Twilight disappeared over a Decade ago, her friends have long ago given up on finding her and moved on with their lives. But one day she returns reopening many wounds, can they cope with her return when she left willingly?
Twilight Sparkle left Equestria willingly one day, leaving only a note explaining not to look for her. Her friends did regardless, causing themselves unfathomable pain. After a decade, they had nearly forgotten about her, moving on; one day, however, a mysterious mare enters Celestia's court seeking an audience. Celestia recognizes the mare under the cloak; it was her most faithful student! She had returned, but how have the sands of time changed her? Is she still the book-loving unicorn they once knew? And how will her friends react to her return from the grave?
The description was edited by jamlamin 6/7/14: This story, after reviewing my own work, I deemed a mess and decided to put this on hiatus a few weeks ago. It's not the writing itself but the story, its not constructed that well, my biggest problem being my AU Twilight is just a poorly thought out, she's suppose to be broken yet I basically portrayed her as OP. I may eventually continue this, but most likely If I did I would just rewrite it.
“Thank Luna the day court is almost over, these nobles seem to get dumber every generation. Honesty! Banning carrots because you don't like the?” Celestia though weary just ready to drop down on her bed with a nice bag of ice for her headache from dealing with the nobles. She asked to a nearby secretary “How many ponies left?”
“Just one but they’re requesting for a private audience with you.” the secretary responded.
“Are they a noble?” she inquired. The nobles were usually the only ones to ask for a private audience to petition what usually were either the most insufficient or outright selfish wants of all things in all of Equestria.
“Please don’t let them be a noble.”
“Surprising the paper says they aren't, in fact it doesn’t even have their name or intention listed, you could always deny the request. In my opinion you should, it seems a bit suspicious don’t you think Princess?
While ponies weren’t required to put their names they almost certainly always put their intentions down, no she was too curious about this pony who wanted to speak to her. If anything went wrong she could always defend herself better than any guard ever could.
“Let the pony in and leave the room, I am certain if anything goes wrong I can handle it.” Celestia insisted “Oh and have a good evening.”
“Same to you Princess.” With that the Secretary left the room telling the guards on the other side of the doors the situation and to call in the pony.
What was easily at least several minutes later the pony walked into the room obviously taking their time.
“Well this pony must be full of themselves” she thought as she observed the equine’s walk. The figure that walked into the room was easily as tall as her sister although all their features were hidden by an old brown, dusty cloak, looking raggedy around the edges that seemed to maintain an eerie, ominous effect that would have disturbed anypony other that herself. After many moments of silence Celestia found herself starting to become infuriated by this pony not speaking it was clear she wanted the Princess to start the conversion.
“Well are you going to state what you want or not?” Celestia barked although she didn’t mean to. “Sorry about that I have quite a frustrating day you know with the nobles.” attempting to lighten the atmosphere up a bit and get the pony speaking but still to her disappointment it would still not speak and just continued to stare in her general direction. It was difficult to tell since the cloak seemed to cast shadows upon the pony’s face only allowing its eyes to be visible. Though those orbs didn’t seem right, at least not on a pony, they appeared to be draconic in appearance and a luminescent purple in color.
Giving up Celestia just sat down and closed her eyes. This pony wasn't going to talk anytime soon, while she wasn’t allowed to leave the court during a session there wasn’t anything against sleeping during one, so she might as well catch up on some much needed (and well deserved) sleep. Soon many moments of silence passed by and just as Celestia was about slip into sleep the pony spoke while everything else was blurry and muffled its words were as clear and crisp as her sister’s moon.
“Your student has returned.” then Celestia fell into a deep, nightmare racked sleep, those eyes being burned into her dreams.
Celestia mumbled through her sleep “Please tel… me..” Luna had been going at this for at least an hour already; it was time to wake her sister Luna raised one of her hooves and quickly jabbed her sister in one of her eyes. The intended reaction was instant.
“AWWWW! Luna why did you do that!” Celestia howled holding one of her hooves up to her swelling eye.
“Day court is about to start in a hour how do you think our subjects would have reacted to you asleep on the floor in your messy state, I bet they would have even attempted to pass a law saying that your servant had to make sure you sleep in a bed from now on.”
“Thank you Luna but did you really have to do that, how do you think that our subjects will react to my eye.”
“No but it was fun for me and you know as well as I do that we Alicorns heal incredibly fast.” Luna said with a smirk “By the way I heard about yesterday evening, the guards said they heard a scream and an explosion but by the time the guards came into the room you were screaming in your sleep alone in the room just who was that pony?”
“Well my dear sister I currently don't have any recollections of my dreams last night and if my suspicions are correct that pony could have been Twilight Sparkle or at least an associate of hers, however that pony was easily as massive as you.” Celestia answered with a frown growing on her face from not being able to remember.
“Do you really think so? Twilight left Equestria and disappeared from the world over a decade ago by her own accord why would she suddenly show up now? and for what reasons?” Luna stammered.
“Luna don’t you remember what freed you? It was Twilight and her friends” Celestia said as she levitated over a nearby painting of them. “Her friends…” she continued “It’s obvious she’s found or achieved what she wanted and wants to return to them.”
“Tia I just don't want to see you grieving again, do you think even if she is returning that her friends will accept her? She caused them far more pain than she did to you by her disappearance please don’t get your hopes up.” Luna beseeched.
“Sorry Luna but I must look into this, can you handle the Day court tomorrow?”
“Of course Sister I know what Twilight meant to you, just get ready to take over the Night court for a night in the near future.” Luna grinned from taking advantage of her sister’s request. “But anyway good luck on your search.”
Celestia then walked out of the room putting the painting back and then decided to begin her search at the cusp of dawn of the next day.
For the second night in a row Celestia’s sleep teemed with nightmares and visions of those eyes, those cold, hard, calculating eyes that pierced her and looked into the very depths of her soul. No those weren’t the eyes of her student that she remembered, they were of another’s but in a maternal sense she recognized them as Twilight’s but it pained her to see how much they've changed. The unicorn she remembered was amiable, affectionate, kindhearted and brimming with potential; this unicorn was forbidding, indifferent, sadistic and had seen things they never should have.
Just like Celestia said to herself the day before, at the cusp of dawn she would begin her search. She arose from her bed with bloodshot eyes and a filthy sweat saturated mane. “So much for sleeping last night, perhaps it would have been smarter to stay awake…” she thought wearily. “Anyway, time to plan the day.”
Obviously Celestia knew she would have to disguise herself, someone of her regal status walking among the streets of everyday commoners would cause every pony to grovel at her presence and make every question she asked become a royal decree that required an answer. While that could be beneficial to her search, predominantly it would just lead to false information to have the opportunity to speak to the princess, ponies were very desperate at times. So Celestia went with something simple, a unicorn with a pure white coat and a pink sun-kissed mane that draped slightly past her shoulders, her cutie mark was a simple fiery disc. Celestia still was the definition of perfect but now in a mortal body “Damn I’m sexy, stallions could be a problem but then again it could be useful.” she thought humorously as she checked her body out in a nearby mirror.
