//------------------------------//
// Life of the World to Come 
// Story: What Memories May Come 
// by Saffron Panther 
//------------------------------//

	You know what you must do.

Twilight feels a pain in the pit of her stomach as the accusations she threw at the colt return to her. She considers Zero Wing’s words and the history book describing the destruction of Legacy’s Reach. It all comes to her in an instant.
“You’re a memory projection,” the words fall from the purple unicorn’s mouth as she passes Fluttershy into the corona of penumbra. “You’re his memory projection.” She points in the direction of Zero Wing.
The blackgray alicorn nods much to Gray Moon’s confusion and horror. “From him, yes. So you understand.”
Twilight responds, angrier this time as she nears Gray Moon with her hoof still pointed at the head of the alicorn. “Yes, I understand. You’re the horned shadow appearing in his memory until you gained shape, like a hazy memory regaining its form. That’s how the memory projection spell became amplified, trying to entrap Fluttershy and me in the flashback to your attack on Legacy’s Reach. And that’s why you came through the second memory projection.”
The blackgray alicorn nods again, almost as if to compliment the unicorn.
“Excuse me…but what…does this mean…I’m only a…memory?” Gray Moon interrupts, the words falling from his mouth. 
Before Twilight can respond, the alicorn blurs directly in front of Gray Moon. Twilight readies herself to defend, only to find herself thrown back by the alicorn’s front hoof. Fluttershy runs towards her but is cut off by the alicorn blurring past her, creating a dark circle around the gray colt in the corona. Gray Moon yells something cut off by the words disappearing from his throat as Zero Wing stops, stomping on Gray Moon’s back with his front hoof.
“Useless memories,” Zero Wing muses, applying pressure to the gray colt’s back. “An imperfect result of an imperfect memory projection. He doesn’t need you anymore.”
The gray colt tries to escape with his newly-developed wings, dragging himself across the dirt as Zero Wing raises his hoof again to stomp. It lands on his right wing, making Gray Moon cry out. He twists his hoof onto the wing, tearing out pinions.
A purple shot collides with Zero Wing’s face, bouncing off the onyx helmet.
Twilight runs ahead, taking advantage of Zero Wing’s distraction to pull Gray Moon out from under his raised hooves. The wounded wing breaks, scattering feathers in the corona as Zero Wing brings his hoof down again, barely missing Twilight’s tail as the unicorn drags the gray colt out of harm’s way.
The blackgray alicorn pauses as a yellow hoof strikes his snout. Fluttershy, channeling the rage of “New Fluttershy” perhaps, delivers a kick into the alicorn’s face. The alicorn does not flinch, instead readying his horn for another winedark aura.
“Fluttershy, get out of the way!” Twilight yells as she fires another purple spell, crashing into the alicorn’s eyes.
The yellow Pegasus moves to Gray Moon’s other side, supporting him with her wing and rushing ahead with Twilight’s hoofsteps. They consider turning towards Zecora’s hut until the blackgray alicorn turns, bent on getting Gray Moon. Even if he is only a living memory, Fluttershy doesn’t hesitate to move quicker to save him from harm, drawing her wings out as she passes Twilight.
She flips Gray Moon onto her back. Much lighter than she expected but considering the circumstances, Fluttershy didn’t think much of it. The yellow Pegasus flies ahead into the open space while Gray Moon throws his hooves around her neck, right dangling uselessly. “Don’t worry, Gray Moon,” she reassures him. She curves to head above the treetops.
Around them, two white voids pool and constrict, trying to entrap them. Surprisingly unfazed, Fluttershy kicks her hind hooves and picks up speed with Gray Moon clinging to her back, passing through the two voids nearing them, disintegrating trees like the plant victims of a tornado. She makes it into the open night air, a bit exhausted but still holding on.
“Fluttershy…just let me go…I’m tired of…only…causing…trouble…”
“No!” Fluttershy sharply responds. “I’m not going to do that! Even if you are only a memory, I can’t let him hurt you.” She looks down, seeing the two voids eating away at the forest below. The yellow Pegasus feels a pang in her heart, hoping the big and small creatures manage to escape. Another worried thought leaves her mind when she sees a purple shape moving up the forest path, keeping up with them.
Gray Moon’s head falls against her mane, feeling both relieved and guilty.
Below, Twilight runs, dodging the falling tree fragments falling near her hooves. She loses sight of Fluttershy and Gray Moon as the white voids eat away at the trees and work their way down. Remembering the memory projections, the purple unicorn leaps to a patch of intact land as the two voids collapse behind her.	
Fluttershy continues on, looking back once and feeling dread build up in her chest when she does not see the blackgray alicorn. Turning her face back, she gasps when an unwanted form blurs in front of her, cutting off her flight. Before she can pull back or dive under, the alicorn strikes her head-on. But no winedark aura or voids but-
-Fluttershy can hardly fly-REMEBERTHATPONY-it’s time to be CRUEL-things getting too COMPLICATED FOR YOUR SIMPLE LITTLE BRAIN?–animal scream–NOPONY PUSHES NEW FLUTTERSHY AROUND-you’re all GOING TO LOVE ME-animal scream-the image of her dissolved wing in the memory projection-
Fluttershy closes her eyes, shaking her head as the bad memories return to her, her wings desperately flapping to keep her in the air. Gray Moon rises his head, meeting eye-to-eye with the blackgray alicorn.
“I’m tired…of...causing pain…”
As Fluttershy opens her eyes with the memories disappearing, Gray Moon lunges from her back, wings drawn and horn readied with a winedark aura of its own. Fluttershy falls back, horrified as Gray Moon fires a shot into the dark alicorn’s head, his useless wing breaking into pieces.
Zero Wing’s face falters, the image of a horrified dark gray alicorn jade eyes in flashquick moment.
The yellow Pegasus descends as Zero Wing regains control as the winedark field forms, hitting the gray colt head-on. Gray Moon shudders, his remaining wing and horn shattering into the air. Weakened, Gray Moon curves against himself, his torso dissolving in half with his hind legs kicking helplessly. A few seconds more, Gray Moon shatters into pieces, his lower half falling towards the void-scorched earth as the winedark field breaks.
No words. Just a tearful expression, thinking briefly of Fluttershy and Twilight and the others in Ponyville before dissolving completely.
“YOU MONSTER!” Fluttershy yells, charging directly at the alicorn’s face with her hoof extended. She strikes again and again, bruising her hooves against the onyx-helmeted face and winedark eyes. Flares of pain shoots up her front legs while Zero Wing remains unaffected and distant.
“Monster…monster…” she tires, pulling back her reddened hooves. Her wings continue flapping, slowly falling back. Tears slide down her cheeks as her left front hoof drops in a failed punch. The blackgray alicorn just watches on, indifferent to her.
Below, Twilight watches the confrontation, her eyes widening at Gray Moon dissolves into the open air. Too far to fire another spell attack. She kicks the dust ahead of her, shaking her to clear the image of the gray colt’s destruction from her head.
“STOP!” a voice booms.
Celestia curves under Zero Wing and rises to throw off his attack towards Fluttershy but only sees the blur of the blackgray alicorn motioning around her. Winedark energy burns at her side, striking the left wing in a scorching blast. “Gareth! Stop this!”
“I must do what must be done,” Zero Wing says coldly.
Celestia throws herself ahead of Fluttershy, covering her from a shot headed her way. The Princess counters, shattering the winedark aura field with a sunbright spear of energy. Fluttershy falls back a bit, thrown off by the impact.
“Get to the ground, Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy reluctantly soars down as Celestia prepares herself for the next attack-breaker. She lands on the stretch of intact ground, passing over Twilight who tries to maintain her gaze on the Princess.
“Celestia!” Twilight calls out to the sky. She turns as Fluttershy lands. “Fluttershy, what happened to Gray Moon?! Is he really-?”
Fluttershy just nods, raising her sore and reddened hooves and wincing as the cold air moves over them. “I heard him say that he didn’t want to cause pain anymore. I shouldn’t have faced that monster. Gray Moon wouldn’t have jumped and…”
Twilight puts her hoof on Fluttershy’s back as the yellow Pegasus tears up once more. “It’s not your fault, Fluttershy.” Her eyes fold against her head. “Gray Moon would have disappeared anyway once Zero Wing cut off the spell. But now, we have to save him.”
