//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5: Where Monsters Are Born... 
// Story: Our Name Across The Multiverse: 10 years later 
// by DATONETWIxDASHFAN 
//------------------------------//

It was the next day, and Braver was eating breakfast with Dawn, who was slowly eating her toast as she just stared at Braver. Braver didn't notice as she talked to Dawn about what happened yesterday and what she was doing today with her family. She also wrote down things she wanted to do with her sister. Dawn just smiled as she stared at her, not really caring what she was saying, only thinking about one thing: Braver and being her only true friend and the one she truly loved.

"Braver," Dawn said, making Braver look at her. "Can I go with you?"

Braver was shocked by her question, "What?!"

"Can I go apple picking with you? You can have me there for company, and I can spend time with you," explained Dawn, shocking Braver even more.

"You want to come with me and my family?" Braver wondered if she really asked her that or if she had misheard her.

"Yes."

"Like, with my mommies and my little sister and her family?"

"Yes."

"Like meeting all of them and being a part of the family activities?"

"Yes, what's the problem with that?" asked Dawn, trying to understand what was wrong by asking this request.

"The problem is..." said Braver as she put the pen down and slowly walked up to Dawn, who was getting nervous, not sure what Braver was going to do. "WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO SOONER?"

Dawn was taken aback by this, but then she remembered who she was friends with and smiled as Braver grabbed her hoof and started to talk about what they would do. Dawn wasn't listening again as her dark thoughts filled her mind.

"Braver, keep looking at me... Don't ever look away from me because no one will ever love you, not like me. No one else matters in your life except me, and I will protect you from everyone and everything," thought Dawn as she stared at Braver.

"Oh, and Dawn," Braver grabbed Dawn's attention. "I would love for you to be a part of the family, as you are always welcome!"

Dawn didn't say anything and just smiled at her. She was blushing hard but was glad to hear those words: "Yes, I'll be your only family as well, Braver, forever and always."





At the same time, Dash was looking at Twilight speed-running her duties as Princess of Equestria, as she had missed a day of work. Dash wasn't worried, though, knowing Twilight would finish her work in no time, even more so if it involved spending time with their daughter. Dash just watched as Twilight was stamping paperwork that Spike had put on the desk.

"Twilight, calm down; everything will be fine. You won't miss anything. You're not a princess for nothing," laughed Dash.

"But Dash, I need to hurry, or I can't be with you and the others on the apple picking! Plus, seeing the girls again and on better terms than last time will be great when Braver isn't having a triggered event. We only talked about what happened to Braver. We are not really catching up and needing to be careful around her now, too, which I hate," replied Twilight as she stamped faster, getting annoyed at how much paperwork there was. "It's for Braver's good, but I'm ordering the girls around...like a princess."

"Twilight, you will make it in time." smiled Dash. "Trust me, if Braver knows you are not going, she will be devastated. She will miss her mom, but she will understand."

"She has you," glared Twilight, not looking at her, as Twilight was jealous. Braver is a mommy's girl to Dash and not to her: "She will be beyond devastated if you weren't there."

"Yeah, but you are the best mom in the world," smiled Dash, getting her attention again. "Also, a great friend. You aren't ordering our friends to be careful as a princess, but as a mom, you are asking, not ordering them. Braver grew up with them and sees them as family. They would do anything for her, even being more careful around her."

"You know, you have a point. Thanks, Dash. You always know what to say to make me feel better," Twilight said with a small smile. She got up, walked over to Dash, and hugged her, which she returned.

"It's the least I can do; after all, you are the smartest person in the world. But don't forget, I'm the coolest!" Dash gave her a cocky smirk as she flexed her muscles, making Twilight roll her eyes and kiss her.

"Hmm, Twilight?" Spike asked, causing Twilight to turn to him and see another stack of paperwork. She sighed as she hurried to finish those, too.

"Spike, when was the last time you took a vacation?" Dash asked as he looked over the paperwork and turned to her.

"Well, I take one when I want," Spike replied, as he was just helping Twilight, not really his job.

"Well, want to join us for apple picking?"

"Sure," smiled Spike, liking the idea of relaxing outside.

"Great!" smiled Dash. "We'll leave when Twilight is done."

"That might be a while," whispered Spike, as both of them faced Twilight, who was slowing down in stamping the papers

Dash started to do warm-up stretches. "I know, which is why I'm here," 

"How are you going to help?" asked Spike, knowing what was about to happen.

"Well, I need a warm-up first," explained Dash as she removed her bomber jacket and started to flex and stretch, revealing her firm body to Twilight.

"She's not going to fall for that." glared Spike

"Watch!" smirked Dash.

Dash was flexing and stretching her body even more, revealing her strong back and stomach muscles, as well as her strong back and arm muscles. All of this was getting Twilight's attention as she blushed and drooled.

"So, how is the work coming along, Twi?" asked Dash, showing off her body in a relaxed yet sexy pose and winking at her.

"...almost done..." simply said Twilight as she started to go faster than ever. She kept looking at Dash and not at the paperwork, making Dash smirk, but Spike facepalm as he couldn't believe it worked.





Meanwhile, Blitz and her parents simply waited in the garden, talking among themselves as they waited for the others.

"So, do you think AJ and the others are like our AJ and our others?" asked Blitz as she did her morning stretches along with her mother.

"Well, the little time we spent talking to them, they seemed to be almost the same people—just slightly different. Didn't you say Rarity was a little different from Rachel? She wasn't a party girl like Rachel," replied Dashie as she did some sit-ups.

"Yeah, Rarity said she wasn't like that. I wonder why. We're in a different universe, but almost everyone has a one-to-one personality. Maybe the other Applejack and Pinkie are the same way?" wondered Blitz as she was doing jumping jacks

Dashie stopped and faced her daughter. "I guess we will see,"

"I believe it's because of the world they grew up in!" answered Twilah as she was suffering from doing pushups, as her arms were wobbling hard.

"Come on, Twilah. It isn't that bad," sighed Dashie, seeing how weak Twilah was.

"It's so hard!" groaned Twilah, making her girlfriend and daughter roll their eyes.

"You know, this could be fun," replied Blitz, making the two look at her. "This could be a family bonding thing. We haven't done anything together in a long time. This could be good for us."

"Well, yeah. It's nice to finally hang out together," smiled Dashie, looking at her family, who were smiling at her, until Twilah fell on her face, making her groan.

"Oh Twilah, come on," laughed Dashie, helping her up.

"How many was that?" asked Blitz, realizing she wasn't keeping track of her mother's push-ups.

"4," sighed Dashie.

"You are getting better, Mom!" cheered Blitz.

"...can't be! I'm completely covered in sweat! I'm not even fat! I know I did more! You two are tricking me!" said Twilah accusingly.

