Chapter 4
My strength has grown tremendously since I devoured Discord’s essence. There is a part of me that now feels whole. The other fractures of myself now hunger for theirs. Fortunately, there is a certain villainous unicorn with the key of uniting these parts. But before I take her too, perhaps I shall continue the rift between the friends.
“Good morning Twilight,” Starlight Glimmer speaks as she hears the doors open.
When she turns to greet her mentor with a smile, her face contorts to an uncomfortable one. The princess has her mane disheveled, tuffs of hair jolting out in any direction it pleases. Deep bags hang under her eyes while veins redden around her violet gaze.
“Oh my,” she says, throwing her mouth over her hoof to repel her gasp. “Are you alright?”
Twilight yawns as she scratches her head, “Just a little tired is all. I guess with everything that has been happening lately, I have been finding it hard to fall asleep.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
“No,” she shakes her head. “Unless you have some clue as to who is behind these attacks recently.”
“I thought you said it was Discord?”
“I did,” she sighs, “But I received a letter from Princess Celestia that he was telling me the truth. Now he has gone missing.”
“Well,” Starlight smiles, her horn aghast in light as a book floats onto the table. Flipping through the pages, she stops at one, “After spending a few hours in the library, I discovered this spell. It looks like it might explain what has been happening.”
Twilight walks up to the tome, puzzled by the bindings, “That’s strange, I’ve never seen this book before. Where did you say you found it?”
“I stumbled across it in the library,” she explains, “It was magically disguised as another book. Anyways, this spell here combines essence of several creatures into one being.”
“So what you are saying is some-pony has used this spell to become Part-Tirek?”
“It could be more,” Starlight suggests. “There is no limit to the number of specimens a pony can infuse with, but there is a risk. The—”
The doors to the castle are blasted open by a blue blur. Starlight Glimmer is ripped from her spot at the table, and is slammed against the crystal wall. It fractures behind her, as an infuriated Rainbow Dash has the unicorn pinned with the side of her hoof. She brings back the other, unbridled fury filling her gaze.
“Rainbow Dash!” Starlight Glimmer manages to force out enough words. “What are you doing?”
“Rainbow Dash, stop it!” Twilight barks.
She fails to listen to either, her hoof flying forward to pummel the pink pony. Thinking quickly, the princess’ horn flashes with magic, and her pupil disappears. The Pegasus’ hoof slams into the wall, sending cracks sprawling outward. Rainbow realizes her target is gone, and searches for her prey. She discovers Starlight running toward the open door. Opening her wings, she quicks off the wall, soaring straight for her. Twilight shoots a beam of pink at her friend. It manages to hit her midflight, causing her to freeze in the air.
“Twilight,” Rainbow Dash tries to fidget, but is unable to move, “What are you doing?”
“I should be asking you the same thing, Rainbow,” the princess frowns. “Why are you attacking Starlight? She is one of us now, remember?”
“She’s nothing, but a traitor,” she shouts.
“What are you taking about?”
“Put me down, and I’ll show you.”
Rainbow Dash takes Twilight and Starlight into Ponyville. Everything appears normal until they arrive at Sugarcube Corner. Standing just outside the bakeshop is there friend who is looking like a deflated version of her usual bouncy self. Pinkie Pie sighs as she opens the door for some ponies coming in for a tasty treat. When the girls approach, they notice that even her vibrant coat appears a bit lackluster.
“Pinkie Pie?” Twilight looks at her with concern, “What happened?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Rainbow says, “Just take a look at her flank.”
The princess does take a gander at her friend’s rump. Instead of the bubbly balloons there is an eerie equal sign. The sight alone sends a shiver down her spine, but then her eyes wonder from the new cutie mark to her pupil. Starlight shifts her gaze from the flank to her teacher. There is a horrifying look upon her muzzle.
“No,” she backs away from Twilight and Rainbow, “You cannot possibly think I was the one who did this? Twilight, you can’t think I did this?”
“Of course we think you did this,” Rainbow blurts out, “You are the one who used that spell on us before. So what, did you decide you wanted to pick us off one-by-one this time? Or did you find Pinkie Pie just a bit too happy for you?”
“No, of course not, I would never do this,” Starlight shakes, “You girls are my friends…”
Twilight drops her head and sighs, “Starlight…”
“No,” tears well up in her eyes. “You have to believe me, Twilight.”
