Episode 19:
Twilight Alone Part One
After teleporting away from the cottage, she managed to teleport herself just on the hill overseeing Ponyville before walking away with a downcast expression.
Deep down while walking towards the distance in the direction of the late afternoon sun, she actually wished she could be as kind as Fluttershy along with being as honest as Applejack, but really, she just can’t find it in her heart to laugh about the past like Pinkie Pie. The reality in her mind is that she isn’t ready to face anyone from the Lion and Pony Guard or anyone in the royal family again right now.
“Why?” She thought if anyone asked.
“Because…” She said to herself while eyeing the messy strains of hair in her face. Not even she that even cared about how her mane looks now. “…they’ll never want to forgive me. Not after everything I’ve done.”
She pressed forward with her saddlebag of supplies in tow with the hopes of keeping to her word that she wouldn’t be seen or discovered anymore towards north where she has some work to do as part of atoning for some of her mistakes. Her depressed expression turned into a narrowed one with the mindset on taking down the lion that really kick-started the whole mess to begin with.
Just after Scar who had betrayed Twilight and forcibly had her give up her and Princess Luna and Rarity’s dark magic to him, he became a demonic entity with all of their former dark powers combined with an appearance of half alicorn and half lion. With all of these new powers combined he became more powerful and dangerous than ever leaving the situation of dealing with him more grim and bleak than before.
To Twilight it is now a huge blow with what had just happened because she never saw this coming nor had any knowledge of what Scar was truly planning. Just days ago, Scar told her to launch an attack here in Ponyville. He never told her he was planning on taking over Diamond Valley along with blackmailing and coercing her into giving up all the dark magic she obtained during her time of servitude towards him.
After all of that bonding over common ground they shared together in regards to their roles as leaders of the Guard, being the younger sibling, how their older brother’s hurt them in the past thus sharing the same scar’s together, and how other’s used to look up to them up until they decided to walk down the dark path of vengeance and ambitious conquest of wanting to take down those who hurt them in the past was all down the drain when the lion double crossed her after everything she did for him.
She went along with most of plans, did most of the heavy lifting for him, helped conquer the Pride Lands alongside him, even played peace maker in the petty disputes in his army. But apparently it was never enough to keep him from turning his back on her and unlike before it stung harder than before.
“He could he…?” She wept to herself before teleporting herself out of the group huddle and towards the horizon towards the outskirts of town.
“Twilight…”
“…what are you doing?”
Both Celestia and Kion asked the alicorn still with her head forward.
“It’s okay. I understand.” Twilight couldn’t bear to look at anyone behind her with tears streaming from her eyes.
“Understand what?” Cadance asked.
“That I need to go…away from here.”
“What?! But Twily…” Her brother protested.
“…I’ve already done enough! I’ve become just as bad as Scar and ensured that Equestria is doomed.” She snapped while briefly turning her head back towards him before spreading her wings and turning her head forward. “It’s best that you don’t have me around to further ruin your lives anymore.”
She flew up and away from Ponyville with the intent never to come back despite the calls from behind all trying to get her not to.
“Twilight!”
“Wait! Come back!”
Both Shining Armor and Princess Cadance called after her but it was no use. She made up her mind and dedicated herself to self-exile from Equestria.
The sight of Twilight disappearing in the distance was enough to see a single tear fall from the sun monarch’s face as it brings back memories of Luna’s banishment in a different yet similar way and leaving the rest of the Guard feeling disheartened of seeing her leave so voluntarily.
To them they were just left at a loss for words, to them it wasn’t surprising that Scar would eventually turn his back on her no matter how much hard work she put in knowing that she might turn herself around someday, but it was pretty clear from how hard she took it that she never saw it coming. And truthfully, they didn’t really feel that she really had to leave and isolate herself like the time most of them left her along back at the wedding.
The remorseful alicorn flew away from Equestria for hours beyond the borders through a scorching hot dessert until she finally arrived at a town nearby in front of her. Since she had been flying for so long and endured so much heat along the way she could really use something to eat and drink right about now. When she got there however, she finds one major obstacle in front of her.
