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// There is Always Light to Outweigh the Darkness 
// Story: The Element of Friendship 
// by The Derpy Doctor 
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	“As your new leader, I demand an extermination order. All ponies will be killed. I am sure that you all can find what use you can of anything around you. Anypony that can possibly muster the hatred of murdering another pony, please do so. I want to watch.
There was silence. Nopony wanted to kill another.
I sat by friends. We knew it would be our last sit. The only real magic, now was the magic that we shared.
“Dinky,” Applebloom forced the words, “We can still be together, now.” Let it be said that we spent our last moments together.”
I chuckled a sad chuckle at her optimism. There was something wrong, though. There was still light, here. If there weren’t then we’d be blind in these cages, but we could still see. I knew that there was always light to outweigh the dark. That was the saddest part, because there wasn’t. Our demise would be swift and bleak.
“My friends,” came my final response to Applebloom. For a certainty, now, I was the undeniable friends with ponies that would follow me into the worst of situations. I wish I had known sooner. Now I would know if I ever would, though. That was the best part.
“If nopony insists on killing anypony, then I will just do all of the work. No?” Acerbus finally concluded his terrible speech, “alright, then. Last words?”
Lyra Heartstring stepped forth, and told him about her life. “I was born just outside of ponyville… I-I never really thought that I was worth what I was. I tried to be like the humans. They seem to have the answers. You may have power, but never have the answers. You will never know what your heart wants, just as any of us do know. I know who I am, and I will never regret this life that you spent.”
Every word, true. She spoke what was on her mind.
“Any more?” Acerbus smirked.
Twilight stepped forth and prophesied her words. “I want to talk about my friends. They have always been there for me. They are truly the sort of mares that I want to be like, and thankfully, I can have my last words be about them. I thank you all for being there for me every day. Thank you for being my very best friends.”
“That was sweet,” Acerbus announced, “not sweet enough to save you, but it sure is sweet. Now, though, I’m getting tired of the last word requests. You will all die.”
“Wait!” I yelled without the slightest thought.
“No, too late, I would like to be rid of all the ponies that I have hated for many years.”
“You don’t hate us,” again without thinking I spoke, “You just know that we can defeat you. Only pure light can defeat darkness and you cannot stand a chance. You are not even real darkness. You are mildly light. No matter what you do, you will always have some light. there will always be light to outshine you. That was proven just now as two brave souls spoke against you. You will never be over us.”
I had no idea where that came from. I braced myself for his gaze. I would likely be the next to go. I had just doomed myself. I thought about whatever I wanted my last thoughts to be. Nothing came to mind.
“Well. Hero. So, I guess you don’t mind if I were to destroy you first hm?”
I couldn’t respond to that. I had no logical response set out.
“Them so it be.” Acerbus seemed overly  fond of his next action.
I braced myself more.
“We’re here for you, Dinky,” Applebloom said (too calmly if I might add).
“We will be until the bitter end,” came Scootaloo after.
“...and maybe after the end.” Sweetie Belle by far the most shy stepped into the circle.
They stood at both of my sides Sweetie belle and Applebloom stood at my left and Scootaloo at my right.
I knew what I wanted my last thoughts to be, now. It was my family, and friends. That was when the darkness came.
I only remember my thoughts. I thought about the doctor, my mom, my friends, Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Those were my thoughts. The light of the great ray then came upon me and my friends. We were burnt into nothingness. I felt no pain. It is difficult to feel 	pain when you are around friends.