"What!? Mom, we would never do that!"Blitz is shocked that her mom would accuse them like that.

"Oops, I was wrong, my bad love," smiled Dashie, making Twilah feel better. "You did 3 pushups. Not a lot," sighed Dashie again.

Twilah just dropped to the floor and started crying, as she knew it was true. Blitz sighed, seeing her mom like that. "Mom, stop crying. You are getting stronger." Blitz patted her mom's head, comforting her the best she could.

"Really?" cried Twilah, looking up at her daughter.

"Yep," smiled Blitz, giving her a thumbs up.

Dashie sighed at them. "Blitz, don't spoil your mom; she will never improve."

"But I want her to feel better!" whined Blitz, pouting.

"You'll get used to it," Dashie remembered over the years when she comforted Twilah after every workout and never improved. "Trust me."

Twilah started to swing her arms and legs as she acted like a baby, making her girlfriend and daughter laugh.

"What's going on here?" asked Twilight as she entered with Dash and Spike, seeing Twilah acting like a child.

"Mom is upset because she can't do pushups," answered Blitz.

Twilah stood up but was completely worn out as she held on to her knees. "I can do more than three!" Twilight started to laugh, but Twilah wasn't going to take that from her counterpart as she pointed at her, "YOU TRY THEN!"

"I will!" smiled Twilight, not seeing this coming and not backing down as she lay on the ground and started to do push-ups with no problem, shocking Twilah with how easily her counterpart could do them.

"Twilah, Twilight's a pony. They no doubt have better arm strength—well, leg strength since they're always on it," Dashie said, making Twilah groan, not wanting to hear that.

"Don't worry. If you really look at it, Twilight is you, right? So you are doing those push-ups through her!" Blitz comforted her mother, who didn't feel better when hearing that.

Twilight stopped and looked a little tired, which Twilah saw and started to cheer up, as she knew Twilight was having a hard time. "HA! Are you like me? Tired already!" laughed Twilah with glee as she danced around in place.

"I'm not done yet!" Twilight smirks as she is only getting started. She starts doing pushups again, but faster and without a sweat, making Twilah's smile disappear and starting to cry. Her daughter hugs her, and Dashie pats her head.

"Come on, Twilight; don't be mean to Twilah. You were like that too, you know?" Dash was a little upset at her wife for being a show-off and putting their friend down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." apologized Twilight, getting up and noticing how sad and defeated Twilah was.

"Twilah, don't worry. Before I started training her, Twilight could only do two push-ups. You did three; that's an improvement." Dash smiled, patting her on the back.

"Really?" asked Twilah, smiling at Dash and then at Twilight, who looked upset that Dash revealed that to her counterpart.

Dash grins as she remembers Twilight suffering in their workouts back in the day. "She did, I swear. She was a lazy nerd, just like you." Dash gives her a high-five while Twilight rolls her eyes at her.

"I want a divorce." pouted Twilight, sitting down and crossing her arms. "I wasn't that lazy!"

"I don't act like that, Twilight," laughed Spike. "I remember you were getting worried as you gained weight-" Spike stopped as he saw her glaring at him with daggers while Dash was laughing her butt off, which Spike awkward back away a bit. 

"So, everyone is ready, right? To go apple picking," asked Dash after finishing laughing, making everyone smile.

"Yep," said Twilah and Dashie

"Ready!" shouted Twilight and co. 

"Braver isn't here yet," said Blitz, but on cue, the wall fell down, revealing Braver, holding a bag, and Dawn, who was wearing a sun hat. The maids sighed and went to get the repair crew. "Never mind; she's here and with Dawn?"

"I wanted to invite her so she could hang out with us," smiled Braver. This made her mom, Twilight, very happy, and everyone else was okay with it.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" claps Twilight. We can have teacher and student time, just like Celestia and I had when I was younger!"

"I only came for Braver, not to hang out with you, teacher," simply answered Dawn, looking away. "Braver might have forgiven you, but I haven't. You are still a failure of a mother in my eyes, like someone else I know."

"HEY!" shouted Dash, while Twilight looked upset.

"No, no, no. She's right." Twilight said as she put her hoof on Dash's chest to stop her from flying towards her student. "I was a bad mother, but I'm trying, Dawn. Please don't be like that. We used to be close. What changed? When you started drifting away from me?" asked Twilight, upset and a little angry at herself, but she knew Dawn was only telling the truth.

"Braver is what changed on that day..." simply said Dawn, turning her back to her teacher.

"What's up with her?" whispered Spike to Dash.

"It's a long story," sighed Dash, feeling bad for her wife.

Braver wasn't listening to any of this, as she was inside the bag, which everyone gathered at, and suddenly, Braver jumped out and gave a flat package to Blitz and her folks. "We bump into Aunty Rarity."

"Braver broke her wall when she wasn't looking." corrected Dawn

"Crash into Aunty Rarity," Braver blushed as she corrected herself. She had these done and said the rest would be done later tonight. She said it would be perfect for today!" Braver smiled as Blitz and her folks were trying to open them.

"Clothes, right? Should we change now?" asked Dashie as she opened a bit of the package, saw inside it, and smiled.

Twilight nodded, while Dash told everyone that in Ponyville, the weather was scorching today, as the cloud machine was broken right now, and to bring sunscreen and wear the summer clothes that Rarity made them.

"Okay, then. Let's head back and change," Dashie told her family, but Twilight summoned a single changing room in front of everyone. "Huh, magic is super useful, I see. I'll go first."

It wasn't long before Dashie came back out.



wearing her new clothes, making Twilah red as her mouth hangs open. Dashie is wearing a white t-shirt(showing off her chest), jean shorts(showing off her well-toned running legs), brown boots, and a blue hat while her hair is still in a ponytail.

"I'm next!" stuttered Twilah, going inside the changing room and being very excited and happy.

While everyone was waiting, Twilight was looking at Dawn.

"Are you okay, Twilight?" asked Spike, knowing something was up.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I'm just wondering if Dawn is going to keep hating me," whispered Twilight, looking at the student. She was only talking to Braver, but she felt something was off when she looked at her. "My head..." thought Twilight as she held her head and suddenly felt warm. She was taking glares at Dashie and didn't know why. She didn't notice Dawn coming up to her.

"Teacher, are you okay?" asked Dawn, concerned for her.

"Yeah, it's just a small headache. It will go away." smiled Twilight, but it didn't feel right. Her face was burning red, and she kept looking over to Dashie and noticing her features like Twilah noticed Twilah's.

Dawn turned around and smiled. Her horn glowed slightly, and the aura was almost a rainbow color.

"I'm ready!" called out Twilah as she stepped out in her anthro form.



