Starlight Glimmer Makes Many Mistakes

by MagicS

Starlight's World IV

Starlight Glimmer (the good one) and Twilight Sparkle were now being led through the hallways of the Crystal Castle by the captain of Evil Starlight’s guards. They were flanked on both sides by several spear carrying guards but were otherwise unharmed. Now considering what both Starlight and Twilight were capable of they weren’t really in any danger from these guards to begin with and the only reason they hadn’t teleported away at the start was because Twilight saw this as as good of an opportunity as any to meet Empress Starlight and attempt to fix things. If she was going to know that intruders were here anyways and stealthily searching the castle was now out of the question they might as well go directly to the source of the matter.

“You really think this is okay?” Starlight whispered to Twilight. “I told you just trying to reason with me probably won’t go too well.”

“It’s fine.” Twilight reassured her. “This still gives us a good chance to see a lot of the castle, and the Crystal Heart might be in her throne room too if it’s not at the top of the castle.”

Starlight wasn’t so excited about meeting her other self but if anything she did have a lot of questions she wanted to ask her. She looked at the guards next to her and how they moved in lockstep without paying attention to her and Twilight.

“Twilight do you think we even need to whisper?” She said. “How much are these guards even able to think right now?”

The Alicorn frowned and waved a purple hoof in front of one of the guard’s faces. Who didn’t react at all.

“Good question.”

“Well if things go south in here I guess we can just teleport away.” Starlight mused. “Somehow I doubt these are going to be the most effective guards for stopping us.”

For a while longer they walked to the throne room in silence, the castle was well known to the both of them and there wasn’t really anything for them to look out for. It all seemed normal enough. Twilight’s eyes continued to dart back and forth and look through every open door and room they traveled by though, in case she spotted Shining Armor or Cadance. Starlight for the most part just stared absently ahead, occasionally looking between the guards to see if there was any change in their behaviors as they got closer to the throne room.

“You know I really am Starlight Glimmer.” She suddenly spoke up just to see what the reaction would be.

Nothing.

“It’s true, I’m Starlight Glimmer!” She said a bit more forcefully.

But the guards continued to ignore her.

“Could you stop that?” Twilight frowned at her. “They clearly don’t believe you. They know that you aren’t the “real” Starlight.”

“It’s annoying! I mean this whole time we’ve been stuck in this world every other pony has believed me and we’ve been able to do whatever we want but now these guards won’t even acknowledge me.” Starlight frustratingly replied. “Like is my mane really that big of a deal? They’re stuck on auto-pilot for everything else but apparently my mane being in a different style is just too big a change.”

“These guards probably see her everyday, that’s why.” Twilight tersely reasoned, getting irritated with the silly complaints from her student.

“I think I’m partially just upset about how Evil me probably has the same old manestyle I had when I first met you.” Starlight pulled on the curl of her mane. “That look was so old-fashioned.”

“Is that seriously what you’re annoyed about? Cause I have so many other things that actually matter that I could be complaining about right now!” Twilight said to her through a twitching eye.

“Eheh, no, no. I’m just complaining for the sake of complaining.” Starlight shook her hooves in front of her body. “Don’t mind me, Twilight.”

“Grrr!”

Twilight looked about ready to explode again so Starlight felt it was best to shut up for now.

Instead they climbed higher into the heart of the Crystal Castle, each step taking them closer and closer to their meeting with Empress Starlight. If she hadn’t been annoyed by her Starlight earlier Twilight would probably be stressing out a little bit more, but instead of being anxious about meeting the evil ruler of this Equestria and seeing if she could be reasoned with or not her mind was taken off thinking about that too hard. For better and for worse. Spike and Starlight… and many others... might say that Twilight stresses out about stuff too easily. But Twilight would say she has very appropriate reactions to most situations. And being very concerned and laser-focused about Empress Starlight would come off as appropriate to her.

“The throne room is just ahead, the Empress will you see you in there.” The lead guard’s voice rang out from in front of them.

“Oh thanks, it’s not like I don’t already know where the throne room is or anything.” Starlight sarcastically replied, although again the guard showed no sign she even heard.

Twilight meanwhile was peering ahead at the large familiar doors that she had gone through many times in the past. No longer would they open up to the smiling faces of her relatives. Not yet at least.

She took a deep breath before looking to Starlight. “Okay, we can do this. She’s just a pony, she’s you, I know we can make her see the error of her ways and set her on the right path.”

