Convergence Series: Journeys

by TheGreatEater

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Main 6, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Other, Nightmare Moon
Length: 83145

Twilight finds a spell that allows the main 6, Celestia, and Luna to take a journey to the depths of their soul and see what destiny really means.

Several months after the Cutie Mark Cure, Twilight Sparkle goes to where it all began and to try finding herself. What she finds instead is a hidden library in the castle where the Elements of Harmony were found, and from there a spell that may have all the answers she thinks she was looking for. Instead she finds a spell that takes her, her friends, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna on a journey that will change their lives forever.

Published 2013-04-05 20:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-08-06 22:51:27 UTC

Prologue

All Destinations begin with a Journey.
All Journeys begin with a Decision.
All Decisions begin with a Choice.
- Excerpt from Almareda the Strange's Journal

It had been six months since Twilight had become an Alicorn and she couldn’t have be more miserable. She thought that when she first become a Princess that her dreams had become true, that she had all she could have wished for. But like all wishes it turned out completely different than what she had imagined. Her friends and her had grown apart as they were busy with their own lives.

While she was burdened with mountains of paperwork that had kept her away from the Celestia and Luna more and more. Worst of all is that she had learned things that broke her image of not only the Alicorn race, but Equestria as a whole. Dark secrets as well as truths that in her naivety she had blinded herself to. As the setting sun shone through her window, illuminating the slowly diminishing mountain of paper work on her rooms, mahogany desk her mind drifted to thoughts that had been hounding her lately.

How did it all come down to this? I mean it’s not like I never dreamed of becoming an Alicorn, but it’s not genetically possible. Most people think that Alicorns are just winged Unicorns, but studying their genetic material, they are a separate race altogether. I have no idea how that spell was able to completely alter my genetic code and neither have the Princesses. How did it all come to this? I miss my friends, and I wish that I could just go back to what it was before. I need to find my roots again, I’m not going to chicken out this time, I’m going to talk to Celestia and talk to her. Man it feels so weird to call her that, even after all these months.

“Be prepared young one, a war is coming.” A voice whispered next to her ear. Cutting off her train of thought.

“Whose there?!” She yelled into the empty room scanning it for magic, and life forms. Sensing a slight magical pressure only last for a slight instance before it dissipated. This had been happening a lot lately. At first she had thought that she was going insane if it wasn’t for the presence of magic in the room she would’ve cracked, but that presence let her know that it wasn’t in her head. That was another thing that she needed to talk to the Princesses about.

Getting up she walked out of her room, and walked through the pristine white halls to where she knew where Celestia was going to be at this time. Her royal garden to have her tea after a busy day with the Royal Court. As she left the Castle to the garden’s entrance. As she looked at Celestia her breath caught in her throat. She was slightly annoyed at herself that she still couldn’t shake her infatuation with her, even though she was an Alicorn now, she still saw herself as the faithful student to a beautiful mentor. She knew that nothing could come from it, but that didn’t stop her from feeling what she felt.

Taking a steadying breath she walked to Celestia, and sat beside her. “ Princess I have something that I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while. Well a couple of somethings really.”

“Twilight, I’ve told you to call me Celestia. After all we aren’t Mentor and Student any longer, well not in the traditional sense anyways. Go a head and tell me what’s bothering you. You know you can tell me anything.” Celestia said with a serene smile. She knew that Twilight had something bothering her for a while now, and she had been waiting until Twilight was ready to talk to her, since that time was now she was ready to help her if it was possible.

“Well you see. I’ve been feeling lost lately. This life is completely different than what I dreamed it would be and I want to go to find myself. Like a journey of self discovery. I know that I can’t just drop all my duties as a Princess, but this is something that I feel I need to do. Also I’ve been hearing someone talk to me when there’s no one there. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s not in my head and I sense magic when I do a scan of the room. The thing is I don’t recognize the spell, it’s not a voice projection spell, or a telepathy spell. It’s composition feels ancient, but none of the books in the royal archive fit the bill of what I’m sensing. It’s always the same three messages. The thing is they make no sense since two of them I was only thinking about doing. The third since it talks about a war, but I don’t know what war it could be talking about. Lastly I feel like everyone I care about is growing apart and I don’t know how to fix it, I sometimes feel like I would like to being plain old Twilight Sparkle, but learning what I’ve learned about everything since being a Princess. I feel like that’s wrong, I don’t want you and Luna to be alone again.” Twilight finished looking despondently.

Celestia look at Twilight in a concerned manner, collecting her thoughts before answering. “ Well I must say that I wish that you’d have come to me earlier with your concerns. I’m still glad that you’ve opened up to me. I totally understand how you feel in concerns as a Princess. I felt much the same way when my little ponies thrust rulership upon my and my sisters shoulders. Then when it was just me, but I’ll tell you what. The kingdom survived when it was just me and Luna now that she’s with us. I don’t see why you can’t take a little you time to collect yourself. You can even write me a Friendship Report like the old days,” She said with a fond smile remembering the reports she used to get when Twilight was in Ponyville.

“ As for your other concerns. I’ll place a spell on you and the next time this thing says anything to you I’ll know and it will allow me to do a more in depth scan. Hopefully this will help and the only thing behind this is a rather, poorly thought out prank. As for your last concern, I know how hard it is to get adjusted to a new life. Hopefully we can fix your schedule to give you more time with Luna and I, as for your friends. Well why don’t you take them with you, write them a letter and try to spend some time with them. I wish you the best, and I’ll be seeing you at diner.”

Taking a quick bow Twilight thanked the princess assuring her that she would see her at dinner and went off to get spike. As she entered the castle she walked to the Royal Archives where she had spent Spike earlier that day, looking up spells that could be used for long range communication. With Celestia’s spell cast on her she no longer needed that.

As she walked into the archives, she was again swept in a feeling of awe like every other time as she saw a near endless sea of books, scrolls, and other media. A catalog of Equestrian History and learning, preserved for all time with everything that a scholar could ever wish to learn. A Library so large that even in a normal lifetime she could never hope to read everything. Spotting Spike at a table sorting out books according to Twilights specifications.

Walking up to him she said, “Spike put those books away, Celestia cast a spell over me to see what’s happening. I still can’t get used to calling her that. Anyways, I need you to write a letter to each of our friends, and I need you to pack up our stuff. We’re going to Ponyville tomorrow.”

Author's Note

First fanfic. or story ever. Any criticism, or errors will be appreciated. It won't really get dark until a few chapters, the first chapters are to set up the story. Oh and the face behind the voice will make itself know soon enough I don't want to give anything away. As for Almareda the Strange, her and her backstory will be made clearer soon. She's an OC Contemporary of Starswirl the Bearded I made.

Chapter 2: At the Boutique

Rarity met Pinkie Pie expecting the deflated mane and tail. Wrapping her in a hug she let Pinkie Cry on her shoulder as she comforted her. As the sobbing gradually turned into silent tears Rarity stepped back.

“Rarity we failed Twilight as friends. We knew that she might be lonely after we stopped writing and visiting. While we’ve been happy with the success we have as her friends we haven’t been there for her as a friend should be.” Pinkie said while wiping tears from her eyes.

“I know Darling. We should have put more effort into making time for a friend who has been put through just as much of a change as any of us. But what matters is that we are going to be here for her now. Now why don’t you go over to the boutique with me, Fluttershy is getting the others.”

Agreeing to Rarity’s request. Pinkie Pie and Rarity walked over to the Boutique waiting for the others to arrive. It didn’t take to long before a flustered Fluttershy walked in with Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack carrying a Keg of Apple Hop’s 150 proof Whiskey as well as 5 large mugs.

“So everypony we were drinking Cider when Flutters came here and we thought we might as well share some of the good stuff while we sit here talking.” Rainbow Dash filled each of the mugs with Whiskey and Apple Jack gave them each one.

They each sat in their own heads thinking about the past while sipping their drinks. Each waiting for the others to start saying something. The silence growing as thick as the drinks in their hooves.

Rarity remembered the day of the spell clearly. She had remembered spending 13 years as a showmare, well not the full 13 years. Like the rest of them it was the moment where she gained her, or more accurately Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Mark. The raw freedom of going fast, so fast that she could run away from her pain and problems. Where no one could catch her. The feeling of wind rushing through her Mane as she went so fast that with her magic that she went near weightless as she broke the sound barrier.

She remembered the day when she found that those experiences were all fake when she met Twilight, nearly destroying the market place like Rainbow Dash would have been normally want to do with her newest stunt. Meeting seeing a distraught Twilight Sparkle, only to learn that all of that had been a lie do to magic. She remembered helping Rainbow Dash through a race that ended up with them both doing a dual Sonic Rainboom. Then getting helped by Apple Jack. The feeling of joy at learning that all she ever dreamed of having, she had as well as the fulfillment that came with creating something new.

She remembered the last half a year as she had to struggle with conflicting memories as the spells destiny that was imposed upon her made her remember a life that wasn’t her own. As well as the experiences of those conflicting life. While she at least had a new appreciation for Rainbow Dash and all the hard work she put into her body, and she still found herself loving the feel of the wind in her Mane as she ran. She felt a little bad that a part of her was angry at Twilight for having to struggle to separate two different lives.

As the months passed on she spent more time with Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack when they weren’t busy. The former one for exercise and to keep her body in shape, the latter one for her experience as a Manehatten designer which opened up an entirely new clientele, if she played her cards right she was going to be able to hire help for her large orders so that she could have more free time rather than work herself ragged.

Fluttershy was remembering the freedom that her Element of Laughter self had. The freedom from fear, worry, and insecurity. How much she missed the feeling of being filled with such joy for life that she needed to spread that joy to others. It wasn’t about the parties, nor was it about the socialization. No it was about that connection she remembered feeling when a pony smiled. Whether it was from simply having an open ear for them to vent to, a smile to brighten their day, or simply being their to help them. It was a wonderfully intoxicating feeling.

She saw the same things that Pinkie did with everypony as the ones she used with her animal friends. But now that she had returned to her old self, she has noticed that old fears and insecurities cropping up. She was ashamed to say that she was angry at herself, ashamed that even though Rainbow had experienced her life and told her that she was stronger than she gave herself credit for. After asking her to be more outgoing and self assured like the changed her was, she just couldn’t keep that promise as much as she wanted to.

So these last few months she had been throwing parties for her animals, trying to build up courage to make a party with Pinkie Pie for ponies. Showing Rainbow Dash that her faith in her was well placed, but success had been slow going. Although Pinkie loved the idea for animal parties, she was so much better than Fluttershy at those things, even if her animal friends seemed to enjoy hers as well.

Apple Jack remembered that day that her world was turned upside down. She woke up the day after Twilight cast Startswirl the Bearded’s unfinished spell remembering an entire lifetime where she never left Manehatten until a few short years back. Well not the full lifetime, but she remembered being a clothing designer. A fashionista that made beautiful, elegant, and practical business chic clothing. Everything from formal wear to business suits, bordering the line between functional and extravagant. But filled with a fear of returning to Sweet Apple Acres, filled with shame that she abandoned her baby sister family. A life where she ran from her problems rather than returning to the farm.

She still woke up every now and then filled with the need to design something, to the point she bought a new sewing machine to create things every now and then. Apple Bloom and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders loved the clothes she made them for school, all though Scootaloo seemed to really love hers since she rarely saw her without it as if it was the only pair of clothing she ever received. Which was a silly thought, even though she had never seen them she was sure Scootaloo’s parents would have at least one pair of nice clothing for special occasions.

Apple Jack was glad that after she explained what happened to her body, now much weaker than her original body, was going easy on her. Allowing her to get back into shape rather than expecting her to do what she was used to doing. A part of her was angry and Twilight even though she knew it wasn’t her fault. But having a mind and body of a designer, and the regained memories as who she really was, was maddening. It felt as if nothing made sense anymore and she was forced to regain what she lost.

That feeling made her feel lower than low. Especially after Twilight not only apologized, but got the farm listed as a Historical Monument. Ensuring that they would never loose the farm, as well as not just a government stipend to take care of the farms needs, but the ability to get more helpers to take a load off from Apple Jack’s and Big Macintosh’s shoulders. What happened she new was an accident, but one that changed all their lives. Apparently it had also changed Twilights, probably more so than their own from what she had read in the letter.

Rainbow Dash looked at everyone waiting for someone to break the silence drinking heavily from her mug. Still riding the buzz from her earlier drinks and now pushing the limits to being totally tipsy. She remembered her having Fluttershy’s Cutie Mark as if it was her own. While she did the best to ignore animals now she still felt like she could understand them, but most importantly she understood Fluttershy more. The insecurity, the fear, the worry about doing the wrong thing around her friends. The feeling like animals were the only safety she could have. But she also knew the hidden strength that Fluttershy had, having watched her in her Party loving self. She knew how outgoing and strong she could be, and made her promise that she would try to keep that side of herself.

She knew that she was trying, but it still hurt to see her closest friend fall back into her old ways. Although she was a little proud that at least she was trying to be the self she could have been with her animals. She was glad that after explaining everything to the Wonderbolts they let her stay on although she was put through her paces until she felt that her wings would fall off. But she had grown so far from Twilight seeing that she was secretly angry at her for what they all went through. Were still going through. Although no one ever told her, they had just all grown more distant as the month passed. And to her that made her a horrible friend, she was supposed to be the Element of Loyalty, but she couldn’t bring herself to talk to and fully forgive Twilight over something that she knew wasn’t her fault.

Pinkie Pie sat looking at everypony she compared to all of them had it the easiest. She had memories of being a family with the Apple Family when Apple Jack never came back and she wondered there from what she now knew was a fake memory. But she remembered working on the farm, the feeling of accomplishment when tasting the fruits of her labor. The feeling of doing a good, hard days work and then winding down at the end of the day. She remembered using her unique view of the world to be everywhere doing multiple jobs at once building a strong body while bringing increased profits to the farm.

Now she knew those things never happened, but she now had the body of that lifetime as well as the Cake Family and memories of them. She still loved going over to the farm and helping out. She had been going over there so much lately that she was basically a regular work member. She slightly smiled at remembering the argument she had with Big Mac about payment, namely that she refused to get pay from it. Saying that she enjoyed helping out when she wasn’t busy with the Cake’s store. They eventually settled on that she would get a few apples and when it was made some of the Apple Family Cider that they had in reserve. She agreed to this and had been working with them on and off ever since.

She remembered after seeing how sad that Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack were she got some altered PGH to increase their muscle mass so that they could have the bodies that they were used to. It was good to see them happy, but she was sad to know that Twilight needed them. But none of them was there to help till now. She was just going to have to make sure that she got the best party ever. Although ever since the incident as she called it, she had noticed that she talked in less of a run off manner, but more to the point as well as easier to understand. Hopefully that was all for the better.

“Listen up everyone, are we going to drown ourselves in alcohol or are we going to start saying what’s on our minds? Twilight’s going to need us more than ever.” Rarity yelled into the silence.

“You’re right, ah think we all need to open up and say what we want to say. Ah’ll admit that ah was a might bit angry at Twilight. Even though we all forgave her after it happened. Ah don’t think that any of us thought that the changes and gettin’ back ta normal would be as hard as it has been. But I feel bad about that ‘cause ah know that nothin’ that happened was Twi’s fault.

Ah think that when she gets here we’ll need to let her know how sorry we are for not bein’ there like she was for all o’ us when we needed her. Ah don’t reckon we’ve been as good friends as we should’ve. At least not myself.” Apple Jack said her voice carrying a slight slur.

“I agree with you AJ we weren’t there for her when she needed us. We’ve been awful, I’ve been awful. I’m supposed to be the Element of Loyalty, but I let myself pity myself. When I should have been looking out for my friends. I’m sorry to all of you, especially you Flutters. Your my best friend, but I’ve been putting off the love of animals I picked up from you. Stuffing it down all because it dragged up memories of a side of myself I don’t like. Although that doesn’t mean I don’t like you -”

“Rainbow, I think we need to take away your drink and give you some coffee. You’ve had a bit to much darling. And don’t sell yourself short, we all could have done more. We all had a hand in growing more separate. No one's to blame, we just need to be there for Twilight and make it up to her some how. ” Rarity cut off a crying Rainbow Dash who was now crying on Fluttershy’s shoulder as she wrapped a wing around Rainbow Dash. Whispering comforting, sweet nothings into her ear.

“Well I got to go get ready everypony. I’m going to throw her an awesome welcome home party. Thanks for the drink AJ and Dashie.” She trotted over to Rainbow Dash and placing a hoof on her shoulder said, “Everyone makes mistakes Dashie, we’re your friends and forgive you. Take care, and don’t cry.”

Walking out she softly closed the door. The rest of them sat falling back into silence waiting for things to calm down. Before starting to discuss what they were going to do the next day. After all tomorrow was going to be a big day.

Author's Note

This chapter introduces the main change of this AU. and one that I'm 90% done with the Prequel to this story and will be talking about through out this fic. In this Universe the Mystery Magic Cure episode forced their bodies to change according to their Special Talent.

Rarity: Had Dash's need for speed. As well as her Showmareship skills. She gained the memories and abilities of preforming the Sonic Rainboom via Magic, and her body had the experience and Rainbow Dash mentality for over a decade.

Dash: Gained Flutters ability to have empathic communication with animals. As well as her moeness and insecurities. Her body changed into one that was more acclimated to very little flight and out door activities.

Flutters: Gained Pinkie Pie's Physique. As well as her outgoing personality. She also gained not the laughter BS from Hasbro, but the need to fill others lives with Happiness and Joy. Something that actually translates with her animal friends.

Pinkie Pie: Gained the body finely toned and built from what over a decade of hard work on the Apple Farm would've done. As well as her intelligence became more to the point rather than all over the place.

and

Apple Jack: Gained a body more like Rarity's. As well as experience with clothing design for over a decade.

All together this had led them to a serious problem in their day to day lives since in this universe the Spell had consequences that hounded them to their current point. Some more than others. Since they now have to deal with having the memories of two different life times in their heads.

Chapter 3: A Meeting and a Party

“Is harmony the suppression of unwanted elements in a system?
Or is it balance with in oneself and surroundings?
This is a debate Starswirl and I have had, and I must admit
that his views amuse me. I think it’s the latter of course,
but I wonder what would happen if that balance, that
personal harmony should ever be shattered.”

Excerpt of Almareda the Strange’s Journal.

***That night at the Castle***

Twilight sat with Celestia and Luna as they ate. Twilight’s having finally worked up the courage to ask what she had earlier found it easier to ask something that she had wanted to for a long time. She had earlier told herself that nothing could come of her feelings, but after all. Celestia said that they were no longer mentor and student, but what did that make them?

“Celestia I’ve something that I wanted to ask you for a while now. What do you think of me?” Twilight asked her face flushed from embarrassment.

“Twilight, that is quite the question to ask isn’t it?” Celestia said with a slight smile.

“Sister don’t tease her, you know how she’s felt for you for a while.” Luna said jokingly scolding her sister.

“Wait! YOU KNEW!” Twilight yelled before hiding her head behind her hooves while wrapping her wings before her trying to hide as much as possible. First I tell my friends I had a thing for the Princess and they knew. Now I learn that the Princesses knew before I told them, am I really all that obvious?

“Sorry Twilight, once you’ve lived as long as I have you enjoy having a little bit of fun at others expense every now and then. But yes I’ve know how you’ve felt for a while now. Here’s the question for you, and think about this. What would you want from this relationship if we do have one? You have so much life before you. I want you to think about it.”

Peaking from behind her wings she replied, “Celestia, I’ve done nothing but think of it for a while now. I mean yes some of my friends are attractive, especially after that spell. A few of them are quite attractive, but the only one I’ve actually love has been you. Ever since I could remember thinking about Mares and Stallions, I’ll admit that I never made a move since we were mentor and student. Then even then we were also ruler and subject, but now that you don’t see us as mentor and student. And know that while you are more wise and experience we are both Princesses, I feel like I’d like to give it a try.”

“Very well Twilight, I’ll tell you what. When you’re done with your journey, and find what you need to find. Why don’t we go out on a date, all though I haven’t been on one of those since the Baroque era so I’m a bit rusty. So what else is on your mind?”

Twilight at first didn’t answer her just stared at Celestia her mouth agape before bouncing around the room her wings fluttering sporadically, “Yesyesyesyesyesyes! Oh my gosh YES! Oh this is the best day ever!” She caught herself mid bounce before remembering where she was, “Oh sorry!”

Having long since fell on the ground, rolling on her back laughing. “That’s quite alright,I haven’t laughed this hard since the time I switched the genders of all the Royal Guards and had convinced them the only cure of their mystery disease was to get sloshed while dancing in frilly Tutus.”

"When was this?"

"Oh about five hundred years ago when I they started inventing comedies, and I found out about humor. I did have a tendency to go over board back then."

Luna who had joined in her sister laughing laughed harder at that, “ Oh I wish I could have been there for that. But Twilight as Celly said it’s alright we both know how you’ve been looking at her when you think noone watches. We’ve just been waiting for you to make the move. Although we thought that you would have done so before now.”

Twilight caught up in the merriment and having for a short while forgotten what she was plaguing her mind glomped a prone Celestia and reveling in her warmth looked at Luna, “ I would have, but it was actually having the courage to ask what I asked today and I remembered a little something of my Alicorn party that Pinkie Pie threw me. As for what else I’ve been thinking about. Well we don’t know if being an Element Bearer will make my friends immortal, since we know that we are more resilient to damage, but I think it might be possible for them the elements to stop their aging. I think I found the last part of the spell. It’s been filling my dreams lately.

Also I’m thinking that after everything’s said and done we need to hook up my friends with dates, you too Luna. Being lonely isn’t good for you, and now that I have the Mare of my dreams, you should have yourself a special somepony.”

Luna walked up the twisted forms of her downed sister and Twilight and gave Twilight a gentle nuzzle, “We’ll see and I agree that it’s not good being lonely. But as long as I have friends like you and the others I don’t think I’ll ever really be lonely.”

Celestia scooped up Twilight and after getting to her seat, drew Twilights chair and food closer to her before setting in her seat. I haven’t felt this way in a long time my dearest Twilight. I’m glad that you finally had the courage to ask, I just hope that things work out between us. After all your entire world view has been flipped upside down, as has your friends. I guess only time will tell what will happen.

“It is time we talked.” the Mysterious voice said. As it did so the spell attached to it pulled both Celestia’s and Twilight’s mind into a void that looked like someone took a kaleidoscope to a darkened rainbow. The dark hues swirling and spinning in what could best be described as organized chaos. From this void a disembodied head appeared before them as tall as they were and shifted flawlessly from one Race to another. Even a mixture of Races, ranging from Minotaur, Dragon, Griffin, and the various Pony Types. Although it’s features were so nondescript that it was hard to tell if it was male or female. Even it’s voice seemed to sound as if two speakers were talking simultaneously one male, one female.

“Until you are ready I can not talk all that long, your outside world will only see our talk as lasting three seconds. Any longer than that and your mind and essence will implode erasing your bodies from reality. Although I apologize in advanced for the headache you will be experiencing. You wished to see me and your spell young one has been quite successful. I am the Watcher, I have been around since the creation of your collective universes and I’ll be around when they end. Although technically I exist in a point and time were all points and time exist simultaneously.

I am the being in the story you told Twilight, The 7 Children of Harmony, who made the Elements of Harmony. In essence I saw that your universe had the ability to connect with universes far from your time line, and had a major chance of creating threats that could endanger the multiverse as a whole. Especially from the two Immortal races. So I sent 7 shards of myself, empowered by magic older than time itself to ensure that the time line had something to keep things in balance. I then sent a small group of beings to introduce several things to ready the pony’s of your planet from a great evil I sense. An evil that evades my ability to see.

Then when the war broke out the first time, I will admit that I was frightened that I had did too little too late. Since I can only Watch and guide, it is up to others to make the choices they will make. Twilight you have completed and fixed a spell that should never have been, and in doing so have shown me that you have the strength to be my champion to save all existence. When you see your friends talk to them, they still suffer having lived two time lines although they forgive you for the most part, I am sorry I can not say more. We must part ways, the time you can stay here is almost past.”

With that they were violently expelled back to their bodies. Clutching their heads with their fore hooves they both moaned as a massive headache wracked their brains. “ Holy Faust on a Pogostick! I’m glad that he didn’t hold us longer than three seconds, or this could’ve been much worse. Buck me sideways, I never want to do that again.” Twilight said in the very few times in her life that she ever swore.

“I agree, I never heard of the Watcher but I’m glad that he was benign. I’m sorry Twilight, if that being was malign we could have been killed.”

Looking at both of them in a confused manner Luna asked, “ What happened? All I saw was that you temporarily flickered now your in pain.”

“Luna, Sister, I love you but give us a few moments to get rid of this killer migraine or I’ll buck you to Tartarus and back. Oh my head!” Celestia said between gritting teeth. After a few moments they both looked at Luna and Celestia explained what had just happened. While she did that Twilight thought back to when this all started and everything that had led up to this event.

***6 Months prior, at Twilight’s Alicorn Party***

Twilight Sparkle was playfully stretching and furling her wings as she sat in the Library her friends sitting around her. She never could stop being amazed at how quickly Pinkie Pie could throw together a party. Smiling at everyone there she was both overjoyed, but also slightly taken aback that the spell she accidentally cast had still kept their bodies altered.

“Every one I want to thank you for everything. You are all the greatest friends anypony could ever ask for. And I want to say that I could never have got what I have now, nor learned what I learned if it wasn’t for all of you. So once again thank you for everything. Although I’m sorry that I don’t know how to fix what that spell did.” She said raising a mug of Apple Family Cider.

“Oh Darling it’s quite alright,” Rarity said with her raising her mug in kind before taking a sip. “After all I’m sure that the memories will fix themselves out in time, that and I must say that I’ve never been in such wonderful shape. Rainbow, I must apologize for never appreciating just how hard it is to maintain such an athletic physique.”

“No prob Rares. I think we all learned a little something about each other and ourselves.” Rainbow Dash replied giving Rarity a playful hoof the rib.

“As they said it’s quite alright. But earlier when we were talking about who had whose cutie mark, we got started on a conversation that got cut off. Now I know that getting us back to who we were was important, but I feel it’s important to talk about this since we’re all friends.” Apple Jack said her accent still being a Manehatten accent with a small amount of her southern one coming back. Taking a deep breath everyone knowing what she was going to ask since they had talked about it when Twilight was busy talking to Princess Celestia gave her a nod.

“Listen we want you to know that if you do like mares that’s nothing to be ashamed of, and we as your friends would love you just the same. But it looked like that subject was sore one, we’d like you to talk to us. After all I’m sure there are some of us here who might like mares as well. After all when there’s one stallion to ten mares it shouldn’t be as much of a taboo as it is. It’s mostly old ponies who hold on to old traditions when there were more stallions to choose from. And if you were to like any of us well we wouldn’t think any less of you.” Apple Jack stated before taking a drink and letting Twilight continue.

Twilight took a drink and felt herself looking at Pinkie who had a large grin on her face. Looking at everypony else they gave nods of encouragement and deciding that she could trust them she told them her story. “Well I was a little filly about a few years younger than Apple Bloom is now. With how I was raised and all I always saw friends as something that would get in the way of my studies, but you know how at that age you get feelings for others? Well I felt that way towards mares. Well in my usual way of doing things I thought that I should research it, so I went to a person I had similar interest to, Star Song, a pink Unicorn that was good at star gazing.

And after researching how to ask a pony out I went up to her and asked. She looked at me as if I grew a second head and told me Filly Foolers were disgusting ponies who were damning their souls to Tartarus. To say that I took it poorly was an understatement. After that I decided that all relationships and things dealing with friendship was a waste of time. All I needed was the Princess, Spike, and my training. Well after coming here and finding the power of friendship, old feelings came up but I never really thought of pursuing them.”

“Yeah I know how that is Twi, not the whole Princess, dragon, book thing. But getting teased for liking mares.” Rainbow Dash said with a sage nod.

“You do? How?”

Giving her an incredulous look, she raised a forehoof to her mane and gave it a flick.

Twilight didn’t understand what a Rainbow colored mane had to do with anything and her face said it all.

“Well Twi the thing is the Rainbow is also a symbol that stallions who like stallions and mares who like mares use. It’s kind of a symbol for them. Well with my mane and my less then feminine personality I was an easy target. But after awhile I figured out that all that matters is how I feel about myself, and if someone can’t accept me from me then they don’t matter.”

That earned her a loud round of, 'Here, Here’ from around the table. And earning her a smile from Twilight. “That’s very wise of you Rainbow.”

“Well what can I say I am awesome.”

“Although not very modest,” Rarity said ribbing Rainbow Dash playfully. “Anyways, what we’re saying is that you can tell us anything and we will be there for you.”

Twilight looked at them and said, “ Ok but this can’t leave this room. I kind of like Princess Celestia.” the last part was said in an embarrassed whisper.

“Oh we all knew that you silly filly.” Pinkie said beaming.

“You What!”

“Well come on Darling, wow that feels weird to say again. We all knew you had a thing for the Princess, after all when you talk about her you practically glow and how you talk about her it was a simple conclusion to see that you were infatuated with her.”

“I just hope that she doesn’t notice. I wouldn’t want her to regret being proud of me. Oh that’s right I didn’t tell you! When we cast the revised spell I saw her in this weird place where she showed many screens that showed me through out my years as her apprentice. She told me that she was proud of me and couldn’t wait to see what I would do next. This is really the best day ever.”

“ That’s good Twilight, well I’m sure she knows and would be proud regardless of what you choose to do. Just remember that no matter what we all will be standing behind you.” Apple Jack told her while refilling each of their drinks.

“Thank you girls, I don’t think I would be the same pony without you all. I’m happy that I know you all are standing behind me. Well I have to be going soon, the Princesses said that they have some important things to tell me.”

Chapter 4: Lessons of the Alicorns

“Destiny is a marvelous thing.
I’ve spent my entire life studying it,
ever since I found the Vault of the Guardians.
Since I received my Cutie Mark in that place.
Some mistake destiny and fate as the same thing.
But while fate is set in stone, destiny is transmutable.”

-Excerpt from Almareda the Strange’s Journal.

Twilight went to the Cake’s store where the Princesses were waiting for her. She was always surprised at how nervously the Cake family acted around Celestia, but with Luna there they were practically in over drive to ensure that nothing was out of place. They looked like they were going to have an aneurism trying to ensure that their tea and variety of treats were full at all times. Seeing this and the uncomfortable look on Celestia’s face, something that living with her most of her life gave her insight into noticing the difference between her various expressions decided to that it was a good a time as any to take their leave.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cake, thank you for being such wonderful hosts. But we better get going, the Princesses have a lot to talk to me about. I’ll try and stop by sometime later before I go.” Twilight said with a smile.

“Oh of course dear. Sorry I mean Princess, you’re always welcome here.” Mrs. Cake stammered nervously.

“Thanks, but you can just call me Twilight. After all I’m still me.” Twilight said with a look of concern on her face hidden behind a smile.

“But that wouldn’t be proper. After all your royalty now. Well good night Princess and we can’t wait to see you later.”

After leaving Twilight looked at Celestia, “What was that about? I swear when I asked them to just address me as Twilight they looked like they were going to die of shock.”

“Twilight, it’s something that you’ll notice more frequently know. I know it will be hard at first, but it is what it is. Those around you other than your closest friends, and since you are a rare case probably your family. People will see you as a Princess first, and yourself second. You might notice those around you act differently than when you were just a Unicorn. While it takes some time to get used to, it’s how its always been with us Alicorn. Especially after me and my sister overthrew Discord three thousand years ago, when Luna and I had rulership over Equestria thrust upon our shoulders. We must have been about as old as the Cutie Mark Crusaders are now, well Luna was, I was in my adolescence at the time.

What we wanted to discuss with you were somethings that you’ll need to know now that your an Alicorn. Somethings that the History books don’t have, and some stories that are our cultural heritage. But it’s not all bad. After all you and your friends are the only Mortals to have used the Elements of Harmony, so their is a chance that our tales might not be your own.”

They had arrived at the chariot at this time and Celestia told her to think about what was said while they went to a more private place. The place in question was a small hill between the outskirts of Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. During this short flight Twilight was lost in thought. This was a wonderful day, and she loved learning new things. But she didn’t expect for the Cake’s, a family who had known her for three years as Twilight, to act so strangely around her.

She also wasn’t prepared for this talk. To think that as little fillies younger than herself they had the weight of an entire nation thrown upon their shoulders. She had a feeling that having a conversation this far from the outskirts of town wasn’t going to be a good thing.

“Now there is a lot to say Twilight, and most of it will have to wait until after the coronation so that we don’t weight you down with to much information at once. But there is a little we can tell you. First we will tell you how to use your Alicorn powers, and some talents that are inherent to our race. I’ll be showing you how to look at foreground and background magic. While Luna will teach you how to see energy networks and auras. Now my lesson I need you to clear your mind and touch your magic. Don’t use it, just connect with it.”

Sitting down Twilight allowed herself to drift into her mind. The place where her magical energies was located that she and all Unicorns use when channeling magic through their horn. It took several minutes but she was eventually able to clear her mind of everything but her magical center. Giving a slight nod she opened her eyes ready for her lesson.

“Good, now Twilight I want you to feel your magic softly expand from yourself and fill gently touch the area around you.”

Doing this was simple, but not wanting to distract herself from the lesson allowed her mind to flow gently around her. She felt the bodies of the Princesses, their individual strands of fur, the wind blowing on them, the individual blades of grass and the insects crawling around them. While it was simple, she never really appreciated how wonderful it could be to expand her senses to everything around her.

“Don’t let yourself get distracted Twilight, simply expand yourself. Let me know when your ready to continue.” Celestia said warmly.

After having expanded herself through the hill she gave a nod to Celestia while still maintaining her connection to the world around her.

“Good now this is a simple showing of foreground magic. Effecting and connecting to the physical world around you. It’s what most magical beings use. A simple twist of magical energy to make a change to the world around you. It’s what’s responsible for all magic that you witness on a day to day basis. Now this is the hard part, now that your connected allow your mind flow into it and shift behind the physical world. This isn’t easy at first and takes some training, but I want to see what you can do.”

Twilight still connected to the physical tried to push her mind past the physical but met resistance. As if a barrier stood between her and her goal. Pushing more magic at the barrier she felt a warble, but couldn’t push past it. Withdrawing the excess force she tried analyzing the barrier, but she couldn’t feel any magic in it. Only a resistance to her magic. Thinking back on her lesson and knowing she couldn’t fail her mentor tried infusing her magic into the barrier and reaching past it.

It was at this that she met a small success, seeing what looked like three dimensional contour map connecting everything around her. Various bends and swirls that connected everything, but superimposed on everything with wisps of swirling energy flowing around the bends and curves.
“I see something, but it’s odd and not that strong. I’m still feeling alot of resistance.”

“The fact that you see anything at all on your first time is saying alot. I knew that you were up to the task. Now tell me what you are seeing.”

“Well it looks like a giant contour map, but three dimensional rather than two. And their are weird pulses and swirls of energy flowing throughout the map. What is this?”

“Well that you can at least see that is a good sign as to what you are sensing. That is the network responsible for the mechanics behind physical reality. Everything, from magic to science is controlled by background magic and it connects everything in existence. Those swirls and pulses you see are simply pieces of information being sent and gathered from one part of the system to a different part. As you get better at this, you’ll be able to understand and shape to one degree or another the world around you. Now Luna your up.”

Luna who had been looking up at her night sky with a blissful look in her eyes turned her attention to Twilight. A soft grin spread across her face as she walked towards the new Alicorn. Placing a hoof on Twilights shoulder she said, “ First Twilight, let us welcome you to our kind, we don’t know how you managed it. But we know this is something that my sister and us are most happy for. It’s great that a friend such as yourself will make our lives a little more lively.”

Taking a step back she looked at Twilight, “Now as for our lessons. There is something that all Alicorns learn to do at a young age, but seeing as you are new we shall teach you. Firstly, all beings are interconnected to the world around them. Interacting and partaking with the magical networks in their daily lives. Within the body there is a microcosmic network of magical energy that moves this connection throughout the body and is responsible for the earth magic of Earth ponies, the Flying and Weather magic of Tulpa and Pegasi, and the raw magical abilities of Alicorn and Unicorns.

What I want you to do is to channel a small amount of magic through your eyes, eventually this will be second nature to you, but for now it is a good thing to work on. Next what you need to do is connect your magic to my body.”

Twilight thought this was a strange lesson going against common knowledge, but if it was an Alicorn technique than she was willing to try it. Focusing on pushing out a tiny sliver of magic through her eyes, she felt a slightly uncomfortable electrical breeze blowing through her eyes as she connected her magic to Luna. After awhile she noticed the magic she was sending was running over her body like a bunch of tiny rivers going to different parts of Luna’s body.

“So Luna is everyone’s network going to be the same color as my magic?”

“Ha! No Twilight it only looks like your magic since you are new to this. Once you get some training you will not only see these connections normally, and their energy flow. But the unique color of the individual. Although this will take you some time. Now onto your second lesson, and one that I’m glad can be done at night were it is easier to accomplish. Again push magic through your eyes, but now let your magic surround the outside of my body gently. Try to feel a spiritual force pressing against your magic and then focus on the the space between me and the outside of the force.”

Twilight focused on the pushing a small tendril of energy through her eyes again being greeted by that same uncomfortable electric breeze flowing through her eyes. Thinking about asking about this she asked both Princesses about it. “When I push magic through my eyes I feel what I can best describe as an electric breeze flowing through my eyes and if makes keeping my eyes open a little difficult since it makes my eyes itch, am I doing this wrong?”

They both sat back and thought about it. Finally it was Celestia who answered “ I completely forgot about that. After awhile it ceases to be a problem, and you won’t even need to think about it. You’ll simply be concentrating on someone and you’ll do it without having to push out magic, it will be something that will come naturally. Although, at least for me, it needs me to actually focus on it, rather than keeping it up all the time.”

Nodding that she understood and secretly grateful that she wouldn’t be uncomfortable with these techniques forever. Looked at Luna, the moon shining gracefully upon her indigo coat. As she focused her magic around her and with the magic gently pushing through her eyes she turned her awareness to Luna her self. Allowing her magic to grow bigger and smaller till she found the spiritual pressure around Luna. When she found it she looked at the space between and saw what she could only describe as a glowing yellow light.

“I see a yellow light, but it’s kind of hazy. Am I doing it correctly?”

“You’re doing well for a first time run. Eventually just like with the energy networks you will be able to see individual colors, textures, and flows. Now the thing about these Alicorn techniques is that they are important to a lot of our powers, but just as all ponies are strong in some areas and weaker in others. So to are some Alicorns better at some powers than others, and while there are a lot more powers to learn these two are the most important skills in your arsenal. I think that is enough for now, what do you think sister?”

“I agree, Twilight once again you have made me proud. You are quite the quick learner and I know that you will take well to what we have to teach you.”

And so it went on and off for these last six months. Learning about the great war that ended with all but the Alicorns dieing, how other than a few descendants of theirs being born Alicorns there were none left and most of those being mortal. How Celestia got those who were loyal to her in the Nightmare War between her and Nightmare Moon to stay loyal to her by giving them titles of nobility. How she said that they had a common ancestry to keep them in line. The various tales and stories that were part of Alicorn heritage. It was all in all quite the life changer to have her entire view of the world and history turned upside down. Some of those stories still gave her nightmares to this day.

*** Present Day ***

“So Twilight what are you thinking about?” Celestia asked her face filled with concern at how distant Twilight was looking at the moment.

“Oh I’m just remembering what happened during and after the Alicorn Party when I first became a Princess. I still can’t believe how much I learned in these last few months.”

“I agree, it has been quite the experience for all of us. Well I’m going off to sleep. Twilight sleep well and I hope your journey yields what you are looking for, and if you see what the Watcher was talking about. Let us know immediately so we can be there to help you.” With that Celestia rose and left leaving Twilight and Luna together.

“Well Luna before I go to sleep would you mind if we look at your night sky together before like old times?”

“We would enjoy that greatly.”

As they left to the balcony to look at the glittering, nighttime sky. The stars shining brightly like diamonds in a velvety sea of darkness, her moon glowing brightly upon them Twilight looked at Luna as she looked with mixed feelings upon her moon.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Whenever I see you look at the moon you seem sad, why is that?”

“We are just remembering our time on the moon. We’ve never told you about that before have we?”

“No, I know it’s a touchy subject so I never asked about you as Nightmare Moon or about your banishment. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Thank you Twilight, you’re kindness is truly great and you’re correct it is painful to speak about it. But we think since we are friends we can talk, although there are a few things that even our sister doesn’t know about so we will refrain from certain subjects.

When we were always the more artistic and spiritual between us two. Tia was always the more logical and reserved of us. Well when we first gained my connection to the moon in ways that we never dreamed of the moon cursed us with a secondary form. What you see as Nightmare Moon is also the form seen when I go into dreams or do dream magics. When Tia saw this form it scared her and she called us a monster out of fear.

We think she regrets it but it’s something we refrain from asking. She ran from us and we wept that night as what was supposed to be a night of joy was a night of sorrow. After that neither of us talked about what happened and we suppressed that side of ourselves so our sister would love us. At first we spent a lot of time together, but eventually our time together grew shorter and shorter as our duties grew more and more strenuous. Well her duties, noone cared about me or so we believed, eventually we barely saw one another. We secretly resented everyone at that time for ignoring me, not having anywhere we felt we belonged, not being loved. We tried to tell my sister of this, but there was nothing she could do. She then as she is now to a much less degree is bound by her obligations, sacrificing her own emotions for those of the nation.

After our fight with Sombra, my protégé and the only one we had a connection with, we snapped. All that darkness needed an outlet and it chose the form that we kept hidden as that outlet. Yes there was some magic that fueled it, but it only fed what was already there. So it was then that we decided that we would not bow down to the Sun, but would make everyone see how beautiful and marvelous my night was. We would make them love me. Well you know the story of the Nightmare War.

But when she banished me at first Nightmare Moon stayed with me seething in rage training for her inevitable revenge. Then she left me, no one talked to her anymore, the castle in the moon was her last monument. Then it was simply a longing emptiness. We was alone all over again, but this time we truly had no one. Just the unforgiving cold of space, watching at a planet that was moving on without me. We pleaded and begged for mercy at first. Then we went to being angry at everyone especially myself. Then there was just a depressed sadness.

When we look at the moon now, all we feel is that emptiness and a longing to love my moon as we once did. But we digress, one day we’ll find my special somepony and we’ll be able to truly touch my moon again.” Sighing she looked at Twilight with tears running down her face at the reopened wounds, “we would love to show Tia how to touch her Sun as we once did my moon, but if she thought we was a monster when we were but a foal. We fear what she would say now with the memories fresh in her mind of what we had become.”

Twilight wiped the tears from Luna’s eyes as well as the ones running down her face as she imagined what it must have been like for her. Giving Luna a strong hug she looked her in the eyes and told her, “Listen I know personally that for all that time you’ve been gone she’s regretted every moment of it. I remember looking and Celestia at night and see a look of pure heartache written on her face when she looked at the full moon. She’s grown alot, I’m sure she’ll be more understanding now than she was back then. But if you’d like I’ll speak to her when I get back and we can work on making things better, and don’t forget we’re going to be getting you a special somepony soon ... I hope. Well I have to go to sleep I have a busy who knows how long ahead of me. Take care and I really do hope that I can help you soon. I don’t like seeing you sad like this and if you ever need me I’m your friend. And friends help friends when they are feeling down.”

With that Twilight went to her room to get ready for the upcoming day. She was greeted by a fully packed saddle bag and several suitcases. As she looked for Spike she saw him in his normal basket. He had grown recently, not quite a baby, not quite an adolescent. But she was glad that this growth spurt was a natural one rather than one fueled by greed. Walking over to him she gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead causing him to shift in his sleep slightly, “I love you my number one assistant I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She said as she laid herself down in her cloud bed before drifting off to sleep.

Chapter 5: Fixing a Problem

“I still remember when I received my Cutie Mark.
It was in the long lost Vault of the Guardians.
I never showed others where this place is, it’s
my special secret, and my greatest treasure.
It’s through them I learned the start of the spell
I am working on here. All do to add something
that they kept hidden. That is that to do this
successfully, to control one’s destiny one must
be in the essence of harmony. I think I am
ready now.

