It was midnight as the moonlight shined over Equestria, though dark times were abound after the murder of Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. Her death at the hooves of nobles whom feared her ideas and refusal to accept change led to a conspiracy to murder the new princess. Her body laid at rest in the memorial garden per order of her mentor Princess Celestia. As midnight hit however Twilight's body which had remained frozen at rest began to move. “mm...” Twilight groaned as her eyes suddenly opened. “Wh... where am I?” Twilight began to get up before her head hit the lid of the coffin. “Wh... What's going on here??” Twilight freaked as she pounded on the lid with her hooves. “Hello?!” she cried out before remembering her magic. Her horn lit up as she used her magic as the lid was suddenly blasted off. Twilight stumbled out of the coffin. Her legs were wobbly as she coughed as she felt her body adjusting to being alive again.
“What happened to me? Last thing I remember was....... the guards! Gallant heart!” It all hit Twilight like a swarm of parasprites. The guards that stormed her room and attacked her, the burning sensation of the Orichalcum blades piercing her skin, Gallant's face being the last before he slit her throat. The look of regret he showed her, the last thing she saw before everything went black. She felt like she was in limbo.
“Can it be? Twilight Sparkle back from the dead??” Came a familiar voice. Twilight turned around as Discord hovered behind her.
“Discord, if this is your doing...” Twilight glared at the Draconequus. Discord shook his head as he looked at Twilight seeing her alive and well.
“If it were my doing you'd still be dead as a door nail inside that casket of yours. But it wasn't, besides I partake in constructive chaos, not destructive chaos.” Discord replied. “Everypony in Equestria will be happy to see you, well not exactly everypony. Those so called heroes against the tyranny of the princesses will not be happy to see you.” Discord noticed Twilight wobbling. “I see the rigor mortis is wearing off. You should rest after your ordeal.” he suggested to Twilight.
“Discord what's been going on since I was... I mean... You know.” Twilight couldn't find the right words to explain her own situation let alone wonder what Discord was talking about.
“Not here, we don't need them to hear us or know your alive and well.” Discord snapped his claw as he and Twilight vanished from sight. Some time later Gladius Stride happened to be on patrol in the area, after a long talk with Princess Celestia over the uprising and the rumors of Civil War, he knew this was all bad and he knew his brother Gallant Heart and his allies were the cause of the rot that could end up killing Equestria itself. He decided to visit Twilight Sparkle's grave to pray for forgiveness from Faust herself for what his family had done.
“I can only hope and pray Faust guides us out of these....” Gladius froze in his tracks as his eyes went wide seeing the shattered coffin lid and no sign of Twilight's body anywhere. “Oh sweet Faust!” he cried as he galloped off to summon the guards. Soon the area was swarming with patrols of both the Solar and Lunar Guards. Princess Luna stood close by the grave site wondering who could be terrible enough to violate this sacred place, close by a devastated Princess Celestia stood unsure how to respond to this though the guards, Gladius included knew she was infuriated at this sudden turn of events.
“Sister? Tia?” Luna approached her sister showing concern. “We'll find whoever did this, and they will pay.” she told her sibling.
“They will Luna.” Celestia replied.
“Celestia? Your highness?” Gladius asked with a hint of fear in his voice. Celestia's eyes were white as she was enraged, she had an idea whom was behind this.
“FIND THOSE ROTTEN WORMS BEHIND THE UPRISING AND BRING THEM TO ME! I WANT ALL OF THEIR HEADS FOR THIS BLAITANT DESACRATION OF MY LATE STUDENT'S GRAVE!!!” Celestia shouted in the royal voice, this was all the guards needed to hear as they rushed off. “First they took my student's life, then my school, now my student's dead body...” Celestia was trembling as Luna went to comfort her.
“Tia we'll find those snakes and make them regret this foul action of theirs.” Luna told her sister.
“I hope for Faust's sake they do find Twilight's body and those monsters who took her.” Celestia fumed, it would be a while till she calmed down. She knew the nobles whom fled her wrath might have commissioned this personal assault on Twilight's grave. All she wanted now was to smash those traitors even if it meant hunting them down like dogs to punish them.