A town filled with thugs, bandits, and shady creatures scattered all over the place with pawn shops of caged animals and loose horns all around the area that would unnerve ponies like Rarity and Fluttershy no doubt. In addition, she had no money with her and none of them would be willing to loan her any of it even if she were to ask.
So with the Equestrian ways no use to her in this situation, she had to do what she did back when she the hidden mole for Scar’s army. She had to steal a bag of coins from the nearest thug nearby.
She moved towards a nearby blue fish-like monster carrying a wagon of barrels in tow. With a little use of whatever magic she had left after she was drained of her dark magic she managed to loosen one of the ropes holding them in the wagon so they would fall over.
“Hey, What the…?!”
While he was gathering the barrels, the dark alicorn proceeded to sneak up to him towards the bag of silver coins hanging on the back of his belt and managed to touch a hoof on it…
“Hey!” He turned around and quickly caught onto what she is trying to do. “What are you think you’re doing?!”
With no other options, all she had to say was. “This.”
POW!
The fish is suddenly punched with an upper-cut to the jaw allowing her to obtain his bag of silver. After he recovered from the impact he growled at the alicorn ready to punch her out back in retaliation.
The disheveled pony had accounted for this and charged back, proceeding to slide right under his feet, did a backflip, whipped around to kick him right in the face, causing him to stumble backwards. Before he could move to regain his footing, he found himself being charged at by the lavender pony who charged her head right into his flappy gut which knocked the wind right out of him before falling onto his back and just when he opened his eyes once more…
BAM!
He finds himself knocked out cold by the alicorn with her right forehoof and rear hoof strength combined.
“Phew!” Twilight sighed with her formerly slicked back black mane now messy with some strands of her hair in her face. Not that she cared of how she looked in the slightest before moving forward into town all while glaring at the nearby witnessing bystanders watching in shock and awe of what she just did. With that hard earned money in tow, she moved towards a stand that sold steak-shaped meat along with fruit. “What you got to sell here?” She inquired the owner of the stand still looking on bugged eyed at her.
After purchasing her food and drinks to last her for the next few days she moved forward still not batting a glance at the many creatures exchanging fearful looks right at her due to the scar on her face along with her messy mane and her most recent introduction here in town. Like that even matters to her since they won’t know friendship even if someone slapped them silly with it.
While she was walking ahead, there was one figure amongst the crowd than took a keen interest in her. One that had blue eyes, a violet red mane, a dark purple coat, and black armor, along with a small stub in place of her horn and a similar looking scar right across her right eye. With one look at her appearance, she could tell she was from Equestria and must have just had a recent falling out with those who she had trusted before.
To get her attention she whistled right at her. “Hey! You!”
Twilight froze in her tracks while turning around to face the unicorn looking right at her. “What?” She flatly asked.
“I want to talk to you!”
“About…” She expects more details while keeping her guard up while adopting a defensive stance should she try to attack and capture her.
“…your past life.” She answered while approaching her until they were a few feet apart.
“Why would you want to know about my personal life?” Twilight inquired with a suspicious look. “And why should I trust you?”
The taller mare chuckled in response. “Oh you are such a naïve filly.” She then placed a hoof on her chin. “Consider it payment in exchange for telling you of my past life because from the looks of it…” She eyes the scar on her left eye. “…along with helping you toughen it out so you have the means to survive this world.”
“Hmm…” She thought before speaking of her decision. “…I don’t know.”
“Fair. But if I were you I’d probably consider it especially since it’s clear you don’t have enough supplies to last more than a few days. Surely, there’s someone you know that you really want to get your revenge on. Someone who really hurt you just recently like someone you once greatly trusted.”
The temptation of the unicorn’s words got to her since the stinging pain of Scar’s betrayal is still raw in her mind and nearly had tears come out of her eyes. She quickly shook it off without any influence affecting her. “Actually, there is.”
Tempest smiled knowing she is going to accept her offer to come with her so she can train her into becoming a ruthless fighter strong enough so she can take her revenge against the one who betrayed her.
With her acceptance of her offer, the two mares made their way towards an area where she trains those with the sole desire to improve their skills all while Twilight looks on with sad and betrayed eyes on her face. And to her it wasn’t the first time this has happened.
The first time came from a time where she actually got into friendship, back when she was starting out as a student at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.
