What If...

by Petalled

Epilogue: Crestfallen

Trotting upon a town similar to yours except it's not yours, receiving big happy friendly smiles from everypony around was just the right thing I needed.

All of this ending up was my fault.

If only I had listened to my friends, not been selfish for once to always care about what I felt and want, then maybe this might not have happened.

I wouldn't have gotten separated from my friends and family for a thousand years.

Now I know the experience my mentor went through.

But, if only, I could change the world once again.

---

''Everything looks great, Spike!'' Twilight exclaimed as she glanced around the room. ''What's next?''

Spike shuffled through his checklist, ticking along. ''We're pretty much all done except we need to check on Pinkie Pie with the cake. You know how Princess Celestia can be.''

Twilight giggled. ''We've known her our whole lives, Spike, and literally, everyone knows about her cake addiction. Plus, this is her Summer Sun Celebration.''

He looked around the place, a quill tapping his chin. ''I've always been curious, though. Since Princess Luna's back, shouldn't there be a, I don't know, celebration based on her so it's equal for the two sisters?''

''What do you mean?'' Twilight asked, tilting her head. ''Nightmare Night is based on her, and the Summer Sun Celebration was about... Nightmare Moon's defeat but a memory for Celestia that she banished her own sister to the thing she loved most.''

''I know... but Celestia had hosted this celebration in remembrance of her sister but no one knew that. They thought it was about her raising the sun and moon. How about we have Luna make a celebration herself?''

Twilight considered it. ''That's a good idea, Spike, but right now we gotta get downstairs to check on Pinkie Pie.''

''Roger that!'' Spike said before saluting and rushing off with his checklist down the staircase.

Twilight gave a good-natured laugh and followed him, not noticing a crack on the floor enlarging behind her.

---

A pink blur whipped past Twilight and Spike as they entered the kitchen, sliding down all the cabinets.

''Pinkie Pie, what in the world is going on—'' Twilight trailed off as something held onto the back of her head.

''Twilight!'' Pinkie squealed, grabbing her friend's face in a frenzy. ''No time! I need your help! There are cakes flying everywhere trying to bite me—OW!''

''Bite you?'' Twilight repeated as she raised an eyebrow, stepping back. She glanced around and noticed a lava-colored substance leaking from underneath a door and so she approached closer. When she did, she twisted the doorknob and opened it, seeing a stallion being held up by a centaur until the latter threw him aside, faintness drawing his face.

''Tirek!'' Spike said aloud before the centaur took notice of them and stomped towards them.

''I thought you were putting this aside and finally allowing friendship in your heart!'' Twilight said as she shot him a somewhat wary yet unimpressed glance.

''Oh, but this is much more fun than your cringey friendship...'' He didn't finish it as he gagged, shivering at the thought of it.

Twilight stepped forward, staring him down despite his height. ''I knew we couldn't trust you. It looks like you still haven't learned your lesson. Time to show you another way then—'' Her horn flared to life.

Tirek hummed. ''No time like the present they say~'' he said joyfully. ''Gotta mingle!'' He chuckled as he stomped his way while draining other creatures of their essence.

Twilight wasted no time and ran towards Canterlot Boutique in the distance where her friend Rarity would be making dresses for the princesses.

The bell above the door jingled and alerted Rarity's attention away from shooting blasts at a tall charcoal figure. ''Twilight, I'm so glad you came. It seems like Chrysalis didn't take any of the lessons we taught her to heart.''

''Same with Tirek,'' Twilight pointed out. ''I was worried this would happen. I knew we couldn't trust them.''

''But the thing is, darling, is that they have gotten more powerful than we last encountered them.''

Chrysalis smirked from afar and blasted another magic beam at them but Rarity conjured up a shield in the form of her cutie mark.

''Continue to distract her while I'll go check on the princesses and the others,'' Twilight said before running out the door, avoiding a few blasts here and there.

''You go do that, dear,'' Rarity said, the exasperation apparent in her voice. Although she and Sassy got their horns ready again, Spike got ready with his fire breath for greater help.

Twilight exited the boutique where she heard howling noises erupting in the distance. She knew that noise which meant that... She gasped, looking up to see the sky where windigos were circling.

