To die
Rarity flipped the sign on the library from open to closed. She was so tired. The past year had been the most draining of her life. “Those books came, right?”
“Yea. It was a close thing, but Luna pulled some strings for us and got the last two books, for Applejack and Dash, sent royal priority.” Spike answered, shouldering a backpack and joining her at the door. “Are you ready for this?”
Rarity let out a dry chuckle. “By pulling strings, you mean screaming in their faces.”
“Probably.”
Opening the door, Rarity half stepped out into the evening sun, pausing to meet Spike’s lips with her own. Sometime during the aftermath, he had gone from friend to lover. She couldn’t say exactly when, but he had saved her sanity in the process. Even in the fitful dreams, he brought her comfort.
“Let’s go get Pinkie and Fluttershy,” Rarity said, locking the door behind her. The past year had changed them all, but those two the least. It had taken them both of them to keep Applejack, Dash, Spike, and herself from falling into a darkness that one does not return from.
“The dreams have gotten so real.” Spike mused as the walked.
The dreams… Rarity had to laugh at their mention; or she’d break down crying again. “You know, I’m going to be jealous of your wings when they finish coming in.” Lighting her horn, Rarity massaged the tender growth protruding from Spike’s back; earning her a little coo of pleasure as he leaned against her. His weight surprised her for a moment. She had to keep reminding herself that he was almost her height now. Applejack had said she would look into what had caused his sudden growth spurt; after tonight.
“Hey you two!” Pinkie greeted them as they neared Sugarcube Corner. Trotting up to the two, she gave them each a hug in turn. “So when do I get to plan your first foal shower?”
“Pinkie!” Spike tried to scowl, but the look Pinkie was giving him made it falter into a nervous laugh.
“Let us get through tonight, before we start looking towards the future,” Rarity said, a mischievous grin sneaking onto her muzzle. “Although, if we have reason to celebrate tonight, I am just starting my heat.”
Pinkie and Rarity both cackled at Spike’s stammering.
Sobering from the laughter, Pinkie turned towards Sweet Apple Acres, and motioned for the couple to follow her. “We better get going. Fluttershy is already over there, Dash needed Discord’s help with something.”
Rarity nodded. Fluttershy and Discord, the other odd couple to come out of this year. The dreams had been hard on Discord. Fluttershy had told them he would wake up screaming some nights. That had apparently gotten better over the last few weeks; but whatever he had seen, had placed Fluttershy in the center of his world. Some little nagging memory form the dreams told her she knew the answer to what that was, but it stayed out the the reach of her conscious mind.
Spike rested a claw on her as they followed Pinike into the orchard. She was glad for his touch. Soon this year would be over. They would succeed, or they could move on with what’s left of their lives.
Through the orchard, and out to the west field they walked. The old field was an alien landscape now. Applejack and Dash had transformed it into an arcane shrine that looked more belonging on the cover of a Daring Do book, than on an apple farm.
Stepping from the shade of the trees, and into the evening sun, Rarity could see Luna had already arrived.
“You get the last two books?” Dash asked.
Spike handed her the books wordlessly. The charms woven into her mane rattled and sang as she flipped through their pages. “Thanks, this is just what I was hoping for,” she said tucking the book beneath a wing. Rarity missed watching Rainbow Dash fly. The web of gold and gems entwined around her wings had left her flightless: a sacrifice made to access powers she had no claim to.
It had been a joyless task helping Dash bond those charms to herself, but at least they could be removed. The tattoos scrawled across half of Applejack’s hide would be with her for life. They were fine—when not in use. Rarity would even admit they gave Applejack a rather striking appearance when they were idle. It was how they moved when active that gave Rarity the shivers. The hours she had spent driving that enchanted ink into her friend would never fade from her memory.
Pink filled Rarity’s vision, snapping her from the ill memory. “Let’s go sit with Fluttershy and Luna while they get ready,” Pinkie said with a calm smile. Rarity couldn’t help but mirror it.
Luna gave her a nod of acknowledgement as they approached. Rarity returned the gesture as Fluttershy’s wings embraced both her and Spike. When had she stopped bowing to the princesses?
