//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: The Summer Sun Fallout 
// Story: The Ending of the End Revised, or Be Careful with what you wish for. 
// by SaburoDaimando 
//------------------------------//

“Now are you sure you got this, Twilight?” Those were the words that came out of Princess Celestia as she and Princess Luna walked alongside Twilight Sparkle outside Canterlot Castle.
“You two just enjoy the festivals,” Twilight said with a smile on her face.  “I have a few surprises in store for”
But before she could finish, she noticed Discord was floating near her in a relaxed pose.  Twilight’s cheerful tune went south as she turned her head towards the Draconequus.
“Yes Discord?”  Twilight said.
“Oh don’t mind me,” Discord said as he floated towards a nearby table with an umbrella on it and took a seat, all while wearing a red tropical, buttoned shirt with a pair of sunglasses.  “I’m just here for the chaos.”
With a blast of thunder and lightning, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle looked up with a shocked look on their faces.  Discord chuckled as the three alicorns directed their surprised gazes back at him.
“And here we go!” Discord said as he pulled up his shades, watching Rainbow Dash dash past him and the alicorns.
“What is Rainbow Dash doing?” Twilight said with a confused look on her face.
But as Twilight began to fly off towards Rainbow Dash, she came to a stop as a huge cauldron full of soup was parked in front of her.  Pinkie Pie stood nearby as she swung her head towards Twilight, before she attempted to cover the cauldron with her body.
“Pinkie?” Twilight said.  “Is this soup?”
“Y…yes,” Pinkie Pie said in a nervous tone.  “I was….really hungry.”
But before Twilight could speak, she overheard the voice of Rarity saying “No pony understands wanting to take pride in your work more than I do!”  Twilight and Pinkie turned to see Rarity and Spike arguing with a number of angry unicorns from a stage.
“You could do more with your magic than make frilly dresses!” One of the unicorns yelled with a huff.
Rarity just brushed it off and said  “Oh pffft.  No pony makes frills anymore.  This season’s actually all about simplicity…”
“Not the point, Rarity,” Spike yelled as the unicorns argued in the unicorn’s face.
But just as Twilight was about to fly towards Rarity and Spike, a pegasi named Feather Flatterfly flew right up to her and yelled out “Princess!  I beg your forgiveness! It’s entirely my fault!”  He flew down onto his knees and held his hooves close, much to Twilight’s confusion.
“What is?”  Twilight asked, only for bolts of lightning to flash around Equestria, followed by a rain shower.  
“THAT!” Feather Flatterfy yelled as Fluttershy walked up to him and Twilight.
“Oh um, just a slight hiccup in the weather,” Fluttershy said with a nervous laugh as he pushed Feather Flatterfly aside.
As Twilight watched, she noticed the clouds above her had been pushed aside.  She looked behind her to see Applejack run through the streets with a wagon full of apples, flour and other supplies for baking.
“Applejack,” Twilight said, flying up to Applejack as the country bumpkin came to a stop.  “What is going on?”
“I told you this was a bad idea,” Applejack said as she pointed at Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Feather Flatterfly.  She threw her hat on the ground and yelled “BUT NO PONY EVER LISTENS TO ME!”
“THAT’S IT!”  Twilight yelled.  She flew up into the air with her horn glowing brightly and aimed her sight at Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Spike.  She pulled her friends from their spots with her magic, threw them around in the air before landing them nearby and flying down towards them.
Twilight Sparkle landed down on the ground with a concerned look on her face and said “I thought everything was fine.  What is going on?”
“Everything was going fine,” Applejack said.
“Until it totally wasn’t,” Pinkie Pie said.
“We tried to fix it ourselves,” Fluttershy said.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Twilight asked as the nervousness in her tone grew.
Rainbow Dash tapped her hooves and said “We didn’t want you to freak out.”
“And you thought not telling me everything was a total disaster would avoid a freak out?” Twilight said.
