Chapter Eleven
*******
Scootaloo leapt to her hooves an instant after waking up from her nightmare. She was panting and exhausted, wobbling a bit on her hooves. Blinking, she tried to adjust to her surroundings. She was at the camp that she and the others had set up at the entrance of the caverns, her cot the fourth in a row, next to Centime and Olly. The others were snoring away, but sleep was the last thing on Scootaloo’s mind.
“Mph... Scoot?” Dash asked from under her blanket.
Scootaloo didn’t answer; she was too disoriented. She mumbled something, shaking her head. Centime tugged on her tail.
“What’s wrong, Scootaloo?” Centime asked drowsily, his eyes still half-shut.
“I...” Scootaloo tried to force out the words, but her lips wouldn’t obey. She swallowed, struggling to keep her emotions in check.
“Hey, what’s the matter, Scootaloo?” Dash asked, pushing her blanket aside and getting up. She trotted over to her friend’s side. “Did you have a nightmare?”
Scootaloo nodded shakily. “I-I just need some air, okay? Give me a minute.”
“In that case, I’m going back to sleep,” Olly yawned irritably. “Try not to dream so loud next time.”
Scootaloo looked around. Most of the others hadn’t even stirred at her loud outburst. I don’t blame them. I feel like I’m going to fall over on my hooves as it is.
“Can I come... too?” Centime asked, yawning in the middle of his question and curling up in his blanket.
“I think we both know the answer to that question,” Dash said, grinning slightly and rubbing her eyes. Centime was asleep by the time she finished speaking.
Dash helped Scootaloo out into the main chamber of the cave. Scootaloo gradually recovered from her original fear, but she was still shaken.
“What was your nightmare about, Scoot?” Dash asked.
“I d-don’t really wanna talk about it,” Scootaloo mumbled, stopping for a moment to take a breath.
“I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer,” Dash insisted. “The sooner you get this off your chest, the sooner we can go back to sleep.”
Scootaloo exhaled and explained her nightmare to Dash from beginning to end, finishing with, “And the mare said she was here to protect me, but she failed. A-And then, I saw m-my own body in a ditch, frozen s-s-solid,” she cried, bringing Dash into a hug.
“...That’s rough, Scoot,” Dash said, rubbing Scootaloo’s back.
“W-Will that really h-happen to me?” Scootaloo sobbed. “Will I really...?” she couldn’t choke out the words.
“Pull yourself together, Scootaloo,” Dash said softly. “You have to be strong. Be like me, okay?”
Scootaloo looked up. “Wh-What do you m-mean?”
“Well, do you think any ol’ nightmare’s gonna slow me down? Please!” Dash said, giving Scootaloo a small noogie. “I thought you said drama was Rarity’s thing.”
Scootaloo smiled a bit, wiping her eyes. “Yeah, I-I guess...”
“It’ll all be just a memory in the morning, right?” Dash asked, nudging Scootaloo playfully. “You’re probably just tired; that’s why you’re having these nightmares. Get some sleep, okay?”
Scootaloo nodded. They began to walk back to the campsite. “Thanks, Dash.”
“No problem,” Dash said, curling up in her cot. “I mean, y’know, what are friends for?”
Still slightly unnerved by her nightmare, Scootaloo curled up next to Centime. Her eyes slowly closed as she drifted back to sleep.
The gem at the top of the spire glowed as she began to dream.
=====================================================================
*******
“So what’re we gettin’ ourselves into today?” Applejack asked.
The group had a restful night’s sleep, more or less. Dash and Scootaloo were the ones that looked slightly more drowsy, but an almost equal air of weariness hung over the group. They had gathered in the main chamber of the cave and were discussing their new course of action.
“Well, since the little chamber at the top of the spire was a dead end, there might be no choice but to go out in the snowstorm outside,” Celestia sighed.
“Wait, aren’t we above the cloud layer?” Scootaloo asked.
Celestia shook her head. “The clouds rose overnight. We’re going to have to climb an hour or two in the snow before we can break it again.”
“Fun, fun, fun,” Olly muttered.
“Wait, hold on a moment,” Twilight began. “I never really got to examine the chamber at the top of the spire; I fell unconscious a few moments after arriving. I actually think it’s something we all should look at. If we don’t find a way out up there, we’re going to have to bide our time for right now, because we won’t be able to survive five minutes outside as it is because of the storm,” she added, glancing at Centime.
Centime puffed up his chest in indignation, but Scootaloo tapped him and shook her head. “Fine,” he muttered.
“Um, sorry to be a bother, but we’re getting low on supplies,” Fluttershy pointed out hesitantly, motioning toward their bags.
“I’m sure I can use some magic to conjure us some food for the time being; it depends on how much residual energy is in this cave,” Twilight said. “We should be able to stay at least a couple more days, if we ration properly.”
“I agree that we shouldn’t be too hasty,” Rarity agreed nervously, “but I shudder to think of what those heathens are doing to my little sister. We need to get her back as soon as possible.”
