Twilight was seated in a courtroom, observing the spectacle unfolding before her. The seconds inched by with slow deliberation. Every pair of eyes was centered at the front of the room. There, a stallion with a grey coat and black mane was standing, ready to receive his verdict. A mare next to Twilight, another member of the jury, was standing, reading the charges.
“In this, the case of the state of Equestria versus—“
Twilight’s attention was lapsing in and out from the mare's voice. Her attention now focused on the grey stallion. He was silently listening to the charges, with a tranquil expression on his face. Princess Celestia loomed above him in the Judge’s seat, wearing a stern expression. The attendants of the case stared daggers at the grey stallion. The trial was just now drawing to a close, but it had been over before it began. Everypony knew this and nopony had to ask what the result might be. Twilight listened in once more. The mare was reaching the verdict.
“–of the above entitled charges, we the jury find the defendant guilty on all counts.”
And there it is—Guilty. The charges? Unspeakable. Chance for repentance? Never. The punishment would be swift and merciless. But now he was speaking. A final plea for mercy, no doubt, thought Twilight.
“Princess Celestia, I wish to address the attendants, will you allow it?” the grey pony said. He looked as tranquil as before. It seemed that the verdict had had no effect on him at all.
“Yes, I will allow it," Princess Celestia said. The gesture was far from merciful, more out of a sense for amusement than anything. "But know that there is dignity in accepting your fate. If you wish only to grovel, I will put an end to this.” She wore the same stern expression.
The grey pony nodded and continued on. “Friends, I know how you perceive me. But I ask of you but one thing: please inform my family of my fate." He spoke carefully, yet remarkably unburdened for somepony so condemned.
“As a foreigner to this place, I have few opportunities to contact them and I do not want them to think that I have dishonoured the family by leaving them behind.” The calm vanished from his voice upon the mentioning of his family. He quavered and nearly broke down in tears. After taking a moment to compose himself, he continued. “Outside of that, I ask you nothing. I accept my fate and I realize that all that can be said has been said.”
Twilight noticed that Princess Celestia had a satisfied look on her face after hearing this. Princess Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the voice of the grey pony, seeming to have regained some strength.
“However, as much as I know these to be facts, I know also that there is but one truth in the world. That truth is that I am innocent, and I will die with that fact in my heart. I am just—“
“I have heard enough of this," the princess interrupted. "I will not be made to look like a fool in my own courtroom. A decision has been made; we have no use for lies.”
Twilight had seen enough. She suddenly felt quite sick to her stomach. The trial was over. There was no point in staying any longer. She got up to leave as the guards led the defendant off. As she walked out of the courtroom, not a single glance met her eyes. Their stares were all still fixed forwards, somehow looking even more malicious than before. The verdict had been all the proof they needed. The scene vanished as the courtroom dissolved around her.
The jury had been unanimous in its verdict. Everypony thought he was guilty, even me. But how can one truly be sure? The more I looked into it, the less certain things seemed to become. As we delved into the details, the truth only seemed to be getting farther and farther away from us...
Twilight approached a familiar sight. The library. As she opened the door and walked in, she saw Princess Celestia putting a book back on the shelf.
What is she doing here? Twilight thought.
“Oh hello, Twilight," the Princess chimed in, amicably. "I just was stopping make sure you are alright. You looked a bit downtrodden after the trial. I know it can be a draining experience.”
“Thank you for your concern, Princess,” Twilight responded. “But, I am just a little worried... The defendant seemed so remorseless... And he didn’t think twice before denying his guilt, in spite of what everypony seemed to think of him...”
Twilight lost her train of thought. The princess was watching her closely, waiting for her to finish. Yet there seemed to be something menacing about that look. It seemed as if she was looking down at Twilight just as she had looked down at the grey pony a few minutes ago. Twilight suddenly felt self-conscious about her ramblings.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is... How can you be sure that you made the right decision?”
“Twilight, you just have to get a feel for these things. There’s no point in doubting yourself all the time." The princess laughed and put her hoof up to Twilight’s cheek. The gesture seemed positively grating to Twilight after her sincere apprehensions a moment ago. "Come on. It’s over now. Stewing over it doesn’t help anypony. Let’s just put it all behind us, ok?”
I can hardly disagree with her...
“Yes, princess,” Twilight responded, her face exhibiting slightly her disappointment in this belittling answer.
“So, while I am here, have you learned anything new this week?” the princess enquired.
“I... um... I am not really sure, princess.” Twilight was a bit caught off guard by the question.
The princess looked a little disappointed. “I see,” she responded simply.
“You know, Twilight,” she began slowly, “I am very proud of what you have managed to accomplish. You have become one of my most prized students...However, I always thought you were... special—that you were destined for greater things.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you, princess,” Twilight responded.
“Yes, I know that, my dear,” the princess said and smiled. “And I know that, when the time comes, you will make the right decisions. You are a very smart mare, after all.”
“Thank you, princess.” Twilight tried unsuccessfully to force a smile. The princess didn’t seem to notice. Her mind was already in other places.
“I'm sorry, but I must go now. I look forward to hearing from you soon.”
“Yes, thank you for the visit,” Twilight responded.
She bowed to Princess Celestia, who then took her leave. She went out the front door, spreading her large wings and lifting off in a single powerful gust of wind. On that cue, a book fell from the shelf. Twilight inspected the book a little closer. It didn’t look like one she knew.
This must have been what the princess was reading... What an interesting symbol on the cover! I wonder what it is about...
Before she could get any further she heard a scream coming from outside. She dropped the book and raced out the door. She recoiled from the blow of what had met her eyes outside. Ponyville was burning. Meteors rained from the sky. Some buildings fell and others stayed standing, forming ominous fiery totems. Ponies were running this way and that, sometimes changing direction and coming back, inevitably finding their escape routes blocked by some impassable blockade of flaming debris.