To finish this spell and to do what my
Special Talent is, in a much greater fashion.
To control destiny. I find it funny that others
gave me the title, “The Strange”, for they don’t
understand. All my philosophical speeches,
all my time meditating, all the times they don’t
remember me changing their time line. They never found
out what my Cutie Mark is and it’s paying off. It is all
for this single moment. The moment when everything
comes together. Where my Special Talent, and my
power become one and I do what I was born to do.”

Excerpt from Almareda the Strange’s Journal.

Twilight had woken up early in the morning as she had gotten used to doing over the last few months. She walked in for breakfast with the Celestia and Luna as the Royal Chariot was being prepared for her travel to Ponyville. Twilight was glad that Luna and her were able to convince the Royal Chefs to give them a set minimum of food after she arrived here and both of their complaining of their miniscule portions was enough to get them to budge.

Smelling the delicious taste of a honey glazed, lily omelet. With a side of orange and dragon fruit preserves over sweet bread toast was a wonderful start to the morning. Spike was in the room still having the last few moments of his beauty sleep with a note by him telling him that when he woke up to send the letters to the girls letting them know that they would be there at noon.

Twilight listened to Celestia and Luna talk about her work last night as well as getting Celestia prepared for what she was going to be doing today. Twilight was only partially listening as she replayed the Watcher’s message through her mind. She knew that Starswirl the Bearded was a great wizard, and probably the most powerful Unicorn in all of Equestrian history until herself. But that the spell he did was never supposed to be completed, and her friends were suffering from her attempts at healing them was unnerving her. What exactly did the Watcher mean by being his Champion? What was this evil, and what does that have to do with me? He doesn’t make sense. He only makes me have more questions and leaves without really answering anything. Arggh! And he says my friends are suffering, that would explain why they haven’t answered my letters over the last few months, but I can’t really blame them. They have busy lives, I just wish they’d have told me sooner.

With a sigh she got up from the table and told the Princesses that she was going. Assuring them that she would contact them as soon as she learned anything, and with their well wishes. She left to triple check her check list which would take most of her morning to get done.

It was 12:05 when she arrived at Ponyville the midday, Autumn sun shining warmly on her as she left the Chariot in front of her old Library. Smiling from the sudden burst of nostalgia as she approached the door, she told the Royal Guards that this was a private mission and that she would contact either Celestia or Luna for them to pick her up. Sensing their hesitance she pointed at the Element of Harmony on the crown she wore on her head and told them that she and the other Element Bearers were going to be together. Reminding them that they had already done more before she was a Princess than most would deal with in a life time.

When that didn’t work she used a small sliver of magic to plant the suggestion in their mind that it was OK to leave. Although she despised having to do it, she didn’t want to deal with the hassle of a group of overly protective soldiers tailing her. That and with their imposing nature would only make this whole trip counter-productive. Once they left she gave an annoyed sigh, and walked into the Library.

“SURPRISE!” All her friends yelled as she entered. This reminded her of when she first arrived here, and Pinkie threw her, her first Pinkie Pie party. Although she didn’t appreciate the gesture as she did at this moment.

“Oh girls thank you! There’s so much we need to talk about.”

“From what you wrote in that letter ah reckon we do.” Apple Jack replied wrapping her in a hug, as the rest joined into one massive group hug.

As they hugged Twilight looked at the background magic within their bodies to see if she couldn’t see what was wrong. As she did so she noticed that their Cutie Marks were still tied to their previous changes, but more so they were intertwined in a double helix as parts of the spells original change resonated with them, but other parts were attempt to break away. This push and pull was causing a massive flux of energy that she could see from their energy networks was creating a shift in their very natures.

Twilight stepped back, looking at them with a steely determination, “I see what the Watcher was talking about now. I don’t know how I could have missed this.”

“Whose the Watcher and what are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash asked, worry evident in her voice and her features.

“I’ll tell you all in a bit, but he said that the spell we finished was never supposed to be completed. And that you all were suffering from the spell. I used the Alicorn’s ability to look at Background Magic as well as your Energy Networks, which I’ll explain later, and I see the problems.”

Rainbow Dash looked as if someone had answered her prayers, and practically jumped into the air in excitement. “You mean you can fix us?”

Twilight looked at her and sighed, “Yes and no. There are parts of having lived an entire life that resonate with you and will always be apart of you. But I think I can remove most of the memories of living those lives. You’ll still remember how that life felt, and have memories of remembering that life, but the actual memories won’t be there any more. I can also do a few healing spells to alleviate the damage to your energy systems. I’m worried about doing anything more than that since parts of it are integrated with yourselves so changing them will cause untold damage to you and will possibly make things worse.”

They looked at each other and agreed that it was hopefully the best bet for help they could get. I know this won’t fix everything, but it should fix a majority of the conflict. Here’s hoping that all goes well.

She used the memory spell to focus on the parts that she was trying to repel each other and focused on the memories of what the spell imposed upon them and sifted through them. Erasing what she could while merging everything else into what she hoped would be the appropriate places. The spell was actually simple, but applying it to this unique situation that was going to be hard. She saw the memories and experiences that were apart of them and they had taken as a part of their true selves as well as those they wished they could be done with, and everything they had been going through these last few months. This harrowing as well as an enlightening experience for Twilight, seeing both of their lives through their eyes. The memories she couldn’t remove personally she twisted the memory to make them recollect it as a dream rather than an actual memory. She hoped that this would help although she couldn’t help with the fact that they remembered having a different life along their original one.

As she finished the spell she saw that their energy flow steadied for the most part. And even though it was far from perfect it was the best she could do for them. “So girls how do you feel?”

They looked at each other and seemed to fall mentally into themselves for a moment. As if trying to see what changes they noticed. They all had memories of the past few months of remembering a life they lived through Starswirls spell, but the actual memories were no longer there. Just a shadow of one that to them felt like a dream. Their bodies were still altered, but their minds at least felt like themselves. They then looked at her and told her that they think that the whole ordeal was behind them.

“Well not quite, the special talents that you had will still be a part of you. But it will be less like you are like your counterpart, but now a less rocky fusion of the two. I wasn’t able to fix everything, as I said. There are things you’ve been using of those past lives since the spell was fixed, as well as things that you’ve enjoyed whether in secret or out in the open. Now that it's fixed we have some things to discuss.”

“First Darling, we have something that we have to say. Isn’t that right girls?” Rarity said looking embarrassed as she looked at the others for confirmation of what they agreed to talk about when Twilight arrived.

A slight murmur of agreement rose amongst the friends gathered as Pinkie led Twilight to a chair handing her a slice of triple chocolate cake and a cup of warm chai. Having seen the memories of the talk already she knew what they had planned, although she was waiting to see how it would play out. After all it would help both of them to get it out in the open.

“Well I guess I should start I guess. Twilight I’m really sorry for not being there to help you fly and to leave you hanging. I should’ve been a better friend to you, I was just to caught up in the fact that I was dealing with the insecurity and other things that the spell brought about. And the fact that I’m now physically weaker than I used to be made me angry at you. Even though I know it wasn’t your fault. I’m sorry for not being as loyal to you as I could be.” Rainbow Dash said looking dejectedly at the ground. Pawing the ground with a fore hoof.

“Well ah’m sorry that I was busy being annoyed at how out of shape this body is that I didn’t look at the good I’ve done with these new skills. I don’t think I’ve seen Scootaloo as happy with her new clothes other than when Rainbow Dash took her under wing to teach her how to fly. So I’m sorry about that, thinking back I don’t know why I was so angry. It was really uncharacteristic of me to hold a grudge.”

“Well Pinkie, Rarity, and me weren’t really angry with you as much as we were too busy with our day to day lives. We really do like you and are happy with how things had turned out, although it was difficult to have two different memories. We kind of forgot who we were every now and then. But we are sorry that we didn’t talk to you as much as we should have, you have been just wonderful for us.” Fluttershy said. Twilight didn’t remember when Fluttershy had spoken that much since meeting her. But with everything out of the way she put on a smile for her friends sake.

“Well I’ll admit that I was sad that I never got a reply to my letters over the last few months, but I’m glad that we are talking now. Although next time you shouldn’t be afraid to tell me when your in trouble, I would’ve been able to fix things months ago. But I’m sorry as well because of my accident you were burdened with an experience I can never understand, but everything will be better now.”

“Well it was an accident and you didn’t deserve our distant attitude.” Rarity stated.

“And you are forgiven.”

“Ok. Now that’s over with,” Rainbow Dash said with a sad sigh, “What about that letter. What happened?”

“Ok I guess I’ll start at the beginning.”

Chapter 6: Wars of Equestria's Past

*** 6 Months Ago after the lesson on the hill ***

“So Twilight it’s time you learned about Equestria’s History.” Celestia said to Twilight as they sat within Celestia’s royal chambers, the fireplace they sat in front of was the only source of illumination as it flickered a dancing light across the room. The smell of sweet smelling incense filling the room. If it wasn’t for the fact that their was knowledge to learn and Twilight thought of their relationship as mentor and student. She would’ve thought it a very romantic setting.

“Thank you I can’t wait to learn.” Twilight said with a grin plastered on her features.

“About four thousand five hundred years ago, about a two thousand years before me and my sister became the rulers of Equestria there was a great two thousand year war.”

“A war what war? I never heard about a war in the royal archives.”

“Twilight please don’t interrupt or I’ll have to stop your lesson for tonight.”

“Sorry Princess, please continue.”

“Call me Celestia, after all we are both Princesses now. And as for not in the Archives, it wouldn’t be. It long before the archives were started, and most of the knowledge that’s survived is known only to me and my sister. Now it’ll be passed onto you. What I'm going to tell you as complete and as best as my recollections of the events as I learned them and as they happened. As I was saying there was a two thousand year war. You see the Alicorn race is immortal, while we may not die from old age we can still die from injury or even disease. But when there were more Alicorn around they were split between two groups.

One group saw the mortal races as inferior and should worship the Alicorns. That the mortal races should serve us without question. The other group saw a part of themselves in the mortal pony races and thought that they should be guided and helped. That we had a duty to ensure that they had a prosperous life filled with joy and peace. The former group decided that they would destroy their opposition by any means necessary. They used forbidden magics to remove qualities and properties in the Pony Races as well as each other, then filling the void with other qualities and properties for battle.

This led to many of the problems that we have now in days. Changelings for example were formed by the Alicorns that wished to enslave the others races for the purpose of espionage. A capable spy who could take infiltrate anywhere, and drain the emotional energy of their prey. With the insectile ability to lay eggs to make more of themselves, they were one of the biggest threats of the war. It’s also why my sister and I have always have been wary of them. It’s in their nature to be devious and take over their targets. But of course that power came with the weakness to more destructive emotions which is poisonous to them. While you didn’t know when the barrier was used by Cadence and your brother, Cadence threw all her hatred into the barrier, this from what our scouts have seen have decimated the recent Changeling hive.

Yes I know it may seem harsh, but in consideration of what she was put through and the thread of what your brother and Cadence were put through they were justified. Not to mention what the Changelings would have done to all of us and eventually all of Equestria if they hadn’t done what they did.

Now onto other more known creations. The Draconequus were a fusion of dragon, manticore, alicorn, griffon, and for some reason goat and deer. Once mixed they were infused with raw magical energy and tapped into control one aspect of reality, giving them god like powers. Only four were ever created and the only one that I know to have survived was Discord, the second of our enemies Draconequus created. They were to be the Generals of the collective armies. Weapons that could alter the very world to their whim. Their names were Bellum, Discord, Contego, and Pondera. Their minds and souls were altered to fully resemble the essence of what they represented. Bellum was the Spirit of War, he was the first one created. His ability to spread war and control the spread of battle was such a danger, that the other group created Contego to counter him. Then there was Discord whom you know and his counterpart Pondera, the Spirit of Order.

I talked to Discord after he was reformed by your friend Fluttershy. He said that he tricked Bellum to attack Pondera so that he could kill Contego, seeing how Bellum was a threat to his power base killed Bellum. By this time the war was near its end and he wandered the world before coming to this land.

Now as for our heritage, there were once many types of Alicorn and ponies. Nocturnal type ponies, the Tulpa which are the dragon eyed and winged Pegasi in the Royal Lunar Guard. You have the Anar, which are dark grey to black looking Unicorns with glowing red eyes. They had a draconic ability to breath fire and use fire magics. They were well know to specialize in combat magics rather than normal Unicorns who as you know are more well rounded. Then you had the Nox Equi or night horses. They as well as the Anar are probably extinct, and I never really saw them although what my father told me. They were cave dwelling ponies that came out rarely at night. Supposedly they were carnivorous, well more accurately they were opportunistic carnivores. They fought for the group dedicated to enslaving ponies for sacrifices.

Now by the time me and my sister were born the war was dying down, and only a handful of Alicorns were alive. By the time I was nearing adolescence and our parents left for an important mission, all of them suddenly disappeared other than my sister, myself, and sombra who was a distant cousin. We didn’t know about him until after the ponies of Equestria thrust the weight of rulership upon us. He was an orphan and it was pure happen chance that we came across him while trying to stabilize the world after the chaos that Discord caused.

Now as for after the war, and in between then and us over throwing Discord. You are aware of the play given in Hearth’s Warming Eve. Well it is somewhat less than honest. It was three thousand five hundred years ago that it happened rather than one thousand, and while it was accurate up to the finding of Equestria from deep in the frozen wastes of Stalliongrad. The frozen north was actually caused by the Wendigos. The animosity of the three tribes was like a beacon of those relics of the war. It was friendship that was their bane and caused the tribes which weren’t just those 6 ponies but a large force that went with them. The 6 are used to make the play simpler to understand. Well that and it was those 6 who had the greatest impact on history.

They had five hundred years of peace before Discord arrived. Now all ponies know is that he caused ponies to be unhappy. But the truth is so much worse. He killed the founders of Equestria for rulership, using dark magics and his ability to manipulate the minds of ponies. He killed Chancellor Pudding by turning her weekly bath in the lake into thick pudding trapping her under it until she drowned. As Smart Cookie tried to save her he turned her bones to cookies, as she crushed under her own weight her organs and bones mixed into a sludge. Well lets just say that it wasn’t a pretty sight for anyone who were there for their funeral.

Princess Platinum was encased in the money of her vault. While its true that he never turned a Pony into stone he did entomb her in wealth she valued more than anything other than her looks. We actually had her entombed body in the Castle of the Royal sisters in a memorial to the previous rulers. Her assistant Clover the clever was attacked by all things giant, mutant weeds. By the time the unicorns were able to save her they were to late. The blades of grass had cut her to shreds.

Now as for Private Pansy and Captain Hurricane, I won’t go into details on them. It’s too gruesome to go into. I’ll never know why he targeted them as he did and I don’t want to ask him. Well after they were killed history just says that he made pony’s unhappy and put them in a state of unrest and unhappiness. We just say that to water down what really happened. Well that’s all for tonight. I’ll let you know more tomorrow night if you feel like it.”

Twilight was wide awake with questions and images in her head that she wished she didn’t have. But Celestia told her that when she was finished telling her everything she would allow her to ask her questions. So Twilight waited to the next night to hear the rest of her story. Although she didn’t get any sleep, having nightmares of all the deaths that happened in Celestia’s recollections.

“ Now we left off on Discord’s rule. He didn’t use the cotton candy clouds with chocolate milk that he used on you and your friends. Nor did he do simple mischief, truth be told he did those things since you were all mortals and he underestimated all of you. When he first took power it was similar to what Ponyville went through in some ways. Ponies being forced into a constant state of insanity where they were forced to do acts on his whim. But when he was bored with that he would twist their souls into their darker opposites and would watch them hunt, then hunt their friends and family for sport.

I know that look and I can guess what you’re going to ask, why did I want him free after what he did? The answer is simple. Being imprisoned for over three thousand years is more than enough of a punishment. That and we know where we stand with each other, and let’s just say that my faith in you was well placed. That plus only us Alicorns know what really happened back then. The reason I’m telling you is because those who fail to understand the past are doomed to repeat it, and if I don’t want you to ever live through some of the lessons that I’ve had to live through. As for why don’t I let this know to most of Equestria? Well the answer to your unasked question is that if they knew the gory truth behind the finding of their past the lessons of friendship and community that they grew up learning would be a whole lot less impacting.

It’s the ponies reliance of the power of friendship that is their defense mechanism from a lot of things out there that have weakness to those things. If they were to loose sight of that I am terrified to what the price would be. It’s honestly something that I loose sleep over sometimes when our history hits a rather bumpy patch, knowing the horrors that this world hides.

Now back onto our lessons. It was two thousand five hundred years ago when me and my sister discovered the locations of the Elements of Harmony. Now the thing to know is that they were only a child’s tale to us, and no real information existed about them, but when facing an insurmountable threat any chance for hope is better than nothing. It was Luna who was the more open and in touch with her feelings that held the Elements of Generosity, Laughter, and Kindness. While I was held Loyalty, Honesty, and Magic. It was a desperate gambit, but you know how it ends. We overthrew him and imprisoned him in stone.

We of course were just children at the time, but with us being the only ones able to use the Elements of Harmony. And having overthrown the equivalent of a god, the ponies of this land thrust upon us the title of rulers. It was thirteen years later when while we were securing the outer reaches of our empire, in the outer reaches of Equestria near Stalliongrad in what would be later called the Crystal Empire we found a young Sombra. We never did find out what happened to his parents, but he was an orphan like we were. Although unlike us he had no one. So my sister took it upon herself to take him in and train him. For the next three hundred and some change years later we were like a family.

But Sombra had machinations for the Crystal Empire. I guess in a way it was the only place he could truly call home, or it was the place were everything changed for him. But turned to the dark side of magic specializing in the dark arts. Going even further than me and my sister had, and yes in our younger years we used darker magics in times of war. The reason there are so many laws on their use was because of both Sombra’s actions and we came to see alot of their uses as not ethical. We once again had to use the Elements of Harmony once again in battle. And as you’ve seen first hand both Sombra and the ponies of the Crystal Empire suffered from our last ditch effort from us stopping Sombra’s plans.

It was a thousand years later that Luna turned into a Nightmare Moon. She gathered a large force of those who felt disenfranchised, under appreciated, and those who gravitated to those they felt as the more powerful of the two. Some of those for protection, others for a perverse sense of shared glory. It wasn’t just me sending her two the moon. It was a large civil war that split our land in two, and it was with a heavy heart that I lured Luna to a hill outside of Ponyville, the same one that we sat a few short weeks ago. I used the connection to the Elements that Luna once had and banished her to the moon.

Ever since then I’ve been building the Equestrian Army and using their forces to secure our border from outside threats which there have been many, as well as extremist groups loyal to not only Discord but Nightmare Moon as well who have threatened us from within. Honestly those were the worst, they fought for beings that they have only an ideal of rather than what really happened. Ever since I lost the use of the Elements of Harmony to act as a deterrent, so I had to rely on my little ponies for protecting our nation more than they were before my sister’s banishment.

It’s only been these last four hundred years since I’ve brought us to a land of such prosperity where Ponies can have the lifestyle and peace that they have enjoyed. That’s all for this nights lecture. Tomorrow I will answer all the questions you have to ask.” Celestia finished saying, her face filled with the weight of all she had been through. Although Twilight new that even the time line she gave it was not a fully accurate one, but it was better than everything being simply stated as a thousand years ago, which she always thought was off.

Twilight didn’t sleep that well that night either. Dreams of war and death troubled her mind. It was here that Luna arrived for the first time in her dreams, and with tales of Nightmare Moon in her mind it took Luna sometime to explain she wasn’t a dream. She had seen her dreams and told her that she had to have the weight of such things thrust upon her, but at least she didn’t get the whole story of what happened in those times. Luna then spent the rest of Twilight’s dream helping ease her mind and help her with alot of the images running through her mind.

It would be several more months before the nightmares fully subsided, but Twilight had finally did something she thought she’d never see. Knowledge that she didn’t want to have. Over the nights after the end of the lecture she had poured every question she had been saving up poured out. She learned about how after defeating Discord she collected the memories of all those who were present during the time to see exactly what happened to the original finders of Equestria, the extremist, splinter cells that still existed, about the wars still going on in the border regions of Equestria, and the various myths and stories told by the Alicorns. As for the Anarcorn, she was unable to learn anything other than they were the nocturnal counterpart to Alicorns and went missing before the Alicorns did.

Author's Note

Yay! Epic Exposition Time! I wanted to get a chapter earlier that built up the war that the Watcher was talking about as well as setting things up for later parts of the series that I have planned.

Chapter 7: Getting Started

*** Present Day ***

Twilight finished her story by wrapping it up with what happened the night before. She had gone through several mugs of chai, and a few slices of cake. Feeling full and needing a break she told them that she need to take a breather before continuing. She took this time to go the the bathroom and let her mind relive alot of the memories that she skipped over. There was a lot of lessons that she learned that she didn’t feel right talking to them about. Such as Luna teaching her alot of her memory and dream magics. The learning of the darker magics from Celestia. Most of that was to learn to control herself when she was using them and more importantly how to recognize someone under the influence of those spells.

She had grown alot in only six short months. A lot of that growing was growth that she never thought she would have to do. But at the same time this was an experience that she had always fantasized about. This was the major problem that had lead to her current dilemma. She had everything she had always wanted, yet it was so different than what she thought it would be. Upon relieving herself from her meal and washing up. She spent a few minutes splashing water on her face to wake herself up. When she walked back to the room everyone was looking at her in anticipation, almost bursting at the seams to ask what had been on her mind since she started her tale.

“Wow Twi’ ah never thought that you were going through all that. Ah would never have guessed that Equestria had that kinda secrets hidden in our closet. And it just goes to show ya how well the Princesses do their job that we never heard of these terrorists groups. Although I will never understand how somepony could actually see Discord or Nightmare Moon as somepony to follow,” AJ Said breaking the ice. Her southern drawl more pronounced since her soul was somewhat stabilized. “And this Watcher fella sounds mighty fishy.”

“Yeah I’ve been dealing with some of the paperwork of those groups working with warlords in the outer reaches. I’ve been trying to get a centralized agency to handle all that stuff but scheduling it, getting the logistics needed to making it a feasibility, and getting the various groups of that nature to work together in a more centralized way has been trying. It’s more of a side project that I’m going to talk to Celestia when I get everything needed to make it work.

As for the Watcher, I agree he does sound fishy. But honestly until I learn more I’m going to hold off on judgment. Since he seems to know that I’m going to meet him soon, I’m not going to worry about it. After all I’ve seen the problems I cause when I over analyze a problem. It’s actually one of the good things I things I learned as a Princess. To compartmentalize my priorities and to fine tune my multitasking abilities. Anyways what I wanted to ask you all was this, I’m going on a journey of self discovery, and I wanted to retrace my steps starting with the Royal Sister’s Castle. Then see where that takes me. I know that you are all busy, but it would mean a lot to me for you to be there with me. Would you all like to join me?”

They all let her know that they had already hired workers to fill in with their work, and they had already talked amongst themselves that they’d be there for her. Letting a smile play across her face, she let out a small sigh as she called Spike over. “ Listen Spike I need you to watch over the Cutie Mark Crusaders while were gone. They haven’t seen you since before your growth spurt, and I’m sure that you’ll be able to handle it. Just make sure that they come here tonight incase we don’t get back by then and don’t let them get into to much trouble.”

She ushered Spike out of the house planting a light kiss on his forehead as he left. Smiling as he walked off to the CMC clubhouse she felt a sense of pride in him. He had grown so much over these last few months and in her opinion was more mature than he had been. Turning around she walked in and told her friends that she’d meet them by the entrance to the Everfree Forest in an hours time.

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“What do ya mean ya don’ know when y’all will be back?” Big Macintosh asked Apple Jack after she called in the family for a group meeting.

“Ah said what ah said, Twi’ needs us and we’ll be there for her. It’s not like we are short on workers if ya catch my drift. All that extra business we got from being close to Twi now she’s a Princess has got us more than enough money to cover me bein’ gone for a bit.”

“Eyup, we got the bits, but these workers are still a bit too green to allow them to go about un supervised.”

“Now listen here, Ah turned my back on here three times now when she needed me. Ah’m not going to allow it to be a fourth. Especially know that I know how bad things have been on her, and how good she’s been to the family.” She said with her voice cracking slightly near the end.

Sighing he Big Mac sat his head between his forehooves which were resting on the dining room table. “Well ah see that you’ve made up your mind, and ah can’t say that the workers won’t learn fast if ah light a fire under there flanks. Just try not to get into any crazy adventures out there. This seems just like the kinda thing that seems innocent but’ll lead to trouble real quick.”

“What’s the worst that can happen Big Mac? All were doin’ is retracin’ our steps. Look around an old castle that if anythin’ was there would have been long gone turned to dust or left. Well I’m gonna get a saddle bag ready. Ah’ll be back soon enough.”

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Pinkie Pie sat in the corner when all the talking was going on, no one seemed to notice that Pinkie’s mane had started to slowly deflate throughout Twilight’s recollections till it hung in between her normal fluffy cloud like hair and flat, nor did they notice that her smile was a little to forced when she left. As she walked to Sugar Cube Corner, to the Cakes Shop to get her stuff she let her mind play back all that she heard.

This is going to be harder than I thought. How can I make Twilight super happy, when these last few months have been super sad. I knew a life changing decision was coming to one of my friends, I just didn’t see it being all of us. What do I do? What do I do? It’s not like any ordinary party will fix this, I tried my party and she smiled. But it wasn’t enough to chase away the sadness in her eyes. I remember that look in a pony’s eyes. When they’ve seen to much and don’t know what to do. I guess I just have to be there for her and help her when the chance arrives.

She arrived in her room without her being aware that she had finished that stretch of her journey. Packing her saddle bag, and making sure her Delux Party Cannon was well supplied just in case a random party needed to be thrown out of the blue she could set it up in a jiffy. She then walked in to Pumpkin and Pound Cake’s room, it was a habit that she had developed a year prior, to make sure they were safe and sleeping well. She saw them as her baby siblings and even though she was never formally adopted into the Cake Family, they were the family she always wanted.

As she walked down to the shop she was glad that the lunch rush had died down and things were relatively quite. When she got to them she threw ear to ear smile as she greeted them, “ Hiya Mr. and Mrs. Cake listen I have to go on a super duper important trip with my bestest friend Twilight. I know this is short notice, but my Pinkie Sense told me I was going on an adventure so I left you enough gold bits that I had saved up so you can hire a few more extra workers while I’m gone.”

Looking at her with worried smiles it was Mrs. Cake that spoke first, “That’s nice, and we appreciate the gesture but we already have enough workers to pick up the slack until you get back. I have to ask, you seem like how you were before that spell. Are you all right?”

“Yeppers! Well I want you two to know that I’ll be back as soon as possible take care, and give the twins a hug from me.” She said with a slightly less forced smile than she had been wearing earlier. They laughed before she headed out, ready now that she had said her good byes.

***************************************************

“So you see Sweetie Bell, I’ll be leaving with the others for a little while and you’ll be being watched by Spike. Now I’m sure you’ll be under your best behavior.”

“Of course Rarity, but I don’t see why I can’t come with you.”

“Well you see it’s something for only big ponies. That and you still have school to go to. Don’t you want to hang out with your friends?”

“Of course I do, but I also want to hang out with you too. And I am a big pony!”

“I didn’t mean it like that Darling, it’s just that this is something that is personal. I promise that when I get back we’ll spend sometime together. Well take care, and try not to destroy Ponyville while I’m gone.”

“That was only once! And it was not all of Ponyville only apart of it.” Sweetie Bell said pouting, remembering when her and the fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders tried their hand at Demolition, and with help of Pinkie Pie’s explosive cooking compounds that they ‘borrowed’ destroyed a few buildings. Without telling anyone that they were going to do it. Or permission of the building owners. Her, and her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders were lucky that they didn’t any jail time.

“Well regardless be careful, I’d hate for anything to happen to you while I was gone. I’m going now. Bye Sweetie, I’ll be back soon, and don’t worry, unlike our parents I mean it when I say that.” Rarity said as she headed out the door.

**************************************************

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sat outside of the entrance of the Everfree Forest. They had the least to pack up, Rainbow Dash because she was always ready to be on the move. Ever since she became a Wonderbolt she made sure that everything she needed for a trip was packed. As for Fluttershy she always had a saddlebag ready incase she needed to make an emergency trip into the Everfree Forest, so they waited for the others to arrive while they chatted with Twilight.

It was thirty minutes later before everyone was gathered. Making sure that everyone had their Elements on them, and everything they needed they left through the entrance to the Everfree Forest that they went in chasing Nightmare Moon. Twilight let herself get lost in memories of that day as they walked.

Chapter 8: The Castle and the Mare

As they entered the castle the area around them they saw what looked like an older Unicorn with a dark green coat with a lavender mane and tail. She entered the corridor to the left where Twilight’s friends went to recuse her. Thinking it was strange to see any pony there Twilight called out to her. Without a reply the strange mare disappeared into the corridor.

“Well that was a Rude McRudypants! Not even a hello.” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as they walked to the corridor in question.

“That sure was strange, well we were headed there anyways so let’s goin’ y’all. Maybe we can see where she’s headed off to. She might not have heard us or somethin’.” Apple Jack said looking at everypony as Twilight kept staring with a confused look on her face.

“Somethin’ wrong sugarcube?”

“Well not really? As you said, sure was strange. Anyways we’ll see what we’ll see.”

As they entered the corridor they saw the mare enter a room near the end of hallway. As they walked there Twilight said, “ I originally wanted to come here to relive that night we all became friends. But this seems like something worth looking into, and we can ask what she’s doing here. I didn’t know anyone knew of this place other than us.”

By this time they walked into the room to see that it was empty. “What? Where did she go? Hello!”

All that answered back was her echo through the moss covered crumbling walls. The room looked like it was once a room of some sort, with furnishings that looked like they had succumbed to the sands of time ages ago. The only two things that were intact was an old bookcase filled with books, and an old chest. They searched around the room calling out for the Unicorn mare but had received no reply.

It was Twilight who looking through the books in the book shelf who the book that opened the secret stairway behind the bookcase. Calling the others over they walked down. As they stepped down the stairs Twilight’s and Rarity’s horns illumination was made unnecessary as the old torches on the side of the spiraling stair case lit up with an electric blue fire.

“Ooooo Pretty!” Pinkie said pulling out a stick with a marshmallow on it from where ever it was that Pinkie grabbed her assortment of oddities out of.

“I’m not even going to ask where you got that from, but I have to ask why?” Twilight asked Pinkie as she held the marshmallow over the fire which refused to toast the marshmallow despite Pinkie’s valiant efforts.

“Easy peasy Twilight. For smores of course. You can’t have smores without roasted marshmallows.”

“Riiight. Well I’m glad to see you back to your old self.”

“I know.” She said softly, “Well it doesn’t matter I guess since this mean fire won’t toast it.”

“I know this place is starting to feel more and more weird. I don’t like it.” Rainbow Dash whispered as she flexed her wings defensively. The mixture of the weight of time and knowing that they were now under several tons of earth was starting to make everyone feeling slightly uncomfortable. As if they were going somewhere they weren’t meant to be, yet drawn onward for a reason they couldn’t quite place.

Twilight was starting to get unnerved and decided that she should use her Alicorn eye powers. Although it was something that still drew discomfort from her when she used it, although nowhere near as uncomfortable as when she first started. Looking at the area around her she noticed that the magical network of the earth was super saturated in the stair ways. As if it was made completely of magical energy, it would explain how the books and even this place was in immaculate condition, although it didn’t explain the atmosphere that surrounded them.

As they turned the corner what she saw shocked her, the Unicorn mare they were following didn’t exist. More accurately she might of existed at one point in time, but she had no magical pathways all living things held, had no aura, and when looking at the foreground and background magic at her location. Noticed that she was a whole in the fabric of magic, like magic didn’t exist around her. It was even more confusing when before anyone could talk to her, she placed her horn to the wall before them and it lit up. Just before she disappeared from their sight.

Walking to the wall she noticed the etchings of an intricate series of runes and seals forming an interconnected lock and spell. Looking at the runes only visible to her Alicorn sight, she deduced how to activate the seal and follow, she looked over to her friends and said, “I know how to enter here. I have to ask this though, we didn’t come here looking for a mystery. But I feel like I should follow, although you’d never believe me if I told you what I saw about that mare we’ve been following. So I ask, do you all want to follow me or do you want to stay back?”

“Listen egg head. We said that we’d follow you where ever it took us. We’re going to follow you, even if it takes you to Tartarus if that’s what you need.” Rainbow Dash said as she flew to Twilight to stand beside her. The rest agreeing that they were going to go with.

“OK here we go.” Placing her horn to the wall she flowed her magical energy through the seals of the wall, igniting the runes. A bright flash was all they saw before being enshrouded by darkness. Little did they know when they opened the seals, it released a black mist that flew by them as they traveled to their new destination.

As they flew through the darkness a bone chilling cold permeated their entire being as if their very bones were dipped in ice. As the darkness passed and warmth returned to their bodies they found themselves in a strange room. The entire room was lit in the same blue flamed torches that were in the stair well. On the left was a huge library filled with scrolls, if anyone were to scan for spells they would find several spells to prevent aging, and damage from the elements. On their right was a double door that was more larger than the one to the Princesses Castle in Canterlot that allowed access to the building proper. On the door were etchings of runes and glyphs that were older than anything Twilight had ever come across, and before them set an ornate ritual chamber.

It was there that the Mare that was not really there walked into the center. Encircling her was a highly complex, ritual circle. They watched as she sat in meditation there her horn glowing before the circle came to life, enveloping her before she suddenly flashed from exitance. The only thing left of that room was a large book it’s last page open before them.

“OK who else thinks that’s weird?” Rainbow Dash asked, lookin back at her friends and seeing that they stood in a room that had several doors behind them, “And what the heck are those doors?”

They all looked behind them and saw the row of doors, and walkways beneath them that stretched from one of end of the wall to the other, as far as the eye could see. “I think we should mark the door behind us just incase, but I think they lead to other places. And I agree that was strange, especially since no magic happened. I think what we saw was a recording.” Twilight explained.

“Well ah reckon that was the strangest thing ah’ve ever seen before.”

“You said it AJ. So what do we do know Twi’?” Rainbow asked.

“Well first I want to see that book before us, then I need to teleport the Princesses here and see if we can’t see what this place is. First I need to send the Princesses a letter telling them what just transpired, and see if they can come right now. While I’m doing that why don’t all of you do a bit of exploring, I mean if this place is as big as it looks it must have somewhere to get food, or where some food might be growing.”

As Twilight started to write she heard Pinkie yell for her to come over. Thinking it was something dangerous she teleported over to see Pinkie standing outside the door with a large sign before them, and a map under it with a dot before a large section that Twilight guessed was their current location. Over the sign and the source of Pinkie’s outburst was a guide to the building written in ancient Unicorn from pre-equestrian text. She knew the language because it was a requirement for pursuing some of the more ancient spells she loved to catch up on. But her friends wouldn’t be able to understand it.

“Ok listen I’m going to use a language spell that will teach you all how to speak and read ancient texts flawlessly. This is an ancient unicorn dialect, that’s been dead for well over three thousand years so this should help you get around.” With that Twilight focused her magic on her friends and did a spell that copied her knowledge of the language to them directly.

With a gasp that they could finally understand the chicken scratch before them, they went left to see what they could find while Twilight went back to her writing. A thing she prided herself of while being a Princess was that she was now able to use brevity while writing, so instead of a thirty page letter as she would have done not to long ago. She kept it as short and to the point as possible. In this case it only took her two pages front and back to tell them what had transpired and her insights into the manner. As well as a request to summon them into the room she currently resided in.

Following the trail of background magic from where she was to them took her five minutes of meditation to plot it out, and a simple teleportation spell to send the letters. While waiting for a reply she decided that it would be a good use of her time to look at the book before her. The title read “Almareda’s Journal”, it was a green leather book with a design on the front that she could only guess as Almareda’s Cutie Mark. It was a circle and with in the circle was a trident like road bisecting it.

She had gone through a hundred pages when a scroll finally appeared from the Princesses that said that they were ready to be summoned. Putting the book down she looked around and saw that her friends were still gone. She stepped away from the table she was working on and used the summoning spell to draw the Princesses to her. But when they arrived they looked ghost like before fading away. Twilight thinking that she had killed the Princesses went on full on panic mode before another scroll popped in front of her. It said that they were ok, but were going to use the entrance that she described in her scroll. Still in full on panic mode Twilight fainted from the anxiety of the moment and let sleep take hold of her.

Chapter 9: Explorations

Twilight woke up a few hours later to the splashing of water on her face. As she came to she gradually became aware of the concerned looks of her friends and the Princesses. She closed and reopened her eyes to make sure they were really there. Once she was sure she saw them she burst into tears and launched herself into Celestia who was the closest of the two, and drew Luna into a near rib crushing embrace, “I’m so sorry! I thought killed you. You were there, but like ghosts, if there was such a thing as ghosts, then you disappeared and I thought I killed you. Please forgive me.” After that she broke down sobbing that she was sorry as Celestia and Luna returned the embrace trying to get her calm enough that they could talk to her.

When Twilight’s sobs subsided into a gradual shudder as she stopped speaking and was greatful that she didn’t accidentally kill them via spell mishap. Seeing this as a good enough time as any to get a word in it was Luna who spoke first, “It’s ok Twilight Sparkle. We are ok. I’ll admit it was unnerving, since we were aware of the Castle where we awaited your summons and this place as well. But we’ve deduced that this place has protections to prevent anyone from accessing this place other than through certain location. The doors in the room we took you from are the only way into this place, although it doesn’t seem to prevent things from leaving.”

“So you aren’t mad at me?”

“Twilight, it was a simple mistake and we are just glad that no real danger came from it. Now that we are here why don’t we see what you and your friends have learned. Then we can explain some background into what this place is and whom Almareda was.” Celestia said comfortingly to Twilight as she wrapped her in a wing hug. Twilight released Luna and shifted her weight into Celestia so she could see her friends while staying within the warm embrace of Celestia’s wing. Giving a nod it was Pinkie Pie who started.

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After Twilight cast the memory spell upon Pinkie Pie, she went exploring to see if she could find anyone else. After all what’s a party without guests. Using her ability to ignore the laws of reality popped into each rooms ready to surprise and befriend anyone she met. Unfortunately all the rooms in the place were bare.

Going to the communal garden and mead hall. She went there to see if they had any food and upon arrival was once made speechless. The Garden was actually a small ecosystem of diverse trees, plants, animals, and other things whose raw size dwarfed both Appleoosa and Ponyville put together. As she sped along the various orchards, and trails vaguely following the signs that cropped up here and there showing the various selections of fruits and herbs. As she approached the mead hall, she noticed that the sky above her wasn’t a night time sky as she had originally thought, but a swirling mass of stars both those she was familiar with and those she had never seen before.

Pinkie Pie sat looking at the sky above her until Luna appeared and told her that something happened to Twilight. Popping into Twilight’s Location to watch over her. It turned out to be unnecessary since Celestia was already there and told her to help Rarity find the others. “By the time I found Apple Jack, and I brought them with me, Rarity had already found Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and were headed to where you were. I made a stretcher and carried you over to one of the many rooms they have set up here. Then we woke you up.” Pinkie Pie finished with a smile.

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Rarity continued next. The Princesses letting her know that Twilight did better with dealing with stress when she had lots of information to process on a totally different topic than the one that was bugging her saw it as an opportunity to help her friend. After all it was Rarity who was the one who normally fainted, and she couldn’t imagine the fright that thinking that you killed those you were closest to could feel like. So she started her story when she left under Twilight’s suggestion to explore.

As Rarity left she was amazed at how dust free the place was. Other than the odd room here and there that sported an odd assortment of clutter, there was no cobwebs, dust, nor mold anywhere to be found inside the place. From what she could gather from Pinkie, all that mess was in it’s proper place, far away from her.

She eventually made it to a room that had gems of every kind and rarity. As more wealth and treasure than any dragon’s horde. She practically exploded twice from the sight of it all. But being a lady she didn’t take it, although she did admit that she was tempted to ‘borrow’ some of it. It was in this room that she sat spell bound by the sight before her, and if it wasn’t for Princess Celestia coming to get her she would probably still be rooted to the place.

She went to get Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, whom she found in the Gardens. She didn’t know how Luna and Pinkie didn’t find them first, but they eventually left and ran into Pinkie who was looking for them. “Well it was shortly after that, that Pinkie pulled a stretcher with a lead and bit on one end. Then she pulled you into this room, I swear she was so resolute carrying you that she looked like a totally different pony for a while. I’ve never seen her like it. But regardless, while she was doing that I got some water and came here to wake you up.”

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Apple Jack was next, saying that she had the least memorable experience of the five especially since Twilight knew how the story basically ended. Apple Jack looking at the map decided to go to the arcade to see what stores she could find. After all if there was a chance that there was anyone pony or otherwise who was still here then she might be able to rustle up some business for her farm.

She passed Rarity looking around and told her where she’d be getting an noncommittal grunt from her as she was lost in thought about something or rather. When she arrived at the arcade she saw that not a single soul was in sight, but the stores were still stocked as if anyone that was there suddenly left without warning. The whole thing gave her the heebie-jeebies, but she walked on seeing what she could see. She was impressed that even the food stuffs had not one sign of rot as if they were just picked yesterday.

She finally got to inspecting a store with a bunch of paintings in it when Pinkie Pie popped out of a picture of a dragon playing cards with a griffon, and her having a miniature heart attack. She asked Pinkie what in tarnations she was thinking before Pinkie Pie told her what happened between her and the Princesses, and Princess Luna coming to tell her that she needed to round everypony up and go to Twilight. “And that’s basically all that happened. I swear Twilight the more I’m in this place the more I feel we should leave. Just take what we need and be gone from here, it’s just not natural. That strange mare you said didn’t exist, the secret entrance with in a secret entrance that lead to here. The fact that no one is here, but it looks as if they just left yesterday, but I can’t see how with how old everything is here. There’s not a single thing I saw that was recent. Then with the whole Princesses going poof when you tried to bring them here ... I just think it’d be best if we got out of here lickety split.”

“I can see why you’d say that Apple Jack I do, but we can’t just leave. We were brought here for a reason.”

“Yeah a scary no good reason. Listen Twilight, ah trust ya, and ah’m here for ya. But usually when your led to a strange place, and there’s a bunch of signs pointin’ out that it’s bad mojo it’s usually a good sign that it’s a trap.”

“But how can it be a trap, as when you all said no one is here. There must be a logical explanation for all this, and how do we know that what ever led us here didn’t have benign intentions? Although I do admit it’s a bit spooky, and with the Princesses that was my fault. I didn’t think things through enough to think there might be things here to prevent me from summoning something here.”

“Well if somethin’ happens I’m gonna tell ya I told ya so. But just be careful Twi’.”

“I will.” She said as she wiggled closer to Celestia, her warmth and closeness was a mixture of nostalgic for Twilight and helped calm her from her ordeal. With this calmness came celerity and she was beginning to suspect what this place was. If she was correct she might even have a slight suspicion as to why no one was here anymore.

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Both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash started their tale together. They told Twilight how they left together since Rainbow Dash didn’t want her scared of whatever they would run into. And seeing a garden and a meed hall in the same location decided to go there while the others were doing there thing.

When they got to the Gardens they noticed not just the plants but the insects and animals. They took some time to communicate with them, a skill that Rainbow Dash still retained even after the healing, although to a slightly lesser degree. Seeing that Flutttershy was happy she told her that she was going to the meed hall. When she got there she saw a large oaken room with a varnish so shiny she could see her reflection on both the floors, walls and ceiling. She called out to see if anyone was there and got no reply.