Fluttershy sharply glares at her. “What? You want to save that monster?!”
Twilight gestures towards the dark alicorn in the sky, blurring around the Princess. “There’s somepony inside that monster. Somepony trapped. I saw through his eyes in the last memory projection. I saw his face appear for a moment, so sad and fearful. Zero Wing made him a prisoner in his own body.”
Fluttershy raises an eyebrow.
“Think of it this way. I remember how Pinkie Pie and Rarity told me about you acted as “New Fluttershy” Do you remember that?”
Fluttershy frowns but nods.
“Imagine if New Fluttershy was just so mad at the world that she took over your body. Imagine her controlling your legs and wings and making you do horrible things while you were completely helpless to stop her.”
Fluttershy squeaks, clearly disturbed by the idea.
“Exactly, that’s why we have to save that monster. There’s somepony trapped inside and I think it’s the Gareth that Celestia asked Gray Moon about.”
“Well, she did just yell out that name a bit ago,” Fluttershy muses.
Twilight ignores the realization of pointing out the obvious as she turns her attention back to the sky.
Zero Wing curves around, deciding to engage the Princess once more. Their horns clash as he charges her. Celestia presses on, her light energy smashing against the winedark aura forming. When the clash breaks, both combatants fall back as Zero Wing forms another field shot like the one that brought down Shining Armor and the other guards. It collides with Celestia head-on but does no harm as her energy charge around her horn shatters the aura in one blow.
“Enough of this!”
“You won’t entrap us again,” Zero Wing blurs around her with his horn raised for the next blow.
Celestia falls back as the front hooves strike her face, nearly knocking the crown from her head. Zero Wing dives down for another shot, caught in another horn and energy clash. Gold and winedark auras shatter and spark.
“For five centuries, he dreamed while I remained awake, trying to break your spell,” the blackgray alicorn presses against her, trying to break the clash. “Now he is awake and I am out. Do not interfere. I do not hold the same loyalties to you as he does.”
“Release him, monster!” Celestia yells, breaking the clash and sending Zero Wing upwards. She lunges at him, kicking her front hooves into his chest. “Release him!”
Zero Wing tosses his head around, readying to fire another shot at the Princess’ head when she charges against his torso, catching the alicorn off-guard as the fight escalates. Quickly, she fires a binding spell at his front legs, capturing them inside an energy ring. Zero Wing ducks down to lunge at her as Celestia fires two more binding spells at his wings. Kicking with his hind legs, Zero Wing loses altitude, crashing and vanishing into the cluster of trees below. 
History repeats itself.
Celestia glides down, cautiously approaching the site of the fallen dark alicorn. She looks through the trees and sees Zero Wing struggling against the binding energy rings with his hind legs kicking up dirt and rocks. Twilight and Fluttershy follow the gallant alicorn’s descent, despite the pain in Fluttershy’s front hooves, and reach another corona of penumbra as still-intact trees surround the Princess and Zero Wing.
“Gareth,” she speaks calmly, approaching his head with her horn. “I’m sorry about the centuries of dreaming and struggling. But I can’t let you do this. Not then. Not now. I know you’re in there. Please fight him.”
Twilight reaches next to her mentor with Fluttershy in tow. They dodge a rock kicked by his hind legs towards their heads. She slows to a stop just before him as Princess Celestia lowers her horn with some kind of spell set about.
The dark alicorn tilts his head, initially trying to resist before looking Celestia directly in the eyes. For a moment, the onyx-helmeted head vanishes, replaced by a dark gray-furred and jade-eyed face coming in like a blurred memory clearing. He closes his eyes and inhales sharply, shuddering against the cold night air.
Fluttershy gasps. Twilight thinks back to the face in the memory projection.
“Twilight, Fluttershy, hold down his wings. Now.”
Student and friend obey moving alongside the struggling body as Celestia keeps her horn focused towards Gareth’s face. The purple unicorn and yellow Pegasus each restrain the wings struggling to break free from the energy restraints. Twilight looks on, seeing the Princess’ sunlight aura peeling away the onyx helmet and blackgray rotskin/burnt wood-colored fur. More of the dark gray alicorn is drawn out although the dark aura remains around the wings.
Gareth opens his eyes and looks at her, feeling the dark aura of Zero Wing peeling around him. His Princess’ face morphs into the concerned look of an older Amber Mist, orange-brown bang streaked with gray flopping over her left eye. Then it shifts to Morning Star, wet mane covering her face with water trailing down her chin. Transforms to Sunny Ray with tired eyes and tiny drops of blood speckling her lips and cheeks. Finally melds into the worried look of Lily-of-the-Valley gazing up at him as he grows, the shadow of Zero Wing covering her face.
“I’m sorry…Amber…Morning Star…Sunny…Lily…”
Celestia frowns, not breaking her concentration with the spell.
Gareth shudders again, his hind legs curling against his torso as more of Zero Wing peels away. “It’s all meaningless…they died while I lived on…don’t you understand?”
“That’s not true, Gareth,” Celestia says, keeping the spell up as it works its way down his chest and restrained front hooves. “While death befalls, there is still meaning. Please, don’t succumb to him, Gareth. Everything will be alright.”
Twilight continues holding down the alicorn’s suddenly flapping wing as the energy restraint starts to crack. “If you could manage this, Princess Celestia, then why didn’t you just do this instead of putting him under a sleeping spell?”
“I wish I could have done this before, but I couldn’t break through that monstrous shell. After what happened in Legacy’s Reach, I just couldn’t risk another attack,” the mentor answers her student as the spell dissolves half of the blackgray layer over his torso. “Please, you have to fight this, Gareth. I’m almost done. Just fight this, old friend.”
Fluttershy jumps a little as the wing she holds down starts to struggle, still retaining the Zero Wing skin even as the torso layer is pulled away. Her left front hoof brushes against Gareth’s charcoal mane. For a moment, she thinks of Gray Moon back at her house, pained with the nightmare of the horned shadow. Flash back to the dark gray alicorn lying before who, five hundred years before, assumed such a form and name.
“No…” Gareth utters.
The spell stops around the cutie mark of the taijitu warped into the shape of a broken heart. Before Celestia can respond, Gareth’s face convulses and is reabsorbed, covered against by the onyx-helmeted head and winedark eyes as the rotblack skin takes over, layer returning in full. The dark alicorn’s front legs break the binding energy ring while his wings shatter their restraints, sending Twilight and Fluttershy rolling onto their backs. He gets back to his hooves and prepares to charge her.
“No more interference, Princess,” Zero Wing says, deadpan and emotionless.
He whirls around with the winedark aura forming around his horn and aims it directly at Twilight and Fluttershy, moving to help their Princess. Celestia lunges, throwing herself between them and the shot.
In the distance, Zecora stands outside her hut, still looking for any signs of Twilight, Fluttershy or Gray Moon. She pauses when she sees an explosion of winedark light emanating among the still-standing trees in the space beyond.
Something white and flashquick breaks into the open space ahead shortly afterwards. The zebra prepares to run.

When the flash clears, Celestia draws back her wings, feeling slight burn marks against them. She shakes off the pain, lifting herself from the protective stance over Twilight and Fluttershy. The purple unicorn and yellow Pegasus open their eyes, seeing the damaged forest and voidscapes before them.
“No! No! No! No!” Twilight yells as the memory of Legacy’s Reach comes back to her in full swing, only now with images of Ponyville in ruins. She kicks her hooves against the ground, throwing up a rock in her path. Twilight then breaks into a run, heading down the remnants of the forest path. Fluttershy calls out to her but Twilight continues running, thinking only of finding Ponyville literally erased off the map.
Something multicolored flashes in the distance, briefly catching Twilight’s attention. Prompted, she runs faster.
In some perhaps inappropriate manner given the circumstances, the landscape appears like a series of stepping stones across the length of a river, leading to a chunk of intact land surrounding by the empty white currents. Defying physics, the pieces of land float above the voidscape below, shaking a little as Twilight leaps over to the next stepping stone remnant. In her hurry, she nearly trips and slides from a stepping stone’s edge, her little pony legs dangling over the vast void.
