• Published 24th Nov 2014
  • 3,427 Views, 38 Comments

To The End - Zubric



A year has passed since Celestia had made Twilight her filly. Things were never quite the same for Shining Armour after that day. This is the story of the lives effected by Celetia's choice and recovery to fix them.

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The Restoration

The group had all gathered around in the main room of the library. The clock ticked by, as everypony watched Sunset flip to the correct page of her book.

“So, Duchess Sunset,” Shining Armour asked, “Did you have the spell book already here?”

Sunset nodded setting said leather book down on the table. “Well, had to do some digging in the lowest parts of my Library, but I did manage to find all the necessary elements for this to work. No pun intended of course.” She added with a light smirk.

The element of harmony all gave a little chuckle before Sunset continued.

“Princess Celestia’s spell seems tougher than I first thought. We’ll have to go bit deeper than just a simple ‘fire&forget’ spell.”

“What do you mean deeper?” Cadence asked, her hooves idly hitting the floor.

“We will have to enter her mind per say. Help her come out of the shell that formed around her adult mind. Happy thoughts and memories are the key.”

Applejack assuming this would be an easy task was the first to rise. “Great, what do we do first?”

Sunset gestured to the corner of the room, where a blackboard with large circle drawn in chalk had been placed. Similar concentric circles lined the inner ring, creating a very delicate pattern. She gestured the group over to it as she explained. “The spell requires us to stand in this pattern, so that our energies are focus on Twilight. It’s rather lengthy explanation, so, to make a long story short, we are all needed.” She said before glancing at Spike who was holding the spell book in his claws. “As for you Spike, we need you to act as protection.”

The dragon in return tilted his head. “Protection? I thought I’d be part of this circle thing.”

Pinkie looks about nervously before Sunset spoke again. “Well we need you to make sure the spell isn’t interrupted.”

‘That and Velvet might come and check up on me.” Pinkie said before glancing at the door again. “I had to sneak out just to make to this party. I don’t know how long the extra guests at the daycare will hold her out of here.”

Spike cringed, twiddling his fingers. “V-velvet.”

Rarity came up to him, putting a hoof on his shoulder. “I”m sure our brave Spikey can keep us safe from that abomination.”

Shining gently positioned Twilight into the center of the ring of ponies .Twilight looked at her friends as she sat there, grinning emptily. Her blue party dress fitting well over her diapered rump... not that she would need a diaper after this was done.

Pinkie pouted for a second as everypony got into position, a puppy dog expression on her face. “Aww, do we have to?”

Everybody turned to look at her before focusing on the task at hand. Rarity looked over at Pinkie shaking her head. “Pinkie for the last time, no matter how happy she looks, it is not her.”

Sunset and the other unicorns position themselves in a parallel like fashion as the others filled in the gaps.

“Now, when I give the signal, Shining, Cadence and Rarity, will cast the spell in unison, the rest will happen on its own. Just remember, happy thoughts of Twilight, and desires of her return.” Sunset instructed.

Sunset took one last look at the page before facing back at Twilight idle grin. Everyone looked a little on edge as her horn started to illuminate. White magic swirled about before enveloping Twilight’s head and horn, the unicorn froze in place as if time had stood still. Next came Rarity’s, Shining, and Cadence horns all lighting up in sequence, each colour blending into the aura of the other ponies. A majestic rainbow of light sparkled around in the circle, the energy flowing back towards Sunset before pulsing into Twilights forehead.

All of a sudden, there was a multicolored flash, and a tunnel of light appeared in Sunset’s vision. She spiraled downwards into a pit of blackness, and endless drop that had no bottom. After what felt like eternity of waiting, her hooves landed on solid ground.

A soft breeze blew about, sand between her hooves, long dead trees and bushes swayed as well creating a very unnerving feeling. Despite the area around her, there was no blistering heat or dry air.

“So, this is how a regressed mind looks...” Sunset Shimmer murmured momentary forgetting the task at hand before turning to face the others. They stumbled about for a few moments, the non-unicorns more so due to lack of experience with such intense mental strain.

Dash was the first to recover fully looking about the sand dunes. “Where are we?”

Rarity dragged some sand along the cracked earth before speaking shackley. “This is Twilight’s mind, and it seems this is the state Celestia left her.”

Dash facehoofed before looking around spreading her wings to take to the skies.

