~~~~Golden Oaks Library, an hour or so later~~~~~
Twilight Sparkle, Apprentice Hecate, the Nightmare Queen lay in her simple cozy bed fast asleep. It had been an extremely long day and night for her already, and the next day promised to bring challenges anew. She had left the Haven as a new pony, a new being all in her own right. New pony or not, she still needed to sleep.
After three solid days of undisturbed rest, Twilight finally started to dream again. Her mind roamed through dark places, shadowy rooms and mysterious circumstances. All the while a lone figure sat across from her bed, watching her silently in the night. The unicorn who had called herself Lilith watched over Twilight. Silently protecting the still so innocent pony as minutes slowly ticked by, the moon slowly lifting fully into the air in the window behind the bed.
Lilith closed her eyes and allowed the tears to flow. The universe had never been particularly fair, not in her long experience. The ages had not changed the fundamental rules of the world. There would always be light and darkness, and each side would always seek the defeat of the other. There would always be tragic victims of that fight, and Lilith was looking at one right now.
She wanted to scream, to rage against the heavens themselves. She wanted more than she ever had before to take up every ounce of her not inconsiderable power and use it without concern for the consequences. To force the world to leave this poor filly be. But Harmony, or in this case Celestia would not allow her to live her normal life.
There was a war to win, an ancient plan to fulfill. All of Twilight's future, her potential meant nothing as long as that plan was carried out. Celestia might weep over the need to destroy her beloved student's future, but she would destroy it without a second thought when the time came.
So Darkness had to do something, Dissonance had to step in. Without it, Twilight's wonderful heart and soul would be crushed by what Celestia would force her to do. Right and wrong did not even enter into it, it was about winning. Celestia would tell herself, over and over again that she was doing the right thing. By her lights, it might seem that way.
Lilith knew better, for the world hated extremes. It hated a vacuum most of all and if Dissonance was truly obliterated under the silver boots and magic of Twilight Sparkle, what would take its place? Lilith had her theories, and none of them would end well for the world or its ponies. Celestia might care then, but it would be far too late to do anything about it.
That left Twilight Sparkle sleeping quietly. Enjoying dreams for the first time in days. She would not awaken easily, Lilith knew. No one would bother them, for the town was still in quiet and mourning for what had happened today. That meant Lilith had some time all to herself tonight.
So she wept. She collapsed to the floor and pressed her hooves over her head and let the tears and quiet sobs flow from her. She had failed so long ago to save the world from this. She had failed to convince Celestia of the errors of her ways. This was her fault, and nopony else. Twilight Sparkle would have to become a monster powerful enough to rule over every other monster in the world in order to save it.
Was she no better than Celestia in the end? Was she not robbing this poor filly of her chance at a long and normal life, lived in joy and then a quiet but satisfied passing into the next world? Did she have any right to push her mind down the dark path?
Did she have any choice?
Suddenly, Lilith felt a bubble of hope. She could wake Twilight up. She could tell her everything, every single secret kept from her. She could tell her about all of her choices, and what each one would mean. She could tell her the truth. Try to lead her down the middle road. But then, she would find herself in a place perhaps even worse than this.
She would have to fight absolutely everyone. Sombra, Chrysalis, Celestia, Cadence, who knew who else. It had never been tried before. No one had ever believed it was possible. Twilight was different though. Harmony and Dissonance alike surged through her like an unrelenting tide. She was a living embodiment of magic, and she had countless other allies to call upon. It was a struggle that had equal chances of saving and destroying the world.
Or they could run. Take Twilight, her closest friends and flee to faraway lands. With the Elements of Harmony out of Celestia's hooves and Sombra and Chrysalis leading a newly revived army of Dissonance, Celestia would be forced to retrench. War would inevitably follow, but Twilight and those she loved would be far away from it. Perhaps in time, Celestia would be made to acknowledge that Dissonance had a place in the world.