“We haven’t forgotten about Sweetie Belle,” Celestia said. “Still, if we show up weakened to the fight against Guilt and Hate, they might just keep her and destroy us anyway.”
“I don’t really like to say this, but they could pretty much do that whenever they want to,” Dash admitted, looking away.
“Not if Twilight uses one of the Necromancy spells in her book,” Celestia said, turning to Twilight. “I’ll show it to you on the way up the spire.”
“Whee! What are we waiting for?” Pinkie asked, bouncing toward the spire. “C’mon, Dash, I’ll race you!”
Dash shook her head. “Sorry, Pinkie, not today.”
Pinkie tilted her head to one side and stopped bouncing. “But... But you’ve never turned down a race before! The chances of that are a one-millionth of a one-millionth of a percent!” She ran up to Dash. “Are you an impostor?”
Celestia bit her lip. “Don’t throw that word around, Pinkie,” she cautioned.
Dash backed up. “I’m fine, really, Pinkie,” she said. “It’s just that I’m a little tired, okay? Thin air isn’t really good for a pegasus. Even Cloudsdale is really humid most of the time. Up here in the mountains, well, it’s a little tough.”
Pinkie made one last dramatic glare at Dash before bounding off, saying, “Okey-dokey, Loki! Let’s go treasure-hunting!”
“Well, Ah don’t know ‘bout you all, but Ah don’t think it’s such a good idea to be goin’ back up there so quick,” Applejack said. “Didn’t Olly and Twilight barely make it to the top without turnin’ belly-up?”
“There is a difference in pressure,” Twilight admitted, “but if we’re able to make a hole in the cavern, the differing pressures should balance out. Worst case scenario, Celestia and I could always use magic to compact the air around us.”
“Well... Ah guess Ah don’t see any harm in tryin’,” Applejack said. “Let’s git a move on.”
As they began to ascend the spire, the runes lit up all of the different Elemental colors. Celestia pointed out the specific spell in Twilight’s book that she had mentioned earlier, and left her to her studies. She mumbled incantations occasionally as she tried to understand the scripture. This is going to take a few days to prepare properly, but there’s no telling what I’ll be able to do once I’ve memorized it.
Rarity wiped beads of sweat off of her forehead. Fifteen minutes of climbing had rendered her completely spent; her lungs were burning as if she was running a marathon. She tripped a bit on her hooves, stumbling into Pinkie Pie, who in turn stumbled into Olly, and so on. In all, five ponies fell flat onto their faces with Rarity’s dramatic collapse.
“Rarity, get up,” Dash complained. “Don’t wimp out on us now.”
“I... I can’t, I’m sorry,” Rarity mumbled, clutching her head as the others got back to their hooves. “It’s too much.”
“Gosh, Ah reckon she’s pretty sick,” Applejack observed, pushing past the others to Rarity’s side. Rarity was lying on the steps with her eyes half open, her limbs strewn about the cramped corridor. “Maybe Ah should stick with her, fer the time bein’, at least.”
“Are you sure?” Celestia asked.
“Ah think it’d be better if Ah let Rarity git her head back on her shoulders,” Applejack suggested. “We’ll catch up with ya at the top a the spire.”
Twilight nodded absently, almost tripping over Rarity’s leg as she studied her book. “Don’t take too long. As soon as you’re sure Rarity’s alright, do your best to get her to the top, okay?”
“Can do,” Applejack said, sitting down next to the slightly moaning Rarity.
The others journeyed on. Eventually, they reached the top of the spire, the room that contained the ominous poem and black diamond just ahead.
Cautiously walking into the room, Celestia found it in just as dingy a state as before. It appeared to be solid, so there were no other exits. What fascinated her, though, was the black gem on the table. She stood and stared at the diamond, as if in a trance.
“Um, Celestia?” Pinkie asked, prodding the sun goddess. “Celestia? Celestia! Equestria to Celestia!” she yelled, shaking her.
“Huh? What?” Celestia shook her head. She rushed up to the gem and studied it closely.
“Celestia? Don’t you want to read the poem? It has to mean something,” Twilight suggested.
A wide smile stretched across Celestia’s face. “Is it...? Yes!” she finally yelled, startling everypony. She jumped up and down giddily, as if she had just discovered buried treasure in her backyard.
“What’s up?” Dash asked, bewildered. “You all right, Celestia?”
“Don’t you understand? We’ve found Vengeance!” Celestia exclaimed.
“H-Huh? She’s here?!” Fluttershy squeaked, shrinking behind Pinkie Pie.
“No, silly,” Pinkie said. “I think she means the gem is Vengeance!”
“Wait, so all this time we’ve been scared of a rock?” Dash asked.
“No, Vengeance is inside the rock,” Celestia clarified.
“S-So she is here?” Fluttershy asked, trembling.
“No, she’s not,” Celestia sighed.
“But didn’t you say she was in the rock?” Twilight asked.
“She is,” Celestia answered, beginning to get frustrated.
“Hide me!” Fluttershy squealed, rushing for the doorway. Olly, sighing to himself, bit on her tail and held her in place.
