"Your highness, if I may say so, you've been behaving a bit strange lately," one of the royal guards said with removed helmet and a sad expression on his face.
The princess just smiled, "But you may not say so." And with a flash of a lightning there was nothing left of the guard except a little, burned circle on the carpet of the throne room.
"A little trip to the moon will make him aware of the consequeces of his actions."
In fear the other guards pretended to have not seen anything.
Twilight was running nervously in circles around the little statue in her library with loud click-clack noises of her hooves with every step she took. Spike was toss-turning in his little bed being irritated by Twilight's running. After a while he decided to stand up.
On his way downstairs he rubbed his eyes carefully, "Twilight, what's going on again? Did future Twilight visit you again? Or are there several Pinkies again?"
Spike let out a big yawn upon reaching the last steps of the stairs.
Twilight did not stop on her path around the statue , "Spike, you know that the timetravelling spell only works once and I told you that Big Mac and I closed the path to the mirror pond with a big boulder."
Spike thought for a moment, "Is town hall on fire?"
"No."
Twilight did not let herself being interrupted in her trot.
"Ehm... something else?" Spike asked in light confusion.
"No."
Spike shook his head and wondered, if he understood Twilight correctly, "Pardon? Nothing's wrong? Why are you this psyched up then?"
"Because of just that, Spike!" Twilight stopped her trot und stomped on the ground with her right hoof, "Nothing happened for this long, which means that something is about to happen soon and most likely something terrible! A dragon could set Ponyville on fire or something could happen to my friends!"
Spike shook his head lightly in denial of Twilight's worries and took a light grip on her horn, "Twilight, listen to me, nothing is about to happen, okay? Everything's alright und you'll calm down now."
He looked deeply into her eyes for a few moments until Twilight finally took a deep breath. "Okay, Spike, I'll calm down."
Right in the moment as Twilight said that, a royal letter has been released by Spike.
She opened the letter and read it and fell into a deep state of shock - her mouth stood open for several moments.
A very embarrassing silence appeared and Spike waved his right hand in front of her face, "Helloho? Are you there?"
Twilight did not respond, "Ehm, Twilight?"
Suddenly she came back to life, "Ehm." she shook her head several times and the shock was clearly visible on her face, "Spike... please stay here and take care of the library while I'm away."
The look in her eyes turned blurry as she said this - Something in this letter must have awaken a deep, deep fear.
"What did the princess write, Twilight?" asked Spike but Twilight was in a kind of trance and slowly started to walk out of the library. She ignored, what Spike was shouting after her.
"I never experienced her in such a mood." Spike said to himself as Twilight was slowly disappearing from sight.
Twilight just reached the big statue of Celestia as Rainbow Dash flew by und spotted the deeply worried Twilight.
"Twilight?" Rainbow lowered her flight down to Twilights side, "What's wrong?"
It took a while for Twilight to realise that Rainbow was talking to her.
"Rainbow, something horrible is going on in Canterlot, please go and get Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, but please, hide it from them." said Twilight with a sad expression on her face.
"Yeah, they gonna notice early enough when they see you." Rainbow exclaimed giggling. "Rainbow!"
Rainbow saluted, "Okay, I'm on my way!"
From there on Twilight went to Carousell Boutique and knocked on the door. Rarity opened, "Twilight! Darling! What's wrong with you, you look like you've seen a horrifying ghost! And you look so pale!"
She looked at worried Twilight.
"Rarity, somethings wrong in Canterlot and we have to go there as fast as possible." Twilight was near to tears as she said that.
Rarity tried to stay calm, "Let's go and get Applejack and the others." She layed a leg around Twilight and they walked in direction of Sweet Apple Acres.
At the same time somepony knocked on Fluttershy's door. "Fluttershy, are you there?"
No response was heard. "She has to be in the backyard with the critters," thought Rainbow to herself.
Upon going to the backyard she found Fluttershy sitting together with some critters at a picnic.
"Hey Fluttershy," Rainbow made their noses touch, "We have to get back to Ponyville quickly, the princess needs us in Canterlot."
Of course Fluttershy noticed the unsure tone in Rainbow's voice and the worried look in her eyes, "Is everything alright, Rainbow? It sounds like, something utterly horrible happened and you were terribly worried about something..."
Rainbow tried to put on a smile in order to hide what Fluttershy just happened to realise, "Damn you, Fluttershy and your art of reading otherpony's feelings!" she thought to herself.
"No, Fluttershy. Everything's okay... hehe... just a normal call from the princess, nothing special."
"Ewww, all the dirt here," Rarity sighed as they reached Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight's look in her eyes was still blurry and her eyes were shot with tears. Rarity looked at Twilight waiting for some kind of response, but she waited for naught.
Applejack realised the two of them approaching from far and ran to them quickly.
"Heya! Everything good, Twi?"
Twilight looked down to the ground and a single tear followed the movement of her head, "No, it's not, Celestia needs our help in Canterlot."
"Wow, Ah've never seen her all that in tears.", Applejack mentioned, but Rarity pulled both over to the big statue of Celestia where the others were already waiting.
