//------------------------------// // Part Four- Of Sorrow and Regret // Story: Puella Magi Twilight Magica // by InsanityBerry //------------------------------// Twilight stared in horror at Kyubey. “What? You didn’t really think I would let you fight witches in those shoddy pony bodies, did you?” asked Kyubey. Twilight just stared at this, this CREATURE. It was disturbing how it couldn’t care less that it turned a once normal pony to a zombie! Kyubey sighed. “You ponies don’t understand the perils of combat. By separating your body from your soul, you feel less pain, and don’t have to worry too much about severe wounds. If all your bones are broken, or you bleed out every drop of blood, you can just heal your body with magic!” “I don’t care, you killed us! You practically turned us into zombies.” “I never killed your body, all I did is extract your soul, and put it into a compact vessel,” Said Kyubey, attempting to reason with the distraught pony. “That’s why you carry your Soul Gem around with you.” Twilight ran down several flights of stairs, and found Octavia’s newly formed Soul Gem. After returning it to her, Octavia woke up, confused. “What happened?” Asked Octavia. Twilight was holding back a sob. -------------- A few weeks passed. Under Rainbow Dash’s orders, Twilight refused to kill familiars. Kill witches, get Grief Seeds. It doesn’t matter if anypony dies; I already lost the only person I would die for. After Twilight had obtained her fourth grief seed, she noticed Dash looking weary. “Are you ok, Dash?” Called Twilight. Before Rainbow Dash could answer, Octavia staggered towards Twilight with Kyubey on her shoulder. Octavia’s soul gem pitch black. “You gotta help me! My soul gem is so dark, and I can barely stand!” Screamed Octavia. Twilight, without hesitation cleansed Octavia’s Soul Gem.. Twilight couldn’t help but notice Rainbow Dash glaring at her. “Oh, Thank You, Twilight! I have only fought familiars,” said Octavia. “Why haven’t you fought any witches?” Asked Twilight, looking at the pony she loved. “Because… I’m scared… I usually wait for you to kill them, but I don’t want to, anymore. I want to fight by your side, Twilight!” Twilight looked at her, not sure how to feel. “Kyubey told me that if a Puella Magi died in a barrier, they would always be considered a missing pony. I don’t wanna die, knowing you’d never find out what happened to me!” screamed Octavia, with tears spilling from her eyes. “Of course! First thing tomorrow, we can go on a witch hunt!” cried Twilight. If she could protect Octavia, than she wouldn’t feel as guilty for letting Octavia make a contract. ------ Octavia arrived at Twilight’s house with Kyubey sitting on her shoulder. “You brought that creature?” Asked Twilight, glaring at the catlike, soul-stealing monster lazing around on her lover’s shoulder. “Yes. Kyubey has been quite helpful, even helping me fight and to regenerate my weapons,” Replied Octavia. “Why don’t you like him? It’s not his fault that I’m a Puella Magi.” But it is his fault that we haven’t got souls anymore… After a long, hot, make-out session, Octavia and Twilight went exploring Ponyville, and couldn’t even find one witch! Even eerier, they couldn’t even find a familliar. “Let’s explore the Everfree forest! There might be a witch there!” Exclaimed Octavia gleefully, grabbing Twilight’s hoof. “Wait! You shouldn’t step one hoof out of Ponyville! It’s very dangerous, out there in the forest!” Screamed Twilight. Octavia still charged right into the everfree, as headstrong as a griffon. Twilight stayed right next to Octavia, protecting her as much as she could. But nothing could have saved anypony from what happened next. -- Rainbow Dash was just standing in the middle of the forest. Not moving a muscle, and it sounded like she wasn’t even breathing. Then, a raspy voice, which sounded different to her own, came out of the blue, rainbow-maned mare’s mouth. “I was horrified, when you first became a Puella Magi. I couldn’t understand how a comatose pony could make a contract. I thought it was better than you being dead, and you are a natural at fighting witches; you’re a lot better than me! So at first, I was overjoyed you could hold your own. We still had a chance! In fact, we had a better chance! My heart was filled with grief, yet I knew I could get rid of it when I confessed.” Twilight tried to ask what chance Dash was talking about, but Dash interrupted. “Then, watching you save this prissy, grey, Canterlot