//------------------------------//
// Who Dares Wins? 
// Story: You're All Alone, Sweetheart 
// by TheApexSovereign 
//------------------------------//

The black electricity from Luna's horn dominated Trixie's. When her tapering blue projectile reached the tip of her horn, a small explosion knocked her off her hooves, sending her plummeting off the side of the castle. The blurred sight of the nearing concrete ground snapped her back into reality. 

Casting a pink aura around herself, Trixie ducked under the bridge and bolted towards Canterlot. A bolt of dark lightening narrowly missed her. She reared her head and saw the princess of the night blotting out the sun. She fired another bolt, Trixie dipped to the side and managed to dodge it. The blast set several patches of grass ablaze. 

Luna fired another blast, hitting Trixie in her hind leg. She cried out, losing her concentration on the spell and fell towards the abandoned streets below. Right before she hit the ground, Luna swooped in and rammed the unicorn through a restaurant window and pinned her against the bar, slamming one hoof over her throat. 

Seething with profound rage, Luna said, "We trusted you! We gave you everything, and you betrayed us! You betrayed Equestria!" 

Gasping for air, the mage said with a smug grin, "Trixie gives no thanks to you!" She spat, "Discord taught us everything, gained your trust, and struck when the iron was hot. This land will be reborn under a better rule than a traitor and a tyrant." She evoked horrible memories of Nightmare Moon, making Luna smack her across the face. 

"Trixie feels no pain." She sputtered. Her left eye was bruised shut, though she managed a faint smirk underneath the dark soot and burns splotching her cerulean face. 

Luna tried to reason, "Your childish vendettas from your fillyhood is not worth the lives of hundreds. The god of mischief deceives you! And when you're least expecting it, he'll stab you in the back! Are you really that clouded by your own ego?"

Caught off guard, Luna was sent spiraling out of the store from a blast of Trixie's sapphire. It's icy glow slowly dissipated as Trixie caught her breath, her eyes darted around the room, looking for something. She stood on her hind legs and peeked over the bar. She found several cold meals abandoned during Luna's evacuation. 

Then she found a rack holding a plethora of knives. 

Luna tried regaining her composure, gently rubbing the burning wound originating from her chest. She got back up to all fours, still a bit wobbly. She looked into the darkness of the restaurant across the street, eyeing the faint magenta glow deep inside. From the foreboding darkness, a cleaver lobbed towards her. She gasped and shot her head to the side, though the blade managed to cut a portion of her wavy mane. The cleaver lodged itself deep into the concrete wall behind her, the lock of sparkly hair drifted to the ground.

Trixie stepped out with four varied knives orbiting around her. "I do not have an ego." She stated, "Not anymore. Discord taught me discipline and pride in exchange for his teachings. And I know I can't trust him, I just want Equestria to have a brighter future." She tossed another knife, Luna leaped to the side. 

"You're blind, clouded by the demon's lies!" As she said this, a lamp post behind Trixie illuminated a vibrant blue. The light shot a concentrated beam at the oblivious mage, catching her black cape on fire. The unicorn broke Luna's concentration by pelting her with two butcher knives, one missing and the other lodging deep into her shoulder. 

Luna howled in pain, bit down on the handle of the knife, and ripped it out, sending almost coal colored blood into the air. Trixie tore off her cape, panting heavily. She grimaced at the princess. "You've been here for only three years!" Her horn cast a light pink glow. "What do you know about how ponies act? You're a mess; acting like a teenager, not actually going out and talking to any one because 'Tia' said so." She shot her hoof out into the mountainous terrain in the distance. "I lived out there, got chased out of towns, shunned by my own family because I'm a 'useless hack.' Just try living out there for a day, then you'd be a goner!" Trixie's horn was encased in a cone of neon pink lights, opening up a similarly shaded vortex the size of an Ursa Minor. 

Luna absorbed her words, almost taking them to heart. "No!" She stated. "My loyalty belongs to my sister!" 