Looking around she spotted several kegs of various fluids marked with the same ancient unicorn dialect that everything else had on it. She saw a keg of butter beer and thinking that she might as well have something to drink poured herself a mug. She had heard of this drink before, and decided that she might as well give it a try. Sipping it she relished in it’s flavor, a unique blend of buttery goodness with an equal mixture of caramel. The taste was like drinking candy, and once she had one mug she had to have more. It was after coming out of the restroom after her fifth mug that she saw Rarity standing with Fluttershy. She told her that Twilight fainted after a spell mishap and they needed to round everyone up to get them for her.

While walking she listened to Fluttershy talk about her experience. From what she had gathered from the animals they had been alone for as long as they could remember. It was just them and the garden where they lived. When she asked about seasons they seemed to not know what she was talking about stating that the garden was always the same and always had food for them to eat. So they didn’t know about such things as day and night, or the four seasons. It was strange.

“And well you heard enough to know what happened next. We caught up with Pinkie and AJ got you here then you woke up. That’s all there really is to tell you.” Rainbow Dash said wrapping up the tale.

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“So know Twilight are you better now?” Celestia asked.

Moving from the comfort of Celestia’s side she sat up and looked at everypony, she had long since stopped crying and was now back to her calm state. “Yes I’m better now thank you, so what is this place exactly and who is this Almareda?”

“Very well let us start. This place is a Demi-Plane. From what we’ve seen of the map, and the magical make up of this place we’d have to say that it doesn’t just double as what was once probably a city, but also a giant spell form. If we’d have to guess we’d say that the ritual room isn’t just for show but an integral part to what ever spell it was used for. As to why there is no one here but us, we have no clue. But we can’t find any malicious magics about, so it’s probably nothing to sinister. Although without more information we can’t say what happened for sure.” Luna said to every one present. “Although as for Almareda, my sister knew her better than us so we’ll let her finish up.”

“Well yes it is a Demi-Plane as my sister pointed out, as for Almareda. Well she wasn’t called ‘the Strange’ for nothing. She was a contemporary of Starswirl the Bearded’s way before Equestria was even considered. Back when the three races you all know of were still separate. She had Starswirl would have massive debates on the nature of destiny and the possibilities of other timelines. It was her in fact that moved his interest away from altering the physical world into time itself. Mostly to try and prove her wrong. Unfortunately they had a falling out and she simply disappeared, from what you mentioned of the mare, it was her. Although as you said it was probably a recording of some kind, probably tied to this plane. But I don’t see how since recordings aren’t solid and even then would still show heavy traces of magic, rather than a lack there of.

She was mostly called the Strange do to her philosophical debates, and her strange habits. She was obsessed with the thought of destiny and fate. but she never said why, nor did any one ever find out what her Cutie Mark meant. She was a secretive one. So Twilight, what did you find out in that journal of hers?”

Twilight was lost in thought for a moment processing all that she had learned and all that she had seen personally. Vaguely aware that someone had asked her a question she looked at Celestia and began her to tell what she had learned. “ Well it all began for her as a child. Her family and her were exploring an island that they learned was the starting point for an ancient civilization that had a hand in a great war before her time. I’m guessing it was the same war that you told me about Celestia, and don’t worry my friends know about it.

She didn’t say where it was located, nor what happened to her parents. But she did say that there were beings there that spoke to them, and implanted knowledge for a spell that would allow one to access and control ones destiny. But only through the Essence of Harmony, and the completion of the spell could one gain access into the vault. It was with a partial accidental casting of the spell that she earned her Cutie Mark. As from what she said she was able to tap into the destinies of others and use her magic on that.

It was after she wondered alone back to the Unicorn kingdom that she became obsessed with finding out how to finish the spell. While you called her and Starswirl contemporaries, from what she said it was more like a rivalry. That’s as far as I got when you arrived. Although there were alot of times in the journal were she would go on about philosophical musings that she thought might help her gain enough harmony to cast the spell properly. She wrote the constructs of the spell in the first twenty pages and I understand enough about it to cast it. Although it will take me some time to alter it for all of us to go. I think that it might be able to fix what I couldn’t, and possibly might even be what the Watcher was talking about when he said we weren’t ready to talk to him. What do you all think?”

They each after awhile of deliberation told her that they said they would stand by her till she saw this journey of hers through. Some were more enthusiastic than others, but with a general consensus out of the way, she told them the big thing about the spell that she had learned. “There is one thing to remember about this, that you all should think about before we start. It says to reach the light of ones core. The defining thing that all destiny’s share. One must pass through the darkness. Always remember that overcoming ones fears and past gives one strength to overcome all adversity, and when facing oneself the hardest thing to do is the act of true forgiveness and acceptance. Both of oneself and others, only through that can one accept the light. I don’t quite get that, but I think that everyone might have to be ready to face those things. Oh and it says that the place where all souls meet is a place were no secrets hide. Only when one is cleansed of shadows does oneself have the purity to control their destiny.”

With that said she left them to get started on studying the spell. She’d need all of her concentration to get this right. In the back of her mind she found it funny, she had started this whole mess to find her roots. But now she was drawn to this spell, this place, and she was going to see it through to the finish. No matter where it ended up leading too.

Chapter 10: Entrance

Twilight was using a search spell on Almareda’s Journal to locate anything on the spell that she had learned before she had cast it. Twilight saw that the spell had gone under heavy revisions, and using her knew understanding of magic saw that it was heavily counter intuitive. Where alot of the original runes lay, were replaced with spells for peace and purification. Twilight didn’t know what those alterations could do, but she thought it would be better to stick with the original.

Looking at some of the runes she saw that their background resonance resonated with the Elements of Harmony. Thinking that strange, she looked at the spell and saw where she could alter it so that each of the six element bearers could stand. While making a bind rune of Luna’s and Celestia’s old Elements that they originally resonated with. Although they were no longer connected to them, she was hoping that it would help shoe them into the spell.

All in all it took her four hours to fine tune the original spell, and to check, double check, then double check her double checking of the spell. Once she was sure she had everything under wraps, and she could feel no confliction within the elements of the spell walked over to everyone to let them know that she had finished the spell, and if they were ready. Once they were she had them step into their respective circles. In clockwise position starting at the top was Celestia, Apple Jack, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Luna, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy. As they each stood in their prospective areas, adorned with their Elements of Harmony Twilight heard the Watcher’s voice saying, “So it has begun. From here on out, you all are linked in spirit as you are linked by destiny. Be strong, and don’t loose faith in your self nor your friends.”

With that the Elements of Harmony filled the circle with a white orb of light as the runes ignited into blue fire and rose around them. With in the center a bright yellow light started to form as they felt their body become immaterial, suddenly there was a bright flash of light. Where the circle and ponies once stood was nothing, as if their had been nothing their to begin with.

As for the Mane six and the Princesses, they felt themselves pulled through a bright tunnel before ending before a giant archway. They stood before one another as the light and the mist from the archway was the only source of illumination for them. Their bodies glowing in the dull grey light. Twilight looked at her friends and said, “Well I guess the only way is forward. Hopefully this will be worth it.”

“Hopefully my hind quarters Twi’. We better make it out of this. Ah trust ya, ah do, but if this goes south ah swear by Granny Smith’s Dentures that ah’ll buck ya so hard that your grand foals will be born more wall eyed than Derpy’s.” Apple Jack said looking forlornly at the ominous entryway.

“Don’t worry everything will be fine,” Twilight replied before whispering under her breathe, “I hope.”

Author's Note

Sorry for the short chapter. I didn't want to add anything that would interrupt with the flow of the story. Anyways, this is where the story really starts up. From here on out for a majority of the story it will be exploring their pasts, their fears, and what makes them who they are.

I'm going to start with Celestia. If you have a particular one you want to see next let me know and by the time I'm finished with Celestia I'll move on to the next favorite.

Chapter 11: Celestia: Fears pt.1, Failiure

As they all walked in Celestia noticed that the mist around them was growing thicker and thicker until she couldn’t even see her hoof in front of her face. All around her was an oppressive silence that ate all the sound around her. She was slightly worried since mist and fog weren’t fears of hers. But still she continued onwards, eventually the fog cleared and her jaw dropped at the sight before her.

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She remembered this, it was the last time she saw her parents. It was strange she had started to forget what they looked like, and now they were standing right before her. Being older and more world weary she saw their faces as they told her they needed to do an important mission that would make her and her sister safe. It was the look she had when she was faced with a decision that she hated to make. The same look she had when she had to banish her sister to the moon.
She didn’t know why she forgot that look on their faces, but there it was clear as day.

Of course with hindsight, she knew they weren’t coming back. That her and the little foal, Luna, now nuzzling herself closer to her sister as she fell asleep would never again see their parents again. She felt tears fall down her face as the old wounds were reopened. Apart of herself was heart broken to see this memory, but apart of her wanted it to last forever. That she would at least have something of them to remember them by.

She walked up to her sister, looking adoringly at the foal she was. Suddenly Luna woke up and looked at her, her body shifting and contorting into the form of Nightmare Moon. “Why did you fail us sister? Why didn’t you protect me?”

“Nightmare Moon you aren’t my sister! You took her from me!” Celestia yelled at the creature she loathed more than anything. The monster who stole her sister from her.

“Not your sister? Why don’t you see yourself.” Nightmare moon replied coldly, the dual overlaying voice of hers echoing around her.

A fog wrapped around Celestia and she was shown another memory a few years later. She saw her sister in a moon lit night. The look of pure joy as she gained her Cutie Mark, she then was surrounded by a black mist that when it cleared was a full grown Alicorn, with teal dragon eyes. Her wings so black that they looked as if they were made of the very night itself rather than feathers. Those cold eyes looked upon her Celestia and in a voice that sounded like two pony’s speaking simultaneously asked, “Sister what is wrong? Why do you look so frightened?”

“What did you do to my sister you monster!?” an adolescent Celestia yelled at Luna.

“But sister, We are your sister?”

“No your not!” Celestia yelled as she bravely stood on her hind hooves and slammed at the altered Luna with all her might. Before running away. Not seeing the Alicorn still on the ground cry herself to sleep. With no one to comfort her.

The older Celestia seeing this as an outsider was shocked. “What did I do?”

“You lied to your parents is what you’ve done. You lied to me! You said you would always protect me, but you call me the monster. It was your negligence, your betrayal that caused me to turn into Nightmare Moon. If you were there for me everything that has happened since wouldn’t have happened. It’s all your fault.”

Celestia saw the ground open beneath her as her world crumbled to pieces. She fell and fell into a darkness that ate away at everything until nothing was left. As she fell she wept to a Luna that couldn’t hear her. “I’m so sorry Lulu, I’m so sorry that I failed you.”

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Celestia awoke to the room of her royal chambers. Looking at the mirror she saw bags under her eyes that she hadn’t seen since she had first started raising and lowering the moon for a thousand years. With a serious case of bed hair she laughed at the strange dream she had. She’d have to apologize to Luna and beg her forgiveness later.

As she walked out she saw a Gaurd rush to her, for some reason this felt more familiar than it should have, “Princess, Nightmare Moon has demanded the release of General “Heart Breaker” Blood, or she will kill the captives. What do you want to do?”

“Oh no! This isn’t real!”

“But Princess I’m afraid it is. What do you want to do?”

“No you see this is a memory, a bad dream, nothing more. I don’t want to live through this again!”

“Sorry but as I said this is real, it isn’t a dream.”

She remembered this day, it was a day when she learned that Nightmare Moon was beyond redemption and disparate measures had to be taken. It was the day Nightmare Moon took the lives of innocent ponies. She didn’t give her, her general since she turned him to stone and through him in the garden as a reminder to others what would happen to those who would be war criminals.

She couldn’t release him for what he was known to do, but she thought it was just a bluff. Stepping out of the castle she saw Nightmare Moon before her, and knowing what was coming felt the armor that she wore around her heart crack. First her parents, then Luna, now this. She had spent the better part of a millennium hardening herself to the things she had to go through. But with the wounds reopening, she fought to keep strong.

“Sister, I already know what you are going to do. You already know my answer. Be done with this insanity.”

Nightmare Moon grinned and all the sudden ponies suspended by black tendrils dotted the sky. Celestia watched outside her body as she tried to save them, only for the tendrils to tear them to shreds. Flesh and blood raining down from the sky like a macabre rain onto Celestia and her castle. But unlike what really happened when it only lasted for a few seconds, this kept falling and falling. As it fell she saw old faces. Faces from the war, faces she wept over as she burried them into the ground, faces that she had tried to forget looking up at her.

“You failed us Princess, you allowed Nightmare Moon to kill us and it’s all your fault.”

“No! No it’s not I made sure your families were taken care of after the war, and I was their for your funerals. There was nothing I could do to save you all.”

“You failed us Princess, you said that we would win, that Nightmare Moon would see the error of her ways. You promised us that we would be safe. We died because of you!”

“Listen to them sister, it was your hesitance that led to their death. All the dead of that war are raining upon the ground because their blood stains your rulership. You were never meant to rule like I was. My eternal night will last forever.”

“No!” Celestia screamed in defiance to what she was seeing. Suddenly the fog came again and showed her memory after memory of each of those faces. She saw them as they grew up, she saw their heart ache in the civil war and told them everything would be alright after Luna was returned to her. She then saw each of their deaths, their pain and horror etched into the very flesh of her soul. Her very psyche stained with the blood of those she couldn’t save.

As each witness death opened up her mental wounds and broke at more of her armor. All Celestia could do was saying the word no repeatedly as she kept denying what was playing before her. All the while her mane started to dull into a light pink as it slowly deflated her spirit slowly starting to crumble. As she again was sucked into the dark fog. It was at this time she was given a small reprieve.

“I don’t like this. I know these are my fears and worst memories. But I thought I was stronger than this, I thought I was over the pain of their deaths. It’s been a thousand years,” Sighing into the void she took a deep breath and was determined that this time around she wasn’t going to let herself fall again. “Well I’m ready when you are, you damned fog.”

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She sat reading Twilight’s letter to her when she found out about Nightmare Moon, and her return. She felt bad about not telling her about her sister, but after having been alone for all those years with lovers here and there that only withered away so fast. It seemed that all she did was blink and they were dead leaving her all alone again.

She had learned to distance herself, but she always waited for her sister, for this moment. And she was afraid, more afraid of this moment that she was of anything else. Or so she let herself believe.

Chapter 12: Celestia: Fears pt. 2, Breaking Point

What scared her wasn’t that Twilight would fail. She knew that this wonderful, young, precious mare would succeed. She had placed all hopes and dreams onto her. No what she was scared of was that if she was open with Twilight, if she knew the truth that Nightmare Moon and her sister were the same being. That if she knew what Nightmare Moon had done. She would either hesitate and it would cost her, just as it had cost Celestia all those centuries ago. Or she would be enraged and would kill her. Leaving her all alone once more.

That night she had looked at the moon and talked to her sister as she did on occasion. She didn’t know if she was heard, but it eased the heart ache she lived with every night. The reminder of her greatest failure as a sister and a ruler. “Sister you’ll be free tomorrow. I know Twilight Sparkle will succeed where I have failed. I know you can never forgive me for what I’ve done to you, but we’ll be together soon. You’ll have so much to learn, so much to see, but I know you’ll love the modern age. People here actually love the night you know? I told you about that right? About the Clubs, Bars, and night life? I can’t wait to see you again, I love you so much.” She said as tears threatened to come. But she couldn’t cry, couldn’t show weakness. Everyone was counting on her to be strong.

Celestia remembered that this was a memory, and if it was anything like before it was going to be merged with a fear. But she knew that she didn’t have to worry about her sister dying. She did everything to keep Twilight in the dark for her sisters protection.

She was prepared for what happened next, an inner sigh of relief that she didn’t have to worry about her sister dying. She was prepared for that, and for once in this Faust forsaken trip down memory lane she wasn’t going to be caught off guard. So she waited for when she was going to be captured by Nightmare Moon.

As the cloud of dark power swirled around her and chained her within the catacomb underneath the Two Sister’s Castle in the Everfree Forest. Nightmare Moon appearing before her as she did the last time to gloat, but this time Celestia looked at her with pure conviction written on her face, “Nightmare Moon, I know how this is going to play out and you will loose and my sister will be returned to me.”

Nightmare Moon looked at her and gave a grin that reached from ear to ear. Leaning into Celestia she whispered with her two toned voice laced with glee, “You forget dear sister, while you were the only one able to beat me at chess. We tied in actual war, and I had a thousand years of planning. I have seen your precious protege, she talked to the moon a lot as a filly you know. I know that she lacks the skill to fight me, I’ll leave you with a mirror that will allow you to see the outside world.”

Leaving the enchanted mirror behind she left for Ponyville. Celestia was grinning knowing that even though this was supposed to be her fear, she was going to see her sister live. She was finally going to be free of this Faust damned nightmare. She finally came to herself when she noticed that Twilight and the others were entering the Everfree Forest. As they came to their first test Celestia let a smile play across her face.

She watched as the cliff fell, Fluttershy grabbed Rarity and Rainbow Dash grabbed Pinkie Pie. Her smug grin turned into a look of terror though as just as Apple Jack grabbed Twilight a black cloud of energy grabbed Twilight Sparkle tossing her. The two pegasi went to grab her but a large updraft of wind came out of nowhere throwing them back as Twilight bounced and rolled down the hill. Her body broken and bloody, the other 5 screamed her name as the rushed to her.

Twilight looked at them through the blood falling down her face, “Hi girls, I’m so sorry for dragging you all into this. It was a mistake, can you forgive me?”

“Of course sugarcube. Just rest and we’ll get you out of here.” Apple Jack said compassionately, just as they heard a blood curling roar.

From ahead of them a rampaging Manticore came rushing at them, it ran into the group, it grabbed ahold of Pinkie Pie first it’s fangs grabbing into her succulent throat as a scream ripped through her mouth. As she was being viciously mauled she managed to yell at them to run. Which in panic Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, and Rarity managed to do. Fluttershy, not the bravest of ponies on a good day was petrified at not only what she saw as an horrible accident to Twilight, but also the gruesome death of Pinkie Pie was enough to break her mind. She stood their staring at the scene unfolding before her as the Manitcore turned its ravenous attention to her.

Celestia looked on in terror as she saw the events through her mirror, “No this isn’t real! This isn’t how things went!”

“Oh you silly filly! I think someone needs some guests to make this more real for you.” Celestia heard Nightmare Moon’s disembodied voice say as the bodies of Twilight, Pinkie Pie and the mangled body of Fluttershy dropped in front of her. Fluttershy looked at Celestia, tears mingled with gore as her one remaining, swollen eye looked at her.

“Why didn’t you save us? Why did you allow this to happen to us, Princess?” her soft voice coming out as a gurgled whisper.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen, you were all supposed to win.” She cried. Weeping openly now that this twist of memories and nightmares had fully broken what mental armor she had built up over the millenia.

“Dear sister, don’t you think your forgetting the others?”

“No please don’t! I’ll do what ever you want, just please stop this!”

“Ah! Ah! Ah! You put me on the moon for a thousand years, then sent your little goons after me to do mean things to me. I think a lesson is still in order.” Nightmare Moon said as the others ran out of the forest, coming to the river that was being ruined by a sea serpent.

Under normal circumstances Rarity would have noticed the ruined mustache of the Sea Serpent and would have been more than willing to help, but with the death of the others she was to distraught and was running on pure instinct and will to live. She looked at the others and yelled at Rainbow Dash to fly them across. Being the Element of Generosity, she told her to get Apple Jack over first before the Manticore could get to them.

In a paniced rush she flew Apple Jack over, but just as with Twilight, when she grabbed ahold of Rarity a force ripped her out of her hooves, just as she was halfway over the river. The churning body of the serpent quickly grabbing her and dragging her violently under. The water turning red as the body was repeatedly bashed onto the gravel below. Rainbow Dash fell onto Apple Jack’s shoulder weeping into her mane at the death of yet another friend. It was Apple Jack who told her that they needed to run, find a way out of the Celestia forsaken forest.

“Alright Celestia, you said that those little foals would win, but there are only two left. I think I’ll let you choose who will win?” Nightmare Moon said as she deposited Rarity’s body on top of Fluttershy’s rapidly cooling body.

“I can’t.” Celestia said before rocking back and forth crying that she was ‘so sorry’ to the bodies before her.

“Check and Mate dear sister. Now what to do with the other two. What will prolong your suffering?” She mused, chuckling darkly.

Celestia looked at her pleadingly, “Please just let them live, and you can do what ever you want to me.”

“If only you were this easy to break last time. Well no matter, I’ll let them live, although I think everypony has something to say to you.”

A weeping Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash sat huddled into each others forehooves. They looked at Celestia when Nightmare Moon appeared as a pair of glowing eyes in the middle of a black fog with a grinning fanged mouth, behind them.

“Everyone alive and dead, this mare before you, your precious, princess of the sun has something to tell you.”

“Everypony, this is all my fault. All my fault, this wasn’t supposed to happen. You all were supposed to succeed.” She wept, the collar around her neck feeling as if it had become the weight of the world, as her tear streaked face fell to the ground.

Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash had a look of pure malice as they rushed up to her screaming simultaneously, “Well we didn’t did we!?”

Looking even more crestfallen then she did know she whispered, “No, no you didn’t and I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t tell us, tell them.” Rainbow Dash said pointing her hoof at the pile of cadavers, laying just before Celestia.

“Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and you my dearest Twilight, I’m so sorry that you died. Not like this.”

The body of Twilight rose from the ground her recently deceased body looking at her, “Celestia, I want you too know that I’ve always secretly loathed you.”

“Twilight would never think that!” Celestia yelled, a part of her mind remembering this was her greatest fears, not reality before Twilight nailed the hammers into Celestia’s mental coffin.

“Really, why not? You never prepared me for Nightmare Moon, you never told me what I was going up against! You kept me around to make yourself more ponyized to the public. You never trusted me with your secrets, with what horrors lurked around the corner. You knew how much you meant to me, but made me feel as if I was never good enough for you. Always kept me at hoofs length.

Then you have the gall to say that you love me. After making me suffer since I was old enough to know what love is, you say you knew. You knew and made me make the first move. Driving myself into a near nervous wreck. I hate you, as much as I loved you and I’m glad that I’m dead because now you can’t use me for your twisted games. Bye and I hope your as miserable as you secretly made me.” With that Twilight faded into nothing and so did Celestia’s heart. Her mane and tale fell flat, its ethereal flow stopping leaving behind a pale pink. Her coat of once pure white grayed slightly.

******************

It felt like years later after that, she had fallen into a depression that was worse than when she had lost her sister to Nightmare Moon and had to be sent to the moon. She watched with steadily growing sorrow as she saw the world around her dying. With no sun the plants died, with that the ponies and one time herbivores turned to cannibalism and meat eating to survive. She watched the passing of life and knew she was powerless to stop it. In this depressed funk she let herself flow into the depths of her minds to happier memories. When a memory resurfaced that she had long since forgotten. She had gone into a spell that would take them through their worst fears, the only way out was perseverance, the next was her darker self, she needed to use forgiveness and acceptance. All she needed to do was persevere.

Coming out of her funk she looked around here and said, “I remember know. This is all fake, a twist of memories and fears. I know none of this is real, I won’t let this hold me back anymore.”

As she said this the rotting bodies around her disappeared and the entrances fog wrapped around her. As it passed she saw she was in a hallway, looking behind her she saw others behind her, and she saw a few in the room ahead. She collapsed where she was, emotionally and mentally drained. She was still broken from all the horrors she was made to look at, adding in the twist of the last two things had ripped away her mental armor and opened her old wounds.

Chapter 13: Celestia: Darkside

Celestia woke up hours later, her mind still heavy from what she had gone through but with the knowledge that she was through with that. She wasn’t looking forward to the next part but she knew that she needed to finish this. She needed to let everypony know that she was sorry, that she needed to make it up to all of them. This journey was for Twilight’s sake when she started, but after who knew how long in this place she learned so many things about herself that she didn’t like. To many horrors that were her fault, and she was determined to make things right.

As she entered the next room it started to shift, looking as if it was turning into melted wax that was being placed within a slow moving blender until all shape, color, and definition around her became lost. Eventually the room began to reform itself and it’s shape was one that she was vaguely familiar with. The surface of the Sun.

As she stood on the convection layer of the Sun it looked like light glittering on a pond as the occasional flare of hot gas shot out from this layer into it’s atmosphere. She looked up to the Photoshpere, the area that was responsible for the light that shined throughout the solar system. As she looked around, admiring the view in a new light, she was barely aware that this was supposed to be another bad moment. This came to be shortly as the flares formed chains and pulled her down the heat of the sun causing her body to sweat as the fire started singeing her.

“Aren’t you a pathetic sight? You truly are a broken, miserable slave.” Said a being that rose from the depths of the sun to stand before her. This being looked like Nightmare Moon in many ways, but the biggest noticeable differences was that she was adorned with Celestia’s Cutie Mark. Her mane and tail were made from the fires of the sun and her coat a pristine white, with yellow flames instead of shadows flowing on her skin.

As Celestia looked closer she noticed that this being looked like her, but her coat was made completely of fire, ranging from so hot that it burned white, to a soft yellow flame. But there was no mistaking the malice in her slitted eyes, nor the cold loathing in her voice. As Celestia looked at her she was shocked at the insult thrown at her, she wasn’t a slave to anyone.

“I don’t know what you are, but you are mistaken I am no ones slave. Especially not to you!”

“Ha! Seriously, not a slave? I think you better take a closer look at your life then.”

“More memory tricks? Haven’t I gone through that enough!?”

“No tricks, simple irrevocable truths.”

**************

Celestia saw herself in a normal day, desk piled high with mountains of paper work. Everything from petty disputes that ate up most of her early morning up to the rare thing that actually required her approval. She hated it, but it was an unfortunate responsibility of rulership. Over looking everything incase something important actually came up.

This vision passed as she felt the all encroaching frustration of this mindless, repetitive mess that consumed her time. Until it was finished only to be replaced by hours upon hours of sitting at the Royal Court where all the tediousness of paper work merged with actual ponies all vying for a bit of her time. Rarely was it of actual importance, but occasionally it was important. Just another task she was forced to do, to keep her kingdom ruling.

*********************

“See you are a slave to your subjects, you could delegate tasks, you could hand off the work to others. But no! you chain yourself in paperwork and unnecessary things in a misguided attempt to be responsible. Hoping that if you’re good enough your pathetic parents who abandoned you will return. It really is pathetic of you.” Her dark side said in a mocking tone.

“I’ll say it again I’m not a slave! I choose to serve the people, they need me to help them.”

“No! They need you to rule over them. They are but insects, whose short lives are over before they do anything of true worth. They call you a tyrant, and that is what they need!”

“Your wrong they -” Celestia started before being cut off.

“Cut the speech on how smart and ingenious they are. We share the same mind, I was there when the dark ages happened. When you spent two hundred years in your room in a state of depression do to our worthless sister. They nearly brought all of Equestria down into a wasteland do to their foalish foolishness.

They want someone to praise when things go right and to damn when things go wrong. Anything to take away the weight of responsibility from their shoulders. They gave up their freedom to you the day they forced that curse’ed crown upon our head. They know that without you they would fall apart, and true terror would reign as mortal two bit dictators and tyrants fought endlessly for control.

Ponies were made to be controlled, all you’ve done though is allow them to control your life for as long as you’ve been Princess. So little miss ‘not a slave’, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Celestia knew that arguing was pointless. But she was more than this cruel thing before her. Yes she hated that she had to sacrifice her time and life to petty things that ate up her time. But she loved those ponies. Not all of them, but even those she disliked she tolerated. Especially those pompous twats who called themselves nobility. It was a title that was given during the war with a pretense of a far removed connection to her family tree. A minor thing to keep them in line, but she promised herself she would never be a tyrant.

“Yes there are some pony’s whom I dislike, but I would never call them insects and I would never allow myself to be a monster like you are.”

“Me? A monster? No .... I’m your connection to the sun that you suppressed. I’m all the evil, naughty thoughts that you have in your head. I’m every bit of hate, every bit of anger, every bit of darkness that you suppress into the darkness of your psyche. Face it, I’m you and your me.”

“No your not, and when I’m free of these chains I’ll show you how wrong you are!”

“Well then why don’t you break free? After all you placed them on yourself. They are the weight of the sacrifice, obligations, and regret that you use to make a prison of your own making. It’s quite silly actually. So why don’t you free yourself? Come on show me how different you are from me.” She said with a soft chuckle.

Celestia sat there the fire starting to get to her, as sweat started to drench her body. the singeing starting to brand the skin under her coat. I won’t be like her. Yes she saying things I’ve felt before, but I know what happens to those who give into such things. But for my sister and Twilight I must find another way of breaking free of these chains.

“For Twilight and your sister? How hilarious. You’ve done your sister’s job for a thousand years, and now that she’s got back you’ve done nothing but fall right back into your old ways. You barely have time for her, and when you do it’s only for a few brief moments. You don’t need her, and all she is, is a way for you to feel less crappy about your life and to allow the weight of doing both the sun and moon off your shoulders.

As for Twilight, you knew how she felt but distanced yourself. All until she became an Alicorn, all because you knew otherwise she’d die just like all the rest of those you cared about. Think about it! If she never became immortal, even though there is a chance that the Elements could give immortality to their welders you still kept yourself separate from her, just like that sister you claim to love so much. Then there’s all the threats they went up against, that you could have warned them about. Twilight and her five little friends. They could have died easily, but survived by the skin of their teeth. And you say you care about them? Don’t make me laugh.”

This hit Celestia like a ton of bricks. It was something she never really thought about consciously. But she could have done more for both of them, it was just another way that she had failed them. Thinking about these chains around her body more closely. She wasn’t going to just cut all ties to what made her, her. But she knew she had to do something. Closing her eyes she thought about what this side of herself had said.

She accepted that she took much work upon herself, she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. And she knew that she allowed the wishes of others to be placed above her own desires. She accepted that some put her on a pedestal and worshiped the ground she walked on, some called her a tyrant and feared her with a passion, while the rest were simply happy to praise her when things went right and blamed her when things went right. Whether it was from her actions or not. It angered her, but she could forgive them. Even if it did hurt her in ways she couldn’t say. As she accepted that the obligations she placed upon herself were for the most part unneeded she felt the chains of fire loosen.

She had held blame for all the deaths she had caused, all the times she had let those she cared about down, all the wasteful actions that had harmed those around her. She couldn’t fully forgive herself for those, but she could accept that it wasn’t fully her fault. Unfortunately this barely made a dent in the chains. By now she could walk, if at an encumbered shamble.

She looked at this side of herself before her. She hated it, but she just looked at her. After awhile she saw the anger, malice, loathing that she denied herself. All the darkness that she let fester rather than dealing with it. While she didn’t agree with what it said, she knew that this thing before her needed the one thing it wasn’t admitting. It needed love, rather than denial.

“I was wrong.” Celestia said in a soft voice.

“What?” An incredulous look written across her darksides face.

“ I was wrong, I don’t agree with how you interpret things, but you must be so sad. Having me deny you for so long. It was wrong of me. You’re right though. There are so many things that I created to mingle with the populous has ended up with me missing all if not most of it. I hate the fact that I’m burdened with something that I never asked for and if I leave I have seen the destruction that will happen to Equestria.

I’m sorry that you were the one to suffer for my actions. You must really be suffering if you’re carrying over three thousand years of my baggage that I didn’t deal with. There’s one thing I can do for you.” She said as she wrapped that other side of her in a hug. Doing the hardest thing she had to do in her life. Accept the side she had been running from for so long. As she let her love flow through her the forms features lightened. A small smile spreading on her face, the chains turning from a burning weight, to a warm embrace. Slowly she looked at the Sun form before her a warm smile on her face as she whispered “Thank You”. Just as the sun faded away returning her into the room she was in last time.

Chapter 14: Celestia: A Step Into the Light

A/N : I suck at Archaic 'English' English, but I know that if I use a far past for Celestia it'd be more authentic. If y'all see any errors, let me know so I can fix them. If I get enough request to just go to modernized English than I can do that instead.
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Celestia saw that behind her only Luna was behind herself. While ahead of her were the rest. She was certain that more were behind her, but she couldn’t be sure in this place. Time seemed maleable like it was in a dream. She sat and thought to herself before continuing. Everything from here on out was a mystery and she was so unbelievably tired. Her mane and tail by now were slightly grayed from the trials she had passed through. Having been forced to live memories that she had spent centuries building a wall against, all the time she spent recovering from the horrors she had lived through had been broken through. She felt more broken, and hurt than ever before. Not to mention the burn marks on her body while gone still hurt something fierce.

All that she could do now was go forward, but first she needed time to collect her thoughts and think of what she’d say to everypony when she met them. I truly have gone to far with them, not to mention that there are still plenty horrors that I have never asked forgiveness for. Like when during the Changeling invasion, Twilight knew something was wrong but everypony, myself included turned our back on her. We know her flaws, but she has never lied to us before. Or made us think that she is untrustworthy. Other than that one time her sanity temporarily snapped and I had to undo the Want Me Need Me spell.

But I should have listened to her fears rather than dismiss them, and what of all the diety level threats that they went up against? What was I thinking, mere mortals, young mares straddling the fence between filly and mare at the time on both occasions. Tartarus, I never even gave them any indication of what they’d be going up against. That nightmare version of what could have happened when they faced Nightmare Moon was logically a more likely scenario rather than them simply waltzing in and getting them. They were so lucky, and all I could think about was getting my sister back rather than the lives that could have been so easily lost.

My sister, my dear, kind, loving, baby sister. Looking back on it, it was my fault all this happened to her. When she turned into her, what was it ... moon form. I should have seen that it was still Lulu, but I hit her! I hit my baby sister and called her a monster. When we first started to share our rule. I had so much to take care of, that I ignored her. When she needed my help I was simply to busy and to inexperienced to know what to do. Then we had that fight ... I should have never told her to stop acting like a foal if she wanted to be taken seriously. I should have noticed sooner that she was suffering.

Why do I have to have these old wounds reopened? This had better turn out to be worth it. But regardless of what happens now. I need to make amends for what I did, and what I put everypony through. When this is all said and done I’m taking a vacation. Ha!!! I haven’t had one of those before, I just hear about it from those around me. It’ll be fun. Well I better get moving.

Looking up she started to walk forward with a sense of apprehension. This room had a golden mist that surrounded her filling her senses as it passed she was standing on a sun light, grassy hill. Beside her was her Sun form, she looked at it expectantly but was surprised at the emotional warmth that came off of it. “Weren’t you my dark side?”

“Ha! Yes I was, but you purified me when you let yourself love that side of you when you accepted me. I’m here as your guide from here on out. As a part of you that will offer you help and assistance as needed, right now we are in an intermittent room. This here is where you can see the good with in you. The things you’ve done in life that defined you as you are, but are a flip side of facing your fears. It is similar to the demi-plane you use to view the lives of others in Equestria. It is what you could call the source of that planes power.”

***********

Around Celestia shifted into a memory she had long ago forgotten. She was a filly, only eight years of age laying beside her mother, as her mother had a wing gently wrapped around her. Celestia was resting her head on her mothers belly listening to her baby sister, although she didn’t know that at the time.

“So what dost thou think Tia?” Her mother asked her.

“We love thee idea of having a baby brother or sister! We shalt be the best of friends we just know it!” She said, wiggling her body against her mothers side feeling the loving wing embrace of her mother wrap around her.

She would tell the baby growing in her mother’s womb everything about her day. She had since she had first know she was getting a sibling. She was so excited when she discovered her special talent a few months before Luna was born. By this time they knew it was going to be a filly, and were going to call her Luna.

“Lulu, guess what! We got our Cutie Mark today! We have alway known that thee sun was our greatest friend, and have always loved it’s warmth. But today we let my love of the sun touch it, and then it happened! We moved it across the sky and it felt so wonderful that we felt that we shalt burst with merriment! Then our father hast pointed to thy flank, where what hast thou seen but thy very own Cutie Mark! Oh we can’t wait for thou to get thoust own Cutie Mark, we shalt have the greatest of celebrations with mother and father.” Celestia explained mostly at a giddy yell as she bounced around the room in excitement. Positively glowing with the joy she felt this day.

****************************************

“Oh my Faust! I can’t believe I forgot about those days.” Celestia said, her coat slowly returning to white, and her mane and tail starting to flutter slightly.

“I know you were so happy to have that baby sister. You promised that you would always love her, and even though your parents left you did your best to give her a good child hood. To foster her talents and be there for her. You did your parents proud, even with the debacle that was your reign you tried, ” Her Sun form said with a wistful smile. “Here are a few more happier childhood memories of yours.”

“Wait, may I ask why I’m seeing these now?”

“Simple, just like a memory spell with Twilight Sparkle’s Friendship Reports helped dispel the darkness cast by Discord’s manipulations. So too does this help dispel the darkness you were forced to face. A way to show you that there is light and goodness within you and your life. No matter how bad things may have seen.”

******************************

Luna the ever artistic filly sat hidden behind a curtain and rod system she had ingeniously set up. She told Celestia not to peak. So Celestia had spent the day working on trying to think of a way to work on her sunset. She was never the artist that her sister was, but she thought that she might make something special for Luna since it was her birthday tomorrow. She spent the time magically altering how light would enter the atmosphere when the sun set, and the unicorns lifted the moon. And how the atmosphere would gather the light of the suns rays and give a small gift for as long as she could hold it up.

This was something that she had to do, Luna had been such a source of love and happiness for their family that she wanted to do something special for her. As the sun was about to set Luna had finished what she had spent all day working on. “Celly! We hast finished, thou mayst see thine masterpiece!”

In it their mother and father back hooves were touching and their bodies bent to form a giant heart. In between them was a smaller heart between them formed by Celestia and herself. Under it was the words, “My Family”. Celestia was speechless at what her sister had accomplished, she was always so good with artistic endeavors that she was surprised that she didn’t have a Cutie Mark in art.

Celestia cleared her throat, “Lulu, that is beautiful! We ... we hast a gift for your birthday. Look to the sky.”

As the sun set it was awash in colors the sky had never had before. Pinks, purples, and oranges flared across the sky and the blues were for a short while made extremely bright. As the sun fell across the sky it gave way to a beautiful aurora as the sun’s rays got caught in the earth’s magnetic field. She twisted the sun’s radiation to form the words “Happy 5th Birthday Lulu” in the sky. As this finished her horn had started to over heat and her body was dripping with sweat. As she let it fade away, she looked at her sister who had tears of joy flowing down her face.

“It wasn’t as good as your painting, but I hope it was pretty enough for you Lulu, I love you.” She said trotting over to her sister giving her an affectionate nuzzle.

Luna looked at her sister with a look of pure joy, squealing she glomped her and with her head buried in her mane said, “We love it Celly, it was the bestest gift ever!”

*******************************

Celestia was crying at the memory, she had forgotten that she introduced new colors to sunsets that day, and that picture. It was somewhere in her families old home, deep inside modern Stalliongrad. She didn’t know if that picture still existed, but she’d have to find out. Her coat was now full white with it’s pink undertone.

I forgot just how much love we had till our parents left us. She remembered more things now without having to visit them about that time. The laughter and joy. How she had never knew anything other than love and safety under their parents wings.

“You are almost ready to leave here there are a few more memories I will show you before you’re ready to pass on to the next area.”

“What is the next area?”

“That is a secret, but one I think you’ll find enlightening.”

******************************

This was a sad memory at the start, from what Celestia remembered. She had been depressed for the first two hundred years after Luna’s banishment in her room. She had lost the will to live, but lacked the will to end it. So she wasted away in her room, only getting up to raise and lower the moon. She had already passed the making of rainbows to the Pegasi, knowing that what ever they did, their weather manipulation magics could deal with it. After all the magics needed to make it were simple, they couldn’t mess it up too horribly. And they didn’t, she didn’t ask how they managed, and she didn’t care.

She left the running of the nation to the ponies themselves to figure out how things would work. She didn’t care. She lived through several coups’, multiple dictators, tyrants, and failed attempts at democracy. Still she didn’t care. It was near the end of the second century. When a young pegasi named Steel Wind, rank of Lieutenant. He had a pure white coat, a blue mane and tail with teal eyes. The body that would eventually be the template for the enchantment placed on every male Pegasi. He had came to her room every day to bring her tea. She hated tea, but didn’t have the energy to tell him. As he sat the tea down he’d talk to her, nothing serious. Just about his family, both parents, a younger sister, and a baby brother.

This lasted for three years when she one day looked at him and asked him, “ Why dost thou come here and talk to is? We must be horrible company, and we haven’t been a part of the world for almost two hundred years, so why?”

He looked at her and blushed, “I don’t think it would be appropriate for a pony like me to say.”

“Well either say it, or there’s the door.” She said softly, even though it was an ultimatum there was no threat in her voice. She had grown to like his company and was curious to know why.

“Do you know the reason I wanted to become a Royal Guard, and asked to be stationed at your room?”

“Mmmm”

“When I was a young Pegasi, my father Captain Commander Broken Arrow, showed me the castle grounds hoping that I would follow in his hoofsteps. I was actually planning on being a performer. I like making ponies happy and I thought that would be the best bet.

But as we passed the gardens by your room, I saw you looking out the window. You looked so sad, so empty that I knew that not even a thousand happy ponies would be the price to see you smile. I bet if you were to smile the world would smile with you. It was hard getting here since I’m a Blank Flank, but even with that I have backed my self up with raw skill. Which is how I got here. But now that you know this, I would understand if you don’t want me here anymore. I’ll go ask for a reassignment, or I’ll resign if that’s what you’d prefer.” He said, the beginning of the story was with a wistful smile that slowly turned into a downcast gaze and a nervous shuffle.

“No we wouldn’t ask thou too leave. We were just curious that’s all.”

After that she started talking to him more and more. She learned about the world around her, the life that had passed her by. And she learned about how the ponies of Equestria after she let them deal with their own problems had started to oppress one another. How each group had started to fall back into separatist groups and racism that had caused all the problems for their races thousands of years ago. It was the two hundred year mark of her depression, when she had for once in a long time felt happy. Sipping the cup of tea Steel Wind brought her, she had started to get a taste for it, and decided to ask him why he always brought her tea.

“Well you see my mother always said that their was no problem that good tea, good company, and a good conversation couldn’t fix. So I thought if I was going to help you I might as well take her advice to heart.” He said chuckling nervously.

For the first time in two hundred years she cracked a smile and a soft chuckle. “Well it worked, we have to say Steel Wind, that thee have brightened our day for all these years. Even though we have been rather poor company. Thank you, and we don’t think others will be calling thou 'Blank Flank’ any longer.” She said pointing at his flank. When she smiled at him, a stylized sun with a smiley face on it appeared.

****************************

“I remember when he passed.” Celestia said with her eyes starting to tear up.

“Yes, he told us that he wanted us to keep smiling, that if we could promise him that he would have no regrets.”

“And for the most part we have, I never told anyone the reason behind the Royal Gaurds enchantments. But the Pegasi were the first ones to get a tone up, I guess it was my way of keeping him near so I wouldn’t forget what he showed me.”

“And the Unicorns and Earth Ponies would blush if they knew the stories behind their enchanted form when they were their armor.”

“So true, so what is this last memory?”

“It should be know that this place connects all of you. It is used to feed ones fears and the darkest reaches of ones mind when you start the journey. So you know what part of Luna and Twilight resonated with, and yes, those were partial truths. It’s why it hurts so much. But just as the dark side you faced was only a small part of you. You need to see how Twilight feels about you. I think it will be the perfect ending to this part of your journey.”

******************

Celestia remembered back to when Twilight was just a filly. It was after a rather strenuous exercise involving levitating boulders and other pieces of landscaping to teach her how to manipulate her surroundings to her advantage. She lay beside her and snuggled against her side as Celestia wrapped a wing around her holding her close. Celestia wondered why her parents never wrote to her, or talked to her after she was taken in. But she knew that Twilight was happy and she was happy.

Twilight had a dream that sent her little legs twitching against Celestia causing her to chuckle softly. Twilight wiggled Celestia’s wing up and looked up at her with puppy eyes and in a serious tone ask, “Princess?”

“Yes my little pony?”

“Do you love me?”

“Of course I love you, i wouldn’t have taken you in if you weren’t a special pony.” Celestia said referring to her potential, and her placing her hopes in her being the Element of Magic.

“Will you be with me forever?”

Celestia gave a kind laugh, “Why so serious little one? What’s the matter?”