Back when she was a unicorn filly, she was bright and cheerful like she was before she got her scar.
She came to class prepared with all of her school supplies and everything. She was ready for this ever since the day she got her cutie mark. She managed to answer every question correctly and in the following months she was acing every class assignment, quiz, and test throughout preschool.
Throughout it all, Twilight was the most happiest in her life, as happy when she discovered the magical wonders of friendship when meeting with the Lion and Pony Guard, especially when her classmates were all really intrigued and awe-inspired by her intelligence. Well…
…all but one particular filly with envy in his eyes. Little did any pony know is that this guy is about to be the catalyst for what’s to come.
Meanwhile back at Ponyville where both Princesses Celestia and Luna work to repair the damage done during their duel with the fallen princess, the others were all settling everyone into home’s since Diamond Valley is occupied by Scar’s army.
Even though it was still a victory in saving Twilight and Rarity from their inner darkness along with everyone else is all safe and unharmed, none of them were celebrating due to the fact that Diamond Valley is now under Scar’s control along with the fact that Twilight is so distraught from being double-crossed that she ended up running away into self-exile in shame. She was once more feeling alone like before.
“Oh…” Fluttershy was the first to comment after helping settle her share of Pride Landers into Ponyville which include the galogos and hydraxes. “…Poor Twilight.” By then the others had just finished up for the night. “…all alone and lost all the way out to who knows where.”
“I know.” Kion agreed just after handling Ma Tembo and her herd find a nice open area just outside of Ponyville for them to reside for the time being.
“It’s like one of the worst parties I’ve ever thrown.” Pinkie cried with her mane now deflated and straight with the orange earth pony wrapping a hoof around her neck to help comfort her. “And that’s not before finding out it was the day of my birthday!”
Applejack sighed before speaking up. “I ain’t gonna lie, but I actually feel sorry for her.”
“How so?” Rainbow asked still harboring resentment towards the alicorn for her betrayal. “After everything she did right from the start?! She had it coming big time!”
“Rainbow Dash!” Beshte scolded. “How could you say that?!”
“Uh, hello…” Rainbow sarcastically remarked. “…were you not there when she revealed her true colors back in the Outlands and later back when we crossed paths with her at the old abandoned castle?!”
“Yes, Rainbow…we were all there!” Fuli assertively stated. “And I think you need to start choosing your words more carefully because there’s more to this story that meets the eye!”
Rainbow Dash was now left baffled in response. “What?! Fuli! Who’s side are you on?!”
“The right side.” She replied still standing her ground when she dared to get face to face with her. “And if I were you I won’t go there.” She warned.
“Enough!” Kion stated while separating the two before they could fight again. “Now isn’t the time to be fighting with each other! Now we need to figure out how we can find Twilight!”
“But how?” Ono inquired. “We have no idea where she’s gone…” Then realizes upon everyone giving him the look. “…I’ll be right back once I scan every inch of Equestria.”
Ono proceeded to fly off ahead to do so and even after he did the talks still resumed about the one pony they still want to treat as a friend.
“Anyways…” Rainbow resumed her argument. “…I really don’t see why we should bother?! That’s her problem! She chose to be alone!”
“Yes she did!” Kion acknowledged. “We know she’s been against us ever since the wedding, she was trying to kill us, and she was even willing to conspire against us, but that doesn’t mean we should continue treating her like a criminal.”
“Oh, really…” The hot-headed Pegasus refused to think that way. “…and why should we?”
“Do you really want to know why?” The white stallion asked while approaching the group alongside his wife leaving the Pegasus frightened.
“Shining Armor…!” Rainbow frantically tried to explain when he was giving her the stern look. “…I was just…”
“…hearing you mouth off my sister who needs help!” Rainbow was left stunned into utter silence upon seeing the unicorn’s harden glare finding any insulting remarks and threats to his family greatly unappreciated. “And you might want to listen if you want to understand why she really needs it.”
All Rainbow could do was float back down on the ground dropping her bottom down in submitted shame after emitting a small gulp in response.
“So what did happen that led to Twilight having such a rather…uh…” Bunga asked before hesitating to find the right words to say it.
“Cold, distant, and quite a loner who doesn’t want to have anything to do with friendship.” Applejack bluntly finished.