Lilith felt her hope collapse in on itself, and sank back to the ground. She could not justify making millions of others suffer just to save this one. Once again, the world was demanding a sacrifice of innocence for the good of all. Lilith had been designated its tool.
It would be foals play to deliver Twilight to Celestia as she was now. It would be a matter of hours before Twilight once again believed in the white path with all of her soul. Celestia would see to that. It would be less than a day for the Ritual to be completed, and Twilight would become a young Alicorn. Within mere months she would ascend in full and become the Alicorn of Magic.
Then that would be that, no foe would be able to stand against her, no force able to stay her wrath. Every advantage Dissonance had would vanish overnight. Twilight would be able to feel the very presence of magic. Combined with the powers of Cadence and Celestia, there would be not one single heart or soul within the kingdom that could conceal its true nature.
It would be the death of Dissonance. Celestia would have her Triumvirate of Harmony, and then...Lilith did not know what would happen then. What Celestia would do, what anypony would do. There was no telling how long the purge might take, or how many might be consumed in the flame.
It would be the simple way out of all this. Yet Lilith could not do it. A slightly darker but still stable future was preferable to one that might seem bright to the naked eye, but only because of the flames that enveloped it. No, Lilith would have to continue as she had begun.
She wiped her tears away with her hoof, slowly taking control of her emotions. She would be strong for Twilight, she would need strength to remain herself. Lilith at the least, could make sure that strength was always there. She carefully walked across the room, working hard to stay silent.
Twilight had tossed a bit, and Lilith grasped the edge of the sheet and pulled it back over Twilight's shoulder. "I owe you so much." She whispered, the tears coming unbidden again. Cursed eyes. "I owe you my very life." she wished Twilight could hear these things, but it was not time for her to do so. "I owe you the peace in my soul." A peace brought on by friendship. By love, by caring even when nopony else tried. "And This is how I repay you.." She lowered her head, silvery tears spattering silently against the ground.
She did not deserve this. Twilight deserved a better life, a better friend, a better Acolyte. Even that blasted Mayor, for all of her faults was more deserving than Lilith. She turned away, intending to go to her own sleep when a hoof reached out and grasped her shoulder, pulling her back. Her eyes widened in the moonlight as she was pulled around by a sleepy looking Twilight. Twilight had a little smile on her lips, hoof tugging Lilith towards the bed. "Stay." she whispered softly, invitingly.
It was all Lilith could do not to break down again .She could not hide her tears, so she tried to brush them off. "Mistress, I am - " She was cut off by a commanding look from Twilight, who shook her head once.
"I don't care tonight." Twilight whispered again, pulling Lilith forcibly up onto the narrow bed. "When you're ready to tell me the truth, I'll be ready to listen." Slender hooves wrapped around Lilith's neck and she was drawn in close, Twilight burying her face into her coat. "For right now, shut up and just hold me." Twilight did not sound scared, she sounded lonely. Tired and sad.
Lilith's hooves snaked back around the youngest Queen of Dissonance in all of history and simply held her close. For a short time, they cried together - holding each other for the comfort and warmth of another. Eventually, the two ponies fell asleep in each other’s arms as the moon slowly rose into the sky.
~~~~~
The morning came all too soon, Sun lifting above the horizon in a gentle wave of heat and light. The darkness was driven away, and another dawn was born into Equestria. The town of Ponyville was waking up too. Yesterday had been a day of sadness, grief and loss. This was an earth pony town however, and that meant you saved your tears for when you had time. Within hours of sunrise, the entire town was hard at work rebuilding from the damage.
Or rather, most of the town was. Some ponies were gathering in front of the Golden Oaks library in the early morning. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Cadence, and Shining Armor all stood in front of the door, some amongst them wearing bandages or the like from yesterday’s battle.
Rainbow Dash sat in a wheel chair, her wings carefully bound up and folded against her back. Cadence had applied a massive whammy of healing magic this morning, because nopony wanted to leave Rainbow Dash out of this conversation. Cadence was drained, but Dash was at least able to move around now even if she required a bit of help.