“Wow, hold up there partner, we stick together!” Applejack said stopping Dash from getting airborne.

Dash simply rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh. ‘Relax, I was just going to do some aerial recon.” She said, no doubt using all those fancy words she found in a Wonderbolts manual. “Oh well, I will look from the ground.”

The group make their way up a sand dune soon getting an overview of the surrounding terrain.

A small village stood in the distance. A pyramid-temple not unlike ones found in the ruins of the tropical part of Equestria stood tall and proud in the center. The outer walls of the villager were built much like a fort, large logs forming a barrier with catwalks along the top most edge.

“I spot something looking like a farm over there.” Applejack suddenly pointed eastwards towards a barnyard and a military camp. “There are some ponies there too!”

“Hey, is it me or do those guards on patrol down there on the walls look like hostile natives from the Daring Do books.” Dash inquired, her eyebrow raised.

“Yeah they kind of do now that ya mention it.” Applejack rubbed her chin.

Shining had stayed near his wife this entire time, taking a look over the land for himself. ‘We should proceed with caution. We don’t know how they will react to newcomers.”

Sunset rubs her chin again seeming lost in her own thoughts. “Oh, yes true.”

Rarity had apparently noticed the hesitance in Sunset voice now moving over to her side. “Is something wrong dear?”

“I’m just at a bit of a loss here is all.” Sunset replied glancing towards the village with puzzlement. “Everything here is an abstraction, things that symbolize parts of Twilight, like personality, desires and the like.” She paused, now having the full attention of the group. “In fact you all know Twilight better than I do, so I’m more lost than anyone here”

Rarity nodded. “Well that may be true, but you are the only one able to understanding the signs here.”

Sunset kept rubbing her chin looking worried. “I may have capacity, but I can’t say anything for sure. Unless I have some support from you. We all have to work together, piece together this puzzle carefully.”

Pinkie looked over innocently. “I love puzzles, this should be fun.”

Dash raised an eyebrow again. “Pinkie this isn’t a game, it’s our friend’s life at stake here.”

“Yeah I know, but no reason to not be a downer about it. Beside it not like if we die, we all fall over dead right?”

The group remained silent for a minute, all a bit startled by what Pinkie had blurted out. None of them had really considered what this link into Twilight mind could do to their own bodies.

Shining grew impatient and started walking. “Well enough talking let’s get going before night somehow falls.”

As they group walk along the dirt path Fluttershy's whimpers are heard faintly. “W-why would Twilight mind be like t-this... I-I thought s-s-she was remembering-g things?”

“It will be okay Fluttershy, we will get through this.” Dash comforted her yellow friend, the sound of the group hoof steps being the only sound to be heard.

The group passed through a dead wheat field, before approaching an old looking farm house. One of the ponies that had been toiling at the earth with a hoe looked up from under his helmet. The light brown bearded unicorn wore a simple breastplate and a morion, and was resting on a halberd.

“I’ve never seen such healthy ponies around here for years,” he said in a raspy voice. “Who are you exactly? What are you bringing to me and my company?”

Sunset shimmer inflated her chest a bit. “We are Twilight’s friends,” she said, while the others came around. “We want to restore her to her former glory.”

The stallion spat on the ground, before looking up to Sunset again. “Gardeners that want to go to war! This dominates every other event that has happened to me!”

“Gardener?” Applejack tilted her head towards Sunset.

“I think that Twilight, in this context, is the earth in this plane.” Sunset whispered.

“But I think that the Captain and Former King will integrate you in our company,” the stallion said “After all, there has been a shortage of new meat over here, and we are getting smaller week by week.”

Then the stallion took the halberd in his magic, before going on his fours. “Follow me before the patrols come around.”

The group nodded at each other, before following the stallion.

“I hope we will see some action,” Dash murmured to Fluttershy, to which Fluttershy let out a small squeak.

“So what do you think they meant by former King?” Cadence asked as they walked down the hill into a valley.

“Well obviously they are referring to old Twilight.” Shining replied confident.

Sunset agreed with a simple nod taking a gander at the rather simple housing around, as they are guided down another hill slope to a few tents arrange in a circle. One tent stood out taller than the rest, made distinct by the lavender and white banner flying on the top and Twilight’s cutie mark was emblazoned upon it. Upon approach of the camp they noticed that most of the army were greyed out and colourless: the ponies almost looked generic, as if cut from the same cloth nothing truly standing out amongst the sea of grey, brown, black, white and ochre.

