The Pony Guard (Season 4)

by MXCDarkHorse2020

Episode 20: Twilight Alone Part Two

Episode 20:

Twilight Alone Part Two

Throughout the rest of the night while the Lion and Pony Guard continued carrying out the task of making the proper arrangements for the Pride Lander’s for their current residence in Ponyville, Luna and Kyoga continued their search for the self-exiled alicorn beyond the borders of Equestria.

Because it was currently nighttime, they had no problem flying through the warm desert without feeling fatigued or showing signs or dehydrated weariness. By the time they made it to Klugetown, the two wasted no time in flying overhead in search for Twilight.

Alas after a little floating around while avoiding even small talk with the untrustworthy townsfolk they come to have reached their limit for the time-being due to now being already tired from their long journey so they had to settle on seeking shelter at the nearby docks. With floating in the ocean water out of the question since it’s basically asking for any random enemy to ambush them on the spot, they had to seek refuge on one of the old ships at the dock.

“Are you sure that we should even be sneaking into here?” The lioness asked the alicorn with exhausted eye bags.

Luna insisted as she pressed forward towards the docked ship with equally tired eye bags. “It’s either that or risk getting captured trying to sleep in the middle of the ocean or risking suffering dehydration by flying too close to the sun.”

“But I still don’t know if this is such a good idea.” Kyoga replied while understanding her reasons. “This clearly belongs to somebody and I doubt they’ll look kindly upon two stowaways sneaking around for a nap in their own ship.”

“Yes I know.” She acknowledged in return while still proceeding to approach the ship in question. “But with all things considered around us, we have very little choice in the matter.” She leads them inside the ship before leading her to the very bottom cellar floor their ride has to offer. “If we do it right and lay low here until night we can sneak out without any of them noticing.”

“All right. Better than nothing.” She relented before following her lead to sneak to the basement of the ship before moving to get comfortable sleeping so they can recharge their mental batteries in order to resume their search.

Of course little do they realize is that the ship belongs to pirates with a similar light blue satyr symbol on their uniforms who are all currently boarding their ships after having lunch and if they were caught at the wrong time, they would both be in a lot of trouble knowing how their boss reacts towards those not part of the army.

While this was going on, both Tempest and Twilight have just arrived back in town both feeling well-rested and ready for more training. But not without of course heading into town to get some brunch since they just woke up after a late night sleep with their blood pumping with vengeance.

The two were working well together when performing the combat exercises with the alicorn herself feeling more capable of handling her own without magic. If these two worked together like they did yesterday, they’d be able to conquer a kingdom with no effort. But because her boss won’t give the order to advance on Equestria right now, it’ll be a solo effort by Twilight herself since she has the power to be able to go off by herself to take down Scar to put an end to his reign should she really want to go after him right now.

One problem with that is that Twilight herself will need an army of her own since Scar has an army backing him up and it truthfully would be unwise to engage against him alone, leaving the alicorn herself to wonder who is she is going to turn to so she can have the forces to back her up. There is of course the ponies of Equestria along with the Lion and Pony Guard, but she is quick to reject the idea of going back and facing them.

“What are the odds of them being willing to forgive me after everything I’ve done?” She thought to herself. “What have I done just recently to deserve it?”

Her thoughts were interrupted when Tempest called out to her to get her attention once more. “Twilight!”

“Yes?”

“Come on…” She gestured to the ship in front of them. “…we need to obtain something from here as well as check up on some of the Storm King’s new recruits.”

“And by obtaining something, you mean obtaining something from whoever is on this ship?”

“Yes Twilight. From this very ship because they have something I want from them?”

Just as the taller mare proceeded to move to board the ship, Twilight eyed her seeing what she is planning on doing. “Kind of a little excessive just to get a few essentials, don’t you think?”

“Nope.” She shook her head while still boarding the ship. “Not if it’s considered payment for their services.”

“Okay.” She just said deciding it’s not worth to question her decisions before tailing her on board. After all, she isn’t in Equestria and it’s not her brigade to delegate.

The two mares after getting on the ship both drew the attention of the ship’s captain.

Said captain is a tall white-feathered parrot with green feathers on the back of her head and tail and she is currently wearing a dark gray jumpsuit with the light blue satyr symbol on the chest that matches the armor the guards were wearing. The official uniform of the Storm King’s army for her crew who are all wearing the same suits along with her.

“Tempest Shadow.” The captain greeted with a tall and firm standing position. “What do I owe the pleasure of you boarding my ship today?”

“I believe you know why?” Tempest gestured with her open left front hoof. “Your weekly dues?”

