//------------------------------// // Epilogue: A true, true friend // Story: Avatar: Legend of Diamond Tiara. Book 1: Harmony // by Jeweled Pen //------------------------------// Silver groaned as she walked into her home, pushing the door open with a grunt. The day had been hectic and crazy and she was only now getting home, even though the sun had set hours ago. Trying to filter the innocent from the guilty was proving to be near impossible. Even worse, Sunburst still hadn't been found and ponies were starting to worry about him. Her poor home was trashed. The alarms had finally been cut because they were going off every few hours, the gates were in tatters, the supplies gutted. They had insurance, fortunately, but she still wasn't looking forward to the next few weeks. Her dad was bound to try to 'fix' everything. And that usually meant more power and fire. Likely explosions, too. Assuming they didn't throw him in jail for life. At the moment he was still helping with the repairs, but who knew what they'd do when they didn't need him? She trotted into the kitchen and grumbled, pulling out a cup and turning on the water. It came out, which was better than could be said for half the city after so many water pipes had been busted in the attacks. “Yayyyy, it still works!” She slowly poured herself some water, before tossing in a tea packet. She was too tired to actually warm it up. She took a sip and shivered. “Ew.” She turned around and paused, her eyes widening. Meadowbrook was sitting at her table, watching her with a cruel grin. “Hello, Silver. I do hope you don't mind me coming in.” Silver blinked a few times before sipping her tea. “You know, everypony is looking for you.” “I know,” the mare said with a small chuckle. “But really, I couldn't just leave. After the... humiliation the Avatar gave me, taking her cutie mark isn't truly enough.” She got to her hooves. “Taking the cutie marks of her friends as well? I think that will sting nice and hard.” “Mmmm hmmm,” Silver said with another sip. “You know, nopony is here. They won't hear you scream.” “Yes, they won't hear you... wait, what?” Meadowbrook said, staring at the mare. “They won't hear you scream,” Silver said before putting the drink down and grinning. “I am thankful you decided to choose me as the target of your vengeance. I realllllly wanted to get you back for that little show you put me through. Do you have any idea how hard it was to have to pretend to be one of your unmarked? I slipped up like a dozen times,” the mare said with a roll of her eyes. “Not that the Avatar noticed, but still. It really could have been difficult for me. Not to mention it took me out of the action for sooooo long. I was sooooo bored. But then, playing the damsel can't always be fun.” Meadowbrook now looked sufficiently confused. “I... don't know what you're...” She shook her head. “Trying to throw me off with mind games? Well, it won't work. Your cutie mark is mine!” She thrust her horn forward and green magic surged out. Silver rolled her eyes before smirking. Her eyes turned yellow with little red pupils and she hit the beam of magic. It flipped back around and raced back at Meadowbrook, hitting her in the chest and making her topple back. Her cutie mark flew off, into the air and hovered for a few moments. Then Silver's tongue lashed out, sailing across the room, wrapped around the mark and yanked it back into her mouth. She belched out a little smoke. “'Scuse me.” Meadowbrook's mouth fell open and she stared in horror. “How... how did you... what did you...” “Oh Meadowbrook, Meadowbrook, Meadowbrook. You already lost to one Avatar, did you realllllllly think you could beat a different one?” she asked before walking over with a small giggle. “Why, I bet you actually thought you were the big, bad, scary monster of this story, didn't you?” She reached out and pinched the mare's cheek, before slamming her head against the table. “I'm sorry, but your defeat to the Avatar was ordained from day one. Now, you're going to answer some questions of mine.” She shoved the mare back on the ground. “H-how... how are you... what are you? There's only one Avatar though!” “Oh, yes. One for Harmony. But I never said I was her Avatar, now did I? Though, let me tell you. I'd honestly prefer to have been. My past lives, well, just life now is