“Maybe my horn was cut off, so what? I can still beat you up until you beg for me to stop!” Faust grinned. One of her pupils was looking at the bottom left corner, while the other one was looking straight at Lauren. “Do you know why I didn’t eliminate Celestia back when she was a filly? It was because I couldn’t. I couldn’t because she had a great love for you. Now, I can’t eliminate her, because you are here! You have revived that dreadful love she has for you!”
“So, why didn’t you take my life when you dragged me here to Equestria? Wouldn’t that be a lot easier than fooling us around and make Celestia go wild?” Lauren no longer felt the pain on her face. Her mind was only focused on finding the truth.
“That would have been too convenient, right? Sadly, it was thanks to Celestia that I couldn’t do it! I can’t take your life unless I eliminate Celestia! She is the one protecting your soul from being taken from me! I hate it!” Faust struck both her front hooves on the floor. “Because of Celestia, I felt an unbearable pain when she broke my wings. And now… she cut off my precious horn! That good for nothing excuse of a ruler! I despise her!”
“Shut your mouth! Celestia is the most generous, fair, and kind co-ruler of Equestria! Don’t you dare trash talk her like that! You will never be half the mare Celestia is!” Lauren clenched her teeth, ready to launch more attacks at Faust.
“I had her under my unbreakable control! I should’ve been able to exterminate her! But I couldn’t. I couldn’t because of you, disgusting ex-human!” Faust pointed her hoof at Lauren, which caused the latter to groan in anger. “Celestia. That coward is always hiding! She is even hiding from us as we speak!”
“I’ve had enough with you talking trash about me and Celestia! You’re just frustrated because your plan didn’t work! Under no circumstances am I giving my life, in this world or elsewhere, to a complete monster like you!”
“C’mon, Celestia!” Faust shouted, apparently ignoring that last claim Lauren threw at her. “Come on, fat flank! Reveal yourself! Stop hiding like the sewer rat you are! What’s wrong, filly? Are you scared of your momma!?”
Lauren couldn’t stand it anymore. She wasn’t going to let Faust to insult her and Celestia any further. My horn. If I impale her chest… She waited for the moment. Faust was looking around the room, looking for the Princess. Now! Without a second thought, she ran towards Faust, bowing her head to align her horn with the psychotic mare. The distance between them wasn’t long. It was only a matter of seconds.
Faust chortled and jumped away to one side in time to avoid Lauren’s impact. “Fool! Did you forget I can read your thoughts? Pathetic human!” Faust watched as Lauren braked, turning her body to face her. “My turn!” Faust launched herself at Lauren, ready to impact her again with a solid punch to her pretty pony face.
And then, it happened.
“And who are you calling a fat flank, Faust?” Celestia stood in between Lauren and Faust. There was a hoof on her face, but she didn’t show any signs of being bothered by it. Her mane and tail were back to their usual four colors.
Faust growled and jumped back, keeping her distance from Celestia. The two mares looked at each other. “You! How dare you block my attack!?”
“Give it a rest, Faust. It’s over now,” Celestia said.
Lauren looked from behind Celestia. She was relieved she had appeared now. A second punch to her face wouldn’t have been so pleasant, after all. “Princess Celestia!”
“Lauren. It’s time now. We are going to finish Faust right here, right now,” Celestia said, looking directly at Faust.
“Please, Celestia! You’ve been saying that over and over. It’s getting old! Less blah, blah, blah, and more action! Show me what your fat flank can do!” Faust grinned and laughed, her squinted and bloodshot eyes wide open. “I am the creator of Equestria! You can’t defeat me! Not in this life, not in the other one!”
“Lauren. I’ll use a spell to stun Faust, but it will only work for a few seconds. My magic power has run out thanks to that beam struggle I had with her.” Celestia took a step forward. “When my stun spell hits her, you only have one chance to pierce her chest with your horn, understood?”
“Y-yes.” Lauren gulped. It was really going to be over now. It all depend in the success of their strategy. Succeed, and she could return back home. Fail... and she would have her life and husband stolen away from her. “I’m ready.”