They stood in companionable silence for a half an hour before the door swung open for them, as if by magic. Each pony present looked at one another nervously, except for Dash. Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes and pushed her wheelchair into the library. "C'mon guys. It's Twilight." Her voice rang with scorn and scoff alike. "I Don’t give a buck what she's turned into, she's still our friend!"
Rarity was the one to speak up next - she had a set of stuffed saddlebags slung over her back, and lifted her head up high. "Dash is right of course. It would be dreadful of us to abandon her now." She trotted in after dash, somehow maintaining her regal gait despite the stuffed bags.
Fluttershy followed without a word, though she did look distinctly nervous. Pinkie Pie was right there beside her, a hoof around Fluttershy's shoulders as they walked in. She paused only to whip her gaze back at a nervous and frightened looking Applejack, glaring at her for a moment before they vanished inside.
Cadence's eyes were on the ground as she stood next to Applejack. Shining Armor shook his head. "Cadey, I told you last night. I'm telling you again." He turned and marched into the library. "I'm not abandoning my little sister, no matter what."
Cadence and Applejack stood together outside of the library with conflicted looks on their faces. Applejack broke the silence first. "Princess, Ma'am...Ah'm not really sure whut I ought t'be doin right now." Applejacks hooves were tapping nervously against one another, staring into the slightly opened doorway. "Tha book of Harmony tells us to always stand by our friends, no matter what trials they're goin through. That a real pony doesn't care bout ill deeds or acts, but about being a loyal and just friend."
Applejack swallowed what had to have been the biggest lump in her life before she kept speakin. "Ah aint gonna lie, Ah'm scared of what she might've become. Ah'm even more frightened that she's gonna lead us all down her road, draggin' us along till we aint the same." Applejack's head drooped, and her hoof pulled her hat over her eyes. "Ah'm ashamed a' that feeling, Princess. And Ah don’t know what ta' do bout it."
Cadence had remained silent for a while before she began to speak, trying to gather her own thoughts. "Applejack, the Code of Harmony tells me that there is nopony beyond redemption. That we can all come back from the darkness, if only we can find the way. Twilight will need you Applejack if she is ever to find her way back again. She will need your honesty, your dedication to the truth. Nopony else will be able to do what you can." Cadence drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Come, Applejack. Twilight needs us both now."
Cadence slowly began to walk inside when Applejack's voice popped up. "What's she gonna need you for, Princess? If ya don't mind me askin.." Applejack was moving too, if a bit slower.
Cadence closed her eyes as they crossed the threshold. There was an incredible power inside these walls, one of immense Dissonant strength. It could only be coming from one source. "I don't know Applejack. I just don't know."
The ponies climbed the stairs up to the bedroom loft in the Library, and the door swung open a moment later. The crowd of ponies saw a lavender pink unicorn wearing a black cloak and hood, her eyes glittering blue at the assembled ponies. All of them stared at her for a moment, and she stared back.
It took Shining Armor to break the silence. "You must be Lilith." his tone was dubious, and full of questions. The Pink unicorn nodded, and smiled. It was a smile of depths, a smile with hidden meanings and unspoken truths. Shining Armor blinked a little, and thought for a moment that he could sense some kind of hidden power here.
He did not have time to ruminate on that as the cloaked mare smiled and spoke "Yes, I am Lilith. Welcome." She bowed her head. "You are Mistress' honored friends. I am her Acolyte and see to all of her private affairs. Mistress is just getting out of the bath, and will be joining us shortly." She gestured with her hoof into the room, where a ton of colorful sitting pillows had been scattered around a central overstuffed chair. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."