“Twilight, the first time you tried talking me down I yelled in your face.”

“Well then now we’ll just have to hope that she’s in the mood for an actual conversation. And you can even be really useful here, Starlight!” Twilight grinned at her student.

“Er, how?” Starlight raised an eyebrow at Twilight’s statement.

“You’re proof that you can become happy the right way! You’re proof that you can be convinced to see things from my perspective too, it’s great!” Twilight cheerfully said.

“I… don’t know if I share that sentiment.” Starlight grimaced. “I just have a feeling that Evil me really isn’t going to like me, she’s gonna think I’m weak, or dumb, or lacking determination. Old Starlight had kind of a glass half-empty worldview. She’ll just see me as a quitter.” Starlight then frowned. “Of course I kind of see her as a betrayal of everything we used to stand for, so if she starts to criticize us for stuff like that she really doesn’t have a leg to stand on.” She shrugged. “Eh, alright. I guess me being here can’t hurt us any worse.”

“You’re brimming with confidence about this...” Twilight rolled her eyes.

Starlight would’ve responded with an annoying quip if they hadn’t finally made it to the throne room.

The unicorn guard pulled the door open and all of them entered. Twilight and Starlight noted that, like everything else in this world, it all appeared so normal at a glance. It wasn’t shrouded in darkness, or overly luxurious, it looked like it did in their present. Even the one very notable difference looked normal in its own way. Nostalgic even. Because Empress Starlight Glimmer was sitting on the throne and just like she always had she looked like an ordinary and unassuming pony.

Wide eyes and a fake pleasant smile gazed at them from under that old ponytail and bangs manestyle that brought back so many bad memories for both Twilight and the good Starlight. Upon them walking forward so the Empress could see who exactly these “changeling” intruders were her eyes widened in surprise a bit before returning to normal, but otherwise she made no indication she was surprised or confused. Still her piercing eyes followed the two of them intently.

The guards led them to the middle of the room before the captain stopped and saluted.

“The intruders, Empress.”

Empress Starlight’s eyes briefly glanced at her before returning to Twilight and Starlight. “Thank you, Captain Gleam. You can take your position at the door now.”

Captain Gleam nodded and made an about face, she and her guards filed away from Twilight and Starlight and formed a line in front of the door leading back out of the throne room.

For a moment silence reigned. Twilight wasn’t sure if she wanted to begin or wait for whatever Empress Starlight might have to say.

She didn’t have to make a decision as soon the Empress spoke up again. “Changelings huh?” She said, holding a hoof under her chin as she looked between the two of them. “That’s not true is it? A changeling turning into me isn’t a bad idea, even with the wrong mane, but no changeling would ever turn into Twilight Sparkle if they were trying to infiltrate my castle. So that begs the question of just who or what are you?”

Good Starlight stepped forward before Twilight could answer that. “Well you’re right, we’re not changelings. In fact this may come as a bit of a shock to you but I actually am you, or at least another version of you. And this is really Twilight Sparkle too. We’re both from an alternate timeline or dimension or however you want to call it.” She said, smiling at her evil self.

The smile on Empress Starlight’s face faltered for a split second but she quickly fixed it. “Really now? That’s rather interesting. And how did you end up here?”

“We uh, we don’t really know.” Starlight shrugged. The truth wasn’t always convincing.

“Hmm, and why are you here, specifically?” Empress Starlight politely asked, pointing at the floor.

Twilight and Starlight shared a glance before Twilight sighed and decided to walk up and speak to the Empress.

“I want to be honest with you from the start. We came here to try and convince you to stop the brainwashing and turn everything back to normal.”

“Ahahahaha!” Empress Starlight immediately started to break out into laughter. “You really can’t be serious? I mean I figured that’s why but I didn’t think you’d just come out and say it like that. Well, you were always delusional, Twilight.” She sneered at the Alicorn.

“Hey! Twilight is not delusional!” Starlight stepped up to defend her friend. “Just look at me! I’m her friend now, she was able to get through to me, I’m proof that friendship is magic!”

For a second nopony said anything as all eyes were on her. Empress Starlight scrunching her nose at what Good Starlight just said.

And soon blood began rushing to Starlight’s face as she started to heavily blush in embarrassment. “Can’t believe I said that...”

Twilight rolled her eyes but turned back to look at the Empress. “Okay, but what my Starlight said is right though! You don’t need to do something evil like this!”