The vortex exploded in a shower of azalea sparkles, revealing a golem that embodied every horrible memory of Trixie's past. It appeared to be a normal sized alicorn made entirely of flames. It landed like a feather, making a sizzling sound on the cool cobblestone path. It's blood red eyes glared at Luna with the hatred of an awakened dragon. It stretched out it's massive wings, casting a wide berth of smoke into the air. 

Luna dragged her hoof across the ground like a bull ready to charge. The golem did the very same. Trixie's bruised face grinned with joy as she her horn encased itself in Holy Arms. 





Twilight shot another energy blast at Discord. He curved his serpentine body around it and did a back flip, whipping her with his tail. She was flung to her back, gripping the stinging area of her face. Fluttershy gasped, "Twilight!" and floated up to the demon. She reared her body and bucked him in the jaw. Realizing what she did, she gave an urgent, "Oh, I'm so sorry!" 

He swiped his eagle claw at her, creating four parallel lacerations across her chest. The wounds were no more serious than a paper cut, though the very sight of blood made Fluttershy faint. Discord rolled his eyes. 

"One down, five to-OOF!" He was cut off when a cyan blur darted by and clotheslined him. He didn't fall though, he managed to land on his hands. He ducked under Rainbow's second fly-by. Rarity barreled towards him with fiery determination in her eye. Discord actually charged towards her on all fours like a dragon, even hissing like one. When their skulls made contact, Rarity was flung back by the sheer strength of the demon. 

"This is more fun than I had last time!" Discord claimed. 

He felt something tighten around his mid-section, a rope. "Alrigh' Rai-bow!" Applejack shouted with the rope in her mouth, pulling to keep Discord from running away. Except he wasn't moving at all, he just stood there like a statue with an irritated expression on his face. 

With one finger, the spirit tapped the rope, turning it into a snake. Horrified, Applejack emanated it and attempted to run, except the snake coiled itself around her, constricting her of any movement. "Two down, four to-AH!" A powerful blast actually managed to knock the demon off his feet. 

What was that!!? He thought. What pony could obtain such a powerful arm of weaponry? He reared his head very slowly, trying to spot the attacker. Pinkie Pie was reloading another bog of confetti into her cannon. "A party cannon?" He asked in disbelief. 

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically, "Yup! I never ever leave home without it! I use it in parties, celebrations, and on big jerks that hurt my friends!" The demon rolled his eyes. 

Discord teleported in front of the cannon with a shiny orange bowling ball. He stuffed it into the barrel of the cannon right as Pinkie fired another round. The pressure built up inside the cannon until it finally exploded. The discharge sent Pinkie flying into the tower wall. She peeled herself off, groaning. 

This is too easy. The demon thought. 

Rainbow Dash bolted head on towards Discord. At the very last second, he ducked under the lightening fast pegasus. She crashed head on into the tower wall. She collapsed to the ground beside Pinkie Pie.

"Alright," Rainbow groaned, "Discord was not this difficult last time." 

The demon snickered, "That's because I wasn't facing a bunch of washed up foals playing hero and trying to defend their miserable Princess." 

Twilight Sparkle and Rarity stood between their friends and Discord. "That's something you'll never understand Discord," The studious unicorn claimed. Discord folded his arms with a content smile. "No matter how many of us fall, there'll always be another who stands for the Princess." 

"Oh, like your brother and foal sitter?" He tried holding back laughter, trying to keep a straight face. Twilight's eyelashes brimmed tears, "Wh-What?" She asked, the knot in her throat getting ready to tear. 

Discord conjured a glass of lemonade and sunglasses in his hands. He placed the shades over his eyes and took a sip. "Let's just say 'chili' is too clean of a phrase to describe their grisly demise." 

Twilight began to sob. She collapsed to her stomach and tried wiping the tears away, refusing to believe the god of mischief. But she just knew in her heart that his words were true. Rarity stroked her friend's mane, brushing it out of her eyes. "It's okay darling, it's okay." Her consoling words meant nothing to the bawling unicorn. 