“I was going to say skewed approach towards friendship but okay.”
“Anyways…” Cadance continued taking no offense to that brutal display of honestly describing it. “…I know Twilight isn’t the best pony to be willing to welcome a friend in open arms. But truthfully, she wasn’t always like that. Aside from me, Shining Armor, Celestia, Spike, and her parents, she’s been known to get along with most of the ponies back in Canterlot and there actually was a time where she actually valued friendship.”
“Really?”
“No way!”
Both Kion and Bunga reacted with the latter being very surprised and intrigued.
“…but that was before…”
“Before what?” Beshte asked.
“Before magic kindergarten!” Shining Armor finished.
“Magic Kindergarten?!” Kion asked to make sure it was really that case.
“I’m afraid so, Kion.” Shining Armor sighed. “And truthfully thinking back on it, it’s not a time I’d like to remember for her sake.”
“Why is that?”
“Was it because of mean bullies?”
Both Fuli and Fluttershy asked curious to where he is going with this.
“Well…” He began before recalling back to when he was still living with his little sister during her first days during school as Celestia’s protégé. “It wasn’t like that at first, back when she was starting off as Celestia’s student she was the talk of the school after her explosive acing of her entrance exam.” He recalled seeing her exit the school building while bonding with some of the students there. “Outside of her family, they were the first friends she ever had in her life...”
At the same time, Twilight is explaining her story to the unicorn she just met at an open field over a sparring session.
“So…you got enrolled in Princess Celestia’s School of Magic after one of your fellow ponies created this “Sonic Rainboom”?” The taller mare asked while managing to catch every one of her attempted strikes.
“Yep. As brash and cocky as she can be I really do owe her otherwise I would never have gotten in.”
“Lucky you.” The unicorn dryly replied in a deadpan manner feeling slight jealousy for her.
“Yeah…well…” Twilight shrugged before continuing to try to land a punch on her sparring partner. “…anyways, my first year was great. It was basically something that every achieving pony could ever hope to achieve…”
“But…” She raised an eyebrow while catching her latest punch before pushing her backwards a little.
“My second year there was where my view on friendship really got soured. Back when I was starting out in magic kindergarten…” She began thinking back to the day she met the pony that started it all.
A filly with a magenta pink coat and a matching mane and tail with white streaks and underbelly, and brown eyes who looks on with a friendly smile yet deep down looks on with hidden envy for the talented filly.
“When I first started kindergarten, I treated it like the previous year, so when I met this filly Fanso, it was no stranger to me making new friends…” She recalled the day she met him. “…after we talked and bonded over our expertise in magic we became best friends to the point he was my lab partner. Only little did I know until later on is that he was playing me just so he could win my trust and set me up for the first worst experience of my life.” When she said that last part she managed to deliver a punch so hard she managed to force the unicorn back several feet backwards. “Oops. Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” The unicorn shrugged it off with a proud smile before reapporaching the alicorn to resume their sparring session. “That was impressive. About time you started landing some hits, especially the ones that hurt your enemy’s right in the core. You’ll need that when you take down the guy that ruined your life.”
“Oh, he’s not the only one.” Twilight assured with a vengeful grunt with each punch she throws at her sparring partner. “I have another enemy I’m after. One that personally gave me the scar on my face.”
“Really?!” The mare was now intrigued to hear this new enemy in light. “Do tell.”
Twilight moved to increase the intensity of her punches as she begins to tell the story.
But before she did the scarred unicorn had this to ask the scarred alicorn while blocking each other’s punches. “And before I let you start, I never did catch your name.”
“Twilight Sparkle. And yours?”
“Tempest Shadow.”
Elsewhere, Shining Armor is taking a turn in recalling the terrible experience Twilight went through to the rest of the Lion and Pony Guard.
“After Twilight had made friends with this pony Fancso, the two were spending time like best friends who had a special connection together, B.B.F.’s (Best Friends Forever). Only until the day she came home in tears did I find out it was all run a massive lie to set her up to be humiliated big time.”