“How are you two feeling?” Fluttershy asked them. How strange that she had become their rock to cry on.
“Nervous. Feeling a bit useless at the moment,” Rarity answered.
“Nonsense,” Luna said. “Without you, your friends would not have been able to start this quest.”
“Giving them the means to dump half the forbidden section of the Royal Archives into their minds is not exactly my proudest accomplishment. The fact that since then, they have become more powerful mages than I’ll ever be, is also rather humbling.”
Luna shifted her weight, watching Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Discord study the new books. “They have a drive and a knack that is once in a lifetime. But do not envy them, it comes at a price, and you are no less gifted, just in other ways.”
Fluttershy nodded in agreement to Luna’s words.
An hour passed as they watched Applejack and Dash rearrange, and add to the ritual structure. Whatever they had gleaned from the books had warranted some major corrections. It didn’t matter how many times she saw it, she would never get use to seeing those two weave spells. Rainbow’s chromatic aura danced in the air, while Applejack’s red washed over things like a brutal tide. It was equally odd watching Discord being deadly serious as he helped where he could.
“We’re ready,” Applejack announced, walking up to them.
“Same places?” Spike asked.
“No, few changes. You’ve had more physical contact with her than any of us, so you’re going to be in the circle too.”
Spike nodded. She could tell he was nervous, but she knew he would do anything. He had been the first plagued by the dreams; and the one to make them believe there was still a chance.
They made their solemn march into the giant circle, leaving Luna behind to take her place as the external catalyst. She gave Spike one last smile, and a kiss on the cheek, before separating to take their marked places.
Each of the girls donned their element. Pausing a moment, they let silence speak for why they were here. A year ago today, thay had rent their best friend to ash. The stone with Twilight Sparkle’s name on it had nothing beneath it. The dust, that had been her body, was too fine to gather before the wind had taken it.
“Everypony ready?” Dash asked.
Affirmations echoed around the circle till only Applejack was left. Seeing the others prepared, she let her red magic flow from her hooves. Dash responded by letting her rainbow aura fill the air above them. It was terribly beautiful.
Runes and glyphs along the ground lit up with eldritch fire. Strange voices echoed from elsewhere around them. Stone pillars within the circle took on a life of their own, shifting, moving. Rarity tried very hard to ignore the shadows dancing along them.
Arcs of magic caressed Spike, a split second before their elements sprang to life, pouring their magic into the maelstrom. The new magic mixed with the spell till there was only blinding white light.
“From one to another, another to one,” they sang.
“A destiny denied, again to be revealed.”
The white light faded and flickered. Howling wind and biting cold filling its place. Sun on snow still made it hard to see. Rarity’s vision began to focus, Spike’s purple and green stood out against the white, but something was off, he was twice the size he should be. He looked like he did in her… dreams.
“Where’s Twilight?” A strange voice shouted.
Looking around, Rarity found familiar faces she didn’t remember.
“There!” The rose earth pony shouted, her hoof pointed towards the sky.
Above them, two alicorns fought with deadly intent. One, a dark and shadowy figure they did not recognize, the other obviously Twilight. All six elements swirled around her, adding their efforts to the battle.
Rarity reached up to touch the element on her neck, but it was gone. She flapped her wings, hovering in place. It felt strange, yet natural. They were strong wings that could tear apart storm clouds, not the gosmer things from two years ago.
“Don’t leave the circle!” a yellow unicorn yelled.
“You’ll get lost in the dream if you do,” the other yellow unicorn added.
Iris landed back on her spot. “Spike! Can you get her attention?”
Spike bellowed into the air. Green fire erupting from his mouth and nose as he unleashed a noise the rattled her bones. A little part of her said to run from the beast that made that sound, while another part of her said there was safety near it.
“Wow!” Surprise said with a flutter of her wings, as the echo of fire faded.
‘A bit overkill,’ Iris thought. It had worked though. Both alicorns were looking at them. ‘What were they supposed to do?’ She knew she had to stay on her mark, but why?
“Twilight, you have to give us the elements!” Morning shouted.