She then pulled out her gold framed checklist, a habit she picked up from Twilight, and checked the disguise part off from it. Next was to teleport to the market and question her ponies. Her horn ignited with a pale yellow magic and off to the Canterlot market district she went. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unfortunately never requiring to go to the market to purchase food had made her unaware of what was there and due to the teleport, Celestia or rather Sunlight, now ended up in a dumpster filled with half-eaten hay and some rotten apple cores. Fortunately to her luck it was in some of the back alleys of the market so nopony saw her climbing out of a dumpster. After several minutes of aimlessly wandering Celestia somehow made it to the central plaza wasting no time at all she walked up to a nearby guard and asked “I’m afraid I’ve lost my friend, have you seen a large cloaked mare?”
“Sorry ma'am can’t say I have, but if I see have her I’ll make sure to find you, it ain’t too hard remembering a pretty filly like you.”
“Well then thank you for your time.” Celestia said a light giggle and quickly trotted away, she knew that would be the answer before she even asked but what she wasn't expecting was the first stallion she talked to already attempting to hit on her.
She quickly located her next pony, and pony after pony all questioning them with a simple, broad question. “Have you seen a large cloaked pony recently?” the answer she always got was.
“Sorry miss, I haven't” or “Can’t say I have” or more attempts to hit on her. This continued on for the majority of the day, she went from enthusiastic approach to hopeless one, It was like that at least until one of the ponies she asked answered differently.
“Sorry I haven’t but if you're looking for a place that has a lot of rumors n’ ponies that are quite informed I suggest you go to The Canterlot Secret, it's a nice little old tavern that's just down the street over there” the mare said as she lifted one of her hooves up and pointed towards a large house off to the side of the central plaza with no windows but with a sign on the lintel of the door with “THE CANTERLOT SECRET” on it.
“Thank you very much!” Celestia cheered to the mare and started to run off towards the building only to remember that currently she was of noble status and couldn't afford being seen running, so a fast trot was what she had to make due with. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“The Canterlot Secret” from the moment she walked in was probably the last place to be, It was basically a brothel with a few other things to it. “How did I not know this existed.” Celestia thought but almost facehoofed herself when she remembered its name. “Well, of course it's a secret.” The various moans coming from nearby rooms were already making herself feel uncomfortable and awkward “It would be best not to stay here for long with this body and its urges.” A mare dressed in some rather suggestive pieces of clothing walked up to her.
“How can I help you today ma’am?” the mare asked licking her lips making Celestia feel even more uncomfortable.
“My name is Sunlight and I heard there's ponies here who could give me the whereabouts of another pony.” Celestia answered.
“Oh you're here for that...” the Mare responded with a disappointed look on her face “follow me.” Celestia followed the mare down a hallway, the mare excessively waving her hips to room with almost no lighting, the room was ominous and forbidding but she continued to walk until the mare lead her to a seat.
“Please sit down for a couple of moments, he'll be with you soon.” the mare walked away and locked the door.
Celestia knew the why the atmosphere of the room was like this, she used it in her own interrogation rooms, it was to make them fear and answer truthfully, “Just what have I gotten myself into?”
Eventually a click could be heard from the opposite side of the room she came into and a door opened a faint outline of a pony could be seen.
“So what do you want to know?’ the pony said, clearly a stallion.
“The whereabouts of a pony.” Celestia replied
“How rare?”
“Pardon me?” Celestia responded confused
“How often are they seen?”
“Ponies have rarity now!” She thought perplexed and then answered “First time in a decade, the pony is large and with a cloak and strange eyes, presumably a female.”
“Luckily for you I heard about something like that last night, buts that going to cost you a fair amount but you nobles are rich so don't worry about it.”
“How much.”
“Oh about 60,000 bits.” Celestia eyes snapped wide open, shocked at the high price but what the pony said was true she could afford it but still….
“Or if you can’t pay it we could always find other ways of payment if you know what I mean you are quite the jewel.”
“No, I’ll send you a check, now tell me what you know.” Celestia disgusted at what the stallion proposed.
“Damn you mares and your money, but anyway it ain’t much but that pony was last seen walking into an alley just across the street, now get laid, buy something or get out, I trust you'll have my payment soon unless you to want to have a miserable life, I have plenty of people that can arrange that.” Celestia laughed in her head a little “Yeah ruin your immortal ruler’s life, I could have you in chains before you even knew it.” Celestia got out of the chair and walked out of the now open door and left “The Canterlot Secret.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just like the pony said there was an alleyway across the street but there was nothing in it at least not to the naked eye there wasn’t but to a trained unicorn like herself there was. It was very minute but it was a magic marker with a trail attached to it leading to somewhere. The signature of it was one she recognized, it was Twilight’s but with it being so minute Celestia quickly came to the conclusion that she left it there for her, but only for her to find and follow it but was only triggered when during the time of twilight. So with nothing better to do Celestia followed it.
The path was obviously well planned out because when she finally arrived at the end of the trail it was night and the trail’s magic dispersed. The trail’s end location leaded her Celestia to small bar at the corner of a street in what could be considered the “ghetto” of Canterlot. Although it was where the majority of the middle class lived in and nicknamed the “Ghetto of Canterlot” by some foolish nobles. The bar itself seemed to be okay, just some place where some pony could get a drink or two along with some food like hay-fries. But what stuck out the must the dark corner where a large hooded figure was seated drinking some hard-cider, easily strong enough to knock out an earth pony and a large cigar the pony was smoking, blowing some smoke rings into the air. The moment Celestia saw the hooded turn their head in her direction she saw its eyes, those eyes, Celestia couldn’t anymore sure of herself that this in fact was Twilight Sparkle and that Twilight saw through her disguise like it wasn’t even there. Twilight was back.
Those eyes drew her in and before Celestia knew it she was beside the table and taking a seat. The mare sitting on the other side of the table lowered her cigar she was smoking and took another sip of the cider, once again repeating her former behavior. But this time Celestia wasn't going to let that happen again and struck a hoof out to unhood the pony, and once and for all her suspicions were confirmed.
“Twilight…..” Celestia whispered. The mare in front of her was indeed Twilight, The unicorn with the lavender coat and navy blue mane with a pink highlight running through it but they were changes to face, the most noticeable ones being the stubby horn was now a large wicked deadly sharp horn and her mane much longer and sticking out in various places, and of course the eyes that haunted her dreams for the past several nights, why did Twilight even have dragonic pupils now, that wasn't something a pony ever got excluding when her sister became corrupt but at least then its was a transformation, there was no corruption in her eyes thankfully. Everything just looked like a subtle changes, stuff that was just like normal growth. Also there was the fact that Twilight was much larger than her in her current form, at least Luna’s size, maybe even larger.