“Vengeance is inside the rock, but she just can’t attack us right now. Better?” Celestia asked gruffly.
“How do you know that?” Twilight asked.
“I think I was the one that put her there,” Celestia answered.
“You think, or you know?” Twilight asked.
“I know it, okay? Now let’s just--ouch!” Celestia yelped as she tried to pick up the gem. It hissed and fizzled at her approach.
A peculiar buzzing flew through Twilight’s head for a minute, and she knelt in pain. “Ugh...”
“You okay, Twilight?” Scootaloo asked.
The buzzing faded. “Y-...Yeah, I’ll...” she trailed off, getting up.
Celestia rubbed her slightly charred hoof on her side. “How are we supposed to get it?”
“I-It’s an Antimagic barrier,” Twilight mumbled, shaking her head. She explained more clearly, “It’s strong, too. Nopony magical can go near the gem, and that includes unicorns, alicorns, and Elements of Harmony.”
“Wish you’d told me that sooner,” Olly muttered, adjusting his goggles so that they wouldn’t run into his horn. “So, that means either Scootaloo or Centime has to carry it, right?”
“What, you’re asking me to carry... her?!” Scootaloo swallowed. “I don’t know if I’m up to that kind of thing.”
“Either you or Centime; the rest of us can’t touch it,” Olly shrugged. “Besides, it’s just a gem. Vengeance can’t attack you, can she?”
“How’d a big powerful evil villain superpony like Vengeance end up in that itty-bitty teeny-tiny gem?” Pinkie asked Celestia.
“It wouldn’t be too hard to put a spirit in there, actually,” Twilight said, lending Scootaloo her saddlebags to carry the gem. “I can see Celestia and the Elements of Harmony pulling offsomething like that.”
Celestia nodded. “That’s how it happened. That’s how we defeated Vengeance.”
Twilight regarded Celestia with a bit of suspicion, but that passed quickly as she anxiously watched Scootaloo take the gem. She slowly lifted the gem from the pedestal and placed it into her saddlebags, the Antimagic barriers slowly fading away as the diamond’s magic left its resting spot.
“How’d it get here in the first place?” Dash asked. “Ponies don’t just casually stop by and drop diamonds off in random ruins.”
“This wasn’t always ruined,” Celestia pointed out. “It was probably a large city at one point. Then... well, I can’t say I know what happened.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Olly asked. “I mean, knowing that we have a traitor on our hooves, and all.”
“If we let it stay here, any number of things could happen. We don’t have any idea of the nature of her imprisonment or of the spell that’s keeping us from touching the gem. ...Do we?” Twilight asked, looking up at Celestia. The sun goddess sighed and shook her head, so Twilight continued. “That means that the barriers could fail or somepony else could find the gem, and it would be just as bad as Vengeance being released right now.”
“Yeah, but...” Scootaloo began, “well, it’s kinda convenient that the gem is right here, right? Discord brought us to this mountain for a reason, and I don’t like where this is going. It’s like saying to Discord, ‘Here, please release Vengeance from this gem so that she can destroy Equestria.’”
Cracks appeared in the walls as stone rubbed against stone. An ancient mechanism was activating, but Twilight didn’t detect any complex parts or magic that would suggest a trap. It’s probably just a gate opening somewhere.
“That may be true, Scootaloo, but we should rush Vengeance back to Fillydelphia and either have her entombed permanently or destroyed before anything else happens. We may be playing right into Discord’s claws...” Twilight paused, unsure where she was going with that argument. She sighed. “...But, in the end, they’d find a way. All we can do is minimize the damage, and hope that we realize our Potential before everything goes wrong.”
“Well, that’s a happy note to end on,” Olly chuckled. “I wouldn’t fret about it too much. Twilight’s right; even if we don’t take it, somepony else will as soon as they hear about it, and they won’t have a single clue what it is, whereas we can probably do some actual damage to Discord’s plan.”
Bright light and wind rushed in from outside as a corridor opened up to the exterior of the mountain, and the sudden rush of air eased the tension in the group’s lungs. They hadn’t realized just how labored their breathing was until they felt new life surging through them.
“Just one thing after another,” Twilight grumbled. To her surprise, the wind stopped after the initial burst. That means that we’re above the storm. We’ve climbed a long way.
“Last pony outside’s a rotten fudgesicle!” Pinkie chirped, bouncing down the corridor.
“Um, sh-shouldn’t we wait for Applejack and Ra-Rarity?” Fluttershy asked, shivering in the cold. “I-I-I’d be more than happy to w-wait for them...”
“You’re probably better off with us, Fluttershy,” Olly suggested. “After all, Applejack and Rarity can take care of themselves. Celestia, on the other hoof? Well, that’s a different story.”
“One of these days, Olly,” Celestia grumbled, rolling her eyes as she walked down the corridor.
“Um... HELP!” Pinkie yelled from the front of the tunnel.
Twilight’s ears perked up, and she rushed forward. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s like everything bad we never wanted to happen was written down and stored and sorted like one of Twilight’s lists and then everypony in the entire world made sure all of it happened!” Pinkie rambled from outside. She paused for a breath, then shouted, “Just hurry!”