Dashie turned red as she saw her. Wearing a long red sundress and red flip-flops. To Dashie, she was beautiful but was wondering why she was in her anthro form, to which Twilah answered, "So I can keep up with you two! Stop leaving me in the dust!" pouted Twilah towards her family. 

"Mom, no promises!" laughed Blitz as she ran into the changing room.

Dawn walked behind Dash and used her magic without anyone noticing. Dash held her head and quickly turned red as she noticed Twilah waving at her, making her heart skip, so she waved back.

"This is too easy," thought Dawn. "Braver, I'm going to scatter your family first. So you'll only have me."

Blitz ran out of the changing room wearing a grey t-shirt, black shorts, and a baseball hat.



She was super happy as Rarity got her taste down. She, too, was in her anthro form, making Dashie a little upset.

"Why are you in that form, too?" Dashie asked, trying to understand but feeling left out as the only human present.

"I don't want to be stared at. I notice that while in this form, ponies and other creatures don't stare at me or come up to me, unlike when I'm in my human form." Blitz replied, smiling at her new outfit. "Plus, I like walking on two legs and having hands."

"Looking cool, girl!" said Dash, giving her a high five.

"Yeah, sis! Way past cool!" smiled Braver.

"Thanks!" blushed Blitz, happy that her sister was complimenting her.

Dashie sighed at her daughter's answer, and soon, everyone was grouping up with Twilight as she and Twilah were carrying shoulder bags. With her magic, they were gone.





In the open fields of AJ's farm, everyone reappeared. Dashie and her family looked around as if they had never been here before, yet they had as if everything looked the same in their universe. Blitz ran across the field in her trademark speed and pointed at things she had seen before, like the apple trees, the barn, and windmills. Everything was in the same place too.

"Look, her next-door neighbor also has that carrot farm! It's like we're back home!" shouted Blitz, jumping up and down in happiness.

"I can't believe it's all the same!" laughed Dashie, holding Twilah's hands tight.

"What's all this about being the same?" said a voice. "Twilight, Dash, and even you, Spike, it's good to see all of you again," everyone turned to see AJ as she walked up to them.



"AJ, glad we could see you on better terms," said Twilight as they hugged.

"Hey, AJ!" waved Spike as he was in the back.

"What's up, AJ? How have you been?" asked Dash as she gave her a high five.

"Fine, thank you. Now, where is my powerful Ponyville fighter?" smiled AJ as she looked around for Braver until Braver leaped on her from the back and hugged her tightly, making AJ laugh but also coughing from the tight hug.

"I missed you, Aunty AJ!" shouted Braver, smiling hard.

"Well, I guess some things don't change," AJ sighed as she rubbed her back. How are you doing, sweet cube? Are you still hurting?"

"A little, but I'm doing better!" smiled Braver as she jumped off.

"I'm glad," smiled AJ as she patted her head. "How about your friend over there? Dawn, right?"

Dawn was just standing there, unsure of what to do.

"You can come on over," said AJ.

"Oh, umm, thanks," replied Dawn, walking over to her.

"You're a shy one. Don't worry, everyone gets a warm welcome around these parts," smiled AJ, rubbing her head.

"T-Thank you," smiled Dawn as she and AJ talked a little, making Dawn less nervous.

Blitz and her parents huddled together and started talking to each other.

"HOLY SHIT! SHE'S EXACTLY AS OUR AJ FROM OUR UNIVERSE!" shouted Blitz in joy and happiness.

"Calm down, Blitz. There might be a difference in this universe. Remember what your mom told us?" whispered Dashie.

"Also, don't swear."

Twilah nodded and said, "I agree with your mother, Blitz. We can't assume anything, but she seems the same."

"She is the same; she acts and even sounds the same. Maybe everything is the same! ...other than looking like a pony, of course." replied Blitz as she left the huddle and dashed within seconds in front of AJ, scaring her a bit. Both of Blitz's parents sighed at the scene.

"You sure are fast." smiled AJ, dusting the dirt off her hat.

"I take after my mom!"

"And her cockiness in her speed..." muttered Twilah, making Dashie chuckle.

AJ walked around Blitz, scanning every part of her, finally stopping in front of her and smiling joyfully.

"You truly do take care of your mother. It's like looking into a mirror. The only difference is two colors." AJ looked into Blitz's purple eyes and saw the black in her rainbow hair.

"She's my twin sister. What did you expect? We look the same." proudly said Braver, coming next to her, trying to stand on her hind legs but failing as she fell.

"Really now? How?" asked AJ, looking at the both of them and not seeing it at all.

"What!? We do!" shouted Braver, as AJ was really trying to see the difference, but she could see that she was making Braver sad.

"Maybe you can explain, Twilight?" AJ awkwardly smiled at her friends, as she didn't want to further upset Braver.

"They're twins alright, AJ," explained Twilah as she walked up to her, who was still shocked to see another Twilight, who was also just as tall as well, and they only met once but were amazed by her sizes. "See, Prime Discord gave Blitz a pill that allows her to change into a human at will, like Dashie over there," said Twilah as she pointed at Dashie, who was just walking up to them. "She can also look like what you see in front of you. Blitz, can you change into your real form?"

Blitz nodded, and AJ watched as Blitz became a pegasus. Just like Braver said, they almost looked the same, causing AJ to slap her knee and laugh, saying that was amazing and that Blitz should have done that from the start. Blitz and Braver smiled, happy that AJ believed them.

"Still, it's weird seeing you, Dashie," AJ said as she shook her new friend's hand. You look nothing like Dash over there, but yet you are in how you act."

"Same here. You look nothing like our AJ, yet you act the same way," replied Dashie, who was also a bit nervous about meeting another AJ, as she could feel how strong she was, just like her AJ.

"Really now? How does the other me look?"

Blitz butted in and explained how their AJ is well-built and buff, has a six-pack, and has a lot more muscle, making AJ chuckle.

"I guess I need to hit the gym more. I can't let the other me win in the farming race," AJ chucked some more as they talked a bit more.





Soon, AJ led the group to the apple fields, turned to them, and started to explain how their world of apple picking worked.



"Since y'all are new, I'm going to make it simple. You can keep any apples you buck."

"...buck?" said Blitz and her parents.

"Yep. Buck the apples. Y'all know how, right?"

Everyone nodded, even Spike, but Blitz and her parents didn't.

All three once again said, "Buck?"

"Yes, buck. Like this," explained AJ, as she turned around and bucked a tree, making the apples fall off and land in a basket.

"I see. You don't use ladders to reach the apples and pick them? Instead, use your back legs! Smart!" Twilah told herself as she held on to AJ's rear leg and studied it, causing AJ to be confused and turn to her friends, who were laughing.

