Far in the future of Equestria, a long lasting war has finally finished and the attackers retreated; the war ended in the 20th year. The homes of ponies left in ruins. Everypony who survived this horrible war are always on their hooves moving from city to city to loot what they need.
Gangs had formed a few years back in a few cities and ran them like it was under martial law, you were lucky to survive; let alone escape from one of those places.
Twilight Sparkle was one of those ponies, one of those ponies that had managed to survive the war and still operate without much guilt of killing. Others, who weren’t as strong wasted away in their own guilt as it ate them from the inside.
It didn’t do well to feel pity, it didn’t do well to feel guilt. No pony that was still surviving on their own felt these emotions.
Some ponies, like the young Element Bearers Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were lucky to die before the hopelessness of a few years in siege broke them. Others, like Rarity and Rainbow Dash were unlucky; Rarity worked as a nurse and had her heart broken by the soldiers dieing in the hospital she had joined, she broke at the two hundredth death and died in a attack a few days later; along with everypony else in the hospital. Rainbow, poor poor Rainbow, had to endure the pain of her friend’s deaths. It broke her completely when Rarity died, she couldn't handle the pain; her mind had broken and she was an empty husk until Twilight was forced to kill her out of kindness.
The Apples fought in the war, their help was one of the only things keeping the country alive in some stages; Applejack fought on the front lines and disappeared in the 3rd year, one pony has seen her since; rumours fly by that she was getting a revolution ready. For what, was anypony’s guess.
Twilight was the hardest hit, Canterlot had been hit first; all ponies, young or old, perished. Twilight’s family included. Luckily Her brother and Cadance were in the Crystal Empire during that time, Equestria had sadness broadcasted instead of love during the mourning period.
After Twi lost Pinkie and FLuttershy she grew more recluse, and after Dash; she didn't come out at all. Twilight broke after Applejack vanished, it took several years for Twilight to fix her mind; it was a great kindness that Spike had grown during that time and could help look after Twilight while she mended.
Once her mind had healed, Twilight wasn't the same; she was more hard hearted, less giving, and she eventually killed her first pony in the 8th year of the war. It was then Twilight realised what was going to happen, it was then Twilight accepted if she wanted to survive; she had to change, quite drastically.
1219 A.D (After Discord), In The 8th Year Of The Great War, On the 27th day of the Lunar Calendar, Ponyville, Golden Oaks Library
Twilight yawned and rubbed her eyes, which were already raw from her night of crying. She seemed to panic before calming down, realising the lump in her bed was her little brother Spike. Who had come in to comfort Twilight as soon as he heard the crying.
Twilight sadly smiled and slipped out of bed, she trotted downstairs and started cooking pancakes. In her tired state she didn't notice the shadow behind her.
~ ~ Everypony Dies ~ ~
The shadow was extremely annoyed with itself, it had snuck into a house that was occupied. It silently sighed and pulled out a magitech gun with it’s magic, knowing it had to kill the pretty mare before it could loot the place of useful books, food, potions and other useful items.
~ ~ Though Some, Earlier Than Others ~ ~
Twilight’s ears flicked as she felt her wards activate, she turned around leveling a spell in self-defense. A mare, a looter it looked like was standing behind Twilight.
The mare seemed to leveling a magitech gun at Twilight, the mare who designed the tech was about to be killed by her own invention.
Twi noticed the mare pull the trigger, and Twilight’s magic acted without an afterthought. Quicker than you could blink, Twilight flipped the gun with her telekinesis to face her attacker just before the mare had finished pulling the trigger. The mare realised her mistake after she fired, the laser firing right through the looter’s head and dissipating near the wall as it’s momentum decreased.
Twilight glanced at the mare whose brains were dripping on the floor with little blood, the looter’s body finally realised it was dead and fell forward with a thump onto the floor. A crack signalling how hard the skull had hit the floor, Twi guessed it was enough to put a crack in it.
Twilight then picked up the gun in her magic and examined it, trying to ignore the thoughts in her head. “I-I just killed a po- hey how did this get modified to fire deadly lasers instead of the stunning beams I designed it for?! It might of been the mare I kill- No, stop it Twilight. It wasn't your fault.” These thoughts swarmed around Twi’s mind as she sat there examining the gun.
After an hour, she dropped the gun coming out her stupor. Her mind made up, only one thought was in her head. “This world is turning into kill-or-be-killed.” Twilight sighed and realised she would have to do a lot more if she was going to survive.
She knew how it was getting beyond the borders, she was used to corpses. Why couldn't she accept she killed a pony? Twilight shivered, trying to ignore that thought for now.
Twilight removed the dead mare’s satchel and took inventory, she then kept the gun in her magic and placed preserved fruit, rope, magic overflow gems, and normal gems for Spike. She then stripped the corpse while shuddering of the clothing (She didn't want to be recognised). Twilight then woke Spike and decked out in looter gear, the clothing fitting more or less perfectly.