The pony escort saluted before calling out to one of the guards. “Tell the Captain we have volunteers.” The guard replied by turning around, heading towards the decorated tent.

Sunset took a moment to look about the camp noticing that the soldiers, when they weren’t completely without armour and weapons, they used all the same weapon according to their race. Specifically, all pegasi had a saber and a flintlock pistol and wore only a puffed out dress, while the unicorns had both a halberd and an arquebuse and wore a breastplate.

Pinkie’s hair looked more deflated. “Where is the entire colour? The happiness… anything fun?”

A loud scream came from far away, causing Pinkie and the others to turn around and look towards the village in the distance.

“Happiness and prosperity died a long time ago,” a nearby soldier said. “Ever since our band was formed from the remnants of the army after the assault on the city, the priest has never stopped his barbaric sacrifices of ponies to his goddess. With nobody stopping him, everypony lost the will to smile.”

“See? That’s what you were supporting all along, when you wanted Twilight to stay like that,” Rarity whispered in Pinkie’s ear, causing the latter to start to sob.

“No, she looked so happy, this can’t be what her head is like. It just can’t.” Pinkie fell to the ground covering her face with her hooves.

“Such is the situation,” a nearby soldier said, while looking at the reflection off his saber.

Sunset glared at Rarity, as if to say, “Not helping.”

She pets Pinkie’s mane trying to cheer her up before speaking. “This is her adult mind oppressed and enslaved, so to speak. All of it is forced on her, now do you see why we want her back. The one you saw was not her.”

Pinkie sniffled and looked up, taking a long glance about her. “I-I I’m sorry.”

Applejack helped Pinkie to her hooves comforting her more. “It’s okay, Pinkie we forgive you. Now perk up we got a job to do.”

While the group had been talking amongst themselves, an important figure suddenly stepped out of the tent in metal armour. Her coat was faded, but colour still remained noticeable. Upon closer inspection, it did in fact look just like Twilight. The Twilight look alike got their attention with a loud cough.

“Welcome to my camp, oh volunteers,” she said her voice confident and strong. “I hope that, with new hooves, we can get back my kingdom.”

“Twilight!” The group said in perfect unison.

The figure recoiled. “Why are you calling me like the land I step upon?”

Cadence took a step forward. “Sorry, you just look very familiar, that’s all.” She stretched out a hoof for a shake.

The unicorn figure stood there, a scowl l upon her face. “That still doesn’t answer my question. I must say I never seen a creature with both wings and a horn before. Well, aside from that barbaric idol that the accursed Smarty Pants worships…” She spat on the ground, disgust in her voice.

“Well…” Cadence said, before realizing that reveal her parentage was risky there “I am just a freak accident.”

“I would have taken you for a god that has come to smite the unholy with your own hoof,” She said slowly reaching for the sword on her holster.

At the sound of those words, Sunset stepped up towards the Captain. “We may not be gods...” she gestured towards the village, then took a hooffull of dust, and started to give it the shape of a pony. The shape warped slowly turning into clay and, finally to flesh, metal and wood. “But we are near to that.”

The Captain, just like everybody else there, looked in stupor and wonder to Sunset’s doing. Meanwhile, the generated pony walked away.

“I do not know what powers you, oh foreigner,” Captain Twilight said, “but I'm sure that I will be able to win this war with your power.” then she pointed at the land outside the camp “Now go, and make more. Many more.”

Twilight pulled back from her holder and suddenly draws her sword and shouted to the whole camp. “With such power, we shall have no problem crushing the tyrant Smarty! Our time is at hoof!” Her sword floated in front of her in her in the bright purple aura from her horn.

The camp erupted in a roaring cheer, while Sunset's group looked confused at the happenings.

“How did you do that?” Shining asked, to which Sunset answered. “My research allowed me to discover many tricks. One such ability is being able to create things inside a mind.” She then gave a slight smirk “Besides, our magic combined is keeping us in this state, so I can use more power.”

“Oh.” they said before watching the camp get armed and ready for battle.

“I have to create soldiers now,” Sunset said, as she took some dust, and started to shape it in a pegasi warrior.

While Sunset made the new army, the others look a bit more, sometimes watching the Captain go about her tasks in the camp before the battle.

“She even acts like Twilight, she has even the mania for checklists.” Dash commented.