She turned directly to Rainbow and whispered: "Rainbow, you will take over from here on. I think Twilight is a bit absent at the moment."
Rainbow Dash nodded and said to the group: "On the way to Canterlot!"
On their way to Canterlot, Twilight took ink and feather to write a letter:
"Dear Spike,
I care a lot for you. Take good care of the library. And please look, if you got the time, for Dalia and tell her that I love her.
For the case that you meet Shining or Cadence, please tell them, that I'm sorry.
To be honest, I don't know if I can come back.
Take care.
Promise,
Twilight."
Bitter tears ran down Twilights cheeks as she signed the letter. She folded it into a a little paper plane and sent it out to Ponyville.
Fluttershy inspected closely from her position, what Twilight did and knew what was going on, "Something is utterly wrong today, something horrible will happen and Twilight knows about it," she thought to herself but she could not assert herself to ask.
Applejack looked with an expression of worry out of the window; it looked like she was sensing something terrifying as well, "Ah don't know, something's not right today."
Even Pinkie was not able to be in her usual mood, "Yeah, is seems like the sky doesn't have it's typical happy, shiny blue."
Rainbow Dash agreed: "Yes, especially the clouds over there aren't on the weather scedule."
All around a saddening mood spread across the train to Canterlot.
Twillight's letter to Spike flew its round on its way to Ponyville. It passed mountains, flew over lakes - the wind guided its way.
But only a short while before it was able to reach Ponyville a stream of wind blew it away in direction of the Everfree Forest where it landed in the crown of a tree.
Meanwhile in Ponyville Spike was doing the daily routine he always did when Twilight was away solely in order to get his mind off things. He was still nervous about Twilight's breakdown this morning. He wiped the dust off the books, cleaned the floor and even the big periscopes.
"I'm really wondering what has been wrong with Twilight this morning und what this letter was about... I hope she won't stay away for too long."
Only a short distance before reaching Canterlot, Twilight suddenly recovered, "So, girls, we have to put ourselves together and rescue the princess."
The other 5 looked at Twilight with shock, "Rescue the princess?!"
"Sorry for telling you just now, but I had to overthink a few things in first place. The princess needs our help today. We have to save her from herself."
Meanwhile in Canterlot Castle.
"Big Sister, what is wrong with you?"
Luna stood in front of her big sister and looked at her with a worried look on her face. All the guards have been sent away.
"Something is wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with me, I just rule Equestria with a strong and solid hoof." Celestia answered snappishly, "By the way," she continued, "What do you think about my new idea? A litte change... from now on "Equestria" shall be known as "The celestial empire" !" Celestia let out a mean laughter after she finished her sentence.
Luna facial expression slipped, she seemed utterly shocked by her sister's idea - Has her sister gone mad?
"Sister, you know you cannot do that and you know and always said that we princesses are in power in order to protect and support our loyal subjects! That is what you are teaching Stella all the time!"
Celestia just snorted with laughter and answered: "We are princesses! No, we shall be the queens of this land!"
Luna looked to the ground but then arose her head. "My dear sister, I do not want to do so, but I think there is no other way. I stand up against you and for sure the elements of harmony will stand up against you, too!"
"Open rebellion? Against the highness in persona? I will not tolerate something like this in my empire!"
Celestia stood up from her throne and sent a spell in direction of her sister, who countered it with a spell of her own. The two spells met in the middle between them and none of them was able to surpass the other at this moment.
"Sister, I do not know which kind of dark spirit took control of you, but I will not tolerate that you, my own sister, will put our subjects in fear and unrest. You know, I heard about the little happening with the guard this morning!" Luna shouted in the face of fight.
"SO this way it is leading? My own sister is spying on me?!"Celestia's spell started to get mantled by a dark energy , which took control of Luna's spell as well and threw her several meters away.
"Sister," Luna breathed heavily after this mighty impact, "I love you and I care for you and if I am not able to defeat you on my own, the elements will have to help me."
"Girls, we better hurry!" The six ran as fast as they could in direction of Canterlot Castle. "I don't have a good feeling about this." Fluttershy said anxiously about what was about to come.
Just a moment after they crossed the doorste, they met Luna who was wielding the box with the elements. A loud and mean laughter could be heard from far away, as Luna started to give every element her element. "I am glad to see you here... here... My sister is in the throne room. She is awaiting you six already, go hurry. Good luck my little ponies."
The six ran off for the throne room, leaving Luna behind. "I just hope they can make it. They wield the biggest power in all of Equestria, but still."
Twilight stopped right in front of the enormous door to the throne room and looked up and down. Her heart was pumping furiously. She never imagined, that she would ever had to fight her mentor, teacher and highness of Equestria, who she ever looked up to.
"This is it." She swallowed. "What has to be done, has to be done."
They pushed the door open. "Celestia, we are - " But right in this moment they were welcomed by several spells, which missed them only by a few centimeters.
Much to their surprise they saw an angry Celestia sitting on her throne. She looked different from normal. Her mane had lost all her colours and was coloured in a fading grey. Additionally it did not wave and hang loose. The same happened to her tail it missed all its colours as well.