They gathered at the exit, where Pinkie and a magenta unicorn with a white and purple mane was waiting for them.
*******
“Arrogance!” Celestia hissed.
The corridor led onto a level rock face with a sharp cliff on one end and a solid wall jutting up from where they had exited. A thin layer of snow, maybe an inch, covered the surface they stood on. Arrogance stood next to Sweetie Belle, who was tied, muzzled, and held prisoner behind a magical barrier.
“Long time no see, Celestia,” Arrogance smirked. “How’s being completely helpless working out for you?”
“Let Sweetie Belle go!” Scootaloo yelled.
“Sure, Scootaloo. As promised; you’ve reached the top of the mountain. At least, well, you’ve gone high enough,” Arrogance added with a grin. “How about we make a trade? I’ll give you Sweetie Belle if you give me that little black gem you’re keeping in your saddlebag.”
Scootaloo hastily tried to undo the straps on her pack, but Celestia stopped her. “She’s bluffing,” Celestia said. “She can’t even touch the gem.”
“You’re assuming I need to,” Arrogance chuckled. “But fine. Take her. She doesn’t mean anything to us. We’ll have that gem, though, one way or another.”
Arrogance cut Sweetie Belle’s bonds and lowered the barrier, and the teen hastily scampered into the center of the group. She looked back at Arrogance resentfully.
“Now, you have two choices,” Arrogance began. “Either you can give me the gem now and save Hate the trouble of prying it from your cold, dead hooves, or you can cling to it until you and all your little friends have been ripped apart. Your choice.”
“We’re not giving you the gem, Arrogance,” Twilight said fiercely. “If you want it, you’re going to have to go through us.”
Arrogance laughed. “Hate’s wanted to get back at you for years. I’m not going to jeopardize my own well-being by getting in his way. I’m done here. Toodle-oo.” She turned to leave.
“Wait,” Celestia growled. “I’m not through with you.”
“Don’t waste my time,” Arrogance sneered. “Brother or not, I can still wipe the floor with any one of you. Have you forgotten our last little bout, Celestia? You didn’t look too well at the end. I doubt you’d want to put yourself through the torture I’m all too willing to inflict.”
A faint smile danced across Celestia’s lips. “Want to bet?”
Dash stepped forward, looking nervously at Celestia. “Uh, Celestia? Are you sure this is the best idea?”
A warm wind brushed past the area. Celestia took a breath and turned toward the group. “No matter what happens... stay put. All of you.”
“Look, I don’t need to fight you,” Arrogance said, rolling her eyes. “I’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
Celestia glowed. “You forgot something, Arrogance, when you left my body. You forgot that whenever you possess somepony... you leave some of your power behind.” Her entire body became wrapped in a warm light. Her mane turned pastel shades of pink, green, and blue as her height increased by about two inches. Her pupils slowly thinned to sinister slits. “You forgot what you turned me into.”
Fluttershy pushed herself back against the wall, mortified. She... She’s the Daymare again!
Twilight’s jaw hit the floor. There’s no way she could be more powerful than Arrogance! ...Could she? How strong has she became?
“Last chance,” Arrogance growled, pawing her hoof on the snow in front of her.
“Goodbye, Arrogance,” the Daymare laughed. “Nice knowing you.”
*******
“I really hope you know how much pain I’m about to inflict on you,” Arrogance hissed. She glowed with potent blue energy.
Twilight put up protective barriers, separating herself and her friends from the two combatants. I hope you know what you’re doing, Celestia.
The Daymare swiftly flew around Arrogance and swiped at her, her hoof glowing as she attempt to smash Arrogance down into the rocks below. The villain nimbly dodged and fired a burst of energy toward the Daymare, though the white alicorn was simply able to swat the magic aside with her wing.
Diving at Arrogance, the Daymare landed a kick to the villain’s side before she was swatted aside by Arrogance’s now vicious attacks. Arrogance leapt backwards but forgot to consider how fast the Daymare would recover, and she was smacked into the side of the mountain.
Arrogance yelled in pain, shielding herself with a magical barrier from the Daymare’s relentless attacks. The barrier broke, but not before releasing an enormous amount of energy and pushing the sun goddess back.
Arrogance charged the Daymare and attempted to buck her in the face, but the white alicorn swiped Arrogance’s legs out from under her and kicked her into the air. Arrogance put up a protective barrier, but the Daymare foresaw this and instead fired a bolt of lightning toward her adversary. The barrier split upon contact with the electricity, and the Daymare plowed Arrogance into the ground during the resulting shockwave.
Panting, Arrogance blocked the Daymare’s next attacks and uppercut the white alicorn with her hoof and followed up with a kick to the eye. The sun goddess shrieked and staggered backward, but not before blasting Arrogance with hot flames.
