Mom, why are you crying?
Twilight stared on in disbelief. She knew those words, they were the first words she remembered speaking to the Tyrant. She had never known Velvet Twilight, she had only known Celestia as her mom and now she knew why; Celestia had forged her current soul.
She felt sick. Celestia’s weakened state, why the Tyrant couldn’t fly, why Celestia seemed to always be in pain; it was because she did it for me.
She whispered sadly.
“Why? Why do that for me?”
Behind her, Grogar surprisingly spoke up.
“Some things are more valuable than one’s soul. Sometimes, an individual will willingly tread through Tartarus for nothing more than to see another smile. For Celestia, you were that smile. And from her sacrifice, not a soul, but a new power was created; one containing her hopes and prayers for her world. A forbidden act to be sure, but one to be commended.”
Turning to look behind her, the little filly saw Clover nodding in agreement. Her angelic voice overflowed with admiration as she spoke.
“Agreed. Never would I have fathomed our creatures to pay such a cost, just to bring their prayers to realization on their own. Though I cannot condone such a reckless action, I can’t help but be impressed by the conviction.”
“But you let it happen.”
Twilight’s tone was one of accusation.
“Who are you to judge her actions, when you let it happen, unhindered?”
Grogar chuckled.
“I was waiting for this. No, we did not let it happen. When we created the very existence you and your kind cling to, we gave the creatures the basic needs the would require. Nothing more. We decided to see what they could do, and so they grew on their own. Unhindered and uncontrolled they sought out and created some things we never had thought of. We’ve watched as they’ve grown, building better structures, learning the limits of possibility, and shattering those barriers. We did not, however, give them the means to do so originally. Their own determination gave them the ability to discover it themselves.”
Clover once again chimed in.
“True we watched it happen, but then again we never interfered either. The outcome of such actions were their own rewards to reap. Be it salvation or damnation, we would not interfere. We are not judging her. We are stating our thoughts on the methods used, ultimately it was her choice to do so.”
“But why show me all this?”
Clover and Grogar shared a look before Clover said gently.
“Because the time has come to awaken you to reality. You are not a filly anymore, Twilight and the world requires you to show the maturity of your age.”
When your maturity shows your age, this spell will be broken and you will become the Tyrant we need. Those words sounded so familiar but where had Twilight heard them? Her eyes went wide as the image of Tyrant Celestia casting a spell flashed in her mind. Wait, did she know?
Glancing up at the two imposing deities, Twilight asked them.
“Did Mom know about this?”
Nodding, Grogar spoke this time.
“Your mother gained insight into many events she shouldn’t have in her quest to maintain the Chaotic Harmony of the Realm of the Dead. She swore she would let nothing stop prosperity under her iron-hoofed rule. Time and time again, she planned for what would be, thanks to her husband, and our daughter.”
Clover laughed.
“The three were thick as thieves. Always breaking the limits and never stopping their mischief in the heavens. Celestia learned exactly what role you may end up playing and has spent the last 8 years training you to give you the best shot of ending the impending invasion.”
“Impending…Didn’t that already happen?”
Clover shook her head and her horn glowed with the Colors of Harmony, suddenly all around her Twilight saw horrific scenes of creatures; corrupted souls slowly destroying her world.
Twilight shouted at her.
“How is this possible where’s mom?”
Grogar answered this question in an eerily saddened way.
“Lost.”
“L-lost?”
“8 years have passed, Twilight. In this future, she lives within you; the last of the Nightmares.”
“Hold on, this is so much to take in! You want me to be some kind of hero? Are you sure you have the right Unicorn?”
Clover gently nudged her.
“We both know you are no mere Unicorn, little Nightmare. The selfish blood of your line flows within, but we know a soul of gold pulses within. You just need to embrace it.”
Looking down with an expression of defeat, Twilight cried out.
“But if mom couldn’t, then how could I possibly…”
“Enough!”
Grogar’s voice echoed throughout the empty space.
“We are getting nowhere, Clover. There is no more efficient teacher than life itself. Let’s send her back. She has to find out for herself.”
Clover hesitated, before nodding.
“Perhaps she is not yet ready to face the truth.”
Looking down at Twilight, she gave a small smile.
“Remember what we’ve talked about. Show us what you can do.”
Before Twilight could protest, there was a bright flash of light.
***
“...And that, Little Twily is how I met your mother.”
Blinking, Twilight looked around. She was back in the cafeteria with Discord gazing expectantly at her. She muttered.
“How interesting.”
Discord was unfazed.
“Oh indeed it is, well I best be going. I’m sure you have much to do and dare I say not long to do it, after all it is almost midnight. And I do believe Miss Pinkemena is awaiting the birthday girl. Best not be tardy.”
With the snap of his talon, Discord vanished and Twilight sat next to Rarity who was still recounting her account of the Night of Fire.
“We were…”
“Aunt Rarity!”
Pausing at the interruption, with a wrinkled nose, Rarity addressed Twilight.
“Yes, Twilight?”
Twilight hurriedly apologized to her while explaining her reason for doing so.
“Sorry, Aunt Rarity, but I just remembered Applejack and I were headed down to the ballroom to attend some kind of birthday party being hosted by Pinkie Pie.”
Rarity laughed.
“Oh, dah-ling why didn’t you say so? You best get going. Go straight through those doors there and then…”
***
Twilight stood outside the ballroom, staring at a very familiar creature. Chrysalis noticed her and smiled.
