//------------------------------// // I - Let The Games Begin! // Story: Badlands // by Yip //------------------------------// Disbelief, horror, distress: all emotions that flowed through Twilight Sparkle as she turned to her surroundings, seeing sights she had not seen in some time. Upturned buildings, pathways made of butter and other slippery surfaces, and to her greatest dismay, a cackling draconequus pointing his razor-sharp talons straight at her were only a few key examples. As far as Twilight remembered, there weren't a whole lot of changes to Ponyville from Discord's first reign. It all looked pretty well the same, the difference being that there wasn't a living soul present besides the unicorn and the chaotic villain himself. ‘Well, it seems you are in quite the conundrum, Twilight Sparkle. No friends to try and stop me, no pesky Elements of Harmony, and certainly no hope to stop me from doing whatever I want.’ With a snap of his right claw’s talons, a cane appeared in Discord’s right paw. Getting up from his throne, he hunched himself over and thinned his eyes into a faint squint. ‘Oh,’ he said in a creaky voice, ‘it seems that waiting for you all this time has given me a bad back.' Twilight watched silently as the chaotic spirit twisted his torso until his back was facing the front. With a quick jab of his cane towards his exposed side, his back straightened up. ‘Wow, that feels so much better!’ Discord said, wiggling his arms and legs as he twisted his body back to normal. ‘Now that that’s out of the way, I’m sure you have plenty of questions, hmm?’ ‘Where are my friends, Discord?’ Twilight replied frantically, baring her teeth and furrowing her eyebrows. ‘What did you do to them? And where the the Elements of Harmony?’ Discord let a quick, amused chuckle escape from his lips. ‘I’d imagine you have plenty of questions like that, but I think it’s in my best interests to not give you the answers.’ Discord snapped his talons once more, this time bringing on an unopened pink umbrella. ‘I can assure you that your friends are very much alive, and are just fine where they are. But I think that will be all for now; go have fun in my world!’ Discord took a look at the umbrella in his claw. ‘Oh, and you might need this.’ As if on cue, a pink cloud appeared above Twilight’s head, threatening to dump its contents all over her. She quickly accepted the umbrella and opened it, only to discover that the opening faced upwards. Only some of the ensuing chocolate rain was caught in the umbrella, the remainder raining down on a disgruntled Twilight. And when she turned to face Discord, he had disappeared, leaving behind only a faint echo of cackling laughter. ‘I... I can’t believe this is happening. This must be a dream, right Twilight?’ she said behind the drenched mane draped over her face. ‘I know! I’ll just go home and sleep, then I can wake up and everything will be back to normal!’ Twilight tossed the umbrella to the side and slowly trudged her way along the slanted checkerboard road, trying to make out individual buildings. Through the wall of chocolatey liquid torrenting around her, she could make out a distinct sign adorned with a simple pink cupcake and topped with rainbow sparkles. An exasperated sigh was all she could muster at the sight of the building, as words could not describe the pile of splinters and planks that once made up Sugarcube Corner. Although it had all settled down and contained no signs of life at all, the wood was in pristine condition, somehow protected from worldly elements. ‘See! This is all just some weird dream. There’s no way wood would look that nice after a month of just sitting there!’ ‘I’m sorry, but I’m afraid it’s true.' An aquamarine mare stood several feet on Twilight’s left, looking baggy-eyed and downcast as she craned her neck slightly downwards. ‘We all wished it was just a dream. Not much has changed since those wishes were swept away. But where have you been? I don't think anypony has seen you for quite some time.’ ‘Wow, it’s good to see a friendly face!’ Twilight smiled brightly, even prompting a slight twitch of a smile to appear on Lyra's face. ‘But why shouldn’t I believe this is all just a dream? I certainly seem convinced it is at this point.' Lyra kept a slight distance from the torrents of chocolate rain coming down. ‘Well, I don’t know how I’d prove it to you. The past few years have been really hard what with Discord doing all of this and Applejack—’ ‘Wait, hold on a second,’ Twilight said, squinting up at the hovering cloud, ‘a few years? Even if this isn’t a dream, it’s only been a month since I went to sleep. This happening for that long is impossible.' ‘Sleep? Sounds pretty weird that you were asleep for all that time. I guess it doesn’t matter to me if you’re right or wrong though.’ Lyra sighed and closed her eyes. ‘It’s been over a year since Bon-Bon up and vanished, and like I said, even longer that we’ve been dealing with this.’ ‘Why did you stay? Where is everypony else?’ Twilight asked, eyes widening with a new sense of surprise and horror. ‘Where are my friends?’ ‘I don’t really know where else to go, so I just go around Ponyville trying to salvage memories. I guess after so long, doing the same thing doesn’t really bother you anymore. The rest of Ponyville didn’t feel the same way, so most of them left when they had you pegged as lost, or worse. It was a really dark time, although the few that remained slowly left and made it even worse.’ A pang of guilt coursed through Twilight as she imagined the other residents of Ponyville waiting for her return. ‘So where did they go? Did they mention any place in particular?’ ‘Discord has an eye on a lot of things, but he can’t keep an eye on everything at once. I’d imagine some got away to some neighbouring cities, but I can’t say what their fate became.’ Lyra put her hoof to her mane and began rubbing it, racking her brain for memories. ‘As for your friends, I’m not sure where they went. I heard Applejack went by train out north, maybe she went in that direction.’ Twilight closed her eyes and winced. ‘I know that this might be true, but I really don't want to believe it. A part of me knows that this seems too real for it to be a dream. But I need my friends more than anything right now if that's true. Do you know where they went exactly?’ ‘My my, I leave for five minutes and already it seems Miss Sparkle is getting into some trouble,’ Discord’s voice called out in the previously still, unmoving air. In the flicker of an instant, his annoyed, cross-armed self was standing over the two mares, staring down Lyra with a flare of accusation burning in his eyes. ‘I only heard the last bit, but I didn’t think that somepony who still lived here would want to be punished so willingly. I assumed that you would go and be sulky for the rest of your days.’ ‘Please, Discord!’ Lyra begged, nearly breaking on the verge of tears. ‘Please, I won’t do it again! I didn’t spoil anything for you!’ ‘Hmm, I suppose sending you to the Badlands would be a little harsh. I know what I’ll do in its place.' ‘Yes, you’re going to leave her alone,’ Twilight said, moving in between the two. ‘I’ll send you back into stone where you belong.’ ‘Oh, isn’t that just touching? In case you haven’t noticed,' Discord waved his arm around him, showcasing their surroundings, 'none of your friends are around with those elements handy.’ Discord took a quick glance at Twilight’s horn and smiled. ‘Unless you think that your magic can overpower me?’ ‘No, but I’ll get the elements—' After a brief chuckle and a quick snap of his talons, Discord took another look at Twilight’s head, this time grinning much wider than before. ‘And how are you going to get them, wherever they are, without your magic?’ 'What are you talking ab—ah!' Twilight interrupted herself mid-sentence as her eyes drifted upwards, widening in shock as she noticed a distinct lack of a horn protruding from her head. 'What have you done?! Where is my horn?' 'All in due time. First, I have to get rid of this troublemaker here and we can start business.' Discord pushed Twilight to the side—'Hey!'—and moved his paw towards the terrified Lyra, who withdrew as low as she could to the ground. Quivering with fear, she was nearly on two knees and begging with her hooves to the menacing figure. 'No, not the Badlands! Anything but that!' she said, terror laced with every word that was uttered. 'Don't! Please...' Discord's paw settled at her mouth, pressing against the mare's lips as if to muffle any sound that tried to slip away. As he lifted it away, Lyra was still right where she had been—albeit with one feature missing. 'Oh Celestia,' Twilight gasped, jaw hanging loose in horror, 'you got rid of her mouth!' A mumble was all that could come out of Lyra's efforts, her mouth now acting as a flat surface with only two nares for breathing still present. A new wave of panic flew through her body, prompting her to attempt any screams or yelling to make some sort of impact. To Discord's satisfaction, she began bolting away towards the other side of Ponyville, a few tears flying behind her as she ran. 'Well, I don't think she'll be much of a concern anymore,' Discord said, smiling once more at his success. Twilight, on the other hand, could do nothing more than stare into the distance at the mare that now remained merely as a speck that was slowly becoming smaller and smaller. 'You... you took away her ability to speak...' 'Indeed I have. She's rather fortunate that I didn't send her into the Badlands, though. Speech wouldn't have really mattered if that was the case.' Discord turned to Twilight and rubbed his claw with his paw. 'Now, let's get down to business, shall we? I didn't free you for nothing, you know.' 