“I don’t want to loose you Princess! I had a nightmare that you left me, and no matter how fast I ran I couldn’t catch you. It made me sad. I don’t want to loose you.” Twilight said in tears from the remains of her nightmare.

“I promise I’ll always be there for you Twilight. You don’t have to worry about loosing me.”

“I love you Princess.” She said as she fell back to Celestia’s side as she drifted back to sleep, her worries alleviated.

**********************************

“I remember that day. She really is a special pony, but I never thought she’d be my special somepony when I made that promise. Listen I need to know, does she still love me? After all that I’ve put her through? After all I’ve done?”

“Yes, she will always love you. It’s actually you hating her and loosing you forever that is one of her greatest fears. So you don’t need to worry about that.”

By this time her psyche had healed from her ordeal, and she was ready to proceed to the next room. Her body back to it’s original state. She had one last thing she needed to do before she was ready to continue. “Listen I want you to teach me how to access this form. I want to make up to Luna for what I did to her when she achieved her Moon form.”

“Sorry, but that is something Luna wants to teach you when she is sure that you won’t make a repeat of last time. So just talk to her, let her show you what it is you want.” Her sun form said as she showed a door that had appeared beside them. “Now it is time to go on to the next path.”

Author's Note

This ends Celestia's current journey. The rest of the characters will go through a similar journey where they'll end up together after a little something something. Next up is Dashie.

The next update will more or less be in a few weeks, or sometime mid May. Where I'll have the full journey of Rainbow Dash. As with Celestia, if y'all want a specific character to come next post it in the Comments. If not, then it'll be Apple Jack after Rainbow Dash.

Chapter 15: Rainbow Dash: Fears

Rainbow Dash wasn’t anxious when the fog wrapped around her. It had been a long time since she had admitted fear over anything, and it her facade had long ago even fooled herself into thinking that she was fearless. As the fog started to clear she found out how wrong she was.

When the fog cleared she was in her Flight School dormitory, laying next to her was a letter. Opening it, she remembered exactly what this moment was. Her parents, both of whom worked for the Cloudsdale Weather Company, had met a tragic accident and died days after she started school. She was given a time and place for their funerals, and an appointment to discuss her inheritance.

The memory sped up to the day of the funeral, apparently there was an accident at the Weather Creation Center, the sub-division of CWC that was responsible for the creation of weather that needed to be made before it was moved out to where it needed to go. The old infrastructure was improperly fixed, and a pipeline dedicated to running liquid lightning, the power source for all of the WCC, broke. The resulting flood of electricity killed over 40 workers, among them her family. A mixture of being cooked, non-fatally electrocuted, and then falling miles to the cold unforgiving ground below was enough to make their corpses near unidentifiable. Needless to say it was a close casket funeral. Rainbow Dash wept inconsolably at their coffins, their last conversation being her telling them that she didn’t need them and was going to Flight School rather than train as an intern in the CWC. That she had dreams that didn’t revolve around working around stinking weather all day.

She was thinking about going back to them when break started to apologize to them. To actually talk rather than storming off, but now it was too late. All that was left that she left in anger and they were dead. As she cried it was her friend Fluttershy, whose family was a friend of the Rainbow Dash’s family that came up and comforted her. Drawing her over to her seat.

As she sat there, ponies around her started to fade away, leaving her alone all over again. With the memories of her families death still fresh in her mind, she was even more suseptible to her greatest fear. The fear of being alone. She had spent her entire life after her families death being the best. Flying the fastest, doing the best tricks, show boating for the adulation from others. She made it a point in life to attract as much attention as possible so that she didn’t have to be alone.But here she was, a world with no ponies, no one to applaud her, no one to notice her, no one to make that soul crushing emptiness in her heart go away. She flew as fast as she could to spot anypony, but it was fruitless. She was utterly alone.

She wondered the earth, every day filling her with more and more dread. Her coat slowly greying as it finally came to her that everything she was loyal to was gone. There was nothing left in life, no one to take away the pain. So in a fit of depression she clamped her wings to the side and let herself fall to the cold, unforgiving ground beneath her. Just as the ground approached her she felt the fog wrap around her.

She awoke, tired and broken in her cloud home hovering above Ponyville. It had taken her a a good amount of bits and hours of work to get her home built. That was the most bucked up dream I’ve ever had. And that’s including the time I dreamt that Pinkie Pie was actually a dragon made of cupcakes and was drowning me in whip cream and chocolate frosting. Well I better go and visit Flutters.

She flew the few miles to Fluttershy’s cottage, and gliding to her door did for her what she rarely did with her other friends. Actually knocked on the door. It cracked slightly open showing, “Hello ... how may I ... Oh, it’s you Rainbow.” Fluttershy said her one showing eye glaring at Rainbow Dash.

“What’s wrong Flutters?”

“Don’t ‘what’s wrong’ me Rainbow! I’m through with you. Go away.”

“Now I know I must still be dreaming. The Fluttershy I know wouldn’t say that.”

She opened the door, her trade mark “Stare” piercing Rainbow Dash. She slowly walked towards Rainbow Dash until she fell on her haunches. Fluttershy standing barely inches way from her, “Oh really? And why not? After all the years of saying how you’re going to ditch me for training, about how you should leave me behind because I’m dead weight, or what about all the times you’ve teased me about my fears. I’m tired of you treating me and everypony else as secondary importance to you. All you do is show boat, brag, and push others away when they get to close.

You’re pathetic Rainbow. All those times I comforted you when your parents died. All those times I put my heart on the line for you when you were feeling alone. I’m through! I’m done with your selfishness! And most of all I’m done with you!”

“B-Bu-But I’m not that bad! I haven’t teased you in a year, and those were all in good fun. No harm meant.”

“Well Angel was recording everything you’ve done, why don’t we see what you didn’t mean. Actually let’s look at one point in time that sums up who you are perfectly.”

Angel brought out a projector and a movie screen, and when it played it showed when the Red Dragon took up residence in the mountains outside Ponyville.

****************

Rainbow Dash hovering over Twilight whispers in a not so quite voice, “Are you sure you want to bring her along? She’s afraid of her own shadow,” She said landing a look of annoyance on her face, “ She’s only going to slow us down.”

Twilight smiled, “Of course. I’m sure when we get started she’ll be fine.”

Upon hearing Fluttershy scream, looking at her shadow before hiding in a bush. Rainbow Dash glares at Twilight before turning and walking away. Before they all decided to take her kicking and screaming to the mountain. It was moments later that they were standing at it’s base.

After seeing how huge the mountain was Fluttershy peeks from behind Apple Jack and states that it was so high. Rainbow Dash looks at her incredulously stating that it was a mountain. When they all went ahead of her, her fear of how high it was getting the better of her she didn’t hear Twilight’s question to her. But it was hard to miss the glare and body posture that spoke raw annoyance coming from Rainbow Dash.

“Hey! What are you waiting for an invitation?”

“But it’s so, so steep.”

Looking more annoyed than before, her voice dripping with sarcasm and impatience, “ Well it is a cliff. You could, I don’t know ... fly up here!”

It was Apple Jack who had to bring her up the mountain and when they got there it Rainbow Dash was quick to point out that she told Twilight that it would take them forever.

Through out the entire mission Rainbow Dash only looked at her as if she was a waste of time, and couldn't wait to get rid of her. Even when Fluttershy came through and saved all of them. Rainbow Dash blew a leaf on her causing her to faint, laughing at her, the recording showing it as a merciless cruel laugh at her expense.

**************************

“But that was three years ago -”

“And do you think you actually got better in all that time? It was only this past year when you started to look like you’d grow to make things more than just you and your ego. But then with Twilight’s spell you went back to your old ways. You only care about others when it furthers your goals, dreams, and ego. It’s like they say, with a friend like you who needs enemies. Face it. Your a egotistical jerk, and you push others away to justify feeling alone. Well guess what? You got your wish, now go away and never talk to me again.” She said turning around and slamming the door in Rainbow Dash’s face.

Rainbow Dash’s coat turned darker, and she felt as if some one had stabbed her in the heart. To think that her friend could say such horrible things about her. With tears in her eyes she flew off. It was a short time later when she saw Scootaloo. Scoots thinks of me as a big sister. I know that I need to find a way to make it up to Flutters and the others, but I’ve been good to Scoots haven’t I?

The dull colored, Rainbow Dash landed in front of Scootaloo to see her staring blankly at the ground as if she were lost in thought. After waving her hoof in front of Scootaloo’s face and not getting a reaction she decided it was time for a more direct approach. “Hiya Squirt! What’s the matter?”

When Scootaloo noticed Rainbow Dash, held back tears glistened in her lavender eyes. “What do you want?”

“You just looked lost and thought and I thought I’d see what was up.”

“Now you care? Well too bad leave me alone. After all you made it clear to me that you want nothing to do with me, or is it that you need me to stroke your ego some more.”

“What.The.Hay. What’s gotten into you Scoots?”

“Wow! Really! You have the gall to ask that question? Well let’s see here,” Glaring at her she did a near perfect imitation of Rainbow Dash’s voice.

“ 'I can’t mess with you today Squirt, grown up business.'

'I have problems of my own to deal with, go ask your parents to teach you how to fly.'

'Don’t you have folks, or anypony else you can bother right now? I need to do training of my own if I’m to get to stay in the Wonderbolts.'

'Maybe next time Scoots, I’m busy. Don’t you have crusading to do with your friends or something?' ” Finishing her hate filled repeating of the things Rainbow Dash had used to blow her off over the last year and a half the tears she had been fighting to hold back fell like a waterfall down her face. Her body shivering in rage as Rainbow Dash looked as if she had been smacked.

“And that’s not all, I’ve always looked up to you. Then when you call me as sister you do nothing but brush me off. What do you know of my life? You never took the time to know me! No one has! You just use me to stroke your ego then leave me, but when I need you. When I need anypony to care you just leave me high and dry. Well I’m done with you! I don’t need a hero that will only abandon me in my time of need! So I’m abandoning you right back! See how you like it!” With that said Scootaloo hopped on the scooter that was her namesake and buzzed off leaving behind Rainbow Dash whose coat had dulled even further.

If Fluttershy had felt like some one had stabbed her in the heart. Then what had just transpired was as if someone had ripped out her heart, crushed it to a thousand pieces, then lit the pieces on fire. For the longest time she couldn’t move trying to make sense of what was happening. Sure she was a jerk on occasions, but she had made so many improvements, at least she thought she did until now. Then it clicked in her mind, it had to be Discord’s doing. Not bothering to take a train she flew the six hours it took to get to Celestia’s Castle.

When she arrived at the Castle she saw Discord having tea with Celestia. “What did you do to my friends Discord?”

“What ever do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”

“Your lying! Celestia he mind wiped Fluttershy and Scootaloo! We need to turn him back to stone now!”

Celestia glared at Rainbow Dash with a look that she had once reserved only for Discord when he first broke free, and when facing Queen Chrysalis. With an icy cold voice she replied as Discord pulled out a bucket of popcorn,“Don’t you dare think of telling me what I should and shouldn’t do in my own home Rainbow Dash. I know for a fact that they aren’t mind wiped. What they told you, if they told you anything was the truth.”

“But I’m the Element of Loyalty! They can’t think I’m that bad after all I’ve done for them.”

“You mean to them! I want you to know your a disappointment to everypony you’ve ever met. I’ve been wanting to replace you for some time, and now I will. But first what punishment do you think I should give her Discord?”

“I don’t know ‘Tia. I’m thinking the moon sounds pretty nice this time of the year.”

“You always did have a good sense of humor. Well then, there you go Rainbow Dash you’ll spend the rest of your life on the moon. Just know this, your friends will rejoice with you gone and everypony will be better know that you aren’t around.”

With those last spiteful words out of the way Celestia’s horn was alight in a firey yellow aura before a white light engulfed Rainbow Dash’s senses. When her vision cleared she was alone on the moon. Standing on the blank expanse of the lunar surface she saw hoof marks that had spread off in every direction. These were the remnants of Luna’s exile, and now the only sign to Rainbow Dash that somepony had once been here other than her. Looking at the Earth, alone and abandoned just like she feared she’d always end up. She wept.

In the cold recesses of space she lost track of how long she had been crying. Eventually she fell to sleep, where her mind blurred dream and memory together. She remembered that the first part of her trials were to be preserverance and the next was supposed to be acceptance as well as forgiveness. As she woke up she looked at the Earth below her. If all I need to do is preserver than I can do that. I do that all the time I just need to get to Equestria and find someway to make up to all my friends the bad pony I’ve been to everyone. Being a Wonderbolt was my dream, but if I’ve only caused pain to my friends then I don’t deserve to be a Wonderbolt. From here on out my friends and Scoots come first.

Without air resistance to hold her back she shot out to the planet only to meet a magical barrier. Knowing that she couldn’t afford to loose she blasted forward with all her might. She felt her body being pulled and stretched beyond her limits, yet still she pushed as the barrier formed a knife like cone around her. Just as her body was about to give way the barrier burst as a marvelous rainbow as Rainbow Dash found herself panting at the edge of the fog. She had escaped the Nightmare Room, but in this small area in between one room and the next, Rainbow Dash felt as if she could sleep forever.

Author's Note

The memory shown in the Nightmare Distortion of Fluttershy was "Dragonshy". Watching it again with the view of looking at it in a more darker light [dark as in twisting Flutters to her nightmare distortion's verbal beatdown of Rainbow Dash]. I saw that Rainbow Dash's facial expressions and tone towards here harsh.

I always liked Rainbow Dash as an Orphan that needed to make her own way in the world. But I didn't like the whole families house burning down in a fire angle that I see in a few fan fics.

Chapter 16: Rainbow Dash: Darkside

When Rainbow Dash woke up she felt invigorated, but dreaded what she’d walk into next. She saw two other pony’s ahead of her, but couldn’t see who they were exactly since the room distorted all sense of sight as well as color. Steeling herself from what she was about to face next, her body dripping in sweat from the fear and anticipation of what she’d run into made her way to the next room.

As she walked into it, the room started to spin and shift shape until Rainbow Dash was standing in the middle of a cloud filled sky. The was setting in the horizon washing the clouds in majestic orange and amethyst hues. Rainbow Dash laid down on the familiar comfort of the cloud beneath her feet. A form sat beside her chuckling darkly. When she looked at the form before her she saw a dark colored Rainbow Dash, this form had a darker colored tone than her normal body. The eyes that looked down upon her were pure yellow and had black pupils.

“Laying on your plot like usual hey? Not surprising.” Dark Dash said a malicious glint hidden behind the mirth in her voice.

“Who in the Tartarus are you supposed to be?”

“Featherbrain, I’m you and you’re me. Although I’m the better version of you.”

“Horsefeathers, you may look like me, but no one is better than me.”

Chuckling darkly Dark Dash placed a hoof over over Rainbow Dash’s back, “Well unlike you I don’t have others holding me back, keeping me on the ground rather than the skies like I love.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you better start making sense.” Rainbow Dash stated as she removed her self from Dark Dash. Taking an aggressive stance.

“You know what I’m saying. Fluttershy, Scootaloo, all those pony’s who call themselves your friend only hold you back. They can’t fly, or in Flutters case refuses to fly. You hate being alone, but you're always pushing ponies away. I don’t have that problem, I know ponies should worship the ground I walk on because I’m the greatest. You on the other hand always try to seek the approval and acceptance of others. You are weak!” Dark Dash jabbed her hoof into Rainbow Dash’s chest accentuating her point as she stated that she was weak.

“I’m not weak! I’m Rainbow Dash, and you’re just a figment of my imagination spouting nonsense!”

“Don’t try denying it, I know every time your so called ‘friends’ annoyed you when you wanted to train and they distracted you. Every time you wanted to sleep after a hard days work and they call you lazy or wake you up. I know every dark thought that passes through your head that you lock away. You can fly away from your friends, but you can’t fly away from me. I’m your shadow, your dark side, I. Am. You.” Dark Dash laughed at Rainbow Dash as with each word spoken, denial and a look of anger grew upon her face.

Turning tail, Rainbow Dash flew away from her doppleganger. As she flew her double matched her move for move. As Rainbow Dash moved for the Sonic Rainboom she felt the closeness of her double causing the cone to grow many times larger than before, as it exploded the outwards the brilliant burst of spectra was many times more beautiful than would normally occur. But this was lost to Rainbow Dash who was had turned to yelling at her double as her attempts at out flying her were proving to be futile.

“See Dashie, you can’t outrun yourself. You only saw a few memories showing you that everything that has happened to you is your fault. You are a horrible pony, but why run from that? Why not embrace that you are a total egotistical jerk, a show boat that hordes attention like dragons horde treasure. Cut your ties to everyone but yourself and you’ll be so much happier. After all why let others hold you back when you can be truly free. It’s not like they really care about you, or they’d notice how lonely you were and would help you. Like that pathetic excuse of a pegasus, you took her for what? Two lessons before kicking her to the curb after Twilight screwed you over like a one bit whorse. She’s been bugging you to help her, but at least you wizened up enough to cut her loose.”

Rainbow Dash stopped then, crash landing into a cloud. The bile coming out of this side of her sickened her. Not because it wasn’t true, but because she really did think those thoughts. She would shove them into the darker part of her mind and feel horrible about it later. After all as the Element of Loyalty she felt that it was not only her duty but a part of who she was to stand by her friends. Being called out on herself though, seeing how horrible she had been to everypony. It was an eye opener. Here she was stripped of all the things that she suppressed, and worse of all she was glad that she wasn’t Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy when it clicked that all the dark thoughts in her head were coming back to bite her. Seeing what this, her color faded to a dull grey as it hit her how she was supposed to be the embodiment of Loyalty, but had at times been anything but Loyal to her friends.

“How can I call myself the Element of Loyalty when I’ve been anything but loyal?”

“Seriously? Being the Element of Loyalty doesn’t have anything to do with your so called friends. As long as you are loyal to something that’s all that matters. And all you really need to be loyal to is yourself if you want to be happy. After all the only one who can’t abandon or reject yourself is you. Everypony else is holding you back.”

“No!”

“What?”

“I said no! I won’t leave them hanging ever again. I know those things that you’ve been saying were things that I’ve been thinking and then some, but when I was on that moon I swore I’d make it up to the others. I’ve never really thought about what it means to be the Element of Loyalty, but when I get out of here I’m going to spend time figuring it out.” Dash said hanging her head low with the weight of her revelation.

“And what if they can’t forgive you? What then?” Dark Dash asked with an incredulous expression lighting up her face.

Looking up at her doppelganger Rainbow Dash sighed before replying, “Then I don’t get forgiven, but I’ll spend every waking moment trying to make up to everypone that I’ve been disloyal to. After all everypony makes mistakes. And it’ll take work but I’ll eventually find away to make it up to other.”

“I’m glad that you can finally accept me. I’ll be seeing you Dashie.” Her dark form glew until it was a perfect copy of Rainbow Dash. Just then the illusionary landscape and her doppelganger vanished.

Chapter 18: Fluttershy: Fears

A/N: Don’t hate me. But yeah I have a hate on towards Hoops and Dumb Bell, as well as Fluttershy's parents and this chapter will make Fluttershy lovers probably foam at the mouth in rage at some points. If you hated Gilda, be prepared for worse.

As Fluttershy stood at the fog covered entrance as the others walked before her. She felt her legs shake with fear from the unknown challenges before her. It was a good idea at the time, standing beside Twilight as a way to show her thanks for the life changing even that she had given her. But her old, fearful self had poked its head as she was faced with moving forward into something that she had no idea what the outcome would be. I have to trust Twilight. She’s never let me down before and if it wasn’t for her I’d still be one step shy of being a hermit. So come on Fluttershy, you can do this.

As she moved forward she was enveloped by the fog. As she moved forwards the fog shifted to flight camp. She felt a tinge of dread as the old memories of that place hit her like a bag of bricks.

“Why am I here?” She asked her self, looking down to confirm her 9 year old self.

“Hey Klutzershy! You might want to step away from the edge of that cloud. You don’t want to fall again do you?” Dumb Bell laughed.

“Yeah there might not be any butterflies to save you!” Hoops chimed in.

“Ha! Butterflies are so weak, just like you Klutzershy, but at least they can fly.”

Fluttershy visibly recoiled at their taunting, as she tried to physically make herself as small a target as possible. “Why are you always so mean to me? What did I ever do to you?”

“What’s that? You want to know what you did?” Hoops asked menacingly strolling towards her, “Simple. You were born. You call yourself a Pegasus, but you can’t fly, you’re weak, and none. And I repeat, no one. Actually cares about you. Tartarus, even your so called friend Rainbow Dash let you fall, to what she could have know was to your death without so much as a second glance. Much less a first one. You. Should. Just. Die.”

This caused Fluttershy to weep her eyes out. She remembered this day, well not this particular day but many like it. Few know but her staying on the ground was less out of loving the earth and it’s animals. But rather out of the mental scars that were inflicted before and especially after she gained her Cutie Mark. To have Hoops basically say this pained her deeply.

“ Hey who are you bullying this time Hoops!” Fluttershy heard from her fetal position. Recognizing it as Rainbow Dash she hopped up and ran to her savior.

“It’s just Fluttershy.”

As Rainbow Dash landed, positioning Fluttershy between her and the edge of the cloud she was on gave her a look of pure disgust. “Oh it’s her. Well I should leave you too it, after all it’s not like she’ll ever be anything other than a burden to everypony she meets.”

By this time Fluttershy’s hopes were dashed and her voice quivered as she asked, “What are you saying Rainbow?”

“Easy Flutters,” Rainbow Dash answered as she placed a hoof on Fluttershy’s chest. With each word she gave a shove pushing Fluttershy closer and closer to the edge of the cloud. “You are a burden. You’re weak, pathetic, and you’re holding me back. You. Are. On. You’re. Own.”

As Rainbow Dash finished her last push shoved Fluttershy over the edge. Her heart just like her body plummeted as she fell. How can Rainbow do this to me? Am I really such a burden? Thoughts like those rose in her mind as her stubborn wings refused to open. Then just as she landed onto the cold, jagged, unforgiving earth. The fog wrapped around her.

The next thing she knew she was walking through the Everfree forest the dark woods closing around her like the jaws of a predatory beast that the forest was known for. She looked around and noticed the area, it was actually nearly a mile away from her cottage. She would come here from time to time to rehabilitate the more carnivorous animals that came to her hut to be tended to. As such a lot of the animals here that would tear into a pony in a moments notice protected her from preternatural creatures as well as other predators.

Off in the direction of her cottage she saw huge billows of smoke. Knowing the signs of a fire she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Her wings all but forgotten in her mad rush to save her animal friends. As she drew near she noticed that her cottage was in flames. She her animals massacred as a huge red dragon flew above the cottage throwing boulders and breathing fire on her property. She went livid at the sight of all her friends maimed and burning bodies. As she flew at the dragon a boulder clipped her wings causing her to crash just as the clawed hand of the dragon pinned her to the ground.

“You thought that your stare was enough to permanently banish me? I am a dragon, we are the apex predators of the planet and more evolved than your pathetic race. You should have heard the animals scream for you to save them. Only to find out that you would never come for them. It was delightful.”

“M-M-My other fr-friends-s will c-com-come and save m-me!” Fluttershy stuttered in a mixture of pain and pure dread.

“Why not ask them yourself? There they are.” He said pointing to the side where the other Element bearers sat eating popcorn while Fluttershy’s world literally burned around her.

“WHY AREN’T YOU HELPING ME!?” Fluttershy screamed with enough force that it rivaled her cheering for Rainbow Dash when she did the sonic rainboom for the Young Flier’s Competition.

“Easy Flutters, as I said you’re on your own.” Rainbow Dash said while she stared daggers at Fluttershy.

“That and I can’t believe that a failure of a Pegasus such as your self could even be considered worthy of being an Element of Harmony,” Twilight chimed in. Giving Rainbow Dash a hoof bump. “Honestly speaking you’re not worth the effort to help. You never were and never will be. After all after all the help you get you rarely ever improve. Even then you fall right back into your old ways. Face it you are the most pathetic thing alive.”

“T-Th-This is Discord’s d-doing! I kn-kn-know it has to be!” Fluttershy said her body shaking like a leaf as her coat greyed.

“Ha! No it isn’t Flutters. As i said before you are nothing more than a burden. A waste of space. You are nothing. So why don’t you just die already.”

Just then the dragons maw flew to her and she knew nothing but pain. As the world faded into darkness she was aware of a dark fog wrapping around her again, from the cool moistness that clung to her body. When her sight returned she was in Cloudsdale at her families house. She tried her best to remember how she got here and what she was supposed to do. But for the life of her she could only remember that she had lost everything that mattered in life. Her friends hated her, her animals were murdered for no reason, and her fear of dragons had grown exponentially since she remembered being attacked by one.

As she walked into the living room she saw her mother and father sitting on the cloud couch. When they saw her they asked her to sit down across from them. She vaguely remembered this moment, and she hated what was coming. “So what do you want to talk about?”

“Listen Fluttershy, we love you but with your Cutie Mark we can’t be associated with you. We are from a long line of proud pegasi, your father’s family has been treasurers and accountants since Cloudsdales founding. While my family has been in the royal guard or military since the Equestria was created. We are direct descendants of Private Pansy herself. Your Cutie Mark is the most Earth Pony, un-pegasi like cutie mark one can have. I am afraid that we have to kick you out. We were hoping you’d learn to fly at Flight Camp, but apparently you only aim to crush our dreams for your future. Not only are you a Pegasi who can barely fly even though you have it in you to do so, but your Cutie Mark basically banishes you from a life in the skies. We’ll help you move out then your on your own.” Her mother lectured her while her father sat staring at the door as if he was pretending that Fluttershy never existed in the first place.

“But I’m only 9. How am I supposed to take care of myself?”

“That isn’t our concern. Just be glad we aren’t back in the good old days when a weak Pegasi would be kicked off a cloud to their deaths. At least you have a chance of living on the ground, up here you are nothing more than a burden the rest of us would have to carry.”

“I-I Love you Mommy! Daddy don’t make me go! I’ll do better I promise” A crying Fluttershy said.

“It’s too late. Either get packed or I’ll pack for you.” Her mother stated while rising from the couch.

I really am nothing more than a burden. I remember this moment, bit by bit. I never told anypony why I live on the ground. Or why I never speak to my family. It’s like I told Discord. I know I’m weak and useless, but I was grateful that they gave me the time of day. But now I really have nothing left. After all who could love me if my own parents think I'm worth even less than a common mule. By this time old wounds had opened up and her coat was a dull grey as she marched into the streets of Cloudsdale. The other ponies avoiding as if she had some communicable disease. This wasn’t her memory, just her feelings taking shape in the twisted landscape of her fears.

What am I doing? I have to stop being a burden to ponies! I need to toughen up! But I remember what this place is, it shows one their worst fears and I need to persevere. I need to get to Rainbow and the others. Then I need to show them that I can do better, be better. I won’t be weak any more.

Even with this resolve though the fog did not change. Since it was easy to try having resolve when things seem calm. But it is always the challenges that test it. So it was for Fluttershy when she was surrounded by all her tormenters, family, friends, and the dead, charred faces of her animal friends. Seeing them spin around and around singing the chant that she feared and hated the most. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy can’t hardly fly!” As that chant went over and over again. She felt her resolve breaking away until she fully focused on Rainbow Dash.

“NO!” As she screamed that one word her will to move forward outweighed her fears and the fog wrapped around her before revealing a hallway. Before her she saw a dark colored Rainbow Dash and she ran towards it. She was always following Rainbow Dash, but now she’d catch up and tell her how she felt. Prove to her that she wasn’t a burden. Not anymore.

Chapter 19: Fluttershy: Dark Side

As Fluttershy approached the next room she was barely doing anything more than trying to catch her best friend. She needed to know how Rainbow Dash truly felt and was not going to let anything get in her way. Little did she know that oneself is one’s greatest enemy, and usually the biggest thing standing in a pony’s way.

With her attention not on her surroundings it caught her by surprise when the room shifted into a replica of her cottage living room. This didn’t stop her fast enough to prevent her from running into the table where a darker version of her sat. It’s eyes pure, yellow orbs of malice with pupils as dark as coal. Her mail and tail a blood red. Her coat a dirty gold.

“So the weakling shows up for some tea. Why don’t you have a seat?” Darkshy asked.

“Ok!” Fluttershy replied hesitantly. She didn’t know why this thing looked like her, but if it was going to be nice at least it was a step up from what she had just been through.

As she went to sit down Darkshy quickly fluxed her wings causing the seat and Fluttershy in it to fall over. “I told you to take a seat. I didn’t tell you to sit down now did I door mat?”

“Take a seat means to sit down though, and I might be a door mat but that doesn’t give you an excuse to be uncivilized.”

“Ah! Ah! Ah! I said nothing about sitting down. Only to take a seat, I didn’t tell you what to do when you chose it.”

Picking up her seat she stood by it. “What do you want me to do know?”

“Ha! You are a riot. You really do lack any back bone don’t you? You’d think that seminar, or Discord discording you would break you out of your coccoon. But no! I’ll tell you what you can do with that seat. Move away from it and sit on the floor beside me. After all ponies sit in chairs, pets and objects stay on the floor where they belong. And you are less than any pet I know of.”

Sitting on the floor, her head hanging down in humiliation. As she sat her mind wondered to what she was supposed to do here again. But for the life of her having been humiliated in what looked like her house while her animal friends ignored her made her feel like even less of a pony than when she was in the previous room.

“Look who’s a good door mat. You know what I can’t believe that I’m a part of you. You have all this anger, all this pure rage locked away within yourself but rather than accept it you bottle it away. It sickens me. Well! What do you have to say for yourself!?” Darkshy yelled at her.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. It’s wrong to hurt others.”

“But it’s even worse for yourself to allow to get hurt by others. You’re even worse than Pinkie Pie! At least others can tell when somethings wrong with her. You! You just smile like a saint and pretend that everything is perfectly fine. You let others see when your afraid, but that’s the only dark emotion you let others see.”

“But I don’t want anyone to get hurt. It’s better that I suffer than others. I can’t have others risking themselves and putting themselves out of the way on my account. I’m not worth it.”

“What about me! I’m part of you that you ignore and I hurt! What about my wants!? What about my needs!? You are so wishy-washy and you don’t even give me the time of day. What a hypocrite. All that talk about others suffering and you do that to me without even giving me the time of day. You really are pathetic!”

“I-I’m sorry!”

“No you’re not. I know you. You say words like 'sorry’, or 'nice’ to deflect conflicts. But you don’t really mean them. Not really.”

“But I -”

“DON’T TRY FOOLING ME!,” Darkshy screamed her muzzle literally inches away from Fluttershy’s own. “You can’t fool me since I am you!”

What do I say? I don’t know what to say! Not in this situation. What can I do to show that I truly am sorry? I never knew she existed. Well at least not in anything other than an abstract aspect of myself. Like when I was in the Great Galloping Galla, or when Discord mind raped me, or even when I went power crazy from Iron Wills seminar. But never did I really think of that as another me. Just something that I needed to ignore. But I can’t ignore her now. Worse, she actually exists and I hurt her. I never meant to hurt anyone but none the less I have. So how do I make this right? How do I fix what I never knew I broke till today?

“What can I do to make this right?”

“Figure that out yourself. I don’t owe you anything.”

“You’re right.” Fluttershy said as she gave her opposite a huge hug. “And I hope that someday you can forgive me. I promised that I was going to no longer be a burden, and I was going to do better for my friends. But I need to promise to do better for myself as well I guess. Do better for you.”

“Well, now you can take your seat and sit down. You earned it.”

“So you see me as a pony?”

“You’re close enough that you can sit at my table without tainting it. Here’s your tea.”

Darkshy gave Fluttershy a cup of jasmine tea. Fluttershy sat in contemplation as she drank her tea. As she sipped it she remembered that to pass this test was to accept and forgive. She could and did forgive others as well as accept them. But she had more greater problems accepting and forgiving herself. She was always the type to bury them in a dark corner and pretend that such things didn’t exist.

“You know that’s funny right?” Darkshy said.

“What is?”

“That you forgive and accept others. If you really did what they did to you would be less scaring. But no, you dwell on it, using it as fodder to assault your own psyche. What’s even funnier is that you never realized it till right now.”

“But I do forgive them. They were right about me after all.”

“You are coming close to loosing your table privileges. The next time you give in to those thoughts I’m going to personally beat them out of you until you learn your lesson. So think really hard. How do you really feel about them. Give into that anger for once.”

“I-I ... I don’t want to hate them.”

“But you do.”

“I ... hating others is wrong. I am mad at them yes. I think what they did was horrible, but hating others is the wrong way to go about it.”

“Then why are you angry at them?”

“You know why. You are me after all!” A thin line of anger was coming out of her voice, a glare directed at the table as she turned from grey to white.

“Yes. I do. So can you really forgive them?”

“I don’t know. I thought that I did. But they hurt me so much, it still hurts. I didn’t even do anything wrong to them. They just hurt me because I was different.”

“So if you aren’t going to forgive them what are you going to do?” Darkshy asked a small smile playing on her lips as she looked at how much being shown her inner darkness was weakening the hold of her kindness. Taking the lid off all that bottled in emotions.

“I won’t forgive them, but I’ll accept that they did what they did and I’ll move on. If they didn’t do what they did I would never have become the Element of Kindness and I would never have gotten to were I am today. So what they did was a blessing.

Even if it hurts, even if I can never fully forgive them for what they did. I will accept it as something needed to get me where I am today. But I won’t give into you. I won’t give into hate. I won’t let anger and cruelty rule me actions. But I won’t ignore you either. I won’t let you be hurt like I have been. I’ll start looking out for myself as well as others.” As she finally confronted herself and let herself forgive herself while fully accepting the good things that came from the bad parts of her life a light washed over her darkside.

“Congratulations you’re now a pony worth knowing.”

With that the room dissipated and she stopped seeing Rainbow Dash farther ahead of her. Even though she was emotionally drained and traumatized. Her emotions now unbottled even if she had accepted herself. She used that rage to run to Rainbow Dash, not to just prove she wasn’t a burden but to give her a piece of her mind. Since while her dark side was cleansed. She still had a lot of unresolved issues that this experience had forced to the forefront of her mind. Rather than bottled up, so while many of the others would have rested. She was once again running full force to the next room.

Chapter 20: Fluttershy: Tea for Two

And ran right into her cottage once more. Fluttershy turned to the door to open it. Which turned out to be less of opening it and more of a slamming it open before running outside. Only to be back right where she started. “What the hay! I swear to Celestia if I don’t get out of here I’m going to sick Angel on you!”

“Don’t get your saddle in a bunch. All things happen in good time.” Fluttershy heard a familiar voice behind her. As she turned around she noticed a form of herself that was so shiny that she reflected an aura of yellow light around her like a saintly aura. Her eyes teal flames that danced tranquilly among her silky pink mane.

“Who are you, and why are you stopping me from giving my ‘friends’ a piece of my mind!”

“I’m you silly. As for why. Think about it, the last time you released your darker emotions you became a monster that nearly ruined your friendships. You need to learn ‘proper’ emotional coping techniques. Rather than swing from repressing to exploding.”

“Listen that’s all good, but I can’t stay here. I have things to do. Things to say.”

“I know you do, but have some tea with me first. After all know that your a pony worth knowing it’s time we had a less mentally breaking talk.”

Fluttershy glared daggers at her purer side and plopped noisily on to the seat. Picking up her cup she sipped it. Fluttershy’s face was a whirlpool of emotions. Anger, pain, confusion, and sorrow. All of these vied for dominance on her face as she drank her cup of chamomile tea.

“This place is to show the brighter side of things. I have many memories to show you, as well as many things that you need to resolve. We won’t be able to do everything, but we should get through a lot of what’s been bothering you.”

“Ok. Let’s get this over with.” Fluttershy huffed.

*****************************

Fluttershy sat with Rainbow Dash in her newly renovated Cottage outside Ponyville. Rainbow Dash’s parents had just died and Fluttershy not wanting her to be alone invited her to stay with herself while she recovered. She knew that it would be a long recovery, but ever since she was a foal she hated to see others in pain. As a young Dash cried in the crook of her neck, tears soaking Fluttershy’s coat.

“It’ll be ok Rainbow. I’m here for you,” Fluttershy said while stroking Rainbow Dash’s mane. “I know I’m not your sister, but we’ve known each other since we were in diapers. So we’re practically family. So stay here for as long as you need.”

********************

A small smile lit Fluttershy’s face as she recalled all the long nights that they spent with each other. Taking another sip of tea she let herself taking in its soothing qualities as another memory washed over her. Her white coat, mane and tail turning a dull grey.

**********************

“Hey Rainbow don’t burn the popcorn!” Fluttershy shouted across the room, and this being Fluttershy meant that it was a normal indoor speaking voice for others.

“Don’t worry Flutters. I promise not to almost burn your house down again.” Rainbow Dash said as she took the freshly finished pot of popcorn. Opening the tin foil she drenched the popcorn in one of her favorite condiments. Butter. Once the popcorn was thoroughly drenched in butter and reheated to dry it. She sat across from Fluttershy, sliding the muzzlemits off.

“So Flutters what do you have planned for tonight?” Rainbow Dash was excited because tonight was their game night. While she had learned ages ago to never play the quite game with Fluttershy, not ask her why she got so good at that game. This was one of the few nights out of the week where they just talked, ate out, and played. Acting like little fillies rather than fillies whose lives forced them to grow up faster than they should have.

“Hmmmm .... Monopoly. I’ll be the puppy.”

“Big surprise," Rainbow Dash said playfully rolling her eyes, “I’m going to be the flying horse shoe.”

“Big surprise!” Fluttershy jokingly teased back. Rainbow Dash was the only pony that she felt comfortable around enough to even try her hoof at joking around with. Everypony else made her so uncomfortable that she didn’t dare try anything that might offend them. But with Rainbow Dash she was free to relax a little bit.

The memory skipped forward to that night where a crying Rainbow Dash was nestled into Fluttershy. Fluttershy softly singing to her while holding her in a comforting hug. It was times like this that she missed. The feel of comforting her friend, protecting her from her emotional pain while all that sorrow splashed itself onto her. She then remembered all the nights that she held Rainbow Dash, comforted her, was there for her. Until she no longer needed her for that.

The day that happened was both a sad one and a happy one. Sad because she missed the closeness and importance that it gave her. The feeling like she was for once in her life actually useful to her friend, rather than a waste of space. Happy because it meant that she was a good enough friend that she was able to heal her friends broken heart. Even if Rainbow Dash hid more often since then behind her facade of brashness and a hint of jerkiness, Fluttershy knew that she was still sad, but a lot better than when she first arrived.

**************

“Rainbow Dash never told you, but you probably already know that she appreciated you being there for her. It’s one of the few childhood memories that she actually cherishes,” Fluttershy’s double told her. “So how are you feeling now?”

“I’m still angry, but I feel much better than I did.” Fluttershy said her voice filled with tiredness as the events that lead up to this moment caught up with her. And while most of the others slept after such a mentally exhausting event, her running straight through was taking its toll on her know that she realized what she was about to do, “Oh and thank you for stopping me here before i made a huge mistake. Thank you, thank you oh so much!”

“You’re welcome. Now here’s some more things for you.”

*******************

“Thank you for coming with me Rainbow! It means so much to me.” Fluttershy said practically hopping in place. She had just convinced Rainbow Dash to see the great Butterfly Migration. It was once in a decade event that their migration passed through Ponyville.

“Yeah no problem Fluttershy. You know that I’m doing this because we’re friends, but you owe me a favor one of these days.”

“That’ll be alright,” Fluttershy replied not even listening as she fixed her little safari hat and readied herself for the migration as Angel bunny got the camera ready. “Now remember the should be here shortly.”

As the first in the line of butterflies passed through she squeed as she lifted her binoculars to see all the butterflies that were passing through. “Oh look! Look! Look!” Fluttershy squeeled like a fan filly.

“I’m looking.” Rainbow Dash grumbled. Although Fluttershy heard the grumble she ignored it for the chance of being lost in the same creatures that emblazoned on her flank.

“Look! There’s a Bog Copper, and a Great Spotted Fritillary. Oh! And there’s an E. Tailed Blue. Oh so many beautiful butterflies!” Fluttershy was in butterfly heaven, lost in her own little world as Angel took a picture at just the right moment. The sunlight hitting the wings causing the air around them to look as if they were sparkling. While Rainbow Dash was grumpily staring down at the ground.

************************

“Oh I loved that day. Even though Rainbow Dash tried to use the favor I owed her to go to that big scary Dragon Migration. But still that was an amazing day.” Fluttershy who at this point was starting to regain her color and original demeanor.

“Yes it was. Now we need to have a little talk. I think that it will do you wonders.”

“Do we have to? I mean I don’t want to impose on you or anything. I’m feeling much better.” Fluttershy said around her cup of tea. Trying hard to hide herself behind her mane.

“Yes Fluttershy. You can’t keep hiding behind courtesy and your mane to evade things that make you uncomfortable. It only builds a trap that makes things harder for you in the long run. There are no right and wrong answers here, but you need to face some of your demons before they over run you again. We know that you don’t want to keep accidentally exploding and hurting your friends do we?”

“No we don’t.” Fluttershy said so meekly that it was a barely audible whisper.

“Speak up dear.”

“No we don’t.” Fluttershy said even quiter than the last time.

“Fluttershy you need to have confidence in what you say. So say it again.”

“No we don’t.” She finally said in a volume that could be heard.

“That’s better. Now first of all. Let out all that anger you hold to your parents. I know that what they did was horrible, but speak about it. Don’t keep it bottled in.”

“Fine! You want me to talk about it. Why would they do that to me? I was 9. So what if I could barely fly! If they knew that I could do better they should have helped me like my animals and Rainbow Dash helped me when gathering water for cloudsdale last year. So what if my Cutie Mark was Earth Pony in nature, that doesn’t make me less of a pony. What parents kick their child out for getting the wrong type of Cutie Mark! That’s ridiculous! Then to go on about how killing their child was 'back in the good old days’! Ohhhh I’m so mad I could scream!” Fluttershy ranted before taking a deep breath and letting out a scream that was an octave higher than a whisper.

“Oh I’m sorry! Was that too loud?” Fluttershy asked as she lost steam from her rant on how horrible her parents were to her.

“No that was perfect. Now how do you feel?”

“I feel a little bit better actually. Are we done?”

“Almost one more thing. When you leave this plane of exitance. You’ll need to find ways to deal with your stress as well as confront in a healthy manner those who wrong you. Rather than pushing all that stuff into the corner of your mind. It’s not good for you or anypony.”

As Fluttershy finished her tea. She accepted that she would have to find a way to fix her problems and know that they were thrown in her face before this latest room she was going to fix them. Giving a nod, her body returning to it’s original color and luster as a door popped up beside her.

“Go on to the last room Fluttershy. You have gone far, and I’ll always be there with you to push you in the right direction. Don’t worry, everything will be fine. You’ll see.” Her double said as Fluttershy walked into the light that engulfed her.

Author's Note

I'm shooting for each 3 section thing is going to take about two weeks to a month to do. So I'd rather be early on a self given dead line than late. Next up is Apple Jack.

Hope you enjoyed Fluttershy's Journey as well as the other's so far. Any comments or criticism would be appreciated. Thank you. Oh and if you have any ideas to make things better let me know, and I'll implement them in the others as I'm working on them.

Chapter 21: Apple Jack: Fears

Apple Jack walked down the fog filled hallway. As the fog shifted it sent her into a memory that she had lived with since she was a young filly. The moment she lost both of her parents. She was eight when she lost her mother, it was shortly after Apple Bloom was born. From what she learned later from Granny Smith, her mother had a uterine rupture and went into shock. But back then all she knew was that she had lost her mother.

It was night time and she was sleeping on Big Mac as they all waited on the delivery of their newest sibling. Granny Smith watched over them as their parents were in the delivery room. It was one in the morning when a unicorn doctor came out to talk to Granny Smith. Apple Bloom was awoken by a loud thump as Granny Smith’s flank fell hard on the floor, looking as if the doctor bucked her in the chest. Little Apple Jack slid off her brothers back and trotted over to her grandmother,

“Granny Smith what’s wrong?”