Through out the whole time Celestia thought about Twilight, Twilight just stared at her with a look of indifference, not evening caring that Celestia sat right in front of her she just continued on drinking the cinder and blowing little smoke rings. This in fact shocked and agitated Celestia even more. “You haven’t seen someone in 10 years and you can’t help but take drugs and blow smoke right into their face!”
“Twilight are you going to speak or not, its been 10 years!” Celestia said a little too loud because every ponies head turn in their direction but quickly returned to what they were formerly doing to avoid being rude.
“Yeah I will, I was just waiting until asked” yet again blowing another smoke ring into Celestia's face. “Sorry about the whole ‘make you search for me’ thing I was just curious if you were willing to put the effort in to find me.” Twilight solemnly said “Ponies tend to forget after a while, congrats you passed my test.” This was not the conversion Celestia expected, in fact nothing was going as Celestia expected so she spoke up to get what she wanted.
“Why Twilight.”
“Why what? why I left? be more clear about what you're asking”
“You know what I’m asking so answer” Celestia demand, Twilights behavior puzzled her but infuriated her at the same time.
“There were many reasons my dear mentor…. but to put it simple even greed gets the best of us.”
“What?!” Celestia cried out, “Thats what made her leave! what was so important the Twilight abandoned all her friends, no her life! to get what she wanted.” right before Celestia was able to say something back Twilight continued, putting her cigar and cider down to say
“Perhaps it would wise if we talked somewhere more private, don’t you think.”
“Yes thats… that would be wise if we did….” Celestia pondered for a location for a second “I shall teleport us to the castle, It would be nice to talk face to face without my disguise on.” Her horn started to faintly lit up but not before a hoof painfully clamped down on it.
“First off we do it outside, and second I’ll do it.” Twilight hissed, rage flickering in her eyes.
“Ok” Celestia fearfully stammered, Twilight very rarely ever fought back, and never with violence before, just who was this new Twilight?
Twilight got out of her seat and gestured for her to follow, levitating some bits over to the counter for payment on her way out. When they exited the bar Twilight’s her flared up and off to the Castle they teleported. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They teleported into Celestia’s private gardens, from how high up the moon was up in the sky it was easily just past midnight. The light of the moon gave a silver glow to everything along with a clean crisp look, during the teleport Twilight dispelled her disguise so now Celestia was taller than Twilight but not by much, the top of her head reached just below her jaw now.
“I understand my behavior is different than what your use too but I changed, its only appropriate to tell you and answer your whys, the only thing I ask of you is to please save your questions till the end….” Twilight said with a growing grin “but just incase…. a mute spell!” Twilight’s horn flared and when Celestia attempted to speak no words came out of her mouth so Celestia just frowned at her. “Oh don’t be sad I’ll be quick about this, don’t try to dispel it either you can’t.”
“Now you're aware for my lust for knowledge, you remember it?” Celestia nodded
“Oh good, well it all started in the Everfree forest you wouldn’t believe the stuff that ends up in there, but anyway lets just say I tripped on a rock and hit my head the next thing I knew was a muddy old book, at least on the outside it was but on the inside it detailed of a place, a library that contained everything in it, all possible knowledge.”
“Owwww” you stupid rock, wait whats this?” below Twilight was a muddy half torn book. She quickly flipped through some of the pages “A place that contains the knowledge of everything!”
“So I continued you reading, it described the library being in the lands of the south but unfortunately that was it all the other pages were either torn or so damaged they couldn’t be read.” Twilight stopped for a few moments looking around, obviously thinking about what to say next “So I broke into the restricted area of the archives, the one part that I have not completely read through yet at the time. After sometime and several breakins I collected and ‘borrowed’ an ancient map of the south along with some other documents talking about this library, the whole time without you knowing I presume or you would have stopped me.”
“Thats it!” Twilight shouted as she looked at the map she had found along with all her other documents “This is what I need to find it.”
“So one day I set out, leaving a note to tell you not to look for me, that I would be gone a long time as you probably recall.” Celestia did remember this but regardless of what she wanted they still searched for her. “From what I collected it seemed that the library had some time enchantments on it, for anybody inside won’t feel the passage of time and time outside of the library would slow down for them but at a price. The library’s works couldn’t be seen but had to be lived, and they couldn’t be lived with a normal ponies eyes, only a dragon’s.” Twilight hesitated but continued on “So I torn them out in exchange for a set of dragon eyes, It was painful, sometimes if I close my eyes and press my eyelids together I can still feel the pain. When rivers of blood cascaded out of my empty sockets the library rewarded me and gave me a new pair of eyes.” Celestia was disgusted by what Twilight said
“How could she give up her own eyes!?”
“You have to understand the book I found had me caught and tied up in its influence to go to this library so tearing my eyes out was worth it to enter and be able to use this library, After that my greed got me, I planned only to stay a week in the library but soon I just wanted more and more knowledge, the things I saw were addicting, the library was intoxicating. Soon a whole decade past in the outside world but for me it was over five centuries due to that double-edged enchantment of time.” Twilights stopped talking her eyes were darkening, flickers of unnamed emotions burned in her those orbs only to burn out moments later “What I’m willing to tell you at the moment is finished, feel free to ask questions” she spoke with an empty tone. Her horn faintly flared and Celestia could once again speak.
Twilight did a good job at answering her questions without making her question other things but one question remained.
“Why did you return?”
“I’m sure you know the answer Celestia but the answer to that is even with all the knowledge in the world you can’t fill the void of loneliness with it, only friends can.” Celestia slowly nodded her head at this, the answer was the one she thought of beforehand and told to Luna.
“Just one more question Twilight did you ever find what you were looking for internally at the library?”
“Maybe” Her response puzzled her but not enough to press on about it.
“Twilight do you want to know what happened to your friends?”
“Sure” the indifference had completely overtaken Twilight again.
“Sweet Apple acres burned downed early in the season so when the Apples couldn’t pay their bills they moved, at the moment I believe their in some apple orchards in Appleloosa.” Twilight didn’t even make any reaction to this “Rainbowdash followed her dreams and didn't let your disappearance ground her for too long and she became a Wonderbolt and she is currently traveling around Equestria with her fellow Wonderbolts. Spike went with Rarity to Manehattan years ago, your disappearance caused him to go through some changes. Fluttershy started up multiple animals reserves and If i recall correctly is currently is stationed at one in Appleloosa.” Twilight just continued to stare at her if she was listening or not Celestia couldn’t tell “Twilight why ask if you don’t seem to care about what I’m saying.” “And lastly Pinkie went to Los Pegasus for the reason of ‘bigger parties to make’ or something with a party business about 8 years ago.”
“Thank you Celestia I better take my leave now.”