The crowd slowly filed in, Rainbow Dash helped along by Shining and Rarity. Only Applejack seemed concerned at the mare's words. "Mistress? Acolyte? Th' hay you talkin about? You some kinda' cultist?" Her southern bite whipped across the room. Shining Armor facehoofed and the rest of her friends looked at her in surprise.
The Unicorn simply smiled and nodded. "I do follow the True Path of Dissonance, Miss Applejack. I hope that does not disturb you." Her horn lightly glowed and trays were brought over to the floor - each bearing a wide selection of foodstuffs and drink. "Twilight Sparkle is my Mistress. I serve her as her Acolyte, which means that whatever service she may require of me, I shall carry out to the fullest." Her eye sparkled in mischief. "And before you have to ask, There are no limits as to what commands from her I shall obey."
The room full of ponies drank that in, Applejack glowering at Lilith before sitting down with an audible thump. Pinkie Pie of course, could not resist making the situation awkward. "Oh!" She exclaimed in her bubbly voice. "You mean you'd even do any naughty fun time thing!" The rest of the ponies facehoofed. Lilith was the only exception, laughing delightedly and winking with a nod at Pinkie Pie.
The ponies arrayed themselves on the cushions, Lilith moving to and fro around the chair. After a few minutes, she stopped and quickly trotted over to a side door. "Ah, she is ready." She said, though no one else had detected any kind of signal. Lilith disappeared through the bathroom door a moment later.
Rainbow Dash spoke up first. "How in the buck did she do that?" She wiggled on the uncomfortable wheelchair, as always cranky when she was injured.
Cadence spoke up, calmly. " Dissonance Sorcerers have a way of communicating with their cultists. We've never been able to figure out precisely how it's done, but distance does not seem to have much effect." She sighed softly. "Twilight has gone even farther than I'd feared."
Rarity tsked, her bags set down next to her. "Princess Cadence, I beg your pardon... Actually, I do not beg your pardon. You are speaking about my close friend here, and I shall not have it." She thumped her hoof against the ground, glaring at Cadence. "Yesterday, I watched Twilight Sparkle wade into an army with little more than her magic and her courage. Countless other ponies saw her do the same all across town. If that is the measure of this Dissonance, then perhaps we could use a bit more of it."
Rarity sniffed daintily. "Twilight saved my life, Princess. She saved my sister, Applejack's sister and countless other foals. She did so at the risk of her own life. That is all the proof I require of the goodness in her heart." She crossed her hooves and turned her head away from Cadence, dismissing her from consideration.
Applejack's voice lunged in a moment later. "Now wait just an apple buckin' minute! She saved Applebloom from th' changelings? Where was-" Applejack smacked her face with a hoof. "She was at school, and they went t'yer place cos' it was the closest. An' Applebloom didn't tell me a thing." Applejack sunk onto her cushion, muttering and grumbling "Ah'm gonna ground that filly fer a year, ah swear t' Celestia."
Fluttershy gently shook her head. "Don't be angry at her Applejack. We all had less than great days yesterday." She rubbed at her head with a little wince. "I'm still a little fuzzy how Angel Bunny got me out of my house in one piece. He's such a sweetheart.."
After a moment of silence, Cadence hastily spoke before it could get even more awkward. "Girls, we need to face facts. Yes Twilight did a lot of good for the town yesterday, but that does not mean she's completely in her right mind." she swept her gaze challengingly across them. "Dissonance can do very strange things to a pony. We must be alert to anything out of the ordinary."
Pinkie Pie brightened up all of a sudden, as the rest of the girls brooded a bit. "Oh! You mean like her Cutie Mark vanishing?" She said, beaming proudly at Cadence as though she'd just thought of something terribly clever.
Cadence blinked. "Well I suppose that would definitely be a sign of...BY HARMONY!" Cadence flung herself off the pillow and away from the bathroom door, horn immediately bursting into bright white light as Twilight walked through the door.
