The Ultimate Evil

by Strawberry Sunrise

Celestia's Choice

As the Mane Six jumped away, Celestia’s spell and the energy of Squidward’s dab collided in midair, each competing to consume the other. Celestia continued to cast the spell, putting as much effort as she could into it, but this only weakened her faster, the expenditure stacking with the sapping effects of Squidward’s dab. And then she came to a realization. Her own death would be the only thing that could put an end to this forever. Even if she could banish Squidward, there would always be the possibility that somepony else might learn to dab, that somepony else might simply take his place. Only with her death would there be no magic left to sap, rendering the dab as powerless as Sunset had told her it was in the human world. She closed her eyes and stopped casting the spell.

“No!” Twilight shouted from the ground.

Suddenly, something crashed into Celestia, knocking her out of the way of the dab just in time.

DAB.

Her head spinning, Celestia opened her eyes. It took a few moments for her to refocus and reorient herself in the air. Luna had taken her place and was now dabbing back at Squidward, flickering back and forth between her normal form and that of Nightmare Moon. Each dab’s energy collided with the other in a way very similar to that which had occurred between Squidward’s dab and Celestia’s spell. Her magic now being sapped by two sources, Celestia felt a bit lightheaded and lowered herself to the ground.

“I won’t…let you…WIN!” Luna said, the last word shouted in her Royal Canterlot voice. It wasn’t clear whether she was referring to Squidward or to Nightmare Moon.

“Luna, you don’t have to do this!” Celestia shouted.

“I won’t let you die!” Luna shouted back. “Even if I have to go back to the Moon for another thousand years, even if the dab will still be a threat, I know you can figure something out. We can figure something out. We’ll do it together!”

“Even if you’re on the Moon?” Pinkie Pie said, confused, but nopony responded.

Together. Celestia and Luna…together. Celestia and Luna…dabbing…together. Celestia dabbing. An idea sprang into Twilight’s mind.

“Celestia, you have to dab!” Twilight shouted. Squidward’s dab was beginning to overtake Luna’s, seeming to draw extra power because it was done with four arms…or legs...rather than two.

“What?!” everypony else (other than Squidward) said together.

“Just do it!” Twilight shouted.

Celestia opened her mouth as if to protest, or to ask why, but then closed it. She nodded. She raised herself onto her hind legs.

And she dabbed.