“Of course.” She replied expecting that from her as always before proceeding to hand her a bag of gold coins they’ve managed to obtain through their pirating while hauling army equipment. “Anything else while you’re at it?” She asked rather annoyed with her finding having to work for her psychotic boss bad enough.

“Nope. That’s it.” She shook her head before having her horn spark erratically while speaking in a now ominous tone. “Is there a problem with that?”

“Nope.” She immediately replied with slight fear in her tone. “Just wondering, that’s all!”

“Good.” She said with her horn now fizzling down before turning away to leave. “Just make sure to be more careful with the way you talk going forward. You know how dangerous it is to be talking if you can’t back it up. Others tend to walk their mouths in trouble that way.”

“Absolutely guaranteed!” She saluted out of respect for her superior as she moved to depart the ship while passing by Twilight silently watching the scene from behind.

All she could do before leaving with the unicorn she’s meeting up with is to give her an apologetic look for her predicament and to assure she had nothing to with whatever happened between them who likewise nodded back to acknowledge she knows.

“If only I could help them.” She secretly wished to herself. But if she did she’d risk getting the whole crew killed.

From observing Tempest, she finds that they both share more and more similarities than Tempest would think they’d have.

When she observed of how Tempest interrogated the captain who clearly along with her crew detest this enforced lifestyle, she ended up reflecting back to the time she berated Kion for his impulsive decision to confront Makku at the Savanah Summit along with the times she called out the rest of the Guard for questioning her decisions just after getting scarred.

To her thinking back on those moments when she was upset and let her anger consume her back then due to the dark magic influencing her mind, she came to further realize of how hurt he was when she lashed out at him much like the heavy verbal beat down she received from her brother and how unsettled and fearful the rest of the Guard were when she showed this new side of her.

Now that her scar is no longer bugging her, all she can do is lower her ears in regret with the way she’s acted back then. Even though she was right to call him out on not trusting her, admittedly she didn’t help her own case being quick to confront him or take the time to properly explain to him why he had nothing to worry about keeping solo watch over the new crocodile leader. And it was because she didn’t trust her friends well enough to make it clear enough for them.

When getting back onto the docks, Tempest turned around and noticed the sullen look on the alicorn’s face. “Everything good?”

“Yes.” She quickly replied in a moment of recomposing herself. “Everything’s good. Just got a little distracted.”

“About what?” She inquired with a listening facial expression along with a matching eye and brow.

Twilight sighed knowing this mare is expecting the truth out of her. Unable to lie given that she already caught on to the fact that she was reflecting on her regrettable behavior, she came forward. “With a past memory of one of my former friends.”

“Oh…” She replied sounding interested in hearing more about him. “Who is he and what is he like?”

“His name is Kion and he is the Fiercest and the Leader of the team known for protecting his homeland and maintaining balance and harmony there. The Lion Guard.” She honestly answered with confidence.

“And let me guess…after coming to rescue the day alongside him you became the leader of the Pony Guard and formed a close bond with them along with your former pony friends?” Tempest correctly deduced.

“Yes.” She said without denying it. “And since you’re a very smart pony…” Tempest proudly smiled in response to that compliment. “…then you can tell that I have or at least had a close bond with him.”

“Evidently yes, since you still speak so highly of him.”

“Anyways…” She said. “…what was on my mind was a time where animals from the Pride Lands specifically their leaders get together for a meeting where they discuss negotiations and build trust amongst one another. When this happened, we had one particular leader who was I asked to keep an eye on, their crocodile leader, Makku.”

“Sounds like a pretty sharp task to me.”

Twilight smirked at her quip before continuing. “It is, and the reason for that being is because he’s made himself a pretty good guy to receive scorn and distrust from the others due to his previous actions when first becoming leader. First day after taking over he had his float take over the flood plains. Sometime later, he tried it again twice more even resorting to taking down both Kion’s mother and Beshte’s father, a.k.a. one of his friends names, while doing so.”

“Did he have some special reason for being this bold and brave for doing so?”

“The first time was because Kion wasn’t willing to fight him and the other time was because the hippo’s father was injured.”

“Figures.” She shook her head in response to the croc’s cowardly approach.

“Moving on to the Savannah Summit and by then he finally had a change of heart and wanted to prove that he is a new leader ready to change his ways and move to be more responsible going forward which goes as one would expect and I was tasked to watch over to make sure he was being sincere with his wishes.”

“Was he?”

