Pony POV Series Season Six: Dark World/Shining Armor

by Alex Warlorn

Episode 96: (Dark World) The Real Hoof Blues

My Little Pony: Friendship of Magic Friendship
Pony POV Series
Dark World Part 21
The Dreaded Next Scene Of the Big Knot
"The Real Hoof Blues"

Spike dug the rubble away like a dog. He didn't know where Rancor had gotten to, but he could keep an eye on AJ, Derpy, and Apple Pie from here. Even though Rancor had been very specific about who she wanted to fight, he wasn't going to 'assume' anything about Discord's sister. He glanced over at them again.

"AT LAST!" AJ declared covered in sweat, immortality didn't do much for exhaustion. But at least it was done. That's all that mattered. And at least she knew now she could heal severe injuries singlehoofedly, even if it was harder than herding cattle through a thunderstorm.

Derpy had the right number of hollow bones again and without hesitation flew to help Spike.

"Ah'm gonna help too!" Apple Pie said good as new.

"No."

"What?"

"Ah can't risk ya goin' toe ta toe with them monsters. Yer voice is the best weapon ya got, and ya don't need to be in clawin' distance fer it to work."

"What? You know I can help!"

"And you aren't gonna help if ya pretend yer immortal!" Applejack looked at the hurt expression on her little niece's face. "...Apple Pie...look...the Valeyard? He was flesh and blood. Yah could kick him in the face and he'd feel it. It was dangerous, but yah could still hurt him. There ain't nothin' yah can do ta hurt Rancor, Spike figured out a way, but he's got the muscles ta pull it off. Take it from me...don't write a check your legs can't cash."

Apple Pie settled. "But...how am Ah suppose ta help?"

"Yer whole logic bomb thingie might be useful on Pinkie Pie and Fluttercruel. But both of 'em are too dangerous for yah to take head-on. And Apple Pie... don't stop thinking positive. Yah keep our hope alive."

"I'll try to bust through!" Derpy offered.

"No!" Spike shouted, "You go help Twilight! I've got this!"

"Got it!" Derpy didn't even hesitate and flew towards the castle's inner meadow.

"Now where's miss Draconequus-Sue gotten off to?"

----
"I activate my trap card! Reflecting your attack right back at you!"

"HA! I activate my trap card! Negating the attack!"

"That's just what I wanted you to do! Now I can summon this!"

Rancor gave herself a pat on the back. Teleporting to the other side of the world, and soaking up the passionate vengeful fights between two rivals in Neighpon made a good quick recharge after doing an impression of Swiss Cheese after landing on Spike's spikes.

"Friendship: The Gathering," She chuckled. Anarchy's right. Mortals will get revved up over anything. Look, mom! No more holes!"

She took one more look at her brother's handiwork. Reminded her more of Pandora's style. The giant monsters weren't even fighting and the little pony shape slime-things kept trying to hug her!

She really had to get back now before those ponies managed anything.

----

Spike was surprised to hear somepony else digging up from inside the collapsed hole in the tower's roof, he immediately focused on that spot. He detected the faint trace of her wonderful scent. With a speed that made moles envious, he was soon looking into her beautiful eyes.

"Rarity!" He plucked her out of the hole and hugged her with all his might.

"Spike," Rarity replied warmly.

Spike looked about cautiously. "Where's Fluttercruel?"

"I took her Element of Chaos," Rarity said in the most even, concise voice possible.

"Oh." It was almost funny, he knew their chances of saving all the old gang were about zero, and he knew Fluttercruel was just Discord's spawn child wearing Fluttershy's skin. But it was still shocking that his Rarity had done the deed. "Well... ding, dong, the witch is dead. Right?"

"Indeed. Where's the Draconequus?" Rarity asked, likewise looking around.

"I don't-"

"Hey! Agalmatophiliac! I challenge you for the dragon!" Came Rancor's sporting voice from behind.

Rarity glared over Spike's shoulder. "Forget it patchwork-girl! He's mine!"

"So you accept my challenge!"

"That isn't what I-" Rarity looked around, "Spike, where's Derpy and Twilight?"

"Angry pulled away Twilight for one-on-one soon after 'Cruel did the same with you. I asked Derpy to help her."

With a sound not unlike that of a ballistic missile Derpy's form was shot into Spike with the force of a cannonball, making him drop Rarity.

"Welcome back," Rancor said in the direction Derpy had been shot from.

In the twilight light, Angry Pie stood on her hind legs, looking deadly serious, but without any of her normal animal rage. Around her neck was a six-pointed black jewel. "One down. Five to go." The pink pony breathed.

Everypony gasped. Spike's heart skipped a beat, and he turned towards his team's two truth detectors.

"Rarity! AJ! She's lying isn't she?!" 'No...p-please no...not her...please...' He'd just got her back after a thousand years...he couldn't lose her, not again.

"No," Rarity said lowering her head to the ground. "She isn't."

++++

No...No...please...not her...not Twilight...I...I should've gone after her instead...Rarity had Fluttercruel finished before I even got there. I should've known she'd handle it! I should've gone after Twilight! I should've known!

I...I should've known, Twilight, I wasn't... wasn't trying to choose between family and romance, I wanted to save you both, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...

I looked up at her pink killer, tears blurring my vision. The butcher who had murdered the pony trying to help her!

++++

Spike's rage erupted like a volcano. His roar left everypony's ear ringing. He stomped forward, teeth bared, his body language showing every intention of eating me. Rarigreed stopped him with one hoof gently in his way.

"Twilight's gone?" She asked me evenly.

"Gone forever." I fully expected Rarigreed to shift to into a killing state for that. So of course the world plays a joke on me and she doesn't.

"Spike, if you love Twilight, don't eat Pinkie."

"I wasn't going to EAT her," Spike growled. "Fluttercruel always regenerated inside their stomaches when dragons ate her, and carved her way out. No... I'll chew her up, not swallowing and sift those out Elements from her body, like bits of eggshell from an omelet. Then I'd spit her pulpy remnants onto the ground like the ugly thing she is, and give the Elements to you, Rarity."

"What... charming imagery. But while I would like those Elements of Chaos, Twilight wanted Pinkie saved. Please, Spike... think of Twilight."

It was asking a lot of Spike... but he held back from attacking me.

"Although, Pinkie... we will be needing Twilight's Element of Magic to free the world from Discord. Please hoof it over, and stand aside. I won't force you to fight alongside us, but you needn't fight against us."

"Oh, brother! You expect me to believe you're not angry, Miss Iceberg? I can smell it on you!"

"Oh, I'm furious! And sad. But the cruel truth is that Twilight's right. You are just lost in the fog. Discord's taint of chaos has you trapped and blinded. And I certainly didn't emerge from my fog without a fight. So I'd be a hypocrite to condemn you to death."

She's making a joke out of me. But my attention was suddenly drawn to the two Earth ponies: Liarjack and Apple Pie. The filly's eyes were welling with tears fast.

"Half-Light." I see her teeth clench. I feel it, the spark. That's it, little filly, that's right, little Element of Laughter, let those tears turn to rage... unless you get mad, life will just walk all over you and those you love.

But Liarjack cuddled her, softly whispering her usual lies in the young one's ear I can't hear from here. And that tiny spark of rage vanishes! Count on a liar to protect such a giant lie as Laughter. What lies did she feed her?! Poor filly lost in the fog.

UGH! I-I promised Discord I'd kill her, no, he promised to bring back my foals if she and the others were dead. No, he said if the rogue Elements were 'eliminated' he lives for stupid semantics. So you, LJ, selfishly want her to remain in the role of Laughter so I still need to-. Wait. Ugh! Wait! I -want- to kill her because she laughed at me! Right! But if she's seen how vicious the world is, does that made up for it? UGH! Can't think! Focus, Angry! What did it take to make these jerks see red?! Fluttercruel had merely needed to share her life story, and they were up in arms! Eh? Speaking of which...

"Where IS Fluttercruel?"

"I killed her and took her Element of Cruelty for myself."

" . . . stupid brat, getting herself killed. Discord doesn't have any right to be called a father."

+++

And with those ten words, Angry Pie had damaged Discord deeper than any other being in ten centuries had with magic swords or atomic cannons. Discord almost laughed. If anypony else had spoken, he'd have shrugged it off. Now he just felt so... tired. Uninspired. Funny how that worked.

+++

Discord's sister pulled out a little black book with Chaos and Harmony symbols on it.

"You don't think you've lost, even with your Bearer of Element of Magic out of the game. Hmmm. So you must have figured out the special trait to the Element of Greed, excuse me, 'Desire'. Or you're just putting on a brave face for your team. Either way, kudos."

"Quiet you." Greedity said sternly. Rancor complied. Some Spirit of Violence.

"I'm sorry, Twilight." Ditzy got up, shaking her head. "I was so focused on Discord's sister I didn't come for you sooner. I'm sorry. I failed. . . . I won't fail everypony else."

"You mad?" I asked icily.

Ditzy looked at me, defiantly. "I spent hundreds of years being angry at Discord! It didn't change anything!"

"Anger is the only way to change things. Turn around and go back to your foal. Be loyal to her, Element of Loyalty. I don't want to fight you."

"I CAN'T. Sparkler's still waiting for me up ahead. And I don't want to have to look Dinky in the eyes and tell her I betrayed the world for her sake!"

"Understood. I won't mock you by asking you to abandon your foal."

Truth be told, I was starting to feel a little anxiety. For all my power, there was no getting around the fact that I was outnumbered. Even if Discord's distractible sister spontaneously decides to fight with me to the bitter end, (yeah, fat chance) the odds aren't looking good for me.

Twilight's clinging to the past got her killed, guess we're a bit alike after all. Our friends, UGH, her friends probably aren't going to make her mistake.

Pound, Pumpkin, Powder, Firecracker, all of you. One of you alone could calm my anger. All of you together in my heart. . . UGH! Element of Magic, give me your power from the bonds between my foals and me. UGH!

"My magic, real magic, comes from within. It's a skill you're born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power, they're just an old pony tale."