mare from falling into a labyrinth of a familiar, and hearing you say you loved her, made my already grief tainted heart fill with envy and hate. Why her? Even after you begging her not to make a contract, she did anyway. And you saved the dopey bitch anyway. Why her. She’s retarded when it comes to witch hunting. She shows no real potential, and can only kill familiars. She’s a fucking prissy bitch, who should have gotten the death she deserved. And yet, you still love her. What does she have that I don’t?” “R-Rainbow Dash! I never knew you-“ “Save it! It’s not that you never knew; it’s the fact you never cared! I’m about to deteriorate, and here I am confessing. Even if I wasn’t about to become a witch, you wouldn’t have given a flying fuck!” A Witch! “Twilight Sparkle, I love you. You still don’t give a flying fuck though, because you only care for Octavia!” Sneered Rainbow Dash in rage. “D-Dash? What’s gotten into you?” Asked Twilight, tearfully. “I love you, Twi. I really do.” A single tear rolled down Rainbow Dash’s cheek, and plopped on her now pitch black Soul Gem. The Soul Gem changed; shattered and turned into a grief seed, leaving Rainbow Dash’s body lying on the ground, and a flashing, rainbow silhouette of the Pegasus pony appeared. Rainbow Dash became a witch!? How can this be possible!? The labyrinth was formed. It appeared to be Cloudsdale; only it was dark, like it had been made of rainclouds. It had brown, autumn leaves spread far and wide; crunching with every step that Octavia and Twilight took. Some runes were seen on a few houses, reading “Irisado”. Rainbows painted the sky, only they were darker, made up of browns, blacks, purples and other dark shades. Kyubey had still been sitting on Octavia’s shoulder. “Kyubey, is it possible that we can save Rainbow Dash? Please tell us the truth! We need to know!” “No. Rainbow Dash is practically dead. She’s a witch now, and an extremely powerful one at that. There is no turning back for her. The only thing you could possibly do for Rainbow Dash now is to put her out of her misery.” Twilight was disgusted. “I-I have to KILL my BEST FRIEND!? W-WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, KYUBEY!?” “She isn’t your friend Rainbow Dash anymore. She’s a psychotic witch named Irisado. She doesn’t think like she used to, she is something completely different.” Responded Kyubey, indifferently. “You- YOU DON’T EVEN CARE!?” “Actually, Twilight, I am quite happy this happened. You see, I made you into a Puella Magi to keep a surplus of usable energy in the universe. Through entropy, energy is gradually lost. The energy formed by the emotions of magical fillies restocks that energy.” “Hold on,” Interrupted Octavia. “Magical fillies? I thought somepony who fought witches was a Puella Magi.” Even though he never moved a paw, Kyubey spoke as if he facehoofed. “You can call a Puella Magi a magical filly, or a mahou pony. Now back on topic, my species can’t create the phenomenon of emotion. Those rare few who can are considered mentally ill. I needed to seek out you ponies to collect the energy released from your emotions, and your eventual transformation into a witch. The energy collected is then used to starve off entropy.” Twilight was confused. “So, you’re saying our emotions prevent the death of the universe?” “Precisely, Twilight!” “It still doesn’t make up for what you did!” Twilight glared at the little white creature on Octavia’s shoulder, refusing to break her gaze. “I bet that you will hate me forever now, Twilight Sparkle.” “You got that right, you little cunt!” “Please stop! We have a job to do, and as unpleasant as it sounds, we have to kill Rainbow Dash… I-I mean Irisado,” Snapped Octavia, glaring at the two of them. “Now shut the fuck up, and change into your costume!” Twilight had never heard Octavia say a single cuss before. She watched in awe as Octavia changed into her magical filly outfit. Her mane was done up in a bun, and her dress resembled sheet music. Her soul gem took the shape of a treble cleft and appeared on the side of her neck. Octavia’s weapon was a bow and a single fuchsia arrow. after a few minutes of walking, the pair confronted Irisado and without warning, Octavia charged toward the rainbow witch screaming “LEEROOOOY JENKIIINS!” -- Octavia generated some more arrows by twirling in a circle, holding her bow. She grabbed three of her arrows and shot them at Irisado. The arrows missed, yet one of the arrows curved around like a