Twilight looked no different to any of them in fact, save for the one glaring omission from her flank. Lilith walked behind her, kneeling next to the big red chair. Twilight paid no heed to Cadence at first, climbing up into the overstuffed sofa chair and looking at all of them sadly. "I'd hoped we could start this off on a more positive note." Twilight began, sounding a little defeated. "Looks like getting the things I'd hoped for still isn't happening."
Cadence slowly let the power out of her horn, as the crowd of ponies stared at the blank flank. Cadence's voice came first, stuttering in disbelief. "I-i-i-impossible. O-only six p-p-ponies in history have done that. They spent decades learning the arts, immersing themselves in D-dissonance's power."
Cadence shook her head firmly back and forth, then stared helplessly at Twilight who was watching Cadence with sad eyes. "Yesterday you were a terrified little filly! What did they do to you, Twilight?!" Cadence's eyes fixed on Lilith, and began to narrow slowly. "You. This is your fault. You've manipulated her somehow." She stalked forward a step, Ignoring the voice of her husband slowly rising behind her. "I don't know who or what you are, but I am going to burn you out of existence and put a stop to this!"
Shining Armor was by her side a moment later, wrapping a hoof around her neck. "Shhh. Cadey. Stop. Let her speak." His eyes were firm, and he had pressed his hoof into her chest. Twilight had not moved from the spot, she only seemed to become more and more depressed as the moments dragged on. Lilith looked up and stretched out a hoof to squeeze Twilight's, and got a smile in return.
Cadence took a deep shuddering breath and let it out. "I will hold my patience. But I shall not hold it for long, Twilight." She sat down again, slowly. "Explain yourself, little missy."
Twilight took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh before speaking, her voice calm and quiet. "What happened was the changeling attack. Ponyville was in trouble, and we were being overrun. I did not know what else to do." She looked down. "I couldn't get to the Elements. I used Dissonance in front of other ponies, Cadence. By the time I realized what I had done, the reports were already being flown to Celestia."
Twilight shook her head slowly. "I know her, Cadence. She's going to send an Inquisition to root out the sorcerer that was sighted here. They aren't going to stop until they're sure they've rooted out every believer of dissonance in town. You might think I don't know what that means, but I do. Ponies will be killed. Some of them will be innocent." Her jaw firmed up and she gazed challengingly across the crowd. "I couldn't let that happen. Not to Ponyville."
Applejack lifted a hoof. "Now hold on there, Sugarcube! Back up a mite. There's a powerful lot to this story, ah reckon. And Ah wanna hear all of it." Applejack pulled her hat off her head, gazing seriously at twilight. "An' don’t you leave a thing out. Ah'm in no mood fer tall tales."
Pinkie blinked and then bounced up and down. "Ooh! Ooh! Storytime! Storytime! I'll get the cookies!" But before she could take a step, Lilith was already there, floating a tray of chocolate chip cookies and a pitcher of milk to Pinkie, who stared in amazement. "Ooooooo, you're good." She pointed her hoof, grinning. Lilith smiled cheekily and pranced back to Twilight's side.
"Yeah Twi!" added Rainbow Dash, wincing a little as she tried to jerk her hoof forward. "Who's this girl that's hangin around you like she's in love? And what the buck happened t'yer cutie mark?" Dash eyeballed Lilith with some suspicion.
Rarity spoke up next, her voice lilting above Dash's "I must admit, I'm terribly curious myself Twilight. Not that I wish to pry, but it's certainly very strange." She lifted a teacup with her magic, eyeballing Lilith...speculatively.
Shining armor took Cadence's hoof in hand and nodded. "I think it's time you told us all what's happened, Twily."
So Twilight did.
~~~~~~
The story took most of the day. The eight ponies sat and listened to the tale of the last three days, and Twilight did not leave a single thing out. Gasps arose at the mention of Sombra and Chrysalis still alive, and perilously close to ponyville. Stunned looks followed the news of Mayor Mare as the most powerful cultist in Equestria. The story of Twilight losing her cutie mark left all of them watching her in quiet awe.