Ugh! Is that particular sorry back-uped memory so strong, Element of Magic? Twilight, did you really believed unicorn magic was the only 'real' magic to the end? Or did you eventually wake up and pull your head out of your flanks? I'd always encouraged my foals not to be tied down by their species.

"Huge! For one thing, ahem, magic is something you study and practice. It only happens when you decide to do it, and it's meant to make something specific that you choose to happen, happen. With you, uh, it makes no sense at all!"

Yeah, you really know your stuff. Rarity's gem-locating magic had turned on by itself for the first time completely without her say-so; yeah, real good show of command. I had to raise Pound and Pumpkin from diapers, I had protect them from their own magic going wild!

You were arrogant, Twilight Sparkle. The strongest magic I've ever seen? It didn't come from 'within.' And it wasn't something I was born with. And it wasn't something I ever planned to happen. It existed between my foals and I. It grew between us!

Just like-UGH!-I thought-AGH!-it was-ERG!-between-AGH! Us in Ponyville? Stupid headaches! I feel sick. Feels like I'm gorging turnip, asparagus, and brussels sprouts all at once! This Element of Magic is just... so.... difficult!

My foals please! Give me strength just for a while longer. I don't need to see you to know you're there! Thinking of you all together... quells the wildfire inside me, it's dimming. Element of Magic, fill the void just for a little while.

Oh, BUCK! I completely zoned out! Huh? Idiots! Why're they all just standing around quietly, watching me with such stupid looks on their faces?!

"Discord!" I shouted. Nothing. I screamed louder, "I need to know! Your oath for my foals is on your family or whatever, right?! Completely, utterly unbreakable promise, right?!"

One of the stone panels on the wall transmogrified into a PA speaker.

" . . . yes."

Then the speaker transformed back. I had never heard Discord sound like that. I had no clue how to describe it. Not bored, not gleeful, not happy, not angry, he sounded . . . UGH! Why did it make me think of straight hair?!

URG! Feels like my insides want to become my outsides. Have to do this quick like in Samurai movies! Let's hope Twilight's Element of Magic doesn't go Valeyard and turn me into a copy of Twilight! Against so many tough enemies, I need the extra boost of power, but I won't let it devour me!

"Hey, uh... Pinkie?" Spike asked. "What 'oath' are you talking about?"

"None of your beeswax." I snapped.

"Looks like you're going to need some help. Want some?" The monster's sister asks.

"Yes. Please. Keep as many off me as you can."

The jerks look surprised I accepted help. I'm not worried. Discord never said I had to be the one who killed them. I don't know which ones Rancor will want to fight. They're all used to me fighting at close range. Ditzy will probably use her weather magic. Rarigreed might try Twilight's trick and keep me glued in the air. LJ and the filly are still on the ground rather than the castle roof, watch out for illusions and paradoxes. I'd rather not try to take on Spike until last. He's not like other dragons. Gonna havta wing it. Ugh. Keep focused. They're expecting you to be a berserker bear. Watch out for surprise attacks. Can't rely on Discord's sister to watch your back.

Okay. Pound, Pumpkin, Here we go.

(AN: Real Folk Blues, Cowboy Bebop)

I begin by firing a giant cream pie from a catapult right at Spike. He's hit dead center and goes flying with a responding splat. As Rarigreed's head turns in his direction, I slipped right next to her with a brass knuckle. She's forced to show her new ace and cuts her foreleg with a thin diamond blade. The blood transforms into a mare-long diamond scimitar which she swings at me.

Everything turns brownish and grainy.

I catch the blade between both hooves.

I hear a Neighponese theater call followed by the thunk of a deer scarer. A kanji symbol appears in the corner of my vision for one moment.

Colors return to normal and Ditzy tries to blindside me. I force the tip of Rarigreed's scimitar right into her flight path. She pulls up just soon enough to keep from being impaled in the head but not from getting stabbed in the stomach. Her pegasus instincts take over and she flaps backwards madly. I force down Rarigreed's blade. She uses telekinesis to lift it up, I use it as a springboard.

The world slows down as a I make a swan pose to keep balance as I kick her upwards in the jaw, time freezes for an instant before I kick her on her back.

Time goes back to normal. I feel like an invisible knife in my chest, but it isn't one of LJ's illusions. I force my body to go forward.

(AN: Kirby TV Channel - Main Theme)

"Did you see that, Brad?" Said the grinning stallion in the suit behind a desk.

"I certainly did, Tim! A smashing opening play! How about you, Couch?" Said another stallion, both speaking with the peppiness of used carriage salesponies.

'Couch' was a obscenely old pegasus, blind in one eye. He began to draw x's and o's on the screen behind him. He mumbled, "What you got here, is a total offense strike and a total defensive breakdown, that's what you got here totally, for a winning strategy ya gotta go for the gold, like my old maid said. Now what my ex-wife used to say was-"

"Good, Couch!" Grinned Brad like his mouth was glued that way.

"So, Tim would you say this was a totally crowning moment of awesome?"

"Totally, Brad! Totally! Let give 'er one!"

They then trotted off set and hoofed me a nice gold awesome crown.

Where did my crown go? Didn't matter. Was this what doing mushrooms felt like?

(AN: Devil Survivor 2 - Septentrion)

Spike kicked the cream pie off himself. Rancor flew towards him. Spike got in a judo pose. Rancor took a rigid draconequus shaped suit of armor out of nowhere, steely covered in spikes and with a little tag that read 'From Anarchy to Rancor.' She threw it straight at Spike and it stuck like a caltrop. Spike just grunted.

Then, from out of subspace, Rancor pulled a giant book titled 'Every Fairy Tale Ever: By Pandemonium 'Pandora' Desire Typhon,' looking ready to swat Spike with it.

I never saw Greedity move so fast, amplifying her gallop with telekinesis. Ditzy came up below and gave her a boost too. Rarigreed threw several diamond throwing-stars at Rancor, again boosting them with her magic. They didn't hurt Rancor, but it did throw off her swing, and the book missed Spike entirely.

Spike flew to catch Rarigreed, and she climbed on his back. "She's Violence, itself! You can't harm her directly! Try some kind of INDIRECT attack, or trick her into attacking herself somehow!"

"Crystal clear!" Rarigreed bit her fetlock and created a diamond shield for herself.

"Why do 'heroes' always think they're the only ones who can adapt their move-set?" Rancor sighed, "It's a shame. I really do love your music, but family comes first."

Then she dove BELOW Spike and Rarigreed and used her back claw to draw in the dirt. That crazy red glow barrier of hers rose up behind her as she tried to capture Spike like a fly. Rarigreed jumped off Spike, and slammed her shield into Rancor's face, knocking the mess of animal parts back towards her own barrier, but Rancor passed through it like it was hologram.

"My barrier didn't hurt me when I left you with the Valeyard!" Rancor jeered, thumping its surface. "Remember?"

Rarigreed clapped her hooves together as she landed on the checkered ground. The ground closed around Rancor like a bear trap, concealing and immobilizing her. Rancor reappeared behind Rarigreed and impaled her with one claw. "Brilliant, but no good to somequus who can teleport!"

Rarigreed slid off her and her immortality solved the rest, Rancor had missed the Elements in her body. The blood on Rancor's claw turned to heavy platinum and caused her to fall into the ground and bump her head. She grunted in pain from the impact. "Clever pony."

"Gravity isn't your friend, is it, darling?"

"Well I wouldn't say that, he's not such a bad guy."

I was suddenly electrocuted from all directions! LJ's camouflage illusion faded, and I now saw a determined Ditzy standing over me, atop several pink clouds.

Count on Ditzy to be able to stomp lightning out of a chocolate raincloud!

ERGH! I'd gotten so fixated on Spike and Rarigreed's fight with Rancor I forgot to watch myself! One of my foals could've been standing beside me wearing a shirt reading 'I'M WITH STUPID' and I wouldn't be offended.

"You won't lose, Mother!"
"Mommy's invincible!"
"Angry Pie! Angry Pie! Angry Pie! Angry Pie!"
"Keep yer eye on the prize!"

Got to give Rancor credit, by targeting Spike, she compelled Rarigreed to protect her most valued treasure. Incredible how quickly she'd gotten over Tom. Hussy.

At least I didn't have to worry for now about the only pony here with three Elements.

I bring out several party cannons, firing them in all directions, all at once, Ditzy dodges them, but she isn't prepared for the one at point-blank range she's suddenly looking down the barrel of. The impact sends her hurtling onto the castle roof, damaging it badly. I can feel the palace groan in pain.

Ditzy has one thick skull. She just gets drunkenly back up.

UGH! Pain again. No! Focus! Nothing matters if you can just win this! Just open the gates to paradise for your foals! What happens to me doesn't matter!

I close the distance between us in seconds, and drop the world's biggest cinnamon crumb cake muffin on top of Ditzy. She eats her way out of the elephant-sized treat like a Tasmanian devil. Joke's on her: I laced that muffin with poison joke.

Derpy tries to say something: traffic honks erupt from her throat. Her eyes spin in one direction, and she starts cavorting about in what is unmistakably a ballerina's pirouettes, her wings fluttering daintily. She tries to speak again: the car honks from her mouth become the tune of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.

"So how does it feel?" I asked her, "Being a living, breathing punchline, completely against your will? Sorry. I forgot. You know already: it's your life. But you refuse to ever get angry, Ditzy! You let others use you as a hoofmat! Tell me! How different would your life have been if you stood up for yourself and refused to be their retarded foal?! How can you? How can you just let all the chuckleheads get away with misusing you like that? Grin and take it?"

I put a pink tutu on Ditzy as she tried to arabesque-kick me. "This is how they SEE YOU! Do you think you made your foals HAPPIER, when they watched you be the butt monkey every day?!"

Being unable to speak, Ditzy answered in a bizarre fusion of ballet mime like those seaponies and their opera. I titled my head, struggling to decipher her pantomiming. ?

'My... Actions? Prove. Others. Wrong? Not... Speaking? Not. Hurting? Huh?'

Headache! Head hurts. Chest hurts. My eyes are blurring! No!