Two legs hook around her body and pull her up to the patch of intact land. Twilight flails her front hooves for a moment as her heart races. Breath catches up with her. Flash of yellow blurs next to her.
“Twilight, calm down. It’s just me,” Fluttershy tells her friend as Twilight’s chest stops heaving. “I’m glad I caught up to you in time.” She helps her friend to her hooves.
Twilight pants a little, looking ahead of her. She sees the clusters of land fragments up ahead along with parts of the Everfree Forest still intact. For all his talk of ending it all, Zero Wing does a very sloppy job. Then again, maybe Gareth is fighting just as Celestia told him to. Maybe there’s still time.
“Thank you, Fluttershy. Where is Celestia?”
Fluttershy tilts her head to the sky as the white alicorn flies overhead. The Princess looks down for a moment and continues on ahead.
“Where is she going?!” Twilight yells.
“She has to catch up to her friend,” Fluttershy explains, hooking her front legs around Twilight’s chest again. “Come on, we have to keep moving.”
Twilight dangles in Fluttershy’s hold as the yellow Pegasus carries her over the next few stepping stone fragments until they reach a long strip of still-intact land. Fluttershy releases Twilight to the ground and tucks her wings in, joining Twilight as they make their way down the strip of land. Around them, the ominous white glow of the void lights their path, cutting off against the night sky above. In another time/another place, the sight might have been beautiful but the two take no notice as they advance.
Eventually, the strip narrows to an arrowhead-like breakoff as Fluttershy recommences the flight-cross tactic from before. Ten more stepping stone fragments pass under Twilight’s hooves, touching down on the next land strip. More of the forest appears, the treeshadows being a bit of a comfort now.
“Twilight and Fluttershy, run and strive!/I’m glad to see you’re still alive!”
Twilight and Fluttershy turn to the voice and spot Zecora standing outside her hut and before the void cutting into her yard. Her golden earrings and neck rings shine in the void light as she nears the other edge. Behind her hut, a stretch of forest goes on. Animal cry in the distance.
“Zecora, we’re glad to see you too! Did the Princess and the blackgray winged unicorn come by?”
“Indeed, they passed overhead/The Princess wearing a look of dread,” the zebra answers. “En route to Ponyville, I fear,/That the end might indeed be near.”
“No way, Zecora!” Twilight yells, determined as ever. “I’m not going to let that happen! Come on, Fluttershy! We have to stop him!”
Fluttershy nods and follows behind, turning to Zecora with a quick wave and apology for the rush. The two jump over the gap between pieces of intact land.
The zebra disappears into her hut for a moment and reappears with a saddlebag full of still-intact vials and containers. “Please, Twilight, wait for me!/We are stronger as three!”
Twilight and Fluttershy pause as Zecora jumps the gap and catches up to them. With a smile on her face, Twilight directs the three towards Ponyville. Not too late…

***

Gag. Emerald flame. Spit take.
Spike watches the scroll land before his feet, fighting off the quicker-than-usual assault on his gag reflex. The scroll’s edges are split, showing a message written in a hurry. The little dragon quickly collects it in his claws and unfurls, seeing the hastened penmanship.
CANTERLOT HAS BEEN ATTACKED. TELL TWILIGHT AND THE OTHERS IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT LET GRAY MOON OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. DETAIN HIM IMMEDIATELY. I WILL BE COMING SOON TO COLLECT HIM.
Spike looks up, noticing the night sky outside and yet no Twilight returning to the library with Fluttershy and Gray Moon in tow. An instant I-knew-it sprouts in mind, soon replaced by feelings of dread and concern for his friends. Not to mention if Canterlot had been attacked, but surely the Princesses could handle that. 
The little dragon clutches the message in hand as he runs out the door, staring into the open sky as if to expect some aerial attacker. “Twilight? Twilight!”
Some ponies still outside look at the little dragon scanning the area. Spike then remembers what Gray Moon had said about a cave hidden in the Everfree Forest. He turns in the direction of the treeshadows and lets out a resigned sigh. 
“Twilight could be anywhere in that forest! Gray Moon might have even misled them into a trap! I have to do something!” Spike thinks aloud, running as fast as his little reptilian legs permit him. “Looks like it’s up to me to get the message to-”
“Keep it down will ya?!”
Just as Spike moves towards the border between Ponyville and the Everfree Forest, he glances up, seeing a single little cloud overhead. A rainbow-maned Pegasus pokes her head over the edge, glaring down at the dragon. 
“What’s a pony gotta do to get a good night’s sleep?!” she complains, throwing an angry, curved hoof into the air.
“Rainbow Dash! I’m so glad to see you! I have to find Twilight and Gray Moon! Have you seen them?”
“Gray who now?”
“A gray colt Twilight and Fluttershy was helping! Kinda frantic! Moved around a lot!”
Dash brushes a hoof under her chin, a pensive look (as much as Dash can have, fearing to appear like some uncool egghead) forms on her face. “Now that you mention it, I think I did see some gray colt running into the forest. But I wasn’t feeling like looking into it-”
“That was Gray Moon! I have to find him!”
“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure Twilight can handle it herself,” Dash lets out a yawn and her eyes start to close.
“You don’t understand! I got a letter from the Princess telling me to detain him because she’s coming to get him after Canterlot was attacked and-”
Dash’s eyes pop open and her wings tense. “What was that?”
“Canterlot was attacked but the Princess didn’t say by who or what! But she told me to tell Twilight and the others! And, and to detain Gray Moon!”
Dash raises an eyebrow. “And they’re in the Everfree Forest right now?”
Spike nods.
Dash throws her front legs up. “Well that settles it! It’ll take forever to look through the entire forest to find them!”
Spike pauses, scratching his chin for an idea. It dawns on him and he starts to walk away as if going on alone. “Well, I guess if the cool and talented Rainbow Dash isn’t up for the challenge, then maybe I should ask someone else. Like maybe-”
Dash swoops behind Spike, tossing the little dragon on her back. They glide across the ground towards the Everfree Forest and cross its threshold in a few seconds flat. “There’s no challenge I can’t handle!”
Spike clutches to her neck, trying to keep on as he fears she’ll fly into Sonic Rainboom mode. Dash maneuvers among the trees, feeling quite confident in her abilities as she scans the terrain for any signs of Twilight or the gray colt.
“Yeah, we’ll find them in…no…time…”
Rainbow Dash screeches to a halt, sliding up dirt clods as Spike flips on her back. The rainbow-maned Pegasus cranes her neck as an ominous white glow picks up in the distance, stretching across the terrain. Treeshadows are cut short and outright obliterated as two rough voidscapes form, slicing through trees that shatter into dissolving dust. To Dash, it’s almost like clouds eating away at the ground.
Dash braces herself when the twin voidscapes come to a halt, bathing her and Spike’s faces in their light.
“What’s going on?!” Spike calls out.
Before Dash can say anything, a blackgray shape blurs into view with a faint winedark aura surrounding its head in a ghoulish corona. It looks below at them, showing an alicorn’s horn and wings, dark as spilled ink even in the light of the voidscapes.
“Who is that?” Spike asks, getting a full view of the alicorn.
The alicorn fires a shot of energy directly near their hooves, causing Dash to leap to the side as the miniature void eats away at the patch of ground. The winedark aura shoots again, taking out the patch of land just near the Pegasus’ hooves. She turns her head to the sky, growling a little.
“Dash?!”
Dash doesn’t answer, instead soaring into the sky with her front hooves raised before her. Spike falls from her back before she makes it the first few feet off the ground, rubbing his back with the emergency scroll still in hand. The rainbow-maned Pegasus picks up speed and stops just a few feet from the alicorn’s face.
“Hey, just what do you think you’re doing?!” Dash yells, thrusting an accusatory hoof towards the assailant.
The alicorn does not respond, winedark eyes void of any emotion.
“Hey! I’m talking to you!” Dash flies into the alicorn’s face, annoyed by the lack of response. “Yeah, you! Is anyone in there?!”