“That is her, the old part that never truly went away. It’s been fighting it’s way to the surface ever since a year ago I suspect, and with Celestia so far away, the lack of proximity must have provided a sort of opening.” Sunset theorized, while she shaped another unicorn soldier.

“So, how did you figure out how to fix all of this?” Shining asked now wearing a suit of armour and keeping a halberd on his shoulder.

“I hypothesize if we take down Smarty Pants, Twilight's mind will be restored.” Sunset said, as she finished the soldier.

“Huh, Smarty Pants? That was Twilight’s old doll. She has had that thing since she was a child. Do you think that it’s Celestia’s symbol of control, given the circumstances?’ Shining asked.

“Mostly likely, but we should be careful... who knows what safeguards were put in place.”

“Didn’t you say Celestia was on her way back from her vacation today?” Applejack inquired, as she put on a caged roundhead helmet.

“Well, yes, that’s why we were doing this whole thing now before she got back.” Rarity asked.

“But, if proximity is what fuels the spell, then…” Shining gulped.

“Please tell me this spell isn’t in real time!” Cadence asked, wings flaring about, as she took a bag labeled with a red cross.

The world seemed to stop around Sunset, as they all stared at her. She looked at the sky surely and, while still shaping, she said. “Well, yes, but it took me longer to get this spell ready, and I’d be damned if I don’t use it fully. It was either this, or give up. So we will have to deal with whatever comes.” Sunset quickly created one last soldier before stepping back.

The Captain eyed her handy work, and then looked at the pike and short formation that formed outside the camp. “Very good, we should begin the assault at once, not time to spare.”

Applejack stopped her in her tracks. “Wow, wait up shouldn't we be making a plan?”

“ I’ve waited long enough, we go now.” She gestures to nearby trumpeters, which plays three notes, causing the troops start to march. Applejack kept watching as she stood by the rest of her friends.

“I don’t like the sound of that, it just doesn't feel right. It isn’t usual for Twi to just go in full steam ahead without some sort of plan.”

“I’m sure she knows what she’s doing,” Shining said, “If my studies of tactics don’t fail me, she is facing a loose spear infantry charge with pike and shot and superior numbers. With a little bit of organization, which she surely has, this battle should be a cakewalk”

“Mmm cake.” Pinkie blurted out giggling “Sorry I’m hungry had to miss breakfast to get to you guys.” She had somehow been able to bring her party cannon with her. Pinkie logic or dream realm, nobody was quite sure.

“It’s fine Pinkie but I doubt confetti is going to help.” Dash commented flying above to get an aerial view.

However, she was quickly pulled back by Rarity. “Don’t, I don’t want to experiment what happens if you die here due to a javelin.”

“Die! I-I don’t know... I’m not really a fighter.” Upon hearing Rarity's remark, Fluttershy's hooves began shaking while following the group.

“Just stick with me, and I’ll keep you safe.” Shining and Sunset said, one with a reassuring smile, the other with martial sureness. The group keep marching down the dirt path towards the wooden walls of the village in the distance.

The army stopped at a reasonable distance from the walls, and the soldiers immediately scrambled for take their positions in the line, be it in a block of pikes or of harquebusiers, and while each Pegasi unit guarded each village’s gate.

Then the Captain walked outside the unit’s protection with two trumpeters. “Oh despicable mingy dogs that defend this town, despair, for I am the end of your days!”

The bulges called loudly,

The ground rumbled slightly as tension kept building. Everypony's hearts was racing, as something like a stampede is heard rapidly approaching. Tiny pebbles quaked beneath the element’s hooves, uneasing Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

Then, all of sudden, the gates busted open, freeing the howling horde of native soldiers and guard-dolls, like locusts launching themselves on crops.

“See?” Shining said “No order.” As he said that, he levitated his harquebusier and put it on the wooden support, ready to fire.

Not that it reassured Fluttershy, whom was hiding behind Cadence’s back, nor it calmed down the arduous spirits of applejack and Rainbow Dash, who, after drawing their swords, defending the other less brave of the bunch.

“Let them come!” The Captain shouted, her sword held high in front of her face. The sand army stood on either side, acting as the major driving force acting as defence for the Element barriers.

Then, once the horde had moved a fair bit closer to the army, the Captain lowered her sword. “First Volley, fire!”