"Why, Pinkie Pie? How?! Ah saw it and Ah still don't get it! How'd ya turn from an irritable grump at the beginning inta a rampaging warthog?!"

Liarjack's voice came from several directions at once. I wasted cannon shots on obvious decoys just in case she was trying to double-bluff me. LJ didn't have wings but she could still climb.

"It's not like I kept a journal! How'd Fluttercruel go from dumping water on baby dragons to cannibalism?! How'd Rainbow Dash go from ditching us to being Discord's crybaby hit-mare?! Time marched forward, and we all just slid further down the slippery slope, didn't we?!"

Ditzy kept dancing like a good ballerina.

"I wanted to be taken seriously! I realized nopony would ever do that as long as they kept laughing at me! So I discarded everything that made me seem ridiculous! After all, the laughter everypony enjoys the most is when somepony else is hurt! I hate you! I hate Discord! I hate myself! I hate being angry all the time!"

Uuuuugh! No. Pound. Pumpkin. Firecracker. Hex. Help me keep it together.

"I'm so sorry, Pinkie Pie." Her voice echoed, softly. "Ah kept helping ya justify being angry. Ah thought it was kinder than forcing ya to face the truth of... of all the ponies, ya, ya killed with yer own hooves. Ah lied ta mahself that the easy road was more kind."

"You can do it, Mom!"
"You won't lose!"
"It's alright! We're here with ya!"
"You can take on a million of 'em!"

"I never asked or wanted you approval, Liarjack. My hatred of you and everypony else here doesn't really matter anymore. Unless you're willing to throw away your new Elements of Harmony, you all need to die."

"Why? Time and time again, ya made it clear yer no friend of Discord's! Ya say ya want to be taken serious, but ya ain't makin' a lick of sense!"

"Discord's sworn that once you're history, my foals will come back alive and whole, and get their own private living space, apart from this Tartarus pit! Like the seaponies in Sky Ocean!"

"Sounds like yer fightin' fer the same reason as RD."

"Don't be dense! That coward just wanted to run from her mistakes! I don't give a flying feather about this garbage-heap world! I just want a place my foals and I can be together and happy forever!"

Stupid pain! Focus! Headache. Calm. Pain. Pound. Pumpkin.

"Pinkie Pie, Ah know ya feel all yer foals were good ponies. Let's assume they've all made it ta Pony Heaven. Ain't it selfish to drag 'em all back ta THIS place from PARADISE?"

I throw sewing pins at the surrounding cotton clouds, they begin to rain chocolate milk. I hate chocolate, the headache! Focus! I see the outline with the cowpony hat before she can adjust her illusion. Looks like she's done more than just watch the show while Derpy had her go.

I punch her so hard her jaw is pulverized.

"KA-POW!"

K.O.!

Angry Pie:
Remaining HP: 9000 Pts
Overkill Damage: 999800 Pts
Combos: 5000 Pts
Inner Strength Meter: 100 Pts
Total: 1013900 Pts
Grade: B+
"You're now twenty percent cooler!"

"Not all of us are as huge on death as you!" I tower over her.

This anger feels different somehow. Not bad different but, weird.

"I'm not so fixated on the hereafter that I forget what's happening here and now! I LIVE instead of obsessing on DYING!"

LJ begins to get up. I kick her in the head to keep her focus broken. I begin to impale her legs with some familiar black rods; that hadn't seen action since the days of that vile Queen Cadence. Try regenerating with THOSE through you. You won't be making any illusions so long as those are stuck in your body.

"When I die, it's going to be FOR something! If you're doing nice things just for a pretty payoff at the end of the rainbow, and not suffer some divine penalty, then you're just being selfish! That's what makes me stronger than you! You're weak! You're cowardly!"

" . . . yer takin' a red tomato and callin' it an apple."

"Ah yes. Semantics: what cowardly shysters like you always hide behind."

"Ah've . . . Ah've seen. A great Big Alicorn Guy showed me; no bluff. The warm light at the end... it ain't a payoff, it's a 'welcome home' present. And the other place ain't a 'penalty' for failin' a test score, it's the coldness and loneliness outside that light. And Ah ain't forgot the here and now! Ah'm tryin' to make this world a better place for everyone here! And it ain't WHAT'S waitin' for me! It's WHO'S waitin' for me!"

"Mom, we're here with you! Take 'er down!"
"You have all our power! Crush 'em all!"
"Break 'em!"
"Smash 'em!"
"Pound 'em!"

"Do you hear? My foals are calling to me." I ask LJ. What was with that weird look she gave me? Aren't her ears working?

"Honesty led to feelings being hurt, but being Kind led to Twilight dying. There is nothing left for you in this world, Liarjack. Unless I'm wrong." Her lip quivered. She couldn't think of a good lie. "Get rid of kindness LJ, how can something that killed a friend be good?"

"N-no," she whispered, she'd inch away if she could.

"Is it for spite? Because I'm the one who killed Twilight?"

"Please! No! Ah don't wanna be touched by Discord again!" She said fearfully.

"That so? If you're not hating me like the rest because of Discord, instead of Twilight, then you really are just selfish."

"P-please Pinkie! It ain't-"

"I'm sorry. It's time to lay down with the dust."

And then a new voice speaks up.

"Ya... Ya know, Auntie, ya... ya say ya wanna be taken serious but yer so angry ALL the time! You say ya wanna be yer own mare, but ya let Giant Polka Pants Discord set the score and call the shots. Ya say Saint Auntie is dumb fer talkin' about Pony Heaven, but yer fightin' ta make a Pony Heaven for yer . . . for yer foals . . . All kindsa contrary! And if it's all contrary, how are ya gonna get anypony ta . . . take ya seriously?"

The filly. On the roof. She's sad. Her legs are shaking like leafs. But she's still laughing! It's faint, but it's still there. That hashes it. Brat's signed her death warrant. Ugh...why does what she said make my head spin? Don't think about it! That's how her powers work, ignore it! Don't be like the zombies! Uhhh.... So... SPINNY... my aching HEAD...

"Apple Pie. Run," Liarjack begs, still pinned and helpless.

She laughed. SHE LAUGHED AT ME!... She laughed at herself? No that makes no sense! Kill her! Confusion! Headache! Kill'er!

"Ah ain't running. Not from you, or from Aunt Angry Pie. Ah'm here for ya both!" She looked at me, as my world spins. "Half-Light... she wanted to save ya! Large Stripped Shoe Discord -made- ya all act this way! Ah bet he was even mind controllin' Fluttercruel too!" She was crying. "An', it ain't right ta just ignore Half-Light's wishes, just cause she ain't here. She wanted to save yah!"

"That kind of saving is called 'brainwashing'," I tell'er.

Rarigreed and Spike fly to the rescue, Rancor puts up her barrier between us. Thank you-. Then the two make a beeline for the inner garden; BAM! Another barrier. -Very much. Ditzy dances in my way, I toss a rose off the roof, the poison joke makes her leap off and catch it in her teeth, I clap and she bows in midair, before taking a long plunge down.

The filly exploits my distraction to help Liarjack. She does a better job than she did on Traitor Dash's chains, only one still pins her down by the time I'm back. Not that being free is going to matter. Those pillars should've drained her dry. By the time her Element has a chance to recharge enough, I'll have finished the job.

LJ grins as I thunder towards her, "Ah've always been laughin' at ya on the inside. It's silly how ya act like a five year old throwin' a tantrum."

I'll kill her! Wait! "Was that lying? Telling the truth? AGH!" The headache again. "I'm taking your Element next. Then your ghostly residue or whatever can keep Twilight's company."

"Yer not who Ah'm gonna give it to."

"Buck your mumbo jumbo!"

LJ smiled. "Now whose bein' pig-headed about things outside their personal 'What-Is-And-What-Isn't-Land?'"

"I hate being mocked! I hate not being taken seriously! I hate having to see my foals grow old and die one by one! I hate always having something to be hateful about!" No. No. No. Hold it together. The headaches. Worse than ever.

I need to place a ring of landmines around them, but I won't be able to focus if the anger's there. Worth the pain.

"Saint Auntie, get goin'!" The filly pulled out the last rod. Still got time, just focus. Forget the mines, I pull out a giant spiked mallet and get ready to swing it down on their heads. "Ah'll keep'er busy!"

"No way!"

"Ah'm sick of watchin' family die! No more!" The look she gives me. I-it...it's like...

***
The dragon held the upside black balloon shaped gem between his claws.
"That was too easy!" The bastard laughed. I couldn't move. "I wonder if you'll taste like cotton candy."

"YOU GIVE THAT BACK!" "Leave our mother alone!" I heard two echoes, a blue spell to keep me stabilized for just a little while a unicorn and a pegasus landed in front of me.

In his giant eyes, I saw Pound and Pumpkin's reflections. And for one moment, I was at peace. 'Cause I knew no force in Equestria was going to stop them from saving me.
***

"Sure, I'll abandon ya in just a tick. AH PROMISED TA APPLEBLOOM TA LOOK AFTER OUR FAMILY! AND IT'S ABOUT TIME AH KEPT IT!" LJ roared.

I felt a wave of fire wash me from behind knocking me over and making me drop the mallet, filly tackles her aunt out of the way, saving both their skins. Guess Spike and Greedity were too much for Discord's sister after all.

"Truer words you have not spoken in a thousand years," Somepony spoke behind us. I turned one eye behind me confused. I got hit by a giant fireball again, LJ used herself as a shield for the filly. Then I see who it is.

No. It's honestly, really, truly, sincerely not fair. It's just cheating! Please! My foals!

"I RIPPED OUT YOUR ELEMENT OF CHAOS! YOU SHOULD HAVE AGED INTO DUST BY NOW!"

"What do you know, turns out I came across a spare." On her chest was a magic wand shaped scar, patched from another pony's hide. There was dirt on her hooves and belly. She was again the age when Discord broke the world

"Magica," The filly gasped, looking at Twilight's horn. "Half-Light. HALFLIGHT!HALFLIGHTHALIGHT! HAHAHAH!" She cheered.

"TWILIGHT!!!" LJ called out hopping for joy. "YER ALIVE!!!!"