“When you say it like that,” Spike said with a hint of shame in his tone. “It sounds like a really bad plan.”
  Twilight Sparkle breathed in as Discord looked from the table with a pair of goggles and a smug look on his face.
“Here it comes,” Discord said with anticipation.
But just as Twilight Sparkle was about to speak, someone yelled her name out in a thunderous voice.  Twilight’s face freaked out as she turned to her left to see an upset earth pony walk up to her.  Even Discord looked surprised.
“Mr Neigh Nanners,” Twilight said.  “I wasn’t expecting you for an hour.”
“Well considering that the train arrived at my destination earlier than expected,” Neigh Nanners said as he adjusted his tie.  “That’s the least of your concerns, Miss Sparkle.”
“Who is that?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“That’s Mr Neigh Nanners,” Rarity said.  “The biggest political voice of Equestria.”
“The last thing you need is to be on the receiving end of his harsh tone,” Applejack said as she hunkered down.
“What exactly do you mean, Mr Nanners?” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Oh I know what I mean,” Neigh Nanners said as he took a few steps towards Twilight, causing the Alicorn to fumble and land on her butt.  “Your attempt at a Summer Sun Celebration has proven to be the biggest disaster since Princess Luna’s banishment.”
“WHAT?” Twilight yelled.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ran up to Neigh Nanners as their faces turned to complete shock.
“I can assure you, Mr Nanners,” Princess Celestia said.  “This is only a misstep in Twilight’s path towards being the new ruler of Equestria.”
“One that will end in failure,” Neigh Nanners yelled, causing Celestia and Luna to freeze in place.
Discord just looked at Neigh Nanners in complete shock as his smile turned into a frown.
“I do not like this guy,” Discord said.  “Not one bit.”
Neigh Nanners turned towards Twilight Sparkle and said “You are fully responsible for the end results of the Summer Sun Celebration, am I right?”
“Yes I am,” Twilight said as her voice became nervous.  “But Princess Celestia entrusted this to me and….”
“Well that was a major mistake that your mentor made,” Neigh Nanners yelled.  “Rotten food, angry unicorns, and a thunderstorm.  This is not a celebration.   This is a disgrace to the heritage of Equestria.”
“A disgrace?” Twilight yelled.
“And not just that,” Neigh Nanners yelled.  “This is also your third major mistake you made since the announcement of you becoming Celestia and Luna’s successor.  And I’m counting both the time King Sombra took over Canterlot and placed a number of ponies under his control, combined with your disastrous test rule while Celestia and Luna were on vacation.”
“Disastrous?”  Twilight said.  “Mistake?”
“Mr Nanners, with all due respect,” Princess Celestia said.  “Even me and my own sister had our own mistakes when we ascended the throne.”
“And we learned from them,” Princess Luna said.
“Well there is one thing that I did learn,” Neigh Nanners said.  “Princess Twilight is the worst idea of a ruler for Equestria.  The moment she takes that throne, the whole economy will go into a tailspin, ponies will go into complete chaos and magic itself will be destroyed.  You put that simpleton onto the throne, and there will be a revolt from the ponies of Equestria.  Mark my words”
“What makes you think you can be the authority to all of Equestria?” Princess Luna yelled.
“It’s the ponies of Equestria who are the real authority, Nightmare Moon,” Neigh Nanners said.  “So deal with it.”
Neigh Nanners turned around and walked off while Princess Luna just stood there, completely shocked.  Celestia walked up to her sister and waved her hoof around her face.
“Sister,” Princess Luna said.  “I think escaping from the moon may have been a bad idea on my part.”
As Neigh Nanners walked away, Discord marched towards the stubborn stallion in a huff.
“Now hold it right there, Mister,” Discord said.  “Do you have any idea what kind of can of worms you just opened with that statement?”
“Oh I know what I said,”  Neigh Nanners said.  “And I mean what I said.  I would say you being free of stone was one of Princess Celestia’s biggest mistakes.  But I’d say sparing your miserable life is.  And try to cast a spell on me.  You’ll only prove me right.”