“He was and of course given with how personal and deep his previous crimes went it did not go unnoticed by Kion himself who felt that he was going to secretly sabotage the summit someway somehow. Granted, he had every reason to suspect him only that he truly had no intent on doing so, meaning that he was truly innocent.” She further explained while heavily sighing on going through with telling the hard part. “But he didn’t know that and he ended up getting chewed out for it when he charged in and blatantly accused him without proof. And truthfully I blame myself for that since I joined in on that.”

“Why is that if he had it coming?”

“Because I didn’t try to calmly explain to him that he had nothing to worry about mainly because I let my anger get the best of me…” She answered while rubbing her sore left eye. “…along with not properly treating my mental wounds at the time.” She pulled out a tub of crystal cream from her mane and placed it over where her scar and rubbed it all around the affected area before placing it back inside her hair. “He didn’t fully trust me and I didn’t trust him either.”

“Why should you?” She asked unsympathetic to what he endured back then. “After all it’s like you said friendship failed you and when the roles were reversed they all left you high and dry like you deserved it.”

Twilight still didn’t ease off on the guilt she is now having for her ill-mannered moments when her scar was bugging her at the time. “Maybe so…but I ended up making the same mistake my brother when the roles were reversed and I didn’t act any better them him back then.”

Tempest sighed herself trying to be sympathetic to the pony she sees as her equal. “…listen I know it’s tough thinking back on what could have been but there are just some things in life you can’t plan for. For what it’s worth, it was bound to happen sooner or later, because what happened at your brother’s wedding shows that even if they did have regrets for what they did, they still would have done it had you done something similar whether it’s here on this very beach after attempting to make off with the queen’s pearl and diamonds, or whether it’s another misunderstanding, or even if this lion friend of yours ended up losing control of his anger and roared right at you.” Tempest shifted her eyes aside briefly trying not to dwell on her past any longer than she wants to. “It just wasn’t meant to be, and you shouldn’t try giving something that won’t work out in the end.” She then moves back towards where the army is setting up camp but not without getting what they need from town. “We’d better get going.”

Twilight just lowered her head in shame feeling she has already done irreparable damage to her friendship with the Lion and Pony Guard along with her family and is left wondering if Tempest is right. Given of what her pony friends have done in the past that led up to this.

What if their friendship truly wasn’t meant to be after one more major screw-up?

What if any of the above scenarios actually happen later on in life?

Only time will tell if it really does happen but it did little in helping the alicorn herself feel better about rekindling her friendship with everyone back home.

She knows what she did was wrong due to her crimes nearly piling up on Scar’s level of villainy and she is finding herself walking down the same path he took when it all happened for him and she knows that she crossed a line to the point of no return. Even when she has the drive to want to defeat Scar and get back at him for his treachery, she doesn’t have the drive to return home and face everyone she’s hurt while following in the lion’s paw prints.

Right now she was all alone with her thoughts and actions on what to do once she is ready to take back Equestria but with no plans on staying once it has happened.

Unbeknownst to her, both Kyoga and Luna have managed to have heard the entire conversation from the bottom of the ship while half-asleep with the lingering thought now is how they’re going to convince to come back home with them and get her to show them that she is truly sorry for everything she’s done along with restoring her faith in friendship.

But for now, all they have to do is worry about getting sleep so they can be mentally prepared to talk to her later tonight and that’s what they both did when they both closed their eyes and tuned out the ocean music from above.

If only stowing away on a ship is more peaceful than it looks…

---

…at least until the two were suddenly awaken by a group of yells and shouts and the next thing they know is that their alarmed faces were seeing sharp brandished swords right in front of them aimed at their throats.

“Huh?!”

“What?!”

The crew had them surrounded and there was nowhere for them to go.

“All right you two stowaways! State your names and business!” The captain demanded of their intruders.

“And who dares shall try to striken us with these sharp things you call weapons?!” Luna likewise demanded back.

Some of the crew members chuckled and giggled in response to her old pony-ism.

“Listen to this pony!”

“I know right it sounds like she went back a thousand years or something!”

The muscular birds both laughed in response before shutting up due to the fierce glare the alicorn was giving them.

“Find something funny with the way I speak?!”

The bird with his eyes spinning around aimlessly laughed up a storm. He briefly stopped to take a glance at the lioness standing in front of him before resuming his laughter.

“What’s the matter you disabled lioness?” The chef parrot foolishly remarked. “Walking around with little support?”

Kyoga’s eyes glowed white with fury over that insult as she growled and menacingly glared at the crew. “Who are you calling disabled?!” She yelled. “Kooky Eyes! Captain Hook! One-eyed John! Granma Stuffun! And what about your name huh?” She then eyed the captain while gesturing to the muscular bird with the eyepatch. “You hijack control over this ship here from your matey here, bucko!” The crew was rendered speechless and horrified by this frightening display of anger. “Figures!”