On her forehead, her horn was back and had a white and purple spiral to it. That horn. No way! I recognized it! It was from... Fluttercruel's necklace?!

A bigger fireball.

"TWILIGHT!" Rarigreed and Spike called out, bowling over Rancor in the air to reach her.

"Darling, it's you! You're okay! YOU'RE OKAY!!" Rarity cried.

A blue-hot fireball.

"THANK CELESTIA! THANK LUNA! THANK EVERYTHING!!" Spike's voice echoed.

I swear I heard Ditzy laugh. That made me angrier, I couldn't concentrate! Another fireball! I regenerate, but my body-AH!-the pain doesn't go away!

Twilight responds to none of them. Was...was her mane starting to smoke? "You said the Element of Chaos have made us unkillable! But I'd like to see if that's true!" My entire body froze and then shattered. I regenerated.

"Limited can't become unlimited right? We were changed, not completely remade. Magic's energy is self replenishing but not limitless."

Huh? Whatever she said sounded too 'quantum physics' for me to keep up with. The important thing was that I felt a tugging in my stomach, suddenly I was pulled from the outside in, every bone, organ and nerve pulled into a infinitely small black darkness. Every atom of my body was crushed into nothing. With super-equine effort, I crawled my way out. I felt my own Element of Anger CRACK in several places.

"So let's see, how many times do you need to be obliterated before yours run out?!"

This wasn't just anger...this was...this went DEEPER than hate... I thudded on the rooftop. The necklace I'd made for the Element of Magic for snapped apart, the Element, itself, rolling off to one side, momentarily forgotten.

Was this . . . was this really Twilight? This, this is what I wanted right? She's taking me seriously, right? No, she was trying her hardest before, right? But what is, what is . . . hard to think.

She turns my body completely into taffy, but without a soul-binding matrix, I die instantly, my Element regenerates my body and brain from nothing again.

"SO TELL ME! DO YOU HEAR ANY OF US LAUGHING, ANGRY PIE?! DO YOU!? DO YOU THINK WHAT FLUTTERCRUEL'S DONE TO OTHERS IS FUNNY? You whine and say you're hurt?! How many have you hurt?! HOW MANY DID YOU HELP CRUEL HURT?! HOW OFTEN DID YOU JUST STAND BY WATCHING APATHETICALLY AS SHE LAUGHED AT THEM!? How many CRIED BEGGING FOR HELP!? GIVE ME A NUMBER, YOU FILTHY HYPOCRITE!"

The others. They all look . . . scared of her.

Fireball again. It's like it's alive, it wants to eat me. She teleports me a fraction of an inch with my atoms slightly out of phase, I explode. Regenerate from nothing again. But the burning feelings, they just . . . they just keep . . .piling up.

What are . . . are those tiny long black hands? They're creeping up from the floor, roof, stone, can't think. They're wrapping around Twilight's rear hoofs.

"How does it feel to have your hypocrisy deconstructed?! The worst monsters in history still had families, friends. Fluttercruel claimed to love her father. He acts like he loves her! Does that exonerate you all from the countless lives you've ended in needlessly brutal ways?!"

(Twilight! You're finally getting it!)

She forces air into my lungs until they pop, the roof around me animates and grinds me into paste.

"You've been kind to your children, but butchered other foals, mothers, and fathers. Innocent families. How many children died cursing you name after you killed their parents? You're not a mother! You're just Discord's butcher."

LJ's covering Apple Pie's eyes, she sees anyway. Rarigreed looks horrified. The mighty Spike is trembling. The black threads, they're all over Twilight's front hooves now too. Uuuuuuugh. The pain . . .

"You say no one but your foals care about you?! So all the time I just wasted trying to coax you back from the dark side and repair our broken bonds, the spite I endured from you, the nonstop attacks you heaped on me while I fought my hardest... No. Not just me, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HERE!!!! That counts for nothing?!"

She lifted me into the air and slammed me into the roof, then back out again.

"Pop quiz, Miss Pie: WHAT do you value most? How do you remember the past? Why do you attack those who will never pose a threat to your foals or laugh at you? Do you know or care what Discord will want from you later?!"

"I... I... I..." I can't think.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Hilarious answer, class clown, but WRONG! Zero percent! F-minus! Flunked out, you meat-headed dunce!"

Please . . . stop laughing . . please stop laughing. Please.

Leave me alone.

A Gravity spell crushes me flatter than a pancake, luckily my Element of Chaos just survived being pulled into a black hole.

++++

"Pinkie Pie, Nooooooo," Dash moaned in her sleep in lament.

++++

'No...Twilight...s-stop! There has to be a way we can save her...Like we saved the Doctor! Stop it!' Derpy screamed in her head, trying to speak, but only a foghorn noise blared from her throat as she twirled about.

+++++

"You say you want to kill the past! But you're the one who wants to see your foals alive again! The ones you brainwashed into being merciless killing machines!"

"I . . . I never, brainwash-" Incinerated!

LJ is hugging Apple Pie, she's looking at Twilight in tears, both of them.

"Discord's brainwashing was magical, yours was mundane!"

"I never. . . forced . . . any of..."

"Never forced?! Hah! I admit, I really wasn't paying proper attention during my 'Twilight Tragedy' days, so I'll have to imagine myself in one of your adopted foals' horseshoes. Of COURSE I'd've been in lockstep with everything you said! Knowing YOU, I'd've been too scared to SMILE, let alone perform any simple act of childish disobedience! Where could I have ever run away, from a bloodthirsty bloodhound like you?! Every day with YOU as a caretaker would be like living in a house with land mines in it!"

All the times they laughed. All the times they smiled. The night I helped Firecracker escape. My scream echoes like thunder, "LIAR!!!!"

"There's no kind way for me to say this, Angry Pie: you're going to Pony Hell. This very moment; I end your wretched existence. Today you begin paying for a millennium of murderous tantrums, for molding innocent youngsters into thugs, and for not even TRYING to atone when your friends reached out to you. If Pony Hell doesn't exist for a truly unrepentant monster like you, IT DOESN'T EXIST AT ALL. And that would simply be the worst injustice imaginable, wouldn't it?"

(Yes. Exactly Twilight. It would be. The final injustice. If Hell does not exist, it must be made.)

My vision is a complete blur now. Am I... crying? Am I . . . am I scared? The black threads are wrapped around Twilight's tail, legs, and begin to weave towards her cutie mark. Twilight's eyes... her eyes are slits now?

(Say goodnight and welcome to purgatory! HehehehehhehehHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!!)

A red ball of light appears on the tip of her horn. It grows larger and brighter as I watch. I tell my body to move. It won't. I can barely roll my eyes through my tears.

"You helped Discord use this spell on Cadence! Now you can enjoy it!"

"So this a replica of Destruction's magic. Destruction's essence," I hear Discord's sister, voice dripping with hunger.

Pound and Pumpkin.
Fuse Box.
Bomb Pie.
Powder Cake.
Fire Cracker.
Grenade Pie.
Little Hex.
Short Fuse.
Hatchet and Latchet.
Spring Dew.
Morning Light.
Bubbles.
Stormy Night.
Apple Sauce.

I'm sorry. I'm so so so so so sorry. Mother failed you. Please don't hate me. I tried. I really tried. I really did. The only time I was happy . . . was with you . . . I could trust you. My babies. Just please don't hate me for failing you.

---

I don't know where the ferris wheel came from. I didn't care either. Wait. It had always been there. Silly me. It was here because I wanted to know what it was like to host a mini-carnival, and to give my friends a 'Best Day Ever' of course! Tee-hee! Where did this showpony hat and striped-jacket come from again? Oh right, they'd always been there.

Cheerilee. Rainbow Dash. Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo. Toola-Roola. Starsong Melody. It's great! They're all loving it! Which means I love it!

Everypony is friends with everypony else, but they're my extra-special friends.

How am I able to change costumes so fast? How can a little filly like me run a one-day carnival by herself? Where did the popcorn and ice-cream come from? Oh right, because it's more FUN that way!

Life is wonderful! Hmmmmm. Isn't there supposed to be a green filly around here? Wait. How would I know her? She's not one of my extra special friends. But I know she's super-important, somehow...

"Excuse me." Said a green pony. I look at her, is she a mare or a filly? Am I a mare or a filly? I'm suddenly kinda confused. But I move for her. She picks up the bright green leaf I was sitting on.

A funny picture appears in my head. It's like a videotape someone's trying to erase. Wait. What's a videotape?

A funny looking pony, she's purple with pink hair, and she has a clover for a cutie mark. She begins to turn green and her cutie mark becomes mint candies.

"Thank you." The green pony says putting the leaf in a bag.

"You're welcome."

"I'm Minty."

"I'm Pinkie Pie."

And just like that. So simple. No big adventure. But what's wrong with simplicity? I knew, somehow, that I could meet her a zillion other ways, if I really wanted.

"HEy everypony! Come over here and meet Minty!"

"There is nowhere you can escape from me!"

A big scary purple pony appears right in front of me! She's wearin' a bunch of bones, and her mane's on fire! Is she a pegasus or a unicorn? Both?

"All your silly escape mechanisms are for naught, in my purgatory, Pinkie Pie."

The witch began using her evil magic and Minty was being dragged away from me. I grabbed her. The world turned gray and withered.

"No switching over to an alter ego. No reliving a happier yesteryear. No forgetting. Amnesia is not allowed. There is only your SIN."

"Pinkie Pie! Please help me!"

All of a sudden there were over a dozen foals between me and Minty, they looked weirder. They all looked at me sadly. Shaking their heads in resentment. That's a big . Resentment. How they looked at me. Did they . . . did they hate me?

"Pinkie!" Minty begged, the witch was hurting her with her fiery mane. Again, and again, and again, and again. I tried to help her, but the other foals kept pushing me back. I couldn't fight them! I had no idea how to fight!

"There is no redemption. No salvation. No absolution. No friendship. No love. This purgatory is without end."

And then... more foals. So very, very, many, approaching from all sides; like ant colonies towards a sugar cube. They were different from the ones blocking me from Minty. They were so badly hurt all over! What kind of bully did this to them? Why do they all so . . . angry, at me?