The alicorn does not respond again.
More annoyed now, Dash pushes a hoof into the alicorn’s face. “You think you can just fly in here and shoot at me? Huh?! Is that it?!”
Still no response.
Dash moves to punch the alicorn’s face when the horn starts its winedark glow, readied for another shot at point-blank range. The Pegasus flies to the side, avoiding the shot as it hits the ground below, scaring Spike into jumping.
“Stop doing that!” Dash yells, throwing her left front hoof directly into the alicorn’s face. The alicorn’s head tilts a little, unfazed even as Dash delivers blow after blow, turning the alicorn’s face into a punching bag. She pulls back, wincing as her hooves make contact with the metal of the alicorn’s helmet.
Taking advantage of the hoofpangs distracting her, the alicorn lunges forward, striking her to the side. Dash throws out her wings, curving to divebomb the attacker if she had to. Winedark energy fires by her face, leading the Pegasus to dive beneath the shot. The temptation to taunt the alicorn for trying to shoot down Cloudsdale’s fastest flier is high but she relents, figuring the best time isn’t while another mass of winedark energy is coming her way.
Nevertheless, she shoots down, trying to launch and curve into the alicorn’s underbelly for a quick strike. Dash comes close to landing the blow until the blackgray alicorn blurs away, leaving only a brief faded image in her sight. The rainbow-maned Pegasus ducks as the expected shot flies past her head, striking a few trees below and shattering them into nothingness. Curving backwards into a loop, Dash readies herself for a quicker strike.
Below, Spike watches in amazement as Dash fights the alicorn head-on, dodging every shot fired in his direction. The little dragon wonders who this alicorn is, wondering if it’s anypony the Princess knows. His thoughts are cut off by the next shot, disintegrating a tree he leans against. Around him, he swears he hears some wildlife fleeing for their lives. Doesn’t blame them one bit.
Back above! Dash crosses the open air, expertly dodging the next shot. Still, she doesn’t pick up any sense of frustration or anger coming from the attacker. Really, the attacker turns back, heading in the direction of Ponyville.
“No you don’t!” Dash shoots into the back of the alicorn. “I’m not just gonna let you go after Ponyville with your disintegrating attacks! Get back here and fight like a real pony! I’ll take you on myself!”
Blurring around her, the alicorn catches Dash off-guard and strikes her side, sending the Pegasus spiraling. Dash regains her composure, shaking off the pain in her torso and curving to avoid being struck down by the alicorn’s next move. Just as the alicorn begins to recommence its route towards Ponyville, Dash charges once more, colliding into the area between its torso and throat. The alicorn seems to shake into the air, throwing up its wings to toss Dash aside.
“Yeah! You show him who’s boss!” Spike cheers from below, running along the still-intact forest floor path as the Pegasus and alicorn clash above him. “Take him down, Dash! Take him down!”
Must keep that thing from Ponyville at all costs, Dash thinks, ignoring the pains shrieking in her legs and torso. She smirks when the echo of Spike’s cheers reaches her ears. And look absolutely awesome while doing it.
Dash kicks into the open air, her wings extended for the next dive and curve. She barrel rolls as the next shot barely misses her, colliding with a tree. The night wind brushes by her face, blowing her rainbow mane like a pennant cheering at her efforts. Another barrel roll and a loop, barely missing the shot that almost grazes her back. Below, Spike continues cheering and running onward.
The alicorn slows to a halt, turning to face the defiant Pegasus. “You test my patience,” the alicorn tells her, voice deadpan and emotionless.
“Ah, so you can talk!” Dash replies, shaking her hoof. “Well then, get this straight through your thick skull! If you’re thinking of doing that dissolving stuff to Ponyville, you can just forget it! I’ll fight you to the very end!”
The alicorn narrows its eyes and falls back, its blackgray wings against the night sky. The horn glows again but the expected shot doesn’t come. Instead, the horn charges its magic, building up a field. It blurs ahead towards Ponyville, passing Dash who picks up speed and gives chase.
Spike watches on, transfixed in the sight of the fight. He nearly trips over a rock rising from the path.
The winedark energy field fully forms around the alicorn as Dash goes faster to keep up. Something of her own formed, trailing behind her in rainbow colors. The Pegasus moves even faster, determined to keep the alicorn from reaching Ponyville at all costs as the threshold between the two came closer. Curving upwards, she collides head-on with the alicorn’s winedark shield.
The Sonic Rainboom stretches across the sky, stirring the sleepy and tired eyes of those in Ponyville. Shortly afterwards, the air siren begins to bellow as the dark alicorn soars through the Rainboom, unfazed, unharmed. 
A body begins to fall.

***

Spitfire leaps into the night sky as the Wonderbolts respond to the air siren below. She sees the glow of the voidscapes through her goggles, curving along the open air.
“Search and rescue time!” she calls out to Soarin’, Rapidfire, and Fleetfoot as they begin their descent onto Ponyville, seeing the voidscapes stretch into the town like trickling streams. Already the sounds of the screaming residents below reach her ears, perking up as she moves faster, curving towards the edge of town where somepony falls.
“Gotcha!” Spitfire yells triumphantly, catching the falling pony in her front hooves. She’s taken by surprise at the sight a graying Pegasus bearing Rainbow Dash’s unmistakable cutie mark. “What the-?!”
Dash weakly kicks her front left hoof into the air. “I’ll let…him have it! Where…is he?!”
“It’s alright, Rainbow Dash. Just hold on!” Spitfire holds the energy-drained Pegasus to her as she descends towards a patch of land. There, a small purple dragon flails his arms, panicking at the sight of the weakened Pegasus in her hooves.
“Omigosh! Rainbow Dash, are you alright?!” Spike shouts as Spitfire gently places her on the ground.
“Get her some immediate medical attention at a safer location!” Spitfire tells Spike before taking off into the sky once more. The dragon nods and starts attempting to drag Rainbow Dash away as the weakened Pegasus keeps attempting to shake a defiant hoof at the air.
The other Wonderbolts swoop in for quick rescues, pulling ponies from the incoming paths of the trickling voids. Pinkie Pie hoops and hollers, thinking briefly that all the excitement is due to some kind of crazy late night party until she notices some of the buildings on the edge of Ponyville being swallowed whole by the white void. Fortunately, the evacuation goes well, ushering ponies across the still-intact streets. Pinkie Pie runs along, following the Wonderbolt attempting to direct her towards an outskirt route.
At Sweet Apple Acres, some of the refugees gather while Applejack and Big Macintosh see them through the front entrance. She monitors the glowing white in the town with a worried look on her face. The dark form above didn’t settle well with her either. Nevertheless, there’s reassurance in seeing the Wonderbolts performing the rescues and escorting ponies out of town. Still, she worries about her friends.
“Ah hope they’re all right, Big Mac,” Applejack says to her brother as a few scared pony couples make their way past the front entrance. “Ah just hope the Wonderbolts can handle this problem. Yah think Twilight, Rainbow Dash an’ the others are doin’ alright?”
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh answers, helping a collapsed black mare back onto her hooves. “They’ll be fine, AJ. You ponies always manage.”
Applejack smiles, considering her brother’s words. She offers that smile as a reassurance to a scared little filly, maybe one of Apple Bloom’s classmates, as she makes her way into the Acres. Speaking of which, Apple Bloom runs to the entrance, calling out Applejack’s name.
“Applejack! Big Mac! What’s goin’ on?!”
“Apple Bloom, get back ‘n the house!” Applejack shouts back. “We need to get all the space we can. Pass on, everypony. We’ll take care of y’all ‘til the hassle settles down.”
The yellow and red filly runs towards the entrance, passing the incoming ponies and staring into the mass of energy, void, and winedark stars ahead of her.
“Goooooolly! There mus’ be somethin’ big goin’ on!”
“Apple Bloom, get back over here now!”
Apple Bloom’s bow droops as she huffs back, feeling as though she is deprived of seeing yet another spectacular thing due to her age. As she makes her way back, she bumps into a pink filly wearing a tiara.
