that this might seem like a big change to some of you, but remember, the discomfort is only temporary," Starlight assured them, smiling reassuringly.

"Temporary," Twilight muttered under her breath. How long did it take a pony to grow back their horn? Forever.

Starlight went on to explain that everypony would receive their Perfects in a few moons' time, and that they should prepare for their new lives by getting in shape mentally and physically. Then she dismissed the crowd with another cheerful smile before turning around and trotting inside.

Twilight sat there for a few minutes after the broadcast ended, trying to process everything she'd just heard.

She stood up shakily, then trotted into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mane wasn't very long, but it had grown quite a bit. She ran her hoof through it, feeling the softness against her coat, then shook her head.

Twilight settled on the edge of the bath tub, feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities running through her mind. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to have her mane cut off. Maybe she could try to find a way out of town, or hide somewhere until it was all over and nopony was looking for her anymore. No, that wouldn't work either. They would come after her anyway, even if she managed to escape from the city.

She sighed heavily as she stood up and trotted out of the washroom. As she passed the window, she caught a glimpse of the marketplace where she had seen the pony with their mane cut off earlier that day. For some reason, that pony's short mane had stuck out in her mind, even though she didn't recognize them as being anypony important.

She tried to remember if they were a unicorn or not, but couldn't be sure either way.

But if that pony had been a unicorn, and if they were Perfect, then they'd lost something irreplaceable, something that could never be regained no matter how hard they tried.

Twilight shook her head, trying to clear it of these thoughts, but they kept coming back, swirling around inside like a hurricane of worry and uncertainty.

Twilight wondered what would happen when everypony else received their Perfects. Would there still be jobs for regular ponies to do, or would they be left out in the cold while those with Perfects lived out their lives in luxury?

Twilight walked into her bedroom and lay down on the bed, closing her eyes tightly against the fear and anxiety threatening to overwhelm her completely.

She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, but the tightness in her chest only grew worse as she continued to imagine all the things that might happen to her if she let them take her horn away.

After a few minutes of lying there, she opened her eyes and looked over at her journal sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. She sat up slowly and grabbed it, opening it up to the last entry.

Dear Journal,

It seems as though we have a new problem on our hooves now. According to the news, everyone is going to receive these Perfect things, which will give us enhanced abilities in everything from magic to athletics. The catch is, everypony who gets one has to have their horn cut off permanently!

I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose my horn. ~~I dont want to d~~

I'm scared, Journal. I'm scared of what's going to happen if I don't do anything, and I'm even more scared of what will happen if I do.

Help me figure this out, please.

She shut the book with a sigh and put it back on the nightstand before lying back down again and closing her eyes, trying to push all her worries aside for now.

It didn't work.

The next couple of days passed in much the same way as before, except now every conversation seemed to center around the upcoming changes. Everypony wanted to know if they were really going to get their horn cut off or not, and everypony had an opinion about it, whether they liked the idea or hated it.

Twilight kept her mouth shut most of the time, only speaking up when absolutely necessary to avoid drawing attention to herself. She didn't want to get on the bad side of the government, but she also didn't want them to know that she was against the new rules either. She tried to act as nonchalant as possible whenever the topic came up in conversation, shrugging it off as just another thing they had to do for the good of Equestria.

As the days passed by, though, it became harder and harder to ignore the reality of the situation. Soon, everypony would have to make a decision: either accept the new rules, or leave town and try to survive on their own without the help of anyone else.

Twilight didn't know what she was going to do. On the one hoof, she didn't want to give up her horn, but on the other, she wasn't sure she could live with herself if she didn't.

Twilight paced back and forth in her room, her hooves wearing a path in the carpet. The constant chatter about Perfects and the upcoming changes had worn her down. She needed to clear her head, to talk to somepony who might understand her fears.

She glanced out the window, watching ponies trot by. Some hornless, some without manes. More and more of them appeared each day, their eyes gleaming with an unnatural brightness that downright scared her.

Spike knocked on her door. "Twilight? Are you okay in there?" He said, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine, Spike," she called back, trying to keep her voice steady. "Just thinking."

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything."

As the sound of his claws faded away, Twilight's gaze fell on a framed photo of her friends. Her eyes lingered on Applejack's honest face. Of all her friends, Applejack had always been the most truthful, the one who could see through any deception.

Twilight's horn glowed as she levitated her saddlebag over. She packed a few essentials, not sure how long she'd be gone. As she secured the bag, a thought struck her.

"I need to pay Applejack a visit," she murmured to herself. "Maybe she can help me make sense of all this."

Gathering her courage, she left her room, walked to the front door, pausing when she heard the tale tell sound of dragon claws behind her.

"Where are you going?"

Spike's question caught her off guard, and she froze. She turned around slowly, searching for the right words.

"Taking a little trip, I think." Twilight replied, trying to sound as if this were perfectly normal, which it wasn't at all.

"Oh. Well... be careful, okay? I'll see you soon?" Spike's expression was half-hopeful, half-worried.

"I'll try."

Author's Note

This is probably an improvement over my first story