Discord stood there and said nothing as Neigh Nanners walked off.  Fluttershy flew up and patted the draconequus on the back.
Nearby, Twilight’s face was in total disbelief.  Tears began to flow from her eyes as she struggled to hold it back.  
“Twilight,” Princess Celestia said.  “Don’t listen to Neigh Nanners.  We can fix this like a true leader.  In fact…”
“No,” Twilight cried as she held her hoof in front of Princess Celestia.  “I am a failure.  A disgrace to Equestria.  This is my biggest failure ever.  I quit being a Princess”
With that, Twilight Sparkle ran away from the ground and from the castle, crying her eyes out.  Celestia, Luna, Discord, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike just stood there as Twilight disappeared into the city.
“What just happened?” Spike said.  “First we were about to be chewed out by Twilight Sparkle, and now this.”
“Poor Twilight,” Rarity said.  “To have one of the biggest voices of Equestria chew her out and call her a disgrace to this place.”
“Well,” Pinkie Pie said.  “We still have to pick up the pieces for Twilight.  And put together the Summer Sun Celebration.”
“I’m afraid not,” Princess Celestia said.  “I’ve always used this celebration as a means to look forward to Equestria’s future, and to remind myself not to be ashamed of the past.  But after what Neigh Nanners said, I’m afraid I have run out of hope, for now.”
“Never thought I would see this day come to,” Princess Luna said, only for Celestia to nod at her.

Later that night, a crowd of ponies gathered across a stage as Princess Celestia approached the microphone.
“Citizens of Canterlot,” Princess Celestia said.  “Given the events that transpired at this castle, from the attempt at putting together the Summer Sun Celebration that ended in disaster, to Neigh Nanners’ harsh treatment of Twilight Sparkle that caused her to run off, it pains me to say this.  But for the first time in Equestrian history, I will be cancelling the Summer Sun Celebration.”
Every pony went into complete shock as they murmured among each other.  
“Furthermore,” Princess Celestia said.  “With Twilight’s decision to depart Canterlot, I’m afraid that any future plans for a coronation for Princess Twilight Sparkle will be put on indefinite hold until further notice.  That is all.”
With that, Princess Celestia walked off stage as the ponies continued to talk with each other in total disbelief and uncertainty.  Celestia walked up to Luna, Discord, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike.
“I’m sorry it had to turn out like this,” Princess Luna said. “I’m beginning to believe that my banishment to the moon was a blessing compared to what you’re going through.”
“I understand your frustration, Luna,” Princess Celestia said.  “But now, we have to be strong for Twilight.”
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna reached out and hugged each other as tears fell from their eyes.  Nearby,  Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike and Discord watched the two alicorns before turning towards each other.
“So what exactly are we going to do?” Rainbow Dash asked.  “We’re in a major pickle because Twilight just flat out quit.”
“We have to let Starlight and the other ponies back in Ponyville, and the School of Friendship, know about this,” Applejack said.  “They need to know the honest truth.”
“I’m with you on that,” Rarity said.  “If only so that they know what’s going on with Twilight to let her know that she’s not alone.”
“Maybe we can put together an arts and crafts project to send to Twilight to help her feel better,” Pinkie Pie said.
“Great idea,” Fluttershy said.  “When school starts tomorrow, I’ll get to work on that.”
As Discord was about to speak, he felt a scratch on his left.  Discord looked down and saw Spike tugging on his leg.
“Could you do us a favor, Discord?” Spike asked.
“I take it you want me to help you find Twilight,” Discord said.
“That’s the plan,” Spike said.  “If Twilight can be found, then we can let her know that we have her back.”
“Consider it done,” Discord said.  “After all, any friend of Fluttershy is a friend of mine.”
With that, Discord conjured up a door and opened it before stepping through.  The moment he went through the door, it disappeared.