"The foals have waited so long for your arrival. Welcome to forevermore, Pinkie Pie."

Then they attacked Minty.

++++

"No, no, NO! PLEASE! Why are you all on HER SIDE?! PLEASE! You're all I HAVE! MOMMY'S SORRY! MOMMYSSORRY!MOMMYSORRY!!! MINTY! STOP HURTING HER! MINTYYYYYYYYY-EH-EH!!!" Angry Pie wailed, her eyes huge, crying rivers. Beautiful.

(Ha! Sounds to me like she's already found Hell! All that's left is to seal her in for good! Finish her off!)

With pleasure. I showed mercy to a devil. And my only reward was almost dying, and my friends almost dying. Never again. Ever again. I will never repeat that mistake. Not even atoms will remain of Angry Pie or her Element of Anger. The Destruction spell was charging, I could feel it, power, power enough to crush Discord like the vermin he was! Like the pathetic loser he was! A minor annoyance! A triviality! The rat who had crowned himself king! He'd suffer! Oh how he'd suffer! Heh.

(For everything he's done.)

And more. I won't be quick and painless either.

(No, he doesn't deserve such mercy.)

Yes, that's right…he deserves so much worse…

"TWILI! STOP! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Applejack? Why was she putting herself between my spell and the enemy? "FOR RD'S SAKE STOP!"

"Ya said she ain't bad, she's just sick! This ain't how ya help somepony sick! Ya don't give up on 'em!" Apple Pie? Why was she shaking me? Doesn't she know that could disrupt the spell?

"Stop. Just stop." Derpy. She looks like she just emptied the contents of her stomach. Didn't she know ponies weren't supposed to be able to do that?

"You said you wanted to save her right?" Rarity? Why were they all doing this?} "You were willing to dive through as many layers of MY soul as you needed to bring me out of the darkness. So what if she's fighting you a little harder than I was? She's said, straight out, that she doesn't want to be angry."

"When it's an unrepentant mass-murdering, unhinged psychopath with a very unquestionable Chaotic Evil alignment, you DON'T give that pony the BENEFIT of the doubt."

"She's a hurt and confused friend with the tainted essence of a unrepentant mass-murdering, unhinged psychopath with a very unquestionable Chaotic Evil alignment lodged in her brain!"

Spike's claw hugged me from behind. Huh? But why? She hurt them. She hurt them. This doesn't make sense. She hurt them.} She hurt them.} She's killed so many ponies.} She's a mad animal.} She has to be put down.)

"Twilight, you know I'm the first whose been saying you can't save everypony: because I was scared I'd lose you again. I thought I already did! I... I don't want to lose you now. Not ever again! You're my family!"

They don't understand.)

No they don't.)

The wicked have to be punished.)

The cruel must experience cruelty.) The merciless must be shown no mercy.) Monsters should not be redeemed.) Monsters must not be forgiven.) They must be made to suffer.) Cancers.) {Be disposed of.)

* Twilight! Stop! *

{Why should I?)

*This isn't how Trixie would want you to use her Element! *

{Trixie was always vindictive.)

*Then would her Element have saved your life? Dead or not, if Trixie's spirit didn't want you having her Element of Magic, you would NOT have found it in her grave! Besides, you're not Desire! You can't just TAKE an Element.*

{So Angry Pie's death would be permissible if RARITY were executioner?)

*I'm Not Talking about Angry Pie's Element! You couldn't have Trixie's if she didn't WANT you to have it! Just like Applejack couldn't have Applebloom's Element without being GIVEN it! Does saving your life sound 'vindictive' to you?!*

*This isn't what any of your friends want for you...*

{I know better than they do about this! I almost died for real! Know what that taught me? That the merciful are all eventually doomed to be victimized! THAT'S where mercy lands you! THAT'S what comes of being the Big Good!)

*...Or Celestia.*

{She got turned to gold!)

*...Or Luna.*

{Silver!)

*...Or Cadence.*

{Cannibalized, poor thing.)

*...Or your parents.*

{I'm shocked they lasted THIS long, even as plants!)

*Or Smarty Pants.*

{…Where DID I put that doll? Maybe it disintegrated away.)

*Or Minty Pie.*

{Unable to help anyone. Lucky to be beneath Discord's notice... so far.)

*And this isn't what Pinkie Pie would want.*

{Heh heh! No doubt, since I'm about to KILL HER…)

*I thought you said you were about to kill 'Angry Pie.'*

{I! I did!)

*No! You said you were about to kill 'Pinkie Pie!' Your friend!*

{She isn't!)

*Who is she crying out for?!*

{Not mine!)

*You sure? Names are just labels.*

{I feel absolutely nothing for her anymore, her only cure is her permanent death, so she'll never hurt another soul.)

* So the guilty should be punished without mercy or pity or compassion? *

{Yes. Those things should be reserved for the innocent.)

*So you agree with Angry Pie.*

{No I don't!)

*The guilty must be punished without mercy? That's the innocent are the only ones who deserve compassion? That defines her sense of justice.*

{She kills in the innocent and spares the guilty!)

*Not in her deflowered mind.*

{ She can't be redeemed! )

*Who are you to say who and can't be redeemed? Is killing her what YOU want? What your heart wants?*

{What… my heart... wants…?)

*You heart that connects you to everypony. The heart that valued her friends more than anything.*

{I feel… my lips quiver.) I'm not at all surprised when a tear falls.)

*Twilight. Pinkie Pie's heart wants to connect with others. Always has. But she's afraid of being hurt. The taint tells her everypony is trying to hurt her. You can't say you can't remove Discord's sickness, you haven't tried every road yet. Twilight. Look around you. These ponies are still Pinkie Pie's friends. They're still willing to try and save her. Will you disappoint them?*

I dispersed the red sphere, canceling my Destruction Spell.) I feel a rain inside me.} I feel it does the flames and wash away the ashes.} I'm free again.

+++++

A magic wand shaped jewel emitted a burst of light, chasing the darkness away to reveal the polished purple crystal composing it.

+++++

(GRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!)

"My, somepony is angry," Discord said, reaching into a candy bar and pulling out a fridge to snack on.

(Who?! Who was that interloper?! It was you, wasn't it?!)

"I'm strangely innocent this once. Even in the most tragic times we find small moments of magic that inspire us to continue on."

+++++

Everypony hugged me, cheering like I was the one who had just been saved. Spike shed tears that drenched my mane. Angry Pie just lay there like a broken doll. They checked on her too, she was still breathing. Thank Celestia whatever had been hurting her seem to have stopped.

How many times had I killed her? I couldn't even count. The worst part was, I had loved it every minute of it. I was free of Discord's curse, she wasn't. I was supposed to hate her, want to see her dead, because Discord's taint had made her do things . . . do things just as horrid as Twilight Tragedy had.

If Pinkie Pie had been brought back first, and I had been brought back last, instead of a screaming and cursing butcher, my friends would have faced an emotionless killer with all the empathy of a corpse who wouldn't care what they had to say and terminated them with clockwork precision as Master commanded.

What right did I have to pass judgement on her?

I trotted over to her prone gray mass. The other took in a fearful breath ready to tackle me on the first fiery spark.

"Oh Pinkie Pie," I said endearingly. I felt so small. "…I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… please, please hear me, hear my voice, hear me through the darkness. Through the nightmare. I'm right here for you. Please hear me. Please, I promise never to hurt you again. Please. Come home.

"Please come back now." She gave a gasp, and looked at me in confusion.

"M-Minty?" she asked… she looked so confused.

"…In a way…She's a part of me…"

(She's damaged goods. Leave her.)

I look at the others, "Going to try the memory spell, promise."

I charged up my horn. I remembered what Queen Cadence's spell had done to Pinkie five-hundred-years before. It had left her a twisted empty shell. But... if she had loved her foals, then anger and hate couldn't but all that was in there.

*How we think others think about us. Can greatly command how we think about ourselves.*

The other side of the coin. The lance couldn't pierce the darkness, maybe a staff could lead her out.

I touched my horn to her forehead smiling.

"Pinkie Pie. You have to see past Discord's taint. He's blackened your perception of the past. You need to see the truth of what you've done as the Element of Laughter. So let me help you. Let me share MY memories with you. Memories I have of how you've shaped me into the mare I am. Show you how I really saw you."
---

A pink pony who saw and gasped and -

-saw her best friend from a world that had never existed. Born from a wish.

-a pink pony, who wanted to be friends even with a perfect stranger. Because her happiness was a reflection of the happiness she was able to give others.

Not Minty. Would never be Minty. But a pony who was worth being friends with.

With a few laughs and a song, was able to banish phantoms of fear and give those around her the courage to take away the darkness' most potent weapon.

A friend who ultimately decided that a friend was more important than a ticket after all.

A pink mare who was trusted by her foster parents, even after someone she trusted churned out a bunch of baked bads. And without hesitation was trusted to help that same friend.

A pink mare who knew of things I didn't. How bad I felt when I realized I'd not taken her seriously when I should've.

Pinkie Pie. You taught me not to jump to conclusions about people. Being spontaneous didn't make you untrustworthy. Being playful didn't make you oblivious. Being imaginative, didn't mean you'd color the facts about somegriffin.

And yes, your pranks did manage to make me laugh at myself.

And just because I didn't understand something, didn't make it not real or fake. And someone's behavior will always seem strange if you don't have all the facts.

And Pinkie, those buffalo and cow ponies just had a different culture, there was nothing wrong with your song. It was just a language they didn't speak.

And you're a great skater Pinkie, even if I'm hopeless. Thank you for even letting me try.

And Pinkie, good intentions can backfire, horribly, and you can become so wrapped up in other ponies' problems that you end up forgetting your own, and that hurts those you want to help.

And through them all Pinkie Pie, even when I thought less of you, even when I doubted you, I never laughed at you. And none of our friends did. You made us laugh with you. You were our light of joy in the darkness.

We were in Sugar Cube Corner.

Angry Pie stood in front of me, cracking apart, color returning. Scars ran all along her body, like a rag doll someone had tried to sew together in a rush.

