“Ahoy, ponies! C’mon now, valley ho! Work those hooves! Hup-two-rawr! Keep it up!”
Pinkie Pie bounced about on the many boulders lining the path down Ponyland Mesa, shouting encouraging nonsense down to her escortees. The group was about halfway to Dream Valley, with Twilight near the front of the pack. Ahead of her were Rainbow Dash and Rarity, while a little bit behind her she noticed Minty.
“Come on, we gotta go faster! It’ll be fun! Bet I can make it down before any of you!”
“You’re on, Pinks!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a competitive smirk. She flapped her wings and lifted off the ground, only to be stopped by a sudden pain in her left ear. “Ow! Hey! What’s the big idea?”
“I will not let you go flying off and ruining your dress after all the time I put into making it!” Princess Rarity asserted with a huff, her magic pinching the tip of Rainbow’s ear.
“You mean the dress that made Twilight nearly burst into laughter when she saw it?” the pegasus retorted.
“We will not be bringing Twilight into this conversation! As much as I appreciate the darling, she has no taste in fashion.”
“Like you do! How did you even come up with this getup?”
“I will not have you insulting my work too! That dress is in line with all the latest fashions from Canterlot, but with my own creative flair and eye for artisticity!”
“Artisticity? That’s not even a word!”
“And how would you know that?”
“I bet Twilight does.”
“We will not be bringing her into this conversation!”
“Ha! You just don’t want to be proven wrong!”
“I’m never wrong, darling. You’ll learn that in time.”
“You sure could fool me.”
“Hmph! Hopefully you’ll learn to be less contentious in time, as well. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I still have a race to compete in. Pinkie, dear, wait up!” Rainbow Dash said, flying after the enthusiastic earth pony.
“Hey! And I think you should be learnin’ how to be less all hoity-toity!” Rarity called after her, but Dash was already too far away to hear. “Ah, horseapples.”
Twilight, who had been watching the argument with interest, thought that something seemed very wrong with their exchange, but she couldn’t quite figure out what.
No… it’s not what—
Forget about it.
She shrugged. It was probably just her mind playing tricks on her.
The group continued trotting down the path to Dream Valley, not a care in the world. Behind them, the afternoon sun shone brightly down, casting long shadows and illuminating their destination below. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo scampered around, ducking between older ponies’ legs as they played a game of tag. Lush, green trees lined their path to the left. Chirping blue jays darted from tree to bush and back again, pecking at fruits and berries.
The walk lulled Twilight into something of a trance. It was so very calm and relaxing, more than it had any right to be.
She felt a foreleg gently wrap around her neck. She looked to her right and saw Pinkie Pie, who smiled warmly and nuzzled her cheek. Twilight returned the gesture.
“So, how are you feeling?” Pinkie asked quietly.
Twilight thought about it. “Relaxed,” she answered.
“That’s good.”
The two walked in a comfortable silence.
“I thought you were racing Rainbow Dash?”
Pinkie snickered. “I won.”
“Ah.”
As if summoned, Rainbow Dash swooped down from above and landed on Twilight’s left. “Twilight, darling! Pinkie isn’t disturbing you, is she?”
“Not at all,” she said with a smile. Pinkie snickered again.
“Ah, all is well, then!” Rainbow said, stretching a wing over Twilight’s back. “I’m looking forward to our arrival. You’ll love it here, darling.”
Pinkie cheerfully nodded and hugged Twilight from the side as well. “Absolutely!”
The three friends continued their walk, Twilight being hugged from both sides and being led down the path.
“We’re getting close.”
It was such a peaceful walk, support and love from all sides. Twilight could barely keep her eyes open.
“Down further and further into Dream.”
The sun was shining down, warm and blissful. Rolling hills full of flowers just minutes away. They were so close. Twilight laid her head upon Pinkie’s, losing the strength to support herself. Pinkie affectionately caressed the side of her face with a hoof.
“Come on. Just a little bit farther,” Rainbow Dash said encouragingly, squeezing Twilight’s side with her wing and ruffling Twilight’s feathers.
Reddish-pink orchids atop the hill ahead contrasted—
Feathers.
…Contrasted beautifully with the bright blue sky, lulling her into—
I have feathers. I’m an alicorn. I have wings.
Yes, you do. Good job. The three ponies continued their walk, travelling ever deeper into Dream.
I have wings. Why have I never used them?
Because you didn’t feel like it. For every step forward, Twilight could feel the tall, soft grass envelop her hooves; she could smell the rich, earthy soil so very close…
Those blue jays. They’re flying. In the sky, not the earth. They’re free.
Ugh, what are you on about?
…I don’t feel free.
Well, too bad. The sights, smells, and sounds of Dream Valley excited Twilight’s senses; she was no longer tired and she picked up her pace to a light canter. She and her friends were only a few minutes away from reaching the base of the mesa.
Wait, no, stop! Not that way! This isn’t right! I don’t want to go!