“Oh great! First, I get forced out of my house when I’m trying to sleep, and now I run into you! Tonight can’t possibly get any worse!”
“Nice to see yah too, Diamond Tiara,” Apple Bloom grunts as the snotty little brat walks past the entrance with her father Filthy Rich. Why they had to appear is beyond Bloom’s guess but she pauses as another figure runs by, now taking a dragon shape pulling along a plum-tuckered-out Pegasus. Two earth ponies lean down to help carry her.
“Please, be careful with her!” Spike tells the two earth ponies carrying Dash along.
“Oh mah stars! What happened to Rainbow Dash?!” Bloom runs worried next to the fallen Pegasus.
“That big black thing got to her!” Spike hurriedly explains. “If it wasn’t for the Wonderbolts, she might have-!”
Bloom pushes herself against Rainbow Dash trying to offer support as much as she can with her little head. The Pegasus groans, still trying to raise that defiant hoof. “Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash. Applejack’ll know what t’do!”
The group carries Rainbow Dash towards the entrance, drawing the immediate attention of Applejack and Big Macintosh running over to her aid. Big Macintosh lifts Rainbow Dash onto her back and carries her past the entrance. Applejack looks on, worried about her friend as Big Macintosh lays her on the grass. 
“Dash, what happened?!”
“Spike said that some big black thing got to her!” Apple Bloom chimes in, repositioning her bow atop her head shifted by helping Dash. “Is there anythin’ we can do?”
Applejack places a hoof against Rainbow Dash’s forehead, never hurt to check. “Doesn’t feel like any fever. It’s like somepony just sucked mos’ of the life right outta her.”
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh adds as usual, worried look changing up the catchphrase. He brushes a hoof against Dash’s cheek and leans his right ear to her chest. “Her heartbeat’s real weak. Jus’ like somepony suckin’ the life outta her.”
Applejack is about to speak when a voice breaks over the crowd. “I can’t believe this! I was so close to finishing my latest design and something started breaking the grounds across my boutique! And-my goodness! What’s wrong with Rainbow?!”
The white unicorn with deep purple mane runs towards the fallen Pegasus, her cat Opal clinging to her saddlebag. “Opal, no! That designer saddlebag came straight from Saddles Imported! What happened to Dash?!”
Big Macintosh hangs his head. Applejack answers. “Somethin’ got Dash up there, Rarity, probably why she set off that Sonic Rainboom. Whatever’s goin’ after Ponyville now got to her.”
“What a beast!” Rarity sets down her saddlebag and pet cat. “Well, rest assured, there will be no more harm coming to my friends. Speaking of which, have you seen Twilight or Fluttershy? I haven’t seen them since this morning?”
“No idea, sugarcube. But we got other matters t’attend to. An’ until we settle this, y’all best got on inside. Ah’m sure the Wonderbolts will manage whatever’s up there.”
Beyond Sweet Apple Acres, Spitfire shoots upwards, sensing the presence of the attacker amidst the chaos. A blackgray shape blurs into view, about the size of Princess Celestia if not larger. Spreading its wings, it leaps into the open with its front legs kicking into the air. She pauses, taking in the sight of the alicorn with the winedark aura building around its horn. With the others evacuated, the Wonderbolts reconvene behind her, preparing for a charge at the foe.
Zero Wing tilts his head down, seeing the blue-uniformed Pegasi shooting towards him with trails in their wake. The blackgray alicorn kicks up, horn rising against the sky like a rocket surging with raw energy to the stars. He stops a few feet into the air, looking down at the destruction upon this settlement.
The Wonderbolts charge directly into Zero Wing’s torso, delivering kicks and punches against the blackgray alicorn. He draws out his winedark aura, preparing another field. Spitfire catches this and directs Soarin’ and Rapidfire to launch directly at his throat. The two land the blow with their hind legs, managing to throw off the field building around the alicorn’s head.
“Don’t let up!” Spitfire yells, charging into the alicorn’s left wing. She misses just barely as the alicorn shifts to the side, striking Rapidfire with his horn. The Wonderbolt falls back, kicking into the air as he regains his balance to land another strike. Soarin’ jumps at the other wing, trying to bring the alicorn down.
“Around its head! Around its head!” Soarin’ calls out. “We gotta overwhelm it!”
Spitfire heeds, directing Rapidfire and Fleetfoot to follow her. They curve, barrel roll, dive, and shift around the alicorn’s body. The winedark energy builds around his horn but they continue their movement, trying to confuse him and stall his shot.
“Good work! Keep it up!” Spitfire yells to her team. “Just a little more and-”
The winedark energy sparks, creating a massive field that shoots off around the alicorn. Spitfire sees it too late, being hit straight-on by the shot. Beneath her jumpsuit, her body goes limp with her wings losing all movement. Beneath her goggles, her eyes struggle to stay open. The other Wonderbolts follow suit, the winedark field taking its toll on their bodies. With a grunt and a weak cry coming from Rapidfire, the Wonderbolts fall from the sky.
Several feet away, Applejack feels her heart sink as the four Pegasi collapse from the sky, descending towards the earth while the dark form blurs ahead. From its horn, another void forms along the road leading towards the fillies’ school, stripping it to a cluster of stepping stone fragments atop a white void river.
Suddenly, the four Pegasi stop in mid-air, supported by a golden field encircling them in a protective bubble. Gently, the bubble cradles them and transports itself towards the road leading into Sweet Apple Acres. It opens before Applejack and Big Macintosh as the two stand before the bubble deposited before their hooves. They circle around the fallen Wonderbolts, helping them to their hooves. Big Macintosh lifts Spitfire and Soarin’ atop his back, carrying the two of them to the entrance while Applejack guides Rapidfire and Fleetfoot. Now isn’t the time to question the miraculous save.
Celestia rises above the white glow, being reminded of the devastation she had witnessed five hundred years ago. She scans the sky for Gareth/Zero Wing and finds him, preparing for another shot. She sighs and charges, trying to get a good shot at Zero Wing’s underbelly while the alicorn remained distracted by his quest to completely eliminate the area around him.
Denied.
Zero Wing clashes horns with her once more, the winedark and gold energies clashing and exploding as the two shake and fall back, hooves raised in each other’s direction. The blackgray alicorn reengages her, directing his horn at her. No magic this time. Simply wanting to get her out of the way.
Celestia winces as the horn grazes her left front leg and tears through her mane. She ducks down, avoiding the next shot as Zero Wing continues to lunge, an arrow encircling her at all angles.
"You continue to fight me,” Zero Wing says, blurring across the Princess’ field of vision. “I told you. Nothing is going to stop me. Not you. Not him. Nothing.”
“I’m not going to rest until you’re stopped and Gareth is freed,” Celestia declares, darting ahead as Zero Wing blurs behind her.
“He will not interfere. He knows what must be done. I will make sure our goal is met.”
Zero Wing divebombs, horn raised towards the Princess’ throat. Celestia moves to the side, horn barely missing her neck. The two clash horns again, sending off sparks of their energies’ colors. They hold the clash for a few moments more, pink-purple eyes glaring into winedark ones beneath the onyx helmet. They break but Celestia gets the upper hoof, slamming directly into Zero Wing’s chin. Taking the moment, she lifts her front legs and delivers a kick against his chest. And then to his left wing. Anything to ground him.
Zero Wing doesn’t permit her that chance, driving his horn right against where her front left leg and torso connect. She winces as it scratches, tearing out some white fur in a scribbling line. Celestia pulls back as Zero Wing clashes against her once more.
“As soon as I dispose of you, I will erase the world,” the blackgray alicorn slashes the horn down the middle of Celestia’s face. She cries out as the horn leaves a winedark energy trail burning between her eyes to her snout. “Only then, can order be restored once more in a meaningless existence.”
“Oh, SHUT UP!” Celestia curses, firing a golden shot at the blackgray alicorn’s face, bouncing off the onyx helmet. “Gareth! Please, you have to fight him!”
Zero Wing remains unfazed, winedark eyes staring at her worried expression. “I told you. He will not interfere. And you will not order me around. I am not your servant, Princess.”	
He lunges again, aiming his next attack right for her torso wherein the goddess’ heart beat rapidly, fearing that her friend may be gone for good.