“It’s yer mother young’n. She’s sleepin’ now.”

“Oh. That’s not bad. When will she wake up?”

“Sorry Apple Jack, but she ain’t wakin’ up. But she’s in a better place though, don’t ya doubt that.”

“But Ah don’t understand Granny Smith, she’s right in there. Why won’t she wake up? What happened?” Apple Jack asked as tears of worry started to trail down her face.

Granny Smith walked over to her and wrapped her in a big hug whispering that everything was going to be ok. As she was wrapped in that protective hug she heard a sound that she hadn’t noticed until that moment. The sounds of a mourn filled wailing coming from where the doctor had just come from. It was that sound that made it all click in her mind and sent her into an uncontrollable fit of weeping. Her brother having woken up by now and having talked to the doctor joined them. She had seen critters dying on the farm before. She'd even understood that it was a part of life. But it was something that happened to others. Something that never crossed her mind that would happen to her family. Especially not her mother who was so full of love and life.

It was a few days later that Apple Bloom was discharged and the Apple family laid to rest Russet Apple-Orange. Their father Apple Cider, was a different stallion from that day onwards. He talked and smiled less. Turning to the bottle when he woke up and before he slept. The rest of his time working the fields as if by working from sun up to sun down he could ignore his pain. It was a week later that her father was taken from her as well. A mixture of overworking himself along with his newly acquired alcoholic lifestyle had weakened himself to the point that he simply died in the fields while pulling his plow behind him.

It wasn’t until after school that Apple Jack and Big Mac found him, away from the house in the middle of the field looking as if he had fallen asleep. When they went to wake him up they found that his body had long since cooled. It was the most horrifying thing that Apple Jack could imagine. It was also the time when she had decided that it was time to leave Sweet Apple Acres.

Each part of that land held special meaning for her, and she didn’t want a Cutie Mark to remind her of all that she had lost. It was painful enough that they left her, but adding into account that they left her so close together was to painful for her to bare. So with great determination she decided to go to her Aunt and Uncle Orange in Manehatten to make a name for herself.

As the fog shifted around her she was in Manehatten looking out the window. Why would Ah think of that moment? And why am Ah be rememberin’ this here moment? Apple Jack contemplated as she looked out the window forlornly as tears fell down her face. Ah don’t like openin’ old wounds like that. But Ah sure do miss them. All Ah can do is live each day trying to make them proud of the mare Ah’ve become.

As she looked up at the sky she saw two bright lights shining. The lights grew closer and closer racing towards her. As they did she recognized them as the two stars that represented her parents. The two stars in the sky that let her know that they were watching her from above. The two stars eventually made it into the room that Apple Jack was in forcing her to fall backwards from the force in which they entered.

“Look hun it’s are lil’ Apple Jack.” Russet Apple-Orange said, her voice carrying a warmth in it that Apple Jack missed horribly. Although it struck her as strange that Twilight said that this was supposed to be a bad place, yet here was her long dead mother. How can this place be bad with such a great gift as this?

“Sure is. Too bad that she thinks that we’re proud of her.” Apple Cider replied looking at his daughter with a look of pity and disappointment.

“What do ya mean 'thinks’ Ah know Ah’ve done y’all proud.” Apple Jack said defensively.

“Do ya mean when ya abandoned the family farm to run away here to Manehatten? Or when ya ran away from yer friends when ya didn’t finish first in the Rodeo a few years back? Or when ya turned yer back on one of yer so called best pony friend forever, Twilight Sparkle, not once but three times? Or do ya mean all those time ya put yer own pride before others? Should Ah go on?” Her mother scolded her.

“What? But Ah didn’t ...” Apple Jack started to reply before her father cut her off.

“What we mean ta say is that we’re mighty disappointed in ya. We’ve watched ya grow up only ta see ya become nothin’ more than a waste ta the life we gave ya. Yer so focused on doin’ things yer way that ya don’t even see what’s right in front of ya. So proud, so stubborn, so wasteful. It makes us cry watching you.”

This tag team berating was starting to wear down Apple Jack. The biggest thing that she always worried about was coming true. Worst of all it was all true. She was a disappointment, she had on numerous occasions took her friends, as well as those around her for granted. She had wasted time and energy fueling her own stubborn pride rather than rely on those she cared for. Worst of all she had ran away from her family, friends, and problems on numerous occasions. Turning her back on them to leave them alone when she was needed the most.

“But I always made it up to them in the end. I’m a good pony!” She replied disparately.

“Is that so hun? Then why did ya never formally apologize ta Twilight when ya found out that Princess Cadence was an imposter? What about when Twilight was havin’ a mental break down and needed yer help? Y’all verbally took responsibility of y’alls actions, but none of ya took actions ta rectify it afterwards. What of this latest accident? She works ta literally increase the income of Sweet Apple Acres, but yer so caught up in yer own misery that ya place all the blame on her shoulders. Rather than thanking her and talking with her.

And what of Rainbow Dash? All those times ya accused her of bein’ lazy, or good for nothin’. Yet ya never apologized, never made it up to her. Never once did ya look at things from her perspective. Can ya even imagine how hard it must be ta be a weather pony? Or the difficulty it must take ta train to get where she is? Ya simply cast judgment and we didn’t raise our daughter to be like that.

Then lets see here we have Pinkie Pie. Ya call her random, ya say that ya should never try ta understand Pinkie Pie. Yet when was she ever wrong? Just like Rainbow Dash ya never took time ta learn too understand her. Especially when it turns out that she was never wrong when she gave advice or said somethin’. Even if she didn’t do it in a straight forward manner. Yet it was easier for ya to judge her and use that as a reason ta not try ta understand her.

Then let’s see here,” Russet Apple-Orange said stroking her chin with her hoof while Apple Jack lay before her. Head hidden in her hooves as she let her mother’s words slap her over and over again.

“Oh we have Rarity! Oh do we ever. She’s a hard working, dedicated, and responsible mare. Yet because she does things that you don’t understand ya find it right ta secretly call her work frivolous. Ta once again cast judgment on others. What’s worse is that ya never truly apologize and ya call yerself the Element of Honesty. Ya can’t even be honest with yerself.”

“Listen love we’ve spent more time here than she deserves. It seems that we no longer have a daughter.” Apple Cider replied.

Apple Jack looked up at them as they turned back into light. “Wait! I’m sorry! Please don’t go! Please don’t leave me again!” She screamed tears falling like waterfalls as they left without another word.

Apple Jack’s coat turned a grey as she watched her parents leave her. What have Ah done? Ah always prided myself on my honesty. So were did Ah go wrong? Ah really am judgmental. Not bigoted like some ponies, but Ah truly have looked down on my friends. Ah didn’t mean ta, but Ah can see how Ah’ve wronged them. When Ah see them again Ah’ll truly apologize. Ah need ta make it up ta them. Even if it’s the last thing Ah do.

The fog wrapped around Apple Jack as it whisked her to a whole new destination. She was then slammed with memories of all the judgment she cast not on just her friends, but everyone. The thing that made it hit her all the more was how subtle it was. How quickly she looked down on Rarity for her artistry. Especially know that she knew how hard that work was. She saw how even now she saw her practical creations as being superior to Rarity’s more flashy ones. She saw superiority that was written all over her own body when she was working with Rarity and she saw the pained look on Rarity’s face when Apple Jack wasn’t looking.

She saw all the fights that Rainbow Dash and her got into. She noticed looking as an outside just how deeply her words cut. All the insinuations that Rainbow Dash wouldn’t know a good days hard work if it bit her in the butt. All the back handed compliments and down right insults directed to get a reaction out of Rainbow Dash. Looking at it from this perspective made it worse.

She then spent time around every pony else. Each judgment, each cutting remark like a slap across her face as it further ingrained in her mind that her parents were ashamed with her. As her body turned a darker shade of grey she made a decision. This isn’t the kinda mare Ah wish ta be. Ah made a bunch of poor choices, and lied to others and mahself. But no longer, Ah’m gunna be better. I promise that ta mahself, mah parents, and ta mah friends. If they still want ta be my friends when this is all over. Ah got a lot of apologizing ta do if Ah’m gunna be able to look at mahself in the mirror..

With that honest oath to herself. With the full weight of the Element of Honesty behind it the fog started to dissipate. Until eventually all that was left was an room with a distraught Pinkie Pie standing beside her.

Chapter 22: Apple Jack: Dark Side

“Hiya Pinkie Pie. Listen there’s somethin’ that Ah need ta tell ya.” Apple Jack said apprehensively. Everypony knew that a Pinkie Pie with a flat mane and tail was bad news. Add to the fact that the Pinkie Pie before her was grey and seemed to shrink into herself. As if her she was trying to hide from everything including herself.

“Listen Apple Jack,” Pinkie said in a scared whisper, “there’s something I need to tell you to. There’s something I need to tell all of you.”

Hearing the pain in her voice. As bad as she felt, this made her feel a thousand times worse. “Ah’m here for ya sugarcube. Ah need ta talk ta everypony as well.”

“Then we should wait to talk to everypony then. Oh and Apple Jack?”

“Hmmmm?”

“I’m sorry. For everything.”

“What’re ya talkin’ about?”

“All the times I annoyed you with my antics. All those times that I hid the truth from you. All those pranks that cost you time and money. I’m sorry. Just please don’t leave me again. I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

Apple Jack was taken back. What exactly did she see Apple Jack wondered to herself, but knowing that her own experience was a painful event. As well as highly personal she chose the tactful approach. “Listen good ta me ya hear?”

Shrinking away from Apple Jack a whimpering Pinkie Pie squeaked a conformation while she nodded. Apple Jack wrapped her in a hug. Feeling Pinkie Pie shivering against her. “You ain’t got nothin’ ta apologize for. Yes those pranks weren’t funny when they happened, but in hindsight they were pretty funny. As for leavin’ ya over that silly stuff. I won’t leave ya, what ever lays before us we go together.”

She walked side by side with Pinkie Pie when the room started to shift around her and Pinkie Pie slowly faded away. Before she fully disappeared she yelled, “Don’t worry, we’ll see each other soon. Ah’m not leavin’ ya, Ah’m right beside ya even if ya can’t see me.”

As the room morphed around her she was over come with a sense of disorientation as she found herself on the farm. She looked around and saw a somepony that looked like her but couldn’t be her. Her coat was a golden, tanned brown with a dirty blonde mane and tail. Her eyes looked at her over bottle of Apple Shine’s pure malt whiskey. The Apple Family’s whiskey of choice. It was the eyes more than anything that set Apple Jack’s nerves on edge. The pure yellow with pitch black irises had a look to them that was unnatural to her.

“So ya finally decide ta show up. Mighty kinda ya. After all Ah’d thought ya’d never get outa that guilt trip.” Dark Jack said before taking a huge swig of whiskey.

“And Who’re ya supposed ta be? And What’d ya do with Pinkie Pie?” Apple Jack said while threateningly approaching her darker double. Worry for her friend was at the forefront of her mind rather than the circumstances that lead to this point in time.

“Why that’s simple pardner. Ah’m you and yer me. Ah’m the side of yerself that ya keep locked away because yer too ashamed to see the truth’a things. As for yer friend. Well this place only has room for one. And her place has only room for one. So ya split ways. Not that ya should be too worried. It’s not like ya would’ve thought about her if ya didn’t meet up with her. Yer just lettin’ guilt get in the way of what matters most.” Dark Jack stated while tossing a bottle of Apple Shine to Apple Jack.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” She mulled this over while she sat aside the bottle. In her mind she didn’t want to be swayed by being intoxicated to what ever this thing had to say.

“Which part? Us or her?”

“Both.”

“Well ya see this here is the part of yer mind that ya’ve kept locked away for ages. All the bad things ya think, those little secrets ya keep ta yerself. All that dark stuff that ya ignore and shove away. That’s who Ah am.

As for Pinkie Pie. If ya didn’t see Pinkie Pie, or if ya never met any of the others here. Ya wouldn’t be so uptight or worried about them. Ya’d simply wait ta ya see them ta deal with yer guilt. But ya had the misfortune of meeting somepony know yer feeling bad about them. Stay here for a bit, drink up. After all ya know how bad ya are at keepin’ secrets when yer nice and drunk.”

“Thanks but no thanks. Ah ain’t drinkin’ till I’m done with this mess. Now what are ya here ta do?”

“Easy Ah’m here to make ya live up ta all the things ya hidden away. Although I’ll admit that I’m impressed that ya don’t have much ta work with.”

“That’s cause Ah try and be honest in all Ah do. Even if it turns out Ah was off on a few things.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

“Oh! Ah know what this is! Thank Celestia for all those stories Ah had ta read Apple Bloom when she was a foal.”

“Yep. Ya got ta face yerself.”

“Well let’s see here. Ah know that Ah’ve been hiding my true emotions towards a few mares Ah know. Ah just never had the right moment, and Ah’ve never knew what ta say. Yes Ah’ve felt a bit of superiority ta them, unbeknownst ta mahself. As well as Ah’ve said and done things ta them that’ll probably make them not feel that way towards mahself, but Ah got ta try and make it right ta them.

Ah’ve hid the fact that Ah’m a filly fooler from mah folks. Ah don’t think Granny Smith would mind, after all the stories she told us about love being the most sacred of Celestia’s gifts. Although Ah guess over the last 35 years Cadence has taken up that gift herself. But that’s just semantics. But Ah’m scared none the less. Ah don’t want to loose mah family. Not over that.

Hmmm .... Also I guess that Ah’ve been a bit of a mule, thinkin’ that Ah’ve got ta do everythin’ mahself rather than accept those who’d offer a hoof to help me. Ah think that about covers it.”

Dark Jack fell on her back, rolling in the dirt holding her ribs. As she laughed so hard she was in tears. “Ah expected this of ya. Element of Honesty. But ya forgot one thing?”

“And what’s that?”

“None of that matters. All yer friends, all yer family. All they do is chain you to that farm, and when ever ya get into trouble or run into a problem. Yer answer is to run from it. Ya run ta yer work, ya run from yer friends, ya even run from what’s right in front of ya. So why even fight it, just run like ya always do. After all if ya were ta die today, what’d ya be remembered by? What mark did ya ever leave on the world? That’s why ya ran from the farm in the first place remember? Ta run from the memories and make a mark on the world, somethin’ that’d make ya you.”

Apple Jack fell on her flank as she let all of what she was hearing sink in. She really did have a problem with running. Both in the figurative and literal sense of the word, from her problems as well as herself. But she was done running away from things and was ready to run towards them. She promised that she wasn’t going to leave Pinkie Pie by herself, and she was going to do just that.

“Listen Ah remember what Twilight said, and Ah forgive myself for those things. Ah also forgive the part of me that ya are. Now if ya don’t mind Ah’m gunna get Pinkie Pie. Knowing her she’d have found away ta do so by now. So if ya don’t mind Ah’m leavin’.”

Apple Jack gave a nod. “Congradulations, the one part of ourself that we hated ya just healed. Ah’ll see ya on the otherside.”

While Apple Jack did reach Pinkie Pie and they did get through it together. That’s a story for a later time. As Pinkie Pie and Apple Jack sat in the empty room. Pinkie huddled as close to Apple Jack as physically possible. Apple Jack stroked her mane whispering softly. “Ah promised that Ah’d not leave ya, and that we’d get through this together. So let’s go over this next room. Ya now know that no matter what Ah’ll find away ta ya. And Ah’ll help ya if Ah can.”

Picking up Pinkie Pie who was know white as snow, cradling her like a child. She walked on her hind hooves to the next room. Hoping beyond hope that this next room would be the one to help her friend.

Chapter 23: Apple Jack: Friends on a Hill

Apple Jack had been working on rebuilding her hind legs to what they were before Twilight’s casting of Starswirl’s unfinished spell. Having still not worked up to what she used to be made carrying her friend much harder than she thought. Ah’m not gunna leave her behind. Especially not after facin’ down that thing masquerading as Pinkie. Her face will probably haunt me till the end o’ mah days. Ah mean I knew that girl had problems, but Ah didn’t know she had demons like that. And Ah meant what Ah said Ah’m gunna make up how Ah’ve been to all mah friends. Starting with this’n right here.

As she walked into the next room carrying Pinkie Pie like she used to carry Apple Bloom when she was a foal. She looked at her shivering friend and cried silently. Pinkie Pie still was unconscious and broken. At least the cut marks and missing body parts grew back when we left. Ah’ve never seen so much blood in all mah life.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the room shift before her. She was surprised to find herself in a the hill outside Ponyville where a lot of events take place. She wondered why she was here of all locations when she saw a version of her walking up the hill with a different Pinkie Pie. They both radiated an aura that mimicked the same color as their coats as their eyes were gentle flames that leaked tranquilly from their eye sockets. Apple Jack sat Pinkie Pie on the ground and took a defensive posture in front of her.

“After what ya did ta mah friend Ah ain’t lettin’ ya take one step closer y’all hear ya pink abomination. That goes double for ya, ya let this happen ta her. One more step and Ah’m gunna buck ya so hard y’alls great, great grandchildren will be born with mah hoof prints in their flanks.” Apple Jack said as she dug her hooves into the ground and glared daggers at the two approaching figures.

“We aren’t here to hurt either of ya. Ya are able ta know when others are lyin’ ta ya. So ya know Ah’m bein’ honest when I say we’re here ta help. Y’all purified us when ya passed through that room. From here on out we’re here ta help heal ya from the horrors y’all faced. Well Pinkie Pie rather than yer self, well at least until ya went to save yer friend.”

Apple Jack mulled over this she was able to see when others were uttering false hoods. She didn’t know weather it came from being to Element of Honesty or if it was a skill she was just born with. But she knew that this version of her wasn’t lying. Listening to the warmth and kindness that radiated from it and Pinkie’s Double. She looked at Pinkie Pie and then back at their doubles. “ Alright, just fix Pinkie Pie. Ah promised that Ah’d be here with her and we’d leave together. Ah’m dedicated to keeping that promise no matter what.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. No let’s all cuddle together. She could use the comfort, and Apple Jack, thank you for being there for her.” Pinkie’s double suggested.

“Fine. As long as ya don’t try any funny business.” Apple Jack said with a huff. She laid down beside Pinkie Pie pulling her close to her. Apple Jack noticed now that her adrenalin had died down a little she noticed just how cold Pinkie Pie was. Nuzzling her neck she heard her muttering something unintelligible. Oh Pinkie Pie, please be ok. Ah never knew that Ah was being a judgmental pony. Ya are one a mah BPFFs, Ah need ya ta get better so Ah can apologize ta ya.

Her double lay behind her laying a hoof on Pinkie’s hip as her double lay across from Apple Jack and wrapped her body around Pinkie Pie. Pinkie’s double looked at Apple Jack and whispered. “Don’t worry I’ll be helping Pinkie Pie as your double will be helping you.”

Before she could ask she meant her double whispered in her ear, “ Ya’ll see soon enough. Ah’m gunna take ya for a little journey, but don’t ya worry none. Everythin’ will be better ya’ll see.”

******************

Apple Jack sat holding a two year old Apple Bloom in her arms. She had just gotten over Pony Pox only to get the flu right afterwards. To say that Apple Bloom wasn’t happy was an understatement. Having just rocked her to sleep Apple Jack’s face spread in a soft grin. “Hey little filly,”She murmured, “Ya have some bad luck getting not only sick with the Pox but the flu afterwards. Don’t worry though, Ah’ll be here for ya.”

Apple Bloom stirred nuzzling closer to her chest. Her little legs kicking in the air in tune to her dreams. Apple Jack 'awwwed’ at the overdose of cuteness. Ah’m so glad that Ah came back ta the farm. Ah know ya’ll never know what it’s like ta have a ma. But hopefully Ah’ll be enough. Ah love ya little sister. Ya will be better in no time. Big sister Apple Jack’ll be right here for ya.

*******************************

Apple Jack held Pinkie Pie closer while smiling at the memory. Giving Pinkie a consoling nuzzle she noticed that Pinkie Pie’s coat was a greyish pink and some measure of warmth had returned to her. “It’s gunna be better sugarcube. Ah promised to stay by your side, yer mah friend and ah love ya like a sister. Ya’ll be ok.”

**********************************

The girls had gotten together for their weekly pet playdate. It was two months after Discord had been reimprisoned in stone and Rainbow Dash had just gotten her pet. Apple Jack sat next to Twilight as Winoa tested the waters with the new pet by playing tag with Tank.

Apple Jack laughed as the other pets joined up and inspected Tank in their own way. Looking at her friends she was temporarily hit with how lucky they all were to have known one another. Even though they had their differences, and even though they didn’t always see eye to eye. They were almost as close as family. And even though they met hardships, some more than others. Every time they over came those hardships they only grew closer together. Their friendship more solid from the tests of character they overcame together.

“Girls Ah don’t mean ta get all girly on y’all, but Ah just want to say how happy that we all became friends. Ah don’t think Ah’d be as happy as Ah am right now with y’all. Just sayin’.”

“Awwww! AJ’s getting all frou-frouy now. Quick Rarity get a dress ready for her.” Rainbow Dash laughed.

“Now now Darling. Just because she is in touch with her emotions doesn’t make her frou-frouy,” The last word was dripping with sarcasm. “It just means that she is mature.” Mature was given as much emphasis as Rarity could muster.

“Just saying Rares. That plus AJ knows I’m joking right?” Rainbow Dash said wiping a tear from her eyes.

“Of course sugar cube. But that means that Ah owe ya one down the road when ya least expect it.” Apple Jack said with a wink.

“Wha-What does that mean?”

“Ya’ll find out when ya find out.”

Rainbow Dash blushed and looked at her friends as if looking to see what Apple Jack was hinting at. Just as Apple Jack broke out laughing. “And now we’re even.”

The rest of the girls broke out laughing with Rainbow Dash joining in shortly afterwards. The rest of the picnic was less eventful but was still filled with friendship. It’s days like this that really make me glad ta be alive. Ah really am grateful for mah friends. Apple Jack thought to herself as she smiled and contemplated how lucky she was to have friends like the ones sitting around her.

***********************

“Yes ya were awful ta yer friends, but those ya had good moments like that too. Ya stood by yer friends when ya could, and ya never backed down when they needed ya. Ya need ta remember that.”

“But it’s true though Ah was unfairly judgmental. Not just ta them but ta a lot of ponies. It’s true that mah parents wouldn’t be proud of a pony like me.”

“That’s not all true. Yes they wouldn’t be proud that ya are too stubborn, pride filled, and judge others. But they’d love and be proud of the pony that was like a mother to apple bloom. Took up the responsibilities of the mare of the house when ya were no more than eight. Was a dependable, and reliable friend when ya were needed. And ya have an amazing work ethic that’d make them proud. There’s something ya need ta remember.”

********************************

“Now Apple Jack, did ya break ma’s favorite vase?” Cider Apple said a stern look on his face.

“Ah’m sorry pa. Ah didn’t mean ta. I was just tryin’ ta clean up the house since ma’s gettin’ big with the baby in all. Ah’ll work extra hard ta save up mah allowance ta pay it off.” Apple Jack said with tears in her eyes. Not because she broke the vase, but because she was scared that she disappointed her father. The only thing keeping her from lying was her learning her lesson as a foal that no matter what you do. As long as your honest you won’t be in as much trouble than if you lie.

“Well Ah must say that yer ma’ll be disappointed that her vase broke. But it’s important ta know that every pony makes mistakes. Me, Ma, even Granny Smith. Heck Ah even bet Celestia as wise as she is makes mistakes every now an then. But what is important isn’t the mistakes it’s what ya do afterwards that’s important.”

********************************

“And Ah must say that ya’ve made a lot of good decisions. Heck ya even came ta this place just ta follow Twilight. Even though ya were angry with her. When push comes ta shove and ya know yer in the wrong ya always try ta do the right thing. So Ah reckon they’re mighty proud of ya. Ya just need ta grow more as a pony and as a friend that’s all. But that’s life though. Growin’ up and makin’ choices.”

This with the memory had restored Apple Jack from her own trials, but what she had witnessed from Pinkie Pie’s had weighted heavily on her mind. Looking at her friend she was glad that she was almost better, and had turned into Apple Jack and wrapped her in a tight hug.

“Is there any way for me ta heal from what Ah saw in Pinkie Pie’s area?”

“Unfortunately ya weren’t meant ta see that. It was yer closeness ta her and yer friendship. As well as Pinkie Pie’s ability to warp reality that allowed ya ta go into her area. So the only thing that can heal ya is time. That and talkin’ ta yer friends.”

“Well double when Pinkie Pie here is better Ah’ll be goin’ with her if that’s ok?”

“That’ll be fine.”

Apple Jack held Pinkie Pie close rubbing her hoof through her mane comfortingly as she had done with Apple Bloom when she was scared or sick. It wasn’t something she’d done for a while know other than during the sister-bonding camping trip. She eventually fell asleep stroking Pinkie’s mane whispering soft nothings onto the top of her head.

She was awoken who knows how much longer by her double shaking her. As she opened her eyes she looked into the tear streaked face of Pinkie Pie. “Well howdy Pinkie. Are ya feelin’ better?”

She looked not as broken as she had before, although a trace of sadness still lingered in her face. “I’m feeling much better. Listen Apple Jack, I just wanted to say thank you for staying with me and what you said to me earlier. I’m happy that you think of me as a sister.”

“Well your welcome. Ah promised ya Ah’d stay with ya, and Ah did. As for what Ah said earlier. Ah meant every word. Ah reckon it’s time to mosey on out’a here.”

“I think so too. Well bye bye other me. Well the nice me. Since your not a meanie mcmeanpants anymore. Anyways I’m sorry for being mean to you too and I promise to visit when I have the free time or would that you be visiting me since your in my own head. Well what that doesn’t matter, not that you don’t matter what I meant to say was ...” Pinkie started to say before her double cut her off with a hoof in the mouth.

“I know Pinkie I’ll always be with you. Just don’t forget what you learned. Even if they way I did it was atrocious. I’ll see you later.” She said before withdrawing her hoof.

A large door appeared before them and opened up showering them with light. As they walked through it the light engulfed them, but not before Pinkie Pie turned back waving. “Okie Dokie Lokie.”

Author's Note

Next up is Rarity. Something interesting I found out. I'm using a blank template of the bodies for the Dark Side canvas and I never appreciated the fact that Rarity's and Pinkie Pie's faces are more circular than the others making their faces look fat. So a heads up that their faces might look odd.

As always she'll be ready in one to two weeks. I hope y'all are enjoying the story so far.

Chapter 24: Rarity: Fears

Rarity was a lead of means, a lady of fashion, a lady of culture. She was not made to be the lady of sodden manes. Her makeup was dripping, her manedo was totally ruined, and this dreadful fog was going to just destroy her casual dress, and saddlebag combo. Of all possible things. This. Was. The. Worst. Possible. Thing.

She would have fainted from that alone if it wasn’t for the fact that their was more than likely no possible couches anywhere around for her to land on. As well as the fact that if there is no one around to see one act melodramatically than what was the point? It was complaints such as these that distracted her from noticing the fog starting to shift around until it had completely changed into a replica of the Carousel Boutique. At least I know where the mirror and combs are at. I really don’t know what fear I have to face here? Unless it’s a particularly harrowing customer, but those aren’t scary as much as challenging.

She made her way up to her room and looked at herself in the mirror with a grimace. Taking out a tissue she wiped off the messed up make up and falling eyelash extensions. Taking a towel she began to dry off her hair when she smelt something burning. Her eyes grew wide as this had Sweetie Belle’s cooking all over it, she went to walk down the stairs when she heard the screaming. Running she was met with a colum of fire that ate hungrily at the walls and fabrics of her work area next to her kitchen. Using her magic to clear the way as she ran to the kitchen were she saw Sweetie Belle next to the stove trying to put it out with water only for the water burn itself.

“Sweetie Belle stop trying to put out the fire! Stay there and I’ll be right there!” She screamed as she ran to the filly. But her distraction got some of the burning water on Sweetie Belle who in turn screamed as she started running in blind panic.

Rarity grabbed Sweetie Belle with her magic and pulling her towards herself tried snuffing the fire. But with the same magical phenomenon that burnt everything she tried to cook, the fire was only growing stronger the more that she tried to put it out with her magic. Eventually Rarity decided to land onto of her sister using her body to put out the flames. By this time the fire had ravaged most of the body and the fire had consumed the house around them. The structure falling down around them.

“This isn’t real! This isn’t real! This isn’t real! ...” Rarity said cuddled around her sister as she felt herself being cooked alive. As she looked at her sisters face as Sweetie Belle started crying into Rarity.

“I’m so sorry sister, I just thought if I made breakfast successfully for once you’d stop hating me.”

“Oh darling I never hated you.”

“Then why did you act like you did?” She asked as the building fell around them. As Rarity cooked in the flames she asked herself what did she ever do to make her sister feel like that. Just as the fog shifted around her.

She stood in the middle of the fog the burns slowly healing as memories of every time she scolded her sister for getting under her hooves. Every time she yelled at or fought with her sister over frivolous things. Even when she tried to help like she did when getting ready for their first sister hooves social. She rarely showed her sister that she cared and loved her. Getting wrapped up in her plans and social obligations. And now her sister thought she was hated.

As her body dulled into grey the fog shifted again. She was in the underground cavern that had held the Diamond Dogs. While she laughed about it with her friends it was a trying experience. She knew that Diamond Dogs were known to eat ponies that were too weak to fend for themselves, and she fought with her greatest of weapons. Her ability to drive a creature to insanity with her voice. It was one of the reasons that she had such poor luck with finding a mate. She would open her mouth to state her opinion and they’d leave her. It’s also probably why she settled on one night business deals.

She looked around and didn’t see anyone although she smelled the stench of the diamond dogs permeating the atmosphere. While she was healed her body was still recovering from the smoke and her throat was parched. So while she tried to whine in order to get someone to show themselves it was to no avail. All that came out was a hoarse coughing. As she nervously trotted to where she knew the exit was she was grabbed by her fetlocks by pairs of grubby claws from under her before she was violently dragged through a hidden tunnel.

In moments she found herself muzzled, gagged and bound to a spit. She tried struggling as the dogs around her pointed and laughed. While some started passing around gems in a secret wager that they were whispering amongst themselves about the leader of the pack leaned in.

“We heard about you pony. And we know about your horrid voice. Usually we work ponies until they break before eating them, but you would be to much of a problem. So we’ll just eat you and then toss your body into the city while the others sleep so that they can see what happens to noisy ponies like you.”

Rarity tried screaming in horror as grime covered hands tore into her ripping off chunks of flesh. But the gag kept the screams muffled as she shook her body trying to free herself as more and more of herself was ripped away. She begged mentally for a quick death, forgetting how fake this place was for the pain was all too real. As blood loss and shock took hold she stopped struggling as one of the Diamond Dogs ripped off the muzzle and gag.

“Any last words pony?”

“Please kill me, but don’t damage the face.” she cried tears pouring down like water falls. The Diamond Dogs laughed at this and quite a few were given large mounds of gems. One of them being the leader of the pack.

“Well since you won me some gems i’ll honor that request.” He laughed as her world turned to black the last thing she felt was claws raking her face. He lied. I’m dying and he lied to me.

She didn’t see the fog take over her. But she was suddenly aware of being in a casket with a ceiling so polished she could see herself. So this is what it’s like when you die. I don’t feel dead, but I must be. Oh. My. Celestia. I look horrid, all scarred and rotting. It’s like they didn’t even try paying someone to make me look decent, and this black monstrosity I’m being buried in is horrendous. Why would someone burry me in a black tunic, and why sew crystals on here. I swear if I find out who made this I will haunt them forever.

As she was lost in her dark thoughts she noticed that others started to gather around her casket. She felt her consciousness rise from the coffin like an out of body experience looking at the others as they approached a podium to speak about her. The first was her sister Sweetie Belle.

“Hello Everypony,” Sweetie Belle said in a wavering voice. Tears streaking down her face, “I loved my sissy, even though she always told me I was in her way. Or to get out from under her hooves because she was busy. And that I was a walking disaster that broke everything I touched. I knew that she loved me. After all when our parents who aren’t here today went on their months to year long vacations she gave me food and a roof over my head. She even said that she loved me every now and then. Although that was usually when she was apologizing to me for all the things she called me.

I hope that where ever she is she likes the dress I made for her to be buried in. I was the only person who cared that she had something to be in when she was put under, and I think that she’d like how sparkily it is. I love you sissy. And I’m sorry that you died.” With a few snuffles Sweetie Belle walked into the crowd disappearing in the sea of people.

She made that for me, and was the only one who cared what I looked like. I guess it is the thought that matters. I won’t haunt her then, but if this is how my death starts I wonder what the others have to say about me?

The next one up was Rainbow Dash who looked into the coffin and laughed. “To be honest everypony with how fat her head is I was worried that there wouldn’t be a coffin wide enough to store her. And ponies say I have a big ego, but I was wrong and I owe Apple Jack thirty bits. Were to start, about Rarity? Well she was a horrible friend. She was always trying to push her own needs upon us, and she didn’t do anything without it benefitting her some how. I don’t really know how we became friends. It seemed that the only time she hung out with ‘uncouth ruffians’ such as myself was when she needed something from me. Well that’s all I can really say about her.” Rainbow stepped down from the podium and disappeared into the crowd.

Well I never! All those times I gave her ... well she never really asked for the things I thrust upon her. But a lady never uses others, they wish to help. And what does she mean I have a big head. Yes it is a bit on the round side, but it’s not too fat, and my ego isn’t big. It’s as well proportioned as the rest of me.

Then next up came Pinkie Pie, “Well I can’t really talk about Rarity. For some reason she avoided me like the plague unless she was invited to a party, or others talked her into going somewhere. But when it came to just us she always had plans that kept her from hanging out with me. So I can’t say I will miss her, but it’s sad that she died. Who here wants to throw a “Rarity’s Dead” party?” She was answered by a loud round of cheering and applause.

So ponies won’t say anything about speaking ill of the dead, but will cheer for a Pinkie Party celebrating that I’m dead? Was my life really so worthless?

Fluttershy shuffled on to the stage. Fluttershy was my greatest friend, if there is anypony that will give me a fitting eulogy it’s her. “Well Rarity was ... nice.”, she squeeked before leaving the stage.

Nice? Nice? Nice is the term she uses when she’s deflecting. If she says that I was nice than I really did fail as a friend. Can I really call myself that? I just wanted to make the world a more beautiful place. Yes I climbed over a few unfortunate soul, but I had to look after myself. It’s not like I was completely shallow. Next up is Apple Jack, we all know she can’t lie. Please say something nice about me? Please say my life had meaning.

“Howdy everypony. Ah just want ta say that Ah never wish death on anypony, and Ah really hate sayin’ ill about the dead. That bein’ said Ah can’t lie either. Ah can never guess why she was the Element of Generosity, Twilight is goin’ ta say more about that, personally Ah don’t know if anypony is really gunna miss her other than her sister. But other than that Ah’ll let Twi’ speak now.”

"Thank Apple Jack,” Twilight Sparkle said as she stepped up onto the podium. “Well yes I never knew why she was a friend. If I can really call her that. As for the Element of Generosity I don’t see how she was that. She never gave to charity unless it had a socialite that she wanted to knock hooves with and polish a few horse shoes. She was a plotter, every action she did was to go up the social ladder. Even her clothes were a joke. They were expensive and luxurious yes, but who really wears clothing? Even then a majority of the populous only have clothing as a social status. Heck us Princesses rarely wear anything at all.

But we tried standing by her decisions, but she was always so shallow. So eager to use a name drop to further herself for her own goals. I don’t think she ever gave anything that she couldn’t use to further her own image or social standing. It really is quite sad. Good bye Rarity, only Sweetie Belle will miss you until she figures out how mistreated she really was.” With that she flew down.

This proves it, my life was really meaningless if they all though that I was so shallow. Did I really do the wrong thing in my life? I always tried to be a lady, a mare of class and sophistication, a pony of pomp and decorum. Did I go to far? Was I really such a manipulative mare? I want a do over, I want to prove that I am more than what they are saying.

She turned and saw an Alicorn mare, she was a dull grey with her feather missing from her wings. Her horn was chipped, cracked, and battered. But it was her eyes that really drew in Rarity, they held infinite sorrow, as if they had seen too much, too soon. And all that they’ve seen had weighed heavily on her soul. With a voice like wind whispering through a grove of weeping willows she spoke.

“Rarity you have lived a most sorrowful life. In trying to control your environment, and improve your lot in life you have stepped on as well as over many ponies. You have manipulated the hearts and bodies of many to get your way. All using the facade of a lady to get ahead. You die alone, unloved, and only remembered by those who you were still manipulating for your own gain. Your soul is going to Tartarus.”

With that the fog once again shifted. She was in a grime covered ground as a thick smog filled the sky. It was here that she was subjected to all the wrong things she did in life. All the ponies she used, all the ‘friends’ she manipulated, all the cruel words said. It was here that she finally fell down and cried. Her coat by now was a grey that was a perfect match to the grime she wallowed in.

“I don’t want to be that pony. I want to change. Please if I ever get free of here I’ll do better. I have to see my friends one more time. I have to make things up to them. I really was a manipulative, conniving whorse. But I will be better. I will change.” It was this conviction to change that opened the way outside the hallway. The fog lifted and she let herself fall into the corner the fog caressing her as she tried to sleep the emotional trauma away.

Author's Note

A Special thanks to http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Deathpony45. He helped with inspiration for Rarity and the Diamond Dogs, and the other Element bearers giving her a verbal beat down over her grave.

Chapter 25: Rarity: Dark Side

If she thought resting would better her mood when she awoke she was sorely mistaken. All the nasty things she had been thinking about herself over the last year had risen to the surface and wedged deeply into her mind. What she saw in the fog wasn’t anything new to her. She had always feared that she had crossed the line to many times, had been greedy, manipulative, and self-centered. But she had always justified it with a list of maxims she had made as a little filly. How she thought a true lady should behave.

But it pained her to see what she had become in the eyes of others. And it broke her heart to know that she could have been better but had chosen not too. It was this line of thinking that ate at her mind as she sat in contemplation going over what had just happened too her. The experience had been all too real, and while she had no physical injuries the psychological ones had cut deep.

No! I won’t be that mare anymore. I will do better and make it up to my friends. I had wronged many ponies but I have a chance to make things right, and that’s just what I’ll do.

As she walked through to the next room, she following what she thought were faded images of her friends she ran to catch up to them. Only for the room to shift to once again take the image of the Boutique. As she looked around she saw a disturbing image splayed across the couch in a provocative manner.

“Hello Rarity, long time no see.” Her dark counterpart said with a silken purr.

“Who are you, and what manner of torment are you going to impose upon me? Haven’t I suffered enough? Leave me at once so I can see my friends!” She demanded, opening the door with her magic and pointing with her foreleg. “Well what are you waiting for leave me!?”

“That would be quite hard Rarity, you see I am you and you are me. It’s not that easy to separate us. Why would you want to do such a thing anyways darling? After all who knows you and sympathizes with you better than I?”

“What ever do you mean?” Rarity asked looking apprehensively.

“Well I don’t think you’re greedy nor do I think your a whorse. You are a lady jealousy breeds contempt my dear. So why don’t you close the doors and listen for a while.”

Closing the doors and eager that somepony was assuaging her sense of guilt she sat in front of her, “So what is it you wanted to talk about. And how can you be me if I’m me? Not that I’m complaining, after that dreadful place I could use a pick me up if you will.”

“I’m what lesser beings would call your darker half. I’m all the repressed emotions, thoughts, and deeds you burry deep in the back of your brain. But I’m not dark at all, I’m simply here to let you enjoy life. To enjoy the simple pleasures without all those masks you wear for others.”

“Well I would call that bad. After all I repress things for a reason.”

Her darker form glared at her with malicious intent for a second before smiling grimly, “Ah! If that were so than you wouldn’t feel so bad about yourself now would you? So out of control? So powerless? Tell me that you don’t enjoy wrapping others around your hooves and making them dance to your whim.”

“I’m not that mare anymore. I promised I’d change.”

“But why? Ponies only care about your beauty. If it wasn’t for your marely wiles no one would give you a second look. It’s only through avarice, machinations, and your wit that you get anywhere in the world. That’s what you’ve been doing for all your life.”

“If being beautiful means that I die hated and alone than I don’t care about it anymore.”

Her dark side crept up to her and glared, “You are only deluding yourself. Admit it, you get a thrill from how mares and stallions fall over you. Yet you still are discreet enough to be seen as a lady, as a cultured mare.”

“Yes it was exciting, and I did enjoy the lifestyle of a cultured socialite. But I was blinded to what I was doing to others. But I can’t see what I’m doing here with you. After all you’re just a reminder of what I don’t want to be.” As Rarity said this her dark side smacked her in the face.

“You think you are a changed mare just because of some revelations, as for what you are doing here. You are being shown the true you. This,” her voice dripping with disdain as she pointed at her dark body. “Is what you are on the inside. A promiscuous, greedy, whorse. The quicker you accept that the better your life will be. After all out of all your friends you are the one who embraces your inner darkness the most.”

I do don’t I. I never really knew something like this was inside me, but it makes sense. She’s not really assuaging my ego as much as showing me exactly how far I’ve fallen. I want to change, but I don’t want to be this mare anymore. But I can see why she’d hit me. After all it’s hard to deny oneself. What do I do?

“Listen I can get that you are a part of me, but we can change. I can change. After all what is wealth and beauty if there is no one to appreciate it? Yes I’m ‘liked’ but I’m not loved.”

“We are loved though, they love our body, our grace, our passion. Even if it’s for a night.”

“But look at what our friends thought of us? Our sister? We are pushing the only meaningful relationships that we ever had for petty nothingness. We are meant for so much more. Don’t you see that?”

“So after embracing me for so long you are going to turn around and deny me?”

“No, but we need to change. I accept that you are a part of me. I just ... I just feel that it’s time we tried a new approach. I don’t want my life to mean nothing.” She said as her coat dulled further as it hit her what she was doing to not only her friends but those around her. “We need to be better than we were. But we need to do it together don’t we?”

Her dark side looked like it was contemplating what it wanted to do. And a lady always takes advantage of an opportunity. She knew where it was coming from, what this side of her was afraid of. Most of all she was insightful enough to know how to fix the problem. “Listen darling I’m not going to leave you. Nor will I simply pretend like most others that you don’t exist. But we must work together to better ourselves if we don’t want to be all alone when we loose our physical beauty.”

Her dark side looked upon her and smiled. “That’s all I ever wanted you to say. I don’t want to be alone, you are going to grow into a better mare than you were. Just don’t ignore who you are to change yourself.” With that she faded and Rarity was back in the room she had earlier wandered into.

Well that was enlightening, but it was also eye opening. If I am to change I must make an effort, and I must apologize to those I’ve wronged over the years. My I’m going to be one busy mare but it’ll be worth it.

Chapter 26: Rarity: Spirit of Generosity

She made her way slowly into the next room. Apprehensive of what she would next walk into, having been caught off guard the last two times she was alter to her surroundings this time so she wouldn’t be caught unawares. As she entered the next room she noticed as the room shifted and morphed into a replica of the park where her and the girls had their pet playdate picnics.

As she looked around she could see a wicker basket over a red and white checkered blanket. Sitting by the basket was a double of herself that radiated a white aura as if she were a rare statue. With eyes that glowed with azure flames. “Come darling you must be positively famished after all those dreadful ordeals.” Her double stated while waving a hoof invitingly.

“Not too be rude darling, but are you supposed to be me?”

“But of course. Who else could look as magnificent as myself?”

“And how. You look absolutely gorgeous. I wish I had some paper on me because you are a truly inspirational in your beauty.”

Her doppelganger smiled at her and gave a small titter. “You are too kind. But anyways, this place is about you. You have come a long way in a short amount of time, and now the healing begins. I’ll show you some of the greater moments of your life, and from there you will heal from the traumas that you have underwent.”

*********************

Rarity was sitting with her baby sister Sweetie Belle. She thought that she was too young to look after a baby, but like when she was young her parents left her on one of their vacations / work seminars. It was this chaotic, unorganized lifestyle that had turned her to fashion. As well as her obsessive compulsive disorder. Since her own space was the only part of her life that she had control over.