“Twi? What’s going on?” Spike asked with a yawn, the sleepy dragon had slept through Twilight’s nearly mental breakdown. “We're leaving Spike, the best place for us to go would probably be Baltimare. It hasn't been hit that heavy yet.” Twilight replied.
Spike nodded, he then noticed the mare’s corpse on the floor. He stared at the drying grey matter on the floor and tilted a head. “You?” He simply asked. “Yes. No. I don’t know!” Twilight wailed, collapsing on the floor with the satchel halfway on her neck, the gun dropping forgotten to the floor.
“Calm down Twilight, you'll get over it. It was self defense right?” Twilight nodded, tears streaming down her face. “Then you have nothing to worry about, it was self defense. I bet if you had tried to reason with her she would’ve shot you.” Spike said, Twilight perked up. “R-really?” She asked, Spike nodded and Twilight calmed.
Twi jumped back up again and pulled on the satchel, holstering her new gun she glanced around her home. She raced upstairs and grabbed a few books and a small necklace before heading back down.
“Let’s go.” She said, Spike nodded. They walked out through the library doors and into the desperate world.
~ ~ And Others, Take Longer Than Most ~ ~
After Twilight left Ponyville, she never returned. She tried, yet the memories were too much.
Spike returned after a year with Twilight, they had found abandoned dragon eggs and Spike felt he needed to protect them. So he left but not without a tearful goodbye, Twilight continued onwards into the unknown. She kept a diary but that is long since forgotten, she forgot it in a radioactive zone; where the dead don't die, and never came back for it.
After a few years without Spike Twilight’s heart hardened further, allowing her to be cold and calculating in deals that would have had the former Twi terrified.
~ ~ And Some, Never Do ~ ~
In the 10th year of the war, Twilight had killed over 150 ponies, some in self defense, some not. And during the time Twilight realised she would die before the war ended, she went after a spell to give her immortality; or at least a longer lifespan.
After years of hunting it down, she finally tracked it to a shopkeeper, getting said spell from a shopkeeper who would speak no more, she used it; having nothing to lose.
1230 A.D (After Discord), 14th Year Of The Great War, 124th Day Of The Lunar Calendar, Twilight’s Preferred Safe House, Manehatten
Twilight glanced at the spell page then at the symbols on the floor, they matched perfectly. She then carefully stepped into the middle of them and sat down and started chanting, Twi knowing she had nothing to lose, didn’t mind death but would still fight like hell if cornered.
With her horn glowing fiercely, Twi carefully cast the spell. Once she did, Twilight felt an incredible magic drain and sank to the floor; her legs too tired to hold her bodyweight.
She then screamed, all Twilight could feel was agonising pain. White hot all over her body, most of it focused on her back, horn, mane and tail. Twilight screamed until she passed out, the pain too much.
~ ~ And Some, Die Before They Even Exist ~ ~
When Twilight came to, she felt strange. Like she was here, yet there at the same time. Light pierced her eyelids and Twilight shot awake, her gun aimed at… Nothing.
All that was around was a white nothingness, Twi stared. “H-hello?” She timidly called out, she sounded like Fluttershy. “Hang on, where did that come from? I haven't thought of my friends in years, because it hurts. I-it doesn't seem to hurt, what is going on?”
“Lots of things Twilight Sparkle.” A white Alicorn appeared, and with the Alicorn appearing the scenery changed to a meadow.
“Celestia!” Twilight called out, running to her old teacher. Her gun still hanging in her magical grip. “H-how?” Twilight asked, glancing around the meadow.
“We're in the void, or what ponies call the void. This isn't the real void void.”
“Huh?”
“We're in the fields of Rebirth.”
“How are we in the fields of Rebirth?” Twilight asked, knowing the answer.
“Using that spell without the Elements proved fatal, we're here because of a choice. You know which choice.” Celestia said, her calm demeanor matching Twilight’s.
“I choose rebirth.” Twilight instantly said, she had come to ponder mortality often and debated between everlasting peace or rebirth. Her conclusions came to is that rebirth is better if the Rebirth Meadow was true.
“Are you sure? You will be in a different universe, and forget your old memories but still keep your skills if they come up.”
“I’m sure. Celestia I've pondered this often, rebirth is always my answer.” Twilight answered with confidence.
“Understood.” Celestia turned and placed her horn on Twilight’s head which made the world flash white and then fade.
When Twilight Sparkle’s body was found, only draconic and Alicorn tears were shed. Twi’s body had a good burial. She was mourned and missed, though when Luna smiled a few days later. She said she chose rebirth.
In A Few Universes Over
Twilight Velvet smiled and glanced down at the bundle in her forehooves. “She’s beautiful.” Velvet whispered. “We'll call her Twilight Sparkle.”
~ ~ Mortality, It Is What Makes Us Strive ~ ~