Suddenly, Zero Wing pulls back half-way through the space between them. For a moment, the normally emotionless blackgray alicorn shows a look of silent agony, winedark eyes widened and mouth caught in a murdered scream. The face peels away with a flashquick aura of winedark light, revealing Gareth beneath. His dull jade eyes open slowly, a similar pained expression forming along his lips and eyes.
“Forgive me…my Princess,” Gareth utters. “I’m sorry…I couldn’t sleep…forever…all I’ve done…it’s my fault…”
“Fight him!” Celestia nears, look of relief developing over her face.
“I can’t…I failed you, my Princess…I failed them all…I couldn’t save Amber or Morning Star or Sunny Ray…nor could I save myself,” Gareth continues, thinking to the mental image of destroying the manifestation of Gray Moon. “I wanted…to…send a warning…but he went to the…wrong place…and he’s gone…”
“No, he’s not! You are Gray Moon, Gareth! You can do this! Fight him!” Celestia comes within kissing distance. She places her front hooves on his cheeks and lowers her horn, preparing the same spell from earlier. “Please, my old friend…”
“Forgive me…my Princess!” Gareth screams in agony as Zero Wing reclaims the headspace, the onyx helmet and winedark eyes returning as the dark alicorn reforms, throwing Celestia back. 
“He just doesn’t get it!” Zero Wing yells, a hint of anger in his voice before returning to his previously stoic state. “No matter. It ends here.”
Zero Wing slams against her head-on, driving the horn past her cheek and tearing through her mane again. Celestia yells in anger and sadness, breaking from his hold as the fight starts again.

***

After jumping across a few more stepping stone fragments, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Zecora make their way to the still-intact threshold between the Everfree Forest and Ponyville. Much to Fluttershy’s relief, her cottage remains whole although she can see her scared pets and animal friends peering through the windows, Angel among them. Much to Fluttershy’s worry, the sight of the solid white voidscapes come into view.
“Come on, Fluttershy!” Twilight yells as the three run down the road, dodging void gaps cutting into the dirt and grass. Twilight scans the area as she moves, seeing parts of Ponyville broken down. Buildings halved and quartered by stretches of white void. Roads ending at bottomless pits where commerce once commenced. A taxicart lies sprawled against a patch of land with only one wheel and half of its yellow-black carriage intact. A sink sprays water over an exposed edge, losing drops into the void below. The river itself seals off at the ends.
Looking ahead, the Library remains intact. Miraculously, the void trickling towards it curves around like a half-moat, continuing onward towards the outskirts of Ponyville. She feels a little relieved to see nopony around caught in the devastation and that the voidscapes stretch no further than Ponyville. If it goes any further-
Someponies yell in the distance, curving along the road broken up ahead.
Twilight gestures for Fluttershy and Zecora to follow, taking care to pick up speed only along the intact strips of land. Stepping stone fragments appear again, forcing the unicorn and zebra to jump across while the yellow Pegasus takes flight above them. The flashing lights of the battle in the center go on, winedark and sunlight gold sparking. The purple unicorn pauses, seeing her mentor fighting the blackgray alicorn, clashing horns once more.
“The Princess can handle herself,” Twilight reassures Fluttershy as she passes. “Right now, we have to find the others.”
“Look before you, Fluttershy, and me!/Is that the road to the Acres I see?”
Twilight looks ahead and sees indeed that it is. “Thanks, Zecora. Let’s go!”
The zebra nods, following along as the purple unicorn leads the way. More fragments form, stepping stones jumping in their path. Expertly, she makes flashquick movements over them, not looking at the void below for her benefit. Zecora handles it well, flashquick hooves while ensuring the contents of her saddlebag remain inside. Aside from some minor clinking when she lands on the other side, the vials and containers stay.
A small yellow filly with red mane and pink bow appears around the corner, looking around frantically for anypony else. Despite her siblings’ calls, Apple Bloom continues moving, gazing ahead.
“I can’t stay here! I won’t stay here! I’m going home!”
Apple Bloom turns around and sees Diamond Tiara running towards her. She’s knocked aside as Diamond Tiara runs past. 
“Out of my way, loser! I’m not gonna stay in such conditions!”
“Diamond Tiara, wait a minute! Get back here!”
The spoiled filly ignores her as she makes the corner, determined to get back to her house with her things no matter what. Suddenly, a shot fires from the sky, crashing into the ground before her in meteoric fashion. Diamond Tiara skids to a halt but starts to slide over the edge, letting out a shriek.
Somepony pulls her back up by the tail. Apple Bloom drags Diamond Tiara back onto the strip of land while whatever remnants of the former landscape collapse into the void. Diamond Tiara stares transfixed, clearly horrified at the idea of falling.
“Use yer noggin, Diamond Tiara!” Apple Bloom chides her schoolyard enemy. “Y’all coulda been tumbling into that abyss!”
Diamond Tiara’s namesake headwear tilts over her eyes. She pushes it back into place and resumes her ever-so-pleasant attitude from before, tugging her tail back to her. “Don’t mess up my tail! You’re lucky Daddy’s not around to see this!”
“Yer welcome too,” Apple Bloom notes sardonically. 
“Apple Bloom!”
She quickly turns and sees Fluttershy carrying Twilight over the gap. The yellow Pegasus sets her down next to the two fillies and goes back for Zecora. Not wanting to be anywhere near the glowing white anymore, Diamond Tiara runs back towards the Acres.
“Twilight! Ah’m glad to see yer alright!” Bloom runs to her, hugging the unicorn’s leg.
“Yes, I’m glad to see you too,” Twilight briefly brushes her left front hoof against Apple Bloom’s back. 
Apple Bloom releases, keeping her hopeful smile. “It’s good. Come on now! Back t’ the Acres! We got other townponies waiting there!” Apple Bloom’s smile dies, remembering Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts in their weakened state. She considers giving the bad news but just retreats towards the Acres. “Come on!”
Twilight nods just as Fluttershy returns, gently lowering Zecora to the ground. “Come on, we have to get to Sweet Apple Acres.”
The unicorn makes her way towards the Acres with Fluttershy and Zecora behind her. Every so often, she steals glances in the direction of Celestia and Zero Wing’s fight, wishing for Celestia’s victory and that she could help. She refocuses on the route ahead, seeing the still-intact land. She sees Apple Bloom disappearing around a corner towards the front entrance. As soon as the three reach, Applejack and Big Macintosh greet them at the entrance.
“Twilight! Fluttershy! Ah’m very glad to see y’all! Ah thought y’all might’ve…might’ve…”
Twilight returns a reassuring smile. “We’re fine. We’ve been through a lot but we’re fine now.”
Twilight and Fluttershy pass through the entrance, Fluttershy giving her regards to Applejack and Big Macintosh who bows respectfully towards her. Zecora follows in, carefully making sure the contents of her saddlebag do not spill prematurely.
“Zecora! Mah stars, are yah holding up alright?”
“Yes, I am fine, Applejack dear./Why all the apprehension and the fear?”
“Well, Zecora, somethin’ happened to Rainbow Dash an’ the Wonderbolts-”
“What?!” Twilight goes in front of her. “What happened?”
Applejack just gestures towards the sky where Zero Wing battles Celestia and then points towards the spot on the grass where five ponies lie outstretched. Before Twilight can do anything, Zecora moves ahead with her saddlebag ready. Nearing Rainbow Dash, she draws out a vial from her bag. Its contents shift around, flashing a jade color.
“I see the noted attacks were true,/Zero Wing draining ponies of life-energies too./I don’t have anything to make strength anew,/But perhaps I can make things better with my revitalization brew.”
The zebra places a hoof under Rainbow Dash’s neck, tilting her head. The Pegasus still holds out her defiant hoof, thinking Zero Wing is still around her. She pulls out the cork with her teeth and gently pours half of the jade fluid into her mouth. Rainbow Dash coughs, spitting some jade drops against Zecora’s face. But the Pegasus shows more signs of life.
“Let me at him. Let me at him! I wasn’t finished!”
“You do not have to say such a thing./You are among friends, not Zero Wing.”