Adding in a baby for her to foalsit for who knew how long was aggravating, but she was determined not to mess up this life she was handed like hers was. She’d give her love, stability, and the attention that she never fully got. Cradling Sweetie Belle in her forelocks she cooed softly at her. Hoping not to wake her up.

“Hey Sweetie Belle. I’m your big sister Rarity, I’m going to be watching over you for a while. I know that I may not be perfect, but never forget that I love you. I will give you the life that I never had a chance to have. You won’t have to worry about moving every few weeks or months for no reason. You won’t have to run yourself ragged trying to fit in and find a slice of happiness only to lose it when you have to leave. You will be able to keep your friends, make happy memories, and I’ll always be here for you. I promise you that.”

***********************

Rarity wiped a tear from her eyes as she remembered that day. It hit her harder to know that her sister thought that she was unloved by her sister. But she was going to fix that when she got out of here. “I truly do love my sister. Yes she does drive me mad sometimes, but she means well and I don’t know what I’d do if I were to loose her. You know that right?” She asked her double.

“Of course dear. With the life you’ve lived you’ve done your best for her, and she knows that you love her. It’s just that you need to work on showing her more often just how much she means to you. Now on to the next memory.”

************

Apple Jack sat across from Rarity hours before the Sister Hooves Social was supposed to begin. Rarity was nervously shifting from hoof to hoof. She looked at Apple Jack and decided to go over the plan one more time.

“So I’m going to do a simple bubble spell to give us both about an hour of air to use so we can actually breathe. I’ll hide in ... the mud. Do we really have to do the whole mud thing? I mean it’ll take hours to fix my mane and get all that grime out.” She whined.

Taking a deep breath Apple Jack leaned in and stared at Rarity, “Listen what’s more important. Yer mane or yer sister? ‘Cause if you don’t fix the rift ya caused with yer sister than you’re gunna lose her for good. She loves ya, I know she does. But with how ya’ve been treatin’ her like she’s the lowest of the low. This is probably gunna be yer one chance to make things right. Show her that she means more ta ya than yer looks.” She said sagely.

“I guess your right. She is the most important thing in my life. Even more important than fashion. Although don’t tell her that. I do have a reputation to uphold. So anyways. After you jump in the mud I take your hat, hiding my horn. Then do this little get together with her. You’ll jump out of the muck than I’ll reveal myself. Problem solved!”

“Not quite, but it’ll put ya on a the right track. It’ll start repairing this rift y’all have between ya.”

“I hope so Apple Jack. I truly do hope so. I just hope that I’m not too late. I don’t know what’ll happen if I lose her.” She said with tears in her eyes.

She couldn’t believe that her obsessiveness and materialism had almost destroyed the one good thing in her life. While she wasn’t Sweetie Belle’s mother she truly did feel a maternal love toward her, and the thought of her actions loosing her sister was like a knife in the chest. And she was going to do everything in her power to make things right.

As the race started she was covered in mud, surrounded by her magical air bubble. When Apple Jack landed in with her, she took the hat and pulled herself to the top. As the race continued she was filled with a sense of pride for her sister. Even though they didn’t win. That didn’t matter too Rarity. The look on her sisters face when she saw that it was Rarity that did the race with her instead of Apple Jack was so worth it. Her heart felt like it would explode with joy at fixing the rift between them that it became one of her favorite memories of her life so far.

*************************

Rarity had by this time healed most of the way from her trials. And with her reliving that memory she had tears flowing freely down her face. She was so overcome with emotions that she glomped her double, crying tears of joy into her coat as she nuzzled her neck.

“Please tell me something. What do my friends really think of me? I need to know. Was I truly so frivolous and ungenerous?” She asked after she had composed herself. It was something that had been nagging at her for awhile now. And it was something that she needed closure on.

“Well ... what you saw is the darker things that you’ve been thought of,” Putting a hoof in Rarity’s mouth she cut off the comment that was coming. “But the other side of things is that you are seen as having a good heart with good intentions. You’ve just lost sight of what brought you into fashion in the first place. It wasn’t the notoriety, or the wealth, nor was it the attention that you have received lately. You came here not just because you are here to support Twilight. You are here because you yourself are looking to find your roots again.”

*****************

Rarity loved her family, she really did. Even though they were always busy with Hoofball training and tours with her father. And her mother going out on work seminars or traveling for her job as a freelance efficiency expert. Rarity had very little time to get settled into one place, she never made any friends and never had time to find her passion since by the time she finished unpacking she’d have to move again.

This all changed on her 6th birthday, they had just moved into Canterlot for her mothers work when she came across something that would change her life forever. Fashion. Seeing how the mundane could be made extraordinary. How the ugly could be transformed into the beautiful. It was eye opening. She had always been self conscious as a child. Her head was too round, rather than the thin, ovular shape of most ponies. Her skin was a color of white that was neither refined, nor ugly. It was just there. And her voice was sharp and filled with the squeakiness of youth.

But this was something new. Something that could make her look beautiful rather than her unflattering look. But it wasn’t enough to just learn fashion, she needed to be able to create fashion. So from that day forward she put all of her effort into learning how to sew. How to fashion jewelery and accessories. Everything she could. Than it happened.

She got her Cutie Mark. From that moment on she had the skill and the talent to do something for ponies that were in her situation. No longer would a pony have to feel ugly, unloveable, or repulsive. A filly for even a moment could feel as if they were a beautiful princess and all the eyes of the world were on them. And a colt could feel like a handsome prince, no longer something to be looked down on, but looked up to.

It was that need to elevate others. To make them see the beauty that was on the inside. To allow others too see “them” as they were that inspired her fashion. Yes she wanted to shine across Equestria, but it was so that others could no that they were beautiful, and that others could care for them that she wanted to shine. It wasn’t for wealth or fame. It was for those she could help.

*****************

The tears she had before were nothing to now. Waterfalls were coming out of her eyes from the conflicting emotions. On one hoof her inner filly would buck her in the face for how far off course she had gotten. And how distracted from what she originally got into fashion for. On the other hoof she was so happy that she saw that memory. That purity, that original goal was something that she had always strove for, and now with herself reminded of what drew her into fashion to begin with her inner fire that had been dying down as of late had been rekindled.

It was at this moment of revelation. This emotionally jarring awakening of her self. That her body had finally healed, and with that her double grinned. As she hugged her a portal opened before them, “Here is a portal to the next room for you to pass through.”

Rarity stepped away from the hug and shook her head. “I’m sorry but I have to go back. There are others who are suffering as I did, and I would be a poor Element of Generosity if I didn’t go back and help.”

“You do know that any of those you help can’t be fixed here later? There pain, if you share in it. Will be for you to heal on your own I cannot help you.” Her double tilted her head and looked at her with curiosity.

Rarity didn’t even stop to ponder if it was the right choice. For too long had she put her own goals ahead of others. Or did things that she thought of as best for them, but no longer. This was the time for her to truly make the change for the mare she wanted to become. A mare her sister could truly look up to.

“I’m going back. How do I do that by the way?”

“Simple I let you go. Now there is somethings you should know before I do though. One, when you go to a pony you can send them your emotions, love, support whatever. And it will flow into them. Two, you can’t recharge what you give others. So be careful you won’t be of help if you drain yourself completely before you can save them. And three, only the princesses are left with Luna being the worst off, Celestia being second worst off, and Twilight is asleep right now waiting to enter this stage of things.”

With that being said the room faded and the last thing she heard was her double saying that she would see her soon. Looking a head she saw Twilight Sparkle with her head held under her wing as she snored softly. Her coat a dull grey, and her breathing coming in ragged gasps as she cried to herself. With the occasional muttering. Walking up to her she made out what she was saying.

“That’s not me, I don’t want to be that I won’t be that. Forgive me!” Twilight cried sleepily.

“Of course we forgive you darling. You are a wonderful friend.” Rarity replied in a whisper as she gave a small kiss on the base of the neck that was showing from the side of her wing. As she did so she sent a little bit of the love she had for her friend. Not the love of a lover, but the closeness and warmth of friendship. It was her way of letting her know that she was still her friend, and hopefully it would be enough.

As she continued walking she saw Celestia from the fog, Celestia had bags under her eyes and looked as if she had stared down innumerable horrors in a short time. She wasn’t even looking as if she was paying attention to anything past putting one foot infront of the other like some kind of zombie pony before she passed out. Using her telekinesis she gently set the princess down as she sent some more of her love and inner strength to her. It wasn’t as much as she’d like to, but with her being told that Luna was the worst off she was conserving what she could for her.

As she sent that emotion into her she felt slightly drained. As if she had finished drafting up concepts for an entirely new line of clothing, and the dead line was a week from now. Similar to when she did something similar for her friend’s gala dresses. Not even three years ago.

As she saw Luna in the fog. While the others would have been walking forward. Luna was pure white and was trying to walk backwards, huddled down weeping like a foal. Rarity wrapped Luna in a hug and with what she hoped was a voice that could reach her said, “I’m here for you darling, were going to finish this thing together.”

Author's Note

Again this chapter gets a major shout out to http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Deathpony45. I'll be honest I was having problems thinking about what direction I wanted to take Rarity in. For reasons stated in Fears and Darkside she wasn't my favorite character, and the cannon version of her has her as amazingly two dimensional personality wise.

But talking to Deathpony for an outside perspective he helped give me a more focused direction to not only shape her. But to redeem her. To give her depth, character, and something that for at least to me. Turned her from a character I didn't really like to who is now one of my favorite characters.

He also gave me the inspiration to have the Element of Generosity help Luna and jump start some Lunaty friendshipping. So if you like this chapter. Give him a look.

Chapter 27: Pinkie Pie: Fears

A/N: Disclaimer: This chapter contains Gore. And while I love Pinkie Pie this chapter is dark.

Pinkie Pie knew this fog was trouble when she stepped in. The only problem was her ability to warp reality was blocked here. As if the script was being interfered with a thousand different ones. Each one making less and less sense. So forgoing that she decided that the best thing for her to do was to go forward. A lot of ponies didn’t get her powers, thinking that magic could only be done by unicorns, but the truth of the matter is that magic ran through all the ponies in Equestria. All she did was hack reality by what humans called chaos magic. Her ability to shift and manipulate her paradigms as well as extending her earth pony magic. She could manipulate the world around her through using belief as a tool.

It took her ages to fine tune the ability, and until Twilight’s spell mishap had made it hard to talk to other ponies in ways they could understand because she had let herself become to disconnected from normal mores and thinking systems. But due to that mishap she learned to better control not just her ability to alter her personal reality, but was able to use it in a much more controlled fashion. While being able to talk to ponies without making their brains explode twice.

But this damned fog was confusing. Her abilities felt as if they were diluted here to the point that she didn’t know if she’d be able to call upon them if she needed too, and this left her feeling strangely empty. As if she had lost a limb, or use of one of her five senses. Although if Twilight was here she’d tell her that there were actually over 21 senses* that ponies have, and that limiting the senses to only five was scientifically inaccurate. Though to Pinkie Pie still felt as she had lost something physically important. This only increased her unease at the thought of moving forward but if it would help Twilight Sparkle than she’d do it, not because of guilt but because she felt that she owed Twilight a debt of gratitude. Living with the memories of what her life could have been like and the physical changes that came with it was something that she was overjoyed to have experienced.

As she was lost in thought she didn’t see her surroundings change to the rock farm she had left all those years ago. When she noticed it she felt her body grow pale as memories she had repressed long ago came to the surface. No not here, not now. I know Twilight said that it would be a test, but I can’t be here. She thought as panic threatened to over whelm her.

****************

“Bite that bit nice and tight,
and make sure to set your body right.

If you stop to catch your breathe,
I’ll beat your body close to death.

And if you complain your body’s sore.
I’ll throw you in the Hole once more.”

This was the Pie family marching cadence that she had to recite mentally as she carried the large boulder on a make shift stretcher. It was a test that was needed to pass in case a particularly large stone needed to be moved, an injured pony or creature needed to be moved, or in most cases the transport of heavy objects.

Due to how important it was, she and every rock farmer needed to master it. Making sure the body was positioned just right to allow the maximum amount of force to be exerted to move something. While at the same time making sure not to injure the mover. But this was no ordinary test. This was to make Pinkie, and any first timer fear stopping. By having a particularly hard to move boulder on the stretcher as it was too be moved from one side of the field to the next. It was a guarantee that the pony, in this case Pinkie would fail. And in doing so would be beaten and, or thrown into the Hole.

Pinkie moved the boulder ten paces before she had to stop to catch her breathe. Her body tired from the exertion. She had barely spit out the bit when her father smacked her with a rod wrapped lightly in rags. This prevented the body from being cut up while still allowing maximum pain from the blows.

“Pick up the bit!” He said around the rod as he whipped her with each word spoken.

He kept repeating that as he whipped her and she struggled to pick up the bit to stop the pain. As she picked it up and started walking again. She felt that the blows had severely sapped her strength. She made it four paces this time before she spat out the bit.

“No Pa! I can’t go any further! I’m tired and hurt. Can’t I please take a break?” She asked before the first blow could land on her.

“Either pick up that bit and continue. Or I throw you in the Hole. Take your pick but you have too the count of three to choose.” He said sternly as he looked down on his daughter.

She tried to continue but her body refused to budge. When he got to one and she still hadn’t moved the boulder he picked her up with his mouth by the nape of the neck and carried a worn out Pinkie Pie to the Hole before dropping her in.

The Hole was a square pit ten feet deep in the ground that led to a box room big enough to fit Big Mac and still have enough room for him to lay down in. The worst part of it was that it was pitch dark. Had two lids that opened and closed from outside the box, and gave total sensory deprivation. In the spartan exitance of a rock farmer there was almost no punishment worse than this. Once thrown in a pony learned not to repeat what got them sent there in the first place. As for food, when food was given. It was always a gruel made from garbage that wasn’t fit to put in a compost heap, but still was at one time considered food.

After a week in the Hole. She worked harder on her objective working with a smaller, but still heavy boulder. Even through the beatings the few times she stopped she didn’t complain. Even after she was finished. After all nothing was worse than that punishment.

**************

Pinkie Pie shivered from that memory. As she continued walking through the rock farm. She spotted the pit that lead to that horrible place not to far off. She wondered inside her body carrying her against her minds wishes to the secret library under the basement. To the Pie Family Harvest Archives. The PFHA. The most secret and horrible of rooms, and one that she wished that she never knew about.

************************

She had passed her rock moving tests, the stretcher training, and had completed learning how to do the basic parts of being a rock farmer. Now she was of the rightful age of six where she learned about he families Earth Pony magic, and how to grow special gems. Part of that training meant that she had to come down to the PFHA and learn from her ancestors.

Each section dating back to the forming of Equestria before the Royal Sister’s reign, during Discord’s reign up to recent times. It was a massive catacomb with sections in chronological order, listed by the family member responsible for the harvest. Each scroll had the Cutie Mark, or in the case of non-ponies, the hide of each entity harvested. Attached to that was the gem or gems created, and on the back of each scroll etched in magically enchanted quartz was what was done. How it was done, and other things for research. These meticulous notes allowed those that followed to know how to mimic those results so that it could be fine tuned to a science.

“Now Pinkamena, as you have learned by now gems are minerals that are arranged in a specific set with heat and pressure gives rise to a wide variety of outcomes. Now this happens naturally, but with us rock farmers we don’t simply let these things come to pass. No! We shape the world around us in more physical ways than those lazy pegasi or frivolous unicorns. We are ponies of the earth and in return the earth favors our kind above all others. Even the Princess in her infinite wisdom and grace has Earth Pony magic in her, it’s what allows her to be so strong and majestic after all.

Now as you’ll learn from your ancestors. Everything has minerals inside them. From chemicals to trace metals and the like. This ontop of the emotions of the harvestee determines what gems you’ll get. You’ll also learn that sometimes feeding those you’ll harvest will allow you to further control what you can get from them. I expect you too learn for next year you’ll be helping prepair for your first harvest.” Her Father told her.

The fog shifted as the memory fast forwarded a year. As this time shifted Pinkie Pie saw in fast forward how sick she was to learn how each type of magical and mundane gem imaginable was formed through living sacrifices. As well as the secret to ever rock farmers secret prosperity festival.

She remembered how she learned that before coming to Equestria, Earth Ponies hated the other races for diminishing their quality of life, and how they learned they accidentally learned that from a dead body gems could be grown quickly through Earth Pony’s magical connection to the earth. This led to Rock Farmer families murdering the other races and using their bodies to build wealth that they gained from selling those gems back to their victims’ races. Although it was assumed that all they did was move rocks all day by non-rock farmers.

The Pie Family though was the best at this practice. Since they had the foresight to not just kill and harvest. But to record what they did so that their descendants could prosper as they did. Taking the killing to an art form that graced the family ever since.

As those whirlwind of memories passed she was standing by her father in the farthest reaches of her families farm. She stood by her father as he stood by the alter. As with everything on the farm it was a simple thing, a solid slab of granite that was as high as a table, but was shaped so that it could be moved if needed with ease. Hog tied ontop of the alter was a young, pegasus mare. Her coat was a buttercup yellow, with a purple mane and tale. With piercing purple eyes. On her flank was a Cutie Mark of a golden feather overlapping a heart.

Her father took a series of ropes and made sure that she was secured before cutting off her Cutie Mark with a surgeon’s precision. Looking at Pinkie he saw her face green from the nausea that seeing the blood and hearing the victim’s screams. Gagging the Pegasi he lectured Pinkie Pie.

“You shan’t be so quick to sicken child. This is all needed if we are to stay prosperous as a family. She is giving her life for the betterment of others. It is a most noble sacrifice. Now pay attention or you’ll spend a month in the Hole.”

“Sorry Pa. It’s just, do we really need to kill others when the earth provides for us just fine?” She asked while swaying on her feet. It took every ounce of control to not throw up and run away screaming at what she was witnessing.

“Silly filly. It’s tradition. These other races, and even over these last few centuries our own race. Have wasted their lives in frivolous pursuits. Wasting their lives and dying without giving anything of worth to others. This way they give back to the world. They make something beautiful so that world can benefit from their wasteful existence. So I’ll say it once again. Pay attention.”

With that out of the way he took a bag that was filled with shards of purified silica infused with Earth Pony magic. He then slit open her stomach and implanted the silica into her. The gems attached to her body causing her scream more loudly through the gag. Placing both of his front hooves over the body her focused his magic drawing in the various chemicals and trace minerals into the silica shards. Forcing them to reform and shape into the variety of gemstones that her body could produce. The screaming reached a feverous pitch, and by this time Pinkamena was entranced in pure horror.

The skin looked like waves on the ocean as the silica shards grew from seeds to gem formations and grew out of the body. By the time the first shard popped out the Pegasus dropped unconscious from shock. After all was said and done the body had formed Lapis Lazuli and rare Rose Quartz with gold threads.

He saw her ragged breathing as her father ripped out the gems from her body. Before skinning her alive which forced her awake. Her voice was now to raw to scream but had descended into mewl of pain. “Remember child. Waste not, want not. Use every part of a harvestee to benefit the earth as a sign of respect for their sacrifice.”

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Pinkie Pie threw up in the replication of the PFHA from that memory. She had left before she had to harvest a pony, but her father had started her on animals from the Everfree Forest. Saying that it would desensitize her to bigger things later. But she could never get used to it. Even though it was the responsibility of the eldest child or the Stallion of the family to do this as was their tradition. With the others doing their part on gathering those to be harvested, growing gems gathered, and dealing with the left overs.

As the fog shifted her coat was a dull grey from the horrors that she faced. As the settled she found herself tied to the alter all her friends that she had made standing around her with the Element Bearers standing the closest. Celestia and Luna flew down from the sky and stood beside her.

“You are to be sacrificed for the good of the world. But before you go you must know. That I will show you a memory spell to show how ponies truly think about you.” She placed her horn upon Pinkie’s forehead and released the spell.

Pinkie was shown how most of her friends only liked her for her parties and distractions. For what she gave them, but never really cared for her on a personal level. As for the Element Bearers. Her closest of friends. She felt how her crazy, unpredictable manner confused them. Making it impossible for her to be taken seriously. How her poor communication skills had caused a numerous amount of problems. Them saying “Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie”, or “Pinkie you’re so random”, and the like.

They never knew how much it hurt that they wouldn’t take her seriously. Or that they gave the equivalent of backhanded compliments to her. Her mane and tail deflated as she was subjected to every memory of all the times she annoyed them, or they blew her off from her her antics.

As the memory spell ended she felt a growing fear as she was cut into. Just as death took her the fog yet again shifted. She was alone in a desolate wasteland. There were no friends, no plant life, nothing. As she wandered the land with memories of all the times she annoyed people she knew that those things that this place brought to the surface she told herself that just like when she escaped the farm she would escape this place. It was with this sudden strength of will that she had when she left from the horrors of her past, the fog dissipated around her.

When she left she saw Apple Jack standing next to her. Apple Jack’s dull grey coat and apprehensive stance worried Pinkie, but she needed to confess to the crimes of her family. And to make up for all the times she annoyed all those she cared about. All the times she almost lost all those she cared about do to her inability to connect with others.

If I tell them what happened about my past they would hate me forever. But I need to talk to them. I love them, all of them. But if they found out that I lied to them, even by omission I would surely loose them. I can't loose them.

After her conversation with Apple Jack she was so happy that her friend cared about her that she’d walk alongside Pinkie Pie. That she for a short period of time thought things would be better. Especially since she had a friend beside her to help her carry the burden of whatever they’d face next.

Author's Note

* Warning: Scientific Content:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senses

Not only do ponies have the 5 basic senses.

But also have many other senses that both humans have and depending on pony type. Types of senses that humans don't have.

Chapter 28: Pinkie Pie: Dark Side

A/N: Disclaimer: Chapter contains lots of violence. It should be stated that I love Pinkie Pie, and I’m going to give her a good happy ending next chapter.

Pinkie was horrified when she was ripped from her friends side as the room shifted to find herself tied and bounded to the alter. Her eyes widened with fear as her Dark Side showed itself a from on its face and its’ eyes aglow with raw hatred. Using the “Pinch” that pony’s used to pick up objects with their hooves she duel wielded a pair of scalpels. “Hello Pinkie Pie ready for a party?”

Pinkie screamed as her double came down on her cutting into her flesh. “I HATE YOU PINKIE!!!” Her double screamed over her as she violently stabbed her repeatedly. Pulling out a gag she stuffed it into Pinkie’s mouth suppressing her screams using one of the scalpels to ‘nail’ the gag into place. As the wounds cleared up her double started screaming at her at the top of her lungs while alternating between stabbing and punching the prone Pinkie Pie.

“You always treat life as if it’s full of rainbows and butterflies. And you deny me! Always denying me! Trying to see the good in life while ignoring all the bad! What do you think was going to happen when we finally snapped and I was set free? When all the darkness and horror you’ve suppressed came to the surface? YOU CAN’T RUN THIS TIME PINKIE PIE!!!!”

Her double stopped for a moment her body covered with ichor and gore. As the wounds came and painfully healed slowly breaking the mind of Pinkie. She was in shock from the raw violence that she was just sprung with. Coming for her out of the left field. “I’m going to let you think about what you did to me. To yourself before I start in again. I hate you Pinkie Pie and when I’m finished with you, you’ll hate you too. Then I’m taking over. I don’t know how but I won’t let a weakling like you have control over our body.”

Why is this happening? Did I really make that thing in me? I must have. She said she was me and looks like a duller version of me. Like when I get sad, or I loose me good cheer. If anypony can hear me please don’t let me die in this place. I’ll be a better pony I promise.

By this time her double came back. “Let’s get started again shall we?”

Straddling Pinkie Pie, Dark Pie started violently beating and stabbing her again. The rooms ability to heal physical damage while leaving behind the mental damage made this excruciating to poor Pinkie as the blows kept coming. Dark Pie laughed at Pinkie’s pain. In between each blow she spoke to her victim.

“You know what? You should’ve admitted when you were angry, scared, or even feeling anything other than happy. You should never have denied me for all those years. Ever since you turned eight you’ve been pretending like the world runs on good cheer. As if all the bad things from your past never happened. But they did, and I hate that you never gave me the attention that I deserve.”

But I didn’t know that you existed! I would’ve tried to be your friend if I knew.

“Oh! That’s a funny thought Pinkie! You are everypony’s friend. What about all the times they hurt your feelings, or when you feel sad about something and show everypony a big smile. You know what I’ll give you that smile right now.” She said as she gave Pinkie Pie a glasgow grin.

Pinkie Pie by now had succumbed to shock and fainted. Her wounds were closing up as pain racked her body. Dark Pie laughed and said to herself, “If anypony were to clap for you a special pony would appear to save you. But I don’t hear any clapping. Do you?”

From the multi-verse through the fourth wall. All the ponies who clapped, and all those who cared about Pinkie Pie broke the rules of the spell and summoned Apple Jack to save her. Apple Jack who at this time was worn out from facing her double was horrified to see her best friend strapped to the alter with her double straddling her. Apple Jack saw what Pinkie Pie thankfully did not. Around Pinkie Pie were remnants of severed limbs and chunks of flesh from the furious frenzy that was Dark Pie’s wrath. That covered the alter and surrounding areas like a macabre modern art painting. As her double looked at Pinkie she screamed in rage bolting to Apple Jack. Who promptly turned 180 degrees and gave her a mighty buck.

As her double flew, she hit the alter with her neck at an odd angle causing her head to spin. As the head started to slowly snap back in to place inch by inch. Apple Jack rushed and grabbed the injured Pinkie Pie. Her coat by this time was pure white and her mind snapped. She with the last remnants of her sanity looked at Apple Jack, “Thank you for saving me, but put me on top of my double there is something I have to do.”

Hesitatingly she did as she was asked. But promised herself that if her double did any funny business she’d buck her into the afterlife. As Pinkie Pie landed on her double with a dull thud. She nuzzled her, “Listen up me. I promise that I will never again deny you. I see just how much I was hurting us, hurting you. I don’t want anypony to suffer that includes you. I promise that I’ll be as honest as Apple Jack to myself and others. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Her double looked at her and said. “That’s an unbreakable oath. I’ll hold you to that. Because next time you give birth to me nopony will save you.” With that the room faded as Apple Jack picked her back up.

As they walked to the next room. Pinkie Pie’s sanity fled her and all she could think about was staying close to the Pony she saw as her savior. As long as she was with Apple Jack she’d be ok. And with that everything became a blur.

Chapter 29: Pinkie Pie: Cakes and Parties

Pinkie Pie was aware of warmth and love wrapped around her. Floating in a sea of tranquility. It was a sense of peace that she could never remember feeling before, but felt some how eerily familiar. It’s warmth spread through the cracks of her shattered psyche filling them with their healing light. While here she saw her double, but one of such purity that it shone with a beautiful aura.

“Listen my little party pony. I know that you are hurting. But I’ll make everything better. Right now your friend Apple Jack is nuzzling you and doing her best to comfort you. It’s time to heal you.”

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This memory was a mixture of memories. Both from the spell and in real life. Pinkie Pie was horrified when she heard the Apple’s were preparing for 'the harvest'. She snuck on to their farm hiding in squirrel holes as she watched them. But to her amazement all they did was kick, or what they called buck, trees.

She watched them for ages. Hoping against hope that she wouldn’t have to see another pony get killed. And even though she watched them non-stop. They never killed anyone for their trees.

In reality she suppressed her memories of what she was taught about the harvest. And replaced it with happier memories of what she saw from Apple Jack. It made her so happy that beautiful things could be grown without murder that she secretly wished that she was born into the Apple family rather than what she was forced to live in.

In the spells memories that was nearly a reality. She learned how to work with the earth without sacrificing others. Just like she asked her father all those years ago. She made beautiful things, and learned wonderful things. She didn’t worry about the killings that took place in her past. More importantly she healed from those wounds. Opening up to Granny Smith and Big Mac. While they were horrified and outraged it wasn’t aimed at Pinkie Pie. But rather what her family had subjected her too.

Through them she was healed. Through the truth she was set free. It was one of the greatest moments of her life. To let go of that pain she held for so long, and know that she wasn’t hated for what she was forced to partake in. What she was forced to witness as a foal. She was loved and she was family. In her eyes she was still family. Even though they didn’t remember any of those memories.

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Pinkie Pie mumbled that she loved Apple Jack as her shivering slowed slightly. She wiggled her body closer to Apple Jack as she was nuzzled. Her double looked at her in the sea of light that she was swimming in. “Pinkie Pie you suffered much pain at my hooves before you promised to work on being honest with yourself. In that moment you purified me but your mind is still healing from what you dealt with.”

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Pinkie Pie was surrounded by her friends feeling their love for her as she was washed in memories, but unlike earlier where she was shown the negative here she felt the opposite. She felt all the joy and love she lent to others. All the happiness as she hooked up couples, and gave a sanctuary of joy from the darkness of the outside world.

She couldn’t connect with ponies in a normal way. But through her parties ponies liked her, they talked to her, and most important of all she could connect with them. Yes she did annoy them from time to time. But more than not she put a smile on their face. She knew everything about Everypony and it was through this that she knew just what a pony needed.

Even in the darker periods of Pinkie Pie’s life she gave of herself to make those around her happy. And it paid off. All of Ponyville and those whom she met after her escape from the farm had became her friends. Some more than others, but eventually she won others over. It was her greatest source of joy besides the sonic rainboom. That joy, that unconditional love she held towards all ponies grew within her and while her mind was not healed completely it was at least put back together.

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Pinkie Pie had spent two months on the run eating grass from the ground. It wasn’t as nutritious as hay, or normal food. But it was at least enough to keep her from dying from hunger. By the time she settled in Ponyville her ribs were starting to show and her strength from rock farming was starting to ween. But the biggest pain for her was the loneliness. No pony there to be with her. No pony to acknowledge her existence. It was torture. As she walked into Ponyville she thought that she would fade away, and part of her thought that would be preferable to living with the horrors from the rock farm.

That night she decided to sleep behind a building shaped like cake with a cupcake ontop. It made her mouth water, but she found it strangely comforting as she slept by the garbage can. It was late into the night when Mrs. Cake went to throw out the trash for the night she noticed the sleeping Pinkie Pie. She felt a tinge of sorrow looking at this poor foal that looked like it hadn’t had a good meal in ages curled in a shivering ball by her shop. She went quietly inside and got her husband.

Mr. Cake was her highschool sweet heart, and they married shortly after they graduated. But in the ten years of marriage they were unable to have children of their own. When they both looked down at the sleeping filly they decided that they would take her in. Even if it was only for a little while. They didn’t know her story, and that didn’t matter to them. What did was that this adorable filly was sleeping in the streets, half starved, and they wouldn’t let her stay out in the cold.

Mrs. Cake gave Pinkie Pie a little shake waking her up. As Pinkie sleepily looked up at the smiling face of Mrs. Cake she gave a loud squeak. “Hello deary. I’m Mrs. Cake, what would your name be?”

“Pinkamena Diane Pie” She said in a strangled whisper. Mostly due to fear and having not spoken in months.

“Well Pinkamena that is a beautiful name. Would you like to come on inside? We can let you have a warm meal and a nice warm bed to sleep in. That is if you’d like.”

“Yes please ma’am that would be most wonderful.”

“Well than come on in.”

They sat Pinkie Pie down and warmed up some food and gave her a cup of milk. After gorging down on thirty cookies, twenty cupcakes, half a germane chocolate cake, and 4 cups of milk. Pinkie Pie lay in a food coma on top of the table. She had never in all her life ate such an extravagant feast.

************************************

Pinkie felt a consoling nuzzle on her neck. By this time her coat turned into a dull grey and a smile crept onto her lips. The feeling of being sandwiched between two ponies reminded her of her first morning at the Cakes.

***********************************

She woke up from her food coma as the suns rays fell upon her, she noticed that she was snuggled between Mr. and Mrs. Cake, the warmth and comfort emanating from them was more than what she was used to. She cried silently into their coats as she closed her eyes wiggling closer to Mrs. Cake. It was truly a luxury compared to her spartan lifestyle.

She fell back asleep in their arms and woke up much later after they had left to get started in the shop. She crept silently down the stairs seeing the shop busy with customers. While she wasn’t the best cook, she knew how to cook cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and breads. She walked up to Mr. Cake, “Hello sir, I’d like to repay you for your kindness. If you’d like I can help cook?”

“You can help if you’d like, but you don’t owe us anything. We helped because we wanted to.”

Giving a slight nod. She walked into the kitchen where she spent the rest of the day helping them out with the food. The recipes she didn’t know she learned quickly thanks to her training in learning from the PFHA. After the customers left for the rest of the day. It was from that day onwards that she started her life with the Cakes. Helping around the shop, and learning the trade.

*********************************

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Her first party was weeks later after learning the trade and working to carry her weight. She felt the pull of her destiny to make ponies smile. So she threw a “Thank you for taking me in and being superduperuberlyfantasically awesome” party. The room was decorated with simple yellow and red streamers. A table full of special cakes that she made just for them, and a giant card that she made for them.

When they came down that morning. Their jaws dropped as they saw the party made just for them. Pinkie Pie jumped out from behind them, “SURPRISE! I made a party for you because you’ve all been so kind to me and I wanted to say thank you. But then I thought that words wouldn’t be enough, so I thought that a card would be nice. But then I thought that it would be nice if I made you something for being so kind since a card wasn’t enough to say thank you enough. So I then decided to throw you a party and here we are! Do you like it? Do ya? Do ya?”

She was bouncing up and down on the spot from her excitement at making her unofficial new parents happy. She watched as they looked at the card, tears of happiness coming down their face and huge smiles that practically split their faces. They walked over to Pinkie Pie and wrapped her in a group hug.

“Oh Pinkie Pie it is a wonderful party. We really do like it. When you said that your special talent was throwing parties and making ponies happy we were waiting for you to become comfortable to show it. And we are so happy that you did.” Mrs. Cake said nuzzling Pinkie affectionately.

From that moment on with their continued praise and support she came further and further out of her shell. Throwing parties for ponies. Using her photographic memory to know what made every pony she met happy. It was through her that Lyra and Bon-bon first hooked up. Where Mayor Mare reconciled with her husband William Wright the towns official scribe. Through her laughter, good cheer, and parties. She was responsible for a fifth of all the couples in Ponyville as well as the socialization that led to numerous friendships that owed their founding in a Pinkie Pie Party.

And all the while the Cakes held a tremendous sense of pride in their unofficial daughter. Everyone who knew the Cakes thought of her as the same, and in time Pinkie Pie became the official greeter for new ponies in Ponyville. With Mayor Mare giving a small chunk of bits to help fund the events that Pinkie Pie threw that weren’t covered by commissions.

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When she heard what Apple Jack told her, about her feeling for her as a sister. She felt that she was more than that, but decided that it was best to keep it friendly After all Apple Jack was the only one to save her. Her family was a secondary family compaired to the Cakes whom she felt of as her real family. So opening her eyes she looked at her hero, her friend, a pony that she felt a special bond with and did the hardest thing she could do. And thanked her for at least feeling that way towards her. After saying her good byes she walked side by side with Apple Jack into the light.

Chapter 30: Twilight Sparkle: Fears

The great thing about being an Alicorn in Twilight’s opinion was that boosted her special talent to levels far beyond that of a normal unicorn. Where originally she was an A class unicorn with the power of four unicorns. As an Alicorn she had the power of twenty, add that into the fact that her understanding and use of magic had only grown as the months had passed. This had allowed her to have an understanding of the spell and what she was up against. Although she knew that this wouldn’t help her overcome the trials. Since from what she saw in the spell it created not just illusions but tapped into the very core of those who entered it and used it as a power source for the spell itself.

She didn’t know weather she should be overjoyed at this learning opportunity or filled with dread of the things she knew she would have to face. After all what is more scarier than facing oneself? What can you hide, when the thing your going up against is you? Your fears, your memories, your dreams. All that makes you, you. But she was determined to see this through to the end as she made her way through the fog.

She was busy examining the magical nature of the fog coming up with nothing. When the fog shifted and she found herself in her younger self. Staring at the world of her five year old self at her parents. As they looked over test papers that they had given her to prep her for kindergarten.

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“This is unacceptable Twilight. You got an A minus, where is our A plus?” Her father said disapprovingly.

“Sorry daddy. I promise to do better next time.” A young Twilight squeaked sad that she again disappointed her parents.

“We gave you a tutor, one of the best. Do you know what that means?”

“No.”

“It means that you are expected to do the best. We are an ancient, noble family. There are certain expectations that are expected of us. We have a reputation to uphold and we can’t have our daughter failing us. At least your brother showed interest in a worthwhile endeavor while joining the Royal Guard, he’s going to go places. But you? You haven’t shown any real aptitude for anything. So you need to study more, and less time doing frivolous activities. You can be frivolous after you got a good job, make good money, and have financial security.

Until then you need to keep your nose on the grindstone. Study harder. Then prove that you are a Sparkle.” Her father lectured her. While her mother glowered disapprovingly, “But we aren’t cruel. We have you a study buddy to help you with your work.”

Twilight had tears on her eyes on being lectured on how she had failed her family. But her ears perked up on a study buddy. “You did? I never had a friend before!” Twilight said jumping up and down.

“And you don’t need them. They are a distraction to your studies. No we got you a Mr. Smartypants doll. It’s better than a living friend. Since he will help you study and learn.”

With that her mother levitated a Mr. Smartypants doll inside it’s box with it’s notebook and pencil accessories. As well as another box with three outfits. A detective, an archaeologist, and a scientist outfit. Twilight eyes sparkled as she got her only friend other than her BBBFF.

Her next test she got an A. Her father told her that she could do better than a 95%, and he expected 100%. Her mother than sat her aside and told her that she bought her the Smartypants doll for her to succeed. It wasn’t good for her to waste her potential by not being the best. It was from than on that she dedicated every waking moment to reading everything she could get her hooves on. But alas even when she did get 100% on a test her parents rather than praising her acted as if it was expected of her. Nothing to celebrate.

That was her life until she saw the Princess raising the sun. It inspired her, made her want to excel at magic. Her mother told her that her family expected her to succeed. Her family did have failures in their family tree. The threat while never stated out loud was that if she failed her family she wouldn’t be a part of the family.

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The fog shifted from that memory to the day after she gained her entrance as Princess Celestia’s protege’. Her parents stood beside her and looked at her as if what she accomplished was what they expected. It was her mother who broke the silence first. “Since it was Princess Celestia’s raising of the sun that was the inspiration for you learning magic, and it was us who brought you. That counts as your Cuteceanera, don’t say we’ve never done anything for you.”

“I know mother. I am truly thankful for everything you’ve done for me. Are you proud of me?” She asked hopefully.

“Why should we be proud? You are expected to do great things. You’re a part of nobility, only commoners are expected to accept mediocrity. And you are her protege’, but she could cast you out if you fail her. As a Sparkle you will not disappoint her, nor by extension will you disappoint us. Your future depends on you remembering what we taught you. Nothing is more important for you or your future than your studies and being the best.” Her father gave one last lecture before sending her off to the castle.

Twilight looking back on those long forgotten memories thought that, that had something to do with her fear of disappointing and failing those around her. Why she had mental breakdowns when she wasn’t perfect in everything she did. As well as why she obsessively planned every moment of her day. It’s also why she probably avoided her family like the plague. The comments of how she had to preserve the family honor, and lectures of being the best grows old after awhile. She hated the fact that even as the Element of Magic, knighted by the Princess, and Savior of Equestria they found fault in everything she did.

They tried talking to her after she became a Princess, but if it took ascension into Godhood before they could accept her than she didn’t want their acceptance. That didn’t stop the mental scars that they created, nor did it stop her from being mentally terrified of disappointing those around her.

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Twilight took a trip down memory lane. But each memory was twisted to the nightmares she still suffered from. Nightmares that when she had them made her wake up in a fear covered sweat. She remembered when Discord was freed the first time. Her pain as each and everyone of her friends started acting weird. From Apple Jack lying, Pinkie Pie’s anger, Rarity’s avarice filled delusions, Fluttershy’s Violence, to Rainbow Dash taking off leaving them all behind.

When her friends all left her she was heart broken, if it wasn’t for Celestia’s timely intervention Discord would have won. If any of the others had manipulated Twilight’s vulnerable mental state she would never have had the courage nor the ability to care enough to read the scrolls. That knowledge of how easy it would have been for her to not see the key to returning her friends to her haunted her.

Than her teacher now marefriend had to be stupid and taught her what Discord was truly capable of. Of the things he did in the past, and with her intelligence and active imagination for bad things only fueled her nightmares.

She remembered when her friends turned their backs on her during the Royal Wedding. Discord was one thing, but when her friends turned their backs on her it was so much more heart rending. That even Celestia was disappointed was the worst thing ever. It was in that moment that her worst fears came true. Her BBBFF practically disowned her, kicking her out of the wedding. Her friends left her without a word. Her mentor and number one assistant were vocally disappointed in her. She lost everything in that moment.

Then when it turned out that she was right, they never apologized. They just acted like everything was back to normal. As if they didn’t rip out her heart and crush it under their hooves. She had nightmares of that day from time to time. She didn’t know weather Discord was worse or not, since this time they left her on their own free will. With her hindsight, if she failed to not attack Cadance or worse kill her like she wanted to do. Or if they were even a minute later where Queen Chrysalis could seal the deal with a kiss taking the last little bit of Shining Armor away into herself. Or even if she stopped her monologue long enough to keep Cadance and Shining Armor separated than the last memory that Twilight would have before being turned into food for the Hive would be their fight.

There was so many different outcomes where Twilight and her friends would fail and she was scared with how close it came to that. Knowing what she knew about Changeling feeding habits and how they resort to eating the bodies of their victims after they’re drained of all emotions, other than those used in breeding farms to incubate the Queens eggs and give rise to new Changeling types. Than when they can no longer breed are devoured by their young.

She remembered the day she failed to send a friendship report. All of her friends laughed at her. Blowing off her worries. It took her mind breaking, and the Princess to come down to fix the problem before they took her seriously. Looking back she knew that if it wasn’t for her Smartypants Doll she would have went to more desperate measures. That wasn’t something that she normally thought about. But it worried her none the less.

Than there was this fiasco. All it took was a small mistake. A simple incantation, that should never have caused a spell to be cast to begin with. For her friends to abandon her again. For all the times she was their for them. For all the magic she learned about the powers of friendship. They always abandoned her, leaving her for the slightest problems. Just like her family taught her. If you aren’t perfect than everypony will leave you.

The fog shifted after these tormenting torrent of twisted memories tainted with her nightmares and fears flooded her mind. With her mind falling into depression from the old wounds of her past opened and bleeding she found herself standing before Celestia with her friends and family surrounding her. Looking down on her with a look of contempt they turned around and walked away from her.

“Why are you leaving me?!” She asked as they ignored her and kept walking.

“Why are you abandoning me again?! What did I do?! Let me know so I can fix it!” By this time she was getting desperate for anypony to talk to her. Her irises turned into pinpricks and a manic grin spread upon her face as she teleported before her marefriend. Only for Celestia to walk around her acting as if she didn’t exist.

She went from pony to pony only to be shunned. Then she broke down and went from an everything can be fixed mentality to heart broken as everyone that she ever loved or cared about left her. She was truly and utterly alone. Being an immortal goddess now she had an eternity to live without the company of anyone. At this her body finally grayed.

As she cried herself to sleep she thought back to her life. She couldn’t believe that she forgot about the spell and wasn’t prepared for this. But it was hard to preserver against something that ones memories used against you. It was even harder that she wasn’t in the wrong when she was abandoned. Everyone she ever cared about left her for no reason, or the slightest misunderstandings. When this clicked. That not only was she left and abandoned for such things she went livid. It was that need to force them to apologize, to let go of that pain she had been holding for so long that gave her the drive to move forward.

As she moved forward the fog shifted returning her into the hallway. She went to the next room her mind in a haze of anger from the wrongs dumped upon her. But she knew that coming up was another obstacle till she was able to speak her mind. She also knew that she couldn’t afford to move on in blind anger. Not if she was to do this right.