"Is she alright?"

"I think she's just trying to see how your hooves and rear legs work, that's all," laughed Twilight as she watched her other self realize what she was doing and quickly let go.

"Sorry!"

"It's fine," replied AJ, who was now a bit uncomfortable. "Just don't do that again. Let's get bucking!"

"Yeah!" shouted everyone.

Everyone was getting ready, but Twilight and Twilah dropped their bags and called their daughters over. The twins walked over and watched as their mothers put on sunscreen on themselves. Twilah handed Blitz the bottle, but Twilight squeezed the liquid cream on her hoof and looked scared. "But mom!" whined Braver, as she hated putting on sunscreen.

"Sweetie, you'll turn hard and stiff if you don't. You know slime creatures are weak to the elements," explained Twilight as she made Braver face her so she could put it on her, but Dawn pulled Braver away from her and took out a different brand of sunscreen as Dawn started to explain how Braver's body reacts better to this brand. Twilight and Dash were shocked as it worked so well, as Braver Body just took it in with no problem, unlike the brand they always use, which makes Braver Slime Body move weirdly before calming down.

"This works much better and doesn't make her itchy, unlike this one," Dawn explained as she finished putting it on Braver.

"Itchy?" said Dash, with a puzzled look.

"We never had that issue," explained Twilight, looking at the bottle and back at them. "Sure, her body moves a bit with it, but it always works out."

"I was being nice in saying itchy, but her body is always fighting with it," Dawn replied, not looking at her teacher as she put the bottle away.

"What do you mean by 'fighting' it?" asked Twilight worriedly.

"Braver, don't you tell your moms anything?" asked Dawn, now looking at Braver, who looked away. Dawn sighed as she finally turned to her teacher, but with such disgust in her eyes as she explained herself. "Braver bodies can't absorb it at all. When it goes deeper into her body, the surface level calms itself, but the deep part of her body is screaming out in pain. You haven't noticed her not moving too much when you put that stuff on her? Or when she's in the bathroom for so long? Her body is trying to reject it because it's hurting her."

Twilight just dropped the bottle as she was in shock, as she had always put this brand on Braver since she was little. Dash was also in shock, not knowing how much pain Braver was going through."Sweetie, why didn't you tell me!?"

"I did...once," Braver explained, feeling ashamed. But you didn't believe me."

"What? W-When?" stuttered Twilight, not remembering when her daughter told her that.

Dawn stepped in front of Braver and explained what Brave had done. "It was a year after we met, and our families were at the beach. This was after you guys learned about the heat turning her semi-hard."





9 years ago

Twilight sat on her towel, and Dash stabbed the umbrella into the sand. Both were happy they could have a family trip together, especially on the beach and with the Starlight family. They watched Filly Braver, known as Breaker at the time, playing with Filly Dawn on the sand. They both smiled at the scene and were glad that Breaker had made a friend.

"Glad they became friends, right?" Starlight said as Sunburst and her sat near their friends.

Twilight put some sunscreen on her arms. "We are. Thanks for inviting us," 

"No problem. It's been a while since we went to the beach. Plus, we wanted Dawn to play with another pony. I was worried that she would never make a friend...glad I was wrong." Sunburst said as he watched his daughter smile as she looked at Breaker. "By the way, don't forget to put sunscreen on Breaker's body. That scare of her almost turning to stone was pretty scary. We don't want that to happen again."

"Don't worry; I didn't forget," Twilight replied as she called out to her daughter, who came running towards her.

"MOMMY!"

"Hehe. Sweetie, don't shout. People are trying to relax. Now, can you come closer, please?"

"OK!" Breaker came close to her mother as she watched her mom put the sunscreen on her hoof but wanted to play with her friend and wanted to leave right away. "Mom, can I go play with Dawn again?"

"Not until I put the sunscreen on, sweetie. You can't be in the hot sun without your body copying the sunscreen cream, or you'll turn hard again. Close your eyes. I'm about to put it on your face."

Breaker did what her mother said, closing her eyes. She felt the cold sunscreen go around her face, and she could hear Twilight rubbing her hoof on her face and forehead. Soon, Twilight put the rest all over her body, and Breaker could feel her slime body screaming out in pain as it tried to absorb the cream. She was so upset and crying as Twilight rubbed the sunscreen on her wings while her mother laughed.

"Sweetie, it's not that bad," told Twilight, seeing how cute Breaker was stomping her little hooves like she was dancing

"Yes, it is! I hate this stuff!" replied Braver, shouting as she pounded the sand in pain.

Twilight stopped putting the cream on her and became upset as she said, "Now, now, sweetie. Don't shout. People are relaxing. We are just being safe."

"I'm telling you, it hurts!" she shouted again, still feeling the pain.

Twilight sighed as she put some on her skin and rubbed it, showing her daughter it wasn't painful. "Hurts? It doesn't hurt, see?"

Breaker tried to move but couldn't. "Yes, it does! Just listen to my body!"

"Sweetie, stop exaggerating. You're fine," Dash replied, a bit angry in her voice, as she didn't like how Breaker was acting.

"NO, I'M NOT!" screamed Breaker as tears came out.

Dash got a bit angry at her daughter, but Twilight just laughed.

"Sweetie, calm down. Your okay. Just sit still until your body copies the cream, and then you can play, alright?"

"B-but!"

"She's being cute. Reminds me of when Dawn hated putting sunscreen on her." giggle Starlight

"Ha! It reminds me of when I was young," said Dash.

"M-Mom!" shouted Breaker to Dash.

Twilight put her hoof on her daughter's mouth. "Shh. Be quiet, sweetie. Your mom is talking to Starlight." Dash was about to say something, but Twilight shushed her. "Let's just ignore her and let her body copy it."

"I guess."

Breaker cried as she didn't want the sunscreen on her. She looked over and saw Dawn waving at her and telling her to play with her. She waved back, wishing to go and play but being stuck there. Her body was trying its best to remove the sunscreen by making her body ripple the fake skin like water, but Twilight rubbed more and more on her, making her body scream out in even more pain. She was so sad and cried harder and louder.

"Mommy, it hurts!" cried Breaker as she started to kick and scream.

"Breaker, no!" shouted Twilight, causing the filly to be scared, as Twilight never yelled at her. "Behave! Didn't you promise us that you'll be a good girl?" Twilight held her daughter and set her between her and Dash.

Breaker looked down at the towel and said, "I'm a good girl. I'm not bad, right?"

"You're a good girl. My little sunshine," smiled Dash, kissing her forehead.

"My little sunshine." sang Twilight.

Dash joined in and sang "My Little Sunshine."