To seemingly no one, Discord said, "I didn't even have to lift a finger for that one!" The glasses and lemonade vanished in a flash. He made a malicious grin towards Rarity. "Little Miss Rarity. I bet your sister has something special planned for you." She got up on her hind legs and took a fighting stance. 





"Don't listen to him, child!" Celestia pleaded. 

"SHUT UP! I'M TIRED OF EVERYPONY TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!" I hollered, ignoring the stabbing cramp in my hind leg from when the princess blasted me into a dress shop. 

I stood in the frame of the broken window with my horn illuminating forest green. The suburban cul de sac we fought in was nearly demolished from our vicious magic exchanges, which was really just I shoot something at her, then she does the same, repeat. 

Celestia had minor scrapes and burns littering her body, though the only notable one was a rather nasty gash carved into her haunches from when I conjured a small hail storm. The wound ran down the middle of her solar cutie mark, dividing it in two. The tyrant continued, "I'm not telling you what to do, little one. I'm just saying Discord can't be trusted." The blood oozing down her forehead clashed with her pearl white coat. 

I bared my teeth, "Stop lying to me!" I shot a funnel of blaze from my horn. It arched through the air, towards the hovering princess. She flapped her powerful yet bruised wings in a steady rhythm to keep afloat while her horn bathed her in a golden light that warded off the spell like a common housefly. Knowing it was useless, I ceased the attack. 

"Please, heed my words," She begged, "I know how you feel, my sister was banished to the moon for a thousand years and I regretted doing so ever since. But she knew it was for her own good, and she forgave me." The princess said in a somber tone, but finished with a warm smile. 

I had a hunch at what she was implying, and I didn't like it. A violet pentagram appeared before me. From each corner, a small fire flickered. The symbol shot a series of the burning projectiles at Celestia. She did the same, but the shots were yellow. 

Each bolt collided with eachother, cancelling both out. What's she doing? She doesn't want to fight? Pathetic. Still concentrating on my rune, I levitated a piece of rubble from a demolished building towards her and dropped it on her head, breaking her concentration and bringing her closer to the ground. 

Before landing, she gave one last powerful flap of her wings, creating an other-worldly gale that knocked me off my hooves. I crashed into a melon cart with a recent gash crawling up my right foreleg. Is this how the great princess treats her faithful subjects? Oh wait, I'm not faithful. I want change so I get thrown around Canterlot like a rag doll. 

She landed on the ground and folded her wings, ruffling them a bit. "Please child, accept the fact that this is a fight you can't win. Stop this foolishness, and I may just forget about your punishment." 

I grimaced up at the high and mighty princess. "I've been punished for three years. Equestria's been punished for over a thousand. The times are a changin'," I glanced up, "and the moon with it." 

The princess' magenta eyes widened. "What?" She breathed. 

Struggling up to all fours, I kept my eyes trained on the moon. Or half of it. What did that crazy pony do? Did she kill Luna? And is that what happens? The moon just falls apart? Even though the sun was still present in the astonishing blue sky, the moon was faintly seen, and it looked like it was breaking in half. One of the pieces broke into smaller pieces. 

Celestia looked like she was about to cry. I'm dead serious, I think I'm gonna laugh. With her voice cracked, she shouted, "Luna! No!" Her massive feathered wings sprang open, about to take flight. 

I'm not gonna let that happen. Not without me. "Oh no you don't!" I clamped my jaws on her variegated tail. She seemed to have ignored me, as she leaped into the air and began scanning for Luna. Another good trait of Princess Celestia: Considers family being more important than the future of Equestria. 

I kept telling myself not to look down, and my jaws shut tight. 





Angry flames devoured the once grand houses of Fern St., now just smoldering piles of cheap splintery wood. 