“Fools! You will never defeat me! You will succumb against me! Perish, you parasites!” Faust launched herself at Celestia, ready to strike her with a punch right on the face. However, Celestia, along with Lauren disappeared from sight. “Huh!?” Faust quickly looked behind her, but there was nopony to be found. She looked above, but no traces of Celestia or Lauren were there. Finally, she returned her stare at the point where Celestia and Lauren were standing, only to find out that they were back there. “N-no!”
“Yes.” Celestia shot a weak bolt of magic from her horn, which impacted Faust right away. Celestia jumped back, looking as the bolt enveloped Faust in what it seemed like magical chains. Much like the ones that trapped Luna back when she was fighting Celestia. “Now, Lauren!”
“No! Wait! Don’t do it, please!” Faust begged, but the time to beg was over. She squirmed, trying to struggle her way out of the chains, but it was all futile. Her body was dead and unwilling to cooperate. “If you destroy me, you’ll disappear with me!”
“Huh!?” Lauren stared at Faust. She was about to sprint and finish the whole deal, however, Faust’s words stopped her. “What do you mean?”
“You are me, or did you forget that?” Faust shouted, never losing her trademark smirk, ignoring the dire situation caused by her alter ego and her very own daughter. “If you destroy your other half, what will happen? You will destroy yourself! Is that really what you want?”
“Lauren! Don’t listen to her! She is lying!” Celestia exclaimed from behind.
“Do you truly think that I still harbor a smidgen of trust for you, alter ego or no?” Lauren exclaimed “Unlike you, I accept responsibility for my actions and my creations! I am prepared to give my life to save Equestria from a monster such as you!” She was quite surprised at the volume and power behind her own voice, however this wasn't the time to investigate her new species' quirks.
Faust’s smirk disappeared. She tried to struggle again, but it was useless. Celestia's binding spell was far too complex to be broken by brute force. “Idiot! You’re so stubborn!” She clenched her teeth. There was no stopping Lauren now.
Lauren stared at her nemesis, the one who believed that her ends justified any means, the one who was prepared to sacrifice the sanctity of a whole society if not a whole world to achieve her selfish goals. She could not believe that her self-declared alter ego would act like so, but she remember her own indirect actions against Luna and the Elements of Harmony; she had unwittingly trapped her own daughter inside her mind for a thousand years, and unleashed Discord's comical horror, yet here was an opportunity to repent for her own sins and resolve those of another with the same blow, to kill two birds with one stone.
“This is for all the damage you have caused me and everyone here in Equestria!” Lauren drew in a deep breath and shouted “For your heinous crimes against Equestria's royalty, my daughters and myself, I bring your well-deserved penance to you!” Her declaration did not echo from the walls at all, which seemed unusual for such a loud magically-empowered shout. Lauren charged at her own darker half as Twilight had charged at Luna's, and thrust her horn directly into Faust’s chest.
“Y-you! Nooo!” Faust squeaked. Her head and body twitched as red, bloody foam poured out of her mouth. Her pupils were nowhere to be found, leaving only white eyes on display. Her last words left everyone guessing, searching for a trick or feint, a Thanatos gambit befitting the fallen mare; “I… can’t… believe… this!”
As Faust's screams of despair slowly died away, Lauren yanked her head upwards, cleaving her nemesis in half. As the adrenaline rush of the immortal game's gruesome conclusion died away, Lauren remembered Craig. Would my husband think of me as a bloodthirsty monster if he observed this scene, on television or otherwise?
The magical bindings around Faust fade away, allowing an unparalleled view of the hairline cracks slowly spreading all over her body. Within less than a minute, the cracks glow with something akin to a magical aura — the same pearly-white color that Lauren and Faust shared.
What will my new friends think of me now? Twilight and the Princesses would understand, for they witnessed most of the events, they understood my desperation and determination, for they experienced it themselves. Twilight’s friends, however… Fluttershy would probably be too meek to say anything, she would keep her concerns pent up inside. Pinkie Pie could take anything in stride, she was nothing to worry about, other than the inevitable “Thanks-For-Saving-The-World” party. Applejack will probably believe me, and Rainbow Dash will probably look forward to continuing our flight lessons. Rarity is more-or-less a wildcard… but she trusts her friends’ judgment…
Lauren and Celestia looked as Faust’s body lost its natural color. Her coat, mane, tail and every single part of her body became of a golden color. In a matter of seconds, her glittery body started to leak beams of light from inside. The cracks grew bigger, causing the beams of light to do as well. Finally, a bubble of light surrounded Faust, causing her body to vanish like dust. And with that, Faust, the evil mastermind behind Celestia’s actions, the one who attacked Luna, the one who deceived everypony, the one who wanted Lauren’s life was defeated.