“Oh wait Twilight do you really think your friends will forgive you? you caused me quite a bit of pain but nowhere near as much as them.” Twilight didn’t even answer and just started to walk away.
“Also before you leave do you need anything, perhaps some food or bits or even another cloak your’s doesn’t seem to be in the best condition.” Celestia asked but in return she got a light laugh and yet another shocking statement.
“I haven't or slept eaten in over 500 years I think I can last a few days, and I think I’m covered on bits.” Twilight returned as she levitated a large bag of bits out from under her cloak and shook it a little “As for the cloak I like it like this.” Twilight’s horn once again flared and she was gone. Celestia walked away with her head done sighing.
“What will become of her former friendships, can she really mend the bond?”
A flash of purple in the dead of night, and a mare stood in front of the entrance of Ponyville. Twilight stayed at the entrance of the sleeping town, unable to bring herself forward; at the end of her stay in the library, returning to Ponyville was what she dreamt of and yet she couldn’t bring herself to do, it was almost as if she was treading on some sacred grounds she didn’t belong to, at least not anymore.
Once upon a time Ponyville was her home temporarily, but then that bastard book sent her to that damned library, taking Ponyville and her life away from her.
“The library, Olak do faal Voroha, if I recall its accursed name correctly” The library was something Twilight neglected to tell Celestia about, she never planned to ever tell her, not for the fact that no one could ever comprehend the horrors that went on in it, not even Celestia, but for reasons that nopony needed to know what atrocities went on in there.
Twilight eyes glazed over, tears forming at them, probably the only ones she would shed in a longtime and only for herself, as she recalled her stay in the library and its infamous guardian. She lifted her hood over her face as an attempt to hide them and prepared to remember the library of the lost, in the pony’s language, but Olak do faal Voroha in the dragon’s tongue and a more accurate translation of that in the Equestrian language would be the Library of the Mad. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After months of research she finally did it.
“I finally did it…” Twilight thought excited as she continued to breathe heavily, thinking about what just happened.
“I just tore my own eyes out!” The blood continued to drip down through her coat, some off her face, giving her a crazed look, ponies weren't meant to be seen with glistening blood on them or draconic eyes, it was grotesque to most but to the great stone doors of the library in front of her it was a sign of worthiness to enter. The ancient letters on the massive arch overlooking the entrance of the library now had a meaning, before it just looked like neatly placed scratches, and now it said “The library of the Mad”. To any normal or completely sane pony, that would have mostly warded them off, but the fact that Twilight just sacrifice her eyes to gain entry to a mythical library, let alone taking months to find its location proved she wasn’t in the least normal.
The great stone doors of the library slowly creaked and groaned, the doors opened inward with a certain eerie feeling to them. Once again any pony that didn’t turn around already would have just ran by now, Twilight did the opposite and walked forward, unknowing sealing herself in and making the biggest mistake she ever made in her entire life, nothing ever came out of this library, she was walking into her own grave, for that was why ponies called it the library of the lost and why it was erased from common history.
The doors opened to let black mist slowly seethe out, it smelt of death and decay, stinging her eyes and clenching to her coat on the first instant she walked into it, the fog was so thick and heavy at times that while walking through the endless hallway Twilight felt like she was suffocating, When the edges of her vision blackened and her breathing grew hoarse did she finally break though the rotten wall of blackness, the sight was astonishing.
The celling soared up hundreds of hooves into the ‘sky’ which also had a layer of darkness, stalagmites cut and dangled through faintly illuminating the celling with light crystals, the shelves themselves soared up to incredible heights and as far as the eye could see, each housing millions of books, the floor of the library was a smooth and polished stone. To say the library was massive was an understatement; the only to even grasp its size was to say it was its own world, a world in another world, a world that held its own horrors.
Time passed here quickly, it was already a week before Twilight even moved, shocked by the library’s size, she walked up to the nearest book she could see and picked one out of the thousands she was trotting to, using a levitation spell she grabbed it and brought it to her face and opened it.
Just as the text said, the eyes offered the ability to live the books, and so she did. Every emotion, act, thought, and pain she felt, within moments Twilight was on sprawled all over the ground twitching in pain, book to her face in another world.
Glimpse of a great war flashed before her eyes, ponies dying and Celestia leading them to their death against a threat presumably what looked like a crazier, if that was possible, Discord. But before Twilight was able to fully register she had just seen the book had ended. Strangely Twilight felt a feeling of success, and grabbed another book.
This book was about some spell casting by some old powerful pony Twilight never heard of, while reading about and then learning it proved to be a successful technique to learn there wasn’t anything like actually being there, and Twilight was currently experiencing it.
Soon the book was done; she practiced the spell while in the book. As she lifted her head from the finished book to grab another, Twilight noticed something.
“Is it me or is it darker in here?” she thought to herself. The room didn’t actually look any dark to the naked eye; only because of how sensitive Twilight’s new eyes were; did she pick up the minute difference in the level of lux in the library. It was if the Library actually heard her though because a sense of comforting came upon her. “It was probably a trick of my mind” With that Twilight let go of her suspicions and indulged herself in another book, not even noticing the library once again darkened, too lost in her own book. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whenever it was weeks or days Twilight no longer noticed, to her time was no longer a thing that existed, it was books; that was her life, she had long ago eaten through all the rations she packed with her and even then she barely noticed she ate them. Breathing was no longer a thing either, on multiple occasions Twilight almost died from suffocation because she forgot to breathe. As the she read on every book finished meant a darker Library and a weaker Twilight, things started to appear. The library grew sinister until one day Twilight heard something though the black fog that now encased her. It sounded like hoofsteps.
“Hello…” Twilight rasped, she had not used her voice in weeks and it was almost painful to speak. The sound got closer and closer “Wh...who..who's there? Stay back!” she said painfully raising her voice, yelling into the blackness.
What walked out of the blackness could only be something from a book written from a mentally disturbed pony, it was pony but it was all bones, what remained of its flesh was stretched against its frame, its familiar draconic eyes were bloated, lips pulled back shriveled, mane dull and grim, this was a walking corpse, and a victim of the library. Yet it just walked past her never acknowledging it even knew Twilight was there. Minutes later when the shock that froze her thawed off and the scream that was lodged in the back of her throat released itself.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!” the force of the scream cracked her parched throat open, as Twilight began to cough up blood she quickly grabbed a nearby book and dove into it, drowning out the pain and fear as she escaped with her mind into another book. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The walking dead had become a common sight, increasing in number every few book she finished, in fact Twilight took the time to look at herself for the first time since her arrival and her current gaunt appearance didn’t look any better than theirs. The black fog of the library was so thick now it was impossible to see in any direction outside of 10 hoofsteps except for up, where the light of the ceiling still shined strong, piercing the blackness that attempted sallow her whole.
It could have been weeks, perhaps even months before she finally noticed how the library had changed, how she changed, but it was too late she no longer had any strength, standing up to walk left her sweating and panting for breath. Books were no longer her priority; living once again was…..for now.