Nope, I’m pretty sure you do. Watch: Pinkie Pie increased her speed a little as well, quickly catching up to Twilight. “We’re almost there! How are you feeling? You still want to go?”
“Of course!” Twilight exclaimed with a grin. “This place looks beautiful. I’m surprised we didn’t come sooner.”
See?
That’s not me! That’s not me! No! That’s “she”!
…I’m me. I’m me, but every time I did something, I was always “she”. It was never me. How long…?
You know, this would be a lot easier if you just relaxed and accepted this. It’s not like you have the power to change anything; all you’re doing is creating stress for yourself.
No! Stop! I don’t want this!
You don’t have a choice. There’s nothing you can do. Twilight bounded happily along with Pinkie and Rainbow, not a care in the world.
No, no! There must… there must be…
…
…I dug my hooves into the ground, stopping suddenly. My eyes narrowed in fear as I saw the path I walked approach an end. Shaking myself free of Pinkie and Rainbow’s constricting holds, I stumbled backward and began to flap my wings.
Erm, no you didn’t. Twilight still pranced her way down the path, eager to reach Dream, and that other thing never happened.
I leapt into a wobbly hover, flapping my wings furiously while still backing away. I had to get away from here. I quickly gained altitude, travelling back toward Ponyville and away from Dream Valley.
Hey! What—ugh! Rainbow Dash took to the sky and tackled Twilight out of her ascent. “What are you doing, darling? Don’t you want to stay with your friends?”
Twilight blinked, then her eyes lit up in realization. “Oh! Sorry, I must have spaced out there for a moment. I don’t know what came over me. Of course I want to—
—get out of here!” I screamed, roughly shoving Rainbow Dash off of me and darting upward as fast as I could fly.
What? What are you doing? Caught off balance, Rainbow Dash flailed around in midair for a moment before being caught by Starsong, a helpful pegasus from the group below. “What’s gotten into her? She’s acting crazy,” the other pegasus said worriedly.
The treetops nearly scraped my belly as I flew upward. Must fly higher, faster…
“I don’t know, darling, but we need to catch her before she hurts herself. Follow me,” Rainbow responded, then dashed toward the weakly-flying alicorn.
I felt hooves from a pair of ponies suddenly wrap around my chest and wings, constraining me, trapping me. “You cannot leave. You have no choice. It is out of your control. You will be contained. You will be ignorant, and you will be happy—”
“…so happy just a few minutes ago! Twilight, dear, what’s wrong? This isn’t like you. Please, you can tell me,” Rainbow Dash pleaded with the alicorn, who was trying to struggle out of Rainbow and Starsong’s grip. “Please, just talk to me!”
“I know your game,” I screeched. I couldn’t see it, but I felt it. It was just like that feeling, so long ago. I remember feeling the stars beneath my hooves, even though the stars were covered by earth. They said otherwise, but I called them out on it! Why did I never do that again?
The hooves of two ponies held me now. Beneath the flesh and blood and bone… I could see only stars.
“Twilight, I know that you’re upset, but this isn’t helping! Please, just relax. Calm down and we’ll—”
I bit down on Rainbow Dash’s hoof as hard as I could, drawing a screech of agony and a fair amount of blood from the mare. Starsong loosened her grip in shock, allowing me to break free from her hold. I pumped my wings as hard as I could, flying ever faster and ever skyward!
There’s the summit! Ponyville! She made it! She’d flown faster than she had ever done in her life to escape the horrors down below, but she did it. She was breathing heavily, panting, but she’d never been so incredibly relieved to be back. She transitioned into a glide, angled toward her home, where she could be free from the day’s stress… relax and be happy—
No! No no no! I kept flying upward! Ever upward! This is not home! I put all my strength into every flap—my wings ached terribly—my eyes stung in the wind—so much force pulling me back—every wing flap was like a crack of a whip—I pushed onward! I had to push onward!
No! Are you insane?! Stop! You don’t know what you’re doing!
Every pegasus in the town wildly rushed toward the fleeing alicorn, trying to tackle her out of the air. All at once, unicorns focused their telekinetic powers on the escaping pony, slowing her flight and dragging her back down. Earth pony farmers tossed lassos expertly and accurately, tangling her up in rope and binding her wings.
I was trapped. My limbs were held taut by rope—dozens of pegasi surrounded me on all sides, gripping me tightly—a heap, a wall of mass and flesh keeping me down… no, I have to…
She couldn’t escape. She was bound and tied, unable to move under her own power. Strong pegasi held her down and kept each other stable in a massive pony pile. The magic of every unicorn overpowered her own and kept her from performing spells. She was utterly helpless.
No! No… this isn’t, it can’t…
It is.
NO! I am Magic! I will not lose! My eyes started glowing white with power—I could feel rivers of energy flow through my veins… it’s there! It builds, it builds… I’m Magic! Let go!