She took notice of everyone running away in fright or locking themselves inside, but she also noticed three ponies, one unicorn and one pegasus and one earth pony, fighting and arguing with each other.

''No,'' she whispered as she looked around with paleness drawing her face. ''Not again.''

She quickly made her way over to the castle where she met the princesses settling down the nations.

''I'm sure that Twilight and her friends will—'' Celestia trailed off when she saw her pupil standing in the doorway. ''Twilight!''

Twilight came running in and hugged her mentor. ''Princess, what's going on? Why is this happening, again?''

Celestia looked at Luna, then back at Twilight. ''Bring your friends, at once. We'll explain the matters at hoof in private so we don't have others to start a panic.''

Twilight nodded and she did as she was told, bringing all her friends over to a room with a big round table centered, Celestia and Luna at the opposite end as they began explaining their thoughts on the cause of this repeating catastrophe.

''I fear that Grogar had been hiding away all this time. While we have faced many villains before, this one would be the toughest one yet.''

''He's used his absence to recover to his full strength,'' Luna put in. ''So that he would do something far greater to Equestria than he did all those years ago.''

It wasn't quite what they were all expecting.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward, her chest puffed out in defiance. ''The last one is always the toughest and coolest!'' she exclaimed. ''We have always done this and made it out in the end. So if only we use all our strength—''

''It may not be easy,'' Twilight interrupted before getting hopes up. ''It's great to have an encouraging mindset, Rainbow Dash, but I feel like it's going to take a lot more than that this time. It could be our very last and Equestria knows what he will do.''

''Didn't Gusty the Great defeat Grogar and they were only one pony?'' Spike pointed out.

''They didn't defeat him, no. They merely took his bewitching bell that had all his powers within. Over time, he regained his power without the use of his bell.''

''I believe that Twilight is regrettably right,'' Celestia said, stepping forward. ''Grogar has gotten stronger than he already was, even stronger than Discord. It was tough already to handle him, only this time we'll face him in his recovered full strength and without his bell.''

''Then what do we do?'' Spike asked, the panic in his voice.

Twilight trotted towards the window where windigos were circling in the sky as well as the Legion of Doom messing with the ponies and creatures below.

''I don't know,'' she said, her head hanging low.

''That's a lie,'' Rainbow stated, crossing her hooves. ''You always have a well thought-up plan that leads us on! Hope is always on our side because you're our leader, Twi!''

Spike stepped forward. ''Rainbow, she's—''

''Yeah!'' Pinkie interrupted as she joined in. ''You're powerful, smart, organized. You've always told us what to do and it made things right!''

Twilight looked around all her friends, not wanting to disappoint them more than she already have done.

''I'm sorry,'' she mumbled, moving closer to the door. ''I want some alone time.''

They all watched her leave, Spike was the only one who could tell something was bothering her and so followed her out in pursuit.

''You okay there, Twi?'' he asked her, twiddling with his fingers.

Twilight's head was brought up and she turned around to look at him. ''Spike, I...'' she stammered, trying to get her words through. ''I don't know if I could do this. After everything, my friends still depend on me. They expect me to plan everything. But what if I fail this time?''

Spike held her close as she fell to her knees, letting her tears fall on top of him. ''Don't worry, Twi. You have never failed once and we are all in this together. You are not alone. I know we can do this.''

''But Grogar, if he's even more powerful as Celestia says and we won't be able to end him, what if something goes wrong, Spike?''

''Don't think like that,'' he murmured as he patted her back. ''We've done this many times before but now it's finally time to show him our real power. Monster of all Monsters. It'll be the end, Twilight, and soon, no one would interfere in our lives again.''

''Thanks, Spike,'' Twilight said softly. ''I don't know what I'd do without you.''

''I know. I don't know what I'd do without me either if I was you too,'' Spike teased as he broke into a grin. ''You'd probably go all Twily-nanas.''

Twilight scowled at him before she playfully nudged him on the shoulder, the doors opening to reveal each of their friends stepping out.

''You okay, hun?'' Applejack asked.

Spike nudged Twilight, motioning her to go on and tell them and so she stepped forward while taking in a deep breath before she could start.