…She suddenly shattered but…each piece formed into a different Pinkie Pie. But…none of them was the pre-Discord Pinkie. Or Angry Pie, or even what Rainbow Dash had said about Pinkamena.

"We can't just…quit!" yelled a middle-aged, motherly Pinkie, looking furiously at the others. "We can get our foals back!"

"Our foals aren't worth it!" shouted another, this one looking closer to the Pinkie I knew, but still not quite there, she was covered in scars. "They aren't worth our friends!"

"Not worth it?! You heartless nag!"

"We…we don't deserve to go back…we should just stay here…" said another one, with a straight mane and colors that were a near lifeless graying of her normal color, her expression one of purest guilt. "We don't deserve our foals…we don't deserve our friends…we don't deserve anything but to suffer…"

A Pinkie looking like Pinkie Pie of the Lost Age just sat, watching the other Pinkie's argue in confusion. I was doing much the same.

A white Pegasus with a yellow mane stepped out of the corner of my vision. "Looks like someone needs to give them a little push in the right direction."

I blinked. "What?" Now SHE reminded me of Pinkie for some reason.

A filly stepped up next to me…Rarity? No…Princess Rarity? But…this is Pinkie…not Rarity. Are they like me and Minty Pie?

A filly stepped up next to me. "They need someone they'll listen to help them pull themselves back together," she said.

"Wait…you mean me?" I blinked in confusion.

"You read all those books on pony's brains…I think, what do they say to do when somepony's brain is like this?"

What did they say?… It was a case of split personalities. Not quite the same situation as me, Tragedy, and Sparkle, this was a different thing, these weren't different personas, they were fragments…Motherly instinct. Love for her friends. Guilt. Memories of the Lost Age. Hadn't Angry Pie mentioned something about pulling her mind back together by force? …I think I get it…I need to help her put herself back together RIGHT.

Lost Pinkie slowly regarded me. "Minty?"

I blinked. The group all looked at me suddenly. "Uh…sort of…She's a part of me, and part of another pony…but yeah, she's me."

"What do you think we should do?" asked Lost Pinkie, looking up at me expectantly.

How do you convince contradictory parts of a pony's personality to accept each other?

"Alright…well, first of all, I think you're ALL right to some degree, and you're all wrong." I turned to Motherly Pie first. "You care about your…foals. That's good…but you don't have your conscience or your friendship with everypony else to let you balance all that. You don't have the ability to see if it's really what's best for THEM to bring them back or just what's best for YOU. You're trying to make a choice without being ABLE to see the whole picture."

Next, I faced Friendly Pie. "Same goes for you. Don't you want to be able to know if you're doing what's right for the ponies you care about?"

Both them looked down, then to each other. I then addressed…what I assumed to be her conscience. Let's call her Guilty Pie.

"You're right, all you did was horrible. So was what I did. All six Elements of Chaos… we ALL did horrible things."

Guilty Pie hung her head. "What we did as a team was unforgivable. But the evilest thing I ever did... was what I did to you today. I treated my friends like cockroaches. Thank you for stopping me from murdering the others."

"Well, you need to remember there are ponies who care about you. You need to think about them too."

"Yes. Because I forgot you guys, I almost doomed the world. I wouldn't have even felt sorry."

I considered her for a while, before I just hugged her as tenderly as I could and moved onto Lost Pinkie. "And you're…you're the memories of her friends who never were…you're the part that remembered Minty when I came to Ponyville…You're important too."

"…Would us coming back make our friends happy?" she asked, paying genuine attention to me.

"More than anything."

I look back up at them. "It's up to you… every bit of you. What's best for your foals? What's best for your friends? What's best for you? And will it not hurt innocents worst?"

It had to be their…HER choice. If I forced them back together, it'd just result in a new version of Angry Pie.

"…We need to be together…" said Motherly Pie, finally.

"So we can do what's best for everypony we care about…" continued Friendly Pie.

"So we know we're not hurting anypony else…" Guilty Pie said.

"And so we can make our friends happy…" Lost Pie said.

The Pegasus smiled. "Good job, Twilight. Showin' we need each other, I'm not surprising, but happy!" she said, a part of me finding her so familiar…

The young filly nodded as well. "Let's all get back together, shall we?"

The fragments of Pinkie Pie's psyche all touched hooves, and there was a bright flash.

++++
In the real world, I gave her a gentle kiss on the muzzle.

Her hair went completely straight. And all her colors returned.
++++

"Mine."

Rarity didn't even try to act secretive when she took Twilight's original Element of Magic. She pressed the Center Element of both Chaos and Harmony, Magic, Friendship/Tragedy, against her flesh. It entered her body without leaving a mark. Now she had three hearts. "Halfway there," Rarity said to herself not trying to mumble or whisper. Most were focused on Twilight and Pinkie Pie. AJ and Spike looked at her silently.

Within her soul room, Rarity welcomed the impressions of Twilight The First and Minty to her endless Gala. This one was different from her original, not a micromanaged affair, but a genuine party were everyone was free to enjoy howsoever they pleased.

++++

"So that new Element of Magic was Trixie's eh? Heh, too bad. Dad thought that pony in her loneliness had so much potential," Rancor said.

The heroes all turned, realizing the Draconequus was indeed still there, they formed a protective ring around the unconscious Pinkie Pie.

"Chill. Chaos is supposed to be my brother's department. I'm actually a tiny bit disappointed. That was one heck of a show you almost gave...or became a major annoyance, if Strife's to be believed. Oh well, I wanted to know for myself. I knew you couldn't be dead. Seeing how it's six against one... I'll be going now. We'll be seeing you inside. Don't worry, I'm sure you know your way around."

"Wait, please," said Rarity, looking up to the Draconequus. "If I may, why don't you seem angry I've killed your niece? You keep saying 'family is everything'."

EVERYPONY looked ready to clobber Rarity for looking a gift-horse in the mouth.

"Fluttercruel is dead?" Twilight gasped in surprise.

Rancor grinned shark's teeth, and laughed darkly. "You're right. See yah for the finale." She teleported away.

"Ow!…I'll be honest, I probably deserved that."

"Yeah, yah did darlin'."

"Rarity," Twilight asked carefully, "You killed Fluttercruel?"

"First I stole and assimilated her Element of Chaos after covering her with rocks. And having my army of ghosts using rock bodies to fight her army of robot pegasus she grew out of her own body. I ran her through with a stone s while she was still speaking. And now I can use the Element of Cruelty for my own."

Even for Discord's world, if she wasn't the Element of Honesty, Rarity's friends would wonder. Eyes were huge all around. Her mindless stone puppets? Vessels for souls? All this time?

AJ thought of all the stone puppets of ponies she knew, and never spoke a word to them. Apple Pie thought of the stone puppets of her she had fought before. Derpy thought at least it sounded like they had all been happy. Spike wondered if Rarity would have let his soul come within her if he had died.

"Rarity . . ." Twilight said.

"Twilight I'm sorry, I really am. Maybe I am a hypocrite for saying this after all we suffered to save Pinkie Pie. Maybe I was being greedy. Maybe there were some good memories of Fluttershy in her . . . in her daughter. A thousand years and she was still a child. But I saw the cruel truth that Fluttershy was the only pony who could have saved her. I didn't see any truths where she could be healed by us. And I don't have the power to call back whoever I like."

"I'll accept that, Element of Honesty. So your golems were-"

"-ponies who were too scared or confused to move on after dying, but accepted the comfort I offered with my fantasies of micromanaged thoughts and actions."

"That's . . . almost generous for a greedy pony," Twilight whispered.

"Heh, I know. Though now I wonder, if they stayed, so all I had weren't just 'things' to keep me company. In their own way, they helped save me."

They then heard a groan and turned towards Pinkie Pie, who was slowly rising to her hooves. "Pinkie!" Twilight ran to her and hugged her. "…So…what did you decide?"

The straight haired Pinkie blinked, looking down at her chest…it didn't hurt…it just felt…strange…but she could feel it, her anger…was gone…

++++

What do I decide? What should I do?

It's like I can think clearly again, all I could see for a zillion years was bullies where my friends were supposed to be.

…I could try to make them give up the Elements…save my foals…but they've suffered enough…I can see that now…I was wrong…Twilight was right…I made them killers…I can only hope whoever's out there had mercy on them…And if they are in Pony Heaven, anything I give them in Equestria could never hold a candle to whatever Paradise provides them.

But what if they're in Pony Hell like Twilight said? But how could I save them, if I brought them back by going back into the fog?

I could just…quit…curl up and cry, let guilt crush me…but that'd hurt my friends. After all they did to save me, it'd be wasting this second chance I've been given…It's like they told Dashie…laying down and dying doesn't fix what I did…

My friends…my…my niece…they're all here…they cared for me…they suffered to save me…they protected me…They cared for me…And I tried to throw them away…I can't make up for much…but I can make up for that…

I'm sorry for what I've done…But I don't have time to let it crush me…I love my foals…but I can only pray their souls are in Pony Heaven…I love my friends…and they're right here…I'm free.

++++

Pinkie looked…serene, peaceful. "…I decided…I want to be your friend again…"

Twilight hugged Pinkie, then looked to the others, one by one…

"We…we did it…" Twilight said as it hit her, looking happy. "…I…I know we didn't save Fluttershy…but Cadence did…she's free…we're ALL FREE…" she said, tears in her eyes. "I…I didn't think we'd pull it off…but…but we actually saved all of us…"

"And the Doctor," Derpy added, giving a bright smile.

Pinkie merely gave a calm smile. "And the Doctor, yeah."

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!…" Twilight chanted, bouncing around her friends in glee, practically hug-tackled Pinkie at the end. "Welcome back!…I…I'm sorry for what I did…I shouldn't have been so brutal…so savage… so heartless… what I did was… that wasn't right…I was a monster."

"You almost became a monster." Pinkie gave her a nuzzle. "…I forgive you. You weren't wrong. Mostly."

"I, I know you never abused your foals. I'm sorry. I was only trying to hurt you."