While the Daymare was distracted, Arrogance tried to open a dark portal, but was interrupted by the Daymare stepping on her tail. Her good eye twitching in anger, the Daymare bit down on Arrogance’s tail and flung her overhead in an arc that ended with Arrogance’s face slamming into stone. Golden tendrils shot from the Daymare’s horn and fully restrained Arrogance, but the Daymare didn’t cease her attacks. She kept battering the already defeated Arrogance with magical bursts.
“Celestia, stop this!” Twilight begged. “You’ve already won!”
“I’ve not won until this sorry sack of darkness regrets ever crossing me!” the Daymare yelled, stepping on Arrogance jaw, crushing her.
Arrogance used her dwindling power to teleport out of harm’s way, tears dripping down her face from the amount of pain inflicted upon her. The Daymare was quicker, and yanked Arrogance back by her mane and thrust her into the ground once more.
Scootaloo covered Centime’s eyes and closed her own.
Who am I supposed to root for? Sweetie Belle gaped. Why does Celestia have to hurt her so much?
“You think you can possess me and go unpunished?” the Daymare screamed. “You will pay for everything you have done!”
“Stop!” Arrogance begged. Her leg was broken and one side of her face was bloodied. “Please!”
Dash tried to rush into battle and stop the Daymare, but the barrier prevented access. “Celestia!” she yelled. “Have you gone insane?!” She turned to Twilight. “We’ve got to stop her!”
Twilight turned away. “Sh-She could kill you, too, Dash. It’s too dangerous.”
Dash prepared to break through Twilight’s barrier, but Olly stopped her.
“I know this isn’t right,” he said solemnly, “but I’m not going to have you throwing your life away just because we have an unfair advantage. Now sit down and stay put.”
Dash neither sat down nor stayed put, though, anxiously pacing back and forth as she watched Arrogance feebly try to avoid the Daymare’s onslaught.
The Daymare reared up and attempted to split Arrogance in half, but missed as Arrogance was barely able to roll out of the way. It didn’t matter very much in the long run. The Daymare threw Arrogance into the air and spiked her into the rocky floor, landing on her chest once again.
The Daymare grinned maliciously as she looked upon Arrogance. “You will think twice before crossing me again.”
*******
“Celestia!”
The Daymare turned, looking back at her group. They were shattered and horrified.
“Celestia...” Twilight breathed, taking down the barrier. “What have you done?!”
“I have given her exactly what she has deserved!” the Daymare roared. “She destroyed entire cities in the name of Discord! It’s about time she has suffered the same fate!”
“That doesn’t make us any better than they are,” Olly growled. “What have you become, Celestia?”
“For shame, Elements of Harmony,” a voice from nearby said.
Discord melted out of the surrounding stone, taking shape on the icy mountain. Guilt materialized in a burst of chilling energy. In a final blast of dark fire, Hate arrived on the mountain.
They looked upon the Elements of Harmony and their friends coldly, except for hate.. She simply rushed to Arrogance’s side and desperately checked the shattered body for a pulse.
She didn’t find one.
For several long moments, Hate simply trembled in the cold of the mountain. Her expression, normally cool, was fluctuating from shock to fury to a sickening sorrow. Standing up, she looked upon the group with emotions so dynamic they were hard to place.
“Take her home,” Hate growled at Discord. The draconequus snapped his talons, he and the body promptly vanishing.
Hate slowly sifted a patch of snow that was stained red. As the snow melted on her hoof, she stared at the blood it left behind. She was trembling, but not from the cold.
Twilight couldn’t place her expression, but knew that it was anything but calm. We’re in for it now, she thought.
“This is what it comes down to, huh? Brothers killing brothers? Fine, then,” Hate choked, shaking with rage. “But you’d better be able to handle the consequences of your actions. ‘Cause I was going to be merciful to you, like I have been. B-But now... now I’m mad!” she yelled. A tremor rippled through the mountain, causing cracks to appear on the battlefield.
The Daymare stood her ground. “You’re one to talk! You’re the ones that started this war!”
Something changed.
Energy started to ripple through the air. Guilt backed up, his head low as he bowed to Hate. Pulses of magic started to flow through the air as tendrils of light started to warp the rocky cliff face. A shadow was cast over the sunlit sky.
Hate laughed harshly. “You know what? I’m through trying to explain this to you. You’re just the thick-headed little snob you’ve always been. So I-...” she paused, turning away for a moment. “I-I’m through. With you and the Elements of Murder. Yeah, that’s right. That’s all you are. Want proof? Here’s some; you killed my sister!” she screamed. Another burst of energy made the mountain shake. Hate’s irises morphed from a swampy green to a fiery indigo, and her slits thinned.
“She’ll just come back,” the Daymare said, gritting her teeth. “She’ll be alive again tomorrow, as if this never happened. Unlike the lives you take away.”
“So what, you’re going to use that to justify you using her as a... as a punching bag?!” Hate shrieked. “I am done with this! You think you can beat my sister up and think it’s okay?! Let’s see how you like it!”
“Well, if we weren’t completely doomed before,” Olly muttered.
Twilight turned to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. “Go back inside and find Applejack and Rarity. Don’t come outside under any circumstances; we’ll come and get you after this is all over.”