“None of the less…!“ The captain bravely declared with her sword still pointed in her and Luna’s direction after quickly regaining her composure and never one to back down with her fear showing. “…We still have to take you both down and turn you both over to Tempest who likewise turn you both to the Storm King since you two both have powerful magic he is after!”

“Not if we both have something to say about it because…” Luna defiantly roared back with her eyes now glowing white alongside Kyoga now speaking in her Royal Canterlot Voice. “…all of you have made the foolish mistake in engaging against the very powerful might of dangerous forces not meant to be reckon with as far as thou lives are concerned!”

“Bring it!” The most muscular bird challenged while he and the rest of the crew rose their swords once more ready for that fight.

With fierce yells of battle cry they all charged at each other at the exact same time with swords, claws, and magic all ready for both sides to duke it in the battle for freedom and capture on the line.

Said commotion was loud enough to attract the attention of both Twilight and Tempest along with the nearby Storm Guards who were all alerted to the sound of magical blasts, sword clashing, and roaring from the distance. It was only a hundred miles away from where they were standing and they could still hear it from here and feel the ground rumbling.

Clearly this was something that both the unicorn and alicorn had to rush over to find out what exactly is going on.

And the fight that had erupted at the ship in the middle of the ocean was one evenly matched brawl that broke out when both parties made their way to the upper deck.

Kyoga was trading her claws against both the strongest members of the crew both Boyle and Mullet who likewise used their hook and sword to keep even footing with her.

At the same time Luna used her magic to engage against Captain Celaeno in a swordfight with an actual sword she managed to obtain from easily defeating the cook and the wall-eyed parrots on her way up the steps by tossing them backwards against the wall to take them both out of the fight.

With the sword in the blue aura of her magic, the princess of night wasted no time going on the offense while swinging her sword at the ship captain where the two were equally matched in terms of skill. Neither one allowed the other to land one of their blades on them at any point during their duel to the point their duel lasted for quite some-time.

At the same time Kyoga was forced to back off when both Mullet and Boyle managed to briefly restrain with the latter grabbing her and the former backhanding her right in the face with his left hand. The impact of the hit sent her tumbling across the deck and briefly knocked the wind out of her. Fortunately, she was able to recover in time so she can flip over Mullet and kick away Boyle in a surprise attack by pretending she was completely knocked for a few more seconds to catch them off-guard.

The pirate captain moved to try force Luna on the defense by getting her to back up towards the plank behind her. The princess seeing what she is trying to do kept full focus on ensuring that her opponent doesn’t lay her sword right on her face, chest, or magical mane.

Little did Celaeno realize as she was forcing Luna back was that she was really finding herself going overboard instead. It wasn’t until she stepped off the plank and saw that Luna wasn’t plummeting to the water did she realize that her tactic backfired on her.

“YAAARRRGGHHH!” She screamed upon dropping into the water at the same time Kyoga slammed both her opponents down into the ground leaving them both moaning and groaning in defeat.

Just when both the alicorn and lioness regrouped to sigh in relief, it was short-lived when Tempest Shadow along with the Storm Guards arrived on the scene.

“What’s going on here?!” The second-in-command of the army demanded just when the guards immediately boarded the ship and surrounded.

It was there Twilight flew on board to see who was being attacked on the ship and who they were fighting. “And why did this fight…” She suddenly sees these two familiar faces she’d never expected to see. “…happen.”

“Twilight?”

“Luna? Kyoga?”

There was some awkward silence between everyone with this exchange uttered.

“Well…” Tempest said with a small smile eager to see more of this putting two and two together that the two ship intruders know the alicorn facing them just speechless upon crossing paths like this. “…this should be interesting.”

After the moment of tense awkwardness passed over Twilight finally regained her composure to ask the question she was originally going to ask. “What happened here that to whatever fight that occurred here.” She looked around to see the crew all getting up on their feet while recovering from the beat down they took. “And from the looks of it, these guys sure took a beating.”

“Because we attacked them.” The captain answered while boarding the ship and shaking herself dry from sea water. “For catching them stowing away and sleeping in our bottom cellar.”

“Is this true?” Tempest asked of them.

“Only because we really needed to catch up on sleep and it was the only place we could do it without overheating or risk being attacked out in the open.” Kyoga explained defensively.

“And you both didn’t think to ask for permission?” Tempest inquired in a chastising manner. “It’s not polite to trespass on someone’s property.”