Meanwhile at Ponyville, Discord and Twilight appeared in the library. Twilight looked around feeling relieved to be back at home as she made her way to a chair and sat down in it still feeling uneasy. “Discord, I have to tell Princess Celestia I'm back before something worse happens.” Twilight told Discord as she felt her senses all rushing at once, she felt a tightness in her stomach and aches and pains in her muscles, all signs of her body fully reactivating itself after being dormant for a long time.
“Yes, but not now, your barely in any shape as it is to speak to Celestia let alone face whatever it is those nobles have planned for Equestria.” Discord told Twilight as she nodded her head.
“I guess you're right. I feel so sick right now, must have been from my hibernation I guess.” Twilight rubbed her head before she felt something land on her head, she looked up and smiled to see her pet owl Owlicius on her head. “Hey Owlicius, I'm glad to see you.” she said to the nocturnal bird, Twilight felt something drip on her face as she noticed tears running down the owl's face. “I know, I missed you too.” Twilight told her pet.
“Yeah, everypony else did too.” Discord stood at the window. “Fluttershy couldn't stop herself from crying so much when you died, same with Rarity and Pinkie Pie, Applejack tried to force herself to work so hard till she finally broke down and mourned you, and Rainbow Dash, she almost joined you in the afterlife.” Discord said.
“She almost committed suicide??” Twilight asked as she had a look of shock. Rainbow Dash almost killing herself? She knew her friendship with the rainbow maned Pegasus was deep but she didn't think Rainbow Dash would take her "death" this hard.
“Well not intentionally, she drank herself nearly to death. Cost her that golden opportunity she wanted with the Wonderbolts.” Discord answered.
“All because of them.... those rotten scumbag nobles, Blueblood especially.” Twilight growled thinking of Blueblood, that arrogant prick who was jealous she was an Alicorn and he wasn't. Twilight hated Blueblood and his father Amadeus as well for what he said, turning Twilight's words into venomous lies. Forcing her into tears due to his silver tongue. “Still can't believe Gallant Heart was in on their plan to kill me.” Twilight sunk down in her chair and sighed.
“Friend of yours?” Discord asked
“A bit but he was best friends with my BBBFF Shining Armor.” Twilight answered Discord's question. “He and his little brother Gladius Stride were best friends with Shining, yeah they were friends with me too. Gallant even was my brother's best stallion at his wedding too.” Twilight felt a tear run down her face thinking of Gallant's betrayal of her and her family. It hurt her so much to think somepony she trusted could betray her. “Worse, he looked like he was apologizing before he slit my throat and killed me.” Twilight wiped the tear away with her hoof.
“Really now? Remorse? Or was he worried his actions would end up destroying him and his family?” Discord pondered.
“I don't know, all of this doesn't make any sense. Discord gather the others and bring them here. We need to prepare for the worse.” Twilight told Discord as she got up out of the chair and started upstairs, Discord nodded his head and vanished from sight. “I got a bad feeling about all of this. And how was it I survived if I was dead?” Twilight pondered as she entered the bedroom, she stopped as she noticed how messy the place was. “Spike.” Twilight's thoughts were on the baby dragon as she looked at his empty basket. “Guess he's with Rarity or the Cakes, hopefully he'll come along too.” Twilight settled into her bed and fell asleep.
Morning soon came as Twilight awoke feeling the warmth of the sun's rays. She yawned and headed off to get cleaned up before waiting for the others to arrive, she didn't want anybody to see her alive yet. After what Discord said she didn't want to think somepony would hate her, well other than the likes of Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra. Though Sombra was banished for good and Chrysalis was dead so she had no worries about them. “I should get breakfast.” Twilight headed off though she caught herself, there was no kitchen in the library and she didn't want everypony to see her alive and risk her haters coming to Ponyville and harming innocent lives. “How could it have gotten so bad?” Twilight wondered to herself, maybe a change of reality was in order, she probably would surprise Sunset Shimmer though did she know what happened in the past few years? Twilight had no clue as she sat and began to read. She stopped when she heard sounds outside and took a look out the window just in time to see three colts running off. Twilight recognized them as students of Ms.Cheerilee's. “I hope they don't blow my cover.” Twilight muttered to herself.