“I have to find out what’s going on” Twilight decided, as tempted as she was to just grab a book and spend weeks to find out, books were currently the worst poison. So she struggled and slowly stood up, clenching her teeth in pain, possibly moving for the first time ever in weeks.
Another corpse walked past her, and she walked past it, they went by like ghosts, passing without stopping, no acknowledgement of each other existence once again.
Twilight’s sudden use of her body made her aware of it again, and along came the pains of hunger from the pitiful stomach within that probably no longer existed. Starvation was something Twilight never experienced before and in simple words it was torture. As Twilight continued to stroll down the aisles of the library she walked past several hillock piles of ponies. Sadly she no longer cared, the walking corpses that walked past her over the past few weeks desensitized her, indifference deadened what remained of her soul, decaying her mind into a permanent state of emotional withdraw.
The farther she walked into the library; she unknowingly was walking into the lion’s den. Each step further the more bodies became visible in her limited sight and her strength withered, still it didn’t stop her from going on, even the floor was lathered with bodies of the dead, she limped on them.
At one point the mountains of dead she was walking on started to moan and groan by the thousands, trying to torture her mind and make her run the opposite direction. But still she persisted forward, a thought forming in her head.
“Almost there….whatever the library is hiding it must be here, I just know.” She almost reached the location her body pulled her mind to until the cries of the dead suddenly stopped, and out of the silence, just hoofs away from her, hiding in the blackness came a bloodcurdling screech.
Twilight’s instincts told her to flee with whatever strength she had left, but the screech and potent amounts of curiosity she felt forced her to stay. The black fog pushed itself, opening up for something and out from the black fog came a hideous creature that could only be characterized as a living nightmare.
Calling the creature massive was an sad understatement, it stood at least thirty times that of her mentor, Princess Celestia and more than a hundred times longer than any Alicorn. The creature stood on two powerful legs with the full length of its tail hidden by the black fog, two torn up wings pressed down against its back. The smell of decaying flesh, and death came from it, filing her nostrils with copious of the unpleasant smell. The creature was a dragon, but a dead shriveled one, its chest was torn where a red sphere was visible, its entrails hanged from a gash on its stomach, rivers of a black tar-like fluids cascade from its eyes and muzzle, along with the gash on its stomach too. It quickly puddled up and flowed past Twilight, sticking to her hooves. The head of the dragon held no flesh it was a bare skull; cracks ran along it, exposing little bits of its too large brain that pressed against its skull, threatening to shatter it if enough force was pressure was applied. The color of the dragon was a sickly white, with streaks of yellowish infected cuts running throughout its whole body but one of its most noticeable features was the lack of an eye, it had one draconic eye and the other was just a black hole..
Twilight would have screamed if it not were for the fact that this was the guardian of the library and she had intruded on its private grounds. Twilight quickly tried to stammer out a courtesy with her tied tongue to the great beast. But before she could speak, it spoke; its voiced sounded that of several thousands of ponies, the voice of the victims with a deep overlay to it. “Ponies rarely ever walk into my den, most die while reading, and then their dead bodies drag themselves to my den, so I ask you, how did you escape my gift, my trap?” The dragon stopped for a second and then went on “Since you took the time to break from your studies and seek me out it would be my pleasure to tell you who I am. My name is Nev ahrk Mirdah, which translates roughly to the dragon of decaying knowledge or preferably Nev for short” A grin of excitement grew on the dragon’s face “and you Twilight Sparkle my prisoner, are my new prey, it’s been a while since I had a live one, so I recommend you run, and give me some fun.” Nev’s words trigger something in her head, a hidden reserve of strength because the next thing she knew was that she was running into the blackness and that a giant dragon was now hunting her with the intent of her being it’s next meal. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It could have been a minute, an hour, a day, perhaps even a year but at one point, not knowing when but when at one point she just couldn’t go on and the jaws of death closed on her. She had joined the dead beneath her, she was another that died under the general indifference of the library, forgetting her existence because the dead here no longer needed them, Nev and the library claimed them all, and she was one of them, but at least she was free from the mind shattering library, another minute and she knew she would have gone mad.
“Another minute….wait how was she still alive? She swore she felt the jaws close on her, tearing her apart….No! No! No! I’m supposed to be dead!”
“No you don’t Twilight Sparkle; you don’t get to escape me with death.” A familiar voice laughed. Twilight opened her eyes to see the dragon’s face in her field of vision.
“Please just let me go…” Twilight rasped, lying on the ground with her broken body.
“Not just yet, you played my game, but I let you live so you’re now in my debt and fortunately for you, you have something I desire.”
“Anything please… just kill me or let me go.” She begged a pool of blood forming under her, sticking to her dull coat. “My proposition to you my dear Twilight, is to exchange a piece of our soul with each other, nopony ever broke out of the books alive and remained mentality attached. I want that strength you have Twilight, why do you persist to live on? What drives you? Exchanging a piece of our soul is they only I can have what you have along with some desired attributes you also have. Just to be nice I’ll also throw in free reign in the library without the fog of the lost, just think about all that knowledge you can have. So what do you say Twilight?” Nev said in a snake’s tongue.
Twilight knew deep down that the right decision was just to die, but living on and the ability to explore the wonders Nev’s library held was just too tempting to give up, she was too selfish to die, yet possibly the second largest mistake Twilight ever committed just happened. She gave Nev her answer.
“Ok I accept…”
“Wonderful!” Nev cheered “This may feel a bit strange because to do this we will be exchanging an eye each.” Nev opened his maw and several shriveled up tendrils came out of it, they slowly made their way to Twilight and wrapped themselves around her tightly and raised themselves up to her face, with one swift jab they plunged themselves into Twilight’s eye socket and warped around her eye, with a strong jerk they removed the eye from Twilight’s face. Fortunately Twilight had run out of screams and just twitched in response. The tendrils lifted the eye to Nev’s empty socket and placed it into his skull, with another set of tendrils he torn out his own eye, and let Twilight’s take its place, the eye quickly faded from the violent color to white. Taking one of his he, Nev shrank it down to a pony’s size and placed it into the now unconscious Twilight, the white eye resumed Twilight’s former violent eye color.
“Oh how easy you ponies are to fool.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twilight moved from the entrance of Ponyville, the part of the deal Nev never told her was that while he did adopt some of Twilight’s traits, she adopted his, mostly his strength, a size increase but unfortunately also his madness, and a handful of his flaws too. They turned her into what could be bordering on insanity and that major problem was that Twilight was now on her own path of decay and only the elements of harmony could save her but for now she tried her best to play the sane pony and keep her bouts of madness in check.