Twilight watches as Zecora moves onto Spitfire with the remnants of the jade fluid. Noticing Rarity, the zebra hands her a vial. “Please help me with the Wonderbolts./Give each one half a dose.”
“Alright then,” Rarity nods, taking the vial in a blue magic aura. She tilts up Fleetfoot’s head and readies the vial. Fleetfoot coughs up a few jade drops against Rarity’s face. The white unicorn simply brushes it off and moves to Rapidfire.
They tend to the fallen Wonderbolts as Dash tries to stand only to collapse as the weakening effect still gets to her. She turns back again, seeing the fight going on over Ponyville. Thinking of her mentor, Twilight runs past the entrance.
“Where are yah goin’?!” Applejack calls. “Twilight!”
The purple unicorn calls back. “Stay with them. Make sure nothing happens to them. I’m going to help Celestia!”
“Twilight!”
The purple unicorn runs onward, hearing Celestia’s cry of pain as Zero Wing lunges at her with his horn. She falls back, kicking into the space between them. When Zero Wing turns in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, Celestia dives at him. Anything to keep him at bay.
Twilight runs on, jumping over the newly-formed stepping stones.
Back at the Acres, Spike runs out to the entrance after hearing Twilight’s name. He doesn’t see her and turns to the Fluttershy. “Fluttershy! Where’s Twilight? Where’s Gray Moon?”
Fluttershy hangs her head for a moment. “Gray Moon’s gone, Spike. That monster got him. He was a memory projection, like Twilight’s spell. I tried to save him.”
Spike feels a knot in his gut, remembering all the sarcastic side-remarks he had made about the gray colt. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. But if Twilight can-”
Fluttershy perks up. “Twilight! Oh my goodness, she’s gone back!” The yellow Pegasus extends her wings and soars past Sweet Apple Acres’ entrance, right over Applejack and Big Macintosh’s heads.
“Fluttershy, wait! Where are you going?!” Spike attempts to follow but trips. The fragments of the scroll, still somehow caught in his own fingers despite this, scatter out of his grasp.
Back to Twilight as she makes her way nearer to Ponyville, disregarding the pains in her legs and chest. Breath catches up with her. She makes it to the edge where the big gap forms, skidding to a halt. Just as before, two front legs wrap around her chest and lift her into the air.
“Well, I couldn’t just let you go back on your own,” Fluttershy explains, a smile replacing the worried look from earlier. “After all, you can’t make those long jumps.”
“No, but you can,” Twilight returns the smile. “Come on, let’s go get him. For Gray Moon.”
Fluttershy nods. “For Gray Moon.”
The yellow Pegasus reaches the other end of the gap, landing carefully on the strip so Twilight’s hooves reach with the ground. The two of them recommence their run, heading into the center of Ponyville while above Celestia and Zero Wing fought on. They
duck to the side as a shot fires in their direction, splitting the ground beneath their hooves. Fluttershy pulls Twilight out of the range of the next shot, lifting her over the next gap forming.
“What’s the plan?” Fluttershy asks. 
Twilight considers, then looks up to the fight above. “We have to get up there. For this to work, we have to get to Zero Wing.”
“What?!” Fluttershy balks, remembering her poor hooves from the last time she came face-to-face with the beast. “Are you crazy?”
“Please, trust me on this, Fluttershy. I can’t use any spells from down here. They won’t reach. And we have to do this,” Twilight places her left front hoof on Fluttershy’s back. “Please, just trust me, Fluttershy. We have to. For the Princess. For Gray Moon. For everypony. Please, just trust me on this.”
Fluttershy sighs and nods. She pulls away from Twilight and stretches her wings, preparing for what might be another long flight. They feel sore but she moves on, not wanting to disappoint her friend. For everypony, she wraps her front legs around Twilight and takes off into the sky with a speed that might have even made Rainbow Dash a bit jealous.
The space between them and the dueling alicorns lessens until Twilight gets a proper view of the monster. Celestia stares shocked and worried as Fluttershy and Twilight come into view. Zero Wing notices them too.
“What are you doing?!” Celestia yells just as Zero Wing fires a winedark energy spear at the two.
Fluttershy moves to the side, pulling Twilight and herself out of harm’s way. Despite the pangs in her chest and front legs, she holds on, determined to enact out Twilight’s plan. The purple unicorn concentrates on the moving target, her horn starting to glow with a purple aura.
Zero Wing moves to strike her once again when Twilight fires the spell. Taking Zero Wing by surprise, the blackgray alicorn

shifts into the open whiteness. Like before, he hovers about, blurring from place to place. Only this time, the purple unicorn isn’t alone. The yellow Pegasus carries her across the open space. Breath catches up with her as she fixes her grip on Twilight, the purple unicorn concentrated on her spell.
What is this? The blackgray alicorn questions. 
A taste of your own magic, Twilight answers. I understand now. Don’t worry, Gareth. You will be free!
Fluttershy pulls back as Zero Wing charges, showing signs of previously unseen anger. His horn nearly grazes Fluttershy’s wing but she dodges, taking Twilight with her out of harm’s way. Twilight prepares herself for the attack at hand as Fluttershy pulls up again to dodge a winedark hadōken blast.
Alright, Fluttershy, Twilight says. Let go.
Fluttershy looks worried and tightens her grip on Twilight.
Please, let go. Trust me, Fluttershy.
The yellow Pegasus releases, dropping Twilight into the open space. Despite the Pegasus’ fears, her friend floats into the open space and throws herself at Zero Wing. A purple shot fires at the alicorn’s face. He retaliates with a winedark aura concentrated within a spear. The two energies clash against one another, straining to break and strike.
I will…not…let…you…interfere…
Twilight pushes against the alicorn’s energy attack, trying her hardest to break it. Fluttershy hovers closer to her, wishing she could do magic even if only for a moment. Her friend continues the reverse tug-of-war with the beams, feeling herself pushed back a bit more and more and
Suddenly, Twilight’s spell amplifies, shooting back directly at Zero Wing and shattering the winedark aura into sparks. Smiling, Twilight increases the spell as her mentor aides her, Celestia’s horn glowing. Surprised, the blackgray alicorn tries for another when the spell hits him head-on, colliding against his face. Like a porcelain mask, Zero Wing’s face breaks once more, exposing Gareth beneath.
The memories hit hard and fast.
Before Gareth’s eyes, the scenes of a small purple unicorn filly play out. She moves about, playing with an older blue-maned white unicorn, running through the field as their parents watch on. Flash to the same purple filly with a younger version of the pink alicorn he saw back at Canterlot. Hooves clapping together in some game. Cut again, the same filly grown up with her friends, including the yellow Pegasus, surrounding her with open arms.
What is this?! Zero Wing’s voice booms somewhere behind Gareth.
Gareth, Twilight speaks to the alicorn, coming closer as the memory barrage continues. The scenes of her friends build up around them, filling the white space with full colors as the memories flash around them. I know it hurt to see those you care about pass on while you continued living. But the world is not meaningless as Zero Wing tells you. He shows you the painful memories but there were good ones too. Do you remember them?
Silence her! Zero Wing growls somewhere.
Twilight continues, helped by the Princess’ amplification as she moves into the alicorn’s mind. Past the flashquick images of Zero Wing and the destruction of Legacy’s Reach. Past the deaths. Past the pain. Past them all, other memories flow freely. The images of Twilight and her friends vanish, replaced by images of Gray Moon walking happily with Amber Mist. Nuzzling Morning Star as the rain poured outside. Working alongside Sunny Ray, seeing her comforting smile. Lily-of-the-Valley whispering sweet words of love into his ear.
Gareth falters, tears flowing down his face.
You know what must be done, Zero Wing says ominously, like a pony about two seconds from flying into a full rampage. You said so yourself. Without them, life is meaningless. Life is just suffering. They die and they’ll continue dying as long-
With all due respect, Twilight cuts in. Shut up.
Zero Wing attempts to cover Gareth’s eyes but the alicorn fights back, seeing the images of his mates smiling, happy, all the good times among the bad. Not the images he saw in the five hundred years of dreaming. Not what Zero Wing made him see over and over. No drowning. No sickness. No death. Life. Life of the world. Then. To come.
