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// A Star Glows Dimmer 
// Story: As Hearts Harden 
// by Autumn_Fire 
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Twilight stared down at her hooves, a horrible sense of regret and disdain washing over her body like a thick black cloud. How could she? How? How did she? How did she manage to end up to be such a horrible failure in everypony's eyes? She had to backtrack. It had been such an eventual past week, she had almost forgot some of what she had gone through.

First, she had gotten in a terrible yelling match with Rainbow Dash. She had been so stressed about studying for her most upcoming report about the History of Abstract Magic, (which was a topic so broad you could probably fit the entirety of Equestria in it and still have more to discuss), that she mindlessly snapped at Dash for her lack of studying, eventually calling her dumb. Rainbow Dash of course was not happy about this but, for some reason, she enjoyed seeing her friend in such pain. It made her feel better about her own hurt. Like she was finally in control of something.

Then, almost directly after the incident, Pinkie Pie came along to try to spread her over shining joy and cheer. But, boy, was Twilight not in the mood for such nonsense. She kept getting in her face and for some reason, maybe it was purely instinctual, she cast an incantation that zipped Pinkie's mouth tightly shut, preventing her from speaking for two days straight.

After this her friends began to distance themselves far from her. Even Spike, her most loyal assistant, wanted to keep as far away from her as possible. At least for the time being, but she didn't know that.

What if they all hate me? Twilight thought in complete and absolute despair. She recalled all of the marvelous adventures they had been through. The struggle, the laughs, the tears. They had been through so much together. Yet, all it took was two angry outbursts for them to start hating her? What if... they had always hated her? Maybe she was never even their friend to begin with! Maybe they didn't actually "love" her, they only "tolerated" her? Twilight Sparkle noticed that outside her library it has begun to storm quite fiercely. Rain hit her window at an incredible rate and thunder boomed periodically. It was just like the storm within her own heart. 

Large tears began to form in the purple mares eyes. She was alone again. Just like she was in Canterlot. Only this time even more alone than before with Spike leaving her. She just couldn't take it! What was her life for if she had no friends to enjoy it with? Out of the corner of her tear soaked eyes she noticed a long rope sitting peacefully on the floor.

It was time for her to take things into her own hooves. And nopony was going to stop her. Not like they care much anyway.