Chapter 31: Twilight Sparkle: Dark Side

Twilight walked into the next room watching as the walls melted and changed into a replica of the Celestia’s gardens. This place held a lot of memories for her. Twilight contemplated that this was the reason the room chose this location since the part of the spell attached to ones dark side was also tied to places with great emotional significance. Twilight was sure that it was made so to allow a greater amount of emotional damage, and Twilight wasn’t sure enough of the spell glyphs to make any alterations to lessen that.

As Twilight looked ahead she noticed what looked like a purple nightmare moon. With Amythest armor adorned with Twilight’s Cutie Mark. And an ethereal mane and tail which shone with flecks of raw magical power.

“So you’ve finally made it here. Congratulations, you may call me Nightmare Spark.” Her double stated with a cold glare directed at her.

“ So you’re the dark manifestations of my repressed subconscious. It’s a good thing that I came here prepared. You have no hold over me.” Twilight said with a satisfied grin.

“Is that what you said when your friends and family abandoned you? Or when despite all that you’ve accomplished those you care about would judge you so harshly rather than listen to you?” Nightmare Spark replied.

Twilight’s grin instantly vanished as those wounds were dug into. “W-Well no. You can’t prepare for something like that.”

“Yes you can. Your parents did nothing but train you to accept that you are nothing but a disappointment. That all your accomplishments can never live up to their expectations. Heck even after you saved the world numerous times they still felt that it was worth it to say how you could’ve done better.”

“Well yes I guess they did shape me into the neurotic mess that I am today. But there is good that came out of it. And I know what you are trying to do. You can only take over and eject me from the spell if I give into you. And I am ready to forgive others so there!”

“All words Twilight. Have you forgotten that we are the same being? I know your secrets, your pains, your thoughts. You say that you are ready to forgive, but I taste the anger you hold close to your heart. Admit it. You know nothing about this place other than that I am a darker representative of yourself.”

Twilight sat on the grass the fight having been taken out of her before she had a chance to build steam. When I set out from the castle I didn’t know what I would go up against. I just wanted to find meaning in my life again. Get back that fire that propelled me into the mare I’ve become. But I never expected this. Even when going over the spell I simply thought that knowing what I was going up against would prepare me enough. I forgot that knowing is only half the battle.

“You’re right. So let’s get this over with what do I need to do to pass this place?”

“Pass? Simple give into me. Let me take over and you’ll be free to take the revenge you so rightly deserve.”

“No I don’t want revenge I want them to apologize for betraying me. That’s all.”

“You want them to forgive you? Why not force them to do it? After all you don’t have a problem with using magic to enforce your will onto others.”

“Because that wouldn’t be a true apology. It would be scripted.” Twilight replied, her ears falling flat against her head as her tail twitched in annoyance.

“But you don’t deny that you force others to do what you want. That’s rich. And who cares if it’s scripted? If they won’t follow you out of love you can make them love you. You can make them do what ever it is you desire. You know how to do it after all.”

“I don’t do it that often. That plus it was Luna who taught me that spell, I just use it when I don’t want to have to deal with some pony when all they are doing is acting on some irrational fear. That doesn’t make me in the wrong. As for forcing love. That’s worse than rape, and I won’t do that too anypony. I want them to apologize because it’s the right thing, not because they have no choice.”

“You do know that was a highly hypocritical, and blame shifting statement you just made? ‘Oh I don’t do it that often, only when I want others to do what I tell them too’. ‘Oh and it’s not my fault it’s Luna’s for teaching me dark magic’. ‘Ohhh! booo hooo!’” Nightmare Spark laughed.

“Your right I shouldn’t blame others for my actions. It’s my fault I react that way, but that doesn’t mean I’m doing anything wrong.”

“And I never said you did. Only that you should own up to the fact that you are a tyrant. You should embrace it, not fight it.”

“What! I am not a tyrant!” Twilight screamed.

“Really? What is a ruler that exercises their power or control in a cruel, irresponsible, or arbitrary manner?”

“A tyrant.” Twilight whispered, “I can’t believe I was the tyrant that others call us. I didn’t think I was, but I am.”

“See was that so bad? You should be like me Twilight. Others only leave you, betray you, look down upon you. Even your marefriend thinks you are a joke. After all everypony knew of your feelings, but made you embarrass yourself instead of being there for you. But me I’ll always be there.”

“You might always be there, you always have been, but I’ve just been throwing away one self destructive habit for another. I won’t be like you know that I see that I am what others feared of me being.”

“Silly filly we are the same being. I’m just what you’ve tossed into the darkness and ignored. You see others as inferior to your research, as only things that will betray you when you need them most, as creatures that need to be controlled for their own good. You keep saying that we are different, but I am you. And you are me.”

Twilight sat on the Garden grass. Her ears wilted and wings hung limply by her sides. She had been ignoring that one point. That the thing before her was a part of her. It’s so much easier to attack something than it is too work things out. But she had to accept that while she wasn’t cruel, she was being tyrannical in her actions. Turning from freaking out over ever little problem to using dark magic to avoid conflicts and inconveniences. She needed to accept that she was in the wrong and had a lot of work to do if she was to grow as a pony.

“You know dark me? You are absolutely right.”

“What?” Nightmare Spark said with a look of confusion on her face.

“Those things you mentioned I did think, but I put them away because I know that they are wrong, but we are the same being. I accept that now, but I want to change us so that we can be the mare that we were meant to be. Rather than what we’ve become. I need you to keep me honest though.”

“I’ll make sure you remember that. But that’s what I needed to hear.”

As the room shifted back to normal she sat down and had to think to herself. So I went on a journey to find my roots, but instead found more about myself that I wanted. While I was never cruel, I was the definition of a tyrant. But I’m not going to step down, that wouldn’t fix the problem only be running away like I’ve been doing. I need to talk to Celestia though, I know every pony makes mistakes, but it’s only through being honest with those I care about that I can grow. She’ll know what to do. As for my friends. I need to talk to them, it’s hard to forgive them, but if they knew how much they hurt me than we can work on fixing this. Rather than let it fester. I owe it too myself.

Chapter 32: Twilight Sparkle: Finding One's Roots

As Twilight walked into the next room she was still going over the wrongs she did in her past. As a way to figure out what she needed to fix once she had left this place. Being so lost in thought she didn’t notice the room change to a replica of the Golden Oak Library. That is until she ran into a book shelf and books rained down upon her.

As she used her magic to lift the books off her and place them in their proper spots with a book arranging spell she saw what she thought was Nightmare Spark looking at her. Growling as she stomped her hooves she let loose a scream before addressing her otherself. “I thought I cleansed you? Why are you here?”

“Simple, you’ve already seen Luna’s Moon Form. There is little physical difference between a power form and a nightmare form physically. The change is one on a psychological and mental level. In that I am your more purer half, and you know what is going to happen in this stage of things.”

“True ... so what are you going to do? I know that you’re to prepare me for seeing my core. But other than that I don’t know what that entails entirely.”

“The answer is simple Twilight. I’m going to show you the best of yourself. You came here to find your roots, and this is the prefect place to show them to you.”

*************************

Filly Twilight had been the Princess’s protege’ for the last month. To say that it was the best experience of her life would be an understatement. Princess Celestia gave something to Twilight that her family never gave her. Praise. It was funny how something so simple was yet so profound to Twilight, and it only spurred her to work more harder to prove herself to her mentor.

They had just finished a game of tug of war with a training ball and Twilight was tuckered out. Yawning she tried to hide the fact that she was tired and failed horribly. Celesita seeing this laid beside her and took her under her wing, “Why don’t we take a little break for now Twilight?”

As Twilight snuggled next to her, she wiggled herself closer to Celestia, “Princess?”

“Hmmm?”

“Will you stay with me forever and ever?” She asked innocently.

She felt Celestia’s wing fidget a little bit before she answered. “I’ll be with you for as long as you live. How does that sound?”

“Really?” She squeed into Celestia’s coat.

“Of course. Now get some sleep, and I’ll be here when you wake up.”

****************

****************

Twilight had her first nightmare that she remembered in ages. Celestia having checked up on her to make sure that she wasn’t ignoring sleep like she had the habit of doing. Saw her crying softly into her sheets. Gliding into the room she wrapped Twilight into a wing hug.

“What’s the matter my little pony?”

“I had a bad dream that I failed my test and you were angry with me and kicked me out for being a bad student. I promise I’ll study harder, please don’t kick me out?” Twilight cried into Celestia.

“Oh is that all?” Celestia chuckled softly giving Twilight a comforting squeeze. “I won’t kick you out for failing a test. Yes I might be disappointed, but all that means is that we need to work harder where you are weak so that you can grow stronger. Although I haven’t seen a pony study as hard as you, nor have as much raw talent than you in a long, long time. OK?”

“Ok!”

Twilight nuzzled Celestia and fell asleep shortly after. While she was still worried about failing Celestia, that fear was drilled into her head from foalhood. It wasn’t until this day that, that particular memory resurfaced.

*********************

“Oh! I can’t believe I forgot about that. I was so used to being told that I was worthless if I wasn’t perfect, and being trained to look for faults in myself. That I forgot that the Princess never would have banished me or abandoned me for making a mistake on a test. I’ve been such a twit.” Twilight said to herself.

**********************

Twilight was a foal when her brother and her were on a camping trip. It was written off as a training exercise for him preparing for guard training. In reality it was his way of getting Twilight out of the home situation that they were in as well as get some rare bonding time with his little sister. The sun had set and they were camping under the stars. Twilight hidden in her black sleeping bag embroidered with constellations of the night sky. With only the tip of her head poking out as she looked at her brother who was poking the fire that was starting to die down.

“Shinny! Why’s it cold?”

“Because the suns down twily. It gets cold at night.”

“Oh! why?”

“Because the sun makes things warmer. When it goes down it can’t warm anything now can it?”

Twilight looked at him with a thoughtful expression on her face. Even as a four year old she was extremely intelligent for her age. But it also made her very inquisitive. “No it can’t. Brother? Do you love me?”

“Of course I do Twily. You’re my little sister. Why do you ask?”

“Well you almost never talk to me at home. I love you too big brother. You’re my bestest friend.”

“You’re my best friend to. And that’s me. Your big brother best friend forever. Your BBBFF.”

Twilight did little stilted hops in her sleeping bags squeeing with joy. She had been worried lately that her brothers distance to her meant that he didn’t like her, and she loved her big brother. So hearing that he was her best friend forever was good news to her.

***********************************

Twilight fell onto her other form laughing her flank off. As she clutched her she tried speaking between inhales. “That. Was. So. Funny. Oh Faust, I can’t believe that you’d bring that up. But I’m so glad that my BBBFF married Cadence. Although the embarrassing stories they tell when I’m around are endless.”

“Well you make it so easy for them.” Her other form chided.

*******************************

Twilight sat next to Mr. Smartypants while her brother watched. He had to leave for his first deployment for the royal guard. But before he left he wanted to make sure that he said a proper good bye to his sister. Knowing that he was leaving her behind with their parents, and that she was going to go into testing for the CSFGU.

“Now Twily you need to focus on the area right behind your horn. That’s where your main energy node that unicorns use. If you focus there you’ll be able to move your magical energy to where you want it to go.” Shining Armor lectured in a friendly manner. Rather than the cold manner Twilight was used to from her parents.

Focusing on the area behind her horn she felt the small pressure inside her skull, pushing towards Mr. Smartpants enveloping him in a lavender aura. She remembered what she read in a book about reaching the pressure through the push. Grabbing Mr. Smartypants she tried lifting him and was only able to make him raise an inch before he fell down.

“I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it!” She sang while bouncing around the room out of adorakable filly hood excitement.

“Good job Twily! That’s really good for your first time. But you need to remember to not tense up so much. When you do that your body diverts power to the tensed body parts and lessens what you can do. But as I said that was a good job. I’m proud of you Twily.” He said as he wrapped her in a hug before ruffling her mane.

“BBBFF! Stop messing up my mane.” She laughed.

“Not the mane?”

“No!”

“Well how about a ... TICKLE ATTACK!!!” He gave a playful war cry while tickling her ribs causing her to fall over laughing while trying to push away his hooves.

“Stop! Stop! I give! You win!”

“Whose the best BBBFF in all of Equestria?”

“You are!”

“Ok then. I’m going to start my training tomorrow. I may not see you in awhile so don’t let mom and dad get you too down ok? And no matter what happens I’ll never abandon or disown you ok?” He said after withdrawing his hooves from a giggling Twilight Sparkle.

“Ok. BBBFF?” She asked after she caught her breath. Her ears wilting slightly.

“What’s the matter?”

“Why did you want to become a guard? Your going to be gone for a long while and I’ll miss you. So why go?” She said a few tears building up in her eyes as she looked at her brother.

“This is a secret between us ok? I have an image to uphold.”

“Ok. I promise not to tell anypony.”

“I’m going to be a guard because they protect Equestria and make the world a better place. I’m joining so that I can protect all the ponies I care about and make sure they live in a world that I and even you can be proud of. The best way to do that is by joining the guard, and some day becoming one of the Royal Guards. After all if Celestia is safe than all of Equestria and everypony I love with in it will be safe.”

“That makes sense. I bet you’ll be the best guard ever. You will be right?”

“For you Twily, of course I’ll be the best.” Giving her a hug and a light kiss on the forehead he felt bad for leaving, but he knew that he needed to do it to make a safer and better Equestria for both his sister, and every other pony that he cared about.

*****************

“You were his drive to get as high as he did you know?” Her double said.

“I didn’t know that. How do you know that?”

“Simple all Alicorns have the ability to tap into the Planar records of all living beings. It’s the essence behind Luna’s dream providence, and Mort uses to judge souls of the dead. Through it I can see the memories, emotions, and lives of every entity in your universe should I wish it.”

“Wow! I didn’t know that. Well I didn’t really think of pursuing it. I’ve been busy with other matters of business but it’s something that I need to look into.”

“I know. Now on to other memories.”

****************************

It was the night after the disaster at the Grand Galloping Gala, Twilight reflected on the moments leading up to that night. When she received two tickets to the Gala and all of her friends hounded her for tickets. She thought she would go crazy, but in the end everything worked out for the best. Although she was caught in one of Celestia’s lesson / pranks. She learned that she should ask for things rather than keep silent about her needs.

Than all of them had the dresses made by Rarity. She remembered how they had what they wanted in their heads and how they not only ran her ragged, but almost ruined one of the most important things to her. Her reputation as a designer. It was only when they saw what they were doing to her, and how beautiful her work truly was. Learning that one shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. A left over saying from when nobility owned and traded slaves.

Now at the time of the Gala things couldn’t have been more chaotic. At first things were going bad for all of them. Only for things to take a turn for the worse when Apple Jack went to sell her food in the dance hall. Then it devolved into a domino effect with the other Element Bearers. It was another plan of Celestia’s to liven up an event that had went from a way for her to mingle with the populace to another event that bound her down with nobles wanting to seem more important than themselves.

When they left, as bad as things seemed. They got better once they left. They didn’t do all the things they set out to do, but wondering around the city they had more fun. Seeing the sights, and taking time to talk with one another. The bonding with one another was more satisfying than trying everything separately. It was the greatest bonding of their friendship up to that point. The culmination of preparations, planning, and expectations. Only to learn that they had more fun together than they did apart. That their friendship made the night the greatest night ever.

**********************

“Oh! That was a wonderful time. That was what really sky rocket our friendship. Although what really started it was when they followed me after Nightmare Moon.” She said as her body returned to normal.

“Yes it was. Do you see the paths your life took to get where you are now?”

“I think so. My parents scared me for life drilling in the need to be perfect. But my BBBFF, and my now marefriend taught me to be happy with who I am. That I need to be proud with what I do not worried and hate what I can’t. My friends taught me so many things that I would have never learned about if I never met them. When I became a Princess it was because of their friendship and the reality changing powers of the Elements of Harmony. I literally accidentally stumbled on a spell that was never meant to be. That gave me the power to control destiny.”

“Yes. So what do you plan on now? Do you give up the gift of Princesshood that they helped you tap into? Or do you keep it and work on becoming better?”

“I’ll figure it out later. Right now, all I know is that they will stand beside me no matter what I choose. And no matter what I’ll love them with all my heart and I know that they’ll do the same. I found my roots, and I did what I came here for almost. Now to see it out to the end.”

“Then all you need to do is go through that door.” She said pointing to the Library’s front door. As Twilight walked through it she was washed in a golden light. Feeling a sense of tranquility as she passed to the next stage of this journey.

Chapter 34: Luna: Fears pt. 2, The Nightmare of War

Chapter 34: Luna: Fears pt. 2, The Nightmare of War

The fog whipped around Luna as she screamed for it to end. She didn’t want to relive her greatest sin, and the nightmares she still had from it. She thought that she was a strong mare, but having wounds such as these opened made her feel like a little filly again needing the protective warmth of her big sister. But just as when she gained her cutie mark, there was nopony there to protect her from the harsh realities thrown her way.

************************************

The newly birthed Nightmare Moon didn’t waste any time once the sun set. She went to the Tulpa who were her personal guards, and the only members of the nocturnal races that still survived. As well as those in her court that she knew felt oppressed and down trodden. With promises for power, and a place of power she played on their desires and insecurities.

From them she formed a network that would spread and gather more supporters, after all she didn’t want to lose her power on her first week and a good powerbase required a good network of followers. It was by the time the night was supposed to end that she had gathered enough followers to start two of the three groups she was known for. The Shadowbolts, the military flying force, and Children of the Night, a cult dedicated to serving Nightmare Moon. Growing her power amongst the populous.

“Thou! What are thou doing here monster?!”

“Did thou forget so soon? We told thou we were Luna and thou forced us to hide this part of thyself. Now we will hide who we are no longer. And we are Luna no longer, nor are we Lulu. We are Nightmare Moon!”

“We ... we didn’t forget. Is that really thou Lulu?” Celestia asked, her ears pinned to the back of her head.

“Didn’t we just tell thou to call us Nightmare Moon? Thou should really learn to listen.” She laughed at her sister’s curious look.

“Well ... Nightmare Moon. Why don’t thou set the moon and we can talk about this?”

“No! We shall talk no longer! We have wasted centuries with thou and thee self righteousness. Always defending thou day loving ponies. Now they will love our night forever. For the moon shall never bow to the sun again!” Calling a huge flash of lightning to ominously signal the end of her sentence.

The fog wrapped up around Luna. Dragging her into the next memory. She was now standing a month later with her sister sitting in front of her. “Listen ‘Nightmare Moon’, we have tried talking peacefully about this. The worlds crops are dying off, monster attacks, and acts of violence have risen by 20%. It is time to let this stop. What will it take for you to drop the moon sister?”

“The acts of violence as we said would stop if thou would allow thy groups into the cities to guard them. But thou still refuse to allow them. These attacks would lessen if thou would allow thee more freedom Tia. Or is it that thou fears us so much that thy would allow our subjects to suffer?”

“Fine. We shall allow your groups more access to the cities. Starting now.”

“Excellent! Well we shall stop talks now and we shall talk more next week. If thou are willing to truly work with us then we will consider allowing the sun to set.”

“Thanks sister. We knew we could see eye to eye if we tried.”

“Yes! Eye to eye”

The truth of the matter and the reason that Nightmare Moon left with a grin on her face and spring in her step was that she was behind the rise of violence and monster attacks. It was a propaganda campaign to make the guards look like bumbling fools who couldn’t save their subjects. While showing just how poorly Celestia was at saving her subjects. The actions of Children of the Night’s extremest cell, Shadows of the Night, was the reason for todays success.

They first set a Canterlot and Fillydelphia orphanage on fire. Resulting in thirteen deaths. Six foals, four fillies, one colt, and two nigth shift workers. Then they drew in a Manticore from the Everfree forest to attack four cities. Each Manticore attacked minor cities that were close to major ones. This way not only showing that the guards “didn’t care” about the smaller cities, but that they were close enough to be helpful and didn’t save lives from being lost.

Than there was buying gangs and bandits to do what they would do anyways, but in targeted areas. Thus guaranteeing that it would have the maximum amount of coverage. That and a few rumors spread amongst the populous of Equestria ensuring that the ponies had doubt about Celestia and her ability to protect them. While making herself look like the better choice of a ruler. After all it wasn’t Celestia keeping Nightmare Moon’s guards and royal forces that were the cause of such dangers. Or at least that’s the half truth she had spread by her cultists.

****************************

“No, no, no! I can’t see any more. I’m sorry! I am so sorry! Please make the horrors stop!” Luna pleaded. Knowing that the blood of those foals were on her hands, as well as the innocents she had killed in her propaganda against her sister. The shadow war to gain a foot hold of power against her sister. Altogether she had been responsible for ninety six deaths just for her sister to let her get a good foot hold, and things were only going to become worse.

****************************

It was a year later, she had used her foot hold to get her cult a massive following that rivaled the Order of the Light, Celestia’s religious movement. She had gained numerous guards and military personnel to defect to her side. Her having the orphanages, daycares, and hospitals burned down by those people with ties to the Order of the Light, thanks to Luna’s brianwashing spell, black mail, and bribes. The later two thanks to a network of middle men who left Luna’s hooves looking clean.

This not only turned popular opinion against her sister’s religious cultists, but turned a good amount of them to herself. Even as the crops had started to fall, and poverty strike. It was funny to Nightmare Moon how she was able to convince the masses that it was her sister that didn’t want too raise the sun. Telling them ‘that if her sister had the power to raise the sun, why didn’t she? Was her sister, the most powerful Alicorn they ‘knew’ of, really unable to raise her sun?’

It had all boiled to a point where she had gained enough power to play her hand. Her sister had stated that she was going to force her to put down the moon. And even though Nightmare Moon had no thoughts of diplomacy, nor of putting down her moon. All it took was the threat of violence for her to put her last plan in motion.

The fog shifted around a crying Luna. Her mind lost in torrent of memories from what she was forced to live through again. When the fog cleared up it was two weeks later outside the hills of Canterlot. She was standing at her first battle. Canterlot was at the time not a city strong hold, like the Everfree. But was still the perfect place for a city stronghold. Nightmare Moon’s city stronghold. She knew that it was the most easiest to defend city, while being close to other cities of actual importance that she could hit and run if needed. Or grind into dust if necessary. But to be fair she sent a messenger to each city and laid an ultimatum. Either bow to her or declare war. She accepted no neutrality, and brooked no opposition.

Her favorite general, General Heart Blood, stood at Canterlot. They were the first city she approached and the first that thought to defy her. So she was going to make a message out of them. The best part of this war was that Celestia wasn’t serious about attacking her sister, and Nightmare Moon knew it. But it was the perfect opportunity to liberate the ‘oppressed masses’ from her ‘tyrant’ of a sister.

It was a true show of it’s resounding success that even a thousand years after her banishment ponies were using her propaganda as they did all those centuries ago. Even if they are ran by nobility, or the rich. But that was to be much later. Back in the war her propaganda turned a half hearted conversation to an act of aggression. Now standing before Canterlot she was going to make a statement that not even her sister would be able to ignore.

Nightmare Moon started with a contingency of Tulpa and Pegasi loaded with napalm, and exploding powder. This along with Luna’s magically enchanted harpoons that targeted enemy living targets, and were coated with solidified shadows that added to their concealment. It was thirty minutes till the city was decimated and most of the rest was on fire. From there her ground forces marched in and impaled every adult pony. While littering their entrails from their still living bodies upon the ground of the city.

It was this that was used as a message to the rest. It was added to the fact that she used Necromancy to raise their bodies after they rotted to fight for her army as shock troops. In both the figurative and literal sense of the word. It was also that message that turned Celestia from sister to protector and ruler of Equestria.

Her four favorite generals where to have their lives not only to go down in infamy, but were to end up in the worst punishment given to a mortal from the Princesses. Turned to stone. Heart Breaker was known to use her power to entrance mares to trick secrets and property out of them. Then he would ditch them. It was his power over the emotions of others and the pain he caused when he was done with them that gave birth to the word “heart breaker”. With the property and national secrets he worked out of his victims they were able to plan around a majority of Celestia’s defense plans in the early four years of the war.

Harvest Shade was a unicorn known for his Necromancy skills. Although this wasn’t made in the light before the war, and Nightmare Moon needed the undead for battle but after the war started he was the go to colt for undead forces. His control over the undead made him instantly feared by both sides. Those on Nightmare Moon’s side called him the Lich and worried about him using them for his undead experiments. While those on the otherside knew that they would be facing their family members, or would they themselves be used against the their family. Until he coined the term Lich, there was no word for ponies like him. Ones who transversed the line between life and death becoming the greatest of noble undead.

Razor Streak was a Pegasi who led her Shadowbolts. He helped her come up with numerous bladed weapons, and helped her fine tune her enchantments for her military group. He was as sharp as his name sake and was a superb air fighter. Only the Kicker clan was able to survive the battles against him, although only one of their clan was able to draw blood. It was one of the reason that the Kicker clan is as famous as it is. For that pony was the only one to ever do any damage to Razor Streak. The great Stone “The Wall” Kicker.

Then there was Last Laugh.He was an Earth Pony double agent who allowed himself to be experimented on by Nightmare Moon to hold a number of traps and enchanments woven into himself. He used these spells to self destruct destroying hundreds of yards around him when ever anyone would try to capture him. Then the spells would reform his body. It was only during his battle with Celestia that he had the last laugh for real. As he turned to stone he turned himself to a giant grenade destroying a mile of land around Celestia. Taking out a large chunk of her forces, and giving rise to the idiom “Having the last laugh”.

With these four generals she had a reign of terror that kept Celestia on her toes. Made many laws and defenses against necromancy. As well as changed the social landscape of Equestria as family was pitted against family. By the seventh year the war was at a close and the population of Equestria was lowered by 40%. Celestia lured her sister out to the hills near the Everfree forest and used the Elements of Harmony as a weapon to bind her sister to the moon. The thing that nopony ever knew about that time was that it was Luna who guided Nightmare Moons actions. They were the same being, and it was her need for vengeance and respect that caused her to do the atrocities against the ponies of Equestria. Although her sister and others were to quick to think of Nightmare Moon and Luna as separate beings. She knew that Nightmare Moons sins were her own, and the blood of Equestria lay on her hooves.

Chapter 35: Luna Fears: Pt 3, A Voice in the Dark

The moon was torture. The first century she was left alone with her rage, hatred, and wishes of revenge. Then Nightmare Moon left Luna, and she never felt more alone. After three hundred years she had walked every square inch of the moon, and had recently finished building a castle as something to do.

Eventually she ran out of things to do, and fell into a crippling depression. She had played chess against herself, checkers, she even tried playing plays with her as all the roles. But with nothing left to do, she had just sat in her tower looking at the world as the seasons came and went. Ponies were never went to be completely alone. And being exiled, banished, as well as completely and utterly alone was a punishment worse than death.

Luna’s coat turned pale white as she was forced to relive the worst millenia of her life. The mind shattering loneliness of being abandoned on the moon. She wept for anyone to save her, that she was sorry for her actions, and that she’d do anything if anypony would set her free before she fell into a near comatose-like depression. She didn’t think that even Celestia had a full grasp on the horrors that she subjected her sister too. Even as bad as Nightmare Moon was, nothing deserved the punishment that she was forced to live through.

When she was finally released from the moon Nightmare Moon took over her again as she flew back to the moon. Albeit much weaker do to the Elements of Harmony’s banishing spell. Luna after she was healed from this had nightmares of what could have happened if she had succeeded in her goals. But those nightmares were nothing compared to the terror she hid after her freedom.

For the world had passed her by, a thousand years of progress, social reform, and cultural as well as economical changes had caused her to be a relic. A throwback to a time that was long forgotten to all but her sister. She was seen as sad and reclusive to those who served her Night Court, and to those who didn’t she had to overcome fear and prejudice from those who still saw her as Nightmare Moon. And as much as she tried to get them to see that she was just an Alicorn, a thousand years ruled by only one Princess who was seen as omnipotent, and herself delegated to a boogiemare that ate children and gave birth to nightmares was hard to overcome.

********************

During one of her rare incursions into the day time she accidentally knocked into a noble while trying to get to see her sister. The noblecolt, a unicorn with an orange coat and grey tail and mane looked at her with disdain. “I seriously don’t know why your sister freed you. After all you’re Nightmare Moon, a horrid throwback from the past and you should have stayed in the moon. Rather than come back to where you’re not wanted nor needed.”

“HOW DARE THOU!” Luna roared in the Royal Voice.

“Again with the thou’s? Everypony thinks it. After all if you weren’t evil your sister wouldn’t have sent you to the moon where you belong.”

“But! We aren’t evil! We are a princess just like or sister.” She stated her tears flowing down her face.

“No your sister is a princess. You are still a monster trying to prey upon her memories of her dear Luna. Nopony likes you, nor wishes for you to be around. Now begone!”

It was at this moment that her sister came in. But instead of what actually transpired, the fog corrupted the memory. Preying upon the fears that have eaten away at her since she had come back. “Sister! What have you done?”

“Nothing sister! We just wanted to see thou.”

“And instead you cause problems. Just like the last time.”

“What are thou saying?”

“Simple. I should have never let you come back from the moon.” Celestia replied as her horn shone brightly. Before casting the spell on a cowering Luna. Sitting all alone on the moon once again.

Just as she lost all hope of ever finding freedom from her she heard a voice call out to her, “I’m here for you darling, were going to finish this thing together.”

“What?! Whose there?” Luna said looking around the cold abyss.

“I’m here for you darling, were going to finish this thing together.” The voice repeated itself.

Feeling a thread of warmth flow through her she felt as if there was something out there trying to pull her away from the horrors of the moon. It was a voice that she had heard before, but for the life of her couldn’t put her hoof on where she heard it before. But like a drowning pony reaching for something to keep them afloat she mentally clung to that warmth and voice.

“Ok who ever you are. Thank you!” She whispered as she felt herself being drawn to the guiding light. Pushing herself to the limit she felt herself being pulled from the nightmare scape that she was trapped in and saw the fog shift for the last time ending with her in Rarity’s forelegs.

“Is this real?” Luna asked shivering, pushing her body as close as possible into Rarity.

“Of course Darling. I couldn’t live with myself if you were to end up trapped in that dreadful place. So I went back to ensure that you, your sister, and Twilight passed these trials. You and I are going to finish this thing together and I’ll be with you to the end. I won’t leave you behind. I promise.”

Nodding while closing her eyes she whispered. “So what’s going to happen next?”

Stroking Luna’s mane like she did with Sweetie Belle when she wasn’t feeling well she whispered comfortingly in her ear while giving her a comforting nuzzle to the side of Luna’s head.“Well you’ll meet your dark side. Whom if I’m not mistaken will be Nightmare Moon. Then after that you’ll meet the purified form of your dark side. That will show you the good memories and fix the damage you’ve garnered while doing the trials. I don’t know what’s past that since I willingly left before moving forward. So that’s something we’ll find out together.”

“Hmmmm. Ok. We have to tell you that we did horrible things in my past. When we were Nightmare Moon, we did things that if you hear it you will hate me. We don’t want to loose you, you’re the only one who came back for us. The only one who thought enough of us to save us.” Luna replied meekly. Tears falling down her now white coat that rivaled her sisters in color.

“Listen darling, all that was in the past and you payed a price for it that I can never begin to imagine. So no matter how bad it was, no matter what it was you did. In my eyes there is nothing to forgive and nothing that can be said to make me turn away from helping you.”

“Thank you Rarity. We need to rest awhile if that’s ok with you?”

“Of course. Rest on me and we’ll continue when you are ready.” Rarity said pulling Luna into her lap holding her as Luna fell alseep on her. “Luna I don’t know what you saw, but I’ll be here for you no matter what.”

Author's Note

The next chapter Rarity will be a Boss!

Chapter 36: Luna: Dark Side

Luna awoke to the feeling of a warm body holding her close. Not wanting to move away from the comfort she wiggled closer to the source of heat trying to think when the last time she had this level of comfort. To her chagrin she couldn’t recollect a single memory when she was held like this. Even Tia when she was younger was always to busy to embrace her when she needed it. Always to busy with the affairs of mortals to hold her close during the day as she slept.

She looked up to see that Rarity had fallen asleep holding her and Luna for one was sore to ruin the moment. So she didn’t. It was after a few minutes snuggling into Rarity she woke up and giving Luna a gentle hug went to get up. They both took a few moments to stretch out the kinks in their bodies.

“Are you feeling better Darling?”

“Not really, but we think we are ready to move on. It should be best to get this over with post haste.”

“Well then, let us be off.” Rarity said with a last shake of her body loosening out kinks that she she had built up laying on the cold ground.

They walked to the next room, Luna leaning into Rarity for both physical and emotional support. As they continued the room shifted and they both found themselves standing on the face of the moon looking at the pristine world beneath them. Rarity felt Luna shivering in raw, unadulterated fear, before she saw it. The look of raw terror on Luna’s face was so painful Rarity felt her heart clench from the sorrow of it.

Wrapping her in a hug Rarity talked in a calm, but authoritative tone, “Luna! Listen to me. I’m right here! Do you hear me?!”

After not responding she gave a slight smack across the face and repeated what she said earlier. It took a few repeats of this before Luna looked at and acknowledged her. Taking this as a good sign Rarity looked into her friends terror struck eyes.

“Ok repeat after me. I am not alone!”

“I am not alone!” Luna said in a whisper.

“I can’t hear you! Say it louder!” Rarity said in a loud tone.

“I am not alone!” Luna said in a tone that was almost at normal speaking voice, but louder than before.

“Louder!” Rarity said almost screaming.

“I! Am! Not! Alone!” Luna replied in the royal Canterlot voice.

“Good. Now say ‘We will get through this together!’, and I want you to mean it!”

“We will get ... We will get through this together!” Luna said with a little hesitation at the beginning of the statement.

“I don’t believe you Luna. Say it with conviction!” Rarity said. Almost feeling like Rainbow Dash giving a pep talk, but it was something that she knew that Luna needed to do.

“We! Will! Make! It! Through! This! Together!” Luna screamed punctuating each word with as much conviction she could give. The pep talk from Rarity getting her focused on her friend and her words rather than her fears. She felt for moment as if as long as her friend was with her she could do anything.

“Now I believe you. Now don’t forget those things and you’ll be ok because I am here, and we will make it through this together. Regardless of what happens, it’ll be together.” Rarity said giving her the biggest hug she could.

As Luna felt the warmth and caring radiating from Rarity she nuzzled her cheek before whispering in her ear, “ Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“Any time darling.”

It was about this time when Luna’s Dark Side, Nightmare Moon decided to make an appearance. Her form growing from the dark bowls of outer space. Like a mist formed of all the darkness the universe held and molded it into not only a Nightmare, but one who was known as such throughout all Equestria. As Nightmare Moon looked upon the two cuddled into oneanother for comfort and warmth she let loose a mirthless chuckle.

“My! My! My! Look whose finally decided to show up. It’s been a while hasn’t it Luna?”

“Rarity, do as I say. I need you to run. Now!” Luna said in a panic toned.

“No! Remember what we just said?” Rarity said in a tone that told Luna she would brook no arguement.

“But this is Nightmare Moon, you don’t know what she can do.” Luna said worrying, her fears once again wiping all the courage that she had recently built.

“No! I told you we finish this together and that’s what we’ll do! There will be no argument.” Rarity assertively stated. Giving Luna another hug she turned and moving her body close to Luna’s allowing Luna to feel her comforting warmth and a friendly shoulder to rest on.

“Oh this is rich! You actually try to be friendly to her know? After everypony ignored her for three long years. She had to make all the first moves, and even then she was barely tolerated by our subjects.” Nightmare Moon replied in a cold voice. Laughing at Rarity’s statement that she was there for Luna. “The only pony that was ever there for Luna was me. But you and your group of miscreants stole me from her. Now she is all alone again.”

“Well yes I admit that I wasn’t there for her for a long while, none of were,” Turning to Luna she whispered, “Sorry darling. I promise that after all this is over me and the girls will hang out with you later.”

“You promise.”

“Cross my heart. Hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye.” Rarity said going through the motions of the most unbreakable of oaths.

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes at the display of sentiment. “Well let’s see how you stand with that sentiment after I tell you a little something.”

“I don’t care what you have to say. Nothing you can say will make me leave Luna.”

“We’ll see Rarity. We’ll see,” Sitting down on her haunches she had a smug grin stretched upon her face, “ Did you know that all the things that I was blamed with were actually done by Luna?”

“I don’t believe you.” Rarity said incredulously.

“When I was first birthed I was born from the isolation, loneliness, and anger of Luna. I gave her the power to act on her darkest desires, her most evilest wishes. But I was without direction like a child. It was her hate, her anger, her desires that guided my actions. That and having seen your own dark side. You know that I am her, and she is me. Well this form is special to Alicorns as Luna can tell you.”

Looking at Luna she saw her give a sad nod, looking at everything but at the mares before her. Rarity was partially shocked to hear this. She knew that Nightmare Moon had done crimes in the past, but she didn’t know that Luna guided her actions although having saw her dark side. She couldn’t fully blame her. In Rarity’s eyes Luna had done more than paid her time, and then some.

“Think about this Rarity. Think of your dear sister Sweetie Belle. Now think that it was the mare beside you who ordered the assassinations of orphanages, and orchestrated monster attacks on school houses. Think of all the sisters just like you have that were stolen from their families from her actions. That’s the pony that you say you’ll stand by? Really?”

Rarity sat down her mind reeling from the images that Luna’s Dark Side was planting in her head. As she sorted out her emotions, her coat dulling slightly. Luna wept silently as Nightmare Moon laughed at her suffering. “You forget Luna you gave me my ruthlessness and ability to know where to stab others. How can anyone other than me love you knowing the sins you’ve committed?”

Rarity looked at Nightmare Moon and walked up to her. As Nightmare Moon glazed coldly upon her Rarity smacked her with all her might in the jaw while yelling, “Don’t you dare talk that way to my friend! Yes I feel sorrow for what happened to those poor foals. But I know that Luna has carried that weight to a degree that not even I can imagine,” Pointing a hoof at Luna while still shouting at a shocked Nightmare Moon, “ That mare! That precious princess has been doing everything she can to make up for her past. Even I can see that. And I. Won’t. Leave. Her. I made a Pinkie Promise and I’m not about to break it.”

Nightmare Moon gave her an appraising look tinted with a glowering glare. Shifting her view to Luna she rolled her eyes, “ We’ll see about that. Everyone leaves us but each other eventually. Even our sister sealed us in the moon for a thousand years rather than heal us. Even know we are alone. But if what this pathetic mortal says is true. Than we shall see what we shall see.”

Luna steeled herself and lowering her head humbly started speaking, “Unlike the rest of these ponies whom until know never knew their darkside. We were the closest of ponies. At first thou were just a friend, a pony that we could talk to and rely on. It was thy fault that thou turned evil, and it was thy actions that resulted in the deaths of thousands. Not a day goes by after our cleansing where we do not suffer from what we have done. Our heart bleeds for the lives we have taken, and for the pain we have put thee through.

But we feel as if our friends are ready to take steps to truly letting us experience the magic of friendship. Yes our sister still has yet to learn to not repeat the actions that caused our dark decent into evil, but with Rarity, Twilight, and the others we feel that things will now change. And we art sorry our friend that we have placed a great pain upon thee as well.”

Luna then walked up and hugged Nightmare Moon whom broke down in tears upon her. “We forgive you.” She said before dissipating into nothingness as the room shifted back into normal.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait y'all. IRL + Other stories kind of put me behind schedule. Journeys is still in the works, and it's running into the last few chapters.

Chapter 38: A Journey to the Core

All eight were once again together but rather than being in a room they stood in giant cocoons of light. That slowly carried them to a giant star that radiated all imaginable colors in an ever changing pattern. As the got closer to the light their minds opened and for the shortest time they saw all possible realities, and while the particulars were to many to remember steady themes that defined the core of their being. Their true selves slowly shined through. Awakening an enlightened epiphany from each of them.

Celestia watched all the Millenia she lived, all the times she could have been a tyrant, ruling over her people with an iron hoof. All the times she could be a trickster goddess, forcing those on the planet to deal with the constant stress of pranks done in poor taste that could bring annoyance or destruction. As a predator who forced all around her to worship her mighty marehood. Even ones close to the ones she followed where she strove to protect her ponies from the horror of the world. Throughout all of it was Perseverance. No matter what happened in her life, she persevered. Even when everything pointed to the possibility that she would fail. She never gave up, never let up, and struggled to get back up no matter how many times she was beaten down.

Rainbow Dash was lost in her mind and eyes were hundreds of different lives, tons of different emotions. She saw lives where her parents lived, some longer than others, most of the lives she saw had her leaving home for many different reasons. Some lives as an egg head, and seeing them it made sense, others were a more girly, fru-fru Dash, while some were more darker paths than she had taken. But through out all of those lives, she saw not only the touch of the Elements guiding her, but saw what made her, her. Her Creativity and Ingenuity. Both of which were intertwined intrinsically together in her life to drive her to knew heights. For in all things she put her mind to, in all things she dedicated to herself to she was a Prodigy in that field.

As Rainbow Dash was watching her life one pony in particular came up repeatedly in the multiple lives she lived in Fluttershy. Who at the moment was looking at the multiple lives of her own. While she was used to, and in many lives it was true, being meek. Hiding within herself, only seeing the weakness she had told herself was all she had. She saw what she could have been, and in some universes what she could have been. Strong, independent, not just wrapped up in a cocoon. But the butterfly that had emerged from out of it.

But through wars, and peace. Love and hate. Hidden from the world, and a butterfly like her current Cutie Mark’s name sake was her core. Hers was dependability for in all of lives she was there for those under her protection. Weather it was her animal friends that she took care of, or ponies she cared for. When they were in danger it fueled her greatest power. The power of the Stare. When lives were at stake, even when she thought she was weak and pathetic, she gained tremendous speed and wing power. Even rivaling Rainbow Dash. For those under her protection, for those that she cared for. You couldn’t find a more dependable mare in all of Equestria.

Next was Apple Jack. She was one with the most straight forward of lives. She was a loyal and prideful pony. A pony that stood by her beliefs and pushed ahead with things even when they looked bleak. She was there to lift ponies up, through action, word, or the strength of her own four legs. She was a rock for others to lean on, and was always there for those who needed her most. Even when she was acting pig headed, or was under the influence of dark forces she was steadfast in her devotions. Her core was that of unwavering determination. An underlying thread that worked its way through everything she did for good or ill.

Beside her was Pinkie Pie, or more accurately an army of Pinkie Pies, each one looking upon one another. Pinkie Pie’s mired ancestry, of both Alicorn, beings from beyond the stars, and at one point in the far, far, distant past, Discord. Even if that was never written in the historical archives, it played no small part in the prosperity in their ability to use blood magic to grow gems. Although in some universes she was born in unconventional manners. She is who she always had been. Herself, weather kind, cruel, loving, wrathful, or what ever she was in any of her given timeline. The only word that would ever fit Pinkie was that Pinkmena was Pinkmena, or Pinkie was Pinkie. It was a rare thing to be yourself without masks or deceptions. It was another for your entire being to ascend and become something that described you to a tee.

Twilight’s brain was awash with information. Timelines where her family was of much lesser nobility, where she was loved and supported by all her family. Timelines where her power surge caused many deaths, others where she never became Celestia’s student, she saw many forms of herself, many different lives. Through out all of it was one hunger that she had always had. An insatiable appetite that had hounded her since Fillyhood, the hunger for knowledge.

The newly arrived Rarity and Luna were what seemed to the others to arrive mere moments after them, and as such were the last ones to be pulled to the spectra sun. Rarity felt the light burn against her drained body. Part of the sacrifice for going back was that she was not fully purified, thus the raw purity of the light filled her body with a tingling ache that slowly turned to a slow burn that she couldn’t shake as her mind was opened to the other universes. She saw the many, many universes where she failed in finding the power of Fabulosity. In those timelines she saw sadness, but an inner steel that shaped her. She saw the greatest of goods, and the greatest of evils. But throughout of it, was her Grandiosity. The grandeur and class she brought into all things she did followed her through the various lives she could have been.