Both moms kissed her, making the filly feel a bit better, and she hugged them, but as she did, her body released more pain as the sunscreen slowly went deeper inside her and started to copy it. It was hell, as Breaker could feel her body getting tighter as if her slime was slowly drying out and dying. She was in so much pain that she cried harder, making her moms hug her, as they thought she was crying because they loved her.

"I'm good. I'm good," whispered Breaker as she tried to deal with the pain, but she suddenly saw flashes of her old life, killing the kingdoms of night and day. Killing their rulers as they became a part of her and using their bodies to attack Sky each time. She destroys the city that Nightfall lives in, kills every living creature, and kills Nightfall and Sky as she absorbs them into her. She looked at her hooves, seeing them—all of them, their bones, their remains—as they floated within her. This is where she first started to bottle up the pain, as she kept calling herself a good girl.

"See, the sunscreen isn't hurting you, right?" asked Twilight, as the filly was quiet.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" asked Dash, removing her shades and noticing something was wrong.

Breaker didn't respond, and Dash and Twilight looked at each other, worried about their daughter.

Twilight lowered her head and looked at her. "Breaker, are you okay?"

"I'm a good girl. Good. I'm good," Breaker said simply as she kept looking down.

"Breaker, are you listening to us?" asked Twilight, feeling more worried.

"I'm good. I'm a good girl!" Breaker said once more. She turned to them and smiled, even though she was in great pain in body and mind.

"Sweetie, we know you're a good girl. Can you come here and let me put a little more sunscreen on you? Just to make sure you'll be safe," Twilight asked as she shook the bottle.



"Ok," simply said Breaker, with her eyes becoming lifeless as she stared at the bottle.

Dawn ran to them. As she was done waiting, she noticed that Breaker was acting weird. "Dad, is she alright? She doesn't sound like her usual self," asked Dawn, who turned to her father.

"She's fine, Dawn." Twilight held her daughter's cheeks, showing that she was okay.

"Ok... I'll be over there, alright, Breaker?" softly said Dawn, still looking at her friend, who was just staring at something. It wasn't her mother, but she looked like she was staring off into the distance, miles away from herself. "Breaker..."

"I'm...a...good girl..."





Back in the present, Twilight and everyone were in shock at what they heard. Twilight took it the hardest, as she never thought her daughter went through so much.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Dash, sitting on the grass and trying to come to terms with the fact that she had been bottling this pain for years.

"I did...mom didn't believe me." said Braver "I always said my body hurt whenever you put sunscreen or anything to protect me from the sun. I had to be a good girl! So, I took the pain for you guys. I have to be a good girl!"

"Oh, honey, I didn't know. I'm sorry." Twilight reached out to her, but Braver saw flashes of Nightfall, reaching out to her with a stab wound in her chest, saying the exact words.

"I'm a good girl. I'm a good girl," said Braver as Twilight got closer and closer. "I'm a good girl."

"Braver?" Twilight asked, seeing her daughter acting weird. Dawn slapped her hoof away from her friend, surprising Twilight.

"Leave her alone!" yelled Dawn as she stood before Braver and looked back at her. "Remember what Twilah taught you. Say your safe word and do the breathing technique."

"What? Is Braver have-" Twilight couldn't finish as Dawn blasted her away from them with her magic somehow, but her horn glow was almost like a rainbow aura, causing Dash and AJ to rush towards her as Twilight landed on a tree.

"Twi!" shouted AJ as she hurried over to her. Dash ran towards them, but Twilight put her hoof up, telling her not to worry.

"I'm alright. Don't worry. How's Braver? Is she okay?" asked Twilight, who stood up.

They turned to see Braver saying Dawn's name repeatedly but also breathing in and out. Everyone could only watch and wait, as they were worried for her, but Dawn could only smile with joy as Braver was calling out to her; it was music to her ears. She wanted Braver all for herself and only for herself, as she knew her love would always put her first and would always love her.

"Dawn, thank you," whispered Braver, looking at her with a bit of happiness. Then, she went right back to repeating her safe word and breathing technique.

Dawn could only smile evilly as she spoke, "What are friends for?"

After five minutes, Braver was fine again. Dash and AJ, along with the others, approached her to ask how she was, but Twilight stayed far away, as she was worried about triggering her daughter again. She looked down at the ground and saw the sunscreen bottle, and she hated herself as she kicked it away.

"Momma! I'm sorry!" Braver called to her mother, causing Twilight to look up with a small smile, but that quickly faded as she saw Braver being held by Twilah.

"It's okay; like I said, never be sorry when you get triggered. Do you want to have a session right now?" asked Twilah as Braver nodded, making the two walk away to a private place with AJ's help.



Twilight's eyes started to water as Twilah looked like Nightfall, even wearing the red sundress. A perfect image of an ideal mother who would never hurt her child. Twilight remembered all the memories she shared with Nightfall, all the lovely and happy memories she had with Braver, who was inside Blitz, as they were a magical bioweapon. A clone of both Nightfall and Sky. All the memories she saw—not once did Nightfall ever hurt her child—but Twilight—Twilight had more than once and couldn't even hold her daughter, as she would only bring her more pain—the pain she created.

"I'm such a failure. I'm sorry, Nightfall," thought Twilight as she lowered her head in shame.

Dawn stared at her teacher and could only smile. She was going to break Braver down, making her not only need her but also destroy the support that Braver had—the support she never had.

"Teacher, are you alright?" Dawn asked, acting concerned, as she approached her.

Twilight slowly looked up and saw Dawn, the one person Braver could trust the most, who had been by her side the longest, the first person she ever talked to, and the first friend she ever had.

"I'm a bad mother," simply said Twilight.

"How?" asked Dawn.

"I hurt my child. More times than I could count. I always said I would love, protect, and guide her. I'll never leave her side, but each time, I left her. I'm the worst mother in the world. I failed. I failed my child; I failed her real mother."

"Real mother?" Dawn asked, actually wanting to know this, as she knew Braver and her teacher weren't really related. 

"Nightfall," whispered Twilight.

"Nightfall?"

"A version of me from another universe. In a universe where that version of Dash became a weapon and fought a dark slime, which will later fuse with a clone that is both Nightfall and Sky—the twin's real parents."

"I see." Dawn didn't realize this was Braver's backstory and felt sad for her; a 'weapon'? Braver is too sweet to be a weapon, but she remembered that day when Braver was losing it. Why would Braver's parents clone themselves? She needed more info on them. "How was she like?"

"She was a loving and caring mother. Never once did she hurt her children. She never abandons her daughter. She's a great mother and a great mare. I can never compare to her. The more I think about it, the better she is than me. Nightfall could love her daughter. Me...I couldn't... I'm not like her. I will never be her."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah... I wish I could talk to her. She would know what to do and how to make it better."