Hate slowly lifted off the ground, hovering in midair. “I was told to be merciful,” she began, stretching out her wings. Flames started to leap off of her pelt and feathers. “I’m tossing that rule out the window. If you don’t have the decency to keep my sister alive... If you have the nerve to put her through so much agony, again and again,” she paused, struggling not to cry. “Th-Then I’m not going to hesitate to do the same to you!”
Scootaloo grabbed Centime and Sweetie Belle and pulled them inside, galloping down the narrow corridor as fast as her legs would carry her. As soon as they were through, though, Guilt placed an impenetrable barrier in front of the entryway, barring further access.
The dirt and grime that had once characterized Hate slowly melted off her and burned to ashes in the flames that slowly covered her entire body. In a few moments, Hate was gleaming in the evening sun; she fully represented Spitfire’s original, stunning beauty.
“I’m sick and tired of preaching to you foals. The only way I can get my message through your thick heads always seems to be violence. You want violence? Well, you’re in luck, because by the time I’m done with you, you will have experienced agony like you’ve never known agony BEFORE!” Hate screamed.
With a last pulse of energy, Hate had finally charged up completely. Her eyes glowed with white-hot energy as a pulse of hot air almost instantaneously melted any remaining snow and almost burned the Daymare herself.
“I’m not afraid of you,” the Daymare hissed.
“Well, then,” Hate growled, descending to the ground. Her indigo eyes seemed to be looking straight through the Daymare. “Let’s give you something to fear.”
*******
The shadow over the sun thickened, casting a dark haze over the surroundings. Shadows started to leap and twirl as a sinister laughter whirled through the air. Hate’s eyes glowed as the surrounding gray mountain started to morph into hard, black rock. Twilight backed up and poured energy into the barrier, though her terror made it hard to concentrate. Dash tried to look menacing while Fluttershy clutched tightly to an unsure Pinkie.
It ends now, Olly thought. Well... guess you had this coming to you, Celestia. Nice knowing you.
Guilt smiled slightly before slowly fading into the shadows.
“Let’s see what you’ve got!” Hate yelled, leaping at the Daymare.
The Daymare parried Hate’s first few attacks and counterattacked with a swipe to the head, but Hate ducked and warped above the Daymare. She tried to dive into the Daymare’s spine, but the white alicorn flipped and swatted Hate aside.
“That’s more like it!” Hate shrieked. Her hooves glowed for a moment, and time slowed. She warped in and out of place as the Daymare frantically tried to locate her. The Daymare put a protective shield around herself, but Hate broke it with a powerful hoof to the surface of the glimmering field and followed up with a magical blast to the Daymare’s face.
The Daymare backed up, her horn glowing. She flew at Hate, her body ablaze, and smacked her into the ground, following up with an attempted punch at her abdomen. Hate parried and leapt out of the way, warping behind the Daymare and kicking her skyward.
Recovering in midair, the Daymare released a myriad of small homing blasts that swirled toward Hate. She simply warped above the Daymare and charged up a blast of her own.
A bright beam of orange light flew at the Daymare point-blank, but the Daymare thrust out her hooves and blocked the blast, keeping it firmly in place and threatening to return it to its origins. Beads of sweat dripped down Hate’s face as she kept the pressure on the Daymare, but it was all for naught. The Daymare gathered her energy and thrust the beam back toward the flaming pegasus, resulting in a grand explosion. Hate flew backward, yelling in pain.
The Daymare didn’t let this opportunity go to waste. She flew toward Hate, smacked her skyward, and would have followed up with a mighty strike of lightning, but Hate was quicker. Recovering herself, Hate swooped underneath the Daymare and struck her in the jaw.
The Daymare retreated, but not before superheating the air around Hate, creating another massive explosion as the air rapidly expanded. Hate was tossed about in midair, and the Daymare took this opportunity to land, collect herself, and prepare her next attack. Her horn crackled and sparked as tendrils of electricity wove their way from her body to the stone and back.
Hate was slowly gliding to the ground, struggling to remain conscious.
The Daymare executed her final move. A bright blue burst of lightning shot through the air toward Hate, piercing her abdomen. She gasped in pain, falling limply to the ground.
The Daymare took a few steps forward, looking like she was about to finish Hate off, but Hate was not down for the count. Slowly getting to her hooves, she laughed, a laugh that would not have been expected from a pegasus that was near fatally struck with lightning just before.
“Y...Y’know, ‘Tia,” Hate chuckled, panting, as a sick grin slowly spread across her face. A dark barrier slowly wove its way from her shadow over her body, shielding it in a thin black tar that quickly evaporated. “Since you’re beating me, and all... I may as well give up. Hugs and kisses, right? C’mere, ‘Tia, let me wrap my hooves around you like the big, squishy barbarian you are.”
“Coward!” the Daymare barked.
Hate slowly walked toward the Daymare, who backed up hesitantly.
“What’s the matter, scared?” Hate snickered, though she was bleeding from her midsection and probably in intense pain. “C’mon, finish me off.”