Princess Luna, covered head to hoof in deep bloody scars, fearfully backed up against a dilapidated carriage. One of her dark tufted wings was now reduced to a bloody stump dripping scarlet onto the grimy cobblestone path. 

Trixie, lookie bruised but faring better than the princess, stood tall with a psychotic grin on her face, Holy Arms still sheathed her horn casts long shadows down the street. 

Luna held her hooves above her head in mercy, "Please Trixie! You're my friend!" She gave a nervous smile, "Remember that prank we played on 'Tia? Wasn't that funny?" 

Trixie wiped the blood trickling down her split lip. "Trixie doesn't befriend swine." 

She bent her head back, getting ready to deliver the final blow. Tears fell from Luna's sapphire eyes. "No! Ple-" 

The Holy Arms pierced Luna's heart, killing her instantly. Trixie dismissed the spell and looked up at the clear blue sky. She had to squint to see the faint silhouette of the now shattered moon, broken into hundreds of asteroids burning up in the atmosphere. 

Trixie stood on her forelegs and shouted into the sky, "I, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE, HAS VANQUISHED THE TYRANNICAL PRINCESS LUNA FROM THIS WORLD! Bring me my next challenge, for I will conquer them all!" Celestia landed with an Earth shattering thud. 

Trixie's face immediately fell and she backed away nervously. Celestia's gaze shifted from Luna's eviscerated corpse to Trixie. A single tear slid down her muzzle.

At that moment, Sweetie Belle released her grasp from Celestia's tail and stood beside Trixie. "I won't let you hurt her!" She screamed. 

A content smile splayed across Trixie's face. Celestia closed her eyes and said in a disordered voice, "You.....my sister...." Her eyes sprang open, revealing them to be devoid of any features or color, just an eerie white glow. She slowly rose into the air without the use of her wings and shouted, "FEEL THE WRATH OF THE SUN!" Her echo repeated in the distance. 

The sun was brought closer to the earth, dangerously close. It began to rain hell on Canterlot, literally. Massive fireballs and meteor pelted the city, destroying buildings, burning forests, and even striking the castle in some places. One blew right through a tower, causing it to become unstable and plunge into the ocean. 

The sky turned from bright blue to a dark red as the sun's wrath continued it's onslaught. Celestia remained suspended in the air, concentrating on her forbidden spell. 

Trixie and Sweetie Belle swerved in and out through alleys and crater filled streets, trying to avoid the fireballs. As they passed by a bank, one meteor blasted right through the roof and out the other side, sending debris and dirt rocketing through the air. 

"Young Belle, what in Equestria is that!?" Trixie exclaimed, pointing up at the rainbow arching over the castle. The scarred filly realized what it was. 

She held a hoof out to the court mage and said, "Hang on!" She reluctantly grasped it and the two were transported out of the area in a green flash, just as another asteroid crashed through a nearby apartment and imploded it in a furious burst of concrete and flame. 





The rainbow arching high in the sky barraged Discord relentlessly, turning the lower half of his body into stone as he screamed at Celestia's damned sun in defiance. The six ponies, regaining strength earlier in the fight, stood in formation as Twilight hovered above them and donning the crown of Magic. 

Trixie had no idea what was going on, though she seemed hurt to see Discord in peril. I won't let this happen. Not now. Not ever. I galloped towards the Elements of Harmony, seeing a red hot fireball zip past our rooftop and instead taking out the support column of a nearby tower, causing it to give out under it's own weight. The structure broke upon impact against the side of the mountain. Pieces and debris rolled down the side, into the lake below. 

I tackled Twilight Sparkle out of the air, breaking the Element's trance. The crown slid across the roof, rendering the necklaces useless. Twilight landed with a pained 'Oof!' 

I ran off her and galloped towards Discord, who was getting a feel for his thawed legs. Trixie proudly walked to the other side of our master. 

The others rejoined Twilight, helping her up. At this moment, I realized the fire storm came to a halt and the sun was pushed away, though the sky was still dark red. 