Shining shook his head in dismay while remembering her coming home that day covered in paint, glitter, with a stuffed donkey toy attached to her sobbing her heart out as she retreats to the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Back then he was completely dumbstruck since knowing she would expecting his little sister to be galloping with glee over another aced test and seeing this had him left unable to process what had just happened.
“Shining Armor! What’s going on?! Did I just hear your sister come home crying?!” His mother asked having heard the commotion from upstairs.
“Yes…but whatever happened I really don’t know! Honest!” Shining Armor stuttered to assure he didn’t go too far with some his previous competitiveness with his little sister. “She just came bursting through the door crying covered in paint, glitter, and I believe a stuffed animal attached to her.”
“WHAT?!” She screamed before rushing over inside after the paint trail her daughter left behind to attend to her to find more of what happened that led to her appearing like this. “Twilight!” She gasped upon seeing her in such a state of humiliation just when the white unicorn rushes into the room. “Are you okay?! What happened to you?!”
“I don’t know!” She cried while sitting down on the ground still traumatized.
The mother was quick to stroke her messy mane while moving to get the bath tub filled with warm water and soap. “Shh, shh. It’s okay, you can talk it over while I get you cleaned up.” She wasted no time in placing her inside the tub before fetching a sponge and towels in order to scrub the paint and glitter off of her by tossing the donkey stuffed animal to the side.
Shining Armor took notice of the donkey and looked it very closely with curiosity of where it came from before frowning at it since it is such an insult to ponies.
“Feeling better now?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Poor Twilight still couldn’t stop crying.
“Don’t worry, once we’re done you’ll be looking as clean and shiny as your brother.” She assured while gesturing to the stallion’s white coat who likewise blushed and looked aside in response.
“Mom.” He whined before pressing forward with the main issue. “So what exactly happened that led you to be pranked like this Twilight?”
“Well…” She hesitated with tears still threatening to come out of her now red eyes. “…it all started just after class…” She thought back to that moment when the school bell rang and class with was dismissed.
She was as cheerful as always with another 100% on her test mark on her graded paper.
“We did!” She exclaimed to her friend who likewise shared the same mark on his paper too.
“We sure did!” The strawberry-colored unicorn stated in agreement with a big friendly smile. “And I owe it to do you for helping me every step of the way.”
“Oh, stop it.” She giggled. “After all you did learn from the best.”
“I sure did.” He chuckled. “And before I forget I have a special surprise for you at your party.”
“Really?”
He nodded before replying. “Yep, meet you there! I just have to get everything ready for you.”
“What kind of surprise?” She eagerly asked wondering what he has in store for her.
He slyly smiled before turning away. “Let’s just say it’s something you’ll never forget.”
“Ooh.” Twilight said before heading out while making sure she is ready for whatever gift he has for her to show his gratitude for helping him study and prepare for this test.
What she didn’t know behind her back was the pony’s friendly smile warping into a more devious smile with the intent of humiliating in a way she never would have seen it coming.
Just inside of the classrooms where she was expecting a party to celebrate their academic success with cake, balloons, and book-filled gifts like she was told. And it was, when all of the students from class have been gathered all cheering for her. It was there Fanso, had arrived to give his congratulations speech on her behalf.
“Here she is everyone, Princess Celestia’s star student herself…” He presented to everyone with the spotlight shined on her leaving the humble filly waving in response to praise she was getting near and far. “Now I gotta admit, originally I thought you were a know-it-all striving for perfection…” Twilight rolled her eyes in response feeling he is jokingly jabbing her in a teasing manner. “…but boy was I wrong. Let’s hear it for Twilight…”
Suddenly without warning, the purple unicorn is splattered with pink paint courtesy of a purple pony with a darker purple mane and tail sneaking up behind her.
“What?” Twilight was not understanding what was happening even when the magenta colored pony was still smiling with sadistic delight.
“…The most adorable and gullible filly in school.” Fanso finished just when two more ponies, one with a green coat and a yellow mane with green streaks and the other had a blue coat with a dark red mane and tail, both dumped confetti and flowers onto her leading to half of the audience laughing in response to what they are seeing.
“Release the stuffed animals!” Fanso ordered of the brown coated pony to pull on the rope, connected to a net full of stuffed animals before pulling out a camera to take a picture of her.