Twilight ran outside, into the fray. Her only thought was to save as many as she could. Applejack had an underground cellar. That would be the safest place. She had to lead them that way.
“Everypony! Follow me! I know a safe place!” she shouted.
The commotion continued.
“We need to get to Applejack’s cellar!”
No luck once again.
“Everypony! Listen to me! Please!”
Her protests were met only with more shrieks of terror, now seeming to be of increased vigour. Frustrated, she looked towards the sky.
“Princess! Where are you?!” she pleaded.
Just then she heard a familiar-sounding cry.
“Somepony help me!”
She looked over and saw Pinkie Pie trapped under some debris from a collapsed building. She also spotted Rainbow Dash, who was rushing to the cry for help. Twilight was distraught by the scene, but happy to see that Rainbow Dash was ok. Together, they would be able to organize a relief effort, she thought. It was then that she saw it. A meteor was heading straight for the two.
“Rainbow Dash! You gotta run! Get out of there!” Twilight shouted as loud as she could.
Rainbow Dash didn’t run, but stayed and tried to free Pinkie Pie. As Rainbow Dash struggled, Twilight broke out in a gallop towards the two. Another glance towards the sky informed her that this effort would be in vain. It was moving too fast. As a last resort, Twilight tried to grasp onto the meteor telekinetically, but even with her abilities, the meteor had far too much momentum. It slipped through her grasp and plunged down directly on top of the two. It buried itself deep in the earth and sent up a cloud of dust and debris, blocking them from view.
“NO!” Twilight cried, collapsing to the ground. All hope seemed to be drained out of her in a single blow. She lay there and sobbed quietly as the chaos continued around her.
“no no no no no...”
And then, there was a new sensation—a hand on her back and a familiar voice.
“Twilight?”
Spike.
“Twilight... are you ok?”
The apocalyptic scene vanished into darkness. She realized her eyes were closed. She opened them and saw Spike looking at her with concerned eyes.
A dream. Just a dream.
Relief flooded into her. Spike didn’t seem to share the feeling, though. He was still looking at her with the same concerned expression.
“You were talking in your sleep.”
“Yes, I figured as much,” Twilight responded, now feeling rather exhausted.
This didn’t help relax Spike one bit.
“Oh Spike! Don’t worry! It was just a little bad dream, nothing to get so worried about. Remember what Pinkie always says.”
“But the things you were saying... it sounded like you thought the world was ending...”
Twilight was getting a little frustrated now.
“Spike, there’s no truth to be found in dreams. Whatever my brain chooses to amuse itself with while I’m sleeping is of no concern to anyone but me! Now stop this nonsense.”
“If you say so...”
Twilight chose to start her day, even though she was feeling like she could sleep a little more, she didn’t want to disturb Spike, who still didn’t seem very happy with the matter. As she went through her morning routine, the dream stuck clearly in her mind.
I hadn’t been able to save them.
The thought clawed at her, subconsciously. She didn’t normally put any weight in such things, but she had once read that there were seers in the past who were said to have predicted parts of the future through dreams.
It could happen. How can I be sure that I am ready? Regardless of the likelihood, I should be ready. I need to be ready. Who else will?
Twilight thought back to when she had confronted Nightmare Moon and Discord. She thought of the split second decisions which had made so much difference for the fate of Equestria.
Both of those times, Celestia was conspicuously absent. If I had not been there at the opportune time, Discord or Nightmare Moon could have taken Ponyville—or even all of Equestria—completely uninhibited. I need to be honest with myself. The first few times, I have gotten lucky. I can’t stumble through the future relying on such dumb luck.
These people rely on me. They might not admit it to themselves and maybe I haven’t fully admitted it to myself either, but in some way they do. As a student of magic, I need to be there when the need arises for self-defence.
Twilight paced the room. The dangers in her mind felt very real and very immediate. Her mind was a tumultuous ocean. This dream had stirred up everything, but she didn’t know how to proceed. She felt on the verge of an epiphany, but did not know what to do about it. Then another detail came back to her.
The book! If this really is some sort of vision, maybe it’s in my library! I should check it out immediately!
She nearly raced off to tear every book from her shelf, but in a moment of self-control, she realized that Spike was still home. She did not want to give him any reason to worry. He seemed more distressed by the morning’s events than she did. So, not wanting to disturb him, she busied herself somewhat anxiously with some chores. The minutes crept by. When the mundane tasks failed to hold her attention, she would shoot a glance at the clock. The obstinate clock would, of course, hardly have moved since the last look. The exercise only caused her to grow more and more impatient. After what seemed like an eternity, Spike left to go out to the market.
Twilight pulled off every book from the shelf at least twice before finally giving up the search. All had lacked the distinctive cover. She climbed upstairs and collapsed on her bed despondently.
It’s hopeless. Oh, what an idiot I’ve been. ‘There’s no truth in dreams.’ Yeah right. Why insist on things you yourself aren’t even very sure of? You are such a hypocrite, Twilight...
With this self-effacing train of thought, Twilight continued to pummel herself for much of the rest of the morning.
By noon, Twilight was feeling ready to join the real world again. She decided to head over to Sugarcube Corner. A visit from her excitable pink friend would surely cure up her gloomy mood, she thought. She wandered off in that direction as she casually looked about to see if her friends were around. She kept her head up and tried to appear as non-chalant as possible, hoping for things to return to normal. These efforts were suddenly and completely derailed, however, when she saw a stallion she had never seen before. He was a unicorn with a brown coat and a silvery grey shaggy mane. It wasn’t his mane that disturbed her though. It was his cutie mark. It was the same symbol from the book in her dream.