''This will be the biggest battle we will be facing and it could be our last. We have to give it our all, show them what we've got. Not to Equestria, but to anyone who goes against us. I regret to burst all of your bubbles but I won't be leading you all on this time. We will be leading each other as we're all in this together.''

Silence reigned amongst the group of friends.

''Twilight...'' Fluttershy began softly. ''We didn't mean for you to plan all of this on your own.''

''Yeah!'' Pinkie piped. ''We're all in this together! It's not only going to be you planning out a plan!''

''But you and Rainbow Dash—'' Twilight trailed off, glancing around. Her head hung low. ''I'm always the one to make the plan, though, and I'm always the center of attention during the defeat and rainbow power.''

''So?'' Pinkie said, shrugging. ''That's 'cause Harmony suddenly made you more gifted and we don't mind at all!''

''Yes, darling, we don't mind a thing about that,'' Rarity said despite being a pony wanting to be in the spotlight.

''But isn't that unfair on you all?'' Twilight asked, still not feeling so sure about this.

''If you don't think on it too much, then no,'' Fluttershy replied.

''But...'' Twilight trailed off as Rainbow showed her agitation by groaning aloud.

''Enough with the buts!'' she shouted, slapping the air with her hoof.

''But I don't want our adventures to center around only me. I want all of us. I certainly don't want our adventures to be put to an end too.''

''And we are,'' Rarity said, placing a hoof on her shoulder. ''Just because we are not gifted like you do not mean we are any less prominent.''

''Yeah,'' Rainbow said as all the others stepped in and nodded in agreement and togetherness.

And at that, Twilight had finally lost it. ''You guys are all too nice that you don't understand this at all!'' She stormed out of their way and lightened up her horn to disappear from their sight.

---

Twilight reappeared inside a dark cave, letting the essence from her horn illuminate the walls to see.

''They don't understand,'' she muttered. ''How can they not see it? It's all about me. They should be hating that more than I hate it myself.''

''How could you hate that?'' asked a familiar voice. ''Having that much power is a pleasure!''

''I would die to have what you have,'' said another voice that had sounded intimate.

''Having power, having authority, you can do anything you've ever dreamed.'' This time, Twilight could not differentiate the voice.

She stepped back, her ears pinned in place. ''Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow. You've betrayed us. While I'm not surprised, show yourselves if you're not afraid.''

''I thought friendship was all about forgiving and trust,'' came Tirek's voice in mockery.

But they did anyway. They revealed themselves by stepping out of the darkness. The appearances seem to glow amongst the walls, they had certainly looked more dominant and powerful since last encountered.

Twilight's ears flared to life once she saw them but she also noticed another figure come out of the darkness. It was a blue ram, which she could make out from her history textbooks.

She let out a gasp, her horn ablaze. ''What are YOU doing here?!''

''I've watched you all during my exile, ready for the right time to come out with my full strength.''

Twilight's horn burst into flames, ready to attack. ''You better run for we—''

The blue ram interrupted her as he put up a leg and instead used his magic to continue increasing the volume of the windigos' howling outside. His magic gripped onto chains on their necks as if they were under his rule.

''Say hello to your newly-appointed king of all monsters,'' he announced as he sat upon a throne carved out of lava-colored rock, flames erupting on each side one by one to devoid the darkness with light as maniacal laughter pierced through the entirety of the cave, Chrysalis, Tirek, Cozy Glow joining him along but with laughs that, Twilight noted, sounded quite hesitant.

---

Applejack and the others were all walking through the castle's corridors to contemplate the things they had said that had made their friend upset.

''I guess we shouldn't have said that, y'all,'' she said. ''She did tell us she didn't like all the unfairness and the spotlight on her, being a leader and all.''

''But it's not our fault she's suddenly more gifted!'' Pinkie's voice sounded less cheerful.

''Still, we shouldn't have reminded her,'' Rarity said. ''The poor dear.''

Spike walked ahead of them, keeping his eyes intent on the ground until Applejack caught up with him.

''You okay, hun?'' she asked, and when Spike opened his mouth to reply, a spark interrupted in front of them.

''Guys!'' Twilight called out as she appeared in front of them. ''No time! We got to get ready quick before—''

Deep maniacal laughter filled the room, and Rarity asked with hesitation in her voice, ''w-what's going on?''