"Do you wish she was here instead of you?" asked Dawn, looking at each other.

Twilight was quiet, thinking about the question. She thought of everything she had ever done to her daughter and how many times she had hurt her. She didn't deserve a loving and caring daughter.

"Yes."

"Would you want to talk to her? What would you say to her?"

"I would tell her how much her daughter loves her and would love to meet her. She would be proud of her daughter. Her daughter is beautiful, did great things, and helped many creatures while hiding her pain. Her daughter is fearless."

"That's good. Anything else?"

"If it's alright with her, I would ask her to take her daughter. Her daughter doesn't need someone like me."

"Maybe she already has?"

"Huh?"

"A replacement."

Twilight's heart dropped as the image of Twilah flashed in her mind. "You mean..."

"Braver doesn't need someone like you. She has someone who is just like her mother, Nightfall," said Dawn as her rainbow aura horn started to glow.

Twilight couldn't believe this; she didn't want to think, "Someone who loves her and won't hurt her should help her, but if she takes Braver, where does that leave me?"

"Braver doesn't need you. You failed. You can't be her mother or do what a real mother would do. I should know, as I saw and felt it firsthand," Dawn said coldly.

"Huh? You mean Starlight?"

Dawn had anger in her eyes as she heard her mother's name. "Braver told me everything—the reason why she is a klutz. How's her body protecting her, and what does it do? I also know what you did and what pain you caused her."

"Dawn..."

"She believes that deep down, you hate her. You are scared of her and what she did. You keep saying you don't see her as a monster, but you keep bringing it up. She's a monster; she knows it. It's because of you that she feels that way. You don't want to get close to her, to hold her, or to touch her. It's all your fault. She is a monster, the true monster, but that's her true self. You aren't afraid of her monster side but the real...her."

Twilight shook her head; that wasn't true. "No! I'm not!"

"Really? When was the last time you hugged her without fear that she would harm you with her strength?"

"That's because-"

"Why are you scared of her? It's not her power, is it? You know about her, what her power can do, and what she has done in the past. You know everything about her. What are you afraid of?"

"..." Twilight couldn't answer that and started to panic when she realized that.

"What are you scared of? That the monster will come out of her?! That's not it, is it? Because that's Braver being herself. Why are you so scared of Braver being herself?"

"I'm not sc-"

Suddenly, Dawn yelled, not too loudly, "WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?" She hated how someone would hate Braver.

"..."

"Tell me."

"..."

"TELL ME!"

"I'M SCARED THAT SHE WILL KILL ME!" Everyone turned to her and was quiet, as Twilight had tears rolling down her face. "I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared that she will kill me," repeated Twilight.

"Why?" asked Dawn, acting concerned now as everyone was looking.

"Because she can and has," answered Twilight, as her body shook. She remembered something as everyone looked at her, some knowing what she meant.

"That's an awful reason, right? Braver," Dawn said in a cold tone as she stepped aside, revealing Braver standing there with Twilah, who returned after talking.

"Huh?" asked Twilight as she saw Braver looking worried.

"Momma..." whispered Braver as she walked towards Twilight, and Twilight stepped back.

"Stay away! Stay away!" cried Twilight as she backed away, fearing her daughter, as Nightfall's final memories of being alive flashed in her eyes. Seeing the evil monster walking towards her, saying the same thing...

"Momma..." the monster said as it dripped its black slime. "Momma..." said the monster as Twilight could see the dark slime horn being formed and slowly reaching out towards her chest.

"I SAID STAY AWAY!" Twilight used a powerful burst of magic, which hit Braver, throwing her through several apple trees and coming to a stop as she crashed into the base of the windmill and destroyed it, causing it to fall down on the ground and on top of her, as her body was covered in cuts and bruises, as black slime came oozing out, as it was slowly healing her.

"SIS!" screamed Blitz as she ran towards her and her family.

"TWILIGHT! What did you do?" shouted Rainbow Dash.

"BRAVER!" cried Dawn as she ran over to her, looking over her body and crying. She didn't want this to happen to her, but deep down, she did, as everything was coming along like she wanted.

Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight and looked into her scared eyes. "Why did you attack her?" 

"Twilight!? Why!" shouted Spike as he ran off to check on Braver like others, leaving Twilight and Dash alone.

Twilight was breathing heavily, and her body was shaking as her hair and coat were a mess, and she was crying hard as the images were going through her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," whispered Twilight, as she was breathing heavily. "I had to protect myself!"

Dash let her go as she heard her. "Protect yourself!? You could have killed her!" shouted Dash as she looked over to her daughter, who was severely hurt, and back to Twilight, filled with anger and rage. "YOU ALMOST KILLED OUR DAUGHTER!"

Twilight snapped out of her as Dawn's aura stopped, and the memories vanished. She was breathing heavily as she looked over and saw Braver lying on the ground. "B-braver?" whispered Twilight as she ran over to her. "Braver! Braver! Please be okay!" Twilight called out but stopped as she saw Braver standing up. Half of her face skin was burned off, revealing the slime underpart. Her arm was severely burned and was healing itself.

"Mommy? Is that you?" asked Braver in a sad voice; as her good side face was covered in cuts and tiny burns, Braver looked at her mother.

"Braver..." whispered Twilight. She could see the damage she had done, and her body shook as she looked at the damage.

"Why? Why did you attack me? Was it something I did?" asked Braver as Twilight looked at her. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. No. No." repeated Twilight, recognizing the pain her daughter was experiencing as she tried to act strong.

"Why? Did you want me dead?" asked Braver.

"No."

"Was it an accident?"

"..."

"Then why?"

"I don't know."

"Did you want to hurt me?"

"No."

"Were you afraid of me?"

"No."

Braver started to cry as she knew better. "You are lying; that's why you hurt me. Because you were scared of me."

"No!" Twilight stepped forward but froze as she saw Braver backing up in fear.

"Don't come near me! Don't come near me!" cried Braver, as she didn't want Twilight to hurt her again.

"Braver..." whispered Twilight, as her heart was hurting. She tried to reach out to her, but...

"Don't come near me." Braver shouted as curled up in a ball, deep crying could be heard, "Stay away!"

Twilight couldn't move but repeated, saying, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Twilight! Stop! You already did enough damage!" shouted Dash, her wings flapping and her teeth clenched as she flew in front of her wife.

"But..."

"You almost killed her. You could have killed her. How would you feel if she was gone?!" shouted Dash, as Twilight was in tears.

"Dash, please..."

"Nightfall would hate you! HATE YOU!" Dash's voice was filled with anger and sadness as she was crying. "If she were here right now, what would she say? She would hate you, you know! The one who killed her own daughter!"