The bulges called again, and, soon, there was a mighty and deafening thunder, followed by a wall of white smoke that, when it started to dissolve, showed piles upon piles of dead or agonizing spear and mace users. However, the doll-guards, aside from some burning marks visible even from distance, kept charging at the arquebusiers block, followed by the survivors of the first volley.

Nopony in their life had seen such carnage. Even if it seems the enemies didn’t bleed, it was still a frightening sight to behold.

“Stay behind me Fluttershy!” Cadence yelled. The latter was firing of small volleys of magic at the targets she could hit, though it was a lousy and non-lethal shot. It took all her strength to stop her knees from shaking.

Meanwhile, Rarity and Sunset were reloading their weapons, while Dash had joined the pegasi cuirassiers in their charge at the javelin-throwers on the walls of the village. Dash manages to dodge the incoming fire, her agility given by constant dedication to sports more than a match for such sloppy tosses.

Soon the Captain shouted again. “Second Volley, fire!”

There was yet another thunder of arquebuse fire and yet another smoke screen, leaving even more soldiers dead on the battlefield. But the guards looking like dolls still charged. The javelin throwers had been defeated and thrown off the walls, thusly allowing advancement in a later time.

As Sunset opened yet another sack of gunpowder for the gun, she noticed that tufts of grass had appeared all around the battlefield, and that the dry bushes looked a little more alive.

“Mmm...” she said, as she mindlessly reloaded her weapon. “Interesting.”

Soon the Captain requested another volley, causing even more casualties in the enemy’s lines, before she shouted. The enemy seemed endless in numbers, due to the doll creatures getting back on their hooves like the undead.

“Halberds high! The impact is coming!”

The soldiers that were previously using the firearms retreated in the backlines, while the ones already armed with the halberds walked forward and formed a wall. Soon many of the doll soldiers had become impaled, but they keep flailing about screaming a yelling nonsense.

“The dolls... they don’t die!” One soldier calls out.

Cadence, Fluttershy and Rarity had retreated back towards the rest of the group, as the other ponies manage to hold the line. As the situation remained stalling, Sunset suddenly looked up, seeing Pinkie dancing on the soldier’s heads and bouncing towards the doll enemies

“What in tarnation is she doing?” Applejack yelled, watching her pink friend’s giggling expression.

“I have no idea, but she is insane!” Cadence shouted.

Pinkie jumping onto one of the armed dolls, bopping its nose… and causing it to crumble into dust, too much of the group’s and the first line’s surprise. Pinkie kept giggling “Neat.” she bopped another and then another, each one crumbling.

“What going on?’ Dash asked as she flew back to the group.

Sunset eyes widened in revelation. “It’s us, remember what I said about happy thoughts and memories?”

“Yeah, but why does it matter now?” Dash said, as Pinkie kept slaughtering the dolls single-hoofedly.

“They can keep on fighting forever, so it up to us to save Twilight. So, we fight foalish fake happiness with adult joyful thoughts.” Sunset said looking at the group, determination in her eyes. Then she started to make her way through the orderly lines of halberdiers, reaching the frontlines, where Pinkie was making a death dance made of nose bops and head-jumping on the guard-dolls

Sunset charged thinking back to when she had received Manehattan’s duchy granted to her. She hugged the closest doll-guard, thinking of how joyous it had been to be granted worthy title and position. The doll quickly crumbled into dust. She was surprised when other dolls soon jumped at her like dogs.

“Oh well,” She said, hugging the closest one, while keeping her cool “It is pretty easy at least.”

All of sudden, she saw Pinkie dropping and bopping the incoming soldiers to death.

Applejack started to hug as well, remembering the Winter Wrap Up and Twilight’s shenanigans. A smile came to her face as she did so, destroying the enemies she hugged

The Captain nearly stood there watching the side in the courtyard baffled. “How is this possible? Enemies don’t die from shows of affection like this!” It was very subtle but her coat had regained a bit of its original colour. “But let’s not waste time. Into the city!” she shouted, to which the soldiers cheered and, with surprising order, they ran into the gates left open by their now disaggregated or dead enemies. Despite the corpses, the battlefield actually got a less apocalyptic look, now it had high grass back, and now that the trees and shrubs were green again, with the sky turning from overcast to light blue.