Lauren smiled. She was satisfied with what she had seen. It was over now, truly over. She felt reinvigorated, and yet tired at the same time, as if a stream of energy was constantly entering her body only to be used up at a breakneck speed. “I’m so tired...” She walked towards one of the nearest more-or-less intact couch, and fell directly into a deep sleep.
“Rest, my little pony, for there is one last place we should visit before it all ends.”
_____________________________
“…Another dream… and for some reason it’s almost always the same as other nights.” Lauren says to herself waking up from another bizarre dream.
Why do I keep getting these dreams…? Lauren thinks to herself, puzzled. It’s almost as if… No, that’s impossible. I’ve been working too hard. I need to focus on making season 3 for the show.
As Lauren starts her daily routine; getting ready for work, thinking of new ideas for the show, she can’t stop thinking about the dreams that she’s been having. “It all seems so real…” Lauren says to herself holding her head in frustration.
“What seems so real?” a familiar voice asked as he walked in the room. It was Lauren’s husband, Craig.
“Oh, it’s nothing, Craig… just another strange dream.” Lauren said with a sheepish smile.
“Is it the same dream as the other one’s you’ve been telling me about?” Craig asked; Lauren simply nodded. “Lauren, you really need to take a little break from the ponies; maybe long enough so you can cool off, clear your head.”
“Maybe you’re right…” Lauren said about to take a sip from her coffee “I have been working a lot lately.”
…….
This is for all the damage you have caused me and everyone here in Equestria!
For your heinous crimes against Equestria's royalty, my daughters and myself, I bring your well-deserved penance to you!
…….
CRASH!
Craig turned to where the sound came from; it was the cup Lauren was holding. “Lauren, what happened; is something wrong??” Craig asked with a worried tone.
“It… it was my dream.” Lauren said wide-eyed.
“What about your dream…?” Craig asked confused.
“I… I think just had a flashback or, at least I think I did…” Lauren said breathing heavily.
“Lauren… how could you possibly have a flash back with a dream?” Craig asked.
“That’s just it Craig… What if it wasn’t a dream at all? What if…” Lauren paused. “What if it was a memory?”
_____________________________
All eyes met the white alicorn, who kept her trademark smile on her face. Twilight was rather astonished and sort of worked out more than anypony else. Her heart raced fast, as if she had received a bad grade. “L-leave?” she muttered, slowly turning her head to look at Lauren, her mouth twitching.
“Y-you mean that Lauren will finally go back home?” Spike said. He couldn’t help but feel some sort of sadness over the news. It was true that Lauren had to go back, but it was too soon. He didn’t even have time to ask her if she could make Rarity to agree to go on a date with him.
“What? No thanks-for-saving-the-world party? You can’t leave without a party! It would be too boring! I don’t know how long will it be until we see you again! Just give me a second and I’ll bring my party ca—” Pinkie’s mouth was shut, this time by Applejack’s hoof.
“Home?” Lauren felt chills running down her spine. Was she finally able to get back to her home world, and most importantly, Craig? Would she feel the dexterity of her fingers once again? Lie down on her own soft bed and be able to stretch out properly? “Am I finally going to be able to get back home?” Her face beamed.
“L-leave already,? But...” Luna couldn’t believe she had met with her real mother for the first time, and it was the time to say goodbye already.
“N-no,” Twilight whimpered. “No… after all we’ve been through together, thick and thin… you have to go?” She shook her head. “No! Please… I don't want you to go!” she sniffled.
_____________________________
“…That same dream… again…” Twilight said to herself getting up from bed.
“What’s the matter Twilight?” Spike asked stretching his arms.
“Good morning Spike, and… don’t worry about it. I just had another strange dream.” Twilight said walking downstairs.
“Is it the same one as before?” Spike asked with a sort of worried face.
“Well, kind of… I don’t know why but in this dream I was sad about somepony leaving…” Twilight said rubbing her head. “And this pony seems strangely familiar to me, almost as if I’ve met her before.”