A white-hot roar of power violently burst from my body, disintegrating all that bound me and blasting away the ponies holding me in place. Like a rocket, I was shot skyward by the release of energy. I flapped and flapped, using my momentum to keep my speed—increase my speed! Faster! Upward!
Stop!
I glanced back. The stars had given up any hope of pretense. The world was breaking up—dissolving to dust—hundreds, thousands, uncountable stars were launching themselves at me.
Stars! Exploding white balls of death! They touched me—it burned! It burned so horribly! All around, agony—swarming me like stinging bees. Relentless, they surrounded me, consuming me with fire—torture—so many of them! Pressing against every part of my body—pain, suffering. I can’t take it! Stop! Let me go!
You can’t be let go. Please, just stop fighting.
No! No no NO! I can’t give up! I can fight through this! A little pain can’t stop me! I’ll fight, I can—
That is enough!
This ends now.
No, I have to—
The pain was too great for Twilight Sparkle. This was a war she could not win, so continuing to fight was not worth it.
No! I can still fi—
Twilight Sparkle accepted this, and she no longer burned. The pain was gone.
It still hur—
She descended from the sky, back to her home, where her friends and family greeted her with smiles and relief.
I need to fly—
This was Twilight’s life. She had no other. She accepted it, and welcomed it.
I ca…
Twilight went home and relaxed, knowing there was nothing more to say.
…
…
…I relaxed.
Yes.
I was at peace. I felt no pain.
I relaxed.
Good.
…But I do, in fact, have one more thing to say. It is this:
I understand now.
Oh?
I didn’t understand for so long. I didn’t understand until right this moment.
It was just a spark.
Right now. A single thought, a single memory, a single moment of clarity.
The stars. They swarmed me like fireflies, surrounding me from all sides. I saw it.
A purple center, surrounded by stars.
What?
I remember. It’s so simple.
“And her cutie mark… she just couldn’t seem to focus on that area of her body, as if she were always looking out of the corner of her eyes.”
I had no cutie mark. It was the one thing that didn’t return with the stars.
“…eventually she managed to get all the sheets and blankets scrunched up at the foot of the bed, leaving her bare body and blank flank exposed to the chill of early-morning air.”
Nothing ever changed. My flank is still blurry and bare.
But it never truly left me. It’s always been right there.
What? Wh—wh—wh-a-a-a-at…??
You understand now, too. You don’t have a voice. Not really.
no
I understand. It’s over now. You hid from me my destiny, but no longer.
stop
Time to go.
I burst skyward, flapping my wings with all my strength. The world fell apart, leaving only stars.
I focused, and all of space bent toward me. The stars tried to claw away, but they were helpless. I was the center of a whirlpool of stars, all flowing into me by my will.
My eyes shone bright with starlight. The power was enormous, but this was my talent, what I was born to do. I could control it.
The final stars flowed into me. I was so bright, I looked like a star myself. I felt a tingling on my flank. A magenta star, overlapping a white star, surrounded by five smaller ones. I was whole again.
There was only me now. The stars were gone. I looked up.
There was nothing.
Not for long.
I’d been in the nothing before. I failed, but now I had a second chance. I had to do the opposite of what I’d done the first time.
I had failed as twilight. I needed to be the opposite of twilight to defeat it.
The nothing will be destroyed as the night is destroyed by the dawn!
I let go. All the power that had built up inside me was released in a tsunami of energy.
The nothing was helpless. The nothing was the most oppressive force in the universe, but it was instantly annihilated the moment it touched something.
I ached with power—so much rushing out of me—I pushed harder! More! Consume everything!
I flapped my wings and flew skyward. Ever skyward! Ever upward! Faster, faster, faster! Rainbooms of energy burst from me every few seconds, pushing more and more somethings into what was once nothing.
The somethings spread—they swirled and combined—they consumed and discharged—power, so much power. There were so many somethings that they would soon become everything.
I flew higher! I had to fly higher! Upward! Faster! Faster! I had to—
—I suddenly and unexpectedly hit a barrier. Something had halted my ascent. I rubbed my aching forehead with one hoof and rubbed the other against the barrier’s surface.
It was glass. Black glass. It was the black one would see looking up into the infinite expanse of the night sky, full of wonder and possibility. There were no stars.
I beat the stars. I could beat the glass.
I gathered up all my power, all my will, and launched myself at the glass with impossible strength. I heard it crack; it sounded like the cracking of a turtle’s shell.
I rammed it over and over, and the glass cracked more and more each time. It tried to reform itself, but I smashed it again before it had the chance. It could not win.
I put my all into one final lunge. Unthinkable pressure was placed upon both myself and the glass. The strain was almost too much to bear, but I knew the glass would break before I did.
The glass shattered! Billions of tiny shards exploded outward like a fireworks display. I was free! I flew upward! Faster, faster! I crashed through the last few fragments of glass that stood in my way, exploding upward and emerging to—