Twilight did not eat, and drank very little - only enough to keep her throat lubricated. Lilith was unfailingly at the side of anyone who needed aid - filling mugs, refreshing food. As the day wore on, not one among them failed to notice the looks of worry Lilith bestowed upon twilight. Nor did any of them fail to notice Lilith tirelessly trying to ensure Twilight's comfort, especially as she slogged through some of the more difficult parts of the story.
Twilight was not going to lie to them though. They deserved the truth, and they got it. From when she received the book - which she showed to them, laying it on the table next to her. To the end of the previous evening. When the tale was finally done, Night threatened to fall upon Equestria. There had not been many questions, but there had been enough - usually her filling out the details of what had happened in the Haven.
Silence met the end of her story, and Twilight's throat hurt from the hours of talking. She still had more to say though, so she took a deep draught of cold water and began to speak. "I asked you all to come here because of what is going to happen next. Celestia will come for me. She will come to this town, and she will ruthlessly hunt for changeling and cultist alike." Twilight took a deep, shuddering breath before continuing. "I intend to stand in her way. Because I've found that there are perfectly good ponies living this life. Other creatures too, but the ponies in particular are no different than any of you. They simply believe in a different world, a different way of things."
Twilight's eyes went to the window, where the sun set on what might be her last day in Ponyville. " Maybe I was tricked, maybe I was fooled. But I walked into this, eyes wide open. I can’t put the syrup back in the bottle.."
Pinkie pie gently piped up, her normally animated voice quiet. "Once it's already on the oatmeal." Pinkie sounded wistful for a moment, as if remembering something from a long time ago.
Twilight couldn't help it. She smiled at Pinkie Pie, feeling her eyes well up with tears. "Yes. I can’t ignore these ponies any longer. They don't deserve to be killed because of my mistakes. They're my responsibility now. That means I need to protect them, even if I don't entirely know how."
Applejack's voice came next, quiet and thoughtful. "An' Sombra? An Chrysalis? What 'bout them an' this whole Trinity thang?" She had long since put her hat back on, but her voice was still challenging.
Twilight nodded. "I don’t trust them to be honest with me, not for a moment. But I do trust them to act in their own self-interest. They need me as badly as I need them. So long as I'm strong enough to take down at least one of them, they'll play fair enough." She sniffed. "And I intend to make sure Chrysalis pays for what she's already done to Ponyville."
Applejack nodded slowly, rubbing at her chin. "Ah reckon that's fair 'nuff fer now. Ah can’t say I like it but...Enemy of mah Enemy and all that nonsense." She waved her hoof in circles.
Cadence was still quiet, and finally Shining armor asked the question. "Why tell all of us this, Twily? What are you trying to achieve?"
Twilight took a deep breath. What had Sombra told her the other evening? Sometimes when all the odds are stacked against you, all you can do is go for it. Well, now was the time to go for it. Twilight rallied her thoughts, and began to speak. "Two reasons. The first is because I owe you all the truth. You are the closest ponies to me. My closest friends, my brother, and the sister I never had." Twilight tried smiling at Cadence, and managed to get a little smile back from her. "I may have done some questionable things these last few days, but I could not lie to you." Twilight looked over the present ponies, and kept talking. "The second reason is simple, and tied into the first. Now you all know what's going on, what's going to happen. You know the whole story as far as I know it. My second reason is a question - What are you going to do about it?"
Silence filled the room, stunned gazes locked onto Twilight who smiled gently at them. "I can’t win this fight. Not as I am. Even with all of the power I can draw upon now, Celestia still draws her strength from the Sun itself. She's going to be bringing a small army with her. She is undoubtedly prepared for nearly every eventuality. Yet I will meet her in battle nonetheless to protect the people of Ponyville from my sins."