Meanwhile at the school yard the three colts whom had seen Twilight in the window looked afraid. “I didn't know her ghost was haunting the library!” said one of the colts, the one wearing the propeller hat. This was Button Mash, he along with Featherweight and Pipsqueak were dared by Silver Spoon to go into the library alone, Featherweight went with his camera to take pictures as evidence of them being there despite the childish rumors of it being haunted. However to them it wasn't a rumor.
“You don't think her ghost is here to punish us like Celestia did those ponies that killed her do you?” Pipsqueak asked nervously.
“Hey, what are y'all up ta?” Came a female voice as Applebloom approached, she was one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders alongside her best friends Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
“We got dared to go into the abandoned library and we saw her! We saw Princess Twilight!” Featherweight answered
“Wha?! Ah heard those butchers murdered her. At least that's how Granny Smith says it.” Applebloom felt a chill down her spine, her voice alerted Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to see what was up.
“Hey what's this about Twilight?” Scootaloo asked.
“We saw her ghost, it was looking right at us from the window!” Button Mash answered.
“Her ghost??” Sweetie Belle gulped hearing this.
“Yeah, she looked mad.” Button Mash confirmed what the CMCs were fearing. The school bell started to ring as the fillies and colts headed inside. Diamond Tiara had overheard the conversation and wondered if it was true if the library was haunted.
Meanwhile Discord had been making his rounds as he appeared to the other element bearers, the first was Fluttershy whom Discord convinced to go with him to the library for a moment of remembrance for Twilight, he also was able to convince Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack. His work done he appeared at the library and waited, sure enough the element bearers arrived on schedule. “Ah, you made it in time.” Discord said with a grin.
“Ah never seen Discord this jolly in a while, not since them rotten monsters murdered Twilight.” Applejack spoke up as she can still remember that day when she and the others learned of Twilight's death.
“Yeah, what gives Discord? You didn't call us here for nothing right?” Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered in the air.
“Yeah, it doesn't even look like a party. Maybe I can go get some cakes from Sugar Cube Corner to brighten the mood.” Pinkie Pie bounced as she wanted to make this happier instead of being sad.
“I really wish something could erase that horrible tragedy and the horrors it's brought.” Rarity let out a sigh, she had heard about her boutique chain in Canterlot going through hard times due to the nobles' influence. She wanted to prove a point to them that she can go on despite their whining. “I just wish Spike was still here, ever since he ran away I've grown worried about him.” Rarity let out another sigh, she indeed was worried about Spike and his where a bouts.
“Yeah, after Twi's funeral he just flipped out. Ah'm worried about him too.” Applejack spoke up as well.
“I kinda wish he would have come and stayed with me and Discord.” Fluttershy lowered her head.
“Ah think we better go inside and have this memorial for Twi, ah know she'd want us ta remember her for all she did for us and for Equestria, not for the false image them bucking cowards painted her as.” Applejack spat obviously referring to the nobles and of course Prince Blueblood. The others all agreed as Discord let them inside the library.
“Oh my! Has the library really gone this long without a care taker?” Rarity gasped seeing a lot of dust and cobwebs everywhere, a few scorch marks were on the wall, signs of Spike letting his rage out.
“Indeed.” Discord moved away from the group. Upstairs Twilight heard voices and gasped. Somepony was inside the library, and if they saw her it could get out and she couldn't let that happen. Before she could move Discord appeared to Twilight.
“Discord, who's downstairs?” Twilight asked Discord quietly
“Why your friends, I'm sure you'd want to see them again.” Discord answered Twilight. The Alicorn sighed in relief.
“I'm sure they'll be happy to see me.” Twilight responded as she and Discord headed downstairs. She saw her friends and smiled.
“Ah! Discord! Behind you! It's a ghost!” Rainbow Dash cried out.
“What in tarnation??” Applejack also said in surprise and shock.
“Oh this?” Discord chuckled. “I'm afraid your a bit wrong Rainbow Dash.” the Draconequus chuckled some more.
“I'm not a ghost guys.” Twilight approached her friends. "It's really me, in the flesh." the alicorn tried to explain.
“T..Twilight??” Rainbow Dash hovered over to Twilight and touched her with her hoof. “Oh my Faust...” her lip trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. “Twi! It is you! You're alive!!” the pegasus cried as she hugged her friend. The others soon joined in the hugging and crying tears of joy.
