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// Princess Twilight Sparkle 
// Story: Futures 
// by Dai Kirai 
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	While Valiant kept banging on the wall, not realizing that this specific wall could be passed through if he only remained calm and moved slowly. Twilight closed her eyes and gave a happy sigh, thinking of her remaining friends and the pain they had to endure and the pains they were likely to still endure. The changelings were more of a threat than ever, Sombra had escaped in the last moments of his assault of the Crystal Empire, and there was no proof that Discord would remain sealed without all of the elements working. She finally saw the choices ahead of her and realized she had no choice. Twilight got back onto all four hooves and walked towards the disguised pony. 
Valiant heard the hooffalls and stared at the approaching princess. “Please,” He begged, backing away from the door. “I’m sorry! Please save me! I can rebuild my machines, rebuild them for you.” Tears slowly streamed down his face.
Twilight arrived at the wall, her regal countenance serene and calm, lips turned up in a surprising smile. The alicorn knew that anypony that saw her at this moment would see Celestia, the ruler Equestria needed, the friend that Earth needed, and the pony she never could have been before this point. 
As her hoof slowly passed through the wall, she turned her head to look at the confirmed terrorist. “You have foolishly revealed your true self, you could never be trusted. I will protect my subjects from you and I will protect the Earth from you.” She regally stated. As her tail passed through the wall, she could feel the walls shake as the machine finally detonated.
Twilight sat and tilted her head down to give respect to the deceased earth pony. She gave a silent prayer to her mentor. Celestia, please watch over Valiant Shadow, another victim of a cruel war. Please accept him into your hooves and protect him, help him to find peace.
Twilight Sparkle deeply regretted letting another life, any life, end in such a cruel way and by her own hooves. But no matter how hard she tried, a single phrase from an old Earth show kept forcing its way into the forefront of her mind. ‘The evil in my subconscious is too strong to resist. The only way to win was to deny it battle.’ And that’s just what Valiant’s promises were, a temptation she could not resist forever and if she gave in once he would have tried to control her, or worse, her own temptations would have controlled her. 
“No single pony should ever have the power to change time. To force their views on or their beliefs on anypony else.”