“Damn you Nev…”
But thinking back the 498 years or so she spent with Nev were quite good, he was the closest thing to friend in the library, it was because of him that Twilight even remember her friends. At times she really just wanted Nev dead for not telling her the whole deal, but was also grateful for the companionship he offered. The two were very similar, even before they took on traits of each other. Maybe one day maybe Nev could be her friend, if all else failed she would return to that library, she had an eternity to live and Nev did too. Twilight a feeling that by the end of all this that she would no longer be allowed in Equestria. While Celestia could make friendly pardons not even she could account for the actions of a mad pony and say they were justified.
With that thought Twilight’s horn flared up and she teleported to Appleloosa.
The extreme distance travelled and power of the teleport blew a crater a quarter-mile deep, half-mile wide destroying anything within the area of the teleport and produced a deafening shockwave. Fortunately for citizens of Appleloosa Twilight calculated for this and teleported four miles down south, at the edge of the Macintosh Hills. The only thing the citizens would feel would be a minor shockwave and some headaches for the few unicorns that lived there, but other than that it would just be an ordinary day for them. Not that Twilight really cared for all of those southern idiots, she just didn’t feel like killing her friend at the moment, but maybe her opinion would change by the end of the day. She always remembered Applejack above those Earth ponies but then again ten years does things to you.
“Just look at yourself as an example, already contemplating about killing ponies because you won’t like them by the end of the day, you're worse than those nobles” she stolidly thought.
By the time Twilight’s four mile canter was over it wasn’t even dawn yet but the night was almost over judging by the moon’s distance from the horizon. So instead of looking for those apple orchards to assist herself in finding Applejack, she did the next best thing, and went to a nearby saloon to get herself some drinks and a place to sit down, to help deal with the upcoming day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When entered the saloon the few awake ponies looked at her but quickly looked away in fear, her face alone scared them into being silent, even the floorboards didn't creak when she stepped on them. She walked up to the where the drinks were being served. When the bartender noticed he cowered down under the bar table. Raising one of her hooves Twilight did a light knock (To prevent breaking the table) on the table.
“Get up” the pony quickly got back up “Give me the strongest stuff you have” Twilight demanded. “Oh..ok..” the bartender stammered and quickly grabbed a bottle “here you go ma’am” he poured the liquid into a glass, spilling some because of the fear in his body, she could practically smell it. All eyes were once again on her, attempting to burn her but could not penetrate her cloak. But she quickly dealt with that with a simple look in their direction, baring her teeth, she found it very funny because she was probably the deadliest mare they've ever seen.
Unfortunately one colt felt like playing the stallion and be the brave one while others could not. He walked up to her and yelled in his little voice attempting to sound older by making its tone deeper.
“We don’t appreciate yer kind here ma’am…”
“This pony! has the audacity to walk up to me and tell me to get out! I might as well return the favor” Twilight angrily thought with darkening eyes, rage filling taking her over. Her horn lit up and the colt instantly shut up.
“Little colt you have no right to tell me to get out, but with me feeling so jovial today I might as well return the favor.” Twilight snarled with murderous intent, a benevolent smile forming on her face, falsely comforting the colt. With that Twilight released a wave of telekinetic force on the colt. In the background she heard the mother screaming for him to get away but it was too late her colt was already through several buildings and splattered against a large boulder on the outskirts of the town. All the ponies in the bar ran out screaming, not wanting to share his fate. Twilight walked to the table and picked up her drink, sipping it down slowly and without remorse for her actions.
“If this day is going to be anything like this, I’m going to love it.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When the first rays of the morning dawn appeared to Twilight she decide to get out of the saloon. Her fur and breath reeked of alcohol, but with a simple spell her coat returned to its normal aroma of lavender and the breath to whatever is supposed to smell like. Thankfully Twilight lost the ability to become drunk years ago but it still made her feel good and satisfied her thirst.
The town’s ponies, at least the ones that witnessed her murderous act, steered cleared of her and spread the knowledge around, with each pony it became more warped. By the time Twilight actually got out of the saloon she was apparently a demon from Tartarus.
To find the location of the orchards Twilight planned to ask a passing pony, it was common knowledge to anyone that lived in Appleloosa but her deed that she didn’t regret, sacred away any and all ponies, when they saw her they all turned and fled the way they came, all the shops closed when she was in proximity of them. In less than an hour from dawn the town went from a bustling one to a ghost town. Because of this Twilight made a new plan.
“I didn’t want to do it this way…” she thought lying to herself “...I should really stop lying to myself, let’s resort to my favorite way of getting answers, Violence!” With a quick unnoticeable flash of her horn she teleported in front of an Earth pony and grabbed it with so much force it couldn’t be matched, with a ‘small’ tug of magic it was pulled in front of her, making herself look as ferocious as possible, with a banshee like scream she asked it a question, the town that came out at her scream watched sadly, some crying even, knowing the poor stallion’s fate.”
“WHERE ARE THE APPLE ORCHARDS!?” every pony was confused by this, they were expecting more. The stallion in her grasp had such a look of utter terror she was surprised its heart didn't already stop.
“Just... go... northeast... for... a….. few…. miles….foll...ow…” The heart that looked as it was to burst finally stopped and the pony died. The town stood frozen in disbelief, most had not witnessed the murder of the colt earlier so a fellow citizens death was quite shocking to them. Twilight feeling a shred of pity used a memory spell and wiped what they had witnessed, along with teleporting herself to the orchards and the body to Everfree for whatever found it to feast on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The teleport was a much weaker one so it wasn't necessary to be that far away from the orchards, only a small boom rang through the air, it could have easily been mistaken as a nearby rock breaking from another and hitting the ground hard. The orchards were nowhere as beautiful as Sweet Apple’s but just as functional, it was currently harvest season so many of the Apples and their relatives were up and about along with some buffalo doing the heavy lifting. Achieving a private conversation with Applejack would be difficult enough, but keeping the others away without hurting them for intruding would be impossible even with Applejack stopping her. So Twilight decided to play the waiting game.
For about noon till sunset Twilight just laid down under a tree with an invisibility spell, every so often playing little mind games with the unaware farmers until a bell could be heard when the last rays of the sun were visible. All the farmers were retreating towards their farmhouse or houses. Twilight quickly located Applejack who was exiting the orchards and conversing with a grown Applebloom.
“Now’s my chance, better not waste it.”
Using a weak levitation spell she picked up some small pebbles and lightly launched them at Applejack’s sides and at the same time slamming slightly large rocks against each other to generate a sound similar to a pony hitting their hooves against each other in the now darkening Apple orchards. “Hey you stop throwing stones at me and come out of them orchards!” Applejack demanded loudly, in response Twilight moved the stones deeper into to the forest and made a sound similar to a pony trotting. “Applebloom go back to the house, I'm gonna check this out.” Her sister nodded and walked continued walking back to the house.