“Would you have said yes if we asked?” Kyoga replied while eyeing the crew feeling they truthfully would have said no if they did.

“Maybe not…” Celaeno replied still feeling beat up on giving a direct answer due to the presence of the pony in charge glaring down at them eyeing every word and eye motion that goes on around her. “…yes.”

Both Luna and Kyoga both anxiously keep their guard while wondering what’s going to happen to them and if Tempest is going to show any mercy towards them.

“Then I think we all the appropriate punishment for this…” Tempest spoke while pacing around the two magical powerhouses. “…by order of the Storm King, you are both under arrest.”

Luna calmly sighed in response as the guards close in on them with handcuffs before shouting loudly in her Royal Canterlot Voice. “EVERYPONY AND CREATURE FREEZE!”

When she screamed those words everyone around them froze into place with a bright flash of hot blue and white blinding light that shined the whole dock area. After it had cleared up and the spell had worn off, both Luna and Kyoga have vanished along with one more pony…

Tempest upon seeing what had transpired just groaned in irritation feeling she should have seen that coming.

---

Just when the two reappear on the other side of the Mount Aris beach, the alicorn princess blew the smoke off of her horn just having completed that long-range teleportation.

“Phew! My apologies dearest Kyoga.” Luna apologized. “It’s not every day you’re forced to teleport away when completely surrounded by enemies you know very little of.”

“Nor is getting attacked by pirates for catching us sleeping in their quarters and cornered by a similar looking unicorn.” Kyoga added in an understanding tone. “I mean did you see her broken horn along with the scar on her face?”

“Yes I did.” Luna said. “Along with seeing our dear friend Twilight there.”

“I know. What was she doing there and on that unicorn’s side?” Kyoga wondered.

“Do you want to know why?” Twilight said to them appearing right behind them having listened to their entire conversation after escaping.

“Twilight?” Kyoga said rather startled by this discovery.

“Yes and hi.” She greeted without any hostility. “And I have to admit I too wasn’t expecting to actually crossing paths with you two all the way out here.”

“The same could be said for us, Twilight.” Luna shared the same sentiment likewise. “But the question is, why were you with that unicorn attempting to capture us back there?”

“Long story short, I was out in this nearby town in the middle of the desert, where I was trying to get figure out what to do with my life.” She explained while turning her head briefly towards the docks on the other side of the ocean. “After beating down a thug for quick money for supplies I came across that unicorn where she offered me a chance to train me so I took it and that’s what I have been doing since.”

“But why?” Luna asked still puzzled of her sudden acceptance to this lifestyle Tempest is guiding her with.

“Initially I was hesitant to accept it at first at least until she tempted me to do so. The reason being is because of something I truly want. To get back at someone for what he has done to me. To all of us.”

“Scar?”

“Yes.”

“Twilight…” Luna calmly said before speaking her opinion on the matter. “While we greatly appreciate that you’re taking steps to mentally prepare yourself against him, we are not certain that this is the best way to cope with all of this.”

“It’s not like having Tempest bring in the whole army back to Equestria…” Twilight tried to say.

“I mean your approach.” Luna interrupted. “…because this is clearly not good for your mental well-being…”

“Luna, of course it is. I know what I’m doing.” She asserted back. “After I train with her then I’ll come back so can defeat Scar and his followers once and for all.”

“And then what…” She sternly questioned the young mare. “…you’ll continue wreaking havoc on everyone else in your wake?!”

“No!” She snapped back feeling offended by that accusatory question. “Just Scar himself then I’ll go and start a new life. One that doesn’t involve anywhere in Equestria…” She then said while looking away with her previous anger fading into sadness. “…because I truly think they’re all better off without a friend like me in their lives.”

At the same time Luna’s hardened expression soften up into a sullen and regret filled look clearly showing that she truly didn’t mean to break her down like that. “Twilight…I’m sorry. Please forgive me for that remark.”

But the apologetic words still further hit Twilight where it hurt, her heart since it was those very words Kion used to get her to finally come to her senses. The very moment where she realized what she was truly doing ever since siding with Scar where she thought back to all of those terrified faces looking on in her direction as Midnight Sparkle along with the terrible memory of nearly doing what Scar did to his older brother Mufusa.

“It’s okay.” She slightly choked and sniffled with her composure now cracked again. “I deserved it because I acted like the guy nopony wants to see.”

“But you came to realize your wrong-doings.” Kyoga pointed out in an effort to try to help her feel better. “You didn’t go through with Scar did to Mufusa. You saved your brother.”

“No thanks to me.” She bitterly replied in a moment of self-loathing. “All because I gave into my anger and agreed to help Scar takeover the Pride Lands.”