Twilight covered her ears, as she didn't want to hear that. "Dashie, please..." Her legs couldn't support her anymore, and she fell down on her knees, crying, "Please..."

Dash said nothing as she turned around, flew away, and looked down at the ground with tears coming down.

Twilight looked at her and called out, "Dash..." but Dash didn't respond. She kept flying towards her daughter.

"Braver," Dash said as Braver looked at her with eyes filled with sadness and hurt. "I'm here. Mommy is here. I'll always be here for you, I promise you."

Twilight tried to call out to them but couldn't, as she saw Twilah holding her family. Twilah said she was there for them and would help them. Twilight could see a real mother, something she wasn't.

"It looks like you are being replaced," Dawn told Twilight as she walked past her teacher and stood behind her. Twilight couldn't believe what was happening.

"How does it feel?" asked Dawn.

"..."

"How does it feel, huh? Being replaced? Not even your wife or daughter wants anything to do with you."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." Twilight could see an image of her daughter and Dash with her, but the image was replaced with Twilah instead of her. She had lost her family.

"How does it feel? To know that no matter what you do, the people you care about and love will leave you," asked Dawn, almost having a bit of pain in her tone when she said that.

Twilight lowers her hoof. "Stop this."

"What will happen? Will they still love you after everything? Or will they hate you and move on with their lives? How will you be able to face them? When they turn their backs on you and walk away?"

Twilight covered her ears. "Shut up..."

"And you will be all alone."

The ground cracked and shook, and the air became colder as Twilight screamed with rage, "SHUT UP!" Soon, her eyes were filled with purple energy as she stared down Dawn.

"Oh, did I hit a sore spot, dear teacher?" Dawn asked as she stared back at her teacher.

"What?" said everyone as they looked at Twilight, who looked at everyone with her rage face. But that faded away as they could see Dash was protecting Braver from...her, causing her to back away.

"I thought you were different, teacher, but you started acting just like my mom did. Hurting her daughter, breaking her trust."

"Dawn. That's not true!" Twilight said, trying to get Dawn to listen to her as she started to freak out.

"Then, what did I just witness, huh? Wasn't it an attack? Against me. Like my mom, she hurts others and quickly says, "It's an accident," never taking responsibility for their actions. Never admit what they did."

"That's not true."

Dawn narrowed her eyes at her. "You didn't even apologize to me, didn't you? She was just saying the same thing to me that she always said. 'That's not true. I didn't mean it."

Twilight couldn't understand it, hearing Starlight be like that to Dawn. Sure, Starlight was evil, but she changed...right? "Dawn. Please."

"I can't believe it, teacher, that you would attack your own daughter like that. Then attack your own student. Did Celestia hit you? What's the matter? Did we do something wrong?"

Twilight was disgusted as she heard that Celestia would never hurt her "Dawn. Please. That's not true. Why are you saying those things!?"

"So what is the truth then?"

"That's..."

"That you hurt Braver and the real monster here, are you? Because only a monster will have people looking at her like 'this'..."

Twilight suddenly saw everyone looking at her with fear, even Dash, Spike, and AJ. "This isn't real."

"Who knows. But what is real is your daughter and student being hurt."

"I'm..."

"If this keeps up, everyone will end up hating and abandoning you. So what's going to be? Are you going to run and hide?"

"No..."

"Then why are you running then, dear teacher?" whispered Dawn as she saw Twilight take off, running away, and she could only smile. "I hope you understand," Dawn looked down at the ground, smiling with glee, but quickly had to hide it as she could someone coming to her.

"What did you do?" asked Spike, running up to her, along with Dashie and AJ.

"Nothing...but telling her the truth. She needs it after hurting my dear and only friend. Dawn looked at Braver, who was almost healed, and Dawn's eyes started to tear up. "No parent should ever hurt their child...not like my mom did to me," Dawn hurried over to Braver and hugged her, leaving the others more worried.

"Starlight hurt, Dawn?" whispered AJ, as she couldn't believe it.

"That's not true," said Spike, but even he knew there was a possibility of that being true.

"I believe it," said Dashie, making the two turn to her, asking what she meant. "In our universe, Dawn's parents aren't nice people. They treat others whom they don't like as lesser beings, as trash. It's why our Dawn always felt alone and wanted friends. She felt more alone as her parents kept her caged up by them and their faith. Astra, her mother, would...hurt her when she saw her talking to Twilah and me. It wasn't just her, but Samson, her father, as well."

AJ and Spike couldn't believe a version of their friends was being so cruel.

"Look, this doesn't matter right now. We need to find Twilight!" said Dashie.

"Why?" asked AJ, making the two look at her. "Ain't you upset about Twilight hurting the kids? Her own daughter!?"

"Yes, I am," said Dashie, clenching her fist. She hated to see that kind of stuff, but her fist went soft as she spoke. But...she needs us. She wouldn't just attack Braver unless she was really scared. Something is really wrong here. This isn't like her at all."

"She's right. Twilight wouldn't just do something like this without a good reason," added Spike.

"Then let's go find her and see what is wrong," said Dashie.

"Hold it," said Blitz, walking up to the group. "I want to hear why from her own damn mouth! I'm coming with you to learn why she hurt my sister, my twin, and my other half!"

Dashie could see her daughter filled with so much rage, and she knew how that felt. "Blitz..."

"I want to know if she truly sees my sister like that! If she does, then Braver is coming back with us!" demanded Blitz, her eyes filled with rage, but tears were coming out as well. I'm not letting her stay with someone who sees her as a monster! She isn't like that!" 

"Braver isn't a monster, Blitz. I can see that, and we can see that. Braver is loved here, and you can't just force her to leave." She pointed towards Dash, who was still with her daughter. "This is her home, her family." Dashie tried to calm her down, but she put her hand on Blitz's shoulders. Blitz slapped them away, which surprised Dashie.

"I thought you hated seeing that kind of stuff! Isn't that why you volunteered or took jobs at places that had kids with broken families and were abused? Why do you want her here then?" shouted Blitz, not letting her mom say anything as she kept yelling at her, "Why are you protecting her?! Are you just like her?!" Suddenly, Blitz looked sad as she held her chest. "Are you afraid of me? Am I just a monster to you, too, and you are too scared to face me?"

Dashie was speechless as she heard her say, "..."

"Why aren't you saying anything, Mom? Am I?"

Dashie turned away from her daughter, causing her to cry.

"...mom..."

"I don't and won't ever see you or your sister as a monster. We fought to save you two from that awful fate of dying as one, so why would I see you two like that?" she started to walk away, leaving her daughter in tears as AJ and Spike followed her. "I'm disappointed in you, Blitz. You're smarter than that."