Discord gave a slow clap. "Congratulations everypony. You eight" He looked at me and Trixie as well. "have certainly made Old Equestria's final hours a grand one indeed. Yes, the land may be burnt to ash, but from these ashes, paradise will be born." His monologue actually brought a tear to my eye. Yes, we still had Celestia to deal with, but we pretty much did it. 

We won. 

Ranibow Dash drifted above her friends, "It ain't over 'till it's over!" She jeered. Faster than a bullet, she bolted towards us and tackled me to the ground. She vigorously pounded me in the face over and over again to the point where blood was gushing from my scarred snout like an overripe grape. 

I ignored the throbbing pain and the urge to cry. I gave her a dastardly grin and groggily said, dazed from her beating, "Is this wha ge's you wet? Beatin' o-er girls?" I gave a wheezy laugh, still remembering the hilarious rumor that went around three years ago that Rainbow went 'the other way around' with special someponies and she was so ashamed of it. I'm actually not sure what road she takes with that stuff, but damn is it funny. 

The Wonderbolt dressed pegasus widened her eyes and uttered a disbelieved, "What!?" 

Before I could answer, Trixie levitated her off of me and tossed her back to her other worthless friends. "Nopony touches that filly." She said defensively. 

I trotted back to my place beside Discord and shot her a thankful grin. She accepted it and gave a friendly wink. 

When I got back in place, Rarity finally spoke up. She was was the only pony that didn't have a determined expression like her friends. She looked sorrowful. "Sweetie Belle. Please, stop this. I want the old Sweetie back!" She sounded like she was about to cry. 

"No!" I seethed. "You're just gonna throw me aside, like always!" 

Her gorgeous blue eyes glanced at my new friends, then at me. "Sweetie, this isn't the crowd you should be following! I need you! I never realized how important our bond is until recently." She formed a reassuring smile.

I straightened my face. "You're eight years too late for that."

Her smile sulked. "Sweetie," She began as she started to cry. Here we go. "You're the most important thing in the world to me. More important than those stupid dresses, more important than Canterlot, more important than myself. I love you Sweetie Belle. And if you don't believe that, that's fine. But I believe it." Defying every emotion I've been feeling for this unicorn the past three weeks, I felt tears starting to seep from my eyelids. 

She continued with a smile beneath the flow of tears sliding down her cheeks. "I'm sure we can work something out with the Princess. We could get you all sorts of perks and protection, we'll give you all the love and care that was missed out on the past three years, we could tell the public you were possessed." More lies to the people of Canterlot. But still.... "I accept you for who you are. And do you know who taught me that? You did. So come on home Sweetie, we're waiting." She held out hoof, reaching out to me. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and even Applejack started to cry as well. 

I could no longer hold back. I just released the floodgate of emotions welling up inside me for the past week. But I don't know what to do! Rarity, she seems so sincere. She truly does love me! It's what I've always wanted! But Celestia.....

That tyrannical monster must be silenced. She has too. I can't let Equestria continue to rot knowing all of these dark secrets. And I can't abandon my new friends, the ones who stuck by me when I was feeling hopeless, Discord especially. 

And like a flippin' mind reader, Discord gently placed his eagle hand on my back. I wiped my eyes and looked up at him. He had the best poker face I've ever seen. There was no possible way to read what he's thinking. Trixie was making gagging noises at the entire scene. 

"Go to her, little one." Discord assured. 

I looked up at him in shock, thinking this is some kind of joke. "What? Are you for real?" 

He nodded. "I'm sure Trixie and I will rule Equestria without you." I had no idea if he was being serious or fibbing. 

My mind was in complete chaos right now. What do I do? Should I be with my sister? Or should I turn Equestria into a utopia? My desires or the land's right? I took a few steps away from Discord. The smile on Rarity's tear soaked face grew wider, her friends' as well. 

I looked back at Discord, and then Rarity..... 

and made the best choice.