“But you weren’t thinking straight at the time.” She countered. “Your scar was just really bothering your mind into making that decision.”

“But I still had control over my actions.” She countered back still not feeling better in the slightest. “I had the power to stop myself from doing all these bad things behind everyone’s back including the decision not to betray everyone who came to befriend me.”

“But…”

“No, Kyoga.” Twilight refused to hear any more of it. “I had no excuse for what did back there, everyone there has every right not to want have anything to do with me for what I did. And since I acted just as bad as Scar, they’ll never want to forgive me ever.” She once again sighed with a heavy heart with a mindset of returning back to Tempest Shadow. “Meet me back here in a month.” She instructed. “Then we’ll talk about a proper strategy to taking down Scar and his army, then after that I’m going away for good this time.”

“Please Twilight…”

…don’t leave…”

Both Luna and Kyoga gently implored of her to reconsider but the disheartened alicorn’s mind was resolute on the matter.

“I wish I could say that, but I don’t think anyone is going to agree on that.”

All the two could do was sadly watch on as Twilight proceeds to fly away and back to where Tempest Shadow is now currently watching over the progress of the cleanup process on Captain Celaeno ship. Once she was out of their sight once more, Luna heavily sighed having failed to reconnect and reconcile with her.

---

By the time they were finishing up, Twilight had just arrived before landing on the ground so she can stand before Tempest. “My apologies Tempest but the two intruders have escaped.” She reported in an apologetic manner. “I searched long and hard and far and high for them all around the ocean and the beach. They’re gone.”

Tempest was clearly disappointed but refrained from being hard on her due to the sole focus of wanting her to focus on her sole goal in life. “It’s okay, Twilight. You are forgiven.” Twilight’s eyes widen in response to that. “I’m sure we’ll see them again at some point. But now is time to put this little incident with your former friends behind us and continue resuming your training.”

“Thank you.” She bowed out of respect for her before retreating back to camp so she can settle down for the night.

After settling into sleeping, she began to have a dream, one that was really a flashback to when she first agreed to help Scar take over the Pride Lands just after saving the Crystal Empire.

---

Back then she was just currently reading one of her books late at night. By the time Spike had went to sleep in his bed, Scar had made a magical appearance right behind her while she was deep into her reading.

“Reading something really good tonight?” He curiously inquired the mare who yelped upon suddenly sensing his presence.

“AAAHHH!”

She quickly turned around and teleported behind him with her book still in the aura of her magic and adopted an offensive stance ready to attack him should she try to make a move on her.

Scar simply chuckled in response before teleporting her just outside of Ponyville and inside the Everfree Forest so they can continue their private discussion.

“Twilight?” Spike wearily asked while slowly walking down the steps and rubbing his still tired eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, Spike.” Twilight quickly said to him while reappearing inside the room before he could begin to greatly worry about her. “I’m good just a classic case of accidentally dropping my book on my hooves.” She added while shrugging the pain from her hooves.

“Okay.” Spike shrugged before moving to walk back up the steps and back into bed. “Just try to come up and join me when you’re done reading, okay. It’s really late right now.”

“Will do.” She nodded before teleporting right back to where Scar is still standing tall and unconcerned with the unicorn shooting daggers from her eyes and magic right at his face. “And will you please try to explain to me why you choose now of all times to try to pick a fight with me?!”

Scar once more found it humorous before continuing with what he wants to say to her. “My dear Twilight Sparkle, if I was trying to take you I would have done it right now when you were least expecting.” Twilight still wasn’t convinced while producing a magical dome to prevent Scar from having another quick opportunity to attack her face again. “Okay, fair enough. “ He said in an accepting manner. “But I can assure you that I’m not here to attack or capture you.”

“Then why you really here?”

“Because I want to hear of what you thought about in regards to my previous offer back at the Crystal Empire.” He answered while walking circles around her. “I did give you a fair amount of time to think about it.”

“As tempting as it is, I think we both know that’s not going to happen. I’ve heard about how you drove the Pride Lands into ruining decay and I don’t intend to help you destroy it.”

“I know.” Scar acknowledged. “It was horrible the way I treated everyone there during my reign as king. It was just I don’t know what came over me when I decided not to listen to anyone when they tried pointing it out. I was just so jealous of my brother that I couldn’t stand hearing his name and how much better he is in life that I didn’t want to admit it. I ended up forgetting of why I really wanted to be king in the first place.”

“Okay…” She said with her guard and force field still kept up. “…and exactly how do to propose this is going to get me to change my mind?”