Cadence stared at Twilight, and Shining armor felt something stirring in the pit of his stomach. Twilight kept speaking, but now more slowly. "The doors of the library are unlocked. There is nothing that will stop you from leaving here." She bowed her head with her eyes closed. "I will not stop you. I have made it clear that you are not to be stopped. Any or all of you could leave right now, and I honestly could not blame you. I could not even blame you if you ran to Celestia and told her everything I just told you. I've walked down this road, but I will not drag you with me unwillingly."
She took a deep breath, and went on. "The past four years have been the very best of my entire life. You have all given me a gift beyond the dreams of the goddess. Your love, and your friendship. If I were to die tomorrow, I would only be sad that I could not have shared this gift with you for many more years to come." Twilight might have been crying, but she could not tell right now.
Her voice hurried out, breaking up from the feel of the lumps in her throat. " I have no right to ask any of you for your help, or even your friendship any longer. I have no right to ask you for anything. But I will ask you for it anyway. I will beg you to stay. To fight with me." She lifted her chin, putting on her strongest face. "To be there to make sure I never become the monster. To help me find a better way for all ponies, everywhere."
Twilight opened her mouth to speak more when she felt a hoof press against her lips. It was Rainbow Dash, her eyes soft and caring. She had to have been in so much pain, but she would not show it. "I told'ja before, Egghead." Dash said clearly. "Loyalty." And she leaned up off the wheel chair to brush away Twilight's tears, pushing her chair next to Twilight's and giving a challenging look to the other ponies in the room.
Twilight's head lifted, and she had to smile. A voice whispered into her ear, one she had heard many times before. Victory. Twilight felt startled, wondering why the voice of dissonance was speaking to her again.
Rarity stood up a moment later and trotted boldly past the rest of the ponies to stand next to Twilight on her other side, laying a hoof on the arm of the chair. "I've heard all I needed to hear, Darling. And shame on the rest of you!" She scolded towards the other still ponies. "Shame on you twice and thrice! If you are all still unconvinced that this is the Twilight Sparkle we know and love, then there clearly are parasprites in your ears! I must admit, I don’t like the idea of standing up to Celestia of all beings, but we have stood hoof to hoof with gods before. We shall convince her of her errors, as we did so for Nightmare Moon. Together!" Rarity nodded her head firmly, as if that was that.
Rarity tossed her mane back, smiling broadly at Twilight. "Completely aside darling, a Queen is going to need quite the dressmaker. It just so happens I know one with a fabulous reputation." It was a joke, as Twilight had never been one for dresses of any kind. It startled a laugh out of her that Rarity and Rainbow dash shared as a voice whispered into Twilight's ears again. Power.
Pinkie Pie was on her hooves immediately following Rarity's speech, and she walked rather sedately over to Twilight. Twilight felt a little thrill of fear, not knowing what a calm Pinkie Pie might do. A moment later, Pinkie's hair frizzed up again, and a big smile came to her face. "Silly." She whispered and hugged Twilight firmly. "Not gonna abandon you, Twi. You didn't abandon me." It was a mysterious statement, but Twilight could hear the voice again, even as Pinkie stood next to rarity. Passion.
That left Fluttershy, Applejack, Shining Armor and Cadence. Fluttershy stood up a moment later, biting her lower lip. She looked at the door for a moment, then back at Twilight. She sighed softly, and walked over to the chair, pausing only to look at the kneeling Lilith. Lilith's eyes opened for a moment and she smiled, patting the floor next to her. Fluttershy sank down next to her, having not spoken a single word. The voice spoke again, quietly into Twilight's ears Obedience.
Applejack stood up, and walked across the room, her hat in her hoof. She put it on her head firmly and glared at Twilight for a moment. "Ah don’t like this. Not one bit." She took a deep breath. "But ah didn't much like it when you led us into the Everfree forest the first time. Nor when ya told us about how Cadence had been replaced. I also didn't much like it when we got dragged int'a that fight with Discord."