'Business? You just silenced a mare, told me that my world—the real world, it seems—is an unlivable place that I'm stuck in and have no way of escaping—' 'Now now, you saw the pony that just left is still alive. My little paradise is livable, you just need to get used to it is all.' 'I'm used to how things are normally laid out, Discord. You did all of this,' Twilight waved her own hoof to her surroundings as her speaker had done, 'and you expect me to comply with your "business"? Even for a spirit of chaos, you can’t be serious.' 'Oh, I am. And think about your situation for a little bit. You have no knowledge of where your friends are, no idea of what the world has become, and I can do whatever I want to you. Don't you think you'd ought to listen to me when I have all the pieces to this little game?' Twilight shifted her hooves and looked to the sky, closing her eyes in defeat. 'Alright, Discord. You win. What do you want from me?' 'Splendid! It’s great that for once, the mighty Twilight Sparkle isn’t trying to fight back. I think I’ll celebrate by getting rid of this nasty little cloud here.’’ Discord licked his lips and blew away the pink cloud above Twilight, whistling it away into the distance until it became an indiscernible dot on the horizon.. The unicorn shook what she could get out of her coat and mane, but for the moment, she remained a sticky mess. ‘I must admit, it is quite a bore when you can do anything you want in a world where nopony can fight back. That’s precisely why I played a little game with you and your friends the last time you saw me. You do remember that game, right?’ Twilight turned away sheepishly. ‘Yes, I remember going into the maze and seeing my friends change... but you weren’t fair! You put me to sleep when we beat you fair and square!’ ‘Fair? Me?’ Discord placed his paw on his chest innocently. ‘I’m not saying that I’m always fair, but you can’t tell me that I wasn’t being fair. I had a game and you ponies lost it, so the game ended outside of the maze.’ ‘But what about the riddle?’ ‘The riddle was just a part of the game. It doesn’t matter that you solved the riddle, that wasn’t a game itself.’ ‘But... how did you stop us from using the Elements of Harmony? I’m certain Celestia told me you couldn’t stop its power!’ ‘Oh, I suppose you don’t really know what happened, did you?’ Discord gave a menacing laugh and mimicked a confident Twilight, even pointing a talon outwards from his head in the shape of a horn. ‘Oh Discord, you can’t beat us now! The elements are untouchable and you lose! Please, just because I can’t touch or change them doesn’t mean I can’t change the ponies wearing it. Just a quick snap of my claw and boom, nighty night Twilight Sparkle! ‘And as for those pesky elements, that proved no effort at all. Did you know I can control other living things to do what I want?’ Twilight stared in horror for what seemed like the millionth time to her. ‘You didn’t...’ ‘I did. The Elements of Harmony were taken by some ponies throughout separate corners of Equestria. But I didn’t have them unfindable, which leads us to the business I had planned.’ ‘Ugh... what is it this time? Do you have some game for me to play again?’ A deep, menacing laughter erupted from the villain’s mouth at the question, thunderstorms bellowing behind him and only making things seem more disastrous. ‘Why yes, Twilight Sparkle. You’re going to go on the biggest game of search-and-find that has ever been played, all to find a few trinkets that will supposedly save all of Equestria!’ ‘Uh... huh?’ Twilight asked, bemused. ‘I don’t quite understand.’ A slight twitch of a frown appeared on Discord’s face, his eyes beginning to fill with contempt. ‘I thought you were a smart pony, but I suppose if I must explain, then I will. Starting from now, you are going to go across Equestria, find your friends and the elements, come to me and defeat me to save all of Equestria.’ ‘You’re...’ Twilight’s eyes narrowed, ‘...you’re just going to let me go and locate the elements and then I’m allowed to just stop you? Sounds a little weird that you’d be so willing to lose.’ ‘Of course I am! Oh, I forgot to mention that you won’t be using any magic at all,’ Discord smirked at the empty space over Twilight’s head, ‘and you have a month to do it all.’ ‘...You’re not serious.’ ‘You think this is the nose of a liar?’ After a quick puff of magic, Discord’s nose began to elongate until his own paw pressed it back into place. ‘You can use the “magic of friendship” or whatever to help you. Maybe that will let you teleport all over Equestria, hmm?’ ‘You’re just going to leave me alone with nowhere to start?’ Twilight pondered for a moment. ‘You know, if I started without any leads, it wouldn’t be very much fun for you to see, would it?’ ‘Hmm,’ Discord began rubbing his chin, ‘that is an excellent point. I would tell you where your friends are or where your precious Celestia is, but that would make it far too easy. So I’ll just leave you with a riddle.’ ‘What?’ ‘Don’t complain, it’s better than nothing.’ The villain cleared his throat and began to usher out his riddle. ‘Stick with this riddle, and you’ll find an element where clear turns into white. Stick with it longer, and you’ll find the same element after a tough fight.’ Twilight stood where she was, mouth still agape. ‘...Again, what?’ ‘It’s not my fault if you don’t get it yet. That’s all I’m giving you. Any more questions?’ ‘This is ridiculous...’ ‘Ridiculous? No, I stopped being ridiculous a while ago. In fact, I didn’t even do that much to the land itself, save maybe here in Ponyville. I just tweaked a few things, sat back and watched the ponies create the world for themselves. I’m sure you’ll see soon enough what I mean.’ Discord took a quick glance at his wrist and gasped in mock surprise. ‘Goodness, look at the time! I have to go watch some fun in Manehattan! Now, I won’t be seeing you all of the time over the next month, as I am too busy doing other things to solely concentrate on you. Don’t go trying to hide from me though, because that will only aggravate me... you don’t want to end this game prematurely. ‘I guess I should also give you this,’ he said, holding out a curious-looking watch from the palm of his paw that was cautiously accepted by Twilight,  ‘just so you can see how much time is left until the game is over. No pressure, of course!’ ‘Discord...’ ‘No need to thank me. Just let the games begin! Arrivederci!’ And, with a puff of magic and a final echoing of cackling laughter, Discord left Twilight to Ponyville with his parting words, her wits and a watch that was now held securely on her right foreleg. ‘I... what am I supposed to do?’ Twilight raised her hoof to see the watch, which was a simple black leather strap with a plain silver headpiece that contained a circular dial. The dial had two white arrows, both of varying lengths. At the moment, both were pointed to the “0” mark engraved in white ink at the top, but the large one was slowly moving towards the first notch that was marked with a “1”. ‘How does this thing even work? Is this just a regular watch?’ She bent her head down to try and turn it, but found that without a horn, the practice was futile. Sighing, the purple unicorn sulked down the Ponyville path as Lyra had done, slowly making her way towards the center. Along the way, a familiar shape began poking out from the top of the ordinary buildings, illustrating several green branches sticking out from an unseen source. ‘Wait, is that the library?’ Twilight hurried into a gallop towards the sight, stopping at a large tree located in the center of several other buildings. ‘It is! And it’s untouched! Maybe I can get some supplies, think about the situation a little... this still seems a little surreal. Heck, I’m even talking to myself!’ Without a moment to waste, she hurried into the building with slight feelings of relief and security. When she went through the untouched wooden door, though, the feelings quickly vanished to make way for a new feeling. Happiness. ‘Is... is that you Twilight?’ the purple dragon’s voice questioned from inside, the owner stretching his arms after rising from the untarnished floor. ‘Spike, it really is me!’ Twilight exclaimed, eyes widening—although this time for joy instead of disbelief. ‘Is that the real you?’ ‘Well, the last thing I remember was blacking out at the Canterlot Maze, and then I found myself lying on the floor!’ Twilight flung herself at the unsuspecting Spike who, after letting his initial feeling of surprise vanish, welcomed the warm embrace by returning the favour. ‘I guess we’re back in the real world then, right?’ ‘Oh Spike, I’m so glad to see you!’ Twilight tightened her grip on the dragon, who had begun to gasp a little for air. The unicorn quickly let go after a few bouts of ‘Air! Air!’ wheezed out of the dragon. ‘Sorry about that. I’m just so glad that you are the same dragon I’ve known for the past month! Everypony else was just a dream!’ ‘Wait, what?’ Spike scratched his head. ‘How long have I been out for?’ ‘Well, it’s been nearly a half an hour since we both saw Discord together, but get this: you have been unconscious for several years, and somehow, you were stuck in my fantasy world.’ Spike said nothing, nor did he make any big movements as he let the information sink in. A few moments later, he gulped and began shivering. ‘W-What? That means I haven’t eaten in ages! I’m going to die!’ ‘No, I think Discord has some way of keeping ponies—and dragons, of course—alive when they’re in the fantasy world. It’s like we were put in stasis or something... ah, if Lyra never saw us asleep, maybe that explains it. Something like limbo or...’ ‘What are you talking about?’ Spike inquired, confusion etched all over his face. ‘Where was Lyra? Can you tell me a little about what’s going on?’ ‘Ah, I forgot that you just woke up. Here, let’s sit down for a bit and talk—’ ‘I thought something would happen again,’ Discord’s voice called out seemingly from nowhere. ‘I should really keep a closer eye on you.’ ‘Discord!’ Twilight exclaimed, craning her neck to and fro to try and catch a glimpse of the draconequus. ‘Spike was in my fantasy world with me, he should be allowed as a part of my team!’ ‘Hmm, you raise a good point,’ the overarching voice bellowed. ‘But he is an advantage nonetheless. Looks like I’m going to make this a little more fair with my own advantage.’ ‘Twilight, what’s he talking about?’ As if to answer his question, a deep rumbling resounded in the library, shaking bookshelves and desks until their contents spilled all over the previously pristine floor’s surface. A few moments later, as quickly as it had begun, the seismic shudders ceased. ‘What was that?!’ the two residents of the library exclaimed in unison. Another deep rumbling came, this time coming from the walls. In a slow, forceful effort, their surroundings moved again, this time rising instead of shaking. Spike could do nothing but look to his friend, panic and fear beginning to swell up in his eyes.‘What’s going on, Twilight?’ ‘Spike, I think the tree is alive!’ ‘Raaargh!’ the rumbling, which had transformed into an audible sound coming from the tree, cried. Twilight and Spike looked around them for the source of the movement, but found they could barely go a few feet without a sharp movement sending them hurtling in the other direction. ‘I think it’s stretching itself out... it’s only a matter of time before it realized we’re in here! Let’s get out of here!’ Twilight said hurriedly, ushering Spike to the door. In reply, a long, thin branch burst through the door, hurtling itself towards Spike at full force. Stepping to the side just in time, the shaft rammed into an upturned bookshelf and broke apart several feet of wood. ‘Raaargh!’ the tree called out again, withdrawing the assaulting weapon slowly. ‘It’s recovering from its pain! Quick Spike, go get something sharp!’ ‘Twilight, just use your magic—wait, where did your horn go?!’ Spike cried out in horror, unable to tear his gaze away from Twilight’s empty forehead. ‘No time for that! I need you to get something to cut the branches off!’ ‘I don’t know if I can find some, but okay.’ Before Spike could turn around to find anything of note, another branch hurtled its way inside, this time thicker and longer than the last. Its crash course was headed for Spike again, who was struck a glancing blow on his claw from the force of the wood. ‘Spike!’ Twilight cried out, rushing towards the ailing dragon. ‘Are you alright?’ ‘Yeah, I’m fine.’ Spike clutched his claw with the other, feeling each throb course through. ‘I didn’t really feel it, so that’s a plus. I guess it really damaged my nerves...’ The branch was slowly recoiling back out the door, ready to recuperate its efforts for another attack. ‘No time for worrying about this though, we’ve got bigger fish to fry,’ Spike said, still clutching his claw. ‘Don’t worry, as long as this rush I’m getting sticks with me, I won’t really mind the injured claw.’ Another shake and the library shifted from side to side, knocking both of its occupants to the floor. ‘Ah, I can’t take much more of this!’ Twilight said, exasperated and out of patience. ‘We need to distract it somehow so we can get out of here or our own home will be the death of us!’ ‘Well, what would work well against a wooden branch that’s trying to kill you?’ Twilight pondered for a moment. ‘Well, axes work, and forest fires seem to—’ Both of them looked to each other with a spark or realization creeping through their eyes. A confident smile stretched across Spike’s face and he turned to the door. ‘Be careful, Spike. This tree wants to kill you.’ The same thick branch crashed through the door, this time blowing it into dozens of shards that rained all over the tree’s two occupants and nearly distracted them long enough for the incoming wood to smash into Spike. As the last of the shards passed over him, the branch nearly crashed upon his unprepared body, sending him flying backwards in a panic and narrowly missing the tip that nearly grazed his face. ‘Spike! No!’ Twilight cried out, unable to see her friend with the imposing branch blocking her line of sight. ‘No, he can’t be hit... he can’t...’ A hint of surprise crept up before the tears began flowing, however, as a distinct orange glow crept up from beneath that soon enveloped the entire branch in its fiery blaze. ‘Raaargh!’ the tree cried out once more, withdrawing its appendage for the third time. It was gone for the moment, and Spike was able to get up from his spot on the floor before it could make another move. ‘Spike, you’re okay!’ Twilight cheered. ‘There’s no time for that! It’s distracted with the flame, but I’m sure it won’t be long until it comes back... and it’ll be angry!’ Nodding her head in agreement, Twilight followed the dragon, who had been ushering her along the temporarily stable library floor towards the opening that used to be their front door. As they escaped the confines of the tree to the once-grassy Ponyville outdoors, another bout of rumbling erupted from the tree. ‘Raaargh!’ Looking back as they ran, the two saw the tree in full form; all of the branches were moving to and fro as the tree’s makeshift appendages, the massive trunk shaking with every movement it made. One of the branches, which was poised to make another move, was almost completely surrounded by a thick layer of glowing flame. ‘Keep running, Spike!’ Twilight kept running and running, not bothering to take a look behind her until the pitter-patter of Spike’s footsteps ended abruptly. ‘Spike?’ Taking a quick glance behind herself, she noticed Spike had tripped over a stuck-out branch the tree had whipped unexpectedly, the dragon clambering to get up before the incoming inflamed branch could slam into him. Twilight said no words, choosing instead to rush at the vulnerable dragon and stick out her hoof for assistance, which was quickly and gratefully accepted. In a swift motion, she pulled him up towards herself, narrowly missing the slamming from the tree. ‘Sweet Celestia, that was close!’ Spike exclaimed, his heart pounding and his body sweating from the close call. ‘But it’s getting ready to strike again, let’s not give it that chance.’ Another bout of rushing and they reached the pile of splinters where Sugarcube Corner’s sign still rested, the tree rumbling from behind them with all of its might. Turning back once more, Twilight could see the flame engulfing more of the tree, now spreading to the main trunk and beyond as it flailed itself around. ‘Looks like that’s not an option for a home anymore, Spike. Let’s get out of this nightmare before Discord can pull any more of his sneaky little tricks, we barely got out of that one alive!’ ‘Yeah, and I’m sure I’ll be feeling this claw soon enough,’ Spike said, cradling his injured claw. ‘I’m not really fond of this place anymore if it’s going to stay like this anyway.’ ‘Yeah, there isn’t anything left for us here.’ The two slowed down as the faint sounds coming from the distant tree seemed to cease, and silence filled the air as they reached the border of town. ‘So, Twilight... you never told me what was going on.’ ‘Well, there isn’t much to say other than that we have to find the elements, my friends and beat Discord before a month is over.’ Spike’s eyes widened in surprise as he heard the news, biting his lip while he let the information sink in. ‘I figured we’d be doing something like that. I just hope that we’re up for it... are you ready, Twilight?’ ‘I didn’t think so before,’ Twilight gave Spike a bright smile, ‘but I think that if we can find our friends, no obstacle will be impossible. We’ll make it through this yet.’ ‘I sure hope so.’ ‘It looks like you two have a strong connection between yourselves,’ Discord’s voice bellowed from the air. ‘You both awoke from the same fantasy world at the same time... but this is just the start. I’ve got plenty more disadvantages until this little adventure is through. If you can make it through, that is...’ The wind gave a slight whistle, then silence. Discord’s voice faded from the winds and the two were alone. ‘Discord will probably be giving us a hard time—oh! Before I forget, I found this lying on top of me when I woke up.’ Spike reached in between two scales on his head and pulled out a familiar leaf, now devoid of its pink colouring. ‘It’s the leaf that we found in the other place, but it isn't pink anymore. Do you think that has any meaning?’ Twilight stared at the leaf curiously, fascinating herself with it for several moments before speaking. ‘It came with us? How odd, that doesn’t make any sense!’ She bent over to a nearby blade of grass from the side of the path and picked it with her mouth. Poking it through the base of the leaf, she weaved it into a small necklace. ‘I think the blade of grass is long enough to go around my neck. Could you tie it for me, Spike?’ ‘Um, sure?’ A little confused, Spike walked over to Twilight and wrapped the necklace around her neck and began working on the knot in the back. ‘Why do you want it as a necklace?’ ‘I just figured that it helped to make me realize that things weren’t always what they seemed in the fantasy world. It might help as a reminder that this isn’t how the world is supposed to be... or maybe it won’t. It’s just something I thought might work.’ Spike sighed and finished the knot. ‘I wish things were back to the way they were before. It was nice having the group all together.’ Twilight looked to the sky and reminded herself of the moments she shared with her friends when they recovered from their twisted selves during Discord’s initial reign. ‘Yeah, I wish it was too. But we’re going to make that happen.’