Twilight used the distraction to weave magic around Black Heart. The web of energy clung to her, and slammed her to the ground. She would set this right once and for all.
Landing between Black Heart and the Crystal Heart, Twilight looked at her brother trapped in the ice; not alive, not dead, he was trapped in his exact moment of death. She could feel his soul trying to join her stars, but unable to.
Using the elements and the heart, she could stop it. She could forever put him out of the reach of the Crone’s shears, and heal Cadence in the process.
Reaching within herself, Twilight pulled that little spark that was herself out, and joined it to the elements’ magic.
“No!” Morning shouted. “Don’t! Give us the elements. We can fix this.”
Twilight shook her head. “I can’t use you like that. The elements will change you. I want you to live your own lives.” Pooling magic around her, she reached out to the heart. It would snuff out her own light, but everything would be as it should be.
Pain racked her side, sending her tumbling to the ground.
“You will not go gentle into the good night. We have fought too hard to reach you.” Rarity’s voice moaned beside her.
“Iris! Get back, you’ll forget!” Dash’s voice called from behind her.
Scrambling to her hooves, Twilight looked around. she didn’t recognize where she was. Some altar that reeked of dark magic. The world took an even darker hue when Iris fluttered back into the circle that her friends had made around her, casting the immobilized forms of Black Heart and Shining Armor into a grim visage.
“We need the elements now,” Morning said in Applejack’s voice.
“I won’t use you like that.” They were right. They could use the elements, and set everything right without the need to sacrifice herself. But their personalities were already starting to blend. If she let them actually wield them, she had no idea what would be left of her friends.
“We came here to help you. Let us,” Tranquility’s voice pleaded.
“Trust us to make this choice,” Iris said.
“We miss you.” Pinkie’s voice tugged at her heart.
Turning in place, Twilight wilted under the sad eyes looking back at her. “I don’t want to miss you again. I’m not ready yet.”
Spike started to step forward, but stopped. “Trust them, Twilight.”
“But I-” Twilight hung her head. He was right. A flash of light sent the elements back to their old hosts.
- - - x - - -
At the edge of the field, Luna felt the dream shatter. The column of star stuff that had joined the earth and heavens started to dissolve along with the dream. Her lungs burned with held breath as she waited to see what was revealed.
Twilight had been taken from her before she could ever admit her heart to her, and now, just maybe, she would have a second chance.
The tall, lean figure in the center of the circle confused her at first. It was Twilight, but she had wings and a mane that blew in ethereal wind.
“What happened?” Alicorn Twilight asked.
Dash grinned till her face threatened to split. “We stole you back from the dead.”
Pinkie wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s neck, dangling from the taller pony as the others pressed around. “We missed you so much.”
Twilight sat back down, letting a foreleg wrap Pinkie in a hug. “I don’t understand. Where’s Surprise?”
“Twilight hon,” Applejack said, she expression turning serious. “That spell you had us try in the library; Star Swirl’s. You remember it?”
“Of course, that’s what turned me into an Alicorn.”
“No.” Dash’s face went a bit pale. “It turned you into a pile of ash. You died. We killed you.”
“I… No, I remember everything.” Twilight scoured her memoires. That day on the mountain with Spike came back as clear as the present. Before then she had... She had... What? It was all a nebulous feeling, things she knew, but no memory of doing them.
“After your funeral.” Rarity paused a moment. Taking a moment to rest a paw on Spike. “Spike started having dreams about you. Said you were still alive, but you were trapped in the stars.”
“We really didn’t believe him,” Fluttershy admitted. “But then the dreams started.”
“The dreams?” Twilight asked.
Pinkie nodded. “You were in all our dreams.”
“Eventually they talked me into looking for your dreams,” Luna said, standing just outside the circle of friends.
Applejack nodded. “Dash and I had been reading some of your magic books. We just couldn’t believe you were gone like that. Not when we were talking to you every night. So when Luna decide to look, we helped where we could.”
Twilight looked over her friends. Applejack looked exotic and dangerous with the ink under her coat. They were spells, and powerful ones too. Dash was a walking collage of artifacts. Some she was sure had come from Celestia’s personal collection. The power thumbing off the pegasus was almost deafening. “You two, learned magic?”