Applejack stomped a hoof into the ground, sending a loud thud through the room. "But ya were there for me, Twilight. Ya were there for the Apple Family. You saved our farm, and ya saved my family more times n' I can count.. Ah owe you more'n I got the words for. So I'll trust you, Sugarcube. I'll stand with ya." She leaned in, placing a hoof on Twilight's. "And when you decide it's time to hop off this runaway wagon, I'll be there ta' help you break yer fall." She nodded her head once, and marched over to stand next to dash. The voice trilled through her ears again, exulting the word. Truth.
Shining Armor and Cadence stood alone on the other side of the chair. Cadence looked at Shining Armor, and he looked back at her. "Cadey." Shining armor began to talk, his eyes sad. "I love you more than anything." He looked down, pawing at the ground in frustration. "I don't know what to do."
Cadence finally spoke, slowly standing up. "I do." she whispered, walking over to where Twilight sat. Shining armor followed in her wake, confusion warring with other emotions on his face. Cadence stood erect and confident, every inch a Princess of Harmony. "Twilight. I'm going to go speak to Celestia tonight." Fear swept through Twilight's mind, but she did not show it. Cadence's next words were far more shocking anyway. "And I'm going to tell her to stay the buck away from Ponyville."
Disbelief spread across Twilight's face, quickly replaced with joy and relief as cadence kept talking. "I'm going to tell her to stay away from you, Twilight. To keep her distance. I'm going to prove to her, and to you that there does not need to be a battle. That Harmony is not just the fires of the sun or the iron law of the Crown. Harmony is forgiveness. Harmony is acceptance. Harmony is not violence, it is Love! I will prove with my actions and not with mere words, that our way is a better way!" Cadence's voice rang with conviction and determination, and Twilight could only smile.
Pragmatism demanded that she speak however. "And if Celestia does not listen to you, Cadence?" Twilight gently probed. She did not wish to say these things, but she had to. She had responsibility now. "If she comes for me anyway?"
Cadence took a deep breath, her wings flaring out from her body. "Then I do not know what I will do." She sounded tired as anything. Yet there was still that steely determination under the softness. "Prince Armor!" Her voice snapped out, and Shining Armor was suddenly standing at attention. "I am invoking my rights as Princess of the Crystal Empire. My orders are to override any other orders until I personally tell you otherwise." She turned on her heel and looked Shining armor in the eye. "Protect Twilight Sparkle from any threat. No matter what or who." Cadence then grabbed him and planted a hard, intense kiss straight onto his lips, holding him tightly to her for too few seconds.
Cadence turned back to Twilight, and pulled her into a firm, bone creaking hug. "I love you, Twilight. Never forget that." Cadence let her go, and before more words could be said she galloped over to the balcony and hurled herself into the sky, wings flapping with remarkable strength and sending her speeding off into the distance.
Shining Armor stared after her with a mixture of terror and anguish, and pressed his hoof into his chest for a moment. He took a deep breath and his face changed to steely determination. His hoof flew up to his forehead and he spoke in crisp tones straight from the parade ground. "Captain Shining Armor, reporting for duty your Majesty."
Twilight felt a sudden surge of power, as a smug voice spoke into her mind. Power and Magic. Suddenly, there was a blast of energy that engulfed the whole room with shining rainbow colored light that surged across the room and struck a plain looking wooden chest.
The chest burst open, and five golden gorgets and one crown lifted into the air and began to hum and vibrate with power. The golden links changed and shifted into sleek, tight fitting necklaces of thick silver links. The Crystals set into them remained the same shape and color, but were turned into hanging pendants set into silver. The crown itself shifted from gold into silver, and its shape altered slightly to reflect Twilight's new choice of icon.
Each item slowly floated downwards, arraying themselves in a neat pattern atop the closed chest. They gleamed with a subtle menacing power. No one in the room spoke, until Lilith softly gasped out the words, her eyes wide as dinner plates.
"The Elements of Dissonance."