quite annoying. Great and Powerful just... ugh. At least I can't talk to her that often anymore. Since I... ugh, monologuing. Moving on.” She smiled and put a hoof on the other mare's chest. “Now, I want some answers. That spell, where did you learn it? And don't try lying to me. I know that's not Discord magic and it's most definitely not pony magic.” “I-I don't kn--” Meadowbrook let out a cry of pain as the hoof stomped down on her chest. “Don't. Lie.” “I-I was taught it! B-by... by Sunburst,” the mare whimpered, gripping the hoof. “He... he told me... he'd help... that we'd b-bring Equality. S-said it was a gift f-from the spirits. T-the staff made it stronger. M-made it easier.” Silver sighed and shook her head. “I knew there was something about him. No wonder he went and disappeared.” She cocked an eye before smiling. “The Avatar's cutie marks. You still have them, don't you?” The mare went quiet. Silver slowly applied pressure to the mare's chest as her eyes turned yellow and red again. “Oh don't be like that, Meadowbrook. I know you have them with you. Where are they?” She leaned in close. “Don't think I'll kill you, dear. There are so many, many more things I can do to you without killing you. Once you die, the fun is over.” “B-behind the couch,” the mare said softly. Silver nodded and walking over to it, before shoving it aside. There was the jar. She picked it up and nodded. “All three, good. So, Meadowbrook, I'm curious. Is that your real name?” She opened the jar and put a hoof in, before letting out a yipe and pulling it back. “Well, I guess absorbing these aren't an option.” “It's... it's Starlight Glimmer,” the mare said weakly. “Oh, of course it is. A little bit of razzle dazzle for a name, I suppose.” Silver looked back. “I won't kill you, dear. That just wouldn't be very fun. But I can't just let you go, either. You see, I have plans. Big plans. And everything is going according to keikaku.” She paused. “Keikaku means plan. I don't know why I even said that. Ugh, probably his influence.” “What... what are you going to do?” the mare asked fearfully. “My predecessor turned three into four. I want to turn four into three. Or... something like that.” She shook her head and waved a hoof dismissively. “Honestly, it's all kind of confusing. The whole... wall things. I can't always wrap my head about it and it's not like I can ask anypony else about it. They'd just think I was crazy.” She then paused. “Though, I suppose I am crazy. Heh. Wouldn't that be funny? Maybe in actuality I was so scared when you arrived I fell over and hit my head on the counter and this is all just a hallucination from a concussion. Maybe I'm not the big, scary villain after all. If only.” She snickered and moved towards the frightened mare. “How does it feel, dear? To be just like everypony else? Is it scary? Oh, of course it is. You lost most of your bravery too, didn't you?” She gently stroked the mare's face. “Like Diamond. Ugh, listening to her whine was soooo annoying. I mean, she's supposed to be the hero, right? Who wants a hero who just keeps whining and complaining?” She shook her head and backed up. “So then, Starlight. I don't want to kill you, but I can't just let you go. Hmmmm.” She tapped her chin. Then a small, wicked smile formed on her lips. “Ohhh, I know just what to do. It's perfect and it suits you wonderfully, Glimmy.” “W-what?” the unicorn asked nervously. “Lost and confused, the terrorist Meadowbrook snaps under the pressure of her failure. Finally found in the streets, ranting and raving like some kind of lunatic, her mind gone. Don't you think that's a wonderful ending to this little story?” The mare backed up. “P-please. N-no, I won't tell anypony. I w-will leave, I'll never--” “I'm sorry. It's just too late for that. I'm sure you understand.” Silver's eyes glowed with a wicked yellow light. “All according to key lime pie. Oh, wait, that wasn't right either. Oh well~” ------ Silver hummed as she gently swirled the jar around, looking at the three cutie marks held inside. “Well, Diamond. It seems once again I have all the tools I need to make you do what I want.” She licked her lips. “Now... I think there's a certain amulet you're going to help me get.” She let out a soft chuckle. “After all. Friends help each other, don't they? At least true, true friends.”