Twilight awoke slowly, her head felt like it had been broken apart and poorly put back together. The lavender unicorn looked around, all she saw was endless darkness, "Where am I? What happened?" The memories came flooding back, "That's right, the princess. She, she tore my soul. But why? I thought-"
Twilight was interrupted by the sound of a new voice, "Really? She did that? I knew Luna had issues but I never expected her to go all out crazy just for one small town of subjects."
Celestia's voice joined in, "Oh yes, it was quite the sight from what I hear. A Nightmare Night to remember. I only wish I had been there to see it myself. Now about your new body."
The other voice questioned, "What about it?"
Celestia cleared her throat, "Twilight's friends will be suspicious if she never comes back, at least to say good-bye and such."
The other voice replied, "Understood. You want me to pretend to be Twilight until we can get her friends to keep their noses out."
Celestia replied, "Precisely." Twilight didn't believe her ears! Celestia was plotting to get rid of her, it wasn't just a bad dream. Celestia, the pony Twilight had trusted the most, had betrayed her. Twilight wanted to collapse right there and cry her heart out, but she didn't have time to sit around and cry. She had to find a way to escape this endless darkness and fast.
Meanwhile, Mystica was pulling off the part of Twilight Sparkle perfectly. She had even used a spell to change her eye color from her scorching red to Twilight's soothing violet. All of Twilight's friends believed the act, they didn't suspect a thing. That is, until a few days later. Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie had tried to go see Twilight in Canterlot, but when they approached the castle they were turned away. Rainbow Dash glared at the guards, "Hey! What gives? Why can't we enter the castle to see Twilight?"
The guard simply replied, "The princess has requested that no visitors enter."
Rarity stepped in, "But we are the friends of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Surely you can make an exception."
The guard shook his head, "Sorry, Princess Twilight orders that no one be allowed in or out of her wing of the castle."
Applejack was next to question the guard, "What in tarnation do y'all mean Twilight ordered us to say away from her castle?"
The guard stood his ground, "I'm sorry ma'am. Orders are orders. Now I must ask you girls to leave."
The five mares trotted off in confusion. Fluttershy stammered, "Gee. I-I hope it wasn't something I did."
Rarity put a hoof around Fluttershy, "Oh I'm sure it's nothing darling. Twilight is probably just going through something and needs some time alone."
Rainbow folded her arms, "I still say something isn't right. If she was going through something, she would probably want us there with her."
Applejack shook her head, "Well whether something's up or not, there ain't nothing we can do 'bout it 'till they let us in that castle." As they walked off, Pinkie's hoof felt twitchy and tingly. She looked at her hoof and then up at the castle, "This is not good."
Mystica watched the group of ponies leave from her balcony. The pink one turned and looked up at her with concerned eyes. Mystica ignored her and turned around, "Pathetic foals. It's time for my two-thousand year silence to come to an end."