“Ah, a smart pony I see…” Scar smiled with admiration at her intelligence. “…you’re not Princess Celestia’s prized protégé for nothing with you being so smart and figuring out what I’m trying to do here. Very well, then maybe I should be trying a more honest approach her.” He then stopped pacing around the unicorn before speaking with a little more emotion than he usually shows. “I know that when you and anyone else look and think about me is that I’m the most evil lion that has ever roamed across the two worlds who resorted to murdering his brother in order to achieve power. But you know beneath the eye of beholder lies the truth of how it all happened for you see I didn’t always grow up with this scar along with a desire for vengeance.”

“Oh really…” Twilight said feeling slightly amused that he is going to try to enlighten him to do it. “…what were you like when you were the leader and the Fiercest of your Lion Guard, huh?”

“Actually yes…” He admitted. “…back when I was leader of my Lion Guard...” He complimented yet again while the unicorn rolled her eyes in response. “...and believe it or not, I was like you back then.”

“Like me?”

“Yes.”

Twilight scoffed. “I highly doubt that we’re that alike.”

“You might not think that but it is in fact true…” As he explains it more he presents a magical visual of him in action when he was an adolescent leading his brigade into action. “…like past leaders of the Guard I had fierce determination in protecting the Pride Lands no matter what the danger was.” Adolescent Scar was seen leading the charge against an invading army of hyenas. “…Along with a passion to maintain the peace there...” Twilight still wasn’t impressed.

“Wow, impressive.” She dryly remarked to show that she’s not buying it.

“And actually coming to value friendship…” He added while showing a visual of him and Mufusa actually getting along. “…back when me and Mufusa were B.B.B.F.F.’s.”

“Cute…really cute.” She kept making it clear to Scar that she is still not impressed. “Now I’d hate to cute this little attempted bonding session short but I would like to get back to sleep right about now. So…” She moved aside and made her way towards the pathway leading to the exit of the Everfree Forest so she can head back to Ponyville.

“Very well…” He said feeling he is accepting her decision. “…but don’t forget that as much as I hurt you by giving you your scar, I’m not the one who left you alone at Chrysalis’s mercy.” He said to which the lavender mare paused from where she was standing before pressing forward without looking back. “Don’t you remember all the horrible things your brother and your mother-like mentor said to you while walking out on you?”

“And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all.”

“C'mon, y'all. Let's go check on the princess.”

“You have a lot to think about.”

Those very stinging words said back then had Twilight stop dead in her tracks as black smoke emits from her scar to which had the mare rubbing her eye in pain when it happened.

Scar smirking seeing he has her in a very vulnerable position he approached the mare while continuing. “You’ve always been there for them when they needed but when the roles reverse this is how help you by breaking your heart and refusing to listen to whatever you had to say, something that could have saved everyone here the trouble of what happened at the wedding.” He moved to place a gentle grip on Twilight’s back who is left unable to move aside from the hoof she is using to rub her infected eye in pain. “If only they had promised to take your concerns more seriously as they should have back from the whole Smarty-Pants incident none of this would have happened and you wouldn’t gotten hurt because of it.”

“But my brother is my B.B.B.F.F.!” Twilight protested while struggling to move under Scar’s grip and with her back still turned from Scar. “The girls just thought it was a misunderstanding and Princess Celestia knows me as a wonderful student she’s never had before!”

“Are they? Or are they just special somebodies in your life that are more than willing to kick you out of their lives over something that is an actual valid concern for everybody involved.” Scar pressed of her as Twilight’s mind is further tainted with dark magic while still maintaining his grip on her to get her to understand his mindset in regards to friendship. “If it weren’t for you then Equestria would not have nearly been taken over and you would have spared from the heartache of nearly losing all of your friends.” Twilight’s struggle slowly ceased as his words slowly sink in more.

“But…” Twilight started to cry with her emotions overwhelming her. “…they truly didn’t mean it. They just thought I was being irrational and I didn’t make myself properly heard out. I didn’t even have proper proof to back myself up. I never meant to nearly ruin anything for them.”

“Of course, of course you didn’t…” Scar said with feigned pity while loosening up his grip while drawing Twilight against his leg before gently stroking her mane. “…no one ever means for these things to happen. But the princess and the Royal Captain of the Guard did abandon you along with your so-called friends and Equestria was nearly taken over by the changeling army.” Twilight looks up at Scar who presents her a mirror to look at her scarred face once more. “And if it weren’t for them you’d still be as happy as were before and nopony would feel threaten and worried more than ever.” She didn’t want to believe it, but the heartbreak resurfacing was just too much for her to the fact it was all too true to ignore. “Ooh, what if the Lion Guard along with Simba think should they come to eventually turn on you.” He then further said leaving the unicorn now uncertain of what she should do now while still crying.