"Shocked, Twilight? My student is afraid of me." Celestia let go of a cruel, ringing laughter.
Twilight was near to tears once again. "Celestia, what is happening to you?"
"What is happening to me?" Celestia asked with an arrogant tone in her voice, "I rule Equestria, will announce myself as the Queen and change "Equestria" to "The Celestial Empire" under my and only my reign!"
Within Twilight different feelings mixed: Fear, anger, sadness, uncertainty... Hot tears started to roll down her cheeks.
"We will rescue you, Celestia. For yourself, for Luna, for all of Equestria! Ready Girls?" Twilight looked towards the others and they nodded towards her.
"For me ? I do not need to be rescued, I have more power than ever before! Even the elements of harmony will not be able to stand against me!"
The eyes of the six began to shine and their hooves started to hover over the ground. At the same moment Celestia's eyes turned deep-purple and a black lightning of magic flew in direction of the six. Celestia's spell met with the rainbow emerging from them. "Come on girls, we can do it!" Both spells were equal in power none of them mightier than the other.
Celestia just laughed in an evil manner and smiled in triumph. "See, Twilight? Impressed by my unbelievable might ? I deserve the place as the queen of Equestria!"
Another spell started to twist around Celestia's spell as well as another one did around the spell emerging from the six.
Like two snakes they twisted around each spell and slowly moved forward to each other; to the mid, where the two main spells already met.
Wind came up and blew dust through the room. It seemed like the power of both spells started to extend - to escalate.
"Girls, I'm so happy to have you... We will save Celestia!"
Both additional spells met in the middle and a blazing light emerged from the point where all the spells met, followed by a tremendous explosion.
Celestia was pressed into her throne and was hit by a wave of rainbow colours. Her head tilted forward and she slowly opened her eyes again. Her mane had its colours again and started waving again; she finally was herself again. She was about to come to consciousness again as a loud bang awoke her in shock.
The explosion caused rifts in the walls, which led to further rifts in the ceiling and a big hole in said ceiling. Luna came running into the room through the big door of the throne room and was shocked from what she saw. "Oh no... this... cannot be."
Celestia finally came back to herself, "Quick! The emergency doctors into the throne room!" Luna charged out of the room and shouted at the guards and ran together with them.
Meanwhile Celestia went closer to the place where Twilight and the others stood only a couple of seconds ago. She was hit hard by what she saw.
"Here we are!" A voice cut Celestia out of her trance.
She tried to keep herself together. "Quick, into the emergency room with them!"
It was no pretty sight to say the least and Celestia helped to get the ponies out of the rubble and put them on the strechers. The doctors cloaked Twilight and the others in order to hide who they transport and made their way to the emergency room.
As they were gone, Celestia was left with Luna and Celestia broke to tears, "No... this cannot be... this cannot to be."
Suddenly Celestia felt two strong legs pulling on her; it was Luna hugging her. She was also close to tears. "I can imagine what happened and I guess we both know that it was an accident. You had no control over yourself."
Celestia shook her head. "No, it is my fault, I have to abdicate... I-I wish I knew which spirit took over me."
After a moment of silence in the distance a dark, ringing and derisive laughter could be heard.
A little while later Celestia arrived in the emergency room, using all her might to keep herself together in expectation of the worst. No sound was heard except the beeping noises of the machines the six were connected to. The chief doctor wanted to talk to Celestia as a loud shouting was heard from ouside the room. It was Luna.
Celestia moved over to Twilight's bed and sat down and grabbed her hoof. "Please, Twilight. Wake up."
Her injuries were severe; she was covered with wounds.
"Please."
The chief coughed in order to gain Celestia's attention. "Your highness, I'm sorry to say that, but we can't do much for them, but hope."
Celestia shook her head in disbelief. "No! This cannot be!"
Her horn started to glow. "Come on, Twilight, wake up!" She tried everything what could be helping her student, but her magic didn't change anything of Twilight's state. Celestia now stood up and started to massage Twilight's chest with her bare hooves, but the chief tried to stop her. "Your highness... your highness!" Celestia stopped. "I know, how you may feel like, but like I said, all we can do is hope." Saddened Celestia let go of Twilight and sat down again. "You may be right."
Luna stepped into the room and her eyes widened as she saw all the monitors and machines.
She came closer to Celestia and wanted to talk to her, but in this very moment the frequent beeping noises turned to a long-lasting beep.
Twilight died - They all died.
"No... NO!" Celestia opened her wings in anger and flew through the closed window.
She could not keep herself together anymore and her tears drew a line of rainbow colours in the wind in front of the bloodred sun. They say this very day lasted longer than any other before.
Luna turned to the doctors in the emergency room, "What happened here, is be treated confidentially, understood?" The ponies nodded not daring to say a word.
Luna opened her wings and followed her sister to the top of Canterlot Mountain where she found her laying in the grass; crying and curled up into a ball.
Luna layed down beside her:
"I'm always with you, sister."