“Maybe you should talk to the princess about these dreams; after all, you’ve been getting them a lot haven’t you?” Spike asked.
“No no, I don’t think it’s that serious… after all it’s only a dream.” Twilight said to Spike, but in reality, she was very curious on why she’s been having such dreams. What do these dreams mean…? And who in the hoof is Lauren; and why does the name sound so familiar!? Twilight was thinking to herself in a daze until Spike waved his hand in front of her face.
“Are you feeling ok, Twilight?” Spike asked a little more worried.
“Huh?” Twilight said getting out of her daze. “Y-yeah, I’m fine; just a little daydream.
“Whatever you say, Twilight…” Spike asked about to go downstairs.
…….
“Princess!” Twilight ran to Celestia’s aid. She almost moved by reflex, leaving Lauren all alone and forgetting everything about Faust. Right now, she only cared to check on the Princess.
“T-Twilight! Stop!” Celestia exclaimed, moving from under her sister to get back on her hooves. However, the heavy impact from just moments ago was still holding her down.
Before Twilight could step any closer, Faust appeared in front of her, with her trademark malevolent grin displayed on her face. Twilight gulped, jumping back to avoid contact with the alicorn. She lit her horn, ready to attack at any moment, but Faust was quicker, much quicker than her. The last thing Twilight noticed was a blinding light against her eyes. In just an instant, her world went black.
“Twilight!” Lauren couldn’t do anything but stare at the scene. Twilight was lying on the floor, with a few sparks of magic were running in frenzy all around her body. Celestia, desperate to help her student, struggled from under Luna, still unable to raise herself from the floor.
“Heh, that was rather easy. Element of Magic, yeah, right,” Faust chortled and turned her head to Lauren. “Now, let’s—”
“S-shut up!” a faint voice said.
Everypony rolled their eyes towards the origin of the voice. Faust took a few steps back as the unicorn started to sloppily trying to get back on her hooves. Faust did not expect for Twilight to be conscious after that magic attack. She was sure that bolt of magic would have been enough to take out a puny unicorn like her.
“T-There’s a severe problem w-with you,” Twilight said between gasps. “You just love to underestimate us, don’t you?” She was a bit hurt by the potent shock that ran through her body, but nothing she could not withstand. The shock was nothing compared to the botched magic spells that would fire back at her when she was studying magic with the Princess.
I have to do something! I have to help. Lauren looked around the room, looking for something that could possibly aid her. Luckily, for her, there was something. Something that amazingly had survived the atrocious battle held right in that very same throne room. Aha! The chandelier! It’s just above Faust. If I could only shoot a beam of magic towards the chain, it would squash her!
“I’m impressed, wimp. Not just anypony manages to stand up after a shocking magic spell.” However, that was not Faust’s biggest concern.
Twilight frowned, her legs still shivering because of the shock. She didn’t say anything, instead, she only focused on recovering from that brutal shock.
“Heh, you seem to have a very impressive resistance. No wonder why Celestia chose you as her own protégé.” Faust gave one of her fake smiles. The ones she had been giving all the time before everypony discovered she was the mastermind behind what was going on with Celestia. In just a second, she replaced that fake smile with her wicked grin. “Let’s see if you have resistance for this!”
In less than a second, Faust arched one of her hooves and swung it at Twilight from under her chin. The uppercut connected, causing the unicorn to groan in pain and jump in the air for a brief seconds. Faust swiftly spun her body and thrust her hind legs against Twilight, bucking her as hard as Applejack would buck an apple tree in applebuck season.
“Oof.” That was everything Twilight managed to say.
…….
“Twilight, snap out of it!” Spike yelled as Twilight finally broke out of her daze. “What just happened??”
“…We need to get to Princess Celestia right away…!” Twilight said still wide-eyed.
A/N
That’s right everypony; the start of the sequel to ‘Journey to My Imagination’ is here! This is pretty much a part 1 prologue chapter. Will Twilight and Lauren find out the reasons they have been having these bizarre memories? You’ll have to wait and see!
~~~
Ok aside from that, I would like to give credit for the original story to DeiStar who also gave me permission to write this sequel, so until next time; UnleashedTwilight signing off!