''Oh no,'' Twilight whispered.

From behind, the stained glass window smashed, all of the glass pieces falling through them and onto the floor. When the destruction cleared, the Legion of Doom were floating in front of them as defiant as they ever were alongside a blue ram.

''Don't tell me that's Discord, again,'' Rainbow said, rolling her eyes.

''You called?'' asked a voice, in a spark of light conveyed a draconequus into view. He appeared in front of the blue ram. ''Long time, old foe.''

''Never mind,'' Rainbow said queasily before turning to her usual proud self. ''Sweet. With Discord on our side, we can be able to—'' she was cut off as she was pulled by the tail by Celestia's magic.

''I wouldn't jinx it, Rainbow Dash,'' she said, her voice stern. ''Grogar has become stronger, possibly even more so than the Lord of Chaos himself.''

''Oh,'' Rainbow said, turning to the others as her confidence wavered. ''We're doomed.''

''Celestia and Luna,'' came the voice of Grogar. ''So nice to see you again.''

''It disgusts us to even think we are seeing each other again,'' Luna shot back, getting her horn prepared.

''The Princess of the Night, fed by jealousy over her own sister. How was the moon by the way? So sorry we couldn't be there during your escape.''

The night princess growled. ''Why are you here? Haven't you learned over the years to not mess with the Guardians of Friendship?''

''Yes, I have. But the other villains were pathetic. With me on their side, you can't defeat us.'' He stood his ground and got ready with his magic. ''Let's put that to the test now, shall we?''

He exploded his magic at his enemies when Celestia instantly put up a shield, Luna and Twilight combining their magic with hers to strengthen the barrier.

Chrysalis faked a yawn. ''Not this again.'' She flew over and stood atop the barrier, putting force over it and smashing it into pieces.

Celestia renewed her shield, putting all the force she had with the help of her sister and her student while the others went on ahead and distracted the Legion of Doom.

''Where's Discord when we need him?'' Rainbow asked when she noticed that the draconequus had disappeared from sight.

Applejack was angered. ''This is probably another test from him to do this ourselves and boost our confidence.''

Fluttershy frowned. ''But Discord promised me he'd never do that again. He cares when I get hurt by him betraying me.''

''And you believe him?'' Rainbow shot at her.

''Why not?'' she shot back. ''He's our friend! He may not show it but I know he has a special place for us in his heart and that's why I love him!''

The silence between the two friends lingered for a moment until Rainbow Dash spoke up. ''What?''

Fluttershy couldn't speak after her confession, her blushing only intensifying as she hid behind her mane.

Applejack decided to leave this for now and focus on the much greater situation at hoof. ''Twi, let me help ya,'' she said as she began to lasso her rope in the air. ''Create a hole in the barrier and I'll tie his antlers to prevent him from powering at us.''

Twilight smiled, glad that she wasn't the one making the plan this time and so went with her friend's plan. She shot a magic beam at the barrier, creating a hole large enough for Applejack to throw herself and her rope out, and landed on the blue ram's muzzle. She began tying his antlers with the rope she had, later getting yanked to the side by him shaking his head.

''You foul!'' he shouted, trying to use his magic but it got stopped. He instantly took the rope away and stepped towards her. ''You... You're just a useless little background earth pony. You can't possibly do anything. It's no wonder your friend Twilight makes the best plans for the previous villains.''

Applejack's head lifted, a sense of shadow looming over her. ''No.''

''Oh, yes...'' he said creepily over her weakened body.

Rainbow pounded her hooves against the barrier. ''Applejack!''

''Say goodbye, my little pony...''

''No, no...'' Applejack muttered, slowly getting herself back up and then charging at him to directly launch herself at him. ''NO!''

With a flick of his magic, Applejack was lifted up into the air by a golden glowing ring then was thrown into a direction and sent out a conjured-up portal, desperately hanging onto the edge.

''NO!'' Twilight shouted as she threw herself out the hole in the barrier, everyone calling out for her. She blasted the blue ram to the side yet he still remained on his ground and tried to pull her friend up but it was difficult to do when she was getting sucked in. ''Applejack, hold still. We can get through this. We always do. I'll help you get back up and we will all defeat him together, just hang on.''