"I said I forgive you. Can you forgive me for trying to kill you? And Apple Pie? For everything I did?"

Twilight nodded. "If I hadn't forgive you... would we even be hugging right now?"

Pinkie gave a smile and hugged Twilight again. "Thanks…"

"Pinkie I need to know. Why did you give me Smarty Pants before you left?"

"...I didn't want you to die alone."

". . . No matter how much death Discord let you bring to the world, the kind you was still in there somewhere."

"Thank you Twilight. Do you mind if I talk to the others? We're all friends, right?"

Twilight nodded happily. "Sure, we need to rest and recuperate after that fight before we continue…glad to have you back Pinkie."

Pinkie smiled back. "I'm glad to be back."

Then Everypony (and dragon) hug tackled her.

+++

"Hey AJ," Pinkie said, calmly, walking over to the farm pony a couple minutes later. Pinkie Pie had requested to speak with the others one-on-one, and AJ was the first.

Applejack smiled to her friend, but was surprised by her calmness. "Hey, Pinkie, good to see yah again."

Pinkie gave her a hug. "…I'm sorry about what I said…"

"Water under the bridge, sugar cube," Applejack replied, giving a smile.

Pinkie nodded slowly. "So…our families merged together?"

Applejack smiled. "Yeah…Applebloom married a descendent of Octavia, from what Ah understand."

Pinkie gave a warm smile, remembering her sister. Mentally, she channeled an unvoiced apology for not listening to Octavia and the rest of her family. She swore she felt comforting hooves on her shoulders.

"…Octavia never really wanted to work on the rock farm. Kinda funny how life can work out."

Applejack nodded. "Yeah, never thought Sweet Apple Acres would grow rocks either. But hey, they're doing a fine job of it."

"…Can you tell me about them? Our family?"

Applejack went on to tell her about each of the Apple Pies, though Pinkie seemed in a hurry to rush and hear about ALL of them, rather than linger on lengthy details about individual members... fun though their stories were. Pinkie explained that they shouldn't delay too long before refocusing on Discord and moving out.

"They all sound so nice." Pinkie stated, when Applejack finished.

"Yeah, they are…Ah guess that makes us related too, doesn't it?"

Pinkie nodded, smiling softly the realization instead of from ear to ear at . "Yeah, it does. I think... cousins."

Applejack nodded with a wide smile of her own. "Well, cousin, Ah'm sure they'd love ta meet yah."

"I'm sure it would be totally great."

++++

"Derpy…" Pinkie said, sitting down next to the Pegasus, now healed from her stab wound. The Earth Pony seemed lighter, more relaxed and calm, but still guilty. "…I'm sorry I called you retarded…you're a very smart pony and I was mean to call you that."

The Pegasus gave a smile back to the pink pony. "No problem! I know you weren't yourself!"

"But that doesn't make it right."

Derpy gave her a hug. "Well, I forgive you, that's all that matters, right?"

Pinkie looked down at her chest, then gave a nod. "Yeah…It wasn't fun, was it?"

Derpy blinked. "What?"

"…I meant it…I know most of it was that dumb meanie Discord's lies but…some ponies really DID think I was THAT dopey. That doesn't justify anything I did…but I guess you really do know how that felt…"

Derpy looked back at her. "Yeah, it wasn't nice, but I don't let it bother me. Those ponies didn't know the real us. They can't see past the surface."

Pinkie nodded. "But our friends see who we really are, right?" she asked, giving a genuine smile. "That's what's important."

Derpy gave a nod. "Yeah, that's right!"

"So how'd you free yourself of the poison joke?"

"Oh I was thinking 'Why won't my body work?! I thought Twilight made me immune to this!…Wait…maybe there's too much inside me? I did eat a big muffin…Okay, then I'll just have to get it out and then I'll get better…I just need to think of things to make myself throw up…' I began thinking of a day a thousand years ago, and the worst muffins I ever had."

" . . . Baked bads did good!" Pinkie Pie smiled.

"Baked bads did good."

And the two simply talked about what they had in common. About how it felt to be misunderstood…and how it felt to finally meet ponies who really did understand.

++++

Rarity sat next to Apple Pie. "Apple Pie, while fighting Fluttercruel, I met somepony who would like to say hello," she stated, looking to the young filly.

"Really?" asked Apple Pie, smiling up at the mare.

Rarity nodded, cutting herself to create a silver wall between the two of them and the others to keep this private like it should be.

Stone began to assemble itself together into an almost exact copy of the filly, colored rock matching her own coloring, except for the Cutie Mark, which was a poison apple.

Apple Pie gasped. "P-Poison Apple?"

"Her desire was to help me make sure you were safe…and to finally get to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? But-but-" The filly looked like she had been given a cookie then had it snatched away after one bite.

"I'm sorry, Apple Pie, but it's wrong for me to keep her here, on the mortal coil. But she wanted to see you again so badly she couldn't rest."

"That's cheatin'! That's not fair! That's cruel!"

"Death isn't kind or cruel. She wanted to make sure Fluttercruel could never hurt you the way she was. She wanted to see you again. She's held on this long. And now you've seen her. Once a spirit's unfinished business is completed, it must pass on."

"Come on! Poison Apple! Say somethin'! Please stay!"

The golem shook her head slowly, sadly, and nuzzled her.

Apple Pie shuddered, her eyes misted up.

"It's okay, Apple Pie, let it out. It's alright to cry."

Apple Pie did so.

"She can't speak, so I have to speak for her. Everypony is waiting for her. She stayed so you could be happy to see her again, just once. She wants you to be happy."

Apple Pie slowly looked her rock bodied twin in the eye, giving a smile. This wasn't exactly the oddest thing to ever happen to her, but that didn't change the fact of who it was. She and Poison hugged each other, the rock pony careful not to hurt her. "Poison Apple…thanks for helpin' Miss Rarity. It means a lot."

Poison Apple merely nodded and did the best she could to indicate her acceptance of it.

"Poison…Ah love yah…we all love yah…and tell the others up there with the Big Alicorn we love em to, okay?"

Poison Apple gave a nod. She gave a wave.

"Goodbye, Poison…" Apple Pie said, hugging her sister one more time, before the rock body fell apart in her hoofs and her sister passed on. Apple Pie wiped the tears from her eyes and looked to Rarity. "Thanks, Miss Rarity…"

"No problem, darling, it was her desire and yours," Rarity replied, she dismissed the shield.

+++++

"Rarity…" Pinkie Pie asked, coming over. "…I…"

"I was as deep in a fantasy as you were, darling," the unicorn replied, giving a small smile. "I'd be a hypocrite to forgive myself without forgiving you."

Pinkie smiled and gave her friend a hug. Rarity felt…something.

Pinkie then took a step back, looking thoughtful. "…Rarity…Do…do any of my foals want to see me?"

Rarity blinked in surprise…then nodded slowly. She created another silver divider for privacy's sake with her blood.

"Yes… She said she knew it was wrong…but she still cares about you… and wanted to watch over you…"

Pinkie's expression was hard to read. Somewhere between joy and…not guilt, but remorse. "…Could I see her?"

Rarity gave a nod. The rocks manifested into an orange Earth Pony filly, her mane and tail the colors of a sunrise, which was her Cutie Mark.

Pinkie couldn't keep the tears from her eyes. She remembered…she was the one that Pegasus had tried to bribe her with. "Morning Light…" she said, giving the little filly a hug, who returned it. "Why…why is she a little filly again?"

"It's how she wishes to manifest," Rarity shrugged. "I don't force a specific age upon them anymore. Her role is her own."

Pinkie looked back to Morning Light. "…Mommy was wrong…laughter isn't a bad thing…it can hurt, but it can be good…we were wrong to kill…but the one who tried to bribe me with you was still rotten…I don't regret taking you in…being laughed at isn't nice…but not every laugh was at us…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry," she explained, tears starting down her cheeks. The rock pony wiped them away, and Pinkie smiled. "Thank you…You know we were bad, right?"

Morning Light nodded guilty.

Pinkie kissed the foal's head. "Good…are you sorry?" she asked, getting another nod. "Then…then let go…I forgive you…let all those bad things go and move on…"

Morning Light nodded and hugged her again, Pinkie returned it.

"…Goodbye, Morning Light…Momma loves you…" Pinkie said, the foal nodding slowly before her spirit departed, leaving the rock vassal to crumble away. "See you again." Pinkie looked to Rarity, wiping tears from his eyes. "Thank you…Rarity…"

"No problem, dear…Pinkie…is something wrong?" Rarity asked, genuinely concerned.

"No, nothing's wrong," Pinkie replied, giving a passive smile.

++++

Pinkie gave Rarity another hug before coming to Apple Pie, who'd let her have her moment in peace.

"Apple Pie, I think this is the first time we've met... properly."

Apple Pie gave a smile. "Yeah, so let's do it right this time! I'm Apple Pie!"

Pinkie couldn't help giving a small chuckle. Chuckling felt good. "I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but you can call me Pinkie Pie."

"Aunt Pinkie Pie," the filly corrected.

Pinkie nodded. "…Apple Pie, I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for everyone I killed that you knew. For the pain I've caused our family."

"Ah can tell in yer eyes, yer changed. Yah ain't the same mare yah were then. So Ah forgive ya. Besides, yer family, what's family for?"

Pinkie hugged the little filly. "Thank you…" she said, then looked at her chest.

From where she watched, Rarity blinked, then gained a look of sad realization. She remained quiet, however. 'This is a truth I don't feel needs told,' she thought.

"So…Apple Pie, can you tell me a bit about yourself?" asked Pinkie.

Apple Pie smiled. "Well, Aunt Pinkie, Ah live on a rock farm, Sweetie Rock Acres, with mah family."

Pinkie smiled. "Really? I grew up on a rock farm too…"

++++

"Spike…how are you doing?"

Spike gave her a warm smile. "Alright, all things considered, just trying to figure out a few new tactics for round three with Rancor, I need to talk to Twilight about it on the way…anyway, me and Rarity are doing well."