“No one knows that spell, except for you…”
“I…I…”
She sobs, unable to stop the water from flowing down her face. Through her watery gaze, she sees a distorted image of Rainbow Dash marching toward her. Another sob slips from her mouth as she shuts her eyes tightly. Suddenly, her body flashes in a green light and vanishes. The Pegasus looks around frantically, but turns to the princess.
“Where did you send her,” she demands.
Twilight is taken aback, “Nowhere, I didn’t cast the spell.”
“Then where is she?”
“I don’t know,” Twilight looks down. “I can’t believe she did this.”
“How are we going to fix Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow Dash stomps her front hoof into the ground. “This is all your fault!”
“My fault?” Twilight looks up, narrowing her eyes.
“Yeah,” she hops up, her wings flapping to keep her aloft. Looking down on the princess, Rainbow says, “If you never trusted her in the first place, this never would have happened.”
“I trusted her as much as you did.”
“I only did because I trusted you,” she snaps back. “But I guess just because you’re a princess doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes.”
Gnashing her teeth, Twilight is left speechless.
“Ugh, I’m going to go find her,” she growls, “See if I can get Pinkie Pie’s cutie mark back.”
Before Twilight Sparkle can stop her, her friend shoots to the sky, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake.
“Where, where am I?”
Starlight Glimmer opens her eyes to a void of black. A strange, violet smog swirls around the ground of white. It snakes around her, giving her chills. The ground beneath her hooves let out a soft white glow that illuminates the endless plain. Looking in every direction, the unicorn struggles to find any bearings as the landscape stretches endlessly.
“Do you like my distortion world?” a familiar voice echoes.
She lets her horn glow to provide more light, “Whose there?”
“You must have a guess,” the voice speaks, forcing back a hideous laugh. “After all, you were the one who discovered my spell book.”
Marching through the fog is the image of Thorn Eclipse, the fog hugging his ashen coat. The curved horn on his head is wrapped in a faint green light as his emerald eyes give off their own luminescence. A smile reaches his muzzle, allowing his fanged teeth to shine like pearl.
“Who, who are you?” Starlight aims her horn.
“I go by the name, Thorn Eclipse,” he says, “But you might know me by another name.”
She watches as the unicorn shrinks. His black fur becomes purple scales, yet he keeps the same emerald eyes. The baby dragon still has the sinister smile.
“Spike?” she takes a step back.
“Yes, the little baby dragon you and everyone else looks down on.”
He transforms back into his unicorn-form, and laughs when Starlight backs away.
“How are you doing all of this?”
“I told you,” he chuckles. “You found my spell book.”
“You,” she gasps. “You are the one who used the spell. You merged Tirek’s essence with yours.”
“Oh, not just Tirek,” he steps forward. “Every foe the girls had faced now reside within me. Every foe.”
“You,” she glares. “You took my essence too?”
“Guilty,” he smiles. “It made it easy to learn that equalizer spell.”
“So you’re the one who did that to Pinkie Pie.”
He nods.
“Why?”
“If you haven’t noticed, I have created disharmony between those six. Jealousy between Apple Jack and Rarity. Anger in Fluttershy. Distrust in Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie is without her laughter, and Twilight Sparkle is without her friends. Now their precious friendship cannot stop me. Nothing can stop me.”
“You’re wrong,” Starlight gnashes her teeth. “I can stop you.”
“Please,” Thorn laughs. “If the Lord of Chaos cannot stop me, what makes you think you can. You are just one pony. Alone. Friendless.”
“I can still try,” she shouts.
Her horn flashes a bright blue hue as her body lifts off the ground. A beam shoots from the tip, and strikes Thorn, covering him in the same light.
“I never thought I would ever use this spell again,” she cries, “But if it means protecting my friends, then so be it. I’ll tear off your Cutie Mark!”
Thorn laughs, “Please…”
His horn becomes aglow in green as it shatters her magical beam. Rearing back his head, he blasts a spell blast of his own, striking her in the chest. She falls to the ground, her body hugged by the purple smog. Wearily, she looks up to see him standing over her.
“Your essence is mine,” he smiles. “And once made whole, I’ll be able to travel through time and collect the rest. Thank you, Starlight, you are the key to destroying your mentor. Any last words?”
“That magic,” she groans. “What kind of magic was that?”
Thorn laughs, “Dragon magic…”