''No, Twilight,'' Applejack said, slipping from her grasp. ''It has to be you this time but don't worry we all believe in you. We always have, Twi.''

''No, don't talk like that. We'll get through this one way or another as always. Your grandmother is waiting for you. Your brother, sister, sister-in-law, marefriend, your friends...'' Twilight teared up. ''I'm sorry for not being there for you all. I'm sorry for not being a good friend, but please, hold on.''

Applejack managed to lift a hoof and touched her friend's face with that hoof. ''You've been a wonderful friend, Twi. Please, keep fighting for me. I'll be fine...''

Twilight's eyes sparkled with tears. ''Applejack, don't... don't do it...''

''Goodbye, Twi,'' she said for the last time. ''You don't need me in this. I'll only just leave you hanging. I'm just a... background pony.''

At those final words, Applejack pulled away from her friend's hold and fell into the portal.

''APPLEJACK!'' Twilight shouted as the portal shrunk closed, her voice lingering as an echo. She fell to the ground on her knees as she made a puddle of tears. Memories of her being with the orange pony flooded and etched in her mind, her breathing being difficult to control.

All of her friends in the barrier cried so hard but Rainbow Dash was in the worst state of all. Everyone knew she would get attached the most.

Discord teleported in front of them which got them all angry. ''What?''

Rainbow Dash was the most infuriated. ''You! You show up at this time! I bet you knew... you knew! You wanted Applejack to die! I'll kill you, I'll kill you!''

''Rainbow Dash, slow down,'' Fluttershy tried to compose her as she flew to her side.

''NO!'' she shouted as she flew herself at Discord but he instantly teleported to Fluttershy's side, letting her fall out the hole in the barrier and onto the blue ram's muzzle.

''Rainbow!'' Fluttershy shouted, glaring at Discord before galloping towards the barrier.

When Rainbow Dash landed on Grogar's muzzle, he loomed over her which sent chills down her spine. He eventually yanked her away much like how he did with the previous pony and sent her out the same portal sucking her in, only this time Luna flew out the hole on the barrier and tried pulling her up.

''You're almost there, little one,'' Luna said over the edge. ''Just keep pushing yourself up.''

''I don't think I can,'' Rainbow cried out.

''Nonsense! You're Rainbow Dash,'' Luna remarked. ''So act like it!''

Rainbow shook her head. ''The will to live... Applejack is gone, my other half. I... I don't think I can...''

''Rainbow, get it together!'' Luna exclaimed as she made her look in the eyes. ''We've lost her but we can't be needing to lose another one. You're strong, and we need you. Keep fighting for us, please.''

''That's what Applejack said,'' Rainbow mumbled, looking down to make out what the threshold held.

''Rainbow...'' Luna said before having her heart skip a beat as Rainbow Dash slipped away from her hold falling into the darkness, also getting sucked in herself.

''NO!'' Fluttershy and Twilight said at the same time.

The former turned to the draconequus. ''Do something! Why aren't you doing anything?''

''You don't really believe they're dead, do you?'' Discord asked. ''Of course, given that all of you can't look beyond time makes this all even more exciting.''

''Exciting?!'' Twilight repeated as she stepped forward and magically pulled him by the goatee.

''What do you mean about 'dead'?'' Rarity asked, motioning her hooves in quotations.

Discord chuckled with glee. ''You'll be surprised! And I can't spoil surprises!''

He heard someone sniffing from behind. When he looked around, it was none other than his dear Fluttershy.

''You promised you'd stop...'' she said. ''You promised me you wouldn't do this.''

''But I'm not! It's all his doing and I can't stop it!'' he wailed. ''He's too powerful even for me. I just know what he's going to do because I can look into the future.''

''What's he going to do?'' Twilight demanded, staring him down.

Discord got up and deadpanned. ''As I said, it'll ruin the surprise!''

''See!'' Fluttershy exclaimed, bringing out her hoof. ''Everyone warned me. I wanted to trust you so badly but you make it so easy to... to...''

And now Discord deflated at that.

''To, what?'' he questioned, wanting to know what she wanted to say to him.

Fluttershy looked away. ''I hate you!'' she spat. ''We lost Applejack, Rainbow, and Luna all because you couldn't do anything!''