One day, I will pass on just as they did, Twilight admits, feeling a bit pained to admit her own mortality. But until then, there’s meaning in everything. My family. My friends. My mentor. Everypony I care about. And there’s meaning for you as well. There always has been.
Yes, Fluttershy adds, hovering alongside Twilight. There’s always meaning, no matter how dark or grim it gets. Come on, Gareth. We’ll help you.
Zero Wing growls somewhere, floating adrift in the voidscape.
Zero Wing is just an idea, Gareth. He’s been hiding you, been keeping you in the dark. He’s just a thought. You can fight him. Without you, he’s nothing. Now, come to us, Gareth. Come to us.
The jade-eyed alicorn shudders as Zero Wing roars into the sky, seconds from lunging to impale his horn into the unicorn’s throat. Gareth catches him in midair and pulls back, shattering the onyx helmet over his head. 
Concentrating the memory projection spell, Twilight channels through the cascade of thoughts streaming in the alicorn’s mind. Amidst the panicked thoughts, a horned shadow lurks. Much to its fury, Twilight pulls back, the spell extracting it. As she proceeds, the blackgray fur vanishes, revealing more of the dark gray underneath. 
Twilight smiles and extends her hoof towards the alicorn. Fluttershy follows suit, both ponies reaching out to Celestia’s old friend.
Gareth sees this and draws his out his hooves towards Twilight and Fluttershy despite Zero Wing’s layer constricting against his skin. He winces but still makes contact. Twilight and Fluttershy grab a hoof each and pull.
Come to us, Gareth.
Zero Wing screams out in blind fury, directing Gareth’s body to

drive against the ground. Twilight and Fluttershy look around, seeing their hooves against the ground with Celestia standing alongside them. Around them, the voids begin to recede, the earth within Ponyville returning with full grass and dirt. Gareth flails on the ground as Zero Wing fights him, horn glowing mixtures of jade and winedark energies.
“Fight it, Gareth!” Twilight yells as Celestia’s spell picks up, eating away at the projection on the outside.
“You can do it!” Fluttershy cheers.
Zero Wing twitches more violently, trying to reclaim control over the alicorn’s body. Gareth resists, fueled by the pleasant memories-all that Zero Wing had kept from him. How could he have just let himself be manipulated for so long? It doesn’t matter now as Zero Wing dissolves further, releasing Gareth’s legs. 
The remnants struggle around the cutie mark, flinching angrily as Celestia continues the spell. The warped taijitu mark leaps away into the air, gaining the shape of a horned shadow, extending its wings. It turns on them and lunges, horn drawn forward with eyes glowing. Caught in the aura of Celestia’s spell, Zero Wing doesn’t get far. Twilight rushes and fires several energy shots directly into the horned shadow. With an angry scream, Zero Wing succumbs and flails into the air, exploding into a galaxy of winedark sparks.   
A jade field forms and expels, stretching across the territory. Twilight and Fluttershy watch as it sends the voidscapes in reverse, replacing the land from before. Making its way backwards, it moves towards the Everfree Forest with numerous trees resprouting like, well, magic. Creatures starting returning to their homes, happy to be on intact land once more.
At Sweet Apple Acres, the jade aura hits the five fallen Pegasi, causing them to leap into the air just as Zecora packs away the empty vials. Rainbow Dash leaps into the air, pumping her curved front hooves and throwing off Rarity seeing to her. “Let me at him! Let me at him!”
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity calls out, a bit annoyed after being flung off. But she doesn’t get mad for long when she notices the jade aura. The others look up, some fearful and some oohing and aahing at the firework-esque spectacular quality of it all.
It extends back to Canterlot where Luna watches with great interest as the jade field comes down. Through the chambers, the weakened guards shake back to full life, lances drawn with the last memory of the attacker. The pondering guard looks about, glad to feel the life back in his hooves. Glad to have the energy back in him, he lets out a little un-guardlike cheer, nearly dropping his lance on another’s head.
In their makeshift bedroom chamber, Cadance stands near Shining Armor, hardly having left his side since the attack. She looks up for a moment as the jade field abruptly stops over them. In a flashquick motion, Shining Armor’s eyes spring open and he lifts himself from the bed. Immediately, he finds himself pleasantly nuzzled and embraced by his wife. Equally relieved, he places his hooves on her sides and returns the nuzzle.
Back to Ponyville as the jade field clears. Twilight and Fluttershy move towards the center, seeing the land returned to normal under the beautiful moonlight. The ominous white glows of the voidscapes have vanished, all paths returned. Everything returns to normal as the effects of Zero Wing’s attacks are, ironically as Twilight might add, erased from the landscape.
In the center, a dark gray alicorn lies spread-eagled as the final wisps of jade aura extinguish around him. His cutie mark shows a taijitu of black and white with Celestia’s sun and Luna’s moon within. Not hazy. Not warped. All fine once more. He opens his jade eyes and glances up as Celestia approaches him.
“Why…after all I’ve done…why?” Gareth asks, trying to stand.
“Because everypony deserves a second chance,” Celestia helps her friend to stand, that supportive smile returning to her face. “And because I’m glad to have you back, old friend.”
Gareth stands, looking around him. No damage done any longer. No voice of Zero Wing in the back of his mind. No forced memories of death. No screaming memories. No loss of control. No loss of will. He turns to his Princess and, quickly remembering protocol, bows respectfully with his horn tilted to reach the ground before her hooves.
“Rise, Gareth. No need for formalities,” Celestia says warmly, placing a hoof to pat the back of his neck. “Everything is fine once again.”
Gareth frowns and shakes his head. “No, my Princess. Not all is fine. I am still at fault. Even if Zero Wing was responsible for all the misdeeds, it was still I who thought him up in my darkest moments and still I whose memory projection spell gave him life. And it was also I who abdicated my position all those centuries ago. And for that, I must do what I have to do.” He raises his front hooves, as if expecting to be shackled.
Celestia pushes his hooves down. “There will be no need for that. I will speak for you.”
Gareth bows his head. “The ponies of Canterlot and this settlement will not be as forgiving as you, my Princess.”
“I will speak for you,” Celestia reassures, pulling up Gareth’s chin to meet him eye-to-eye.
The dark gray alicorn nods. He extends his wings for the first time in over five-hundred years, feeling the cool night breeze against them. Celestia walks towards him and gestures her head in the direction of Canterlot. He understands, nodding once again. But before doing anything else, he walks before Twilight and Fluttershy and bows respectfully.
“Thank you both. If it wasn’t for you two, I would still be a prisoner in my own body. I will now go to right the wrongs I have caused. Thank you.”
Twilight smiles. “You’re welcome. Just remember what I told you.”
Gareth returns a smile, also the first in over five-hundred years. “I will.”
Twilight and Fluttershy wave as Celestia and Gareth take off into the night sky, heading back towards Canterlot. Gareth takes a deep breath and hopes for the best, hopes for a chance to possibly atone. Soon, the two alicorns disappear.
Fluttershy brushes her face with her hoof as her wings curl around her. “I’m exhausted. After all that, but you’re the one who really saved everypony, Twilight. You and the Princess.”
“No way,” Twilight responds, patting Fluttershy’s back. “If it hadn’t been for you, I never would have gotten to him in time or been able to make that spell. Heck, I probably would have fallen into a void if you didn’t save my life. More than once, I might add.”
Fluttershy beams.
Twilight smiles and then yawns, stretching out her front legs. All this excitement and she has forgotten how late it is.
“So, what do we do now?” Fluttershy asks, looking about at the buildings that were still wrecked. “I mean, it seems like Gareth couldn’t fix everything.”
“Don’t worry about it, Fluttershy. We’ll handle it. Now, we better get back to Sweet Apple Acres and get everypony back to their homes for a good night’s rest,” Twilight lets out another yawn. “Because later, we have some rebuilding to do.”
Twilight and Fluttershy steal a glance at the moon overhead, reminded briefly of Gray Moon. For a moment, they bow their heads in a silent memorial. Finished, the two make their way back to Sweet Apple Acres.