And finally there was Luna. From her dalliance with the Elements, onwards. She saw both when her and her sisters roles were reversed with her ruling while her sister was locked away. Times were she ruined the world, and times where Nightmare Moon turned out to be not that bad through the romantic interactions of various incarnations of the Element Bearers. She saw much good, and great evils. But all in all her life was as colorful as her personality. But throughout all of it and the various Elements she could have born what made her, her was her dedication. In all things she picked up, or did she put her entire being into it. Her creativity, her power, her intelligence into it.

As they were absorbed into the Spectra Sun. Their minds and souls awash in all that they are, were, or could have been. They were pulled into the plane of existence that Twilight and Celestia were pulled into with there meeting with the Watcher.

Author's Note

Who can see the Fic, and Canon Shout outs sprinkled throughout this chapter?

This story is now almost over. Just a few more chapters to go.

Chapter 1: Recieving the Letter

Rarity and Fluttershy were sitting in the Carousel Boutique having just finished up a wonderful day at the spa. Rarity was just setting down her ornate, fine china tea set that Fluttershy and herself usually drank from when two green flames flew through the window above the front door before them. Rarity let out a laugh as opened the scroll, “Oh this must be from Twilight, we haven’t heard from that poor dear in so long. I wonder how she’s been.”

That mirth quickly disappeared as she read the note. The twinkle in her eyes dimming as her face fell into one of concern. After reading it the first time she stopped and reread it just to make sure she was seeing it correctly.

“ Dear Girls,

I know that we have not spoken to each other in months, well more accurately half a year. I hope every thing is well for you as for myself. Well that’s why I’m sending you this letter. It turns out that being a Princesses isn’t what I thought it would be. Half of the people put you on a pedestal so high that you can never reach them, like your so perfect that even if you were to do something horrible they’d still worship you for it. The other half look on you with fear as if they are afraid that if they step a toe out of line then you will destroy them or something. It makes all the times I feared that the Princess would banish me over stupid things all the more worse.

I apologized of course, and she said not to worry about it. But that doesn’t make me feel better about it. Of course you have those blasted, anti-establishment news articles calling us Tyrants. It was the pony’s of Equestria who basically forced Celestia and Luna to rule since they were the same age as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. All that is stressful enough without learning what I’ve learned. I learned the truth about Discord, the Changelings, and a whole host of other things I wish that I never learned. Think about that, there’s finally something that I regret knowing. Basically the reason that their are no more Alicorns other than a select few, and those being a result of a recessive gene, is a great war that happened four thousand years ago.

It resulted in the creation of the Draconequus, weaponizing the bodies and souls of normal ponies as well as mass genocide of many pony types. Celestia and Luna were just foals at the time when it was near an end, and from what they can tell me. There was a 7th Element that was once in exitance it was attached to one of these weaponized ponies, what they called an Omnicorn, a mix of Alicorn and Anarcorn. The later one was a group of immortals that was a mix of now extinct Anar which were fire breathing Unicorns who had a natural knack for combative magics. The Tulpa which you know more as Luna’s Royal Guard, well the Pegasi that drew her chariot on her first Nightmare Night. And a group of Dark Ponies that were supposedly mostly subterranean, only coming out at night.

Apparently only the Tulpa survived the war. But it also cost Celestia and Luna all of her family members. Her mother and father were the last ones before what was left of the war was left for them to clean up. The reason we never learned of it in school is because the Alicorns kept it under wraps from even our ancestors. Not that I blame them. I mean I wouldn’t want to learn that we were driven from our homeland from a weapon that others created (I’m talking about the Wendigos by the way). The reason for the war, and what caused it to end not even they know. Something about one group of Alicorns and Anarcorns thinking that they were Gods and should be worshiped as such, and others thinking that they should work along side the mortal races. Helping them evolve and shaping their world into one that is productive and peaceful.

Regardless it’s just sad, and I don’t know how much of it is actual history and how much of it a story their parents told them before they disappeared. Anyways I’m getting off topic. As I was saying I’ll be arriving in Ponyville by tomorrow and I’m going on a Journey to find myself. I think that we should retrace our steps when Nightmare Moon arrived, I think seeing where it all began will help me. Maybe we can go exploring the ruins, after all it might hold something interesting. I don’t know why I’m drawn there, but I might as well go there. I just feel so lost sometimes we each have our own lives, and we are growing farther apart, I miss you guys. Well I hope to see you soon.

Your Friend,

- Twilight Sparkle

“Oh my, I never knew that Twilight had to deal with so much. I mean I don’t think of her or the Princesses as Tyrants,” Fluttershy said with tears running down her eyes at reading what her friend was going through. “We have to be there for her.”

“Of course Darling! We would never let a friend down when she needs us the most. Although I wish she would have talked to us before now. We could have helped. Yes I know that I’ve been busier now that my friend is the Princess and all. Non stop orders, but I think that I have enough bits to hire some workers to help out while I help Twilight. Rainbow Dash has been working to get her body back to full swing after that Star Swirl Spell had altered her body to be more like the old you Fluttershy.”

“Yes I still can’t believe how much change living an entire lifetime with Pinkies Cutie Mark could do. Well not really an entire timeline, but that’s what if felt like.”

“I know I’m still trying to sort out the memories of having lived basically two lives. We all are, but it’s not Twilight’s fault, and before you say anything I know you didn’t mean any offense by it. But lets see here, what has everyone else been up to. You of course were busy with your animals. I still can’t believe you are mixing Pinkie’s ability to throw parties with your old skills to throw parties for your animals.”

“Well you see ... I found that Pinkie’s gift and my own aren’t that different. She wants everyone to be happy and filled with joy. I want my animal friends to be happy and filled with joy. She loves everypony, and I love my friends. Not love, love you know. But I still really care about all my friends. So it was an easy transition to have a little bit of her gift with my animal friends. Although she’s so much better and she helps me every now and then.”

“That’s good to know, and I know what you mean Darling. Well we all know Pinkie is Pinkie, although she’s been a little bit different since the whole ordeal, and I’m not just talking about her marvelous physique. She looks as muscular as Apple Jack used to, and talking about poor Apple Jack she’s been working herself like a mule getting back to her old self. Although I must say her coming here and helping me with some of a more business chic type apparel.

Having the memories and skills of a Manehatten fashionista is really quite nice to have around. Well that about covers what everyone has been upto since the whole ordeal. But we should have made more of an effort to meet her. Fluttershy while this would normally be the time we would wind down from a nice day at the spa we should round up everyone and talk about our dear Twilight.”

***************************

Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash were hanging out at Sweet Apple Acres eating a sweet smelling, apple pie talking to one another as they had gotten into the habit of doing since their first disastrous race in Falling of the Leaves when they tied in last place.

“So AJ you finally get rid of that Manehatten accent yet?”

“Not quite yet RD,” Apple jack said with a southern accent with a trace of Manehatten. “Now ah know we’ve all forgiven Twilight for castin' that spell. Ah mean ah never knew about a spell that could be cast just by speakin'. But havin' all these conflictin' memories and my body still transformed to what ah was from Rarity’s cutie mark. Ah feel a little bit annoyed that ah have to work to get my strength back up to what it once was. Although Big Mac and Granny Smith don’t remember any of it, and are understandin' once ah told them magic had gone 'n done it.”

“Yeah I know, I mean Fluttershy wasn’t exactly weak. But she didn’t have the life style for all the stress I put my body under to withstand the stunts I do. It’s been difficult, but I miss Twilight. Although I feel bad that I haven’t been there to help her fly after the first few months. I had to do some training of my own, and I’m a Wonderbolt now. I don’t have all that much free time during my tours.”

As they finished up the pie. A green flame came towards them. As the parchment appeared before them they laughed together. “Well speak of the dickens! We were just talking about Twilight and she sends us a letter.” AJ said as she reached to open up the parchment.

Just as Rarity and Fluttershy were shocked to see what was said, Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash had a similar reaction. “Listen RD I’m going to get me some hard cider. Do want some?”

“Y-yeah sure. Um wow! I never knew that Twilight was having such a hard time. I feel bad that I haven't been there for her as much I should have.”

“Neither of us did. After we get something to drink we should meet up with the others I’m sure that they got a similar letter.”

“Yeah. Hey AJ!”

“Yes?”

“Make it two ciders.”

Chuckling sadly she said, “Sure. I was thinkin' the same thing.”

****************

Pinkie Pie had been getting a lot more business after the incident with Starswirl the bearded’s spell. A body that had been transformed to look as if it had spent over a decade doing hard work in Sweet Apple Acres had made her already impressively lean physique more toned and well defined. Adding to the fact that she was friends with a Princess had basically caused the Cake’s shop to flood with customers. Not that it bothered her, she loved making pony’s happy and it definitely made Mr. and Mrs. Cake happy.

Horseapples. My knees have been pinchy and my neck under my mane itchy since this afternoon. That usually means that a friend is in trouble and is sad. But I don’t know who it could be. I should be getting an answer soon with how urgent it’s been getting.

She knew that Rainbow and Apple Jack were sad since unlike the others they had physically demanding jobs and bodies that weren’t like how they used to be. But that would change in time, she had been secretly spiking their cupcakes and snacks with a watered down version of Pony Growth Hormone in this last month. After she not only gained the bits for the Hormone itself, but a medical unicorn capable of weakening it enough to prevent them from growing infertile, violent, and muscle damage.

After all a good friend helped their friends, not injured them. As she was partially lost in thought she noticed a green flame appear. Knowing that this must be what her Pinkie Sense, sensed. She opened it and read it. After she was done her mane and tail deflated. Going to Mr. and Mrs. Cake she explained that Twilight was in trouble and needed her. They told her that they knew a few Pony’s who were good at baking and could cover for her while she did what she needed to do.

Don’t worry Twilight, we’ll be there to help you.

Chapter 17: Rainbow Dash : A Silver Lining

As the room faded a near grey toned Rainbow Dash sat down drenched in sweat from her recent physical exertions. Feeling ashamed at the sides of herself that she was forced to come face to face with she focused on moving forwards so she could find a way to make it up to her friends how she had been acting. With great trepidation she walked to the next room.

As the room shifted again facehoofed, groaning in annoyance, “Not again! I just got done with this bucket of horseapples. Well I might as well get this over with. Come give me your best shot!” She ended with a scream as she was standing in a replica of her cloud houses doorstep. The rainbow waterfall cascading to her left side as a warm summer breeze blew through her mane.

“That won’t be necessary. You’ll find this place more to your liking.” Rainbow Dash heard a voice beside her. Looking she noticed that she lacked the darkness and the evil eyes that she previously had. In its place was a glow so bright that she seemed to radiate a cyan aura, and her eyes glowed with rose colored flames that gently shimmered out the sides.

“What are you supposed to be?”

“Silly I’m you. Simply the purified version of your dark side.”

“Purified how?”

“The Elements of Harmony, for you and the others when you pass through the darkest side of yourselves you in turn purify that side of yourselves. This place is simply a transitory area that will show you the better side of yourself. Each place though is different for each of you. Although all of you are linked, what you need to see, as well as what you learn is special for each of you.” The double replied.

“So what do I need to see then? Didn’t you show me how horrible I am already?” Dash said holding back tears as she mentally relived the seeing the worst of herself.

“Didn’t you listen silly? This will show you the better side of yourself. Trust me you’ll like this.”

*****************

The Pegasi that weren’t affected by the feather flu had finished pulling off a water tornado that was big enough to send the water from Ponyville to Cloudsdale. Including, interestingly enough, Fluttershy. Afterward everyone went to Pinkie Pie’s “Yay! We replenished Cloudsdales water supply Party!”, other than two Pegasi. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

“Hey Flutters I just wanted to say thanks.” Rainbow Dash said sitting on Fluttershy’s couch in the middle of what could be considered her living room. As Fluttershy sat on the arm chair that sat beside it.

“Your welcome Rainbow Dash, but what I did wasn’t all that special. I almost failed completely.” Fluttershy said deflecting the comment as she was want to do. Not wanting to seem immodest, or as if she thought she was better than anypony.

“That’s just the thing though, you didn’t. You really made me proud of you Flutters. I mean it. You could’ve stayed down and we would’ve failed, but you got back up. You really showed everypony how awesome you are.” She took Fluttershy in a half hug eliciting a blush from Fluttershy.

“You really mean it? You think I’m awesome?”

“Of course. I always knew you had it in you. I’m just glad that you’re finally starting to come out of your shell a little bit.”

“I’m glad” Fluttershy whispered audibly into her mane, before saying in a slightly louder voice,“Aren’t you going to the party? I think the other’s would like to see you there.”

“Why be with all of them when I can be with my friend who helped make it all possible.”

**********************

Rainbow laughed at the memory, not because it was funny but because it was one of her favorite memories with Fluttershy. Her color slightly returned going from near grey, to darker shades of her normal colors.

*********************

Rainbow Dash was sitting on a cloud above Twilight Sparkle. It was her first flying lesson and she was more proud than the time she got Scootaloo to hover. With a ear to ear grin so big that it could be heard in her voice, “Your doing good Twi. Remember the power is in the down stroke, remember it’s not about flapping fast it’s about flapping strong. All the speed in the world won’t make a difference if you don’t put power behind the strokes.

Now that doesn’t mean that flapping fast doesn’t make you go faster, but just like when you were racing. It’s all about knowing your strengths and how to pace. Now I want you to angle your wings forward to go higher and angle them downward to go lower. I want to see what you got.”

Twilight being older than most Pegasi when they learned to fly was sloppy. But being older she had the wing strength to get some air. So with that out of the way Rainbow Dash had spent the earlier part of the day hovering and going over wing movements. Now it was time to get her flying.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean shouldn’t I learn more about hovering?”

“Ha! Twi your such a laugh. You already know how to hover, you got the movements down pat and you got the natural skill. If I say your ready than trust me your ready.”

Rainbow Dash was happy to see Twilight flying. To know that she was responsible for showing a Princess the ropes. Even though she felt so weak in this new body, to see her friend so happy. It was a true blessing.

**********************

Rainbow Dash’s color was almost back to normal her eyes glazed over with unspilt tears and a lazy grin crossing her face. “ I forgot about that. Wow it really has been a hectic few months.”

“See you aren’t such a bad pony. You just lost sight of what’s really important to you.”

“Yeah I did didn’t I?”

“Yes you did, but now you know what to fix. As for what you saw about Scootaloo. Well nothing can really be said to fix that, but at least she still respects you. That and I know you’ll try being a better part of her life.”

“That’s true. So what now?”

Her doubles reply was to give Rainbow Dash a hug. With that she was awashed in a flood of memories and emotions that she had long ago forgotten. Times when she was a little filly, having awoken fitfully from a nightmare ran to her parents bedroom. For her mother to hold her in her wings singing,

“ I’ll love you forever, I’ll love you always.
From the first time I saw you, to the end of my days.
From morning to night time, forever I’ll stay.
For my love is for ever, forever always.”

This was her special song she sang for Dashie ever since she first held her. Her and her husbands special rainbow. When Rainbow Dash would finally fall asleep she rested her between them. Their wing wrapping around the little filly letting her know that she was beyond a shadow of a doubt loved. It was this love that she had felt she had forever lost, but when the memories came to the forefront of her mind she was knew that their love lived inside her. And was always there.

Then came memories of Fluttershy protectively wrapping a loving wing around Rainbow Dash in those early years. Her own shyness disappearing in her need to comfort her friend, to try and protect her from the sorrows that threatened to drown her heart. Next was memories of her other friends. Ponies who were always there for her when she was down, who always did what they could to be there for her even when she thought that no one could possibly care about her.

It was that friendship, that support, that love, that made her at that moment realize something important. She was never truly alone all along. Her friends were her new family, and they had been through so much together. With that revelation her body returned to normal, all the loss and darkness she was forced to live through was dispelled. The overwhelming joy of that moment brought tears of joy to her face as she returned the hug full force to her double.

“Thank you so much, I’ll never forget you.”

“I know and I’ll always be with you. Even if you can’t see me. No matter what you choose to do, I’ll be there with you cheering you on. Just remember that those around you aren’t chains holding you down. They are clouds holding you up. Like that earth pony saying goes, 'Every cloud has a silver lining’, your friends are your silver lining. The good that will help you through the bad.” With that a door appeared before them. “It’s time for you to go to the next room.”

Author's Note

Next up is Fluttershy. I'll probably be in about two weeks for me to get her completely finished and posted.

Chapter 33: Luna: Fears pt. 1, Birth of a Nightmare

Luna walked through the fog with great trepidation. She felt the unnatural aspects of the fog, and how it twisted her magics. It made her skin crawl being in here and she knew that it would only end poorly. After all even though Twilight said that things would go right after she conquered her darkness.

She knew that she had more darkness than the others would ever know. But she did this not like her sister who did it out of love of her marefriend, nor like Twilight’s friends who did it out of an obligation to atone for their actions. She was doing this purely because she trusted Twilight and would show that she was a true friend to one of the few ponies who ever showed her any friendship since she escaped her nightmare.

Just like those before her she saw the fog shift. And like many of those who walked these halls she was shown not an apparition of her fears first, but a memory both true and twisted of what once was. A reminder of wounds past that still haunted her, shaped her, gave birth to the darkness that plagued her soul.

****************

Luna was sitting in a moonlit field with her sister. It had been years since their parents left them, and Tia promised to look after and protect her. Still they never came, and Luna thought that it was her fault. After all if they didn’t come back than it must have been because she wasn’t good enough of a daughter, at least that was Luna’s opinion.

As her way of making her parents where ever they were, and her sister proud of her. She had been working on this moment for a while. Looking at the night sky, getting a feel of the stars and moon, and preparing for this one moment. Putting her magic into the background magic of the universe and shaped it to what she thought was a beautiful night, and it was. That connection to the night, that beauty gave birth to her Cutie Mark, as well as her Moon Form. But unfortunately good things can never last.

As she looked upon her sister she saw not joy of her accomplishment, nor did she see appreciation for her night. What she saw was fear. She was confused to why her sister was looking at her with such fear in her eyes, “Sister what’s wrong? Why are you frightened?”

She saw her sister’s iris’s turn to pin pricks as she glared daggers at her, “What did you do to my sister you monster?” Celestia screamed at her.

“But sister, we are your sister!”

“No your not!” She yelled before slamming her front hooves into Luna knocking her over.

Luna lay on the cold unforgiving ground under her first night sky. Weeping to herself as her sister’s words ran through her mind.

What’s wrong ...

“Your a monster!”

I’m your sister ...

“No your not!”

“Your a monster!”

But I’m her sister why won’t she love me?

“Your a monster!”

No I’m not! I’m Luna! I ... I ... I won’t show this form ever again. I don’t want my sister to hate me.

“Your a monster!”

This circle of thinking kept playing in her mind until she eventually cried herself to sleep. There was no one to comforter her. No one to protect her. After all no one goes out at night.

****************************

Luna wept at that memory. Remembering the moment that caused her decent into Nightmare Moon. It was a time that most Ponies see as a moment of extreme joy, seeing their special talent emblazoned on her flank. For her there was no celebration, only misery and the start of event that would lead to decent into darkness.

*****************************

One of the things that Luna gained from her lunar connection was the access to the “Dream World” a vast connection of dreamscapes that allowed her to see the dreams of every sapient being on the planet. But this world also held Nightmares. It was here that Luna saw the deaths of the founders of Equestria. She witnessed them in many different angles, and felt the horror attached to them.

As she woke up with a fright she ran to her sister. “Sister! I have been walking through the Dream world looking at the dreams of others, and I have seen something that I think is more than just Nightmares!”

Giving her a hug Tia tried soothing her with comforting sounds before saying, “It was a Nightmare nothing more. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”

“But it’s more than that! There are many of the same nightmares between many different ponies. This is more than just a coincidence. Please we must save them! I ... I can’t get the deaths they witnessed out of my mind Tia. So much death, so much horrror! We need to do something.”

“Listen Lulu. I know it may have seen bad, but nightmares aren’t real. They are all in your head. Nothing more.”

“NO YOU LISTEN!” Luna said using the Royal Voice. “This was real! We need to go and save them. Please!”

After Celestia got the ringing out of her ears. She sighed and held Luna close. Feeling like she had to check under the bed to show that the Boogiecolt wasn’t there, “Fine we will go to where you think you saw these bad things than you’ll see that there is nothing to fear.”

The fog around Luna shifted as time skipped to when they finally reached Equestria. There is no words to describe the atrocities that Discord lay upon the land. It would’ve been worse if he was evil. But the fact that he was chaotic neutral made his actions so much worse. He was like a child pulling wings off of butterflies, not because he wanted to be cruel, but to see what would happen.

The skies randomly shifted from ask covered skies that rained actual cats and dogs, to clouds of fire that rained liquid rainbows and napalm. To having the sky fall like shards of glass. The land was warped in chaos so powerful that it shifted on a whim and the ponies within the land were tormented with actions that represented the polar opposite to who they were. If they weren’t killed, transformed into monsters, or serving in Discord’s Army.

Celestia looked at Luna and held her close. “We do need to save them, I owe you an apology. But it’ll have to wait until after we do something about this.”

************************************

Luna’s coat had grayed at reliving those nightmares. Having the wounds that had never fully healed opened again caused her to fall to the ground weeping. Especially since she knew the horrors that were coming. Worse of all she knew that these were the events that lead to the perfect storm that led to her fall.

“Please no more! Who ever is in charge of this fog, no more! I don’t want to relive these memories.” She cried before whimpering, “No more!”

*************************************

It was a month later and after the failed attempt to fight Discord. They had faced Discord’s Army when they entered and they twisted their magics while assaulting their mind. The fight lasted for three weeks and converted a beautiful forest into a desert wasteland. The very land was so soaked with magic and chaos energy that the land twisted reality for those who would enter it, even to modern days nopony would enter it on their own accord.

While it ended with Discord and them fighting head to head, it caused them to retreat with their sanity barely intact. As they teleported outside of Equestria’s borders. They regrouped and thought of what was needed to defeat an entity that was the essence of chaos and disharmony. Eventually it was Luna who thought of finding the Elements of Harmony. The Alicorn’s birthright and the object lost to the realm of stories after the great war. All they had to do was go on a quest to find them.

The fog shifted as time skipped ahead three years later. After they found the Elements of Harmony in the Everfree forest. The only place where Discord’s power didn’t have a hold over. It being as chaotic as he was a was protected by ancient magics of the earth and Alicorns. As they made it too face Discord in what was modern Canterlot, he used his power to separate them. He target Luna first, her being the youngest. He corrupted her generosity into envy over her sister’s power, her kindness into cruelty feeding off her jealousy of her sister’s accomplishments and beauty, and her laughter into wrath.

Just as Twilight was assaulted by her friends during their corruption. Luna was turned against her sister. But where Discord was playing with kiddy gloves with the Elements of Harmony, He wasn’t pulling his blows with Alicorns. He was made with Alicorn parts after all, and after witnessing the sisters’ power knew better. He knew that they were a threat to his power and after three weeks of battle the last time he was going to make sure they suffered.

Luna was at the head of a force of monsters and soldiers going after Celestia. The only thing on her mind raped mind was how much better her sister was than her. How much better things were for her. How she didn’t have to hide large parts of who she was to keep the only family she had left. Celestia never had in Luna’s mind to worry about being alone, and now she was going to crush her. Her and every bit of hope she held dear.

It was a long and grueling battle. With Discord laughing as Luna had given into her darkest emotions and her coat pale white fought violently against her sister. It was pure luck that Celestia thought of a memory spell. She having listened to all the hate and anger in her sisters voice used memories to show the love and friendship she held towards her. It was those memories that returned Luna to Celestia and in that moment they turned upon Discord and released a world healing wave that undid all of Discord’s influences. Just as Twilight and her friends later accomplished.

But just as the Elements of Harmony never fully healed the modern Elements of Harmony from the scars of Discords actions. The damage done to Luna was already done. Even though it was a nightmare for her, a small part liked it. The feeling that she was no longer a lesser pony, that she mattered. The feeling that she didn’t need to hide parts of herself just so she could be loved. And that part she shoved down into the dark part of her mind brewed drawing in the things she repressed. The formation of what would one day become Nightmare Moon.

*******************************

*******************************

Luna found herself in a slightly older body. She was standing next to Celestia thinking about what went wrong as they sat in the outer border of what was once the Crystal Empire. But was now rechristened Sombra’s Empire.

Sombra was like a younger brother to Luna ever after they found him orphaned in Stalliongrad, running through the streets stealing food to survive. He was also her companion through the lonely nights, being the only pony that stayed up with her while the others locked themselves inside. She took him as a protege’. Teaching him all she knew including her vast knowledge of the Dark Arts. Which he was obsessed with, it should have set off red flags in her head that he took to those magics like a fish to water, while struggling with the less darker magics.

It also should have set off red flags that he was obsessed with the power of the Crystal Empire, and the power of the Crystal Heart. But she didn’t want to be alone, and decided to ignore it so she could have company. But as he grew older, they grew more distant, until he struck out against the empire and took control over it. Threatening to throw Equestria into an age of eternal darkness.

So now they stood with the Elements of Harmony and used it’s power to seal Sombra away. But just as they did three things happened. A shard of Sombra’s power embedded itself into Luna in an effort to empower her dark side so that if he couldn’t win they’d still loose. Second he sent out his Alicorn Amulet, something he had attached a part of his soul as well as power enhancing spells. So not only could he become powerful when he retook control of the Crystal Empire, but while he was sealed away he could possess any entity that found it. So that he could always have a way to win should he be defeated. And lastly, he took the spells that bound the Crystal Empire with himself so that as he did fail, it was taken with him.

He had always been one to plan five steps ahead, planning for any failure or success. Making sure that if he ever lost a fight, those who won would lose more than he did. And he would be damned if he wasn’t going to survive after death to ensure that all of Equestria either bowed to his might, or was crushed by those who swore to protect it.

So as it ended. The seed of Discord’s corruption, and the final assault of Sombra did what both failed to do separately. And that was give form to the darkness in her heart. Now with Luna truly alone. She had only one companion. A voice in her head that talked to her, comforted her, and let her know that she wasn’t alone. A voice that slowly gained a body that would stand beside Luna while feeding off her inner darkness.

*****************************

“No! No more! You hear me! I don’t want to see any more! I’m no longer that pony! I don’t want to see anymore!” Luna cried. Her coat graying even further, as she lost her little brother again, and knew that what was coming was going to be the turning point of her greatest sin. The one thing that destroyed many lives and dreams. The birth of Nightmare Moon. But just as before the fog didn’t listen to her cries.

*****************************

Luna charged into the throne room where Celestia sat surrounded by the Council of twelve. Four ponies of the three races that came from the four corners of Equestria and made sure that all races were equally looked after. They were the ambassadors of the races and came in every few months to ensure that everything was going smoothly. Other than one little problem. That was that they only dealt during the day while Luna usually slept, and no pony. Even after over two thousand years bothered to deal with Luna or stay up for her night other than a select few who saw it as a punishment. Or were unwanted by the day shift. Even then few of those did more than was required for them.

It had gone on long enough in Luna’s mind. She had tried talking to her sister about her loneliness, had made festivals and celebrations during the night to draw ponies out to see her beautiful night sky, and had even tried to do things to make the night shifts seem enjoyable to draw in more members of her court. But to no avail. Nothing worked, and ponies only looked at the night as a time to sleep and hide from the dark, rather than love the beauty of the moon light.

“Sister we shalt talk to thee immediately!”

“Not now Lulu, We are having court with our subjects.”

“They are our subjects as well! We won’t be ignored any longer!”

Looking at the council she sighed softly, “We are sorry out subjects. But we shan’t be long,” Looking at Luna, “What is it now dear sister?”

“Two thousand years! Two thousand years we have waited for our subjects to embrace us as they do you! Two thousand years we have been alone, looking for others to give us the same love and adoration that they dost give thyself! But thou refuses to help us, thou are given adulations and are adored while we wilt in thy shadow! We wish for thou to stop ignoring us and help us have what thou taketh for granted!” Luna yelled. She wanted to talk civily, but with her friend that only she could see. She was egged into no longer hiding her feelings.

“Listen to thy self Lulu! Thou are acting like a foal. Thou knoweth that are days are busy trying to keep our lands safe, and that we have been working most hard trying to bring thou subjects. But the times are trying and the land is dangerous at night. Would thou suggest that we shalt endanger our subjects?”

“I AM NOT A FOAL! AND STOP CALLING ME LULU TIA! I AM LUNA, AND THOU SHALT ADDRESS US AS SUCH!” Luna roared. The throne room of the royal sisters castle rattling from the force of Luna’s royal voice. Taking a deep breath she cut off her sisters reply, “It has been two thousand years. Thou doesn’t know what it’s like! All the ponies enjoy thee days, and either sleep through thy nights. They liveth for the light of the sun, but treat thy moon like the lesser light. When good things happen they bless thou, even for good dreams that we are responsible for. But they never once mention thy name other than to damn, or curse at others. Shalt it be another thousand years before they change their minds? Two thousand? Three? When will it be before we are no longer alone?” She said her eyes glistening with tears.

“We are sorry Lulu, but thou are acting like a foal yelling at everypony. As for how long? We don’t know. These things take time, thou knows this. We can’t change the minds of others. Thou knows this. You need to go and calm down, when you are ready to talk calmly we can try going over your grievances.”

“We shalt go, but hear me sister. We will no longer wilt in your shadow. The time will come soon when you shalt wilt in ours. Then we can see how thou likest it.”

Luna it is time. We have told thou that thou sister would ignore thee. Thou has lived in her shadow long enough, it’s time that the moon stands it ground and all come to love us.

Yes. Dear friend it shall. All will come to love Nightmare Moon. And all will come to worship our beauty as they once worshiped our sister. Now is for the age of eternal night.

Chapter 37: Luna: A Moonlit Meeting

Luna rested her head against Rarity after the room returned to normal. The horror of living a devious mix of corrupted and real memories that highlighted the worst that she had to offer. It was a small miracle that Rarity was there for her. If she had been than who knows if she would be able to survive the horrors she inflicted upon the world.

“Don’t worry, the next part will be make things so much better.” Rarity said nuzzling her.

As Luna finally noticed her companion, seeing her slightly grayed coat she asked worriedly, “Are ... Are you going to be alright as well? I don’t want anypony else to suffer from my actions.”

“Of course darling. I’ll be fine,” some day. I was warned that what ever I did was not going to be able to be healed from the next part. But I know someday this draining feeling will pass, and it was worth it to help Luna.

As they walked down the hallway Luna marveled in the warmth radiating from Rarity. She hadn’t had this level of closeness with another pony for a long while. Even if it was only friendship that Rarity was offering it was more than the miniscule amounts of random physical contact she got from any pony. Well since she was a filly and her sister would wrap her in her wings and rock her to sleep. But that was lifetimes away it felt like sometimes.

Unlike Rarity who was prepared to more fully appreciate the change of scenery, Luna was lost in her introspection when the room they entered in shifted. It transformed into the hillside outside Ponyville, in a majestic, cloudless midnight. Every star shown with vivid intensity, and the moon was positively radiant. It took Rarity nudging her delicately for Luna to be brought out of her mental revelry.

“What manner of demon is to torment us now?” Luna asked as she looked at her surroundings apprehensively.

“None Darling, this is where everything gets better. Just you see.”

With the wounds that weren’t just torn open, but were ripped open then lye poured in the wounds. She was wary of this place. Even with Rarity’s vouching she was waiting for the other horse shoe to drop as it were.

Then she saw it, Nightmare Moon. Even though it held none of the anger or malice in its form. The very image of who she was made her taste bile in her throat and feel as if great claws were twisting her guts.

“Do not be afraid Luna, I am not here for the same reasons that I was before."

“LIES! THOU DECIETFUL DEMON! BEGONE FROM THINE EYES! I WILL HAVE NOT TO DO WITH THEE!" Luna yelled with the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“Really now thou are just acting like a foal throwing a temper tantrum.” Nightmare Moon replied with a shake of her head.

She of course didn’t pay attention to a rampaging Luna, and thus only became aware of the hillside being transformed into a stockpile of projectiles being held by an irate Goddess of the Night as the first volley grazed her wings. With a wave of magic they struggled with rocks, Luna to demolish the source of her inner pain, and Nightmare Moon, or more accurately Luna’s Moon form to put the rocks back into place so that they could proceed in a civil manner. This continued as both mares ignored Rarity who was split between stopping the struggle and getting Luna better, and fear of getting hurt in the clash of godly wills. The stress of what should have been a time of recovery slowly turned her into a steadily darkening shade of grey as fear over powered love within her.

For what seemed an eternity of struggle between all three in the place caused Rarity to snap, “STOP IT! Both of you! Please?! Luna this isn’t who you think it is. I promise that she’s here to help. Just please stop this fighting!” She said the stress of all that she had gone through, and all she redid finally caught upto her in force as tears of pain, frustration and fear ran down her face.

The surrounding hillside fell around them as Luna was shocked out of her fit of rage. And for once in her life, Rarity didn’t complain about being covered in dirt and grime. Looking over at Rarity and seeing how her body had progressed from a light grey, to a discorded pony grey. She looked straight into Rarity’s eyes, “Tell thee truly. Are we going to become better in this place?”

“Truly? You will return to normal, and I’ve already been through here. So who can tell, all I know is that you should trust her, after all when have I turned you wrong in this horrid place?”

“None at all. Alright I will trust thou,” turning to her Moon form, “Alright Demon! Tell us what thy will, but any treachery and I will not stop until they head is mounted on thy wall.”

“That is fair. By the way, I am no demon, I am thy Moon Form. It was your darkness and rejection of thee that transformed us so. I was as much a victim as thee were. Although it looks as if thou hast made her mind to hate us just as others hated thou once.”

Luna ever since her return had made that part of her a villain, a boogie mare to herself. Since she needed somepony to blame. But to have what she knew but had ran from so bluntly thrown in her face drained her of her self righteousness and caused her to lay on the ground with her head resting on her forelegs. There was no real good way to put it, other than she felt empty. Without that anger, all her pain and depression had finally peaked and she had no words to describe the insurmountable bleakness that had engulfed her very being.

While Rarity cuddled up to one side of her, trying to comfort her from one side. Luna’s Moon Form lay on the other. Wrapping her other half with a comforting wing, “Sometimes there is noone pony or otherwise who is in the wrong. Yes we, as in both of us, have done horrible things that will weight upon our soul for all of time. But we became what we became through a turn of fate, it was neither of our faults, although that doesn’t change what has happened. The blame of how it all started rests on everypony’s shoulders, so there is no reason to hold all the blame for thy self. Now here is a place of healing, a place to remember the good you so readily forget about yourself, and to allow your soul to bathe in the light you so eagerly yearn for.”

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Luna saw her younger filly self the day after her first transformation into her Moon Form. She decided that she would do what she could to hide that, that was a piece of her. So that nopony would show the level of hate towards her that her sister showed her last night. She looked around as the sun had started it’s decent towards night and saw her sister with red, puffy eyes fly towards her.

“Oh Lulu! I tried looking everywhere for you after you disappeared! I’m so sorry. I promise that I’ll protect you from that monster from now on. No monster will hurt my little sister! That’s a promise.” She said her tear stained muzzle nuzzling Luna.

“But you got your Cutie Mark! We have to celebrate! I’m going to make you the bestest cake in all the world. But first I have to get you the most perfect gift. So the party will have to be in a week while I get everything together.” With that Celestia gave Luna a kiss on her forehead. Ever since their parents left them, Celestia had taken the mantel of not just big sister, but surrogate mother quite well. Even if she did stumble from time to time in her responsibilities as the later of her roles.

As the days rolled by towards the party. Luna slowly started to explore her starry domain. When it was just Unicorn’s raising the moon the stars were all clumped together. A giant mass of stars that just lay clumped together since it was to much work to place them in their individual places. But Luna being an artistic soul started to not just raise the moon, but make the entire night sky her canvas. Slowly creating the Celestial beings that lived in the night sky, and the descendants of the few who fell to the earth when Nightmare Moon rose to power.

When the party arrived Celestia told Luna to close her eyes. Luna could feel the waves of magic rolling off her sister and when she was told to open her eyes she saw something beautiful. The worlds first fire rainbow lighting up the sky.

“Wow that is beautiful Tia, but what is it?” Luna asked her voice filled with wonder at the beautiful sight.

“I call it a fire rainbow. What I do is I use the clouds themselves to hold spectra, and then I use the suns light to pain the clouds with rainbows. I wanted to make you something beautiful for the party. Also I have this.” She said pulling out a tiny box. Inside of it was a silver necklace with a gem that glittered with a thousands shifting colors, “ I know the sun isn’t really your thing, but you and the sun are the most precious things to me. So I made you a necklace with a fragment of the sun sealed in a crystal. I hope you like it Lulu.”

Luna was speachless, and the adult form watching this memory was in tears as her coat slowly started to turn from the palest of whites to a steely grey, “I forgot about this day. My it was so long ago, and that Necklace. I will have to have Discord get it for me, since it was he who stole it to torment Tia, before loosing it for his own amusement. Although it’s more sad to know that some of the Celestials I created fell with me when I became corrupted.” Luna said dismally, shaking her head at lost memories, and innocence.

“They don’t feel sad. Well at least not their descendants. You’ve watched over them since your return, and they are just the same as when they first were put in the sky. They just have a different way of being now in days. Both their Celestial ancestors in the sky, and they who stayed on the planet.”

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Luna had just finished putting the last star in place. It had taken her several centuries, but everything was now finished. Each Constellation had it’s own personality, powers, and gifts to bestow on those who would connect with them. But a few were more vocal, with a greater personality than the others. These were the Ursa’s, Lupus, Scorpio, Hydra, and Saggita. Of those Hydra’s decendants gained flesh and blood, while retaining their Celestial heritage. While Saggita became hidden, the Celestial Arrows, were so powerful that Celestia sealed the ones that came to earth away where noone, pony or otherwise could use them again. And the Constellation of the Bow was lost to the sands of time to prevent it’s misuse.

But back in their infancy. Those stars were the most vocal of Luna’s friends. And would help her keep her subjects safe from the things that went bump in the night. Eventually she even worked out a spell that would allow their power and strengths to enchant those who called upon them. Allowing her subjects to receive Celestial Blessings, thinking it would bring her more playmates, and more approval from her subjects. And even when that proved fruitless. She played and loved her stars with all her heart, and they in turn played with her and gave her love back. She was their creator, their friend, their kin. Feeling the embrace of that love and kindness, Luna’s dark grey lightened slightly.

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It was several centuries into their rule. When they decided that Winter when the nights became longer needed some sprucing up, and tasked the various ponies to come up with things for Winter. All races and ages were welcome to join. Of that journey two ponies not only stood out, but would stick in Luna’s mind as treasured memories.

The first was a two year old Earth Pony colt name, Gracious Gift. Luna had just raised the moon when she heard a foal speak up, “That the MOOOONNNN!” the last word was drawn out and filled with excitement.

“Yes honey, that’s the moon.” She heard a mare say with laughter in her voice.

“The Moon flying?” the foal asked innocently, and Luna couldn’t help but chuckle.

The Mare caught sight of Luna and froze for an instant, but Luna gave her a hoofwave as if to say, go on, it’s alright, “Yes honey the moon’s flying in the sky.”

“Hi MOON! I Wuv you MOON!” He yelled waving at the moon, trying to blow it kisses.

Luna was awestruck. It was the first time she heard anypony say anything good about her moon, and that it was from the mouth of babes made her heart melt. Trotting over to the mother holding her colt as he was trying to start up a barely coherent conversation with the moon she gave a warm smile that made her face light up, “Hark thy subjects! Who might thou be?”

“Hello your majesty, I’m Query, and this is Gracious Gift. We are sorry if we interrupted thou, and thee royal duties.” She said with a tremor, clutching the navy blue colt, whose silvery mane was sticking out in a cute little afro. His inquisitive aquamarine eyes looking at Luna.

“Don’t be. It is quite adorable to see one love our nights so. It truly is wonderful to see that he not only loves our night, but speaks to it as well,” Bending down to look at the colt, “Tell us young one if thy mother allows it, would thee like to see the moon more closely?”

He gave a vigorous nod, and with a little bit of hesitance his mother handed her foal to Luna. Gently holding him in the crook of her arm, she took off and flew high into the sky. With a spell around the young one to keep him warm and with plently of breathable air. As they reached the highest point in the sky with the moon hovering larger than on the ground below. Gracious Gift squealed in delight. Speaking in a mix of gibberish, and Equish while laughing all the while. Before turning in her arms and giving her muzzle a kiss, and giving her the biggest hug his little foal forelegs were capable of giving.

At that moment, that show of innocent affection and appreciation of her night was more valuable than all the gold in Equestria because it was not only freely given, but given with all the joy a foal could give. And that to Luna made Luna’s decade. As she slowly flew down with her cargo in her arms, before she left. She summoned a Moon Rock, and gave it to Gracious Gift, letting him know that it was a gift from the moon. The smile that split his face could have rivaled the sun at the moment. And it was all worth it.

The second pony was a young, blind, Pegasus called Snowdrop. She while blind listened to the stars and used what she heard as an inspiration to make what were to be the worlds first Snow Flakes. Just as every star was an individual that formed a beautiful whole. The snow flakes were each beautifully individual with their own uniqueness to them. That formed together to form a giant whole. She was the one who eventually started a very small, but important group in the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation, The Snowflake Creation Squad. A group of snow artists that used a portion of the water gathered each year to create all the Snowflakes used each year. But while the SCS grew in popularity over time. It was that blind filly who showed the world that even without sight, that beauty of the night could be found by anypony that made it precious to Luna.

Although a bittersweet memory was when Snowdrop was about to die from old age. She called Luna to see her one last time, and when Luna arrived Snowdrop told her, “My highness, I have for all my life carved the joy of the stars for those to see what I can hear. But I spent years building something just for you. Something that I hope that you’ll cherish as much as the song of the stars.”

With that she pulled out from under her blanket a glass jar and within it was the last Snowflake that Snowdrop created. When Luna grasped the container the elderly Snowdrop asked, “Do you love it Princess?”

“We will cherish it forever, thy dearest Snowdrop. From the bottom of thy heart, thank thee dearly. You have always captured the beauty of our Night. We will never forget thee.”

“Thank ye Princess, thank ye for the song of the stars. Even though we could never see them, they were our dearest friends before we met thee. I just wish that I could see them, at least once.”

“For thee, I shall grant thee this boon.” And before Snowdrop could respond Luna gave a copy of the memory of her stars. Their personalities, their voice, their beauty. For one instance, she showed another the full beauty of her stars. And when she was done Snowdrop was dead, but had the greatest smile on her face.

The Luna looking down at her much younger self had tears of joy running down her face at those memories. Gracious Gift had grown to become part of her royal court and a few to have a Lunar Right done on them to become blessed by the night, and until his dying days had an unadulterated love for the night. And Snowdrop was the first to not only listen to the stars, but to share their song with the world. Those were good years, and she was so lost when they died only decades of each other.

“Those ponies were my heroes back then. In their own way, they gave me the love and appreciation I yearned for. I don’t know if they ever knew, but those ponies meant almost more to me than my sister and will always have a place in my heart. I’m blessed to have known them.”

With that her body returned to normal. The love she gained in life, as well as the friendship she had from her creations had filled her. Washing away a little of the weight she carried on her back. As she returned to the hillside she was aware of Rarity sleeping on her, the weariness that she didn’t know she had, had caught up to her and caused her drift off to sleep. Transforming the Mare she was comforting into a pillow to be spooned.

Her Moon Form leaned in and whispered softly, “When she awakes you both may pass through the gateway I will create for you. I wish you two the best of luck, be well and please do not forget about me. I get lonely stranded all alone in the darkness you shove me down in, and I hope that someday I can see our moon again without the evil of the nightmare to taint it’s beauty.”

With that she faded as a door appeared behind her. When Rarity awakens we shall pass through together and what ever challenges we are faced with we shall conquer them side by side. And Rarity, you truly are the Element of Generosity. Risking life and sanity to save the likes of me. Then when you learned about the evil I’ve done, you forgave me. Still choosing to stay by my side. I don’t know how yet but I will reward thee. Sleep well for we shall be off unto the unknown shortly.