His heart shattered into a million pieces but then his blood slowly began to rise.

''But how?!'' he sharply asked, his paw and claw clenching into fists. ''I can't do anything against him!''

''Then try!'' she snapped. ''Or I will...'' she said quietly before fluttering up to the hole on the barrier.

''Fluttershy, no!'' Twilight shouted, trying to chase after her.

Discord stopped her, however, putting aside his little test game and not wanting anyone else to get hurt. He soon flew after the pegasus and they both stood in front of the ram.

Fluttershy was still mad at him but she cowered before the ram, Discord stepped in front of her to protect her.

''Meet your doom...'' Grogar said as he and his accomplices flew before them, getting ready with their magic to throw at them and finish them once and for all.

When it was about to hit them, Fluttershy opened her eyes after she found out it hadn't struck them. She looked at Discord who put her in a barrier while he was throwing giant cupcakes at them.

''Discord...?'' she said, the draconequus floating in front of her still continuing to throw cupcakes at them.

''I'll distract them. You and the others go reunite the tribes,'' Discord told her, floating himself high to level himself with the enemies face to face.

''Okay, be safe,'' Fluttershy told him before she ran towards her friends. ''We need to reunite the tribes in order to take them down.''

''But that takes so long,'' Rarity said. ''We need hope.''

''We do have hope!'' Pinkie said as she lit up.

''How are you still cheerful even in this situation?'' Twilight asked as she turned towards her.

''I'm not.'' Pinkie deflated. ''Not on the inside, at least. On the inside, I'm still in pain. I've learned to keep it all in over the years when you get used to things.''

Sounds of gunshots could be heard from outside the barrier as Discord started shooting a toy gun at the enemies but instead of bolts, he blasted them with cheesecake.

Normally Pinkie would have laughed at this.

''Besides,'' Pinkie said, turning to face them again, ''Grandpa Pie showed me a magical artifact where all three tribes come together to connect their crystals.''

''I've read about them,'' said Twilight. ''Your family has them?''

''Yep!'' Pinkie said as she nodded. ''Me, Fluttershy, and Discord can head on over there right now while you, Rarity, Spike, and Princess Celestia can distract them while we come back with the crystals.''

Twilight smiled and hugged her pink friend. ''Thank you.''

''For what?'' she asked before pulling away.

Twilight wiped a tear and teleported to the other side of the barrier, getting her horn ready to blast at the opponents. Meanwhile, Discord disappeared from sight while taking Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

In a spark, they reappeared in a deserted area where rocks were everywhere and two buildings in the distance. Pinkie skipped herself along the path as she smelt home sweet home, Discord and Fluttershy following behind. The place had not gotten corrupted yet as it was near the end of the land.

They stopped in front of a building where Pinkie knocked on the door three times, the door opening as an old stallion made an appearance.

''Pinkie Pie!'' he greeted, getting his hooves out for a hug. ''Been a long time, hasn't it?''

''Sure has, Grandpa Pie!'' Pinkie exclaimed with a happy smile.

''But I wish we had seen each other more than having to meet on the last day,'' he said, a frown etched across his face. ''Come. I think I have an idea why you're here.''

He stepped aside for the three to step inside, trotting into the kitchen to make them all some tea. The three sat on a couch Discord conjured up for them to sit in as the couch in the house was uncomfortably hard. Grandpa Pie came back with the tea and settled it on the table.

He also went to a drawer to grab a key, then trotted towards the corner of the room where a chest was placed, opening it to reveal three gems glowing faintly. He picked the chest up and brought it to show it to the three.

''It's powerless as the three tribes been separated,'' he explained as Fluttershy took it in her hooves to admire it, Discord inching closer. ''Gusty the Great made these as an alternative in case her original plan didn't work out. If you get all three tribes together to connect these here gems, it will glow majestically.''

Fluttershy and Pinkie listened thoroughly until the latter exclaimed, ''let's do this!''

''Yay...'' the former tried to say as she was brought into a hug.

''You're still mad at me?'' Discord asked with pity but Fluttershy ignored him and talked with the elder.

''How can we connect them like last time? Friendship lessons aside, the foals did that, and what if Grogar did something to them as he's been watching over us.''

''There's no fight against him,'' he said in a strict matter-of-fact tone.