boomerang, and hit Irisado in the chest. A spurt of rainbow blood had splashed on Octavia’s face. Octavia fired more arrows, most of which missed the target, but a few had hit Irisado. Octavia then foolishly fired her last arrow. At least it hit Irisado in the stomach. Irisado, taking advantage of her oppitunity, had started flying straight at Octavia. It was a sonic rainboom! Irisado charged at Octavia, The rainbows trailing the witch made up of very dark hues. Octavia had been caught off guard, Without an arrow to defend herself with. Octavia stared at the rainbow witch, knowing it was the end. Irisado seemed to grin as she had made Impact with Octavia. Then, Irisado opened her mouth, revealing huge, bloodstained fangs, as she ripped Octavia’s limbs off, Torturing the grey mare. “Twilight! HELP!” Twilight fired her many machine guns at the rainbow witch she once called friend. The bullets had hit Irisado in the stomach, but after a few seconds, Twilight realised that she’d need a nice, clean, shot to the head. Octavia’s cries were growing softer and fainter. She was dying in such a gruesome way; all of her limbs were bitten off, her right eye had been gouged out and she had several deep cuts on her cutie mark. Irisado plunged her head into Octavia’s chest and Irisado pulled out Octavia’s heart. Irisado began to eat Octavia’s heart, and then, after the witch had finished gruesomely playing with Octavia’s mangled corpse like a doll, the witch finally smashed Octavia’s soul gem. Twilight felt sick to her stomach. Rainbow Dash- no, Irisado was just demented! Twilight screamed, as loud as she could. “IRISADO!” Twilight shot at the witch maniacly, the witch charging at Twilight with it’s extreme speed. Eventually, Twilight had an opening to kill this monster. She shot it in the head, watching it’s brains fly everywhere. “It’s dead. It’s finally dead,” Gasped twilight, before she fell to her knees and sobbed. Twilight Sparkle was now all alone. Her friend and her lover had died on the same day. Twilight opened her eyes. Her sight was obscured by her tears. She could vaguely see Rainbow Dash’s dead body. Not Octavia’s, though. “What happened to Octavia?” Growled Twilight. She knew Kyubey was there, sitting and watching. “You already know the answer, Twilight Sparkle.” She did. Twilight refused to admit it to herself, but she knew. Octavia’s body was now trapped in Irisado’s labyrinth, and Octavia would now forever be considered a missing pony. Twilight picked up Irisado’s grief seed. She didn’t use it to clear her soul gem, but she kept it to hold a memory of her friend, Rainbow Dash. Twilight refused to leave Dash, and eventually, Fluttershy found the purple unicorn weeping over the death of the cerulean Pegasus. -- 'Dear Princess Celestia, Today I learned how it feels to lose a close friend. Rainbow Dash had helped me when I was at my weakest. She protected me from some of the bad things in this world. She had even taught me how to stand my ground. When I remember her, I remember her loyalty, and sense of adventure. I remember when I first met her, she accidentally crashed into me, and sent me into a mud puddle. I will miss Rainbow Dash. I couldn’t imagine Ponyville without her. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.’ Twilight handed the friendship report to Spike, asking him to send the note to Princess Celestia. Twilight then walked up to her room. She started to cry again. “I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash!” Why was it you, and not me?” After what felt like hours of tears, Twilight Sparkle fell into an uneasy sleep. -- Twilight Sparkle was standing in the darkness, all alone. She heard whispers of how worthless, weak and stupid she was. Octavia was standing in the distance, completely void of any colour, and playing a mournful song on her cello. Rainbow Dash was standing in the distance too, only she had blood dripping from her mouth, and covering her hooves. She gazed at Twilight, full of sorrow and regret. And Octavia just focused on her music. Twilight gazed at her now dead friends. Then suddenly, a witch appeared. It stared at Twilight. Its eyes were as black as two abysses, and it appeared to be made out of a book. It was purple, with Twilight’s cutie mark printed on the cover. It had black, razor sharp fangs, and bookmarks with sharp claws as limbs. “W-who are you?” Asked Twilight, worriedly. “I’m Beatrix,” Purred the book witch in its bestial, demonic voice, “Your witch form!”