“They’ll won’t!” Twilight attempted to insist otherwise.

“Really? How long will it last, Twilight? Do you really think you’ll all stay true friends thick and water and even through and through? It’s all in the past and it will happen again and again and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“What are you saying I should do?” She asked desperately asked while looking at him.

“I’m saying you should do the right thing, Twilight. “ He replied while sitting down to her eye level. “Decide who you think really deserves to be the rightful rulers of Equestria and the Pride Lands. Simba and Celestia? Or me and you?” Twilight had nothing to say at the moment. “If you help me you’ll be saving lives and yourself from further heartbreak at failing friendship. You’ll be adored and admired by everyone around you for generations but again it’s your choice, one that’ll decide the fate of the two worlds.”

It took quite a few seconds for Twilight to sit down and contemplate his words before deciding with this question. “What’ll I have to do?”

Scar smirked sinisterly seeing that he’s got the answer he’s wanted out of her. “Listen carefully and listen closely because what I have in mind will decide the future of both the Pride Lands and Equestria. Something that’ll benefit us both. And as long as you stick me with to the end you’ll never experience that kind of heartbreak…again…”

Back to reality, while Twilight is currently sleeping on this painful memory of being forced to see the world’s harsh truth’s in life with slight grunts and heavy breathing until she calmed down to fell into a state of quite sadness as a single tear falls from her eyes due to the broken promise Scar made back then. Thanks to him, she is now once again feeling alone and heartbroken with no friends like before.

---

From above inside her own dream, Luna was floating overhead both Twilight and Scar watching over the scene of how Scar managed to manipulate Twilight into helping him take over the Pride Lands by playing on her weakness sub stained from the whole wedding incident.

Seeing this had the Princess of Night look on feeling very remorseful seeing what has happened to her back there. With this flashback scene in light, it all makes sense of why Twilight had been justifying and insisting that she is not a villain and leaving the elder alicorn feeling even more remorseful for resurrecting Scar.

“If only…” Luna thought to herself. “…I hadn’t played into his desires for a second chance of life just to locate the Elements of Harmony, none of this would have happened to you.” She faintly whispered in Twilight’s direction looking away feeling guilty herself for what had transpired in her wake…

Author's Note:

In Part Two, both Luna and Kyoga set out to find Twilight though the journey unsurprisingly becomes quite an adventure for them seeing they barely managed to get through the desert without enduring any sun and then had to retire for the rest of the day in a ship. One that belongs to a group of pirates turned slaves for the army of the Storm King which caused both parties to clash when they were caught stowing away in the cellar during the day.

Meanwhile, we have more interactions with both Twilight and Tempest where the former really undergoes a major Heel Realization as a result. That said it really ends up opening up her eyes into seeing of how awful she's become since following Scar's paw prints and how much suffering everyone has felt because of it.

Also what was interesting was that since Twilight is a pony who is Tempest's equal she does try her hardest in being sympathetic towards her yet is firm and still certain that friendship she once held to dear was doomed from the start and just wasn't meant to be and she shouldn't dwell upon it anymore.

And with Kyoga and Luna's duel on the ship attracting their attention, there is where Twilight managed to reunite with the two of them, although sadly once again due to poorly chosen words causing a slight clash led to Twilight further staying firm that she wouldn't be coming back to the Lion and Pony Guard nor returning home once the whole war with Scar is over.

It was very heart-wrenching to see this unfold since Luna was just concerned with the lone alicorn's mental state and her struggling and wrestling with her dark and wrathful side given her still growing fueled ambition of vengeance, and Twilight herself likewise was really thinking straight all the way, and both of them ended up saying something to each other they didn't really mean to say but of course true to the plot what's done is done and so is the damage.

Even more so, when we learn why and how Scar managed to convince her to help him through the influence and power of dark magic and manipulation where this scene alone further demonstrates of how and why Scar is just that much a very talented Manipulative Bastard because he knew the right words to say to play and prey on her weakness along with broken promises.

With part Three yet to come and Twilight still in a very dark place, is there hope for her to at least come back and rekindle her friendship? Well surely, one way or another, shouldn't be a problem yet still a bit of challenge. Just the question who and what is the perfect voice of reason for the job?

Comments

[Flamewarrior02]

Well, some more answers have been given.

This is how the corruption should have gone! Not just immediately after getting the scar, ruins the build up.

One more part left. And we’ll see just what Twilight decides. Isolation or friendship?