Discord scoffed. ''And why ever not?''

''Because he's invincible,'' he said. ''He'll most likely turn the whole land including us into darkness just like he did last time. There's nothing you can do against him.''

''But he doesn't have his bell anymore,'' said Fluttershy, putting her cup down. ''He's gained power without it over time.''

''Then we pray for hope to be on our side.''

''How long, Grandpa Pie?'' the granddaughter asked like a child asking questions. ''How long will he put this land in darkness for?''

''For a thousand years or longer perhaps.''

''A thousand years?'' she repeated. ''Wouldn't he get tired then?''

''He's immortal, dear,'' he told her. ''But even if he does, he'll retire and you say he's powered up without his bell? With no bell to steal, then I don't know what.''

They all hung their heads as they realised that all hope was lost now.

Fluttershy turned to Discord. ''I just want to let you know I'm sorry for what I said before the darkness gets us.''

''I'm used to it,'' Discord muttered, not looking her way.

Fluttershy tried touching his paw but he snatched it away even though he so desperately wanted to feel her touch. This could be his last.

And last it was.

The windows broke, the glass shards spreading on the floor as a sense of dark fog started seeping in and shadow claws started crawling towards them.

''Grandpa!'' Pinkie shouted.

''You weren't kidding,'' he said as he resettled his glasses. He stood in front of her to protect her.

Fluttershy looked at Discord in fear. ''Discord, I...'' She brought herself up and kissed him lightly on the lips as if it will be their very last.

A type of mad laughter pierced through the air, the darkness had got to them and the only thing they could see in their sights was Grogar's grin lingering.

---

Celestia, Twilight, and Rarity all combined their magic together as well as Spike's fire breath and used it to blast at the blue ram and the Legion of Doom, using all their energy within them.

Sweats leaked from each of their foreheads until Rarity collapsed to the floor, feeling faint.

"No!" Twilight shouted. "Rarity, get up. We can't do this alone!"

Spike ran towards her body and hugged her till she became pale.

"Twilight... I was no use, darling. You can do this. You've always had."

"Stop speaking like that, please! You promised you wouldn't leave me! I can't defeat him without you guys!"

"I loved Applejack... I lost her twice... Rainbow took her and now lost to a beast. What am I supposed to do, darling?"

"Please, Rarity!" Twilight begged as she continued pushing her magic against the ram.

"It's goodbye, Twilight, we'll see each other again," Rarity said at last before closing her eyes.

"No..." Twilight muttered as her magic stopped, falling to the floor, unable to bare it.

"Twilight!" Celestia screamed as Grogar's magic got ahold of her.

"Celestia!" Twilight shouted but it was too late. Grogar's magic had covered her in darkness as a whole. She turned to Spike. "Spike, not you too..."

"I'm sorry, Twilight. I love y—" he was cut off as it had got to him.

"Finally... you're the last one standing. Now to finish you off."

Twilight did nothing, though, and just stood there. She had no hope. Hope was lost. She had lost her friends and everyone. She had failed. Each and every one of them. They believed in her and she failed them all.

So she remained still, not bothered to use her magic against him.

"Do it," were her last words before darkness surrounded her, screaming in pain.

---

I now understood what it would feel like to never see your friends or family again for a thousand years.

It was the price I had to pay for failing them when they all believed in me.

That just shows that no matter how special one seems to be, that does not give them the power to automatically set things right.

You would need a group of lovely ponies who have always been on your side through every step of your journey, learning the magic of friendship along the way.

However, it didn't stop me from seeing generations and generations pass.

But they couldn't see me, no. I was invisible to them.

I could only see unicorns in this small land I wandered through for a thousand years.

All hope was lost and there was no going back.

---

Author's Note:

If you couldn't tell already, the slanted writing is in Twilight's point of view where she wanders through the town of A New Generation for a thousand years in invisibility form. All her friends have been separated thanks to Grogar.

I will create a new story where it shows Twilight reuniting with her friends after Sunny and her friends reunited the tribes back together.

Celestia and Twilight research the pieces of three tribes which also transformed Sunny into a temporary glowing alicorn. She's back to an earth pony again.

They stumble into their Equestria (now Ancient Equestria) to find it a ghost town.