Twilight was left stunned and in shock at the many ponies laughed at her for taking the bait. She clearly did not see it coming and had no way of knowing that he was setting her up for a trap.
“Fanco? Why?!” She cried of him unable to comprehend why he is doing this to her and what she did to deserve this.
“Oh Twilight, do lighten up.” Fanco callously dismissed her while tossing a slice of cake right in her face. “It’s just a prank, you should learn to laugh at yourself every now and then.”
“But how is this funny?!” She cried with tears falling from her eyes. “Why are you doing this to me?!”
“Because…” He simply snaps a photo of her and slaps her right in the face with it a few times. “…I don’t need your friendship anymore to get what I want. Now that I also have aced this test I am now the best magical prodigy that Princess Celestia will now be looking up towards.”
Twilight could not believe what he is saying right to her face. Everything they went through in the last six months was a lie?
“So all of this was a lie?”
“Well…yeah…” He said with no remorse. “…guess I should have told you that before huh?” He scornfully mocked and laughed in her face once more. “Guess you got a long ways to go before someday becoming the Princess of Friendship since you have no friends here.”
Feeling humiliated and losing control of her emotions her horn lit up with a pink glow before blasting the pony who humiliated and deceived her right into the table of party refreshments where he landed face first inside the cake that spelled “Congratulations, Twilight. Top student in class.” She then furiously glared at the ponies who participated at the prank along with those who laughed at her who likewise all recoiled in fear before ensnaring the prank participates with her magic. She encircled them with her magic before tossing them aside into the tables where all of the remaining goodies and presents were placed.
Unable to look at any pony right now she stormed out of the room feeling severely hurt with her faith in friendship shattered like glass from a window.
“Hevi Kabisa.” Kion uttered after taking this all in. “I can’t believe they did that to her.”
“The confetti and paint job covered with stuffed animals.” Rainbow chimed in being no stranger to pranks, even the cruel ones with appalled shock that this particular pony actually did that to her. “Here I’ve done my fair share of pranks, but never went as far as relentlessly traumatizing and tormenting anypony.”
“That’s right.” Shining nodded.
“Oh, my.” Fluttershy gasped feeling the same stings of pain from what she endured. “That’s awful!”
“It was.” Cadance sighed heavily while recalling when Shining Armor told her of what the class did to the poor filly before moving to see her up in her room. The poor filly was crying her heart out after what happened. Thankfully, she was joined by her favorite foalsitter who sat up by her bed to offer her wing to cry into to which she quickly accepted by burying her face into her left fore arm.“That after just when she helped pass a test that allowed him to move on to 1st grade. What was supposed to be one of the greatest days of her life was instead a horrible day when they were so cruel to her.”
“Ugh.” Fuli narrowed her eyebrows in disgust with what she is hearing. “That is crossing a line.”
“No kidding.” Applejack agreed. “The nerve of that no good double-crosser varmint hurting poor Twilight the way he did.”
“Believe me when I tell you that it was something that no pony should ever have to experience.” Shining shared while recalling the aftermath of that incident. “The following day after what happened to Twilight, Princess Celestia would get word of what Fanco did to her. Back then, he expected to be recognized for his magical talents and to be her new protégé. But of course, she refused to associate with him for what he did to her and instead punished her for his actions deeming by deceiving and playing with her emotions, a disgrace to her school and friendship. As punishment, he was expelled from her school and those who participated in his prank were given detention for the next month.”
“Serves them right!” Rainbow furiously exclaimed. “Did you ever come across him and punch him out because I would have loved to see it?!”
“Yes and no.” He replied while remembering that day. “I did confront him and tell him off for hurting her but that’s all I did before leaving.”
Rainbow was disappointed and groaned. “Why?!”
“Even if he deserved it, I was a cadet in training at the time. Officers and higher ups whether they like it or not and held to a higher standard and that was I had to do because if I attacked him then I would have been dishonorably discharged from the Royal Guard.” Before Rainbow could get another protesting word in. “And if I were you, I’d take it heart should you want to keep your dream of becoming a Wonderbolt because once that black mark is placed on your permanent record there’s no removing it.” Rainbow had nothing else to say with that said.
“So that’s why she took what happened at the wedding rehearsal so personally…” Beshte said in realization. “…because it recreated that bad memory all over again.”