“Let’s hope Discord can find Twilight and get her home,” Applejack said.  “She’ll need all the help she can get.”

“What do you mean Twilight’s gone?” 
Those words came from Starlight Glimmer, who sat in the head mare’s chair in complete shock at the School of Friendship.
“That’s just it,” Rainbow Dash said.  “After Neigh Nanners said those horrible words to Twilight Sparkle, she ran off, declaring herself done with being a Princess.”
“That’s horrible,” Starlight said.  “Now what’s going to happen with the School?”
“We’ll have to make due without Twilight,” Applejack said.  “And Pinkie suggested that we all take up a special arts and craft project that will help them think of Twilight in their hearts.”
“Well it’s not just that,” Fluttershy said.  “Starlight’s going to need all the help she can get while running the School of Friendship.”
“Well if anything, the Great and Powerful Trixie will always be by Starlight’s side.”  Everyone turned around to see Trixie standing at the doorway.
“Still a showoff as always,” Rainbow Dash said.
“I take it you heard about what happened to Twilight?” Applejack asked.
“Unfortunately,” Trixie said as her tone turned sour and she pulled out a newspaper.  “Yes.”
Trixie threw the newspaper onto the ground, allowing Spike to run and pick up the newspaper.
“What’s it say,” Rarity asked before Spike’s face turned into both surprise and shock.
“It’s worse than you’d imagine,” Spike said as he faced the front of the paper towards her friends.  “Twilight Sparkle has been made a pariah.”
“Oh dear,” Rarity said as she looked at the paper.  “Neigh Nanners wasn’t kidding when he called Twilight a disgrace last night.  This is his writing, without a doubt.”
“Disgraced Princess quits,” Rainbow Dash yelled as she read the paper.  “Saves Equestria from the biggest disaster in history.”
“Ocellus brought that to me when I came in,” Trixie said.  “So I had to bring it to your attention.”
“Why that yellow-bellied conspiracy theorist,” Applejack yelled as she took off her hat and threw it on the ground.  “When I get ahold of that fibbing fraud…”
“Applejack,’ Rarity yelled.  “No use of any violence, no matter what.”
“But what he said,” Applejack said.
“If we resort to that,” Rarity said.  “We are no better than him.  Besides, we need to find Twilight before an angry crowd does.”
“Yeah,” Pinkie Pie said.  “If that crowd beats Discord to Twilight, they’ll throw her in Tatarus and make her sleep with Tirek and Cozy Glow.”
“Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said.  “Now is not the time to be going all doomsday.”
“She’s right,” Starlight said.  “Right now, we have to hold on as long as we can, not just for Twilgiht’s sake, but also for Celestia and Luna’s sake.”
“I’ve had a grudge against Twilight for a long time,” Trixie said.  “But even that alone would disgust me and make me sympathize with the Princess of Friendship.”
“Then we need to lift the spirits of the students here,” Applejack said.  “Because no one needs that kind of negativity.”
“Then let’s get this day out of the way,” Starlight said.

Meanwhile, deep within a dark, swampy forest, Twilight Sparkle ran as fast as she could, crying her eyes out.  Even despite it being the middle of the day, the forest held no light.
“I’m a failure,” Twilight said as she began to slow down.  “I’m a big failure.  Now every pony is going to hate me for this.  I don’t know if I can live in this cruel world anymore.”
As Twilight walked through the forest, ignoring all the dangers surrounding her, she looked up and saw a lair of some sort in the theme of a ram, towering over a small pond.
“That’s the lair of the legendary tyrant, Grogar,” Twilight said.  “Maybe if I hid there, I can finally hide from the outside world.”
Twilight looked down and saw a few stones that were stuck above the water.  She took a deep breath and hopped across the stones, heading towards the entrance of the lair.
“Well Princesses,” Twilight said to herself.  “Guess this truly is…good-bye.”
With that, Twilight went deeper into the lair’s entrance, disappearing from the outside world.