“Guys, I missed you too...” Twilight said to her friends as her voice was choked up. They backed up to give her space.
“Twi, we all thought you were dead... but how??” Applejack asked.
“Yes, we all saw you inside that coffin. It was so hard on us, even Spike.” Rarity added on.
“I can't explain it myself. All I remember was seeing Gallant Heart's face before everything went black. Next thing I know I wake up inside that glass coffin. Discord helped me back here after I escaped my own tomb.” Twilight began.
“I bet that smug bucker was smiling a smile that could put the Mane-iac to shame.” Rainbow Dash growled.
“It was more of a look of sorrow. Gallant was a friend of my family's, mostly my brother's best friend and his best stallion at his wedding. It hurt me in my final hours that he'd kill me.” Twilight lowered her head.
“Sorrow?? Why would that low down side winder be sorry fer killing ya? He was stone faced through the trial.” Applejack was dumb founded.
“Yeah, and believe me I wanted to buck Blueblood's face off for calling you Princess Celestia's mess cleaner and even went as far as to say he was more worthy of being an alicorn than you were Twi. Shining Armor wanted to kill him had Cadence not held him back.” Rainbow Dash told Twilight.
“And to think I liked him. Shows the old saying is true about judging a book by it's cover.” Rarity added on.
“I do need to go to my parents, and my brother and let them know I'm back. But I can't let them know I'm alive.” Twilight told her friends.
“Ya mean them snobs trying ta spark civil war?” Applejack asked.
“Civil War?? I know I was gone but I had no idea they wanted civil war.” Twilight couldn't believe what she heard.
“Yeah, hey Twi. Before we all thought you were murdered I... I wanna apologize for some of the things I said. That wasn't me talking but rather the cider talking. Stupid addiction got me kicked out of the Wonderbolts Academy.” Rainbow Dash told Twilight.
“It's okay Rainbow. I know that wasn't you talking at all.” Twilight told Rainbow Dash before she felt Pinkie Pie hug her tightly. “Pinkie?” Twilight noticed Pinkie's mane was flat as was her tail.
“Twi! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!” Pinkie Pie bawled her eyes out.
“Pinkie, what's going on?” Twilight asked as she looked at the pink mare's tear stained face.
“It was my family that gave Blueblood the Orichalcum that they used to murder you! I know Marble didn't mean it, that rat fink got her drunk and she blabbed it to him!” Pinkie cried
“What?!” Rainbow Dash shouted, Applejack was stunned silent hearing this. Rarity and Fluttershy were both frozen in shock hearing this. Even Discord was shocked when this info came out.
“Pinkie I don't believe it. Did your sisters and parents know?” Twilight asked.
“No, they didn't know till after they stole the Orichalcum.” Pinkie Pie sniffled.
“Ah can't believe it...” Applejack was still stunned.
“Why didn't your parents...... ugh why didn't your sisters stand up to those killers?!” Rainbow Dash said out of frustration.
“Rainbow! They had no idea they would try to kill me. As of right now if they knew I was alive they'd try to kill me again.” Twilight spoke as the voice of reason. “There's so much to do. I need a way into Canterlot to tell the princesses and my parents I'm alive and well, then I'll cut the head off the snake and stop this civil war before it can start.” Twilight told her friends. “Wait, where's Spike?” Twilight asked her friends.
“He ran away, he was so heartbroken after your death he refused to talk to any of us. He locked the library and we can hear him screaming and swearing.. it hurt all of us to see him like that. Recently he ran away and told no pony where he's gone.” Rarity explained, Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, I couldn't even find him no matter where I flew at. Not to mention with all this tension going on.” Rainbow Dash let out a sigh. “We'll find him Twi. He needs to know your back too.” she said to Twilight whom nodded.
“I'm trusting you guys to find Spike, Discord I need your help to warp me to Canterlot.” Twilight said to everybody in the group. Discord whom had seen the emotion in the room approached Twilight.
“Consider it done, I'm sure the tears shed here won't compare to the tears Celestia will shed to see you alive and well.” Discord snapped his claw as he and Twilight vanished, the others rushed off hoping to find Spike though he could be anywhere in Equestria.