“I’m afraid so.“ Shining said upon thinking back to that fateful day she got her scar. “And by doing what I did back then I ended up reopening that wound for her because after what happened I promised I would always be there for her and listen to her to when she needs it but back then I did not uphold that promise.”
“And judging from the looks of it, I’m not sure when she might be back for you to hear you say that...” Bunga shared while looking on towards the nighttime sky. “…because it looks like she’s not coming back anytime soon.”
“Then we’ll have to find her.” Kion declared.
“But Kion…” Fuli pointed out. “…we have no idea where she’s gone.”
“Well wherever she went…” Ono said while flying back over. “…it’s not here in Equestria.”
“Huh?!”
“What?!”
They both exclaimed upon hearing this.
“I just scanned the entire kingdom.” He explained to further confirm it. “Twilight’s no longer anywhere here.”
“Great.” The white unicorn cringed with guilt. “Now she’s long gone just when after we got her back.”
“It’s not entirely your fault.” His wife lovingly assured with a hoof on the back of his shoulder. “Don’t forget that Scar has been convincing her to turn against us ever since the day we met him.”
“I know but what are the odds that she still would have done it had she not had her mind messed with?” He asked with his voice filled with doubt feeling that any reasonably forgiving pony would instantly forgive the other for what happened back then.
“Well…” Bunga started to answer before coming out with a good argument. “…considering how deep she was hurt when you walked out on her…” He hesitated to continue before admitting while scratching the back of his head. “…not likely.”
“Nice response. And smooth.” Fuli sarcastically remarked to which the honey badger had no response back for her.
“Shining Armor…” Kion approached the alicorn’s brother with a determined tone. “We can fix this.”
“How?!” He asked. “She just flew away and out of Equestria just a few hours ago and we have no idea where she’s gone!”
“Then we’ll just have to go out there and find her!”
“No!” Luna’s voice assertively stated against the idea while appearing and landing in the center of the group circle. “It’s too dangerous for you all to go after her!”
“But why?!” Rainbow asked expecting a good reason.
“Yeah, what she said!” Bunga stated while pointing towards the cyan colored Pegasus.
“Because Bunga and Rainbow Dash, even though it’s important to find Twilight, we also we need to hold on to Equestria since Scar will be coming for it.” Luna explained. “Even though he has conquered the Pride Lands, he won’t stop until he’s ensured that he is cemented his very reign he holds on the kingdom and if we were to leave now then we’ll leave Equestria defenseless for him to takeover.”
“But how will we find Twilight?” Fluttershy asked hopeful that there’s still a way to get her back.
“I will take care of that.” She vowed. “And truthfully, I think it is for the best that she is the first pony she sees since I know exactly what it’s like to be walking along with regret.”
“Like when you were Nightmare Moon?” Kion figured.
“Yes.” She nodded before turning to the direction where Twilight was last seen flying away in the distance towards the moon. “Thanks to her I’ve been able to rekindle the love and admiration of every pony here in Equestria. Now I can do the same for her in return.”
“Can I come too?” Kyoga asked the dark blue alicorn. “Because I too know what it’s like to be all alone with no friends to help her feel better, well…” She quickly added. “…minus turning evil and helping the lion who caused my pain and suffering only to be backstabbed.”
“Hmmm….” She pondered for a second before deciding. “…I suppose I can let one friend accompany me since you and Twilight share some similarities together.”
The night princess stretched out her back and spread out her wings to allow the lioness to climb aboard. “I promise you all, I will bring her back so you may all rekindle your friendship with the fallen alicorn who is nearly fallen in my evil counterpart’s hoofsteps along with the evil lion that has betrayed her trust!” She vowed before flying off ahead while the others wave after them to wish them luck.
“Goodbye!”
“See ya!”
“Come back soon!”
“Hope you find her!”
“Take care now you here!”
Fluttershy, Bunga, Beshte, Fuli, Applejack all called after them.
“DON’T FORGET TO WRITE!” Pinkie shouted off the top of her lungs so hard her thundering voice boomed a worldwide shake that shook both universes together. A shake that once again woke Scar from his evening slumber again.