Pinkie gave a genuine smile. "I'm glad…Spike, I'm sorry…I know I wasn't me but…I tried to kill Twilight…I tried to take your only family from you… as the Element of Generosity. I'd have killed you too, I'm so sorry."

Spike reached down, picked the mare up, and gave her a gentle hug. He didn't want to hurt her if he could help it. "It's okay…I forgave the rest, I forgive you too. I'll admit, I would've tried to kill you if Rarity hadn't called me off…but she was right…I wouldn't have been doing what Twilight wanted, what she REALLY wanted. You're on our side again: heart and soul. I'm so unbelievably grateful that you could be saved, in spite of all the incredible odds. You're worth fighting for, Pinkie Pie. Never forget that."

Pinkie gave a smile and reached up to nuzzle him. He returned it happily.

++++

Pinkie brought the group together, and while they rested and had snacks and drinks, six of the friends shared old stories while a seventh asked questions, learning about the world before Discord broke it. In a short time, they'd be fighting the final battle for the salvation of the world…but for now, they were just simple friends, delighting in one another's company.

Pinkie Pie looked up at Sky Ocean, the Seaponies split on lighting up the sky with her glowing forms or not in this strange alien twilight sunrise/sunset none of them had seen before.

"You know, it's been a thousand year since I sang." She didn't know if know she'd get a chance to later. "Everypony. . ."

Oh little pony, oh little pony,
It's been so long since I've seen you.
All the long nights we've been through.

Don't worry we'll make do.
Can you see the changing view?

Is that the sun I see rising?
Who'd think that'd be surprising?

My heart I no longer need to hide
'Cause I know That You're At My Side

Isn't it such a glee to be free?
I'll say it to the sky and sea

We have been gone for so long
But we're both back to where we belong

For a thousand dreams' sake we did roam
My Little Pony, My Little Pony
Welcome Home

Oh please, weellcooome hoooome.

Comments

[NaughtSought]

Why is this so unknown? I have loved this series and it gets so little attention. Ignore this as I am just asking questions that don't have answers.

[Alex Warlorn]

1759701

Honestly? I think it just doesn't get enough word of mouth.

[Paleb05]

We begin with Spike finding Rare and her confirming that she killed Fluttercruel. Angry Pie arrives and shows them Twilight's Element showing them that Twilight is most likely dead. The others are stunned and Spike wants to kill Angry Pie, but Rare tells him not to. She knows how similar she and Angry Pie are with both of them having spent the 1000 years of chaos in complete delusion. Angry Pie asks again if Discord will keep his promise to give her back her foals, and he says yes. With that the battle begins and thanks to both Rancor and the power of Twilight's Element she is winning easily, but she is having problems focusing. Before she can do to 'Jack what she did to Twilight, an attacker appears. It is Twilight using Trixie's element and a horn from Fluttercruel's collection to heal herself from near death. The others are glad to see her, but something is wrong. Twilight is speaking like that death is the only option for Angry Pie as the blackness of a Nightmare is spreading across Twilight. The Voice is absolutely loving this and is encouraging Twilight to become a full Nightmare. Angry Pie tries to hide in her mind to get away from the Nightmare that Twilight has almost become, but the Nightmare doesn't allow Angry Pie to get away. Angry Pie is helpless as the Nightmare prepares to kill her using a similar spell as the one that killed Cadence. Twilight's friends try to stop her, but she won't listen becoming nearly one with The Voice. Before Twilight can use the spell, a second voice appears. This voice tells her that this isn't what Trixie wanted when she gave Twilight her Element in order to keep her alive. It also tells her that by killing Angry Pie she would just be like her, killing without any mercy. It is able to get Twilight to stop by pointing out that is willing to kill PINKIE PIE without trying to help her. With this, Twilight cancels her spell and goes out of her Nightmare state, much to The Voice's frustration. The others watch Twilight calmly walk up to Angry Pie and cast the memory spell, but instead of showing Pinkie Pie's memories, Twilight shows her memories of Pinkie Pie. They end up at a mental Sugar Cube Corner where Angry Pie splits into four ponies, the motherly side shown to her foals, the side that wants her friends, the side racked with complete guilt over the events of the past 1000 years, and the side that came from the Lost Age that looks on in confusion. Twilight wonders what to do about this when she sees the spirits of Surprise and Princess Rarity telling her to help them. Twilight tells the four ponies that they should be together and all four agree. For the first time in a 1000 years, Pinkie is free. As this is going on Rare uses her Desire to take Twilight's Element into herself. Rancor makes herself known, but doesn't attack again, saying that she will see them inside the castle. Pinkie comes to and decides she won't try to kill the others. Twilight finally hears from Rare that Fluttercruel is dead, and the group takes this odd opportunity Discord has given them to prepare for what might very well be the battle that decides if light finally starts to show in this Dark World. But even then questions must be asked: What does The Voice want? Who is The Voice? What is Rancor's part in all of this? And last but not certainly least, What connection does this Dark World have with The Interviewers and the Reharmised Timeline?

[Alex Warlorn]

1759644

Sigh. Done.

[Alex Warlorn]

1759909

It'll be interesting to see how you react. Every chapter of Dark World will have violent twists and turns until the finale it seems.

[Phoenix Kitten]

Somepony draw Half Nightmare Twilight now!
Sweet Celestia Nightmare Purgatory sounds amazingly epic.
*ahem*

So Twilight has a new EoM?Has she also absorbed Trixie's soul or something?

I'm concerned that Rarigreed is plotting something by stealing the other elements of chaos to bolster her powers...

With Pinkie's redemption I can't help but call to mind the song Karma, and the meaning behind it's english lyrics.

[DDRMASTERM]

Pinkie is saved, yay. (Didn't see that coming from the start of this arc.) As well as the entire Main six (though it is kind of depressing knowing that Fluttershy won't be around to share the joy with the rest).
Now to defeat Discord. My feelings for him are as follows: HOW DARE YOU, YOU WORM, YOU DESERVE ONLY DEATH!!!!!!!Venting aside, he doesn't deserve to live (at ALL!) for what he's done. To freeze him in stone would be to let this all happen again (Which would be horrible.).
I already posted the song I have in mind for the final battle with Discord on my page. On a somewhat unrelated note, I know of a song that to me, sums up the feel of the beginning of this arc (and other parts to) and will gladly post if asked. Anyways can't wait to see the epic conclusion!

[Alex Warlorn]

1763240

Curious what that song is. And the surprises are far from done.

[DDRMASTERM]

1763434http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiS4VC8k2tI There you go. Don't spoil anything okay, I want to be suprised.

[DDRMASTERM]

1765586 Okay, I understand what you're saying and should clarify, being predictable isn't nessasarily a bad thing. I more mean that I don't want to know how it will end.

[DDRMASTERM]

1765685 By this I ment I don't want to know until the ending actually comes out.
1765778 If that's true, then shouldn't you be searching for the Dragon balls?

[notMurphy]

This story has always been great, but this was an exceptional chapter.
Even with the convenient resurrection (I have a general bias against easy fixes, but this was handled so well I give you a pass).

Speaking of I know who that is on the other side of the parentheses now.
That double reboot must have cleared by mental block, but I'm still not going to post spoilers.
(hint hint:PM me if you want my theory)

Also, does anyone here read the webcomic Guilded Age? Rarity's golems remind me of a character called Gravedust who had an ability sort'a kind'a similar but much more limited.

[Alex Warlorn]

1769006

Never even heard of it.

[Alex Warlorn]

1768702

I did my bloody hardest to FORESHADOW IT! And to use elements already established! An Ex Machina has no foreshadowing!

And I'd like to hear your theory over PM.

[Alex Warlorn]

1761874

If you can find a decent fan artist on deviantart who'd be willing to try. I'd like to see it.

She has Trixie's Element of Magic now.

[notMurphy]

1773098 nonono... my explanation is poorly worded: I got all of that, and it was well done - I'm not a fan of resurrections.
It feels to me like it cheapens the experience of death. I'm saying your storytelling was good enough that I don't mind the use of that device.
The foreshadowing and the struggle she goes through afterward is what makes me accept it. In no way am I criticizing your work here.

[ShadowLDrago]

Wow, Angry Pie is dangerous, so Twilight got Trixie's Element of Magic. Nice. Rarity now has the Element of Desire, Honesty, Friendship/Tragedy and Cruelty, damn she is a jack of all trades. Now to see if they can beat Rancor and Discord. WIth Pinkie Pie back, this should be fun.

[Starburst Gleam]

Yay Pinkie Pie is back! This part is sad.

[Godiswithus3]

Rest in peace Fluttershy. Your suffering has been avenged. And I'm glad Pinkie has been rescued. I almost got a heart attack from Twilight's near death experience. I will say, I shed many tears towards the end.

[Revan]

Rest in peace, Fluttershy.

[General Lemarc]

Rereading this only reaffirms that pinkie pie is best pony, and you write her better than anyone.

[Lakeguy]

The song at the ending was so sweet!

[Alex Warlorn]

4046579
Oh yeah, it's gonna be!

[Alex Warlorn]

7720867
Thank you dude, that means a lot.

[Alex Warlorn]

7567294

I hope that this doesn't cause you to give up reading the story.

[Alex Warlorn]

5855925
Yeah, with Dark World I did go all out with some pretty well, dark stuff.

[Alex Warlorn]

7126700
I'm proud I could write something this dark and still managed to make it nice.

[Misty Spell]

Let's assume they've all made it ta Pony Heaven. Ain't it selfish to drag 'em all back ta THIS place from PARADISE?

Didn't she turn them all into trained killers?

aaaaaand then a giant fire shaped like a heart appeared.

[Alex Warlorn]

9676861

That's up for debate. Considering she became more sane and calm whenever she had one of her adopted foals with her. It's possible they only ever fought other warriors rather than going on blind rampages against innocent ponies. Basically, she acted so different when she was raising one of her foals it was mind boggling.

[ninja46712]

umm when pinkie pie was being turn back to normal was that the fanfiction surprise reference or did this come out before the fanfiction cause those pinkies almost sounds like the ones in surprise

[Alex Warlorn]

11724830
What is the fanfiction 'Surprise?'