“Hah!” Empress Starlight snorted. “I’m not evil I’m right! I’ve created a world of true harmony. A world without sadness, loss, betrayal, separation, or strife. A calm world of equality. Before me there were just too many differences that led to disarray, but now that everypony has lost their minds it’s always a happy day!” She raised her arms in cheer.

Good Starlight facehoofed and started shaking her head. “I told you, Twilight, she’s a nutjob. Talking isn’t gonna work.”

Evil Starlight glared at her. “I heard that. I’m not crazy either.”

Twilight just sat back on her haunches, sadly staring at the evil mirror of her friend and student. “How did you even do this? How did it get so far?”

A smirk found its way onto the face of the Empress. “Curious as ever I see. Oh it’s not like it’s the greatest story or anything. But fine, I’ll tell you.” She sat up straight and stared down at her two guests through piercing, half-lidded eyes. “After you-” She glared at Twilight. “Ruined my village and destroyed my life I researched you and eventually came here. The power of the Crystal Heart held endless possibilities to me, and I could get a little personal payback knowing your brother and his wife were here too.”

Twilgiht’s jaw clenched at the mention of Shining and Cadance but she didn’t interrupt.

Empress Starlight continued. “It was simple. Nopony really knew who I was or what I planned, it’s not like I’m Tirek or anything, and with my power and inconspicuousness infiltrating the castle was a breeze. And taking Shining Armor and Princess Cadance’s Cutie Marks was even easier.” She sadistically grinned at Twilight.

“Ghh!” Twilight flinched, a tear threatening to drip from her eye.

“Stop that.” Starlight said, putting a comforting hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Just… tell the story.”

“Fine, I won’t color it so much.” Empress Starlight chuckled to herself. “Anyways with their beloved rulers held captive by me the crystal ponies were more than happy to listen to my orders. And those entailed powering up the Crystal Heart for me. I think you can put two and two together from there, you’re smart enough for that aren’t you?”

“And when the normal magic of the Crystal Heart was sent out over the skies of Equestria you sent your brainwashing spell with it.” Twilight finished.

“Bingo! Now I have the Heart constantly drawing on the passive power of the crystal ponies to a low degree and refreshing the spell day and night. Although as you can obviously tell that isn’t enough to brainwash anypony who didn’t get a direct blast of the first brainwashing wave.” She told them.

Twilight was horribly depressed to hear this but her sharp mind was still filing away everything she heard as possibly useful information in the future. And her curiosity was still nagging at her, making her ask the evil Starlight more questions.

“But what about Discord and the Tree of Harmony?”

“You saw that?” The Empress asked, frowning at Twilight. It was obvious that she wasn’t happy to hear that they had been other places before she caught them.

Starlight was thinking it would be a good idea to keep their prior movements a secret. The Empress might get angry if she learned about their visit to Canterlot among other things.

“Yes...” Twilight hesitantly answered. “How did you manage that? And why would you do something so cruel?”

“They were obstacles.” She responded as simply as possible. “Discord should be obvious enough but I didn’t want the Tree or Elements of Harmony potentially undoing what I did. And with Fluttershy under my control thanks to the first brainwashing spell it was easy to manipulate Discord into doing what I wanted.”

“Ugh, knew it.” Starlight rolled her eyes. She could picture that so easily.

“And after that-” Empress Starlight continued. “Things have proceeded pretty normally until now.”

“This is just… this is all just so awful.” Twilight said, despondently looking down at the sleek crystal floor.

“Says you.” The Empress laughed.

“And me too.” Starlight said, frowning at the caustic evil version of herself. “How can you even live with yourself after this? And don’t you even care that you’ve turned your back on everything we stood for in the first place? Calling yourself Empress, ignoring Cutie Marks, this is the opposite of our old dream!”

Empress Starlight narrowed her eyes at her double. “Equestria is currently in a transitional phase and-”

“You’re just a hypocrite!” Starlight cut her off.

“We were always hypocrites!” The Empress snapped. “Sure it might have been necessary back then in Our Town but it was still true. I’ve just embraced that part of me, the reality that I need to be on top to make sure it’s all working, to guide the others in the right direction. I’d never be able to spread the truth if I wasn’t a little unequal, that’s the sad realization. But it sounds to me like you just ended up shying away from it all and tried to deny that part of yourself. Saying you were wrong entirely. You didn’t have it in you to make the decisions I did!” She pointed her hoof angrily at Starlight.