“Finally we meet. How is my little Niece?”
“Are you the one who…”
“I am.”
“I have so many questions.”
“Oh, I have no doubt, however, mom has instructed me to let you discover on your own your capabilities.”
“But-”
Chrysalis chuckled seeing how frustrated Twilight seemed.
“So adorable. I may not be able to tell you what to do, but I can offer suggestions. Whether or not you decide to take them is upon you, though.”
Twilight looked grateful.
“So what would you suggest?”
Chrysalis’s eyes darted to the door.
“I’d say a birthday waltz might be a good place to start.”
Still grateful, yet slightly confused, Twilight pushed through the Ballroom double doors, to reveal a horrific and gore-filled scene. On either side, the sinister decorations hung. And there she stood amidst the carnage; Pinkimena Diane Pie, eyes closed and hoof extended, frozen in place as though waiting for somepony.
Twilight grinned. The decor, the setting, it was a birthday party like mom used to throw her. Ignoring the shredded corpses of armored Changelings that had gotten too close, Twilight calmly walked up to and placed her forehoof on Pinkie’s. As Pinkie’s eyes flew open, Twilight smiled sweetly.
“May I have this dance?”
It was as sudden as lightning, and without warning. A dagger appeared in Pinkie’s forehoof as the music began to play from nowhere. Deftly, Pinkie lashed out, but Twilight twirled to the right and stepped forward with her left hoof.
As the dance began the music sped faster and faster, as Twilight led. The two twirled, ducked, spun, dipped, and even shimmied, all the while Pinkie slashed at Twilight who simply dodged by doing the next dance step. The music became almost impossible to follow and the dancing sped up. Chrysalis watched from the doorway in amazement as the two dipped and twirled at impossible speeds; ending with a backward head tilt from Twilight.
Twilight found Pinkie’s knife pressed against her temple before retracting. Lifting her head up, Twilight saw no knife, just a happy Pinkie Pie who was giggling; her mane and tail poofy as could be.
“Oh, that was so much fun! I’ve never known any other pony to be able to keep up with me, aside from my big sis…”
Pinkie paused before muttering bitterly.
“Maud.”
Twilight watched as the poofiness of her mane deflated and she seemed to become a darker version of herself mentioning this ‘Maud’. As Twilight watched, Pinkie once again was twirling a knife she inexplicably acquired. Could it be that there was a connection?
“Pinkie? Would you mind telling me about Maud?”
The effect was instantaneous, and Pinkie became hyper once more going on for almost ten minutes about how great Maud was, without a single breath.
“...And today would have been her 20th birthday.”
Twilight suddenly understood. The party wasn’t for her but for Maud. But what exactly had happened to this wonderful big sister of Pinkie?
“She sounds amazing, what happened to her? Would you mind telling me?”
Pinkie hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“It was just after the 1st Anniversary of the Night of Fire. Maud and I were celebrating her birthday. We ventured into cultist territory to access a small cave of crystals Maud was fond of. We didn’t even see them coming. In no time at all, I awoke chained to a wall, forced to watch Maud be tortured. They…”
Twilight instinctively grabbed her within a tight hug, causing Pinkie to sniff gratefully.
“You don’t need to explain further if you don’t want to.”
Pinkie nodded and with tears in her eyes, asked Twilight.
“What about you? How do you know that dance?”
Twilight laughed as she nibbled a piece of the acrid cake made of flesh.
“Mom taught me! I was told that dance was only to be performed on my birthday.”
“Wait...It’s your birthday?”
Twilight nodded and blinked. In Pinkie’s hooves was a large present, though how she came to be holding it, Twilight had no idea. Even more surprising, the gift had a tag that said ‘To Princess Twilight’ on it. Where does she keep getting these things?
“Happy Birthday!”
“Oh um, thanks!”
Opening the box, Twilight drew forth a book, Rock, You Are a Rock By Maud Pie. Flipping through it revealed it to be a book of poems about rocks written by Pinkie’s late sister.
“Oh Pinkie, it’s wonderful! Thank you.”
Pinkie smiled happily and looked to her left, tears in her eyes.
“Told you she would love it, sis.”
Twilight just gave her another warm hug. She had been there, she understood. She must have been so lonely all this time. Even amidst her friends, she felt alone. It was at that moment Chrysalis walked up to the table and eyed the giggling Pinkie being hugged by Twilight. Smiling, the Changeling Queen spoke to the pair, her eyes glinting knowingly.
“I take it, you enjoyed yourselves, now then, I do believe it is time to clean up, after all, this room needs to be available for others to use. Wouldn’t you agree, Pinkie?”
“Sorry, Mrs. Chrysi.”
Chuckling, and sneakily munching on some cake, Chrysalis nodded.
“It’s alright little one. I see you’ve made a new friend. You know, maybe she would like to be your big sister. After all, you do have a bit in common.”
At these words, Pinkie turned towards Twilight who barely had time to blink, before being bombarded with questions from the eager filly.
“Really? Will you? Pleases?”
Twilight smiled. What could she do, Pinkie clearly needed her. Family comes in many forms. It’s my choice and I choose to be here for her.
“I would be delighted to be your big sister, Pinkie.”
Pinkie looked surprised for a moment before hugging her.
“Did you just get taller, sis?”