“Ugh!” Scar growled before marching out of Pride Rock before raising an open paw so he can send a electrical burst of magic right after her from the portal standing before the kingdom’s landmark.
“YEOW!” She screamed before hightailing it away from the group.
“I swear! If I wanted screaming so bad I should have went back in time to deal with my father.” He grumbled before walking back inside so he can resume resting inside the cave. “That is of course when I’m not a good mood to deal with him.”
“Be safe.” Both Shining and Kion both quietly wished of both Luna and Kyoga very hopeful they can find and make things right with the alicorn in need of a more stable mental balance.
But true to their concerns, said alicorn is in need of the right encouragement since she is currently hard at work in her training with Tempest Shadow. She’s doing it in mentally preparing herself to fight back against the very lion who betrayed her with a much deeper and personal vengeance than with the pony who backstabbed her all those years ago. During which does Tempest gets done finishing telling Twilight of her backstory of how she got her scar and why she has joined an opposing army.
“So you actually confronted an Ursa Major when you were young?” The alicorn asked while she running, punching and kicking down every guard that comes their way, alongside the unicorn in a training exercise that involves taking the down the approaching guards approaching them with a light blue satyr symbol encarved on the pedestal on the other side of the beach. All of the furry creatures wear all wearing black magic proof armor so using magic would do either one of them any good of they tried.
“I did.” She stated while knocking four guards with all four hooves at the exact same time. “Broke my horn and left me with the scar you’re looking at right now. All because I trusted the wrong ponies in life.”
“Wow. Sorry to hear that.” Twilight said to her while performing the same feat her trainer just performed. Even though she personally felt there was a little more to it than she was told feeling that Tempest’s friends back then weren’t as self-serving as she portrayed them. But even still since she is providing her the training she needs in order to take down Scar and she was not about to risk tossing it all away by getting in too deep about her past.
“Sad as it is, it’s bound to happen when it takes something like that to open up my eyes to see the truth.” She replied just when they cleared the last guards standing their way in perfect sync with the two closing out their performance with a front and back flip up to the pedestal facing each other in with the exact same posture and position as each other. “Looks like I’m not only the only one.” The two stand face to face with each other still in perfect sync. “Face it princess, friendship has failed you too.” She then runs off back to the other side of the beach. “Let’s do it again!”
Before following after her, Twilight’s serious expression soften when she thought of something she said.
While in regards to both her former childhood friend along with the evil lion that manipulated her, it is correct, deep down, Twilight truthfully feels that wasn’t the case as evidenced by the secret forlorn expression she had when Tempest’s back was turned she feels that wasn’t the case in regards to her Lion and Pony Guard friends as well as her family including the lion king, queen, along with the alicorn princesses.
It was the painful moment she realized of how awful she truly was in the way she treated them from every insult she threw at them, to every threat she made, along with going against every element she originally stood for. While she did have sympathetic reasons given her past, she ended up taking things too far when she descended down the dark path both Tempest and Scar took.
Upon briefly looking at herself at the nearby wave of water from the beach, she didn’t see her own reflection or Tempest’s. Instead, she saw Scar’s reflection (his lion form) in place of her own. In reality, when she saw the vision in her reflection, she came to see him as a lion with many similarities yet had a terrible feeling in her gut when she strayed away from it to take a look at herself in the water with an equally terrible look from all of the bruises all over her body along with her disheveled black mane and the identical scar on her left eye.
The most painful part about it she thought in her head is how they truthfully look and acted alike together when put together. Not only did she end up going through something similar to what Scar experienced back then, but she is also treating and hurting the ones who truly opened up her heart to friendship by turning her back on them with her previously mad vendetta against them.
“Friendship didn’t fail me, I failed friendship.” She quietly said to herself upon gazing at both hers and Scar's faces in the water.
“Twilight!” Tempest’s voice called out to her from a good hundred yards away upon noticing she is really lagging behind.
“Coming!” She shouted immediately while readopting her serious and stoic expression before splashing Scar’s reflection away and running off after her to catch up with her so she can resume focusing on seeking revenge on her new target along with reclaiming the Pride Lands to the one true king and from the looks of it, she won’t stop until she brings Scar down and makes him pay for everything he’s done to her and everyone around them.