Inside, as Twilight walked from stone to stone, she looked around the empty cavern, astonished by the design of the interior.  There were staircases and slopes carved out from the stone, all leading to a central table where a crystal ball laid atop.
“Wow,” Twilight said.  “Princess Celestia told me about Grogar.  But I never imagined his lair to be like this.”
Twilight continued to step from stone to stone until she arrived at the central table.  She looked down at the crystal ball as it gazed back into her head.
“This belonged to the tyrant emperor,” Twilight said.  “But I wonder if his magic still works.”
As Twilight reached out towards the ball, the eye turned into the image of Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike, Starlight Glimmer and Trixie all working on arts and crafts with the students.  She took a closer look and saw what appeared to be an image of herself, imposed on a card on Ocellus’ desk.
“My friends are that concerned for me?” Twilight said.  “They’re doing this all for me?  That’s…that’s the sweetest thing I’ve seen.”
Twilight got off the table as the image on the crystal ball disappeared.  She wiped the tears from her face and turned to face the exit.
“I’ve made a bigger mistake,” Twilight said.  “Giving up.  I’ve got to go back and make things right.”
But before she could make her leave, she overheard the sound of laughter.  Twilight turned her attention towards a doorway.
“I recognized those voices,” Twilight said.  “But that’s impossible for at least two of them.  They’re in Tatarus.”
Twilight slowly walked up to the doorway and peeked her head inside.  Her jaw dropped in total shock.
“I…I don’t believe it.” Twilight whispered.
Inside the room, Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow were laughing hard as they took a look at the newspaper.
“I can’t believe it,” Queen Chrysalis said.  “Our antics worked better than we thought.”
“Who’d knew that Princess Twilight Sparkle would resign from her position because of our work,” Tirek said in laughter.
“For all that stern lecture she gave me before I was banished to Tatarus,” Cozy Glow said.  “She was nothing but hot air.”
“But enough talk,” Tirek said.  “It’s time we got to work at figuring out the nature of the bell, now that we have that book we stole from the Canterlot Archives.”
But as Chrysalis, TIrek and Cozy Glow were about to make a move, a blast of magic fired off and hit a nearby wall, catching their attention.  They turned their faces to see Twilight Sparkle standing there in the doorway, looking ready to cast another spell.
“I don’t know how you three were able to come together,” Twilight said.  “But you have a lot of nerve to trash the Summer Sun Celebration and have Neigh Nanners chew me out for that.”
“Well well well,” Queen Chrysalis said.  “If it isn’t Twilight Sparkle.  We didn’t expect you to arrive here.”
“And all alone as a pariah from the whole world,” Cozy Glow said.
“I don’t care what they say,” Twilight said as she scratched her hoof on the ground.  “If I bring you three down, I can prove that I am still a hero in the eyes of Equestria.”
“Is that a fact?”  Tirek said as he threw the newspaper down in front of Twilight.  “Haven’t you read up on the news, Ex-Princess?”
Twilight looked down and picked up the newspaper with her magic.  She glanced over and her face turned into despair.
“A big disaster in Equestrian History?” Twilight yelled.
“Oh and it’s not just that, Princess,” Queen Chrysalis said.  “Word has it that there are a number of Equestrians who think you should never show your face again as long as you live.”
“This…this can’t be,” Twilight said as she threw the newspaper down.
Twilight ran out of the room and up towards the crystal ball as Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow just walked right behind.  Twilight placed her hooves on the crystal ball.
“Come on,” Twilight said.  “Tell me this is a lie.”
As the image on the crystal ball appears, it shows a number of ponies in Manehattan protesting Twilight’s name, chanting “NO MORE TWILIGHT!  NO MORE TWILIGHT!  NO MORE TWILIGHT!”
“No,” Twilight said as tears flowed from her eyes again.  “NO!  NOOOOOOOOOO!”
Twilight threw her arms into the air in despair as the image disappeared.  She threw her arms onto the table and cried right into them as Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow approached her.