What’s she waiting for? Dash thought. “Do something, Celestia!”
How... How could anypony be that powerful? Fluttershy trembled. How are we supposed to defeat a villain that’s so strong?
Hate raised her hoof toward the Daymare, who was backed up against the wall. A mighty spark of black energy leapt from her to her enemy, and the Daymare howled in pain.
“Aw, don’t give up on me that easy,” Hate laughed, pressing her hoof forward and feeding more black sparks into the screaming Daymare. “Let’s see some fire!”
“Have some!” the Daymare yelled, wrapping herself in flames and scampering away as fast as her hooves would carry her.
“Don’t leave me hanging!” Hate complained, smirking. Blood dripped down her thigh and she staggered as if she was about to pass out. “All it would take is one little tap. You’re putting me out of my misery, right? Do what you did to my sister. I dare you.”
“Stay away!” the Daymare shrieked. She was having trouble moving, and her unfolded wings were hanging at her side, useless.
“Alright, if you wanna do this the hard way, we’ll do this the hard way,” Hate grinned, motioning to the right of the Daymare.
Guilt leapt out of a rift in space and body-slammed the goddess, pinning her to the ground. Hate steadily limped up to her, grinning maniacally the entire way.
“No, no, no!” the Daymare whimpered, struggling against Guilt as Hate walked closer.
Dash once again forgot about Twilight’s barrier. Rubbing her nose, she exclaimed, “We have to help her!”
“Are you crazy?!” Twilight yelled. “Do you want the same thing to happen to us? Provoking them is the last thing we want to do!”
“You expect us to just sit here and do nothing?” Dash asked in shock and anger.
Twilight nodded firmly. “Rushing in there won’t get anything done. It’ll only cause needless death.”
Dash indignantly pounded on the barrier one final time, but silently looked away as soon as Hate reached the Daymare.
“Let’s see how you like being tortured to death,” Hate sneered, bringing her hoof up to the Daymare’s face. She shrieked and writhed as the dark energy shot through her system.
Twilight watched in horror as the Daymare was slowly being burnt to death. Bright yellow marks started to appear on the Daymare’s temples. What are they? Cracks...?
“Let’s hear you beg for mercy.” Hate whispered, going so far as to touch her hoof to the Daymare. Hate’s original rage seemed to have departed, replaced by the icy cool of a murderous villain.
“Stop!” the Daymare begged. It looked as if her skull was about to implode. “Please!”
Hate’s eye twitched for a moment, and she laughed. Slowly, she stepped away from the sobbing Daymare, but not before offering one last burst of dark energy to add to her pain. “Well, fine. If you want to chicken out, I’ll let you.”
*******
The shattered Daymare was left to her tears. Slowly, she reverted back to the regular Celestia, her mane returning to its bright red, orange, and yellow as she shrunk an inch or two.
Guilt silently released Celestia from his grasp and fixed his mane. He glanced at Hate for a moment and raised his hoof, but when he saw Hate’s stern glare, he simply turned back toward the group.
“Since you asked,” Hate spat. She looked back toward Twilight’s barrier and waved her hoof. It instantly shattered.
“Wh-... What?” Dash asked. “Aren’t you going to... y’know...?”
“Riiight... because I’m the cold-blooded murderer here,” Hate sneered. “Look, you wanna know why I do what I do? It’s because you did it first. I think I have the right to be teed off when you whine about getting creamed, ‘cause you did the same thing to me twenty-five thousand years ago.” She paused. “You live. For now. But only ‘cause I’m not allowed to kill you just yet.”
“What are you going to do with us?” Twilight asked.
“Not my choice, so don’t ask,” Hate finished. “Toodles. Good luck piecing your friendship back together. It’s all you’re going to have left in the end.”
Guilt tore open a hole in space, and the two departed through it. The barrier blocking the entrance vanished.
Olly stood in shock for a moment, then shook his head in amazement. “Well, you don’t get luck like that every day.”
“I don’t understand; why didn’t he just kill us all? Or, at least, why didn’t he kill Celestia?” Dash asked.
“They need her. They still need everypony in our group, otherwise they wouldn’t bother keeping us alive,” Twilight explained sourly.
Rarity poked her head out of the entrance. “Is it alright now? Has the fighting stopped?”
“The real fight’s just getting started,” Twilight growled. “Get Sweetie Belle, please. I need to have a word with Celestia.”
After Celestia was fully healed, she and Twilight stood in a deadlock. Neither wanted to start the inevitable argument, yet they forbade the others from interfering. Scootaloo and most of the others had departed for the campsite, leaving Rarity and Olly to make sure Celestia and Twilight didn’t kill each other. Ordinarily this would have been far-fetched, but the fury in Twilight’s eyes told a different story.
Celestia sighed. “Twilight... I know I’m wrong. I know what I did was stupid, dangerous, and a-” She bit her tongue.
“You were about to say ‘arrogant,’ weren’t you?” Twilight asked. “I guess it doesn’t matter. I’m not here to argue about whether what you just did was stupid or not. That part is obvious. I want to know if you’re fit to even journey with us after what you did.”