The group, after a long journey in the half-pillaged city, they finally reached the main town square. What they saw was… confusing. In front of the group was a large playground full of swings, a merry go around and monkey bars.
In the center, the aforementioned pyramid-temple stood there menacingly, a golden statue of Celestia herself, wings spread out wide, the pose very similar to one used during the Summer Sun Celebration, towering over a carved stone altar. Also, the steps had traces of dried-up blood, and suspicious skulls lied at the base of the pyramid.

A high pitched voice rang around from the top of the pyramid playset, her hair fell ragged over her mismatched eyes, her left hood covered in blood. She stood atop the battlements looking down at them.

“So? This is where is all ends? Couldn't leave well enough alone could you?” She adjust the plumed headdress her head as she spoke.

“Enough talk!” Dash leapt into action, changing into the air at the rag doll. Smarty reacted, lifting her hoof up waving it in an arch in rapid succession, sending out a wave of energy that sent the pegasus flying back and toppling to the ground. Dash eyes spun as she got back to her hooves groaning a bit, but still functional.

“The fact that I have no army doesn’t mean I can’t…” She stopped speaking mid-sentence, when a single, thunderous roar, ripped apart the tower Smarty had been standing on. The rag doll jumped off, and landed in front of the golden statue of Celestia her tower crumbling into a small dust pile.

“Silence!” The Captain blared as the rest of the group gathered nearby. “It’s over Smarty, doesn't matter how much power you have.”

Smarty started to cackle menacingly as she got her hooves standing tall on her hind legs. “The goddess is coming.”

The captain drew her sword with rapid speed. Smarty Pants eyes widened as the sword slashed across his neck beheading her. The stuffed doll’s head rolled on the ground. However, the accursed thing kept cackling, as the ground started to shake.

“What’s going on?” Pinkie asked glancing at the Captain. The rest of the group back up a bit along with her. Suddenly, the wings on Celestia’s metal frame started moving. The large royal hooves broke free from the platform they were welded upon crashing down upon the dirt below.

“I am the Angry Alicorn Goddess of Infancy! Fear Me!” It roared, shaking the landscape.

“I think we have a problem, the closer Celestia get to Equestria, the stronger this enchants is going to get. Whatever we do we have to do it fast.”

The Captain jumped forwards with her sword in full swing. Upon contact with the hoof, her sword snapped like it was mere glass. Before she could react, the Alicorn’s mighty hooves swung upwards, battling the unicorn away.

‘Twilight!” Pinkie shouted as the group all ran up to the Captain when she landed in the sandbox.

“How can we save her against that thing?” Applejack helped Twilight get up hearing Celestia roar once more.

The rest gathered around in a defensive pose around her. Even Fluttershy raised her head to defend her friend. Celestia seems to stare them down being more intimidating than a threat.

Pinkie stared back, now on Applejack’s right side. “You think you can scare us to leave... then you got another thing coming.”

Rarity took her place next to her pink friend the rest following to stand in defensive line. “We are her real friends. You're nothing but a plague to be cured!”

The Captain looked at the ponies defending her from the beast, before them a strange light running around their backs. Shining had turned to face her, offering a hoof.

“We need all of us, grab my hoof, now!”

The Captain grabbed it without thinking about it too much. The same energy flowed about her body, as the group all held hooves and rose above the ground. Each of them started to glow a different colour as air began to move around them.

The Celestia-like beast roared, raising up to smash the ground and the ponies standing on it with its forehooves. Its forehooves hit from above only to hit a previously-invisible energy barrier moments later. The lights grew ever brighter, as the ponies inside the bubble stood their ground. The land around became ever greener, full of new life and meaning.

“We will not fall, we will not cede, we will not retreat,” the Captain said “We will march forward in time, until either our body will breathe its last breath in glory, or Time itself will end!” The lights expanded in vibrant colours, each pony as bright as the stars.

“Begone demon! Let the Invincible Light of Reason purge you out!”

All in one, the ponies raised their hooves into the air in a brilliant show of light. The Celestia statue started to crack, and warp onto itself, its metal shattering. The world around was engulfed into light, destroying any semblance of what was there previously, restored to its former glory. The mud houses had been replaced with Art Noveau-styled palaces, and the castle playset returned to be a proper star-shaped fort, with Twilight's heraldic banner flying at each tip of the fort.

---------

The spell dropped, everypony falling to their knees feeling exhausted. Moments passed, silence lingering the room before a voice was heard groaning.

“Ugh, my head.”