Before Starlight could respond Twilight put a hoof in front of her chest, picking her head up again to look back at the Empress.

“You said this is a transitional phase?”

Empress Starlight coughed, regaining her composure she turned her attention back to Twilight. “Yes. I don’t intend to keep things like this. I still aim to create that perfect world without Cutie Marks.” She spat the word out like it was venom. “But currently I don’t have a way to contain the marks of everypony in Equestria. Once I do I’ll broadcast my removal spell with the power of the Crystal Heart and take them all at once. Admittedly I also need to find a way to keep the sun and moon cycle going after taking Celestia and Luna’s marks. I may have gotten a bit ahead of myself after the first brainwashing and attempted to… knock the two of them down a peg, but I couldn’t find a way to keep day and night in order. Which is why I left them back in Canterlot as is.” Empress Starlight paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She fondly gazed off into the distance like she was imagining something. “After that’s all taken care of the brainwashing can be… slowly undone with only some minor alterations for most over the course of a generation or two as I spread my teachings far and wide in a more natural way. I already have an updated manifesto ready for every bookcase in Equestria. Every stallion, mare and foal will learn the Starlight Glimmer way from the beginning.”

Starlight shook her head in disbelief. “Oh boy, you’re nuts. You’re just nuts.” She said to her.

“I don’t expect a quitter like yourself to be able to see the beauty of it.” The Empress contemptuously sneered at her.

Starlight opened her mouth to yell some more but Twilight clamped her jaw shut with magic.

“Enough! We don’t need to get like that. I wanted us to be able to understand and get to know one another.” She looked up at Empress Starlight. “You may laugh at me again for saying this but I still would like to become friends with you. Because I know you can become my friend and make up for all of this.”

“And why would I ever want to?” She asked as she slouched down in her throne.

“Because.” Twilight hit her with as focused and intense of a stare as the purple Alicorn could muster. “Are you even actually happy like this?”

“Hah! Why wouldn’t I be?” Evil Starlight responded instantly like Twilight had just asked her the stupidest thing in the world. Her jeering face mocking both Twilight and the good Starlight.

“You still don’t have any real friends. Just ponies you’ve forced to be around you.”

The Empress frowned. “And what’s wrong with that? You can’t trust “real” friends to not abandon you.”

“Like how Sunburst did?”

Empress Starlight didn’t flinch but she did narrow her eyes in cold anger at Twilight. Good Starlight gulped as she looked between the two of them, worried that things might suddenly escalate.

“I’m not surprised you’d bring him up.” The Empress started again. “I assume you learned about him when dealing with the other me over here. But even now the Sunburst in this world is happily living here in the Crystal Empire and I can see him whenever I want.”

“But it’s not real!” Twilight stomped her hooves on the floor. “How can you be happy with knowing Sunburst like… that! None of that, none of anything you have with these ponies, is real happiness or love or friendship!”

“Spare me! It’s real enough for me and that’s what matters!” She yelled, a throbbing vein popping out of her neck.

Starlight sighed and shook her head before talking to Twilight. “Twilight I told you this wouldn’t work. She’s not going to listen to reason.”

“Fine. I just...” Twilight sighed in defeat. “I’m not giving up yet but fine.” She took another step towards the throne that the angry Empress was occupying. “There was one last thing I wanted to ask. What happened to me? Your world’s me. What did you do to her and all of her friends?”

The Empress calmed herself down and smirked at Twilight. “Heh. Thanks for reminding me, I almost forgot to mention that to you. It always raises my spirits when I think about Twilight and her friends. Well you already know I used Fluttershy to deal with Discord so you can probably guess that they were all hit with the brainwashing too. After that I had them all come here and imprisoned them in crystal stasis deep in the bowels of this castle.”

Twilight and Starlight’s eyes opened wide in shock. “But why?!” Twilight yelled. “Why would you do that?!”

“Because they didn’t deserve to live in my perfect world!” Empress Starlight screamed back at her. “They were the ones who ruined everything in the first place. So you know what I did? I sent another spell using the power of the Crystal Heart across Equestria to erase them from everypony’s memories. And then before I put them into stasis? I undid the brainwashing on them so I could let them know just what was happening! Hahahaha!” She started laughing madly while Twilight stared on in horror.

Twilight couldn’t believe she would do something so… so… depraved.

Good Starlight meanwhile scoffed at her evil self. “Okay, yeah, you do that and then laugh about it and still say you aren’t evil?"

“That was justice!” Empress Starlight cried.