Celestia looked up, her eyes wide. “You don’t really mean that, do you?”
“Oh, I do,” Twilight confirmed, gritting her teeth. “All you’ve done for us is get us into more and more dangerous situations. I’m not going to even ask you why you attacked Arrogance, because any answer you give will be way beyond me. Why are we even keeping you with us? You’re an alicorn; it would take you a quarter of the time to get back to Fillydelphia compared to the time it would take us to walk.”
“I attacked Arrogance because she killed thousands of ponies!” Celestia said defensively. “Is there a better reason?”
“Murder doesn’t justify murder!” Twilight yelled. She was fuming and could hardly sit still. “What you’re doing is provoking the enemy and getting yourself and others killed! The only thing you’ve done for us is provide a guiding hoof, but at this point, we may be better off without it if it just leads us into hot water.”
“So you support Discord?” Celestia asked.
“I’m not sure I have any reason not to, if you’re Harmony!” Twilight retorted. “How are we supposed to call ourselves ‘good’ if we just kill anypony who gets in our way?”
“You didn’t seem to have any qualms with it when you killed Envy and Arrogance the first time,” Celestia pointed out.
“They weren’t begging for mercy,” Twilight growled. “You had Arrogance beat. She was trying to run away. And then you just killed her in cold blood! She was crying, Celestia!”
“The Elements of Discord don’t have feelings,” Celestia growled. “That was an act, and nothing more. You’re letting them manipulate you, which is Discord’s greatest strength!”
“How do you know that? How do you know anything about Discord, Celestia?” Twilight asked. “If Hate wasn’t upset about you killing Arrogance, if he didn’t look like he was about to cry, then what was he doing? He doesn’t have any reason to act!”
“He’s trying to gain your sympathy, and he’s succeeding!” Celestia argued.
“Is that your best argument for beating a pony to death? They’re trying to earn sympathy?” Twilight scoffed. “Celestia, I don’t care if they have feelings or not; they’re ponies, just like you or me! If they are begging at our knees to be spared, then you spare them. It’s not too hard to understand!”
“The Elements of Discord aren’t ponies. They’re soulless monsters!” Celestia shouted, “and you’ll never convince me otherwise!”
“I’m sure that Hate doesn’t consider you a pony either, if that’s how you treat him. He spared you,” Twilight pointed out.
“Sympathy,” Celestia growled.
“They don’t need to earn our sympathy, Celestia!” Twilight exclaimed. “They have us under their hooves and you know it. Why would they need to make us pity them? So that we’re weaker when we fight them? We hardly put up a fight right now! Why would they need our sympathy, of all things?”
Celestia turned away. “You shouldn’t be so lenient with them when you don’t know all the facts. You don’t know what they’ve done.”
“Okay, then. Who’s Skids?” Twilight asked.
“I thought we agreed not to talk about that!” Celestia snapped.
“You’re going to tell me, one way or another!” Twilight growled.
“No I’m not!” Celestia decided.
“The only way I’m going to let you stay with us is if you tell me what you’ve been hiding, now!”
“I won’t! Twilight, don’t make me angry!”
“What are you going to do, kill me? Who’s Skids?”
“No!”
“Who is Skids?”
“Twilight, I’m warning you!”
“Who is Skids?!”
“ENOUGH!” Olly roared.
Twilight and Celestia stared at the fuming Olly. He slowly stepped in between the angered sun goddess and the exasperated Element of Magic.
“Now that I’ve got your attention,” Olly hissed, pointing at Twilight, “you’ve got to stop acting like the world revolves around being nice! Don’t deny that Arrogance had this coming to her; she deserves it just as much as Hate does. Twilight, you’ve got to stop being so harsh on your friends and actually see from their point of view!”
He pointed at Celestia before Twilight got a chance to interject. “And you’ve got to actually give us a point of view to see from! I’m just as tired as Twilight is about sitting in the dark, waiting for you to turn the lights on. You’re going to come down from la-la-land and tell us what you’ve been hiding by sunrise tomorrow or so help me I will make you spell it out letter by letter!”
Twilight and Celestia, slightly surprised by Olly’s new change in attitude, nodded absently.
“Good, then. It’s settled. I’m taking a nap; wake me when you’re ready for story-time,” Olly grumbled, heading off toward the cavern.
There was a brief pause as Twilight and Celestia collected themselves.
“Are you both alright?” Rarity asked.
Celestia nodded shakily. “No way out of this, huh?” she asked sheepishly.
“The Olly has spoken, I guess,” Twilight mumbled. She gruffly pushed past Celestia and entered the cave, her head low.
“Rarity... am I really that bad?” Celestia asked after Twilight had left.
“...I’m not sure I can answer that question, Celestia,” Rarity said, though she didn’t meet Celestia’s eye.
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[Note]: I do not own anything in this story that already belongs to someone else.
This story takes place BEFORE season two, but AFTER season one.
Please let me know if a link doesn’t work.