Twilight kept moving the stones just out of Applejacks sight, letting the sound be what she chased in the dark orchards, while Twilight followed swiftly and silently behind. This continued on until Twilight decided that they were deep enough in the orchards to have a private conversion. So she teleported in front of the Applejack a little distance and made a dim purple light, beckoning Applejack towards her. She pulled the cloak’s hood over her face once again taking the mantle of the mysterious mare once again.
“Who are ya!?” yelled Applejack, demanding an answer. Normally that would have caused her horn going through the pony’s skull as she had done so many times in the past, but Applejack meant more to her than most, at least for now she did.
“You don’t remember me?” Twilight said in a childish tone “Well I remember you, I’m your friend, you know the one that disappeared ten years ago.” Twilight pulled her hood down, exposing her face to her friend.
“Twilight!?” Applejack screamed in shock, almost losing her footing from it but gained her stance once again.
“It’s been a while hasn’t it.”
“It sure has” Applejack responded, slowly walking closer in disbelief, her face growing in angerer.
“Applejack I’m back and here to stay, I’m sorry I left but I had to...” Applejack just continued to stare at her, when nothing was said Twilight continued “I want to be friends again, can you ever find it in your heart to take pity upon me and forgive my actions.” Twilight attempted to play her heart strings, sadly that could not be done to the element of honesty.
“Who are ya? Cause I’m sure it ain’t Twilight, she would never lie to her friends nor abandon them, while she can change in appearance, you're not her and I know for a fact she wouldn’t kill an innocent young colt.” Twilight raised an eye at this, attempting to not look surprised.
“How could she have known! I made sure nopony got to the orchards.”
“Surprised? Things travel around here fast in these parts, so once again I repeat myself once more, who are ya?” Applejack pressed on.
“You're wrong, I’m her just changed” Twilight responded, annoyed this wasn’t turning out like how she planned.
“Fine ya her, but he was a foal did he really deserve that? How do yah think his mother feels!”
“Bad, depressed, wanting my head, but I’m not here to talk about that Applejack, I’m here to talk about why I left and to rekindle my friendships” she said regret emanating from her voice.
“Fine Twi be like that.”
“I left because of greed, there was this library and I wanted to come back but…” Twilight never got to finish her sentence because a hoof smashed into her jaw and sent her into a nearby tree, head first. Applejack charged up to her and continued her assault, pummeling Twilight’s face into the dirt beneath them while talking through her clenched teeth.
“Yeah yah wanted to come back that the worst lie I’ve ever heard, where were yah when we were crying for you to come back? Where were ya when we needed you? Where were ya for Equestria? Where were you when Sweet Apple Acres burned down? Where were yah all the times ya were supposed to be there?” Applejack not stopping and continued to pummel Twilight with all of the strength being an Earth pony offered. It wasn't until Twilight face was covered in a layer of blood she realized what she did and stopped. In response of her mercy Twilight’s horned flared up and threw Applejack off her into another nearby tree. Twilight got back up and screamed at Applejack.
“WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?” Applejack calmly got back up as if she never went into a tree and said
“I thought it was time you learned another lesson in friendship.” Twilight just responded by looking, baring her teeth at her with a look of so much rage and hatred that it could probably kill a pony.
“Twi you're just a shadow of yah former self, and if you truly are Twilight in that monster then you’re a decade late, we don’t need you anymore, you're not wanted anymore. In my opinion it would have been better if you never showed your face and just stayed dead, your were better off being a fond memory of ours than this monster.” Applejack said with a matter-of-fact attitude.
Twilight looked as if she were a wild animal about to snap and go on a murderous rampage.
“Don’t let that monster take you over, return to where you came from Twilight.”
That was probably the straw that broke the pony’s back because what happened to Twilight confused Applejack, Twilight started to scream and glow a faint purple with her eyes darkening and the strange draconic pupils became red, next was an explosion of a bright purple light and she was gone. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Applejack finally limped back to the house using the stars to guide her because of how dark the orchards were at night-time she saw Applebloom standing by a fire outside waiting for her. A question of two words coming out of her sister’s mouth.
“Whah happened?” Applejack hesitated, if she should tell Applebloom about Twilight who now probably hated her deeply.
“No she doesn’t need to know about what happened”
“Nothing Applebloom it was juss a wild animal.”
The sister went up to the other one and helped her indoors.
Twilight knew from the moment she allowed herself to slip into her rage there would be dire consequences, to Applejack’s luck Twilight was able to force a teleport in the middle of casting a spell that would have easily have obliterated Applejack into mere ashes. The drawbacks of that irrational act triggered a magic implosion on herself, searing her own coat, killing off even more of the few remaining nerve cells she had left, and an immensely painful headache that brought her to her hooves with every wave of it.
When Twilight was finally able to get back up, the first gray glimmers of dawn were lighting up the obscure landscape. To her own disappointment the land had suffered far more than herself, the blackened forest was full of branchless, charred trees, the ground was covered in a layer of cooled dusty ashes. The fires that ravaged the land were no longer present; they had died out just like the forest. No animals were to be seen; they either had died in the explosion or in the fires, or for the few that survived had fled. Looking at all of this brought back some shreds of a sense of morality to Twilight, for a few moments she lowered her head, and pulled the enchanted cloak over her head once again, as a sign of regret. She allowed herself to shed a lonely tear before her mask of indifference returned, numbing her to the world.
Another thing Nev failed to mention was that each time Twilight allowed the madness to take over; she would find it easier to lose control, each episode only accelerated her own decay. Nev had appeared to look somewhat sane but more than a few times she saw through his own façade when has was gorging on the mountains of corpses, the level of madness in his eyes was unrivaled, it far surpassed Luna’s during the time of Nightmare Moon, while hers was built on the foundations of jealously, Nev’s was built upon destruction, rage, hate, and any other negative emotion. Those in combination formed the worst and most potent form of insanity Twilight ever saw, the library had many stories of it but once again Nev’s was unique and unrivaled, how he acquired it was unknown to her, and she was condemned to inherit it, and her only hope was that of the elements of harmony, which one of the bearers already refused to help her.
Because of her burnt out horn it was best not to use any higher level magic for the rest of the day, so Twilight walked back to Applelossa which sat on the distant horizon, for the second time.