Luna laughed. It was an honest belly laugh that forced the others to snicker along with it. “They did what nopony else has ever done.”
“Only ‘cause she has a greater fate,” Applejack said, trying to dismiss the compliment. “I think the coming back as an alicorn would prove that.”
Looking up at the stars, Twilight reached out to them. She could hear the echo of voices there, but it was not the jumbled mess she remembered. There were points of light she could touch, and understand. An itch in the back of her mind told her where new stars were forming. Souls to greet, troubles to comfort. If she closed her eyes, she knew she would see lights streaking both up to her stars, and back down to creation.
All the little lights, they were hers to protect and comfort till they returned to the living.
“Let’s go back to the house, I’ve got a party waiting for us!” Pinkie cheered, bouncing off towards the Apple homestead.
The others laughed as a years worth of stress drained from their bodies. They stood to follow, but paused, something unspoken hanging in the air. Twilight started to ask what was wrong, but then the lot of them lunged forward in one great group hug.
“We’ve missed you so much,” one of them said. The words seemed to give permission for others to sniffle and mumble words of agreement. They all held one another for a while, then one pony stepped back to follow Pinkie, then another.
Soon it was only Luna left beside her.
“Twilight,” Luna said setting beside her. “I had dreams of you. Do you remember them?”
There was a shyness about Luna that Twilight found out of place, but oddly cute. It was hard not to kiss her, but if everything had been some kind dream… “Luna, I’m going to have to adjust to all this. To me; you and I were lovers for a very long time.”
Even in the dim light of the evening sun, Twilight could see a blush on Luna’s face. “I thought I would never get to say this, but I would like it very much if we brought that to reality.”
Twilight kissed Luna’s cheek, it was familiar and strange at the same time. “Me too.”
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wat
seriously?
meh.
6140274
This is the alternative ending. I'm just being weird, and posting it first.
The planned ending has me stumped, and I don't know how long it will take me to get over it.
so everything beforehand was a dream? I'm not at all happy with this.
ah alt ending. Still isn't the best.
also perhaps I can help with the real ending. PM me how you are stumped and maybe I can help break it.
Wut, she dreamed??
6140368
To die, to sleep—to sleep, maybe to dream. Ah, but there’s the catch: in death’s sleep who knows what kind of dreams might come.
I'm imagining the lines on Applejack to be like those on the Sirens from Borderlands. Dangerous and beautiful at the same time. And the spell itself reminds me a bit of a spell from Fern Gully. "What was done, now undo. Return you to the form that's true." Brilliant.
"T' die, t' sleep - t' sleep, perchance t' dream. Aye, there's th' rub." That line outta Hamlet is more'n fittin' here, Lad. An' th' whole scene is just beau'iful. Keep up th' great work.
6140686 I was thinking along the lines of Dash's tats from Dangerous Business.
Hum...
Not a bad alternate ending I would say.
Wait, when I read this a year ago, this chapter was different. Did you take it down?
6252312
There's one chapter hidden, as I'm rewriting it a bit, got myself into a corner.
6252767 Ah, ok, that makes sense. I do like this story very much, so I hope you can get out of that corner.
This was a great read and just the thing for a Sunday night read before bed. Shall wait for the real ending but quite enjoyed the alt.
Not cool, putting the alt. ending first, dude. Not cool.
An awesome alternative ending, but without a proper ending to it first it feels like you just slapped us in the face with a cod.
is this completed? it still says on hiatus
7589736
No, the ending is an AU ending. I'm going to have to retool this story a bit. I drifted from the original vision, but I really do intend on coming back to this story, and giving it a proper ending.
to be honest i first thought this was just an odd ending, but the more i read and think about it, i kinda like it!
Fuck! is seriously? put the alternate ending above the true one? just ruined one of the best stories I've ever read! a kind of classic fic and very well written! and you get me an alternate ending that is confusing and not fully understood, lacks logic in more ways than one! As one of the comments below said, putting the alternate ending before the real one was like slapping us in the face with fucking cod !!!