//------------------------------//
// Eyes Wide Open - Ch. 6 
// Story: When it all Falls Apart 
// by Rysonn 
//------------------------------//

	A dark glow twisted and refracted around Twilight's horn. 

"...Twilight, you know I can fix them if you help me."

"No."

"...But... Why? How can you bear to keep them this way..?"

"Because."

"That isn't a reason."

"It's the only reason I have."

"...Twilight..?"

"Yes?"

"...Do they hurt?"

"Doesn't matter."

Princess Luna sighed. Her ribs tightened, and her heart ached. It was hard. Just seeing her like this. It was hard. Yet, there was nothing she could do.

Twilight stood at the window. The sun would set soon, but the clouds draped across the sky shrouded Ponyville in a surreal, dim-lit blue light. It was a horrible kind of beautiful. The wind toyed with Twilight's mane, but the whole time, she never stirred.

"...Twilight..?"

"Yes?"

"...What do you see?"

"...I see misery."

Luna pulled Twilight from the window and and spun her around, gazing deep into those black as death eyes. Vaguely, she thought she could see into Twilight herself, watching the images dance through that frail mind. Once upon a time, she could have almost tasted the colour in those beautiful eyes. Now all she could taste was pure, raw, all-encompassing darkness that glowed and leeched out from where those eyes used to be.

It was terrifying.

"...What made her do it to you? Why did she... what did you ever do... how could she do this to you..?"

"You already know why."

The deep aura swirled together and in a flash, there were two Twilight Sparkles before Luna's gaze. Another flash, and only one remained. The very feel of the magic in the air was cold and sent chills deep into her bones.

"That magic is forbidden."

"I know."

Luna didn't argue, just stared into those eyes darker even than the night she created.

"...I know what goes on in her head."

"I know."

"It's in my head too."

"I know."

The dark light swirled again. Flash. Four Twilight Sparkles. Flash. Eight. Flash. One.

"But yours is different. Yours is a pain of loneliness. Hers is a pain of vengeance. Of rage. Of madness."

"She's no madder than I!"

"I know."

"...She's no madder than you..."

"...I know."

"...Then what do you intend to do..?"

"Good question." Twilight drew a smirk. It scared Luna. Those eyes. That smile. The very thought of what lurked in the darkness inside that lavender Alicorn's skull. It was a frightening thought.

The sickly aura swirled again. Flash. No Twilight Sparkles. Noyhing but a Twilight Sparkle shadow crawling back toward the window. Flash. One Twilight Sparkle.

"Fight fire with fire."