//------------------------------//
// Wave After Wave 
// Story: The Greatest Lie In Equestrian History 
// by Deep 
//------------------------------//

The seven ponies in the room had fallen silent. Only into themselves did they look, with nopony's eyes crossing another's. The book remained on the table between them, its text still waiting to be read.

"It was definitely a master of deception!" Dash said, excited, "Just think about it! He was definitely like a princess's right hoof stallion or adviser. I see it in movies all the time."

"Maybe he looked nice, like an ordinary pony?" Fluttershy said, "You can never tell how somepony truly is on the inside... at least, that's what I've learned."

"True," Applejack said, "But I reckon' a pony this powerful musta' looked mighty powerful too, at least more than the ordinary pony."

"Agreed," Rarity said, "They did have a palace after all, not exactly the calling card of a humble pony."

Everypony shot her a glance.

Pinkie jumped up, "Maybe they were a super powerful, long lost alicorn strong enough to blow up the earth and moon and sun and everything!" Everypony gave her their 'What the hay?' face. "What?! You did say super powerful?"

"You guys are on the right track," Twilight said, "But I think we should go over the descriptors first." She put her hoof on her chin, "Okay, so what do we know..? This pony believed in friendship almost to the point of insanity-- scratch that-- to the point of insanity... They had to have been amazingly powerful to use this spell on the scale that they did."

"They'd have to at least have been as strong as the higher princesses," Daring Do said. Twilight nodded.

"And don't forget that they'd have to be alive then!" Dash said. The other six turned to her and shook their heads. "No... ugh! What I meant was, who do we know that was even strong enough to do this back then?!"

"Well it certainly wasn't anypony from the Unicorn Kingdom," Rarity said, "I've done quite the research on it and I can assure you that nopony had the means or power to perform such a feat."

"You never know though..." Daring Do said, giving a suspicious glance around the room, "After you live a life like I have, you start to question everything, no matter what the research."

"What bout' Starswirl?" Applejack said, "Twilight's always goin' on about how powerful he was and we know he was alive back then."

"Yeah!" Dash gave her own thinker's pose impression, "He does fit... I think we got ourselves a winner here! Good job AJ!"

"But from what I've heard, he wasn't the type of pony who'd do this," Fluttershy said, "At least that's what I think... no need to go accusing somepony without real evidence."

"It does all fit..." Daring Do thought hard.

"It does..." Twilight said, "But like I said before... my gut's telling me no..."

"Oh enough with your guts!" Dash said, "They'll say no to me being a pegasus next! Just you wait!"

"It's not like I like it either, Dash!" Twilight glared, "And besides, making decisions just off how I feel has never been my thing... There has to be a reason for every choice, not just a passing mood."

"What is your gut feeling anyway?" Pinkie said, standing in place, "Is it like my Pinkie sense?"

"No..." Twilight took a step away from the others, "It's more like... an itch... I feel it whenever I think about the spell, the windigos... whoever did it." Twilight closed her eyes, "It just keeps on talking to me... telling me that I know the answer... that I've known it all along."

The room fell silent as Twilight stood in place with her eyes directed inwards. Her mind was empty. Decades of night long study sessions and memorizing enough books to fill a library had trained her mind for occasions such as these. She fired up all the brainpower she had while reviewing all the events of the day, all the clues.

After that, it was just a matter of time.

No... Twilight's coat spiked up as her pupils dilated. All the air left her body, like it was being sucked out by a spell. She could feel for the first time in her life a chill run down her spine, from her head to tail. Her very life was being taken away from her, but that was the last thing on her mind.

"I have to leave! Now!" Twilight charged out of the room with a look of horror, and without saying another word to the ponies she could trust the most, left the room.

Once in her bedroom, she locked the door and gave one final look around. Nopony had followed her.

Twilight charged up all the magic her alicorn body could until an aura that reached the ceiling and even seeped through it engulfed her horn. An instant later, in a flash that shook the very walls of the room, she was gone without a trace.

The next thing Twilight saw was herself in the throne room of the royal palace. The sight in front of her, her beloved Princess Celestia sitting on her throne.


..........................................................................


"Hello there, Twilight," Celestia said, her flank on her throne, "My intuition was telling me that you would come."

The words coming out of her mentor's mouth never made it to Twilight's ears. All the young alicorn could do was shake as the one pony she believed in above all else mutated into the very thing Twilight had sworn to destroy. "P-Princess... did you?"

Celestia got up and took a step towards her true daughter, "My most faithful student-."

"Don't 'My most faithful student' me!" Twilight let out a shiver as she realized who she had just raised her voice at.

Celestia's warm stare turned serious, "Yes, I did." Twilight didn't respond, but only stared on with the same cowardly face. "What?! Do you want me to explain myself? You already know why."

"I know..." Twilight said, her coat still spiked up, "It's just that... I don't want to believe it. What if it failed?" She paused, then saying with her softest voice, "What if everypony died?"

Celestia sat back on her throne, "But it didn't, did it?" Twilight walked to her mentor. "Risks are a part of life, every life... we are the product of them as is the world we live in... Take a second to imagine a world where I did not make the choice I did... imagine what our world would lose."

Twilight paused to think for a few seconds, silent. "I understand, Princess... you made the choice you deemed best."

"Still do," Celestia said, sternly.

Twilight lowered her head, "It's just that... I could never..."

"Do not speak so strongly," Celestia said, "For one day you may be forced to make the same decision as I."

Twilight quickly raised her head, "W-What?!"

"Friendship is a fragile thing... It may be the most powerful force in our world, but against the waves of time it erodes like a rock to water. So hard at first, but nothing more than a puppet to the endless tides." Celestia looked down upon her student like a tower while staring into her eyes. "There will come a time when friendship is forgotten... It has happened before, and it is destined to happen again. I can only pray that it does not happen during your lifetime, but when it does it shall be your duty to remind ponies of the truth."

Twilight began walking backwards, "No... I refuse! I'm sorry, Princess... but if this what I have to do-."

"No..." Celestia gave a cold stare, "This is what you are meant to do." The princess's eyes glowed white, and an instant later so did her student's. The next thing Twilight knew she was no longer in the palace, but in a city she couldn't recognize, surrounded by ponies she didn't know.