The sun was far up in the sky by the time Twilight reached her destination, with the help of a simple illusion spell, the town seemed a lot livelier and wholehearted. The town greeted her and rejoiced when the disguised Twilight said to them that the cloaked mare was seen by her leaving the town. Barrels of cider and mead were distributed to the townspeople but Twilight did not want to partake in it, instead she just solemnly waked around the town pushing past any ponies in her way, earning her several ill-mannered comments, at the same time she was searching for something but was unsure of what it was, something was just calling her to wherever her body took her, the library did a successful job of separating her mind from her body, and it was still something Twilight experienced from time to time. It was when she heard a voice did she regain control of her body, it was a voice she had not heard in decades and perhaps one she hoped to hear most of all. Slowly peaking around the corner of the wooden building, she saw her, it was Fluttershy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Somepony please move these poor animals to emergency care!” Fluttershy yelled to her staff that just brought in a lot of severely wounded animals. Several ponies lifted the cot holding the animals and brought it to the building next to them, the veterinarian hospital named “Fluttershy’s Animal Sanctuary.” Fluttershy herself started the hospital in Ponyville but because of the increasing animal awareness ponies were so kind enough to donate and help “Fluttershy’s Animal Sanctuary” branch out to other places, one being Appleloosa, which Fluttershy currently stationed herself in. She grabbed the report from one of her staff and gave a quiet ‘thank you’ to the pony. “Now let’s see what this report has to say about the case of these injured animals…” as Fluttershy read the report her eyes grew in shock “fire, magic burns, and dead animals! What happened to these animals, who could have done such a thing!” she yelled, not expecting an answer. “I can tell you who did it…” Fluttershy jolted up in the air at this, but quickly regained her composure and turned to face the voice behind her. An unnerving pony walked around a corner of a nearby building and showed themselves, before her very eyes the pony was changing, shedding its skin and growing in size. Fluttershy froze up in fear when she saw its eyes, they held a very close resemblance to that of Nightmare Moon’s, for a moment Fluttershy thought she had returned and wanted revenge, until the large cloaked pony pulled down its cloak. Fluttershy desperately wanted to scream its name, but didn’t. It was a face Fluttershy never thought she would see ever again in her lifetime because she was supposed to be dead, a face that bore a purple coat and a navy blue mane with a highlight running through it, a face that deeply hurt her but never filled her with resent like her friends, it was the face of Twilight Sparkle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Hey Fluttershy...” Twilight said slowly, unsure with what to say next, but then again her last experience with another friend wasn’t so pleasant. When Fluttershy failed to respond within Twilight’s desired amount of time she felt her blood start to boil.
“Just calm down Twilight, Fluttershy’s different than Applejack, right?” She thought hopefully although her hope had taken a large blow from Applejack.
“Twilight…” Fluttershy gasped while charging at Twilight, unknowingly making a mistake. Twilight raised a hoof; her first instinct was to deliver a hard blow at incoming mare but was stopped, mid-swing, by the look of warmth in Fluttershy’s eyes, obviously this wasn’t an attack. Fluttershy wrapped her arms tightly around Twilight’s legs, with them being the highest part Fluttershy could grasp. Followed up by a torrent of tears were coming out of the mare’s eyes.
“Oh…Twilight I missed you so much” Fluttershy sobbed. Twilight felt her blood begin to settle, looking at the mare cry melted some of the Ice covering Twilight’s heart. Looking at her friend filled Twilight with a feeling she hadn’t felt in ages, it was shame, and this time it wasn’t a lie.
“Fluttershy I’m back now and this time there’s a good chance I’m staying…” She shook Fluttershy off her legs, it wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the gesture, but it was quite awkward experiencing it after so long. Fluttershy gave a faint expression of hurt at this but didn’t press for an explanation, instead she just back up a few steps and gave Twilight some space.
“Why Twilight, why did you leave us?” Fluttershy questioned her.
“The question I dreaded to explain to such a kind heart, I can only hope she’ll accept it.” Twilight though, hesitating for a few moments before speaking.
“Greed founds its way into me, and unfortunately knowledge was the want I lusted for, and before I knew it a decade went by before my very eyes, Fluttershy you must understand I meant to return! But th-” Twilight abruptly stopped herself before she finished.
“No I might as well spare her from the knowledge of the horrors of the Library; I don’t want her pity anyway” she thought grimly.
“It’s okay, if you don’t to tell me I’m fine with that.” Fluttershy began “but, why did you return?” Twilight just decided to come clean and state her intentions, Fluttershy seemed like she didn’t hold any grudges towards her.
“I paid for what I did Fluttershy, even when I had what I wanted I still felt something was missing, I can’t do this anymore alone, I need help. So I ask for your forgiveness, and a second chance in friendship.” Twilight stated her voice prominent with honeyed coldness. Fluttershy just eyed her; obviously she picked up on Twilight’s tone. She gave Twilight a look of pity, something Twilight hated.
“Twilight…” She felt her heart stop at these words “I forgive you, I didn’t why would I be the element of kindness.” She sighed in relief
“Perhaps Fluttershy will be able to get that southern hick to forgive me too.”
“But Twilight I’m sorry I just can’t give you a second chance, I don’t need to be the element of honesty to know you’re lying, or at least intentionally not telling me everything, If you’re going to do that from the start what type of friend will you be? You look the same and sound the same, but you’ve changed.” Twilight’s face scrunched up in controlled ire at the verbal hits, clamping down her teeth she lowered her head and looked eye level to Fluttershy.
“I really need you Fluttershy; I insist you change your mind, unless you want what Applejack got.” Twilight threatened. Fluttershy returned the glare but with deep sadness and shaking her head, this puzzled her.
“No Twilight I just don’t want to be friends with a pony like you, especially with what you did to Applejack, she came earlier telling me to be on my guard, to look out for a cloaked pony, but I saw her injuries and now I understand that you caused them.” Those words blew out Twilight’s rage like a candle.
“Fine Fluttershy, goodbye I guess” Just as Twilight said that pressure rapidly built up in her throat, within seconds she was writhing on the ground suffocating, in front of Fluttershy. Then Twilight felt a series of strong blows to her lungs and back, what was in her was dislodged by the blows and coughs racked her body until something came out. It was a black tar-like substance.
“Twilight are you okay! What was is that?” Fluttershy shrieked, still panicking.
“I’m fine Fluttershy, you best be on your leave now, also thank you.” She insisted as Twilight got back up. Fortunately Fluttershy got the notion and trotted away to her hospital filled with wounded animals.
Twilight stared at the substance, trembling at the realization forming in her head. She dabbed the substance with a hoof, the feeling was very familiar for it was what Nev couldn’t help but constantly leak out of himself, throughout the cracks and cavities that riddled his rotten body. The substance that could only hint towards what she believed would never happen. Her body was still transforming along with the alien feeling of fear filling her mind.
“My body is turning into a monstrosity, similar to the one that housed Nev. The growth, the loss of feeling in most of my body, and now Nev’s vile substance coming out of me, once again damn that vile dragon!” she thought angrily, madness edging on her, threatening to take over. But the conversion Fluttershy gave her a sense of exhaustion; probably because of how much emotion she expressed and her newfound discovery had drained her mentally. Teleporting to the outskirts of Appleloosa Twilight lay down under a secluded overhang. Another thought formed in her head.
“Applejack you make me feel like an enraged monster, but you Fluttershy you bring out what’s left of my former self, two out of five friends reject me, am I doomed?”
As exhaustion overtook her, indifference returned freezing her over. Twilight closed her heavy eyelids and departed into sleep for the first time in over five centuries, not even bothering to guard her mind before it happened.