Blitz cried harder as she realized she had hurt her mom. She could hear the pain in her voice—the hurt, the betrayal. "Mom, I didn't..." Blitz looked down, her tears hitting the ground.

Twilah was looking at all this, so she turned to Dash, still holding Braver and trying to calm her down. She turned to her daughter, then back at Dash and Braver, then back to Blitz, who was crying. She didn't know what to do; she was needed here with Braver, as she knew what to do and say to a triggered person, but her daughter needed her right now. She couldn't be in two places at once and didn't want her daughter to feel like this "...Dash."

"Go ahead, Twilah," Dash told her, not looking at her. "Your daughter needs you."

"And what about yours?"

"..."

"Dash, she needs her mom."

"And I'm needed here; Twilight will understand," replied Dash, stroking Braver back and trying her best to be brave for her daughter and herself.

"Okay," Twilah whispered as she walked over to Blitz, trying to calm her down.

Dawn stepped back and looked where Dashie and others had gone, and she could only smile, as her plan to destroy Braver support was only the beginning.

"I'll make you see, Braver, that you don't need family or friends. You only need me. Just me," thought Dawn as she smiled and headed off to where Dashie and the others went.





Twilight ran into AJ Barn and hid in a corner, crying softly. She didn't know how long she had been crying but knew her tears were not going to end.

"...Twilight."

Twilight had a tiny bit of joy as she heard that voice, thinking it was Dash, but she turned to it, seeing it was Dashie, who looked worried, but the two couldn't see the two smiling faces within the dark part of the barn, as one of the smiling faces horns started to glow a rainbow, making Dashie and Twilight feel odd. Twilight's heart was beating fast, and her face was flushed. Dashie, on the other hand, was still feeling odd but kept pushing as she spoke, "Twilah, are you alright?"

Twilight brushed off these feelings and looked away from Dashie, as she didn't want her to see her face, which was redder than a strawberry, as she spoke, "Y-yes."I'm fine."

"I don't think you are. What happened back there? Did you see something?" asked Dashie, but Twilight said nothing. "It's okay. It's just me. No one else is here. I promise. Just tell me so I can help you."

"..."

"Twilight. Please. It's not good to bottle up your feelings. We already saw how this stuff goes." again, Twilight said nothing. "I just want to help."

"..."

"Please, let me help you."

"Why would you want to help someone like me? Who just hurt their own daughter?" asked Twilight, not looking at Dashie.

"...you aren't a bad person."

"Then, why do I keep messing things up? No matter what we do, it's been nonstop problems with Braver."

"Well, I'm not an expert in parenting, as you know. I'm not like Twilight. She was studying how to be a great parent in the four years we were waiting for Blitz to come from the past with Prime Discord. Even though I raised Blitz almost alone, I'm still not an expert. But I know this: the most important thing to remember is to keep trying." Dashie took a step towards Twilight, and she took a step back, not wanting to look at Dashie's face. "You might screw up, you might mess up, but what's important is not giving up. Braver is strong; she can take whatever you throw at her, so don't give up. Don't stop; just keep trying, and maybe one day, Braver will come around and forgive you."

"Do you think she ever will?"

"Of course. I'm sure she will."

"I'm not. The way she looked at  me, I don't think she will."

"Twilight, I..."

"Dash, you don't have to lie to make me feel better. I messed up, and it's over. I don't want to hear lies."

"I'm not lying, Twilight," Dashie told her, stepping closer.

"Why are you so close?"

"Because I'm telling the truth. I don't think it's the end for you and Braver. Maybe it's a setback or bump in the road, but that doesn't mean it's over. She's your daughter, and I'm here because you're my friend. So, please, just talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. Please." Again, Twilight said nothing to her, making Dashie upset. "Come on, Twilight. Please, tell me."

"Dash."

"Yeah?" answered Dashie, with hope in her voice.

Twilight lowered their head and blushed as she said, "I-I-I love you."

"...huh?" replied Dashie, completely surprised by the confession and seeing her standing up.

"I love you, Dashie," Twilight said again, turning to her and kissing her as the two evil smiles watched.

"Twilah, what's going on?" asked Dashie, backing away from Twilight, who was still kissing her. "T-Twilight, what are you doing?"

"Isn't this what you want, Dashie? Don't you love me?"

"What are you talking about? You're married Twilight! We can't!"

"I want to break up with Dash."

"What?!"

"She doesn't love me like you do, Dashie," said Twilight, with her eyes looking lifeless.

Soon, Dashie could feel something, as her head was in pain, and suddenly felt herself turning into her anthro form, touching Twilight on the cheek and kissing her back. But Dashie pulled back as she realized what she was doing. "What's going on!"

"You're in love with me, right, Dashie?" asked Twilight, still kissing her. "We belong together, right, Dashie?"

"Of course..." whispered Dashie as her eyes went lifeless, too. She started to kiss Twilight more and pinned Twilight down, which Twilight giggled at.

"That's right, Dash. I love you."

"I love you, Twilah."

Both started to make out and while the two faces stepped out of the darkness, Dawn held up a recording crystal. Her pony-ear human version just laughed like a crazed maniac.

"Teacher, what are you doing?" Dawn smiled as Twilight looked at her but didn't care as she kept kissing Dashie. "I'm making this right, Dawn," answered Twilight, still making out with Dashie.

"Right, how?"

"I'm getting rid of what's stopping me and Dashie from being together," said Twilight as she nuzzled Dashie's nose.

"Which is?" said Dawn in a cold tone, smiling harder.

"Braver..."

"What about her?"

"I want her gone. I want her dead," replied Twilight in a cold tone. "I want her to suffer for being why Dashie and I are not together."

"So, tell me to teach. Is this true love? A mother's love? Is this love for the ones you truly care for?" asked Dawn, smiling evilly now.

"It's the love of a mother," said Twilight, looking at her before smiling and kissing Dashie again.

"I see. Thanks, Teach," Dawn put the recording crystal away and walked back into the darkness, where her human self awaited. Soon, the spell that Twilight and Dashie ended caused them to snap out of it and look each other in the face.

"Twilight!"

"Dashie!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Twilight! I don't know what came over me." Dashie said, backing up, as her face was redder than a cherry. "I'm sorry!"

"D-Dashie, it's fine. I wasn't in control of my body," said Twilight, looking away. "I don't know what I was doing."

"We should go," simply said Dashie, as the two didn't remember Dawn being there or the other Dawn.

"Yeah..."

The two got up and left the barn, not noticing the figures smiling at them.

"I love messing with minds," said Dawn, giggling as she turned to her human self. "All thanks to you."

"Anything to help my other self and for..."

"Our dear Braver," said the two in unison.

End of Chapter 5