“Even I couldn’t believe that the ponies of Equestria would turn on you,” Tirek said.  “This Neigh Nanners fellow did a better job at destroying your image than we realized.”
“Now don’t you feel sad about what happened to you?” Cozy Glow said as she patted Twilight on the head.
Twilight raised her head up and turned towards Chrysalis and Tirek, with Cozy Glow flying up to her companions.
“If you wish to finish me off,” Twilight said.  “Then do it.  Put me out of my misery.”
“Now where’s the fun in that?” Queen Chrysalis said.  “No.  We have a different proposal for the former Princesses of Friendship.”
“If you wish for me to be your hostage,” Twilight said before Tirek placed his finger on Twilight’s face.
“No demise, and no hostage,” Tirek said.  “What we propose is an alliance.  For you to join us as the newest member of our legion.”
“What do you mean by that?” Twilight said as she pulled her face away from Tirek’s finger.
“You’re already an outcast by Equestrian standards, like I am,” Cozy Glow said.  “You can never show your face again for as long as you live.  So why not embrace us and become evil like we are?”
“It’s a chance to take your revenge against those who wronged you,” Queen Chrysalis said.  “And show to them that you are not to be messed with.”
“What do you say, partner?” Tirek said as he held his hand out.
Twilight breathed in before grabbing onto Tirek’s hand and shaking it.
“I’m afraid of what Celestia would say to me if I turned evil,” Twilight said.  “But it’s far better than having to put up with what those nutcases will do to me if I don't.  You got yourself a deal.”
“Then welcome, Twilight Sparkle,” Chrysalis said.  “Welcome to being the newest bad guy of our wonderful legion of evil.”
Tirek retracts his hand from Twilight Sparkle as the lavender alicorn steps forward.  She breathed in and said “Okay.  What’s the first thing I should do?”
“Well since you are now one of us,” Tirek said as he stepped aside.  “There is the matter of the Bewitching Bell.”
Twilight walked up to the doorway and looked into the room.  She saw the Bewitching Bell laying on the table.  Next to it was the very book that the trio took from the Canterlot archives.
“Imagine all the power you can have if you unlock the powers of the Bewitching Bell,” Queen Chrysalis said.  “You don’t have to be a Princess.  You can be an Empress, an Overlord or even a Tyrant bigger than Grogar.”
“Stand back,” Twilight said.  “I know just what to do.”
Twilight walked up to the book and opened it.  She glanced down at the words, turning each page one by one.  Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow watched as Twilight continued to look down at the book.
“Seems book reading is one of Twilight’s hidden strengths,” Tirek said.
“It is,” Cozy Glow said.  “She had me gather as many books on certain subjects back when I was her assistant at the School of Friends.”
“Who knew,” Tirek said.
Twilight scanned the last page of the book before she closed it tight.  She turned towards Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow and said “It’s time.  I know what to do.  Approach”
Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow approached Twilight Sparkle as the alicorn turned to face the Bewitching Bell.  She blasted the bell with magic from her horn, causing the bell to levitate and point right at the four before ringing.
“Behold,” Twilight Sparkle said.  “The magic of the Bewitching Bell, and Equestria’s own demise.”
A vortex of magic formed from the bell and blasted Chrysalis, Tirek, Cozy Glow and Twilight Sparkle in a blinding light.  When the light fades, the bell landed nearby on the book as Chrysalis, Tirek, Cozy Glow and Twilight Sparkle began to shapeshift.  Chrysalis’s wings and crown grew larger, Tirek regained most of his bulk and Cozy Glow’s wings grew larger and even grew a unicorn horn on her forehead.  But Twilight Sparkle changed.  Her mane now flowed from the top, her wings and horn have grown bigger, magic flowed from her eyes and her coat was a darker color.
Chrysalis, Tirek, Cozy Glow and Twilight Sparkle laughed maniacally as the candle light disappeared from the cave



	To Be Continued