“No it wasn’t. You’re evil.” She scowled at her.

“I’m not evil!”

“You’re totally evil, compare yourself to me. I gave up on all of this craziness because Twilight was right about friendship and the beauty of Cutie Marks and because of that I reconnected with Sunburst and became real friends with him again. I became real friends with so many other ponies too and we’ve accomplished so much good together. Do you have any idea how even brighter and happier Equestria could be if you were willing to do some good for it instead of just being selfish and trying to force your way onto everypony? I’ve helped save Equestria from evil monsters more than once now. Meanwhile, you are an evil monster threatening Equestria. How much pain and suffering do you think these ponies would be feeling if they could actually think right now? You’re not doing a good thing. At best you’ve created a lie. An illusion no better than that old town. You’re evil. And you know what? You’re not happy like I am either. You may have that kind of smug, self-satisfied happiness that comes with victory but you don’t have true happiness that can only come from real friendship and love.” Starlight took a big breath as she finished her monologue and wiped a bit of sweat from her brow. “Sorry for going off on a while there.”

“No need to apologize, I think you did pretty well.” Twilight smiled and gave her a little wing hug.

“QUIET!”

The two looked in shock at the angry Empress Starlight, standing on her throne and glaring at them.

“No more talking! We’re done here.” She snarled. “I’m not evil and I’m not listening to you anymore, the both of you can forget about me stopping. This is my world and I’m going to make it perfect.” Her horn lit up. “And the two of you aren’t getting in my way.”

Twilight stepped in front of Starlight to protectively shield her. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I didn’t want it to come down to this but I’ll fight you if I have to.” Her horn lit up as well. “However.” She smirked. “That’s not to say we have to fight right now!”

She put more magic into her horn and activated her teleportation spell… and it fizzled out.

“Huh?” Twilight looked up in surprise at her horn, she pumped more magic into it and tried doing it again but once more the magic fizzled out in a shower of sparks. “What’s going on?”

“What are you trying to do, Twilight?” Starlight asked her in confusion.

“Oh I’m sorry.” Empress Starlight said with faux-politeness, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face. She got out of the seat of her throne and started walking down the steps towards Twilight and Starlight. “But did I forget to mention that there’s no teleporting in or out of this castle? Guards!”

At the Empress’s word the guards snapped into action behind Twilight and Starlight, forming a semi-circle around them and boxing them in. Lit horns and crystal tipped spears aimed at the two intruders.

“Uh oh.” Twilight muttered as she bit her lip.

“Uh oh indeed.” Empress Starlight smirked and fired her Cutie Mark removal spell at the two enemies.

The horrible familiar feeling of the magic wove its way over Twilight’s body, tearing her precious Cutie Mark from her flank. That terrible, loathsome, feeling of losing what made her special, what connected her to her friends, all over again was almost enough to make Twilight sick. The shimmering star danced away from her and she could do nothing about it, only reach out helplessly as her colors muted and that deafening equal sign appeared on her flank.

“Ohh...” Twilight slumped to the ground, weakened. She looked forward to see Starlight, her Starlight, absentmindedly poking at the equal sign that now adorned her flank as well.

“Huh, so that’s what karma feels like.”

“Ugh.” Twilight snorted in annoyance and rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to let the two of you enjoy a night in the dungeon.” Empress Starlight suddenly said as she leaned her head down to look straight into Twilight’s eyes. “And I do suggest you try to enjoy it, since it will be your last. Because tomorrow morning I’m going to have the crystal ponies gather together and put all their energy into the Crystal Heart again so I can reapply the brainwashing spell and put the two of you under its control as well.”

Comments

[SilverStar7]

Alright. You have my attention... Again.

[TheHardie-Boy]

This...took a turn

[Starlight Glimmer1]

9724610
Indeed.

[mishun]

“Uh oh indeed.” Empress Starlight smirked and fired her Cutie Mark removal spell at the two enemies.

Why didn't they just blast her?

[alamais]

Time for Spike to smash the Heart. ...Or maybe eat it.

[RoyalBardofCanterlot]

Intense.

[redmar]

I'm surprised they didn't try more than simply teleporting away especially since they should be stronger than one evil Starlight and a bunch of barely usefull guards.

[MagicS]

10965160
They were surprised and taken off guard. It's not really any different than what happened back in the opening to season 5, Starlight got the drop on Twilight there too and once the Cutie Mark removal spell hits there's not much they can do.